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248,588 | cda88bec535978dbff3821a82eda1c04ed36daac | LONDON, England (CNN) -- British bank Lloyds TSB has agreed to forfeit $350 million dollars to U.S. and New York authorities for criminally hiding information about prohibited dealings with Iranian and Sudanese customers. Prosecutors said that the bank's misconduct took place between 1995 and 2007. Under a settlement reached in a federal court in Washington late Friday, Lloyds acknowledged criminal conduct and forfeited $175 million to U.S. authorities and an equal amount to New York authorities. Court documents say for more than a decade Lloyds had been falsifying data which moved through U.S. institutions by "stripping out" of wire transfers any references to business deals involving customers in the two countries. Lloyds officials acknowledged they feared if the U.S. had been aware of the deals they would likely have been blocked because of restrictions on commercial deals with Iran and Sudan. "For more than 12 years Lloyd's facilitated the anonymous movement of hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S.-sanctioned nations through our financial system," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich. "Lloyds stripped identifying information from international wire transfers that would have raised a red flag at U.S. financial institutions and caused such payments to be scrutinized," he said. Although the money must be forfeited, under terms of the deal Lloyds will not presently be prosecuted because it accepted responsibility and has vowed to abide by the U.S. laws. After two years the U.S. will forego prosecution and formally drop the criminal charge. In a statement, the bank said: "We committed substantial resources to a thorough internal investigation, the results of which were shared with U.S. investigators and regulators. "We are committed to running our business with the highest levels of integrity and regulatory compliance across all of our operations and have undertaken a range of significant steps to further enhance our compliance programs." In October, the British government agreed a deal with Lloyds TSB, HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland to make a multi-billion investment in the three to help them through what Prime Minister Gordon Brown described as the "first financial crisis of the global age." | Bank accused of helping customers in Sudan and Iran avoid U.S. sanctions .
Violations took place between 1995 and 2007 .
U.S. Justice Department: Lloyds TSB acknowledged "criminal conduct"
It said Lloyds agreed to forfeit the funds in return for an end to its investigation . |
164,546 | 60c9f58549b75993841f03045930bb1a01b36d48 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 05:17 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:18 EST, 1 November 2012 . After taking tree bark for a decade, 72-year-old Marlene Barnes has no active trace of Crohn's disease in her system . A grandmother claims to have healed herself of a painful bowel condition by eating tree bark. Marlene Barnes, 72, started chewing chippings after 48 years with the bowel condition Crohn’s disease. The inflammatory bowel condition, which affects 60,000 Britons, causes symptoms including pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss and fatigue. Now, a decade on, her doctor has confirmed she no longer has an active trace of the illness in her system. Ms Barnes was diagnosed with Crohn’s when she was just 14. 'I’d tried everything to stop it but nothing worked,' said the mother-of-two who had part of her colon removed when she was younger. The inflammation caused by Chron's destroys the tissue of the bowel so badly that surgeons must cut out sections of the intestine. She told The Sun: 'Then I read of bark’s medicinal properties and felt it was worth a go.' She began cutting bark off trees in a park, then dried and ground it up at home. She said: 'I ate hazel bark first and it felt like a dozen ferrets fighting in my stomach. I thought I’d die, but I began to feel better than I’d done in ages. 'I then tried lots of trees to work out which were the real miracle cures. 'It was just trial and error. I nearly poisoned myself so many times but now I feel wonderful.' Ms Barnes, who lives in Cardiff, apparently spends almost £1,000 a year on specialist barks from alternative medicine websites. She takes a dose of 120ml a day. Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel condition which affects 60,000 Britons, causes symptoms including pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss and fatigue . A letter from her consultant gastroenterologist in August said: 'Recent investigations have shown no evidence of active disease.' She now apparently plans to sell her secret bark recipe to a pharmaceutical giant. Extracts of the slippery elm tree are sometimes suggested for digsetive conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but there are many questions over the safety and effectiveness of many herbal medicines. | Marlene Barnes suffers from Crohn’s disease .
Started chewing on bark chippings and now takes a bark supplement .
Her doctor says there is no active trace of Crohn's in her body any more . |
212,610 | 9f4cd8777af88c7d768129c756d8911aef9f59e5 | (CNN) -- A Virginia grand jury indicted six Colombian nationals Thursday for the kidnapping and murder of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in the South American country during an attempted robbery last month, federal authorities said. Special Agent James "Terry" Watson died after being stabbed in a taxi in Bogota, Colombia, on June 20. He was assigned to the DEA unit in Cartagena and was on temporary duty in Bogota. The six defendants operated a robbery and kidnapping conspiracy using cabs in Bogota to lure victims, and the driver of the cab would signal to conspirators to commence the abduction and robbery, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement. Watson was allegedly shocked with a stun gun by one defendant and stabbed with a knife by another defendant, the Justice Department said. 10 things to know before visiting Colombia . Watson, 42, had been watching the last game of the NBA finals at a Bogota restaurant at night and left in a taxi, a State Department spokesman said last month. Investigators believe Watson's cab stopped at a traffic light and his assailants jumped out of two other cabs, which pulled up on either side of the vehicle in which he was riding, a law enforcement official said. According to the official, Watson managed to escape from the cab and was taken to a hospital, where he died. In Colombia, such attacks are known as "millionaire rides." Authorities said the suspects they arrested were part of a gang known for millionaire ride robberies. The DEA said Watson was a 13-year veteran of the agency. He had been sent to Afghanistan three times on counternarcotics trafficking assignments and had previously served in the Army and worked for the U.S. Marshals Service. The indictment sends "an unmistakable message to all who commit acts of violence against America's law enforcement professionals: no matter who you are or where you live, we will do everything in our power to hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. Indicted were: . -- Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 38. -- Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27. -- Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 26. -- Hector Leonardo Lopez, 23. -- Julio Estiven Gracia Ramierez, 30. -- Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 21. Each of them was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault. The federal grand jury in Virginia also indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 30, a Colombian national, for his allegedly trying to destroy evidence in Watson's murder, the Justice Department said.col TV reported. The United States will request extradition of the suspects, but it has not yet done so formally, a law enforcement official said. U.S. officials have extradited and prosecuted suspects accused of killing U.S. federal agents in the past. Read more: Colombia arrests fake nuns with cocaine under their habits . | Six Colombians accused of operating a robbery and kidnapping ring out of cabs .
These attacks in the South American country are called "millionaire rides"
DEA Special Agent James "Terry" Watson died after being stabbed in a cab robbery . |
267,852 | e6e3697320bb9eca73ad2267696a897b626a218e | By . Kirk Maltais . Two of the three teenagers killed in Saturday's hit-and-run accident in Houston, Texas were identified on Sunday. According to KHOU, the family of Allyssa Munoz and her brother Brett Suarez have revealed that they were both killed in the wreck, which killed three people and hospitalized another three. The family says that one of the injured teens was also a sibling, Kristen Suarez. According to her Facebook page, she has since been released from the hospital. Munoz was the mother of a one-year-old child. Allyssa Munoz (pictured left) and Brett Suarez were two siblings killed in Saturday night's accident. One of the people that ran from the scene has since been apprehended . The front of the blue Chevrolet carrying six teenagers. Three of the teenagers died in the wreck . Front side of the white Chrysler that struck the car full of teenagers. The occupants of the vehicle fled the scene. One has been arrested as of late Saturday night, Raquel Vasquez of Houston, Texas . The back end of the white Chrysler. Police are still searching for the other occupant that ran away after the collision . 'I just want everybody to know about Alyssa, she was a very loving . mother,' Elsa Munoz, Allyssa's mother-in-law, told KHOU. 'This was a cowardly . act.' The accident occurred around 2:30am Saturday on a freeway feeder road in the southeast part of the city. Houston . police say a white Chrysler was speeding and ran a red light, hitting a . blue Chevrolet at the intersection of Woodridge Drive near the South Loop. Six teenagers were inside the of the Chevrolet when it spun on . impact, hitting a light pole. Police say the teens were on their way . home from a party. Police late Saturday night arrested Raquel Vasquez-Hernandez, 23, in connection with the wreck. According to ABC13, she has been charged with three counts of failure to stop and render aid to a fatality. Police also said that the suspect is a flight risk. Police have not ruled alcohol use out as a factor. They say the occupants of the Chrysler fled on foot, and are still searching for the other occupant of the white Chrysler. The scene early Saturday morning from the scene of the wreckage. Facebook post from Kristen Suarez following her release from the hospital. Two of the three teens killed in the crash were her siblings . According to ABC13, the parents of the . two siblings killed in the accident were firefighters for the Cy-Fair . Volunteer Fire Department, in Houston. The three other teenagers hurts in the crash were hospitalized. One passenger, a male, is listed in critical condition. Kristen Suarez has since been released. Elsa Munoz told KHOU that according to Kristen, she held her sister in her arms as she died as the scene. | Allyssa Munoz and her brother Brett Suarez were siblings killed in hit-and-run crash .
A third sibling, Kristen Suarez, was also hurt in the accident .
Munoz was the mother to a one-year-old daughter .
Vehicle hit was carrying six teenagers, three dying while the other three are hospitalized .
Police arrested Raquel Vasquez, 23, one of the occupants that fled on foot from the scene of the accident .
The other occupant is still wanted by police . |
264,329 | e25a22272f12894f28b4291eaeedb30f450a570f | Media tycoon Alexander Lebedev – the pro-Western owner of The Independent and London Evening Standard newspapers – has been targeted by Russian authorities again, with his bank accused of evading at least £6.2 million in tax. Last week his National Reserve Bank was searched and documents removed by armed police and officials from the powerful Russian Investigative Committee, which is headed by Alexander Bastrykin, a former classmate of President Vladimir Putin. Lebedev, 54, has faced previous legal problems and friends fear that he is being targeted for political reasons as a backer of an independent investigative newspaper in Russia. Media tycoon Alexander Lebedev has been targeted by Russian authorities again, with his bank accused of evading at least £6.2 million in tax (file picture) According to Lebedev, the whole sum in dispute has been paid, and he says this makes the raid even more likely to be revenge or a personal attack by the authorities. ‘Apparently, they decided to increase the pressure,’ Lebedev said, complaining the search was conducted without a court order. A spokesman for the investigation said: ‘The bank leadership committed tax evasion amounting to over 380 million roubles in 2011. The bank’s assets worth the unpaid taxes have been frozen. 'To identify the individuals involved, documents about the bank’s operations in 2011 are seized.’ Bank officials found guilty could face up to six years in jail or a large fine . | Independent and Evening Standard owner targeted by Russian authorities .
His national Reserve Bank was searched and documents were removed .
Friends of Lebedev fear he is being targeted for political reasons . |
211,010 | 9d46314e3e62a756ae18d0d1475ece05c3d63e74 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 06:50 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:26 EST, 29 July 2013 . Contrary to previous reports, rumours originating from Germany are now claiming that Apple's next iPhone could be on sale by 6 September. According to what translations of German blog iFun calls a 'credible and very serious source', the iPhone 5S could 'come on the market' by the start of September, which suggests it could be announced at the end of August. The source also added weight to rumours about a second, cheaper model and even a large-screen iPad being announced the same day by claiming Apple will unveil 'two new types of devices' in addition to the iPhone 5S. Contrary to previous reports, the latest rumours from Germany are now claiming Apple's iPhone 5S could be on sale by 6 September. Leaked photos, pictured, also suggest a cheaper model could be called iPhone C . Chinese site ETNews believes Apple could discontinue the iPhone 5 to focus solely on its rumoured, upcoming new models. Earlier this year, industry analyst Brian White from Topeka Capital Markets claimed Apple was working on a low-cost handset. Dubbed iPhone Mini, iPhone Lite and now iPhone C, the new handset could come in a range of colours, be made . of plastic, have a 3.5inch screen and a 5MP camera. Prices being quoted range from £63 ($99) to £260 ($400). Apple is also believed to working on large-screen device for its iPhone 6 model. The iPhone 6 could have a 4.7-inch screen. There may also be a 5.7-inch screen iPhone model due next year. The iPhone 5S was expected to be released on 13 September, with the cheaper version due at the start of October. Production . problems are now said to have pushed this date back, meaning the iPhone . Lite could be released before the high-end iPhone 5. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal claimed suppliers in Asia had said Apple recently asked for prototypes of screens . that are larger than 4-inches for the iPhone. It is also said to be testing larger 13-inch iPad displays. This would make a jumbo iPad more than three inches bigger than the . current model. Apple has unveiled a new handset every year since it announced the first iPhone in 2007. The first four models - iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 - were all unveiled in June and went on sale around a week or so later. More recent models, including the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5, were announced in October 2011 and September 2012 respectively. Rumours of a summer release for the iPhone 5S began in April this year when sources close to the electronics . giant, including manufacturers, leaked details that production had started. Reports from an American magazine in May . suggested the iPhone 5S would be announced on 10 September and go on . sale ten days later. Then last week, reports from China . claimed the release could be pushed back until the end of September and . possibly October because of 'production problems'. The iPhone 5S is rumoured to have internet speeds around ten times as fast as 3G. It is also poised to be released with . a built-in fingerprint scanner, and it is this technology that was . believed to be causing the delay. The . new iPhone 5S model is expected to look identical to the current iPhone 5 but . includes a faster processor and updated camera. It will also run iOS 7, the major new version of Apple's iPad and iPhone software launched in June. Reporter Dave Smith from IBT said: . 'By all accounts, the iPhone 5S will look identical its predecessor the . iPhone 5, with the exception of a few cosmetic changes. This image claims to show the . case of the new iPhone 5S. Published by French website Nowhereelese.fr, . the differences in attachment points suggest an update . to the Apple phone expected to go on sale on 6 September . 'Apple . has reportedly adopted dual-LED flash for its rear-facing camera, which . means that circular flash is now pill-shaped, and many believe the . iPhone 5S camera has been improved from the 8-megapixels in the iPhone . 5, likely to 12-megapixels. He added that iPhone 5S has also reportedly . received a battery upgrade from the iPhone 5's 5.45 Whr capacity to a . higher capacity of 5.92 Whr. In June, rumours claimed that the California-based company was also set to launch a low-cost version of its iPhone 5 handset as early as September. The iPhone Mini could cost as little as £63, although analysts have also priced it up to around £260. The backing case could be made of coloured plastic according to images shown on Chinese site WeiPhone, pictured . According to site MacRumours, photos leaked in mid-June show that iPhone 5S will be the first to feature a new A7 chip designed by Apple and a higher capacity battery . It will be the first time in Apple's iPhone history that the company has unveiled two handsets in the same month. It was originally dubbed iPhone Mini, then iPhone Lite, and now leaked pictures from WeiPhone showing plastic cases suggest it could be called the iPhone C. The cheaper handset is expected to be made of plastic to keep costs . down and may be sold in a range of colours including white, black, pink . and blue. According to analyst Brian White from Topeka Capital Markets, the iPhone Mini could be made of plastic and could cost as little as £63 ($99). Other prices put it much higher at £260 ($400) and it is likely to be closer in price to Apple's iPhone 4. Apple does not comment on future products before its launch events. The . speculation seems to contradict comments made by Phil Schiller, . Apple's marketing chief, who told Chinese newspaper the . Shanghai Evening News earlier this year that 'despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, . this well never be the future of Apple's products.' Other rumours include that Apple . could launch a 4.7inch iPhone model - which would put it in close competition . with Samsung's 4.8inch Galaxy SIII - as well as a 5.7inch . 'phablet-style' device. A Chinese source claims the company . will stop making its current flagship phone when it releases its next handset. The reports claim Apple wants to focus its attentions on, and ultimately promote more sales of, the newer designs. Elsewhere, a different Chinese source sparked rumours Apple could soon announced a 13-inch iPad after the company had requested larger touchscreens. Accessory manufacturer Tactus published a picture of a cheap, plastic iPhone model earlier this year. The design is rumoured to have a 3.5inch screen and 5MP camera and could cost as little as £63 ($99) | Apple is now expected to start selling the iPhone 5S on 6 September .
Leaked pictures suggest a second, cheaper model may be called iPhone C .
Both handsets expected to launch with Apple's iOS 7 software . |
181,750 | 77523844d60b72fb7866dd0687271a0740aafca9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:26 EST, 10 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:52 EST, 10 November 2013 . Marisa Cauchi has spoken of her anger at being omitted from former England manager Sven Goran Erriksson's memoir . A former lover of Sven Goran Eriksson says says their four-year relationship has been cruelly ignored in the ex-England football manager's memoirs. Marisa Cauchi, 41, a skip hire company director who lives in Bury, says their relationship began in 2007 after they met in a restaurant in Swinton, Greater Manchester but ended in 2011 because he was seeing numerous other women. But she says 'Sven: My Story' makes no mention of their time together and feels betrayed by the former Manchester City manager, 65. She said: 'He told me he loved me and promised we'd come out as a couple. In reality he was keeping me a secret so he could romance other women.' Ms Cauchi, who was born in Salford and has two children from previous relationships, claims the revelations in the book do not fully reflect the extent of the Swede's womanising ways. The year before she started seeing Eriksson she separated from her husband, Anthony with whom she co-owns Salford Skip Hire, after three years of marriage. She told the Sunday Mirror they would meet at an apartment in Manchester four or five times a week and he promised her that they would go public with their relationship at some point. Mrs Cauchi says Eriksson said reports he was still with his long-term lover Nancy Dell'Olio were false and he was only in contact with her because they were arguing over money. Then one day she received a text containing five women's names and phone numbers, followed by another inviting her to talk to the women, who were all allegedly seeing Eriksson. She claims she could not get hold of him to find out what was happening. He was in Mexico for a new management role and would not take her calls. They eventually patched things up and resumed seeing each other while he was manager at Notts County in the East Midlands. She admits she was in love with him and in denial over the other women. After seeing the book, tipped to be a . bestseller, contained no mention of her, she said: 'I actually feel . sorry for him because if he carries on like this he's going to end up a very lonely old man.' Neither Ms Cauchi nor Mr Goran Eriksson's representatives were available for comment. Heartbreak: She claims the pair were together for four years but ended because of his womanising ways . Sven Goran Eriksson signing copies of his new book, Sven: My Story. Right, his former lover Nancy Dell'Olio . On Thursday it emerged that England boss Sven Goran Eriksson refused to use mobile phones to contact secret lover Faria Alam because he believed his phones were being tapped, the Old Bailey heard on Thursday during the trial of Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson,who both deny conspiring with others to hack phones. The Swede told her of his fears and would only call her using a landline towards the end of their affair. Ms Alam said in a statement read to the jury of the trial: ‘We were in contact until July 2005, but it was done by landline telephone because Sven believed his telephone had been tapped.’ This came after a torrent of publicity of their affair sparked by a News of the World expose allegedly fueled by phone hacking. | Marisa Cauchi, 41, claims he first wooed her while he was Man City boss .
She says he has airbrushed her out of his life in new tell-all book .
'He told me he loved me and promised we'd come out as a couple' |
125,653 | 2e71f41bba1ace80681ab531edd65fdbddf8a3c1 | 'More than a Club.' That's the long-standing motto and image that Barcelona football club has wished upon the world for many years. It is an image the club has carefully cultivated over decades, but could the deal that brought Brazilian star Neymar to the club in June 2013 result in the Spanish giants being known for more than just their football - and not in a good way? For the mood drifting out of Camp Nou, a stadium that has long been revered as a temple of the global game, is one of disarray. Barca, as if anyone needs reminding, is one of world football's most successful clubs on the pitch. Over the last few years it has patented a brand of football that has swept all before it, winning admirers around the world. Off the pitch, the club prides itself on its all-round approach to life, keen to portray its 'open, integrating and caring' side and having refused sponsorship on its shirts for many years because taking money for it sullied the spirit of the game. Perhaps more significantly, Barca has long stood as an emblem for the region of Catalonia - "a way to show what Catalonia is in the world," as Gerard Pique recently told CNN - with Barca widely portrayed as a political spearhead in the bid to fulfill the ideal of independence from Spain. But now Barca finds itself in the dock. Last month, a Spanish judge ordered an inquiry into the Neymar deal after a member of the fan-owned club, Jordi Cases, alleged a misappropriation of funds during the transfer. Cases' primary complaint was that the amount paid to bring Neymar from Brazilian club Santos was more than the reported fee of 57.1 million Euros. In fact, as the club has since admitted, Barca paid 86.2 million Euros for Neymar. One day after the judge agreed to hear the case, Barcelona President Sandro Rosell -- against whom the case was opened -- relinquished his prestigious position despite denying any wrongdoing. He was swiftly replaced by Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu, but therein lay another problem. The new man could also become embroiled in a judicial inquiry if Cases chooses to take action against him. "We brought the case against Rosell but when we saw the contracts, we saw that they had also been signed by Bartomeu," Felipe Izquierdo, Cases' lawyer, told CNN World Sport. Izqueirdo says the new president's name is on all but two of the many contracts Barcelona signed to lure Neymar. He added that Vice-President Javier Faus signed the other two, meaning he too could face legal action. Faus had also been in the spotlight for another reason. He was a rare public victim of Lionel Messi's ire when the Barca superstar took umbrage to Faus' comments in December that the club had no obligation to review the Argentine's contract (set to expire in 2018). "Barcelona is the best club in the world and should be represented by the best board members too," the normally mild-mannered Messi exploded. "Snr Faus is someone who knows nothing about football." Criticism of Barcelona tends to come from the direction of the Spanish capital, where great rivals Real Madrid are based, and certainly not from within - a warning that all was not well at the home of the four-time European champions. 'No Damage to Brand' More embarrassment came a day after Rosell's resignation as new President Bartomeu held a press conference which outlined that there had, indeed, been a lack of clarity over the total fee paid to bring in Neymar. Nearly 30 million Euros was added to the original figure, including a signing fee for the player, an agreement with Brazilian club Santos concerning academy footballers and a commission to Neymar's father and agent, Neymar Senior, among other measures. With his name on the contract, Bartomeu clearly knew the details but Barcelona say the new man will not be stepping down since he does not believe he has done anything wrong. Faus is insistent that Barca's famous brand has not been dented by the furore. "Not at all," he rallied in a statement to CNN. "Barcelona is a very lively and democratic club -- owned by its fans -- this is part of the beauty of our institution and we have to respect it. We have not noticed during these weeks any damage to our brand - to the contrary in fact." "All our main sponsors have endorsed us and we are advancing with new and exciting deals that we will announce shortly." Yet Faus' viewpoint directly contradicts the club's own spokesperson, Toni Freixa, when he was trying to get Cases to withdraw his lawsuit against Rosell. "(Barcelona) regrets not having the information requested (by Snr Cases) earlier, which could have avoided the damage that this affair has caused to the image of the club," read a statement by Freixa on the eve of the judge's decision to order an inquiry. It's a sentiment with which blogger Jose Luis Perez wholeheartedly agrees. "It is clear that this whole incident can greatly damage the image of Barcelona," Perez, who has extensively examined the transfer, told CNN. "Based on previous public cases, I think the judge will pull on a loose thread - meaning that he has received a complaint about one misdemeanor but may end up unraveling more." "Lots of things might come out in the coming months." There is certainly a lot to grapple with. Convoluted Contracts . For a start, the judge has to make sense of all the business personnel connected with Neymar. These include Brazil's richest man, Eike Batista (whose IMX Talent group controls the player's image rights), and one of the country's most famous footballers, Ronaldo, who was on Brazil's victorious 2002 World Cup squad. Ronaldo now has a sports marketing firm, 9ine, which took control of Neymar's commercial rights in 2011 from Wagner Ribeiro, one of Neymar's two agents. The player's other agent, his father, has set up several companies dealing with Neymar's affairs but it's the one he founded in October 2011 - N&N - that is likely to most interest the judge investigating Cases' claims. Having signed an initial agreement with Barcelona in late 2011 over Neymar's potential transfer, N&N received a massive 40 million Euros when the deal went through last year. The total dwarfs the 17.1m Barca paid to Santos for the transfer, so it's no surprise it's come under intense scrutiny. And it's not just the judge poring over the details. Neymar's former club Santos is also unhappy with the revelation and is putting a legal case together to try to obtain full details. The Brazilian club held 55% of Neymar's economic rights but two other companies - DIS (40%) and Teisa (5%) - also believe they have missed out on the windfall. Angered by receiving 40% of just 17.1m Euros rather than 57.1m or even 86.2m Euros, DIS is reported to be considering taking its legal action further - as it ponders a lawsuit against Barcelona, Santos, Neymar Sr and Ribeiro. So is it any surprise, when you consider the complexity of the transfer, that FIFA is so opposed to third-party ownership - where a player is not just owned by a club, but also other parties, in a practice that has become routine in South America? In fact, the game's governing body has the power to investigate the transfer -- with a spokesperson telling CNN this would happen if "in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the Chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decides ex officio to open investigation." This remains a mere technical possibility but should it come to pass, such a move could cast another shadow over Barca's reputation. 'Less of a Club'? There are other troubling issues. When Rosell stepped down, he revealed a sinister element as he said his family had suffered threats, with media reports in Spain detailing how his home had been shot at over the Christmas holidays. No one was home at the time. In a different move, the Barca board - once so resistant to bearing a sponsor's name on the team's jerseys - is now considering attaching a sponsor's name to the iconic Camp Nou to fund a proposed 600m Euro redevelopment of the stadium and other facilities. "We will present a commercial name for the stadium to the Assembly. It will always just be a surname because we will not lose the name Camp Nou," Vice-President Faus said on the club's website earlier this month. Barca say stadium title rights could generate 150m Euros for a club that is well over 300m Euros in debt, so one can understand the board's thinking, but it's a controversial move nonetheless. Balancing financial gain with prized ethics can be a challenge, especially when under investigation by a Spanish judge over alleged transfer irregularities. Can it be said that Barcelona is beginning to become 'Less of a Club'? | Barcelona say impending inquiry into Neymar transfer has not damaged club .
Current president and vice president could also face legal action .
Former president Sandro Rosell quit because of row last month while revealing threats .
Transfer could potentially be investigated by FIFA . |
90,603 | 008b16331a458be483654ef73e9a33b63e37c98e | By . Tom Kelly . PUBLISHED: . 06:55 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:20 EST, 1 August 2012 . A judge yesterday warned of the ‘utterly destructive’ effects of drug abuse on families after hearing how billionaire Hans Rausing hid his dead wife’s body for more than two months. Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said the Tetra Pak heir had enjoyed ‘every material advantage imaginable’ before throwing it all away on addiction to hard drugs and descending into a life of squalor. After Rausing’s wife Eva died, he kept her decomposing corpse under a pile of bin bags, bed sheets and clothing several feet deep inside a locked annexe in the couple’s £70million Chelsea mansion, where they lived as virtual recluses. 'Breakdown': Hans Rausing was convicted today at Isleworth Crown Court of preventing his wife's burial and driving under the influence of drugs . He acted with ‘deceit and deliberation’ to prolong the concealment of the mother of his four children, using deodorant to try to disguise the stench and telling people that she was on a trip to America, Isleworth Crown Court was told. But he escaped jail after the court heard that Rausing’s drug abuse meant he had been unable to confront the reality of his ‘beloved’ wife’s death. The 49-year-old, whose family is the 12th richest in Britain and whose fortune comes from the £4.5billion Tetra Pak drinks carton empire, told psychiatrists after his arrest: ‘I know it is sad and selfish, but I just didn’t want her to leave.’ He cut a tragic figure as he stood in the dock to plead guilty to the common law offence of failing to prevent his 48-year-old wife’s lawful and decent burial. Dressed in a navy blue blazer and red tie, he repeatedly blinked and twitched as Judge McGregor-Johnson gave him a ten-month suspended sentence on the condition that he agreed to a ‘very demanding’ drug rehabilitation programme. 'Decomposing': Rausing kept the body of his wife Eva, right, under a makeshift rug of clothes and bin bags . The judge told Rausing: ‘If ever there . was an illustration of the utterly destructive effects of drug misuse . on individuals and their families, it is to be found in the facts of . this case. ‘You and your . wife had every material advantage imaginable, and for a time a happy . family life. Your relapse into the misuse of drugs, together with that . of your wife, destroyed all that. ‘It . is graphically illustrated by the contrast between the rooms visitors . saw, and the utter squalor of the rooms you really lived in.’ Glamorous lifestyle: Police outside the Rausings' London mansion in Chelsea, where Eva was found dead . Inner demons: Eva Rausing, pictured as a teenager,, fought a lifelong battle with addiction alongside her husband . The court heard that Mrs Rausing was last seen alive on May 3 when she met her financial adviser and confided that she was ‘worried’ about her husband’s ‘chaotic lifestyle’. Four days later her husband found her dead on the second floor ‘annexe’ of their central London mansion, which only the couple were allowed to enter. Unable to cope with his loss, he hid her body for more than two months until July 9, when he was stopped by police after driving erratically through morning rush hour traffic in Wandsworth, South London. Police who searched his car found a crack pipe, cannabis and white powder in the footwell of his Bristol Coupe and noticed his pupils were dilated and he was unsteady on his feet. They also discovered some unopened . letters to Mrs Rausing in the boot of the car. When asked about the . letters, Rausing ‘welled up’ and claimed she had gone to California two . weeks earlier. Police became suspicious and went to search the home and were let in by staff. James O’Connell, prosecuting, said: ‘They were hesitant to allow access to the second floor because part of the premises was an annexe which for some years access had not been allowed to anyone other than Mr Rausing and his wife. ‘They decided to force entry but when they were in a lift they noticed the stench of decomposition. They entered a room which had been sealed off with locks and gaffer-tape.’ The untidy room contained a pile of clothes and other linen on the floor concealing a body in ‘an advanced stage of decomposition’. Post-mortem tests indicated Mrs Rausing probably died on May 7. Eva Rausing’s parents were in the room as police made the horrifying discovery of their daughter’s body, the court was told. Tom and Nancy Kemeny are . understood to have rushed to the Georgian home after seeing police cars . parked outside as officers searched inside. Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said . Rausing’s prolonged concealment of his wife’s body had already caused . ‘great concern’ among those anxious about her whereabouts. He said this was compounded by the . ‘dreadful shock of discovery’ in distressing circumstances ‘for those . who had to uncover the body but especially for your wife’s parents who . were in the room when their daughter’s body was discovered’. After his arrest, Rausing was transferred to the private Capio Nightingale psychiatric hospital in Marylebone were he later told police in a statement: ‘I fully understand that my beloved wife of 19 years is dead and I am devastated, particularly for my children, by her death. ‘I do not have a coherent recollection of events leading up to and since Eva’s death save to say I have never wished upon her or done her any harm. I did not supply her with drugs. ‘I don’t know what caused her death, I did not feel able to fully confront the reality of her death. ‘With the benefit of hindsight I did not act rationally. I tried to carry on as if her death had not happened, and batted away any enquiries about her. I also took measures to reduce the smell. ‘I believe in the period since Eva’s death I have suffered some sort of breakdown.’ Tests after his arrest showed that Rausing had cocaine, morphine, diazepam, tamazepam and nitrazopam in his body. Alex Cameron, QC, who is David Cameron’s brother, said in mitigation that Rausing had no recollection at all about the first ten to 12 hours after his wife’s death. He said: ‘He didn’t move the body, he described her as appearing quite restful. ‘He felt quite unable to face up to the fact that Eva had died and almost like a small child couldn’t face up to telling anyone else and so took steps to delay the moment of facing up to reality. In his own words, he acted in a cowardly fashion.’ Cocaine, opiates and amphetamines were found in the body of Mrs Rausing, who had an ongoing heart problem and had been fitted with a pacemaker, the court heard. Tragic: The judge said the case illustrated the utterly destructive effects of drug misuse on individuals and their families . Drug problems: Rausing, 49, has been ordered to live at Capio Nightingale psychiatric hospital in Marylebone, pictured, for two years . The judge said he accepted that she died of heart failure coupled with the effects of drugs, telling Rausing: ‘There is no evidence to suggest the involvement of anyone else, including you, in her death.’ Rausing also admitted driving under the influence of drugs, for which he was given a two-month sentence suspended for two years. His family made their billions through the Tetra Pak empire, which was founded in 1944. The Rausings exited the Tetra Laval Group in 1995 and waived all interests in the company at the time. A single glass of champagne to toast the new millennium sent Hans and Eva Rausing spiralling back into a devastating addiction that was to cost them everything. The couple had both struggled with drug abuse in their youth but had successfully fought it to form a ‘loving’ family before the fateful decision to raise a glass together at midnight on New Year’s Eve in 1999, the court heard. Alex Cameron, QC, for Rausing, said his battle with addiction appeared to have started with his extraordinarily wealthy background as the heir to the £4.5billion Tetra Pak drinks carton empire. He said: ‘Despite or perhaps because of the economic circumstances of his upbringing the defendant had unusually strong social anxiety, feelings of inferiority, tendencies to medicate by drug taking and he dealt with emotional conflict by denial.’ Adoring: The couple met in rehab in 1989 before marrying three years later. They spent many spells in rehab but also lived drug-free for a period . He became addicted to drugs while travelling in his early twenties and met his wife-to-be in rehab in 1989, when he was 26 and she was 25. They married three years later and, with Mrs Rausing taking the lead, they managed to live drug-free for 11 years as they raised four children. Mr Cameron said: ‘They plainly adored each other, they were a loving family and they were extremely down to earth people and nice to work for, their staff said.’ They were active philanthropists, with a charitable trust created by the couple giving away £2million to good causes every year since 1995. The family also enjoyed an affluent lifestyle, spending much of their time in their 11-bedroom mansion in Barbados. But Mr Cameron said: ‘Things started to go wrong around about the millennium when the total abstinence of rehab process was mildly loosened by Eva’s urge to have a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve of 1999 to 2000. ‘Needless to say they both did and the addiction slowly and surely began to take hold again.’ They lost the support of groups helping them to stay clean, and descended back into drug dependency. They struggled on until 2007 when another devastating blow to the family occurred. Details were not given in court, but it was described as ‘like the end of the world’ to Rausing. Mr Cameron said: ‘From that moment on he has been effectively a recluse.’ He said Rausing spoke only to his wife as the pair barricaded themselves into the second floor ‘annexe’ of their 50-room Chelsea mansion and banned anyone from entering. Mr Cameron said: ‘They were deeply ashamed by their situation and the thought of meeting people and explaining their situation was too much to bear.’ He added: ‘The reaction of Eva Rausing’s parents has been laudably understanding, forgiving and supportive. ‘Tom Kemeny [her father] described the defendant as a wonderful father, a wonderful man, a very good person, but also very ill.’ | Hans Rausing, 49, given 10 months' suspended sentence for 'deceit'
Also handed two-month suspended jail sentence to run concurrently for driving under the influence of drugs on the day his wife's body was found .
Eva Rausing's remains were found under a pile of clothes and bin bags .
She fought a lifelong battle with addiction alongside her wealthy husband .
Mrs Rausing, 48, was last seen on May 3, when she looked ill and swollen .
Couple had spiralled back into drug addiction after celebrating the Millennium with a glass of champagne .
Rausing is staying at a private hospital in Marylebone .
First became addicted to drugs while travelling, aged 29 .
Defence said he tried to avoid the fact of his wife's death 'like a child' |
268,318 | e78b0506a2c811f5f4ab0c643424763c94233854 | Donning designer gowns, elaborate hairstyles and glamorous make-up, this year's Golden Globes attendees were certainly dressed up to the nines. But during the 72nd annual awards ceremony in Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, a surprising number of celebrities looked a little too bright and shiny. Hundreds of stars, including Clive Owen and Katherine Heigl, were spotted sporting glistening foreheads and shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Meanwhile, the original Fargo actress, Frances McDormand, even resorted to using her program book as a makeshift fan to counter the heat. This is despite the luxury Beverly Hilton Hotel's insistence that the air conditioning was working - and presumably, on full blast - during the event. Scroll down for video . Sweaty: During this year's Golden Globes, a surprising number of celebrities looked a little too bright and shiny. Above, Katherine Hiegl and David Duchovny glisten with beads of perspiration as they handed the Best Actor in a TV Series - Drama award to Kevin Spacey . Feeling the heat: As Clive Owen presented an award, he appeared sweatier than normal - although it likely did not help that he was dressed in a black velvet tuxedo. Oprah Winfrey, meanwhile, was seen wearing smudged eyeliner several hours into the evening . Uncomfortable: Naomi Watts and Lupita Nyong'o (left, on right-hand-side) and Channing Tatum (right) were also pictured looking uncomfortably hot during the 72nd annual awards ceremony at the luxury Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on Sunday . High temperatures: Despite the apparently humid conditions, the hotel has insisted that the air conditioning was working - and presumably, on full blast - during the event. Above, actors John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are pictured looking shiny at the event . Glistening face: Justin Theroux's (second right) face appears to be sweaty as he poses alongside (l-r) Camila Alves, Jennifer Aniston and Matthew McConaughey at this year's Golden Globes. The celebrities were among hundreds of stars at the glamorous event . Saint Laurent embellished gown . Click to check out the current collection at Net-a-Porter! Visit site . When faced with a big black tie event sometimes it's better not to make a statement or to test the boundaries of your fashion credentials, but to stick to something you know will suit you and invariably for most of us that means going classic in black. Jennifer Aniston is not one to test the waters with a brave new look and for her sophisticated signature style, we salute her. The actress wore Saint Laurent at the Golden Globes last night in Los Angeles and looked sensational in this embellished gown with tuxedo style cumberbund and racy thigh split. It's a maxi version of a SS15 look by the iconic French label and it suits Jennifer's chic and minimal style. Worn with a pair of simple black high heel sandals and a pared back up do, she's Jennifer through and through. And replicating the look couldn't be easier. We've found some fabulous maxis complete with thigh high splits, a halter neck cut and even some embellishment. Check them out in our edit below and then get ready to turn heads at your next red carpet worthy event. River Island embellished thigh split maxi at Asos . Visit site . VLabel thigh split maxi dress at Asos . Visit site . NBD x Naven high times maxi dress . Visit site . Missguided thigh split maxi dress . Visit site . Taking action: The original Fargo actress, Frances McDormand, even resorted to using her program book as a makeshift fan (pictured) Meanwhile, outside the high-profile venue, temperatures in the mid-fifties - teamed with drizzly rain - likely only enhanced the warm, stuffy conditions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the atmosphere in the hotel's grand ballroom was so rough that one male attendee 'passed out' at his table. On Sunday, Vanity Fair claimed that the air conditioning at the hotel had been entirely shut down, ruining celebrities' expertly made-up faces and hair. However, the hotel later announced the system had been 'fully operational' and they had not been alerted to 'any issues with the temperature' by guests. Regardless, the combination of hundreds of people in one room and the array of harsh stage lights apparently led to a steamy atmosphere. Oprah Winfrey was seen wearing smudged eyeliner several hours into the evening, while a bearded Matthew McConaughey reportedly removed his suit jacket during the star-studded event. At one point, he was even spotted wiping sweat away from the sides of his face, according to Yahoo News. Lit up: Outside the high-profile venue, temperatures in the mid-fifties - teamed with drizzly rain - likely only enhanced the warm, stuffy conditions. Above, Lena Dunham and her guest both appeared a little bright and shiny as they sat in the hotel's grand ballroom . In the spotlight: A bearded Matthew McConaughey (left) reportedly removed his suit jacket during the star-studded event. At one point, he was even spotted wiping sweat away from the sides of his face. Right, Benedict Cumberbatch and Aniston present an award . On-stage: Award-winner Amy Adams (left) and presenters Julianna Margulies and Don Cheadle (right) speak at the 72nd awards event . Success: Award-winer Kevin Spacey is seen sporting beads of perspiration on his forehead as he is applauded by actress Kate Mara . As Benedict Cumberbatch and Jennifer Anistion took to the stage to present an award, they, too, were seen sporting glistening foreheads. The same can be said for Kerry Washington, Bryan Cranston, Dakota Johnson, Naomi Watts, Kristin Wigg, Julianna Margulies and Amy Adams. And as Clive Owen and Channing Tatums presented awards in front of guests and millions of viewers, they both appeared sweatier than normal. In Owen's case, it likely did not help that he was dressed in a black velvet tuxedo. Glistening: Another star who looked particularly dewy during the event was actress Katie Holmes (left and right, with Michael Keaton) Presentation: Kevin Spacey is pictured accepting his award (left), while Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader present another award (right) 'Air conditioned': The Beverly Hills Hotel said its air conditioning system had been 'fully operational' and they had not been alerted to 'any issues with the temperature' by guests during the event. Above, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are seen presenting an award . Having a chat: Theater director Sophie Hunter (l-r), actor Benedict Cumberbatch, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, actress Keira Knightly and composer James Righton are pictured sitting at a table during the glamorous and star-studded awards ceremony . Meanwhile, Heigl and David Duchovny glistened with beads of perspiration as they handed the Best Actor in a TV Series - Drama award to Kevin Spacey. States of Affairs actress Hegil, who was donning a stunning floor-length gown, looked flushed in both the face and chest as she read out Spacey's name. Other stars to have been snapped looking particularly dewy during the event include actor John Krasinsk and actresses Katie Holmes and Lena Dunham. In addition to McDormand's makeshift fan, it appears more celebrities may have taken steps to counter the seemingly hot conditions. Also affected: Kerry Washington and Bryan Cranston (left) and Naomi Watts (right) were also seemingly affected by the warm conditions . Dressed up: Channing Tatum is pictured with his wife, Jenna Dewan Tatum (left), while Oprah is seen with David Oyelowo (right) In good spirits: Actresses (l-r) Viola Davis, Allison Janney and Jennifer Aniston are pictured speaking to a photographer at the event . At one point during the night, Diane Kruger was spotted drinking directly from her mini funneled bottle of Moet, which she and her boyfriend had brought. During the Golden Globes, Julianne Moore, 54, beat off competition from Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, FelicityJones and Rosamund Pike to take home a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama.The Still Alice actress was still smiling as she arrived back in New York on Monday. Meanwhile, the winners for Best Actor and Actress in a Musical or Comedy were Michael Keaton ('Bird Man') and Amy Adams ('Big Eyes') respectively. | Hundreds of stars, including Katherine Heigl and Clive Owen, spotted with glistening skin at Beverly Hilton Hotel .
Meanwhile, actress Frances McDormand resorted to using her program book as makeshift fan to counter the heat .
This is despite hotel's insistence that air conditioning was working during the 72nd annual Golden Globes ceremony .
Temperatures in the mid-fifties in Beverly Hills - teamed with drizzly rain - likely only enhanced the stuffy conditions .
Oprah seen with smudged eyeliner, while Matthew McConaughey took off suit jacket and 'wiped sweat from face'
Atmosphere in the hotel's grand ballroom was apparently so rough that one male attendee 'passed out' at his table . |
139,382 | 403793440b2b6a5dcd7031c31bb6d2a62d68b01e | NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- A grand jury has indicted four people in the shooting death of a woman during what police say was a Ku Klux Klan initiation rite in the Louisiana woods, St. Tammany Parish prosecutors said. Raymond "Chuck" Foster is reputed to be the leader of the Klan Group. He was among the four indicted. Raymond "Chuck" Foster, 44, was indicted on second-degree murder charges Wednesday in the November death of Cynthia Lynch, 43, of Tulsa, Oklahoma. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, said Rick Wood, spokesman for the St. Tammany Parish district attorney's office. "That's what he was charged with," Wood told reporters on Wednesday. "The grand jury agreed with that charge." Two other men, including Foster's son, Shane Foster, were indicted on a count of obstruction of justice, and a woman, Danielle Jones, was indicted on one count of being an accessory after the fact. Wood said Thursday Foster's case was assigned to one judge and the others' cases were assigned to another. Foster is scheduled to be arraigned March 3, he said, and the others are set for arraignment next week. Eight people initially were arrested in the case. The remaining four were not indicted. "Haven't seen one like this," Wood said Wednesday. "We've had a lot of high-profile cases, but not one like this. ... As (district attorney) Walter Reed said, it will be to the max. They will be prosecuted to the max." Authorities said Lynch was recruited over the Internet and took a bus to Slidell, Louisiana, where she was met by two Klan members. They then went to a campsite in the woods near Sun, Louisiana, about 60 miles north of New Orleans, where they met other members of the group, police said. During the initiation rite, members of the Klan group, which calls itself the Sons of Dixie, shaved Lynch's head, according to Capt. George Bonnett of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Department and Sheriff Jack Strain, who spoke to CNN in November. After 24 hours of drills, including chanting and running with torches, she asked to be taken to town. An argument began, authorities said, and the group's leader, Raymond Foster, pushed Lynch to the ground and shot her without warning. Lynch apparently wanted to leave because she was homesick, investigators found after talking to her family members. After the shooting, "Foster, we believe, removed a knife from his pocket and rolled over the victim and began a process of trying to remove the bullet from her body ... because he was trying to destroy evidence where law enforcement would not be able to piece these things together," Strain said. Police believe other members of the Sons of Dixie helped cover up the slaying on Foster's behalf, Strain said at the time, including burning some of Lynch's personal items. "We're up to the challenge," Wood told reporters after the indictments were handed up Wednesday. "This office is ready to proceed and take care of business." Authorities received the initial tip about the slaying from a convenience store clerk, after two group members went into the store and asked him if he knew how to get bloodstains out of their clothes. The clerk told them he did not, then called police after they left. Officials tracked down those two members and arrested them, then arrested others at the campsite and Foster. All the members surrendered without incident, police said. Investigators found Confederate battle flags, Ku Klux Klan banners, five Klan robes and an Imperial Wizard robe at the campsite, authorities said. Lynch's body was found under loose brush along a road several miles from the campsite. Raymond Foster has a history of Ku Klux Klan activity dating back seven years, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a Montgomery, Alabama-based organization that tracks hate groups. | Police say Cynthia Lynch of Tulsa shot as she tried to leave KKK rite .
Raymond "Chuck" Foster is reputed leader of Klan group .
Foster, his son, two others accused in indictment of second-degree murder .
"They will be prosecuted to the max," spokesman for prosecutor said . |
128,030 | 317ade3e88a0ee4a834c1dc69132efdd21233617 | Authorities are looking for a motive for the fatal shootings of a couple found dead in their northwestern New Jersey home this week. Vernon police say the bodies of 41-year-old Cindy Fortino and her 45-year-old husband, Dean, were found late Thursday morning in their bed. The family are said to be in shock. The couple had two young children who are now staying with their grandmother. Dead: The bodies of 41-year-old Cindy Fortino and her 45-year-old husband, Dean, were found in their bed . Unexpected: The family are said to be in shock. The couple had two young children who are now staying with their grandmother . Luz Soto said the deaths of her daughter and son-in-law were 'a private loss.' 'We're just in awe,' Soto said. 'We don't know what happened. It's a loss, no matter what happened, it's our loss.' Pam Valentin, Cindy Fortino's cousin, said she was 'still in shock over the loss of my cousin and best friend.' Valentin said the couple were 'diehard Rangers fans' who loved taking their children to see monster trucks. 'They were always taking pictures and doing things with the kids as a family,' she said. 'That's why this tragedy is so puzzling,' she told NJ.com. The couple had just moved into a new home five months ago. Police went there after being asked to check on the couple's welfare. Suicide: Mrs Fortino shot herself however Mr Fortino's death remains under investigation . Authorities say Cindy Fortino's death has been ruled a suicide, but the manner of Dean Fortino's death remains undetermined pending further examination. It's also not clear when the shootings occurred. Sussex County prosecutors say there's no cause for public alarm because there is no evidence a third party was involved in the shooting. First Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Mueller said that the precise time of their deaths was currently unknown. Township police were assisted by the New Jersey State Police crime scene unit along with the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office. Taking care: The couples two young children are now living with their grandparents . | Bodies of 41-year-old Cindy Fortino and her 45-year-old husband, Dean, were found in their bed .
It's believed Mrs Fortino shot herself however Mr Fortino's death remains under investigation .
Their two young children are now living with grandparents . |
24,847 | 4666b00cc9d306c07ad759e741200d0910257164 | By . Associated Press . A man high on opiates fell asleep on a motel couch while smoking a cigarette, touching off the March fire that killed him and three others, authorities said Wednesday. Prosecutors released their final report into the March 21 blaze at the Mariner's Cove Motel in Point Pleasant Beach, where those displaced included many people who had been left homeless by Superstorm Sandy a year and a half earlier. Surveillance video from inside the motel shows John Alberti rummaging through seat cushions in a lounge. He later is shown face down on the couch with a lit cigarette. Scroll down for video . Spark: Prosecutors released their final report on the Mariner's Cove Motel fire that killed four last March. Included in the report was surveillance footage that showed tenant John Alberti, high on drugs, falling asleep with a lit cigarette on a lounge chair . Ignite: Alberti is seen leaving the lounge after having dropped the cigarette on a lounge chair . Ignite: Alberti is seen leaving the lounge after having dropped the cigarette on a lounge chair . An autopsy found the presence of opiates in his system, and Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato listed the cause as 'the impaired actions and careless use of smoking materials' by the 45-year-old man, who was a longtime resident of the motel two blocks from the beach. The video shows him sleeping face-down on the couch with the glowing tip of the cigarette no longer visible. He then rouses himself, slapping himself in the face over and over again before getting up. Smoke and flames erupted about 90 minutes later from the same corner of the couch where Alberti's cigarette had been. Dangerous: Smoke and flames overtake the room while the motel residents sleep, totally unaware . Outside: Surveillance footage outside the motel shows the quick spread of the flames . Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said uninterrupted video from the lounge area showed that no one else entered or left the room after Alberti exited. Authorities previously said a cigarette discarded in a chair touched off the fire, which was declared accidental, but did not say who caused the fire or under what circumstances. The video was retrieved from a badly damaged surveillance system and analyzed by the prosecutor's High Tech Crime Unit. The camera that filmed the start of the fire and its rapid spread was eventually consumed by the flames. Before: Three people were killed in the blaze. Above, what the Mariner's Cove Motel looked like before it burnt down . After: Some of the people staying in the hotel at the time were displaced from Superstorm Sandy . The probe also found the motel had working smoke detectors in each room, and that it complied with all housing, building and fire codes. In addition to Alberti, whose permanent address was in Keansburg, the fire also killed 20-year-old Paulo Martins, of South River; 52-year-old Harold Ford, of Neptune; and 66-year-old Albert Sutton, of Mount Laurel. Autopsies by the Ocean County Medical Examiner's Office determined that all four died from smoke inhalation. One of the guests who escaped the fire, who had lost his home in Superstorm Sandy, estimated that of the 40 people staying at the motel when the fire broke out, slightly more than half were either displaced Sandy victims or contractors drawn to the area by the region's bustling post-storm construction industry. Firefighters investigate an early morning fire at the Mariner's Cove Hotel in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. on Friday, March 21, 2014 . | The Mariner's Cove Motel in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey burned down on March 21, 2014 .
Ocean county Prosecutors say the fire was started when John Alberti fell, high on opiates, fell asleep with a lit cigarette on a couch .
The fire killed Alberti along with other tenants Paulo Martins, Harold Ford, and Albert Sutton .
Some of the people staying at the motel were displaced by Superstorm Sandy . |
85,906 | f39f6d8ded51b8fa6b665a38ef407f8cdc7a78f1 | By . Nicole Lampert . PUBLISHED: . 16:12 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:12 EST, 29 March 2013 . When Silvena Rowe first arrived in Britain from Bulgaria as a teenager she knew just one word of English - 'hungry'. A strapping six-footer who'd been obsessed with food from her earliest days ('I was a very greedy child'), she was determined to eat well in the UK. Now she has several award-winning cookery books to her name, is about to star in a new BBC food show and has plans for her own restaurant chain; all of which has forced her to reluctantly quit her job as head chef at Quince, the smart restaurant adjoining The May Fair Hotel in London. The night before we meet she had boy band One Direction in her kitchen after they booked a private dinner there to celebrate Louis's birthday. 'They were tremendously respectful and polite,' she says. 'They were so cute and fresh. I do hear they like an older woman!' Silvena Rowe with Aldo Zilli on Country Show Cook-Off . And that's Silvena all over - a fascinating mix of feline-eyed sensuality mixed with tough-as-old-boots attitude. When she was once asked how she managed to keep her skin looking so fresh despite long hours in the kitchen she replied, 'I drink young men's blood!' And the word ambitious doesn't come close to describing her. 'You have to have b***s to run a kitchen, every day is hard,' she says. 'I'm breaking glass ceilings but I want to do so much more. You see Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay? They're in a different realm to any other chef and I want to be there. I want to be the one providing that excitement.' She's aiming high, but if any female chef can take on the big boys the smart money's on Silvena. The daughter of a Turkish-born journalist and a housewife, Silvena left Communist Bulgaria at 16 after falling in love with an English wine dealer, Malcolm Rowe, because 'he did not grab me in the way other boys grabbed me'. They married and while Silvena stayed at home bringing up their first son she taught herself to cook by eating out at nice restaurants with her husband and reading Delia Smith's books. Silvena Rowe on This Morning . After friends started entering her for competitions she landed a job as chef in the cafe at London's trendy book shop Books for Cooks, and before long was cooking for private clients including Princess Michael of Kent. 'She was a tough lady but she had a very good palate,' recalls Silvena. It wasn't long before TV executives started taking notice of this rather fascinating lady, and she's been a favourite on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen for six years now. 'When I first started on that show people would write comments like, “Who's that slut flirting with James Martin?” But now they know me and come to my restaurant.' She's also a regular on This Morning, where Eamonn Holmes loves to have a good old flirt with her too - which doesn't always go down well with his wife and fellow presenter Ruth Langsford. 'Ruth and I are friends supposedly but I think she gets very angry,' admits Silvena. 'She'll make remarks like, “He's my husband,” and I'll say, “Thank you for reminding me.” But Eamonn likes it; he plays up to it and makes it happen. I do like Eamonn - he's very warm. But he's not so hot that Ruth has to worry.' So is there anyone she's worked alongside who she didn't flirt with? 'Antony Worrall Thompson,' she says. 'He's like a ginger garden gnome.' Write caption here . Silvena and her husband have been married for 27 years (Silvena won't actually give her age, but she's somewhere in her mid-40s), and it's probably a good job he refuses to watch her on TV. 'He thinks I'm too much,' she laughs. 'Even when I'm just sitting down I'm too much for him. He gets very nervous about watching me on TV but he wouldn't mind me flirting - he knows I'm a very passionate person and that I love him more now than when we first met.' Silvena at the 2012 World Food Awards in London last November . She also adores her two boys, who are now 24 and 18. Only once during our two-hour conversation does Silvena pause for more than a second. It's when I ask her about being a working mother in what is a notoriously difficult profession for women. 'Yes, I feel guilty,' she says quietly. 'Even now I do. But I'm lucky I had my children when I was young.' She doesn't like to be called a feminist but admits she had this lovely idea of having an all-female kitchen when she opened Quince. 'But I couldn't find strong enough women to work in my kitchen,' she says. 'I tried, I really tried. But it was impossible because most of them were weak and pathetic [she spits out the words]. They're too worried about their love affairs and their insecurities. They were physically weak too - the majority of women are their own worst enemies.' Her new programme, BBC2's Country Show Cook Off, pits top chefs against the public as they vie to win prizes at local cooking competitions. When we meet she's just returned from a jaunt to the Yorkshire Dales where she was paired with Aldo Zilli to cook traditional cakes. She won't say which of them won; but she has a glint in her eye. 'We go to some of the most beautiful parts of Britain in a 1950s camper van with a little kitchen at the back. I crashed the van a couple of times but it was hilarious. The people we met were charming but they looked at me like I was some furry blonde exotic creature and I'm not sure they could understand my accent. Aldo's great fun but we were very competitive. All chefs are competitive.' After seeing her steal the show from Aldo, the BBC are already talking to her about a new project. 'I can't say anything but it will be mind-blowing,' she squeals. And if that's not enough, she's in talks to judge a new restaurant show in America. Somehow she has to fit in what she hopes will be a chain across the United Arab Emirates after being approached by investors. Silvena is living her dream and she really couldn't be happier. 'I feel very lucky to be where I am,' she says. 'I have this theory; people talk about how we all need to embrace life, how we need to love life. I also think it's important that life loves you back. And I really feel that my life loves me back. It's fantastic!' Country Show Cook Off, Monday, 1.05pm, Tuesday-Friday, 2.45pm, BBC2 . | Moved to Britain from Bulgaria as a teenager .
New star of BBC food show Country Show Cook-Off . |
10,320 | 1d4c5d4adc2831fb779ecdef3c88aaea62afd1b7 | George W. Bush appeared to take aim at his successor President Obama in an interview aired today - as he suggested the draw down of troops in Iraq had allowed ISIS to flourish. Speaking to CBS News in a two-part interview, the 68-year-old former president said he thought it was 'the right decision' to take military action in 2003 in a bid to oust Saddam Hussein. But he added: 'My regret is that…a violent group of people have risen up again…This is "Al-Qaeda plus"…they need to be defeated. And I hope we do…I hope the strategy works.' Scroll down for video . Former president: George W. Bush (pictured speaking to CBS News in a two-part interview that will air on Sunday) has only one regret about invading Iraq - that it paved the way for the rise of the Islamic State . Militant: Bush told correspondent Bob Schieffer: 'My regret is that…a violent group of people have risen up again…This is "Al-Qaeda plus"…they need to be defeated.' Above, an ISIS militant in Raqqa, Syria . During the interview with Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, Bush also revealed that when he threatened to invade Iraq, then-president Hussein did not take him seriously. 'You know, when he was captured... I was told that the FBI agent that talked to him, he said "I just didn’t believe Bush,"' he said. 'And it’s hard for me to believe he didn’t believe me.' 'In retrospect…I don’t see how he could doubt my word,' Bush, who is currently promoting his new book, '41: A Portrait Of My Father', which is a biography of his father, George H.W. Bush, added. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, which spanned March 19 to May 1 that year, signaled the start of the Iraq War, which claimed the lives of nearly half a million people. Discussing the war: During the interview, the 68-year-old former president (pictured, right, with Schieffer), said he thought it was 'the right decision' to take military action in 2003 in a bid to oust Saddam Hussein . After the invasion: Bush is pictured addressing the nation aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. He declared major fighting over in Iraq, calling it 'one victory in a war on terror' Former Iraqi president: During the interview with Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, Bush also revealed that when he threatened to invade Iraq, then-president Hussein (pictured) did not take him seriously . In December 2011, under the orders of President Barack Obama, all U.S. troops departed from Iraq, bringing the American mission in the war-torn country to an end. However, in the past few years, ISIS has quickly risen to power in Iraq and Syria, taking control of swathes of both countries. In June, the terror group overran Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. On Saturday, American warplanes reportedly launched a strike on a gathering of ISIS rebels in al-Qaim, Syria, critically wounding their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Bush's two-part interview will air on CBS News's Sunday Morning at 9am on Sunday, as well as the channel's 'Face The Nation' at 10.30am the same day. 'Critically injured': On Saturday, American warplanes reportedly launched a strike on a gathering of ISIS rebels in al-Qaim, Syria, critically wounding their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured) In the biography, Bush also reveals his father, now 90, seriously considered not running for re-election in 1992, even though he loved his job. This is because he felt his role was creating scrutiny of his son, Neil Bush, who was facing a federal lawsuit. 'It killed him to see Neil singled out because he was the President's son,' Bush wrote. The book also discusses George H.W. Bush's decision to launch the first war in Iraq in 1991, his early failures in politics and his stinging defeat to Bill Clinton in 1992. The biography is set to be released on Tuesday, November 11. | George W. Bush spoke of Iraq invasion in a two-part interview with CBS .
Revealed he thought it was 'right decision' to take military action in 2003 .
But added that his one regret was war paved way for rise of Islamic State .
'A violent group of people have risen up again.. they need to be defeated'
Bush also said Saddam Hussein did not take threat of invasion seriously .
In recent months, ISIS has taken control of swathes of both Iraq and Syria .
Bush is promoting book - '41: A Portrait Of My Father' - released Tuesday . |
72,945 | ced7b5149cc7c09efac2e12605816cdb7ef1023f | (CNN) -- Sri Lanka's coconut development minister has banned the felling of coconut trees in an effort to increase coconut production in the face of a severe shortage. Minister Jagath Pushpakumara said that over the past few years, coconut production has decreased because coconut palms are being cut down. He was addressing a media briefing Monday at the Government Information Department. The ban requires that approval for cutting coconut trees be obtained from the provincial managers of the Coconut Development Board. The ban will not apply to trees affected by the coconut leaf wilt disease in the Weligama area on the nation's southern coast. Sri Lanka's annual coconut production is 2.7 billion nuts, and the ministry expects to increase this to 3.5 billion, Pushpakumara said. In an effort to curb a coconut black market, the Sri Lankan government last week set a ceiling retail price of 30 rupees (27 US cents) per coconut in state-owned stores, but stocks quickly sold out and then reappeared at more than double the price on the black market. The island nation-state in the Indian Ocean is approximately the size of the state of West Virginia and has a population of 21.3 million. The island counts coconuts as a dietary staple and one of its biggest exports, along with trademarked Ceylon tea and rubber. | Sri Lanka acts to boost coconut production, which has been dropping .
Permission is required to cut coconut trees .
An effort to cut the black market on coconuts is being undercut . |
134,697 | 3a33c8c665104d8ee78e36fec51ce65bc7feceb4 | Doctors and nurses should apologise to patients when mistakes are made to win back trust in the NHS, the Health Secretary has said. Jeremy Hunt said NHS staff had become ‘defensive’ and were inclined not to say sorry to patients and relatives for fear of being sued. New guidance sent to the hospitals in England and Wales tells staff that saying sorry is not admitting legal liability but is ‘the right thing to do’. Doctors and nurses are to be told that apologising is not admitting legal liability but is the right thing to do (file picture) Mr Hunt said he would like to see ‘an open NHS culture’ that ‘learns when things go wrong’. He told The Telegraph: ‘Saying sorry and supporting patients and their families when they have experienced harm is a really important part of this. It’s great to see staff being supported to do the right thing. ‘Sadly, under the last Government a closed and defensive culture developed in parts of the NHS. We are transforming this culture through a new transparency drive in our hospitals.’ To address these concerns – including the Mid Staffordshire scandal where 1,200 patients died – the NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA) has produced a four-page leaflet for staff entitled ‘saying sorry’. It says a face-to-face apology must be given as soon as an incident has occurred. ‘A written apology, which clearly states the healthcare organisation is sorry for the suffering and distress resulting from the incident, must also be given,’ it says. The leaflet explains that saying sorry is not an admission of liability, adding: ‘The NHS LA is not an insurer and we will never withhold cover for a claim because an apology or explanation has been given. ‘ . Officials want to prevent a repeat of the poor care and culture at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust where 1,200 patients died . Catherine Dixon, chief executive of the NHS LA, said: ‘Saying sorry is the human and moral thing to do, we won’t say we’re not going to cover you because you’ve said sorry. ‘In cases where people perhaps bring a claim out of frustration, because they don’t feel that they’ve been given an explanation or that their complaints have been heard, an apology may make them less likely to pursue an action. ‘We actively support organisations being open, transparent and candid with their patients. We have seen some cases where that hasn’t happened in the NHS. It’s important that we create and support the right culture. It can win back people’s trust.’ The amount set aside by the NHS to compensate patients for medical blunders has soared by nearly a quarter between 2012 and 2013. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he would like to see 'an open NHS culture' that 'learns when things go wrong' A total of £22.7billion has been reserved to deal with thousands of clinical negligence claims. The number of claims rose by 11 per cent in 2012 to 10,129 in 2013 with some payouts of around £5million. The figures, published in the annual report of the NHS Litigation Authority, are an estimate based on the number of claims the NHS believes it will be unable to defend, how severe errors are, and how much victims should receive. The report shows that by 2012/13, the estimate had risen to £22.7billion, up 22 per cent from £18.6billion. Official figures show that 104 negligence claims have succeeded against the Mid Staffordshire NHS trust over the past four years. | Apologising does not mean admitting legal liability, staff told .
Guidance to health trusts insists saying sorry is the 'right thing to do'
Jeremy Hunt , the Health Secretary, wants to end 'defensive' culture in NHS . |
40,438 | 7226a8284dd3c5b9a016df75192ac0992468a5b8 | By . Alison Boshoff . PUBLISHED: . 20:55 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:08 EST, 9 March 2013 . Kate Moss walking for Marc Jacobs at the Louis Vuitton show during Pars fashion week . Nothing was said at the time — this is, after all the world of fashion, and Kate Moss expects to be sucked up to at every opportunity. But, at the cocktail party of Carine Roitfeld, former editor of French Vogue, in the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild in Paris on Tuesday night, some were taken aback when Miss Moss turned up in a tiny bodysuit, sprinkled with diamante stones that was completely sheer. The look bore little relation to the event’s prescribed ‘smokey eye and black tie’ dress code — instead it was the sort of look-at-me number you might expect to see on an ageing pop star such as Cher. And from the back, the famous Moss derriere — which rather hung out of the back of her shorts — looked deflated, crinkled and every one of its 39 years. It was not what we’d expect from the fashion icon, who has been working as a model for 25 years. A rare style misstep, or a sign that Moss, desperate to keep up with models half her age, is losing her gloss? Fashion critics derided her choice of outfit, while online commentators were cruel about the model’s figure, remarking on her ‘short . . . pony legs’ and ‘rough’ appearance. ‘Kate Moss is well known for her couldn’t-care-less meets attention-seeking attitude, but this all-over ten-denier style statement spelled nothing but desperation,’ said Aisling O’Connor, the fashion editor of the website Bohomoth.com. All this comes at a time when 20-year-old Cara Delevingne has exploded onto the fashion scene with her onesie-wearing, face-pulling quirkiness. Cara has everything that Kate used to have, and is clearly getting all of the attention that goes with it. Who could blame Kate if she did feel a tad rattled by a new arrival threatening her crown when she’s not yet ready to surrender it? The fact is that Miss Delevingne, a private schoolgirl from Chelsea, is very much on the up, having just posed for her first Vogue cover. And while Cara was mobbed by excitable fashion students and fans outside the fashion shows all week in Paris, Kate glumly and quietly glided from the Le Meurice hotel to her car and on to the shows with much less fuss and attention. Cara walked in seven shows including Lanvin, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent and was the undisputed hit of the week — indeed, she’s racked up an astonishing 25 shows this year. Fresh face: Cara Delevingne has exploded onto the fashion scene and just posed for her first Vogue cover . Kate, meanwhile, only walked for her old friend Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton (alongside Cara) where she closed the show. Indeed, it must surely grate that one of the most high-profile advertising contracts which Kate once fronted — posing for Burberry — has gone to Cara Delevingne. On close inspection, Kate Moss appears to be exerting less of a draw over the fashion world. While she remains the UK’s highest earning model by some way, it’s said that her annual earnings have dropped by at least £3 million and continue to spiral downwards. The most recent estimate in June last year by Forbes, the American business magazine, said that she had earned £6.3 million in the previous 12 months, compared with a 2010/11 figure of £8.9 million. On top of this apparent dip in income Moss has, in recent months, also seen the lucrative contracts she once held go to younger models, including the glamorous Dior Addict campaign she fronted from 2011 to 2012. Rising Dutch star Daphne Groeneveld — who looks like an impossibly fresh Brigitte Bardot — now fronts the Dior Addict campaign that rolled out in June last year. Groeneveld is 18. She . was also replaced as the ‘face’ of the Spanish clothing chain Mango in . December after a three-year association. Australian supermodel Miranda . Kerr, 29, fronted Mango’s most recent campaign instead of her. Moss’s . perfume campaign for YSL’s Parisienne ended in 2011. The scent is now . being represented by Marine Vacth, a 22-year-old French actress and . model. Her campaign for the . lingerie firm Agent Provocateur has also run its course, with the firm . using young British model Alice Dellal, who was then succeeded by Rosie . Huntington-Whiteley. Now actress Penelope Cruz and her sister Monica . front the brand. On the up: Cara Delevingne starred at Paris Fashion Week . Likewise, her Dior Opium adverts are a distant memory — the brand is now represented by English actress Emily Blunt. Adverts for Calvin Klein jeans, which Kate did in 2005, currently feature Finnish model Suvi Koponen, who is a younger, blonder, leggier Moss doppelganger. Of course, this is the nature of the fast-moving fashion and beauty industry, as brands seek to associate themselves with the biggest name of the moment. And that’s not to say that Kate Moss isn’t working any more, and many in the fashion world are very loyal to her. She has a campaign for Givenchy, thanks to her friendship with creative director Ricardo Tisci, and also another for Versace this year (the fashion house has a decades-long relationship with her). When approached by the Mail, her agency Storm was quick to point out her five magazine covers so far this year and the fact her £50 coffee table book, of which more later, has been a sell out. It must be said that the shoots and campaigns she is doing are, quite frankly, bordering on sleazy. Her current campaign for Vivienne Westwood — shot by Juergen Teller — is a crude photograph of Kate in a short skirt looking as if she is straddling a pole. Yet again, another picture in the same flesh-exposing, attention-seeking league. She starred in a wearyingly ‘provocative’ cover shoot for the February issue of V magazine, which featured her striking quasi-lesbian poses with the singer Rihanna. She is even said to be in talks to pose as a cover girl for Playboy’s 60th anniversary edition. But while her shoots are becoming increasingly gratuitous, Kate’s taste for fast living seems to have waned with age. She has settled into a slightly suburban version of her old London life in a £8.5 million home in Highgate, North London, with her rocker husband Jamie Hince and daughter Lila, 11, whose father is style commentator and publisher Jefferson Hack. The hedonistic days when she was a leading light of the Primrose Hill posse are a distant memory. The excesses of her on-and-off romance with heroin addict Pete Doherty are also far behind her. Now she likes to spend her time walking her Staffordshire terrier Archie and popping to her local pub, The Flask in Highgate. Perhaps in an attempt to cling on to her career, she has started taking care of herself more. Her new home has a Turkish steam room in the basement and she is a fan of expensive facial treatments. There have even been reports of her trying Jivamukti Yoga, although Kate, naturally blessed with a slim physique, has never had much patience with exercise. Meanwhile, perhaps aware that her moment has passed, Kate seems to be trying to reinvent herself as an icon of fashion history. In November last year, she brought out a coffee table book titled simply Kate Moss — a ‘diary in pictures’ of her modelling career. It is a thick tome costing an eye-watering £50. She says nothing about drugs, about her Primrose Hill years, or about Pete Doherty. To the untutored eye, however, the book looks more soft porn than high fashion and seems another thinly-disguised attempt to hold onto the number one supermodel slot. She is naked in around half the pictures: naked on a beach, naked on a rug, naked except for a spiked helmet and so on. Moss told one interviewer that her daughter opened the book and exclaimed: ‘Oh Mummy!’ in dismay. She says she has promised Lila there will be fewer revealing shots in any subsequent volumes. What an excruciating conversation to have with an 11-year-old. But then, as she proved in Paris this week, there are only so many surefire ways to get everybody’s attention. And even though she is growing older, she hasn’t quite grown out of them just yet. | Turned up at French Vogue cocktail party in completely sheer bodysuit .
Derided by fashion critics who remarked on 'rough' appearance .
Comes as Cara Delevingne, 20, has exploded onto fashion scene . |
41,984 | 76673646f62ec1e57493552ea0c793606326562b | A cybersecurity expert has raised the possibility that the cyberattack on Sony Pictures was not the work of North Korea, but instead carried out by a disgruntled employee. The hacking attack saw five major new films leaked alongside studio and personnel information which included the salaries of staff and personal emails. North Korea has refused to deny claims that it is behind a release and a spokesperson for the country would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved in the attack on Sony just a month before its planned release of a movie about a plot to kill the reclusive state's leader, Kim Jong Un. Cars enter Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, California. A cybersecurity expert has raised the possibility that the cyberattack on Sony Pictures was not the work of North Korea . A North Korean spokesperson said 'wait and see' on Monday when asked if Pyongyang was involved in the attack on Sony just a month before its planned release of The Interview, staring James Franco and Seth Rogan . North Korea routinely refers to the United States and South Korea as hostile forces. But cybersecurity expert Hemanshu Nigam told the Hollywood Reporter that he finds it hard to believe that North Korea is the perpetrator and instead thinks it is more probable that it was the actions of an employee or ex-employee with administrative access privileges. For the studio — which has laid off hundreds of employees over the past year in an effort to contain costs — the possibility of a disgruntled employee wreaking havoc is very real. 'If terabytes of data left the Sony networks, their network detection systems would have noticed easily,' explains Nigam. 'It would also take months for a hacker to figure out the topography of the Sony networks to know where critical assets are stored and to have access to the decryption keys needed to open up the screeners that have been leaked.' Culprit? Sony is currently investigating whether someone acting on behalf of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly from China, was responsible for hacking their computer system . In addition, he says, 'Hackers don't use such things as Hushmail, Dropbox and Facebook when they want to engage in what amounts to criminal activity. Real hackers know that these sites collect access logs, IP addresses and work with law enforcement. It is possible that North Korean-sponsored hackers were working with someone on the inside. But it is more likely a ruse to shift blame, knowing the distaste the North Korean regime has for Sony Pictures.' Sony Pictures' computer system went down last Monday after the cyber attack. Before . screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase . 'Hacked By #GOP,' which reportedly stands for Guardians of . Peace. The hackers also warned they . would release 'secrets' stolen from Sony. The data released so far from the apparently leaked documents has already been damaging - it revealed all the top executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment are white and male, raising questions about control of Hollywood's film output. A spreadsheet said to show the salaries of 6,000 Sony Pictures employees, including top executives, reveals that of 17 earning $1million or more a year, just two are not white and just one is a woman. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Sony workers reportedly saw a message appear on computer screens saying 'Hacked by #GOP', understood to be the initials of a group called Guardians of Peace - although some believe North Korea was involved . Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Amy B. Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment and chairman of SPE's Motion Picture Group, is the only woman among the top 17 most-highly paid executives. Minority of one: Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal, the only woman earning more than $1million a year at the company, and chief executive officer of Sony Entertainment Michael Lynton . She earns £3million a year, according to the spreadsheet, joint highest on the list, along with Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton. Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' It even details the leaked information includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. Technology news site Re/code reported that Sony and security . consultants were investigating whether someone acting on behalf . of North Korea, possibly from China, was responsible. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday . that Sony Pictures was investigating every possibility, adding . that no link to North Korea has been uncovered. North Korea complained to the United Nations in June about . the film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, accusing the . United States of sponsoring terrorism and committing an act of . war by allowing production of the movie. Leaked: Five of Sony's movies including the hotly anticipated remake of Annie have been illegally shared online in recent days . The Interview is due to be released on December 25 in the United States and Canada. It is a comedy about a CIA attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 'I personally don't care if (the movie's) disrespectful to . Kim because he's evil. But that's not the intent,' Rogen posted . on Twitter on Sunday. 'North Korea has produced tons of . propaganda films that portray America's destruction.' In addition to Annie, starring Jamie Foxx, which is due to hit theaters on December 19, Brad Pitt's critically acclaimed World War Two movie, Fury, is also being openly traded and downloaded online. By Sunday morning, Fury, which is still playing in theaters, had been downloaded 1.2 million times and Annie had been downloaded 206,000 times from unique IP addresses, according to Variety. Other Sony movies being downloaded include Mr. Turner, Still Alice and To Write Love on Her Arms. Culver City, California-based Sony Pictures said in a statement yesterday that it is continuing 'to work through issues related to what was clearly a cyber attack last week. 'The company has restored a number of important services to ensure ongoing business continuity and is working closely with law enforcement officials to investigate the matter.' Along with the FBI, Sony has brought in forensic experts from the Mandiant division of FireEye, a Silicon Valley cybersecurity company, according to a source familiar with the case who did not want to be named because the companies have not yet announced the arrangement. Mandiant helps companies determine the extent of breaches and repair damages. The firm has worked on other high-profile computer breaches, including one at retailer Target last year. | The hacking attack saw five major new films leaked alongside studio and personnel secrets which included the salaries of staff and personal emails .
The leak has been extremely costly - and embarrassing - for Sony .
Studio laid off hundreds of employees over past year to contain costs .
Cyber expert: Theorizes an employee or ex-employee with administrative access privileges is a more likely suspect . |
27,459 | 4dd53e917d71495163d807e71512202562583201 | Alex Song retired from international duty this month but there was a Cameroonian feel to his choice of footwear, as he paid homage to cousin and former Cameroon star, Rigobert Song. Alex wore a pair of limited edition Puma King boots, one red and one yellow, just like Rigobert at the 1998 World Cup in France. There is another link between them too — Rigobert played for West Ham between 2000-2002. West Ham midfielder Alex Song, in action on Tuesday against Everton, wore different coloured boots . Hammers striker Andy Carroll celebrates in the limited edition purple West Ham kit after their penalty triumph . West Ham were wearing their limited edition purple, gold and black third kit. ‘It has already proven a huge hit with supporters and you’ll need to act quickly to get your hands on one — with only around 2,000 of 4,000 still available to buy,’ was the warning in the match programme. The £49.99 replica strip went on sale in the summer and the first half have taken six months to sell. Romelu Lukaku has enjoyed himself against West Ham in the past and his rich vein of form continued against Sam Allardyce’s side on Tuesday evening. Ahead of kick-off the Everton striker had scored in all four of his matches against West Ham, including the equaliser in the last match at Goodison Park to force the replay. And he made it five from five with a close-range finish to put Everton 2-1 up in extra-time before Carlton Cole’s late goal. Former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku looked to have won the tie for Everton with this tap in . Lukaku celebrates his late goal, continuing his fine goal scoring form against West Ham on Tuesday night . Roy Hodgson was at Upton Park and there were plenty of England internationals and potential call-ups on display. Seven of West Ham’s starting XI were English and five of Everton’s. The Hammers trio of Carl Jenkinson, Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll have all played for the national team under Hodgson, as have Everton’s Phil Jagielka, John Stones, Leighton Baines and Ross Barkley . England manager Roy Hodgson was in the stands at Upton Park to check out the English contingent on show . | Striker Enner Valencia put the Hammers ahead early in the second-half .
Kevin Mirallas forced extra-time with a fine free kick in the final ten minutes .
Mirallas turned provider for Romelu Lukaku to fire Everton in front .
Carlton Cole came off the bench to score and send the tie to penalties .
West Ham keeper Adrian was the hero as the Hammers won on penalties . |
97,589 | 099cc3a44f5b3ed415e41b6e857299b49748b3c0 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 18:16 EST, 25 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:16 EST, 25 May 2013 . Concerns are growing amongst residents of the upmarket Hamptons that their exclusive beaches are set to be overrun by less desirable visitors this summer driven north by Superstorm Sandy’s devastating impact on the Jersey Shore. For so long an exclusive enclave for the rich and famous, the group of villages and hamlets which form the South Fork of Long Island, New York have some of the most expensive residential properties in the U.S. Last year, a young and rowdy party crowd started regularly showing up at Indian Wells Beach in East Hampton. Last year Indian Wells Beach in East Hampton was invaded by a young and rowdy party crowd and locals are fearing worse this summer . Peace and tranquility: Residents in the Hamptons are concerned that their unspoilt beaches will be overrun by young party-goers who would typically party on the Jersey Shore . The beach is so exclusive that only cars with the blue-and-white permits of local homeowners can parked in its lot, but the out-of-towners got around this by being dropped off and picked up by buses and vans - at least one was seen flying a pirate flag. Suddenly locals were faced with over-crowded beaches full of twenty-somethings hauling kegs of beer, out for a good time and not concerned about not fitting in with the local khakis and blue blazer brigade. This year residents throughout the Hamptons are bracing themselves for an even greater invasion exacerbated they fear by Superstorm Sandy having destroyed the more traditional habitat of this young crowd – the Jersey Shore. Paranoia is growing that Indian Wells Beach and others will be overrun with the type of reckless young party-goers best personified by Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi and the rest of the Gudios and Guidettes from the cast of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’ reality show. Hamptons locals are increasingly concerned about a growing influx of young party-goers best typified by Snooki from the reality show 'Jersey Shore' Hamptons locals have complained about an influx of young out-of-towners who travel to their beaches via coaches to avoid the rules preventing them from parking by the beach . ‘You don’t want to come across as snooty, but it’s about peace and quiet for all of us,’ said Dayna Winter, 49, a registered dietician and a year-round resident told The New York Times. ‘It’s not a party scene; it’s not what we want it to become.’ ‘With the devastation of Sandy,’ she added, ‘we’re all a little nervous.’ Other residents fear their neighbourhood is in danger of losing its identity and in one local’s words is in danger of ‘becoming Cancun during Spring Break.’ The old money set has already had to endure the arrival of the nouveau riche - most recently Jennifer Lopez - with their mega-mansions, corporate planes and over-the-top tent parties, but an even greater fear it seems is this new group of day-trippers hell-bent on having a good time. In a bid to see off the packed buses and vans driving through the residents-only parking lot, a weekend ban on allowing parking lot non-resident vehicles longer than 30 feet or carrying more than eight passengers are being considered. Hamptons invasion: Locals in the exclusive area known for it's expensive properties are concerned that growing numbers of young people are visiting the area to party and enjoy the beaches . ‘There was a time when you had to be on the inside to be part of the Hamptons, and that’s not true anymore,’ East Hampton-based author Steven Gaines told The Times. ‘It’s become a tourist stop, and it has lost some of its exclusivity.’ Meanwhile Snooki and the rest of the 'Jersey Shore' cast where in Seaside Heights, N.J. on Friday to help open the resort for summer, even if it is still very much a work in progress. Saws and sledgehammers joined beer and barbecues as a fixture of the first Memorial Day weekend at the Jersey shore since Superstorm Sandy roared through. Seven months after the devastating storm pummeled large swaths of the shore, the tourists made their way back, though many substituted porch parties for a day at the beach on Saturday due to rain that has lingered since Thursday. Speaking on 'Today' on Friday, Snooki declared: 'Everyone’s here and it’s getting rebuilt.' The residents of the Hamptons will be hoping those words will be enough to encourage Snooki's fellow Guidettes and Guidos to party at the Shore rather than taking a trip further north. The cast of MTV's Jersey Shore reunite on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk at Seaside Heights, NJ on Friday . | Rich residents fear their beaches will be over-run this summer by the boozy younger party-goers who typically frequent the Jersey Shore .
Concerns have voiced about the area being turned into akin to 'Cancun during Spring Break’ |
99,105 | 0ba9a1f5b9da8def850990cbbf76d492bce2ee03 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 14:58 EST, 13 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:15 EST, 13 February 2013 . We've all gone hunting down the back of the sofa for spare pennies in the last few days before payday when our bank balance is looking slightly lean. But volunteers at one homelessness charity hit the jackpot when they looked inside a donated sofa bed - and found £9,000 in cash. The Emmaus charity shop in Batford, Hertfordshire, contacted the police in a bid to return the stash to the donor, made up of £50 notes and stuffed inside a drawstring back. Big find: Staff at the Emmaus charity shop in Batford, Hertfordshire, found £9,000 down the back of a sofa bed that was donated to them (file picture) And when officers found the charitable man - a retired vegetable wholesaler in his 70s - the shop was rewarded for its honesty with a donation of £500. The money had been lost more than a decade ago and forgotten about by its wealthy owner. Emmaus manager Tony Ferrier, 60, said: 'The man told us he used to buy and sell vegetables from abroad in London and always dealt in cash. 'He said on that particular day it was his brother's birthday and he hid the cash in the sofa bed before going off to meet him. Jackpot: Staff at the shop were given a £500 reward when they gave the money back to the donor . 'He then celebrated his brother's birthday and came home and obviously forgot all about it. 'He hadn't missed it all these years and was quite surprised when the police got in touch with him and asked him if it was his. 'He told us he and his wife had bought the sofa bed from Marks & Spencer but it had never been used.' Tony added: 'He came to see us and told us the story and gave us £500 as a thank you which was rather nice.' The money was found by volunteer Andy Browne as he opened up the bed. Andy, . 43, said: 'We thought it must be somebody's deposit if they were moving . house or it was an elderly person and it was their life savings.' Emmaus is a charity which supports the homeless and helps them find work and reintegrate into society. Reward: Staff at Emmaus handed the bundle of £50 notes back to the former owner of the sofa and he gave them a £500 donation as a reward (file picture) | The cash was found by staff at the Emmaus shop in Batford, Hertfordshire .
Staff contacted the police in a bid to track down the sofa's former owner .
The owner had forgotten about the money more than a decade ago .
He gratefully donated £500 as a reward to the homelessness charity . |
265,186 | e37787b5aa11d73e0970ced9466e87385821769b | These remarkable photographs show a testosterone-fuelled battle between two stags in Richmond Park. Photographer Mark Bridger, 45, took the autumnal images over the last two weeks at the famous park in south west London. The area, often called the Old Deer Park, is 147 hectares in size and is home to around 650 animals - 300 of which are red deer and 350 are of the fallow species. October and early November are traditionally the months when stags lock antlers to compete for mating rights with the females - an act that has been captured in these stunning photographs, taken at the largest of London's Royal Parks. Arriving at dawn, Mr Bridger caught some of the action on camera - watching a pair of fallow deer fight for over an hour. In the background a herd of females can be seen watching the fight like a ringside boxing crowd to see which male will come out on top. Fight: Two male deers take part in a testosterone-fuelled battle in the famous Richmond Park, south west London - home to around 650 animals . Locking horns: October and November are traditionally the time when stags compete for mating rights with females, pictured in this series of images . Battle of the stags: Photographer Mark Bridger, 45, was at the park at dawn to take these beautiful seasonal action shots . Head to head: These two males, of the fallow deer species, seem to be at loggerheads in the hour-long battle for a female mate . Here for the show! Two female deers can be seen in the background watching as the two males crouch close to the ground and lock together their antlers . Close up: The pair, both with looks of concentration on their faces, continue their exciting match while other deer watch on . Hit him while he's down: One male lays on the floor with his face and antlers upturned while the other hits his opponent from the side . Up at dawn: A large group of Does - or females - are silhouetted against the rising autumn sun in Richmond Park . Majestic: A stag with beautiful antlers sits among the fallen leaves in the famous 147-hectre park that homes both red and fallow deer . In the mist: A stag calls out to the rest of its herd as the morning mist lifts over the Old Deer Park - the largest of London's eight Royal parks . Safety in numbers: A group of does gather together under a tree and look out across the park, perhaps watching another battle between males . Autumnal scene: In this beautiful picture, a lone stag can be seen walking among the trees as the sun rises in the distance . Cold season: The breath of this young stag can be seen pouring out of its mouth while steam radiates from its body . Camouflaged: The head and attentive ears of a doe can only just be seen above the long grass in Richmond Park . Calling out: A lone stag, standing among the long grass surrounding a group of autumnal trees, calls out across the park . Enjoying the morning sun: A stag, with moss and grass wrapped around its antlers, stands with its head raised towards the dawn light . | Photographer Mark Bridger, 45, took the autumnal images in Richmond Park, south west London .
Famous 147-hectare space is home to 300 red deer and 350 of the fallow species .
October and early November traditionally when stags lock antlers to compete for mating rights with females . |
110,701 | 1ab01e99b16860829b8ec0e372f6860cc4511508 | (CNN) -- Bahrain, the tiny Arab kingdom engulfed in strife between the Sunni government and the majority Shiite populace, has initiated court action to dissolve two opposition parties, a lawmaker told CNN on Thursday. The claim called for the dissolution of the Wefaq and Al-Amal movements, two Shiite groups in the forefront of recent protests against the Bahrain government, a key U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf. Abdul Khalil Jalil, a member of parliament from Wefaq, confirmed the development but didn't provide details. Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy anchors its Fifth Fleet, is a small predominantly Shiite country governed by a Sunni royal family. It called in Saudi Arabia and other regional troops to help end the protests, which swept across the kingdom earlier this year as populations across the Arab world rose up against their rulers. Bahrain's Sunni Muslim monarchy has long suspected Iran of attempting to foment unrest among the island's majority-Shiite population, leaked U.S. diplomatic documents show, and Iran has asserted territorial claims over the onetime Persian province both before and after the 1979 revolution brought the current Islamic republic to power . The government has come under fire by human rights groups for its stiff crackdown. A fourth person who died while in the custody of Bahrain police in recent days may have been tortured, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, as it called for urgent investigations into the deaths of detainees. The Bahrain government has said in the past all accusations about detainees will be investigated. Protesters initially took to the streets of Manama, the capital, to demand reform and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy. But some are now calling for the removal of the royal family, which has led the Persian Gulf state since the 18th century. Young members of the country's Shiite Muslim majority have staged protests in recent years to complain about discrimination, unemployment and corruption, issues they say the country's Sunni rulers have done little to address. CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report . | Two Shiite groups are targeted by the Sunni government .
It comes amid criticism of Bahrain over stiff crackdown .
Shiites in Bahrain have had longstanding grievances . |
272,438 | ece0483f5a6ef886fcbdf6d4c3db770c2a7cf4ac | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 10:08 EST, 14 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:13 EST, 15 August 2012 . The military officer in charge of planning for the Olympics has warned that it could take two years for the armed forces to recover from the burden of deploying extra troops at the Games. Wing Commander Peter Daulby also said the Games showed that the forces needed to be large enough to respond to emergencies. His comments come after thousands of troops were drafted in to plug gaps left by private firm G4S, which failed to provide enough security guards to protect Olympic venues. Duty: It will take the armed forces two years to recover after extra personnel were deployed to the Olympics, a senior military officer has claimed . They are likely to be interpreted as a veiled attack on politicians who seek to cut the size of the military to save money. Wing Cdr Daulby said: 'It just shows you the dangers of pulling the military down.' The senior officer said the deployment of extra officers had been a 'game changer' that had a major impact on the armed forces. 'We were originally planning to provide niche capabilities,' he told the Guardian. 'When the requirement for venue security was doubled, that was a bit of a game changer. Royal support: Prince William speaks to members of the Irish Guards on security duty at the Olympic rowing events . 'We had to generate 18,000 people. That . does not mean that there are 18,000 spare people. It means that the . Government has prioritised (the Olympics). 'It will take two years to recover from this, to get back to normal, to get everything back into kilter. 'You can’t expect them to go back to normal routine very easily.' G4S had a contract to provide 10,400 guards for the Olympics, but Army, Navy and RAF personnel had to step in after it failed to meet its targets. Some 3,500 troops were committed initially, but the Government had to draft in a further 1,200 as the opening ceremony approached. Guarding the Games: Soldiers like these at the Olympic Stadium were forced to plug gaps left by private firm G4S, which failed to provide enough security guards . Wing Cdr Daulby said the Olympics showed 'the country needs a military for more than war fighting'. He added: 'It just shows you the dangers of pulling the military down. I am sure that there are some people who think that if we are a smaller military power we will be less likely to get involved in international operations. 'If we shrink the military, do we really understand what we are losing? 'Look at the speed with which we pushed up the throttle. It proves the military offers the country a huge amount of resilience.' Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the failure by G4S to meet the security requirements illustrated the different approaches taken in the private and public sector. 'I still think that, in general, there’s a lot that the public sector still has to learn from the way private sector does things,' he told the Independent. 'But, the story of G4S and the military rescue is quite informative because as two models of how to approach a problem you could not get two greater extremes than the G4S model and the military model. 'The G4S model says here is a cost envelope within which I have to deliver an outcome and therefore I have to do it incredibly leanly. 'I have to do it with very little . resilience. So G4S were literally hiring people and expecting to deploy . them three days later, into a live situation; trying to build up a . management structure overnight, at the beginning of the operation. Team: Army and Navy personnel have been working together at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London . 'A . very lean structure, with lots of dependence on self-motivation by the . people in the workforce; scheduling their own shifts, for example, by . accessing an internet site. 'The military comes at it from the exact opposite extreme. What’s the job that needs to be done? 'Ok, we’ll do it. Whatever it takes we’ll pour in massive over-resourcing, massively heavy structures of management.' Mr . Hammond added: 'What the military primarily deliver is contingent . capability and I haven’t been able to think of a single large-scale . example where a private organisation delivers a contingent capability. 'You pay for it, year in, year out, but you probably never use it for what it’s designed for.' Ready for action: HMS Ocean, the largest active ship in the Royal Navy sails down the Thames at Greenwich, as part of a pre-olympics security exercise . Poised: A crew member stands guard next to a mounted gun as British Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean passes Canary Wharf during security rehearsals . A . Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'The defence contribution to the . Olympics was always planned to avoid an impact on current operations. 'So, . while some individual training and leave may need to be rescheduled, . this will be managed and will not impact on operations including the . ongoing mission in Afghanistan. 'Given the scale and importance of . this once in a generation event, including the forthcoming Paralympics, . it is right that all across government play a part in ensuring the . success of the Games. 'This includes the armed forces who have done a fantastic job while continuing to deliver on other standing tasks and duties.' Police officers claimed that the G4S debacle showed that the involvement of private firms in policing carried risks. Hampshire . Police Federation chairman John Apter urged Home Secretary Theresa May . to 'think long and hard before handing over the public sector Crown . jewels to the highest bidder'. Taking aim: Trained RAF snipers were involved in the effort to ensure the Olympics were held safely . 'The Police Federation has raised concerns many times over the reliance of private industry in areas such as policing,' he said. 'What the Olympic G4S debacle has shown is that we were right to be concerned. 'It . is good to see that the Defence Secretary has come out fighting for our . troops, and is now reconsidering there are limits to what private . industry can do.' The . federation's national vice-chairman, Simon Reed said: 'Domestic . security must be undertaken by public servants - men and women who are . fully trained and accountable for their actions. 'This is what the public want and what the public deserve. 'Privatisation . of policing provides no benefit to the public, delivers a detrimental . service to local communities and arguably, if the police then end up . stepping in again when private firms fail to deliver, an additional cost . to the taxpayer.' Defence: RAF Typhoons based at RAF Northolt provided air cover for the London area during the Olympic Games . Crucial: RAF personnel have played an important role in the Olympic security operation . | Wing Commander Peter Daulby says the need for extra troops was a 'game changer' for the military .
He warns against further cuts to the armed forces, adding: 'It just shows you the dangers of pulling the military down'
Thousands of extra troops were deployed to Games venues after private firm G4S failed to provide enough security guards . |
224,982 | af51ce4ede00ad192a00832364ee6ab31b99cb62 | Unsecured footage from thousands of webcams around the world -- including in the United States and western Europe -- has been accessed and streamed by a website thought to be based in the Russian Federation, British officials say. The website's operator claims to be republishing the feeds -- from sources including CCTV and baby monitors -- to highlight security weaknesses. So what can consumers do to find out if their privacy has been violated and to prevent it from happening again? CNN spoke to Andrew Paterson, senior technology officer at Britain's independent authority on information rights -- the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) -- which issued a warning about the web cams Thursday and Jules Polonetsky, executive director of the Future of Privacy Forum think tank. How can you tell if your webcam feed has been compromised? Paterson suggests the first step for concerned consumers should be to check the security settings on their web camera and ensure that their password is not set to default. "It's a website that's republished the feeds from many thousands of unsecured web cams and CCTV cameras. I believe you can view more or less live footage and it looks like one person has automatically scanned the internet for unsecured cameras and then aggregated this information in one site," Paterson says. "If you're particularly interested you could try to find your country, you could try to find the region or city that camera is in." The website guesses location based on IP addresses and has a list of countries from where it is publishing feeds, ranking them by number of unsecured cameras discovered. At the time of writing, the U.S. tops the list -- with 4,591 feeds, followed by France, the Netherlands, Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom. What devices are affected? CCTV cameras and baby monitors are among the devices that feeds have been taken from. But many others could be affected. "In theory, if you have a web camera and it is interface accessible over the internet, it could be at risk," Paterson says. Paterson says in the case of the Russian website it appears that the operator has concentrated on only a few makes. The worry is that others may also have accessed such feeds, he says: "It appears that the person responsible is trying to raise awareness but it's possible other people are doing other things." Polonetsky says it's valuable to teach the lesson that web cameras need to be secured but says there have to be better ways than publishing people's feeds online. He says similar problems have existed for years. "Almost scarier is that there are thousands of other similarly unprotected devices on the web. We continually learn about some essential device that is web accessible," he says. "There have been some very public examples of smart home equipment that could be accessed remotely," he says -- including devices to raise blinds or turn on lights remotely. "If you can remotely access something, that means others can remotely access it as well and you need to lock it down -- or you're at risk." So what can I do to protect my privacy? Again, Paterson stresses that having a strong password is critical. "The one piece of advice I can give is that if you have a camera you should go and check if it's secured with a password and must double check it's not the default password," he says. "Secondly, work out whether you actually need to view your webcam over the internet or not. If you don't then you might as well turn that feature off." While the ICO doesn't know the Russian website owner's intentions, Paterson says that as far as it can tell the feeds have not been archived -- though they don't know for certain. "It looks like if you change the default password and set a strong one it will no longer show up on website -- but the owner [on the Russian site] could do anything he or she wants," he says. But the same flaw that has allowed this website to access personal feeds, could also have let other online users view your feed -- and they may not be broadcasting the fact. "If you're able to log in remotely, then others are able to log in remotely. Either ensure that access is disabled or ensure you have a secure password," Polonetsky says. Could I seek redress if my camera feed has been accessed? Polonetsky suggests that delivering a product with a security weakness is "like selling houses without a front door." "Actually, it's worse," he says. "Here you're selling things to people who don't even know there's not a back door. It's completely irresponsible -- it's like selling a car without a key piece of safety equipment. These things are not safe to be on the internet." Polonetsky says it is possible that sellers of devices without basic data protection would be considered unfair to consumers under the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's standards. "It could be considered unfair to sell a product that puts personal data at great risk. It will be interesting to see if any the sellers face action." In the UK, Paterson says accessing a computer without authorization could well breach the Computer Misuse Act. "If you have strong evidence that somebody has compromised your camera you may be able to take it to law enforcement," he says. The ICO itself regulates the Data Protection Act. "If the feed from your camera can identify individuals that would be personal data and if someone's processing that in an unfair or unlawful manner then it could breach the act," he says. As the website appears to be Russian-based, however, any potential legal action would require action from the authorities there. The ICO is currently trying to enlist their help to get the website taken down. | UK Information Commissioner's Office says a website is publishing private webcam feeds .
It says the footage has been taken from devices ranging from CCTV to baby monitors .
The ICO says consumers should always change default passwords on cameras .
Consumers should also take the time to read camera systems' instructions on security, it says . |
138,858 | 3f94ec99e8db3fc73321e89960ed1a109e448bb2 | (CNN)A deadly storm that brought Chicago its snowiest February day on record is now delivering more winter weather to the Northeast. Boston declared a snow emergency and banned on-street parking amid predictions of up to 14 inches of snow in parts of Massachusetts. New Yorkers were told to be prepared for roads and sidewalks to turn icy as temperatures plummet. Back in the Midwest, scores of schools closed as Chicago coped with the effects of more than 18 inches of snow. Many roads remained snow-covered early Monday, the National Weather Service said. "We don't have this much snow in Alaska right now," CNN affiliate WLS quoted Chicago visitors Emma Marks and Daniel Dobbs as saying. The city got as much snow Sunday as it had in all of January, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. In Omaha, Nebraska, wet, heavy snow tested even heavy-duty snow blowers, CNN affiliate KETV reported. "It kept coming and coming and coming," the station quoted Frank Halpine of Omaha as saying. Authorities say at least 10 people have died as a result of the storm, including one in Michigan, two in New York, two in Wisconsin and one in Pennsylvania. The other four deaths were described in detail. In Weymouth, Massachusetts, on Monday, a 57-year old pedestrian died after she was struck by a snowplow, according to Norfolk district attorney spokesman David Traub. The accident occurred at a condominium complex, and the incident is under investigation. Two people died in car accidents in Nebraska as a result of slippery roads Sunday. The deaths occurred in Saunders and Lancaster counties, authorities said. In Ohio, Toledo police Officer Michael Greenwood died while shoveling snow at home Sunday, a police spokesman said. In the Northeast, winter storm warnings covered parts of several states, including Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. Flights were canceled, schools closed and traffic snarled in the region. Boston was expecting as much as a foot of snow. Schools were closed Monday and Tuesday, and officials urged residents to use public transportation to get to work if they had to go out at all. As of early Monday afternoon, nearly 10 inches had already fallen, setting a new seven-day snowfall record with 34.2 inches. The storm led Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to postpone a celebratory parade for the New England Patriots, who won the Super Bowl on Sunday night. The parade, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, will now happen on Wednesday, he said in a statement. In New York, little additional accumulation was expected. But rainy, slushy conditions were expected to turn icy when temperatures fall Monday afternoon, according to CNN meteorologists. "We would expect a lot of icing on our roads and sidewalks -- up to a quarter-inch of ice in some places, and a lot of that would happen in the early morning hours," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned. Pennsylvania groundhog Punxsutawney Phil didn't have to suffer the snow, but still forecast six more weeks of winter at his annual Groundhog Day appearance. Legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he doesn't, there will be an early spring. Nan Moore, who was visiting Punxsutawney to witness the prediction, correctly predicted the rodent's forecast. "He's going to see his shadow," she said. "We're going to get more winter." Airlines did not wait for a groundhog's prediction to plan. More than 3,700 Monday flights were canceled, according to Flightaware.com. United, Delta, American, Virgin America, U.S. Airways, Southwest, Spirit and JetBlue all issued waivers that allow travelers to change flights without a penalty. The air travel headache started over the weekend, with thousands of flights canceled Sunday, many of them in and out of Chicago. In preparation for the storm, Amtrak said it plans to adjust its schedule based on the weather. "With extreme conditions expected in some areas during the next 24 to 36 hours, crews are actively monitoring the latest forecasts and planning for the possibility that service adjustments may be necessary," it said Sunday. There may be changes to Acela Express and Northeast Regional services, Amtrak said. It urged Monday travelers to monitor schedules. "We will re-evaluate service as conditions warrant," the rail service said. Along with Boston and Chicago, the cities of Detroit, Omaha, and the Ohio cities of Akron, Toledo and Cleveland canceled public school Monday, but New York City schools will remain open. CNN's Joe Sutton and Brian Todd contributed to this report. | Authorities say at least 10 people have died because of the storm .
Boston postpones Patriots' Super Bowl parade .
Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter . |
182,496 | 78524d402e465d4a4f108530be3a42592e12927e | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 10:22 EST, 20 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:32 EST, 20 February 2013 . Another 464 jobs face the axe at failed music chain HMV after administrators announced the closure of a further 37 stores. Deloitte said the stores would close over the next four to six weeks and would probably lead to all affected staff being made redundant, although it would try to relocate employees to other stores where possible. The blow will leave around 116 stores in the HMV chain, after Deloitte said 66 stores would close earlier this month, affecting nearly 1,000 staff. Cuts: Once-mighty retail chain HMV will close a further 37 stores over the next six weeks, leaving nearly 500 staff without jobs. It is the second major round of store closures . The store closures come after 60 staff were let go by Deloitte across HMV’s head office network at Eastcastle Street in London, Marlow and Solihull nearly two weeks ago - including former HMV boss Trevor Moore. Around 190 jobs had previously been cut by Deloitte in the chain’s head offices and distribution centres. Nick Edwards, joint administrator at Deloitte, said the decision to shut the stores was made to 'enhance the prospects of the restructured business continuing as a going concern'. HMV chief executive Trevor Moore was made redundant just weeks after saying he was 'convinced' the chain's future could be secured . He added: 'We are extremely grateful to the staff for their continued strong support and commitment during an understandably difficult period. 'All other key stakeholders including suppliers and landlords remain supportive and we appreciate their ongoing assistance.' HMV collapsed into administration last month, but Deloitte said last week that sale discussions were 'progressing' as it also announced it had secured stock from most of its suppliers that will see it continue to sell the latest blockbusters and music releases. It said trading agreements had been put in place so stock could be replenished and it will be able to sell new hits, including the latest James Bond film Skyfall. Restructuring firm Hilco - the group behind HMV Canada - has already bought the company’s debt in a move that has raised hopes of a rescue deal. HMV had more than 220 stores and 4,120 staff when it hit the wall in January after failing to keep pace with internet rivals and supermarkets, whose scale has enabled them to offer CDs and DVDs at cheaper prices. Earlier this month HMV boss Trevor Moore was one of 60 staff let go by administrators Deloitte across HMV's head office network at Eastcastle Street in London, Marlow and Solihull. HMV struggled to keep pacewith online retailers and supermarkets . Historic carpet maker Axminster is to go into administration in a move putting 400 jobs at risk. The Devon-based company, which dates . back 250 years, said the decision will provide the company and its . creditors with time to explore various rescue options. Director Joshua Dutfield said: . 'Trading has been difficult and the management has been working with key . suppliers, creditors and the lenders in an attempt to resolve the . company’s financial difficulties. 'We continue to be committed to . working to achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned and most . importantly the staff and suppliers.' Ashford, Basildon, Bolton, Cheltenham, East Kilbride, Enfield, Folkestone, Glasgow Argyle, Gloucester, Grimsby, Hatfield Galleria, Heathrow T5 Departure Level, Heathrow Terminal 1, Heathrow Terminal 3, Heathrow Terminal 4, Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe, Isle of Wight, Lancaster, Leadenhall, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Newbury, Newcastle Silverlink, Newport, Nuneaton, Redditch, Salisbury, Scarborough, Southport, Stafford, Staines, Stockport, Swindon, Taunton and Torquay . | Retail chain has now nearly halved its store numbers .
More than 1,600 staff have lost their jobs since January .
Administrators say immediate future of chain has been secured .
Historic carpet maker Axminster also facing administration .
The move will put 400 jobs at risk . |
7,137 | 143617fe0658a983ae839213a1db20c340ca33ca | Tossing pancakes on Sunday mornings helps David Cameron forget about the pressure of running the country. The Prime Minister said it is hard to ‘think too much about politics if you’re in danger of burning the pancakes’. He also revealed how he relies on a large entourage to do his job, is only allowed to listen to Bruce Springsteen if wife Samantha is away and suggested Wayne Rooney’s jitters at Manchester United developed after sitting next his mother, Mary, at a lunch. Scroll down for video . Foodie: David Cameron, pictured with a frying pan in 2006, revealed his love of making pancakes with his children . Music man: The PM, who visited a youth club in Wigan, revealed his music choices include Mumford & Sons and First Aid Kit . Mr Cameron has been plagued by allegations of ‘chillaxing’ when he should be running the country, from playing tennis at Chequers to becoming addicted to games on his iPad. Today he lifted the lid on another ritual in the Cameron household, this time rushing to escape burning political debate in the heat of the kitchen. Take part in a radio station Q&A session, he said his ‘perfect weekend’ is spent with his family in his West Oxfordshire constieuncy of Witney. He told Capital FM: ‘I love Sunday morning’s cooking pancakes with the children, it’s pretty messy but I love doing things like that. ‘I’ve got a nine-year-old, seven-year-old and a soon to be three-year-old, and doing things with them at the weekend is actually a great way of switching off. ‘It’s difficult to think too much about politics if you’re in danger of burning the pancakes.’ The admission immediately drew comparisons with Alfred the Great, who legend has it burnt cakes he was supposed to be watching in the home of a peasant woman in Somerset. Boss ban: The Prime Minister revealed he could only listen to Bruce Springsteen when wife Samantha was away because she ‘doesn’t like The Boss' The great mystery surrounding who advised Wayne Rooney to consider leaving Manchester United may have been solved - David Cameron's mum. The Prime Minister revealed how his mother sat next to the England striker at a lunch before Andy Murray's Wimbledon triumph last month. Mr Cameron was next to US golf champion Justin Rose, and was unable to hear what Rooney was discussing with Mrs Cameron. 'My mum sat next to Wayne Rooney and I was trying to listen in to that, because my mum she was a Magistrate for 40 years in Newbury, she’s not a big football fan. 'But, they seemed to be getting on fine, but I don’t know what advice she gave, maybe this is what set all this off.' Rooney trained with the reserves at Manchester United this morning. The England striker is determined to leave the Barclays Premier League for Premier League rivals Chelsea. In another insight into his private life, Mr Cameron revealed his musical ‘guilt pleasure’ was listening to Bruce Springsteen. Mrs Cameron ‘doesn’t like The Boss’ so he can only listen to him when she is away. In 1985 he queued for hours to see Springsteen in France in ‘one of those concerts that went on for four hours. ‘That was my guilty pleasure. I queued for hours and I was right at the front and I just thought he was fantastic. ‘So, when Samantha is not around there is a little bit of Dancing in the Dark or something like that, or, Born in the USA, so that is my guilty…but actually I like his stuff like Nebraska and all the rather grim dark stuffy, so that is my guilty pleasure I suppose.’ The PM was challenged over the cost of . childcare, and how he has it easy compared to most working parents . juggling his job with family life. He admitted: ‘You’re completely right, . of course I have a busy life but I’ve got hundreds of people working . for me, arranging everything, you know, so I can concentrate on the job . in hand. ‘And, I know as a dad how difficult it . is in the holiday times trying to keep your children entertained and . also work at the same time, it’s incredibly difficult.’ Like all politicians desperate to . appeal for the youth vote, Mr Cameron was also at pains to burnish his . musical credentials, boasting of listening to Mumford and Sons, First . Aid Kit and Kurt Vile. Speaking on XFM he said he listens to most music on Spotify, but quickly insisted he pays the subscription service. ‘They’re having to work very hard all . these pop stars these days, because of Spotify and everything else there . are many more live appearances, many more festivals, it’s back to the . days of the wandering minstrel they’re having to really earn their . keep.’ Tour: Mr Cameron has spent the week visiting towns and cities across the country, including taking part in a game of table football during a visit to the Wigan Youth Zone boys and girls club . Mr Cameron later claimed he was ‘too busy getting on with the job to think’ about his legacy as Prime Minister. ‘What I want to do is get the country going in the right direction, get the deficit paid down, get the economy moving, get unemployment falling, get jobs for people. ‘But, I think as important as those sort of economic things is a sense of values, I think the most important thing is for people to feel that in Britain if you work hard and do the right thing you can succeed, you can get on, you can make something of your life.’ | It's hard to think about politics while concentrating on cooking breakfast .
Admits to having an outargue to help with being a dad and running country .
Confesses to 'guilty pleasure' of listening to Bruce Springsteen .
But wife Samantha 'doesn't like The Boss' and bans him from being played .
PM's mother Mary gave advice to Wayne Rooney at a Wimbledon lunch . |
165,092 | 617ae299d38773317b80c0b572fa9280eabb1b63 | A Young female British journalist has been subjected to a horrific sexual assault by hundreds of men while covering the Egyptian elections. Natasha Smith feared for her life as she was stripped and violently attacked by a mob of ‘animals’ who ‘tossed me around like fresh meat’ in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. She managed to escape only after putting on a burka and pretending to be the wife of a local man who smuggled her to safety. Miss Smith, 21, eventually ended up in the British Embassy and has now returned to her family home in Weymouth, Dorset. The attack happened on Sunday as crowds celebrated the announcement that Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood had won the vote to become Egypt’s first elected president. Scroll down to watch interview . Assaulted: Natasha Smith has written about her horrific ordeal in Tahrir Square on her blog . It capped a tense few weeks when there had been fears of a military coup. Miss Smith, who is studying for an MA in international journalism at . Falmouth College, Cornwall, was making a documentary on women’s rights. Her CV says she was working for a ‘multimedia publication’ Fair . Observer, which specialises in international relations. She is due to begin work next month as a researcher for Channel 4’s documentary series Unreported World. Hers is . not the first case of an attack on Western female journalists covering . the uprising in Egypt. In February 2011 CBS chief foreign correspondent . Lara Logan was set upon by 200 men in Tahrir Square while covering the . resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak. US-Egyptian . journalist Mona Eltahawy suffered a brutal sexual and physical assault . inside Cairo’s interior ministry last November, the same month a French . journalist said she had been beaten and sexually assaulted while . covering the protests. Here, in extracts from her blog, Natasha Smith describes in terrifying detail what happened. By natasha smith . The atmosphere was one of jubilation, . excitement, and happiness as I walked, accompanied by two male . companions for safety, along Kasr El Nil bridge. Women, children and fathers smiled, waved, and cheered happily at my video camera. Fireworks lit up the sky. As . I reached the end of the bridge, I noticed the crowd became thicker, . and decided immediately to turn around to avoid Tahrir Square. My . friends and I tried to leave. I tried to put my camera back in my . rucksack. But in a split second, everything . changed. Suddenly, something shifted. I found myself being dragged from . my male friends, groped all over, with increasing force and aggression. I . screamed. I could see what was happening and I saw that I was powerless . to stop it. Rammed: Crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square, a focus point for the Arab Spring, where the attack happened . My friend Callum did everything he . could to hold on to me. But it was no use. Hundreds of men were dragging . me away, kicking and screaming.My camera was snatched from my grasp. My rucksack was torn from my back – it was so crowded that I didn’t even feel it. Men began to rip off my clothes. I . was stripped naked. Their insatiable appetite to hurt me heightened. These men, hundreds of them, had turned from humans to animals. Hundreds of men pulled my limbs apart . and threw me around. They were scratching and clenching my breasts and . forcing their fingers inside me in every possible way. So many men. All I could see was . leering faces, more and more faces sneering and jeering as I was tossed . around like fresh meat among starving lions. Natasha managed to escape after putting on a burka and pretending to be the wife of a local man . A small minority of men, just a . couple at first, tried to protect me and guide me to a tent. The tent . was crushed, its contents scattered all over the ground. I was tossed . around once more, being violated every second. I was dragged naked across the dirty ground. Men pulled my blonde hair – a beacon of my alien identity. The men trying to protect me tried to . guide me into another tent. I was able to scramble on to the ground. I . sat with my back against a chair and surveyed the surging mob. Although a few men tried to form a . human shield around me, offering me rags to cover my bruised body, men . were still able to touch me. There were just too many. I gazed around at the bared teeth and . raging eyes. I was struggling to breathe. One man lifted a tent pole . and attempted to strike me with it. At this point, I said aloud to . myself, calmly, over and over: ‘Please God. Please make it stop. Please . God. Please make it stop.’ I’m not religious. But at times of . desperation, we all feel compelled to appeal to some higher power to . save us. It’s human nature. I began to think: ‘Maybe this is just . it. Maybe this is how I go, how I die. I hope it’s quick. I hope I die . before they rape me.’ I looked up and saw a couple of women in burkas scattered around. They looked at me blankly, then looked away. After five to ten minutes, my friend . managed to convince people inside a medical tent to form a pathway . through the crowd to guide me into the tent. During transit I was mauled . and invaded. I reached the tent and saw my friend . Callum. Muslim women surrounded me and frantically tried to cover my . naked body. I fell to the ground and apparently temporarily lost . consciousness. Mixed: Tahrir Square was a scene of celebration, but also of a horror, as Natasha Smith was assaulted . Brutal: Smith was attacked as thousands celebrated the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate as the new president . The women told me the attack was . motivated by rumours spread by trouble-making thugs that I was a foreign . spy, following a national advertising campaign warning of the dangers . of foreigners. But if that was the cause, it was only really used as a pretext, an excuse, to molest and violate a blonde, young Western girl. The men outside remained thirsty for . blood; their prey had been cruelly snatched from their grasp. They . peered in, so I had to duck down and hide. They attempted to attack the . tent, and those inside began making a barricade out of chairs. Women were crying and telling me: ‘This is not Egypt! This is not Islam! Please, please do not think this is what Egypt is!’ Accidental leader: Mohammed Morsi waves to the crowd during a presidential campaign rally . I reassured them that I knew that was . the case. This vicious act was not representative of the place I had . come to know and love. After much heated debate, it was . decided that Callum and I would leave separately to avoid attracting . attention. I was disguised in a burka and men’s clothes and ordered to . hold the hand of an Egyptian stranger who would pretend to be my . husband. Attacked: CBS reporter Lara Logan moments before she was assaulted in February 2011 . I was terrified but I could see it . was the only way out. He pulled me through the crowds out of the back of . the tent. He told me: ‘Don’t cry. Do not cry. Look normal.’ I was barefoot, dodging broken glass . and debris, trawling through mud and dirt. My inner reserves of strength . kicked in, and I stopped crying and just thought: ‘Keep calm and carry . on.’ The man sat me down by the side of . the road, still ordering me not to cry. Eventually, his friends turned . up, with Callum. They explained that they couldn’t take us to hospital . since they might be arrested if they were seen with us. Callum and I went on our way. We . eventually hailed a taxi. Upon reaching a government hospital down town, . we tried to explain the situation. I was eventually ushered into a small . cubicle. Two men asked: ‘Are you pregnant? Married? A virgin?’ They . seemed displeased by my response of ‘no’. I was refused examination and treatment. Eventually I decided I’d just have to check for damage myself. I went to the bathroom and couldn’t . believe the reflection. I was dirty, wounded, with hair like a tramp and . eyes wide with shock. Finally, I was taken home by my . friends, and put to bed. I didn’t want to tell my family right away, as I . knew it would destroy them. Yesterday [Monday], I had a proper . examination and darted around sorting things out, spending an eternity . giving a police report. During the examination, which was . carried out by a woman, I was crying and shaking. To have someone touch . me so soon after the event was terrifying. Broken and battered: Mona Tahawy was brutally assaulted last year . Later, I couldn’t bear to be around . groups of Egyptian men. And when it got dark, I panicked, and couldn’t . bear to look any man in the eye. I clung to Callum all day. As we drove around Cairo, I couldn’t . help but think: ‘Of all the people we’ve driven past today, one of them . must have been in that crowd of hundreds last night.’ I am determined to continue with my . documentary at some point. [It] will be fuelled by my passion to help . make people aware of just how serious this issue is, and that it’s not . just a passing news story that briefly gets people’s attention then is . forgotten. This is a consistent trend and it has to stop. Arab women, Western women – there are so many sufferers. One of the worst things two nights . ago was that I had never felt so powerless. I had no control and I was . violated. But now I can take control and rebuild my confidence. | Natasha Smith attacked by a 'group of animals' who stripped her naked .
Only escaped after she was handed a burka and men's clothes .
'I was tossed around like fresh meat among starving lions' |
252,230 | d272145d6ba840e4709dcb213609910c50523191 | Despite repeated police efforts to disperse them, thousands held a sit-in for a third consecutive night in the city's main commercial district to protest a government-backed shopping center project. Police deployed tear gas earlier Thursday at Taksim Gezi Park. They also removed tents and sleeping bags used by protesters, who are trying to prevent bulldozers from entering the park to take down trees. Demonstrators disapprove of plans to rebuild old Ottoman barracks and create a shopping arcade. They are organizing over Facebook and Twitter and by Thursday night the number of people in the park was in the thousands. Their protest has turned into an informal referendum on recent Turkish government policies. "I saw it on TV last night, saw that there were people, young people taking ownership of the environment. I wanted to support them, because I think not supporting them is inhumane," said Adalet Makar, a retired banker who spent Wednesday night at the park in her sleeping bag. The demonstration has grown in number since late Monday. Public outcry over the proposed project, as well as two police interventions against the demonstrators with tear gas, has drawn more people to the park. "Gas, gas, gas, it is the only way they deal with problems," said Esen Tuna, a 21-year-old architectural student. Turkish police routinely use tear gas and water cannons to break up demonstrations. The government led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made it clear that it will go ahead with the planned project. "They can do whatever they want. We've made our decision and we will do as we have decided," said Erdogan on Wednesday, according to the semi-official Anadolu Agency. Erdogan said that the rebuilding of the Ottoman barracks was a matter of having "respect for history." Critics disagree, arguing that the project is a way for making profit from the sale of valuable real estate in Istanbul's main commercial district. "This cannot be explained by saying this is historical conservation, It is not that, it is about money," said Ece Demirel, an activist with the Urban Movement Forum, an organization that tracks development projects across Turkey. The government's other controversial policies have also come under fire. Erdogan's policy on Syria, which many in Turkey blame for a twin car blast that killed at least 52, as well as a new law that would prohibit vendors from selling liquor from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., are part of the sit-in at Taksim Gezi Park. Demonstrators have chanted, "this is only the beginning, our struggle will continue." Many at the park said they believe this may be the beginning of a turning point in Turkey. "This is an uprising, a protest against the increasing bans," said Michelle Demishevich, an activist and member of Turkey's Green Party. "Perhaps just like we saw the Arab Spring, this will be the Turkish Spring." | Demonstrators oppose shopping center in Istanbul .
Protesters try to block bulldozers in park .
Turkish government vows to go forward with project . |
250,115 | cfae4b6d2e1c50863e2e11654786602577de1890 | BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- They were crimes born of the Internet age -- romantic solicitations on popular Web site Craigslist that police say led to the fatal shooting of one woman and the robbery of another in Boston hotels this past spring. Internet forensic expert Mark Rasch used high-tech sleuthing to help police in Boston's Craigslist crimes. And it was high-tech, 21st-century sleuthing, along with some old-fashioned gumshoe detective work, that put police on the trail toward a suspect and eventually an arrest. On CNN's "AC 360" Randi Kaye recently took a behind-the-scenes look at how technology was used to lead police to 23-year-old medical student Philip Markoff, who has been indicted on seven counts, including first-degree murder. Prosecutors said Julissa Brisman, a model from New York who advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist, was shot three times at close range and suffered blunt head trauma at the Marriott Copley Place hotel on April 14. And a 29-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, woman was robbed of $800 in cash and $250 in American Express gift cards at the Westin Copley Place hotel, police reports said. Read the AC360 blog post . Investigators knew they had crimes born of the Internet on their hands, but how were they able to use that same technology to help them find a suspect who went to great lengths to hide his tracks? "The figures involved communicated with each other [via] text and e-mail, and they only met at the very last minute," said special correspondent Maureen Orth, who investigated the story for Vanity Fair magazine. "And then the way the police were able to solve the crime was going back, using the clicks and the Internet addresses." In Brisman's case, police knew she had communicated on Craigslist with a person calling himself "Andy." Mark Rasch once headed the computer crimes unit at the U.S. Department of Justice. Now an Internet forensic expert, he helped Boston police track the alleged killer. "The first thing you start with was the e-mail address. In this case, it's an e-mail address from Live.com, which is Microsoft," Rasch explained to CNN's Kaye. Watch Randi Kaye's full report » . Rasch showed Kaye the tracer program he used to help follow the e-mails from "Andy." "Trace Back does what it says -- traces the route that the e-mail took on its way from its origin to the destination," Rasch said. Rasch says police got the Internet protocol address for the e-mailer's computer. From there, investigators tracked down the company providing Internet service to the suspect, which told them that the subscriber lived in a Quincy apartment building, outside Boston. Even though police had what they believed was the killer's real name and home address, that still was not enough, Kaye reports. "They have to validate and actually get this guy's fingers on the keyboard," Rasch said. "So in the end, they reverted to the old gumshoe thing of a stakeout." Police zeroed in on Markoff. They'd seen a tall, blond male they believed was the killer on the hotel surveillance cameras. And they did what many people do on a daily basis -- they Googled him. Police learned their prime suspect was a medical student at Boston University. He was engaged to be married. Again, the Internet helped. They got a better look at him through pictures with his fiancee online. It's a piece of a digital trail criminals rarely think about, Kaye reported. "As one of the law enforcement people told me, if you can see it, they can see it," Orth said. Markoff's cyber footprint was growing more clear to authorities every day. On April 20, six days after Brisman's slaying, detectives arrested him. They said he was carrying on him a New York driver's license with a photo of someone named Andrew or Andy Miller. Police say Markoff used that driver's license to purchase the gun that killed Brisman and that his fingerprints were on the paperwork. In June, Markoff pleaded not guilty to Brisman's death and the other charges against him. He remains in jail. CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this report. | Internet expert: Craigslist slaying suspect left a trail of clues behind in cyberspace .
Mark Rasch says he used a tracer program on e-mail sent to slaying victim .
Boston investigators even used a Google search to help track down suspect .
Philip Markoff, a medical student, pleaded not guilty in death of Julissa Brisman . |
121,905 | 2996f14cce315927e67ca1620ee21881eac59ba8 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 09:41 EST, 15 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:12 EST, 15 May 2013 . British doctors have helped a 12-year-old Ghanaian girl with a rare leg deformity to walk again. The doctors carried out two ground breaking operations during which they had to break both her legs in three places. Gloria Abeka, from Accra, will spend more than eight months in the UK recovering from the operations to correct her bowed legs, which also involved pinning them with 22 screws. Gloria Abeka, 12, has Blount's disease which caused her legs to bend inwards below the knee meaning she struggled to walk and could not play with her friends . She is now able to sit and stand and she will soon be able to walk and play with friends for the first time. She said the doctors who helped her have changed her life. Gloria suffered a rare bone disease called Blount's and had grown accustomed to pain and disfigurement. The condition - a severe growth disorder which caused both her legs to bend and twist inwards below the knees - left Gloria dependent upon crutches and a wheelchair, unable to play with friends or sit in comfort. Blount's disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone that causes the lower leg to angle inward. It occurs in children and the cause is unknown but it is thought to be due to the effect of weight on growing bone which prevents the inner part of the tibia from developing normally. Gloria met consultant anaesthetist Keith Thomson when he was in West Africa with the charity Mercy Ships - he offered to find a British doctor who could treat her. Images show X-rays of her leg before and after surgery . The condition is progressive and is most common among children of African ancestry. Glora met Basingstoke-based consultant anaesthetist Keith Thomson last August during one of his regular visits to Africa with the charity organisation Mercy Ships, which provides free medical care and treatment to poor people in West Africa. The youngster's plight inspired Mr Thomson to launch a UK-wide email hunt for a surgeon who might be able to help, which led him to Vel Sakthivel, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Southampton Children's Hospital, who specialises in complex knee problems. Gloria and her mother Mercy Yeboah, 54, were flown over to meet Mr Sakthivel last August. Vel Sakthivel, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Southampton Children's Hospital, broke each of her legs in three places and used 22 screws to reshape them. Gloria is pictured with her mother, Mercy Yeboah . He assessed her and agreed to perform two ground breaking operations to extend both shin bones to allow her to stand up straight. ‘I have seen children with this condition to a much smaller degree in the past but the severity really was the worst I have seen so far - an extreme case,’ he said. Mr Sakthivel, and his anaesthetist Andy Wilkins, invited Gloria back to undergo a radical procedure which involved breaking her right leg in three places, known as a triple tibial osteotomy, to correct the distorted shin bone with a graft, three metal plates and 11 screws. Gloria can now stand and sit down with straight legs and will soon be able to run and play with her friends . After spending three months with family and friends in Slough, Berkshire, recuperating and undergoing intensive physiotherapy, Gloria made good progress and returned to Southampton in March for the same procedure on the other leg. Mr Sakthivel said: ‘This sort of extensive surgery is very rarely required in the western world and, to my knowledge, has not been reported in the UK before. It was an extreme case that required something very different if we were to have any hope of success.’ He added: ‘Much credit must also go to Mr Adrian Wilson, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Basingstoke Hospital, and paediatric physiotherapist Bev Pinnick for their help in arranging an excellent and much-needed specialist physiotherapy programme.’ Although still in the process of regaining strength and movement, Gloria is now able to sit and stand with straight legs. ‘I am so, so happy,’ she said. ‘I have spent my whole life with very bowed legs and have never been able to join in games with my friends, feel normal or be without pain. ‘My mother calls my surgeon Mr Sakthivel “the magician” because she says he worked a true miracle on me.’ Gloria, who is hoping to return home with her mother in the next three months, added: ‘I cannot thank him and Dr Thomson enough for what they have done for me - they have changed my life.’ | Gloria Abeka has Blount's disease which caused her legs to bend inwards .
She was dependent on a wheelchair and could not play with her friends .
Met a British doctor who was visiting Ghana as part of a charity mission .
He searched for a doctor in the UK who could treat her .
Vel Sakthivel, a surgeon at Southampton Children's Hospital, offered to help .
Broke each of her legs in three places and used 22 screws to reshape them .
Is now able to sit and stand with straight legs and will soon be able to run . |
272,121 | ec7829750f50480851a234d508d5a54ceda70c87 | Hadley, Massachusetts (CNN)When my son was born, I picked the name Alexander because the baby names book said it meant "Leader of Men," and I was sure he was destined for greatness. Here's how I pictured it: He would be very smart, win awards, go to a prestigious university and maybe even be famous. At 5 months old, he still cried constantly, couldn't eat or sleep and wasn't really developing. And a heart condition was detected. His pediatrician suggested we have a geneticist look at him. It might be Williams syndrome, he said. I didn't know enough to be frightened, until I went to the hospital library where I worked and looked up the definition. Of the 25 things that could accompany Williams syndrome, seeing the words "mental retardation" shattered me the most. I pictured someone on the short school bus, rocking back and forth in the seat, watching the world through glass but not being allowed to be part of it. Nope. That would not be our fate. We would beat Williams syndrome, just the two of us if we had to. I quit my job, took Alex to therapy twice a day. His older stepbrother, Kush, and I worked with him at home when he wasn't in therapy. As the years went by, Alex made progress, but at what cost? I became isolated and depressed. The other parents in our neighborhood made friends while their kids played together on the playground, but Alex couldn't walk or climb unattended. I wasn't about to let him sit in the wood chips by himself. We had work to do. With each evaluation, more deficits were revealed. Every time, I asked what I could do to help my son. The professionals patted me on the head and told me to accept his limitations. I dreamed of a place for Alex and I where there was laughter and happiness, where other parents who shared similar experiences could come together. I didn't want to choose between having friends and helping my son. I needed both. By the time Alex was 4, I was a single parent. With my three sons, I moved from Philadelphia to Amherst, Massachusetts, where the schools included kids with special needs in their regular classrooms. One by one, I met parents who were like me. One father would become my future husband. We noticed that even though our kids were technically included in school, it wasn't true inclusion. They were invited in, but they didn't have the skills to participate. They were often standing on the sidelines watching because they couldn't keep up or understand the rules. I shared my dream with my friends, and together we embarked on a journey to create a welcoming place where our kids would be understood and celebrated. In 2004, we opened Whole Children, a nonprofit where kids, teens and adults with disabilities can learn valuable skills to help them fully engage in the world around them. Instead of assuming every individual who walks through the door can follow complex directions, we support them as they are and teach them skills they need to be meaningfully included in their schools and communities. The first year, we ran eight classes and served 26 families. Ten years later, we have around 75 classes a year, and we have grown to a community of 800 families. We laugh -- a lot. Our children have taught us not to be afraid of mistakes, so we've become fearless in our willingness to try. We frequently fail, which is the secret of our success. We understand, and are helping our communities understand, how much these unique and incredible children will grow up and enrich our community. It does not weaken us to make the effort to understand and include those who are different. It strengthens all of us. Alex is now 18. He does ride a smaller bus to school, and he does rock. We didn't beat Williams syndrome because he still has it, but at some point, that goal just became irrelevant. Alex is Alex. He is an accomplished musician who aspires to be a DJ. He is in his high school musical, has had starring roles in Whole Children's theater productions (everyone who wants a starring role gets one) and studies voice through a program at the University of Massachusetts. He recently gave a talk to a group of delegates from Azerbaijan who came to the United States to learn ways to improve their educational services for people with disabilities. He made such an impression on them that when I traveled to Azerbaijan with a group of professionals to support their work, a delegate said, "Alex is known all over Azerbaijan." So in a way, he did become famous. | Carrie McGee's son Alex was diagnosed with Williams syndrome at 5 months old .
Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities .
McGee quit her job as a hospital executive to care for her son . |
19,297 | 369c1b274ad90544e742d60ee12e71971c21c631 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:35 EST, 28 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 28 January 2014 . A photographer has put together a series of portraits - all taken the moment after he has kissed his subjects. Jedediah Johnson pictures the women and men smeared in lipstick after the interaction, with reactions ranging from shocked to bemused to some even seemingly yearning for more. The 34-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, got the idea for what he calls 'The Makeout Project' after taking a personality test which said he liked to collect mementos of meeting people. Perplexed? Photographer Jedediah Johnson has kissed more than 100 people before taking their portrait - resulting in some very different reactions . Very close friends: Most of the people involved in Jedediah's 'Makeout Project' are friends of his . Smile! Other participants appear on the verge of laughter as their picture is taken . He said: 'I once took a personality test that I felt was very accurate. It said that people with my specific personality type like to collect people and experiences. 'That's what the Makeout Project is all about, my interaction with people and a shared experience between me and my subjects. 'Specifically, in the Makeout project I put on lipstick and kiss people. Then I photograph them.' Ready for my close-up: The subjects have nowhere to hide with these close-up shots . Young and older: Jedediah's subjects included both men and women of all ages . State of shock: Other subjects just appeared surprised or dazed in the aftermath of the kiss . Jedediah daubs thick red lipstick on his own lips before carrying out the kiss. His arm appears in each frame tenderly holding the model's neck. So far he has kissed more than hundred people - the subjects are mostly people Johnson knows and, in one instance, a cheerful-looking baby belonging to a friend. Johnson told DNAinfo.com: 'My subjects are all aware of what I'm going to do ahead of time, but in the moment of the kiss anything can happen.' The Makeout Project is being exhibited at the Art Museo at the InterContinental Chicago O'Hare until 15 April 2014. Special memories: Jedediah got the idea for the unusual picture project after completely a personality quiz which suggested he liked collecting mementos of people . Pucker up: Some participants appeared to have received more than one kiss . Surprising: Jedediah said anything can happen in the moment of the kiss . Self portrait: Jedediah Johnson takes a picture of himself - minus the lipstick . | Jedediah Johnson, 34, has kissed more than 100 people for his 'Makeout Project' - including women, some men and even a baby .
The reactions appear mixed, from surprise and shock to laughter .
He concocted the idea after taking a personality test which said he liked to collect mementos of meeting people . |
100,845 | 0df240622a6ece71c8ece4d68d984062c778cf0c | (CNN) -- CNN explores Beijing's underground music scene and the bands making the rest of the world sit up and listen. | Buyi is one of the bands breaking through the Beijing music scene .
In the last ten years the number of garage bands in China has exploded .
The internet and social software has helped create a vibrant underground scene . |
81,408 | e6a7397b789f67068342cd9f6be8e44607cedfa3 | Health officials in Ohio are monitoring more than 100 people following the visit by a Dallas nurse who tested positive for Ebola shortly after returning to Texas from the Cleveland area. Officials stressed Saturday that none of those being monitored are sick. State officials had announced on Friday that 16 people Amber Vinson had contact with were being monitored. Officials say the sharp increase is a result of the identification of airline passengers who flew with Vinson between Dallas and Cleveland and the identification of people who also visited the dress shop where her bridesmaids were trying on dresses. Vinson's stepfather remains quarantined in his home in the Akron suburb of Tallmadge - where Vinson stayed during her trip - and is the only person in the state under such restrictions. Scroll down for video . Amber Vinson, 29, is feared to have been exhibiting Ebola symptoms as early as Friday October 10 before she took her flight out of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to Cleveland, Ohio, and then back. Over 100 people in Ohio are now under observation for the virus . The Frontier Airlines plane that Amber Vinson flew from Cleveland to Dallas on Monday, flies out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Wednesday. It emerged today that Miss Vinson may have been showing symptoms on her inbound flight to Cleveland . Police have taped off a home in Tallmadge, Ohio which belongs to the mother of Ebola patient Amber Vinson . Getting serious: The new Texas Department of State Health Services document that healthcare workers with possible exposure to Ebola are being asked to sign in the wake of the Amber Vinson containment issue . This Friday, October 17, 2014, in Dallas, photographs shows an excerpt from a Texas Department of State Health Services document that healthcare workers with possible exposure to Ebola are being asked to sign . Official: The document is signed by David L. Lakey, M.D., Commissioner, TDSHS . Passengers aboard two flights that Ms Vinson took have been told to monitor themselves for signs of the deadly virus for 21 days over fears that Ms Vinson was contagious both when she flew from Dallas to Cleveland on October 10 and when she returned to Texas on Monday. The plane that Ms Vinson was in made five flights loaded with passengers before the CDC notified Frontier that she may have been contagious. The airline is now trying to contact its passengers who flew on plane number N220FR, an Airbus A320, before it was removed from service. The plane made flights to Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and back to Cleveland. WKYC-TV reports that more than 800 passengers are affected by the notice. Passengers who were on the October 10 Frontier Flight 1142 from Dallas/Fort Worth to Cleveland and passengers on Monday's Flight 1143 from Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth have been asked to call the CDC and monitor themselves for symptoms. The passengers on the other flight are not thought to be at risk for the disease, but Frontier is notifying them anyway. Those flights are: . Coming Attractions bridal store in Cleveland Ohio. The store voluntarily shut after Miss Vinson went to the store with five of her friends . A view of some of the offerings inside Coming Attractions, where Miss Vinson went bridesmaid shopping last weekend . Despite the widening crisis, health officials have stressed that the risk to everyone - the passengers aboard Ms Vinson's plane, the people she came in contact with in Ohio and especially those who flew on her plane on later flights - is minimal. Officials also stressed that none of the people being monitored have contracted the virus. CDC Dr Chris Braden revealed during a press briefing on Thursday: 'We had started to look at the possibility that she had symptoms going back as far as Saturday. 'This has to do with the bridal shop. Some more information that has come through recently says we can't rule out that she might have had the start of her symptoms on Friday.' Seven people in Cleveland and Akron have put themselves in voluntary quarantine after coming into contact with Miss Vinson, including five friends whom she shopped with for bridesmaid dresses at bridal store, Coming Attractions, in Cleveland. The news has prompted high schools and medical centers in Ohio to send home staff and students amid fears that they could have come into contact with the nurse. Miss Vinson remained in her home for the three days she was in Cleveland, except for one trip to a bridal store with friends - but authorities are pressing her further on her movements. The store's owners have voluntarily closed while CDC officials investigate the level of risk. The owner of the store told Newsnet5 that Miss Vinson didn't seem sick when she visited to pick out dresses. The 29-year-old is now being treated at Emory in Atlanta, Georgia where she was described as being in a stable condition. Co-workers help a hazmat worker disrobe on Thursday after coming out of The Village Bend East apartment where a second healthcare worker who has tested positive for the Ebola virus resides in Dallas . A timeline of Ebola patient's Thomas Duncan and the two nurses, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson who contracted the virus while caring for him . Miss Vinson was taken by chartered plane from Dallas to Atlanta Wednesday night, where she is currently being treated at Emory University Hospital . She was airlifted from Dallas, Texas on Wednesday evening on a specialized plane with quarantine unit, along with medical staff in hazmat suits. Miss Vinson was one of the nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital to treat Duncan when he was admitted a second time on September 28, in the first 'high-risk' days when there is a high volume of bodily fluids from projectile vomiting, bleeding and explosive diarrhea. According to CDC guidelines, the nurse should have limited her movements. It is not clear if Miss Vinson called the CDC before boarding her flight from Dallas to Cleveland. One and two: Miss Vinson contracted the disease after treating America's Ebola 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan (left). The 29-year-old bride-to-be was the second nurse who treated Duncan to come down with the virus. The first nurse diagnosed was 26-year-old Nina Pham (right) who was in 'good condition' at Texas Presbyterian Hospital on Thursday . Damage control: Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital is currently monitoring more than 75 health care workers who came into contact with Duncan during his stay. On Wednesday, the hospital announced it would be offering free rooms to these staff members, who may not want to risk infecting their family members . Before her return flight on Monday, the nurse noticed a spike in her temperature and called the CDC several times to see if she should get on the plane. When she finally got through to a CDC representative, she was cleared since her 99.5F fever was beneath the 100.4 threshold. CDC Director Dr Thomas Frieden admits that was the wrong call. Dr Frieden also noted that Miss Vinson had flown to Ohio before the first nurse with Ebola, 26-year-old Nina Pham from Fort Worth, was diagnosed with the virus. Miss Pham was described as being in a 'good condition' today. She is being transferred to a special isolation ward at the National Institutes of Health Hospital in Maryland. | Health officials in Ohio are now monitoring at least 100 people who had contact with Amber Vinson last weekend .
Watch list start with from seven on Thursday and increased to 16 on Friday .
Passengers on both of Ms Vinson's flights from Texas to Ohio and back are being told to contact the CDC for monitoring .
800 more passengers flew on Ms Vinson's plane after she touched down in Dallas with a low-grade fever .
The CDC revealed on Thursday that she may have been contagious for her entire trip to Ohio - as early as Friday October 10 .
Flight 2042 on Tuesday morning from Dallas to Cleveland .
Flight 1104 on Tuesday afternoon from Cleveland to Fort Lauderdale .
Flight 1105 on Tuesday afternoon from Fort Lauderdale to Cleveland .
Flight 1101 on Tuesday night from Cleveland to Atlanta .
Flight 1100 on Tuesday night from Atlanta to Cleveland . |
115,669 | 2145683c62fee948068018c825926fb9c8bd3ad1 | By . By Tim Talley And Brady Mccombs, Associated Press . One man's quest to explain his brother's mysterious jail cell death 19 years ago has rekindled long-dormant questions about whether others were involved in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. What some consider a far-flung conspiracy theory will be at the forefront during a trial set to begin Monday in Salt Lake City. The Freedom of Information Act lawsuit was brought by Salt Lake City attorney Jesse Trentadue against the FBI. He says the agency won't release security camera videos that show a second person was with Timothy McVeigh when he parked a truck outside the Oklahoma City federal building and detonated a bomb, killing 168 people. The government claims McVeigh was alone. Scroll down for video . On a mission: Jesse Trentadue is on a quest to explain his brother's mysterious jail cell death that has rekindled long-dormant questions about whether others were involved in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing . Looking for answers: Kenneth Trentadue was found bruised and stabbed by his family after the FBI said he hanged himself . Unsatisfied by the FBI's previous explanations, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups has ordered the agency to explain why it can't find videos from the bombing that are mentioned in evidence logs, citing the public importance of the tapes. Trentadue believes the presence of a second suspect in the truck explains why his brother, Kenneth Trentadue, was flown to Oklahoma several months after the bombing, where he died in a federal holding cell in what was labeled a suicide. What do they know? The FBI claims Timothy McVeigh was alone when he planted the car bomb that killed 168 in 1995, but some conspiracy theorists believe Trentadue died as part of the agency's investigation into a second man who was on the scene with McVeigh . His brother bore a striking resemblance to the police sketch that officials sent out after the bombing based on witness descriptions of the enigmatic suspect 'John Doe No. 2,' who was the same height, build and complexion. The suspect was never identified. 'I did not start out to solve the Oklahoma City bombing, I started out for justice for my brother's murder,' Jesse Trentadue said. 'But along the way, every path I took, every lead I got, took me to the bombing.' The FBI says it can't find anything to suggest the videos exist, and says it would be 'unreasonably burdensome' to do a search that would take a single staff person more than 18 months to conduct. Jesse Trentadue's belief that the tapes exists stems from a Secret Service document written shortly after the bombing that describes security video footage of the attack that shows suspects - in plural - exiting the truck three minutes before it went off. A Secret Service agent testified in 2004 . that the log does, in fact, exist but that the government knows of no . videotape. The log that the information was pulled from contained . reports that were never verified, said Stacy A. Bauerschmidt, . then-assistant to the special agent in charge of the agency's . intelligence division. Several investigators and prosecutors who worked the case told The Associated Press in 2004 they had never seen video footage like that described in the Secret Service log. The FBI has released 30 video recordings to Trentadue from downtown Oklahoma City, but those recordings don't show the explosion or McVeigh's arrival in a rental truck. If he wins at trial, Trentadue hopes to be able to search for the tapes himself rather than having to accept the FBI's answer that they don't exist. Kathy Sanders and Jannie Coverdale, who both lost grandchildren in the bombing, are grateful for Trentadue's pursuit of the case. Sanders said she's been waiting 19 years to see the tapes. The wreckage of the Alfred P Murrah building burned itself into the national psyche in 19956 but did McVeigh have company when he planted the bomb that did it? Was another man involved? Terry Nichols (left) was sentenced to life in prison for helping McVeigh plot his terrorist act. Michael Fortier, the star witness in the Oklahoma City bombing trials, was released from federal prison in 2006 after serving a sentence for failing to inform authorities of what he knew about the bombing plot . 'It is worth pursuing,' Coverdale said. 'I know there was somebody else. I have never stopped asking questions.' But former Oklahoma Rep. Susan Winchester, whose sister, Dr. Margaret 'Peggy' Clark, was killed in the bombing, said she is satisfied that officials have identified everyone responsible for the bombing. 'I was very comfortable with the decisions that came out of the federal and state trials,' Winchester said. 'I have reached that point in my life where I can continue.' Jesse . Trentadue's mission began four months after the bombing when his brother . died at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons' Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma . City. Kenneth Trentadue, 44, a convicted bank robber and construction . worker, was brought there after being picked up for probation violations . while coming back to the U.S. at the Mexican border, Jesse Trentadue . said. His . death was officially labeled a suicide. But his body had 41 wounds and . bruises that his brother believes were the result of a beating. In 2008, . a federal judge awarded the family $1.1 million in damages for extreme . emotional distress in the government's handling of the death, but the . amount was reduced to $900,000 after an appeal. Jesse . Trentadue's best guess about the motive is that his brother died in an . interrogation gone wrong by investigators demanding information Kenneth . Trentadue didn't have. Jesse Trentadue filed the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in 2008. Taking the feds to court: Now Trentadue is on a mission to reveal the truth about his brother's death and his suing the FBI to get answers . Going toe-to-toe with the federal government has come at a personal price for Jesse Trentadue, 67, who says he's lost time with his children and wife that he can't recover. But he has no regrets, fueled by his love for his brother. Just three years apart, the two shared a bed, hunted coons together and played on the same sports teams growing up in a coal camp in West Virginia. Their paths diverged as adults - Jesse becoming an attorney while Kenneth fell into drugs and crime - but the brotherly bond never broke. Before his death, Kenneth Trentadue had overcome his heroin addiction and had a newborn baby at home in San Diego, Jesse Trentadue said. The brothers spoke by phone from jail the night before his death, with the two discussing how he would soon be out. 'What I learned growing up in the coal fields is that you fight even when you know you can't win,' he said. 'Because you have to make a stand on some things. Justice for my brother is certainly one of them.' | Jesse Trentadue believes his brother Kenneth was arrested by the FBI after the 1995 bombing in the belief he was Timothy McVeigh's accomplice .
Trentadue fit the description of the mysterious John Doe No. 2 and his brother believes he was killed by overzealous interrogators .
Kenneth Trentadue was found dead in a federal holding cell after authorities say he hanged himself .
Trentadue is suing the FBI to try to get them to reveal information he believes they've withheld from the public for nearly 20 years .
The FBI now maintains McVeigh acted alone on the day of the bombing, but had an accomplice in Terry Nichols and confidante in Michael Fortier .
Fortier was jailed for his role in the crime, which authorities say was failing to tell authorities what he knew . |
229,857 | b5a8bd2c1a8b03ce9ef4134381eb0602dfbd894c | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:54 EST, 15 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:45 EST, 15 May 2013 . Britain faces paying an extra £770million to Brussels this year after being outvoted by other members of the European Union. David Cameron had vowed to take the axe to the EU budget for future years and oppose ‘unjustified’ increase demanded for this year. But the UK was outnumbered when finance ministers from across the EU backed a plan to increase the budget by £6.2billion. Finance ministers from across Europe have backed the budget increase for this year . It means governments imposing austerity across will have to find millions more to hand over to Brussels, including £770million for the UK. It is a major setback for Mr Cameron at a time when he is under pressure over his promise to hold an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. The Prime Minister is adamant that he can renegotiate a new deal with Brussels, before putting it to a nationwide vote. But he was unable to stop the new raid on national budgets to plug a shortfall in the EU to settle unpaid bills. It means the UK will pay a total of £14.7 billion this year. Conservative MEP and former European Commission chief accountant Marta Andreasen said yesterday that it ‘made a joke’ of the recent budget agreement and ‘sets a terrible precedent.’ She said: ‘It seems bizarre to me that Germany, renowned for its strict approach to finances now wants to reward EU institutions who throw taxpayers’ cash around like confetti, with an initial 7.3bn euro (£6.1bn) top up and more to come. ‘When the European Commission can snap its fingers at complaint MEPs and finance ministers and instantly obtain vast amounts of cash it sets a terrible precedent…what isn’t funny is the price to be paid by this action. European citizens already suffering harsh austerity, will once more have to pick up the bill.’ UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the result was a 'huge defeat' for David Cameron . The UK government expressed its dismay at the decision to press ahead with the rise. A Treasury spokesman said: ‘When countries and citizens across Europe are having to make difficult decisions with their budgets, Europe itself should practice what it preaches with its own budget," said a Treasury spokesman. ‘This amendment was unjustified, which is why Britain opposed it.’ Only Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Austria backed Britain in trying to oppose the budget rise. But Germany and France withdrew opposition. Nigel Farage, the leader of UKIP, said: ‘What timing, what irony. On the day Cameron is offering a meaningless promise of a referendum, he gets an iron fisted rejection from Brussels. ‘This is another huge defeat for him at EU level, and shows the possibility of EU reform is non-existent. Lets face the facts, the only way is out.’ | Finance ministers from across Europe agree to £6.2billion rise .
UK opposition defeated after France and Germany back increase . |
184,107 | 7a779878f2dc899975d54181a0462d7b37509787 | ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) -- Were nine attractive young Turkish women duped and imprisoned in a villa by Internet soft-core porn peddlers? Or did they simply call in the police to help them break their contract with an Internet contest similar to the reality TV show "Big Brother"? A lawyer for the production company, Istanbul Group Electronic Trade Communications and Advertising A.S., is arguing the latter. In a written statement on the company's Web site, Hilmi Tufan Cakir denied reports published in the Turkish and international media, that nine women were trapped against their will in an Istanbul villa, while cameras sold their images on the Internet. "My client organized a contest with reward money, contracts were signed with the contestant girls," the lawyer's statement said. "In accordance with the contracts signed by the nine girls, this contest was to be broadcast on the Internet live." But on Friday, an officer with a Turkish gendarme unit, told CNN that security forces raided the reality show's villa earlier this week, after they received a complaint. "We detained one person," said the gendarme officer, who asked not to be identified. "There were eight or nine young girls, some younger then 18, who were returned to their families." Turkish television showed footage of gendarme officers raiding the villa and detaining a suspect earlier this week. The disputed Web-site is a page of hot pink graphics and photos of scantily clad young women, accompanied by throbbing dance music and the title, "We Are at Home." It shows video of the villa and its pool, and flashes photos of the nine female "contestants" as well as a list of ratings for viewers, who can vote for their favorite lady via cell phone text message. Audience members were also encouraged to send "virtual gifts" to the contestants, like pink panties, beer, chocolate and a pearl necklace. Each resident of the house had their own introductory video. The women, dressed in mini-skirts and bikinis, pose by the villa's pool, dance around in revealing outfits, and introduce themselves to the camera. In one segment, a hostess named Zeynep Karacan, who wears a long dress with a plunging neck line, reads from cue cards, introduces viewers to the house and its residents, who enter one-by-one waving to the camera and carrying luggage. According to the Web site's rating system, the second most popular contestant was woman from the town of Kocaeli who went by the name "Tugce." Text on the web-page said she was 18-years old, born on September 14th, 1990. But in her on-camera appearance, Tugce tells the audience "I am 16." She wears a purple bikini by the pool and goes on to say "I came here to be discovered. My biggest dream is to be a model." In Turkish press reports, the women said they signed contracts requiring them to pay fines of more then $30,000 if they left the show before it completed filming. This is not the first time scandal has rocked the booming reality TV industry in Turkey. In 2005, a male contestant from the hit show "Would You Be My Bride?" died of an apparent drug overdose after the season wrapped up production. On that show, mothers helped their sons choose a bride. The mother of the young man who killed himself, has since gone on to host another reality match-making TV show. | Police: 8 or 9 young girls, some under 18, were returned to their families .
Turkish television showed footage of gendarme officers raiding the villa .
Women were to take part in a Big Brother-style show on the Internet .
Report: Women signed contracts requiring them to pay fines if they left show . |
192,952 | 85d015295365020e460f94480660343d7ebc7e9d | From one of the world’s greatest fighters who is on a missionary visit to the Far East to a very local lad bearing a grudge in Liverpool, this is the first hectic weekend of boxing’s new winter season. Manny Pacquiao will try to put a potential billion dollar fight with Floyd Mayweather out of his mind so as to concentrate on beating American challenger Chris Algieri in Macau. Defeat for the PacMan in a catch-weight defence of his world welterweight title against a little-known light-welter champion would be a disaster commercially as well as for his legacy. Manny Pacquiao (left) prepares for bout with Chris Algieri of the USA in Macau this weekend . Pacquiao poses during a workout session ahead of his welterweight bout this weekend . Pacquiao must put a potential billion dollar bout against Floyd Mayweather out of his mind . Cotai Arena, Macau . Manny Pacquiao by 5th round KO of Chris Algieri . Zou Shiming on points over Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym . Vasyl Lomanchenko on points over Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo . Echo Arena, Liverpool . Nathan Cleverly on points over Tony Bellew . Scott Quigg by 10th round KO of Hidenson Otake . Jamie McDonnell on points over Javier Chacon . Anthony Joshua by 3rd round KO of Michael Sprott . George Groves by 6th round KO of Denis Douglin . Callum Smith by 5th round KO of Nikola Sjekloca . With talks reportedly on-going with Mayweather for the mega event the world has been waiting so long to see, this is a fight Pacquiao cannot afford to lose. Not with his promoter Bob Arum striving to open up the huge Chinese boxing market to its first pay-per-view fight. Not that he is likely to be beaten. Arum will be anxious that China’s own boxing idol, three-time world amateur champion and double Olympic gold medallist Zou Shiming, wins as well. Shiming’s success is the key to persuading the Beijing government to permit subscription television for his fights. China's Zou Shiming, a three-time world amateur champion and double gold medallist, will also be fighting . Expect him to prevail, also. Amusingly, against a Thai flyweight who looks so much like Pacquiao that they call him Mini-Manny. Another, even greater, ex-amateur finds himself on this bill in the remarkable position of defending a world title in only his third professional fight. Ukraine’s Vasyl Lomachenko takes on a Thai who, with 52 wins from his 53 fights, comes from the opposite end of the boxing spectrum. Earlier this Saturday night, on Merseyside, Tony Bellew angrily seeks home-town revenge for his previous defeat by former light-heavyweight world champion Nathan Cleverly. The hostile build-up, brilliantly stage-managed by promoter Eddie Hearn, has elevated a fight between two men who were each knocked out in recent world title fights into a pay-per-view Battle of Britain on Sky Sports television. Some selling job, this. Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew during the weigh in on Friday in Liverpool . The opposition duo come face to face as they build up to their clash on Saturday night . However, this is a competitive match-up in its own right. It is also a good mix of styles between Bellew the slugger from the streets and Cleverly the stylist with a university degree in mathematics. Bellew’s hunger for redemption should make him more dangerous this time around and Cleverly will need to have recovered his appetite for boxing if he is to repeat his victory and be the one moving on towards a world cruiser-weight title bid. George Groves may be given a sharp work-out by Denis Douglin in his latest come-back fight from that devastating Wembley Stadium KO by Carl Froch. The rest of the starry cast-list on Hearn’s packed promotion – including Scott Quigg and Jamie McDonnell in WBA title defences - should improve their records with victories ranging from comfortable to one-sided. | Manny Pacquiao set to face American challenger Chris Algieri in Macau .
Potential of billion dollar fight with Floyd Mayweather in back of his mind .
Defeat against Algieri in world welterweight clash would be a disaster .
Jeff Powell predicts points win for Nathan Cleverly over Tony Bellew . |
46,540 | 83210a109562a2301a7f5ff6bccf51fbbe39a347 | Eve Myles may have scored a role of a lifetime on TV whodunnit Broadchurch but she admitted the most important thing to her is raising her young family. The 36-year-old, who joined the programme, just months after her baby's birth, has turned her back on the glitz and glamour of an actor's life to become a 'home bird'. The Cardiff-based actress has two children with her actor husband Bradley Freegard, says that being a mother has been 'the making' of her. Scroll down for video . Broadchurch star Eve Myles says that she is happier than she has ever been being mother to her two daughters . Eve, mother to Matilda, five, and 10-month-old Siena, said: 'If I had my way, I'd keep going until I couldn't have any more. I love being a mum. It's been the making of me. 'I am a bit of a home bird. I like to get back even if it's just to give the girls a good-night cuddle. 'I just love the simple things - making dinner, bath time and waking up in the mornings and seeing them.' From appearing in Torchwood and Merlin, she is now playing Claire Ripley in the second series of the popular crime drama. But she almost missed out on the part and says she had no idea they were casting because she was lost 'in pregnancy world'. So in a last minute attempt to get the part she filmed an audition from her home in Cardiff on Bradley's mobile phone. Eve (far left) joined the cast of Broadchurch after making a rushed audition on her husbands phone . So in a last minute attempt to get the part she filmed an audition from her home in Cardiff on Bradley's mobile phone. 'The whole thing was just hilarious, with the baby, we'd literally had no sleep that night,' she said. 'It was a nightmare with me trying to read these lines from a scene with her crying.' It's no wonder that Eve was 'surprised' when she got called to London to meet the crew behind the smash hit show which stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman. She said: 'I spent most of the time on the train in the toilets using a breast pump and arrived there with about seven bottles of milk. 'It was bizarre. But in some ways, it was the perfect time. I suffer so terribly with nerves but because I was so tired, I didn't have a nerve in me.' During filming Eve brought baby Siena on to the set in Dorset with her but most days involved waking up at 3.30am to make the drive to the west country and driving home again by 7pm. In the show Eve plays Claire Ripley, she says she loves the simple things in life like cooking dinner and looking after her children . | Actress, 36, plays Claire Ripley in series two of the hit ITV show .
Says she has become a 'home-bird' since having her two children .
Cardiff-based star is married to her long-term love Bradley Freegard . |
84,556 | efe44ab8f564cf616e1e6a38fce7e9c195e24055 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:32 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:45 EST, 22 May 2013 . A Singapore company supervisor has been caught on camera repeatedly slapping a male intern to help 'build up his confidence'. The 17 second clip has gone viral after a disgruntled staff member uploaded it to the internet to reveal the shocking treatment of his colleagues. Police have confirmed an official complaint has been lodged against the supervisor who works at a software company. Scroll down to watch video . Undercover recording: A Singapore company supervisor has bee caught on camera slapping an intern . Brutal: The supervisor's arm can be seen to make contact with the intern's head as he launches his attack . The Ministry of Manpower said it has also been alerted over alleged abuse in the workplace. The video entitled 'Singapore office bully' was first uploaded to the video-sharing website YouTube on May 18 and already has more than 17,000 views. The recording shows the boss slap a 29-year-old intern before a fellow employee intervenes. But when the other worker walks away, the supervisor van be seen to strike the intern another three times. A fellow intern who filmed the video said in a posting on an online forum that he had noticed the supervisor 'constantly bullying' his co-worker soon after starting his internship. He claims that when he confronted his boss, the supervisor explained that 'there is a story behind' the abuse. Teaching a lesson: The supervisor claimed he was trying to overcome the intern's inferiority complex . 'He said that my colleague apparently has an inferiority complex and apparently my supervisor is trying to 'nurture' him to get over it,' he said. 'I felt this was stupid, as how can you nurture someone by hitting them? My co-worker is very timid and seems like the kind of guy that will not stand up for himself.' The Straits Times reported today that after the video went viral, two former interns in the same company also came out to say they had worked in fear under the supervisor. Local Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min said the intern, a university graduate, was being paid Sg$500 ($400) a month and that his parents may seek compensation from the firm. | Singapore computer software manager can be seen hitting intern in video .
A colleague intervenes but once he leaves, the boss resumes his attack .
The 17 second clip has been viewed more than 17,000 times on YouTube . |
278,794 | f5343686731871506eb92d5ee96b7bbf9c78ef3c | By . Ralph Ellis . Ralph Ellis runs you through what we learned from the weekend's football... with relief in East London and a look through the leagues, too. This week includes Carlton Cole's contract situation, James Milner's important (if short) role at Manchester City and Tim Sherwood's first call at Spurs may be his best. 1) Carlton Cole’s short-term contract at West Ham runs out this month and Hammers are talking to him about a new deal. But if the 30-year-old chooses not to play second fiddle to Andy Carroll now the £17million man is close to being fit he’s done a good job of putting himself in the shop window for other clubs. His goal at Cardiff meant he has scored on both of his Premier League starts – and his four goals in all have come at a rate of one every 99 minutes. Come and get me: Cole may find himself out of favour at West Ham when Carroll fully returns . Milner gets the job done . 2) James Milner has become the go-to man for Manchester City when you need to hang on to a lead. Manuel Pellegrini turned to him for the final 11 minutes at Newcastle, and he kept the ball superbly with 11 of 12 passes finding a team-mate – including the one that set up Alvaro Negredo’s goal that clinched the 2-0 win. His pass completion rate has been better than 90 per cent in eight of the 13 times he’s come off the bench this season. Solid: Milner has been Manchester City's Mr Reliable this season in all competitions . 3) In the days of extravagant squad numbers, Burnley might be heading to the Premier League with a delightfully traditional look about them. Sean Dyche’s side which won 2-1 at Yeovil were the only one of the 90 clubs to play so far this weekend fielding a goalkeeper and back four wearing shirts from one to five. For good measure prolific front pair Sam Vokes and Danny Ings are nine and 10, and for a few minutes after substitute Junior Stanislas replaced Keith Treacy, only two of their outfield players were wearing numbers higher than 11. Number game: Burnley might be heading to the Premier League with a delightfully traditional look about them . Bentaleb is making Spurs tick . 4) One of the first things Tim Sherwood did when he was promoted to take charge of Spurs was push teenager Nabil Bentaleb into the first team. The French-born 19-year-old, who has spent three years at Tottenham’s academy after being let go by Lille, has grabbed the chance. He made Tottenham tick against Palace, and his 99 accurate passes from 106 attempts has only been bettered by six midfield men in the Premier League all season. Prospect: Bentaleb was a handful against Crystal Palace on Saturday and is getting attention in the top flight . 5) If the Premier League is supposed to be no place for old men, then Fulham must be in even more danger of relegation than their 4-1 thumping at home by Sunderland would suggest. Of Rene Meulensteen’s starting line-up at Craven Cottage, only Adel Taarabt was under 28 – and the average age was 30 years and two months. Experienced or ageing? Only one player in Rene Meulensteen's starting XI was under 28 - Adel Taarabt . Mourinho helps Hodgson? 6) Roy Hodgson is constantly worried about how few of his potential World Cup stars get regular Premier League football. So Jose Mourinho’s decision to move David Luiz into Chelsea’s midfield in the 2-0 win at Hull looks like good news for the England manager. It means his first choice centre half Gary Cahill, on the bench for a third of his club’s games this season when the Brazilian has partnered John Terry, now looks to have made his own the place alongside the former England skipper. Cemented: Cahill seemingly now has his own place in the Chelsea defence, which can only be good for England . 7) Not the least of Stuart Gray’s achievements since taking temporary control of Sheffield Wednesday has been to help one-time England starlet Connor Wickham to rediscover his form. The 20-year-old, whose career has stalled since his £8million move to Sunderland in June 2011, got his eighth goal in ten games on loan at Hillsborough to contribute to the 6-0 annihilation of hapless Leeds. Six of them have been since Gray took charge, but he will have to make the most of it. Wickham’s extended loan deal must end on January 29. Loanee: Eight goals in ten games has made every sit up and take notice of Conor Wickham again . Ranger will test Cooper . 8) Swindon’s young manager Mark Cooper is getting some good lessons on managing a maverick talent, thanks to the club’s decision to give a chance to former Newcastle striker Nile Ranger. The Robins were ready to kick him out after the troubled 22-year-old went AWOL from training. Cooper got his players to vote on whether they would accept an apology - and the ‘yes’ decision was rewarded when he scored the first in a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Peterborough. Cooper said: ‘The players decided we were a better team with him than without.’ Tricky one: Ranger has a troubled past, and is sure to test Mark Cooper's management skills . 9) Morecambe, two points off the play-off places in League Two, have been punching above their weight and that’s mainly because of a never-say-die spirit. Jim Bentley’s team rescued a point against Wycombe with a late goal by Kevin Ellison – meaning they have now rescued 21 of their 37 points this season from games in which they were losing. 10) The last thing either second placed Cambridge United or leaders Luton need in the race to earn automatic promotion from the Skrill Premier League is extra games. Neither manager would have been too happy, then, when second half goals from Tom Elliott and Ashley Chambers forced a replay in the FA Trophy clash between the clubs after Luton had led 2-0. The game drew a crowd of 3,194 incidentally – bigger than four of the 12 gates in League Two. Build up: Luton will have to play an extra game having drawn 2-2 with Cambridge United in the FA Trophy . | West Ham striker Carlton Cole is putting himself in the shop window .
Fulham's average age on Saturday was 30 years and two months .
Gary Cahill has now cemented his position in central defence at Chelsea . |
272,372 | ecccabd38fca1244caf546afdf04dd25d0939e24 | (CNN) -- The 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief marked a historic night in music, not only due to its lineup of music legends but also unique collaborations between artists over the course of the colossal six-hour concert. Bruce Springsteen sang alongside Bon Jovi at the top of the show, while former Beatle Paul McCartney joined the grunge-rockers of Nirvana in the finale. Pink Floyd's lead singer Roger Waters also sang the praises of his 12-12-12 onstage partner, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. The two vocalists teamed up for a rendition of Pink Floyd's 1979 hit, "Comfortably Numb," alternating on the song's lyrics. "Eddie was absolutely amazing, so that was like a dream come true to have him come and sing 'Comfortably,' that was magical," Waters told CNN backstage following his performance. The Pink Floyd frontman was so thrilled with his onstage partner that he says he even took a break from performing to show him some love. "I actually think I stopped singing at one point to kiss him, which is weird!" Waters told CNN. "That's very rare that I do anything like that." Other performers partaking in the benefit concert included Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Kanye West and The Who. Proceeds and donations went to the Robin Hood Relief Fund for Sandy victims. A spokesperson for Robin Hood tells CNN that the foundation will not have a final tally of how much the concert raised overall until Monday, but confirms that advance revenue generated from ticket sales, sponsors and corporate donations reached more than $30 million. CNN's Carolyn Sung contributed to this report. | 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief had historic lineup and collaborations .
Bruce Springsteen sang with Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney joined Nirvana .
Pink Floyd's Roger Waters sang praises of Eddie Vedder, even gave him a kiss . |
205,382 | 95de662c8132ee91da697180e82fb42c4ccfaca8 | By . Richard Spillett . They may not be the first images that come to mind when you think of the First World War. But these pictures of women getting to work on the home front are just some of the extraordinary photos uncovered for a new exhibition about the war's impact the lives of ordinary people. Alongside the more well-known scenes of soldiers living in the trenches are pictures of the wives and girlfriends they left behind, as they get to work doing jobs usually reserved for their husbands and boyfriends. A group of women workers of the glucose factory of Messrs Nicholls, Nagel & Co in Trafford Park, Manchester, circa 1918 . Women workers in a Lancashire oil and cake factory having a tea break, 1918, left, and a woman pupil at the Cheshire Agricultural College being taught how to handle cattle during a course on animal husbandry . The exhibition shows photos of women getting used to working in factories in the North East, as well as learning new skills in agricultural colleges hastily set up to teach a new workforce how to farm. Entire streets in Lancashire were emptied of their men as hundreds joined up to so-called 'pals' regiments made up of football clubs, factory workforces or social clubs. As pictures show them marching through the streets, packing onto ships across the channel and preparing their trenches in France, space is also given the hard work put in by their other halves back in Britain. Original posters from the time also give an insight into daily life in Britain. One tells women to pack their partners off to the front or risk 'prolonging the war'. Another urges readers not to dress extravagantly in times of war, as it is 'worse than bad form, it's unpatriotic'. Graham Boxer, director of Imperial War Museum North, said: ‘One hundred years on, the objects we display highlight the poignancy and courage of people who shaped and were shaped by this first global conflict. 'Even a century later there are stories untold, experiences undiscovered and tales that will surprise.’ Recruitment posters appealing to women to encourage their men to join the armed forces and use fewer resources for the war effort . Female workers tow a trolley of raw rubber from a warehouse at the factory of Charles Macintosh and Sons Ltd in Manchester in September 1918 . Wounded soldiers being wheeled about the grounds of the American Red Cross Military Hospital in Liverpool in August 1918 . Among the photos and posters are also poignant letters and notes written between families as they were torn apart by events in Europe. One note, written by a Frank Middleton as he left his home in Eccles reads simply: 'Please don't weep'. Records show he was tragically killed the following year. Another letter is written by William Anderson, from Liverpool, to his wife, who was at home with his baby daughter in 1916. After watching his friends die in battle, he asks whether he should desert, but records show he stayed and died the following year. The exhibition also shows letters written between Ada and Rhoda McGuire, two sisters living in Liverpool, both in their early 30s, to their sister, Eva, who lived with her husband Ralph in Boston in the USA. On 7 August 1914, Ada writes: 'The Stock Exchange here is closed and everything has risen in price…Thank God Ralph won’t have to go to the war. Arthur Brown has gone…Bob Harley and heaps of others. 'Sports have all had to be put off because the men are called away.' A working party of the Manchester Regiment moving up to the trenches near Serre in France, January 1917 . Soldiers of the Lancashire Fusiliers, 29th Division, are seen on board an old Royal Navy battleship before they disembarked at beaches off Cape Helles on 5 May 1915 and Lancashire Fusiliers in a flooded communication trench near Ploegsteert Wood, Flanders in January 1917 . The Preston Pals. Volunteer recruits for a service battalion in civilian clothes, drawn up outside Preston Town Hall during the early months of the First World War . Miss McGuire later tells how a half-German . teacher in Liverpool was forced to resign, writing: 'There has been . quite a sensation here at Somerville school. 'Miss . Coates, the head teacher of the seniors, made some anti-British . statements to the girls…Well, the mothers fairly mobbed her. She had to . be guarded by policemen.' She later writes: 'We are on rations here now. We manage to get enough . to eat, however, though not too much. Meat and butter are the least . plentiful. No sugar is served in the cafes – you must take your own.' From Street To Trench: A World War That Shaped A Region, is at the Imperial War Museum North in Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester from April 5 until May 31. It is the first exhibition by the Imperial War Museums to mark the centenary of the First World War and features more than 200 objects, photographs, letters, diaries, artworks, film clips and sound recordings from the conflict, many of which are on public display for the first time. | New exhibition shows the lives of women left in Britain after hundreds of men signed up to fight on the Western Front .
Photos and exhibits tell of their experiences as they learned new skills and dealt with the absence of their loved ones .
Posters from the time tell women to encourage their husbands to go to war and dress down for the war effort .
Letters reveal the everyday difficulties faced on the home front and the heartbreak of soldiers writing home . |
188,421 | 80013eb1792af552f0f57dc47f897e134f0294ba | London (CNN) -- The Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympics may not be until Friday, but for some athletes, the Games begin Wednesday. British women take to the soccer field against New Zealand in Cardiff, Wales, the first of six women's soccer games around Britain Wednesday. Women from the United States, France, Japan, Canada, Brazil, Cameroon, South Africa, Sweden, Colombia and North Korea are all in action on what Games organizers are calling "Day -2." Organizers got good news Wednesday morning, as border staff who had been planning to go on strike Thursday over job cuts called off the plan. London drivers, meanwhile, got bad news, as traffic restrictions went into effect. They're banned from special "Olympics Lanes" reserved for athletes and officials, and face a £130 ($200) fine for using them. Read more: How to avoid London Olympic rush . The city's transportation agency, Transport for London, reported moderate traffic problems Wednesday morning as the rules went into effect. While Britain's wettest June in more than a century may have cast a cloud over the final preparations for the Games, forecasters say the weather is now set to brighten. More than 10,000 athletes from 205 countries are assembling in London for Friday's Opening Ceremony. Every country will have at least one female athlete after Saudi Arabia included two women in its team for the first time, setting an important precedent for women's rights in the kingdom. And with medals to be handed out in 26 different sports, there's always the chance of a shock upset or the emergence of a shining new talent to captivate the crowds. Much of the cost of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games has been met by British taxpayers, with the government overseeing £9.3 billion ($14.5 billion) of spending from the public purse. Read more: London prepares for an Olympics to remember . According to its figures, the Games are currently under budget by some £476 million ($738 million). London's Metropolitan Police Service, known as the Met, is undertaking what it says is its biggest-ever peacetime operation, running for 66 days across 1,000 venues, including sporting and cultural events, and making use of up to 9,500 police officers on the busiest days. The government is deploying 18,200 troops -- many more than planned after private security contractor G4S announced it could not provide the 10,400 guards for which it had been contracted. The Ministry of Defence is guarding the games with two warships, Typhoon jet fighters, Puma helicopters, and, perhaps most controversially, surface-to-air missiles placed on apartment buildings near the stadium, despite objections from residents. Video: Olympic security staffing shortfall . CNN's Laura Smith-Spark and Erin McLaughlin contributed to this report. | The Opening Ceremony is Friday, but the first Games are played Wednesday .
Soccer is the first event, with British, American and other women in action .
Forecasters say the weather should improve after a rain-soaked summer so far .
Security issues have overshadowed preparations but authorities say safety will not be affected . |
19,313 | 36ad0136b9bdd4bb01c81735d53e3669005ccfe3 | England trained at the sports campus of Barry University with temperatures rising and an ibis stalking around in the penalty area when the players arrived. On a training pitch fringed with palm trees the FA set out a wreath in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The same wreath will be taken to a ceremony in the city later in the day. VIDEO Scroll down to watch the funny moment a reporter calls Gerrard Mr Frank by mistake . Feeling the heat: The England players have a drink in the Miami sun during training . Keeping cool: Raheem Sterling is sprayed down with water at training . Water way to keep cool: Rooney is sprayed with water . Pain game: Ross Barkley lies on the floor in pain after a challenge from Sterling . Out to impress: Sterling was looking sharp in training despite not being allowed to play against Honduras . Gary Neville set out the cones, balls and bibs with the help of his back room team. All . the players were out split into two groups, a mix of positions doing . ball work under the supervision of fitness coaches Chris Neville And . Tony Strudwick as the keepers did a shot stopping exercise in the goal. All . players present except Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain trained. The Arsenal . midfielder trained alone inside Barry University's training base as he . continues his rehabilitation, while the other 22 players, plus standby . duo Jon Flanagan and John Stones, took to the field in sweltering . conditions. The . mercury tipped 30 degrees Celsius in Miami Shore, where the humidity . was 49 per cent - not far off the conditions expected in Manaus for the . World Cup opener against Italy on June 14. Keeping an eye on things: Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville watch training as Barkley takes a break . Cool customer: Jack Wilshere puts a towel over his face to keep cool during training . Take a break: Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney sit down during a break in training . Heated battle: Daniel Sturridge and Leighton Baines fight for the ball . Hitting the deck: Frank Lampard goes down under the challenge of Jack Wilshere . Watching on: Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlin watches the training session from the sidelines . There was a small sided game of possession football, the squad were divided up into three sides. In green were: Joe Hart, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge and James Milner and they played the players in yellow: Ben Foster, John Stones, Chris Smalling, Leighton Baines, Frank Lampard, Ross Barkley, Danny Welbeck, Rickie Lambert. While that was going on, the rest of the players were resting before taking their place on the pitch. The third team was: Fraser Forster, Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Jon Flanagan, Gary Cahill, Adam Lallana and Phil Jagielka. Warming up: The England goalkeepers, Joe Hart, Ben Foster and Fraser Forster warm up alongside coach Dave Watson . Respect: A wreath stands by the training pitch to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings . Safe hands: Hart makes a save during training . Hot, hot heat: The England players feel the heat in Miami during training . Leading by example: Steven Gerrard is put through his paces during training . Local interest: The people of Miami turn out to watch training at Barry University . Possession game: Wayne Rooney wins the ball from Jack Wilshere during training . Young and old: Frank Lampard and Raheem Sterling compete for the ball . | England players train at Barry University in Miami ahead of Honduras game .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain only player not to train with the squad due to knee injury . |
210,963 | 9d38fdb74227689dbb6e99bbd297201a2f4dd2bd | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 12:45 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:13 EST, 10 February 2014 . A blind Border Terrier has formed an inseparable bond with his father who helps him live life to the full by acting as his guide dog. Two-year-old Lucky was born without retinas and has never been able to see. However his father Scruff, aged three, noticed his son was often in difficulty and stepped in to help, guiding him out of harm's way and comforting him if he bumped into things. Lucky (left) was born without retinas and has never been able to see, so he relies on his father Scruff (right) Jim Leonard, 65, who often looks after the pet for his granddaughter Chelsea,14, said: 'Lucky was blind from birth and it seemed that he was always running or knocking into something and hurting himself. We were really worried about how he was going to cope. Jim Leonard says the pair share an 'incredible' bond, with Scruffy leading his son around, and licking him if he bumps into something . 'But we started to take Lucky and Scruff on walks together and it was amazing to see Scruff starting to take charge, looking after Lucky and checking he was okay.' He added: 'It is unbelievable the bond that they have. If Lucky walks into something and yelps Scruff is back like a shot licking him in the face. It is marvellous to see, a treat to watch.' Vet charity PDSA also gave the family suggestions on how to help Lucky cope with his disability around the home. Following discussions with PDSA vets Mr Leonard wears bells at the bottom of his trousers to let Lucky know where he is. The also put strong smelling scents like lemon or lime in parts of the room where there are dangers so that he knows not to go there. Mr Leonard, from Glasgow, said that Lucky does not let his blindness hold him back. He said: 'He lives life to the full. He has a great sense of smell, he can smell things from so far away, he must be compensating for having no eyes. He loves getting petted and made attention of. 'He is adorable, he is a wee cutie.' PDSA senior vet Elaine Pendlebury said the bond between Lucky and his father is a reminder of how dogs continually surprise us with their character and abilities. She said: 'Dogs can behave in a unique and extraordinary way. They're extremely social animals and can help both pets and people in ways that never fail to amaze. 'It's inspiring to us all that Scruff acts as a guide dog to his canine companion and how he looks after his son to the best of his ability. Mr Leonard wears bells on the bottom of his trousers so Lucky knows where he is, and puts strong smelling liquids such as lemon or lime juice in dangerous places around the house so Lucky knows not to go there . Scruffy has not had any guide dog training and has picked up on ways to help his son by pure instinct . 'It's nice to see that all of Lucky's family - both owner and fellow dog - are working together to make sure that he can live life to the full.' The charity said that while blindness in pets can be challenging for owners, with the right support it is possible to help pets adapt well to their surroundings. If a dog has a problem with their sight, vets can discuss treatment options and offer support and guidance in dealing with the condition. The PDSA said that sight is not the primary sense in all pets. Dogs have an extremely well-developed sense of smell which can be up to 100,000 times more sensitive than a human's, depending on the breed. | Lucky was born blind and so kept bumping into things .
Dad Scruff saw the trouble and stepped in to help him .
He guides son around and comforts him if he bumps into things .
Scruffy has no training and picked up everything by instinct . |
144,760 | 473c5c9d07e40230ae913063e6747490fa6a0de3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 10 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:10 EST, 11 July 2012 . US tycoon Donald Trump struck the first ball on his new luxury golf course in Scotland on Tuesday, teeing off in a ceremony alongside golfing great Colin Montgomerie. However, the real estate mogul looked decidedly stout as he hit the green, wearing a pair of belted khaki trousers and a white golf shirt. Trump has famously dated only svelte, stunning women, often years his junior. Included in that list is former wife Ivana Trump, former first lady of France Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and actress and socialite Marla Maples. Scroll down for video . Thumbs up: Real Estate magnate Donald Trump gestures as he plays golf during the opening of his Trump International Golf Links golf course near Aberdeen, northeast Scotland . Tee off: The Donald's trousers seemed a bit tight as he swung a stroke. He finished off his look with a red Trump National cap . His current wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, worked as a model before marrying The Donald. Fore! Real Estate magnate Donald Trump plays golf during the opening of his Trump International Golf Links golf course near Aberdeen . But slower metabolism may be catching up with the 66-year-old real estate mogul, who has often been the butt of comb over and self-tanning jokes. The Trump International Golf Links, situated at Menie, north of Aberdeen on the east coast of Scotland, cost more than $155million to build. Bagpipers escorted Trump and 2010 European Ryder Cup captain Montgomerie to the first hole, where the businessman cut a ribbon on the first tee before taking a swing. 'We have built something that some people have already said is perhaps the greatest golf course in the world,' he said. 'It's something that's going to be very special. What's good for golf is good for Scotland because Scotland is the home front for golf.' Environmental campaigners opposed the construction of the course on protected sand dunes. Trump himself complained about a potential offshore wind farm being built near the site. The course will open to the public on Sunday, with a private events being held this week. Sandy Jones, chief executive of the Professional Golfers' Association, and George O'Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, said they would work to bring major golf events to the course. 'It is an honour for me to be here... to witness this marvel that we have here in Scotland and it makes me very proud to be a professional Scottish golfer,' Montgomerie said. Opening ceremony: Trump, left, follows bagpipers to the opening of his Trump International Golf Links golf course . Pals: PGA Chief Executive Sandy Jones, right, puts his arm around Trump as they play golf . A family affair: Ivanka Trump, second from left, was with brothers Eric, far left, and Donald Jnr, second right, with father Donald as they applaud . | Was in Aberdeen, Scotland to open new golf course .
Teed off wearing tight-fitting white golf shirt and khaki trousers . |
132,397 | 3733ed5f13568e40ac91d4667a4fb6131598e862 | Hajar Hamdan lives with her mother, sister and her sister's two children in the concrete jungle of Deheishe refugee camp near Bethlehem in the West Bank. Yet Hamdan is growing enough vegetables on her roof to feed her family and pass the surplus on to her neighbors. Hamdan's family is one of 15 in Deheishe to have a greenhouse on their roof as part of a project which is now being extended to other Palestinian refugee camps. Money is tight with no wage-earners in the household, so Hamdan is grateful for the money she saves on vegetables. "It saves a lot of money and it's great to practice being a farmer," said Hamdan. "It makes me happy working inside our greenhouse. "We grow tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, aubergines and zucchini. My neighbors often come round asking if we have any to spare, which makes me very popular. "And it tastes so much better because there are no chemicals." The rooftop greenhouse project was launched in April by Karama, an NGO based in Deheishe that works with women and children. Deheishe, established in 1949 on 0.3 square kilometers, is home to 13,000 people, a third of whom are unemployed, according to the United Nations Reliefs and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. Luay Abdul Ghafar, the greenhouse project manager, said: "We have no green spaces and a bad economic situation. Most people are from families with a farming background who no longer have contact with the land. "The idea of the project is to help people in their economic life and at the same time renew their contact with the land." He said the first season had been a success, with most families growing enough vegetables to feed themselves with some leftover for neighbors. Ghafar said goods imported to the West Bank go through Israel and are sold at Israeli prices, which means fruit and vegetables are expensive for most Palestinians, who have much lower incomes. He estimated that many save a quarter of their overall monthly budget by growing their own fruit and vegetables. The first greenhouses were paid for through a donation made by a Palestinian American woman. A further set paid for by the United Nations have been erected in nearby Aida refugee camp. Now Karama is talking to larger NGOs about expanding the project further afield. "We are going to have 65 greenhouses soon ... we would like to keep giving them to as many families as we can," said Ghafar. At least 18% of West Bank residents live below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook. He said the scheme was administered by women, to help them achieve a better status in their families and communities. Families were chosen to take part according to their need, having enough sun on their roofs and being willing and keen on agriculture, said Ghafar. "We are thinking about making a collective association so people can sell the vegetables they have leftover at a cheap price to benefit other people as well," he added. Ghafar said some people were initially skeptical about the greenhouses because some had previously tried to grow vegetables directly on their roofs, but the soil had destroyed their homes. "Our challenge was to convince people to understand the greenhouses and that the soil wouldn't be directly on their roofs," he said. Hamdan said she was one of those initially skeptical, but had no doubts once she saw the difference it made to her life. "In the beginning I didn't think it would work," she said. "But once I tried it I saw it was a good idea and would encourage anyone to have a greenhouse." | Palestinians have farming history but no land to grow produce, says NGO .
Rooftop greenhouses save families money on fruit and vegetables .
Scheme is being expanded to more refugee camps . |
268,875 | e84cd333464859e1dda23ea9031669712f4b0d4f | A woman gave birth to a 10 pound baby girl less than one hour after discovering she was pregnant. Katie Kropas, 23, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, was admitted to hospital for an ultrasound on Tuesday, after complaining of severe stomach cramps and back pain, only to be told by doctors that she was actually nine months pregnant and ready to give birth at any minute. 'I ended up having an ultrasound and with that they were like, "You're full term and giving birth now", she told local news channel NECN. Scroll down for video . A sweet surprise: Katie Kropas, 23, was told that she was expecting a baby just one hour before giving birth . New mother: The catering supervisor welcomed her 10-pound baby girl Ellen Olivia on Tuesday . Baby weight: Katie, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, thought that she had put on a few pounds over Christmas and had no idea that the extra weight was actually an indication she was pregnant . 'I found out at 10.15, I had the baby at 11.06.' The new mother admits she 'doesn't know' how the pregnancy went unnoticed - but insists she was using birth control right up until her daughter, Ellen Olivia, was born and had even been having regular monthly cycles. Although she confessed she had put on some weight and noticed her feet had become swollen, she put it was down to a combination of over-indulgence during the holiday period and too many hours spent on her feet while working as a catering supervisor. 'At the time, I was like this has got to be a joke but, I had no idea what to think,' she added. 'I don't know, I wish I had a better answer but I think that being on my feet all the time for work, and Christmas is so busy as it is, it just caught everything off guard.' Mother and baby: Despite the surprise, the young mom is loving her new role . 'I didn't know what to think': The news of the pregnancy was a complete surprise to Katie and her boyfriend . After discovering his girlfriend was expecting, Katie's long-term boyfriend rushed to get hold of her mother so that she could be there to support her daughter as she welcomed a child of her own. '[He said to me]: "Katie's nine months pregnancy and we didn't know she was having a baby"' new grandmother Karen Kropas said. 'And I said ha ha ha, put Katie on the phone and he was like, "Karen, this is serious, how soon can you get here?"' She added that, while she had heard stories similar to that of her daughter in the past, she had never really taken them seriously. After seeing it happen to her own child however, she urged others to recognize that 'it is real and true and it happens'. 'This is just the beginning': Despite the initial shock, Katie admitted that she and her boyfriend are 'having a lot of fun' being parents . 'It happens': Katie's mother Karen said that she had never thought situations like this were possible, but having seen it with her own eyes, she is urging others to accept that surprise pregnancies 'are real' Professional opinion: South Shore Hospital's Dr Kim Dever said that it is not uncommon for first time mothers to be unaware of what some might see as obvious signs that they are pregnant . Indeed, one of Katie's doctors at the South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth explained that first-time mothers often don't know what symptoms to look for in a pregnancy and can often miss what some people might consider to be the most obvious signs. 'They aren't perceiving those symptoms,' Dr Kim Dever said. 'Whereas when you're on the lookout for them, you're waiting for it to happen.' The family are now preparing to settle three-day-old Ellen Olivia in at home - but first have to rush out and buy all of the essentials for their new daughter, from a crib to diapers. And despite the initial shock at finding out about the surprise pregnancy, Katie and her long-term boyfriend are overwhelmed with joy at the new addition to their family. 'We're having a lot of fun so far and I think that this is just the beginning.' | Katie Kropas, 23, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, discovered that she was nine months pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital with cramps .
She was told about the pregnancy at 10.15 and gave birth at 11.06 .
The new mother and her long-term boyfriend named their daughter Ellen Olivia . |
130,297 | 347441569749576ba2e45c1b637d31309ac628af | It is easy to pick on Juan Mata. He is not blessed with pace, he’s not a big player and he comes across as a quiet, humble guy. But you cannot argue with what he produces on the pitch. He came off the bench to save Manchester United against Crystal Palace and he must be wondering what more he has to do to play regular football at Old Trafford. Juan Mata (right) hits the ball through a crowd of Crystal Palace players to score Manchester United's winner . Mata celebrates his goal, just minutes after he came on as a substitute . The Spaniard readies himself to replace Adnan Januzaj but Mata is better then being a super sub at United . 11 - Juan Mata has been involved in 11 goals in his last 15 PL games for Man United. He has scored nine and set up two. There is no doubting his quality — this is a player with a World Cup and European Championship to his name. But he found himself surplus to requirements at Chelsea and now seems to be in a similar position at Manchester United. You have to credit him because he never causes a fuss or has a bad word to say. But make no mistake. He wants to play football. He is too good to be a super sub at United and if he doesn’t get some more action, I could see him moving on or maybe even back to Spain. AUSTIN'S IN DREAMLAND . Every weekend people up and down the country wake up and dream of playing football in the Premier League. That’s why Charlie Austin’s is such a great story. Five years ago he was playing non-league football for Poole. Now he is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sergio Aguero. He looks like he’s loving each second in the Premier League and he deserves every bit of it. Charlie Austin does a chicken dance - part of a dare organised by Soccer AM - after his goal on Saturday . The QPR striker slides the ball under Joe Hart to make it 1-0 and carry on his good recent form . 12 - Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 10 - Diego Costa (Chelsea) 8 - Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) 7 - Saido Berahino (West Brom) 6 - Charlie Austin (QPR); Nacer Chadli (Spurs); Graziano Pelle (Southampton): Daifra Sakho (West Ham) For some players, life can be too easy, especially if they get huge wages at such a young age. After the journey he has been on, there’s no danger of Austin not appreciating where he is. He is a throwback but he is a quality player. I worried when he missed a penalty on the opening day but he has proved himself with some fantastic goals. He still has work to do, but he wants to improve and I like that about him. He certainly needs to work on his goal celebration! His dance was part of a dare organised on Sky’s Soccer AM programme, but he had to have a couple of cracks at it after having a goal disallowed. His rise up the leagues has been a dream but it just goes to show that sometimes it’s never too late to make it in the big time. Austin heads in one of two disallowed goals he scored in the draw against City . Austin looks as if he is loving it in the Premier League and the only way is up . CHELSEA'S CASE FOR THE DEFENCE . Much of the focus on Chelsea this season has centred around their attacking power: Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard. It’s easy to pick out and praise the players who are firing in the goals. But their defensive unit has been just as important, if not more so, in their success so far. At the moment it looks like they have the perfect combination of goalkeeper and back four. John Terry is still a huge player for them and is obviously doing a fine job of improving Gary Cahill alongside him. Branislav Ivanovic is solid as a rock at right back and Cesar Azpilicueta did brilliantly to set up Costa’s goal at Anfield. Thibaut Courtois is a huge presence behind them and Nemanja Matic must be a dream to have in front of your back four, always protecting the defence and putting out fires. At the end of the Liverpool game Chelsea’s defenders came together for a huddle. If they keep that unit working for the rest of the season they will be hard to stop. Chelsea's defensive players have not had as much praise as the likes of Eden Hazard (third right) but they have been integral to their club's charge to the top of the Premier League table . John Terry (second right) looks as if he is straining every sinew in his bid to keep Liverpool at bay . CITY HAVE TO MIND THE GAP . Sergio Aguero aside, City have been poor this season. At times they have been a one-man team. It was a fantastic game against QPR but whatever Manuel Pellegrini says, they were lucky to escape Loftus Road with a point on Saturday. They had a slow start last season — they were six points off the top at the same stage — and came back to win it. But the landscape of the league has changed. Chelsea look so strong and if City aren’t careful they could be out of the running before they know it. The international break has come at a good time because they desperately need something to change and soon. Sergio Aguero scores his second goal of the game against QPR - at times City look like a one-man team . City are struggling at the back and Martin Demichelis (second right) scores an own goal at Loftus Road . A MASTERCLASS FROM MONTERO . The South American invasion is in full swing in the Premier League, but not many people would have expected an Ecuadorian to upstage a Chilean on Sunday. Alexis Sanchez looked like he had won it for Arsenal, but Swansea completed a magnificent fightback thanks in no small part to Jefferson Montero. He put on an exhibition of old-school wing play. He was strong, quick and went past Calum Chambers at will. It’s not a game the young defender will want to watch back, but he should do so he can learn from the experience because Montero was magnificent. Jefferson Montero (left) was superb for Swansea against Arsenal and gave Calum Chambers a torrid time . A MUCH NEEDED WIN TO BOOST BURNLEY . It has been a rough ride for Burnley on their return to the Premier League. I’m a fan of Sean Dyche and what he’s done at the club, but they really needed a result to kick-start their season, which they got against Hull. Ashley Barnes (centre) is congratulated by George Boyd (right) after scoring the winner against Hull . Burnley need last season's strike pairing of Danny Ings (left) and Sam Vokes back together . 47 - goals scored by Danny Ings and Sam Vokes in all competitions in 2013-14. It’s all well and good getting draws but what they really needed was three points on the board. At times they have defended well this season and kept a clean sheet against Hull, but what they really need is goals. They miss Sam Vokes, who was so deadly with Danny Ings last season. Once Vokes returns from injury, he will be desperate to fire Burnley up the league. VIDEO Dyche delighted with first win of the season . | Juan Mata just wants to play at Manchester United - he could move .
Charlie Austin is loving each second of playing in the Premier League .
Chelsea's defence have been integral in power surge to the top .
Manchester City have to mind the gap at top of table .
Swansea's Jefferson Montero produced a masterclass against Arsenal .
Burnley's win against Hull was much-needed - now they must score more . |
201,620 | 910cb6c3287db39407c964731fb5a049ac47683f | This is the dramatic moment anti-terror police carried out a dawn raid on a flat just a mile from the scene where a soldier was brutally murdered. Armed police officers sealed off the street in Greenwich, south-east London, and burst into the flat at around 6am today. Four people were seen been led away from the address and put into police vans. Neighbours said police quietly carried out the raids and many of them did not realise what was happening. Arrest: A suspect sits in the street surrounded by police officers close to the flat in Woolwich which was raided today. Four people were seen being led away by police . The raids were carried out after Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, was horrifically murdered by two people in Woolwich yesterday afternoon. Drummer Rigby was just starting his Army career and had recently fought in Afghanistan with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. One of the suspected killers has been identified as Michael Adebolajo, 28, while the other man has not been named. It is thought that the second suspect's girlfriend may live in the flat. Raid: This is the flat which police broke into at around 6am today. The girlfriend of the second murder suspect is believed to live at the address . Held: Police talk to a woman in the street who was later led away by officers from the address in Greenwich . Arrests: Armed police sealed off the street in south-east London this morning before police burst into the property. These pictures were taken as the incident was coming to a close . Neighbours claimed that the family in the house kept them up with Islamic chanting. Residents in the Greenwich estate said . that one of the woman staying at the house, thought to be the girlfriend . of one of the killers, converted to Islam two and a half years ago. Neighbour Nicola James, 45, said of . the family: 'When you walked passed you would hear them singing Muslim . songs. You would hear them chanting through the windows. 'The woman I think he went out with wore a full niqab. She converted to Islam about two and a half years ago. 'There’s a teenage boy who lives there . sometimes too. He used to cause trouble on my part of the estate. He . came over to my part of the estate once and my dog bit him. Probe: Residents in the Greenwich estate said that one of the woman staying at the house, thought to be the girlfriend of one of the killers, converted to Islam two and a half years ago . 'The family tried to take me to court but I won the case.' The soldier murdered in Woolwich, who was wearing a . Help for Heroes top, was hit by a Vauxhall Tigra on the pavement before . two crazed men attacked him with knives in a suspected terror attack. Witnesses said the suspects 'hacked . and chopped' at his body and were shouting 'Allah Akbar!' - an Islamic . phrase meaning 'God is great' - and yelling 'this is what God would have . wanted.' A man identified as Adebolajo who ranted on camera with a clear south London . accent saying 'you people will never be safe'. Investigation: A police officer stands guard in the street this morning as the raid is carried out on the property . The suspected killers were later shot by police and will be questioned by anti-terror officers once they have recovered. William Bennett, 38, a father-of-three, said he had seen the murder suspect at the property. 'I have seen the man coming and going. I’ve seen the man in the green jacket walking around,' he said. 'I didn’t pay any attention to him when I was here but when I saw the TV last night I recognised him straight away. I turned to my partner and said to her "I’ve seen him". 'I was told that he was the boyfriend of the sister in that flat. I was absolutely shocked when I saw his face on telly. I just thought "bloody hell, I’ve seen him". Police raid: Two officers stand in the street talking to the suspect this morning after the raid was carried out . Probe: Police have refused to confirm details of the raid, although it is understood that four people were arrested . 'I got this morning at 6am to walk my dog and I saw a police van and a few policemen, which isn’t unusual around here. 'But then I saw armed police. They were bringing a woman up the road in handcuffs. I went around the back and saw armed police behind a tree, pointing their guns at the house. One was looking into the back window. 'The one behind the tree saw me and told me to get off the estate, so I did. I heard shouting. The woman was wearing pink pyjama bottoms and a black top. 'The police had also taken a teenage boy out of the house. He was sat across the road on a wall, handcuffed. 'I’m really shocked at what has happened.' A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police tonight refused to comment on the raid. Victim: Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who was named today as the soldier hacked to death in Woolwich yesterday . Rant: The man, brandishing a weapon, points at the dead soldier with his blood-covered hand as he launches a terrifying rant in Woolwich. The suspect is believed to be Michael Adebolajo . Horrific: Clutching a bloodied meat cleaver, the . man - identified as Michael Adebolajo - says 'you people will never be . safe' after butchering the young soldier in the street in Woolwich, . south-east London, yesterday . Horror: The scene in John Wilson Street, Woolwich moments after police arrived. The two attackers lie on the ground seriously injured after being attacked by police, while the soldier lies dead . | Armed police sealed off the road before raiding the flat at 6am today .
Four people were seen being led away from the address by police .
Michael Adebolajo, 28, has been identified as one of the two men suspected of murdering Drummer Lee Rigby, 25 .
It is thought the girlfriend of the second unnamed suspect lives at the Greenwich address which was raided . |
268,545 | e7d948d672267f2f93b1c27ea7baaee623ea20e8 | By . Chris Waugh . Follow @@ChrisDHWaugh . The British and Irish Lions have started their preparations for the daunting trip to New Zealand in 2017 early by naming ex-England captain John Spencer as tour manager. Former Ireland winger Tom Grace was also appointed as chairman of the Lions board on Wednesday, succeeding Welshman Gerald Davies. Spencer follows in the footsteps of Fran Cotton, for the successful 1997 South Africa tour, and Bill Beaumont, for the 3-0 series whitewash the last team the Lions visited New Zealand, as an English tour manager. In charge: John Spencer (left) has been appointed tour manager for the Lions' 2017 New Zealand trip . Glory: The Lions beat Australia 2-1 Down Under in 2013 to claim their first series victory since 1997 . He has been promoted from his position as RFU representative on the Lions board, and he has also served on the IRB and Six Nations Council. The Yorkshireman, who won 14 caps for England between 1969 and 1971, as well as touring New Zealand with the Lions in 1971, said: 'It is a huge privilege and honour to represent the Lions as tour manager, 46 years after I did so as a player. 'My predecessor Andy Irvine did a fantastic job in Australia (2013), and I am looking forward to following in his footsteps.' The Lions' 2-1 Test series triumph in Australia a year ago was their first since that victory over South Africa in 1997. New: Former Ireland wing Tom Grace replaces Welshman Gerald Davies (left) as chairman of the Lions board . Red rose: Spencer follows in the footsteps of fellow Englishmen Fran Cotton (left) and Bill Beaumont (right) And their last trip to New Zealand nine years ago was not a pleasant experience for the tourists, with Sir Clive Woodward overseeing a 3-0 defeat to the All Blacks. Grace, who toured South Africa with the 1974 Lions and won 25 Ireland caps for Ireland,said: 'It is an honour to be appointed chairman of the British and Irish Lions,' he said. 'The Lions represent the core values of our sport, and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent them as chairman. 'It is a privilege to take over from Gerald Davies, who has been a wonderful ambassador for the Lions as a player, tour manager and more recently as chairman.' Humiliation: Sir Clive Woodward oversaw the Lions' 3-0 whitewash last time they visited New Zealand in 2005 . | Spencer is third Englishman manager after Fran Cotton and Bill Beaumont .
Former Ireland winner Tom Grace appointed chairman of Lions board .
Grace succeeds Welshman Gerald Davies in the role as chairman .
Spencer promoted from position of RFU representative on Lions board . |
49,582 | 8c23cc21a31c4985b222b8fcc5a605efcc52d031 | By . Lucy Buckland . PUBLISHED: . 12:57 EST, 16 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:53 EST, 17 April 2013 . Glamour model Chanelle Hayes launched into a foul mouthed tirade over Jade Goody's legacy, saying she is 'absolutely f***ing sick of living up to a ghost.' Her comments come after OK! printed an interview with her boyfriend Jack Tweed - who married the tragic reality star just weeks before her death from cervical cancer in 2009 - saying 'noone could replace Jade.' Former Big Brother contestant Chanelle, who has been in an on-off relationship with Jack since 2010, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday: 'Absolutely f***ing sick of living up to a ghost and never coming close. What's the point in the last three years of my life then?!' 'Sick of living up to a ghost': Chanelle's foul mouthed rant over her lover's tribute to Jade Goody was aimed at Tweed and glossy magazine OK! Unhappy: Chanelle was not impressed with her boyfriend's gushing words over his dead wife Jade Goody . Her rant, which she later deleted, continued with the 24-year-old launching a tirade at the glossy magazine, accusing them of making her and son Blakely 'dispensable.' She wrote: 'As usual a certain magazine has me and my son dispensable. Noone could replace her [Jade]. Of course. Thanks #twistingwords.' Chanelle, who graces the cover of a lads magazine in a bra and pants this month, has been embroiled in many a Twitter row with her 25-year-old lover Tweed. Tribute: Jack made a touching tribute to his dead wife in the latest edition of OK - current girlfriend Chanelle was not impressed . In love: Jack married Jade weeks before her death in 2009 - the reality star captured the heart of the nation as she faced her cancer battle four years ago . Undoubtedly Tweed's words to the glossy magazine, for its special anniversary issue upset Chanelle - who is mother to two-year-old Blakely, who was fathered by her former lover, Middlesbrough footballer Matthew Bates. According to OK! Tweed said he never thought he would meet anyone after Jade's death. He said: 'It’s still hard every day. You don’t get over it, you just get onto with it. No one could replace Jade. I don’t know how to put it. I’m lucky to have found someone. I didn’t think I would find anyone else again, but I have.’ Tweed goes on to pay tribute to Jade, who died aged just 27. Happier times: Chanelle and Jack with her son Blakely back in 2011 . Rant: It's not the first time Chanelle has lashed out at Jack on Twitter . After being arrested and then acquited of rape in 2010, Tweed was banned from seeing Jade's two children by their father Jeff Brazier - something he doesn't blame the presenter for doing. The full interview is available OK! magazine out now . He said: 'I still send birthday cards and . I still talk to Jade’s mates who see the boys and they say they still . ask after me. It’s sad but they’re Jeff’s boys and I don’t want to cause . any grief. I don’t blame him, to be honest.’ This is by no means the first war of words between Chanelle and Tweed. In August last year she posted a picture online which Tweed sent to her, showing him with blonde Playboy model Hannah Elizabeth. Weeks later she wrote: 'So @JackTweed_ comes to try make it upto me and smashes up my front door, tells me he prefers having sex with dirty s**ts. 'That diseased dirty d**k has been in more s****s than I've had hot dinners. @JackTweed_ you have crushed me down so much. 'Apparently, sex everyday isn't enough for this dirty state. #f**koffuf***ingscumbag. I hate myself. No self confidence, no self respect. 'I disgust myself totally because of YOU. You're a vile sex addict horrid bully who has ruined my life. Go and f***ing die.' | Jack Tweed, 25, paid tribute to Jade Goody saying: 'No-one could replace her'
Glamour model Chanelle Hayes, 24, later tweeted: 'What's the point in the last three years of my life then?'
Tragic Jade died from cervical cancer aged just 27 in 2009 .
Reality star Jade captured the heart of the nation during her cancer battle .
She is credited with raising awareness of cervical cancer, leading to an increase in women getting smear tests .
Chanelle claimed Jack's interview made her and her young son: 'dispensable' |
44,818 | 7e55dce701d9cf44433e0f5225275e8be7b47ad4 | It could be a severe case of bird-bird, or strange weather patterns causing confusion, but at the moment scientists remain baffled about instances of flamingos flying north to bitterly cold Siberia for the winter, instead of south. Four flamingos recently touched down in various parts of Siberia, to the astonishment of locals, in temperatures as low as -30C. One landed in the Evenkia district of vast Krasnoyarsk region, which is just 310 miles south of the Arctic circle. Chilly: One flamingo was spotted ambling along the snowy bank of the Usa River in Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo region . Four flamingos recently touched down in various parts of Siberia, at the locations indicated on the map, to the astonishment of locals . A strange place to be for a bird common in Africa, southern Europe and south Asia that likes warm climates. It landed near Petr Sidorkin, a hunter who, luckily for the unusual visitor, wasn’t in the mood for targeting exotic birds, the Siberian Times reported. On the advice of local wildlife experts he and his wife fed it carrots, fish and minced beef, the paper said, and then took it to Royev Ruchey Zoo in Krasnoyarsk. Sadly, the bird did not survive. It had frostbitten legs and a low body temperature from minus 30C conditions, the paper said. Another flamingo caused a flap when it landed near the Turochack district of the mountainous Altai Republic, startling a local dog - which promptly bit it. Fortunately, it was nursed back to health first at the Novosibirsk Centre for the Rehabilitation of Birds of Prey, then at Novosibirsk Zoo, which said it has facilities in which the bird will be able to thrive. Another flamingo swooped down onto an ice lake in the Tomsk region and was rescued by fishermen. It had suffered mild frostbite but was given a warm reception at Seversky Zoo, which recharged its batteries. Lapping up the attention: A flamingo that swooped onto an ice lake in the Tomsk region was rescued by fisherman . Ticket to ride: This flamingo, rescued by fishermen, was eventually handed over to Seversky Zoo . Warm reception: This lost flamingo was handed over to Royev Ruchey Zoo . Some believe northerly warm fronts are fooling the birds into thinking they're going in the right direction . The fate of another flamingo that landed in Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo region, is unknown. It was spotted ambling along the snowy bank of the Usa River, but flew off to an island in the river before local wildlife experts could catch it. Alexey Vasilchenko, from 'Kuznetsk Alatau' Reserve, told The Siberian Times that there have been around two dozen instances of flamingos veering off course to Siberia in the past 100 years. There is a population of flamingos in Kazakhstan, but that is far from the Siberian locations the four flamingos ended up at this year. Some are known to migrate to Iran and India in the winter and one theory is that northerly warm fronts are fooling the birds into thinking they're going in the right direction, others think that it could just be faulty wiring in the birds internal compass. These birds are far from the only ones migrating to a surprising spot. Over 5,000 birds of at least 16 different species have made a sewage drain in Delhi their home. Seasonal visitors including the Painted Stork, Sarus Crane, Black-Necked Stork, Black-Tailed Godwit and Black-Headed Ibis have all bedded down there. Saved: This flamingo in Siberia had suffered mild frostbite but was nursed back to health at Seversky Zoo . Flamingos like warm climates, like that found on Renaissance Island (pictured) | Four flamingos recently touched down in various parts of Siberia .
Fishermen rescued one that landed on an ice lake in the Tomsk region .
Scientists are baffled about what's causing the birds to veer off course . |
185,981 | 7cd86844258e996d6cea877f898c18678dc5b78b | By . Sami Mokbel . Follow @@SamiMokbel81_DM . When England arrive at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus on Saturday, the magnitude of what liesahead will hit them. As will the heat — and humidity. Roy Hodgson’s men can expect temperatures of around 32 degrees when they face Italy, as well as humidity levels of 76 per cent. So, in search of a realistic idea of what Steven Gerrard and Co will be forced to endure against the Italians, I made my way to Canary Wharf. Getting ready: Sportsmail's Sami Mokbel prepares to tackle the Lucozade Manaus conditions fitness test . Entering: Sami takes to the pitch and immediately feels the 32 degree heat . In the mix: Sami on the pitch ready to test the same heat England players will play in at the World Cup . Not . particularly tropical, you might say. But Lucozade’s Conditions Zone has . brought a taste of the Brazilian rainforest to east London. The . temporary indoor facility, which has its own 3G pitch, replicates the . temperature and humidity in Brazil — in this case Manaus. The plan . was to complete the Hoff Test — a 10-minute intensive endurance test . which incorporates work with a football — before going into a . small-sided game. In preparation, on-site specialists checked my weight and hydration levels. And then it hits you square in the face — the heat. As you walk into the Conditions Zone, it’s like stepping into a sauna. Within seconds, I was sweating — and that was before I had even started. Not to be boastful, I like to think I’m pretty fit. I exercise at least five times a week and watch my diet. But nothing could prepare me for what was to come. The Hoff Test is a series of runs, sprints and jumps with and without the ball. Five minutes in, I was gasping for air, desperate for the second half of the test to pass. You try not to slow down, but you can’t help but take your foot off the gas. It felt like my lungs would . burst if I didn’t. Mokbel: 'It hits you square in the face - the heat. As you walk into the Conditions Zone, it's like stepping into a sauna.' Getting going: Mokbel did a series of runs, sprints and jumps with and without the ball to test himself in the heat . By the end I was drenched in sweat, gasping for air with legs like jelly. Utterly exhausted — and that was after 10 minutes. The main thing that struck me was my lack of control over the ball as time wore on. Zig-zagging . in and out of cones during the first two or three minutes was fine, but . the quality with the ball at my feet gradually plummeted. You try to ensure that your touches are assured, but all I could really think about was: ‘When can I stop?’ Next came the small-sided game. It was only 10 minutes, but after the Hoff Test it was 10 minutes too long. The final tests: Sami says 'the final whistle was a sweet, sweet sound' after a tormenting challenge . Pacing myself was the key here, but shaking off what went before was easier said than done. The speed . of the game dropped dramatically towards the end, every player petrified . that a misplaced pass would lead to an unnecessary burst of speed to retrieve the ball. The final whistle was a sweet, sweet sound, as was the moment I stepped out of the Condition Zone and into the east London air. I lost a kilo in weight and 1.5 litres of fluid in just 20 minutes. So what effect will 90 minutes of play in the Amazon rainforest at Manaus, chasing 11 Italians, have on England on Saturday? The weigh-in: Sami lost a kilo in weight and 1.5 litres of fluid in just 20 minutes in the heat . Results: How will England players fare after 90 minutes of chasing 11 Italians on Saturday? | Sportsmail's Sami Mokbel was 'gasping for air' after just 10 minutes .
England can expect temperatures of about 32 degrees in their World Cup opener against Italy on June 14 . |
199,773 | 8e9e3b3c5892b9dfa62fb1464b938e20e6144920 | A Chinese mother of two disfigured by horrific tumours growing on her face has been told by doctors she will make a full recovery after the government said it would foot the bill for her surgery. Li Hongfang, 40, was shunned in public after a rare type of bone cancer caused tissue to grow under her skin, distorting her features beyond recognition. Ms Hongfang endured the condition, known as Chordoma, for more than a decade because she had no money to pay for the £60,000 (600,000 yuan) surgery. Suffering: Li Hongfang, pictured in hospital, was unable to afford £60,000 on her tumours without help . Intervention: The 40-year-old is now about to have surgery to help cure her condition - known as Chordoma - after her plight received international attention . But after her plight touched hearts around the world earlier this month, shaming the country's ailing health service on a global stage, the Communist government gave doctors all the money they needed to save her. Staff at Qianxian People’s Hospital, near Xi’an in western China’s Shaanxi province, are now doing all they can to rescue a woman, whose tumour-ridden face has found international sympathy. The hospital's medical director, Xue Gang, said: 'Our superiors told us specially that we should cure Li Hongfang’s illness at all costs.' Local government officials pledged to meet all costs for her surgery and ongoing radiotherapy to make sure the tumours stay away. Spokesman Si Dangku confirmed: 'We will pay and if we run out of funds, the regional government will pay.' Surgeon Pan Lin - from Xijing Hospital, where Hongfang is preparing for her operation - said the operation will make her look 'beautiful again'. Distorted features: Ms Hongfang originally thought a small swelling on her forehead was an insect bite - but gradually the tumours spread . 'I am NOT a monster': Li Hongfang, 40, has a rare condition which has caused tumours to grow on her face - but she is unable to afford treatment . 'The condition is rare but the tumours are benign so her life is not in danger,' he said. 'After the tumours have been removed we will provide some cosmetic surgery and she will end up a beauty again.' Ms Hongfang is now undergoing a series of pre-op tests before the surgery can begin. She said: 'I am so grateful to the people who made this happen.' 'I just want to look normal again, like I feel inside. I'm not a monster and I don't want to look like one.' Nightmare illness: The mother-of-two is shunned in public because of her rare condition. The tumours on her face have been growing for the last 10 years . Grief: Li Hongfang was hit by the death of her husband shortly after she was diagnosed with Chordoma . The woman she used to be: Lu Hongfang with her son before the tumours began to grow . Ms Hongfang originally thought the first swelling on her forehead, which appeared in 2001, was an infected insect bite. 'It didn't even itch or ache in any way – but it also didn't go away and in fact just got bigger and bigger,' she said. Li Hongfang has Chordoma which is a type of bone cancer which causes tissue to grow. The most common place where the tumours begin to grow is in the skull and at the bottom of the spine. Although global figures are not available, in the US the cancer affects around one in a million people. In western countries, a sufferer would have the tumour removed before being given high doses of radiation therapy. But because of China's healthcare system, Ms Hongfang has been unable to afford proper care. The cancer may be rare, but there have been some instances of several members of the same family being hit by the tumours. When her condition was finally diagnosed four years later, doctors said she had seven tumours growing on her face. Ms Hongfang was living with her husband and two sons at the time, in Tianchao village, Qianxian county, in west China’s Shaanxi province. She said: 'We didn't have much money . but we were very happy and we loved each other and our two boys. I would . say life was good then.' Soon after wards, her sorrows increased after her husband died. By . 2009 she met Guo Yingping, 40, an orphan, and the two became friends . and later married. Her two sons, now aged 17 and 14, have now left home . to work. She added: 'I know that a lot of people see me as a monster but I am just a normal woman and a mother inside.' The . mother of two is one of many victims of China's health service falling . apart when the old state system was dismantled and medical fees . introduced. Tens of millions of people, particularly those living in the countryside, cannot access a doctor and cannot afford treatment. Officials . are debating a programme which aims to provide health insurance for all . its 1.3billion people by 2020, but at present, the health . system falls far behind the needs of those it is supposed to be . treating. | Mother-of-two Li Hongfang, 40, had watched seven tumours grow on her face for the last TEN years .
She had been unable to afford £60,000 medical bill to have them removed .
They started growing slowly in 2001 but she ignored the swelling because she thought it was nothing to worry about . |
44,105 | 7c66319e32c825506c9bb6c9f2480910b3857f08 | Darren Fletcher's move away from Manchester United is set to go ahead despite a dispute over a pay-off. Sportsmail understands the club have told the player's agent that they will allow the long-serving Scotland midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the season, to leave on a free in this transfer window. They are also known to be happy for Fletcher, who turns 31 on Monday, to see out the remainder of his deal at Old Trafford. Darren Fletcher's West Ham United move is being held up over a payment dispute with Manchester United . However, it is unlikely United will both pay-up the remainder of the contract AND waive their right to a transfer fee. Officials believe that not asking for a fee is a sufficient gesture of goodwill towards Fletcher, who is nearing a 20th anniversary with the club he signed for as an 11-year-old. West Ham United are keen on bringing the player to Upton Park but whether they are able to bridge the gap and pay the equivalent of what he would have earned at United is unclear. Despite the above, however, a move away from the club is likely to take place in the near future. Sam Allardyce is keen on bringing Fletcher to West Ham and adding some experience to his midfield . Fletcher was named vice-captain by Louis van Gaal following the Dutchman's arrival at United but has struggled for playing time. The acquisitions of Angel di Maria and Daley Blind have limited his opportunities and he will not be offered a new deal at the club. This season Fletcher has started just four Premier League matches and was replaced as vice-captain by Michael Carrick in December. Aside from West Ham, West Bromwich Albion and Valencia are interested parties. A return to United in a coaching or ambassadorial role is an option, but this would not happen until his playing days are over. United boss Louis van Gaal named Fletcher as vice-captain but the Scotsman has found playing time limited . The arrivals of Angel Di Maria (left) and Daley Blind (right) hasn't helped Fletcher hold down a place . Aside from West Ham, West Bromwich Albion and Valencia are interested parties. A return to United in a coaching or ambassadorial role is an option, but this would not happen until his playing days are over. | Darren Fletcher looked set to join West Ham United during this window .
The Scotsman was close to signing for Sam Allardyce's side on a free .
Fletcher could return to Old Trafford in a coaching role once he's retired .
Follow all the latest transfer news here . |
165,062 | 6170937c6b6be55152c25f794ac948db4a7281d2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:48 EST, 19 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:46 EST, 20 October 2013 . When you think of fine dining, McDonald's is probably not at the top of your list, but that didn't stop a group of chefs attempting to turn the chain's fast food into gourmet cuisine. With creations ranging from kung pao Chicken McNuggets to tapas and slow-cooked beef with Mac Fry gnocchi, the foods appeared to be worlds apart from the usual fast food fare of burgers and fries found at the golden arches. Award-winning chefs Dale Talde, of Brooklyn’s Talde, James Tahhan of Telelmundo fame, The Next Food Network Star winner Aaron McCargo Jr and McDonald’s in-house chef Jessica Foust all competed against each other at an event in New York to create some exotic dishes. Mircale workers: Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., McDonald's USA Chef Jessica Foust, RD, Chef James Tahhan and Chef Dale Talde teamed up to create gourmet recipes using McDonald's ingredients . Happy meal: Guests enjoyed a unique gourmet dish made with McDonald's USA quality ingredients created by Chef James Tahha . Tortilla Española with Garlic and Saffron Aioli Featuring McDonald's Hashbrowns, Eggs, Onions Apple and Cucumber Chipotle Salad . Kung Pao Chicken Featuring McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Peanuts, Iceberg Lettuce . Not coming to a restaurant near you: The dishes were all created for a one-off event... but it shows you what can be achieved! Meanwhile, the rest of us will have be content with a Big Mac and fries . The transformation wizardry didn't stop at the food either. Among the drinks being offered were a mango pineapple mojito, made with the mango smoothie base, and a bacon old fashioned. The first dish, from Chef Talde, was kung pao Chicken McNuggets. Three nuggets doused in sweet and sour sauce, rice wine vinegar and peanuts atop a small bed of shredded Big Mac lettuce with sliced orange, according to Thrillist. Would you like fries with that? McDonald's USA Chef Jessica Foust, RD, prepared dishes featuring only McDonald's ingredients . Pumpkin Spice Biznut (Biscuit-Donut) Featuring McDonald¿s Biscuit Mix, Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup, Praline Topping, Cream . Slow-Cooked Beef with Blueberry Pomegranate Sauce and Mac Fry Gnocchi. Featuring McDonald's French Fries, Eggs, Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie Base, Carrots and the 100% beef ground for the McDonalds' hamburger patties . McChicken upgraded: Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. prepared a BOLD BBQ Chicken dish . Drink up: Jessica Foust, RD, created unique cocktails including a Mango Pineapple Smoothie base and McDonald's Applewood Smoked Bacon . Fancy a drink? Old Fashioned with Applewood Smoked Bacon . Featuring McDonald's Applewood Smoked Bacon, Maraschino Cherry . Next up was Chef Tahhan’s tortilla espanola. Made with McDonald’s hash browns and eggs, combined with both chipotle BBQ and honey mustard sauces, as well as a garlic and saffron aioli, Thrillist called it ‘the most transformative dish of the night.’ ‘You could tell it was McDonald's ingredients,’ the site added, ‘but it didn't taste like anything on the actual menu.’ The next dish was the one most likely to end up on a McDonald’s menu. From Chef McCargo, it boasted sliced crispy chicken stacked on top of hash browns and topped with a fried egg, jack cheddar cheeses and applewood smoked bacon on a bed of chipotle BBQ sauce and espresso. Ideas unlimited: Event provided diners with a new perspective on McDonald's food and quality ingredients . BOLD BBQ Chicken Featuring McDonald's Crispy Chicken, Hashbrowns, Chipotle BBQ Sauce, Espresso, Cheddar Jack Cheese, Onions, Eggs, Applewood Smoked Bacon and salad . Variety: The evening included cocktails, appetizers and several entrees . Chef Foust, perhaps due to her unparalleled and intimate knowledge of ingredients at the fast food giant, created what appeared to be the two best dishes of the night. The first was a slow-cooked beef with blueberry pomegranate sauce and Mac Fry gnocchi. The blueberries and pomegranates come from the smoothies and the fries were turned into a potato gnocchi. The slow-cooked beef was the same meat used by the fast food chain prior to turning it into burger meat. Dessert looked just as mouthwatering as Chef Foust made a doughnut from the chain’s biscuit mix and topped it with pumpkin spice latte syrup. But don’t hold your breath and expect these new creations to be on the menu at your local McDonalds - it was strictly a one-off event, one that truly provided food for thought! | The one-off event was held earlier this month in New York .
Top-flight chefs from New York, television and McDonald's took part .
McDonald's chef Jessica Foust handily beat her competition . |
235,831 | bd478e6d7031fb7e92d8a8d20239ebe8ad340624 | To the chairman of Cowdenbeath nights with the directors of Rangers are not the occasions they once were. Donald Findlay QC should be comfortable in the midst of David Somers and co. He was once one of them. Vice-chairman of the company indeed. But these days he neither recognises the faces or names of the Rangers board. Or, indeed, the 'new entity' – his words – that they represent. Former Rangers vice chairman Donald Findlay believes the Ibrox outfit are almost like a new side . Findlay believes Ally McCoist's side is almost like a new team following their relegation to the lower leagues . 'Welcoming them to Central Park will be no different to welcoming anyone else for me,' Findlay tells Sportsmail, a vague waft of pipe tobacco detectable in windowless side room in Glasgow's High Court. 'Why should it be? 'I don't have many old friends there now. None on the organisational side. 'I know Alistair McCoist and Durranty. But I don't actually know who is involved there any more. 'Rangers coming is a big occasion for the club and the town of course. The last time they played Cowdenbeath in a league game was April 1971. The game was originally scheduled to have been played on January 9 – but was postponed because it was the Saturday after the Ibrox disaster.' This appreciation of the history of Rangers is a feature of the conversation. Findlay, trademark whiskers now greying slightly, is wistful on the past and shows no compunction over turning his legal mind to one of the most heated and prolonged debates in Scottish football. His learned friend Lord Nimmo Smith may have declared otherwise. But to Donald Findlay the Rangers which visits Cowdenbeath on Tuesday is not the same Rangers he once served. 'It is a different club,' he tells Sportsmail bluntly. 'They may play at Ibrox and they may play sometimes in royal blue jerseys. 'But you cannot pass on that which is undefinable. And that is spirit and tradition and all the rest of it. 'To me this is a new Rangers which has to establish its own history and tradition. But it's not the Rangers I know. To me, genuinely, it is a new entity.' Findlay feels sorry for fans of the Ibrox side who have stuck by their club in recent years . In Rangers circles this kind of thing is heresy. When liquidation became inevitable Charles Green, the former Chief Executive, insisted vocally he had paid £5.5million for the assets and history of the oldco in May 2012. Recently, Livingston's programmed editor lost his job after wading into a contentious topic in a match programme. Asked why he flies in the face of the consensus among Rangers supporters - that they remain the same club they always were - Findlay insists his view is a personal one. In his mind – he is now 63 – things have changed. 'Well, the view I have is one expressed to me by a lot of other Rangers supporters. 'There is just not the same sense of things being done the Rangers way. 'A lot of Rangers supporters – and these are the guys I feel sorry for – paid their money and remained loyal and followed the team through thick and thin. And they tell me there is just something missing now. 'That's not only my view. It's what I am told by people from the inside in the sense that they go to Ibrox. Something has changed, something is missing. It's just somehow… different.' This sense of creeping disenfranchisement with the running of Rangers is not unusual. Among fan groups talk of boycott is now rife. Suggesting that a club playing at Ibrox in blue jerseys before Rangers supporters might be a 'new' Rangers, however, triggers a fresh stream of consciousness in one of Scotland's great adversaries. The former believes Rangers should not move away from Ibrox as the ground is steeped in history . 'You can buy assets,' he concedes, 'but you can't buy history. You can't buy tradition. History and tradition are in the heart and in the mind. You can't buy that. 'I don't care what anyone says.You cannot buy Ibrox, you cannot buy the Blue Room, you cannot buy the trophy room without actually understanding what it means. 'I mean what every little piece of it means right down to the crests on the radiators in the Blue Room that were made in the same shipyards which made the Queen Elizabeth liners.' There is the sense that Findlay, a formidable adversary and hired gun paid to represent some of the most notorious criminals in the country, has given this some thought. 'You could argue that if they (Rangers) had moved from Ibrox to a brand new stadium at the time the whole thing collapsed, called it Rangers and played in blue that you would automatically be taking all that history and tradition with you. 'Well, maybe some people can. That's fine. Good luck to them. 'But for me personally tradition and history is in here.' He jabs a finger on his left hand towards his heart, an imprint on his black waistcoat clearly evident. 'It's not in material things. It's understanding what the material things mean. 'It's understanding what a genuine privilege it was to walk up the marble staircase. 'Not every Tom, Dick and Harry should trail up the marble staircase at Ibrox you know.' In recent years, of course, a long process of Tom, Dicks, Craigs and Charlies have done just that. Findlay won't be drawn on what he thinks of this. 'So I'm told,' is all he offers. He walked up the stairs for the last time 15 years ago. The events which led to a humiliating public resignation have been well documented. Captured on camera at a club function singing 'The Sash' he was subsequently reported to considered suicide. He has no wish to rake over old coals. 'It's so far in the past I'm not going back there. Things happen to you, you deal with them and move on.' He has revelled in running his hometown club of Cowdenbeath for the last five, fraught years on a simple rule of thumb. Frustrated by the lack of media attention – 'your paper and others treat us like s***' - the Fife club spend only what they earn. Asked if the history of Rangers might have been different if he had hung around longer to espouse this manta he is mildly dismissive. 'Ach, I don't know. I can't say if I could have changed things if I had stayed longer.Many people have come and gone since then making decisions of which I know very little about.' Rangers, he claims, were living within their means when he left. The more extravagant spending of the Advocaat years had yet to begin. 'The budget at that time was managed and in control and covered. If you are taking a financial risk it has to be against a background of knowing you can cover that risk.' He won't deny that the spending at Ibrox was far higher than anywhere else. Rangers unashamedly 'lorded it' over their rivals, including Celtic, and savoured every minute. One reason, he believes, why there was a marked lack of sympathy among rival clubs when they hurtled towards the fiscal cliff two and a half years ago. 'Looking back on it you do think that sometimes what goes around comes around. 'I mean, come on …. to win nine championships in a row? You are entitled to lord it a bit over the opposition then - and I think we did. 'You knew perfectly well that when you were beaten and your opponents said 'thank you very much' that the minute you left the room they would be aiming a one arm salute at your back. That was fine. 'There was a terrific relationship with the old Celtic board you know. There was nothing personal about it. Chris White and others were personal friends. 'But, yes, it probably did heighten the sense of schadenfreude two years ago. But it was definitely good for business.' Findlay is not sure if the current crop of Rangers star will be able to win promotion back to the Premiership . Rangers will have to beat off competition from Hearts and Hibs if they are going to earn promotion . The presence of Rangers in the Championship is equally good for business for Cowdenbeath now. Findlay is under no illusions their presence is a short term situation. How short term is the million dollar question. 'Is it inevitable Rangers will go up this season? Absolutely not. 'I said that before the season started. There is absolutely no guarantee Rangers will go up, far from it. 'They would be one of the favourites from the play-offs because of the resources they potentially have. 'But Rangers, Hearts and Hibs? One of them will be in the Championship next year- guaranteed. Queen of the South and Falkirk are also ambitious clubs. 'So it's by no means guaranteed Rangers will go up. 'I could be selfish and say that suits me fine. I want them for another season in the championship but for the good of the wider game in Scotland it's time Rangers were back in the Premiership.' He is unrepentant on this. Rangers and Celtic, he believes, are simply too big to fail in a Scottish context. 'They are not just football clubs – they are national institutions. 'They have a presence in sport and also make a contribution to the economy which is huge. 'Of course it's sad to see a great club the way it is. To see Rangers reduced is heart-breaking. 'People lost a lot of money and something had to be done about that. It was wrong the way small businesses and shareholders lost money. 'But has it benefitted the game Rangers being in the lower divisions? Is the game better because of it? I'm not sure it is you know…' | Donald Findlay feels sorry for Rangers fans who have stuck by the club .
The former vice chairman does not know if Rangers will be promoted .
Findlay is saddened to see a great club struggle . |
82,204 | e9054b35251bd3a74b85e22d3c4ee1d4344809b2 | (CNN) -- The man charged Wednesday with attempting to blow up the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the latest alleged jihadist to be charged in a law enforcement sting, may or may not have had the capability to create a major terrorist incident. But if his case follows the pattern of other similar sting operations, what is clear is that he faces very long odds in court. Quazi Mohammad Rezwanual Ahsan Nafis, a 21-year-old Bangladeshi from Queens, is accused of plotting to detonate a 1,000-pound bomb outside the Federal Reserve building in Manhattan. Sounds pretty terrifying. But as acting Assistant FBI Director Mary Galligan explained, "It is important to emphasize that the public was never at risk ... because two of the defendant's 'accomplices' were actually an FBI source and an FBI undercover agent." According to the complaint against him, Nafis did travel to the United States by his own account to wage "jihad." But Nafis doesn't seem like the sharpest aspiring terrorist. According to the complaint, Nafis believed that the undercover agent he was talking to had traveled overseas to meet al Qaeda's leadership to get approval for the New York plot during the summer of this year. Not too many folks are known to have traveled to Pakistan's tribal regions from the United States to meet with al Qaeda's leaders in recent years. Terror plotting: Bravado or sincerity? Yet Nafis will be quite unlikely to successfully mount a defense that he was entrapped by the feds. Since September 11, 2001, 207 individuals have been indicted on charges related to jihadist terrorism. Of those, 94 had interacted with an informant or an undercover law enforcement officer in the leadup to their arrest, according to data compiled by the New America Foundation. Defense attorneys and members of the local community have in many of those cases accused authorities of entrapment, though that claim is rarely used as an official defense, since entrapment is extremely difficult to prove. In one such contentious case in 2004, two imams at a mosque in Albany, New York, Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, became embroiled in an elaborate terrorism plot created entirely by the FBI after Hossain approached a longtime FBI informant to ask about obtaining an illegal driver's license for his brother. Then, after agreeing to launder money that the FBI informant said would be used to buy a surface-to-air missile for terrorists, the two men were tried and convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison on money laundering and terrorism charges. Aref -- who spoke broken English -- maintained throughout the trial that he hadn't even known he was laundering money, much less that he was supporting terrorism, and dozens of community members -- Muslim and non-Muslim -- wrote letters to the courts and to local newspapers describing Aref as a devoted father and peace-loving, law-abiding member of society. However, the odds are stacked against suspects like Aref. Of the 81 jihadist terrorism suspects who have gone to trial since 9/11 in cases involving an undercover agent or informant, every single one has either been convicted or pleaded guilty. Entrapment defenses just haven't worked in post-9/11 jihadist terrorism cases. By contrast, of the 45 non-jihadist terrorism suspects -- who include neo-Nazis, anarchists and anti-government extremists -- who have gone on trial since 9/11 in plots involving undercover agents or informants, the rate of successfully obtaining convictions or guilty pleas was about 77% rather than the 100% conviction rate in jihadist terrorism cases. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Wednesday, "Whether al Qaeda operatives like Iyman Faris or those inspired by them like Jose Pimentel, terrorists have tried time and again to make New York City their killing field. We're up to 15 plots and counting since 9/11, with the Federal Reserve now added to a list of iconic targets that previously included the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York Stock Exchange and Citicorp Center." But few of these 15 plots were truly threatening to New York. One of the terrorist suspects Kelly mentioned, Pimentel, allegedly came close last year to completing the construction of three pipe bombs he planned to use against New York police officers and returning U.S. troops, before authorities arrested him. But the FBI had turned down more than one request from the New York City Police Department to get involved with the investigation because its agents were of the opinion that Pimentel "didn't have the predisposition or the ability to do anything on his own," according to one anonymous law enforcement official. In fact, multiple acquaintances of Pimentel's told police he was mentally unstable and had once tried to circumcise himself. He had difficulty drilling the holes in the pipe bomb parts that the undercover informant had provided him with and asked an upstairs neighbor to help him. This doesn't sound like a cunning terrorist plotting to wreak havoc on the American public. Similarly, the other terrorist mentioned by Kelly, Pakistani-American Iyman Faris, was certainly someone who had met with al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan, but the harebrained plan he hatched to bring down the Brooklyn Bridge was to use a blowtorch to burn through the massive steel cables of the bridge, which had no chance of succeeding and which he never attempted. The good news is that even these not especially threatening cases, like that of Nafis, are becoming increasingly unusual. Since 2009, jihadist terrorism cases in the United States has been on a steady decline, with only three suspected jihadists indicted in 2012, compared with 25 in 2011 and a record 44 in 2009. Why these jihadists' terrorism cases have so precipitously declined in number is hard to diagnose precisely. But law enforcement efforts, which are well-publicized as in the Nafis case, have surely had a significant deterrent effect, and the ideology of al Qaeda has continued to lose whatever appeal it once enjoyed among a tiny minority of Muslims living in the United States. | Man from Bangladesh charged with attempting to detonate bomb outside Federal Reserve building .
Peter Bergen: Jihadists arrested as a result of many law enforcement sting operations .
He says they haven't succeeded in getting acquittals by using the entrapment defense .
Bergen: Jihadist terrorism cases have declined steadily since 2009 . |
240,756 | c3ad489d84b298406b24cfd4dbff5c47c11352ba | By . Sally Lee . A mother is desperately battling to raise the $60,000 needed to fly her and her premature daughter home to Australia from Fiji, after she unexpectedly gave birth in the back of a taxi on a street in Nadi, last week. Jayne and Ashley Wren weren't expecting to be parents until July, so they did not have travel insurance that covered their baby being born while they were on holiday. Maddison Jayne Cazna Wren arrived early at 33 weeks at 1.7kg and remains in an incubator at Nadi Hospital. The couple flew to Fiji for a wedding after being granted full permission by doctors in Sydney. An online campaign has been launched to help bring baby Maddi home and cover the medical expenses for the newborn. Jayne Wren who gave birth to her first child Maddi in the back of a taxi in Fiji on May 31 . The night after the wedding, Mrs Wren was on her way to a check up at a local private clinic in Nadi but her destination quickly changed to Nadi Hospital when she went into labour in the taxi. The new parents now have growing financial concerns but are being helped significantly by the online campaign set up through fund-raising website mycause. 'Jay was carried from the taxi her baby was born, on a local street in Nadi,' wrote Angela Allison who is running the campaign. Maddison Jayne Cazna Wren (pictured in an incubator in Nadi Hospital) was born at 33 weeks at 1.7kg. She came home on June 19 . The father of Maddison, Ashley Wren, was a groomsman at his friend's wedding in Nadi and wasn't expecting to be a father so soon . 'Conditions [at the hospital] are far from the standards we are used to here in Australia,' said Ms Allison. 'With not even a blanket for Maddi or clothes for her to wear, Jay and Ash are beside themselves with worry and stress.' Ms Allison told Daily Mail Australia, however, that they have been overwhelmed by support from friends, family and strangers. 'Now that a few Aussie celebs have retweeted we are gaining donations from strangers,' she said. 'Initially it was just friends and family of Ash and Jay and people who read about it via the shared Facebook link. It's so exciting to watch the amount raise and to think about how much this is going to mean for them.' To donate, click here. An online campaign was launched to pay the $60,000 to bring Maddi home . Medical expenses, accommodation and flights for the baby won't be covered by travel insurance. The campaign has raised $26,000 but needs to raise $60,000 . | Jayne and Ashley Wren, from Sydney, flew to Fiji last week for a friend's wedding .
Although doctors said Mrs Wren was fine to travel, she gave birth to her first child in the back of a taxi on a local street in Nadi .
Maddison Jayne Cazna Wren was born at 33 weeks at 1.7kg and remains in an incubator at Nadi Hospital .
Medical expenses, accommodation and flights for the baby won't be covered by travel insurance .
An online campaign has launched to help transport Maddi home, which is believed to cost at least $60,000 . |
106,315 | 1520a5498a0514436437a7c026461eae3cbdfae8 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China's military is developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles that are "shifting the balance of power in the region" and could help Beijing secure resources or settle territorial disputes, a report released by the Pentagon said Wednesday. U.S. and Chinese militaries need "resumption of dialogue," Adm. Timothy Keating told Congress. China also continues to build up short-range missiles and increase its "coercive capabilities" against Taiwan. The report suggests such moves constitute an effort to pressure Taiwan into settling the cross-strait dispute in favor of China, though tensions between the two countries have receded over the past year. The report, called the "Military Power of the People's Republic of China," is the Pentagon's annual briefing to Congress on the status of the communist country's military might. While China continues to proclaim that its military buildup is for defense purposes to protect its interests, the report says the country's lack of transparency is worrisome and could lead to an unintended conflict. "The limited transparency in China's military and security affairs poses risks to stability by creating uncertainty and increasing the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation," according to the report. "Much uncertainty surrounds China's future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power might be used." The lack of transparency causes Washington "to speculate to some degree on what their intentions are," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters at a Wednesday briefing. According to Adm. Timothy Keating, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command, some of that uncertainty is due to the cessation of talks between the Chinese and U.S. militaries. In March of 2008, the United States and China installed a hot line between the two countries' militaries. But there have been no military-to-military talks since November 2008, when Washington announced it was selling weapons to Taiwan. "We are looking for the resumption of that dialogue so we can engage in discussion with our colleagues in the People's Republic of China and their Army, Navy and Air Force so we can have a sense of their way ahead," Keating told the House Armed Services committee on Tuesday. "We don't have a clear idea of their broad strategic way ahead." The Pentagon report comes after a recent incident in which Chinese ships, including a Chinese navy vessel, confronted an unarmed U.S. Navy surveillance ship in the South China Sea in international waters. The confrontation prompted the United States to move a destroyer ship to the area to protect the surveillance vessel. While the report does not discuss the incident, it notes the importance China puts on controlling its waterways and the surrounding territories because "China's economic and political power is contingent upon access to and use of the sea, and that a strong navy is required to safeguard such access." The analysis also said that while much of China's capability is more for regional disputes, it did send two destroyers and one supply ship off the coast of Africa to protect Chinese vessels from pirate attacks. That move was a sign of Chinese intent to expand its militaries to protect expanding economic and political interests around the world, according to a China analyst. "The Chinese military is being told to develop capabilities to deal with Chinese national interests beyond the pure defense of Chinese territory," said David Finklestein, the Director of China Studies for CNA, a nonprofit research group that does analysis for the U.S. military and other clients. "China, with a global economy, now obviously has global political interests and clearly has expanding global security interests." Though the Pentagon report concludes that "China's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited," it does have a growing space program, nuclear weapon system and cyber warfare capabilities, "the only aspects of China's armed forces that, today, have the potential to be truly global," the report explained. In citing China's cyber warfare, the report notes that U.S. government computers were the target of "intrusions that appear to have originated" from China, although they were not confirmed to be from the military. | Pentagon report: China's missile development "shifting balance of power in region"
Beijing's lack of transparency could lead to unintended conflict, report says .
Cessation of talks between nations' militaries partly to blame, U.S. admiral says .
Report: Cyber warfare capability among the few areas of China's "truly global" reach . |
231,451 | b7ad826b1cba784c6465b6a289dae73067dd013d | Jinan, China (CNN) -- With the hotel front desk clerk busy checking me in, her co-worker picked up the ringing phone. "Do we have any foreign journalists staying here?" she repeated the question being asked at the other end of the phone. "No," she replied, before the clerk helping me threw her a look. "Oh yes, three just got here." With the local authorities now presumably alerted to our presence, any hope we had of maintaining a low profile at the start of our reporting trip to cover the most anticipated trial in China in recent memory had ended. We arrived in the eastern city of Jinan on Tuesday, two days before the local Intermediate People's Court was set to try disgraced Communist leader Bo Xilai, who was once tipped to be a future president but now faces charges of bribe-taking, embezzlement and abuse of power. Bo's spectacular downfall -- complete with tales of murder, corruption and betrayal -- triggered the greatest political crisis for the ruling Communist Party in decades. During his trial, the charismatic and controversial politician is expected to make his first public appearance since April 2012 when he was stripped of his top Party posts. Timeline: The Bo Xilai scandal . Given the high drama and political stakes, it seems prudent for China's top leaders to pick one of the country's blandest cities for the spectacle. Jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles (1,200 kilometers) -- from Chongqing, Bo's former powerbase, or other places where he had held senior positions. The presiding judge is said to be a tested and reliable official in the eyes of Beijing. Coincidentally, Shandong province -- with Jinan being the capital -- is also home to the ancient sage Confucius, whose philosophy emphasizes respect to authority -- an idea that nervous local officials probably wish "unruly" foreign journalists would learn quickly. The courthouse sits at the end of a narrow, tree-lined downtown street, surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings. All looked normal and quiet as we exited the car, if not for the dozen soldiers unloading plastic barriers from trucks across the street from the court's main gate. A press pen was in the making. While our cameraman tested satellite signal strength for potential live shot locations, an official directed us to a nearby hotel, where the government had set up a media center. After going through a metal detector and a hand-wand inspection, we entered the building and reached the first position in what seemed to be an assembly line for the credential application process -- involving passport check, form distribution, information verification, data entry and photo-taking. Five steps later, we were told our press cards would be ready the following afternoon. But officials there didn't seem to know much else about the "open" trial -- questions about likely courtroom access, live broadcast opportunities or press conferences went unanswered. Almost as soon as the trial date was set last weekend, we had been calling the court trying to apply for a spot inside the courtroom -- only to be kicked around by different departments. As night fell Tuesday, we started live broadcast near a side entrance to the court. A notice posted in the bulletin board by the gate announced Bo's trial information. Pedestrians stopped to snap photos of the notice with their phones. Meanwhile, I received a text message from human rights activist Chen Guangfu, elder brother of the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, who had intended to "witness" the trial. He said, after he got off the train, state security agents awaiting him at Jinan's west railway station forced him to return to his home village some 125 miles (200 kilometers) away. Hu Jia, another prominent rights advocate, tweeted that the authorities in Jinan had tightened their grip over all activists ahead of the trial. The day before the trial brought a new excitement and a degree of chaos to the courthouse's doorstep. Despite a heavy police presence, some Bo admirers -- he retains considerable support in Chongqing and elsewhere in China -- showed up in the morning, along with onlookers and petitioners with various grievances -- all eager to take the rare opportunity to share their stories and opinions with the gathering foreign reporters. "During Chairman Mao's time, everyone was equal and we had no corruption -- 'singing red and smashing black' was achieving that and benefited people," declared a 66-year-old local resident who only identified herself as Ms. Li, as she referred to Bo's famous campaign to revive Maoist ideology and crack down on crimes. "He's not a god or perfect, but the masses supported him," she added. "They can't just condemn him to hell -- I want him to have a fair trial." "Why bother?" scoffed 62-year-old retired worker, named Mr. Liu, who stood next to her. "Bo's a victim of political struggles." "You think he actually believed in this 'singing red and smashing black' stuff? It was all for appearance's sake," he continued and turned sarcastic. "We ordinary people should just feel happy to be fed and clothed, and watch whatever news they put on TV." As the crowd grew larger and louder, the police decided to intervene, shooing off the speakers for disrupting traffic and ordering reporters to stay inside the designated media zone across the street. But an elderly petitioner's cry for help briefly caused new commotion. Wearing a paper headband with the character "wronged" written on it, the woman kept yelling at policemen who were dragging her away in front of news cameras: "I'm 80 years old and have a heart condition -- stop pushing me!" The atmosphere among the assembled press was just as excitable -- at one point a number of reporters rushed to the city's west railway station as a rumor circulated that a train carrying Bo would be arriving. By late afternoon, a legion of newly accredited journalists -- almost all from overseas media as most domestic outlets are barred from covering politically sensitive events -- had settled in. Some journalists questioned whether a day spent running around in the summer heat to cover a trial where the outcome is all but certain was really worth it. The conviction rate for first- and second-instance criminal trials in China -- where the Party controls the police, prosecution and courts -- stood at 99.9% in 2010, a U.S. State Department report cited the Supreme People's Court as saying. The only "unknown" in the Bo case seems to be the sentencing. After a long day of stakeout and live reports, we finally headed back to the hotel two blocks away from the court. As we walked into the Hyatt Regency Jinan, part of a sprawling mixed-use development, I was reminded by the sign that the hotel's Chinese name is Jinan Wanda Hyatt -- a nod to the property's owner, the Dalian-based Wanda Group. The real estate conglomerate -- headed by China's richest man -- saw its business take off in the 1990s, propelled by land deals with the local government when Bo was mayor of the coastal city in northeastern China. Wanda is not implicated in the Bo case, but it seems -- despite the top leaders' best efforts to choose a "neutral" location for the trial -- Bo's shadow looms large even in Jinan. | Bo Xilai set to be tried at the local Intermediate People's Court in Jinan .
Former political star faces charges of bribe-taking, embezzlement and abuse of power .
Jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles -- from Chongqing, Bo's former powerbase .
It will be Bo's first public appearance since April 2012 when he was stripped of his posts . |
19,513 | 375b1e73e7c4bd456c5f05ad0fdbbee171ed5264 | (CNN) -- Microsoft is going all out in an attempt to push customers to its new Windows Phone 8 operating system. All it has to do is convince people the platform is better than Google's Android and Apple's iOS. Easy, right? The company officially launched the latest version of its smartphone OS on Monday in San Francisco. The press event is part of a larger marketing blitz by Microsoft, which started last week with the rollout of its new Windows 8 OS for PCs and tablets, and its new Surface tablet, which aims to take on the iPad. Soon, you won't be able open a magazine or watch TV without seeing an ad for the new Windows products, CEO Steve Ballmer said. Big tech launches like these are piling up in the weeks leading up to the holiday shopping season. Last week, Apple announced its new iPad Mini, a fourth-generation iPad and a refreshed line of laptop and desktop computers. Google also announced news on Monday on its blog, including a new Nexus 4 handset and updates to its Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets. The devices will go on sale November 13. The company had planned to unveil the products at a large event in New York City but canceled at the last minute due to concerns about Hurricane Sandy. Secrets, once used to build anticipation ahead of these announcements, are getting harder to keep, due to leaky supply chains and forgetful employees leaving devices behind in bars. Only a few new bits of information came out of Microsoft's presentation, which featured cute kids and Jessica Alba. The attractive and colorful Windows 8 interface was shown off on large moving screens. As with the desktop version, icons are replaced by live-updating squares and rectangles, called Live Tiles, which can be customized by the user. Microsoft highlighted a handful of new features. Parents might appreciate Kid's Corner, a new limited mode for the phone that can be customized for your children. Rooms allows you to group people together and share calendars, updates or other select information with just that group. And Data Sense monitors how much of your data plan is being consumed, then optimizes your data usage so you can get more out of it. The Windows Phone 8 platform isn't just an updated version of its predecessor. Microsoft has overhauled its entire design and architecture to make it more similar to the Windows 8 operating system, so that the user experience and data are more consistent across the entire line of products. Microsoft's SkyDrive feature can be used to sync photos, videos and Office documents across multiple Windows devices. Other changes include adding support for sharing-feature near field communication, over-the-air updates and support for quad-core processors. A new smartphone operating system is nothing without some slick new devices to run it. So far Windows Phone 8 has the Nokia Lumia 920 and 820, Samsung Ativ S and HTC's Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S. The first devices designed specificially for Windows Phone 8 should be available in stores and online starting in November. Windows Phone has been around for two years, but it has yet to make a dent in a market dominated by Google and Apple. According to Strategy Analytics, Microsoft phones will only account for 4% of the smartphone market in the U.S. in 2012. The launch isn't just a big deal for Microsoft. Finnish phone maker Nokia is taking a big gamble on the Windows Phone platform too, which might be its last chance to win back smartphone customers. Nokia reigned as top cell phone company for many years, until 2007, the year the iPhone came out. Last week, the company slid off the list of top five smartphone manufacturers in the world, according to research firm IDC. Nokia is still the No. 2 phone manufacturer in the world, thanks to its booming feature phone -- or "dumb phone" -- sales. Microsoft has a big sales job ahead of it on Monday, explaining to consumers and businesses why this platform is a better choice than Android or iOS. The Windows ecosystem's biggest missing piece at the moment is its app selection. At Monday's event, Ballmer said that the Windows Phone app store will have 46 of the top 50 apps from other stores, and announced a slew of new apps and games for the platform including Skype, Facebook, Twitter, Jetpack Joyride, Cut the Rope and Pandora (all new Windows Phone 8 users will get one year of free music, no ads). There are still only 120,000 apps in the Microsoft app store, but that number could jump in the near future. Microsoft's Build developer conference begins Tuesday at the company's main base in Redmond, Washington. | Microsoft will officially unveil its new Windows Phone 8 operating system on Monday .
The company only accounts for a sliver of the smartphone market .
The launch is part of a marketing push which includes Windows 8 and the Surface tablet .
Microsoft is going up against Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems . |
197,049 | 8b0c88c04135825339453b2492ae722654f2de41 | A witness says he heard the sarcastic final words of a Texas student moments before he was shot dead by a college police officer. Robert Cameron Redus, 23, was killed . when Corporal Chris Carter, 35, opened fire on him in the early hours of . Friday morning a few blocks away from the University of the Incarnate . Word in San Antonio where Redus studied, set to graduate in May. Neighbour Mohammad Haidaras told My San Antonio that he heard a tense exchange between Redus and Carter sixty seconds before shots rang out. He told the website: 'I heard (a man) say, 'Oh, you're gonna shoot me?' like sarcastic almost.' The 22-year-old claims he heard gunshots less than a minute later and jumped into his closet. Investigators say an altercation began when Carter tried to pull Redus over for speeding and driving erratically. College shooting: Cameron Redus was killed after a campus cop shot him multiple times during a traffic stop . Under investigation: The parking lot of Redus' apartment block where he died is cordoned off by police . Lieutenant Cindy Pruitt of the Alamo Heights Police Department told KSAT that the incident occurred about 2am in the parking lot of the Tree House apartments in the 100 block of Grandview Place off Broadway, where Redus was a resident. Redus, known to friends by his second name Cameron, had spent the evening celebrating the end of semester with classmates. According to Pruitt, Carter tried to pull him over on Broadway for driving erratically, despite the fact that Redus was off-campus. It is not clear where Carter first tried to pull Redus over, but both vehicles drove north on Broadway until they pulled into the parking lot of the Treehouse Apartments. Once there, both got out of their cars and some kind of struggle ensued. Pruitt told My San Antonio that Carter radioed for help shortly before Redus was shot. A witness who lives in the Treehouse Apartments described hearing 'five or six' gunshots, but no verbal warnings. 'I didn't hear him say anything like, "Get down on your hands and knees," you know? I didn't hear him say anything. He just started shooting,' the man told KSAT. 'He emptied the gun on him,' he said. 'Boom, boom, boom.' Crime scene: Police investigate the street outside Cameron's apartment, where he was shot dead . Moving on: Cameron was due to graduate from the University of the Incarnate Word in May . Gentle: Cameron Redus, who was described by friends as not being aggressive, was shot five times by a campus cop . Mohammad Haidarasl lives directly below Redus at the Treehouse Apartments. He told My San Antonio that he was asleep on his sofa when he heard an exchange between Redus and Carter. 'I heard [a man] say, "Oh, you're gonna shoot me?" like sarcastic almost,' he said. Less than a minute later, Haidarasl heard four to six gunshots. He only realized the man who had been shot was his upstairs neighbor, whom Haidrasl described as 'the nicest guy.' Carter has been placed on administrative leave while officers investigate the shooting. University officials describe him as having 'extensive law enforcement background.' According to records viewed by My San Antonio, Carter has had nine jobs at eight different agencies over his eight-year law enforcement career. Devastated: Friends Sarah Davis (left) and Annie Jones (right) speak of their disbelief at the shooting of Cameron Redus . Cameron had been celebrating the end of semester with friends before he was shot . He rarely stayed in any job for more than a year and the two years and seven months as a campus officer for UIW was the longest stint in his career. Officers investigating the incident haven't attempted to contact Haidrasl about what he heard, Haidrasl told My San Antonio. Back in Redus' hometown of Baytown, the promising student's mother, father, brothers and friends are struggling to understand their loss. 'We are understandably devastated by the death of our dear son Cameron and we ask for your prayers as we deal with our tragic loss. We trust that God is faithful and will see us through this most difficult time,' the victim's family said in a statement. Redus old friends from high school were shocked to hear the news. 'He was so kind. He’s not an aggressive person at all,' friend Sara Davis told KHOU. 'The story doesn’t really make sense to any of us.' 'He was an honor student, dean’s list every semester, incredibly intelligent,' said Annie Jones. 'So, so, so smart. He was our co-valedictorian in high school.' A vigil has been set for 7pm on Saturday at the University of the Incarnate Word grotto. According to ABC, Redus' family has hired an attorney. | University student Cameron Redus, 23, was shot and killed by a campus police officer .
According to police, the officer tried to pull Redus over for driving erratically and speeding .
The two pulled into the parking lot of Redus' apartment block .
Minutes later, Redus was shot 'four to six times' by Carter .
Redus was a straight-A student set to graduate in May .
Alamo Heights police and Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting .
Carter is on administrative leave during the investigation . |
148,475 | 4bfeec20648c5fb036a48dfd5da163cc0976e546 | (CNN) -- A Holland America cruise ship was disrupted early Saturday morning by an intoxicated passenger who released the ship's anchor, according to an affidavit obtained by The Smoking Gun website. California resident Rick Ehlert, 44, released the anchor and a life buoy between 5:25 a.m. and 5:55 a.m., according to the affidavit. The MS Ryndam was unharmed, but the release of the anchor could have caused "significant damage to the ship's rudder or propeller, which could disable the ship's ability to maneuver, or puncturing of the ship, which could result in sinking or severe flooding," according to the affidavit. The ship was traveling from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Tampa, Florida. A surveillance video shows Ehlert taking multiple steps to deploy the anchor while the ship was in motion. The MS Ryndam's maximum speed is 22 knots, which is approximately 25 mph, according to Holland America's website. Ehlert confessed to dropping the ship's anchor when questioned by special agents from the FBI. He admitted to being intoxicated at the time and detailed the multiple steps he took in deploying the anchor, including entering an area marked as off-limits to passengers. "There is probable cause to believe on November 27 that Rick Ehlert did attempt to damage, destroy, disable, or wreck a vessel," FBI agent John Manning stated in the affidavit. Ehlert was arrested Sunday on a felony charge and taken into custody. He has not yet hired an attorney, according to the office of the magistrate who is handling the case. | An intoxicated passenger on a Holland America cruise ship released the ship's anchor .
The ship was unharmed, but the release of the anchor could have ultimately sunk the ship .
Rick Ehlert, 44, confessed to dropping the anchor and was taken into custody . |
24,866 | 46739f71a800bdef3fffa5743cd9ebdbfc4176f0 | Probe: Michael Gove is said to have told Ofsted inspectors to fail any schools that appear to be involved in the 'takeover' Fifteen schools are now being investigated over an alleged plot by hardline Muslims to teach extremist beliefs to children. Michael Gove is said to have told Ofsted inspectors to fail any schools that appear to be involved. Following accusations of complacency from MPs, the Department for Education last night confirmed that 15 schools in Birmingham are being inspected. The results – to be published next month – are expected to show conservative Islamic views being taught, it is claimed. The Education Secretary is said to . have told inspectors to fail schools where ‘religious conservatism is . getting in the way of learning and a balanced curriculum’. It means headteachers and governors judged inadequate on these grounds can be immediately dismissed. If . enough schools are rated inadequate, Mr Gove will call for further snap . inspections. The allegations surfaced last month in a leaked letter . referring to a ‘Trojan Horse’ plot to take over schools. The . letter’s authenticity is unclear, but it led to a flood of claims from . parents and staff, including takeover of governing bodies by . fundamentalist Islamists, harassment of non-Muslim headteachers, female . staff being bullied and gender segregation in lessons. A DfE official . told the Sunday Times: ‘Extreme religious conservatism often acts as an . entry to later problems. ‘A . child who is brought up, age eight, nine, ten, believing that you should . segregate the sexes and hand out Islamic textbooks is more likely to be . radicalised in later life.’ Ofsted inspectors were sent into Park View school last month after documents identified it as being targeted by extremists, but now 15 more schools are being probed . Lindsey Clark, the headteacher of Park View school, said she was not aware of any plot but welcomed the investigation and said she would act against anyone plotting against the school . One of the schools being investigated over extremist infiltration cancelled its annual visit from Father Christmas last year. Teacher Vicky Hubble, who organised the event at the secular Ladypool Primary School, was allegedly told to cancel it by the new Muslim headmaster, Huda Aslam. He is said to have told her there would be no presents and ‘no mention’ of Jesus being the son of God. According to a fellow teacher, Mr Aslam wanted to reduce festivities to little more than sing-alongs to songs such as Jingle Bells, but was forced to reinstate the Christmas assembly by Birmingham Council. However, Santa remained banned. David Cameron has promised ‘swift action’ to ensure schools are not used to spread terrorist ideology. Birmingham . city council froze appointments of any new school governors last week. But MPs said change should have come sooner. Liam Byrne, Labour MP for . Birmingham Hodge Hill, which covers several of the schools, said the . probe was moving at ‘glacial’ speed. Tristram Hunt, Labour’s education spokesman, said Mr Gove had shown ‘a shocking degree of complacency’. Birmingham . MP Khalid Mahmood said that the council has known of the claims for . ‘eight years at least’ but had failed to act for fear of ‘appearing . anti-Muslim’. Fresh claims . have also emerged in Manchester and at two schools in Bradford, . Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College and Carlton Bolling . College. An Ofsted spokesman said it had not begun inspections there, but did not rule it out. At . the centre of the scandal is Birmingham’s Park View Academy, where it . is alleged that £70,000 was spent on loudspeakers to call pupils to . Islamic prayers. A DfE . spokesman said: ‘We are investigating all evidence put to us. It is . absolutely vital these investigations are carried out impartially, . without pre -udgment.’ | Plot against Birmingham schools uncovered in document last month .
Muslim extremists allegedly plotted to overthrow moderate school leaders .
Nicknamed Operation Trojan Horse, document told how to force staff out .
Ofsted inspectors sent to one school, but probe expanded to include 15 . |
163,139 | 5ef1b206ed2741855f56264e0d558091f2c06e9d | Police are hunting for the victim and the attackers from a horrific incident in Florida on Sunday where a man pushed a woman's head down the toilet and dragged her out of a restaurant by her hair. As he brutally forced the victim into a car outside Burger King in Pembroke Pines, a witness heard the suspect say: 'You're going to die today and I'm going to be the one to do it.' Diners in the restaurant around 7.30am yesterday morning saw the woman go in the restroom, where she was followed by one of the men involved in the violent attack. Scroll down for video . Brutal: This surveillance footage shows the suspect dragging the victim out of the Burger King restaurant by her hair. Police are asking for the public's help in finding the attackers . Threats: As he brutally forced the victim into a car outside the restaurant, a witness heard the suspect say: 'You're going to die today and I'm going to be the one to do it' After hearing noise from the stalls, a female witness in the restaurant at 8913 Taft Street entered the bathroom, where she saw the victim on the ground and the suspect forcing her head into the toilet. According to CBS Miami, the witness told both the man and the woman they had to leave. The suspect then violently hauled the victim off the premises by her hair and threatened her life. Police say a silver Infiniti G35 then pulled up outside and the women was bundled into the vehicle before the driver of the car sped off. Officers are appealing for the public's help in finding the two suspects and the victim. Scene: The brutal incident took place on Sunday morning at Burger King in Pembroke Pines, Florida . The man accused of the attack is described as a six-foot-tall black male in his 20s with a slim build and black hair. He was wearing a white tank top. The female victim is also thought to be in her 20s, measuring 5'5" to 5'7", and is between 140-145 pounds in weight. She has shoulder length black hair and was wearing a purple shirt. Police say the car used in the attack was a four-door, 2009-11 Infiniti G35 with a spoiler and a University of Miami sticker in the back window. The driver of the car is described as a white or Hispanic male with dark curly hair. Hunt: Officers are looking for the attacker. He is described as a six-foot-tall black male in his 20s with a slim build and black hair. He was wearing a white tank top . | Florida Police hunt for attackers and victim in horrific attack at Burger King in Pembroke Pines .
Man followed woman into restroom where a witness saw him forcing her head down the toilet .
He then dragged her out of the restaurant by her hair, saying 'You're going to die today and I'm going to be the one to do it'
Woman was then bundled into car outside and remains missing . |
62,802 | b2651f31688a90065d131cd3d0d7b061a7008a7c | By . Nicole Mowbray . PUBLISHED: . 22:44 EST, 17 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:32 EST, 18 April 2013 . The guest list was certainly eclectic. But some mourners had no difficulty standing out from the crowd. Namely classical singer Katherine Jenkins, who seemed determined to show off her curves in a plunging cocktail-style dress and flared overcoat. The 32-year-old mezzo-soprano, who is thought to have met Baroness Thatcher through their charity work for the Armed Forces, sparked outrage on Twitter from users who thought the dress was inappropriate for the stately occasion. Clothing choice: The singer sparked comment on Twitter from users who thought the dress was inappropriate . AngelaReedFox, said: ‘Just for a change, or perhaps in honour of the occasion, Katherine Jenkins could have put her cleavage away.’ Hilary McGowan said she was ‘not sure Katherine Jenkins’s cleavage is appropriate’. Another Twitter user going by the name WellWilk added: ‘I think Katherine Jenkins could have put her cleavage away for just one day #thatcherfuneral.’ Fortunately from the neck upwards, Miss Jenkins, a favourite of the Royal family who has lunched privately with the Queen, was the epitome of elegance in a black Philip Treacy pillbox hat with netting. See video of Katherine's outfit below . | Classical singer thought to have met Lady Thatcher through charity work .
Outrage on Twitter from users who thought her dress was inappropriate . |
65,765 | bab58be958981d19f7a5056064aee11213eb7c80 | By . Julian Robinson . Children are five times more likely to become obese if their older brother or sister is overweight, a new study has found. An only child is 2.2 times more likely to put on excess weight if one of their parents is obese, according to a survey. But while parental influence is well documented, a child with an obese older sibling is much more likely to become overweight, with the risk shooting up 5.6 times. It comes as a second piece of research suggests eating out with healthy friends can help a person shed the pounds, as people are influenced by their peers' food choices. Children are five times more likely to become obese if they have overweight older siblings (file picture) A survey, which assessed more than 10,200 households in the U.S., found childhood obesity varied according to the number of children as well as their gender. Meanwhile, older children in a two-child household with an obese parent are 2.3 times more likely to be obese - but that number jumps to 5.4 times for those with overweight younger siblings. The research was carried out by experts from Massachusetts General Hospital, Cornell University, and Duke University. Their findings were published in the October issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Lead investigator Mark C. Pachucki said: ‘We found that obesity status of a younger child's older sibling is more strongly associated with a child's obesity than is the parent's obesity status.’ The report found that only children were less likely to exercise and more likely to eat fast food than those with brothers and sisters . ‘This association is independent of a host of socioeconomic and demographic attributes, health behaviours, and overall health status.’ He added that the findings were ‘consistent with research showing that siblings tend to eat alike and have similar levels of physical activity’. The survey also revealed a link between gender and the risk of obesity with younger children more susceptible to the influence of an older brother or sister if that sibling is of the same sex. Only . children were also found to be less likely to exercise and more likely . to eat fast food than those with brothers and sisters. But data also showed that having a very active older sibling upped the obesity risk for the younger brother or sister. Mr Pachucki added: 'Younger . children look up to their big brother or sister for behavioral cues, . often seeking their approval; and siblings may spend more time each . other than with their parents, often eating and playing sports . together.' Healthy friends can help influence our meal choices at restaurants, research has found . Eating out with healthy friends can have a positive impact on an individual’s food choices, a study has found. Research has revealed that diners tend to order similar dishes to their friends when in groups at restaurants. Experts looked at receipts from nearly 1,500 people who ate in groups at an eatery in Oklahoma, U.S. over a period of 19-weeks. Dishes were divided in to eight food categories such as soups, salads, pasta dishes and daily specials. While many of those who dined together appeared to choose different dishes, they tended to choose from the same categories. The research was carried out by experts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. It found that the popularity of salads and vegetarian dishes shot up when more than one person in the group ordered healthier dishes. According to the website scientificamerican.com, study researcher Brenna Ellison said: ‘We want to be different from our friends a little bit, but not too different. She added: ‘People are happier spending money and eating more calories as long as their peers are.’ | More than 10,000 homes across the U.S. were assessed as part of the study .
Only children with obese parents are twice as likely to become overweight .
But researchers discovered children with overweight older siblings are five times more likely to become obese .
Eating out with healthy friends could help beat the bulge, second study finds .
Findings showed people copy their peers' healthy food choices . |
153,701 | 52a07633521b6c128bdfdfda5e3693959259d996 | By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:16 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 23 December 2013 . Romanian and Bulgarian migrants coming to Britain in the New Year could put huge pressure on housing, schools and hospitals, a major report warns today. The study by the centre-left Institute for Public Policy Research says most of the new arrivals will settle in London and the South East – meaning public services in these areas will be most affected. It warns that Britain could see an increase in anti-social behaviour, aggressive begging, rough sleeping and criminality from next week. Under fire: The report from the Institute for Public Policy Research said that David Cameron's changes to benefit rules - designed to discourage migrants - are 'largely symbolic' And it says David Cameron’s much heralded changes to benefits rules are ‘largely symbolic’ and will make little or no difference. The report will ratchet up the pressure on ministers ahead of January 1, when the remaining controls on working rights for nationals of the two countries will expire. Mr Cameron has resisted calls to face down the EU and extend the controls, despite opinion polls showing huge public support for such a move. The report calls for ‘urgent action’ to deal with the wider housing crisis. It states: ‘Future migration to the UK from Bulgaria and Romania is likely to place added pressure on the lower-end of the private rented sector, particularly in the areas of London and the South East where most Romanian and Bulgarian migrants currently live and where housing is already in high demand.’ The report warns schools – which are already facing huge pressure due to existing population growth – and hospitals will also bear the brunt of a surge in numbers. ‘In the short term, the need for extra school places and additional usage of NHS services in some areas are likely to be the main consequences,’ it says. It concludes that crime could increase because Romanians are ‘disproportionately reflected’ in the crime statistics. Crime: The report says lawbreaking could increase as Romanians are 'disproportionately reflected' in crime statistics. Pictured are two Romanian travellers with a policeman in London's Park Lane . They are second only to Poles in terms of foreign national arrests since 2008 – despite being far fewer in number. The report warns of potential problems with ‘anti-social behaviour (including aggressive begging), rough sleeping and even criminality’. It is scathing about the changes to benefit rules, which were much heralded by Downing Street. They will mean EU migrants cannot claim out-of-work benefits for three months after arriving. The political response, it says, has been ‘more symbolic than substantive’ – and it accuses ministers of ‘rushing through last minute measures limiting access to entitlements’. Ministers should set up a dedicated fund of millions of pounds and use it to help communities where pressure on public services is particularly acute, the report says. It is published as Mr Cameron faces criticism from the president of Bulgaria over efforts to restrict future EU migration. Rosen Plevneliev accused the PM of trying to build an ‘iron curtain’ in Europe and pandering to nationalist sentiment. In an interview with the Observer newspaper, he called on Britain to stay true to its legacy as ‘a great global power that pioneered integration’. Mr Plevneliev added: ‘Isolating Great Britain and damaging Britain’s reputation is not the right history to write.’ A third of Big Issue sellers are from Eastern Europe, the magazine’s founder has revealed. John Bird, 67, said of that group, more than half are originally from Roma communities. He said there had been a rise in the number of immigrant vendors in recent years as more migrants came from Eastern Europe. Many Roma turned to selling The Big Issue to escape lives of ‘feral poverty’ he added. Controversially, he also said their reasons for choosing Britain were ‘made up maybe of [claiming] social security, maybe the ability to beg, maybe the ability to thieve’. One in three of the babies born in England and Wales last year had at least one parent who was born overseas. In London, almost seven in ten babies had at least one non-British-born parent, and in parts of the capital it was nearly 90 per cent. The Office for National Statistics figures show the stark changes in the number of migrants having children in this country over the past decade. Since 2000, the proportion of babies with foreign-born parents has increased by half. Then, 21.2 babies had at least one, but by last year that figure stood at 31.4 per cent. | Major report by the Institute for Public Policy Research gave a warning .
Said that London and the South East will be particularly at risk .
There could also be more aggressive begging, anti-social behaviour, rough sleeping and criminality from the new year, when restrictions are lifted . |
257,112 | d8c865496745027c72e4fda1f75c025a61c89175 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A Maryland couple are suing the National Aquarium after they claim a dolphin bonked their young son on the head with a pool toy. Ashley Lehman and Jeremy Benedict attended a dolphin show at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, in April 2013 with their son Aiden. After the show, a trainer tossed a pool toy into the pool - and the dolphin responded by launching at spectators. The parents say that the dolphin injured their young son when a trainer threw him a toy. Pictured here are bottlenose dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore . The parents claims little Aiden was bonked on the head, according to Courthouse News Service. 'After the show ended, plaintiffs began to leave and were standing near the dolphin pool, when an employee of defendant's provided a dolphin in the dolphin pool with a white plastic toy,' their lawsuit says. 'The dolphin pushed the white plastic toy out of the pool, striking the minor in the head, causing him injuries.' Ms Lehman and Mr Benedict are suing the National Aquarium for $16,454 in Baltimore City Court. They say they are owed damages for negligence and pain and suffering. The Aquarium did not return a call seeing comment Wednesday. | Ashley Lehman and Jeremy Benedict claim their son Aiden was hurt when a dolphin hit him with a plastic toy .
They are suing for $16,454 . |
27,811 | 4ed4eae0ceb532087e07ddef3827141e1d10ed3c | By . Joshua Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 20:55 EST, 15 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:29 EST, 16 January 2014 . Viewers of a Washington-based sports newscast were horrified Tuesday night when an explicit rendering of the Chicago Cubs' hated new mascot appeared on their screens with genitals in full view for 10 full seconds. Clark the Cub is the team's first mascot in nearly 100 years, has no pants and was met with jeers immediately after his introduction Monday. To goad on the Clark hate, sports blog Deadspin invited readers to photoshop parody versions of the bear, one of which ended up in all its au naturel glory on Comcast SportsNet's live broadcast Tuesday. Scroll down for video... Oops: CSN Mid-Atlantic accidentally aired a photoshopped version (right) of the Cubs new mascot Clark, complete with an anatomical addition, on Tuesday. The new mascot (left), seen at left, was met with jeers when he was introduced Monday in part because he lacks pants . It was the photoshopped version of . Clark Deadspin used to kick off its 'Do Something Horrible To The Cubs' New, Perverted Mascot' contest on Monday and featured a very prominent . cartoon penis. 'Clark is a . young, friendly bear who can't wait to interact with the kids,' CSN . anchor Nicole Darin precisely as the vulgar cartoon appeared onscreen. To her credit, Darin remained poised quickly apologetic about the mistake. CSN Mid-Atlantic, which reaches nearly 5 million viewers, accidentally aired the version from sports blog Deadspin just as anchor Nicole Darin said, 'Clark is a young, friendly bear who can't wait to interact with the kids' But for around 10 seconds, CSN Mid-Atlantic--which reaches nearly 5 million households--aired NSFW version. Despite the gaffe and Clark's apparent unpopularity, the Cubs are certain he will eventually be a hit. Team . officials say they held focus groups before deciding on Clark, and fans . told them they wanted a more family-friendly atmosphere at Wrigley . Field. Clark will greet fans at Wrigley before and during games, and the mascot will have a Twitter account and Facebook page. It is safe to assume that, while he will not be wearing pants, neither will the actual Clark mascot be anatomically correct. | Fans have jeered the franchise's new Clark the Cub mascot, a young bear who wears no pants .
Sports blog Deadspin held a 'Do Something Horrible To The Cubs' New, Perverted Mascot'
CSN Mid-Atlantic accidentally aired a Deadspin version of Clark with drawn-on genitals for 10 seconds on Tuesday . |
113,730 | 1eb8b1cecc3f689c304408afc831bc7f096cd6aa | Sarah Palin found a novel way to turn down an interview request from Piers Morgan on Friday, posting a picture on Facebook of a bear she had shot dead and a note saying she was busy. The former Alaska governor thanked chat show host Morgan for inviting her on his 'shambolic show' but added she was 'kind of busy right now'. The Facebook message, which had been liked by nearly 3,000 of Palin's supporters within two hours of it being posted, is part of an online spat between the pair after Morgan poked fun at her intellect. Thanks but no thanks: Sarah Palin used this picture of her with a bear she shot to send a message to Piers Morgan . Earlier in the week the host of Piers Morgan Live tweeted 'And she's back' and linked to a satirical article from the Daily Currant claiming Palin believed Jesus had celebrated Easter. According to conservative website Breitbart, Morgan was 'gleefully tweeting out a Currant story attacking Sarah Palin, without noting that the story was untrue'. Palin linked to the Breitbart article and, in another twist of the knife, added in her Facebook message: 'And to all our British friends: we ask, what did your friends across the pond ever do to you to deserve your Piers?' Feud: Palin was hitting back at Piers Morgan after he tweeted a link to a satirical article that poked fun at the former governor . Tweets: Morgan gave a tongue-in-cheek response to Palin turning down his interview request . Morgan was quick to respond to the picture, tweeting: 'Un-bear-able' before adding: 'Being called 'shambolic' by @SarahPalinUSA is most amusing. I wonder if she can see irony from her house?' The tweet was in reference to a Saturday Night Live skit of Palin during her vice-presidential campaign in 2008, when comedian Tina Fey, playing the Alaska governor, said: 'I can see Russia from my house'. Morgan has added that the invitation for Palin to appear on his show still stood. | Former governor refuses invite to go on 'shambolic' Piers Morgan Live show .
Spat started after Morgan sent joke tweet claiming the former Alaska governor believed Jesus celebrated Easter . |
237,516 | bf6579076d26543ebb76a8ae4cfcce8777f0f017 | (CNN) -- Apparently, all those clicks over at Buzzfeed are paying off in more ways than one. For hitting a big traffic goal, all 700 or so employees of the viral news site will be getting free Apple smartwatches -- a bonus that will cost at least $245,000. Early last month, CEO Jonah Peretti sent a memo to his staff celebrating Buzzfeed surpassing $100 million in revenue for the year. "This is a huge milestone and amazing accomplishment!" he wrote. He also issued a challenge. If the site hit 200 million unique visitors and 750 million video views in November, the entire staff would get one of Apple's watches, which are set to hit the market in early 2015. The least expensive model will sell for $349. Peretti told the staff they'd met the goals at a meeting on Thursday, according to Business Insider. He later confirmed it on Twitter. . Known largely for buzzy, viral posts that have a way of rampaging across social media -- critics would call it clickbait -- Buzzfeed, founded in 2006, has made moves over the past couple of years to expand its coverage to politics and other serious news. Ben Smith of Politico was brought on in 2012 as the site's editor-in-chief to push the new direction. Friday morning, alongside such light fare as "21 Faces Every Woman Who's Slept With A Guy Will Recognise" and a "How Hipster Are You?" quiz, Buzzfeed's main page included coverage of protests spurred by the NYPD police choking death of Eric Garner and a live feed of President Barack Obama's announcement of a new secretary of defense. | Buzzfeed's 700 employees will get Apple Watches for hitting traffic goals .
The site topped 200 million visitors in November .
CEO Jonah Peretti announced the bonus on Thursday . |
153,553 | 526b4230b55d12290d60f206267278d26dfb4bf3 | Doubles: Tracey Cannon with two fans of the dolls . When they appeared on Dragons’ Den to drum up investment in their range of lookalike children’s dolls, the verdict of the millionaire entrepreneurs was a humiliating ‘no’. Mother and son Tracey and Keiran Cannon were told in no uncertain terms that the business they had sunk their every penny into was ‘unviable’ – and were advised to quit. But now they have proved the BBC Dragons wrong, landing a £100,000 deal with toy store Hamleys. The pair were derided by all five tycoons when they sought investment for their £65 My Lookalike Doll – a 18in figure which children can customise to make ‘mini-me’ versions of themselves. Design guru Kelly Hoppen told them: ‘This is not a viable business I would want to put my money into.’ And mobile phone boss Peter Jones warned: ‘Do not spend another pound taking this forward.’ The pair, who wanted a £75,000 investment, left the den brokenhearted. Mrs Cannon, 45, said: ‘Going on Dragons’ Den was absolutely devastating – one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. But the rejection by the Dragons made both of us even more determined to succeed, whatever the odds.’ The order from Hamleys marks a reversal in the company’s fortunes – and could place My Lookalike Doll in the list of successful ideas rejected by the TV experts, including The Trunki suitcase, ‘cup-a-wine’ and Tangle Teezer. Mrs Cannon said: ‘Hamleys made an initial order of 100 dolls plus outfits which sold out. So this week they ordered 500 more – and told us they will need at least a further 500 dolls plus accessories by Christmas. The whole order is worth around £100,000 and they’re worried we won’t be able to make them fast enough.’ Mrs Cannon, from Glasgow, set up the company in 2011 after a visit to the States, where she bought a doll for her daughter, Khyra, now 11, which ‘looked so much like her’. Scroll down for video . Spooked: Design guru Dragon Kelly Hoppen was creeped out by her lookalike doll and hid it under her chair . The doll was such a hit with Khyra and her friends that Mrs Cannon decided to start the business with her son, now 23. She said: ‘I knew I was taking a gamble but I took redundancy from my lecturing job, putting the £20,000 pay-off into the business. A further £40,000 came from remortgaging the house, £20,000 from a bank loan and the rest was made up of savings. It amounted to £120,000 to make hundreds of dolls, matching clothes children can buy to wear themselves, plus storage.’ Sitting pretty: Rob Law, creator of the Trunki, sits on top of his invention at home in Bristol . She says she knew their appearance on the show in September last year, was doomed to failure as soon as they gave Ms Hoppen one of their dolls. ‘I’d had it specially made with curly hair like Kelly’s,’ she recalls, ‘but although Deborah Meaden seemed impressed with her lookalike, Kelly seemed terrified by hers and hid it under her chair.’ Worse was to come. ‘When Duncan Bannatyne said “it’s not going to be a great business”, my heart sank,’ she says. ‘At the time we were only selling three dolls a week. No one seemed interested that we were a brand-new start-up. They were quite rude.’ Ms Meaden was concerned no shop would have enough shelf space to show the 133 types of dolls, while internet tycoon Piers Linney agreed that the amount of stock would ‘keep me awake at night’. Mrs Cannon, married to engineer Allan, 47, said: ‘The Dragons made us look like fools. Although I realise their blunt comments made good TV, it was a crushing blow. But our passion for the dolls and belief the Dragons were wrong kept us going. And, to the Cannons’ surprise, shortly before the show was broadcast, Hamleys confirmed they were interested. ‘The buyer had no idea about Dragons’ Den,’ she added. ‘We are delighted that our toys are stocked in such an amazing shop.’ | All five Dragons' Den tycoons rejected Tracey Cannon and son Keiran's idea .
But they landed big-money deal with Hamleys just before episode aired .
Dolls cost £65 and are modelled to look like children who buy them .
Pair asked for a £75,000 investment on show but left brokenhearted .
Latest in a number of success stories to slip through Dragons' fingers . |
106,306 | 151e70888b58a26e49b992a0eac2c47f999792c6 | Killed: Slovakian Rene Tkacik was crushed to death by a tonne of wet concrete while working on a Crossrail building site . An experienced construction worker was crushed to death by a tonne of wet concrete while working on a Crossrail building site, an inquest heard today. Slovakian Rene Tkacik was killed in a tunnel below Fisher Street, in Holborn, on March 7 last year, becoming the first fatality on the £15 billion project. Mr Tkacik, of Hackney Road, east London, had been working in the UK to earn money to send home to his family in Slovakia so he could pay for his daughter Esther to go to university, a statement from his wife Renata said. The court heard that Mr Tkacik, 44, 'didn't know what he was supposed to do' on some occasions because of his lack of English. He was crushed by a tonne of concrete after he went to check the surface of the tunnel - suffering 'devastating injuries incompatible with life'. He was employed by contractor BFK and had been working on the section of tunnel which had been widened. His mother, widow and three sisters were in court today for the inquest at St Pancras Coroners Court. Speaking to the family Coroner Mary Hassell said: 'I accepted that we will have a lot of detailed discussion about the matters of concrete spraying. 'But I recognise at the heart of all of this is your loved one.' In a statement read in court Mr Tkacik's widow Renata said she last saw her husband five days before his death. She said: 'He studied as a miner and worked as a blaster in a uranium mine. 'When he worked in the mine he was responsible for people's lives. He worked in different countries. 'He moved to Spain and worked there as a cement sprayer and he had huge experience in that. He was well read and taught himself Spanish.' She explained he came to the UK to work on Crossrail as a concrete sprayer to raise money to send his daughter to university. She said: 'To work on Crossrail he had to complete four exams which he passed first time. Not many people were admitted to the project and he did the exams in Spanish . First casualty: The 44-year-old construction worker was the first fatality on the £15 billion project (file picture) 'He had difficult living conditions and wasn't able to sleep properly and was constantly tired. His English was rudimentary and he was working with a lot of people speaking English. At times he didn't know what he was supposed to do. She added: 'He would take a dictionary to work and people were rude to him because he didn't understand them. 'He had become so tired and found himself a flat. I came to visit him there and I hardly recognised him, he had got out of his sleep routine and found it hard to get back into it. The 2nd of March was the last time I saw him.' The court also heard how he kept to himself in the evenings and would call his wife instead of meeting up with co-workers as he did not drink and never did drugs. The jury also heard from Metropolitan police detective sergeant Kavin McGrath who showed the jury a digital image of the tunnel where Mr Tkacik had been working when he died. He showed the court where the machine which had been spaying the concrete on to the walls of the tunnel and where the concrete had fallen. He said: 'At the time of the fall, the concrete spraying machine had run out of concrete and was waiting to be refilled. 'It appeared the deceased was in an exclusion area underneath the concrete. He also had a shovel in his hand at the time the concrete fell. Scene of the accident: Mr Tkacik was killed in a tunnel below Fisher Street, in Holborn on March 7 last year . 'It was just under a tonne of concrete that came down, which is the equivalent of a bag of building sand.' The detective added: 'It happened within a second and people further up the tunnel came down to help and they pulled him away from the danger zone and tried to resuscitate him.' An ambulance crew were first called to the scene and then the London Air Ambulance but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.14am. Before the start of proceedings campaigners and union members who were part of the Construction Safety Campaign protested outside calling for a full investigation into the health and safety of Crossrail. The coroner heard submissions from the family's legal team for the evidence from two witnesses to be heard, who would have given information about the safety processes at other Crossrail sites. However the request was rejected by the Ms Hassle who said: 'There is a danger this inquest will turn into a review of Crossrail, this inquest cannot do that and this is not a public inquiry to consider Crossrail's operations across London. 'The role of this inquest is to look into the circumstances of Mr Tkacik's death.' | Slovakian Rene Tkaci killed in a tunnel below Fisher Street, in Holborn .
44-year-old was employed by contractor BFK for £15billion rail project .
Said to have suffered 'devastating injuries incompatible with life'
Mr Tkaci was working in UK so that he could pay for daughter's university .
It is the first fatality to hit the Crossrail project since it began . |
78,112 | dd773cb66c31a53a537d1c2b3799ef5ad5cfb615 | By . Stephanie Linning . Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt tonight hit out at BBC presenter Gabby Logan for saying that the Commonwealth Games would be 'okay' without him after leading his team to victory in their relay heat. Speaking in an interview with the BBC shortly after the race, the athlete said: 'I heard somebody say they enjoyed the games without Blake and me,' referring to a comment Mrs Logan had made about him and fellow Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake. He continued: 'Yeah you, I am talking to you, she knows who I am talking to.' Scroll down for video... Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Usain Bolt hit out at comments he said Gabby Logan made about him and his teammate, fellow Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake . Usain Bolt sauntered down the home straight to lead his team safely into the men's 4x100m relay final, which will be held tomorrow . The Jamaican sprinter was greeted by applause and the lights from thousands of camera flashes as he stepped into the stadium for his Commonwealth Games debut . Apparently unaware that he was speaking the the BBC, the athlete addeded: 'They are in the stadium aren't they? The BBC, Michael Johnson, I'm not going to call names, they know who they are.' 'I'm a fun person, I love to have fun, look at me,' before pulling a face to the camera and walking away. Gabby Logan later defended what she said, insisting she meant that the Games were 'better' with Bolt . The comments came after Bolt made his much-anticipated debut at the Commonwealth Games. Six days . after arriving in Glasgow, the world's fastest man took . to the track to run the anchor leg for Jamaica in the heats of the 4x100 . metres relay. The . six-time OIympic champion sauntered down the home stretch to help his team cruise into the final. Bolt took the baton from . Nickel Ashmeade and brought his team across the line in first in 38.99 . seconds before applauding the crowd. Their win means that the Jamaican team qualify for the relay finals that will take place tomorrow. Speaking after the win, Bolt once again denied a report in The Times earlier this week that he told a reporter that the Commonwealth Games were 'bulls***'. He . told BBC One: 'It's wonderful, just like the London Olympics. The crowd . is great. I have heard it throughout the championships and watched it . on the television. 'I . can't believe she [Times reporter Katie Gibbons] actually said that. I . would never use that word. I love competing and I am here because of the . fans. Usain Bolt, right, sailed past the other athletes in the final stretch of the race, securing his team's place in the final . 'I am enjoying it. The people have been good to me and I would never say that. 'Everything's . been good for me. It's just the weather. It's got cold. But I am happy . to be here and I am enjoying what's going on.' Of . his first taste of action in Glasgow, he said: 'We told each other just . to get it [the baton] round and not to stress too much about this one.' He then said that there was one more thing he had to say, before launching his attack on Gabby Logan. Usain Bolt was keen to put the controversy of the week behind him, being playful in front of the camera and taking time to enjoy the applause from the thousands of fans gathered in Hampton Park . Mrs Logan could be heard laughing with her fellow BBC presenters as Usain Bolt walked away from the interview, before saying, 'I got a bit rumbled'. She then went on to defend the comment she made on Thursday. She said: 'What I said was that it was okay without him and that now he is here it is better.' 'We now know that he is watching. He knows that we are fair and he is fair too,' before quickly changing the topic back to the Times scandal. Bolt's name . was greeted with a huge cheer when it was first read out by the stadium . announcer and the roars only grew when he was introduced to the . crowd out on to the track. There he stopped to interact with fans - even fist pumping one young girl on the front row. Fans made Bolt feel welcome with a hug round of applause when his name was announced over the loudspeakers before the race . Yesterday it emerged that three security guards were reportedly 'sacked' from the Commonwealth Games for taking selfies with the runner. The members of staff employed by Sword Security were on duty at the Lesser Hampden training ground in Glasgow yesterday when they are said to have approached the fastest man in the world to ask for a photo. They were then 'punted' or sacked by a supervisor who had asked them to put their mobile phones away while the Jamaican sprinter was training. Bolt, second from right, takes the baton before running the final stretch of the relay . It was the latest controversy surrounding the Jamaican sprinter who apparently told a reporter that the Commonwealth Games were 'bulls***' However, after watching the Jamaican netball team lose to New Zealand on Wednesday, the 27-year-old said they were in fact ‘awesome’ and dismissed his earlier alleged negative remarks as ‘all lies’. Bolt is said to have complained about Glasgow 2014 to The Times as he waited in the rain for a car outside the athletes’ village on Tuesday, just hours after meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. However, while the six-time Olympic champion on Wednesday denied making the comments, the paper has stood firmly by its story. Yesterday it published the full transcript between journalist Katie Gibbons and the athlete, with Scottish editor Angus Macleod declaring: ‘We stand by this story 100 per cent.’ | Jamaican sprinter hit out at Logan after making Commonwealth debut .
He said he heard her say that she 'enjoyed' the Games without him .
Made comments during BBC interview after leading his team to victory .
Logan said that she said they were 'okay' but were 'better with him there' |
116,059 | 21cc63e66212fa56cb5453375b2dc9ffacc9fd38 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 09:07 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:38 EST, 1 August 2013 . More than 2,000 gravestones in Hawaii's Punchbowl Cemetery are marked 'Unknown' - signifying unidentified soldiers who perished in World War II. When historian Rick Stone was hired by the agency tasked with identifying these soldiers in 2011, he was eager to provide peace for the families with a grave marker of their own to visit. Stone spoke with NBC News about his one year at the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Command (JPAC) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was only met with resistance as he tried to do his job. The departed: Over 2,000 grave sites in Hawaii's Punchbowl cemetery remain unmarked despite the advances of DNA testing to identify the lost WWII soldiers . Now the organization is facing . criticism from congress after a Government Accountability Office report . found that the effort to identify the 83,000 unknown World War II . soldiers worldwide is 'acutely dysfunctional.' Commander of JPAC Major General Kelly McKeague will testify before congress today in a hearing on agency mismanagement. In one case, Stone is '100 per cent' sure who the man is below the unknown grave marker. Stone . was reviewing a 70-year-old case on 'Seaman Elm' a man who was killed . in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The . sailor had gone down with the USS Arizona, and authorities believes his . last name was Elm since he had a lighter in his pocket with an engraving of that name. That's when Stone realized that the engraving wasn't a name, but initials - E.L.M. Day of infamy: Many of the unknown soldiers were lost in the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Stone turned his attention to the missing who had those exact initials. Only two servicemen met that description, and one of them was already identified. That left Earl Leroy Morrison, a first-class seaman from Montana who was on the Arizona. Stone reported his find to the JPAC Central Identification Lab in April 2012 to disinter the body for DNA testing, but the lab still hasn't responded to the request. They told him to try and get DNA from the family. 'It's a Catch-22. You can't talk to the families until you're sure, but how do you become sure until you talk with the families and get the DNA?' Stone said. Waiting for IDs: Stone believes he can identify the bodies of First-Class Seaman Morrison, left, and Second Lt. Aleneir, right, but the lab in Hawaii has not been helpful . He was met with even more outright hostility when he tried to identify soldiers lost on the island of Tarawa. Of the 513 presumed dead from that island, 103 are unknown. So he organized the unknowns by physical description: race, age, height, weight, hair color. Manila 3,744Punchbowl, Hawaii 2,079Ardennes 792Sicily-Rome 490Normandy 307North Africa 240Florence 217Lorraine 151Netherlands 107Luxembourg 101Brittany 97Henri-Chapelle 94Epinal 70Rhone 62Cambridge 24Suresnes 24 . One of the bodies stuck out to Stone because he was short. Anthropologists estimated the soldier was 5 feet 1.4 inches tall, between 23 and 24, Caucasian and 115 pounds with medium ash-brown hair. His pants also showed that he was a second lieutenant. Only two men could possibly match that height description, and one of them was only a private first class. The other, Second Lt Stanley Aleneir of New York was strikingly similar in physical description: 5 foot 3 and a half, Caucasian, 23, medium brown hair. There was no way to be as sure as he was with Seaman Morrison, but it was close enough to confirm with DNA evidence. Again the lab rejected his proposal. The first time he submitted his request it was denied for petty mistakes like a comma in the wrong place or because he used footnotes instead of end notes. The second time, lab officials said he was 'out of lane' by using biometrics to narrow down results. 'We're in no hurry to identify these individuals. They're not going anywhere,' was one response Stone received. An interesting comment considering JPAC made a goal to crank up identifications to 200 a year by 2015. The agency has been averaging 80 or fewer IDs in recent years. A Pentagon spokesman would not speak about the specific cases of Seaman Morrison or 2nd Lt Alenier with NBC News, but they did say that the agency has identified seven servicemen in 2013 and has approved all requests by staff this year. | There are over 83,000 unidentified World War II soldiers buried world wide .
The Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Command has been averaging only about 80 IDs a year .
The commander of JPAC is testifying before congress today in a hearing on agency mismanagement . |
82,499 | e9e8aa71ae9e46df7109f1770f6a3f773cf5c3a2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:46 EST, 8 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:46 EST, 8 November 2012 . A war hero who risked his life to help transport crucial supplies to Russia in the Second World War has been told by the Foreign Office that he cannot accept a medal for valour. Frank Wilson, now 88, was one of the gallant seamen who braved German submarines and sub zero temperatures as part of the British Arctic convoys. The perilous sea campaign, nicknamed the ‘Russian Run’, claimed 3,000 lives, but Mr Wilson, who joined the Royal Navy when he was 18, and was a gunner on the escort carrier HMS Activity, survived despite being shot. Valour: Frank Wilson, 88, has been blocked by the Foreign Office from accepting the medal from the Russians . Mr Wilson joined the navy when he was just 18 and took part in the famous 'Russian Run' supplying Russian troops . He was delighted and honoured when the Russian Embassy wrote to him to tell him they intended to honour him and other veterans with the Medal of Ushakov, as a symbol of the country’s gratitude. But the Foreign Office has blocked the Russian government’s plans because it said it would break rules surrounding the acceptance of medals . 'After all these years I was honoured when the Embassy contacted me to say I was going to receive the medal as a token of thanks for what I and others did for their country in the Second World War,” said Mr Wilson, from Chesterfield. 'The British Arctic convoy was often described as the worst journey in the world and that about summed it up. 'The conditions were terrible , it was unbelievably cold, like working in a freezer and the sea was ferocious. Once you started on a convoy you didn’t have a wash for six weeks because you couldn’t get your clothes off, it was too cold. 'The journey was fraught with danger. It’s a part of the war that isn’t mentioned and seem to have largely been forgotten. I don’t think people realise what an important job we did and the difference it made to the war. 'We kept Russia supplied with food and arms and there is no doubt in my mind that without the convoys the outcome of the war would have been very different. 'The Russians would have been crushed and the Germans would have taken this country too and we would be all be speaking their language. Frank Wilson was a seaman on the HMS Activity and endured torpedo infested waters and sub zero temperatures to assist Russian soldiers . Those who took part in the British Arctic convoy ran a gauntlet of U-boats and vicious weather conditions to bolster efforts on the Eastern Front . 'Thousands died, I saw comrades killed. I was shot through the cheek and the bullet shattered all my back teeth. I had to stay on the ship for a fortnight until I got any proper treatment but I was one of the lucky ones.” Added Mr Wilson: 'I feel proud that the medal is being awarded but I feel let down that I cannot receive it. I think its ridiculous and typical of this Government. 'The Foreign Office need to have a serious re think about it. This is a medal for valour but that doesn’t seem to matter much these days.' Russia has already awarded the Ushakov Medal to veterans from Australia, Canada and America.A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'Wer appreciate the Russian Government’s wish to recognise the brave and valuable service given by veterans of the Arctic Convoys. 'But permission to accept a foreign award cannot be given unless there has been specific service to the country concerned within the previous five years.” The spokesman added that the Arctic Convoy veterans were eligible for the World War II Atlantic Star but the veterans argue that men who served in the Arctic Convoys had already earned the Atlantic Star before being conscripted on to the dreaded ‘Russian Run’. A Russian Embassy spokesman said the situation was 'regrettable. but added they would continue to make the case for the award to the British authorities. | Frank Wilson, 88, was gunner on HMS Activity, part of the British Arctic convoy .
Seaman braved sub zero temperatures to supply Russian troops with food and arms .
Foreign Office has blocked Mr Wilson from accepting the prestigious Medal of Ushakov due to rules on honours .
Mr Wilson says he feels let down that he cannot accept medal . |
240,631 | c3848d06796e02c85fa6255a1be4fcfe6ce0e919 | Washington (CNN) -- Congressional Republicans are seeking more details on President Barack Obama's plan to reduce gun violence in schools. In letters to members of Obama's Cabinet, they requested information about the president's time frame and funding plans for the implementation of 23 executive actions on gun control enacted in mid-January in response to the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, in December. Additionally, they want to know how the president's Congressional proposals will relate to mental health programs currently in place for students. The leaders of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce sent letters to Attorney General Eric Holder, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Housing and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "While we agree we cannot stop every senseless act of violence, we share the president's commitment to reviewing the facts and evaluating proposed and existing policies and programs intended to help teachers, principals, and parents protect their children," the letter to Holder says. Signed by Committee Chairman John Kline, R-Minnesota, and Subcommittee Chairmen Todd Rokita, R-Indiana, and Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, the letter also asks what "legislative authority the department is expected to invoke to carry out the executive actions." In his January speech, Obama said, "To make a real and lasting difference, Congress, too, must act -- and Congress must act soon." He called on the legislative branch to pass laws requiring universal background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun, to restore a ban on military-style assault weapons and to limit magazine rounds and to help law enforcement be tougher on people who buy guns with the purpose of selling them to criminals. | House Education Committee seeks more information on Obama's school safety plan .
Members want to know the time line and cost of the executive actions .
Obama called on Congress to act in wake of Newtown school shooting . |
200,157 | 8f22449c8daadc2b042caef98a878c64d2aea52f | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 07:38 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:44 EST, 24 July 2013 . London art students have designed a bike helmet made from old newspapers to provide cheap and accessible head protection for people using Boris Bikes to navigate the capital. The students, from the Royal College of Art, hope that their disposable and eco-friendly helmets will one day be available in vending machines and shops close to Boris bike stations. The paper-mache hats cost just £1 to produce and is waterproof for six hours, but it is not known how effective it would be in a collision. A group of students has come up with a design to make bike helmets out of London newspapers - at a cost of just £1 to produce . The students came up with the idea after noticing the number of discarded newspapers around the capital and decided that recycled paper, converted into paper mache, . would be the most practical material for their disposable helmets . The students came up with the idea after noticing the number of discarded newspapers around the capital and decided that recycled paper, converted into paper mache, would be the most practical material for their disposable helmets. Tom Gottelier, 25, Bobby Petersen, 28 and Edward Thomas, 25, began thinking about the safety of London cyclists having noticed people spontaneously using Boris bikes never carried head protection. In their design, the discarded newspaper is turned into pulp mixed with adhesive and pigment before it is vacuum formed and heated to resemble the shape of helmet. Straps can then be slotted into the grooves on the helmet's criss-crossed top before being fastened under the chin. The discarded newspaper is turned into pulp mixed with adhesive and pigment before it is vacuum formed and heated to resemble the shape of helmet . The designers say these helmets can withstand a significant amount of pressure and hope that one day they will be available in vending machines and nearby shops next to Boris bike stations as well as locations such as New York where the idea has recently been rolled out to mixed reviews. Each helmet will cost under £1 to produce, will comply with En 10789 safety standards and, by using the same eco additive used to produce NHS wash bowls, will be fully waterproof for in excess of six hours. However they have not been tested in a collision. Designer Tom Gottelier said: 'The idea to . use paper pulp came about through standing around on tube platforms, . sitting in buses and trains watching Metro and Evening Standard . newspapers blow around. The students, from the Royal College of Art, hope that their disposable and eco-friendly helmets will one day be available in vending machines and shops close to Boris bike stations . 'We had previously seen what kind of structural integrity could be gained from moulding paper pulp and it seemed like a logical step to use this vast resource that currently circulates our public transport network. 'Unlike the recycling of newspapers into new newspaper, which requires a lot of energy and bleaching in order to get the paper white enough again to print on, making helmets requires no artificial additives.' The students said that by using the same waterproofing agent as used to make paper pulp wash bowls and buckets as well as natural dyes, they can produce the recyclable and biodegradable helmets for under £1, using very little energy. Straps can then be slotted into the grooves on the helmet's criss-crossed top before being fastened under the chin, as pictured. The designers say these helmets can withstand a significant amount of pressure . Mr Gottelier said: 'Our current helmets are 2mm thick which already provides an amazing amount of strength and impact absorption, but the next prototype we are working on with an industrial partner we will be able to produce a helmet that is 9mm thick. 'Our overriding concept for the helmet is for it to be distributed in conjunction with the Barclays Bike hire scheme, with the price include in the hire of the bike. 'We agree that people should have a choice to use a helmet, but we do believe from the research that we have gathered that you are much better of wearing one, even if its 25 per cent more effective than not wearing one. 'Twenty five per cent is something all of us would like to take. We believe that if the helmet is included in the price of the hire people are more likely to wear it.' | Art students in London have designed a disposable paper mache helmet to provide cheap and accessible head protection for people using Boris Bikes .
The students, from the Royal College of .
Art, hope their disposable and eco-friendly helmets will come as part the bike rental .
The helmet is a prototype and costs just £1 to make .
The designers say it can withstand a significant amount of pressure - but admit they don't know how effective it would be in a crash . |
213,232 | a024e23e5e5123b3ede41a0c5421e6ed6c0704a9 | Paris (CNN) -- France's military intervention in Mali has surprised many who believed French foreign policy was committed to disengagement from international conflicts. The country's refusal to commit forces to the war on Iraq in 2003 was interpreted in the United States -- not only in government but in the American media and public opinion -- as the consequence of a pacifist doctrine and even as a scandalous betrayal of its allies. More recently the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan could have reinforced the impression that France was pulling out of international military commitments. The notion that France is withdrawing from international military engagements fails to grasp the realities of French foreign policy. France remains amongst the Western countries most likely to make a direct military intervention in a foreign country. It is not only consistent with French foreign policy doctrine -- France is also one of the few major global powers with the capacity to do so. It nonetheless legitimates questions about the consistency of French foreign policy. The socialist government just sent troops into Mali to combat Islamic extremists only days after President Francois Hollande refused to intervene in Central Africa after its government was asked for military assistance. President Hollande's predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy ordered a military intervention in Libya against Colonel Gaddafi after refusing to engage his troops in the Ivory Coast during the initial phase of the crisis in that west African country. Panetta: U.S. could provide logistical, intel support in Mali . So where is the logic in French foreign policy? To answer this question, it is necessary to grasp that French foreign policy attempts to balance two sometimes conflicting goals -- objective and subjective. The first corresponds to French commitment to work with international institutions to maintain a global order that is multi-polar and regulated by law. The second refers to France's goal of protecting and enhancing its own national interests. Let's first take the "objectivity" paradigm. France has consistently emphasized the pre-eminent role of the United Nations in conflict resolution. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, French policy is based on the belief that international military interventions must seek the legitimacy of the United Nations. This does not mean smug French pacifism. On the contrary, membership on the security council imposes special obligations. France is willing to back a U.N. commitment to muscular military interventionism. France is actively involved in various U.N.-supervised military missions. France advocates that emerging countries be accepted as members of the U.N. Security Council if those countries show a commitment and capacity to take on the responsibility of U.N.-sanctioned military interventions. To cite one example, France has urged Brazil to take action in the Haitian crisis under the U.N. aegis. France considers itself an "agent" of the United Nations where necessary, but often works behind the scenes to influence U.N. decisions. This occurred with Libya, following Moammar Gadhafi's offensive on Benghazi. To do so, France imposed an expansive interpretation of the U.N. Resolution 1973 [that imposed a no-fly zone over Libya]. Its position highlighted a conception of international law and sovereignty opposed to that of China and Russia. The French position was even bolder than that of the United States and Great Britain. Indeed, one could argue that France was more aggressive than its allies about legally sanctioned military intervention in foreign countries. France's status as the philosophical cradle of human rights also impacts its foreign policy. Recent French military interventions have invoked the need to protect civilians against their own government and to prevent crimes against humanity. We witnessed this in the case of Libya, but also in the mid-1990s when France intervened in Bosnia and Kosovo. In both cases, French intellectuals were exercising pressure in favor of intervention on behalf of human rights. These pressures can have a substantial impact in a country like France where intellectual elites work through petitions or direct influence on the government citing the special status of France in the world. They are less effective, of course, when there are obstacles within the U.N. Security Council, as in the case in the Syrian crisis. What's behind instability in Mali? François Hollande has reaffirmed France's commitment to have a special role in defense of human rights. At the same time, France's "subjective" interests cannot be overlooked -- especially when the French "post-colonial paradox" comes into play. Like Britain, France has stronger ties, and when necessary a greater military presence, in former colonies from Djibouti to Senegal. French colonial history explains why the government of Mali has called on France for military assistance to combat Islamic terrorism. At the same time, French governments are reluctant to intervene in these countries precisely because France wishes to avoid looking like a colonial master. It was easier for Nicolas Sarkozy to take a quick decision regarding Libya than on the Ivory Coast for this reason. Libya is not a former French colony. In like manner, François Hollande's refusal to directly involve the French army against the rebels held in Central Africa is partly based on a desire to avoid the accusation of French colonial meddling in the internal affairs of a former colony. Furthermore, France has to take into account the importance of migrants related to its former colonies. The intervention in the former Yugoslavia was also a message for the Muslim community that French interventionism was not inspired by the crusade spirit. And one could say the same for the French positions in Libyan, Ivory Coast or Syrian crisis. This time, in Mali, it must be acknowledged that the French intervention was desired by most of the Malians who live in France. The French counter-offensive has been in the works for many months. France feared, above all, the prospect of direct intervention. That's why France was urging African countries to set up their own forces to support Mali. Direct French military action became urgent however when the Islamic insurgents threatened to invade the country's southern region. Pragmatism suddenly took priority over law. In conclusion, France intervenes in foreign countries according both to doctrine and to the pragmatic parameters of circumstance. French foreign policy is based on balancing these sometimes conflicting goals of objectivity and subjectivity. In international relations, the hard reality is that actions are often commanded by facts. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jean-Michel Blanquer . | France's refusal to commit forces to Iraq in 2003 was interpreted as a pacifist doctrine .
French foreign policy attempts to balance two sometimes conflicting goals, says Blanquer .
He says France has to take into account importance of migrants from former colonies .
French intervention was desired by most Malians in France, writes Blanquer . |
268,816 | e836d289f3b2492399e164a8e4963e2369023220 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . You need the courage of a lion to stick needles into a big cat like Lucifer – or an extremely effective anaesthetic. Happily for vet Nicki Grint the dose given to the 30st animal worked perfectly while she used acupuncture on a sore foot where a tumour was removed. She has used the method on dogs before but not cats. Making a swift recovery: Lucifer is the first animal to have acupuncture at Paignton Zoo in Devon . Needle work: Vet Nicki Grint uses acupuncture on Lucifer's foot . And 11-year-old Lucifer is the first animal to have acupuncture at Paignton Zoo in Devon where he lives. The needles stay in for 15 minutes and are being used with conventional therapy to relieve pain and improve blood flow to the wound to help it heal. Veterinary Associate at Paignton Zoo Jo Reynard said: 'Lucifer had a tumour removed from his right hind foot but the place has not healed properly. 'We are using acupuncture to decrease pain and improve blood flow to the site, helping the healing process. 'We’re using gas anaesthesia and all the usual medical painkillers. Vet Nicki Grint, right, inserts an acupuncture needle in to the foot of a fully-grown lion. Lucifer, pictured left, had a tumour removed before having the treatment . Lucifer is the first animal to have acupuncture at Paignton Zoo, pictured, in Devon where he lives . 'The acupuncture is simply being used opportunistically, as an adjunct to conventional therapy in the hope that it might help the wound heal.' The needles are inserted at 2.5cm intervals around the wound - the Chinese, where the alternative treatment was first used, call this ‘ringing the dragon’. The procedure requires the animal to stay still, so they need to be under a general anaesthetic and it is only done when absolutely necessary. Acupuncture uses thin needles to treat a range of conditions, most commonly pain relief. A form of complementary medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine, it is thought to have developed thousands of years ago. The zoo said the signs are that Lucifer will make a swift recovery. | Lucifer the lion had treatment to ease pain of earlier tumour removal .
The 11-year-old was given an anaesthetic before needles inserted in foot .
He is the first animal to receive acupuncture at Paignton Zoo in Devon .
Zoo staff say the lion will make a swift recovery following the treatment . |
208,390 | 99cc017488e7c66acf09ffc63b80374e4509d16b | Ever wanted to eat whatever you want without worrying about calories? It may sound too good to be true but if one man has his way, this could be the future of food. Project Nourished is a gastronomic virtual reality experiment using Oculus Rift headsets, cutlery with sensors, low-calorie foods and aromatic diffusers to mimic the taste of the real thing. If the experiment proves successful, being prevented from eating whatever you like due to food allergies and dietary restrictions will become a thing of the past. Project Nourished uses virtual reality headsets and low calorie food to mimic steak, pie and lasagne . The brainchild of Los-Angeles based Kokiri Lab, the project was inspired by a scene in the film Hook, in which Peter Pan learns to use his imagination to see food on a table that appears empty at first. So successful have experiments been, Jinsoo An, 30, the founder of Kokiri Lab believes Project Nourished could pioneer a new way of eating. ‘I've been disappointed by the fact that our way of eating hasn't changed much since the beginning of time and I wanted others to realise that they don't have to follow the status quo,’ he told MailOnline. ‘I also want to make it clear that I don't want this to replace the way we consume food. It's simply another alternative.’ An alternative to the way we eat, Project Nourished will let you eat wherever you want to, be it in the middle of a desert (pictured) or standing in the street of a bustling city full of people and moving objects . Motion and food detection sensor work with aromatic diffusers to mimic a broad spectrum of food . Currently in its early stages, the experiment is a complete sensory experience that uses virtual reality headsets and special cutlery with sensors to create environments based on real locations. This is then combined with low-calorie foods derived from agar, konjac jelly and gum Arabic, which mimic foods such as steak, lasagne, pies and sushi. Aromatic diffusions also come into play, making it possible to smell your virtual steak before you tuck into it. ‘We've began prototyping the object detection sensor for chopsticks and fork, as well as the virtual reality software using Unity and Oculus Rift,’ Mr An explained. ‘Our first demo will feature an environment based a fictional place that is set in the past and future of Tokyo. You'll be able to eat in the middle of the bustling city full of people and moving objects. ‘We've also been experimenting with water to agar ratio and layering thin sheets of agar (like lasagna) to achieve different textures of the virtual foods.’ Virtual sushi, steak and pie are made from low-calorie gum Arabic, konjac jelly and agar . Project Nourished was inspired by a scene in the film Hook in which Peter Pan learns to use his imagination to see foods on a table that seems to be completely empty at first . Founder of Kokiri Lab, Jinsoo An (pictured) believes the experiment could pioneer a new way of eating . On the menu and currently being trialled are dishes such as sushi, steak, lasagne and pie. ‘So far, we've been focusing our efforts on sushi, steak, lasagna and pie since they have relatively simple geometry and large flat surface areas -- which means they're easier to detect using our sensors,’ Mr An continued. ‘The foods that have irregular shapes, have many chunks and fall apart easily will be the hardest to mimic. 'Most likely, we will stay away from foods like rice pudding, sweet and sour chicken, and salad.’ He hopes to begin further testing later this year. ‘We expect to have our first alpha sometime in the middle of the year. If we can get more funding soon, we can probably have it sooner. 'Currently, I'm funding it out of my own pocket, so there are some challenges.’ | Project Nourished uses Oculus Rift headsets and cutlery with sensors .
Low-calorie foods and aromatic diffusers mimic steak, lasagne and pie .
Brainchild of Jinsoo An, founder of LA-based design think tank Kokiri Lab . |
145,545 | 483666e656164d1b3409303c8c684378e7f3de90 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 09:39 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:08 EST, 22 January 2014 . A glorious set of photographs shows how fog gave rearing horses a mysterious appearance as Britain woke up to another cold winter’s morning today. The animals were pictured in Sapperton, Gloucestershire, while early morning fog was also seen lifting above trees at Bradgate Park in Leicestershire. Elsewhere, pupils enjoyed a trip to snow-covered Weardale in County Durham after an overnight covering brought a taste of winter to the area. Despite the snow, the Met Office said today that Britain’s . average temperature last month was 5.7C - provisionally the warmest December . since 1988. Starting the day: Horses rearing in thick fog on a cold winter's morning in Sapperton, around five miles west of Cirencester, Gloucestershire . Rearing: Another view of horses in Sapperton. Tonight will bring rain in the North and West and the odd shower also in the far South-East . Feet up: A third view of horses in Gloucestershire. Tomorrow, rain in the North and West will continue to move eastwards through the day . Glorious scene: Early morning fog begins to lift above trees at Bradgate Park in Newtown Linford, Leicestershire . Looking on: Deer frolic in the morning sun at Bradgate Park in Leicestershire today, after the early fog cleared . Forecast: A Met Office yellow weather warning for rain is in place for Scotland tomorrow and the South-East of England for Friday . Many communities were still on flood watch today as warnings were issued for the River Meon, Eastern Yar, River Avon, River Yeo and River Parrett. The Environment Agency had 11 flood warnings and 95 flood alerts in place for England and Wales, with most in the South-East and South-West. Tonight will bring rain in the North and West and the odd shower also in the far South-East, with snow forecast to fall over higher ground in Scotland. Tomorrow, rain in the North and West will continue to move eastwards through the day and there will be a risk of thunder in the West. Overnight covering: Pupils from Grindon Hall Christian School in Sunderland enjoy a school trip in snow-covered Weardale, County Durham, today . Walking: A County Durham hill farmer heads to open moorland today after overnight snow brought a taste of winter to parts of the North-East and North-West . Having fun: Pupils from a school in Sunderland enjoy a snowball fight during a trip to Weardale, County Durham . Winter scene: A coach travels along a snow-covered road in County Durham today as the country braces for heavy rain on Sunday . Watch out: The Environment Agency had 11 flood warnings and 95 flood alerts in place for England and Wales, with most in the South-East and South-West . A Met Office yellow weather warning for rain is in place for Scotland tomorrow and the South-East of England for Friday. Friday will start off dry across many eastern areas, but rain in the West will move slowly across the country through the day. And Saturday will see the rain clear eastern England will clear, but showery rain across northern areas will spread south-eastwards. The whole of Britain is under a Met Office yellow warning for Sunday, with another spell of wet and very windy weather crossing from the west. Forecasters said heavy rain and gales were likely to affect most parts of the country for a time with further flooding possible in prone areas. | Horses pictured in Sapperton, Gloucestershire, and early morning fog seen at Bradgate Park, Leicestershire .
Elsewhere school pupils enjoy a trip to snow-covered Weardale in County Durham after overnight covering .
Environment Agency has 11 flood warnings and 95 flood alerts out for England and Wales, with most in South .
Whole of Britain under a Met Office yellow warning for Sunday, with more wet and very windy weather coming .
Britain's average temperature last month was 5.7C - provisionally warmest December since 1988, Met Office says . |
263,501 | e14b48fb23f9c6814647f79fe3bb43196651243a | Royal couple: Prince Roy and Princess Joan Bates at Sealand in 2001 . A retired army major who built his own nation on a former anti-aircraft tower in the North Sea has died at the age of 91. Roy Bates moved his family to the Roughs Tower island fort after he was prosecuted under Marine Broadcasting Offences Act for his part in the pirate radio movement - which inspired the Richard Curtis movie The Boat That Rocked. Major Bates declared the fort independent from the UK and renamed it Sealand on his wife Joan's birthday, September 2, 1967, and bestowed her the title of 'princess'. Sealand has its own stamps, passports and currency. The Sealand Dollar has a fixed exchange rate of one U.S. dollar - and an image of Princess Joan on the coin. The English-speaking country has . its own red, white and black flag, and a national motto of E Mare . Libertas, or 'From the Sea, Freedom'. The fort, with an area of just 550 sq . metres, was initially built by Britain during the Second World War to . guard approaches to the Thames Estuary. Major Bates passed away on Tuesday at a care home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, after a long battle with Alzheimer's. His wife Joan is now expected to take over the rule of Sealand. Damaged: Sealand pictured in 2006 after it was ravaged by fire . The nation has a colourful history and has been invaded once - by rival pirate DJs - and even survived a coup attempt by German businessmen. Before Mr Bates claimed the fort, he set up Radio Essex on the nearby Knock John fortified tower in the North Sea. It was Britain's first 24-hour pirate station but was swiftly closed down by the government. Following legal advice, Bates bought HM Fort Roughs, another derelict . artillery installation, and declared independence from Britain. But while he had outsmarted the British government, there was still trouble ahead for Mr Bates, not least of which was an attempted invasion by rival pirate DJs from Radio Caroline. Independent: The fortified tower in the North Sea, which Mr Bates renamed Sealand . It's a small world: Roy Bates made this platform his own country . When they attempted to take the platform, Mr Bates and his crew fought them off using Molotov cocktails and warning shots. A year later, when Royal Maritime . auxiliary vessel Golden Eye passed close by, he fired three warning . shots across her bow, prompting the ship to turn back. Bates was . summonsed to appear before a judge in Essex but was ruled to have acted . outside of British jurisdiction. In 1978, a German businessman who had been dealing with Mr Bates flew to Sealand and staged a coup while the retired Army major and his family were ashore following an argument over money. Within days Mr Bates retook Sealand in a dawn raid, having rappelled from a helicopter with his son Michael, armed with a rifle and wearing combat fatigues. An obituary to Mr Bates on the Sealand website reads: 'Roy was born to be an adventurer' and tributes said he was a 'pioneer'. Kevin Klerks wrote: 'Prince Roy of Sealand, the government and the People of Sealand. 'He was a pioneer in the . micronational community, his dedication and commitment to an idea . inspired hundreds in the boundless pursuit for a better world. 'His passing will be remembered and his legacy honoured.' Dynasty: The son of Major Bates, Michael (foreground), on Sealand with his wife Lorraine (in red), daughter Charlotte and Sealand subjects . Home from home: Prince Roy's son Michael, his wife Lorraine and daughter Charlotte have lived at Sealand . Welcome to Sealand: Mr Bates's son Michael waves as the rest of the family take shelter . And Geoff Mills wrote: 'So sorry for your loss, my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time. RIP Roy Bates.' Major Bates was born to Harry and . Lilyan Bates in 1921 and joined the international brigade at the age of . 15, fighting in the Spanish civil war. He then served in Africa, Italy, Iraq . and Syria, in WWII and was once taken prisoner, and suffered horrific . wounds after a grenade exploded near his face, . After the war his wounds healed and . he ran various businesses before getting involved with pirate radio and . then founding Sealand. Currency: The Ten Dollar coin of Sealand has Princess Joan's image on it . Silver screen: Richard Curtis movie The Boat That Rocked, starring Bill Nighy (centre), was inspired by the pirate radio movement Mr Bates was a part of . Symbol: Sealand has its own red, white and black flag and a national motto of E Mare Libertas, or 'From the Sea, Freedom' Glamorous: The late Roy Bates made his wife Princess Joan of Sealand . In a 1980s television interview, Mr Bates declared: 'I might die young or I might die old, but I will never die of boredom.' The island, which is seven-and-a-half . miles off Felixstowe in the North Sea, is not currently officially . recognised by any sovereign state. However, the WikiLeaks organisation last week suggested it was considering setting itself up on the island nation. Sources at the whistle blowing . organisation announced earlier in the year that they were looking to . move their computer servers to international waters. Officials from Sealand then claimed to have been contacted by the activist group to discuss 'business'. Major Bates is survived by his wife, son Michael and daughter Penny. | Roy Bates moved his family to HM Fort Roughs in the 60s .
He declared it independent from the UK and renamed it Sealand .
Used Molotov cocktails to fight off invaders - who were DJs from pirate station Radio Caroline . |
237,376 | bf3a6ad8ff765fc51603deeb31f01a03bff99e08 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 12:25 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:46 EST, 29 November 2013 . Message: Michael Adebolajo thanked police for shooting him and told them he killed Lee Rigby 'for my God', the prosecution said . One of the Muslim converts accused of murdering Lee Rigby thanked police for shooting him and said 'I wish the bullets had killed me' as he was given first aid, the Old Bailey heard today. Jurors were shown footage of . Michael Adebolajo, 28, and his accomplice Michael Adebowale, 22, being gunned down by . armed police when the defendants tried to attack them. Minutes earlier they had 'mutilated, almost decapitated and murdered' Lee Rigby, 25, after they had ambushed him outside military barracks in . Woolwich, South East London, the Old Bailey heard. Adebolajo is seen to fly across the road as shots are fired at him and received a gunshot wound to his upper left bicep. The . court heard as he lay in the road he said to paramedics: 'Please let me . lay here, I don't want anyone to die, I just want the soldiers out of . my country. 'Your government is wrong, I did it for my God. I wish the bullets had killed me so I can join my friends and family.' Adebolajo . later told officers: 'I am a Muslim extremist, this may be the only . chance you meet one. Your people have gone to Afghanistan and raped and . killed our women. I am seeking retribution I wouldn't stoop so low as to . rape and kill women. 'I thank the person who shot me, because it is what . Allah would have wanted.' Adebolajo added: 'I love Allah more than my children.' At . hospital he told doctors he did not want to be touched by any women. He . made no reply to being arrested on suspicion of murder. The . following day Adebolajo told another officer: 'My intention was never . to harm civilians. There were women and children around. My intention . was to hurt military only.' He . added: 'The reason that we are fighting is because we believe in an eye . for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. We hope that one day Great Britain . will replace those corrupt politicians with men, or women, who truly . care about the security of their citizens by withdrawing from affairs of . Muslims, including their lands.' Aftermath: The two men accused of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo (right) and Michael Adebowale (second right) spoke to witnesses and said they were 'fighting Allah's enemies', the jury heard . Death: Lee Rigby was allegedly run down in the street and hacked to death in south-east London in May . A number of women went to the scene to comfort the soldier, the jury heard . One of the women was Amanda Donnelly Martin, who was with her daughter. Prosecutor Richard Whittam said he was . 'saying things about religion such as 'these soldiers go to our land, . kill/bomb our people - so an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'. It said: 'Fighting Allah's enemies is . an obligation', and went on: 'Do not spend your days in endless . discussion with the cowardly and foolish. It means that it will delay . your meeting Allah's enemies on the battlefield. Sometimes the cowardly . and foolish can be those dearest to you. So be prepared to turn away . from them.' Case: The two suspects sit listening to the prosecution along with Justice Sweeney and the jury at the start of their murder trial today . The court heard that Adebolajo handed a letter containing religious references to Ms Donnelly Martin. The handwritten note suggested 'carnage reaching your town' was 'simply retaliation for your oppression in our towns'. It . said when the 'heat of battle' came, 'it is unlikely that any of your . so-called politicians will be caught up in the the crossfire, so I . suggest that you remove them.' The . letter continued: 'Muslims will trade with you on fair terms. Understand that the days of your international armed robbery are drawing . to a close.' Jurors . were also shown a video clip of Adebolajo speaking with blood on his . hands, suggesting that the attack was 'an eye for an eye'. Before Adebolajo, 28, and his . accomplice Michael Adebowale, 22, right, were gunned down by armed . officers, jurors were told he passed a handwritten note to a bystander. It . read: 'To my beloved children know that to fight Allah's enemies is an . obligation. The proofs of which are so numerous that but a handful of . any of them cuts out the bewitching tongues of the Munafiqeen. 'Do . not spend your days in endless dispute with the cowardly and foolish if . it means it will delay you meeting Allah's enemies on the battlefield. 'Sometimes the cowardly and foolish could be those dearest to you so be prepared to turn away from them. 'When you set out on this path do not look left or right. 'Seek . Shaheedala oh my sons so that you might be raised together and if its . Allah's decree that you are not to be in the hearts of green birds. 'Then . be ready for to enter the University of Joosuf. Sijn. Be patient there . and be firm there and inshallah you will meet your Lord with him pleased . with you. 'Verily Allah is with those who are patient. 'If I live beyond this day and you find me talking other than this then know that perhaps Allah has left me to stray. 'If . you find yourself curious as to why carnage is reaching your own towns . then know its simply retaliation for your oppression in our towns. 'Many of your people are aristocrats that directly benefit from invasion of our lands without material loss. 'Whereas the average Joe Bloggs working class man loses his sons when they are killed by our brothers. 'When . the heat of battle reaches YOUR local street its unlikely that any of . your so called politicians will be at risk or caught in the crossfire so . I suggest you remove them. 'Remove . them and replace them with people who will secure your safety by the . immediate withdrawal from the affairs of the Muslims. 'Muslims . will trade with you on fair terms but understand that the days of your . international armed robbery is drawing to a close. 'To humble yourselves willingly is better for you. 'May Allah guide your nation to the truth'. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, deny murdering Fusilier .
Lee Rigby, 25, was 'mutilated and almost decapitated' by them, jury told .
Adebolajo asked medics to 'let him die so I can join my friends and family'
'I thank the person who shot me. It's what .
Allah would've wanted,' he added .
Defendants spoke to witnesses, who were given a note explaining motive .
It told them that 'fighting Allah's enemies is .
an obligation' |
146,520 | 497a7bab8e741ba18728003df3dde43a4153be16 | (CNN) -- Is your daughter a tomboy? Your son not especially into football? Does your daughter excel at math? Your son a skilled artist? Or does your daughter switch roles, relatively easily, from skinning her knees on a soccer field to worrying about what to wear to a party? Or does your son, like mine, come home sweaty and bruised from lacrosse practice only to sing gorgeously in the shower as a member of his high school a cappella group? If your answers are yes -- and probably most parents recognize some elements of these traits in their children -- you can breathe a bit easier today. That is, at least, if you happen to live in Wood County, West Virginia. That's because recently, under a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union and its local affiliates, the Wood County Board of Education agreed to abandon for two school years its program of separating boys and girls into single-sex classes. The ACLU had filed a lawsuit on behalf of a mother and her daughters who claimed the sex segregation was a form of sex discrimination against girls. This little-noted legal settlement gives all of us -- parents, teachers, administrators, and kids themselves -- something to think about: Are single-sex classes really an effective way to educate our children? Historically, of course, single-sex schools -- especially private schools and colleges -- were the norm. But since the dawn of the 20th century, both educators and parents have seen them as historic anachronisms, especially for boys. Single-sex schools for girls may have challenged stereotypes, but single-sex schools for boys reproduced them, fostering what David Riesman and Christopher Jencks, in their monumental midcentury study, "The Academic Revolution," called "male arrogance." Today, single-sex schools may provide some benefits, though these tend to be benefits that accompany the economic privilege of the families that can afford them. (That is, single sex private schools tend to also be schools for the elite.) But single-sex classes, in otherwise coeducational public schools, are entirely misguided. In recent years, single-sex classes in public schools have become increasingly popular as a low-cost remedy for two issues that plague our country's public school system: the efforts to encourage girls' ambitions in traditionally "masculine" arenas such as science, technology, engineering and math, and to address the "boy crisis" in schools, the chronic underachievement of boys, especially in traditionally "feminine" subjects such as English. It's a popular theory. After Title IX regulations changed in 2006, more than 1,000 public schools segregated at least some of their classes by sex, a 2010 Feminist Majority report said. The National Association for Single Sex Public Education states a lower number — it says 500 U.S. public schools "offered single-sex educational opportunities" for the 2011-12 school year. Regardless, the theory is wrong. In fact, single-sex classes might do more harm than good. To be sure, there is some anecdotal evidence that some students prefer single-sex classes (though they tend not to "prefer" to take calculus and we still insist they do). And especially in inner-city communities, single-sex "academies" have gained popularity because of their brilliant combination of rigid discipline, uniforms and powerful sense of community and school spirit. But, according to Pedro Noguera, an education expert, there is no research that shows the "single-sex" part of the equation has any independent effect on student performance. Instead, evidence points decidedly in the other direction. Single-sex classes reinforce harmful stereotypes about boys and girls. A 2011 article in the journal Science concluded that "sex-segregated education is deeply misguided, and often justified by weak, cherry-picked, or misconstrued scientific claims rather than by valid scientific evidence. There is no well-designed research showing that single-sex education improves students' academic performance, but there is evidence that sex segregation increases gender stereotyping and legitimizes institutional sexism." The article's authors, all researchers, were also members of the nonprofit American Council for CoEducational Schooling. These efforts are often based on the flawed notions of a few educational consultants, such as Dr. Leonard Sax. He's the founder of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, which is now more innocuously titled the National Association for Choice in Education as if to obscure its actual mission. Under these theories, school districts have experimented with different curricula, seating arrangements, pedagogical styles and even room temperature, 72 degrees for girls and 68 degrees for boys. According to a brief filed by the ACLU in 2010, boys in one Louisiana school read "Where the Red Fern Grows" while girls read "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" because "boys like 'hunting' and 'dogs,' but girls prefer 'love stories.' " "Girls tend to look on the teacher as an ally," the association's website explains. "Given a little encouragement, they will welcome the teacher's help. A girl-friendly classroom is a safe, comfortable, welcoming place. Forget hard plastic chairs: put in a sofa and some comfortable beanbags." In the case of Van Devender Middle School, the school in Wood County, West Virginia, the ACLU said the principal defended the layout of the boys' class -- students seated side-by-side, bright lighting because "when they look at each other in the eye, it becomes more of a confrontational type of thing." Girls had dimmer mood lighting, and they would, "sit around tables, where they can make eye contact, where they can make relationships, and that sort of thing." The ACLU said the mother who challenged the single-sex class arrangement was furious that one of her daughters was constantly told to sit still -- despite the fact that she had attention deficit disorder and the boys in the adjacent classroom had opportunities galore to move around. Another girl with poor vision struggled to read in the dimmer light. A third was prohibited from taking notes during a presentation because her teacher said that girls learn better through auditory, not visual, input. I assume that most of the parents of girls find such stereotypes deeply insulting. But I'd hope that parents of boys find them equally insulting -- that boys are only capable of learning in a Spartan setting, more like boot camp than school. What's the recommendations for boys -- that classes be experienced as unsafe, that we seat them in uncomfortable chairs, bark at them and make them read "If" and "Invictus?" We know that boys and girls are as different from each other as they are from every other child. Parents with larger families often see this better than parents who have one boy and one girl and observe categorical differences between the two, assuming that such differences are somehow biologically hard-wired. Good social science is different from good parenting, and requires a sample size greater than two. If you have, say, six kids, you'll describe one or two of your boys as "more quiet, a bit shyer" than the others, or a girl as "the tomboy" who "loves to play sports." Imagine what would happen to those "nonconformists" in a single sex class that is entirely oriented to the rough and tumble boys or the quiet girly-girls. Fortunately, the tide is turning. As the evidence mounts that single-sex classrooms confuse the norm with the normative, teaching to stereotypes rather than children, parents are challenging every effort as both discriminatory and harmful to their children. In the past year, the number of single-sex options in public schools dropped for the first time in more than a decade. Several schools -- including some in Boston; Pittsburgh; Madison, Wisconsin; and Durham, North Carolina -- have dropped existing or planned single-sex classes after ACLU involvement. Our nation's schools serve us best when they teach our children as individuals, with remarkably diverse personalities and learning styles. All our children -- boys and girls -- deserve no less. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Kimmel. | Michael Kimmel: Are single-sex classes an effective way to educate our children?
Kimmel: No, single-sex classes in public schools might do more harm than good .
He says single-sex classes reinforce gender stereotypes about boys and girls .
Kimmel: Some would also argue that sex segregation is a form of sex discrimination . |
161,381 | 5ca4250700129111b9073e9c1429b86316bb0517 | Janet Jackson's husband, Wissam Al Mana, has been accused of firing a female employee from his interior design firm after she reported being raped in Dubai and was then thrown in prison for having extramarital sex. A spokesman for the Qatari billionaire's company, Al Mana Interiors, strongly denied the claims from Marte Deborah Dalelv, saying instead its representatives were 'by her side' throughout the 'ordeal' and that the firm was forced to let her go after she 'declined to have positive and constructive discussions about her employment status.' The Norwegian 24-year-old was sentenced to 16 months in prison this week for having sex outside of marriage after she was raped by a co-worker in March during a business trip to Dubai. Scroll down for video . Boss: Billionaire Wissam Al Mana, managing director of Al Mana Interiors, pictured right with wife Janet Jackson, signed off on a termination letter firing Marte Deborah Dalelv for 'improper behavior' Dalelv reported the sexual assault to police but instead of helping her they arrested her and took her passport away. Her rapist was sentenced to three months less prison time than she got. According to Verdens Gang, three weeks after she reported the crime Dalelv was suspended from her job. Three weeks after that she got a termination letter, signed off by Al Mana himself. 'Further to the suspension letter . notified to you on 20th March 2013, we hereby inform you that you . employment with Al Mana Interiors W.L.L. is terminated for misconduct . and breach of your employment duties, effective immediately,' the letter . reads. Norwegian businesswoman Marte Deborah Dalelv, 24, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for extramarital sex after she reported being raped . '... your . employment agreement is terminat(ed) due to your unacceptable and . improper behavior during your last business trip in Dubai, which has . resulted in your arrest by the Police Authorities in UAE.' On Saturday, Al Mana Interiors claimed it was forced to let Dalelv go after she 'declined to have positive and constructive discussions about her employment status' and not because of the rape. 'We are sympathetic to Marte Dalelv . during this very difficult situation,' the statement reads. 'Al Mana Interiors has repeatedly . offered Marte support and company representatives were by her side . throughout the initial investigation and police interviews, and spent . days at both the police station and the prosecutor's office to help win . her release. 'Company . representatives have been supportive and in communication with Marte . throughout her ordeal. Only when Ms. Dalelv declined to have positive . and constructive discussions about her employment status, and ceased . communication with her employer, was the company forced to end our . relationship with her. The decision had nothing to do with the rape . allegation, and unfortunately neither Ms. Dalelv nor her attorneys have . chosen to contact the company to discuss her employment status. 'We . continue to be open to helping Ms. Dalelv and extending her resources . during the Dubai legal process. We are hopeful that we can resume a . positive discussion about the assistance she needs during this difficult . time.' Dalelv . reported the sexual assault in March, after which she had to . spend days in a cell before she was allowed to use a telephone. With . the help of family members, the Norwegian consulate was able to . negotiate a release and she has been living under the protection of the . Norwegian Sailor's Church until her sentencing this week. Waiting game: Marte Deborah Dalelv, pictured in Dubai, faces an uncertain future as Norway doesn't have an extradition treaty with Dubai . Dalelv claims she was fired from her position with Al Mana Interiors - which is owned by Janet Jackson's husband, Wissam Al Mana - during the ordeal . 'I . received the harshest sentence for sex outside marriage, harshest . sentence for drinking alcohol and on top of that I was found guilty of . perjury,' she told Verdens Gang. 'It is a terrible situation she is in,' said Gisle Meling, the priest at the Norwegian Sailor's Church. 'We . are very surprised and had hoped it would go another way, but we live . in a country which has a justice system which draws its conclusions with . the help of Sharia law.' Dalelv was sentenced to one year and four months in jail but as Norway has no extradition treaty with Dubai, her future is uncertain. Janet . Jackson married the Qatari billionaire in a secret ceremony last year. The pair have been together for three years after meeting in 2010. The young Norwegian woman's horror story is not unique. Earlier . this year Australian Alicia Gali, 27, spoke of how she was thrown in a . Dubai jail for eight months after she reported a rape. Dark side: Having been detained in Dubai since the assault in March, Ms Dalelv has now been found guilty of sex outside marriage, drinking alcohol without a licence and perjury and was jailed for 16 months . Gali was working at hotel chain Starwood when her drink was spiked in the staff bar. She . awoke to find that three colleagues had raped her, but when she went to . a hospital for help, they turned her over to the police and she was . charged with illicit sex outside marriage. Under . UAE law, rapists can only be convicted if either the perpetrator . confesses or if four adult Muslim males witness the crime. Under . the Sharia-influenced laws, sex before marriage is completely forbidden . and an unmarried couple holding hands in public can be jailed. Foreigners jailed in Dubai are deported immediately after completing their sentences. | Norwegian Marte Deborah Dalelv was in Dubai on a business trip when she was raped .
She reported the rape to police but was then charged herself for having sex outside of marriage .
She has now been sentenced to 16 months in prison .
Six weeks after reporting the rape her employment at Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana's interior design firm was terminated .
Company strongly denies firing her because of the rape allegations .
Al Mana married Janet Jackson last year after they met in 2010 . |
103,428 | 1160409272ba0c7877cfeb9db6e4533346f1f8a6 | By . Andrew Levy . and Sara Smyth . Parents are being fined £60 if their children are a few minutes late for school in a tough new crackdown on discipline. Two headteachers in the same local authority are believed to be the first to take the action in an attempt to slash truancy rates. The parents of a persistent offender face a £60 fixed penalty – which can be doubled if they fail to pay within 21 days. Fine mess: The headteacher at Emerson Valley School in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, has warned parents they will face fines of £60 if their children are late . Headteachers have been able to impose . financial penalties on the parents of regular truants since 2003, but . Milton Keynes Council has said schools can classify children as skipping . school even if they arrive late. Two schools have adopted the policy, including Emerson Valley School, which was rated inadequate by Ofsted inspectors last year. It . has issued parents with a warning that they will be fined if a child . misses registration ten times in a 12-week term. The school said: ‘The . link between good attendance and pupils achieving well at school is . clear. ‘During the recent . Ofsted monitoring inspection it was noted that “strategies to improve . attendance and punctuality have resulted in a significant increase in . the proportion of pupils who come to school on time”. ‘At . the end of the autumn term 2013, 353 pupils at Emerson Valley School . received certificates for 100 per cent punctuality. This is a big . improvement on previous years and has been achieved through working with . our families.’ School fine: Parents at the school in Milton Keynes will have the fine doubled if they don't pay it promptly (file picture) But the . policy has infuriated some parents. Georgina Hodgkinson, 40, said: . ‘There needs to be a deterrent but I think it puts lots of pressure on . parents and does break the commitment between the school and families. ‘If . you have got, like we have, children in different schools, you are . trying to navigate logistics from one to the other and there are always . going to be some problems.’ But . another parent, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Kids arriving late . cause disruption and this has made parents sit up and take notice.’ Education experts welcomed the policy, but said it had to be used in the right circumstances. Chris . McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘If the lateness is . wilful and persistent and the school decides there is no other way . forward, then it is justified. ‘But they have to be careful because it can lead to the breakdown of the relationship between the school and parents. ‘There . is also the question of whether social services should be involved to . see what is going on at home. Schools shouldn’t act in isolation on . this.’ Other local authorities are understood to be considering adopting the system to curb the tide of lateness and truancy. Schools . were originally able to impose a £50 penalty but this was increased to . £60 in September 2012 as part of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s . attempt to restore discipline to schools. The . increase came as record numbers of parents were given criminal records . for allowing children to skip lessons. Some 10,185 parents were found . guilty and sentenced in 2012 – a 3.5 per cent rise on the 9,836 the . previous year. In 2001, just 1,845 people were convicted. A . spokesman for Milton Keynes Council said: ‘Our figures show that in the . last academic year, two fixed penalty fines were issued in relation to . persistent late attendance by pupils. In a majority of cases, a warning . letter has proved to be enough to stop the issue.' | Parents will be fined if their children miss registration 10 times in a term .
Education campaigners said fines are a 'step too far'
Schools in Milton Keynes are believed to be the first in Britain to fine parents . |
94,161 | 05072626a5bf3b5e3b4fd349d114d5bad1f035a7 | A 13-year-old Nigerian girl who was arrested with explosives strapped to her body told journalists that her parents volunteered her to take part in a suicide attack. The girl, who was identified as Zahra'u Babangida, was arrested in Kano on December 10 following a double suicide bombing in a market that killed 10 people. She was presented to journalists on Wednesday by police and instructed to recount how Islamist militants allegedly forced her to take part in the attack. Twisted: A 13-year-old Nigerian girl (pictured) who was arrested with explosives strapped to her body told journalists Wednesday that her parents volunteered her to take part in a suicide attack . Terrifying: This is the bomb belt that the girl was forced to wear - but that she thankfully didn't detonate . She said her mother and father, both Boko Haram sympathisers, took her to an insurgent hideout in a forest near the town of Gidan Zana in Kano state. She said one alleged militant leader asked her whether she knew what a suicide bombing was. Zahra'u told journalists: 'They said, "Can you do it?" I said no. 'They said, "You will go to heaven if you do it." I said "no I can't". They said they would shoot me or throw me into a dungeon.' There was no way to independently verify her story and she had no lawyer present. No information was available concerning the whereabouts of her parents. Police said they had instructed the girl to tell her story to boost public awareness about those responsible for the December 10 attack. Faced with the threat of death, Zahra'u said she finally agreed to take part in the attack but 'never had any intention of doing it'. Several days later, Zahra'u said, she and three other girls, all wearing explosives, were brought to the Kantin Kwari market by unidentified men. Massacre: A man walks past blood stains and rubble after twin suicide blasts at Kantin Kwari textile market in the northern Nigerian city of Kano on December 10 . Zahra'u said she was injured when one of the girls detonated her bomb and then she fled the scene, ending up at a hospital on the outskirts of Kano where she was discovered to be carrying explosives. Boko Haram has increasingly used female suicide bombers, including teenagers, as part of their five-year insurgency. Kano, the largest city in the mainly Muslim north, saw four such attacks in one week in July, while similar bombings have hit the states of Bauchi and Niger. Experts say the group has used girls as bombers to demonstrate the range of tactics they have available to sow fear across Nigeria. If confirmed, Zahra'u's story would be the first known case of parents volunteering their daughter to take part in a deadly attack. Violence in northern Nigeria has intensified in recent months, raising security fears ahead of February 14 elections. | Zahra'u Babangida was taken to a Boko Haram hideout by her parents .
Terrorists told her they would shoot her if she didn't wear a suicide vest .
The fanatics told her she would go to paradise if she blew herself up .
She wore the suicide vest but refused to go through with the attack .
First known case of parents volunteering their daughter for suicide attack . |
242,235 | c5866ff5e27f3c96c3b12daa5501e3d12f67d9c7 | The Hippocratic Oath hangs heavy over a makeshift hospital in the besieged city of Al Qusayr, centuries of ethical code now dangerous to honor in a place where a doctor saving the life of a gasping child is labeled a terrorist. Dr. Kasem is aware that every patient could be his last. He and his hospital have endured rocket attacks. But he will not stop. The medical oath he took demands that he do all that he can to save lives. Instead, he keeps moving his hospital from building to building so that Syrian government forces will not discover it. "If I will die when I help people, it is good for me," he says. "Because I am a doctor. I must help people, especially in this very catastrophic time. After the revolution, before the revolution, during the revolution, I will help people." Kasem works day in, day out. He and his staff rush to patch up bruised, bloodied and broken bodies. He hears motherless children howl and grown men belt out the kind of screams that can haunt for a lifetime. Kasem works away from the spotlight. He does nothing for glory. He does everything to stop death. His story has come to attention through Robert King, a journalist with Polaris Images, who wanted to document the critical work of Syria's secret hospitals. "Since late April, I have been photographing and filming inside the besieged city of Al Qusayr," King says. "One of my main focuses here is to tell the story of the volunteer doctors and nurses who work tirelessly 24 hours a day inside the only working hospital in the area." King's camera follows Kasem through the chaos. Streams of crimson stain sheets and mattresses. The freshly lie on the ground. Rivers of red cover the patterns on a tiled floor. Outside, the thundering booms of mortars and constant rattle of gunfire. Doctors desperately try a defibrillator on a man who is already turning ghostly white. Occasionally, someone says: Allahu Akbar. God is great. The field hospital serves a population of about 40,000 people, King says. The daily log books are brimming with names. It's the only place for people in the area to seek help -- not just for war wounds but for simple everyday medical stuff like back pain and blood pressure. Occasionally the staff sees joy when they help deliver a baby. It's the only working hospital around since the local state hospital has been taken over by the Syrian army. The soldiers turned the place of healing into one of killing, Kasem says. They used it as a military base from which to attack the city. Snipers take aim from the hospital's rooftops. They have a perfect view from up high. Kasem's hospital is well within territory held by the Free Syrian Army, resistance fighters who are mainly Syrian military defectors. Al-Assad considers them terrorists and as such, the field hospital, a terrorist haven. "Look at this child," Kasem says. King's camera pans over a boy with bandages over his body and tubes snaking out of his mouth. "They see he is not a fighter, not an old man, not a young man." The child is 6. He has severe injuries in his stomach, liver and kidney. Doctors operate on him using a table lamp for light. "Why are they shooting him? Kasem asks. "This regime is a terrorist regime." He thinks the child will survive. God will help him. Several children, blood crusting on their skin, lie sideways on one gurney. A man bends to kiss a little girl on the forehead. Her lower torso is sliced open, exposing her organs. "Doctor, what has happened here," King asks. "I don't know," Kasem replies. "The army of Assad. You see this child? They are a terrorist? King's camera captures a slice of Syria's horror. Efforts to gain peace dimmed this week with opposition reports of another massacre and intensified government bombardment of several cities and towns. Despite the chilling images sent in by journalists and opposition activists, King says Syrians like Dr. Kasem believe the world has turned away. "The world is a very complacent place right now," King says. "The lack of curiosity, concern, for their fellow humans is appalling. There's only one trained surgeon in the entire field hospital. He relies on his colleagues to learn fast on the job. Smugglers risk their lives to bring in medical supplies and surgical equipment, King says. But that might get harder -- Al Qusayr has been under seven long months of siege and one of the main supply routes from neighboring Lebanon is cut off. Despite the dwindling odds, King is convinced Dr. Kasem and his staff say they will go on performing medical miracles. King says Al-Assad failed to honor the Hippocratic Oath he likely took when he became a physician -- he is trained as an opthamologist. But Dr. Kasem is determined to stick to one of history's oldest binding documents. | Journalist Robert King captures the chaos within a secret hospital in besieged Al Qusayr .
A doctor says he will honor the oath he took as a doctor to save lives -- despite the risks .
The hospital is relocated from time to time to avoid detection .
Doctors treat hundreds of patients, many of them children . |
173,141 | 6c1126a9a6ddacb43e86ac95d20d4de008aeb8b4 | A 7-year-old girl is recovering in a hospital after being run over by her father's pickup truck on Thursday night. The accident happened Thursday night in the north Florida community of Hawthorne on private property in the 300 block of Gordon Chapel Road at around 6:45 p.m. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office told the Florida Times-Union the father thought his daughter was sitting in the truck's bed. Spot of the accident: The accident happened Thursday night in the north Florida community of Hawthorne on private property in the 300 block of Gordon Chapel Road at around 6:45 p.m . He didn't know she had jumped out and was behind the truck when he started backing up. Deputies say the child was conscious and alert but had difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital in Gainesville. The MailOnline contacted the Putnam County Sheriff's office and they have not released the girl's identity at this time. The girl was listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, the Sheriff’s Office said. Recovering: The young girl from Hawthorne has been listed in stable condition and is recovering from non life-threatening injuries after her father accidentally ran her over . | A 7-year-old girl is recovering in a hospital after being run over by her father's pickup truck .
Deputies say the child was conscious and alert but had difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital in Gainesville .
The MailOnline contacted the Putnam County Sheriff's office and they have not released the girl's identity at this time . |
167,034 | 6403e255c3d868b3e7ad5caaf610a3fddc13982b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:10 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:02 EST, 11 September 2013 . A 'real-life Mrs Doubtfire' is in jail after allegedly holding up a bank dressed in a bizarre pink dress and fluorescent wig. Arnell Edwards has been charged with bank robbery after surveillance footage showed him threatening a teller while disguised as a woman. The alleged crime took place at the U.S. Bank in New Athens, Illinois on Friday morning. Stick-up: A man dressed in a pink dress and wig apparently robbed the U.S. Bank in New Athens, Illinois . Entering: Despite his disguise, the man was later identified by police as 50-year-old Arnell Edwards . A man reportedly entered the bank building dressed as a woman and handed the teller a note demanding money. She handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the robber, and he left the building via its main entrance. Surveillance video showed the man wearing a bright pink dress and similarly garish wig. He had also donned sunglasses, and held a handkerchief over his mouth. Arrest: Edwards, from St Louis, Missouri, has been charged with one count of bank robbery . Suspect: Edwards was taken into custody by local police following a five-hour stand-off at an apartment block . When local police were alerted to the robbery, they found the wig discarded under a bush just outside the bank. The dress worn by the man was discovered under an overhang on a nearby garage. Police identified Edwards, 50, as the suspect, and tracked him down to an apartment block in New Athens. After a five-hour stand-off, he was taken into custody at the local county jail. Edwards, from St Louis, Missouri, was later transferred to federal custody where he was charged with one count of bank robbery. Inept: Edwards has drawn comparison to Robin Williams' Mrs Doubtfire character from the 1993 film . | Arnell Edwards, 50, arrested and charged with bank robbery .
He was allegedly seen on surveillance camera threatening a teller while dressed as a woman . |
45,555 | 8067c0e0699fb33dec09842aa29b410902628ce3 | USA Cycling says Lance Armstrong can't ride in a South Carolina event this weekend with several of his former U.S. Postal Service teammates. Armstrong had hoped to ride with George Hincapie and several other former teammates at the non-competitive ride that bears Hincapie's name. But because the ride is still authorized by USA Cycling, Armstrong can't participate under his lifetime ban for using performance-enhancing drugs. Lance Armstrong (left) can't ride in the South Carolina event under the terms of his lifetime ban . Armstrong had been hoping to ride with several of his former U.S. Postal Service teammates . Armstrong declined comment Thursday. Hincapie was among Armstrong's closest friends on the Postal Service team. But he also was one of the key witnesses against Armstrong in the 2012 report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that exposed Armstrong's doping. Armstrong is facing a federal whistle-blower lawsuit by former teammate Floyd Landis that could bring penalties approaching $100 million. Armstrong is being denied the chance to ride alongside George Hincapie (right) again . | Armstrong had been hoping to ride alongside former U.S. Postal Service teammates, including George Hincapie .
USA cycling says Armstrong is unable to take part due to his lifetime ban .
Armstrong declined to comment on Thursday . |
235,589 | bcfd28aa5e03cdcd67e856fcf999da6423693733 | Jury selection began Monday in the New York murder trial of a six-year-old boy who disappeared 35 years ago in one of America's most famous missing child cases. Etan Patz vanished after leaving his parents' Manhattan townhouse to walk alone for the first time to the bus stop to go to school on May 25, 1979. His parents only realized he was missing when he failed to return home at the end of the day. His body has never been found. Missing: Etan Patz vanished after leaving his parents' Manhattan townhouse to walk alone for the first time to the bus stop to go to school on May 25, 1979 . Chilling memory: People walk past a street shrine to six-year-old Etan Patz, in front of the building where suspect Pedro Hernandez confessed to having strangled the boy . The case became a national cause celebre and awakened millions of Americans to the dangers of child abduction, fueling a generation of vigilant child rearing by parents frightened to let their offspring out of sight. Pedro Hernandez, 53, who worked in a nearby grocery store at the time, is on trial for the murder and kidnapping of Etan. He confessed to police in 2012 to killing the boy, but has since recanted his confession and pleads not guilty. He sat quietly in the New York state supreme court in Manhattan on Monday, dressed smartly in grey trousers, and a pin-stripped shirt and tie. When instructed by Judge Maxwell Wiley, he stood without a word and turned to peer blankly at the room of prospective jurors. Criminal defense attorney Harvey Fishbein says his client suffers from mental illness and has 'borderline-to-mild mental retardation.' Legal experts say the prosecutors will have a hard time to prove their case, in a trial which is expected to last into March and possibly April. Fishbein said 80 witnesses could take the stand, but police are understood to have struggled to find supporting evidence against Hernandez. Jury selection begins: Pedro Hernandez, who confessed to the 1979 killing of 6-year-old Etan Patz, appears in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York in a November 15, 2012 file photo . Will go on trial: An NYPD mugshot of Pedro Hernandez, accused killer of Etan Patz who will go on trial . Few clues were ever found to Etan's disappearance in the SoHo neighborhood where he lived with his parents and disappeared. His father was a photographer and the boy was the first missing child to be featured on milk cartons as part of a national search. - Two to three month trial - . In 1983, then US president Ronald Reagan declared the anniversary of his disappearance National Missing Children Day. Wiley advised the first batch of prospective jurors of the "unprecedented" publicity surrounding the case and warned that the trial would be lengthy. Missing: The case of Etan Patz became a national cause celebre and awakened millions of Americans to the dangers of child abduction . Accused of murder: Pedro Hernandez appears with his lawyer Harvey Fishbein in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, in this file photo taken on November 15, 2012 . 'This trial is going to be long. We anticipate that the case is going to take anywhere from two to three months to try,' Wiley told the packed court room. Would-be jurors took an oath and were then dismissed to fill out a questionnaire in the first part of a selection process. On Thursday, the court will begin the next stage of whittling down hundreds of potential jurors to the 12 who will hear the case. No body has ever been found and Etan was declared legally dead in 2001. Hernandez initially appeared to settle the mystery over Patz's disappearance when he came forward and confessed in May 2012. He told police on video tape that he lured the boy to the basement of the store where he worked and strangled him, before stuffing him into a plastic bag and then a box. Hernandez would have been 19 at the time of the murder. His initial confession came as a shock. Jose Ramos, a 71-year-old convicted sex offender, was never indicted but long suspected of involvement with the case. He was jailed in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years for child molestation. Etan's parents sued him and he was declared responsible in a civil action and ordered to pay $2 million. Solved: This May 28, 2012, file photo shows a newspaper with a photograph of Etan Patz that is part of a makeshift memorial in the SoHo neighborhood of New York . | Etan Patz vanished after leaving his parents' Manhattan townhouse to walk alone for the first time to the bus stop to go to school on May 25, 1979 .
Pedro Hernandez, 53, who worked in a nearby grocery store at the time, is on trial for the murder and kidnapping of Etan .
He confessed to police in 2012 to killing the boy, but has since recanted his confession and pleads not guilty .
Patz's parents only realized he was missing when he failed to return home at the end of the day and his body has never been found . |
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