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215,115 | a27c66c639f1356d2dc226a35128365b271a2ea3 | Manuel Pellegrini has admitted Manchester City’s chances of retaining the Barclays Premier League hinge on them beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after a crushing 2-0 defeat against Arsenal. City were beaten at the Etihad when Santi Cazorla converted a disputed 24th minute penalty and the outstanding Olivier Giroud finished off City with a 67th minute header. The defeat means Pellegrini’s stumbling side are five points behind Chelsea, who beat Swansea 5-0 on Saturday, ahead of their clash at Stamford Bridge on January 31. Manuel Pellegrini looks up to the heavens in despair during Manchester City's 2-0 defeat by Arsenal . Olivier Giroud (right) nods the ball past Joe Hart in the Manchester City goal to double Arsenal's advantage . Pellegrini, who was unable to explain City’s dreadful performance, said: ‘The game we must play at Stamford Bridge is a very important game. ‘We must close the gap to two points. I hope we are going to recover and play the way we are playing so far. With the ball we didn’t have clear ideas. ‘Chelsea will be a very decisive game. We will try to win that game to close that gap again. ‘We didn’t play a good game. We ran a lot and had a lot of possession but we didn’t have creative ideas to try and find the space against a team that defend very well.’ Arsenal were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute when Nacho Monreal appeared to go down easily after a collision with City captain Vincent Kompany. Cazorla converted to put Arsenal ahead. Pellegrini added: ‘I doubt it was a penalty but after the penalty we have enough time. I don’t remember just one save from Joe Hart. We didn’t create many chances to score. Giroud salutes the crowd after doubling the Gunners' lead during the second half against City . ‘There are two principal reasons we lost. One was the penalty, which changed the game. I don't think it was a penalty, but it was unnecessary for Kompany to do it. ‘We were not creative - we didn't have the ideas to cause damage in their defence. Without creativity it is difficult to score goals. ‘The movement of Kompany allows Monreal to dive. I am not saying it was a bad mistake of the referee. The penalty changed the game, but it was not the reason we lost. Of course, I always give credit to the team that wins the game. Arsenal played very concentrated. ‘We ran the whole game, pressed very well, but we didn't have the ideas of how to create the space in their defence.’ Arsenal were impressive throughout and this was an important victory after wins for Southampton, Manchester United and Tottenham on Saturday. Wenger’s side moved into fifth place in the Premier League and are just three points behind third placed Southampton with 16 games left of the season. The Arsenal manager even claimed his team should have won more comfortable after Giroud added their second. He said: ‘After we scored the first goal we controlled it and looked dangerous. We have good solidarity and the regret is that we did not always take advantage of the situations we created because we could have scored more. Santi Cazorla (far left) gave Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot against Manchester City . ‘It is good because we have injured players back and they have been out for a long time. It is an important period, but some of our players are in really good form. ‘What is for sure is that it increases the level and belief because we have five months in front of us. Games like that can help.’ Wenger also admitted that his team were fortunate to earn a penalty when Monreal went down. The Arsenal chief added: ‘My initial reaction was penalty. Someone told me it was a bit fortunate, but it goes for both teams. ‘The referee has to make a quick decision and I am in favour of some support for offsides and penalties.’ | Manchester City lost 2-0 against Arsenal on Sunday .
The champions are five points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea .
Manuel Pellegrini admits City must now beat Chelsea in a fortnight to keep their title bid alive .
Pellegrini's men travel to Stamford Bridge on January 31 . |
209,526 | 9b536b091a7555c421509ed3a4b2cc1f2f0ab60a | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 1 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:52 EST, 2 February 2014 . Demand: Lyle Kercher, brother of Meredith Kercher, said America must 'practise what it preaches' and lock up Amanda Knox . Amanda Knox could face up to five years in jail in the US as she awaits extradition to Italy, it was revealed last night, as the family of her victim called for her to be ‘locked up while she waits’. Top U.S. extradition lawyer Bruce Zagaris said if her latest conviction for the murder of Meredith Kercher is upheld by the Italian Supreme Court, she will be put in jail. Mr Zagaris said: ‘It is rare for the U.S. to deny extradition requests from allied countries like Italy. Her lawyers would have the chance to appeal and any extradition is a long, drawn-out process which takes between one to five years. ‘If Italy applies for extradition Knox would be arrested by marshals and placed in jail. She could apply for bail and may get it but it would be a close call. It’s likely that she will spend one to five years in jail in America while the process drags on.’ Meredith’s brother Lyle Kercher told The Mail on Sunday: ‘She should be locked up while the process goes on. I don’t understand why a convicted criminal is not in custody. America needs to practise what it preaches. We see cases all the time where they’re trying to extradite people – Julian Assange, Edward Snowden. You can’t be going around saying one thing and doing another. ‘I would be surprised if America doesn’t accept it if Italy calls for extradition. It would make a mockery of the word reciprocation. ‘We would like to see her extradited. I would like to see her imprisoned in Italy. I don’t think it’s right her remaining in her own country.’ But a close friend of the Knox family, retired Seattle judge Michael Heavey, said: ‘There is no way Amanda will spend another night in jail. Killed: Meredith Kercher, pictured, was found dead in her bedroom in 2007 . 'The overwhelming majority of the American public believe that she is the victim of a chronic miscarriage of justice and that she and indeed the Kercher family continue to be made victims by this charade going on in Italy. 'There would be an outcry if anyone tried to place her in any US jail. It’s never going to happen.’ Perugia lawyer Marina Cancellotti said Knox’s ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 25, – who remained in Italy for the second trial where he was also re-convicted – could end up in prison while she remains free. Cancellotti said: ‘Italy will ask for extradition but will not obtain anything. I mean who would send Knox back to Italy? We will have to weigh up what it means to live in Italy or the U.S. if Sollecito ends up in prison and Knox free in the States.’ 'We will have to weigh up what it means': While Knox, right, may avoid prison, or spend years in America awaiting extradition, Raffaele Sollecitor, left, could be jailed much sooner . Knox, 26, could be put in Seatac Federal Detention Centre less than five miles from her father’s home in Seattle where Knox watched on TV as an Italian judge re-convicted her of murder on Thursday and sentenced her in her absence to 28 years and six months in jail. The ultimate decision about whether to extradite Knox will rest with John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State who has refused to comment on the case. Zagaris said: ‘There is always room for political pressure but the U.S. will likely extradite if the Italy government requests it because they will not want to get into a diplomatic row with Italy.’ Knox has told friends she has written to the Kercher family offering sympathy for their plight, but Meredith’s brother Lyle added: ‘If there’s a letter that has ever been sent to the family my parents never mentioned it and they would have. 'She’s never called or written a letter to say sorry for our loss or express any regret.’ | Meredith's brother Lyle Kercher says U.S. must 'practise what it preaches'
Says America cannot ask for Edward Snowden and Julian Assange while refusing to extradite Amanda Knox .
But U.S. legal experts doubt that Knox will see another night behind bars . |
178,287 | 72d3505d0ada356b7d0d0479970bd424295a4d49 | By . Phil Casey, Press Association . Rory McIlroy recovered from a slow start to boost his chances of a second major title in succession in the weather-affected 96th US PGA Championship on Friday. McIlroy briefly dropped three shots off the lead when he bogeyed the par-four 12th, his third hole of the day, but bounced back with a birdie on the next and made another from 18 feet on the 15th as more rain fell at Valhalla. And when the 25-year-old Open champion holed from 30 feet for an eagle on the par-five 18th, he suddenly held a two-shot lead over US Ryder Cup vice-captain Steve Stricker and fellow American Ryan Palmer. Going strong: Rory McIlroy stayed in the hunt for a third consecutive victory on the PGA Tour . Umbrella: Play was delayed for 50 minutes after a torrential downpour at the Valhalla Gold Club . Fans: McIlroy hits his tee shot on the 15th hole during the second round of the 96th PGA Championship . 'The golf course was pretty wet so the ball is not running anywhere and whenever it's like that and no rain coming down it is very playable and you could make a score,' McIlroy said. 'I didn't get off to the best of starts, but I righted the ship well and caught fire a little bit round the turn and am really happy with four under par. 'I'm feeling good about my game, I'm confident and hitting the ball well for the most part - not quite as well as I did yesterday, but still in control of my game and my emotions and I will need to do that over the weekend as well.' McIlroy had not looked in top form in the early stages of his round, pushing his opening drive into the crowd on the par-five 10th and failing to convert a birdie putt from 10 feet, although a par was at least two shots better than he managed there on Thursday after hooking his second shot out of bounds. Another birdie chance went begging on the 11th and the world number one then bogeyed the 12th, pulling his drive into the gallery and failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker. McIlroy, who followed his Open victory with a first World Golf Championship title in the Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, got back on track with birdies at the 13th and 15th and missed from six feet for another on the 16th after a towering four-iron approach from 224 yards. In front: The Northern Irishman seized the outright lead with an eagle at the par-five 18th . Sand: McIlroy hits his third shot from a bunker on the 12th hole during the second round on Friday . But he made amends by holing from 30 feet for an eagle on the 18th and could have had another on the seventh, missing from eight feet after a stunning three-wood approach. As if to emphasise a changing of the guard, his closing birdie on the ninth came just as former world number one Tiger Woods began his second round on three over par. Play had got under way in torrential rain at 7:30am but was suspended just 20 minutes later with the first group of joint overnight leader Palmer, Ireland's Shane Lowry and Bob Sowards still on the first green. Two members of the green-keeping staff at Valhalla had been attempting to clear water from the putting surface with squeegees, but that proved an impossible task as the rain intensified. Lead: McIlroy wasn't quite at his best but did enough to remain in the lead as he finished on day two . The rain eased enough for tournament officials to announce play would restart after a delay of 45 minutes, although preferred lies could not be used as they were surprisingly not in force when the round got under way. 'It was tough when we teed off,' Palmer said after adding a 70 to his opening 65. 'I wasn't quite sure if we should have teed off to be honest with you, you could barely see the fairway. It was tough when we got to the first green, we couldn't get a clean lie with the standing water, so they couldn't even squeegee it clear enough. 'We were questioning in the fairway why we had to hit into a puddle because the first green was already under water. They said, 'That's just golf'. We're like, 'Tell the guy indoors that's making the decision to come check it out, because it's wet'.' | Rory McIlroy takes the lead after strong second day at the US PGA Championship .
Open champion on course for second successive major title .
Northern Irishman dropped three shots off the lead after slow start .
25-year-old hold from 30 feet for an eagle on par-five 18th .
Play restarted after a 50-minute suspension because of heavy rain . |
177,740 | 7218c9a127f1a73fbaf7fab44bb6c620071bb8aa | (CNN) -- When Pakistanis go to the polls on Saturday they will be electing key players battling to govern one of the world's most complicated countries. From corruption, claims of international interference, terrorism and religious extremism to overpopulation, inflation, poverty and unemployment, Pakistan has been famously dubbed by some as the world's most unstable nuclear power. For much of its 66-year existence, the nation of 193 million people has been ruled by a military government. But this year's election is being hailed as one of the most democratic to date. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, there will be 36 million new voters among the 86 million registered to vote and more than double the number of candidates (161 up from 64 that contested the 2008 poll) will be women, according to U.N. Women. "There's a new hope for the country and I hope that this will change the situation in Pakistan; voting this time will make a difference," one Pakistani woman told CNN's Saima Mohsin. First full term . While the governing Pakistan People's Party (PPP) became the first civilian government to complete a full five-year term -- the three governments following the death in 1988 of military strongman Zia ul-Haq were all brought down by the army -- its legacy is a deeply fractured country with a faltering economy. Violence in Pakistan's tribal regions remains a key challenge for the country. Since April, the Taliban in Pakistan has killed dozens of people in attacks on the three main political parties. Many urban voters and parties regard resurgent fundamentalism as one of the biggest threats to Pakistan. The PPP, however, is hoping to gain a second term led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated former Prime Minister, and party leader, Benazir Bhutto. While, at 24, he is too young to become prime minister in a country where the minimum age to hold the office is 25, Bhutto Zardari -- as part of the Bhutto political dynasty -- is regarded as a key PPP asset. Top challenger . The PPP's main opposition comes from the Pakistan Muslim League-N, led by one of the country's leading industrialists and richest men, Nawaz Sharif. He has been prime minister twice before and was overthrown in a coup and exiled when General Pervez Musharraf seized power in 1999. Viewed as a religious conservative, his party, Pakistan's second largest, believes it would have won elections in 2008 had the assassination of Bhutto not given a massive boost to the ruling PPP. Following closely behind is Pakistan's third force Imran Khan, the former star cricketer and heartthrob who leads the Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party. While he has struggled to turn his celebrity status into votes, analysts say he remains popular with Pakistan's urban middle class who support his call to end drone strikes in the country's restive tribal regions and his pledge to sweep away rampant corruption by ending foreign aid. His party boycotted the 2008 elections, calling Musharraf a dictator. Musharraf's party admitted defeat in those elections and he was succeeded by the PPP's Asif Zardari, Bhutto's widower. Now in 2013, with the PPP fighting to win a second term, this is likely to be the first real electoral test for Khan's movement, which is seen by many analysts as having wide appeal for Pakistan's millions of new voters. Khan on Tuesday was rushed to hospital with spinal fractures and a head injury after falling off an improvised platform attached to a forklift truck during one of the final rallies of his campaign. Analysts say that while his party is unlikely to form a government, the accident is likely to boost his standing in the polls. Return of Musharraf . Conspicuous by his absence in the 2013 poll is Musharraf, who returned from four years of self-imposed exile in March to take part in the elections, but has been banned by a court from taking part in politics. His party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), has announced a boycott. Secular and liberal parties such as the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), meanwhile, have borne the brunt of Pakistan Taliban attacks in the run-up to the elections. Offices of the major secular parties have been bombed by the Taliban and its leaders assassinated, making open campaigning all but impossible for those parties. As a measure of the danger of Pakistani politics, Bhutto Zardari will not be present for the May 11 poll due to security threats, according to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper. Attacks by the Pakistani Taliban have been particularly virulent in the election campaign -- the first time Pakistan will experience a civilian-to-civilian transfer of power -- not only targeting secular and independent parties but even attacking a rally held by a right-wing religious party that's normally sympathetic to the militant movement. At least 18 people were killed in the blast on Monday at the rally organized by the Jamiat Ulema-E-Islam (JUI) party. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that one of the party's candidates had handed over members of the mujahedeen to the U.S. Like many Pakistanis that have endured years of bloodshed and unrest, the party has vowed to continue campaigning despite the violence. | Pakistanis go to polls Saturday to elect key players in world's most complex region .
Pakistan famously dubbed by some as world's most unstable nuclear power .
The election will be the country's first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power .
The governing PPP is the first government to complete a five-year term . |
254,549 | d5804ca0e552a41741783337e4ef5ca37c9f6d2f | (CNN) -- A 20-year-old woman whose aunt allegedly beat her and held her captive for a decade in the basement of a Philadelphia apartment building has sued the city, claiming her ordeal could have been avoided if officials had acted appropriately. Beatrice Weston alleges the city failed to "properly train Department of Human Services workers in child placements," resulting in her being put in the custody of her aunt, Linda Weston, a convicted felon, a statement from her attorney Shanin Specter said. The complaint says the city of Philadelphia failed to release information about the aunt's criminal history. Linda Weston served eight years in prison for killing her sister's boyfriend in the early 1980s. In that case, the victim "was held captive for an extended period of time, locked in a closet and he literally starved to death," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said in October. Philly basement victim says he was kept in nailed-shut closet . Beatrice Weston suffered much of the same abuse, beaten with a baseball bat and forced to consume her own urine during the 10 years she was in her aunt's custody, according to her attorney . "This would have been avoided if the city hadn't recommended that a convicted felon be given custody of a vulnerable, innocent child," Specter said. Mark McDonald, press secretary for Mayor Michael Nutter, said he could not comment on pending litigation. Linda Weston's attorney said she had not seen the complaint and most likely would not be representing her in any civil hearing. Beatrice Weston's case first came to light in October when she was found, along with several mentally disabled adults, in the basement of an apartment building where her aunt lived. Police said they believe it was part of a scheme to collect their Social Security checks. The complaint names two other defendants, Nefertiti Savoy, a social worker, and Richard Ames, an attorney who recommended Weston's placement. Linda Weston is set to go on trial in January on charges of kidnapping, assault, conspiracy, false imprisonment and other related counts to holding the four adults captive. Trial ordered in Philadelphia basements captives case . Son 'shocked' parents accused of holding captives, calls it a 'misunderstanding' Lawyer: Philly police contacted in 2003 about suspect in captives case . | Beatrice Weston says she was held captive for a decade .
She is suing Philadelphia for placing her with her aunt .
Her aunt, Linda Weston, has been convicted of starving to death her sister's boyfriend . |
64,845 | b828c7111cd5580afa3a94041282a37228829ee0 | A teenage who boy bought his younger sister a teddy bear from an Alabama thrift store wasn't prepared for what lay inside. Joshua Scott found an urn containing ashes hidden in a zipped compartment of the soft toy he purchased at the Second Chance Thrift Shop in Dothan last month. The 15-year-old only made the unsettling discovery when he took the bear back home and felt something hard through the toy animal's fur. Scroll down for video... A teddy bear purchased at a thrift store by a Dothan, Alabama, family had a shocking surprise inside: an urn. Missing remains: Joshua Scott (right), the 15-year-old who found the urn and his mom Samantha Hallford hope to learn whose remains they have . His family is now desperately searching for the original owner of the bear. 'A child could be missing a bear, it could be a parent. I mean it could be one of our soldiers. We don't know,' the Alabama teenager's mother, Samantha Scott, said during an interview with local WSFA-TV News. 'And it could be the one thing that child has to hug and love up to that's still a part of them. It could be a parent who's lost their child. Who knows what? So, it's just important that we find the owner.' The thrift store where the bear was purchased say they have no idea who dropped off the toy originally because of the huge amount of donations that are received each day. On the hunt: So far, Scott and his mom have visited several funeral homes in the area, but have not been able to track down the original owners of the bear . Unwelcome discovery: Joshua says one night while holding the bear he felt something hard inside and when he unzipped the back of the bear he found a small urn . Several funeral homes in the area were contacted but so far there haven't been any leads. The family hope all of the publicity will lead to the discovery of the rightful owner of the little brown stuffed animal. Mystery: The thrift store has not been able to help the Scotts find the bear's donor. They said they receive up 10 carloads of donations everyday, and don't typically keep written records of who donates what . | Joshua Scott, 15, discovered the urn in the bear he bought for his sister .
It contained a dead person's ashes .
The bear was purchased at the Second Chance Thrift Shop in Dothan last month .
So far, the original owner of the urn had not been tracked down . |
248,301 | cd47907b0989239a0e0c2b34aafe06695371f364 | A British doctor working in Sierra Leone has described the horror he and his team have witnessed since the deadly Ebola outbreak struck. Dr Oliver . Johnson, along with a team of British medics, was working to strengthen the health system in the country's capital Freetown when the . crisis took hold earlier. When disaster struck, they decided to stay and 'do everything they could' to help - despite health workers being among those most at risk of contracting the virus. Today, Dr Johnson, 28, described the crippling conditions the team work in - and the opposition they face from locals who believe the disease may be a government conspiracy. Scroll down for video . Dr Oliver Johnson, from London, was already in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, before the Ebola crisis began. He and his team were working to build and strengthen the health system in the country's capital. Today he described the horror the disease has caused . He said: 'We're all aware that there is a risk and that we have to be . extremely careful. However, we also know that if we wear the protective . equipment properly and follow the protocols then we'll be OK. 'That doesn't leave room for error, however - such as an accidental scratch of the face or forgotten hand wash. 'As we get used to it, we all begin to relax - the risk then is making sure that you don't cut corners or get too confident.' But he admitted the working conditions wearing the suits were far from anything the team had experienced before. 'I . first wore the protective suits during a bit of an emergency, so didn't . have much time to reflect on it. 'The heat of the suits is quickly . overwhelming, as your goggles steam up and you feel the sweat dripping . underneath. And the smell of chlorine is intense.' Dr Johnson, 28, is working in Freetown . as part of the King's Health Partners scheme. The initiative is a . partnership between Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and . South London and Maudsley Trusts as well as King's College London. He added: 'What shocking is how healthy the patients look before they die and how quickly they decline. 'A . number of the Ebola patients I've seen look quite fit and healthy and . can be walking around until shortly before their deaths.' Dr . Johnson also described the difficulties of working in the country - . which is recovering from years of brutal civil war - because many . thought the illness was a government conspiracy. Deep fear among patients and their families saw some trying to escape hospital, he said. 'Ebola . is a new disease in Sierra Leone and when the first cases emerged, many . people thought it might be a government conspiracy to undermine certain . tribal groups, steal organs or get money from international donors. 'This links to widely held scepticism about Western medicine and traditional beliefs and practices. 'Relatives . don't get to see what happens to patients when they are isolated, so . some expressed fears that they were being taken away to be killed by . doctors. 'They don't get to see the good facilities and great care that patients I see every day receive. 'That meant some patients resisted being isolated and would try to run away or be carried off by family members. 'This . is a constant challenge even now, and presents real ethical dilemmas . about whether we can or should restrain patients - and logistical ones . about how it's even possible to safely restrain an infectious patient . without putting yourself at risk.' He admits he 'definitely hesitated' when he was first confronted with a probable case . of Ebola (it takes a few days to get lab confirmation). Where a victim has breaks in the skin, blood seeps out, as the disease takes hold. The virus has a death rate of up to 90 per cent, and is highly-contagious, spreading through contact with an infected person's blood, secretions, organs and other bodily fluids . 'Your . instinct as a doctor is to rush in and help, but you know you can't . touch a patient until you're fully protected, he explained. The first symptoms include a fever, headache and sore throat . . Within days as the Ebola virus attacks the immune system, chronic abdominal pain, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhoea take hold . . The virus pierces blood vessels causing bleeding from the eyes, ears, mouth and other orifices . . The whites of the eyes turn red and blood blisters form under the skin . . Ebola is highly-infectious and has a death rate of up to 90 per cent . 'Our families are often very concerned, and convincing them that we'll be okay can be hard.' Before the . outbreak swept the country Dr Johnson, from London, had worked with . African colleagues to help prepare for the worst - advising how to . identify cases, set up isolation units, how to protect staff and . providing refresher training for local health workers. When . cases started to emerge, the team had to ask themselves whether or not . they should stay in the country to help with the response - their . initial mission was to help strengthen the health system, not to provide . a humanitarian response to an epidemic. The . team is made up of two consultants, two junior doctors, two nurses, a . pharmacist and a hospital manager are all staff and volunteers. They . chose to stay and help local health workers. Dr . Johnson said: 'From the moment we heard about the first Ebola cases, . all of our instincts on the team here and back in London were to do . everything we could to help our colleagues overcome this new challenge. 'We . have very close relationships with our colleagues at Connaught and the . Ministry of Health and always try to respond to their requests for . support. 'It . was also clear that this new threat was something that they hadn't . faced before and would require technical advice, extra manpower and . trusted friends. 'We're . not a humanitarian non-governmental organisation however, so of course . we then had to go through the process of articulating this and agreeing . it as a group - there was never opposition though and we've always had . consensus.' Latest figures from the World Health Organisation show the outbreak of the deadly virus in western Africa has infected more than 1,300 people . Latest figures from the World Health Organisation show the outbreak of the deadly virus in western Africa has infected more than 1,300 people and killed at least 729. Ebola has no vaccine and there is no cure. The outbreak has centred on Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. There has also been particular concern after densely populated Nigeria reported what is thought to be its first death from the disease. The team have been based at Connaught Hospital in Freetown for the last 18 months. They were initially working to help strengthen the health system of the country through improving aspects such as training, health policy, research and hospital management, before the first cases of the deadly virus started to emerge in neighbouring Guinea and Liberia. Dr Johnson said that it was hoped that the country had 'dodged a bullet' - but Sierra Leone confirmed its first ever case of Ebola on May 25. 'Even as the outbreak spread to Liberia there had been some hope that it might pass us by,' he said. 'We've now been hit hard though. Initially the disease was relatively well contained in the east but we've now seen cases in 1 districts. Hopefully these are isolated cases, but it's still a bit early to tell for sure.' For more information about King's Health Partners and the work in Sierra Leone visit: http://kslp.org.uk/ . | Dr Oliver Johnson, 28, is part of a British team working in capital Freetown .
They were there when the disaster struck and decided to stay to help locals .
'Many Ebola patients look fit and healthy until shortly before their deaths'
Described heat and chlorine stench of the protective suits as 'overwhelming'
Team also face opposition from locals, who believe disease is a conspiracy . |
43,826 | 7b9d05c083d7fd72eaa7bd7c2249b2bce16792c0 | (CNN) -- Even in the best of circumstances, Dawson City's famed Sourtoe Cocktail doesn't go down smoothly. On Saturday night, however, the cocktail's marquee ingredient -- an actual human toe -- went down a way it was never meant to. Served by the Sourtoe Cocktail club at Dawson City's Downtown Hotel, the Sourtoe can be any drink -- what makes it a Sourtoe Cocktail is the addition of a real, preserved amputated toe, which is dropped into the glass. As reported by CBC News, on Saturday, an American visiting the town in Yukon, for the summer downed his Sourtoe Cocktail, toe and all. The mixer of choice was reportedly a shot of whisky. More: World's most bizarre cocktails . The apparently satisfied boozer immediately paid the requisite $500, the bar's posted fine for swallowing the toe. This isn't the first time the toe has been swallowed, but Terry Lee, the bartender on duty Saturday night, thinks it's the first time the toe has been swallowed deliberately. "Lee says the tradition will continue, as the bar has a backup toe," reported the CBC. 'If you have a spare toe, we need one' In addition, according to the CBC, the fine for swallowing the toe has been bumped to $2,500. 10 favorite new bars of 2013 . A donated toe is being sought as a replacement. "We like to have two toes -- we switch them off once a week ... and now we can't do that ... we need toes. We're putting it out there, if you have a spare toe, hey we need one," Lee told the CBC. Although nobody seems sure of the origins of the drink, it first appeared in 1973 when drinkers who consumed a glass of Champagne or beer that contained the toe could then declare themselves true "sourtoers." The name is a play on "sourdough," a term for longtime residents of the Yukon and neighboring Alaska. Today, the toe can be placed in any drink but one rule still applies: "You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow -- but the lips have gotta touch the toe." Some 60,000 people have reportedly tried the Sourtoe cocktail to date. Sourtoe Cocktail Club, Downtown Hotel, Dawson City, Yukon; Sourtoe Cocktail: $5.80 . | Dawson City's Downtown Hotel serves a cocktail containing a real amputated human toe .
Over the weekend a customer swallowed the toe as well as the drink -- deliberately .
He was fined $500, but luckily the bar has a spare toe, so the tradition continues . |
72,543 | cdaeefc0fc597b0b591b76d20f979c1207e98880 | Intense fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine on Monday when government air and ground forces attacked pro-Russian separatist gunmen who had seized an airport terminal. The clashes between Ukraine's Army and separatists in Donetsk have caused some casualties, according to a statement posted on the official website of the city's mayor, which also advised residents to stay in their homes. A CNN team in the city observed a Ukrainian combat helicopter flying over the Donetsk airport and firing at something. It was unclear what the target was. Black smoke billowed up from the area. Pro-Russian separatists shot at the helicopter as it flew overhead. Gunfire and explosions could be heard in the city. The fighting marked the worst violence that this key population center in eastern Ukraine has seen since the start of the crisis. And the violence came hours after newly elected Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he'd potentially like to negotiate a way out of the crisis. Authorities canceled all flights after separatists stormed and seized Donetsk's airport terminal, according to the national news agency of Ukraine, Ukrinform. The separatists ignored a government ultimatum to vacate the premises, Ukrinform reported. After a Ukrainian military plane "made a preliminary shot," paratroopers landed and began clearing the airport, Ukrinform reported. In the fighting, a separatist anti-aircraft gun was destroyed, Ukrinform said. Though the Ukrainian government said it was taking control, CNN reporters who witnessed the action saw separatist reinforcements moving toward the airport in trucks. Both sides later claimed they held the airport. Government officials claimed flights would resume by 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The State Border Service of Ukraine said that up to 40 trucks with gunmen had been spotted on Russian territory within 10 kilometers of Donetsk. | Clashes have caused some casualties, a statement from the mayor's office says .
Authorities advise residents to stay in their homes as violence erupts .
Pro-Russian separatists seized Donetsk airport terminal .
In response, Ukrainian air and ground forces attacked the airport . |
198,929 | 8d835d7077ba430ac714d754a446a0a895e478e1 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 10:44 EST, 28 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:27 EST, 29 May 2012 . Sentenced: Christopher McGuire, was today imprisoned for the 'carefully thought out and skilfully executed' scheme . A codeine addict who replaced pills in a Nurofen Plus pack with his own schizophrenia medication to fund his habit was jailed today for 18 months. The contaminated packs ended up in the hands of unsuspecting members of the public and two men ended up taking them. Christopher McGuire cost the manufacturers £2.4million and saved himself just £7 by placing strips of an anti-psychotic drug in empty packets of the painkiller and swapping them for new packets at pharmacies. He was today imprisoned by a judge at Southwark Crown Court for the 'carefully thought out and skilfully executed' scheme, which created a 'good deal of public fear and anxiety'. Passing sentence, judge Alistair Mcreath told McGuire: 'Your acts caused very considerable financial harm, amounting to well over £2 million. 'The costs included recalling the product, destroying suspect stock, investigating the problem which you caused, returning new products to the market and handling the reputational damage caused by you. The court has heard how McGuire’s scheme involved asking for Nurofen Plus at a pharmacy counter and then attempting to pay for it with a card he knew would be declined. In doing this, he created sufficient distraction to discreetly swap the contaminated packet for the fresh one and walk away. His actions cost manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser £2.4 million when the painkiller was recalled. McGuire, who went to university at the age of 16, took 32 tablets of the drug each day to feed his secret addiction. But after losing his job he struggled to pay for it. Dangerous: The 31-year-old replaced empty packets with the Seroquel he was being prescribed for schizophrenia, and the contaminated packs ended up in the hands of unsuspecting members of the public . Instead, the 31-year-old replaced empty packets with the Seroquel he was being prescribed for schizophrenia, and two men, Peter Letham and Paul Connor, took the anti-psychotic drugs in error, believing them to be Nurofen Plus, and were left feeling unwell. Mr Letham and Mr Connor swallowed the wrong tablets after Mr Letham’s wife, Jacqueline, bought what she thought was a 32-pack of Nurofen Plus from a branch of Boots pharmacy in The Glades Shopping Centre in Bromley, south-east London, on August 21 last year. The next day Mr Letham, who was employed on a building site, took the packet to work. There he took three tablets and gave two to his colleague Mr Connor, who was suffering neck pain. Both men soon began to feel unwell, experiencing tiredness and dizziness. They later discovered the drug inside the packet was in fact Seroquel instead of Nurofen Plus. On July 24 and July 28 last year two other consumers realised the Nurofen Plus they had bought also contained Seroquel instead, but did not swallow any. Evidence: The court has heard how McGuire's scheme involved asking for Nurofen Plus at a pharmacy counter and then attempting to pay for it with a card he knew would be declined . The first incident occurred when a woman bought a 32-pack from a Boots pharmacy in London’s Victoria station and the second when a man bought a 32-pack in a branch of Boots in Beckenham High Street in south-east London. In a fourth incident, an assistant at a Beckenham pharmacy found Seroquel tablets inside a Nurofen Plus packet in the store. McGuire, of Edzell Drive in Glasgow, was tracked down to his landlady’s home in Swanley, Kent, on September 23 after the origins of the Seroquel were traced. He admitted his actions and was later charged with causing a public nuisance. Judge McCreath told McGuire his actions put the building site workers at significant risk and said others may have unwittingly taken the contaminated medication, leaving them similarly vulnerable. 'It needs little imagination to consider the many different circumstances in which that might have happened,' he said. 'What if they had been driving a car? Or operating machinery? In short, the risk of potential harm was very high.' He acknowledged McGuire was a man of good character and took steps to overcome his addiction. Telling McGuire he would serve half his sentence behind bars, minus the days already spent in custody, the judge added: 'What you did was potentially very dangerous, caused very substantial economic loss and was something for which you must take responsibility, not in the sense that you intended the consequences of it but because you chose to ignore them.' An overdose of Seroquel can cause coma, tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and hypertension (high blood pressure), she said at the opening of his sentencing on Friday. 'The consequences of the defendant’s actions were wide-ranging and spread beyond the actual medical harm suffered by Mr Letham and Mr Connor. (They) must have been to cause fear and alarm among the public as regards the safety of their health, and that can’t be minimised,' she added. Lawyer James Hasslacher, defending, said the figure of £2.4 million was an 'eye-popping' one for an offence that centred on McGuire saving himself £7. An extensive investigation was launched when the health scare broke out as 'it could not have been perceived that what was occurring was a young man in a very pathetic state of health trying to save himself £7', Mr Hasslacher said. 'He’s the most remorseful that one could be, to know the effect of his crime.' He described McGuire as a musically talented and intelligent man 'with so much potential', who had begun but not completed a string of degrees. McGuire had been 'reckless and stupid' but his mind had been addled at the time, Mr Hasslacher said. The defendant nodded quietly as the nature of his addiction was detailed in court this afternoon. He bowed his head as the judge spoke of the implications of his actions, before waving to a supporter in the public gallery, as he was led from the dock. | Christopher McGuire, 31, from Glasgow took 32 tablets of the drug each day to feed his secret addiction .
But after losing his job he struggled to pay and turned to replacing empty packets with schizophrenia tablets . |
73,175 | cf880ecb83de0eb1019a8093b2a3287101a50215 | James McArthur has moved to quell the possibility of his astonishing tussle with Nigel Pearson spiralling into a storm by insisting he took the touchline strangle as a joke. The Leicester manager was widely condemned after placing both hands around McArthur’s throat during the defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday. He had reacted to being accidentally knocked over by the player. But the Palace midfielder has surprisingly brushed off the altercation, claiming it was in jest. Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson (left) appears to put his hands towards the neck of James McArthur . McArthur (centre) slides into Pearson after he is upended by Leicester midfielder Marc Albrighton . McArthur (right) tries to walk away from Pearson, who keeps his hand grasped on to the shirt . Palace midfielder McArthur pulls away, trying to move from Pearson, who keeps a hold . 'Leicester City Football Club would like to clarify its position relative to its manager, Nigel Pearson. 'Contrary to media speculation on Sunday evening, Nigel remains the Club’s First Team Manager. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate and without foundation. 'Nigel, his staff and the first team squad are entirely focused on Tuesday night’s trip to Arsenal and our continued efforts to secure our position in the Barclays Premier League.' ‘These things happen in football,’ he said. ‘He says it was only a joke. I did not know that at the time but he said it was a joke so I will take it that way and move on.’ Pearson was seen grinning while he pinned McArthur to the King Power Stadium turf and is unlikely to face any retrospective action from the FA because referee Lee Mason saw the incident. Either way, it isn’t something McArthur wants to dwell on. ‘There is nothing in it in my part. I am not bothered by it,’ he added. ‘You have heated moments in football. Emotions are high. It is not something that is going to play on my mind.’ McArthur’s laidback attitude to the choke could save Pearson from the sack after a weekend which looked likely to be his last in charge. Pearson (left) appears to smile and laugh as McArthur stays down with Alan Pardew (right) looking on . The fourth official (centre) intervenes as McArthur (right) and Pearson clash on the touchline . Pearson (centre) continues to have words with McArthur (left) as the fourth official urges for calm . The Leicester board’s patience with the 51-year-old is wearing thin, although they did stick by him on Sunday night hours after it emerged he would be on his way out. 'Leicester City Football Club would like to clarify its position relative to its manager, Nigel Pearson,’ a statement read. 'Contrary to media speculation on Sunday evening, Nigel remains the Club’s First Team Manager. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate and without foundation. 'Nigel, his staff and the first team squad are entirely focused on Tuesday night’s trip to Arsenal and our continued efforts to secure our position in the Barclays Premier League.' McArthur and Pearson do have previous after a summer transfer saga which lasted weeks. McArthur appeared destined to join the Foxes before their return to the Premier League but opted for a move to Palace instead. Pearson said: ‘I have no problem with the lad. He’s a likeable lad. I’m as disappointed as he was with how things (his transfer) panned out. ‘But it’s the other football club (Wigan) which was involved in it who take absolute responsibility for anything that wasn’t quite right. And a certain manager (then Wigan boss Uwe Rosler), who opened his trap when he should have kept his mouth shut.’ Pearson shouts instructions at his Foxes side during the 1-0 loss against Palace on Saturday . Pearson (centre) helps McArthur (left) back to his feet following the incident at the King Power Stadium . McArthur (right) tries to pull away from Leicester boss Pearson on Saturday . | Nigel Pearson appeared to put his hands around James McArthur's throat .
The incident occurred during Crystal Palace's 1-0 win against the Foxes .
McArthur said the touchline spat has been 'blown out of proportion'
CLICK HERE to follow Nigel Pearson's Leicester press conference LIVE .
READ: Nigel Pearson left Crystal Palace James McArthur rattled . |
69,670 | c57deb99deba39d5f8be05f77d16804b48016b71 | Police have uncovered a £1million 'Downton Abbey' mansion which had been transformed into a cannabis factory containing more than 1,000 plants. Wendreda House in March, Cambridgeshire, was raided by officers yesterday after an anonymous tip-off about a pungent smell coming from the three-storey property. They found three huge water tanks on the ground floor fed into seven growing rooms along with a maze of air filtration systems, electric leads and lights. Officers raided a £1million mansion in March, Cambridgeshire, yesterday and uncovered a cannabis factory . Wendreda House (above) boasts nine bedrooms, six bathrooms, two utility rooms and four drawing rooms . Intense humidity and an over-powering damp smell had generated a thick layer of mould in the house's nine bedrooms, six bathrooms, two utility rooms and four drawing rooms. Detective Inspector David Murphy, of Cambridgeshire Police, said: 'This place looks like something you would see in Downton Abbey or the place people take on for TV series Grand Designs. 'It's certainly not where you expect to see a highly professional cannabis factory. It is on a main road and surrounded by other homes. It was a risky project.' He said they suspect the impressive home has been used for growing cannabis for the last six months. Police found three huge water tanks on the ground floor fed into seven growing rooms along with a maze of air filtration systems, electric leads and lights . Police received an anonymous tip-off from a member of the public who reported a 'pungent smell' Fashion magazines were piled on a coffee table in one of the ground floor living rooms where chandeliers hang over beautifully stripped and polished oak flooring. 'It was obviously once a much-loved and cared-for family home,' Det Insp Murphy added. 'How it has got to be used like this we don't know. 'Usually cannabis factories are in remote areas or industrial units. This is something else - a really unusual find. The smart living room was equipped with two sofas, a table tennis table and a chandelier, while the kitchen was also in a good condition and still had food and drink left out on the side. However, on the two floors upstairs there was a complex labyrinth of filtration systems and lights. The kitchen in the property looked virtually normal, and still had food and drink items left on the worktops . One of the drawing rooms at Wendreda House, which police said was 'once a much-loved and cared for home' The entrace to Wendreda House, which police described as looking like 'something out of Downton Abbey', before it was transformed into a cannabis factory . The windows were blacked out and there was no furniture in the bedrooms to make way for the cannabis plants and equipment. DI Murphy added: 'The downstairs rooms were in such a good condition that you could buy the house, do a bit of work to it and then be in within a month.' They also found plants which appeared to be undergoing a nine-week growing period with baby plants being stored in the basement. Det Insp Murphy revealed that the electrics had been bypassed, saving them from receiving a massive heating and lights bill. He said: 'The lights are left on for around 18 hours a day to speed up the growing time. Officers were shocked to uncover more than 1,000 cannabis plants being grown inside the stately home . Several baby plants were found in the property's basement, which appeared to be undergoing a nine-week growing period, according to police . Det Insp Murphy revealed that the electrics had been bypassed, saving them from receiving a massive bill . When police arrived they found three large water tanks on the ground floor feeding into seven growing rooms . 'You couldn't afford what a system like this would cost in terms of electrics.' He said two men in their 20s were arrested at the grand house - valued at just over £1million by property website Zoopla - and taken into custody for questioning. The mansion was named after St Wendreda, a Saxon princess who lived at March most of her adult life after setting up a Benedictine nunnery there. Intense humidity had generated a thick layer of mould in the house's rooms, leaving it smelling of dampness . Two men in their 20s were arrested at the grand house valued at £1m and taken into custody for questioning . The house was named after St Wendreda, a Saxon princess who lived at March most of her adult life after setting up a Benedictine nunnery there . | Wendreda House was raided by officers after a pungent smell was reported .
Police found three huge water tanks and seven growing rooms in mansion .
Det Insp David Murphy described it as 'something out of Downton Abbey'
Officers shocked to see find a 'highly professional cannabis factory' there .
Mansion boasts nine bedrooms, six bathrooms and four drawing rooms .
Two men in their 20s were arrested and taken into custody for questioning . |
231,720 | b80339b011b4fb9482161ecd748300d7644bd61c | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 11:20 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:20 EST, 23 July 2013 . Baby Cambridge has inspired erotic fiction publishers Mills & Boon to branch out into romance stories about sordid affairs and scandalous pregnancies . From mugs to baby onesies, the birth of the royal baby has caused a boom in novelty memorabilia. The latest company to jump on the royal baby bandwagon is erotic fiction company Mills & Boon who have launched a collection of three short romance stories inspired by Kate and William's newborn. Baby Cambridge has inspired them to branch out into romance stories about sordid affairs and scandalous pregnancies. The first book is about protagonist Sienna . Wainwright and a one night stand she indulges in with lothario Rafe . Lombardi- who is later revealed as the Prince of Montvelatte. While another book charts the life of a character called Cally Greenway who's hoping to secure a job restoring . some valuable paintings, until they are sold to the Prince of Montez. Cally then gets a royal summons – as the mistress of the Prince. 'Let us . treat you like a queen - relax and enjoy three glamorous, passionate . stories about privileged royal life, love affairs...and scandalous . pregnancies!' says the £6.99 tome. The decision to create bodice-rippers around the birth of an heir to the throne has, unsurprisingly, raised a few eyebrows. In . a round-up of the top five worst Royal baby tie-ins, The Huffington Post . wrote: 'The crowning glory is Mills & Boon's new special release, . titled - wait for it - Royal Baby, with the dizzying tagline "The prince . demands an heir...and what he wants, he gets!" 'It's . worth reading the blurb in full (if you enjoy stabbing your brain with a . pencil), but suffice to say this probably isn't sitting on The Queen's . bedside table.' From mugs to baby onesies, this is just one of the crazy pieces of royal baby memorabilia inspired by Kate and William's newborn . Mills & Boon was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher and moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. The books have been widely criticised for being low-brow and formulaic, and have even been condemned as misogynistic rape fantasies. Over one hundred new novels are released each month and vary in explicitness, setting and style with many fans citing predictability and repetition as a key reason for reading them. Mills & Boon was founded in 1908 and moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s but has often been criticised for its formulaic plots . Too far? A royal baby sick bag in pink is launched for those who have had enough of news about the birth . Royal theme: A baby outfit which has gone on sale for £14 on cafepress.co.uk . Royal diapers: Strange velvet diapers fit for a future king that have gone on sale on Gdiapers.com . Baby souvenir: A Prince potty chair which has . gone on sale on Teamson.com so royal enthusiasts can teach their . children how to use the bathroom. It comes complete with a toilet paper . holder (left) | Mills & Boon is an erotic fiction company .
Has released series of short stories inspired by birth of royal baby .
Critics have condemned the titles as inappropriate . |
81,928 | e82d14139e2cdc530b31cd54d1a2e006674bc2ea | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 1:03 PM on 7th November 2011 . Fake? Ikrom Yakubov has been caught with a clumsily forged driving licence . The credibility of a ‘KGB defector’ was in the spotlight last night after he was caught using a clumsily forged driving licence. Ikrom Yakubov, 30, claimed asylum when he arrived in the UK in 2008, and later appeared on the BBC’s Newsnight as the first agent to defect from the Uzbekistan KGB. But he now faces deportation, after a jury at Kingston Crown Court in London dismissed his elaborate story of obtaining a Portuguese licence legitimately during a top-secret mission. Police checks with MI5 and MI6 failed to back up his claims. Yakubov, who is unemployed, told the BBC’s Newsnight that his grandfather founded the Uzbekistan KGB. He said he was in danger after criticising Islam Karimov, the country’s president, and that he had been tortured. In the August 2009 interview, he claimed agents had broken his fingers, and he had been left with intestinal injuries after being badly beaten. Yakubov, who lives in Tottenham, North London, told the Home Office he had worked for Uzbekistan’s national security agency the SNB – formerly the KGB – for a decade. He claimed he obtained the driving licence after being sent to Lisbon on an SNB mission, where he took lessons. Yakubov faces deportation by Home Office officials after being found guilty of possessing a false identity document with intent . But when police pulled him over, they saw the hologram was incorrect, the typeface was not straight and the licence was issued before he took the test. Claiming he had been convicted of treason in Uzbekistan, he told the jury: ‘This is a matter of life and death for me. I want to live in this country under a clear name.’ But they found him guilty of possessing a false identity document with intent, and he was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year. | Ikrom Yakubov faces deportation over forged Portuguese ID . |
228,325 | b3a3569b6f1e5bf81f5c49dea118a02562d2e574 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 16:14 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:10 EST, 28 January 2013 . A teacher who was a finalist for the Challenger space mission has spoken of her devastation as she watched the rocket explode in the sky, on the 27th anniversary of the disaster today. Gloria Mrs McMillan, 68, was among crowds at Cape Canaveral on January 28, 1986 who watched in horror at the space shuttle burst into flames, killing everyone on board - including teacher Christa McAuliffe who was taking part in a first-of-its-kind program. Mrs McMillan, who has retired from . teaching high school in La Jolla, California, said that Christa had the . short-lived joy of fulfilling all of their hopes - being the . first teacher in space. Scroll down for video . Escape: Gloria McMillan, 69, was one of the finalists for the teacher-in-space program in 1986. She watched in horror as the space shuttle Challenger crashed seconds after take-off from Cape Canaveral . Tragedy: It is the 27th anniversary of the Challenger explosion which killed all crew (l-r) 'teacher-in-space' Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair, Mike Smith and Ellison Onizuka . The married mother-of-two told U-T San Diego that she returned to her classroom the day after the tragedy, feeling that it was important to comfort students who had followed every step of her adventure. Waiting for her at home was a letter from Christa McAuliffe, from New Hampshire, filled with excitement about her space voyage and wishing her love. McAuliffe's unique trip, where she had planned to teach American students from space, gained the space program much publicity particularly because Mrs McAuliffe had an immediate rapport with the media. She beat 11,000 others to the opportunity. Part of the craze surrounding the 'citizen astronaut' was the reason why so many people watched the launch first-hand - including many school children who had followed the teachers' journey. Mrs McMillan said: 'It was important for me to be in the . classroom and to be able to deal with the students who were grieving. It was my responsibility to help the students understand that . you don’t give up. 'As soon as I came in, there were hugs all around for me.' Trip of a lifetime: One teacher Christa McAuliffe joined six astronauts on the 1986 voyage . Horror: Picture taken by NASA showing the solid fuel rocket booster of the space shuttle Challenger starting to explode over Kennedy Space Center . Explosion: The Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger is destroyed shortly after it lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 28, 1986 . Tragedy: A thick cloud of engine exhaust, solid rocket booster plume, and expanding gas fill the sky above the Kennedy Space Center as thousands gathered to watch the historic space mission raised their eyes in dread . She said that her students were essential in helping her come to terms with the tragedy as they made posters, wrote poems and essays to honor the Challenger seven. The 68-year-old, like many others involved in the program, has for years been struck by the thought 'what if it were me' - every time that the anniversary of the Challenger disaster rolls around. One teacher who spoke to the San Diego paper said that she 'almost wish it had been me' - as McAuliffe was the only finalist who had children. Brave: New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe (right) with her fellow crew member Judy Resnik shortly before take-off . Excitement: The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger make their way to the launchpad for the doomed voyage . More than 100 of those finalists who applied for the teacher-in-space program watched from grandstands three miles from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the shuttle exploded. All seven Challenger crewmembers - McAuliffe, Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnik - perished in the disaster. However Mrs McMillan never lost her love for space which she shared with hundreds of students saying that in honor of the mission it was important to show that it had meaning towards humanity's progress in space. | New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe was one of seven on board who died in crash on January 28, 1986 . |
143,866 | 460d9e38b9c8d58ad7e881423a7a7733ed5aa299 | Newly published top-secret documents show that the United States government has reimbursed tech companies like Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Microsoft millions of dollars each year for their participation in the National Security Agency's clandestine Prism surveillance program that was made public earlier this year by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. Further, the documents - obtained by the Guardian newspaper from Snowden - show that the reimbursements were made even after a court ruled in 2011 that the agency's activities were unconstitutional. The companies that were reimbursed were getting paid taxpayer money as reimbursement for costs incurred when they were forced to meet new certification demands after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (Fisa) court ruled that the NSA's actions were unconstitutional. Prism: New documents reveal that the U.S. government spent millions to reimburse tech companies participating in its secret surveillance program . Whistle-blower: The new documents are just the latest in a series of leaks by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden . President Barack Obama declassified Fisa's October, 2011 judgement on Wednesday. The court found that the agency's inability to separate domestic from foreign communication violated the Fourth Amendment. The ruling created problems for the NSA, and the documents reveal the lengths to which the agency went to bring the operation into compliance. The material obtained by the Guardian is the 'first evidence of a financial relationship between the tech companies and the NSA.' According to the paper, the Fisa court is required to sign annual 'certifications' that 'provide the legal framework for surveillance operations.' After the court ruled the program was unconstitutional, it would only renew certain certifications on a temporary basis as the NSA found a solution that wouldn't violate the constitution. 'Last year's problems resulted in multiple extensions to the . certifications' expiration dates which cost millions of dollars for . Prism providers to implement each successive extension – costs covered . by Special Source Operations,' a top-secret memo from the NSA - dated December, 2012 - states. Case-by-case: Microsoft says it is only seeking reimbursements from the government on a case-by-case basis . Yahoo! declined to specifically answer the Guardian's questions but acknowledged that it has sought reimbursements from the government . Facebook claims it 'never received any compensation in connection with responding to a government data request' Snowden previously described Special Source Operations as the 'crown jewel' of the NSA. It oversees programs like Prism that require 'corporate partnerships' with the aforementioned tech companies. Since the Guardian and the Washington Post exposed the Prism on June 6, the tech companies have systematically denied that they were involved in any sort of 'corporate partnership' with the government - they claimed they only hand over data when presented with a specific legal request. According to the paper, a previous newsletter stated that all the companies particpating in Prism were given new certifications around the time of the Fisa ruling. 'All Prism providers, except Yahoo and Google, were successfully transitioned to the new certifications. We expect Yahoo and Google to complete transitioning by Friday 6 October,' the letter states. Google said that its involvement in Prism 'falls far short of the wild claims still being made in the press today' President Obama has repeatedly denied that the NSA was involved in any unauthorised surveillance of Americans . Reimbursements: new documents reveal that the NSA has spent millions paying companies to participate in Prism . The Guardian gave each of the companies an opportunity to explain the new documents, asking each one specific questions about the payments they received from the government for their participation in the program. 'Federal law requires the US government to reimburse providers for costs . incurred to respond to compulsory legal process imposed by the . government. We have requested reimbursement consistent with this law,' a Yahoo! spokeswoman told the paper. Facebook said it had 'never received any compensation in connection with responding to a government data request.' Google provided a statement, but refused to answer any specific questions. 'We await the US government's response to our petition to publish more . national security request data, which will show that our compliance with . American national security laws falls far short of the wild claims . still being made in the press today,' the statement said. Microsoft - which seeks reimbursements from the government on a case-by-case basis - initially declined an on-the-record comment, but later provided a statement. 'Microsoft only complies with court orders because it is legally ordered . to, not because it is reimbursed for the work. We could have a more . informed discussion of these issues if providers could share additional . information, including aggregate statistics on the number of any . national security orders they may receive,' the statement read. | New documents that the federal government reimbursed the tech companies for compliance costs for their involvement in the Prism program .
The memos are the latest top-secret documents released by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden .
The documents are the 'first evidence of a financial relationship between the tech companies and the NSA.' |
192,088 | 84b8ed77ecea4a4dda92b3781980de3bae0838f9 | By . Wills Robinson . A waiter who claims to be the son of the former Spanish king has launched a paternity suit, demanding his royal links are recognised. Alberto Sola, 58, whose adoptive parents are peasants from Catalonia, says his DNA matches that of Juan Carlos, 76, the monarch who abdicated the throne earlier this month. His mother is said to have met the former king when she was 18 in the 1950s, six years before he married Sofia of Greece and Denmark and 20 years before he took the throne. Family claims: Alberto Sola, 58, (left) says his DNA matches that of Juan Carlos, the monarch who abdicated the throne earlier this month. He has now launched a paternity suit so his heritage is recognised . Mr Sola was born under the rule of dictator Francisco Franco ruled Spain, at a time when the country was extremely conservative and stringently Catholic. It meant babies that were born out of wedlock were frowned upon. Therefore he was taken to Ibiza as an infant before he moved in with his adoptive family in Barcelona. Despite claims to royal heritage, Sola now works in the humble environment of a restaurant in the town of La Bisbal near Girona. According to The Sunday Times, he believed he had powerful links when a private helicopter arrived to pick him up during military service so he could visit his adoptive father. As a result, he began to send letters to the palace, demanding a meeting with his 'father', but he never received a reply. He told the paper: 'I've no choice now but to put pressure on him. 'Every Spaniard has the right to know where he is from. I don't want to hurt the king or country. I wish Felipe all the best.' He got inspiration from Ingrid Saritau, who also claims the former Spanish king is her father. Ingrid says her mother Liliane Sartiau first met King Juan Carlos in 1956 in France and again in 1966 in Luxembourg where she was conceived. In 2012, she said: 'My mum told me who my father was while we were watching the TV together.' Her case is partly to blame for Spanish MPs signing legislation that would reinstate his immunity from prosecution, a right he lost when he gave up the throne to his son . Claims: Mr Sola said his mother met the king six years before he married Sofia of Greece and Denmark (right) Mr Sola believes the Spanish King, said to have bedded more than 1,500 women in a ‘Don Juan-style’ romantic career, met his birth mum during a trip to the Catalan capital in the fifties from a military academy in Zaragoza where he was studying. Barcelona-based author Pilar Eyre, made the explosive claim King Juan Carlos, 71, had an affair with Princess Diana in a book she published earlier this year. Another royal biographer, Lady Colin Campbell, has long insisted that the Princess and the King embarked on an affair while on a cruise with their spouses in August 1986. On July 2 Juan Carlos announced that he would hand over to his 46-year-old heir, Crown Prince Felipe. | Alberto Sola, 58, believes his DNA matches that of Juan Carlos .
Has launched a paternity suit demanding his royal link be recognised .
Says he was sent to Ibiza has an child because he was born out of wedlock .
Claims his mother met the former king in the 1950s when they were 18 . |
39,046 | 6e52336f8ac3e5272ae25dbb5b964ea3cae00cef | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 17 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:19 EST, 19 October 2012 . Parents of a woman brutally murdered were horrified when police handed back their daughter’s jewellery still specked with her blood. Christine Chambers, 38, died at the hands of her jealous and violent ex-partner David Oakes when he shot her and her two-year-old daughter Shania at their home in Braintree, Essex in June last year. Ms Chambers’ family were returned a selection of jewellery belonging to Ms Chambers and Shania but police failed to remove all traces of blood left over from the murder. Bloodied jewellery: The family of Christine Chambers and her daughter Shania, 2, were horrified when police returned their jewellery with traces of blood still on them after they were brutally murdered . Oakes, of Steeple, near Maldon, was given two whole-life jail terms after being found guilty of the murders in May this year. Her sister, Jeannette Chambers, slammed the police for their insensitivity following the family’s horrific ordeal. She said: ‘My mum and dad have been through enough. ‘They shouldn’t have had to see my sister and niece’s blood on the jewellery returned to them. ‘I don’t think the police have any understanding what a person goes through. Family's grief: Sister Jeannette Chambers criticised police for their insensitivity following the family's ordeal as they grieve the pair (family members carrying their coffins from their funeral) Grieving: Ms Chambers' parents Ken and Jean (pictured during the trial) 'have gone through enough,' Jeanette Chambers said. Jean had to clean the blood off the jewellery herself . ‘They should have made sure the jewellery was inspected. My mum had to clean it all herself, then I looked at it last week and there was still blood on it. ‘One earring was dented - the way it was bent you just saw how violent he (Oakes) was towards Christine and how heavy the blows were. ‘It is lovely seeing stuff we have not seen, but we are never going to have her back in our lives again.’ Items returned included two rings, bracelets, necklaces and Shania’s earrings and were handed back in the past few weeks. Essex Police apologised today for the major blunder. Jealous, violent ex-partner: David Oakes (right) shot Ms Chambers and Shania at their home in Braintree, Essex before he shot himself but survived (left) Blunder: Essex Police had been criticised over the case for their handling of harassment reports toward Ms Chambers by Oakes leading up to the attack in which police tried to negotiate with Oakes while he had Ms Chambers and Shania inside the house . A police spokesman said every effort had been made to clean up the items but accepted mistakes had been made during the cleaning process. He said: ‘During a family liaison visit, after the return of the jewellery, Jeannette Chambers informed police she had found small traces of blood on one of the items returned. ‘Understandably, she found this discovery very distressing. ‘An immediate apology was provided to Ken and Jean. The apology was accepted and both Jean and Ken were understanding that the officer responsible for the cleaning of the jewellery had done his best. Murder weapon: The shotgun used by David Oakes to kill his former partner and her two-year-old daughter . ‘The delay in returning property was largely due to waiting to see if Oakes would be appealing against his conviction or sentence.’ This is the latest blunder by the force over the crime which was criticised earlier this year for the way it handled reports of harassment towards Ms Chambers in the lead up to her untimely death. An Independent Police Complaints Commission Report revealed the tragedy may have been avoided if action had been taken earlier to arrest the former nightclub bouncer. An investigation heard that Oakes . stormed Ms Chambers’ house and blasted her and their daughter Shania . with a shotgun just weeks after the family gained a restraining order . against him. Worried calls: Ms Chambers (pictured with Shania and her 10-year-old daughter) had made many calls to police in the lead up to the double-murder after her relationship with Oakes ended . 'Poorly resourced': Essex Police say they have improved its response to domestic abuse incidents after the deaths of Shania (pictured) and Ms Chambers . The damning report showed how Essex . Police officers failed to act despite a surge in the number of worried . phone calls from Ms Chambers in the two months leading up to the . horrific double killing after they were told her relationship with Oakes . had ended. Oakes was known to be ‘bullying and controlling’ yet ‘inadequate action’ was taken to arrest him at the earliest opportunity when he breached a non-molestation order. The report revealed there had been a catalogue of 16 incidents over two years involving Oakes and Ms Chambers yet they were treated ‘largely in isolation’. The investigation said police had failed to realise that Ms Chambers’ fear of Oakes was a potential motivation for her not pursuing complaints against him. And the IPCC also said Essex Police’s specialist domestic abuse investigation teams were ‘poorly resourced’ with a substantial backlog in inputting domestic violence forms on the force intelligence system. Essex Police says it has learnt from the tragic incident and has improved its response to domestic abuse incidents. At Oakes’ trial, the Chelmsford Crown Court heard that Oakes 'systematically tortured' Ms Chambers for several hours before the killings, forcing her to strip and cutting chunks from her hair. Ms Chambers' 10-year-old daughter fled the house during the ordeal as police outside attempted to negotiate with the killer. After shooting Ms Chambers and Shania he shot himself in the face, but survived. | Christine Chambers and daughter Shania, 2, were shot dead by her ex-partner David Oakes last year .
Police handed back jewellery belonging to the victims still with traces of blood back to their family .
Police have been critcised for their insensitivity .
They had been criticised earlier for their handling of harassment reports by Ms Chambers in the lead up to the attack . |
179,485 | 7466b60b2e353e9d6e2817efa58e6ee2b15ea2cb | It's constantly raining cats and dogs in Britain. But now even pets will be happy to brave the wet weather with this innovative dog lead with built-in umbrella which protects your pooch. Created by Puppia, a leading dog fashion brand, it works just like a human brolly, but features a leash attachment meaning owners don't need to carry a separate lead. The leash fastens on to a dog's harness and the umbrella is complete with a clear plastic cover to help your pet avoid any puddles. Puppia's Dog Umbrella is priced £24 and has a handy leash attachment that fasten onto a dog's harness . Melody Lewis, director at PetLondon who distribute Puppia products, said: 'Small dogs especially don't like to get wet and owners can find it difficult to get them out and about when it's raining. 'The umbrella helps them enjoy their walk no matter what the weather. 'Obviously nobody really likes the wet dog smell in their house either so it can help reduce that too.' The Puppia dog umbrella is available through distributor PetLondon, priced £24. 'The umbrella helps them enjoy their walk no matter what the weather,' says Melody Lewis, director at PetLondon . | Puppia's Dog Umbrella, priced £24, features a convenient leash attachment .
Comes complete with clear plastic cover to help pets avoid puddles . |
231,486 | b7b8c804f6fc68018ab8238bcea77af68cbd6657 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The former student who killed six people in a vengeful rampage in Santa Barbara had told a friend he wanted to hold down and rape women, the friend's mother has revealed. Cathleen Bloeser's son was a childhood friend of killer Elliot Rodger and was among the 30 people who received his sick manifesto by email just seconds before he carried out the murders. In the 141-page document, 22-year-old Rodger described how he was going to kill his housemates, then slaughter women at a sorority house before opening fire on the streets of Isla Vista. He explained that he was driven to kill after numerous women had rejected him. 'We could see that he was turning,' Mrs Bloeser said. 'He'd changed emotionally, and he'd become very despondent and he wanted . to get back at people.' Scroll down for video . Killer: Elliot Rodger, pictured, told friends he had thoughts of raping women, family friends said . It comes as new details, reported by the National Post on Monday, reveal that, at the beginning of Friday's rampage, Rodger had pounded on the front door of the Alpha Phi sorority house with the intention of opening fire - but no one answered. Several women heard Rodger's 'aggressive knocking,' Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said. 'Fortunately, no one opened.' Instead, he walked around the corner and opened fire on a group of students outside - shooting three, two of whom died. He then went on to kill another student and injure many more. Mrs Bloeser said that within the last year, his mental health had deteriorated and he was under psychiatric care but not taking his medication at the time of the spree. She said Rodger, who had spoken to her son Philip and another one of his friends about wanting to sexually assault women, had invited her son over to stay at his home over the weekend. But he and another childhood friend did not stay at the apartment. On Saturday, Rodger's two roommates and another male friend were found there stabbed to death. Escape: Philip Bloeser, a childhood friend of Rodger's, had been invited to stay at his home the weekend he went on his rampage, his mother told reporters. He also received the manifesto via email . Relief: Bloeser's mother (right) said her son could've been shot if he had agreed to go to the killer's home . 'I have a feeling that they would have been right there as a part of it and shot as well,' she said. Moments after sending the manifesto to his mother, father, former teachers and friends, Rodger went on his shooting spree. Family . friend Simon Astaire told Reuters that Rodger's mother, Chin, had also received a phone call on the night of the shooting from his therapist . alerting her to the manifesto. She . called police and her ex-husband, Peter Rodger, and the two parents . raced to Isla Vista - but she heard radio reports about the shootings as . she drove. As well as emailing the 30 people his manifesto, he also shared his hate for women in a video posted online called Elliot Rodger's Retribution. He unleashed a tirade about his 'loneliness, rejection, and unfulfilled desires,' and blamed women for preferring 'obnoxious brutes' to him, 'the supreme gentleman'. Victims: Rodger's victims included his roommates Weihan Wang, left, and Cheng Yuan Hong, right, who were found dead inside his apartment. Bloeser's mother says she thinks her son would have also been killed . Gunned down: George Chen, left, was also found . stabbed to death in their home - although he did not live at the house - . while Rodgers gunned down Chris Michael-Martinez, right, when he opened . fire at a deli . Loss: Katie Cooper, left, and Veronika Weiss . were standing outside a sorority house when they were shot . 'I'm 22 years old and I'm still a virgin. I've never even kissed a girl,' he said in the video. 'College is the time when everyone experiences those things such as sex and fun and pleasure. But in those years I've had to rot in loneliness. It's not fair. You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me. But I will punish you all for it.' He repeatedly promised to 'punish' women and lays out his plan for 'retribution' in the video. On Friday, Rodger, the son of Hunger Games assistant director Peter Rodger, acted upon his threats, killing six people before shooting himself dead. Weihan Wang, 20, of Fremont, and Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, of San Jose, were both stabbed to death by Rodger on Friday at the apartment they had shared with him. The body of another UCSB student, George Chen, 19, of San Jose, was also found at the apartment, but he did not live there. Scene: Rodger's black BMW can be seen after he crashed it into a cyclist and parked cars after he shot at passersby from the window. He was shot by a police officer before taking his own life . Rodger then climbed into his SUV and drove towards the Alpha Phi sorority house, where he shot dead Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19. He then got back into his car and drove to a nearby deli, where he opened fire. There, he killed student Chris Michael-Martinez, 20, in an attack that was captured on surveillance footage. The gunman then climbed back into his car and continued to shoot at passersby as he drove, hitting three pedestrians before he police officers returned fire and shot him in the hip. He tried to escape and knocked down a cyclist, before he eventually shot himself in the head and smashed into parked cars. When police found his body, he was surrounded by three semi-automatic handguns and nearly 400 rounds of ammunition, which had all been purchased legally. | Elliot Rodger, 22, stabbed three friends in his California home then shot three more in shooting rampage before killing himself .
He had pounded on a sorority house door with the intention of opening fire inside - but no one responded to his knocks .
Before he carried out his killing spree, he wrote a lengthy manifesto describing his hate for women and naming those who had 'wronged' him .
The mother of one of his friends said that Rodger had told her son that he thought about raping women .
'We could see that he wanted to get back at people,' she said . |
67,159 | be845e0021ae2a18e89d415bae3ffed77b2db762 | Beijing, China (CNN) -- The death toll from the devastating mudslide in China's northwestern Gansu province rose slightly to 1,254 Monday, a day after the country paused for three minutes in memory of those who perished. Another 490 people are still missing a week after torrential rains triggered the mudslides on July 8, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. At 10 a.m. Sunday, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders paid a silent tribute ahead of a party meeting. At the Dongjie Village in hardest-hit Zhouqu county, more than 5,000 rescuers and villagers stood still atop mudslide debris with their heads bowed, Xinhua said. Large-scale national displays of mourning are rare in China, though the country designated three days of mourning after a massive 2008 earthquake in Sichuan. The country also had a day of mourning after a quake in Yushu earlier this year. China has been drenched by heavy rains and floods since the end of May. More than 400 million people have been affected. On July 8, heavy rains caused the side of a mountain broke off in the night and tear through remote Zhouqu county, burying some homes and ripping others apart. The path of the mudslide is covered in three to four stories of rock and mud. By Sunday, crews had cleared out roads, allowing for the delivery of relief supplies. Power has been restored to about 76 percent of homes, and wells have been dug to supply more water, Xinhua said. | NEW: The death toll rises slightly to 1,254, with 490 missing .
Top leaders and rescue workers pause for three minutes to remember victims .
Large-scale national displays of mourning are rare in China .
Roads have been cleared in Zhouqu county . |
202,802 | 9294c4b3c352c311239a947123405c743857a659 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 12:29 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 12 March 2014 . For fair-weather cyclists or recreational skiers who hit the slopes once every year or two, having the right kit might seem like an extravagant investment. But wearing a fully functional helmet could save your life in the event of accident. To solve the problem of people using old or damaged equipment, a hi-tech skiing helmet has been invented that has a system of stress sensors all over it. Hi-tech helmet: POC's Skull Orbic H.I. MIPS helmet uses a system of stress sensors to measure the amount of damage it sustains as the result of impacts and adds them up over time to tell a person when the helmet is no longer effective . The Skull Orbic H.I. MIPS helmet measures the amount of damage it sustains as the result of impacts and adds them up over time. Users can check the integrity of the helmet lining by pressing a button on the back. It also comes with MIPS - a multi-directional impact protection system - to help reduce forces to the brain in the event of a crash (stock image) When the helmet has sustained impacts that rise above a recommended level, a red light turns on to let the athlete know it is time to invest in a new helmet. It also comes with MIPS – a multi-directional impact protection system – to help reduce forces to the brain in the event of a crash. The helmet, which is made by Swedish company POC, is set to be launched this autumn and will cost $480 (£289), according to Gizmodo. It is the follow-up to the Skull Orbic Comp helmet, which has a deflector panel that allows slalom gates to be deflected without hitting the head so hard. It could mean that serious holiday skiers could invest in the helmet and keep it for a while, knowing it is still effective, or more likely, it could be used by professionals who hit the slopes on a regular basis to tell when their protective kit has worn out. The racing helmet has already won an award, even before going on sale and has been called ‘one of the most effective helmets in the world.’ The company is also rolling out a recreational helmet with built in Beats by Dr Dre speakers in Autumn. The new helmet, which will go on sale for $480 in autumn, is the follow-up to the Skull Orbic Comp helmet (pictured), which has a deflector panel that allows slalom gates to be deflected without hitting the head so hard . | The Swedish-designed helmet has a system of stress sensors all over it and measures the amount of damage it sustains over time .
A red light on the Skull Orbic H.I. MIPS helmet flashes when it has sustained too much damage to protect a wearer any more .
It will be available this autumn and will cost $480 (£289) |
229,587 | b54c3ace0823a1e5b6375d373a9528c8d484bf5e | Top poker player Phil Ivey, who is fighting a London casino for £7.7million 'winnings', has told the High Court his integrity is more important to him than a big win. The 38-year-old American, who lives in Las Vegas, is suing over a version of baccarat known as Punto Banco which he played at Crockfords Club in Mayfair over two days in August 2012. After four sessions, Mr Ivey was told the money would be wired to him and he left for the United States, but it never arrived, although his stake money of £1 million was returned. Phil Ivey (pictured left), who is fighting a London casino for £7.7million 'winnings', has told the High Court his integrity is more important to him than a big win. He told the court that he was accompanied at Crockfords by a friend of his, Cheung Yin Sun (right), who he called by her English name 'Kelly' Genting Casinos UK, which owns Crockfords, says the technique of 'edge-sorting' which Mr Ivey used - which aims to provide the customer with an element of 'first card advantage' - is not a legitimate strategy and that the casino has no liability to him. It claims that Mr Ivey's conduct defeated the essential premise of the game of baccarat so there was no gaming contract. In court today he described himself as a professional gambler whose job it was to seek lawfully to reduce the perceived 'house edge' - which gives a casino an advantage in games perceived to be of unequal chance, like baccarat. Mr Ivey, described on the World Series of Poker website as 'arguably the best poker player in the world', said: 'I consider that I would not be doing my job very well if I did not seek to use to my benefit weaknesses that I identify in the way that casinos set up or offer particular casino games. 'I use a variety of strategies whilst playing in casinos. No system is fail-safe and each time I play I risk failing to execute the strategy properly - some of these are very complex or difficult to execute - which usually results in me losing a lot of money. 'I consider all the strategies I use to be lawful and I would never cheat in a casino. It is not in my nature to cheat and nor would I risk my reputation by acting unlawfully in any manner.' Mr Justice Mitting, hearing the action in London, has been told by Mr Ivey's counsel, Richard Spearman QC, that the casino's case was 'plainly unsustainable'. He said that edge-sorting involves nothing more than using information available to any player simply from viewing the backs of the cards the casino chooses to use and making requests of the house - which it could accept or refuse - on the manner in which play is conducted. The 38-year-old American, who lives in Las Vegas, is suing over a version of baccarat known as Punto Banco which he played at Crockfords Club (pictured) in Mayfair over two days in August 2012 . 'Moreover, it is very easy for the casino to protect itself against the technique, not least by checking the cards for asymmetrical patterns before they are used in play, by not re-using the same cards after a shoe (the receptacle holding the decks) has been played, and by the elementary step of turning some of the cards once between shoes.' Mr Ivey said that successful play in most casino games is about gaining a lawful edge over the house by using all information available to players and being able to play for long enough to make it count. 'This is what I always look to do. Many gamblers, professional or otherwise, often believe they have an advantage or edge when in reality they do not, usually because they have failed to execute their strategy properly or because they have got their mathematics wrong from the start.' He said he was known in the gaming industry as an 'advantage player' and cheating is anathema to players like him. 'We observe the unwritten doctrine: how do I find a legal way to beat the house? Any method that could amount to cheating would breach the doctrine and cause you to be ostracised by your fellow players - we are all very careful to stay the right side of the line and we discuss advantage play strategies at length.' He said that like many professional gamblers, he is superstitious, which makes him like to play in certain conditions - such as asking friends or casino staff to leave the table if he is losing or gets a bad feeling about someone, requesting a change of dealers, tables or cards and shuffling the cards mid-shoe. 'Gambling and superstition go hand-in-hand. I guess it is human nature to look for patterns in life to try and bring order to events which we can't explain. Gambling is the same.' Mr Ivey said he was very angry when he heard the casino would not be paying out his winnings: 'I was upset as I had played an honest game and won fairly. Mr Ivey (pictured left outside court and right in action during the 2009 World Series of Poker) told the High Court: 'It is not in my nature to cheat and nor would I risk my reputation by acting unlawfully in any manner' 'I am highly successful in my job as a poker player and professional gambler and I would never do anything to risk my reputation. 'My integrity is infinitely more important to me than a big win, which is why I have brought these proceedings to demonstrate that I have been unjustly treated.' Mr Ivey said he was accompanied at Crockfords by a friend of his, Cheung Yin Sun, who he called by her English name 'Kelly'. She was a professional gambler and advantage player and, when they were introduced in early 2012, she told him about the advantage strategy she had been using successfully in baccarat - edge sorting. He said: 'She explained to me how a large number of casinos used cards with asymmetrical reverses - normally because they were defective and the casinos were sloppy in not checking the cards properly before use - and how she was able at times to use this asymmetry to gain an advantage over the house.' He added: 'In 2012, prior to playing at Crockfords, Kelly and I had edge sorted in Australia and Atlantic City. 'We won substantial sums of money doing so and we also lost substantial sums along the way when we got the strategy wrong or were not able to execute the sorts because of effective casino game protection methods. 'At all times when edge sorting, I considered that Kelly and I were playing lawfully and it never occurred to me that edge sorting could ever be viewed as an unlawful strategy. I continue to believe that it is lawful.' The case continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Phil Ivey is suing London casino Crockfords Club for his £7.7m 'winnings'
The American played a form of baccarat cards at Mayfair club in 2012 .
Mr Ivey used technique of 'edge-sorting' which provides customer with element of 'first card advantage'
He was told the money would be wired to him but only his stake of £1m was returned, High Court told .
Genting Casinos UK Ltd says his conduct defeated premise of the game and constituted cheating .
Mr Ivey's lawyer insists 'edge sorting' is a legal technique his client had used elsewhere .
Tells court it is 'not in my nature to cheat and nor would I risk my reputation by acting unlawfully in any manner' |
139,960 | 40f6362c17eb80c298eb1c50f1a919a4de4bc9a4 | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 16:31 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:00 EST, 25 June 2013 . They went out of their way not to be photographed with each other at the society wedding of the year on Saturday. But Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas were very much together as they returned to London on Sunday. The pair, who have been dating for almost a year, arrived by train at Kings Cross and, escorted by two Scotland Yard bodyguards, made their way to a waiting Range Rover which headed off in the direction of Kensington Palace. Scroll down for video . Casual: Prince Harry arriving at King Cross Station with girlfriend Cressida Bonas after spending the weekend in Northumberland . Laid back journey: Cressida, 24, was dressed in comfortable blue trousers with a weekend bag slung over her shoulder, while Prince Harry, 28, appeared to be carrying a suit . Royal carriage: Cressida and Harry were aboard the East Coast service from Alnmouth to London's Kings Cross on Sunday . Not alone: The couple were quickly escorted off the train by security guards and into a waiting Range Rover . Both Harry, 28, and his 24-yearold girlfriend were dressed for comfort not style. The third-in-line-to-the-throne was sporting a checked shirt open at the neck to display an African leather thong-style necklace, jeans, suede desert boots and a baseball cap. His girlfriend, pretty upper-class dance student Cressida, who at 24 is four years younger than the prince, was even more dressed down in slouchy ‘boyfriend’ jeans - so called because they look like they could have been borrowed from your partner. Her oversized grey wool jumper appeared to have been pinched from Harry as well, the sleeves hanging loosely over her wrists, while on her feet were hi-top white trainers. It certainly wasn’t the kind of outfit you would expect even an off-duty Duchess of Cambridge to be seen in. The day before: Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas all dressed up for the Saturday wedding . No secret: The couple have been dating for almost a year and were spotted kissing on a ski slope in the Alps earlier this year . Morning after: The couple were returning to London after attending the wedding of Lady Melissa Percy and Thomas Van Straubenzee who married at Alnwick castle on the weekend . But despite not wearing any make-up and with her long blonde hair unkempt, Cressida was still, clearly, naturally beautiful. The couple had attended the wedding of royal confidante Thomas van Straubenzee and the Duke of Northumberland’s daughter, Lady Melissa Percy, on Saturday, although they had taken pains not be to photographed together. The celebration, was also attended by Prince William but not his heavily pregnant wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, Also present as a joint maid of honour was Chelsy Davy, the bride’s best friend, who also happens to be Prince Harry’s former long-term girlfriend. The pair split for good in 2011, shortly after Chelsy accompanied him to the royal wedding, after an often tempestuous seven year, on-off relationship. If it was a difficult experience for Cressida, who like Chelsy went to Stowe public school followed by Leeds University, then the confident young beauty wasn’t telling. Jolly ride: The couple travelled back in a First Class carriage with several other wedding guests . Royal protection: The couple were escorted from the station to their car by two body guards . One direction: Cressida looks anxiously at Harry as they leave Kings Cross station to take a car which left in the direction of Prince Harry's flat at Kensington Palace . Perfect match: Friends close to Harry have said that the Prince is 'very keen' on his girlfriend of 12-months . ‘It would have been uncharacteristic of Cressida to be intimidated by anyone at all,’ a friend said. The source stressed that Cressida was still young, adding: ‘She and Harry are very fond of each other and taking things one step at a time to see whether or not there might be something more permanent one day.’ Cressida, whose best friend is Princess Eugenie, is a familiar figure on London’s social scene and is said by the those who know her as ‘bubbly and terribly, terribly sweet’. The couple arrived back from Alnwick Castle at King Cross Station on a 4.45pm East Coast train yesterday accompanied in a First Class carriage by a gaggle of other guests including Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Viscount Jules Erleigh, heir to the Marquess of Reading, who is one of Harry’s great mates. True gentleman: The 28 year old royal stepped in as a knight in shining armour and helped his lady in distress with her bag . On the lookout: Prince Harry looks over his shoulder as his girlfriend gets in the car . Alighting on the platform, the couple peeled off from the rest of the group and headed, accompanied by two Scotland Yard bodyguards, towards a waiting Range Rover driven by another member of the security team. Ever the gentleman, Harry helped Cressida to load her bag into the waiting car before they hopped in together and headed off the in the direction of Kensington Palace, where the prince has an apartment. Well-placed sources say the prince, who has just completed a stint in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot and is continuing his training with the Army Air Corps, said he seems ‘incredibly keen’ on Cressida, with whom he was seen smooching on the slopes of Verbier ski resort earlier this year. Cressida is the daughter of four-times married and divorced Lady Mary Gaye Curzon, a renowned 60s society beauty who once posed semi-naked for a glossy coffee table photography book called Birds of Britain. Friends in high places: Cressida arrived at the Saturday service in Alnwick with 'best friend' Princess Eugenie . Society sisters: Cressida and her sister Isabella Calthorpe, who is married to Sir Richard Branson's son Sam, attend a party in London's Kensington on Thursday . She has five children with three of her husbands and one of her daughters, Isabella, by her second marriage to banking magnate John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe (whose family owns most of Birmingham), has just married Sir Richard Branson’s son and heir Sam. Cressida was the product of her third marriage to Old Harrovian Jeffrey Bonas, which ended in divorce after six years in 1994. In an interview with US television last year, handsome Harry complained that girls appeared to be put off by his title and indicated he was keen to shed his playboy tag and settle down. ‘I’m not so much searching for someone to fulfill the role, but obviously, you know, finding someone that would be willing to take it on,’ he said. Clearly, however, his romance with Cressida is going from strength-to-strength. ‘She’s posh, pretty and perfect!’ a friend declared. | Prince Harry and girlfriend Cressida Bonas arrived in London together .
Travelled back from weekend in Northumberland by train to Kings Cross .
Made a dressed-down return from society wedding left together in a car . |
205,657 | 963d9d423cde70bfde1d42c170a3434bea88161f | (CNN) -- Hey, young readers: Instead of another summer uttering the dreaded phrase "I'm bored," how about meeting a NASA astronaut or building a working potato cannon? Maker Camp, which kicks off its second year on July 8, is different kind of summer camp for kids and teens. Instead of canoes and kickball, it has microcontrollers and robots. There are no bus rides or cabins; camp can take place anywhere there's a computer and an Internet connection. The camp is a free, six-week online program inspired by the maker movement -- the trend toward do-it-yourself culture -- and run by Maker Media in collaboration with Google. Maker Media also publishes Make magazine and organizes the Maker Faires. The virtual camp guides kids through daily DIY projects and connects campers to each other using the Google+ social network. Each week has a different theme, and kids are encouraged to share their creations and ask questions during daily video broadcasts. The lifeblood of the camp are daily Google+ Hangouts where makers, counselors and other special guests lead young viewers through a project. The day's project and supply list is posted in the morning and the hangouts start at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET). Participants must be at least 13 to have a Google+ profile, but many parents of younger kids use their own log-ins and do the projects together. They can also be viewed on YouTube. "It is like a camp. You go there, you choose an arts and crafts project or you choose archery and meet other people interested in the same things," said Maker Media founder and CEO Dale Dougherty. This year, the camp will kick off with a live broadcast from the new Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco, where kids will learn how to build a motorboat made from a soda bottle. All the most popular projects from last year will be back, including robotic birds, intro to computer science and mold making. The first week is all about motion, but there are also weeks dedicated to music, games and special effects, such as usingg make-up and arduino pieces (open-source electronics) to turn yourself into a cyborg. Other projects might tackle the growing field of 3-D printing, which employs computer models to replicate three-dimensional plastic objects. On Fridays, the camp will broadcast from other locations for "field trips." Planned destinations this summer include the NASA Ames campus and a trip to see the Oracle Team USA's America's Cup racing yachts. Hands-on education . The idea for Maker Camp originated with Google. Last spring, the company approached Dougherty with a detailed plan for a virtual camp where kids could participate in DIY projects from anywhere with an Internet connection. Google was looking for a project that would show-off the Google+ platform, specifically Google Hangouts. Google is so involved with the camp that it has its name on all the Maker Camp branding, an unusual step for the company. Aside from the promotional opportunities, both companies hope the free camp can encourage more kids to get into building, tinkering, hacking and crafting. From there, it could spread into schools. "This will infect education," said Maker Media editorial director Ken Denmead. "There is a desperate desire and need for this stuff. People want this kind of creativity and building in education." Maker Media is helping drive the burgeoning maker movement, and many educators are jumping on board. They see these hands-on projects as a way to get kids excited about science and technology, which is increasingly important as the U.S. works to produce more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professionals. "It is a gateway to STEM, but we're not sitting there saying 'here's the velocity of a rocket,' " said Dougherty. "By having these experiences, they don't have in school, it encourages them to learn more about it." Connecting kids over the Internet who are passionate about tinkering and science lets them know that they are not alone. But that doesn't mean campers don't get lonely. This year organizers are branching out into real-world meet-ups by bringing kids together in their communities to form their own minicamp cells. Last year, some librarians took it upon themselves to integrate the projects into their regular summer programming. This year, Maker Camp is doing an official affiliate program, working with 100 partners around the country. Each official partner gets a Maker Camp starter box filled with starter supplies, lesson materials and a guide. Organizers aren't sending out 3-D printers, but a surprising number of libraries already have their own 3-D printers up and running. Carla Avitabile, the teen librarian at the Marin Country Free Library just north of San Francisco, is doing her second year of Maker Camp. She says the projects can teach basic skills that adults take for granted. While building pistons for a Diet Coke-and-Mentos project, she found some kids didn't know how to use a screwdriver. Live from camp . Most of the sessions will be broadcast live on Google+ from the Maker Media headquarters in Sebastapol, California. There is no TV crew or elaborate video set up for the broadcasts. The camp organizers say their target audience doesn't respond well to overproduced content, so they keep it simple and scrappy. A prefab studio has been set up on a grassy lawn behind the offices, a few steps away from the local community garden. Some days the camp will broadcast live from the Maker Media lab, a minimaker heaven filled with every tool imaginable, including 3-D printers and CNC manufacturing machines. The lab is staffed by paid interns and employees, led by Maker lab supervisor Sam Freeman, who looks the part of a young mad scientist in his white lab coat. The crew builds and tests projects for the magazine, such as a hexacopter, a homemade Segway and a mini-Tesla coil. A handful of librarians and former and future campers got a tour of the Maker Lab and studio and checked out one of last year's potato cannons, which were actually used to shoot ping pong balls for safety reasons. "We won't be doing that at the library, but awesome," said librarian Lori Easterwood, who will be integrating Maker Camp into her summer program at the Sacramento Public Library. Camper Zack, 13, is going to take part in the program for a second summer. Inspired by last year, he's been working on a remote-operated vehicle that goes underwater and has a mounted camera. He hopes to finish it in time for his family's summer vacation so he can drop it into Clear Lake in north-central California. "I want to see if there are any catfish down there," he said. Wherever the campers are tuning in from, participation is key. "This is definitely not computer camp. We don't want kids sitting in front of their computer," said Michelle Hlubinka, the Maker Camp education lead. "I'm always so sad about the kids spending their summer looking at a screen. We want them to go outside!" | The Maker Camp kicks off its online summer camp for teens on July 8 .
The camp is conducted over Google Hangouts and focuses on DIY projects .
Organizers hope the program will stimulate interest in technology, math and science . |
276,237 | f1e4e58138fd96102f1eefcdcbcd6738a54dc1c0 | (CNN) -- We were told to be awake and ready to move at 4 a.m. The National Transitional Council fighters we were with were planning to launch a dawn assault on the Saharan city of Sabha. All predictions indicated it would be one of the bloodiest battles yet. NTC officials said loyalist forces would use weaponry they hadn't used before. They didn't go into detail but it sounded ominous. Western intelligence sources told CNN the fighters in Sabha still loyal to Libya's ousted leader, Moammar Gadhafi, had heavy artillery and would likely use it. Sabha was frequently described as loyalist and pro-Gadhafi. The night before the assault there was an edgy, giddy atmosphere on the air base where we were camped along with the force that had traveled more than 600 kilometers from Tripoli. The fighters were shooting more ordinance than usual into the air, and they flocked to our campsite behind the officer's club, eager to chat, and even more eager to use our satellite telephones. One after another, they shyly asked if they could make a call. Each one had a special reason for calling -- reassuring parents, a brother getting married, a sick baby daughter, an angry girlfriend. Many talked about their expectations for the coming day. It would be a bloodbath. It would be easy. "Maybe I'll die tomorrow, I'm ready for it," declared Mohamed, a toothy young man from Sabha who had spent several years in Manchester, England, where he had picked up the local accent. "But if I don't die, you are all welcome to stay at my house in Sabha." Mohamed, like many of the fighters from Sabha, insisted most of the people in his home town sided with the revolution. But there was concern about possible resistance from members of Gadhafi's Gadadfa tribe. Despite a month of impressive advances by the anti-Gadhafi forces, it's clear not everyone has gone over to the revolution. That afternoon we had gone into the nearby town of Birak Al-Shati. I had seen scattered green flags flying over some of the houses earlier in the day. Unlike other towns we had been through, few people in Birak Al-Shati waved or flashed the v-for-victory sign. They just glared at us. As CNN's Cairo camerawoman Mary Rogers was taking pictures of the town, a car drove up to me in the town's main roundabout. The driver, a young man in his early 20s, shouted to me: "Allah, Moammar, Libya, wa bas" -- (God, Moammar and Libya only) -- the standard slogan of Gadhafi supporters, then began to pull away. "Wait," I told him. "Talk to me. We've been speaking to pro-revolutionaries (Gadhafi opponents), but not your type." In the passenger seat sat a boy, maybe 10-years old, who repeated the slogan several times, pumping his fists in the air. "No camera," the driver told me. "Everyone around here feels the same, but we're afraid to say anything with all these thuwar (revolutionaries) around." He then drove away. I crossed the street to a cigarette shop where there were about half a dozen people inside. The shopkeeper, a chunky man in his early 20s wearing a jalabiya, echoed the same sentiments. As did another man, who identified himself as Jamal, a businessman. "If there were free elections here, and we had a choice between voting for Gadhafi or the new regime in Tripoli, 90% would vote for Gadhafi," he said. "And none of this would have happened if NATO wasn't bombing Libya." A young fighter with an AK-47 walked into the shop to buy cigarettes. Surprisingly, the discussion over the new Libya carried on. "We don't want these guys here," he said, pointing to the fighter. "They are going around, breaking into houses, stealing people's possessions. That's what they did to my cousin's house." "If that's what happened, your cousin deserved it," replied the fighter, who said he was from Tripoli. By now a fairly large crowd had gathered to listen and take part in the conversation. Suddenly a man pushed through the crowd and grabbed Jamal by the shoulder. "Get out of here and stop talking like that!" he shouted, clearly angry, pushing Jamal out of the shop. "Are you an idiot?" It was getting tense, so I stepped out of the shop. "Don't worry," the shopkeeper told me. "It's his brother. He just doesn't want trouble." As I stepped to the side of the road, anther car drove up, this time with three occupants wearing baseball caps emblazoned with the pro-Gadhafi Libyan flag. When I peered into the car, I saw that the driver had a bottle of clear brown liquid in his lap. In the back seat a teenager with a machine gun in his lap was rolling a joint. "We are the revolutionaries of Birak Al-Shati," the driver said, a big grin on his face. "What's that?" I asked him, pointing to the bottle. "Whiskey!" he proudly declared. "You want some?" I declined. I knew we had a big day ahead of us. Although we had been told to be awake and ready to go at 4 a.m., I woke up two hours later. Having spent much of the last seven months in Libya, I knew these guys were not strong on punctuality. We ended up leaving the base around 10 a.m. behind the ambulances, and met the main body of fighters heading to Sabha. An hour later, after an uneventful drive though the desert, we arrived on the outskirts of Sabha. I could see some smoke on the horizon, but could hear no gunfire. Small clumps of people by the side of the road were cheering and waving. Driving further into the city, the crowds grew larger. There was gunfire but it was all in the air, the ubiquitous celebratory gunfire. Up above, a man tore down the green flag from the city's main water tower and sent it fluttering to the ground. We were the only journalists in Sabha. Wherever we stopped cheering crowds mobbed us. Most asked if we were with Al-Jazeera. The huge, bloody battle for Sabha wasn't to be. No one was disappointed. "We are now in Sabha and we were not expecting this," one of the doctors shouted. "This is the best moment of my life." There was fighting, of course, in the Sabha neighborhood of Manshiya. We watched as cars and ambulances rushed to the emergency ward in the city's main hospital. It was pandemonium. The medical team we had traveled with arrived at the hospital just minutes before the first casualties began to arrive. Along with the wounded, came the dead, more than 10 in the two hours we were at the hospital. Suddenly the bravado of the young fighters was gone when they drove up with the bodies of their dead comrades. They cried like children in one another's arms. Others just sat on the curb and wept quietly as their friends tried to console them. For many it was their first real encounter with combat. Others vowed to carry on the fight and avenge their friends. By contrast, the loyalist dead were received without fanfare. A pickup drove up to the main entrance to the hospital with two bodies covered with a light blue cloth splayed in the back. On the side of the pickup truck the fighters were smug with satisfaction. "We killed the rats," one told me, pointing his gun toward the bodies at his feet. That night we slept next to a NATO-bombed VIP guesthouse at the airport, which had become the main base for the hundreds of NTC fighters who had taken part in the conquest of Sabha. The next morning we ventured out into the city. Mid-morning, and there were few people out on the streets, and still plenty of green flags. In front of the administration building at Sabha University, a still intact portrait of Gadhafi featuring the odd slogan, "High you are above every ceiling, proud you are above every height." Within minutes, a group of gunmen showed up, backing their pickup up to the poster, which they proceeded to rip apart with a knife. We then went to Al-Gurda, a tight neighborhood composed of families from all over Libya. People look after their neighbors, keep an eye out for strangers, and never, as residents told us, dabbled in the dangerous business of politics. The streets are dusty, the asphalt crumbling. The roads in this corner of Sabha were paved once, in the 1980s and never since, they told me. We sat down with the neighborhood men, each one cradling his machine gun. They explained that the last straw was when armed strangers -- they called mercenaries -- arrived on their street. "We shot one, he died right over there," one of the men told me, pointing to the corner. He then showed me the video of the dying man he had shot on his cell phone. Dentist Abdel Majid Tijani said he had learned to use a gun in school. Gadhafi "forced us to train on this," he said, patting his AK-47 assault rifle. "He intended to change us to fighters to fight for his dreams in Africa and in other places. But God decided the reverse. He forced us to train on this thing to fight him." Afterwards, we went to the nearby home of Khadija Tahir, a strong-willed English teacher at Sabha University. I asked her why Sabha, despite its reputation for being a Gadhafi stronghold, had fallen to the opposition in less than 24 hours. People "realized that this man is not right. So many people came 180 degrees from being pro-Gadhafi to protesting Gadhafi," she told me. "The other reason is that people got fed up -- lack of electricity, lack of water. So they wanted to get out of this situation. I am one of them." There are still a few parts of Sabha where the "thuwar," the revolutionaries, are hesitant to tread. But most parts of Sabha were like Al-Gurda. They'd simply had enough. | CNN's Ben Wedeman met the NTC fighters heading to Sabha .
In the hours before the attack fighters showed signs of nerves and confidence .
The city, despite its reputation as a Gadhafi stronghold, fell to the opposition in less than a day .
There are still a few parts of Sabha where the revolutionaries are hesitant to tread . |
252,263 | d27e6addce2eb6a4754a1347d5a2a2f2c3ae537f | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Police have launched an investigation after a young disabled sportsman traveled to Switzerland to commit suicide, UK media report. Daniel James, who played rugby for England under-16s, was paralyzed during match practice last year. Daniel James, 23, from Sinton Green in western England was paralyzed from the chest down in March 2007 when a rugby scrum collapsed on top of him during match practice, dislocating his spine, the UK's Press Association has reported. Worcestershire Coroner's Service, which is conducing an inquest into the circumstances of his death, states on its Web site that James died on September 12 after he "traveled to Switzerland with a view to ending his own life. He was admitted to a clinic where he died." The inquest was adjourned on September 19 for reports. West Mercia police say that a man and a woman are helping the force with their enquiries. Assisting someone to commit suicide is illegal in the UK, as it is in most other European countries. What do you think of assisted suicide? James, who played rugby for England under-16s, was a university student at the time of his injury last year. He is believed to be the youngest person from the UK to have traveled to Switzerland to commit suicide. In a statement Friday, reported by PA, James' parents said that he had attempted to kill himself several times already. Watch why James opted for suicide » . "His death was an extremely sad loss for his family, friends and all those that care for him but no doubt a welcome relief from the 'prison' he felt his body had become and the day-to-day fear and loathing of his living existence, as a result of which he took his own life. "This is the last way that the family wanted Dan's life to end but he was, as those who know him are aware, an intelligent, strong-willed and some say determined young man," PA reported James' parents as saying. "The family suffered considerably over the last few months and do wish to be left in peace to allow them to grieve appropriately." James' parents added that their son, "an intelligent young man of sound mind," had never come to terms with his condition and was "not prepared to live what he felt was a second-class existence". Adrian Harling, the family solicitor, would not comment on the investigation, PA reported. More than 100 people from the UK who have committed suicide in Switzerland have traveled to the Dignitas Clinic in Forch. It is not known if James attended the clinic. Switzerland, along with Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, are the only European countries where authorities will not prosecute those who assist with suicide. | Young rugby player, paralyzed after accident, commits suicide in Switzerland .
Police interview man and woman about the death of Daniel James, 23 .
It is illegal in UK and much of Europe to assist with suicide .
Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg . |
2,974 | 08a2e8fd227f9b7d6d7cfb533d4369fe8b12d1bd | If you've ever dreamed of a fairytale tree house, complete with twinkling lights and romantic bridges, it probably looks a lot like this. The Buckland retreat, nestled in pristine woodland in the heart of Atlanta, has now been listed on AirBnB, and it even comes with wifi! Set amid the branches of a 150-year-old Southern Short-Leaf Pine tree, the enchanting tree house is the handywork of creative couple Peter and Katie Bahouth, and consists of three separate rooms that are connected by rope bridges strewn with fairy lights. If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise... This stunning tree house is nestled amid lush woodland in Atlanta . Peter and Katie Bahouth bought the land in 2000 and spent six months designing and building the fairytale retreat, which they now rent out . Former Greenpeace executive director Mr Bahouth, bought the pretty woodland spot in 2000, and spent the next six months designing and building the perfect forest hideaway. The cosy living room is decked out with a masterful blend of beautiful antiques and up-cycled furniture, including a chandelier to add a touch a glamour to scheme, and an 80-year-old butterfly window. And just in case you feel like entertaining, there is even an indoor dining area with room to comfortably seat six people. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the interior with natural light, while pretty fairy lights and swishy curtains add a dash of romance to the scheme . The rustic living room has been decked out with shabby chic furniture, while colourful accessories add warmth to the cosy scheme . Over in the bedroom, you'll be able to enjoy nature without leaving the comfort of your bed, as it can be pushed out onto a platform overlooking a local stream. You don't even have to worry about catching a chill - the organic linen bedding has been teamed with a heated mattress pad to keep you toasty all night long. The tree house consists of three separate rooms which can be reached via rope bridges strewn with fairy lights to light the way . Outside, a generous decking area seats up to 10 people and comes complete with a hammock for day-time dreaming or star-spotting at night. But if you do get the urge to leave the confines of the tee house, the Bahouth's have provided a list of local beauty spots to explore. Or, like some guests, you could just order pizza delivered straight to your branch. But enchanting beauty doesn't come cheap. A minimum two night stay at the retreat will set you back £236 per night - but we reckon it's worth it! The couple have even installed wifi in the tree house for those guests who feel the need to stay connected to the outside world . Pretty mirrored furniture and pooling curtains create a sense of romance in the retreat's only bedroom . The luxurious double bed is on wheels and can be pushed out onto the mezzanine for guests who want sleep outdoors . It's no surprise this Peter Pan-style tree house comes with a five-star rating from former guests. One former occupant called Brent said: 'I surprised my wife with a visit for her birthday. The whole visit was like something out of a fairy tale... all lit up in the night. 'I enjoyed the rickety bridge and the feeling that we were on a pirate ship. Every detail is quirky and fun, including a bed that pushes out on a track so you can sleep on a plank under a canopy of trees - unbelievable.' But don't worry, you won't catch a chill. Raw linen bedding has been teamed with a heated mattress to keep guests toasty all night long . | Peter and Katie Bahouth spent six months designing the perfect woodland retreat in Atlanta, USA .
The Buckland is adorned with fairy lights and has a hammock, rope-bridges, and a deck that seats up to 10 people .
You can book a minimum two-night stay in the tree house on Airbnb . |
48,421 | 88ac1aee9b586f729909cbe030def3e97d11aa7a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:22 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:27 EST, 8 May 2013 . A surrogate father who spent ten years in jail for shaking his baby son to death has been freed after new evidence revealed the boy died of poor health. Drayton Witt, who was convicted in 2002 of second-degree murder in the death of his four-month-old son Steven. But this week, an Arizona Superior Court judge dismissed all charges against Mr Witt and he is now reunited with his wife, Maria. Free: Drayton Witt stands with his wife Maria Witt. He was convicted in 2002 for second degree murder but an Arizona judge has dismissed the charges . The 31-year-old was not Steven's biological father, but helped Maria raise him and had given the child his last name, according to Slate. Mr Witt said Wednesday that he was overcome with joy knowing the case was finally closed for good. 'I can start my life over again,' he told the Arizona Republic. Steven was born a 'blue baby' with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Court records showed that Steven had suffered from severe health problems and had been in and out of the hospital during his short life span. Steven died of a major seizure, which stopped his heart. Police and hospital officials originally decided upon Steven's death in 2000 that the infant's eye and brain injuries were caused by violent shaking and the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. Since Mr Witt was the last person to be with his son, he was held responsible and later convicted of murder in a dramatic trial where prosecutors likened his actions to those of a gorilla. After spending ten years behind bars Mr Witt was released from prison in May after a judge set aside his 2002 murder conviction. A local nonprofit organization, the Arizona Justice Project, filed a motion in February stating that scientific evidence no longer supported the conclusion that Mr Witt shook his son to death. Not the first time: Armando Castillo (pictured) also had his murder charge overturned . An autopsy photo showed an obstructed vein leading to Steven's brain - an important detail the medical examiner did not include in his 2000 report ruling the death a homicide by shaking. The medical examiner, in a sworn statement given in February, said that if he were to testify in court again, he would conclude that the baby had died of disease, not physical abuse. Last week, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed a motion to drop the case, stating its 'expert' could not testify as to the original theory about the case and the Arizona Superior Court judge, Robert Gottsfield, dismissed the charges with prejudice. That ensures Mr Witt will never go back to jail for his son's death and prosecutors will not be allowed to retry him. Christina Rubalcava, an attorney for Witt, told the Arizona Republic that if the charges had only been dropped, Witt would have faced the risk of them being brought up again, since murder charges have no statute of limitations. 'We wanted to push forward and not have him and (his wife) Maria deal with that for the rest of their lives,' Rubalcava said on Wednesday. This is the second time Maricopa County prosecutors were proven wrong in a shaken baby syndrome homicide case. In 2011, the 1998 murder conviction of Armando Castillo for the death of his girlfriend's child was overturned, according to the Phoenix New Times. | Drayton Witt, 31, was charged in 2002 with murdering his son Steven .
Witt wasn't Steven's biological father, but was helping his wife raise him .
Steven was born a 'blue baby' and had been in and out of the hospital during his short life span .
An Arizona judge permanently dismissed the murder charges against Witt . |
68,106 | c138d03985b1084f5f19d6ae4158b3bdbc478bc8 | By . Sophie Borland Health Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:02 EST, 17 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:40 EST, 18 March 2013 . Patients could be charged £8.50 to call an out-of-hours doctor to their home under controversial plans outlined today. The sick could also be forced to pay for their hospital meals or increased charges to watch television on NHS wards. The proposals are being floated as a way of tackling the ‘unprecedented financial dilemma’ faced by the Health Service. Controversial: Patients could be charged £8.50 to call an out-of-hours doctor to their home under plans outlined today (file picture) But campaigners expressed outrage at the ‘frank discussion’ document, saying it undermined the founding principle of the NHS that care must be free at the point of use. They also warned that seriously ill patients could be discouraged from seeking treatment if they feared being unable to afford the fees. The NHS Confederation, which represents all Health Service trusts, devised the ideas as ways of generating extra funds. Chief executive Mike Farrar said: ‘We need to talk openly and honestly about why our Health Service needs to change. We cannot risk the wheels coming off and patient care suffering. ‘The NHS is facing severe pressure on its finances. We need to have a frank discussion about the road ahead.’ The report makes it clear that the NHS is under dire financial strain thanks to the soaring costs of caring for an ageing population. Food for thought: The sick could also be forced to pay for their hospital meals or increased charges to watch television on NHS wards (file picture) There are also rising numbers patients suffering illnesses caused by obesity and alcohol abuse. This already totals £17.9billion a year and is expected to rise even further. Last night Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘Calling out a doctor or having a meal in hospital are key tenets of an NHS which is free at the point of use. Some of these proposals amount to what would effectively be a “patients’ tax”. ‘It would be absolutely unacceptable for patients to foot the bill for reform through new charges.’ Andrew Gwynne, a Labour health spokesman, said: ‘Long-term efficiency savings are not being made. ‘Instead, the NHS is cutting the “low-hanging fruit”, such as staffing, with serious consequences for patient care. ‘The Government should take heed of this advice from the NHS Confederation.’ Pressure: NHS Confederation chief executive Mike Farrar said that a frank discussion was needed as the NHS faces severe pressure on its finances . Any fees would apply to everyone over 18 who has basic health insurance – around 90 per cent of the population. But surveys have found 27 per cent of patients would delay calling out a doctor and 18 per cent would avoid it altogether if they had to pay. However, some trusts are already considering imposing a £10-a-day fee to watch TV. Last year, an NHS trust went into administration for the first time and officials estimate there are around 20 more in severe crisis, with combined debts of about £130million. The costs of propping-up Private Finance Initiative deals will worsen the position even more in the next decade. Now, the NHS spends £1.5billion of its annual £100billion budget on these but this is set to double in the next decade, warned the report. | Controversial plans put forward to tackle pressure on NHS finances .
NHS Confederation boss says cost of aging population to blame .
Campaigners worry patients could be discouraged from seeking treatment . |
47,959 | 875c63b6924c073af5e705443943f5d69a488e64 | Babies have long been known to favour attractive faces, but it would seem the youngest members of society have a wider definition of beauty than previously imagined. For although having a pretty face appeals to babies, beautiful, slender bodies do not. Particularly when it comes to men. Infants shown images of chubby and toned male figures displayed a marked preference for the fatter of the two, according to a study conducted by the University of Sheffield. Preference: Nine-month-old babies would rather look at Jack Black's physique rather than David Beckham's . 'The men with attractive bodies were . models, and the men with unattractive bodies were friends of the . experimenters,' explained the research team, led by psychology . specialist Dr Michelle Heron-Delaney. The images were shown to three groups of children, aged three months, six months and nine months, and their response was monitored by video cameras. Photos were shown in batches of two, for 10 seconds at a time. Each pair included one fat body and one muscly one, some of which had their faces covered and some of which did not. Of the three groups, those aged nine months showed a significant preference for the fatter bodies, their eyes lingering on the 'less attractive' physique. Beauty: According to researchers, the results reveal that perceptions of beauty evolve and develop with age . The six-month-olds could distinguish . between the two body shapes, but displayed no particular preference, . while the three-month-olds couldn't tell the difference. Interestingly, . the nine-month-olds only showed a preference for fatter bodies when the . head was covered: uncovered, the children made no distinction between . the two body shapes. Writing in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, . the researchers said: 'The current study suggests that during infancy, . preferences for particular human body shapes reflect level of exposure . and resultant familiarity rather than culturally defined stereotypes of . attractiveness. 'Precisely when and how children develop preferences for adult-defined attractive bodies remains a question for future research.' Explanations for the phenomenon included the prevalence of larger bodies in everyday life and the similarity of a tubby male physique to the female body. The researchers added: 'Because unattractive body shapes are more common than attractive/athletic body shapes in our everyday environment, a preference for unattractive body shapes at nine months of age suggests that preferences for particular human body shapes reflect level of exposure and familiarity rather than culturally defined stereotypes of body attractiveness.' | Young children shown photos of men had response monitored by cameras .
Research conducted at University of Sheffield . |
72,537 | cda99022b3922ebb41014feedcd803e8f7ab44ae | There's no "Hey, baby, what's your sign?" button. But if you have a friend with a mysteriously undefined love life, Facebook may have just become a little more like a singles bar at closing time. A new "Ask" feature lets you ping friends who haven't set their Relationship Status and ask them what's up. Facebook has been quietly rolling out the feature for testing in select countries, including the United States. Clicking on "Ask" brings up a dialogue box with the text, "Let (your friend) know why you're asking for (his/her) relationship status." It provides space to expand upon your request -- say, to invite them out for drinks. A Facebook spokeswoman said that similar "Ask" buttons have been available on mobile and Web for a few months for other profile information. "This feature provides an easy way for friends to ask you for information that's not already on your profile," Facebook spokeswoman MoMo Zhou said in an e-mail. "For example, a friend could ask where you work or for your hometown. If you choose to answer, this information is then added to your profile. By default, only you and your friend can see it, and you also have the option of sharing it with others, too." Well, that sounds a little less like an overture from someone who's hitting on you. Or for that matter, a Poke. And, yes, even the relationship-status version presumably will have non-stalkery applications. A friend just checking in. Someone who was at your wedding and offering a gentle reminder for you to update your page. Or ... you know ... your mom, who remains convinced you're just not trying hard enough to find Mr. or Ms. Right. As noted, a user may reply to the person who sent the request without updating their status, though they are given an opportunity to do so. And it's surely not lost on Facebook that relationship status is a handy piece of information for advertisers trying to target their ads. Still, some commenters on Twitter found the new feature a little ... creepy. "Are you single or taken? Facebook now lets you ask someone out in the most awkward way possible," said Ali Mostofian. | Facebook adds "Ask" feature to let users inquire about friends' relationships .
"Ask" button appears next to info that's not filled out .
Only friends can inquire, and receiver may respond privately .
Users can also "Ask" about a friend's job or hometown . |
45,672 | 80b0362ca68e9dfe68ff0ea57cb454f08f83fd06 | By . Emily Crane . Police have been called to investigate drone-flying real estate agents who use cameras to photograph and scout potential properties. The use of the camera-equipped drones has angered Sydney residents who claim the real estate agents are invading homeowners' privacy. A woman in Mosman, in Sydney's northern suburbs, phoned police last week after seeing a mini helicopter drone outside the kitchen window of her top floor apartment. Scroll down for video . The use of the camera-equipped drones has angered Sydney residents who claim real estate agents using them to photograph properties are invading homeowners' privacy . She was told it was a real estate agent's drone who was 'scoping for properties'. 'I got a shock. At first i thought it was a plane in the distance. I could see flashing lights and realised it was a drone. What are they looking at? What are they scoping for. It's crazy,' the woman, who didn't want to be named, told the Mosman Daily. Police investigating found the real estate agent in question had the appropriate papers to fly the drone and had not committed an offence. The practice of real estate agents flying drones to take advertising photos of properties is legal as long as the operator has approval. The practice of real estate agents flying drones to take advertising photos of properties is legal as long as the operator has approval . Rules for flying drones is covered under Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) legislation and commercial operators must meet certain licensing requirements in order to use them. There are more than 100 approved operators currently in Australia. The CASA forced a South Australian agency to ground its drones last month after it emerged they did not have approval to fly drones for commercial purposes. Toop&Toop's managing director, Anthony Toop, said the company wasn't aware there were legal issues when they first started using the drones. A woman in Mosman, in Sydney's northern suburbs, phoned police last week after seeing a mini helicopter drone outside the kitchen window of her top floor apartment . 'We ordered the first ones from the States. Our trials were fantastic – the results were so much better than we could ever have imagined,' Mr Toop told Property Observer. 'Because we are a very high profile company, we weren’t going to play with that at all. We just shut it down (when CASA served the desist notice).' Peter Gibson from CASA said drone operators needed to undergo training and submit materials for approval. Rules for flying drones is covered under Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) legislation and commercial operators must meet certain licensing requirements in order to use them . 'If you’re a real estate agent and using a drone to take photographs of clients’ homes, you should either be using an approved remotely piloted aircraft operator, of which there are about 110, or you need to get an operators certificate and approval from CASA,' Mr Gibson said. Drone models range from a few hundred dollars to roughly $8,000. | A Sydney woman called police to report a drone flying outside the kitchen window of her top floor apartment .
She was told it was a real estate agent's drone used to scope properties .
Agents using drones to take advertising photos is legal if they have approval from aviation authority .
Adelaide agency was forced to ground its drones last month when it emerged they didn't have appropriate papers to fly . |
270,380 | ea2d7bb6c1914e9369a286f56cad854ec4ee9228 | Britain's cheeriest lollipop man has been banned from dancing and giving 'high fives' to schoolchildren. Council bosses have ordered Nkosana Mdikane, 74, to stay still so motorists can see him, despite his merry singing and dancing brightening the mornings of hundreds of pupils and parents. Mr Mdikane was previously hailed by West Dunbartonshire Council for his 'excellent service' outside Aitkenbar Primary School in Dumbarton. Scroll down for video . Britain's cheeriest lollipop man Nkosana Mdikane has been banned from dancing and giving high fives to schoolchildren . Banned: Council bosses have ordered Mr Mdikane, 74, to stay still so motorists can see him . But now the local authority have told him that all lollipop men must 'remain static with one hand on their stick and the other stretched outwards'. Mr Mdikane, who has held the road safety job since 2013, said he respected his employer's decision but hoped the rules would be changed. 'The council is stopping me from high-fiving the kids while on duty,' he said. 'I never saw any problem in that. I'm just doing my job, but this is very emotional and affecting me. 'This issue was raised by the kids themselves. They said I can't give them any more high fives. They cannot take it and I don't like to see them upset. 'I'm respecting the decision and haven't done it since I found out. I've agreed to stop. Mr Mdikane was previously hailed by West Dunbartonshire Council for his 'excellent service' outside Aitkenbar Primary School in Dumbarton . The lollipop man has held the job helping children cross the road outside Aitkenbar Primary School (pictured) since 2013 . 'I have been doing this for about two years and all of a sudden I have to stop. They [the council] should revise their decision. They need to listen to the community.' Before moving to Scotland from Vereeniging, South Africa, in 2003, Mr Mdikane worked as a delivery driver and a chauffeur. He and his wife Zoli, 73, a former nurse, were looking forward to retirement, but when his neighbour told him a position as lollipop man was available, he jumped at the opportunity. He said: 'This job is exciting. It's the best job I've ever had. 'It has taken away the frustration and loneliness of being retired. I can't be watching TV - that is too dull.' The decision by the council, which previously praised the lollipop man for his 'cheery nature', has enraged parents, who have launched a campaign page on Facebook and have started a petition to bring back Mr Mdikane's dancing. The council say that all lollipop men must 'remain static with one hand on their stick and the other stretched outwards' Mr Mdikane, who has held the road safety job since 2013, said he respected his employer's decision but hoped the rules would be changed . Campaigner and father-of-three David Dufton, 36, said: 'It's a shame. It's a surprising U-turn. One minute they're saying they love him, he's a great guy and the next they're telling him he can't behave this way. 'He's a 74-year-old man and he's out there in all weathers. It's a bit unjust. I've never heard any one ever complain about him. 'I think they have let him down a little bit. We would like the council to revise their decision. In terms of health and safety we don't see a problem. He encourages people to cross at the crossing. 'Nkosana always puts a smile on people's faces. I hope we can return the favour and put a little smile on his face with our campaign.' A spokeswoman for the council said: 'All patrollers are instructed when crossing children over a road to remain static with one hand on their stick and the other stretched outwards. 'This ensures that they can be seen and effectively provides a barrier between school pupils and the traffic.' | Council boss bans lollipop man, 74, from dancing and giving 'high fives'
Nkosana Mdikane brightened hundreds of people's days with cheery songs .
But killjoy council bosses say he must 'remain static' so he can be seen .
Parents launch campaign and petition for council to reverse decision . |
43,114 | 799ee53674b577f1e838abbbddd93e424ceb2e0b | By . John Hall . Having good manners is more important as good grades when it comes to forging a career, the editor of society bible Tatler has told an audience of public schoolgirls. Speaking to pupils at £30,000-a-year Westonbirt School for Girls in Gloucestershire, Kate Reardon, 46, said young women should focus on good impressions rather than good qualifications. She told the girls: 'It doesn’t matter how many A-levels you have, what kind of a degree you have, if you have good manners people will like you. And, if they like you, they will help you.' Advice: Kate Reardon (centre), who was educated at elite schools herself, told pupils at Westonbirt School for Girls that getting top grades is not as important as making a good impression . Top tips: Kate Reardon said it was easy to avoid face-to-face contact in the modern digital age but urged the public school pupils 'never hide behind a computer or mobile phone' Speaking to pupils at £30,000-a-year Westonbirt School for Girls in Gloucestershire (pictured) Kate Readon said 'It doesn't matter how many A-levels you have... if you have good manners people will like you' Ms Reardon, who was educated at the elite Cheltenham Ladies College and Stowe Schools, rejected a place at the University of Exeter in order to become a journalist at the age of 19. Now she is suggesting to other public school girls that getting top grades will not necessarily guarantee a top career. Ms Reardon said it was easy to avoid face-to-face . contact in the modern digital age but urged the pupils 'never hide behind a . computer or mobile phone'. According to Ms Reardon - who launched her own website TopTips.com in 2007 and released the acclaimed book 'Top Tips for Girls' a year later - good manners are the key to success. 'I’m not talking about manners about using the right spoon for soup or eating asparagus with your left hand.. I’m talking about being polite and respectful and making people you interact with feel valued, she told Westonbirt School for Girls pupils. Kate Reardon, who became editor of Tatler (right) in 2010, was speaking at £30,000-a-year Westonbirt School for Girls. Last year actress Joanna Lumley (left) asked pupils there to promise never to rely on benefits . Background: Kate Reardon, who was educated at the elite Cheltenham Ladies College and Stowe School (pictured), rejected a place at the University of Exeter in order to become a journalist at the age of 19 . Kate Reardon told the students she felt completely unprepared for her first job at Vogue . Kate Reardon was born in New York in 1968 but describes her own education as 'thoroughly British.' She attended several elite establishments - including Garden House School, Bute House Prep School for Girls, Cheltenham Ladies' College and Stowe School. But aged 19 she rejected a place at the University of Exeter in order to pursue a soon-to-be glittering career in journalism. That year she became U.S. Vogue's youngest ever fashion assistant staying at the company for two years. At 21, she was named the youngest ever fashion editor at Tatler - a role she kept for nine years before becoming contributing editor at Vanity Fair. She spent 11 years at the pop culture magazine, before eventually being appointed overall editor of Tatler in 2010. In 2007 Ms Reardon launched her own website, TopTips.com, which was released as a book titled 'Top Tips for Girls' the following year to much acclaim. She is the 17th editor of Tatler since the high society magazine's launch in 1909. Ms Reardon told the girls that, although they have all grown up in the digital age where avoiding 'eyeball-to-eyeball' interaction is easy, it is important to maintain a real-world persona. 'Never hide behind a computer or . mobile phone if you want to communicate your truth - they need to know who . you are and they need to understand you,' she said. Organisation is a key part of success, Ms Reardon said, insisting 'chaotic isn't cute' - especially when it comes to applying for jobs. Last year actress Joanna Lumley told girls at the £9,990-a-term Westonbirt School for Girls that they should stay in work and never rely on benefits. 'You must swear never to go on the dole, find something to do,' she said. 'By . doing you become employable. It doesn’t matter what the job is, by . working you learn new things, meet new people and are exposed to new . ideas,' the Absolutely Fabulous star added. Westonburt . is described as one of the country’s leading same-sex schools with the . vast majority of girls winning places at their chosen universities every . year. Last year half of all pupils received A* for GCSE English and 36 per cent of all A levels achieved the same grade. The pass rate was A level exams was 100 per cent. Speaking to the girls, Tatler editor Ms Reardon admitted she felt completely unprepared for her first job at Vogue. She said: 'I was entirely unqualified for life at American Vogue. 'If you've ever seen The Devil Wears Prada you'll know what my life was like. 'I was the fat, badly dressed one. They used to take bets in front of me on how long I was going to last. But they were right. 'I'd come from a culture which placed no value in work for its own sake. 'There's a particularly British wariness of appearing to try too hard. It's somehow distasteful. Everything should come to us seamlessly and, if you have to work at it, you're somehow a loser.' But she told pupils how she quickly learned the 'American work ethic', was helpful getting her the job as Tatler's youngest ever fashion editor, aged 21. She added: 'When I first got there, I really struggled with Tatler's position of immense privilege. 'It has the wealthiest readers of any magazine in England and so deals with the concerns of the very rich. 'Then again, the business model of this very successful glossy magazine which employs many people and has the power to promote so many brilliant businesses is built on exactly that premise and so it's nothing to be ashamed of. 'I have a career I love more than I can tell you and I have it because I work incredibly hard pretty much every single day. 'And you know what? I'm really proud of working hard - not just the level of sucking up and free handbags I now get because of my job, but because it's an achievement in itself.' Ms Reardon - pictured at work in her pyjamas for comic relief - was Tatler's youngest ever fashion editor at age 21 . Kate's final parting advice to the 'younger generation' was to work hard and be ready to seize opportunities. 'Luck is going to play a huge part in your life,' she said. 'Do the work, read the books, be prepared, but also embrace luck when it comes your way. Constantly look out for it and grab it.' Natasha Dangerfield, headmistress of Westonbirt School, said she agreed with Kate. She said: 'Good communication skills and good manners are vital for getting on in life, whatever we do. 'Kate is absolutely right and she is a great role model for the girls. 'There is only one secret to success and that is hard work. 'I didn't get my job because of connections. I got it because of my skills, my experience and my hard work. 'We aim to instill that work ethic and attitude in all our students.' | Tatler editor Kate Reardon, 46, was speaking at Westonbirt School for Girls .
She told pupils that good impressions are better than good qualifications .
Told girls at £30,000-a-year school 'it doesn't matter how many A-levels you have', adding that good manners encourage others to help them progress .
Reardon was educated at elite Cheltenham Ladies College and Stowe School .
But she turned down a place at University of Exeter to pursue journalism . |
152,402 | 50f5511115ef5d2fbe28bd145eb62b4fb9977d91 | Patchogue, New York (CNN) -- A small group gathered Saturday in the Upper East Side residence of Mimi Fery, an interior designer in New York. English, French, a bit of German and even Farsi floated through the air as men in crisp, white pants carried umbrellas and women dressed in subdued blacks and grays greeted one another. The group boarded a large charter bus bound for Long Island -- not to the Hamptons but to Patchogue -- for a ceremony to celebrate the life of Mimi's daughter Sidonie. On December 6, 2012, six weeks after Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast, a message in a ginger ale bottle was discovered on a Patchogue beach amid heaps of trash left by the storm. It had been tossed into the ocean more than 10 years before by a little girl who was playing with family friends a few miles east. The note inside, scrawled in a child's hand, read, "Be excellent to yourself, dude." There was a phone number beside it. On the back it read, "From Bill and Ted." Garrett Rivers, who found the bottle, used the phone of fellow FEMA disaster relief worker Brian Waldron to call the number. "I love a good story, and it was just laying there and it looked old, so I picked it up," said Rivers at Saturday's ceremony. But what they learned was that Sidonie Fery, the author of the advice -- taken from the movie "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" -- had died in a fall in April 2010 at her boarding school in Switzerland. She was 18 years old. The relationships that began because of that bottle, the remembrances shared since since its discovery, culminated in Saturday's excursion, at which Mimi Fery would dedicate a plaque in the beachside community and an arts fund established in Sidonie's name. On the bus ride to the beach, Fery shared stories of Sidonie's childhood, lighting up when she spoke of trips to Iran during which Sidonie taught her friends English -- even assigning homework -- and ventured out with her traditionally austere grandfather to jewelry shops, where they would turn sketches into small trinkets. "When she was little, we never bought anything; I always made her make gifts. We always had to do something. It makes everything more special," Fery said. Out of a small black clutch, Fery pulled dozens of tiny, trimmed pictures of Sidonie at various ages: Sidonie in Iran, Sidonie as a toddler, Sidonie's last high school portrait before her death. She pored over Facebook messages from her daughter's friends, as well as text messages she and Waldron had exchanged. Fery said she was so excited about the event that she'd barely slept the past two nights. A welcoming committee was waiting in Patchogue, consisting of Mayor Paul Pontieri, Parks and Recreation Director Maria Guistizia, Waldron and Rivers. Fery and her loved ones were greeted warmly. Sun broke through the overcast and drizzly weather shortly after the noon ceremony began. When it was time for her remarks, Fery wept, and thanked her friends for being there. Her longtime partner, Kristiaen Van Gastel, spoke also. "When life seems to be impossible, she (Sidonie) takes time out to talk to us," Van Gastel said. One of Sidonie's friends from boarding school, Ximena de la Camara, said Sidonie's death put things in perspective. "Now you know what's really important in life. You have a new outlook," she said. After remarks from the men who found the bottle and Sidonie's friends, the plaque bearing the young woman's photo was unveiled, nestled in a flowerbed between the community pool and the beach. Through tears, her mother said it was beautiful. Then, standing in the wet sand, Fery and friends new and old threw carnations into the waves. Back home in Manhattan, Fery and Van Gastel's apartment on 57th Street is filled with small reminders of Sidonie's short but larger-than-life existence. It's decorated with modern Lucite tables and plush furniture, but the eye is drawn up toward the ceiling by the artfully decorated walls, a dozen of Sidonie's expressive collages, drawings, and paintings hanging in clusters. "Sidonie was always telling me not to worry, that everything would be all right. Her message in a bottle reminds me of that every day," Van Gastel said. | The message in a bottle was discovered on a New York beach after Superstorm Sandy .
It had been written 10 years before by Sidonie Fery .
Fery died in 2010 in a fall while at boarding school in Switzerland .
On Saturday, a plaque was dedicated at the spot where the bottle was found . |
90,635 | 009699e317486ccc860821ab8044bca7573d69b3 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 18:53 EST, 14 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:52 EST, 15 February 2014 . The family of Malcolm X have criticized singer Nicki Minaj for disrespecting the civil rights leader by putting an image of him next to a racial slur on her album's artwork. A famed picture of Malcolm X holding a rifle appeared on the unofficial artwork for her latest single, which has the N word in the title. The civil rights leader's family described the artwork as tasteless and said they had not endorsed the use of the picture. 'Tasteless': The family of Malcolm X complained about the use of his photo on a Nicki Minaj single . In an exclusive statement with AP on Friday, Malcolm X's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, said . Minaj's use of the picture 'in no way is endorsed by our family'. 'Ms Minaj's artwork for her single does not depict the truth of Malcolm X's legacy,' Ms Shabazz said. Minaj apologized on Thursday and the artwork for her single Lookin A** N**** was pulled after being heavily criticized on social media networks. She said the single cover was 'never the official artwork'. Mark Roesler, chief executive of CMG Worldwide, which is the business representative for the Malcolm X estate, called Minaj's use of the photo 'dehumanizing'. 'This is a family photo that was taken out of context in a totally inaccurate and tasteless way,' he said in a statement made on behalf of the family. L. Londell McMillan, the attorney for Malcolm X's family, said in a statement Friday that those using the famous photo of Malcolm X need to remove it immediately. 'Failure to do so within the next 24 hours shall result in legal action,' Mr McMillian said. 'The initial act and subsequent acts of distribution were improper and ill-advised. 'Any disparagement, infringement or disrespect of Malcolm X, and his name, image, likeness and proprietary rights will not be tolerated.' Minaj's representatives didn't return emails seeking comment. Minaj posted the artwork on her Instagram page and website on Wednesday. The photo showed Malcolm X holding a rifle during a time when he was trying to protect his family from death threats after their home had been firebombed. Apology: Nicki Minaj removed the artwork and told the family she didn't mean to offend after receiving a barrage of criticism this week . 'I apologize to the Malcolm X estate . if the meaning of the photo was misconstrued ... I have nothing but . respect [and] adoration for u,' Minaj said on her Instagram page . following the criticism. The . 31-year-old rapper-singer said on Thursday, in an interview with radio . station Hot 97, that she wrote the song to empower women because there . are too many songs that attack females. 'It . was almost parallel in my opinion because he has this big gun ready to . shoot at a lookin' (expletive) bleep, and that's how I looked at it,' she said. 'I looked at it as this is one of the most memorable people in . our history, in black history, who voiced his opinion no matter what, . and I understand how my intent was overlooked and I definitely didn't . want to offend his family or his legacy.' In the song's music video, Minaj is shooting guns. Ilyasah Shabazz said Minaj's use of her father's photo is part of a larger problem in today's culture. 'Situations . like the recent portrayal of our father on the album cover for Ms . Minaj's new single only highlight the fact that we as a society need to . take more responsibility for what we're teaching our children,' her . statement said. 'It is . our family's hope that the true legacy and context of Malcolm X's life . continues to be shared with people from all walks of life in a positive . manner that helps promote the goals and ideals for which Malcolm X so . passionately advocated.' Malcolm X was killed 49 years ago this month when he was 39. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Rapper removes online cover for her Lookin A** N**** single and apologizes .
Malcolm X estate said use of picture was 'dehumanizing' and threatened legal action against anyone still showing it . |
225,301 | afc05cacc195e46ee34308c0140e9d0ab6ac510b | John Ibrahim has visited his brother, convicted killer Michael Ibrahim, in hospital after he was shot as he returned to his luxury Sydney flat. Ibrahim was hit in the shoulder by one of a number of bullets fired at him on his way home in Macquarie Street in Sydney's CBD on Sunday night. Detectives are reportedly investigating whether the shooting is linked to a feud between the Ibrahim clan and other notorious criminal families, reports the Daily Telegraph. Scroll down for video . A bullet was removed from this tree as police investigate the shooting of Michael Ibrahim outside his Sydney city residence . Convicted killer Michael Ibrahim (left) was shot on a footpath just metres from NSW Parliament House on Sunday night. brother of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim (right) Family members outside at St Vincent's Hospital after visiting shooting victim Michael Ibrahim . Police are hunting for a gunman after a man was shot while standing on a footpath just metres from NSW Parliament House on Sunday night . A crime scene remained on Monday outside Ibrahim's luxury Macquarie Street home where he has lived since he left prison in August 2014 . Michael Ibrahim spent more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Robin Nassour in 2006. He was acquitted in 2012 of conspiring to murder nightclub owner John Macris, who he believed was responsible for gunning down his brother, Fadi Ibrahim, outside a home in Sydney's north. Sam Ibrahim has been behind bars on firearms charges since his bail was revoked in July last year. Family, friends and associates, including brother John, flocked to St Vincent's Hospital where Michael Ibrahim has been recovering since the shooting about 10.30pm on Sunday. The 36-year-old has been sitting up and in good spirits in a stable condition, said hospital spokesman David Faktor on Monday afternoon. Mr Faktor said the patient had not undergone surgery, correcting earlier information. Meanwhile, police continued their investigation at the scene of the attack on one of Sydney's most prestigious strip of apartments. Police are looking for at least two attackers and a white, possibly late model, Audi. Several shots were fired, with a bullet removed from this tree at the scene of the shooting, but Ibrahim only was only shit by one bullet to the shoulder . The shooting took place on Macquarie Street just 200 metres from NSW Parliament House (pictured) Mr Ibrahim was sentenced to a maximum nine years and four months behind bars for his role in the manslaughter of Robin Nassour in 2006 . Police closed off Macquarie Street shortly after the shooting between Bridge and Bent streets as police scoured the area for bullet casings. Apart from the man's gunshot wound, police have received no further reports of injuries. The shooting took place outside a multi-storey office building at 151 Macquarie Street - just 200 metres away from NSW Parliament House and less than 300 metres from the scene of the Lindt cafe siege in Martin Place. Michael Ibrahim had earlier vowed to move on with his life at his August 2014 parole hearing. He told the board he wouldn't break the law if released from jail and would abide by the "most stringent" parole conditions. Being behind bars while his mother was treated for cancer was a "wake up call", he told the parole board. He was granted parole, reportedly subject to a range of strict conditions, including electronic monitoring and keeping away from Kings Cross and other parts of Sydney. Macquarie Street was closed between Bridge and Bent streets as police scoured the area for bullet casings . Police were called to the area at about 10.30pm on Sunday after reports shots had been fired . The cause of the shooting is not yet clear and police will continue to investigate . | Convicted killer Michael Ibrahim was shot on Macquarie Street on Sunday .
He is the brother of Kings Cross nightclub identity John Ibrahim .
The 36-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to shoulder after a number of bullets were fired in his direction .
Police are looking for a white Audi and say 'at least' two men were involved .
John Ibrahim visited brother Michael at St Vincent's Hospital on Monday .
Michael Ibrahim spent more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Robin Nassour in 2006 .
He was acquitted in 2012 of conspiring to murder John Macris .
He believed Macris was gunned down his brother, Fadi Ibrahim . |
162,580 | 5e32755295d7e10273d4cb2aef382373b4520ad9 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Supreme Court justices on opposite sides of the ideological aisle exchanged tough words Monday over the fate of a Florida murderer who has been on death row for 32 years. Siding with the court's majority, Justice Clarence Thomas described brutal details of a Florida slaying. The high court has refused to hear the appeal of William Thompson, who had plead guilty twice in the March 1976 kidnapping and torture-murder of a woman. His case and subsequent appeals have been litigated since, but a new execution date has not been set. A key part of his request to be spared lethal injection is that three decades as a capital inmate constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. "Our experience during the past three decades has demonstrated that delays in state-sponsored killings are inescapable and that executing defendants after such is unacceptably cruel," said Justice John Paul Stevens, who disagreed with the court's decision to allow the execution to proceed. He was supported by Justice Stephen Breyer in his objection to the court's ruling on Monday in the case, Thompson v. McNeil (08-7369). But Justice Clarence Thomas took issue with his colleagues' conclusions. "It is the crime and not the punishment imposed by the jury or the delay in execution that was 'unacceptably cruel,'" he responded. Thomas took time in his concurrence to detail the graphic crime that led to the conviction of Thompson and his co-defendant. The men had held Sally Ivester and another woman in a motel room and were demanding money from the victim's families. Ivester had promised she could raise hundreds of dollars but was only able to secure $25. That enraged the men who savagely beat the woman with a belt, chair leg and nightstick, causing internal injuries. She was also burned with cigarettes. The other woman witnessed the murder and said she feared for her life if she tried to leave. Thompson and his co-defendant both pleaded guilty but the state's high court initially tossed out Thompson's sentence. The man's lawyer had told the defendant if he accepted responsibility for the crime, he would not get the death penalty, a crucial mistake. Thompson later pleaded guilty a second time and again received a capital sentence. Then he began a series of appeals, claiming ineffective counsel, trial errors, limited mental capacity and a dysfunctional childhood. All those factors were ultimately rejected by state and federal courts. Stevens noted that during a third penalty hearing, five members of a state advisory jury recommended against lethal injection, but the court again imposed death. The circumstances of his current imprisonment, said Stevens, no longer justify such a sentence. "As he awaits execution, petitioner has endured especially severe conditions of confinement," said Stevens, "spending up to 23 hours per day in isolation in a 6- by 9-foot cell. Two death warrants have been signed against him and stayed only shortly before he was scheduled to die. The dehumanizing effects of such treatment are undeniable." But Thomas said all such inmates are subjected to a "restricted confinement" because of the security risks they pose. And the prisoner had only himself to blame for his prolonged imprisonment on death row. Quoting his conclusions from a similar 1999 capital case, Thomas said, "I remain unaware of any support in the American constitutional tradition of this Court's precedence for the proposition that a defendant can avail himself of the panoply of appellate and collateral procedures and then complain when his execution is delayed." Thomas has long backed the right of states to impose death sentences. Stevens, who as a newly seated justice cast a key 1976 vote upholding the death penalty, has since grown increasingly frustrated with how it its carried out. Last April, he declared his open opposition to it. "I have relied on my own experience in reaching the conclusion that the imposition of the death penalty represents the pointless and needless extinction of life with only marginal contributions to any discernible social or public purposes," he wrote. "A penalty with such negligible returns to the state (is) patently excessive and cruel and unusual punishment violative of the Eighth Amendment." The 88-year-old justice was supported by three of his more liberal colleagues. But Stevens also said he would respect court precedents in favor of capital punishment. | Florida killer says 32 years on death row is cruel and unusual punishment .
William Thompson faces execution for 1976 torture killing .
Justice Clarence Thomas cites details of brutal crime .
Court rejects Thompson's appeal . |
112,632 | 1d50ab09fe2447e9a4d382c2e6868aea2107eda7 | By . James Slack . PUBLISHED: . 17:15 EST, 21 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:00 EST, 22 May 2012 . Householders who regularly dump rubbish in their own garden will be guilty of a criminal offence and hit with a hefty fine. The penalty will also apply to anyone who leaves an old sofa or fridge in their garden, or has mountains of pizza boxes or takeaway cartons lying around. They will receive an on-the-spot fine of up to £100 or be taken to court – where the maximum fine would be £2,500. The new Community Protection Notice is a key part of new anti-yob laws unveiled by Theresa May today. Theresa May addresses delegates at the Association of Chief Police Officers annual conference in Manchester today . Ministers want to stop irresponsible homeowners or tenants from blighting whole streets or neighbourhoods by turning their front garden into a ‘dumping ground’. The powers will apply to privately owned homes as well as council houses. Officials will target only those guilty of ‘persistent, unreasonable behaviour’. They will be given a warning and told to clear the rubbish away. If they ignore the notice, they will then be guilty of a crime. Officials do not want to target law-abiding householders who are forced to have rubbish in their gardens at certain times of the week because of the complicated recycling policies introduced by many councils. And the law will be worded to protect homeowners from over-zealous council officials patrolling the streets looking to make money by issuing on-the-spot fines. The Home Secretary walks around the St George's Estate in Hulme, Manchester, with (left to right) Inspector Nail Pawson of Greater Manchester Police, resident Steve Norman and PCSO Paul Egan before her speech today . Residents have been given penalty notices for putting their rubbish out on the wrong day or for not shutting their dustbin lid properly under existing ‘bin laws’. But the new rules will apply only to repeat offenders. They will be given a fixed period of time to clean up their garden before any fine is issued. Today’s antisocial behaviour White Paper also sounds the death knell for Labour’s flagship Anti-Social Behaviour Order, which is to be scrapped. There will be a bonfire of Labour’s anti-lout legislation – with 19 powers reduced to only six. The Community Protection Notice could be issued to an individual or responsible person within a business, such as a takeaway shop. It will also give police – and not just town halls – the power to deal with noisy neighbours in the middle of the night. Eyesore: Ministers want to stop irresponsible homeowners or tenants from blighting whole streets or neighbourhoods by turning their front garden into a 'dumping ground' Officials say examples of where it could be used include: . Breach of any requirement in the notice, without reasonable excuse, would be a criminal offence, subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution. Speaking after meeting residents in Hulme, Manchester, she added: 'I want to see the police dealing with anti-social behaviour when it happens and when people are reporting it.' But victims were saying that time and time again nothing was happening, she said. 'What we've seen over the years is too many people having their lives blighted by anti-social behaviour. 'The community trigger will give people, either individuals or local communities, the opportunity to say the point has come where the police are required to do something, look into it, investigate, find out what's happening and take action.' She went on: 'What we will see is anti-social behaviour being taken seriously and being dealt with. 'What we're doing is giving people the confidence that when they call the police something will be done.' Ministers are determined to get a grip on low-level thuggish behaviour. The Asbos were routinely breached by thugs, who quickly considered having one of the orders to be a ‘badge of honour’. They were also given out in some bizarre circumstances. A woman who tried to kill herself four times by jumping off bridges was banned from loitering on bridges, going on to railway lines or entering multi-storey car parks unaccompanied. And an 88-year-old man from Merseyside was banned from swearing or making sarcastic remarks. Asbos will be replaced by Crime Prevention Injunctions, which officials say will be easier and faster to impose. Unlike the Asbo, the injunction would not require a magistrate to be certain that the defendant had acted in an antisocial manner. It would instead be secured against a lower burden of proof. 'Three strikes and you're out': New legislation will compel police to act on complaints against yobs, in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the tragic case of Fiona Pilkington, left, who killed herself and her disabled daughter Francecca, right, after sustained harassment by youngsters, despite repeat appeals to the police . ■ Drivers joined the war on litter louts yesterday by demanding tough punishments for those who throw rubbish from their vehicles. A poll by the AA found that almost 90 per cent of motorists are angered by litterbugs in cars, and two-thirds want offenders to be punished with points on their licence, a large fine or even a community sentence. This week hundreds of AA members will begin a string of litter-picks across the country, adding to the widespread support for the Daily Mail’s Spring Clean For The Queen campaign to encourage people to help clean up their communities ahead of the jubilee. More than 300 AA staff have volunteered to pick litter in areas including Basingstoke, Cardiff and Newcastle, and the AA sent out a million letters to members last weekend encouraging them to take part. Over the next fortnight, they will conduct an hour’s tidy-up of their neighbourhood’s pavements, paths and parks as part of the AA Streetwatch programme. The organisation has also put up a prize of £1,000 for the best idea for reducing rubbish on the streets. Those who breach the orders would be deemed in contempt of court and face penalties including jail. It would be made available to a broader range of agencies. When sentenced in court, those found guilty of antisocial behaviour could also be issued with a new Criminal Behaviour Order, which would force prolific offenders to attend courses to change their ways. The White Paper will also include a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ crackdown on yobs which will compel police to act if they receive three complaints from one individual about antisocial behaviour. The ‘community trigger’ will also apply if five different households lodge the same complaint. The legislation is designed to prevent a repeat of the tragic case of Fiona Pilkington, who killed herself and her 18-year-old disabled daughter Francecca after sustained harassment by youngsters. She dialled 999 33 times over ten years to complain but police failed to act, classing her case as a ‘low priority’. A new Directions Power will give police the power to move on troublemakers without having to first designate a specific ‘dispersal zone’ in advance. But a victims' group said the new measures still did not go far enough. The plans to enable residents to force police to take action over anti-social behaviour after three separate incidents or five complaints is still insufficient. Victims deserve to be taken seriously as soon as they make a report to police,Victim Support said. Javed Khan, the group's chief executive, said: 'We hope that the new criminal behaviour order will deliver the rapid response for victims that is needed. 'But just dishing out the orders won't be enough. 'If the Government really wants to put victims first, tough enforcement and follow-up will be required, to avoid making the CBO an empty sanction.' | Theresa May unveils new anti-yob laws to replace Labour's Asbos .
Officials will target those guilty of 'persistent, unreasonable behaviour'
Bonfire of Labour's anti-lout legislation, with 19 powers reduced to six .
'Three strikes and you're out' crackdown on yobs to compel police to act .
an individual who regularly allows their dog to foul in a communal garden (this situation is not covered by current notices).
an individual who regularly dumps rubbish in their front garden.
a takeaway which persistently allows customers to drop litter on the pavement outside and causes noise nuisance late at night. |
195,516 | 8912b2a962a8a0120e154878a44a6496d055c75f | (CNN) -- Rescuers faced delays during medical emergencies because of traffic jams that appear to be tied to a political scandal engulfing former appointees of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to a letter obtained by CNN Wednesday. Ambulances and paramedics in Fort Lee, New Jersey, got stuck in gridlock caused by a "new traffic pattern" on the George Washington Bridge in September, EMS Coordinator Paul E. Favia wrote in a letter to the town's mayor. It's the latest twist in a political controversy that erupted Wednesday, when e-mails surfaced implying that members of Christie's staff had deliberately orchestrated lane closures that caused heavy traffic backups on the nation's busiest bridge as political punishment for Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who did not back the New Jersey governor's re-election. Democrats turning up the volume on Christie bridge controversy . Favia's letter -- dated September 10, 2013 -- suggests that what started as a local political fight could have had real life-or-death consequences. In the letter, which does not mention Christie or his administration, Favia said a police officer had told him traffic snarls in Fort Lee were caused by "a new traffic pattern at the (bridge's) toll booths." Opinion: Christie's rising star now a target . "I would like to bring this to your attention as this new traffic pattern is causing unnecessary delays for emergency services to arrive on scene for medical emergencies within the borough," he wrote. Favia asked for the mayor's help in changing the traffic pattern to avoid delayed response times. He listed several examples of delays, including car wrecks, chest pains and a 91-year-old who suffered a heart attack. Christie says he was misled over bridge firestorm . In one instance, the EMS director said he was forced to jump a curb to escape traffic that was at a standstill while he was responding to a car accident with multiple injuries. Trips that should have taken just a few minutes took up to three times longer, he wrote. Christie said in a statement Wednesday that "what I've seen today is unacceptable," adding that he was "misled by a member of his staff" and knew nothing about what had transpired. He previously said he knew nothing about allegations of political retribution. His administration earlier had blamed the lane closures and traffic mess on a mishandled traffic study. Fort Lee Mayor: Bridge closings venomous . CNN's Don Lemon and Joe Johns contributed to this report. | Fort Lee's EMS coordinator says traffic jams delayed response times in medical emergencies .
In one instance, he says, a woman was having a heart attack .
E-mails have surfaced implying that Gov. Chris Christie's appointees orchestrated traffic gridlock .
Christie says he was "misled" and knew nothing about what transpired . |
223,838 | add3beb707b99ba299cc63beb4b66a799ac9b5e0 | A mother battling terminal cancer has given birth to her daughter three months prematurely to help prolong her own life as she holds out hope of living long enough to take her baby home. Michelle Buchholtz, 38, gave birth to Ava at 29 weeks in Melbourne on Thursday so she can undergo further cancer treatment as her health slowly deteriorates. Ava was born via caesarean weighing just 1kg as Ms Buchholtz lay in the hospital bed wearing a neck brace due to fractures caused by her many tumours. Scroll down for video . Michelle Buchholtz, 38, gave birth to Ava at 29 weeks in Melbourne on Friday with doctors fearing her cancer riddled body would not cope with a full term pregnancy . 'It was difficult to be totally happy initially, I was looking at her thinking "Oh My God I'm not going to be here",' she told the Herald Sun. 'But when they put her on my chest a couple of days later everything sank away. 'You have to keep hope. I think that's a major part of survival. My aim is to be healthy enough to care for her when she comes home.' Ms Buchholtz and her fiancé, Alex Ansalone, have been trying to raise money for cancer treatment to buy the new family more time together. Ms Buchholtz and her fiance, Alex Ansalone, have been desperately trying to raise money for cancer treatment to buy the new family more time together . The couple, who have been together since April 2012, welcomed baby Ava on Friday at Royal Women’s Hospital in Melborne . Ms Buchholtz, pictured here pregnant with Ava, was first diagnosed with breast cancer after the couple returned from a trip to Europe in October 2012 . The couple have terminated two pregnancies since they started trying for a family - once during her first fight with an aggressive stage four breast cancer in 2012. They stored Ms Buchholtz's eggs before she underwent chemotherapy and had a double mastectomy. Ms Buchholtz and Mr Ansalone decided to try again for baby Ava when Ms Buchholtz thought she was finally cancer free. But 17 weeks into the pregnancy, her cancer returned and doctors said it had spread to her spine. In just two months, 12 new tumours have grown and spread into her neck, back, pelvis, hip and thigh. 'We've been told her prognosis is not good and there's no cure,' Mr Ansalone told the newspaper. 'So having the baby has been the best thing at this stage. It has helped us push through.' Ava was born via caesarean weighing just 1,056 grams as Ms Buchholtz lay in the hospital bed wearing a neck brace due to fractures caused by her many tumours . The couple have terminated two pregnancies since they started trying for a family - once during her first fight with an aggressive stage four breast cancer in 2012 . The couple decided to try again for baby Ava when Ms Buchholtz thought she was finally cancer free. But 17 weeks into the pregnancy, her cancer returned and doctors said it had spread to her spine . Ms Buchholtz was first diagnosed with breast cancer after the couple returned from a trip to Europe in October 2012. The tumour along with 18 lymph nodes were removed and she had a double mastectomy as a precaution. After a blood test showed Ms Buchholtz was pregnant, the couple decided to terminate the pregnancy so she could undergo intense chemotherapy. The couple managed to fall pregnant naturally following the treatment, but again had to terminate in September last year after learning the child would not survive due to abnormalities. Ms Buchholtz had a double mastectomy in 2012 as a precaution when she was first diagnosed . The couple expect Ms Buchholtz's ongoing treatment to exceed $40,000 and have set up a crowd funding website to help prolong her life . In December, Ms Buchholtz had breast reconstruction surgery and was able to return to work in February. An MRI confirmed in August that her cancer had spread to the spine. Ms Buchholtz will now undergo radiotherapy and another round of chemotherapy following Ava's birth. The couple expect Ms Buchholtz's ongoing treatment to exceed $40,000 and have set up a crowd funding website to help prolong her life. For more information or to donate, visit Michelle Buchholtz's Cancer Fight. | Michelle Buchholtz gave birth to Ava at 29 weeks in Melbourne last week .
Doctors feared the 38-year-old's cancer-stricken body wouldn't cope with full term pregnancy .
Her fiancé Alex Ansalone has been trying to raise money for cancer treatment to buy the new family more time together .
The couple had to terminate two pregnancies due to Ms Buchholtz being diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2012 .
Ms Buchholtz fell pregnant with Ava, but 17 weeks into the pregnancy her cancer returned and has spread to her bones . |
158,805 | 59549f0eeddd9007600c672cc9c3d55d3055d0c4 | (CNN) -- Britney Spears is now single and ready to mingle -- maybe even on Tinder. The 32-year-old pop star has had a very public breakup from ex-beau David Lucado in recent weeks, and has joked about being back on the hunt for "hot guys." "Well, by now everyone knows my boyfriend cheated on me," she reportedly told the audience at one of her Las Vegas residency shows on August 31. "But the best thing about your boyfriend cheating on you is that you get to go on another first date." Britney Spears kicks off Las Vegas casino residency . When Spears appeared on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show" on Tuesday, the late-night host decided to help a girl out. "Here at 'The Tonight Show,' we're all about making love connections. So before the show you did something cool: you let us sign you up for the dating app Tinder," Fallon told a bewildered Spears. "This is real, we made a profile for you and everything." Turning to the audience, a chuckling Fallon said he wanted to "stress (that) Britney had nothing to do with this. This is our idea, but she has the password now and it is her profile; she can do whatever she wants with it." How is she feeling about being on Tinder? "I'm thrilled," Spears said dryly. But before you hop on Tinder and swipe right, you might want to note the singer's dating pros and cons. For example, if you get nervous on a date and accidentally call her Ms. Spears, you'll get an "It's Britney, b***h" in response. | Jimmy Fallon jokes on "The Tonight Show" that he signed Britney Spears up for Tinder .
The singer is single after her split from beau David Lucado .
She reportedly talked about the breakup during one of her Las Vegas concerts . |
278,009 | f4298ade7a8033f78c949ac46742416e0953daff | By . Simon Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:45 EST, 12 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 12 October 2013 . Victoria Beckham is set to further cement her career as a fashion designer by opening her own boutique in London’s upmarket Mayfair. After months of negotiations, the 39-year-old former Spice Girl has signed a deal to open the shop, selling her collections of clothing and handbags. The location - in Dover Street, just a short walk from Old Bond Street - places Victoria at the heart of the capital’s fashion district. Victoria Beckham is set to open her own boutique in London's upmarket Mayfair . Victoria first hinted at her desire to open a flagship store for her brand in April, when she told British Vogue that London would be the perfect location. She said at the time: ‘This is where I want to have my first store. I’d like to do something that is really new, really fresh. Something a little bit conceptual – but not too much.’ Her designs have proved popular with the likes of Beyonce and Gwyneth Paltrow, but have previously only been available online, in fashion outlets and department stores. A source close to Victoria said: ‘She’s really excited about getting things moving quickly. ‘Obviously there is still a lot to do, but the hope is to open the store properly early next year with one of the biggest fashion parties of the year.’ It was reported last week that Victoria and husband David's business empire now boasts earnings of almost £100,000 a day . The Dover Street location, just a short walk from Old Bond Street, places Victoria at the heart of the capital's fashion district . The news comes after it was reported last week that Victoria and husband David’s business empire now boasts earnings of almost £100,000 a day. The three companies which handle their family’s branding empire recorded combined turnover of more than £35 million a year, according to Companies House documents. | After months of negotiations, 39-year-old has signed deal to open shop .
Located in Dover Street, Victoria will be in the heart of fashion district .
She first hinted at plans to open flagship store in April . |
118,426 | 24e818f67b405b548e7c49d951fd4c2745706208 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor and Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 08:52 EST, 13 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:45 EST, 13 September 2013 . Controversial Tory MP Nadine Dorries has landed signed a ‘six-figure’ book deal to write three novels. The outspoken backbencher who stunned Westminster with an appearance on I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! hopes to build on her profile by becoming an author. She told the Mail her book would be offer ‘shock’ value but would not be ‘chick-lit’. Author: Tory MP Nadine Dorries, a former nurse-turned politician, is adding another skill to her CV . Known for her ability to craft sharp . political soundbites and putdowns – notably ridiculing David Cameron and . George Osborne as ‘posh boys’ – her publisher hailed her for a . ‘heart-stopping way with words’. The Tory MP for Mid Bedfordshire, who appeared on last year's I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!, is expected publish the first part of the trilogy next year. Mrs Dorries told the Mail: ‘I was blown away by the response. It is just something I did in my downtime. It may surprise people to know that I am not an MP 24/7. I wrote the first book in recess last year and am half-way through the second. I have had time to do it since my daughters have flown the nest, nobody is dependent on me.’ She dismissed critics who queried how she had the time to pen novels between her parliamentary and constituency duties. ‘Lots of male MPs have written books, including William Hague. Nick Boles has written two. Why does no one ever ask how they manage it?’ High profile: Miss Dorries became one of the best known politicians in the country after taking part in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here . Born in in 1957, one of three daughters, Nadine Dorries grew up in Liverpool, attending Halewood Grange Comprehensive before training as a nurse. Writing for the Mail on Sunday in 2010, she revealed her childhood memories which will form the basis of her novels: . 'I spent 25 years in a council house, and whenever I think of my childhood in Liverpool the memories are set in relief against the backdrop of my family home. I think of Thursday nights, when the week’s pay had run out and how the mothers in my street used to group together and cook a pan of scouse and feed the streets kids, in one kitchen. The pan was big, having at some time, I am sure, fallen off the back of a ship moored in Liverpool docks. We were the originators of the Big Society. We lived and breathed it. I may have lived on a council estate but I also lived in a neighbourly community. It came as a shock, when I reached my teens, to discover that all the neighbours I had referred to as auntie and uncle were not in fact related to me. Our council house was our home and it meant as much to us as Blenheim does to the Duke of Marlborough. An Englishman’s home is his castle but castles come in all shapes and sizes. Publishers Head of Zeus said the . novel, called The Four Streets, is one of three ‘set in 1950s Liverpool . about Irish Catholic families struggling against poverty, hardship and . abuse’, and will be published in April. Editor . Rosie de Courcy said she 'had to have' the book on her list of new . releases: ‘I absolutely adored this novel from first word to last. Nadine is one of the most naturally gifted storytellers I have ever come . across, with a magical ability to create characters you believe in and a . heart-stopping way with words. Mrs . Dorries has often spoken of her life growing up in Liverpool in the . 1950s and 1960s, living in a council house which formed the backdrop of . her childhood memories. She was suspended from the Tory . party in November last year after jetting off to take part in I’m A . Celebrity without permission. Defending her decision to take part in the show she claimed she would be able to reach an audience of millions, discussing important policy issues like lowering the abortion limit. She said at the time: 'If that is where sixteen million people are, it's where politicians need to be too.' Instead she was pictured performing jokes with Linda Robson from Birds of a Feather and eating camel toe and ostrich anus in a challenge against ex-Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan. It took until May until Tory bosses were satisfied that she would fall into line, and she had the whip restored in time for the Queen’s Speech. A former nurse, she worked in business and as an adviser to Conservative MP Oliver Letwin before being elected to Mid Bedfordshire in 2005. In recent years she has been a constant critic of the Prime Minister and Chancellor. Last year she declared: 'The problem is that policy is being run by two public schoolboys who don't know what it's like to go to the supermarket and have to put things back on the shelves because they can't afford it for their children's lunchboxes. 'What's worse, they don't care, either' A month later she stepped up the attack, claiming: ‘Not only are Cameron and Osborne two posh boys who don't know the price of milk, but they are two arrogant posh boys who show no remorse, no contrition, and no passion to want to understand the lives of others - and that is their real crime.' However, amid claims she could defect to the UK Independence Party, the Tory leadership agreed to let her return to fold as long as she agreed to toe the line. In June she announced she would stop claiming parliamentary expenses and insisted all MPs should be paid one flat-rate fee. In a posting on her website, she said her decision would mean she would effectively be working for her constituents for free. 'I have long said that under the present system, before long, Parliament will be a place of millionaires or paupers. I loathe the expenses system and believe it should be scrapped and MPs paid one flat-rate fee,' she said. 'Whilst I draw personal expenses, I cannot argue for reform of the system or put forward the case to scrap expenses. Not drawing expenses puts me in a stronger position to be able to do this.' | Mid Bedfordshire MP lands deal to write trilogy on 1950s poverty .
Publisher hails the former nurse's 'heart-stopping way with words' |
146,464 | 4964f4fb529653f960cffc0eca5b41ced2de8fb5 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 06:26 EST, 2 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:26 EST, 2 February 2013 . It is home to Polish delis, Irish pubs, Arab sweet shops, Pakistani markets, Jamaican hairdressers - and much more besides. Data from the most recent Census shows that Cheetham Hill Road in north Manchester is one of Britain's most diverse streets. Nearly half, an incredible 48 per cent, of all residents in the district, which has historically been home to migrants from accros the globe, revealed that English was not their main language. Multicultured: Data from the most recent Census shows that Cheetham Hill Road in north Manchester is one of Britain's most diverse streets . However, dozens of people of all races and religions said that there was no other place they would rather call home. 'It's a good place to be,' said unemployed 53-year-old Mark Wright. 'You can see the . whole world here. Everyone just gets on with each other. It doesn't . matter who you are or your faith or your language.' Across Manchester, 17per cent of adults told Census researchers that they did not speak English as their first language. Although . Cheetham was originally a town in its own right, its garment districts, . cheap rents and links with the cotton industry have made it the go-to . place for generations of Jewish, Irish and south Asian migrants. According to the Office of National . Statistics, Urdu is the most commonly spoken language after English, . followed by Arabic, Polish, Kurdish and Italian. Global marketplace: The street is home to Pakistani markets, Polish delis, Irish pubs and Arab sweet shops . The high street - with its explosion . of varied shop fronts - is testament to the waves of international . influences over the last century. Market trader, 27-year-old Arfaq Malik said: 'I have lived here all my life. 'What's . changed is the Eastern European people coming to the area - but I think . it is a more interesting place to live. 'I have gone to the Polish shops . and tried the sweets they have and we get Jewish and Polish people . coming for their vegetables and fruit.' Destination: Cheetham's garment districts, cheap rents and links with the cotton industry have made it popular with Jewish, Irish and Asian migrants . James Monaghan, aged 51 years, said that he had embraced the different cultures since moving into the area. 'I have lived here for more than 25 . years," said unemployed Mr Monagham. 'It's changed a lot but it's still a great place to live. There's . lots of Jewish, Polish and quite a few Afghan people. 'I used to go on . pub crawls but now I go on curry crawls.' Full-tim mum Esther Blair-Jackson said: 'I think it's good that it's . busy during the day and there are a lot of shops now. It's good that . people get on.' Rasa Guobine is a relative newcomer to the area, but the 46-year-old care assistant said that she enjoyed living there and meeting her neighbours. 'I have been . living here for eight months. People are very nice. 'One of the women I . know has lived 60 years in Cheetham Hill. She told me that the street . used to be nicer with nice shops. 'But I think people are very friendly . here.' Retired travel agent Qauuym Malik, aged 68 years, said: 'There has never been any . trouble. 'People respect each others' differences. 'I used to live in a . very Jewish area and people couldn't have been nicer. The main problem . is that the streets and houses are run down. 'They need regeneration and . some money putting into them.' An Orthodox Jewish rabbi, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I have lived here all my life. People have their own circles but they respect each other. 'You have got your kosher shops, your halal butchers and Polish delis. 'But I'm going to the Kashmir Market just now to get some cooking apples. There's no reason not to get on with your neighbours." Varied: The high street's varied shop fronts is testament to the waves of international influences over the last century . Other areas of Greater Manchester where many languages are spoken include Longsight and Levenshulme in Manchester, Bolton's Heaton area and north Chadderton in Oldham. The findings came as no surprise to Manchester University language professor Yaron Matras, who has identified more than 150 languages being spoken in Manchester. He said: 'Although Census data provides important confirmation of Manchester's enormous linguistic diversity, our research shows it has significantly under-represented both languages spoken and the numbers of people who speak them. 'We identified that our city boasts at least 153 languages, making it one of the world's most diverse places. 'It is very likely to be top of the list in Europe, certainly when compared to other cities of its size, perhaps only outflanked by London and Paris.' | Manchester road boasts the largest number of nationalities in the UK .
Cheetham Hill Road boasts Polish delis, Irish pubs, halal butchers and more .
Urdu is most commonly spoken language after English . |
220,823 | a9de5e6f05c905664942cccaf9571be5dd0f4423 | New York (CNN) -- A security breach at the Newark, New Jersey, airport over the weekend was caused by an officer of the Transportation Security Administration who left his post unattended, an agency spokeswoman said Thursday. Security video shows the officer walking away from his post at Newark Liberty International Airport, about four minutes after he asked an unidentified man in a light-colored jacket to stay behind the rope line. Moments later, the man ducks under the rope and walks the wrong way through security to greet a woman, prompting a security breach that shut down Terminal C for hours and forced the rescreening of thousands of passengers. "The surveillance video from Newark Liberty Airport clearly shows that a TSA officer's actions led to the Sunday incident," spokeswoman Ann Davis said. "We will use this hard lesson to reinforce the sharp focus and tight discipline at all our stations across the country and ensure we maintain the public trust." The TSA officer was reassigned to nonscreening duties Monday after the incident, which occurred at Terminal C about 5:20 p.m. ET Sunday. The unidentified man walked through an exit on the public side to the secure "sterile" side, TSA said. Earlier, a Homeland Security official told CNN that the TSA officer was distracted because "a passenger was asking for directions or something." The official said it's not uncommon for TSA employees to get "peppered with questions from passengers every day." On Tuesday, the TSA officer was placed on administrative leave, the TSA said. Davis has said the agency takes "full responsibility" for the incident. She told CNN that a passenger notified a TSA officer Sunday afternoon about a person who he believed had walked through the wrong way at a security exit. The passenger could not provide a description of the person, Davis said. In an attempt to confirm the breach through videotape captured by TSA-funded and Port Authority-installed-and-operated cameras, TSA officials realized the cameras were running but not recording. TSA officials then scrutinized security tapes recorded by Continental Airlines' cameras and confirmed that an "Asian male" had breached security, Davis said. The TSA was unable to locate the man. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, who requested the release of the Continental surveillance video, called on the man to turn himself in to authorities, saying, "You've committed what essentially is a crime." "He committed a terrible, terrible offense, and he has to pay a price ... that relates to the havoc and the discomfort he caused this place," Lautenberg told reporters at the airport Thursday night. Davis said earlier this week that although authorities were unable to locate the man, any threat he may have presented was eliminated "by rescreening everyone and recombing the airport to make sure he didn't introduce anything to the environment or hand anything off to anyone." The incident caused arrival delays, mainly affecting Continental Airlines, the airport's largest tenant. After meeting with the Port Authority about the breach, the TSA has volunteered to check the cameras daily to ensure they are recording, Davis said. Newark was one of the airports from which the 9/11 hijackers departed. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report. | NEW: N.J. senator calls on man who caused security breach to turn himself in .
TSA: Security video shows officer walking away from his post before breach .
Security breach Sunday evening forces closure of Terminal C for hours .
Official: TSA officer was reassigned to nonscreening duties after incident . |
22,509 | 3fe2369b233e42b55cd0f176de19ad1fb1f58336 | Jose Mourinho will continue to fret over the physical condition of his trio of centre-forwards as he plots for Sunday’s game at Manchester United. Diego Costa did not train on Wednesday, Didier Drogba is operating at less than 100 per cent and Loic Remy came off against Maribor on Tuesday with a groin problem, although he refuses to rule himself out of the game at Old Trafford. 'I don’t think it’s too bad,' said Remy. 'I felt something in my groin. Fortunately I stopped playing because I felt something. It was a bit stiff. That’s why I prefer to come off. Loic Remy scored the opener against Maribor on Tuesday night but was promptly replaced by Didier Drogba . The Frenchman limped off after injuring his groin but remains confident he will be fit to face Manchester United . 'I have to care about myself and if I’m not feeling very good it’s better to leave for another player who is 100 per cent. It is frustrating because Costa is injured but I am not afraid. I don’t think it is really bad. I really hope to play again this weekend.' Remy went for a scan on Wednesday but Mourinho has told his players he wants no injury news to leak out ahead of the game at Manchester United. He claims Costa has 'very little chance' but some will suspect kidology at play from the Chelsea manager. Without Costa and Remy, Mourinho is likely to turn to Drogba, his 36-year-old warhorse, just back from an ankle injury and not in condition to play 90 minutes. Diego Costa missed training on Wednesday and is a major doubt for the trip to Old Trafford this weekend . Didier Drogba, in action against Maribor on Tuesday, is operating at less than 100 per cent . VIDEO Mourinho suggests Costa will miss United game . 'I need time,' said Drogba. 'Before signing, I didn’t play for two or three months and then I had this injury. I need more games. But I’m training hard to be back to full fitness. I’m not fit yet but these games will help me improve. 'It’s up to the manager to decide who starts, but if you’re a player how would you feel if they say you can play at Old Trafford? You’ll be happy. To be able to enjoy these kind of moments is fantastic. We are lucky and if I play I will feel lucky one more time.' Andre Schurrle who played at centre-forward for Chelsea at Old Trafford last year is ready to return after a virus and teenager Dominic Solanke is expected to keep his place in the squad. Jose Mourinho, pictured out shopping on Wednesday, is sweating over the fitness of his strike trio . | Costa did not train on Wednesday and Droba isn't operating at 100 per cent .
Remy came off against Maribor after injuring his groin before he scored .
The Frenchman however, has refused to rule himself out of the United trip .
Jose Mourinho's side travel to Old Trafford to face Louis van Gaal's side . |
220,927 | a9ff31c6f45ed7a9fbb0e63c614869ab14d5e458 | Agents from the Transportation Security Administration allegedly ruined a son's plan to fulfill his mother's last wishes by spilling her ashes inside his luggage during an airport luggage screening. Shannon Thomas , from Cleveland, Ohio, had flown from his home to Puerto Rico to spread his late mother's ashes in the Caribbean Sea. But when he opened his suitcase he found the urn carrying the remains had opened and spilled - and he also found a TSA notice saying they had searched the bag. Spilled: The urn, left, had carried the remains of Mr Thomas's mother - until it was allegedly opened and negligently resealed by TSA agents, who left a notice, right, in the suitcase . Anguish: Mr Thomas was devastated to find the ashes, above, spilled all over his suitcase and clothes, despite his strenuous efforts to make sure the urn would survive the trip unscathed . Mr Thomas, who is suing the TSA for negligence, causing emotional stress and the 'outrageous' treatment of human remains, alleges that the agency broke its own rules by opening the urn, then didn't put the lid back on properly. Court documents filed in Cleveland, and seen by the Cleveland Scene magazine, tell how Mr Thomas had bought a sturdy urn especially to withstand the journey. They say he tested it extensively then padded it with clothing to ensure that it would stay safe during the journey. But his preparations were ruined at some point during his two-part journey, which took him from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico, via Washington D.C. Last wishes: Mr Thomas's mother had requested that her ashes be scattered in the Caribbean . Lawyers for Mr Thomas, who is seeking $750,000 from the government and the TSA, accuse agents of acting 'negligently, carelessly and recklessly' when they handled the urn, which made it to spill later in the flight. They also say the TSA never made any effort to apologize to Mr Thomas. They told how he suffered: 'severe and persistent emotional distress and mental anguish when he saw that the urn had been opened and the remains of his mother spilled on his clothing and interior of his suitcase.' Attorney Adeladi Williams writes in the papers that the TSA's actions 'constitute intentional and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress.' He adds that: 'The negligent, careless, and/or reckless acts and omissions of [the TSA] violated [Mr Thomas's] right to inter the remains of his mother and constitute outrageous disturbance of human remains. 'The laws of these United States do not tolerate such outrageous disturbance.' TSA rules state that agents must never open urns with remains inside them, and that if they are suspicious about their contents they should bar them from the flight rather than try to open them themselves. The TSA said it cannot comment on active court cases. | Shannon Thomas, from Cleveland, Ohio, lost his mother in 2012 .
Flew to Puerto Rico to scatter her ashes in the sea - her final wish .
But when he landed he found remains spilled and a TSA search notice .
Lawsuit alleges negligence from TSA and demands $750,000 damages . |
144,552 | 46f0199c3b6ca6d619e8eec3a64d452654709de1 | Police in a Paris suburb are facing the sack after blackening up their faces with boot polish and eating bananas during a fancy dress party. The officers, from Kremlin-Bicetre, thought pictures of the party would remain private, however the images which show them smiling with their blacked up faces and afro wigs appeared on social media, where they quickly spread. One of the photos even shows one officer with a bunch of bananas, scratching himself if he were a monkey, with a bucket of nuts on the ground in front of him. Some of the police officers from a Paris suburb, who blackened their faces with boot polish for a fancy dress party . The officers in the pictures have now been suspended. The department which investigates police officer behaviour in France, the Inspection Generale de la Police Nationale, is set to question them this week. It is thought they could be sacked or fined for insulting behaviour. The pictures have caused outrage across France with anti-racism groups slamming their behaviour. Louis-Georges Tin, president of the Conseil Represantatif des Associations Noires said: 'If the police officers who have the responsibility to fight racism are busy making fun of black people than defending them, it could explain why things have advanced so little in this domain.' One of the photos shows one officer with a bunch of bananas, scratching himself if he were a monkey, with a bucket of nuts on the ground in front of him . The department which investigates police officer behaviour in France, the Inspection Generale de la Police Nationale, is set to question the officers this week . Mr Tin has asked for a meeting with France's top policeman, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to discuss the pictures. He added: 'The black people of this country don't have to put up with racial profiling by people who dress up like this at night.' The blacked up photo scandal comes after a string of high-profile racist taunts directed at France's black Justice Minister Christiane Taubira. In November 2013, far-right weekly magazine Minute published a cover page with the headline 'Crafty as a monkey, Taubira gets her banana back'. | Officers from Paris suburb of Kremlin-Bicetre attended a fancy dress party .
Blackened their faces with boot polish and ate bananas .
One officer even posed as if he were scratching himself like a monkey .
Officers have now been suspended pending an investigation .
Could now be sacked or fined for insulting behaviour . |
121,203 | 28b23b18d60f4b40b9713d2b4b45934fa99858e3 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 09:31 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:09 EST, 4 March 2014 . Burger King has launched 'diet chips' in a bid to target health conscious consumers. The fast-food chain says the new 'Satisfries', as they are called, contain 30 per cent less fat than standard fries. The UK and Ireland launch comes just six months after the lower fat fries were introduced in the U.S. and Canada. Scroll down for video . 'Healthy option': The new Burger King 'Satisfries' (left) are said to have 30 per cent less fat than regular fries. A . small portion of regular Burger King fries (right) contains 222 . calories, while Satisfries have 214 . The company has worked with chip producer McCain to develop a new coating to block out more vegetable oil during frying. 'We will offer our guests a . new fat-reduced option without compromising on taste,' said Bianca . Shen, VP Marketing and Communications, Europe, Middle East & . Africa, in a statement. 'Insight shows that guests are increasingly looking for reduced fat products... and Satisfries are the first French fries to offer guests a reduced fat option. 'The difference is that the Satisfries recipe ensures that the . French fries absorb less fat during frying – offering a great tasting . French fry that is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the nside.' Yet some would argue it was barely worth swapping - a small portion of Satisfries has just eight fewer calories than standard one, with 214 rather than 222 . Yet some would argue it was barely worth swapping - a small portion of Satisfries has just eight fewer calories than standard one, with 214 rather than 222. Burger King has been trying to revamp its image in recent years, adding choices like cranberry apple salads and mango smoothies to its menus. The fries – which will cost up to 20p more – will be made in the same fryers and cooked for the same length of time. But . executives refuse to say how ingredients in the oil-repellant recipe . have changed and insist McCain will not supply the ‘diet’ chips to any . other fast-food chain. Burger . King insists the secret ingredient is so effective it cuts calories . even though the new shape means there is a larger surface area for each . fry. The new chips will be available in 1,800 outlets, priced from £1.39. Last year McDonalds released a yolk-free version of its Egg McMuffin as a 'healthy option' in the U.S. The Egg White Delight is made with a wholegrain muffin and contains 260 calories compared to the 300 in a regular Egg McMuffin. The move was intended to address criticism that fast food chains contribute to rising obesity rates. How the different types of Burger King chips compare . When the lower fat fries launched in the U.S., MailOnline staff there performed a taste test... 'The full-fat fries definitely have more flavor than the new . low-calorie option,' said one online journalist, who decided to stick . with the regular version despite its 340 calories. 'I know it . isn’t good for you but when you’re going for fast food fries, you have . to go all out and get the full effect by having them loaded up with salt . and grease,' she added. A senior editor agreed. 'The crinkly . don’t hold a candle to the regular. If they were 50 per cent fewer . calories they MAY be worth eating, but they are no substitute. Also they . are not salty enough,' she said. Another reporter, who believes . Burger King 'has always had the worst fast food French fries,' thinks . the new low-calorie option is 'even worse'. 'They have a more . potato-y flavour, but not in a good way. They are mushy and soggy on the . inside and pale and limp on the outside,' he said. 'And who really . wants to save calories at Burger King, anyway?' | Fast food chain says the fries have 30 per cent less fat than regular versions .
Newly-designed batter means the potato will absorb less oil, company says .
Fries are crinkle-cut so that staff can tell the difference when serving .
But small portion of Satisfries has just 8 fewer calories than standard one . |
42,296 | 775484b1e4cabeb0c44c1dd6ed706a5df40eeecc | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:11 EST, 2 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:12 EST, 2 October 2012 . The more prolific use of medical marijuana has seen a dramatic increase in the number of 'stoned' dogs being treated, according to vets. Several pets have died after mistakenly eating food laced with the drug which is legally sold across the U.S. to relieve the pain of chronic illnesses. Vets have said they are now seeing cases of dogs poisoned by marijuana several times a week instead of a few times a year in states where the substance has been legalized. Scroll down for video . No new tricks: A dog is treated at the vet's clinic in Colorado after legalization of medical marijuana has seen users' pets become sick . Dr Debbie Van Pelt, a vet from Englewood, Colorado, where the drug is legal, told CBS: 'They basically have lost a lot of their fine motor control, they have a wide-based stance and they are not sure on their feet.' Most dogs survive despite becoming sick from being around the product but if it is ingested in a product like brownies or cookies, it can be fatal. Vets said two dogs have died after eating food containing marijuana butter which seems to be more toxic. Labradors are most at risk, according to animal experts, because 'they'll eat anything'. Symptoms in animals include staggering, acting sleepy, vomiting and being overly sensitive to sound and light. In November 2000, medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado with around 100,000 people currently registered to use it. Some 68 per cent of applicants who use the drug are male and the average age is 41 years old. Over the counter: Medical marijuana is now available in several states, including Colorado, where it is sold by retailers sometimes as brownies or cookies . . | Two dogs died after eating food containing marijuana butter in Colorado .
Labradors in dangers 'because they'll eat anything', say vets . |
240,802 | c3bdcce084702d9c30010f0106373769f84675fc | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- John Travolta, still in mourning over the death of his teenage son earlier this year, issued a rare public statement urging fans to see his latest movie, "The Taking of Pelham 123," which he filmed last year. John Travolta stars as a villainous ex-inmate in "The Taking of Pelham 123," which opens in theaters Friday. "I promise, you won't be disappointed," said Travolta, who plays a deranged ex-inmate who takes hostages on a New York subway. Travolta did not join co-star Denzel Washington in the promotional tour for the movie -- which hits theaters Friday -- because he said his family needed "additional time to reconcile our loss." His son Jett, 16, was found unconscious on January 2 while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas. The teen was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, local police said. Washington, who plays a subway train dispatcher forced to face down Travolta's character, said he talked to the actor about three weeks ago. "Needless to say, he's struggling," Washington said in an interview last week. Travolta's statement, which can be read on his official Web site, said Washington, director Tony Scott and the producers "stepped up without hesitation to help promote this wonderful film, and their unselfish efforts have allowed my family the additional time to reconcile our loss." Making the movie was "a labor of love," Travolta said. "Tony gave me the freedom to define, and then to become, the ultimate evil mastermind," he said. "This role as an actor gave me the chance to dispense with all moral and ethical limitations, and explore just how bad this character could really be. I believe you will like the result." Much of the movie is a dialogue between Washington and Travolta's character over a two-way radio. Many of the action shots were filmed in New York subway tunnels. | John Travolta releases statement on his Web site about "The Taking of Pelham 123"
Travolta, still mourning son's death, praised colleagues for "unselfish efforts"
Travolta's son Jett died in January during family vacation . |
199,909 | 8ecc3b91da7b20102b61207ab37cc130f4bfb79e | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 10:47 EST, 14 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:47 EST, 14 November 2012 . Office politics can be difficult in any workplace, but imagine if the office in question is in the Houses of Parliament. Labour frontbencher Liz Kendall has laid bare her frustration after her packed lunch was stolen in a major breach of communal fridge etiquette. Angered by the thief, she stuck a hilarious hand written note on the fridge door warning people of the threat posed by the lunchbox burglar. Lunch warning: Labour MP Liz Kendall posted this note after her food was stolen . But it seems the offender is unrepentant, with a Post-It note threatening to do it again. Ms . Kendall, who was elected MP for Leicester West in 2010, was astonished . to find her food had disappeared from a fridge shared by dozens of . people in Portcullis House, where most MPs have their offices. The shadow minister for care and . older people wrote a handwritten note admonishing the culprit and . warning others to think twice before leaving their snack unattended. Cold war: The row on the fridge door escalated when a note appeared threatening to strike again, but Ms Kendall denied being responsible for the 'sick individual' riposte . ‘Someone has stolen my lunch from this fridge,’ Ms Kendall wrote. Ms Kendall was born in Watford, Hertfordshire . She was elected as the Labour MP for Leicester West in May 2010. Before that she headed a charity called the Maternity Alliance. She is also a member of Labour’s frontbench team, attending the Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Care and Older People. In 2010 she apologised for taking a photograph and posting it on Twitter during the State Opening of Parliament, which is against regulations. ‘I do not appreciate this and warn other people don’t leave anything in here unless you’re happy for it to go missing. Liz Kendall, Room 219.’ But today a riposte appeared on a bright yellow sticky note: ‘I took it… AND I’D DO IT AGAIN.’ Later a third message was added, reading: ‘YOU ARE A VERY SICK INDIVIDUAL’. But today Ms Kendall’s office denied she had added the third note. The Labour MP is campaigning in the Corby by-election today, but an aide said she planned to use the fridge again. Elected in 2010, she was quickly promoted to the frontbench by Labour leader Ed Miliband. As shadow . minister for care and older people she attends the shadow cabinet and . is tipped for a major role in any future Labour government. Ms Kendall has left her lunch in a fridge in a . corridor of Portcullis House, the modern suite of offices across the . road from the House of Parliament . Tonight the MP revealed the stolen lunch was a tuna salad and joked she would try to fill up on breakfast in future. Ms Kendall wrote on Twitter: 'I'm too busy campaigning to speculate on the identity of the Westminster tuna salad thief. 'But from now on I'll be eating a bigger breakfast.' Meanwhile, an internet joker updated her Wikipedia entry with the line: 'I ate her lunch today. It was yummy.' | Shadow care minister scrawled angry note warning others of the lunchbox burglar in the corridors of power .
Culprit in smart offices in Portcullis House vows to do strike again . |
282,867 | fa664f72ac0ef20b6a9cddc1de86488274c7c4a1 | Brooklyn is the least-affordable housing market in America, where residents would need to spend 98 per cent of the average income to buy a median-priced home of $615,000. One in five U.S. housing markets are now less affordable than they were more than a decade ago, according to a recent study, and Brooklyn is the the most unaffordable, followed by San Francisco and Manhatten. According to a study of 475 countires by RealtyTrac through October, 98 areas weren't as affordable compared with the average level for the period starting in January 2000 . Brooklyn, pictured above, is the least-affordable housing market in America, where residents would need to spent 98 per cent of the average income to buy a median-priced home of $615,000 . Investors and foreign buyers are being blamed for the price-rise which has kept residents in rental properties where costs have also been rising. The median rent in Brooklyn was $2,858 in October, up almost 6 per cent from a year earlier. Bloomberg reports that prices in 20 U.S. cities climbed 4.9 per cent in the year through September while values gained 25 per cent since their February 2012 crash. Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac said incomes had not grown 'nearly as fast as home prices'. He said the 'disconnected' had been driven by buyers who were not 'as constrained by income', resulting in homes now being out of reach for traditional buyers. Los Angeles and Orange County in California and the Houston, Dallas and Boston regions are among the 98 areas where homes were now less affordable. Manhatten was the second most unaffordable place to buy, though New Yorkers being priced out of the area were being blamed for driving up prices in Brooklyn . Just last month a renovated 1890s townhouse in Brooklyn's Park Slope section sold for $10.78 million - a record for the neighborhood and Brooklyn's third-most-expensive purchase . To calculate affordability, RealtyTrac worked out what the median household income needed to make a monthly payment on a median-priced home. They also factored in a 10 per cent down deposit and put the mortgage over a 30-year period. Just 12 per cent of the countries studied have a higher median home price than the peak of the 2005-2008 property bubble. In Brooklyn, the median sale price climbed to a record $587,515 in the third quarter, as New Yorkers priced out of Manhattan looked for affordable homes there. Just last month a renovated 1890s townhouse in the Park Slope section sold for $10.78 million - a record for the neighborhood and Brooklyn's third-most-expensive purchase. Of all the counties analyzed by RealtyTrac, buying a median-priced home in October required on average 26 per cent of the median income. During the housing bubble it required 41 per cent in each of the country. | Brooklyn is the most unafforable market, followed by Manhattan .
New Yorkers priced out of Manhattan are said to be driving up prices .
As are investors and foreign buyers, as residents continue to rent .
In October the median rent in Brooklyn was $2,858, up 6 per cent on 2013 . |
136,000 | 3bf49fb8da8914abc29446fccdcecf3e71c0e2b3 | By . Hannah Roberts . PUBLISHED: . 08:51 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:14 EST, 3 May 2013 . The Tuscan hamlet where Fergie was romanced by her Italian count has been shaken by the brutal murder of a young girl. The Duchess of York made the hilltop village of Castagneto Carducci her second home when she dated Italian millionaire Count Gaddo della Gherardesca in the 1990s. His family has presided over the small borgo since Dante’s time. Murder: The Tuscan hamlet where Fergie was romanced by her Italian count has been shaken by the brutal murder of a young girl . But the normally sleepy hamlet was yesterday in a state of shock after the discovery of the body of nineteen-year-old Ilaria Leone, in a secluded olive grove. The teen, who lived just a few miles down the road, was found half naked with her trousers and underwear pulled down. Police suspect ‘a crime of passion’. The teenager, who lived locally, appeared to have been strangled with the killer’s bare hands and her bruised body was covered with marks consistent with a sexual assault. Past: The Duchess of York made the hilltop village of Castagneto Carducci her second home when she dated Italian millionaire Count Gaddo della Gherardesca in the 1990s . The whole village is said to be ‘traumatised’ by the unprecedented violence. Fergie loved spending time on the count’s estate and was a frequent visitor to the castle at the borgo’s summit during their five year relationship. The out-of the-way hamlet, about 80 miles west of Siena, was also popular with the biggest stars of the day including Naomi Campbell and Elle McPherson. Fergie even hosted the nobleman’s annual Castagneto Day, one of the highlights of the Italian country set’s social calendar, an event which was attended by Gerard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve. Celebrity haunt: The secluded hamlet, about 80 miles west of Siena, was also popular with the biggest stars of the day including Naomi Campbell, right, and Elle McPherson, left . Until they eventually called the relationship off in 2002, the couple divided their time between the village and his six-bedroom villa in an exclusive section of the Sardinian coast and were photographed passionately kissing on his £500,000 yacht. On their sojourns they were often accompanied by the young princesess and the Count’s daughter Constanza who is just a year older than Beatrice. The count always maintained they were no more than good friends, fuelling speculation that she would eventually remarry Andrew. Restaurants in the village stayed shut yesterday. One restaurant owner told an Italian newspaper: ‘After what has happened I don’t feel like I can work, let alone talk to customers.’ A shopkeeper told La Repubblica: ‘We leave our keys in our doors here, Nothing like this has ever happened before. Now we are frightened.’ Ilaria’s lifeless body was found by a builder on Thursday morning. It appeared to have been dragged into the olive grove. The 19-year-old, who lived four miles away, on the coast was last seen finishing work at 10pm on Wednesday evening. She had started work in a pizzeria in the hamlet just a few weeks ago. Her motorino, which she would normally have used traveling to work, was being mended. But on the night she died she mysteriously refused a lift from her brother, saying she would walk. And when friends rang her later that evening to ask her to join them in a local restaurant she said she was busy. She was passionate about animals and planned to become a cook like her mother. She was already popular with co-workers who described her as ‘sunny’, ‘always happy and smiling, innocent.’ Friends described her as ‘the best of all of us.’ Police are combing through phone records as they believe she was planning to meet the person who eventually killed her. She didn’t have a boyfriend, according to her friends. One theory is that she may have been killed after rejecting the sexual advances of her killer. An autopsy was due to take place today. A Senegalese man is being questioned in connection with the killing. His backpack and bicycle have been confiscated. | The body of nineteen-year-old Ilaria Leone found in a secluded olive grove .
Appeared she had been strangled and there were signs of sexual assault .
Duchess of York was romanced in the village of Castagneto Carducci .
Dated Italian millionaire Count Gaddo della Gherardesca in the 1990s . |
3,112 | 09000c2c75b21039cb182ed9816de323ea2f90d0 | Sunderland have hit out at Jack Colback after the 24-year-old moved to rivals Newcastle United on a free transfer. The Wearside club are angered that a player they have trained since the age of eight has walked out of the club, and particularly upset that he has joined their neighbours. Colback chose to sign for his boyhood club Newcastle over Aston Villa and West Ham, who were also interested in his signature. Happy days: New signing Colback holds a Newcastle scarf and poses for photographs pitch side . Controversial: Colback crossed the North East to sign for his boyhood club Newcastle in June . Montage: Sunderland tweeted this picture of Colback scoring and celebrating against Newcastle . Bitter taste: Sunderland are angry at the departure of a player they have nurtured for 16 years . Pointing the way: Colback says he enjoyed his time at Sunderland but couldn't pass up the opportunity . In a statement the club claimed to have offered the midfielder everything he had asked for, and said that the transfer 'left a bitter taste'. ‘Jack is a player we have nurtured and developed through our academy system since he was eight years old,' the statement read. 'We gave him the opportunity to become a professional footballer and are therefore extremely disappointed in the events that have led to his departure from the club. ‘This wasn’t about money - the club agreed to all of the terms demanded of us during discussions and we were always led to believe that Jack wanted to stay with us. 'At his and his representatives’ request, . final talks were put on hold until the club secured its top flight . status. To our dismay however, we were subsequently never given the . chance to negotiate with him to stay. That will go down well: Colback celebrates Sunderland's victories over Newcastle . 2008-2014: SUNDERLAND: 115 apps / 4 goals . 2009-2010: IPSWICH (loan): 37 apps / 4 goals . 2010-2011: IPSWICH (loan): 13 apps / 0 goals . ‘For him to then leave the club that has supported him throughout his formative years in such a manner, with no chance for Sunderland to recover any of the significant investment that it has made in him as a player, has left a bitter taste.' The club also posted a picture of Colback celebrating against his new club on their Twitter page. Colback, however, appears to see the split differently, claiming he leaves Sunderland with positive emotions towards the club. He said: ‘I’m absolutely delighted. To come to the team I supported as a boy, my hometown team, will be really special for me. ‘It was an . opportunity I couldn’t let slip. If you asked fans around the world the . one thing they’d like to do before they die, it would be to play for the . team they support and I’ve got the chance to do that. ‘I’ve . only got good things to say about Sunderland, they gave me my chance . and I want to thank the fans and the club for all their support. I hope . they can understand the chance I’ve had here to move to my boyhood . club. 'Now I can’t wait to pull on the black and white shirt at St. James’ Park for the first time.’ Switching sides: Colback is sure to be booed when he faces Sunderland next season for Newcastle . Colback accepts that he will get stick from Sunderland fans, but says it is all part of being a professional. 'I'm sure I will be hated quite a lot there now and the derby at the Stadium of Light should be interesting,' he told The Sun. 'But it is not something I can dwell on and I am strong enough to deal with it. 'This is football and I couldn't allow myself to think about what fans were going to say and then miss this chance.' | Club statement attacks midfielder and his representatives .
Sunderland trained Colback from the age of eight and are 'extremely disappointed' that he left for free to join their biggest rivals .
Club posted pictures of Colback scoring against Newcastle on Twitter .
Colback refused new contract despite demands being met .
24-year-old has 'only got good things to say about Sunderland' but couldn't turn down opportunity to join boyhood club .
Midfielder acknowledges that Sunderland fans may now hate him but decided not to let that stand in his way . |
250,226 | cfd70aad9046d2fa46bc185e039d2ca90c327099 | Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher says official could have caused 'another Holocaust' during Celtic's 3-0 defeat by Juventus . Gallagher was referring to fifth official missing Alessandro's Matri's shot crossing the line in third minute of the Champions League encounter . Presenters Rob Wotton and Hayley McQueen say sorry minutes later . By . Andy James . PUBLISHED: . 06:46 EST, 13 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 13 February 2013 . Sky Sports News presenters were forced into an apology this morning after Dermot Gallagher used the word ‘Holocaust’ live on television in reference to the incompetence of the fifth official during Juventus’s first goal last night. Former referee Gallagher, a regular pundit on the channel, was asked why UEFA’s fifth official was unable to see Alessandro Matri's shot cross the line first time. Claudio Marchisio followed up but the linesman gave the goal to Matri. Scroll down to watch the video... Blunder: Gallagher was referring to this incident where the additional assistant referee appeared to miss Alessandro Matri's shot crossing the line as Kelvin Wilson slid in to clear . Obvious? Claudio Marchisio scored the rebound but Gallagher didn't understand why it wasn't given . Gallagher said: ‘The problem for me is I don’t think there is any tangible evidence that they do anything. ‘But for a Juventus player following up a shot very, very quickly we could have had another Holocaust last night. ‘I am convinced that the assistant and the guy on the goal line don’t know the ball is in.’ His comments instantly created a storm on Twitter and presenters Rob Wooton and Hayley McQueen apologised live on air minutes later. Hot water: Gallagher was speaking on Sky Sports News this morning . Sorry: Minutes later the Sky Sports News presenters had to issue an apology . A statement issued by Sky Sports on behalf of Gallagher read: 'Dermot Gallagher made a comment on air that he clearly now regrets. We have apologised on behalf of him and Sky Sports for any offence caused.' Gallagher was roundly criticised on Twitter in the aftermath of his comments. Daniel Dowle posted: ‘And that kids could be the end of Dermot Gallagher on sky sports, don’t think anybody will miss him.’ Peter Mackinnon wrote: ‘Don’t think dermot gallagher will be on sky sports again.’ Nutmegged: Fraser Forster was too late in coming out for the goal . Angry: Neil Lennon was unhappy with the refereeing which he believes cost his side . VIDEO: Dermot Gallagher makes Holocaust blunder live on Sky . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher says official could have caused 'another Holocaust' during Celtic's 3-0 defeat by Juventus .
Gallagher was referring to fifth official missing Alessandro's Matri's shot crossing the line in third minute of the Champions League encounter .
Presenters Rob Wotton and Hayley McQueen say sorry minutes later . |
47,806 | 86e6702e1028276d8dd9542eaf434e71d5fffd95 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:46 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 15 October 2013 . A man armed with a 6in kitchen knife was rugby-tackled to the ground by police outside Buckingham Palace after jumping over a vehicle barrier in an attempt to see the Queen, a court heard today. David Belmar, 44, of Haringey, north London, admitted trespass and possession of a bladed article after he tried to run through the palace’s north centre gate just before 11.30am yesterday. He was watched by a crowd of around 20 tourists. When police searched Belmar after bringing him to the ground, they found the kitchen knife wrapped in a plastic bag in his jacket pocket. Scroll down for video . In court: David Belmar, 44, of Haringey, north London, admitted trespass and possession of a bladed article after he tried to run through the palace's north centre gate just before 11.30am yesterday . Royal incident: Police outside Buckingham Palace yesterday after a 44-year-old tried to get in with a knife . Edward Aydin, prosecuting, told . Westminster Magistrates’ Court in Central London: ‘In police custody, he . said to police “I wanted to see the Queen. I’m not happy about my . benefits”.’ He added that . Belmar, who has mental health issues, has a fixation with the Queen and . received a caution in 1989 for lighting fireworks and throwing them into . the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The . Queen was not in the building at the time of the incident, Buckingham . Palace said. District Judge Quentin Purdy adjourned sentencing so that . pre-sentence reports could be carried out. He remanded Belmar in custody until he is sentenced at Southwark Crown Court at a date to be set. Belmar, . who appeared in court wearing a black jumper with an Umbro logo and . blue jeans, went to the front of Buckingham Palace at 11.29am, Mr Aydin . said. He told the court Mr Belmar, who is of a stocky build, was seen to suddenly break into a run. Arrest: The intruder sprinted in via its north gate (pictured guarded by police), which is open for cars, at around 11.30am . ‘He . then turned into the grounds of the palace and jumped over the vehicle . barrier by putting his foot on that barrier,’ said Mr Aydin. ‘Two police . officers, armed, one of them shouted: “Stop!” - he continued to run. ‘As . you can see he’s quite a large man. He was rugby tackled to the ground . because he wouldn’t stop. Police called out on two occasions.’ He . added that other officers rushed to help apprehend Belmar. A number of . children were at the gates of the palace watching while the incident was . unfolding, the court heard. ‘Armed . guards had to stop him,’ said Mr Aydin. ‘He could have been fired upon. Other people could have been hurt. And there was a risk of some form of . disorder there outside the palace.’ Belmar . was under the care of mental health services from 2002 to 2010 and . lives with his father and brother, both of whom sat in the court’s . public gallery for today’s hearing. Relief: Queen Elizabeth II, pictured last week, was not at home yesterday when they security alert happened . Mr Aydin said Belmar was a man with a long history of mental illness who is a danger to himself. He . added: ‘His behaviour that morning, yesterday, was unpredictable. He is . a danger to the public, carrying a knife in central London, and he is a . danger to the Queen.’ Robert Katz, defending, denied Belmar has a fixation with the Queen or Buckingham Palace, as it was claimed. He . said his client had been on incapacity benefit for the past 10 years . but that it was stopped after he was assessed in September. Mr Katz said: ‘He became very upset by that decision and he didn’t know how he was going to cope.’ He . added that Belmar did not brandish the knife and was not going to use . it, but that he had ‘wanted to draw publicity to what had happened to . him’. Belmar, who admitted . trespass on a protected site and possession of a bladed or pointed . article, has a number of previous convictions, including for actual . bodily harm and criminal damage. Sky News flies over the scene moments after arrest . Interest: Tourists crowd the area and take photographs where the armed 44-year-old was wrestled to the floor . Mr Aydin told the court that Belmar becomes violent when taking some of his medication for mental health problems. District Judge Purdy said the case was too serious to be dealt with in the magistrates’ court, given his past convictions. Making . his decision to remand Belmar in custody, he accepted he was living in . the community on prescription medication but added: ‘Something has . clearly gone wrong. ‘If it . could go wrong yesterday, being granted bail there is a real risk, until . he is properly assessed and perhaps further medication prescribed. He . is a danger not just to himself but to others.’ Last . month, a separate security incident was sparked at the palace when a . suspected burglar got into the building by scaling a fence. He . was found at around 10.30pm on September 2 in a room that was open to . the public during the day. A second man was arrested outside the palace . on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary. Less . than 48 hours later, amid heightened security, two police officers . confronted the Duke of York in the palace gardens demanding to know who . he was. Scotland Yard later . issued a public apology to the Duke, and in response he issued a . statement saying protection officers have ‘a difficult job’ and he was . grateful that the force had apologised. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | David Belmar, 44, admitted trespass and possession of a bladed article .
Watched by tourists as he tried to run through palace's north centre gate .
Police found kitchen knife wrapped in a plastic bag in his jacket pocket .
He lit fireworks and threw them into Buckingham Palace grounds in 1989 . |
214,148 | a154b4b27aff871b5d1419cc09535094713dc7e5 | If you've ever looked in awe at smart skin being developed for robots, don't worry - your own is far more intelligent. Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations scientists previously believed only the brain could carry out, it has been revealed. Researchers say that in fact our skin passes far more information to the brain that had previously been thought. Skin is far more sensitive than we thought, and transmits more information than researchers had previously thought. Our touch experiences are already processed by neurons in the skin before they reach the brain for further processing. Researchers found that the skin actually calculates geometric data itself before sending signals to the brain. Previously, it has been thought that far more basic information was sent. This is according to a study from Umeå University in Sweden published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. It found that the skin actually calculates geometric data itself before sending signals to the brain. According to researchers at the Department of Integrative Medical Biology, IMB, Umeå University, this branching allows first-order tactile neurons not only to send signals to the brain that something has touched the skin, but also process geometric data about the object touching the skin. 'Our work has shown that two types of first-order tactile neurons that supply the sensitive skin at our fingertips not only signal information about when and how intensely an object is touched, but also information about the touched object's shape,' said Andrew Pruszynski, who is one of the researchers behind the study. Researchers found that the skin actually calculates geometric data itself before sending signals to the brain. The study also shows that the sensitivity of individual neurons to the shape of an object depends on the layout of the neuron’s highly-sensitive zones in the skin. 'Perhaps the most surprising result of our study is that these peripheral neurons, which are engaged when a fingertip examines an object, perform the same type of calculations done by neurons in the cerebral cortex,' Pruszynski said. 'Somewhat simplified, it means that our touch experiences are already processed by neurons in the skin before they reach the brain for further processing/' | Swedish team find skin processes touch information before sending it to brain .
Neurons in skin carry out complex calculations . |
56,593 | a058e93c2719ae4afbf134ca10b9983649677d04 | By . Chris Parsons . UPDATED: . 02:27 EST, 1 February 2012 . It was a music hall favourite which has since become instantly synonymous with wartime Britain. But while the popularity of 'It's A Long Way To Tipperary' has never been in doubt, two towns are fighting over the exact origin of the First World War classic. A row has erupted between Oldbury, in the West Midlands, and Manchester suburb Stalybridge after both claimed the iconic tune was written on their patch. Iconic: It's A Long Way To Tipperary is well-known and loved as a wartime classic . Both places are planning civic events to mark the 100th anniversary of the inspiring song, but they cannot agree on where its author penned the famous tune. Jack Judge, the song's writer, was a fishmonger who hailed from Oldbury, but it is accepted that he first performed it on Jan 31 1912 at Stalybridge's Grand Theatre. A brass band will belt out the classic in Stalybridge centre, while Oldbury Library will be the venue for a community choir’s rendition of the song. Writer Jack Judge hailed from Oldbury, West Mids, but first performed the song in Stalybridge, Manchester . Historians in Stalybridge are adamant he penned his classic during an extended stint at the theatre, after a fellow artiste wagered five shillings he couldn’t write a winning tune in less than a day. Alan Rose of Stalybridge Local History Society, said in the 1920s, Jack Judge wrote a letter to the Stalybridge Year Book confirming he wrote it while staying at the town’s Newmarket Tavern. A plaque to that effect has since been placed on the pub wall. Yet their Oldbury counterparts insist Jack, born in 1872, wrote the tune - originally entitled It’s A Long Way To Connermara - at home, before taking it on the road when his music hall career took off. Mr Rose said: 'Oldbury is claiming it because he was a resident there, but there is no doubt he wrote it in Stalybridge. There is no doubt in my mind. 'He got himself into a bet with another artiste. He bet five shillings Jack couldn’t write a song in 24 hours, which he did.' That’s news to Oldbury residents who believe Jack crafted his greatest hit on the piano of a local pub. Immortalised: In Tameside, Manchester, there is a statue of Jack Judge (left) alongside a WW1 soldier, while in Oldbury, a library has been named after the music hall songwriter . Dr Terry Daniels, head of Oldbury Local History Society, believes Jack ‘pulled a fast one’. He already had the tune in his pocket when he agreed the bet. 'He was always a betting man and he would steer a conversation to writing songs,' he said. 'There is no doubt he sang It’s A Long Way To Tipperary for the first time in Stalybridge - no one in Olbury disagrees with that. But it was not produced from a blank piece of paper.' | Oldbury, West Midlands and Stalybridge, Manchester both claim song was written on their patch .
Wartime tune celebrated 100th anniversary yesterday . |
220,680 | a9ac0adaa9d3ad257e43af643049bbb9b42cc455 | English Premier League champions Manchester United have rejected a bid for striker Wayne Rooney from rivals Chelsea. The West London club revealed in a statement released Wednesday that it has submitted a "written offer" for the unsettled striker. "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that yesterday it made a written offer to Manchester United for the transfer of Wayne Rooney," the Chelsea statement read. The fee is not known, but reports in the UK media on Wednesday speculated that Chelsea might be offering winger Juan Mata or defender David Luiz plus cash in the return for the services of Rooney. But the club flatly reject the claim. "Although the terms of the offer are confidential, for avoidance of doubt and contrary to what is currently being briefed to the press in Sydney (where Manchester United are currently on tour), the proposed purchase price does not include the transfer or loan of any players from Chelsea to Manchester United," the Chelsea statement read. Manchester United have not commented further on the bid. After overseeing his first game back in charge of Chelsea in Bangkok, Jose Mourinho described the offer as "clean" and "ethical" before adding that the club have not, and will not, bid for any other strikers this summer. "We love the player, we are interested in the player, we made the bid. We have nothing more to say and nothing more to do. And now we have to respect and be ethical in this process," Mourinho said following Chelsea's 1-0 win over Singha All Stars. Chelsea's interest in Rooney is the latest twist in a long-running saga about the striker's future. Rumors of the 27-year-old's discontent began to surface towards the end of last season as Manchester United were romping to a 20th League title. The club eventually won by 11 points from rivals Manchester City, but Rooney was playing second fiddle to striker Robin van Persie who signed from Arsenal at the beginning of the 2012/13 season. The Dutchman netted 30 goals in 48 matches for his new club while Rooney only managed 12 from 37. At the end of last season, outgoing manager Alex Ferguson confirmed that Rooney had submitted a transfer request. "We refused it. He should go away and think it over. He's not happy being taken off a couple of times this season, but Rooney in top form wouldn't have been taken off," Ferguson said following United's final home game of the season. Ferguson's replacement, David Moyes tried to quash ongoing rumors when he officially took over the managerial reigns at the club earlier this month. "Wayne is not for sale," Moyes, who signed a six-year contract to replace Ferguson in May, told reporters. "He is a Manchester United player and will remain a Manchester United player. "I see a glint in his eye. He looks happy, he looks like he will knuckle down and get himself right." That apparent glint has been replaced by a furrowed brow with Rooney reported to be "angry and confused" at his treatment by his current employers. The striker, who joined United from Moyes' previous club Everton for $39 million in 2004, signed a new improved five-year-deal in October 2010 following a similar falling out with the club's management. Manchester United's chief executive, Ed Woodward recently said that no contract renewals are currently being discussed. "I am not sitting down with any player on an extension and there is no trigger date in the diary. Would we be afraid to run a contract down? Of course not," Woodward said. | Unsettled Man Utd striker subject of a "written offer" by West London club .
Striker played second fiddle to Robin van Persie during 2012/13 season .
Rooney reported to be "angry and confused" at treatment by Manchester United .
Returning Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho describes offer as "clean" and "ethical" |
154,358 | 53799740ddfeaab0481dfcfa76645fa319ffb33d | Scotland Yard last night said they were assessing the credibility of new information relating to the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed including an allegation that they were murdered by a member of the British military. It said it was 'scoping' the information, which surfaced in the second court martial of Sergeant Danny Nightingale, the SAS sniper convicted of illegally stashing a pistol and 338 bullets in his bedroom. The allegation was contained in a . letter from the parents-in-law of Soldier N, Sgt Nightingale's former . housemate, which was sent to the SAS's commanding officer in September 2011. Scroll down for video . Police have said they are 'assessing' information it has recently received in relation to the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed . It is understood the information was passed to the Metropolitan Police through the Royal Military Police. The letter says Soldier N claimed the SAS 'was behind Princess Diana's death' and it had been 'covered up', the Sunday People has . reported. The letter said: 'He (soldier N) also told her (his wife) that it was XXX who arranged Princess Diana's death and that has been covered up.' A statement issued by Scotland Yard said: 'The Metropolitan Police Service is scoping information that has recently been received in relation to the deaths and assessing its relevance and credibility. 'The assessment will be carried out by officers from the specialist crime and operations command. 'This is not a re-investigation and does not come under Operation Paget.' Police said they are not prepared to . discuss the matter further, while a royal spokeswoman said there will be . no comment on the matter from Prince William or Prince Harry, or from . Clarence House. Police said the deaths of Diana and Mr Al Fayed were 'thoroughly investigated' and examined by an inquest led by Lord Justice Scott Baker at the Royal Court of Justice in 2007 to 2008 . Diana, . Dodi and chauffeur Henri Paul died after their Mercedes crashed in the . tunnel, which left the Ritz Hotel on the morning of August 31 1997. The hearing into the deaths of Diana and Dodi lasted more than 90 days with evidence from around 250 witnesses. The inquests concluded on April 7, . 2008, with a jury returning a verdict that the 'People's Princess' and . her boyfriend were unlawfully killed. After . the hearing, Metropolitan Police said they had spent £8 million on . services arising from the inquest and the Operation Paget investigation . from 2004 to 2006. Diana, Mr Al Fayed (pictured) and chauffeur Henri Paul died after their Mercedes crashed in a tunnel in Paris on the morning of August 31, 1997 . That money includes the cost of the legal team which represented the force's commissioner at the inquest, police protection for the inquest jury and paying for the Paget inquiry, reported to have cost £3.6 million. Former Met Police Commissioner Lord Stevens's Paget investigation was launched in 2004 at the request of Michael Burgess, the Royal Coroner, who was then overseeing the future Diana inquest. The former top policeman published his report in December 2006, rejecting the murder claims voiced by some, including Dodi's father Mohamed al Fayed. Lord Stevens's investigation found that Diana was not murdered by British spies nor by the Duke of Edinburgh and she was not pregnant nor engaged to boyfriend Dodi. Operation Paget concluded, just like the French investigation in 1999, that driver Henri Paul was drunk and driving at excessive speed. The investigation dismissed the endless conspiracy theories sparked by the fatal accident. Mr Paul had an alcohol level of around 1.74 grams per litre at the time of the crash - about twice the British drink-drive limit. The black type S280 Mercedes was being driven through the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris at around 61 to 63mph - twice the speed limit for that section of road. Lord Stevens said allegations that Diana was murdered were 'unfounded' and that he found nothing to justify further inquiries with members of the Royal Family. A spokesman for Mr al Fayed yesterday said he had . no comment to make, but said he will be 'interested in seeing the . outcome', adding that he trusts the Met will investigate the information . 'with vigour'. The Ministry of Defence said tonight it was not commenting on the matter. The jury in the 2008 inquest concluded its verdict as 'unlawful killing, grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles and of the Mercedes', the Met said . Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed wait at the rear service exit of the Ritz Hotel in Paris on August 31, 1997 . August 31, 1997 - Diana, Dodi and their chauffeur Henri Paul die when their S280 Mercedes crashes in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris after leaving the Ritz Hotel. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones is badly injured but survives. A number of photographers and a press motorcyclist are held for questioning. September 1, 1997 - Analysis of blood samples indicate Paul was drunk. September 2, 1997 - French prosecutors open an official inquiry headed by Judge Herve Stephan. And Dodi's father Mohamed al Fayed files a civil action in Paris and asks for a widening of the inquiry to include possible charges of violation of privacy against Dodi and Diana. September 6, 1997 - Diana's funeral is held at Westminster Abbey, watched by millions around the world. Her son Princes William and Harry walk through the streets behind her coffin. September 17, 1997 - Examination of debris found at the scene of the crash suggests the involvement of a white Fiat Uno. Identity checks are carried out on 40,000 Fiat Uno owners, but it is never found. March 1998 - Mr al Fayed tells investigators he believes the crash was part of a plot to kill Diana by MI6 . July 1999 - A French appeals court rejects a request by Mr al Fayed for further official inquiries into the crash. September 1999 - Judge Herve Stephan’s reports finds that that Diana and Dodi were killed because their chauffeur, Henri Paul, was driving at high speed under the influence of drink and anti-depressant drugs. The photographers and press motorcyclist are formally cleared of manslaughter charges. Mr al Fayed announces he will appeal. July 2000 - Mr al Fayed loses his High Court battle for joint, or concurrent, inquests into the deaths of Diana and Dodi. In July 1999 a French appeals court rejected a request by Mohammed al Fayed for further inquiries into the crash . November 2001 - Mr al Fayed loses a £100,000 claim for damages over what he had called a ‘flawed’ part of the inquiry into Diana's death. October 2003 - Three photographers who snapped pictures of Diana and Dodi at the crash scene go on trial in Paris accused of invading the couple's privacy. They are cleared a month later. November 2003 - A privacy violation civil case, brought by Mr Fayed against three of the photographers who were following the Princess's car on the night she died, . Lord Stevens released his report after three years of investigation - it concludes the couple and their chauffeur died in a traffic accident in a Paris underpass in August 1997 . January 6, 2004 – Separate inquests into Diana and Dodi’s deaths are finally opened and adjourned. On the same day, the Daily Mirror publishes a letter from Diana to her butler Paul Burrell 10 months before her death in which she claimed her former husband, the Prince of Wales, was plotting to kill her in a crash. January 7, 2004 - Former royal coroner John Burton, who was present at the princess's autopsy, says she was not pregnant when she died. The Scotland Yard inquiry - codenamed Operation Paget - is stepped up. July 6, 2004 - The Diana memorial fountain opens in Hyde Park. August 2004 - A French court orders a new investigation into the alleged falsification of alcohol and drug tests on Henri Paul, his parents have always rejected the original post-mortem examination's findings. May 2005 - Detectives are said to have quizzed Britain's two most senior spy chiefs John Scarlett, the head of MI6, and Eliza Manningham-Buller, the MI5 director general. July 2005 - The wrecked Mercedes is brought to Britain for forensic examination.. December 2005 - The Prince of Wales is finally questioned by Lord Stevens, signalling that the investigation is drawing to a close. He is said to have been asked if he ever plotted to assassinate the Princess. July 2006 - Royal coroner Michael Burgess quits the inquests, blaming a ‘heavy and constant’ workload. He is later replaced by Britain’s top female judge Lady Butler- Sloss . December 2006 - Lord Stevens finally releases his report after three years of investigation – it finds that there was no conspiracy to murder the Princess lover and no cover-up afterwards. Instead it concludes that the couple and their chauffeur Henri Paul died in a simple traffic accident in a Paris underpass in August 1997. Lord Stevens stressed that if the Princess had been wearing a seatbelt she might have survived the crash. | Police 'scoping information' and 'assessing its relevance and credibility'
The force has said it 'is not a re-investigation' into their deaths .
Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and chauffeur Henri Paul died in Paris crash in 1997 .
Inquest concluded in 2008 when jury returned verdict of unlawful killing . |
76,889 | da12bba1c1fd648df56025667bc8d882a1fd0f20 | Seven years ago Sunday, American Bob Levinson disappeared after traveling to Iran. He's now one of the longest-held American citizens in history. Recently, the 65-year-old's family has said publicly that he worked for the CIA. Their decision to speak out came after news stories published in 2013 said Levinson worked for the spy agency. For years the family kept it quiet that Levinson was working for the CIA, because the United States government had warned them that revealing it would put Levinson in more jeopardy, they said. On Saturday, Levinson's son Dan Levinson talked in person with CNN in Abu Dhabi. "I am here in Abu Dhabi. Without getting in specifics, I think the important thing is to show that we are not giving up," he said. He told CNN he was back in the region doing all he could to find his father. He stressed that the family wants his father to remain part of ongoing discussions between Iran and six world powers, including the U.S., over Tehran's nuclear program. "There is a lot of opportunity in the next few months before that expires to continue discussions between the officials of our government and the Iranian government," he said. "And we think that is a prime opportunity, because these kinds of discussions have never -- have not really taken place for decades." He said Monday would be his father's 66th birthday. The case gained renewed urgency in December, when The Associated Press and The Washington Post reported that Bob Levinson was working as an independent CIA contractor when he disappeared. According to the news reports, Levinson had gone to Iran on a mission to investigate corruption involving Iranian officials, according to an e-mail obtained by the family. Levinson disappeared shortly after arriving at Kish Island and has not been heard from since a 2010 video. Of the news reports that prompted the family to talk about what they say are Levinson's ties to the CIA, Dan Levinson said, "We didn't decide to come forward with it, but it did happen. If anything, we are hoping to use this and ensure that it speeds up the process of getting my dad home." The FBI, White House and CIA have not publicly acknowledged any connection between the CIA and Levinson. In January, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN, "I have not seen anything that could prove that (Levinson) was ever in Iran." "In fact, we have seen evidence ... he was last seen alive outside Iran, with pictures showing that he was outside Iran when he was last seen. It's a very unfortunate case," Zarif said. "We've said clearly that we have no knowledge of his whereabouts. ... We need the United States to explain for Iran what a CIA operative was doing, if he was ever in Iranian territory, what was he doing in Iranian territory." In a statement released Sunday, Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. "remains committed to the safe return of Mr. Levinson to his family." "We appreciate the support and assistance from our international partners as we work to end this awful separation," Kerry said. "Given Mr. Levinson's health, age, and length of time in captivity, we mark this anniversary with a special sense of urgency." FBI chief meets with Levinson's wife, son . "We respectfully ask" the Iranian government to "work cooperatively with us" on the Levinson investigation, Kerry said. Kerry called for anyone with information about the case to contact the FBI, which is offering a $1 million reward for any information that leads to Levinson's safe return. Levinson retired as a special agent of the FBI in 1998, the agency said in a written statement Friday. The statement said that Levinson traveled to Kish Island as a private investigator. "He went missing the next day," the statement reads. "The FBI is responsible for investigating crimes committed against U.S. citizens abroad and has been conducting an investigation" to find Levinson, the statement says. "Bob's absence over the past seven years has exacted an enormous toll on his family, and we will not waver in our commitment to bringing him home safely to his loved ones and his country," said FBI Director James B. Comey. "We continue to request the assistance of our international partners as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we continue to ask anyone with information regarding Bob's disappearance to contact the FBI." About 20,000 former and current FBI agents observed a moment of silence Friday to mark the anniversary of Levinson's disappearance. For the Levinson family, the pain continues. "Bob's continued imprisonment defies the humanity in all of us," the family said in a written statement Friday. "After seven years, we have almost no words left to describe our life without Bob. We miss his face, his voice, his laughter, his wisdom and his embrace. We miss everything about Bob. No matter where we turn, Bob is absent. "Bob, if you are able to see or hear this message, we urge you to be strong." Missing American not 'abandoned' in Iran, Kerry says . | Bob Levinson will turn 66 on Monday, his son told CNN .
Dan Levinson wants the U.S. to do more to help find his father .
Levinson's family says he was working for CIA when he went missing in Iran . |
71,833 | cb9f37e9406dd3fc6c438d5fa9ff7b6cc5473f73 | (CNN) -- Travelers heading for Mumbai were urged to postpone their journeys Thursday amid fears that foreigners could be targeted following Wednesday's terror attacks that left more than 100 people dead and two luxury hotels under siege. Indian reserve soldiers keep vigil outside the residence of the Indian Prime Minister on Thursday. In a televised statement Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the attacks had been intended to "create a sense of panic by choosing high-profile targets and indiscriminately killing innocent foreigners." At least six foreigners were reported dead in the attacks including Italian and British nationals. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said the situation in Mumbai remained fluid and warned those planning to travel to Mumbai to postpone their journeys for at least the next 48 to 72 hours. "Those currently in Mumbai are asked to take shelter at their current location and contact family and friends," the embassy said in a statement. The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai opened for emergency passport issuance Thursday despite the Thanksgiving holiday. "U.S. citizens who have immediate travel plans and have lost or damaged passports can come directly to the Consulate to obtain an emergency replacement passport," a statement said. The UK's Foreign Office advised against "all but essential travel to Mumbai until further notice." "We have said to the people of Mumbai they should avoid going out and about more than they need to for the time being. And those planning to visit Mumbai should only do so if they have essential business to do. That is roughly in line with the advice the government has given, that today is not the day to go to Mumbai," Richard Stagg, the British High Commissioner to London, told CNN-IBN. Read more on the international reaction . The French Embassy in New Delhi said those living in or traveling to Mumbai should be "doubly cautious" and warned: "Hotels, public places (markets, railway stations, cinema halls, etc.) should be avoided and movements outside restricted to a strict minimum until fresh instructions are issued." Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade urged Australians to avoid travel to Mumbai and told those already in the city to remain in a safe location and monitor the media for information about new security risks." Flights to and from India were largely undisrupted Thursday. A spokesman for Air India at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport told CNN the airline was maintaining a normal schedule and said there had been no cancellations or major delays. Singapore Airlines urged passengers to allow extra time for check-in because of additional security checks at the airport's perimeter. A spokeswoman for London's Heathrow Airport told CNN services were operating normally. British Airways was running a regular service to Mumbai but said customers with bookings made prior to the attacks could rebook on a different date or to an alternative Indian city at no extra cost. The Taj hotel chain, whose flagship Mumbai residence was attacked by gunmen, said it was working closely with authorities and was taking "necessary precautions" across all its hotels. The Oberoi hotel chain said it was "monitoring the situation closely" and cooperating with police and government authorities. Meanwhile Indian cricket authorities have canceled the remaining two matches of India's one-day series with England and postponed the inaugural Champions League tournament which was due to start next week. Participating teams from England and Australia had been due to fly to India on Thursday. | Travelers urged to postpone journeys to Mumbai following terror attacks .
Indian PM says attackers aimed to "indiscriminately kill innocent foreigners"
Visitors to Mumbai urged to stay indoors, await further developments .
Flights to, from Mumbai's main airport undisrupted, Air India spokesman says . |
114,553 | 1fd6a5c5e56dff249787fb09de2637446646a649 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:44 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:56 EST, 27 November 2013 . She may be an A-list actress with a superstar husband and millions in the bank, but Gwyneth Paltrow maintains that her Christmas is just your average family get-together. The 41-year-old mother-of-two has shared her family's festive plans with FEMAIL and they include plenty of mulled wine, pecan pie and personalised gifts. Speaking about her Christmas Day rituals, she said: 'Our . Christmas rituals are pretty much the same every year; it’s basically . trying to keep the children in bed until at least 7am! Feeling festive: Gwyneth Paltrow is the star of Boss Jour Pour Femme's new campaign and has shared her Christmas rituals . 'Father Christmas . always leaves a stocking at the end of their bed, which is great because . then they wake up and they have lots of little bits to unwrap. Then . they wake us up and they just go to town on the present opening.' Gwyneth, who is famed for her culinary skills and healthy approach to cooking, will be spending ample time in the kitchen this year. 'I do a . lot of the cooking before Christmas but then I usually spend a lot of . Christmas cooking too. All the smells, all of the mulled wine, all of . the trimmings for the turkey. We like to have all the family around. A . very traditional Christmas,' she said. The star, who is the ambassadress of the BOSS Jour Pour Femme fragrance, revealed what she will be cooking up a storm for husband, Chris Martin, and children, Apple and Moses. Foodie feast: Gwyneth's Christmas dinner is very traditional - turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and pecan pie . She said: Christmas dinner is very traditional – turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, pecan pie. 'My kids are very involved in the kitchen . with me, especially my son. He loves to cook and he’s very engaged when . we do it – he has a lot of patience for it, it’s very cute. He helps me . measure and he cracks eggs perfectly, he’s very good.' Self-proclaimed 'planner' Gwyneth says she begins her Christmas shopping at least 2 months before because she likes to get things personalised. 'I think it’s really nice that when someone opens a present and it has something personal. Last year I gave everyone these beautiful handmade cutting boards, everyone in the family’s name was engraved on one side. 'I’ve done ceramic plates, jewellery with initials. It takes it from being a normal present to being something that’s actually really special and requires a lot of thought and planning,' she said. The Iron Man 3 star revealed that her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, is the most difficult family member to shop for but she loves searching for the perfect gift. 'I have a master list of presents and people that I need to get presents for – work presents, kid presents, godchildren, friends. 'I start thinking about it a few months in advance and then I see on this master list what I got them last year and the year before. It's personal: Gwyneth plans her Christmas presents two months in advance because she loves getting personalised gifts for her family . 'I also send Christmas cards, so it takes some preparation but I think it’s such a nice, warm time of year, and it’s so nice to give gifts. I really enjoy it.' Speaking about her fondest Christmas memory, Gwyneth reminisced: 'I remember being probably about four years old and coming down and my presents were so tall, they were taller than I was. 'It was this incredible moment where Santa Claus had brought me all of these presents and it was the most astounding thing to have a mountain of presents that was taller than myself.' Gwyneth, who regularly tops best dressed lists, also shared her festive fashion and beauty tips. 'I always feel like I end up wearing something black. I have a number of black jumpsuits that are always very easy because then you don’t have to think about much else. 'I always think it’s a good idea to have a red lip at Christmas but I’m not very good at doing that so I usually just end up looking very natural,' she said. Gwyneth Paltrow is the ambassador for Boss Jour Pour Femme. Cooking up a storm: Gwyneth, who is famed for her culinary skills, will be spending ample time in the kitchen this year . | Gwyneth reveals she will be cooking up a feast on Christmas Day .
Plans presents two months in advance .
Likes to get a lot of them personalised .
Has a 'master list' of everything she has bought people for the past few years so she doesn't repeat .
Says husband Chris Martin is hardest to buy for . |
185,444 | 7c32757618688fccb7505e6c79a30cf8c675e83d | A perverted 17-year-old manager at a Long John Silver’s in California allegedly hid a cell phone in the women’s bathroom to secretly record videos of customers using the stall. The unnamed supervisor in Vallejo was fired from his restaurant job, arrested and released to his parents with a court date, CBS13 in Sacramento reports. Because the suspect is a minor, his name was not released to the public. Scroll down for video . No privacy: The Long John Silver's in Vallejo, California, where a 17-year-old manager allegedly hid a camera in the women's bathroom . Caught: Local police say one customer and her daughter reported the incident after noticing the recording device, which turned out to be a cell phone . ‘The person who did it is sick,’ a local woman told CBS13. ‘He needs to be put away.’ Local police say one customer and her daughter recently noticed what appeared to be a digital video recorder as they were using the bathroom. Officers arrived at the fast food spot and found the cell phone hidden in a vent of the women’s restroom. The phone had been recording video images when it was discovered. The officers at the scene of the creepy discovery say they have taken custody of the cell phone, but are unsure how many possible victims there may have been. Invasion of privacy: The restroom stall the camera was facing . Major violation: The suspect was ¿invading the absolute highest degree of privacy that someone would expect to have in the restroom,¿ said Vallejo Police Lt. Sid DeJesus . A Long John Silver’s employee told CBS13 that she was instructed not to comment on the incident. She confirmed that the suspect was fired and that he had worked there for about three months. Female customers say they now fear that this wasn’t the first time an incident like this occurred there. The suspect was ‘invading the absolute highest degree of privacy that someone would expect to have in the restroom,’ Lt. Sid DeJesus of the Vallejo Police Department told CBS13. Watch video here: . | Thee 17-year-old suspect allegedly hid a cell phone in the women's bathroom of the Long John Silver's he worked at to record videos .
A former associate said the suspect had worked there for about three months .
He was fired from his restaurant job, arrested and released to his parents with a court date, police say . |
151,549 | 4fed2b03585c3c4390699f0bc2093811ee50e1d7 | Smog in China has become a threat to national security because surveillance cameras guarding sensitive sites can’t film through the thick haze, experts claim. The smog that blankets the country for much of the year is getting worse and now the central government fears terrorists may choose a smoggy day to launch attacks. Concerns were voiced as it was reported that an eight-year-old girl had become the youngest person in China . to contract lung cancer which doctors claim was caused by the country's . horrendous air pollution. Before: A view of the Chinese city of Nanjing shrouded in smog which is having a devastating affect on people's health . A breath of fresh: An image showing the very same shot of Nanjing on a clear day . Terrible legacy of industrialisation: An eight-year-old girl has reportedly become the youngest person in China to contract lung cancer which doctors in Nanjing (above) claim was caused by horrendous air pollution . Time to change: The same view in the previous picture looks beautiful on a smog-free day . The . girl, who has not been named, lives nears a busy road in the eastern . province of Jiangsu, according to AFP which cited Xinhuanet, the website . of China's official news agency. The . report quoted a doctor at Jiangsu Cancer Hospital in Nanjing who said . the girl had been exposed to harmful particles and dust for an extended . period. Referring to the effect on CCTV cameras, Kong Zilong, a . senior project engineer and an expert in video surveillance technology, . said: 'As the visibility drops below three metres, even the best camera . cannot see beyond a dozen metres.' The security fears come just days . after suicide bombers protesting against oppression in the western . Muslim province of Xinjiang drove a car into a crowd of tourists in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square - the site of . the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protesters by government troops and . tanks. The car exploded . into a fireball, killing the three occupants and two tourists and . injuring 40. Five people have been arrested in connection with the attack. Watch where you're going: Cyclists ride amid heavy haze in Xingtai, Hebei province earlier this month . Walking on: A woman wearing a mask walk through a street covered by dense smog in Harbin, northern China . According . to government advisers, existing technology, such as infrared imaging, . can help cameras see through fog or smoke at a certain level, but the . smog on the mainland has reached apocalyptic proportion. The . particles are so dense, they block light almost as effectively as a . brick wall but ‘the security devices that could function in heavy smog . had yet to be invented’ Mr Kong said. Like Britain, Beijing has invested . heavily to build up a nationwide surveillance network that lets police . watch every major street and corner in main cities. The government has now turned to scientists to come up with a solution. The . National Natural Science Foundation of China funded two teams, one . civilian and one military, to study the issue and has told the . scientists involved to find solutions within four years. Fireball: The security fears come days after alleged suicide bombers drove a car into a crowd of tourists in Beijing's Tiananmen Square (above), killing its three occupants and two pedestrians as well injuring 40 others . What did they pick up? A police officer seen walking past CCTV cameras (top right) near to the site of the attack days before experts revealed their fears that smog is hampering the country's war on terror . Professor Yang Aiping, an expert in digital imaging, said she was facing tremendous pressure because of the enormous technological challenges. It comes as China's top negotiator at international climate talks said on Tuesday that air pollution in his own country - the world's biggest carbon emitter - is harming its citizens. 'China indeed is suffering from severe air pollution,' said Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planning body. Smoggy conditions have 'now become the norm which has severely affected the mental and physical health of the Chinese people', he added - but voiced hope for improvement in the next decade. Xie, speaking to reporters before global climate talks in Poland next week, attributed China's air problems to the country's 'obsolete development model', its 'unreasonable industrial and energy structure" and discharge of pollutants by some companies 'in a very extensive way'. The root cause, he added, is the 'use of fossil fuels'. Blanketed: Buildings are seen through thick smog in Beijing in 2007. Experts say air pollution has got even worse since to the point where CCTV cameras are struggling pick up images even a few metres away . Damning: Recent Nasa satellite images reveal the terrifying extent of China's air pollution. The thick haze of smog is clearly visible in murky grey . Pollution is becoming a major source . of public anger in China and authorities vowed in September to reduce . levels of atmospheric pollutants in Beijing and other major cities by as . much as 25 per cent by 2017 to try to improve their dire air quality. The government said pollution levels . would be cut by slowing the growth of coal consumption so that its share . of China's energy sources fell to 65 percent by 2017. Last month, choking smog forced Chinese authorities to shut down one of the country's largest cities.The . dense pollution in Harbin - a city of more than 10 million people – . meant that visibility was reduced to less than 10 metres. The . smog forced schools to suspend classes, caused snarling traffic and . closed the airport, in what was the country's first major air pollution . crisis of the winter. The cold weather typically brings the worst air . pollution to northern China because of a combination of weather . conditions and an increase in the burning of coal for homes and . municipal heating systems. China is the world's biggest coal consumer and is forecast to account for more than half of global demand next year. | Security cameras cannot pick up anything beyond 12 metres, experts claim .
Girl 'is youngest in China to get lung cancer' after living near a busy road .
Government has called on scientists to find a solution within four years .
Fears come after suspected terrorist attack in Tiananmen Square last week . |
146,536 | 498037e426ccd64655ff249df56373f4ef5b0792 | (CNN) -- Israel acknowledged Sunday that it edited recordings of what it said were anti-Semitic and anti-American radio calls by pro-Palestinian activists who tried to run the Gaza blockade and that it could not identify the origin of the broadcasts. The Israeli military released a 26-second recording Friday night in which a warning call to a ship in the flotilla was met with the reply of "Shut up -- go back to Auschwitz." After another voice reports that the convoy has the permission of Palestinian officials to dock in Gaza, a third voice responds, "We are helping Arabs going against the U.S. Don't forget 9/11, guys." But after the organizers of the aid convoy accused Israeli officials of manipulating the tapes, the Israel Defense Forces reported it had mistakenly identified one of the six ships in the activists' "Freedom Flotilla" as the source of the broadcasts. And it released a nearly six-minute recording of radio traffic that included those calls and several others, along with bursts of static and calls in other languages on the same channel. "So to clarify: The audio was edited down to cut out periods of silence over the radio as well as incomprehensible comments so as to make it easier for people to listen to the exchange," the Israeli military said in a statement posted on its Web site. And it added, "Due to an open channel, the specific ship or ships in the 'Freedom Flotilla' responding to the Israeli Navy could not be identified." Israeli commandos intercepted the convoy at sea on May 31 and stormed the largest vessel, the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, killing nine people aboard. The ships were carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Palestinian territory that has been blockaded by Israel since its takeover by the Islamic movement Hamas in 2007, and the deadly raid sparked international condemnation. Convoy organizers from Free Gaza said Israel "doctored" the recordings "in order to paint the flotilla passengers as anti-Semites." The group denied its vessels were the source of the broadcasts and said the Israeli accusations made "no more sense with the explanation." "All radio transmissions on the sea are heard by all captains," the group said. "Once again, Israel is caught in a lie trying to defend itself for the murder and mayhem it committed the morning of May 31, 2010." On the full recording, an Israeli warship hails one of the vessels in the flotilla to warn it was approaching a blockade zone and warned that "all necessary measures" would be taken to prevent it from docking in Gaza. After three warnings, Free Gaza activist Huwaida Arraf replied that the blockade was a violation of international law and that the convoy was carrying only humanitarian aid. "We do not carry anything that constitutes a threat to your armed forces," she says on the recording. | Edits made for easier listening, Israel says .
IDF can't ID source of transmissions .
Free Gaza: Israel "doctored" tapes .
New story makes "no more sense," group says . |
235,513 | bce2927173a63537da1dfdd7461e43055586bf78 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:48 EST, 15 August 2013 . Sliding around corners as they weave their way through one of Britain's most exclusive areas, these are the rich Arab playboys who visit London every summer to show off their flashy wheels. But residents of Knightsbridge, central London - which has an average house price of £3.6million and is home to Harrods - say the drivers from the Gulf region are ‘a manifestation of too much-ness’. The petrol-heads and their motors are cheered on by camera-carrying youngsters, known as the Carparrazzi, but are hated by a number of furious residents who claim their lives are being ruined. Scroll down for video . Cheers: Abdul Aziz Al Rashed, arrived in London for the summer in his £250,000 Lamborghini Aventador. During the film he was pulled over by police who seized the supercar for not having the correct insurance . Police response: These two supercars are seen parked outside Harrods in Knightsbridge, central London . Their behaviour is revealed in Channel 4 a documentary which has followed the rich youngsters . as they prepared to leave the Gulf for the UK and spend three months in . London. Millionaire Boy Racers, which goes out at 10pm, also shows how police are clamping down on the boy . racers who drive recklessly in their Bugattis, Ferraris, Koenigseggs and . Lamborghinis. Knightsbridge resident Panda Morgan-Thomas, 59, has been leading a campaign to clamp down on the unruly driving - and she said it has become a constant pain every summer in recent years. ‘I'm inundated with local residents complaining, not being able to sleep and I think people's tempers are getting somewhat jaded. It is quite difficult to be sleep deprived and carry on with a normal life.’ Taken away: A Lamborghini is seized by police for allegedly not having the correct insurance . Disturbance: Angry local residents say the drivers are causing a nuisance by making lots of noise late at night . It reveals how the problem has become a police matter thanks to crashes and uninsured drivers. 'I'm inundated with local residents complaining, not being able to sleep and I think people's tempers are getting somewhat jaded' Panda Morgan-Thomas, local resident . Knightsbridge . resident Justin Downes added: ‘I've seen the area move from being a . very quiet, residential area to being cosmopolitan in a way which is . rather extreme. ‘I think the supercars are a manifestation of too much-ness. These cars are brought in by what we call the “Gulfies”. ‘They . come in to the area around Harrods to show off their cars and drive . recklessly in a way that if you were a UK citizen you would be . prosecuted for dangerous driving.’ Boy racers: The black Lamborghini supercar, with a Kuwait numberplate, is taken away by police on a truck . All lit up: The Lamborghini can be seen in front of Harrods on Brompton Road in exclusive Knightsbridge . Away we go: Mr Al Rashed's Lamborghini Aventador supercar is taken away by police as a cameraman films . Police have seized dozens of foreign-owned supercars on a number of charges including invalid insurance and driving without the correct registration plates. 'I hear the residents always complain but they don't come to me to complain. If anyone complains about something I will respect it and try to fix it. We are foreigners here' Abdul Aziz Rashid, 27, of Saudi Arabia . Even though they regularly complain to police and even write to embassies, the locals admit they haven't actually spoken to any of the young men in their supercars. Abdul Aziz Rashid, 27, of Saudi Arabia, who comes to the UK every year in a supercar, says if he is spoken to he will listen. He said: ‘I hear the residents always complain but they don't come to me to complain. If anyone complains about something I will respect it and try to fix it. We are foreigners here. Turning heads: These two supercars are seen driving in Knightsbridge, central London, outside Harrods . Fitting in: The two supercars drive in front of Harrods alongside other more normal cars and taxis on the road . ‘We just come to have a good time and we always want to come here and not cause trouble or problems. If anybody speaks to me and asks me not to do something then I will not do it.’ 'All of my friends were sad about having to go back to Kuwait. We had fun for three months and I'm sad that I have to leave to go back to the desert' Abdul Aziz Al Rashed, of Kuwait . Another tourist, Abdul Aziz Al Rashed, arrived in London for the summer in his £250,000 Lamborghini Aventador. During the film he was pulled over by police who seized the supercar for allegedly not having the correct insurance - something disputed by the young Kuwaiti. But he still enjoyed his time in London. Mr Al Rashed said: ‘All of my friends were sad about having to go back to Kuwait. We had fun for three months and I'm sad that I have to leave to go back to the desert.’ Not impressed: A Mercedes 4x4 in central London is given a ticket in a scene from the new documentary . Questioning: A blue Maserati parked on the red route outside Harrods in a scene from a new documentary . Flashy: A pink Rolls Royce in a scene from the new documentary about millionaire boy racers from abroad . Jonny Young, the executive producer of Millionaire Boy Racers, said: ‘The documentary goes further than the headlines generated each summer about the supercar phenomenon. 'The influx of Arab wealth in the capital brings with it many benefits - but for some residents, they're outweighed by the drawbacks' Jonny Young, documentary producer . ‘We see how the influx of Arab wealth is a big part of modern life in the capital. It brings with it many benefits - but for some residents, they're outweighed by the drawbacks.’ The documentary is the result of months of filming by Oblong Films. The drama caused by the racers has also been documented on YouTube in recent years by young car enthusiasts dubbed the Carparazzi. | Locals in exclusive area say drivers are 'a manifestation of too much-ness'
Motorists known as 'Gulfies' on holiday for three months from Gulf region .
Panda Morgan-Thomas leading campaign to clamp down on unruly driving .
She's 'inundated' with complaints from residents who can't sleep at night .
Millionaire Boy Racers will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 10pm on January 3, 2012 . |
150,555 | 4ea380ca7ae470f7e363edb3d170363bdeabaa18 | Daniel Sturridge put England’s disappointing World Cup campaign behind him by rubbing shoulders with some of music’s biggest names at an awards ceremony in California on Sunday. The striker made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, to present the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist award alongside NFL star DeSean Jackson and actor Boris Kodjoe. Another Premier League star was also in attendance at the Nokia Live Theatre, as Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri and his girlfriend Anara Atanes continued their holiday in LA. Jokers: Sturridge enjoys himself at the BET awards with Jackson (left) and Kodjoe (centre) Stars: Nasri and girlfriend Anara Atanes attended the BET awards in Californiaas did Liverpool striker Sturridge . All dressed up: Nasri's girlfriend Anara takes a quick photo before the couple attended the BET awards . Liverpool forward Sturridge, who struggled to get his line out, just about managed to avoid a spectacular own goal when he said: 'DeSean, we've been kicking football around internationally for years baby boy. You know we invented the game, that's how it goes.’ When he and Jackson started to mock squabble Boris cut them both down to size, saying, 'Fellas relax OK, international football, American football, you both play with balls.' Sturridge will start pre-season training . with Liverpool next month, though club team-mate Luis Suarez will not be . joining him after being handed a four-month ban for biting Italy . defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s group stage win. On stage: Sturridge leans in to deliver his line while presenting the award in California . Congratulations: Sturridge shakes the hand of Pharrell Williams, winner of the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist award . Absent friend: Sturridge's Liverpool team-mate Suarez has been banned for four months for biting . | Sturridge is enjoying his time off after England crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage .
He presented the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist award to Pharrell Williams alongside NFL star DeSean Jackson and actor Boris Kodjoe .
Manchester City attacker Nasri and his girlfriend Anara Atanes were also at the high-profile awards ceremony . |
82,046 | e8844e902570490ef943d29bc728df70c4e5f63c | (CNN) -- English club Chelsea have completed the signing of Oriol Romeu from Spanish and European champions Barcelona. The 19-year-old is currently playing for Spain at the World Under-20 Championships in Colombia and has signed a four-year deal with last season's Premier League runners-up. The deal is worth $7 million and includes a buy back clause, set at $14 million after the first year and $21 million after the second. Romeu started his career at Barcelona's city rivals Espanyol before joining the Camp Nou academy in 2004. The midfielder, who can also play in central defence, made his debut for Barcelona in last season's Spanish Supercup match with Seville and got his first taste of league action against Deportivo in May 2010. He has played 90 minutes in both of Spain's games at the World Under-20 Championships, when they beat Costa Rica and Ecuador. Chelsea official web site confirmed the signing and said Romeu is "renowned for his strength and his expansive passing ability." Another player leaving Barcelona is Jeffren Suarez after he agreed to join Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese outfit have paid $5 million for the 23-year-old which, like the Romeu deal, includes a buy back option. Jeffren joined Barca from Tenerife in 2004 and made his debut for the Catalan club in the 2006-07 season. He told the club's official web site: "I know that the slogan of my new club is strength, dedication, commitment and glory and from today onwards I will do all in my power to make these things come true." Barcelona also confirmed that Argentinean defender Gabriel Milito can leave the club on a free transfer. Meanwhile, Juventus have confirmed they have rejected a bid from Russian club Zenit St Petersburg for defender Leonardo Bonucci. The 24-year-old joined from Bari at the beginning of last season and a statement on the club's web site said they wanted to keep hold of the player. | Chelsea complete the signing of Barcelona youngster Oriol Romeu .
The 19-year-old joins for $7 million but the deal includes a buy back option .
Jeffren Suarez leaves Barcelona to join Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon . |
60,571 | ac24a441b37520cca21278a020b8b18ec8df27cb | A Washington state high school teacher employed a 'Wheel of Misfortune' game to punish her students - and is going back to work. Kem Patteson instructed her Stevenson High School students to launch Koosh balls toward their peers in two different taped instances, KATU reported. 'I was chewing gum in class,' student Zoey Zapfe told the affiliate station of an incident caught on camera earlier this month. 'She looked over and she told me to spin the wheel and that's like a normal thing.' Scroll down for video . 'It was beyond humiliating': Koosh balls were reportedly thrown at Zoey Zapfe after she chewed gum in class . Punishment: Patteson employed this so-called 'Wheel of Misfortune' Zapfe also revealed how she was punished, when both her teacher and her classmates threw a ball at her in a 'cush firing squad,' KATU reported. 'I clearly said that I didn't want to do this, and after that I found out that you can opt out with a lunch detention and when I said I don't want to do this, she said "Too bad" or something and I got pelted,' Zapfe told the affiliate station. 'I'm gonna be honest, I'm hoping she gets fired because it was beyond humiliating,' Zapfe also said. Other students have spoken out and offered different opinions. 'I've gotten "Kooshed" a couple times but never in the face or anything,' Hannah Young told KGW. 'I kinda think they're overreacting a little bit. She probably shouldn't have done it, but I don't know if it's cause to fire her.' Marina Levy also told the station 'Everything on "the wheel" can be exchanged for a lunch detention so students are never forced to do anything. I don't think this is anything near what it's being made into.' Punishment: A Koosh ball is seen on the floor after the rubber toys were thrown at a student, whose identity has been protected . Teacher: Though chemistry teacher Kem Patteson was on administrative leave, she is not being fired . Though Zapfe's mother Wendy complained and Patteson was on administrative leave, she is not being fired, The Columbian reported. High school principal Sarah Marino and Superintendent Dan Read said in an October 16 letter to parents: 'As you may know, we’ve been working with a third-party investigator to review the details of a video that surfaced on social media last week.' 'The situation called to light an inappropriate classroom management technique used by a Stevenson High School teacher. It involved giving students the choice of spinning a "Wheel of Misfortune" for low-level misconduct rather than getting lunch detention.' 'The consequences on the wheel included allowing other students in the classroom to throw a soft rubber "Koosh" ball at the student. The videos circulating showed students throwing the ball at a student.' 'This is not a practice authorized or condoned by the District and it has been stopped. When the high school became aware of the details of how the controversial classroom management tool was being used, the prop was removed from the classroom. 'The teacher was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.' The letter also said that 'On Wednesday, October 15th, the results of the investigation were provided to us. After interviews with students, school staff and the teacher, the investigator recommended that the teacher be re-instated to the classroom with appropriate safeguards in place to ensure an appropriate classroom environment. 'The investigator concluded that the use of the wheel was inappropriate, but well-intentioned, and the teacher did not desire to embarrass, intimidate or harm any student.' 'However, poor judgment by any teacher is concerning and we plan to work with the teacher on more positive and productive classroom management skills going forward.' | Stevenson High School teacher Kem Patteson kept a 'Wheel of Misfortune' in the class room with different punishments listed .
When student Zoey Zapfe was caught chewing gum, she was subject to a 'cush firing squad'
Both her teacher and her classmates alternately threw a Koosh ball at her .
Though Zapfe's mother Wendy complained and Patteson was on administrative leave, she is not being fired . |
52,129 | 93a2c00e0bff456b48e713244da3ea98dd8c6a3f | German rescue workers have managed to reach an injured man trapped 1,000metres underground in 'one of Europe's most difficult caves', but it could still be several days before he is freed. The 52-year-old German researcher was hit by rocks on Sunday morning as he made his way through the Riesending cave system near Berchtesgaden, on the German Austrian border. More than 80 mountain rescuers have been working to free him, and although they have now reached the man, who has not been named, the operation to bring him out could still take several days. German rescue workers (one pictured entering the cave) managed to reach the injured man on Monday . Tricky operation: Mountain rescue official Klemans Reindl said his colleagues were at work 'in one of the most difficult caves in Europe', access to which is complicated by water and tight spots . Six experts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are now with the man, who they say is conscious and able to walk with help. The accident happened more than three . miles from the cave entrance, and access to the site - about half a . mile underground - requires covering tricky terrain such as vertical . shafts and bottlenecks. The rescue service has set up a radio communication system that allows rescuers to send text messages to the surface. Mountain rescue official Klemans Reindl . said his colleagues were at work 'in one of the most difficult caves in . Europe', access to which is complicated by water and tight spots. More than 80 mountain rescuers from numerous countries have been working to free him . Six experts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are now with the explorer - who they say is conscious and able to walk with help . 'We have shafts that go straight down . 350 metres (1,150 feet), where you have to rappel down and climb back up . on a rope,' he told Germany's n-tv television. A four-member rescue team reached the . 52-year-old German cave researcher yesterday. He had suffered head and . upper body injuries a day earlier in a rockfall deep inside the caves. One of his two companions made a 12-hour solo climb back to the cave entrance to call for help, while the other stayed with him. Mr Reindl said the cave system has tight spots where only a slim person can squeeze through, and explorers also have to contend with water. Another mountain rescue official, Stefan Schneider, told a televised news conference that a doctor was in the cave, but it wasn't clear when he could get to the patient. 'It's going round the clock, and it's going to last a few more days,' Mr Schneider said. Rescuers working in several small teams of up to four people each have laid a telephone line several hundred metres along the route to help with their efforts. Others have set up camps inside the cave system, which lies on the border with Austria. Fifty-two cave rescue specialists from Bavaria, 28 from Austria and some from Switzerland were at the scene. | German cave researcher, 52, was hit by rocks on Sunday morning .
He had been exploring the cave system on German Austrian border .
More than 80 mountain rescue workers have been trying to free him .
Six experts are with the man now, who is conscious and can walk with help .
Restricted access to caves means rescue mission could take several days . |
103,198 | 110e70f8f4c7906c97c9148d47a84afe490835f5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:39 EST, 17 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:38 EST, 17 July 2012 . The world's largest airline food caterer, which employs thousands of people in Britain, is today at the centre of an FBI investigation into how needles found their way into turkey sandwiches on four international flights. Gate Gourmet, which provides meals for more than 20 airlines including all long-haul British Airways flights from Heathrow, distributed the sandwiches that contained what appeared to be small sewing needles. The needles were discovered in six sandwiches on four U.S.-bound Delta Air Lines planes that departed Amsterdam's t on Sunday. One passenger on a flight to Minneapolis was injured, but refused medical attention, a Delta spokesman said. The other needles were on two flights to Atlanta and one to Seattle. Scroll down for video . Lurking in the turkey: Catering firm Gate Gourmet, which provides meals for 14 airlines including all long-haul British Airways flights from Heathrow, distributed six sandwiches that contained small sewing needles. They were found aboard six U.S.-bound flights out of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Sunday . Gate Gourmet prepares over 200million meals a year from its 130 flight kitchens in 35 countries around the world. It services more than 20 airlines . including Delta Air Lines, British Airways, American Airlines, United . Airlines, Qantas Airways, Air France, Emirates Airline, Amtrak and . EasyJet. The firm employs more than 22,000 people worldwide. In the UK, British Airways is Gate Gourmet's largest customer. In 2005, the caterer sacked 670 staff - mainly Asian women - from its airline meals service in a dispute over restructuring at Heathrow. It lost £25million at its operation at the airport the year before, and maintained that changes in working practices were needed. In August of that year, a two-day wildcat action by British Airways ground staff at Heathrow stopped all the airline's flights leaving the airport. The strike, in support of the Gate Gourmet workers, stranded more than 100,000 passengers and cost the airline an estimated £40million ($72million). It also left BA unable to provide normal in-flight meals once services resumed, with many passengers instead being given vouchers with which to buy their food from the airport. After the BA staff had returned to work, the stand-off at Gate Gourmet rumbled on, with the sacked staff picketing outside the caterer's Heathrow factory. To try to end the dispute, at the end of August Gate Gourmet offered all staff - including those that had been sacked - redundancy packages. About 700 staff - 300 of those sacked and 400 from the existing Gate Gourmet employees - applied to accept the offer. The FBI has opened a criminal investigation into the matter. Gate Gourmet prepares more than 200million meals a year from its 130 flight kitchens in 35 countries. Spokesman Christina . Ulosevich said the caterer is cooperating . fully with investigators and has received no reports of similar incidents on . any of the other airlines it serves out of Amsterdam. She said the company did not yet know how the needles got into the sandwiches but declined to comment further, saying 'details of this matter must remain confidential'. Gate . Gourmet issued a statement saying: 'We take this matter very seriously, . and we have launched our own full-scale investigation.' It also said it is 'heightening our already stringent safety and security procedures, to prevent any recurrence'. The . sandwiches were made in the Gate Gourmet's Amsterdam kitchen, and were to be served to business class passengers on Delta . flights out of Schiphol Airport. After the needles were found, passengers got pizza instead. Kristin Baur, a spokesman for Delta, said the airline has boosted . security for its meal production and is using more pre-packaged food . while the probe continues. In . a statement to MailOnline, the airline said: 'Delta is taking this . matter extremely seriously and is cooperating with local and federal . authorities who are investigating the incident. The . statement went on: 'Delta has taken immediate action with our in-flight . caterer at Amsterdam to ensure the safety and quality of the food we . provide onboard our aircraft. 'Delta . requires all its in-flight caterers to adhere to strict criteria in . order to offer our customers the very best onboard meals. The safety and . security of our passengers and crew is Delta's number one priority.' The needle incident is the latest in a series of troubles for the airline this month. Last week, a 'pressurisation issue' forced a jet travelling from Detroit to Washington, D.C., to declare an emergency. Dangerous: One passenger aboard a Delta plane was injured after biting into a sandwich containing a needle . Flight plan: All four flights with needles in their sandwiches were heading to the U.S. - including two to Atlanta . The . aircraft, carrying 152 passengers and six crew members, landed without . incident and taxied to the gate. No injuries were reported. On . Thursday night, a Delta flight from New York to Madrid was turned . around shortly after take-off when a federal air marshal found . suspicious wires in a rear lavatory. Although . no explosives were found, officials discovered two pieces of a drinking . straw about an inch-and-a-half long with wires running through each. The matter is under investigation. VIDEO: Authorities in Holland say they're investigating the incidents . | Gate Gourmet distributed sandwiches that contained what appeared to be small sewing needles .
Company employs thousands in Britain .
It provides meals for more than 20 airlines including all long-haul British Airways flights from Heathrow .
Needles found in sandwiches on four Delta Air Lines flights bound from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to the U.S. on Sunday .
One passenger was injured on plane to Minneapolis .
FBI launches criminal investigation into the needle discoveries . |
115,356 | 20dc1a3ffc88d8fa842b79dbb2fdd0ddcf4ee978 | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:00 EST, 11 September 2013 . Prince Harry risked landing brother William in marital hot water yesterday when he told him at a charity event: ‘Stop flirting.’ The royal brothers were brokering multi-billion pound deals at BGC Partners in the heart of London’s finance district when they squared up to each other on the trading floor. The sibling rivalry between the pair was clear to see as they hit the phones at the global brokerage company to help raise millions for two charities close to their hearts, WellChild and SkillForce. Scroll down to watch video . Royal phone call: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry take part in a trade on at the BGC Partners trading floor during the BGC Charity Day . Oops: Prince Harry may have landed his brother William in hot water with his wife Kate after ordering him: 'Stop flirting, get on with it' during the charity day . The event is held each year in memory of the 658 employees who died in the 9/11 terror attack on the World Trade Centre in New York, with the entire profits from the day’s trading being given to good causes. Brotherly banter saw the pair raise several laughs on the trading floor of the firm in Canary Wharf, as they joined forces to negotiate huge deals, including a company record worth €25billion. During one joint telephone call, Harry complained that new dad William, who welcomed his son, Prince George, in July, was taking part in too much ‘baby talk’. ‘He's on the phone, it's all baby chat,’ Harry complained to a broker helping him seal a deal.‘I'm much better at helicopter chat.’ For a good cause: The brothers took part in the event to help raise money for WellChild and SkillForce . All in a day's work: Prince William and Prince Harry helped negotiate huge deals - including a company record worth 25 billion euros . A smiling Harry then risked landing . his brother in hot water with wife, Kate, by ordering William: ‘Stop . flirting, get on with it.’ Broker Nick Thompson, 45, helped Harry and William seal a lucrative deal while colleagues cheered and shouted around them. He said: ‘It was interesting listening to them both to see who was more confident. Harry took to it very well.’ Asked how baby George is getting on by one client on the phone, William revealed: ‘He's very well thanks. He's sleeping quite well.’ Doting dad: Prince William happily told one caller how his son George, born in July, was doing, telling them: 'He's very well thanks. He's sleeping quite well' Brotherly banter: Prince Harry moaned his brother William was partaking in too much 'baby talk' on a visit to BGC Partners trading floor at Canary Wharf today . 'I think you can do better': The Princes played hard ball with callers to get larger donations . As the brothers, both dressed smartly . in suits and ties, switched from desk to desk negotiating deals with . firms including Barclays and Merrill Lynch, traders presented Harry with . a gift for his nephew, a red, white and blue baby gro and a teddy bear . from the Little White Company. Harry thanked the team for the gift and promised to pass it on to his brother. At . one stage the Apache helicopter pilot appeared flustered by the . frenetic atmosphere of the room, saying: ‘Everyone's shouting different . things.’ During another deal, Harry spoke to a broker called George over the phone and gave the name the royal seal of approval. ‘A good, strong name,’ he joked. Just another day at the office: The Princes both looked set for a day as a broker in suits and ties . Making the most of it: Prince Harry and his brother seemed more than happy to try out a spot of brokering . Rivalry: Both Prince Harry and the Duke of Cambridge wanted to raise as much money as possible . How much? Prince Harry strikes a deal over the telephone during a charity fundraising day in the City . He then urged brokers to raise the . value of the deal, calling out figures and lifting his hand to indicate . the final figure needed to be higher. A grinning Harry quipped: ‘Are you feeling like making some money for charity today? Good. Whatever you're thinking you can double it.’ At one point William tried to break the ice with star-struck brokers by joking he wasn't really the prince. Broker Neil Fordham, 45, revealed when Wills got on the phone with a trader, he said: ‘It's all a wind up, I'm Gary.’ Refusing to settle: Prince Harry urged the brokers to raise the value of deals during the charity event . Dealing with the banks: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, negotiated deals with numerous companies including Barclays and Merrill Lynch . Proud uncle: Despite his moaning about 'baby talk', Prince Harry happily accepted a teddy bear for his nephew . Charity day: Prince Harry talks to Lily-Anne Chart, aged six, during the BGC Charity Day 2013 at Canary Wharf . Neil added later: 'It put everyone at ease. He was very good and came across very well. He did a trade that made us about £3,000 sterling. He's a bit of a natural.' The Princes each made a handful of high-value deals during their 50-minute visit. At . first they appeared a little timid, but they soon got into the swing of . things as the raucous trading floor buzzed around them. At one point William remarked to a broker: 'Bloody hell, was that a billion?!' New career? After hearing the value of some of the trades, Prince William joked to his brother that they should start working there . Money, money, money: Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster ask callers to donate money at the charity event . Actor Sean Bean, pictured left, and singer Cerys Matthews, pictured right, speak on the phone on the trading floor during the BGC charity event . The Hoff gets down to business: David Hasselhoff with two 'Baywatch beauties' on the trading floor . Putting her heart into it: Donna Air turns her hand to brokering , pictured left, while Natalie Pinkham secures a donation on the phone, pictured right . Kicking back: Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts kicks back and relaxes as the donations roll in . After the trader nodded, he turned to Harry to say: 'Apparently we should work here.' Xavier Alcan, executive managing director at BGC, said: 'William was extremely pleasant and he was very efficient. 'He was making enough efforts to concentrate on the transaction with all the noise around him.' The charity day is in its ninth year and has raised $89million to date. The money raised is split between several charities in the UK and abroad. On call: Anna Friel talks to a potential donator during the charity event as a star-struck broker takes her picture in the background . Making herself at home: Lisa Snowdon appeared very relaxed on the trading floor - even putting her feet up on a desk . Hanging on the telephone: Melanie Chisholm, pictured left, and Charlie Webster, pictured right, also took part in the charity event also took part in the charity event . Jumping for joy: Alex Jones looks delighted after securing a deal at the charity event . William and Harry were present to raise cash for SkillForce, for which William is patron, and WellChild, where Harry is patron. Representatives from both charities met the princes at the event and chatted about the work being done by the two organisations. In their biggest deal made together, the pair broke BGC's record for a forward foreign exchange trade, with a 25billion Euros agreement. It is not known how much the deal will have netted for the charities. Celebrities including actor Idris Elba, Hollywood star Thandie Newton, singer Rod Stewart, Baywatch star David Hasselhoff and Xtra Factor presenter Caroline Flack also took part in the event. Brightening up the office: Helen McCrory wore a pink jumper with matching trousers for her day on the trading floor . Well, she's used to negotiating: Barrister Cherie Blair looks at ease while striking a deal on the telephone . But it all got a bit too much for some: Chris Evans, pictured left, looks flustered as he is bombarded with callers while Tottenham Hoptspur manager Andre Villas-Boas, pictured right, looked more than comfortable with the pressure of the trading floor . Memorial: Sara Cox on the trading floor during the annual event held in memory of people who died in the attacks on New York's twin towers on September 11, 2001 . | Royal brothers took part in a charity fundraising day at BGC Partners .
Pair brokered multi-billion pound deals including a €25billion company record .
Money will be split between charities including WellChild and SkillForce .
Harry also complained his brother was taking part in too much ‘baby talk’ |
214,542 | a1cc34541a654fa3c7d23b0bb4f3bfe6de04b9d5 | (CNN) -- Breaking four ribs in six years has turned out to be more than just bad luck for golfer Brandt Snedeker. After another rib injury saw his early season form vanish, the American World No. 7 discovered he had a debilitating bone disease. "It's something called low bone turnover," Snedeker told CNN World Sport. "For some reason my rib cage doesn't generate the right amount of bone it should do. "It boils down to the fact that I have brittle ribs. I'm now on medication to try and counteract it. It's been helping a lot. "I haven't had any issues in the last few months and it's nice to get that behind me and focus more on golf." Getting back on course, literally, will be a relief to Snedeker, who is targeting a big finish to the season in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs -- which start this week with The Barclays at Liberty National in New Jersey. After winning the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February, the 32-year-old was forced to take a month long break from the game. That hiatus interrupted what he considered to be a halcyon period on the golf course. "I played the best golf of my career in the first couple of months (of the year)," Snedeker explained. "Then I got injured and I had to fight my way back from that. "I've had some glimpse of playing some great golf again but I haven't had the consistency I had at the beginning of the year -- hopefully I can get back to that, I'm close." Getting back to his best saw Snedeker clinch a three-shot victory at the Canadian Open at the end of July and climb to third in the FedEx Cup standings. Snedeker is the defending FedEx Cup champion and this week heads to New Jersey for the first of four playoffs. But with Tiger Woods, who has won five times this season, leading the tournament rankings from fellow American Matt Kuchar, the golfer from Nashville is under no illusions about his chances of becoming the first person to successfully defend the crown. "It's going to be really, really tough," said Snedeker. "I'm excited to be in a good position going into the playoffs but you never really know what's going to happen until you get in the mix of it. "Tiger is leading that race and he is going to be a formidable guy going into the final stretch. "But there are four tournaments and these are all great golf courses culminating at East Lake in Atlanta and it should be a lot of fun." The FedEx Cup sees player accrue ranking points throughout the season with the top 125 taking part in the first playoff. The field is whittled down with a final 70 players competing for the $10 million prize purse at the Tour Championship in Atlanta in September. | Golfer Brandt Snedeker reveals a bone disease has been affecting his form .
The American has brittle ribs but says new medication is helping him focus on golf .
Snedeker is the FedEx Cup champion but says defending the title will be tough .
The FedEx Cup playoffs begin at Liberty National in New Jersey this week . |
271,671 | ebe601342f15c426dda3d08196481c0a2976783b | (CNN) -- Before this week, the last time the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike was September 8, 1987. It lasted until October 3, during which officials, teachers and parents clashed in the city's longest teachers strike ever. After it ended, I called the Chicago school system the worst in the country. "I'm not sure there's a system as bad as the Chicago system" were my exact words as U.S. secretary of education. The Chicago school system was a failure. Half of Chicago's 64 public high schools scored in the bottom 1% of schools on the ACT, an old metric used by many colleges for admissions. ''Forty-six percent of Chicago teachers send their children to private schools,'' I noted then, too. ''The people who know the product best send their children elsewhere.'' In spite of this, the teachers union had the gall to demand a 10% raise with a 5% raise to follow the next year. After a month of jawing, they eventually wrangled a 4% raise the first year, with the second year determined by funding from elsewhere. Twenty-five years later, and in the midst of another teachers strike, it doesn't look like much has improved in Chicago. Today, the 26,000 members of the Chicago Teachers Union are on strike because they can't accept a 16% raise over four years, tougher testing and accountability standards, and non-automatic rehiring. Once again, the Chicago Teachers Union is showing its true colors: self-serving public sector bullies more interested in their well-being than the well-being of students. Consider that public school teachers in Chicago make an average of $71,000 a year, while a majority of the roughly 350,000 public school students, overwhelmingly minority students, receive free or discounted school meals, meaning they are at or near the poverty line. What do these well-paid teachers bestow on the poor children and families of Chicago? Nearly 80% of eighth-graders in Chicago public schools are not proficient in reading or math, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In fact, little has improved in Chicago since the 1987 strike. Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times points out that "In 1987, 43% of incoming Chicago freshmen would drop out of high school without graduating. Today's drop-out rate is 39.4%, the lowest it has ever been." A dropout rate of nearly four students in 10 is a national disgrace. For 25 years, Chicago's teachers' unions have held the city's parents and students hostage while morally and financially bankrupting the city. Chicago public schools are $665 million in debt, and that debt is expected to exceed $1 billion next year. For 25 years, the union has blocked and impeded educational progress. The time for change is long overdue. For decades, conservative education reformers like myself have been pushing for performance pay, strict accountability, flexible rehiring practices for school principals and longer school days to improve our public schools. Now, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, through the Race to the Top grant requirements, are trying to implement similar measures in Chicago's public schools. Duncan, whom I sometimes agree with, and Emanuel, whom I almost never agree with, both seem to be taking the traditionally conservative side of this issue. We have in Chicago a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. Will Emanuel and Duncan succeed in curtailing the long-term ally and bulwark of the Democratic Party, the teachers union, or will the Chicago Teachers Union and its leader, Karen Lewis, once again strong-arm their own party for their own interests? A teacher's view from the picket lines . President Obama has been noticeably silent. He shouldn't be. The nation deserves to know whether his allegiances lie with his political allies in the public sector unions or with Emanuel and Duncan. This power struggle will reveal much about the constitution of the modern Democratic Party. If Emanuel wins, the effects would be felt throughout the large, predominantly Democratic inner-city school districts across the country. For one of the first times in recent history, Democrats would stand up to their own entrenched inner-city public sector teachers unions. Should Emanuel lose, teachers unions will grow only stronger and more brazen, and the city of Chicago and its children and families may be set back for another 25 years. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William Bennett. | William Bennett: Chicago teachers last went on strike in 1987, and schools were a mess .
Little has improved, he says. Dropout rate near 40%; students not proficient in math or reading .
Teachers reject 16% raise over 4 years despite system's $665 million debt, he writes .
Bennett: Democrats should back Emanuel in his bid to curtail teachers union . |
82,783 | eabc2b1271eb2ccc4f76d25f90734128106574f3 | The Champions League, it most certainly ain’t. While those further up the food chain console themselves with the knowledge that they’re doing The Right Thing for a club that will be here long after Ronny Deila has departed, the manager is the guy left to deal with the realities on the ground. From the eloquent Norwegian, there is no pretence that the Europa League group into which Celtic were pitched on Friday can possibly compare to what might have been. No disrespect to the good people of Salzburg, Zagreb and Giurgiu, but it hardly compares with taking on the very best from the Premier League and Bundesliga. Instead of trying to blow smoke, Deila simply accepts UEFA’s second-tier club competition for what it is. Just as he accepts the responsibility for his team’ s play-off failure against NK Maribor. Scroll down for video... My bad! Ronny Deila (R) accepts responsibility for Celtic's exit from the Champions League . ‘Of course I am responsible for things here,’ he said, when asked if it was fair for fans to start judging him so soon into his time as manager. ‘It is better to take it out on me than on the rest. But I hope now I am going to show that we are going to progress as a team. We have also had some good games so far, it’s not only been bad, but of course the Champions League has been a big influence here. ‘I saw a lot of emotions through that and, now we have done that, we have to look forward to what we’re going to do in the league and building that style of play and the team we want. ‘The supporters and everyone wants to go into the Champions League. That’s the main thing. If you lose it, the emotions come, you get very sad of course and it’s not easy to see the big picture.’ Home disadvantage: The Celtic manager looks on as Maribor celebrate their 1-0 victory at Celtic Park . Talk of big pictures and grand projects usually meets with short shrift and some fairly unprepossessing criticism from fans who view promises of jam tomorrow with a fair degree of suspicion. Talking about the reaction since Tuesday night’s loss, Deila said: ‘Of course it is hard. It’s hard losing. But you have to look at the longer prospects and work on what you believe in - and build the team how you want it. ‘That has also been harder with the pressure on the Champions League all the time. Now that chapter is gone we can control the situation and the next chapter is to build the team and to get ready for next year. ‘We have to do good performances this year so we achieve the things we want to do. That’s a big task but that’s why I came here. ‘It’s very different when you see that three matches into the league, your season is over – that’s if I listen to some people! ‘We’ve got a lot of matches left in the league and a lot of matches in Europe and the cups, hopefully.’ Super strike: Maribor's Tavares scored in the second leg to give Maribor a 2-1 aggregate victory . Deila is adamant that he doesn’t regret a single thing – including leaving last year’s multiple Player of the Year, Kris Commons, on the bench – for the dispiriting 1-0 home loss to a team, Maribor, who had appeared there for the taking in last week’s 1-1 away draw. ‘I don’t have any regrets from Tuesday,’ he said. ‘We went into the game with a match plan but the first half was too passive. We should have gone harder on them. ‘But we didn’t want to sit back, we changed after the break and the first 20 minutes of the second half was much more aggressive. We created chances. ‘Look at the two matches, they were quite equal. It went against us. That is also about skills – but I think we improved from the Legia game. ‘You never know what would have happened if you did something differently. But we were well prepared, had a match plan – and knew what we were going to do if things weren’t going well. We made changes that made the team better, we just didn’t get a final result. ‘You can always think about what might have been. But we weren’t good enough, so we take the draw we’ve got – and look forward to competing in the Europa League. What could have been? Ronny Deila has no regrets, including leaving Kris Commons out of the starting XI . ‘Our aim is to get experience, of course, and to try to get through to the next stage. That’s something the club has done before but it’s a big challenge for us. ‘This is a new chapter. We have to prepare the team to do several things – win the league and win trophies, but also make the team ready for the Champions League next year, if we win the league. ‘That will make the experience will get now invaluable. It’s very hard for me to say whether we should get out of this group. We have a good chance to make some good results there. ‘These are still international games against good teams. Of course we wanted to be in the Champions League. But this is a good opportunity for us. ‘Yes, we can make an impact in the Europa League. Things are happening very quickly here. We’re getting better – and we will get better all the time. ‘We’ve had a lot of players out, we’ve got new players coming in that we haven’ t used yet. So the team will of course get better and better. ‘But it takes time to get players into the team, get injured players fit. Let’s see where we are in December.’ Step down: Celtic players react in the knowledge they will be playing in Europe's second tier competition . In December, they’ll be in Zagreb, taking on Dynamo in their final Group D fixture. It’s not Stamford Bridge, nor is it Schalke’s Veltins Arena – or Sporting Lisbon’s Estadion Jose Alvalade. But it’s where Celtic are. In more ways than one. It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Celtic were eliminated 2-1 agg by Maribor in Champions League qualifying .
Manager Ronny Deila accepts responsibility for their performance .
Norwegian says he has no regrets, including leaving out Kris Commons .
The Hoops have been drawn against FC Salzburg, GNK Dinamo and FC Astra in the Europa League . |
61,743 | af60ba48a5fb6cea0afe7a95f7b5ff8581fc9f3a | (CNN) -- Four people were electrocuted when a Carnival float struck power lines in the Brazilian port city of Santos early Tuesday, state broadcaster Agencia Brazil reported. Three men pushing the float were killed instantly, and a 19-year-old spectator who stepped up to help them was also shocked. She died at an emergency room soon afterward, the network reported. The fatalities marred the last day of Carnival, the Catholic tradition that draws millions of Brazilians to the streets for a pre-Lent party. It is the equivalent of Mardi Gras in the French-settled regions of North America. | Four die when a Carnival float hits a power line .
The fatalities marred the final day of the festival . |
180,595 | 75c7a64aed95ac8d611d0c0c1350080132a64dd6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:09 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:17 EST, 28 November 2013 . A thrillseeker who has traveled the world to dive into its dingiest caves has shared stunning photographs of his favorite one yet - a 1,200-foot-deep hole in Mexico that is so deep, clouds form inside. Dave Bunnell, a 61-year-old adrenaline junky from Delaware, has traveled to 18 different countries to take on dozens of the world's dingiest pits - and his favorite is Mexico's astonishing El Sotano de las Golondrinas, also known as 'the Basement of Swallows', in San Luis Potosi. These stunning images of the cave - one of the world's most dramatic free fall pits and a natural wonder than attracts thousands of cavers each year - show the moment he and his fellow divers plunge into the cave, passing through the clouds inside. Scroll down for video . Stunning: Cave diver Dave Bunnel, 61, captured these stunning images of him diving into Mexico's El Sotano de las Golodrinas, The Basement of Swallows . Getting there: Cave divers plunge through the clouds that have gathered inside the cave and head to the bottom of the 1,200-ft-deep hole . Dave, an avid photographer, said the spectacular clouds, which form when humidity comes into contact with colder air, provide a perfect opportunity for him to take stunning pictures. He set up equipment on the cave floor below to capture the remarkable images. 'I started caving when I was 21, as part of a university outdoors club - I'd already been backpacking and rock climbing with them,' he explained. 'A couple of girls I was interested in were going caving, so I signed up and never looked back. I've since traveled all over the world, enjoying some of the most beautiful natural sights on the planet. 'It's such a different world it sometimes seems like being on another planet. So the other-worldliness of it, and that you never know what may lay around the next corner, when exploring a new cave, even a small one can give you these feelings like no other.' Breathtaking: Bunnell, who has been cave diving for 40 years, painstakingly set up cameras to capture the moment he and his teammates plunged inside . Massive: A close-up of the cave floor shows figures of the climbers gathered at its base, revealing just how large the cave is . The pit was first descended in . December of 1967 by a trio of Americans. Its total depth is 1,638ft . although the final few hundred feet accessible are only accessible . through a pit series called The Crevice. It gets its name, the Basement of Swallows, thanks to the birds that fly above its opening. Dave added: 'These caves are spectacular and it's easy to see why so many people visit them every year. 'My . other favorites include Lechuguilla in New Mexico, the caves of Mulu in . Borneo, the amazing Xe Bang Fai river caves in Laos, the blue and green . caves of France, the amazing lava tubes in Hawaii, and sea caves . anywhere but especially the California Channel Islands and New Zealand. 'By . far the best way to get into caving is to hook up with a club or grotto . as they are called in the USA. Take a beginner's oriented trip. Also . many show caves now offer wild or adventure tours that can give . non-cavers a taste of it.' In . his 40-year cave exploring career Dave has visited Australia, Belize, . Canada, China, Cuba, France, Guatemala, Italy, Laos, Malaysia (Borneo), . Mexico, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Spain, . Switzerland, and Thailand. Getting ready: The team waits at the top of the cave. Bunnell has explored caves in 18 countries across the world - but this one in Mexico is his favorite . Life-long passion: Bunnell, pictured, started diving into caves during his college days and now combines it with his passion for photography, right . | Dave Bunnell, from Delaware, has traveled to 18 countries to dive in caves but his favorite is El Sotano de las Golondrinas, the Basement of Swallows, in San Luis Potosi, Mexico . |
66,700 | bd29dad3d62867e6528bfd7d2759046fa852e662 | (CNN)Eddie Redmayne, congratulations! You've won an Oscar! Now you'd better watch out. If there is such a thing as an "Oscar curse" -- that malady that suddenly grips some Oscar winners, plunging their once-bright careers into "Aeon Flux"-like darkness -- best actor winner Redmayne could be a likely victim. Among the newly anointed crop of Oscar recipients, the "Theory of Everything" star would be right to be wary. He's young -- just 33 -- and could just as easily aim for big-budget movie stardom as chewy character roles. A few more films like "Jupiter Ascending," the current Wachowski siblings' bomb that features Redmayne in a major role, and he may be the answer to Oscar trivia questions in 2025. Sunday's other acting winners may not have the same challenges. J.K. Simmons, who won best supporting actor for "Whiplash," has been a character mainstay for years; he might start getting bigger billing, but the work should remain steady. Best actress winner Julianne Moore ("Still Alice") is an established star and is probably at little risk of going off the rails. And Patricia Arquette, the best supporting actress winner for "Boyhood," has made a career of combining intriguing film choices with steady TV work. Indeed, she's the star of "CSI: Cyber," which debuts March 4. Now, "curse" might be a little strong. Some performers such as Mercedes Ruehl ("The Fisher King") or F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus") were character types who hit it big. It would be unlikely for them to suddenly become successful headliners. Other actors prefer to pick interesting roles in small, quirky movies rather than let Hollywood's box-office machinery pigeonhole them. On the other hand, there are any number of "it" performers -- especially actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Renee Zellweger and Halle Berry -- who had youth, looks and chops and were pegged as future leads. But whether through poor script choices, fickle audiences or movie-industry biases, their follow-ups tanked. (Many of the entries on this list seem to be less the victim of a "curse" than industry preconceptions about women's roles.) Certainly the Oscar is a wonderful honor, a permanent prefix to an actor's name. But some may wonder if all the red-carpet scrutiny and stress was worth it. Check out the gallery for a few examples. | An "Oscar curse" seems to plague some Academy Award winners .
Many actors win Oscars, then see their next films flop . |
19,254 | 3684470682875154951be822d11ffd58d64e8834 | By . David Mccormack . A 4-year-old boy was killed and his pregnant mother injured by three pit bulls in Delaware, on Wednesday. Kasii Haith and his mom, Kiesha (Kyeisha) Haith, 24, of Camden were visiting a friend in Kent County when the boy, who had been playing with the dogs, was attacked about 4 p.m. Investigators said Kiesha Haith - who is several months pregnant - looked out the window to check on her son who was alone with the dogs in the unfenced yard. Kasii Haith and his mom, Kiesha Haith, 24, of Camden, Delaware, were visiting a friend when the boy, who had been playing with the dogs, was viciously attacked on Wednesday . When she saw her son being attacked she immediately ran out to save him, while her friend called 911. Kiesha Haith was bit numerous times on both arms, according to police. Two repairmen from Ambient Heating and Cooling working at the house also tried to help her defend her son, reports Delawareonline. They tried ‘fending off the animals with PVC piping and assisting the mother from the attacking dogs,’ said Master Corporal Gary Fournier of Delaware State Police. Emergency services also responded to the scene and began first aid on Kasii before he was pronounced dead. The dogs will be euthanized and their remains tested for rabies, none of them had been vaccinated, spayed or neutered . The boy's body has been turned over to . the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to conduct an autopsy to rule . the exact cause and manner of death. Kiesha Haith was . transported to Kent General Hospital where she is being treated . for her injuries as well as observation due to pregnancy. The boy had been around the dogs 'numerous times in the past' without incident, said Fournier. Delaware Animal Care and Control officers haven taken possession of the dogs, which will be euthanized. Their remains will then be tested for rabies. None of the dogs had been vaccinated, spayed or neutered, said officials. The attack happened at the Kent County, Delaware, home of a friend of Kiesha Haith who owned the three pitbulls . | Kasii Haith, 4, died tragically after he was left alone playing with three pitbulls .
His mom, Kiesha Haith, who is pregnant, was bitten on both arms as she tried to save her son's life .
The boy had been around the dogs 'numerous times in the past' without incident, said police .
The dogs will be euthanized and their remains tested for rabies, none of them had been vaccinated, spayed or neutered . |
196,652 | 8a7d9747aaa75af80812b355b0dd3df17ebf0957 | Branded: BBC's Neil Oliver in a Berghaus jacket . The BBC has been accused of allowing its presenters to advertise Berghaus clothing by ‘the back door’ – after negotiating a deal to buy jackets at a 45 per cent discount. The Corporation has spent thousands kitting out staff on its most popular programmes in a range of the brand’s latest jackets and fleeces. Presenters such as BBC news anchor George Alagiah and diplomatic correspondent Peter Hunt have been seen in the jackets bearing the brand’s red and blue logo alongside the name Berghaus. Regional reporters Jon Kay, Alex Bushill and Fiona Trott, science host Professor Brian Cox and Coast presenter Neil Oliver have also worn them on screen. BBC editorial guidelines state that staff should adhere to a set of strict rules banning them from the on-screen promotion of products or brands. The reason for Berghaus’s on-screen popularity is the BBC’s massive discount on the brand. But MPs accused the Corporation of ‘advertising by the back door’ and many licence fee payers have aired their concerns on internet message boards. One wrote: ‘The advertising of products or the deliberate, prominent display of commercial brand logos whilst on-screen by BBC personnel is forbidden by the Corporation.’ Another wrote: ‘Why do I keep seeing . TV presenters wearing Berghaus coats? Just seen one with the Berghaus . logo on one side and BBC on the other. What’s this shameless advertising . on the Beeb?’ The Mail on . Sunday can reveal through the Freedom of Information Act that the BBC . bought 169 jackets from Berghaus during the last financial year. When bought in shops, the waterproof jackets cost between £85 and £320. Logos: Jon Kay (left) and George Alagiah are seen with the distinctive motifs . But the BBC has negotiated a deal to . purchase the items for a corporate discount worth a minimum of 45 per . cent, although bigger discounts may apply. The jackets were given out free of . charge to staff on location, but the Corporation refused to say how much . it has spent on them and who received them. Estimates based on an average-priced . jacket costing £200 would put the figure at more than £18,500 in the . past year, including the discount. The . special deal has been in existence since 2005 – prompting speculation . the BBC has actually spent much more on clothing since it came into . place. As part of a separate deal, BBC staff are already entitled to purchase Berghaus items personally at a discount of 45 per cent. 'Clearly the licence fee payers don't benefit from this arrangement' Last night the Corporation insisted it had no arrangement to advertise any brand of clothing via on-screen presenters. But Tory MP Philip Davies, a member of the Commons media select committee, said: ‘It is inappropriate for any relationship to exist between the BBC and any commercial organisation wanting to advertise through the back door, and this appears to be a case of just that. 'Clearly the licence fee payers don’t benefit from this arrangement in any way.’ Liberal Democrat culture spokesman . Don Foster said: ‘The BBC should be squeaky clean about any commercial . arrangements it enters into, particularly if the products might be seen . on screen.’ In March, Berghaus made clear on its website that it has no advertising deal with the BBC. The brand was founded in 1966 by Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison, two climbers and mountaineers from the North East. Berghaus Brigade: Peter Hunt, Alex Bushill and Fiona Trott spotted on screen . Frustrated by what they saw as a lack of decent outdoor gear, they decided to import and sell their own. In 1972 they began designing and manufacturing their own products in a shop in Newcastle under the brand name ‘Berghaus’ – meaning ‘mountain house’ in German. The firm still has its headquarters in Sunderland. Last night the BBC said: ‘Berghaus is one of a number of suppliers of clothing used by the BBC. It would be wrong to suggest the BBC ever agrees to clothing discounts in exchange for on-air promotion.’ The BBC Trust said it had received no complaints on the issue. Berghaus said: ‘No advertising or sponsorship deal exists between the BBC and Berghaus as this would break the BBC’s editorial guidelines. ‘It is common practice for us to agree favourable trade terms for broadcasters such as the BBC, and for individual staff.’ The North Face: BBC newsreader Evan Davis . This is not the first time questions have been asked about the BBC’s use of branded clothing on screen. There was a similar ‘product . placement’ controversy in 2008 when several high-profile presenters made . regular appearances in outdoor clothing showing The North Face’s logo. Economics editor Evan Davis, business . presenter Declan Curry, Newsnight’s David Grossman, Paris correspondent . Clive Myrie and transport correspondent Tom Symonds were all criticised . for wearing the distinctive American brand on camera. There was yet another controversy over BBC attire worn by staff at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Presenters including Clare Balding . were seen by millions wearing jackets bearing the letter K – the logo of . Kjus, one of the skiing world’s most expensive brands. | Presenters George Alagiah and Peter Hunt among those spotted on screen . |
185,968 | 7cd45031e4b7eae213c2de93ec6c550474dd3ea3 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 05:14 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:46 EST, 14 November 2013 . A terrified woman discovered a stranger has been repeatedly creeping in to her house when she checked her mobile phone - and found a picture of a man she'd never met, calmly sitting at her dining table. Chillingly, she realised the man was in her house at the same time she was home and had been there before - perhaps even as she showered. Susan (her name has been changed to protect her identity), from the Barbican area of Plymouth, Devon, said she would only feel safe in her own home again when the sinister man was found. Sinister: The picture of a strange man that a Plymouth woman found on her phone, taken in her house while she was home . The woman, who is in her 30s, said: 'In the picture he looks comfortable in my home. I showed the picture to friends and family and they are absolutely horrified. 'I think when the photo was taken I had been in the shower.' 'It took me a week before I could stay in the house again. I'm absolutely terrified. 'Now, every time I hear a noise I flinch. It's the fact that he sat at my dining table, while I was in the house and if it wasn't for him taking that picture I wouldn't have ever known. That's what frightened me the most. 'The creepiest thing was him not taking anything of worth, it's unnerving. I want to know who he is and why he came into my home. I won't feel safe until I know who he is.' The full image. Susan think he may have taken the image as she showered . The woman was stunned at the image, which shows her lounge from the dining table, complete with her handbag and the man captured in the mirror, and she tried to come up with an explanation. When she couldn't she made the horrible realisation the intruder was in as she was at home. He is bald, has a beard and appears to wear earrings and a ring on his wedding finger. She said: 'My bag was there and my phone. I don’t leave the house without them. The more I looked the more I genuinely didn’t know the guy. 'He hadn’t just been in my home, but he did it while I was there. The initial indicators that Susan’s home was being invaded began in late September after she and her teenage daughter decided to go on a healthy-eating diet. Packets of crisps and biscuits were off limits to them both but Susan began to notice pack after pack go missing. Her son, who has a stomach condition, was unlikely to be the culprit. She added: 'My daughter was at home a few hours before I came home from work and when I got back there would be crisps and chocolate missing. 'My daughter and I are dieting together and I'd accuse her of cheating, but she would insist she hadn't. 'Entire packs of biscuits would disappear and multipack crisps would turn into one single packet. I was convinced it was her. The Barbican area of Plymouth, Devon, where 'Susan' lives . 'Then a cousin asked me to put photos of my grandmother together for a collage and I went through my phone.' The woman, who is in her 30s, phoned police immediately and the following day had every locked in her flat changed - even installing a safety mechanism on her loft hatch. Since then no food has gone missing. 'All the locks have now been changed, there's bolts on the patio doors and I'm contemplating getting a dog,' she added. Police believe the photo was taken between October 9 and 11 and wish to speak to the man in relation to the offence of burglary. Anyone with information about the man should call police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting crime reference number EC/13/10533. Do you know this man? E-mail [email protected]. | She only discovered man had been in house after finding chilling image .
Mother discovered it 20 days after it was taken as she looked at pictures .
He was there at the same time as her - perhaps as she showered .
She was confused by missing food in her Plymouth home in recent weeks .
Susan (not her real name) says she can't relax until home invader is found . |
11,413 | 207801bc7ac4440dcaf12bb56182851d24e8a355 | Geography clearly isn’t his strong point but Jermain Defoe proved he still knows the route to goal. Having announced himself delighted to be in the USA when unveiled by Toronto FC last January, the 32-year-old was at it again — this time admitting he was stumped when asked to name the capital city of the country where he spent the best part of 12 months before his lucrative return to the Premier League. His failure to identify Ottawa in a match programme general knowledge quiz was one of the rare occasions the Sunderland forward put a foot wrong. Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe netted his first goal for the Black Cats against Burnley . Defoe is congratulated by Gus Poyet after being substituted in the 75th minute of the Premier League clash . Burnley are closing in on Birmingham City’s five-year-old Premier League record of 12 successive unchanged line-ups after Sean Dyche sent out the same starting XI for the ninth consecutive game. On the pitch, where it matters most, he underlined just how well he can navigate his way into the danger areas of the opponents’ penalty box. Sunderland were already a goal to the good through Connor Wickham’s early header when Defoe engineered space to convert Patrick van Aanholt’s cross as Gus Poyet’s side earned only a second home league win of the season. Having been a regular scorer on debut for his previous clubs, Defoe had to wait until his third game with his latest club to open his account. ‘As a forward you’re just waiting to get that first goal,’ he said. ‘We created plenty of chances and I felt a lot sharper because of the games I’ve now played.’ Defoe, pictured with his Sunderland team-mates, has revealed he is starting to regain his sharpness . | Jermain Defoe scored his first Sunderland goal since January switch .
He failed to name the capital city of Canada during his time at Toronto .
Sunderland picked up all three points with 2-0 win against Burnley . |
44,654 | 7dda4463b72663ff1364a66f552c258b9a071d8c | By . Michael Seamark . PUBLISHED: . 09:35 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:43 EST, 12 December 2012 . Rebekah Brooks received £10.8million after resigning as chief executive of News International . Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks walked away with almost £11million when she resigned at the height of the phone-hacking scandal. Her pay-off when she quit as chief executive of News International last year was initially believed to be £3.5million, then reportedly £7million. But accounts published yesterday by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation revealed the true sum was significantly higher and will continue to grow. They reveal that Mrs Brooks, a close ally of Murdoch and friend of David Cameron, received £10.8million as ‘compensation for loss of office.’ The sum – which dwarfs the £2 million compensation paid by News International to the family of Milly Dowler for hacking her phone – includes ‘various ongoing benefits’ including funding a London office and staff for two years. Mrs Brooks will also have ‘all legal and other professional costs’ relating to the court cases she is fighting paid for ‘until those investigations are concluded’. The accounts note that the company expects more costs will be incurred. The former executive denies three sets of charges. She has been accused of conspiring with her husband, Charlie, and others to pervert the course of justice. She is also facing charges of conspiring to intercept the voicemails of individuals. Earlier this month Mrs Brooks appeared at the Old Bailey, alongside Mr Cameron’s former spin doctor Andy Coulson, another ex-editor of the News of the World, over alleged illegal payments to public officials. The editor of The Times, James Harding, quit yesterday. He said: ‘It has been made clear to me News Corporation would like to appoint a new editor.’ Mrs Brooks was a close ally of Mr . Murdoch and part of the 'Chipping Norton set' which also includes Mr . Cameron and Jeremy Clarkson. She edited the News of the World and the Sun before becoming chief executive of News International in 2009. She was thought to have been instrumental in securing The Sun's backing for the Conservatives in the 2010 general election. Mr . Cameron faced repeated criticism for getting too close to the Murdoch . empire and his friendship with Mrs Brooks, and her husband Charlie who . he went to Eton with. Last . month Lord Justice Leveson's report into media standards found Mr . Cameron's closeness to senior media executives like Rebekah Brooks had . created a problem of ‘public perception’. The report said: 'Mr Cameron went to great lengths . to secure meetings face-to-face with Mr Murdoch and other News . International executives and editors. ‘The benefits of this may have played some part in the outcome but should not be overestimated.' Mrs Brooks is understood to have been a key ally in persuading Mr Murdoch to back the Tories at the 2010 election. Her husband Charlie (left) was at Eton with David Cameron . He added: ‘The evidence does not, of course, establish anything resembling a . ‘deal’ whereby News International’s support was traded for the . expectation of policy favours.’ Giving . evidence to the Leveson Inquiry - set up in response to the phone . hacking scandal - she revealed details of text messages she had . exchanged with the Prime Minister. One, . from October 2009, referred to having 'country suppers' and wished him . good luck for his speech at the Tory party conference. 'I . am so rooting for you tomorrow not just as a proud friend but because . professionally we're definitely in this together! Speech of your life! Yes he Cam!' Mrs Brooks was a key ally of Rupert Murdoch, editing his flagship red top papers before becoming chief executive of News International . It also emerged that Mr Cameron ended . his messages with 'LOL', until it was pointed out that it was textspeak . for 'Laugh Out Loud' and not 'Lots of Love'. However . their relationship soured after details of alleged phone hacking at the . News of the World emerged in the summer of 2011, and the Prime Minister . lead calls for her to resign. In . an internal email to staff she announced she was standing down saying: . 'I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt. 'I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist.' David Cameron and Mrs Brooks were close friends but their relationship became the source of embarrassment for the Prime Minister when it emerged he signed off texts 'LOL' thinking it stood for 'Lots Of Love' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Former News International chief executive was forced to quit at the height of the phone hacking scandal .
NI Group accounts reveal £10.852million 'compensation for loss of office'
She will also have legal costs covered in two court cases, over alleged payments to public officials and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice .
Firm gave £2million to the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler whose phone was hacked .
Editor of The Times, owned by Murdoch, resigns . |
46,670 | 837dc446dd7f8f3f3aec75c7b5cc153e1cddd6af | By . Declan Taylor . Arsene Wenger will sit down with Jack Wilshere this week to talk about the player’s conduct during his post-World Cup holiday in Las Vegas. Wilshere risked the wrath of Wenger when he was pictured smoking and drinking in a swimming pool in Las Vegas last week as he partied with England goalkeeper Joe Hart. Wenger condemned Wilshere’s conduct back in November when the 22-year-old was photographed smoking a cigarette during a night out and warned the youngster it would ‘damage his reputation’. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Wenger talking about Wilshere smoking and the season ahead . Controversy: The England midfielder was seen smoking a cigar and cigarettes given to him by his brother . Stroller: Arsene Wenger ahead of Saturday's pre-season game between Arsenal and Boreham Wood . And now the Arsenal manager will see his midfielder to get to the bottom of what happened in America — but insisted he is not ‘deeply concerned’ by his actions. Wenger said: ‘I haven’t spoken to him so it’s very difficult for me to make any statement. I know what you can make of the pictures. ‘I have to speak to him before I come out publicly. We will speak this week. I am not deeply concerned by it but I just want to know what happened.’ Mentor: Wilshere has been playing at Arsenal under Wenger for many years . Back in action: Wilshere returned to pre-season training early with team-mate Theo Walcott . Wenger did admit that next season could be make-or-break for Wilshere, saying: ‘He is at an age where you want him to move forward. He has potential. I believe, for him, what is most important is to have a good preparation and focus on getting really fit. 'Jack is a great player, has a football brain and is ambitious. I’m sure if he can stay injury-free he can have a great season.’ | Wenger will sit down with Wilshere this week to talk about player's conduct .
Wilshere pictured smoking and drinking in a swimming pool in Las Vegas .
Arsenal manager fears that the midfielder is damaging his reputation . |
130,989 | 355fc17687717c3d6ca5774be8812ffa7287af87 | By . Craig Hope . Follow @CraigHope_DM . Alan Pardew expects more signings at Newcastle this summer and is backing Facundo Ferreyra to win a permanent stay after arriving on a season-long loan from Shakhtar Donetsk. The Argentinian made his debut for the Magpies in Sunday's impressive 3-1 victory over Schalke in Gelsenkirchen. There is a deal in place to sign Ferreyra for around £6million at the end of the season and Pardew believes the 23-year-old – who top scored in his homeland with 17 goals for Velez Sarsfield in 2013 - will prove a hit in the Premier League. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Newcastle have greater attacking threat - Pardew . Improvement: Pardew is still keen to dip into the transfer market with a month remaining . New man: Facundo Ferreyra made his debut for Newcastle having only signed on Sunday morning . VIDEO Newcastle have greater attacking threat - Pardew . 'We think he is a player who will grow and we have the option to take him on a permanent basis,' said Pardew. 'We believe he will show the form from Argentina in the Premier League with us. '(Fabricio) Coloccini is well aware of him and he had a big influence in Argentina. He went to Ukraine but didn't get many chances, he'll get more chances with us.' Pardew, though, has not ruled out another entry into the transfer market and Sunderland's Connor Wickham could emerge as a target. Big impression: Young winger Aarons, who scored one goal and made another, celebrates in Gelsenkirchen . The 21-year-old was given an ultimatum by boss Gus Poyet last week to sign a new contract or face being sold. However, Sportsmail can reveal that no deal has been put in front of Wickham and United are aware of the situation. And Pardew added: 'We've always maintained that we will watch the window until the last hours. 'We've done some terrific business and I think it must be exciting for Newcastle fans that we've got some terrific, offensive players. 'I feel much more comfortable with the team and we can play a brand of football which is expected of us. 'I think we could really trouble teams this season, which is something we didn't do in the second half of last season.' Wait and see: No new deal has been put in front of Sunderland striker Connor Wickham, alerting Newcastle . The victory over Schalke included goals from Emmanuel Riviere, Rolando Aarons and France international Remy Cabella. But it was 18-year-old Aarons – a Jamaican winger who also qualifies for England – who stole the show. 'The real highlight of pre-season has been Rolando and he was terrific again,' Pardew said. 'It's nice to see a young player really pushing and I thought he caused real problems for Schalke – long may that continue.' | Pardew confident Argentinian Ferreyra will stay permanently .
Newcastle boss wants more signings before the transfer window closes .
Sportsmail understands Connor Wickham has had no contract offer from Sunderland, and has emerged as a Newcastle target .
Newcastle beat Schalke 3-1 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday . |
115,082 | 20850a3f0625243bfb4f383e892bf45f146ec111 | (CNN) -- When I was a teenager in Toronto, I would spend time with my father watching tennis on television. This is how we bonded. We weren't a sporty family but tennis was a sport my dad loved to watch. He still does. It was through my dad's enthusiasm that I started to recognize the players he would paint as personalities, not just athletes. And there was always one that stood out for my dad: Ivan Lendl. On the court, Ivan Lendl was a quiet but immense force, a counterpoint to John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, the all-American tennis heroes. Growing up in communist Czechoslovakia he appeared to be the opposite of these talented but at times histrionic players. So different in demeanor and background that that it lead Sports Illustrated in 1987 to describe him as "the champion that nobody cares about." Lendl was happy for McEnroe and Connors to take the spotlight choosing instead to let his game do the talking. My father would point this out and say "look at him always keeping his cool, that's what makes him great." For this man from Ostrava, a city near the Czech-Polish border, focusing on the game was all he knew. Both his parents were successful players; his mother was ranked 2nd in the country, his father 15th. "I just hung around the older kids and snuck onto the court and that's how I got into it," he told me. "There was not much hope in Czechoslovakia growing up without doing great at sports so I think that was a motivation for a lot of the tennis players at the time." When he was 21 he moved to the U.S. and just three years later he won his first Grand Slam title at the 1984 French Open where he defeated McEnroe in five sets. "I don't remember much of it," he said during our interview. "I was very tired. We both were. I just know that throughout the fifth set I felt I should take advantage of it because with John you could never underestimate him because of his strength." And that was just the beginning. In his career, Lendl would go on to win 94 career singles titles including 8 Grand Slam tournaments, and would spend 270 weeks as No.1. Only Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have beaten that record. Today the 53-year-old is best known for being the coach of the current World No. 3, Andy Murray. The main thing he imparts to the British player is preparation. Win or lose, if you're prepared and you do your best no one can take that away from you. "You just train and through training and repetition you hit the shot and execute it so many times that all of a sudden you can do it under pressure and that's where the confidence comes from," he said. I asked him if a champion or greatness is something that can be taught. He said it all just comes down to "a lot of work, a lot of talent, a lot of luck." Before winning the Olympic gold medal and U.S. Open title last year many had questioned Murray's self-confidence. But Lendl believes that while mental strength is key, so are stamina and physical strength. "These days if the top guys don't play their best in the early rounds they can lose," he said. Away from the tennis court and coaching, this father of five spends time with his other love: golf. Believe it or not when it comes to competing Lendl says he still feels nervous. "It's because I care. If you don't get nervous, you don't care about how you do," he said. Two of his daughters also play golf -- choosing it over tennis partly because of the pressure of having to live up to the Lendl name. His advice to them is the same advice his gives Murray: "When it's going good take it and be humble and when it's not going good, accept it as well and just keep training. Stay level-headed either way. Don't get too high or too low." Similar words my father often told me. Meeting Lendl became more than an interview. It was an opportunity to bring to life a man my father always loved watching and in doing so reliving a time I treasure today. | Ivan Lendl spent 270 weeks as the world's top tennis player in the 1980s .
"A lot of work, a lot of talent, a lot of luck" is what's needed to be the best, he says .
Lendl is now coach of Andy Murray, current world number 3 .
Admits he still gets nervous when competing in tennis or golf, his other passion . |
185,370 | 7c1a0dd74f575e428ae220faa032429797de6bbb | By . Wills Robinson . Two teenage gang members have been jailed for a total of more than ten years after a 15-year-old schoolboy was repeatedly stabbed for his Beats headphones. James Rawlinson, 18, from Liverpool, knifed the schoolboy repeatedly while his fellow 'Fernhill Gang' member Stephen Martin, 19, stole the victim's headphones, which are worth more than £200. The youngster was making his way to his gradmother's house along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, an area controlled by the 'Lineacre Gang', when he came across three thugs who then called their friends for support. James Rawlinson, 18, left, stabbed the schoolboy multiple times while he was walking along the Leeds-Liverpool canal before Stephen Martin stole his Beats Dr Dre headphones . Nine gang members then surrounded the helpless boy and asked him whether he was associated with their rivals. Martin demanded that he hand over his headphones or he would stab him. He tried to escape but Rawlinson, who was 17 at the time, stabbed him in the chest and back, while another gang member threw a brick which hit him in the face. The boy staggered to his grandmother's house leaving a trail of blood, and was rushed to Alder Hey children's hospital. The helpless youngster was taken to Alder Hay Hospital in Liverpool suffering from a punctured lung . Rawlinson continued to punch the boy until someone shouted that they knew the victim was no longer a member of their rival gang. Simon Driver, prosecuting, said: 'In the months before these events, the south Sefton area was blighted by several incidents of violence involving feuding gangs. Martin admitted robbery and Rawlinson pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on the second day of their trial at Liverpool Crown Court. 'He did not align himself with either party but had friends in both geographical areas.' Rawlinson was jailed for eight years as a result of the attack in November 2012 and was branded a dangerous offender after carrying out the brutal attack which left the schoolboy with a punctured lung. Sentencing the pair at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Robert Trevor Jones said: 'The incident overall was very disturbing and shocking indeed' And Martin was sent to a young offenders' institution for two years and three months after stealing the boy's headphones. Judge Robert Trevor Jones said: 'The incident overall was very disturbing and shocking indeed. 'And, I hardly need to add, utterly terrifying for your victim. 'He was just 15, going about his business of visiting family, but was unfortunate enough to walk into an area where both of you - forming part of a gang - felt he had no business being. 'Nine of you against one 15-year-old lad.' The judge also said that Rawlinson represented a danger and added a four-year extended licence to his sentence. | James Rawlinson, 18, carried out 'terrifying attack' on Leeds-Liverpool canal .
Knifed schoolboy in the chest and back, giving him a punctured lung .
Helpless boy was on the way to his grandmother's house in the area .
Fellow gang member Stephen Martin, 19, then took headphones .
The youngster was also hit in the face with a brick during the ordeal . |
287,075 | fff34e3648411cb47a6c60d536535ad2766d7bec | A mother has been arrested after she allegedly forced her young daughter to take pornographic photographs of her to send to her inmate fiancé. Jodi Roberts, from Wabash Valley, Indiana, is facing a federal charge of conducting a performance harmful to minors after making her nine-year-old child take naked pictures of her in sexually graphic poses, authorities said. Roberts' actions were discovered when prison guards opened a letter containing the lewd pictures that was addressed to her fiancé Jeremiah LaMaster last week. Scroll down for video . JAllegations: Jodi Roberts, from Indiana, is facing charges after she allegedly made her daughter take lewd pictures of the woman to send to her fiancé in jail. It is not known if this is the child . Arrested: Jodi Roberts is facing federal charges after she allegedly made her young daughter take sexually graphic pictures of her . Roberts, a gas station cashier, is due to appear in court over the charge but a date has not yet been set. It is not known who is taking care of the nine-year-old girl. Roberts also appears to have a young son. Her 24-year-old fiancé was arrested in May and charged with felony aggravated battery. He was involved in a 45-minute stand-off with police in Terre Haute as they tried to arrest him in May. Lamaster was previously convicted of reckless homicide and is known to police as a repeat offender. He is being held on $100,000 bail at Vigo County Jail and is due in court on July 23. Jail birds: Roberts and her fiancé Jeremiah Lemaster are both currently behind bars in Indiana . Lock-up: Lamaster is currently in jail for allegedly stabbing someone in May . | Jodi Roberts, from Wabash Valley, Indiana, is facing federal charges . |
242,356 | c5b076a99a1db531e8378efdd74fed4dd09e0c0c | Britain is only days away from getting rid of Abu Hamza after the hook-handed cleric lost his final appeal against extradition. The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights brings an end to a legal saga which has lasted eight years and cost the taxpayer more than £1million. Delighted Home Secretary Theresa May wants Hamza – viewed as one of the world’s most dangerous preachers of hate – to now be put on a plane to America ‘as soon as possible’. Kicked out: The ruling brings an end to a legal saga over Abu Hamza which has lasted eight years and cost more than $1.5million . In previous cases, suspects have been booted out within two weeks of losing their last appeal. Hamza, who earned global notoriety . for his fanatical sermons outside the Finsbury Park mosque in North . London, is wanted by the US authorities for plotting to set up a jihadi . training camp in the state of Oregon. He and four other alleged terrorists . had complained that jail terms of up to 50 years in the US without . parole breached their right to be protected from ‘inhuman or degrading . treatment’. In April, the European Court of Human . Rights – after two years of hugely expensive deliberation – rejected . this argument. But the men were allowed to make a final plea for the . grand chamber of the Strasbourg court to re-open the case. Last night, . judges also threw this out. There are now no more legal steps they can . take in Europe to halt extradition. They can expect to be placed in immediate custody as soon as they set foot on American soil. The verdict is a relief to the . Government, which had feared that the judges would block extradition . altogether, forcing it to release Hamza back on to the streets. Hamza is also accused by the US of conspiring to take Western hostages in the Yemen and funding terrorism. Also facing extradition are Babar . Ahmad and Talha Ahsan, who are accused of conspiracy to commit terrorist . atrocities overseas and supporting terrorist groups, and Khalid . al-Fawwaz, who is considered one of the US’s most wanted terrorists . suspects. Al-Fawwaz, allegedly a close . associate of Osama bin Laden, was arrested in connection with bomb . attacks on two US embassies in east Africa which killed more than 260 . people in 1998. The fifth man who can be removed, . Adel Abdul Bary, is also wanted in connection with the embassy bombings . and has been in prison for 13 years. The total bill for extraditing the men is estimated to be more than £4million. Worshippers: Hamza (pictured centre, wearing blue) earned global notoriety for his vile sermons outside the Finsbury Park Mosque in London . Hamza was first arrested at the . request of the US in May 2004 but the extradition was halted when the UK . decided to charge him on allegations relating to his sermons. In 2006, he was jailed for seven years . for preaching hate and inciting murder at Finsbury Park Mosque. The . extradition proceedings resumed once Hamza became eligible for release. He arrived in Britain more than 30 . years ago and has seven children from a second marriage. In the late . 1980s, he headed to Afghanistan but returned a few years later having . lost an eye and both hands – allegedly blown off by a mine. Last night, a Home Office spokesman . said: ‘The Home Secretary welcomes today’s decision. We will work to . ensure that the individuals are handed over to the US authorities as . quickly as possible.’ | Ends eight-year legal saga costing UK taxpayer £1m .
Hamza known for sermons near Finsbury Park Mosque .
Judges in Strasbourg threw out bid to reopen case . |
226,015 | b0aee556b2f72c3132934e838e070d73e5b5ebe1 | (CNN) -- It has been 20 years since best-selling crime writer Patricia Cornwell began work on her first novel in the series chronicling the cases of forensic analyst Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Now, both have found celebrity. Cornwell's latest novel, "The Scarpetta Factor," places her enduring heroine in a role the author knows all too well, a pop culture celebrity sought-after for her expertise. In an interview with CNN.com, Cornwell discussed the challenges of staying fresh, the need for happy endings and the merits of the History Channel and the movie "White Chicks." CNN: The title of your new book, "The Scarpetta Factor," has many meanings. Can you tell me about some of them? Cornwell: On the one hand, it's a very direct reference to the fact she's the chief forensic analyst for CNN in this book. But while she's doing the on-air spots, they decide they want her to have her own show and that's what they call it, "The Scarpetta Factor," which is a reference to a cliché that's beginning to float around, that there's one element that she can add that will solve the case like she's Sherlock Holmes. This becomes very upsetting to her, first of all, because it's a cliché and the scientist in her doesn't think she has a special factor, she's a scientist. It begins to pose problems for her because even some colleagues and friends start to wonder if she's begun to believe her own legend and make mistakes. With her years of experience and high level of visibility and exceptional grasp of the criminal world, she would be asked to be on major shows. When someone like Michael Jackson dies or Caylee Anthony disappears, that's the obvious thing that would happen. People would say, I wonder what Scarpetta has to say. I'm trying to put her in the world we live in. CNN: Why did you choose CNN? Cornwell: It would make perfect sense that she would sit on the set with Anderson Cooper or Wolf Blizter and be asked relevant questions from a hard news angle. It's one [network] she would go on and there's lots she wouldn't go on. CNN: How have things changed since you published your first novel? Cornwell: When I was shopping my first book around, it was rejected by the major publishing houses and that was because a lot of people didn't think morgues and labs were interesting, and that's a huge statement about how things have changed. I remember one time, I called my literary agent at that time, and I said I was in a toxicology lab, and she said, I hate talking to you because you're always in these awful places. Forensic science was not viewed as cool, as it is today. CNN: Are there any on-air personalities we might recognize in "The Scarpetta Factor?" Cornwell: When she is up at CNN for a scene when she's on a fictitious show, she walks past posters of Nancy Grace and Lou Dobbs and Wolf Blitzer because she's up on that floor, so I do make real references to people, but the characters, the producers, none are real and they're not based on anybody I met or know. CNN: How much of yourself do you see in Kay Scarpetta? Over the years, have you grown into her or has she grown into you? Cornwell: Only insofar as we have the same values and sensibilities and perhaps the same approach to solving cases. I'm imposing the way my mind works in terms of connecting the dots, but beyond that, there are huge differences between us. She's a standalone character. I would feel very self-conscious and bored if she was a projection of me. I have certain things in common with all my characters. Like Marino, I can be a slob and sometimes say stupid things and rush to judgment. CNN: You're known for doing a lot of research on the ground to give your stories depth and realism. Where did your research for "The Scarpetta Factor" take you? Cornwell: I've certainly been in the CNN studios so that's helpful. When I was there over in the last year, I made a mental note of everything I saw while walking around so I could create the studio in the novel. I also spent lot of time with the NYPD, their bomb squad, their emergency unit, the Real Time Crime Center, so I could describe the amazing way computers are used to transmit data to police responding to a call. I spent time at the NYPD crime lab, the New York Medical Examiner's office, so I can show Scarpetta actually working there. The scene in the elevator in the beginning and the way people ID loved ones is based on what happens. Even the technology of the electronic nose, the mechanical sniffer that takes the place of cadaver dogs, is based on things I've seen. My research also included looking into the methods and means criminals are using, like TracFones, spoofcards and the different ways to disguise IP addresses. CNN: How has the CSI factor affected your research for your books? Cornwell: I think people are so inundated with this sort of detail that I don't want to make the story just about forensics. The people and their relationships are the heart of my books, the forensics are something they wear like an old pair of shoes. I'll always show you the latest and greatest forensic science and technology, but I can't show it all, so it's very important that I make things interesting in different ways. In the early to mid-'90s, up to the late '90s when I was coming out with new books, I was the only show in town and all of the sudden now they're everywhere, and I don't have any problem with that because I don't own forensics or forensic pathology. CNN: In your opinion, what has been the greatest change in forensic science since Scarpetta started out? Cornwell: DNA has changed our lives forever, just like the Internet has changed our lives, there's no going back to pre-DNA or pre-Internet. I would say both of those. The Internet has dramatically changed everything because it's creating a whole new wave of crimes that our laws and the courts don't know how to deal with. DNA analysis and the ultra-sensitivity of it: When you're dealing with some types of DNA, you only need three or four human cells to get a DNA profile, which is something that can't even see with the naked eye, so that helps investigators but it also creates a whole other set of problems. They're saying there will be a point when you can get DNA just from someone walking in the room, and you can see the problems if you have 20 people walk into a room and only one did something bad. Defense lawyers are going to have a field day with that. CNN: What do you want people to take away from this novel? I'd like them to take away an idea of how someone like Scarpetta deals with being in the same world you and I wake up to. Now she has a BlackBerry and she has to deal with it, which poses as many problems as it offers benefits. I want people to feel happy ending the book. We need to feel good right now, there's a lot to feel bad about and that's something I decided with the last book, I didn't want people to be depressed when they finished it. I used to write very dark books but we lived in happier times. Now, the goal is to scare you, lead you into suspense but when you finish, I want you to feel happy. CNN: What current cases in the news fascinate you? How much attention do you pay to crime and justice news? Cornwell: I'm fascinated by the Michael Jackson situation and the people who disappear and get abducted, all of it fascinates me in terms of the psychology involved and what science might tell us. I'm always frustrated because I love to know what's behind the scenes. I've been following Michael Jackson because it seems so unnecessary, an example of people who should've said no and not taken it upon themselves to solve a problem. I've also been interested in the case in Italy with the American on trial for murder. That is intriguing from a forensic standpoint because I think all of us would like to know more about the evidence and what's there to piece together that could tell us what happened. I'm afraid that because of how much time has passed and how the case was handled that a lot of the answers are gone and the kind of evidence that was collected could have been handled differently, . CNN: What do you like to watch? Cornwell: I don't watch crime dramas. I don't want to subconsciously get ideas from their shows. I try to keep my mind blank, and keep the influence of my own research, so I don't tend to watch crime dramas or crime movies. I rarely read crime novels because my work is so steeped in nonfiction, so I try to keep my mind free of those ideas. What I watch is the nonfiction, documentary type things, shows that depict real crimes that happened. I like the History Channel and I will watch reruns of "The Sopranos" until I'm 90 years old. I like comedy, stuff that's mindless. I don't watch stuff that scares me or makes me sad. There's enough of that in real life. CNN: What's the last movie you saw? Cornwell: The last movie I saw was a rerun of "White Chicks." How's that to people who think I have this very esoteric repertoire? I think it's a hilarious movie. ... Will Ferrell, I love his stuff, Ben Stiller, I really enjoy comedy, especially stuff that's kind of warmhearted in its own way. I don't like stuff that's really scary. I've seen so much stuff that's real. Blood is always real to me. If they ever make a real movie of Scarpetta, I may not be able to watch it. | Author Patricia Cornwell talks about Kay Scarpetta, fame and forensics .
In latest book, Scarpetta is CNN's chief forensic analyst .
Cornwell says she works hard to keep up with scientific advances .
She says she doesn't watch crime shows or scary movies . |
247,916 | cccf80136b6d00bec5a77a1f19642771ae37d9da | Most people get attached to a teddy bear when they are small, but the relationship between people and teddy bear appears to prevail throughout adulthood. An estimated two-and-a-half million teddy bears now have social profiles, according to a new survey. And perhaps surprisingly, men are twice as likely to set up a profile for a teddy bear friend, online. An estimated two-and-a-half million teddy bears now have social profiles and men are twice as likely to set up a profile for their childhood toy, online, according to a new study . A survey by Home furnishings company Ikea . into how the nation feels about their teddies revealed how important . Teddy Bears are to British life. The found that in the digital age, over 2.5 million people have created a profile for their teddy bears so they can embrace the world of social media with them. There are also a number of Twitter profiles that help people track down lost teddy bears around the world, which could prove a useful as according to the survey of 2,000 UK adults last month, the average British Teddy will travel 10,386.73 miles in its lifetime. Over 2.5 million people have created a profile for their teddy bears so they can embrace the world of social media with them, Ikea said. A selection of Tweets from 'teddy bears' are pictured . Just over half of Britons still hold on to their favourite childhood toy into adulthood. The research found that 41 per cent of children . take their soft toys everywhere they go, with nearly half of all UK . adults still taking their soft-toys abroad. Over a . quarter of children up to the age of 10 admit to taking their bears everywhere . they go. Men are twice as likely to set up a social media profile for their teddy bears, according to the study, which also said that around half of adults take a childhood toy on holiday with them . Just over half of Britons still hold on to their favourite childhood toy into adulthood. The Facebook profile of 'Bartie Bristle' is pictured . A spokesmen for Ikea said: 'Considering the finding that 18 per cent of British children have an imaginary friend it’s unsurprising that we are using social media to bring our imaginations to life.' Carol McSeveney, Children’s IKEA Manager in the UK, said: 'It’s clear that we are a nation of big kids who love our soft-toys; taking them everywhere we go, with over half of us still clinging on to them well into adulthood.' The company has brought out a range of soft toys to raise money for UNICEF and Save the Children. Since 2003, Ikea's Soft Toy Campaign has raised over £47million in a bid to help children living in poverty access an education. The average British Teddy will travel 10,386.73 miles in its lifetime. Pictured is a Twitter profile that helps reunite people with their teddy bears . | Men are twice as likely to set up a profile for a teddy bear on social media websites, according to a survey by Ikea .
Poll revealed half of all UK adults still take soft toys on holiday with them .
The average British teddy bear travels 10,386.73 miles in its lifetime . |
258,933 | db2214298482ecb4911be949e45421145e9d2aaa | (CNN) -- After three years in jail and a "trial of the century," Casey Anthony is free. But the 25-year-old Florida woman faces an uncertain future and an uphill battle as she re-enters society. Anthony was released from jail Sunday, 12 days after a jury acquitted her on murder and child neglect charges related to the 2008 death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. Following the polarizing verdict, public opinion was not on Anthony's side. The fact that she was given credit for time served on a four-year sentence for lying to police, allowing for her release this weekend, seems to have only added fuel to the fire. The "I hate Casey Anthony" Facebook page has more than 45,000 fans; the "F--- Casey Anthony" page has more than 775,000. There are more dedicated to keeping her from seeking refuge in Puerto Rico, Europe, Oregon, Texas and Virginia, among other locales. Death threats and unkind words abound in the social media realm, and in the real world, Anthony's civil attorney, Charles Greene, said he's received several death threats directed at his client. Is Casey Anthony in danger? Anthony is not the first acquitted defendant to face an unadmiring public upon her release. She's been compared to O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson and Mary Winkler, the Tennessee woman who served less than two months in jail on a manslaughter conviction for shooting her preacher husband. But even they had the benefit of a support network -- friends, family, entourage -- to help them get back on their feet (at least for a little while). "The first thing Casey Anthony needs to do is go to comfort zone and I don't know where that safe place, that happy place is for her. She's going to need counseling and comforting from others. The question for her is where will she find the others?" said defense lawyer Steve Farese Sr., who represented Mary Winkler in her 2007 trial. "My advice to her would be to grow up: you lost three years in prison, try to get your life on the right track. I'd advise her to move from the community in which she lived. I might even advise her to change her name and be careful who your friends are, because there will be people who want to latch on to her infamy." Plans for her release from the Orange County Booking and Release Center in Orlando reflected the extraordinary level of scrutiny that the case has received. Law enforcement didn't reveal the time of her release or her precise exit point from the sprawling facility. Three journalists -- one still photographer, one videographer and a print reporter -- were admitted into the facility Saturday night to document her release, but they weren't allowed to share any information until she left the grounds. Beyond that point, she was to be treated just like any other inmate leaving the custody of the state, Orange County Sheriff Jeffrey Demmings told reporters Thursday. "We will not be providing any elaborate security protection for Casey once she leaves," he said. "We don't pick up security concerns unless there's a credible threat." It's unclear where Anthony will head to first for comfort or support. She turned down a jailhouse visit from her mother after the verdict and her lawyers have implied that there's no reunion with her parents planned in the immediate future. No friends have come forward to publicly speak on her behalf. Her most vocal defenders have been her lawyers, who have expressed fear for her safety in light of public outrage over the verdict and sentence. "People support her more theoretically than personally. They'll say the verdict shows the system works, stop second-guessing it. That's the support she's receiving, rather than people supporting her personally or what she did," said California criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos, who represented convicted wife killer Scott Peterson in what was referred to at the time as the "trial of the century." The most apparent sign that she has any supporters comes from her jailhouse commissary account, which showed nearly $500 in donations from strangers across the United States and Canada. (The money paid for snacks like jalapeño nachos, peanut M&Ms and a strawberry toaster pastry, as well as cosmetics and toiletries: mascara, toothpaste and ponytail holders.) Otherwise, Anthony lacks the financial backing that allowed Simpson and Jackson to seek refuge in foreign countries while the heat died down. Simpson spent years resuscitating his career in Japan after he was acquitted of murder charges in the death of wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. Jackson wound up in Bahrain, at the invitation of the king's son, after his acquittal on child molestation charges. Anthony also lacks the support of friends, family and a group of sympathetic well-wishers that awaited Winkler upon her release from the mental health facility where she received treatment as part of her sentence. Winkler had a job at a laundromat in McMinnville, Tennessee, and a custody battle for her two daughters awaiting her. "The main thing that Mary had is, she had the goal of getting her children back. She had a purpose and when you have a purpose that keeps you going every day," said Farese, Winkler's attorney. Some certainties lie ahead for Anthony, all drawing her back into the justice system. Her lawyers have filed notices of intent to appeal her four misdemeanor convictions. The move is widely considered to be strategic, as it will allow her to claim her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in the various civil suits piling up against her. Among those parties is search and rescue group Texas EquuSearch, which claims that Anthony misled them into providing more than $112,000 in services in an unnecessary attempt to locate Caylee for months despite knowing she was dead. Anthony is also being sued for defamation by a woman named Zenaida Gonzalez. Anthony told investigators that was the name of Caylee's nanny and that the woman had taken her daughter. The judge handling the defamation lawsuit set Anthony's deposition for October 8, despite requests from attorneys for Gonzalez, who said they feared she might disappear after her release from jail. Apart from $537.68 she received from her inmate account, Anthony appears to be broke. Her lawyers declared her indigent before the trial began and have been defending her free of charge. But there could be money for her in her story down the road. Son of Sam laws, which prevent criminals from profiting off their crimes, would not apply to her. Could Casey Anthony get a reality show? Attorneys who spoke with CNN said they would not advise her against selling her story after the fervor has died down. "The problem is, people get antsy or feel like they've got to do something or monetize their 15 minutes. She doesn't immediately need to be doing interviews, photo shoots, anything to bring any attention to herself," Geragos said. "The public has a very short memory, and if she waits an appropriate period of time, people will move on to the next scandal du jour and she'll probably be able to build a life for herself sooner than she thinks." Really, Mr. Geragos? "Yes. Come September, when the Conrad Murray case comes along, people will be focused on that, or an arrest or trial will come soon that will eclipse this," he said. "I've seen too many so-called 'trials of the century' that happen biannually." | Casey Anthony lacks family, friends, supporters to help her get back on feet .
Most apparent sign of support comes from donors to her jailhouse commissary account .
Unlike Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson she doesn't have funds to flee country .
Lawyers say she should sell her story when fervor dies down . |
73,766 | d12a9a9073b55d7ab350499db978399efdfd1ba5 | Paul Casey tied the record for the best back-nine in PGA tour history as he catapulted himself into contention on day two of the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas. The Englishman was one over for the day and struggling to make the cut when he reached the turn but then fired six birdies and an eagle to come home in 27 and sit two shots behind American leader Brendon Todd on a congested leaderboard. Casey had fired a 71 on Thursday and after three bogeys and an eagle on the front nine, he was two over for the tournament as he stood on the tee at the 435-yard par-four 10th. Back in it: Casey's astonishing back nine put him right back in contention in Texas . In the lead: Brendon Todd made sure he was on top after two rounds by picking up two birdies late on . But he birdied that and the 11th and picked up further shots on 13,14 and 15 before an eagle on 16 and a closing birdie. That . made him just the eighth player in PGA tour history to shoot 27 over . nine holes and his score was just one shot worse than Corey Pavin's . front-nine record set at the U.S. Bank Championship in 2006. 'I had no concept of what I was doing,' Casey told www.pgatour.com. 'The seal was broken when I got to 10. It just spiraled from there. 'I like to think I would be pretty good at shooting low rounds of golf through the past but certainly nothing like that.' Todd, meanwhile, followed up an opening 68 with an impressive 64 to take a two-shot lead over a large group on six under. Eye on the ball: Martin Kaymer continued his recent good form and shares second place with Casey . The 28-year-old birdied seven, eight, 10, 11 and 13 before dropping his only shot of the day on the par-four 15th. At . that point he was part of a large leading pack on six under but picked . up shots on his final two holes to take a two-shot lead into the . weekend. Last . week's Players Championship winner Martin Kaymer was amongst the . chasing pack alongside Casey, Canadian duo Graham DeLaet and Mike Weir, . Australian Marc Leishman and Americans Morgan Hoffman, Tim Herron and . Charles Howell. Bunkered: Sweden's Peter Hanson plays a shot from the sand on the 12th hole during the second round . Two-time . Open champion Padraig Harrington was two shots further back after a . second consecutive 68 alongside American Matt Kuchar and South Africa's . Louis Oosthuizen. In-form . Jordan Spieth was in the group at three under, one shot clear of . overnight leader Peter Hanson who fired a disappointing 73. Another . former Open champion, David Duval, was just one shot off the lead after . the first day but was suffering with an elbow problem and missed the . cut by one shot after slipping to a 76 on Friday. Asked if the injury had impacted on his performance, Duval said: 'It did. To what degree, I don't know.' | Casey shot a back nine of just 27 - one shot off the PGA Tour record .
Englishman had been in danger of missing the cut at the turn .
Former World No 3 finally seems to be recovering his form .
American Brendon Todd leads after two rounds . |
260,476 | dd4efd3dfad685c015a52a0b49ac22df9289a9cc | By . Fiona Roberts . Last updated at 8:33 PM on 21st July 2011 . Pharmaceutical tycoon Jonah Shacknai had planned to propose to his beautiful girlfriend, who was found hanging naked from a second-floor balcony at his historic California mansion. A friend has revealed the millionaire wanted to 'spend the rest of his life' with Rebecca Nalepa, who died two days after Mr Shacknai's six-year-old son Max was fatally injured when he fell down the stairs. The news came a day after police revealed Mr Shacknai, who has been married twice before, had a stormy and violent relationship with his ex-wife, Max's mother Dina. Marriage plans: Jonah Shacknai reportedly told friends he 'wanted to spend the rest of his life' with Rebecca Nalepa, found dead last Wednesday . They repeatedly accused each other of physical and verbal abuse as their marriage broke down, and three times the fights became so violent they called police. Their six-year-old son died in hospital on Sunday, almost a week after he fell down the stairs while in Miss Nalepa's care. Last Wednesday she was found dead, hanging naked from a second-floor balcony with her hands and feet bound with orange electrical cord. San Diego police are still investigating the case, amid mounting speculation 32-year-old Miss Nalepa committed suicide out of grief for Max's death. Tragic death: Max Shacknai died in a San Diego hospital on Sunday after tumbling down the stairs at his father's 27-room mansion last week . She had been dating Mr Shacknai for two years, and last December quit her job as an ophthalmic technician to devote herself to him and his three children at his historic Spreckels mansion in the affluent Coronado suburb of San Diego. The 32-year-old had recently finalised her own divorce, and in May officially filed to revert back to her maiden name, Zahau. 'Bizarre' death: Rebecca Nalepa was found dead, hanging naked from a balcony with her hands and feet bound . A friend close to Mr Shacknai told Radar: 'It was a very serious relationship. There was a lot of love there. Jonah . had every intention of proposing to Rebecca. Jonah wanted to spend the . rest of his life with her.' Her sister, Mary Zahau-Loehner, has vehemently denied that her sister committed suicide, telling ABC: 'Rebecca was a beautiful, vibrant, loving and kind person and she would never do this to herself.' Today Reed Holman, a personal trainer . at Miss Nalepa's gym, echoed her words, saying: 'She had everything to . live for, she was young, fit and really beautiful.' But Mr Holman also speculated she might have been strong enough to carry out the bizarre suicide. He described Miss Nalepa, who was 5ft . 7ins, as a 'super-fit woman who definitely knew how to work out and . take care of her body.' She regularly visited the gym to train, most often alone but sometimes with her boyfriend. Stormy relationship: Jonah and Dina Shacknai called police three times with allegations of violent domestic disputes as their marriage broke down . He said: 'She was a strong woman. In my opinion she would have been capable of tying her feet and hands . together and hanging herself although I know this seems unlikely to a . lot of people. 'Whether she did or not I don’t really know because I’m not a detective - . it’s a really sad story all round because she seemed like a really . happy and responsive person.' Yesterday a source revealed Mr Shacknai and his ex-wife had donated Max's organs after his death. The friend said: 'Jonah and Dina were given some solace knowing that three families were able to avoid the horror they are going through.' Tragic home: The historic 27-room Spreckels mansion in Coronado, an affluent suburb of San Diego, where Jonah Shacknai's girlfriend was found hanging naked . Appalling accident: Max Shacknai fell down these stairs last week. He later died in hospital, just days after his father's girlfriend was found hanged . Mr Shacknai is now said to be 'in seclusion' as he mourns the loss of his son and his girlfriend. A source said: '[He] is absolutely inconsolable. Dealing with the loss of his only child and his girlfriend, it's just an epic tragedy.' Homicide Sergeant Roy Frank said police have now searched the house twice as they try to work out what happened to Miss Nalepa. He told The Arizona Republic: 'There are five possibilities in her death, and we know it wasn't natural or accidental. 'We don't want to say "undetermined" so that leaves homicide or suicide. We want to be very sure which one it was.' Police are also investigating reports that a loud party was held at the house the night after Max's fall, and just hours before Miss Nalepa died. | Jonah Shacknai 'wanted to spend the rest of his life' with Rebecca Nalepa .
Miss Nalepa's personal trainer says she was 'strong enough' to carry out the bizarre suicide .
Friend says tycoon is 'absolutely inconsolable' after death of Miss Nalepa and six-year-old son . |
202,983 | 92ccccdeeb62b357ca5a16e0332f59b29d8df5f3 | (CNN) -- Millions of migrant workers flood to the Middle East from some of the world's poorest countries in search of paid work they won't find at home. But for some, the journey doesn't end as they hope. Instead, they become victims of human trafficking, forced labor and sexual exploitation. The CNN Freedom Project: Join CNN's fight to end modern day slavery . A report released Tuesday by the International Labor Organization paints a horrifying picture of migrant workers who find themselves trapped in appalling conditions without any way to get out. "Our research team interviewed hundreds of workers and their experiences independent of country were very similar, actually," Beate Andrees, the report's author and head of the ILO's Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour, told CNN. "They were lured into jobs that either didn't exist or that were offered under conditions that were very different from what they were promised in the first place," she said. Data is scarce, but the ILO estimates as many as 600,000 people may be victims of forced labor across the Middle East. That equates to 3.4 in every 1,000 of the region's inhabitants being compelled to work against their free choice, the ILO said. The study, titled "Tricked and Trapped: Human Trafficking in the Middle East," is based on more than 650 interviews done over a two-year period in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. More than half of those interviewed for the study were migrant workers, the ILO said. The others included employers, government officials and representatives of employers' and workers' groups in the Middle East. "Labour migration in this part of the world is unique in terms of its sheer scale and its exponential growth in recent years," Andrees said. "The challenge is how to put in place safeguards in both origin and destination countries to prevent the exploitation and abuse of these workers." Low-skilled migrant workers are the most vulnerable to human trafficking and forced labor, whether at the hands of unscrupulous agents or individual employers, the report states. "Victims of trafficking usually have limited financial resources, incur debt and are poorly educated," it says. "At the same time, many are resilient and courageous women and men, who are aware of the possible risks of exploitation but, impelled by the lack of viable job opportunities at home and the pressing needs of their families, have nevertheless made their individual decisions to travel abroad in search of work." Confined, beaten, raped . Domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because their isolation in private homes, without inspections, makes them more vulnerable to exploitation and forced labor, the ILO said. Among the conditions they may face are: being denied proper time off; being confined to their place of work; being placed under surveillance; being made to live in degrading conditions, like sleeping in a kitchen or hallway; or having their identity papers confiscated or wages withheld so they can't leave. In more extreme cases, they may be subject to physical and sexual violence. A Filipina domestic worker in Lebanon told the ILO she was caught after trying to escape by climbing out over the balcony. "My employer broke my elbow and then tied my hands behind my back. They left me one day long in my room and put a camera there. He threatened me: 'I'll accuse you of stealing money and ask for my money back, and they will throw you in jail!'" she is quoted as saying. Another Filipina domestic worker interviewed in a detention center in Kuwait told the ILO that her employer had raped her. "I went to the doctors and filed a complaint at the police, and then returned to work the next day. He reported to the authorities that I had run away, and the police arrested me," she said. "My employer tells me that if I drop the rape charges, he will make sure that I am not deported." Even where anti-trafficking laws exist, prosecutions are few, so "there is little to deter others from confining migrant workers in exploitative situations against their will," the ILO points out. Sex brokers . Meanwhile, those who are coerced into sex work within the entertainment industry face a "real" risk of violence, detention or deportation, the report said. "Owners and managers of entertainment establishments, and sex brokers (pimps), do not hesitate to use threats of denunciation to the authorities and family repudiation, and actual psychological, physical and sexual violence, to intimidate their victims," the report says. "The impossibility of leaving the exploiter is entrenched by the fact that women known to have engaged in sex work have limited opportunities to secure income by other means." Asian and African women are particularly vulnerable to being deceived and coerced into sexual exploitation, the report said. Some are lured away from their original employers with promises of love or a better job, and then forced into sex work, while others are abducted on arrival and taken to underground brothels, or are tricked into thinking they have a job as a waitress or singer in a nightclub and then made to provide sexual services. In some cases, those running the sex rings are other migrant workers, often of the same nationality, the report said. Local sponsors may also be involved or turn a blind eye. "Even though prostitution is legally forbidden in most countries of the Middle East, the commercial sex industry employing foreign women is unofficially tolerated," the report said. In part, this is because demand for sexual services is stubbornly high. In addition to the local demand, there are also large numbers of male migrant workers who are away from home for long periods and cannot fulfill their natural sex drive by legitimate means, the report says. A Nepalese client of sex workers is quoted as saying: "I think the majority of women are forced to have sex. They are physically beaten, isolated and locked in the apartments. The clients are usually aware that the women are forced but are okay with this because they themselves are sexually deprived." Some girls from Middle Eastern countries who are forced into marriage are also pushed into prostitution by their husbands, the report says. 'Forced into the desert' But while much attention focuses on the plight of women, male migrant workers in the construction, manufacturing, seafaring and agriculture sectors are also vulnerable to human trafficking, the report says. They "are routinely deceived with respect to living and working conditions, the type of work to be performed, or even the existence of a job at all." Some migrant workers reported having been recruited as domestic workers -- but then forced to tend animal herds in the desert. A "runaway" Sri Lankan shepherd interviewed in Kuwait told the ILO: "I came to Kuwait to work as a driver and my employer took me across the border in Saudi Arabia for six months. "I lived in a small steel hut with no air conditioning, no electricity and no shower or toilet. I was not allowed to kill the animals to feed myself. I was scared of my employer who tried to hit me but I said, 'If you hit me, I will hit you back.'" Complex factors make it almost impossible for many to leave if it all goes wrong. Chief among these is the "kafala," or sponsorship, system that governs most migrant workers in the region. This, the ILO says, is "inherently problematic" because it creates an unequal power dynamic between the employer and the worker. Many employers justify holding the passports of migrant workers because under the system they are legally responsible for the worker's residency and employment. They may also hold back wages -- meaning workers can't leave because they risk ending up with nothing -- or charge sky-high "release" fees to stop exploited workers from seeking jobs elsewhere. "The system was not set up to create this extreme dependence between employers and workers," Andrees said. Positive changes . Of course, not every migrant worker has a bad experience, and for many the opportunity to work overseas delivers the promised escape from grinding poverty at home. The presence of migrant workers is also vital to the economies of many countries in the Middle East -- and in some, they outnumber the national workers substantially, the ILO points out. In Qatar, an astonishing 94% of workers are migrants, while in Saudi Arabia that figure is over 50%, the report says. Migrants also make up a significant part of the workforce in Jordan and Lebanon. The ILO report highlights some positive changes in the region, saying governments and other groups have stepped up efforts to combat forced labor and human trafficking in recent years, including through the passage of anti-trafficking legislation. But, it says, "shortcomings persist in applying laws and prosecuting and convicting perpetrators of human trafficking." It proposes an overhaul of the kafala system, suggesting that national ministries of labor should be in charge of the recruitment process, rather than agencies, and should handle complaints. The ILO also recommends extending legislation to protect all types of worker, the revision of employment contracts, beefing up inspections and ending wage discrimination. Opinion: 5 signs the Middle East is changing . CNNs Caroline Faraj and Schams Elwazer contributed to this report. | NEW: Migrant workers are often duped into taking jobs, the report's author says .
As many as 600,000 people may be victims of forced labor in the Middle East, ILO says .
Migrant workers give accounts of being raped, abused or kept prisoner by employers .
Employers or agents sometimes withhold wages or documents to prevent workers leaving . |
203,863 | 93f1e00fcd2c922a5bccfff7365cc1d3e273b631 | Cupertino (CNN) -- The days of Apple just making your favorite gadgets are over. The company is about to enter the payments services arena taking on PayPal, Google, Facebook, Amazon and others in offering a way to allow you to pay using their system. One of Apple's big plays at its event in Cupertino was a fingerprint scanner for the newest iPhones, which will allow shoppers to ditch the magnetic strip when they shop in store. But the initial rollout of Apple Pay, in October, is only in the U.S. European and Asian banking systems are already embracing contactless payment, so it's strange Apple has chosen to focus on its home turf of America first rather than push for an immediate global release. It means customers outside of the U.S. won't yet benefit from the new features, and puts Apple in a situation whereby if it doesn't move quickly, customers will be happy enough with a card that has the same powers instead. Apple Pay emulates your wallet digitally, and will work with a number of retail stores and banks in the U.S. to allow you to pay with your phone, or in the future your watch. But rather than gear a system towards skimming off the top, or trying to understand users' buying behavior, Apple is -- presumably -- making the move to sell more devices. Apple was very clear in telling those that watched its event that it won't track or store information about where you shop, what you buy, or how much those purchases cost. Apple's pitch was about empowering the banks and stores. Its decision to roll out in the U.S. first could be because the need isn't so great elsewhere. In the UK, many banks now offer contactless payment cards as standard, while Chip and Pin, rolled out across Europe some time ago, has also been incredibly successful in reducing over the counter fraud. It could also be about Europe's limit on contactless payments. Trying to explain that you can only use your phone for small purchases is a complicated sell and one that means you aren't likely to ditch your bank cards altogether. In the U.S., there is no limit. But will Apple's delay in rolling the service out elsewhere allow others to capitalize on the gap in the market? Having seen Apple's new system up close, it is unlikely. However, Apple's decision to finally jump into the NFC tap-to-pay arena now legitimizes the experience and will only accelerate the adoption of the technology. Is an idea that Visa Europe shares. Steve Perry, the company's chief digital officer, said Apple's entry to the market represents a critical piece of the mobile payments jigsaw. He called it a "pivotal moment" for digital payments, demonstrating the "momentum behind mobile and contactless services." It might have taken seven years to get here, but he said Apple's decision to enter the market "reflects the scale of opportunity that exists in digital payments today." Apple's support will drive usage of contactless services around the world and he anticipates what he calls a "halo effect" benefiting all mobile payments players. That might sound an exaggeration, but so far contactless payments have very much been a chicken and egg scenario. Companies have waited for mobile phone manufacturers to get on board, and mobile phone makers have delayed getting on board because of a lack of infrastructure. Apple clearly believes that in the U.S. at least, that tipping point has been reached. With the introduction of TouchID last year, Apple had the right technology in place to make it a decent proposition to the banks on the security front. And with Apple now involved, European and Asian banks will no doubt be knocking on the Cupertino-based company's door begging to be involved. Read more: Apple just got its mojo back . Read more: Hands on with the Apple Watch . Watch more: See Apple's new iPhone 6 in :60 . | Apple introduced its iPhone-linked payment system at its iPhone 6 launch .
But Apple Pay's rollout is initially only in the U.S., despite demand in Europe and Asia .
Stuart Miles says one reason might be Europe's established use of contactless payment .
But, now Apple is involved, the industry will likely get a big boost . |
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