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222,503 | ac06d6b406b4d54925c3634ebadaf0d40070cd86 | A news report on Thursday that revealed secret communications between President Barack Obama and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has a top Republican lawmaker accusing Obama of playing 'footsie' with the 'enemy' just as the deadline for a nuclear deal with the country approaches. According to the Wall Street Journal, Obama sent Khamenei a letter last month assuring him that airstrikes about ISIS in the country were not intended to undermine Iranian ally and Syrian President Bashar al Assad. The letter allegedly indicated that the U.S. may be willing to work with Iran in the fight against radical Islamic militants ravaging the region if it satisfied a Nov. 24 deadline to come to an agreement with negotiators about its nuclear program. Scroll down for video . Arizona Sen. John McCain, pictured here yesterday at a Veteran's Day event, accused President Barack Obama on Thursday of playing 'footsie' with the 'enemy' when he sent Iran's supreme leader a letter indicating a willingness on behalf of the U.S. to work more closely with the country in the fight against ISIS if it agreed to proposed regulations on its nuclear program . The Journal claims this is the fourth time Obama has written the leader of the Middle Eastern country since 2009 to offer a truce of sorts. The White House spokesman refused on Thursday to comment on the report, stating that he is 'not in a position to discuss private correspondence between the President and any world leader.' However, 'I can tell you that the policy that the President and his administration have articulated about Iran remains unchanged,' he told reporters. 'The United States will not cooperate militarily with Iran [in the campaign against ISIS.] We won't share intelligence with them,' he said. 'But their interests in this outcome is something that's been widely commented upon and something on a couple of occasions has been discussed on the sidelines of other conversations,' he noted. National Security Advisor Susan Rice also refused to confirm the letter to reporters on Friday nor did she deny that it was sent. As I have said 'repeatedly in public,' as have other administration officials, 'we are in no way' engaged 'in any military coordination' with Iran as it regards to ISIL, she said, using an alternative name for ISIS. Rice said the U.S. takes eliminating the threat from ISIS seriously, 'but we are not doing so in coordination with the government of Iran.' She also asserted that 'there is no linkage' between the administration's military actions against ISIS and the Iran nuclear plan. Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a constant critic of the Obama administration's foreign policy, had blasted the president on Thursday for putting rebels of the Syrian government being trained by the U.S. to fight ISIS in harm's way by promising Iran that Assad is not under siege. 'Now it is really an immoral situation, and I don’t use that word lightly,' McCain, the ranking member of the Senate's committee on Armed Services, told MSNBC on Thursday. 'They are now going to train Syrians to go in and fight against ISIS and at the same time allowing Bashar Assad to slaughter them with barrel bombs and air attacks and other attacks,' he contended. 'Every time we strike ISIS, then Bashar Assad steps up his attacks on the Free Syrian Army.' Continuing, McCain said, 'As I say, it’s immoral, yet somehow we are playing footsie with the Iranians and hope they will somehow have an effect on ISIS.' President Barack Obama, right, talks to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell before the start of a Cabinet Meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House on Friday. Obama will meet next with GOP leaders, who will undoubtedly chastize him over the letter to Iran . In a joint statement with fellow Armed Services committee member and close Senate ally Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, McCain called Obama's overtures to Iran 'outrageous.' 'This is the same Iranian regime that has been complicit in the rise of ISIS by pushing a violent sectarian agenda throughout the Middle East --backing radical Shia militias and politicians in Iraq, doing everything in its power to aid the killing machine of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, arming Hamas terrorists with advanced rockets in Gaza, and orchestrating Hezbollah's dispatch of thousands of fighters from Lebanon into Syria,' the GOP duo said. Iran, they said, 'cares more about trying to weaken America and push us out of the Middle East than cooperating with us.' Going down this path will 'harm U.S. national security interests, as well as our relationships with our closest regional allies and partners, in pursuit of the illusory goal of rapprochement with the current Iranian leadership,' they argued. 'The consequences of this ill-conceived bargain would destroy the Syrians' last best chance to live in freedom from the brutal Assad regime.' House Speaker John Boehner also expressed skepticism that any good would come of Obama's outreach to Khamenei. 'I don’t trust the Iranians, I don’t think we need to bring them into this,' Boehner said on Thursday. 'I would hope that the negotiations that are under way are serious negotiations, but I have my doubts,' the GOP leader, who is scheduled to meet with Obama about a number of issues this afternoon, said. Outgoing GOP legislator and current House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers told MSNBC on Friday that Obama's letter was unhelpful to the overall U.S. strategy in the region. 'I can tell you that it is causing real problems with our Sunni Arab League partners in the fight against ISIS,' Rogers said, according to Politico. 'It’s really concerning.' The Michigan congressman suggested that Iran may have leaked the letter to gain the upper hand in negotiations. 'Just because the enemy of your enemy sometimes wants to help you, that doesn’t mean they’re still not your adversary,' he said. Putting it bluntly, a senior congressional source who spoke to Fox News, said of Obama's back channeling with Iran: 'This f***s up everything.' From left-right at the Obama Cabinet meeting are Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell, Obama, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Obama gave brief remarks before the meeting to reporters before reporters were ushered out . The clock on Obama's efforts to talk Iran into signing the nuclear deal is ticking as Republicans, who favor greater sanctions on the country, are now slated to take control of both chambers of the legislative branch in the new year. Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Mark Kirk of Illinois, a Republican, and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, a Democrat, could go into effect as soon as January. 'The best way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is to quickly pass the bipartisan Menendez-Kirk legislation—not to give the Iranians more time to build a bomb,' Kirk said Wednesday, per the Journal. On Thursday McCain said that the U.S. has 'already given away the store by allowing them the right to enrich and not putting in check both the development of warheads and the means to deliver them.' McCain said any efforts by the president to build a better relationship with the country that is 'spreading disorder and unrest throughout the region ' is misguided. 'They are not our friend. They are our enemy. Are we are treating them as somebody that we can continue to do business with,' he said. 'This is a foreign policy that is off the rails.' Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen came to his party leader's defense on Friday, saying the letter was 'not outrageous' as McCain and Graham had stated. 'Presidents use backchannels all the time,' he told CNN. 'Look, you don’t have to trust Iran to understand that the United States and Iran do have a common interest in trying to defeat ISIS and I thought Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham wanted to do everything possible to defeat ISIS,' he said, goading the GOP senators. | President Barack Obama reportedly sent Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a letter last month .
It allegedly indicated the U.S. may work with Iran in the fight against ISIS if Iran satisfied a Nov. 24 deadline to come to a nuclear agreement .
Ranking Republican John McCain said the overtures were' immoral' and accused Obama of 'playing footsie with the Iranians' |
35,606 | 652da3b21ebb4766e373a2a5fdaaee7bdcee0c8e | (CNN) -- Real Madrid ended Barcelona's unbeaten start to the La Liga season with an emphatic 3-1 victory at the Bernabeu in the first El Clasico of the season on Saturday. Luis Suarez started his first competitive game for the Catalan club after completing a four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup but was powerless to stop a frequently rampant Real Madrid side. Suarez, who arrived from Liverpool for €82.5 million ($105 million) in the summer, immediately showed what offensive bite he could offer his new employers when he provided an assist for Barcelona's opening goal in the fourth minute. His looping cross from the right fell at the feet of Neymar who then sprinted unchallenged along the 18-yard line before drilling a low shot past Iker Casillas. Messi could and perhaps should have doubled the lead in the 23rd minute when Suarez again slung in a dangerous low ball from the right. But the Argentine, who needs one goal to equal Telmo Zarra's all-time La Liga scoring record of 251 goals, contrived to shoot directly at Casillas who deflected the ball behind. It proved to be a costly miss as the home side grew in stature and after some near misses -- Benzema hit both the post and the bar with separate attempts -- Real got their reward when Gerard Pique used his arm to block Marcelo's cross from the byline. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Cristiano Ronaldo duly scored, sending Claudio Bravo the wrong way and ending the Barcelona keeper's record run of 755 minutes without conceding a goal. The home side carried the momentum into the second half and took the lead five minutes after the break when Pepe headed home from a corner before Karim Benzema finished off a superb move in the 61st minute. It was a goal that exemplified Real's hunger and counterattacking qualities as the ever industrious Isco stole the ball from under the noses of Andres Iniesta and Javier Mascherano on the left touchline. The 22-year-old then slipped the ball to Ronaldo who in turn squared to James Rodriguez who then offloaded a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Benzema who finished the move in style. There was still time for Barcelona to come back but it was the home side who perhaps should have extended their lead as the visitors pressed forward. Suarez was replaced by Pedro in the 69th minute but a pair of fresh legs in attack failed to kick-start a revival. Victory for Carlo Ancelotti's side sees them move up to second place in the table, one point behind Barcelona who remain on 22 points. "We didn't lose our head after losing the early goal," Ancelotti said. "I liked many things about the team, above all the high tempo we played with. The team recovered well with just two days rest after Wednesday and played very well," he added referring to the Champions League trip to Liverpool in midweek. For Suarez, the return to action left a "bittersweet" taste in the mouth. "I am very happy to return to playing, it is a great relief to have this time behind me," the Uruguayan said. "The feeling is bittersweet because of the result but this team has lifted itself many times before." Read more: Was it wrong to ban Suarez? | Real Madrid beat rivals Barcelona 3-1 in first El Clasico of the season .
Neymar gives Barcelona an early lead before Los Blancos hit back .
Ronaldo, Pepe and Benzema score in comfortable win over La Liga leaders .
Luis Suarez starts for Barcelona, sets up Neymar's goal, subbed in 69th minute . |
45,025 | 7ee0eb45893fbb239726084d2684395f86a64dc1 | By . Steph Cockroft . An angler has broken the record for the biggest fish ever caught off British shores - and it weighs more than a gorilla. The common skate fish, which was caught off the Isle of Skye, was so big that fisherman Daniel Bennett spent two hours struggling to reel it in. When he finally got back to shore, the 26-year-old from Whitby, North Yorkshire, discovered his catch weighed 208lbs - more than a female Eastern Lowland gorilla, a heavyweight boxer or a moped. What a catch! Daniel Bennett, 26, caught this 208lb skate fish while fishing off the Isle . of Skye - the biggest fish to be caught off British shores . The fish, a rare protected species similar to a stingray, was so large . that the angler spent two hours reeling it in to shore, before tossing . it back into the sea . Mr Bennett, who returned the fish back into the sea, said: 'The key to catching the fish was having a lot of . patience. My back is absolutely killing me now though. 'We’ve never caught anything on that scale before, and we guessed it weighed about 150lb. But it was 208lbs. I can’t believe it.' The fisherman caught the skate - a rare protected fish species that looks similar to a stingray - after it latched onto half a mackerel . fillet that Mr Bennett had used as bait. Skates have a flat body and wing-like pectoral fins attached to their head, like a stingray. There are dozens of species of skates but the common skate is the largest skate species. A common skate can reach up to more than 8 ft (96 inches) in length and 220lbs - though most males grow to around 60 inches. Skates, . which have a life span of around 50 years, can live in most parts of . the world - whether tropical seas or near-Arctic waters. They are usually found in deep waters but can also survive in shallow waters. The common skate is listed as a critically-endangered species. It is threatened both in the Atlantic . Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Their eggs, so-called mermaid’s purses, are often found on beaches and are oblong and protected by leathery cases. The catch, which was 88.25 inches long by . 66.75 inches wide, has now been confirmed by the British Record Fish Committee as the largest fish caught on its current list. Although the fish was not weighed at the scene, because the anglers did not have scales, the weight was worked out by The Shark Trust - a UK conservation charity - based on the measurements of the fish. Before that, the largest fish caught from British shores was a 159lb skate, which was reeled in on the Isle of Lewis in 1994. Those anglers have since become 'local celebrities' on Skye - but Mr Bennett says his girlfriend, Philippa, is not quite as impressed. Mr Bennett, who works in a fishing . supplies shop, said: 'My partner is not really that interested, but . she’s proud of me nonetheless. 'I think people outside the angling world . find it harder to see how much of a feat this is. 'West Scotland is known for skate fishing but not Skye. We were the first to catch one there for at least 30 or 40 years. 'There . was another chap in our group who caught one and it was about 120lb. We . thought we’d never find one any bigger - then we did an hour later.' The fish, which was 88.25inches long and 66.75inches wide, weighs more than a female gorilla, a heavyweight boxer or a moped and is the largest fish on record at the British Record Fish Committee . Nick Simmonds, secretary of the British Record Fish Committee, said: 'There is not a larger fish recorded as being caught on our current record list. 'Once we receive pictures from Dan we will pass them on to our scientist who will check the images and hopefully confirm the unofficial record. 'It can’t be confirmed as a record as it was not weighed at the scene. 'It will be seriously considered for the Notable Fish List, which was created for situations like this where the fish cannot be weighed. This list is historically important, at least in the angling world.' The fish weighs more than a female Eastern Lowland gorilla . Here are some other things which weigh around the same amount as the skate fish caught by Mr Bennett. That fish weighed 208lbs. Fully-stocked fridge: 215lbs . Sir Steve Redgrave in his prime: 220lbs . Female Eastern Lowland gorilla: 200lbs . Vespa moped: 197lbs . Heavyweight boxer: over 200lbs . | Daniel Bennett, 26, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, caught fish off Isle of Skye .
88-inch skate weighed 208lbs - more than a moped or heavyweight boxer .
British Record Fish Committee confirmed it is largest caught fish recorded .
Angler, who returned it to sea, said: 'My back is absolutely killing me now' |
99,804 | 0c94b91351f6397282c6310c531826642ea5e1ff | Former Premier League footballer Clarke Carlisle discussed his failed suicide attempt with Absolute Radio's Jon Champion in what was his first radio appearance since leaving hospital. Carlisle, who jumped in front of a lorry on December 22, has revealed he was 'disgusted' with himself after trying to commit suicide. An emotional Carlisle has admitted he told his family members he still 'did not want to be here' while they visited him in Leeds General Infirmary. A tearful Clarke Carlisle wipes his eyes during the interview with Absolute Radio's Jon Champion . Carlisle was incredibly emotional as he reflected on his failed suicide attempt . Speaking to Champion, Carlisle said: 'I was only in LGI for three days and throughout those three days my family were coming to see me. 'Every time I came and felt unconditional love. It was just another point of self loathing. I was disgusted with myself and I said I have to be honest with you "I still do not want to be here". 'And that disgusted me even more. Because these are the people who are coming to love me and care for me. And I'm telling them that in spite of that I want to be dead.' Carlisle also revealed he would have been sectioned if he rejected the chance of attending a psychiatric hospital. Carlisle admitted in an interview with The Sun that he tried to kill himself by jumping in front of a lorry . The 35-year-old former footballer played for QPR (left) and Burnley (right) during his playing days . He added: 'They discharged me and said "Clarke will you go to a psychiatric hospital?" And I said "If I say no then what will happen?" and they replied "then we will put you in a psychiatric hospital". 'So I would have been sectioned, so I said "yes I will go". For the first five days in there I didn't leave my room. 'I'm sitting there thinking what on earth am I doing in a psychiatric hospital. Not that I didn't want to be there but that I was taking up bed space for someone who needed to be helped.' Carlisle, who has been diagnosed with recurrent complex depressive disorder, concluded by saying he feels 'honoured to still be here'. Carlisle has been released from hospital six weeks after he was injured in a collision with a lorry . | Clarke Carlisle discussed his suicide attempt with Jon Champion .
Former Premier League footballer jumped in front of a lorry in December .
Carlisle would have been sectioned if he did not attend psychiatric hospital . |
183,619 | 79d6e50c1b699c08936face7496785d2f19ee683 | Australian rock royalty Violent Soho cleaned up at an awards ceremony this week but because of stringent airline laws, almost didn't make it to the ceremony. The band attempted to board their Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Melbourne on Wednesday to head to the AIR Independent Music Awards, when guitarist James Tidswell was prevented from boarding. Tidswell, who with his band won Best Independent Album at the awards, was sporting a shirt emblazoned with the words 'Eat, S**t, Die'. James Tidswell, guitarist from Australian band Violent Soho, was prevented from boarding a Virgin Australia flight on Wednesday night for wearing this shirt . 'We almost didn't make it to the awards and I guess had I put my foot down as a human being living in a free country, we wouldn't have,' Tidswell said. Tidswell told Fairfax Media that a Virgin Airlines staff member asked him to remove the shirt due to new terrorism laws. The lyrics, from Painters and Docker’s 1990 classic single of the same name, was deemed a 'threat' by staff, who thought the shirt inappropriate. After turning the shirt inside out, Tidswell was allowed to board the flight with fellow band member Luke Henry. A photo of Tidswell wearing the shirt was posted to the band's Instagram account with the caption, '[James] wasn't allowed on the plane wearing his Painters and Dockers shirt - they claim he posed a threat.' Tidswell told Fairfax Media that a Virgin Australia staff member asked him to remove the shirt due to new terrorism laws. The band posted a follow up photo on their Instagram account of Tidswell shirtless and drinking a beer at Brisbane airport after the incident . The lyrics, from Painters and Docker’s 1990 classic single of the same name, was deemed a 'threat' by staff, who thought the shirt inappropriate. 'She was really apologetic and she was to some degree shaking, she just said she feels really bad having to ask but I am not going to be allowed on to the plane in the clothes I am wearing,' he said. 'I said "are you sure?" and she said, "yes, definitely" She said it was not a thing from the company but it involved the new laws due to terrorism, and with what is written on my shirt, I would be considered a threat.' However, a statement from Virgin claimed the ban was imposed because of the offence the shirt may have caused other passengers. 'A passenger on board flight VA326 from Brisbane to Melbourne was yesterday asked to cover a clothing item that could be considered to be offensive by other passengers,' the statement read. 'Under our terms of carriage, and consistent with many other airlines, passengers may not behave in a manner which would be considered to be offensive, or in a manner which might cause discomfort, distress, or offence to another person.' The band has a history of wearing clothing that pushes the boundaries . Violent Soho won Best Independent Album and Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk Album at the Independent Music Awards and have been nominated for four ARIA awards. 'After complying with the request the passenger boarded and the flight left on time.' Tidswell said that he could not understand the reasoning behind the request, and that it seemed strange that by reversing his shirt he was suddenly no longer a threat. 'We almost didn't make it to the awards and I guess had I put my foot down as a human being living in a free country, we wouldn't have,' he said. The pair later made light of the incident, posting a photo of Tidswell in the airport, shirtless and drinking a beer, with the caption '[James] poses no threat. He just wants to have fun'. 'We took a photo of it because I couldn't believe it was possible to live in a time and place where that was the situation,' Tidswell told Fairfax. Violent Soho won Best Independent Album and Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk Album at the Independent Music Awards and have been nominated for four ARIA awards. | Violent Soho guitarist asked to remove shirt branded with expletives before boarding plane to awards ceremony .
The band claim they were told by Virgin Australia it was a result of new terrorism laws and was a 'threat'
The airline claims it was because the shirt 'caused offence' to passengers . |
205,462 | 95fb5a22a2ac0adc256ef9a8434381ccf4b065d1 | (CNN) -- There is a new man tasked with fulfilling Brazil's World Cup destiny. But for a nation still smarting from the pain of that humbling 7-1 semifinal defeat to Germany, the announcement that Dunga is back in charge might raise a few eyebrows. The 50-year-old is a legend in the country after making 91 appearances for "A Selecao" and leading the side to World Cup glory as captain in 1994. And yet during his previous four-year spell as coach of the national team, he could only take Brazil to the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament, as they lost to Netherlands. Dunga replaces Luiz Felipe Scolari -- the country's 2002 World Cup winning coach, who resigned after overseeing a heartbreaking conclusion to the 2014 installment. After that pummeling by eventual winners Germany -- Brazil's biggest ever World Cup defeat -- they were then beaten 3-0 by Netherlands in the third place playoff. Such a dramatic conclusion left the nation in shock and Scolari, who took responsibility for the horror show against Germany, stepped down last week. Now Dunga is determined to put a smile back on the fans' faces. "I am immensely happy -- thank you for your confidence in me," he said in a press conference, after taking control of the five-time world champions. "The fans are very down right now but they are right behind the team which means so much to them. "I am not here to sell a dream, we must get down to work. We must get results and forge a side for 2018. This team is very young. We must find the way to blend new players with those who have more experience. "We have to work conscientiously. And not just the players, but the press and the fans too." Adenor Leonardo Bacchi -- known as Tite -- was thought to be a frontrunner for the job but the manager of Sao Paulo-based side Corinthians has been overlooked. That might be related to the recent appointment of Gilmar Rinaldi as Brazil's new technical director. He was goalkeeper in that successful 1994 team skippered by Dunga. The president of Brazil's Football Confederation, Jose Maria Marin, said of Dunga: "He was world champion, captain of a world champion side. "He has what it takes to lead the Brazil team. The numbers show he absolutely has the ability to take charge." Dunga spent 60 matches in charge of Brazil in his first stint as coach between 2006 and 2010, winning 42, drawing 12 and losing six. He was criticized for the style of play he employed, and the squad he chose to take to South Africa at the previous World Cup. Brazil was dumped out of the tournament in the last eight after a 2-1 defeat to Netherlands, leading to Dunga's sacking shortly after. But arguably, the state of the nation's soccer is in far worse shape this time around after a chastening experience on home soil. Ever since Brazil won the right to host the tournament, its fans wanted the team to erase the memory of the last World Cup they hosted back in 1950. Then, they were beaten 2-1 by Uruguay in the deciding match, a defeat which provoked a spell of national mourning. Another was induced by that semifinal mauling. Shorn of its two best players -- Barcelona striker Neymar through injury and defender Thiago Silva because of suspension -- a shellshocked Brazil were 5-0 down at halftime. By the end of its 7-1 defeat, the crowd were booing them and applauding Germany. Many of the players left the field in tears at the final whistle. And Dunga said Brazil must adapt to the differences in the world game quickly. "Football has changed," he added. "It changes every moment and every day. "We like to talk here about talent and playing off the cuff. But we also praise German organization. So we have to harness our talent with planning." Dunga also made reference to Nelson Mandela, who was a pivotal figure in taking the World Cup to South Africa in 2010 before his death in December last year. "Nelson Mandela had everything against him," he said. "He did not have a weapon and yet brought about change. "I hope to have (even) one percent of his patience. I am not thinking about me but about the team. If the team is doing well then I'm happy." Football: Germany captain quits . | Dunga is appointed the new national coach of Brazil .
Former player lifted the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 .
Dunga replaces Luiz Felipe Scolari who resigned after World Cup .
He had a previous spell in charge between 2006 and 2010 . |
224,932 | af412490c6e7864e2d83ef5efdcebd0acbc08b09 | Rickie Lambert wants Steven Gerrard to sign the contract on offer from Liverpool and end his career at the club. The striker, a lifelong Liverpool fan, hopes Gerrard will not let his contract come to an end and leave in the summer. Gerrard has become a rare one-club player but will be able to talk to clubs outside of England from the start of next year. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is in his final year of contract at the club . Brendan Rodgers speaks to skipper Gerrard during the win at Leicester . The Liverpool skipper proved his worth to the club once more at Leicester on Tuesday night, capping off a fine display with a goal in the Reds' 3-1 win. Lambert said: ‘We are desperate to keep Stevie. It’s his and the club’s decision but I think he needs to stay at Liverpool for the rest of his life. Stevie is his own man but he is Mr Liverpool. ‘He has got more than enough in the tank. He is still one of the best players around.’ Rickie Lambert (front right) has urged Liverpool and Gerrard to come to an agreement . Gerrard (right) was instrumental in Liverpool's 3-1 Premier League win at Leicester on Tuesday night . | Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is in the final year of his contract .
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has offered him a new deal at the club .
Gerrard scored Liverpool's second in their 3-1 win at Leicester on Tuesday . |
251,078 | d0f13dc5fd9020602ad54a47a1e887577a5c2038 | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 06:24 EST, 25 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:24 EST, 25 December 2012 . A quick and easy eye test could offer an effective way of measuring how fast multiple sclerosis is progressing in someone with the disease. Researchers performed scans on 164 M.S patients that measured the thickness of the lining at the back of the eye. The team from John Hopkins University found patients with thinning of the retina had both earlier and more active forms of the disease. Breakthrough scan? Optical Coherence Tomography takes just a few minutes per eye . The scan, known as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), takes just a few minutes per eye and can be performed at a GPs surgery. Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision. Around 8 out of 10 people with M.S. have a type known as relapsing remitting, which means people will have periods where symptoms are mild or disappear followed by flare-ups. After around 10 years half of patients will develop secondary progressive disease where symptoms get worse and there is little remission. It is difficult for doctors to monitor M.S. because its course can be unpredictable. Scientists believe OCT could provide a good way to do this. 'As more therapies are developed to slow . the progression of MS, testing retinal thinning in the eyes may be . helpful in evaluating how effective those therapies are,' said study . author Dr Peter Calabresi. MRI shows multiple sclerosis in the brain: Disease causes inflammation . The team measured the eyes of 164 M.S patients, 59 of whom were showing no symptoms, every six months for around 21 months. They also gave them MRI brain scans once a year. The study found that people with MS relapses had 42 per cent faster thinning than people with MS who had no relapses. The MRI scans revealed people with MS who had signs of active inflammation - known as gadolinium-enhancing lesions - experienced 54 per cent faster thinning. Meanwhile people whose level of disability worsened during the study experienced 37 per cent more thinning than those who had no changes in their level of disability. The study was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the National Eye Institute and Braxton Debbie Angela Dillon and Skip Donor Advisor Fund. | Scan measures thickness of lining at the back of the eye .
Those with thinning retinas had earlier and more active forms of M.S .
Could help doctors to track the unpredictable disease and act to slow its progression . |
99,424 | 0c0ea9892a8fba77c4284bba968e311d09d8efc8 | Suhan Rahman (left) pictured with Sydney terrorist Mohamed Elomar (right) who gained notoriety after tweeting severed heads of Syrian soldiers . A Muslim man from Melbourne who fled to the Middle East to join the fight with Islamic State has threatened a terrorist attack in Australia and to 'bring the war home' to the west. It comes after chilling photographs emerged on social media of Suhan Rahman who was pictured with Sydney terrorist Mohamed Elomar. Elomar grabbed global headlines and gained notoriety after he tweeted pictures of himself smiling as he held up decapitated heads of Syrian soldiers in Syria and threatened the country with a terrorist attack. Rahman's family has made a desperate plea after the 23-year-old's father Lutfur Rahman alerted authorities in a bid to bring their son back home, The Daily Telegraph reports. Mr Rahman has been told by the Australian Federal Police Counter-Terrorism Squad that they are monitoring his son's every movement overseas. His father has been left distraught after learning his son's decision when he slipped out of the country with three other men to join the death cult in Syria. 'We hoped that he would never get into this type of thing,' his father has told the Daily Telegraph. 'Everything was OK then suddenly he just left the country.' Scroll down for video . Chilling photographs has emerged on social media of Melbourne man Rahman posing with a silver rifle AK47 . The 23-year-old's Facebook page has been flooded with disturbing threats while police are investigating . Victoria Police are currently investigating following the threats posted on the university student's Facebook page. 'I say stuf [sic] the peaceful protests. Spill blood young aussies. Dont be humiliated especially if u cant b here in sham [sic],' Rahman posted on Thursday morning. 'Wallah theres no good left in u if none of u [sic] do something about the australian newspaper mocking our prophet pbuh. Dont be cowards. Wheres the honour whrres [sic] the courage. Let the heads fly and blood flow.' In another post, he wrote: 'May allah accept the french brothers who terrorised france. Allahu akbar. Day by day we will bring the war home to you.' Along with the postings on his page, Rahman also uploaded one photograph of himself wielding a high-powered silver rifle AK47. His previous posts painted a keen young reveller at Melbourne nightclubs who enjoyed partying with his mates, rap music and fast cars but in recent months, he has taken an eerie turn. Sydney's Mohamed Elomar gained notoriety after he tweeted pictures of the severed heads of Syrian soldiers . | Chilling posts on social media has emerged from a home-grown jihadist .
It comes after Suhan Rahman fled to the Middle East to join IS in Syria .
The 23-year-old student is spotted with Sydney terrorist Mohamed Elomar .
His family has made a desperate plea for him to return home .
Father Lutfur Rahman said his son has brought 'shame' on them . |
26,043 | 49cf2d70d537a1a58c36a30356d38762e3eb4255 | (CNN) -- BP showed up in court last week, finally, nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the hell it unleashed on the Gulf Coast. It's a huge, high-stakes trial, and BP is taking the beating it's earned. Here's what's at stake for America if there is a judgment: potentially tens of billions of dollars that will be used to create jobs while restoring some of our most productive and vulnerable natural places. Whether the trial results in a decision or a settlement, the outcome will send a signal about how serious this country is about enforcing its common-sense rules that guarantee clean air and waters. BP and its partners have already confessed to criminal negligence in the 2010 blowout that killed 11 men and gushed nearly 5 million barrels of oil. Every part of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, from the deep-sea corals to dolphins to migratory birds, was affected. Gulf Coast residents suffered billions of dollars in economic losses, with effects that rippled across the country. And despite those slick commercials that assure you all is well and then invite you to spend your tourism dollars on the Gulf Coast, the disaster is still unfolding. Last summer, scientists found traces of BP's oil and dispersant in the eggs of migratory white pelicans nesting all the way up in Minnesota. Oil is still present on the Gulf's beaches, in the marshes and under the water. It is working its way through the food chain, so it will be years before we understand the full extent of the disaster. BP's billions at stake as courtroom showdown starts . Just Wednesday, in fact, the Gulf Restoration Network documented a fresh rash of tarballs on a Louisiana beach known as Elmer's Island -- a spot that gets re-oiled every time a storm stirs up BP's submerged goo. We're nearly three years in, and there's no end in sight. That's why our justice system must hold BP and other polluters fully responsible under the law for the worst offshore oil disaster in history. How much could BP end up paying? BP is liable for up to $17.6 billion in penalties under the Clean Water Act if it is found grossly negligent. (And if this isn't gross negligence, it's hard to imagine what is.) Add to that figure the potential for tens of billions more in fines under the Oil Pollution Act. This much is clear: The rules were put in place to deter and, if needed, to penalize the offenders. The Deepwater Horizon was the kind of disaster that was envisioned when the full force of these penalties was contemplated. Those penalties -- and nothing short -- are the fair outcome. It wasn't surprising to see BP's stock rise when it agreed to an unprecedented $4.5 billion in criminal fines. The market was saying, in essence: Guys, it could have been a lot worse. BP claims it now leads the way on safety . So we know that some amount of penalties -- a staggering amount by normal standards -- has already been "priced in" to BP's value. So, this isn't about whether BP will continue to be an ATM for shareholders. It will be. And we're not saying that there shouldn't be drilling in the Gulf Coast. We're saying that even megacorporations need to play by the rules. If Justice Department lawyers agree to a weak settlement, the burden of rebuilding from this disaster will be transferred from a foreign corporation to American taxpayers. Worse, it will send a message to polluters that we don't take seriously our air, water, wildlife, communities or economic health. What's the difference between a $15 billion settlement and a $35 billion dollar judgment? The ability to rebuild the Louisiana wetlands -- America's delta-- for generations to come. A healthy, productive Gulf Coast where people and wildlife thrive. The principle that if you break it, you buy it. Families of killed rig workers react to BP settlement . Under the terms of the RESTORE Act -- passed last year with historic bipartisan support -- 80% of Clean Water Act civil penalties will go back to restore the environment and economies of the Gulf Coast states. That's right and fair. We don't love how the states want to spend every dollar. But this is what a grand political bargain looks like, in case we've forgotten. Two weeks ago, we and our partners hand-delivered more than 133,000 petitions to the Department of Justice, calling for full and complete accountability under the law for BP and its partners. The point of the petitions was pretty straightforward: These rules matter to Americans, and everyone needs to play and -- in this case -- pay fully. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Yarnold. | David Yarnold: BP is rightly on trial, potentially facing judgment in tens of billions .
He says even if BP settles, it will send signal that U.S. enforces clean air, water rules .
He says pollution of Gulf spill still present three years later; BP must be accountable .
Yarnold: Big judgment will fund Gulf coast restoration and send message . |
5,600 | 0fec797996635ac2ccef119a433a6a2efc799927 | For more than a year the Sudanese government has been bombing and spreading terror in the country's South Kordofan state, surgically cleansing the land of the Nuba people. The government of Sudan argues it is fighting a rebellion led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement that engineered the secession of South Sudan. Khartoum still struggles to stomach the victory of the Southerners, brought about partly by the large number of Nuba fighters who -- after decades of marginalization and political exclusion -- joined forces with the Sudan People's Liberation Army. Accordingly, Khartoum treats the Nuba people as the enemy within -- a foe whose independent spirit has never been tamed . The cost: half a million people have been displaced or severely affected by the conflict, according to the U.N.'s Humanitarian Affairs office. The most recent rash of bombings is the second time in 20 years that the Nuba people have been targets of the same Khartoum leaders -- President Omar al-Bashir and Governor Ahmed Haroun. Both men are internationally indicted war criminals, although both deny the charges. See also: Evidence of cluster munitions in Sudan . Haroun engineered attacks against the Nuba in the 90s, refined his deadly tactics in Darfur in 2004, and is now back pursuing his murderous agenda against the Nuba with even greater efficiency. I traveled to Sudan bear witness, as a journalist and a Rwandan, to a people under siege, at the war-torn border between the two Sudans, one of the most isolated regions on earth. Smuggled into the Nuba Mountains, an area closed to the world, I filmed local activists documenting the attacks being perpetrated by the Khartoum regime. Despite being bombed several times a day since June 2011, the activists remain nonviolent. Armed with cameras and the hope for a better tomorrow, they relentlessly scour their homeland collecting the testimonies, pictures and evidence to build up a case against their aggressors: their government. Our team traveled to a number of villages up to 20 km from the front line. During my time in the region I experienced bombings as regimented as prison meals. We were attacked an average of three times a day. We were filming as the scale of atrocities unfolded with excruciating precision: the bombs falling, the people hiding in caves for safety, the destruction of villages, the casualties. Every day, we experienced hunger, fear, abandonment, exhaustion and unspeakable harshness, like the Nuba people do. At a moment's notice, we jumped in and out of foxholes and crawled in caves like they do to survive. Cramped, hot and terrified, we have seen and smelled the death of children, pregnant women and the elderly; the destruction of villages, crops, schools, water pumps, mosques, churches and hospitals. In the making of "Erasing the Nuba" we were bombed 19 times and lived to tell the story of resilience of a people harassed daily by landmines and rockets, in a region transformed into ghost towns, craters and ruins. See also: U.N. seeks probe into possible war crimes in South Kordofan . A lingering smell of death and growing despair ushered us out of the Nuba Mountains. Almost 63,000 Nuba have fled to the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan. There I saw a people left to fend for themselves, a people that know they have no friends, yet determined to face their destiny with the only thing they have left: dignity. In Yida, I attended a WFP-sponsored food distribution and saw how a 3kg ration of USAID-produced sorghum was distributed for each family to eat until the uncertain next round of food supply. In Yida, a mother begged me to take home with me her three-month-old baby, whom she had delivered squatted down under a tree on a rainy afternoon. I sat with Yida's oldest resident, a 101-year-old man who journeyed on donkey back for eight days to be reunited with one of his sons. The poor man was so disoriented that he had stopped eating and talking for days at a time. His family feared that leaving him alone might drive him to commit suicide. In Yida I watched children sitting on the branches of a tree to follow a mathematics class as the open-air "classroom" was packed. It struck me to see how one adult volunteer could teach a class of children, without the use of a blackboard and chalk. There is no such thing as pens or notebooks for the thousands of children in need of an education at Yida. See also: Sudan violence amounts to war crimes . Dreams for domestic reconciliation exhausted after two decades, the Nuba are holding onto the belief that "the hearts of the international community" woven into the fabric of our shared humanity "will hear their cries." They say they have been sacrificed at the altar of peace agreements between North and South Sudan and they feel cheated by the world's inaction. "Erasing the Nuba" has captured the spirit of the Nuba people of Sudan, a minority bowed but not broken -- not by the daily hellish rain of bombs and rockets, nor by the world's complicit silence. But for how much longer can they prevail -- hostages of Khartoum and us, the international community? A group of people and their way of life is being destroyed. Why are the Nuba, the heirs of a civilization that once stretched from Cairo to Lake Victoria, asked to shake hands with Haroun, and his murderous gang of "Butchers of Khartoum"? Would one have asked European nations to make peace with Hitler? They have been forced to crawl in caves like beasts, survive on leaves and berries only to be told of a "Sudan Fatigue." Unlike Assad in Syria -- bad as he is -- only one current head of state in the world is indicted officially by a due legal process: al-Bashir. Yet many in the world are advocating the removal of Assad. Mountains of grudges and greed fuel this conflict, where humanitarian assistance is used as a pawn on the chessboard of peace negotiations. Beneath the surface, jumbles of players -- local and foreign -- are waging a merciless war against each other for the political, economic and military control of the two Sudans. There can be no peace, no security, no stability, no settlement to this conflict as long as the blood of the Nuba children, women, men and communities will be spilled. My family falling victim to the Rwandan genocides that started in 1994, and a commitment to uphold the vow made by those touched by genocide the world over to "never forget," inspired me to bring their story to light. "Erasing the Nuba" is my testimony, as a Rwandan and a journalist, to ensure these people are never referred to in the past tense. Find out more about "Erasing the Nuba" on Twitter and Facebook. | Sudanese government has been bombing South Kordofan for more than a year .
Documentary shows the plight of Nuba people in Sudan .
Filmmaker Yoletta Nyange says she was bombed 19 times while making the film .
'Nuba people being destroyed,' says Nyange . |
131,582 | 3622d023757318c4948dc0a55d449231466e26ef | Sam Allardyce admits the heat is already on at West Ham after starting the new campaign with a home defeat. It wasn’t simply the pain of losing to neighbours Spurs but also the experience that a flying start can set the tone for the months ahead, while an early setback is only likely to increase anxiety levels. Asked when he expected to start feeling the pressure, he guffawed and replied: 'Tomorrow'. VIDEO Scroll down for Sam Allardyce gets defensive on talk of him being sacked . Under pressure: Sam Allardyce spoke of the importance of getting points on the board after West Ham slipped to a 1-0 home loss to Tottenham on the opening day of the Premier League season . Decisive moment: Tottenham's Eric Dier celebrates as West Ham goalkeeper Adrian is beaten at the last . Back of the net: Eric Dier (right) celebrates with team-mate Harry Kane after scoring Tottenham's winner . Allardyce studies trends and statistics. 'The start is everything,' he admitted. 'It is a trigger to the whole season and whereabouts you are going to finish. 'The perfect example is our first two seasons back in the Premier League where we acquired 14 points in the first eight games in the first [season] and only eight in the first eight last season. 'We saw that last season was a struggle. In the end we finished six points behind the season before. 'We had a huge amount of problems and lot of criticism for results and that comes by allowing yourself to slip into the bottom or relegation zone. That is where the pressure really mounts on you. 'Our life is about results, not how well you play or compete. The game is about winning and we have not won so people will be disappointed. Exasperated: Allardyce protests against the award of a Tottenham free-kick . Off target: Mark Nobles slides his penalty wide as West Ham wasted a golden chance to take the lead . Dismissed: Kyle Naughton was sent off by referee Chris Foy for handball after conceding the penalty . 10 men: James Collins collected a second booking for West Ham later in the match . 'They’ll not be any more disappointed than me or the players in the dressing room. They’re all downhearted, as we lost and the way that we lost. Deep down inside they know what a big three points we have let slip; a big-big three points, against our local and biggest rivals.' Allardyce must ensure West Ham respond in another London derby, against Crystal Palace on Saturday. He has not given up hope of adding to the squad and hopes more players are closer to full fitness by then, including new signing Enner Valencia, who came off the bench against Spurs. 'When everyone is fit, our squad runs at the same level as most teams around our level,' he added, and he was heartened by much of what he saw in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat and felt his team would have won had Mark Noble not missed the penalty awarded as Tottenham went down to 10 men. Debutant: New signing Enner Valencia came off the bench for the Hammers . 'I don’t think there is much doubt about that,'said Allardyce. 'But I would want the players to forgive Mark for missing a penalty for the first time and not put it on him as a heavy burden as he does not deserve it. His penalty taking in the three years that I have been here has been absolutely superb. 'We have to forgive him for missing the odd one and the rest of the lads should have made up for that. When they came in at the end they should’ve been smacking him on the back of the head saying don’t worry about it we’ve got you out of jail. That’s what we should have done.' | West Ham were beaten by rivals Tottenham on the opening afternoon .
Eric Dier's late goal settled the London derby at Upton Park .
Sam Allardyce admitted he is already feeling the pressure .
Hammers boss emphasised importance of starting well in Premier League .
West Ham face another derby next, against Crystal Palace . |
92,521 | 02ff6fff5d3983b10700197ba07f5bcd19f1ac16 | Michael Oliver is an excellent referee but still inexperienced at the very top level dealing with world-class players — and he met one at Turf Moor in Diego Costa. The Chelsea forward was sharp to intercept a backpass and knock the ball past Tom Heaton in the Burnley goal. Oliver was understandably caught a distance from play and either guessed or was advised by his assistant that Costa had dived, so he awarded a defensive free-kick and cautioned Costa for simulation. Replays showed that Costa had been fouled and Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Diego Costa is an honest player . Through on goal: Diego Costa had the chance to put his side 3-1 up in the 31st minute . Clipped: Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton appeared to have made contact with Costa . Contact: Replays showed he was brought down by the left hand of Heaton . Penalised: Costa was wrongfully booked as Michael Oliver thought he dived . VIDEO Chelsea are title contenders - Mourinho . | Premier League referee Michael Oliver decided to book Diego Costa .
Replays showed that Costa was fouled by Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton .
Oliver may have been wrongfully advised by his assistant . |
80,063 | e2eca22875ded1f9aae3fd7b942a1930074e9e9b | (CNN) -- As football's reputation continues to be dragged through the mud following accusations of bribery during the FIFA World Cup bidding process, the man charged with repairing the sport's image revealed he is close to concluding his investigation. New York lawyer Michael Garcia, who is set to meet Qatari officials in Oman following allegations of wrongdoing, will finish his work on June 9 before publishing his report six weeks later. In a statement published Monday, his office said: "After months of interviewing witnesses and gathering materials, we intend to complete that phase of our investigation by June 9, 2014, and to submit a report to the Adjudicatory Chamber approximately 6 weeks thereafter. The report will consider all evidence potentially related to the bidding process, including evidence collected from prior investigations." The statement comes a day after allegations surfaced claiming a Qatari official paid more than $5million in an attempt to secure support for his country's successful bid to host the 2022 tournament. According to allegations in The Sunday Times, Mohamed bin Hammam made secret payments to soccer officials in the run up to the controversial ballot. Bin Hammam, the former president of the Asian Football Confederation, was a member of FIFA's powerful 24-person executive committee charged with voting on who hosted the finals at the time of the vote in 2010. Despite the country's small size, a technical report from FIFA calling its bid "high risk" and summer temperatures that can exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), Qatar shocked the world by winning the right to host the 2022 finals, defeating bids by the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea. FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has said he would back a re-vote, potentially opening the possibility of the U.S. staging the 2022 tournament. Mark Pieth, who heads the FIFA Independent Governance Committee, believes the latest allegations could "shake FIFA to its foundations". He told CNN: "It's the first time that an institution like FIFA has to ask itself whether it should totally re-run the decision of a host, the hosting decision, and the consequences could be massive. It could be about billions of dollars. "At the moment, we have two options open. We could say 'OK, let's have the evidence, let's run the case'. "The problem is that there are two appeal bodies, this could drag on for two or three years, and in two or three years a lot has been planned and built, so the price tag is going to be really high. "We've heard enough of Qatar now, let's call a stop immediately, but the difficulty there is, who is going to prove corruption, right now? "What we have at the moment is, obviously, emails and they would have to be tested, whether they're genuine, they could be fake, so there has to be a thorough investigation conducted under all circumstances." When FIFA voted on who should host the 2022 World Cup in 2010, the organization 's president Sepp Blatter reportedly voted for the U.S., while a potential rival for the presidency, UEFA chief Michel Platini, voted for Qatar. The Sunday Times claims to have seen millions of e-mails detailing payments to officials in the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific designed to secure support for the tiny, gas-rich Middle Eastern emirate's quixotic bid to host the world's most popular sports tournament. "Bit by bit, we have been unraveling it and finally we hit the mother lode," Sarah Baxter, deputy editor of the Sunday Times, told CNN in an interview. "We've seen millions of documents that prove without a shadow of doubt that corruption was involved. There is clear evidence linking payments to people who have influence over the decision of who hosted the World Cup. "You also have a bunch of officials with a bearing on the vote begging favors. They were prepared to sell their influence. What bin Hammam was doing was buying people up who could have influence." Mohamed bin Hammam responded by saying he would not be making any comments other than he believed "that the truth will find its way to (the) public one way or another." The Qatar 2022 bid committee strenuously denies any wrongdoing or knowledge of any payments made on its behalf. "Mohamed bin Hammam played no official or unofficial role in Qatar's 2022 Bid Committee," it said in a statement sent to CNN. "As was the case with every other member of FIFA's executive committee, our bid team had to convince Mr. bin Hammam of the merits of our bid. ... "Following today's newspaper articles, we vehemently deny all allegations of wrongdoing. "We will take whatever steps are necessary to defend the integrity of Qatar's bid and our lawyers are looking into this matter. "The right to host the tournament was won because it was the best bid and because it is time for the Middle East to host its first FIFA World Cup." Almost as soon as Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup finals, the process was dogged by allegations of bribery and corruption. In the run-up to the 2010 vote, two FIFA executive committee members were suspended after another Sunday Times investigation filmed Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Tahiti's Reynald Temarii appearing to offer to sell their votes in exchange for money. Bin Hammam was banned from all football-related activities for life after first being accused of offering bribes to soccer officials in the Caribbean seeking support for his doomed 2011 bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president. He was cleared of those allegations after a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport but was later banned for different "conflict of interest" charges relating to his time as AFC president. The Sunday Times' allegations come ahead of a FIFA-commissioned ethics investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. That two-year investigation has been led by Garcia. "We are cooperating fully with Mr. Garcia's ongoing investigation and remain totally confident that any objective enquiry (sic) will conclude we won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup fairly," the Qatar bid team added in its statement." | Michael Garcia to finish investigation into World Cup bids .
Report into bidding process to be published six weeks after conclusion of investigation .
2018 World Cup set to be held in Russia, 2022 tournament in Qatar .
Mohamed bin Hammam denies all the allegations . |
205,875 | 9682c0c11e2e469fa9b56029735f7ecc1f249050 | A New York judge Tuesday rejected claims by former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn that a civil lawsuit against him should be dismissed because he was protected by diplomatic immunity. Bronx Supreme Court Justice Douglas McKeon denied a motion by Strauss-Kahn's lawyers to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed by a hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault last year. A lawyer for the maid, Nafissatou Diallo, said his client was pleased with the decision. "We are extremely pleased with Judge McKeon's well-reasoned and articulate decision recognizing that Strauss-Kahn is not entitled to immunity," said attorney Douglas H. Wigdor. "We have said all along that Strauss-Kahn's desperate plea for immunity was a tactic designed to delay these proceedings and we now look forward to holding him accountable for the brutal sexual assault that he committed." Strauss-Kahn headed the IMF, an international organization of 187 member-states with headquarters in Washington. The IMF provides loans to countries that are suffering economic difficulties. He resigned his position soon after his arrest by New York police in May 2011, when he was charged with criminally assaulting a housekeeper in a Manhattan hotel suite. Diallo accused Strauss-Kahn of raping her when she entered his suite to clean it. Police subsequently removed him from an Air France flight that was about to depart New York's Kennedy Airport and jailed him before his arraignment in criminal court. Strauss-Kahn's attorneys later said a consensual sexual encounter did take place with the maid but there was no force involved. The arrest of such a high-profile international political figure who was preparing a presidential run in his native France sparked worldwide media interest. But the criminal case against Strauss-Kahn was later dropped by New York prosecutors, because of credibility issues they cited in Diallo's account. "At the end of the day, they did something very courageous by dismissing the case," one of his lawyers, Benjamin Brafman, told CNN's Piers Morgan Monday night. "It took a lot of guts to do that. It was the right decision. That case was fed by a media frenzy unlike any I've seen." In August, Diallo's lawyers served Strauss-Kahn with a civil suit seeking damages stemming from the alleged assault in the hotel. Strauss-Kahn's lawyers did not invoke his immunity from prosecution during the criminal case. Wigdor ridiculed the fact that they would invoke it in the civil case, but not the criminal case, as "piecemeal immunity." But Strauss-Kahn attorney Amit Mehta countered that his client was eager to assert his innocence in the criminal proceedings, so he didn't invoke whatever immunity he enjoyed as IMF chief. In his decision, the judge wrote that "Mr. Strauss-Kahn cannot eschew immunity in an effort to clear his name only to embrace it now in an effort to deny Ms. Diallo the opportunity to clear hers." In the months following Diallo's accusation last year, other allegations surfaced. Anne Mansouret, a Socialist member of the French parliament, said Strauss-Kahn had attacked her daughter. A complaint was filed, alleging a 2002 attack, though it could not be pursued because the statute of limitations had expired. Currently, Strauss-Kahn faces another legal battle -- this time centering on an investigation into a high-profile prostitution network operating out of luxury hotels in the French city of Lille. Strauss-Kahn has been formally warned by French authorities that he is under investigation for "aggravated pimping," and has been released on 100,000-euro bail. He has pushed back against the accusations, saying he did not know young women at parties he attended were being paid for sex. | A motion to dismiss the case was denied .
Dominique Strauss-Kahn was head of the International Money Fund .
Criminal charges that he assaulted a New York hotel housekeeper were dropped .
But the housekeeper filed a civil suit . |
200,677 | 8fc5b63a24c082daee574add939c70736b866e7c | Rose Anne Schulman has been known to go into the grocery store, buy fried chicken and eat four pieces of it in the parking lot. But that was the old her. Now when she has that craving she buys a rotisserie chicken, takes the skin off and eats only one piece. She doesn't actually know how much weight she's lost over the last year-and-a-half because she previously was too embarrassed to get on a scale. She knows she once wore a size 20. Now she's a size 4. A former dance teacher, Schulman never thought about what she was eating because she burned so many calories with aerobics, jazz, clogging, tap and ballet. Then a broken foot landed her on the couch. She remembers sitting in her house for weeks, eating her sorrows away. "Every time there was a crisis I turned to food for solace," the Atlanta resident says. And once she started, she couldn't stop. Her weight went up and down as her foot healed and her husband recovered from two different life-threatening illnesses. Schulman would lose 20 pounds then put it back on, then lose and gain again. Two years ago, she was shopping for a dress to wear to her son's wedding. Everything she tried on she thought looked like a potato sack. When she finally found a dress, the saleswoman told her it would look better if she lost 5 pounds. Schulman remembers thinking the woman really meant 35 pounds. With five months until the wedding, she went home and decided to try to lose five pounds by watching what she ate. Those five pounds disappeared pretty quickly. She started questioning all her food choices. "Is it worth it to eat this piece of cake?" she would ask herself. The answer was usually "No." She soon realized she didn't need what she calls the frills, such as croutons and mayonnaise-based dressing on salad. She became more and more careful about what she put in her mouth. She read food labels. She stopped sampling her recipes while cooking. People often say to her, "You can't lose weight that way," she says, and she proudly tells them, "Yes you can because I did." Soon that dress for her son's wedding in June 2012 was too big. She needed a size 16 and was elated to fit into a "normal" size. "I didn't look like the fat lady anymore, but I didn't look like the skinny lady either," she says. She kept at it by making simple changes -- a strategy she continues today. At breakfast, for example, she'll go for low sugar instant oatmeal, which is 110 calories instead of 160 calories for the regular packet. All those extra calories add up over the course of a year, Schulman says, and to save them you aren't really giving up anything. upwave: Try it now! Cut back on added sugar . Portion control is also important, she says. Instead of eating a sandwich or two for lunch, she has soup and tuna salad or cottage cheese. Because she lacks discipline, she buys individual cups of cottage cheese instead of a big container to prevent herself from eating twice as much as she should. She wants people to know eating healthy doesn't have to be horrible: "You just have to think about what you are doing." These days she doesn't even have the urge to eat anything fattening, although she did enjoy some chocolate cake with ice cream on her birthday. She shared it with her husband, Alan, who is also reaping the benefits of his wife's change in lifestyle. Alan has lost 85 pounds. Schulman lost 25 pounds before she even added exercise into the equation. Now she takes a Zumba class twice a week and walks several miles to and from her synagogue to attended religious services on Saturday. She says that walk is much easier at her current size than it used to be. She's tried other exercise routines such as walking on the treadmill, but says that bores her and she ends up going home and eating afterward. One year after trying to take off five pounds to fit into that size 20 dress, Schulman was wearing a size 8. On a recent shopping trip, she came out of the fitting room in a dress and the saleswoman told her it was too big. Schulman laughed and showed the woman a picture of the old her. Then she bought a size 4. She says she was happy when she got down to a size 10, but she's happier at a size 4. "This is the first time in my life that I feel like I don't need to lose weight," she says. Schulman, now 65, worries about gaining the weight back but knows it's different this time. She's still getting used to her new body but says it's definitely not temporary. "I didn't go on a diet," she says. "I changed my lifestyle." | Rose Anne Schulman wore a size 20; now she's a size 4 .
Schulman lost weight by making small changes to her diet .
She takes a Zumba class twice a week and walks to her synagogue on Saturdays . |
147,116 | 4a39c7339aa7a58e599f182fd72092d4ad20f2b9 | (CNN) -- Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for two breakthroughs that led to two major underpinnings of the digital age -- fiber optics and digital photography, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. Willard Boyle, left, and George Smith handle a charge-coupled device in 1974. Charles K. Kao, a British and U.S. citizen, won for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication." Willard S. Boyle, a Canadian and U.S. citizen, and George E. Smith, a U.S. citizen, "invented the first successful imaging technology using a digital sensor, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)." Kao in 1966 "made a discovery that led to a breakthrough in fiber optics. He carefully calculated how to transmit light over long distances via optical glass fibers," the academy said in a press release. Today, "optical fibers make up the circulatory system that nourishes our communication society" and "facilitate broadband communication such as the Internet," the academy said. Boyle and Smith's Charge-Coupled Device -- invented in 1969 -- "is the digital camera's electronic eye" and paved the way for digital photography. "It revolutionized photography, as light could now be captured electronically instead of on film. The digital form facilitates the processing and distribution of these images. CCD technology is also used in many medical applications, e.g. imaging the inside of the human body, both for diagnostics and for microsurgery." The Nobel Prizes are being awarded this week and next. The medicine award was handed out on Monday. The prizes for chemistry and literature will be awarded Wednesday and Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize winner will be named on Friday, and the award in economics will be issued on Monday. | Breakthroughs led to fiber optics, digital photography .
Optical fibers facilitate broadband communication such as the Internet .
Scientists made it possible to capture light electronically instead of on film .
Nobel Prizes handed out this week . |
216,163 | a3d4ffcc9c749ba8b245ce228d9c5fe7276ccc95 | By . Christopher Wilson . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 4 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:29 EST, 6 December 2012 . Some experts are predicting that Kate and William will end up with twins – and if they do, there could be more than just the usual parenting headaches ahead for the royal couple. No mother of a future monarch has given birth to twins in Britain since the 15th century – so nobody is quite sure what will happen if Kate makes history and produces a brace of infants next summer. And if she does, the intriguing question is: which of the children will end up on the throne? Scroll down for video . Beautiful babies: Danish Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik with their one-year-old twins Josephine and Vincent (in their arms) and children Isabella and Christian (in front) Normally, of course, this would be . little cause for discussion during a royal pregnancy. But the . debilitating symptoms currently suffered by Kate in the King Edward VII . Hospital in central London point to hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition . experienced slightly more often by women expecting twins. If it did prove to be the case that . Kate was carrying two children, and she gave birth to them naturally, . the rule of primogeniture that has dictated the royal succession for . centuries would mean that if the twins are boys, the first-born would . ascend the throne. And until recently, if the twins were boy and girl, . it would be the boy who got to wear the crown. But under new . legislation, if Kate gives birth to a mixed pair, it will be the . first-born who succeeds – no matter their gender. All that seems straightforward. But . if Kate were to require either an emergency or an elective caesarean, . then things get very much more complicated. Last year, Crown Princess Mary of . Denmark – the wife of the country’s next monarch – gave birth to twins. There was . some anxiety beforehand that her babies might have to be delivered by . caesarean section, leading to speculation that it would be the . obstetrician who chose which child to deliver first and thus in which order they would be in line to the throne after their elder siblings. Happily, she didn’t have to go . through with a caesarean section birth, and gave birth to Prince . Vincent 25 minutes ahead of his sister, . Princess Josephine. Were those circumstances to arise . here and a caesarean be required, the task of picking who would be the . future king or queen would fall, in theory, to Alan Farthing – the royal . gynaecologist still better known as the former fiance of murdered BBC . presenter Jill Dando. Mr Farthing, 47, now a distinguished . figure in the world of obstetrics, has held the royal post since 2008, . and experienced himself the joy of fatherhood for the first time early . last year when his wife Janet, 33, gave birth to a boy. But while he will be more than . prepared for the challenges ahead, it’s unlikely Mr Farthing would want . to shoulder the responsibility of choosing whom he brought into the . world first. Which begs the question – who would? Would it be William, who’s expected, . like most modern fathers, to be present at the birth? Would the royal . family have to revert to the odd practices of yesteryear, where a . government minister had to be present at the accouchement to act as an . observer and ensure everything was above board? Last time that happened to a future . monarch was in 1926, when the present Queen was born and home secretary . Sir William Joynson-Hicks was required to be present, albeit in an . adjoining room. Should that be the case again next year the job will . fall to Theresa May, the present home secretary. Concerned: William, left, visits his pregnant wife, right, at King Edward VII Hospital in Central London . Twins: A mother cradles her 2 week old twin girls (file photo) If Kate and William really are set for double joy, there are various unusual factors to expect. Around 12,000 twin births occur each year, with around 200 triplet births and a handful of higher order births. These . numbers have been on the increase since 1980, thanks to factors . including the use of fertility drugs, assisted conception techniques and . even maternal age (older mothers are more likely to conceive . multiples). Non-identical twins are created when a . woman produces two eggs at the same time and both are fertilised, each . by a different sperm. The fertilised egg is called a zygote, and these . non-identical twins are known as dizygotic or fraternal twins. The . babies are no more alike than any other brothers or sisters. Identical . twins occur in about A third of multiple pregnancies. Known as . monozygotic twins, a single egg is fertilised splits into two (or, very . rarely, three or more) creating identical babies with the same genes, . features and sex. They may or may not share a placenta. Characteristics . such as size and personality depend on non-genetic factors, so may . differ. Triplets and . higher order multiples are formed this way too, but you may have a set . of triplets where two are identical and one is not. Faced with the prospect of choosing . which twin became the heir, the Cambridges would be able to consider . various precedents set when similar situations have arisen. Their friend the Marquess of . Cholmondeley faced such a situation three years ago when his twin sons . were born by caesarean. In the end, his ancient title went to his . first-born, Alexander, who now bears his father’s courtesy title Earl of . Rocksavage; his twin is more simply known as Lord Oliver Cholmondeley. What Kate and Wills can’t do is draw . on any recent experience in either family tree, for there’s almost no . history of twins in William’s extended family, and a trawl back through . Kate’s rich and varied ancestry comes up with very few examples – and . none in recent times. Should Kate actually prove to be . carrying twins, though, she will hope they find better fortune than the . last pair of royal infants. In 1430, King James I of Scotland’s wife . Queen Joan gave birth to two boys. The first, Alexander, was named as . the heir to the throne and given the title Duke of Rothesay – a title . still carried today by William’s father as Prince of Wales. The second twin, James, would have . expected an easy life – except that within a year his elder brother had . died and he assumed the Rothesay title. By the time he was six, his . father had been assassinated and he rose unsteadily to the Scottish . throne as King James II of Scotland. We no longer live in such unsettled . times, but for William and Kate, there will still be an element of . uncertainty – until they know for certain whether they have twins on the . way or not. Watch the interview here . VIDEO: Double your money? The latest odds on Kate having twins... | Duchess of Cambridge more likely to be having twins because of her age and her acute morning sickness .
Bookies have slashed the odds on twins from 50/1 to 8/1 .
Just seconds could be the difference between one ruler and another .
Duchess of Cambridge was taken to hospital yesterday and forced to announce her pregnancy before 12 weeks . |
66,956 | bdf291e582d224fb223f0f65ebf841e4c8d115e3 | By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 13:43 EST, 24 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:40 EST, 25 May 2012 . Fight for justice: A Metropolitan Police team is to fly to Libya to continue the investigation into the murder of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher 28 years after her death . The killer of police officer Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984 was never convicted, but now 28 years on there are fresh hopes that her family may finally see justice. A Metropolitan Police team is to fly to Libya to continue the investigation into the murder of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher. David Cameron said the visit was a 'really positive step forward' in the inquiry into the 1984 killing of the officer, who was shot dead as she policed an anti-Gaddafi demonstration outside the Libyan Embassy in London. Her killing triggered an 11 day police siege of the embassy in St James's Square and the UK cut all diplomatic ties with the Middle East nation. Ms Fletcher's mother Queenie, father Tim and sister Sarah Parsons have been hoping to see justice for their daughter ever since. In 2009 the family and friends of Yvonne gathered at a memorial in her honour at St James's square, the spot where she was killed, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death. Mr Cameron made the announcement as the north African state's interim Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib visited 10 Downing Street. Mr El-Keib promised that his country would 'work very closely together' with the UK to resolve outstanding questions about the killing of the 25-year-old Wpc Fletcher, who was part of a team of 30 officers sent to St. James's Square to keep the peace during a demonstration by Libyan dissidents opposed to the rule of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. It is believed she was hit by a shot fired from within the People's Bureau. Mr El-Keib worked with the opposition while in exile during Muammar Gaddafi's dictatorship, and said he knew some of those involved in the demonstration. He told Mr Cameron: 'The Fletcher case is a case that is close to my heart personally. I had friends who were demonstrating that day next to the embassy.' 'It is a sad story. It is very unfortunate that it has anything to do with the Libyan people. Changing Times: David Cameron said allowing British police to fly to Libya investigate Wpc Fletcher's killing was a really positive step. Diplomatic relations were cut with Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi, right, following the incident in 1984 . 'I am here to tell you that we will work very closely together to resolve anything related to that issue.' Hopes of finding the killer of Wpc Fletcher were first raised following the revolution which toppled the dictator last year. But so far, plans to send a police team to Libya had been frustrated by a failure to secure approval from local authorities. Officers from New Scotland Yard and Home Office Minister James Brokenshire met Mr El-Keib today to discuss the Fletcher case.Commander Richard Walton, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism . Commander Richard Walton, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism said he was determined to get justice for Ms Fletcher. He added: 'We have never lost our resolve to solve this murder and achieve justice for Yvonne's family. We see today's announcement as significant.' Detectives remain in regular contact with Wpc Fletcher's family and update them on developments. Mr El-Keib said Libya wanted to be 'long-term friends and partners' with Britain, and paid tribute to the role which the UK played in the international military mission to protect civilians from Gaddafi's forces during last year's uprising. Tragic: The killing of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher sparked an 11 day police siege of the Libyan embassy in St James's Square . Addressing Mr Cameron he said: 'You took a bold decision when it was very difficult for many to even consider supporting the Libyan people. You took that decision which inspired many of us.' Mr Cameron said: 'I am very proud of the role that Britain played to help secure a successful outcome in Libya and the support we gave through the Nato mission. 'I am very much looking forward to hearing about the progress towards a full democracy in Libya and the elections which you hope to hold before Ramadan this year.' Mr El-Keib was appointed interim prime minister of Libya in October last year. Elections for a national assembly for Libya are expected in June or July, though no date has yet been set. Mr Cameron and Mr El-Keib were also thought to be discussing the reconstruction of the country following last year's revolution. And just days after the death of the only person convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, they may also discuss whether any further evidence relating to the atrocity has emerged in the wake of the downfall of the Gaddafi regime. Mr El-Keib spent much of his life working abroad as an academic and businessman in the United States and UAE, and played no part in Gaddafi's administration. | Cameron in talks with interim Libyan Prime Minister .
Wpc Fletcher shot dead controlling demonstration in London in 1984 .
Believed that PC was hit by shot fired from embassy . |
83,447 | ecb461b3ca3b1acd0093f776e4d88a8da6fde6fc | Searching for the word ‘drunk’ on YouTube produces more than 10.7 million results. To study how these videos portray drinking and the dangers surrounding it, researchers analysed 70 of the most relevant and popular alcohol-related videos on the site. They discovered that in the world of YouTube, alcohol is funny, drinkers are attractive males and there are few consequences to getting drunk. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh studied the 70 most popular alcohol-related videos on YouTube. Search terms included ‘drunk’, ‘buzzed,’ ‘hammered,’ ‘tipsy,’ and ‘trashed.’ The study found that videos tended to involve males more than females and almost half referred to a specific brand . ‘Several studies have linked watching movies containing alcohol abuse in them with actual alcohol-related behaviors,’ explained Dr Brian Primack, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh. ‘These initial studies were cross-sectional, so it was hard to determine if exposures influenced the behaviours or if people who drank alcohol were drawn to alcohol-related media exposures. Researchers studied the 70 most relevant and popular videos on YouTube related to alcohol intoxication. Search terms included ‘drunk’, ‘buzzed,’ ‘hammered,’ ‘tipsy,’ and ‘trashed.’ They subsequently created 42 codes in six categories. These were video characteristics, character socio-demographics, alcohol depiction, degree of alcohol use, characteristics associated with alcohol, and consequences of alcohol. The 70 videos were each around four-minutes long and combined views exceeded a third of a billion. The videos tended to involve males more than females, and almost half (44 per cent) referred to a specific brand name of alcohol. In fact, 55 different brands featured across the 70 videos. While active intoxication was frequently shown (86 per cent), only 7 per cent of the clips referred to alcohol dependence or withdrawal. 'However, more recent longitudinal studies have suggested that media exposures can be influential.’ Yet YouTube hasn't been studied in this context and with a high degree of rigour, continued Dr Primack. ‘YouTube is an important medium to study for a couple of reasons,’ he continued. ‘If you want to learn about something in general, you will often 'Google' it. ‘However, more individuals are now going straight to YouTube for their searches, because it provides written information, visual information, and group discussion, all together.’ Dr Primack and his colleagues studied the 70 most relevant and popular videos on YouTube related to alcohol intoxication. Search terms included ‘drunk’, ‘buzzed,’ ‘hammered,’ ‘tipsy,’ and ‘trashed.’ They subsequently created 42 codes in six categories. These were video characteristics, character socio-demographics, alcohol depiction, degree of alcohol use, characteristics associated with alcohol, and consequences of alcohol. The 70 videos were each around four-minutes long and combined views exceeded a third of a billion. Dr Primack said the videos tended to involve males more than females, and almost half (44 per cent) referred to a specific brand name of alcohol. In fact, 55 different brands featured across the 70 videos. Active intoxication was frequently shown (86 per cent), only 7 per cent referred to alcohol dependence or withdrawal. There were more 'likes' when humour was present (example pictured) and more 'positive sentiment' when a brand name was mentioned and when the people in the video were attractive . While active intoxication was frequently shown (86 per cent), only 7 per cent of clips referred to alcohol dependence or withdrawal. There were more 'likes' when humour was present versus when it was not, and more 'positive sentiment' when a brand name was mentioned, when liquor was mentioned, and when there was 'attractiveness' present. This was based on ratings of how attractive the people in each video were. And, there was less positive sentiment when negative emotional or physical consequences from alcohol use were shown. For example, videos featuring people injuring themselves received fewer likes. Elsewhere, hard liquor such as spirits and wine were more common than beer. ‘We are not sure why hard liquor was commonly represented, especially because beer is more frequently consumed in the US, and the vast majority of videos came from the US,’ said Dr Primack. ‘It may be because liquor has a high alcohol content, and so users may find it more edgy and interesting to post and/or view material related to this.’ Results are published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. | Researchers studied the 70 popular alcohol-related videos on YouTube .
They categorised each by how alcohol was depicted and degree of use .
Videos involved males more than females and half referred to brands .
Intoxication was seen in 86% of cases but only 7% referred to dependence .
Videos received more 'likes' when the content contained humour .
And there was more 'positive sentiment' when a brand was mentioned .
However, there was less positive sentiment when negative emotional or physical consequences from alcohol use were shown . |
129,671 | 33a124291668a994f288ae67efd80cc9502fe13a | By . Chris Brooke . For many long-haul travellers, it is the nightmare scenario. You are just settling down for a nap or to read when a young child in the row behind starts screaming or kicking the seat, and doesn’t stop. Now a budget airline has come up with a solution for passengers who find their journey spoilt by crying babies and toddlers’ tantrums – by introducing child-free zones. Adults only: The airline has promised soft light and no disruptions in their Quiet Zone, that only allows 12-year-olds and over to sit there (file picture) But selecting a seat in the ‘quiet zone’, which will also have softer lighting, costs up to £22 extra. The idea, which is likely to anger . parents as well as appeal to child-free travellers, is being marketed by . AirAsia’s no-frills long-haul carrier AirAsia X. The first seven rows in the economy . cabin are off-limits to children under 12 on flights from Kuala Lumpur . in Malaysia to Australia, China, Japan and some other destinations. The airline, which uses the slogan . ‘Now everyone can fly’, said the section on its fleet of Airbus A330s, . which is separated from the rest of economy by a set of toilets and a . curtain, now offers a ‘more relaxing cabin atmosphere’. Passengers . booking in this section must pay between £8 and £22 extra. The airline is owned by Malaysian . entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, the owner and chairman of Premiership . football club Queens Park Rangers, who since buying AirAsia in 2001 has . transformed it from a loss-making business into Asia’s largest budget . airline. Promise of peace: The seats, highlighted in blue, promise to be free from children . Air Asia launched the seats last week on flights from Kuala Lumper to Australia, China and Japan . Chief executive Azran Osman-Rani said the idea ‘allows our . guests to have a more pleasant and peaceful journey with minimal noise . and less disturbance.’ He added: ‘The airline is not banning . kids from travelling, but instead, is enhancing the array of product . offerings on board to suit its guests’ individual needs and . preferences.’ There are no immediate signs of UK airlines bringing in a similar system, however. Easyjet said: ‘We don’t have any plans . for anything like this. 'We have just changed over to a system of . fully-allocated seating so customers can choose where they want to sit . and don’t plan any more changes.’ British Airways said: ‘We welcome families in all our cabins and have no plans to offer child-free zones.’ Virgin Atlantic also said it had ‘no plans’ to follow Air Asia’s lead. A poll by the Tripadvisor website last . year found that over a third of Britons would be prepared to pay extra . for their flights if they did not have to sit near children. Another . survey found 53 per cent supported child-free flights. Last year Malaysia Airlines created a child-free zone on the upper deck of the new Airbus A380 on some of its long-haul flights. | Passengers will pay between £8 and £22 for 'Quiet Zone'
It is being marketed by AirAsia's no-frills long-haul carrier AirAsia X . |
150,728 | 4edf11091f5979026d27534220eb65d11f2a24a3 | Arsenal are due to watch Aleksandar Dragovic, the Austria international centre-back, play in a friendly for his club Dinamo Moscow during their warm weather training break in Marbella this week. Dragovic is valued at £15m and seen as a potential back-up option to Gabriel Paulista should Arsenal fail to gain a work permit for the Villarreal defender. Manchester United and West Ham have also checked on 23-year-old Dragovic. Brazilian Gabriel was left out of Villarreal's squad to face Levante on Saturday and said his farewells to teammates prior to the clubs agreeing a £15m deal. Arsenal are sending a scout to watch Aleksandar Dragovic, the Austria international, play for Dinamo Mosco . Aleksandar Dragovic is seen as an alternative if the signing of Gabriel Paulista hits complications . Arsenal have included Joel Campbell on loan as part of the deal and will receive a £750,000 fee. Real Sociedad had also asked to take the Costa Rica striker. Villarreal confirmed the transfer news on Paulista and Campbell on their official Twitter account saying: 'The principle of agreement for the transfer of Gabriel with @Arsenal has been completed. He will say his goodbyes today before the party. good luck! 'Welcome @joel_campbell12 to Villarreal as Arsenal agree to loan the player until the end of the season!' Work permit rules may yet prove to be an issue in the deal as Paulista is yet to play international football. But as Sportsmail revealed on Wednesday, Arsenal will appeal any decision not to give Paulista a permit this month in an attempt to land him now. The 24-year-old defender in action for his Villarreal side in the Copa del Rey quarter finals . Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been keen on a move to bring Gabrial Paulista to the club from Villarreal . | Villarreal confirm defender Gabriel Paulista is set for a £15m Arsenal move .
The 24-year-old was not included in the squad to face Levante on Saturday .
Joel Campbell will join Villarreal on loan for the rest of the season . |
233,803 | bab0a26e2b26e7a6f510ea277892ae0a80fabe74 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Marilyn Monroe's white "subway" dress sold for more than $5.6 million in a Beverly Hills, California auction Saturday night in which bidders paid another $2.7 million for three other Monroe movie outfits. It was the first in a series of auctions to sell the massive Hollywood history collection that singer, dancer and actress Debbie Reynolds accumulated over the past 50 years. Collector Keya Morgan said Saturday's bids were "totally crazy, especially in this recession." Bidding for the iconic ivory pleated dress Monroe wore in "The Seven Year Itch" was "totally magical," Morgan said. Reynolds was in tears when, after 20 minutes of drama, the gavel sounded an end to bidding with the price at $4.6 million. With the auction company getting a $1 million commission, the buyer will pay $5.6 million. It had been expected to sell for $2 million, the auction house, Profiles in History, said. The buyer, who was relaying his bids over a telephone, was not immediately identified. The red-sequined showgirl gown and a feathered hat Monroe wore in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" sold for $1.47 million. The expected price was $300,000. Monroe's costumes from "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "River of No Return" brought another $1.2 million Saturday. The previous record price for a Monroe dress was $1.26 million paid in 1999 for the sheer white dress the actress wore in May 1962 when she sang "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy. Morgan, who is writing a book about Monroe's death, said the actress would have been shocked to know her dresses would sell for so much. She only had $2,000 in her bank account at the time of her death, he said. Reynolds accumulated 3,500 movie costumes and thousands of props over the past 50 years with the hope of housing them in a museum. Taking care of the treasures became a financial burden on the 79-year-old entertainer, leading to her decision to sell, she said. Other high-priced items included a blue cotton dress and a pair of ruby slippers made for Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz." Although both items were only test costumes never worn in camera, they brought a combined price of nearly $1.75 million. A matador outfit worn by Rudolph Valentino for the 1922 film "Blood and Sand" sold for $258,000. The auction house predicted before the sale it would go for about $80,000. One of Charlie Chaplin's signature bowler hats, worn in several films, sold for $135,300. The World War I military uniform worn by Gary Cooper in the 1941 movie "Sergeant York" was purchased for $67,650. A bidder paid $73,800 for the velvet brown racing silks and riding pants worn by a young Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet." | Four Marilyn Monroe movie outfits sell at a Beverly Hills auction Saturday .
Debbie Reynolds is selling her collection of 3,500 film costumes .
Bids are "totally crazy, especially in this recession," a collector says . |
242,507 | c5e1d2ccd0cd9009733cb7591a814e10ea5dd9ad | A chicken farmer has been handed over £18,000 in compensation after his birds stopped laying eggs because they became terrified by low-flying Apache helicopters. The farmer in the Sussex village of Ninfield received £18,708 from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after claiming his birds were so frightened by the loud noise of the helicopter that egg production fell. The payout was just one of four last year made to poultry farmers who said that their chickens were so scared by military aircraft that they trampled one another death and that the survivors were so terrified by the noise, the stopped laying eggs. A map showing some of the compensation payouts made by the Ministry of Defence due to low-flying incidents across the UK last year . It comes as figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the MoD paid out a total of £1.1million in compensation due low flying incidents in 2014. Payments were also made to people who lost horses, cows and puppies, which were also spooked by the noise of the military aircraft. The figures also showed that the MoD sanctioned a payment of £25,000 to a falconry centre in Derbyshire which lost a number of precious birds of prey when a helicopter flew over it. It is believed around eight birds including owls, hawks and falcons were killed in the incident when the terrified birds fatally injured themselves by flying full speed into the wire walls of the aviary trying to get away from the noise. Many of the compensation payouts come with confidentially agreements so that people agree not to disclose what they have been paid for. Other payments included £42,700 for cows that died after being scared by a Puma helicopter in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and £20,000 for an injured horse that lost its foal in a case in Dyfed, Wales. The MoD also sanctioned £1,286 to repair a bus shelter in Worthy Down, Winchester, that was damaged by a low-flying Chinook helicopter and £2,590 after a Lynx helicopter damaged the roof of a home in Hungerford, Berkshire. Often the biggest payouts are made to horse riders who suffer injuries when their animals bolt after being spooked by the military aircraft. A farmer in Ninfield, Sussex received the compensation after claiming that his chickens stopped laying eggs after becoming terrified of the noise made by low-flying Apache helicopters (file picture) In the previous year the biggest payment was £83,125 to a person who suffered severe head injuries after being knocked over by a horse which had been scared by a Chinook helicopter. Last year also saw £2,200 paid to owner of a parrot from Ayrshire which died after being scared by a Hercules transport plane, which flew over its owner’s home. There has also been compensation paid to members of a therapy group whose tranquillity was disturbed by the aircraft and the vet bills paid of a parrot which broke both its legs after being scared. A MoD spokesperson said: 'Flying training is carried out across the UK to develop and practice the techniques needed on operations. 'The MOD treats all flying complaints seriously and while we have a responsibility to ensure that military aircrews are fully trained and prepared for operational duty, we continue to do all we can to minimise disturbance to the public.' An MoD report said low-flying compensation claims required particularly careful monitoring to identify potentially fraudulent claims. But a spokesman for the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Clearly many individuals across the country rely on livestock and animals for their livelihood, so it is right that compensation is paid out if the MoD has affected that. 'The level of spending though is shockingly high, and those responsible for errors in planning at the department must be held accountable.' | Farmer in Ninfield, Sussex received £18,708 from the Ministry of Defence .
Claimed low-flying helicopters scared his birds who stopped laying eggs .
Four other farmers were also paid compensation after birds stopped laying .
A falconry centre in Derbyshire were paid £25,000 after eight birds died .
Came after they flew into wire walls when spooked by low-flying aircraft .
In 2014 the MoD paid out a total of £1.1million due to low-flying incidents . |
92,275 | 02af848ebdd254fb3b1ea69a786cdc95b1534b94 | (CNN) -- At a critical moment in the newly released action-thriller movie "Contagion," the young disease detective, played by Kate Winslet, is using a dry-erase board to drive home the danger of the new virus that has wiped out thousands of people, including Gwyneth Paltrow. Winslet's character uses a concept known as "R0" -- pronounced "R-naught"--- to explain to skeptical public health officials that the new virus could be much more contagious than influenza or polio. "I wanted people to understand R0," explains Scott Z. Burns, who wrote the film, which was No. 1 at the box office this weekend. Here it is: R0 is the number of new cases that a single infected person will cause, on average. In most seasons, R0 for influenza is just below 2. In the devastating 1918 pandemic, it was likely above 3. With an R0 that high, the number of cases will grow exponentially, unless patients remain isolated or quickly receive effective treatment. "Kate Winslet did an amazing job with it," says Burns. "That one scene is really a science and math lesson, but people seem to get it." Advanced math and science aren't usually a part of a big Hollywood thriller, particularly one with "Contagion's" cast: not just Winslet and Paltrow but Matt Damon, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne and Marion Cotillard, along with a cameo by CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta. But Burns and director Steven Soderbergh approached the project in an unusually dedicated way. The germ of the idea was planted in Burns when he saw an online TED talk by Larry Brilliant, who was one of the doctors and scientists who finally eradicated the smallpox virus in the 1970s. By the time he gave the talk in 2006, he was working with Google to try and leverage the reach of the Internet to find early warning signs of a flu pandemic or other outbreak of deadly disease. Burns reached out to Brilliant, who introduced him to Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, a scientist and disease detective at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University. Lipkin describes himself as an experimental pathologist -- "I figure out what went wrong." As a big part of his research, he examines tissue samples from around the world, looking for new and dangerous viruses. He began to hold one-on-one seminars with Burns at his office and his lab at Columbia, which evolved into a major role as a consultant on the film. Lipkin says the science in "Contagion" is strong enough that the film could have a long life as a teaching tool for students, politicians and even public health officials. Soon, Burns found himself poring through the daily reports of ProMedMail.com, a sort of listserv for scientists and infectious disease specialists, flagging unusual cases or findings anywhere in the world. "You'd see three unexplained deaths in Africa, or two people with an unusual virus in India. I'd call Ian, and frequently he'd have been sent blood and tissue, to see what it was," Burns recalls. For the right killer for "Contagion," "I wanted to find a virus that would be especially nefarious in that it wouldn't show up in an unusual way, that could be misinterpreted in an emergency room 5,000 miles away from where a person originally caught it." Burns and Lipkin eventually focused on a pair of deadly, closely related viruses that primarily live in bats but occasionally infect people: Nipah, found in Southeast Asia, and Hendra, from Australia. With a screenwriter's glee, they genetically modified the fictional virus to let it spread readily through bodily fluids or coughing. Voila! A global killer. By then, Brilliant had left Google to work at the Skoll Global Threats Fund, a foundation created by eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll to conduct research on large-scale dangers, including viruses. Another Skoll venture, Participant Media, founded with a mission to support films with important social messages, agreed to underwrite the development of the script. Ricky Strauss, Participant's president, served as an executive producer of "Contagion." Meanwhile, Lipkin was opening more doors to the scientific community, including top officials at the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Some of these places, they wouldn't have gotten the time of day," recalls Lipkin. "But I said, 'look, this is an important film. I wouldn't put my name on it if I didn't think it was going to be solid." CDC not only allowed filmmakers to spend a day shooting "on campus," but senior scientists spent a day with Winslet to help her prepare for the role. Winslet's main guide at CDC was Dr. Anne Schuchat, who led the agency's response to the H1N1 pandemic. "In my discussions, the key thing I wanted to get across was the intensity of these investigations, the focus you give and the 24/7 nature of it," says Schuchat. "You're disconnected from your regular life, and totally immersed in what you're doing." Schuchat herself spent six weeks in China during the SARS outbreak in 2003, barely speaking to her family back home. As part of its promotional effort, Participant Media also built a multifaced website, showcasing the work of leading virologists and public health experts. One of them is Dr. John Brownstein, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital in Boston, who has worked with Skoll to develop an online tool to flag outbreaks as they happen around the world. Brownstein called it "a massive challenge" to break down the science of pandemics into a viewer-friendly message. "In the absence of a vaccine or a therapeutic (medication), you couldn't come up with three things you could do right now to prevent a pandemic." He says that people could somewhat slow the spread of a pandemic by taking simple measures like isolating themselves if they fall sick, or properly washing their hands. (Burns, incidentally, says he took away one new hand-washing lesson: Don't forget to wash your thumbs.) Lipkin says the real message of the film is political: Don't slash budgets for disease research and early-warning systems. In 2009, just a few months into development, it seemed as though real-world developments might hijack the film. That's when Burns put the project on hold and watched to see whether his imaginary scenario would be trumped by the real H1N1 virus. He found himself fascinated by the push and pull of officials struggling to answer questions from the public. He says the pressures are much the same for those officials and for journalists. "It's tricky," Burns said. "You don't want to be the scientist who cried wolf, or the journalist who cried wolf. The thing is, they move so quickly, and if you don't sound the alarm quickly, you're way behind the curve." In "Contagion," the CDC director, played by Fishburne, sends his own family into isolation, even as he offers a more reassuring take to the public. He's outed by an investigative blogger, played by Jude Law, who wins a mass following with his scoops on the pandemic -- some accurate, some deliberately misleading. Brownstein says he loved the subplot. "That to me is the most interesting part of the film. They have this knowledge, and people are holding it back. It plays with the idea of false reporting, and the viral nature of the Web and how it can lead to mistrust." Schuchat says the CDC is trying to move toward more openness. "The more we focus on transparency, the more credibility we have. We shared what we knew as we knew it, although we also were careful to say it might change -- this might not be the last word on it." Now that his creation is decimating a world filled with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, Burns pauses when asked whether the project left him reassured or alarmed about our vulnerability to a newly emergent killer virus. "On the one hand, writing it did freak me out. I wanted to be realistic, and I kept asking these scientists, 'Could this or that scenario really happen?' And they always said, 'Sure, it could happen.' On the other hand, I was reading an article two years ago, and it talked about how human DNA is littered with remnants of our battles with retroviruses. There's something poetic about that. So with people and viruses, when you look at in the longevity of the relationship, there's some comfort." | Teaching advanced math and science isn't usually part of a big Hollywood thriller .
"Contagion" cast includes Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law .
Idea for movie planted in writer Scott Burns when he saw online TED talk by Larry Brilliant . |
182,076 | 77be83736a17d789fd94238c6329d248232a2275 | Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe wants Callum McManaman from Wigan Athletic as he sets his sights on a future in the Barclays Premier League. Howe has identified McManaman as a winger who can help the Championship leaders kick on during the second half of the season. The 23-year-old from Huyton, who was Man of the Match in the 2013 FA Cup final when Wigan beat Manchester City, is under contract until 2017 . Wigan Athletic midfielder Callum McManaman (right) is attracting interest from Bournemouth . Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe (right) has guided his side to the top of the Championship table . He is likely to command a fee of more than £5million but manager Malky Mackay is in the process of reshaping the struggling team and may sell. Bournemouth currently sit top of the Championship table having been led there under the management of Howe. McManaman (left) has been identified by Howe as a player who can help Bournemouth achieve promotion . | Bournemouth sit top of the Championship table at the turn of the year .
Eddie Howe is targeting Wigan Athletic midfielder Callum McManaman .
Wigan would want a fee of around £5m for the 23-year-old midfielder . |
20,794 | 3affcc15aef03b816895f908df4f8a68411a5e6b | Vice President Joe Biden wants everyone to know that he has high hopes for the 'nation' of Africa. Biden isn't just a walking gaffe machine – he's a walking gaffe top-ten list. So when he goofed at Tuesday's U.S.-Africa Business Forum, and there was no F-bomb involved, it didn't make headlines. But gaffe he did, in front of 50 world leaders and their entourages at the event held on the sidelines of President Barack Obama's U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Gaffe #4,281: US Vice President Joe Biden told the US-Africa Business Forum on Tuesday that the 'nation' of Africa should be among the world's great economic powers . Africa is a continent made up of 54 separate countries, including island nations off its coastlines. 'If Africa's governance and institutions can put its people in a position commensurate with their possibilities, the sky is the limit,' the veep said Tuesday. 'I mean, it is limitless' 'There's no reason the nation of Africa cannot and should not join the ranks of the world's most prosperous nations in the near term, in the decades ahead. There is simply no reason.' The skinny-dipping, party guest-groping bumbler who's one heartbeat away from the presidency once chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Not impressed: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sits with (from right to left) Djbouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and other African leaders during the U.S.-Africa Business Forum in Washington . Biden met with Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan at the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit on Tuesday . Biden has been an active participant in this week's summit. He met Tuesday with South African President Jacob Zuma, Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on the margins of the event. He will also attend a dinner tonight at the White House honoring all the African leaders. The event will also include several non-political luminaries. The Obama administration said in a statement on Tuesday that guests will include Essence magazine Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Bush, 'Orange is the New Black' star Uzo Aduba, '12 Years a Slave' actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, Olympic marathoner Meb Keflezighi, sculptor Wangechi Mutu, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., and actor Robert DeNiro and his wife Grace. High-powered business leaders, all of whom pledge Africa relief funds from their corporate philanthropies,will include NextGen Solar president Mayank Bhargava, Coca-Cola president Muhtar Kent, Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga, Wal-Mart president Doug McMillon, Marriott president Arne Sorenson and IBM president Virginia Rometty. Biden, a White House source said Tuesday, is not expected to speak at the glitzy event. That may be just as well. Everybody loves Joe: The veep got a laugh out of White House budget director Shaun Donovan during his ceremonial swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday . It was just four years ago that he noted in a diplomatic face-palm moment how Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen's mother had 'lived in Long Island for ten years or so' before her death. 'God rest her soul,' Biden said somberly, before realizing that 'wait – your mom’s still ... your mom’s still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul.' In 2012 he made the sign of the cross while on stage to address a group of more than 1,600 conservative rabbis in Atlanta. Reporters guffawed later that year when he tried to capture the spirit of President Theodore Roosevelt's famous 'Speak softly' philosophy, by noting that 'the president has a big stick. I promise you.' It brought back memories of a 2008 photo-op outside Biden's home where he told journalists that he had just returned from 'a successful dump,' which turned out to be a trip to a nearby landfill. Two months later during an Ohio campaign speech, Biden criticized then-GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain for what he called a 'last-minute economic plan' that did 'nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class.' 'It happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs.' Several of Biden's most cringe-worthy moments have riled conservatives who say their own political stars would have been pilloried in print and on television if they had made similar comments. 'You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent,' he told an Indian-American man in 2006, with a C-SPAN camera rolling. 'I'm not joking.' | American VP addressed 50 world leaders – all from Africa – on Tuesday .
'There's no reason the nation of Africa cannot and should not join the ranks of the world's most prosperous nations,' he said .
Face-palm moment came in the run-up to a glitzy White House dinner where Joe is not expected to speak . |
135,463 | 3b40d9017e8944b498ad4f6d3d32fe56337b7489 | Commuters and railway staff teamed up to free a man by rocking a train carriage to free his leg after he became trapped between the platform and a carriage on Wednesday morning. The man was boarding a rush hour train at Stirling station, 9km northwest of Perth, Western Australia, at 8.50am when he slipped and one leg became wedged in the gap. Quick-thinking passengers and staff saved the man's leg, as it was being squeezed by the 90-tonne of train, by collectively rocking the carriage. Scroll down for video . He was boarding a Perth-bound train at Stirling Station when he slipped and one leg became wedged in the gap . Quick-thinking passengers and staff pushed the 90-tonne train to help free his leg . 'He stood in the doorway and as he was sort of taking up his position there, one leg slipped outside the door, slipped outside the gap, and he was stuck,' Transperth spokesman David Hynes told the ABC. 'We alerted the driver, made sure the train didn't move. 'Then our staff who were there at the time got the passengers, and there were lots of them, off the train, and organised them to sort of rock, tilt the train backwards away from the platform so they were able to get him out and rescue him.' The man was boarding the rush hour train when slipped into the crack to the horror of passengers . A number of passengers got off the train to help rail staff rock the train to help set the man free . An ambulance was called to the station but the man did not sustain any serious injuries. Mr Hynes said it was not a problem caused by overcrowding and praised the actions of staff and passengers who helped free the man. 'Everyone sort of pitched in. It was people power that saved someone from possibly quite serious injury,' he said. The man (circled) was helped away by a staff member so he could be treated by paramedics, as passengers re-boarded the train . Nicolas Taylor told Perth Now that he and fellow passengers got off the train and worked together to free the man by pushing against the carriage away from the platform. 'He seemed to be a bit sheepish, because right where he fell was the ‘mind the gap’ writing,' he said. Mr Taylor said Transperth staff coordinated the incident well, taking about 10 minutes to free him. 'They did a really good job, they took control and handled it well. When I first saw it I thought we’d be there for hours.' he said. | People power saved a commuter whose leg became wedged between the gap in Perth, Western Australia during rush hour .
Transperth praised the actions of all who helped lift the train off the man .
The incident was not a problem caused by overcrowding .
Ambulance were called but the man escaped without injury . |
244,714 | c8b5c90591b2170b1e30f4f299df602f276160fd | Karen Danczuk is unrepentant about the cleavage baring selfies she posts on Twitter . The French have a rather charming phrase for a woman with a seriously impressive chest. She has, they say ‘beaucoup de conversation’ – plenty to say for herself. And Britain’s most famous local councillor, MP’s wife Karen Danczuk, does indeed have plenty to say for herself, both literally and in the Gallic sense. Today, her famous bust is like a Zeppelin; large, rigid, and heading skywards. It’s encased in a 34E bra but I think she’s bigger than that, way bigger. ‘I haven’t had myself measured. I stick with an E because those bigger sizes, the Fs and Gs...’ She drops her voice conspiratorially. ‘They’re scary, right?’ Her bosoms are more familiar to her thousands of Twitter followers in a state of deshabille in a low- cut dress, vest-top or bikini. Her passion for selfies has seen her post a summer’s worth of pictures, which have made her – or rather her deep, caramel-coloured cleavage – an online star. And because Karen Danczuk is wily and because political creatures need a high profile like they need to breathe oxygen, she’s seized the kind of opportunity for advancement enjoyed by busty girls since Nell Gwyn got ’em out for Charles II. She’s now a fully paid-up member of both the Labour Party and the Twitterati. But is she too much of a Twitter-tarti for us to take her seriously – and is this storm in an E-cup the electoral strategy of a Westminster wannabe? I headed to Rochdale, her husband’s constituency, to ask. ‘I did not think “I’ll post some selfies and have a publicity hit,”’ she tells me. ‘I don’t look at myself and think, “Oooh, Karen, you’re gorgeous.” I don’t have the confidence or the arrogance people think I do. ‘I’m not fame-hungry. I just take selfies going about my business like millions of others. The only time I show my chest off is if I’m going out, dressed up on Friday night, when I’m not Councillor Karen or Businesswoman Karen, I’m just being myself. And that’s allowed. Anyway, if I had to pick my best feature I’d say I quite like my eyes.’ Among those who would beg to differ are the lads’ mags that have offered her significant amounts of money to pose topless. But she’s not interested. ‘You’ll not be seeing my assets on the front of a magazine any time soon.’ And she’s unrepentant about the controversy she has caused. ‘I’m a woman, I have boobs and if you want to talk to them you can, or you can talk to my brain. I’m not a feminist who’s furious.’ No, indeed, I’d say she was thrilled and is working out how to parlay her chest’s popularity into a proper political career. She half-admits as much when she says: ‘I’m honoured by all the support I’ve had and I do not underestimate the benefits of it all.’ A classic politician’s answer. Karen is the wife of the Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, whose plain-talking on issues such as immigration and whose investigation into child sex abuse and the grooming scandals in his constituency has made him a figure of influence. So how does he feel about it all? A typical picture posted on Twitter by Mrs Danczuk - for which she has been heavily criticised . ‘Rochdale has given us Gracie Fields, Lisa Stansfield and Anna Friel. We have a fine reputation for supporting glamour and Karen is a very smart-looking woman. Besides,’ he twinkles, ‘I am quite happy to see her cleavage. Why wouldn’t I be?’ Not everyone has been, though. Karen was ambushed live on ITV’s Loose Women last week and told by Janet Street-Porter that she was a bad role model for young women. Former Tory MP Louise Mensch has also accused Karen’s ‘memorable mammaries’ of cheapening the work of women in politics, labelling her Westminster’s ‘most embarrassing wife’. This, Karen attributes, to old-fashioned class war. Mrs Danczuk (pictured centre) was ambushed on Loose Women last week and told she was a 'bad role model' ‘I still come across snobbery,’ she says. ‘I face people like Louise Mensch who believe you should know your place in society. Well, we’re all different and I believe a Labour Government would speak more widely and warmly to people like me. I am Labour. I define myself as “working-class Karen” and I will never forget my roots. Because I lead a middle-class life, some would argue than I should now be a Tory voter but I would never flip.’ She and Simon live with their two sons – Maurice, four and Milton, six – in a modest three-bedroom bungalow. (No duck-house here.) When I arrive Simon is in the kitchen with a pinny protecting his pinstripes, making a vat of Lancashire stew between political appointments. Karen who, at 31, is 16 years his junior, appears from the bedroom, with her curlers still in. She is also wearing a sensible cream shift dress, along with a navy jacket and pearls, and looks rather more matronly than her girlish, carefully curated selfies – she has perfected the art of the doe eye and dropped chin – would suggest. But the voice, the views, and the rhino hide as far as criticism is concerned, feel authentic. She is a devoted Catholic, plays the violin and the piano, and makes a legendary Sunday roast. She and Simon have been together seven years. They met after he separated from his first wife, by whom he also has two children. However, the pair did not divorce until Karen was pregnant with Milton. Two images for which Mrs Danczuk, the wife of Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, has been criticised . I would like to ask: ‘So Karen, what first attracted you, a Labour activist with political ambitions, to the town’s much-admired MP?’ But I can’t because he wasn’t an MP back then and she wasn’t a councillor. Or even on Twitter. And he was only her second serious boyfriend. ‘I was never fussed about men, I was too independent,’ she says. ‘We met – corny – at Rochdale Labour Club, went for a drink and clicked. When I found out I was pregnant I was in shock for nine months.’ They married two years ago. Twitter is what Karen does to relax. She’s been on it for two years but it was a cheeky selfie of her eating a bacon sandwich after the Ed Miliband bacon buttie disaster which led newspapers and political gossip websites to her Twitter feed. ‘I love Twitter – it’s a creative way of expressing who we are and what we do,’ she says. ‘I don’t plan my selfies, they’re taken in the moment. I’ve no intention of changing myself – I’d be letting myself down. What you see in those photos, that’s me. I’m more than an MP’s wife, I’m also a businesswoman and a mum.’ The question is: does she want to be an MP too? ‘Will I go down that route? Maybe in ten years’ time. But I’m not a career politician. I do this [local politics in Rochdale] because I care. I’m more than capable but I have two small boys, and I can’t just up and leave them.’ Ten years will give her time to mature politically because, as she admits, ‘right now I float around in my views. I’m Labour for ever but the party needs a firmer vision, clearer policies. Because we are not clear, even I can’t tell you what I agree and disagree with’. However, she goes on to demand a cap on immigration and a review of the party’s commitment to the minimum wage. Ten years will also give her time to post a lot more selfies. Do I think she has the chutzpah to be an MP? Definitely. Would I want her as mine? No, but give her time. Karen Danczuk’s greatest political skill thus far has been reflecting herself well in the hall of mirrors that is social media. I prefer my politicians to be more substantial. And I don’t mean in their bra size. | Rochdale MP wife criticised for showing cleavage in Twitter pictures .
She claims to have turned down large money from lad mags to pose topless .
Mrs Danczuk: 'If I had to pick my best feature I'd say I quite like my eyes'
But the businesswoman acknowledges the benefits of her newfound fame . |
279,896 | f695b4a9b6faa5d090c34f2fd22df4bdd7943aaa | Singapore (CNN) -- Dr. George Khoo vividly remembers the opium dens. Fifty years ago, they lined the street just down from his small Singapore clinic. It was the time just before independence in 1965, before the shiny skyscrapers, velvet freeways and almost-painfully spotless streets. Many of his patients were addicts struggling to unhook, he writes. Many would not come to the clinic. He had to go into the dens to find and treat them. "It was hard treating them in the pitch darkness," he recalled. "I had to call out their names and they would call out to me. I would then give the injection, but I never really knew for sure who exactly I was treating." Khoo's gritty memories have been captured as part of a unique, crowdsourced history project that Singapore has commissioned ahead of its 50th anniversary of independence in 2015. The goal of the Singapore Memory Project is not to produce a slick history. "We're not going for certain types of people," said Memory Project director Gene Tan. "What we're looking for is specificity. It's the messiness of it, of the lives people lived and the communities they lived in, that we want to have." So far, Singaporeans have sent in more than 400,000 memories -- including text, audio, still images, even e-books and video uploaded to the project's website or through a free iPhone app available on iTunes. With the support of 120 partner groups and 130 volunteers, the project hopes to record 5 million Singaporeans, virtually everyone in the country. Before the economic boom . Along Singapore's shoreline in the years after independence, fishermen would lay their morning catch on the beach where vendors from the nearby "hawker" stands would buy fish to serve at their small, hot food shacks, recalled Faridah Anom. Today, that site is home to a row of terrace houses. "Everything is gone," Anom said. "It was so long ago." It was only the 1960s, the 1970s. But in Singapore, that was another eon. In 1965, the year of independence, Singapore's per capita GDP was $516. Last year, it was about $60,000 -- among the top five in the world. That mammoth growth has dramatically transformed Singapore's landscape in just a few short decades, from rows of hardscrabble fishing shacks and bungalow neighborhoods to a towering glass, steel and concrete wonderland of efficiency, wealth and dazzle. Little remains of what was there just a short time ago: Many of the houses, the stores, the neighborhoods and the communities have been transformed. Hamzah Yaacor, 17, only remembers today's booming Singapore. As a volunteer for the Singapore Memory Project, Yaacor and two other students are interviewing seniors along a just a few streets for a small book of interviews titled "Streets We Remember." Yaacor said he is learning more than he ever did in school about Singapore's history from people like Anom. "You start talking about their memories, and they just open up," Yaacor said. "Looking at this personal history, it's more authentic." Singapore schools, he said, teach history as a blanket of facts, figures, dates and places. But he said it's actually more like a patchwork quilt, something that he and his fellow students hope to capture for the Memory Project. All the memories collected have fallen into two broad categories: individual recollections about Singaporeans' communities, their friends, their schools, the way they were. The other are collective memories -- the experiences and objects that nearly everyone shared. Big and small memories . James Seah was 11 years old in 1961 when a massive fire tore through his neighborhood, Singapore's Bukit Ho Swee squatter settlement, destroying some 2,000 homes. "Dark billowing smoke filled the sky, the smell was toxic," Seah recalled in his Singapore Memory Project blog post. "People were screaming and shouting 'Fire, Fire' ... I had never seen a big fire that burnt down houses and places before. I had not read about it, or watched it on television (monochrome TV broadcast in Singapore only began in April 1963) or at the movies. He described a feeling of "excitement rather than a fear of danger." "My mother and I ran as fast as we could as we fled from the burning houses," Seah said. "There was a stampede. The older and weaker people were carried by younger and stronger ones." The Bukit Ho Swee fire left four dead and thousands homeless and is one of those moments in Singapore's history where most people alive at the time remember where they were when they learned about the massive blaze. Other memories focus more on Singapore's rapidly evolving culture, including one e-book focusing on the traditional games children played, arranged by clicking on alphabet letters made to look like children's blocks. Another e-book covers the playgrounds that have been swept away by the city-state's rapid development. Ruth Ann Keh, 17, and two of her fellow students compiled the memories of people living in the Rochor Centre complex that is slated to be torn down in 2016 to make way for a new expressway. Many residents have lived there for decades, and neighbors were like family. One resident told Keh the story of a birthday party some boys held years ago on an open deck, and how all the neighbors came down. "What struck me the most was the sense of family," Keh said. "All the people I talked to mentioned the bond. Now, you don't know your neighbors. It's not as it was before. But it is possible to have a sense of neighborhood. It's just a matter of making time." Sharon Ng recalled fond memories of growing up watching her grandmother use a bucket instead of a cash register at the Kian Guan sauce factory. "Inside, my father, uncle and one hired worker would sit on small stools or on the floor, hard at work six days weekly making chilli, tomato and soya sauces, bottling them and tying the bottles expertly with thin rope-like twine in packs of six or 12," Ng wrote in her Singapore Memory Project post. "Grandma sold sauces at the ground floor shop while the rest were sold to other businesses. All her takings were kept in an iron pail on a pulley. She just pulled the rope down, put in the money and the pail went up." A generation's gift . Singapore's Memory Project is about a country getting personal with itself, and project director Tan said most of the posts are "very emotional." "There's a lot of longing in all the memories -- longing and attachment to people who are gone, places that are gone," he said. But he said there's also celebration about the stability that Singapore enjoys today. "There's a great sense of relief of where we are today," Tan said. In the process, the Memory Project staffers say, they are learning things about themselves that they never expected. They thought the project was about talking to others, about something external. But they've realized that documenting Singapore's history is about them, too. "We started out with a lot of arrogance," Tan explained. "We started with an intent to hack into other people's memories. What's humbling is there's nothing to hack into, but only things to discover." Singapore is a young country that has packed more history into its few years than most others. But in a place where most everyone came from somewhere else, the Memory Project is helping define what it means to be Singaporean. It is bringing texture to the life of the nation, endowing a diverse people with a common identity, a way to look forward together. The submissions also make for astonishingly interesting reads. "This is the gift of our generation," Tan said. "History is not just for the leaders. It's about random people, too." | Singapore is using crowdsourcing to compile its recent history .
The city-state will celebrate 50 years of independence in 2015 .
It's calling on all citizens to upload memories to its Memory Project .
Singaporeans have shared memories in photos, blog posts, e-books and videos . |
86,619 | f5d6f7876b2c037859600d9b95d0377ba188dc05 | Authorities in Russia warned the FBI ‘multiple times’ about Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, though the ethnic Chechen could have slipped through the cracks because he was not linked to al Qaeda, it was revealed Tuesday by U.S. Senators who were briefed on the terrorist attacks. The federal agency looked into the eldest brother in 2011 after the Russian government contacted them, warning that Tamerlan Tsarnaev may have deveoped radical Islamic ties following a prolonged trip to Russia, including Muslim-predominant Dagestan. However, after its initial search and interviews with him and his family members, the FBI closed the case, and has come under intense scrutiny for doing so. Scroll down for video . Conflicting: Tamerlan Tsarnaev turned from an 'arrogant' sportsman to an increasingly radical Muslim. Studying the Koran alone in Dagestan; Russian authorities tried to alert the FBI over the 'bomber' multiple times, according to lawmakers . Speaking with the Boston Herald, a senator sitting in on Tuesday’s confidential meetings on Capitol Hill said that the FBI could have missed Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s radicalization as he didn’t share links to the terror network al Qaeda. That senator spoke on the condition of anonymity, as Tuesday’s briefings were classified. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, told the Herald that the Russian government also had very different priorities. ‘Their concern was Chechen radicals. Our higher concern was al-Qaeda,’ he told the paper, explaining that the militant Islamist group was more dangerous to the U.S. in light of the 9/11 attacks. Lawmakers . again asked whether a failure to share intelligence contributed to the . deadly, after senior officials briefed them on the investigation into . last week's bombings, the Boston Globe reports. However, members of Congress have not . gone insofar as to say that better or more thorough intelligence could . have prevented the bombings, which many said following the September 11, . 2001 terrorist attacks. 'There still seem to be serious . problems with sharing information, including critical investigative . information ... not only among agencies but also within the same agency . in one case,' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said after the Senate . Intelligence Committee members were briefed by FBI Deputy Director Sean . Joyce. 'I don't see anybody yet that dropped . the ball,' said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia, the committee's vice . chairman, according to the Associated Press. Intel: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on immigration legislation, that her agency knew of the suspect's trip to Russia even though his name was misspelled on a travel document . On the attack: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, told Napolitano that the information contradicted what he'd been told by the FBI . But he added that he was asking all . the federal agencies involved for more information to make sure enough . information was shared. 'If it wasn't, we've got to fix this,' he said. Homeland Security Secretary Janet . Napolitano said Tuesday, in testimony before the Senate Judiciary . Committee on immigration legislation, that her agency knew of the . suspect's trip to Russia even though his name was misspelled on a travel . document. A key lawmaker had said the misspelling caused the FBI to miss the trip. Napolitano's disclosure came as news . to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, who told the secretary that it . contradicted what he'd been told by the FBI. Grilling: Sen. Dan Coats, R-Indiana, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, leaves following a closed-door briefing by intelligence agencies on the Boston Marathon bombing on Tuesday . Behind closed doors: Deputy Director of the FBI Sean Joyce, center, enters a closed Senate Intelligence Committee hearing where he faced questions from lawmakers . 'They told me that they had no . knowledge of him leaving or coming back, so I would like to talk to you . more about this case,' Graham told Napolitano. She said that even though . Tsarnaev's name was misspelled, redundancies in the system allowed his . departure to be captured by U.S. authorities in January 2012. But she said that by the time he came . back six months later, an FBI alert on him had expired and so his . re-entry was not noted. The FBI has not released a new statement . regarding Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s trip to Russia since April 17. Investigators have concluded based on . preliminary evidence that the Russia trip may have helped radicalize . Tsarnaev, the older of the two bomber suspects, who died in a firefight . with police. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was investigated by . the FBI at Russia's request and his name was included in a federal . government travel-screening database after that, law enforcement . officials have told The Associated Press. Religious journey? Tamerlan Tsarnaev spent much time in the Dagestan capital of Makhachkala . One official told the AP that by the . time of the flight Tsarnaev would have faced no additional scrutiny . because the FBI had by that time found no information connecting him to . terrorism. The ethnic Chechen brothers imigrated . to the United States a decade ago from the predominantly Muslim region . of Dagestan in Russia's Caucasus. Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, . the ranking Republican on the Senate intelligence committee, said the . briefing raised questions about the flow of information among law . enforcement and intelligence agencies. 'I think there has been some . stonewalls, and some stovepipes reconstructed, that were probably . unintentional, but we've got to review that issue again, and make sure . there is the free flow of information,' he said, according to Reuters. 'I can't say the FBI dropped the ball. I don't see anybody yet that dropped the ball,' he said. 'That may develop.' | Lawmakers said Tuesday that Russian authorities had warned FBI over bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev 'multiple times'
Comes as Senate Judiciary Committee briefed over last Monday's attack in closed-door meeting .
Senator said intelligence officials passed over tip because they were less concerned about Chechen groups than al Qaeda .
Senators in both parties questioned intelligence in attacks . |
196,540 | 8a5c68e6411ce8193452fbaeb97eb9007f82075f | By . Kerry Mcqueeney . Last updated at 8:04 AM on 9th December 2011 . It boasts an 80 horsepower engine capable of reaching 60 miles an hour in 9.5 seconds with a top speed of 125mph. And . with its bullet-proof tyres, 'chameleon'-like colour-changing paint and . custom seating it would be worthy of a place in any modern-day Bond . film. As well as . guarding from assassins, this car - the Dartz Jo-Mojo - also does its . bit to save the planet, for the two-seat convertible is an electric . vehicle. Scroll down for the video . The Jo-Mojo, an upcoming creation by Lativian armored vehicle company DARTZ . As well as guarding from assassins, this car also does its bit to save the planet, for the two-seat convertible is an electric vehicle . Built into the retractable sunroof are solar panels, created by Soviet space manufacturers Sidrabe, to boost battery power while on the go, or even just while parked. Designed by the Russian car maker Dartz, the Jo-Mojo is to go on sale in 2012 and the price tag will start at £25,000. It is expected to make its world debut at the 2012 Top Marques Monaco event in April. More details about the vehicle are expected to be revealed then. The Jo-Mojo boasts retractable solar panels in the roof to charge the engine while on the move . The car expected to make its world debut at the 2012 Top Marques Monaco event in April . | The Jo-Mojo has solar panels on the roof to charge the battery on-the-go . |
140,655 | 41e055b2761779a800876a819308abfccc757da3 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 04:07 EST, 22 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:37 EST, 23 April 2013 . Holidays are set to get cheaper for British holidaymakers this summer as prices plummet at popular resorts across Europe. Despite the falling value of the pound, European resorts are desperately trying to entice British holidaymakers back in the wake of the Eurozone crisis. With prices down by up to 20 per cent in . Spanish holiday hotspots and 15 per cent in the Algarve in Portugal, . they have topped the list as the cheapest holiday destinations this season according . to the Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer. Top spot, lowest price: Albufeira in the Algarve (pictured) is the cheapest of 20 holiday destinations as resort prices plummet across many European hotspots . Measuring the cost of ten typical holiday items – including coffee, beer, cola, wine, mineral water, suncream, cigarettes and a three-course meal for two – the barometer found that Albufeira in the Algarve, Portugal was the cheapest of 20 holiday destinations because of its meal and drinks, closely followed by Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca in Spain. The cost of the ten items is now £46.34 in the Algarve, £46.50 on the Costa del Sol and £47.14 on the Costa Blanca. Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money . said: ‘The pound may be worth less in Europe than a year ago but fierce . competition means that lower prices in several of the resorts we . surveyed can easily offset the falling value of sterling. Stretching the holiday budget further: Costa del Sol (pictued) and Costa Blanca in Spain were also among the cheapest holiday spots according to the Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer . ‘Taking some time to check out resort . costs and add them to package prices to find the best overall deal will . pay dividends this summer. 'Be prepared to swap destination or switch to . a cheaper resort within the same country.’ Prices also fell by 5.2 per cent in the Croatian coastal city of Split while the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh fell by more than 17 per cent in the last year, making it 39 per cent cheaper than Dubai. In America, even though sterling is 4.1 per cent weaker than last year against the dollar, holidaymakers heading to Orlando, Florida will find prices much lower in the theme park capital. The ten typical holiday purchases surveyed now cost 21.2 per cent less than in 2012 (£58.16). Back in Britain, Blackpool made 11th place with items costing £65.96 and Bournemouth was 14th place at £78.01. Bargain hunters staying in the UK this year will find the North Country favourite is 15 per cent cheaper than the south coast resort. Tuscany and Sorrento continued to be the most expensive European resorts surveyed – more than twice the price of the four best value destinations at £94.92 and £101.79 respectively. Break the budget: Tuscany (pictured) and Sorrento in Italy remained the most expensive resorts costing more than twice the price of the four best value destinations . Mr Brown said: ‘With the continuing volatility of sterling, holidaymakers should budget carefully and take enough spending money to cover all the costs they are likely to incur while abroad. ‘Running out of cash and having to use an overseas ATM or pay on a card that incurs extra charges could pack an unpleasant punch when the bank or credit card statement arrives. 'Allow time to buy foreign currency before leaving home because changing money at the airport means losing out by getting a poor rate.’ We're sorry but reader comments are currently unavailable. | Resort prices are dropping across European holiday destinations .
Albufeira in the Algarve is the cheapest of 20 resorts surveyed .
Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca in Spain were also top of the best value list .
The survey compared the cost of ten typical holiday items including beer, suncream and a meal for two . |
270,743 | eaab07ed4e0d9d4f07719fc63fbe093d38a808dd | (CNN) -- The Guinness World Records Book 2011 lists the CBS soap opera "The Bold and The Beautiful" as the "most popular soap opera -- current" for its success not only at home, but abroad. The show can be seen in more than 110 countries and garnered 24.5 million viewers across the globe in 2008, making it more watched than any other telenovela or soap opera on television, according to Guinness. Too bad daytime dramas aren't doing as well in the United States. As fans mourn the impending loss of long-running soap operas "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," such dramas in other countries and in other languages are thriving. In Ireland, fans are closely following the trials and tribulations of the Bishops on "Fair City," while there's plenty of drama being stirred up in Munich on the popular German soap, "Lindenstraße." Audiences in the United Kingdom have been enthralled with "EastEnders" since it debuted in 1985 and the Dutch get their soapy fix with "Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden," or "Good Times, Bad Times." "Home and Away" in Australia offers plenty of crickey, hard-bodied, soapy action while the Belgians enjoy "Thuis" ("At Home"). Even in America, the Hispanic telenovelas are racking up ratings that most soaps would envy. Sam Ford, co-editor of the book "The Survival of Soap Opera," said part of the issue could be a matter of timing. "Soap operas are considered part of daytime (TV) here and they are considered part of prime time (TV) in many other areas," he said. "When U.S. soaps air elsewhere, when British and Australian soaps air and when telenovelas air, a good portion of them air at night and they don't necessarily have some of the same stigmas of daytime programming in the U.S." Despite their vaunted place in American television history, soaps have not always received the praise or recognition of their night time counterparts. Many of the original television soap operas began as radio programs which made the leap to the small screen in the 1950s and 1960s when the country had a very different landscape. Advertisers rushed to get onboard with the hopes of snagging the interest -- and dollars -- of the stay-at-home mothers who watched the programs. By the 1980s, the shows experienced a pop culture revival with the help of characters like Luke and Laura on "General Hospital" and gave several major stars their first break in the business. According to The Guardian, when Luke and Laura married in 1981, 14 million viewers tuned in to watch, while now the soap averages an audience between 2.5 to 3 million. But the long-running nature of the soaps, where fans can literally check back in years later and catch right up, is not playing as well with today's viewers. Lynn Leahey, editor of Soap Opera Digest, told The Guardian that shifting viewer demographics are to blame. "Women are not at home in the same numbers they used to be," she said. "Mothers used to pass the soap-watching bug on to their daughters -- that just doesn't happen now." Instead, today's soaps are competing with the drama of reality television shows and the time suck that can be social networking. That craving for a storyline is still there and Peter Tinoco, president and chief executive officer of Venevision Productions, said telenovela audiences enjoy that weaving of a tale. "There is a difference between our telenovela and the soap operas in the United States," he said. "The soap operas in the United States are ongoing while our telenovelas are like if you were reading a book which has a beginning and an ending and through it people try to live the life of the protagonist. I think the success is in having a beginning and an ending because people don't get tired of watching something." Tinoco's company is the producer of the telenovela, "Eva Luna," which is the highest-rated domestically produced telenovela. The show recently presented its grand finale on the Univision network which drew more than 9.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. "Eva Luna" also did gangbusters in Latin American countries, Tinoco said, a testament to the cultural importance of such shows in the Hispanic community. The history of the telenovela began decades ago, Tinoco said, with illustrators producing comic book-style pamphlets of operas and plays that the poor population in Latin American countries couldn't afford to attend. From there, telenovelas share a history with soaps in that the stories morphed into radio programs and later television shows, he said. Tinoco said the popularity of telenovelas in the U.S. are a mirror of the success they have found in Latin America where every channel has multiple series. When one ends, a new one takes its place and audiences follow, he said. "They are very basic," he said. "It's a love story, even if it has a little bit of suspense or a little bit of comedy; they always involve a love story." Daniela Guevara, with the Hispanic marketing firm Lanza Group told CNN she understands the appeal of the telenovelas. "I'm not surprised to see the success because it's something that the Hispanic community has grown up with," she said. "It's part of our family, part of our life, since we're younger, family, grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters. So I'm not surprised." The popularity of the telenovelas is expected to increase. According to Nielsen data "by 2050, Hispanics are projected to account for more than 30% of the U.S. population" and that number will be reflected in the ratings. "The Hispanic consumer represents the greatest potential for sustained growth in the U.S. today," said a recent Nielsen report titled "What You Think You Know vs. What You Need to Know about U.S. Hispanics and Media." "At the current rate of expansion, Hispanics will drive population growth and, in turn, consumption in America for the next generation." So while the future looks brighter for telenovelas, soap operas appear to be in their winter of discontent. Soap actor Tristan Rogers said in Sam Ford's book that the shows, which now are down to only four left out of 20 in years past, are on their way out. "This is not a genre that will be around in another 50 years," Rogers said. "In many respects, it isn't necessary. They have made their mark, and almost every type of medium owes something to the way the soaps have been put together, whether they want to admit it or not." Editor Ford, who has written about the demise of American soaps for Fast Company, said whether or not American soaps are headed for extinction in the short term remains to be seen. "Ultimately that will be up to the networks and the advertisers," he said. "There are four (soap operas) still on the air in the U.S. and that's 20 hours week. There are plenty of other genres on TV that don't have that much programming." CNN's Rafael Romo contributed to this report . | American soap operas often pull larger audiences abroad .
Soaps across the globe are also enjoying popularity .
Telenovelas are hot right now in the U.S. and pulling in big ratings . |
148,189 | 4b9b15b1d3bf60b249a59db774cfed22724a6682 | (CNN) -- If you grew up in the 70s, 80s and 90s, there's a good chance that whole portions of your brain are still clogged up with the jingles, catchphrases and slogans that defined a golden era of television advertising. But in a new age of digital, on-demand and recorded viewing, when the fast-forward button is a weapon of choice, there are signs the 30-second TV advertisement could be on its way out, perhaps sounding the death knell for a marketing tool that became part of the cultural landscape. It already appears to be happening in some countries. In 2009, Britain became the first major economy to spend more on online marketing than on television, with the internet accounting for 23.5% of all ad money, compared to TV's 21.9%. This is bad news for TV ad connoisseurs who, as the 30-second slot evolved from basic product promotion into a sophisticated medium producing cinematic masterpieces and some of the sharpest humor ever broadcast, have come to revere them as works of art. Anyone doubting the power of these should cast their mind back to the adverts of their youth. There are generations of Americans who consider the "Nestea Plunge" a normal way to enter a swimming pool and for whom the words "plop plop, fizz fizz..." will always mean Alka Seltzer. Likewise few Britons of a certain age can listen to Bach's Air on a G String without thinking of deadpan cigar advertisements. Nor can they forget the bizarre Martian robots that mocked earthlings for peeling potatoes rather than eat instant mash. And then there were the Guinness ads. In a league of their own, these multi-million dollar wide screen epics barely made any reference to the beer they were marketing, instead relying on moodily-lit images of surfers facing tides of white horses, or convicts taming wild mustangs. In a post-economic crisis world, big spending on television ads now seems out of place. Smaller budgets, coupled with new digital viewing habits, have led to numerous predictions about the imminent extinction of the 30-second slot. But in a turnaround that few in the industry predicted, television advertising seems to be enjoying a renaissance, helped by rapid expansion in developing countries and by the platform that was once considered TV marketing's sworn enemy -- the internet. "A lot of research is showing it is on the way back in, and if you look at some of the most successful campaigns of the past year or so, they're all TV commercials," said Chris Arnold, a former creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi who now runs the Creative Orchestra agency. Forecasts back this up. Statistics produced by the Magnaglobal data mapping agency show that while worldwide internet advertising budgets will grow 12.5% annually to $117.5 billion by 2016, TV spending will also rise between 6% and 9% annually to $243.3 billion. "Great TV commercials are still the epicenter of a lot of stuff," said David Droga, head of Manhattan-based ad agency Droga5. "People started inventing tech to avoid advertising so advertising has to get better which is a good thing. It puts the onus back on advertising to do better by the consumer. Not just bombard them into submission, but actually earn their attention. Inform them, entertain them, and respect them." Some internet developments are actually helping drive viewers back to old watching habits. The popularity of "double screening" -- using Twitter or other networking tools to chronicle what they see on TV -- is believed to be boosting the size of audiences watching in real time. Advertisers can also harness the internet to give TV slots greater impact, allowing them to focus budget on production instead of paying for air time. A recent ad by British dairy firm Yeo Valley featuring rapping farmers ran once in a primetime slot but enjoyed 1.8 million YouTube hits. While the United States, Japan China, Italy and Brazil are currently the world's largest television advertising markets, much of the industry's growth is now focused in developing countries where internet penetration is comparatively low. Emannuel Alozie, associate professor of media communications at Governors State University in Illinois and author of "Marketing in Developing Countries," says television still counts for up to 80% of advertising budgets in nations like Kenya, Nigeria, China, India and Argentina. "It is still a growth area in these countries, but they are still lacking in terms of expertise and technical abilities," he said. "Television is big and with radio it is the dominant form, and I don't think we're going to see what we see in the West with the internet." But, says Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP -- the world's largest advertising group -- this could change as cell phones offer cheap ways to access the internet, even in developing countries, and thus a perfect new platform for advertising. "It is true in the West, internet and mobile new media, social networking is more important from an advertising and marketing services point of view, but the speed of adaptation of the faster-growing markets is going to be greater because mobile has leapfrogged the PC as a cheap form of accessing the internet," he said. Such developments aren't worrying the ad men just yet. Says Arnold, even as technology advances, advertisers shouldn't forget that many people still choose to passively consume television in the old fashioned way. "People are still sitting there comatose in front of the TV and it's a really good place to flog stuff to them." | UK has seen more advertising money spent on the internet rather than TV .
Academic says television is still dominant form of advertising in developing world .
Industry experts says digital era has raised TV advertising's game . |
258,479 | da8b50cd4f035e5324f57a51604e4faf4c18f5a9 | Bolton Wanderers have issued a statement in response to a private fraud and perjury prosecution by football agent Tony McGill. As reported in Charles Sale’s Agenda column, the agent has filed allegations against the club and chairman Phil Gartside in a private prosecution that is due to be heard at Newcastle Magistrates Court. The statement, released on the club’s website, says Mr McGill is trying to resurrect an issue that has already been settled in court. Allegations of fraud and perjury have been made against Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside . The hearings in a criminal court follow a civil case at Manchester Civil Justice Centre last year. McGill brought the case against Gartside, Bolton Wanderers and seven other defendants. The case related to the 2007 transfer of Gavin McCann from Aston Villa to Wanderers, which McGill alleged he was cut out of by Wanderers and agency Sports and Entertainment Media Group (SEM). The judge ruled against McGill in the civil case. McCann, who also played for Sunderland and Everton, Southampton assistant coach Sammy Lee and Gartside are among nine people who have been summonsed. The statement read: ‘The current allegations appear to be another attempt by Mr McGill to use the court process to resurrect a matter that has already been judicially determined. As of yet full details of the current allegations have not been provided by the prosecutor Mr McGill, who appears to be handling the case personally by way of a private prosecution, but the club understands that the current allegations relate to the same set of commercial circumstances back in 2007 which were widely reported last year and which were found to have no legal merit. The club, its officers and past employees have always strenuously rejected all claims by Mr McGill of any wrongdoing. Tony McGill's allegations surround the 2007 transfer of Gavin McCann (centre) from Aston Villa . The club and its officers/employees were completely vindicated by the prior civil court proceedings and further to this the claimant was refused permission to appeal by the trial judge. The claimant has renewed his application for permission to appeal against certain of the club’s former co-defendants (related to the football agency SEM) but is not pursuing an appeal against the club or any of its (former) officers/employees. In 2013 our lawyers made an application to strike out the claimant’s then claims and were substantially successful as a number of the allegations were found to have no reasonable grounds. As a result, a costs award was made in the club’s favour and, following non-payment by the claimant, a statutory demand for those costs was raised. The remainder of the claimant’s claims (as amended) were heard at trial in Manchester in 2014 where they were dismissed in their entirety and a further costs order was made in favour of the defendants. Again, following non-payment, a further statutory demand was raised. New manager Neil Lennon (2nd right) has guided the side to 14th place in the Championship table . Last week an application by Mr McGill to set aside the two statutory demands was dismissed and a further costs award was made in favour of the club. Mr McGill has so far failed to satisfy the statutory demands and further actions to recover the costs will now be taken. The club believes that these further allegations are malicious and vexatious and will defend accordingly.’ | Tony McGill has filed allegations against Bolton and chairman Phil Gartside .
Case relates to the 2007 transfer of Gavin McCann from Aston Villa .
Wanderers claim the allegations have already been dealt with in civil case . |
137,322 | 3d9ce73b1fd51338a39e9393bb093f3e9053364a | A Georgia police officer stopped at a fire station to get help delivering his wife's baby when the couple realized they weren't going to reach hospital in time. Jeremy Massengill, of Dunwoody, said that his wife, Jennifer, would 'yell at little louder' at each red light - and that's when he decided they needed to stop, as the drama unfolded on Sunday. He then pulled into the Cobb County firehouse to seek assistance from paramedics. Scroll down for video . Jeremy Massengill, of Dunwoody, Georgia, realized that his wife Jennifer (right) was going to give birth before they could reach the hospital, so he pulled into the Cobb County firehouse to seek help from paramedics . Mr Massengill and the paramedics reached the car just in time to help his wife (pictured) deliver the baby, who the couple named Kayleigh Grace . The police said the department is trained to handle these situations, but 'Officer Massengill can attest that it is a different story when it is your own family' Mr Massengill, who was in his uniform, was 'frantically pounding on the door' of the firehouse when paramedics came to the rescue, the Dunwoody Police Department said in a Facebook post. He and the paramedics reached the car just in time to help Jennifer deliver the baby, according to WSB-TV. Though Mrs Massengill wanted to get out of the car, there was no time and the baby was delivered in the car sitting in the firestation's parking lot. The couple named their baby daughter Kayleigh Grace. Though Mrs Massengill wanted to get out of the car, there was no time and the baby was delivered in the car sitting in the fire station's parking lot. The couple named their daughter Kayleigh Grace . She was 17.5in long and weighed 5lb 11oz, according to the East Cobb Patch. Mrs Massengill told WSB-TV that 'everything was perfect', though the couple hopes for a calmer delivery if there's a next time. The police said that department is trained to handle these situations, but 'Officer Massengill can attest that it is a different story when it is your own family'. The mother and daughter are 'happy and healthy', the police department added. | Jeremy Massengill, of Dunwoody, Georgia, was rushing wife, Jennifer to hospital .
He realized he couldn't make it and pulled into the Cobb County firehouse and sought help .
After 'frantically pounding on the door', paramedics came to the rescue .
They helped Jennifer deliver a baby girl, who was named Kayleigh Grace . |
76,118 | d7eaf0c1df462b7115e4096ae4c0d218bdb0f1b3 | It's no secret that goats were huge on social media in 2014, with Gary the Goat taking over YouTube. And it looks like the furry creatures are set to maintain their top spot as online users' most loved animal - just behind cats - after this precious video emerged online. The short clip shows new goat sensation Stephie indulging in a peanut butter treat on Boxing Day at Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary. The short clip shows new goat sensation Stephie indulging in a peanut butter treat on Boxing Day at Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary . The footage shows Stephie feasting on the delicious snack, licking her lips right on top of the camera's lens. The heart-warming video was posted online by an owner of the farm and has already been viewed more than 600,000 times in just one week. Manning River Farm Sanctuary in Kimbriki NSW rescues farm animals from abuse and neglect and lets them live out their final days in peace. The footage shows Stephie feasting on the delicious snack, licking her lips right on top of the camera's lens . 'She is able to roam free about the property and often invites herself into our kitchen for some delicious snacks' the filmer - an owner of the farm - later wrote online. The Sanctuary took to their Facebook page to commend Stephie on her new status as the 'it' goat of Australia and to bring the goat back down to earth. 'Our beautiful Stephie is a world wide hit. One little video of her eating peanut butter has gone crazy viral. We do hope she doesn't get all diva-ish on us.' The heart-warming video was posted online by an owner of the farm and has already been viewed more than 600,000 times in just one week . The Sanctuary took to their Facebook page to commend Stephie on her new status as the 'it' goat of Australia and to bring the goat back down to earth . However, Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary dispelled rumours that Stephie is addicted to peanut butter, claiming the happy goat has only had the tasty snack twice, as a treat. However, she obviously enjoyed her treat as she can be seen savouring each piece of peanut butter in the video. Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary have made stars out of their farm animals after posting videos of them on YouTube. In recent months, the farm has posted a clip of a chicken purring like a cat, another chicken running off with a child's pacifier and a duck hosting a committee meeting with some new turkeys on the farm. | Stephie the goat is the newest internet goat sensation .
She lives as Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary .
A video has appeared online showing her eating peanut butter .
She devours the tasty Boxing Day treat .
The Sanctuary in NSW provides shelter for abused and neglected animals . |
124,398 | 2cd1913238ee3ef4aecc5ff6385cfe2d84148e66 | (CNN)He wishes he could cry uncontrollably, like his grief-stricken wife. But he's still in shock. Mohammad Abu-Salha knows at some moment something will unpin his anguish. "It will come, when I'm by myself. It will come at night. It will come when I see their faces." Much of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is grieving at vigils and prayer services after three students were found shot to death. But for Abu-Salha, that has to wait. He needs to share with the world how wonderful the three were, how they left a light in their lives. Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, and Yusor Mohammad, 21, were his daughters. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, was his son-in-law, who recently wed Yusor. Mohammad Abu-Salha, other family members and many Muslims believe their killing was a hate crime. Authorities aren't ruling that out, but think an irrational dispute over a parking space may have had something to do with it. Tuesday's slayings had the hallmark of a summary execution -- shots fired to their heads. A neighbor, Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, turned himself in to police the same night and has been charged with murder. He has no prior criminal record and is cooperating with the investigation, police said. When is a crime a 'hate crime?' In the condominium complex where the two newlyweds lived, people heard gunfire and dialed 911. One caller heard five to 10 bangs and screaming, but she didn't know from which apartment. Another caller thought she walked right past it, when the shooting started. "I heard about eight shots go off in the apartment," she said. "More than one girl screaming. And then there was nothing, and then I heard about three more shots go off. ... I hid behind a car. ... I never heard gunshots before like that." News of a killing near the University of North Carolina reached Abu-Salha. Then his son-in-law's mother called. "She was frantic over the phone, and she was told by one of his colleagues that Deah was involved in that shooting and that there were three people killed," Abu-Salha said. He and his wife tried their daughters' cell phones. No answer. They got in the car and headed for the condo. "So, we just drove there knowing what we are about to face. I almost crashed my car on the way there," he said. "And then we found the police there." They waited for four hours in front of the cordoned-off scene for word from police. But it came from the media and friends. "We pretty much knew nobody survived," Abu-Salha said. Hicks had found a car belonging to one of the victims in what he claimed was his parking space, according to the law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Then Hicks went to the victims' condo and shot all three people, the official said. Opinion: Triple killing may not be a hate crime . Though Abu-Salha is in shock, he's not surprised. His daughter Yusor Mohammad had told him about the neighbor a few times before. He would appear mad about this or that, and at least twice, he had a gun in his belt, she had said. Mohammad was afraid of him. "I can estimate a week ago, knocking at the door, yelling. I think that time, she was talking about him unhappy with some noise, because they had friends visiting," Abu-Salha recalled. Such gatherings were tame, he said. The couple wasn't into wild parties. His story sounded similar to one Amira Ata told, after she visited the couple in the fall for dinner and a board game. They were playing Risk, and Ata was losing badly. "I mean, I know I was mad because they were beating me at the game, but that was it," she told Fusion. After she left, Mohammad called her to ask if the neighbor had hassled her, Ata said. Mohammad told her that the neighbor had appeared at their door, angry about noise and the extra cars parked in the neighborhood. He was holding a rifle. "He didn't point it at anyone, but he still had it," Ata said Mohammad told her. Deah's brother, Farris Barakat, said Hicks had repeatedly harassed Deah about parking rules. Deah checked with the condo office more than once, and was assured Deah was following the rules. "They gave him the clear and said, 'If Mr. Hicks bothers you again, please call the police.' And maybe they should have," Barakat told CNN's "New Day" on Thursday. Abu-Salha says he thinks his loved ones' killing was a hate crime. When Barakat lived in the condo by himself, there were no problems with the neighbor. They inflamed after his daughter, who wears a hijab, moved in with her husband, he said. It was a visible sign that they were Muslims. "Daddy, I think he hates us for who we are and how we look," Abu-Salha said his daughter told him. He believes that people prejudge Muslims in their communities because of the constant news they hear about extremist terrorists and the association with Islam. However, Samantha Maness, who lives in the complex, told a local newspaper that Hicks exhibited "equal opportunity anger." Hicks had chastised Maness in the past, she told the News & Observer in Raleigh, for playing the music in her car too loudly and once because she and her friends made too much noise while playing a card game. "I have seen and heard him be very unfriendly to a lot of people in this community," she said. "He was definitely aggressive, and he spoke harshly when he was upset, from what I've seen." Hicks' demeanor was well-known in the apartment complex, to the point that one tenant tried to take action last year, Maness told the newspaper. "There was a lot of instances of him getting people's cars towed and just being very aggressive toward anyone who came -- visitors, residents -- and so someone in the community organized a meeting to talk about how he kind of made everyone feel uncomfortable and unsafe," she said. Authorities said they have not ruled out hate as a motive, but they have not found indications of that in searches of the suspect's computer. The FBI has opened a preliminary inquiry into the killings to look into whether federal hate crime laws or other federal laws were violated, a U.S. law enforcement official said. Investigators so far haven't found any indications of a hate crime, and evidence suggests the shooting resulted from a confrontation over a parking dispute, the official said. On what is believed to be his Facebook page, Hicks is quite vocal about his atheism. And those who say the shooting is a hate crime are passing around a post attributed to him: . "When it comes to insults, your religion started this, not me. If your religion kept its big mouth shut, so would I." CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the post. It is not directed against a particular religion. Hicks' wife, Karen Hicks, who has been in the process of divorcing him, said the shooting was not a hate crime. "I can say with my absolute belief that this incident had nothing to do with religion or victims' faith." Her husband had been at odds with various neighbors of various backgrounds over parking, she said. Rob Maitland, her attorney, said the shooting "highlights the importance of access to mental health care services." Whether it was a hate crime or wild rage over a parking space, the killing was utterly senseless to grieving students at the University of North Carolina on Wednesday. "There is no mystic or theologian or philosopher out there who can make this ugly mess into something comprehensible," a student said at a podium microphone to thousands of students who gathered outside at the university after sundown Wednesday. Some lit candles. Mostly they stood silent with solemn faces. Another speaker stood at the podium. "Let's pray in every language ... for these beautiful souls," said another speaker. Razan Abu-Salha was studying architecture. Barakat and Mohammad were on their way to becoming dentists and loved charity work. Barakat was raising money for a dentistry aid trip to help Syrian refugees in Turkey. The couple also fed the homeless and hungry in downtown Raleigh "many times a year," Mohammad Abu-Salha said. "They cooked loads of food." "They came heartbroken to tell me how many grown men they've seen, standing in line, waiting for a bite," he said. On Thursday, mourning continued with a Janazah -- or funeral -- prayer in the afternoon at Raleigh's Islamic Center, followed by an evening candlelight vigil at North Carolina State University. "These three children were loved by thousands and thousands of people here," Mohammad Abu-Salha said. "They're raised here, they belong here, they died here, and they will be buried here, and we have a story to tell all our lives." Opinion: 3 slain college students strived for a better world . CNN's Evan Perez, Tina Burnside, Rick Martin, Melodi Smith, Tony Marco, Jeremy Grisham and Eliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report. | The FBI has opened a preliminary inquiry into the shooting, an official says .
Mohammad Abu-Salha received a call from the frantic mother of his son-in-law .
He says he thinks the killing was a hate crime, but alleged shooter's estranged wife disagrees . |
219,431 | a8094f18999bed60184e7cc8ee477b33fdd08d2d | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 14:40 EST, 25 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:28 EST, 26 May 2013 . Drivers in rural Missouri had a miraculous escape in the early hours of Saturday after a train crash caused an overpass to collapse in flames. The accident in Rockview at about 2am was caused when two freight trains collided at an intersection, derailing the rail cars and sending them smashing into a support pillar for the highway overpass. The collision of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and . Union Pacific trains caused a fire as diesel fuel leaked from . one of the train engines. Collapse: Two cars were driving along the overpass when the freight trains below collided and hit a bridge pillar in Missouri . New vehicles being transported on a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train poke out of their damaged rail car after a Union Pacific train collided with it . However, two train workers and five people who had been in two cars on the Highway M overpass in Rockview, escaped without serious injury. Wayne Woods and his son heard the crash from their home and rushed outside to help. 'We heard a car's . tires squealing like it was coming to a stop and then a crash and a horn . continuously blowing,' he told KFVS. Mr Woods, who moved to the area last year, added: 'They got the guys out and lifted them down off the train and . got them off the overpass. One was kind of bloody and the other one . looked like he was pretty shook up.' Christopher M. Cantrell, . 22, of Benton, had been driving towards the bridge as it collapsed. Unable to . stop, he says his car was sent flying through the air, before crashing. His . 19-year-old wife Victoria, who broke her leg and ankle in the crash, . and Sarah Ishmael, 19, who was also in the car, were supposed to be . bridesmaids at a wedding today. The women were taken to hospital and had to miss watching their friend get married. According to a police report, Mr Cantrell received only slight injuries in the crash, which was recorded at 2.11am. The . driver of the other car, Larry J Moore, 30, and his passenger Angela R . Donley, 38, who are both from Chaffee, received minor injuries. Blaze: Fuel leaking from one of the freight trains, ignited and caused a fire in the wreckage . Destruction: Firefighters survey the damage near Chaffee, where the train crash caused an overpass to collapse . Destroyed: The force of the crash peeled open the rail carriages to reveal the cargo of new cars . Sheriff's dispatcher Clay Slipis said the collision happened about 15 miles southwest of Cape Girardeau. 'One train T-boned the other one and caused it to derail, and the derailed train hit a pillar which caused the overpass to collapse,' he said. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter told Southeastern Missourian that the 14-car Burlington Northern train had just gone through the intersection when it was hit by the Union Pacific train, pushing the train cars into a support post of the overpass. The crash came just over a week after a commuter train derailed in Connecticut, injuring more than 70 people during the evening rush hour. xxxx . Investigation: Emergency workers inspect the collapsed Highway M bridge in Rockview, where the driver of this car had a luck escape . Mangled: The force of the collision between a Union Pacific and Burlington Northern freight train derailed several rail cars . Lucky escape: Only two cars were using the overpass as it collapsed after the derailed rail cars knocked a support post . And, on Thursday a truck crash caused a bridge to collapse in Washington state, sending two cars into the Skagit River. Mr Woods told KFVS it was the third train derailment in Rockview since the start of the year. A Burlington Northern freight train derailed on the same section of track on April 22, and in January a Union Pacific train was blown of the tracks. The cause of the crash is not yet known, but the National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of crash investigators to Rockview. | Drivers have lucky escape as Missouri road falls away beneath them .
No one seriously hurt in early morning collision that smashed into bridge .
Two 19-year-olds on way to wedding survive crash but miss friend's wedding . |
271,460 | eb9d72abbd80fd62e44ce4924ab992d4862cc0fa | Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard has married Swedish model Misse Beqiri in Mauritius. The 30-year-old tied the knot on the beach and tweeted: 'Best day of our lives! Thanks everyone for making it so special.' Lindegaard's glamorous new wife, who attended the Red Devils' end of season awards a year ago, also shared a picture of the happy couple with the caption: 'Luckiest girl in the world.' Happy couple: The couple married in Mauritius earlier this week . 'Best day of our lives': Lindegaard, his new wife and wedding guests celebrate the couple's special day . The Denmark international posted as link to his new wife's instagram earlier this year and said: ‘Street smart and drop dead gorgeous. Thank god she’s mine.’ The pair, who have a son together, have been dating since 2012. Lindegaard arrived at Old Trafford in 2010 from Norwegian side Aalesunds and has made 19 United appearances having acted as deputy to Edwin van der Sar and David de Gea. Appearance: Lindegaard's partner attended the Man United end of season awards in 2013 . | Manchester United stopper Lindegaard marries Swedish model Misse Beqiri .
Denmark international tied the knot in Mauritius .
The pair have been dating since 2012 . |
122,721 | 2a9c91f306401c40921f2753179f739806f3d731 | Britain's top female surfer has faced her biggest challenge yet after giving birth to a baby son two months early - just two days after a special photo-shoot to raise awareness of pre-natal health. Pro surfer Hannah Harding 27, posed for a special set of pictures of her baby bump to raise awareness of the importance of keeping fit and exercising during pregnancy. The pictures were designed to raise awareness of the issue, as part of Hannah's work for the charity Wave Project, which runs surf courses for socially isolated children. Scroll down for video . Pro surfer Hannah Harding 27, from Cornwall, posed for a pre-natal health campaign about the importance of keeping fit and exercising during pregnancy . But before the photos could be published, Hannah went into labour, and Reggie was born eight weeks early. The tiny tot - whose dad is pro surfer Russell Winter - weighed just 4lb 1oz when he was delivered by emergency C-section at the Royal Cornwall Hospital on 25 February. Hannah, who lives in Newquay, Cornwall said: 'It was one of the scariest yet overwhelmingly special days of my life, because we unexpectedly got to welcome our gorgeous little son into the world.' Hours earlier, she had been showing off her pregnancy bump. She said: 'Since I've been an ambassador for The Wave Project I've had the privilege to work with all sorts of different young people. 'I know how important it is for parents to be good role models to children, and that starts with looking after yourself. 'When I became pregnant I was really keen to raise awareness of good pre-natal health, to encourage other mums-to-be to stay fit and active throughout pregnancy.' Hannah is a surf champion who won the English Nationals in 2012 (Pictured: Hannah surfing) Hannah is a surf champion who won the English Nationals and Women's titles of the UK Pro Surf Tour in 2012. Despite being pregnant she entered Boardmasters last year - and reached the finals. She has been an ambassador for the Wave Project since 2013, and regularly attends surf club sessions to provide coaching for young people. The pictures of Hannah and her baby bump were part of Hannah's work for the charity Wave Project, which runs surf courses for socially isolated children. She gave birth just two days later . | Hannah Harding, 27, from Cornwall, posed for pre-natal health campaign .
The pro surfer then went into premature labour two days later .
Son Reggie weighed just 4lb 1oz when delivered by emergency C-section . |
122,751 | 2aa68306baa0d60879b3927519bce50872366a02 | (CNN) -- He is in that landing pattern that middle-aged heartthrobs finally come to: time for home and family and a woman who is worthy of keeping his love. The 50-plus Oscar winner, producer and political activist George Clooney is apparently engaged to be married. He's at a particularly pivotal age. Forget about the 50s being the new 40s -- the 50s are really very specific. Even the most youthful people will start thinking about the meaning of life as the years no longer stretch out in a fantasy of infinity. Those years between 50 and 60 do seem to be a particularly poignant age for men, especially the kind of man who has trouble giving up motorcycles. Sometime in this period, the thrill seekers and lust lovers get their whiff of mortality (perhaps because of their latest motorcycle accident) and they turn to love with a new sense of its gravitas. With a nod to the motivation most of us mortals have, they are ready for an emotional legacy. (Hint: watch for children) It might irk Clooney to be seen as so predictable. He's a gifted, idiosyncratic, goes-his-own-way, irreverent kind of guy. But he has been practicing for this life transition in full view. In his films, he has played lost middle-aged men, lost in their careers, lost in neglected marriages, lost because of a lack of connection to something important -- "Up in the Air," "The Descendents," "Michael Clayton," among others. Many of these men reshuffle their lives, readjust their principles or at least find some self knowledge they sorely lacked. What we know about Amal Alamuddin . If the reports of his engagement are true, this is kind of what Clooney has done, and what a lot of professionally single men ultimately come to do, especially about love. His apparent fiancee, Amal Alamuddin, is an accomplished and wordly lawyer. Clooney's doing that middle-aged love choice. He's picking a woman of substance as well as beauty -- the kind of woman you would want as friend and counselor, the kind of woman who would have the genes to be the mother of your children -- and it's now, because it suddenly dawns on you that you have no time to lose. In this scenario of the chastened older Lothario, the candidate is young enough to lust after and smart enough for impregnation. It's not that women, especially stars, don't come to the same point as Clooney and end up in the same position. But biology forces them to make the comparable choice at least a decade or so earlier. Unlike a woman his age, Clooney can do the whole settling-down gambit at almost any age. But he probably understood some ages are better for this than others. I know this isn't very romantic, but the timing is -- whether the 50-something group knows it or not -- guided by the Grim Reaper. If that sounds bad, it's not. Middle age is an important time for reassessment and course correction. No matter how bright your star, you know that only so much time is left to have a profound relationship and, perhaps, a family. This is the real anchor of middle-aged love: It's time to stop fooling around. | Pepper Schwartz: George Clooney is allegedly engaged in his 50s, a pivotal age .
Schwartz: "Lust lovers" get a sense of mortality in their 50s and start taking love seriously .
Clooney has played lost, unconnected middle-aged men in his films, she says .
Schwartz: Middle age is at time for reassessment and correcting your life's course . |
65,698 | ba8593049d43997ee10a304e37f6d53ae7a45d65 | By . Trish Halpin . PUBLISHED: . 03:15 EST, 30 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:19 EST, 30 April 2013 . Marie Claire has launched the Take A Good Look campaign to ensure that women are informed, empowered and protected when it comes to cosmetic surgery . As the editor of one of the UK’s leading glossy magazines, and a forty-something woman who wants to look good, I consider myself to be well informed about the beauty industry and the world of cosmetic surgery. Marie Claire has always prided itself on investigative journalism, in the past we’ve dug into the murky world of cosmetic surgery tourism, and we’ve also reported on the shocking PIP scandal, when it came to light that 45,000 women had given faulty breast implants containing industrial fluid. But PIP aside, like most people I had assumed that any surgical procedure that takes place in this country would surely have to be safe, and that if you can walk down your high street and get a shot of botox or some crows feet filled while on the way to do the weekly shop, then surely those products must be licensed or have undergone rigorous testing too? Yet when I was invited onto Sir Bruce Keogh’s committee to review the regulation of cosmetic interventions, I was truly shocked at how little protection UK consumers have in an industry that’s now worth nearly £3bn a year to our economy. This is why Marie Claire has launched the ‘Take A Good Look’ campaign to urge the government to implement the recommendations of the committee as soon as possible to ensure that women are informed, empowered and protected. And we also want to encourage our readers to take responsibility too: to ask the right questions, do the research and be realistic about the outcomes of any of these procedures, because the truth is, very often they don’t live up to the expectation. Thanks in part to the glut of real-life makeover shows extolling the virtues of liposuction, fillers and teeth whitening, as well as our bizarre national obsession with programmes like TOWIE, there has been an explosion in the number of cosmetic procedures taking place in the UK over the last five years. With nine out of ten of those being Botox and dermal fillers, it seems that women as young as 20 are happily incorporating them into their beauty regimes alongside regular manicures and blowdrys. This huge increase in demand, coupled with a lack of regulation, has encouraged far too many unqualified, dubious characters, looking to make a fast buck to set up in business. It seems that women as young as 20 are happily incorporating Botox and fillers into their beauty regimes alongside regular manicures and blowdrys . I’ve heard shocking stories about pop-up Botox clinics in places like hairdressers and nightclubs, where young women queue up to sign a consent form, pen in one hand, drink in the other, and then have fillers injected into their lips. When it goes wrong, as it very easily can do, there is nowhere to turn to for help, and often these women feel too ashamed or embarrassed to take any action. Frequently, it is the good old NHS that has to pick up the tab for putting it right. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. When editor Trish Halpin invited onto Sir Bruce Keogh's committee to review the regulation of cosmetic interventions, she was shocked at how little protection UK consumers have . During my time on the review committee, we delved much further, looking in detail at products used for surgical and non-surgical procedures, the people who administer them, the way they are advertised and the advice and support patients and consumers are given before, during and after their treatments. Our final recommendations, published . this week, include establishing an implant register with fillers falling . under the same controls as other implants (it was extremely difficult . to trace the 45,000 women given PIP implants as there was no register, . many of the companies who used them had gone out of business and a lot . of the women didn’t even know which implants they’d been given). There . are currently nearly 200 fillers available in the UK, yet only 14 are . licensed for use in the US, so from now on, fillers will also have to . pass vigorous safety appraisals, be prescription only and only those . with appropriate skills can administer them. Other . recommendations include a register of qualified and assessed surgeons . who practice in the UK to prevent fly in fly out doctors and, very . importantly an independent ombudsman for women to go to when something . does go wrong. So . after everything I’ve learned during my eight months on the review . committee, would I have cosmetic surgery? Having been under the knife . for two back operations, I would never want to subject my body to a . surgical procedure if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. But Botox? I wouldn’t be averse to a shot or two of that. I’ll definitely be doing my research beforehand though. Join thousands of Marie Claire readers who are helping to keep women safe, click here to sign our petition: http://marieclai.re/TakeAGoodLook . | Marie Claire has launched the ‘Take A Good Look’ campaign .
There are now pop-up Botox clinics in places like hairdressers and nightclubs .
There .
are nearly 200 fillers available in the UK, yet only 14 are .
licensed for use in the US . |
233,529 | ba52a941ee051f558b0ffa621c4a48d87e6e4347 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:51 EST, 4 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:59 EST, 5 October 2012 . Archie Brooks admitted common assault after his glass struck his colleague's face . A 'loutish' recruitment consultant who glassed a workmate in the face claiming his drink had slipped from his grasp was fined in court today. Archie Brooks, 21, attacked Olivia Parish in a City of London bar after the two had attended an afternoon meeting that included alcohol. After they had rowed Mr Brooks's glass struck his colleague in the face - but he insisted he had only meant to throw ice and drink at her. Ms Parish needed stitches for the cut to her lip after she was struck last March 30 and Brooks was sacked from his £32,000-a-year job. He was due to stand trial for assault occasioning actual bodily harm but prosecutors accepted a plea to a lesser charge of common assault before a jury was sworn in. He was handed a £1,000 fine and ordered to pay £250 compensation to his victim and £100 towards court costs. Judge Stephen Kramer QC told him: ‘You behaved drunkenly and loutishly and your conduct resulted in a nasty injury. ‘Those who behave in that way, in those sort of circumstances in this city can normally expect a custodial sentence.’ Both Brooks and Ms Parish worked for London-based Coal IT, and sat close to each other in the firm’s Jewry Street offices. They attended a boozy meeting on the day of the attack, before heading to The Abbey bar in nearby Minories with other workmates. ‘There was always banter between the two of them,’ said prosecutor Katrina Charles. ‘But on this occasion the language was abusive.’ Their exchanges culminated with Brooks’ tumbler glass striking the victim in the face, she added. When he was arrested he told police he had only intended to embarrass Ms Parish by throwing the remnants of his drink over her. ‘But that glass went flying from his hand,’ said Ms Charles. The attack happened at The Abbey Bar following a boozy meeting . Brooks pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault on that basis, she added. He lost his job, which offered bonuses of up to £8,000 for every transaction, after the attack and is in the process of setting up his own clothing firm, the court was told. The judge said Brooks’ age, guilty plea and good character meant he had avoided a more serious sentence. Brooks, of Redbridge, east London, denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm but admitted common assault. | Archie Brooks, 21, 'only meant to throw drink over female colleague' but his glass struck her in the face .
Olivia Parish needed stitches for the wound to her lip .
Brooks pleaded guilty to common assault and given a £1,000 fine and ordered to pay £250 compensation . |
97,172 | 090d31a147cd9ca7f341edada43f21e0d4a57e98 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The increasing use of the Internet by political campaigns presents hackers and spammers with growing opportunities for abuse, according to two Internet experts. Oliver Friedrichs is director of emerging technologies for Symantec. Oliver Friedrichs, director of emerging technologies for Symantec, a computer security firm, said he has seen attacks of only moderate severity but warns much more damage could be done. Those attacks include: phishing, or e-mails designed to look legitimate but which take respondents to fraudulent sites; adware, or ads that appear through pop-ups or banners on Web pages; and spyware, which secretly monitors computer users. Fraudulent Web sites and plain old lies are also used. "Campaigns, extremists and others who may not be associated with the campaigns are very likely to start participating in these types of attacks, if not in this election, then in future elections," Friedrichs said in a presentation this week to a Black Hat computer information security conference in Washington. According to Symantec, an e-mail was sent last week to several hundred people urging them to click on a link to see a video of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton. The people who did so inadvertently downloaded a malicious code that made their computers start spewing spam. Other incidents have involved the theft of money and personal information. In 2004, for instance, supporters of the Democratic presidential ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards received an e-mail soliciting donations. It provided a link to a site on which people were directed to enter their credit card information. It was bogus. Authorities don't know how much money was collected, where it went or how much credit card information was compromised. With Internet fundraising proving to be a blockbuster success for candidates, Friedrichs said he believes more thieves will try to exploit it. Some cons operate through "typo squatting." For $8 a month, anyone can register a domain name that closely resembles the Internet address of a campaign. If an attacker then establishes a Web site that closely resembles a candidate's, unsuspecting supporters could make donations. The campaign would never get the money, but the attacker would. Friedrichs said his research shows that typo squatting is in wide use. Hundreds of domain names close to those of the presidential candidates have been registered, some of them in India and China. These domain names have been used to establish Web sites on which to sell advertising or make political points. Others are used to mock candidates. A slip of the finger while navigating to Clinton's Web site, for instance, could send a user to Hillaryclingon.com, which portrays the former first lady as a character from "Star Trek." Candidate Web sites themselves also can be hacked, and visitors to the sites could find their computers infected with viruses or worms. "I'm sure it is happening now, " said Tom Kellermann, vice president of security awareness for Core Security Technologies. Kellermann said all Web sites, including political ones, are targets. "Web sites are being attacked on a daily basis by individuals, non-state actors, organized criminals and state actors," he said. "Web sites are seen now as the perfect storm because you can attack the users that use them to access the information and visitors who use those sites, who trust those sites." The Internet might also be used to distribute disinformation about candidates. Politically motivated hackers could even post inaccurate information on a candidate's site, Friedrichs said. Attackers are rarely caught, according to Friedrichs. It is easy for "attackers to remain completely anonymous and to never be discovered," he said. If the exploitation and corruption of political information on the Internet grows as Friedrichs predicts, he said he fears the public could become wary of Internet fundraising and even become suspicious of political information available on the Web. "It certainly has the potential to not only disrupt but potentially cause voters to lose faith in the electoral system," he said. E-mail to a friend . | Politically related Internet attacks moderate so far, security expert says .
With Internet fundraising a success, thieves may be more likely to strike on Web .
Bogus sites with URLs close to candidates' sites take advantage of "typo squatting"
Internet attackers rarely caught, expert says . |
165,017 | 616209bd44f69e636b58b4c6803a859218d3ea9b | JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- The political crisis that has gripped Zimbabwe for nearly a year may be drawing to an end, but a deadly cholera outbreak there is only getting worse. Zimbabweans walk through mounds of garbage. Lack of sanitation and clean water make cholera spread. The newly formed cabinet of Zimbabwe's unity government met for the first time Tuesday, the same day that Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) released a report warning that the epidemic shows no signs of slowing. The outbreak -- one of the world's largest, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) -- is only getting worse, and could be a stepping-stone to other epidemics and health crises, international agencies say. Since August, at least 3,623 people have died and 76,127 people have been infected by cholera, a preventable water-borne bacterial illness that causes severe diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration and can lead to death in a matter of days if not treated. According to a report released Tuesday by Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), new cholera patients were being registered at a rate of one every minute at the beginning of February in Zimbabwe. Unless urgent action is taken, the aid group said, the country could see a worsening of the "massive medical emergency that is spiraling out of control," MSF President Dr. Christophe Fournier told CNN Tuesday after his latest visit to Zimbabwe. MSF says the response from the international community to the crisis has been slow and inadequate, and it called on donors to put aside politics and send help immediately. The cholera epidemic has been left to fester as the Zimbabwean government grappled with questionable elections, opposition charges of fraud, power-sharing talks and the creation of a unity government in the last year. During that time, the country's economy and infrastructure imploded, with sanitation systems and garbage collection becoming virtually non-existent. "The reasons for the (cholera) outbreak are clear: lack of access to clean water, burst and blocked sewage systems, and uncollected refuse overflowing in the streets, all clear symptoms of the breakdown in infrastructure resulting from Zimbabwe's political and economic meltdown," the MSF report said. The disease is contracted "by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on its Web site. "In an epidemic, the source of the contamination is usually the feces of an infected person," the CDC said. "The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water." Making matters worse, flooding from the rainy season -- which began in November -- is spreading the bacteria through swollen streams and rivers. Cholera cases have now been reported in all of the country's provinces, the MSF report said. Exacerbating the epidemic is the current economic crisis, which has caused the health care system to nearly grind to a halt. "I've seen many health services being down like this in my life as an MSF doctor, but only in this country have I seen this kind of collapse of the public health care system in the absence of any conflict," Fournier said. He said most of the country's public hospitals or clinics are either closed or empty, and the ones that are open face critical shortages of drugs and medical equipment. "A huge part of the medical staff is not showing up because they are unpaid and on top of that, the patients, when finally accessing one opened facility, are asked for totally indecent amounts of money only to be seen and then an extra amount of money for their treatment," Fournier added. Many patients can't afford to pay and don't even bother to seek treatment, he said. MSF believes cholera may be just the beginning of a nightmare health crisis in the southern African country. "The current food shortages make us fear of further malnutrition among the most vulnerable, starting with the under (age) five children, where any kind of infectious epidemic can start at any moment after this current cholera epidemic," Fournier explained. MSF currently has more than 500 staff members working in Zimbabwe to battle the outbreak. The organization is calling on the government to remove barriers that are slowing the MSF response to the crisis. "Despite the glaring humanitarian needs, the government of Zimbabwe continues to exert rigid control over aid organizations. MSF faces restrictions in implementing medical assessments and interventions," the group's report said. "The Zimbabwean government must facilitate independent assessments of need, guarantee that aid agencies can work wherever needs are identified and ease bureaucratic restrictions so that programs can be staffed properly and drugs procured quickly," the report said. Manuel Lopez, the chief of MSF's mission in Zimbabwe, said the cost of importing medicine is often higher than the cost of the drugs themselves. High fees for visas and work permits for staff are also impeding operations, he said. And it often takes months to get permission for MSF specialists to operate inside the country, Lopez explained, with some eventually being turned down. | Doctors without Borders report says cholera crisis shows no signs of slowing .
Aid agencies say it could be lead to other epidemics and health crises .
No sanitation or clean water, piles of garbage help spread disease .
Epidemic has been left to fester due to Zimbabwe political wrangling . |
166,839 | 63bd2ff001140cc9aa4e406178f7cebb93a76e51 | (CNN) -- This week, Washington state opened recreational marijuana stores for the first time. And these stores don't just carry your father's kind of weed. In addition to highly potent cigarettes -- which are much stronger than those some people might remember from Woodstock -- stores will also soon sell super-strength, pot-infused cookies, candies, sodas, vapor and wax concentrates. Time will tell what the effects will be, but the state is not the first place to implement such a policy. Colorado started to sell marijuana six months ago. When President Barack Obama stopped by a Denver bar on Tuesday night, it comes as no surprise that someone offered him weed. Colorado's experience with pot legalization can hardly be called a success. In fact, it should be considered a warning for the residents of Washington. Special-interest "Big Tobacco"-like groups and businesses have ensured that marijuana is widely promoted, advertised and commercialized in Colorado. As a result, calls to poison centers have skyrocketed, incidents involving kids going to school with marijuana candy and vaporizers seem more common, and explosions involving butane hash oil extraction have risen. Employers are reporting more workplace incidents involving marijuana use, and deaths have been attributed to ingesting marijuana cookies and food items. So much for the old notion that "pot doesn't kill." Marijuana companies, like their predecessors in the tobacco industry, are determined to keep lining their pockets. Indeed, legalization has come down to one thing: money. And it's not money for the government -- Colorado has only raised a third of the amount of tax revenue they have projected -- it's money for this new industry and its shareholders. Open Colorado newspapers and magazines on any given day and you will find pages of marijuana advertisements, coupons and cartoons promoting greater and greater highs. The marijuana industry is making attractive a wide selection of marijuana-related products such as candies, sodas, ice cream and cartoon-themed paraphernalia and vaporizers, which are undoubtedly appealing to children and teens. As Al Bronstein, medical director of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center recently said, "We're seeing hallucinations, they become sick to their stomachs, they throw up, they become dizzy and very anxious." Bronstein reported that in 2013, there were 126 calls concerning adverse reactions to marijuana. From January to April this year, the center receive 65 calls. And, since Colorado expanded marijuana stores for medical users, peer-reviewed research has found a major upsurge in stoned driving-related deaths (that is not surprising since marijuana intoxication doubles the risk of a car crash). It is little wonder that every major public health association, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Society of Addiction Medicine oppose the legalization of marijuana. The scientific verdict is that marijuana can be addictive and dangerous. Despite denials by special interest groups and marijuana businesses, the drug's addictiveness is not debatable: 1 in 6 kids who ever try marijuana will become addicted to the drug, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many baby boomers have a hard time understanding this simply because today's marijuana can be so much stronger than the marijuana of the past. In fact, more than 450,000 incidents of emergency room admissions related to marijuana occur every year, and heavy marijuana use in adolescence is connected to an 8-point reduction of IQ later in life, irrespective of alcohol use. As if our national mental illness crisis needed more fuel, marijuana users also have a six times higher risk of schizophrenia and are significantly more likely to development other psychotic illnesses. It is no wonder that health groups such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness are increasingly concerned about marijuana use and legalization. That does not mean we need to arrest our way out of a marijuana problem. We should reform criminal justice practices and emphasize prevention, early intervention and treatment when necessary. But we do not need to legalize -- and thus commercialize and advertise -- marijuana to implement these reforms. The only people better off under legalization are the big companies that stand to profit from sales of marijuana. And we can be sure they will get even richer while public health and safety suffers. New York legalizes medical marijuana . 'I like weed, and I'm a good person': Pot smokers fight stereotypes . | Sales of recreational marijuana began in Washington state this week .
Kevin Sabet: Colorado's experience with pot legalization can hardly be called a success .
He says marijuana companies will profit from sales while kids will be harmed .
Sabet: Marijuana users have higher risks of schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses . |
259,865 | dc780320f93a62fa12bcbb9a6d4cdd6806c47f35 | Sebastian Vettel is testing with Ferrari for the first time since signing with the Formula One team. The Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the German driver was at the wheel of an F2012 from two seasons ago at Ferrari's private Fiorano circuit. It was announced last week that Vettel, who won four consecutive F1 titles at Red Bull, had signed a three-year deal with Ferrari to replace Fernando Alonso. VIDEO Scroll down for Sebastian Vettel testing his new Ferrari at the Fiorano track . Sebastian Vettel steers an F2012 car from two seasons ago at Ferrari's private Fiorano circuit in Italy . German racing driver Vettel wore a white helmet with 'my first day at Ferrari' written on it . Vettel joined Ferrari on a three-year deal after leaving Red Bull at the end of last season . Vettel wore a white helmet that had the words, 'My first day at Ferrari' plus Saturday's date, written on it. The 27-year-old faces a difficult challenge to restore Ferrari to prominence, with the Italian team having just concluded its first season without a win since 1993. Vettel also struggled this year, finishing 217 points behind F1 champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Vettel test drives a Ferrari 458 Special at the race track in Italy during his first day at his new team . The 27-year-old takes a F2012 car for a test drive after swapping Red Bull for Ferrari . | Sebastian Vettel signed a three-year deal at Ferrari after leaving Red Bull .
German driver Vettel will replace Fernando Alonso at Ferrari .
Vettel won four consecutive Formula One titles during time with Red Bull . |
119,570 | 2679d822388793296ef0e9ceeb78a00e12395183 | (CNN) -- China has killed 13,000 birds in the country's far northwest to control what it called an epidemic of bird flu, state media reported Tuesday. Since the end of 2003, the H5N1 virus has infected birds in over 60 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Five hundred fowl that had died in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region tested positive for the H5N1 virus, according to China's Ministry of Agriculture. In late January, China confirmed its sixth case of bird flu in a human. The ministry said at the time that, although further human bird flu cases were possible throughout China, there wouldn't be a large-scale outbreak, state run news agency Xinhua and CCTV reported. The country also announced it was setting up a nationwide network to test for the H5N1 virus. Following a bird flu outbreak in late January, India culled more than 4,000 birds in the remote northeastern state of Sikkim. Health officials also detected dozens of cases of upper respiratory infection among humans, but none of the patients had any history of handling sick poultry, a government spokesperson said. Sikkim borders Nepal and China. Since the end of 2003, the H5N1 virus has infected many species of birds in more than 60 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. It has not been found in birds in North or South America or the Caribbean, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Human-to-human transmission of avian flu is rare, but the virus has passed from poultry to humans in some cases. It has killed more than 200 people since 2003. China reported its first human-to-human infection case in 2005. Of the 34 cases confirmed to date in the country, 23 had been fatal, the World Health Organization said in late January. | China kills 13,000 birds in northwest to control what it calls an epidemic of bird flu .
500 fowl that died in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region tested positive for H5N1 .
In late January, China confirmed its sixth case of bird flu in a human .
The virus has killed more than 200 people since 2003 . |
185,799 | 7ca59fc7ed3c8b0fb9b12da813f791f2a51ba79e | Crystal Palace have made a £2.5million offer for Lille left-back Pape Souare. Manager Neil Warnock has made the move as the 23-year-old Senegal international falls into Palace's budget, although Lille want £3m. Palace have asked about Neil Taylor at Swansea, Morocco left-back Achraf Lazaar of Palermo and discussed an ambitious move for Roma's Ashley Cole but have settled on Souare as he will snub joining up with Senegal for the Africa Cup of Nations. Crystal Palace have made a £2.5 million bid for Senegalese left-back Pape Souare, who is currently at Lille . Palace were also keen on Swansea's Neil Taylor (left) and an ambitious move for Roma's Ashley Cole (right) Souare (right) is top of the Eagles' radar as he would snub the Africa Cup of Nations to join Palace early . Souare, who was also a member of Senegal's London Olympics squad, is eager to make the move and hopes Palace can reach a quick agreement with Lille who need the cash. The Eagles have struggled of late, winning just one of their last 11 matches and, along with a striker, Warnock has outlined the need for a left-back in the January window. Joel Ward has been Warnock's first-choice there this season, but the 25-year-old is a natural right-back and would be moved to his correct position if a left-back was signed. Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has been honest about Palace's transfer dealings, admitting that bids have already been put in for players - with a left-back high on the Eagles' radar . The signing of Souare (second left) would free up Joel Ward (right) to move to his natural right-back berth . | Neil Warnock admits Crystal Palace are looking to sign a left-back .
The Eagles have made a £2.5 million bid for Lille's Pape Souare .
He would snub the Africa Cup of Nations to join Palace early .
The south-London club have also enquired about Swansea's Neil Taylor, Palermo's Achraf Lazaar and Roma's Ashley Cole . |
186,726 | 7dddcf4d505e3bf36c24304af8b77f0a16e124e0 | By . Kieran Gill . Follow @@kie1410 . Russia manager Fabio Capello launched a stinging attack on the referee after blaming his side's exit from the World Cup on a laser pen. The former England boss claimed his goalkeeper was blinded by a green beam of light from the crowd just before conceding an equaliser from Algeria that knocked them out of the tournament. A furious Capello declared 'all referees are against us' after rebuking the match officials for allowing the goal to stand. Scroll down for video . Blinded: Capello says Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was blinded by a laser just before Algeria's goal . He said: 'I don't like to speak about referees, but every time it's against Russia! ‘Our goalkeeper was affected by a laser 10 seconds before the goal. He was blinded by a laser, there are photos, films of it.' Islam . Slimani's 60th-minute equalizer came after Russia goalkeeper Igor . Akinfeev failed to catch a swinging left-foot free kick from Yacine . Brahimi. However, there . were indications on the TV broadcast that a green laser was being shone . toward the goalkeeper from someone in the crowd just before the free . kick was taken. Fuming: Russia manager Fabio Capello speaks to the referees after their 1-1 draw with Algeria . Discussion: Russia's failure to win cost them their place in the World Cup as Algeria progressed . Russia . knew three points would be enough to make the last 16 but were held to a . 1-1 draw in their Group H finale, ending their World Cup campaign with . just two goals and two points. Capello, . a man who previously experienced World Cup disappointment after . managing England at the 2010 tournament, feels the referees have been . against his team. But Capello, under contract until 2018, will not quit as boss. 'I will continue to work for the Russian national . team, if they want me to continue,' he said. Out: Russia will go home but took the lead against Algeria initially before an all-important equaliser . Frustrated: Capello has taken charge of seven World Cup matches but has won just once . 'I have done a good job. England went to the . knockout round in 2010 after failing to qualify for Euro 2008. 'Russia qualified . for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.' It was Capello's seventh World Cup match as a coach but the £6.6million-a-year manager has staggeringly only ever won once. Russia . took an early lead against Algeria, courtesy of a sixth-minute goal . from Aleksandr Kokorin, but Algeria hit back through striker Islam . Slimani with half an hour to go. | Capello says 'every time against Russia' after a 1-1 draw with Algeria .
He claims goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was blinded by a laser for equaliser . |
237,687 | bfa2b0e016fcd309294b4616b7edc89e5b1b2add | Arsenal teenage prodigy Gedion Zelalem has boosted the future of American soccer by gaining U.S. citizenship. The 17-year-old, who has featured once in the Arsenal first-team this season, was born in Ethiopia but spent a majority of his childhood in the States before moving to London to pursue his career with the Gunners. USA Soccer president Sunil Gulati announced the news on Twitter with this post: 'Gedion Zelalem is now a U.S. citizen. At his request we have started the FIFA process which would allow him to be eligible for the #USMNT.' Gedion Zelalem played for Arsenal in the Champions League this month, contesting against Wesley Sneijder . Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (left) talks to Zelalem in training ahead of the Galatasaray contest in December . Zelalem played one FA Cup match for the Gunners last season and played in the 4-1 Champions League win at Galatasaray earlier this month as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger holds the midfielder in high regard for the future. 'He is a player with a good eye and good technique and is very agile. He has the ambition to find the ball on the field. So he's the kind of player who could be of use to the United States,' Wenger told Sports Illustrated back in July . 'He's in some ways the type of player the US was missing in the World Cup.' However the 17-year-old could still choose to represent Germany, who he played for at youth level, and needs FIFA to approve his application but his intentions seem to lie with the USA. USA Soccer president Sunil Gulati announced the news on Twitter that Zelalem now has U.S. citizenship . Zelalem has featured in Arsenal's first team squad this season, having appeared in the FA Cup last season . Arsenal's Zelalem prepares to pull the trigger during a youth match for the Gunners this season . | 17-year-old was born in Ethiopia but represented Germany at youth level .
Zelalem played in the Arsenal first-team at Galatasaray earlier this month .
The midfielder has gained US citizenship but still needs FIFA approval . |
70,354 | c7716fbba0a88d3c771278d0e4ef7cb4c60f9107 | (CNN) -- The St. Louis Rams announced Saturday that Michael Sam, who made history as the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL, has been waived and did not make the team's final 53-man roster. Sam, an All-American defensive end who played for the University of Missouri, made history when he was picked by the Rams in the seventh and final round. He was the 249th of 256 players selected. The Rams' move does not necessarily mean the end of Sam's professional career. He could still be picked up by another team, possibly on waivers, or return to the Rams as a player on the practice squad, coach Jeff Fisher said. At a press conference, Fisher said releasing Sam was "a football decision. It was a football decision back in May when we drafted Mike." Sam said on Twitter @MichaelSamNFL: . "I want to thank the entire Rams organization and the city of St. Louis for giving me this tremendous opportunity and allowing me to show I can play at this level. I look forward to continuing to build on the progress I made here toward a long and successful career." Another Tweet read: "The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues." Fisher said Sam has the ability play somewhere. "It needs to be the right place and a good fit." Sam, at 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, starred in college football last season. Besides being first team All-American, he was named the top defensive player in the Southeastern Conference, considered the nation's best league. Teammates named him the team's most valuable player. On Saturday, Sam returned to his college in Columbia, Missouri, to be honored at the game against South Dakota State. Obama congratulates Michael Sam . Fisher said Sam worked hard, but the team already had a lot of strong defensive ends. "Mike fit in very, very well" at training camp, Fisher said. "He was fun to be around and he was a good teammate." Bleacher Report said the contracts of players on waivers can be picked up by other teams within 48 hours. If the contracts are not picked up, the players can become unrestricted free agents. Teams, including the Rams, could put Sams on their practice squads. Sam worked with the second and third units during the preseason and made 11 tackles and recorded three sacks, said Bleacher Report. Sam told his college teammates he was gay and made a public announcement shortly before the NFL draft in May. When he was drafted, he made waves kissing his boyfriend in celebration as cameras looked on. Sam sets out to make it in the NFL . Being drafted was historic and Sam received a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama. "I'm determined to be great," Sam told reporters after the draft. "So I'm going to train hard and try to make the team." Fisher said the talked one-one-one with all the players who were released except Sam. He said he will talk to him in person Sunday. Other athletes have come out as gay, but they didn't have Sam's profile. Among them are the NBA's Jason Collins, the WNBA's Brittney Griner, WWE's Darren Young, UFC's Liz Carmouche, MMA's Fallon Fox and Major League Soccer's Robbie Rogers. The road to football stardom was not an easy one for Sam. One of eight children, he grew up in Hitchcock, Texas, where he was raised primarily by his mother. At one point, he has said, he lived out of his mother's car and briefly stayed with another family. Three of Sam's siblings have died, including an older brother he saw die from a gunshot wound. Two of his brothers are serving prison sentences. Champ Bailey released by the New Orleans Saints . Drew Iden of CNN contributed to this report. | Michael Sam tweets: "The journey continues"
Rams coach Jeff Fisher: "It was a football decision"
Sam was an All-American defensive end at the University of Missouri .
Sam could be picked up by another team or return to the Rams as a practice player . |
283,099 | fab5f308e3ea1758b31b7c5ea94bc6ab7b766648 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 11:26 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:35 EST, 26 August 2013 . The flight of the bumblebee might seem effortless to humans, but to stay airborne and give the impression of gliding along, the insects beat their tiny wings two hundred times a second. Scientists have long pondered just how the bees have the energy to achieve such a feat but now two biophysicists have studied the mechanics behind the insect's flight by capturing the action in molecular detail. The researchers filmed live bumblebees at 5,000 frames per second to conclude the insects' muscles might work by using 'stretch activation' - the same mechanism that makes vertebrate's muscles move. The researchers filmed live bumblebees at 5,000 frames per second to conclude the insects' muscles might work by using stretch activation - the same mechanism that makes vertebrate's muscles move . Dr Hiroyuki Iwamoto and Dr Naoto Yagi at the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, explored whether insects have a special mechanism to stay airborne, or if they use nervous signals that lead to muscle contractions, like vertebrates. 'Once the insect flight muscles are activated by nerves, they oscillate simultaneously' Yale Goldman, a muscle physiologist at the University of Pennsylvania, told Nature. He said the oscillations are triggered by . 'stretch activation,' which means the force generated by the . antagonistic flight muscles increases in strength when they are . extended, to pull the wing back. The same technique is used in the human heart and other muscles that beat rhythmically, according to Kenneth Taylor, a molecular biologist at Florida State University. But because of difference in how the technique works in insects, there is 'no upper limit to the wing-beat frequency,' he said. To investigate what triggers stretch activation, Dr Iwamoto and Dr Yagi measured changes in the insects' muscles while they were trying to fly, at molecular level. To do this, they glued live bees onto the end of a thin metal tube and then put the insects in the path of an X-ray beam. They then studied the pattern of bright spots formed when the X-rays were scattered by the muscles, which they recorded at 5,000 frames per second. They concluded stretch activation is caused by the interaction of actin and myosin in the muscle- which is the same trigger as in vertebrates, suggesting that insects do not have a special technique to keep them airborne. | Biophysicists have studied the mechanics behind the insect's flight by capturing the action in molecular detail .
The scientists at the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute studied the pattern of bright spots formed by X-rays .
The researchers filmed live bumblebees at 5,000 .
frames per second to conclude the insects' muscles might work by using .
stretch activation . |
92,387 | 02d40a087ba2db0170b56310b9f133af48950bb4 | By . Lucy Waterlow . Ordeal: Hannah was abused by a friend of the family (posed by model) A mother was shocked and horrified to discover her three-year-old daughter had been molested by a friend of the family. Now she's urging other parents to broach the subject of sexual abuse with young children to ensure they are safe and aware of what's right and wrong. Rachel was stunned when her little girl, Hannah, (names have been changed to protect their identities), casually revealed that her private parts had been touched by Ron Wood. He was a trusted friend of the family who Rachel had no reason to suspect was a child abuser. She had only raised the issue of sexual abuse with Hannah after hearing about the NSPCC's PANTS campaign - which advises parents to ensure their children know they should not be touched beneath their underwear. Rachel explains: 'I hadn't thought about talking to Hannah about abuse before as she was only three-years-old and I didn't think that it would be something that would happen to us. Not long after hearing about the NSPCC's Underwear Rule, I was putting some cream on her where her pants had rubbed and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to talk to her. 'I said: "Where your pants cover; that area is for you. No-one else can touch this area." I expected her to just say OK but she said "Ron puts his fingers up there."' Jailed: Ron Wood was found guilty of four counts of sexually abusing the girl . In disbelief, Rachel and her husband, Mark (not his real name), then asked Hannah to tell them more about what Ron had done.The couple had known Ron for ten years but had never been aware he had been alone with their daughter when he had visited their home. Rachel said: 'I felt so betrayed and I . was in a state. We didn't think something like this could ever happen . to her; we hadn't even left him completely alone with her. We saw Ron . and his wife a lot and, from what Hannah told us, he had used every . opportunity he could when he got a few minutes alone with her to abuse . her. They played hide and seek a lot and she told me that he always told . her to hide in the bedroom and he did it then. She said he did it "lots . and lots and lots" of times.' The . parents called the police and praised the way they gently spoke to . Hannah about what had happened to her before taking their investigation . further. Rachel recalls: . 'Everything was taken at Hannah's pace and I can't fault the police at . all for how they handled it. I agreed that Hannah could have a medical . examination and the damage was consistent to what she had told us had . happened. 'By now she knew that what had happened to her was wrong and she knew that she had to talk to the police about it so that Ron would be punished for what he did. 'She said: "Do I have to tell them everything that he did to me so that he is told off?" I told her that she did and I was shocked when she said he touched her elsewhere too.' She added that she was sickened to learn Ron had been telling Hannah she was his 'special little princess'. Ron, 60, of Chaddesden, Derbyshire, was arrested and charged with four counts of sexually abusing the girl. He denied he had done anything wrong so the family had to go through the ordeal of giving evidence at his trial. It's good to talk: Rachel is urging other parents to broach the underwear rule with their children (posed by models) Rachel was a witness and Hannah gave her statement via a video link. Rachel said she was proud of how bravely her little girl handled the intimidating situation. She said: 'We told Hannah that it had to go to court as she said it happened and Ron said it hadn’t and she understood that. I was initially concerned about her having to give evidence via video link but they did everything to ease my worries and to make the experience as comfortable for Hannah as possible. 'Mark and I were shown around the court first and were able to ask questions about the process. We were then able to take Hannah so that she could get used to the courthouse and could learn about what would happen. P is for... Privates are privateExplain to your child that no one should ask to see or touch their private parts. Sometimes doctors, nurses or family members might have to. Explain that this is OK, but that those people should always explain why, and ask your child if it's OK first.A is for... Always remember your body belongs to youLet your child know their body belongs to them, and no one else. No one has the right to make them do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. And if anyone tries, tell your child they have the right to say no.N is for... No means noMake sure your child understands that they have the right to say "no" to unwanted touch - even to a family member or someone they know or love.T is for... Talk about secrets that upset youExplain the differences between "good" and "bad" secrets. Phrases like "it's our little secret" are an abuser's way of making a child feel worried, or scared to tell someone what is happening to them. Good secrets can be things like surprise parties or presents for other people. Bad secrets make you feel sad, worried or frightened.S is for... Speak up, someone can helpTell your child that if they ever feel sad, anxious or frightened they should talk to an adult they trust. This doesn't have to be a family member. It can also be a teacher or a friend's parent - ChildLine. 'She gave evidence for nearly an hour . as she kept talking and talking. I think they underestimated what they . would get from her but she is a very smart, switched on little girl so . she kept coming out with things. 'Even . though she was young, I knew from her personality that she was more . than able to do it. It was still horrible waiting for it to finish . though and I couldn’t see her after as I was a witness so she went and . had dinner with her dad. But Mark said she couldn’t eat anything and was . upset by the ordeal.' Ron was found guilty of all four counts of sexual abuse and jailed for eight years. Rachel said: 'We . were relieved that they came back and found him guilty the same day. He . was sentenced to eight years in prison. We told Hannah and she said "See, I told everyone I wasn't lying."' Rachel . said Hannah was clingy for a time after the trial and didn't like being . left alone. But as time goes on, her mother said she is regaining her . confidence. Now Rachel is urging other parents to talk to their children about the Underwear Rule, explained in our pink box out. She said: 'I know a lot of parents might be worried about having the conversation with their children but it's so important that you do. I don't want this to happen to anyone else. 'You don't think that sexual abuse will ever effect your family but it could do so you need to talk to your children about it to protect them. There are so many opportunities when you can bring it up, such as when you are washing them or dressing them. 'You don't have to make it into a big thing; you can talk to them as though it's an everyday conversation. You can just tell them that what is under their pants belongs to them and no-one else should touch it and that if anything worries them they should tell you and not keep it a secret. 'If I hadn't have heard about the Underwear Rule I don't think I would have had that conversation with Hannah and the abuse could have progressed and then things could have got a lot worse.' For more information on the NSPCC's PANTS campaign and discussing the Underwear Rule with your children, click here to visit their website. | Mother spoke to her daughter after hearing about NSPCC campaign .
Advises parents to broach 'underwear rule' with their children .
PANTS rule tells them no one should touch them under their underwear .
Rachel was shocked when Hannah, three, said she'd been touched .
Perpetrator was friend of family, Ron Wood, 60 .
He has been jailed for eight years . |
132,155 | 36ea1e6d0cf37feef7131c614b6767781b655b60 | (Rolling Stone) -- Jimmy Fallon will release his second album, "Blow Your Pants Off," on June 12. Unlike his 2002 comedy record "The Bathroom Wall," which mixed goofy songs with standup performances, the new disc is focused mainly on song parodies and team-ups with high-profile rock stars from his gig hosting "Late Night" on NBC. "Blow Your Pants Off" will include Fallon's impressions of Neil Young, David Bowie, Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan, as well as guest performances by Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Big & Rich, Stephen Colbert, Brian Williams and Dave Matthews. A number of songs, including "History of Rap" and "Balls in Your Mouth," have already been viral hits. The track listing for "Blow Your Pants Off" is as follows: . "Neil Young Sings 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'" "History of Rap" (feat. Justin Timberlake) "Tebowie" "Scrambled Eggs" (feat. Paul McCartney) "The Doors Sing 'Reading Rainbow'" "Balls In Your Mouth" (feat. Eddie Vedder) "My Upstairs Neighbors Are Having Sex (And Listening to the Black Eyed Peas)" "Bob Dylan Sings 'Charles in Charge'" "Walk of Shame" (feat. Dave Matthews) "Slow Jam the News" (feat. Brian Williams) "New French Girlfriend" "Cougar Huntin'" (feat. Big & Rich) "You Spit When You Talk" "Friday" (feat. Stephen Colbert) "Neil Young Sings 'Whip My Hair'" (feat. Bruce Springsteen) See the full article at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone. | Jimmy Falon's second album "Blow Your Pants Off" will be released on June 12 .
It will feature Fallon's impressions of Neil Young, David Bowie, Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan .
The album will have guest performances by Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen . |
161,863 | 5d4b7c755b1a4207f21ec7e863f89b665712508a | Food giants are being told to cut the amount of sugar they use because it has become the ‘new tobacco’. Doctors and academics say levels must be reduced by up to 30 per cent to halt a wave of disease and death. They found that even zero-fat yoghurts can contain five teaspoons of sugar, while a can of Heinz tomato soup has four. Doctors and academics say levels must be reduced by up to 30 per cent to halt a wave of disease and death . The equivalent of 11 teaspoons are found in a small Starbucks caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream. A Mars bar has eight. ‘Sugar is the new tobacco,’ said Simon Capewell, professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Liverpool. ‘Everywhere, sugary drinks and junk foods are now pressed on unsuspecting parents and children by a cynical industry focused on profit not health. The obesity epidemic is generating a huge burden of disease and death. Obesity and diabetes already cost the UK over £5billion a year. Without regulation, these costs will exceed £50billion by 2050.’ Doctors found that even zero-fat yoghurts can contain five teaspoons of sugar, while a can of Heinz tomato soup has four . Professor Capewell is part of a new US-UK campaign group – Action on Sugar – that says asking firms to make voluntary changes has failed. The typical Briton consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar a day and some adults consume as many as 46.The maximum intake recommended by the World Health Organisation is ten, although this guideline is likely to be halved. The UN agency says there is ‘overwhelming evidence coming out about sugar-sweetened beverages and other sugar consumption’ being linked to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A study by Action on Sugar found surprisingly high levels of sugar in many foods, including savoury products and healthy options. The Pret a Manger Very Berry Latte with milk has 26.9g of sugar – the equivalent of seven teaspoons. Yeo Valley Family Farm 0% Fat Vanilla Yogurt has five. Sweet: A Mars bar has eight teaspoons of sugar while a tin of Heinz tomato soup has four . Even Glaceau Vitamin Water, which is owned by Coca-Cola, has the equivalent of four teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle. Action of Sugar said food firms should be able to reduce the amount of sugar they add to products by 20 to 30 per cent within three to five years, taking 100 calories a day out of the typical diet. This would be enough to halt or even reverse rising levels of obesity and associated ill-health, it claimed. Graham MacGregor, a professor at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in London and chairman of Action on Sugar, said: ‘We must now tackle the obesity epidemic both in the UK and worldwide. ‘We must start a coherent and structured plan to slowly reduce the amount of calories people consume by slowly taking out added sugar from foods and soft drinks. ‘This is a simple plan which gives a level playing field to the food industry, and must be adopted by the Department of Health to reduce the completely unnecessary and very large amounts of sugar the food and soft drink industry is adding to our foods.’ Dr Aseem , the group’s science director, said: ‘Added sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever, and causes no feeling of satiety. ‘Aside from being a major cause of obesity, there is increasing evidence that added sugar increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver. ‘We must particularly protect children from this public health hazard and the food industry needs to immediately reduce the amount of sugar that they are adding, particularly to children’s foods, and stop targeting children with massive advertising for high calorie snacks and soft drinks.’ But sugar manufacturers rejected the claims of the health experts saying they were not supported by the consensus of scientific evidence. Sugar Nutrition UK said the World Health Organisation published a review last year that found that any link between diabetes and body weight was due to overconsumption of calories and was not specific to sugar. It said: ‘There have also been numerous studies, which have investigated potential links between sugar and diabetes, with experts from the British Dietetic Association, European Food Safety Authority, and Institute of Medicine being very clear that diabetes is not caused by eating sugar. Respected expert committees have reviewed the evidence over many years and all have concluded that the balance of available evidence does not implicate sugar in any of the so-called lifestyle diseases.’ And Barbara Gallani, of the Food and Drink Federation, an industry group, also denied sugar was responsible for obesity. She said the industry already provided clear information on sugar levels to consumers, using figures and colour-coded labels. ‘Sugars, or any other nutrient for that matter, consumed as part of a varied and balanced diet are not a cause of obesity, to which there is no simple or single solution,’ she added. Professor Shrinath Reddy, a cardiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health and member of the WHO panel of experts, disputed this conclusion. He said there was ‘overwhelming evidence coming out about sugar-sweetened beverages and other sugar consumption links to obesity, diabetes and even cardiovascular disease’. Yoni Freedhoff, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, said sugar needed again to become an occasional treat rather than a regular ‘crutch’. He said that added sugar had found its way into virtually everything we eat. | Doctors and academics say levels must be reduced by up to 30 per cent .
They found that even zero-fat yoghurts can contain five teaspoons of sugar .
Heinz tomato soup has four while a Mars bar has eight teaspoons of sugar .
Obesity and diabetes already cost the UK over £5billion a year . |
60,604 | ac3f226602b2ef83791b717b6c3101596fd767b1 | By . Simon Cable . PUBLISHED: . 20:30 EST, 10 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:26 EST, 11 March 2013 . Turbulent relationship: Angie Bowie with the singer and son Zowie, now Duncan Jones, in February 1974 at a Hotel in Amsterdam . It has been lauded by critics as one of the greatest comebacks in the history of pop. But David Bowie's return has failed to impress his ex-wife, who has called his latest material 'diabolical'. Angie Bowie, who was married to the singer for ten years, has dismissed his new album, claiming he hasn't written a good song since 1974. She said: 'I listened to the first single – Where Are We Now? – and it was just awful, just diabolical. The second one was worse than that. 'This is supposed to be the greatest comeback of the century? It's boring. I think every release since the first eight albums has been rubbish.' Bowie's album, The Next Day, is released today. Where Are We Now? was released in January to the surprise of fans who believed the 66-year-old star had retired after a heart attack in 2004. Tilda Swinton plays the singer's lover in the video for second single The Stars (Are Out Tonight). Bowie fans have speculated that the character is based on Angie and their turbulent relationship. However, the 63-year-old former model, who lives in the US, said: 'I watched 30 seconds and couldn't cope with any more. The subject matter is too retrospective. 'I am pleased he got out of his house in New York and recorded an album. But why has he been sitting in his house for ten years anyway?' The couple married in 1970, having met in the 1960s when she was studying at Kingston Polytechnic and Bowie was trying to get a record deal. She claims they almost missed the ceremony after being up most of the night before enjoying a threesome with a mutual female friend. Where are they now? David Bowie with his supermodel wife Iman, who he has been married to for 20 years . She said: 'David was big on threesomes with both men and women - the whole nine yards. And I was right in there. 'The night before our wedding it was a mutual friend of ours. We went . out for dinner, back to her place and had plenty of lively sex. We had a . very late night and didn't go to bed until 3am or 4am. 'Then we woke up late in north London and had to be in Bromley by 10am . to get married. We just about got there in time and staggered in. 'It was a bullsh*t romance. When he asked me to marry him, he said, 'And . I don't love you, by the way.' 'He had told me before we married he . didn't love me, so of course he was not going to be faithful. As it was . the Sixties I suppose they called it free love.' Angie, who now works as a journalist . specialising in transgender issues, also spoke about the morning she . allegedly caught her husband and Rolling Stones frontman Mick together . in the marital bed of their home in Chelsea in 1973. Boring? David Bowie's much-anticipated new album The Next Day is released today . She said: 'They were not only in bed together, they were naked. I walked . into the bedroom and David was there with all these pillows and duvets . on top of him and on the other side of the bed was Mick's leg sticking . out. 'I said: 'Did you guys have a good night?'. They were so hung over . they could hardly speak. I took pity on them.' Angie claimed Bowie's fascination with Mick came from his desire to . 'seduce' all his major rock rivals, saying: 'In our living room as we . watched Top Of The Pops, David was constantly wanting The Rolling Stones . to move over to the States. 'He decided he would seduce him like he . seduced any competition. But I don't think it was a big love affair with . Mick. It was probably more drunken pawing.' Break up: Angie says she £500,000 from Bowie, paid over ten years, after the couple broke up . They went on to have son Duncan together, but split in 1980. She then had a daughter Stacia with punk musician Drew Blood while Bowie has been married to model wife Iman, 57, for 20 years. After the couple divorced in 1980, Angie says she received £500,000 from Bowie - paid over ten years. 'It was in tiny installments - like a child with an allowance - I couldn't even buy a house. 'When I broke up with David I didn't recover for six years for him not paying me for managing him. Maybe I never got over it.' | Angie Bowie said the singer has not written a good song since 1974 .
The former model says the 66-year-old star's new songs are 'boring'
Angie claims they almost missed their wedding because of a threesome .
She spoke about allegedly catching him naked in bed with Mick Jagger . |
180,447 | 7598ac87982756b5d82dd39d477316be7b8e8d47 | The Anne Frank museum has stepped in to defend Justin Bieber after he said that Anne Frank 'would have been a belieber'. The comment, left in the museum's guestbook by the teen singer during a visit while in Amsterdam on tour, caused outrage on Twitter and social media, with Bieber branded 'tasteless' and 'disrespectful'. Today, as pictures emerge of Justin Bieber 'shadowboxing' a member of his entourage during the museum, the Anne Frank House came to his defence saying the comments were 'quite innocent'. Scroll down for video . 'Disrespectful': The Anne Frank House is generally seen as a place of reflection, however it seems Justin Bieber was of a different view during Saturday's visit as he shadowboxes a friend inside the museum . Belieber battle: Hundreds of people left comments on the Anne Frank House's update about Justin that expressed disgust . The 19-year-old singer - who is . currently on tour in Europe - visited the famous home where Anne Frank and her family hid from Nazi persecution for two . years during the Holocaust. After . spending an hour touring the home on Saturday, which opened as a museum . in 1960, Bieber wrote a message in the guestbook, which read: 'Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.' The Anne Frank House shared the . star's comments on their Facebook page where many expressed dismay over the young pop sensation's presumptuous remarks. His note was described it as 'disrespectful,' 'disgusting' and an 'embarrassment to Canadians.' From Justin to Anne: 'Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.' 'Way to turn an inspiring moment into something about yourself,' wrote another. The post which quickly spread to . Twitter and other social networks, where Bieber came under further fire. One person even tweeted: 'When life gets done with Justin Bieber, I have a feeling it isn't going to be pretty.' Another wrote in regards to Justin's note in the guestbook: 'I weep for humanity.' Further driving the point home, an additional shocked Twitter commenter said: 'He has no right to say this.' Following the outrage the Anne Frank House defended Justin Bieber. 'He was here for more than hour and . interested in Anne Frank's life and that for us is the most important . thing,' a spokesperson for the museum said. In an earlier comment the museum explained: 'He's 19, it's a strange life he's living, it . wasn't very sensible but he didn't mean bad.' Anne Frank wrote her now-famous diary . while in hiding from Nazi persecution during World War II. The Frank family moved to Amsterdam from German in 1933 - the same year the Nazis gained control over Germany. Not happy: People took to Twitter to express their dismay over the pop star's disrespectful comment in the Anne Frank House guestbook . By 1940 the Nazi had occupied the Netherlands, leaving the family trapped in Amsterdam. In 1942 the family went into hiding in the hidden rooms of Otto Frank's office building, as persecution of the Jewish population increased under the Nazi regime. But after two years the group were anonymously betrayed and were sent to their deaths at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where Anne died of typhus in 1945. Otto Frank, Anne's father, returned to Amsterdam after the war and discovered her diary had been saved. It was published in 1947, leading to her posthumous fame. The Anne Frank House has been open to the public as a museum since 1960. Monument: This statue of Anne Frank stands near her home in Amsterdam, where Justin visited on Saturday and signed the guestbook . | Bieber visited Anne Frank museum while on Amsterdam leg of Europe tour .
He wrote: 'Truly inspiring. Great girl - hope she would have been a belieber'
Comment caused world-wide outrage with Bieber branded 'disgusting'
Museum defends singer saying comments were 'quite innocent' |
109,413 | 1904aeb897e98c2f0c634e398340013bdf2f93f6 | Thomas Eric Duncan was remembered Saturday as a big-hearted and compassionate man whose virtues may have led to his infection with Ebola in his native Liberia and subsequent death as the first victim of the disease in the United States. Family and friends gathered at a small Southern Baptist church with a primarily Liberian flock near where Duncan's mother and other family members live. Duncan's neighbors in Liberia believe he was infected by helping a pregnant woman who later died from Ebola. It was unclear if he knew about her diagnosis before traveling to the United States. Duncan denied helping his Ebola-sickened neighbor, but it would be consistent with the caring nature he always showed, said his nephew Josephus Weeks of nearby Kannapolis. Scroll down for video . Overcome: Garteh Korkoryah, mother of Thomas Eric Duncan, has her tears wiped by her great-grandson Josephus Weeks III at a memorial service for her son on Saturday in Salisbury, North Carolina . Heartache: Garteh Korkoryah is comforted during a memorial service for her son, who died from Ebola in Dallas on October 8 . Grieving: Thomas Eric Duncan was suspected of contracting the disease while helping a pregnant woman in Liberia . In Memoriam: Josephus Weeks, nephew of Thomas Eric Duncan, speaks during a memorial service for Duncan on Saturday, October 18, 2014 . 'He cared for everybody, it doesn't matter who you were': Josephus Weeks remembers his uncle, Thomas Eric Duncan, during the funeral on Saturday . 'There's no doubt in my mind that what's described in the news is something that Eric would do,' said Weeks, who like Duncan is 42 and grew up in the same households as his uncle. 'Eric would have been out there and helped that woman. 'And he would have done everything that he needed to do for that woman to make sure she was fine.' Retired United Methodist bishop Arthur Kulah said Duncan attended a high school the cleric helped establish in neighboring Ivory Coast for refugees from the Liberian civil war that raged through the 1990s. To generate much-needed income, Duncan jury-rigged a telephone connection allowing fellow refugees to contact family abroad for help, Kulah said. 'People would go there without any money and appeal to him, and he was willing to give them time to talk to their people. There were some people who paid and some people who didn't pay,' Kulah said. 'He was such a compassionate young man, respectful young man.' About 40 friends and family members — many women wearing colorful headscarves — collected inside the 100-seat church and listened as speakers remembered Duncan accompanied by an electric piano and bongos. His weeping mother sat in the front row. Weeks' 3-year-old son dabbed at the elderly woman's teary eyes with a tissue. Deceased: Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S., died in Dallas on October 8 after unknowingly contracting the virus in Liberia . Duncan left Ivory Coast and learned auto mechanics and welding at a United Nations school for refugees in Ghana, relatives said. He came to the United States hoping to work multiple jobs, save money and build a future, said his relative, Harry Korkoya of Woodbridge, Virginia. Duncan is also survived by four children, none of whom could attend the memorial service, Weeks said. The four people living in the Dallas apartment where Duncan stayed after arriving in the United States are due to leave quarantine next week after the end of a 21-day incubation period for the disease. A mourner cries during a memorial service for Thomas Eric Duncan in Salisbury, North Carolina . Garteh Korkoryah (left) mother of Thomas Eric Duncan, cries during a memorial service for her son . The extended family of Thomas Eric Duncan mourn during his memorial service on Saturday, October 18, 2014 . Garteh Korkoryah (left) mother of Thomas Eric Duncan, grieves at her son's memorial service . Weeks remembered the Duncan he last saw 22 years ago as an athletic youth who was their neighborhood's best at soccer played with a tennis ball, the only kind available. He drove motorcycles so fast it scared Weeks, and named their pet dog Superstar to reflect the pride he had in the animal. Duncan commonly gave away money, then asked Weeks for a loan, he said. 'He cared for everybody, it doesn't matter who you were. If he was driving he saw you over there, he wouldn't splash you with dirty water. He'd pull over and let you in his car,' Weeks said. | About 40 people gathered for the funeral of Thomas Eric Duncan, 43, in Salisbury, North Carolina, on Saturday .
Duncan is suspected of contracting Ebola while helping a pregnant woman during a recent trip to Liberia .
'Eric would have been out there and helped that woman,' a friend said .
Duncan died in Dallas on October 8 .
His mother Garteh Korkoryah was overcome during the ceremony . |
128,910 | 3290e6af192223dfe3e8a7e22fe9c3f73accaf3e | Manchester City will not be reporting Neymar to UEFA after he appeared to be involved in an altercation with one of their supporters. The Brazil captain became embroiled in a verbal spat with a City fan after he was substituted with 10 minutes to play in Barcelona's 2-1 last-16 Champions League victory at the Etihad Stadium. Video footage shows Neymar react to the supporter who had shouted at him in Portuguese. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Neymar confront a Manchester City fan . As the final whistle blows Neymar approaches a Manchester City fan who begins to gesture at him . The fan wearing a Yaya Toure shirt continues to make 'diving' motions as Neymar confronts him . A steward leads the Brazil star away while another shouts at the fan to 'stop it', ending the incident . Things appeared to have cooled off but after the final whistle the Barca star returned to argue with the fan before stewards intervened. Sportsmail understands City are aware of the incident but do not feel that it is serious enough to warrant making a complaint to the governing body. The supporter, wearing a City shirt with Yaya Toure's name and No 42 on the back, appeared to indicate that Neymar had been diving during the game. As the 23-year-old approached the fan, the man wearing a hoodie under his replica shirt made repeated hand gestures. While one steward intervened to keep the pair apart another security official sternly repeated 'Stop it, stop it.' The same fan had earlier taunted Neymar and the Barcelona bench after Lionel Messi's missed penalty . Neymar confronted the fan by offering a hand signal to beckon him over from the stands . The Manchester City fan is then seen making a diving motion at the Brazilian forward after full-time . The 23-year-old celebrates with Messi and Luis Suarez after the Uruguayan's second goal . After the game Neymar attempted to play down the incident. He was quoted in the Brazilian media saying: 'I was just playing with him. He began to curse me and I ended up mocking him.' The striker would not reveal what exactly was said in the altercation, but hinted that the fan swore at him. 'What he told me? I can not repeat it, no,' he joked. 'My mother gave me an education. What his mother did not tell him, my mother taught me.' Neymar attempts to evade City midfielder James Milner during their clash at the Etihad on Tuesday . The Brazilian captain gets some close attention from City full back Pabla Zabaleta . The attacker was in fine form during Barcelona's win, as the Spanish side outclassed Manuel Pellegrini's City. Luis Suarez scored both goals as the former Liverpool marksman made his return to England. Neymar missed a good chance to add a third in the first half while Dani Alves also hit the bar as the Spanish giants dominated the Premier League champions. City striker Sergio Aguero pegged one back for the hosts as they mounted a second half fightback . Gael Clichy is shown a red card after his second booking for a tackle late in the match . Joe Hart picked the right way for Messi's penalty to keep City within a goal of Barca ahead of the second leg . Messi had a chance to give his side a two-goal buffer with this diving header but sprayed it wide . Hart jumps in celebration after his penalty save was followed by Messi's missed header . Hart applauds the home fans after the match as City fell 2-1 to Barcelona on Tuesday night . | Neymar had an angry exchange with a fan when he was substituted .
Barcelona forward then returned to confront supporter at the final whistle .
Young man in Manchester City shirt appeared to accuse player of diving .
Neymar claims he was 'mocking' the fan who abused him .
Sportsmail understands City do not feel it warrants a complaint to UEFA .
Barcelona beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium . |
136,148 | 3c245d1e0576080a35078c86ed760f5421e291c7 | Wasps chief executive Nick Eastwood has told fans dismayed over the imminent £20million move to the Ricoh Arena to 'throw eggs at him' rather than vent their anger at the players. Sunday's Aviva Premiership clash with Bath at Adams Park is the first opportunity supporters will have to protest publicly against the decision to relocate to Coventry. Wasps are prepared for 'all possibilities' as they await the fans' reaction, noting the outrage evident on Twitter, internet forums and blogs has been offset by the lack of complaint made directly to the club. Wasps' James Haskell, Dai Young and Andy Goode during the announcement of a new stadium and sponsor . Coventry City Football Club have only recently returned to the Ricoh Arena after a year away . 'What I'd say to the fans is, the players didn't make the decision, I made the decision,' Eastwood said. 'If there is any adverse reaction, you're just damaging the team because on Sunday we're playing what is probably the best side in the country in Bath. 'So get behind the team and if you want to come and throw eggs at me at the fans' forum, then throw eggs at me. But the players are the wrong people to go after.' Eastwood attended the first of two forums for Wasps' 2,700 season ticket holders on Thursday night with around 400 making it to the event in Marlow. It was explained that the club was losing £3m per year, was being kept afloat by a £10m outlay from owner Derek Richardson and had been one minute away from administration in January 2013. The two main complaints have been the absence of consultation with fans and the location of the new home away from Wasps' traditional roots in London and the south-east. Wasps chief executive urges angry fans to 'throw eggs' at him instead of the players due to the relocation . Wasps are moving away from Adams Park, located in High Wycombe, to further their ambitions as a club . Eastwood insists the confidentiality of negotiations made communication with fans impossible and that all options in the search for a site in and around the M25 had been exhausted. 'It's a heart and heads thing, we absolutely understand that,' Eastwood said. 'That's what being a fan is about - following sport is a completely irrational thing based on emotion as much as logic. 'Once the emotion has played out and logic starts to take over, people will start to understand why we're doing this. 'There were two options - we do this or go bust at some point in the future. Those at the forum understood that. 'There were some angry voices, but people were prepared to listen. 'Not everyone will come with us, but it would be good if we could take 2,000 of our season ticket holders to the Ricoh.' Wasps will decide in the next couple of days when they will make their Ricoh Arena debut, with Castres and London Irish in mid-December the options. Dai Young (right) speaks to press during the announcement of Land Rover as the new club sponsors . | Wasps will relocate to Coventry's Ricoh Arena in December this year .
Fans are angered by move, particularly the 2,700 season ticket holders .
Chief executive Nick Eastwood urges fans to 'throw eggs' at him .
He does not want the fans' frustration to be taken out on the players . |
67,462 | bf6d04b98e0af89f073f4b71c5125017c9aa079b | By . Will Stewart . Last updated at 1:57 PM on 22nd November 2011 . Days of luxury over: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi seen sitting in a plane in Zintan after his capture . A woman claiming to be the ex-wife of Colonel Gaddafi's captured son Saif al-Islam has emerged in Ukraine with extraordinary stories alleging domestic violence and womanising. Nadia, a blue-eyed brunette claims to have met him when she worked as a stripper in a top Moscow nightclub, and says she is currently in hiding, fearing for her life. She claimed that as she prepared for marriage to Saif, she had to fly to Paris to have an operation to 'restore' her virginity. ' 'The doctor proved my innocence in the presence of Saif's aunt. Then I embraced Islam,' she added. 'I . tried to have a normal family, but Saif wanted to live as a single man . with lovers and orgies,' she said in a Ukrainian newspaper interview. While . there is no proof of her claim of have married and divorced Saif after . two years, her claim appears to be taken seriously in Russia and . Ukraine. If she is who she . says, she could be a key witness at his trial whether it is in Libya or . under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. One . aspect of his trial is likely to be his alleged friendship with a . number of prominent British figures, including Prince Andrew, Tony Blair . and Lord Mandelson. High life: Nadia claims playboy Saif loved luxury and money and was a womaniser. He is pictured here at the Viennese Opera Ball in 2006 . 'Our house looked like more as bordello: a lot of his friends and a lot of women,' she said. 'We got married under religious traditions, I embraced Islam for that, but nobody treated me as the mistress of the house. 'There was no respect at all. My husband tried to make me a submissive Eastern woman, and I couldn't stand that attitude. 'That broke me, ate me from inside. And . what's more important, Saif took drugs and he couldn't control himself . when he was under narcotics. 'He had certain sexual perversions . in sex, for example, he liked to do it in public. I understood that we . couldn't live together.' Nadia, . who is believed to be 29, claimed that their relationship ended after a . furious row in a restaurant which culminated with him beating her and . throwing her out of a window but she miraculously survived. She claimed she was in a coma for 47 . days, and that Gaddafi - who acknowledged her but never started a . conversation with her - was outraged by his son's behaviour. Gaddafi was known to have employed . Ukrainian nurses in his medical team, but until now it was not known his . second son has a wife from the former Soviet country. Arrested: Sair al-Islam Gaddafi sitting with his captors in Obari airport on Saturday . Of . Gaddafi himself she said: 'About me being in hospital, he was in a . fury. He kicked Saif away to the desert. It could spoil the reputation . of the family that was already not so clean.' She left Libya and returned to . Moscow. 'The last time he came was in 2008, and he suggested that we . lived together again ~ but I was cold to him by that time.' Nadia said she was working in Moscow until 2010 but a mutual friend then told her to disappear or she could face danger. She claimed that Saif could not have replaced his father. 'He was afraid of his father, as of fire. And Gaddafi, I think, despised him for internal weaknesses.' The fall: Saif al-Islam sits after his capture, with his fingers wrapped in bandages and his legs covered with a blanket, at an undisclosed location . Playboy Saif loved luxury and money. She said: 'He was cheating on me all the time.' Nadia . - it is not known if this is her real name - is apparently in hiding in . the Crimea where she says she is fearful of his enemies. 'I don't know . any secrets, but still I'm scared,' she said. She claims not to be rich but for Saif 'it was all in a day's work to spend $20,000 (USD) at a restaurant. 'When we separated I had only . luxurious earrings which I managed to sell for $1million. I lived in . Moscow on this money. Now almost nothing is left.' Her most recent interview was with Ukrainian paper Respubika. It was made shortly before his capture. 'I thought Saif would turn my life into an Eastern fairytale,' she said. 'It didn't work.' | Nadia hoped for family but he wanted 'lovers and orgies'
She embraced Islam but wasn't treated as mistress of house .
Claims he put her in a coma by throwing her from window during row . |
36,216 | 66b7d558671eece1eb8f4d034968d8829c43cf9b | Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) -- A fish salesman. A restaurateur. A cigar aficionado. A retired cop. Four voters. Four candidates. No clear choice who to vote for. On the eve of the critical Southern Republican Presidential Debate in Charleston, CNN talked to several undecided voters in South Carolina. All said they were closely following the GOP campaign, yet all were frustrated about the field of candidates. Their indecision, however, makes them valuable targets, coveted by the campaigns in the final hours before the first Southern primary. In the latest CNN/ORC poll of South Carolina voters, while 57% said they had a clear favorite, 38% of those who initially expressed a preference for a candidate said they might change their minds, and another 8% said they were unsure or had no clear choice. Yet, even in the confusion and frustration, these voters do agree on three things. 1) They feel strongly that President Barack Obama has to go. 2) The flurry of TV ads by the candidates and super PACs has had little impact on their decision-making process -- in fact, many say the ads have turned them off. The debates, however, have mattered greatly, they say, providing genuine insight into the candidates. 3) They are truly flummoxed about who to vote for Saturday. Here is a snapshot of four voices of indecision, what their issues are and what it will take to win their vote: . ---------- . Jen Jones, 46, is the manager of a popular barbeque restaurant in Charleston -- Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, which specializes in spare ribs, beef brisket, mac-n-cheese and Primary Bingo. She came up with the game, where each server has a sheet of paper with names of candidates, networks, politicians and menu items and are encouraged to strike up conversations with customers in order to get them to mention one of the names. Jones is a self-described "political junkie" and former Glenn Beck fan -- "I don't know about him now ... " -- who now identifies herself as a fiscal conservative. Her husband runs a local Cracker Barrel restaurant and is as undecided as she is. But as engaged in the political process as she is -- "I've watched every debate and know all the candidates" -- she is stumped when it comes to who she will vote for Saturday. She said she'll make up her mind after watching the debate Thursday night. "It's really bothering me," she said while passing around muffins made from scratch. "I have always known who I was going to vote for until now. I can't make up my mind." Still, her analysis of the remaining GOP field is not pretty: . Mitt Romney: "He's a Ken doll." Ron Paul: "Lunatic. Wacko. Crazy." Newt Gingrich: "He's smart, but man, is he mean." Rick Santorum: "I like him, but I really don't know a lot about him." So, when pressured, who would she vote for? "I guess, if I had to, it would probably be Gingrich. Newt is the smartest guy on the stage, but he is just so negative. He went on that temper tantrum after Iowa, with all those ads. I just didn't like that." But moments later, she changes her mind: "Santorum. Maybe Santorum. If he ends up winning that Iowa thing (the state GOP just certified the results of the caucus declaring him the winner), then maybe I will go for him." "But then there's Romney ... " --------------- . Ron Manz, 51, is the owner of CharlestonSeafood.com, an online seafood delivery company. He's originally from Pittsburgh but moved to South Carolina a decade ago to start his own business. He was hit hard by the Gulf oil spill in 2010, which decimated the fishing industry for months. But as a staunch conservative, he still supports offshore drilling and opposes excessive government regulation. Manz has been disappointed by the nasty tone of the campaign in his adopted state this week, calling it "too down and dirty, too negative." And he can't stand the millions of dollars spent on "useless" campaign ads and super PAC commercials. "I'm really tired of them," he said. "But I'm tired of the Geico commercials, too." In 2008, he supported John McCain. In 2012, he is leaning toward Romney. But he is still not sold. He also said he would probably make up his mind after Thursday night's debate. "It would take a catastrophic error for me not to go with Mitt," he said hesitantly. "If Mitt doesn't screw up -- say, he has a baby out there or something -- then I'm probably leaning his way. But that all could change after the debate." His take on the lineup of candidates -- "They've all got baggage." Gingrich: "He's just another old fat white guy." Santorum: "I think he wants to punch Newt in the face." Paul: "He's way out there. He frightens me." A self-described tea party supporter, Manz now thinks the movement may have strayed too far since its historic victory in the 2010 midterms. Today, he doubts the tea party has much power in the current bid for the White House. "Their best days are behind them. They've just gotten too extreme." But he is clear and unwavering in his dislike for the current president. "Are you kidding me? Four more years of the same old same old? It would be dreadful for the country." -------------- . Joe Hightower, a retired Charleston County deputy sheriff now living in Goose Creek, counts himself among the firmly undecided. Sitting in a local cigar shop, nursing a half-smoked stogie, Hightower worries out loud about the uninspired field. "I'm stuck," he said, exasperated. "I'm not seeing a real clear choice here. It's either bad, real bad or worse." His take on the GOP field isn't all that generous, either. Gingrich: "He's smart. Sure. But I just don't trust him. He's an egotistical so-and-so." Santorum: "He simply doesn't have the experience. He's just not ready." Paul: "He's a little too extreme for me. Kind of wacko." When asked if he had to make a decision today, he paused, saying reluctantly, "Well, if I had a gun to my head, right now, I guess I'd have to go for Romney. But that's only with a gun to my head." Hightower said he, too, has closely watched the series of debates, and they have been key in his decision process. "You can see who they really are. Under pressure, those debates really bring out their true self." But the TV ads that have saturated South Carolina airwaves? "I don't pay any attention to them, none whatsoever." The one thing, however, that Hightower is clear about is his disappointment in the job Obama has done, although he admits he supported him in 2008. "I just want Obama out," he said bluntly. "I voted for him last time around, but that won't happen again. No way." ---------- . Kim Rittinghouse, 47, the owner of the Kingston Cigar Shop, has two sons in their early 20s. One is a marine biologist. The other is a Marine. "I guess either way, if they do budget cuts, my boys will get cut, too." Nevertheless, she said, she supports the conservatives' efforts to shrink the size of the federal government. "It's just gotten out of control." In 2008, she voted for Obama in the primaries but switched to support McCain in the general election. This year, first she hoped New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would have run for the nomination -- "I like him. He's bold but has a little finesse" -- then she turned her support to Herman Cain -- "Yeah, I was definitely on the Cain Train." Now, she says, it's a tossup. "You know, I might just listen to what Sarah Palin said. I am almost leaning toward Newt Gingrich, just so we can keep this thing going." Her take on the GOP field? Romney: "I like his business experience." Santorum: "He's a long shot." Paul: "I like his budget cutting, but he is kind of crazy." Gingrich: "He's definitely the smartest one out there, but he has a huge ego." "If you could just pull them all together, you'd have one great candidate!" | Days before the South Carolina primary, many voters don't know what to do .
Frustrated with the field, flummoxed by the choices, some will wait and see .
Most say Thursday night's CNN debate in Charleston could be deciding factor . |
112,926 | 1db56a0cfa5a330af9e7ee7504c4f77f433f28ff | TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- He's no Julia Child, but Honduran President Manuel Zelaya showed Tuesday he can attack a cantaloupe and U.S. government claims in a single motion. President Manuel Zelaya chews on a slice of Honduran melon to demonstrate its safety. "It's not in our fruit," he said about last week's report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that some Honduran cantaloupes may be contaminated with salmonella. "It's not true what they are saying. Logically, we believe it is an error." Then, the 55-year-old father of four asked the viewers of CNN en Español to indulge him as he engaged in a show-and-tell demonstration. "Permit me a second," he said as he stretched his left arm across the tabletop and outside the view of the camera, then pulled into view a box of fruit. "Here I have the box of melons that we are exporting to the United States; here are the protective bags," he said. Zelaya lifted a cantaloupe from the box, placed it in front of him, then grabbed a knife and a fork. "Permit me to make a demonstration," he said, then cut open the fruit, sliced off a chunk, put it in his mouth and chewed vigorously. "I eat this fruit without any fear," he said with his mouth full. "It's a delicious fruit. Nothing happens to me!" Though the symptoms of salmonella infection -- nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps -- typically do not occur for several hours after eating tainted food, the point was made. The demonstration came three days after the FDA said it had linked 50 cases of salmonella in 16 states and nine in Canada to melons from Agropecuaria Montelibana, a grower and packer in San Lorenzo, Honduras. Though there have been no reports of fatalities, 14 people have been hospitalized in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin, the FDA said. While the company has continued exporting to Europe and Central America and has received no reports of illness, the daily export of 45 containers of melon to the United States has halted, a company official said Monday. As a result, some 1,500 workers have been laid off, most of them single mothers, and company losses have exceeded $3 million, company officials said. The FDA alert advised U.S. grocers, food-service operators and produce processors to remove from their stock any cantaloupes from the company. The agency also recommended consumers throw away any cantaloupes determined to be from the company. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Elvin Sandoval contributed to this story. | President Manuel Zelaya says Honduran fruit has no salmonella .
To prove his point, he eats some publicly "without any fear"
FDA links 50 cases of salmonella to Honduran grower .
1,500 workers laid off, grower reports losses in excess of $3 million . |
215,740 | a33fe5e2c83cb7f6e517c9cc6fe8024903eb6346 | Hugely costly: An estimated 600,000 children and adults in the UK are affected by ASD and genetic factors play a role in its development (file picture) Autism is the most costly medical condition in Britain, say researchers. It costs the UK £32 billion a year - more than heart disease, cancer and stroke combined. Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) have produced the most comprehensive estimate yet of treatment, lost earnings, care and support costs for children and adults with autism. Autism, or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), including Asperger’s syndrome, is an umbrella term for a range of developmental disorders that have a lifelong effect on someone’s ability to interact socially and communicate. An estimated 600,000 children and adults in the UK are affected by ASD and genetic factors play a role in its development. A quarter of people with autism are unable to talk, and 85 per cent do not work full time. New research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, concluded the financial costs of autism in the UK were much higher than previously estimated. The overall cost of autism to the UK economy is £32.1bn per year, compared to cancer (£12bn) heart disease (£8bn) and stroke (£5bn). The study found the cost of supporting someone with autism who did not have intellectual disabilities was £0.92 million. The cost rose to £1.5 million for an individual with autism who is also intellectually impaired. The largest costs during childhood are special education and lost earnings by parents. Among adults with autism, the highest costs were for residential or special living facilities and lifetime loss of earnings by the affected individual. The figures also show Britain spends just £4m per year on autism research, compared to cancer (£590m) heart disease (£169m) or stroke (£32m). Professor Martin Knapp from LSE, who led researchers from the UK and US, said between 40 and 60 per cent of people with autism spectrum disorders also have intellectual disabilities. He said ‘What these figures show is a clear need for more effective interventions to treat autism, ideally in early life, making the best use of scarce resources,. ‘New government policies are also needed to address the enormous impact on families.’ Comprehensive: Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) have produced the most thorough estimate yet of treatment, lost earnings, care and support costs for autisim sufferers . Christine Swabey, CEO of Autistica, the UK’s leading autism research charity, said ‘We care about the human stories behind these numbers. Autism is life long and can make independent living and employment hugely challenging. This is part of why it has a greater economic impact than other conditions. ‘There is an unacceptable imbalance between the high cost of autism and the amount we spend each year on researching how to fundamentally change the outlook for people. ‘We know that progress is possible. The right research would provide early interventions, better mental health, and more independence. But right now we spend just £180 on research for every £1million we spend on care.’ Autism researcher Professor Declan Murphy, from the Institute of Psychiatry, said ‘The cost figures show that autism affects all of us in society, every day, regardless of whether or not we have a family member or friend with autism. ‘So we all need to play a part in making things better. More research funding would mean that we could conduct studies to transform lives.’ In a recent survey by Autistica, 90 per cent of parents and 89 per cent of adults with autism said that there was a need for greater scientific understanding of autism. One father said ‘We should be making science work harder to make life more bearable.’ A woman, who was diagnosed with autism aged 50, said ‘I look for interventions, but there do not seem to be interventions for people my age.’ | London School of Economics and Political Science revealed high costs .
An estimated 600,000 children and adults in the UK are said to be affected .
Quarter of sufferers unable to talk, and 85 per cent do not work full time . |
23,146 | 41abd073762c14902c9484b6aac206757345d1b0 | By . Sam Webb . Four people have been arrested after three wealthy tourists were bludgeoned by a hammer-wielding attacker who sneaked into their hotel room in the middle of the night. One woman is in a critical condition and the other two remain in hospital although their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Khuloud Al Muhairi, 36, is still fighting for her life more than 48 hours after being attacked at the hotel, which is off Oxford Street in central London. She is reported to have been placed in an induced coma. A police car parked outside the entrance of The Cumberland Hotel in central London, where three women were attacked with a hammer by an intruder in one of the rooms inside. Their father said: 'My heart is broken to a million pieces' Four stars: The Cumberland Hotel in London, where the hammer attack on three women in their thirties took place . Botched burglary: Police believe the suspect entered a room on the seventh floor where the three women were staying with three children in adjoining rooms (stock image of a Cumberland Hotel room) The 70-year-old father of the three Emirati women was able to speak to his eldest daughter for the first time on Monday evening. He told The National: 'Khuloud, they told me, had an operation on her nose and jaw,' said Jaffar Nasser Al Najjar. “I could barely hear her. She kept saying, ‘I’m OK, Dad. Don’t worry’. 'My heart is broken to a million pieces and I can’t do anything except to pray that they return safely.'It is understood two other women injured in the same incident in the early hours of Sunday and now recovering at a London hospital are her sisters Fatimah Al Muhairi, 31, and 34-year-old Ohoud Al Muhairi. All three women, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were enjoying a break in London with their children and other relatives. Scene: One of the women is in a critical but stable condition after the assault at the Cumberland Hotel near Oxford Street in London . Manhunt: Police are appealing for any witnesses of the incident on Sunday morning at the Cumberland Hotel, pictured, to come forward . A fourth woman, who was staying next door and ran down from the seventh floor to the first screaming for help, is believed to be 18-year-old relative Shekha Al Mauhairi. A lone man managed to get into the room on the seventh floor of the four-star Cumberland Hotel near Marble Arch in London's West End in the early hours of Sunday morning. When one of the women woke up, he attacked her with the hammer, and then turned on the two other victims, fleeing the hotel in bloodstained clothes. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said three men, aged 56, 34 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at addresses in Islington, north London, yesterday. A 31-year-old woman was held on suspicion of handling stolen goods. All four remain in custody at north London police stations. The women, who are in their thirties, had travelled to London for a shopping spree from their home in the United Arab Emirates . It is understood that the three women, who are all from the United Arab Emirates, had deliberately left their door unlocked because they were staying in the hotel as part of a large family group. They were sleeping with three children, who were unharmed, in two adjoining rooms. The wealthy family, who had come to London for shopping and sightseeing, arrived in the UK between April 3 and 5 and the women had visited large West End stores on Saturday. No keys were stolen from the hotel and police said there had been no breach of security at the venue. Detectives are scouring CCTV to establish the movements of both the women and their attacker earlier in the day. The Cumberland Hotel is near Europe's busiest shopping street, Oxford Street, and has 1,000 rooms including a Jimi Hendrix suite. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Three victims of the Cumberland Hotel hammer attack have been named .
Assault happened on Sunday morning just yards from Oxford Street .
One woman is in a critical but stable condition following the 2am attack .
Their father said: 'My heart is broken to a million pieces' |
1,189 | 035ef21dc1c4d949a248607c193900b493d2b711 | New York (CNN)A pair of New York police officers shot and wounded while responding to an armed robbery in the Bronx were going off-duty and probably not wearing their bulletproof vests, police officials said Tuesday. In fact, Andrew Dossi, Aliro Pellerano and three other officers were changing clothes at the end of a dangerous anti-crime detail when they ran out of a Bronx station house to search for two robbery suspects, officials said. The suspects were arrested Tuesday. "Chances are they weren't wearing their vests," Chief of Department James O'Neill told reporters. "They were going home. They jumped into a car and they ended up getting into this fierce firefight." The alleged shooter was identified as Jason Polanco, a 24-year-old boxer who was charged with five counts of attempted murder of a police officer and was said to have posted anti-police and anti-government statements on social media, police said. His alleged accomplice, Joshua Kemp, 28, was arrested on robbery charges. The wounded officers spent Tuesday at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. One of them, Dossi, who is 30 and has eight years on the job, was in stable condition following surgery after being shot in the arm and lower back, according to police. The other, Pellerano, who is 38 and has nine years as an officer, is in stable condition with gunshot wounds to the chest and arm. "Last night a team of our officers displayed extraordinary bravery, going above and beyond the call to protect their fellow New Yorkers," Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has found himself at odds with some in his police force in recent weeks, said in a statement Tuesday. "We thank these officers for their commitment to serving our city, including answering the call after their shift had ended. ... This incident was yet another reminder of how profoundly important the work of our police officers is, as well as the seriousness of the dangers they face every day in the line of duty." De Blasio also thanked New Yorkers who provided more than two dozen tips that helped identify the gunman. Police said 10 of the tipsters identified Polanco by name. Monday night, authorities located the white Camaro that two suspects carjacked a block from the shooting, as well as a .44-caliber revolver, but no one was inside the vehicle. Before Polanco was arrested, police offered a $12,000 reward for information leading to a bearded man pictured in a surveillance video from inside a take-out Chinese restaurant moments before the shooting. Police said he was the man who shot at the officers. Polanco entered the restaurant and bought a bottle of iced tea before coming out firing at the officers who stopped his alleged accomplice outside, police said. 'Extraordinarily brave' The call about an armed robbery at a Bronx grocery store came in around 10:30 p.m. Monday, as five plainclothes officers were coming off their shift. Rather than going home, the police went to look for the criminals, something de Blasio described as "extraordinarily brave and ... part of their commitment." The officers exchanged gunfire with Polanco, police said, but the suspects got away, fleeing on foot for one block and then carjacking the Camaro. At tense time for police in city . Sometime after the shooting, Kemp checked himself into a Manhattan hospital with a gunshot wound to the back, officials said. The man who drove him to the hospital was also taken into custody. Kemp, who has been arrested multiple times for robbery and was on parole, gave an account of how he was shot that didn't add up, police said. "He told a story that didn't seem factual, to be honest with you," Robert Boyce, chief of detectives, told reporters. "He was not credible. ... So, quickly the story didn't add up and then we saw his background, that he was a Bronx guy and we started breaking the case." The incident happened just south of Fordham University, an area hardly unfamiliar to violent crime. John Cardillo, who patrolled the area when he was a police officer, called it "a rough neighborhood in the '90s, and it still is today... (It had and has) armed bad guys with the propensity to shoot someone." The shootings have gotten heightened attention given when they happened -- at a time of large-scale anti-police protests after a grand jury decided not to indict a white New York police officer in the death of Eric Garner, an African-American man. Even if it's too early to tie it to this incident, experts in the law enforcement community have expressed concerns that such sentiment -- views supported in some respects, according to some police, by de Blasio -- will encourage violence against police. That's what happened, they say, when Ismaaiyl Brinsley fatally ambushed NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu last month as they sat in their patrol car. "When the rhetoric turns anti-police, the police are concerned that people on the street, it's going to increase the already existent lack of respect in certain segments of the society -- including armed robbers ... and other violent criminals," said CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director. De Blasio has become a focal point for supporters of law enforcement, with some police even turning their backs on him at Ramos' and Liu's funerals because of their perception that he has been overly supportive of protesters and critical of police. "The relationship is toxic (and) almost irretrievable in some respects," CNN political commentator Errol Louis said of the mayor-police dynamic. "This is not a good atmosphere." On Tuesday, Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, who has accused de Blasio of having "blood on his hands" after the two officers were killed in December, said in a statement: "New York City police officers, who could have closed their lockers and gone home after their shift ended, chose to respond to a robbery in progress and, sadly, were shot in the process. Our members are out there doing their jobs and putting themselves in danger to keep this city safe just as they always do." CNN's Shimon Prokupecz and Ray Sanchez reported from New York and Sanchez and Greg Botelho wrote this story. CNN's David Shortell and Dave Alsup contributed to this report. | Two men arrested, another in custody, in connection with shootings of two officers .
Wounded officers are Andrew Dossi and Aliro Pellerano, according to police .
NYPD officers responding to armed robbery are shot; 2 are hospitalized . |
155,284 | 54b63ae728d4bfeade20f67d62f571c5e3a747ae | By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 09:11 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 1 November 2012 . A California woman has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after smothering her two-year-old daughter because the toddler would not stop crying. Tiffany Lopez, 21, of Oakland, was facing a murder trial in connection to the 2010 death of her daughter, Kamilah Russell, when she accepted a plea deal with Alameda County prosecutors this week. Lopez is expected to be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in January, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Guilty: Tiffany Lopez (left) admitted smothering her daughter to death in the apartment she shared with the girl's father Joseph Russell Jr (right) Victim: Kamilah Russell, two, was killed by her mother at home . The tragic incident happened on March . 9, 2010, when Lopez, then 19, called police reporting that she had . accidentally sat on Kamilah as the two were playing hide-and-seek at an . apartment they shared with the girl's father, Joseph Russell Jr. The . young mother, who was at the time three months pregnant with her third . child, claimed that the two-year-old had been hiding between coach . cushions, and she had accidentally sat on her. Kamilah was rushed to Children's Hospital Oakland after Lopez called 911 and reported that her daughter was not breathing. The toddler was pronounced dead an hour later. Detectives . who questioned the young mother said Lopez’s story did not add up . because the woman weighed 250lbs, and if she were to sit on her . daughter, who weighed only 37lbs, the girl would have cried in pain. After . a lengthy interrogation, Lopez eventually admitted to police that she . had become frustrated with the child crying for her father, who was not . home at the time. Home: The apartment building in Oakland, California, in which Lopez killed her daughter . ‘All I wanted to do was to get her to stop. She wasn’t supposed to die.’ Lopez told investigators, according to Bay City News. ‘I didn’t mean to kill her! I love my baby girl!’ The mother put her hand on the girl's nose and mouth for about 17 seconds, causing her to suffocate, prosecutors said. A . pathologist ruled that Kamilah died of asphyxia due to smothering, . finding that there was an inadequate blood flow to her brain. ‘Just to know that her own momma took her life... It ain't killing me. It's making me die deep inside, man,’ Kamilah's father told ABC7 after Lopez’s arrest. The . couple's second child, Tania, who was seven months old at the time, was . briefly placed in state custody but later returned to the custody of . Joseph Russell. About three . months prior, Lopez was arrested and charged with two counts of . misdemeanor child endangerment for beating her school-age brother for . drinking a can of soda. | Tiffany Lopez, 21, smothered her daughter Kamilah to death .
She then called police and claimed she had accidentally sat on the toddler . |
130,669 | 34fde2f785c63ff9af71c0871ec4bf6d85f36de2 | Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott were among the players who paid tribute to the late Phillip Hughes at the Australian Open on Friday. Australia is mourning the loss of the cricketer, who tragically died on Thursday two days after being struck in the back of the head by a bouncer while batting for South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. McIlroy and Co are in action this week just three miles away at the Australian Golf Club and the players wore black ribbons on their caps in memory of Hughes. A black ribbon can be seen on Rory McIlroy's cap as he plays a shot during round two in Sydney on Friday . Australia is in mourning after the death of cricketer Hughes, and McIlroy showed his repect . McIlroy is in second place on the leaderboard after two rounds of the Australian Open . Home favourite Adam Scott also wore a black ribbon on his cap in respect for his countryman Hughes . Greg Chalmers held a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the tournament but McIlroy moved himself in position to defend his title over the weekend after claiming a share of second place. Chalmers, twice a former winner of his national open, snared his seventh birdie on the last green for a five-under-par 66 to edge ahead of a congested leading pack at five-under for the tournament. The 41-year-old was not getting too carried away with his early lead, however, with the world No 1 on his heels after a second 69 and Adam Scott having revived his tournament with a sparkling 66. 'I think it's very early to be talking about winning given who's right behind me and who's playing very well,' he told reporters. 'Very early to be thinking about what's going to happen on Sunday night.' McIlroy takes a shot from the rough on the 16th hole at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney . McIlroy hits a putt on his way to a second round score of 69 and a halfway score of four under par . McIlroy had an up and down round with an eagle, six birdies and six bogies for a share of second with American Conrad Schindler as well as Australians Adam Crawford and Todd Sinnott on four-under. 'I felt like I had an opportunity today to shoot a good one and put a little bit of space between myself and the rest of the field but it didn't really turn out that way,' said the Northern Irishman. 'A few too many mistakes and it was pretty tricky out there to be honest. Swirling quite a bit, which made it hard for club selection. Misjudged a few wedged shots and got bogies from those. 'I was happy with how I finished, picked up shots in four of the last five holes and I'm still in a good position heading into tomorrow.' Overnight leader Jordan Spieth had a day to forget, bogeying two of his first four holes and finishing with a 72 to drop to a share of sixth on three-under with three others. Overnight leader Jordan Spieth of the USA could not match his first-round heroics but is still in contention . Australian Greg Chalmers sits on top of the leaderboard with a one stroke advantage over McIlroy . 'It was a struggle, big time struggle,' he said. 'I wasn't hitting it well. If I wasn't putting well I may have shot 45 on the back nine.' Scott was in a group of six players sharing ninth on two-under having soared back into contention with a blemish-free 66 that was also fired by an eagle at the 14th. The 34-year-old former Masters champion, an early starter, held the course record on the newly-reconfigured layout at The Australian Golf Club for half an hour until Jamie Lovemark completed a round of 65. 'We had a good morning for it, so I had to take advantage just for the sake of getting back in the tournament,' Scott said. VIDEO World mourns Hughes after tragic death . | Rory McIlroy is in second place at the Australian Open after round two .
McIlroy wore black ribbon on his hat as mark of respect for Phillip Hughes .
Tournament is being held near to SCG, where Hughes was fatally injured . |
149,537 | 4d59129913e0c2704def20c8fdc245aa01fae1ec | (CNN) -- With a slew of domestic violence cases permeating the NFL, some football fans are benching America's favorite fall pastime. Even after the league enacted tougher punishments for domestic violence and three accused players sat out during games Sunday, the Twitter hashtag #BoycottNFL and calls for Commissioner Roger Goodell's removal are running rampant. "No football for me today. Fire Goodell and I may return. #BoycottNFL @nflcommish @nfl #FireGoodell," Scott Allen tweeted. And the women's rights group Ultraviolet flew a banner over the New York Giants-Arizona Cardinals game Sunday, saying Goodell must go. Our #GoodellMustGo banner flying above @MLStadium today before the @Giants game. http://t.co/4bnpFXz2TS pic.twitter.com/KZ8macy9iW . According to a USA Today database, at least 84 NFL players have been arrested and accused of domestic violence since 2000. But the recent cases of four players -- Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson and Ray McDonald -- have hurled the topic into the spotlight. Newsom: Sideline McDonald . California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is publicly asking the San Francisco 49ers to bench McDonald pending the outcome of his felony domestic violence investigation. "(T)he 49ers' continued insistence on playing Ray McDonald during his ongoing criminal investigation is a painful affront to every victim of domestic violence and sends a troubling message to our community and especially our children that 'zero tolerance' are empty words, not real actions," Newsom and his wife said in a message on Facebook. McDonald was arrested on August 31 on suspicion of felony domestic violence after he allegedly got involved in an altercation with his fiancee, who was 10 weeks pregnant, a police source told The Sacramento Bee. The fiancee showed police minor bruises on her neck and arms, the newspaper said. After McDonald posted bail, he said he couldn't say much about the case. "The truth will come out," he told CNN affiliate KTVU. "Everybody knows what kind of person I am ... a good-hearted person." Last week, San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York said the team was awaiting the outcome of the criminal case against McDonald before determining whether to punish him. "I think it's very important that we do let due process take its course," York told KNBR-AM. Rice could appeal . Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was videotaped in February punching his then-fiancee in an elevator and dragging her unconscious body out, could appeal his indefinite suspension from the NFL. ESPN and Pro Football Talk said Rice will appeal Monday. But the NFL Players Association said Sunday that it could not confirm whether an appeal decision has been made. "We don't know yet if or when our filing will come," said George Atallah, assistant executive director of NFLPA external affairs. Rice's attorney has not responded to CNN's request for comment. Ray Rice case: Did NFL execs know the truth earlier? The NFL's actions . After public outcry over a two-game suspension for Rice, the NFL established a six-game unpaid ban for personnel who violate the league's policy on domestic violence, Goodell said Thursday. A second incident would be punished by a lifetime ban from the league, Goodell said in a letter to the owners of the league's 32 teams. Other players have been disciplined over the past week. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was deactivated after he was indicted by a grand jury last week on a child abuse charge. He allegedly whipped his 4-year-old son repeatedly with a "switch." But his attorney said Peterson is "a loving father" who was disciplining his son. "He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas," attorney Rusty Hardin said. And on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers announced just before game time that defensive end Greg Hardy would not be playing against the Detroit Lions. In May, authorities say, Hardy choked his then-girlfriend, dragged her by her hair and threatened to kill her. He was sentenced in July to 18 months of probation and a 60-day suspended sentence for the misdemeanors he was charged with. Hardy said he is innocent and has appealed a guilty verdict. In his post-game remarks Sunday, Panthers coach Ron Rivera alluded to the controversy looming over not just Hardy, but over the entire league. "The climate has changed," he said. "We really do have to get this right. Believe me. I understand that." Tough questions . ESPN anchor and "life-long fan" Hannah Storm deplored the abuse cases in an emotional sign-off on Sunday. "On Monday morning, I was genuinely excited to come to work and break down what I thought was a fascinating first weekend in the NFL," Storm told viewers. "Instead, I kicked off ESPN's coverage of the horrific Ray Rice elevator video." She described trying to answer her daughters' difficult questions over the weekend -- "Mom, why did he do that? Why is he in jail? Why didn't he get fired?" Storm said she has some lingering questions of her own. "What does all of this mean for the future? What does it mean for female fans whose dollars are so coveted by the NFL (and) who make up an estimated 45% of the NFL's fan base?" "What exactly does the NFL stand for?" CNN's Steve Almasy, Rachel Nichols, Michael Martinez, Priscilla Riojas, Mayra Cuevas and Kevin Conlon and CNN Sports' Kevin Dotson contributed to this report. | A women's rights group calls for the NFL commissioner's resignation at a Giants game .
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom: The 49ers should bench Ray McDonald .
Reports: Ray Rice is expected to appeal his indefinite suspension Monday .
The NFL recently enacted tougher punishments for domestic violence . |
103,447 | 11662df8d84adcbaa1d0fb7e537c205defb4a187 | By . Bianca London . She may only be 18 but Kendall Jenner is already the star of a TV show, has her own clothing line, is a clothes horse for Chanel and this week made her debut in Vogue Paris. And now, one of the industry's most acclaimed stylists has revealed exactly what it is that makes the youngest of the Kardashian clan so appealing. Speaking to Grazia Daily, LOVE Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Katie Grand, who styled Kendall for her glossy Vogue shoot, has nothing but praise for the hardworking young model. Model behaviour: Kendall Jenner's stylist, who worked with her on the Vogue Paris shoot, has opened up about what makes the 18-year-old stand out from the rest . Describing her as a 'pleasure' to work with, Katie explains that Kendall has made well informed decisions about working in fashion. 'She is unique in wanting to turn her back on her celebrity when it comes to modelling,' she said. 'It would have been easy for Kendall to go with a bigger agency and gone down a celebrity route but she wants to be taken seriously as a model just like the rest of them.' Her wise move has paid off - in just a year, Kendall has walked for Giles, Chanel, Marc Jacobs and been invited to sit beside Anna Wintour on the Topshop Unique front row. Fashion coup: Katie Grand styles Kendall for her Vogue Paris shoot and says she is a 'pleasure' to work with . Close friends: Katie, right, says that Kendall, left, is unique in wanting to turn her back on her celebrity when it comes to modelling . And it seems that Kendall, who loves listening to 50 Cent when on a shoot, has learnt from a certain sister of hers. 'I had dinner with Kim right before the wedding and her and Kendall are quite similar, they take work really seriously, they're fun and have a good time but work comes first,' said Katie. And it . isn't just a good work ethic that the half-sisters share. Kendall caused . a few double takes when she posted a picture of herself on Instagram . emulating Kim in more ways than one yesterday. With the same hair style, smoky eyes and . neutral shade of lip colour to the . natural-toned make-up that Kim, 33, favours, the pair look uncannily similar. Kim is every bit the doting sister, as . she displayed earlier this month when she shared a snap of the two at . Met Gala in New York. Mirror image: Kendall Jenner looked just like . her sister Kim Kardashian with the same hair and make-up in a new snap . posted to her Instagram page . 'Best . thing in life is sharing memories with the ones you love! From getting . ready together to experiencing the night I'm happy you were at my side . @kendalljenner I love you my model baby!!!,' she captioned it. Kendall and sister Kylie, meanwhile, spoke to eTalk in Canada about Kim and Kanye West's nuptials. In . the interview set to air on Thursday night, Kylie called the wedding in . Florence 'amazing,' adding: 'We can't say much, but it was amazing.' Kendall chimed in: 'It was beautiful. It was filled with a lot of love.' Most watched: Kim seems to attract attention . everywhere she goes; Kendall was Kim's shadow on a sisters' day out in . LA on March 15 . Before the makeover: Kendall was just an average . fresh-faced 16-year-old in 2012 during a shopping excursion with Kim in . West Hollywood . Influence: Kendall and Kim both had that model . walk as they stepped out in Paris on May 21 just a few days before the . big wedding . | Katie Grand styled Kendall for Vogue Paris shoot .
Says she is extremely hardworking and a pleasure to work with .
Has learnt a lot from Kim, who is just as hardworking . |
251,031 | d0e1ae88a20727f9cab2e7e7eb51779d7a70ff7e | By . Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline . David Cameron, leaving a meeting of the Cabinet in London, insisted he was 'passionate' about keeping Scotland in the Union . David Cameron has insisted he has no regrets about his handling of the Scottish referendum – as it emerged he will not be heading north of the border again before tomorrow’s crunch referendum. The Prime Minister said he had no choice but to grant Alex Salmond a vote on independence, defended the ‘No’ campaign’s negative tactics and insisted it would not have been right to put a third ‘devo max’ option on the ballot paper giving Scots the chance to vote for more powers instead of outright independence. Mr Cameron’s remarks came as polls last night put the pro-Union campaign just ahead of the Yes campaign with just a day of campaigning to go. Despite the race for independence going down to the wire, Mr Cameron will not be visiting Scotland again before the polls open tomorrow. But Mr Cameron, in an interview with the Times newspaper, insisted he was ‘passionate’ about keeping the Union together. Asked whether he had sleepless nights over the referendum, he said: ‘Of course.’ The PM also admitted it was his responsibility to convince voters to reject independence – despite only visiting Scotland a handful of times during the referendum debate. He said: ‘I care passionately. My head, heart and soul will tell me that it would be a tragedy for the UK to break apart. ‘But I am a democrat, and I lead a democratic country, and when one of the nations of the UK voted for a government whose policy was to have a referendum, I had a choice.’ He said he ‘always thought this would be a tightly fought contest’ but added: ‘I’m not a pollster, so I can’t really explain polls. My job is to help move them rather than explain them. The three polls released last night put the No campaign on 52 per cent, with 48 per cent backing Yes, after ‘don’t knows’ were excluded. A poll by Survation for the Daily Mail showed a two-point narrowing of the lead since last Thursday. Mr Cameron also admitted he was concerned about the ‘intimidation’ tactics used by the ‘Yes’ campaign, amid growing concerns over the behaviour of nationalist supporters. ‘There has been quite a lot of that going on, and that does worry me,’ he said. Scroll down for video . Yes campaigners in George Square, Glasgow, have seen support for independence surge in the past month . Mr Cameron made his last campaign visit to Scotland on Monday - urging supporters in Aberdeen to reject independence . Mr Cameron will be under intense pressure to resign as Prime Minister if Scotland votes to leave the UK tomorrow. Tory backbencher Andrew Rosindell became the first to openly call for Mr Cameron to step aside in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote – but his view is privately supported by many of his parliamentary party colleagues. He said: ‘I hope Scots vote to stay. If it goes wrong, however, the prime minister will have to decide what the honourable thing is to do.’ Mr Cameron is also facing increasing anger within his party over the cross-party agreement to hand more powers to Scotland while also protecting the funding agreement which hands more cash to Holyrood than England. Influential Public Accounts Committee chairman Bernard Jenkin has called for Scottish MPs to be banned from voting on ‘English’ laws. He also wants to see an ‘English First Minster’ and ‘English Chancellor’ separate from a British government ruling on ‘Union’ matters such as defence and foreign policy. Mr Cameron admitted yesterday that the question of whether Scottish MPs should continue to vote on English issues would ‘get more pressing’ in the event of additional devolution for Scotland. But the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown rejected English votes for English laws. He said: ‘You’ve got to recognise the minorities of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, that’s why they’ve got parliaments and assemblies, that’s the key to to the UK constitution — it can evolve and meet the needs of people. England is still 85 per cent of the population and has 85 per cent of the membership of the House of Commons.’ | The PM said he had no choice but to grant Alex Salmond a referendum .
He defended the 'No' campaign's negative tactics and his own role in debate .
Mr Cameron's remarks came as polls put the 'Yes' campaign 4% behind . |
286,135 | fec7075f039e69d77b9f0c5a8169e2ecaa28ac28 | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 19:05 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:55 EST, 8 January 2013 . Her dresses sell out within hours of her wearing them; her hairstyle is copied in salons across the country. But all those seeking to emulate the Duchess of Cambridge’s style no longer have to pore over photographs. They can simply consult Vogue’s complete guide to Kate. From the diameter of her curls to the number of teeth she shows when she smiles, nothing has escaped the fashion bible’s scrutiny. Ahead of her 31st birthday tomorrow, the magazine has analysed outfits the duchess has worn since her marriage to Prince William in April 2011, plus a handful from before the couple’s engagement – 100 in total. So to be a true copy Kate, you should wear blue, ensure the average drop of your earrings is 33mm – and carry your clutch bag with both hands. According to the guide, when it comes to her clothes, Kate’s favourite colour appears to be blue, which she has worn on 24 per cent of occasions. From peacock to Prussian, it is her out and out favourite. She also favours red (13 per cent) - which she wore for the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant - followed by white (12 per cent) and, less popularly with the public, grey (11 per cent). Next on the list is purple (9 per cent), multi coloured or patterned outfits (eight per cent) pink ( seven per cent) and green ( six per cent). Cream and yellow both languish at the bottom of the league table on five per cent. By far and away most outfits worn on her last 100 official engagements come from top end High Street store LK Bennett - worn on 28 public engagements. But designer Alexander McQueen, whose outfits cost several thousand pounds apiece and who the Duchess chose to design her wedding dress, is her next favourite label with 14. Other designers in Kate’s top five are Jenny Packham (six), who has designed some of her most stunning evening dresses, and Temperley (eight). Once the high street Queen, Zara languishes at seven (probably because the firm have a huge store just a short hop from her home at Kensington Palace). But surprisingly Reiss, the label Kate wore to meet US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at Buckingham Palace, does not even register. Vogue have even made it their business to scrutinise the length of the Duchess’s sleeves - finding that 6:1 being the most commonly seen arm-to-sleeve-length ratio. ‘All the better to display the royal wrist-bling,’ it says. The magazine estimates that on her most recent tour of South East Asia and the Pacific, the Duchess took along 61 items of clothing, footwear and accessories worth around £1,427 per outfit (compared to the late Diana, Princess of Wales whose tour outfits costs the modern equivalent of £4,270 a pop). Kate’s other most talked-about asset is her glorious tumbling tresses and the magazine has even, unbelievably, worked out the average diameter of her curls - 25mm. The Duchess goes for a glossy ‘Chelsea blow dry’ 73.4 of the time - a perfectly achievable goal if one, like Kate, has a hairdresser on call 24 hours a day. Just like on her wedding day, she favours a chic half-up half-down do 13.6 per cent of the time, wearing it either naturally loose and curly or in a ponytail 6.5 per cent of occasions. Her accessories are equally closely monitored. Apparently the Duchess has perfected the tilt of her hats and fascinators - always to the right at a stylish 50 degree angle - to show off her enviable cheekbones. The average dimension of her favourite clutch bags is 194mm by 132 mm and she carried them as thus: one handed 31 per cent, left hand over right 15.5 per cent, right hand over left 5.5 per cent, hands together 48 per cent. Her favoured shoe designer is the upmarket Stuart Weitzman - sported on 13 public engagements out of the last 100 - closely followed by Jimmy Choo (well you would do, wouldn’t you?) at nine official events. The analysis found Kate favoured the colour blue, having been seen wearing it on 24 per cent of occasions, while green dresses only made it to six per cent . Even her earrings do not escape scrutiny - the average drop measuring exactly 33 mm. One of her favourites pairs is a glittering sapphire and diamond set once owned by William’s mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who sported them on the cover of Vogue in July 1994. Seventeen years later, on her July 2011 official tour to Canada, Kate wore them in public again after having them slightly remodelled. Creams and yellow languish at the bottom of the table at five per cent, according to the study, which analysed everything including the length of her sleeves . Even her teeth do not escape the eagle eye of the fashionistas. Apparently the Duchess, who is believed to have had her teeth whitened and straightened by ‘micro-rotation’ - using invisible braces attached to the back of each tooth - shows an average of 8.6 teeth when she smiles. The February issue of Vogue is on sale from Thursday. The Duchess has developed into a fashion icon, as dresses sell out within hours of her wearing them and salons across the country are asked to emulate her hairstyle as analysed by Vogue- on sale Thursday . | To be a true copy of Kate, wear blue, carry your clutch bag with both hands and go for a glossy Chelsea blow dry .
Vogue magazine has created a comprehensive guide to the Duchess of Cambridge's style .
The analysis found most of the outfits she wore on her last 100 official engagements came from store LK Bennett . |
99,012 | 0b8414a6031d182d938e0fbf9d0a0471bbc07a66 | A teenager has shared images of her horrifying scars after her ex-boyfriend broke into her house, brutally assaulted her and torched her room. Sophia Putney-Wilcox, 17, revealed her sickening injuries after her ex Adam Shigwadja allegedly assaulted her with a knife in the bedroom of her Michigan home before setting a fire on Monday. Shigwadja, 18, was arrested on Tuesday. Police are expected to charge him with attempted murder, arson, home invasion, unlawful imprisonment and violation of conditional bond. Scroll down for video . Sophia Putney-Wilcox is recovering from injuries in hospital after her ex-boyfriend allegedly broke into her home in Michigan on Monday with a knife . The teenager said that she feels 'grateful to be alive' after she was attacked in her home by her ex-boyfriend on Monday night . Miss Putney-Wilcox told Mlive on Wednesday: 'I'm really grateful to be alive' as she recovered from her injuries at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. The 17-year-old said that she ended her relationship with Shigwadja last year after they had been dating for a year and a half when she found out he had been cheating on her. He broke into her home on February 20, 2013, she told Mlive, holding a knife to her throat and trying to force her outside in her underwear and T-shirt. He was arrested and released on $10,000 bail and ordered to stay away from his ex-girlfriend. The teen tried to file an extra protection order but request was denied. Adam Shigwadja, 18, was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly breaking into his girlfriend's home with a knife. Police are expected to charge him with attempted murder, arson, home invasion, unlawful imprisonment and violation of conditional bond . Shigwadja allegedly broke into her home again on Monday and attacked her before her brother, hearing the noise, intervened with a baseball bat. The attacker escaped through a window but Miss Putney-Wilcox was accidentally hit with the bat, leaving her with a had injury which required a row of stitches. The high school student said that she wanted to share details of her attack to encourage victims of domestic violence to come forward. In a statement on Wednesday, police said: 'Adam Shigwadja was located by Public Safety officers on Tuesday at approximately 7.30pm... and was apprehended without incident.' He is expected to be arraigned today. MailOnline was awaiting a response from the Kalamazoo Public Safety Department today. Sophia Putney-Wilcox pictured before her ex-boyfriend's attack on Monday after he broke into her bedroom with a knife . | Sophia Putney-Wilcox, 17, revealed her sickening injuries after her ex Adam Shigwadja allegedly assaulted her at her Michigan home on Monday .
Shigwadja is facing attempted murder, arson and home invasion charges .
Miss Putney-Wilcox has already been attacked in her home by Shigwadja in February 2013 .
She had asked a judge for a protection order against him but was refused . |
46,656 | 83730099c6bdc085309c86e9b17ada14efbf5ee0 | Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Dolly threatened flash floods and mudslides in mountainous areas as it moved in from Mexico's Gulf coast, where authorities had readied shelters and suspended school classes on Wednesday. The U.S. Hurricane Center said Dolly was located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south-southwest of Tampico early Wednesday morning. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph (75 kph) and it was moving to the west at 8 mph (13 kph). The storm was expected to bring 5 to 10 inches (12 to 25 centimeters) of rain to states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, along the Gulf coast and inland. Life-threatening flash floods and mud slides were possible in mountainous areas. Deluge: A couple of cars lie in a portion of a collapsed street due to heavy rains in the Gulf port city of Veracruz, Mexico . Surveying the damage: A woman looks at the damage after part of a street and a home collapsed due to heavy rains. The Gulf states of Mexico are bracing for more bad weather as Tropical Storm Dolly crosses the Mexican coast . Fierce: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed off Mexico's coast over the Bay of Campeche. The storm's maximum sustained winds were close tonear 45 mph . Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 140 miles (220 kilometers) but weakening was expected over the next 24 hours as Dolly moves farther inland. Tamaulipas state authorities said earlier in the day that shelters were being readied and that classes would be suspended Wednesday in several municipalities along the Gulf coast. Authorities in neighboring Veracruz state ordered classes in the whole state suspended. Authorities on Mexico's Gulf coast prepared shelters and closed schools Wednesday as Tropical Storm Dolly threatened with flash floods and mudslides . Not over yet: Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides are possible in mountainous areas.Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 140 miles . Weakening is expected over the next 24 hours as Dolly moves further inland . Dolly’s formation on September 2 comes more than a week later than the usual formation date of the Atlantic’s fourth named storm, August 23. The 2014 version of Tropical Storm Dolly is the eighth appearance of a storm named Dolly in the Atlantic. Dolly made its first appearance in 1953 as hurricane that weakened before passing over Bermuda. Dolly’s most recent appearance, as a 2008 Category 2 hurricane that hit near the Texas/Mexico border, was its most damaging–$1.5 billion in losses were recorded. This was not enough to get the name Dolly retired, though. Dolly is next scheduled to appear inn 2020. The city of Veracruz had flooded and least two streets where electric workers had been doing underground work had collapsed, damaging a house and several cars. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Norbert formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Tuesday. By the late evening, Norbert's center was about 120 miles (195 kilometers) southwest of Cabo Corrientes, or about 300 miles (480 kilometers) southeast of the southern tip of Baja California. Hurricane forecasters said that on its current track, Norbert is expected to move away from the southwestern coast of Mexico early Wednesday, and approach the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula on Thursday. Maximum sustained winds were around 50 mph (85 kph), and the storm was moving north-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph). Wrecked: Neighbors look at the damage after part of a street and a home collapsed due to heavy rains. The storm is expected to continue moving inland over northeastern Mexico on Wednesday . In shock: Maria del Carmen Gonzalez watches after part of a street and her home collapsed because of the storm . | Tropical Storm Dolly washed ashore on the Mexican coast on Tuesday .
The fourth Atlantic tropical storm of 2014 made landfall Tuesday night south of Tampico, Mexico .
The tropical storm is not forecast to impact the U.S. coast, though could bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides to Mexico’s mountainous terrain . |
142,544 | 445a3c3cad6ebe7b760bcfa3a7252d160e3cfcfd | Liverpool legend and Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal defender and World Cup-winner Per Mertesacker. The German centre half looked short on form and confidence as the Gunners lost 3-2 to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium, and Carragher believes Mertesacker let his team-mates, and in particular his fellow defenders, down. 'What confidence does that (type of performance) give the young lads around him,' Carragher said on Sky Sports 1's Monday Night Football. Jamie Carragher described Per Mertesacker's performance against Stoke City as 'unacceptable' Peter Crouch scored within the first 25 seconds against Arsenal and Mertesacker was partly at fault . 'He's got to help these (younger defenders) and protect them and stop them getting asked questions. 'You're in a game away at Stoke in a tough venue - let your players around you know you're not going to accept what's going on. 'This is your captain on the day. We talk about leadership, character - like (Arsene) Wenger always talks about after the game. 'He's abandoned ship, he's left them on their own and that is not acceptable for a player of that quality and experience. He's abandoned ship. It's just not acceptable.' Arsenal struggled to deal with Bojan (right) for large periods - Calum Chambers was sent off for this challenge . Young full back Hector Bellerin also looked as though he could have used more guidance from Mertesacker . | Arsenal lost 3-2 to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday .
Per Mertesacker did not play well in the demoralising defeat .
Jamie Carragher has attacked the German for his performance .
Carragher said it was 'unacceptable' that he 'abandoned' his team-mates . |
204,777 | 952109e135cd7fcc49e9532255ccde38150bc752 | By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 5:36 PM on 12th December 2011 . An incredibly rare 200-year-old golden 'doubloon' has sold for $7.4million, one of the highest prices ever paid for a gold coin. The 'Brasher' 1787 doubloon contains 26.66g of gold and is considered the first American-made gold coin denominated in dollars. Its name comes from Ephraim Brasher, the goldsmith and neighbour of George Washington who minted the coin and whose trademark stamp was taken as proof of a coin's weight and fineness. Rarity: Left, The 1787 doubloon is stamped with Ephraim Brasher's unique 'EB' hallmark and is one of only seven ever made and right, a painting by artist Gilbert Stuart of the first American President George Washington . As the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia did not begin striking coins until the 1790s, the doubloon's huge historical significance saw it sell for the record sum. The coin is marked with Brasher's 'EB' hallmark, which the highly-regarded goldsmith only stamped on his own coins. He mainly struck copper coins from 1787 onwards, but also put his unique stamp on a small number of gold coins. It is thought the already-extremely rare coin has even greater significance as records show that only seven golden doubloons were made by Brasher. The coins fetched $2,415,000 for the . New York Style EB Punch on Wing NGC AU55, $2,990,000 for the unique New . York Style EB Punch on Breast NGC XF45 and $690,000 for the rare but . less iconic Lima Style Doubloon. Trademark: The 'EB' stamp was Brasher's hallmark when he began minting coins in 1787 . Blanchard . and Co, the New Orleans-based coin and precious metals company that . brokered the deal, said the doubloon was purchased by a Wall Street . investment firm. Identities of the buyer and seller were not disclosed. Worth about $15 (£10) when it was minted, the gold value today would be more than $1,500 (£965). All the other six each have the 'EB' stamp on the eagle's wing, whereas the latest coin to sell is the only . one with the 'EB' stamp on the eagle's breast, which may explain the . world record fee. The . latest auction has smashed the previous record for a similar sale where . three varieties of Brasher doubloons were sold for a combined . $6.1million in 2005. | 1787 coin was one of only seven ever made .
Thought to be first ever struck by the U.S. |
180,714 | 75eee2c7755f6128f2e3e5a2726821f2228f54a3 | By . Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 13:10 EST, 30 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:45 EST, 30 January 2014 . Child porn: Pundit Ross McFarlane, pictured, downloaded the images four months after he was convicted . A Sky Sports commentator has been spared jail after he viewed child pornography for a second time just four months after he was last in court. Former professional golfer Ross McFarlane, 52, was an occasional pundit for the TV channel - where chiefs, unaware he had any convictions at all, have said he will never appear again. He used two computers to search for images of children as young as seven, despite a court ordering his internet use to be restricted . Police were alerted by the tracking software installed after his previous offence, which found he was viewing photos of adults having sex with children. He had been convicted of making indecent images of children in March 2012 and was handed a two-year community order and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. A fixture on Sky viewers’ screens . since 2001, McFarlane initially denied he had been looking for child . porn and said he had accessed legal porn websites. But in . a second interview he admitted accessing the images and . said he was very down and depressed as he was going through a divorce. 'The searches he had made included pre-teen models and drunk teens,' said Graham Smith, prosecuting. When police searched his home late last year, they found another, untracked laptop with more pornographic images. Graham Smith, prosecuting, said: 'In July 2012 officers became alarmed due to the nature of the websites he was accessing. 'In October whoever was using the . computer was searching out indecent images and in November they (the . officers) seized his laptop.' Aylesbury Crown Court heard the websites included references to teens and young girls. Most of the photos were of girls as young as seven who were scantily-clad but not nude, but some were of child sex, the court heard. Mr Smith said of the 162 images found on the monitored HP laptop, 132 were at level one, the least severe, with one at level two, 17 at level three and 12 at level four. Sentence: Mr McFarlane pleaded guilty to two offences at Aylesbury Crown Court, Buckinghamshire (pictured) On the second laptop were 23 images at level one and two at level three. McFarlane became a professional golfer in 1979 and won the Deutsche Bank Open of Europe in 1997, his only European Tour tournament win. That year he achieved his highest ranking of 26th on the tour. His father Noel played for Manchester United’s youth side in the mid-1950s which featured many members of the Busby Babes side, killed in the Munich air crash in 1958. Mitigation: McFarlane told police he had been depressed about going through a divorce . In mitigation, Helen Warren told the court: 'He is horrified to find himself here and is extremely upset, not just for himself but for those that know him.' She said McFarlane, dressed in a beige Hugo Boss jacket, black trousers and a white shirt, had sought rehabilitation and counselling since his arrest. 'He is very ashamed of himself and what he has put his family through,' she added. 'His employer was previously unaware of these proceedings so he does not think he will have a job for much longer.' Judge Johanna Cutts told McFarlane: 'This is not a victimless crime. They are children Mr McFarlane, children. They are abused and photographed to gratify men like you. 'You have children. How would you like it if they had been treated like this?' McFarlane, of Stoke Poges, . Buckinghamshire, admitted making indecent images and breaching his . five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Watched by his ex-wife, he was handed 10 months' jail, suspended for two years, given a 10-year order banning him from contact with children under 16 without parental permission and monitoring and limiting his internet use. He was ordered to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He was also ordered to pay £340 costs. A spokesman for Sky Sports said it had been unaware of either of McFarlane’s convictions and added that he had been used 'sporadically', around 10 times per year. 'Ross was an occasional, freelance golf expert and, of course, he will not be appearing again,' he said. | Former pro golfer Ross McFarlane, from Buckinghamshire, was TV pundit .
Police tracked him after his first child porn conviction in March 2012 .
Four months later he was accessing child sex images on a tracked laptop .
Judge: 'This is not victimless... They are children Mr McFarlane, children' |
223,090 | acce6244ed5443207d46471f9ed60892eef0ff3a | (CNN) -- Now that the midterm elections are over, the presidential election begins. A significant number of potential candidates in both parties participated in the midterm elections, understanding that this was an important opportunity to enhance their national profile and to demonstrate what they could do for their party. The candidates are also shrewd enough to understand that the congressional environment and legislative relations with President Barack Obama will shape the political landscape for 2016. So, how did all the big players do? Hillary Clinton . The results were mixed for the former secretary of state. Without any question, the defeat of the Democrats in the Senate campaigns and the plummeting approval ratings of the President for whom she served pose a big challenge for her. The candidates she supported didn't do so well. The new Congress will offer a powerful platform for the Republican Party to keep chipping away at the President, and Obama will have trouble passing any bills that she can in turn boast about on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, the results are no doubt going to embolden some Republicans, someone such as Jeb Bush perhaps, to step into a presidential fight they might otherwise have skipped. One bit of good news for her, though, is that the Republican Congress will offer a perfect foil. Nobody has been better at using the theme of Republican extremism than Clinton, an approach she honed while first lady as a way to push back against an aggressive GOP in the 1990s. If Republicans have trouble controlling themselves as the party in power, Clinton will be in perfect position to bring back the arguments about the dangers of right-wing extremism and to remind voters that while she served in the Senate, she was able to build rather than burn bridges. Chris Christie . Speaking of bridges, the New Jersey governor received a much-needed boost from these elections. The governor has been struggling to regain his standing ever since "Bridgegate" ended the air of inevitability that surrounded his candidacy. Until recently, Christie was damaged goods. The pundits speculated as to whether he would survive. Yet Christie resisted the pressure to close up shop. And, most importantly, he used his position as the chairman of the Republican Governors Association to rebuild his national profile and demonstrate that he could still deliver Republican votes -- and campaign contributions. With high-profile gubernatorial victories in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida and possibly Massachusetts, Christie comes out of the elections in much better shape. Though he suffered some losses in states such as New Hampshire, there were enough big wins to strengthen his reputation. Of course, the irony is that the victories of several high-profile Republicans, such as Scott Walker in Wisconsin, will create new problems, since that particular governor might very well run in 2016. Scott Walker . So far, Walker has survived controversy of his own, and this strong re-election win is sure to energize his supporters. He is clearly much more damaged as a candidate than a few years ago after facing a recall election. That came about from a row over curtailing the bargaining rights for public employee union members. But many Republicans are enamored with the tough-on-unions Walker, with his executive experience in a Democratic state. Martin O'Malley . The relatively unknown Democratic outgoing governor from Maryland doesn't come out of the elections in any better shape than when he started. Unlike Republican Rand Paul or Democrat Elizabeth Warren, O'Malley didn't shine on the campaign trail. Worse, in a major upset, Democrat Anthony Brown lost out in the race to succeed him to Republican Larry Logan. O'Malley's critics will be asking why he couldn't deliver. Elizabeth Warren . She continues to insist that she won't run. But the midterms were good for Sen. Warren, even if Democrats took a thumping. Warren has positioned herself as a critic of her own party, warning President Obama and others that they have not been doing enough for struggling middle class Americans. Exit polls suggesting economic concerns were front and center for much of the electorate seem to bolster her approach. The thumping Democrats suffered Tuesday night will surely prompt more soul-searching within the party and pressure for a candidate who, unlike Clinton, seems to offer fresh ideas. Ted Cruz . On the surface, the midterm results look like a great thing for Sen. Cruz. After all, he is the conservative firebrand who has spent the past year campaigning for candidates and making the case that the Republican Party is alive and well. He has been a superstar as he has shaped the conversation within the GOP. But now that Cruz is in the majority, he will also be under greater scrutiny, and his ability to govern will be tested -- until now, the senator has seemed to enjoy the role of maverick and the freedom that comes from being the party of opposition. At a time when many Republicans will see the 2014 elections as evidence that the establishment is in better shape to win than the tea party, he can also expect to start receiving push back from his own party. Marco Rubio . Rubio was once the clear frontrunner for the GOP in 2016. But his star has faded over time, not least because his party killed most efforts to pass immigration reform. Other candidates, such as Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul, also stole some of his conservative thunder. Still, as part of the Senate majority, Rubio now has an opportunity to show what he can do. With Cruz dismissed by critics as the ultraconservative Republican, Rubio has a chance to show that he can govern and form the kind of coalitions -- within his own party and maybe with centrist Democrats -- that would be attractive to voters frustrated with Washington. If he could somehow build momentum on immigration reform, Rubio could yet emerge as one of the stronger Republican candidates in the 2016 primaries. Rand Paul . If anyone doubted that Rand Paul is thinking of running for president, his intentions now should be crystal clear. Paul posted photographs on his Facebook page of Clinton campaigning with candidates who lost. And in Kentucky, Paul said in an interview that voters had rejected both Clintons and what they stood for. Paul has shaped himself into one of the more exciting voices in the GOP. But he still has many potential liabilities, including the anti-interventionist foreign policy position he has staked out, at a moment when there seem to be multiple crises demanding U.S. attention. However, he has also consistently drawn huge crowds on the campaign trail, and he has been able to position himself as a new voice in the party. This suggests he might be able to tap into the enthusiasm of tea party Republicans, while still appealing to younger voters who usually shy away from the GOP. He might also be able to appeal to mainstream Republicans looking for a candidate such as then-Sen. Barack Obama back in 2008. Being part of the majority will give him a greater opportunity to showcase his arguments. Jeb Bush . The former governor of Florida comes out of this election with a party that has momentum and feels that a presidential victory is possible in 2016. They will be searching for a candidate who can win, and for many Republicans, that person is Jeb Bush. The voting Tuesday seemed to confirm that establishment Republicans are the way forward for the party, and no one represents the establishment like Bush. Bush also continues to stick to his position on issues such as immigration that separate him from others in his party. Mitt Romney . Though he insists that he won't run, the truth is that the midterms have bolstered the notion that he should. Romney showed that he is still a valuable asset on the campaign trail, and that he can deliver on fundraising. And as the speculation about him running intensified ahead of Tuesday's vote, there was a distinct sense that he wasn't quite as set against the idea as before. The odds remain slim that he'll run, never mind win. But those odds look shorter than they did. These aren't the only potential candidates whose stock rose or fell Tuesday night. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, for one, will likely be trying to figure out what this election means for his aspirations. As will John Kasich, Ohio's Republican governor, who won re-election soundly. And that is one thing that Tuesday did not change -- the possibility that a candidate could come out of nowhere. In the meantime, even as some votes are still being counted, Democrats and Republicans across the country will be mulling over this week's election to determine whether there is enough in the results to suggest that they might be the best candidate for 2016. | Midterms have only just finished, but 2016 race has begun, Julian Zelizer says .
Hillary Clinton had a mixed night Tuesday, Zelizer says .
Zelizer: Rand Paul surely laid to rest doubts he's running . |
43,754 | 7b70f4959490b072223bb1e96d6a8007c9ae6838 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 16:17 EST, 2 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:19 EST, 2 October 2013 . Brandon McMillan has trained as many as 10,000 dogs for television, movies, commercials, videos and people. Then he started saving dogs from animal shelters, training them and finding homes for them. When Litton Entertainment needed a dog trainer who would rescue, train and place 22 dogs in 22 weeks for a show called Lucky Dog for CBS, they didn't have to look far. He will start each week spending several . hours at a shelter, evaluating dogs. That may be the hardest part, . especially given that at least 9,000 dogs and cats are euthanized each . day because homes can't be found for them. Scroll down for video . Beloved pet: Animal expert Brandon McMillan, host and animal trainer of the show Lucky Dog, cuddles up to a pooch at an animal shelter . Although he looked at an army of dogs in a shelter to find candidates for Lucky Dog, he could choose just 22 . In all, McMillan has saved and trained around 10,000 dogs using his expertise . Mr McMillan, who owns a dog shelter in southern California, pets the dog he is bringing home to train . 'I can only take one out. That means I have to walk by 99 I can't take. All 100 are very trainable, very place-able and just as smart as the next dog. Often the one I choose just comes down to one I make a connection with,' McMillan said. McMillan, 36 and single, said the dogs will be proficient in the seven common commands — sit, stay, down, come, off, heel and no. 'My theory of training is a lot like martial arts. You learn the technique one day and you perfect it for years to come. With the dogs, I teach them technique when I am training them. I teach the family to perfect the technique over the years to come.' His dogs are really good at seven commands instead of being just average at 20 commands, he said. 'Less is more when it comes to dog training.' McMillan will choose the family by evaluating emails he receives at his Southern California ranch — aptly named the Lucky Dog Ranch - and checking out the house and yard where the new dog will live. At the end of the show, the dog and family meet. McMillan spends a couple of hours training the family. Most of the dogs chosen for the show will be under 5 because that's what the families have asked for. The commands the dogs learn include come, down, heel, no, off, sit and stay . At the end of the show, the dog and family meet. McMillan spends a couple of hours training the family . Adorable: The show Lucky Dog airs on Saturday morning across the US . Abuse will not be part of their past. McMillan can tell which dogs have been abused in the first 30 seconds he spends with them. 'And I can tell you how they were abused in the first few minutes,' he said. Those dogs are a passion for McMillan off-camera, but they will not appear on Lucky Dog. 'The viewers that watch this show are not going to want to see a dog that's been in a fight. This is a family show,' he explained. Lucky Dog is targeted to teens 13 to 16 years old, but McMillan is guessing a lot of moms will be watching. Lucky Dog airs on Saturday morning (check local listings for time), followed by another Litton show called Dr Chris Pet Vet, which follows Australian veterinarian Chris Brown as he treats a wide variety of animals. The two shows premiered Saturday. Along with four other Litton shows, they replace Saturday morning cartoons, abandoned by CBS because of increased competition. The new shows also fulfill the network's requirement for educational television. McMillan, who used to have a show on Animal Planet called Night, in which he studied the nocturnal behavior of animals in the wild, won't choose dogs that can't get along with children, he said. 'But if you have a shadow of a doubt that your dog will bite a kid or if a dog has in the past bitten a kid, I would say that is a dog that should not be around kids. I think that's the responsible way to look at it,' he said. | Trainer Brandon McMillan, who is single and lives in California, has rescued and trained thousands of dogs .
The 36-year-old runs the Lucky Dog ranch in southern California . |
135,271 | 3af96d4e678d2b9d438a266e406ead6291f43331 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:16 EST, 16 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:16 EST, 16 February 2014 . Mitt Romney has said that former President Bill Clinton 'embarrassed the nation' with the Monica Lewinsky scandal, but doesn't think it will affect Hillary Clinton's likely run for president. 'I think Hillary Clinton, if she becomes a nominee, will have plenty to discuss about her own record,' Romney said on NBC's Meet The Press' on Sunday. 'I don’t imagine that Bill Clinton is going to be a big part of it.' According to Yahoo News, the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican nominee was asked to comment on the 42nd president in light of the GOP's recent 'resurrection' of the Clinton White House. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has described Bill Clinton as embarassing America on the world stage following the Monica Lewinsky affair . President Clinton bites his lip as he is asked about his involvement in the Monica Lewinsky affair . The famous shot: Bill Clinton embraces Monica Lewinsky in a crowd outside the White House on November 6, 1996 . Hillary Clinton is capable of standing on her away, away from her husband's sex scandal, if and when she runs for President, Mitt Romney said Sunday . 'He embarrassed the nation,' Romney said of Clinton. 'He breached his responsibility, I think, as an adult and as a leader in his relationship. And I think that’s very unfortunate. 'But I don't think that's Hillary Clinton's to explain. She has her own record, her own vision for where she would take the country. 'And I think that's something which will be debated extensively during the 2016 campaign.' Bill Clinton's sexual relationship with Lewinsky, who at the time was a 22-year-old White House intern, led to his impeachment in 1998 and subsequent trial. Clinton was eventually acquitted of the impeachment charges. Last month, Republican Sen. Rand Paul first raised the issue of the Bill Clinton White House, lashing out at Democrats over pushing the idea of the GOP's 'war on women' while forgiving Clinton for his 'predatory' affair. 'The Democrats, one of their big issues is they have concocted and said Republicans are committing a war on women,' Paul said. 'One of the workplace laws and rules that I think are good is that bosses shouldn't prey on young interns in their office. 'And I think really the media seems to have given President Clinton a pass on this,' the Kentucky senator continued. Hillary Clinton is expected to enter the 2016 Presidential campaign . 'He took advantage of a girl that was 20 years old and an intern in his office. 'There is no excuse for that, and that is predatory behavior, and it should be something we shouldn't want to associate with people who would take advantage of a young girl in his office. 'This isn't having an affair. I mean, this isn't me saying, 'Oh, he's had an affair, we shouldn't talk to him.' 'Someone who takes advantage of a young girl in their office? I mean, really. And then [Democrats] have the gall to stand up and say, 'Republicans are having a war on women'? 'So, yes, I think it's a factor. Now, it's not Hillary's fault. But it is a factor in judging Bill Clinton in history.' Paul is considered one of several possible candidates for the 2016 GOP nomination. Former Bush administration adviser has warned the Republican party against a 2016 presidential election strategy that focuses too much on the political history of potential Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton . Romney is not among them. Romney's comments come as former Bush adminstration adviser Karl Rove cautioned Republicans against focusing their campagn too much on Hilary Clinton. Rove told Fox News Sunday he was uncertain whether revisiting Clinton and husband Bill Clinton’s years in the White House would help Republicans win the presidency. 'It may,' he said. 'But the trouble for Republicans is it’s easier to say what you’re against than what you are for.' Republicans have tried to knock down a Clinton candidacy essentially since she resigned from her post in February 2013 as secretary of state. | Mitt Romney appeared on Meet The Press on Sunday .
Made the comments when discussing Hillary Clinton's likely run for President in 2016 .
Said she is capable of standing 'on her own record' despite Bill's sex scandal in 1996 .
Comes amid reports Republican party planning campaign strategy that will use the Clinton history against Hillary . |
224,917 | af3cf415d4cd9a3485211d062b2daf7793fcf757 | (CNN) -- Alex Rodriguez is the rare athlete who transcends the sport in which he is considered one of the greatest players of all time. It hasn't been easy. There have been glamour moments: the baseball superstar dated Madonna, Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz, among others. Handsome, rich and dapper, "A-Rod" is considered a man-about-town. The tabloids loved it all and once renamed him "Stray-Rod." The larger-than-life behavior cost him his marriage, by which he had two children, in 2008. On the diamond, the slugger's performance has been exceptional, though he has been recovering from off-season hip surgery and, more recently, a tight quadricep this year. Rodriguez, MLB negotiating suspension, ESPN says . His long list of accomplishments makes him a living legend still in the game, and fans flock to the field just to see the great Alexander Rodriguez at bat one more time. The New York Yankee third baseman is a three-time American League MVP, 14-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove. He owns one World Series ring, with the Yankees in 2009. The baseball records have been sullied, however, by his prior admission of using banned substances in the early 2000s and by newer allegations this past year of having used performance-enhancing drugs. Those scandals take on bigger meaning because of Rodriguez's unique mark in baseball: He has the largest contract ever in American sports, at $275 million over 10 years, signed with the Yankees in 2007. His detractors call it the worst deal ever because of Rodriguez's health and playing lapses as well as his roguery, including when he flirted with two blond female fans sitting near the Yankees dugout in playoff game in October. The team was swept in the American League Championship Series. War of words between A-Rod and Yankees . This season is supposed to begin the last great hurrah for Rodriguez, the early verses of a swan song. Even he acknowledged it. He just turned 38 on July 27, and he was recovering from his second hip surgery since 2009 -- "definitely the hardest surgery I've had to overcome," he told CNN. Rodriguez is poised to surpass major milestones: 3,000 hits, 2,000 RBIs and 2,000 runs. He now has 647 homers, and while he admitted he hasn't been the long-ball hitter he used to be, maybe a couple of more seasons could put him at the 700 mark. He recently expressed the urgency of the moment. Performance enhancing drugs in sports . "Look, there's no hiding it. I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I'm not 28. I'm going to be 38 here in July. But I do think I can contribute," Rodriguez said last month. "I think I can be a force in the middle lineup, a big right-handed bat for our team, but I'm at a different stage of my career. Is it realistic to go out and hit 40, 50 home runs? I don't think so. But can I go out and have nights like I did last night and do that several times a week? I think so." Rodriguez was referring to his home run in a minor league game in mid-July, where he was testing his surgically repaired hip. His return date to the Yankees lineup has been a cipher all season. The injury didn't help him in a bigger controversy about his health: Rodriguez was accused of having ties with the now-shuttered Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in south Florida and taking performance enhancing drugs. Judge: MLB can sue Florida clinic . Rodriguez has denied the accusation. The stakes are intensified because it's not the first time he has faced issues about doping. In 2009, he admitted to using "a banned substance" over three years when he was playing for the Texas Rangers beginning in 2001. Media reports said the drug was steroids, and pundits relabeled him "A-Roid." The admission -- along with the recent allegations -- could alter his legacy: Some sport analysts say Rodriguez may struggle, once he retires, in the Hall of Fame voting selection process. In whatever way history may judge him, there's no denying how Rodriguez has made much of his life. His was a rags-to-riches story: He was born in New York City to Dominican Republic immigrant parents. His father was a shoe salesman and a catcher in Dominican pro baseball. His mother held two jobs, as a waitress and secretary. Opinion: The worst sports contract ever . His parents moved him and their two other children to the Dominican Republic when Alex was 4. The family then moved to the Miami area when Alex was 8. Later, his parents divorced, but not before Alex learned some baseball from his father. His mother sent him to a Christian private school, where he became well-groomed, well-mannered and a high school athlete who excelled at just about every sport. By 18, at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he was playing for the Seattle Mariners at shortstop. Much bigger than the typical shortstop, he helped redefine the position. He won many awards and honors at Seattle, then at the Texas Rangers, and finally at the Yankees, who signed him in 2004. As he became wealthy, he donated millions to charity, including for facilities and scholarships benefiting youngsters in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade in south Florida. Rodriguez never forgot that he spent a lot of time at the Miami club as a boy of divorced parents. Rodriguez talks with CNN . | Alex Rodriguez, 38, is the son of Dominican Republican immigrant parents .
The three-time A.L. MVP and 14-time All-Star is one of baseball's greatest players .
With richest contract in sports history, A-Rod is well-known for his romantic exploits .
He gives money to Boys & Girls Clubs where he spent time as a boy of divorced parents . |
214,165 | a158209b2d664c7fa8d30681beb9e1d290da6597 | Top English students reach university believing Charles Dickens is ‘just as old’ as William Shakespeare, an academic has warned. Even those with three As at A-level including English can’t put books in historical context, according to Professor Helen Fulton, head of English and related literature at the University of York. They fear being stretched, stick to easy works studied in sixth form and choose short or computer-based texts over those with plot, character and clear narrative structure, she said. Top English students do not know that William Shakespeare, left, and Charles Dickens, right, were born 250 years apart, according to Professor Helen Fulton of York University . Professor Fulton spoke out at a . Westminster Education Forum seminar, where critics described the . Coalition’s new English curriculum as ‘impoverished’ and based on ‘dead . white males’. The Government has scrapped a list of . suggested authors at Key Stages Three (ages 11 to 14) and Four (14 to . 16). At Key Stage Four, pupils must study two Shakespeare plays; . Romantic poetry; a 19th-century novel; First World War poetry; British . fiction, poetry or drama since 1918 and world literature written in . English. The Government says they should ‘read . for understanding’, for example ‘distinguishing between main and . subsidiary themes and summarising texts’. Professor Fulton said the change ‘seems to emphasise skills rather than knowledge’. She said: ‘I would have thought it should be the other way round at Key Stage Four. Professor Fulton criticised the curriculum saying it emphasises 'skills rather than knowledge' ‘By then, you would expect the skills to be there and you want to start broadening knowledge. ‘Many come [here] thinking Dickens is . as old as Shakespeare because they’re all in the past. Getting a sense . of chronology is something we have to work at.’ Professor Fulton said her department was ‘very high performing’, with eight applicants for every place. Professor Helen Fulton was speaking at a Westminster Education Forum seminar . The medieval literature expert added . she relies on ‘good A-level preparation’, and while ‘by and large, we’re . not disappointed’, some students are slow to try unusual texts from . different periods offered at university. She said: ‘We have some worries about . the tendency towards a retreat from difficulty, for example students . feeling slightly reluctant to be stretched...because they’re afraid they . won’t be able to write on something they’re not familiar with.’ Some students believe it takes too . long to learn and is ‘much easier to dash something off on a . Shakespeare play they’ve already studied for A-level’, she said. She . added: ‘We’re also very aware of the impending death of narrative. ‘Students are consuming texts that are . not narratives in the classic realist sense of having a beginning, a . middle and end and a bit of plot development and character development. ‘They’re consuming short texts, video games, computer-based texts. ‘Again, that’s something we’re trying to manage. I’m sure it’s the same in A-level classes.’ Professor Fulton said students should know modern works, such as the Booker prize winners. Dr Simon Gibbons, chairman of the . National Association for the Teaching of English, told the seminar the . new secondary curriculum is too limited and old-fashioned. He called the Government’s plan a . ‘pretty impoverished version of what English is’, with a narrow range . drawn from a canon of ‘dead white males’. | Professor Helen Fulton said students cannot put works in historical context .
The head of English at York said undergraduates also fear being stretched .
Criticised the curriculum for emphasising 'skills rather than knowledge’ |
91,160 | 013fee9b7b57318e57efbee2114a3b66b254dbf0 | Entirely built by village locals, this is the incredible Guoliang Tunnel, carved into China's Taihang Mountains. The tunnel, used by foot passengers as well as transport, links Guoliang with the outside world, yet just over forty years ago, things were very different. Before 1972 a path chiselled into the rock used to be the only access linking the village to the rest of the Huixian, Xinxiang, Henan Province of China. The journey was a gruelling, almost vertical set of 720 mountain steps. A mix of tourists and transport use the Guoliang Tunnel as well as admire its craftmanship . The edges have some value of support - a far cry to the dangerous path of forty years ago . The stairs were very dangerous because they were steep, narrow and had no handrails. Then the villagers decided to dig a tunnel through the rocky cliff. Led by Shen Mingxin, head of the village, they sold goats and herbs to buy hammers and steel tools. Thirteen villagers worked on the project and it took them five years to finish the 1,200-metre-long tunnel, which is about five metres high and four metres wide. It was made to be wide enough to be driven along, during which time they used up more than 12 tons of drill rods and 4,000 hammers . Views from the mountain tunnel are spectacular, and are worth the driving risks . The Guoliang Tunnel has become a real tourist attraction known throughout China . The fact that 13 workers developed the passage from start until finish leaves tourists astounded . Goats were sold for tools by the village builders back in the 1970s so as to progress the project . On May 1, 1977, the tunnel was opened to traffic. The wall of the tunnel is uneven and there are more than 30 'windows' of different sizes and shapes. Some windows are round and some are square, and they range from dozens of meters long to standard-window-size. As these pictures show, the tunnel has become a valid tourist attraction in China, detailing the hard work and intuition of the locals who knew advances had to be made to move with times. It is also one of the top ten steepest roads in the world. The tunnel links the village of Guoliang with the rest of the Huixian, Xinxiang, Henan Province of China . The wall of the tunnel is uneven and there are more than 30 'windows' of different sizes and shapes. The 1,200-metre-long tunnel, which is about five metres high and four metres wide is wide enough to be driven along . The North Yungas Road in Bolivia, is often misidentified as the Guoliang Tunnel in photographs, although seemingly very different . Photos of the road are often misidentified with the Bolivian North Yungas Road, or as it has come to be known, the Road of Death. This South American route has been named by many as the world's most dangerous road, with estimates that 200 people die there every year. The largely single-lane road has no guard rails and cliffs of up to 600 meters (2,000ft). Most of the road is the width of a single vehicle, about 3.2 metres (10ft). During the rainy season from November through March, rain and fog can severely hamper visibility, and water runoff can turn the road into a muddy track, affecting traction. In the summer, rockfalls are common and vehicle dust limits visibility as well. | Road replaced a perilous path that consisted of 720 mountain steps, and started to be built in 1972 .
After five years of toil and graft by just 13 villages, the new route was completed .
Now the tunnel is a tourist attraction throughout China, as well as a main link for Guoliang . |
182,712 | 789ec5b5f95354307a421e82fcc7468f10ec5025 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 13:56 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:57 EST, 10 January 2013 . Product recall: The fault is understood to affect only a small proportion of the blue and pink dummies . Asda was forced to apologise to customers yesterday after recalling some of its dummies over a choking risk which emerged when one device came apart in a baby's mouth. The supermarket giant, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, identified a fault with the product and asked parents to return all two-packs of the Little Angels Cherry Soother to stores for a full refund. The fault is understood to affect only a small proportion of the blue and pink dummies – which have the barcode 0505244962706 - purchased since October. The baby was unhurt, Asda said. An Asda spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have sold 24,000 in total of that product and there were 3,000 in store left - but as soon as we got that one complaint they were withdrawn.' Another spokesman said: 'We've only had one complaint, but one complaint is just one too many for us. It's really important that we reassure you that we're taking this very seriously.' 'The small fault that we've found is that the top of the soother has come away from the outer casing. No babies and no children have been hurt in any shape or form.' Customers have been asked to either dispose of the products or return them to an Asda store as a ‘precaution’, and the chain has advised people to get in contact if they need any further information. Scroll down for video . Shoppers: Customers have been asked to either dispose of the products or return them to an Asda store as a 'precaution', and the chain has advised people to get in contact if they need any further information . A spokesman said: ‘When it comes to baby products, we don't take any chances, which is why even though there has only been one complaint, we chose to recall the product. 'When it comes to baby products, we don't . take any chances, which is why even though there has only been one . complaint, we chose to recall the product' Asda spokesman . ‘If customers have purchased an Asda Little Angels Cherry Soother two-pack, please dispose of it or take it back to your local Asda for a full refund. No receipt is necessary. We'd like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.’ No other Asda Little Angels soothers or dummies are said to have been affected. Asda, which is part of the US retail giant Walmart, has more than 500 stores across the UK and sells more than 40,000 different products. | Fault found with supermarket's Little Angels Cherry Soother dummies .
The top of the soother came away from outer casing in baby's mouth .
Asda apologises 'for any inconvenience' and insists nobody was hurt . |
25,511 | 483cddf482b480f881d3c43b49ec473e10178013 | (CNN) -- Islamic radicals linked to al Qaeda have seized the northern half of Mali, one of Africa's largest nations, and there are widespread concerns that the region could soon become a terrorist haven. The militants have been able to capitalize on the instability of the country, which has seen a rebellion and a government coup within the past few months. Now, about 500,000 Malians have fled their homes in fear of the violence and discrimination that come with the radicals' strict interpretation of sharia law. CNN's Erin Burnett has been meeting with rebels and refugees this week and reporting on the growing crisis in Mali. She talked to CNN.com about the security concerns, the desperate humanitarian issue and how the United States might respond. CNN.com: Why are some referring to Mali as "the next Afghanistan"? Erin Burnett: We've talked to senior sources in the U.S. government and local rebels who say al Qaeda wants this to be their next haven. There is no government in northern Mali right now: it is remote and hard to access. Former intelligence officials tell me this is Qaeda's last chance of a country as their haven, like Afghanistan was before this. I was told by locals that extremists are giving people satellite phones and saying, "Call in when you see Westerners." They're paying people money in Timbuktu to become "informants." One man told me that families he knows were given 10 times the amount of money they would earn from herding (their normal work) to join the cause. But there are reasons it's not like Afghanistan. One of them is that the type of Islam practiced in northern Mali and the areas around northern Mali is much more relaxed. Locals are not receptive to extreme interpretations of Islam: For example, the extremists banned music, putting a DJ I spoke to out of a job. This is a country that is world famous for loving music! CNN.com: How did we get to this point? Burnett: In the northern part of Mali, the Tuareg tribe has always wanted independence. Since Mali became independent from France in 1960, they've staged several rebellions. But the catalyst for what is happening here now is what happened in Libya. As Moammar Gadhafi was killed and Libya really fell into disarray, his weapons became available. The Tuareg -- many of whom fought for Gadhafi -- seized the weapons and went and fought against the Malian government and declared independence. In the southern part of Mali, people were really frustrated at the government's inability to do anything about the rebellion, and they felt the government was corrupt and inept. So there was sort of what I understand to be an "accidental" coup. Some of the commanders went in to complain, and the president left. Mali ended up without a government. Then, the Islamic radicals, who have long sought a bigger presence in that part of Africa, came in and fought the Tuareg. They overpowered them, and the north of Mali is now controlled by Islamists. There are some Tuareg fighting within northern Mali, and I am aware of camps they operate in the country. But they tell me they don't have the weapons that the Islamic-linked militias have. Even the prime minister of Mali told me that his army has essentially no weapons to fight, and he needs them from the United States. Mali Islamists destroy tombs in Timbuktu . CNN.com: Who are these radicals, and where did they come from? Burnett: People refer to them as al Qaeda, but they're also referred to by the names of their militias, such as Ganda Koy or Ansar Dine. Some are religiously motivated, and some are opportunists: They want control and money but aren't driven by religious beliefs. We discovered that they're coming to northern Africa from several places: specifically, Libya, Algeria, Afghanistan. And there is one major radical militia (Ansar Dine) that is also Tuareg. The leader of that group is a Malian Tuareg who spent time in Saudi Arabia. CNN.com: A large majority of Malians are Muslim. How do they differ with the radicals? Burnett: The brand of Islam is different, so there's not a receptiveness to some of the more dramatic and restrictive parts of what the Islamic radicals want to do: for example, the full covering of the women, and women and men being separated. When I called the military leader of the main extremist group linked to al Qaeda, the leader would not talk to me because I was a woman. There's no question that the local population does not want this. But still, some people buy in and go along with it. CNN.com: How serious is the outside threat posed by these extremists? Burnett: I asked some Tuareg fighters what these Islamists say about America. They said that the Islamists tell people that Americans are like animals and like dogs. Some of that is the kind of propaganda that you expect to hear from al Qaeda-linked groups at this point. And saying these things is very different than saying someone's going to be planning an attack on the United States. But their leaders have said their intention would be to use this as a base. Tuareg rebels were adamant in telling me that the radicals plan attacks on the U.S. and Europe. One expert who is concerned about the risk highlighted to me that 10% of the population of France has links to northern Africa. The question is, at what point will the extremists be at a level of organization and stability to do this? CNN.com: How many refugees are there, and how are they faring? Burnett: There are about 250,000 of them, according to the U.N., and the number is growing. Those are people who have left the country. There is also another 175,000 people internally displaced within Mali, according to humanitarian groups. It's a very serious humanitarian problem. The World Food Program told me that they only have food for one more month in July. We saw people who are hungry. And there are diseases as well because of the conditions in the camps. What's it going to be like if the food runs out? CNN.com: How has the U.S. responded to this point, and how might they respond in the future? Burnett: On the humanitarian side, the U.S. is the biggest donor to the efforts here. The CIA headquarters for Africa is reportedly based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and U.S. government sources told me the Islamic radicals tried and failed to shoot down a U.S. surveillance drone over Mali. But the president of Burkina Faso told me that if the U.S. is operating drones from his country, that's not in the deal he has with the U.S., and he'd demand a new agreement. So the situation is ambiguous. And it's also bad timing politically for President Obama. This week at a fundraiser, Obama said he has al Qaeda "on the run." That's been the administration's message for the past year. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said it; CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus has said it. As al Qaeda and its offshoots grow in northern Mali, that message may sound off. And I think it's important to mention something we experienced: that the "state" borders are meaningless. The Islamists are also spilling over the border into neighboring countries, such as Burkina Faso. We went to that border, and the villagers were terrified of the Islamists, as they found out that one of the leaders was nearby that day. This leads to another question that matters to the U.S.: Could these radical groups destabilize other governments in the region? It remains to be seen. | Al Qaeda-linked militia groups have taken control of northern Mali in Africa .
There are fears that the region could soon become a terrorist hot spot .
Malians flee the country because of the Islamists .
Erin Burnett: If the world doesn't pay attention now, it could become really terrible . |
179,609 | 748ef2aa79d764d36fe3b2e4507ce726d34fea5e | January is a month of reflection - and decisions. If your relationship finished in a decidedly messy state over Christmas, the start of a New Year offers just the incentive you need to sort things out. Stopping that affair, for instance. Scroll down for video . Tracey says that having an affair doesn't mean you're a monster, and there are plenty of reasons to stray . Mira Kirshenbaum, one of my favourite US relationship experts, is the author of When Good People Have Affairs. It's one of few books written for people who are involved in affairs and don't know what to do and that doesn't beat them about the head with a stick. Mira identifies 17 different types of affairs in the book - which have inspired some of the reasons below. Others are my own observations or based on other current research. If you're having an affair and need to make some tough decisions this year, this should help clarify your motives and offer practical advice on what to do next. Many of us have affairs to make up for something our relationship is lacking, this doesn't have to be sex . The reasons why most people have affairs: . 1. TO REVIVE YOUR SEX LIFE . This affair's not about being madly besotted with someone else, it's done as a last bid attempt to wake up your partner sexually and romantically. They find out, they're upset, devastated… but suddenly they appreciate you, sex is hot again. If this is you: Most of these affairs die a natural death and some do achieve the desired result: the marriage can actually get better. Of course in other cases, the attempt to heat things up ends up causing a fire that destroys the lot. 2. TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING BETTER OUT THERE . Comparison affairs are the most common female affair. You're doing it because certain emotional and sexual needs aren't being met in your marriage. You compare your new lover to your husband to see if you're missing out. If this is you: You did this for a reason, now make a decision. If you're happier with the new person, leave. If you're not, finish it and put your energy back into your marriage. 3. TO FORCE YOU TO LEAVE . Tracey offers practical advice on whether now is the right time to leave your partner . If you'd secretly be relieved if your partner found out, you're having an 'exit affair'. If this is you: Leave - and don't pretend to yourself or your lover that you're leaving for them, you're not. 4. TO 'SUPPORT' THE MARRIAGE . You're happy with your marriage but bored or sexually unfulfilled: you have no desire to leave but need the excitement an affair provides. Another circumstance: there's some reason your partner can't have sex (like illness) or you don't want to leave the marriage because of children or finances. These are called 'stabilising' affairs or 'three-legged stools' as with just two legs a stool would fall over, with three it's stable. If this is you: This actually works for lots of people. But there's a huge risk involved because the longer an affair lasts, the more likely you are to get found out. Sometimes, particularly if the marriage has become more of a friendship, the affair is an unspoken agreement between couples. 5. FOR REVENGE . It could be payback for an affair they had, or they're not paying you enough attention. If this is you: If it's your only motive, you've achieved your aim. Stop it now – and don't even think about telling your partner, no matter how sweet that revenge might be. 6. YOU'RE HAVING A MIDLIFE CRISIS . Do I need to say more? If this is you: Skip the affair and talk with a friend, your partner or a counsellor about your fears of dreams slipping away, ageing or death – whatever it is you're preoccupied with. 7. TO AVOID FACING THE TRUTH . You know you should either leave or face your problems but instead you have a fling to distract yourself. If this is you: Make a choice to leave or stay and work at it. You're hurting everyone more by lingering in no-man's land. 8. TO REWARD YOURSELF . You've been a great husband/wife, mum/dad, you deserve it. Lots of people indulge this one by having a 'safe' one night encounter where the chances are getting found out are minimal. Trouble is, it turns into two nights, then three, then... If this is you: You've had your 'treat', now stop it. 9. YOUR PARTNER'S NOT MEETING A CERTAIN NEED . It might be sex you're lacking or it might be affection, feeling taken for granted. If this is you: Once you get the need met by a lover, you'll know just how important it is to you. If it wasn't that crucial, stop the affair. If it was ask your spouse to satisfy it. If they won't or can't, then leave. Tracey says that if you fancy trading your partner in for a younger model you may what to rethink . 10. TO SATISFY AN EXPERIENCE YOUR PARTNER CAN'T . You've never had a threesome/have a fetish or quirk you'd like to act out but know your partner would be horrified. It seems safer to try it outside the marriage. If this is you: Sometimes doing it once gets it out the way. Other times, it reveals just how important it is. Are you sure your partner can't provide what you crave? If you intend to leave unless they do, you've got nothing to lose by asking. 11. TO BOOST YOUR EGO . You want to see if you can still pull. If this is you: If you don't get found out and it's a relatively short affair, the confidence boost can actually renew the relationship. That's Mira's take on it. I say it's a bloody risky way to boost your ego. Wouldn't a new haircut and slinky dress do the job? 12. YOU WANT TO TRADE UP . You see it all the time when people become famous: the dutiful partner who helped them get there is rather rudely shoved aside for a sparkly young pert model. If this is you: They might be 'better' in society's eyes but plenty of people miss the 'old model' more than they expect they would. For more of Tracey's news and views on sex, visit traceycox.com. | Sex expert says that there are several reasons people get into affairs .
Infidelity is often caused by a need for comfort and companionship, not sex .
Tracey explains when cheating is a sign you should leave your other half . |
51,201 | 90e74df0cf48c41341987ef918df3f4ffe8f2237 | (CNN) -- A deadly shooting at a checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport emphasizes airport security vulnerabilities, according to analysts and a union chief. A gunman opened fire on Friday at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at LAX, killing a TSA officer. The suspect was eventually shot and taken into custody, police said. The slain officer was the first TSA employee killed in the line of duty, according to J. David Cox Sr, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents many TSA workers. The TSA's checkpoint officers are not law enforcement and are not armed. While Friday's tragedy was a first, "assaults of officers occur on a daily basis," said Cox, in a telephone conference call. Asked what could be done to improve security at the airport, Cox said he would like "our officers to be able to make arrests. That would be a big improvement if they had arrest power." Instead, they have to turn to local law enforcement when assaulted. Even with the most highly trained TSA officers, some incidents can't be prevented, said Richard Bloom, director of terrorism, intelligence and security studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. If security officials choose to focus on terrorism in a post-9/11 world, "other threats to security may not be attended to as much as they should be," he said. Bloom suggested that training and better pay would go a long way in developing more sophisticated security. "Are they paid as much as they should be, trained appropriately and recognized and rewarded for doing a good job?" he asked. "Do you want a highly paid security and intelligence officer or a rent-a-cop?" American airports are not prepared for violence on the ground, said Rafi Ron, president of Virginia-based New Age Security Solutions. Most of the measures taken since 9/11 are aimed at protecting aircraft from attack. "In the United States, we don't have vehicle checkpoints and we don't have people watching who comes into the terminals and the presence of armed personnel is very, very thin," said Ron, a former head of security of Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. Vehicles driving into Ben-Gurion Airport must clear a vehicle checkpoint, and there are security personnel at all terminal entrances, he said. "It would be almost impossible to walk into the terminal with a gun. If he started shooting, he would probably be dead in a matter of seconds because of the heavy presence of security personnel." The gunman on Friday approached a checkpoint at Terminal 3 at 9:20 a.m. and began shooting at the TSA employee, according to an ex-LAPD officer who happened to be at the scene. The shooting was not the first at the airport. In 2002, an Egyptian national killed two people and wounded four others at the ticket counter of Israel's El Al Airlines before a security guard shot and killed him. Despite these violent incidents, unauthorized guns at the airport are often discovered in passenger carry-on bags as they pass through checkpoints. The TSA screens about 1.8 million passengers every day. The total number of guns seized by the TSA at airports around the country has been on the rise since 2007. The agency seized 1,556 guns in 2012, nearly double the 803 guns confiscated in 2007, according to agency figures. In 2013, the agency seized 1,343 guns through the end of September, 13 of which were confiscated at LAX. The Los Angeles airport is the sixth busiest in the world based on total passengers (63.7 million in 2012), according to Airports Council International. | TSA seized 1,556 guns in 2012, nearly double the amount in 2007 .
Gunman opens fire Friday at Los Angeles International Airport .
TSA screens about 1.8 million passengers and their luggage daily for prohibited items . |
127,468 | 30c170b0f1e41d29b15a1c78db8818d4e95164a4 | (CNN) -- A New Hampshire apartment complex is mandating that residents submit pet DNA samples. Why? To check if any of them are abandoning their dogs' waste on the property. "Ninety-eight percent do what they're suppose to do," property manager Debbie Violette said of her residents with dogs, "but there are some that don't and you don't know who that is. That'd be pretty foolish if they did that right in front of me." Timberwood Commons in Lebanon, New Hampshire, says it is among a growing number of apartment complexes implementing PooPrints. That's a program that matches samples of unclaimed dog waste to DNA collected through pets' mandatory mouth swabs in the hope of imposing greater responsibility among pet owners. Violette says her violators will first receive a warning if caught, paying a $60 fee to cover the DNA costs. However, if it happens again, it's a lease violation and the offender will be forced to live somewhere else. "They have a choice to rent here or not. If you live in that community you have to live by those rules and regulations," Violette said. "It's a privilege." She said she got the idea from a residential community in Boston. Eric Mayer, director of franchise development with BioPet Vet Lab, says the program is currently assisting rental complexes in multiple states, with increasing interest as far away as Canada and Germany. The tests bought through PooPrints, a subsidiary of BioPet Vet Lab in Knoxville, Tennessee, match the DNA already captured to a sample of each pet's waste. Poop that isn't scooped can then be analyzed. According to Mayer, apartment complexes that impose a pet deposit or fee on residents could potentially cover the testing costs incurred with the initial DNA registration. The cost of the DNA analysis each time a sample is tested could theoretically be paid through a fee on convicted freeloaders. It's a service Violette admits to be potentially costly, but with more than 30 dogs on her property, some as large as a St. Bernard, "it's really not about the money for us," she said, "it's about having a nice place to live." And reaction has been positive, she said. "I did have one resident that thought it was completely over the top, who's not a pet owner," Violette said. But after considering the possibility of stepping in a mess he himself didn't leave behind, "he changed his mind," she said. Violette sees long-term benefits in the PooPrints system, saying it could reunite lost pets and owners, especially in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Mayer says he remains focused on both environmental and human health benefits through the system. "It's a huge problem with growing environmental impact," Mayer said of the waste. The PooPrints website estimates a single pet creates 276 pounds of waste per year. "We want people to be responsible and not leave things behind. Down the drain means it's going into your lakes, rivers and streams," he added. | Apartment complexes use PooPrints for residents who don't always scoop .
DNA is taken from swab of dog's mouth .
It's then matched to a sample of their waste . |
204,863 | 953a9fa63fd08bc6a50db127b147342db2e102b6 | Google has made paying a friend for lunch, or transferring rent to a housemate as simple as sending an email. Gmail users can transfer cash simply by ‘attaching’ the transaction to a standard email. The service launched in the US in 2013 and is now being rolled out to Google account holders in the UK. Scroll down for video . The service uses Google Wallet - a free mobile payment and digital wallet that securely stores a Google user’s credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, loyalty cards and offers. The 'Attach money' icon (pictured) is available in the US and will be rolled out to UK users in the 'coming weeks' It uses Google Wallet - a free mobile payment and digital wallet that securely stores a user’s credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, loyalty cards and offers. Cards are linked to the digital wallet, and payments can be made for online purchases and in shops using the phone’s contactless NFC chip. The Google Wallet Balance is a prepaid balance in a Google Wallet account. To send money in Gmail, hover over the attachment paperclip and click either the $ or the £ icon to attach money to the message. Enter the amount and press send. Money can be sent to any email address of people aged 18 and over. However, to receive money, people do need to install the Google Wallet app . Cards are linked to Google Wallet, and payments can be made for online purchases and in shops using a phone’s contactless NFC chip . Google Wallet is a free mobile payment and digital wallet that securely stores a user’s credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, loyalty cards and offers. Cards are linked to the wallet, and payments can be made for online purchases and in shops using contactless NFC chips. To send money in Gmail, hover over the attachment paperclip and click either the $ or the £ icon to attach money to the message. Enter the amount and press send. Money can be sent to any email address of people aged 18 and over. However, to receive the money, people do need to install the Google Wallet app. When users are sent money with Google Wallet, the money is added to this balance. Money can also be sent to other people from Google Wallet, as well as back to the user’s bank account. Google Wallet launched in 2011, and its pay by Gmail service was made available in the US in May 2013. It is protected by a fraud monitoring service, and the Google Wallet Fraud Protection Guarantee. People can also lock their Google Wallet using a PIN, in addition to a screen lock. Google said at the time of launch: ‘Google Wallet is now integrated with Gmail, so you can quickly and securely send money to friends and family directly within Gmail - even if they don't have a Gmail address. ‘It's free to send money if your bank account is linked to Google Wallet or using your Google Wallet balance, and low fees apply to send money using your linked credit or debit card.’ In a follow-up blog post, Google wrote: ‘We're excited to make this feature available for Gmail users in the UK. ‘This means people in the UK will now be able to quickly and securely send money to friends and family in the UK directly within desktop Gmail.' To send money in Gmail, hover over the attachment paperclip and click either the $ or the £ icon to attach the transaction to the message. Enter the amount and press send. Money can be sent to any email address of people aged 18 and over. However, to receive the money, people do need to install the Google Wallet app. And it is only available on desktop, but users can send money using the wallet on their phones or tablets. The feature is rolling out across the UK gradually ‘over the coming weeks.’ | Service uses Google Wallet - a free mobile payment system .
It securely stores credit, debit and loyalty cards and can be used to pay for goods online, or on the high street, using contactless technology .
Google announced its pay by Gmail service in the US in May 2013 .
It is now being rolled out to users aged 18 and over in the UK .
Transactions are ‘attached’ to emails by clicking the $ or £ icon .
Users need to install the Google Wallet app to send and receive cash . |
224,211 | ae50c8e78cdc7f13154250a05d88d448c882c834 | (CNN) -- Matt Aldridge would have trouble contemplating life without the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, South Carolina. Maddie Aldridge has received extensive care at South Carolina's Shriners Hospital, including leg amputation. Aldridge, 28, and his 21-month-old daughter, Maddie, were born without shinbones. Both had their legs amputated at Shriners near their first birthdays. Like all care given to youths admitted to any of North America's 22 Shriners Hospitals, their surgeries and follow-up treatments were free to them. Aldridge estimates the care he received through his teens in the Shriners' system -- which admits children irrespective of their parents' income -- cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, approaching the lifetime limits of some insurance policies. Now, he and his wife, Renee, take Maddie to Greenville -- about a 90-minute drive from their South Carolina home -- at least every six weeks, partly for treatment of a hip condition. Without Shriners' cover-all-costs policy, the family would be in serious trouble, said Aldridge, who works at a Wal-Mart cell phone connection center. Renee is a stay-at-home mother, and the family doesn't have private medical insurance. "If it weren't for Shriners, we'd be financially devastated," Matt Aldridge said. "With just the care Maddie has received already, we probably would be bankrupt." For the Aldridges and many other families, accessing care from Shriners may get a lot more difficult. The system's board says it may ask the fraternity's membership in July for authority to close six hospitals -- including the one in Greenville -- largely because the endowment fund that supports the hospitals dropped from $8.5 billion to $5.2 billion over the last year as the stock market plummeted. The others that could close are in Erie, Pennsylvania; Shreveport, Louisiana; Spokane, Washington; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Galveston, Texas. The Galveston hospital's operations have been suspended since Hurricane Ike flooded it last year. See map of where all 22 Shriners hospitals are » . Deflated investments aren't the only reason the fund has dropped. The hospitals normally operate with donations and the fund's interest, but the system's $856 million 2009 budget is outpacing both, causing the hospitals to take about $1 million per day from the fund, said Ralph Semb, president and CEO of Shriners Hospitals. Other proposals from the system's board would close just one hospital or none, but slash spending systemwide. Leaders also are exploring other options, such as partnering with non-Shriners hospitals. But one way or another, the system must cut spending by about 30 percent to survive, Semb said. "If we do nothing, every hospital would have to cut 25 to 30 percent from their budgets, which in effect would shut about six of them anyway, because they couldn't give the services they've been giving," Semb said. Still, the hospitals can't close without consent of the fraternity's membership. Two-thirds of the roughly 1,400 representatives at the group's July 6-8 Imperial Council Session in San Antonio, Texas, would have to vote for it. Learn about the Shriners fraternity » . History shows that might be difficult. Members, some of whom transport children to hospitals themselves, killed a 2003 proposal to close the hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a similar market downturn. "I don't think it will happen. I don't think it should happen," said Carl V. Nielsen, a 40-year Shriner and a board member for the Minneapolis hospital, which is not on the current possible-closure list. "That would leave large areas of the country without a Shriners hospital, and the cost of transportation of the patients back and forth [to the remaining hospitals] would be too great." Shriners Hospitals, which deals with certain specialties up to age 18, have treated hundreds of thousands of children free of charge since the first facility opened in Shreveport in 1922. Most offer orthopedic care. Four, including the Galveston hospital, care for children who are burned. One of those facilities, in Sacramento, California, is treating a few children burned in Friday's day care center fire in northern Mexico. The Greenville hospital, which generally draws children from six states, gets about 900 inpatients and about 1,100 outpatient visits yearly, according to Rod Brown, the chairman of that hospital's board of governors. Since news of the possible closures broke, many -- including some Shriners and people who've used the hospitals -- have spoken out in hopes of keeping the facilities open. Hundreds have turned out for rallies in some of the cities. Several "save Shriners Hospital" pages on Facebook call on readers to support fundraisers. Families who lose a nearby Shriners hospital -- even those who have insurance -- would be in trouble, said Nielsen, an Iowa resident, retired attorney and former state legislator. "Say you've got a series of operations to do on the child, and it's going to cost $100,000. Even with the good insurance policies, the families still have to pay 20 percent on that, and that's more money than most have stashed away," he said. The Aldridges have more surgeries in their future. In addition to being born without her shinbones, Maddie has only eight fingers. She will need operations to make her hands more efficient. Watch how hospital's closure would affect the Aldridges » . If the Greenville facility were to close, the family would think about moving to Kentucky, where the next nearest Shriners hospital is. Or, they would stay and drive eight hours to the Kentucky facility. Option No. 1 would take the lifelong South Carolina residents from friends and relatives. The other would mean more missed days at work and school for the family, which also includes Maddie's 3-year-old sister. In any event, the family says it won't consider taking Maddie out of the Shriners system. Matt Aldridge, who took up competitive power-lifting thanks in part to encouragement from Shriners staff and competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Greece, said the system gives top-notch care. "Not only is it a financial thing, but it's also quality of care," said Aldridge, who became a Shriner himself in part because of the care he received. "Shriners doctors are considered to be the foremost experts in what they treat." Semb said some of the six hospitals -- which he said were chosen because they were relatively underutilized -- could stay open if they strike a partnership with non-Shriners facilities. In such a deal, Shriners doctors would perform major surgery at the partner hospital, and the partner would bill the patients' insurance if they have it. Follow-up care would be done at the Shriners facility, still free of charge. Nielsen and other Shriners are proposing an alternative for the July meeting: Let Shriners hospitals themselves accept insurance or Medicaid from the families who have it, but cover the co-pays and deductibles. Semb said the idea has some merit, but he cautioned that to accept insurance and Medicaid, the hospitals would subject themselves to more federal oversight and possibly curtail their ability to treat patients as they see fit. Meanwhile, Renee Aldridge is circulating petitions against the closures and intends to deliver them to the San Antonio meeting. Wide swaths of the country shouldn't be deprived of the expertise and the free treatment that Shriners doctors give, she said. "Some may be able to go to another place, but a lot of doctors won't put the time and care in that Shriners does," she said. | Hospitals' leaders seek savings after endowment fund shrinks in stock market .
One solution could be closing six of 22 hospitals .
Fraternity representatives would have to approve closures in July meeting .
South Carolina family: We'd be devastated without Shriners' free, expert care . |
1,274 | 03981ca5c996bf78b3cf5c5e4fbdbe9128b10f02 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:52 EST, 17 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:20 EST, 18 January 2013 . A soldier mom surprised her daughter by turning up at her fifth grade class yesterday - more than a year after she was posted to Afghanistan. Veronica Velasquez decided to shock 10 year-old daughter Jamie Sanchez with her homecoming. Velasquez coordinated the surprise, caught on film, with her sister and her boyfriend, who have helped care for Velasquez's three children in her absence, and teachers at Vaughn Elementary School, Los Angeles. Scroll down for video . Emotional: 10-year-old Jamie Sanchez was surprised with a school visit from her mother yesterday - after a year of serving in Afghanistan. The pair were reunited at Vaughn Elementary School, Los Angeles . Tearful reunion: Jamie Sanchez and Veronica Velasquez had an emotional meeting at Vaughn Elementary School, Los Angeles. Velasquez surprised her daughter after more than a year in Afghanistan . Still in uniform, Velasquez smiles as she enters Jamie's classroom and before she can say anything she is greeted by a cry of shock and a huge bear-hug from her daughter who runs to the front of the class. A tearful Jamie told ABCNews: 'I missed everything about her - her voice, seeing her face - every day'. Velasquez will spend the next two weeks with her family in California before being sent to a base in New York for the remaining year and a half of her military service. 'That was the first thing that came . to my mind, was always my kids,' she told the broadcaster. 'Birthdays, . holidays, pretty much I missed everything for a whole year. It’s time . that I can’t really make up, but just spend more time with them.' Surprised: Jamie Sanchez, left, was caught out by her veteran mother, yesterday. Veronica Velasquez appeared unannounced at her daughter's school. Her sister's boyfriend, Victor Cruz, right, helped plot the surprise . On duty: Veronica Velasquez, pictured, had been on active service in Afghanistan for over a year. She is a mother of three and said she was looking forward to spending time with her children in California . The school’s executive director, Anita Zepeda, told that ABC that Sanchez was 'very proud of her mother' and brought in a photo of her on Veteran's Day. Velasquez's sister's boyfriend, Victor Sosa, said he helped plan the surprise to honor Velasquez's service. 'It’s indescribable. Being away from someone you love with all your heart. That’s why I wanted to do it so bad for, just seeing the sacrifice from her family,' the college student said. | Veronica Velasquez headed straight to her daughter's school on her return from the front line .
10-year-old Jamie Sanchez said she missed her mother 'every day' while she was based in Afghanistan for more than a year .
Mother-of-three Velasquez is home for two weeks before being stationed for another year and a half in New York . |
217,448 | a5858355506446cb36f949d98bfa811e7d37e76b | (CNN) -- A series of four strong earthquakes spanning just over an hour struck the Philippines' Moro Gulf on Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Three of the four earthquakes had magnitudes between 7.3 and 7.6; the other came in at a 5.4 magnitude. The first quake struck at 6:08 a.m. (6:08 p.m. ET Friday) and the fourth hit at 7:15 a.m. The last quake ran the deepest at 616 (382 miles) kilometers. The epicenters of the quakes were about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the coastal city of Cotabato and roughly 950 kilometers (590 miles) southeast of Manila. No tsunami warning was immediately issued for any of the quakes. There were no reports of damage, said Rona Faeldin of the Philippines Coast Guard. CNN's Katy Byron contributed to this report. | NEW: Four earthquakes hit waters south of Philippines .
NEW: Three of the four have magnitudes above 7.0 .
No tsunami warning was immediately issued . |
57,510 | a3016b8b0037509945235a647b75d1b3e6de8122 | Walmart has said it is re-editing a commercial featuring a black man mouthing 'I can't breathe', after viewers complained it reminded them of the Eric Garner case. The advert, for the Walmart Family Mobile, shows a man handing a cellphone to his overjoyed daughter who squeals and wraps her arms around her father, hugging him tightly. 'I can't breathe,' the dad mouths jokingly as he struggles. Scroll down for video . The advert, for the Walmart Family Mobile, shows a man handing a cellphone to his overjoyed daughter who squeals and wraps her arms around her father, hugging him tightly . The commercial first aired over the summer, but it appears to have struck a nerve in the wake of the high-profile death of Eric Garner, who died after being held in a chokehold by NYPD officer Daniel Palenteo. In a video of the incident last July, the 43-year-old father could be heard yelling, 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe', as he was pushed to the ground. In the wake of the grand jury decision not to indict Palenteo, those three words have been used by demonstrators nationwide as a rallying cry to protest Garner's death. The Walmart commercial shows a father buying a cellphone for his daughter who is overjoyed . The girl wraps her arms around her father's neck while he joking mouths: 'I can't breathe' 'Albeit, it's his daughter and he's joking about choking', he said, before adding, 'the timing of the video is not good'. Other viewers took to Twitter to suggest that Walmart might want to re-think the commercial in the light of the past few days' events. One commentator tweeted: '#walmart did you really just air a commercial in NY where a little black girl has her arm around her dads neck and he says #icantbreathe.' Viewers took to Twitter to suggest that Walmart might want to re-think the commercial in the light of the past few days' events . Walmart was quick to respond and reassure viewers that the commercial would be tweaked . Another wrote: 'Ad itself is fine, just timing of events no corp could predict. Happened to see it for first time this morning.' Walmart was quick to respond and reassure viewers that the commercial would be tweaked. 'Consider it done,' the Walmart newsroom tweeted to viewers complaining about the ad. 'We can see how the ad could be viewed differently today than when it first aired. We're re-editing.' In a video of the incident last July, 43-year-old father Eric Garner could be heard yelling, 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe', as he was pushed to the ground and held in a chokehold . In the wake of the grand jury decision not to indict Palenteo, the phrase 'I can't breathe' has been used by demonstrators nationwide as a rallying cry to protest Garner's death . | Commercial shows black father handing a cellphone to his young daughter .
Girl wraps arms around his neck while he jokingly mouths 'I can't breathe'
Those three words have been used as rallying cry in Eric Garner protests .
In a video, Eric Garner could be heard yelling, 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe', as he was put in a chokehold by NYPD officer Daniel Palenteo . |
97,127 | 08fe6f0d74b1827c0d4a1162b2dafbf5cc19d020 | (CNN) -- HBO's deadly "Game of Thrones" returned Sunday night with one ominous rallying cry -- "All men must die" -- and few disappointments. Now that it's in its fourth season, the fantasy series could be excused if it started to show wear and tear. After all, we've seen programs with simpler plots and fewer cast members lose their edge in less time. But Sunday's premiere, "Two Swords," proved that creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are just getting started. (In fact, the only real letdown for fans didn't have anything to do with "GoT" at all, but HBO's mobile platform HBO Go, which crashed due to an overwhelming demand for Sunday's premiere.) HBO Go crashes under heavy 'Game of Thrones' demand . Adapted from George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series, "Game of Thrones" is at its heart a bloody race for power between competitive houses in Westeros. After the third season left avid watchers in a state of shock thanks to a gruesome wedding ceremony, they returned on Sunday to find the "Game's" major players repositioning themselves on the board. With the famous Stark Valyrian steel sword split in two by Hand of the King Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), viewers were made keenly aware of the fissures that abound throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is building an army while trying to keep a handle on her still-growing dragons, and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has begun to cross out names on her list of vengeance. In the North, the Free Folk -- or the Wildlings as they're called -- have their eyes trained on breaching the Wall where the men of the Night's Watch, including a Jon Snow (Kit Harington) ready to pay for his broken vows, stand guard. And in King's Landing, where the precious Iron Throne sits, the ruthless and rich Lannisters are not as secure as they'd like to believe. With a grand wedding approaching for the young King Joffrey, there are visitors from Dorne afoot -- and they, too, like to pay their debts. "Right off the bat, season four sends the viewer a signal: Forget the Westeros you knew," warns the A.V. Club's Erik Adams, who gave the episode a B+ grade. "Forget where on the board you've mentally placed any of 'Game Of Thrones'' chess pieces. It's not a reboot, but 'Two Swords' is a starting place that feels distinct." While "fortunes have risen and fallen while we were away, and the awful power of King Joffrey seeps deeply into the Seven Kingdoms," the episode "stealthily belongs to the Starks -- who are down, but not out. That's an enticingly rich way to begin a season." Time magazine's Eric Dodds agrees that while "the Lannisters appear strong and unchallenged with the Starks out of the picture and Jaime returned home only slightly worse for wear, the cracks are readily apparent. ... By all accounts, the season-opener was setting the table for what promises to be a season filled with violence and intrigue. For now, the fear is only creeping in along the edges. Once it arrives in full, that's when the real fun is likely to begin." It's true that not much happened in the way of action -- by "GoT" standards, anyway -- but it was rich in character development, says The Daily Beast's Andrew Romano. "(A)nd character, ultimately, is what 'Game of Thrones' does best," he observes. "Some viewers might even complain that there wasn't enough sex or swashbuckling in 'Two Swords' -- that the episode was 'slow.' But it is in these slow moments -- the moments between each big plot twist, when showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff decelerate the narrative to linger over the nuances of character -- that 'Game of Thrones' truly distinguishes itself from other epic television series." Even better, The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman says that the next two episodes should be just as good. "The consistent excellence in 'Game of Thrones' is truly something to behold," Goodman says in a review. "Even in three episodes, viewers will sense things tightening up -- that winter and war are coming and they are coming on full-stop. If there's anything to complain about with 'Game of Thrones' it's the 10-episode seasons, which cry out for 13 episodes given the immense world that 'Thrones' inhabits." | "Game of Thrones" began its fourth season on Sunday .
Critics say it upheld the show's reputation as one of the best programs on TV .
While it wasn't as action-packed, it did explore character development .
The subsequent two episodes are expected to be just as good . |
25,889 | 495f660b88251649abb8c4c4b2565c89ec921181 | Tokyo (CNN) -- The nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan was a "man-made disaster" that unfolded as a result of collusion between the facility's operator, regulators and the government, an independent panel said in an unusually frank report Thursday. The report by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission outlines errors and willful negligence at the plant before the earthquake and tsunami that devastated swaths of northeastern Japan on March 11 last year, and a flawed response in the hours, days and weeks that followed. It also offers recommendations and encourages the nation's parliament to "thoroughly debate and deliberate" the suggestions. The crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant spewed radiation and displaced tens of thousands of residents from the surrounding area in the worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine. Commissioned by the national parliament, the panel's report tellingly blames Japanese culture for the fundamental causes of the disaster. As well as detailing the specific failings related to the accident, the report describes a Japan in which nuclear power became "an unstoppable force, immune to scrutiny by civil society." "Its regulation was entrusted to the same government bureaucracy responsible for its promotion," the commission said. Fukushima plant operator: We weren't prepared for nuclear accident . Contradicting claims by Tokyo Electric Power Co., or TEPCO, the operator of the plant, the report said that "the direct causes of the accident were all foreseeable prior to March 11, 2011." The operator, regulators and the government "failed to correctly develop the most basic safety requirements -- such as assessing the probability of damage, preparing for containing collateral damage from such a disaster, and developing evacuation plans," the commission said. Following the quake and tsunami, the lack of training and knowledge of the TEPCO workers at the facility reduced the effectiveness of the response to the situation at a critical time, according to the report. As the crisis escalated, TEPCO, the regulators, government agencies and the prime minister's office were ineffective in "preventing or limiting the consequential damage" at Fukushima Daiichi, the commission said. The prime minister's office didn't promptly declare a state of emergency, the commission noted. And chains of command were disrupted amid the crisis, creating confusion, it said. Meanwhile, communication failures about critical decisions undermined trust between the different parties. The report's authors -- led by Kiyoshi Kurokawa, a former president of the Science Council of Japan -- attributed the failings at the plant before and after March 11 specifically to Japanese culture. "What must be admitted -- very painfully -- is that this was a disaster 'Made in Japan,' " the report said. "Its fundamental causes are to be found in the ingrained conventions of Japanese culture: our reflexive obedience; our reluctance to question authority; our devotion to 'sticking with the program.' " Fukushima residents call for criminal charges against nuclear officials . Suggesting that the mind-set that supported the negligence at Fukushima "can be found across Japan," Kurokawa also urged citizens to "reflect on our responsibility as individuals in a democratic society." The commission made a series of recommendations to try to avoid a repeat of the catastrophe, calling for the overhaul of TEPCO and the nuclear regulators. It urged the establishment of a permanent parliamentary committee to deal with nuclear power and supervise regulators. A "fundamental re-examination of the crisis management system" was suggested. The report called for measures tackling public health and welfare issues, including the establishment of a system "to deal with long-term public health effects," monitoring "hot spots" and "the spread of radioactive contamination." It called for starting "a detailed and transparent program of decontamination and relocation." Evacuee's suicide sad reminder how Fukushima continues to claim victims . A system of independent investigation commissions dealing with nuclear issues should be developed, it said. The report comes at a delicate time for the Japanese nuclear sector. This week, the first reactor to be switched on since the Fukushima disaster came back online. All 50 commercial nuclear reactors in Japan had been offline since May 5 for safety checks. The restart of the No. 3 reactor at the Ohi Nuclear Power Plant, which serves western Japan, prompted protests by anti-nuclear activists. TEPCO admitted last month that it was not fully prepared for the nuclear disaster. The company's final report on the disaster said it did not have sufficient measures to prevent the accident. It also acknowledged criticism that TEPCO took too long to disclose information. On Thursday, the company declined to comment on the independent commission's report. The Japanese government has approved plans effectively to nationalize TEPCO with a $12.5 billion capital injection to save it from bankruptcy. Though no deaths have been attributed to the nuclear accident, the earthquake and tsunami killed more than 15,000 people in northeastern Japan. Japan once again getting power from nuclear energy . There have been several investigations into the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. In December, a government-formed panel of investigators released an interim report saying poorly trained operators misread a key backup system and waited too long to start pumping water into overheating reactor units. The government's 10-member panel, led by Tokyo University engineering professor Yotaro Hatamura, also said neither TEPCO nor government regulators were prepared for the chance that a tsunami could trigger a nuclear disaster. That panel is due to deliver its final report at the end of July. "We would like to take a good look into both reports and take appropriate measures," Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said at a news conference Thursday, referring to the parliament-commissioned report and the government-requested report. Former Japanese leader: 'I felt fear' during nuclear crisis . | NEW: The report makes recommendations to avoid a repeat of the 2011 catastrophe .
The report criticizes the plant's operator, regulators and the Japanese government .
It attributes the cause of the failings to Japan's culture of "reflexive obedience"
It is one of several investigations into the nuclear crisis that displaced thousands . |
149,962 | 4de010f0003eae8e60f9cb9e94c2cde1d0fdfb0f | (CNN) -- The uncle of a Utah motorcyclist pulled from underneath a burning car by a group of bystanders told his nephew's rescuers Tuesday they are "heroes to our family." Tyler Riggs spoke to CNN's Piers Morgan one day after a group of construction workers, students and other bystanders turned into a ragtag team of first responders to save the life of 21-year-old Brandon Wright. The accident happened on a street near Utah State University in Logan and was captured on video. "I thank you on behalf of my family and I know that my nephew Brandon will hope to thank you at some point, too. I know that you might be shy and want to dislodge the title, but you are heroes to our family," Riggs said, adding that his nephew is in good spirits. "He was talking to us earlier and going through physical therapy and felt good after that. Things could have been much worse," said Riggs. Sgt. Jason Olsen of the Logan police was the first officer on the scene. He was about to motion to a fellow responding officer to grab a jack when, "I realized that these citizens had already organized and were just going to manually lift (the car) up." The crash occurred when a BMW pulled out of a parking lot and in front of the motorcyclist. Jeff Curtis, assistant chief of Logan police, said the motorcyclist tried to avoid the car, which resulted in him laying the motorcycle down. After crashing, gas spilled out of the motorcycle and ignited, engulfing both the motorcycle and the front end of the car in flames, Curtis said. The motorcyclist became lodged underneath the burning vehicle. The video, shot by Chris Garff, shows several startled bystanders looking under the BMW as flames leap into the air. The crowd quickly grows to include a man in a suit, construction workers wearing hard hats, a woman in sandals and a young man carrying a backpack, the video shows. After one person in the group tries to pick up the blazing car, the crowd joins in and lifts the 4,000-pound vehicle. "I do remember one gentleman saying, 'We need everybody to come and help lift,' and that's when everybody ran over," Olsen recalled. One of the bystanders drags the fallen motorcyclist's limp body from under the vehicle, the video shows. Wright was rushed to a hospital and was in stable condition after surgery Monday evening, Curtis said. The driver of the car was not seriously injured. The man Curtis believes to be the driver appears in the video dressed in a dark suit. He stood a little off to the side from the group and did not help lift the car, the video shows. After Wright is pulled from underneath the vehicle, the man in the suit walks over to look at the motorcyclist. "He was in a shock," Curtis said about the driver, adding that any possible charges related to the traffic accident are pending. "It was frightening," said Garff, who shot the scene from the Ninth floor of a nearby building. "You don't really see something like that and then when you do, it's inspiring. It gives us hope," he told HLN's "Prime News." Police are looking for the Good Samaritans to recognize them at a city council meeting for their actions. Most have already been identified, Curtis said. It was a "life-saving move that the Logan Police Department does not want to go unnoticed," he said. "Each of those people put their lives in danger as they do what they can to rescue Brandon," Curtis told "Prime News." The area where Wright crashed is highly trafficked, Olsen said. "I think had this accident happened in a suburban area we wouldn't have gotten that kind of response -- we would have never had that kind of manpower," he said. Olsen added: "It speaks volumes to what people will do in a tragic situation to help another person out." CNN's Anna Rhett Miller and Brooke Baldwin contributed to this report. | Tyler Riggs says his nephew is in good spirits .
Bystanders rescue a motorcycle driver trapped under a burning car .
The group is credited with saving the motorcyclist's life .
"It speaks volumes to what people will do in a tragic situation" |
32,986 | 5db6db273454e34b6485df852571a0715298c747 | By . Stephen Wright . PUBLISHED: . 20:12 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:12 EST, 25 November 2013 . Lord Stevens said the present system of 43 forces in England and Wales 'creates unnecessary duplication' A number of police forces should be merged because the present national police structure is inefficient and ‘untenable’, a former Scotland Yard chief said yesterday. Lord Stevens said the present system of 43 forces in England and Wales ‘creates unnecessary duplication’ and often gets in the way of joint ‘cross border’ operations by police. He outlined plans for a radical shake-up as he presented the findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by the Labour Party. Seven years ago Labour tried unsuccessfully - while in Government - to streamline the number of forces in England and Wales. But Lord Stevens, who headed the Independent Police Commission for Labour, said the time was right to reconsider the idea as his inquiry team could find nobody in favour of retaining the current structure of 43 separate police force. He added, however, that there was no consensus about a better alternative. He said: ‘The Commission makes a clear recommendation that change is essential and believes there are three serious options. ‘These are locally-negotiated mergers and collaboration agreements, a co-ordinated amalgamation into approximately ten regional forces, or the creation of a national police service.’ In recognition of policing scandals including Hillsborough and the Plebgate row involving former chief whip Andrew Mitchell, Lord Stevens also recommended a fundamental shake-up of professional standards in forces in England and Wales. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) would be scrapped and replaced by a new Independent Police Standards Commission (IPSC), he said. His report - much of which will feature in Labour’s next General Election manifesto - also recommended a new status of ‘chartered police officer’, in addition to the office of constable. The reform would bring the police into line with other professions such as nursing and accountancy, with officers registered with the College of Policing which could strike them off for failing to meet professional standards. The College of Policing would decide misconduct hearings in public, unlike the current, behind-closed doors, disciplinary process. Lord Stevens outlined plans for a radical shake-up of policing as he presented the findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by the Labour Party . The Stevens report said: 'The presumption should be for total transparency - with open, public hearings for decisions on serious misconduct - rather than the muddled regime of partially open hearings and judgments which currently prevails. 'Police officers found to have committed serious misconduct by the College of Policing board should be struck off from the register.' Lord Stevens - who was Met chief between 2000 and 2005 - said there were 37 'radical' recommendations in his report, including a commitment to neighbourhood policing as the 'building block of fair and effective policing'. His report, billed as the most comprehensive inquiry into policing for half a century, said: 'A spate of organisational failures and scandals over recent years has badly damaged public confidence in the integrity of the police. ‘It is vital this situation is put right. Recent experience has found wanting the existing system which separates the monitoring of organisational performance from the investigation of police complaints.’ Yvette Cooper said she expects her Party to implement majority of the commission's recommendations . The Stevens report also said the elected police and crime commissioner model is 'systemically flawed as a method of democratic governance’ and should be scrapped in 2016, at the end of the term of office of the 41 serving PCCs. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who was at the launch of the report with Labour leader Ed Miliband, said she expects her Party to implement majority of the commission’s recommendations for policing reform. She ruled out a national police force, saying: 'Our preference is for a voluntary and collaborative approach involving local communities and we also want more work done on savings that can be made to plough back into policing. 'We will not support a national force as we believe that would be too large, too centralised and the wrong approach.' The last police mergers plan followed a report published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2005 which highlighted ‘significant weaknesses’ in the 43 force structure. The report said larger amalgamated police forces would be better suited to tackling the modern threats of organised crime and terrorism. But amid huge embarrassment for the Labour Government, the plan proved deeply unpopular amongst police chiefs and fell apart the following year. | Lord Stevens said the present system often gets in the way of joint 'cross border' operations by police .
Outlined plans for radical shake-up as he presented findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by Labour Party . |
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