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113,877 | 1eeeedbb688a80f076190646257ab1f6e47736d9 | One of the eight people whose crack-related prison sentences based on mandatory minimums has been revealed to be the cousin of the Democratic governor of Massachusetts. Governor Deval Patrick is a close ally of President Obama's but he said that he was not involved in the commutation application for Reynolds Allen Wintersmith Jr., his 39-year-old cousin who was sentenced to life in prison for possession and intent to distribute. 'There’s a significant age gap between the two, and the governor has no recollection of having met Mr. Wintersmith,' spokeswoman Jesse Mermell said of the 59-year-old governor. Related: One of the eight prisoners whose drug charges were commuted was Reynolds Allen Wintersmith Jr (left) who is the first cousin of Obama supporter Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick (right) Connected: Deval Patrick has been a supporter of President Obama for years (seen together in 2009) and the Massachusetts governor was an Obama surrogate on both campaigns . 'Governor Patrick had no involvement in any application for a commutation of Mr Wintersmith,' she told The Boston Globe. Mr Patrick is close with the President and was one of the top contenders to be Mr Obama's attorney general but Eric Holder was chosen instead. The two have spent time together on and off the campaign trail, as Mr Patrick was a surrogate for the President's re-election campaign and dined with the Obamas during their summer vacation in Martha's Vineyard this year. The outgoing governor's spokeswoman said that while Mr Patrick was aware that his cousin was in a Rockford, Illinois prison, she said that he did not know the details of the case. Wintersmith was originally sentenced in 1994 to life imprisonment with five years' supervised release and a $1,000 fine because of his conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute both cocaine and crack. He will now be released on April 17, 2014. In a statement published online following the commutation announcement, the president said that the eight men and women had been sent to jail because of an 'unfair system' and all had served at least 15 years in prison, many under mandatory minimums that required judges to impose long sentences even if they didn't think the time fit the crime. 'If they had been sentenced under the current law, many of them would have already served their time and paid their debt to society,' Obama said. 'Instead, because of a disparity in the . law that is now recognized as unjust, they remain in prison, separated . from their families and their communities, at a cost of millions of . taxpayer dollars each year.' Commuted sentences: President Barack Obama speaks to the media on Wednesday - on Thursday he announced that he was commuting the sentences of eight men and women convicted of crack cocaine offenses . The commutation is seen as an attempt . to redress the glaring racial disparity between those serving sentences . for crack possession and those jailed for carrying cocaine. Crack . cocaine offenses were treated more harshly under old laws than those . involving the powder form of the drug and led to tens of thousands of . black people serving long prison terms, while those caught with cocaine - . who were more likely to be white - were handed lenient jail time. Of . the eight, some had been sentenced to life imprisonment for dealing . crack cocaine at the age of only 17 because of harsher sentences created . in the 1980s designed to fight what was seen as an epidemic of the . highly addictive drug on the streets of America. Ezell Gilbert: This Tampa, Florida native was charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and sentenced in 1997 to spend more than 24 years behind bars . In the previous five years of his presidency, Obama had only commuted one drug sentence and pardoned 39 people. The men and women will be released in the next 120 days and the lucky eight include several high profile inmates who have been at the forefront of campaigns to have their tough drug-conviction quashed. Many of the eight, such as Clarence . Aaron of Mobile, Alabama, who was 22 when he was sentenced to three life . terms for a 1993 drug deal were young. Civil . rights groups have been fighting vociferously for Aaron and last year . thr Justice Department's inspector general critcized the department's . pardon office for mishandling his petition for clemency. Margaret . Love, a former pardon lawyer who used to work at the Justice Department . who represents Aaron said that her client is 'very grateful' to the . president. 'He was absolutely overcome,' said Love to the New York Times. 'Actually, . I was, too. He was in tears. This has been a long haul for him, 20 . years. He just was speechless, and it’s very exciting.' Another recipient of a commuted sentence from the president is Reynolds Wintersmith, of Rockford, Illinois. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1994 for dealing crack at the age of 17 as was Stephanie George of Pensacola, Florida, who got a life in prison for hiding her boyfriend's stash of crack cocaine in 1997, aged just 27. In both of these cases the judge who handed out the mandatory sentences called them unjust and said their hands were tied. A pardon forgives a crime and wipes out the conviction, typically after the sentence has been served. A commutation leaves the conviction but ends the punishment. Helen Gray (left) and Stephanie Yvette George (right) The White House said each of the eight people whose sentences were commuted was sentenced prior to the Fair Sentencing Act and that they would have received lesser sentences if convicted of the same crime today . Groups that advocate for prisoners . have criticized Obama for being stingy with his power - George W. Bush . granted 189 petitions for pardon and 11 for clemency, while Bill Clinton . granted 396 for pardon and 61 for clemency. The . old sentencing guidelines subjected tens of thousands of blacks to long . prison terms for crack cocaine convictions while giving far more . lenient sentences to those caught with powder who were more likely to be . white. It was enacted in 1986 when crack cocaine use was rampant and considered a particularly violent drug. Under . that law, a person convicted of possessing five grams of crack cocaine . got the same mandatory prison term as someone with 500 grams - 100 times . - of powder cocaine. The Fair Sentencing Act reduced the ratio to about 18-1 and eliminated a five-year mandatory minimum for first-time possession of crack. This also comes at a time when draconian sentences are going out of fashion as the nation deals with having only five-percent of the world's population, but 25-percent of its prison inmates. According to a release issued by the White House, the commutations were granted to: . Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, called on Obama do to more. 'Kudos to President Obama for commuting these eight people, but shame on the president for not commuting many more. 'With over 100,000 people still in federal prison on nonviolent drug charges, clearly thousands more are deserving of the same freedom,' he said. White House officials say he doesn't believe that clemency can be a solution on a large scale, because it's such a time intensive process and there are thousands of federal inmates affected. The Obama administration wants to make the Fair Sentencing Act retroactive, and the president called on Congress to act in the new year. 'Commuting the sentences of these eight Americans is an important step toward restoring fundamental ideals of justice and fairness,' Obama said. 'But it must not be the last. In the new year, lawmakers should act on the kinds of bipartisan sentencing reform measures already working their way through Congress. 'Together, we must ensure that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and that our justice system keeps its basic promise of equal treatment for all.' Clarence-Aaron: Obama said in a statement that the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act has begun to right to a decades-old injustice, but for thousands of inmates, it came too late . White House officials say Obama had only approved a single clemency petition among more than 8,000 received because it's the only one that had been given a positive recommendation by the Justice Department. According to one senior Obama aide, the president expressed frustration that he wasn't receiving more positive recommendations. So White House counselor Kathryn Ruemmler approached Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney early this year and asked them to take a hard look at the clemency petitions filed by convicts for any that might have merit, given the change in the drug sentencing law. The Office of the Pardon Attorney responded this fall by presenting the White House with 21 recommendations for pardons and clemency. Ruemmler oversaw an independent analysis and turned over detailed memos on the cases to the president, who signed off on them all, according to White House officials. In August, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a major shift in federal sentencing policies, targeting long mandatory terms that he said have flooded the nation's prisons with low-level drug offenders and diverted crime-fighting dollars that could be far better spent. As a first step, Holder has instructed federal prosecutors to stop charging many nonviolent drug defendants with offenses that carry mandatory minimum sentences. His next step will be working with a bipartisan group in Congress to give judges greater discretion in sentencing. | President Obama commuted the prison sentences of eight people on Thursday saying their crack cocaine offenses did not justify life sentences .
The eight have each served more than 15 years in prison .
One of those people was Reynolds Allen Wintersmith, the 39-year-old cousin of Massachusetts governor and Obama friend Deval Patrick .
Patrick, 59, said that he has never met his cousin and was not involved with the commutation .
Presidents typically use the end-of-year period to consider ways whether to grant requests for commutations or clemency from convicted offenders . |
132,361 | 3728073e85245a4d29028d7e48504b18ef7246cb | By . Mark Duell for MailOnline . Avoided jail: Lisa Morris was told to remove her son's Xbox and get him out of bed in the morning . A mother has been ordered by a court to send her 13-year-old truanting son to school after he turned up for just 40 days in seven months of classes. Lisa Morris was told to remove her son Liam Foster’s Xbox, send him on a stop-smoking course, and get him out of a bed in the morning. She avoided jail despite him turning up for school on 40 days out of a possible 150 - while the attendance record of her other son, Callum Barks, 15, was also of concern, Cannock Magistrates’ Court in Staffordshire was told. Morris admitted she had failed to make sure both boys were turning up at Abbot Beyne School in Burton between January 1 and May 13 this year. Staffordshire County Council said Liam had only attended school on 40 days out of 150. His absence was unauthorised on 86 of those days. The court was told that Callum’s attendance record was also of concern, but particular attention was drawn to that of Liam. Khalid Mahmood, prosecuting on behalf of the council, said education welfare officers had carried out a number of home visits at Morris’s address to try to resolve the situation. He said: ‘Lisa Morris was advised by the education welfare officer to exercise parental controls such as removing Liam’s Xbox and TV controls. ‘Liam was also told to attend meetings with the smoking cessation service and Miss Morris was told to make sure he was awake at 7.30 each morning. Scroll down for video . Truancy: Her son Liam Foster turned up for lessons at at Abbot Beyne School (pictured) in Burton on 40 days out of a possible 150 - while the attendance record of her other son, Callum Barks, 15, was also of concern . ‘Liam’s attendance levels did improve as a result, but there were problems again in June when Miss Morris went on holiday.’ Mr Mahmood also told magistrates that Morris had a previous conviction for failing to make sure her daughter was regularly attending school in 2008. Morris said that she had found it very difficult to make sure that both Liam and Callum were attending school on a regular basis. She told the court that Callum now took a taxi to school each day in order to make sure that he got there on time. Prior to sentencing, magistrates told Morris that they took absence from school very seriously and had taken her previous conviction into account. The chair of the bench told her: ‘We have . listened to what has been said and attendance at school is something . that is very important to the bench. Lessons: Morris said that she had found it very difficult to make sure that both Liam and Callum were attending Abbot Beyne School on a regular basis . ‘We do take non-attendance at school seriously and have taken into account the previous conviction. ‘We hope that Liam in particular . continues to engage with professionals. It is important that he starts . the beginning of the new school year.’ Magistrates . handed Morris a six-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, with . 12 months supervision. She was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a . victim surcharge of £80. 'Lisa Morris was advised by the education welfare officer to exercise parental controls such as removing Liam's Xbox and TV controls' Khalid Mahmood, prosecuting . They warned her that should she commit any other offence during this time, then the terms of the suspended sentence could be activated in another court. A court order preventing the naming of Morris and her sons was lifted following an application to magistrates by the Burton Mail newspaper. Abbot Beyne School is a comprehensive school catering for about 750 pupils aged between 11 and 18. The attendance rate at the school in 2013 was 94.2 per cent, which fell 0.4 per cent on 2012. This rate is about average for the country. In its last Ofsted inspection, the school was told it 'requires improvement'. Main criticisms included weak teaching and poor attainment in the sixth form. | Lisa Morris told to remove son Liam Foster's Xbox and get him out of bed .
Avoids jail despite him turning up for school on 40 days out of possible 150 .
Attendance record of Morris's other son Callum Barks is also of concern . |
77,589 | dc056872757f9c254be9fe0882d8aff9d8c31d9e | By . Anthony Bond . BBC director general Mark Thompson is to step down from the role this autumn. Mr Thompson announced the move in an email to staff at the corporation today after a meeting with BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten. He said: 'This morning I told Lord Patten that I believe that an appropriate time for me to hand over to a successor and to step down as director general of the BBC would be the autumn of this year, once the Olympics and the rest of the amazing summer of 2012 are over.' Stepping down: BBC director general Mark Thompson, left, is to step down from his role. It follows a meeting with BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, right . Mr Thompson said he had discussed his leaving date with Lord Patten last year and said he wanted his successor to 'have time to really get their feet under the table' before the next review of the BBC charter which will take place before the end of 2016. In his email to staff, Mr Thompson told them the corporation has 'weathered a series of lively storms' during his time in charge. He took up the role of director general in June 2004 during one of the BBC's lowest points. It followed the Hutton report which led to the resignations of the previous director general Greg Dyke and chairman Gavyn Davies. He steered the corporation through a string of TV fakery scandals. There was also Sachsgate, which saw a public outcry over obscene messages left by . Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on Andrew Sachs' answerphone which were . then broadcast on Brand's Radio 2 show. In 2007, there was also Crowngate which saw then BBC1 controller Peter . Fincham resign after misleading footage appearing to show the Queen . storming out of a photoshoot was used in a trailer. He also oversaw the move to Salford which has seen around 2,000 staff . move north and some high-profile faces, including BBC Breakfast Sian . Williams, refuse to go. There have also been a number of efficiency drives which have cost thousands of jobs. However, he won respect for the way he handled the early renegotiation of the new BBC licence fee deal last year. Other successes include the launch of the iPlayer which has been a huge hit . and allows viewers to catch up on shows via internet-connected TVs, . computers and mobile phones. He told staff the corporation had . 'weathered a series of lively storms' during his almost eight years in . the top job and was 'so much stronger than the BBC I inherited back in . 2004'. Mr Thompson said: 'Trust and approval are at record highs, our services are in brilliant creative form and we’ve demonstrated beyond contradiction that the BBC can be just as much of a leader and innovator in the digital age as we once were in the analogue one.' He joined the BBC as a trainee in 1979 and worked on programmes including Watchdog, Newsnight and Panorama before leaving the corporation to become chief executive of Channel 4 from 2002 to 2004. Mr Thompson's departure could lead to the BBC getting its first female director general. Its chief operating officer Caroline Thomson is second favourite to succeed Mark Thompson in the role, according to bookmakers. George Entwistle - director of BBC Vision - was declared the early . favourite to take on the top job when rumours first emerged that Mr . Thompson could be on his way out. Whoever takes the job will also have to take a pay cut compared to what . Mr Thompson was paid after Lord Patten made clear the present salary of . £671,000 would not be offered to his successor. BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten said: 'Mark Thompson has been an outstanding director general of the BBC. He took over during a traumatic period in the corporation's history and subsequently enhanced its reputation for creativity and quality, while setting the course for the BBC's digital future. 'I will miss him on both a personal and professional level and I wish him the very best of luck for the future. The Trust will shortly begin the process of recruiting a successor.' Great shape: Mr Thompson told staff the corporation was stronger than the BBC he inherited back in 2004 . Tribute: Mark Thompson paid tribute to BBC staff in an email announcing his departure . Last week in a speech to the Royal Television Society, I talked about our plans for the Olympics and the other major broadcasting events of 2012. I pointed to the BBC’s current strengths – in quality, creativity and world-class innovation in technology – as well as the big challenges we face both in living within our means and in getting the BBC ready for a digital future. I also commented on speculation about my own future, but promised to tell you and the BBC Trust first when I had reached a view about the timetable. This morning I told Lord Patten that I believe that an appropriate time for me to hand over to a successor and to step down as director general of the BBC would be the autumn of this year, once the Olympics and the rest of the amazing summer of 2012 are over. When Chris Patten became BBC Chairman last year, I told him I thought there was a strong case for handing over to a successor sooner rather than later. From the point of view of the BBC, I thought that my successor should have time to really get their feet under the table before the next Charter Review process got going. I have told the Chairman that I believe that he and the Trust should begin the public process of finding the next DG as soon as they see fit. I will of course help them in that endeavour in any way I can. We can address the exact date of the handover once an appointment is made, though I have made it clear that I want to be guided by the wishes of the Trust and of my successor, whoever that may be. Rather amazingly, with nearly eight years in the job I am already the longest-serving director general since the 1970s. Over those eight years (not to mention three Chairmen, three Prime Ministers and five Secretaries of State!), we’ve weathered a series of lively storms and been through some trying as well as some very successful times together. Hand over: Mr Thompson will stand down following the Olympics this summer . What has made my job not just bearable, but immensely enjoyable and rewarding, is all of you: your talent and energy, your unshakeable belief in the BBC and everything it stands for. I’ve always been on the side of change because I believe that, in the middle of a media revolution, change is the only way of safeguarding what is so precious about the BBC. But change always brings disruption and uncertainty in its wake – and I do want to say a particular thank you to everyone who has worked with me in the difficult task of transforming the BBC. Thank you for your commitment and for your patience. It’s because of your efforts that the BBC I will be leaving is so much stronger than the BBC I inherited back in 2004. Trust and approval are at record highs, our services are in brilliant creative form and we’ve demonstrated beyond contradiction that the BBC can be just as much of a leader and innovator in the digital age as we once were in the analogue one. Now more than ever, to audiences at home and abroad the BBC is the best broadcaster in the world. It’s been a great privilege helping you to keep the BBC in that top spot over the past eight years.I’m not off just yet though and I’m looking forward to working with you over the coming months, as we prepare for the amazing summer of 2012 – as well as for the long-term future, and continued success, of the BBC. | Mr Thompson announced the decision in an email to staff today .
He told them the corporation is stronger than the BBC he inherited in 2004 .
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten says Mr Thompson has been an 'outstanding' director general . |
35,173 | 63f8f13c5f85e85d8a782a62f21b8c51497a6811 | (CNN) -- South African "Blade runner" Oscar Pistorius has apologized for the timing of his complaints about the length of his rivals' prosthetic limbs after his shock loss in the 200-meter sprint at the Paralympic Games in London. Minutes after losing the race to 20-year-old Brazilian runner Alan Fonteles Cardaso Oliveira on Sunday, Pistorius accused the gold medalist and others in the race of wearing "unbelievably long" blades. "You can't compete on stride length. You saw how far (Alan) came back so, you know what, we're not racing a fair race here, but I gave my best on a great night," he said. Live: Catch the Paralympics action as it happens . Early Monday, Pistorius apologized for the timing of his comments but said that he believed "there is an issue here." "I accept that raising these concerns immediately as I stepped off the track was wrong," Pistorius said in a statement. "That was Alan's moment and I would like to put on record the respect I have for him." Oliveira passed the South African in the final stretch to take the gold medal in a time of 21.45 seconds. It was slower than the world record of 21.30 set by Pistorius in the qualifying heat Saturday, but fast enough for a decisive win against the race favorite who clocked a time of 21.52. Like Pistorius, Oliveira, is a double-amputee who runs with the aid of prosthetic limbs. Immediately after the race, Pistorius expressed incredulity at Oliveira's dash in the race's final seconds. "I think Alan's a great athlete but you can't come back (that much). I run just over 10 metres per second and I don't know how you can come back -- by watching the replay -- from eight metres behind on the 100 to win. It's absolutely ridiculous," Pistorius said. Pistorius also accused bronze medalist American Blake Leeper of stretching, if not breaking, the rules. "The guy came down literally overnight and made his blades longer. His knee height's like four inches higher than what it should be." The South African said he'd attempted to raise the issue of blade length with the International Paralymic Committee (IPC) in the weeks before the race but his concerns had "fallen on deaf ears." The IPC issued a statement saying that all athletes competing in amputee events had their prostheses measured before the race and all complied with IPC Athletics Rules. Oliveira said it was "difficult" to hear allegations of cheating coming from someone he regarded as a "great idol." Pistorius' grandmother on his fighting spirit . Asked whether Pistorius was just a bad loser, he said: "(He is) not a bad loser. Pistorius is a great athlete... I still do not know with whom he is picking a fight. It's not with me." Oliveira denied he had cheated and attributed his performance to training. "It's not just about the protheses, there is training behind. I get upset to hear this kind of thing. I'm inside the rules (of the International Paralympic Committee). I came here to celebrate and do not enter in any polemics," he said. It was a sentiment echoed by Leeper. "(Pistorius) has his opinion. You know, we go by the IPC rules. I'm following the rules. I feel like I'm not cheating, I do the best I can. I still work hard every day -- I train six days a week, two or three times a day. So I feel it's not the legs. For him to say it's the legs, I disagree. But he's a great runner. I truly support him and what he does, honestly." After a short meeting with Pistorius after the race, the IPC's director Craig Spence said the committee's science and medical director Peter Van Der Vliet would meet the athlete at a later date in a "non-emotional environment." "The IPC respects the significant role Oscar has played in raising the global profile of Paralympic Sport since his Games debut in 2004. Therefore we are more than willing to give him an opportunity to air his views," Spence said in a statement. Opinion: Oscar Pistorius, an inspiration and a question . Pistorius later appeared to back away from his earlier statements, tweeting an image of him shaking Oliveira's hand and the message: "Congratulating Alan of Brazil for his 200m win.. The fastest last 80m I have ever seen to take it on the line. pic!" Just weeks ago, Pistorius made history by becoming the first double-amputee to contest an able-bodied Summer Olympics when he competed at the 2012 Games in London. While the runner failed to win a medal, his presence on the track was lauded as an example of victory over adversity and a lesson in dedication to a goal. After initially being refused permission to compete against able-bodied competitors, Pistorius hired a legal team to prove that his artificial limbs didn't give him an unfair advantage. Born with a congenital abnormality, Pistorius had both his legs amputated below the knee at 11 months of age and now runs on specially-adapted carbon-fiber limbs. Later this week, Pistorius will compete in the men's T44 100-meters -- set for Wednesday and Thursday -- and the T44 400-meters -- Friday and Saturday -- both of which he won at the Beijing Paralympics four years ago. TIME: Before Pistorius: Paralympians who competed in the Olympics . | NEW: Paralympian Oscar Pistorius says sorry for timing of blade comments .
'Blade runner' Oscar Pistorius beaten in 200m at Paralympics in London .
Double-amputee said rivals' "unbelievably long" blades gave them unfair advantage .
Pistorius took silver in the T44 men's 200 meter behind Alan Oliveira from Brazil . |
75,683 | d6a68e3efba091507f7bc6b7ede7513254754337 | (CNN) -- Two's company, three's chaos in "This Means War," a high-tech, high-octane gloss on the type of story we've seen a million times in sitcoms and screwball comedies. Taking his cue from Doug Liman's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," director McG aims for a kind of macho rom-com, a date movie that appeals to both men and women. The end product is slick, flashy and obnoxious. Reese Witherspoon has top billing, but rising stars Chris Pine and Tom Hardy call the shots as charmingly irresponsible CIA operatives FDR and Tuck. After an embarrassing fracas overseas, these best buds are assigned to office duty. And with homeland security very much on the back burner, it's not long before their thoughts turn to women ... or, as fate would have it, the same woman. Divorced dad Tuck meets Lauren through a dating agency. They hit it off. But within minutes of their first date, she bumps into FDR, a confirmed bachelor and ladies man. She calls him on his transparent lines, but he's persistent, and circumstances throw them back together even as she fixes up a second date with Tuck. (Lauren's a consumer products tester by trade, not someone who'd buy a car without taking it for a spin.) When they realize they're both chasing the same girl, the guys decide to let the lady make her choice -- without coming clean. Of course, neither can resist spying on the other's progress, despite a gentleman's agreement not to. In the movie's breeziest patches, the two hunks eavesdrop on Lauren as she compares their shortcomings with BFF Trish (an authentically abrasive Chelsea Handler). It might help if both men didn't come off so self-involved. We're meant to understand they love each other, as much as -- and probably more than -- Lauren, but that doesn't make their romantic trickery any easier to stomach. Hardy is a terrifically intense actor, who made a strong impression in "Bronson" and "Warrior," and will soon be appearing as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises." But he doesn't make as much sense as a sensitive and domesticated superagent. Pine, on the other hand, is all too convincing as a smug and superficial womanizer. Witherspoon has the trickiest job of all, trying to retain our sympathies as she falls for both men. She might have pulled it off, except, it seems, "Charlie's Angels" director McG isn't interested in the emotional integrity of the character. He appeared far more invested in showing off the latest spyware gizmos and gadgets. In almost every respect, "This Means War" can be seen as the polar opposite of Witherspoon's last rom-com, "How Do You Know." Most critics weren't kind to that picture (and it bombed in theaters), but, at the very least, it was an attempt to make sense of sex and romance in a real way. This crass and miscalculated movie might have been engineered by machines. | Director McG aims for a kind of macho rom-com appealing to both sexes .
Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play CIA operatives who fall for the same woman .
Hardy cast as sensitive and domesticated, while Pine plays smug womanizer . |
9,658 | 1b5a6dd7d0f4f46f7bd5dc321a54320159379e5d | A US Airways flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a dog relieved itself at least twice in the plane's aisle - causing travelers to become sick when they were overwhelmed by the stench. Flight 598 took off from Los Angeles for Philadelphia on Wednesday - and it seems that the pet, a service dog reportedly named Truffles, couldn't quite wait to reach their destination. 'The full sized dog that's on my . flight, well it did what dogs do & went to the bathroom when it felt . like it,' one passenger, Chris Law, tweeted. 'Smack dab in middle of aisle.' Scroll down for video . Doggy don't: Truffles, the cause of an emergency landing and much hilarity . Guilty: One passenger snapped this picture of the large dog that relieved itself on a US Airways flight . Another passenger, Steve McCall, told Inside Edition: 'About an hour into the flight, I started . smelling this terrible smell. I thought it was the family in front of . me - I have a little eight-month-old and I was like, "That is the worst . blowout I have ever smelled". 'I look up the aisle way and there's a dog . pooping right in the middle of the aisle. It's a big dog, three or four . feet tall or long, and he was just going." He added: ''It . wasn't little pieces, it was fully-fledged . dog-diarrhea.' Staff desperately tried to clean up the mess, using paper towels, disinfectant and then laying towels on top so that passengers could get by. But just as the mess was cleaned up, the dog had to go again, passengers said. Clean up: The plane was forced to stop and a passenger snapped a photo of a crew cleaning inside . 'The second time after the dog pooped . they ran out of paper towels, they didn't have anything else,' McCall said. 'The pilot . comes on the radio, "Hey, we have a situation in the back, we're going . to have to emergency land".' The stink . was so bad that passengers nearby started 'dry heaving' and vomiting and . the plane was forced to divert to Kansas City, Missouri, where a . cleaning crew cleaned up the mess, McCall said. The plane then took off again and finally arrived in its destination, but some passengers missed their flight connections. One family missed their cruise to Greece, McCall said. His fellow passenger, Chris Law, snapped images of the dog and updated followers throughout the ordeal on his Twitter page. 'Can't make this up,' he wrote. 'The dog has now s*** . twice. Plane is emergency landing cuz ppl are getting sick. Hazmat team . needs to board @USAirways.' Shock: Another passenger, Steve McCall said the dog's stink was so bad that people were vomiting . Oops: US Airways was forced to land its plane for a quick clean up in Missouri on the way to Philadelphia . The company later responded to him on Twitter, saying: 'Our apologies for your discomfort, Chris.' There were also apologies from the dog's owner, McCall said. 'She said,"Hey, so sorry, I want to get . all your addresses so I can give you a Starbucks gift card".' he told Inside Edition, adding: 'This is the most unique flight experience I've ever had.' MailOnline has contacted US Airways for comment. US Airways told Inside Edition that the animal was a service dog. | Passengers aboard a US Airways flight from LA to Philadelphia were shocked when the large dog relieved itself in the aisle .
After it was cleaned up - causing the staff to run out of toilet paper - the dog went again, passengers said .
The plane was forced to land in Kansas City, Missouri so crews could clean up before the plane took off again and completed the journey .
Owner was apologetic and told everyone she wanted to give them gifts . |
191,627 | 8423ec56871cb3b5799cced7956514d2187eb84d | Motorists are being ‘held to ransom’ by petrol prices of up to 16p a litre more on motorways. Fuel at motorway service stations can be up to 10p per litre more than the national average price, and up to 16p higher than the cheapest prices at local supermarkets, research from the RAC found. This adds up to £8 to the cost of filling up an average family vehicle. High prices meant drivers risked ‘running on fumes’ while trying to avoid paying over the odds, the RAC said . The high prices also risked drivers ‘running on fumes’ and breaking down while trying to avoid paying over the odds, the report said. Calling for prices to be capped to prevent profiteering, the RAC report said drivers ‘should not have to experience this 21st century form of highway robbery’. Their spot check revealed the worst offender for high fuel prices was the Reading services on the M4 – which was selling BP petrol at 137.9p, while six miles away in Shinfield it cost 121.9p – a difference of 16p per litre. Buying diesel on the M4 costs an average of 138.9p – 13p more than at the filling station. Fuel at motorway service stations (such as this one on the M25) can be up to 10p per litre more than the national average price, and up to 16p higher than the cheapest prices at local supermarkets . RAC spokesman Simon Williams pointed out that the price of fuel at the pumps has fallen to its lowest since January 2011. ‘It’s no wonder that motorists feel held to ransom with prices on the motorways inflated to such an extent. 'We can see no reason why motorway fuel should be so much more expensive,’ he said. ‘Prices have come down significantly in recent weeks and we are currently at levels not seen since 2010, but motorway service stations still remain much more expensive.’ | Fuel at motorway service stations can be up to 16p per litre more than at the cheapest prices at local supermarkets, research from the RAC has revealed .
RAC said it amounted to the '21st century form of highway robbery'
Risked drivers breaking down to avoid paying over the odds, the report said . |
137,928 | 3e6366904f3e10bc98f84e6789190fd4b5fd51ca | Sony Pictures has reportedly suspended all filming in the wake of a devastating hacker attack that has crippled the company's ability to make payments. The entertainment giant is allegedly unable to make transactions, or make any use of a huge number of computers, after a hacking cell linked to North Korea disabled its security measures and stole valuable information. As well as disabling key elements of their network, hackers also took and leaked a trove of embarrassing e-mails, which revealed the a top executive made a racist jibe at Obama, insulted Angelina Jolie, and tinkered with the storyline of a film about North Korea. Scroll down for video . Crippled: The entertainment giant can no longer process payments thanks to the crippling computer attack, according to reports. Pictured is Sony Corporation CEO Kazuo Hirai . A source told the Times of London that the company can't process any payments, which has in turn led third parties to cancel shoots. The scale of the suspension was not immediately clear. MailOnline has contacted Sony Pictures for comment. The revelation on Friday is the latest in a damaging chain of revelations linked to the action, seemingly with the aim of preventing the release of The Interview, a film in which North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is assassinated. In emails that were leaked on Thursday, Sony Corporation Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai wrote to Amy Pascal asking that scenes from the movie featuring Jong-un be removed or edited. Pascal then shared the information with the film's star, writer and director, Seth Rogen, who was none too happy. Not happy: Seth Rogen (above), who wrote, directed and starred in the film The Interview was asked to change key scenes . Supreme leader: The Interview tells the story of two men sent to North Korea to try and kill Jong-un (above) 'This is now a story of Americans changing their movie to make North Koreans happy,' wrote Rogen in an email to Pascal obtained by Bloomberg News. 'That is a very damning story.' Pascal tried to explain herself to Rogen, saying; 'As embarrassing as this has been from my point of view, you have to appreciate the fact that we haven't just dictated to you what it had to be.' She then adds, 'This isn't some flunky. It's the chairman of the entire Sony Corporation who I am dealing (with).' In another email she cites the proximity of North Korea to Japan as another reason changes might be necessary. 'I haven’t the foggiest notion how to deal with Japanese politics as it relates to Korea so all I can do is make sure that Sony won’t be put in a bad situation and even that is subjective,' she tells Rogen. Rogen agrees to make the changes, though Pascal does put in an email to Hirai that there was some 'resistance from the filmmakers.' The changes, which have to do with a major plot point, seem to take some time to deal with, and Rogen completes the task to Hirai's liking it would seem by October, writing in his final email, 'Please tell us this is over now.' And while he may have been annoyed and angered, Rogen is still very much a fan of Pascal, praising her Thursday evening at the premiere of the film. 'We want to thank Amy Pascal for having the balls to make this movie,' said Rogen. Ironically, however, the film is not set to open in Asia. Her again: Sony head Amy Pascal (above) was tasked with telling Rogen he had to make changes . The changes are also described in the emails, though they spoil the film, which is set to open on December 25. This is just the latest email leak from a group calling themselves The Guardians of Peace, who, as previously mentioned, want to stop the release of The Interview. Pascal said in an interview Thursday that every employee's email from the past 10 years was obtained in the hack, meaning these leaks could go on for weeks or even months. It is believed that a group from North Korea is behind the hack. The scenes that were changed are detailed in the emails, and show what an amusing and out there film The Interview will be . WARNING: Spoilers! In one email, Pascal writes to Harei: 'In shot #337 there is no face melting, less fire in the hair, fewer embers on the face, and the head explosion has been considerably obscured by the fire, as well as darkened to look less like flesh.' She then adds, 'We arrived at this shot (#337) after much cajoling and resistance from the filmmakers.' In another email, Doug Belgrad, president of Sony Pictures Entertainment motion picture group, wrote to Pascal: 'In the interest of getting this approved, I would still like to see them eliminate the tendril of flesh on the left side of his forehead that comes just before the fireball.' Harei also requested that the scene where Jong-un's head explodes not be shown in any versions of the film outside the United States. | Sony Pictures reportedly left unable to process payments, leading to halt .
Third party agencies have canceled film shoots, according to reports .
Part of a damaging computer attack by hacking cell linked to North Korea .
Breach has the apparent aim of disrupting launch of The Interview .
The Seth Rogen film shows the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un .
Hackers also leaked thousands of damaging private emails from company .
Includes executives complaining about stars and tinkering with storylines . |
7,634 | 15a3b1a7f928c8c7377a95aad1c9004cd243e853 | (CNN) -- A drug that presents a new way to knock out cancer cells was approved Friday to treat patients with a certain type of late-stage metastatic breast cancer. The drug, referred to as T-DM1 during clinical research, will now be known by the brand name Kadcyla, the Food and Drug Administration said in its approval announcement. It's a new therapy for women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Kadcyla is a combination of the targeted drug trastuzumab -- better known by the brand name Herceptin -- and a powerful chemotherapy drug called DM1. It's designed to work when Herceptin alone can no longer keep cancer in check. DM1 is too toxic to deliver directly into a patient's bloodstream, like other chemotherapy drugs. The Herceptin part of the new drug homes in on cancer cells, sparing other healthy cells, and delivers DM1 into the cell. "Kadcyla delivers the drug to the cancer site to shrink the tumor, slow disease progression and prolong survival," said Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement. The drug is the fourth approved to target the HER2 protein. Genentech, the company that developed the drug, is working to get it to patients "imminently," said spokesman Susan Willson. "As soon as humanly possible, but within two weeks at the outside." Kadcyla will cost about $9,800 monthly, which Willson said is "similar to the cost of other treatment regimens in this line of therapy." The estimated cost of a course of Kadcyla -- 9½ months -- is about $94,000. But "we want to ensure that people who are eligible for this medicine have access to it," Willson said. Genentech plans to initiate patient assistance programs for the drug to help those who might not be able to afford it; those without health insurance or those who have reached the lifetime limit set by their insurance companies may qualify to receive Kadcyla for free. Experimental drug offers new way to battle certain breast cancer . Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, according to the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HER2 is a protein involved in normal cell growth. It's found in increased amounts on some types of cancer cells. In HER2-positive breast cancers, the increased amount of the protein contributes to cancer call growth and survival. Nearly 20% of breast cancers have increased amounts of HER2. Researchers announced the results of a large three-year clinical trial of Kadcyla in June, saying they were optimistic about it. One significant benefit, according to lead study author Dr. Kimberly Blackwell of Duke University, is the lack of significant side effects and a better quality of life for patients on the drug. Patients participating in the trial, she said, were the first group for whom officials worried about fixing their hair for media interviews. It's important to note, however, that Kadcyla is not the same as Herceptin and could cause serious side effects including liver problems and heart problems such as congestive heart failure or even death. It also can cause life-threatening birth defects, meaning pregnant women should not take it. The FDA's approval of the drug comes with the requirement that the prescribing information comes with a boxed warning alerting patients about the possibility of these side effects. However, the potential risks may be acceptable to women who have no other options, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. Kadcyla, known as an "antibody-drug conjugate," represents "a completely new way" to treat HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer, said Dr. Hal Barron, chief medical officer and head of global product development for Genentech. An antibody-drug conjugate is described by the company as "a new kind of targeted medicine that can attach to certain types of cells and deliver chemotherapy directly to them." "We currently have more than 25 antibody-drug conjugates in our pipeline and hope this promising approach will help us deliver more medicines to fight other cancers in the future," Barron said in a statement. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report. | The drug, Kadcyla, presents a new way to knock out cancer cells .
It's meant for some patients with a certain type of metastatic breast cancer .
The drug should be available to patients within two weeks . |
90,724 | 00ac70934fc041c20c037d21fdbcff20511e04c2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:05 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:56 EST, 3 September 2013 . A teacher has died after being crushed against her car as she loaded it with shopping in a supermarket car park. Mother-of-four Tracey Askham became trapped by her Mini Cooper when it was hit by a Suzuki Vitara. The 47-year-old was taken to Leeds General Infirmary following the accident outside Morrisons in the village of Idle, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, but died a week later. Death: Tracey Askham, 47, died in hospital after being crushed against her car while loading her shopping . Accident: Tracey Askham, 47, became trapped behind her Mini Cooper when it was hit by a Suzuki Vitara as she was loading her shopping at a Morrisons store (pictured) in the Idle area of Bradford, West Yorkshire . A statement published on the website . of Immanuel College, in Thackley, said: ‘It is with great sadness that . we have learnt of the death of Tracey Askham, a much loved and respected . member of our Immanuel family. ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.’ Staff . and pupils also laid flowers and tributes to an ‘inspirational’ and . ‘brilliant’ teacher outside the Church of England secondary school, . where she had worked since 2001. One wrote: ‘Mrs Askham was a wonderful, . loyal woman. She would do anything in the world to make every single . student in school become successful and achieve their goal in life. She’d do anything to help others.’ Another tribute read: ‘You were a brilliant teacher. You will be sadly missed by everyone.’ A . further card said Mrs Askham, who had two grandchildren, was ‘amazing . and an inspiration’, while another pupil described her as ‘the best . teacher ever’. Tributes: Flowers at Immanuel College in Bradford for Mrs Askham, who died after being crushed by a car . Well liked: Messages from pupils described Mrs Askham as an inspirational, caring and passionate teacher . Others . recalled how a determined Mrs Askham ran the city’s half marathon in . memory of a friend and former pupil who died of a heart condition aged . 21 – completing the challenge despite breaking both of her elbows during . training. Facebook was also . flooded with tributes to the teacher, with one, by Katie Broadley, . saying she was a ‘beautiful woman inside and out’. Lucy-Ann . Lowde said: ‘Just been to Immanuel to lay some flowers. In absolute awe . of the beauty. What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady. ‘Reading the messages really shows what an amazing and inspirational woman Tracey Askham was!’ Jill . Whitfield wrote: ‘Just been looking at all the tributes to Tracey . Askham. Makes you feel humbled… what a beautiful, well thought of lady . she was.’ West Yorkshire Police said inquiries were continuing into the accident, which occurred shortly after 7pm on August 21. Special teacher: One moving tribute left at Immanuel College for Mrs Askham said: 'Sleep tight, special lady' Memories: A pupil's drawing of Mrs Askham was pinned to a tree with other floral tributes outside the college . | Tracey Askham, 47, became trapped behind her Mini Cooper in Bradford .
Immanuel College teacher was loading her shopping at Morrisons store .
Spent week at Leeds General Infirmary after accident at 7pm on August 21 . |
23,612 | 430993b49235ee9845d506adb631aaf67717b4fd | This is the 22-year-old Nordstrom worker who was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend on Black Friday. Nadia Ezaldein was gunned down on the store floor by Marcus Dee, 31, on the manic shopping day, which was also her birthday. The killing came seven months after she applied from a protection order after he allegedly broke her ribs, fractured her jaw and tore her clothing in a vicious attack. Scroll down for video . Shot dead: Nadia Ezaldein, pictured, was killed while working in a Chicago branch of Nordstrom on her 22nd birthday by her ex-boyfriend, against whom she had filed for a protection order . Court struggle: Ezaldein, left, asked for court protection from Marcus Dee, 31, right, after he allegedly broke her ribs and jaw and put a gun in her mouth in a fight . Dee, who killed himself before police could move in on the store, also put a gun in Ezaldein's mouth during the confrontation, according to the court documents, filed in April. Her twin sister told a judge on April 8 that Dee, 31, also 'stabbed her jacket with a switch knife, ripped her boots and bruised her lip. [He] threw her clothes out the window and put [a] gun in her mouth'. The application was filed a day after Dee applied for protection against Nadia's twin sister, who he claimed was trying to get him arrested and kicked out of the Army. Both applications were denied. Worker: Ezaldein had taken on seasonal work at the retailer in order to pay her law tuition fees . Scene: A man shot his ex-girlfriend in the cosmetics section of a Nordstrom in Chicago before killing himself in an attempted murder-suicide . Corden: Chicago police secure the entrance to The Shops at North Bridge that leads to the Nordstrom store in downtown Chicago, where the two people were shot . Ezaldein, a seasonal worker at Nordstrom's downtown Chicago branch, was fatally gunned down by Dee at the store on Friday - her 22nd birthday - before he turned the gun on himself. She was rushed to hospital and placed on life support, but died on Saturday at 3:43pm, a day after her family had planned a surprise dinner for her birthday. Dee was declared dead at the scene. Ezaldein's relatives had flown in from Florida especially to surprise the University of Chicago law student for her birthday. She had taken the job so she could afford her tuition fees. Today, a friend posted a tribute on Facebook to her. It said: 'RIP my sweet beautiful beam of light. I won't ever forget our beautiful and pure last moment Thursday morning. You got me. You are my angel forever. 'Fly on my angel. You are the prettiest one I bet. I will miss you until I see you again. How could he take you away from me? The world needed you, I needed you. I still need you.' The victim started dating Dee in August 2012 after meeting him through her older sister's roommate, her family members, who wished to remain unnamed, told the Chicago Tribune. However, in the 14 months that followed, she was repeatedly abused and beaten up, they said. She was allegedly hesitant to report abuse because his parents were Chicago police officers. 'She thought his parents could cover it up,' one of Ezaldein's sisters said, adding that the entire family would receive constant phone calls and texts from Dee following the pair's break-up. The store's management decided to close the branch today following the 'tragic situation that occured' She was hospitalized after Dee shoved a handgun into her mouth in December 2013 following months of 'psychological torment' and physical abuse, her family said. Although she subsequently ended the relationship, she and her siblings then received threatening calls from Dee on a regular basis, forcing her to change her number three times, they said. Speaking of Friday's shooting through tears, her sister added: 'It is the worst situation ever. Our sister came up to visit her in Chicago from Florida. We made dinner. We were supposed to have fun. 'She’s the smartest person I know. She didn’t deserve to die.' The victim's brother told the Chicago Sun-Times that Dee used 'a lot of emotional traumatizing phrases and words' to his sister during their relationship, saying: 'It was a very strange circumstance.' A spokesperson speaking outside on Saturday said: 'We just felt it was the right decision as a company to take this day, regroup and support our employees' On Saturday, Nordstrom posted on its Facebook page: 'We are deeply saddened to learn that our employee who was injured in Friday evening's tragedy at our Michigan Avenue store passed away this afternoon' At one point, Dee tried to file a restraining order against Ezaldein - who had moved to Chicago from Florida in 2009 to start studying law - but the request was denied by a judge, it is reported. On Friday, crowds in the upscale department store off North Michigan Avenue were sent into a panic as they heard gunshots on the second floor at around 8.30pm and hurried out of the building. Hundreds of shoppers were inside at the the time for the Black Friday sales. Ezaldein, originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was reportedly shot in the head and neck area. The company decided to close the store on Saturday, meaning many customers hoping to catch the sales were turned away. It was due to reopen at 11am on Sunday. A spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We just felt it was the right decision as a company to take this day, regroup and support our employees'. Panic: The store was filled with customers at the time during the Black Market sales. Shoppers ran to all exits of the building when they heard the shots ring out . A sign in the windows said the branch would not be opening its doors due to the 'tragic situation that occurred'. Michelle Smith, 47, was buying purses with her daughter Krystal, 25, when they heard two gunshots. She told the Chicago Tribune: 'It was a pow and a pow. It was a stampede coming down the escalator. Authorities reiterated that no one else was in harms way and that the suspect entered the store with the intent to hurt his ex-girlfriend. However they stressed that the store was an active crime scene. Suzanne Nanos-Gusching was on the third floor with her daughter who was trying on a dress for a sorority formal at the University of Michigan when shots rang out. 'We just saw people running out and they (the employees) rushed her to get dress,' he told the paper. 'They were adamant about getting us out of the building.' Janis Tillman who was in the store at the time told NBC Chicago: . 'I was right around the corner when an eyewitness came out. I said, 'What happened?' She said, 'I saw somebody.. I saw the guy pull out a gun, shot her, and then he then shot himself.' She was shaken. Very shaken.' Deadly: The woman, who is a seasonal employee at the store, The man was pronounced dead at the scene . | Nadia Ezaldein, 22, was a seasonal worker at downtown Chicago store .
She was shot dead by Marcus Dee, 31, before he turned gun on himself .
Protection order application filed on April 8 said Dee cracked Ezaldein's ribs, fractured her jaw, stabbed her with a switchblade and shoved a gun in her mouth .
Dee filed for protection against Ezaldein's sister, both applications denied .
Her family flew from Florida on the day of the shooting for her 22nd birthday .
She moved to the city in 2009 to study law at the University of Chicago . |
202,287 | 91e5716cf1b91b0e54be0367f13b8d516ebb1010 | London (CNN) -- Apps -- those bite-sized portals to mass information and services -- have not only revolutionized the way we communicate, but also how we travel and how we maximize our time on the road. Tom Dunmore, creative director at Mediablaze, which runs app-review website "Life of Android," says because apps are location sensitive, easy to use and constantly connected, they are "the next stage of the internet." "Increasingly, we'll see people rely on apps in the way they previously relied on maps, guide books and indeed personal assistants, booking flights and hotels -- all those things suddenly merged down into a mobile phone," he says. This efficient experience is driving the growth of travel apps, where all sectors of the industry are responding to our appetite for arranging our travel online -- digital DIY. See also: Budget airlines go long haul . Paul English, co-founder of travel website Kayak, admits that he was wrong about the initial reasons for developing an app version of the site. "I had this thought that the reason people are going to be using Kayak on a mobile would be -- they'd be in New York, they'd get drunk, or a meeting ran late, they'd miss their flight home and they needed to get a last-minute hotel in the city," says English. "I had our head of engineering run a report for showing how many days out people start searching Kayak on their mobile phone compared to on the website -- what shocked me was the data was almost exactly the same," he adds. "Having real-time information about what's happening with their travel has made people feel powerful." It became obvious to English that people think of their mobile phone as their computer, where they demand full functionality of websites on the move to plan itineraries for themselves. With over 12 million downloads since 2009, Kayak now dedicates 20% of its engineering team to app development, working on key searches for travelers, who can also integrate their itinerary with calendars to share with friends and colleagues. "It's really changed us as a company, in the way we think," says English. "We take guidance from what's going on with the app and adapt the website, not the other way around. It's also helped raise awareness of the company." See also: Ayesha's travel essentials . It's not just the travel industry that realizes the value of apps. A study by Forrester Research forecasts that companies will spend up to $17 billion over the next four years creating apps for their products. Revenue from selling these apps could reach $38 billion by 2015. A report published by Deloitte in January found that the value of the app economy in the UK alone is $700 million (€522.5m), creating more than 7,000 jobs. Among the UK's app developers is Realmac Software. It's app "Clear" has struck a chord with people's need for order. The digital "to-do list" became a huge seller after it launched in February 2012. Costing $1 on several app stores, including Apple's, so far more than half a million copies of Clear have been sold. "We've definitely raised the bar in terms the amount of touch gestures you use in an app -- pinch, slide, expand -- we've taken it to a whole new level" says Nik Fletcher, product manager at Realmac, which was established 10 years ago. "Pretty much anyone can sign up to be an app developer," says Fletcher. "You pay $99 a year, paid to Apple, and that basically gives you access to all the developer resources they provide and allows you to submit your apps for their consideration on the app store. "Once your app has been approved by Apple, it's on sale pretty much to any app store in the world. The barrier is so much lower now. A single person can start building an app and publish it and they're in the same league as all these major brands. You don't need the backing of a big brand to be successful." | Apps are increasingly being used to plan travel on the go .
People use apps like they use maps and guidebooks, says Tom Dunmore, of Mediablaze .
Report says apps could be a $38 billion industry by 2015 . |
113,466 | 1e708308f88d9105607692a8a4a397c2d2e4737d | (CNN) -- When rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings didn't work for Eddie Freas, he sought another way to kick his 20-year drug and alcohol addiction. Eddie Freas fights drug addiction by putting all his energy into training for triathlons. He swam 2.4 miles. He biked 112 miles. He ran 26.2 miles. The Pennsville, New Jersey, resident found relief in triathlons. "I feel better when I'm working out," said Freas, 33. "It does wonders for the mind. The reason I started running -- it was a switch that went off in my head. I started feeling positive and feeling great about myself." Freas spent his youth in pursuit of drugs. At the age of 13, he snuck bottles of Amaretto and rum from his mother's liquor cabinet. He also developed a taste for marijuana and cocaine. By his senior year of high school, Freas was kicked off the wrestling and football teams after failing a drug test. Then in 2007, after a three-day binge, "I came home and was crying," Freas said. "I was so depressed. I turned on the TV." The set was tuned to ESPN, which was airing a story about a former drug addict who competed in triathlons. The program's subject was Todd Crandell, who had lost a college hockey scholarship because of a drug addiction. After 13 years of using drugs, Crandell started competing in Ironman races and championed finding positive ways to fight addiction through his program called Racing for Recovery. "Having an athletic background, I was drawn to getting back in shape," Crandell said. "It makes you turn intellectually and spiritually fit. Exercise is essential. It decreases addiction, depression and you use it as part of the recovery." Freas was entranced by the parallels. "His whole story seemed like mine," Freas said. "That's why it hit me so much. It was my story but it happened to somebody else. I knew I had to get back into fitness." He took a bus to Racing for Recovery's office in Sylvania, Ohio. There, Freas said he learned to "stay clean and use other things -- fitness, instead of drugs." On his first day, Freas pushed himself to run 10 miles. "It killed me," Freas said. "I was just motivated. I was sore for a week and I gradually got into it. As soon as I started including fitness into my everyday lifestyle, it made it so much easier. It kept me busy and because of the physical fitness, it was making me feel better about myself." He pushed himself to run farther and raced in his first Ironman competition in 2008. "It's different when you use drugs, you temporarily feel good and afterwards, you feel like doing more drugs," Freas said. "When you go for a long run and do physical fitness, you feel good doing it." Research in animals and humans show that exercise can be a mild antidepressant. "It isn't a huge surprise when you consider many positive effects exercise can have with regards to the brain chemistry: dopamine, serotonin, endorphin, epinephrine -- these are all associated with mood altering effects," said Dr. Cedric Bryant, the chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. "If they're able to get this natural high, through a natural endeavor such as exercise, it allows them to replace the means to achieve that high with a more positive approach." One study showed that women trying to quit smoking were more successful when they exercised. And the National Institute on Drug Abuse held a conference last year to explore the possible role of physical activity in substance abuse prevention. "The thought centers around the release of mood-altering brain chemical, mainly endorphins," Bryant said. "It gives you euphoria or what you call 'runner's high.' " Crandell said some people who battle drug addiction "want something more than sitting in support groups filled with smoke, complaining about drinking." "I've had some of my naysayers from other programs who say you've taken one addiction and replaced it for another," Crandell said. "I've taken addiction and put into a new focus that includes exercise. Exercise for me is essential to my recovery and well-being." The purpose of Racing for Recovery is not to turn everyone into an athlete, but to focus on positive pursuits in a person's life. "Whatever you lost during your addiction, that should be your Ironman, not just running," Crandell said. "If your goal is to become a teacher, let that be your Ironman." After Freas spent six months in Ohio, he returned to his hometown. "I didn't want to come back home, because this was where I did all the dirt, all the partying and stuff," Freas said. "As time went on, I had to come back here. My life is turned around. I got to help people in my hometown." Back in New Jersey, Freas helped train Dustin Deckard, 19, a former high school star wrestler, who is recovering from a four-year heroin addiction. Deckard wanted to get clean after a near-fatal overdose. "I have to be clean the rest of my life," Deckard said. "Sometimes that overwhelms me. I just feel that sometimes it's not fair that other people can go out and have fun and drink and do whatever at a party. But me -- if I do anything -- it's off. I can't stop. I definitely have troubles with that." Freas and Deckard have developed a brotherhood. "I know how he was feeling, being down, not wanting to use drugs," Deckard said. "I just relate to him in every way. We both used. He's also into sports and into wrestling like I was. That's what's cool." This Sunday, Freas and Deckard head to Racing for Recovery's half triathlon at Monroe, Michigan where the teen will race for the first time. | New Jersey man finds solace in exercise after spending youth on drugs .
Eddie Freas now member of group that advocates physical fitness in place of drugs .
Freas competes in Ironman and also mentors a New Jersey teenager . |
285,345 | fdbe3e5f422eba226fb56b38ebd3417016c272b8 | Angel di Maria has rubbished claims his move to Manchester United was money-orientated, revealing he is proud to play for Louis van Gaal's side. Di Maria made the £60 million move from Real Madrid to Manchester United in the summer, leaving Champions League football behind in the process, but revealed that he is relishing the chance to pull on the United number seven shirt. 'I have these amazing feelings about having moved to Man U,' Di Maria told the Sunday People. 'I'm so proud of myself, you know. It's hard to explain it and put it into words. Manchester United playmaker Angel di Maria has made an excellent start to life at Old Trafford . His move from Real Madrid took away his chance to play Champions League football this season . 'I truly wanted to move to United. I wanted to wear this shirt. (The number seven shirt) was worn by some of the greatest players in the club's history and I do know that it is a huge thing for all Man United fans.' The Argentinian has scored three times in his first seven appearances for the Red Devils, and team-mate Marcos Rojo went as far as touting him for the Ballon d'Or in a recent interview. 'I think people here are happy with me,' Di Maria continued. 'So I must honour this shirt. I must confess that I had all these expectations - but Man U have exceeded my expectations. It has all been perfect for me so far.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page. United are eighth in the Premier League, but Di Maria insists he is happy and proud to be at Old Trafford . Di Maria spoke of the 'amazing feelings' he has following his £60 million summer move . | Angel di Maria signed for Manchester United for £60 million in the summer .
There have been claims that the winger's move was money-orientated .
Di Maria has rubbished money talk, admitting he is proud to be at United .
The Argentinian said he has 'amazing feelings about having moved' |
247,000 | cba2dde6d200a4ff463225918dc06615fb5f39b8 | When the "Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act" went into effect 20 years ago this month, America took a historic stand against gun violence. It was the first federal law to require that licensed dealers refer every gun sale to law enforcement for a background check. The law honored my husband, Jim Brady, who had been shot in the head in 1981 by John Hinckley Jr, a mentally ill man who attempted to assassinate President Reagan. The shooting left Jim permanently impaired physically and cognitively. Since February 28, 1994, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, background checks have stopped more than 2 million gun purchases by "prohibited purchasers" like convicted felons, domestic abusers, the dangerously mentally ill and fugitives—people who we all agree should not have guns. It's easy to imagine how many lives were saved and how many disabling injuries prevented thanks to Brady background checks. But a lot has changed over the past two decades, and people who wouldn't pass a background check have found other ways to procure guns easily through unlicensed sales at gun shows or on the Internet, where background checks are not required. Opinion: The man who made people talk about guns . The corporate gun lobby would like us to think these unlicensed sales are transactions between family members and hunting buddies, but the truth is that thousands of guns are sold legally each day without a background check, thereby potentially putting guns directly in the hands of criminals. In fact, websites like Armslist.com boast upward of 70,000 listings from private sellers, many touting "No background check" as a selling feature. As a result, an estimated 40% of gun sales today occur without a Brady background check. Many of these sales have deadly consequences. Take Zina Daniel, a victim of domestic violence who procured a restraining order against her estranged husband, making him unable to pass a background check. He bought a semiautomatic handgun from a private seller online, where he didn't need a background check. He used that gun to kill Zina and two others and wound four more at a nail salon. Let's think about background checks in another way. Imagine if Zina's husband were on the no fly list and was one of 40% of airline passengers the Transportation Security Administration allowed to fly without undergoing a security screening. Would Americans feel safe in the air in this scenario? Not likely. Yet that is precisely the percentage of gun purchases made daily without a background check. Opinion: The warrior, the hero, the 'Bear' So what's the solution? Congress needs to finish the job the Brady law so effectively started to ensure that guns are kept out of the hands of people who should not have them. Congress must pick up where it left off last April when, to Jim's and my great disappointment, Senate legislation to expand Brady background checks fell short. The bill received a majority 54 votes, including the support of six "A-rated" National Rifle Association senators, two of whom were the lead sponsors. The American people support this legislation. In fact, 90% of Americans support universal background checks covering all online sales and gun shows. Three out of four NRA members and 80% of gun owners agree that the scope of background checks needs to be expanded. In 2013, after the horrific tragedy of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, eight states passed meaningful gun regulations. These laws could save lives and prevent injuries. Let's keep moving forward. Let's finish the job, expand Brady background checks and help keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people. | "Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act" went into effect 20 years ago .
Sarah Brady: The law, which honors her husband, requires background checks .
But a lot has changed, about 40% of gun sales today have no Brady background check .
Brady: Congress needs to finish the job the Brady law so effectively started in 1981 . |
278,380 | f49b229e6bf0dd07f0061552cfcf7f62b0bbffb3 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 23:41 EST, 25 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:03 EST, 26 December 2012 . They cost £9billion at a time the country could barely afford it, but four out of five Britons say this summer’s Olympics were well worth the expense. Months after the Games ended, the expected Olympic hangover has still not hit - and there are signs the resulting feelgood factor has rallied spirits across the nation. Even after being reminded of the price tag, 78 per cent of voters said the Olympics ‘did a valuable job in cheering up a country in hard times’. Four out of five Britons say this summer's Olympics were well worth the expense. Pictured is the Olympic Park in Stratford . In comparison, just 20 per cent think of the Games as ‘a costly and dangerous distraction’, according to an ICM poll. The vote of confidence is even higher than during the Games themselves. In an online survey taken immediately after Super Saturday – on which Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Greg Rutherford all gold for Team GB – ICM found that just over half of the population supported the Games, with 35 per cent against. Asked to reflect on 2012 as a whole - a year which has seen the Diamond Jubilee, the first double-dip recession since the 1970s and volatile weather - 49 per cent of respondents said the last 12 months had made Britain a better place to live, against 41 per cent who said the reverse. Triumphant: Jessica Ennis celebrates winning her women's heptathlon 800m heat at the London 2012 Olympic Games in August . Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hoskins celebrate together at Eton Dorney after winning gold for GB . In an ICM poll in December 2011, 60 per cent said they expected Britain would become a more miserable place in 2012. But politicians have not found it easy to cash in on London 2012's feelgood legacy. When voters are asked to award a grade to ministers for work completed in the last year alone, David Cameron and Ed Miliband each get a C-, and no senior politician fares any better. The Queen, in comparison, comes in with a solid B+, with 32 per cent of her enthusiastic subjects awarding her an A+. In the poll, 79 per cent of men say the Games were 'well worth the cost', as do 77 per cent of women. In every age bracket, more than three-quarters of people take the same view, with the 80 per cent of 65+ voters who gave the thumbs-up being the most enthusiastic of all. The vote of confidence was reflected across the region, with the 79 per cent support in the South closely matched by 80 per cent, 74 per cent and 77 per cent respectively in the Midlands, the North and in Wales. Victory: Athlete Mo Farah wins his second gold medal for Britain in the 5000m . Those in Scotland were not quite as enthusiastic but even so, 69 per cent were in favour of the Games. Pollsters said the Paralympics may have helped to cement this majority from interviews with 1,002 adults. A clear margin in favour of London 2012 was found in every social class and in every region. It seems that a positive public take on the Olympics has helped to colour wider perceptions of the year - but only 27 per cent believe 2012 allowed Britain to increase its power in the world. More than double that percentage - 61 per cent - said British power diminished this year. Furthermore, pessimistic voters continue to expect the slump to drag on. Asked to look ahead to the end of 2013, 42 per cent expect that Britain will have turned the economic corner, against 51 per cent who believe the country will still be stuck in a downturn. | 78 per cent said the Olympics 'did a valuable job in cheering UK up'
Just 20 per cent thought of Games as 'costly and dangerous distraction' |
257,671 | d976afb7d2f74070279806afcc1cf4eb41774e41 | Authorities say a puppy taking a walk on a Massachusetts beach with its owner uncovered a human bone, which led to the discovery of several others. Bill Barrett of Newbury was walking his chocolate Labrador retriever named Tessa Saturday morning on Plum Island Beach when the puppy made an unusual discovery. Barrett says a woman looking through debris on the beach initially found the remains. Scroll down for video . Gruesome: Bill Barrett (right) of Newbury, Massachusetts was walking his dog Tessa (left) Saturday morning when the chocolate Labrador retriever puppy uncovered a human leg bone on a local beach . Beach closed: Police shut down the beach and recovered even more remains. They are now seeking to identify the bones . 'She called me over and said what do you think this is? It was a good sized bone. I said it looks like a leg bone,' Barrett told CBS Boston. That's when Tessa the puppy started digging nearby and spotted another bone, which appeared to be a leg as well. 'We walked over there, and I said "no leave it." It was the lower half of the leg with foot still attached, sock on the foot.' Barrett told WCVB that it was difficult to tell, but that the leg appeared to belong to a male judging by the sock size. Investigators with cadaver dogs later found several more bones. Police on Sunday confirmed the bones are human. Processing the remains is expected to take several days . Essex district attorney's spokeswoman Carrie Kimball Monahan tells the Globe that police are investigating and will be looking at missing-person's cases to try to identify the remains. | Bill Barrett of Newbury, Massachusetts was walking his puppy Saturday morning when they uncovered the remains .
Police shut down the beach and later found more bones, which they are currently seeking to identify . |
244,494 | c86b905ac4bfed3f7fa4abda7a20a3ed9d0f1894 | Editor's note: Abigail Thernstrom is the author of "Voting Rights -- and Wrongs: The Elusive Quest for Racially Fair Elections," published this month by the AEI Press. She is the vice-chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Her writing can be found at http://www.thernstrom.com/. Abigail Thernstrom says ethnic and racial politics haven't faded away with the election of Barack Obama. (CNN) -- Some of us thought the election of Barack Obama as president might signal a fading away of the old identity politics. The assumption that fundamental lines of division in politics are set by race and ethnicity would seem to be a bit passé when 43 percent of white voters cast their ballots for a proudly "post-racial" African-American. But the president himself has made identity politics front-page news with his selection of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his Supreme Court nominee. She played an important role in the New Haven firefighters' case (Ricci v. DeStefano) now awaiting decision by the Supreme Court. Sotomayor and two colleagues simply brushed aside the important constitutional and statutory questions raised by the city's decision to discard the results of a race-neutral test given to applicants for promotions within the department. Too many men of the "wrong" color had passed it -- that is, all of those who scored highest were white except for one Hispanic. Those firefighters had worked hard to get the test results they did; the lead plaintiff, Frank Ricci, is dyslexic, but he had been on the force for 11 years and was determined to become a lieutenant, so he paid an acquaintance more than $1,000 to read textbooks onto audiotapes and make flash cards. Ricci gave up his second job in order to study long hours -- and aced the test. President Obama, in his famous Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, race speech during the campaign, said that when whites hear "that an African-American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed ... resentment builds over time." Yes. And when firefighters are denied promotions they earned simply because they are white, resentment builds. Discarding that test has struck many as an instance of racial preferences run amok. Will the real Barack Obama please stand up? Did he mean to imply in that Philadelphia speech that the "empathy" he claims to celebrate extends not only to minority victims of injustice, but also to whites? And is he a man who remains eager to move beyond identity politics, as he suggested numerous times in the course of his campaign -- or not? Questions abound. He has tried to downplay Sotomayor's now infamous declaration that "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life," suggesting that it was nothing more than a poor choice of words. But in the same speech, Sotomayor wondered "whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color we do a disservice both to the law and society." And, most remarkably, she stated: "Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences ... our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging." "Inherent physiological or cultural differences"? Can the president possibly believe that Latina women -- and indeed minority women in general -- are born to see questions of law in a different and better light than white men or even men of color? It's in their physiological and cultural makeup. A fact of nature. If indeed the president believes in such disturbing racial determinism, weep for our nation. Either the president is a man of many parts, untroubled by his own conflicting views, or he is an immensely skilled and coldly calculating politician who is eager to court the Latino vote and knows that few senators are likely to vote against a "first." Identity politics is on the line in Ricci and also in another forthcoming Supreme Court decision, a key case involving minority voting rights. Later this month, the Supreme Court will decide whether in 2009, black candidates for public office can win running in majority-white settings. At issue in "Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder" is the constitutionality of a key, temporary provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was renewed for the fourth time in 2006 on the theory that voting discrimination had just become "more subtle" than it was four decades earlier. The renewal meant that the Justice Department could continue to insist on districting maps that were carefully racially gerrymandered to elect black and Hispanic candidates. Legislative quotas have been the remedy for persistent racial exclusion -- seats reserved for candidates who are the choice of minority voters. But is America still a nation steeped in the muck of old-fashioned racism -- the results of the 2008 election notwithstanding? Are we condemned to identity politics in choosing firefighters for promotion, in drawing districting maps for legislative bodies (from school boards all the way up to congressional delegations), and in a multitude of other spheres into the indefinite future? Sonia Sotomayor's nomination suggests that the answer will be yes. A sad thought. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Abigail Thernstrom. | Abigail Thernstrom: There were hopes ethnic politics would fade after Obama's win .
She says nomination of Sonia Sotomayor rekindled racial and ethnic debate .
Thernstrom: Two pending Supreme Court cases also raise identity politics issues . |
224,353 | ae8166b24ef7f32024c5d8b49e19e11cd4818ef6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:23 EST, 2 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:36 EST, 2 February 2014 . If you happen to live in the Pacific Northwest or the central plains, there's a good chance that you're excited about this year's Super Bowl - according to a county-by-county map of football fandom,it's likely you're either a Seattle Seahawks or Denver Broncos fan.. Facebook's Data Science team has used information gathered by the social media website to chart every county in the United States' NFL allegiance. The results aren't all that shocking. Geography: According to this map created using information from Facebook NFL fandom is incredibly regional . For example, according to the map, if you live in New England, chances are you're a New England Patriots fan. If you live in Texas or the lower Midwest, you're likely a Dallas Cowboys fan. However, there are a few interesting allegiances that don't seem to make any sort of geographical sense. Alaska, for example, appears to be a bit confused - which makes sense considering the closest NFL team is located in Seattle, which is nearly 1,500 miles away. According to the map, Alaskans are primarily loyal to the Green Bay Packers, but there are several counties within the state that like other teams, like the San Fransisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets: The New York Jets are the only team to have but one county in the entire country backing them . Florida is a bit of an anomaly, as well. According to the map, Floridians tend to like teams from all over the country - Despite having three NFL teams of their own, there are pockets of the state that are home to Giants, Patriots, Steelers, Packers, and Bears fans. Florida's random allegiances likely are due to the fact that the state is home to a large community of transplants, many of whom are retirees from cities all across the country - who bring their football loyalty with them. If you're a New York Jets fan who doesn't live on Long Island, there's a good chance your Sundays feel awfully lonely - according to the map, the Jets are the only team to have the supports of just one county: Nassau, which is the western half of Long island. Are you ready? Super Bowl XLVIII is just a few short hours away! | According to the map, the New York Jets only have the support of one county .
Florida and Alaska are home to a diverse group of football fans .
The map was created by Facebook's Data Science team . |
201,658 | 9115d3319bec14701e62652e8497b8d3497fb876 | By . David Kent . QPR continued their preparation for their return to the Premier League with a 2-2 draw at Leyton Orient. The Hoops looked on course to record a 2-1 victory at the home of fellow London side Orient, after goals from Junior Hoilett and Joey Barton put them in front following Romain Vincelot's early opener. But a Dean Cox strike six minutes from time denied a Harry Redknapp side without Rio Ferdinand victory at the Matchroom Stadium. Back of the net: Joey Barton gave QPR a 2-1 lead with a curling free-kick two minutes into the second half . Heads I win: Leyton Orient's Romain Vincelot (centre) scores with his head the opening goal past Queens Park Rangers' Steven Caulker (left) and Richard Dunne . Looking on: Ex-Orient Chairman Barry Hearn (second left) and QPR manager Harry Redknapp (second right) watch the game from the Matchroom Stadium stands . Leyton Orient: Woods, Omozusi, Vincelot, Cuthbert (Batt), Baudry (Okosun 46), Cox, James, Lisbie (Dagnall 67), Mooney, Clarke, Pritchard. Subs not used: Legzdins, Semedo, Agyemang, Lee, Kashket, Nikolaou. Goals: Vincelot 10, Cox 84. QPR: Green, Simpson, Dunne, Caulker (Harriman 62), Ehmer, Traore, Wright-Phillips, Barton, Henry, Hoilett (Sutherland 62), Austin. Subs not used: Lumley, Harriman, Doughty, Sutherland, Kpekawa, Comley. Goals: Hoilett 19, Barton 47 . Attendance: 2,996 . Ferdinand was just one of many admissions from the QPR team, but Redknapp still fielded a fairly strong side with Charlie Austin, Barton and new arrival Steven Caulker all handed starts. And it was the former Cardiff defender who was caught napping early on as he was beaten to a right wing cross by Vincelot who powerfully headed the League One side into a 10th minute lead. It was a deserved lead for the Os but QPR soon hit back nine minutes through Hoilett. The winger took one touch to set himself before firing an effort into the bottom left-hand corner with a 20 yard effort. Barton saw an effort deflected over shortly after but soon turned the game on its head for the Hoops, with a sweetly struck free-kick two minutes after the break. The Hoops looked like they would hold on for a second pre-season win of the season but Dean Cox found space before slotting home with his left foot from just inside the box with just six minutes to play. Despite the late strike, a draw was just reward for Orient who matched QPR throughout the game even forcing Robert Green into a smart double stop just before the hour mark. Embrace: Joey Barton is congratulated by Armand Traore after netting his side's second goal . New faces: New signing Steven Caulker featured in the QPR defence but Rio Ferdinand was not in the squad . Heads up: Orient's Shaun Batt and QPR's Armand Traore challenge for the ball . Down on the touchline: Redknapp moved to watch the game from behind the bench as the match unfolded . | Hoops held to draw at Matchroom Stadium after Dean Cox strikes late for League One side .
Joey Barton and Junior Hoilett had helped turn game around following Romain Vincelot's opener .
Rio Ferdinand left out of Harry Redknapp's squad for all-London clash . |
231,151 | b747a3be28f9cd3424b1c160cc799ddb237521bd | Don Lemon has had the last laugh despite his widely ridiculed coverage of the Blizzard of 2015 in which he tooled around a desolate Manhattan while reporting from a car he dubbed the 'Blizzardmobile.' While Lemon trended on Twitter for hours, it was mostly thanks to viewers poking fun at such bizarre segments as his 4-way panel on Deflate-gate, report on Aaron Hernandez and repeated use of the word Blizzardmobile - which was in fact just a SUV. However, CNN's Brian Stelter says it was a big hit. It was just a car: CNN's 'Blizzardmobile' coverage with Don Lemon on the streets of a deserted Manhattan won ridicule Monday night but also big ratings . 'About last night,' Stelter tweeted Tuesday. 'CNN's 10pm hour, w/ @DonLemon in the #blizzardmobile, was its highest-rated hour of the day in 25-54 demo. Topped Fox.' The Twitter critics had no way to know this, of course, and even after Stelter's boast, jokes about Blizzardgate continued popping up across social media. Among those making fun of Lemon and his glorified SUV was comedian Mike Birbiglia, who tweeted: . Last laugh? Despite all the ridicule it received, the Blizzardmobile was a hit, according to CNN's Brian Stelter . Who's to blame? Viewers took to Twitter to express their confusion over Don Lemon's antics in the Blizzardmobile, which included a 4-way discussion of Deflate-gate with the chyron 'Who's to blame for deflated balls' all while Lemon sat inside the oddly-lit SUV . 'Gotta be a strange feeling when you're driving in your weird, dimly lit "Blizzard Mobile" and realize it's only gonna be a foot of snow.' Jezebel managing editor Erin Gloria Ryan joked, 'Twist: Don Lemon's Blizzardmobile rounds a corner and discovers, on an empty Manhattan street, the missing plane.' And in response to one of Blizzardmobile's oddest moments, Mark Joyella tweeted: . 'SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT I AM WATCHING,' along with screenshot of Lemon's 4-way discussion which featured a CNN chyron that read: 'Who's to blame for deflated balls?' | Lemon tooled around a desolate, snow-covered Manhattan on Monday night as he reported on everything from the blizzard to Deflate-gate .
Viewers crying 'the death of journalism' panned the segment on Twitter but CNN says it beat out Fox and all its own programming that day .
Despite its flashy name, the Blizzardmobile was a run-of-the mill vehicle . |
130,415 | 34a28f91c1054dd2a975a6deecef5e2adba26b3a | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 03:04 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 6 June 2013 . A Californian teenager who grew up in poverty after his father abandoned his mother and two siblings has been offered nearly $3 million from nine elite universities who want him to join. Lloyd Chen, 17, has received full scholarships to Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego and UC Davis. After graduating last week with a 4.79 GPA, he has decided to go to Harvard which has just a 6 per cent acceptance rate. Remarkable: Lloyd Chen, 17, has been offered almost $3million of scholarships from nine elite universities . It is a remarkable feat for a young man who has had to endure a difficult childhood. Shortly after he arrived in . California from South Korea, his father abandoned the family leaving his . mother Susie Yun to bring up Lloyd and his two older sisters Jenny and . Sally alone. With his mother unable to work because of an autoimmune deficiency, money was extremely tight. But . Lloyd did not let his hardships hold him back, transferring to Mira Loma High School, 20 miles from his home, so he could enter its . intensive baccalaureate program. Sometimes after dropping Lloyd off at school, Ms Yun would wait in the parking lot all day to save petrol money. Support: Lloyd Chen's mother, Susie Yun, and sisters Jenny and Sally watch his valedictorian speech . Proud: Lloyd Chen did not tell his high school counselor about his troubles at home until his senior year . Dedication: Lloyd Chen graduated with a 4.79 GPA from Laguna Creek High School . The dedicated student buckled down . with his studies and, after moving to Laguna Creek after his freshman . year, Lloyd was made the school's valedictorian of the class of 2013. In his valedictorian speech, he told his classmates: 'It is your choice to have a fulfilling life.' 1. Stanford University, 5.69 per cent Applications received: 38,828Applications accepted: 2,2102. Harvard University, 5.79 per centApplications received: 35,023Applications accepted: 2,0293. Yale University, 6.72 per centApplications received: 29,610Applications accepted:1,9914. Columbia University, 6.89 per centApplications received: 33,531Applications accepted: 2,3115. Princeton University, 7.29 per centApplications received: 26,498Applications accepted: 1,931 . 6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 8.15 per cent . Applications received: 18,989 . Applications accepted: 1,548 . 7. University of Chicago, 8.8 per cent . Applications received: 30,069Applications accepted: 2,676 . 8. Brown University, 9.16 per cent . Applications received: 28,919 . Applications accepted: 2,649 . 9. Dartmouth College, 10.05 per cent . Applications received: 22,416 . Applications accepted: 2,252 . 10. University of Pennsylvania, 12.1 percent . Applications received: 31,280 . Applications accepted: 3,785 . His high school counselor Alycia Sato said Lloyd always came across as a mature student. She told NBC Los Angeles: 'I’ve never met anyone who’s had so many things going against them, who’s risen above them all.' She added that Lloyd never revealed the difficulties he faced until his senior year when he began . discussing college applications because 'he didn't want anyone to pity him'. 'I never felt like I had hardships until . senior year when I reflected on my whole life and tried to figure out my . life story,' Lloyd told KCRA. In a touching display of humility, after learning of his nine scholarship offers, Lloyd sent Ms Sato a message which read: 'This is our success.' In his college applications, Lloyd wrote: 'Throughout my life, I've learned to grow up without luxuries.' 'I don't need fancy clothes. I don't need expensive SAT classes. I don't even need a father.' 'I have something more valuable than luxuries: the foundation to grow and prosper. My circumstances have not brought me down, but instead, have made me stronger.' Being offered the opportunity to go to Harvard is the perfect reward for the 17-year-old. 'It's been my dream since I was 8 years old,' he told the Sacramento Bee. After Harvard, Lloyd plans to go on . and earn a masters degree. And, thanks to a Gates Millennium . Scholarship, he won’t have to pay for tuition, room and board, or book . fees throughout graduate school. He says he is considering studying economics, psychology or engineering. Praise: Lloyd's school counselor Alycia Sato says he overcame many challenges . Struggle: Susie Yun was left to bring up her three children alone after Lloyd's father left them . Achievement: After growing up penniless, Lloyd Chen has been offered a full scholarship to attend prestigious Harvard University next year . | Lloyd Chen, 17, offered scholarships from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT .
Father left family shortly after they arrived from South Korea .
Sick mother would wait at school all day to save petrol money . |
164,160 | 604a31a6f3231b2989d3f87c381c20af30da039c | (CNN) -- A potential deal that would reopen the federal government and stave off the prospect of a U.S. debt default appears to barely touch the core of Obamacare, the health insurance program congressional Republicans set out to cripple. Although the terms of a deal that would end a two-week partial shutdown of federal offices and raise the government's legal borrowing limit weren't final Tuesday, Democratic sources told CNN one possible change being weighed by Senate leaders could delay a fee on employers, unions and other health-plan sponsors that compensate insurance companies for taking on high-risk customers in the first year of the program set up under the Affordable Care Act. Another could strengthen verification measures for people seeking federal subsidies to help them purchase health insurance required by the law. Both of those are far short of the target set by conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives, who hoped to wipe out funding for Obamacare, as the program has become known. "This doesn't, frankly, do a whole lot to Obamacare," said Lawrence Jacobs, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. The computerized insurance exchanges at the heart of the program have had a rocky rollout since they went live on October 1, and there are some provisions that could stand to be fixed, Jacobs said. But he said those issues are being "overwhelmed" in the GOP push to eliminate it. How many have signed up for health care? Well, it depends . Getting rid of the $63 a head high-risk charge, known as the transitional reinsurance fee, is a proposal "that would deserve serious attention" in other circumstances, said Jacobs, co-author of a 2010 book on the politics of health care. States like Minnesota, which already has the largest catastrophic reinsurance program, are effectively double-taxed by the proposal. Getting rid of it would mean the costs would be passed along to insurers and consumers, he said. "There are no states that are happy with it," he said. But he said the fee is "more of a techie issue, to be honest. I'm surprised it's on people's radar." Meanwhile, calling for tougher verification rules "is a little confusing," Jacobs said. "The IRS has been working pretty hard on this, and with all the problems that the federal exchanges had in launching, this was not one of them," he said. "That part of the process seems to be working pretty well, so I think this is more of a political thing in adding another level of protection, or red tape. I think from a policy perspective, the question is, what needed fixing?" In the House, a Republican counterproposal floated Tuesday morning would have suspended a tax on medical devices for two years and removed federal health care subsidies for legislators and top Obama administration officials. But the medical device tax provision had been dumped by Tuesday afternoon, House GOP sources said. That levy is projected to raise about $29 billion over 10 years to subsidize health insurance programs, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Jacobs said getting rid of it would leave a "crater" in the program's finances and create "a kind of avalanche" as other health-care industries -- hospitals, drug manufacturers and insurers -- lined up for a similar reprieve. "I don't think there are too many folks volunteering for that tour," he said. If there's a deal, what next? The latest developments come less than two days before the United States bumps up against its statutory debt ceiling, raising the risk that Washington would be short of funds to pay all of its bills in full and on time. And it comes on the 15th day of the partial government shutdown that has idled more than 800,000 federal workers and cost the economy an estimated $20 billion to date. The shutdown began after House Republicans passed a temporary spending bill that would have eliminated funding for Obamacare -- a bill swiftly rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate. President Barack Obama has insisted that Congress fund government operations and raise the debt ceiling without any "ransom," and polls show public opinion turning sharply against the GOP as the standoff drags on. Republican leaders began to look for other concessions from Democrats and the administration last week, and some -- particularly in the Senate -- have begun to criticize the colleagues who led them into the impasse. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, told CNN's New Day that Republicans have now wasted weeks "focused on something that was never going to happen." "To be candidly candid, it's an embarrassment to me that we have spent all this time on a rabbit trail, leading us to where we are," Corker said. But Rep. Ted Yoho, a tea party-backed Florida congressman, told CNN's The Lead that he and many of his fellow House Republicans would be letting down their constituents if they didn't keep battling the Affordable Care Act. "I'm a member of the House. It's a house of the people. We're the voice of the people," said Yoho, who has also downplayed the potential impact of a government default. "I ran on defunding, burying and getting rid of Obamacare ... a lot of the members of our house, of our conference, ran on the same thing. So for us not to speak up is not to speak up for the American people." Hope for a smoother ride on Healthcare.gov . CNN's Dana Bash, Brianna Keilar and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report. | "This doesn't, frankly, do a whole lot to Obamacare," analyst says .
Democratic sources say a $63-per-person fee on health plans could be dropped .
"We're the voice of the people," GOP congressman says .
But polls show Republicans are taking the blame for the standoff . |
108,789 | 184659d7c937a9e4d19c944db8c031bf1abb409f | By . Luke Garratt . Some days you can spend hours driving around the tight corners of Paris looking for a parking space. But this took a whole new meaning, when he was forced into an incredibly tight spot when his search for a space went terribly wrong, leading him to drive into a Metro station. The driver was found pitched down the stairs to the entrance of the Champs Elysées Metro station, one of the busiest in the city. Wrong turn: A Paris driver accidentally drove into the entrance of one of the busiest Metro stations in the city . Eventually a truck was called in to tow the car out, which drew a massive crowd, presumably much to the driver's embarrassment . The driver was focused on parking his car he failed to notice he was pulling into the station entrance and not a space. French media reports didn't say if anyone was injured, or if alcohol was the cause of the incident, but it seemed the driver only realised his mistake after driving down quite a few stairs. Twitter user Sofiane posted a picture, with the description: 'A bloke who confused an entry to the underground car park with the entrance of the Metro.' Members of the RATP, the state-owned public transport operator, security services stand in front of a car stuck at the entrance of a subway station in Paris . The driver is thought to have been searching for a space on the incredibly busy street, and driven into the station thinking it was one of Paris' many underground car parks . The Metro has over 300 stations in Paris, and hundreds of thousands of drivers, and this could be why this particular parking gaffe wasn't the first to have happened in the City of Light. In 2012, a driver identified only as Johan, 26 at the time, drove his 4x4 SUV partly into the entrance of the Chausee D’Antin Metro, shortly before realising it was not a station entrance. At the time the driver said he was completely sober, and also claimed he had simply taken a wrong turn. He said: 'There was a sign indicating parking for the Haussmann shops just . in front of me, and there was no kerb next to the entrance of the . steps, so that's how I made the mistake. 'By chance there wasn't anyone on the steps.' 'It was one of the strangest things I've seen in along time,' said an eye-witness who was sitting in a nearby cafe at the time. Bizarre: In 2012 a confused tourist tried to drive his car down into a Paris Metro station after mistaking it for a car park . Weird: Eyewitnesses said it was one of the strangest things they had ever seen . Blunder: Fortunately the Frenchman managed to brake hard as soon as he realised what was happening . Lucky: Paris traffic police said the driver would not be prosecuted as he did not put anyone in danger and there was no damage to the Metro or the public road . | Driver drove into the Champs Elysées Metro station when trying to park .
Eventually had to be towed out of the descending station stairs .
Many people in Paris tweeted about the incident and posted pictures .
Reports say no one was hurt, and alcohol involvement is undetermined .
The same thing happened in a different Paris Metro station in 2012 . |
16,317 | 2e47a1f8316f0d011d4d7469664d5a235690b75a | By . Sophie Jane Evans . More than 500 supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi have been sentenced to death in a ruling by an Egyptian court. The group, members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, were handed the sentences by the court in Minya, south of the capital, Cairo, today. They have been convicted of a number of charges, including killing a police officer and attempting to murder others. Scroll down for video . Ruling: More than 500 supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi have been sentenced to death following a ruling by an Egyptian court. Above, Morsi supporters face anti-riot police officers in Cairo . The ruling is a sharp escalation of Egypt’s crackdown on supporters of Morsi, which has seen thousands arrested and hundreds killed so far. Morsi, who was ousted by the army in July last year following repeated demonstrations calling on him to leave, is now being held at a high security prison near the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. The 529 Islamists sentenced to death are part of a larger group of 545 Morsi supporters who are on trial for a number of charges. These include killing a police officer, attempting to murder two others, attacking a police station and other acts of violence. Protests: The ruling is an escalation of Egypt's crackdown on supporters of Morsi, who was removed in July . Showing his support: A young Egyptian boy participates in a demonstration by supporters of Morsi in Cairo . More than 150 suspects stood trial; the others were tried in absentia. Sixteen were acquitted. The ruling followed only two sessions in which the defendants' lawyers complained that they had no chance to present their case. The alleged attacks are believed to have taken place during violent demonstrations after security forces broke up two pro-Morsi protest camps, killing hundreds of people. Ousted: Morsi (pictured) was ousted by the military following repeated demonstrations calling on him to leave . Authorities have blamed the Brotherhood for the violence - branding it a terrorist organization and confiscating its assets. However, the group has denied any links to the attacks. ‘The court has decided to sentence to death 529 defendants and 16 were acquitted,’ lawyer Ahmed al-Sharif told Reuters today. The convicted Islamists are believed to be able to appeal the ruling. | Morsi supporters were sentenced to death by court in Minya, Egypt, today .
Convicted of charges including killing police officer and attempted murder .
Ruling is escalation of Egypt's crackdown on banned Muslim Brotherhood .
Morsi was ousted by army last July following widespread demonstrations . |
281,694 | f8e8c63d7b6cc5d65eaf24627da10d1463996de8 | A Facebook page depicting people blocking mobile speed cameras by pretending they have broken down has been slammed by road safety experts who say the practice is endangering lives. The Block Their Shot page contains several photos of drivers and passengers pulling up behind the detection vehicles, and coming up with various ways to prevent speeding cars from being captured on film. At the time of publishing, the page - which also encourages people to join their cause - had attracted more than 32,000 likes. Scroll down for video . The Block Their Shot Facebook page is filled with photos of people trying to obscure the mobile speed cameras . The page had amassed more than 32,000 at the time of publication of this article . Most of the photos portrayed New South Wales drivers propping up their hoods to cover the camera lense, while others got a bit more creative. One man is seen pulling out a lawn chair and camping next to a detection vehicle while he holds up an open umbrella. In another, brown butcher's paper has been stuck over the camera. But the campaign does not stop with motorists, cyclists are also getting in on the action. Most of photos portrayed drivers propping up their hoods to cover the camera lense, while others got a bit more creative . One man seen pulling out a lawn chair and camping next to a detection vehicle while he held up an open umbrella . But it is not just motorists getting in on the action, but it is cyclists as well . One bike rider is seen changing his tyres in the line of sight of a camera. Daily Mail Australia has attempted to contact Block Their Shot's administrators but are yet to receive a reply. On their page, they claim the mobile speed camera units are used as revenue raisers not to help save lives, referring to them as 'cash grabs'. But University of NSW's Road Safety Professor Raphael Grzebieta told Daily Mail Australia the people trying to obscure the cameras were treating it like a game, which it was not. Road safety experts have slammed the page saying it was endangering the lives of people by encouraging the behaviour . Daily Mail Australia has attempted to contact Block Their Shot's administrators but are yet to receive a reply . University of NSW's Road Safety Professor Raphael Grzebieta told Daily Mail Australia the people trying to obscure the cameras were treating it like a game . 'These people are clowns, they are idiots. They don’t realise they could have blood on their hands with these antics,' he said. 'These people are aiding and abetting people to break the law. 'That's got to be chargeable, that’s what I would have thought. 'Putting themselves on Facebook and identifying themselves, depending on what the minister wants to do in the next couple of days, they could be facing some serious fines.' Professor Grzebieta said speed limits were put in place in case something goes wrong so then it allows people more time to react, so they can avoid being seriously injured or killed. Professor Grzebieta said speed limits were put in place in case something goes wrong so then it allows people more time to react . Driver Safety Australia director Russell White echoed the professor's comments, likened covering up a speed camera to covering up important road signs . He said speed cameras 'absolutely' played a major part in preventing someone from becoming harmed. 'Somewhere between 30 to 40 per cent of fatalities or injuries are speed related,' Professor Grzebieta said. 'Some say speed doesn't kill... but actually speed does kill. 'If you go above the speed limit, your perception times remain the same, but if you are travelling faster you hit a solid object harder, and you have much higher chance of getting seriously injured or killed.' Driver Safety Australia director Russell White echoed the professor's comments and likened covering up a speed camera to concealing important road signs. 'To me it's like covering up a stop sign or any other infrastructure, you can end someone's life by doing something stupid like that,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Police should come down on people very hard about that.' | Photos of people blocking camera view have been posted on social media .
The Block Their Shot Facebook page has amassed more than 32,000 likes .
Most pictures show motorists putting up car hoods to obscure the camera .
But road safety experts slammed the page saying it puts people in danger .
'They don’t realise they could have blood on their hands,' one expert said . |
13,479 | 2647db701c0c8ac37ca38abdddc5a6e3fa4b9077 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 09:48 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:39 EST, 24 December 2013 . A Texas teen was kicked out of high school three years ago after telling officials she was raped and police declined to press charges. Rachel Bradshaw-Bean, now 20, was raped by a classmate in the band room at Henderson High School, in East Texas, in December 2010. Instead of seeing her attacker get justice, she was given 45 days in disciplinary school. Ms Bradshaw-Bean chose to speak about the incident to NBC News . after the recent wave of high school rape cases that saw allegations . swept under the rug and accusers shamed by their communities. Devastated: Rachel Bradshaw-Bean was kicked out of high school because she told school officials she was raped . Officials decided the sex was . consensual, charged them both with public lewdness and booted them from . school - she received the same punishment as the boy she says raped her. Her attack happened on school grounds, but the first teacher she told of the horrifying ordeal told her to ‘work it out with the boy,’ she said. The young boy, unnamed because he was a juvenile at the time, asked the devout Mormon to go to the band room one day after school for a talk. She went, and security footage of her accompanying the boy would later be used against her because the visit wasn’t against her will - because she wasn't forced. The boy’s intentions became clear once the pair was behind closed doors, he became violent and raped her despite her repeated pleas to stop. She said no - he forced her. He stole her innocence, robbed her of her dignity. It wouldn't be the first indignity she'd suffer because of him. ‘I was crying. I pulled my pants up and went to the bathroom to clean myself up,’ she said about the immediate aftermath. Shocking: Ms Bradshaw-Bean's accusations were swept under the rug, her mother said . She immediately told the band director. ‘Work it out with the boy,’ he told her. ‘There's no way I would do that,’ she recalled. ‘But I didn’t know what to think. I was 17.’ The teen suffered more indignity later that night while attending a Key Club meeting. She sat silently with her mother, stepfather and young brother – her attacker was also in the room. ‘I didn't tell my parents,’ she said. ‘I didn't want them to have to go through that.’ Ms Bradshaw-Bean is not alone in that feeling of isolation. Only 40 out of every 100 rapes are ever reported, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. She skipped the next day of school, but then returned to tell the assistant band director of the attack. He immediately passed word to school officials, soon the police – and her parents – were involved. Scene of the crime: Henderson High School, in East Texas, is where Ms Bradshaw-Bean says she was attacked . The shattered teen's worst fears were realized, her mother ‘had this look in her eyes, like she had died,’ she said. ‘It kills you. You die. You stay dead for a while,’ mother Colleen Chevallier said. ‘You become another person. I'm not the same person I was before this.’ The result of a medical exam obtained by NBC News showed significant proof of an attack ‘consistent with information given per victim,’ including lacerations to the hyman and bleeding. She gave an interview to investigators during which she was numb, ‘I just felt like I couldn't cry anymore,’ she recalled. One day later police determined the sex was consensual, no charges would be filed. ‘I was so shocked,’ her overwhelmed mother said. ‘I thought, they are pushing this under the rug. She's being treated this way because she's a female.’ Henderson Police declined to comment when reached by NBC News, a Freedom of Information Act filing to obtain case files was denied on ground the accused was a minor at the time. A large discrepancy: Ms Bradshaw-Bean's attacker was one of the 97 out of every 100 accused rapists that walk free . Among the evidence used to cite a burden of proof was the security footage, which showed the girl voluntarily entering the band room. The physical evidence could have come from either consensual sex or an attack, police said. ‘I’m not saying I did not want to do it,’ investigators said she told them, but did not provide any further context. The two teens were charged with lewd conduct and shipped off to disciplinary school for 45 days – together. Only three out of every 100 supposed rapists ever spends a single day in prison, according to RAINN. The boy trash-talked to her to other students. One taunted the girl, telling her she ‘asked for it.’ A relative of the boy cyber bullied her on Facebook. Happiness at last: Ms Bradshaw-Bean recently married Robert Bean, she finally feels happy again . A subsequent Title IX investigation by the Department of Education found the school retaliated against Ms Bradshaw-Bean for reporting the incident. Changes were ordered, the school was required to pay for her counseling. Ms Bradshaw-Bean is trying to move on with her life. She is now happily married to a fellow student she met at college. He supported her decision to go public. ‘I'm as happy as can be right now,’ she said, adding that her attacker ‘took away my joy, but I got it back, double-fold.’ She is studying criminal justice and criminal psychology to eventually help other girls find the justice she never did. | Rachel Bradshaw-Bean, now 20, says she was raped three-years-ago at Henderson High School, in East Texas .
She told the band director, he dismissed the allegations .
School officials eventually took action - but only to punish her after police declined to press charges .
Ms Bradshaw-Bean chose to speak out now after a raft of young female rape victims have had their accusations swept under the rug . |
159,342 | 59f8f29a96e13c7340141d8b536276794acf2c06 | Aziza Kibibi was only eight-years-old when her father - an MTV award-winning music video director - started raping her. By 10, Aswad Ayinde's lessons teaching his daughter 'how to be a woman' turned violent and his regular raping produced five children out of incest in a perverse attempt to create a 'pure' bloodline. Ayinde, who is also known as Charles McGill and won fame after directing The Fugees' 'Killing Me Softly' video, was sentenced to 50 years in prison on July 26, finally ending Kibibi's nightmare. The incredibly brave woman, who is now 35, married and running a promising baking business, spoke out about the traumatic childhood this week for the first time. Nightmare: The Pennsylvania case appears to mirror the story of New Jersey woman Aziza Kibibi, pictured, whose father raped her from the age of eight, getting her pregnant five times . Kibibi told NJ.com her childhood started off relatively normal. She lived with her mother and father on the third-floor of an apartment in Paterson, New Jersey, with her Jamaican immigrant grandparents living below. Locked up: Her father, Aswad Ayinde, now faces a combined 90 years in prison for the sexual abuses he committed against two of his daughters . Kibibi was home-schooled but still allowed to play with the neighborhood children. When her family grew to include eight children they moved into a bigger apartment in the same building. It was when Kibibi started to mature that her father started giving her unwanted attention. 'He told me I was special. Initially, it was to teach me to be a woman,' she said. 'By the time he started having intercourse with me, he was getting more and more violent. When I would start fighting him, he would hit me. It was more about threats.' Her father began to change, and became more controlling over the family. He moved them out of their grandparent's apartment to another house in Paterson before relocating to Eatontown in Southern New Jersey. The children were only allowed to watch a small amount of TV, and nothing that depicted traditional family life. Modern medicine was outlawed in the house, and he actually told his wife that his relations with Kibibi were to treat her eczema. Kibibi wasn't the only one Ayinde was having sex with. He had a mistress - a Manhattan lawyer whom he had another two children with - and was also abusing one of Kibibi's sisters. He called himself a polygamist and a prophet. His family was allowed to pray to god but could only do so through him. 'He said the world was going to end, and it was just going to be him and his offspring and that he was chosen,' his ex-wife, Beverly Ayinde testified at a 2010 pre-trial hearing. She said he was attempting to create a 'pure' bloodline by procreating with his daughters. When Kibibi's first child was born without defects, Ayinde took it as proof and continued to rape the girl to get her pregnant. Damaging: Kibibi gave birth to five children by her father, and many of them inherited a rare genetic disorder due to inbreeding . Award winner: Ayinde, who is also known as Charles McGill, won fame after directing the video for 'Killing Me Softly' by The Fugees, pictured . But the following children would not be . so lucky. Two further daughters born from her father would be diagnosed . with phenylketonuria (PKU) a condition that prevents the body from . breaking down amino acids. PKU can cause brain damage and seizures. Dr. Anna Haroutunian, a PKU specialist who has treated Kibibi's children, said they definitely got the condition because of inbreeding. PKU is a recessive gene, so both parents must have the gene in order for it to pass along to the child. The gene only appears at a rate of 1 in 4,000 world wide and is must lower for African-Americans. Likely Kibibi's paternal grandfather had the gene. Better now: Since escaping her father, Kibibi has gotten her GED, married and started her own baking business . Over the years, Kibibi became obsessed with escaping. She would sleep just because her dreams were better than real life. 'I'd dream about running away. I'd dream about getting all my brothers and sisters — one of my sisters was a baby, and I was taking care of her — I'd dream about growing breasts and getting milk and running away with them somewhere,' she said. When she was older and one of her sons fell sick, she finally got the courage to take him to the hospital since Ayinde was out of town on a business trip. But she didn't know how to interact with the doctors and a social worker stepped in, alerting the Department of Youth a Family Services. When Ayinde returned from his business trip he was enraged, and threatened to forcibly remove his son from the hospital. Child services stepped in before he could do that and placed them in separate homes. After that Kibibi, her mother and her sisters moved away from Ayinde as she attempted to get her children back. Her performance in state-mandated courses and counseling impressed the government officials and eventually her children were returned to her. 'She has been an exceptional mother,' Haroutunian said. 'She was so attentive and patient, it's remarkable. For a young girl - with all she's had - she has been just wonderful.' Having to fight to get her children back also empowered Kibibi, and translated to her life after abuse. She now lives in East Orange, New Jersey with her husband. Defects: When Kibibi's first child was born without defects, Ayinde took it as a sign that he was creating a 'pure' bloodline . She went back to school for her GED and will finish her liberal arts degree from Essex County College this fall. She also runs her own baking business and plans to start a restaurant someday. Kibibi and her sister decided to finally bring charges against their abusive father. They delayed pressing charges since they were unsure the affect it would have on the children. She shared her story in hopes of making a difference with those in a similar situation. 'Instead of just being an experience that I had, maybe this strengthened me. What doesn't break us makes us stronger.' | Aziza Kibibi was 8-years-old when her father, Aswad Ayinde, started sexually abusing her .
Ayinde, also known as Charles McGill, won an MTV award for directing The Fugees' 'Killing Me Softly'
Ayinde was recently sentenced to a combined 90 years in prison for sexually abusing Kibibi and another one of his daughters .
During his years abusing Kibibi she had five children out of incest .
Kibibi was eventually able to escape and now lives with her husband in East Orange, New Jersey where she runs her own baking business . |
114,591 | 1fe717dbd6b6f868e1fdc23753e6d8395c443c4a | By . Jack Doyle . and Daniel Martin . David Cameron will travel to Brussels today to try to prevent an arch-federalist from becoming the new president of the European Commission. After millions voted for Eurosceptic parties in last week’s European Parliament elections, the Prime Minister warned that the EU cannot simply carry on with ‘business as usual’. He believes giving a top job to Jean-Claude Juncker – a former prime minister of Luxembourg who wants to increase the EU’s powers – would represent a slap in the face for voters. Action: David Cameron believes giving a top job to Jean-Claude Juncker - who wants to increase the EU's powers - would represent a slap in the face for voters. Above, Cameron and Juncker at an EU summit in 2010 . Across the continent, Eurosceptic parties doubled their representation in the European Parliament, and now hold a third of all seats. Mr Cameron does not have an alternative to Mr Juncker in mind, but hopes to postpone the race to replace the Portuguese Jose Manuel Barroso until someone more suitable can be found. Mr Juncker is standing for the centre-Right European People’s Party, which has emerged as the European Parliament’s largest single party. Mr Cameron ended the Tories’ affiliation with the EPP in 2009 over its federalist sympathies. The Prime Minister has now made a series of phone calls to the leaders of Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, Sweden, Slovenia and Ireland ahead of an informal EU summit today. Ex-prime minister: Mr Juncker is standing for the centre-Right European People's Party, which has emerged as the European Parliament's largest single party. Mr Cameron ended the Tories' affiliation with the EPP in 2009 . A Downing Street spokesman said voters would not tolerate more of the same from Europe in the wake of last week’s poll. ‘The PM has been making the point in these conversations that leaders should seize the opportunity of tomorrow’s dinner to heed the views expressed at the ballot box that the EU needs to change, and to show it cannot be business as usual,’ they said. ‘The turnout and results in the European Parliament elections have underlined the need for reform to ensure that the EU is doing more to deliver what voters care about: jobs, growth and a better future.’ The comments were backed by French president Francois Hollande, who said he would tell EU leaders that the union ‘must change to focus on jobs, growth and investment’. Leaders: Mr Cameron (left) does not have an alternative to Mr Juncker in mind, but hopes to postpone replacing Jose Manuel Barroso until someone more suitable can be found. Meanwhile, French president Francois Hollande (right) said he would tell EU leaders the union 'must change to focus on jobs, growth and investment' The current European Commission – which is responsible for proposing and implementing new EU laws – will remain in place until the end of the year. Downing Street sources said this means the process of appointing a new president could take months. One said: ‘The Prime Minister will talk to the other leaders about the need for them to think about the future direction of the EU and how it needs to change in order to respond to the turnout and to the results. They added: ‘The results underline the view of the British people and people across Europe that they want change. The EU needs to respond to this and reform.’ | David Cameron aims to prevent Jean-Claude Juncker from getting top job .
Mr Juncker believes he should be new president of European Commission .
But Mr Cameron says appointment would represent slap in face for voters .
Prime Minister also warned that EU needs to change following elections .
Millions voted for Eurosceptic parties - and they now hold third of seats .
Mr Juncker, former prime minister of Luxemboug, is standing for the centre-Right European People’s Party .
Tories' affliation with EPP was ended in 2009 over federalist sympathies . |
192,398 | 8517591bd013faa54da54ba51b1a8a61ff3f6f60 | A stash of secretly taped recordings between Sylvester Stallone and his half-sister, who he allegedly abused, were destroyed as a part of the payout deal. Sylvester Stallone paid his half-sister, Toni-Ann Filiti, . more than £3million to ‘shut her up’ after she threatened to ruin his . career with claims he abused her, the actor’s mother revealed last week. The Rocky star agreed to give her a lump sum of £1.2million, as well as £10,500 a month for the rest of her life. Scroll down for video . Allegations: Sylvester Stallone, left, secretly agreed a multi-million deal with his late half-sister Toni-Ann Filiti amid claims he had abused her for years . Sibling: Toni-Ann Filiti, half-sister of actor Sylvester Stallone, is pictured in exercise clothes in New York in 1985 . But it has now emerged according to . confidential settlement documents, dated Aug. 3, 1987, tapes were also destroyed which . allegedly contained conversations between the pair. Stallone is identified in one document only as 'S' reported the New York Post. 'This is to acknowledge receipt from . you of a total of six cassette tapes, four of which contain . conversations between you and your older half-brother who we are . referring to as S.,' reads a letter made to Filiti by her attorneys. 'You understand that in accordance with the terms of the . settlement agreement between you and S., I and your father are required . to destroy all tapes.' Claims: Stallone's half-sister Toni Ann Filiti with their mother Jackie, seen here at the actor's 2006 Rocky Balboa premiere with her son . As part of the deal he also set up a . trust fund for her, paying in £31,000 a year to cover medical expenses . and psychiatric care, according to newly discovered court papers. Miss Filiti died last August at the . age of 48 after a long battle with lung cancer. In total, she received . more than £3million from the settlement. Stallone’s mother Jackie, 91, . confirmed the actor had reached a financial settlement with her – but . described it as a ‘shakedown’. She said Miss Filiti, her daughter by . her second husband, was a drug addict who blackmailed Stallone when he . was at the height of his fame, in 1987. Miss Filiti, then 23, threatened him . with a lawsuit alleging abuse. According to court papers obtained by a . New York newspaper, she ‘asserted claims for personal injury, including . physical injury’ against Stallone. The papers show that the actor, now 66, ‘vigorously denied and continues to deny and dispute all claims of wrongdoing’. Nevertheless, Stallone’s mother said his lawyers advised him to pay up to avoid any scandal that could have harmed his career. Silver screen: Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, left in 1976 and in Rocky Balboa, released in 2006 . She insisted her son was the victim of . blackmail, stating: ‘This was nothing more than a shakedown. Toni-Ann . was on 65 OxyContin [a high-strength painkiller] pills a day, and she . threatened Sylvester. A drug addict will do anything. Sylvester was . trying to help her. He caved in. ‘At the time he was very hot and his lawyers said, “Give her something just to shut her up”.’ Stallone was 18 years old when Miss . Filiti was born. His mother had re-married after her first marriage, to . Stallone’s father Frank, ended in divorce after nine years. Despite Miss Filiti’s allegations, . Stallone remained on good terms with his sister. He even cast her son . Edd in his 1997 film Copland – but this week the 19-year-old maintained . that his mother was telling the truth. ‘They’ve made my mother out to be the . black sheep,’ he said. He alleged that his mother ‘screamed about’ abuse . at the hands of her brother ‘over and over’ while in a Florida hospital . last year. A spokesman for Stallone said: . ‘Unfortunately, celebrities, politicians and athletes frequently find . themselves the targets of blackmail efforts by family members and . associates who fabricate claims in order to extort payments from them.’ Clan: The action star and his former model wife Jennifer Flavin, 43, have three daughters together, Sophia Rose 15, Sistine Rose 13 and Scarlet Rose nine . Stallone’s film career took off in 1976 with the release of Rocky, which he wrote and starred in. Family life: Stallone was left devastated when Sage, his son with ex-wife Sasha Czack, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on July 13 2012 . He went on to become one of the . highest-paid stars in Hollywood, playing Vietnam veteran John Rambo in . First Blood which, like Rocky, spawned several sequels. He is said to be . worth more than £160million. His son Sage, 36, died of a heart . attack at his Hollywood home last July. He was found days before he was . due to marry his long-term girlfriend. The only picture reported to have been . found in his apartment was of Sage, aged 14, with his father. His . lawyer and close friend George Braunstein said Sage ‘idolised’ his . father and that the pair were ‘close’. According to sources, he led a . hermit-like existence and was living in a property littered with junk . food wrappers, cigarette butts, empty cans and prescription drug . bottles. He could have been dead for up to four days before his body was . discovered. Sage was the second of two sons . fathered by Stallone with his first wife Sasha Czack, whom he divorced . in 1985 after ten years of marriage. Eleven months later he married actress Brigitte Nielsen but they split two years later. Stallone is currently with his third wife, Jennifer Flavin, with whom he has three children. | Rocky star agreed to .
give Toni-Ann Filiti £1.2m plus £10,500 per month .
Sources say Toni-Ann threatened a lawsuit, but the 66-year-old star settled .
Stallone's agent says star was a victim of fabricated blackmail plot .
Jackie Stallone: 'Toni-Ann was drug addict who will say anything' |
265,380 | e3b84eb9bbd991c3dc548b9a6825f7d200cd4cc7 | (CNN) -- Maybe it was Beyonce, or maybe it was the Beatles. (Actually, it was probably both.) The Grammy Awards attracted 28.5 million viewers to CBS on Sunday night, which is essentially a modern-day record for the annual music awards show. CBS described it in a press release as "the second largest audience for the awards broadcast since 1993." Awards shows in general have been on a ratings upswing in recent years. One oft-cited reason is that, since they're big live events, they stand out in an increasingly on-demand television world. Sunday's telecast would have been the biggest since 1993, period, were it not for the tragic circumstances of the 2012 Grammys. That year, Whitney Houston died less than 24 hours before the awards telecast, causing a dramatic surge in viewership the next day. (The average viewership was about 40 million.) The Grammys are typically the second most popular awards show of the year behind the Academy Awards. This year's average viewership was just a smidge higher than last year's average of 28.4 million. (CBS pointed out that a more apples-to-apples comparison was between this year and 2010, the last time the Grammys were scheduled in January instead of February to avoid the Winter Olympics. In 2010, 25.9 million viewers tuned in.) For CBS, the ratings increase this year may justify the network's controversial decision to tape-delay the Grammys in western parts of the United States. Most awards shows are broadcast live coast-to-coast, something that matters more than ever nowadays because millions of people like to converse about the shows on the Internet while they're watching. But CBS continues to delay the Grammys until prime time begins out West, when it says more people are at home and able to watch. CBS' news release on Monday cited data from Nielsen's SocialGuide service that labeled the Grammys "the biggest social television event of the 2013-2014 TV season to date, with Twitter recording more than 15.2 million tweets during the Eastern and Central time zone broadcast alone." The network did not say how many tweets there were during the Mountain and Pacific time zone broadcast. With regard to the West Coast tape-delay, Chris Ender, a CBS spokesman, pointed out that the Grammys is a performance-driven show, and that the social media chatter during the East Coast broadcast "often drives more awareness and interest to viewers elsewhere." "We're continuing to do what works, delivering a broadcast that can be watched by the most amount of viewers," Ender said. | CBS described it as "second largest audience for the awards broadcast since 1993"
Grammys typically the second most popular awards show behind the Academy Awards .
Network said there were 15 million tweets during Eastern and Central broadcast . |
274,170 | ef1e1629c3aa34ed9b24fe7707a99099c58acf96 | (CNN) -- Someone out there just leapt all comic book purchase price records in a single bound. A near-pristine copy of Action Comics #1 -- better known as the first appearance of Superman -- sold at an online auction Wednesday night for a staggering $2.16 million. The seller? None other than cash-strapped actor Nicolas Cage, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Cage turned a super-sized profit, the Reporter noted. He bought the 1938 Man of Steel original 14 years ago for roughly $150,000. The buyer has remained anonymous. But "he's an extremely passionate collector, and he treasures owning the best of the best," said Vincent Zurzolo, chief operating officer of New York-based ComicConnect.com, which conducted the auction. "In particular, he loves Superman." When the comic book first went on the auction block November 12, the top bid was around $900,000, Zurzolo noted. The price rose to more than $1.5 million Monday and smashed the $2 million mark five minutes before the close of bidding. The previous comic book sale price record? Roughly $1.5 million for another copy of Action Comics #1 in March of 2010. "I've been involved in the comic book business for over 25 years," Zurzolo told CNN. Superman remains an "icon that represents the best of this great country." Cage's copy of the all-American classic comes with a colorful back story. It was reported stolen in January 2000, according to the Reporter, and remained lost for more than 11 years before showing up last April in an abandoned storage locker in California's San Fernando Valley. Comic book collectors' holy grails . If you're hoping to get your own original 1938 copy, don't hold your breath. There are only about 100 copies still believed to be in existence, according to ComicConnect. About 100 copies of Detective Comics #27 -- better known as the first appearance of Batman -- are also still believed to be out there. The Caped Crusader made his inaugural appearance in 1939. An original Depression-era Batman won't come cheap, however. One copy sold last year for a little over $1 million. The good news: if you're willing to settle for a more modern incarnation of the two crime fighters, you can probably afford it. "All New Batman: The Brave and the Bold" went on sale last month for $2.99. | An original 1938 Superman comic sells at auction for a record $2.16 million .
The comic is believed to have been sold by actor Nicolas Cage .
The previous record for a comic book sale price was $1.5 million . |
183,136 | 793576fb57e4246dc895374adccaeeab7c088e9d | (Rolling Stone) -- So here's the great pop album everybody was hoping Adam Lambert would make, ever since he ran wild on "American Idol" three years ago. It wasn't just Glambert's dynamite-with-a-laser-beam voice that got him into our national knickers: It was his warmth, his humor, his burlesque bravado. His 2010 debut, "For Your Entertainment," was a typical "Idol" quickie -- decent, but it needed more personality. "Trespassing" delivers, with a mix of tinsel disco-club sleaze and leather-boy love ballads. While he excels in a radio cheddar bomb like "Naked Love," he gets deeper in slow jams like "Underneath" and "Outlaws of Love." But all over "Trespassing," Glambert sings everything like Zeus in a thong. See the full article at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone. | "Trespassing" is Adam Lambert's second album .
His 2010 debut, "For Your Entertainment," was a typical "Idol" quickie .
"Trespassing" delivers, with a mix of tinsel disco-club sleaze and leather-boy love ballads . |
25,183 | 47588b2c1a4142c5d01d405b58ef63fd2a013ad7 | Moscow (CNN) -- The man claiming responsibility for last month's deadly bombing at Moscow's main international airport is the self-declared mastermind behind numerous terrorist attacks and is described by the U.S. government as "the leader of the Chechen insurgency." Doku Umarov, who says he ordered the airport blast that killed 36 people, is the head of the Caucasus Emirate, a Chechen Islamic jihadist group. In a video message posted on a website that regularly carries messages from Chechen rebels, Umarov said the message was recorded on January 24 -- the day of the suicide bombing at the airport. He wore camouflage combat fatigues and a black skullcap. "The special operation was done in accordance with my order. Similar special operations will be taking place in the future," he said in Russian. In a separate message posted over the weekend, Umarov vowed to deliver "a year of blood and tears" to Russia, saying that there were dozens of rebels prepared to carry out attacks. "I won't tell you there are hundreds of us prepared for jihad. But 50 or 60, God willing, we will find," said Umarov. "Those operations will be conducted monthly or weekly, as Allah allows us," he said. Umarov himself once expressly opposed terrorism. Now, he is designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist. "The emergence of Umarov as the leader of the Chechen insurgency intensified the split between national separatists and radical jihadists and led to a movement seeking to create an Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus with Umarov as the Emir," the department website says. "Umarov claimed responsibility for masterminding attacks in both Russia and the Caucasus region," including the 2009 Nevsky Express train derailment that killed 28 people and the 2010 Moscow subway bombings, which killed 40, the State Department says. In a statement in June 2010, the department's coordinator for counterterrorism, Daniel Benjamin, said Umarov poses threats to the United States and Russia and that his attacks "illustrate the global nature of the terrorist problem we face today." The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, part of the U.S. federal government, notes that the Caucasus Emirate cooperates with al Qaeda and has declared jihad on the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Israel. In Moscow, investigators say they have identified the suspected suicide bomber behind the airport attack as a 20-year-old man from the North Caucasus region. Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service, has refused to publicly name the suspect or identify his specific origin. But he told Russian state television the alleged bomber was under the influence of drugs before the attack. "Biological studies revealed the presence of a huge amount of highly potent narcotic and psychotropic substances in parts of the suicide bomber's body," Bortnikov said. Sitting beneath a black flag and flanked by two other bearded rebels in the message posted first, Umarov named the young man to his left as "Mujahedeen Seifullah." He said the man was being sent on a mission, although it is not clear from the video if this was the suspected Moscow airport bomber, or when the message was recorded. "I would like Putin and Medvedev and all other kaffirs and enemies to understand that there are many of us who will follow in our footsteps and give their lives for Allah," Umarov said. Umarov, thought to be 46 years old, is a seasoned fighter who has survived more than three years as the self-styled leader of the Caucasus Emirate despite a concerted campaign by Russian special forces to kill him. His video appearances reveal a stocky man with craggy features and a dense beard. Umarov was born in southern Chechnya in 1964, according to Chechen websites, and describes his family as part of the "intelligentsia." He came of age as the separatist campaign against Russian rule began to take root and joined the insurgency when Boris Yeltsin sent troops into the region in 1994. A peace deal reached with the Russian government briefly interrupted the Chechen revolt, with leading separatists -- including Umarov -- taking up positions in government. But it was a fragile truce and after a series of bomb attacks in Russia in 1999, Moscow sent its troops back into Chechnya. Umarov and others took up arms again. Russia's brutal military campaign began in 2000, soon after Vladimir Putin became president, and was widely criticized by human rights groups. In 2003, Human Rights Watch accused Russian forces of "committing hundreds of forced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and widespread acts of torture and ill-treatment" in Chechnya. David Satter, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said the Russians "had little concern for civilian casualties and used all kinds of weapons in the second war they hadn't used previously." It changed the nature and the goals of the Chechen revolt. The Chechen rebellion began morphing into a jihad to liberate the Muslim lands of the Caucasus. Chechnya is about 95% Muslim. Satter said Moscow had "effectively created the conditions for Islamic terrorism while systematically eliminating those with whom it might have had a dialogue." In 2005, Umarov gave a rare interview to Radio Free Europe. He had scars on his lips and chin and walked with a limp, apparently after stepping on a landmine. "Everything they (the Russians) are doing in Chechnya is done to break the human spirit, to make people lose their humanity. And they are having considerable success with the horrific things they are doing to people," he said. The U.S. State Department said that in 2005, Chechen security forces seized Umarov's relatives "including his father, wife, and six month old son. They later released the wife and child, but the father's location remained unknown. In August 2005 security forces also detained Doku Umarov's sister, Natasha Khumadova." In November 2007, Umarov declared himself the emir of the Caucasus. In a proclamation published on a Chechen jihadist website, he declared, "It was my destiny to lead the Jihad. ... I will lead and organize Jihad according to the understanding, given to me by Allah." He began to embrace terrorism and revived the Riyad-us-Saliheen brigade for high-profile suicide missions. It had previously been involved in the siege of a school in Beslan and the takeover of a Moscow theater, both of which ended with heavy loss of life. Andrew Kuchins of the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University said the Caucasus Emirate's targets have shown up Russian weaknesses. "These are really key transport infrastructure links that you would think would be under the highest protection possible," he said. Umarov's links with other jihadist groups, and in particular al Qaeda, have been the subject of much speculation but little certainty. Chechens have fought with al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and, along with other Muslims from central Asia, are said to have joined forces with the Taliban in northern Afghanistan. The Russian authorities say al Qaeda operatives are involved in the north Caucasus. Beyond spectacular attacks designed to bring terror to the Russian people, most analysts say the insurgents are unable to challenge the authority of the Russian state. "They're too loosely organized, the sources of the grievances of many of the groups are too different, they are more locally based," Kuchins said. But he sees no end to the instability in the northern Caucasus. "It's like a classic frontier zone, like the FATA (the tribal areas) in Pakistan," he said. "It's very difficult to govern, and it's becoming more unstable, and that zone of instability is growing." CNN's Tim Lister and Matthew Chance contributed to this report . | NEW: Caucasus Emirate has also declared jihad on the U.S., UK, and Israel .
NEW: Security forces once seized Umarov's 6-month-old son .
The U.S. calls Umarov the leader of the Chechen insurgency .
Umarov vows to find 50 or 60 "prepared for jihad" |
268,395 | e7a448c09ff2bbba90c55d72deb5a82b4dced09b | By . Sara Malm . A Japanese video commercial featuring a woman exercising with ‘human poodles’ has resurfaced ten years after it was filmed – and become a viral hit. The YouTube clip was made by Panasonic ahead of the 2004 Summer Olympics and shows Californian-born Japanese model Mariko Takahashi doing a 1980s-style aerobic exercise accompanied by poodles. Kicking the surreal-level up a notch – even for Japan – Ms Takahashi sports strange ‘Popeye’ muscles as she speaks of how to lose weight and takes the viewer through the exercises. The clip, made by art director and commercial film director Nagi Noda, is a word-for-word copy of a workout video made by motivational speaker and 90s fitness celebrity Susan Powter. The poodles are, of course, humans, who had dog heads added later using CGI, and were used by Noda as she found the way poodle fur is groomed to resemble human muscles. Scroll down for video . Internet implodes: The surreal video features an English-speaking model with strange Popeye-like muscles working out with a group of poodles . Want to look like me? Although the video looks like it was filmed in 1985, it is just over ten years old, filmed ahead of the 2004 Summer Olympics . Where else: Although the video is in English, the ten-part promotional workout spoof was made in Japan . Too weird: The aerobics poodles are, of course, humans, and the poodle heads were added later using CGI . The strange video's director, Nagi Noda, explained that she decided to use poodles as the way the fur is groomed looks like muscles . It cannot be unseen: A total of ten videos were made by Panasonic in 2004, although this appears to be the only one which had gone viral . What makes the video, if possible, even more strange is that it follows the exact script of an exercise video made by Susan Powter, who became famous in the 90s through her weight-loss infomercials . | Video from 2004 shows a woman exercising with poodles .
The video was part of an ad series by Panasonic ahead of the Olympics .
The woman has strange 'Popeye' muscles mimicking the poodle fur . |
79,940 | e298c453e085f419ae7a308f9f823a6af9085294 | Gennadji Raivich, whois facing jail for molesting a woman who used his insemination services . A ‘narcissistic’ academic who claims to have fathered 58 children as a private sperm donor is facing jail for molesting a woman who used his services. Professor Gennadij Raivich, 51, set up a ‘one-stop shop’ on the internet to artificially inseminate women who were desperate to start a family. He visited them at home and pretended to be trying to help them, but instead he was ‘sexually motivated’ to embark upon a ‘breeding programme’, a court heard. The neuroscientist, an expert in maternal and foetal medicine, was found guilty of sexually assaulting one woman who used his services and was cleared of abusing two others. Blackfriars Crown Court in South East London heard that Raivich advertised his services online under a false name and carried out home visits around the country. He carried a ‘donation kit’ with him containing a DVD player so he could watch pornography, rubber gloves and laboratory equipment. But he was arrested after three women complained that he had sexually assaulted them. Raivich, who worked at University College, London, once gave an interview in which he described being a sperm donor as ‘like a hobby or charitable act’ and said that he got ‘satisfaction by helping’. He also said that he offered his services as a donor and as a doctor because he ‘loved children’ and wanted others to enjoy parenthood. Tom Wilkins, prosecuting, told jurors: ‘You have to ask yourselves what kind of woman agrees to meet a complete stranger for artificial insemination: Someone who is desperate and is prepared to put up with the potential embarrassment and humiliation and who has kept the details from their friends and families. ‘A perfect victim for sexual assault, someone unlikely to complain. ‘Compare the women to this defendant, someone who has traded on the fact he is a doctor and paraded his scientific knowledge, impressing them with his apparent expertise. What kind of man embarks on a breeding programme to have as many children as possible? ‘You may feel there is a high degree of narcissism in what he has done and that he is sexually motivated in some of these transactions.’ His victim told the court that Raivich had visited her at home after she contacted him. She said she went along with his request for her to perform a sex act on him on several occasions because she had been trying to conceive for a year and was desperate for success this time. Mr Wilkins said he sexually assaulted her, adding: ‘She told him three or four times not to touch her, but he went ahead regardless. Blackfriars Crown Court, pictured, in South East London heard that Raivich advertised his services online under a false name and carried out home visits around the country . ‘He was not the altruistic donor, but someone who is sexually motivated.’ Raivich, of North London, was convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting the woman and was released on bail until September 30 for a pre-sentence report. Two other women, both 26-year-old lesbians, also told the court the defendant abused them – which he denied, but the jury were unable to reach verdicts on this. Raivich is a qualified doctor in Germany, but has never practised medicine and is not registered with the General Medical Council. Following his arrest, 15 women who had children by him came to his defence, including a police officer, a maths teacher and a lecturer. His conviction on June 27 could not be reported until now because the Crown Prosecution Service was considering a retrial over eight charges relating to alleged assaults on the lesbians, but it has now decided not to proceed. | Professor Gennadij Raivich found guilty of sexually assaulting one woman .
Court heard that he advertised his services online under a false name .
Neuroscientist was an expert in maternal and foetal medicine . |
267,188 | e60fdbeef56974ef9c10b24ca93ec234469fba5d | (CNN)It was a very telling mini-scandal, the faux-fury over Michelle Obama's short visit to Saudi Arabia. First there was the phony claim that Saudi television had blurred the first lady's image in its transmission of the Obamas' condolence call on the kingdom. Then came the kerfuffle over her outfit. Was she insensitive in not wearing a headscarf? Should she had worn black? Then, finally, we heard the questions about whether she committed an etiquette no-no when she shook hands with the new Saudi monarch, King Salman. None of these accusations and claims amount to much on their own. But there is a reason, a very good reason, why social media turned its attention sharply toward Michelle Obama in Saudi Arabia. The presence of an American first lady on Saudi territory embodies the intense unease that surrounds U.S. and Western relations with the Saudi kingdom. Saudi Arabians can be the most hospitable people in the world, and they are friends of the United States. But all is not well with the relationship. The spectacle of American and European leaders lavishly praising and courting the Saudi royals is a most unsettling one. U.S.-Saudi relations present a profound moral dilemma for America. They constitute a classic example of the tough choices a nation faces when its ideals clash with its interests. The United States wants to have good relations with Saudi Arabia, not only because it has a lot of oil, but because it is one of the most powerful countries in the Middle East and the two countries share many strategic goals. The U.S. needs Saudi Arabia -- and Saudi Arabia needs the U.S. At the same time, many of Saudi Arabia's practices stand in direct violation of America's -- and the world's -- most cherished values. Values or interests: that is the question. Let's now put an end to the discussion about Michelle Obama. She did absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, the claim that her attire and performance created a firestorm in Saudi Arabia is plainly false. By some counts, there were some 1,500 tweets with the Arabic hashtag #ميشيل_أوباما_سفور, which means roughly #Michelle_Obama_Unveiled. That is hardly a Twitterstorm, considering that Saudi Arabia has more than 5 million Twitter users. Second, the first lady followed protocol. Saudi law does not require foreign visitors to wear a hijab, the Muslim headscarf. This was no protocol breach, and it was also not an unusually courageous move on her part. Countless prominent women have appeared in public meeting Saudi royals without wearing headscarves. We've seen Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Angela Merkel, among others, visit the kingdom in Western attire. Finally, that handshake: The King would not have shaken hands with Michelle Obama if he had not wanted to do so. In fact, we saw an endless parade of dignitaries shake the President's hand and walk right past the first lady, bluntly, rudely, ignoring her. That is a breach of etiquette. But it was not committed by the first lady or by King Salman. So it looks like this is the scandal that wasn't. A non-tempest, if you will. But there was a teapot. The story made headlines because people in the United States and in the West feel a scandal in the relationship, because much of what goes on in Saudi Arabia is an affront not just to Western principles but to human rights conventions endorsed by most of the world. And some of the most egregious violations of those values are perpetrated against Saudi women. For decades Saudi women have protested the indefensible rule that bans them from driving, making Saudi Arabia the only country in the world with such a ban. A Saudi woman is required to have a male relative as a "guardian" who must approve her travel and other key decisions in her life. Saudi women are required to wear the abaya, a head-to-toe cover, and many wear a niqab, which covers the face. The fact that they dress differently is not in itself a rights violation, but the fact that they have no choice in the matter is. Saudi women, who are intelligent, strong, competent, mature, capable of making decision for themselves as well as any Saudi man, are treated in many cases as if they were children. But it's not just women whose rights, as defined by international standards, are violated. There is no freedom of religion in the kingdom, where everyone by law must be a Muslim and the public practice of other religions is forbidden. And freedom of expression is severely restricted. Blogger Raif Badawi, who sought to promote a discussion about social and religious issues on his website, was sentenced to 1,000 lashes for "insulting Islam," and showing disobedience. He suffered the first 50 lashes a few weeks ago, and the international outcry, combined with the toll it took on his health, led the government to put the rest of the sentence on hold. Then there are the public beheadings after questionable legal proceedings. Already 16 people have been beheaded this year. There were 87 such punishments last year. So what is the United States to do? Cooperation with Saudi Arabia is crucial in restoring stability to the Middle East, in fighting ISIS and other terrorist groups, in keeping oil prices low to pressure Iran and Russia, and in a number of other high-priority items on the world's agenda. The answer is a frustrating balance of realism and idealism. The answer requires acknowledging -- in private and in public, as Hillary Clinton has done -- that we find some of their practices unacceptable, along with an open and unapologetic defense of the principles of equality and basic freedoms. The United States cannot sever relations with Riyadh, and the truth is that it cannot force the Saudis to change, but keeping quiet on the matter is an unseemly capitulation. A condolence call was not the time for public criticism, and Michelle Obama's presence in Riyadh was a meaningful sign that the United States believes women belong in the public sphere. The scandal was a sign of the frustration people feel with this ethical dilemma. | Frida Ghitis: Michelle Obama's not wearing headscarf in Saudi Arabia is a faux-scandal .
Kerfuffle really shows U.S. ethical dilemma in dealing with a repressive regime, she says . |
125,727 | 2e86f4547b2d6b0a14568cefb617a120377a8f3a | Italy's Edoardo Zardini emerged triumphant from the gruelling climb of The Tumble to claim victory in stage three of the Tour of Britain on Tuesday and the overall leader's yellow jersey. Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo) had moved ahead of Zardini (Bardiani-CSF) as the pair battled at the front on the summit finish, but the Irishman was subsequently overtaken by his rival, who exhibited perfect timing as he broke clear to win by nine seconds. Roche eventually came in third, 11 seconds back, with Pole Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) taking second place. Winner: Edoardo Zardini celebrates his victory in the Tour of Britain's third stage . In the hunt: Sir Bradley Wiggins came fifth is fifth in the Tour of Britain . Dylan Teuns of Belgium (BMC Racing Team) was fourth, while defending champion Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) was fifth, 14 seconds back. The Briton has now moved from 10 to 24 seconds off the top in the general classification, which sees Zardini 13 seconds clear of second-placed Kwiatkowski. Leaders: The leading pack take on The Tumble . Yellow jersey: Zardini tops the overall classification following his victory in Wales . | Edoardo Zardini wins the third stage in Wales .
Italian held off Irishman Nicolas Roche in a gruelling climb .
Sir Bradley Wiggins came in fifth and is 24 seconds off the overall pace . |
30,302 | 5623acdc8641c9f06dcc3ef5f7d91e27dde607dc | (CNN) -- Last Sunday, a group of us sat on the beach, watching the children play, when the talk turned, as it often does, to Pope Francis. "The Pope said the loveliest thing yesterday. My father in Porto Alegre called me to tell me about it," my Brazilian friend Bete told us. My Swiss friend Diego chimed in with another charming anecdote, and everyone remarked how warm and affectionate Francis is. I was pleased to hear all the comments, but not surprised, since it's been like that all year. Everyone is talking about him, all the time. In this first year of his papacy, Francis has stirred up hearts and minds, not only among his flock, but also among a wider culture that is generally inhospitable, if not downright antagonistic, to the teachings of the Church of Rome. He has sparked admiration and consternation, and most of all, he has inspired wide-flung interest and debate. It seems the voice of the vicar of Rome, even in this secularist age, has tremendous carrying power. People who long ago dismissed the church as a hidebound, irrelevant institution seem to be irresistibly drawn to the captivating Francis. I was stunned, recently, to have a very liberal acquaintance of mine, who happens to be Jewish, tell me we finally have a progressive pope. A priest reflects on Francis' first year . He used the word "we." To my acquaintance, "progressive" is high praise, as it describes a belief in the growing wisdom of mankind and the inevitable improvement of our culture, resulting in welcome human flourishing. It was clear to him that both he and Francis share the same desire, to see all people living more joyful, fulfilling lives. My friend's comment illustrated the peculiar power of Francis: that of presenting the central message of the church -- that God loves every man and woman passionately and desires their good -- in ways that those quite outside the influence of the church can recognize and warm to. Pope Francis has been at pains to explain what he is about, which he characterizes as a new chapter of evangelization for the church. His task is to find ways, and help the rest of the church find ways, to transmit the joy which so obviously fills him and sustains him. He calls it the joy of the gospel, which perhaps might be explained as the joy of knowing that we are truly loved, although all of us are completely undeserving of that kind of sacrificial devotion. He is the first one to declare himself a sinner, and undeserving, with an utterly disarming humility. He writes, in Evangelii Gaudium, "I dream of ... a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church's customs ... can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today's world rather than for her self-preservation." This is quite a statement. It seems he understands that too many Catholics today find themselves with a bunker mentality, hoping to "get by" without calling too much attention to themselves. They feel beleaguered by those who no longer have the philosophical and religious education that would enable them to understand social doctrine, especially sexual, as anything other than stuffy nonsense that has outlived its usefulness. The church has found itself, understandably, in a defensive posture. It has been greatly exacerbated recently by a new tendency in modern culture to decry an adherence to age-old, universal attitudes toward marriage and sexuality as intolerance and bigotry. But that defensive posture, Francis seems to say, is not courageous and outward-looking, and not worthy of those who have been charged with the sacred mission of spreading the good news. Of course, there are many who hope that he will repudiate some of those social teachings, and thereby change the character of the church itself. Again and again he is asked why he doesn't emphasize those difficult matters, like abortion and marriage. He didn't mention them in Brazil, during World Youth Day. He explained then: "The Church has already expressed herself perfectly on this. ... It wasn't necessary to talk about that, but about the positive things that open the way to youngsters." When pressed for his personal position, he answered with direct and perfect simplicity: "That of the Church. I am a Child of the Church!" Francis wants Catholics, bravely, out of their bunkers. He is telling them that there is tremendous power in the knowledge that believers carry within them. The joy of the gospel, as Francis sees it, is capable of setting us free from sorrow, loneliness and inner emptiness. Aren't those exactly the torments that plague modern people, satiated with material goods like never before but atomized and radically alone? It would be criminal for Catholics to hide it away because they are fearful of criticism or just lazy and unmotivated. The Pope tells us to put joy into action, in service to the poor, love of the sick, going out to meet our brothers and sisters at the crossroads and bringing them home. He personally and infectiously shows us exactly how it's done. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie. | Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie says everyone is talking about Pope Francis, all the time .
He has stirred hearts and minds of Catholics and non-Catholics, she says .
People are saying that "we" finally have a progressive pope .
She says Pope Francis wants Catholics, bravely, out of their bunkers . |
246,078 | ca813ad1bc7730514e2ca2201911ddb654739c78 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 4:48 PM on 25th November 2011 . John Ransford, chief executive of the Local Government Association, described his £300,000 pay packet as 'peanuts' The outgoing head of the quango that acts as a mouthpiece for town halls has described his £300,000 salary as 'peanuts'. John Ransford, who quit as the chief executive of the Local Government Association earlier this month, receives a total pay and pension package of £302,840. He claimed this was 'not particularly out of line' with the salaries earned by other executive staff in the public sector. However, he claimed it would be regarded as 'peanuts' by high-earners in finance and private industry. But the 63-year-old added: 'I don't regard it as peanuts, I regard it as high pay.' Mr Ransford's salary of more than £300,000 is more than double the Prime Minister's salary and £70,000 higher than it was last year. His salary in 2009 was £193,923. This was increased in 2010 to £245,612 - a rise of more than 25 per cent. This is because he was promoted from deputy chief executive. Details of his rapid salary increases came to light earlier this year when the Local Government Association published a report on high-earners within its ranks. Local Government Minister Grant Shapps then called for Mr Ransford to 'lead from the front' by taking a 10 per cent pay cut and 30 top councillors publicly criticised his remuneration package. 'This report is a devastating exposé of how fat cat pay has spiralled out of control in local government,' he said at the time. 'It seems many councils have taken their eye off the ball.' But Mr Ransford this week told the Guardian that none of his 400 members had objected to his salary and blamed Mr Shapps for launching 'a quite unfair and unreasonable sting' against him through the media. Local Government Minister Grant Shapps today described Mr Ransford's comments as 'out of touch' Mr Ransford is now planning to take a long break in New Zealand 'as far from Westminster as it is possible to go'. He explained: 'I've done the heavy-lifting, I’ve given it my all. It’s for others now to perform on that stage.' Mr Shapps today described Mr Ransford's comments as 'out of touch'. He told the Telegraph: 'He has set such a bad example to local government advocating whopping fat cat salaries for chief executives whilst thousands of public sector workers are subject to a pay freeze or losing their jobs. 'We are calling time on the unacceptable practices of mega pay packets, boomerang bosses and double dipping to ensure the taxpayer gets value for money.' Mr Ransford's replacement, Carolyn Down, is on a much lower salary of £169,000 a year, plus £27,000 in annual pension contributions. | Local Government Minister Grant Shapps describes John Ransford's comments as 'out of touch' |
88,001 | f9b1318815684b37174dc10e17782a2e9dee91ea | Washington (CNN) -- With a short video on BarackObama.com, the sitting president of the United States has launched his bid for re-election. Using what apparently will be one of his campaign slogans, "It begins with us," the campaign has told supporters that the kickoff of the campaign has started and that means the race for contributions is on. The familiar-looking blue "O" over red and white stripes is back again for 2012. And at the bottom of the website, the candidates' names are clearly identified: OBAMA-BIDEN -- for Vice President Joe Biden. Shortly afterward, Obama sent an e-mail to supporters to say he will also file papers Monday with the Federal Election Commission. "We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest," Obama said in his e-mail message. He is expected to host his first re-election fundraiser in Chicago on April 14, according to the sources. The president is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent so he can get a jump on fundraising in a season that's likely to shatter all records. Obama's team has been asking campaign bundlers to raise $350,000 each, no easy task since campaign finance laws limit gifts to $2,500 per donor. Two sources tell CNN the campaign team hopes that in total its bundlers will raise $500 million, leaving the campaign to raise another $500 million and amass a record-breaking $1 billion war chest. According to these sources, the president has made calls to top donors, and conference calls are planned this week to supporters and key Democratic groups. Biden is already planning to be in New Hampshire on Monday and will meet with key supporters in that crucial early voting state. For the past few weeks, Jim Messina, who will manage the campaign, and Patrick Gaspard, executive director of the Democratic National Committee, have been flying around the country meeting with frustrated donors working to get them re-engaged. So far no Republican contenders have formally announced. But these days, the likely Republican presidential contenders are making endless visits to key early voting states and meeting with supporters across the country. One top Democrat says, "The Republicans are out there day in and day out beating up on the president -- they're basically running without filing. So to say we're going first isn't totally fair." This person adds, "No one wants to start running now. The president is engaged in the country, this is about getting (campaign) staff up and running." Additionally, top Democrats say two former White House staffers are likely to set up a third-party outside spending group. Former deputy press secretary Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, former aide to then-Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have been approached by Democratic donors who are concerned about countering the influence of Karl Rove and the Koch brothers in the upcoming 2012 election. CNN's Sam Feist also contributed to this report. | NEW: Obama says he will file papers Monday .
NEW: Obama: We need to mobilize "long before" the time to seriously campaign .
He is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent .
So far no Republican contenders have formally announced . |
88,193 | fa5089d759a9fb810d28c140cf60e3a5fffff8ba | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 02:51 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:20 EST, 7 January 2013 . Tragic: PC Andrew Bramma, pictured, died after his car crashed into a tree when he was responding to an emergency call . This is the police officer who was tragically killed on duty when the patrol car he was driving while answering a 999 call crashed into a tree. Pictured for the first time, PC Andrew Bramma - who was was attending reports of a road accident - died at the scene after the crash at 7pm yesterday in the village of West Tanfield, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. North Yorkshire Police said PC Bramma, 32, who was married and had two young sons, only transferred to the force from Greater Manchester Police four months ago. North Yorkshire Police say that an online book of condolence has been started for people to pay tributes to the officer. Shadow home secretary and Yorkshire MP Yvette Cooper said: 'This is terrible news. The officer was working to help others and keep people safe, in this instance responding to an emergency call. 'All our sympathies and thoughts go out to his family and friends. 'Police officers across the country put their lives at risk every night so we all can be safer and more secure, and they deserve our deep gratitude.' He was described by Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick as having 'everything you would hope for in a young officer.' The popular officer had worked on the beat in Greater Manchester for four years before transferring to North Yorkshire Police. He . was based in Harrogate and worked as part of a local safer . neighbourhood policing team. He had been helping out his colleagues from . Ripon when he died. It is unclear why PC Bramma transferred. Speaking . at a press conference outside Harrogate Police Station, Mr Madgwick said: 'It is with deep sadness . and regret that North Yorkshire Police announces the death of a serving . police officer. 'He worked in Harrogate as part of the safer neighbourhood policing team and was a valued part of it. 'It is terrible and tragic news and the thoughts of everyone at North Yorkshire Police are with his young family. 'He was held in high regard and has been a much valued colleague since joining the force just four months ago. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Police officers hold flowers outside Harrogate Police Station after the death of PC Andrew Bramma . Tributes: Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick (right) and Mike Stubbs from the North Yorkshire Police Federation (left) lay flowers outside Harrogate Police Station after the death . 'Andrew was a great transfer and we were looking forward to him spending the rest of his career with North Yorkshire Police. 'He had everything you would hope for . in a young officer. As a Chief Constable it has left me with a deep . sadness and almost a sickly feeling. 'I just sense he was someone who wanted to be here and wanted to be part of our team. 'He . extolled the virtues of what we are looking for in North Yorkshire . Police, he cared about the community, he wanted to do his job and . protect people and he did it for the very best reasons. 'He . was a man of integrity and he was popular with his colleagues and as . Chief Constable I cannot ask for more of a young officer. 'I believe he was on . patrol when he received the call about the RTC. While he was based in . Harrogate he was helping his colleagues in Ripon on this occasion. Remembered: A mourner leaves tributes at the scene in West Tanfield, near Ripon, where a police officer died after his car crashed into a tree as he tried to respond to an emergency call about a road accident . Paying respects: A local firefighter lays flowers today at the scene where PC Andrew Bramma died yesterday evening when his patrol car collided with a tree . 'A full investigation will be carried out to determine the circumstances of the collision.' He said that the force had received messages of condolence from forces around the country. Police Federation spokesman Mike . Stubbs, said: 'We are mourning the death of a member of the Police . Federation who was tragically killed while on his way to an accident to . assist a member of the public. 'Andrew quickly established himself as a highly respected officer and leaves behind a very close family with two young children. 'The federation will endeavour to give them all the support they need over the coming months.' Fallen colleague: Firefighters from the red watch of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service pay their respects to PC Andrew Bramma, who was killed while on duty near Ripon last night . Tribute: Flowers mark the spot where a North Yorkshire police officer died when his patrol hit a tree near Ripon while answering a 999 call . Crash scene: Flowers rest against the tree that the North Yorkshire Police officer crashed into in West Tanfield, close to Ripon, north Yorkshire . Solemn: Fire crews were among the first to pay tribute to father-of-two PC Bramma today . Members of PC Bramma's family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. The road was closed for several hours following the crash and a full investigation into what happened has been launched. Mr . Madgwick had said earlier in a statement: 'This is terrible and tragic . news and the thoughts of everyone at North Yorkshire Police are with the . officer's family at this sad and very difficult time. 'Everyone . is shocked and saddened by the news of his death and I speak for every . member of the force in extending our heartfelt sympathies to his family, . friends and colleagues.' Tragic: Two female police officers hold floral tributes to PC Bramma at a press conference held this afternoon at Harrogate Police Station . Sympathy: Colleagues left a bunch of flowers at the scene of last night's crash which left a North Yorkshire police officer dead . Tributes were also paid to PC Bramma on Twitter today. Emotional: Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick fights back tears as he speaks at the police press conference at Harrogate Police Station this afternoon . MP for Skipton and Ripon Julian Smith tweeted earlier: 'Tragic news about the death of North Yorkshire police officer last night while responding to a call. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues.' Colleagues from Richmond Police tweeted: Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the officer, very sad news.' Crews from the red watch of the North . Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were among the first to pay tribute to . PC Bramma, laying flowers at the scene where he was killed earlier . today. Colleagues also clutched floral tributes to the fallen officer at this afternoon's press conference at Harrogate Police Station. The road was closed for several hours last night as collision investigators examined the scene. The . Health and Safety Executive has also been informed and an investigation . will be carried out into the cause of the collision, police said. Greater Manchester Police tonight . paid tribute to PC Bramma, who spent nearly four years with the force. He joined in October 2008 and worked as a response officer in the . Rochdale division. Assistant Chief Constable Steve . Heywood said: ‘Officers and staff here at Greater Manchester are . distraught to hear the news of Andrew's tragic death last night. ‘Andrew was a well-liked and . respected officer during his time at GMP and we would like to offer our . most sincere condolences to Andrew's family, friends and colleagues at . both Forces, who are now understandably struggling to come to terms with . his loss.’ Tributes were paid to PC Andrew Bramma on Twitter today . PC Bramma's former colleagues from the B relief team at GMP's Rochdale division issued a joint statement to express their sorrow at the death of an ‘A* standard’ officer. They said: ‘Last night we received the worst news any police officer could wish to receive - that a close colleague and friend, PC Bramma, had been taken from us in tragic circumstances, whilst doing the job he loved of helping people in their hour of need. ‘Andrew was a great police officer and a loving family man. For anyone who knew him, Andrew was meticulous in everything he did, nothing would ever beat him and he would leave no stone unturned to find his answers. Every job he dealt with was always done to A* standard. ‘Andrew leaves us all with many lasting memories - from being such a great friend, to the large amount of hand gel and protective blue gloves he used to go through at work that we teased him about daily, to being a very proud and true Yorkshire man. ‘We were all proud to know and work alongside Andrew and hope to lead by the high example he set for us to follow. Our thoughts are with his wife, two lovely sons and other family and friends at this time.’ Anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the vehicle or witnessed the collision is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101. VIDEO Crash scene where officer died answering 999 call... | PC Andrew Bramma, 32, crashed in West Tanfield, near Ripon, North Yorks .
Father of two pronounced dead at the scene after crash at 7pm yesterday .
PC Bramma had only transferred to North Yorkshire Police four months ago .
Former Greater Manchester Police employee praised as 'A* standard' officer . |
40,667 | 72c3f835e65151bc79cfff83947fb7d9050a803c | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Lindsay Lohan's lawyer accuses prosecutors of leaking details of her case to TMZ, which he says resulted in "an inaccurate report" about where the actress will go for rehab. Mark Heller, who is himself being investigated for alleged witness tampering in Lohan's probation violation case, called for an investigation of the Santa Monica and Los Angeles city attorneys. "It's horrible, because Lindsay Lohan or any defendant should be able to feel that their privacy is being protected," Heller told CNN on Wednesday after TMZ reported Lohan would check into the Seafield Center in Westhampton Beach, New York, for her court-mandated 90 days of substance abuse rehabilitation next month. "It impacts the integrity of the legal system in California," said Heller, a New York lawyer. That information was included in a "personal and confidential" e-mail he sent to the two prosecutors, Heller said. "Since I'm the only one who communicated that, it more or less would have to be that one of the two prosecutors would be their source," he said. "A source tells me it may result in the launch of a major investigation in California to ascertain where all these leaks and breaches of confidentiality are emanating from," Heller said. A spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney declined to comment, and the Santa Monica prosecutor was in court and unavailable to respond. "Think how it impacts the facility, and the people in the facility who go to the facility to get treatment and, lo and behold, 100 paparazzi show up at the front gate and impair the privacy," he said. Lohan, 26, was ordered to spend 90 days in rehab as an alternative to 90 days in jail for her "no contest" pleas to lying to police about a car crash, reckless driving and violating her probation for a shoplifting conviction. "It shocks me that I learn about what's going on in this case from the Internet more quickly than I do from the prosecutors," Heller said. "These Internet facilities are running amok, and they are violating rights and they are perverting our judicial system." "Lindsay Lohan is the victim," he said. "She should be afforded some sort of privacy." Santa Monica police are investigating Heller for suspicion of asking Lohan's personal assistant, who was in the car with the actress when she was involved in a car crash last June, to lie in his testimony by saying he had control of the Porsche when it crashed into a dump truck, a source close to the investigation told CNN last month. The Santa Monica city attorney asked the city's police to investigate, according to the source, who asked not to be identified since the source is not authorized to discuss it with news media. "I can sum it up in one word: ridiculous," Heller said when asked for a comment last month. "What can I tell you?" Lohan, just ahead of the premiere of "Scary Movie 5," in which she appears with Charlie Sheen, paid a visit to David Letterman's CBS show Tuesday. "We never thought we'd see you again, honestly, because of the jokes and stuff," Letterman told her. "But you have enough spine, enough sense of yourself, enough poise to come out here and talk to me." Lohan joked with Letterman about her criminal history, but also got serious about her upcoming rehab stay. "I think this is an opportunity for me to focus on what I love in life," she said. "I don't think it's a bad thing, I think it's a blessing." Lohan tears up talking to Letterman . | Mark Heller: TMZ source "would have to be" one of the two prosecutors .
"It impacts the integrity of the legal system in California," Heller says .
Santa Monica police are investigating Heller on suspicion of witness tampering .
Lohan enters rehab next month . |
4,961 | 0e23054428e8371125f0fa5b00bbbf58898784ee | (CNN) -- Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's home after a 911 call. Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT. An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner's office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital. Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m. Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson's death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends. CNN Analyst Roland S. Martin spoke on Thursday with Marlon Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson. "I talked to Frank Dileo, Michael's manager. Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn't feeling well. "Michael's doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, 'Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don't know what happened.' When they got to him this morning, he wasn't breathing. They rushed him to the hospital and couldn't bring him around." "Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother," Kenneth Crear, her manager said. "She is ... flying immediately to California to be with her family." Michael Jackson, the music icon from Gary, Indiana, was known as the "King of Pop." Jackson had many No. 1 hits, and his "Thriller" is the best-selling album of all time. Watch why Jackson is "as big as it gets" » . Jackson was the seventh of nine children from a well-known musical family. He is survived by three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II. Watch Jesse Jackson share memories » . Jackson's former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said she was "shocked and saddened" by Jackson's death. "My heart goes out to his children and his family," she said. At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying. iReport.com: Your Michael Jackson tributes . Video footage shows a large crowd gathering outside the hospital. Some of Jackson's music was being played outside. The sounds of "Thriller" and "Beat It" bounced off the walls. Kingston: Jackson "a legend" » . Outside Jackson's Bel Air home, police arrived on motorcycles. The road in front of the home was closed in an attempt to hold traffic back, but several people were gathered outside the home. Sharpton: Jackson "was a trailblazer" » . Along with his success Jackson had some legal troubles later in his career. He was acquitted of child molestation charges after a well-publicized trial in Santa Maria, California, in March 2006. Prosecutors charged the singer with four counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14; one count of attempted lewd conduct; four counts of administering alcohol to facilitate child molestation; and one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment or extortion. CNN's Alan Duke contributed to this report. | NEW: Marlon Jackson: Manager said doctor was at Michael's home Wednesday night .
NEW: Jackson said he wasn't feeling well Wednesday, brother says .
Former wife Lisa Marie Presley "shocked and saddened" by death .
Jackson pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT, says brother Jermaine Jackson . |
269,624 | e93b2579827e4cc799c4a31769d7290c0254ec21 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 12 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:45 EST, 13 June 2012 . A foul-mouthed pensioner branded 'Britain's nastiest granny' for making her neighbours' lives hell during a 12-year harassment campaign was given an ASBO today. Joan Nisbet, 71, sprayed weedkiller in a woman's face, blared gangster rap music, took part in naked sex acts and drove one neighbour to the brink of suicide. Nisbet was today handed an interim ASBO, after Croydon Coucnil ruled that the restraining order she received in September was ‘insufficient’ to protect her neighbours in Kenley, Surrey, from her abusive behaviour. In an unprecedented move, Croydon Council in Surrey have also applied to place a closure order on her home in Kenley - a procedure normally used for shutting down drug dens. 'She's a nightmare': Joan Nisbet (above) faces being evicted from her Croydon home after waging a 12-year campaign of harassment against her neighbours . Nisbet, currently serving a four-month prison sentence for breaching a restraining order in January, appeared in court on May 1 as the council applied to have her evicted from her home for three months. Today’s ASBO bans her from causing harassment, alarm or distress to her neighbours and from assaulting or threatening them when she is released this Friday. She has been barred from contacting next door neighbours Lorraine and Paul Crowley directly or indirectly. Nisbet, who sat impassively as she was read out the sanctions is also forbidden from pestering those who gave information about her campaign of abuse. Campaign of harassment: Police visit Nisbet's home in Kenley to arrest her last year. She was given a suspended jail term after a trial in September . She is also forbidden from shouting or swearing or verbally abusing neighbours, playing music which can be heard outside her home or banging on its walls. The interim ASBO runs until August 14, when Croydon Council will apply to have it formally recognised. Prosecutor Kuljit Bhogal said the current restraining order against Nisbet was ‘not sufficient to ensure that she behaves appropriately.’ She said: 'The position today is that Miss Nisbet is here and the local authority seek to pursue an authority for an ASBO. 'This is because the local authority take the view that as Miss Nisbet has been detained in prison there has been respite for the community and there is not a need to close her home and prevent her from living there. 'What we seek is an order concerning her behaviour when she is released on June 15. All of these matters have been served on Miss Nisbet prior to May 1.' 'We . are also applying for an antisocial behaviour order which would prevent . her from visiting her own or her neighbours’ homes in Kenley.' During her 12-year campaign, she: . In September, she was hit with a . suspended jail sentence and a restraining order – but was hauled back . in front of judges after she viciously mocked Mr Crowley for trying to commit suicide. Torment: Lorraine Crowley says she had weedkiller sprayed in her face by Nisbet . At her trial in September, Mrs Crowley, 54, told Croydon Magistrates Court: ‘She is evil. The past year has been hell. She terrorised the whole neighbourhood, insulting the children and playing music so loud you could hear it all down the road.' Mrs Bignell later added: 'The 12 years of living next to her have been a living hell. 'It is about time the council acted. I hope she has her house taken away from her permanently. She does not deserve one. 'She is a nightmare, so we are glad the council are now doing something about it.' | Joan Nisbet created a 'living hell' during 12-year campaign of harassment .
Drove one neighbour to the brink of taking his own life .
Croydon Council impose ASBO after ruling restraining order was 'insufficient' to protect her neighbours .
Council makes bid to close her home, a move normally reserved for drug dens .
Sprayed weedkiller into the face of neighbour Lorraine Crowley, 55, and threw a pot of paint over 47-year-old Maria Bignell; .
Blared music from gangsta rap group NWA, along with Eminem and Queen songs into the early hours; .
Took part in sex acts with a boyfriend in the garden, forcing Maria and husband Mark into building a 7ft 6in fence.
Threatened to kill Mrs Bignell's children.
Drove Mrs Crowley's husband, Paul, to the verge of taking his own life. |
266,064 | e49bad599499f5893fd728996b45df33024daa3a | Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) -- This weekend marks the end of an era for many fans of the iconic Liberace. The Las Vegas museum dedicated to preserving the glitz, the glamour and even the gaudiness that defined the entertainer's career is closing Sunday after more than 30 years. Despite his dynamic history, the draw of the Liberace Museum has been eclipsed by some of Vegas' increasingly lavish attractions. Low attendance is the primary factor in the decision to close the museum, Liberace Foundation President Jack Rappaport said. Liberace himself opened the museum in 1979, and in its prime, it brought in 450,000 visitors a year. "We've dwindled down to 50,000," Rappaport said. He blames the low attendance on the museum's location three miles off Las Vegas Boulevard, commonly known as the Strip. "We are just geographically not desirable," he said. [When the museum opened in 1979] we weren't competition for the Strip. We actually complemented the Strip." Rappaport feels that the megaresort style of the new casinos of Las Vegas -- with high-end shopping, an abundance of restaurants, shows and other museum-type attractions -- gives tourists everything they could need. "It's kind of like going to Disney World or Disneyland resort. You go there, and you don't really have to go anywhere else." If there is a bright side, it's that since the closing was announced weeks ago, attendance has nearly tripled, according to one tour guide's estimate. A significant number of this influx are locals who've lived in Vegas for decades but never made it to the museum. But positive attendance news in the 11th hour doesn't change the fact that for most of the 23 employees, not only will they be out of a job, they'll be out of a way to educate people on a man they've come to admire. "I mean, [Liberace] was Las Vegas," museum director Tanya Combs said. "Reading everything and seeing everything ... you start to believe in what a nice man he was, and you really wanted everyone to know that." Museum archivist and historian Pauline Lachance has been the go-to gal for anything and everything Liberace. "He's made such an impact on my life; it's unbelievable. I get kind of choked up talking about him," she said. She could tell you about all sorts of things, from "Walter" Valentino Liberace's early life as a piano prodigy to his prime years as the highest-paid entertainer in the world, with the highest flamboyance factor to boot. He was a man who, in the midst of a battle with HIV, sold out New York's Radio City Music Hall so fast that his record still stands. Lachance's very first experience with Mr. Showmanship himself was a night that almost didn't happen. "I really didn't want to go," she recalls of the show her husband roped her into attending. But that evening sparked a passion, some might say obsession, for the king of bling. Up until his death in 1987 at 67, she attended no fewer than 50 of his shows. "All you need to do is go to one performance, and you want to go to every one after that. He just captivates you with his charm and his music." After the museum closes Sunday, Lachance will continue to work for the Liberace Foundation part-time. But there will be no more camera-wielding visitors oohing and aahing over Liberace's rhinestone-studded piano, complete with matching costume and Roadster. See an iReporter's snapshots of the glitzy museum . The musician's remarkable costumes became more elaborate as the decades went on, some taking more than a year to construct. Throughout his career, he played eight major hotels in Las Vegas, with his longest run at the Las Vegas Hilton. In addition to establishing the museum in Vegas, Liberace set up a foundation to provide scholarship money to students of the arts. To date, the foundation has given more than $6 million to more than 2,700 students. But what it's able to offer these days has diminished significantly. Two years ago, the scholarship fund amounted to $112,000. The following year, that number dropped to $62,000. Rappaport said people can rest assured that the museum's collection -- which includes more than 60 of Liberace's intricate eye-popping costumes, his 9-foot mirrored Baldwin grand piano and his 7-foot rhinestone studded Baldwin grand -- won't go into hiding for too long. A traveling tour of part of the collection is planned. The tour might be under way as early as summer 2011, according to Jeffrey Koep, chairman of the Liberace Foundation board of directors. A new incarnation of the museum isn't out of the question. "The board felt it best to close while we are still solvent and create a new business plan as we examine ways to sell our current location and search for locations that would allow for more patrons," Koep said in an e-mail. Tour guide Howard Shapiro said he wasn't terribly surprised that the museum in its current form won't be around forever, but he agrees that Liberace is too much a part of Sin City to be totally forgotten. "Las Vegas has a history of tearing down and not preserving. It's a sad commentary, but that's what this town is about, reinventing itself," Shapiro said. "I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the line, Liberace gets reinvented again. By whom and how, I don't know. But it is sad to see it close." | Liberace Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, is closing Sunday .
The museum was opened by the celebrated entertainer in 1979 .
Low attendance is a key reason for closing .
A traveling tour of the museum's collection is planned for next year . |
51,493 | 91cb8f80bb73157a0de65d3a6d505a8eec20b40b | By . Sally Lee . Incredible images have been released by the Department of Defence which captures Australian military aircraft during some recent aerial refueling operations. Some of them include hornets flying in a formation over Australia's Northern Territory while another shows a Seahawk helicopter on the deck of HMAS Melbourne in Jervis Bay, south of Sydney. There's also special insight into a combat mission in the Middle East as a photograph shows a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft refueling from a United States Air Force plane over international waters of Basra in southern Iraq. The deployment is part of the Australian contribution to enforce the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. Ten No. 3 Squadron F/A-18A/B hornets fly in a formation over Australia's Northern Territory during Exercise Arnhem Thunder 2014 in May . A F/A-18F Super Hornet during an air to air refueling trial with a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport . A RAAF aircraft refuels from a USAF KC-135 over international waters of Basra, southern Iraq, during a combat mission . A F/A-18F Super Hornet refuels with the Omega tanker during Exercise Bersama Shield 2011 . A flight deck party refueling an 816 Squadron Seahawk on the deck of HMAS Melbourne during a Helicopter Inflight Refuelling in Jervis Bay, south of Sydney . A F/A-18A Hornet refuels as another sits comfortably alongside, in the skies above the Northern Territory during Exercise Aces North 13 . A F/A-18 Hornet refuels from the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft . HMAS Manoora refuels with HMAS Success . A No. 1 Squadron F/A-18F Super Hornet refuels with a No. 33 Squadron KC-30A Mutli Role Tanker Transport aircraft . | One photo shows hornets flying in a formation over Australia's Northern Territory .
Another is of a Seahawk helicopter on the deck of HMAS Melbourne in Jervis Bay, south of Sydney .
An image is also captured a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft refueling from a United States Air Force plane during a combat mission in the Middle East . |
218,928 | a7602dcd589d6df606e9619871abd1ec406f699c | (CNN)The fiancée of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez has been granted immunity, compelling her to testify at his murder trial, according to a decision released by the trial judge on Tuesday. In early January, the fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, met with Bristol County, Massachusetts, prosecutors in what court documents call an immunity meeting, but the results of that meeting are secret, even from the Hernandez defense team. "It allows the prosecutor to force her to testify in front of the jury without taking the Fifth" (Amendment against self incrimination), CNN legal analyst Paul Callan said of the order. "If she lies, she can still be prosecuted for perjury because a grant of immunity never (immunizes) someone against committing perjury on the witness stand." Hernandez, the former tight end who once had a $40 million contract, has pleaded not guilty to orchestrating the death of Odin Lloyd. He has also pleaded not guilty to weapons charges. His co-defendants, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, have also pleaded not guilty and will be tried separately. Jenkins has been a regular at hearings for Hernandez. He has often been seen mouthing "I love you" to her. Jenkins is on the prosecution's witness list. It is not known whether her testimony will help or hurt Hernandez. "Normally, a fiancée is not going to testify adversely against her true love," said Callan, a former New York homicide prosecutor. But there is no privilege in Massachusetts allowing engaged couples to avoid testifying against one another. Prosecutors suspect Jenkins of following instructions from Hernandez to get rid of the murder weapon from their home by removing the gun inside a box, putting it in a black trash bag, and borrowing her sister's car to take the bag to a dumpster and throw it away. According to court documents, she doesn't remember where. Her sister was the girlfriend of the victim and has already testified against Hernandez. Prosecutors said Jenkins, Hernandez's high school sweetheart, lied to a grand jury several times about the presence of guns in their North Attleboro home, among other issues. She faces possible jail time if found guilty of perjury charges. She has pleaded not guilty. Jenkins and Hernandez are the parents of a daughter who was less than a year old when her father was arrested on June 26, 2013. Jenkins' sister Shaneah was dating Lloyd, 27, who was shot six times, according to prosecutors. Who's who in Aaron Hernandez case . Prosecutors allege that on the day after Lloyd's killing, Jenkins got a coded text message from Hernandez. Search warrants said Hernandez asked Jenkins to get something out of their basement. "Go ... in back of the screen in movie room when u (sic) get home an (sic) there is a box ... jus (sic) in case u were looking for it!!! Member (sic) how you ruined the big tv ... WAS JUST THINKIN bout that lol wink wink love u TTYL....K" TTYL is shorthand for "talk to you later." The evidence against Hernandez: What's in, what's out . A home surveillance video shows Jenkins leaving the house about an hour later carrying something "rigid" she described as a box, court documents state. She placed it inside a garbage bag, covered it with children's clothing, and carried the bag to a car and drove away, prosecutors said. Jenkins borrowed her sister's car, something her sister told investigators she had never done before. When Jenkins returned home, she was seen on the same security system but without the "rigid" item. Jenkins told a grand jury she threw the item in a dumpster but couldn't remember where, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors suspect the murder weapon was inside. It has not been found. Hernandez's lawyers have argued there's no way of knowing what was in the box. "I mean, who knows?" Hernandez co-counsel Jamie Sultan told the court in 2014. "It could be drugs, it could be something that was connected to this crime that he knew about, that he was covering up for somebody else after the fact. There are all kinds of possibilities." Hernandez's defense team has filed a motion demanding to know what promises prosecutors may have made to Jenkins. If she made a deal for a lesser charge or immunity, the jury will have to take it into account. "The jury is going to look at that and say, 'You know something? He must be guilty if even his fiancée would say that,'" said Callan. "Or the defense would convince them that she's made such a sweet deal with the prosecution that she's decided to lie to implicate her lover," he added. Callan suggested that if Jenkins is put on the stand as a prosecution witness and repeats her grand jury testimony that she threw out the item without knowing what was inside and can't remember where she disposed of it, she could put herself in greater legal jeopardy. That's because, Callan said, prosecutors could later contend at a perjury trial that she repeated an alleged lie under oath. "It's going to increase her guilt if the prosecutor pursues perjury charges," Callan said. CNN's Ray Sanchez contributed to this report. | Aaron Hernandez is on trial in the death of Odin Lloyd .
His fiancée has pleaded not guilty to perjury charges .
She is on the prosecution's witness list . |
164,708 | 60f9ee70ed711403630adf997f22dd5e31756609 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- North Korea conducted a live-fire drill Tuesday near its disputed western sea border with the South, immediately inviting a stern rebuke from its neighbor. "The South Korean Army, Air Force and Navy is fully prepared for possible North Korean provocation," said Kim Min-seok, a South Korean defense ministry spokesman. "If North Korea launched fire toward the (South Korean maritime border), we will respond with counter fire." The drill lasted about 15 to 20 minutes, with no shells landing in South Korean waters, the South Korean military said. Pyongyang had notified Seoul that it would be conducting the exercises. But the move follows U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to the region and amid a number of other belligerent actions by the Communist nation. Preparations for a nuclear test . Late last week, South Korean officials reported that North Korea had completed the steps needed to conduct a nuclear test, including the sealing of a tunnel at the Punggye-ri site in northeastern North Korea, which analysts say is the final preparation for testing a device. The North Korean analyst website 38 North, part of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University, says other activity consistent with final preparations for a test had been observed on satellite imagery. South Korea: North Korea ready for nuclear test . Further sanctions . During his visit to South Korea, Obama warned of further sanctions if North Korea carried out any unsanctioned nuclear test. The test preparations also come as an American tourist was detained by North Korean officials. The North engaged in similar exercises at the end of March, which resulted in an exchange of fire between the two neighboring countries. Opinion: 3 ways to thwart N. Korea nukes . | No shells landed in South Korean waters .
Analysts: Strong likelihood that the North is preparing for another nuclear test .
U.S. President Obama warns of further sanctions should North detonate a nuclear device . |
89,874 | ff3dccea293cd2a335724bcd62f62ad888c0bbac | Hull City will lead the chase to sign Darren Fletcher if the Scotland midfielder decides to leave Manchester United in January. Fletcher has become an increasingly peripheral figure at Old Trafford since he was appointed vice-captain by Louis van Gaal in the summer and started United’s first three games of the season. The 30-year-old has played less than half an hour of club football as a substitute since August, including a late appearance off he bench in last weekend’s win at Arsenal. Fletcher, who has salvaged his career after recovering from a chronic bowel condition, is out of contract in the summer and still hopes that he will be offered a one-year extension. Scottish midfielder Darren Fletcher could be set for a January move away from Manchester United . But the Scot accepts that first-team opportunities will be limited following the summer signings of Ander Herrera and Daley Blind, and he may have to leave Old Trafford where he has won five Premier League titles and the Champions League in a United career spanning 336 games. Hull boss Steve Bruce is a long-time admirer of Fletcher and it is understood the Premier League strugglers have already registered their interest in taking him to the KC Stadium in the January transfer window. However, Hull are likely to face competition from a number of other top-flight clubs if Fletcher decides to end his career away from United. Fletcher, up against Wayne Rooney with Scotland, has fallen out of favour for his national side too . Fletcher is out of contract at the end of the season and has made just three Premier League starts so far . | Scotland international Darren Fletcher out of contract next summer .
The 30-year-old has under half an hour of club football since August .
Fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal .
Fletcher has also fallen down Gordon Strachan's Scotland pecking order . |
3,870 | 0b2942fd8e88dc12b2cd05c2ae9586c8ac2b6724 | China has opened the world's longest cross-sea bridge - which stretches five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26.4 miles long and links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao. The road bridge, which is 110ft wide and is the longest of its kind, cost nearly £1billion to build. A bridge over misty waters: The immense £1billion structure which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars stretches for 24 miles along China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao . Engineering feat: The vast bridge, the largest cross-ocean bridge in the world, cost £960million and took four years to build . Chinese TV reports said the bridge passed construction appraisals on Monday and it, along with an undersea tunnel, would be opened for traffic today. It took four years to build the bridge, which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars across the bay, and it is almost three miles longer than the previous record-holder - the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. Lengthy: The bridge stretches into the distance further than the eye can see and right, the first few cars roll out across the surface . Open road: Drivers pass through the mist as they make some of the first passes over the 110ft wide bridge which is longer than any others of its kind . Flowers: The first vehicle runs into toll station to the applause of staff and passers-by after the bridge opened to traffic today . Musical mileage: A brass band plays on the sides of the road as flags and banners herald in the opening of the bridge . The start of things to come: Two cars edge through the toll gates that will raise revenue to maintain the £1billion bridge . That structure features two bridges running side by side and is 23.87 miles long. The three-way Qingdao Haiwan bridge is 174 times longer than London's Tower Bridge, spanning the River Thames, but cuts only 19 miles off the drive from Qingdao to Huangdao. Two separate groups of workers have been building it from different ends of the structure since 2006. After linking the two ends of the . bridge on December 22, one engineer said: 'The computer models and . calculations are all very well but you can't relax until the two sides . are bolted together. Don't keep me hanging: The suspension beams form an imposing sight as the reach through the clouds and look down upon colourful flags marking the bridge's grand opening . The long road home: The two roads which run alongside each other wind across The Jiaozhou Bay . 'Even a few centimetres out would have been a disaster.' The . engineering feat will only hold the record as the longest sea bridge . for a few years - it will be beaten by another Chinese bridge in the . next decade. Last . December officials announced workers had begun constructing a bridge to . link southern Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau. Set to be completed in 2016, officials said the £6.5billion bridge will span nearly 30 miles. It will be designed to cope with earthquakes up to magnitude 8.0, strong typhoons and the impact of a 300,000 tonne vessel. But both structures will still be dwarfed by the longest bridge in the world, also in China. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is an astonishing 102 miles in length. Record breaker: The Qingdao Jiaozhou bay bridge, spanning 26.4 miles between Qingdao and Huangdao, will open for traffic today . Impressive: Testing on the bridge was completed on Monday and it is expected to be opened to traffic for the first time today . A driver's dream: Twenty-four miles of fresh untouched tarmac stretch from Qingdao to Hungdao . | At 26.4 miles long, it is five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais . |
116,824 | 22cee3795c38e71a65a57b809940f5102363e750 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- After spending nearly 28 years in an irreversible coma, heiress and socialite Martha "Sunny" von Bulow died Saturday in a New York nursing home, according to a family statement. She was 76. Sunny von Bulow is pictured during her 1957 wedding to Prince Alfred von Auersperg. Von Bulow was subject of one of the nation's most sensational criminal cases during the 1980s. Her husband, Claus, was accused of trying to kill her with an overdose of insulin, which prosecutors alleged sent her into the coma. He was convicted of making two attempts on her life, but the conviction was overturned on appeal. He was acquitted in a second trial. His retrial in 1985 received national attention. "We were blessed to have an extraordinarily loving and caring mother," said the statement from Von Bulow's three children -- Annie Laurie "Ala" Isham, Alexander von Auersperg and Cosima Pavoncelli -- released by a spokeswoman. "She was especially devoted to her many friends and family members." Martha von Bulow was born Martha Sharp Crawford into a wealthy family. She inherited a fortune conservatively estimated at $75 million, according to an article on the von Bulow case posted on truTV.com's Crime Library Web site. In her early years, she drew comparisons to actress Grace Kelly. She became known as Princess von Auersperg with her first marriage, to Prince Alfred von Auersperg of Austria. That marriage produced two children: Alexander and Annie Laurie. The von Bulows married in 1966 and had a daughter, Cosima. On the morning of December 22, 1980, family members found Martha von Bulow unconscious in the bathroom of the family's posh Newport, Rhode Island, home. She never regained consciousness. She had been hospitalized a year earlier after lapsing into a coma but recovered, according to the Crime Library site. Doctors had diagnosed her with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Prosecutors accused Claus von Bulow of twice attempting to kill his wife by injecting her with insulin. The case also led to a major motion picture, "Reversal of Fortune." Actor Jeremy Irons won an Oscar for his portrayal of Claus von Bulow. Famed defense attorney Alan Dershowitz, who won Claus von Bulow a new trial on appeal after his conviction, said in a statement Saturday that Martha von Bulow's death is "a sad ending to a sad tragedy that some members of her family tried to turn into a crime. We proved overwhelming[ly] that there was no crime and that the coma was self-induced. We saved his life, but could not save hers." Claus von Bulow's defense team maintained that Martha von Bulow's alcohol use, among other factors, caused her coma. Dershowitz said he had spoken with Claus von Bulow, who now lives in London, England. Claus von Bulow was saddened by his former wife's passing, Dershowitz said. The family statement said Martha von Bulow is survived by her children, their spouses and nine grandchildren. Alexander von Auersperg and Ala von Auersperg Isham, who had sided with prosecutors against Claus von Bulow, filed a civil suit against their stepfather after his acquittal. The case was settled out of court in 1987, according to a 2007 article in the Providence Journal newspaper in Rhode Island. Claus von Bulow had agreed to waive his claim to his wife's money and to a divorce in exchange for the suit being dropped. The von Bulows' daughter, Cosima, sided with her father. Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne, who covered the von Bulow case, told the New York Daily News in 2007 that Sunny von Bulow was moved from Columbia Presbyterian hospital to a private nursing home in 1998. Watch Dunne recall case » . Ala von Auersperg Isham served for a time as president of the Sunny von Bulow Coma and Head Trauma Research Foundation, according to the Providence Journal. An offshoot of that organization, the Brain Trauma Foundation, still operates in New York, the newspaper said. The family statement notes that Martha von Bulow actively supported the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera and the J.P. Morgan Library in New York and the Preservation Society of Newport, Rhode Island. A private memorial service will be held for family and friends in New York in the coming days, the family statement said Saturday, along with a private burial. CNN's Julian Cummings contributed to this report. | Husband Claus von Bulow was accused of trying to kill her with insulin overdose .
Conviction overturned on appeal; he was acquitted in second trial .
Claus von Bulow, living in England, is saddened by former wife's death, lawyer says .
She is survived by three children and nine grandchildren . |
21,927 | 3e4e9e9cbd63628a3992bee959a1499cdfcc7f08 | When patients were committed to the Willard Asylum for the Insane in Upstate New York, they arrived with a suitcase packed with all of the possessions they thought they needed for their time inside. Most never left. The mental hospital had an average stay of nearly 30 years. When patients died, they were buried in nameless graves across the street of the asylum. Their suitcases, with all their worldly possessions, were locked in an attic and forgotten. In 1995, an employee of the mental hospital discovered the suitcases, 400 of them. They date from 1910 to 1960. Now, photographer Jon Crispin is cataloging each suitcase and opening a window into the lives - and the minds - of the people deemed too unwell to be allowed in society. Pieces of a past life: This suitcase belonged to Anna. Inside was a letter that was not addressed to her, a pair of toothbrushes and several gaudy belts and sashes - as well as shoes and hats . This case belonged to Frank C., a U.S. Army veteran from Brooklyn, New York. Here, a sewing kit, personal grooming kit, toy pistol and bread ration card are all visible. He also carried several photos of himself and his family . Frank C.'s uniform was perfectly preserved - even though it was packed away in the 1950s and not found until 1995 . This is the family that Frank C. left behind. It is unknown whether he ever left the Willard Asylum for the Insane, but most patients died there and were buried in unnamed graves . There is no sign of mental illness is this well-ordered suitcase left behind by Frank C. 'It’s such compelling stuff. These people were essentially prisoners inside,' Mr Crispin told MailOnline. 'Their families largely abandoned them. They gave them a suitcase and had them committed. Either their families filled them up or the patients themselves did. 'Looking at these suitcases, you just get the idea that that these people really had lives outside before they went to Willard.' Frank C., a World War II veteran from Brooklyn, New York, brought his U.S. Army uniform, which remains preserved in nearly mint condition. His suitcase also contains pictures of himself and his family. Remains a mix of his life in the military and his life back home after the war. The suitcase belonging to a woman named Anna reveals that she was a woman who enjoyed being seen in public. She packed a pair of stylish heels and several fine hats. Sequined and gold lamé belts reveal a flair for the ostentatious. Dmytre, who owned this suitcase, is one of the few patients from Willard who is well known. He was committed in 1953 and stayed in the hospital for 24 years. He died in 2000 . Flora T. was clearly a woman of class. Her fine possessions, including a perfume bottle and silver napkin ring, reveal a woman with means. However, the kit of needles and injection drugs adds a dark element to this collection . Flora T.'s kit includes what appears to be strychnine sulfate, which is a drug that could treat epilepsy. It is unknown why she was committed, though . The Willard Asylum for the Insane operated from the 1800s until 1995 - housing untold thousands of patients, many for the rest of their lives. It currently houses a drug rehabilitation program for convicts . A cardboard storage container for Eleanor G. contained a pair of perfectly-preserved curling irons and a sewing kit. Perfume in a hand-blown glass bottle reveals that she was a woman of means when she was committed to the hospital. 'The overwhelming thing that I take from it is is it’s all personal. I can look at the objects in these cases and get a strong idea of what the people who owned them was like,' Mr Crispin said. Thus far, he has photographed 80 of the suitcases. New York state law prohibits Mr Crispin from matching the hospital records with the suitcases to tell the more complete story of patients. They could be committed for any number of reasons. Epilepsy - having seizures - was grounds for lifelong commitment. Young women who were promiscuous, gays and lesbians and mothers who couldn't get over the grief of losing a child in three months or less could all be subject to commitment. Mr Crispin's work is currently being featured as part of an exhibit about mental health at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco. The show is called 'The Changing Face of What is Normal.' This remarkably-detailed prosthetic leg was shipped to Willard for Henry L. A moment in time: Peter L. bought a newspaper in Syracuse, New York, the day before he was committed. The date: March 22, 1941 . Photographer Jon Crispin is not allowed to reveal the full names of the patients - nor delve into the ailments that brought them to Willard because they are still protected by medical privacy laws, the state of New York claims . Worn out: Clarissa B.'s suitcase shows dramatic signs of wear - though it appears most of the damage was done before it was locked away for decades . Eleanor G. had several suitcases in the collection. This is one. It contained an expensive bottle of perfume, a pair of electric curling irons and the remnants of a sewing kit . Charles played the zither and he brought it with him when he was committed to Willard in the 1930s. It's unknown whether he was allowed to play it while in the hospital . A bottle of glycerine, still corked, was found in Maude K.'s case, along with a paperweight from the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago . | Photographer Jon Crispin has been documenting the suitcases left behind by patients at the Willard Asylum for the Insane in Upstate New York .
400 suitcases were found in an attic at the asylum in 1995. They date from 1910 to 1960 .
Many of the patients who went to the asylum died there and were buried in graves marked not with names, but by numbers . |
198,764 | 8d49c498eaec10e686764ff38d3bdeafe5a57c12 | After stunning the locals with a giant Tasmanian Tiger maze last year, a farmer has taken to the fields again to create a shape of a poppy on the sorghum crop. More than 2000 visitors explored and unravelled the mystery of the five hectare plantation of the thylacine maze in a Hagley farm paddock in Northern Tasmania. Back by popular demand, owners of the Rupertswood Farm Anna and Rowan Clark wanted something special for everyone to commemorate ahead of ANZAC Day this year. Back by popular demand, owners Rowan and Anna Clark have created a poppy-shaped maze for ANZAC Day . 'The last service inspired me to do something that would mark a big year for Gallipoli and to reflect on all the people who fought in the First World War,' Mrs Clarke told Daily Mail Australia. ‘This is our second year for the maze so we thought it would be a good fit. 'We had a lot of positive response last year and because the Tassie tiger has been extinct for a very long time, we wanted to add that Tasmanian seam and put a good tune to it.' Using the latest GPS technology and a ride-on mower to design the giant poppy, Mrs Clarke said it took her husband seven hours to outline the design through the crop. 'Once the design is done, my husband goes back and forth with the mower and we trim it every week because it grows really quickly. We try to keep it at a length so you don't see each other over the crops.' With the help from UK crop maze designer Mazescapes, the field of sorghum is carved through using a special intricate pattern on the GPS. The couple started the Tasmanian maze last year and received a significant amount of positive feedback . For a second year in a row, Rowan and Anna Clark wanted to create something special to reflect on WW1 . Mr Clarke driving the mower around the crops to carve the shape of the poppy-shaped maze . Adding a touch of games to bring the maze to life, Mrs Clarke said it’s an entertaining event for the whole family as well as attracting everyone who are living outside of Tasmania. ‘We are trying it out as an agricultural tourism opportunity and we have a great location so it generates people to come to Tassie. ‘We haven’t done anything like this before but last year, it was so much fun and we loved it – it went down really well. We’re pretty excited about our next maze and we've had a lot of interests.’ The idea came to light one morning around the kitchen table after her husband 'accidentally' cropped on their family's farm paddock. Adding a touch of games to bring the maze to life, Mrs Clarke said it’s an entertaining event for the family . Mr Clarke uses the latest GPS technology and a ride-on mower to design the giant poppy . The Poppy Crop Maze will be open on weekends from February 21 and booking available for groups/schools . 'We just happened to have an English girl stay with us at the time and she told us how she used to spend her childhood visiting crop mazes with her family when they go away on holidays,' Mrs Clarke said. ‘So we started doing some research and we found how popular the mazes are in Europe and America so we thought we should give it a go.' With the opening expected to go public next month, Mrs Clarke said there is still a lot of work to do. ‘It’s still a work in progress and we have a few ideas up our sleeves but we can't reveal it just yet,' she said. ‘Last year, our visitors had to find tiger footprints inside the maze and unlock the codes and unscramble jumbled words – it was an educational aspect but entertaining for the whole family. ‘It was something that people didn’t expect but we've had a lot of people asking us to do it again.' The Poppy Crop Maze will be open on weekends from February 21. Mr Clarke is seen preparing some tractor work around the crops to carve the shape of the Tassie tiger . Rupertswood Farm has taken to the fields again to create a poppy-shaped maze on the sorghum crop . More than 2000 visitors explored and unravelled the mystery of the five hectare plantation last year . | Back by popular demand, a farmer has carved a poppy-shaped maze .
Inspired by ANZAC Day, the owners wanted to share something special .
Farmer Rohan Clark used a GPS and a ride-on mower to carve the shape .
His wife Anna said she hopes the maze will attract tourists outside of TAS .
More than 2000 visitors explored the Tasmanian Tiger maze last year .
UK crop maze designer Mazescapes has designed the shape for the couple .
The Poppy Crop Maze will be open on weekends from February 21 . |
227,500 | b28fe5f8a5924e896aacc0c4ccc7dea9cb08843a | A tweet from a Ukip Twitter account said the death of Hassan Ali - who was under investigation as part of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal - was 'Karma' An official Ukip Twitter account said the death of a police officer under investigation as part of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal was 'Karma'. The tweet, which was deleted shortly after being posted this afternoon, read: 'South Yorkshire police says PC Hassan Ali who was under investigation in relation to child abuse in Rotherham has died in a car crash KARMA!'. PC Ali, 44, was under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after it was alleged he twice asked a victim out on a date. Four complaints in total were made against the officer South Yorkshire Police by two members of the public. But PC Ali was fatally injured after being struck by a car in Darnall, Sheffield at around 10.15pm last Wednesday. He died with his family at his bedside yesterday morning. Ukip blamed volunteers running the page for the tweet. A spokesman said: 'The UKIP Plymouth account is run by a team of volunteers, and it seems the tweet was made by one of them without permission. 'Once it was tweeted it was deleted almost immediately. The content of the tweet does not reflect the views of the branch, its candidates or indeed the wider party. The matter is being investigated.' PC Ali was a neighbourhood policing officer based in Rotherham and had been placed on 'restricted duties', while the IPCC assessed whether to launch a full investigation into him. The tweet - blamed on Ukip volunteers running the account - was deleted shortly after it was posted this afternoon . Death: PC Ali was fatally injured after being struck by a car in Darnall, Sheffield, last week . One of the complainants, who is now an adult, said PC Ali had first asked her out when she was 17 and then did so again four years later when she was 21. The woman said the officer had been involved with her case and was aware she had been a victim of sustained abuse between the ages of 14 and 17. At the time he first asked her on a date, she had a one-year-old son, who had been born after she was made pregnant by her abuser when she was 15. The woman said the officer's behaviour had been 'inappropriate and totally unprofessional'. The nature of the other complaints made against him are not known. Police, who have made no arrests, say they are not treating his death as suspicious and a source said they believe it was a 'tragic accident'. | Ukip account tweets that PC Hassan Ali's death in a car crash was 'Karma'
Post was deleted almost immediately after it was published this afternoon .
PC Ali was under investigation as part of Rotherham sex abuse scandal .
Ukip blames volunteers running Twitter account and is investigating matter . |
117,023 | 2312d5b56b9e833c407beced13bf65f8b5215874 | Jackson, Mississippi (CNN) -- Investigative documents obtained by CNN show that former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, his wife and his staff may have given preferential treatment to two of the convicted murderers who were among the more than 200 former and current inmates he pardoned in January. According to the documents compiled by the office of Mississippi's attorney general, the state's former first lady, Marsha Barbour, apparently called a car dealership regarding the purchase of two vehicles for two convicted murderers -- days before they were pardoned. The cars were later delivered to the governor's mansion, two days before the men were released. CNN has also learned that a member of the governor's staff took the same two men, David Gatlin and Charles Hooker, to get their driver's licenses while they were still in state custody, before their pardons were signed and made official. "Yes, that's true ... I did take some of them," said Barbour's former security chief, Wayland Adams. "I knew that they were going to be paroled. I was assured of that and I just took them to get their driver's licenses. "I thought that if I went ahead to get them a driver's license it would speed things up on getting them a job. And that was the only reason. I was just trying to help them." Adams, who retired as security director of the Mississippi governor's mansion when Barbour left office in January, told CNN the former Mississippi governor did not ask him to take Gatlin and Hooker to get their licenses. "No, I assume full responsibility for it," he said. Adams admitted his actions were a bit unusual. State law enforcement experts and legal experts told CNN that while this would be considered preferential treatment for any inmate, no state laws were violated. "Unless a person has had his or her license revoked ... they are not prohibited from acquiring or renewing a driver's license while incarcerated as long as they had domicile in the state prior to imprisonment," according to a written statement from Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Master Sgt. Johnny Poulos. Poulos said his department was not aware of any directive from Barbour to provide licenses to the men. Either way, Randy Walker is furious. Nearly 20 years ago, he survived a gunshot wound to the head by Gatlin moments after Gatlin killed Tammy Ellis, Gatlin's estranged wife. Gatlin admitted he shot her in the head as she held their 6-week-old child in her arms. Police found the infant, still in her arms, alive and covered with blood. "Where is enough enough?" said Walker, who has recovered from his head wound. "It should be enough that they gave a convicted killer his life back." During his last days in office in January, Gov. Haley Barbour issued pardons to more than 200 current and former inmates. Most of the pardons were granted to former inmates who had already completed their sentences and were free. However, some of the prisoners were convicted murderers. Now, the legacy of the once popular two-term governor, who considered running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, is being questioned by some Mississippians. The pardons were challenged by Mississippi's attorney general, but last week the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld the legality of the pardons. Five of the prisoners -- including Gatlin and Hooker -- worked as trusties as part of a state rehabilitation program that allows model prisoners to work as servants and handymen at the governor's mansion. They had access to Barbour practically every day, according to people familiar with the program. Barbour has said he believes the men are no longer a threat, that they are rehabilitated and deserve a second chance at life. "That's what we as Christians believe. My wife and I are Christians," he told CNN's John King on his show, "John King, USA," weeks after issuing the pardons. "When we have people who get rehabilitated ... they deserve a second chance. It's the governor's job and the governor's job alone to let them have a second chance. That's why I'm very comfortable with this." But no matter how one looks at this story, the benefits these convicted murderers received appear special. "It's abhorrent that these people would be given this sort of treatment after the crimes they've committed," said Mississippi State Rep. David Baria. Baria, a Democrat, sponsored several bills to change Mississippi's pardons process. The bills all died in committee last week. He said the victims in the cases have put up with too much already. "Not only to turn these folks loose but to treat them like kings, essentially -- it's outside the bounds of common decency of what we expect of our government," he told CNN. Gatlin and Hooker were released on January 8. They both had driver's licenses when they went to Gray Daniels Chevrolet in Jackson, Mississippi, on January 6. Records show Hooker bought a white 2007 Ford Focus while Gatlin picked up a gray Chevy HHR. Both vehicles were paid for with bank checks from Bank Plus. Both men put no money down. It remains unclear how the men were able to secure bank checks while still in the custody of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. When reached by CNN at the dealership, the salesman who sold the men the cars refused to comment. "I am not allowed to speak about any transactions," he said. But the investigative reports compiled by Mississippi's attorney general's office show that Barbour's wife, Marsha Barbour, aided the transaction. In the report, the investigator writes, "While at the dealership I spoke briefly with the salesman who stated that Marsha Barbour had contacted him regarding the purchase of vehicles for Hooker and Gatlin." The details of the conversation were not available and it is not clear exactly what role Marsha Barbour played in the transaction, or the nature of her relationship with the pardoned men. The report further stated that "the inmates had been brought to the dealership on January 6, 2012, in a black Ford Crown Victoria to complete paperwork for the sale and [the investigator] stated that the prisoners had paid with certified checks issued by Bank Plus." According to the report, the car salesman also told investigators "he delivered both vehicles to the governor's mansion on the afternoon of January 6, 2012." When investigators asked Gatlin how he got the car, he allegedly told them, according to the report, "I can't tell you." When asked about the driver's licenses and the role of Marsha Barbour in the purchase of the cars, a spokeswoman for the former governor said the questions "were based on assumptions of fact which simply are not true." Spokeswoman Sherry Vance did not elaborate on which aspects of this story were untrue, and has not responded to CNN's questions for clarification. Walker, the victim who stared down the barrel of Gatlin's gun before he was shot in the head, said he's "baffled" by the allegations and believes Barbour is financially helping the men. "Was it because he was a trusty at the governor's mansion and he had so much time with Barbour?" he wondered. "It's insane that he would do that. Where's my handout?" "I mean, I had thousands upon thousands of medical bills that nobody helped me pay. I'd like to get some of that money back that I wasted because David shot me. I didn't ask for David to come shoot me. Where's my handout?" he asked angrily. CNN went to Hooker's home in Jackson several times and saw the White Ford Focus mentioned in the state investigator's report parked outside his house, but Hooker did not answer his door or respond to CNN's phone calls. According to the investigative reports from the Mississippi attorney general's office, Hooker allegedly told investigators that his son helped him buy the vehicle, and that his son had already made three months of car payments for him. CNN also went to Alabama to try to get Gatlin's side of the story, and found him living in the home of Ernest Jacks. His gray Chevy HHR was in the driveway, but Jacks said Gatlin refused to talk to us. But Walker has a lot to say. He can barely contain his anger that the man who tried to kill him could get such preferential treatment. "I've been trying for over two years, since 2009, to get a face to face with Barbour, and never got a phone call back," said Walker. "Gatlin must have made quite the impression on him." Watch Anderson Cooper 360° weeknights 10pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here. | Documents reveal pardoned murderers got special treatment from Miss. governor, wife, staff .
The documents indicate Marsha Barbour called a dealership about the purchase of two cars .
The cars were delivered to the pardoned convicts at the governor's mansion .
One of the victims says he is outraged over the apparent preferential treatment . |
92,496 | 02f82bb77d7b50d26d7da62e5b35d29ac7a732ca | British Airways has provoked fury by drastically slashing the number of air miles points it will award passengers buying its cheapest economy class tickets. Ordinary passengers who travel economy class will have the number of points they can earn slashed by 75 per cent while the points awarded to those in First and Business will be increased by up to 300 per cent. Customers who have spent years collecting reward points for BA's scheme – launched as Air Miles but now called Avios – described the changes which take effect from April 28 as 'disgusting' and a 'devaluation.' British Airways passengers are outraged following the announcement of a slashing of Avios points for economy passengers, beginning April 28 . Many customers took to Twitter to voice their concern, including Michael Bhaskar who contemplated switching airline allegiance . They took to social media to complain that it now rewards rich and expense-account travellers at the cost of families on tight budgets who use the scheme to make their holidays more affordable. BA is introducing different point pricing for reward flights 'depending on the time of the year, the cabin and zone.' It says that for two-thirds of the year customers will require fewer points to travel. But for the busiest third of the year they will need more. The airline - motto 'To Fly, To Serve' – defended the radical 'structural changes' by insisting the new system was fairer because 'those who pay more get more points.' Those who book into the economy cabin will now receive 75% fewer 'air miles' or Avios points . It also allowed 500,000 more seats to be made available under the loyalty system – taking the total to nine million a year. Avios is one of the world's biggest airmiles programmes used by 6.4 million travellers. The changes sparked an immediate backlash and accusations that the airline has 'gutted' the scheme. The controversial and at times complex changes creating winners and losers were outlined in a letter to BA's 7,000 executive club members . It sets out how points will be awarded more in line with the amount of money a passenger pays for their ticket, rather than just the 'class' of ticket they buy. Formerly called Air Miles, the Avios rewards points scheme will now be awarded based on the amount of money a passenger pays for their ticket . So an economy class passenger who buys a bargain-basement special offer ticket will earn far fewer points than the person sitting next to them who may have paid a lot more for a fully flexible economy ticket. Under the current scheme, an economy return flight from Heathrow to Vancouver earns 9,400 points – enough for a round-trip from London to Milan, subject to a £35 payment. But some economy passengers face a 75 per cent drop in the number of Avios points earned, which will see them collect just 2,350 points. By contrast, business-class and first-class passengers on the same plane will see a rise of 9,400-points - enough to provide a free flight to Italy. Another outraged customer claimed that the announcement is a 'worse deal for poor passengers' As this Twitter users points out, the new scheme will make it harder to collect points in economy . Also under the new scheme, a basic economy-class ticket from London to New York will from April 28 earn just 865 air-miles – rather than the 3,458 available now. Even 'Silver tier' executive club members – who include many middle-ranking managers and executives flying on business – will see their tier bonus slashed in half from 100 per cent to 50 per cent. This could affect their ability to continue qualifying for silver status, and for the perks they currently receive, such as use of the executive lounge at airports and priority boarding. British travellers who live outside London and use connecting flights from regional airports to fly to other destinations in Europe will be among the worst hit. Passengers in Scotland and northern . England travelling to mainland Europe will no longer be entitled to a free domestic connecting flight. This will 'bring the UK in line with the rest of the world'. 'Silver tier' club members will see their bonus slashed in half, which could affect their perks, such as the use of lounges in airports . Tweeter Craig Garland believes that British Airways 'have ruined the executive club' with this move . Those flying from Edinburgh to Heathrow and connecting to Geneva currently pay 9,000 Avios plus £35 per person for a return journey . From April, the number of points needed, and the cash supplement required, will double. By contrast, business and first-class passengers are the big winners. First class passengers will see their Avios points rise by as much as two-thirds. Transatlantic passengers from Heathrow to New York's JFK will earn 8,645 points on their one-way flight - up from 5,187. The changes will also hit passengers when they come to cash-in their points as British Airways introduces 'peak' and 'off peak' pricing for reward flights covering periods such as the school summer holidays, Christmas and Easter. So a single flight to Rome will cost 7,500 points in peak-season July compared to 6,500 points in less popular January. However, for those flying first class, passengers' Avios points may rise by as much as two-thirds . However, business travellers will see a rise in the number of Avios points they need for a flight. For example, a business class flight from London to Sydney currently costs 100,000 points, but this will rise to 125,000 at off-peak times and 150,000 at peak times. Travellers also have to pay taxes, fees and charges. BA Executive Club boss James Hillier said in his letter to points collectors: 'Our lowest priced tickets in Euro Traveller and World Traveller will award a minimum Avios of 25% per mile flown instead of 100%. 'In Club World/Club Europe and our First cabins the Avios you earn will either remain the same as it is now or increase up to 300% per mile flown depending on the cabin and type of ticket,' he added. But many passengers were unconvinced. Customer James Russell tweeted: 'Looks like British Airways just utterly gutted the Avios scheme for most flyers. Shame, it made a big difference to the overall cost.' Suzanne (@philatravelgirl) tweeted: 'Shame to see the British Airways Avios devalution.' She said Philadelphia to London had risen from 80,000 to 120,000 points 'plus exorbitant taxes/fees of $1,000.' Antonio Fersini tweeted: 'British Airways is disgusting the way you reward the richer with more.' BA defended its shake up and insisted that 'for two thirds of the year you will require fewer Avios than now to fly on reward seats.' A British Airways spokesman said: 'An off-peak economy return to New York will cost 26,000 Avios, down from 40,000 at present'. 'We're now guaranteeing there will be nine million redemption seats a year available – more than 500,000 more than before. For the first time, we guarantee that there will be a minimum of four seats in economy and two in business available for booking with Avios on every BA flight.' | Economy class passengers will have points they can earn slashed by 75% .
Points awarded to those in First and Business class will increase by 300% .
Customers outraged about the new changes, to take effect from April 28 . |
134,119 | 3965623397df8906026a3208d7b4de99f7f98aa4 | By . Mark Duell . While people of his age across Britain struggle to get onto the property ladder, this 23-year-old farm hand chose to build his own house - for just £3,000. Dayne Bendle, of Winkleigh, Devon, who earns just £10,000 a year in agriculture, spent a year building it without any prior knowledge of construction. The house ‘in a field in the middle of nowhere’, which began as an abandoned tractor trailer, comes with a kitchen, living room and upstairs bedroom. Scroll down for video . The £3,000 home: Dayne Bendle poses for a photograph while relaxing on his chair outside his home in Winkleigh, Devon . Sitting back: Mr Bendle, who earns just £10,000 a year as a farm hand, spent a year building the home without any prior knowledge of construction . Cosy: The house 'in a field in the middle of nowhere', which began as an abandoned tractor trailer, comes with a kitchen, living room and upstairs bedroom . Mr Bendle said: ‘On the money I'm earning, it would take me ages to pay back any kind of loan and I didn't want to be in debt for the next 30 years. ‘I only earn around £10,000 a year as a farm hand, so saving a deposit would have been impossible. 'So I had this idea. I had no experience of building houses before but I thought I'd give it a go. ‘I had some tips from my dad, who is a carpenter, and a helping hand from some of my friends. It was a year of hard work but it's finally paid off.’ All the materials were either donated by friends or bought at bargain trade prices from scrap merchants. The double-glazing was picked up for just £25 while the cooker was completely free. Keeping down prices: All the materials for the house were either donated by friends or bought at bargain trade prices from scrap merchants . Low cost: The double-glazing was picked up for just £25 while the cooker was completely free . Settled in now: Mr Bendle raised concern among some of his relatives when he first spoke of his intentions to build the cabin in a country field . Mr Bendle added: ‘I love the peace and quiet of living in a field in the middle of nowhere. After living in a town it's a peaceful change. ‘I lived with my parents [15 miles away] in South Molton before, so I'm enjoying the independence. 'In the winter it's a bit cold - but that's the only downside to living in the cabin.’ Mr Bendle surprised friends and friends when he first spoke of his intentions to build the cabin, but said he has quickly settled since moving in last July. He added: ‘To start off with my parents were a bit worried about me living in a cabin I had built myself. 'But now they have seen it and been here a few times they are happy. A lot of my friends do still live at home. Come back to my place? Single Mr Bendle is yet to find a woman to share his cabin, but says he would be happy showing off his hand-built home to any prospective dates . Simple: The upkeep is very cheap for Mr Bendle, who has a woodborer to keep himself warm and relies on gas canisters when it comes to cooking . Outdoors: He grows his own fruit and vegetables on the land he has been given by a farmer friend, and he plans to keep chickens in the future . 'They think I'm a bit crazy living with no electricity or home comforts. I don't really miss home comforts myself. ‘I always find something to do and don't sit on my bottom very often. I've made a lot of new friends around the area.’ Single Mr Bendle is yet to find a woman to share his cabin, but says he would be happy showing off his hand-built home to any prospective dates. He said: ‘I don't have a girlfriend but I would be comfortable bringing a girl back - it would be a chance to show it off. 'But I don't think a lot of girls would be interested in living the way I do. ‘Maybe in the future I might build a bigger one but I can't ever see myself buying a house.’ Animals: Mr Bendle poses in the chicken pen outside his home in Winkleigh . Basic: The only modern luxury Mr Bendle has is a mobile phone, on which he is able to access the internet . Fire: He does not yet have a bathroom - but a friendly neighbour has allowed him use of the shower and toilet in their unused caravan . The upkeep is very cheap for Mr Bendle, who has a woodborer to keep himself warm and relies on gas canisters when it comes to cooking. Light comes from a petrol lamp because there is no electricity. He grows his own fruit and vegetables on the land he has been given by a farmer friend, and he plans to keep chickens in the future. The only modern luxury Mr Bendle has is a mobile phone, on which he is able to access the internet. He also does not yet have a bathroom - but a friendly neighbour has allowed him use of the shower and toilet in their unused caravan. If Mr Bendle was looking at buying a property in Winkleigh, the cheapest one currently on the market in the village is a £130,000 two-bedroom cottage. | Dayne Bendle, who earns just £10,000 a year as a farm hand, built it without any prior knowledge of construction .
House began as tractor trailer in Winkleigh, Devon, but it now has a kitchen, living room and upstairs bedroom .
All materials were either donated to Mr Bendle by friends or bought at bargain trade prices from scrap merchants . |
46,151 | 81fe3fcb7343f4125ec71b6cb95c51b80aa02edd | Meet the real-life Magneto, the psychic who claims to use telepathic powers to manipulate metal, just like the X-Men supervillain. Miroslaw Magola says his mental powers are so strong he can . even jump around with drinks cans, pots and pans or cutlery stuck to . forehead, hands or chest. The bizarre German insists after researching the phenomenon of psychic energy he exerts mind over matter and 'connects' himself to objects without . using glue, adhesives or any tricks. Scroll down for video . Magnetic personality: German psychic Miroslaw Magola claims to use telepathic powers to make metal stick to his body . Mr Magola, 55, said: 'I found out I could train myself to manipulate lifeless objects as I studied for my degree in the early 90s. 'I have since spent years perfecting the technique and exploring further into human magnetism. 'I can defy gravity because I load myself with energy and - like moving a limb - can make objects do as I wish like a real life magnet. Villain: Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto in X Men 3 The Last Stand . 'I am determined to develop my unique powers further in the future and I'm currently working with telepathy and healing to see how psychokinetic energy can be put to a use that will benefit mankind.' In the hit X-Men comics and films, Magneto, who is played by Sir Ian McKellen, has the ability to manipulate electromagnetic fields meaning he can stop bullets in their tracks and levitate huge metal objects like submarines and tanks. Mr Magola's powers may seem like something out of a comic book, with many people struggling to comprehend his abilities - others flatly refuse to believe him. But the father-of-one refuses to be branded a 'fake' or 'cheater', revealing that his superpowers could potentially be mastered be everyone. Mr Magola added: 'Magnetic people prove with mind power they are capable of lifting objects of different materials off the floor without aid. 'This can be done with the head or palms of the hands to hold objects vertically, horizontally or in circular movements. 'Some magnetic people are also capable of lifting objects from the floor with the palm of a gloved hand or even with talcum powder on the skin. 'You don't have be a scientist to see the difference in the demonstrations between magnetic people and sceptics, who attempt to fool people uses cheating techniques. 'The sceptics' demonstrations have nothing in common with the phenomenon of magnetic people as they do not break the laws of gravity.' Mr Magola claims his mental powers are so strong he can even jump around with drinks cans, pots and pans or cutlery stuck to forehead, hands or chest . Showman: One of Mr Magola's main goals is to scoop a $1million prize - unclaimed for five decades - set for anyone who can prove they have supernatural powers . One of Mr Magola's . main goals is to scoop a $1million prize - unclaimed for five decades - . set for anyone who can prove they have supernatural powers. The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge was launched by famed magician and sceptic James Randi in 1964 for anyone who can show evidence of faith-healing, telepaths, psionics, dowsing, precognative psychic friends with astral bodies, past life remembrance, or spectral manifestations of any kind. Mr Magola is in training to banish popular myths surrounding human magnetism - as many claim people simply have 'sticky skin' - and intends to beat the feat in the near future. Mr Magola claims that after researching the phenomenon of psychic energy he developed the ability to exert mind over matter and connects himself to objects . Mind power: Mr Magola claims his powers allow him to manipulate plastics as well as metals . He added: 'I have been waiting many years, training and researching techniques, in order to challenge for the $1million prize. 'I . want to do it live in TV and cannot wait to get a reaction from an . audience and prove to sceptics who claim it is all a hoax.' Mr Magnola says he wants to prove his powers are real in a live TV performance . The James Randi Education Foundation, . which was set up in conjunction with the challenge, receive hundreds of . applications each year from people wanting to snap up the colossal fund. A . spokesman for the foundation said: 'The Foundation is committed to . providing reliable information about paranormal claims. It both supports . and conducts original research into such claims. 'we offer a one million dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event. 'Unfortunately to date, no one has passed the preliminary tests, but we always welcome new challengers.' The control and power of psychokinesis is largely unknown, but many parapsychologists believe people can train their mind in order to affect the physical world. Metaphysics expert Dr Ellie Crystal said: 'Everyone has the potential to be able to be telekinetic. 'Telekinesis is created by higher levels of consciousness. It cannot be created by 'wishing it' to happen on the physical level. 'The energy to move or bend an object is created by a person's thoughts created by their subconscious mind.' | Miroslaw Magola, 55, claims he uses mind power to lift metals .
He insists he can connect himself to objects without glue or tricks . |
33,457 | 5f2c820dc4e5aac6237aa8539eb16f2cf2ec465e | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 01:26 EST, 25 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:34 EST, 25 December 2013 . Executives at A&E, the TV network behind Duck Dynasty, have admitted that they could have done more to dampen the hysteria surrounding Phil Robertson’s anti-gay remarks by immediately taking the hit reality show off the air for two weeks during the holiday break. The show has been immersed in controversy since homophobic quotes made by Robertson likening homosexuality to bestiality in the January 2014 issue of GQ Magazine became public last Wednesday. In the immediate aftermath of the controversy the network sought to distance itself from Robertson by suspending him indefinitely, and saying 'his personal views in no way reflect those of A&E'. Executives at A&E have admitted that they could have done more to dampen the hysteria surrounding Phil Robertson's anti-gay remarks by immediately taking the hit reality show off the air for two weeks . The matter then escalated after Republican politicians and figures, such as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, spoke out citing Robertson’s right to free speech. Supporters of the show also utilized social media to campaign for Robertson to be instated. A source at the network told RadarOnline that the pro-Phil campaign social media campaigns had ‘taken on a life of their own, and it’s an absolute disaster for A&E.’ ‘Network bosses now recognize they should have just taken the show off the air for two weeks, since reruns were just airing anyway. The fallout wouldn’t have been strong and everyone could have just moved on.’ The source said the future of the hit show now depend on the two sides reaching a compromise. Bowing to pressure? A&E is set to rake in mountains of ad revenue as the network decides to air 11-hour Duck Dynasty marathon in spite of star Phil Robertson's anti-gay tirade . ‘Now, it’s a stand-off between the family and the network, who is going to blink first? There is no way Phil is going to apologize for his comments because he doesn’t think what he said is hateful or prejudice, it’s his religious beliefs,’ the source said. ‘The network is hopeful that cooler heads will prevail and a solution that is suitable for both parties can be reached. A&E isn’t going to walk away from Duck Dynasty, they can’t afford to do it. It’s just a matter of getting both sides to agree on how to move forward,’ the insider added. In the meantime, the network appears to have decided to capitalize on wave of publicity surrounding their number one show and on Christmas Day the network will air a super marathon of Duck Dynasty episodes. From Wednesday afternoon and stretching on for over 11 hours, viewers can watch Phil Robertson and his Louisiana clan stroke their beards, bicker with their wives and of course hunt for ducks. The decision will come as a slap in the face to those who supported the network's decision to suspend Robertson after anti-gay and racially insensitive remarks he made to GQ magazine - and years before in a 2010 sermon - made national headlines. Phil Robertson (pictured second left) is also on record making racially insensitive remarks suggesting that blacks didn't need civil rights reform in order to be happy . Anti-gay rantings: Phil Robertson speaking at Berean Bible Church in Pennsylvania in February of 2010 in which he fervently attacked gay people as sinners . Those who support the decision say A&E is just giving fans what they want - more of one of the most popular reality shows ever. 'I think, honestly, it’s A&E trying to play both sides of the coin,' celebrity blogger Cate Meighan told Fox News. 'They’ve come out and not supported Phil’s statements… however they’re also looking at the backlash from the fans, and they have a huge amount of backlash from the fans.' Robertson, the patriarch of the Louisiana clan on the reality show about hunting, fishing and domestic squabbles, was put on indefinite hiatus by A&E last week for his remarks to GQ magazine characterizing homosexuality as sinful behavior. The network has previously said it was disappointed after reading Robertson's remarks, which it added were his personal views and did not reflect those of the network. Civil rights groups GLAAD criticized the comments, but the 67-year-old Robertson also found supporters among Republican politicians and figures such as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin, pictured with the Duck Dynasty cast while on her book tour in Louisiana. The former governor and her daughter, Bristol, have defended Robertson . The IStandWithPhil.com website, run by the organization Faith Driven Consumer, is petitioning A&E to reinstate Robertson and formally apologize to his family and his fans for removing him from future filming. It has collected more than 202,868 signatures since Friday, storming past its goal of 200,000. A Facebook page called 'Boycott A&E Until Phil Robertson Is Put Back on Duck Dynasty' has garnered more than 1.7 million likes and another called 'Boycott A&E and Support Phil Robertson' has more than 15,000 likes. A petition on Change.org titled 'A&E Network: Bring Phil Robertson back!' has more than 116,600 signers. The future of the popular series, . which is scheduled to begin its previously taped fifth season on Jan. 15, is up in the air following Robertson's indefinite suspension and his . family hinted that they would not participate without him. ‘We . have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a . family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch . at the helm,' the family said in a statement last Thursday. The . standoff between the Robertson family and A&E has put big money in . the balance as the impasse also threatens a vast array of 'Duck Dynasty' licensed merchandise that has brought in some $400 million, according . to Forbes magazine. Duck . Dynasty brand apparel and products, including camouflage bed sheets and . reclining furniture, are sold at retailers such as Target and Walmart. And some say it's that lucrative popularity that makes it nearly impossible for A&E to turn its back in the show. The show's fourth season debuted in August to 11.8 million viewers, a record for a cable nonfiction series, A&E said. It . averages about eight million viewers per episode and its Christmas . special was most-watched non-sports cable program on U.S. television . last week. 'It is . really a money thing,' Meighan said. 'Unfortunately people are . secondary...At the end of every single thing that we see it’s about the . money and the advertising.' The fifth season of the show, which includes episodes featuring Robertson, begins airing January 15. Keeping Phil: A source told Entertainment Weekly that Phil Robertson will be in new episodes of Duck Dynasty after it was revealed he made homophobic statements earlier this week . | A&E executives have admitted they should have taken the show off the air over the controversy surrounding Phil Robertson's homophobic remarks .
Instead the matter escalated after the network suspended Robertson and senior Republican figures spoke out in favor of his right to free speech .
Social media campaigns calling for Robertson to be reinstated have been described as an 'absolute disaster for A&E'
The latest admission isn't stopping the network from airing an 11-hour Duck Dynasty marathon on Christmas Day . |
130,232 | 3459b6630d1a3b1726eb41b877ce3e9d47b25537 | (CNN) -- A new standoff was brewing in Honduras as the country's recently deposed president vowed to return, while the new provisional government said it would arrest him if he set foot back in the country. Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya appears Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly. Political turmoil has swept this Central American nation of 8 million people following a military-led coup Sunday that ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya. Troops entered the president's residence and sent him out of the country in exile. A veteran legislator, Roberto Micheletti, was sworn in that same day as provisional president with the support of congress. Roberto Micheletti, the veteran legislator who was sworn in that same day as provisional president with the support of congress, was adamant that Zelaya would not return to power. "He already committed crimes against the constitution and the laws; he can't return to be president of the republic," Micheletti told reporters Tuesday. "He can no longer return to the presidency unless a president from another Latin American country comes and imposes him with arms." Micheletti added, "If there is an invasion against our country, we have seven-and-a-half million Hondurans ready to defend our territory and our laws and our homeland and our government." However, Zelaya still vows to defy the provisional government. "I am going to return on Thursday because they expelled me by force, and I am going to return as always: as a citizen and as president," Zelaya said at a U.N. news conference shortly after the world body unanimously adopted a resolution that he should be restored to power. Zelaya, speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, called the resolution historic. "Your servant has several accusations against him in Honduras," Zelaya said. "But nobody has given me a trial. Nobody has convened a tribunal." Meanwhile, Micheletti's provisional government said Zelaya would be arrested if he returned. "As soon as he arrives he will be captured, as we already have the arrest warrants ready," new Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez Colindres told CNN en Español. Zelaya would face charges of violating the constitution, corruption and drug trafficking, among others, Ortez said. The deposed president said he would travel to Washington to attend a meeting of the Organization of American States. He also is expected to meet Tuesday evening with Tom Shannon, the top U.S. official on Latin America. Even as Zelaya spoke at the United Nations, his opponents held a large and noisy rally in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Crowd members waved blue and white Honduran flags and signs denouncing Zelaya. Roberto Micheletti, the new provisional president, briefly addressed the crowd Tuesday afternoon. He vowed that the next national elections, slated for November, will be held as planned, and that a new president will be sworn in as usual in January. Gen. Romeo Vasquez Velasquez, the top Honduran military commander who had butted heads with Zelaya, also spoke at the rally. By removing Zelaya, the armed forces were only complying with their constitutional duties, he said. Before he spoke, the crowd chanted in support, "Armed forces! Armed forces!" Zelaya supporters also were active Tuesday, with three major public-sector labor unions launching a general strike, a union official told CNN. About 100,000 workers joined the strike, said Oscar Garcia, vice president of the Honduran water workers union SANAA. That number could not be independently verified. "It will be an indefinite strike," Garcia said. "We don't recognize this new government imposed by the oligarchy, and we will mount our campaign of resistance until President Manuel Zelaya is restored to power." Also on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said it was reviewing its aid to Honduras as it works with regional partners on a deal to restore Zelaya to power and quell political unrest in the country. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the U.S. was reviewing whether Zelaya's ouster met the legal definition of a "coup" before any decision was made. "Because of the situation and the very dramatic nature of the events there and our profound concern about what's going on there, I think we're looking at a number of aspects of our cooperation," Kelly said. The State Department has also issued a travel alert due "to the current unstable political and security situation in Honduras." The alert "recommends that American citizens defer all nonessential travel to Honduras until further notice." In another development, two U.S. military officials in Washington confirmed to CNN that U.S. helicopters will fly over southern Honduras on a humanitarian relief mission Tuesday. The officials said there is great sensitivity to any public appearance by the U.S. military in the country. The U.S. military also postponed some planned exercises with the Honduran military until the situation in the country settles down, according to the U.S. Southern Command. "We have postponed certain activities," Maj. D.L. Wright, Southern Command spokesman, told CNN. Wright said this decision would be in effect for at least two to three weeks, or "until the political situation settles." Zelaya was overthrown early Sunday when the Honduran military arrested him and flew him to Costa Rica. Micheletti, president of the Congress, was sworn in as provisional president later Sunday. The United Nations, OAS and most nations in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States, have condemned the ouster and demanded that Zelaya be restored to power. The World Bank said Tuesday it would freeze funds to Honduras until the crisis is resolved, and the United States said it is reviewing its aid to the Central American nation. The U.S. joined many other nations in co-sponsoring Tuesday's U.N. resolution. Zelaya had been at odds with the other branches of government over a referendum he wanted to hold Sunday. The Honduran Supreme Court had ruled that the referendum was illegal, and Congress had voted not to hold it. The high court also had overturned Zelaya's dismissal of Honduras' top general, who said the military would not participate in the referendum. The court ordered that the general be reinstated immediately. Zelaya disregarded those actions and vowed to hold the vote anyway. Watch part one of interview with Zelaya (in Spanish) » | Part two (in Spanish) » . Honduran authorities on Monday clashed with Zelaya supporters, who took to the streets and threw rocks at authorities, burned tires and set up roadblocks. iReport.com: Are you there? Share your photos, videos . In a radio address Tuesday, Micheletti said Zelaya would be arrested if he came back. Watch interview with Micheletti (in Spanish) » . Micheletti also told Honduras' representatives at the United Nations and OAS to quit speaking against the new government or they immediately will be removed from their posts. They are not authorized, he said, to speak for the Honduran government. In another development, two U.S. military officials in Washington confirmed to CNN that American helicopters will fly over southern Honduras on a humanitarian relief mission Tuesday. The officials said there is great sensitivity to any public appearance by the U.S. military in the country. Three Black Hawk helicopters are scheduled to leave an air base at Soto Cano in Honduras and fly south to Nicaragua. They will be used to support the USNS Comfort, which is conducting a medical relief mission. CNN en Español's Krupskaia Alis in Honduras, and CNN's Karl Penhaul, Barbara Starr and Elise Labott contributed to this report. | NEW: Provisional Honduran government says president faces arrest on return .
Deposed President Jose Manuel Zelaya says he'll return home this week .
U.N. passes resolution saying ousted president should be returned to power .
Three labor unions in Honduras reportedly begin general strike to back Zelaya . |
108,423 | 17cee709484515f2f3040589b0e09592f4112003 | Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- Final results of last month's referendum show an overwhelming majority of southern Sudanese voted to split from the north, a result that will lead to the creation of the world's newest nation, the referendum commission said Monday. The chairman of the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, which organized the vote and includes members from both sides, said 98.83% voted for separation, while 1.17% voted for unity. "It was a peaceful process," chairman Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil said at a ceremony in Khartoum attended by Sudanese politicians, international diplomats, U.N. staff, academics and others. "It was a transparent process." "Not a single person" showed up to appeal the results, he said. Preliminary results had shown overwhelming support for separation. The commission met Monday with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir to present the final results, state TV reported earlier. Al-Bashir has stated his commitment to the results and said he will accept them, state TV said. As a result of the government's acceptance of the results, the United States is beginning the process of removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama announced Washington's intention to recognize Southern Sudan as a sovereign, independent state in July, when a comprehensive peace agreement with the north is due to end. "After decades of conflict, the images of millions of southern Sudanese voters deciding their own future was an inspiration to the world and another step forward in Africa's long journey toward justice and democracy," Obama said in a statement. "Now, all parties have a responsibility to ensure that this historic moment of promise becomes a moment of lasting progress. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement must be fully implemented and outstanding disputes must be resolved peacefully." Obama promised the United States would support the governments of both Sudan and Southern Sudan to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition to independence. Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain -- which ruled Sudan between 1899 and 1955 -- said he welcomed the Khartoum government's positive reaction to the results and said the United Kingdom would support the country's new chapter. "It is a happy day for southern Sudanese," said Louis Makor, 40, an activist from the south. "We have gained our rights, our self-determination, and I hope the best for both southern and northern Sudanese. And we will remain brothers." Those in the north had more varied opinions. "I think it is better," said Abd al-Aziz Ahmad, 30, a grocery store owner. "They can have their own country, and our problem in the north will lessen." Northerner Al-Razy Yassin, 27, however, said he felt very sad about the outcome. "I believed that our strength is in our diversity," he said. "This means the failure of the Sudanese national state, and I fear what might come." There were tears on the face of Ikhlas Garang, a woman who is half northern and half southern, who cried, "Why are we separating? Why are we separating?" Sudan's north and south fought a war for more than two decades, finally ending in a peace treaty in 2005 that paved the way for the referendum. The conflict, which left 2 million people dead, pitted a government dominated by Arab Muslims in northern Sudan against black Christians and animists in the south. A majority of Sudan's oil reserves are in the south, which was another flashpoint in the war. Several million voters, including expatriates in the United States and seven other countries, cast ballots. Before Southern Sudan can become independent, the two sides still have to address various issues including currency, citizenship, national debt, and how to divide the majority of oil reserves found in the south. The Abyei region -- which straddles the border between the regions -- remains a disputed area between the two sides. And as the world's newest nation, Southern Sudan would face daunting obstacles. There is a desperate need for development in the south and a lack of a robust educated class to control the new levers of power. A flood of refugees, eagerly returning to an independent homeland, could complicate matters in a place that already lacks enough schools and clinics and has few paved roads. Longstanding grievances among rival southern groups could erupt in violence; several hundred southerners already have been killed in such fighting in the last year or two. Or the north could refuse to accept the results or stir tensions by trying to pit one southern faction against another. The concerns run so deep that a year ago, Dennis Blair, then the U.S. director of national intelligence, warned the U.S. Congress of possible genocide. "A number of countries in Africa and Asia are at significant risk for a new outbreak of mass killing" in the next five years, he said. "Among these countries, a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan." Al-Bashir, wanted for war crimes after mass killings and rape in the country's western Darfur region, has said a southern vote for independence would be like "cutting off a part of the nation's body, but not the end of the world." Still, al-Bashir has said he won't hesitate to accept the results, because peace with the south is the ultimate goal. People in Southern Sudan have long felt dominated by the north, ever since slave-raiding parties from the region penetrated the south around 1840. The raids instilled a collective hostility toward northerners that successive generations in the south nursed until they erupted in open war. When it ruled Sudan, Britain administered north and south as separate entities, preventing travel from one region to the other. The imbalance that resulted sparked southern fears of northern domination when the British announced plans to leave. Southerners took up arms against the north in August 1955, six months before Sudan's independence. Most jobs in the new national government went to people from the north, which also dominated the process of drafting a constitution. The insurgency that started in 1955 killed several hundred thousand people and forced many more from their homes, until a peace deal silenced the guns in 1972. Barely a decade later, though, war resumed after the Sudanese president split the south into three regions and sought to impose Islamic law on non-Muslims. The 1989 coup that brought al-Bashir to power let him steer the ship of state by the compass of Islamic extremism. He praised the 1979 Iranian revolution and offered shelter to many groups the United States views as terrorist organizations. Osama bin Laden arrived in Sudan in 1991, long before he became a household name. The United States added Sudan to its list of state sponsors of terrorism two years later. Peace talks to end the war were well under way in 2003 when a mostly unrelated conflict erupted in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. Marginalized non-Arab Muslims there rebelled against the government by attacking a military garrison. The Sudanese government responded by arming and cooperating with Arab militias that killed, tortured and raped thousands, mainly targeting tribes from which the rebels drew strength, according to the United Nations, Western governments and human rights organizations. The United Nations says 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in Darfur, though the government of Sudan says the toll is lower. Al-Bashir's role in Darfur led the International Criminal Court to indict him in 2009 on accusations of war crimes. Even as the killing continued unabated in Darfur, al-Bashir's government made progress in negotiations with southern rebels. That progress resulted in a landmark agreement in January 2005 between the Sudanese government and the main rebel group in the south, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement called for the referendum that took place last month. Journalist Isma'il Kushkush in Khartoum and CNN's Aliza Kassim and Mark Bixler in Atlanta contributed to this report. | The final results of January's vote were announced Monday .
98.83% of southerners voted for the split .
It will create the world's newest nation .
Sudan's north and south have been at war for two decades . |
112,795 | 1d8aad3e478fed0edda5c4c3f647bd10f9bcdc55 | (CNN) -- The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, has escaped serious injury in a car crash in his native Jamaica which wrecked his high-speed sports car. Jamaican flyer Bolt claimed 100 meters gold in Beijing in a new world record time. The IAAF, the world governing body of athletics, gave graphic details of Bolt's lucky escape on its official Web site www.iaaf.org. The 22-year-old, who was driving his BMW M3 with two female passengers, lost control and went off a rain-soaked road. The car ended up overturned in a ditch and Bolt and his passengers had to clamber out through a bed of thorns before being taken to hospital in Spanish Town, near Kingston, as a precaution. Bolt was released after three hours, with his feet strapped with bandages, after undergoing a minor operation to remove embedded thorns from his foot. He told a local reporter: "Me good man. Me all right, a just few cuts man, me all right." As a result of the accident, Bolt will miss Saturday's Jamaica International Invitational meeting and is expected to be sidelined for at least a week. "We will continue to monitor his progress over the next few days," Bolt's agent Ricky Simms told reporters. "It's too early to say if this will have any impact on his training and racing program in the next few weeks." Bolt is also set to come to England in mid-May to run in a special 150 meters street race in Manchester. A spokesman for the organizers told CNN that they were hopeful the sprint sensation would be fit to turn up. "We are in constant contact with his management team and everything remains on track for him to come," said Norman Hart. Bolt set world records in winning the 100 and 200 meters gold in the Beijing OIympics and claimed a third gold as Jamaica took the 4x100 meters relay. He was given the BMW by his sponsors as reward for his incredible success which catapulted him to global stardom. | Sprinter Usain Bolt fortunate to escape from car crash in his native Jamaica .
The world's fastest man was taken to hospital after clambering from the wreck .
Bolt won three gold medals with his sensational displays in Beijing Olympics . |
54,198 | 99908a414a67061ce7e29cd1cf59347ed4571935 | By . Katy Winter . After years of yo-yo dieting, Stella Sydee’s weight had spiralled out of control. She suffered from asthma, joint pain and depression and her self-confidence had hit rock bottom. Deciding enough was enough, Stella lost over 8st, rebuilding her self-confidence in the process. And she's now eager to share her dieting and fitness tips to help others reach their own weight loss goals. Scroll down for video . Stella dropped from 17st (left) to a slim 9st and size 8-10 (right) over the course of her weight loss journey . Stella, 42, explains: ‘My weight was affecting every aspect of my life. I was a bubbly outgoing person, but my weight gain was sapping my confidence and I no longer enjoyed going out and socialising. I would stay at home instead and slept a lot during the day. ‘Although I didn’t realise it at the time, food was becoming a secret addiction and I would comfort eat on a daily basis, relying on food to make me happy. 'I knew my weight was out of control, as I had reached nearly 17st, but I didn’t know how I could gain control and make a long term change. ‘My health was also becoming a concern, I was depressed and my joints were beginning to ache. My asthma had also worsened and breathing was often difficult.’ Managing to shed an initial 2st through exercise and changes to her diet, Stella found her weight loss plateaued. Stella's size was effecting her health and she suffered from asthma, joint pain and depression . She decided to join a slimming club to give her more structure and support. ‘Despite my weight, I still exercised with my friend who is a fitness instructor. We went on walks together but I still wasn’t losing enough. I had tried so many different diets and had some success prior to LighterLlife, losing almost 2st, but with more than 5st still to lose I became discouraged and the comfort eating and weight gain returned. ‘This was when my friend recommended LighterLife as the counselling sessions would help me learn about the behaviour leading to the comfort eating and equip me with the tools to keep the weight off for the rest of my life. After an initial loss of 2st Stella's weight loss stalled until she joined Lighter Life and started counseling and a food replacement diet to combat her over eating . With her weight at 15st 3lbs, she . attended counsellor Sharon Hamilton’s classes in Dartford. She undertook . the Total programme, where ordinary eating is replaced by four . specially-formulated food packs per day, alongside weekly counselling . sessions to assess the psychological issues behind over-eating and . ensure a permanent lifestyle change. ‘It . was a turning point in my life. It has taken time, but now after losing . 5st and adopting a healthier lifestyle, I have re-educated my way of . thinking around food, trimmed myself down to a size 8-10 and now weigh a . steady 9st. 'I feel fit, . healthy and confident about myself and I am so much more excited for . life. My bubbly personality has returned and I love socialising with . friends and family and no longer take a back seat. ‘My . family and friends have been amazed by my weight loss journey and I . love it when I see people who I haven’t seen for a while as they truly . don’t recognise me! I love their reactions when they realise who I am, . they are often lost for words! My husband, two sons and my parents have . been particularly supportive throughout this time and enjoy the new more . active me. Stella now loves socializing again and says her old confidence has returned once again . ‘Last time we visited Centre Parcs, I went on the zip wire, in the pool and the water rapids. This was something I would never have done before I lost the weight and it felt great to be able to get involved in fun activities with my family. ‘My love for fashion is something that I can now enjoy and l look forward to shopping for new clothes. 'Before I lost weight I hated clothes shopping and would only buy long tops that covered my body which I wore with jeans or leggings but now I love dressing up in skirts or dresses and heels. 'Exercise and fitness has also become a passion of mine, my gym is now like my second home. ‘Losing the weight and changing my thinking about myself and given me the confidence to start working again. I currently work part-time for an elderly people charity, visiting them in their homes. It is extremely rewarding and has also helped rebuild my confidence. ‘As I feel passionate about helping others, I am also studying Nutrition, CBT and NLP building a career in Weight Management. I want to help other people who struggle with issues around food and self confidence to experience the success I never dreamed possible, equipping them with not only sound nutritional advice but with the essential psychological tools to enable long term change in their lives.’ | At her largest Stella Sydee weighed 17st .
Size caused health problems and sapped her confidence .
Initially lost 2st through changes to diet and lifestyle .
Then joined LighterLife to lose a further 5st and drop from 17st to 9st .
Now studying for a career in Weight Management . |
177,725 | 72132234797e841a4d5081366611d18fcb29476f | Former CIA Director David Petraeus is expected to tell House and Senate committees Friday that soon after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, it suspected Ansar al Sharia was responsible. But just what is Ansar al Sharia, and why wasn't it identified as a prime suspect two months ago? There is no easy answer. Ansar al Sharia is more a label than an organization, one that's been adopted by conservative Salafist groups across the Arab world. The name means, simply, "Partisans of Islamic Law." In Benghazi, Ansar al Sharia was one of many groups that filled the vacuum of authority following the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi. Its members guarded the Al Jala hospital in Tripoli, where a number of the war's wounded were treated. For a while, the group provided security at the airport, according to Noman Benotman, a senior fellow at the Quilliam Foundation in London who has closely followed the evolution of the Libyan brigades. Ansar al Sharia took over a security building in Tripoli following Gadhafi's ouster and came up with a logo -- a pair of AK-47s, a clenched first and an open Koran. The group's central belief is that all authority is derived from the Prophet Mohammed, that democracy is un-Islamic and that other branches of Islam, such as the Sufi, are heretical. Ansar al Sharia and members of another brigade, dubbed the Libyan Shield, have been accused of destroying Sufi shrines near Benghazi days before the attack on the consulate. The description on the Twitter feed of Ansar al Sharia of Benghazi proclaims: "The goals of Ansar al-Sharia brigade is to implement the laws of Allah on the land, and reject the human implemented laws and earthly made constitutions. There will be nothing ruling in this country other than the laws of Allah." As with many of the brigades that roam Libya, Ansar al Sharia in Benghazi appears to have a fluid membership in the low-hundreds but some identifiable leaders, who have denied the group had any part in the consulate attack. In Benghazi, the membership includes Mohammed al-Zahawi and Sheikh Nasser al-Tarshani, its religious authority. Neither has been detained. Al-Zahawi -- who fought to overthrow Gadhafi -- has given a number of interviews since the September 11 attack on the consulate. In a BBC interview a week after attack, al-Zahawi denied Ansar al Sharia had any role in the attack, but said the group would not give up its weapons. "We are in a battle with the liberals, the secularists and the remnants of Gadhafi," he told the BBC. Al-Tarshani told The Irish Times the attack was wrong. "The killing of the ambassador was not intentional — he died as a result of suffocation," he told Mary Fitzgerald in a telephone interview. He also said that just because the assailants carried the black flag often associated with Salafist groups, it did not mean Ansar al Sharia was responsible. A CNN analysis of photographs of a large Islamist parade in Benghazi in June -- and similar shows of strength elsewhere -- indicates the flag is widely used by Libyan Islamist militia. Another prominent Ansar al Sharia figure is former Guantanamo Bay detainee Sufian bin Qumu. But his "patch" is east of Benghazi, near the town of Derna. In the wake of the September 11 consulate attack, the 53-year old bin Qumu is thought by analysts to have left the area for a hide-out in the nearby coastal mountain range. Al-Tarshani told The Irish Times that the Benghazi group had nothing to do with him. Benotman, himself a former Libyan jihadist, thinks that blaming Ansar al Sharia for the attack oversimplifies the situation. He told CNN in September that its loose structure made it easy for any group with a terror agenda to infiltrate it because of a shared ideology. One such group, Benotman said, was the Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades, named for the blind Egyptian Sheikh imprisoned in the United States for his role in the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. The group claimed responsibility for a crude IED attack on the Benghazi consulate in June. There does not appear to be organizational links between Ansar al Sharia and al Qaeda, but there is solidarity. Al-Zahawi praised al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri in his BBC interview, and said al Qaeda's statements "help galvanize the Muslim nation, maintain its dignity and pride." Benotman said most people in Benghazi have little time for the Islamist brigades, as evidenced by the crowd of thousands who attacked Ansar al Sharia's headquarters in the days following the consulate attack. But he says their animosity was less ideological than borne of frustration. "They felt the attack on consulate was a threat to their well-being. For many of the protestors, it's an opportunity to help the government make serious decisions to boost security in Benghazi," he said. U.S. unsure of Ansar role . The narrative from U.S. officials -- on the record and off -- about who was responsible for the consulate attack in Benghazi has been, at best, confusing. In part, that's because of the blurred lines and overlapping memberships of the different militia. On the day of the attack, a U.S. diplomatic cable sent from Benghazi described a meeting of several brigade commanders with U.S. officials two days earlier. According to the cable, during the meeting Libyan Shield commander Ben Hamed and another Islamist militia leader "discussed the very fluid relationships and blurry lines they say define membership in the Benghazi based Brigades under the February 17, Libya Shield, and SSC [Supreme Security Committee, a Libyan government created fighting outfit] umbrellas." Hamed and the other militia leader described themselves as members of multiple brigades, the cable said. Then there are the conflicting reports from U.S. officials. On September 18th, a U.S. official told CNN that Ansar al Sharia had not been positively identified as responsible for the attack, "which is more likely to turn out to be a bunch of various elements and basically (al Qaeda) militants." Another senior official told CNN: "Ansar al Sharia is only one of the elements they are looking at. The notion that the intelligence community has zeroed in on either Ansar al Sharia -- its leader Sufian bin Qumu in particular -- is completely untrue." At the same time, Matthew Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told a congressional panel: "We are looking at indications that individuals involved in the attack may have had connections to al Qaeda or al Qaeda's affiliates -- in particular, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb." The possibility that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb was somehow involved in the attack was recently revived by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command. "It appears to me very likely that some of the terrorists who participated in the attack in Benghazi have at least some linkages to AQIM," Ham told reporters in Paris this week. At other times U.S. officials have suggested that Libyan jihadists who fought with al Qaeda in Iraq played a role along with Egyptian militants. Little is known about who Libyan authorities detained in the wake of the consulate attack, and whether they are still detained. A Tunisian, meanwhile, has been detained in connection with the attack, though nothing is known publicly about his links to Ansar al Sharia. Ani Ali al Harzi was arrested in Turkey and is now being held in Tunis. What can be said with some confidence is that the Salafist trend has been revitalized across the Arab world as dictatorships have crumbled. A number of Ansar al Sharia groups have emerged not only in Libya but in Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco. "The Muslims today are not like they were before," al-Tarshani told the BBC. "They cannot stand any action that would insult our Prophet or other symbols." | Ansar al Sharia is one of a handful of militias operating in Libya .
Ansar al Sharia serves more as a label than an organized group .
Its identifiable leaders are Mohammed al-Zahawi and Sufian bin Qumu .
Both have denied the group had any role in the consulate attack . |
77,752 | dc717bb7ae766113372c765dca141c600311d577 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 04:49 EST, 5 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:54 EST, 5 March 2013 . A horror film fan tortured and stabbed a homeless man to death before rubbing salt into his wounds in a chilling echo of teen movie The Loved Ones, a court heard. Andrew Nall’s body was found with strange wounds cut into the flesh, salt rubbed onto his arm and hand and a creamy substance put in his eyes. One of the defendants, Gary George, was fan of the violent horror film, which features a scene in which a man is stabbed multiple times before salt is rubbed in his wounds, Chester Crown Court was told. Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, said defendant George was a fan of the 2009 Australian film The Loved Ones (pictured) Mr Nall, 53, was 'beaten, kicked and stabbed dozens of times' at a flat in Eversley Park, Chester, on August 31 last year. Christine Holleran, 50, and Gary George, 41, went on trial yesterday for murder. The pair deny killing 53-year-old Mr Nall and George also denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Brian James Riley. In his opening statement Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, said: 'One night last summer, a 53-year-old man called Andrew Mackenzie Nall was subjected to a brutal, ruthless and sadistic attack in his own home here in Chester. 'He was tortured, he was murdered. He was lying in his bed, his genitals partly exposed, his body surrounded by a pool of blood.' The jury was told George, of no fixed abode, was known to both Andrew Nall and Holleran, previously of Liverpool. 'He was homeless, openly gay, a heavy drinker and, say the prosecution, had a keen interest in witchcraft,' said Mr Unsworth. George, the jury was told, regularly . watched horror films and Mr Unsworth said one film George had a . particular interest in was violent horror film The Loved Ones. 'In a chilling precursor to what . befell Andrew Nall, one scene in that film depicts a man being stabbed . on multiple occasions before throwing salt in his wounds,' he said. Chester Crown Court was told the violent . horror film features a scene in which a man is stabbed multiple . times . He said it was unclear exactly when Mr Nall was killed but there was no doubt George and Holleran had been in his flat on the night in question. 'This was not a burglary that went wrong,' he said. 'There is no mystique around who was present at the time of the attack. Christine Holleran was there, Gary George was there. 'With Andrew Nall dead, they simply left him and went to the supermarket together. They spent money in the supermarket together, money which was almost certainly Mr Nall's.' Mr Unsworth said George is also accused of attacking Mr Reilly about 10 hours later in Chester city centre. 'Gary George, say the prosecution, smashed a bottle then used it to attack Mr Reilly,' he told the jury. 'That too as you will see was an extremely violent attack.' 'With Andrew Nall dead, they [Holleran and George] simply left him and went to the supermarket together.' Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting . Mr Unsworth said Mr Nall had been in a relationship with a woman called Maria Griffin but Holleran had been living with him at his flat. Last August, the police were called to the flat several times and on one occasion Holleran told officers she and Mr Nall were getting married. Mr Unsworth said the pair’s relationship grew 'strained' in August and things came to a head in dramatic fashion on August 30. He said Mr Nall had been with Holleran that day and had withdrawn £100 from his bank account. They got in a taxi together at about 1.45pm and Holleran was abusing Mr Nall during the journey. Mr Unsworth said: 'It seems Mrs Holleran was abusive to Mr Nall and said something about that he had done something to her that she would not forgive him for.' Later that day, Mr Nall and George were bought wine from a Tesco Express store and cider and sherry from a McColl’s shop. 'That was at about 6.30pm - Andrew Nall was not seen alive again,' said Mr Unsworth. He said it seemed the pair then went to Mr Nall’s flat where they were later joined by Holleran. Together with George, Holleran went to Bargain Booze off licence at about 9.30pm that night to buy more alcohol. Mr Unsworth said: 'They purchased some sherry in Bargain Booze and Gary George spoke to the shop assistant and said something about Christine Holleran being raped the other day and that he would 'get him back'. 'That night Mr Nall was killed.' On the morning of August 31, Mr Nall’s neighbour noticed something unusual on his doorstep and took a photograph of a knife, pair of scissors and a tie cut into pieces. Holleran and George went to Morrison’s supermarket at about 7.50am that morning and bought some cider. Mr Unsworth told the jury he believed the cider was bought using money taken from Mr Nall’s wallet - possibly after he had died - and George wore Mr Nall's jacket to the supermarket. He said Holleran was interviewed by police and told them she did not even remember going to Morrison's that morning and said the money could have been owed to her by Mr Nall. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Andrew Nall's body was found with strange wounds cut into the flesh .
Chester Crown Court hears he was 'beaten, kicked and stabbed'
Christine Holleran, 50, and Gary George, 41, are on trial for murder . |
83,143 | ebbb09d12dc9c719f97c080b958f2cb608ec2f05 | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:39 EST, 9 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:41 EST, 9 November 2013 . Error: Marks & Spencer has been forced to recall thousands of its 2014 calendars, pictured, and diaries after getting the date of Father's Day wrong . Struggling Marks & Spencer has been forced to recall thousands of calendars and diaries after getting the date of Father’s Day wrong. The retailer, which has just reported a 9.1 per cent slump in half-year profits, blamed a supplier for the mistake that lists Father’s Day as June 22 instead of June 15. Although only ten per cent of the print-run had been delivered, the recall will do no favours for the brand as it tries to bolster its reputation. Customers who spot the embarrassing error will be refunded and given a £5 voucher, the store said. Signs put up at tills read: ‘Sorry, the date’s off! Our 2014 diaries and calendars have been printed with the wrong date for Father’s Day. If you bought one before October 25, 2013, we’ll happily exchange it or offer you a full refund.’ A member of staff in Kensington, West London, added: ‘We haven’t had many customers return theirs yet but the sign’s not been up long. 'I just feel sorry for whoever made the mistake as it’ll cost them a fortune.’ The gaffe heaps further pressure on M&S. An autumn relaunch of its womenswear range saw Dame Helen Mirren, 68, Tracey Emin, 50, and pop star Ellie Goulding, 26, star in its Leading Ladies advertising campaign. But behind the scenes bosses were given a stern ticking off after key items were not sufficiently restocked. A heavily advertised £89 pink coat was lauded by the fashion press but sold out as soon as it hit the stores. Embarrassing: The retailer, which has just reported a 9.1 per cent slump in half-year profits, blamed a supplier for the mistake that lists Father's Day as June 22 instead of June 15 . M&S has promised to stock 40 per cent more of the items featured in its Christmas ad as a precaution. Fashion directors have also been criticised for producing poor fashion in awful colours, confusing store layout and overly crammed rails. An M&S spokesman said: ‘Unfortunately, due to a supplier print error we have temporarily withdrawn our 2014 calendars and diaries from sale.’ | Marks & Spencer forced to recall thousands of 2014 calendars and diaries .
Father's Day was wrongly listed as June 22 instead of June 15 .
Retailer has blamed a supplier for the embarrassing error . |
165,087 | 61796549dfba09e7e4296ed7492d9ba46e74be4d | By . Rick Dewsbury . PUBLISHED: . 09:07 EST, 20 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:07 EST, 20 July 2012 . Chef Neil Iron laced truffles with ecstasy to 'liven up' a birthday party . A top chef who once served afternoon tea to the Queen was today spared jail after spiking chocolate truffles with ecstasy. Neil Iron, 32, laced the desserts with the party drug to ‘liven up’ a birthday celebration at the Red Lion pub in Hoxton, north London. Guest Charlie Webster had an ‘out-of-body experience’ after eating two ‘special’ chocolate truffles left over from the party, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Iron, a former head chef at The Royal Marsden hospital in Chelsea, once gave the Queen and Prince Edward afternoon refreshments when they opened a rehabilitation centre for cancer patients. He also reached the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year awards and was named the most promising hospitality and catering student of the year while studying at Waltham Forest College. A jury of five men and seven women found Iron guilty of one count of administering poison or a noxious substance with intent. But Iron was cleared of two further identical counts relating to two toddlers who were hospitalised after sharing a chocolate pudding allegedly spiked by Iron at the pub. The court heard Iron had been cautioned last April for possession of cocaine. Sentencing Iron to nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, Judge Neil Sanders said: ‘This is a difficult case and as I indicated when you were convicted, I consider it crosses the custodial threshold, and I am still of that view. ‘Happily Charlie Webster didn’t suffer particularly greatly and he had been accustomed to taking ecstasy. ‘However the real danger was there was no telling from you as to what his reaction would be and in other circumstances - if he had to drive for example - the consequences could have been very much greater. ‘I’ still at a loss to what the motivation behind this was, whether it was a prank or anything more serious. ‘Anyone who supplies to someone else in this way a class A drug is bound to receive a prison sentence. Ecstasy dessert: The Red Lion pub in Hoxton, north London, where the children were fed the laced food . Spiked: Ecstasy was added to chocolate truffles similar to these. One person who ate them had an 'out of body experience' ‘People speak extremely highly of you as a result of your career as a chef. That is something you enjoyed and is no longer going to be open to you and I am prepared to accept this is never going to be repeated.’ Judge Sanders also ordered that Iron complete 180 hours unpaid work and pay £2,500 court costs. He will also be subject to a three-month curfew from 9pm-6am. Iron, who began working at the Red Lion last September, insisted he would never put drugs in food. He claimed the chocolate truffles could have been tampered with by guests at the party, which started late on Saturday, October 8 last year. ‘It must have been a person from the party because that’s where the food was. I wasn’t in the room, I was in the kitchen,’ he said. He claimed the chocolate mousse pots were made earlier in the week, stayed in the fridge and were nothing to with the party. Accused: The chef went on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, pictured, where he was found guilty of one count of spiking the food . The truffles were made the day before the party, he said. ‘I took them out of the fridge and put them on a presentation plate which was left out with the guests all evening. ‘After that I returned to the kitchen as there were other areas of the pub open to the public.’ When the party ended at about 1.45am, guests brought in leftovers, including the truffles, to be stored in the kitchen overnight. ‘At that point, there were about six people milling around in the kitchen,’ Iron said. ‘They were putting stuff in boxes; other people were putting food in the fridge as well as me. ‘Before I left that night, I made sure the fridge door was closed and everything was fine.’ The next day, a couple took their two children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to the pub for a roast dinner. The youngsters then shared a chocolate pot. Iron was informed by police the following day that the children had been taken ill. The chef denied telling Mr Webster that there were drugs in the ‘special’ chocolate truffles. He insisted: ‘I have never suggested there were drugs in any of the products - I’m not going to say to someone, ‘would you like some drug laced food products’ when you are about to sit in my restaurant and consume a lunch.’ John King, defending Iron, said Mr Webster admitted in evidence that he has ‘not been an angel’ and ‘has engaged in taking ecstasy in the past on more than one occasion’. ‘The reality is Mr Iron will not be able to work in the catering trade again. He had a good record as a chef and in terms of punishment, the result of his actions has taken that away totally.’ Iron, of Charles Gardner Court, Haberdasher Street, Hoxton, denied three counts of administering poison or a noxious substance with intent, namely methylenedioxymethylamphetamine or MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. | Neil Iron, 32, once served afternoon tea to the Queen .
Chef found guilty of adding party drug to deserts .
One guest had an 'out of body experience' |
255,169 | d64aea713b24d6ee285ac5421056111dbf27471a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 5:47 PM on 29th September 2011 . Trying desperately to salvage . anything that remains of his personal belongings, a man hangs from the . shattered remnants of his waterfront home in the coastal village of Navotas, north of Manila in the Philippines. And, while it might not be immediately obvious, he is one of the lucky ones. Typhoon Nesat totally wiped away most . of his neighbours' homes as it ravaged the northern Philippines . yesterday, with sustained wind speeds reaching more than 120mph, and . rain producing the worst flooding in decades. Blown away: A Filipino man hangs from the floor of his waterfront home in Navotas, north of Manila. Typhoon Nesat destroyed homes in the coastal village, and left 35 dead and a further 45 missing across the country . Nesat left death and destruction in its wake, with 41 dead and scores more injured. A further 45 people remain missing. Now residents of southern China are . bracing for impact as Nesat bears down upon them and promises a rough . ride today and tonight. Floodwaters were receding in most . places, and emergency services had restored electricity in many places . that experienced power cuts. But low-lying communities . in the north remained in crisis. Rescue: A Filipino emergency services member carries a baby to safety as a family is evacuated from their flooded home in Isabela province. Many other victims remain stranded on the roofs of their homes as rescuers struggle to reach them . Chest deep: The worst flooding in decades has brought havoc to the Philippines. The death toll has risen today from 35 to 41, and many more remain missing . Mayor Santiago Austria, of the rice-farming town of Jaen in Nueva Ecija . province, said: 'Many people here are still on top of their houses. We don't have enough . boats to reach them and hand them food.' In all, nearly 500,000 people were affected by the typhoon in the Philippines, of which about 170,000 were forced to flee their . homes and were in various evacuation centres. Meanwhile, a new tropical storm was brewing in the Pacific, Philippine . government forecaster Bobby Javier said. Bearing down: Palm trees show the severity of sustained winds in Sanya, in south China's Hainan province. Despite bypassing Hong Kong, the typhoon caused flight diversions, a suspension of the stock exchange and closures of schools and businesses . Storm damage: No fatalities have yet been reported in China, but high . winds have brought down trees and power lines, causing damage . and widespread power cuts . He added that Tropical Storm Nalgae already had . sustained winds of 52mph and gusts up to 62mph, and . was expected to strengthen significantly before hitting major parts of . the country in the next few days. The typhoon made landfall on the eastern tip of China's Hainan island, closing schools, suspending ferry services and forcing fishing boats into safe shelter. In Hong Kong, the stock market suspended trading, and shops and businesses closed fearful that it would strike land there. The Asian financial centre's normally bustling streets were eerily quiet, with few people venturing outside to brave the rain and fierce winds. Double trouble: A satellite image shows Typhoon Nesat to the west in the South China Sea, and Tropical Storm Nalgae strengthening to the east. Nalgae is expected to hit Philippines in the next few days . At Hong Kong's airport, 245 flights were delayed, 20 were cancelled and 22 diverted to other airports. Yet the typhoon did not hit Hong Kong directly, coming within 220 miles before moving away, the Hong Kong Observatory said. Nevertheless two people were injured when bamboo . scaffolding was blown over and collapsed onto a taxi, while another man was . injured by a falling tree. A barge ripped . free from its moorings in the rough seas and slammed into a seawall on Hong . Kong Island, forcing some nearby apartments to be evacuated. | Forty-one dead as worst flooding in decades engulfs the country .
China readies itself as it lies in the path of the raging storm . |
100,318 | 0d40c6f9ead73ebc70b854b6bdbb53ee441698e9 | FIFA have left themselves open to further accusations of corruption after insisting their £6million report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups would not be published. Football Association officials will await an official explanation from the world governing body before issuing a response. But Hans Joachim-Eckert, who chairs the adjudicatory chamber of Fifa’s ethics committee, has reportedly said he would not be allowing the findings of a 350-page report - compiled from 200,000 pages of evidence by New York attorney Michael Garcia – to ever be available to the public. Michael Garcia (left) is said to be furious that Hans Joachim-Eckert (right) will not release the report . Eckert says not even the FIFA executive committee will be able to read the full report when it is finished . Joachim-Eckert, a judge in Munich, has told the Sunday Times that he and his deputy would be the only people to read the report and said that Fifa’s rules prohibited him from even showing it to Fifa president Sepp Blatter and the world governing body’s 27-man executive. It means the accusations of bribery in the bidding process for the World Cup will remain unanswered; at least publicly. It is something that is understood to have infuriated Garcia and John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, told the Sunday Times: ‘I’m absolutely horrified. Sepp Blatter is at the centre of the curruption scandal which saw the 2022 World Cup awarded to Qatar . 'The one thing we’ve always been told by Fifa is that there would be a proper investigation and we should wait for the Garcia report. 'But if the Garcia report is going to be buried so that we have no idea what the conclusions are, it will leave the reputation of Fifa in pieces. 'It confirms what we have long suspected, that all Fifa is interested in is burying this whole matter and sweeping the evidence under the carpet.’ Lord Triesman poses with Blatter while he was FA chairman. He said the announcement was 'not surprising' Lord Triesman, the former FA chairman who initially led the England bid to host the 2018 World Cup until his resignation seven months before the vote, said: ‘Fifa has a very long-standing culture of misbehaviour and complete secrecy — omerta is the word that comes to my mind — so in a way it’s not surprising that they won’t reveal the contents of the Garcia report. 'But the most clear test of whether Fifa ever attempts to reform is whether it conducts investigations in a transparent way, publishes the details of the findings and deals with the problems in an equally transparent way. 'Other than that, the culture will simply go on as it has done now for decades.’ Lord Triesman suggested that 'the culture will simply go on as it has done now for decades' | FIFA official Hans Joachim-Eckert says the 350-page report will never be available publicly .
New York attroney Michael Garcia, who is compiling the report, is furious .
John Whittingdale MP 'absolutely horrified' that enquiry will be secret . |
151,545 | 4fec941bb4c24172026483866517c10c29596a45 | Millions of British holidaymakers will enjoy cheaper European breaks this summer with the euro forecast to plunge to a 13-year low against the pound. Families will get far more ‘bang for their buck’ over the next few months after it was announced that around £850billion will be pumped into the eurozone’s struggling economy. The injection of cash by the European Central Bank will lower the value of the euro. This means everything from restaurant meals and sightseeing tours to hotel stays and property will be cheaper for Britons. Families will get far more ‘bang for their buck’ over the next few months after it was announced that around £850billion will be pumped into the eurozone’s struggling economy, lowering the value of the euro . The ECB’s money-printing programme – known as quantitative easing – will not begin until March, but the euro has fallen against the pound in anticipation, meaning Britons are already benefiting. Today, £1 will buy 1.34 euros – the highest figure for seven years – compared with only 1.17 euros last year and 1.06 euros in 2009. And experts believe the euro will continue to fall. They predict that by July £1 could buy up to 1.55 euros, a 13-year high. That means that buying 500 euros in the summer could cost £322, compared with £400 at the same time last year. Experts believe the euro will continue to fall and predict that by July £1 could buy up to 1.55 euros . The news is likely to lead to a rush on European breaks rather than ‘staycations’ or trips to the US. Daily Mail research found that at this exchange rate a family of four could save £245 on a seven-night city break in Paris this July compared with July last year. Economist Harry Adams, at foreign exchange specialists Argentex, said: ‘The euro has already considerably weakened against the pound and will continue to do so over the next six months. 'We estimate that by July, we could be seeing the euro at about 1.55 against the pound – the cheapest the euro has been since 2002.’ Economist Ben Brettell, of financial advisers Hargreaves Lansdown, said: ‘Quantitative easing will increase the supply of euros into the European financial system, reducing the price of it.’ Although the weaker euro will help holidaymakers, it is bad for businesses that export to Europe, because it means their goods are more expensive to buy for customers on the Continent. As a result they may sell less in the eurozone. Quantitative easing will continue until at least September next year. It is a last-ditch bid to kick-start growth and step up the fight against deflation. Buying 500 euros in the summer could cost £322, compared with £400 at the same time last year . The European Central Bank will inject around £45billion a month into the eurozone’s financial system by buying up government and corporate bonds across the 19 countries of the single currency bloc. But it will be printing only 20 per cent of the cash, leaving decisions on the rest to national banks throughout the zone. Greece, in particular, has struggled through a deep recession and a quarter of its workforce is unemployed. Its economic situation is so dire that it has been locked out of the latest quantitative easing for now because of limits on how much debt its central bank can buy. The Left-wing party Syriza is expected to win Greece’s general election tomorrow. Its leader, Alexis Tsipras, wants to end austerity measures and is calling for most of Greece’s debt to be written off. This would be unpopular with other EU leaders and some experts believe that if a compromise cannot be reached then Greece could default on its debt and even leave the euro. | The euro is forecast to plunge to a 13-year low against the pound .
Means families will get more 'bang for their buck' over next few months .
£850billion to be pumped into the eurozone's struggling economy .
The cash injection by the European Central Bank will lower value of euro . |
85,352 | f215f09ba6864613982ad1983321522a037cc111 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Three professors and a former professor at Columbia University's Teachers College received hate mail this week, the New York Police Department said. It's the campus that was shaken by several bias crimes directed at black and Jewish professors in 2007. Columbia University's Teachers College is once again the target of a hate campaign. Three professors received manila envelopes Tuesday with images of swastikas in them. The fourth, a former professor who is an African-American, was sent a manila envelope containing an image of a noose, according to NYPD deputy commissioner Paul Browne. Among those receiving a swastika image was Elizabeth Midlarsky, a Jewish psychologist who has studied psychological principles in the context of the Holocaust, police said. In 2007, her office door was spray-painted with a swastika. (A swastika is the right-angles cross symbol used on Nazi Germany flags). The NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is leading the investigation into the incident. No arrests have been made. "The TC community deplores these hateful acts, which violate every Teachers College and societal norm," said an e-mail Wednesday to faculty and students from the college's president, Susan Fuhrman; and dean, Tom James. No arrests were been made in the 2007 incidents. Police declined to say if they believe there is a connection between those cases and the mailings this week. | Three professors, one former one at Columbia University receive hate mail this week .
Jewish psychologist at Teachers College among those receiving swastika .
In 2007, same psychologist's office door was spray-painted with a swastika .
NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is leading investigation; no arrests made . |
103,953 | 1221bc267cc014dde3a8d27da1acc7bd01daafe2 | (CNN) -- Instant messaging, texting, Facebook, and ... "Call of Duty?" The "Call of Duty" games effectively adapt to changing communication habits, Bobby Kotick, the CEO of game publisher Activision, told CNN on Tuesday. And that could be the smoking gun in the franchise's takeover of the video-game industry. The latest entry in the console-game series, "Call of Duty: Black Ops," has netted more than $1 billion in sales worldwide since it came out on November 9, Activision announced on Tuesday. In that time, gamers have spent 600 million hours with the game, the company said. "More people play 'Black Ops' every day than watch Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, combined," Kotick boasted. "The audience of 'Call of Duty' is probably greater in terms of size ... than in any other interactive form of entertainment." Activision didn't invent war games or first-person shooters. Even today, the genre continues to attract new big-budget entrants. On Tuesday, Electronics Arts released "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam." Yet it's the "Call of Duty" games that attract blockbuster openings and fervent support. By some estimates, "Black Ops" had the biggest five-day opening in revenue of any entertainment debut in history. The "Call of Duty" games generally feature compelling, cinematic storylines. In "Black Ops," soldiers are tasked with assassinating Cuban leader Fidel Castro. But it's the competitive play that draws the biggest crowds, Kotick said. Some 60% of traffic coming through Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service is from "Call of Duty" games, where players can take each other on, he said. "The multiplayer is really the thing that has changed the game in such a meaningful way," Kotick said. Instead of getting together to watch a movie, some people huddle around the living-room game console, or strap on a headset and chat online with friends across town or across the country over some gunfire. "If you look at the 500 million people who are on Facebook and the way that people text each other and instant message and use video chat, there is now an evolution of media," Kotick said. "Those are the characteristics and attributes that a generation and audiences feel are very important to their media and entertainment experiences. And we expect that." "Call of Duty" delivers on that trend, he said. These games can be as integral to the social lives of young people, especially males, as any other form of digital communication. Kotick rattled off various factors he says make the "Call of Duty" franchise stand out from competitors -- "production value, the level of polish," that "no detail gets left unaltered," he said. Perhaps most important is "the sophistication and capability of the multiplayer matchup," Kotick said. "Black Ops" credits Activision's Treyarch studio as the primary developer. The game came under scrutiny from video-game critics after a shakeup at Infinity Ward, the developer most often associated with the franchise. Activision fired two executives from Infinity Ward for "wrongdoing" -- "so wrong that you were left with no choice" but to dismiss them, Kotick said. Their positions have since been filled after the company was flooded with about 5,000 résumés, Kotick said. "Multiplayer has been largely developed by Treyarch," even in games like "Modern Warfare," which were credited to Infinity Ward, Kotick said. "I don't think Treyarch got their due for how much they contributed in the production and polish to the multiplayer." Future "Call of Duty" games may borrow some things from Activision Blizzard's other massive franchise, "World of Warcraft," Kotick said. For example, developers should constantly mold their games based on audience feedback, he said. "Blizzard really created the model for how to do this successfully and effectively, making sure the community of 'World of Warcraft' players has incredible influence on the future of the product," Kotick said. "There's so much more that we can deliver to our players." | "Call of Duty" effectively adapts to changing communication habits, says Activision's CEO .
The games can be as integral to social lives as Facebook and text messaging .
Activision hopes to adapt lessons from "World of Warcraft" into "Call of Duty" |
60,782 | acba5782880c1a6842a3425d06e7d20025add0d9 | By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 04:03 EST, 23 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:54 EST, 23 September 2013 . Hundreds of demonstrators turned out in a tiny North Dakota town to protest against plans by an American Nazi group to move in and take over the local government. The loud but peaceful demonstrators, many of them Native Americans from nearby reservations, made their disgust clear as Jeff Schoep, commander of the National Socialist Movement, and several followers, visited. The National Socialist Movement is America's largest neo-Nazi organization, founded in 1974 by former members of the American Nazi Party, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Jay Schechter holds a sign while participating in a protest rally outside Craig Cobb's house in Leith . Craig Cobb address supporters inside the Leith Town Hall. Cobb a white supremacist, originally from Canada, has purchased many lots in the tiny town . The group hopes to move enough members into Leith - population 17 - to take over the local government. 'We have to start somewhere,' Schoep said. 'They gotta do something very, very drastic to me to make it unsafe and uncomfortable for me' Bobby Harper, Leith's only black resident . 'So if we start in small towns and spread out from there, it's sort of a test ground in that sense, where if we're able to get off the ground here, then we're able to get off the ground in other places.' But Leith's only black resident is defiant and say's he's staying put. Leaders from across the state joined forces in an effort to show the hate groups that they aren't welcome. 'We are deeply disturbed that one of the residents of our small community has invited hate groups to our town and to the state of North Dakota. 'One of these hate groups, the National Socialist Movement, is planning to hold a meeting in our city hall on Sunday afternoon, and raise neo Nazi flags on property around our town,' the town of Leith said in a statement before the planned visit. 'The values of our town include safety . and acceptance for everyone. We stand firmly against the bigoted views . of this group, and will not be participating in their events.' Defiant: Bobby Harper, the only black resident of Leith, North Dakota, says he isn't leaving - even though white supremacists are moving into his tiny town. He is pictured here with his wife, Sherrill . Supremacist's paradise: Craig Cobb, 61, has invited dozens of neo-Nazi leaders to Leith to start to haven for racist hate groups . Craig Cobb, a self-described white supremacist, had already bought several homes and properties in Leith when he moved to the town 75 miles southwest of Bismark last year. He had bought at least a dozen properties and given several of them to leaders of major neo-Nazi hate groups. Often, he paid just hundreds or a few thousand dollars absentee owners who had long ago fled Leith and left their properties in disrepair. He has grand visions for the town and is determined to revitalize it. He told National Public Radio: 'It would be extraordinarily beautiful when people enter the town, particularly at night because we will have floodlit flags from both the bottom and the top of all the formerly white nations of the earth. 'We will probably have the National Socialist hunting flag with stag horns and a very small swastika in the center, very discreet.' Ramshackle: Leith has just 24 residents. It has been in a slow decline for decades. Cobb bought most of the properties for just hundreds or a few thousand dollars . He plans parks and monuments and a municipal swimming pool, all named after white-power activists. But the Cobb and his white supremacist ilk have one immediate obstacle to their all-white paradise in Leith: Bobby Harper, the town's only black resident. 'I'm not leaving,' Harper told NPR. 'They gotta do something very, very drastic to me to make it unsafe and uncomfortable for me. Right now, I don't see it happening.' The U.S. National Socialist Movement, America's largest white supremacist group, is joining forces with Cobb and is calling its members to Leith for a meeting on Sunday and Monday. 'We have every intention of legally assuming control of the local government,' Socialist Movement leader Jeff Schoep said in a statement. Video source KXNET.COM . Cobb moved to Leith from Montana and has purchased about a dozen homes and vacant parcels of land . According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Cobb wants to set up a 'Pioneer Little Europe.' In . an interview with WXMB-TV in Bismarck, Cobb said he had gotten a lot of . offers to buy up land from what he termed like-minded people who . believe white people should not be punished for wanting to live near . each other. 'It's fine for all these other minorities, but not us,' he said in the televised interview. 'If you merely speak about it, you're going to be defamed in this country.' Schoep said that the visitors would inspect the new property, raise ceremonial flag poles, and hold a town meeting and a news conference. 'We know that opinion is divided in the town and in the media,' Schoep said in the statement, adding that the trip was 'a symbolic gesture of good will and faith.' Sheriff Bay had his officers, members of the North Dakota Highway Patrol and others come to Leith yesterday to help in crowd control. | U.S. National Socialist Movement, the largest neo-Nazi group in America, is planning Sunday rally in Leith, North Dakota .
Craig Cobb, a well-known white supremacist, has bought 12 properties in town of 24 people and plans to create all-white haven .
But black resident Bobby Harper says he's not afraid and he's staying put .
Counter-protest is planned to combat hate group meeting in Leith . |
68,750 | c2f1132901d6e0c7d04e00cdc98499475eaecf94 | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 21:34 EST, 3 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:47 EST, 4 November 2012 . Apple has been accused of resorting to technological trickery in an effort to obscure their 'apology' to Samsung after losing the latest round of their ongoing tablet legal battle. Visitors to the Apple UK website homepage have to scroll down to see the statement after an apparent quirk of the new JavaScript code pushes the mea culpa out of sight. The re-sized code seems not to affect the U.S. version of the technology giants website and only appears on the UK one, which has led to users on websites such as Reddit to smell sour grapes from Apple. Visitors to the Apple website in the UK could not obviously see the link to read Apple's statement regarding Samsung today . According to tech experts, the piece of code that Apple used ensures that an advert for the iPad mini takes up the whole page - pushing the apology out of sight. One software developer who has spoken to CNET, explained that the new JavaScript forces the central image on the website to take up a larger amount of space on the page, showing the new iPad Mini, but not a link to the statement. This is significant because on October 18, UK High Court Judge Colin Birss ordered Apple to post a message on its British website for one month stating that Samsung did not infringe any of Apple's patents in the production of their Galaxy Tab and did not break any laws. However, Samsung complained to the UK Court of Appeal that Apple's statement posted on October 25 was inaccurate and it was ultimately deemed to be 'non-compliant' with the original order made earlier this month. It made reference to their victories against Samsung outside the UK, and as such the original release upset the South Korean technology company. Visitors to the website had to scroll down to see a link that would explain the Californian technology giants reaction to their legal loss to Samsung . 'A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple’s design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc,' read the original statement. 'So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple’s far more popular iPad.' Furthermore this was placed not on the front page but tucked away accessible only through at least two links and the appeal court demanded that Apple change this on Thursday and gave them 48 hours to do so. The judges, Lord Justice Longmore, Lord Justice Kitchin and Sir Robin Jacob called the statement 'untrue' and 'incorrect' and Apple did eventually remove it. The difficult to find statement that Apple are linking to on the homepage of their website in the UK . However, it was only today that technology experts noticed the new 'apology' and its lack of visibility. 'On 25 October 2012, Apple Inc. published a statement on its UK website in relation to Samsung’s Galaxy tablet computers,' said the new 'hidden' posting. 'That statement was inaccurate and did not comply with the order of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. The correct statement is at Samsung/Apple UK judgement.' It is unclear whether the re-sized code was a deliberate attempt to conceal their statement or if it is simply because Apple are innocently trying fit as many images onto the page as possible. But regardless, this is just the latest installment in the spat between the Californian and South Korean companies which began back in 2010. The original notice posted on Apple's website, which a court said on Thursday did not comply with its orders . Apple have accused Samsung of copying patents and designs for their respective smartphones and tablets and have opened lawsuits in countries across the world. In the UK lawsuit, Apple contended that Samsung had used their European 'registered design' for the iPad tabler - but Judge Birss disagreed and found against Apple in July. Samsung said that the original statement from Apple contained potentially confusing references to German and U.S. court decisions as well as the British ruling, was 'inaccurate and misleading'. An Apple iPad (left) is displayed next to . Samsung's Galaxy tab. Today Apple was told it must post a second . statement on its website after a court decided its first version did not . comply. Judges agreed and said Apple must post the new statement within the next 48 hours, although the U.S. company said it would need two weeks to post the notice. Judge Robin Jacob told Apple's lawyer, Michael Beloff, he did not believe that it would be difficult to post a new statement on the website. 'I would like to see the head of Apple make an affidavit about why that is such a technical difficulty for the Apple company,' the Press Association quoted Jacob as saying. 'This is Apple that cannot put something on their own website?' Apple declined to comment on the ruling until they posted the new statement today. | Apology message is not displayed unless users scroll down the website .
British judge ruled that Samsung had not infringed Apple's patents . |
219,396 | a7fe19733494a95f2e359000381845e1a7bb6b5f | A Tennessee judge will today decide whether a dog lives or dies. Beau, a golden retriever/German Shepherd mix, was ordered to be put down after he killed a duck and nearly attacked a little boy in Dyersburg two months ago, according to city officials. His owner, Danny Higgins, who was out of town at the time of the alleged attack, won a 30-day delay in his pet's euthanasia on October 21. The extension is due to expire today, with a judge set to make a final ruling. Scroll down for video . 'Vicious': Beau is a two-year-old golden retriever/white German Shepard mix with no history of aggression, but was ordered to be put down after killing a duck . Petition: Over 570,000 people have signed a petition to stop Bea being euthanized . Puppy love: Owner Danny Higgins has had Beau since he was just a small pup . Contained: Beau has been kept at the Dyersburg Humane Society since the attack in September . 'My attorneys tell me that we will go to the Supreme Court if we have to,' Mr Higgins told News Channel 3. 'He is not vicious. 'I don’t want the vicious dog (label) put on him because he is not.' In previous hearings on the matter, a judge told Higgins he can keep Beau if he complies with the city's vicious dog ordinance. But Higgins says he doesn't have the money needed to comply. He also has the option to adopt his dog out to someone in another state, but says he doesn't want to give away his best friend. Police were first called to Higgins' trailer park home on September 19, 2014, around 6.20 pm. Scene: Beau allegedly killed the duck outside Higgins trailer park home in Dyersburg . Friendly: Police officers reported Beau was aggressive towards them . Set to be put down: A judge will today decide whether Beau will be euthanized . Owner Danny Higgins is heartbroken that the city plans to euthanize his dog on November 20 . An eight-year-old boy claimed Beau killed his duck and tried to attack him. Officers also reported Beau was aggressive towards them. Beau has been kept in a cage at the Dyersburg Humane Society since. His story has gained national attention. A website was set up in an attempt to save him called Please Help Beau. A petition set up on change.org has over 570,000 signatures. The associated Facebook page has almost 60,000 likes. Golden retriever's are known to be among the most gentle dogs. | The golden retriever/German Shepherd mix allegedly killed a duck and attacked an eight-year-old boy on September in Dyersburg, Tennessee .
Judge ordered Beau be put down .
Owner Danny Higgins won a 30-day delay in the euthanasia, which expires today .
Petition on change.org has over 570,000 signatures . |
6,750 | 1326d2cf749c713d62ecdf322c6502c8cefb89cf | By . Claire Bates and Tom Leonard . PUBLISHED: . 05:39 EST, 4 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:03 EST, 4 April 2012 . Overweight or obese? BMI underestimates how fat a person is in nearly half of cases . The obesity epidemic could be far worse than previously realised because of serious flaws in the way body fat is measured, according to a study. Researchers said the Body Mass Index – the formula usually used to determine fat – drastically underestimated how many people should regard themselves as unhealthily overweight or obese. More than a third of adults in the U.S. are considered obese. But the New York study concluded that 39 per cent of Americans were being classified as overweight on the basis of their BMI when they were actually obese. The study’s authors, Dr Eric Braverman, of Weill Cornell Medical School, and Dr Nirav Shah, the New York state health commissioner, calculated the BMI – weight in kg divided by height in metres squared – of nearly 1,400 adult patients at a private health clinic. They then compared the results with those of a more sophisticated measurement, a blood test combined with a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan, which measures a person’s body fat, muscle mass and bone density. The comparison found BMI wrongly classified half of the women, and one in four men. While only 26 per cent of the patients were classed as obese according to BMI, 65 per cent of them fell into that category when measured with the DXA scan. Dr Braverman said BMI should be called the ‘baloney mass index’ because it was so inaccurate. The most widely used way to measure an adult's weight is to calculate body mass index (BMI). This is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are over the ideal weight for your height (overweight). If your BMI is between 30 and 39.9, you are obese. If your BMI is over 40, you are very obese (known as ‘morbidly obese’). However, this method can't take into account if you are muscular. ‘The Body Mass Index is an insensitive measure of obesity, prone to under-diagnosis,’ he said. The study found BMI was especially prone to underestimating obesity in women. In addition, the likelihood of error increased as they got older. Fifty-nine per cent more women aged 70 or over were classified as obese when measured with a DXA scan than their BMI suggested. Researchers said this was because women lost more muscle to fat than men as they age. As BMI does not distinguish between muscle and fat, it doesn’t pick up on the change. ‘BMI does not tell you how much fat you have,’ Dr Braverman added. n DEATHS from womb cancer have increased by 20 per cent over the past decade, driven by rising obesity, experts warn. The death rate in the UK from womb cancer has risen from 3.1 to 3.7 per 100,000 since the mid-1990s. This means more than 1,900 women are . dying from the disease each year, compared with fewer than 1,500 at the . turn of the millennium, the charity Cancer Research UK said. Reporting in the open access journal PLoS ONE researchers recognised that BMI was a convenient, low cost and safe way of calculating a person's weight. It is the most widely used way to measure weight in the U.S and UK. However, the authors said the outdated mathematical equation needed to evolve to correctly evaluate body fat. 'These estimates are fundamental to U.S. policy addressing the epidemic of obesity and are central to designing interventions aimed at curbing its growth,' the authors said, 'yet the [current policies] may be flawed because they are based on the BMI.' The authors said levels of leptin, a hormone protein, are strongly correlated to body fat. They suggested that if DXA was deemed to expensive that leptin levels could be used alongside BMI to create a more accurate picture of obesity. | Combining BMI with blood test to measure levels of key protein would be 'more accurate' |
140,709 | 41f07ffd4be48694c64a4ff810c32af6fb28b4f5 | (CNN) -- New York Fashion Week is one of the fashion industry's biggest events of the year, the culmination of months of planning, organizing, schmoozing ... and dieting? When it comes to the biannual fashion shows, which kick off Thursday, models aren't the only ones looking to drop a few pounds before hitting the tents. Some publicists, bloggers and fashion editors have been counting calories for weeks in anticipation of the week-long event, where to some, networking and being seen are just as important as the collections debuting on the runways. Anyone who has tried to get in shape for a wedding or school reunion can relate to the pressure of wanting to look his or her best and reaching to achieve that goal with varying degrees of success. Consumers turn out for Fashion's Night Out . Nutritionists say that limiting caloric intake in a compressed time frame can lead to nutrient deficiencies, causing decreased immune function, dry skin and loss of muscle or bone density, for starters. But in an industry that's all about image, it's a price many are willing to pay. "Perception is reality in this industry, and unfortunately, you have to look the look to get the clients," said public relations specialist Keisha McCotry, who began her Fashion Week diet in July. She plans on attending Fashion Week to recruit designers for her firm, Prominence Marketing Group. Throughout the summer, fashionistas from all corners of the industry have been tweeting with a blend of sarcasm and sincerity about plans to start, defer or defy a #NYFW diet. "I'm thinking we should start our #NYFW diet tomorrow. What do you think?" tweeted DKNY PR GIRL, the online persona of fashion publicist extraordinaire Aliza Licht, senior vice president of global communications at Donna Karan International, on August 12. She followed up with "#PRGirlDiet" regulations: "No non-purpose bread (ie bread baskets, pretzels, croutons) or candy/sugar. Basically anything fun. EXCEPT: frozen yogurt is ok." The tweet prompted conversation over froyo toppings ("just sprinkles. One layer. No middle/ bottom") and how cutting out bread makes a huge difference ("Soon you'll realize your body hates it"). Tweets about the #NYFW diet continued this week, though some accompanied by images of cupcakes and quesadillas were clearly intended to be tongue-in-cheek. But others made it clear they were still counting calories like it's their job. "Fashion Week is prime recruiting season, and we all are walking billboards. You have to be on your A-game and look your best," McCotry said. "You want to go to events wearing the designers' clothes, and you can't do that with a flabby belly." McCotry posted a picture of her #NYFW diet dinner on August 16: a bowl of broccoli. While tales abound of models going on crash diets and Master Cleanses and publicists surviving on coffee, cigarettes and air kisses, for many like McCotry, it's a balancing act of limiting calorie intake while meeting basic nutritional needs. McCotry began her Fashion Week diet on July 4. A typical day starts with a protein shake and lemon water for breakfast, followed by a side salad for lunch. For dinner, she prepares a piece of protein, like unseasoned chicken oven-baked without oil, accompanied by a serving of steamed veggies such as broccoli, squash or asparagus. If she gets hungry, she snacks on fruit slices or downs water and takes a daily multivitamin with extra iron. She hasn't cut out alcohol entirely. But she has switched from dessert white wines, her drink of choice, to reds, setting a limit of one per outing. Looks debuting at Fashion Week . No, it hasn't been easy, she said. But it's part of the job, and she loves what she does. "It's hard, but I know what the end result will be," she said. "No pain, no gain." Nutrition specialist Dr. Melina Jampolis said McCotry's regimen isn't as bad as the horror stories of people chain-smoking to stave off hunger or eking out a meager existence on cayenne-pepper-flavored water. But it's still a little low in calories and fat for optimal health, she said, and could lead to a loss of muscle mass, which is difficult to rebuild. The process creates a vicious cycle in which each time a person goes on a diet like McCotry's, she'll have to further lower her caloric intake in order to drop weight. Meanwhile, the loss of nutrients could lead to long-term deficiencies and wreak havoc on the body's ability to metabolize, Jampolis said. "With low-fat diets, we see a lot of skinny fat, where they get lean, but their body fat goes up because they're losing muscle," Jampolis said. Fashion Week desserts . "I wouldn't call this a crash diet. It's too low in calories, and she's certainly missing out on fat, but if she added protein at lunch and healthy snacks like nuts, seeds and avocados, I think she'd look and feel great." As Fashion Week kicks off, McCotry said, other priorities are consuming her attention, like piecing together outfits that will help her get into shows she hasn't been invited to. She believes she is one step closer to the runways, thanks to her #NYFW diet. After all, she has dropped from 152 to 141 pounds in just two months. "This process is very grueling, but being able to be at Fashion Week is every woman's dream," she said. "Every woman should get to experience it once, even if you don't go through what we have to go through." Spring 2013 Fashion Week: Behind-the-Scenes Instagrams from the shows . | Industry insiders share tips on Twitter for shedding pounds before New York Fashion Week .
Comments on "#NYFW diet" range from sarcastic to tongue-in-cheek .
"Fashion Week is prime recruiting season, and we are walking billboards," publicist says . |
156,465 | 564930a264e621f0b8ab96715be17e374f70920a | Phillip Schofield confessed he had bought alcohol-filled advent calendars, but Christian groups failed to find his choice of gifts amusing . It was for Phillip Schofield a fun festive gesture. Confessing he had recently purchased three advent calendars filled with miniature bottles of alcohol, he jokily added: 'I have some friends who appreciate the wonders and diversity of alcohol.' Unfortunately for the popular TV presenter, 52, Christian groups yesterday failed to find his choice of gifts quite as amusing. To them the calendars, which feature a tipple behind every window, are silly gimmicks, which distract from the meaning of Christmas. The advent period, which begins on December 1 and is seen as the countdown to Christmas, is marked with candles or calendars which relate to the Christmas story. Sometimes there are chocolates behind each daily window. Now shoppers can pick up advent calendars with a range of treats hidden away, including alcohol. Stocked in high-end department stores and online, the calendars feature 24 miniature bottles of spirits. Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason all sell 'Drinks By The Dram' advent calendars made by the alcohol company Masters of Malt. There is also a whisky one, a gin one – nicknamed 'ginvent' – and also rum or cognac-based calendars, with prices ranging from £132.50 to £175. The company also offers a tequila calendar, which is available online for around £150. A premium whisky calendar costs £279.95 on the brand's website. Schofield, who has two daughters with his wife Stephanie Lowe and is co-host of ITV show This Morning, revealed his choice of gifts in an interview with Waitrose Weekend in which he said: 'Three little advent calendars. In one, behind every window there's a little bottle of tequila – all different kinds. For two other friends, I've got calendars with miniatures of different gins. I have some friends who appreciate the wonders and diversity of alcohol.' Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason all sell 'Drinks By The Dram' advent calendars made by the alcohol company Masters of Malt . Reacting to his comments, David Marshall, whose company The Meaningful Chocolate Company claims to sell the UK's only Fairtrade, charitable and Christmas story-telling advent calendar, said: 'We all like a tipple at Christmas but a bottle of booze everyday seems to be far away from the spirit and the meaning of Christmas. 'Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas and to replace that preparation with mini bottles of booze seems to be taking a step away from what most people would call the true meaning of Christmas.' Stephen Green, a spokesman for the organisation Christian Voice, said: 'Advent is not a time for feasting, it's a time for reflection and waiting. The time for feasting is Christmas Day. 'People need to think, is Christmas really all about drinking and living it up, or is it about reflecting on the fact that God became man in Jesus Christ, who was born as a baby in a manger. 'That's really what it is, that God became one of us in Jesus Christ, we can do without the silliness of alcohol in advent calendars.' The Methodist Church, which only serves non-alcoholic wine at Holy Communion – the ceremony where churchgoers traditionally take a sip of wine – agreed. A spokesman said: 'Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ. It's when people come together to worship, praise and remember the birth of Jesus.' | Phillip Schofield confessed he had bought alcohol-filled advent calendars .
Christian groups have said they undermine the true spirit of Christmas .
Masters of Malt create 'Drinks By The Dram' calendars with mini bottles . |
203,068 | 92e76b15feba07415be1d09a42c3c9af36e1a52c | (CNN) -- Former world number one Tiger Woods missed the cut for only the third time in a major tournament as American duo Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley lead the way after the second round of the U.S. PGA at Johns Creek, Atlanta. Woods, who is playing only his second tournament after four months out with injuries to his left leg, carded a three-over-par 73 to go with his opening 77 for a 36-hole total of 150 (+10), six shots off the cut. The 35-year-old, who has won 14 majors, has previously failed to make the final two rounds at the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2009 British Open, and on this occasion it means he will not be able to compete in the PGA Tour playoffs for the FedExCup. Bobby Jones: The gentleman who shaped modern golf . Only the top 125 players in this year's rankings are eligible to compete and the world number 30 was ranked 129th prior to the start of the tournament. "I'll have nothing to do now but work on my game," Woods told the PGA Tour website after confirming he will not play until November's JBWere Masters in Australia. "Sean Foley (coach) and I haven't had the opportunity to really sit down and do a lot of work, so this will be our time." Woods, who recorded five double bogeys over two rounds for the first time in any tournament, added: "I showed signs that I can hit the ball exactly how I know I can but unfortunately I just didn't do it enough times. "This year has been frustrating because I was feeling healthy going into the Masters, put it together there, and was leading the tournament with a few holes to go. "Then obviously I got hurt and I haven't played since, really. I have not been able to practice and work and obviously compete." Woods was not the only big name player to miss the cut on a day when some of the PGA Tour's lesser lights shone. World number three and defending champion Martin Kaymer was the biggest casualty, missing out by a single shot after rounds of 72 and 73. Top overseas players Angel Cabrera, Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy, Louis Oosthuizen, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Graeme McDowell and British Open champion Darren Clarke are also all on their way home. Meanwhile, top American names Anthony Kim, Dustin Johnson, John Daly and Lucas Glover will not be returning for the final two days. However, home players are dominating proceedings at the other end, with Bradley carding a best-of-the-day six-under 64 to share the lead with Dufner, who posted a 65, on 135 (-5). The 34-year-old Dufner, who has never won on the PGA Tour, is a surprise leader having missed five of his last six cuts, but 25-year-old rookie Bradley has been a revelation in his first season, winning the prestigious Byron Nelson Classic earlier this year. The pair hold a one-stroke lead over compatriots Jim Furyk, Scott Verplank and D.A. Points, along with Australian John Senden. A further four players, including leading European Anders Hansen of Denmark and overnight leader Steve Stricker -- who followed up his opening 63 with a disappointing 74 -- are another shot behind. Last week's Bridgestone Invitational winner Adam Scott is among three players just three shots off the lead, while world No.2 Lee Westwood is four off the pace after a 68 and world No.1 Luke Donald is six behind after carding a 71. | Tiger Woods misses the cut at the U.S. PGA Championship on 10-over .
The former world number one finishes six shots away from making the cut .
It is only the third time Woods has missed the cut in a major tournament .
Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley lead the way on five-under after 36 holes . |
164,461 | 60a9c5ee31e4369322daf4d0b05e070d42515fb3 | Police yesterday abandoned their search of scrubland in the Portuguese holiday resort where Madeleine McCann disappeared seven years ago. The British team of specialists did not find any clues to her disappearance during the eight-day operation. But they said the multi-million-pound inquiry will soon move into a new phase after negotiations with the Portuguese authorities. Scroll down for video . Still no answers: Detectives investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance have finished an eight-day search near the Portuguese holiday camp where she vanished seven years ago - and found no evidence . 'English police are stupid!' Graffiti scrawled on a wall near the search overnight as locals turned on the Met . Search: British and Portuguese officers were seen carrying pickaxes and spades to three separate sites . Police used bolt cutters to access this home. They are investigating whether Madeleine was killed and buried . Senior officers said the searches were the ‘first phase’ of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine, who was three when she went missing in Praia da Luz in May 2007, and more activity will ‘commence shortly’. This could include the arrest of a handful of suspects who detectives suspect may be able to cast fresh light on the notorious case. The announcement came just hours after graffiti was daubed in large orange letters on a brick wall opposite one of the search areas. Written in Portuguese, the misspelled message translated as: ‘Maddie’s parents killed her. English police are stupid!’ The attack was the latest sign of anger among locals at the high-profile police inquiry, which is taking place as the annual tourist season takes off. Business owners have been joking that the police operation is a new tourist attraction, with many visitors asking for directions to the latest search site. Heat: A member of Scotland Yard jumps over a wall during the search for missing Madeleine McCann . Operation: Portuguese judiciary police chief of investigation Luis Mota Carmo uses his mobile phone at the site . Painstaking: Police established a forensic tent and examined several dozen items of interest to them . DCI Andy Redwood of Scotland Yard (third left) led the search flanked by colleagues from Britain and Portugal . Operation: Scotland Yard's top officer DCI Andy Redwood. He has led the joint Portuguese-British operation, which started on June 2 . Over the past eight days, officers have undertaken the biggest search undertaken overseas by a team of British police. They have searched to the ‘highest possible standards’ an area of scrubland equal in size to around nine football pitches. This included checking water pipes, drainage channels and derelict buildings around the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz on the Algarve. Police also searched a horseshoe-shaped piece of waste ground that was specifically identified as an area of interest by the latest inquiry. A Met spokesman said 41 ‘ground anomalies’ – areas where the earth had been disturbed – were discovered by aerial surveys and ground-penetrating radar equipment. This morning Portuguese officers stood around the edge of the search area while British sniffer dogs went in . Site map: The first search area was a quarter of an hour's walk away from the holiday apartments at Praia da Luz. A Met Police spokesman refused to confirm the locations of the second and third searches today . Family's tense wait: Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, are being kept informed of developments . These sites, which included three outside the original area, were then painstakingly checked by search teams. The spokesman added: ‘At this time no evidence relating to Madeleine McCann has been identified. ‘However it has given us an essential understanding of the activity on – and people that have used – this piece of land. ‘This was the first phase of this major investigation, which has been agreed with the Portuguese following the four International Letters of Request submitted to date. More activity has been agreed and we expect that to commence shortly. ‘In addition, further requests are being compiled and will be submitted in due course.’ The Met launched a fresh investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance in 2011, codenamed Operation Grange. Senior officers stress that the operation in Portugal mirrors what would take place in Britain for a murder or high-risk missing person inquiry. They say there is still a ‘substantial amount of work’ to be done in the coming weeks and months. Hunt for Madeleine: British and Portuguese police searched a property near Praia da Luz in the Algarve today . Detectives from Britain and Portugal searched three areas on the edge of the Praia da Luz resort yesterday . Algarve search: British officers were seen digging into hard ground and using bolt cutters to get into a building . Police said the searches covered ‘just the one hypothesis’ that Madeleine was killed and buried locally. There are many others. The dawn-to-dusk searches have involved teams of officers armed with pickaxes, spades and specialist search dogs. Accompanied by Portuguese officers, they examined three sites and removed several items for further analysis. One shopkeeper was sceptical over whether the searches would bring police any close to finding Madeleine. ‘People keep coming in asking what’s going on and where,’ he said. ‘It seems to be the new tourist attraction. ‘It is a beautiful resort and shouldn’t be spoiled by searches for a girl who disappeared a long time ago and will probably never be found.’ British police officers were pictured scouring the scrubland using poles in the second week of the new search, which was abandoned yesterday . The small area being searched has been taped off with police tape and is guarded by local armed officers . British and Portuguese detectives worked on the scrub site in tandem under this morning's blazing sun . Sniffer dogs from South Wales Police began searching the site outside Praia da Luz with their handlers today . | Detectives have finished eight-day search around Praia da Luz, Portugal .
Met Police: 'No evidence relating to Madeleine McCann has been identified'
But officers may remain for months to test theory she was 'killed and buried'
Detectives broke into a building enclosed by metal gates in Algarve today .
The search came after two areas outside Praia da Luz were examined earlier .
Portuguese graffiti daubed on wall this morning calling British police 'stupid'
Madeleine, three, from Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished during 2007 holiday . |
5,756 | 10586f3c4c9be1672b9ad271abec75db8e3b958c | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . and Daniel Martin . David Cameron today vowed to 'challenge the extremist narrative' of some Islamic organisations as he ordered an investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood to check whether it is planning attacks in the Middle East from Britain. The Prime Minister said he wanted to establish a 'complete picture' of the group's 'philosophy and activities', with information being gathered by both MI5 and MI6. The review was prompted by evidence received by the Government that Brotherhood leaders met in London last year to plot their response to events in Egypt. Prime Minister David Cameron addressed reporters at a press conference alongside Italian PM Matteo Renzi . Speaking at a No 10 news conference, Mr Cameron said that the Government was committed to encouraging people away from the path of extremism. 'We want to challenge the extremist narrative that some Islamist organisations have put out,' he told reporters following talks with new Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi. 'What I think is important about the Muslim Brotherhood is that we understand what this organisation is, what it stands for, what its beliefs are in terms of the path of extremism and violent extremism, what its connections are with other groups, what its presence is here in the United Kingdom. Our policies should be informed by a complete picture of that knowledge,' he said. 'It is an important piece of work because because we will only get our policy right if we fully understand the true nature of the organisation that we are dealing with.' Handshake: David Cameron, pictured with Mohammed Morsi - the Brotherhood chief who was elected president of Egypt then deposed last year . It was reported last night that the probe will include assessments from MI6, the foreign intelligence service, into whether the body was behind a spate of recent attacks in Egypt. The domestic intelligence service, MI5, will be asked to look into how many senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood are based in the UK. The inquiry will also look into claims that leaders of the organisation met in London late last year to decide its strategy. There are concerns that the capital is being used as a hub for its extremist activities. Mohammed Morsi, the Brotherhood chief who was elected president of Egypt then deposed last year, is in jail. Following the army-led coup in Egypt, some Brotherhood leaders are reported to have fled to London, and may be co-ordinating their next move from a flat in the north-west suburb of Cricklewood. The Prime Minister is understood to have come under pressure from Egypt and Saudi Arabia to ban the group, but this is unlikely to happen. Last night a spokesman for No 10 said: ‘The Prime Minister has commissioned an internal government review into the philosophy and activities of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Government’s policy towards the organisation.’ Unrest: Clashes have taken place in Cairo between riot police and those who support the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted President Mohamed Mursi . As part of the review MI6 will look into allegations the group was responsible for the murder of three tourists on a bus in Egypt in February and a series of other recent attacks. The Brotherhood is Egypt’s oldest and largest Islamist organisation and has inspired similar movements around the world with its political activism and charity work. Officials have said it is ‘possible but unlikely’ that the organisation will join the list of groups proscribed because of their links to terrorism. Last month 529 Brotherhood members were sentenced to death by a court in Cairo, as part of a crackdown on the group. Mr Cameron asked Sir John Jenkins, Britain’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, to report on the Brotherhood’s ‘philosophy and values and alleged connections with extremism and violence’ by the end of July. Sir Kim Darroch, the National Security Adviser, has already started work on the report. Egyptian relatives of supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi cry sitting outside the courthouse in the southern province of Minya after 529 Brotherhood members were sentenced to death . Protests: The ruling is an escalation of Egypt's crackdown on supporters of Morsi, who was removed in July . Officials from the Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office have previously resisted attempts to ban the organisation, arguing that to hinder a body that was largely moderate would only strengthen support of extreme Islamists. The Muslim Brotherhood is Egypt's oldest and most established Islamist group, founded at a time when they wanted to rid the country of British influence. After success members began getting involved in the country's politics but its supporters have been forced underground for most of its . existence since its birth in 1928. The coup to remove Morse last year was, in their view, the latest in a . long line of attempts to eradicate political Islam. They have been further marginalised after the interim Egyptian government declared them a terrorist group and blamed them for a series of deadly attacks in the country. Thousands of members have been arrested, hundreds sentenced to death and the organisations headquarters trashed and burned to the ground. Members have fled - including to Britain. A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood said that it would co-operate with the Downing Street review. ‘It is a religious obligation for any Muslim Brotherhood member who lives whether in his homeland or any state to respect its system and laws,’ he told The Times. Kwasi Kwarteng, a Tory MP and member of the Conservative Middle East Council , said that the West had been blindsided by the group’s sudden emergence. ‘I saw how they won elections in Egypt and essentially they ran Egypt very much in a partisan manner. They are quite loose, so they will say different things at different people at different times to seem moderate. They are great masters of disguise. ‘I think people in the West can get very deluded about the nature of the Brotherhood. Certainly three years ago we thought they were going to be just another political party.’ London became known as Londonistan ten years ago due to the number of Islamic hate preachers in the capital. | Review will look at the 'philosphy and activities' of the Muslim Brotherhood .
MI6 will assess whether organisation was behind recent attacks in Egypt .
MI5 will look into how many senior leaders of the body are based in the UK .
Concerns that London is being used as a hub for extremist activities .
Some leaders reported to be operating from a flat in Cricklewood .
The Brotherhood is Egypt’s oldest and .
largest Islamist organisation .
It's inspired similar movements with its political activism and charity work . |
274,009 | eeeaa14a8bf9ce6d98916df410893e45894babe6 | By . Jennifer Smith . At least 20 people are dead and another seven are missing after flooding struck south China's Guangdong Province, it has been reported. The National Disaster Reduction Commission has dispatched a working group to Guangdong to help with disaster relief work. The area was disrupted by Typhoon Utor . earlier this week with high winds and heavy rainfall triggering flooding . and mountain torrents. Scroll down for video . The town of Hanguanh (pictured) in Yingde City has been left devastated by the typhoon . More than four million people in Guangdong province have been affected by the floods, which have so far claimed 20 lives . Two men waiting to be rescued in Hanguang Town . The typhoon seemed to subside on Thursday, with local reports suggesting it turned into more of a tropical storm in the province in south China. Reports today however suggest further devastation after twenty people have died and another seven are missing after the area was struck by floods, rainstorms and landslides. The damage is not isolated to . Guangdong province however with devastation caused in Liaoning Province . too. Fifteen people were killed and 32 went missing after Utor tore . through the area earlier this week. Typhoon . Utor is the 11th and strongest to strike China this year, disrupting . more than four million lives in Guangdong province alone. Its devastation has forced the closure of schools, offices and construction sites across China. Rescuers transfer local residents to safety in Hanguang Town of Yingde City, where seven are missing in the rainstorms, floods and landslides . Residents row with a few possessions to escape the flood water . A local hospital is flooded in Hanguang Town of Yingde City in the aftermath of typhoon Utor . The financial centre in Hong Kong closed its doors in anticipation of the large scale storm which claimed at least seven lives in the Philippines last week. Residents of Nankou Qian County in Fushun City have also been severely affected by flooding with 15 people dead and 32 missing. 364,300 people in the northeast province of Liaoning were afflicted by the damage. Tens . of thousands of people were evacuated earlier this week as the typhoon . made its way to China from the Philippines after sinking a cargo ship. Crew . members from the Trans Summer were rescued by helicopter after the bulk . carrier started listing in waters in the southwest of Hong Kong. It is not known exactly how many lives Typhoon Utor has claimed since its formation. The . natural disaster agency said last week 'it accelerated and intensified . slightly' after tearing through the Philippines, before making its way . across the South China sea. Residents of Nankou Qian County in Fushun City walk through the battered streets in the wake of floods . Millions have been afflicted by the damage in Guangdong province which has devastated homes . | Twenty dead and seven missing in Guangdong Province in south China .
Rescue teams are working to help four million people affected by the floods and rainstorms .
Typhoon Utor strongest typhoon to hit China this year . |
49,644 | 8c5b37cb12c447e368fe80a9da5d073e197647c6 | Heavy rains in central Indonesia loosened soil and collapsed a hill, setting off a landslide that killed at least 32 villagers and left 76 others missing under piles of mud, officials have said. Residents of Jemblung village in Central Java province's Banjarnegara district said they heard a roaring sound followed by the rain of red soil that buried more than 100 houses late on Friday. 'The landslide looked like it was spinning down. I managed to rescue a pregnant woman, but could not save the other man,' said Subroto, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. Scroll down for video . Members of the search and rescue team remove a victim's body at Jemblung village in Banjarnegara, Central Java. At least 32 villagers are dead and 76 others are missing after the mudslide . Loss: A rescuer unearths yet another dead body in the mud. Dozens of villagers are still missing . Rescuers are passed a body bag after a body was discovered in the mudslide, caused by torrential rain . Devastation: Police, soldiers and volunteers had used their bare hands and makeshift tools to search for survivors and clear the area on Saturday after the disaster struck on Friday night . Rescue workers stand near houses buried in the mud after a landslide hit the village of Jemblung in Banjarnegara. A 'rain' of red soil covered 100 homes on Friday night. Rescuers are still searching the debris . Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said 577 people from the surrounding areas had been taken to temporary shelters . He said one side of the hill collapsed and then another. 'In five minutes, there were three (major landslides) and they swept away everything,' he said. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said 577 people from the surrounding areas had been taken to temporary shelters. There were 2,000 rescuers involved in the operation on Sunday, he said. 'We hope we can operate all of the heavy equipment today,' Nugroho told Reuters. 'We could not operate the equipment soon after the landslide. We had to be very careful about the stability of the ground.' Villagers dig out a motorcycle buried in the mud after a landslide hit the village. Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia . Destruction: Rescuers evacuate the debris of a car swamped by the landslide. Dozens of homes were buried in the village . Some rescuers heard what sounded like calls for help coming from the debris, but they did not have heavy equipment to dig . Grim toll: People scan a list of names looking for missing family members and relatives in the aftermath of the disaster . A rescue team carry away a cow after a landslide at Jemblung village in Banjarnegara. Rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of heavy equipment and were forced to use their bare hands and makeshift tools . President Joko Widodo is travelling to Banjarnegara, about 285 miles (460km) east of the capital, Jakarta, to meet survivors and about 570 residents who were evacuated to temporary shelters. Eleven injured villagers were taken to hospital. Mr Nugroho said yesterday that some rescuers heard what sounded like calls for help coming from the debris, but they did not have equipment to dig. 'Mud, rugged terrain and bad weather hampered our rescue efforts,' he said. Deluge: The landslide was the second in several days on densely populated Java island . Desperation: One villager said he heard people screaming and pleading for help in the heavy rain and darkness. But he said he was unable to do anything other than run with his family to safety . Indonesian rescuers search for victims after the landslide hit. More than 2,000 people were involved in rescue efforts. Millions of people in the country live in mountainous areas or near flood-prone plains close to rivers . Tractors and bulldozers were later brought in. 'It was like a nightmare. ... We suddenly heard a terrible roar and we were immediately fleeing from the rain of red soil,' said Wahono, a resident who survived with four family members. 'Many failed and they were buried in the ground.' Wahono said he heard people screaming and pleading for help in the heavy rain and darkness. But he said he was unable to do anything other than run with his family to safety. The landslide was the second in several days on densely populated Java island. Mud and rocks hit Central Java's Wonosobo district on Thursday, killing at least one villager. Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood-prone plains close to rivers. | Red soil covered more than 100 homes in Java province after three landslides 'swept everything away'
Rescuers couldn't use heavy machinery and were forced to dig with their bare hands and makeshift tools .
One villager said he heard people screaming and pleading for help in the heavy rain and darkness . |
275,941 | f17f20692e726233b112e38bda4c89b850cc1855 | An Ohio man intended to save the life of his older sister by donating a kidney to her -- a sacrifice on his part that ended in vain a year ago when a nurse mistakenly threw away the donated organ. Paul Fudacz Jr. and his sister, Sarah, say the University of Toledo Medical Center "utterly botched" their kidney transplant surgery. The medical center this week said it has "worked hard to learn from this incident" and apologized to the family. But on Tuesday it asked that a lawsuit be dismissed and denied claims of gross negligence and failure to meet accepted standards of care. The civil complaint contends Paul Fudacz's right kidney was considered a "perfect match" for his sister, then 24, who reportedly suffered from end-stage renal disease. During the brother's surgery on August 10, 2012, his kidney was placed in a "slush machine" until it could be moved to his sister's room, where she'd yet to undergo her surgery. A nurse, who was cleaning up, had just returned from a lunch break and thought the kidney was already in Sarah's room when she discarded the machine's contents, according to the lawsuit. While the kidney was later recovered, it couldn't be used because it had been thrown away with other infected or unsterile medical waste, the Fudacz family alleges. Sarah Fudacz required additional dialysis and four dialysis-related surgeries before she received a replacement kidney three months later, the lawsuit states. "When compared to Paul Jr.'s kidney, Sarah's new kidney is a poorer match and of poorer quality," and she has a higher risk of rejecting it over time, the lawsuit claims. The pair's parents also claimed they suffered emotional distress and a "loss of consortium," or loss of family relationships. But the Ohio attorney general contends parents of adult children and siblings cannot make such a claim about loss of consortium in such a case. Each of eight Fudacz family members -- including four other siblings -- are seeking in excess of $25,000. Dr. Jeffrey Gold, chancellor and executive vice president for health affairs, University of Toledo Medical Center, said the university "continues to express the sorrow that we feel that this unfortunate incident occurred. We apologize sincerely." "While the legal realities of this situation are complex and ongoing, we have worked hard to learn from this incident and have spread the lessons widely to try to make hospitals and transplant programs safer across the country." In the wake of the incident, the hospital temporarily suspended its live kidney donor program. It has since resumed operations. The nurse involved in the incident retired from the hospital. The surgeon in charge of the planned transplant no longer directs the kidney transplant program but continues to perform them and remains a professor, the University of Toledo Medical Center said. CDC: Man died of rabies from kidney transplant . | Man tried to donate kidney to his older sister in Toledo, Ohio .
Nurse mistakenly disposed of kidney in medical waste, lawsuit says .
Medical center denies gross negligence, apologizes to family . |
69,965 | c662bbb64eceab33d42b25d46bdb20349e5b695d | A Malaysian family on Friday sued the government and beleaguered national carrier for negligence in the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370, in what is believed to be the first lawsuit filed over the disaster. It was filed by lawyers on behalf of the two underage sons of Jee Jing Hang - Jee Kinson, 13, and Jee Kinland, 11 - who was on board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight. Gary Chong, one of the lawyers for Mr Jee's relatives, said the suit was filed in a Malaysian court on Friday. Scroll down for video . Malaysian lawyer Arunan Selvaraj, center, who filed a lawsuit against Malaysian Airlines on behalf of two boys whose father was on ill-fated MH370, speaks to journalists outside a courthouse in Kuala Lumpur . The family is suing Malaysia Airlines for breach of contract, saying the carrier failed in its contractual responsibility to deliver Mr Jee to his destination. The family is also suing Malaysia's government, civil aviation authorities, immigration department and air force for negligence. The boys are seeking damages for mental distress, emotional pain and the loss of support following the disappearance of their father. He operated an Internet business earning monthly income of nearly 17,000 ringgit (£3,200). 'We have waited for eight months. After speaking to various experts, we believe we have sufficient evidence for a strong case. A big plane missing in this age of technology is really unacceptable,' Arunan Selvaraj, another of the boys' lawyers, said. Chong said the family would seek damages but declined to specify a figure. MH370 inexplicably disappeared on March 8 with 239 people aboard on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in what remains one of history's greatest aviation mysteries. Malaysia's government believes the flight diverted to the far southern Indian Ocean, citing sketchy satellite data, but no trace has been found despite an extensive search. Neither the government nor airline has revealed any results from investigations into the tragedy, and officials have consistently stressed that only the recovery of the lost Boeing 777 aircraft will provide full answers. MH370 (pictured over Poland in February) inexplicably disappeared on March 8 with 239 people aboard while on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, in what remains one of history's greatst aviation mysteries . Some next-of-kin of missing passengers bitterly accuse the government and airline of a bungled response and cover-up, charges that are strenuously denied. Malaysia's air force came under particular fire after top officer acknowledged military radar had tracked the red-eye flight as it doubled back over Malaysian airspace after diverting. The air force took no action, saying the radar blip was not considered a security threat. The chances of success for the lawsuit were not immediately clear. Aviation experts told AFP that under international law it is an airline's responsibility to prove it was not to blame for an accident. The lack of evidence could complicate that task for the carrier. Neither the government nor airline has revealed any results from investigations into the tragedy, and they consistently stress that only recovery of the lost Boeing 777 will provide full answers. Pictured is a crew member on an Australian search plane . Steve Wang, a Chinese man whose mother was on the plane, said many Chinese families had retained lawyers but he didn't think any of them had filed a lawsuit yet. 'We are examining the laws to figure out how to best bring our cases - for example, if we should file the suits in Malaysia. But without knowing where the plane is, evidence is lacking, and there are still possibilities that things may change,' Wang said. 'For now, it looks very difficult for us to bring a suit against the Malaysian government and its military.' The airline also has been hammered by the loss in July of flight MH17 - apparently shot down - over Ukraine with the loss of 298 lives, and is in dire financial straits as business has dried up. A state-linked investment fund has directly taken over the airline as part of a rescue plan. In countries such as China - home to the majority of MH370 passengers - and Malaysia, courts are considered relatively conservative regarding the awarding of damages. A Malaysia Airlines employee writes a message expressing prayers and well-wishes for passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport . | Suit filed by lawyers for sons of Jee Jing Hang, who was on ill-fated flight .
Lawyer Gary Chong said the suit was filed in a Malaysian court on Friday .
The boys, 11 and 13, are suing Malaysia Airlines and the government .
They want damages for mental distress and emotional pain .
The family is also suing the airline for failing to deliver Jee to his destination . |
40,357 | 71e316d13852555f15ad0045b0dff3fa240716bb | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 05:55 EST, 27 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:28 EST, 28 December 2013 . The ice breaker sent out to rescue a tourist ship submerged in Antarctic ice since Christmas Day is stuck en-route to the vessel. The Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, is six nautical miles away from the stranded Russian ship and may take another two days to reach it, its captain has said. Academic Shokalskiy, carrying 74 people, was recreating a 100-year-old Australasia expedition first sailed by Sir Douglas Mawson to see how the journey changes using new technology and equipment. But on Wednesday morning, the boat hit a mass of thick ice sheets and today remains at a stand still. Scroll down for video . Trapped: 74 people, including scientists, tourists and a Guardian reporter, are stuck in thick ice sheets . Russia's Academic Shokalskiy is recreating Mawson's 100-year-old Australasia expedition using new tools . Just before 5am on Wednesday, Australia deployed a The Snow Dragon to free the group into open water, the BBC reported, but Capt. Wang Jiangzhong has now said it may need another two icebreakers to help it get to the stranded ship. French vessel L'Astrolabe has also been sent out for back up, alongside Australia's Aurora Australis, which is carrying food and first aid professionals. Finally, after two days being stranded, the passengers hope to be rescued today by the Snow Dragon. However, the support teams have warned oncoming blizzards could delay their arrival even further. Marooned 1,500 nautical miles south of . Hobart - the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania - the thick . ice sheets built up during a bout of severe wind. Conditions are set to worsen today. The . ice-strengthened ship, built in 1982, was originally used for . oceanographic research before being refurbished to be used as a . passenger vessel in the Arctic and Antarctica. Blizzards could hamper the rescue mission, but the ship is well-stocked and the scientists are continuing their research on the snow around them . France's L'Astrobe and Australia's Aurora Australis have also been deployed to save the ship . Bleak: The ship has been stranded in the barren, frozen landscape since Christmas . On . board are scientists from the University of New . South Wales, a journalist from The Guardian and dozens of tourists who . have paid to be part of the recreation of Mawson’s expedition. The research team has made contact with local stations from the Commonwealth Bay to say they are well-stocked with food. They are also continuing their research while stranded by testing the temperature of the surrounding ice sheets. A spokesman for Australia's Maritime Safety Authority told Australia's Associated Press: 'It is quite a remote part of the world, but we have everyone safe. The vessel isn't in any immediate danger.' The spokesman said the ship was visiting a number of sites along the edge of Antarctica. The nationalities of the tourists have not been revealed, but they are known to include scientists and explorers. One has managed to send a tweet. Chris Turney, of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, wrote: 'Heavy ice. Beautiful; light wind. Only -1degC. All well. Merry Xmas everyone from AAE.' | Team of researchers, tourists and a reporter stuck among thick ice sheet 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart, the Tasmanian capital .
Called for help at 5am Christmas morning after becoming submerged in ice .
Scientists warn blizzards could delay rescue mission further . |
246,806 | cb6a93ba9bb233991b4db93e107872c045c35fff | Pocantico Hills, New York (CNN) -- Oil-tainted seas, oxygen-deprived zones, overfishing, mercury poisoning ... these days, the search for safe and ethical seafood is enough to unnerve any pescetarian. For chefs, it doesn't just mean crossing another fish off our menus. The question has become how do we keep fish on the food chain? I found one answer last year, at a fish farm called Veta la Palma. Veta la Palma is in southwestern Spain, at the tip of the Guadalquivir River. Until the 1980s, the land was in the hands of the Argentineans. They once raised cattle in what were essentially wetlands, and they did it by draining the land. They built a series of canals and siphoned the water off the land and into the river. But they couldn't make it work. Economically and ecologically, it was a disaster. In draining the land, they killed 90 percent of the bird population. And so in 1982, a company with an environmental conscience purchased the land. What did they do? They reversed the direction of water flow in the canals; they literally flipped the switch. Instead of using the channels to pump water out, they pulled water in, flooding the canals and creating a 27,000-acre fish farm of sea bass, mullet, eels, shrimp and sole. In doing so, the company reversed the process of ecological destruction . The farm is incredible, with hundreds of miles of flooded canals and thick marshland, teeming with life. I stood there not so long ago with Miguel Medialdea, Veta la Palma's head biologist. According to Medialdea, it's such a rich environment that the fish eat what they'd be eating in the wild. Because the system is so healthy, it's totally self-renewing. But Veta la Palma is not just a fish farm; it's also a bird sanctuary. Today there are 600,000 birds on the farm from 250 species. It's become one of the most important private estates for bird life in Europe. You might think a thriving bird population is the last thing you'd want on a fish farm (Veta la Palma loses 20 percent of fish eggs and baby fish to the birds), but for Medialdea, it's a point of pride and a testament to the company's success. "We farm extensively, not intensively," he told me. "It's an ecological network. So the healthier the birds, the better the system." But the truest measure of their success is much simpler: flavor. Veta la Palma's fish was the most delicious I'd ever tasted, starting with the skin. I don't like fish skin -- not seared or crispy. I almost never cook with it. Yet when I tasted it at Veta la Palma, it tasted not at all like fish skin. It tasted sweet and clean, like taking a bite of the ocean. I mentioned it to Medialdea, and he nodded. "The skin acts like a sponge," he explained. "It's the last defense before entering the body, and it evolved to soak up impurities. But there are almost no impurities in our water." And that's an understatement. The water flows into the canals from the Guadalquivir River, carrying all the things rivers tend to carry these days -- chemical contaminants and pesticide runoff -- and when it flows back out, it's cleaner than when it started. The system is so healthy it purifies the water. The purification is not just for the fish, but for us as well. That river water eventually dumps into the Atlantic. Sure, it's a drop in the bucket, but I'll take it. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dan Barber. | With compromised, overfished seas, Dan Barber puzzled over how to keep fish on food chain .
He says he visited fish farm in Spain that restored water flow, fish populations to wetlands .
The farm is ecologically balanced, with abundant fish and 250 bird species, he says .
Barber: The farm's system is healthy again -- and the fish it produces are delicious . |
200,710 | 8fceae43cf88706053ef2ea6218fceab9350472e | Andrea Pirlo's last-gasp goal earned 10-man Juventus a dramatic win over Torino in the Turin derby on Sunday evening. The veteran midfielder struck at the death from 25 yards to break the visitors' hearts, following a heroic effort from Giampiero Ventura's side. The hosts took the lead early on with Arturo Vidal cooly converting from the penalty spot, before Bruno Peres' stunning long-range effort - their first goal in the Turin derby in 12 years and nine months - just seven minutes after looked to have earned Torino a valuable point. VIDEO Scroll down for Sportsmail's Big Match Stats: Juventus 2-1 Torino . Andrea Pirlo can't hide his delight after scoring a superb late winner for Juventus against Torino . Juventus players celebrate with the veteran midfielder after his last-gasp goal secured all three points . Arturo Vidal sends Giampiero Ventura the wrong way to give Juventus the lead from the penalty spot . Vidal is jubilant as he gives the Serie A leaders an early lead against Torino in the Turin derby . Bruno Peres got his side back on level terms with an equaliser just seven minutes later . Peres points to the sky after getting the visitors back into the game . But late drama from Pirlo means Juve have now extended their lead at the top to six points ahead of second-placed Roma's clash with Inter Milan on Sunday evening. Massimiliano Allegri's men started the game by far the brighter and were unlucky not to be ahead inside the opening six minutes as Patrice Evra found Fernando Llorente in the box, with the latter's header ending up just inches over the crossbar. The breakthrough did come soon after though as Juventus took a giant step towards taking maximum points from the month of November. Referee Daniele Orsato had already warned all the players to keep their arms down and when the ball struck Torino's Omar El Kaddouri's arm in the 15th minute, the Italian had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Carlos Tevez looks to get on the ball during the first half of the Turin derby . Paul Pogba pleads his innocence after a foul is awarded against him during Juventus' game against Torino . The former Manchester United midfielder fights for the ball with Giuseppe Vives . Matteo Darmian looks to get beyond Carlos Tevez during the first half of the game against Torino . Vidal - who missed from the spot against Olympiakos in the Champions League earlier this month - converted from 12 yards, but had to retake it because of encroachment, with the Chile international this time slotting the ball into the opposite corner. The incredible goalscoring drought Torino have had against Juventus was clearly something they were keen to address though, doing so in spectacular fashion just seven minutes later as they got back on level terms. Peres picked up the ball on the edge of his own area before racing all the way up the other end and unleashing a unstoppable effort which went in off the inside of the far post. Both sides had chances to score as the game drew on, with Vidal having the ball in the back of the net for the third time of the evening, but it was correctly ruled out for offside. However, Juventus did go on to snatch the win with practically the last kick of the game, with Pirlo's long-range screamer finding the bottom left corner to settle an enthralling contest. | Juventus extend lead at the top of Serie A to six points .
Andrea Pirlo scores deep into stoppage time to secure win for hosts .
Arturo Vidal had given hosts the lead before Bruno Peres equalised just seven minutes later as the visitors looked to have earned a point .
Peres goal the first Torino have scored in the Turin derby in 12 years .
Hosts had defender Stephan Lichtsteiner sent off with 12 minutes to go . |
3,922 | 0b4eece915906e2bc97a7dc4325c2fa246e47484 | By . Paul Bentley . and Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 06:53 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:09 EST, 12 June 2013 . As England’s cricketers prepared for a pre-Ashes match on Saturday, Australian captain Michael Clarke appeared on the big screen and told the crowd: ‘Remember to drink within your boundaries.’ But perhaps his advice would have been better directed at the professionals in the changing rooms. Just a few hours later, Australian batsman David Warner attacked England’s rising star Joe Root, 22, during a drunken scuffle in a Birmingham city centre bar after he took offence at the green and gold comedy wig he was wearing. England beat Australia in the competition’s opening match at Edgbaston – a warm-up before next month’s Ashes. Scroll down for video . Altercation: Australian David Warner, pictured left with partner Samantha Williams, has been dropped after an alleged fight with England's Joe Root, right . Night out: Both players were believed to be in this Walkabout bar in Birmingham on Saturday night . After enjoying the weekend sunshine and posing in town with fans, young England players Root, Steve Finn and Stuart Broad headed out to Walkabout – an Australian-themed bar. There they met Warner, who was out drinking with five of his Australian teammates. At about 2am, a ‘slaughtered’ Warner confronted members of the squad and CCTV footage shows him throwing a punch at Root, striking him in the chin with a ‘glancing blow’. Australian Clint McKay managed to drag Warner away, while England’s Stuart Broad protectively put his arms around Root. Warner was apparently mortified when he woke up the next morning, phoning Root to apologise for overreacting. At the bar: Root poses with fan Adam Wilbourn during his night out at the Walkabout on Saturday . He later picked up the group’s bar tab to try to make amends for his outburst. Teacher Ashley Fox, 25, from Stourbridge, West Midlands, was at the bar on Saturday night. He said: ‘We were having a laugh with Stuart Broad and Joe Root on the dancefloor. ‘They were in good spirits and Root even bought me a drink. They seemed to be having a good time. Star: But opening batsman Warner could miss the Ashes after courting more controversy . ‘I saw it kicking off and a punch was . swung but it was just a bit of a glancing blow. The two teams had been . goading each other all night. 'I never expected it to boil over like it did. You would expect two professional teams to behave.’ Staff said Warner had been drinking at Walkabout in the evenings ever since the team arrived in Birmingham last week. A barman said: ‘On Thursday I was serving him Jagerbombs [shots of Jagermeister liqueur combined with Red Bull] and vodka Red Bulls. ‘He had quite a few. He was downing them on Saturday night as well. He was pretty slaughtered.’ Warner was dropped from the Australian . team after a crisis meeting yesterday morning. He now faces a . disciplinary hearing for bringing the game into disrepute with . ‘behaviour unbecoming to a representative player’. A spokesman for Cricket Australia . said: ‘Warner was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with an England player in the early hours of Sunday morning. ‘Team management have stood down Warner pending the outcome of the hearing.’ West Midlands Police said officers were not called to deal with the alleged assault. Relaxed: Root showed no signs of having been in a fight during practice at the Oval in London today . Face-off: The alleged fight came after England beat Australia in a Champions Trophy game at Edgbaston . BODYLINE - THE ROW WHICH SPARKED A DIPLOMATIC CRISISEngland captain Douglas Jardine devised arguably the most controversial of all cricket tactics to combat the great batsman Donald Bradman during the Ashes series of 1932. His bowlers - in particular Harold Larwood - repeatedly bowled fast, short deliveries which bruised the Australian batsmen. The tactic sparked an international outcry and a row which reached governmental levels. BOTHAM/CHAPPELL - TWO FIERY FIGURES WHO COULD NEVER GET ALONGTensions ran high when England star Ian Botham and Australian firebrand Ian Chappell clashed in a Melbourne hotel in 1977. Supposedly Botham repeatedly asked Chappell to stop criticising England, before throwing a punch. The pair were pulled apart but continued to trade insults for years, with Botham saying of Chappell: 'As a human being, he is a non-entity.' PONTING RUN-OUT - AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN SNAPS ON LIVE TVAustralian captain Ricky Ponting was feeling the pressure during the 2005 Ashes series, and he finally snapped when he was run out by England substitute fielder Gary Pratt at Trent Bridge. As he left the field Ponting screamed and swore up at the England dressing room, accusing them of using a specialist replacement. England won by three wickets. SNOW JOKE - ENGLAND BOWLER ATTACKED OVER AGGRESSIVE PLAY . England bowler John Snow was warned . for short-pitched bowling after striking Australian batsman Terry Jenner . on the head during the 1970-71 Ashes encounter in Melbourne. Snow was . jostled by a fan and had bottles thrown at him before captain Ray . Illingworth led England from the field in protest. They eventually . returned to win by 62 runs and regain the Ashes. LILLEE'S METAL BAT - AUSSIE STAR ATTEMPTS TO BEND THE RULESDennis Lillee walked out with a controversial metal bat in the middle of the 1979 Ashes test in Perth. Although it was clearly a publicity stunt and did little to boost Lillee's batting, the bat provoked a furious reaction from England captain Mike Brearley and led to a lengthy discussion over its legality by the umpires before the match was allowed to continue. | David Warner dropped for Champions Trophy match against New Zealand .
Accused of punching Joe Root in Birmingham bar during row over a wig .
Incident comes just a few weeks before start of crunch Ashes series . |
273,716 | ee8d03ae596ae2d8e46f20068bbf3c22ff8eeaf4 | Ever wanted to stay dry in a water fight? Melbourne clothing and technology label Threadsmiths has created a revolutionary T-shirt that remains waterproof no matter how hard you try to soak it. Made from 100 per cent cotton, the plain white T-shirts called The Cavalier feature a 'hydrophobic' nano-technology application woven in the fabric and capable of repelling most liquids and dirt. A patented technology, unlike other liquid-repelling applications and aerosols which can contain chemicals, the Threadsmiths website states: 'Our shirts emulate the natural hydrophobic properties of the lotus leaf.' Scroll down for video . Melbourne clothing technology company Threadsmiths has created a waterproof T-Shirt using a patented technology . Despite the material's waterproof qualities, the fabric is made from 100 per cent cotton . 'The Cavalier shirt contains no aerosol applications and no dangerous chemicals, and is completely safe to wear - as a shirt should be.' Still breathable, the Australian invention's technology boosts the material's resistance to water and stains by causing it to simply bead up and roll off the fabric. Creating a natural self-cleaning effect, any residue left on the material can be removed by just wiping or rinsing off it off with water. Lewis Pitchford of the label said the the waterproof technology did not rely on the T-shirts being coated in hydrophobic sprays available in the U.S. such as Ultra-Ever Dry, reported the Herald Sun. The T-shits contain no aerosol applications and no dangerous chemicals according to the fashion label . The woven technology has been patented and does not rely on the fabric being coated in hydrophobic sprays . 'Most people are pretty amazed when they see it,' he said. While the label currently only produces T-shirts, Mr Pitchford said he welcomed suggestions about what other garments to make using the fabric in the future. There is speculation the fabric could be revolutionary for restaurants and cafes, where spills on tablecloths and aprons are a daily occurrence and also in the medical sector and hospitals, reported Eftm.com.au. Machine washable, the waterproof effect will last for up to 80 washes. The T-shirts are available for men and women and retail for $65 each, while children's T-shirts are coming soon. Lewis Pitchford of Threadsmiths said the label was open to suggestion on what garments to make next . From left, Olivia Cianci, Stevie Shumack and Tiphaine Calixte tested the hydrophobic T-shirts out on Bronte Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs and found them to be waterproof despite their best efforts to saturate them . | A Melbourne label has created a 100 per cent cotton waterproof T-shirt .
The technology is woven into the fabric and repels liquid and dirt .
Chemical free, the Australian invention by Threadsmiths has been patented .
The waterproof effect can last up to 80 machine washes . |
233,595 | ba6adb0e9a3b972b6c0bb4cfe3cab9c813553f3b | A six-month-old baby and a man in his 20s are dead after what authorities believe is a police-assisted murder-suicide. The unidentified man stabbed young Roberto Varela to death and charged at Folsom, California police with a knife, giving the officer no choice but to shoot the suspect dead, cops said. Arela Aguilar, the baby’s mother and the man’s aunt, was also stabbed but is expected to survive, said police. Grisly: This woman was led away crying and covered in blood, she has not been identified . Neighbors claims the two have had a frosty relationship that recently took a turn for the worse as they constantly argued in the days leading up to the tragedy. Aguilar and the man are said to have increasingly been at odds, and were heard early Thursday morning shouting at each other loudly enough to have been heard by neighbors. The argument spilled out into the neighborhood about 12 hours later, around 2.30 p.m., when neighbors say they heard shouting and gunfire. ‘I heard ... gunshots and a lady screaming,’ James McClean told the Folsom Telegraph. ‘A whole bunch of police cars showed up.’ Aguilar was soon seen on the grass in front of her apartment holding a wound and screaming in pain, neighbors told the Sacramento Bee. Sad: This stuffed teddy bear and candle were left outside the home where the child lived . Evidence: Possessions were seen outside the home, near where the suspect was shot dead . Where it happened: The Folsom home where the disturbing scene unfolded . First responders soon arrived to take care of the ailing woman and the man came charging out of the home and at cops. ‘Then a police officer showed up and a guy came running out and running at the cop and yelling ‘f-you’ … the cop shot him,’ Bryan Thomas told the Telegraph. Police tried to revive the man but were unsuccesful. ‘We came outside and saw all the commotion, them trying to resuscitate the guy,’ Joshua Smith told KMAX. Another woman, covered in blood, was soon led away from the home in tears, footage showed. The dead toddler was not found by investigators until some time later, KMAX reported. ‘That’s more shocking than the whole thing, that a baby was involved,’ added Smith. Investigators are working to determine exactly what happened, but believe the man’s intention was to die from police gunfire. The investigation remains ongoing. | Six-month-old Roberto Valera was stabbed dead and his mother Arela Aguilar was injured .
Her unidentified nephew, believed to be in his 20s, is said to have attacked them both in a fit of rage .
He was then reportedly shot dead as he charged at police brandishing a knife and shouting obscenities . |
12,169 | 22833ebba3b34b1a348fb439901ca597791b35b9 | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 12:47 EST, 4 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:51 EST, 4 August 2013 . An editor of French Elle has written a book about the 'scandalous' life she led as a celibate woman in today's sex-obsessed society. Sophie Fontanel, 50, has named her memoir (French: roman) The Art Of Sleeping Alone. It is 'a mélange' of things that happened to her, vignettes and semi-autobiographical anecdotes. The decision simply to not have sex is most refreshing and unusual for someone who does not define themselves as asexual. In fact, asexual is a word she rejects along with celibacy, chastity and abstinence, opting instead for "singularity". Sophie Fontanel says the fact that women can make love when and how they want is sexual liberation. But sexual liberation is also to not do it, if you don't want to . 'People were saying, "This is insane, . this account you've written about your life... How is it possible?" They . talked to me as though I were some sort of animal,' says Sophie. The 50-year-old editor and author experienced a period of prolonged self-imposed celibacy that was 'so easy' to embark on. The book is less about 'why' and more on 'what' and what it means. However, her singularity ended its 12 year run when she rekindled her sexuality with her partner - a then-married man. 'If you force yourself to make love, . your sex life isn't as good as the one you dreamt of or expected, if you . don't feel respected, can you just stop? The answer is yes,' she says, speaking with the Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine. 'The fact that women can make love when . and how they want is sexual liberation. But sexual liberation is also to . not do it, if you don't want to.' 'What is miraculous about sexuality is that is can die out but it can be rekindled in seconds,' says Sophie, who has never married nor had children. She admits: 'As I said in the book, there are two things I missed when I stopped having sex. 'One is the loss of self when you make love, you are always in control. The second thing is to be caressed, to be in someone's arms, with your head on his shoulders.' 'If your sex life isn't as good as the one you dreamt of, can you just stop?' philosophises Sophie . | Sophie Fontanel, 50, is an editor at French Elle and bestselling author .
Her book The Art Of Sleeping Alone documents her 12 year celibacy .
Says people in shock and disbelief speak to her 'like an animal'
Maintains having the choice to be celibate is sexual liberation .
She later fell in love with a married man and has rekindled sexuality . |
202,981 | 92cbdd05cb42ded0cf523c4235c20a890eca2358 | London (CNN) -- With races run, records set and a remarkable sporting infrastructure now in place, the London Olympic and Paralympic Games have confirmed the UK capital's reputation as one of the world's great cities. The Games will also have inspired millions across the globe to pursue sporting careers across a range of disciplines. But arguably London 2012's legacy is more intangible. Who would have thought gold medallists like American swimmer Mallory Weggemann, Brazilian Alan Oliveira, South Africa's double amputee Oscar Pistorius and Briton's Ellie Simmonds (swimming), Jonnie Peacock (athletics) and David Weir (wheelchair racer) would become household names across the world? Recording unprecedented crowds, with some two-and-a-half million tickets sold, the British got behind the Paralympics in a way that no other country has previously done and helped shift perceptions towards disability around the world as they did so. The Star newspaper in Pistorius' home nation captured an emotion reverberating around the globe saying that the Paralympic Games have marked a watershed in the way the planet views disability. "The 2012 Paralympics will live long in the memory as the Games where South Africa and the world learnt that these Games were not the fun games nor the 'shame' games," wrote The Star. "London was where the athletes became professional, where they became elite and celebrated their elevation to a new status," the newspaper added. It was a Paralympics where spectators finally started to focus on ability rather than disability, a request many Paralympians have always made. "I think people are going to look back at this Paralympic Games and for the first time really, truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport," said Pistorius. Born with a congenital defect, Pistorius had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old. But the 25-year-old has overcome his disability to such an extent that he became the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics when running in South Africa's 4x400m relay team this summer. The achievements of Kenya's Mary Zakayo have also helped change attitudes to Paralympic sport in Africa. The wheelchair-bound javelin and shot put thrower was the women's Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award winner in Sunday's Paralympic closing ceremony -- an award given to a male and a female athlete who exemplify the Paralympic spirit. "Because of my success in field events, more women with disabilities in my community and in Kenya have shown interest in sports," Zakayo says. "The Paralympic Movement is spreading in my country and opens opportunities for people with disabilities and help change the perceptions towards people with disabilities in a positive way." But it's not just Africa where attitudes are changing. The Gulf Daily in Bahrain has been won over, crediting this year's Paralympics with providing a "fundamental change in the way much of the world looks at disability," adding that the Games "swiftly taught us to look beyond disability towards achievement." Thirty-two years after Moscow refused to stage the Paralympics, the enthusiasm shown by the organizers, the British crowds and, of course, the athletes at this summer's Games has finally begun to convert the Russian public, says tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda. "Russians are not used to encountering disabled people in the street ... yet for the first time, they discovered a previously unknown sporting world and its courageous fighters," the paper said. Even in Britain, attitudes have been changing. Polls conducted during the Games showing that eight out of 10 British adults thought the 2012 Paralympics had had a positive impact on the way disabled people are viewed by the public. This would be yet another triumph for the London 2012 organising committee whose chairman, Lord Coe fervently believes that the British public will never view sport nor disability in the same way after this summer's Paralympics. "We set a goal to create awareness," said Lord Coe, the chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee. "I really think we have done that in helping converting some of those extraordinary talents into household names. I really genuinely think we have had a seismic effect in shifting public attitudes (towards disability)." On Monday afternoon, the likes of Simmonds, Peacock and Weir were joined by fellow Paralympians and Olympians as crowds estimated to be in excess of one million thronged the streets of London to wave goodbye to what Prime Minister David Cameron called a "golden summer of British sport." It officially ended on Sunday as the Paralympics closing ceremony extinguished the flame in the Olympic Stadium for the final time, before the Paralympic flag was handed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian city which will host both Games in 2016. And if the legacy of London 2012 really proves to be a defining shift in the global attitude towards disability, then what on earth could Rio expect to achieve in four years time? | London 2012 Games have produced massive crowds, memorable action and a surprising legacy .
Paralympics has inspired many people around the world to think differently about disabled sport .
Newspapers in South Africa, Russia and the Middle East praise Games for changing perceptions of disability . |
268,464 | e7bafe92e50a8ae60352659d3642b19af86682eb | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Osama bin Laden typically wore a cowboy hat while tending his garden. Its broad brim obscured his features from the view of pesky eyes or satellite cameras that might blow his cover while he was hiding out in Pakistan, according to a report first published widely in Pakistani media. The 337-page leaked report details the domestic life of one of the world's most wanted men in his final days of life. Bergen: bin Laden's life on the run . It also bashes Pakistani authorities for failing to keep the al Qaeda leader out of the country, and for failing to prevent the U.S. raid by Navy SEALs that killed him in May 2011. The report bears the names of a former top diplomat, a supreme court justice and former officers of the military and police. A senior government official who was closely associated with the commission that produced the report confirmed its authenticity to CNN. Citing a news piece by Al Jazeera, the first to report the story, the official said the documents being discussed in the news are part of a report that was submitted to the prime minister's office. Bin Laden's death: How the story unfolded . Veggie growing contest . The famous terrorist's life was speckled with quirky measures designed to keep him under the radar, the report said. Al Qaeda's No. 1 spent lots of time doting on his some dozen children and grandchildren in the six years he spent in his walled compound in the city of Abbottabad, said terror expert Peter Bergen, commenting on the report. They could not pass time watching TV or surfing online, because bin Laden had no Internet connection and no satellite television hook-up. He also didn't have a phone line, all measures to avoid detection. For the same reason, the children were not allowed to play with other kids in the neighborhood. They spent the bulk of their lives within the compound's walls. When bin Laden was not personally giving them religious instruction, he took them out into the yard. He would award them prizes if they grew particularly good vegetables in the garden. Opinion: From bin Laden to Boston . Faking deafness . Bin Laden fled to Pakistan a month after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, moving from the south to the north and then hopping from town to town before landing in Abbottabad in 2005. While he was on the run, one of his wives gave birth four times and had to be taken to local hospitals, but it was obvious that she was not from the region. She spoke Arabic instead of Urdu, Pakistan's official language. Bin Laden's family feared this might raise suspicions. So, they told doctors she was deaf and mute. While on the run in the restive tribal region of the Swat Valley, bin Laden shaved off his recognizable beard, according to the report. Men helping him told others not to ask any questions about the tall stranger, who spoke Arabic. While in Swat, police once pulled bin Laden's driver over, but he quickly settled the matter before the officer had a chance to get a closer look at the clean-shaven man riding with him. After arriving in Abbottabad, a woman living in the same building with bin Laden recognized him from his image shown on cable TV. Her husband, who was helping bin Laden, went into a panic, the report said. He told her to mind her own business and forbade her and all other women in the house from watching TV anymore. Opinion: Who really killed bin Laden? The assassination raid . The measures kept bin Laden from being recognized for years in a city also home to one of Pakistan's largest military complexes. The CIA eventually suspected he was there and recruited a Pakistani doctor to run a vaccination program in Abbottabad in an attempt to find bin Laden by locating his children through their DNA. Eventually the United States did find the al Qaeda leader and assassinated him during a special forces raid on his compound. He was later buried at sea, the U.S. military said. Although the SEALs were within Pakistan's borders for three hours, its military did not detect them. "The radar systems were not looking for that kind of intrusion from the Afghan side of the border," terror expert Peter Bergen said. He feels sure that will change now. The report also dedicated 22 pages to fighting terrorism and keeping people like bin Laden from taking refuge in the country again. The report's authors blast Pakistani authorities at every level of government, intelligence and the military for not stopping the U.S. mission, calling it "a story of complacency, ignorance, negligence, incompetence, irresponsibility, and possibly worse at various levels inside and outside the government." Pakistan's government considers the assassination operation a violation of its sovereignty, basically an act of war. No public release of bin Laden death photos . CNN's Melissa Grey contributed to this report. | NEW: A senior government official confirms the report's authenticity .
Report: At the hospital, bin Laden's wife faked being deaf and mute so people wouldn't ask questions .
He wore a cowboy hat to obscure his features from satellite cameras, the report says .
The most wanted terrorist once shaved his beard to avoid recognition . |
203,632 | 939ca750c93212d8cabc96ddebc36dbb2150f6d8 | By . Dan Bloom . A chef says he has been inundated with orders for fried brains, stomachs and decapitated heads despite serving them in a busy hospital. Milorad Djordjevic chose a working hospital in Nis, Serbia, for his Mace Restaurant because the premises were cheaper then opening up on the high street. He insists his offal dishes have been popular - despite doctors having to operate on organs such as brains and stomachs straight after lunch. Chef Milorad Djordjevic says he has been inundated with orders for fried brains (pictured), stomachs and calves' heads at his Mace Restaurant - despite serving them in a busy hospital in the Serbian city of Nis . Mr Djordjevic's menu includes boiled or fried brains, devilled kidneys, tripe (stomach) and tripe soup, along with entire heads of veal calves. His specials board, an A4 sheet of paper sellotaped to the hospital wall, promises: 'Very good prices. You will not regret.' The emergency room is on the same floor, and local newspapers pointed out the dishes could offend patients. But the chef insisted: 'I can see that it makes a . few headlines but at the end of the day I serve good quality food and . I'm always busy. 'If it's not doctors and nurses queueing up then it's . patients or their visitors, and I haven't had any complaints despite the . newspaper headlines.' Gruesome: A whole calf's head on the menu at the restaurant, where the chef insists business is booming . He insisted that just because he was in a hospital, he should not be barred from serving 'gourmet' foods. And he said the only . difference between his restaurant and others was that medics often leap up and rush off halfway through to answer urgent calls. 'When that happens, we simply put the . half finished meal to one side and if they want, heat it up for them . again when they come back', he said. 'The hospital's emergency department is on the . same floor so we are used to people not having a lot of time to eat' - Chef Milorad Djordjevic . 'The hospital's emergency department is on the . same floor so we are used to people not having a lot of time to eat.' With business booming, Mr Djordjevic said the decision to offer . exotic foods from his restaurant at the heart of the hospital clearly made good . economic sense. 'We are full all the time and the overheads low, so what could be better,' he said. The brains and stomachs on his menu mostly come from pigs, but occasionally from sheep too. Offal . and innards are not unheard of on menus in the Balkans, where meat . dishes are similar to Greek cuisine or other eastern European dishes. Serbian . dishes include mainstream offerings like moussaka and wiener schnitzel - . but also a traditional soup made from pigs' innards. The menu reads: 'Restaurant in the emergency building: Soups, cooked dishes, grilled specialties, salad etc. The house specialty: calf's head, beef tails, fried tripe, fried brain... very good prices. You will not regret' It involves parboiling the animal's liver, lung, head and intestines in salt water before adding spices, including a bay leaf. Philip Evans, who researches and imports Balkan food to Britain through his firm Pelagonia, told MailOnline: 'The region was under the Ottoman empire for a long time so a lot of the food traditions are Turkish, and offal is pretty common. 'It's definitely more usual to see offal across the Balkans than it is in the UK. 'In the travel I've done in the region every country has a different take on it. When I was in Kosovo they told me the lungs were particularly good.' | Milorad Djordjevic opened Mace Restaurant in Nis, southern Serbia .
He chose hospital because premises were cheaper than anywhere else .
Now he has made headlines with servings of brains and decapitated heads .
'If it's not doctors and nurses queueing up then it's patients', he insisted . |
214,623 | a1e5ff8fc28d240810c5d2e92536ae3f69469085 | By . Laurie Whitwell . Follow @@lauriewhitwell . and Sami Mokbel . Follow @@SamiMokbel81_DM . Aston Villa’s internal investigation into suspended coaches Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa will be centred on allegations of bullying. Their behaviour at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground is believed to have led to complaints being made by staff. Culverhouse often takes over training from manager Paul Lambert and several players have grievances about his ‘aggressive’ methods. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Paul Lambert speaking after his team's Crystal Palace loss . Suspended: Ian Culverhouse (left) and Gary Karsa have been suspended pending an investigation Aston Villa . Right back at the start: Norwich defender Culvherhouse challenges Peter Ndlovu in the Premier League's first season . Showdown: Aston Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner (right) met with Paul Lambert at the training ground . Fabian Delph is understood to have . been upset during a session in the week before the Fulham defeat, . although his absence for that 2-1 loss was down to an achilles . injury. Reports also suggest . Gabriel Agbonlahor has been left disappointed but his omission from the . Fulham team was explained by illness. Both returned to the starting . line-up for the 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park. Despite . the club’s official statement indicating they have only been suspended, . it is understood assistant manager Culverhouse and head of footballing . operations Karsa have no future at the club. They each have a year . remaining on deals but if found guilty of serious misconduct could be . sacked without a pay-off. The . atmosphere at Villa’s training ground has been described as ‘poisonous’ and Culverhouse is said to have fallen out with other members of the . backroom team and senior players. He also exchanged angry words with . fans after the Boxing Day defeat by Palace at Villa Park. Under pressure: Lambert's Aston Villa side have lost seven out of their past 10 Premier League matches . Upset: Fabian Delph was thought to have been affected by an incident during training . Disappointed: Gabriel Agbonlahor was left out against Fulham but returned in the defeat at Palace . The defender started his career at Tottenham in 1982 but is best remembered for his time at Norwich. During nine years at Carrow Road he played 370 times for the club, including in the famous win over Bayern Munich. He is in the Norwich City Hall of Fame. He then moved on to Swindon and Brighton and after a spell youth coaching at various clubs became Paul Lambert's assistant at Colchester in 2008 before following the Scot to Norwich and then to Villa Park. Karsa . is said to have had a turbulent relationship with members of staff at . Villa, too and the pair were suspended by chief executive Paul Faulkner . after Lambert decided the make-up of his coaching team was no longer fit . for purpose. Training this week has been described as having ‘the best atmosphere in ages’ in the duo’s absence. Previously, . some players were said to be confused by an insistence on long-ball . tactics during sessions, while the schedule has been regularly fairly . light. The first team were given both Sunday and Monday off after defeats by Fulham and Crystal Palace. A full staff meeting planned for Thursday should allow for complaints to be aired publicly. Lambert . took the astonishing step of ending his six-year association with . trusted aide Culverhouse on Tuesday after a complete breakdown in the . pair’s relationship. Lots to think about: Villa lost their fourth Premier League game on the spin at Crystal Palace on Saturday . Gary Karsa did not have a very distinguised playing career and his first coaching job came at Enfield in 1998, where he was football and community officer. He then moved to Barnet (where he joined up with Ian Culverhouse) but his big break came when he became head of youth at Wycombe in 2006 under Paul Lambert. He followed Lambert to Colchester, where he became football operations manager, and was part of the team that moved to Norwich and then Aston Villa. Sportsmail . understands the move by Lambert came after a heated exchange in the . dressing room following Saturday’s defeat at Palace. Lambert’s . working relationship with Culverhouse is said to have deteriorated so . much that the pair have hardly spoken in recent weeks, causing . disruption to Villa’s preparation for games. Many . Villa fans have been vocal in their desire to see the manager gone too, . with chants of ‘We want Lambert out’ aired loudly during the loss at . Selhurst Park on Saturday. But the Scot’s position is understood to be . secure and he retains the backing of owner Randy Lerner. However . talks on a new three-year contract have been put on hold until the end . of the season. His current deal expires at the end of next season. Lambert . and Culverhouse first joined forces at Colchester in 2008, before . leaving for Norwich City in 2009 and steering the Canaries into the top . flight. Their success persuaded Villa owner Lerner to appoint them after . sacking Alex McLeish in 2012. Walking into trrouble? Fans have turned on Lambert, increasing the chances he could be leaving . Villa . have promoted former player and crowd favourite Gordon Cowans, 55, and . goalkeeper Shay Given, 37, to assist Lambert while the club carry out . their investigation. It is . quite some turnaround for Given, who has been left out of matchday . squads and admitted in February that ‘Aston Villa want me out of the . door.’ The Republic of Ireland keeper has been taking his . coaching badges and is respected by players. The . club hope the change in key staff will raise morale and ensure a . positive result from the important match against Southampton at Villa Park on . Saturday. Lambert said: . ‘I’m delighted to have Gordon and Shay to assist me in preparing the . team for Saturday (against Southampton), which is what the whole group . is focused on.’ Can we be of any assistance? Gordon Cowans (left) and Shay Given will help Lambert . The . breakdown in relations between Lambert and Culverhouse has coincided . with a dreadful run for the club that has seen them slip closer to the . relegation zone. Villa have picked up just seven points from a possible 30 and are currently on a run of four defeats. European . Cup winner Cowans said: ‘The manager has asked me to step up to assist . him at this time and I’ll do my utmost for the club and the manager in . helping prepare the team for Saturday’s game.’ Given added: ‘As players, it’s important that each and every one of us take responsibility right now and I’m delighted to play my part in helping the manager and the team go and try to win on Saturday.’ | Aston Villa have suspended assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and head of footballing operations Gary Karsa, pending an internal investigation .
It is understood they have no future at the club .
Several players dislike Culverhouse's 'aggressive' training methods .
Fabian Delph and Gabriel Agbonlahor have been upset in recent weeks .
Atmosphere at training 'best for years' without Culverhouse and Karsa .
Duo came from Norwich with manager Paul Lambert in 2012 .
Former Villa star Gordon Cowans and out-of favour-keeper Shay Given have been temporarily promoted to Lambert's first-team coaching staff . |
283,197 | fad848d12fbdb1c362549303ac3162a738dd8576 | ISIS extremists have cancelled all classes except religious studies in Syrian schools - with even the two-times table banned in its new curriculum. Militants have closed all schools in the eastern area of the country pending a religious revision of the syllabus to replace the current 'infidel' education, it has been revealed. Activists in the area say ISIS has attempted to justify the move by claiming that 'all knowledge belongs to the creator'. ISIS extremists have cancelled all classes except religious studies in Syrian schools - with even the two-times table banned in its new curriculum . Islamic State has been tightening its rules on civilian life in Deir al-Zor province, which fell under near-complete control ofthe Islamist group this summer. The government still . controls a military air base and other small pockets. The announcement came after Islamic State held . a meeting with school administrators at a local mosque on the . outskirts of Deir al-Zor city, according to the British-based . Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors all sides of . the conflict. 'Islamic State informed them that teachers shall undergo a . religious instructional course for one month, and that Islamic . State officials were currently developing a new curriculum . instead of the current 'infidel' education,' the Observatory . statement said. At the start of the academic year in September, Islamic . State revised the school curriculum in areas it controls, . eliminating physics and chemistry while promoting Islamic . teachings. Their latest move aims to further reduce the school day into . several hours of religious learning at the expense of academic . subjects, according to local activists. Militants have closed all schools in the eastern area of the country pending a 'religious revision' of the syllabus aimed at replacing the current 'infidel' education, it has been revealed . 'They've announced that they will only teach religion and a . little bit of mathematics. 'Their rationale is that all knowledge . belongs to the creator, so even the multiplication table . shouldn't be taught,' said an activist called Abu Hussein al . Deiri. Some locals protested when the school shutdown, according to . footage posted online by activists. It showed two dozen girls . and boys appearing to be under 12 years of age marching with a . few female teachers clad in black veils as required by Islamic . State since the beginning of the academic year. The children chanted: 'we want school'. But activist al Deiri said that the protests were muted . because most people were 'too afraid to demonstrate'. Islamic State has detained, crucified, executed and beheaded . hundreds in recent months in Deir al-Zor for 'apostasy', a crime . of which it accuses anyone who disobeys or opposes Islamic . State. | Militants close all schools in eastern Syria as they revise 'infidel' education .
ISIS wants to replaced the current 'infidel' education, activists have claimed .
Chemistry and physics were axed from its new curriculum in September .
A number of children and teachers staged a demonstration, it has emerged .
But protests were muted because many were 'too afraid to demonstrate' |
79,128 | e04b4fc42f07510134cb68a222cc2e63db833a5e | This clip shows the moment a Mazda RX8 sports car is completely written off after it smashes into an embankment at 70mph... but miraculously, the driver escaped unscathed. The accident, captured on dash-cam footage, happened just outside Canterbury on a drizzly, Saturday morning earlier this month. The driver, who asked not to be named, said he was lucky to be alive when he saw the amount of damage to his car. Scroll down for video . A Mazda RX8 sports car was completely written off after it smashes into an embankment at 70mph . The driver, who asked not to be named, said he was lucky to be alive when he saw the damage to his car . He explained the road had been very wet on November 12 and his car hydroplaned on a patch of standing water which sent it flying into a road sign. The 38-year-old said: 'I was on my way to Canterbury city centre to pick up a few things and to grab a coffee. 'Travelling in a straight line in the outside lane, I saw the half mile sign for my turn off, so started to slowly ease into the left lane ready to exit the dual carriageway. 'All of a sudden, the left wheels of the car hit a lot of standing water that was only in the left lane, jerking the vehicle towards the bank, because of the water, the car just glided like being on black ice.' On dash-cam footage, the Mazda RX8 is seen driving along the dual carriageway in terrible conditions . He added: 'There was absolutely nothing I could do. 'I could see the road sign for Canterbury city cathedral looming closer and bigger very quickly as the car almost flew towards it. 'My thoughts were, this is going to hurt and is not going to end well.' But after the car crashed into the sign, he says he got out slightly disorientated but without any injuries. 'The car crashed through the sign and amazingly came to a stand still with out going back into the dual carriageway and without hitting or causing any other vehicles to crash,' he said. 'I got out of the car, without any obvious scratches or pain, slightly disorientated, but breathing a sign of relief, especially when I saw the amount of damage to the car.' He added: 'The car was a complete write off - to quote the insurance company's report: "there wasn’t a panel left on the car intact".' The car hits a patch of standing water and is seen jerking and veering towards the bank at 70mph . The 38-year-old driver escaped without a scratch, although the sports car, pictured, has been completely written off . Raw Crime YouTube Channel . | The 38-year-old driver was going into Canterbury when his car hydroplaned .
He said his car hit a patch of standing water and glided like on black ice .
But miraculously, he escaped without any injuries although his car is completely wrecked . |
55,056 | 9bf858572cc301ffe3e680dc5d23bef0b1435cc3 | (CNN) -- National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden spoke out against mass government surveillance in a televised address on Wednesday. "Together we can find a better balance, end mass surveillance and remind the government that if it really wants to know how we feel, asking is always cheaper than spying," Snowden said in Channel 4's annual Alternative Christmas Message to British viewers. It follows Queen Elizabeth II's traditional Christmas broadcast. Channel 4's alternative address tradition, begun in 1993, has included addresses from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, then the Iranian president; Ali G, a character played by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen; an injured Afghan war veteran; and a survivor of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2004, the cartoon character Marge from "The Simpsons" gave the greeting. Snowden, a former NSA contractor, is living in asylum in Russia after leaking U.S. surveillance secrets to the news media earlier this year. He is wanted in the United States on espionage charges. In his brief message, Snowden asserted that the types of surveillance imagined in George Orwell's "1984" are "nothing compared to what we have available today." "We have sensors in our pockets that track us everywhere we go. Think about what this means for the privacy of the average person," he said. "A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all." "The conversation occurring today will determine the amount of trust we can place both in the technology that surrounds us and the government that regulates it," he said. 5 takeaways from Edward Snowden's Washington Post interview . | NSA leaker Edward Snowden delivers Christmas message on British TV .
Channel 4 has broadcast alternative to queen's traditional message since 1993 .
Snowden: "A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all" |
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