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212,041 | 9e9bda16ff5add9268adb4a9b4dec1cb47851c58 | Raheem Sterling headed in Liverpool's opener in their 3-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday to cap off a remarkable 51-pass move. The Reds kept possession for two-and-a-half minutes during the passage of play leading up to Sterling's exquisite team goal. Inspired by Sterling's strike, here Sportsmail takes a look at the five best-ever team goals... Raheem Sterling (centre) celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Bournemouth on Wednesday . Sterling (right) makes no mistake as he scores the opener for Liverpool in the Capital One Cup clash . This graphic from the MailOnline Sport Match Zone shows the remarkable build-up to Sterling's goal . ESTEBAN CAMBIASSO (ARGENTINA vs Serbia and Montenegro, 2006 World Cup Group Stage) This goal showed Argentina at their very beautiful best. After winning their first game of the World Cup in Germany against Ivory Coast, Argentina would have been confident heading into the game against the highly-rated Serbia and Montenegro. And that confidence almost came across as arrogance when defensive midfielder Esteban Cambiasso slotted home to finish off a 25-pass move. Sometimes 'tiki-taka' style goals involve passing just for the very sake of it, but not this one. Argentina started with the ball in their own half before gradually building up the play with some slick one-touch passes. Eventually they made their way into the Serbia box and, after a neat backheel into his path, Cambiasso smashed home from 15 yards. Esteban Cambiasso (left) celebrates after scoring for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 . The defensive midfielder finished off a 25-pass move which cut open the Serbia defence . CARLOS ALBERTO (BRAZIL vs Italy, 1970 World Cup Final) The samba stars of the seventies are widely regarded as one of the best teams of all time, blessed with the likes of Pele and Rivelino, and this goal encapsulates everything that was so majestic about them. After missing out on the World Cup in England in 1966, Brazil were back with a bang in Mexico, led out by marauding right back Carlos Alberto. The captain scored the clincher in a 4-1 victory over Italy at the iconic Azteca Stadium, firing home a low drive into the bottom corner from the right-hand side. Brazil toyed with the Italians, with a total of eight of their outfield players passing the ball - Tostao, Brito, Clodoaldo, Pele, Gerson, Rivelino, Jairzinho and Alberto - before the captain hammered home to seal the World Cup. Clodoaldo even had time to jink inside and outside of four Italians before continuing the move. Alberto's finish followed a magnificent ball down the right-hand side from Pele after Tostao pointed out that Alberto was advancing at some speed. Simply unbelievable. Carlos Alberto (right) scores Brazil's final goal in the 4-1 victory over Italy in the 1970 World Cup final . Brazil skipper Alberto (left) poses with England captain Bobby Moore before their World Cup match in 1970 . JACK WILSHERE (ARSENAL vs Norwich City, Premier League 2013/14) This goal wowed Arsenal fans and neutrals alike last season as the Gunners cut through the Norwich City defence before Wilshere finished exquisitely. The intricate passing and fancy flicks between Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and England midfielder Wilshere were simply sublime to watch. I implore you to watch this goal and not gasp if you have not seen it before, such is the beauty and precision of the move. The outrageous move sliced apart a Norwich defence who just watched in awe as Arsenal showed what their neat passing can actually achieve at its very best. Wilshere then calmly slotted home to cap off a magnificent team goal. Jack Wilshere sticks his thumb in his mouth as he celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Norwich City . Olivier Giroud (left) hugs Wilshere as they celkebrate in the corner after a brilliant team goal . MARK DAVIES (BOLTON vs Blackpool, Premier League 2010/11) Unfortunately this is not the sort of goal you would associate with Bolton nowadays, but at the time under Owen Coyle they were flying high and sat fifth in the Premier League. The confidence was clearly flowing through the veins as they faced Blackpool in this match. Despite going two goals down, Wanderers were not to be denied and, having already pulled one back, the team put together a brilliant move to force an equaliser. With just a minute remaining, Kevin Davies slotted the ball through to Johan Elmander who was running away from goal. The big striker then backheeled the ball to Ivan Klasnic, who helped it on into the path of Mark Davies to hit home. Lovely. Mark Davies (right) goes to high five Bolton Wanderers team-mate Ivan Klasnic after scoring vs Blackpool . Kevin Davies (second left) puts his hands in the air to celebrate Mark Davies' (centre) goal . Mark Davies' (right) goal was a brilliant team goal that saw the ball flicked around the box . ANDRES INIESTA (BARCELONA vs Celtic, Champions League Group Stage 2012/13) There is an almost endless list of Barcelona goals which you could choose from but we had to narrow it down to just one from the tiki-taka masters. But this goal, finished off by Spaniard Iniesta, is sublime and shows everything that Barcelona are about when they are at their very best. The Catalan giants were 1-0 down at the Nou Camp approaching half-time against Celtic but produced one of their most-exquisite passing triangles on the edge of the box. Having kept possession for more than 20 seconds, suddenly the ball found its way to Lionel Messi who surged across the edge of the box at pace. He fed Iniesta who, in order to complete Barca's holy trio, played in Xavi. His pass-master team-mate then returned the ball to Iniesta before the latter finished into the bottom corner. Simply breathtaking. Andres Iniesta celebrates scoring for Barcelona against Celtic in the Champions League in 2012 . Iniesta's (right) goal optimises everything that Barcelona's tiki-taka style is all about when done best . | Raheem Sterling scored for Liverpool against Bournemouth after 51 passes .
The goal came after the Reds kept possession for two-and-a-half minutes .
Here, Sportsmail takes a look at five of the best team goals ever scored . |
31,016 | 582c5fe6bd0c7d5faf24a31629816268146a2e5c | By . Thomas Jacobs . Alex Pritchard is hoping to catch the eye of Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino during his loan spell at Championship new-boys Brentford. The England Under 21 international was handed his Tottenham debut by Tim Sherwood in May following a successful stint at Swindon Town. Rising star: Spurs midfielder Alex Pritchard is gaining first-team experience with Brentford . Holding his own: Pritchard is coping with the physical demands of the Championship . Looking on: Pritchard is hoping to catch the eye of Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino . However, the midfielder has been allowed to leave White Hart Lane to get regular first-team football, and Pritchard hopes his time with the Bees will boost his chances at his parent club. He said: 'I had my first full year of men's football at Swindon so I'm looking to continue that here. 'I felt I needed to make the step back up to Championship, where I've previously played with Peterborough. National service: Pritchard in action for England Under 21s this week . 'Hopefully people will be watching and I can show them what I can do. But you've just got to concentrate on your game and the rest will take care of itself. 'I'm a Brentford player now so I'll work hard for the team and whatever happens, happens. I've settled in really well. All the lads have made me feel welcome.' Pritchard has scored one goal in five starts since arriving at Griffin Park in the summer. | Midfielder made his Spurs debut in 3-0 victory against Aston Villa in May .
Pritchard has scored once in five starts for Bees since arriving on loan .
England U21 star has also had stints at Swindon and Peterborough . |
91,708 | 01fb12b00d73cb36c4aff5db3ad7ec3ee2ad9293 | By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . and Francesca Chambers . President Obama announced late Friday morning that he has accepted 'with considerable regret' the resignation of scandal-hit Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. But the shake-up had all the markings of an Oval Office firing. At a hastily arranged press conference, Obama said: 'Ric's commitment to our veterans is unquestioned. His service to our country is exemplary.' 'I am grateful for his service, as are many veterans across the country,' he said. The president said Shinseki, a wounded Vietnam veteran, was a 'very good man' and that it was his own decision to step down – he was becoming a 'distraction' to sorting out the waiting list scandal that has engulfed the agency and the White House in recent weeks. It was 'Ric's judgement that he could not . carry out the next stages of reform without being a distraction . himself,' Obama said. 'My assessment was, unfortunately, he is right.' But just a few hours earlier, Shinseki spoke at a meeting of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, D.C., sounding very much like a man prepared to fight for his job with big plans to fix his agency's 'breach of integrity.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Awkward: A visibly perturbed Barack Obama said Friday that Eric Shinseki was out as VA secretary, less than two weeks after his chief spokesman expressed deep confidence in the war hero who resigned Friday amid widespread troubles with veterans' health care . Out with the old and in with the new: Eric Shinseki (L) resigned as VA secretary on Friday, with his deputy Sloan Gibson (R) set to replace him on a temporary basis . Shinseki's resignation follows last month's high-profile departure of former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and may indicate growing dysfunction inside the Obama White House . MARCH TO THE SCAFFOLD: Shinseki (C) presided over a VA system whose medical centers have let dozens of veterans die while they waited to see doctors for the first time; his final appearance as an Obama cabinet secretary came at a meeting of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, D.C. as he faced loud calls for his resignation . Obama also said Friday that he had received a . report proving that reported medical-system abuses were widespread, and insisted that . misdeeds would not go unpunished: Senior staff at the VA were being . fired and bonuses cancelled for senior staff. 'I think he is deeply disappointed in . the fact that bad news did not get to him,' the president said of Shinseki, 'and that the structures . weren’t in place for him to identify this problem quickly and fix it.' Support for Shinseki had quickly eroded on Capitol Hill, with more than 100 members of Congress calling for his ouster by Friday. Many were Democrats facing tough re-election battles in states where Republicans dominate the electorate. But leading the charge was Republican Sen. John McCain from Arizona, where the VA's most high-profile failures first surfaced. 'If Secretary Shinseki does not step down voluntarily,' McCain said Wednesday, 'then I call on the president of the United States to relieve him of his duties, to fire him.' More congressional outrage and high-road commentary followed Friday morning's changing of the guard. Another Arizonan, Republican Paul Gosar, laid the scandal squarely on Obama's shoulders. 'President Obama has ostensibly forced Secretary Shinseki to resign over the scandals and systemic failures at the Veterans Administration. I appreciate the President and Secretary Shinseki heeding my call and those of my colleagues to resign. But I say accountability ends at the President’s feet,' Gosar said Friday. 'As the sign on President Harry Truman’s desk in the Oval Office stated, "The buck stops here." ... The president needs to step up and set a better example of leadership.' 'With Secretary Shinseki’s resignation today, we can begin to address the systemic dysfunction that has plagued the Department of Veterans Affairs for years,' said California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, who chairs the powerful Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the House of Representatives. 'There are serious problems at the VA that won’t be solved simply by replacing the secretary,' explained a more defensive Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from the state of Washington. Nebraska Republican Sen. Deb Fischer took a swipe at the Obama administration, saying the VA lacked 'accountability' and 'is in desperate need of stronger, more aggressive leadership.' A pair of senators, one from each major party, also demanded a criminal investigation by the FBI. Senate Appropriations Committee chair Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, and its vice-chair, Alabama Republican Richard Shelby, said they would propose a bill next week giving the FBI the resources it will need 'for criminal and civil investigations into allegations that the VA falsified patient records at centers and clinics across the country.' 'This scandal has dragged on over a decade,' they wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder. 'We believe the Department of Justice should begin investigations right away ... and bring any charges that might be appropriate.' New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, known on Capitol Hill as a partisan's partisan, said in a statement to MailOnline that Shinseki 'is in the fullest sense of the word a true patriot. In keeping with General Shinseki’s stellar character, he offered his resignation because he realized, as every good soldier does, that the buck stops at the top.' Obama . said Friday that VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson would step in as acting secretary of the . VA while the administration looks for a permanent replacement for . Shinseki. The president said he spoke to Gibson this morning . and 'made it clear that reforms should not wait.' Fired? Shinseki sounded Friday morning like a man grappling with how to fix his ailing agency, but hours later Obama said he 'offered' his resignation instead . Famously aloof: Obama appeared Friday morning in an Oval Office interview on the 'Live With Kelly and Michael' show, calmly describing a 'serious conversation' he was about to have with Shinseki about 'whether he ... has the capacity to take on the job of fixing it' 'I said we will not tolerate misconduct, and we will not,' Obama said. 'I said that we could better, and we will.' Obama also announced that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors, who is . leading the VA's internal review of its practices, will stay on temporarily at the . VA while reforms are put in place. Support for Shinseki seemed to crater in recent days, with press secretary Jay Carney refusing on Thursday to answer a yes-or-no question . about whether the president still had 'confidence' in Shinseki. On May 19, as the worst of the allegations against the VA yet came in, Obama's chief spokesman stated flatly that 'the . president has confidence in Secretary Shinseki.' But on Thursday he . dodged a point-blank dare to repeat that endorsement. Carney calmly offered a contradictory set of guidelines about actions the . VA and the White House should take in response to the brewing veterans' health care scandal. 'This is very important,' Carney said just minutes into his briefing on Thursday. 'The VA should not and must not wait for the current investigation of VA operations to conclude before taking steps to improve care.' Moments later he told reporters that President Obama would likely wait before taking action. 'The . president identified last week that he expected a preliminary report . from Secretary Shinseki's internal audit very soon,' instructed Carney. 'And once he receives . that he'll be able to evaluate those findings along with what we're . seen in the interim report from the inspector general, and then assess . where we are at that time.' Off the wait list: Shinseki couldn't survive more than 100 demands for his head from members of Congress . In . his last public appearance as an Obama cabinet secretary, he . apologized, and conceded that his agency had 'a systemic, totally . unacceptable lack of integrity.' But . hours before he was to meet face-to-face with Obama in the Oval Office, . Shinseki was focused on fixing that 'breach of integrity' – describing . the firing of top VA managers at the agency's medical center in Phoenix. While . Shinseki was speaking, Obama was appearing on the 'Live With Kelly and . Michael' show in a segment taped a day earlier. He described a 'serious conversation' he would soon have . with his VA secretary about 'whether he thinks that he is prepared and . has the capacity to take on the job of fixing it.' On . Wednesday the VA's inspector general released a . preliminary report showing that veterans in Phoenix, Arizona, waited an . average of 115 days for a first medical appointment, and that 1,700 of . them were left off of waiting lists and denied care entirely. About 40 veterans died while waiting to see doctors in Phoenix alone. An internal review of the VA headed up by Nabors found that managers at more than 60 percent of the VA's hospitals had been lying about how long veterans were waiting for care and there was a 'systemic lack of integrity within some Veterans Health Administration facilities.' That report hit Obama's desk Friday morning after Shinseki delivered brief remarks to the homeless veterans group. Shortly after, Shinseki resigned. 'He felt like new leadership would be -- would serve our veterans best,' Obama said on Friday. /And I agree with him. ' | Gen. Eric Shinseki is out after months of controversy and dozens of veterans' deaths .
Obama accepted his resignation Friday morning after learning how deep-seated the VA's problems are .
Managers at more than 60 percent of the VA's hospitals lied about how long veterans were waiting for care, an internal audit of the VA found .
The White House hedged its bets a day earlier, stopping short of expressing the president's 'confidence' in the cabinet secretary .
Obama told reporters that Shinseki himself decided to step down, but the change had all the markings of an Oval Office firing .
In a public speech just hours earlier, Shinseki described his plans to fix his agency's 'breach of integrity' |
165,021 | 61635d407545fa779b3095d91f8c5a36ca68d942 | ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- Disney World has not been the happiest place on Earth for employees this year. The Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, has lost some 1,600 jobs. Imagine one day receiving recognition for decades of service from your employer only to be laid off the next day. That is what happened to one Walt Disney Parks and Resorts employee who asked not be identified. Disney has eliminated 1,900 U.S.-based positions since mid-February. Some 900 salaried employees working at Disney's theme parks in Florida were laid off, and 700 open positions were eliminated, said communications Vice President Mike Griffin. In California, 200 workers were laid off and 100 open positions were cut. Disneyland in California and Disney World are having their behind-the-scenes operations combined in a restructuring, said Griffin. Disney officials say theme parks, the Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and off-property resorts have seen some people with decades of experience laid off during the restructuring. The former employee let go after decades of service is still hoping to return once the economy improves. Several other employees said they did not want speak to CNN in fear of jeopardizing the generous severance packages offered by Disney. Employees let go will receive pay for 60 days; extended medical coverage; and severance packages that vary according to their years of service, said a Disney source. Disney's Griffin said: "These decisions were not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect today's economic realities." Central Florida's unemployment rate is 9.7 percent -- a 33-year high, according to the area's job service agency, Workforce Central Florida. The rate is more than double from the same time a year ago. The job agency's spokeswoman, Kimberly Cornett, said 40,000 to 50,000 people registered with the agency are vying for 1,000 jobs available through Workforce Central Florida. Fewer than 100 available job listings are in the tourism industry. Cornett said she does not believe Disney's layoffs will have a significant effect to the area's overall economy, since currently 107,000 people are unemployed in Central Florida. Cornett said, however, that the effect would be huge for those laid off. Orlando area hotels have been hit hard, too, with fewer tourist and business travelers. Orange County reported in February it collected 29 percent less revenue in a hotel bed tax in comparison to a year ago, said Brian Martin of the Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Martin said the large drop is due to fewer booked hotel rooms at reduced rates to attract visitors. The convention and visitors bureau, in a survey of area hotels, has found companies are traveling less for meetings in Orlando. The hotels report that in the first two months of 2009, some 114 small business meetings were canceled, with $26 million in lost revenue. Martin said the White House is partly to blame for the dropoff in business meetings. President Obama said companies that receive taxpayer bailout money should not use the money to "go take a trip to Las Vegas." "When the president said 'don't travel,' business travel has been affected," Martin said. Las Vegas is the country's most popular convention destination, with Orlando No. 2. Orlando has not seen any large convention cancellations in 2009, the convention bureau says. Statistics from 2007, the latest available, show that even if Orlando saw a 10 percent drop in visitors, nearly 44 million people would still come to the city. Disney's 2008 financial report showed income was down last year. Disney would not comment on whether park attendance was up or down. A source within Disney said that even though the theme parks are crowded, customers are not buying. Disney's Mike Griffin said: "We continue to work through our reorganization and manage our business based on demand." Griffin said the corporation's reorganization has been under way since 2005 and many of the recent positions eliminated would have eventually been cut. Due to the economy, Griffins said, the cuts took place sooner than expected. He added that Disney is downsizing just like many other U.S. businesses. | One Disney employee recognized for decades of service, is laid off next day .
Laid-off employees reluctant to talk for fear of jeopardizing severance packages .
Orlando area hotels also hit hard by dropoff in business .
Disney spokesman says company downsizing like many other U.S. firms . |
54,117 | 9956fb1d662e30fea3fecdecf45bd01bd9bc4998 | Four of the Premier League's leading teams - Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool - will come up against sides they historically struggle against this weekend. In a mirror of games that were played one month ago, Chelsea face Newcastle, the first side to beat them this season, while joint leaders Manchester City travel to Goodison Park where they have lost 10 of 17 meetings. And, Arsenal can expect another battling encounter against Stoke who have beaten them in their last two meetings - with Liverpool hoping there's no reappearance of the beach ball that assisted Darren Bent against Sunderland in 2009. Chelsea are one of four teams to come up against their bogey sides in the Premier League this weekend . CHELSEA vs NEWCASTLE . AS mentioned, Newcastle were the first side to beat Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea this season and have won four of the last six meetings between the two sides. Unfortunately for them they will be missing their main man. Papiss Cisse has scored four against Chelsea, his best haul against any Premier League team, but the Senegal striker is at the Africa Cup of Nations. Key Man: In Cisse’s absence, goal-scoring responsibilities will fall on Ayoze Perez. The summer signing is the club’s second-top scorer this season with five in 19 PL appearances. Papiss Cisse scores In December as Newcastle became the first team to defeat Chelsea this season . With Cisse away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ayoze Perez (left) will carry the Magpies' goal threat . SUNDERLAND vs LIVERPOOL . Since Darren Bent’s beachball-assisted goal in 2009, Sunderland have given Liverpool some tough tests. They have held them to three draws at Anfield, including last month’s 0-0, and have worried Liverpool’s defence, even in defeat. Key Man: Costel Pantilimon could be important for Gus Poyet’s side. His saves to shots rate of 78 per cent is the best of any keeper this season. Liverpool have been held to three draws since Darren Bent scored his beach-ball assisted goal in 2009 . Sunderland No 1 Costel Pantilimon has a better saves to shots ration than any other keeper in the league . EVERTON vs MANCHESTER CITY . City might have won the last three games between the teams but they still don’t like travelling to Goodison Park. Despite a 3-2 away win last season, City have lost 10 of their 17 Premier League games at Everton, drawing four and winning just three. Key Man: Romelu Lukaku. The powerful forward had a good game against West Ham and will hope to improve Everton’s hit rate. They not scored in four of their last six games. Manchester City's previous league game against Everton saw Sergio Aguero sidelined with a knee injury . Romelu Lukaku (right) celebrates scoring against City in a narrow 3-2 defeat last season . ARSENAL vs STOKE . Arsenal never have an easy time of it against Stoke. Mark Hughes’ side have won the past two games, including a 3-2 thriller last month, and have only lost three of their last eight against Arsenal. The good news for Arsenal is they have not lost at home to Stoke in the Premier League. Key Man: Peter Crouch has scored eight against Arsenal, his joint-highest total against any club (the other being Blackburn). Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks defected after seeing his side lose 3-2 to Stoke in December . Peter Crouch (centre) has scored eight goals against Arsenal during his Premier League career . | Chelsea face Newcastle who were the first team to beat them this season .
Liverpool have been held to three draws by Sunderland since 2009 .
Manchester City have lost 10 of 17 Premier League games at Everton .
Arsenal have been beaten by Stoke City in their last two meetings . |
207,525 | 98b15ba4e7aa2fc098cfff1def34c11984aae295 | (CNN) -- It's not news that looks matter. Depending on how attractive people think we are, we may have at times found ourselves dateless or overwhelmed with unwanted attention. Studies have indeed shown that people attribute more intelligence and competence to taller, well-turned-out or otherwise good-looking people. However, a new briefing paper by the Council on Contemporary Families tell us life's uneven distribution of beauty counts in an even more poignant place than we may have considered: in school evaluations of our children by teachers and peers. In a recently releasted briefing report, "In School, Good Looks Help and Good Looks Hurt (But They Mostly Help)." sociologists Rachel Gordon and Robert Crosnoe show that in high school, some students -- say, a prom queen and king -- will be rated higher in intelligence, personality and potential for success just because they are considered good-looking. More than that, they will actually get higher grades and be more likely to graduate from college. In fact, the authors, whose the larger study -- published in book form by Wiley -- say that "the difference in GPA and college graduation rates between youth rated by others as attractive, versus average in looks, is similar to the differences in academic achievement between youth raised in two-parent versus single-parent families." If the idea that kids get better grades based on "getting by on looks" frosts you, wait. This will make you nuts: Based on their findings, Gordon and Crosnoe believe that the effects of beauty (or lack thereof) may last far beyond high school graduation. They say there is a cumulative boost (or loss) of self-esteem about one's own appearance that carries over from high school into college and perhaps over a lifetime. And even though the authors say that beauty has its pitfalls (good-looking men and women, for example, dated more and drank more and some of this had a negative impact on their grades and college success), their conclusion is that, overall, this period of "lookism" in high school is important enough to merit the same kind of consciousness-raising discussion given to unfair racial or class stereotypes. If looks translate into higher praise, better grades and even more credit for being warm and sensitive, as the authors found in their research, this is a real boon for the people with the lucky DNA. Each advantage a student has is likely to make that young man or woman feel more self-confident -- and self-confidence is an extraordinary tool to use in adult life. The other side of the coin is what's concerning: There is, as many parents know, the depression and sense of worthlessness a young adult may feel when he or she is not deemed good-looking in high school. It is frightening to think this may lead to a lifetime of feeling awkward, unlovable and inferior. We have all become more sensitive and activist about issues of adolescence we used to ignore. We now know how dangerous bullying is, how destructive depression can be and how important it is to reframe our view of people who have physical or mental disabilities. While we can't mandate that people change their opinion about who is or is not good-looking, we could ask our kids' teachers to be aware of their own tendency to give a higher grade or greater approval to a good-looking kid than to one that is not. We could all bring attention to slang that kids use to assess or denigrate another person's looks. Does this sound too PC? Maybe. But a little sensitivity here wouldn't be a bad thing. Terms such as "tubby" or "skinny" or "lame" or other insult equivalents you may have heard don't need to be leveled at anyone. Young people are acutely aware when they are not the favored ones, and they know that popularity and good looks are usually paired. Moreover, an ambitious student who is attractive might prefer to be complimented on what he or she said or did rather than for appearance. It does them no favor to allow them to think that their looks are their primary and best attribute; it could cause them to be insecure about other aspects of their personality or behavior. Talking openly about this could make it clearer to the people in our children's day-to-day world that their casual remarks can have long-term effects. It can also take some of the sting out of not being in the running for prom king or queen. And here I would suggest that such beauty and popularity contests are a dicey idea for schools in the first place. They have an impact on the impressions and behavior of everyone in the school, even, potentially, teachers. We spend time and energy to make sure our kids are treated fairly in life. Let's help ensure they are not discriminated against -- or given a free ride -- just because of the way they look. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Pepper Schwartz. | Pepper Schwartz: Study finds edge given attractive people can start in school with teachers .
Language, attitudes expressed by peers, adults shape kids' self-worth for lifetime, she says .
We're sensitive to race, class, disabilities; how about effect of beauty standards, she asks?
Schwartz: Teachers, be aware of your power in contributing to beauty discrimination . |
189,647 | 81964ebaa9a82db7b625bf664bd7bf010bd66a21 | (CNN) -- South Korean shop owners are launching a nationwide boycott of Japanese products over a territorial dispute between the two countries. The President of the Save Local Stores Alliances, Oh Ho-suk, claims most of the alliance's 7.2 million members will ultimately participate in the effort. They are pledging not to sell popular Japanese products like Mild Seven cigarettes, Asahi beer and Sony electronics. Some car mechanics are also saying they will refuse to repair cars from Japanese brands like Toyota, Honda and Nissan. "We will continue this boycott until we get a sincere apology from the Japanese government," Oh says. His group is angry over Japan's continuing claim to a series of islands that lie between the two countries. Seoul calls the islands Dokdo, Tokyo calls them Takeshima. Both countries claim them, but they are currently under South Korean control. The dispute is the latest in a series of competing national claims to islands in the East and South China seas, where ownership can give exclusive rights to fishing, oil production and other commercial activities in surrounding waters. Large Japanese exporters like Toyota and Canon suffered declining sales in China last fall when a separate island dispute between those two countries escalated into a major product boycott. Protests turned violent in September after the Japanese government purchased the island chain -- known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan -- from private Japanese owners. This is the first such boycott to be launched over the recent flare-up in tensions between Japan and South Korea. Police say over 200 people participated in a protest today in Seoul to launch the boycott, chanting "we will not sell or buy Japanese products." They threw eggs at a sign featuring Japanese brand logos, waved South Korean flags and held signs reading "Dokdo is our territory" and the "Japanese government must apologize." Many of the women attending dressed in the traditional Korean garb known as the hanbok. The protests marched from Topgol Park to Gwanghwamun Square. Oh says they handed out 50,000 flyers about the boycott. March 1 is a public holiday in South Korea which celebrates the launch of the independence movement from Japan in 1919. Japan Tobacco, owner of Mild Seven, Winston and Camel, and Asahi Breweries declined to comment on the boycott. CNN's Junko Ogura in Tokyo contributed to this report. | South Korean shop owners are launching a nationwide boycott of Japanese products .
Protests Tokyo's claim of a group of islands called Dokdo in Korea, Takeshima in Japan .
Korean shops pledge not to sell popular Japanese brands such as Sony and Asahi beer .
Latest in a series of territorial claims between nations in the East and South China seas . |
86,959 | f6ce611eb3bbe77bd59e750b689772a19162cdfa | (Budget Travel) -- Holiday travelers are filling up flights, and flu season is in full swing, so it's more important than ever to protect yourself against illness. We dug deep to identify the major germ zones on planes (and tips to avoid them). No, you're not likely to contract meningitis, but better safe than sorry, right? GERM ZONE: Water FOR: E. coli, a common culprit behind stomach cramps . Your plane reaches 30,000 feet, the fasten-seat-belt sign switches off, and the flight attendant comes by to take your drink order: Coffee or tea? Ice water? They seem like innocent offers -- until you consider that airplane water has been under review by the EPA for traces of E. coli for six years. A random sampling of 327 unnamed domestic and international aircraft caused a stir in 2004 when some water samples tested positive for E. coli, one strain of which is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S. Coffee and tea are brewed on board with such water and don't typically reach hot enough temperatures to kill E. coli. When bottled water runs out, some planes have been known to fill fliers' glasses from the tank. One British Airways crew member confessed to the London-based Times that, in those cases, the crew first has to wait for any cloudy "floating stuff" to settle out. And onboard tanks are small to limit their weight, so planes sometimes refill at foreign airports, where water standards can be questionable. The encouraging news is that water quality and control are improving: From 2005 to 2008, only 3.6 percent of samples tested positive for coliform bacteria, of which only a small fraction tested positive for E. coli. And in October 2011, the EPA's Aircraft Drinking Water Rule, with more standardized, stringent disinfection and inspection regulations, will go into effect. TIP: Once you clear the security checkpoint, purchase a bottle of water to bring on board. When the flight attendant comes to take your order, stick to soda, juice and other prepackaged liquids, minus the ice. While ice cubes are usually supplied by an outside vendor, some large planes may have their own ice-making capabilities -- reliant on tank water. Budget Travel: 10 scenic airport landings . GERM ZONE: Seat Pocket FOR: Cold and influenza A, B, and C viruses . There's a familiar routine to settling in on a plane: Store your luggage in the overhead bin and deposit any personal items you want to be readily available in your seat pocket. But reaching into that pocket is akin to putting your hand in someone else's purse and rummaging among their used tissues and gum wrappers. Toenail clippings and mushy old French fries are even nastier surprises that have been found in seat pockets. Consider that cold and influenza viruses can survive for hours on fabric and tissues, and even longer (up to 48 hours) on nonporous surfaces like plastic and metal -- and you realize that you might pick up more than that glossy flight magazine when you reach inside. TIP: Bring a small, easily accessible carry-on bag so that you can avoid stashing things in the seat pocket. If you must use it, keep magazines and other items within a plastic bag for protection. GERM ZONE: Tray Table FOR: MRSA, a deadly superbug . Flight attendants have witnessed many repulsive misuses of the tray table, from parents changing dirty diapers to kids sticking their boogers underneath. Research confirms that the handy tray table is a petri dish for all kinds of health hazards, including the superbug Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which is often fatal once contracted. It kills an estimated 20,000 Americans annually. In 2007, University of Arizona researcher Jonathan Sexton tested tray tables from three major airliners, and an alarming 60 percent tested positive for the superbug. That's quite a revelation considering only 11 percent of his samples from the New York subway found traces of the bug. TIP: Bring disinfectant wipes to clean off your tray table before and after use, and never eat directly off the surface. CDC guidelines tell you what to look for in a disinfectant and recommend checking a product's label to see if MRSA is on the list of bacteria it kills; Lysol disinfecting wipes is one reliable choice. And be sure to protect any cuts with Band-Aids -- the most common way of contracting an MRSA infection is through open skin. Budget Travel: The coolest gifts for every traveler . GERM ZONE: Airplane Meal FOR: Listeria, a microbe known to cause gastrointestinal illness and meningitis . In-flight meals have long had a bad reputation for consisting of bland, barely identifiable dishes. Then, in 2009, the meals made headlines when FDA inspections of the Denver location of LSG Sky Chefs -- the world's largest airplane caterer with clients including American Airlines, Delta and United -- found the kitchens crawling with roaches too numerous to count and employees handling the food with bare hands or unwashed gloves. Test samples from the food preparation area also found traces of Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause gastrointestinal illness and meningitis, as well as cervical infection in pregnant women. Your likelihood of contracting illness from the microbe is very low, though it should be noted that one fifth of the 2,500 annual cases are fatal. LSG Sky Chefs, to its credit, responded accordingly after the news broke and passed the FDA's follow-up inspection in January 2010. TIP: It sounds like LSG has cleaned up its act, but you'll never really know where your meal has been. If you're concerned, eat beforehand and bring your own snacks onto the plane. Check out our article on how to make a sandwich that will still be appetizing once you're in the air. For starters, choose a well-cured meat like prosciutto or salami. GERM ZONE: Airplane Pillow and Blankets FOR: Germs like Aspergillus niger that cause pneumonia and infections . Talk about sleeping with the enemy. You're snuggling with a blanket and pillow that have likely been used by many drowsy, drooling passengers before you. Unless visibly soiled, pillows and blankets are often reissued because of the frequency of flights. A 2007 investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that airlines cleaned their blankets every five to 30 days. And don't assume your blanket is new just because it's wrapped in plastic. The Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees made a big stink in 2000 when it accused Royal Airline Laundry -- which supplies pillows and blankets to clients like American, United and US Airways -- of repackaging pillows and blankets without cleaning them properly. Its research found blankets with traces of Pseudomonas paucimobilis, known for causing lung and eye infections, and pillowcases with Aspergillus niger, which can lead to pneumonia and gastrointestinal bleeding. In the decade since, airlines like Southwest and Alaska Airlines have removed pillows and blankets completely, while JetBlue, US Airways and American now charge for them. TIP: There have been no documented reports linking airlines to these infections. But if you're worried about staying warm -- and want to avoid potential germs and airline fees -- wear layers and thick socks, and consider bringing Grabber Warmers, small disposable hand and foot warmers. A travel pillow and compact blanket will help you sleep in comfort. Budget Travel: See the pyramids . GERM ZONE: Airplane Lavatory FOR: A smorgasbord of threats like E. coli or fecal bacteria . After a mid-flight nap, you wake up to nature's call and must face the airplane's biggest germ zone: the lavatory. With hundreds of people using the commode daily, the small boxy space is a natural haven for all kinds of germs and viruses, especially on the door handle (do you really think every passenger washes his or her hands?). And that thunderous volcanic toilet flush doesn't exactly help the situation, spraying water and releasing potential germs into the air every which way. The CDC cited the lavatory as a major danger area for the spread of disease during the H1N1 flu and SARS epidemics. TIP: Use a paper towel to close the toilet lid before flushing -- and then leave without washing your hands. Remember that cloudy tank water we described above? The sink water comes from the same source. You'll come away cleaner if you skip the sink and reach for hand sanitizer instead. Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2011 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved. | Airplane water has been under review for traces of E. coli for six years .
Purchase bottled water to bring on board and don't use ice cubes in your drink .
To avoid catching the cold or flu, don't stash things in the seat pocket .
Don't wash your hands after using the airplane bathroom -- use sanitizer instead . |
190,429 | 828fabfe153bf5b80295d9d7b481546019fb497a | A conservative Republican congressman released a bumper sticker that infuriated his opponents by connecting the debate over abortion with that of gun control. Campaign staffers working on the re-election team for Texas Congressman Steve Stockman released the bumper sticker today prompting an immediate backlash. 'If babies had guns they wouldn't be aborted. Vote Pro-Life!' the bumper sticker read. Fire starter: The bumper sticker was released via Twitter by the Congressman's campaign staff . Right wing: Congressman Stockman, who invited rocker Ted Nugent as his guest to the State of the Union, sells himself as the most conservative member of Congress, though he has not been ranked as such . The slogan was deemed 'outrageous' by the masses on Twitter, many of whom stopped to think about the physical impossibilities implied, but few missed the political implications. The statement is obviously intended to prompt outrage from critics and serve as a rallying cry from supporters, but a day after posting it to his Twitter feed, it apparently helped fund his campaign war chest for his 2014 re-election bid. His campaign managers are trying to position him on the far right of the party, appointing him the 'most conservative Congressman in Texas!' in his Twitter bio. The bio goes on to boast of his '100% lifetime NRA, GOA, NAGR, Right to Life rating'. Newsworthy: Stockman connected the bumper sticker to the ongoing trial of an abortion doctor who allegedly killed live babies and at least one mother in Philadelphia . Support: Stockman received campaign funds from pro-life and anti-gun control groups . In spite of his own assertions, he is not listed among the top 16 most conservative congressman by the National Journal in their annual rankings. Though the bumper sticker was released by his campaign staff and not by the Congressman himself, he found a way to make the move timely by tying it into the case against abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell in Pennsylvania who allegedly murdered seven babies in his 'house of horrors' clinic. 'Funny how all it takes is a bumper sticker for Democrats to finally start talking about the unborn like they're people. Hypocrisy exposed,' the Congressman tweeted Friday afternoon. His strong allegiance to pro-life and anti-gun control groups comes as little surprise when looking at his campaign finance reports. In the 2012 election, the National Association for Gun Rights, Gun Owners of America, and the National Pro-Life Alliance were among his top 20 donors. Stockman represents a district of southeast Texas that was created as a result of the 2010 census, so he is the first to serve as its representative. He previously served as a congressman from 1995 to 1997. | Campaign staff of Texas Congressman Steve Stockman selling the bumper stickers to raise money for his 2014 re-election bid .
Stockman brands himself as 'the most conservative' member of Congress .
Known for bringing Ted Nugent as his guest to the State of the Union . |
63,244 | b3a4bad29901c45c76411fade25379e944bb9c70 | Rape charges against former AFL footballer Stephen Milne have been dropped and he has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of indecent assault. The former St Kilda player was facing three charges of raping a 19-year-old woman at a teammate's house after a drunken night out in 2004. The 34-year-old was scheduled to face a 10-day trial in the Victorian County Court later this month. Milne pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the woman in a darkened room, with former teammate Leigh Montagna and another woman nearby. Scroll down for video . Stephen Milne, who was joined in court with his wife Melissa, was cleared of three rape charges . Prosecutor Mark Rochford SC said the victim believed Milne was Mr Montagna. 'The accused was reckless as to whether the complainant was consenting or not to the relevant act,' he told the court. Milne arrived at court on Thursday with his wife Melissa. He was also supported in court by St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt and recently retired Saints midfielder Lenny Hayes. Milne pleaded guilty to the charge after the Office of Public Prosecution dropped the three rape charges. Mr Rochford said the maximum penalty for indecent assault was 10 years' jail. 'All sentencing options are open,' he said. Milne's barrister Philip Dunn QC asked Judge Michael Bourke to hand Milne a fine without conviction. Milne was also supported in court by former Saints teammates Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes . Milne retired last year after playing more than 250 game for St Kilda . He said the offence was more than 10 years old and Milne had not offended since. Mr Dunn described the offending as 'unplanned, spontaneous and momentary'. He said it occurred in the context of alcohol consumption and in a dark room. But Mr Dunn acknowledged Milne had offended after the victim had been clear in saying 'no'. 'His recklessness was a misread of the situation,' Mr Dunn said. 'It was an attempt to get her to change her mind.' He also said Milne and his family had suffered a decade of abuse, in which crowds chanted 'rapist' at St Kilda's AFL games. Mr Dunn described one incident in which Milne's partner took photos of his 250th AFL game and was insulted by a K-Mart employee when she went to have them printed. 'What do you want a photo of a rapist for?' she was asked. The plea hearing continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Three rape charges against Stephen Milne have been dropped .
Ex-footballer pleaded guilty to indecent assault charge from 2004 .
Prosecutor said victim mistook Milne for former teammate Leigh Montagna . |
13,779 | 27155662fda1f5febdbb42e6572dda8d9e31588a | Researchers have made an exact copy of a dinosaur fossil covered in plaster - without having to crack open its protective case. The technique, which uses a CT scanner and 3D printer, could help scientists analyse fossils in casings without risking damage to it in the process. Scientists also hope the method will allow scientists to share replicas of fossils that are too delicate to be passed around. Researchers have made an exact copy, pictured right, of a dinosaur fossil covered in plaster - without having to crack open its protective case, pictured left. The technique, which uses a CT scanner and 3D printer, could help scientists analyse fossils in casings without risking damage to it in the process . Researchers performed CT scans on the unidentified fossil with a 320-slice multi-detector system. The . different absorption of radiation through the bone compared with the . surrounding material provided a clear image of a fossilised vertebral . body. The CT study also provided valuable information about the condition of the fossil, showing multiple fractures. It . helped the researchers build an accurate reconstruction of the fossil . with selective laser sintering - a technology that uses a high-powered . laser to fuse together materials to make a 3D object. Fossils are often stored in plaster casts, or jackets, to protect them from damage. Getting information about a fossil often means breaking the plaster open, which can damage or destroy the fossil itself. German researchers studied the feasibility of using CT and 3D printers to non-destructively separate fossilised bone from its surrounding material and produce a 3D print of the bone. ‘The most important benefit of this method is that it is non-destructive, and the risk of harming the fossil is minimal,’ said Dr Ahi Sema Issever, from the Charité Campus Mitte in Berlin. Dr Issever and colleagues applied the . method to an unidentified fossil from the Museum für Naturkunde, a . major natural history museum in Berlin. The fossil and others like it were buried under rubble in the basement of the museum after a World War II bombing raid. Researchers performed CT scans on the unidentified fossil using a 320-slice multi-detector system. The different absorption of radiation through the bone compared with the surrounding material provided a clear image needed to make the copy, pictured . But museum staff had difficulty identifying some of the plaster jackets. Researchers performed CT on the unidentified fossil with a 320-slice multi-detector system. The different absorption of radiation through the bone compared with the surrounding material provides a clear image of a fossilised vertebral body. After studying the CT scan and comparing it to old excavation drawings, the researchers were able to trace the fossil's origin to the excavation, a major dig from 1910 to 1927 in a clay pit south of Halberstadt, Germany. The fossil was buried under rubble of a German museum following a World War II bombing raid. After studying the CT scan and comparing it to old excavation drawings, pictured, the researchers were able to trace the fossil's origin to a major dig that took place between 1910 to 1927 in a clay pit south of Halberstadt . The CT study also provided valuable information about the condition of the fossil, showing multiple fractures. It helped the researchers build an accurate reconstruction of the fossil with selective laser sintering - a technology that uses a high-powered laser to fuse together materials to make a 3D object. Dr Issever said that the findings come at a time when advances in technology and cheaper availability of 3D printers are making them more common as a tool for research. ‘The digital dataset and, ultimately, reproductions of the 3D print may easily be shared, and other research facilities could thus gain valuable informational access to rare fossils, which otherwise would have been restricted,’ Dr Issever said. ‘Just like Gutenberg's printing press opened the world of books to the public, digital datasets and 3D prints of fossils may now be distributed more broadly, while protecting the original intact fossil.’ | The exact fossil copy was created using a CT scanner and 3D printer .
Fossils are often stored in plaster casts to protect them from damage .
After studying the CT scan researchers were able to trace the .
fossil's origin to a major dig from 1910 to 1927 .
Method set to be used in the future to share replicas too delicate to handle . |
260,000 | dcaa03fb79e4d52d0aaaa0a333a525e9a00e3419 | (CNN) -- Churches can stop a shooter or anyone else intent on harming church members with the proper security measures in place, an expert on protecting places of worship said Monday. Police say the attacker walked into First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois, on Sunday and began firing. "A church is not helpless when they have a plan, and properly trained security," said Jeff Hawkins, the executive director of the Christian Security Network. First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois, had a security plan in place when a gunman walked into services Sunday morning and killed Pastor Fred Winters, said Tim Lawson, another pastor at the church. Lawson told CNN he was not prepared to disclose details of his church's security plan on Monday. But Maryville police Chief Rich Schardam said Winters was keenly aware of the security issues, had sought out police advice and had identified police and medical personnel in the congregation who could help in an emergency. "They did have plans on what to do," Schardam said Monday. Schardam said neither of the men who subdued the gunman had a law enforcement background. "Those parishioners were just real-life heroes," Pastor Lawson said. See how gunman killed Illinois pastor » . Schardam said the suspect in Sunday's shooting, 27-year-old Terry J. Sedlacek, had no known relationship to the church or Winters, and random attacks are impossible to anticipate. Hawkins called the Illinois killing "tragic," but he said in the year or so since the Christian Security Network has been actively training churches, numerous other tragedies have been averted. "These incidents aren't going to make the news," said Hawkins. "But they are happening everywhere, big city or small town." Hundreds of church leaders have told him about all kinds of attacks they have recently faced, from arsons and burglaries to assaults on members and church leaders. In the first two months of 2009, churches have described more than 140 acts of violence to the Network, he said. In one incident, congregants noticed a person dressed inappropriately for the weather and acting odd. The man was taken outside and questioned. Under his coat, he had two machetes strapped to his back. "He said that he had been hearing the devil speaking to him, telling him to cut the pastor's head off," Hawkins said. "There was no struggle, and everything was calm. The man was removed." Hawkins combined his professional security background with his experience working in a Christian ministry in founding Christian Security Network last year, not long after a gunman killed two people and wounded seven in a Knoxville, Tennessee, church. The shooter attacked children who were performing a musical in front of the congregation. Violent crime in churches is not tracked, Hawkins said. "The church is really behind in secular world in terms of planning," he said. Browse a U.S. map of other recent church shootings » . It's essential that a church must balance having a security presence while still keeping a house of worship open to everyone, he said. "Some churches choose armed guards, some have a much more subtle security presence where you wouldn't even know it's there." A church should have five security plans in place to deal with evacuation, long-term shelter, medical emergencies, lost or missing children and violent confrontations, he said. "Every church is different so you need something that is going to work for that particular church's culture and size," he said. "And I think now, especially after September 11, people want to feel secure. They want to know if they bring their family somewhere, it's going to be a safe environment. "Everyone should approach this realistically and not say, 'This couldn't happen here in church,' because we see it happen all the time." Dale Annis, founder of Church Security Services, a consulting company that advises houses of worship on security strategies, told CNN in November that his business has been growing for five years. "You have to take some of the incentive yourself. I don't think you walk down dark alleys in bad parts of town and say 'God will protect me,' " said Annis, who is also in charge of security at his parish, the Olive Drive Church in Bakersfield, California. In states where laws allow people to carry concealed weapons, volunteers have become a cost-effective means of providing security, Annis said. A bill that would have allowed concealed weapons in Arkansas churches failed to get out of a state Senate committee last month. Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, has a volunteer security force consisting of at least one armed guard during any given worship service. "We realized that, as the largest Baptist church in Kentucky, we'd be a little naive to think something would never happen to us," Highview Pastor Randy Record, who is also a police officer, told CNN last year. "We're catching up in an era of terrorism and a church is no different." CNN's Ashley Fantz, Emanuella Grinberg and Brad Lendon contributed to this report. | NEW: Slain pastor discussed security plans with police, chief says .
NEW: Attack on Illinois pastor appeared to be random, police chief says .
Pastor gunned down at Illinois church on Sunday .
Numerous tragedies averted by security planning, one expert says . |
219,863 | a895719f46decb8e33e7ee1f90e9af65f18d1180 | Tragic: Namara Whisker, 22, died after a BMW she was travelling in crashed into the River Avon as she travelled home from a night out . A young mother died when the car she was in veered off the road, ploughed through a crash barrier and plunged 20ft into a river. Namara Whisker, 22, was returning home after a night out with friends when the crash happened early on Saturday. The silver BMW tore through railings, overturned and then fell into the River Avon shortly after 4am, police said. At least six police officers dived into the river to save those inside. Four people escaped from the car relatively unharmed, but Miss Whisker, who gave birth only two months ago, was trapped. Fire crews managed to free her but she was already dead by the time she was taken ashore. Last night, a 33-year-old man was charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He is also accused of drink- driving and driving without insurance or a licence and was due to appear before Bristol Magistrates’ Court this morning. A 21-year-old woman from Bristol was also arrested and has been released on police bail. Friends of Miss Whisker last night paid tribute to the former business studies student, who is believed to have been in the car’s passenger seat. They said she had been partying at the Byzantium Bar in Bristol on Friday night and was on her way home when the car left the road. Scroll down for video . Recovery: The damaged silver BMW is pulled from the River Avon in Bristol after the crash . Salvage operation: Investigators believe Ms Whisker was the front-seat passenger of the car when it went into the river . A 23-year-old relative who did not . want to be named said: ‘She had so much ambition and was the kindest . person anyone could ever meet. I saw her in the club with friends. We . gave each other a hug. Next thing I know this has happened. ‘I’m glad I got to give her one last hug now. It was a goodbye.’ College friend Shawnika Sergeant, 22, said: ‘She was so pretty, bubbly and special. It is hard to take.’ Another friend said Miss Whisker, from the Easton area of Bristol, had a two-month-old son. She added: ‘I can’t believe he is going to grow up without his mummy.’ Rescue mission: Police officers dived into the river in an attempt to save the passengers after it crashed into the water. They were treated in hospital as a precaution . A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving following the incident . It is believed the car crashed through the barriers of St Phillip’s Bridge at Temple Back. Inspector Paul Winship, of Avon and . Somerset Police, said at least six officers dived into the river. They . were taken to hospital as a precaution but have since returned to work. He added: ‘They rescued one male and . one female. They are both helping us with our inquiries. Two further . females are being interviewed as witnesses.’ Denis McCann, area manager at Avon Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘This was a complex incident. ‘We had a specialist water rescue team. There was one person trapped in the vehicle who was removed using the rescue boat.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Namara Whisker died following the crash at 4am on Saturday morning .
A 33-year-old man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving .
Six police officers are in hospital after they tried to rescue passengers .
Silver BMW has been pulled from the river by crane . |
132,217 | 36fe8e50b700265ade362a4d91e250014716d3d2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A police officer who admitted having sex on the job has been cleared of misconduct - despite failing to respond to three call-outs. PC Lee Haworth visited Katrina Ianson-Hughes’s house in Oswaldtwistle for sex while on duty on April 5 last year, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Prosecutors . said the pair met during an investigation into an alleged assault on . Miss Ianson-Hughes and had exchanged texts ‘of a sexual . nature’. PC Lee Haworth (pictured right outside Liverpool Crown Court) visited the house of Katrina Ianson-Hughes (left) in Oswaldtwistle for sex while on duty on April 5 last year, the court heard. He was today cleared of misconduct . It was said they were exchanged over Haworth’s police-issued personal digital . assistant (PDA) device. The father - who was already in a . relationship - first received a ‘grade two’ call during a visit to her home, the court heard. Prosecutors . said the 39-year-old said he would attend an incident in . Clayton-le-Moors and told the call handler to mark it on the . computer system that he was attending. But he did not leave Miss Ianson-Hughes’s . kitchen. Moments after receiving the call, another officer said they would also go to the incident. GPS records for Haworth’s police car showed that the car was parked outside her home for about an hour, prosecutors said. Then there was a call to a ‘grade one’ emergency. Haworth . did not volunteer to help and the call handler had to speak . to a sergeant to rearrange patrols because they were ‘struggling for . back up’, a judge was told. Police officer Lee Haworth, (pictured outside Liverpool Crown Court today) who admitted having sex on the job, has been cleared of misconduct - despite failing to respond to three call-outs . Haworth told the court he thought there was no need for him to volunteer. Finally, . prosecutors alleged he did not respond immediately to a call for . concern about an elderly man in Accrington. Haworth told a judge that regardless of the outcome of his four-day trial, his resignation from Lancashire Police was ‘in hand’. The defendant, described by his colleagues as an ‘exemplary’ officer, had earlier admitted two breaches of the data protection act, for which he received a £700 fine. His barrister told Liverpool Crown Court: 'He embarrassed the force, he let himself down and he let his partner down.' But he claimed the rapid response officer was still within the patch, would have been able to respond to any emergencies he was called to and he did not take any other breaks of any sort resulting in spending the same amount of time on visible patrol. The jury heard evidence from call handlers who said that night was a ‘reasonably quiet’ Friday and that all demands were met by other police officers. Haworth also told the judge that while he was having sex with Miss Ianson-Hughes he kept his radio on and had been listening to it in case he might be needed. Nick Clarke, QC, for the defendant, said: 'He was not on visible patrol, it was said, whilst he was at Katrina’s, but he was still there within the patrol area and he would have been able to respond to any emergency that he was in fact called to. 'He was not asked to go. If he had have been, there would have been no problems. She would have understood. Prosecutors at Liverpool Crown Court said the pair met during an investigation into an alleged assault on Miss Ianson-Hughes and had exchanged 'flirtatious' texts 'of a sexual nature' 'The reality is he was on duty for that shift. He did not take a meal break or break of any sort. 'The total time he was out on visible patrol was the same as anybody else.' Haworth had admitted he was ‘in dereliction of his duty’, but denied it crossed the threshold for the jury to find him guilty of misconduct. Mr Clarke said: 'There is no doubt Lee Haworth admits that he was in dereliction of his duty when he was visiting Katrina Ianson-Hughes whilst he was on duty. 'He behaved that night in a way which was an embarrassment to the police force.' Before the jury retired to consider its verdict, Mr Clarke reminded the seven men and five women that the case was a criminal trial and not a ‘court of morals’. Mr Clarke added: 'It is a shameful incident for him, but he is not to be condemned just for that.' The data protection breaches, include accessing logs for information about a personal matter and sending a copy of a log praising his work to his then partner without blanking out the name and address of a suspect. Sentencing Haworth, Mr Justice Holroyde told him: 'The punishment you have brought upon yourself is a heavy one. 'It is serious to misuse the police computer and any police officer who does so should expect to be punished for it. 'There is an obvious need for the confidentiality of the personal data. 'There is a clear obligation on any police officer to use the computer system for legitimate reasons. 'The serious aspect of these two offences is that it shows a rather cavalier attitude to that important obligation.' Haworth, who refused to comment as he left court, was told he must also pay £500 prosecution costs and a £70 victim surcharge. Mr Clarke told the judge his client had been treated for depression and that after his medication was increased to the maximum level available, matters ‘came to a head’ last week. He said: 'Financially, he will lose his income. He will have frozen that part pension to which otherwise he would have been entitled. 'In the short term, his life is uncertain.' Speaking after the hearing, a Lancashire Police spokesman said: 'We acknowledge the guilty pleas which have been entered for the data protection act offences and we thank the jury for giving all of these matters their due consideration. 'A decision will now be made as to whether any further disciplinary proceedings are appropriate given all the circumstances.' | PC Lee Haworth visited Katrina Ianson-Hughes for sex while on duty .
Pair met during an investigation into assault on Ms Ianson-Hughes .
They then exchanged 'flirtatious messages' on force's PDA device .
He has since been cleared of misconduct - but is resigning from police . |
71,133 | c9b060f25946efa232ad77089e46b9a5ef672e46 | (CNN) -- "King" Alex Ferguson is quitting Manchester United but the football team's $3.17 billion brand will survive, according to experts. Ferguson -- the man who helped propel Manchester United to one of the world's biggest sport brands -- is set to step down at the end of the season after 26 years at the club. The 71-year-old Scot has managed the English club -- which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has millions of fans around the world -- since 1986. During his 26 years as manager, Ferguson has won more than 30 trophies, including 13 league championships. Watch more: What is Sir Alex's football legacy? And while brand expert Jonathan Gabay believes there will be a period of uncertainty at the club following the exit of a "living legend," the "Brand Manchester United" will survive long after his reign. "The king is dead, but that doesn't mean there will never be a king again," Gabay told CNN, "He [Ferguson] is part of a legendary football brand, but he's not bigger than the actual brand itself." Watch more: Watch 2012 interview with Ferguson . Andre Spicer, a professor of Organizational Behavior at the Cass Business School in London, said the loss of a "great leader" such as Ferguson is similar to "enduring a death" for a company. Ferguson's retirement has already sparked a media and fan frenzy of speculation over his successor. Spicer added that fans will idealize the achievements of Ferguson and as such "it becomes impossible for a successor to fill the old leader's shoes." Watch more: Manchester United's future after Fergie . The Scot's decision to retire and the appointment of his successor could also have a significant impact on the club financially . Since the first season of the English Premier League in 1992/3 season, Manchester United's revenue has grown from £25.2 million to £320.3 million for the 2011/12 season. "Manchester United has been transformed as a football club under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson," according to Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte. While Andy Milligan, a partner at business consultancy, Caffeine, and author of football business book "Brand it Like Beckham," said that club owners, the Glazers, may go into "overdrive" in the next 24 hours to reassure global stakeholders that the club's stability, on the pitch, is not at risk. Milligan said Manchester United's next appointment may be as much about reassuring investors outside the U.K. as it will be for sporting reasons. Milligan told CNN: "Football is a very volatile market place. But if you add U.S. stock market pressures to football; it could be an explosive mix." Manchester United's American owners, the Glaziers, listed the soccer club on the New York Stock Exchange in August and its growing commercial success is highly dependent on performances on the pitch, according to Joshua Raymond, a market strategist at London-based financial services firm, CityIndex. "Replacing Alex Ferguson is a monumental task and one that shareholders will watch with great interest and nervous uncertainty," he said in a note on the firm's website. Raymond wrote that the appointment of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho would be "a much safer appointment in the eyes of the United board and shareholders" while the appointment of Everton manager and bookmakers favorite, David Moyes, would "come with great risk" due to his lack of experience with big clubs. In his note, Raymond went on to say that Mourinho would be the only appointment that could increase the club's brand recognition. Manchester United is one of the world's most valuable clubs -- second only to Spanish giants Real Madrid -- according to a study by financial experts, Forbes. In the club's third-quarter results, the English Premier League champions posted record revenue of £91.7 million ($142 million) on the back of new sponsorship deals in Asia and Europe. The club, who have just claimed their 20th league title, reported a 52.2% increase in sponsorship revenue having announced new deals with two financial services providers in Denmark and Vietnam as well as an agreement with a Japanese social gaming company. | Experts: 'King' Alex Ferguson may be going but brand Manchester United will survive .
Under Ferguson the team won more than 30 trophies, including 13 league championships .
But the football team is bigger than just one man, brand experts tell CNN .
Ferguson's retirement has already sparked speculation over his successor . |
251,363 | d1581f592dc92accb4f25440c01e21b72519fd84 | This is the incredible photo showing two U.S. sprinters crossing the finish line on the same thousandth of a second during trials for the Olympics - a finish too close for even the camera to call. Now a toss of a coin or a head-to-head sprint could decide whether Allyson Felix or Jeneba Tarmoh represents the country in the women's 100 meters at the London Olympics, athletics officials said. Felix and Tarmoh finished in a dead heat - at 11.068 seconds - for third place in Saturday's 100 final at the U.S. Olympic trials. They both leaned into the finish line and their torsos, by which a winner is judged, were even. Until now, there has been no protocol for determining the winner. Scroll down for video . Too close to call: Jeneba Tarmoh (bottom) and Allyson Felix both cross the finish line for the Olympic trials with a time of 11.068. The race is decided by when their torsos cross the line, and the picture showed a tie . Officials spent most of the next 24 hours developing a procedure for breaking the deadlock. Each nation can be represented by a maximum of three athletes per event at the Games. U.S. officials said the final place, who would join world champion Carmelita Jeter and Tianna Madison for the 100 in London, would be determined by the time the trials end on July 1. 'We will select our team before we leave here,' USA Track and Field (USATF) spokeswoman Jill Geer said. Battle: The track timer had initially named Tarmoh, right, as the winner before officials reviewed the results . Under the procedure, if neither athlete declines a position on the team, they can choose either a run-off or coin flip. Bob Kersee, who coaches both athletes, said he considered the procedure, which was developed by USATF and U.S. Olympic Committee officials, to be fair. 'But if there is a run-off, the health of the athlete must be protected,' Kersee said. If the two women fail to agree on which option to employ, the final place will be decided by a race. If they choose the toss of a coin, Felix, as . the highest ranking athlete, would pick heads or tails. The procedure, a two-page document, even specified details of the coin, which must be a quarter dollar with the image of first U.S. President George Washington on one side and an eagle on the reverse. Disbelief: The two women finished dead heat for the third position on the women's 100m Olympic team . Both Felix and Tarmoh will compete in the 200 trials on Thursday and the finals for that event are on Saturday. They have not been given an official deadline by which to make their decision for the 100 metre place. Kersey said they would not make their choice until after the 200 metre trials. Kersee said that track officials 'need to leave my athletes alone and let me coach them in the 200, then make a decision.' He added that he would not choose . which runner made the Olympic team because 'it would be like, "Which kid . do you love the most?"' 'I’ve never seen anything like this,' Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic sprinter from Trinidad and Tobago who . now works as an NBC boradcaster, said, the New York Times reported. Support: The two women have the same trainer and contracts with Nike. If they choose to run in a head-to-head, it will take place after this weekend, when they are both trying out for the 200m team . Anxious: Felix (right) is keen to compete in the Olympic 100m even though her main event is 200m . 'How long has this sport been around? It’s crazy that there’s not something very specific. I guarantee that there will be something put in there now. How we reached this point without a rule, I have no idea.' At first, the timer had ruled Tarmoh was the winner, with Felix, who has won three Olympic medals, placing one-thousandth of a second behind her. Brandishing a mini American flag, Tarmoh went to a news conference with Jeter and Madison, while Felix gave an emotional interview and said 'fourth is the worst'. But track officials revised the results and discovered there had been a tie. See below for video . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh in a dead heat .
Their torsos, by which ties are judged, finished at same moment . |
252,838 | d339b0c641d37fe344aaf93ea89aa78a08dc28d2 | (CNN) -- Taiwanese golfer Yani Tseng became the youngest woman to win three major trophies after claiming a tense one-shot victory at the British Open in England on Sunday. The 21-year-old broke down in tears as she overcame a jittery approach to the final green at Royal Birkdale to make history as the first player from her island to win the event. Her ambitious long drive into the first fairway bunker at the par-five 18th gave Katherine Hull -- Tseng's fellow first-round leader -- the chance to take the tournament to a playoff. But the Australian -- who matched Tseng with an eagle at 18 on Thursday -- was well short of the pin with her chip from off the back of the green, and then her birdie putt slid just past the hole. Tseng clinched her second major title this season with a solid six-foot putt for par, which Hull could only match, for a winning total of 11-under-par of 277. "I was so tired, there was so much pressure out there and it's been an unbelievable day. Even when I holed the putt at the last I had to ask my caddie 'Did I win?," a relieved Tseng told reporters. "The last four holes were very hard and Katherine pushed me all the way. She's an awesome player." The 2010 Kraft Nabisco championship winner closed with a one-over 73 after faltering with three bogeys and two birdies, while Hull cut her four-shot overnight lead with a four-birdie 70. Neither player could beat par in the last five holes, with Tseng's last birdie of the day coming on the par-five sixth. "I'm disappointed but there are also a lot of positives to take from this week," the 28-year-old Hull said after only her second top-10 finish in 24 majors. "I never gave up but it's just a pity I couldn't make a birdie at one of the three long holes at the end." Na Yeon Choi eagled 18 to finish in a tie for third with In-Kyung Kim on 281, carding 68 to her fellow South Korean's 71 -- which ended with a birdie. American veteran Cristie Kerr finished equal fifth after South Korean duo Amy Yang and Hee-Kyung Seo closed with birdies to join her on 282. | Yani Tseng survives a tense final round to win Women's British Open by one shot .
Taiwanese golfer's four-stroke lead was eroded by Katherine Hull with five holes to play .
Neither player broke par after that as Tseng recovers following bunkered tee shot at 18 .
The 21-year-old became the youngest woman to win three major trophies . |
162,197 | 5db554361cd7ad63df32918a5dcc6a345abbc822 | (CNN) -- The way we watch TV is changing. People want to decide when, where and on what screen they watch their favorite shows. One of the simplest tools for viewing your shows from any device is the Slingbox, which is releasing two new models of its popular TV-streaming tool. The Slingbox is a device that streams content from cable and satellite providers to mobile devices and computer, allowing you to watch whatever is playing on your TV or recorded on your DVR far from your home. Instead of having to plant yourself in front of the living room television to watch a new episode of "Breaking Bad," you can watch a live or DVR stream of it from another room, state or country using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The two new Slingbox models add in some key features that were absent from the previous model, the Slingbox Pro HD. The smaller $180 Slingbox 350 can stream videos up to 1080p and has simplified the set-up process. The $300 Slingbox 500 also streams1080p HD content and has a variety of connection options, including HDMI, component and composite for linking to your other devices and television set. The 500 adds a rough first go of a promising new feature called SlingProjector which makes it possible to stream content, such as photos, from your mobile devices or computers back to the TV. The old trapezoid design has been overhauled. The Slingbox 350 is a small and light box covered in pattern of small diamond shapes. The larger Slingbox 500 has a slick undulating rectangle body, that while pretty to look at, makes it difficult to stack other boxes on top of it. For the many people playing device Jenga in their entertainment centers, that means the 500 will always have to be perched on top of the Xbox, DVR, DVD player or Wii. The company is also updating the companion software, SlingPlayer, and temporarily dropping its price from $30 to $15 for iOS, Android and Windows Phone apps. The Slingbox 350 and 500 go on sale this Sunday. The announcement isn't a complete surprise. The devices were spotted earlier this month on the shelves of a Best Buy by Dave Zatz. And it's been four years since the last Slingbox hardware release; that's eons in gadget years. In that time, Slingbox was bought by satellite company EchoStar. Slingbox is a makeshift solution to cable's slow move onto the Internet and mobile devices. There are a host of business reasons these companies don't stream all their content on demand to any device with an Internet connection. For example, content is still expensive to produce and advertisers pay less for online placement than they do for television airtime. It's estimated that by the end of 2012, 3.58 million people in the United States will have opted out of cable for alternative services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime according to the Convergence Consulting Group. These consumers, called cord cutters, will only account for 3.6% of subscribers. Not enough to leave behind a profitable-but-aging business model just yet. Cord cutters cobble together an alternative to cable using a combination of services and sometimes illegal streaming sites. It can be hard work that requires time and a larger amount of technical know-how than many cable subscribers are likely to have. Many shows are available for streaming, but the market is heavily fragmented. Some shows are available for free online but delayed, others through subscription services. You can buy episodes through stores like iTunes or download official apps for the channels you like. Some of the solutions only work if you have cable, like the HBO Go app that requires you also have a cable subscription. The Slingbox is a pat solution for people willing to pay for cable or satellite subscriptions, who want to watch shows on other devices (a trend called "place shifting"). It does have its limitations. Only one person can control the TV at a time, so if you're trying to stream "True Blood" from a hotel in New York while your husband and kids are watching "SpongeBob" at home in California, their channel will change. However, it is still one of the better options in a market of imperfect solutions. Until cable companies and content creators embrace à la carte television, tools like Slingbox are a necessary stopgap for a lot of people. | Slingbox lets you watch what's playing on your TV from a mobile device or computer .
The two new Slingbox devices are the first from the company in four years .
Both add HD streaming and the Slingbox 500 adds HDMI and WiFi . |
267,317 | e6372b81ee27bd2f3ad8f038829d3becca19b03b | Louis van Gaal will allow his players to have Christmas dinner at home with their families before reporting to Manchester United’s team hotel for the Boxing Day clash with Newcastle at Old Trafford. The Dutchman complained recently that he will not be able to see much of his own family over Christmas because United play away at Tottenham two days later on December 28. But it is understood that Van Gaal has arranged training around the players on Christmas Day so that they are able to enjoy as much of it at home as possible. Manchester United players will be allowed to have Christmas dinner at home before their boxing day fixture . The Dutchman complained recently that he will not be able to see much of his own family over Christmas . Rooney is said to be among the players who have particularly appreciated the gesture . Club captain Wayne Rooney, who has two children with wife Coleen, is said to be among the United players who have particularly appreciated the gesture from their new manager. The Red Devils face Southampton at St Marys on Monday evening, hosting bitter rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on December 14th before facing Aston Villa away in the build-up to Christmas. | Manchester United players will allow his players to have Christmas dinner at home with their families .
The Red Devils take on Newcastle at Old Trafford on Boxing Day .
Manager Louis van Gaal has arranged training around Christmas Day . |
15,527 | 2c20b10471ecc62e86dbdeb0d1079a92f003c074 | (CNN) -- Martian rock N165, it's your time to shine, or glow, or whatever occurs when a hard substance gets zapped by a laser beam. From about 10 feet away, the Mars rover Curiosity's ChemCam was to take aim Saturday night at the hapless three-inch rock. "We are going to hit it with 14 millijoules of energy 30 times in 10 seconds," Roger Wiens of Los Alamos National Laboratory told reporters. A millijoule is 1/1000th of a joule, which is way too complicated to explain here. Suffice to say, it should get the job done. India to launch Mars orbiter in 2013 . ChemCam, short for Chemistry and Camera, will analyze the resulting glowing, ionized gas in an effort to identify chemical elements in the rock. Scientists say it will be the first time such a powerful laser has been used on another planet. The laser works in conjunction with a telescope. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said Friday that Curiosity's first driving destination will be Glenelg, about 1,300 feet from the rover's landing site. "We had a bunch of strong contenders. It is the kind of dilemma planetary scientists dream of, but you can only go one place for the first drilling for a rock sample on Mars," said project scientist John Grotzinger. "That first drilling will be a huge moment in the history of Mars exploration." The mobile science lab touched down on Mars early on August 6 and has been beaming back images of the surface of Gale Crater ever since. The rover's primary target is Mount Sharp, a peak about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away. But moving about a football field a day, with lengthy stops, it could take nearly a year to reach the slopes at the base of the mountain. Complete coverage of Mars . Mars 'Mohawk Guy' inspires Obama . | Rover's ChemCam was to zap small Martian rock on Saturday night .
It will analyze ionized gas to identify chemical elements .
Curiosity landed in Gale Crater on August 6; scientists have been checking its systems . |
165,782 | 626717fdca074745fa2a64ebb84baa7df888bac2 | (CNN) -- Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia are seen as the most corrupt nations in the world, according to Transparency International's latest survey, released Tuesday. More than two thirds of the 177 countries included in the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index scored below 50, where 0 indicates the country's public sector is seen as highly corrupt and 100 as very clean. Denmark and New Zealand performed best with scores of 91. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia tied last with 8 points each. "All countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations," said Huguette Labelle, Transparency International's Chair in a statement. In Syria, where 100,000 have died in a conflict which began in 2011 and has now exploded into war, people regard its public sector as increasingly corrupt. The stricken nation dropped 9 points from 144th place to 168th. Libya, Yemen, Spain, Australia, Guatemala and Madagascar were among the other countries whose scores declined significantly. Myanmar saw the biggest improvement, rising from 5th last position in 2012 to 19 places from the bottom this year. The change reflects the benefits of introducing more open and democratic rules after years of military rule, according to Transparency International's Asia Pacific Director, Srirak Plipat. Myanmar also ratified an international treaty against corruption in December 2012 and the parliament approved an anti-corruption law in July, although this is yet to come into force. While Greece's score rose four points this year to 40, but remained the lowest ranking country in the European Union in 80th place. Brunei, Laos, Senegal, Nepal, Estonia, Lesotho and Latvia also improved. The UK jumped from 17th to 14th place with a score of 76, two points up from last year. The U.S. did not change from last year, ranking 19th with a score of 73. China's rank did not change. Australia dropped two places to 9th position with a score of 81. The Corruption Perceptions Index is based on perceptions of corruption in public institutions like political parties, police and justice systems according to experts and business people. Strong access to information systems and rules governing the behavior of public officials can help a country improve, while a lack of accountability and weak public institutions damages these perceptions, Transparency International said. The organization called on public institutions and officials to be more open, adding that corruption remains notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute. | Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia are seen as the most corrupt nations in the world .
Denmark and New Zealand are seen as the least corrupt nations .
More than two thirds of the 177 countries included in the corruption index score badly . |
132,904 | 37d855466a2f3144eed47156743c5ce2d3af1b50 | (CNN)Oregon State University's main library just went viral, and not because of its state-of-the-art computer lab. A 19-year-old woman was cited Tuesday evening for allegedly using the university library at the campus in Corvallis, Oregon, as a backdrop to shoot an adult video last year. The woman was cited for public indecency and released, according to Steve Clark, Oregon State vice president of university relations. She is not a current student but attended the school for the 2014 fall term. The former student's name was not released by the school, but an Oregon State Police log says that 19-year-old Kendra Jane Sunderland of Corvallis was cited for public indecency in connection with a video posted to a pornographic site along with the claim that it was shot in an Oregon State library. The log says the performer in the video engaged in a "solo act." The misdemeanor charge could bring up to one year in jail and a $6,250 fine. CNN's attempts to reach Sunderland for comment weren't immediately successful. Clark said the university learned about the video Tuesday afternoon. Officials believe the video, which was published on the popular adult website Pornhub.com, was filmed in October on the sixth floor of OSU's Valley Library. "The university does not condone such behavior. This type of behavior does not represent the values of the university. And it definitely does not represent the values of the more than 30,000 students and 5,000 employees that make up Oregon State University," said Clark. Valley Library occupies more than 340,000 square feet and is routinely patrolled by members of the Department of Public Safety and Oregon State Police troopers as well as by two security guards, who patrol the library during overnight hours. . | A former student allegedly films porn in the Oregon State University library .
Officials cite the woman for misdemeanor indecent exposure .
The video has been uploaded to the popular porn site Pornhub . |
108,215 | 1788f7a24e6246e80d476ee562445cfe28b183c7 | By . Beth Stebner and Thomas Durante . Last updated at 3:35 PM on 9th February 2012 . The outraged kids of International Polo Club Palm Beach tycoon John Goodman are demanding that a judge throw out their dad's move to adopt his 42-year-old girlfriend, accusing him of intentionally duping the court. Goodman, 48, is accused of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Scott Wilson in February 2010. In a stunning move last fall, Goodman adopted his girlfriend Heather Laruso Hutchins, 42, entitling her to up to a third of his biological children's trust fund, reportedly worth more than $300million. Scroll down for video . Newest family member: John Goodman, right, adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend Heather Hutchins last fall . Harriet and John Jr - who are in their teens - are now fighting the adoption, charging their father with intentionally committing fraud and making a mockery of the adoption process. The Palm Beach Post reported that a motion was filed in Miami-Dade court on behalf of the children’s guardian, Jeffrey Goddess, arguing that they and their mother had no idea the adoption had taken place until two months after it was finalised. The motion reads: The motion continues, 'If Mr. Goodman would like to protect her and take care of her financially, the obvious solution would be to marry her - not to make her his child.' Victim: Scott Wilson, 23, a graduate of the University of Central Florida, was killed in 2010 . Their attorney, Joseph Rebak told the paper: 'I have never seen anything like this in my 31, 32 years practicing law. Obviously we think it's wrong and we are hoping to have it set aside.' But longtime adoption lawyer Charlotte Danciu told CBS 12 that she’s 'not sure these children will actually have the standing to challenge the adoption.' Goodman’s attorney Daniel Bachi issued a statement last week saying that the . adoption of his girlfriend was intended to help the Trust for his . biological children. He wrote: 'The adoption of Ms Hutchins should have no effect on the . civil proceedings as none of the assets belong to Mr Goodman.' 'The legal adoption of Ms Hutchins does not change that in any way. Ms . Hutchins has no obligation whatsoever to give John B. Goodman a dime.' Another contract between the two states that at least 95 per cent of the trust will ‘ultimately’ go to Harriet and John Jr. He stressed that there is nothing illegal about the adoption. The Wilsons’ lawyer Christian Searcy claims that Goodman still has a . high degree of control over his children’s trust, court papers show. Goodman is being sued by Wilson’s parents for wrongful death. The trial: John Goodman's lawyer said in court that the adoption has nothing to do with his pending criminal trial . Wreckage: Goodman is charged with driving while intoxicated and vehicular manslaughter after police reports show he ran a stop sign and slammed into Scott Wilson's Hyundai, right . According to police reports, Goodman ran a stop sign on February 10, 2010 in Wellington, Florida and smashed into Wilson, sending his car into a canal. Circuit Judge Glenn Kelly had previously ruled that the trust funds set up for his two biological children were off-limits in the lawsuit, according to the Palm Beach Post. Court papers show that Goodman adopted Ms Hutchins in October of last year, CBS12.com reported. The adoption papers state that Ms Hutchins, now a legal child of Goodman, is immediately entitled to at least a third of his trust. Goodman and Ms Hutchins have been dating in 2009, according to her testimony. Arrested: John Goodman faces a criminal trial in March for the DUI death of Wilson . The Wilsons’ attorney, Scott Smith, told the Palm Beach Post that Goodman is attempting to use the adoption to shield his assets. ‘It cannot go unrecognised that [Goodman] chose to adopt his 42-year-old adult girlfriend as opposed to a needy child,' he told the paper. Judge Kelley wrote that the events are taking the court ‘into a legal twilight zone.’ Scott Wilson was a University of Central Florida graduate and was working as a civil engineer. He had been driving his Hyundai home . to Wellington to visit his family, according to the Palm Beach New Times . when he was struck by Goodman's Bentley convertible after he ran a stop sign. Wilson's car was knocked into a nearby canal, where he drowned. Goodman was found to have a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit after the fatal 2010 crash, police reports show. He will be criminally tried March 6, facing charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of a crash. He could spend up to 30 years in prison if found guilty, the Palm Beach Post reports. The civil trial will be some weeks later on March 27. Goodman’s civil attorney Dan Bachi told myfoxorlando.com that the adoption was meant to secure the assets of his children and family investments, nothing more. ‘It has nothing to do with the lawsuit currently pending against him,’ Mr Bachi said. Celebrity hot spot: John Goodman and Hilary Duff, left, pose with an elephant At International Polo Club annual Polo Ball black-tie gala in 2007 . Goodman’s father was the late Harold Goodman, who built a fortune from a heating and air conditioning manufacturing business. His family sold the business in 2004 for a reported $1.4 billion. He converted his father’s horse farm into a polo ranch and later began building his empire. His club became a magnate for the rich and famous, entertaining the likes of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sylvester Stallone, and Charlton Heston. Even Madonna was spotted at the club, attending an International Polo Club match in 2009. Goodman’s wealth is a point of a heated dispute. The Palm Beach New Times questioned the heir’s true assets, quoting Mr Wilson’s lawyer. Attorney Chris Searcy said Goodman is much richer than his financial documents show. He is seeking punitive damages that will 'sting [Goodman] badly without bankrupting him,' Mr Searcy told the New Times. According to the website, Mr Searcy thinks Goodman’s wealth is buried in numerous trusts and companies, and is as 'sophisticated' a method as he's ever seen. The financial battle has been closely tied to the wrongful death suit. In 2002, the mogul sold his Wellington estate to his children’s trust fund for $3.8million, according to the New Times. But he only rents it for $2,000 per month. According to an August 2011 report by the Palm Beach Post, his two children have more than $200 million in their trust funds. Mr Searcy suspects he has full control over those trusts. Mr Searcy also said in court that Goodman has an airplane, yacht, polo ponies, and an unspecified amount of his father’s $1.4billion fortune from Goodman Manufacturing. Lap of luxury: The International Polo Club attracts A-list celebrities . Home sweet home: Goodman sold his Wellington mansion to his children's trust for $3.8million and now pays $2,000/month rent . In a 2006 document, Goodman claimed one of his trusts was worth more than $100 million. Mr Searcy pointed out that Goodman claimed in 2011 that trust was only worth $6.9 million. The Wilsons have already settled privately with the Player’s Club, a bar in Wellington where Goodman had been drinking in February 2010. They claimed that the club was partially responsible for the crash because they served Goodman even though he was intoxicated. Lifestyles of the rich and famous: Goodman owns the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida . The bartenders argued that Goodman wasn’t noticeably drunk. Goodman divorced his first wife Isla Carroll in 2008 after 22 years of marriage. In the April 2009 divorce filing, Ms Carroll said she was fearful for the safety of herself as well as her children. Jeanne T. Tate, a fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, has been practicing adoption law for nearly 30 years. She told MailOnline that while nothing illegal was done when John Goodman adopted his girlfriend, she’s seen many cases where adoption ‘is used for purposes other than what you’d traditionally think it was intended.’ In Florida, adult adoptions do not have the same requirements as traditional child adoptions. She explained: ‘A lot of the traditional adoption statutes- including home studies – those protections are eliminated when you’re adopting an adult, with less government intrusion being the goal.’ She said the only people who have to consent in an adult adoption are the adoptee and the adopter. Under Florida law, they do have to give notice of the adoption, though Ms Tate notes that parental consent is not required. ‘The court may not have been aware of many things,’ she said, ‘including that there was a pending wrongful death suit, or that she was a girlfriend.’ When asked if is now legal for Goodman to have sex with his daughter, Ms Tate responded: ‘That’s a good question. I’m not a criminal lawyer, but it’s a solid question to wonder about.’ She said that because they’re both adults and not biologically related, the question’s answer is murky. ‘Creepy,’ she said,’ but I don’t know if that’s illegal.’ Attorney Wayne Richter told MailOnline that under Florida law, the statutory has no law against having sex with an adopted child as long as there is no lineal consanguinity - meaning there is no close blood tie, such as aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew. Ms Tate said that should Goodman wish to marry Ms Hutchins after the criminal case, it would be a difficult endeavour. The statute, she said, is permanent in the eyes of the law. ‘Even for fraud of duress, you have to bring the challenges in front of the court.’ In Florida, all adoption papers are sealed and cannot be viewed by reporters or third parties. ‘A court could order the file open,’ Ms Tate said,’ but it is difficult to do’ – in most cases because of the sensitive nature of protecting identities. Ms Hutchins could in theory, with the consent of Goodman, be re-adopted by her parents and then marry him, Ms Tate said.During Goodman’s civil case, Ms Tate said the court could open the adoption file and examine if there was any fraud on the court or the adoptee (Ms Hutchins). She added: ‘There’s nothing illegal, per se, about adopting your girlfriend.’ Watch video here: . | John Goodman, 48, adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend Heather Hutchins last October; couple has been dating since 2009 .
Goodman accused of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident in 2010 death of Scott Wilson, 23 .
At least one third of Goodman's fortune can now go to Hutchins; remainder to go to his biological children . |
243,164 | c6b2fba2c8fc77a08a99a931261908c75f038e3c | New manager, same old problems. Steve Clarke’s first game as Reading manager ended in defeat as 10-man Watford escaped with a 1-0 win at the Madejski Stadium. Watford’s Gabrielle Angella was sent off for a second bookable offence in first half stoppage time, giving Clarke an ideal opportunity to start delivering on his promise of a Barclays Premier League promotion push this season. But this was a welcome to the Championship the new man at the helm will want to forget in a hurry, as Almen Abdi’s second-half strike proved the winner for visitors Watford. 10-men Watford battled out a 1-0 victory against Reading as night falls on the Madejski Stadium . Reading's new manager Steve Clarke salutes the home fans before the game . Reading's Simon Cox (right) competes for possession with Watford's Troy Deeney . Reading: Federici, Gunter, Hector, Pearce, Obita, McCleary, Norwood, Williams, Blackman, Cox, Murray. Subs: Kelly, Cummings, Taylor, Tanner, Andersen, Cooper, Stacey. Watford: Gomes, Angella, Cathcart, Bassong, Anya, Guedioura, Tozser, Abdi, Pudil, Deeney, Vydra. Subs: Forestieri, Doyley, Paredes, Murray, Dyer, Ighalo, Bond. Scorer: Abdi 70' It had looked like Clarke would have referee Gavin Ward to thank come Saturday evening. The official booked Watford defender Angella half hour in for holding back striker Glenn Murray, before showing the Italian a second yellow before half time for deliberate handball. And, in truth, Reading should have taken advantage. Chances fell the way of Nick Blackman and Murray, among others, but all squandered whatever sniff they were given of the Watford goal. It took just 40 seconds for Reading to mount their first attack, though Murray’s side-footed volley served only as a warning when it went high over the crossbar. Seven minutes later Watford’s Angella gave away an inviting free-kick 22 yards out after a blatant nudge in Murray’s back. Oliver Norwood stepped up, but only found the stands. Still, it was a promising start from a side that had lost 6-1 against Birmingham City last week before the sacking of manager Nigel Adkins on Monday. Clarke cut an animated figure on the touchline, jotting notes in his pad throughout as Reading looked to establish a foothold in a scrappy affair. Reading's Garath McCleary (right) appeals for handball that subsequently saw Gabriele Angella sent off . Goalscorer Almen Abdi (right) chases down Reading's Danny Williams during an improbable victory . Neither side could truly take command in the first 45 minutes. Possession was wasted and chances came in dribs and drabs, particularly from distance or on the counter-attack. It was the latter that led referee Ward to produce Angella’s first yellow card when he dragged Murray back to prevent Reading a breakaway. ‘This is a library,’ sang the traveling Watford support of 2,749. They weren’t entirely wrong. The Madejski atmosphere which Clarke raved about in his pre-match programme notes was found wanting. That is, until the opening minute of first half stoppage time. Reading's Glenn Murray (left) holds off the challenge of Sebastien Bassong . Garath McCleary ran at 25-year-old Angella who, falling to ground, handled the ball on the edge of the box as the Reading winger looked to get past. The referee deemed it intentional and produced a second yellow to leave Watford a man shy for more than 45 minutes. After the break, the best chance of the match fell to Murray. The striker had only Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes to beat from inside the box to the left, but his shot agonisingly went beyond the far post. It was all Reading. Watford scrambled to get out of their own half. But again, lines were fluffed. McCleary beat Watford’s Daniel Pudil before finding Blackman alone at the back post, only for the Reading forward to lose his footing and slice what seemed a sure-thing. Reading's Glenn Murray (centre) is challenged by Watford's Sebastien Bassong (right) and Daniel Pudil . They were made to pay. A cut back from the left by Ikechi Anya found the approaching Abdi who, with a low drive and in space, found the net beyond goalkeeper Federici. It was against the play, but Watford were ruthless in taking their chance with 10 men. Cue a Reading onslaught. They threw men forward, but never made Gomes break a sweat. The trouble is, Clarke may have arrived at the Madejski, but he is stuck with a squad shy of confidence. Boos rang around upon the final whistle as Watford left 1-0 winners, and Clarke's promotion promise fell on deaf ears. | Watford defeated Reading 1-0 in their Championship clash at the Madejski .
Gabriele Angella was sent off for the Hornets on the stroke of half-time .
Almen Abdi scored the winner after meeting a cross from Ikechi Anya . |
219,068 | a78ae41afd679e43a19a59d5215a2adbddbaa4d3 | By . Adam Shergold . Tony Adams has urged England to 'throw caution to the wind' in Thursday night's must-win World Cup clash with Uruguay, but warned they must learn the defensive lessons from the loss to Italy. The Arsenal and England legend says Roy Hodgson was too attacking in Saturday night's opener in Manaus and should have concentrated on a strong defensive performance to avoid defeat. But after Mario Balotelli's second-half winner left England's hopes of reaching the last 16 in the balance, Hodgson has been left with little alternative but to go for it against the South Americans. Must win: Former England defender Tony Adams says Roy Hodgson's team must improve defensively if they are to stand a chance of beating Uruguay and stay in the World Cup . International duty: Adams playing for England against Spain in the Euro 96 quarter-final. Adams won 66 caps for England, scoring five times . Former centre-half Adams, who won 66 caps for his country, told Sportsmail: 'The one massive negative from the night was that we were too positive. 'At times we did the English thing and went in with our hearts over our heads. We had a fixation with having a go and Hodgson had 65m England fans screaming for them to attack. 'I thought we were a bit naive, trying to win the World Cup in the first 20 minutes. I'm all in favour of being positive and going forward but only if we have a solid defensive unit. 'We should have worked more on the back four and Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson in front of them and prioritised trying to keep a clean sheet.' Grounded: Gary Cahill is left slumped on the floor and Joe Hart in the net as Mario Balotelli scores Italy's winner against England in Saturday's World Cup opener . Do or die: Roy Hodgson knows England must do everything they can to win against Uruguay . Uruguay are not the same proposition as Italy, as shown by their shock 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica, but with Liverpool star Luis Suarez returning from injury, they have the ability to unlock England's defence. Adams said: 'There is extreme pressure on both England and Uruguay - this is a knockout tie. 'England will want to go forward and impress but they need to keep a clean sheet. Glen Johnson and Leighton Baines need to stay back and stay focused otherwise Suarez will expose them.' Much of the discussion in the days in between the two fixtures has focused on Wayne Rooney's place and position in the team but Adams says others can play the No 10 role. 'If Rooney plays, he should be in the No 10 role but there are lots of options. Personally, I would have liked to have seen Rickie Lambert up there having a go,' Adams said. Mixed bag: Wayne Rooney helped set up England's goal, scored by Daniel Sturridge, but otherwise endured a frustrating evening out on the left wing against Italy . Impact: Adams would like to see Rickie Lambert given an opportunity to impress against Uruguay . Coming for you: Luis Suarez is fit again and determined to knock England out of the World Cup . 'People are over the top with Rooney - what's wrong with taking him off after 60 minutes and letting someone else have a go? 'I'd also back Jack Wilshere in that No 10 role. We do also have plenty of people to open up Uruguay with pace and quality - Welbeck, Sterling, Sturridge. 'Because of the result in the first game, we need to throw caution to the wind. All things considered, we should win.' Teenage kicks: Raheem Sterling was impressive against Italy and England will need another strong performance from the Liverpool tyro . Shining light: Lionel Messi celebrates his splendid solo goal against Bosnia in the Maracana Stadium . With the first round of group stage matches completed and all 32 teams observed, Adams is sticking with his pre-tournament prediction of an Argentina win. Lionel Messi's side weren't at their best in the 2-1 win over Bosnia-Hercegovina but with Iran and Nigeria to come, are well on their way to the last 16. 'I tipped Argentina before the World Cup and I hope Messi can inspire them to win because he's the best player I've ever seen. 'He can never be up there with the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona until he lifts the world Cup.' Tony Adams was talking tactics at Croydon Centrale and Brent Cross shopping centres . | England's defensive weaknesses were exposed in 2-1 defeat to Italy in World Cup opener .
Must now beat Uruguay in Sao Paulo to remain in the tournament .
Arsenal and England legend Tony Adams says England must be more solid at the back .
Believes Rickie Lambert can make an impact late on if England haven't scored . |
44,081 | 7c52867be2f99295337fe104d0464cf315217839 | Editor's note: Katrina Browne is the producer/director of "Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North." The documentary, which was broadcast in 2008 by PBS as part of its POV series, has been nominated for an Emmy for research. For more information, see http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/. Katrina Browne, at Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, says the U.S. needs to reckon with the damage caused by slavery. (CNN) -- The Senate voted to apologize for slavery on June 18. The House apologized last summer. The first family -- descendants of Africans, of enslaved Africans and of slave-holders -- visited a slave fort in Ghana. These were historic occasions, and they occasioned the kind of hue and cry that always accompany the subject of slavery and whether we still need to reckon with it. I believe we do need more reckoning, and a little more love and a little more logic would help that process. Logic first: There's this quasi-math problem in which things don't add up. Many African-Americans naturally feel as if there is unfinished business from the past, while many European-Americans (and others) don't think they should inherit burdens from a past not of their making. So there's this generational equation to be worked out, and it will take big hearts, eager hearts, to do so. The calculation is a bit easier for me at first glance. I'm the seventh-generation descendant of the worst slave traders in American history. I found out from my grandmother when she was 88 and I was 28, a few years before she died. Over three generations, from 1769 to 1820, the DeWolfs brought more Africans to the Americas than any other family. They conducted the trade from Rhode Island, the "largest" slave trading state, contrary to what most of us would expect. It's natural for me to feel a particular burden. I wasn't the perpetrator, I didn't inherit money from the slave trade, but I gained so much through the accident of birth: material comfort, education, access, a sense of entitlement. A look at the other branches of my family tree makes it more complicated. I have ancestors who were here during slavery but, as far as I know, didn't own slaves, and I'm also the descendant of Irish immigrants who came to work in factories in New Jersey in the late 1800s. What I've learned is that this ancestry is not exempt either: . • Slavery was not just a Southern but also a Northern institution. Northerners, including the "middling" classes, owned slaves for over two centuries; they dominated the slave trade (which included ship-building, producing trade goods, regular folks buying shares in slave ships, etc.); they fueled industrialization with slave-picked cotton. From workers to the wealthy, everyone was part of the slave-based economy, even if just as consumers. • Slavery benefited immigrant families, even after the Civil War. Millions of Europeans flocked to the "land of opportunity" for jobs in a booming economy built largely on unpaid labor. Immigrants struggled when they arrived but then found routes to prosperity closed to African-Americans for a century after slavery as a result of official and unofficial segregation. Within two to three generations, my Irish ancestors were solidly middle-class, not because they worked harder than African-Americans but because they were white. They worked hard, and the system worked for them: home loans, home values that rose in white neighborhoods and not in black ones, college loans, access to better-paid jobs ... it all added up. So I can't help but conclude that slavery was central to building this nation, paving the way for so many, at the expense of so many. It was a national institution, not a Southern fluke or a sin of the wealthy few. As white Americans today, we can be proud that we don't have the prejudices of our forefathers, but we've inherited various blind spots and head starts, and it takes more than a couple of generations post-civil rights and affirmative action to create the level playing field we extol. Understanding this history makes me more committed to being part of the solution. Now, the love song. We don't usually talk about civic love. Rousseau did. He thought it was an extension of the biblical call to love one's neighbor as oneself. It was his definition of patriotism: a love of self that extended to love of fellow citizen, all of which created a national glue of commitment to the public good. It seems to be in short supply when the debate turns to black/white issues. If love sounds extreme, then how about real empathy, or maybe even tenderness? My ancestors came to purchase human cargo at the same slave fort, Cape Coast Castle, that the Obama family visited last month in Ghana. When I was there, in those dungeons, empathy overcame me, and my personal feelings of defensiveness suddenly seemed so petty. It now feels really natural to want to express regret -- not an apology (that's for institutions; Congress was right to step forward) but deep regret and sadness about what happened, fellow citizen to fellow citizen. I try to imagine what it would be like if we went so far as to extend tenderness toward each other. We could actually all use more of it when we're talking about race, racism and anything to do with slavery. Instead, we are full of protestations, distrust, dismissiveness, resentments. For those of us who are white, what's the resistance really about? It may be, at core, that we don't want to feel guilty or blamed or responsible for the outrage of slavery. I didn't. But here's the funny thing: While we white Americans are busy establishing our innocence, it turns out that many black Americans are not personally angry at us for slavery. Many do want authentic acknowledgement of what happened, but not for the sake of guilt-tripping. I've witnessed a generosity of spirit that I have been humbled by. Meanwhile, many African-Americans are upset about the disparate outcomes that persist and want to see everyone step up to address them. There are so many lingering "structural inequalities," as President Obama put it -- ones without clear racist villains but that are embedded, like the fact that schools are funded with property taxes, so poor black neighborhoods, the legacy of earlier eras of discrimination, are not able to fund the quality schools that we say all our children deserve. From the wealth gap to the health gap to the education gap, let's explore how the dots connect from the past to the present and commit to finding solutions that should be race-neutral at times and at other moments should be race-sensitive. I have this image of us all coming up shoulder to shoulder on the same team, as fellow citizens. Not facing off against each other but looking the same way, facing the shared challenge: the legacy of this painful history. The past is not of our making, but it has shaped us indelibly, and we have the power to make things right, together, today. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Katrina Browne. | Katrina Browne: House and Senate have apologized for slavery .
She says slavery benefited the North as well as the South .
Slavery created enduring disparities in society and economy, she says .
Browne: Empathy and effort can address the legacy of slavery . |
107,722 | 16ddb6be6fffa68cc255147b8d7302641282d0fc | By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 18:42 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:44 EST, 1 September 2013 . When it comes to tall tales, benefits officials have heard them all. Now, in a campaign against fraud, they have published some of the most outrageous excuses given by cheats. One fraudster said she needed the swindled money to pay for a TV in all of her children’s five bedrooms as they had attention deficit disorder. Jobseekers' allowance? Officials said many fraudsters continued to work while still claiming benefits . But the woman, from West Lothian, Scotland, failed to mention that the children no longer lived with her. A claimant caught using a fake ID said her skin colour changed from black to white in a road accident that also changed her face shape. A man with two Pakistani passports was investigated for identity and benefit fraud. Both passports listed the same children. The man, who lived in Glasgow, told officials: ‘You have me confused with my evil twin brother. He lives in Pakistan and visits the UK regularly. My brother has children born on the same dates with the same names.’ A disability living allowance claimant was asked why she was claiming benefit to pay for a cleaner while working full time as a cleaner. ‘By the time I come in from work, I’m that knackered,’ she replied. The excuses, made this summer, have been publicised by the Department for Work and Pensions to encourage the public to shop fraudsters. High fraud areas will be hit with investigations, local advertising and letters to claimants. Other examples included a claimant in Liverpool who insisted she was not in a relationship with a man who stayed most nights in a week. When it was pointed out that they had had three children in five years, she said: ‘We’re all entitled to a one-night stand aren’t we?’ When told it would be impossible to have three children of different ages from one liaison, she answered: ‘Well, a three-night stand then.’ Wanting: Ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions say the benefits system needs reforming . A claimant from Folkestone in Kent failed to declare her partner. ‘He doesn’t live here, he just comes every morning to collect his sandwiches,’ she said. And a man who was pretending to be single said: ‘It’s not my partner, it’s my sister.’ When the investigator held up their wedding certificate, he replied: ‘It was a drunken mistake.’ A night watchman in Folkestone who was claiming out-of-work benefit explained: ‘I only claim benefits during the day – what I do at night is my own business,’ he said. David Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform, said: ‘Hard-working taxpayers lost an outrageous £1.2billion in benefit fraud last year. ‘Universal Credit will close the gaps in the welfare state that cynical benefit cheats try to take advantage of. The new benefit will reduce fraud by £200million.’ However, the programme has been delayed by technical glitches and the sudden death of a leading official. Richard West, of the Department for Work and Pensions, said: ‘We are used to fraudsters telling tall tales to hide their crimes . . . Some keep on trying to lie as a way out – even to the point of ridiculousness. They usually just end up digging them themselves deeper into a hole.’ | Department for Work and Pensions releases 'best' benefit fraud excuses of the summer .
Night watchman said he only claimed benefits during the day because 'what I do at night is my own business'
Woman with fake ID claimed face shape and skin colour changed in car accident . |
120,185 | 27536e8d6aa0ea0d89ab4bab94b11a3709d44c1a | (CNN) -- Every year the holidays bring cold weather, family gatherings, gift-giving, and of course, the perennial debate over the Constitution and Christmas. Recently, a Long Island school district drew criticism following a performance that removed the holier lyrics from the traditional Christmas song "Silent Night." Some parents objected when the fifth-grade choir at the school in Kings Park, New York, left out phrases such as "Christ the Savior". The school superintendent said the principal and choir director removed the references to avoid "offense to people of other faith," according to Newsday. But regardless of the reason, would it be legal for a school choir to perform "Silent Night" in its traditional form? To enter the fray we have to understand some of the basics about the often-uncertain relationship between the First Amendment and public schools. First, let's dispel the myths: The First Amendment does not ban all mention of any religion in public schools. As the Supreme Court has noted, "total separation (between church and state) is not possible in an absolute sense." After all, when our kids study world history, they are often studying religion. Wars, civilizations, exploration, and human culture have always been motivated in part by some form of dogma. To filter religion out of history leaves something that cannot, in good faith, still be called history. And while some Christmas music consists of light-hearted fare, other pieces are authored by Handel or Bach, and have undeniable value in a musical curriculum. Religion has always been a part of our civilization; the Constitution and our courts recognize this. Instead, the Establishment Clause only prohibits the "advancement" or the "inhibition" of religion by the state. Of course, that's a distinction that's much easier to describe than it is to identify in real life. When does a school cross the line into advancing or inhibiting religion? In 1971 the United States Supreme Court decided Lemon v. Kurtzman and formulated the "Lemon Test," which is a three-pronged evaluation of the constitutionality of legislation concerning religion. A court will consider the following: . 1. The government's action must have a secular (non-religious) purpose. 2. The government's action cannot have the principal or primary effect of (a) advancing religion, or (b) inhibiting religion. It would be impossible to develop a public school curriculum that did not in some way affect the religious or nonreligious sensibilities of some of the students or their parents. Therefore, the test is not "any effect." Rather, the courts will look to the "principal or primary" effect. 3. The government's action cannot "excessively entangle" itself with religion -- that is, it cannot intrude into, participate in, or supervise religious affairs. So how does this apply to singing Christmas carols in school? Fortunately, the courts have squarely dealt with that issue, in the context of ... you guessed it ... "Silent Night." In perhaps the first case to deal specifically with Christmas music, an atheist father challenged the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, school board's use of "Silent Night" (and other songs) in the school's Christmas program. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals -- one of the last stops before the Supreme Court -- applied the Lemon test in Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, and held that both the study and performance of religious songs, including Christmas carols, are constitutional if their purpose is the "advancement of the students' knowledge of society's cultural and religious heritage, as well as the provision of an opportunity for students to perform a full range of music, poetry and drama that is likely to be of interest to the students and their audience." The court also reiterated that: . "It is unquestioned that public school students may be taught about the customs and cultural heritage of the United States and other countries." And that schools may "allow the presentation of material that, although of religious origin, has taken on an independent meaning." After Florey, it appears that the Establishment Clause does not prevent the singing of Christmas carols with religious origins by public school choirs, though the line seems very thin. For example, if instead of singing "Silent Night," the kids were made to take a quiz testing them on the religious facts undergirding the song: . Q: In the song Silent Night, who is the "Saviour"? A: Jesus Christ! Then the school likely crosses into administration of religious training, which is the domain of family and church, not schools. If nothing else though, it certainly appears that "Silent Night," though much more religious than "Jingle Bells," or "White Christmas," is a street-legal public school choir song. So it appears that schools may include even religious Christmas carols in their curriculum without violating the Constitution. But, can a school go the other direction, and prohibit all Christmas carols from the curriculum? At least one federal court has held that they can. In Stratechuk v. Board of Educ., South Orange-Maplewood School Dist., the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that a school district's policy to bar performance of religious holiday music at seasonal shows, while allowing it to be taught in class, had a legitimate secular purpose of avoiding potential Establishment Clause problems, and was not "hostile" to religion. So schools appear to have broad discretion to include or prohibit Christmas carols, as long as they don't run afoul of the Lemon test. Navigating the constitutional perils of religion in school is not easy -- indeed, every year the holiday season brings with it an Establishment Clause debate. The courts and schools will continue to struggle with defining permissible non-secular content. At least there are some less contentious holiday traditions that we can always count on: egg nog, gift returns, and bad decisions at office parties. Happy holidays indeed. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Danny Cevallos. | Danny Cevallos: A New York school district edited lyrics of "Silent Night"
He says courts have delved into issue of singing Christmas Carols in schools .
First Amendment doesn't bar all religion from schools, but courts have set guidelines, he says .
Cevallos: "Silent Night" is fine for a school choir in most cases . |
176,245 | 7027eb76aa4bfb79ec51f53860a7cd959fd0107e | New Delhi (CNN) -- At least 435 patients, mostly children, have died this year from encephalitis in one of India's most impoverished regions, health officials said. Most of the deaths happened between August and September, according to K.P. Kushwaha, chief pediatrician at BRD Medical College and Nehru Hospital in Uttar Pradesh state's Gorakhpur district. Some 30 to 35 people are being diagnosed daily with the infection in Gorakhpur, he said. The outbreaks are common in the district, near India's border with Nepal. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain, primarily caused by food and drink contamination and mosquito bites. The very young and the elderly are more likely to have a severe case, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. As many as 500 people died last year in the region from the disease, Kushwaha said. In 2009, India reported 774 fatalities from encephalitis, including 556 in Uttar Pradesh, federal data shows. | Some 30 to 35 people are being diagnosed daily with the infection in the Gorakhpur district .
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain .
It is primarily caused by food and drink contamination and mosquito bites .
The very young and the elderly are more likely to have a severe case . |
45,684 | 80bd01d47228f3a5f8c29d036245ade9b841f04b | By . Darren Boyle . A Ukrainian air force fighter jet has been shot down by a missile fired from a Russian plane, according to Ukraine's Security Council. The pilot of the Sukhoi-25 jet was forced to bail out after his plane was hit, said spokesman Andrei Lysenko. Meanwhile, pro-Russian rebels claimed responsibility for strikes on two Sukhoi-25 jets. The Sukhoi-25 ground attack aircraft was shot down by a Russian jet according to Ukrainian sources, file photo . Rescuers search for bodies after an airstrike destroyed an apartment complex in Eastern Ukraine killing 11 . Pro-Russian rebels blamed the major attack in Snizhne, in the east of the country upon the Ukrainian air force . Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the second jet was hit by a portable surface-to-air missile, but the pilot was unhurt and managed to land safely. Moscow denies it is supporting the separatists or sowing unrest in its neighbour's territory. The incidents came after Russian president Vladimir Putin criticised the latest round of US sanctions against Moscow, saying they are harming bilateral relations and hurting not only Russian but US businesses. Mr Putin's comments came hours after president Barack Obama announced broader sanctions against Russia, targeting two major energy firms, a pair of powerful financial institutions, eight weapons firms and four individuals. The increased US economic pressure is designed to end the insurgency in eastern Ukraine that is widely believed to be backed by the Kremlin. The US penalties stopped short of the most stringent actions the West has threatened, which would fully cut off key sectors of Russia's oil-dependent economy. But officials said those steps were still on the table if Russia failed to abide by the West's demands to stop its support for pro-Russia insurgents who have destabilised swathes of eastern Ukraine. Pro-Russia insurgents have been fighting government troops in eastern Ukraine for four months in a conflict the UN says has killed more than 400 and displaced tens of thousands. | Russian jet destroys Ukrainian ground attack aircraft with a missile .
Pro Russian separatists attempt to destroy two more Sukhoi-25 aircraft .
Ukrainian air force accused of bombing apartment in eastern Ukraine . |
53,941 | 98e90440400cf3aca6cdf69213051d3c8a333a20 | (CNN) -- Marc Marquez tied the 1997 record of Australian legend Mick Doohan for most wins in a MotoGP season with victory Sunday in a thrilling Malaysian Grand Prix. It was the 12th win of the season for Repsol Honda's Marquez, who has already wrapped up his second straight world title. He had a race long battle with the Movistar Yamaha pair of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, who completed the podium in Sepang. The 21-year-old Marquez slipped to as low as ninth after a poor start from pole, but the Spaniard quickly worked his way back through the field, taking the lead for good on the 11th lap. Rossi, who won last week in Australia after Marquez crashed out, tracked him for the remainder of the race but finished 2.445 seconds adrift at the checkered flag. Italian legend Rossi has a 12-point advantage over his teammate Lorenzo in the battle for second place in the championship, heading into the final round in Valencia. Marquez will get the chance to beat Doohan's record on home soil and it is a prospect which thrills him. "I've equaled Mick Doohan's record, with one race left maybe I can beat it," he told the official MotoGP website. "If I had a bad result here the pressure in Valencia would be more. But now I am free in Valencia and I can do well for my fans and just enjoy it," he added. Marquez's teammate, Dani Pedrosa, saw his hopes ended by going off twice and he could not complete the race. The leading three were followed home, at some distance, by Germany's Stefan Bradl on a Honda and young British rider Bradley Smith on a Yamaha Tech 3. Smith's teammate, Pol Espargaro of Spain, came in sixth despite breaking a bone in his left foot in a fall during practice Saturday. Meanwhile, in the world rallying championship, Sebastien Ogier of France retained his global title with victory in the Rally of Spain Sunday. Ogier took the honors ahead of Volkswagen teammate Jari-Mari Latvala of Finland, the only man who could have denied him the title. Another Finn, Mikko Hirvonen, in a Ford Fiesta RS, was third. It was the seventh win in 12 rounds for the 30-year-old Ogier, who is only the fifth driver to achieve back-to-back title triumphs. | Marc Marquez wins Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang .
12th win of season for two-time world champion .
Ties all-time record held by Mick Doohan of Australia from 1997 .
Sebastien Ogier clinches world rally title with victory in Spain . |
43,940 | 7bf48068dd5d9726e930761d29c280b16e59b70f | (Mental Floss) -- As you will be reminded countless times, when you cast your vote in Tuesday's presidential election, you're not taking part in a nationwide popular vote, but rather helping decide who your state's Electoral College delegates support. Despite its name, the Electoral College never actually convenes as a unified group. There are all sorts of arguments for and against using this system rather than picking a winner based solely on the national popular vote, but for the moment, it looks like the Electoral College will be sticking around for a while. So what do you need to know about the least-fun college this side of the Catholic Church's College of Cardinals? What are the Electoral College's admissions policies? Different states choose their electors in different ways. Some states have nominations for electors during party conventions, while others choose their electors in primaries. In Pennsylvania, the campaigns choose their own electors. The only real things that can disqualify you from being an elector are holding a federal office or having engaged in some sort of insurrection against the U.S. government. Chosen electors are generally loyal party members who can be counted on to cast a ballot that's in line with their state's popular vote. Where's the Electoral College's campus? It doesn't have one. Although the name might make you think that all the electors meet in a centralized location to cast their ballots, the Electoral College never actually convenes as a unified group. Instead, the chosen electors all meet at their respective state capitals on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December to cast their votes. The votes are then counted in a joint session of Congress on January 6. What if no one gets a majority of the Electoral College's votes? If no candidate can grab a majority (currently 270) of the Electoral College's votes, the House of Representatives meets immediately to pick the new president. In this situation, each state's Congressmen get together and pick a candidate among the top three vote getters in the Electoral College balloting. Each state's delegation then casts one vote. This process keeps going on indefinitely until a single candidate receives a majority of the states' votes. The House of Representatives has picked two presidents: Thomas Jefferson in 1800 and John Quincy Adams in 1824. Mental Floss: Adams vs. Jefferson: Birth of negative campaigns . Since electors also ballots for Vice President, the same situation can arise with that office. In these cases, the Senate immediately goes into session to pick a Vice President, although each Senator has his own vote. The Senate votes until a candidate receives a majority of the cast votes. This sort of contingent election has happened just once. In 1836 Martin Van Buren's running mate, Richard M. Johnson needed 148 votes to win the Vice Presidency, but Virginia's electors refused to vote for him. As a result, he ended up stuck with 147 votes, and the Senate had to hold a contingent election, where Johnson cruised by Whig candidate Francis P. Granger. Can the electors change their mind? They can, but they then become what are known as "faithless electors." Technically, states make their electors pledge to vote in a certain way, and 24 states have laws that punish electors who decide to get cute and switch things up. However, with a few exceptions like Michigan and Minnesota, votes cast by faithless electors still count in the final tally. Yeah, but that never happens, does it? Faithless electors have actually popped up fairly frequently in American electoral history. One notable instance of faithless electors rearing their head occurred in 1972. Roger MacBride, the treasurer of the Republican Party of Virginia, was a pledged elector for Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew. Instead, he cast his ballot for the Libertarian ticket. While this vote put him firmly on the outs with the state GOP, he became something of a Libertarian folk hero. In fact, Libertarians were so enthused by his vote that he won the party's presidential nomination in the 1976 election. Although most switcheroos don't benefit small-party candidates like this one did, they're not all that uncommon, and not a recent trend, either; Abraham Lincoln's winning total in the 1860 election included four electors who were pledged to Stephen Douglas. Although Ronald Reagan won sound victories in 1980 and 1984, he also received a single electoral vote in 1976. Mike Padden, a faithless elector from Spokane, cast his vote for Reagan instead of Gerald Ford, as he'd pledged. Mental Floss: Brief history of endorsements . It's winner-take-all for each state, right? Yes, for most states, the winner of the popular vote gets all of the state's electors. However, Maine and Nebraska allocate their electors a little differently. Because each seat in Congress is roughly analogous to one vote in the Electoral College, these states let each congressional district pick its own candidate. The state's remaining two electoral votes, which correspond to the state's two Senators, go to whichever candidate wins the popular vote within the state. Technically, this system could result in a state's electoral votes being split between two candidates. In practice, though, all of the districts tend to vote the same way. Although Maine and Nebraska have been using this system since 1972 and 1992, respectively, neither state has ever split its presidential votes. What happens if a president-elect dies? The national election takes place Tuesday, but the Electoral College won't formally meet to cast their votes until December 15. If a candidate dies or becomes otherwise unfit to take office in the interim, a thorny issue pops up. Some states, like Virginia, legally bind their electors to vote for the candidate whose name was on the general election ballot. Other states, though, are more flexible and would allow their electors to vote for the ticket's vice-presidential candidate or other agreed-upon candidate. Luckily, this scenario has never happened with an election winner. In 1872, though, Democrat Horace Greeley died just over three weeks after Ulysses S. Grant thumped him in the election. Because the Electoral College still had to meet to elect Grant, electors who would have voted for Greeley simply spread their 66 votes among other Democratic candidates. As a result, Thomas Andrews Hendricks actually came in second in the election with 42 electoral votes despite not campaigning for the presidency; he was busy successfully running for Governor of Indiana. Three electors actually voted for Greeley even though he was dead, which probably tells you all you need to know about the health of the Democratic Party during Reconstruction. Mental Floss: SNL political quiz . If the President elect dies after the Electoral College's voting but before the inauguration, the Twentieth Amendment states that the Vice President elect becomes President. For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | What happens if no presidential candidate gets enough electoral votes to win?
What if president-elect dies after Electoral College votes, but before inauguration?
Roger MacBride's electoral vote made him Libertarian Party folk hero .
Electoral vote "switcheroos" played role in Lincoln's presidential victory . |
153,143 | 51e4a32fd8035c9e7a882f25263ce583af759acc | By . Brian Marjoribanks . On a night when they were cheered from the stands at Ibrox by one of the track stars of Glasgow 2014, Rangers finally got their season off-and-running. Yet while the pre-match presence of Lynsey Sharp - a lifelong Rangers fan and Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the 800metres - proved a catalyst for Ally McCoist’s men roaring out of the blocks early, his team ultimately and disappointingly limped over the line against a Hibs side who finished this Petrofac Training Cup tie with 10 men. Indeed, had Alan Stubbs’ frontmen remembered to pack their shooting boots, they could easily have added to McCoist’s roll of dishonour in knockout competitions since he took over from Walter Smith in 2011. Swish! Nicky Law curled in wonderfully as Rangers beat Alan Stubb's Hibernian in extra-time at Ibrox . Pride: Commonwealth Games silver medallist Lynsey Sharp was at the game to cheer the Gers on . After young Danny Handling had cancelled out Lewis Macleod’s fine first-half goal, Sam Stanton missed a sitter before Farid El Alagui squandered two fabulous chances to deny Alan Stubbs what would have been a tremendous start to his new job at Hibs. There was to be further frustration for the visitors when Handling was red-carded for a foul on David Templeton, Nicky Law making sure Rangers’ numerical advantage counted by striking the goal that finally saw off Hibs. It also teed up an intriguing Ibrox date later this month against a Clyde side managed by Ibrox legend Barry Ferguson. Despite an ultimately satisfying scoreline for Rangers, this was another stuttering performance by McCoist’s side on a night when the attendance at Ibrox was a worrying 18,138 for a clash between two teams destined to battle it out with Hearts for the Scottish Championship title. Whether that was down to the lack of allure of the Petrofac Training Cup - the recently re-branded Challenge Cup - or symptomatic of the strained relationship between the rank-and-file Rangers fans and the club’s board remains to be seen. It had all started so promisingly for McCoist, whose returning strike duo of Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd were cheered to the rafters by the home crowd. For Miller, it was 14 years to the day since his very first Rangers goal, the winner in a 3-2 thriller at Rugby Park. Parade: Sharp was shown off to the Ibrox crowd beforehand with a shirt commemorating her 800m silver . There were warm Ibrox welcomes, too, for fellow new signings Marius Zaliukas and Darren McGregor, who joined captain Lee McCulloch at the back in a 3-5-2 formation that the manager had road-tested in North America. Stubbs, meanwhile, gave debuts to goalkeeper Mark Oxley, full back David Gray and striker El Alagui. His fourth summer signing Scott Allan - a previous Rangers target - had to settle for a place on the bench. Boyd nearly made a dream start to his second Ibrox debut when his volley flew into the side netting, causing some within Ibrox to rise in celebration. But the former Kilmarnock striker had been flagged offside. It was to be a recurring theme. Rangers made a deserved breakthrough, however, when Lee Wallace floated a great ball towards Macleod at the far side of the box. The Scotland under-21 midfielder cushioned the ball perfectly before thumping a superb finish low beyond Oxley. Macleod has now clearly recovered from a virus that attacked his internal organs and led him to miss the first six months of the year. On this form, the 20-year-old is going to be a big player for Rangers this season. All smiles: Manager Ally McCoist joins in the celebrations after Law notched the winner . McCoist’s team were comfortable at that point and Boyd thought he had doubled the lead from 18 yards, but this time he was denied by referee John Beaton who ruled he had controlled the ball with his hand in the build-up. It was clear that Stubbs had Hibs playing a more pleasing passing game than under predecessor Terry Butcher but the same old lack of creativity and penetration remained a problem. However, the Edinburgh side were a team transformed after the break. Stubbs should have had his first competitive goal to cheer when Sam Stanton was played in on goal by Liam Craig but he fluffed an excellent chance. His weak shot, straight at Cammy Bell, was as threatening as a pass back. Hibs grabbed the goal their play merited when Zaliukas lost the ball and Handling made Rangers pay for their shambolic defencing by slotting the ball under the outrushing Bell. El Alagui should then have put Hibs ahead but he volleyed a Craig chip over the bar from 16 yards with just Bell to beat. McCoist moved to a regular back four when he sent on winger Templeton for McGregor in a bid to inject creativity into his team. Flased an effort wide: Hibernian's Farid El Alagui fails to convert a chance from close range . But it was El Alagui who missed another fine opportunity when he headed an Alex Harris corner over from close range. Then came the game-changing moment when Handling went in hard on Templeton, drawing a red card from John Beaton that looked, at first glance, questionable. A man to the good and having perked up a little, Rangers saw a penalty claim turned down by Beaton after Gray held Lee Wallace in the box. So into extra time we went, and only 11 minutes had elapsed when the hammer blow came for Hibs. After Hibs midfielder Scott Robertson fell to the ground with cramp, Wallace cleverly capitalised on the extra space - driving into the box before cutting back for Law who curled the ball beautifully into the far corner. Rangers fan Lynsey Sharp would have been relieved to see that Hibs’ race was now run. Despite being given an almighty fright, her beloved Rangers remain in the hunt for silverware and the chance to avenge the hurt of last season’s final defeat to Raith Rovers. | Lewis Macleod had put the hosts into a first half lead .
Danny Handling equalised for Alan Stubbs' Hibs to force extra-time .
Commonwealth Games star Lynsey Sharp was paraded at Ibrox . |
164,430 | 60a064cf48592268ba5bb95939a8fa4a5085cdd0 | Charged: Ellen Wermeling, 32, faces a charge of improper relationship between educator and student. She is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation . A Texas teenager who claims he had sex with his high school counselor has defended her and says the pair did nothing wrong. Ellen Wermeling, 32, has been fired from her job by the Aldine Independent School District and appeared in court in Houston on Friday charged with having an improper relationship with a student. In an off camera interview, the alleged victim told KHOU-TV: 'In the heat of the moment, nothing really was wrong. At the end of the day, I’m 18 and I'm an adult and I make my own decisions.' The teen reportedly confessed to a football coach that he was having sex with the counselor. He says the alleged relationship began after he messaged her on Instagram, telling her he was 'bored' and had nothing to do. The coach proceeded to tell the MacArthur High School principal, who notified the school district police. The 12th-grade student told investigators how he messaged Wermeling through Instagram on February 28 and she agreed to pick him up so they could 'hang out' at her residence. He says the two watched a movie, then engaged in sexual intercourse. The teen says he and Wermeling again had sex at her residence on March 6 and March 8. The school started an investigation and court documents state Wermeling denied that the student had ever been to her residence and denied the two had sex. Investigators say Wermeling told them she never spoke to the teen through Instagram, reports Click2Houston. According to court documents, investigators say Wermeling's Instagram account was closed on March 25, the same day she was contacted about the allegations. Scroll down for video . Video Source Click2houston.com . Court: The educator is seen here arriving at a Houston court on Friday . School: Wermeling had worked as a counselor at Aldine MacArthur High School in Houston since 2005 . Wermeling was booked and released on $10,000 bond. She is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. She had been working at the school since 2005. 'Aldine Independent School District has been made aware of a MacArthur High School staff member being charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a MacArthur student. The district takes this allegation seriously and is fully cooperating with authorities,' said a school statement Friday. 'The Aldine ISD Police Department launched an investigation and once it was completed turned over its findings to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. The staff member was removed from the campus once the district learned of the allegation and will not be returning. 'The safety and security of our students will continue to be a top priority in Aldine ISD.' | Ellen Wermeling, 32, has been fired from her job by the Aldine Independent School District in Texas .
She appeared in court on Friday charged with having an improper relationship with a student .
In an off camera interview, the alleged victim defended her .
He told KHOU-TV: 'In the heat of the moment, nothing really was wrong. At the end of the day, I’m 18 and I'm an adult and I make my own decisions'
He claimed the two had sex after he contacted her on Instagram . |
88,210 | fa5c24b8173a21fb95da281918956f3764981bac | (CNN) -- Tourists become volunteer rescue workers. The connected provide power outlets and Wi-Fi. Performers lift spirits. Photographers preserve images. Doctors work overtime to keep hospitals running and patients alive. In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which ripped so much apart, people have come together. For every story of devastation we've seen in the month since Sandy hit, there have been dozens of untold stories of good Samaritans, quietly helping get things back to normal in whatever way they can. Many offered their services in traditional ways -- donating money to relief efforts or helping to rebuild homes on the weekend. Others, though, found unorthodox but equally beneficial ways to help. Here are just a few of those stories: . Going on with the show . The day after Sandy hit, New York actor Jacob Brent thought about what he and his fellow performers could do for the city. Broadway shows had been canceled, but Brent, who played Mr. Mistoffelees in "Cats," had the idea to do a little singing and dancing anyway. So he got a message out to the theater community via Twitter: . "There is a lot of devastation in our beloved city and for some reason we here in Midtown have been spared," it read. "I just walked over to Times Square and people are looking for something to do. I think we should all get together and sing some songs for these people. ...It's not much but its a little something we can do for the city." Dozens of Broadway performers, along with residents and tourists, gathered at the heart of Times Square for the event. The impromptu concert included classic show tunes such as "There's No Business Like Show Business," "My Favorite Things" and "New York, New York," and collected donations for the Red Cross. Among the attendees was theater critic and student Sarah Taylor Ellis, who called it "a total delight" and shared several photos on CNN iReport. "Everyone was so glad to get out of their apartments and gather for a communal activity," she said. "The tourists and residents alike were enjoying the unexpected musical entertainment, especially since Broadway shows have been canceled the past three days." Afterward, Brent shared his feelings about the performance on Twitter: "We lifted our voices and lifted the spirit of New York," he wrote. "I am overwhelmed." Hey New York, what's up with the niceness? Salvaging a lifetime of memories . Photographer Limor Garfinkle walked through the hard-hit coastal Staten Island neighborhood of South Beach the weekend after Sandy made landfall, wondering how she could help. Everywhere she looked, she saw photo albums in the debris. She knew she couldn't replace the moments on film now sitting in piles of garbage, corroded with seawater. But perhaps she could help them make new memories. She gave her card to several families and offered them free photo sessions when they were ready. Then she found Victoria Beckman, a Russian immigrant laying out family photographs and documents in the cold air along the two stone railings leading from her front door to the sidewalk. Inside, she had thousands more damaged photos to go through. Her home had flooded with 6 feet of water. It was the perfect opportunity to help. Beckman and Garfinkle, who is from Israel, spoke easily in Hebrew. "She told me they were all ruined, they were all gone, and I said to her, 'Let me try to save them,' " Garfinkle recalled. "It's almost a guilt you feel -- I have a warm home and somebody else doesn't, and you just have to help. I knew it wasn't going to be easy ... And it wasn't." Finding joy among the wreckage . Garfinkle, a family photographer and an art director for a Midtown advertising agency, took garbage bags stuffed with a lifetime of memories, including pictures from her childhood, professional photos a relative had taken and expensive albums from her son's wedding in Israel last year. She researched photo restoration techniques on the Internet and spent weeks rinsing the muck-covered images and album pages under cold water and laying them to dry on paper towels. Beckman, who is living without heat in her gutted home, asked Garfinkle to keep the photos until she has a spot to put them. "These are pictures from all my life, my children, and I am very appreciative of her help," Beckman said. And Garfinkle's offer of free photo sessions to families affected by Sandy still stands. She can be reached through her website, 4mothersphoto.com. Putting life's problems in perspective . For weeks, advertising photographer Carlos Chiossone sought out personal stories among the devastation left by Superstorm Sandy. "There are plenty of volunteers, so as a photographer I decided to simply get their stories out to try to get more help for them," he explained. Chiossone said the conversations helped put his life into perspective. "As I interviewed some of the people affected and companies trying to come back to life, I realized how each individual makes their own problem the biggest one of the moment. Part of my motivation was to show how easy we had it," he said. "Four days without power or showering is not a big deal. Losing your house is another story." He spoke to several residents of Staten Island, New York, including Janice Kennedy, whose house at New Dorp Beach was leveled by the storm even she was one of the few people on her street to board up her home. Kennedy told her story on camera and showed Chiossone what little remained of her property. Kennedy's emotions were raw as she described what it's like to face starting your life over. "My husband died three years ago, we were hit with Irene last year, and now this. I've gotta leave. I'm done," she said, her voice shaking. "We've lost everything. I got married in this house. My son grew up in this house. There's nothing left." Weeks later, Chiossone has been unable to reach Kennedy but is eager to follow up with her. In the meantime, he continues to document life in New Dorp Beach, and sees hope. "What was chaos almost a month ago here in New Dorp Beach now has gained a little sense of normalcy." he said. Trying to keep the family business afloat after Sandy . 'Spitting rhymes' for Sandy relief . The storm flooded Eduardo Ramos' apartment on Avenue C in Manhattan, but he feels lucky. He and his roommates had time to save all their belongings as the water was coming in, and his roommate's family welcomed him to stay in their home on the Upper East Side. It only felt right to do what he could to help others not so fortunate. In the weeks after Sandy, he and his friend CJ Richards -- both professional models, actors and rappers -- joined the Rockaway Beach Surf Club's relief efforts in the Queens beach community. In between jobs and castings they went to Queens to knock on doors, assess needs and help families remove moldy furniture. They wanted to find a way to help on the days they couldn't physically be in Queens, which led them to rapping for victims. The friends, who had recently begun performing freestyle hip-hop on the streets for fun, set up their amp and microphone and performed raps on demand for $1, with the money going to Sandy relief efforts. "One time a girl said 'rap about my friend's jeans,' we just started going off on that. At Astor Place, a couple was from York in the UK, and we started rapping about London ... You just kind of let your mind go," Ramos explained. So far they've rapped in Times Square, the Meatpacking District and Astor Place in Lower Manhattan, where iReporter and friend Chris Luna found them and recorded a video. In three stints, the friends have raised $200 for the victims, including one generous $100 donation from a hip-hop fan who was impressed with their rhyming skills and asked to join in. They plan to hit the streets again this weekend and will give the money to the surf club to buy socks, blankets and other needed supplies. "I feel like they're going to need more help as people start to forget and life continues as usual," Ramos said. 'Hard-wired to tell stories' Arriving by bus, train and plane, thousands of Mormons from across the country canceled their church plans one Sunday to help with Sandy relief. One of those volunteers, Joshua Brown, documented the day on video. The Manhattan wedding photographer heard stories of loss, devastation and even some of hope from the people of Rockaway, New York. "We lost everything, but with people like you, we know everything's going to be alright and we have faith in God," said one woman who choked back tears as he interviewed her. Days earlier, Brown joined Mormons Helping Hands. His job was ripping out dry wall from waterlogged homes. As he worked, he saw a "huge need" for more volunteers to help the community rebuild. The next time he went back to Rockaway -- that Sunday -- he brought his camera along to help get the word out. "The day I was shooting the video, I felt a little guilty being there. Some of my friends were there doing really intense, back-breaking work," he said. "But by making the video, I felt I could persuade more people to get out there, which was the best thing I could do with my talents." He accomplished his goal. Between Vimeo and CNN iReport, his video received about 270,000 views. "I'm hard-wired to tell stories," he said. "I thought that this was the best tool to get more people." Although he got his message across, Brown still worries. "People were already putting this in the rear view, and that was just two weeks after (the storm)," he said. "Now it's been a month ... and there's still so much more to be done out there, so I'm hoping that it won't fade away." CNN's Daphne Sashin, Rachel Rodriguez, Henry Hanks, Christina Zdanowicz and Katie Hawkins-Gaar contributed to this story. | One month after Superstorm Sandy's landfall, stories of good Samaritans emerge .
Creative aid: Impromptu Broadway performance, restoring cherished photos .
You can see more iReport stories of devastation and hope in our interactive Open Story . |
197,931 | 8c32234dde49573ce58f9dc0c7cd9d8901dd9889 | Italy's footballers may be preparing for one of the biggest games of the year against Uruguay - but their wives and girlfriends have already been putting on a good show in the stands pre-match. Fanny Neguesha, Mario Balotelli's fiancee who he proposed to just before the World Cup, was in attendance as most of the Italians' biggest supporters wore replica shirts to back their men. Italy need to secure a win or draw against Uruguay to progress to the World Cup's round of 16 but a defeat to Luis Suarez and co would leave them dumped out of Group D along with England. Backing: Mario Balotelli's girlfriend Fanny Neguesha certainly isn't hiding her allegiances in Natal for Italy's game . Jenny Darone, Lorenzo Insigne's wife, and Valentina Abate, Ignazio Abate's wife, prepare for the big kick-off . Decent team: The wives of Prandellia (top left), Balotelli, Cerci and Abate (L-R) were all present v Uruguay . The wives of coach Cesare Prandelli, right back Ignazio Abate, winger Lorenzo Insigne, striker Ciro Immobile, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon were all present in the stands, along with Alessio Cerci's girlfriend. Balotelli's fiancee showed off a shirt branded 'Fanny, 9' ahead of the game - and Valentina Abate, Jessica Immobile, Jenny Darone (Insigne's wife) and Federica Riccardi (Cerci's wife) all showed off their replica kit. However, Buffon's wife Alena Seredova chose a Boy London vest to wear at the game, leaving Italy's women one player short of an impressive five-a-side team. Support: Alessio Cerci's fiancee Ferderica waves to the cameras in her Italy kit at the Estadio das Dunas . Spoilsport: Alena Seredova, wife of goalkeeper Buffon, did not don a shirt, unlike Jenny Darone . Taking it all in: Jessica Immobile take some snaps of the Estadio das Dunas before Italy v Uruguay in Natal . | Buffon, Abate, Immobile, Insigne and Prandelli's significant others present .
Wives and girlfriends wear personalised shirts in Natal .
Italy face Uruguay to decide who will go through with Costa Rica . |
50,240 | 8e1b1e75a904f321ada53322944feb63db2cb715 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 02:53 EST, 4 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:42 EST, 4 June 2013 . Zoraida Sambolin posted this picture of her recovery alongside fiancé Kenny Williams . CNN anchor Zoraida Sambolin is undergoing the first stage of her reconstruction following her double mastectomy last month. Sambolin, 47, who anchors CNN's Early Start, updated her fans on her health yesterday and posted a picture of herself and fiancé, White Sox Executive Vice President Kenny Williams, with a bandage around her chest. She revealed she was undergoing the same procedure as Angelina Jolie while discussing the Hollywood star on her show. Sambolin was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent the double mastectomy last week. She told viewers in May that she felt able to share her illness after Jolie announced she was having a double mastectomy. She posted the picture of her recovery on her Facebook account yesterday. Sambolin said: 'Good Morning Friends! First look at reconstruction stage one. 'My amazing fiancée on daily drain duty, documenting fluid output. Loving support is key.' Dozens of people took to Facebook and Twitter to congratulate Sambolin on her bravery and wish her well in her recovery. Francesca Romero, who wrote that she is due to have mastectomy this month, wrote: 'You have given me strength.' Scroll down for video . Zoraida Sambolin, pictured in hospital left, has vowed to keep fans updated on her treatment and recovery . Sambolin revealed she had breast cancer and will undergo a mastectomy as she discussed Angelina Jolie's procedure last month on her CNN programme . She said she did not know how to break the news until Jolie gave her courage and an opening . WATCH THE FULL VIDEO AT CNN. Randy Egge wrote: 'I think it's great that you are sharing this experience. Surely, you will help numerous people with their own struggles because of how you handled yours.' Sambolin told CNN viewers last month that - like Jolie - wanting to be there for her children helped her make the decision to have a double mastectomy. She wrote on Facebook after the show: 'I struggled for weeks trying to figure out how tell you that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was leaving to have surgery then Angelina Jolie shares her story of a double mastectomy and gives me strength and an opening.' Jolie revealed that she was forced to . make the agonizing decision to have a preventative double mastectomy, . after tests showed she had an 87 per cent chance of contracting cancer. Angelina Jolie made her first public appearance following her announcement about her procedure when she attended the premiers of her partner Brad Pitt's film World War Z in London and Paris . She told reporters that Pitt had helped her through the treatment and said she was grateful for support . Angelina's mother Marcheline Bertrand died from ovarian cancer at 56. When Angelina discovered her mother's cancer was hereditary, she said that she decided to reduce the risk . Jolie made her first public appearance last week after opening up about her experience in the New York Times when she announced she underwent the procedure in April after learning she is a carrier of the BRCA1 cancer gene. The 37-year-old's mother Marcheline . Bertrand died at the age of 56 from ovarian cancer and her aunt also died of breast cancer in the past month. Jolie attended the London and Paris premiers of partner Brad Pitt's World War Z movie. She told reporters: ‘I feel great, I feel wonderful and I’m very very grateful for all the support, it means a lot to me. ‘[Pitt's] been extraordinary. He’s such a wonderful man and a wonderful father, I’m very very lucky,' she said, praising her future husband, Brad, for his support during her treatment. ‘I’ve been very happy just to see the discussion about women’s health expanded and that means the world to me.’ Sambolin (second left) said she wanted to be there for her son (right) and daughter (center) Sambolin is engaged to White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams, pictured together in March . The star's surgery was successful and . doctors say Angelina's chances of developing breast cancer have now . lowered to less than five per cent. Writing in an editorial piece entitled 'My Medical Choice', Jolie said: 'On a personal note, I do not feel . any less of a woman. 'I feel empowered that I made a strong . choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.' And she added that she had wanted to speak out about her experience so that other women could consider their options. 'I . am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit . from my experience,' she wrote. 'Cancer is still a word that strikes . fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. 'But . today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are . highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.' Sambolin jokes around with her co-anchor on CNN's Early Start morning show, John Berman . | Zoraida Sambolin updated fans on her recovery through Facebook .
It showed her fiancé Kenny Williams on 'daily drain duty'
Early Start host wrote that 'loving support is key' to recovery .
She announced her diagnosis while discussing Jolie's double mastectomy . |
167,946 | 653801551c1dc09ce4bdfc0db83996d4e2b6b527 | There may yet be a presidential campaign in the future for former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Palin said in an interview with Fox Business Network today that she is invigorated rather than discouraged by her critics, and they make her 'want to get out there and defend the innocent, want to work so hard for justice in this country.' 'So, hey the more they're pouring on, the more I'm going to bug the crap out of them by being out there with a voice, with the message, hopefully running for office in the future, too,' Palin added. Don't put dirt on her grave just yet: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said today she hopes to run for office again . Palin built up goodwill among establishment Republicans when she joined Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts for a pancake breakfast last month at the Independence Historical Museum and Art Center. If Palin runs for president in 2016, she'll need the support of moderate Republicans like Roberts to win the GOP nomination . Palin decided not to seek the presidency in 2012 and she hasn't held elected office since she resigned as governor in 2009 during her first and only term. She remains a fixture of the Tea Party, however, and is generally billed as the keynote speaker at influential conservative conferences. In March Palin told Fox News that she did have a campaign apparatus set up for 2016, but 'I'll never say never.' If the GOP doesn't produce a candidate who is a 'fighter' and respects American exceptionalism, 'everything that makes America great, the promise of America then I would run,' Palin said. 'But I do think that there are so many Americans who feel like I feel, and they're capable. They're willing and able to serve. Public servants. They are willing and able to serve and to lead this country so it doesn't have to be me,' she said back then. In her interview today, Palin said Republican leaders 'need more guts' and have confidence in what the party stands for. She named Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah as 'good leaders' who don't back down. Cruz is a likely 2016 presidential candidate but he has not formally announced his intentions to form a presidential exploratory committee. Given that neither Cruz, nor any other presumed GOP candidates have announced yet, Palin still has time to decide if she wants to join the 2016 rodeo, as well. If she were to run she would surely have the backing Tea Partiers and hard right conservatives. She's also built up some good will among establishment types by campaigning for embattled Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts last month. If Roberts, who is disliked by many conservatives, loses his reelection bid, Republicans may not take over the Senate. | Palin said in an interview today that she is invigorated rather than discouraged by her critics .
'The more they're pouring on, the more I'm going to bug the crap out of them by being out there...hopefully running for office in the future, too'
In March Palin told Fox News that she did have a campaign apparatus set up for 2016, but 'I'll never say never.' |
199,629 | 8e6ba85d1a889c73239217d3916dc0121c8ebcad | By . Nalini Ravichandran . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 8 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:56 EST, 8 June 2012 . Every mother knows about the risks of delivering a baby prematurely. A baby born even a month earlier than . it is due, or preemie as we know it, can develop pneumonia, poor vision . and hearing, sleep problems and may even die. And that's not all. Now a major . study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood says . preterm babies can develop severe mental health problems too. Increased risk: Babies born more than eight weeks premature are '4.5 times as likely' to suffer from a severe mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis . This is the first study of its kind to show a link between . premature babies and a broad range of psychiatric disorders in later . life. They are at a high risk of developing bipolar disorders, severe . depression and even eating disorders. Researchers say that subtle . alterations in the brain development caused by early birth could be . responsible for the problem, rather than restricted growth or lack of . oxygen during childbirth. The news has left doctors in Delhi concerned, . in view of the surge in births of premature babies. 'There has been a 10 . per cent rise in preemies because of different lifestyle-related health . problems pregnant women suffer from. 'Gestational diabetes, polycystic . ovaries, hypertension and cases of amniotic fluid leaks are common now . and these are the high risk factors for a premature delivery. 'Late . pregnancy is another reason for this worrying trend,' said Dr Asha . Sharma, consultant gynaecologist, Rockland hospital. Doctors are concerned about rising numbers of premature babies - which are defined as being born at least three weeks early . Ideally, a baby . should be delivered close to the 40th week, but babies are being . delivered as early as the 32nd week. The study finds that babies born . four to eight weeks earlier are more likely to develop schizophrenia and . bipolar disorders and those born after just 32 weeks in the womb are . three times more likely to have a psychiatric disorder by the age of 16. 'Premature babies are kept in neonatal care from between a week to a . month. 'They are away from the vital pheromones that their mothers . secrete and this could be the reason for psychological problems later. 'These babies are generally of low weight at birth and that impacts their . health a lot,' said Dr Manika Khanna, director, Gaudium IVF Centre. While pediatricians are able to save preemies with the advancement in . the neonatal technology, there is hardly any followup on their health . later. 'We have no clue on what happens to our preterm babies. In India, . there is no proper large-scale study on their health status,' said Dr . Khanna. Health experts pointed out that it is important to identify . susceptible children and keep track of their health status. | Delhi doctors concerned as city sees a 10 per cent rise in premature babies .
Study of 1.3m Swedish medical records reveals that premature babies are more likely to experience mental health problems that extend into adulthood . |
138,309 | 3ede9441294e655dac0dd47eca49e7ec9c7ac827 | (CNN) -- On June 4 this year, it will have been 20 years since I have seen Beijing, the city in which I spent much of my youth and attended university. It will have been 20 years since I saw my parents. My parents are older. I hear their health is not what it was, but it is something they take pains not to trouble me with. I hear Beijing is much changed. I hear China is much changed. Wu'er Kaixi has been living in exile outside of China since 1989. One thing has not changed. Many of us are still in exile and cannot go home. This is an odd thing, if you really think about it. Last year, amid much pomp and ceremony, China held the 2008 Olympics. In the same year, China conducted its first space walk. In the same year, it overhauled its property laws, allowing far greater rights of ownership than China has seen since the communist revolution. This year, amid a financial crisis of the kind the world has not seen since the Great Depression of 1929, the world looks to China as the motor of possible economic revival. Yet China -- unlike other nations that aspire to international recognition and respect -- still imprisons and exiles those with dissenting views. The pity of this for me is that dissenting opinions have been behind every step of China's long journey to the place it now prides itself on occupying. Sacrifices were made to bring about the end of the Qing imperial dynasty and usher in a nationalist government in 1911. The student movement of May 4, 1919, against the Treaty of Versailles, which ceded German rights to Shandong province to Japan, initiated the nationalist, populist movement that arguably led to the rise of the Communist Party and the liberation of China from foreign control. Equally, it was internal pressure within China that compelled the ruling Chinese Communist Party to move from a position of insularity to what it is today - a voice that has authority in the international arena. China has seen enormous changes since May and June of 1989, when the students of Beijing stood up and called on the Beijing government to make changes. The movement emerged largely out of a sense of frustration with a system amid unique circumstances - the death of a politician who was seen as more sympathetic to reform than most and ahead of a historic visit by then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It was a movement that was born out of a yearning for an end to official corruption and a stifling system that provided no opportunities to the country's best educated. But it became a wider call for change, when workers' unions and common people joined it. Five months after the Tiananmen student movement was put down with live ammunition in Beijing on June 4, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. Two years later, the Soviet Union collapsed. Early the following year -- in 1992 -- Chinese Communist Party leader Deng Xiaoping embarked on what is now known as the Southern Tour. In the relatively freewheeling Special Economic Zone of Shenzhen, he reiterated a dormant catchphrase of the 1980s, "To get rich is glorious," and effectively initiated a new era for China. This new China is the only China that most foreigners who do business with the world's potentially biggest market know. But the only China I truly know is the one I was exiled from - and it was a China where you could not buy Nike or have a quiet drink in a bar, it was a China of empty department stores and streets thronging with people in drab Mao suits. To this day, I believe that the people who sacrificed their lives in Beijing in June 1989 had a huge role in transforming the China of my youth into the place it is today, the place that today the world recognizes as China - and hopes will help revive the global economy. I am proud of what China has achieved. I simply wish it had achieved more. It is a personal tragedy for me that, after 20 years, I cannot see my parents or my homeland. But I think it is a far greater tragedy for China that, after 20 years, it cannot openly discuss its recent history, and let its people decide for themselves how and why the world's most populous nation has come to occupy the place it rightfully deserves. To me this says that China may have appeared to have stood up, but in reality it is still sitting down. | Author was a student leader in China in 1989 .
Wu'er Kaixi has been living in exile outside of China since the events at Tiananmen .
Author: Dissent has fueled historical progress in China . |
151,384 | 4fb626ce9ec359b8871abf4ae883b00e303659c7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:02 EST, 13 January 2013 . The father whose child was kidnapped by his own parents 19 years ago now says that he would like to tell his son that he loves him. The family drama is being unveiled after Michael Landers, who is now 24-years-old, was discovered to be living with his paternal grandparents in Minnesota after they kidnapped him in Indiana in 1994. Michael Landers' biological father, Richard Landers Sr., spoke out saying that he wants to get in touch with his kidnapped son but doesn't know his phone number and cannot afford to fly to Minnesota. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . New man: Pictured outside his home in Browerville, Minnesota Michael Jeff Landers faced reporters as a 24-year-old . Michael, who was originally named Richard Landers Jr but legally changed his name when he was 18, apparently knew that he was kidnapped by his grandmparents but believes that they were in the right and raised him well. He now lives next door to them with his pregnant wife, and has been publicly praising his grandparents saying that while they did something that was illegal, they should not be punished because it was in his best interest. It is unclear why Landers' biological parents would have been unfit, but his grandparents fled with the then-5-year-old boy when he was at the center of a contested custody dispute. His grandparents fled with him during a custody dispute with his mother, Lisa Hartner in July 1994 from Wolcottville, Indiana. Authorities reopened the case in September and using his social security number determined Landers to be the abducted Indiana child. Vanished: In 1994 Richard Wayne Lander Jr disappeared at the age of five from Wolcottville, Indiana before he was found 19 years later at the age of 24 living in Minnesota . A Facebook post, believed to be from Michael Landers' account, has defended the grandparents who raised him. The message to the Minneapolis television station KARE's Facebook page, said: 'For you people who jump to conclusions you should find out the whole story I was where I needed to be. My `grandparents' were in the the right I don't care what anyone else thinks.' The grandparents were charged with misdemeanor interference with custody, which was bumped up to a felony in 1999. But the charge was dismissed in 2008 after the case went cold. Landers' mother and stepfather were unemployed and lived in a car at the time, recalled John R. Russell, who spent several months investigating the disappearance with the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department in Indiana. 'These people (the grandparents) were nice people. It was wrong for them to do it, but I can understand why,' Russell said. 'But I also didn't think the child would be in any danger at all with them.' Long lost family: Michael Jeff Landers' biological mother Lisa Harter is seen, left, she has been described as . entirely ecstatic at the news of her son's discovery after losing him at . the age of five, right . Better off: In a Facebook posting by a man claiming to be him, Landers writes his grandparents having been 'in the right' for taking him from his life with his mother at the age of five . An attorney for Landers' mother, Richard Muntz, refuted claims that she was homeless at the time. He said she spent only three days living in a car and it was with Landers' biological father. Hartner, who has mild developmental disabilities, divorced Landers' father. His parents obtained custody after Harter moved into a group home that could not accommodate children, Muntz said. After a while, she moved into an apartment and gained custody of her son on weekends, and she filed a petition to expand her custody rights when she remarried. 'The judge gave her custody on a trial basis, and before she could get him, that's when they left,' Muntz added. Found: Landers' new home on property shared with his grandparents in Browerville is seen after his social security number led authorities to uncover his true identity . Family home: Landers lives next to the grandparents who adopted him in Minnesota with his wife . Baby: Michael Landers and his wife Bobbie, pictured left, are now expecting their own child and have posted ultrasound images and messages about how excited they are on Facebook, pictured right . He said the grandparents withdrew $5,000 out of a home equity line, went out for breakfast and left town. 'The trail on this case went cold the day they disappeared. There was no trace of them after they left the restaurant,' he said. 'We always just kept it in the back of . our minds that we believed we were going to see him again,' said . Richard Landers Sr, who was speaking to KARE after hearing the news. 'Until I get to actually walk up and say hello to him again, I don't know if it's going to be real,' he added. He has also said that he hopes to re-establish contact with his parents. Watch the video here . | Richard Landers Jr taken from Indiana home by his paternal grandparents in 1994 is pictured for the first time as an adult calling himself Michael .
Says that his grandparents were in the right to kidnap him amid custody battle between his biological parents .
Now his birth father says that he loves his son and wants to talk to him . |
200,881 | 900dd291c1820c55556e6d37e9a5baaee83e6107 | By . Lydia Warren . Scroll down for video . A lesbian college student has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for her tuition after her parents learned she was gay and cut her off. Kate Koenig, 19, said her 'homophobic' parents refused to pay for her classes at the University of Pittsburgh after her father opened her mail last year and learned about her sexuality. Determined not to let their decision affect her education, Koenig is now hoping to raise $15,000 to cover her tuition, living expenses and her medication for asthma and allergies on GoFundMe. Koenig, who said her parents also took issue with her female-to-male transgender boyfriend, explained that her extended family are also homophobic, meaning she has no one she can turn to. Plea: Kate Koenig, 19, has launched a fundraising campaign online to help her fund her degree at the University of Pittsburgh after her 'homophobic' parents found out she was gay when they opened her mail . 'Going to . Pitt is a dream of mine and I couldn't bear the thought of not being . able to stay there,' she wrote on the page. 'I will be immensely grateful if your . contributions allow me to stay at Pitt. I'm praying every day for a . miracle to help make this possible.' Koenig, who . wants to be a writer, said she is a good student who has repeatedly . made the Dean's List for academic excellence and that she does not want . to give up her students in English, History and German. She . explained that her parents found out she was gay just before she . started her first year at Pittsburgh in September last year and that, by . that point, they had already paid for her first semester. They later agreed to co-sign a loan with her for the second term but have refused to do the same for the upcoming academic year. She explained . on her fundraising page that she has money saved from a summer job and . $6,500 in loans but was unable to get any other financial help or . scholarships to cover the costs. Loved: Koenig is pictured with her transgender boyfriend Will, who was born biologically as a woman . Together: She dismissed claims that dating Will meant she was straight, saying: ' I am still gay. Being in a "straight" relationship does not take away my sexuality'. The couple have been together over a year . As she is . unable to afford the whole year at the university, she said she will be . studying classes at a community college in the fall before heading back . to Pitt for the spring semester. But . on Thursday, she revealed that she had also been let go from her job at . Costco because they had 'overhired' and were firing all their newest . employees. To help her reach her goal, she set up the fundraising page and is using a hashtag '#KeepKateInCollege' to spread the word. By Friday afternoon, the website had raised more than $5,000. Koenig is currently staying with friends and spends a lot of time thinking where she will stay next. Her Facebook page and social media profiles show that she has received a lot of support from her boyfriend's parents. Struggle: This week, she shared a document showing she had been fired from Costco because the company had overhired. She lamented that it was her main source of income to supplement her loans . Support: Koenig is pictured with Will and his family who have given their support to Kate and her campaign . On her . GoFundMe page, Koenig, who identifies as gay and pansexual, explained . that her parents have also taken issue with her boyfriend, Will, who is . transgender. In response to comments about this, she added: 'So many are claiming that I am straight and this is just my attempt to make a fake gay story for money. 'Regardless of if I am dating him or anyone else in the LGBT community I am still gay. Being in a "straight" relationship does not take away my sexuality.' She added: 'I did not openly come out. My father went through my mail.' For more information, visit Koenig's GoFundMe page. | Kate Koenig was cut off by her parents after they read her mail last year and learned she was gay; her extended family also disapprove .
They had already paid for tuition last year but she now faces not being able to afford this year - despite working and getting loans .
On Thursday, she lost her job because her company had overhired .
She hopes to raise $15,000 and has already raised more than $5,000 .
She has the support of her trans boyfriend Will and his family . |
178,058 | 72806e752b6a9d9c628a467c219a1dff913b0ecd | The White House said on Monday that it would veto a bill baring federal agencies from using their funds to implement President Barack Obama's immigration actions if conservatives in Congress successfully pushed it through. The spokesperson for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue had been hesitant in the past to say outright that Obama would veto such legislation if it were to pass, but with the proposal gaining steam, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters today that the president would send the bill back to Congress should it land on his desk. The veto threat comes as a group of conservative House members reviewed specific language they want inserted in an upcoming spending bill prohibiting the Department of Homeland Security from using any funds whatsoever to the distribution of work permits and green cards for the roughly five million illegal immigrants Obama has instructed the agency to stop deporting. Scroll down for videos . President Barack Obama is pictured here signing two presidential memoranda associated with his actions on immigration in his office on Air Force One on Friday, Nov. 21. Conservatives in Congress are trying to block them from taking effect by placing restrictions on how relevant immigration agencies can use their funds . A draft copy of the language, obtained exclusively by MailOnline, states that 'no part of any appropriation,' including 'funds or fees collected or otherwise made available for expenditure, may be used by any agency to implement, administer, enforce or carry out any of the policy changes set forth' in the president's recent directives to DHS. Resolute in their opposition to the president's unilateral decision to defer the deportation of up to five million illegal immigrants, staunch conservative lawmakers are pressuring Republican leadership to include the prohibitive language in a must-pass bill that would keep the government from shutting down next week. Conservatives are charging ahead with the plan to restrict the spending of government agencies that handle immigration, specifically the distribution of green cards and work permits Obama has promised illegal migrants, even as Republican party leaders continue to balk at the strategy and appropriators in the House claim it's not possible. GOP House members will hold a closed-door meeting on Tuesday during which both sides will have the opportunity to make their case to the entire caucus. The outcome of the intra-party battle will be a telling sign of how much influence the Tea Party wing of the GOP will have over the party's agenda in the coming legislative session when Republicans take full control over both chambers of Congress for the final two years of Obama's tenure in the White House. It will also show just how thirsty Republicans are to reign in Obama's authority as chief executive of the country. If the Republican-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate are unable to come to an agreement on appropriations legislation by Dec. 11 - the day before lawmakers are scheduled to leave town until early next year - non-essential government services will go dark until new spending legislation is passed. While Senate Majority Leader Harry has accused Republican legislators trying to use the critical appropriations bill of 'holding our government hostage,' conservatives on the Hill say they don't believe it will come down to a shutdown. Faced with the possibility of a second stoppage in normal government functions in less than two years, they believe Senate Democrats will cave under pressure and allow their bill to come to the floor, setting up a separate confrontation with the White House. Still under discussion is whether the language would be part of a standalone bill to fund DHS that is separate from an omnibus bill funding the rest of the government through at least the first month of next year, allowing other government agencies to continue operating if the measure is unsuccessful, or whether the GOP will go all or nothing and include it in the main legislation to keep the government open. The draft obtained by MailOnline and confirmed by multiple GOP sources on the Hill does not detail the legislative strategy and a source familiar with the proposal confirmed to MailOnline that it's still up for debate. Among the actions taken by the president targeted in the draft are his memorandums changing the 'Policies for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Undocumented Immigrants' and those that give DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson the prosecutorial discretion to defer deportation of migrants residing in the country illegally who came to the U.S. as children before Jan. 1, 2010. It would also block DHS from issuing work permits to illegal immigrants who have been living in the U.S. since that date and have American-born children and prevent it from handing out additional permits to high-skilled workers. If the immigration specific language were set aside in a stand alone bill and Senate Democrats refused to bring it to the floor after it's all but assured passage in the House, only DHS would be affected by the partial shutdown a GOP congressional source told MailOnline recently. Even then, essential services in the department, including border security, would go untouched. 'Congress cannot hand the President a blank check for his continued lawlessness,' Dan Holler, the communications director of influential conservative grassroots group Heritage Action told MailOnline in an email. 'The Republican-controlled House should use the upcoming funding bill to block Obama’s plan to give amnesty, work permits and Social Security numbers to those who are in the country illegally.' A demonstrator who disagrees with Obama's immigration policies stands outside Del Sol High School in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 21 during an event in which the president delivered remarks on his executive actions . Members of the House Appropriations committee recently issued a statement saying that a key immigration agency the bill is designed to keep from enforcing Obama's memorandum is not subject to congressional oversight of its funds because it receives much of its money from application fees. However, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, a government-funded fact-finding organization that works for Congress, debunked that claim in a letter last week to a senator who strongly favors the conservative approach. 'The funds available to the agency through fee collections would be subject to the same potential restrictions imposed by Congress on the use of its appropriations as any other type of appropriated funds,' it said, breathing new life into conservative legislators' plot. Though Republicans account for a majority of the members in the House, they have just 45 seats in the Senate and would need to convince at least 15 Democratic and Independent lawmakers to join their cause in order to have a filibuster-proof majority. A handful of Democratic Senators have publicly shown their displeasure with the president over his decision to go it alone on immigration but whether they would vote to tie their party leaders hands is less clear. If they did and Obama did refuse to sign the legislation, leading to a government shut down, that would be president's fault, not lawmakers', conservatives on Capitol have vehemently argued. 'President Obama will no doubt threaten a shutdown—that seems to be the one card he repeatedly plays,' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in a recent op-ed in Politico outlining the GOP strategy to defund the president's immigration actions. 'If the President is unwilling to accept funding for, say, the Department of Homeland Security without his being able to unilaterally defy the law, he alone will be responsible for the consequences,' Cruz wrote. Cruz, a presumed 2016 presidential candidate, notably led the charge last fall to gut the president's signature law, Obamacare. When Democrats refused to vote for legislation starving the health care law of its funding, the government shut down for more than two weeks beginning on Oct. 1, the first day of the 2014 fiscal year. It was not until the evening of Oct. 16 that Republicans in the House and Senate approved a continuing resolution allowing the government to reopen. The White House said Monday that it doesn't believe that a majority of lawmakers would again be willing to shut down the government. Pointing to previous statements from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that a shutdown is not in the works, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said today that it sends a 'pretty clear' message when one of 'the most influential Republicans in Congress' says it's not going to happen. The White house, he told reporters on Monday afternoon, continues to stand by its position that Congress should pass a yearlong appropriations bill. 'What we would like to see is something that would sort of eliminate any kind of uncertainty,' he said, adding that Congress should pass an omnibus spending bill that would fund all areas of the government. 'We're not asking them to do anything heroic, we're asking them to do their job,' Earnest stated. | MailOnline exclusively obtained a draft copy of the legislation under consideration by conservatives in the House .
It says 'no part of any appropriation,' including 'funds or fees collected' can be used by 'any agency to implement' Obama's immigration directives .
House Republicans will discuss the legislation at a closed-door meeting tomorrow on Capitol Hill .
The language could be part of a must-pass bill that would keep the government's doors open beyond next Thursday .
The White House reiterated its preference today that Congress pass a yearlong appropriations bill . |
185,595 | 7c673fc1378de90f0cc003a0a5dc19e2953bf443 | Washington (CNN) -- JPMorgan Chase announced last week that it lost $2 billion as the result of some complicated trades intended to hedge against economic risk, which according to its top executive is apparently not as bad as it sounds. "This is a stupid thing we should never have done, but we are still going to earn a lot of money this quarter. It's not like this company is jeopardized -- we hurt ourselves and our credibility, yes, and we've got to fully expect that and pay the price for that," CEO Jamie Dimon said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Explain it to me: How did JPMorgan lose that much money? To be perfectly clear, JPMorgan did not lose taxpayer money. It lost its own money. Still, the news shook up Wall Street and Capitol Hill with bad flashbacks. "Well, this is a big surprise because this particular bank is well-respected. It is well-led. And so, to have this kind of a loss from hedging activities is a big surprise," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, said on "Fox News Sunday." "I think what it points out that there are no rules of the road for hedging and for derivatives. And this needs to happen." After the meltdown three years ago that nearly took the country over a cliff, Congress passed Dodd-Frank, a regulatory law to rein in risky investments and prevent the need for future government bailouts. Writing the regulations has been a ferocious battle, particularly over something called the Volcker Rule, after former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker. It would ban banks from trading with their own funds. Worried about damaging the industry's ability to protect itself and hurting the recovery, the Treasury Department, Republicans and Wall Street have been trying to water it down. Dimon, a kind of a shining light in the industry, is a leading opponent of the Volcker Rule. Or has been until maybe now. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, told "Meet the Press" that the price to be paid "will be that they will lose their battle in Washington to weaken the rule. That is the real price." If Dimon has lost his voice, Republicans have not. "Bear in mind, the Dodd-Frank bill, 2,300 pages, they've already had 400 rule-making sessions, and this is where you have so much government regulation coming in that you can't see the forest for the trees," Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, said on ABC's "This Week." It is, as talking head after talking head conceded, very complicated. But not all of it. "In how we manage that portfolio, we did lose $2 billion trading. In hindsight, we took far too much risk," Dimon said. "The strategy we had was barely vetted. It was barely monitored. It should never have happened." Unfortunately, the part that is clear is not reassuring. Watch State of the Union with Candy Crowley Sundays at 9am ET. For the latest from State of the Union click here. | JPMorgan Chase lost $2 billion in hedge fund trading .
CEO Jamie Dimon has been leading opponent of today's tighter regulations .
His fight to loosen regulations has been damaged, Candy Crowley observes . |
231,974 | b85a0e3046e279813b4ba5c9373fc46955f037d0 | By . Adam Duggan . The night sky of central Sydney will be awash with colour for 18 days, starting this Friday. Vivid Sydney is back for another year, and organisers are promising a bigger and better than ever before. Winner of Australian Event of the Year at the 2013 Australian Event Awards, last year's event excited more than 800,000 visitors and generated more than $20 million for the New South Wales economy. 'The sails of the Opera House will be splashed with colour, and the harbour foreshore and surrounds crisscrossed with breathtaking 3D-mapped projections for this signature event,' Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said. Each evening from 6pm, for the duration of the festival, light shows will be projected on to the Sydney Opera House, Customs House and Museum of Contemporary Art. Extending the light show precinct to include Martin Place for the first time this year, interactive art will be taken to a more personal level - with attendees able to map their face onto a 3D, 1.6 metre head. Splashing out: Bypassers were given a sneak peak of this year's Sydney Opera House light projections throughout this week . Awash with colour: Sydney Harbour will be awash with colour throughout the festival, which starts on Friday 23 May . Dancing like a Darling: Swan Lake being projected onto spraying water at the Vivid Aquatique Water Threatre during a preview of the festival at Darling Harbour . Keeping their mouths shut: Festival organisers are promising that this year will be better than ever, with a preview of their Customs House light display being just a start . Through the forest, to the city: Lights will be projected on to some of Sydney's oldest and most iconic buildings during Vivid Sydney . Interactive: Creative teams have been working hard to ensure that this year's Vivid Sydney festival is more interactive than ever before . Jump, hop and a skip: Participants take part in an interactive light display at First Fleet Park, as part of a preview of Vivid Sydney 2014 . Careful where you walk: A preview of the interactive light disks installed in First Fleet Park, The Rocks . Running as fast as they can: A man enjoys the satisfaction of changing the colour of the mats, as he takes part in a preview of Vivid Sydney 2014 . Lighting up the seas: Festival organisers fit public ferry's with different coloured lights throughout the 18 day festival . Playing about: A young girl plays an interactive keyboard projected onto the side of Customs House . Trumpeting Sydney's future creative talent: Brass instruments are projected onto the side of Customs House, as part of Vivid Sydney 2014 . | Central Sydney transformed for Vivid Festival 2014, with surrounding areas becoming creative hubs for 18 days .
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Circular Quay illuminated by impressive light displays .
Annual festival generates $20 million for local economy and draws 800,000 visitors . |
216,097 | a3bcc044d69fb8e8e5473258396a5dc4d4cc9de9 | (CNN) -- It didn't surprise Reggie Landsberry that his brother was reportedly trying to stop a student with a handgun from shooting when he was killed. Math teacher Mike Landsberry was killed in the shooting at Sparks Middle School by a student who brought a semiautomatic weapon. The student also wounded two 12-year-old students. A witness told the Reno Gazette-Journal that Landsberry intervened at one point. Reggie Landsberry said that his brother, like their father a former Marine, probably was trying to talk the gunman out of shooting. "That was the kind of person that Michael was," Reggie Landsberry said. "He was the kind of person that if somebody needed help he would be there." Reggie Landsberry said it was something they learned from their father, who served in the military for 22 years. His brother loved teaching and coaching at Sparks Middle School, he said. "He was just a good all-around individual," Reggie Landsberry said. Mike Landsberry went to Afghanistan on several tours as a member of the Nevada Air National Guard, his brother said. Sparks Mayor Geno Martini said it was a "devastating" loss. "It's very unfortunate that (the life of) someone like that, who protected our country over there and came back alive ... had to be taken at his work, at a school," Martini said. Landsberry joined the Marine Corps in 1986, attained the rank of corporal and served as a field wireman, Marine spokeswoman Maj. Shawn Haney said. On his school website, the teacher posted pictures of himself hiking in the wilderness and standing with a weapon beside an armored vehicle. "One of my goals is to earn your respect while you earn mine," he wrote in a message to students. "I believe that with mutual respect that the classroom environment will run smoothly." A Facebook memorial page posted in Landsberry's honor had more than 2,000 likes by Monday evening. Friends, former students and others described him there as a great teacher and a hero. CNN's Larry Shaughnessy, Amanda Watts and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | His brother says the former Marine was someone who helped those in need .
Mike Landsberry was a math teacher at Sparks Middle School .
Sparks Mayor Geno Martini says the loss is "devastating"
In a Facebook memorial, posts describe him as a hero . |
158,017 | 584dd2004514cce9f95d50b5146cadb2ef2d36e2 | By . Alex Ballard . A range of much-loved British literary classics are being celebrated in London, with 50 illustrated benches shaped like open books popping up around the capital's landmarks. BookBenches celebrating iconic favourites such as Peter Pan, 1984 and Bridget Jones's Diary are on display at various locations. They are part of the Books about Town exhibition from the National Literacy Trust aimed at raising funds to celebrate reading. The Trust, which reported new . research revealing that children’s enjoyment of reading has increased . for the first time in eight years, tasked a number of artists to create . the benches including Cartoonist Ralph Steadman and How To Train Your . Dragon creator Cressida Cowell. Old master: This BookBench pays tribute to playwright William Shakespeare and can be found near the Millenium Bridge . Please look after this bear: A BookBench celebrating Michael Bond's famous series of children's books about Paddington Bear can be found on the event's Riverside Trail near London Bridge . P L Travers' classic tale about magical nanny Mary Poppins, which was made into both a 1964 Disney film starring Julie Andrews and a 2004 stage musical, is also included in the top 50 BookBenches . Timeless: A colourful tribute to children's classic Peter Pan by Scottish novelist J M Barrie, which was made into several films including the 1953 Disney adaptation . American writer Theodore Seuss Geisel earns a spot in the 50 famous books with his famous series of children's books . Stormbreaker: The Alex Rider spy novels for children by Anthony Horowitz were adapted into both a 2006 film and video game . Ms . Cowell, known for illustrating her own books, said: 'I am so excited to . have designed a How to Train Your Dragon book bench and to be part of . the National Literacy Trust's Books about Town campaign to celebrate the . wealth of writing and illustrating talent in this country. 'I am hoping Books about Town will remind Londoners on the streets of the joy of reading books.' Meanwhile . Mr Steadman, who illustrated Lewis Caroll's children's classic Through . the Looking-Glass in 1973, has reproduced some of these illustrations . for one of the seats while Lauren Child has designed a bench based on . her Clarice Bean series. Other . books featured in the 50 range from the likes of treasured children's . stories such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to adult titles . including The Day of the Triffids. Well-loved . literary heroes such as Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Mary Poppins and . Hercule Poirot also appear on benches which visitors can discover by . following literary trails in Greenwich, City of London, Riverside and . Bloomsbury until mid-September. Then . on October 7 the BookBenches will be auctioned at the Southbank Centre . to raise valuable funds for the National Literacy Trust to tackle . illiteracy in deprived communities across Britain. Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, telling the delightful story of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger, is featured on this BookBench next to the Bank of England . Several characters from Jacqueline Wilson's children's book series feature on this BookBench by St Paul's cathedral . Catalogue of comedy: Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary, which was made into a big-screen blockbuster starring Renée Zellweger in 2001, features on this bench at Patermoster Square near St Paul's . Illuminating: The work of Stephen Hawking, who has penned groundbreaking books on theoretical physics, is celebrated by this particular bench . Kicking off: The BookBench for Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, a classic comedy narrative about football and Arsenal FC, can be found near Fleet Street . Black and white: Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses novel series set in a fictional racist dystopia is represented by this bench near Fenchurch Street . | 50 literary favourites are honoured with inclusion in National Literacy Trust's exhibit in the capital .
A wide range of classics for both children and adults are included in the selected works .
Benches were created by a host of artists and authors and will be auctioned off for charity in October .
Event is launched as Trust reports new research showing that children's enjoyment of reading is on the rise . |
268,475 | e7be8d125f595e03cd7c3a469309c042bd259c78 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson knew "exactly how his fate would be played out" and feared his death would echo that of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley wrote in an online blog posted Friday morning. Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley in 1994. Presley says, "I loved him very much" and believes he loved her. Presley -- the daughter of Elvis, the "King of Rock," and the ex-wife of Jackson, the "King of Pop" -- wrote on her MySpace page that she wanted "to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once." Her publicist confirmed Presley wrote the blog. She said her short marriage to Jackson -- from May 1994 until January 1996 -- "was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press," but she divorced him because she was "in over my head in trying" to save Jackson "from the inevitable, which is what has just happened." Jackson talked with her about his death during "a deep conversation" 14 years ago about "the circumstances of my father's death." Watch more from Presley on Jackson » . "At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did,' " Presley wrote. "I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that." That conversation haunted Presley as she watched television coverage of Jackson's death Thursday, she said. "I am sitting here watching on the news [as] an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears," she wrote. "A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened." Elvis Presley collapsed in the bathroom of his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion -- Graceland -- on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. While his death was ruled the result of an irregular heartbeat, the autopsy report was sealed amid accusations that abuse of prescription drugs caused the problem. "As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play the exact scenario I saw happen on August 16, 1977, happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted," she wrote. "I wanted to 'save him'," she wrote. "I wanted to save him from the inevitable, which is what has just happened." "The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow," Presley wrote. Their marriage, which some suggested was only to help Jackson's image, was real, she said. "It was an unusual relationship, yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a 'normal life' found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part," she wrote. "Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much." Presley called Jackson "an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated." "When he used it for something good, it was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad," she wrote. Presley's blog entry ended with a thank you to those who would read it. "I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening." Presley's blog can be found online at http://bit.ly/5wR7p . | Lisa-Marie Presley, Jackson were married from 1994 to 1996 .
She says Jackson feared he would die like her father, Elvis Presley .
Presley says their marriage was not "a sham" as press has said .
"I wanted to save him from the inevitable," she says . |
107,180 | 163b012168a159899aaba503ce7e0f1cba0f6795 | By . Kirk Maltais . A federal jury in an New York City courtroom awarded a clothing clerk who was tormented and eventually attacked by a co-worker because of his name and race $4.7 million on Friday. Osama Saleh, 27, a Yemeni man, was a earning minimum wage as a stock clerk at a Pretty Girl clothing store location in Brooklyn, New York, where he was tormented by a security guard. Saleh claimed that the security guard, James Robinson, not only constantly referred to as 'bin Laden' and told that 'Muslims are dirty and terrorists', but was punched in the face during a September 2007 altercation with the store's security guard, which resulted in him sustaining a fractured cheekbone. In Saleh's lawsuit, he claimed that nothing was done by the store's manager to stop the bullying from happening. In court documents, store manager Albert Hamra claimed to have thought that Robinson was 'kidding around.' Front of 441 Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, as of October 2013, where the Pretty Girl location Osama Saleh worked at once was. The outlines of the 'Pretty Girl' sign can be seen in the photo. 'Being called a terrorist and bin Laden is like an insult and a slur against me and my race,' Saleh told the NY Daily News. In the September 2007 altercation that left Saleh with a facial fracture, Robinson confronted Saleh . in the basement of the store after a previous work-related argument on the retail floor. In the basement, Robinson allegedly told Saleh, 'I'm going to call . the police on you, telling them that you don't have papers and you are a . terror [sic],' further adding that Saleh was 'not an American.' Saleh, who responded to the threats with 'my father is an American, . so I'm an American', was then punched in the face and knocked to the floor. Hamra sent Robinson home after the fight. Robinson, who pleaded guilty to assault in the third degree, did not respond to Saleh's civil action. In his deposition, Saleh said that the comments made by Robinson were 'serious and mean,' and that he attempted to defend himself by telling Robinson that like he was acting like 'a little kid and that he should act like a grownup.' Hamra conceded in court that he was heard Robinson refer to Saleh as 'bin Laden' a 'few times', but said that the comments took place in the context of the two 'kidding around' and 'teasing each other.' Hamra also admitted that Saleh told him on some occasions that he did not like being called 'bin Laden.' The $4.7 million awarded by the jury to Saleh covered emotional distress, assault, negligence in the . hiring of Robinson by Pretty Girl, Inc., and punitive damages. According to Saleh, he still suffers . hearing problems and difficulty chewing and eating as a result of the hit, for which he had to spend approximately seven days in the hospital. He sustained a fracture to the zygomatic arch in his face. 'That level of disregard is so dangerous in a multicultural society,' Saleh’s lawyer Fred Brewington told the NY Daily News outside of the courtroom. The judge has set a deadline for the defendants to file a post-trial motion to reduce the verdict amount. Saleh did not respond when contacted by MailOnline for further comment. | Osama Saleh, 27, was punched in the face in an altercation with security guard co-worker who would call him 'bin Laden'
A federal court in Brooklyn awarded Saleh $4.7 million for his emotional distress and permanent injuries .
Security guard: 'Muslims are dirty and terrorists'
Saleh: 'My father is an American, .
so I'm an American' |
125,072 | 2dacf5154728515eaf5c73bee8a8d1ea90a95e54 | (CNN) -- Saturday saw protests across the United States, held to express solidarity with the anti-government demonstrations currently roiling Egypt. Whether on the East Coast or the West Coast, crowds carried banners, flags and signs as they chanted, hoping their support could be felt thousands of miles away in Cairo, Alexandria and other Egyptian cities. In San Francisco, demonstrators gathered at a corner on Market Street and quickly packed the sidewalk, waving Egyptian and American flags. Participants seemed to represent a rainbow of backgrounds and ages. There were elderly couples, teenagers and children with Egypt's colors painted on their faces. Many Egyptian-Americans were there, enlivening the chants with Arabic phrases. But plenty of people of Latin, Caucasian and Asian descent also turned out to march, support Egyptian demonstrators and demand the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Among the call-and-response chants came a reference to recent protests in Tunisia: "Oh Mubarak, can't you see? Time to join Ben Ali." In Seattle, traditional Egyptian melodies were heard among the chants and slogans. One man who led the chorus of old songs was impressed by the Egyptian movement's use of social media. "Thanks to new technology and new communications, the people from Facebook and Twitter, we are able to come together and make this happen. All the young people ... they feel like sometimes there is no chance. But you see this and think ... there is a chance." There was a small demonstration in Texas outside the Egyptian Consulate building in Houston. It seemed to be a family affair, with small children flashing peace signs as their families waved flags and signs. "They need everyone to hear them," one demonstrator told CNN affiliate KIAH. "That's the only way we can get change. It's not going to come from within, it's going to come from outside. That's why we're out here now." Egyptian-Americans gathered in Toledo, Ohio, too. They waved Egyptian flags and carried signs that read "Defend Democracy" and "Defend Human Rights." Although only a handful of people braved the cold, nearly every passing car honked in support. On the East Coast, hundreds gathered outside the United Nations in New York. They held up signs that read: "Mubarak Regime MUST GO," "Egypt's Struggle Is Our Struggle!" and "Egypt -- We Hear You!" Meanwhile, they yelled out in unison, "Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Mubarak must go!" Sharif Sadek, a young Egyptian-American filmmaker in the New York crowd, said the ouster of the Egyptian leader is the only acceptable outcome. He urged U.S. leaders to make this happen. "The United States can urge Mubarak to step down and leave the country. Go to Switzerland. Go to South Africa. Go to the moon. We do not want President Mubarak," Sadek said. In Washington, protesters assembled outside the Egyptian Embassy before heading to the White House. One protester held up a cardboard sign that read: "Pharaoh! Let the people go!" Sam Abouissa, a protest organizer who said his brothers were arrested in Egypt while protesting, said he walked door-to-door in the capital to solicit support from fellow Egyptians. "We need freedom. We need freedom on the Internet. Freedom of communications. Freedom of expressing our opinion. Freedom of life. Freedom of choice," Abouissa said. "We have to choose. We have to be free to choose." Anti-Mubarak demonstrations were scheduled to take place in locations across the United States on Sunday too. CNN's Mia Aquino, Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | NEW: Solidarity demonstrations are held in cities large and small .
NEW: Many ethnic groups and ages are represented among the demonstrators .
Hundreds attend a protest outside the U.N. in New York, chanting "Mubarak must go" |
237,592 | bf81b3e0bf49b6ad9bca0a6a6d144629353d1d9f | By . Lucy Crossley . A grieving father who shot himself twice at the graveside of his dead son has died of his injuries. Allen Hinchliffe, 52, turned the shotgun on himself three weeks ago while visiting the grave of 20-year-old son Ben, who died in a car crash last year. Mr Hinchliffe, of Scholes in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, shot and killed Ben’s beloved Springer Spaniel before blasting himself under the armpit and in the stomach. Best man: Allen Hinchliffe and his wife Pamela (both seated) on their wedding day. His son Ben (far right) was his father's best man. Also pictured is maid of honour Debra Brownsword (left) He suffered internal injuries and kidney . damage and was in the critical care unit at the Northern General . Hospital in Sheffield for two weeks. Mr Hinchliffe had regained consciousness and was recovering, with his family saying he was looking forward to going home. However, his condition suddenly deteriorated and he died on Monday night with wife of nine months Pamela by his side. Mother-of-three . Mrs Hinchliffe, 44, said her husband had not come to terms with the . loss of Ben, who was killed when his Suzuki 4x4 smashed into a wall in . New Mill last October. Grief: Allen Hinchliffe, pictured with wife Pamela, has died in hospital three weeks after he shot himself while visiting the grave of his son Ben . Mr Hinchliffe had visited Ben’s grave in Hade Edge Cemetery just days after an inquest heard his son may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Mrs Hinchliffe said that although Ben didn’t live with his father they saw each other virtually every day. 'They . were inseparable,' she said. 'They would do everything together and . would go out fishing and hunting with the dog they shared, Jake. 'Allen loved his son dearly and never got over the loss of Ben. 'He went up to Ben’s grave with Ben’s shotgun and shot the dog before turning the gun on himself. 'Allen loved his son dearly and never got over the loss of Ben. No one should have to bury a child' Pamela Hinchliffe . 'No-one should have to bury a child. He just wanted all three of them to be together.' Mrs . Hinchliffe said she had met her husband, a former roofer and keen . cricketer, at the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Holmfirth where she worked. 'We had both been married before and weren’t looking to get married again but we just clicked,' she said. 'He proposed and we married a year after meeting. He was a wonderful man and we loved each other to bits.' The couple married at the Durker Roods Hotel in Meltham last August and Ben was best man. Mrs Hinchliffe, who has three children of her own - Stephen, 16, Sophie, 14, and Shannon, 11, said her husband suffered internal injuries and needed surgery to remove part of his bowel and intestines. He also needed dialysis and had a catheter because of kidney damage. She said: 'He was in a coma and the first time he opened his eyes I cried. Scene: Allen Hinchliffe, 52, turned the shotgun on himself three weeks ago while visiting Ben's grave at Hade Edge Cemetary - pictured . Emergency: Police seal off the cemetery after Mr Hinchliffe shot himself at his son's grave . 'When he realised he had survived he just wanted to escape the hospital and come home with me. 'He was getting better and was moved on to a ward but then suffered a relapse and had a bleed. 'He had got over that but then went to the renal unit for dialysis and his condition deteriorated. 'I was with him at the end and Shannon, who Allen hoped to adopt, wanted to see him. 'He told me he loved me and knew he was dying.' Loss: The roadside in New Mill where Ben Hinchliffe's Suzuki 4x4 crashed last October . Mr Hinchliffe, a fast bowler who was hoping to play for Holmfirth this season, also had another son and two daughters from a previous relationship. Mrs Hinchliffe said she had questions over her husband’s death and had asked for a post-mortem examination. She also said she was waiting to hear whether an inquest would be held. The inquest into the death of trainee butcher Ben, who lived in Meltham, heard how he was not wearing a seat-belt when his 4x4 left the road. Coroner Mary Burke stressed the importance of wearing seat-belts during the hearing in April. | Allen Hinchliffe, 52, shot himself twice following the inquest of his son Ben .
He shot and killed his son's dog before turning the shotgun on himself .
He suffered internal injuries and kidney damage, but was recovering .
However, his condition deteriorated and he died in hospital on Monday .
Trainee butcher Ben was killed in October when his Suzuki 4x4 hit a wall . |
90,371 | 0043531ac872dbc37553dcb4e554ecc2ae254dcb | (CNN) -- Rafael Nadal completed a perfect sweep of his matches in Group A of the ATP World Tour Finals by beating Tomas Berdych Friday -- his victory enabling a grateful Stanislas Wawrinka to accompany him into the semifinals in London. Wawrinka and his supporters breathed a sigh of relief after Nadal wrapped up a 6-4 1-6 6-3 victory over his Czech opponent to go through as group winner. The match had been in the balance when Berdych hit back to level at one set all with a display of power tennis that had the top seed wobbling, but he could not sustain the effort. Nadal, who has never won the end of season showpiece, waited until the eighth game of the decider to make the breakthrough, taking advantage of two double faults by fifth seed Berdych. He then served out for victory, completed with a flashing forehand winner and customary fist pump. Nadal was also fully aware he had done Swiss star Wawrinka, who is making his debut in the finals, a big favor. "I have a great relationship with him, so I'm happy for Stan, sorry for Thomas," Nadal said. "Before the match Stan came to the locker room and told me 'come on', " he revealed. Wawrinka, who would have been on the edge of the seat as Berdych made his move, tweeted: Vamooooos!!! Next diner is for me @RafaelNadal !! Good job!! He had earlier battled past Nadal's compatriot David Ferrer in a thrilling afternoon match at the O2 Arena. Wawrinka, who beat Berdych in his opening match before losing to Nadal, raced into a 5-2 lead in the opener before Ferrer battled back to force a tiebreaker, which he took 7-3. But Wawrinka hit back to level the second set with a single break and then dominated the decider with two further breaks, sealing a 6-7 6-4 6-1 victory. Saturday will see Group B decided with Roger Federer taking on Juan Martin Del Potro to decide who goes through to the last four with defending champion Novak Djokovic. The Serb plays Richard Gasquet, who has already been eliminated. | Stanislas Wawrinka qualifies for semifinals at ATP World Tour semifinals .
Beats David Ferrer in three sets in Group A .
Rafael Nadal's win over Tomas Berdych seals Wawrinka's passage .
No.1 Nadal has to battle past Berdych in three sets . |
21,941 | 3e57228b544d53905e505107a6a30ede0c5748e5 | America's first permanent English settlement, a military club for African-American officers, an unused airline terminal and Houston's Astrodome have all been labeled "endangered" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The trust's 26th annual list of America's 11 most endangered historic places spotlights significant architectural, cultural and other structures and places at risk of destruction by human or natural forces. "The listing on the '11 most endangered list' has a tremendous effect in mobilizing constituencies to find a productive way" to save these places and "usher them into their next chapter," said Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over the last 25 years, "we've had a 97% success rate" of saving places on the list, Meeks said. Local coalitions "get a big boost and additional support emerges from the shadows when people learn for the first time that a resource is threatened." Airports where architecture soars . A black officers' club in Arizona, the spiritual center of African-American life in Maine and a general store/residence for Chinese-American laborers in California also made the list this year, a result of the trust's outreach to minority communities "to represent diverse facets of American history," she said. Anyone can nominate a place for inclusion on the list, she said. Trust employees decide the final list, looking at the national significance of the structure or place, the urgency of the threat facing the place (whether by people or nature) and the possibility of a successful resolution. The existence of a coalition with a plan to save the place also helps. View the photo gallery above to see the full list of 11 endangered places. 8 amazing outdoor music venues . | A military club for African-American officers is in danger of demolition, the trust says .
The river abutting the first permanent English settlement in America is in jeopardy .
The structures of a significant Alaska salmon canning factory need to be stabilized . |
106,822 | 15ca31019fdc91b1aef72a1b9594bcb6aae616f8 | Weinner . By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:12 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:25 EST, 7 June 2013 . New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner raised eyebrows at a political meeting in Brooklyn on Thursday when he suggested that an elderly woman in the audience might be flirting with him. Weiner was taking questions from attendees at a Friends of the United Block Association of Brooklyn meeting when he noticed a gesture from one woman. ‘Were you raising your hand or flirting with me?’ Weiner asked the woman, who had tentatively raised her hand. Flirt? Anthony Weiner asked an elderly woman at a meeting on Thursday evening if she was flirting with him when she tried to ask a question . The off-the-cuff comment drew slightly uncomfortable laughter from the crowd, who otherwise were responsive to his message about education and public safety. After the forum, Weiner told The New York Observer that the comment had been meant as a joke. In a radio interview on Friday, he downplayed another incident from Wednesday evening when an angry Weiner had shouted down by a voter who . asked him asked about his infamous sexting scandal. Weiner told WCBS radio host Steve Scott that the incident Democratic district leader Jessie Strauss was little more than a 'New York-style' exchange of opinions. 'I’d say, basically, standing up for want you believe in, speaking clearly to people, and understanding they’re gonna push back pretty hard,' he said. 'I frankly like that tussle of politics and tussle of the way we do things in New York. You know, you can have five New Yorkers standing in a circle, and you can have 12 or 13 different opinions and I like it that way.' Weiner told WCBS radio host Steve Scott that he was all in favor of 'New York-style' exchange of opinions . Strauss had told Weiner at a small gathering in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Wednesday that 'we can't have our politicians going around apologizing all the time,' according Buzzfeed. Weiner responded curtly, 'Listen, if you believe that my personal failings disqualify me, don’t vote for me. But, my friend, I’m not sure exactly what it is that you’re asking for.' Strauss said he would be supporting New York City public advocate Bill de Blasio's campaign. Weiner responded by rolling his eyes. 'That's a surprise,' he quipped. After another minute of verbal sparring, Weiner said, 'I’m gonna win this election, OK? And I’m gonna govern this city really well. And I’m gonna do it based on a foundation of Democratic ideals, and I’m gonna do it on a foundation of progressive values, and I’m gonna do it smart.' He added coyly: 'If you don’t think I should even be standing here today, I certainly would respect that. I mean, you’re supporting another candidate who’s not gonna win.' Working for votes: Weiner waves an Israeli flag as he marches up New York's Fifth Avenue in the Israel Day Parade last Sunday . By the time of his exchange with Strauss, Weiner had already been confronted about the sexting scandal that forced him to resign from Congress in 2011. Chris Owens, a Brownstone Brooklyn district leader, told Weiner, 'I have a three word question, "How dare you?"' I’m a parent, I’ve got two sons. I represent the Democratic Party. 'I am outraged and disgusted by you, both by what you did and by the fact that you have the arrogance to run for mayor now. And the only reason why you’re running for mayor is because you have this money that you’re going to lose.' 'Now you come back – not even four, eight years later – you come back after two years and you expect us to embrace you because you have good ideas?' Weiner said he appreciated the question and realized that many people will feel that way. And then he accused Owens of holding a grudge against him because Weiner supported Owens' rival when he ran for Congress in 2006. 'All I can say is that I have explained - and I’ll explain it to as many people who want to ask me about those things - that it was a personal mistake that I made,' Weiner added. | The New York mayoral candidate asked an elderly lady at a recent meeting if she was flirting with him . |
123,902 | 2c2cd64064a9fc9c1d2072df42db9a2f889521e3 | (CNN) -- Erin Andrews, the ESPN reporter who was secretly videotaped nude in 2008, has been receiving death threats, her attorney told CNN on Friday. Several threatening e-mails regarding Andrews have been sent to sportscaster Dan Patrick since last September, according to Marshall B. Grossman, Andrews' attorney. "Until very recently, [the e-mails] were of a sexual nature, but then turned violent" last month, Grossman said. He said the e-mails received in March "are specific, they're violent, they identify the location and method of intended murder." Grossman said the existence of the threats were first revealed to Andrews on Thursday morning. The e-mails were provided to Andrews' representatives by DirecTV, which carries the Dan Patrick Show. Patrick was formerly at ESPN. The FBI began work on the case on Thursday and believes it has identified the individual responsible for the threatening e-mails, Grossman said. Andrews is getting round-the-clock security, Grossman said. Grossman has also requested heightened security at Los Angeles' CBS Television City, where Andrews is competing on the show, "Dancing with the Stars." In March, a federal judge sentenced an Illinois man to two and a half years in prison for taping Andrews in the nude. The taping took place through a hotel-room peephole, and the video was posted on the Internet. Michael David Barrett, 49, pleaded guilty to a federal stalking charge in December after prosecutors accused him of altering hotel peepholes so he could shoot video of Andrews while unclothed. CNN's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report. | Lawyer: ESPN's Erin Andrews getting death threats .
FBI says it has identified person responsible for the threatening e-mails .
Illinois man sentenced for secretly taping Andrews nude, posting videos online . |
15,202 | 2b36e231b804649caeac58700025779c0221f477 | By . Carol Driver for MailOnline . 'I thought it was a joke': Karen and Aidan Price were heading to New York when the incident happened . A mother was left mortified when police hauled her off a flight to New York because a passport had been reported stolen - by someone with the same. Karen Price, 50, from North Wales, was horrified when she was taken from her friends and family as officers escorted her through tunnels at Birmingham Airport to a nearby police station to question her about the document. But, after just half an hour, officials realised a bungling Passport Office staff member had caused the alert - marking Karen's passport down as stolen instead of her namesake's. It transpired that it had taken them three years to note the mistake, in which time the mum-of-two had used the passport five times. Karen, from Abergele, who was flying to New York with her husband Aidan and friends, said: ‘It was supposed to be my 50th birthday present. ‘I was just a bit shocked really, I went through check in and everything else no problems. ‘It was only when we went to board the plane it was then they took me aside and told us there was a problem. It was just a bit embarrassing. ‘The stupid thing is we had used the passport five times since it had been reported as stolen, we'd even been to Tunisia where they signed it to say that we had been let in, which proved there was no problem with the passport then. ‘I honestly thought it was a joke they were playing on me, I just couldn't believe it, I thought it was a wind-up.’ Karen tried to board the United Airlines plane on June 1 from Birmingham to Newark, New Jersey, to celebrate her birthday. Despite clearing check in and security with no problems, and waiting in the departure lounge for two-and-a-half hours Karen was only stopped as she stepped on to the plane. Waiting police swooped in and demanded the NHS worker followed them to the station for further questioning. Airport drama: Karen Price was pulled off a flight to New York at Birmingham Airport . On holiday: The couple, pictured in New York, were forced to cut their trip to the States short . The couple were forced to abandon their friends, who boarded the aircraft as normal, without an explanation and were led through a series of tunnels to the airport's police station. After half an hour officers revealed the mistake and said the pair needed to attend the Passport Office to rectify the problem. Karen and her husband Aidan were booked on a flight two days later in a hope they could still enjoy part of their six-day holiday. ‘They said we could fly Tuesday but we had to get our passport sorted out by then,’ Karen said. ‘We were ringing every hour to see if the Passport Office had a cancellation. ‘We finally managed to get an appointment at 11am on Monday so we shot straight to Liverpool to get everything processed. ‘While we were there they said another Karen Price had reported her passport stolen in January 2011 and it had only been put on the system in April 2014. Karen was taken off a United Airlines flight to New York at Birmingham Airport (file photo) ‘The only problem was it was against the wrong Karen Price. ‘I'm flabbergasted they didn't do more stringent checks to deal with the cancellation of a passport. ‘What if someone else had picked it up and had tried to use it? I'd used my passport five times.’ Karen was finally issued another passport and boarded another flight to the States. Aidan, 49, added: ‘We had stayed with some friends ready to get to the airport in plenty of time. ‘It was a big deal, we had friends coming over to meet us and we had booked helicopter rides and excursions for the whole trip. ‘It was a once in a lifetime trip really, the whole situation was an absolute nightmare.’ Aidan added: ‘We had just a few days left when we arrived so we had to fit everything in in such a short space of time. Birthday break: The couple were heading for a holiday in New York to mark Karen's 50th birthday . ‘We missed the helicopter ride to had to book another one as well as another trip up the Empire State Building. ‘We had to cram so many excursions into two days everybody was knackered. It was a complete nightmare.’ Karen added: ‘Well my birthday trip will never be forgotten that's for sure. ‘Every time I go to the airport now I will be scared to death until I get on the plane. I won't be able to relax until then.’ A spokesman for Her Majesty's Passport Office said: ‘We apologise to Miss Price for the inconvenience caused. ‘It is extremely rare for passports to be cancelled in error. If a mistake does occur it is fully investigated and resolved as quickly as possible.’ | Karen Price was travelling with friends on a birthday trip to New York .
She was pulled off plane and questioned in a police station for 30 minutes .
Passport was reported stolen three years ago by someone with same name .
Passport Office apologised but holiday to the US had to be cut short . |
148,553 | 4c183d25b33d3cba2d45dec42f1975322728fa5e | Google Glass could become an integral part of medical care in the future and has already been credited with saving the life of one patient in the United States. Wearing a beefed-up version of the futuristic internet-connected visual aid, doctors in Boston were able to immediately access the records of a man with a severe brain bleed last January during the devices clinical trials. With the help of Google Glass, the physician at Beth Israel Deaconess was able to discover that because of his serious condition the patient had given an incomplete history and if they had administered much-needed drugs solely on that, he may have died. Scroll Down for Video . Future of medical care: Dr. Steve Horng sporting his Google Glass explained how physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are now using the device to save patients lives . The patient managed to tell doctors he was allergic to some blood pressure drugs - which they needed to slow the bleeding. Fast response: Dr. Horng used Google Glass to react quickly to a life-threatening situation a patient faced in January . However, the man didn't remember to tell them he was also taking blood-thining drugs - which when applied in combination could have been fatal. Using the Google Glass to pull up his correct medical information, doctors were able to give him the correct dose of medication and thereby save him faster than accessing paper records or those of a computer screen somewhere else. The life-saving story was first reported in the Boston Globe and is part of the Wearable Intelligence in Healthcare program in partnership with Google. The glass devices contain specialized software designed for use solely inside hospitals and medical care centers. The Google Glass has no access to social media or search engines and is only interconnected to the hospital Wi-Fi and physicians inside those four walls. At Beth Israel Daconess, all ER doctors will now don the space-age glasses when they begin work - which will hopefully one day become as routine as putting on their scrubs. Google Glass, which went on limited commercial sale last week in the United states, is considered the next possible frontier in mobile technology. Partnership: This is a grab from a promotional video for Wearable Intelligence - who have partnered with Google to provide the software for Google Glass . The frame contains a small eyeglass which has a small screen over the right eye which displays everything seen on a larger computer screen or smartphone. In addition to the screen, Google Glass has a high-resolution camera which can be used to video patients as they arrive for records or to display real-time footage to specialists or doctors who are not currently present. The device reacts to voice commands and the tech-giant hopes to retail Google Glass worldwide for up to $1,500. 'And not only is it hands free, it’s always on, always in front of you and always giving you information,' Dr. Steven Horng who is pioneering Google Glass in hospitals. 'Rather than having to excuse myself, it means I can quickly access that information without having to interrupt the patient, lose eye contact, or even leave the room,' said Horng to the Boston Globe. Real-time: A Google Glass equipped doctor in the future would be able to let another physician physically see a patient in another part of the hospital . Most importantly, despite being Google Glass, the Wearable Intelligence hardware have no access to Google's database or records. 'When we started this pilot, one of our caveats was we had to respect patient privacy and confidentiality,' Horng told CNBC's Squawk On the Street on Monday. 'It needed to meet all the requirements that our other clinical applications do.' Beth Israel and Wearable Intelligence plan to expand the hospital’s use of Google Glass in the near future. Additional uses could include using Glass for doctors to consult with each other remotely. 'Surprisingly, the patients have been very very open to it,' said Horng. 'If anything, they have been very intrigued and like 'what's on your head?' | Doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess utilize Google Glass to access correct medical records of seriously ill patients faster .
Part of trial with tech-giant Google to integrate the futuristic device into health care .
Patient gave incorrect medical history in January - Google Glass contradicted this - saving his life . |
224,862 | af2a77e83dd256315c2174bfb74835da122de44b | Former two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho sold himself short by lacking professionalism, according to the manager who offloaded him to Mexican side Queretaro last month. Levir Culpi suggested that although the playmaker helped Atletico Mineiro to their first Copa Libertadores title last year, the Braizilian star could have done more. 'It's a shame he doesn't want to pay the price of being a professional athlete because he has done it all,' Culpi said in an interview with local newspaper Estado de Minas on Monday. Levir Culpi has criticised Ronaldinho's lack of professionalism while he was playing for Atletico Mineiro . The World Cup winning star has now moved to Mexico to join Queretaro after a poor season in Brazil . 'I can tell you that big stars such as Kaka help themselves. It's all about professionalism.' Ronaldinho, 34, was FIFA's World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and won almost every honour possible at Barcelona before returning to Brazil with Atletico. He sparkled there at first but was disappointing this year. Ronaldinho has 'has done it all' says Culpi, including winning the Ballon D'or and Champions League . Ronaldinho helped Culpi to Atletico's first Copa Libertadores win in 2013, and 'should be well remembered' Culpi, who took over earlier this year, balanced his comments with some praise for the former Gremio and Flamengo playmaker. 'Ronaldinho played a better role here than he did in many other places,' he said. 'He left a mark and should be well remembered.' | Livir Cupli claims Ronaldinho lacks professionalism .
Atletico Mineiro boss slams player for his off-field antics .
Ronaldinho left Brazil for Mexican side Queretaro last month . |
32,580 | 5ca074fd473aa41190bdf60bc2edc7b02dab9301 | Ryan-Morgan Freeman, 10, played football with a cannonball dating back to the English Civil War before the bomb squad was called . A 10-year-old boy played football with a cannonball dating back to the English Civil War before the bomb squad was called to blow it up. Ryan-Morgan Freeman found the 17th century explosive in a bramble bush near his home in Sinfin, Derby, then used it in a kickabout with his friends on a basketball court. But when the 10-year-old went home to show-off his rust-coloured find, his father Calvin, 31, feared it could be life-threatening and called the police. 'The thing was round so it just seemed natural to kick it. I thought dad was having a laugh when he told me it might be dangerous,' said Ryan. 'But when the bomb squad came and blew it up I knew I could have been badly hurt.' A bomb squad carried out a controlled explosion on the sphere in a safe area near Ryan's family home. Officers looked up the cannonball on the internet and decided it might have originated in the English Civil War era which started in 1642. 'Ryan and a couple of his mates played football with it for a few minutes on the basketball courts at the end of our street,' said Mr Freeman. 'Luckily the court has a sponge-type floor which absorbed any impact. Ryan bought it home to show me. It was rust-coloured and about the size of a mini-football. 'It had two holes in the top and 4kh on it. I'm not an expert but I know that might have been military markings so I called the police.' Mr Freeman, 31, his partner Kerry, 30, and their five children aged six to 13 were ordered to evacuate their semi-detached home. 'I asked one of the bomb squad if it was dangerous and he replied it definitely was,' said Mr Freeman. 'I think Ryan had a close escape. If he had been kicking it around on a concrete floor the thing could have gone off. 'The council keep the bushes where it was found in good trim so I'm surprised it hadn't been found before.' Officers looked up the explosive on the internet and decided it might have originated in the English Civil War era, pictured are cannonballs found at Goodrich Castle which are thought to have been used in 1645 . The 10-year-old found the 17th Century explosive in a bramble bush near his home in Sinfin, Derby . | Ryan-Morgan Freeman, 10, found a cannonball in bushes near his home .
He then used it to play football with his friends on a basketball court .
His father Calvin, 31, feared it could be life-threatening and called police .
Home was evacuated and bomb squad carried out controlled explosion .
Officers believe cannonball is from English Civil War which started in 1642 . |
61,149 | adae089b56111d9b2200c8140db2680825e79b93 | By . Martha Cliff . The owner of one of Britain's oldest family-run market stalls has finally closed his market stall after 163 years of business. Located in Sheffield, N Smith and Sons, has sold handbags and purses to hundreds of thousands of customers since its opening in 1851 and has been run by more than seven generations of the same family. Now known as Smiths, it had been passed down from father to son with the latest owner being Paul Smith. Paul Smith will see his beloved stall close after 163 years of trading . When Smiths originally opened way back in 1851, business was booming. However, after customers dwindled to just nine a day, Paul says the family have struggled to meet even the service charge. Paul says that his small family stall hasn't been able to compete with nearby supermarkets, shopping centres and online shops that offer the same stock for a much cheaper price. Paul, 52, says that the way we shop has completely changed since the stall opened and unfortunately Smiths couldn't keep up. 'There is too much competition. Everything we sell is now on the high street or in a supermarket, when years ago there wasn't anything like that.' Paul said, explaining that it wasn't just Smiths that was suffering. Founder of the stall Noah Smith and his brother are pictured outside their stall in 1906 (far right) Smiths was opened by Noah Smith in the Norfolk Market Hall in 1851, left and right show the stall 85 years into business in 1936 . 'Markets have been going downhill for years - we just can’t compete with the big retailers any more. When it comes to offering a bargain, stall holders aren't even in the same league. 'And when it comes to quality, people can pick up good bargains online these days or they can head to an out-of-town retail park - which will offer free parking right outside the shop you want. 'Why would you put yourself through the hassle of driving to the city centre, paying extortionate parking fees and then looking round the market? We’ve just had to accept that things have changed - and we’re getting out now.' For Paul the closing of the stall isn't just a financial loss, but a sentimental one too. He grew up in the hustle and bustle of Castle Market, taking over from his dad Gerard 30 years ago. Paul and his wife Vicky (pictured) say they can no longer compete with the high street and online retailers . Paul even met his wife Vicky, also 52, at the stall when she was employed by his parents - she continued to work there for 36 years. Vicky agrees that their small stall has no chance of competing with the multi-million pound brands that offer the same stock. 'Retail has changed. There used to be customers four or five deep, it was buzzing and there was a lot of camaraderie,' says the 52-year-old. 'But . back then there was no Tesco or anything, the market was all there was. Now there is too much retail and everybody is taking a little bit.' Paul admits that the business has been sinking for a long time and says that he has already spent too much trying to keep the stall afloat. For Vicky the closure of the shop will be deeply personal - she's worked there for 36 years and met her husband there when she was employed by his parents at the age of 16 . 'It’s sad to say, but I’ve thrown away as much money as I can for sentimental reasons and now we’ve got to accept the way it is.' They say business has struggled since the market was moved to the new Moor Market site in Sheffield. 'We said we would give the new market a try - but the reason we . think it hasn’t worked is there's no real demand for markets now,' says Paul. He added that smaller towns may still have a need for a market but he wouldn't be surprised if they disappeared in urban areas altogether. 'It might not be the case in more rural areas, where people rely on a . market, but in large cities markets could soon be a thing of the past.' Sheffield Council said it is looking at changing opening hours so as many people as possible can shop there. Leigh Bramall, council cabinet member for business, said three new . traders had joined the market and three more had doubled the size of . their stalls. Leigh added that the council would not give up on their local traders, 'We will continue to support all traders and help them promote their businesses to the people of Sheffield.' Smiths will close for the final time on Saturday, June 28. The family said it would be a sad day, and thanked customers. Smiths will close for good on Saturday 28th June . | Smiths handbag stall in Sheffield will close after 163 years of trading .
The owners say that they have struggled to keep up with online retailers .
Vicky and Paul Smith met each other at the stall and later married .
The stall will close for the last time on Saturday 28th June . |
113,273 | 1e33e3b808912821cb715b728716fafc42f647ff | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:14 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:45 EST, 19 June 2013 . Lucky that these school kids can't vote! New Jersey Governor told students at a school in the state that he's a Dallas Cowboys fan. While talking to students at Samsel Upper Elementary School in Parlin, New Jersey, Governor Christie was asked which teams he supports. He revealed that he roots for the Knicks, Mets and Rangers. Scroll down for video... Sports fan: Governor Christie is a sports fan but when it comes to American Football he doesn't support the New York Jets or the Giants . Excuses: The Governor said that when he was growing up the New York area teams weren't very good, so he chose one that was - the Dallas Cowboys . 'Now the last answer is one of the things that gets all of my political advisers nervous,' Christie said. 'My favorite football team is not the New York Giants.' There was a stir in the assembly hall at hearing the news. 'It is not the New York Jets ... and it is not the Philadelphia Eagles,' Christie continued with the students on tenterhooks. Little chat: The Governor had already admitted to being a fan of the Cowboys -- as well as the more locally acceptable New York Mets, Knicks and Rangers -- back in 2010 . Glory supporter? Of course, there are plenty of other reasons why the Governor may be a keen supporter of the Dallas Cowboys... 'Get ready now. My favorite football team are the Dallas Cowboys ... which by the way is not the smartest thing for the Governor of New Jersey to want to be is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.' There was uproar in the hall and the students booed loudly. Governor Christie could only shake his head as he listened in amusement. The governor explained that his father was a Giants fan but he grew up a fan of the Cowboys and Roger Staubach. 'The Giants and the Jets pretty much stunk when I was a kid,' Christie said. 'And my father was a Giants fan and I used to remember watching him when I was eight, nine-years-old. Every Sunday, he would watch the Giants and yell at the TV set. I used to think to myself, why would I want to root for a team that makes you angry? So I decided not to and the Cowboys were really good back then.' Christie's support of an out-of-state team may lead some to question how much he values loyalty in his life. Many Republicans took issue with the fact that Christie met with and praised President Obama just days before the 2012 election after Hurricane Sandy hit. Christie, a popular governor widely seen as a possible Republican contender in 2016, frustrated some in the Romney campaign who feared he had given what was a critical boost to Obama, a Democrat. 'If the president of United States comes here and he's willing to help my people and he does it then I'm gonna say nice things about him because he's earned it.' 'Obama provided help to my people at one of the worst crises that this state has ever faced,' Christie added. 'When somebody does a good job, they deserve credit.' | Governor: 'The Giants and the Jets pretty much stunk when I was a kid,'
'My father used to yell at the TV set so I followed the Giants who were good back then'
Will lead many to question Christie's loyalty once again after he backed President Obama in the wake of Hurricane Sandy prior to the 2012 election . |
16,186 | 2dd9488663a930518d7eaecb0138e725774223ce | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 06:14 EST, 27 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:08 EST, 27 December 2013 . A rowdy drinker who was asked to leave a bar came back and threw beer bottles filled with gasoline at its owner. Christopher Colosimo, 42, was asked to leave the Cagney's Saloon in Davie, Florida, on Monday morning. The man returned with a makeshift petrol bomb in two bottles - sometimes referred to as a Molotov cocktail. Mug shot: Christopher Colosimo, 42, was asked to leave the Cagney's Saloon, Davie, Florida, but returned with two gasoline-filled Molotov cocktails . Colosimo, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, set light to his creations before hurling them at the bar's owner, who was outside at the time. The owner and none of those drinking inside were injured. Davie Police Captain Dale Engle told the Orlando Sentinel: 'They kick him out, he gets upset, he leaves. He comes back with two beer bottles filled with gasoline.' Bar: The man threw the make-shift bombs at the owner of the bar, located in this complex in Davie, Florida . When police arrived at the scene, they found a drunken Colosimo outside the bar. As he was arrested, he threw a punch at an officer, hitting him in the chest, before kicking a dent into a police car. He then tried to run from officers - who managed to finally restrain him by using pepper spray. The man smashed his head against a protective pane in the police car and attempted to smash a window while he was being held in the police station. In court: The man appeared before Judge Lisa Porter in court and was charged with a string of offences, including firs-degree arson . The man appeared in front of a judge and was charged with a string of offences, including first-degree arson and possessing or manufacturing a firebomb. Colosimo, who stood before Judge Lisa Porter with a bandaged head, was also charged with resisting or obstructing an officer without violence, attempting to escape, battery on a law enforcement officer and corruption by threat against a public servant. He was held without bail and warned not to visit the bar. | Christopher Colosimo, 42, thrown out of Cagney's Saloon, Davie, Florida .
Returned with beer bottles filled with gasoline and threw them at bar owner .
Man went on rampage, kicking police cars and trying to kick out windows .
Was detained by police and appeared before a court earlier this week . |
207,422 | 9891213350eb9c8da72a959eb80187c60f743fa8 | U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was looking to strengthen ties with Russia as he tries to put an end to the dictatorial regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, but instead he was met with the coldest of receptions. Russian President Vladimir Putin kept Kerry waiting three hours before their meeting at the Kremlin on Tuesday and continuously fiddled with his pen as the top American diplomat spoke about the ongoing crisis in Syria. Kerry’s visit to Moscow comes as he seeks Russian help in ending Syria's civil, telling President Putin that common interest in a stable Middle East could bridge divisions among the big powers. The brush off: Unlike the pomp and circumstance of most diplomatic visits, Russian President Vladimir Putin kept U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry waiting for three hours before their appointed meeting time . Putin, however, made no mention in his own public remarks of the conflict in Syria, which has generated some of the frostiest exchanges between Washington and Moscow since the Cold War. Yet with the killing now in a third year and no end in sight as U.N. intervention remains stymied by international arguments, Kerry struck a positive tone as he set about trying to narrow differences sufficiently to agree a plan for a settlement that proved out of reach at talks in Geneva almost a year ago. 'The United States believes that we share some very significant common interests with respect to Syria - stability in the region, not having extremists creating problems throughout the region and elsewhere,' Kerry told Putin. 'We have both embraced in the Geneva communiqué a common approach, so it's my hope that today we'll be able to dig in to that a little bit and see if we can find common ground.' Keeping cordial: Putin and Kerry shook hands, but some other actions spoke louder, like his constant fiddling with his pen when Kerry spoke about the cooperation needed to take action against Assad . The United States and Russia endorsed a plan in Geneva last June that called for the creation of a transitional government in Syria, where at least 70,000 people have now been killed since March 2011, but which left open the question of what would happen to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Long-time arms supplier to Assad and suspicious of Western aid for opponents of authoritarian leaders around the world, Moscow says Assad's departure must not be a precondition for a dialogue among Syrians to end the conflict. Russia, backed by China, has refused Western appeals to consider sanctions on Assad, vetoing three U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning his crackdown on opposition groups. The United States are reluctant to give military aid directly to an insurgency that includes militant Islamists but alarmed that violence is continuing and may spread. The superpower is making a new push for a joint international approach to contain the conflict. Deal or no deal: Kerry has been pushing for Russia to help out, saying that it is just one of a handful of upcoming issues that are of mutual interest but he has yet to commit . Poker faces: The U.S. is trying to get Russia to act with them against the dictatorial Assad regime in Syria but the Russian leader has refused to publicly condemn the Syrian leader . Israeli air strikes in Syria have heightened a sense of urgency in a region strained by confrontations between Assad's ally Iran and other Arab powers, as well as the hostility between Israel and its neighbors, notably Iran and Hezbollah. Differences over Syria have deepened strains in ties between the United States and Russia that are also hampered by what Washington views as a crackdown on Russian civil society since Putin began a third term as president a year ago after the biggest protests since he first rose to power in 2000. Making the rounds: Kerry toured Red Square in Moscow during his visit, which is meant to be one to shore up Russian support . Kerry's visit is intended to help improve relations and pave the way Obama to hold talks with Putin in September, when Russia hosts a summit of the Group of 20 nations. Obama and Putin are also to meet at a Group of Eight summit in Britain in June. Kerry is publicly trying to hint how . there are many issues on the table- including ‘North Korea, Iran, Syria’ and economic cooperation- that could be good working ground for . U.S.-Russia relations. Putin, . a former KGB spy who accused Washington of helping foment protests . against him last year, was less effusive than Kerry but said he was glad . to see him in Moscow and expressed hope that relations would improve. Both . sides have said they hope to increase cooperation on counter-terrorism . following the Boston Marathon bombings, which U.S. officials suspect . were carried out by two ethnic Chechens who once lived in Russia. 'We . recently had a substantial phone conversation with President Obama. And . we had an opportunity to discuss many aspects of our relations,' Putin . said. 'I think it is very . important that our key ministries, our foreign ministries and agencies, . work together to resolve the acutest issues of the modern world.' | Secretary of State's visit to Moscow comes as U.S. tries to gather international support for action against Assad regime in Syria .
Russia has been reluctant to commit to taking action . |
282,280 | f99eb6b7bbc2c54a5697478ff403a33417ad5b59 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 19:40 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 2 June 2013 . Love moves in mysterious ways, and that's certainly the case for 81-year-old Cynthia Riggs. The divorced author from Martha's Vineyard became the central character in her own mystery after receiving a love letter written in code in the mail. 'I'm always looking for wonderful mysteries and this seemed to be one,' Ms Riggs said, adding that the only details the code came with was a set of co-ordinates. Scroll down for video: . Mystery: Cynthia Riggs unexpectedly received a coded letter, with no details other than a set of co-ordinates . Happily ever after: The code led to a reunion for Cynthia Riggs and Howard Attebery, who married last week . It was a mystery that took the author . back 60 years, to when she worked at a San Diego marine laboratory with a . young man named Howard Attebery. When Ms Riggs tracked Dr Attebery down in California he admitted to sending the note. In a final twist to the story, Dr Attebery confessed his love for Ms Riggs and the couple married last weekend. Although they never dated when they worked together, the pair used to pass coded messages to each other at the laboratory, using a simple formula where A is substituted for B and so on. Ms Riggs said the notes were just office banter, adding: 'I would say something like, "Did you see that Don found a copepod in his sample?".' She told CBS: 'I liked him a lot but I didn't see any romantic interest in it'. Dr Attebery however, adored his co-worker and kept all of the notes she passed him. Because he was sure Ms Riggs did not feel the same way, he never asked her out - until he was 90 years old. Second chance: Cynthia Riggs and Howard Attebery met at a marine laboratory in California 60 years ago . Mementos: Howard Attebery kept all the coded notes the pair used to send to each other at the laboratory . The co-workers both went on to marry other people. After the death of his wife, Dr Attebery stayed single for a long time, before finally plucking up the courage to track down Ms Riggs. And, after years of not knowing how to tell her how he felt, Dr Attebery's coded message read: 'I have never stopped loving you'. The pair exchanged letters for about a year before meeting and, when they were finally reunited in California, he proposed within an hour. 'You know, love is a great place to spend the rest of your life,' he said. While the couple were writing to each other they realized that despite their time apart they had plenty in common, including the heartbreak of losing a child. When Dr Attebery sent her a photograph . he had taken in Sedona, Arizona. Ms Riggs sent back a poem written by her . late daughter, Mary, called Meeting My Father in Sedona. Dr Attebery wrote back to say his son . had died 'at the same time your daughter died and at the same age. It . was a moment right away,' Ms Riggs told the Vineyard Gazette. Ms Riggs, who comes from a family that has produced generations of Martha's Vineyard sea captains, was also married and has five children. She divorced after 25 years, and said her abusive husband stalked her for several years afterwards, before finally taking his own life. 'After that,' she said, 'I said never, never, never again. And then this appears out of nowhere. It is just plain magical.' Romance: Cynthia Riggs, who writes thrillers, was surprised to be at the center of a real-life mystery . Love story: The newlyweds will live in the Martha's Vineyard home of Cynthia Riggs . The author of crime books set in her home town added: 'Life is just amazing. Don’t give up hope. This is not what I expected at all.' 'Really, how much time do we have? But you know, it really makes that amount of time precious.' In March, Dr Attebery and his son Mark, who teaches in New York, packed up his belongings in San Diego and headed to Martha's Vineyard where the couple had a commitment ceremony, according to the Vineyard Gazette. Their wedding was held in West Tisbury Congregational Church on Saturday last week. | Code sent to Martha's Vineyard writer says 'I never stopped loving you'
Couple who worked at laboratory together 60 years ago finally marry . |
181,148 | 767ee1cd63c5f170f69667789d13713837a3301b | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 04:39 EST, 3 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:19 EST, 3 January 2013 . Attack: Yuriy Kozak, 45, was stabbed at a flat in Salford, Greater Manchester and died later in hospital . A man has been charged with the murder of a music teacher who was stabbed to death on New Year's Day. Ukrainian national Yuriy Kozak, 46, was stabbed in the neck at a flat in Salford, Greater Manchester, and died later in hospital. Andrij Senechko, 46, of no fixed . address, is accused of Mr Kozak’s murder and will appear before . magistrates in Manchester tomorrow. Greater Manchester Police said a . 45-year-old man also arrested in connection with the death has been . released on bail on suspicion of assisting an offender. Businessman Mr Kozak moved to Britain nine years ago and taught music to children at the Ukrainian Saturday School in Manchester. He was knifed after a fight apparently broke out at the flat shortly after 4.30pm. Paramedics alerted by a 999 call arrived to find Mr Kozak with fatal wounds. They took him to hospital but he died shortly afterwards . It is believed the alleged attack occurred at a top floor flat which had been rented out to two young women. Mr Kozak taught music to children at a Saturday school in his native homeland before settling in the UK in 2003. The former company director, who helped run a civil engineering firm, lived in Prestwich, Manchester with his 41-year old wife Helen. It is not known why he was at the murder scene. In a statement Mrs Kozak, 41, said: 'Yuriy was a loving husband, father and brother to us all. He loved his family and was a real home-body. 'Yuriy was born in the Ukraine but moved to Britain nine years ago and he was much loved by his local community. 'He used to be a music teacher in the Ukraine and taught children music at the Ukrainian Saturday School. He loved children and music was his passion. 'He played the piano and the guitar from a young age. 'Yuriy had a good sense of humour and he was always happy and smiling. He was always joyful and liked to make people happy. He had many friends and was very popular in the community. 'If anyone knows of any information that could help the police with their investigation into Yuriy's death, please contact them. We respectfully ask to be left in peace to grieve at our loss of Yuriy.' Kate Parkinson, 64, who lives in a council flat two storeys below the scene, said: 'We went out New Year's Eve to our local club and at around 2am we came home. 'There was nothing going on and we hadn't heard any noise like a party going on. We went to bed and were up pretty early. Crime scene: Police outside Cornwall House in Rodney Street in Salford. One man has been charged with his murder . 'The next day in the late afternoon I heard lots of talking outside and I pulled the curtains and police were everywhere, they told us 'go inside' and we did and locked the doors. I thought at first there was a madman on the loose. 'Then the police came round at 8pm asking if we'd heard anything. The flat was rented out to two foreign girls. I think they are Polish. I'm not sure how long they have been there. 'I can only assume that a fight has broken out. The girls were stood outside in their housecoats and nighties crying. They are probably in their thirties and as far as I know there is just them living there. 'Someone said they had been trying to resuscitate the man in the house. There had been lots of blood on the stairs. Someone has lost their life probably for a silly argument.' Gladys Tracey, 82, said: 'I was lying in bed and all of a sudden I could see blue lights coming through my curtains and the sirens were screaming out. 'Yuriy had a good sense of humour and . he was always happy and smiling. He was always joyful and liked to make . people happy. He had many friends and was very popular in the . community.' - Mr Kozak's wife Helen . 'There was probably about seven cars and a dozen officers. At first I thought it might have been a drug raid because they were all charging in and shouting at the top of their voices. 'They all raced to the top floor and brought the man down on a stretcher before they raced away again. 'It's usually quite a quiet block and we rarely get any trouble so to have something like this happen on your doorstep is a big shock.' Supt Stuart Barton of Greater Manchester Police said: 'This will clearly be a very distressing incident for both the man's family and the wider community. 'We understand everyone's concern and this is why we have now launched an investigation, led by experienced detectives, to establish exactly what has happened. 'We have made two quick arrests and I want to reassure people that we don't believe there was a wider threat to other people in the community. 'Residents will be able to see more officers than usual in the area and I would urge anyone with concerns or questions to approach them - they will be happy to help. 'I also want to appeal to anyone with information to call us.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Yuriy Kozak was stabbed during a suspected fight on New Year's Day .
Paramedics were called but he died soon after he arrived at hospital .
Wife paid tribute to 'loving husband and father' who taught music to children .
Andrij Senechko, 46, is accused of Mr Kozak’s murder and is due in court . |
234,893 | bc10636c3ce5d489b5765b58bc02c455fd212d41 | (CNN)Table? Check? Food? Check. Wine? Check. Shark? Eh, check! From dining next to massive predators to drinking atop a rock in the middle of the ocean, no place is too strange for our rundown of some of Africa's most unusual restaurants. All across the continent, entrepreneurs have gone to great lengths to offer one-of-a kind settings for those looking for something different than your typical wine and dine environment. So, if you are one of them, click through the gallery above to see some of our suggestions about a culinary experience less ordinary. Read this: What does temptation taste like? Read this: 12-tier cakes and VIP toilets . More from African Start-Up . | CNN's African Start-Up looks at the continent's most unusual restaurants .
Durban's Cargo Hold restaurant has tables next to a shark aquarium .
Click through the gallery for a culinary experience less ordinary . |
64,260 | b67b1714dcd7009abdbef23dde082f25105a81da | MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A NASA report on the last minutes of Space Shuttle Columbia cited problems with the crew's helmets, spacesuits and restraints, which resulted in "lethal trauma" to the seven astronauts aboard. Columbia crew members were killed when the shuttle broke apart upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. But the report also acknowledged that "the breakup of the crew module ... was not survivable by any currently existing capability." The spacecraft broke up while re-entering Earth's atmosphere near the end of its mission on February 1, 2003. The NASA report found the astronauts knew for about 40 seconds that they did not have control of the shuttle before they likely were knocked unconscious as Columbia broke apart around them. Watch more details from the report » . The report also found that while crew members were wearing their pressurized suits, one astronaut did not have on a helmet, three were not wearing gloves and none lowered the visors before the module lost cabin pressure. One astronaut also was not seated. "In this accident, none of those actions would have ultimately made any difference," said former shuttle program manager Wayne Hale, now a deputy NASA administrator. The graphic, 400-page investigative report relied on video, recovered debris and medical findings, supplemented with computer modeling and analyses. It also includes many recommendations to make space travel safer for future astronauts. A shuttle-program source told CNN the families of the astronauts who died were brought in specifically to look at the report and even in some cases to help with its preparation. The report took more than five years to complete. "The members of this team have done an outstanding job under difficult and personal circumstances," said Johnson Space Center director Michael L. Coats. "Their work will ensure that the legacy of Columbia and her heroic crew continues to be the improved safety of future human spaceflights worldwide." Columbia broke apart some 200,000 feet over Texas -- just minutes before it was to have touched down in Florida. The shuttle's wing was damaged on takeoff when a large piece of heat-reflecting foam ripped off and gouged a hole in it. During re-entry, the hole allowed atmospheric gases to burn the wing and destroy the spacecraft. The oldest orbiter in the fleet, Columbia had just completed a 16-day science mission. Watch the view from the command deck as the shuttle enters the atmosphere » . Killed were commander Rick Husband, pilot Willie McCool, payload commander Michael Anderson and mission specialists David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon, an Israeli Air Force colonel who was Israel's first astronaut. By request of the families of the Columbia astronauts, NASA released the report between Christmas and New Year's so that the astronauts' children would be at home where they could discuss the findings with their families in private, said former shuttle commander Pam Melroy, deputy project manager for the investigation team. "It was a way for us to work through our grief about the accident," said Melroy about compiling the report. "This was one of the hardest things I've ever done." The report stated that "after the crew lost consciousness due to the loss of cabin pressure, the seat inertial reel mechanisms on the crews' shoulder harnesses did not lock. "As a result, the unconscious or deceased crew was exposed to cyclical rotational motion while restrained only at the lower body. Crew helmets do not conform to the head. Consequently, lethal trauma occurred to the unconscious or deceased crew due to the lack of upper body support and restraint." Another section of the report focused on the pressure suits used by the space shuttle crew on launch and re-entry. It said the suits were not part of the initial design of the orbiter and that depressurization "occurred so rapidly that the crew members were incapacitated within seconds, before they could configure the suit for full protection from loss of cabin pressure." Melroy said investigators took some comfort in data that suggests the Columbia crew died abruptly and without suffering. "Of course, we were relieved," she told reporters during a NASA conference call Tuesday afternoon. "It is a very small blessing, but we'll take them where we can find them." The NASA team's report evaluated every aspect of the crew cabin infrastructure, including the design of the safety belts and helmets worn by the crew. The report also included recommendations to improve spacecraft design and crew safety. Those recommendations cover a broad range of subjects from crew training, procedures, restraints and individual safety equipment to spacecraft design methods and recommendations regarding future accident investigations. "By learning these lessons and ensuring that we continue the journey begun by the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia, we help to give meaning to their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their families," the report stated. "It is for them, and for the future generations of explorers, that we strive to be better and go farther. The report will have little if no effect on the nine remaining space shuttle flights to come. NASA is mothballing the shuttle program in 2010 as it begins a new program, Constellation, designed to send astronauts back to the moon. There is expected to be about a five-year hiatus in manned U.S. space flight as NASA transitions to the new program, which it hopes will launch in 2015. CNN's Brandon Griggs and Rich Phillips contributed to this report. | NASA released a report Tuesday on the last minutes of Space Shuttle Columbia .
Seven astronauts died when the spacecraft broke up while returning to Earth in 2003 .
Report: Astronauts knew for about 40 seconds that they'd lost control of craft .
Report also cited problems with the crew's helmets, spacesuits and restraints . |
285,768 | fe4a2e0cd9af588b6ae5d29140206e85408cc65b | New mothers who choose not to breastfeed are at double the risk of suffering depression, warn researchers . New mothers who choose not to breastfeed are at double the risk of suffering depression, warn researchers. It is thought they are missing out on vital hormones released during breastfeeding that improve the mother’s mood. Around one in seven new mothers suffer postnatal depression that is more serious than the ‘baby blues’ within 14 weeks of giving birth. Currently one in four women in the UK does not attempt to breastfeed – one of the worst rates in the world – despite evidence showing breast milk protects babies against health problems and confers health advantages in later life. A new study shows new mothers who gain the best protection against depression are those who always planned to breastfeed their babies and are able to do so. They are half as likely to be depressed than those who decide against it during pregnancy – who carry a twofold higher risk as a result. However, the study shows those most at risk are women who planned to breastfeed but are unable to. They are four times more likely to be depressed than women who intended to breastfeed and succeeded. Researchers in the UK and Spain believe more psychological and practical support is needed for women who have difficulties breastfeeding, and fail to do so. Dr Maria Iacovou, one of the authors from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Sociology, said: ‘Breastfeeding has well-established benefits to babies, in terms of their physical health and cognitive development; our study shows that it also benefits the mental health of mothers. ‘Lots of mothers and babies take to breastfeeding pretty easily. But for many others, it doesn’t come naturally at all. For these mothers, having someone with the training, the skills, and perhaps most importantly the time to help them get it right, can make all the difference. ‘However good the level of support that’s provided, there will be some mothers who wanted to breastfeed and who don’t manage to. ‘It’s clear that these mothers need a great deal of understanding and support; there is currently hardly any skilled specialist help for these mothers, and this is something else that health providers should be thinking about.’ The study shows those most at risk are women who planned to breastfeed but are unable to. They are four times more likely to be depressed than women who intended to breastfeed and succeeded . The study published in the journal Maternal and Child Health (must credit) surveyed women who had almost 14,000 babies in the Bristol area during the 1990s when their children were two, eight, 21 and 32 months old. They also examined whether or not the women suffered depression during their pregnancy so they could take into account previous mental health conditions. Their study found that mothers who planned to breastfeed and who actually went on to breastfeed were around 50 per cent less likely to become depressed than mothers who had not planned to, and who did not, breastfeed. Those who planned to breastfeed, but who did not go on to breastfeed, were more than twice as likely to become depressed as women who didn’t want to and four times more at risk than those who succeeded in breastfeeding. This link was found to be most pronounced when the babies were two months old but much smaller by the time they were eight months or older. Dr Iacovou said it was likely that breastfeeding mothers were less depressed because of the beneficial effects of certain hormones released during the process, which are known to have an antidepressant action. ‘This is a biological effect’ she said. ‘But it seems likely to be a psychological thing also affecting women who want to breastfeed and find they can’t. ‘The public health message urging women to breastfeed is strong so if women choosing to do so find they can’t, the feeling of failure could be very depressing. ‘We should be sympathetic towards these women and understanding about their higher risk of depression, so their friends and family can support them,’ she added. The researchers were from Cambridge University, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Seville in Spain. | One in seven new mothers suffer postnatal depression within 14 weeks .
Currently one in four women in the UK does not attempt to breastfeed .
Those most at risk are women who planned to breastfeed but are unable . |
133,245 | 3846a753a0ea584c95887e71a4eb0bf41368b5bd | (CNN) -- When passengers boarded Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 last week, they couldn't have known they were about to fly over a battlefield. But hours later, at 33,000 feet above eastern Ukraine, a missile ended the lives of 298 innocent civilians. That flight wasn't the only one in the corridor that day nor was it the lone one to fly above a conflict area. After MH17 was shot down the Federal Aviation Administration told U.S. airlines they could no longer fly in that region. And after a rocket launched from Gaza landed within a mile of Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, the agency banned flights from the United States to Israel for 24 hours. In other areas, including ones where there is violence on the ground, the FAA restricts what U.S. planes can do. Over Iraq, U.S.-based airlines can fly as long as their planes are above 20,000 feet. That is out of range of most -- but as MH17 proved, not all -- missiles. There are warnings in effect for eight other areas, including Syria and Afghanistan. The threats include missiles and small arms fire, but airlines can fly there if they want. The decision for the airlines comes down to this: Do they just adhere to government regulations, which in effect establish minimum requirements, or do they use more caution? "Government regulations are a floor. The government says, 'You can't be in the business unless you do this,'" CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo said on "Erin Burnett OutFront." "You can go above it. Your airline can be safer, you can be more secure." On the ground in Iraq, the well-funded terrorist group ISIS is fighting government troops, while above there is a busy highway in the sky with hundreds of flights. Every day Delta Flight 7 travels from Dubai to Atlanta and soars over Iraq. There are other flights with U.S. ties that travel over fighting. United Flight 82 each day goes over Afghanistan as it travels from Newark, New Jersey, to Delhi, India. It would be difficult to reroute these flights without increasing the time in the air by hours. "Airlines have always had to make decisions about whether particular cities are safe to operate to," said Tony Tyler, the chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association. MH17's route from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, would have been more than 6,000 miles. There were more than 800 flights that flew that corridor in the week before the shoot down. "We followed that flight path accordingly," said Hugh Dunlavey, commercial director for Malaysia Airlines said. "And it was accepted by the European air traffic control. And like many other airlines that had been flying that route for many, many weeks and with hundreds of airlines passing that route every day, we believed it was safe to do so." After MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine, that region joined Crimea, north Korea, northern Ethiopia, Libya and Somalia as off limits to U.S. aircraft. Pilots have some input into the route. "We have a collaborative decision process with the dispatcher," said 777 pilot Les Abend, a CNN aviation analyst. "Myself as the pilot in command as captain of the plane and the dispatcher (who plans the flight). The dispatcher has a lot of the information; I can't get all of it. We get it in a NOTAM -- Notice to Airman (from the FAA). So this information, whether it be intelligence information about air space, information about weather, it's all part of that process. If there's something that we see that says, 'Hey, I don't like this,' we make a phone call. Most of the time we get this electronically." In the case of MH17, the minimum altitude requirement (set by Ukrainian authorities) was 32,000 feet. It was supposed to be safe. "Threat information is only as good as the intelligence supplied by air traffic control and its cooperating governments," Abend says in an editorial on why Malaysia Airlines is not at fault for flying where Flight 17 was traveling. Opinion: Don't blame Malaysia Airlines . | Planes also fly over Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries where bullets fly .
The FAA does tell U.S. carriers not to travel over some areas, issues warnings for others .
CNN aviation analyst says airlines can go above and beyond government regulations .
Commercial pilot says captains work with dispatchers, can request adjusted route . |
205,904 | 968cc1b988426a9bfd92ca4238541604b8f58587 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is set to deliver the Republican response to President Obama's upcoming joint address to Congress, a high-profile slot the party often gives to one of its rising stars. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, 37, will give GOP response to President Obama's address to Congress this month. "Gov. Jindal embodies what I have long said: The Republican Party must not be simply the party of 'opposition,' but the party of better solutions," House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a Wednesday statement. Jindal, a former congressman in his first term as Louisiana's governor, was widely believed to be on Republican presidential nominee John McCain's short list for vice president, and he often served as a campaign surrogate on the Arizona senator's behalf. The 37-year-old son of Indian immigrants also was given a prime-time speaking slot at the GOP convention last September, though he ultimately decided not to attend the four-day event as Hurricane Gustav headed for landfall in his state. An Ivy League grad and Rhodes Scholar, and his state's first nonwhite governor, Jindal has long been on the GOP's radar screen as a potential future leader and likely presidential candidate. And as the GOP is launching full-scale efforts to appeal to nonwhite voters, Jindal has become one of the party's most high-profile minorities. "His stewardship of the state of Louisiana, dedication to reforming government and commitment to bringing forth new and innovative ideas make him a leader not just within the Republican Party, but in our nation as a whole," Boehner also said of Jindal on Wednesday. Jindal, who became governor two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana, has drawn praise for spearheading the ongoing recovery efforts. "When you look at major statewide offices Republicans have won over the past three years, there is one, Louisiana," said Alex Castellanos, a CNN contributor and Republican strategist. "In a state where we lost confidence in government, perhaps more than any other state, he restored it and cut taxes." Though he is often mentioned as a likely contender for the 2012 Republican presidential race, Jindal has said his current focus is on winning reelection in 2011. Jindal also said late last year that even if he were considering running for president, now is the time to support the sitting president. "It doesn't matter whether you're Republican, Democrat or independent, it doesn't matter whether you voted for him or not, President-elect Barack Obama is our president," he said. The White House announced on Tuesday that Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address to both houses of Congress on February 24. In 2008, Democrats tapped Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius -- then considered to be a possible vice presidential candidate -- to give the rebuttal speech to former President Bush's final State of the Union address. Other Democrats who delivered responses to Bush's State of the Unions include Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, and former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, the nation's first Chinese-American governor. The last Republican to deliver a response to a State of the Union address was Maine Sen. Susan Collins in 2000. | Jindal embodies image as "party of better solutions," House Minority leader says .
The Ivy League grad and Rhodes Scholar is viewed as a likely presidential candidate .
The first-term governor has drawn praise for spearheading Katrina recovery efforts .
President Obama will deliver The State of the Union address on February 24 . |
116,763 | 22be9481fce0db5e6429477b61fe66ed76ffde1c | By . Sara Nelson . Last updated at 4:08 PM on 12th August 2011 . Libyan rebels said they had captured part of the oil town of Brega on Thursday while their forces in the west pushed toward Zawiyah, trying to get within striking distance of Muammar Gaddafi's capital. Gaddafi is clinging to power despite a near five-month-old NATO air campaign, tightening economic sanctions, and a lengthening war with rebels trying to end his 41-year rule. The rebels have seized large swathes of the North African state, but are deeply divided and lack experience, and Thursday's gains in the east broke weeks of stalemate. Left: Mansur Mohamed, nine, makes the victory sign at the seaside of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, Libya, amid the news parts of Brega have been seized. Right: A rebel fighter poses for a photo at the main square of Benghazi . One rebel spokesman said the opposition had captured the residential districts of Brega but Gaddafi's forces still hold western parts of the town where the oil facilities are located. 'It is liberated. It is under our control now,' spokesman Mossa Mahmoud al-Mograbi said of the eastern part of the town. The residential area where the fighting was taking place is about 15 km (9 miles) east of the oil terminal and sea port. It was not immediately possible for a Reuters reporter to verify the capture of Brega and rebels have repeatedly claimed to have seized towns, only to be repelled by Gaddafi's forces. It is thought the town has changed hands up to eight times in the last six months. An injured rebel fighter is attended to at Benghazi Medical Centre after he was wounded when rebel fighters clashed with forces loyal to Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi in Brega . A man encourages two children, over an armored car, to make the victory sign at the rebel-held town of Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday . In the western mountains, rebels said they reached the village of Bir Shuaib, some 25 km (15 miles) from Zawiyah, which has unsuccessfully risen up against Gaddafi twice this year. It lies less than 50 km west of Tripoli, on the main road to Tunisia, which has been a lifeline for Libya but has begun to crack down on rampant smuggling of gasoline. 'We've gone past Nasr village and right now we're about 25 km from Zawiyah,' said Faris, a rebel fighter. Rebels prevented reporters from reaching the front to see for themselves. Rebels in the western mountains do not operate as a single force, as each town has its own command. But when they join forces for major operations they can muster a few thousand men. Their force is poorly trained and short of heavy weapons, despite a French arms drop earlier this year, and most analysts do not think they are capable of capturing Tripoli. In an effort to pile economic and military pressure on Gaddafi, more countries are set to announce next week that they will free frozen assets for the rebels, a British official said. Odey Wanis, nine, plays with a rebel pre-Gadhafi flag in Benghazi, earlier this week . 'While it's hard to predict when this will end, it's easy to see the pressure is building on Gaddafi and it is only a matter of time before he's forced to leave power,' the official said. Britain is playing a leading role in NATO air strikes against Gaddafi's forces, which have weakened his armoury but have not enabled the rebels to deliver a knockout blow. Tightening the economic noose around Gaddafi, Tunisia said on Thursday its troops were patrolling fuel stations to curb the flow of smuggled gasoline into neighbouring Libya. International sanctions and the effects of Libya's civil war have disrupted normal supplies of fuel to parts of the country under Gaddafi's control, but huge volumes of gasoline are instead being smuggled across the Libyan-Tunisian border. 'The armed forces are now conducting checks at fuel stations in the south of Tunisia ... so that neither Tunisians nor Libyans can fill up with large quantities,' Tunisian defence ministry official Mokhtar Ben Nasr told a news conference. 'These checks are aimed at preventing the smuggling of diesel and gasoline to Libya.' The western battle is one of three widely separated rebel fronts against Gaddafi forces. In the east around the ports of Misrata and Brega, fighting had been bogged down in recent weeks while the western rebels have advanced. The two sides have been battling for months over Brega, 750 km east of Tripoli. The rebels see securing the oil facilities as a tipping point in the war and hope to resume oil exports from there as quickly as possible. In the west, doctor Nuri Al-Fasi said one fighter had been killed and four wounded on Thursday in the rebel push. At a nearby field hospital, he looked over a rebel shot in the stomach in the fighting in Nasr. 'This is very serious. I don't think he will make it,' said al-Fasi, shaking his head. Dozens of pick-up trucks packed with rebels drove to a staging post a few kilometres behind the front line. From rebel-held Misrata, east of Tripoli, rebels were fighting to break a partial encirclement by Gaddafi forces, striking south into the nearby village of Tawurgha. Medical sources said six rebels were killed and 70 wounded in their offensive on Tawurgha, from which Gaddafi's supporters have been firing rockets at Misrata for weeks. 'Our rebels have just liberated Tawurgha. This is great news ... as this means that the rockets of Gaddafi's forces cannot reach Misrata any more,' said rebel spokesman Hassan Algallay. Rebels said the offensive was led in coordination with NATO to protect Misrata from missile attacks. He said NATO asked rebels on Wednesday to paint their vehicles yellow and red. The offensive comes days after Gaddafi's government accused NATO of killing 85 civilians, including women and children, in an air strike near Zlitan, west of rebel-held Misrata. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon voiced alarm over recent reports of civililan casualties and called on all sides to avoid killing innocent people. Dozens of Libyans protested outside the Hungarian embassy in Tripoli, which has become an unofficial contact point for European nations and the United States, against NATO airstrikes. Rights group Amnesty International also called on NATO in a statement to 'thoroughly investigate' allegations of civilian deaths in the strikes on the village of Majar, close to the front line at Zlitan. NATO said it hit a military target. | Rebels capture eastern part of Brega and move north towards Zawiyah, west of capital .
Tunisia cracks down on petrol smuggling to Gaddafi . |
271,581 | ebc570e50e21eac01a631f16628fe3ee42289ed7 | (CNN) -- A 5.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least four people Saturday morning in southwestern China, state media reported. Officials reported 10 injuries as emergency teams began to respond, the Xinhua News Agency said. The state-owned news agency quoted Yunnan provincial officials as saying that 600 residential units collapsed. An additional 55,000 residential units were damaged, and 9,200 people had been forced to relocate, Xinhua reported. The quake -- with a depth of 10 kilometers -- hit in remote areas near the border of the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Roads were blocked in some villages by boulders rolling down mountains, and 17 people on three tourist buses were trapped by landslides, Xinhua said. The Civil Affairs Ministry in Yunnan province was sending tents and clothing, Xinhua said. The epicenter was near Benzilan Township, the USGS reported. "We are heading to Benzilan," Liao Wencai, vice secretary of the Deqen County Committee of the Communist Party of China, told Xinhua. "The telecommunication there has been cut off, and many residents cannot be reached by mobile phone." Xinhua reported it reached a Benzilan resident who said people "rushed outdoors hastily" because of the strength of the quake, but houses there did not collapse. On Wednesday, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit the same region. CNN's Larry Register and Kevin Wang contributed to this report. | NEW: Four dead, 10 injured in early reports .
Quake topples 600 residential units, damages 55,000 in Yunnan Province .
9,200 people forced to relocate .
Same remote region was hit by a quake on Wednesday . |
198,036 | 8c57f2062b6c3d07baeac6b04ccf15b5c2c40a54 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A North Carolina Republican candidate campaigning against same-sex marriage has been outed as a former drag queen performer known as 'Miss Mona Sinclair'. Steve Wiles, a conservative state Senate candidate, donned a wig and fake lashes for eight years at the now defunct gay-friendly lounge Club Odyssey, where he directed and emceed a weekly drag show. The club's former owner Randy Duggins told Winston-Salem Journal he broke his silence because he wants voters to know that Wiles is, he believes, a 'hypocrite' and 'liar'. Wiles, 34, initially denied the bombshell allegations, but came out yesterday admitting his past. 'For me, from a religious standpoint, just for my life, for me, it just was not something that I wanted to continue,' the fledgling politician told Business Insider about being a drag queen. 'Of course it was an embarrassment, but you know, you move on. You live life, and you change, and you make yourself what you want yourself to be. And that's where I am now.' Revelation: Outspoken gay marriage opponent Steve Wiles, 34 (pictured) has been outed as having worked as a drag queen performer known as 'Miss Mona Sinclair' Wiles, who doesn't consider himself 'anti-gay', supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in North Carolina. He considers marriage a religious institution, which he argues makes gay marriage un-Christian. The real estate agent is competing against two other GOP candidates in a competitive primary scheduled for Tuesday, with observers noting he is up against well-connected politicos. Wiles has not indicated whether he believes news of his past will hurt his chances, but said he has no intention of quitting. Today, he responded to his critics in a . long post on Facebook (see below) in which he claimed he 'is for' all . Americans, regardless of their sexuality, and believes 'state control of . the institution of marriage is unconstitutional'. Wiles, who refuses to comment on his own sexuality, said that he doesn't believe being against same-sex marriage is the same thing as being anti-gay. 'I don't really understand how you can separate the fact that marriage is a religious institution,' Wiles told Business Insider. However to his former boss Randy Duggins, Wiles' refusal to acknowledge his former days as a female impersonator while opposing marriage equality is a sign of hypocrisy. Reaction: Steve Wiles today posted a response to his critics on his Facebook page, saying that he makes mistakes but tries to live a life that reflects his beliefs . Duggins told Winston-Salem Journal that Wiles worked at the gay club from 2002 to 2010. 'I . recognized his picture when I was looking in the paper. That’s . definitely him. He has aged some, but that’s him,' Duggins said. 'I have . no ax to grind against him. I just think he's a liar.' The Winston Salem-Journal article reported Wiles emceed a show at Club Odyssey around '2001 and 2002'. He said, prior to that, Wiles was a regular visitor in the 1990s. According to the Journal, Wiles was also listed on the 'Miss Gay America' site as a 'former promoter of Miss Gay Eastern States America and a city preliminary promoter for Miss Gay North Carolina America'. The webpage also said that Wiles was suspended for 'conduct unbecoming to a promoter of the Miss Gay America pageant system'. Wiles maintains that the role was 'just something I didn't want to continue'. While he now views his past as a drag queen as 'an embarrassment' and at odds with his Christian beliefs, he said there were positive things he took away from the experience. 'I learned a lot of lessons, some of them, well most of them, the hard way,' Wiles said. Wiles works as a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker Triad, Realtors, in Belews Creek, North Carolina. Denial: Republican Senate hopeful Steve Wiles (pictured left and right) initially denied reports he once worked as a drag queen . Scene: Political hopeful Steve Wiles admitted he used to perform as drag queen 'Miss Mona Sinclair' at the now defunct gay-friendly bar Club Odyssey in Winston, North Carolina (pictured in August 2012) Gay Star News reported that, following the publication of the Journal article, Wiles posted a message to Facebook which was later removed: . 'I'm sure many of you saw my glowing recommendation in the Winston Salem Journal - I'd like to apologize to everyone because, unlike the currently appointed NC Senator in District 31, I made mistakes,' he allegedly wrote. 'My job was embarrassing - I had to have a job! Nobody died, leaving me a millionaire capable of living in North Carolina's most expensive neighborhood. One thing I will say, I learned from my mistakes... 'I understand the gay community does not share my support for the Marriage Amendment - I RESPECT THAT and am very happy to discuss my views with any of my friends in the Democrat party and gay community. Meanwhile, I regret the fact that something so trivial would cloud an otherwise decent campaign....What more could be expected though? When policy fails, attacks begin.' | Steve Wiles, 34, is a conservative North Carolina state Senate candidate .
He has been an outspoken supporter of the state's same-sex marriage ban .
It's been revealed he worked as a female impersonator and drag show emcee at the now-defunct Club Odyssey from 2002 to 2010 .
He said he quit because of his strong Christian beliefs .
He initially denied his affiliation with the club .
Wiles now works as a real estate agent . |
59,910 | aa37de8ceca4bee6854b3ba6646f1912ef019fe6 | By . David Clough, Press Association . Alastair Cook numbers Graeme Swann as only a 'so-called friend' after his former team-mate's assertion that England would be better off without his captaincy at the World Cup. Cook's team put in a wretched performance with ball and then bat on the way to a 133-run Royal London Series defeat against India in Cardiff - after which he was at a loss to explain why they were 'not at the races'. There was little to cheer on the field as Suresh Raina hit a brilliant 74-ball hundred in India's 304 for six and then England were bowled out for 161 in pursuit of a revised target of 295. VIDEO Scroll down for Alastair Cook blasts so-called friend Graeme Swann . Jibe: Alastair Cook (above) as labelled Graeme Swann as only a 'so-called friend' Opinion: Swann (right) claimed that England would be better off without his captaincy at the World Cup . But if anything, Cook appeared even less pleased by ex-England off-spinner Swann's remarks from the sidelines in his role as a pundit, that for his own sake and his team's he should give one-day internationals a miss for the remainder of his career. 'I don't think it's that helpful - especially from a so-called friend,' said Cook, who spent much of the summer resisting similar calls to step aside from the Test captaincy - before making many eat their words as England fought back to beat India 3-1. Swann is adamant Cook's ODI strike rate does not set the tone that will make England competitive in next year's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. Knock: Cook plays a shot during the second One Day International between England and India . VIDEO Alastair Cook targets fight back after Cardiff defeat . 'He's entitled to his opinion,' added Cook. '(But) it's not ideal for me, especially when you get through the summer I've had.' He has not contacted Swann - but has left open the possibility that a call could come in the opposite direction. 'The phone is always open the other way,' said Cook, before repeating he will not be deflected from his intention to lead England down under next winter. I am a little bit (disappointed) - because he is a good friend of mine, and has been a supporter. 'It's not helpful at this time, because I am going to be captain in this World Cup. I've done it for three-and-a-half years. We're going to build up to that, and we've got a good chance.' Cook acknowledges, however, much better will be required if England are to beat the best. Jubilant: India fielders MS Dhoni (right) and Suresh Raina celebrate after dismissing Jos Buttler . 'Obviously, if we play like that we're not going to win many games of cricket. But the talent in the changing room is there. We've got a lot of improvement to do. 'It's frustrating. We weren't quite at the races today, and I don't quite know why.' England began well with the ball, reducing India to 19 for two, and then with the bat as Cook and debutant Alex Hales put on a half-century opening stand. But precious little else went right. 'You could look at some good spots, I suppose,' said Cook. 'I thought Chris Woakes bowled nicely up front, and came back pretty strong when the carnage was happening. Ton: India's Raina celebrates getting 100 runs against England as he inspired his side to victory . 'Obviously, it wasn't a 300 wicket - and it wasn't a 160 wicket. 'But it's one game, isn't it? It's one day of cricket. 'When you don't get it right - like we haven't today - it's not the end of the world at all.' England are 1-0 down, as they were after two Tests, and as then too they still have three to play. Their next opportunity will come at Trent Bridge on Saturday. 'You don't win every game of cricket you play - and you certainly don't win many when you play like that,' added their captain. 'The lads in the changing room will know that. They don't need me to tell them. Jubilation: The India team celebrate after beating England by 133 run on Wednesday . 'So, it's dust ourselves off and try to come back and play better next time.' For Cook's opposite number Mahendra Singh Dhoni, there is a contrasting mission - to try to stay in front this time. Dhoni shared a stand of 144 with Raina, and was one of two batsmen apart from the centurion to pass 50. It was Raina's hundred that changed the game, and Dhoni said: 'It was a fantastic knock. 'It was important he stayed there, because he was one batsman who was set. 'We realised that if we could get a partnership going, if we had wickets in hand, we could make a lot of runs in the last 10-12 overs. 'So his innings was very crucial.' | Alastair Cook labels former team-mate Graeme Swann as a 'so-called friend'
Swann claimed England would be better off without Cook's captaincy .
India defeated England by 133 run to take 1-0 lead in ODI series . |
220,549 | a97a137db2693cd5f7315b503db68ec996b00a9c | (CNN) -- As prodigal golfer Tiger Woods resumes the world's No. 1 ranking, his chief sponsor, Nike, unveiled a slogan Tuesday that provokes robust debate on what is redemption and has Woods attained it. "Winning takes care of everything" is what Nike declared on its social media outlets after Woods completed his long climb back to the top ranking, more than three years after his extramarital affairs ruined his marriage and embarrassed him. Woods and ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, have two children. Many fans and consumers are now raging against the new campaign by Nike, which stood by Woods in his fall from grace as most other sponsors dumped him. "Will not buy anything Nike again," wrote Melissa Santa-Cruz of Wisconsin on Nike's Facebook page. "THIS AD MAKES ME SICK!" wrote Julie Drake, a high school teacher who said she will use the ad for a classroom discussion. "Shame on you!" Others, however, endorsed the slogan. "Love your Ad Nike," wrote Brian Edwards. "Keep up the good work." Opinion: For Tiger, winning does take care of everything . The passionate opinions roil during a week when redemption is on the minds of Jews celebrating Passover and Christians preparing for Easter. The controversy grows from whether winning indeed absolves transgressions -- and even prompts a return to grace. The narrative plays out in different ways for different public figures. "I think that winning, especially in Tiger Woods' case, really does change things because it reminds people why they fell in love with him years ago. It was for his game and his ability to consistently make those tough shots over and over again. That's why we're in awe of Tiger," said CEO Melinda Travis of PRO Sports Communications, a strategic communications and crisis management firm in Los Angeles. "Does it erase what he's done? No. But when is it enough?" Travis said. "It's easy to criticize from afar, but when you sit across from someone who's experienced public humiliation and a fall from grace and, in Tiger's case, a breakup of an entire family and a permanent change in the way people view him, that's a pretty high price to pay." The slogan refers to how Woods has motivated himself to become the top golfer again, Nike said. He last held that rank in October 2010. "Tiger has always said he competes to win," Nike said in a statement. "When asked about his goals such as getting back to number one, he has said consistently winning is the way to get there. The statement references that sentiment and is a salute to his athletic performance." In professional sports, winning can indeed overshadow a lot of quandaries, said sports analyst LZ Granderson, a CNN contributor. For example, a winning coach won't be fired for players accused of sexual assault or facing too many DUIs, he said. "Usually a coach is fired because they're not winning," Granderson said. "So it may make me cringe as a parent, I can't help but think of the fact that winning does seem to solve a lot of problems, and if you're losing, that's when everything else is more highlighted." Analysts also cite how quarterback Michael Vick, who served an 18-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to dogfighting, is now playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Linebacker Ray Lewis faced murder accusations -- later dropped by prosecutors -- in the deaths of two men after the 2000 Super Bowl in Atlanta; this year, Lewis and his teammates on the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl. "A lot of people have short memories when the person who had these issues starts winning," said Robert Tuchman, president of Goviva, a sports and entertainment marketing firm. "As you can see with Ray Lewis, it doesn't take much to forgive and forget. America loves the story of a person falling down and getting back up and then maybe falling down and getting back up again." Ethics expert Bruce Weinstein pointed out that Nike contradicts itself because it stopped sponsoring cyclist Lance Armstrong after he admitted to doping in winning seven Tour de France titles. "This is an amazing story in the worst sense," said Weinstein. "This is a company that dropped Lance Armstrong after mounting evidence made it pretty clear Lance Armstrong won by cheating. So Nike made it clear that winning does not take of everything." Photos: Redemption through sports . In fact, Travis' firm is representing Tyler Hamilton, a cycling teammate of Armstrong. Hamilton was among those who broke from Armstrong, who then threatened to sue him. Hamilton also wrote about his own use of performance enhancing drugs. Travis declined to comment on Armstrong and Hamilton, but she spoke generally about how she helps athletes overcome setbacks. "Look, everybody makes mistakes and sometimes they just need help in putting it in context for people: Here's what led me to the decision. And then let people judge it," she said. At issue for Woods is whether he, like so many other celebrities whose professional lives are damaged by the revelation of personal failures, has redeemed himself as merely a public figure -- or as a human being, too? "Certainly in his job, it's a redemption story," said David W. Miller, a Princeton University business ethics professor who directs its Faith & Work Initiative. "Whether it is for him as a human being and his character, I don't know. Time will tell. Someone else will be the judge of that," he added. Miller cited how winning didn't take care of everything for basketball star Kobe Bryant, who faced accusations of sexually assaulting a woman in Colorado in 2003 and later settled a federal civil lawsuit for an unspecified amount of monetary damages. "You have an overly long list of people who are 'winning' -- whether they are in sports or a box office draw or selling platinum albums," Miller said. "The world tells them they're wonderful and they're No. 1 and their sense of probity and respect for others or your own self tends to evaporate." That's when a lot can go wrong, Miller said. "I applaud Nike for taking up his rebirth," Miller said about Woods. But, he continued, "the slogan sort of falls on its face, and Tiger Woods is exhibit A for the case because it didn't care of everything three years ago." | "Winning takes care of everything," Nike says on its ad for Tiger Woods .
The slogan is unveiled as Wood is ranked No. 1 in the world, the first time since 2010 .
Some are outraged by the slogan in Woods' case but others laud it .
Has Woods been redeemed as solely a golfer -- or a human being, too? |
201,646 | 911240539e57ed234b0c9f3d46c92cbc9254d5da | By . Liz Hull . A toddler lost her mother and three relatives when their car crashed on the way home from a trip to the seaside. Holly Hind, 18 months, was the sole survivor when her great-uncle Martyn Pugh’s car was in a pile-up with a fuel tanker and a van. Her 28-year-old mother, Alison, Mr Pugh, 47, and his partner’s elderly parents, John and Margaret Kehoe, all died. Survivor: Holly Hind, 18 months, (left) was the sole survivor when her great-uncle Martyn Pugh's car was in a pile-up with a fuel tanker and a van, killing her 28-year-old mother, Alison (right), Mr Pugh, 47, and his partner’s elderly parents, John and Margaret Kehoe . They were returning home on the A44 in Mid Wales following a trip to the seaside at Aberystwyth. The road was named last year as one of the worst in the country for accidents and fatalities. Mr Pugh’s Ford Focus collided head-on with a Scania fuel lorry between the villages of Llangurig and Ponterwyd at around 3pm on Tuesday. The driver of a Ford Transit van that crashed into the back of their car escaped uninjured as did the lorry driver. But the four adults in the Ford were killed. Holly, who was strapped into a child seat, was airlifted to hospital in Cardiff. Although she suffered serious head injuries she is expected to survive. Her father, 36-year-old mechanic Steve Hughes, is at her bedside. The incident led to a 21-mile stretch of the road being closed for 12 hours. Scene: The 'dangerous' A44 in Powys was closed for 12 hours after the tragic crash . Yesterday Holly’s great-grandfather, Emrys Davies, 80, said: ‘The police came for Steve and he is in Cardiff with Holly in hospital. We are all just hoping she will be okay.’ Lynn Kehoe, 39, was last night said to be devastated. Neighbour Alan Crisp said: ‘She was very tearful. She has lost both her parents and her partner at the same time so we are all feeling for her. I have known Martyn for many years – he and his family are nice people.Martyn was the full-time carer for Lynn’s dad who was in a wheelchair and was quite ill. He was only able to go out if Martyn took him.’ Councillor Gareth Morgan said their village of Llanidloes in Mid Wales was in shock. He has called on the Welsh Government to carry out an urgent review of the A44, which is the main road from the Midlands to the west coast of Wales. Loss: Holly's father Steve Hughes, 36, pictured with Ms Hind is at his daughter's bedside in hospital in Cardiff . ‘It is a dreadful shock,’ he said. ‘I often saw Martyn with the little girl walking their chocolate Labrador. She is a lovely child. The accident was at a real blackspot, one of the most dangerous stretches of road in Wales. Fatal accidents have happened there far too frequently. ‘Accident statistics tell you in black and white that it is a very dangerous road; scenic but deadly. ‘The Welsh Government have made minor improvements to the highway but there is now an urgent need for a strategic review of that road, before more lives are lost.’ He added: ‘This will have a devastating effect on Llanidloes – we are a small community where we all care for each other. For four lives to be wiped out in an instant like this is very difficult to comprehend.’ Last night a spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said that Holly remained in a serious but stable condition in hospital. He confirmed the names of the deceased and added: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family at this incredibly difficult time. ‘Next of kin are being kept informed and are being supported by specialist officers.’ The eldest child of Mr Hughes and Miss Hind, Ethan, six, was at school at the time of the crash. Tragedy: 18-month-old Holly Hind was rescued from the vehicle's wreckage and flown to hospital by air ambulance after a collision involving a fuel tanker and a van in Wales . Holly was flown south to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and is today in a serious condition in hospital but is expected to survive. Her father is with her . | 18-month-old Holly Hind survived head-on crash with tanker and van .
But her mother Alison, 28, uncle Martyn, 47, and his parents in law died .
Baby airlifted to hospital with head injuries but is expected to recover .
Father Steve is by her side in Cardiff and her brother Ethan was in school . |
286,626 | ff5fe92d3203ac051a3395bfeccc1ae44a64f3e9 | By . Colin Fernandez . UPDATED: . 21:15 EST, 31 October 2011 . The nights may be getting longer, but nature is putting on a spectacular display to brighten the days. At Raby Castle in County Durham yesterday, vivid reds, greens and golds lit up the horizon, with the only glimpse of grey coming from the stone battlements of the 14th century fortress. And 300 miles away, near Glastonbury, the day began with an extraordinary yellow-gold wave of mist swirling across the Somerset Levels. Only the tallest trees could be glimpsed through the foggy veil as the sun came up. Season of mists: The turrets of Raby Castle rise above the autumnal colours of the surrounding woodland of County Durham . Stunning: These incredible images show an extraordinary wave of early morning mist sweeping across the Somerset Levels. Houses are shrouded in fog as Glastonbury Tor in the distance and the tallest trees peep up through the thick white blanket . Mystical: Houses in Somerset are shrouded in thick fog showing that autumn is well and truly in full swing . Other worldly: The breathtaking images of fog in the Somerset Levels were taken by keen photographer Stephen Spraggon, who captured the autumnal scenes 15 miles away at the top of Crook Peak in the Mendip Hills . Those who want to witness autumn’s majesty for themselves may want to be quick. Last month was one of the mildest . Octobers since records began in 1910, the Met Office said last night – . but temperatures will plunge from Friday, with frosts fading the . colourful scenes. With homes shrouded in thick fog and the mystical . Glastonbury Tor peeping up, these incredible images show how autumn is . bringing out the best in Britain's countryside. The mini-heatwave which the country has . enjoyed recently has led to one of the most glorious autumns ever seen. And . with the end of British Summer Time yesterday, photographers have . captured some amazingly vivid sunrises to greet those up early . enough to catch them. Keen photographer Stephen Spraggon took these breathtaking early morning pictures of fog in the Somerset Levels from 15 miles away in the Mendip Hills. Spectacular scene: An explosion of colour from this foliage on the Yorkshire Dales dwarfs the two people standing on the bridge . Dramatic: A burst of autumnal hue at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park makes a stunning backdrop for these weekend walkers at Butser Hill near Petersfield in Hampshire . And despite the east coast of America . currently being battered by snow storms, it looks like we could be set . for more beautiful autumnal scenes as the week progresses. As one of the warmest Octobers on . record draws to a close, the balmy weather is set to continue, with temperatures up to 64F (18C). Although . October began with a burst of extraordinarily warm weather, a lack of . sunshine and extensive cloud cover has kept temperatures from hitting . record highs. However, . the month was unusually mild, with minimum temperatures often . hovering around 55F (13C), compared to usual minimum temperatures of 46F . (8C). Current figures have the month as the . seventh warmest October since records began, and with unseasonably warm . nights across the south-east it could sneak in to the top five. Spectacular landscape: The disused Lamble viaduct in the South Tyne Valley rising up against the amazing landscape of Hag Wood . Last of the summer time: This amazing late sunrise was snapped near Bowes in County Durham . Standing out: Barnard Castle in County Durham stands proud against the rising sun on the last day of British Summer Time . Today South 63F (17C), North 61F (16C) Tomorrow: South 61F (16C), North 57F (16C) These conditions will continue into the start of November, with little sunshine but no prospect of extreme weather conditions this week - a major boon for those celebrating Halloween and Bonfire Night. And fans of the old tradition of apple bobbing, which is often popular at this time of year, will be delighted by news that scientists have discovered the perfect bobbing apple. Researchers claim that Zari apples are just the right size and shape to be picked out of water without using hands - and this week were testing the theory with a mass bobbing event in London's Bloomsbury Square. Experiment: Dozens of people took part in an event to test what the perfect apple for bobbing is - scientists claim the Zari apple is best . Adventure: Walkers cross a chain bridge over the River Allen in Northumbria as they make the most of an unusually warm weekend . | Mini-heatwave creates one of the most glorious autumns ever seen in Britain .
Balmy temperatures set to continue this week . |
236,477 | be15ff13c3c3884f37375d49c69d200bf2df360d | Labour was accused of an own goal last night after it sent out leaflets accusing the Tories of selling off the NHS – with adverts for private healthcare attached. Voters in key marginal seats received the mailshot condemning the Conservatives’ ‘NHS privatisation agenda’ and boasting how Labour would ‘save’ the NHS. But embarrassingly for Ed Miliband, his party’s ‘plan for the NHS’ arrived with leaflets advertising private healthcare. Scroll down for video . The leaflet (pictured) accusing Tories of selling off the NHS arrived in letterboxes alongside literature for private healthcare . Households in London received theirs with an AXA PPP Healthcare leaflet declaring: ‘People like you could avoid NHS waiting lists through our Fast Track Appointments service with our Health Select private healthcare insurance.’ Elsewhere, the mailshot arrived with literature for Bupa care homes. Labour MPs have privately vented their fury at the ‘cock-up’. Party officials last night said the leaflets were distributed and delivered by the Royal Mail, adding: ‘We are not responsible for any other leaflets the Royal Mail delivers.’ But Tory chairman Grant Shapps seized on the mishap, saying: ‘Ed Miliband wants to play politics with our precious Health Service but his attempts to do so backfire every time.’ | The Labour Party sent out leaflets accusing Tories of selling off the NHS .
But embarrassingly, inside the leaflets were adverts for private healthcare .
Labour MPs have privately vented their fury at the party's own goal .
Officials last night said they had no control over Royal Mail deliveries . |
135,170 | 3ad96c6ea3b923ac7950f6af9c98dda620f9e0f4 | Camp Verde, Arizona (CNN) -- Several participants in a 2009 "sweat lodge" ritual that left three people dead were collapsing and "having issues" in the superheated environment, a survivor testified Thursday in an Arizona self-help guru's manslaughter trial. "I mentioned several times that I thought people were having issues and needed help to leave, and they didn't wish to leave," Melissa Phillips testified. She said she could hear "a snorting breath sound" from one of the participants, Kirby Brown, who died after the October 2009 event. Phillips said during the event, one of her friends had collapsed "and couldn't feel her legs, and her husband was really concerned. So I asked the angels to help me and I did the breathwork affirmations that I was taught." Phillips was the first witness in the trial of James Arthur Ray, who faces reckless manslaughter charges stemming from his "Spiritual Warrior" retreat outside Sedona, Arizona. The sweat lodge hosted a purification ritual for participants modeled on Native American customs. Prosecutors argued that the lodge -- made of willow trees and branches, and covered with tarpaulins and blankets -- was heated to a perilously high temperature, causing the participants to suffer dehydration and heatstroke. Brown, 38, of Westtown, New York, and James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee, died the night of the October 2009 event, while Lizbeth Marie Neuman, 49, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, died nine days later. At least 15 others who took part fell ill, but more than 40 others were uninjured. Ray, 53, had conducted his Spiritual Warrior Retreat for six years at a cost of about $10,000 to participants. The sweat lodge, 5 feet tall and 23 feet wide, was built to accommodate up to 75 people. There was a pit in the center where heated rocks were placed, and Ray poured water over the stones to create steam. Defense attorney Luis Li told jurors as the trial began Tuesday that the deaths were "a tragic accident -- not a crime." But prosecutors maintain Ray psychologically pressured participants to remain in the lodge even when they weren't feeling well, contributing to their deaths. Under cross-examination, Phillips acknowledged signing a release form that warned of an "inherent risk" of injury in some activities in Ray's program. But she said she wouldn't have taken part "if I had thought my life could be in jeopardy." She also said she had left the lodge at one point, but went back in. When she finally left, "I couldn't walk immediately. and I was shaking and I was overheated and not feeling well," Phillips said. Paramedics had been called by that time, and when one told her she may have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, "I freaked out." "I decided I had medical insurance and would go to the hospital and get checked out," she said. In Session's Monique Oliver contributed to this report. | Survivor testifies about purification event .
Three people died after the 2009 event in Arizona .
Self-help guru James Arthur Ray is on trial for manslaughter . |
31,596 | 59df107cc4bedce307006037fda5cb7eea6de6cd | By . Deni Kirkova . and Scarlett Russell . Cat cafes were devised to relieve Japan's residents from loneliness by allowing them to sip a cappuccino with a furry friend to stroke. Many small apartments in Tokyo do not allow tenants to keep pets, and so establishments hosting felines on their premises proved an immensely popular concept. Animal coffee shops have since spread globally seeing cat, owl and bunny cafes open in cities such as San Francisco and London. Now, in a brave new move, the world's first purring pub allows cat aficionados to spend time with the furry creatures over a cold pint of lager. One of the kitties who resides at the Akanasu pub in Tokyo . Neko Bar Akanasu, in Tokyo, (where else) serves up a menu of a variety of alcoholic beverages and small plates of food. The . drinking spot is also filled with freely roaming cats, who apparently . even lend a helping paw to ensure the smooth running of the . establishment. Ginger . kitty Chi is Akanasu’s 'head of business operations', manning the . stairwell which customers climb to reach the main dining area, according . to Rocket News 24. At any given time, around five cats roam around Akanasu each day, including white kitten, Ah. The owner of the pub, Koyanagai, who is in his 60s, told a Rocket News 24 reporter there's never been a time in his life that he hasn't owned a cat. His family already had one when he was . born, and as he got older, he started caring for cats from animal shelters, with his wife. One of the kitties who resides at the Akanasu pub in Tokyo . Furry customers: Cats who reside at the Akanasu pub in Tokyo , casually making themselves feel at home . Whilst . it was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, the couple found . themselves becoming attached to the creatures. They've now and ended up giving them a . permanent home in their watering hole and eatery. Koyanagi says he's drawn to the capricious nature of cats, and while the creatures spend time in his pub they aren't actually required to work. Signs inside the restaurant ask customers to refrain from grabbing the cats or coercing them into playing when they're not in the mood. Whether the cats interact with the customers is entirely up to them, as evidenced by the few we noticed nonchalantly taking cat naps while we ate our meal. The signs also caution against feeding the cats from your own plate. Instead of people food, Koyanagi has cat treats on hand for them, and he gave us a handful to help us make friends with his pets. Located in the Ashigaoka . neighborhood, the pub is a novel stop off point to . refuel for those visiting the other dining, shopping, and . entertainment venues nearby. Whether the cats interact with the customers is entirely up to them . Signs inside the restaurant ask customers to refrain from grabbing the cats . Akanasu opens . 6pm-12.40am and features 60s bar chairs, soft . lighting and potted plants, not unlike a retro coffee shop. The reasonable menu offers mixed hors d'oevres for 700 yen (just over £4) and cocktails from 450 yen (£2.50). There's also a two-and-a-half-hour all-you-can-drink deal for 1,999 yen (£11.50). Koyanagi says that he's had patrons come from as far away as Aomori Prefecture, several hours north of Tokyo even by Shinkansen. One of the kitties who resides at the Akanasu pub in Tokyo . One of the kitties who resides at the Akanasu pub in Tokyo . | Akanasu, in Tokyo's, has become the world's first pub to cater for cats .
Five felines roam the watering hole and eatery in Tokyo at any one time . |
274,585 | efafc6fc48e12813a3452a462ac68b143b98d44a | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 17 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:08 EST, 20 May 2013 . A Chinese man has been reunited with his biological family more than 20 years after he was abducted as a little boy - and claims he has Google Maps to thank for finding his way home. Luo Gang, who was born in a small town in Sichuan province, but grew up some 1,500km away in Fujian province after being snatched on his way to kindergarten at the age of five. Now, 23 years on, Luo has been returned to his birthplace after using satellite maps to identify the distant hometown he has been searching for all his adult life. Reunited: Luo Gang is seen on Chinese news blog nhaidu.com being reunited with his birth parents after tracking down his home town with the help of Google maps . Luo said that, while his adopted family loved him, he was haunted by childhood memories of his hometown. 'Everyday before I went to bed, I forced myself to re-live the life spent in my old home. So I wouldn't forget,' he said in a report in the South China Morning Post. Luo's stand-out recollection of the town where he was born was of two bridges. After deciding to go in search of where he came from, Luo posted sketched a rough map of his hometown from memory and posted it on a Chinese website set up to help locate missing children. He was contacted by a user who told him about a couple from a small town in Guangan city, Sichuan province, who had lost a son at the exact time Luo was abducted. Luo Gang . The area looked familiar when Luo looked for pictures online, and his suspicions were confirmed when he searched it on Google Maps. After zooming in on satellite images of an area called Yaojiaba, an overcome Luo spotted the two bridges he remembered. After an emotional reunion, his biological mother said: 'In the past years, I couldn't help crying each time I thought about my son.' It is not known whether Luo's adoptive family will face criminal charges. Google's office in Hong Kong declined to comment, the report said. Clues: Luo managed to identify his home town with the help of Google's satellite maps . | Luo Gang was abducted from small town in Sichuan at age of five .
Brought up by loving adoptive parents 1,500km away in Fujian .
Luo was haunted by childhood memories of his distant birthplace .
Learned of a couple in Guangan city who lost son at time he was abducted .
Google Map of area revealed two bridges he remembered from years ago . |
103,824 | 11f4854e748182b5bf6397e7a403dbb9ecafa4bd | In the past week, we've seen an 80-year-old basketball franchise owner fall under the weight of racist comments about banning blacks and Latinos from his arena, and a 73-year-old Nevada rancher implode after saying blacks would be better off picking cotton. So, does that mean we are finally coming to the end of all of this? Once these octogenarian white men from another time die off, will we finally be free of empirical racism in America? Doubt it. I'm a young guy -- 24. I went to Howard University in Washington. I hang out with the basketball team (in fact, I am Howard's first play-by-play announcer for our home games. Go Bisons!). My friends are of mixed background. We all get along. But I also see others around me who, on the surface, may roll with a similar crowd, listen to the same music, say the right things, but who are also slowly being infected with the American disease of racial bias. I hear the subtle signs of racism on talk radio or on the Internet, where coded language of "quotas" and "boot-straps" is used in substitution of the old phrases of "ghettos" and "laziness." I read the Twitter feeds and troll the comment boards, listening to how those of like mind cluster together, reinforcing their own points of view. But we've got a black President, right? It's all good, right? Yes, racism, in less than a half-century, has largely gone from commonplace to taboo. If you are a 67-year-old beloved cooking show star who admits to having used the N-word, there are going to be consequences. If you own a nearly all-black NBA team yet verbalize a disgust for African-Americans, you're going to get checked. Today, any controversial statement, once exposed to the disinfectant of sunlight and mass media, gets met with immediate backlash. As it should. Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling learned this firsthand when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned him for life. Cue applause, drop the mic, walk off the stage. We're done. Sure, we have come a long way. From the days when my father, a leading real estate inspector in Chicago, couldn't live in certain areas or shop in certain stores, to today, when I can graduate from a leading university, enter the field of media, and truly believe I have a chance to exceed my dreams, a lot has changed. But, for my generation, there are still real problems. We don't truly understand our history. And too often do we go from captivated to uninterested overnight, distracted by the next shiny object or hot Internet meme. We Millennials are the "here today, gone tomorrow" type of activists. This is most disappointing because access of information is easier than ever before. You no longer have to be rich or famous to have a voice. Just get a Twitter handle, post to your Instagram page or fire up a WordPress blog. So the question becomes, what happens next? We cannot simply stand idly by celebrating surface victories while the problems persist. Racism, as with all other prejudices, has to be attacked at the source. It will not become extinct with the passing of the older generations. A new racist is born every minute. I went to a largely white high school in the western suburbs of Chicago. When I was younger, maybe 10 or 11, I got into a fight with a neighbor kid who had just called me that magic word -- the "N" word. That was in 2000. Parents intervened, the skirmish ceased, and each of us was swiftly scolded. Now it's quite obvious where he learned the word. He wasn't born saying it; someone had to teach it to him. That kid is much older now, also in his mid-20s. I haven't seen him since, but I wonder what's in his head now? Is he growing up to become the next Donald Sterling or Cliven Bundy or Paula Deen? Or has time and society shifted his adolescent feelings about me and others like me? It must be remembered that racism is not an innate trait. It is a learned characteristic. We see it on TV. We hear it on the radio. We watch it coming from our parents. I just hope my generation has made that kind of an education a little less desirable. Within our generation are the remnants of a time long past. Today, we live in an age of tolerance. Yet everything is moving 100 miles per hour. That's one of the big differences between generations past and Millennials. For us, technology is a given. But it's also an opportunity. It provides an unprecedented level of exposure and opportunity to interact with others not like ourselves. In our generation a six-second Vine clip has the potential to become the lead story on the news, and what we do at a party or a game or in school can be celebrated or scorned with the click of a "Like" button. But we've got next. There is a changing of the guard coming in our society, and our number is coming up. So now, it falls upon a generation of young people to see the fight through. We are trapped in between two worlds, the new and the old. Our choices will shape the future. It is our duty as a generation to teach ourselves discipline. To know right from wrong, unacceptable from appropriate. This won't be on Sterling's generation. It will be on us. It is our duty to wash out the ignorant tendencies of our forebears across the board, regardless of race. Dedication will be required, along with an attention span that lasts longer than 140 characters. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | Chuck Walton looks at the generational differences in racial attitudes in America .
Racism is a learned behavior, he says, that his generation must fight to unlearn .
Walton: Technology exposes us to new ideas but makes it easier for like thinkers to cluster . |
180,725 | 75f37b7260d4d24704e991a102d708e024887333 | He already has plans to bring the internet to remote parts of the world, and now SpaceX founder Elon Musk has set his sights on bringing it to space too. The entrepreneur says he wants to build a second internet in space, which could one day be used to enable any people living in colonies on Mars to get online. There is currently no name for the ambitious space venture, but it could speed up internet services on Earth too. Elon Musk, (pictured) says he wants to build a second internet in space, which could one day be used to enable people living on Mars to get online . Mr Musk told Bloomberg Businessweek’s Ashlee Vance, that his aim is to create ‘a global communications system that would be larger than anything that has been talked about to date.’ Earlier this month, he said that he aims to share plans to build a colony on Mars, later this year. He said: ‘It will be important for Mars to have a global communications network as well. I think this needs to be done, and I don’t see anyone else doing it.’ Mr Musk's project would involve hundreds of satellites orbiting about 750 miles (1,207km) above the planet – far closer than communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit at 22,000 miles (35,406 km). A stock image is shown . Google: The internet giant is said to be planning the launch of a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online. Google is tipped to spend $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology and is also planning on using balloons and drones. Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below. The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions. In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity. Facebook: Mark Zuckerburg revealed solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries. Small satellite manufacturers: Sierra Nevada and Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology are both adept at making increasingly cheap small satellites and have a good track record. The project could cost $10 billion (£7 billion) and $15 billion (£10 billion), Mr Musk revealed in a Tweet, adding that any revenues would be used to fund a colony on the red planet. It would involve hundreds of satellites orbiting about 750 miles (1,207km) above the planet – far closer than communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit at 22,000 miles (35,406 km). At the moment, internet data packets travelling from London to New York, for example, have to pass through numerous routers and different networks, whereas Mr Musk plans to route packs via space satellites instead. This would make services faster and potentially cheaper too. The project will be run from SpaceX’s Seattle office, whose employees will also work on the firm’s Falcon rockets, for example. The ultimate goal is provide high-speed internet to the three billion people who have poor or no access to the web. It’s thought it will take at least five years to produce and launch the first generation of satellites and the project could take over 15 years to work how Mr Musk envisions, The Huffington Post reported. The race is on to connect remote parts of the world, with both Google and Facebook also investing in technologies such as balloons and drones. Earlier this month, Mr Musk said that he aims to share plans to build a colony on Mars, later this year. An image of MarsOne's proposed colony on the red planet is pictured. He said: ‘It will be important for Mars to have a global communications network as well' | Plan builds on SpaceX founder's aim to connect remote parts of the world .
Entrepreneur said a space internet could one day be used to enable any people living on Mars to get online - although this is in the far future .
There's no name for the project, based at SpaceX's Seattle office . |
264,584 | e2b4bbf0504d222bea59a736c3bf3767453f1ef9 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 6 June 2013 . Big Love actress Chloe Sevigny has sold her one-bedroom Manhattan apartment for $1.76 million to the entrepreneur couple Halle Tecco and Jeffrey Hammerbacher. Sevigny has previously described the 1,250 square foot home, with working fireplaces, beams and a private garden as 'womblike' and said she drew inspiration for its decoration from her New England childhood. The new owners of the apartment, on 10th Street, made their fortune in technology. Moving on: Big Love actress Chloe Sevigny has sold her East Village apartment for $1.76 million . Ms Tecco founded digital health start . ups fund, Rock Health, and Mr Hammerbacher, who went to college with . Mark Zuckerberg, worked at Facebook before starting his software firm . Cloudera, the New York Post said. Sevigny had originally put the apartment, which has a small study and plenty of close space, on the market last year. However, the original deal fell through in July because of a death in the buyer's family, according to Business Insider. According to its listing by realtor . Corcoran: 'Upon entering this very special apartment through the gate, . one is instantly transported to a retreat in the country.' The brownstone has a private garden, casement windows and a working fireplace in the bedroom and living room. After . the actress bought the 1862 East Village apartment for $1.2 million in . 2005, she turned to designer David Cafiero, who owns New York antiques . store Cafiero Select, for help. New home: Halle Tecco and Jeffrey Hammerbacher are the new owners of the East Village apartment . No place like home: Chloe Sevigny says the apartment reminded her of growing up in Connecticut . City retreat: The Manhattan's kitchen and dining room overlook a private garden with fountain . 'We’re both from New England,' Sevigny told New York Magazine. 'He’s really inspired by the sea, and I grew up on the water. I was like, "Ahhh. I wish I could just live in his store!".' The apartment was redesigned with bold print wallpaper, refurbished antiques, and a sprinkling of nautical themed items. The exposed brick walls were plastered over to accommodate the actress's art collection, and the plaster was painted in pale pinks, blues and yellows. Its design was featured in a 2007 edition of Home and Garden and in the 2009 edition of Apartamento. Sevigny, who grew up in Darien, Connecticut, said the wide planks used for floorboards, and low ceilings made her fall in love with the apartment. 'I walked in and felt transported, like I wasn’t in Manhattan anymore,' she said. Sweet dreams: The spacious bedroom has a working fireplace and wide floor boards . Bold: The actress turned to designer David Cafiero to redesign her apartment when she moved there in 2005 . Peaceful: The Manhattan apartment has a large private garden with plenty of trees and a fountain . The co-op, which also has a large communal garden, is popular with artists, actors and musicians. When Sevigny moved in her neighbors included the sculptor Robert Gober, former lead guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins, James Iha, and the actress Parker Posey, according to the New York Times. The new owners, who married in July last year, met in North Beach, San Francisco, where they are based. Mr Hammerbacher's expertise at Facebook earned him joint-second place in Forbes' list of the most powerful data scientists in the world in 2011. His wife started her not-for-profit company in 2010 to try to improve technology in healthcare, while reducing costs and improving education for health innovators, according to Health Datapalooza. | Halle Tecco and Jeffrey Hammerbacher buy East Village home .
One-bedroom brownstone has beams, fireplaces and fountain in the private garden . |
185,726 | 7c92dfbe87df932adb68698797062bd94e60fc1f | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . David Cameron today admitted voters are ‘frustrated’ at the pace of action to tackle immigration into Britain. The Prime Minister said voters wanted the government to go further and faster in curbing the numbers of people arriving in the UK. It comes as ministers prepare for figures – to be released on the day of the European elections - which are expected to show net migration from within the European Union has overtaken arrivals from the rest of the world. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show how net migration among people from elsewhere in Europe is on course to overtake those from outside the EU . Mr Cameron has promised to reduce net migration – the difference between the numbers arriving and those leaving – to less than 100,000 by 2015. But after falling in the early days of the coalition it has started to rise again, fuelled by growing numbers of people arriving from the rest of Europe. Ukip has stepped up pressure on the government with an aggressive campaign, warning the government can do nothing about the issue while Britain remains in the EU. Ukip leader Nigel Farage has boasted that he will trigger a ‘political earthquake’ by winning the European Parliament elections on May 22, pushing the Tories into third. Now it has emerged that within weeks new figures will show how net migration from within the EU is responsible for the majority of the population rise linked to immigration. In the year to September net migration stood at 212,000, which the Office for National Statistics said was a ‘statistically significant increase’ from 154,000 in the previous year. David Cameron claimed support for Nigel Farage's Ukip was fuelled by public frustration by the pace of progress in tackling immmigration . More detailed figures show that net migration of EU citizens almost doubled to 131,000 from 65,000 the previous year. An estimated 209,000 citizens from the rest of the EU arrived in the UK, the highest since records began in 1964. At the same time only 78,000 left. It means that net migration from within the EU stood at 131,000, just 10,000 lower than the figure for non-EU migrants. Just two years ago the gap was more than 150,000. The figures expose how government action to tackle immigration is hindered by EU freedom of movement laws. While rules have been tightened for people from outside the EU, little can be done for EU nationals. Mr Cameron admitted the issue has left voters frustrated, which was part of the rason for the surge in support for Ukip. He told BBC Breakfast: ‘I think there are lots of things happening here. First of all we’ve been through a very painful and difficult recession that has caused damage to families right up and down our country, we’re recovering from that, we’ve got more people in work, people are seeing our economy turn round, but it takes time and people feel frustrated by that. ‘Added to that, you’ve got issues like immigration, like reform of welfare, where I would argue this government has made huge progress, but people would like us to go further and faster and they’re frustrated by that.’ | Prime Minister says government failing to keep up with public expectations .
Ukip on course to win European Parliament elections on May 22 .
Figures due on polling day set to show EU biggest factor in net migration . |
249,096 | ce559f30253f5f93309cff035833cabe33afb60f | When you’ve shelled out a small fortune on a pukka pair of personalised shoes, it’s nice to get the chance to show them off. That opportunity arose for Prince Harry while chatting to children at an awards ceremony last night. As he kneeled down to talk to the youngsters, the soles flashed with a capital letter H studded into each one with shiny brass tacks. The shoes, costing about £1,500, were handmade at John Lobb, which is close to St James’s Palace and holds three Royal Warrants. Scroll down for video . The royal footwear: Harry's bespoke shoes show off distinctive H in studs . Adorable: Prince Harry had the pleasure of meeting Carson Hartley, four, from Liverpool. Carson was born three months prematurely with a heart defect, chronic lung disease, spina bifida and brittle bone disease . Harry laughed with delight as Carson ran around him before leaning over and giving him a hug and a high five . Mrs Hartley told Harry that Carson had four other siblings. ‘I would hate to have four sisters,’ the prince joked. Harry displayed his bespoke footwear at the WellChild Awards in Central London to honour the courage of youngsters with serious medical conditions. The prince, one of charity’s patrons, laughed with delight as Carson Hartley, four, from Liverpool, ran around him before hugging him and giving him a high five. Carson has had 40 operations for illnesses including a heart defect, lung disease and spina bifida. He also has to carry a machine around with him to breathe through a tube. He has had more than 40 operations and is permanently ventilated via a tracheostomy and has to carry a machine around with him. ‘He’s a livewire. I bet he keeps you on his toes,’ he said to his parents, Damian, 23, and Kirsty, 34. Mrs Hartley told Harry that Carson had four other siblings. ‘I would hate to have four sisters,’ the prince joked. Afterwards Mrs Hartley said: ‘He told me that he couldn’t believe how much energy he had and how he couldn’t believe how happy he was given everything that has happened. He was absolutely lovely and just amazing with Carson.’ Prince Harry meets 15-year-old Cecilia Adamou, the Inspirational young person award winner for 2012/13 . Gift: Martin Bennett (right), 14, presented Harry with a DVD for Prince George . Pictured is Maddison Sherwood, six, who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy in 2009 when she was ten months old. Her condition causes severe muscle weakness and she relies on a ventilator . In a reception at the Park Lane Hilton in London, the prince was also introduced to Maddison Sherwood, six, who gave him a home-made card with a drawing she had done of him - with bright ginger hair. ‘Is that meant to be me?’ he laughed but took the joke in good spirits. Maddison, from East Keale, Northamptonshire, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy in 2009 when she was ten months old. Her condition causes severe muscle weakness and she relies on a ventilator. When she was born her parents, Lidia and Jamie, were told she would never talk, eat or be able to support her own head – but she now attends mainstream school and can do everything her family was warned against. Mrs Sherwood, 28, said: ‘We asked him how old he was – we had read that he was 30 but pretended we didn’t know. He told me that he was feeling very old. ‘He also told Maddison that she was doing wonderfully and that she should carry on and do what she was doing as she had proved everyone wrong so far.’ Another award winner who left the Harry speechless was Olivia Ruston who presented the prince with an hilarious pottery piggy bank she had made with a shock of ginger hair. ‘Is that meant to be me?’ he roared, ‘that’s just brilliant.’ ‘I haven’t had one since I was a child so I had better start saving my pennies in it,’ said the prince who recently was said to have inherited £10 million for his 30th birthday. Olivia Ruston presented the prince with a pottery piggy bank she had made with a shock of ginger hair . Royal visit: HRH meets Maddison Sherwood, six, Inspirational Child Award Winner, and mum Lidia . Prince Harry meets Rosie Flory, 15, Most Caring Young Person Award winner with her mother Michelle. Rosie presented Harry with a charity wrist band . The Master Of My Soul: Prince Harry was sporting an Invictus Games wristband . Olivia, ten, from Southport was receiving an award for the way in which she cares for her younger sister, Jessica, eight, who has acute medical needs. Olivia is trained to help with Jessica’s tracheotomy and can feed her sister through a peg in her stomach. Her mother Alison, 35, said: ‘She is just remarkable.’ Harry has been patron of WellChild , the national charity for sick children, for seven years . Rosie Flory, 15, also gave Harry a wrist band and cards made from drawings created by her brother, Harry, who died in 2012 from a brain tumour. Rosie, from Bournemouth, became Harry’s own Florence Nightingale and made sure his last months were happy and comfortable. ‘We spoke about how grief affects us in different ways and how we cope with it. Obviously he has had experience of losing someone close to him,’ she said. The prince also admired a tiara worn by Rachel Hooley, ten, from Cramlington, Northumberland, who suffered acute heart failure when she was seven and was given a transplant at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. She recently took part in the British and World Transplant Games in everything from swimming to sprinting. ‘He loved my tiara and dress – I couldn’t believe it,’ she said. Harry met 15-year-old Cecilia Adamou from Cobham, Surrey, who was born with a serious congenital heart condition and has bravely overcome a series of resulting complications. ‘I've had a heart transplant, a kidney transplant. I've also got two brain tumours, and two spinal tumours and some feet problems," she said. "I was told I would never walk again.’ ‘Prince Harry said a lot of people in the Army are told that but they do walk again.’ She too has defied the doctors' predictions and is walking again. ‘Hopefully I'm over the worst it,’ she added. Harry has been patron of WellChild , the national charity for sick children, for seven years and has described their annual awards ceremony as one of the highlights of his year. 'You are an example to us all - we can learn a great deal from your strength of character,' the Prince said . Left, dancer Trent Whiddon and Pixie Lott and right, the singer with model Oliver Cheshire . Gillian McKeith (centre) and daughters attend the WellChild Awards at London Hilton tonight . Stars: TV presenter Vernon Kaye and Eastenders actor Jonny Partridge . Perri Kiely and Jordan Banjo of dance troupe Diversity. Right, Made In Chelsea star Francesca Hull . In an emotional speech, Harry said: ‘I would like to congratulate each of the Award Winners - your stories are moving beyond words and remind us all of just how fantastic you all are. 'You are an example to us all - we can learn a great deal from your strength of character, resolve and humour in facing down challenges every day.' Also joining the prince were celebrity guests including Vernon Kay, Gaby Roslin and singer Pixie Lott. Pixie, who is currently appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, said: ‘It’s just an honour to be here at such a heart-warming event. It makes you put everything in perspective. These children are so amazing and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’ Asked about Strictly she said: ‘The training is going well but there is so much to learn, the steps are so complicated and the way you hold yourself is like nothing I have done before. ‘My first dance is on Friday – I can’t tell you what it is, it has to be a secret – but there has been a bit of treading on toes. ‘The only dancing I have done of late is for my music videos – and ballroom couldn’t be more different.’ | Harry was at WellChild Awards, which honours bravery of very ill children .
Prince called Carson Hartley, four, a 'livewire' and hugged him .
The four-year-old has had more than 40 operations for various conditions . |
228,317 | b3a17c6ac40a9a24420dc041a0334944c3b454f1 | Tokyo (CNN) -- Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station returned to the plant Friday after a strong aftershock forced them to leave a day earlier, the plant's owner said. The quake forced crews at the plant to evacuate as it rattled northern Japan late Thursday night. They returned to the plant about eight and a half hours later, and no fresh damage to the facility had been reported Friday afternoon, the Tokyo Electric Power Company said. Before the quake, engineers had been injecting non-flammable nitrogen into the No. 1 reactor containment shell to counter a buildup of hydrogen in the chamber. That process continued while the plant was evacuated, and so did the pumping of fresh water into that reactor and units 2 and 3, said Hidehiko Nishiyama, a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. Hydrogen buildup is a symptom of overheated fuel rods in the cores of the reactors, which plant workers have been struggling to keep under control since the earthquake and tsunami. The nitrogen injections are aimed at displacing oxygen in the reactor shell, reducing the possibility of an explosion -- a chance Tokyo Electric called "extremely low." A hydrogen explosion blew the roof and upper walls off the No 1. reactor building two days after the quake, and another blast two days later blew apart the No. 3 building. A suspected hydrogen explosion is believed to have damaged the No. 2 reactor on March 15 as well. Both the Japan Meteorological Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey have rated Thursday's quake a magnitude 7.1, though the Japanese initially rated it at 7.4. It was centered in the Pacific Ocean about 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of the plant, near the epicenter of the magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami that knocked out the plant's coolant systems four weeks ago Friday. It also caused radioactive water to spill from the spent fuel cooling pools of another nuclear power plant, Tohoku Electric's Onagawa plant, the Sendai-based utility and NISA reported Friday. About 15 liters (3.9 gallons) of water spilled, and the concentration of radioactive particles was far below levels that would pose an immediate threat to human health, the company said. The three reactors at the Onagawa plant, about 140 kilometers (88 miles) north of Fukushima Daiichi, shut down automatically when the March 11 earthquake struck and have not been restarted. Workers at Fukushima Daiichi have been struggling to keep the reactors from overheating for four weeks, pouring tons of fresh water an hour into the reactors and trying to contain the spread of radioactive contamination that has been pouring out. About 78,000 people who live within a 20-kilometer radius of the plant were ordered to leave their homes in the days following the quake, and another 62,000 within 20 to 30 kilometers have been told to remain indoors. But government readings show that people beyond the current restricted zone may be exposed to dangerous long-term doses of radiation even though the readings fall below levels that now require an evacuation, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters Thursday. Edano, the Japanese government's point man on the crisis, said the country may set standards for long-term radiation exposure that would effectively extend the evacuation zone around the damaged plant. "It is time for the government to consider setting another category for accumulated exposure," Edano told reporters. "The safety of the people is the first priority, and social needs come after that." There is no timetable for a decision, Edano said. Readings released Thursday by the country's science ministry from areas outside that zone indicated that long-term exposure could top the government's one-time standards for an evacuation within a few months. Some of those are in towns to the northwest, where prevailing winds have blown radioactive particles released from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The recorded doses are far below those that would cause radiation sickness but could pose a long-term risk of cancer, according to medical experts. The anti-nuclear group Greenpeace and the International Atomic Energy Agency raised alarms about the spread of radioactivity beyond the 30-kilometer zone in late March. Hiroo Saso and Ailing Chang contributed to this report for CNN. | No damage has been reported from Thursday night's aftershock .
A small amount of radioactive water spilled from another nuclear plant .
Workers at Fukushima Daiichi have been struggling to keep the reactors from overheating . |
259,657 | dc2a698139132f2a318c4634bc0d56c80c77cdcf | One in four adults has the maths skills of a nine-year-old or worse and struggles with the most basic everyday sums. According to a shock report, more than eight million adults in England are considered to lack even basic numeracy. The figures in the Skills For Life survey reveal that this quarter of the population has difficulty in understanding price labels and the sums involved in paying household bills. One in four adults has the maths skills of a nine-year-old or worse and struggles with the most basic sums . Their abilities are on a par with those expected of pupils at primary school aged between seven to nine. In an even more disturbing development, the number of adults in this group is nearly a million more than it was a decade ago. This is despite a stream of costly initiatives in recent years designed to improve adult numeracy. A further nine million adults have the maths skills expected of a child aged nine to 11. Those in this group are likely to struggle in calculating change, using train timetables or working out deductions on their pay slip. The Skills For Life survey revealed that altogether 49 per cent of working-age adults in England – about 17million in total – have the maths skills of a child at primary school. Numbers had risen from 15million in 2003, when a similar survey was conducted. The report also revealed that fewer than one in five 16 to 18-year-olds can demonstrate skills equivalent to a grade A* to C pass in maths at GCSE. This is despite the A* to C pass rate for the GCSE exam now being 60 per cent. Chris Humphries, chairman of the charity National Numeracy, said: ‘This discrepancy is both puzzling and worrying for everyone involved in education and merits further investigation. ‘Too many adults are struggling with everyday maths.’ The survey, which questioned 7,200 people aged 16 to 65, also revealed that more than five million adults – 15 per cent of the working population – struggle with simple reading and writing. The Department for Business, which released the 400-page report, admitted that English and maths skills had ‘a long way to go’. Ministers said improving basic skills was vital to a ‘thriving economy’. Skills minister Matthew Hancock said maths and English are vital for getting a job and playing a 'full part in society' Labour launched a major campaign in 2000 to boost the basic skills of adults but it is said to have mainly benefited literacy, where performance has improved since 2003. Ministers said that tough new English Baccalaureate Certificates to replace GCSEs from 2017 in core subjects would help to boost standards in both English and maths. From September of next year, new study programmes will require pupils to keep working towards GCSEs in maths and English if they failed to achieve them by the age of 16. Free maths and English GCSE courses are now available for adults, and other qualifications for those with lower skills levels. The survey, which questioned adults for whom English is their first language, found that literacy skills were worst in London and the North-East. Numeracy skills were worst in the North-East, followed by London and the East Midlands. Skills minister Matthew Hancock said: ‘Good English and maths are vital for getting a job and playing a full part in society. ‘We have doubled the funding for adult English and maths because they are so important. ‘I would urge anyone who is struggling to take advantage of the provision that is on offer, which now includes maths and English GCSEs for adults who missed out the first time round. ‘These essential skills are the building blocks of a productive society and a thriving economy. I am determined that everyone should have the chance to achieve their very best.’ | Quarter of the population has difficulty understanding price labels and household bills .
Skills For Life survey shows adults' numeracy on 'par with primary school pupils' |
147,285 | 4a70a95c024d05113de604e670248e0758ac0766 | By . Louise Cheer . and Lillian Radulova . West Coast Eagles midfielder Elliot Yeo is facing a lifetime of trips to the dentist and an estimated $70,000 dental bill after his two front teeth where knocked out of his mouth in a sickening collision on Saturday. The 20-year-old's front teeth were snapped off in the brutal blow during Saturday's clash against Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Footage from the moment Yeo's mouth came into contact with Collingwood ruckman Jarrod Witts' shoulder, shows two white objects flying into the air as the midfielder is knocked to the ground. The loss of the teeth happened when West Coast midfield Elliot Yeo had a run in with Collingwood ruckman Jarrod Witts . The midfielder continued playing for the rest of the game and tweeted after it: 'All I want for Christmas is two front teeth...' Instantly feeling the damage done to his mouth after the impact, Yeo was seen flashing his new look to the referee, revealing his splintered teeth with the roots still intact. The midfielder and ruckman collided after Yeo failed to take an easy mark, the ball slipping through his grasp, right before the half-time siren. It was reported by afl.com.au that trainers were unable to find the teeth. Yeo's teammate Xavier Ellis, told The Age that he was confident Yeo has been wearing his mouthguard right up until the moment of impact. 'I think he had it in for the majority of the night and took it out for 30 seconds to have a breather. I don't think he'll do that again,' Ellis said. 'I think he just took it out for literally 30 seconds and the ball came, so it's a hefty price to pay.' The former Brisbane Lions players falls to the ground after the brutal hit, but the tough player stood up quickly . But despite the obvious pain, he played on for the remainder of the game . Despite the blow, Yeo shook off the injury and soldiered on, earning the respect of his coach. 'It was a big knock … he should have taken the mark,' Eagles coach Adam Simpson told afl.com.au. 'He kept on going, I don’t know if he was in a hell of a lot of pain or not, but he didn’t seem to take a backward step after it.' Yeo appears to inspecting the damage done to his mouth, touching the roots that were left intact . Unfazed by the incident, Yeo was in good humour after the game and fired off this cheeky tweet . Yeo played the second half and ended the match with 19 disposals and a goal in the Eagles' eventual eight-point loss to the Magpies. After the game, Yeo tweeted a cheeky reference to the knock: 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...'. His teeth are expected to be capped this week as long as there has been no splintering and no nerve damage. The last time the sport saw a player lose their teeth on the field was almost five years ago when Lance Franklin, a Hawthorn forward, tucked his mouthguard into his sock. A collision with St Kilda’s defender Zac Dawson saw him lose a tooth. Despite the injury, Yeo is expected to be back on the field on Sunday for a match against North Melbourne. | The West Coast midfielder clashed with Collingwood ruckman Jarrod Witts .
Yeo's teeth are seen flying from his mouth in opposite directions .
Trainers failed to find the player's teeth during the half-time break .
The roots remained in his mouth and will be capped this week .
Yeo is predicted to have to fork out $70k in dental work over his lifetime . |
81,368 | e686734e3a0eee89a8e19db747ac110b484ee72d | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Paint markings found on pieces of two planes that collided over suburban Los Angeles indicate the nose of one aircraft slammed into the middle fuselage of the other, according to a federal investigator. Investigators on Monday walk past the tail section of a plane lying in a car dealership. Five people died in the accident in Corona, California, including a man on the ground who was killed when one plane's engine crashed through the roof of a car dealership where he worked, said National Transportation Safety Board investigator Wayne Pollack. The NTSB, assisted by FBI evidence experts, completed the cleanup of wreckage and body parts that were spread over a commercial area of car dealerships, restaurants and other businesses near the Riverside Freeway Monday afternoon. Investigators don't yet know if both single-engine planes were approaching the nearby Corona airport for landing, but it was apparently a Sunday afternoon pleasure flight for each. The two men in the Cessna 150 were ejected after the plane was struck broadside by the Cessna 172, Pollack said. The bodies of the two men flying in the Cessna 172 were found inside the plane after it crashed to the ground, he said. The FBI helped the NTSB mark where each piece was found, although the investigation does not involve any criminal aspect, Pollack said. The wreckage was being trucked to Palmdale, California, Monday evening. Aviation experts there will examine it for more clues about what caused the collision, he said. There were two licensed pilots on board the Cessna 150, which was rented from a local flight school, Pollack said. One of the two people on board the other plane -- a Cessna 172 -- was licensed to fly, he said. The victims from one plane were identified as Scott Lawrence, 55, and Paul Carlson, 73, both from Cerritos, California. The dead from the other aircraft were Brandon Johnson, 24, from Costa Mesa, California. and Anthony Guzman, 20, from Hesperia, Calif., according to the Riverside County Coroner's Office. The car dealership employee who died was Earl Smiddy, 58, from Moreno Valley, California, the coroner said. Weather is not believed to have been a factor since it was clear and winds were calm at the time, Pollack said. Corona is about 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. E-mail to a friend . | Earl Smiddy, 58, dies when engine crashes through roof of car dealership .
NTSB and FBI finish removing wreckage, body parts from commercial area .
Two men in Cessna 150 hit broadside by Cessna 172 and ejected .
Two planes apparently were on a Sunday afternoon pleasure flight . |
52,927 | 961d67f50b63ee41885e5076eba098f512dd2dee | It seems every human in the world has taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, but none are as cute as this dog volunteer. Buba the pooch joined in the trend and performed the challenge all by himself, with the help of an ingenious invention. And his moment of glory was captured by owner Mr Gregor, who uploaded the video to YouTube. Puppy power: Buba prepares himself to get drenched. The mutt did his own Ice Bucket Challenge . Clever Buba prepares himself for his watery adventure by busily sniffing around the wooden frame which he will stand under. The clever gizmo - a simple pulley system - holds a small pot of water, held securely in place by a slim strap with notches on one end and a bottle of sand which acts as a weight, on the other. The clever gizmo - a simple pulley system - holds a small pot of water, held securely in place by a slim strap with notches on one end and a bottle of sand which acts as a weight, on the other . What a soaking: The drenched the mutt leaps up on all fours as the liquid hits his fur . The bottle of sand balances precariously on a tiny see-saw, which can be dislodged easily with a gentle tap. Standing adorably on his hind feet, the cute pup places a paw on the see-saw, tipping over the bottle of sand. As the bottle falls, the pot on the other side rises, immediately spilling its contents all over the pup. Buba the adorable pooch performed the challenge all by himself, with the help of this ingenious invention . Success: Adorable Buba gets lots of pets from his owner Mr Gregor as a reward for successfully completing his challenge . The drenched the mutt leaps up on all fours as the liquid hits his fur. But he seems to be enjoying the soaking and stands still, letting all the water pour out. The liquid trial over, Buba bounds away, vigorously shaking the remaining droplets of water from his fur. He is lavished with attention and pets after successfully completing his mission. Buba's Ice Bucket Challenge was well received on YouTube, as animal lovers praised him for taking part in the challenge. User Despina M. Andrelus said: 'This was absolutely precious! Thanks for showing that it can most definitely be done humanely and with much fun for our beloved animals, as well.' | This simple pulley system lets Buba do his very own Ice Bucket Challenge .
The gizmo is weighted with a bottle of sand, pulling on a tiny pot of water .
Clever pooch tips over the precariously balanced bottle with ease . |
178,662 | 734f42702e8c67867793b538e5daf807bb9e708c | (CNN) -- In Japan, rail rules as the transport mode of choice with over 2,000 kilometers of railroad tracks and an estimated 24 million passengers using the network every day, according to Japan's rail companies. Watch: Car vs. bullet train race to Tokyo . Despite the country's land mass being roughly the same size as the state of California, the Japanese have developed an extensive railway network that provides easy access to larger cities from smaller towns in the country. Read more: [Infographic] The railway capital of the world . One of the reasons Japan's railway network is so popular is the commuter traffic. Stations are extremely busy during peak periods and some operators even hire "oshiya" or "pushers" -- train and subway staff who help facilitate getting commuters onto trains. Watch: Tokyo's seven-minute miracle . With such a rich railway history and a constant push to improve the network, CNN has devised a quick quiz for you to test your Japan train knowledge. | Japan has strived to be at the world's forefront for rail research and development .
The nation now has over 2000 kilometers of train tracks and a renowned bullet train network .
An estimated 24 million passengers use the network every day . |
120,875 | 2839ad1410a28fa65f6977ae272cc0405a7e4c31 | Adam Smith seems to have become the latest footballer to have acquired a celebrity girlfriend after being seen taking Amy Childs out for a meal. The AFC Bournemouth right back took Childs, who used to appear in TV's TOWIE, to Alec's eatery in Brentwood, Essex, on Thursday. The 24-year-old Childs and Smith were snapped walking through the town on their way to the restaurant. Scroll down for video . Amy Childs was spotted going out to dinner with Adam Smith at Brentwood, Essex eatery Alec's on Thursday . The former TOWIE star showed off her curves when she went out for the meal . Smith (left) holds the door open for Childs (right) as they entered the restaurant on Thursday . Smith has featured England at Under 21 level (left) and he plays his football for AFC Bournemouth . Smith, 23, . has appeared at England for every level from Under 16 up to Under 21 . and has enjoyed loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Torquay United, AFC . Bournemouth, Milton Keynes Dons, Leeds United, Derby County and Millwall . before moving to the south coast. He has featured twice in the league for Bournemouth this season, who are enjoying a wonderful campaign. They sit 10th in the Championship. The pair appeared to be satisfied with their meal as they exited the restaurant . Smith in action for Bournemouth as he runs with the ball . | Bournemouth right back Adam Smith went for dinner in Brentwood, Essex .
He was spotted with former The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs .
Ex-Tottenham defender Smith has made two appearances this season . |
7,833 | 1630ca6217ca6123668a4f9738ca323a1c6f620a | By . Karen Kay . According to the Health & Social Care Information Centre, 83 per cent of Britons are showing signs of gum disease . It doesn’t take much to keep your teeth and gums in great shape, yet according to the Health & Social Care Information Centre, 83 per cent of Britons are showing signs of gum disease. So what can you do to ensure your smile stays in style? Most of us are aware of the confidence-boosting benefits of a fabulous foundation, mascara or blush, and we’re clearly happy to invest both hard-earned cash and precious time on them. It’s a rare woman who can make her way through a department store beauty floor without being tempted by the latest cosmetic colours. However, the amount of money we spend on replenishing our make-up bags may surprise you - recent figures estimate that we’ll each spend an average of £131.20 a year on make-up. And we spend, on average, around 20 minutes a day applying cosmetics, which equates to over 120 hours every year. Conduct a quick straw poll around you and you’ll probably find most of us don’t dedicate nearly as much time and effort to our oral health. INVEST IN YOUR SMILE . So, are you guilty of getting your priorities wrong and leaving the true beauty of your smile at the bottom of the pile? After all, no amount of on-trend lip colour can mask the signs of poor oral health. In fact, not only can symptoms such as red, swollen gums detract from a radiant smile, but if left untreated, gum disease could have devastating consequences such as tooth loss. With more than four in five people in the UK showing signs of gum disease, it’s time we refocused some of our efforts to improve our oral hygiene. And of course, it’s not just women who are guilty of ignoring the telltale symptoms. According . to a new survey by MailOnline, only 19 per cent of us would visit the . dentist if we noticed changes in our gums, compared to 46 per cent who . would visit when they have trouble with their teeth. And, astonishingly, almost half of all those questioned have never spoken with their dentist about gum health. More than four in five people in the UK show signs of gum disease . Gum disease is the swelling, soreness or infection – in varying degrees - of the tissue supporting the teeth. You may have heard of gingivitis, the name given to the early stage of gum disease, caused by an accumulation of plaque, which contains bacteria that needs to be removed in order to maintain healthy gums. READ THE SIGNALS . The problem is that many of us don’t recognise the early signs of gum disease: one of the warning signals that you may have gingivitis is redness of the gums around the tooth, and bleeding when you brush your teeth. MailOnline found that 41 per cent of readers surveyed had experienced bleeding while brushing or flossing, yet one in three said they believed bleeding gums are the result of brushing too vigorously. But, if ignored and left untreated, gingivitis can lead to the more advanced type of gum disease, periodontitis, which can result in the bone in your jaw decaying, and potential tooth loss. According to a new survey by MailOnline, only 19 per cent of us would visit the dentist if we noticed changes in our gums, compared to 46 per cent who would visit when they have trouble with their teeth . NHS figures suggest that between 10 and 15 per cent of adults in the UK suffer from severe periodontitis, with many more being affected by mild to moderate levels. The good news is that most gum disease is preventable and mild cases can easily be treated with an overhaul of your simple daily oral routine. Don’t wait until you notice bleeding or soreness when you clean, or experience bad breath (halitosis) or a metallic taste in your mouth. As with all health issues, prevention is far better than cure, so take those vital steps now and you could avoid problems later. OVERHAUL YOUR ORAL CARE . It's important to clean properly between your teeth, yet according to a MailOnline survey, only two in five of us floss on a daily basis . The first thing you need to consider is how you clean your teeth. It may seem obvious, but many of us have neglected to learn efficient and effective brushing methods, and have simply continued with our childhood technique, often slipping into sloppy habits. As with most areas of our lives, tooth care technology has vastly improved over recent years. Toothpaste formulas have changed dramatically to include multi-tasking active treatments that not only clean but care for your teeth on a daily basis. Even if your water supply contains fluoride, it’s worth using toothpaste which also contains this mineral, which helps protect against tooth decay. Ask your dentist or hygienist for their recommendation, as they will be able to offer expert advice on the best products to deliver optimum benefits for you. It’s important to make regular visits to a dental hygienist, as they can help remove stubborn tartar – hardened plaque – with a regular ‘scale and polish’, and monitor your oral wellbeing. If you’re not sure how frequently you should see a hygienist, your dentist will make a recommendation based upon your general oral health. BRUSH UP ON YOUR BRUSHING TECHNIQUE . While you are talking with your hygienist, tap into their expertise and ask for some guidance on brushing techniques. Many people are embarrassed to do this, as they feel it is an admission that they have potentially been doing it wrong, but it’s better correct poor habits now than continue and do further damage. If you’re still using a manual brush, you may find that switching to an electric brush helps clean more thoroughly, and helps to maintain the correct, even pressure – some more expensive brushes even alert you if you’re pressing too hard, to avoid pushing back the gumline and exposing the sensitive tooth root. Don’t be tempted to move the brush . around your mouth constantly, though. Let the rotating brush head do all . the work for you, and simply move from one tooth to another after a few . seconds. It should . take approximately two minutes to clean all your teeth – if it helps, . set a timer on your smartphone, and spend 30 seconds on each quarter of . your mouth, morning and night. Using a daily mouthwash can help control the build-up of plaque and protect against bacteria . Again, your hygienist will be able to advise on which type of brush head is best suited to your needs, and areas you really need to focus on. For example, some patients find one side of their mouth is healthier than the other, as they’ve cleaned more enthusiastically if they are left or right-handed. RINSE YOUR MOUTH OUT & GET FLOSSING . Use a daily mouthwash to help control the build-up of plaque and protect against bacteria. If you think you’re already showing signs of gum disease, talk to your dentist or hygienist, who may suggest you use a product containing chlorhexidine, an active ingredient that’s clinically proven to help treat gum disease. Products containing chlorhexidine are available over the counter, and can be an important weapon in the fight against gum disease. It’s also important to clean properly between your teeth, yet according to the MailOnline survey, only two in five of us floss on a daily basis. So, if you’re not doing it every day already, use floss, tape or small interdental brushes (they come in different sizes, so seek advice on which you need, which will depend on how tightly packed together your teeth are) to remove all remaining food debris and plaque from those crevices between your teeth. | 83% of Britons show signs of gum disease, but only 19% say they would visit their dentist if they noticed a change in their gums .
Almost half of Britons have never spoken to their dentist about gum health .
41% have .
experienced bleeding while brushing or flossing, yet one in three say .
they believe bleeding gums are caused by brushing too vigorously . |
17,312 | 3106edf7e3cde20e513689ae3c094a5a7b930350 | The evidence heard by the grand jury deliberating over the shooting death of Michael Brown could be kept secret, it has emerged, as the panel prepares to convene to discuss the case further. The jury, which is deciding whether to indict officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting the unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson on August 9, is expected to deliver a verdict on Monday morning. If they choose to indict Wilson, who is white, the testimonies, documents and photos presented to them will not be released to the public because they will be used during the subsequent trial. However, several weeks ago, St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said that if there is no indictment, the judge has agreed that the evidence in the case will be made public. Scroll down for video . Awaiting a verdict: The evidence heard by the grand jury deliberating over the shooting death of Michael Brown could be kept secret, it has emerged. Above, barricades are erected around Buzz Wesfall Justice Center . Shooting: The jury, which is deciding whether to indict officer Darren Wilson (right) for fatally shooting the black 18-year-old (left) in Ferguson, St Louis, on August 9, is expected to deliver a verdict on Monday morning . But on Sunday night, a contradictory statement was released, saying St Louis County Circuit Judge Carolyn Whittington has entered no such order or made no such agreement. In the statement, sent to KSDK-TV, the county's director of judicial administration, Paul Fox, said Judge Whittington must analyze the records before she can approve their release. He added that this cannot be done until the grand jury of seven men and five women has heard all of the evidence in the case of Brown, whose Missouri death made headlines across the world. The statement is in stark contrast to Mr McCulloch's earlier comments that 'If there is not an indictment returned... [the judge] has agreed, that the records will be made public.' Protesting: If they choose to indict Wilson, the testimonies, documents and photos presented to them will not be released to the public because they will be used during the trial. Above, protesters in Ferguson on Sunday . More demonstrations: However, several weeks ago, St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said that if there is no indictment, the judge has agreed that the evidence in the case will be made public . Large turnout: But on Sunday night, a statement was released, saying St Louis County Circuit Judge Carolyn Whittington has entered no such order or made no such agreement. Above, protesters take to the streets . It comes as law enforcement has dispatched hundreds of police armed with grenades, enlisted 100 FBI officers and erected barricades around Buzz Wesfall Justice Center ahead of the verdict. Brown's shooting in August sparked violent protests across Ferguson, Missouri and nationwide - and the conflicted suburb of St Louis is anticipating further outcry on Monday morning. On Sunday, as protesters took to the streets of Ferguson, a woman accidentally shot herself in the head with a gun bought for protection from the demonstrations, according to reports. The 26-year-old, named in a police report as Becca Campbell, was holding the gun in her boyfriend's car when he unintentionally rear-ended another vehicle, a police report said. Violent: It comes as law officials have dispatched hundreds of police armed with grenades ahead of the verdict. Above, a Los Angeles Times reporter is seen bleeding after being hit by a rock thrown by protestors . Break-dancing: Young boys break dance near a memorial for Michael Brown in Ferguson on Sunday night . Campaigning: Protesters march shouting slogans (right) and carrying signs (left) through St Louis on Sunday . It caused the gun to go off, hitting Miss Campbell, who died hours later in hospital. Last night, a lawyer for Brown slammed the grand jury process as 'unfair', saying that because of the procedure, officer Wilson could completely avoid trial. 'I have no doubt if they were to indict the police officer, he would be guaranteed his full constitutional rights of innocent until proven guilty,' attorney Benjamin Crump told ABC News . 'He would get every benefit of the doubt. I don't worry about the due process for officer Wilson. I worry about the due process for the little black boy dead on the ground. 'The process is completely unfair.' Following evidence from Wilson, forensic pathologists and witnesses, the panel will have to decide whether the officer intentionally violated Brown's civil rights by fatally shooting him. Last month, legal experts told MailOnline the charge is more complex and difficult to prove than a murder or manslaughter charge. Peter Joy, a professor at the Washington University of Law in St Louis, said the charge of civil rights abuse is a much higher standard than murder or manslaughter, as the 12 jury members will have to be certain Wilson intended to violate Brown's civil rights by shooting him dead. 'The civil rights abuses are even harder to prove than an underlying criminal conviction. The federal government does not step in to pursue a civil rights conviction unless they believe it was an intentional abuse,' he said. 'Racism': Protesters accuse the county police of creating a racial divide in the majority black suburb . Devastated: Daily tributes are paid to shrines for Michael Brown who allegedly had his hands up when he died . 'There are some criminal charges that don't involve that kind of mental state, like murder.For example, anger. They can be guilty of acting knowingly and recklessly, but it is different to intentionally violating a civil right.' As a result, he said, they will need forensic evidence of damage to the car to disprove Wilson's account if they are to find him guilty. Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden has urged protesters to refrain from violence, while President Obama has called for calm. Obama added that he has not ruled out a trip to Ferguson following the release of the jury's verdict. | Grand jury is preparing to convene on Monday in Brown shooting case .
12 civilians will decide whether to indict St Louise officer Darren Wilson .
Attorney previously said judge would release evidence if no indictment .
But on Sunday night, a statement was unveiled refuting the comments .
Judge must apparently analyze records first - they could remain secret .
Police with grenade launchers have lined streets of Ferguson, Missouri .
Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, urged protesters to stay peaceful . |
269,127 | e89d754c826a3b64ae86e657e43001fbb146b648 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- "I feel that my life is worthless. I have lost my interest in talking to others, and in my studies too. I have also lost interest in being with a crowd of people. All I want is to sit all by myself. Is my problem an illness? Has it got any solution?" - Letter from a male university student, 18, Nepal . "Chatting" on the road: SSMK reporters in action . This extract is just one example of the 1,500 letters and 400 e-mails that Binita Shrestha, 29, receives each month. As the host of Nepalese community radio show, "Chatting with my Best Friend," Shrestha and her co-host, Binayak Aryal, provide a vital link to young people across the remote regions of the mountainous country. "Chatting with my Best Friend," or "Saathi Sanga Manka Kura" (SSMK), launched in April 2001 with the mission to broadcast life skills to Nepalese youth and equip them with the knowledge and the confidence to make better-informed decisions. The lively hour-long show features drama, songs and light-hearted banter between its young hosts. But the focal point of the show -- and the reason for its popularity amongst its young and often isolated audience -- is the listeners' letters section, where Shrestha and Aryal give frank, unbiased advice on everything from teenage sex, HIV and drug use to careers and family matters. The team have handled letters from a girl whose father had raped her but whose mother wouldn't believe her; a boy whose HIV-positive girlfriend was pressuring him to marry her; a girl who had contracted a sexually transmitted disease and didn't know what to do; and girls facing sexual harassment on the streets. That's on top of the issues faced by many teens around the world: low self-esteem, lack of career opportunity, sexuality and self identity; plus the problems that have risen from the recent Nepalese conflict: enforced migration, the risk of landmines and dealing with disabilities. Some cases, like the one from the girl who was raped, require special attention. (She was advised to talk to her older sister and was put in touch with a local counseling center.) But the SSMK team are able to respond to most of their huge mailbag with templated letters and advice booklets, enabling the listener to make their own informed decision. The weekly show has six million listeners across Nepal -- a staggering 20 percent of the population and 50 percent of its 14-29-year-old target audience. Since launch, it has doubled in length, has its own spin-off careers show and has sired similar projects in Cambodia and Laos. And when the SSMK team hit the road, they are greeted like film stars by legions of avid fans. "You don't ever feel lonely. Anywhere I go, I am surrounded by people," says Shrestha. With its peer-to-peer approach, "Chatting with my Best Friend" aims to lift some of the taboos surrounding sex, drugs and related issues like human trafficking. Unsurprisingly for a country whose population is traditionally both modest and reticent, the show received some resistance when it was first broadcast. But while those taboos aren't going away -- even Shrestha says she sometimes feels awkward listening to the show with her family -- "Chatting with my Best Friend" has opened up communication both amongst youth and across the age divide. And the show's combination of friendly chat backed up with clear information is working. One of the main achievements of "Chatting with my Best Friend," according to its listeners, is that it has boosted their self-esteem. "[The show] has helped thousands of Nepalese deprived of proper knowledge," writes one. "Several of my problems got solved through your program," adds another. For the SSMK team, the show is no nine-to-five. The pressure is intense. When Shrestha leaves the office, her job follows her. People approach her on the street or when she's traveling, hoping that she can solve their problems. "They really have expectations," she told CNN. It can get overwhelming. "We can only give them comfort sometimes," she admitted. "I feel very bad if the situation is very critical and I am not able to do anything. We are just radio producers: we can't have solutions for everything." But their dedication brings a closeness that she treasures: "The people that work on the show are like a family. We all know what we're working for," she said. That closeness has helped Nepalese youth to link up with each other, too. Some found it uncomfortable to listen to the show's subject matter with their families, and chose to listen with friends. That's resulted in a thousand listener groups springing up across Nepal whose members listen to the show together each week, hold special information events and raise awareness of HIV, safe sex and other personal issues within their communities. One remote village's group even organized the building of a link road to the main highway, two kilometers away. The SSMK model's success has spurred a sister project in Cambodia, "We Can Do It!" that launches this December, and a more modest project in Laos based within a secondary school. Ronni Goldfarb, founder and president of Equal Access, hopes that the future will bring more opportunities for collaboration to bring the SSMK model to new countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Goldfarb is keen to point out how cost effective community radio can be. In rural Nepal, where Internet access is limited and television and print are prohibitively expensive, radio can reach thousands of youngsters who would otherwise be isolated within their small villages. Equal Access does this for less than ten cents a year per listener. "By 2020 the world's youth population will easily reach four billion," Goldfarb told CNN. "Empowering youth -- tomorrow's leaders, parents and teachers -- with self-esteem, the confidence and skills to create a better life, and a supportive network of peers is one of the most powerful contributions Equal Access can make to future generations and to a more equitable world." Back in Kathmandu, as half of Nepal's most famous youth radio duo, Shrestha's bright future has only begun. But she won't stay with SSMK forever. "Even though I feel really young at heart, I know that in years to come I won't be young any more," she explained. And when that day comes, she and Aryal will pass on the SSMK baton to a new generation of presenters -- who will bring the SSMK brand of friendly, supportive and practical advice to a new generation of Nepalese youth. ................................... How can we equip our youth to face the challenges of the future? What's the best way to inspire young people? Share your thoughts and read others' views in the Just Imagine forum. For more information on "Chatting with my Best Friend" and Equal Access's other projects, see the Equal Access Web site. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Brie Schwartz contributed to this report. | "Chatting with my Best Friend" broadcasts frank and practical advice in Nepal .
Show's remit is to educate youths in life skills, sex education, HIV awareness .
Half of Nepal's 14-29-year-old youths tune in to the weekly radio show .
Show's peer-to-peer model is being adapted for Cambodia, Laos . |
280,588 | f7820e1dfb554f482acd4643bff4c6defa48e6dc | House Republican leadership is standing by Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 3-ranking House Republican, in the wake of a firestorm of criticism surrounding his 2002 speech to a white supremacist group. Scalise's position as House majority whip has been thrown into doubt by the revelation, and the congressman had been calling members to gauge the level of support he had from his party, according to a senior House Republican source. But House Speaker John Boehner, in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, said Scalise has his "full confidence" as whip. "More than a decade ago, Representative Scalise made an error in judgment, and he was right to acknowledge it was wrong and inappropriate. Like many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I know Steve to be a man of high integrity and good character. He has my full confidence as our Whip, and he will continue to do great and important work for all Americans," he said. His message came shortly before a similar message of support from House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. The controversy surrounding Scalise's address to a group founded by former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke had become a major distraction for Boehner and his leadership team since the story drew national attention on Monday. The fallout: What you need to know . In a statement issued Tuesday, Scalise said he spoke to the group while he was barnstorming the district to build support for a piece of legislation — and that speaking to them was a "mistake I regret." "One of the many groups that I spoke to regarding this critical legislation was a group whose views I wholeheartedly condemn. It was a mistake I regret, and I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold," he said in the statement. "I am very disappointed that anyone would try to infer otherwise for political gain," he added, and decried the group's "hateful bigotry." The statement did not address how much Scalise knew about the group at the time of the speech. Duke himself has said he doesn't know Scalise. Duke's former campaign manager, who said he organized the event, also said the congressman likely wasn't aware of the controversial history of his group. However, a Roll Call report from 1999 suggests Scalise knew Duke well, and was critical of his beliefs. At that time, both were considered potential contenders in a House special election, and Scalise panned him in comments to the paper. "The novelty of David Duke has worn off," Scalise said. "The voters in this district are smart enough to realize that they need to get behind someone who not only believes in the issues they care about, but also can get elected. Duke has proven that he can't get elected, and that's the first and most important thing." In a coordinated move Tuesday, Boehner and McCarthy issued statements supporting Scalise within minutes of Scalise's new statement. There was frustration, according to the aides, that Scalise's initial statement, in which he blamed sloppy staff work for his appearance before the group in 2002, made it appear he wasn't taking full responsibility for the incident and moving to get it passed him. It is unclear at this point how much blowback Scalise will get from rank-and-file Republicans, and that might now be fully visible until lawmakers return to work next week after digesting the unfolding situation. While the only public expressions from Republicans to this point have been supportive, the aides predicted Scalise still needs to work hard in the days ahead to maintain the confidence of his colleagues. Critics of Scalise have been bipartisan, but so have his defenders. He's received strong support from Louisiana politicians, with African-American Rep. Cedric Richmond — the state's only Democratic House member — defending him from charges of racism. "I don't think Steve Scalise has a racist bone in his body," Richmond told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "Steve and I have worked on issues that benefit poor people, black people, white people, Jewish people. I know his character." But national Democrats have pounced on the episode, and as Boehner remained silent on the issue for most of Tuesday, ramped pressure on House Republican leadership to weigh in . House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, said the news of Scalise's speech is "deeply troubling" for a GOP leader, but also declared that "actions [of the House GOP caucus] speak louder than whatever" Scalise said during the forum. "Just this year, House Republicans have refused to restore the Voting Rights Act or pass comprehensive immigration reform, and leading Republican members are now actively supporting in the federal courts efforts by another known extremist group, the American Center for Law and Justice, which is seeking to overturn the President's immigration executive actions," he said in a statement. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a scathing statement charging Scalise "chose to cheerlead for a group of KKK members and neo-Nazis at a white supremacist rally" and slamming House leadership for their silence on the development. "While David Duke defends Scalise, Speaker Boehner and Leader [Kevin] McCarthy are refusing to condemn Scalise's choice of allies," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Josh Schwerin. Schwerin said the incident made it "clear their leadership has a history of embracing anti-Semitic, racist hate groups." According to an agenda for the event and notes attendees posted afterward, Scalise appeared at the National/International EURO Workshop on Civil Rights, a white nationalist organization founded by David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. The appearance was first reported on Sunday on CenLamar.com, a Louisiana politics blog run by Lamar White Jr. But Scalise vehemently disavowed the group's beliefs in his interview with the Times-Picayune, and said he "spoke to any group that called" — comparing it, as an example, to the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group known for helping to register new voters. "When you look at the kind of things they stand for, I detest these kinds of views. As a Catholic, I think some of the things they profess target people like me. At lot of their views run contradictory to the way I run my life," Scalise added. Scalise also suggested the appearance was in part due to staffing issues. "I had one person that was working for me. When someone called and asked me to speak, I would go. I was, in no way, affiliated with that group or the other groups I was talking to." CNN has learned that the staffer at the time was Cameron Henry, who currently holds Scalise's former state House seat. Henry rushed CNN off the phone Monday night and declined to discuss the situation, but did not deny his work for the congressman. Henry's brother, Charles Henry, is Scalise's current chief of staff. Neither responded to requests for comment on Tuesday. The controversy comes just days before Republicans take full control of Congress with House Majority Whip Scalise poised to play a key role in shepherding through conservatives' legislative priorities. But even conservatives have expressed frustration with Scalise, who they believe hasn't stood strong on their priorities — pointing most recently to his vote for the government funding measure that drew heavy opposition from conservatives because it didn't address President Obama's immigration executive action. Some, however, expressed support for him Tuesday. Rob Maness, the former Louisiana Senate candidate backed by the Tea Party, has been named as a potential primary challenger to Scalise but backed him in a statement to CNN. "As Congressman Scalise has already conceded - attending this event was a mistake. I think we are all currently taking him at his word that this was an isolated incident that happened some 12 years ago," Maness said. He added that if that's true, "this is clearly an orchestrated attack designed to distract" from the real issues, including "fighting back against President Obama's executive amnesty, correcting a weak and feckless Foreign Policy and stopping the massive expansion of government growth and spending." More broadly, however, the establishment silence has infuriated conservatives still smarting over their loss in the Mississippi Senate race, when their chosen candidate, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, was narrowly defeated by Sen. Thad Cochran after establishment Republicans lodged racially-charged attacks against him. McDaniel came under heavy fire from establishment Republicans for being billed as a headliner for a rally alongside a white nationalist, though he never ultimately attended the rally. In an email to CNN, McDaniel said that "of course there is a double standard for the GOP establishment." He noted that former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour "has a long history of despicable comments, some of them overtly racist," pointing to a Politico article outlining some of the more salacious. "And yet, he receives a free pass from establishment politicians because of his perceived influence. All the while, others are forever tarnished for less serious deeds," McDaniel said. He added: "The establishment wings of both parties are more hypocritical than fair, seeking to crush anyone -- friend and foe alike -- who would threaten their hold on power." Politicians in Scalise's home state of Louisiana rallied to his defense on Monday, however, saying they don't believe he agrees with the white supremacist group's ideology. "I know Congressman Scalise to be a good man who is fair-minded and kindhearted. I'm confident he absolutely rejects racism in all its forms," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement. But Scalise's alleged appearance at the event drew a harsh rebuke from Erick Erickson, the conservative RedState.com blogger and former Louisiana resident who asked of the congressman: "How do you not know? How do you not investigate?" "How the hell does somebody show up at a David Duke organized event in 2002 and claim ignorance?" Erickson wrote in a post Monday. He said Trent Lott -- the former Senate majority leader who was driven from his post after praising Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign -- lost his gig "for something less than this" in 2001. And he pointed to Republicans who hit Mississippi Senate candidate Chris McDaniel in 2014 for attending events hosted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans and for making plans to attend a rally where he was billed along with a white nationalist. | House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders say they'll stand by Steve Scalise .
Leaders were initially frustrated with Scalise's first response to the story .
Scalise called GOP members of the House on Tuesday . |
276,925 | f2c51b0e0127c01f19ddc868ff1d49182d76a52b | By . Sophie Jane Evans . A disabled Chinese boy has been tied up by his family for six years after they struggled to cope with his 'aggressive' behaviour. Xie Guobiao, 11, who suffers from a learning disorder, was first held captive in 2008 after he became a 'nuisance' in his hometown in Songyang County in China's Zhegijang province. His parents tied a rope around his chest, before attaching it to a wooden pole in their home. Captive: Xie Guobiao, 11, has been tied up by his family for six years after they struggled to cope with his 'aggression'. Above, the youngster is pictured at his home in Daouhi village as members of his family look on . Shocking: Xie, who suffers from a learning disorder, was first held captive in 2008 after he became a nuisance in his hometown. His parents tied a rope around his chest, before attaching it to a wooden pole in their house . Hidden away: The youngster gazes out from the doors of his home in Songyang County in Zhegijang province . For the past six years, they have kept him tied to the pole - and only allow him out of the house if he is attached to his 'rope lead'. Now, police are investigating claims of child cruelty against Xie's family after discovering the youngster tied up at the property. But astonishingly, officers have claimed the boy is clearly loved by his parents - and that the best option may be to actually keep him roped up. Before being held captive, Xie was nicknamed 'monkey boy' by locals in Daohui village because of his ability to scamper up trees and walls with ease. Kept under control: For the past six years, Xie's family have kept him tied to the pole - and only allow him out of the house for walks on his 'rope lead'. Above, Xie is pictured with his 68-year-old grandfather, Xie Juntu . Forced to stay inside: Chinese police are now investigating claims of child cruelty against the boy's family . Ready for a walk: Xie, pictured with a member of his family, is taken for walks on his 'rope lead' every day . He was blamed him for broken tiles and stolen fruit in the village, among other acts of vandalism and theft. His mother, Huang Baoxiu, said: 'Xie suffered from a lack of oxygen to . the brain at birth. This slowed down his development and made him . aggressive around others. 'He was always slipping out of the house . and getting into mischief. His father and I had no choice but to tie him . down.' His father, Xie Xianli, 41, added: 'I . was having to work more and more each day just to pay off the debts . caused by his vandalism. 'Nuisance': Before being held captive, Xie was nicknamed 'monkey boy' by locals in Daohui village because of his ability to scamper up trees and walls with ease. Above, the youngster is pictured on the roof of his home . Tragic: The young boy was blamed him for broken tiles and stolen fruit in the village, among other criminal acts . On a walk: Xie's mother, Huang Baoxiu, said her husband and she had had 'no choice' but to tie their son up . 'Now, I leave it to my father to tie him up every day before I go to work.' Xie's grandfather, Xie Juntu, said he tied the youngster to the pole every morning - but took him out for walks on his 'rope lead' later in the day. 'We tried medical cures but nothing worked,' added the 68-year-old. 'We are being cruel to be kind.' 'We are being cruel to be kind': Police officers have claimed the boy is clearly loved by his parents - and the best option may be to actually keep him roped up. Above, Xie with his grandfather (right) and another relative . | Xie Guobiao, 11, has been tied up by family in Daohui, China, since 2008 .
Parents tie rope around his chest every day, before attaching it to a pole .
They only allow youngster out of the house for walks on his 'rope lead'
Xie, who has learning disorder, had reportedly caused trouble in village .
He was blamed for broken tiles and stolen fruit, among other offences .
Police are now investigating claims of child cruelty against boy's family .
But astonishingly, officers say best option may be to keep him tied up . |
263,943 | e1da6a736cdecf9b57be3a5baa6adfbde8bde1fc | By . Mike Dawes . World No 19 Steve Stricker has withdrawn from next week's Open Championship and been replaced in the field at Hoylake by first reserve Ryo Ishikawa. Stricker has played a much reduced schedule in recent seasons and also opted not to compete at Muirfield last year, choosing to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary instead. Speaking during last month's US Open, Stricker said he was undecided about making the trip to England. Not attending: Steve Stricker has withdrawn from next week's Open Championship in Hoylake . 'Ask me . tomorrow, I could be going, ask me another day, I could be going home,' he said. 'I'm leaning toward not going. I'm thinking about throwing in . Greenbrier and then the John Deere (Classic). It's a long trip and I'm . not too fired up about it. But then I look at it, and it's a major. And I . should be going there.' England's Ross Fisher is now first reserve ahead of Canada's David Hearn. First reserve: Ryo Ishikawa, pictured with the Sega Sammy Cup on Sunday, has replaced Stricker . | Steve Stricker has withdrawn from Open Championship in Hoylake .
First reserve Ryo Ishikawa has replaced the world No 19 . |
284,585 | fcb80689ab9ad240074fd85b9aa00ab69be7df35 | The exterior of this abandoned aircraft hangar is unlikely to feature on any holiday postcards but appearances can be deceptive. Inside the giant dome is a water park the size of eight football pitches, boasting its own beaches, lagoons and tropical rainforest. Tropical Islands resort is housed within the largest free-standing hall in the world, which measures 66,000 square metres and is so tall the Statue of Liberty could fit inside it. Scroll down for video . Unlikely location: The resort is housed in an old aircraft hangar near Berlin and doesn't look particularly tropical from the outside . Sunny all year round: Inside, the hangar is home to pools, beaches, balmy lagoons and the world's largest indoor rainforest . Blue skies thinking: The resort has even erected a fake blue sky complete with fluffy white clouds, though it will never rain inside the dome . Making a splash: Tropical Islands is home to Germany's highest water slide tower which stands at a vertigo-inducing 27 metres tall . The water park is located in Krausnick, near Berlin and claims to offer tourists all the elements of a tropical holiday destination in the middle of Europe. The huge hangar once housed Zeppelins but its owners went bankrupt in 1992 and the building fell into disrepair. It was transformed 10 years ago into an indoor paradise by a Malaysian company. Inside, the temperature is always a pleasant 26C which means the attraction can host the world's largest indoor rainforest, along with pools, beaches and giant water slides. Among them is Germany's highest water slide tower which stands at a vertigo-inducing 27 metres tall. Up to 700 people an hour can zoom down a 21-metre undulating stainless steel slide before going on the 112-metre Crazy River steel tube slide and then reach a top speed of 70 kmph on the power turbo slide. Regeneration: The huge hangar once housed Zeppelins but its owners went bankrupt in 1992 and the building fell into disrepair until it was transformed 10 years ago . In a spin: The resort's multi-coloured slides tower over the dome and are one of the main attractions for families . Don't look up: Holidaymakers can pretend they are lounging on a tropical island, as long as they ignore the ugly grey dome above . Up to 700 people an hour can zoom down a 21-metre undulating stainless steel slide before going on the 112-metre Crazy River steel tube slide . The resort's indoor rainforest has a one-kilometre walkway and 50,000 plants, of which there are 600 different species. The complex also offers bars, saunas, lagoons and grottos to entertain a capacity of 6,000 visitors, along with 522 beds in various rooms and lodges, and hundreds of tents. There are 400 sunloungers to accommodate guests on the world's largest indoor beach and, although they won't be able to soak up real tropical rays, at least they can be sure that it will never rain. In the Bali Lagoon pool, swimmers can enjoy water temperatures of 32C while they are surrounded by palm trees, Balinese huts and even a waterfall. The park is also home to Europe's biggest tropical spa and sauna complex which is spread over 10,000 square metres. The six different treatment areas are modelled on various cultural sites, including the Elephanta Temple, which is a scale model of the original temple in India, and the Angkor Wat Temple based on the world-famous temple complex in Cambodia. Meanwhile, the Jungle Village sits on stilts five metres above the ground and houses a range of saunas and steam baths. Controlling the weather: The sun peeks through the dome's windows but it will never rain inside the tropical water park . World on your doorstep: One of the resort's zones features a Balinese-themed area complete with palm trees and Balinese huts . Huge project: The giant dome measures 66,000 square metres and is so tall the Statue of Liberty could fit inside it . Some visitors on TripAdvisor said the resort was great for winter trips and was the perfect place to entertain children, while others complained about high prices, long queues and a lack of sunbeds. Ravita wrote: 'The island is an amazing place - feels like a real tropical island and there are lots of things to do with tots', while HenrikKragh wrote: 'Lovely bathing, cool action, nice temperature, unique location and setting.' However, other customers were not so satisfied. Borszczuk wrote: 'Visited for one day during national holiday and the place was a bit overcrowded - forget about finding free sunbed, finding free spot on sand was quite hard too. In general, the place is great for kids. Adults will most likely find it OK but boring.' And Viswakumar A warned: 'The sauna area of the park has a nude dress code. So be prepared!' Soaking up the artificial rays: Tropical Islands has only 400 sunloungers to accommodate 6,000 visitors . Relaxation zone: The park is also home to Europe's biggest tropical spa and sauna complex which is spread over 10,000 square metres . Stay the night: The complex also offers visitors the choice of 522 beds in various rooms and lodges, along with hundreds of tents . Take a souvenir back with you: Tropical Islands' gift shop is well-stocked with family games and activities . Light fantastic: Bathers can chill out in different zones, several of which are modelled on other countries . Life's a beach: If you squint - and ignore all the screaming children - you can pretend that you are lounging on the beach in Bali . Home from home: Along with cheaper stays in tents and lodges, the resort offers families and couples more luxurious accommodation . Take the plunge: The resort's tropical spa and sauna complex is spread over 10,000 square metres and offers guests a range of treatments . Soak it in: In the Bali Lagoon pool, swimmers can enjoy water temperatures of 32C and are surrounded by palm trees, Balinese huts and even a waterfall . Family fun under one roof: The resort offers a host of activities and even has it's own mini-golf course . Mixed reviews: Visitors on TripAdvisor said the resort was great for winter trips while others complained about high prices, long queues and a lack of sunbeds . | Tropical Islands resort is housed within the largest free-standing hall in the world .
Space measures 66,000 square metres and is so tall the Statue of Liberty could fit inside .
The water park is home to the world's largest indoor rainforest, along with pools and beaches .
Holds a capacity of 6,000 visitors, along with 522 beds and 400 sunloungers .
Also boasts Germany's highest water slide tower, which stands at a vertigo-inducing 27 metres tall . |
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