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A Muslim player was penalized for dropping to his knees in prayer after scoring a touchdown. Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he dropped to the ground and performed the Sajdah in the fourth quarter of last night's game against the New England Patriots. Abdullah had just intercepted a pass from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and returned it for a touchdown. Penalty: Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he dropped to the ground and performed the Sajdah (above) during last night's game against the Patriots . Big play: Abdullah had just intercepted a pass from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (above) and ran the ball back into the end zone . Mistake: The NFL said in a statement on Monday that Abdullah (above) should not have been penalized . The NFL, who could have fined Abdullah, released a statement early Monday morning about the incident. Michael Signora, the NFL Vice President of Football Communications, wrote on Twitter, 'Abdullah should not have been penalized. Officiating mechanic is not to flag player who goes to ground for religious reasons.' The rule that referees claimed Abdullah violated reads, 'Prolonged or excessive celebrations or demonstrations by an individual player. Players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground. A celebration or demonstration shall be deemed excessive or prolonged if a player continues to celebrate or demonstrate after a warning from an official.' According to Mike Pereira however, the former Vice President of Officiating in the NFL, players who pray after scoring a touchdown are not in violation of this rule. Pereira even explicitly said as much on his Twitter account in 2013, writing, 'you're not penalized for going to the ground to give praise after a TD.' Faith: Abdullah (above, with his son Jalaal) is a devout Muslim who fasts during Ramadan . Pilgrimage: Abdullah (above, with his son Jalaal) also sat out the 2012 season so he could visit Mecca during the Hajj in October . No response: Abdullah (above) has yet to comment on the call . Players praying after major plays and touchdowns has long been common in the NFL. In fact, former quarterback Tim Tebow prayed so frequently during games that the act of kneeling with one's head bowed and an arm resting on bent knee became known as 'Tebowing.' Tebow, who is a Christian, was never once penalized by the NFL for this action. Abdullah, who fasts during Ramadan and even sat out the entire 2012 season so he and his brother, former NFL safety Hamza Abdullah, could visit Mecca during the Hajj in October, has yet to respond to the controversy. But Husain's brother Hamza told MailOnline that the penalty should never have been given and blamed possible 'ignorance' on the part of the referee. Hamza, a former Denver Broncos safety, said that his brother was merely thanking his God for allowing him to ‘show off his gifts at such a high level’. He said: 'We have always tried to be good examples of what Muslims are about and try to bring out the best in Islam. I don't think it was (a case of) it's a Muslim celebration, we're going to fine him. 'Maybe it was a bit of not knowing, simply a bit of ignorance by the referee. He didn't know what Husain was doing. 'Maybe he thought he was going down to pull something out of his jersey... referees are human and make mistakes and he is erring on the side of being cautious'. Hamza urged the NFL to educate itself and said that, compared to the slew of recent stories about the league, him and his brother are a positive story. He said that his brother prays five times a day and so when he was score the touchdown and was on his knees, a position known by Muslim as Sajdah, it seemed natural to lower his head to the ground. Hamza, who like his brother has been a devout Muslim his whole life, said that when he saw his brother do this he thought it was 'beautiful'. He said: 'I thought he was representing the NFL, his family and his religion in the right way'. Asked if he thought the league was racist, Hamza said: 'I don’t think the NFL is that way'. Hamza also said that if a Christian player was given a penalty for doing something similar than his brother would feel that it was unfair to punish him too. Tebowing: Giving praise following touchdowns and major plays is common among many players in the NFL, most notably Tim Tebow (above) Penalty or not, Abdullah's touchdown still helped carry the Chiefs to a 41 - 14 victory over the Patriots. This of course comes at a time when the NFL is already under fire following their botched treatment of numerous abuse scandals involving players including Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy, to name just a few.

Husain Abdullah received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he performed the Sajdah during Monday night's football game . According to the former Vice President of Officiating in the NFL, giving praise after a touchdown does not qualify as unsportsmanlike conduct . The NFL has since apologized for the call, saying Abdullah should not have been penalized .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:17 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:41 EST, 10 October 2012 . Dedicated Brian Cleaver enjoys living in his sheltered housing accommodation so much that he has built this stunning miniature replica of the entire complex made out of empty whisky cartons and cornflakes boxes. The 75-year-old has spent five hours a day over the last four years intricately constructing the scale model of the Belgrave Middleway sheltered housing complex in Birmingham where he has lived for the past 11 years. Incredibly, the model - which is 5ft long and 3.5ft wide - only cost the patient pensioner a mere £30 to make. Proud: Resident Brian Cleaver has created a six foot to one inch scale model of the Belgrave Middleway sheltered housing complex in Birmingham . Meticulous: Brian has spent four painstaking years building the model out of whisky carton and cereal boxes . How much? The total cost of the impressive model came to a paltry £30 . Brian obtained the original blueprints for the building in 2008 and set about constructing the complex in painstaking detail. The model is accurate right down to the number of flagstones on pavements around the building and even includes a tiny 2cm model of Brian's beloved pet dog Casey outside his room. Residents can gaze into miniature versions of their flats, and see tiny workmen fixing gutters - which are made of straws. Brian, a lifelong modeller who starting making scenery for his railway set as a child, said he decided to make the replica because he enjoyed living there so much. Resemblance: Brian obtained the original plans for the complex so he could make his model as accurate as possible . How it looks today: The fronts of the houses look remarkably alike, although the roofs on the model are red . Happy: The 75-year-old said he loves living in the complex so much he 'just wanted to do something to commemorate the place' Yesterday the retired stationary shop worker, said: 'I've done bits of scenery for my model railways over the years but never anything to this scale. 'I just love living here so much that I wanted to do something to commemorate the place, which would last a long time. 'Maybe I will keep extending it out until I've made an entire replica of Birmingham city centre. I might need a bigger house for that though. 'I enjoyed making it as people used to come to watch me. The usual question was "have you made my flat yet?' or 'where is my flat going to be when you get round to doing it?". Community: Brian even crafted small figures of people living in and visiting the complex as well as miniature cars . Labour of love: The mini version of Brian's home is complete with trees and gardens . Keeping the peace: An ambulance and police officers are on hand in Brian's model . Better than the real thing? Brian, a retired stationery company rep, has lived in the complex for the past 11 years . 'The building was made from Bells whisky cartons and the roof from cereal packets. The rest is stuff I have lying around. 'The only things I have bought ready-made are the people and the vehicles. It's only cost me about £30 in total. 'This is my legacy to the place which will hopefully be around for a long time even when I'm gone.' His local councillor Victoria Quinn described Brian's model as a 'work of art, made from old rubbish.' She added: 'The level of detail really is amazing.' Birmingham's NEC Group have since donated a glass case to protect Brian's work which is on display for visitors to the sheltered accommodation.

Brian Cleaver, 75, spent just £30 building the impressive 5ft by 3.5ft model . Pensioner said he loves his home so much he 'just wanted to do something to commemorate the place'

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Myleene Klass made the headlines recently for complaining about the the cost of birthday presents for pupils at her daughters' school. But it seems the television presenter isn't alone - new research shows that children’s parties are fast becoming an expensive headache for many Brits, with parents under heavy pressure at the school gates to cough up for 'cheeky' gifts. In a new survey, one in four mothers and fathers admit they have felt forced by fellow parents to spend more than they felt necessary on birthday presents. Scroll down for video . Many parents actually agree with singer Myleene Klass, who last week said she felt under pressure at the school gates to cough up for 'cheeky' presents for other people's children . The findings suggest that many parents share the negative view of Myleene about being asked to donate money towards a class collection for birthday gifts. One in eight of those polled said they had been asked to contribute towards a bigger present for a child, and of these, the majority (53 per cent) thought the request had been cheeky and that the child should be happy with what they received. Only a quarter of those questioned  (28 per cent) said they were happy to contribute to a group present if it meant the youngster got what they wanted. In terms of cost, more than a third were asked to contribute less than £10, while a further 42 per cent could choose how much to give. Classic FM presenter Klass hit the headlines last week after posting two emails she received 'from some school mums' detailing the parents’ preferences for 'a class gift for their daughters this year' - a desk and a Kindle. The group email suggested a donation of £10 each, but added that there was no obligation to join in. Classic FM presenter Klass hit the headlines last week after posting two emails received 'from some school mums' detailing the parents' preferences for 'a class gift for their daughters this year' Myleene posted the text of two emails she received from fellow parents, as well as her response . In a tongue-in-cheek reply, the 36-year-old mother-of- two, who lives in north London, jokingly said her daughter Ava might like a unicorn, adding that money could be donated at fictitious site www.getwhatyouregivenandendthismadness.com. The singer later confirmed that the emails were a year old and she also admitted that there had been some hard feelings in the playground following the publicity. But she maintained she was trying to convey a serious message and it was her intention to remind parents, who are under pressure to do the best for their children, of what birthdays should be about. The findings from the new research into birthday presents show that Myleene's school was towards the top end of the scale when it came to financial contributions. Around two-thirds of parents spend between £5-£10 on a gift to take to a child’s party, with a similar proportion saying they think this is the appropriate amount. Only a fifth (23 per cent) spend £10 or more, and a similar proportion (22 per cent) think it is appropriate to do so. Myleene, pictured, right, with her two young daughters, maintained she was trying to convey a serious message and it was her intention to remind parents, who are under pressure to do the best for their children, of what birthdays should be about . The poll also found that while the vast majority of parents (85 per cent) buy a new gift to take to a party, more than one in four (27 per cent) have given cash, and 28 per cent have recycled a birthday present. More than a third (35 per cent) have asked what the child wanted and then bought it. Cathy Ranson, editor-in-chief of Netmums, who commissioned the survey for the Press Association, said: 'Putting on a birthday party for youngsters should be child’s play - but it seems to bring out the worst in some parents. 'Over the last decade we’ve seen parties grow from simple affairs focused on the child to excuses for one-upmanship with ever more lavish venues and expensive gifts crammed into party bags. 'A recent study by Netmums found 16 per cent of parents now pay out more than £300 for a single party, with girls between the ages of two and four given the most pricey events. 'Shockingly, some parents admitted giving opulent gifts in party bags including jewellery, cameras, video games, phones, iPods and even tablets. 'While this may make the parents feel pleased with themselves, is it really what their kids want?' A recent study by Netmums found 16 per cent of parents now fork out more than £300 for a single party . She continued: 'Parties are about the people who go, not where they are held. 'After the last crumb of cake is eaten and final present unwrapped, children’s happy memories are made of who they played with, not how much their mum and dad spent on the day.' It is not the first time that children’s parties have come under the spotlight recently. Last month, Derek Nash from Torpoint, Cornwall criticised a mother who sent him an invoice for failing to give notice that his son Alex would not be attending her child’s birthday party. After his son did not go to the event, the birthday boy’s mother sent him an invoice for £15.95, saying that Mr Nash had left her out of pocket. Mr Nash said he did not have contact details for the boy’s mother, but she said in a statement that all details had been on the party invite.

Myleene Klass made headlines by complaining about pushy school mums . She revealed parents at her daughters' school asked for costly gifts . But new research shows that one in four British parents feel the same .

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Twenty-eight inmates escaped from a Brazilian jail after three women in sexy police costumes 'seduced' the prison wardens. Police found three wardens naked and handcuffed inside the morning after the mass breakout at Nova Mutum public jail near Cuiaba. Investigators say the women drugged the guards with spiked whisky after convincing them to take part in an orgy. Temptress: Three women wearing 'sexy' police outfits and sexy lingerie (pictured) tricked the wardens into letting them in by promising them an orgy . They arrived at around 3am on Thursday morning and asked if they could come inside to 'chat and drink', police say. The prison guards obliged and were soon persuaded to leave their posts, before heading to the sleeping quarters with the scantily clad women. After drugging and handcuffing the wardens, they took their keys and unlocked all the prison's cells according to police chief Angelina de Andrades Ferreira. She told a news conference: 'The plan was to seduce them. They served them cheap whisky with some substance to knock them out, then unlocked the central gate which accesses the internal cells. 'Whoever wanted to escape left by the front door. From the moment they drank the whisky the agents don't remember a thing. 'One was found dizzy, trying to wake up. Another slept for the whole afternoon and couldn't even be questioned.' Dozens of prisoners walked straight out the main door carrying guns and ammunition they took from the prison caches. The inmates took three 12-calibre rifles, shotguns, two 38-calibre revolvers and munition, she said. Police later discovered a bag of lingerie and skimpy leather police uniforms which they believe the temptresses wore to distract the wardens. Blame: The prison guards will now be charged with 'facilitating a jailbreak' and 'culpable embezzlement' because some prisoners walked out with weapons from the prison cache . Ms Ferreira said the escape was orchestrated by the boyfriend of one of the women who tricked the wardens. Bruno Amorim - who was one of the 28 that escaped - was serving time for attempted murder, robbery and firearms possession. A photo of one of the prison guards - lying face down without trousers on - was reportedly leaked by the police officers who found him. It has since been shared thousands of times on social media networks. The police chief said the three prison officers had been arrested and will be charged with 'facilitating a jailbreak' and 'culpable embezzlement' due of the theft of firearms. Last night, eight of the prisoners were recaptured after the police launched a massive manhunt to track down the fugitives. One inmate was found wandering around the centre of Nova Mutum in a drunken state, waving one of the stolen rifles. Another was caught after stealing a stealing a pick-up truck from a farm and crashing it, police said.

Three women turned up to prison in skimpy lingerie and police costumes . They convinced wardens to let them enter by saying they wanted an orgy . Prison officers were drugged with 'spiked whiskey' and then handcuffed . 28 prisoners escaped, including the boyfriend of one of the temptresses, . The prison guards will be charged with 'facilitating a jailbreak', police say . Eight inmates have been recaptured and returned to the Nova Mutum jail .

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By . Associated Press . Neymar could return to action for Barcelona on August 18 as the serious back injury that curtailed his World Cup continues to heal. The Brazil star fractured a bone following a challenge by Colombia defender Juan Zuniga in their quarter-final match and was ruled out for the rest of the tournament. But he is targeting the Gamper Trophy fixture with Mexican side Leon on August 18 for his comeback, which would come a week before the start of their La Liga campaign against Elche. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Neymar mobbed in Japan as he arrives to film advert . I'll be back: Neymar says he will return to Barcelona action on August 18 following the serious back injury that curtailed his World Cup with Brazil . Big in Japan: Neymar wears a 'Yukata', a casual summer Kimono, as he visited Japan for a promotional event on Thursday . Agony: Neymar lies on the ground in pain after a challenge from Colombia's Juan Zuniga fractures a vertebra in his back . Speaking at a promotional event in Japan, Neymar said: 'I am recovering bit by bit from the injury and I will arrive in Barcelona at 100 per cent. 'I want to have a good season and I would like to help my team-mates get good results.' The 22-year-old forward is expected to report back to Barcelona on August 5. The Catalan club ended last season without major silverware for the first time in six years and coach Gerardo Martino was sacked and replaced by former player Luis Enrique.

Barcelona forward has targeted return in Gamper Trophy match with Leon on August 18 . Neymar fractured a vertebra in his back after challenge from Colombia's Juan Zuniga at World Cup . 22-year-old star was in Japan for a promotional appearance .

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(CNN) -- Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo is an outspoken critic of international aid, arguing for years that foreign handouts stifle Africa's development, perpetuate corruption and hinder the continent's growth. A New York Times bestselling author, Moyo first grabbed international headlines with her 2009 book "Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way for Africa." Since then, she's penned two more books, on the subject of the decline of the West, and the effects of China's commodities rush. In a new interview with CNN's Robyn Curnow, Moyo explains why she's optimistic about the future of Africa. She looks at the positive impact that China can have on the continent and details the key drivers that will spur Africa's economic growth. An edited version of the interview follows. CNN: The aid debate is so different from before ... Dambisa Moyo: So much has happened in the last five years -- whether you're in Africa, South America or Asia, nobody talks about aid anymore. Policy makers themselves are going out and issuing debts in the market. My own country, Zambia, did a fantastic bond, a $750 million 10-year bond, last September. The discussion is so much more about job creation and investment, which is such a fantastic story and it's obviously partly to do with the fact that the traditional donors are having a financial problem, fiscal problem, on their balance sheets. They just don't have the capital anymore to hand out cash like they did in the past. CNN: The Chinese story has been thrown into the mix, has that changed the landscape? DM: Yes, absolutely, but in a strange way it's exactly what we need in terms of delivering economic growth and meaningfully reducing poverty. We need jobs, we need investment, we need trade, we need foreign direct investment, whether investment domestically but also from the outside. It's not some magic pill, everybody knows that this is the formula, and finally the Chinese are showing up, again, not just in Africa, but around the world with that elixir, that mix of opportunities to really transform these countries. Remember, 70% of the populations of these places is under the age of 24. There is no escape: we have to create jobs. Read this: How 'Afropreneurs' will shape Africa's future . CNN: A lot of people are critical of Chinese "neo-colonialism" but you argue that's not the case. DM: Well, it's not, because China has so many economic problems in itself. You know, this is a population of 1.3 billion people with 300 million people that live at the level of Western living style. So they've got a billion people to move out of poverty. The notion that they would be spending their time trying to colonize other places is just, frankly, absurd. I'm not saying that China should be given a red carpet, carte blanche, to come into Africa or, indeed, anywhere in the world, and do what they like. We do need the investment, we need job creation and we do need actual trade in these places. But I think what's really essential is to focus on what China can do for Africa, as well as what Africa can do for China. And I think that discussion is not had as objectively as it should be. Ultimately, the responsibility of how China engages in Africa is really at the domain of the African governments. We would not be worried about the risks of neo-colonialism or abuse, environmental abuse and labor issues, if we trusted the African governments to do the right thing. CNN: How do you see the trends playing out in the next decades? DM: I'm an eternal optimist. I'm probably the wrong person to ask, because I do believe that the structural and fundamental structures of Africa right now are poised for a very good few decades. If you look at an economy through the lens of capital, which is basically money; labor, which is basically how many people do you have and what skills do they have; and productivity, which is just, how efficiently they use capital and labor, the trend is very clearly in favor of Africa. Read this: African CEOs look to bright future . We've got a very solid fiscal story. The debt-to-GDP ratios in Africa today at the sovereign level are nowhere near the burdens that we are seeing in Europe and the United States. The labor story is very positive -- 60-70% of Africans are under the age of 25. So a young population dynamically needs to be leveraged, so definitely we need to invest in skills and education to make sure that we get the best out of this young population. And then, in terms of productivity, this continent is a great absorber of technologies and all the things that can help us become more efficient. Therefore, these three key drivers: capital, labor, and productivity, help spur economic growth. Now is it going to be smooth sailing? Of course not -- there will be volatility, but I think the real investors in Africa will be able to make a delineation between risk and uncertainty. CNN: And it's about a country's resources, too, right? DM: That's a brilliant question, because actually the answer is no. I think it's really about the structural things that I mentioned: capital, labor, productivity. Why do I say that? Let's take a look at the African stock market. There are about 20 stock exchanges in Africa and about 1,000 stocks that trade in Africa -- 85% of them are non-commodities. We're talking about banking, we're talking about insurance, we're talking about retail, we're talking about consumer goods, logistics companies, telecommunications companies, those are the stocks that are on the African stock market. CNN: Do you feel a sense of responsibility to represent the African success story? DM: Well, I suppose, for me, I feel a responsibility to tell the truth. This is a great continent. I went to primary school on this continent, secondary school, university, I've worked on this continent and I think that it's a great disservice that, for whatever reason, people have usurped an imagery of Africa that is absolutely incorrect. They focus on war, disease, corruption and poverty. That is not all about Africa and I think it's really essential if we're going to turn the corner, we need to take that responsibility, as governments, as citizens, not just Africans, global citizens to say, "that's actually not true." There are more poor people in India than there are in Africa; more poor people in China than there are in Africa, but somehow there's a stigma for decades that's been associated with the African continent that is completely unjustified -- and it's that I find objectionable.

Dambisa Moyo is a Zambian economist, investment strategist and author . She's been arguing for years that international aid stifles Africa's development . Essential is to focus on what China can do for Africa , she says . Moyo says capital, labor and productivity will help spur Africa's economic growth .

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By . Ian Ladyman . Manchester United's patience with manager David Moyes is being driven by an increasing belief that he was handed a questionable behind-the-scenes legacy by his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson. One club source said post-Ferguson, ‘it was like looking behind the curtain of the Wizard of Oz and seeing there was nothing there to work with’. United fans have grown increasingly disillusioned with Moyes in recent days as a disappointing season got a lot worse with 3-0 home defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City. VIDEO Scroll down to watch David Moyes reacting after each of United's PL losses . Blame Fergie! Manchester United sources claim Sir Alex Ferguson left the cupboard bare for the new boss . Smiling... but for how long? David Moyes has come under severe pressure after a string of bad results . Tense times: Supporters have started to turn on their manager after a dismal first year in charge . The United board and in particular the owners the Glazer family will only stand so many dreadful  performances on the field and next week’s daunting Champions League tie against Bayern Munich may prove decisive in terms of Moyes’s future. However, Sportsmail understands that one reason why chief executive Ed Woodward and fellow board members are giving Moyes so much time and patience is that they feel he inherited a set-up from Ferguson that was not fit for purpose at Barclays Premier League level. Nobody at the club wants publicly to sully Ferguson’s legacy, given that his 27-year reign lifted United from oblivion to the summit of European football. He also left Moyes a squad that had just won the league by 11 points. But it has since emerged that he ran United’s football operation in such a closed-off way that the board believe the task of restructuring required to bring it up to speed with the rest of Europe’s top clubs is much harder than expected. Boiling point: A fan attempts to confront Moyes during the awful 3-0 defeat against Manchester City . Grounds for concern: A plane will fly over Old Trafford on Saturday to show discontent towards Moyes . Differences of opinion: The derided 'Chosen One' banner will stay up at Old Trafford for now . Contrast: Moyes (left) holds his head in his hands as the Manchester City bench go wild in the derby . Patience pays: Ed Wooward is willing to afford the beleaguered Moyes more time to turn things around . Moyes has begun the process — . especially in terms of scouting and recruitment — but Woodward believes . the job of doing this has influenced the dismal events on the field. This is why the club wants — if at all possible — to give Moyes the . summer to put his own plans into action and recruit his own players. United know this strategy is not without risk and further bad results may force their hand. They plan to spend up to £200million on new players and nobody can blame recent bad performances on anyone but the man in charge. Nevertheless, the United source said: ‘Sir Alex had such a hold on the club that he was left to get on with it. His methods worked for him. ‘It was always known that David would have things to address behind the scenes but there has been much, much more and it has taken longer than was anticipated.’ Not happy: Ferguson has frequently seen his old side get beaten, particularly at home, this season . When will it end? Moyes has presided over United's worst ever Premier League campaign this season . Looking ahead: Moyes had a three-hour meeting with Woodward last week as they plan for next year . Not around much longer: Moyes expects Rio Ferdinand (left) to retire and Nemanja Vidic is off to Inter Milan . Moyes had a three-hour meeting with Woodward last week, the day after United beat Olympiacos 3-0 in the Champions League to set up next week’s clash with old foes Bayern. A sign of growing divisions among supporters is that one group have raised £840 to fly a plane over Old Trafford during the match with Aston Villa tomorrow with the banner: ‘Wrong One — Moyes Out’. This is a direct challenge to the Stretford End Flags group, who have refused to take down their ‘Chosen One’ banner inside the ground. If Moyes survives the turbulent days ahead, he has a list of players he wishes to move out of the club. These include midfielders Anderson, Nani and Wilfried Zaha and defender Alexander Buttner. Moyes will also listen to good offers for Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez. Meanwhile, Nemanja Vidic is leaving for Inter Milan and Moyes expects to lose Patrice Evra to Serie A and Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs to retirement. Off elsewhere? Ryan Giggs completed a takeover of Salford City on Thursday as he heads for retirement .

Manchester United's patience with David Moyes derives from misgivings over Sir Alex Ferguson's legacy . United fans are growing disillusioned with new boss . But the club's board are willing to stick by their man . Sportsmail understands Ed Woodward believes the set-up Moyes inherited wasn't fit for purpose .

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By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 19:00 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:51 EST, 31 October 2013 . A vaccine which could prevent HIV infection is on the horizon, new research suggests. Scientists have begun to understand the structure of the virus’s ‘envelope’ which helps it enter human cells. The researchers say the breakthrough is of great value for medical science. A vaccine which could prevent HIV infection (pictured) is on the horizon, new research suggests . The finding provides the most detailed picture yet of the AIDS-causing virus’s complex structure - including parts of the virus that future jabs could mimic to elicit an immune response. About 34 million people are infected with HIV and although drugs are used to manage many cases, there is currently no vaccine that can prevent new infections. None of the HIV vaccines tested so far have come close to providing adequate protection against the virus. About 34 million people are infected with HIV and although drugs are used to manage many cases, there is currently no vaccine that can prevent new infections . This is because of the challenges posed by the ‘envelope’ protein, which is called Env. Env’s structure is so complex and delicate scientists have found it difficult to get the protein into a form that is suitable for the imaging technique necessary to study it. Professor Andrew Ward, of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), explained: ‘It tends to fall apart, for example, even when it’s on the surface of the virus, so to study it we have to engineer it to be more stable.’ In the study, researchers created a version of Env that has the stability and other properties needed for successful imaging, but that retains virtually all the structures found on Env. Using cutting-edge imaging methods they were then able to study the new Env in minute detail. The study was the first ever of Env, and revealed the envelope’s structure in finer detail than has been reported before. The study for Science Express revealed how Env assembles and undergoes shape changes during infection, and showed how it compares to envelope proteins on other dangerous viruses - such as flu and Ebola. Professor Ian Wilson, of TSRI, said: ‘Most of the prior structural studies of this envelope complex focused on individual subunits - but we’ve needed the structure of the full complex to properly define the sites of vulnerability that could be targeted, for example with a vaccine.’

Scientists have begun to understand the structure of HIV's 'envelope' The 'envelope' is what allows the virus to enter human cells . Understanding it will allow scientists to identify parts of the virus that could be mimicked by a vaccine to elicit an immune response .

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By . Zoe Szathmary for MailOnline . Microsoft has revealed that it keeps $92.9billion 'permanently reinvested outside the U.S.' - meaning it has not paid $29.6billion in taxes. The tech company said in a SEC filing 'As of June 30, 2014, we have not provided deferred U.S. income taxes or foreign withholding taxes on temporary differences of approximately $92.9 billion resulting from earnings for certain non-U.S. subsidiaries which are permanently reinvested outside the U.S.' Microsoft noted that 'The unrecognized deferred tax liability associated with these temporary differences was approximately $29.6 billion at June 30, 2014.' Those figures were first noted in a report by The International Business Times. Sheltered? Microsoft has said it keeps $92.9billion overseas . 'The amount of money that Microsoft is keeping offshore represents a significant spike from prior years, and the levies the company would owe amount to almost the entire two-year operating budget of the company’s home state of Washington,' the website reported. In June, a Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ) report indicated that Microsoft heavily relies on tax shelters. 'Microsoft reported operating 10 subsidiaries in tax havens in 2007 in 2013, it disclosed only five,' the report said. 'During this same time period, the company increased the amount of money it held offshore from $6.1 billion to $76.4 billion in U.S. taxes. That implies that the company pays a tax rate of just 3 percent to foreign governments on those profits, suggesting that most of the cash is booked to tax havens.' International: Microsoft reportedly employs locations in Ireland, Bermuda, Singapore, and Puerto Rico to help it avoid paying taxes, according to a Senate report. Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is seen here . That report cited other companies that allegedly use tax shelters, some of which reportedly include Apple, General Electric, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Google and Exxon Mobil. The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations explained in a 2012 report that Microsoft uses locations in Singapore, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Ireland to handle its funds. MailOnline's request for comment to Microsoft was pointed toward testimony from Bill Sample, who appeared in front of the subcommittee - not unlike a request from The International Business Times. At the time, Sample said 'Microsoft's tax results follow from its business, which is fundamentally a global business that requires us to operate in foreign markets in order to compete and grow. In conducting our business at home and abroad, we abide by US and foreign tax laws as written. That is not to say that the rules cannot be improved--to the contrary, we believe they can and should be.' Sample's testimony also criticized the US tax system, including 'U.S. international tax rules,' corporate tax and residual tax. 'We believe the U.S. should reform its tax rules to support the ability of American businesses to compete in global markets and invest in the U.S.,' Sample said at the time.

The tech company said in a 2014 filing it keeps $92.9billion in funds 'permanently reinvested outside the US' Microsoft is believed to heavily rely on tax shelters to keep costs down . A Senate report said in 2012 Microsoft used offices in Singapore, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Ireland for tax purposes .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:04 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:09 EST, 10 July 2013 . President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have shared a tender moment when he surprised a group of children during a White House luncheon, in a rare public display of affection. The First Lady hosted 54 children and their relatives for a 'state dinner' at the White House on Tuesday to celebrate the fact that they won a nationwide competition to create new recipes as a part of her initiative to promote healthy living. The President was an unannounced guest at the luncheon in the East Room and he seemed very happy to see Michelle. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Healthy living: First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an event dedicated to the 8-to-12 year old winners from each state who came up with a healthy new recipe . Surprise guest: President Obama wasn't billed to be at the event but he said that normally he is invited to state dinners so he felt it appropriate that he stop by . Tender moment: The first couple shares a kiss after he gives his brief speech at Tuesday's lunch . Wowing the crowd: The event ties in with Mrs Obama's healthy eating initiative . 'I could not be prouder of the work that Michelle has done, her team,' he said after taking the stage and giving her a kiss. She started off the proverbial love-fest by introducing him as 'a dear, dear man in my life, someone who I love deeply, who is the wind beneath my wings'. She went on to call him 'just a very awesome world leader' as well. This is the second time Mrs Obama has held the luncheon in the White House as a part of her Let's Move campaign that promotes nutritious eating and physical activity. Sharing the stage: The event was held in the White House's East Room . Support: The President said that he is very proud of Michelle and her team for making the event happen . Matching the set: Mrs Obama's dress picked up on the citrus hues used to decorate the room . Connecting on their level: Mrs Obama talked to Amber Kelly from Washington who won for her 'Nummy No-Noodle Lasagna' The contest for 8- to 12-year-olds is sponsored by the Epicurious food website and the departments of Agriculture and Education . Mrs Obama tucks into one of the dishes. The First Lady hosted 54 children and their relatives for a 'state dinner' at the White House . The contest for 8- to 12-year-olds is sponsored by the Epicurious food website and the departments of Agriculture and Education. It drew a batch of more than 1,300 entries that were whittled to 54 winners - one from each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. Creative titles clearly helped some contestants stand out, like the creators of the Confetti Peanut Ginger Party Pasta which was singled out by the First Lady. Banana’s Black Bean Burritos, Bring It On Brussels Sprout Wrap and the Pan Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice were among the other unusual names. Obama greets Taddy Pettit, 10, from Oakwood, Illinois. During the meal, the President admitted that his expertise does not lie in the kitchen . This is the second time Mrs Obama has held the luncheon in the White House as a part of her Let's Move campaign that promotes nutritious eating and physical activity . Special moment: President Obama walked around the room and introduced himself to some of the children . Her story: Makenna Hurd of Tennessee won for her dish of 'Makenna's Bodacious Banana Muffins' Healthy peers: Noah Koch, who sat next to Makenna, won for his 'Vegan Powerhouse Pesto Pasta' She went on to tell how White House chef Sam Kass could not believe that the Fun Mini-Pizzas with Veggies and Cauliflower Crust were gluten, and he accused his su-chefs of adding wheat to the the dish to make it taste so good. For his part, the President said that his expertise does not lie in the kitchen. 'Frankly, I'm not a great cook and-- I'm not bad, but I don't do it that much. It’s hard to find the time,' he told the crowd. He said that he didn't love vegetables . as a child because boiling would make them 'get all soft and mushy, and . nobody wanted to eat a pea or a Brussels sprout because they tasted . horrible because they were all mush.' 'Now . I actually like vegetables because they’re prepared right.  And so you . guys are getting a jump on things because you're figuring that out . earlier.' Later, according to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Obama fielded questions from student reporters covering the event, including: What’s your favorite food? To which he answered: 'Broccoli.' A waitress serves the healthy food to the waiting guests. Recipes included - Confetti Peanut Ginger Party Pasta which was singled out by the First Lady . Other recipes included Banana's Black Bean Burritos, Bring It On Brussels Sprout Wrap and the Pan Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice . Testing it out: The children and their parents were treated to some of their own creations . Regional accents: Genzo Gonzales of Sa'ipan, Northern Mariana Islands won for his Kangkong Pomegranate Salad . Slight differences: Sippy cups aren't typically used at official state dinners but certain precautions are made for children . He told the children that he didn't love vegetables as a child because boiling would make them get all soft and mushy .

Michelle Obama hosted children at a White House luncheon Tuesday . They had won a national healthy recipe contest . President Obama made a special appearance and said he was 'proud' of Michelle and her team . He admits brocoli is his favourite food .

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Jenson Button will go into the British Grand Prix with his future as uncertain as at any time in his distinguished 15-year career. Button, 34, is out of contract at McLaren at the end of the season and the team are waiting to see how the driver market shakes up before deciding whether to offer the 2009 world champion a new deal. Sportsmail understands that Fernando Alonso of Ferrari is top of McLaren’s short list, with Lewis Hamilton a maverick possibility to return to the team that nurtured his talent. VIDEO Scroll down for Jenson Button takes part in an extraordinary car wash . Uncertain future: Jenson Button's spell at McLaren is in doubt . A source close to McLaren said the hierarchy believe Button is ‘a tenth or two’ short of the speed they want to help them escape the mediocrity of recent seasons. Ron Dennis said after last Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix that they were ‘not looking to finalise our driver line-up now’ — hardly a ringing endorsement of Button. Much depends on whether Alonso is ready to join McLaren at the start of their engine partnership with Honda, which begins for next season, or would rather see out the final year of his Ferrari contract before committing. It is understood McLaren would have no reluctance in signing Alonso despite the acrimonious year they spent together in 2007. Top target: Fernando Alonso is on McLaren's wish list . Their less favoured option is Hamilton, although he would only leave Mercedes if he loses out on the title to his team-mate Nico Rosberg. Even if Alonso or Hamilton joined, Button could yet be preferred to McLaren’s other driver, rookie Kevin Magnussen. Button is certainly confident the British Grand Prix on July 6 will not be his last. Alternative: Hamilton is an option for McLaren . ‘Not as far as I know,’ he said. ‘I don’t know why McLaren wouldn’t take me for next year. The delay is just the way it is for a big team. We will leave it to the last moment to make a decision.’ Button is popular with the team and sponsors, as well as being experienced and reliable. ‘It’s not necessary to talk about contracts right now because they’ve got other things to focus on, like making the car quicker,’ he said.

Button's contract at McLaren expires at the end of the campaign . McLaren will wait to see how the market shapes up before making an offer . Alonso is top target while Hamilton is a less favourable option .

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It might not look out of place in a private gym – but for the various straps to keep the occupant in place and the hospital drip stand looming ominously behind. Pictured is the notorious restraint chair at Guantanamo Bay, where former inmates claim they were subjected to long hours of agonising forced feeding. The US military is still using the chair to cope with a hunger strike by 104 of the 166 prisoners which has lasted more than three months. Force-fed: The restraint chair used to force-feed detainees on hunger strike at the detainee hospital in Camp Delta which is part of the U.S. military prison for 'enemy combatants' in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba . Strike: A military doctor holds a feeding tube used to feed detainees - a hunger strike which started with a handful of prisoners, has now become a mass protest with 104 detainees taking part . Legal black hole: The detainee hospital's operating room - Guantanamo, a US military base in Cuba, has previously been criticized as being a legal black hole where inmates have fewer rights than those who are held on mainland US soil . Each day, up to 40 of them are strapped down and kept alive with a liquid nutrient mix fed through a nasal tube. Medical experts have described the . practice as unethical and dangerous, and even Barack Obama has condemned . it, saying in his national security address: ‘Is this who we are? Is . this something that our Founders foresaw?’ But officials insist ‘enteral feeding’ is considered safe and its use has been upheld by the courts. Under the procedure, an inmate who . refuses nine successive meals or whose body weight drops significantly . is offered a twice-daily can of a nutritional supplement, Ensure, whose . flavours include butter pecan. If he refuses, guards shackle him into . the chair by his arms, head and feet, and a nurse inserts the tube up . his nose, down the back of his throat and into his stomach. Necessity: The feeding tube and other items used in the forced feeding of detainees - the images provide an insight into the conditions that hundreds of detainees have been kept in since the facility opened in 2001 . Up to 44 are strapped down each day and force-fed liquid nutrients through a nasal tube. 'We do it to preserve life,' Navy Capt. Robert Durand. said, denying the assertions from prisoners that the procedure is painful . Pick a face: A chart used at the detainee hospital for patients to indicate their pain level . Most prisoners are taken to designated . ‘feeding cells’ but a few are fed at the Cuban base’s detainee . hospital, where these photographs were taken. They are asked to point to . one of six happy or sad faces on a card  to indicate their discomfort . level. Samir Naji al Hasan Moqbel, a Yemeni . who has been on hunger strike since February after 11 years at . Guantanamo, recently described how he wanted to vomit when the feeding . tube was first stuck up his nose. ‘There was agony in my chest, throat . and stomach,’ he said. Ahmed Zuhair, a 47-year-old former . inmate, recently described how four years of being regularly strapped to . what he dubbed the ‘torture chair’ had damaged his back and nasal . passages. Brick wall: Calls for the doctors who force-feed hunger striking prisoners at Guantanamo Bay to refuse to perform the practice on ethical grounds have gotten no traction, a spokesman for the prison said earlier this month . Checks: A U.S. Army Military Police officers check in on detainees during morning prayer at Camp V. Camp V and VI, are where most of the detainees are held. There is also a third, top secret detention facility called Camp VII or Camp Platinum where 'high-value detainees', including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are kept . Zuhair, a Saudi former sheep trader . who was never charged with any crime during a seven-year stretch at . Guantanamo which ended in 2009, said his nose would bleed during each . force-feeding. He claims he would be forced roughly into the chair and . left there much longer than the official two-hour maximum. ‘The pain . from each force-feeding is so excruciating that I am unable to sleep at . night because of the pain in my throat,’ he said in a sworn statement. US military officials have . acknowledged a ‘forced cell extraction team’ was repeatedly used to move . Zuhair when he refused to walk on his own to where hunger striking . detainees were fed. Preparing food: Food is prepared for the detainees in a kitchen at the U.S. military prison . Food time: Sam Scott shows off food that has been prepared in a kitchen for the detainees at the U.S. military prison . Back up: The military had about 100 medical personnel treating the prisoners before the strike began expanding rapidly in March but has since added reinforcements, bringing the total to nearly 140 . Scouting out: Divers enter the water at Windmill beach near where the U.S. military prison for 'enemy combatants' is located in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba . Pride: U.S. Army Public Affairs Officers salute during a basewide playing of the National Anthem near where the U.S. military prison . Secure: Razor wire is seen on the fence around Camp Delta. Many of the inmates have been there more than a decade, most without charge . A military spokesman said the feeding tubes are lubricated and prisoners are offered anaesthetic to prevent long-lasting damage. ‘We think there are adequate . safeguards in place to make it as pain-free and comfortable as possible. It’s not done to inflict pain and it’s not done as punishment. It’s . done to preserve life.’ The pictures were taken by the Getty agency . after it was granted a request to visit the base. Its photographer was . not allowed to see any patients. Three doctors writing this month in . the New England Journal of Medicine called Guantanamo a ‘medical . ethics-free zone’ and urged doctors there to speak out. ‘Force-feeding a . competent person is not the practice of medicine; it is aggravated . assault,’ they said. In April, the American Medical Association said force-feeding detainees violated the profession’s ‘core ethical values’. US Marine General John Kelly, who . oversees Guantanamo, sparked criticism when he denied detainees were . being force-fed, calling it ‘Hunger Strike Lite’.

Dubbed the most expensive prison on Earth, the facility has 166 inmates currently in custody . Around 104 prisoners have been on hunger strike since February - they are being force-fed . If they . refuse to eat, a tube is inserted through their nose into their stomach while . being restrained . Force-feeding is a term that is banned - it is called 'enteral feeding' at the facility in Cuba . Many of the inmates have been there more than a decade, most without charge .

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After summer floods and droughts, freezing winters and even widespread snow in May this year, something is clearly wrong with Britain's weather. Concerns about the extreme conditions the UK consistently suffers have increased to such an extent that the Met Office has called a meeting next week to talk about it. Leading meteorologists and scientists will discuss one key issue: is Britain's often terrible weather down to climate change, or just typical? Scroll down for video . Wintry: A blanket of snow covers Teesdale in County Durham on the first . Bank Holiday in May this year, an event which has helped spark a Met . Office summit . It follows the coldest spring in more than 50 years, as well as droughts and floods in 2012, the freezing winter of 2010 and incredibly widespread snow last month. Experts will travel to the forecaster's . headquarters in Exeter on Tuesday for the meeting. Attendees are expected to debate whether the changing . weather pattern in the UK, and in northern Europe, is because of climate . change or simply variable weather. 'We have seen a run of unusual seasons in the UK and northern . Europe, such as the cold winter of 2010, last year's wet weather and the . cold spring this year,' a Met Office spokesman told the . Guardian. 'This may be nothing more than a run of . natural variability, but there may be other factors impacting our . weather. 'There is emerging research which suggests there is a link . between declining Arctic sea ice and European climate - but exactly how . this process might work and how important it may be among a host of . other factors remains unclear.' Digging out: Britain's winters have been particularly extreme, with most areas of the UK being hit with heavy snow at some point since 2010 . Wet Christmas: Despite being taken on December 27 2012, this picture of The Rose and Crown pub near Worcester shows the warm wet conditions the UK will suffer . Experts will identify what further . research is needed and discuss whether climate models need to be revised . to take into account any recent changes to weather patterns . It comes . after the National Farmers' Union reported that wheat harvests are . likely to be around 30 per cent lower than last year as a result of the extreme . weather. Earlier this month the Met Office said below average . temperatures throughout March, April and May made it the fifth coldest . spring in national records dating back to 1910 and the coldest spring . since 1962. March was 'exceptionally' cold, averaging 2.2°C. In more bad news, this week forecasters warned unsettled and wet conditions could last until the end of July and into August. Scorched: This picture of Hyde Park in the summer of 2010 shows how dry the UK summer can be . The last two weeks of warmer, clear days have been replaced by erratic conditions, including rain and high winds of up to 40mph, interspersed with pockets of warm, sunny and dry periods. Forecasters have attributed the unpredictable stretch - which is being caused by a south shifting jet stream - to just another 'typical British summer'. The 'blink and you'd miss it summer' is the latest in six months of unsettled weather, including a particularly bitter winter, and unseasonably cold Spring - which saw the coldest Easter Sunday on record. Extreme rain: This graph shows that since the 1960s there has been more and more days of torrential rain a year in Britain . Wet spots: This map of Britain shows where the the highest levels of torrential rain in 24 hours tends to fall . Jet streams are belts of fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmosphere, formed near air masses with significantly different temperatures. They are responsible for moving weather around the latitudes. The Polar jet stream, which is the most northerly jet stream, affects the UK, and tends to be further south in the winter and further north in the summer. But it has been sitting further south than is normal for this time of year, which is why the UK looks set to experience a wet summer.

Met Office has called extreme weather meeting for next week . Experts to discuss if it is result of climate change or just typically British . Meeting sparked after UK suffered its coldest spring for 50 years . 'We have seen a run of unusual seasons in the UK,' Met Office says .

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Editor's note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com. If you've rolled up your sleeves and gotten experience, tell potential employers when applying for a job. Talk to a dozen students on any college campus and you're likely to hear a dozen different perspectives on what they hope to get out of college. Some want high GPAs; some want to get into the work force and earn a lot of money. Ask their parents and you'll get just as many different answers. Some parents hope that their children earn their degree and have an easy time finding a job. Others want them to be at the top of the class so they can get into the best graduate school possible. And some just want their children to stop partying long enough to attend class once in a while. Ask employers what they want from graduates and the answers are equally diverse. Depending on the job, you might need a degree and an internship, a degree and work experience, or the right connections to even land an interview. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 39 million Americans over the age of 18 have a bachelor's degree. Considering that 281 million people live in the country, college graduates are still a small percentage of the population. Still, with a number in the millions, you are competing with a lot of job seekers who also have the same educational background as you. Relying only on your bachelor's to land a job is not the safest route to employment. As with most things, it's all in the presentation. Degree or not, presentation matters . Sue Chehrenegar studied biology as an undergraduate and biomedical research as a graduate student. During her job search, she found herself losing out on job opportunities because she lacked the proper experience, despite her education. Or so she thought. "At the end of the 1980s, I spent more than one year looking for a job," she remembers. "I kept getting this question: 'Have you done anything in the area of molecular biology?'" She would tell employers that she didn't have the proper experience because she wasn't specifically trained for that. "I did not mention the fact that I once assisted a graduate student who was putting DNA and RNA into cultured cells." What does that mean in layman's terms? Because her specialization and the bulk of her experience was not in this particular field, she didn't consider the limited work with the graduate student worth mentioning. She later realized employers weren't looking for someone to be the ultimate authority on the subject; they wanted someone who had a broad range of knowledge. "I realized my mistake more than two years after I got a job," Chehrenegar remembers. "My first year I worked in an infectious disease lab. Later, they put me in a molecular biology lab. When I helped with one of the projects in that lab, I realized that my old, unmentioned experience related to what I was doing at that time." A degree isn't useless . Sure, if you're applying for a job with bio- as a prefix, you know a degree is a requirement. But for less research-intensive jobs, you might think a degree can always be supplanted by enough experience. Depending on your occupation, that could be true but isn't a hard and fast rule for all positions. For example, you might be able to find work at a museum, but you the odds of you transitioning into a curator can be extremely difficult without extensive education in art history and related courses. You could find that you hit a ceiling in an organization. Although this bodes well for graduates who come armed with one or more degrees, it also means that workers in this industry have the opportunity to earn an education while they ascend the corporate ladder. In some cases, the combination of their experience and a recently awarded degree could be more impressive if you've relied on your degree and haven't diversified your experience. How to present yourself . Here are some tips to keep in mind when presenting yourself to employers: . • Even though you know education isn't the single factor in getting hired, it is often a prerequisite to land an interview. Don't hide your degree just because you have a lot of experience -- you don't want to lose out on an interview because your education was overlooked. • Use all of your education to your advantage. Connect the job requirements to any courses you took, whether as an elective or part of your minor. You might not have loved that statistics course, but if it's relevant to the job, mention it. • Treat work experience and internships as proof that you're a professional, not just a student. If you speak as if you see yourself as a student who doesn't consider himself or herself as part of the working world, the employer might not either. Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2009. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority .

Presentation of your experience can be just as important as your degree . Some 39 million Americans have a bachelor's degree . Present any of your internships or work experience that employer may appreciate .

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(CNN) -- Former Miami Dolphins player Chad Johnson is to be arraigned Thursday on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge, prosecutors in Florida said Wednesday. Johnson is charged with first-degree misdemeanor domestic battery in the alleged head-butting last month of his new wife. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, according to the Broward State Attorney's Office. A day after the alleged incident August 11 at his home in Davie, Florida, where he lived with his wife, Evelyn Lozada, the Miami Dolphins released the longtime NFL wide receiver. He played a preseason game the day before the incident, but had not participated in a regular season game with the team. No reason was given for his release. Johnson and Lozada, a cast member on the VH1 reality TV show "Basketball Wives," married on July 4. Their time together was to be featured in a new series on that network. Lozada files for divorce . That reality show, "Ev and Ocho," was canceled shortly after the alleged head-butting, VH1 said on its website. According to the arrest report that the Davie Police Department released last month, Lozada returned to the couple's home from grocery shopping shortly after 7 p.m. August 11 and noticed a receipt with a charge for a box of condoms. The couple then began talking about the sales receipt and their marriage, according to the arrest report. "As they were talking, Johnson became upset and without (his wife's) permission, grabbed her and butted her on the forehead, causing a laceration," the police report said, giving her account. After trying to calm down a screaming Johnson, his wife said she ran "to a neighbor's house to get away from" him. A Davie police officer soon responded and found Johnson's wife with an approximately 3-inch cut in the middle of her forehead. Officer Christopher Epps then questioned the football player, the arrest report said. Johnson confirmed there had been an argument, saying his wife had been yelling and that "she then head-butted Johnson." Johnson did not have "visible marks or bruises," the arrest report said. His wife indicated she wanted to press charges, signing an affidavit of complaint, according to police. She was taken to Westside Regional Medical Center in Plantation, Florida, to be treated. The football player was known as Chad Ochocinco -- a Spanish-language take on his jersey number, 85 -- before his marriage. The prolific tweeter, with four posts on August 11 alone, though none about the incident, is known as much for his vibrant personality as his play on the field. He starred in VH1's "The Ultimate Catch," a 2010 reality dating show in which he considered potential female mates in a tournament-style format. Johnson spent his first 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, earning six Pro Bowl selections. The southern Florida native spent last season with the New England Patriots, then signed in the offseason with the Dolphins. Lozada: Domestic violence is not OK . CNN's Jane Caffrey, Douglas Hyde and Maria P. White contributed to this report.

Former Miami Dolphins player Chad Johnson is to be arraigned Thursday . He is charged with misdemeanor domestic battery . He faces up to a year in jail . Reality show with new wife was canceled after he allegedly head-butted her .

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Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Education granted eight additional states waivers Tuesday from strict requirements of the No Child Left Behind law. The White House announced a deal last year that allows states relief from provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or No Child Left Behind (NCLB), if certain standards are met. The federal flexibility will be allowed "in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership, " according to the U.S. Department of Education. With the addition of eight news states, the Obama administration has approved 19 states so far, while 17 states and the District of Columbia are under review. U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the latest waivers for Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island at an event in Hartford, Connecticut. "These eight additional states are getting more flexibility with federal funds and relief from NCLB's one-size-fits-all federal mandates in order to develop locally-tailored solutions to meet their unique educational challenges," Duncan said. "States must show they are protecting children in order to get flexibility. These states met that bar." The first round of waivers was announced in late February. Republicans have been critical of Duncan and the waiver program. "I don't believe that the language of the law allows the secretary to provide conditional waivers," said Rep. John Kline, R-Minnesota, chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce at a hearing in late March. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney praised the progress of the No Child Left Behind Law in his education plan laid out last week in Washington, but criticized Democrats for stalling the issue . "As a result of NCLB, standards, assessments and data systems are light-years ahead of where they were a decade ago," according to Romney. "The Obama administration's refusal to work with Congress to address these challenges represents a clear failure of leadership." The U.S. Department of Education has given states a September 6 deadline to apply for the next round of waiver requests.

The addition of 8 new states brings to 19 the number of states with waivers . Another 17 states and the District of Columbia are under review for waivers . The White House announced last year states could get waivers if certain standards are met . Education secretary: "States must show they are protecting children in order to get flexibility"

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By . Lucy Crossley . Mealtime favourite HP Sauce has beaten products including Marmite and tomato ketchup to be named the bran that Britons have the greatest 'emotional connection' with, according to a new study. The nation has a greater affinity to the famous brown sauce than anything else bought from supermarket shelves. Marmite, Heinz Tomato Ketchup and treats . such as Jaffa Cakes and Ribena also made the top ten in a list compiled . from a survey of 5,000 shoppers. Best of British: HP Sauce has beaten products including Marmite and tomato ketchup to be named the bran that Britons have the greatest 'emotional connection' with . Instead of simply asking which products they bought, advertising agency Leo Burnett asked shoppers about brands they had an affinity to, trusted the most and felt an emotional connection with. HP, the brown sauce with the familiar picture of the Palace of Westminster on the label, topped the list. It was first made in Nottingham by grocer Frederick Gibson Garton in the late 19th century using a combination of malt vinegar, spices and dates as a spicy accessory to meals. The HP name was registered in 1895. Love it or hate it: More people are fans of Marmite than not, as the condiment came second in the list of brands . Popular: Heinz Tomato Ketchup also won a place in the top ten, after 5,000 shoppers were quizzed on their favourite brands . 1. HP Sauce . 2. Marmite . 3. Heinz Tomato Ketchup . 4. Ribena juice drink . 5. Jaffa Cakes . 6. Ben & Jerry's ice cream . 7. Cadbury's Dairy Milk . 8. Schweppes . 9. Heinz Salad Cream . 10. Lurpak . Mr Garton called his new sauce HP because he had heard that a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it. Now owned by Heinz, the sauce is a favourite with fried breakfasts, bacon butties and sausage rolls though, like Marmite in second place on the list, often divides opinion. Leo Burnett head of insights Mike Treharne said Britons felt a 'brand empathy' to the product but also appreciated its taste - the feelings are more than loyalty for loyalty's sake. 'Popular brands have a DNA which, if decoded, can be identifed, replicated and accelerated,' he said. 'Affinity is measured by customer responses such as trust, having an emotional connection, brand empathy and appreciation of quality.' Giles Jepson, VP marketing for Heinz Europe, added: 'The Heinz brand has meaning beyond the product. 'Trust and being 'in touch with what I want' are both key elements that support its popularity. 'We know that our brand has a trong consumer reputation which we continue to build on via communications by deepening our emotional connections, reflecting how we are part of the fabric of people's lives.'

5,000 shoppers quizzed by advertising agency on their favourite food brands . Consumers were asked which brands they had a strong affinity with . HP Sauce came out on top, followed by Marmite and Heinz Tomato Ketchup . Sauce first made in late 19th century and named after Houses of Parliament .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than one-third of all weapons the United States has procured for Afghanistan's government are missing, according to a government report released Thursday. U.S.-issue M249 squad automatic weapons are shown at a camp in Kandahar in December. The U.S. military failed to "maintain complete inventory records for an estimated 87,000 weapons -- or about 36 percent -- of the 242,000 weapons that the United States procured and shipped to Afghanistan from December 2004 through June 2008," a U.S. Government Accountability Office report states. "Accountability lapses occurred throughout the supply chain," it says. The Defense Department spent roughly $120 million during that period to acquire a range of small arms and light weapons for the Afghan National Security Forces, including rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. The military also failed to properly account for an additional 135,000 weapons it obtained for the Afghan forces from 21 other countries. "What if we had to tell families [of U.S. soldiers] not only why we are in Afghanistan but why their son or daughter died at the hands of an insurgent using a weapon purchased by the United States taxpayers? But that's what we risk if we were to have tens of thousands of weapons we provided washing around Afghanistan, off the books," Rep. John Tierney, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, said at the start of a congressional hearing on the report. The military is unable to provide serial numbers for 46,000 of the missing 87,000 weapons, the report concludes. No records have been maintained for the location or disposition for the other 41,000 weapons. The report urges Defense Secretary Robert Gates to "establish clear accountability procedures for weapons while they are in the control and custody of the United States" and direct those "involved in providing these weapons to track (them) by serial number and conduct routine physical inventories." The GAO review comes as numerous senior officials -- including President Obama -- are expressing serious concern over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, eight Taliban suicide attackers struck Afghan government buildings and a prison in Kabul, killing at least 19 people in a coordinated attack that the Taliban said was in retaliation for the mistreatment of prisoners, according to Afghan officials. The attacks raised new questions over the effectiveness of the ongoing $16.5 billion U.S. effort to train and equip Afghan security forces. Officials from the State and Defense departments intend to request an additional $5.7 billion in assistance for the Afghan army and police in fiscal year 2009, according to the report. The Obama administration is conducting a top-to-bottom review of U.S. policy toward both Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The president will likely make a decision on sending additional troops to Afghanistan "in the course of the next few days," Gates said Tuesday.

87,000 U.S. weapons bought for Afghan government unaccounted for, report says . General Accountability Office cites "lapses" in supply chain . 135,000 weapons bought from other countries also missing, report says .

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(CNN) -- Saturday was all about Lionel Messi as the Barcelona striker scored for a record 17th consecutive game in Spain's La Liga but on Sunday Cristiano Ronaldo answered with two goals of his own to continue his remarkable streak for Real Madrid. The Portuguese striker grabbed both goals as Real won 2-1 at Celta Vigo which takes his record for the club to 188 goals in 186 games. Jose Mourinho's side have now won six games in a row, including twice against Barcelona and a decisive victory against Manchester United to take them into the last eight of the European Champions League. Despite their victory Real still sit 13 points behind runaway leaders Barca, and have their sights set on a cup double -- in Europe's top club competition and Spain's most prestigious cup tournament, the Copa del Rey. Real went close twice in the first half through France forward Karim Benzema, both chances supplied by Ronaldo, but he turned finisher on the hour mark when he turned and finished from close range after a deflection in the area. But Celta, who are deep in relegation trouble, pulled level just two minutes later when Iago Aspas' shot took a deflection off Portuguese defender Pepe and squirmed past Diego Lopez. Real restored their advantage when Celta goalkeeper Javi Varas brought down Brazil playmaker Kaka and Ronaldo stepped up to score his 25th league goal of the season -- 15 behind Messi's league tally. Substitute Gonzalo Higuain missed a glorious chance to put the game beyond doubt when he somehow contrived to miss from six yards out after a perfect center from Germany international Mesut Ozil. And Real were nearly made to pay as Celta's on loan Arsenal forward Park Chu-Young, from South Korea, headed against the crossbar late in the game. Real's win moved them into second place after city rivals Atletico Madrid suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat by Real Sociedad. Xabi Prieto scored the only goal of the game as Atletico sank to third, one point behind Real. Elsewhere, Iker Munian's late goal handed Athletic Bilbao a much-needed victory over Valencia while Levante and Getafe drew 0-0. In Italy, an injury time goal from Emanuele Giaccherini sent Juventus six points clear at the top of Serie A and consigned Catania to their ninth league defeat of the season. Juve's day got better when second placed Napoli went down 2-0 at Chievo Verona after goals from Boukary Drame and Cyril Thereau. Napoli striker Edinson Cavani missed a penalty to get his side back into the game. Inter Milan went down to a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Bologna thanks to Alberto Gilardino's 57th minute goal. Inter dropped to fifth after Fiorentina's 2-0 win at Lazio. Segundo Ibardo scored a hat-trick as Cagliari beat Sampdoria 3-1, while there were also wins for Atalanta, Siena and Parma. In Germany, Hannover drew 0-0 with Eintracht Frankfurt while Artjoms Rudnevs' goal helped Hamburg to a 1-0 victory at Stuttgart. In France, Marseille and Lyon drew 0-0 while there were wins for Bordeaux and Nice.

Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 2-1 in La Liga . Portuguese striker's tally for Real Madrid is now 188 goals in 186 games . Juventus score an injury time winner to move six points clear at top of Serie A . Hamburg beat Stuttgart 1-0 in German Bundesliga .

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Joe Schmidt has angrily denied influencing provincial selection, rubbishing suggestions he has 'blocked' Darren Cave's path back to the Ireland squad. Head coach Schmidt has confirmed Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne will fight it out for Ireland's no 13 shirt in the upcoming Guinness Test series. Henshaw and Payne face a shoot-out to replace the retired Brian O'Driscoll, with Ulster centre Cave overlooked for Ireland's autumn ranks. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has angrily denied influencing provincial selection . Cave last year claimed his 'face doesn't fit' with the Ireland set-up, while Eoin Griffin left Connacht for London Irish in the summer, frustrated by his lack of national chances. Schmidt insisted he is monitoring the progress of both centres, but blasted the 'massive misnomer' that he orders provincial coaches to select players in positions of his choosing. 'We've probably gone with Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne: they are the two guys who are playing 13,' said Schmidt, speaking at the launch of a new Guinness advertising campaign in Dublin. Ulster's New Zealand-born centre Jared Payne is now eligible to represent Ireland under the residency rule . 'I think there has been a massive misnomer that I influence provincial selection. 'That is absolutely untrue: the guys that are selected in the centre, or to carry water, are nothing to do with my selections. 'They are the provincial coaches, they are looking to do their best for the province and that's the way it should be. 'For someone to imply that Darren Cave has been blocked is wrong: he's very much on our radar. 'Darren Cave had a shoulder operation; he's come back from injury, then had a rib injury. 'But he's still a guy that's still in our thinking for 13. Racing Metro's Johnny Sexton remains Ireland's first-choice fly-half for November . 'To say that Eoin Griffin may have left because he saw the writing on the wall is massively disappointing: he is still on our radar, we keep an eye on what's happening at London Irish. 'It's frustrating, because selection is a tough enough job without the impression we're influencing things. 'We have a very hands-off approach: we try not to interfere. 'We have a lot of faith in what they are delivering, and we benefit from the product of their efforts.' Kiwi boss Schmidt defended his decision to omit Paddy Jackson from Ireland's autumn squad, claiming the Ulster fly-half needs regular club rugby after injuries. Racing Metro's Johnny Sexton remains Ireland's premier outside-half, with Leinster's Ian Madigan also making the squad for November's three-Test challenge against South Africa, Georgia and Australia. 'Paddy's only played one full game this season,' said Schmidt, who opted for Munster's Ian Keatley ahead of Jackson. 'He needs to be playing at the moment - he doesn't need to be training with us. 'He's obviously disappointed, but he's a tough young man, we've got a lot of respect for Paddy. 'Ian Keatley did very, very well on the summer's Emerging Ireland tour, the feedback was that he led by example, both on and off the field. 'This camp gives us a little bit of an opportunity to work with him and help him to develop him as a player.' New Zealand Under-21 cap Payne steps up to Ireland's senior squad for the first time after completing his three-year residency requirements at UIster. The 29-year-old will face stiff competition from Connacht's 21-year-old powerhouse Henshaw, who remains favourite to start alongside Gordon D'Arcy this autumn. 'Jared has good variety in his kicking game, and his ability to read defensively at tackle time is good,' said former Leinster coach Schmidt. 'He can carry and slip tackles, or at least win the gain-line, and I think you could just about say ditto for Robbie. 'He's also got a very good kicking game. 'His passing game I think is a super aspect to his game, Robbie, he's got a very good width and a really flat, wide pass - and the ability to make the subtle passes as well.'

Head coach Schmidt confirms Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne will fight it out for Ireland's no 13 shirt in the upcoming Guinness Test series . Ulster centre Darren Cave last year claimed his 'face doesn't fit' with the Ireland set-up . Schmidt defends decision to omit Ulster fly-half Paddy Jackson from Ireland's autumn squad .

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By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:24 EST, 20 December 2013 . A new report has cleared the Secret Service in any institutional wrongdoing and blamed the Colombian prostitution scandal on a few misbehaved agents. 'Although individual employees have engaged in misconduct or inappropriate behavior, we did not find evidence that misconduct is widespread,' the Inspector General's report says. The other most egregious example of professional misconduct came in the form of one incident in 2010 that was described as being 'similar to Cartagena. Brushing past it: The report says that the agency does not have institutional issues but just problems with certain agents who were found to solicit prostitutes and drink with locals while prepping for presidential visits . Many of the identifying details of that incident have been redacted, but ABC News does tell how the agent in question was abroad 'in support of a presidential visit' and drank with locals before he was spotted arriving at the airport with locals that day. Unlike the public debacle that ensued following the Cartagena incident, this 2010 occurrence did not lead to any thorough investigation and the agent in question had their proposed sanctions withdrawn. 'Individuals consumed alcohol; interacted with (female foreign nationals); and were untruthful when initially questioned by managers,' the report reads according to The Washington Post. In addition to brushing past the Cartagena, Colombia scandal that occurred in May 2012, the 18-month investigation also found that there were a handful of reports of agents soliciting prostitutes including one as recent as this year. Again details were scant in the report, but the agent who 'engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money' earlier this year had his security credentials report. All told, the report did not find that 'employees frequently engage in behaviors... that could cause a security concern'. International incident: In May 2012, a Secret Service agent who was in Colombia ahead of the President's visit to the country got into an altercation with a prostitute . Woman in the middle: Dania Suarez was identified as the prostitute involved in the Cartagena scandal . 'Furthermore, we did not find any evidence that [Secret Service] leadership has fostered an environment that tolerates inappropriate behavior.' That statement comes well after the agency's response, as Julia Pierson was promoted to lead the Secret Service in the wake of the scandal's blowback. Administrators are going to have trouble defending the findings, however, as many have questioned the way in which the investigation was completed. Even though technically the investigators heard back from 2,575 employees, their responses came through an anonymous online survey . Ms Pierson, the first female head of the male-dominated industry, slammed the report, wrote that survey participants were told to 'speculate about the personal, sexual, and potential criminal activities of co-workers' based largely on 'rumor and gossip'. Restoring trust: Even new Secret Service head Julia Pierson thinks that the report is flawed since it is based on an anonymous survey of agents who were effectively asked to report 'rumors and gossip' She attached a copy of her letter to the report, which will be released fully today, and tried to assure the public that while the findings may be flawed, the agency has made a number of efforts to right  some of the apparent wrongs. The report cited 14 possible ways for the agency to improve, 11 of which have already been implemented. ‘The criticality of the Secret Service’s mission demands that we maintain the highest levels of integrity in our workforce. I remain committed to investigating and adjudicating all instances of misconduct that are brought to my attention,’ she wrote. The prostitution incident that occurred this year that was alluded to in the report was not the agency’s most recent embarrassment, however, as two Secret Service agents on President Obama's detail were reprimanded in May after one was caught trying to force himself into a woman's hotel room to collect a bullet that he had left there after meeting her hours before in the hotel bar. Scandal prone: The latest Secret Service incident happened in May of this year when an agent (not one of those pictured above) tried to get a bullet that he left in a woman's hotel room . Ignacio Zamora Jr., who works as a senior supervisor in charge of more than 20 agents, was investigated by his superiors after a hotel staffer reported his unusual behavior. The ensuing investigation also found that he and another agent, Timothy Barraclough, were sending sexually suggestive emails to a female subordinate. Both men have now been suspended from the Secret Service and the incident remains under investigation.

Inspector General is releasing an 18-month investigation today that looked at the Colombian prostitution scandal of May 2012 . Says that the agents involved behaved inappropriately but the misconduct was limited to those men . Even new Secret Service head Julia Pierson thinks that the report is flawed since it is based on an anonymous survey of agents who were effectively asked to report 'rumors and gossip' She said they have already implemented 11 of the 14 suggested safeguards . Report also found out that a different agent 'engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money' earlier this year .

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(CNN) -- It's been a difficult year for the seven time F1 champion, Michael Schumacher. After three years in retirement, Schumacher returned to F1 with the new Mercedes team, but has struggled to make an impact on the race track, finishing this year's season in a disappointing ninth place. It has led many to wonder why the racing legend has returned to sport. But amid the gossip and allegations, the 41-year-old has defended his decision. He told CNN: "I enjoy it. I feel I have the right to do what I enjoy. Whether I put in dispute my reputation...I just feel good about my decision and I have so much support from people." "I certainly want to make it a successful return," he continued. "I'm only happy if I'm back on the winning road with the team. This is what I'm working for, this is the joy of the passion for Formula 1." His decision has been supported by some of the biggest names in F1. Finnish F1 driver for Team Lotus Heikki Kovalainen told CNN the criticisms towards Schumacher were unfair. "People had high expectations, people expected him to win. But (Mercedes) didn't have a car to win and second of all, things have changed since he left Formula 1." Fellow F1 champion Alain Prost said no-one should judge or criticize a driver of his caliber, saying, "For me, it is difficult, almost impossible to go back to the title after three years...But if there's one driver who'd be able to do it, I think it's Michael." Team principal and co-owner of Mercedes, Ross Brawn, admits the team has had a disappointing year and credits some of that to Schumacher. "It's been disappointing, in overall performance, we haven't had the car, Michael's taken a little time to get up to the performance he'll be able to deliver. I've seen patches of that performance...the last few races of the season was the Michael Schumacher I expected to see. But on a more positive note, Brawn added: "Now it's all coming together and I think next year we're going to have a really exciting time." Schumacher admits it's been a sluggish return to the track, but remains positive, saying: "It's certainly not as successful as I thought initially and many other people have thought." "But then having such a strong group and team behind, Mercedes pushing it so hard, I have no doubt about success in the future."

Michael Schumacher return to F1 racing this year after three years in retirement . Despite high expectations Schumacher finished the season in ninth place . Schumacher has won seven F1 world champion titles since his debut in 1991 .

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A judge has ordered divorced parents to pay more than $16,000 toward their 21-year-old daughter's college tuition - even though she hasn't spoken to them for two years. Caitlyn Ricci from Cherry Hills, New Jersey, sued her estranged biological parents Maura McGarvey and Michael Ricci for her fees at Temple University in Philadelphia and won. The decision handed down by a Camden County judge meant they had a deadline of midnight on Thursday to complete the payment. However the pair insists they are not handing over any money and are planning to appeal. Ruling: Caitlyn Ricci sued her estranged biological parents Maura McGarvey and Michael Ricci for the fees at Temple University in Philadelphia and won . Ricci, described as a 'rebellious teen', left her family two years ago after she was allegedly thrown out by her mother. She then moved in with her grandparents who are now paying for the lawyer who is suing their own son Michael - Caitlyn's father. For two years Maura tried to reach out to Caitlyn - sending her letters and writing her poems - but she never heard back. They eventually tried to file for an emancipation but the day before Mothers' Day last year, papers from Caitlyn's attorneys arrived at their home. Her parents claim she also purchased a car when she left the family home and subsequently demanded the money through her lawyers. Maura and Michael believe their daughter is just trying to get money out of them, however her grandparents insist they should pay up. Angela Ricci, Caitlyn's maternal grandmother, told 6 ABC's Action News: 'They just don't want to pay because they have to pay by the middle of the week. The balance they owe. This has been going on for two years. Her grandfather, who told the station he would not divulge the reasons behind the fractious relationship, has said that if they don't pay up, he believes they should go to jail. Ricci's parents' marriage only lasted two-and-a-half years after they fell in love as youngsters. But they decided to come to an arrangement in a bid to give their daughter could the best life they could hope for. Estranged: Her mother Maura says she has tried to reach out to her daughter for the last two years - sending her letters and poems - but has not heard back from her . Break down in relationship: Caitlyn was 'thrown out' of her house two years ago and moved in with her grandparents. They are helping to sue her parents, including their own son Michael, by paying for her attorney . Parents: Maura and Michael, who dioverced after two-and-a-half years together, believe their daughter is just trying to get money out of them . But, following the breakdown in the relationship, her mother told the station: 'What child does this? It's insane. 'From the time Caitlyn was a teenager she was a challenging child, but I think all teenagers are.' 'She comes from two loving families and she was given what she wanted when she was growing up,' her father Michael added. The judge in Camden County, New Jersey passed the decision citing the Newburgh precedent. It states that all divorced parents are required to contribute to their child's education, whatever their age. Ricci turned to attorney Andrew Rochester to represent her in the lawsuit. He said: 'Caitlyn really is a good girl. She is the nicest, sweetest girl. All she wants is to go to college. He added that the nicest thing the parents said about their daughter was that she was a 'spoiled brat'. The student's Twitter account reads: 'I am changed and now im [sic] stronger.' Frustration: Maura (pictured with Caitlyn) has said 'what child does this?' and says her decisions are insane .

Caitlyn Ricci sued parents Maura McGarvey and Michael Ricci for the fees . A New Jersey judge said they must still pay their daughter's education . The student at Temple University hasn't spoken to her parents in two years . She moved in with her grandparents after her mother 'threw her out' Grandparents are paying for the lawyer to sue their own son - Caitlyn's father . Parents had tried to file for emancipation . Payment deadline is midnight on Thursday - but the parents have insisted they are not handing over any more money .

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By . Associated Press . and Peter Rugg . A New Jersey man who said he was high on drugs and hearing voices when he fatally beat an elderly man with a sauce pan has been convicted of murder. The Record reports that a Bergen County jury deliberated for about 90 minutes Tuesday before convicting 22-year-old Edwin Estrada, of Cliffside Park. He also was found guilty of weapons offenses, burglary, robbery and credit-card theft charges. Edwin Estrada is led out of the courtroom after he was found guilty of murder in the fatal beating of an elderly man with a sauce pan . Prosecutors say Estrada attacked and robbed 88-year-old Vincent Leuzzi in the victim's Fairview home in July 2010. Estrada claimed he was not legally responsible for the murder because he was high on PCP and marijuana and was urged on by the voice of the devil. Leuzzi died of blunt force trauma caused by at least nine blows. North Jersey reports he now faces possible life in prison and a minimum of 30 years. An . expert witness for the prosecution testified Estrada fabricated his . claims, and that they were at odds with his presence of mind later that . day to go shopping and get dinner before leaving town. 'I tend to agree with the state's psychiatrist that it was a manipulation and not true,' said Leuzzi's stepdaughter Filomena Mazzone. Defense attorney John Pieroni said the appeal process could take years. 'I'm . greatly disappointed,' he said. 'It's clear that the jurors did not in . my opinion properly consider the psychiatric testimony as to diminished . capacity.'

Edwin Estrada claims he was influenced by demonic forces while high on PCP and marijuana to attack victim Vincent Leuzzi . Estrada now faces minimum of life in prison and possible death penalty . Also found guilty of burglary, robbery, and credit-card theft .

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(CNN) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called a high-level judiciary meeting to discuss the case of a rape victim who was jailed because of the attack and has agreed to marry the rapist to get out of prison and legitimize her daughter, the president's spokesman said Monday. The meeting, scheduled for Thursday in Kabul, was called in reaction to a petition with nearly 5,000 signatures and media inquiries about the case, said Karzai spokesman Aimal Faizi. The woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison after she approached authorities to report that her cousin's husband had raped her two years ago. CNN is identifying her only as Gulnaz to protect her identity. She did not immediately report the attack, fearing reprisals from elements of Afghanistan's conservative society and was sentenced to prison for adultery because her attacker was married at the time. Her sentence was later reduced to three years. A spokesman for the attorney general, Rahmatullah Naziri, told CNN last week that while the original sentence for adultery was reduced, she had failed to report her rape quickly enough and would have to serve further time in jail for that offense. She is now raising her daughter in jail and has agreed to marry her attacker in order to be released and legitimize her daughter. She also fears attack from her rapist's relatives, something he denies is a risk. Kim Motley, a lawyer for 21-year-old Gulnaz, said the petition gathered 4,751 names in about 48 hours. The palace received the petition on Sunday, she said. It comes with an official plea for clemency addressed to the president, who has the power to immediately pardon Gulnaz. Her plight gained international attention when the European Union blocked the broadcast of a documentary made about her ordeal saying that it would further jeopardize her safety. The U.S. State Department, while not explicitly calling for Gulnaz's release, said Thursday that "Gulnaz's situation is one no woman should have to face" and called on prosecutors to uphold the law and Gulnaz's rights.

Afghanistan's president calls high-level judiciary meeting to discuss rape victim's case . A petition calling for clemency for the woman prompted the meeting, a spokesman says .

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Chinese engineers have tested a laser weapon that can shoot down drones and small aircraft from more than a mile away. The weapon system is designed to protect major public gatherings from drone attack,and can destroy low-flying, slow moving aircraft. The Low Altitude Sentinel system was developed by the China Academy of Engineering Physics. Scroll down for video . China has announced it has developed its own laser system to counter the threat posed by small drones . Chinese officials fear the drones could be used to attack large public events  such as military parades . According to Chinese State media the laser is able to destroy low-level slow-moving drones within five seconds . According to a report in the English-language China Daily, the laser can hit drones travelling below 1,600 feet at a speed of up to 110mph. China's Xinhau News Agency reported the new weapon system could be mounted to vehicles and deployed to protect major public events. Yi Jinsong, who is involved with developing the project said: 'Intercepting such drones is usually the work of snipers and helicopters, but their success rate is not as high and mistakes with accuracy can result in unwanted damage.' The United States has developed its own laser technology, with a prototype weapon fitted to a naval vessel to target drones and small aircraft. According to Chinese officials, their new system can shoot down a rogue drone within five seconds of detecting its target. The reported development comes as concerns about the country's military preparedness are being raised in state media. A front page article in China's official military newspaper last month said that weaknesses in military training posed a threat to the country's ability to fight and win a war. The US Navy has already successfully tested laser weaponry on board the USS Dewey, pictured . The paper - the People's Liberation Army Daily - said in the same report that China's military authorities had sent a document out to units detailing 40 weaknesses in current training methods. President Xi Jinping has been pushing to strengthen the fighting ability of China's 2.3 million-strong armed forces as they project power across disputed waters in the East and South China Seas. China has developed stealth jets and has built one aircraft carrier. The country's armed forces, the world's largest, came under criticism earlier this year from serving and retired Chinese officers and state media, who questioned whether they were too corrupt to win a war. Andrew Davies, senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said: 'Whether you can shoot down a maneuvering, robust drone with a hard surface, perhaps with heat dissipation designed in, is something I'm not sure about, but it's at least plausible.'

The new laser system can hit a drone travelling at up to 110mph at 1,600 feet . The weapon can intercept the threat within five seconds of identifying it . The system can be vehicle mounted to protect large public gatherings . Chinese officials fear drones could be used in a terrorist attacks .

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Beijing (CNN) -- China conjures various images. It could be food -- Peking Duck, steamed dumplings and the like. Or kung fu -- Bruce Lee and his dazzling martial-arts skills or more recently Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Or the giant pandas -- those cuddly creatures as photographed in the nature reserves or as portrayed in the Hollywood blockbuster, "Kung Fu Panda." Or Yao Ming -- the other cuddly giant who, until he retired last year, won games and friends in the NBA. Stereotypical or not, these are some of China's "soft power" resources. In recent months, China has been on a "soft power" offensive to improve its national image and increase its global influence. China has hosted the 2008 Olympics and the Shanghai Expo in 2009 -- expensive events which, many experts say, helped enhance the "China brand." "The Olympics was very much a positive move in improving China's Soft Power," said Scott Kronick, president for Ogilvy PR in North Asia, which advises Chinese and overseas clients. "How the country responded to the Sichuan earthquake was another." There are long-term initiatives, too, such as the setting up of Confucius Institutes to promote the Chinese language and culture. Akin to Germany's Goethe Institut or the British Council, hundreds of these Confucius Institutes have been established in leading universities and colleges around the world. "There is a sense that soft power is growing, as more foreigners are aware of China's successes, get exposed more to its culture and have to consider China's views on a whole range of global issues," noted John Holden, Beijing-based adviser at Hill+Knowlton, a U.S. public relations company. Why China's obsession to project its "soft power"? Soft power, according to Harvard Kennedy School professor Joseph S. Nye, "is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments." Nye cites three ways to affect the behavior of others: . • You can coerce them with threats, using military power. • You can induce them with payments, using economic clout. • Or you can attract and co-opt them, using culture, diplomacy and other means and resources. "The latter is soft power -- getting others to appreciate you to the extent that their behavior is modified," explained Kronick of Ogilvy. "When the first two are exercised judiciously and are combined with the third, they create 'smart power.'" "The Chinese want to exercise greater soft power," Kronick added. "How they do this is an ongoing challenge and pursuit." As China becomes richer, modernizes its military and increasingly consumes greater global resources, experts see a growing global concern over China's rise as a global power. Optimists say China will turn into a benign power. Alarmists warn China is bound to emerge as an Evil Empire. In a white paper issued in 2005, China outlined its intentions to rise peacefully as a global power. "China did not seek hegemony in the past, nor does it and will not do so in the future when it gets stronger," the white paper said. "China's development will not pose a threat to anyone; instead it can bring more development opportunities and bigger markets for the rest of the world." But some public opinion polls show China's soft power offensive remains inadequate. A survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Projects last year noted a significant rise in positive views in a number of countries. However, across the 22 nations surveyed, the U.S. generally received more favorable marks than China. In the U.S., France, Germany, Spain and Japan, the survey showed, those who see China as the world's leading economic power believed this is a bad thing. Those who named the United States tended to think it is a good thing. Experts partly blame this on poor communications. Ahead of China's transition of leadership later this year, China has tightened its control of the media and continued its repression of dissent. "China hurts itself when it flouts its own laws and international norms on human rights," Holden said. "This tarnishes its image." "What they do wrong is that they traditionally have had a tendency to only want to project positive news, and this often is seen clouding the truth," Kronick noted. Zhao Qizheng, the former director of the State Council Information Office and an advocate of public diplomacy, acknowledges the limits of official propaganda. "For a long time, the international community has been cynical towards the traditional Chinese voice, believing that it's mostly official propaganda with political agenda, so it's not very credible and interesting," Zhao said in a recent online forum. Zhao admonished ordinary Chinese to engage in public diplomacy. "We Chinese should be good at storytelling, to use soft ways of communications to create the so-called 'China image,'" he said. Experts -- like James McGregor, a veteran China-watcher and senior counselor at APCO Worldwide, a public relations consulting company -- agree. "The Chinese students, the emigrants and business people who are scattered around the world -- and the Chinese individuals whom foreigners meet in China -- are the country's soft power. They have many friends and admirers who through them have great affection for the Chinese people, their incredible work ethic and accomplishments," he said. After 30 years of rapid economic and social changes, China struggles to project an international profile that befits the second biggest economy in the world. McGregor thinks China's dilemma is more deep-seated and long-term. "I think the world respects China's economic accomplishments and has great admiration for the Chinese people," he said. "But the Chinese government has almost no soft power in the world. You need a leading ideology that resonates with the world and a system of ethics and governing that people admire. China doesn't have that right now."

China on "soft power" offensive to improve image, increase influence . Control of media tightening before transition of leadership this year . China is now second the second biggest economy in the world .

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Tragic loss: Robert Ethan Saylor, 26, of New Market, Md., died of asphyxia on January 12, 2013, after three Frederick County Sheriff's deputies tried to forcibly remove him from a movie theater at the manager's request . A health aide to a man with Down syndrome who died after being dragged from a Maryland theater had warned police that he would ‘freak out’ if they touched or spoke to him, according to an investigative file released Monday. Robert ‘Ethan’ Saylor, 26, passed away from asphyxia minutes later, after three Frederick County Sheriff's deputies handcuffed the flailing, 294-pound man as he screamed, cursed and cried for his mother, witnesses say. Saylor's offense, according to the file documents: He had not purchased a ticket for a repeat viewing of the movie Zero Dark Thirty. The 98-page incident report and handwritten statements from 22 witnesses add new details to a case that remains in the spotlight six months after Saylor's death on January 12. Critics continue to call for an independent investigation of the deputies' actions after a grand jury's decision in March not to indict them for what the state medical examiner's office has ruled a homicide. The 18-year-old caretaker, whose name is redacted from the documents, wrote that she had been Saylor's aide for three months before he died. She said Saylor, known to his family as Ethan, had a history of angry outbursts, including one earlier that night. They had already seen the movie once and were outside the Frederick theater when she asked Saylor if he was ready to go home. Saylor began cursing and punched a Lenscrafters storefront window, she told police. Somewhat frightened, the caretaker called Saylor's mother, 55-year-old Patti Saylor, of New Market. ‘Patti told her to just wait him out and his attitude will change,’ an investigator wrote in a follow-up interview report. No charges: A grand jury ruled in March that the three Maryland Sheriff's deputies involved in the death of Ethan Saylor, left, at a Westview movie theater, right, will not face criminal charges . The caretaker then spoke by phone with . another of Saylor's caretakers. He advised her to leave Saylor in front . of the theater while she got the car, giving him a few minutes alone to . calm himself. But by the . time she returned, Saylor had gone back into the theater and seated . himself. As she walked in, the manager of the cinema was telling Saylor . he had to either purchase a ticket to watch the film again, or leave the . auditorium. In response, the 26-year-old man said he had no money for another viewing. ‘I . explained, “Yes, we are having a little issue, I'll handle it. We just . have to be patient,"’ the caretaker wrote in her statement. The . manager then summoned one of the three deputies, Sgt. Rich Rochford. All of the deputies were moonlighting as mall security officers. ‘Then . a sheriff came and said, “Another show is starting. I have to go get . him out,"’ the caretaker wrote. ‘I explained Ethan is Down syndrome.’ She said she told the officer that if he spoke to Saylor, ‘he will curse.’ She advised him to ‘wait it out.’ Full life: With an IQ of 40, Ethan loved music, idolized law enforcement and was encouraged by his family to be independent . Justice for Ethan: The 26-year-old man's family, including brother Adam (left) and sister Emma (right), are calling for an independent probe into their sibling's untimely death . ‘Then the sheriff went in and started talking to Ethan and Ethan was cursing at him,’ the woman stated. She said the officer threatened to take Mr Saylor to jail, a statement corroborated by other witnesses. ‘I . then said, “Please don't touch him, he will freak out,"’ the aide . wrote. ‘Next thing I know, there are I think three or four cops holding . Ethan, trying to put him in handcuffs.’ As the officers pulled the struggling Saylor from his seat and down an exit ramp, they went down out of view of most witnesses. One . customer told police an officer had his knee on Saylor's lower back . while the other deputies held Saylor's shoulders. At least two witnesses . said the kneeling officer's knee was on the floor. Nobody reported . seeing the officers touch Saylor's neck. 'Mommy!' a witness later reported hearing Saylor cry out while struggling with the deputies. ‘It hurt [sic], call my mom.' Another . witness wrote in his statement that the 26-year-old could be heard . ‘squalling’ and repeatedly saying ‘no’ as the officers wrestled with . him, one of them even reading him his Miranda rights, the Washington Post reported. Neither . Saylor nor his 18-year-old health aide knew that Patti Saylor was just . five minutes away from the theater. But she arrived too late. Witness accounts: Theater goers who were present during the incident reported hearing Ethan cry for his mother and struggle with the officers . Saylor . became unconscious, so the deputies rolled him over, by all accounts. The deputies couldn't find a pulse, so they removed the handcuffs and . started chest compressions until he started breathing again, snoring but . unconscious, according to all accounts. They asked the caretaker if she could wake him. ‘I tapped him and said, “Wake up, Ethan,"’ she wrote. Mr Saylor never regained consciousness, despite the efforts of ambulance workers who arrived soon afterward. The . state medical examiner's office found signs of ‘positional’ asphyxia, . or having been in a position in which he couldn't breathe. There was . also unexplained damage to Saylor's larynx. The . autopsy concluded Saylor would not have died had the officers not . intervened. The autopsy also found that Saylor's developmental . disability, obesity, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and a heart . abnormality contributed to the death. According . to Ethan's mother and siblings, 21-year-old brother Adam and . 23-year-old sister Emma, the 26-year-old idolized law enforcement and . amassed a large collection of badges and baseball caps with words like . 'police' and 'sheriff' emblazoned across the front. Despite . having an IQ of 40, his mother, a nurse with special education degree, . had always encouraged Ethan to be independent and go places with his . aides. In a message posted Wednesday on the Facebook account Justice for Ethan, Patti Saylor wrote that even as her son was . being dragged to his death by police, he was on his cell phone trying to . arrange for a movie ticket purchase or for someone to bring him . money. Music-lover: Robert Saylor pictured with a relative was a big music fan and a member of his church choir . 'No one took the . time to understand this and he did not have the capacity to explain this . with words,' the 55-year-old nurse wrote. 'No one ever asked what he . might have been doing to address the need for a ticket when he didn't . have his own money!' Mrs . Saylor has renewed calls for an independent investigation into the death . of her son, calling the official probe conducted by the sheriff's . department a 'travesty.' In March, State's Attorney J. Charles . Smith announced that Lt. Scott Jewell, Sgt. Rich Rochford and Deputy . First Class James Harris would not face criminal charges in Saylor's . death. Patrick McAndrew, a lawyer for the . three officers, said 'each one of these deputies is the consummate law . enforcement professional' and did what his training dictated. 'Those . involved have yet to acknowledge responsibility or admit his death so . easily could have been avoided with common sense, patience and . understanding,' Patti Saylor stated in her post this week. In February, the Baltimore County . Medical Examiner's office declared that 26-year-old Robert Saylor died . by homicide while being taken into custody by the three officers, ABC News reported. The New Market man, remembered for his love of music, was handcuffed and allegedly resisted arrest. According . to ABC it was alleged his face was put to the ground when he was being . apprehended by the officers, who then realized he was suffering a . 'medical emergency'. The officers removed the handcuffs, administered first aid and took him to Frederick Memorial Hospital where he later died. 'Asphyxiation': Robert Saylor, pictured, was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital by police officers where he later died from his injuries . 'They made numerous attempts to get him to leave, he was cursing at them, at that point they psychically removed him, and he began having the medical emergency,' says Cpl. Jennifer Bailey, of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office told YourState4.com. 'Those . involved have yet to acknowledge responsibility or admit his death so . easily could have been avoided with common sense, patience and . understanding,' Patti Saylor stated in her post this week.

Robert Ethan Saylor, 26, died while being arrested for refusing to leave Westview Cinemas, Frederick, Maryland, on January 12 . Doctors ruled Saylor's death as homicide by asphyxiation . Down syndrome man became distressed when three officers were called following a viewing of Zero Dark Thirty . Sheriff's office said it was a 'very sad case' but officers involved continue working while an investigation takes place . Grand jury ruled the three deputies moonlighting as mall cops will not face charges .

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The popularity of Disney’s smash hit Frozen has led to a surge in web searches for family holidays in Norway. Calling it the ‘Frozen effect’, travel website Expedia.co.uk is reporting a 60 per cent increase in the number of searches for destinations in the Nordic country, including Naeroyfjord, the municipality that inspired the animated film’s snowy setting. It suggests Britons are looking to take their children to a ‘real-life’ frozen fantasy land similar to Arendelle, the fictional kingdom that is home to orphaned sisters Anna and Elsa, the film’s lead characters. Fictional Arendelle Castle is the home of Anna and Elsa in Disney's animated film, Frozen . Oslo’s Akershus Fortress served as the inspiration for Anna and Elsa's castle in Arendelle . Andy Washington, managing director of Expedia.co.uk, said: ‘The unprecedented popularity of Frozen has increased the mystique and allure of wintery destinations and demand for Norway has increased over 2014 as a whole. ‘Now, with Christmas and the new year around the corner parents are looking to make the movie a reality for their children.’ The name Arendelle is based on Arendal, a port town on Norway’s southern coast, while buildings in Oslo, Bergen and other cities served as inspiration for some of Frozen's scenes. Elsa (left) was voiced primarily by Idina Menzel in the film, while Kristen Bell served as the voice of Anna . Naeroyfjord (pictured in spring) is the municipality that inspired the animated film’s snowy setting . Oslo’s Akershus Fortress, for example, was used as the basis for Anna and Elsa’s castle in Arendelle. Price comparison website Icelolly.com said it frequently receives enquiries from parents whose children want to visit the land that inspired the film’s setting. Arendal and Norway are among its most popular winter holiday destinations for 2015, in addition to Lapland, France and Canada. Suniel Makh, brand director at Icelolly.com, said: ‘The nation has taken Queen Elsa, Princess Anna and snowman Olaf into their hearts and we've seen a growing number of people desperately wanting to visit their mythical world.’ The company is now looking at offering Frozen-themed trips, he added.

Norwegian municipality of Naeroyfjord inspired Frozen's snowy scenes . Travel websites are reporting an increase in enquiries for Norway . Elsa and Anna's castle was inspired by Oslo's Akershus Fortress . Arendelle, the fictional kingdom, is based on the port town of Arendal .

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Simple measures such as staying inside and watching TV can help combat potential flu epidemics, experts have revealed. Vaccinations and medications provide an effective form of response in the face of an outbreak. But avoiding social activity and staying at home can help halt the spread of infectious diseases, scientists have said. Scroll down for video . Simple measures such as staying at home during a flu pandemic can help halt spread of the virus, scientists have today revealed . A new study by a team of scientists at the University of California, Arizona State University, Georgia State University and Yale University found these non-pharmaceutical interventions can prove effective. Whether privately initiated or policy directed, actions calling for the closure of schools and entertainment venues, and cancelling public events are becoming more relevant in control strategies. Lead author of the study economist Michael Springborn, from the Univeristy of California, said: The swine flu outbreak that hit Mexico City in April 2009 could have been worse, but spread of the virus was reduced by people's behavioural response of distancing themselves from each other.' The researchers created a a new model that incorporates behavioural responses into existing models of disease spread. In April 2009 in Mexico, following confirmation of a new strain of A/H1N1 influenza virus, or swine flu, the federal government closed public schools in Mexico City and 'social distancing' measures were put in place. Researchers looked at television viewing in the home in Central Mexico as an indicator of behavioural response, during the pandemic. Professor Springborn said television ratings are consistently and widely available and 'highly correlate' with time spent in the home. The data provides a good indicator for the level of social interaction, with time spent watching TV increasing with the amount of time spent in the home. When people are at home, they limit the number of other people they come into contact with. In March 2009 following confirmation of a new strain of A/H1N1 influenza virus, the federal government closed public schools in Mexico City and 'social distancing' measures were put in place . 'We found that the behavioural response to the outbreak was initially strong but waned sooner than expected,' Professor Springborn said. 'This dynamic is interpreted as a rebound effect.' At the onset of the flu outbreak, the public responded strongly to the directed control policies. But after a period of time of staying at home, people began to leave the confines of their houses. Professor Springborn said: 'This suggests that efforts to utilise social distancing to mitigate disease spread may have a limited window of efficacy, before pent up demand for activities outside the home takes precedence.' The study revealed measures including using face masks can be effective at halting the spread of flu during an outbreak . In 1918 the influenza pandemic in Australia reflected that behaviour pattern. When the perceived risk decreased, the public reverted back to normal behaviour. 'Our study reinforces the view that capturing behavioural changes that amplify or blunt the transmission rate is key to improve our ability to make predictions about the impact of epidemics,' said co-author Dr Gerardo Chowell, from Georgia State University. The study's findings revealed differences in age groups and socio-economic groups. The researchers found that the increase in television watching for children and wealthier groups was more pronounced. The authors speculate that those from poorer backgrounds may face greater difficulty in taking self-protective measures, like social distancing, because of less flexibility with working hours. They suggest the differences could have implications for policy makers directing responses to future outbreaks, directing more resources to help those with lower financial means. Professor Springborn, said: 'This affects public health authorities tasked with planning epidemics. 'This has implications for management advice, including the allocation of resources between pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions.' Other forms of non-pharmaceutical interventions include closing businesses and distributing face masks. But people can also take personal action, washing their hands thoroughly and wearing personal face masks to help reduce transmission. The study was published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases.

New study focused on non-pharmaceutical interventions to stop flu . Scientists found simple measures such as staying at home and avoiding social interaction can help in the event of a pandemic . In 2009 when swine flu was confirmed in Mexico the government closed schools and introduced 'social distancing' measures . Scientists monitored its effectiveness by analysing TV watching patterns in the home and found initially it worked - but tailed off after time .

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A benefit cheat who claimed she was a single mother-of-three to swindle £57,000 of taxpayers' cash has been jailed - after she posted pictures of her wedding day on Facebook. Wendy Cooper, 44, pocketed £57,210 in housing and council tax benefits and income support between September 2004 and October 2013. But she was caught out by the Department for Work and Pensions when investigators spotted that she had posted pictures of her wedding day on Facebook last November. Caught out: Wendy Cooper, 44, of Coventry, was foiled after investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions spotted this wedding photo on Facebook . Fraudulent: A judge told Cooper she had 'fiddled the public out of £57,000 when the National Health Service is striving to get machines to save people's lives and nurses have been having their pay held back' Wedding day: Cooper poses with her husband, Clifford Smith, and other family members in September 2004 . A court heard she married husband Clifford Smith, 53, in September 2004 but continued to pretend to the authorities that she was a struggling single mother. At the same time, Cooper had five jobs - including one at Coventry City Council - but carried on claiming free hand-outs. Yesterday she was jailed for eight months at Leamington Spa Justice Centre after she admitted 21 charges of failing to notify the DWP of a change in her circumstances. Judge Richard Griffith-Jones said: 'The problem I have is this: everyone is conscious of the constraint on public money, which is affecting all sorts of services. 'She has fiddled the public out of £57,000 when the National Health Service is striving to get machines to save people's lives and nurses have been having their pay held back.' He told Cooper: 'You effectively stole from the public; and I'm very sorry, but I can't overlook this. Husband and wife: Fraudster Cooper married Clifford Smith, 53, in September 2004 but continued to tell the authorities that she was a struggling single mother . 'At the end of the day a message has to be sent to people who are prepared to steal public money that the courts will seek to deter them from doing it.' Cooper, of Canley, Coventry, began claiming benefits legitimately but continued to pretend she was single after she got married to delivery driver Clifford Smith. Prosecutor Jane Sarginson said: 'On nine separate forms over the period of time she included changes of address etc; but whenever asked to indicate whether she had a partner she ticked the box to say she was single. 'She was married to Mr Smith, but even when interviewed she denied she was married and said they were just good friends. Benefits cheat: The mother-of-three was jailed for eight months at Leamington Spa Justice Centre for 'effectively stealing from the public' 'But on her Facebook page there is even a photograph of her in her wedding dress, as well as references to going shopping with her husband.' And not only was Cooper failing to declare her marital status, she also failed to declare that, for all but nine months over the nine years, she was working. Miss Sarginson added: 'She has had five different employers, and for a period of time she actually worked for Coventry City Council.' Cooper, whose jobs included working in care homes, had also worked for Brook Street UK, First Personnel, Professional Personnel and Ideal Care Homes - but only ever declared one period of employment. Ian Windridge, defending, said: 'The lady has clearly got herself into a situation of her own making. 'Having told the lie once, the lie has to go on; and so it continued, and she wasn't strong enough to break the cycle. 'This is not a lady who was living a lavish lifestyle. 'In terms of those who obtain large sums of money in one or two large transactions, this has only kept the family afloat to the tune of around £6,000 a year.' Mr Windridge added that Cooper has repaid £400. A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'Most people claiming benefits are honest, but there are some who abuse the welfare system and we will catch them. 'Failure to report a change in circumstances may affect your benefit claim. For example if a partner moves in, you must tell us before it’s too late. Failing to do so is a crime.' A Coventry City Council spokesman said: 'This was a joint working case between the Council and the DWP and we are very happy with the outcome.'

Wendy Cooper, 44, of Coventry, married husband Clifford Smith, 53, in 2004 . Continued claiming income support up to 2013 as struggling single mother . At same time, fraudster had five jobs including Coventry City Council post . Judge says: 'You stole from public while NHS is holding nurse's pay back' She admitted 21 charges of benefits fraud and was jailed for eight months .

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The U.S. intelligence community now believes two key terrorist operatives targeted by the United States in the opening night of attacks in Syria are still alive and could be actively plotting, multiple officials tell CNN. The operatives are key members of Khorasan Group, the al Qaeda affiliate entrenched in Syria that the United States has declared poses a great risk to American national security. One official with direct knowledge of the latest U.S. assessment said the working assumption now is that both Muhsin al-Fadhli, the leader of the group, and David Drugeon, a French jihadist and key member, who is believed to be a skilled bomb-maker, are alive. The United States does not know with certainty if they are injured. An intelligence analyst with knowledge of the intelligence tells CNN "its 99.5% certain" they are alive. There had been scattered press reports about the fate of both men. But until now the United States had not indicated this strongly that it believes both men survived or left before a barrage of 47 U.S. Navy Tomahawk missiles on September 22 on several suspected Khorasan sites in Syria. Officials said news reports on Khorasan Group before the strikes may have had an impact on the effectiveness of striking the group. Drugeon is believed to be heavily involved in facilitating the movement of fighters back and forth from Europe, and in planning attacks in Europe. His name has not been widely disclosed by the United States. Like al-Fadhli and the rest of the Khorasan Group, U.S. officials say Drugeon has ties to the core al Qaeda group in Pakistan and is believed to have come to Syria from Pakistan in the last two years. U.S. officials said he is believed to be one of the key bomb-makers in the group and may have been actively involved with creating easily concealed bombs that led to increased security measures at overseas airports this past summer. U.S. intelligence officials said it's possible he may still be living in Syria. The United States is tracking a number of al Qaeda leaders believed to have moved into Syria, some having transited Iran to get there. Al Qaeda in Yemen's master bomb-maker, Ibrahim Al Asiri, is believed to have shared techniques and technology with Khorasan. One of the targets during the U.S. attack this fall was a bomb-making facility. Another U.S. official told CNN about a month ago there were communications intercepts suggesting the militants were discussing the possibility of Al Asiri traveling to Aleppo, Syria, to offer direct assistance to Khorasan and the Al Nusra Front, a related jihadist group. What's the difference between ISIS, al-Nusra and the Khorasan Group? U.S. officials believe Al Asiri did not take the risk of traveling to Syria and would not do so because of the presence of U.S. reconnaissance and surveillance over Syria and the stepped up airstrikes. It is not clear to what extent those intercepts were verified as representing Al Asiri's views. U.S. officials have said recently they believe the missile attacks against Khorasan did not destroy the group and that it still poses an imminent threat to the United States because of its ability to make bombs that are not readily detected by airport screening technology. The recently retired director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matthew Olsen, said the threat from the group is still significant. "This group was in a position to train without any sort of interference, they were able to recruit operatives. We saw that they were looking to test explosives. So they were in the advanced stages of plotting. And again they had both intent and that capability that put them nearing an execution phase of an attack," Olsen told CNN"s Jim Sciutto. "I don't think there's any realistic likelihood that some limited airstrikes even just for a period of time will degrade that threat altogether. Those individuals, they're hardened, seasoned veterans, and they've got an ability to operate pretty freely in Syria. So I think it's unlikely that threat's altogether been eliminated." The United States has not acknowledged striking against the Khorasan Group since that first night in September.

Khorasan Group has been thought a target of U.S. airstrikes . After first strikes in Syria, reports said top Khorasan members had been hit . Official now says "its 99.5% certain" they are alive .

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Arsenal striker Benik Afobe is set for a permanent move to Championship club Wolves. The Gunners academy graduate is expected to undergo a medical in the next 24 hours ahead of a switch to Molineux after a fee was agreed between the clubs. The striker, 21, has enjoyed a successful loan spell at MK Dons, scoring 19 goals for Karl Robinson's side this season. Benik Afobe, celebrating scoring against Manchester United, has scored 19 goals for MK Dons this season . And his displays have caught the attention of Wolves boss Kenny Jackett, who is now close to signing Afobe, who has played for England Under 21s. Afobe has been out on loan to Huddersfield, Reading, Bolton, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday since 2010 before his current stint at MK Dons. The 21-year-old has not made a first-team appearance for the Gunners since signing a professional contract in 2010 and looks set to land regular football with Wolves, who are riding high in eighth in the Championship, just outside the play-off places. The 21-year-old, playing for Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in July, is an academy graduate with the Gunners . Afobe has represented England at Under 21 level and is set for a move to Championship side Wolves .

21-year-old has scored 19 goals on-loan at MK Dons this season . Signed for Arsenal in 2010 coming through the club's academy . England Under 21 striker has been out on loan to six Football League clubs . Benik Afobe has not made a competitive appearance for the Gunners .

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An Australian woman who has been visiting the Bali Nine for 10 years inside Kerobokan prison have described Myuran Sukuraman and Andrew Chan as 'really wonderful human beings'. The woman, who did not wish be named, is part of a Protestant church group funded by Australians who help those serving time inside the Bali jail. As the days are numbered for Sukuraman and Chan, who will be transported later this week to Nusa Kambagan where they will be executed, the woman described the atmosphere inside the prison as 'really sad'. 'Everyone is sad right now,' she said. The visitor said she had many private conversations with the Bali Nine pair and it would be a 'shame' to see them shot dead. Australian death-row prisoners Andrew Chan (left) and Myuran Sukumaran (right) are facing the death penalty for attempting to smuggle drugs into Australia from Bali . Heartbroken parents Ken and Helen said their goodbyes to Andrew and fly back to Sydney ahead of execution . The queue for visitors at Kerobokan is long and the waiting room gets crowded . The parents of Sukuraman were allowed to bypass the regular visitor process . 'They're really wonderful human beings. They are the kindest, they are the gentlest, the smartest guys around actually, and that's what so sad because they have helped hundreds and hundreds of prisoners in there [Kerobokan prison],' the woman said. 'Many, many times I have seen and witnessed the many, many things they have done. It would be a very big shame to humanity if their lives were taken.' Earlier on Monday, the parents of Sukuraman were allowed to bypass the regular visitor process at Kerobokan jail as the family gathered to say their final goodbyes ahead of his impending execution. Chan and Sukumaran will be moved to Nusa Kambangan this week . Brintha Sukumaran leaves afer visiting her brother on Monday . The convicted drug smuggler's family arrived at the prison in a black van about 9.30am on Monday and were driven straight up to the visitors' door . They walked in and out, ignoring the media scrum that await for the family outside who follow them . The convicted drug smuggler's family arrived at the prison in a black van about 9.30am on Monday and were driven straight up to the visitors' door. They walked in and out, ignoring the media scrum that await for the family outside who follow them intensely along a three-metre-long path leading to the driveway. It comes after Andrew Chan's parents Ken and Helen Chan left Bali on Sunday night after saying goodbye for what could possibly be the last time. Sukuraman's mother and father were followed by a second black van believed to be carrying his family and friends. It's understood the families of the Bali duo have officially left. One woman, who was with Michael Chan told Daily Mail Australia: 'I cannot say anything. Sorry.' The convicted drug smuggler's family bypassed the regular process where visitors of inmates need to sign in. The prison on Nusa Kambangan, AKA death island, is a squalid facility surrounded by razor wire . Brother Michael Chan arrives to visit Andrew Chan on Monday . Michael and the Chan family enjoyed their first lunch together in nine years at the weekend . Identification normally must be provided to officials, a form must be filled out with details including the visitor's name, address, the prisoner's name and their relationship to the prisoner. It seems relatively easy to visit inmates inside the prison. A complete stranger could walk into a visitors registration complex, adjoining the prison, and request to see an inmate. A number is given to the visitor and they sit in a waiting room to wait for their number to be called. Regular visitors have warned others of the possible long wait and opt to stand outside the entrance to wait their number to be called. They tell people what to expect behind the metal door. When visitors are let through they have to hand in all electronic equipment, including cameras and mobile phones. Officials perform a pat down for security reasons before they let you into a roomful of inmates and their family. Both men have vowed that their time in jail has rehabilitated them and they deserve a reprieve . Bali Nine member Matthew Norman said it was 'impossible' to speak about the impending deaths of Chan and Sukumaran . The visiting hall is not enclosed but is undercover. Friends and family of inmates are forced to sit on the floor on woven mates while speaking to their loved ones, amongst other prisoners and their guests. A seasoned visitor cautioned that sometimes people would have sex inside the hall in front of everyone. She said the first time she visited, it gave her a shock to see the sight. Amongst the prisoners on Monday was Matthew Norman, the youngest of the Bali Nine. He was sitting and talking with an older woman, while leaning up against the wall. When approached to speak about the impending deaths of Sukumaran and Chan, the soft spoken prisoner said it was 'impossible' for him to be interviewed. Inside the jail, Norman is shielded from the media pack outside who have been stationed at the prison for about a month.

Myuran Sukuraman's family gathered to say final goodbyes on Monday . The convicted drug smuggler's family bypassed the regular process . Identification must be provided to officials and a form must be filled . Then they sit in a waiting room to wait for their number to be called . It comes after Andrew Chan's parents Ken and Helen left Bali on Sunday .

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Belgium international Axel Witsel has spoken of his love for Manchester United and has not ruled out a move to play in the Premier League in the future. Witsel has been plying his trade with Zenit Saint Petersburg since 2012 after earlier stints with Benfica and Standard Liege, but the 26-year-old midfielder admits he would love to test himself in England's top league someday. 'I want to play in one of the top clubs in Europe one day,' Witsel told bleacherreport.com. Zenit Saint Petersburg's Axel Witsel (right) vies for possession with Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko . Witsel (left) gets in the way of Eden Hazard's shot during Belgium's pre-World Cup training camp in June 2014 . 'It’s true that I like the Premier League, because it is one of the best league’s in the world, for me, together with Germany and Spain. It is a very good league, it is a crazy league. A lot of my colleagues play there, but we will see. 'I am still young, only 26. We‘ll see in the future. I have always liked Manchester United from when I was young.' Witsel has made 54 appearances for Belgium and represented his country during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Witsel (right) tries to close down Ryan Giggs (centre) during Benfica's clash with Manchester United in 2011 . Witsel, who is enjoying a mid-season break with his Zenit St. Petersburg team-mates in Doha, has been linked with a move to Arsenal and AC Milan in recent days. 'No, these rumours are in the newspapers,' Witsel added. 'I don’t know anything about it. I am here in Qatar training to be focused on my team Zenit and to try to regain a good physical condition. Even during the holidays I did not think about leaving, I am focused.'

Axel Witsel is currently playing for Zenit Saint Petersburg . Witsel signed for the Russian club in 2012 . The 26-year-old midfielder has won 54 caps for Belgium . Witsel featured for Belgium at the 2014 World Cup . The Belgian has been linked with Arsenal and AC Milan in recent days . Click here for transfer news .

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By . James Gordon . When you're trying to steal a car, there is one requirement that is needed: an ability to drive. One would-be car thief in Omaha, Nebraska, fell at the first hurdle after breaking his way into one family's car. He wasn't able to back the Dodge Caliber out of the driveway because he had never learned how to drive stick-shift. Scroll down for video... Foiled: A man attempting to steal a Nebraska family car didn't get very far after finding out he couldn't drive the vehicle he was trying to make off with because it wasn't automatic . Wanted: Mganga Mganga, 17, the teenager spent almost ten minutes in the car before surrendering to police when he realized he would unable to drive away . Theo Peters who owned the car watched as the hapless driver fumbled around with the controls but was unable to make the car budge an inch. Lights went on and off - and even the windscreen wipers began to move, but the car stayed still. It happened early on Thursday morning as Mr Peters watched as his wife Melissa headed over towards the car, to take their teenage son to school. 'She jumped out and ran back into the house,' Mr Peters said. 'The thief was sitting in the car like he didn't care.' 'I looked out the window and she was hollering and stuff and saying he had a gun!' 'My first priority is, of course, my kid,' Melissa Peters said. She went around to the car's passenger side where her son was sitting. 'I opened the door. He got out. We started running. I was hollering up a storm.' For about 15 minutes, Mr Peters said he watched the teen struggle to drive off in the family car. Watched: Theo Peters watched his wife Melissa and 13-year-old son run from the car as they realized there was an armed thief already inside . Stumped: The 17-year-old thief was unable to shift the car out of neutral and ended up being stuck in the driveway . 'He looked and you could see the car lights coming on. He tried to crank the car, but it wouldn't go nowhere.' Mr Peters called 911 for the police to come and deal with the dumb driver. Eight minutes later, he was still sitting in the car until finall the cops arrived on the scene. The carless crook attempted to make a run for it but was eventually caught by police. Thursday afternoon, police identified the suspect as Mganga Mganga, 17. Mganga has been charged with three counts of robbery and three counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony in connection with incidents last year. He is out on $10,000 bail. Caught: The would-be car thief did end up having a ride in the end... to the police station . Caught: Lt Michael McGee from Omaha Police Department says there are some benefits to driving a manual car and this is one of them . 'For those of you who still have stick shift vehicles there is an advantage in today's time,' said Omaha Police Department Lt. Mike McGee. 'Young people don't know how to drive them.' Mr Peters said he and his wife saw Mganga walking around the neighborhood on Wednesday. His wife thought it was suspicious, but Peters said he thought the teen was just waiting for someone to pick him up. In the end it was the police that picked him up.

Would-be thief had been seen in the neighborhood days earlier . Mganga Mganga, 17, broke into the vehicle but was unable to drive off because he never learned to drive a manual . Gave cops an easy catch staying in the car for eight minutes trying to work out how to reverse .

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By . Jessica Jerreat . A Florida teenager who spent years living in homeless shelters after his mom died is due to graduate next week as his high school valedictorian. Despite all the upheaval in his life Griffin Furlong remained determined to succeed, and says he stayed strong thanks to his motto of 'never give up' which is written on the rim of his baseball caps. The 18-year-old has managed to achieve a 4.65 grade average at school and is set to study engineering at Florida State University. Determined: Griffin Furlong, pictured second left with his brother Sean, has been named class valedictorian after scoring an impressive 4.65 average despite being homeless . Motivated: Griffin writes his motto, 'Never give up', inside the rim of his baseball caps each season to remind him of what he is trying to achieve . Before he was selected as valedictorian at First Coast High School, few of Griffin's teachers and classmates knew about his hard life. From the age of seven, he and his brother, Sean have been moved to various homeless shelters with their father, and often went hungry. 'I had to grow up really fast. I've seen things that kids wouldn't ever see in their lives,' he told Today, as he explained how the family became homeless after his mother's death when Griffin was six. Living in shelters was difficult for Griffin, who recalled seeing his father being physically abused, and said he often went to bed hungry. 'I don't take anything for granted anymore,' the teenager, who enjoys playing baseball, said. His most recent upheaval came just before his final exams, when Griffin found himself back in a shelter. Loss: When he was just six years old, Griffin's mother died from leukemia . Focused: From a young age Griffin realized the only way he could change his life was to work hard at school . Fortunately, the family of his girlfriend were able to take him in for a few weeks until relatives could find space for him, and the teenager still managed to score highly in his tests. 'I know that I have everything to lose, so I just push myself,' he said, adding that school and family are all that he has. His unconventional upbringing sometimes left Griffin feeling cut off from his peers. Because he was living in homeless shelters he couldn't have friends over, and had to take a different bus to school. 'A lot of kids made fun of me, but I didn't let . that interfere with what I did in school. I had a plan - just make good . grades, and don't worry about anyone else but my family,' he said. The youngster quickly realized that the only chance he had to improve his life was to study hard, and despite his difficult home life, Griffin has never missed a day of school. 'I knew I was going to be poor for the . rest of my life, so I thought if I could continue to do well in school, . eventually scholarships would be coming my way and I would be getting a . free education,' he said. Support: When Griffin became homeless again just before his final exams the family of his girlfriend, Avery, let him stay at their house . He added that he and his brother, who is due to graduate from Florida State University this summer, were also motivated to succeed in honor of their mother. Ambitious: Griffin has never missed a day of school and is getting ready to start university . The brothers formed a close bond, often having only each other to confide in. 'I couldn't tell my friends what I was going through,' Sean, 21, said. 'It was mainly just me . and Griffin, and we did everything together, baseball especially.. 'He's just a really tough individual. He's younger than me, but I still . look up to him,' he added. After achieving a high grade average, Griffin has received scholarships to help pay for his university housing, and is now trying to get an academic scholarship to help with tuition. A Go Fund Me page set up to help pay for his college education has raised more than $27,000 in just six days. When he applied to university, one of his teachers wrote a letter of recommendation, praising not only his academic abilities but also his determination to succeed. 'I said he was the hardest working, most-motivated student I have ever had,' teacher Jennifer Stover, told WPTV. 'He . never missed a day of school, was always at baseball practice and . managed to get his homework done every night and always do well,' another said, . Next step: After graduating high school Griffin, pictured with Avery, plans to study engineering at Florida State University . Griffin said that as details of his upbringing became more widely known it helped ease the burden he has been carrying. He is due to give a speech at his high school graduation on June 4, and will share his message of determination. 'Just never give up. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something, because I've been told that all my life ... now I'm here at the top of my class.'

Griffin Furlong graduates from high school with 4.65 average . 18-year-old realized at young age that a good education was his only chance to have a better life . Teenager is now trying to raise funds to study engineering at university .

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A top retired general has confessed to taking bribes, becoming the highest-profile figure in China's military to be caught up in President Xi Jinping's war on corruption. Xu Caihou, formerly the vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission that runs the two-million strong People's Liberation Army (PLA), was also expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and had his rank of general revoked, according to a statement from military prosecutors cited by the state-run Xinhua news agency Wednesday. The seven-month investigation, which began in March this year, found that Xu took advantage of his position to assist the promotion of other people, accepting huge bribes personally and through his family. He was also found to have sought profits for others in exchange for bribes taken through his family members. The amount of bribe was "extremely huge", the statement added. The allegations against Xu, 71, were announced on June 30 when President Xi presided over a leadership meeting to expel the retired general and three other senior members from the ruling Communist Party. Zero tolerance . In a statement released after that meeting, President Xi and other Chinese leaders reiterated their "zero tolerance" for corruption in the government and military -- long a lightning rod for mass discontent across the country -- but they also acknowledged the anti-graft task would be "ongoing, complex and formidable." The three other former senior officials ousted from the Communist Party for corruption were Jiang Jiemin, a former minister in charge of state assets; Li Dongsheng, a former vice minister of public security; and Wang Yongchun, a former deputy head of state-owned oil behemoth China National Petroleum Corporation. State media characterized Xu as a big "military tiger" caught in the massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi, who is also the commander-in-chief. After becoming the head of the Communist Party in late 2012, Xi banned official extravagance -- from banquets to year-end gifts -- and vowed to target "tigers and flies" alike in his fight against corruption when describing his resolve to spare no one regardless of their position. OPINION: China corruption charges no longer shock . Xinhua recently touted the catching of 30 "tigers" since Xi took power less than two years ago. Zhou Yongkang . Some China watchers have noted ties between an increasing number of disgraced officials to Zhou Yongkang, the former domestic security czar who has been rumored to be under investigation for some time. Jiang, Li and Wang have long been considered Zhou protégés. State media has reported official probes into many of Zhou's family members as well as former associates in the domestic security apparatus, state oil industry and southwestern Sichuan Province -- three places Zhou once ruled. If announced, Zhou would become the highest-ranking official ever to face corruption charges in the history of the People's Republic. In 2013, some 182,000 officials were disciplined while courts nationwide tried 23,000 corruption cases, according to the Communist Party's disciplinary commission. State media has cited the trial and conviction last year of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai -- though called politically motivated by Bo supporters -- as one prime example of President Xi's determination to clean up the Party.

Xu was a former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission . Statement: He took advantage of his position to promote others and take bribes . Xu is the most senior military leader to face corruption charges in recent memory . Was one of four senior members to be expelled from the ruling Communist Party .

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This is the incredible moment a pair of bloodied tigers slashed each other with their claws in a dramatic fight over territory. The dramatic battle was caught on camera at the world famous 'Tiger Canyons' in the Londolozi private game reserve in Pretoria, South Africa. The clash erupted after one of the tigers delivered a vicious blow to the neck of its rival. In the thick of it: This is the incredible moment a pair of bloodied tigers slashed each other with their claws in dramatic fight over territory . Believing it to be dead, the tiger released its opponent from its jaws but instead of the fight coming to a grizzly end, the two broke out in a second, even more savage struggle. German photographer, Marion Vollborn, captured the predatory pair while on safari tour. Ms Vollborn said 'The day before I took these pictures, our group spotted two male tigers pacing along each of their own territory borders. 'There had been a female tiger who had mated with both males and there was a very tense atmosphere but nothing had yet happened. 'In the morning we all suddenly heard a loud roar and we drove immediately towards the noise. Rumble in the jungle: The two tigers come face to face, although the bigger tiger on the right won the bloody battle. The clash erupted after one of the tigers delivered a vicious blow to the neck of its rival . Paws for thought: The nasty clash of these two furry titans was captured at the world famous 'Tiger Canyons' in the Londolozi private game reserve in Pretoria, South Africa . 'The male tigers we had been observing the day before were in the water hidden by reeds, one had bitten the other on the throat and they both remained still for several minutes. 'It was horrific to see, the tigers were covered in mud, blood and water we could see them both breathing heavily because of the cold air. 'One of the tigers assumed his rival to be dead and it stopped biting but the bitten tiger saw his chance to escape and save his own life. 'All of a sudden a spectacular fight for life and death began, again and again the males clawed at each other. All claws and teeth: One of the tigers seems to get the upper hand during their vicious clash. The tigers were covered in mud, blood and water in the battle . Giving the evils: The two bloodied combatants stare each other down before resuming their ferocious encounter in a battle of territory . Raw power: While both fighters were up to the task, after 45 minutes of fighting a winner emerged - and it was the significantly stronger and younger male . Injured: 'The roaring was unbelievably loud, everyone who was there watching was clearly scared and I will never forget those sounds,' Vollborn said . 'The roaring was unbelievably loud, everyone who was there watching was clearly scared and I will never forget those sounds. 'The two opponents went from the reeds to the shrubbery and finally to an open area, both were bleeding heavily and we all feared the worst. 'After 45 minutes of fighting a winner emerged, it was the significantly stronger and younger male. 'Luckily, both survived the battle and their wounds are now healed. 'For a photographer it's spectacular to see something like this, but as an animal lover it makes it very hard to watch.' Difficult situation: Vollborn said, 'For a photographer it's spectacular to see something like this, but as an animal lover it makes it very hard to watch' Finishing off: One of the tigers seems to have the upper hand as the other lies bloodied and submissive. Both have now recovered from their wounds .

Dramatic battle caught on camera in the Londolozi private game reserve in Pretoria, South Africa . The clash erupted after one of the tigers delivered a vicious blow to the neck of its rival . After 45 minutes of bloody battle the larger tiger was deemed the winner .

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(CNN) -- Two U.S. tourists unknowingly bought six human skulls in Greece, which they learned when they were stopped at the airport in Athens. The Americans carried the skulls in their hand luggage, which was scanned during a layover on their way back to the United States from the island of Mykonos. The pair were arrested Thursday, accused of desecrating the dead. A coroner later confirmed that the skulls were human, police said. "The two young tourists said they had bought the skulls in a souvenir shop on the island of Mykonos and believed they were fake," a police spokesperson said. "They bought them ahead of Halloween to decorate their homes. Both tourists were then released and took a flight back to the U.S." There was no immediate word on where the skulls originated.

The Americans were stopped during a layover in Athens . The skulls were discovered when their luggage was scanned . They were arrested, then released, police say .

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By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 06:00 EST, 1 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:06 EST, 1 April 2013 . This morning we revealed the sensational news that an animal sanctuary had trained owls to deliver the mail in a development worthy of Harry Potter. The innovation could revolutionise how our postal system works - but don't get too excited, because now that midday has passed it's time to come clean and admit that it was in fact an April Fool's joke. While the pictures may have looked convincing, the clue was in the name of the reporter - 'Nesta Vowles' is, sadly, not a real person. Prank: The Mail reported that owls had been trained to deliver the post just like in Harry Potter . In full flight: But unfortunately these amazing pictures were mocked up - there's no Roy-owl Mail yet! But the Mail was not the only newspaper to pull the wool over its readers' eyes - many of our rivals also played along with the spirit of the day. The Guardian roped in its editor Alan Rusbridger to announce the launch of 'Guardian Goggles', a parody of Google glasses which apparently allows its users 'to see the world through the Guardian's eyes at all times'. The jokey story pokes fun at the left-wing newspaper's reputation for earnest commentary, saying the device is useful 'because life's too short to think for yourself'. The Daily Express revealed that austerity had even hit the Royal Family, with Buckingham Palace renting out its Belgian Suite to wealthy tourists for £10,000 a night at Hotels.com. Guests will supposedly be allowed to join the Royals at breakfast 'for an all-you-can-eat buffet selection' - but they will be strictly forbidden from accessing the Palace's wine collection. A wizard idea: But perhaps the hoax was too close to J.K. Rowling's hit Harry Potter series . Revolutionary: But it might take some time for owls to displace traditional methods of postage . The Daily Telegraph took a political tack, claiming that theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh was about to launch The Coalition: The Musical, by German composer Olaf Dyliparos. The composer supposedly told the paper: 'It focuses very much on the relationship between David Cameron and Nick Clegg and it has a big, operatic feel to it – I mean, it's a sort of love story that's gone wrong.' And The Times made a literary joke with its April Fool's gag as it announced the discovery of a cache of papers belonging to Captain Jasper Speedicut, who supposedly fought in all of the British Empire's major battles. The paper linked the adventurer to Harry Flashman, the fictional hero of George MacDonald Fraser's popular series of novels. Parody: The Guardian poked fun at its own earnest reputation with 'Guardian Goggles', inspired by Google . The Daily Mirror's prank story will send a chill down the spine of nervous flyers, as it announced the launch of a glass-bottomed plane allowing Virgin Atlantic passengers to watch the world go by during their flight. The paper reported that planes would be diverted over Loch Ness to survey the spectacular scenery - and provided a clue to the story's purpose by saying that 'more glass floor jets will be introduced from April 1, 2014'. On its website, the Mirror indulged in a second joke by allowing users to apply 'Instagram-style filters' which change the look of the homepage. The filters included a vintage MS-DOS look, a mirror image of the Mirror page, and a 'drunk' view to replicate the experience of trying to read the paper after a night out. Filter: The Daily Mirror introduced Instagram-style viewing options to its online homepage . Showbiz: The Sun roped in Jodie Marsh to help it trick its readers this April Fool's Day . For its own April Fool's jokes, the Sun turned to the world of showbiz and roped in model Jodie Marsh to play a prank on readers. The tan addict announced that her brown skin was thanks to 'Tanseal', a new skin product from Ronseal, better known for its DIY wood stains. Another Sun story reported that the Rolling Stones had gone on a camping holiday (at the 'Rolf Apilo' campsite) in order to prepare for the rigours of headlining Glastonbury this summer. Online news site The Huffington Post flexed its Photoshop muscles to post a picture of 'The Shlide', a helter-skelter slide newly built around the Shard skyscraper in London. And venerable leftist magazine the New Statesman joked that it would adopt the hated Comic Sans font to celebrate its 100th anniversary, describing the typeface as 'jaunty, fun and frolicsome'. Sniffing it out: Google Nose, where users can search the 'Aromabase' for smells and then inhale through their computer and phone screens, was launched on April 1 . Google is always an enthusiastic participant in April Fool's Day, and this year posted a number of pranks including Google Nose, supposedly a scent-based search engine. YouTube, the video site owned by Google, announced that it was shutting down after the conclusion of its eight-year quest to find 'the best video in the world'. And users of Google Maps were today allowed to apply a 'treasure' filter to their browsing, rendering the world in an antique style. Twitter also made a major announcement, revealing that it would start charging $5 a month for irs users to be allowed to use vowels. Comedian Rob Delaney tweeted: '@twitter Y R y00 d0yng thys? #nvwls'.

Mail reported that owls had been trained to deliver post like in Harry Potter . Guardian announced launch of glasses imposing its views on the world . Mirror strikes fear into nervous flyers with story on glass-bottomed planes .

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(CNN) -- The international governing body for athletics urged caution Friday after reports that the world-champion South African runner Caster Semenya has both male and female organs. The front cover of You magazine shows Semenya after a recent makeover. The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and The Sun newspaper in Britain reported that gender tests ordered by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) show the 18-year-old is a hermaphrodite. Neither paper named the source of their information. IAAF spokesman Nick Davies would not discuss the findings with CNN. "I simply haven't seen the results," Davies said. "We have received the results from Germany, but they now need to be examined by a group of experts and we will not be in a position to speak to the athlete about them for at least a few weeks. "After that, depending on the results, we will meet privately with the athlete to discuss further action." Has Semenya been treated fairly? The IAAF issued a statement, saying no decision on the case will be announced until the experts can look at the results. A final decision regarding the case is not expected before the IAAF Council meets in late November in Monaco, the IAAF said. Davies also said the news reports should be treated with caution. The newspapers said extensive physical examinations of Semenya show she has no ovaries, but rather has internal testes, which are producing large amounts of testosterone. What is intersexuality? Semenya won the women's 800-meters gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last month. She crushed her rivals by streaking away to secure victory in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds -- the best women's time in the world this year. Defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya took the silver and Jennifer Meadows of Britain claimed bronze. The IAAF said it was seeking tests on Semenya's gender even before that race. Davies said questions about her were first raised after her astonishing displays at the African junior championships in July, with her masculine build and surprising performance fueling the rumors. South Africans reacted angrily to Friday's reports, with one newspaper headline declaring "outrage." Sport and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said he was "shocked and disgusted" at the treatment that Semenya has received from the media, the IAAF, and the world. "She may be a hermaphrodite, but so what? She is still a girl," Stofile told a news conference in Pretoria. Even if Semenya has an unfortunate "proportion of hormones," he said, she is still "a young girl enjoying growing up." Stofile said he believes the teenager's human rights have been violated and that she was not given a chance to understand what the gender testing was all about. South Africa will fight back if Semenya is excluded from further competition, Stofile said, adding, "It will be a third world war." All indications were Friday that, at the very least, Semenya may be able to keep the gold medal she won in Berlin. "Our legal advice is that, if she proves to have an advantage because of the male hormones, then it will be extremely difficult to strip the medal off her, since she has not cheated," Davies told CNN. Semenya's countrymen -- including her father and the South Africa team manager -- have maintained that Semenya is a female. Thousands of supporters crammed the airport in Johannesburg when she returned from Berlin last month. And this week, the athlete appeared on the cover of a South African magazine wearing makeup, jewelry and a glamorous dress. Under IAAF rules, any time there is suspicion about an athlete's gender, the athlete can be asked to attend a medical evaluation before a panel consisting of a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender issues. There are chromosome tests and scans of the athlete's body, Davies has said. He called gender verification -- which is generally required only for female athletes -- "an extremely complex procedure." The process of gender verification has undergone big changes since it was first introduced for international competition in the 1960s, the IAAF said. The first mechanism involved "rather crude and perhaps humiliating physical examinations," which soon gave way to mouth swabs to collect chromosomes, the IAAF said. There were too many uncertainties regarding the mouth swabs, so the IAAF abandoned them in 1991 and the International Olympic Committee discontinued them in 2000, the IAAF said. A proper test has yet to be found, the IAAF said, and the current round of tests is considered a good interim solution.

South African Sports Minister "shocked and disgusted" at Semenya treatment . Sydney Morning Herald reports tests have revealed athlete's internal testes . South Africa team manager maintains Semenya is female . Semenya won the 800-meters gold at the World Athletics Championships .

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(CNN) -- A school security chief gave an emotional account Thursday of his shootout with a Florida man who held school board members hostage before opening fire. Mikes Jones with Bay District Schools in Panama City told HLN "Prime News" he was afraid the system's superintendent was dead after Clay Duke, 56, pointed a handgun at the leader and opened fire Tuesday afternoon. Everything around me was just silent. It was in slow motion," said Jones, a former school board member and a retired Panama City police officer. Superintendent Bill Husfelt then raised his head above the counter after the shooting incident, in which at least 15 shots were fired. "I couldn't believe he was alive," Jones told HLN. After a day spending time with his pastor and family, Jones talked with the media about the gun battle that took place during a routine school board meeting. "When he fired the first shot, I had no recourse. It was a gun battle," Mike Jones told reporters about his encounter with Duke. "I'm not a hero. I had just done my job." Jones, who is known as the affable "Salvage Santa" for his charity work, said his "heart goes out" to the family of Duke, who his wife described as having bipolar disorder. "I just want to get right with God about this and right with my church about what had happened," said Jones. Duke's widow, Rebecca Crowder-Duke, apologized for her husband's actions and said she understood that Jones was doing what he was "trained to do." Jones wasn't supposed to be at the routine meeting, but swung by in case there were questions about a remodeling matter related to his job. "I wasn't in the building five minutes that I got into the gunfight." He said he got a call about the dramatic confrontation and went downstairs. Inside, Duke had approached the front of the room, spray-painted a red "V" with a circle around it on the wall and brandished a handgun. He ordered the room cleared of everyone but six men and got into a discourse with board members and Husfelt about several issues, including the termination of Duke's wife. Jones did a "peeka-boo" look into the room, hoping Duke would come out. The officer, who recently received rapid response training, went to his vehicle to get a protective vest and more ammunition and returned. "I was peeking through the crack of the door and when I saw his back and he was squared up with both hands I knew that the fight was fixing to happen," said Jones. But the officer said he could not get a clear line of fire on Duke. A chilling video of the meeting, from a live internet feed provided by CNN affiliates WJHG and WMBB, shows Husfelt attempting to reason with Duke. Husfelt pleaded with Duke to allow the other members to leave the room. "Will you let them go? You're obviously upset at me, so why are they here?" he asked on the video. At one point, Husfelt told Duke, "I don't want anybody to get hurt. I've got a feeling that's what you want, is you want the cops to come in and kill you because you are mad, because you said you are going to die. But why? This isn't worth it." Duke then pointed the pistol at Husfelt, who said, "Please don't. Please don't. Please." But Duke pulled the trigger as Husfelt and the others hit the floor. The gunman fired several times, missing everyone. Crowder-Duke told WJHG on Wednesday that her husband, who she described as having bipolar disorder and unable to get work recently because of his prior criminal record, intentionally fired over the people and did not intend to harm them. "If he really wanted to shoot anybody, they (would have) already been dead," said Crowder-Duke, who police say was terminated as a teacher this year. She said she had received praise from her principal. Jones said he believed the superintendent had been shot. He opened the door with one hand and opened fire with the other, wounding Duke three times in a gunfire exchange. The suspect fell to the floor and fatally shot himself in the head, police said. WJHG reported that Jones was taken to a hospital with chest pains after the incident. The officer said he first struck Duke in the back and was worried he might go to jail. "There's just so many things that go through your mind. It was instinct and training." Jones told reporters he feels Husfelt deserved the accolades for asking Duke to let the other school board members go. "Mike and his timing saved our lives," Husfelt said. But it was evident at Thursday's press conference the incident took a toll on Jones. "The first thing that came to mind (was) what is this community going to think of me?" he said. "I'm known as Salvage Santa, this nice guy. Now I've taken somebody's life." Crowder-Duke said she has no animosity toward Jones. "I don't fault you for (the shooting). I know you were just doing what you were trained to do, and I'm sorry that God had to choose you to do that because you are a very kind, sweet, generous man," Crowder-Duke told WJHG. Husfelt said the district would re-evaluate security in the wake of the incident but said he doubted security would have made a difference. "We could have had this place like Fort Knox. ... There was nothing we could have done to stop him." For 27 years, Jones has restored bicycles, raised money and collected toys to be given away to needy children, according to the Panama City News Herald. The officer said he would be at a local store Thursday night to further the effort.

Security chief said he was afraid gunman killed superintendent . Gunman's wife: Mike Jones did what he was "trained to do" School security officer recounts gun battle at a school board meeting . Jones is known as "Salvage Santa" for his charitable work .

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In the widened wake of Friday's horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, The Weinstein Company has canceled Tuesday's planned Los Angeles premiere of "Django Unchained." "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the tragedy in Newtown, CT and in this time of national mourning we have decided to forgo our scheduled event," said a Weinstein spokesperson in a statement. "However, we will be holding a private screening for the cast and crew and their friends and families." 'Star Trek 2' trailer: What's in it? The bloody exploitation homage to Italian westerns directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington is set to open in theaters Christmas Day. See the original article at EW.com.

The Weinstein Company has canceled Tuesday's Los Angeles premiere of "Django Unchained" Weinstein spokesperson: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the tragedy in Newtown" Instead, a private screening will be held for the cast and crew and their friends and families .

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By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 12:06 EST, 2 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:25 EST, 2 July 2013 . A woman stole a dead mother’s identity to trick her way into Britain - and then defrauded taxpayers out of more than £100,000. Illegal immigrant Catherine Kyie, 33, was jailed for impersonating a mother who died after childbirth to get from Ghana into the UK. A court heard mother-of-three Kyie then claimed family tax credits, child benefit payments and was paid by the NHS over eight years. Jailed: Catherine Kyie, 33 (right) impersonated a mother who died after childbirth to get from Ghana into the UK which allowed fellow Ghanian Kenneth Boateng, 45, (left) to enter the country pretending to be her husband . Kyie pretended to be tragic Joyce Pokuaa - another Ghanaian woman who had married a Dutch man and started their own family. Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said: 'But she died three months after giving birth to her son in 2003.'But it meant she would have been free to travel through Europe because of her marriage. Kyie stole her identity and took on her name.' Kyie then allowed fellow Ghanian Kenneth Boateng, 45, to pretend to be her husband so he could illegally get into Britain in 2005. The couple and their three children lived in Britain claiming state benefits and child tax credits. But Cardiff Crown Court heard they were finally rumbled when relatives of the dead mother’s 10-year-old son wanted him to come to the country. Mr Griffiths said: 'He was unable to travel because it was discovered his passport had been renewed in 2009 by Boateng and a woman claiming to be his mother - although she had been dead for five or six years. 'That passport was eventually found at their home. 'Police also discovered a Dutch identity card and a passport in the name of Joyce Pokuaa but showing Kyie’s photograph.' Smirking: Kyie was imprisoned for 15 months and Boateng (pictured) for 12 months. Both will be automatically deported after serving their sentences . The court heard two of the couple’s three children, aged five, seven and 10, were born in the UK. The ID fraud family lived illegally in Newport, South Wales, for eight years before they were caught. Kyie worked illegally as a cleaner in NHS hospitals and universities, while Boateng worked as a driver and late night security guard. Claire Pickthall, defending Kyie, said: 'It is a serious offence and she accepts her motivation was gain. 'But the gain was only to come to the UK to have a better life for herself and her family - nothing more sinister than that. 'She has worked hard all the time she has been here. 'The mother of three was arrested along with Boateng who at first claimed he had been duped and thought his wife’s name was Joyce. But the couple eventually pleaded guilty to 14 charges of fraud by misrepresentation to enter and remain in the UK illegally. Judge Patrick Murphy told Kyie she was the 'prime mover' in the fraud. He said: 'You obtained benefits through employment and tax benefits to the cost of £104,562. 'The commission of all your offences is based on the identity theft of Joyce Pokuaa by you.' Judge Murphy said Kyie began stealing the dead mother’s identity documents in 2004 - just months after she gave birth to a son and died in Ghana following childbirth complications. He told the pair it was now their children who had become the innocent victims. Judge Murphy told them: 'You took the chance - they will pay the price. 'Possession and use of false identity documnets are serious offences and go to the heart of undermining the immigration processes of this country. 'They deprive others of legal entry to the country and employment and allow false benefits to be maintained at cost to the legitimate British tax payer.' Kyie was imprisoned for 15 months and Boateng for 12 months. Both were told they would be automatically deported after serving their sentences .

Catherine Kyie pretended to be Joyce Pokuaa who had died after childbirth . Kenneth Boateng then entered the UK pretending to be Kyie's husband . They claimed benefits and child tax credits for over eight years . Kyie was imprisoned for 15 months and Boateng for 12 months . They will both be automatically deported after serving their sentences .

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A woman who was admitted to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth suffering 'ebola-like' symptoms has been cleared of the deadly disease. In a statement, a hospital spokeswoman said: 'The patient has been released from quarantine and is no longer a suspected case of Ebola'. The woman was kept in a purpose-built isolation room, the spokeswoman said, which had in-built air conditioning controls to isolate the air flow from the remainder of the hospital. Scroll down for video . Suited up: Paramedics wore quarantine outfits such as these while transporting the woman to hospital. Pictured: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, in Perth. Pictured: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, in Perth. Nine News reported the woman had recently returned from west Africa. The incident comes after a man was tested for the deadly disease at the same hospital just last week. He was found to be suffering from a less serious illness and returned home after treatment. The hospital spokeswoman said: 'It is important to note that WA is collaborating closely with other states and territories, and the Commonwealth, via the Communicable Diseases Network Australia, to ensure a coordinated risk assessment and response to Ebola virus disease in Australia.' 'The risk of people with the Ebola virus travelling to Australia is considered very low,' the spokeswoman said. 'Even if travellers from West Africa did develop Ebola (virus) after arrival in WA, or elsewhere in Australia, our standard of care and infection control is such that once the disease was diagnosed there would be a very low risk of transmission to other persons'. According for the Centre for Disease Control, Ebola can only be spread through direct contact, such as the exchange of bodily fluids.

Woman tested for 'ebola-like' symptoms at Perth hospital has been cleared and released from quarantine . The hospital confirmed: 'One patient is currently being tested for ebola' The incident comes after WA man was rushed to hospital with 'ebola-like symptoms' earlier this month . He was cleared of the deadly illness .

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Moscow (CNN) -- Russian authorities on Friday seized radioactive material from the luggage of a passenger on a flight from Moscow to Tehran, Iran. The luggage, belonging to an Iranian citizen, contained 18 metal objects packed in individual steel cases, Russia's Federal Customs Service said. The agency said the material, the radioactive isotope Sodium-22, can be obtained in a nuclear reactor. The news sparked concern that the incident may have been related to Iran's nuclear program, which the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report last month could be geared to produce weapons. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. Nuclear expert Michael Friedlander said Sodium-22 has no applications related to weapons. It is generally used to calibrate nuclear instruments in medical equipment, he said. Initial tests showed that radiation levels of the objects were 20 times above normal, the Russian customs service said. Radiation expert Paddy Regan, a professor at England's University of Surrey, said the material was unlikely to present a major hazard. He said Sodium-22 can be made in medical accelerators and is usually not produced in reactors. It is also not used in reactors as a component of fuel, he said. The customs agency said the objects were sent to a Moscow prosecutor's office that deals with air and water transport. A criminal investigation is under way. No details were available on the identity of the Iranian passenger, who apparently flew to Tehran on the flight. Iranian news media quoted an embassy official in Moscow as saying any reports that the passenger had been arrested were false. "These false allegations are meant to destroy relations between Iran and Russia," the official told the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency. "A month ago there was a misunderstanding about a university student who was carrying material used in dentistry," he said. "This misunderstanding was resolved quickly and the student received apologies." CNN's Jo Shelley, Alla Eshchenko, Danielle Dellorto and Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report.

A nuclear expert says the material cannot be used for weapons . Russian customs agency says the radioactive material can be obtained from a nuclear reactor . It was found in the luggage of a passenger on a flight to Tehran . Russia's atomic agency says the material is used only for scientific research .

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By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 17:55 EST, 31 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:59 EST, 1 February 2013 . Right: Sperm donors have been handed the right to play a part in the lives of their biological children following a landmark High Court decision . Sperm donors were handed the right to see and play a part in the lives of their biological children in a landmark High Court case yesterday. They may now also win the right to regular contact with the children, even though they are not bringing them up. The ruling by the Family Division decreed that a sperm donor need never have had a sexual relationship with a mother in order to have a say in the child’s upbringing. The judgement came in a complex dispute over parental rights between three gay and lesbian civil partner couples. This case involved a donor who had previously known the mother of the children. However, the ruling leaves open the prospect that unprecedented rights for involvement in the lives of children may be granted to sperm donors who have little or no connection to the mothers. The case threw fresh light on the agonising dilemmas that can be faced by the growing numbers of gay families. Until now the law – set down five years ago in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act – has refused contact for sperm donors who have no other legal or domestic relationship with their biological children. The case was brought by a gay sperm donor whose child is being brought up by a lesbian couple. The Family Division ruling applies because the 2008 Act extended the law governing the rights of sperm donors to cover same sex couples. The biological father and his civil partner were friends with two lesbian couples, both also in civil partnerships. He is the father of two children of one of the lesbian couples. His civil partner is the biological father of a child being brought up by the other lesbian couple. Landmark: The ruling, stating that courts should respect a sperm donor's relationship with his biological child, was made in the High Court's Family Division . However, the agreement on paternity was struck informally between the friends and nothing about each couples’ duties and rights as parents was ever written down. The arrangement between the couples broke down after the male couple applied to the Family Court for contact with their children. The sperm donor in whose name the case was brought also asked for the children to live with him and his civil partner, but the court refused to consider this. The female couples objected on the grounds saying that contact would infringe their family life. The Family Division judgement said that the family rights of the couples bringing up the children should be respected. But it said that courts must consider a sperm donor’s connection to his biological child. Kevin Skinner, solicitor for the lesbian couple who must now offer contact to the biological father, said: ‘Although the judge’s decision makes clear that the family unit should be protected, the possibility of donors being able to apply for court orders will be a scary prospect for many parents, both gay and straight. ‘What is crucial is that anyone planning on having a child through the use of fertility treatment should make sure that proper plans are in place before the process begins.’ Respect: The judgement said that the rights of couples bringing up children should be respected, but that courts must consider a sperm donor's connection to his biological child (stock image) Under current law, generally sperm donors can have rights and duties over a biological child – including a duty of financial support – if the family in which the child is being brought up has no father or mother to assume responsibility. The legal problems thrown up by children of gay couples and civil partners have led to a series of court cases which have tried to untangle complex family relationships of a kind that rarely came before the courts in the past. Complex: The ruling was made in a a complex dispute over parental rights between three gay and lesbian civil partner couples (stock image) In a similar case last year three Appeal judges allowed a gay biological father whose relationship with a lesbian couple bringing up a child had broken down the right to see the child. The biological father was the husband of one of the lesbian couple, and the two had married because the woman wanted to demonstrate to her disapproving parents that she had formed a traditional family. In the case with married parents, Lord Justice Thorpe said the married couple had been naïve not to foresee difficulties. The sperm donor in the case may have been ‘seeking to offer a relationship of considerable value’, the judge said. Lord Justice Thorpe added: ‘It is generally accepted that a child gains by having two parents. 'It does not follow that the addition of a third is necessarily disadvantageous. ‘Human emotions are powerful and inconstant.’ He said the couples involved ‘may have had the desire to create a two-parent lesbian nuclear family completely intact and free from fracture. 'But such desires may be essentially selfish and may later insufficiently weigh the welfare and developing rights of the child.’

High Court's Family Division handed donors right to play part in child's life . Judgement part of dispute between three gay and lesbian civil partnerships . Contact currently refused for donors without legal or domestic relationship . Judges said family rights of those bringing up child should be respected . But it said courts must consider donor's connection to biological child .

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The first legal challenge to the Church of England's ban on same-sex marriage was launched today - months before the first gay wedding can take place. Gay father Barrie Drewitt-Barlow declared: 'I want to go into my church and marry my husband.' He added: 'The only way forward for us now is to make a challenge in the courts against the Church.' The legal move means an early test for David Cameron's promise to the CofE and Roman Catholic bishops that no church would be forced to conduct same-sex weddings against the will of its leaders and its faithful. Barrie (right) Drewitt-Barlow wants to be able to marry his civil-partner Tony (left) in a church . Ministers set down a 'quadruple lock' in the new same sex marriage law - which received Royal Assent last month - which is supposed to protect those churches which oppose gay marriage. However the guarantees will have to be tested in the courts and gay rights groups have been expecting to bring an early challenge. Mr Drewitt-Barlow and his civil partner Tony have been a celebrated couple since 1999, when they became the first gay couple to be named on the birth certificate of a child. They now have five children through surrogate mothers. He said : 'We need to convince the church that it is the right thing for our community for them to recognise us as practising Christians. Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow with their long-distance twins Dallas and Jasper. They now have five children through surrogate mothers . 'I am a Christian - a practising Christian. My children have all been brought up as Christians and are part of the local parish church.' Mr Drewitt-Barlow, 42, who owns a surrogacy company based near the family home in Essex and is opening another in Los Angeles, added: 'If I was a Sikh I could get married at the Gurdwara. Liberal Jews can marry in the Synagogue - just not the Christians. 'It upsets me because I want it so much - a big lavish ceremony, the whole works. He said it was a shame that he and his partner were being forced to take Christians to court to get them to recognise them, but he said the new law did not give them what they have been campaigning for. Mr Drewitt-Barlow, who took out a civil partnership in 2006, added: 'It is like someone giving me a sweetie with the wrapper on and telling me to suck it.' Under the Government's same-sex marriage law, which is expected to lead the first gay wedding next summer, churches must legally opt in before they can conduct same-sex ceremonies. Those that hold objections to gay marriage have been told the quadruple lock will prevent the courts from forcing them to stage gay weddings against the conscience of priests and most congregations.The lock says that no religious organisation could be compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises. Barrie holds his newborn daughter, Saffron, at a hospital in Modesto, California in 1999 . It would be unlawful for ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation's governing body has opted into provisions for doing so. The Equality Act 2010 would be amended to ensure no discrimination claim could be brought against religious organisations for refusing to marry a same-sex couple. The new law also states that it no religious organisation could be compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises. It would be unlawful for ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation's governing body has opted into provisions for doing so. The Equality Act 2010 would be amended to ensure no discrimination claim could be brought against religious organisations for refusing to marry a same-sex couple. The law also states that it is illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples. The CofE is also protected by its own internal canon laws, which are part of the law of land, which say marriages must be between a man and a woman. However a succession of past court cases have resulted in defeats for Christians who were in disputes over equality laws, and in particular courts have always found in favour of gays who have challenged Christians. Under the Government's same-sex marriage law, which is expected to lead the first gay wedding next summer, churches must legally opt in before they can conduct same-sex ceremonies . In recent years notable cases have ended in the sacking of a town hall registrar who refused to conduct civil partnership ceremonies, the sack for a Relate counsellor who said he would not give sex advice to gay couples, and defeat for a couple who declined to let a room in their hotel to a gay couple on the grounds that they were unmarried. Colin Hart, of the Coalition for Marriage said: 'The ink's not even dry on the Bill and churches are already facing litigation. We warned Mr Cameron this would happen, we told him he was making promises that he couldn't possibly keep. 'He didn't listen. He didn't care. He's the one who has created this mess. Mr Cameron's chickens are coming home to roost and it will be ordinary people with a religious belief who yet again fall victim to the totalitarian forces of political correctness.' Mr Hart added: 'We now face the real prospect of churches having to choose between stopping conducting weddings, or vicars, and priests defying the law and finding themselves languishing in the dock.'

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow said that he wants to marry partner Tony in a church . Said that the only way forward is to challenge the church in court . It is a test for Cameron's promise to the CofE and Roman Catholic bishops . Said that no church would be forced to conduct same-sex weddings . Barrie and Tony now have five children through surrogate mothers .

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By . Julian Gavaghan . PUBLISHED: . 04:24 EST, 12 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:11 EST, 12 April 2012 . Victim: Jamie Dack, 22, was found dead in a bin with his body burned . A former model shop worker was beaten with a baseball bat before being stabbed to death and set on fire in an industrial bin by four people he knew in a plot to to steal his credit card, a court heard today. The body of Jamie Dack, 22, was discovered on Sunday morning by firefighters tackling a blaze in Southampton. The remains of the poker fan who had recently quit his job, were so badly burned that officers were initially unable to identify the body's gender. Donna Chalk, 20, Ryan Woodmansey, 31, Lee Nicholls, 28, and Andrew Dyer-Skeats, 25, appeared in court today charged with his murder. The four suspects also face two charges of imprisonment and conspiracy to rob and the three men are additionally accused of causing grievous bodily harm. Nicholls faces a further charge of racially aggravated assault for a separate matter. Prosecutor Mark Gammon today told Southampton Magistrates Court: ‘The allegation is the defendants were acquaintances of the deceased and formed a plan between them to rob him of his cash card. ‘He was assaulted with a baseball bat, repeatedly stabbed and a doctor has found stab wounds in his neck. ‘Having been killed he was put in a domestic wheelie bin and taken to a large industrial bin where the body was burnt. Evidence: Bins are removed from the Empress Road industrial estate, Southampton, after one was set alight and human remains were found inside . Grisly: A lorry carries the bins away as officers continue investigations and strive to identify the body. Three men aged 31, 28, and 25 and a woman aged 20 have been arrested on suspicion of murder . ‘In interviews the defendants have either made denials or answered no comment.’ District judge Loraine Morgan ordered . the public gallery from the court after a woman began screaming at the . defendants as they were led from the dock. Earlier, his family, who described the . crime ‘horrendous’ and paid tribute to the ‘loving son and brother’ who . was a ‘good natured young man who liked to chat and made friends . easily’. In a statement they said: ‘Jamie was well liked by everyone and he will be sadly missed. ‘He liked to chat and made friends easily and had a trusting nature.' They added: ‘His whole family are devastated by his untimely death. ‘He was a young man who should have . had his whole life ahead of him. This has been cut abruptly short by . whoever committed this horrendous crime. Murder probe: A Hampshire Police officer stands guard after the burning body was found in a bin in a red light district in Southampton . Search: A sniffer dog looks for clues and an officer checks a drain on the industrial estate as police appeal for information from potential witnesses . ‘We would urge anyone who knows . anything about Jamie's murder to get in contact with the police and let . them know what you know. It could make all the difference and help them . find who did this to Jamie.’ Mr Dack had worked for a shop that sold Airfix kits and model railways but quit five weeks ago, his former boss said . Andy Parratt, the manager at ModelZone in Southampton, said: ‘Jamie was a great worker and his death is a complete shock. ‘He was very passionate about the things we sell and was sociable and good with customers.’ He added: ‘He was a very clean-living person and I have no idea why anybody would want to kill him.’ A barmaid at the Saxon Inn, in nearby . Totton, Hampshire, also said Mr played in their poker league but would . not comment further. Chalk, Nicholls, and Dyer-Skeats are from Southampton and Woodmansey is of no fixed abode. They were remanded in custody to appear at Winchester Crown Court on Monday, April 16.

Donna Chalk, 20, Andrew Dwyer-Skeats, 25, Ryan Woodmansey, 31, and Lee Nicholls, 28, charged with murder, false imprisonment and conspiracy to rob. Woodmansey, Dwyer-Skeats and Nicholls face an additional count of causing grievous bodily harm . Family of Mr Dack, 22, pay tribute to 'loving son' who was member of a poker club and had quit his job at model shop five weeks ago . Body so badly burned police couldn't initially identify his gender .

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Turkish side Besiktas have enquired about a January move for Tottenham captain Younes Kaboul. The former Portsmouth defender has not started Spurs' last nine league games having fallen out of favour at White Hart Lane. Everton also have an interest in Kaboul, who Maruicio Pochettino surprisingly gave the captain's armband in the summer after team-mates backed the Frenchman. Younes Kaboul is a January transfer target for Besiktas after falling down the pecking order at Tottenham . The French defender was handed the captain's armband in the summer but has failed to impress . Tottenham will look to offload their fringe players before making a move for Aston Villa's Fabian Delph. The England international's contract is running down and he is also attracting interest from Liverpool, but Villa want to hold onto him until the summer. That would suit Tottenham who are in no major rush to add to their midfield at this stage - unless a top target becomes available. That is despite Ryan Mason picking up an injury, and Nabil Bentaleb leaving for the African Cup of Nations this month. Benjamin Stambouli and Paulinho have deputised in recent weeks. Tottenham are looking to bring in Fabian Delph but Aston Villa want to keep him until the summer . Mauricio Pochettino has placed his faith in Benjamin Stambouli and Paulinho in recent weeks .

Younes Kaboul has fallen out of favour under Mauricio Pochettino . Skipper hasn't played in Tottenham's last nine league games . Spurs looking to sign Fabian Delph to add depth to midfield . But Aston Villa want to keep hold of England international until the summer .

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They are the serious-minded protesters who have taken to the streets in outrage at the killings of black men Eric Garner and Michael Brown by the police. But many of the young demonstrators incensed by the perceived injustices are struggling to stay off their cell phones long enough to get their point across. At cities across the country, almost every frame of a 'die-in' protest features at least one participant bathed in the white light of their cell phones, rather than playing dead. Scroll down for video . Attention: Five supine protesters (circled) in Washington, D.C., check their phones during a 'die-in' protest held a day after a grand jury decided not to charge officers over the death of New Yorker Eric Garner . Checking in: A protester at Grand Central Terminal appears to check social media during the highly visible protest . Closer: The protester leans to one side, holding his cell phone aloft while a man next to him also checks his . In some, a majority of participants at events in highly public places such as New York City's Grand Central Terminal, the White House or busy city intersections, are glued to their touchscreens. The die-ins are designed to raise awareness and express outrage at the cases of Michael Brown, who was shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri, by officer Darren Wilson in August. In November a grand jury declined to indict the officer, a decision which prompted a tide of outrage from civil rights activists, who made calls for legal reform. Eric Garner, a man killed on Staten Island, New York, by the NYPD, who put him in a choke-hold this summer, has also been incorporated in many of the protests. Playing 'dead': Three students in this corridor at one of Penyslvania State University's campuses didn't get the memo about laying still . Spotted: Two protesters on the ground can be seen bathed in the light of their devices, with the Washington Monument in the background . A grand jury decided Wednesday that no charges would be brought in relation to his death as well. The object of a die-in is to imitate a dead body, usually to raise awareness of people who have been killed. The tactic has increased in prominence in recent years, being used for everything from lobbying for increased road safety to issues of alleged police brutality. One protester at an event at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., explaining their tactic to a reporter with MCRTV. Focus! Three students in Washington, left, and another at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, fall victim to temptation . Perhaps they are checking train times: A wide-angle view of the Grand Central protest shows seven phone-using participants . Another three: More protesters in Middleton, Pennsylvania, take some time from protesting police brutality to examine their devices . She said: 'A die-in is definitely all about optics and visuals - we're going to be out here for four and a half hours, to represent the four-and-a-half hours Mike Brown's body lay in the street.' Images of the die-ins from all over the country have been shared. Events in Texas, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City and Atlanta have all featured on major news outlets. Some lasted only a few minutes, while others continued for hours. Many campuses have featured, including one in Missouri where organizers asked white people to stand at the back and hold hands instead of laying down, according to The College Fix.

Students and activists have been laying down in street to protest . Demonstrations are supposed to see participants play dead . Images of events nationwide show members checking phones instead . Most are outraged over refusals of two grand juries to indict police officers . Follows the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York, over the summer .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A rarely seen portrait of Michael Jackson is on display inside a Harlem luxury car dealership. Macky Dancy, a partner at Dancy-Power Automotive, said the oil painting titled "The Book" is believed to be the only portrait for which Jackson sat. The oil painting titled "The Book" is on display at Dancy-Power Automotive in Harlem, New York. A different portrait of the entertainer was among items auctioned from his Neverland Ranch in April. It is not clear whether Jackson sat for that painting. The painting on display in Harlem belongs to Marty Abrams, a friend and customer of the owners of the high-profile dealership. The 40-inch by 50-inch portrait, by Australian painter Brett Livingstone-Strong, sold for $2.1 million in 1990. Abrams acquired it as part of an unrelated business deal in 1992 and had it stored. The painting shows Jackson sitting in Renaissance-era clothes and holding a book. Jackson sat for the portrait because he was a friend of Livingstone-Strong's. The painting was unveiled at the Dancy-Power Automotive Group showroom on Thursday but was removed Friday because of crowd concerns. It returned to the showroom floor Monday morning. Dancy said the painting's owner chose the showroom because it's near the Apollo Theater in Harlem, where the Jackson 5 won their first taste of fame by winning Amateur Night in 1967. He said Abrams hopes the painting in some way can raise money for charities in the Harlem neighborhood. Dancy said Abrams is not necessarily interested in selling the portrait. When news broke about the resurfacing of the painting, Dancy said, he received a phone call from representatives of Livingstone-Strong, the artist. Now, Dancy said, "We are in the middle of possibly putting together the artist with the painting again. Maybe for some auctions or charitable shows or something of the sort." The showroom features Rolls-Royces, Ferraris and other pricey cars and is famous for its celebrity clientele.

Oil painting said to be the only portrait for which Michael Jackson sat . Painting is displayed at Harlem-based automotive showroom . It shows Jackson in Renaissance-era clothes, holding a book . Partner: Painting's owner chose showroom because it's near Apollo Theater .

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Spain found their fizz again in a 5-1 win over Macedonia that will further fuel the debate over whether they are better off without Chelsea striker Diego Costa. Costa’s hamstring injury meant Valencia’s young forward Paco Alcacer started his first game for La Roja and the 21-year-old had scored his first goal within 17 minutes. Cesc Fabregas played in Juanfran and his cross was turned in by the new No 9. Dream start: David Silva jumps on to Paco Alcacer's shoulders to celebrate his goal that put Spain 2-0 up against Macedonia in Valencia . Breaking away: Cesc Fabregas escapes a challenge from Macedonian midfielder Stefan Spirovski as Spain exerted their authority in the midfield areas . Easy does it: Sergio Ramos is congratulated after his cheeky chipped penalty put Spain ahead inside the Ciutat de Valencia stadium in Group C . New face: And before long Paco Alcacer was doubling the lead after a smart passing move which saw him presented with an open goal in his hometown . Muted celebration: Agim Ibraimi jogs back towards the half-way line after his penalty reduced the deficit to just one goal in the first half . Spain: Casillas; Alba, Abidol, Ramos (Bartra 68) , Juanfran; Busquets, Silva, Koke (Munir 77), Fabregas, Pedro, Alcacer (Isco 57). Scorers: Ramos 16 (pen), Alcacer 17, Busquets 45+3, Silva 50, Pedro 90+1. Booked: Koke, Fabregas. Macedonia: Pacovski, Cuculi, Sikov, Mosjsov, Alioski (Demiri 46), Trajkovski, Spirovski (Radeski 64), Ristovski, Abdurahimi (Velkoski 74), Jahovic, Ibraimi. Scorer: Ibraimi 28 (pen). Booked: Ristovski, Abdurahimi. Spain were already leading 1-0 after Sergio Ramos dinked in a Panenka-style penalty on the quarter of an hour mark after David Silva had been brought down – the Real Madrid defender repeating the trick from Spain’s success in the last European Championship. More impressive than the quickly established two-goal lead was the way the reigning champions of this competition were playing. Without the reference point of Costa upfront the passing was shorter and crisper and there was far more movement as Silva, Pedro and Fabregas buzzed around the new centre-forward, and full-backs Jordi Alba and Juanfran got forward to provide width. Costa is yet to score for Spain in five games having switched allegiance from his country of birth Brazil and played in Spain’s disastrous World Cup campaign. The free-flowing forward football did not prevent Macedonia briefly getting back into the game when Agim Ibraimi scored from the spot after Juanfran had brought down Aleksandar Trajkovski. Spain soon got their third when Alcacer turned provider this time for Sergi Busquets who scored his first international goal from the edge of the area with a deflected shot. The second half started with Iker Casillas justifying his selection ahead of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, keeping out Franco de Jahovic with a fine save . And it did not take long for Spain to make it four down at the other end when Alba got around the back of the visitors’ defence and pulled the ball back for Silva to score. It was his 21st goal for Spain – of non-strikers only fellow midfielder Fernando Hierro has scored more. Back in the game: Ibraimi's Macedonian team-mates congratulate him after he successfully converts the spot kick conceded by Juanfran . The bosses: Vicente del Bosque was back after offering his resignation after the World Cup and came up against Macedonia boss Boshko Gjurovski on the touchline . Combative: Ramos goes in hard for this header up against Macedonia's Stefan Ristovski during an aerial clash in the first half in Valencia . Dominant: Barcelona's Pedro takes the ball away from grounded Macedonian defender Ardijan Cuculi as Spain made their opponents work . Taking control: Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke, one of the newer members of Spain's starting line-up, brings the ball forward in the middle of the park . It should have been five on the hour when again Spain got down the Macedonia right with Silva pulling the ball back to Fabregas who smashed his shot against the bar. Fabregas was now sharing false-nine responsibilities with substitute Isco who had replaced goal hero Albacar – this really was the old Spain, playing without a recognised No 9. Pedro was the next to find himself in centre-forward space but he pulled his shot wide after being played in by Fabregas. He finally got in on the act in injury time with a fine finish from a Silva pass. With 10 minutes left Spain had brought on Munir El Haddadi for his debut aged just 19 years and seven days. The Barcelona striker has a Spanish mother and Moroccan father and was playing in the level below Barça’s B-team last season. His cameo and the performances of Alcacer show that Spain have plenty left in the locker as they look to defend their Euro crown. What remains to be seen is how Chelsea’s Costa fits into Del Bosque’s brave new world. Making sure: Sergio Busquets accepts the congratulations of Fabregas after he made it 3-1 in the closing stages of the first half in Valencia . Gesture: Busquets celebrates his goal with a hand sign after putting Spain back in charge in this Group C qualifying opener for the European champions . Spanish sensation: Manchester City playmaker Silva points to the sky after his smart finish made it four for the home side in the second half . Premier League's stamp of class: Silva celebrates after he knocked the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 4-1 to Spain in Valencia . Warm embrace: Alba and Koke are the first to congratulate Silva as he boosts Spain's goal difference in what should be a straightforward qualification group . Spain's supremacy in midfield: Chelsea man Fabregas helped the home side to take control at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium against the hardworking Macedonians .

Spain started with eight players from the Euro 2012 campaign - Vincente Del Bosque didn't make too many changes . Sergio Ramos scored opener for Spain with a cheeky paneka chipped penalty after David Silva was brought down . Paco Alcacer doubled the lead after Juanfran beat the goalkeeper to a chipped cross that went across the area . Juanfran then gave away a penalty allowing Agim Ibraimi to halve the deficit from the spot past Iker Casillas . Sergio Busquets restored the two-goal cushion with a low deflected strike just before the half-time whistle . Silva's low strike across the goalkeeper made it 4-1 to Spain as they showed their style in this big win . Cesc Fabregas had the chance to make it five but he thumped the crossbar after getting to Jordi Alba's cross . Barcelona youngster Munir El Haddadi came on for the last 23 minutes for his debut to cap a dream few weeks . Pedro chipped in with the fifth after Silva's pass to make it an even more resounding win in stoppage time . Silva now has more goals than any other non-striker for Spain apart from Fernando Hierro .

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(CNN) -- Phillip Garrido had a story to tell -- about how God helped him overcome the evil inside him. Phillip Garrido, a registered sex offender, was arraigned in California on Friday. The campus at the University of California at Berkeley was his pulpit, and he hoped his neighbors and customers of his printing business would become his flock. He wanted to share his story with anyone who would listen, including law enforcement. Just days before he was arrested and an 18-year-old kidnap mystery was solved, Garrido walked into an FBI office in San Francisco, California, with a stack of documents. The purported writings were a two-part manifesto. First he discussed the "Origin of schizophrenia revealed." Some who know him say Garrido spoke of having schizophrenia and attention deficit disorder. In the second part of the documents, Garrido detailed his struggle with sexual urges, in writings he titled "Stepping into the light." In the documents, obtained by CNN, Garrido confessed his past aggressive sexual impulses, but said he is no longer that man. Listen to Garrido speak of "heartwarming" story » . Garrido and his wife were charged last week with crimes relating to the abduction of 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and her captivity in a hidden shed-and-tent compound in the couple's backyard in Antioch, California. They pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, kidnapping and false imprisonment. See photos of Dugard's living conditions » . After his arrest, Garrido said documents he gave to the FBI would be key, that they would help people understand who he really was. He told a local television reporter the documents would show a "heartwarming story," one that helped him "completely" turn his life around. KCRA: Read transcript of Garrido's interview after his arrest . The documents provide a glimpse into the mind of a man who said he thinks he has a God-given gift. The power to control minds with sound was his salvation, he said, and would help others before they committed violence. He wrote that he wanted to share his story to provide "solid hope for everyone who suffers from the many forms of aggressive sexual behavior as well as other problematic behaviors." Garrido spoke of his sexual urges during his trial in 1977, when he was convicted of abducting and raping a 25-year-old casino worker in a mini-warehouse. He spent 11 years in jail for those crimes. He testified about his sexual fantasies, which included masturbating while reading magazines, watching movies, and in restaurants or bathrooms. In his writings, he detailed how hard it was for him to control himself. Garrido wrote that he realized he couldn't control his impulses and they were plaguing the ones he loved. "Certain behaviors cause a great deal of pain in myself and those who are victimized by those behaviors, especially our family and my wife," he wrote. That pain made him try to change from the predator he had become, he wrote. He said he began forcing himself to look at attractive women, but would not allow himself to act. "See how beautiful she is to look at," he would tell himself. In time, Garrido wrote, he began to stop physically acting on his feelings. As time went on, Garrido wrote, he kept those sexual compulsions at bay, beginning with controlling masturbation, which he said in the past had often taken place in public. He wrote that he became free and able to experience sexual enjoyment for the first time with his wife, though it was unclear whether he was referring to Nancy, his legal wife, or to Dugard, the mother of two of his children. He claimed he realized how wrong he had been in the past. "I realized I never needed to act or do the things I used to believe was so great and stimulating," Garrido wrote, referring to what he called "one of the most powerful freedoms imaginable." "I began to weep telling her 'I am so sorry for the things I did in the past,' " Garrido wrote about his wife, adding that he experienced a feeling of remorse he never had before. That feeling of salvation was something Garrido believed was a gift. He said he thought it meant it was up to him to help other sexual predators turn their lives around. "It will begin to open a new pathway for us all. God willing, I will be teaching this and other skills Christ is providing for me in the prisons throughout the U.S. as well as overseas," he wrote.

Suspect Phillip Garrido gave FBI documents just days before he was arrested . Suspect says in documents he used mind control to stop predatory impulses . Garrido in document: "I realized I never needed to act or do the things I used to" Garrido, wife Nancy, arrested for kidnapping girl in 1991, keeping her in shed .

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HANOI, Vietnam (CNN) -- Forty years after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam and he was taken prisoner, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's ordeal is included in a 12-minute biographical video. McCain was piloting an A4 Skyhawk on a bombing mission over North Vietnam when he was shot down. Photographs and footage in the video of his time as a prisoner of war to have never been seen before on American television, a campaign aide said. A unified Vietnam has capitalized on its American War -- as it calls it -- history and promotes war-related sites throughout the country to tourists. McCain's time in North Vietnam is marked at two locations in Hanoi which came to define his life and military career. One of the many French colonial-style buildings in the capital is the Hoa Lo Prison, better-known to most Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton," the infamous detention facility in which American pilots were held as prisoners of war. Most of the original complex was demolished during the 1990s, but a portion of the old prison originally built by the French was preserved and is now a museum. Although most of the exhibits focus on events from the French period, a museum official estimates that about a fourth of the estimated 200 daily visitors are American tourists who are mostly interested in the two exhibits on American prisoners of war, the most famous of which is the Republican senator from Arizona. Watch McCain and Col. Bud Day talk about their experience as POWs » . McCain's flight suit, helmet, and parachute from the night he was shot down are mounted in a display case in the Hoa Lo museum. His picture is mounted on an adjacent wall, along with those of other pilots who were also held there. None of the footage in the McCain campaign's video is on display at the museum but some of the photographs are, including his POW mug shot and a photograph of McCain being pulled out of a lake by a group of Vietnamese. A caption next to the mug shot notes that he is now a U.S. senator. The caption next to the lake photo reads in Vietnamese and English, "Hanoi people and soldiers were saving American pilot who parachuted down in Truc Bach Lake in October 1967," but it does not identify McCain by name. Context and accuracy of the exhibits are often sacrificed to maintain its consistent and unabashed pro-Vietnamese slant. A few miles from the prison, the serene Truc Bach Lake was where McCain landed after his plane was shot down on the night of October 26, 1967 and he bailed out. "Everything happened very quickly," McCain said recalling that night while visiting Vietnam in 2000. "I broke both my arms and a leg, and I was dragged ashore and I was beaten." A stone monument on the shore marks the event. The inscription translated from Vietnamese reads "On 26 October 1967 near the Truc Bach Lake, the Vietnamese people in Hanoi caught [John Sidney McCain]. He was the captain of a group who flew planes in the sky who attacked Hanoi. The number of the plane was A4. The plane fell on Yen Phu power plant. This was one of 10 planes that fell on the same day." McCain would spend the next 5½ years in the Hanoi Hilton until his release on March 14, 1973. Two decades later, McCain worked towards reconciliation and normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations and investigated the U.S. government's handling of POW issues as a member of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. McCain returned to visit Hoa Lo in April 2000, a photo of which is included in the exhibit. "I put the Vietnam War behind me a long time ago," McCain said at the time. "But I harbor no anger nor rancor. I'm a better man for my experience, and I'm grateful for having the opportunity of serving." E-mail to a friend . David de Sola is a former CNN staffer and a graduate journalism student at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California .

McCain's time in Vietnam marked at Hanoi Hilton and where he was captured . A portion of the Hoa Lo prison has been preserved and turned into a museum . McCain's flight suit, helmet and parachute are on display at the museum . McCain spent 5½ years in the Hanoi Hilton and was released in 1973 .

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Sam Irwin-Hill was a long way from home when the University of Arkansas punter scored the cheekiest touchdown seen in recent years. In the Arkansas U away game against Texas A&M Aggies this week, Bendigo born and raised Irwin-Hill was all lined up to punt from just inside his half of the field. Instead, after the block formed a clear flank for the Australian native, he took his opportunity and maneuvered his way through a jaw-dropping 51-yard touchdown for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Aussies are known for their unconventional behaviour,and Irwin-Hill was no exception in this trick play punt fake. Born and raised in Bendigo, 23-year-old Irwin-Hill maneuvered his way through the 51-yard touchdown using a trick play punt fake. Opening up a clear path, the block formed a flank for Number 92 Irwin-Hill to run all the way to the end zone, scoring the jaw-dropping touchdown for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Texas A&M graduate Johnny Manziel was spotted wincing and biting his hand on the sidelines of the field, as surprised by the trick play as many of the spectators. The nationally televised match was watched by thousands across the United States, with Irwin-Hill drawing praise from commentators and fans alike. Last year, Irwin-Hill, or number 92, averaged 44.3 yards for punting, and recorded an astonishing 79 yard punt during the season. The former Catholic College Bendigo student joined the Razorbacks in 2013 on a scholarship, after spending the two previous years in a junior college competition with the City College of San Francisco Rams. Irwin-Hill's mother Susan said that he called her as soon as he arrived back from Texas, and was overwhelmed by the reaction he had received for the move. The nationally televised match was watched by thousands across the United States, with Irwin-Hill drawing praise from commentators and fans alike. The touchdown pushed the Arkansas Razorbacks ahead to a 21-14 lead in the second quarter, but saw less luck for the rest of the game, losing to the A&M Aggies 35-28 in the end. The former Catholic College Bendigo student joined the Razorbacks in 2013 on a scholarship, after spending the two previous years in a junior college competition with the City College of San Francisco Rams. 'He said his phone had been ringing hot and he had to do interviews after the game. He was so excited,' Susan told Fairfax. 'Everyone in the US doesn't expect punters to run the football like Sam did.' 'His Aussie Rules background certainly helped him with the way he took on the tacklers.' 'We are so thrilled for him... after all the hard work he's put in, he deserves everything he gets.' The touchdown pushed the Arkansas Razorbacks ahead to a 21-14 lead in the second quarter, but saw less luck for the rest of the game, losing to the A&M Aggies 35-28 in the end. Irwin-Hill has been placed on the watch list for the lauded Ray Guy Award this season, after narrowly missing out last year.

Bendigo boy Irwin-Hill scored a 51-yard touchdown against Texas A&M . The jaw-dropping move has garnered praise from fans and commentators . 23-year-old Irwin-Hill has been placed on the watch list for the lauded Ray Guy Award this season .

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(CNN)The CIA's harsh interrogations of terrorist detainees during the Bush era didn't work, were more brutal than previously revealed and delivered no "ticking time bomb" information that prevented an attack, according to an explosive Senate report released Tuesday. The majority report issued by the Senate Intelligence Committee is a damning condemnation of the tactics -- branded by critics as torture -- the George W. Bush administration deployed in the fear-laden days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The techniques, according to the report, were "deeply flawed," poorly managed and often resulted in "fabricated" information. The report is reigniting the partisan divide over combating terrorism that dominated Washington a decade ago. Democrats argue the tactics conflict with American values while leading members of the Bush administration insist they were vital to preventing another attack. The CIA immediately hit back at the report, saying in a statement that the program was "effective" and substantially helped its understanding of al Qaeda's tactical operations and goals. But President Barack Obama said the report reinforced his view that the harsh interrogation methods "were not only inconsistent with our values as a nation, they did not serve our broader counterterrorism efforts or our national security interests." In its most graphic details, an executive summary of the report finds that conditions for detainees at top secret overseas interrogation sites were much harsher than the CIA has previously admitted. It finds that high value detainees were subjected to methods like waterboarding and sleep deprivation "in near nonstop fashion for days or weeks at a time." "In many cases, the most aggressive techniques were used immediately, in combination and nonstop," the report says. "Sleep deprivation involved keeping detainees awake for up to 180 hours, usually standing or in painful stress positions, at times with their hands shackled above their heads." In one facility, a detainee was said to have died of hypothermia after being held "partially nude" and chained to a concrete floor, while at other times, naked prisoners were hooded and dragged up and down corridors while being slapped and punched. Multiple CIA detainees subjected to the techniques suffered from hallucinations, paranoia, insomnia and tried to mutilate themselves, the report says. On one occasion, high-value al Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaydah became completely unresponsive after a period of intense waterboarding. He had "bubbles rising through his open full mouth," the report says. Meanwhile, the confessed mastermind of the September 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, was subjected to a "series of near drownings." The report finds that at least 119 detainees went through the CIA detention program and at least 26 were held "wrongfully," partly because there was no information to justify their detention. Previously, the CIA had said only 100 prisoners had been processed through the program, Democratic Senate aides said. The report suggests that the controversial enhanced interrogation techniques did not produce information necessary to save lives that was not already available from other means. That is important because supporters of the program have always said that it was vital to obtaining actionable intelligence from detainees that could not be extracted through conventional interrogations. It also discounts CIA claims in 2011 that enhanced interrogation of al Qaeda operative Hassan Ghul produced information which led them to Osama bin Laden's "courier" Abu Ahmad al-Kuwaiti. The breakthrough, which eventually helped the agency track down the al Qaeda leader's hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was extracted before Ghul was subjected to harsh treatment, the report said, . In its scathing response to the report -- released even before Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein rose on the Senate floor to unveil it -- the CIA said it was "unknowable" whether it could have received the same information from terror suspects using alternative methods. It said the conclusions of the report contained "too many flaws" for it to "stand as official record of the program" and said many of the charges were "based on authors' flawed analysis of the value of the intelligence obtained from the detainees." Obama outlawed enhanced interrogation techniques soon after becoming President in 2009 and admitted in August "we tortured some folks." As commander in chief, he faces many of the same dilemmas on how to fight terrorism as his predecessor. But the tone of his response to the report was nevertheless critical. He acknowledged in his statement that the Bush administration had faced "agonizing choices about how to pursue al Qaeda and prevent additional terrorist attacks against our country." "Our nation did many things right in those difficult years.  At the same time, some of the actions that were taken were contrary to our values. " Feinstein said that the CIA's actions in the aftermath of 9/11 were a "stain on our values and on our history." "The release of this 500-page summary cannot remove that stain, but it can and does say to our people and the world that America is big enough to admit when it's wrong and confident enough to learn from its mistakes," she said. In April, three Republicans on the Intelligence Committee voted to declassify the report. But Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the committee's top GOP member, also released a minority rebuttal to the document, taking issues with its methodology and findings. The rebuttal said the report created the "false impression that the CIA was actively misleading policy makers and impeding the counterterrorism efforts of other federal government agencies during the Program's operation." Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he did not believe that "any other nation would go to the lengths the United States does to bare its soul, admit mistakes when they are made and learn from those mistakes. " Thousands of marines at U.S. diplomatic posts and military bases around the world are on alert amid fears the graphic details of how detainees were treated could spark a violent backlash. But there was little initial interest on Jihadi forums about the report, said Laith Alkhouri, a senior analyst at Flashpoint Partners, a U.S. organization that tracks Jihadi websites. Intelligence sources told CNN's Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, however, that the threat of retaliatory attacks could come in days rather than hours, as information filters across the world. Those sources added that currently, there is no specific threat. The full report is more than 6,000 pages long. But after a prolonged tussle between the CIA and the committee over how much of the material should be classified, the document being released Tuesday is 480 pages long. Senior members of the Bush administration have also voiced disquiet that the report is being released and defended their actions, those of administration lawyers and CIA agents charged with the interrogations. Former president George W. Bush told CNN's Candy Crowley last week that the United States was "fortunate to have men and women who work hard at the CIA serving on our behalf. These are patriots." "These are good people. Really good people." Former Vice President Dick Cheney told the New York Times that claims that the CIA was out of bounds or that the interrogation program was a rogue operations were "a bunch of hooey." "The program was authorized. The agency did not want to proceed without authorization, and it was also reviewed legally by the Justice Department before they undertook the program," Cheney said. Countries that cooperated with the CIA, hosting black site prisons and assisting in transferring detainees, are identified only obliquely and not by name. CIA employees, referred to by pseudonyms in the report, aren't being identified. However, the agency pushed for the pseudonyms to be redacted because other information in the report could be used to determine who the employees are. For some Republicans and CIA supporters, there's still a dispute about whether techniques such as waterboarding constitute torture. The Justice Department twice has investigated the conduct of CIA employees involved in the program and decided not to bring charges. CNN's Ed Payne, Jake Tapper and Jim Acosta contributed to this report.

Senate Intelligence Committee releases summary of torture report . Report: CIA techniques were 'deeply flawed' Obama: Tactics are 'inconsistent with our values' CIA defends practices .

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By . Tom Kelly and Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 18:59 EST, 16 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:28 EST, 17 December 2012 . Days before the tragedy, the father of a British boy killed in the Sandy Hook massacre told friends  in the UK that his family was enjoying a ‘dream life’  in America. Ian Hockley, whose six-year-old son Dylan was one of 20 youngsters murdered, had proudly shown former neighbours pictures of his two children when he returned to finalise the sale of their old home in Hampshire last week. Mr Hockley, who is in his early 40s, told friends at his local pub that he and his U.S.-born wife, Nicole, were having a ‘wonderful American adventure’ after moving to New England with Dylan and his older brother Jake in January 2011. Full of smiles: Dylan (left) with his brother Jake and parents Ian and Nicole. Ian had told friends and family back in the UK that they were having a wonderful time in America . Relatives said they emigrated for a ‘better life for the family’ and chose to settle in Newtown, Connecticut, because it seemed so ‘safe and peaceful’. The house they moved into was directly across the street from the home of crazed gunman Adam Lanza, who opened fire in Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday after shooting his mother dead. Before the massacre, Mrs Hockley gave a poignant interview to the local newspaper in Newtown, describing her new home as a ‘wonderful place to live’. The devoted mother said the family had ‘felt happy and comfortable’ leaving Eastleigh, Hampshire, where she had lived with IBM finance manager Mr Hockley for nine years, to move to New England. In the article posted on The Newtown Bee website, the 42-year old said: ‘The schools here have been amazing, and the people in my neighbourhood are incredible. ‘Newtown is a wonderful place to live and we’re looking forward to being here a long, long time.’ Mr Hockley’s cousin, David Lutkin, 48, from Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire, yesterday said the entire family was in shock. ‘They chose to move to that area because it’s the last place you’d expect something like that to happen and it had a good school,’ he said. Heartbreaking: Dylan Hockley was described as a 'lovely little boy' by the family's next door neighbour . ‘Obviously there was one bad apple in the neighbourhood. You can’t account for that.’ Mr Lutkin added that Dylan had been ‘very close’ to eight-year-old Jake, who would have taken the loss very hard. ‘They are just a fabulous family. They are not good at the moment.’ Maria Sweet, 81, a retired nanny who lived next door to the Hockleys in Eastleigh, said the news left her ‘brokenhearted’. She said: ‘Dylan was such a lovely little boy and very intelligent too, he enjoyed school. ‘I would often offer him a drink and some biscuits and he’d come up to me and give me a cuddle.’ She still has cards from Dylan and his brother thanking her for presents. One read: ‘Dear Mrs Sweet, thank you so much for the chocolate bars, we love chocolate. We hope you had a nice Christmas and Happy New Year and hope to see you again soon.’ She described Mr and Mrs Hockley as ‘fantastic parents’. She said: ‘They both had so much time for the kids and loved them so much. ‘Ian was back here only last week to finalise the sale of their house – they had settled in America and were enjoying life there. ‘Ian and Nicole worked so very hard here and I think they wanted to move to America for a quieter life. ‘I remember Nicole being really excited about going and the two boys were looking forwards to seeing their grandparents more. They thought it would be a nice place to bring up their children.’ Peter Missen, 55, of Southsea, Hampshire, who worked with Mr Hockley at IBM in Hampshire, said: . ‘We kept in touch via Facebook and he would upload family snaps of himself with his beloved boys.‘Although Ian was a serious professional man, he was happy go lucky and you could tell he was a doting dad. Brothers: Dylan (left) and Jake were 'very close' according to a family member . He seemed very happy with their new life over in the States and this is absolutely tragic for them. I feel completely devastated.’ Dylan’s devastated grandmother Theresa Moretti, who lives in the US, said her daughter had previously described the town as ‘safe and lovely’. She said she heard the news as she was out buying Christmas presents for Dylan and Jake. ‘I got a garbled message on my answerphone from my daughter. She was almost incoherent. I called her back and she told me what had happened. Happy: Dylan (top), Jake and father Ian. The family have lived in the U.S. for nearly two years . 'She kept saying, “Mum, how do you tell an eight-year-old his six-year-old brother is dead and not coming back?” ‘Jake was at school that day. He heard the gunfire that killed his brother. 'The family isn’t doing well . . . Why did he have to shoot 20 innocent babies? They were only six and seven years old. Killer: Adam Lanza shot 26 people dead, 20 of them schoolchildren aged five to ten, and then shot himself at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut . ‘Dylan was a lovely boy. He had dimples and blue eyes and a mischievous grin . . . We are shattered and will never be the same.’ Close family friend Kristen Trudeau said the Hockleys were being comforted by hundreds of messages of support that have flooded in. But she said the family’s agony was made even worse by the  fact that they lived in the same road as Lanza. ‘They are totally bereft over the loss of Dylan, but to know you have lived with the killer is just unreal,’ the mother of two said. Another friend added: ‘Losing your son in such a way is unimaginable, but having to live within sight of the killer’s home is just sick. 'They must want to get away from here as quickly as possible.’ Mrs Trudeau, 36, and her husband Brian, 38, got to know the Hockley family soon after they moved  to Newtown. Mrs Hockley joined a newcomers’ club and with another British woman, Jillian Cruwys, became one of the main organisers. The club arranges social events to  help people moving into the town make friends. The family were also regular visitors to a shop that sold British goods in Newtown called UK Gourmet. ‘The children like to go there to get their Flakes and other chocolate bars,’ said a friend. ‘I don’t think the boys really liked our American chocolate.’ Prayers were said yesterday for the family at St Nicholas’s Church in Eastleigh, and advent candles were lit for them during the service. Bravery: Victoria Soto, 27, is believed to have sacrificed her life to save the children in her care . Out of the chaos and horror of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School emerged incredible stories of bravery and selflessness from teachers and staff who were prepared to lay down their lives to protect the children in their care. Teacher Victoria Soto is believed to have hidden her pupils in a classroom closet but stood outside, possibly because there was no room for her to hide in there too. When Lanza demanded to know where the children were, the 27-year-old lied and told him they were at the other end of the school in the auditorium. But six of her pupils tried to escape and Lanza shot them, Miss Soto and a teaching assistant who was in the room. Police later opened the closet and found the remaining seven members  of the class, who told them what had happened. Miss Soto’s cousin Jim Wiltsie said: ‘She took her kids, put them in the closet and by doing so she lost her life protecting those little ones. 'I’m just proud that Vicki had the instincts to protect her kids from harm.’ He added: ‘It brings peace to know that Vicki was doing what she loved, protecting the children, and, in our eyes, she’s a hero.’ Miss Soto, who had worked at the school for five years, was popular with the students – not least because she liked to chew gum in class, a habit usually frowned upon during lessons. The teacher, who lived with her family in nearby Stratford, Connecticut, was single and doted on her black labrador Roxy. She called her pupils her ‘little angels’, said a friend. Scores of mourners, including Miss Soto’s mother Donna, sisters Karly and Jillian and brother Matthew, gathered in Stratford on Saturday night for an emotional vigil. Grief: Donna Soto (right), mother of Victoria, the first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School who was shot and killed while protecting her students, hugs her daughter Karly (centre)

The father of the British boy murdered in U.S. school shooting had spoken warmly of the family's new life . He told former neighbours in UK that their new home was safe and peaceful . His son was killed by a crazed gunman at school a week later .

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Ferguson, Missouri (CNN) -- Mike Knox, owner of Freestyle Barber & Beauty in Ferguson, Missouri, said police have pulled him over twice for what he calls "DWB" -- driving while black. When he questioned why he was stopped, officers pressed him for insurance information -- not something a driver should be pulled over for, he said. "People are just tired of that happening," Knox said. "Why should we get pulled over every time we get in the car?" Knox wouldn't be surprised if Michael Brown, 18, smarted off to Officer Darren Wilson. "He probably did. It happens quite often," Knox said. It's common for black people to give police attitude in the area, he said. Wilson, a white police officer, fatally shot the unarmed, African-American Brown on August 9 -- the event that started protests and violent street clashes in the town of about 22,000 people. Dozens of people have been arrested as Ferguson became a flash point of racial conflict. Black residents of Ferguson say there's been friction for years with the overwhelmingly white police department. White residents also complain the police are heavy-handed. The department was formally accused of using excessive force Tuesday in a federal lawsuit. The family of Jason Moore says he died of cardiac arrest September 17, 2011, when police fired Tasers at him, according to the lawsuit. The family says that Moore, who they say suffered a psychological disorder, was walking around naked and posed no threat to police. The public relations firm handling media inquiries of the Ferguson police did not immediately respond Wednesday to CNN's request for comment on the suit. To locals and longtime observers, tension has been brewing since the 1970s, when school desegregation and white flight changed Ferguson's demographics. Today, two-thirds of Ferguson's population is black, but arrest statistics don't reflect that. According to a 2013 report released by the Missouri attorney general, African-Americans are highly over-represented in crime statistics. They accounted for 93% of arrests after traffic stops, 92% of searches and 86% of traffic stops. Michael Brown shooting, protests highlight racial divide . The police chief is white. There are only three African-Americans on the 53-person police force. The mayor is white, and so are five of the six city council members. Police chief defends department . Police Chief Tom Jackson has come under heavy criticism for the way police have handled protests and looting, but he defends the department against accusations of racism. When CNN asked him about the perception that police stop blacks more than whites, Jackson said, "Well, if that is the perception out there, then that's something we have to work on." When asked if it's more than a perception, he said, "I don't think so." But African-American residents say it's more than perception. Marquita Rogers, 27, said she believes race played a factor in Brown's death. "I'm not saying that every white police officer in Ferguson is racist like that, but some are" she said. "First time I seen a black cop is when they blocked off the street," she said, referring to recent turmoil in her city. 'They all got a power trip problem' Tom Steigerwald, 31, has lived in Ferguson since 1994. When he was 20, an officer came to his house because he was playing music too loud, he said. The officer told him to open his door but he stuck his head out the window instead, he said. After an exchange of words, the officer smacked him in the head, he said. His father talked him out of filing a report. "They all got a power trip problem, a lot of them," he said. Arvid Wilkerson, 22, said, "Police do what they want," he said. "They abuse that badge." He thinks that's exactly what happened with Brown. "They get trained to use their night sticks and Tasers, and they get trained to fight. There's no reason to pull out a gun and definitely no reason to kill him, or overkill him is what they did," he said. "That could've been me." A traffic case brought Henry Davis into conflict with Ferguson police. Davis filed a federal lawsuit against the city and four police officers in 2010, alleging the police used excessive force against him in the jail cell after arresting him in 2009. Last March, a federal judge ruled in favor of the city and the officers. Davis is appealing. In the lawsuit, Davis says officers wrongly arrested him in the first place, thinking he was another person by the same last name. Lawsuit alleges excessive force . At the jail, police beat and kicked him so badly he suffered a concussion, the lawsuit says. "I shouldn't have been there, I was the wrong person," he told CNN. "They beat me for no reason while I was handcuffed." To top it off, police charged him with four counts of property damage, saying he had bled on their uniforms. He also was charged with driving while intoxicated, speeding, failure to drive in a single lane, no proof of insurance and failure to obey a police officer. Police tell a different story in their responses to Davis' lawsuit, saying Davis acted intoxicated, belligerent and aggressive toward arresting officers. One officer claims he suffered a broken nose. In a 2010 plea bargain in municipal court, Davis pleaded guilty to two counts of property damage, careless driving, speeding, failure to obey a police officer, and two non-moving violations, according to a U.S. magistrate's summary of the case. Two counts of property damage were dismissed. After Davis filed his lawsuit in August 2010, police charged Davis with felony assault on a police officer. That charge was dismissed in 2013. Chief says he improving department . Jim Schottel, Davis' attorney, said he's not shocked by the Michael Brown case. "Ferguson had a policy and custom for its officers to use excessive force at will," Schottel said in the lawsuit he filed for Davis, who like Brown is African-American. Chief Jackson, who was hired in March 2010, told CNN he's trying to improve the department. "I wasn't here when that happened," he said of the Davis case. "All I can say is that from the time I got here I've been working on improvements to make this a very professional police department." Schottel said Jackson is trying to improve the department, but "the culture in the police department was one where there was no fear of punishment." Meanwhile, one of the four officers Davis sued, Kim Tihen, left the police department and ran for city council, reported The Daily Beast. She won election in 2012. Schottel doesn't know if the Michael Brown case will help his appeal of the Davis lawsuit. He expects the case to be heard the week of December 8. "I've been told by other lawyers the appeal now stands a better shot," he said, "but I don't speculate." Complete coverage of Ferguson shooting and protests . Magazine: The Aftermath in Ferguson . Read more about the flash point in the Heartland at CNN.com/US . This story is based on reporting by Eliott McLaughlin in Ferguson, Missouri and Ralph Ellis in Atlanta, Georgia. Ralph Ellis wrote it. CNN's Jason Carroll and Kevin Conlon also contributed to this report.

Ferguson is two-thirds black, but 2013 report showed blacks over-represented in arrests . Of Ferguson's 53 police officers, three are African-American . In 2010, Henry Davis sued the department over alleged use of excessive force . A federal judge ruled against Davis, but he is appealing .

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By . Chris Brooke . Last updated at 1:08 PM on 6th September 2011 . A music teacher murdered his fiancée and hid her body in a suitcase to convince a second lover that he was a single parent living alone, a court heard. Andrew Lindo, 29, throttled Marie Stewart as she lay in bed, smashed her on the head with his daughter’s Winnie-the-Pooh chair and finally stabbed her while their two children slept. He hid 30-year-old Miss Stewart’s body in a suitcase in the garage then calmly picked up– the other woman he called his ‘future wife’ – and took her home to spend the night with him. Accused: Andrew Lindo (left) denies murdering his partner Marie Stewart . A week later, on Christmas Day, Miss Stewart’s father and other relatives  visited Lindo. He convinced them she was suffering from post-natal depression and had left him and the children to be with another man, Bradford Crown Court heard. But almost two months later Miss Stewart’s family called in the police. They searched Lindo’s home in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, and found her decomposing body. Lindo admitted killing her, claiming he ‘lost his self-control’ because he believed she was abusing their three-year-old daughter. He denies murder but admits manslaughter. 'Mutual attraction': Lindo was seeing Angela Rylance at the time he is alleged to have killed his fiancee . Lindo was an ‘inveterate and accomplished liar’ who lived a double life with a ‘series of hapless women’, Michelle Colborne QC, prosecuting, told the court. He had simultaneous relationships with two other women he met at work, Amy Wilde and Alison Doram, when Miss Stewart was pregnant with their second child. Six months later he met Angela Rylance, who worked at the Money Shop in Barnsley where Lindo cashed his pay cheques. There was a ‘mutual attraction’ and . Lindo convinced her that Miss  Stewart had walked out on the family . within two weeks of giving birth, and that he was single. For the next four months he played . out an elaborate charade, pretending to  Miss Stewart, a classroom . assistant, that he was faithful to her, and telling Miss Rylance that . she was the only woman  in his life. Miss Rylance spent time in his house . and with his children on many occasions, the court heard. Miss Stewart . became suspicious when her daughter mentioned ‘Angela’, but he said it . was due to the child’s fertile imagination. Abandoned: Marie Stewart's body was left in this garage for two months . Eight days before the killing Miss Stewart phoned a friend, crying hysterically, and said she had proof Lindo was cheating on her. The friend phoned Miss Rylance, who confirmed the relationship and promised not to see Lindo again. Lindo again brazenly lied to Miss Rylance and assured her he loved her and that he had taken legal advice over Miss Stewart’s ‘harassment’ of him, the court heard. But Miss Rylance was dubious and told him that until she spent a night at his house her doubts would remain. They made a date for that overnight stay for a week later on Saturday, December 18. In the week leading up to the killing Lindo sent texts to Miss Stewart to try to keep her happy. One said: ‘I’m sorry baby, I want us to work so much. I’ll try harder.’ Another said: ‘Love you darling.’ On the evening of the murder, neighbours heard Lindo and Miss Stewart arguing, and the prosecution said this row ended in murder. Describing the killing to police, Lindo said he started to squeeze Miss Stewart’s neck ‘whilst placing his arm over her eyes so that she wasn’t looking at him’. She turned purple and went silent. Then she started making a noise again. He heaved her into a suitcase and managed to drag it down the stairs. Court: Lindo is on trial at Bradford Crown Court . He said the noises from Miss Stewart started again and he thought: ‘I can’t strangle you, I’m obviously s*** at strangling you, I’m just going to hit you.’ He smashed her over the head with his daughter’s wooden chair, but she came round again. As his helpless victim’s body began to move he spotted some bubble wrap. Describing the killing as ‘undoubted torture’, Miss Colborne said: ‘The defendant said that the only thing he could think of doing was to cut her throat, just to stop it. ‘He wrapped the bubble wrap round her head because he didn’t want to see her face, didn’t want her looking at him. He said he grabbed a knife and jabbed it in.’ The court was told that after cleaning the murder scene Lindo drove with his children about 20 miles to Barnsley, arriving at Miss Rylance’s house at 11pm. He told her he was so late because police had breath-tested him, and took his unsuspecting lover home with him. They remade the bed where he had attacked his fiancée hours earlier and got into it. The following day he spent ‘an entirely pleasant day’ with Miss Rylance ‘at the scene of the previous night’s brutality’, the jury heard. Lindo then began building his cover story and ‘set in train an elaborate set of lies designed to blacken her name’. He told the victim’s sister that she had taken her clothes from the house ‘and left with a man in a car’. He told Miss Stewart’s GP she was ‘having fun in the sun’. Lindo also texted Miss Stewart’s phone with the message: ‘Please come home baby I love you so much.’ Using her phone he allegedly texted a friend to reassure her: ‘Feeling a little better for being away for a bit. I’m safe.’ This friend was a police officer, and when Miss Stewart had not turned up by mid- February she spoke to the victim’s family and the police were called in. The case continues.

Andrew Lindo left Marie Stewart's body in a suitcase for two months after killing her, according to prosecutors . He admits manslaughter but says he was trying to protect their daughter .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:32 EST, 20 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:36 EST, 20 January 2014 . The German automobile club and Europe’s biggest motoring organisation has found itself in a public relations pile-up after its vaunted Car of the Year Award was exposed as a fraud. ADAC says it is Europe's biggest auto club with more than 18 million members, offering breakdown help, safety tests and many other services to a nation of car enthusiasts. And last week, it angrily denied reports that voting in a poll of readers of its monthly magazine on Germany's Favorite Car was tampered with. Germany's AA: ADAC says it is Europe's biggest auto club with more than 18 million members, offering breakdown help, safety tests and many other services to a nation of car enthusiasts . Fraud? The 2014 Car of the Year is the VW Golf which ADAC said received 34,299 votes before it was crowned last Thursday. But the ADAC's head of communications admitted that he inflated the figures by ten times the real amount because only 3,409 people had bothered to vote . But the association has now admitted that its head of communications did indeed inflate the figures by ten times because hardly anyone actually bothered to vote. 'It's a write-off,' judged top-selling . newspaper Bild, likening the damage to the 111-year-old association's . image to that of a totalled car. Michael Ramstetter, head of communications at ADAC until Friday morning, admitted that he was the one who fiddled the figures by ten times the real amount because only 3,409 people had voted. 'We're very sorry': ADAC's chief Karl Obermair, personally humiliated himself after he initially scolded media for reporting doubts about ADAC's vote-counting, apologised today . His confession came after prolonged rumours of vote fixing that were hitherto vigorously denied by the club. Shortly after being made to walk the plank on Friday Ramstetter said candidly: 'I’ve messed up and cooked the numbers.' His boss, head of ADAC Karl Obermair who fired him, has ordered a full investigation. It lays ADAC wide open to claims of kickbacks from car firms to promote their vehicles and a nasty suspicion that the whole competition has been a total fix for the decade it has been running. 'We've got our work cut out for us to repair the tarnished reputation,' said ADAC managing director Karl Obermair, who called Ramstetter's actions 'an inexcusable mistake'. 'We're very sorry,' added Obermair, personally humiliated himself after he initially scolded media for reporting doubts about ADAC's vote-counting. 'This strikes at the very core of our existence. Our goal is to restore our credibility.' Ramstetter admitted to Munich’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the figures were manipulated for 2012 and 2013. In 2012 the Audi Q3 SUV received the . coveted ‘Gelber Engel’ - Yellow Angel - accolade, after the . organisation’s break-down vans’ colour. It won with 330,000 votes - a . figure dreamed up in Ramstetter’s imagination as ADAC now believes just . 76,000 votes were actually cast. 'I cooked it up': In 2012 the Audi Q3 (pictured) received the coveted 'Gelber Engel' - Yellow Angel - accolade with 330,000 votes - a figure dreamed up in Ramstetter's imagination as ADAC now believes just 76,000 votes were actually cast . Another scandal: It is a nightmare reminiscent of 2005 when ADAC was forced to admit fixing a test on the Romanian-built budget car the Dacia when it put out a press release saying the car's wheels were dodgy (pictured: 2012's Dacia Sandero) ‘Credibility . and trust are our key commodity,' said Herr Obermair, adding that ADAC . would be apologizing to car producers. The award was, until last week, one of the most respected automobile market indicators and could . make or break the reputation of models. 2009 - VW Golf IV . 2010 - Mercedes E-Class . 2011 - BMW 5 Series . 2012 - Audi Q3 . 2013 - Mercedes A-Class . 2014 - VW Golf . It is a nightmare reminiscent of 2005 when ADAC was forced to admit fixing a test on the Romanian-built budget car the Dacia when it put out a press release saying the car’s wheels were dodgy. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung received a tip off from a whistleblower that in fact the wheels were purposefully damaged prior to the test to make it perform badly. Ramstetter was also editor-in-chief of car industry magazine Motorworld and he has lost that post too. In the land where car is king and top marques like VW, BMW and Mercedes fill the nation’s driveways and autobahns, the fixing of the competition is front page news. VW, eager to distance itself from any part in the manipulation, has demanded ‘clarification’ about what went on. But while calling for clarity, a spokesman for the giant concern based at Wolfsburg added; 'We still believe that the Golf is the favourite car of the Germans.’ ‘Now a massive crisis of confidence threatens the ADAC, the largest car club in Europe and Germany,' said Manager Magazin Automobile experts voiced concern that if ADAC could fix the votes for a car contest, motorists may have been wrongly informed in other areas over the years.

ADAC is Europe's biggest auto club with more than 18 million members . The VW Golf was declared Car Of The Year 2014 with 34,299 votes . But the association has now admitted figures were inflated by TEN TIMES . The head of communications has been sacked after admitting the scam . He said he 'cooked up the figures' because voter turnout was so low .

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By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 12:03 EST, 22 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:54 EST, 22 March 2013 . Thousands of British tourists  heading to Cyprus for Easter have been told to take bundles of cash with them – and to make sure they are adequately protected against thieves. The Foreign Office amended its advice as officials warned the island had just ‘hours’ to prevent financial collapse. With the banks closed, long queues at cashpoints and reports that retailers are starting to refuse payments by debit and credit card, official advice is now to take enough cash to ‘cover the duration of your stay, alongside appropriate security precautions against theft’. For many families, this will mean taking thousands of euros in cash and being on constant guard against robbery. Scroll down for video . Concern: Thousands of savers with a Cypriot bank with branches in London and Birmingham will not have the protection of the UK's compensation fund if Cyprus goes under . Tension: People wait to use the ATM machines at a branch of Laiki bank in Cyprus . But with the Foreign Office still not issuing formal travel restrictions, worried tourists will be unable to claim the cost of their holiday on insurance if they decide to cancel. Labour MP John Mann last night condemned the advice as a ‘recipe for muggings’. He said: ‘As always the Government seem to be a few steps behind – advising people to take large amounts of cash to a place where people are desperate for it is an open invitation to criminals.’ Last night MPs in Cyprus approved a ‘national solidarity fund’ to ease the country’s banking crisis, and imposed new capital controls to prevent a run on the island’s troubled banks. These are the first of a series of laws intended to raise the money it needs to qualify for a bailout.The EU is demanding that Cyprus raises £4.8billion before it will agree an £8.5billion package for the banks, which have been crippled by bad loans to Greece. Anger: Banking sector workers protest outside of the Cyprus' parliament in Nicosia as lawmakers debate emergency legislation . Anger: Laiki bank employees bank react during a rally outside the Cypriot parliament . Out in force: Today Cypriot authorities were putting the final touches to a plan they hope will convince international lenders to provide the money the country urgently needs . A plan to levy a charge on all bank deposits was rejected by Cypriot MPs this week, plunging the rescue plan into chaos. Last night they were close to a compromise centred on a levy on those holding over €100,000. It could be limited to a 20 per cent tax on large deposits at the island’s biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus. Experts had indicated that Cyprus’s politicians were buckling under pressure from Germany to raid the deposits of foreign savers and the better-off. Christopher Pissarides, a Nobel prize-winning economist who is advising the president, said: ‘It looks like they may be able to reach a compromise tonight, or possibly tomorrow morning. But it won’t be a good one.’ He said the tough German stance was causing resentment. ‘We have been given an ultimatum that unless we reach a solution there will be no more money for the banks and the whole economy will collapse.’ Discussions: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) talks with Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble before discussing a Cyprus bailout plan today . The plans need to be in place by Monday, when the European Central Bank has said it will cut off emergency support to the banks. That could trigger their collapse and devastate the economy, potentially pushing Cyprus out of the euro. The worsening situation came on the first anniversary of the eurozone’s banking chief Mario Draghi boasting that the crisis in the single currency was ‘over’. Business Secretary Vince Cable yesterday warned that the EU’s botched handling of the situation risked setting off a wave of bank runs in countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain. David Cameron discussed the worsening situation during a half-hour telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian citizens, including some oligarchs and criminals, are reported to have £17billion deposited in Cypriot banks. But Cypriot efforts to clinch a contribution from Russia yesterday appeared to have failed.sits. Banks have remained closed for fear of queues of depositors withdrawing their savings. Smiles all round: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso before their meeting . Decisions: A man walks past an office of VTB Bank in central Moscow. If Russian oligarchs still have money in Cyprus, where a lot of them base their businesses, they aren't letting on .

British customers of Laiki Bank relying Cyprus Deposit Protection Scheme . Covers up . to 100,000 euros or around £87,000 . 'No sign' of its 13,000 British depositors panicking about their money . Greek banking group has began acquiring the Greek units of Cypriot banks . Foreign Office: 'Take sufficient euros to cover the duration of your stay'

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By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 14:44 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:22 EST, 26 July 2013 . Financial windfall: Mark Zuckerberg's personal fortune has soared a staggering $3.8 billion since Facebook announced impressed Q2 results on Wednesday . Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s personal fortune soared a staggering $3.8 billion between the company’s announcement of much better than expected second quarter earnings on Wednesday and the close of trading on Thursday. Shares in the world’s most-popular . social-networking service soared 30% to their highest level since May . 2012, earning the company’s founder and CEO the equivalent of $15.83 . million per hour. When Facebook floated on the Nasdaq in . May last year it was one of the largest initial public offerings in . history, netting co-creator Zuckerberg more than a billion dollars. But its share price fell dramatically months later and it saw $49 billion wiped from its value. Surging demand for mobile advertising helped company revenues increase 53 percent to $1.81 billion for the latest quarter. The . earnings may quell concerns, voiced by analysts and investors since the . IPO, that the rising popularity of smartphones and tablets is outpacing . its ability to make money selling promotions to mobile users. No word yet on if the famously frugal Zuckerberg has celebrated his latest windfall. The billionaire is known for his life of the simple life, shunning material possessions to live a relatively simple existence and nearly always  wearing his trademark hoodies. From mediocre to top performing: Facebook shares jumped 20 per cent after it announced better than expected Q2 financials . Instead, he and wife Priscilla have committed the majority of their wealth to charity. This weeks windfall has pushed the 29-year-old far up the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ahead of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Dell chairman Michael Dell. Zuckerberg ranked at No. 42 with a net worth of $16.8 billion. He was number 75 before the latest Facebook earnings were released and so far this year his net worth has swelled by 37%. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, 57, remains the richest person in the world with a net worth of $72.2 billion, followed by Mexico’s Carlos Slim, 73, and then Warren Buffett, 82. On Wednesday Facebook saw its second . quarter revenue soar to $1.813 billion - a 53 percent increase on the . same period last year. Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla have committed the majority of their wealth to charity . Up . until this week, the company had been accused of delivering a mediocre . return since going public in May 2012, but that all changed on Wednesday . when its value jumped 20 per cent to $31.81 during after-hours trading. Facebook made $333m in . net income from April to June compared with a net loss of $157m a year . ago, according to the company's latest financial results. An . average of 699 million people used the social media platform every day . in June, an increase of 27 percent on the same time last year. The number of monthly users accessing . Facebook on mobile devices - including smartphones and tablets - rose by . 51 percent year on year to 819 million in June. Facebook founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, rings the Nasdaq opening bell on Facebook trading debut in May 2012 . Facebook . founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said: 'We've made good . progress growing our community, deepening engagement and delivering . strong financial results, especially on mobile. 'The . work we've done to make mobile the best Facebook experience is showing . good results and provides us with a solid foundation for the future.' Facebook . said it made $1.6 billion of revenue from advertising, which was 88 per . cent of total revenue and a 61 percent increase from the same quarter . last year. Mobile ad cash made up 41 per cent of advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2013, it added. Introducing . video to Instagram, the photo-sharing and editing platform Facebook . paid a billion dollars for last year, saw five million videos uploaded . in the first 24 hours, the company said.

Shares in Facebook soared 30 percent after better than expected financial results on Wednesday . Zuckerberg's personal fortune has grown by almost $4 billion as a result . How ranked No. 42 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a net worth of $16.8 billion .

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(CNN) -- Senate leaders and the White House struck a last-minute deal to avert the feared fiscal cliff Monday night, with Vice President Joe Biden headed to the Capitol Hill to pitch the plan to fellow Democrats. "Happy New Year," Biden, who became the Democratic point man in the talks, told reporters. "Did you think we would be here New Year's Eve?" A senior Democratic aide told CNN that if caucus meetings went well, a Senate vote could come "within the hour." But the House of Representatives went home long before midnight, meaning nothing will get through Congress before the combination of tax increases and spending cuts lawmakers have been scrambling to head off starts to kick in, at least on paper. A source familiar with the deal told CNN that the Senate proposal would put off the cuts for two months and keep the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for individuals earning less than $400,000 or couples earning less than $450,000. President Barack Obama has long demanded that the threshold be set at $250,000. Tax rates on income above those levels would go back to the Clinton-era rate of 39.6%, up from the current 35%, and itemized deductions would be capped at $250,000 for individuals and $300,000 for couples. That would generate an estimated $600 billion in additional revenue over 10 years. Taxes on inherited estates will go up to 40% from 35%, but the exemption will be indexed to rise with inflation -- a provision the source said was added at the insistence of moderate Democrats. Unemployment insurance would be extended for a year for for 2 million people, and the alternative minimum tax -- a perennial issue -- would be permanently adjusted for inflation. Child care, tuition and research and development tax credits would be renewed. And the "Doc Fix" -- reimbursements for doctors who take Medicare patients -- will continue, but it won't be paid for out of the Obama administration's signature health care law. Biden had been in negotiations with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, since Sunday afternoon. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both Democrats, agreed to the plan in calls with President Barack Obama, a Democratic source said Monday night. In the House, GOP sources said earlier Monday that there's little practical difference in settling the issue Monday night versus Tuesday. But if tax-averse House Republicans approve the bill on Tuesday -- when taxes have technically gone up -- they can argue they've voted for a tax cut to bring rates back down, even after just a few hours, GOP sources said. That could bring some more Republicans on board, one source said. Economists warn the one-two punch of tax increases and spending cuts, known as "sequestration," could push the U.S. economy back into recession and drive unemployment back over 9% by the end of 2013. Obama had chided lawmakers for their last-minute scramble earlier Monday, hitting a nerve among several Republicans in the Senate. Latest updates: Final fiscal cliff scramble . "They are close, but they're not there yet," he said. "And one thing we can count on with respect to this Congress is that if there is even one second left before you have to do what you're supposed to do, they will use that last second." The president warned that if Republicans think they can get future deficit reduction solely through spending cuts "that will hurt seniors, or hurt students, or hurt middle-class families without asking also equivalent sacrifice from millionaires or companies with a lot of lobbyists ... they've got another thing coming." That irked Republican senators who have been grappling for a deal with the Democratic majority in that chamber. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, called the president's comments "very unbecoming of where we are at this moment" and added, "My heart's still pounding." "I know the president has fun heckling Congress," Corker said. "I think he lost probably numbers of votes with what he did." Read more: Why your paycheck is getting smaller, no matter what . As Monday's deadline drew nigh, federal agencies were preparing for the possibility of furloughing workers. At the Pentagon, a Defense Department official said as many as 800,000 civilian employees could be forced to take unpaid days off as the armed services face an expected $62 billion in cuts in 2013 -- about 12% of its budget. Those workers perform support tasks across the department, from maintaining aircraft and weapons systems to processing military payrolls and counseling families. The Pentagon believes it can operate for at least two months before any furloughs are necessary, but has to warn its civilian workforce that furloughs could be coming, the official said. Read more: What if there's no deal on fiscal cliff . The White House budget office noted in September that sequestration was designed during the 2011 standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling as "a mechanism to force Congress to act on further deficit reduction" -- a kind of doomsday device that was never meant to be triggered. But Congress failed to substitute other cuts by the end of 2012, forcing the government to wield what the budget office called "a blunt and indiscriminate instrument." In its place, the Senate plan would use $12 billion in new tax revenue to replace half the expected deficit reduction from the sequester and leave another $12 billion in spending cuts, split half-and-half between defense and domestic programs. Read more: Medicare patients may suffer if country goes over fiscal cliff . Despite Obama's backing, one leading Senate Democrat warned a deal could run into trouble -- not only from House Republicans who have long opposed any tax increase, but also from liberals in the Senate who oppose allowing more high-income households to escape a tax increase. "No deal is better than a bad deal, and this looks like a very bad deal the way this is shaping up," Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said Monday morning. Late in the day, nothing had changed that would cause him to support the package. Conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist, whose Americans for Tax Reform pushes candidates to sign a pledge never to raise taxes, said the plan "right now, as explained" would preserve most of the Bush tax cuts and wouldn't violate his group's pledge. "Take the 84% of your winnings off the table," Norquist told CNN. "We spent 12 years getting the Democrats to cede those tax cuts to the American people. Take them off the table. Then we go back and argue about making the tax cuts permanent for everyone." But Robert Reich, who served as labor secretary in the Clinton administration, said the $450,000 threshold "means the lion's share of the burden of deficit reduction falls on the middle class, either in terms of higher taxes down the road or fewer government services." In addition, he said, the plan does nothing to raise the federal debt ceiling just as the federal government bumps up against its borrowing limit. And that, Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain told CNN, is likely to be "a whole new field of battle." "We just added 2.1 trillion in the last increase in the debt ceiling, and spending continues to go up," McCain said. "I think there's going to be a pretty big showdown the next time around when we go to the debt limit." CNN's Mike Pearson, Jessica Yellin, Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Lisa Desjardins, Ted Barrett and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.

Senate leaders cut a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff . Biden pitches the plan to Democrats late Monday . Obama says more work will be needed and chides Congress for dragging its feet . "Take the 84% of your winnings off the table," anti-tax crusader advises GOP .

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A mob, wielding baseball bats, broken bottles and knives, swarms a Paris synagogue. Violence erupts at a pro-Israel rally in Los Angeles after a demonstrator reportedly stomps on a Palestinian flag. Phone calls and text messages threaten a Palestinian-American who organized a protest in Atlanta. A trending Twitter hashtag says Hitler was right. As missiles and rockets fly in the Middle East, tensions are boiling over around the world between activists at demonstrations on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Plenty of protests have been peaceful, but not all of them. On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League warned Jewish institutions to step up security in light of violence and anti-Semitic expressions at what it described as anti-Israel rallies across the United States and around the world. An ADL website tracking recent protests listed events in New York; Washington; Dallas; Portland; and Tempe, Arizona. "The tenor at some of the anti-Israel rallies has been extreme," the ADL said, "with protesters chanting 'Death to Israel' and other hateful messages and slogans." In France, where anti-Semitism has flared up in recent years, some warn that hostilities have entered a different realm. "The level of danger is very new," said Serge Benhaim, who was trapped for hours inside a Paris synagogue on Sunday. "Today and tomorrow for the Jewish people in France is fully different from what it was yesterday." In the United States, too, Aysha Abdullatif says she's sensed something is changing. After organizing a pro-Palestinian protest in Atlanta this month, Abdullatif said she started getting threatening phone calls, text messages and social media posts accusing her of supporting terrorism. It's the first time she's felt personally targeted after years of activism. "People are getting really fanatical. ... I've never seen it get this ugly," Abdullatif said. How did this happen? Iraq, Syria, Gaza and Libya all in flames . 'It looked like a war' A 17-year-old Jewish girl reported that she was grabbed by the jaw and pepper-sprayed in the face on a Paris street the day Israel launched its latest operation in Gaza. She told police her attacker called her a "Dirty Jew," and said, "Insha'Allah, you will die," according to the National Bureau of Vigilance against Anti-Semitism, a French watchdog organization. A local chapter of the Jewish Defense League, a far-right Jewish group, bragged on social media the next day about fighting with anti-Israel demonstrators. "We were 30 facing 200 supporters of Hamas. And yet all will remember our visit ... especially the 6 wounded on their side," the group posted on Twitter. A French watchdog organization, meantime, has since reported telephone death threats against Jewish merchants. Synagogue-goers in the Belleville neighborhood of Paris were recently greeted by demonstrators who screamed "Death to the Jews," and a firebomb was tossed at the entrance of another synagogue in the northeastern suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois, the National Bureau of Vigilance against Anti-Semitism reported. And then, on Sunday evening, a perfect storm brewed. Just as a community gathered in Paris' Don Isaac Abravanel Synagogue to pray for peace, thousands of demonstrators marching in support of Palestinians finished up nearby, Benhaim, the synagogue's president, said. A fraction of those demonstrators broke off with other plans. Aline Le Bail-Kremer, 36, lives across the street from the synagogue and said she saw -- and heard -- them coming. "From my windows, I saw two groups (around 100 persons), from the two sides of the street, converging [at] the synagogue," she wrote in an e-mail to CNN late Monday. They carried baseball bats, she said. They threw chairs and tables, taken from nearby cafes, and headed toward the entrance gate. And then, she said she heard them scream, "Death to the Jews." From inside, where he'd gathered with about 400 others, Benhaim said he saw men outside brandishing broken bottles and knives. The synagogue president, who CNN spoke to Monday night, also said he heard cries of "Jews to the oven" and "Allahu akbar!" A small band of security guards managed to block entry, Benhaim said. Young Jews, some affiliated with the Jewish Defense League, also stepped into the fray -- spewing their own vitriol, Le Bail-Kremer said. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a wire service for global Jewish news, reported that "at least three Jews were taken to the hospital as a result of the clashes." This chaos went on for about 40 minutes, Le Bail-Kremer said, before police arrived in droves. "The scene was very violent, with terrifying and anti-Semitic slogans," said Le Bail-Kremer, who happens to be involved with SOS Racisme, a French anti-racism organization. "I was very, very anxious and shocked. It looked like a war." Trying to 'turn the other cheek' As she stepped forward to make closing remarks at a pro-Gaza demonstration she organized over the weekend in Atlanta, Abdullatif said she saw the crowd turn the other way. Across the street, she said, there were two men with Israeli flags who discharged pepper spray toward the crowd. "I kept telling everybody, just keep your backs facing them, don't give them any attention," said Abdullatif, a Palestinian-American who helped found the Atlanta-based Movement to End Israeli Apartheid-Georgia. But on the fringes of the crowd, she said, pro-Palestinian demonstrators started shouting back. "I said, 'Stop talking to them. This is only fueling a lot of this. Ignore them. Turn the other cheek,' " she said. "But easier said than done." Eventually, things simmered down, but hours after the protest, Abdullatif said her phone rang with a surprising message. A man on the other end, she said, threatened to report her to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, accusing her of aiding terrorism. He said he was happy about recent bombings in Gaza, "that everybody deserves to be killed, and that I should be careful, my name is out there," Abdullatif said. Abdullatif told him that she did nothing wrong. But she said the conversation, which was followed by days of text messages and Facebook posts in the same vein, rattled her. "I've never seen an opposing side go to that extreme," she said. What if they found where she lived or targeted her family? "My biggest concern is if we have another demonstration, I don't want anything like this to happen," Abdullatif said. "This is the exact stuff we're protesting against. I don't want to be connected to people fighting people over anything." But that doesn't mean she'll stop speaking out. She sent photos of the weekend protest to her uncle in Gaza City, whose neighborhood was recently destroyed in a bombing. She hopes the photos will let him know that the world is watching. "It's just such a sad situation. It's 2014. We should have figured out by now that barbaric acts of violence don't accomplish anything from any side of it," she said. "We live in a modern society. We know that this is never a way to create a solution." 'I saw my flag on the ground' On Sunday, a peaceful pro-Israel rally in Los Angeles turned ugly after demonstrators came face-to-face with counterprotesters in a pickup who were waving Palestinian flags. What exactly happened, however, depends on who you ask. Four people were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, accused of driving up to the protest in a truck and hitting pro-Israel demonstrators with handheld flagpoles, CNN affiliate KTLA reported, citing police. This, however, came after a demonstrator reportedly snatched one of the Palestinian flags from the truck and stomped on it. "I saw my flag on the ground," Hany Reai, a Palestinian supporter, told CNN affiliate KCAL, "and I saw a man step on it. I'm not here to fight. I just need my flag, and I ran to take it." But one witness told the Los Angeles Times the clashes were deliberately provoked by the men in the truck with Palestinian flags. "They were looking for a fight," Judy Friedman told the newspaper. They were "taunting and threatening" people, thrusting their sticks toward demonstrators on the sidewalk. A video purportedly recorded by a student at the protest and published on the website of the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles shows insults flying in both directions. The Federal Protective Service called for an ambulance to treat a woman allegedly hurt by the men, who were later picked up and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. They've since been released on bail, deny the charges and say they were "falsely arrested," the Los Angeles Times reported. And as if this ruckus wasn't already heated enough, as the pickup drove off, an officer with FPS -- who was trying to stop the men from leaving -- fired his weapon. No one was hurt. That officer has been placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated, officials said. From clicks to clashes . As the rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes show no signs of slowing, hostilities are flaring online as much as they are in the streets. Over the weekend, #HitlerWasRight trended on Twitter, part of what the ADL described as an "online outpouring of anti-Semitism." The group said Wednesday that a surge in Hitler-related hashtags might be fueling hatred at rallies as well. Anti-Arab statements have also run rampant online. A now-discontinued Facebook page called "The People of Israel Demand Vengance," racked up thousands of likes earlier this month, the Times of Israel reported. On the page, according to the newspaper, users posted photos with captions like "death to the whole Arab nation" and "Hating Arabs is not racism; it's morality."

While missiles fly in Mideast, tensions soar outside the region . Hatred, even violence, erupts at demonstrations in France and United States . People on both sides of the issue talk of death threats . The battle is also being waged in venomous words on social media .

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(CNN) -- Rapid-fire TV news bulletins or getting updates via social-networking tools such as Twitter could numb our sense of morality and make us indifferent to human suffering, scientists say. Scientists say updates on networking tools such as Twitter are often to quick for the brain to fully digest. New findings show that the streams of information provided by social networking sites are too fast for the brain's "moral compass" to process and could harm young people's emotional development. Before the brain can fully digest the anguish and suffering of a story, it is being bombarded by the next news bulletin or the latest Twitter update, according to a University of Southern California study. "If things are happening too fast, you may not ever fully experience emotions about other people's psychological states and that would have implications for your morality," said researcher Mary Helen Immordino-Yang. The report, published next week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition, studied how volunteers responded to real-life stories chosen to stimulate admiration for virtue or skill, or compassion for physical or social pain. iReport.com: Growing pains for Twitter, Facebook? Brain scans showed humans can process and respond very quickly to signs of physical pain in others, but took longer to show admiration of compassion. "For some kinds of thought, especially moral decision-making about other people's social and psychological situations, we need to allow for adequate time and refection," said Immordio-Yang. She said the study raises questions about the emotional cost, particularly for young people, of heavy reliance on a torrent of news snippets delivered via TV and online feeds such as Twitter. She said: "We need to understand how social experience shapes interactions between the body and mind, to produce citizens with a strong moral compass." USC sociologist Manuel Castells said the study raised more concerns over fast-moving TV than the online environment. "In a media culture in which violence and suffering becomes an endless show, be it in fiction or in infotainment, indifference to the vision of human suffering gradually sets in." Research leader Antonio Damasio, director of USC's Brain and Creativity Institute, said the findings stressed the need for slower delivery of the news, and highlighted the importance of slow-burn emotions like admiration. Damasio cited the example of U.S. President Barack Obama, who says he was inspired by his father, to show how admiration can be key to cultural success. "We actually separate the good from the bad in great part thanks to the feeling of admiration. It's a deep physiological reaction that's very important to define our humanity." Twitter, which allows users to swap messages and links of 140-characters or less, says on its Web site that it sees itself as a solution to information overload, rather than a cause of it. This function, it says, "means you can step in and out of the flow of information as it suits you and it never queues up with increasing demand of your attention."

USC study says rapid-fire Twitter and news updates are too fast for brain . Scans show humans respond rapidly to pain, but not compassion, admiration . Scientists say reliance in Twitter or news snippets could harm moral compass .

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One of San Francisco's most famous and smelly tourist attractions has gone under - water that is - but it seems inevitable the boisterous star-attractions will come sliding right back. A colony of sea lions who have resided on the wooded decks of Pier 39 for more than 20 have made a sudden exit, just as they made an expected arrival in October 1989. Shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit San Francisco, the sea lions began taking up residence at the pier and forming an urban colony. Scroll down for video . The pier was this week abandoned by the barking mammals who are thought to have gone south to breed . The decks of San Francisco's Pier 39, seen here in 2012, were once home to hundreds of sea lions . Previously, sea lions barely had enough room to stretch out on the wood pier decks during peak times . By January the following year they had taken over the area, much to the displeasure of marina tenants, and there was soon more than 300 of them lounging about and barking. The pier soon became a tourist attraction and by November 2009, the colony reached an all-time high of 1,701. This week the decks, once full of the blubbery sun bathers, were empty with tourists left to look out over rows of empty wooden decks. It is thought the sea lions may have headed south to breed, as this isn't the first time the colony has disappeared on mass. Tourists look out over the empty wooden decks of Pier 39 where not a single sea lion can be seen . Scientists believe the sea lions went south to breed . In 2009 their numbers rose to more than 1,500, but a month later only 10 remained. At the time experts said the length of their stay, rather than their exit, was surprising. Sea lions are migratory animals so it is in their nature to move around, San Francisco's The Marine Mammal Centre said at that time.

San Francisco pier was once home to more than 1,700 sea lions . The mammals arrived following the 1989 earthquake . In 2009 numbers swelled to more than 1,500 then dropped to just 10 .

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Sorry, "Bachelorette" fans: there will officially be no wedding for Ali and Roberto. "Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez have ended their relationship," the couple's rep tells PEOPLE. "As they go through this difficult time, we ask that you respect the couple's privacy." The duo's romance unfolded in 2010 on season 6 of the reality show, culminating with a romantic seaside proposal on the season finale. In October, Fedotowsky downplayed rumors that their relationship was on the rocks, telling PEOPLE there were other reasons for putting their wedding plans on hold. "We didn't meet in the most traditional way. We had a very short courtship and we only knew each other nine weeks before we got engaged," Fedotowsky said at the time. "We are still figuring out our lives as individuals." But Fedotowsky, 27, maintained she had still planned to tie the knot with her former fiancé. "We're still engaged, we're still living together," she said at the time. "We just don't feel the need to walk down the aisle right now." See full article at PEOPLE.com.

Rep: "Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez have ended their relationship" The duo's romance unfolded in 2010 on season 6 of "The Bachelorette" In October, Fedotowsky downplayed rumors that their relationship was on the rocks .

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Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- As the bodies of eight tourists killed in a bus hijacking in the Philippines arrived in Hong Kong, China, on Wednesday, the Hong Kong government urged citizens not to take their grief and anger out on Filipinos despite "the poor way" the hijacking was handled by authorities. The Cathay Pacific flight, which also carried eight survivors and 19 relatives as well as dozens of officials, was greeted by a large crowd on its arrival at Hong Kong International Airport. In a somber ceremony, bagpipers played "Amazing Grace" as coffins were carried from the plane and wreaths laid upon them. Several people were helped down a flight of stairs from the plane; one man's hand and arm were bandaged. Chief Secretary Henry Tang received the arrivals and then told reporters his government would urge its Philippine counterpart to conduct an "comprehensive, thorough, and impartial" investigation. "The truth is the best consolation for the victims and their families," he said. He added that Hong Kong is prepared to aid the Philippine authorities during the investigation. "In order to facilitate a fair and thorough understanding of the incident, we believe it is imperative that the investigation report should at least cover a detailed account of the whole incident; and a detailed account of the causes of death and injuries," he said. Two of three remaining hospitalized victims had been expected to be released from Philippine hospitals in time for the flight, but it was not known if they were on the plane that landed in Hong Kong. A third, more seriously injured tourist, remained in an intensive care unit in the Philippines. Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, was to lead a ceremony to raise the flag and lower it to half-staff on Thursday, and a three-minute period of silence was scheduled for 8 a.m., according to the Hong Kong government. Citizens were urged to join the ceremony or pay tribute in other ways during that time. Meanwhile, residents in the Philippines observed a national day of mourning Wednesday in the aftermath of this week's bus hijacking in Manila. Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission said in a statement it "understands the strong feelings of Hong Kong people on the poor way that the crisis had been handled by the Philippine authorities." "The EOC urges all members of the community to stay calm and, in line with our good tradition of tolerance and understanding, refrain from shifting our anger towards an innocent group, particularly the Filipinos who are living and traveling in Hong Kong," the statement said. "The people of Hong Kong have every reason to take pride in the racial harmony of this city, and we should guard against any action that may cause racial hatred or discord." Former police officer Rolando Mendoza, who was apparently upset about having lost his job, took hostage a busload of tourists from Hong Kong on Monday. Witnesses said Mendoza was initially willing to cooperate, but he was shot dead by police after authorities say he became violent and started shooting hostages. Rodolfo Matibay, district director of Manila police, took responsibility for how the incident was handled, saying he ordered the police assault on the bus, according to Gen. Leocaldo Santiago, regional director of Manila police. He has been placed on administrative leave while the case is being investigated. Four men and four women were killed in the standoff. One passenger was critically wounded and six others were hospitalized with less serious injuries. The gunman had previously released nine of the hostages, including a mother and her three children, a man with diabetes and two photographers. The bus driver escaped. Santiago said police killed none of the hostages, though a ballistics investigation has yet to be completed. Philippine President Benigno Aquino ordered all flags at public institutions in the Philippines, its embassies and consulates around the world lowered to half-staff. In Hong Kong, flags also were lowered and traders at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange paused in silence. The Chinese territory, meanwhile, issued a black travel alert for the Philippines, advising residents to avoid all travel there. The government's Home Affairs Department has set up 18 condolence points around Hong Kong to allow people to mourn the victims and offer messages of sympathy. Tsang made an appearance at one of them on Tuesday to observe a minute of silence. A Facebook page also honors the victims. At the Hong Kong Management Association David Li Kwok Po College, students and faculty remembered Jessie Leung, 14, who was killed along with her father and sister. Her brother remains in critical condition; her mother also survived the incident. "Jessie was a helpful girl -- cheerful, lovely, a good academic," said Catherine Chan, the school's development manager. "We hope her brother will recover soon." In Manila, a makeshift shrine was erected in front of the bus, with flowers left for the victims. The deadly standoff unfolded live on television, which the gunman was able to watch on a monitor on the bus. Santiago blamed the live broadcasts for contributing to the violence as the standoff quickly deteriorated while police surrounded the vehicle. "We do not want to pass sweeping judgment or make early conclusions except to say that our intention to peacefully end this hostage drama was spoiled when the hostage-taker suddenly exhibited violent behavior and began shooting the hostages," Philippine National Police Chief Director Gen. Jesus A. Verzosa said Tuesday in a statement. National police said officials noted "some observations and defects during their close monitoring of the unfolding events." The statement did not provide details. However, it listed poor handling of the hostage negotiations; inadequate capability, skills, equipment and planning of the assault team; improper crowd control; inadequate training and competence of the assault team leader; and noncompliance to media relations procedures in hostage situations. "The investigation has got to find out, what was the turning point? What happened?" said Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross. Gordon said survivors said the situation inside the bus changed dramatically toward the end of the 10-hour standoff. "Apparently the man went berserk. He was telling everybody he was not going to harm [them]. ... He said that nobody's going to get harmed. He said that he was probably going to die, but not the hostages," he said. Santiago said that Mendoza's family members spoke with him early in the standoff and that he appeared "very reasonable and very psychologically stable." Mendoza was a decorated police officer, winning several accolades. But his career spiraled downward when he was dismissed a year ago for extortion, Manila Vice Mayor Ikso Moreno said, and he wanted his motion for reconsideration to be heard. Moreno said that Mendoza's brother was arrested during the standoff because he was "guilty of conspiring with his brother" and allegedly helped instigate the shooting. Gordon said the brother's arrest may have pushed the gunman over the edge. "When he saw his brother getting accosted by the policemen, he went berserk and he started firing," he said. CNN's Anna Coren and Elizabeth Yuan contributed to this report .

Hong Kong government urges restraint in aftermath of hijacking . Bodies, remaining tour group members arrive in Hong Kong . Condolence points have been set up around Hong Kong . A police official says he ordered the assault .

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Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria is second only to South Africa as the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS sufferers; one would have thought a better gift for the New Year from the government to its people would be to urge the national legislature to pass the anti HIV-discrimination bill that has been with them for a while. But alas, what the people received was a bill that further exposes them to violence and discrimination. While the signing of the bill has generated much reaction on both sides, most of its supporters have based their arguments on religion and African values, forgetting that what binds the nation together is not the divergence of religions but the respect for humanity that is enshrined in the 1999 constitution. What the same-sex marriage (prohibition) bill in fact does is negate the principle of fundamental human rights of association, expression and dignity. When a law does this, it runs the risk of breeding anarchy, an experience that people who are or are merely perceived to be gay know all too much about in the form of blackmail, extortion and fear of arrest. The law also acts against the principle of public health. With rates of HIV infection and AIDS running at 3.7% for the general population, and 17.2% among gay men, criminalizing organizations providing intervention for this population puts all Nigerians in jeopardy. Another thing to note is about the public perception of the law: while many perceive there's casual acceptance by many Nigerians of the bill, in fact many of those who have commented on the bill have not even read it. Aside from the fact that sections of this law are in direct violation of our fundamental human rights -- freedom of expression and assembly, freedom to have a private and family life -- and set back the provision of healthcare services, they effectively signify that it is open season to attack the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and mainstream society in general. Already 10 people have been arrested for their perceived sexual orientation by law enforcement agencies across Nigeria, a human rights group said. The witch hunt to arrest many more by forcing names out of those arrested is also gathering momentum. The disturbing factor here is on what basis these individuals were arrested; we believe most have been detained due to anonymous tips that are inaccurate in most cases. Many more of these violations of human rights will take place if this law is not repealed; blackmail and extortion will become commonplace against LGBT people and the Nigerians at large and little will be done to ensure that organizations providing healthcare service for this population are able to carry out their work in responding to the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the country. We therefore implore the Nigerian President and his good government to repeal this law, which, we fear, could blow into an unbearable catastrophe for Nigeria and its citizens. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Olumide Femi Makanjuola.

Nigeria is country with 2nd most HIV/AIDS sufferers . Anti-gay crackdown will damage public health, says Olumide Femi Makanjuola . 10 people have been arrested in the crackdown . More violations of human rights will take place if law not repealed, he says .

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By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 17:53 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:53 EST, 15 August 2013 . Alexis Wright, the Zumba prostitute from Maine, had sex with more than 100 men for money because she believed she was working as an undercover agent for the State of Maine investigating 'sexual deviancy' in the sleepy town of Kennebunk - or at least that's what she's telling her husband. Wright, who is serving a 10-month sentence after pleading guilty to reduced charges, is refusing to testify at the trial of one of her alleged johns, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Wright appeared in court today and gave her married name, Alexis Sandra Trowbridge. It appears her husband, Jason Trowbridge, believes her story and is taking her back. Pleading the Fifth: Alexis Wright, serving 10 months in jail, took the stand today and refused to testify against one of her alleged clients . Wright is claiming that her business partner Mark Strong, a private investigator, told her that he had hired her as an undercover agent . Wright's husband Jason says he believes his wife's story and is standing by her. Prosecutors say she had sex with more than 100 men for money - sometimes five in a day . Wright, 30, now maintains she was a pawn all along. It has emerged that Wright claims that Mark Strong, her business partner who was found guilty of promoting prostitution, told her that he was on special assignment for the state of Maine and that he had hired her as his undercover agent. Wright claims that Strong, a licensed private investigator, told her that the brothel she operated out of her Zumba studio was really an elaborate sting operation backed by the state of Maine. The goal, Wright claims she was told, was to catch sexual deviants in Kennebunk. Strong's attorney said Wright's claims are laughable. 'That this woman, who had allegedly taken on 100 or so men to have sex with for money, was investigating for sexual deviancy, is the pot calling the kettle black,' lawyer Daniel G. Lilley told MailOnline. The attorney for Strong, who was convicted of promoting prostitution and sentenced to 20 days in jail, said Wright's claims are laughable . Wright is refusing to testify against her alleged johns and has declined an immunity agreement, as well . Lilley said it doesn't appear prosecutors bought her claim. There was no evidence presented at Strong's trial that he had said he was working for the government. Wright's husband Jason Trowbridge, however, does seem to believe her. He stood by his wife in an interview with a TLC documentary called 'Sex, Lies and Zumba.' 'It sounds crazy. It just made more sense that's what was going on,' Mr Trowbridge told the documentary. 'Put the pieces together. That fits the story. 'People think it's a joke and people might always think it's a joke. I'll stand by her story because that's what I saw.' Wright first made reference to her bizarre claim when she spoke up at her sentencing hearing. She claims that the meticulous records she kept and the fact that Strong had to be watching via webcab during each of her trysts are proof that she thought she was having sex with the men as part of an official government investigation. Wright was called to the stand to testify against Donald Hill, a former high school hockey coach who was one of 68 men arrested and charged with being clients of Wright, according to the Portland Press Herald. Hill, who was forced to quit his job after he was named publicly, maintains that Wright led him to believe he was having a romantic relationship with her.

Alexis Wright, 30, is now going by her married name Alexis Sandra Trobridge . Husband Jason Trowbridge appears to be standing by her and has said her believes her story . Wright says her business partner Mark Strong, a private investigator, told her that that he hired her to work undercover for the state of Maine . Strong's attorney denies the claims as 'laughable'

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By . Francesca Chambers . President Barack Obama met with the leaders of the three Central American countries at the forefront of the illegal immigration debate this afternoon. Obama held a joint meeting with Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and El Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren to discuss their 'shared responsibility' to promote 'safe, legal, and orderly migration' to the America, according to the White House. Vice President Joe Biden, who met with Molina and Ceren last month in Guatemala, also attended today's meeting at the White House. Neither Obama nor the Central American leaders took questions from the press after the meeting, but Honduras' Hernandez said on Thursday that he planned to ask Obama to do more to clear up 'the ambiguity' surrounding the country's immigration laws, including the president's Deferred Action for childhood arrivals program, and to step up law enforcement efforts to shut down drug smugglers and cartels. Scroll down for video . President Barack Obama, now back from his fundraising trip to the West Coast, met with Central American leaders at the White House today to discuss the ongoing immigration crisis. Obama met with: President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of El Salvador, left, President Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala, second left, and President Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras,right . A Texas Parks and Wildlife Warden stands next to a 30 caliber rifle as he patrols the Rio Grande River along the U.S.-Mexico border. Texas has increased the number of law enforcement personnel it has at the border in response to the surge in illegal immigrant children crossing the border . 'Here we have to say that the coyotes, the smugglers, who are very much a part of organized crime networks, perversely have sought to exploit those ambiguities and peddle a mistaken, a totally wrong interpretation to the parents of these children in saying, "You can get your kids in the U.S., we can do it for you," 'Hernandez said in remarks yesterday to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, according to the New York Times. 'Those coyotes, those smugglers are nothing other than the human face of an enormous criminal monster that has one foot firmly in the camp of the drug lords and in Central America,' Hernandez continued. The 'second foot is here in the United States under American jurisdiction.' The White . House said after today's meeting that Obama made it 'clear' to the . Central American presidents that children who come to America without the . proper documentation will eventually be sent home. During the meeting today Obama also brought up the possibility of a pilot program that would set up screening centers inside Honduras so that children would know before they left the country whether or not they qualify for refugee status in the U.S. 'There may be some narrow circumstances in which there is humanitarian reason to allow them status. If that's the case better to apply in country rather than take a very dangerous journey up to Texas to make those same claims,' Obama said in brief remarks Friday after the meeting. 'But I think it’s important to recognize that that would not necessarily accommodate a large number of additional migrants,' he added. 'What's more important is to find solutions prevent smugglers from making money that ensure greater security in Central America. ' White House officials said Thursday that program would not make changes to current refugee statutes, which most Honduran children do not qualify for currently. It would merely establish a process within the children's home country through which they can determine their immigration status before they make the 1,000 mile journey across the Mexico to the U.S. The number of unaccompanied minors making the 1,000 mile trek across the U.S. to Mexico has skyrocketed since Obama enacted his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program last year . Guatemalan . President Molina said Thursday at a press conference in Washington that . he would like the U.S. to extend any agreement it makes with Honduras . or El Salvador to his country, as well. 'We expect that the solution to this problem also is equal for the three countries,' he said. All three Central American countries are considered among the top five most dangerous in the world by the United Nations and each sees thousands of young people leave for the U.S. each year. As of the end of May, U.S. Border Patrol and Customs had logged a record 13,244 apprehensions of unaccompanied Honduran minors, 11,449 Guatemalan children and 9,835 El Salvadorian youths at the border since the close of the last fiscal year. That represents a more than 100 percent increase in the number of Honduran children who illegally entered the U.S. last year and an increase of more than 50 percent in El Salvadorian minors in the same time period. Apprehensions of Guatemalan youth ticked up the least. The number of unaccompanied Mexican minors trying to enter the county illegally has declined this year, but it still remains high. Since October, 11,550 young Mexicans have been apprehended at the border compared with 17,219 last year. Obama spoke with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on the phone last night. The White House says Obama applauded Nieto during their conversation for stepping up security along the country's border with Guatemala and Belize. Nieto announced last week that his country would open five new outposts on its southern border and crack down on people riding the the rails north. Already, Mexico has doubled the number of children it apprehends at its border each day, but the country is only catching a small portion of unaccompanied minors compared to the number that show up on the U.S.'s doorstep every day. The White House says Obama also reminded Nieto on the call that neither his immigration reform legislation nor his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program includes amnesty for newly arriving illegal immigrant children. Guatemala President Otto Perez Molina, left, and Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez said yesterday at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event yesterday that as part of its 'shared responsibility' for the situation at the border, the U.S. need to clear up 'ambiguities' in its immigration process . Obama's meetings with Central American leaders in Washington this afternoon comes a day after they met with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. House Speaker John Boehner said the GOP's meeting with Hernandez and Molina was 'constructive' and their 'visit to Washington is further evidence of how seriously they are taking this situation. 'I impressed upon them how important it is we all work together to end this crisis and reunite these children with their families in their home countries. 'We continue to discuss our options with our colleagues, and remain firm in our commitment to find common ground and provide humanitarian relief,' he said in a statement. Republicans met on Capitol Hill this morning to discuss a $1.5 billion bill to provide emergency funding to government agencies that handle immigration. President Obama has requested $3.7 billion, but neither Republicans nor Democrats have proposed plans to give him the full amount. Senate Democrats are considering a bill that would appropriate $2.7 billion toward the issue. It's unlikely that the House would take up the Senate bill, as the more conservative members have expressed dissatisfaction with the amount their caucus is willing to give the president. But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi today expressed hope that two chambers can pass a bill with 'bipartisan cooperation' that includes funding for most of the proposals outlined in Obama's original request. A major sticking point between the two parties' bills is that Republicans' legislation includes changes to a 2008 trafficking law that requires the U.S. to give children migrating to the U.S. who are not from Canada or Mexico due process before they can be repatriated. The president and his administration support changes to the bill that would give the Department of Homeland Security the ability to give Central American children the option of voluntarily bypassing the court system and returning home once they've been notified of their rights. Pelosi has said in the past that while she did not support changes to the bill, she would be open to them if it meant that Congress would fund the president's emergency spending package before Congress leaves for recess at the end of next week. The Democratic leader is now hedging on her willingness to accept Republican-issued changes to the law, saying today that the funding request and reforms to immigration policies are two different things entirely. 'There's no reason why they have to be tied,' she said. Pressed on whether she would vote for a package that included reforms to the 2008 law Pelosi told reporters: 'I can't answer that. When I see the bill I'll let you know.'

President Barack Obama met with the presidents of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala this afternoon . The White House says they talked about their 'shared responsibility' to get children from . their countries to stop coming to the U.S. illegally . They blame 'ambiguity' in the president's illegal immigration policies . The Central American leaders also met with Congressional leaders during their trip to Washington . Congress is still debating whether to give Obama additional money to pay for resources to care for illegal immigrant children .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:55 EST, 29 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 29 August 2012 . A man accused of causing a crash in . which four members of a family drowned in a reservoir today disputed that he took a 'reckless gamble'. Gordon Dyche, 24, a garage attendant, . rejected the prosecution suggestion and insisted he only tried to . overtake two cars when it was safe. He told a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court in North Wales: 'I don't think it was below the standard of . driving at all.' Gordon Dyche, left,  denies causing three deaths by dangerous or careless driving. Denise Griffith, right,  has earlier told a court of the moment she escaped from . a crash in which her husband, mother and two foster sons drowned in a . reservoir. He denies causing the deaths by . dangerous or careless driving of Emyr Griffith, 66, Phyllis Hooper, 84, . and Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, both 14 and who had autism. The family from Pontypridd died when . their people carrier plunged into Llyn Clywedog near Llanidloes, mid . Wales, on April 20, last year. Only the driver, Denise Griffith, 56, and . a family dog, escaped. Dyche, a married father, described how . he had left home for work, in a Ford Mondeo, between 2.10pm and 2.15pm . that afternoon. He was driving eight miles to Llanidloes to start work . at 2.30pm. He told his lawyer Geraint Jones that . he came up behind a VW Passat car and the people carrier ahead of it. They were travelling at about 40mph and he followed them for between a . mile and a mile-and-a-half. He began to overtake the VW car but . the Peugeot 807 people carrier then began to turn right across his path . towards a lay-by and he struck the back. The Peugeot plunged into the . water at a beauty spot. Dyche told the jury: 'It felt like the end of the world. I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do.' Grim search: Police officers at the scene where Mrs Griffith's people carrier plunged into Llyn Clywedog reservoir near Llanidloes on April 20 last year . Tragic: Rescue workers work to recover the bodies from the car. Mrs Griffith has earlier managed to swim to safety . Prosecutor Simon Mills suggested the . overtaking manoeuvre was 'needless'. But Dyche, of Llanbrynmair, said: . 'It wasn't needless.' He disputed that he was 'cutting it a bit fine' to . get to work. The defendant claimed there was good . visibility that day. 'You could see far enough ahead. It was safe to . overtake,' Dyche insisted. 'If a car didn't pull across in front of me . the overtaking manoeuvre would have been performed perfectly safe.' Support: Mrs Griffith arrives at Caernarfon Crown Court with her two brothers and other family members for the start of the trial . 'Lonely place to be': Mrs Griffith returns to the scene of the crash, which happened when a driver hit her from behind while she was turning into a lay-by next to the reservoir . Drowned: Mrs Griffith's husband, . Emyr Griffith, foster sons, Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, and mother Phyllis Hooper (pictured), all died in the crash . Mr Mills said: 'You are blaming Mrs . Griffith, aren't you?' To which Dyche replied: 'That's not what I am saying at all. I am . not blaming anyone. It was a tragic accident. I know exactly how I . performed my manoeuvre and I checked things were safe. 'There was no sign . of indicating at the time I started to perform the manoeuvre. There may . well have been afterwards but I didn't honestly see it.' He added: 'Whether there was an . indicator or not, another car should have made its correct checks and . seen me in the mirror and therefore not performed the manoeuvre.' Mr Mills then asked: 'You are still saying what . you did was safe, not even slightly below the standard required?' Dyche replied: . 'I don't think it was below the standard of driving at all.' Asked why he had said at the scene he . was late for work and rushing, Dyche claimed he had panicked. Mr Mills . suggested he had tried to 'weasel' his way out of blame. Dyche insisted: 'I'm an honest man.' Mrs Griffith's driving had been described by another motorist as 'exemplary'. She's told the jury: 'My life has been ruined.' The trial continues. Nighttime search: Police were forced to work into the night to recover the bodies . Police were forced to cordon off the stretch of fence through with Mrs Griffith crashed . 'Dreadful situation': Skid marks are visible on the tarmac at the scene of the collision . Salvaged: The Griffith family Peugeot 807 after it was removed from the reservoir . Recovered: A Ford Mondeo thought to have been involved in the crash is taken away from the scene . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Gordon Dyche, 24, denies causing deaths by . dangerous or careless driving . Emyr Griffith, Phyllis Hooper, and Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, both 14 all died in crash in North Wales last year . It happened after Denise Griffith was hit from behind by Ford Mondeo while turning into lay-by . Her seven-seat Peugeot rolled several times down a bank and into a reservoir . She manage to escape after 'the Lord did come and help me to get out' Dyche, of Llanbrynmair, mid Wales, allegedly said at the scene: 'I’m really sorry. I was rushing for work' Mrs Griffith, 56, said: 'I know my life has been ruined. It's the most lonely, lonely place to be'

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I wouldn't have missed a drug test like Rio . How I headbutted Schmeichel and gave him a black eye . I don't regret the tackle on Haaland . He didn't even own the bloody thing - Keane on the Rock of Gibraltar dispute . I knew Ronaldo would rule the world . Roy Keane has hit out at Manchester United's famous 'class of '92' by saying their importance to the club's dominance of English football has been overstated. United's legendary youth side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1992 contained the likes of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Phil Neville; all became vital to later success at Old Trafford. The group of players took their story to the silver screen, releasing a film last year on their rise to stardom. But Keane, in his new autobiographyThe Second Half, airs his distaste for the 'brand' of the group. He also uncovered a different side to Scholes, who has always been revered for his squeaky-clean image off the field. 'Scholesy was a top top player but I still don’t fall for the boy next door image,' Keane said. 'Or that he’s dead humble. He has more of an edge to him. Everyone thinks he lives in a council flat.' (Left to right) Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and David Beckham as the Class of '92, which Roy Keane says has 'become a brand' According to Keane's new autobiography, The Second Half, Paul Scholes (left) had 'more of an edge to him' than people thought . Keane celebrates with one half of the Class of '92 as Ryan Giggs gives United a 1-0 lead against Juventus in the Champions League in 2003 . With almost 4,000 senior matches for United and close to 100 major trophies between them, Beckham and Co clearly delivered on their promise as the most talented set of Red Devils players since the Busby Babes in the 1950s, but Keane believes the Class of '92 'brand' has slightly overtaken the team's own success in that period. Keane adds: 'The Class of ’92 – all good players but their role at the club has been exaggerated. 'The Class of ’92 seems to have grown its own legs. It has become a brand. It’s as if they were a team away from a team and they are not shy of plugging in to it. However, the Corkman clearly still felt happy to be part of a team that included the most successful United youth graduates to date, 'But we all had the same aims. We all had the same hunger.' 'I wonder about the current United dressing room. When a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson is replaced the new man needs a helping hand. Does that mean every player should like him? No. 'But I look at the current players and they should be doing a lot better. Not liking a manager can never be an excuse for not going out and doing your best. 'Looking at what happened to David Moyes, I can only conclude that he didn’t have a strong dressing room. He had a weak dressing room.' Former United youth team coach Eric Harrison (front) with his young stars in 1993 which included Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes . The famous group of players released the Class of 92' documentary film in November, 2013 . Regrets apologising to Ferguson . Does not regret his tackle on Haaland . Told Fergie 'We need f****** more' Wouldn't have missed a drugs test like Rio . Headbutted Peter Schmeichel . Profited from Glazer takeover . 'Glad' Clive Clarke suffered a heart attack . Keane crosses line to dangerous territory . On that MUTV interview . Knew Ronaldo would be one of the best . Class of 92 . Real Madrid regret . Ferguson wanted me to wear No 7 . Turned down Celtic this summer . Re-opens feud with Fergie . Keane and the Class of '92 became the most successful side in the club's rich history as Ferguson's side completed the Treble in 1999, becoming the first English club to achieve such a feat. The Red Devils went undefeated for 33 games in all competitions before producing the most dramatic of Champions League comebacks against Bayern Munich - a final which Keane was forced to miss through suspension. Speaking about the talented generation, Ferguson said: 'I have been fortunate to work with many exceptional young players, but the Class of 92 was unique. For so many of them to stay together and succeed at the highest level is a great tribute to their talent and this club’s belief in the power of youth. 'I am convinced that no group of players will ever make such an impact on the English game as those boys have done – and continue to do.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page. Keane celebrates with David Beckham (right) - the most famous youth product to come out of the Class of '92 . Keane claims the Class of '92 has 'grown its own legs' as a brand and 'their role at the club was exaggerated' despite being good players . The Aston Villa No 2 has lifted the lid on a variety of subjects in his new autobiography, including his true feeling about Scholes . Neville (left), Beckham and Keane celebrate the former United captain's goal against West Ham in 1997 . Keane and the Class of '92 became part of the most successful United side in history after completing the treble with this Champions League win in 1999 . 'Once we were at Juventus – they were playing Chelsea. We were standing at the corner flag and Adrian (Chiles) was next to me. He goes: "This is great isn’t it?". I went: "I used to play in these games Adrian". I wasn’t being cocky. 'It’s about justification, what you stand for. When I was at United I was getting paid good money but I could go: "Yeah, but I'm giving it back to you". I didn’t feel that way with this TV work. It’s an easy gig. I don’t like easy gigs. When I heard: "I liked your commentary last night". I knew I was only talking bulls*** like the rest of them. Hopefully my bulls*** was a bit better. I wanted to do something that excited me. TV work didn’t excite me. 'I liked Adrian and Lee Dixon, though. What I really enjoyed was the company. I liked meeting people, old players like Liverpool’s Jan Molby. Some United fans saw us together and one of them said: “Why the f*** are you talking to him?”. I felt like saying: “I will speak to who I f***ing want to!"' Keane writes about Clive Clarke's heart attack in his new autobiographyThe Second Half . VIDEO Keane releases second controversial autobiography . Roy Keane: The Second Half, published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson, £20. www.orionbooks.co.uk .

Roy Keane hits out at Class of '92 as former Manchester United midfielder claims the group have 'become a brand' Keane also shares his view on Paul Scholes, who he believes has 'more of an edge to him' than people think . 'Scholesy was a top top player but I still don’t fall for the boy next door image,' Keane said . In his autobiography,The Second Half, Keane says the role of the Class of '92 has been 'exaggerated'

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Hundreds of thousands of Catalans in northeastern Spain are due to increase pressure on Madrid for an independent, breakaway state Wednesday by forming a human chain for 400 kilometers (about 250 miles). The human chain is organized by the grass-roots, citizen-led Catalan National Assembly, which last year on September 11 -- Catalonia's national day -- turned out an estimated 1.5 million people in Barcelona, the regional capital. Catalan politicians followed up by demanding a referendum on self-determination by the end of 2014, which the Spanish government in Madrid staunchly opposes. Spain's next threat: Losing 20% of its economy . While the political battle continues between Spain's two largest cities, Madrid and Barcelona, the human chain has emerged as the latest rallying point. Organizers say 370,000 Catalans have signed up to take part, and they predict tens of thousands more will also participate. The chain will traverse Catalonia from the north, near the French border, to the south, on its border with the Spanish region of Valencia. "It will be an innocent but powerful image to push the process ahead, holding hands," said Alfred Bosch, who represents Catalonia's pro-independence Republican Left party in Spanish Parliament in Madrid. Dubbed the "Catalan Way Toward Independence," the human chain shows the process can only "go ahead, forward, and not back," Bosch said. But the Spanish government doubts that. It says that Catalonia, with 7.5 million people, already has broad home-rule powers, including its own parliament, police force and control over education and health. Catalonia's fight for independence: Lessons from the Dutch . And Madrid insists that the Spanish Constitution does not allow any of Spain's 17 regions to unilaterally break away, even one like Catalonia that has its own flag and language. On the eve of the human chain, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said political leaders should find a way to keep Catalonia within Spain. But Catalan's president, Artur Mas, in an opinion article published Wednesday in The New York Times, wrote: "We ... seek no harm to Spain. We are bound together by geography, history and our people, as more than 40 percent of Catalonia's population came from other parts of Spain or has close family ties. We want to be Spain's brother, as equal partners." Catalan parliament pushes self-determination . Catalonia says it's been the junior partner for too long. It produces 19% of Spain's wealth and says it sends far more in taxes to Madrid than it gets back in central government spending. It recalls a long history of slights, and at certain times outright repression, by Spain. The human chain will start at 17:14 local time (11:14 a.m. ET), to honor Catalans who on September 11, 1714, lost a decisive battle to Spanish troops. The chain will last about an hour. The current polemic is not just between Catalonia and Spain. Within Catalonia, there is also tension between leading political forces over the timing, and the potential wording, of the referendum. President Mas, whose center-right Convergence and Union party governs only because of support from the Republican Left, seemed to leave the door open last week for a vote on self-determination later than 2014, perhaps in 2016. He has since repeated that he favors the 2014 deadline. But the Republican Left and those organizing the human chain insist it must be by the end of 2014, with or without the consent of Madrid. Various opinion polls show a very large majority of Catalans want the right of self-determination. But if independence makes it to the ballot, polls show the result could be tighter, some predicting a victory in the 50% range.

Organizers say 370,000 people have signed up to take part . The chain is expected to stretch for 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) Catalan politicians are calling for a vote on self-determination by the end of 2014 . But the Spanish government says that Catalonia already has sufficient home-rule powers .

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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A teenager accused of killing and mutilating 19 pet cats in Miami, Florida, has been released on bond and is under house arrest, authorities said Wednesday. Tyler Weinman, 18, is under house arrest, accused of killing 19 pet cats in Miami, Florida. Tyler Weinman, 18, was fitted with an ankle bracelet for electronic monitoring and escorted home by Miami-Dade Police. He also has been charged with improper disposal of dead animals and burglary in the monthlong cat killing spree. Judge John Thornton ordered Weinman released after a court-appointed psychologist found the teen was mentally competent and not a danger to himself or others. Weinman, who had been on suicide watch, flashed a quick smile to photographers and reporters as he entered the courtroom. He made no statements at the hearing. "He's an innocent man. There's no evidence," said defense attorney Michael Walsh. "When the case starts to unfold, you'll see," he added. "The first thing that happened is an evaluation. He's not a danger. He's not a threat to himself or anyone else," Walsh said. Weinman was ordered to undergo psychiatric counseling twice a week. The teen was arrested at a party in Miami on Saturday night. Police allege he's responsible for the vicious series of cat killings that has put the manicured neighborhoods south of Miami on edge. Some of the carcasses were posed, police said. Thornton ordered the court file sealed. Investigators said Weinman might have been part of a ring committing the crimes. "This is an ongoing investigation. We're looking to see if any other individuals are involved," said Terry Chavez, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office. But Weinman's defense attorney doesn't buy it. "Police say a lot of things," Walsh responded. "There obviously has been a public outcry to solve this crime, and that motivates police in certain directions. And now, this young man has to sit there and bear the allegations," he said. Weinman was charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty with intent to harm and kill. He faces up to 158 years in prison if convicted of all counts. He was arrested after phone tips came in to police and he was placed under surveillance. As he left court, the suspect's father, Douglas Weinman was asked if his son was guilty. "Absolutely not," he said. He also expressed his condolences to pet owners who lost their cats. "We are cat owners ourselves. We love our pets," he said. "We certainly understand the grief that other cat owners are going through, and we sympathize with them, but it is not our son," he added. "We've seen him play with our pets for years and he's a great kid and he plays with pets and he's fine with them," he said. Extra police and a special investigator from the State Attorney's Office had been working the investigation, which had worried many residents who feared the cat killer might graduate to people. One pet owner, Donna Gleason, said her family cat, Tommy, was "partially skinned" and left dead in her yard. "Part of his skin was missing underneath ... and part of his legs," she said. But Weinman's defense attorney said the police have not gotten their man. "He's not a violent kid. He's just a good kid who's a victim of circumstance. He did not do this crime," Walsh said. Weinman is due back in court July 6 for arraignment.

Tyler Hayes Weinman, 18, suspected in Miami serial cat killings, is released on bail . Psychological evaluation says he's no danger to self or others . Cat killing began in May, but only 19 of 34 are linked to serial killer . If convicted, Weinman could face up to 158 years in prison .

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(CNN) -- Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who led allied forces to a routing of Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and became one of the nation's most celebrated military heroes of the era, died Thursday, a U.S. defense official said. He was 78. The death of the retired four-star Army general was confirmed by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who described Schwarzkopf as "one of the great military giants of the 20th century." President Barack Obama called the death of Schwarzkopf a loss of an "American original." "From his decorated service in Vietnam to the historic liberation of Kuwait and his leadership of United States Central Command, General Schwarzkopf stood tall for the country and Army he loved," Obama said. "Our prayers are with the Schwarzkopf family, who tonight can know that his legacy will endure in a nation that is more secure because of his patriotic service." Virtually unknown to the public before the Persian Gulf War, Schwarzkopf became a household name while he oversaw the buildup of 700,000 coalition troops, including more than 540,000 U.S. forces, after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The war began on January 17, 1991, with the start of the nearly six-week air campaign against Iraq that was followed by a 100-hour ground offensive that pushed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait. A Time magazine correspondent described the general, as he prepared his troops along the Kuwaiti border, as a man "with a John Wayne swagger and a growl like a grizzly." Schwarzkopf, dubbed "Stormin' Norman" by his troops because of his reported temper, captured the public's imagination with his plain, frank talk about the war's progress. He once told a room full of reporters: "As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the operational arts, nor is he a tactician, nor is he a general, nor is he a soldier. Other than that, he's a great military man, I want you to know that." Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and, therefore, Schwarzkopf's commander, said the general's leadership during the war inspired the nation. " 'Stormin' Norman' led the coalition forces to victory, ejecting the Iraqi Army from Kuwait and restoring the rightful government," Powell said in a statement. "His leadership not only inspired his troops, but also inspired the nation. He was a good friend of mine, a close buddy. I will miss him." Schwarzkopf, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, ushered in a new era for the U.S. military, whose exploits were broadcast live around the clock. After the war, he was featured in his desert fatigues on the cover of nearly every major American magazine, and he joined thousands of troops for a welcome-home ticker tape parade in New York City. England's Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight, and he received a standing ovation from Congress upon his return to the United States. Former President George H.W. Bush, who is hospitalized, said the general "epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises." "More than that, he was a good and decent man -- and a dear friend," Bush said in a statement released by his office. While Schwarzkopf's leadership was heralded, critics raised questions about the decision to quickly end the ground war in Iraq and leave Hussein in power. Schwarzkopf was heavily criticized in the Thomas E. Ricks book "The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today" for allowing Iraq to use helicopters in no-fly zones established after the war. Iraq used the helicopters to put down a Shiite uprising that had been openly encouraged by the United States. Schwarzkopf told CNN's Larry King in a September 1992 interview that the preferred plan with Iraq was to avoid ever having to invade. "We never wanted a war," he said. "Once the war started, we were hoping that ... they'd come to their senses and stop right then. ... After 38 days, we got to a point where we could launch the ground war and, by that time, they hadn't withdrawn." While his role in the Gulf War made him famous, Schwarzkopf told King, war itself and the bloodshed that went with it didn't appeal to him. "I hate war. Absolutely, I hate war," he said. "Good generalship is a realization that ... you've got to try and figure out how to accomplish your mission with a minimum loss of human life." In his autobiography, "It Doesn't Take A Hero," Schwarzkopf outlined the reasons that coalition forces didn't press on to the Iraqi capital during the first Gulf War. "Had the United States and the United Kingdom gone on alone to capture Baghdad, under the provisions of the Geneva and Hague conventions we would have been considered occupying powers and therefore would have been responsible for all the costs of maintaining or restoring government, education and other services for the people of Iraq." Schwarzkopf wrote that had "we taken all of Iraq, we would have been like a dinosaur in the tar pit -- we would still be there, and we, not the United Nations, would be bearing the costs of that occupation." Schwarzkopf supported the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, though he later criticized the Pentagon for what he called mistakes that included sending undertrained Reserve and National Guard troops into combat. Schwarzkopf retired in August 1991, hit the lecture circuit and briefly was a military analyst for NBC. He told King that he was asked to run for U.S. Senate. "I got off the airplane and they came after me to, you know, run for senator in Florida, and I told them, 'No,' " he said. "I'm not a politician. I'd make a lousy politician." Born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1934, he was named H. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. after his father. His father, Major Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, a West Point graduate who fought in World War I, became head of New Jersey State Police, helping to build the fledgling force and eventually leading the investigation of the infamous Lindbergh baby kidnapping. "The day I was born, my father said ... 'That boy is going to West Point,' " Schwarzkopf recalled to King. "And that's the only thing I ever heard my entire young life." After World War II, according to the book, the younger Schwarzkopf traveled to Iran to be with his father, who was helping advise the training of the country's police force under the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Schwarzkopf attended a Swiss boarding school and later returned to the New York region to enroll at West Point before heading to Vietnam for the first time in 1966. "I prided myself on being unflappable even in the most chaotic of circumstances," he wrote. "That guise lasted until Vietnam, where I realized that I was dealing with human lives and if one were lost, it could never be replaced. I quickly learned that there was nothing wrong with being emotional." He was commissioned a second lieutenant and served two tours of duty in Vietnam, where he received three Silver Stars. In 1983, he led troops during the invasion of Grenada. Schwarzkopf, who died in Tampa, Florida, is survived by his wife, Brenda, two daughters and a son. CNN's Barbara Starr, David Ariosto, Carma Hassan and Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

NEW: Colin Powell says Schwarzkopf's leadership inspired a nation . Schwarzkopf once told Larry King that he hated war . Schwarzkopf commanded U.S. led-coalition forces during the 1991 Gulf War . He was decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War .

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Al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen -- al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula -- strongly rebuked ISIS in a video released Friday, declaring ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's declaration of an Islamic caliphate to be illegitimate. The statement, delivered by one of AQAP's top clerics -- Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari -- is a significant setback to ISIS efforts to assume leadership of the global jihadist movement a week after groups in Egypt and Libya joined the ISIS fold. ISIS and al Qaeda's top leadership in Pakistan had a bitter falling out earlier this year, and al Qaeda and ISIS fighters have been fighting each other in Syria, but AQAP had until now stayed above the fray, calling for both sides to reconcile and pool resources to strike the United States. But when al-Baghdadi declared in an audiotape released last week his Islamic State had expanded to Yemen, as well as other Middle Eastern countries, it was too much for the AQAP leadership to stomach. By claiming Yemen for his caliphate, al-Baghdadi had called into question the very right of AQAP to exist as a separate and autonomous jihadi group, leaving its leadership no choice but to push back. "We did not want to talk about the current dispute and the sedition in Syria... however, our brothers in the Islamic State ... surprised us with several steps, including their announcement of the caliphate [and] they announced the expansion of the caliphate in a number of countries which they have have no governance, and considered them to be provinces that belonged to them," al-Nadhari stated, according to a translation by the SITE intelligence group. "The announcement of the caliphate for all Muslims by our brothers in the Islamic State did not meet the required conditions," al-Nashari argued, because other jihadi groups were not consulted. The cleric also criticized ISIS for "going too far in interpretations in terms of spilling inviolable blood under the excuse of expanding and spreading the power of the Islamic State." And in a repudiation of al-Baghdadi's claim to supremacy among jihadis, he reaffirmed the group's pledge of allegiance to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and Taliban leader Mullah Omar. In forcing AQAP to publicly choose sides, al-Baghdadi appears to have badly miscalculated. AQAP leader Nasir al Wuhayshi, despite being named the number two of al Qaeda globally by al-Zawahiri last year, had been careful not to weigh in publicly on the dispute between al Qaeda and ISIS, restricting himself only to a poem he released in July praising his Egyptian boss. In February, the general command of al Qaeda declared it had severed ties with ISIS because of its insubordination and its brutal tactics against fellow Muslims. By then, Jabhat al Nusra, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and ISIS were already fighting each other in parts of northern Syria. Although U.S airstrikes against both groups in recent weeks have led to ceasefires and some cooperation at the local level against moderate rebel groups, relations have remained tense. AQAP divisions over ISIS . The AQAP leadership's rebuke of ISIS is not likely to go down well with all its members. Wuhayshi had avoided previously criticizing al-Baghdadi because he feared it might exacerbate divisions inside his own group. ISIS's rapid territorial expansion in Iraq and Syria electrified many jihadis in Yemen, and led to disagreements within the group. "We have discussed that which resulted from the dispute and the infighting in Sham (Syria) with debate and argument ... however, we pardoned those who raised such issues," al-Nadhari acknowledged in the video released Friday. Everything to know about the rise of ISIS . In January, one mid-level AQAP figure -- Mamoun Hatem . -- tweeted his support for ISIS as its feud with al Qaeda heated up, prompting speculation of discord within its ranks. This past summer, Abdul Majid al Raymi, a leading Yemeni Salafi-jihadi preacher long admired by AQAP, also came out in support for ISIS, asking his large number of followers in Yemen to do the same. The U.S. air campaign against ISIS further boosted the popularity of ISIS in Yemeni jihadi circles, prompting AQAP to release a message of solidarity. "Their blood is our blood, and their wounds are in our hearts, and supporting them is a duty upon us. Once we find a way to afflict America, we will follow it, Allah permitting," the group stated in a statement posted on Twitter on August 14, and translated by SITE. Even in disagreement, respect . All this has made AQAP leaders tread carefully. Even in rebuking ISIS, AQAP's al-Nadhari was careful to refer to al-Baghdadi respectfully as "sheikh." The cleric expressed hope that divisions between ISIS and Nusra could be healed and left the door open for fences to be mended between AQAP and ISIS if al-Baghdadi withdrew his fatwa claiming Yemen for his caliphate. "We express our utmost joy to having received good news about what we heard of signs of stopping the infighting among the mujahideen in the Sham front [Syria]," al-Nadhari stated. Despite the possibility of growing discord within AQAP, there are no signs of any immediate threat to Wuhayshi's leadership. To date, no senior leader within AQAP has broken ranks and come out in favor of ISIS. Wuhayshi, by all accounts, remains exceptionally popular with the group's rank-and file-fighters, who have been energized by a call to arms to fight Shia Houthi fighters who recently took control of Sana'a. But AQAP's rebuke of ISIS increases the chances of a splinter group emerging. Last week, a group calling itself Mujahideen in Yemen recorded a tape pledging loyalty to Baghdadi. Egyptian terror group pledges alliance to ISIS . For ISIS, the rebuke by AQAP is a significant setback after recent wins elsewhere in the region in its jockeying with al Qaeda for pre-eminence in the global jihadi movement. Last week, Ansar Beit al Maqdis, an increasingly powerful Egyptian group based in the Sinai, declared allegiance to al-Baghdadi, as did veteran Libyan ISIS fighters who have taken control of Derna, a major town in eastern Libya. Small splinter factions of the Pakistani Taliban and al Qaeda in North Africa, as well as a group of fighters in Saudi Arabia, also declared their support. The AQAP move may see the Yemeni group step up cooperation with Jabhat al Nusra in Syria. U.S. officials believe AQAP has shared sophisticated bomb-making technology with the Khorasan Group, a Nusra-linked outfit of veteran al Qaeda operatives plotting terrorist attacks against Western aviation. The prospects of ISIS also receiving such bomb-making know-how from the Yemeni group appear to have dimmed. Why ISIS is spreading across Muslim world .

Al Qaeda group in Yemen rebukes ISIS . Leaders unhappy with al-Baghdadi caliphate plans . AQAP reaffirms allegiance to head of al Qaeda .

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Tokyo (CNN) -- Hundreds of police are involved in the hunt for a 63-year-old man in connection with the murder of five people in a remote Japanese hamlet. The victims' houses were also burned down. A note, apparently written in the form of a "haiku" poem -- a typically short form of Japanese verse -- was left hanging in the window of the fugitive man's home next door to one of the burned out homes. Three bodies were found on Sunday after two houses in Mitake, a tiny community in western Japan's Yamaguchi prefecture, were gutted by a "suspicious" fire, Yamaguchi police spokesman Katsumi Harada told CNN. The following morning, two more corpses were found a few hundred meters away in the same neighborhood in the victims' respective homes. An autopsy revealed that all five victims were killed by injuries to the head, prompting police to set up a task force to investigate a possible serial killer, Harada said. Despite feverish media speculation, Harada refused to draw a link between the poem and the killings, though he said the man, who's been missing since Sunday, could provide valuable information about what happened. According to the authorities, the poem translated as: "Setting on fire, smoke gives delight, to country fellows." Mitake is a remote, mountainous hamlet with only 16 inhabitants. According to local media, the man police are hunting lived alone and moved into the neighborhood about 20 years ago to take care of his elderly parents. Reports suggested the man grew increasingly alienated in the small community after his parents died about 7-8 years ago. One of the victims frequently quarreled with him over his dog, according to Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's largest newspaper.

Five bodies discovered in remote village in Western Japan; their house burned down . A note, in the form of a poem, was found in the home of man police are hunting . Hundreds of police searching for 63-year-old man who lived next to victims .

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These astonishing pictures show an entire village emerging from a lake -  five years after it was completely flooded following a massive earthquake. Almost 10 buildings including homes, offices and the primary school have gradually emerged from the water after the village of Xuanping was completely destroyed in 2008. An 8.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the village in Beichuan County, Sichuan Province of China, causing it to be completely flooded by a barrier lake. Scroll down for video . Submerged: The town of Xuanping has suddenly emerged from a lake - five years after it was completely flooded following an earthquake . Revealed: Buildings which once made up the village have appeared again over the past two months . Devastated: An 8.0-magnitude earthquake hit the town in Beichuan County, Sichuan Province of China, on May 12, 2008 causing it to be completely flooded by a barrier lake . Different: With the buildings poking up from the water's surface, it gives the lake a mysterious appearance . Appearance: The village has emerged again after the biggest flood in 50 years damaged the lake's banks in July, causing the flood water to fall . Incredible: Yang Rong visits her old house and takes away her belongings after the property suddenly emerged from the flood water . In July, the banks of the lake were severely damaged after the biggest flood in 50 . years causing the the flood water to retreat. The water level has now fallen from 712 meters above sea level to 703 meters, resulting in the reappearance of the town. Incredibly, the national flag hanging on the pole of Xuanping primary school has even been spotted. Many people have returned to the area to look at their former village - with some even able to have a look around their former homes. Reduction: This aerial shot shows the ruins of the flooded town peeking above the water. The water level has now fallen from 712 meters above sea level to 703 meters . Creepy: Houses and other buildings gradually began to emerge from the water on July 14 . Mysterious: This shows one of the town's buildings which was completely submerged under water but has since emerged again after the flood water dropped . Return: Among some of the buildings which reappeared included the local primary school, which still had its national flag on the pole. This shows the roof of another of the town's buildings . Odd: As well as the primary school, the township government's dormitory and unit office appeared in the water . Upsetting: This man looks at his old house which has been left ruined by the flood water in Xuanping . The village's government dormitory and unit office appeared in the water along with a hostel and about . 10 houses. The emergence of the town is remarkably similar to part of the storyline in Channel 4's hit TV show The Returned. The French series is set in a small mountain town in which many dead people reappear, apparently alive and normal. They try to resume their lives as normal but strange phenomena keep occurring - including the water level of the dam mysteriously lowering to reveal dead animals and the steeple of a church which was part of a town flooded by water. Going down: The water level has now fallen from 712 meters above sea level to 703 meters . Lower: The water marks on the lake's banks give a clear indication of how far the water has fallen . Strange: A hostel has also re-emerged together with a dormitory and nearly 10 houses . Dramatic: The emergence of the town is remarkably similar to the part of the storyline in Channel 4's hit TV show The Returned - in which a dam's water lowers to reveal a church steeple . Incredible: Some former residents of the town have even being pictured going back to their properties to pick up belongings .

Homes, offices and the primary school have emerged from the water revealing the village of Xuanping . A huge earthquake devastated the village in 2008 causing it to be completely flooded by a barrier lake . But the banks of the lake were severely damaged in July after the biggest flood in 50 . years . This has caused the the flood water to retreat and once again revealed the village .

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(CNN Student News) -- October 13, 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . • Chile • Fort Hood, Texas . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: This is CNN Student News. Welcome on this Wednesday, October 13th! You know the deal about our show: 10 minutes, no commercials, top headlines from around the world. My name is Carl Azuz. Thank you for joining us. Let's go ahead and get started today. First Up: Chile Rescue Mission . AZUZ: 33 men have spent nearly 70 days trapped half a mile underground. And sometime soon, it could all finally be over. Now, when we taped this show on Tuesday evening, officials in Chile were going through the final steps before the rescue attempt could start. By the time you are watching us today, some of those 33 miners could already be up on the surface. When they come up, they'll be wearing special goggles to protect their eyes. You've got to remember, they've spent two months down in the darkness of the mine. Karl Penhaul shows us some of what was going on above ground in the final countdown to the rescue. (BEGIN VIDEO) KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT, LATIN AMERICA: A prayer for the 33 miners. A prayer for the success of the imminent rescue attempt. Nelly Bugueno has faith her son is coming home at last. NELLY BUGUENO, MOTHER OF TRAPPED MINER [TRANSLATED]: Victor will be anxious to finally get out of that mine and be reunited with his family. As he comes out, he will be reborn. PENHAUL: Down in Camp Hope, preparations are rushed to completion. Fifteen hundred journalists from 39 countries scurry for last minute details. The final countdown has begun. LAURENCE GOLBORNE, CHILEAN MINES MINISTER: The whole process that they have lived has been pretty traumatic, so I think they will be a little bit excited. But we have to wait and see, but we are prepared for any contingency. PENHAUL: Engineers have welded steel pipes into place at the mouth of the rescue shaft to prevent rockfalls. And before dawn Monday, rescuers dropped the Phoenix capsule down for its first test run. The miners' families have a new hero: the T-130 drill that cut through half a mile of rock to reach the 33 men. HECTOR TICONA, FATHER OF TRAPPED MINER [TRANSLATED]: We're happy. I'm about to see my son again. I'm happy because that drill has worked a miracle. PENHAUL: Now, the drill is now pulling out, but the work's not yet over. JEFF HART, DRILL ENGINEER: Until the last guy comes up, the job's not done. PENHAUL: On this barren hillside, a miner's mother insists the men down below were not alone. BUGUENO: There were 34 miners down there; the 33 were down there with the spirit of God. PENHAUL: Whether through the power of machines or the almighty, the miners' life-or-death struggle is nearly won. Karl Penhaul, CNN, at the San Jose Mine in northern Chile. (END VIDEO) Economic Outlook . AZUZ: So, waiting for great news in Chile. There's some not-so-good news about the U.S. economy. The National Association for Business Economics asked a group of experts for their opinions about the recovery. The result: They don't think it's going so well, and they don't think the rest of the year is gonna get much better. They do think that business will lead the recovery as things get better. And they think the job market will pick up eventually, too. But they don't expect that to happen until the second half of 2011. Fort Hood Hearing . AZUZ: The U.S. military has opened a hearing related to last year's deadly shooting at Fort Hood in Texas. Major Nidal Hasan -- he's a U.S. citizen -- is accused of the attack. Authorities say Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others when he allegedly opened fire at the military base. This hearing will determine whether Hasan will be court-martialed, which could lead to the death penalty. Yesterday's hearing stopped almost as soon as it started. The colonel in charge is considering a request from Hasan's attorney to delay the hearing until November. Drilling Moratorium . AZUZ: Yesterday, we talked about a moratorium, a delay or stop in activity. We've got another one we're reporting on for you today. This is the moratorium on deep-water oil drilling, and it's over. The White House made that announcement yesterday. The moratorium started after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year. Officials say there will always be risks with drilling, but that they've come up with new rules and regulations to help reduce those risks. Just the Facts . JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Just the Facts! Stem cells are the human body's master cells. That means they can become different types of cells, like heart or liver cells, for example. Scientists believe that stem cells can be used to treat different types of diseases. Two kinds of stem cells are adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells are found in tissues like bone marrow. Embryonic stem cells come from human embryos that are four to six days old. Stem Cell Injection . AZUZ: Using stem cells to treat diseases is still pretty experimental. But for the first time, cells from an embryonic stem cell have been injected into a human. Adult stem cells, not too much controversy with those. But embryonic stem cells, that's where this debate gets intense, because in order to get those, the embryo has to be destroyed. We don't know much information about this person who was injected with the embryonic stem cells. It was part of a medical study on patients with spinal cord injuries. In order to qualify for the study, you have to be completely paralyzed from the chest down. Scientists are hoping the stem cells will help make a new spinal cord for the patient. Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mrs. Alley's 8th grade class at Dyersburg Middle School in Dyersburg, Tennessee! Which word describes someone who is at least 100 years old? Is it: A) Centurion, B) Centenarian, C) Septuagenarian or D) Hundredarian? You've got three seconds -- GO! A centenarian is at least 100 years old. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout! 101-Year-Old Citizen . AZUZ: Eulalia Garcia Maturey is a centenarian. She has lived almost all of her 101 years in the United States. But this centenarian just became a U.S. citizen yesterday! Maturey came here from Mexico when she was a baby, exactly 101 years ago yesterday. In 1941, she got a "Certificate of Lawful Entry" card from the U.S. government. So, she's been living here legally. But Maturey recently decided to make it official. She filed papers, passed the citizenship test, and yesterday, became a full citizen. So one question: Why do it now? In her words, "I want to spend the rest of my days in this life living legally in the United States." Blog Report . AZUZ: Our show, your voice. We're taking it to our blog! From yesterday's program: Was St. George's right when it forfeited a football game in the name of safety? Or should they have taken the challenge in the name of sportsmanship? From Enrique: "Players are being taught to quit when it looks tough. Why choose to fail when success is an option?" From Zak: "Everything's not about winning or losing; it's all about trying." And Gabe says, "we are playing football here. There is no safety. I think they need to suck it up and play." "By not playing the game, St. George's is teaching their student athletes that when you face adversity, you back down." That quote from another student named Zach. Stephanie wrote, "it was a good idea for them to back out of the game because they would've gotten crushed and probably injured by the other players. They were massive." But from Amethyst: "When you decide to play a sport, you have to understand there will always be bigger and better. No one practices not to play." If you need a refresher on this story, you can find it at CNNStudentNews.com in yesterday's show. And as a reminder: We only publish first names on our blog; we only read first names on our program. Before We Go . AZUZ: Before we go, they don't sell this in your school cafeteria. We are heading to the Iowa World Food Festival. Some vendors there are building one intense burger. You start off with the beef, like you see. Add some cheese. But then -- here comes the interesting part -- you slap on the top half of the bun, which is a donut! They recommend not using ketchup or mustard on this. They wouldn't want to ruin the taste. If you like eating your dessert at the same time as your entree... Goodbye . AZUZ: This sounds like the perfect meal, donut? Donut? Don't know if that worked. Maybe your eyes just glaze over at that burger; maybe they glaze over at that pun. Or maybe you think it's all in bad taste. Either way, there are no arguments from us. We don't want to start a beef with anybody. Hope you have an awesome day. We'll see you tomorrow, when CNN Student News returns. Bye bye!

Officials and family members prepare for the rescue of 33 trapped miners . Learn about a medical first involving controversial embryonic stem cells . One woman becomes a U.S. citizen 101 years after entering the country . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today's featured news stories .

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The federal government plans to begin taking the temperatures of travelers from West Africa arriving at five U.S. airports in order to screen them for Ebola, but the White House said Wednesday that federal agents will only screen about 150 passengers per day. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the five airports cover the destinations of 94 percent of the people who travel to the U.S. from the three heavily hit countries in West Africa – Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. It has been just ten days since a Liberian man was rushed to a Dallas, Texas hospital with the first case of Ebola diagnosed on U.S. soil. He was pronounced dead on Wednesday morning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden told reporters Wednesday that 'as long as Ebola continues to spread in Africa, we can't make the risk zero here.' Dialed in: President Barack Obama participated in a conference call Wednesday with state and local officials to discuss the Ebola epidemic in West Africa . Coming to America: Duncan, seen here with a female relative shortly after landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, traveled to the US to marry his longtime love Louise Troh . But extra Ebola screening will be put in place at New York's John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty,Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. 'These five airports are the destination of 94 percent of . individuals who travel to the United States from the three . countries that are currently affected by Ebola,' Earnest said in a news briefing. The new targeted screening regime will only apply to inbound international travelers who have visited Ebola-hit nations. The plan calls for 'targeted questions, temperature checks and contact information' collected in airports, according to Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who joined Frieden in the press conference via telephone. Earnest called the administration's strategy 'an additional layer of screening that can be . targeted to that small population in a way that will enhance . security but also minimize disruption to the broader traveling . public.' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday that the federal government will start an 'enhanced' screening protocol targeting about 150 inbound airline passengers every day who arrive from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, or who have passed through those countries. The CDC says that 94 per cent of U.S.-bound airline passengers arrive in America at one of just five airports, so they are limiting the new plan to those locations. The CDC says all passengers headed out of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are already screened before they are allowed to board airplanes. So far 77 of them have been stopped from boarding because they had fevers. But most of these people were diagnosed with malaria – a very common illness in Africa – not Ebola. Malaria is not communicable from one person to another, and is spread by contact with infected mosquitos. The Obama administration, and the CDC specifically, have said repeatedly that it would be counterproductive to restrict air travel from western African nations where Ebola is running rampant. Prohibiting the entry of commercial flights from that region, the government claims, would limit the options for sending supplies and relief personnel back to where they are needed. The CDC did not immediately respond to a question after the press conference about why military aircraft aren't used for that purpose. President Obama has already dispatched close to 4,000 military personnel to Liberia to help with constructing field hospitals and other mission-critical activities. He said Wednesday during a conference call with state and local government leaders that 'in recent months, thousands of travelers arrived here from West Africa, and so far, only one case of Ebola has been diagnosed in the United States.' 'And that’s the patient in Dallas who we know, sadly, passed away,' Obama noted, 'and our thoughts today are with his family.' In his press conference, Frieden led with confident gusto, insisting that 'we have stopped every Ebola outbreak until this one.' 'The only people with Ebola in the United States are in hospitals,' he said. But he admitted that the Homeland Security Department will be testing a 'particularly small' group of people. 'We're talking about 150 travelers per day,' he said. Frieden also conceded that the new measures might not have flagged Liberian national Thomas Duncan, the U.S. 'index patient' who died Wednesday ten days after entering a hospital isolation ward. Duncan lied about his contact with a contagious Ebola patient when he left Liberia en route to Brussels, Washington, D.C. and finally Dallas. 'It is true that the index patient, when he left Africa, did not have a temperature,' Frieden said, and also seemed healthy when he arrived in the U.S. The 'additional questions' he would have faced if he arrived today instead 'may have identified him as a contact,' the CDC chief insisted, but couldn't say with certainty whether the outcome would have been different. Taking their temperature: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Thomas Frieden talked to reporters Wednesday about new procedures for screening inbound airline passengers . Doctor's (Oval) Office: Obama participated in an Ebola-related conference call on Wednesday . The new strategy, he said, is intended to 'increase the likelihood that if someone arrives and develops Ebola, they will be rapidly identified and isolated.' Mayorkas said Customs and Border Protection agents – the same cadre of officials responsible for screening luggage for contraband – are handing out information sheets to travelers with details of what symptoms to look for and directions to call doctors if they become sick within 21 days – the incubation period for Ebola. Homeland Security agents at airports and other ports of entry already had begun observing travelers coming into the United States for potential signs of Ebola infection, he emphasized. The fact sheet to be given to arriving travelers says: 'You were given this card because you arrived to the United States from a country with Ebola.' It tells passengers to 'please watch your health for the next 21 days' and to 'take your temperature every morning and evening, and watch for symptoms of Ebola,' which are listed on the sheet. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said customs agents 'will continue to observe all travelers entering the United States for general overt signs of illnesses at all U.S. ports of entry.' Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the new plan calls for 'targeted questions, temperature checks and contact information' collected in airports . This image provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows a flyer given to people arriving in the US. The Homeland Security Department has ordered agents at airports and other ports of entry to observe everyone coming into the United States for potential signs of Ebola infection, officials said Wednesday . Mayorkas said the department was aware of those issues and is 'taking a layered approach.' Ebola has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa and infected at least twice that many, according to the World Health Organization. The virus has taken an especially devastating toll on health care workers, sickening or killing more than 370 of them in the hardest-hit countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone – places that already were short on doctors and nurses before Ebola. Obama has said the U.S. will be 'working on protocols to do additional passenger screening both at the source and here in the United States.' 'Screening of outbound travelers is already underway' at airports in the target zone, Frieden said Wednesday. 'It has been going on for some time.'

White House announced a new regime of targeted screening that will only apply to inbound international travelers who have visited Ebola-hit nations . New plan calls for 'targeted questions, temperature checks and contact information' collected by Customs and Border Patrol agents . CDC director said that 'as long as Ebola continues to spread in Africa, we can't make the risk zero here' He also emphasized that the government will be testing a 'particularly small' group of people . Conceded that the new measures might not have flagged Thomas Duncan, the US 'index patient' who died Wednesday . CDC still won't ban flights from the danger zone, and isn't saying why military aircraft can't be used instead of commercial jets to send supplies and relief personnel .

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By . Reuters . and Ashley Collman for MailOnline . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday it flew an employee back to the United States from West Africa by chartered plane after the staff member came in contact with an international healthcare worker who later tested positive for Ebola. CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said the employee was 'feeling fine' and had been scheduled to return to the United States from West Africa anyway. The staffer's exposure was 'low-risk', the CDC said in a statement. According to the statement, the staff member worked in 'close proximity', which it defined as within three feet, and in the same room with the ill person for a prolonged period during the period that that individual had symptoms. Home: A CDC employee who came in contact with an Ebola patient, returned to the U.S. from West Africa on Wednesday. That employee has not displayed symptoms of the disease and is not believed to pose a risk to the public. Above, a photo showing the Ebola virus . The CDC transported the staff member via chartered plane because its regulations require that people who have contact with Ebola patients who travel long distances must travel by private means for 21 days after the last contact, the statement said. The provision is designed to protect other travelers in case the exposed person develops symptoms during the flight, it said. According to the World Health Organization, Ebola spreads through direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and through indirect contact with contaminated surfaces. According to the CDC statement, the staff person is not sick with Ebola, does not show symptoms of the disease and 'poses no Ebola-related risk to friends, family, co-workers or the public'. At least 1,427 people have died and 2,615 have been infected since Ebola was detected in Guinea in March. The outbreak has killed at least 120 healthcare workers. News of the CDC worker's return comes as the director of the health organization issued a statement, warning about the dangers of the fast-spreading disease. 'It's even worse than I'd feared' CDC Director Dr Tom Frieden said on Wednesday. 'Every day this outbreak goes on, it increases the risk for another export to another country. 'The sooner the world comes together to help Liberia and West Africans, the safer we will all be.' Dr Frieden arrived in Liberia on Monday to asses the situation. Warning: News of the CDC worker's return came the same day that the health organization's director issued a statement, calling the Ebola crisis 'worse than I'd feared'. Above, CDC Director Tom Frieden in a photo taken on August 7 .

The CDC worker took a chartered flight to the U.S. from West Africa on Wednesday . Staffer's exposure to Ebola was 'low-risk' - meaning she came within three feet of a patient and was in the same room for a prolonged time . Does not feel unwell or display any symptoms; is not considered a risk to the public . Staffer's return comes as CDC's director has issued new Ebola warning . 'It's even worse than I'd feared,' Director Dr Tom Frieden said Wednesday .

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(CNN)Southwest Airlines missed required inspections on 128 of its Boeing 737 aircraft, leading to the cancellation of dozens of flights this week. The Federal Aviation Administration has said the airline can keep flying the planes for up to five days while the maintenance checks are completed, Southwest said. The airline was overdue for a required maintenance check on the standby hydraulic system for the planes, both the FAA and Southwest said. Southwest notified the FAA of the lapsed inspections on Tuesday, then voluntarily grounded the 128 aircraft while regulators evaluated the airline's plan to complete the overdue checks, the FAA said. Southwest had to cancel approximately 80 flights on Tuesday because of the groundings. On Wednesday, the airline said it was anticipating "very minimal impact" to its operation "as remaining checks are completed." CNN's Aaron Cooper and Tina Burnside contributed to this report .

The FAA gives Southwest five days to complete the missed checks . The planes were overdue for required inspections . Approximately 80 flights were canceled .

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Up close and personal, an American alligator with jaws open wide proudly displays rows of rough edged teeth and spotted pink tongue. The half-submerged reptile glows in bright yellow - caused by the strong reflection of fresh grass shoots on the surface of the clear water. Brave photographer Masa Ushioda captured the shots of this wild gator in vast marsh land in the Everglades National Park, in Florida, USA. Huge jaws: An American alligator with jaws open wide proudly displays rows of rough edged teeth and spotted pink tongue . Marsh lands: The half-submerged reptile glows in bright yellow - caused by the strong reflection of fresh, almost fluorescent grass shoots on the surface of the water . After waiting weeks for storm clouds to disperse and murky water to clear, the 43-year-old then had to navigate a huge number of waterways. He said: ‘Fortunately I had an American Indian lady to guide and assist. She could imitate the quacking and squeaking sound of alligators and this immediately attracted the gators - so well in fact it created another problem. ‘Since her sound gathered all of the alligators nearby, suddenly this ten-foot reptile chased other alligators 50 yards to the right and 100 yards to the left. ‘Sometimes it submerged and attacked other alligators from down below by headbutting. Enormous: Brave photographer Masa Ushioda captured the shots of this wild gator in vast marsh land in the Everglades National Park, in Florida . ‘All I could do was wait - for the alligator and then for the light.’ Despite the threat of other gators invading on this reptile's territory, Masa wanted to get as close as possible. After trying to swim with the creature, the 43-year-old decided the best way to get his under-over water shots was to set up a pole cam on higher ground. What lies beneath: An American alligator swims beneath the waters and glides over rocks . Unfazed by its fierce reputation, Masa said: ‘Alligators in the wild are just as much afraid of humans as we are of them. ‘They are particularly sensitive to vibrations and movement, so I have to be absolutely quiet and still like a rock to get the alligator to come close. ‘This gator was calm as long as I didn't move and agitate him.’ Seemingly smiling with water bubbles rising from its jaws, the alligator looks almost as happy as Masa to be caught on camera. The Tokyo-born-and-raised photographer admits the shoot was immensely rewarding. He said: ‘Bright sunlight and blue sky were critical elements in this picture - in addition to getting a wild 10-foot alligator in the middle of the viewfinder with a perfect angle. ‘One day the weather won't cooperate. On the other day, alligators won't. ‘Extreme patience is required but it was so rewarding.’ Peak-a-boo: The alligators teeth are clearly visible as he bobs his head just above the water . Powerful: The American alligator opens his jaw wide as his eyes look above the surface of the clear water . Gliding: The American alligator glides through water in vast marsh land in the Everglades National Park, in Florida, USA . Danger ahead: Photographer Masa Ushioda captured the half-submerged reptile glowing in bright yellow beneath the surface of the water . The American alligator, sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or an alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile endemic to the southeastern United States. It is one of two living species in the genus Alligator within the family Alligatoridae; it is larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese alligator. Adult male American alligators measure 3.4 to 4.6 metres (11 to 15 foot) in length, and can weigh 453 kg (999 lb). Females are smaller, measuring around 3 metres (9.8 foot). The American alligator inhabits freshwater wetlands, such as marshes and cypress swamps from Texas to North Carolina. It is distinguished from the sympatric American crocodile by its broader snout, with overlapping jaws and darker coloration, and is less tolerant of saltwater but more tolerant of cooler climates than the American crocodile, which is found only in tropical climates. Alligators are apex predators and consume fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. They also play an important role as ecosystem engineers in wetland ecosystems through the creation of alligator holes, which provide both wet and dry habitats for other organisms. Throughout the year, but especially during the breeding season, alligators bellow to declare territory and locate suitable mates. Historically, hunting has decimated their population, and the American alligator was listed as an endangered species by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The species is the official state reptile of three American states: Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

A brave photographer caught the images of an alligator gliding through the Everglades National Park in Florida . Masa Ushioda captured close-up shots of the wild gator swimming through vast marsh lands . After waiting weeks for storm clouds to . disperse, the photographer had to navigate a . number of waterways . He said: ‘Alligators in the wild are just as much afraid of humans as we are of them'

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A British surgeon amputated the arm of a wounded teenager in Congo, Africa, with help from instructions sent to him by text message. British surgeon David Nott, center, with two colleagues in a Congo field hospital where he carried out the operation. David Nott texted his surgical colleague Meirion Thomas, who is one of only a handful of UK surgeons familiar with the difficult procedure of removing the collar bone and shoulder blade. David Nott realized that teenager J, whose arms had been ripped off and who was now gangrenous, had only a few days to live. "I knew that the only way to save this boy's life was to do a forequarter amputation, and I knew that Professor Meirion Thomas was really the expert," Nott said. Nott, a vascular surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, who volunteers one month a year with humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders, had never performed such an operation. Watch an interview with Nott » . Thomas replied almost immediately with 10 steps Nott should follow to carry out the procedure and then signed off with "Easy! Good luck." David Nott followed his colleague's instructions step by step: "I felt I had like my guardian angel on my left shoulder showing me what to do. I just got on with it, and everything he told me, I just did". Nott and his team embarked on the three-hour operation with just one pint of donated blood. Teenager J is said to have made a full recovery while Nott stayed to keep an eye on his wounds. Thomas said, "All I did was tell David the 10 steps, and I knew that he would follow them."

Text message taught British surgeon how to amputate the arm of teenager in Congo . David Nott texted colleague Meirion Thomas, an expert in forequarter amputation . Nott embarked on the three-hour operation with just one pint of donated blood .

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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Janet Jackson and four of her siblings sent a scathing letter to the men who control Michael Jackson's estate, accusing them of fraud and of abusing their mother. "THIS HAS TO STOP NOW: NO MORE!!" the Jackson siblings wrote in the letter obtained by CNN. The letter also suggested that their mother, Katherine Jackson, suffered a "mini-stroke" recently, which her lawyer quickly disputed. Family, fans mark Michael Jackson's death three years later . The controversy even led Paris Jackson, the late pop star's 14-year-old daughter, to use her Twitter account to weigh in. "i am going to clarify right now that what has been said about my grandmother is a rumor and nothing has happened, she is completely fine," Paris tweeted. Relations between the Jackson family and executors John Branca and John McClain have been strained for most of the three years since Michael Jackson's sudden death from an overdose of an anesthetic used as a sleep aid. The letter mostly repeats allegations made by family members, but it also threatens new legal action against Branca, an entertainment lawyer, and McClain, a music executive, who worked with Jackson at several points in his career. "We know there is most certainly a conspiracy surrounding our brother's death and now coarse manipulation and fear are being used to cover it up," they wrote. "Your heartless pursuit of wealth, fame and power is at the expense of our family, whose deepest desire is to give to the world a gift of hope, love and unity through our music." Stallone decries 'speculation' over son's death . It was signed by Janet, Jermaine, Tito, Randy and Rebbie Jackson. Jackie, Marlon and La Toya Jackson did not sign it, nor did parents Joe and Katherine Jackson. "We are saddened that false and defamatory accusations grounded in stale Internet conspiracy theories are now being made by certain members of Michael's family whom he chose to leave out of his will," estate spokesman Jim Bates said in a statement to CNN. "We are especially disheartened that they come at a time when remarkable progress has been made to secure the financial future of his children by turning around the estate's finances as well as during a time when so many of Michael's fans, old and new, are enjoying his artistry through exciting new projects." The will, which was validated in probate court in the months after Jackson's June 25, 2009, death, put all Jackson's assets into a trust that benefited his mother, Katherine; his children, Prince, Paris and Blanket; and charities. Branca and McClain were named as executors. The signature page indicated that Michael Jackson signed the will in Los Angeles on July 7, 2002, on which date the Jacksons say he was in New York. The siblings' letter charged that "without question, it's fake, flawed and fraudulent." Rihanna sues her former accountants . "According to what is witnessed in the document, it is impossible and illogical that he could have been in two places at one time," the letter said. "We have evidence that undoubtedly supports and proves that Michael was absolutely not in Los Angeles, California, on the date his signature reflected in the will at hand." They also questioned why their brother would name as executors someone he disliked. "Our brother told us, in no uncertain terms and without hesitation in the months prior to his death, that he despised both of you and that he did not want either of you to have anything to do with his life or estate for that matter," the letter said. "We know that and you know that." Courts have already settled the matter, the estate spokesman said. "Any doubts about the validity of Michael's will and his selection of executors were thoroughly and completely debunked two years ago when a challenge was rejected by the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the California Court of Appeals and, finally, the California Supreme Court," Bates said. The Jackson brothers and sisters also accuse Branca and McClain of abusing their 82-year-old mother through lies and manipulations. "Your actions are affecting her health, and on top of that, we've just found out she recently had a mini-stroke. Please understand, she's not equipped to handle the stress load you are putting on her," her children said. "She feels, as she has said, 'I'm stuck in the middle.' She too knows and acknowledges the will was forged. She wants to do the right thing, and move in the direction of justice for her son and family, yet she fears the POWERS THAT BE." Katherine Jackson's lawyer Perry Sanders disputed that she was in poor health. Glen Campbell cancels tour dates . "Mrs. Jackson is extremely lucid and does a great job caring for Michael's children," Sanders said Wednesday. The siblings also attacked Sanders, Katherine Jackson's manager, Lowell Henry, and adviser Trent Jackson for discouraging her from joining their challenge of the will's validity. "Instead, her so-called advisers are convincing her to let them negotiate 'deals' with Branca and McClain on her behalf, or is it on the behalf of all of you," they wrote. "Her advisers' loyalty seems to be skewed by the percentage you offer them, preventing them from advising her properly." Sanders responded that he's always been available "to speak with or meet with any of Mrs. Jackson's children to answer any questions they might have. It is unfortunate that they haven't taken me up on the offer." "Anyone who actually knows me knows my only loyalty in this matter is to Mrs. Jackson, and the public record of my success for her speaks for itself," Sanders said. He pointed to success in paying off her $14 million civil court judgment to a South Korean company, persuading the estate not to sell the family's Hayvenhurst mansion and "helping get her family allowance increased almost tenfold, to name a few." Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord dies . The siblings' letter told the executors they have "dishonored everything our brother stood for." "Your greed and hasty business decisions have shown that you have no regard for the preservation of his legacy, nor the quality of work that he exemplified," they said. "You have disrespected our parents and family too many times. We do not respect you as executors, and we don't respect the projects and choices you've made, nor do we appreciate the public perception that the Jackson family is behind all of this, exploiting Michael our brother for financial gain, when it's the two of you and your affiliates who do so." Finally, the five Jacksons wrote that they would "take every appropriate action to seek justice and to see to it that the truth be known." "Be informed, we are considering retaining a law firm, Baker Hostetler, who have advised us on the potential criminal misconduct in your actions. We will hand this over to proper authorities," they wrote. Bates said the executors "have diligently carried out their fiduciary duties as well as their obligation to Michael to make sure that his estate benefits the only family members he named in his will, his mother and his three children." Michael Jackson 'Bad' reissue to feature unreleased Wembley Stadium show .

Siblings: "Heartless pursuit of wealth, fame and power is at the expense of our family" Jacksons say brother's will is "Fake, flawed and fraudulent" Charges are "grounded in stale Internet conspiracy theories," estate says . Janet, Jermaine, Tito, Randy and Rebbie Jackson sign letter .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:18 EST, 22 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:20 EST, 22 July 2012 . A struggling clothes store has made a bold marketing move in an attempt to boost sales - by offering an 80% discount for shoppers who make purchases in their underwear. The Gran America emporium in Paraguay tempted clients with savings of up to 80 per cent - but only if they took their clothes off. The store, which sells clothes, perfumes and electrical products, made a normal month’s takings in just a few hours as over 100 men and women stripped off to shop. Naked ambition: The Paraguayan store offered a huge discount as long as customers turned up in underwear, similar to this promotion in Spain alst year . As a result the promotion, which was expected to last an hour, was extended for the whole of the day on Saturday. Henry Martins, sales manager of the shop in Cuidad del Este on the border with Brazil, told Paraguay’s Vanguardia newspaper that sales had plummeted after Brazil recently tightened customs controls. He said: 'It was either come up with something creative or go bust. At first we wanted people to go completely naked but realised I could have got into trouble with the law. 'It was a great success. We had people in their underwear taking advantage of the promotion, and lots more coming in to get an eyeful. 'I’ve never seen the shop so full. We’re already planning our next one.' The concept of offering customers discounted items for turning up without clothes is not a new idea in the retail world. Earlier this year, Spanish retailer Desigual offered customers free clothes if they turned up at their Madrid store in just their underwear.

Gran America store in Paraguay offers huge discounts for scantily-clad customers . One-hour offer was so successful store says it extended it for full day .

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By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:22 EST, 7 June 2013 . A young beauty blogger has posted a shocking photo diary of what happened when she suffered a severe reaction to a salon facial. Singaporean make-up fanatic Juli, who blogs under the name Bun Bun at bunbunmakeuptips.com, shared her experience online in a series of blog posts, documenting how the skin on her face became enraged by the treatment and then by medication she was given by a dermatologist in effort to calm it down. Writing four days after her 'skin-ravaging facial', Juli warned readers with a caution: 'This post contains graphic images of a face . inflamed with red, angry pimples filled with pus.' Juli, who writes under the name Bun Bun, before her facial . She continued: 'You might feel itchy . and want to vomit after seeing these images. I totally understand if . you run away from me if you saw me. Reader discretion advised.' She then posted a photograph of what she usually looks like, followed by a day-by-day photographic account of how her skin reacted to the facial, first breaking out in a small number of spots, which rapidly grew in number and filled with pus. She visited a clinic to have the pus extracted, which only served tomake the condition worse. The spots were soon covering her entire face and neck, and were both painful and itchy. Juli before the facial that ravaged her skin, left, and five days after, right . Juli immediately after the facial . Spots began coming through the day after her facial . More and more spots began working their way through her skin two days later . Writing on the site, Juli commented: 'I'd sent images of my deteriorating skin condition to the people at the facial salon and they asked me to go down and have the pus extracted again, this time to their HQ, where their Director was around. 'I don't know how people who have been in the industry for THIRTY YEARS couldn't tell this was not your normal acne breakout or post-facial sensitivity.' She continued: 'The facial people told me that "It has to get worse before it gets better". BULL***T. Anyone who tells you that about your skin is really just lying to you. I have friends who are aestheticians say there's no such thing. If it gets worse, it can only get worse. 'From the first round of extraction, they kept lying to me that "tomorrow your skin will be better". It never did. At home, my skin turned worse.' Despite their advice, Juli chose not to reveal the name of the salon, believing they did not intend to cause the reaction. The clusters of spots around Juli's chin continued to grow and grow . The skin on her forehead began to break out in a pus-filled rash as well . Juli at the clinic where they tried to treat the condition with an anti-bacterial gel that only made the complaint worse . Juli following the pus extraction on day four . Juli visited a number of doctors, and the second one gave her pills and told her the skin allergy should not cause any scarring, but would leave her  with hyper-pigmentation for at least a few months. She said: 'He also advised that I go back to my skincare regime before the facial because the new products given by the salon might be contributing to the allergy.' Juli said the whole experience left her traumatised and depressed . Juli five days after the facial . Five days after the facial Juli's skin was only getting worse . After the photographs Juli wrote: 'I'm sorry if I scared you. I have goosebumps too. You can't imagine how difficult it was to look at these photos and not cry. I cry the most when I’m washing my face. 'My self-confidence has plummeted to rock bottom. I cannot remember the last time I was so depressed over an external condition. 'I guess I could thank the heavens that I’m lucky to be alive, but can my life ever go back to normal? I don't know. It's a great fall to take for a person who is image-conscious and with an online personality.' In a second blog post a few days later, she wrote: 'I was at my lowest on Day 5. A small percentage of the pustules were starting to dry out, but more were forming, and they were MERGING. They were spreading to my neck too, and were incredibly itchy.' Juli added that she has not only lost out financially as a result of her reaction, but that when she attended the Singapore blogging awards as a finalist she was forced to wear a mask over her face because she was so embarrassed. 'I was at my lowest on day five' The pustules showed no sign of abating on day five . On day six, after lots of medication, the spots began to dry up . The doctor told Juli she should expect to have discolouration of the skin for several months . Juli ends her post saying: 'I realize I have instilled panic and fear in many people regarding the effects of a facial. 'Many have asked me to advise on whether this salon is safe to go, whether the one I went to is the one they are going to, what to look out for in a facial, etc. 'I wrote about my personal experience to share the risks involved in getting a facial. I do not know and cannot guarantee what will happen to anybody else. 'You may or may not be allergic to the products the salon uses, the treatment may or may not be right for you, your beauticians may or may not know what to do when they see you with uncommon pus on your face, facials may or may not work for you at all. 'I cannot speak for anyone and am not qualified to say whether or not a facial or a trip to a dermatologist is right for you. 'I have been going for facials for the past ten years and as a beauty blogger tried a myriad of products on my skin, and NOTHING like that has ever happened.'

Juli is a young Singaporean blogger who writes under name Bun Bun . Runs bunbunmakeuptips.com and says she has lost out financially . Did not name salon, as she believes it was just an allergic reaction . Later extracting pus made condition worse . Was finalist in Singapore blog awards - had to wear mask to competition .

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A New Zealand tourist who planned to spend a few days exploring an island in his canoe was left trapped and desperate on a hill for two weeks after being stalked by a monster crocodile. The unfortunate traveller had set up camp on remote Governor Island, off the coast of Western Australia, intending to paddle his canoe around the island but the arrival of the 20ft-long crocodile changed all that. Instead, he remained terrified at his campsite, which he had hurriedly set up on a hill on the 250-acre island in the hope that he was too far inland for the crocodile to reach him. Terrifying a tourist: A New Zealand traveller was trapped on remote Governor Island off the West Australian coast for two weeks after he was stalked by a 20ft-long crocodile (file photo) And it was only by chance that rescue came, when a light he flashed to attract attention resulted in him getting a lift in a boat to safety. The tourist, known only as Ryan, owes his survival to local man Don McLeod, who decided to check out the light and found the distraught man 'relieved and shocked.' Mr McLeod said today that 'every time he got in his little kayak, which was only about 2.5m (8ft) long, this crocodile, which has lived there for many years, chased him. 'He was desperate for water when I trotted up.' Chance rescue: Local man Don McLeod saw the tourist's light flashing from the island and rescued him by boat from the giant reptile (file photo) Mr McLeod said the crocodile was . 'easily 20ft long', a measurement he said was accurate because that is . the length of his boat and he has sailed past the reptile from time to . time. A yachtsman had . dropped Ryan off at the island, off the north-west coast near Kalumburu, . which lies between Derby and Kununurra, and it was there that the . tourist had decided to use his canoe to explore the inlets. After setting up a tent he realised he did not have enough supplies and decided to paddle the three miles back to the mainland. But as he launched his small canoe he saw the crocodile watching him - and made good his escape back to his camp site, which he then moved to higher ground. According to Mr McLeod, each time the Kiwi tourist tried to leave the island the crocodile 'made its presence felt, and so the fellow was left stranded there for an entire fortnight.' It was only when Mr McLeod spotted a light on the island and decided to check it out, that he courageously set foot there. 'I'd seen a light flashing in the scrub as I came through Red Bluff, opposite Governor Island, and decided to have a look what it was. 'When I arrived Ryan came out of the bush looking distraught. He had no hat on and no shirt on. 'He was relieved and shocked and thankful someone had come along because he was running out of options pretty quickly. 'He is a very, very lucky man.' Ryan was given a bed at a church mission on the mainland but his whereabouts today were unknown. Keen kayaker: The man had been dropped off at the island, off the north-west coast near Kalumburu, which lies between Derby and Kununurra, and it was there that the tourist had decided to use his canoe to explore the inlets . Monster presence: Trapped on the remote island in Western Australia, every time the tourist tried to leave, the crocodile 'made its presence felt, and so the fellow was left stranded there for an entire fortnight,' according to Mr McLeod .

The tourist was trapped on remote Governor Island off West Australia . A local man saw the traveller's flashing light and rescued him by boat . The crocodile was described as a 'monster' and had lived there for years .

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Hank Williams Jr. apologized Tuesday for comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler, a remark that prompted controversy and resulted in "Monday Night Football" pulling his popular musical introduction from this week's game. His statement Tuesday went beyond his Monday statement, in which he said "my analogy was extreme -- but it was to make a point." On Tuesday, the country singer stated: "I have always been very passionate about politics and sports and this time it got the best or worst of me. "The thought of the leaders of both parties jukin' [sic] and high fiven' [sic] on a golf course, while so many families are struggling to get by, simply made me boil over and make a dumb statement, and I am very sorry if it offended anyone. I would like to thank all my supporters. This was not written by some publicist," Williams wrote. Williams made the comparison on Fox News this week when he was asked about Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, playing on the same team in a June golf game. Earlier Tuesday, the Anti-Defamation League condemned Williams' comments and praised ESPN for pulling his "Are You Ready for Some Football?" musical recording that opens "Monday Night Football." "The Holocaust was a singular event in human history, and it is an insult to the memory of the millions who died as a result of Hitler's plan of mass extermination to compare the Nazi dictator to any American president," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL national director and a Holocaust survivor. "Hank Williams Jr. should know better. He owes an apology to Holocaust survivors, their families, and the brave American soldiers who gave of themselves to fight the Nazi menace during World War II. The last thing we need is to enter another election cycle on a sour note tainted with inappropriate, tired and over-the-top analogies to the Nazis," he said. "ESPN responded appropriately and did the right thing in pulling the Hank Williams Jr. football song from the airwaves," Foxman said. On Tuesday, ESPN said it had made no decision on Williams' future beyond the Monday night telecast, according to Bill Hofheimer, senior director of communications at ESPN. Williams has criticized Obama in the past, when the Democrat was running for the presidency. In 2008, Williams was even mentioned in some media outlets as saying he was considering running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in the next election cycle, but those plans never materialized. Williams, who supported the Republican ticket in 2008 and even penned a song called "McCain-Palin Tradition," said during that campaign that candidate Obama didn't like the national anthem. The "McCain-Palin Tradition" song, which is a riff on the Williams tune "Family Tradition," included a line suggesting that Obama has "terrorist friends." The day before voting in the 2008 election, Williams said: "You know, I'm usually at Monday Night Football tonight, but Colorado, this is a lot more important tonight. Join me now in our national -- you know, that song that, uh, Mr. Obama's not real crazy about, we're singing it right now." Williams then performed his version of the anthem. In an appearance on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" on Monday morning, Williams referred to a June golf game with Obama and House Speaker John Boehner on the same team, against Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, as "one of the biggest political mistakes ever." Asked what he didn't like about it, Williams said, "Come on, come on. That'd be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu. OK. Not hardly." When one of the Fox News interviewers later pointed out that Williams invoked "one of the most hated people in all of the world to describe ... the president," Williams responded: "That is true, but I'm telling you like it is, you know. That just wasn't a good thing. It just didn't fly. So anyway, like Fred Thompson said, you don't want to ask me a question because I'm going to give you too straight of an answer. So talk about something else." Thompson, an actor and ABC Radio Network commentator, was a Republican senator from Tennessee and one-time candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. In a statement Monday, ESPN said that while Williams "is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to 'Monday Night Football.' We are extremely disappointed with his comments and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast." In a statement issued through a representative, Williams, son of legendary country singer Hank Williams, acknowledged his analogy was "extreme -- but it was to make a point." "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood," the country singer said. "... I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me -- how ludicrous that pairing was. They're polar opposites, and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will." Williams, however, said he has "always respected the office of the president." Still, he noted, "Every time the media brings up the tea party, it's painted as racist and extremists -- but there's never a backlash, no outrage to those comparisons. ... Working-class people are hurting -- and it doesn't seem like anybody cares. When both sides are high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job -- it makes a whole lot of us angry. Something has to change. The policies have to change." In Nashville, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum said the controversy won't affect its ongoing exhibit of "Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy," a 5,000-square-foot display about Williams and his family, including his father, an iconic country singer himself, spokeswoman Tina Wright said. In 2009, the museum extended the exhibit through the end of 2011, citing "overwhelming positive response," spokesmen said.

"I am very sorry if it offended anyone," Williams says of his comparison . Earlier, the Anti-Defamation League said Williams owed Holocaust survivors an apology . ESPN has yet to decide on future uses of Williams' "Are You Ready for Some Football?" Country singer compared Obama to Adolf Hitler in Fox News remarks .

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The announcement that Russia's prime minister, Vladimir Putin, will run for president in next March's election and will, if elected, appoint the current president, Dmitri Medvedev, as his prime minister brings to mind one of the most famous lines of Italian literature. In Giuseppe di Lampedusa's novel "The Leopard," set in 19th century Sicily, a young nobleman tells his conservative uncle that clinging to the past will not work. "If we want things to stay as they are," he says, "things will have to change." The Kremlin's proposed game of musical chairs is the kind of change whose only purpose is to keep things as they are. Putin and company have made clear for years that they do not intend to leave the scene quietly in 2012 when Medvedev's presidential term expires. The only question was in what configuration the two leaders would return. To stay in the same positions would have smacked of stagnation. Switching places, although hardly an inspired move, is the simplest way to stir the waters without fear of rocking the boat. It will provoke a temporary burst of indignation from Putin's many critics in the West, some of whom saw in Medvedev a champion of liberalism and civil rights. Some will predict a tightening of authoritarian rule. Yet the reality is that Putin's return to the Kremlin will not, in itself, change much. For the last four years, he has made all key decisions, with Medvedev's advice, and he will continue to do so. Those who imagine that a second Medvedev term would have produced dramatic breakthroughs face the problem of explaining why his first term did not. Unless Western leaders seek to punish Putin for his return, there is no reason to think it will undermine the "reset" of recent years. Improved relations with the US could not have been pursued had Putin not approved of the policy. Despite rumors of disagreements between the two leaders -- or, more often, their aides -- Putin and Medvedev have always worked together as a close-knit team. Ordinary Russians understand this well. Fifty-eight percent think stories about conflicts between the two are dreamed up by journalists and opposition politicians. Seventy-three percent see Medvedev as having continued Putin's policies rather than introducing new ones of his own. Both want to make Russia a strong, modern country and understand the need for an efficient economy linked into global markets and capital flows. At the same time, both want to protect a circle of friends and acquaintances who have grown rich during their years in power. Obviously, these two goals at times conflict. To maintain their popularity, the two leaders have employed a political division of labor. Putin's priority has been to keep mainstream Russians loyal. His occasional anti-Western jibes and earthy aphorisms aim to appeal to provincial sensibilities. But his main weapon has been money. During the financial crisis, the prime minister spent lavishly to soften the pain, increasing pensions by 24% in real terms in 2009 and another 13% in 2010. Although the economy shrank by 8% in 2009, government spending grew from 34 to 41% of GDP. Russians' real disposable income rose by 2% in 2009 and almost 5% in 2010. The strategy has largely worked. Although Putin's -- and Medvedev's -- approval ratings have fallen in the last two years, the decline has been relatively slow. The latest polls by the respected Levada Center show that 68% still approve of Putin's performance while 63% approve of Medvedev's. Barring a sudden collapse, this should be enough to get Putin comfortably through next March's election, even without the predictable electoral irregularities. But the support, although high, is thin, resting on economic performance and little else. Russians are worried about the future. Even as the economy stabilized after the worst of the global crisis, the percentage who think the country is heading in the right direction fell during the past year from 48% to 36%. Medvedev's political constituency has been the urban, educated elites in business, academia, the arts, and other spheres. He has courted them with articulate interviews, technology incubators, and tweets about modernization. The problem is that, after years of empty promises and speeches, almost all have given up on him. As prime minister, Medvedev will be plunged into the operational details of managing the economy at an unusually tricky moment. Although Russia achieved growth of 4% last year, it is not clear how long it can continue at this rate without major reforms to restore battered investor confidence. Oil and gas output is unlikely to increase much in coming years, especially if growth in the developed economies stalls. Aware of this, the two leaders have already announced reforms to simplify rules for investors and privatize large stakes in state-owned companies. Medvedev's first task will probably be implementing unpopular cuts to rein in public spending. He may have to back away from a commitment to triple defense expenditures -- a promise that prompted Alexei Kudrin, the long-serving finance minister and leading budget hawk, to say he would refuse to serve under Medvedev. The need to trim social spending threatens to turn Medvedev into a lightning rod for discontent, and could shorten his tenure. Yet there is also the chance that he will survive for long enough to see reforms bear fruit -- and claim a share of the credit. Having visibly chafed at the lack of levers to get his policies implemented, he will now get opportunities to implement some himself. How effective he proves in this new role -- and how much leeway Putin allows him -- remain to be seen.

Vladimir Putin will run for Russian president; Medvedev to become prime minister . Daniel Treisman says the change is mostly about preserving the status quo . He says Putin and Medvedev both recognize the importance of keeping economy growing . Treisman: The two work together, dividing up tasks in bid to remain in power .

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By . Associated Press . and Zoe Szathmary . 'Family Guy' is taking on a New Jersey political scandal. A flier sent to Emmy voters asks them to name the show 'best animated program.' It warns, 'Vote for us, or it's time for some traffic problems in Brentwood,' a Los Angeles neighborhood where many Emmy voters live. The warning is a reference to lane closures last year at the heart of the scandal and a now-infamous email about them. Bridget Anne Kelly, a since-fired aide to Gov. Chris Christie, wrote before the closures, 'It's time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,' referencing the New Jersey town that saw days of traffic jams. Federal prosecutors are investigating. 'Vote for us, or it's time for some traffic problems in Brentwood': Family Guy's Emmy flier pokes fun at the Bridgegate scandal . On the flier, character Peter Griffin wears a tie and looks almost governor-like. The traffic cones Griffin holds seem to be a reference to comments Christie made in December 2013 and reported by NJ.com when he joked in a conference 'I worked the cones. Unbeknownst to anyone, I was working the cones,' when asked about his role in Bridgegate. As noted by Deadline, the campaign is similar to the show's provocative 2010 mailer, which depicted Griffin as the main character from 'Precious,' with the slogan 'Vote for us or you're racist.' Twins? Family Guy character Peter Griffin's outfit is awfully similar to one worn by Gov. Chris Christie in this May 24, 2013 photo .

Flier shows character Peter Griffin 'almost governor-like' Warns 'Vote for us or it's time for some traffic problems in Brentwood' Reference to Bridgegate email last year which said 'It's time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee'

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The family of a British hotelier murdered in St Lucia believes the British government is hampering the investigation in to his death, it has been revealed. The badly burnt body of 38-year-old Oliver Gobat was found on the idyllic Caribbean island in April. He had been shot twice in the head while sitting in the passenger seat of his Range Rover before the vehicle - with his body inside it - was torched. Now a private investigation by his family has revealed that there are several 'persons of interest' in Britain who need to be questioned. The family of murdered Briton Oliver Gobat (pictured left with his sister-in-law Alexandra See) believes the British government is hampering the investigation in to his death . However, because of a diplomatic deadlock involving the UK and St Lucia authorities, they have not been quizzed over the death and Britain has yet to send its own police officers to the island. Mr Gobat’s brother Adam is quoted in The Times as saying: ‘We’re hoping that this new information can persuade the UK government to take action. ‘Inaction is damnable. Inaction is almost tantamount to the government protecting people who may be part of this, or who may have relevant information.’ The Foreign Office is reportedly refusing to accept an invitation from St Lucia authorities for British police to travel to the Commonwealth country to help with the investigation as it wants assurances that the killers will not receive the death penalty. The Times says foreign office minister Hugo Swire told MPs earlier this week that he would look to find a way of overcoming the diplomatic barriers and that he 'pressed the issue' with the island's high commissioner recently. Oliver Gobat, 38, was shot twice in the head before being doused with petrol and set alight in his Range Rover (pictured) Mr Gobat's parents Theo and Helen Gobat have launched a private investigation into the suspected contract killing. The couple have put up a £60,000 reward in a last ditch attempt to try and find his killers. The manner of Mr Gobat’s death, on a remote track a mile from the upmarket Cap Maison hotel he ran in the north of the island, has led police to believe he was the victim of a contract killing. Police sources previously stated Mr Gobat’s death was ‘no ordinary murder’ and it had ‘all the hallmarks of a professional killing’. Paradise: Cap Maison's estate of luxury apartments and hotel in the Caribbean once run by Mr Gobat . The boutique hotel, pictured, is five star and is based on the coast of the island . Cap Maison, a five-star boutique hotel set in the lush tropical grounds of a former sugar plantation on the northern tip of the island, was created by the Gobats with their three sons Rufus, Adam and Oliver. Guests, who have included Amy Winehouse and Kelly Brook, stay in colonial-style villas and every luxury is on tap, including valets, private chefs, a walk-in wine cellar and spa. Theo Gobat, 75, was born in Chester and trained as an accountant and moved to St Lucia in 1974 as finance director of a hotel and travel company which then went bankrupt. He and another director successfully took over the company's hotels and eventually created the small, upmarket Cap Maison. His son Oliver was born in St Lucia but had dual nationality. He represented Surrey juniors at cricket and attended Leeds University, before moving to Australia to help launch a health and fitness club in Adelaide, Australia.

Oliver Gobat's family say British government is hampering investigation . Mr Gobat was killed in St Lucia when he was shot twice in the head . His burnt body was found in the front seat of his torched Range Rover . The millionaire businessman's murder had hallmarks of contract killing . A number of 'persons of interest' identified in UK by private investigators . But they have yet to be questioned because of a diplomatic impasse .

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By . Margot Peppers . Elementary schools across the country are launching bans on edible birthday treats like cupcakes in a bid to fight childhood obesity - much to the chagrin of some children and parents. Edmonds School District outside of Seattle, Washington, is just one location where teachers are tightening up the rules on the types of treats parents can bring in for their children's birthday, citing health reasons for the change. 'People need to understand that the entire food environment of the school matters,' Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, told Today.com. Party poopers! Elementary schools across the U.S. are launching bans on edible birthday treats like cupcakes in a bid to fight childhood obesity - much to the chagrin of some children and parents . 'It's not fair to say to the food service providers that they are not allowed to sell candy and soda but then say it's perfectly fine for 30 parents to bring in cupcakes for the whole class 30 times a year.' The ban was inspired by the federal Wellness Policy promoted by Michelle Obama, which requires school superintendents to monitor the nutritional standards of unregulated food items, such as those prepared by parents. And for some mothers and fathers whose kids suffer from allergies or weight problems, the cupcake ban is a welcome change that will undoubtedly benefit their children. But other parents are outraged by the new rules, many of them placing the blame on Michelle Obama's healthy eating initiative. 'Instead of banning cupcakes, how about parents be parents and encourage more physical activity?' one critic wrote on Twitter. Another person called the ban 'absolutely ridiculous,' and a third person tweeted: 'The Nanny state is alive and well'. Moms like . Erin Ornes, who has two sons in the Edmonds school district, fear that . the new restrictions will only fuel competition between parents as they . strive to come up with creative ways to celebrate birthdays without the . use of food. Should children be allowed to have birthday cupcakes at school? 'It’s bad enough to see who made the best cupcakes or who just stopped by the grocery store,' she said. 'But now to see who makes the best non-food celebration? Low-income families and single moms that really don’t have time to think or deal with this will have the hardest time.' And father Richard Martinson, whose grown children once attended schools in Edmonds, told Herald Net that the rule is too extreme. 'It's a little bit of fun that makes school more bearable, and now it's gone,' he lamented. Still, for parents like Melissa Dobrich, whose daughter is severely allergic to peanuts, a schoolwide ban on homemade sugary treats may well be a lifesaver. The Washington mother said that while she doesn't want to spoil the fun of all the other kids, it's important for school to be 'safe place for my daughter to learn.' Similar bans have also been implemented at some schools in Michigan, Colorado, Kentucky and Minnesota.

The bans are inspired by the federal Wellness Policy promoted by Michelle Obama, which requires superintendents to monitor the nutritional standards of unregulated food items .

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(CNN) -- Juventus will enter the New Year as favorite to retain Serie A after it claimed a comfortable victory over Atalanta. With nearest rival Inter Milan slipping up at Lazio on Saturday, goals from Mirko Vucinic, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio ensured Juve took full advantage. Napoli's 3-2 home defeat by Bologna means Juve is seven points clear at the summit following the weekend's action. With just one more game before the winter break, Juve is in great shape heading into the second half of the season, although manager Antonio Conte remains cautious. Klose keeps Lazio in Italian title race . "It was a good result for us against a difficult team, but the season is far from over," he told reporters. "Winning the title is never easy but through our good organisation and solid play we hope to show it's within our grasp." It took around 90 seconds for Juve to move ahead through Vucinic, before Pirlo produced one of his trademark curling free-kicks to double the lead. Marchisio added a third with a low drive after picking up Sebastian Giovinco's pass. Atalanta's day grew even worse when it was reduced to 10 men following Thomas Manfredini's rash challenge on Giorgio Chiellini, which earned him a second booking. Magical Milan . Elsewhere, Milan continued its rich vein of form by defeating Pescara 4-1. Alberto Nocerino fired the Rossoneri ahead after just 36 seconds to register the second fastest goal in Serie A this season. An own-goal from Elvis Abbruscato doubled Milan's lead before Pescara hit back through Christian Terlizzi's header. Another own-goal, this time by Jonathas, allowed Milan to restore its two-goal lead before Stephan El Shaarawy fired home his 14th of the season. Elsewhere, Fiorentina moved into fifth place following a 4-1 win over Siena thanks to a double from former Italy striker Luca Toni. Roma, now sixth, was beaten 1-0 by Chievo following a strike by Sergio Pellissier. Elsewhere, Catania sits in eighth place following a 3-1 home win over Sampdoria, while two goals from Ishak Belfodil inspired Parma to a 4-1 win over Cagliari. Police investigate EPL racism claim . In the English Premier League, Tottenham moved into fourth position following a narrow 1-0 victory over Swansea City. Jan Vertonghen's 75th minute goal proved enough for Spurs to claim all three points a hard-fought affair. "I think if there was one team to win this game it was us," Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas told reporters. "We were very patient and persistent in what we were doing and kept moving the ball well. "We held on to the win. Obviously in this season we will continue to suffer goals in the last minute because football is unpredictable, but I think today the players showed the desire and ambition to put the wrong right and we managed to hang on to the result." There was drama in the dying stages of the contest when Swansea striker Michu was left prostrate on the turf after a collision with Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The home side continued to play on with the Spaniard clutching his head on the turf and Swansea's players urging for the ball to be kicked out of play. Referee Mike Dean and his assistants allowed the game to continue and Swansea manager Michael Laudrup was left frustrated by the decision. He told reporters: "I was very angry and it wasn't because it wasn't a free-kick or a red card for Lloris or a penalty or whatever, but we always talk about people, there is a debate, should we kick the ball out? "It is the same debate in every country - we have a referee and two linesmen so we just go on until the referee blows the whistle. "But with possible head injuries, like this one, there is no doubt, you have all the linesmen and the referee and they are connected. "I watched it afterward on the television and when it happened, when Michu is going down to the ground the referee is watching them, the linesman is watching them and still they let the game go on, it is such a poor decision and dangerous as well." In the day's other game, West Bromwich Albion was held to a goalless draw by West Ham United. Bayern's bid for Bundesliga record falters . In Germany, defending champion Borussia Dortmund claimed a 3-1 win to move back into third place. Mario Goetze, Kevin Grosskreutz and Robert Lewandowski were all on target for Dortmund, which sits 12 points behind league leaders Bayern Munich. Goetze's stunning strike put Dortmund ahead after 20 minutes, only for Hoffenheim to draw level soon after thanks to Sven Schipplock's close-range finish. But Dortmund pushed on after the interval and Grosskreutz fired home on 58 minutes before Lewandowski sealed the win eight minutes later. Hoffenheim, which has lost its past six games, is now seven points from safety in 16th position, having sacked coach Markus Babbel on December 3. New Manager . Meanwhile, Schalke has announced that it has parted company with Dutch coach Huub Stevens following Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by Freiburg. A statement on the club's website read: "In light of the recent poor run of form in the Bundesliga, Schalke have opted to release Huub Stevens from his duties as head coach with immediate effect. Club officials reached the decision by mutual agreement with Stevens at a meeting on Sunday morning." Former VfB Stuttgart coach Jens Keller will take over for the rest of the season with his side seventh in the league and still in the Champions League. "The players gave me a positive reception and I could tell they were totally focused on the cup game," Keller told the club's official website. "Though I've watched the first team train on a regular basis, looking on from a distance is not the same as being in charge yourself. "I'm now going to spend time considering how best to approach the game against Mainz. If we are to do well the psychological side of things will be very important." Elsewhere, Werder Bremen needed a late equalizer to draw 1-1 at home with Nuremberg. In France, Paris Saint-Germain moved to the top of the league on goal difference following a 1-0 win over Lyon. Blaise Matuidi scored the only goal of the game, while Lyon's Lisandro Lopez hit a post as the visitor threatened to take a point. Elsewhere, Saint Etienne suffered a 2-0 home defeat by Lorient, while Nancy held Bordeaux to a 1-1 draw.

Juventus ease to 3-0 win over Atalanta to strengthen position at top of Serie A . Milan up to seventh following 4-1 thrashing of Pescara . Tottenham claims 1-0 win over Swansea to reach 4th in EPL . Borussia Dortmund defeats Hoffenheim while Schalke sack coach Huub Stevens .

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By . Beth Stebner . Last updated at 6:24 AM on 30th January 2012 . As GOP figures come out to lambast Newt Gingrich's bid for presidency, the latest polls show Mitt Romney is bounding ahead of him in the polls - and looks set for a decisive victory in Floria. The former governor of Massachusetts leads by a staggering 15 points - 42 per cent compared to Gingrich's 27 per cent. Rick Santorum is third with 16 per cent, while Ron Paul trails with 11 per cent. 'The bottom line in all this is Romney's sitting in the driver's seat going into Tuesday,' said Lee Miringoff, from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the poll with NBC. Scroll down for video . Support: GOP presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is joined by his wife Ann (L), their son Craig (R) and grandson Parker (bottom) at a campaign stop in Hialeah, Florida today . Campaign trail: Romney (standing centre) rides his campaign bus from Naples to Hialeah, Florida today, with (from L-R) aide Charlie Pearce; adviser Eric Fehrnstrom; wife Ann Romney; adviser Beth Myers; Sheri Romney and brother Scott Romney . Showing support: Sen John McCain said that Mitt Romney should go to the White House and Newt Gingrich should go to the moon . Supporters: But there has been some good news for Gingrich, with less conventional Republican figures such as Herman Cain, left, and Chuck Norris announcing the are endorsing the former Speaker of the House . It comes as yet another blow to Gingrich, who has been slated by GOP heavy-weights, including John McCain and Glenn Beck, in recent days. However, there was one piece of good . news for the embattled presidential hopeful, as he received the endorsement of . maverick former candidate Herman Cain. Pizza magnate Cain, who quit the race . following allegations that he had sexually harassed several employees, . threw his support behind Gingrich at a GOP fundraising event. 'I . hereby officially and enthusiastically endorse Newt Gingrich for . president of the United States,' he said. 'I know he is going through . this sausage-grinder because he cares about the future of the United . States of America.' In . return, Gingrich told the crowd that he intended to appoint Cain to a . taskforce dealing with 'jobs, economic growth and taxes' if he becomes . President. The endorsement . comes as something of a surprise, given that Cain has already aimed to . be endorsing 'the people' - but out of the remaining candidates, it is . Gingrich who is closest to Cain's brand of conservative populism. Clash of the Titans: When asked if he thought . Newt Gingrich (left) had a shot at the White House, Sen Bob Dole (right) said: 'I hope not' The endorsement offers some relief for Gingrich, who has come under fire from top GOP figures. Everyone from former . presidential candidates John McCain and Bob Dole to Fox News pundit . Glenn Beck were of the opinion that Gingrich is not the right man for . the presidency. Former presidential candidate John McCain told reporters: ‘(Just) because someone debates well does not mean necessarily they would be a good president.’ He added: ‘I think we ought to send Newt Gingrich to the moon and Mitt Romney to the White House.’ Last Thursday, Bob Dole said in an interview that he hoped Gingrich doesn’t have a chance to become president. Sen. Dole also wrote in an open letter released by the Romney campaign that . he thinks Gingrich is a ‘one-man-band’ who would ‘have an adverse impact . on Republican candidates running for country, state, and federal . offices.’ Outspoken: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, left, called Gingrich an ‘embarrassment to the Republican party’ while Glenn Beck, right, said he ‘makes Nancy Pelosi look like a superstar’ Grandson of a president: Harrison Tyler, the 84-year-old son of President John Tyler, said that Gingrich is a 'big jerk' On Meet the Press, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called Gingrich ‘an embarrassment to the Republican Party.’ He said the former speaker simply . does not have the experience necessary to run the Oval Office. ‘He’ll . never run anything,’ Gov. Christie said. The latest poll of Florida voters, taken by NBC and Marist, indicates Romney is on the road to an easy victory in the crucial state: . Mitt Romney 42 per cent . Newt Gingrich 27 per cent . Rick Santorum 16 per cent . Ron Paul 11 per cent . Undecided 4 per cent . The famously outspoken conservative . news pundit Glenn Beck was not shy about his feelings toward Gingrich, . calling him ‘the only candidate I cannot vote for.’ He also stated: ‘He makes Nancy Pelosi look like a superstar to the rest of the country.’ Even the grandson of tenth president . John Tyler had negative things to say about him. In an interview with . Politico, 84-year-old Harrison Tyler said Gingrich is 'a big jerk,' in . part due to his three marriages. 'He needs to stick with the same wife, that's what my mother taught me,' Mr Tyler said. But Gingrich, even as his numbers . fall, has supporters in high places. Walker, Texas Ranger star Chuck . Norris wrote a gushing endorsement for Gingrich, calling him ‘the best . man left on the battlefield who is able to outwit, outplay and outlast . Obama and his campaign machine.’ In . the column, written a day after the South Carolina primary, Norris also . said: ‘Rome is burning, and we need to appoint the best firemen . possible to rush in and put out her fury.’ Looking good: Mitt Romney's poll numbers look promising. He held a campaign rally at Eastern Ship Building in Panama City, Florida today . According to the Roll Call endorsement . tracker, Romney has the most major endorsements of the Republican . candidates, with 73 House members behind him. Gingrich, on the other . hand, only has 11 House endorsements. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum each have three, ABC News reports. The latest NBC poll shows Romney ahead of the rest of the field across many subgroups, including those who are liberal or moderate (49 per cent), make more than $75,000 a year (49 per cent), identify as 'conservative' (47 percent), and, in particular with women. Women said they preferred Romney by 47-26 per cent over Gingrich. Romney also leads with men at 38-29 per cent. Gingrich needs a Florida win to . solidify the frontrunner mantle he took on after his resounding victory . in the third nominating contests. 'If we win Florida, I will be the nominee,' Gingrich declared at a golf facility in Port St. Lucie. But in a simple ad titled 'History Lesson' -- a play on Gingrich's background as a historian -- Romney's campaign . showed footage of an NBC television anchor's news report the day . Democrats and Republicans found him guilty of ethics violations in 1997. 'Newt Gingrich, who came to power, after all, preaching a higher standard in American politics, a man who brought down another Speaker on ethics accusations, tonight he has on his own record the judgment of his peers, Democrat and Republican alike,' anchor Tom Brokaw says in the report, which makes up the entire ad. Gingrich denies wrongdoing. See below for video . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player .

Romney leads Florida polls with 42 per cent over Gingrich's 27 per cent . John McCain, Bob Dole and Glenn Beck all spoke out against GOP hopeful . Gingrich still supported by Herman Cain and Chuck Norris .

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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:30 EST, 13 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:01 EST, 13 June 2013 . John Bercow has been accused of encouraging groaning of a Lib Dem MP every time he is called to speak in the Commons. Cambridge MP Dr Julian Huppert claims the abuse he receives across the green benches amounts to workplace bullying which sets a ‘very bad example’ to the viewing public. But analysis of Mr Bercow’s role in the abuse reveals his frequent mock surprise at heckling from the Labour side and repeatedly referring him to him as ‘the good doctor’. Bullying: Lib Dem Dr Julian Huppert has complained about the abuse and groans which greet his every appearance in the Commons but Speaker John Bercow is accused of not helping with his references to the 'good doctor' Dr Huppert has gained a reputation in Westminster for long-winded questions and interventions in debates. He riled long-serving MPs when he arrived in the Commons in 2010 by suggesting they all needed to be sent on a crash course in basic scientific techniques. But his every appearance in the Commons is now greeted with a chorus of abuse even before he has spoken. Mr Bercow appears to join in with the teasing. While he calls most MPs to ask a questions simply by shouting their name, this week he announced Dr Huppert with: ‘Time for a dose from the doctor.' One MP today claimed Mr Bercow’s behaviour ‘doesn’t help’ to curtail the abuse. Julian Huppert is one of the most frequent speakers in the Commons, but his interventions are often long and fail to hold the attention of other MPs. Here is an example of some of his contributions: . 'I dare say that I have occasionally done things that are “capable” of annoying other people in this Chamber; I am sure we all have.' 10 June 2013'If the hon. Lady listened more and spoke less, she would hear what I am going to say.' To Labour's transport spokesman Maria Eagle 16 May 2012'A number of people said that they had become interested in politics as a result of following Twitter and receiving tweets from myself.' 13 October 2011 . Dr Huppert would not be drawn specifically on the Speaker’s role in the bullying, but told The Times the joke had gone too far. He said: ‘I think it's an example of how badly behaved Prime Minister's Questions are. ‘There are people shouting and talking in a deeply discourteous way. "It is perfectly reasonable to respond to what people are saying but I think the atmosphere is far too often [about] trying to shout down people and that's a very bad example for everybody.’ He tried to put a brave face on the attention he now receives. ‘You have to have a bit of a thick skin. In some ways it's better to be noticed than ignored.’ At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday Dr Huppert had only got 14 words into asking David Cameron about carers week before Mr Bercow was forced to intervene to silence the wall of jeers. Hansard, the official record of Commons debates, often records groans of ‘Oh no!’ from MPs when Dr Huppert is called. However, there are some who believe Dr Huppert’s striking appearance – he has a ginger goatee beard – and manner may rile and amuse his opponents. Last month his local paper questioned why his contributions to Parliament were met with such mirth. Daniel Zeichner, his Labour opponent in the city, told the Cambridge News: ‘Parliamentary behaviour is quite often pretty poor and I wouldn’t encourage that kind of behaviour. ‘But, having said that, Julian can sometimes be a touch annoying.’ SNP MP Angus MacNeil said that that MPs' behaviour amounted to ‘collective bullying’ and claimed that Mr Bercow ‘doesn't help’. He said: ‘For whatever reason, people are picking on him because he's brighter than them or because he has red hair. ‘Before the man has opened his mouth this nonsense has started. It's very unedifying,’ he told The Times. Julian Huppert addresses the Commons . Regular observers of Parliament know that Commons Speaker John Bercow enjoys having his say. All he has to do is call out an MP's name, but he rarely misses the chance to comment on the groans which greet Julian Huppert - which only seems to encourage them:'Order. It is very discourteous of the House to issue a collective groan - notably on the Opposition Benches. It is quite inexplicable. I have called the good doctor; let us hear from the good doctor.' 13 February 2013 . 'I have a choice on the Lib Dem Benches between two doctors. Let us hear from the good Dr Julian Huppert.' 25 March 2013 . 'Members on both sides are very discourteous to the good doctor. I cannot for the life of me fathom why there are groans whenever I call the good doctor, but it is very unsatisfactory.' 24 April 2013 . 'I call Dr Julian Huppert. If he can speak more briefly—he does not have to—more Members will get in.' 21 May 2013 . 'I am looking for a sharp mind and pithy expression, and I need look no further than Dr Julian Huppert.' 3 June 2013 . 'Time for a dose from the doctor.' 10 June 2013 . 'I have no idea what more there could be to ask, but I have a feeling that the hon. Member for Cambridge (Dr Huppert) will have an idea.' 14 June 2013 .

Dr Julian Huppert speaks out about wall chorus of abuse in Parliament . John Bercow expresses mock surprise at groans for 'the good doctor' SNP MP says the Speaker 'doesn't help' to curb heckling of backbencher .

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Phil Taylor's preparation for the William Hill World Darts Championship has been seriously overshadowed by the illness to his mother, who he admits is close to death. Late on Monday night the 16-time world champion rushed to the bedside of his 74-year-old mother, Liz, who has a severe lung infection. ‘I thought it was over the other night to be honest,’ Taylor revealed. ‘It will be touch-and-go, I think, in the next couple of weeks.’ Phil Taylor (centre)prepares for the World Darts Championships with his mother gravely ill in hospital . Taylor (2nd right) poses with  Peter Wright (left) and Michael Van Gerwen (2nd left) ahead of the tournament . His mother’s condition is so bad that she has often struggled to recognise her son, or other members of the family, when they have visited her at the Staffordshire hospital where she has spent the past month. ‘She is losing her memory now,’ said 54-year-old Taylor. ‘One minute she will know you, the next thing she won’t know who you are. She will think you are Tommy Steele. Or Edward VIII one minute. It’s awful, like. It’s life unfortunately. It’s heart-breaking. ‘It’s worse for the kids because my mum is like their mum, if you know what I mean. She is the guru. ‘She is still there. It’s a good job I haven’t got an insurance policy on her, I tell her. “Come on you hurry up”. I said that to her the other day. I said: “I have got a £2million policy on you. Hurry up will you”. She laughed at that.’ Taylor’s father, Doug, died of prostate cancer 17 years ago and his mother, who the family call their ‘Yoda’, has been the hub of the family. He fears Liz may not make it through to the start of the World Championship on December 18. Taylor was beaten by Dutchman Michael van Gerwen (right) in the 2013 final at Alexandra Palace . The Power will be looking to extend his record haul of 16 trophies at the World Darts Championships . But Taylor, who will look to extend his record 16 world titles and win the trophy back from Dutchman Michael van Gerwen, has found solace in his sport during this difficult time. ‘You know what, darts has been like escapism for me,’ he added. ‘It has. It takes your mind off it for those days you are in a tournament. My mum is ill now — she won’t get better. That’s it now. She will only gradually get worse. ‘It’s just a matter of when, now. If you are out there competing, you are not thinking about the situation at home.’ Sky Sports will show the William Hill World Darts Championship exclusively live on the Sky Sports Darts channel starting Thursday, December 18.

Phil Taylor is attempting to win a 17th title at the William Hill World Darts Championship, which begins at Alexandra Palace on December 18 . The former world No 1 admits his mother, Liz, 74, is close to death as she battles a severe lung infection . 'The Power' was beaten by Michael van Gerwen in last year's final .