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47,994 | 877b8730197626b2fbfd1157e3e75d08a6d7c4b7 | (CNN) -- The video game industry has had a slow start to the year, but that's about to change. As the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) takes over the Los Angeles Convention Center this week, the biggest games of this year and next will be showcased in front of 45,000 attendees. With a big slate of blockbusters scheduled to hit retail shelves this holiday, things are looking up for gaming. The game industry is growing rapidly through new business models like free-to-play games, mobile games and cloud-based gaming. But it still relies on big-name titles to fill its coffers and entice gamers to spend an inordinate amount of time on multiplayer experiences online. Like Hollywood, game publishers are counting on bestselling franchises and sequels to attract the growing demographic of people who play games. There are a lot of games at E3, but these five titles will stand out. Collectively they should provide hours of new interactive entertainment to gamers around the world once they're released over the coming year. "Resident Evil 6" (Capcom, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, October 2, 2012) In a rarity in the game industry, where delays are commonplace, Capcom actually moved up the release date for this much-anticipated horror sequel. The "6" in the title holds a deeper meaning, as this "Resident Evil" offers three distinct, yet interconnected, two-player cooperative gameplay experiences. Set 10 years after the events that ravaged Raccoon City, these globe-trotting survival horror stories feature six unique characters that gamers control to contend with the new C-Virus plague. The zombies in this game are smarter, faster and even wield weapons, upping the ante and requiring that second player's sharpshooting help. The development team is going for a more Hollywood feel with this blend of action and terror. Gamers will actually get a double-dose of this franchise with Sony Pictures releasing "Resident Evil: Retribution 3D" in theaters September 14. "Halo 4" (Microsoft, 343 Industries, Xbox 360, November 6, 2012) "Halo" developer Bungie has moved on to an original franchise for Activision, leaving Microsoft to turn to new developer 343 Industries for the first in the Reclaimer Trilogy of Halo games. Set four years after the events of "Halo 3," Master Chief returns with a new setting (the planet Requiem) but the same beloved first-person shooter action that has sold over 40 million games around the globe. The new game will further explore the man beneath the mask, John-117, while pushing multiplayer forward. Gamers can create their own Spartan IV warrior for multiplayer and engage in a four-player cinematic adventure in the new Spartan Ops or jump into massive competitive arenas with War Games. All multiplayer will be linked through the UNSC Infinity starship to keep players immersed in this rich sci-fi universe. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" (Activision, Treyarch, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, November 13, 2012) With the "Call of Duty" franchise breaking entertainment launch records every year and raking in over $1 billion per release, developer Treyarch is catapulting the first-person shooter action into the future. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" spans a cinematic storyline that propels the action into 2025, although some backstory gameplay will focus on the 1980s. With American cities like Los Angeles under attack from flying drones and robots, players must contend with terrorist Raul Menendez, who's turned America's own military technology against itself. Treyarch is introducing more open-world gameplay to the mix and promises a more robust multiplayer experience (with all those new drones and robots), as well as an expanded Zombies mode with more undead enemies to contend with. "Crysis 3" (Electronic Arts, Crytek, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, 2013) Crytek returns to a future Big Apple, circa 2047, in this first-person shooter, although New York has never looked quite like this. Players will explore a massive Nanodome called the New York City Liberty Dome, which offers a diverse range of environments known as the Seven Wonders. Taking control of the Nanosuit-armed Prophet, skyscrapers have been replaced by an urban rainforest teeming with overgrown trees, dense swamplands and raging rivers. It's within this landscape that players will hunt Ceph aliens and Cell Corporation henchmen using a composite bow (armed with the latest technology) and an assortment of high-powered weapons from Earth and beyond. Crytek is blending the best of both worlds from its first two bestsellers and offering gamers more options in both the campaign and multiplayer experiences this time around. "Dead Space 3" (Electronic Arts, Visceral Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2013) In space, no one can hear you scream. With Ridley Scott terrifying a new generation of audiences with "Prometheus," Electronic Arts' Visceral Games is bringing more alien horror to gamers. In "Dead Space 3," Isaac Clarke crash lands on a snowswept planet that just happens to be overrun with alien Necromorphs. After contending with these assorted alien monstrosities in the past, Clarke has new weapons and technology to help him perform the strategic dismemberment that has become the cornerstone of the franchise. The subzero planet adds a twist to the gameplay with more open, and hostile, environments to explore and even bigger creatures to content with. Fans of the franchise will also see a return of the more close-quarters, don't-be-afraid-of-the-dark areas, as well as those signature zero-gravity sequences. "Dead Space 3" is slated to scare gamers in the dead of winter early next year. | A slow year for video games will pick up at E3 next week .
Bucking the trend, "Resident Evil 6" actually had release date moved up .
Master Chief will be back in "Halo IV"
"Call of Duty: Black Ops 2" will move the action into the future . |
191,164 | 838e68ee2fbc133b607ab717aeba0ce121dab32e | Ginger jihadist Abdullah Elmir could face 25 years in jail if he ever sets foot on Australian soil again. The Australian Federal Police have confirmed the evidence is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions after the Sydney teenager appeared in the ISIS video rant against western society, according to the Herald Sun. The 17-year-old gained notoriety when he declared that ISIS will not stop their murderous campaign 'until the black flag is flying high in every single land' in the YouTube video this week. Scroll down for video . Abu Khaled from Australia, thought to be Abdullah Elmir, speaks flanked by other ISIS fighters in the latest ISIS propaganda video . AFP counterterrorism head Neil Gaughan told the Herald Sun that Elmir, who now goes by the moniker Abu Khaled, has 'basically admitted he is a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation'. 'The fact that he is admitting that he is a member of ISIS, which he does in the video, straight away says that he has committed an offence under the criminal code. That’s up to 25 years imprisonment,' he said. Meanwhile, the father of the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez', who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East said his son is 'back on the right path' and has returned to school in Sydney to sit his HSC exams, according to Herald Sun. The father of the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez', who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East said his son is 'back on the right path' and has returned to school in Sydney to sit his HSC exams . While Elmir's friends have admitted that Elmir, who this week appeared in a YouTube video rant, was 'expected' to run away to the Middle East. 'Some expected it, like he used to talk about it a bit,' a friend told Daily Mail Australia. Distraught classmates from Condell Park High School, in Sydney's south-west, painted a picture of a complex young man on Thursday, describing him as both 'very quiet' and someone who 'enjoyed politicking'. Australian security agencies are analysing the vision to determine whether a bearded man to Elmir's right is Mohamed Elomar, (one of the country's most wanted) the ISIS recruit believed responsible for radicalising and luring dozens of Australians to take up arms in the Middle East. While most of his best mates either closed ranks behind him or were too upset to speak, one of his childhood friends admitted to being in a state of shock. 'Yeah man, he's my friend and I don't want to talk about him,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'He was my mate but I don't talk about him'. But the teenage terrorist was described by another classmate as being 'very quiet, he was a good kid, we used to pray together at our mosque'. While most of his closest mates either closed ranks behind him or were too upset to speak, one of his childhood friends admitted to being in a state of shock . Distraught classmates from Condell Park High School, in Sydney's south-west, painted a picture of a complex young man on Thursday, describing him as both 'very quiet' while also someone who 'enjoyed politicking' 'He did a little bit of debating here, he liked knowing politics and did some politicking but he was mostly very quiet and never, ever got into trouble,' he said. 'Abdullah was in theatre groups at school and he liked playing basketball a lot.' When asked if he was one of those who thought Abdullah was capable of running away, he added 'no, no I didn't expect that but I know a few of his other friends say they heard him mention it'. Professor Greg Barton, from Monash University's Global Terrorism Research Centre, said Elmir was recruited by another wanted terrorist, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, an Australian based in Syria. He said terror recruiters lured targets by making friends through social media, like many sexual predators. He said the boy appeared as a 'pawn in the machine' in the chilling video. 'He thinks he's the star ... but the reality is, his new friends have got him a one-way ticket,' Professor Barton said. 'He's not in charge of his own destiny at all, he's being used.' Professor Barton added that young people were the easiest to radicalise. Bearded ISIS fighters, holding rifles, flank the Australian jihadi as he preaches hate . 'Teenagers, 20-somethings, particularly young men more than young women, are vulnerable to making rash judgments,' he said. 'They tend to be more rebellious toward [older] generations and sceptical of establishment figures.' It is believed former Kings Cross bouncer Baryalei, 33, recruited Elmir through western Sydney street preaching group Parramatta Street Dawah. 'He's said to have recruited 30 plus young people - mostly in western Sydney through Street Dawah,' Prof Barton said. Before Elmir joined ISIS, the ginger jihad was employed as a butcher in a shop in Bankstown, The Daily Telegraph. 'He made his own bed now he has to lie in it,' his former boss said. 'He was a good kid. The best kid.' Elmir's boss was furious when the 17-year-old called in sick, the same day Elmir reportedly told his mother that he was 'going fishing' and disappeared from his Bankstown home in Sydney's south-west, in June. Elmir and his friend Feiz are believed to have made their way to Syria and Iraq after crossing the border from Turkey, where they were last known to have contacted family members. They travelled via Perth, with stops in Malaysia and Thailand. Titled 'Message Of The Mujahid 4', the 1.43 minutes long video is full of threats against the west . As Elmir finishes his diatribe the men all cheer and chant in Arabic . Elmir begins the video by saying 'this message I deliver to you the people of America, this message I deliver to you the people of Britain and this message I deliver especially to you the people of Australia'. Titled 'Message Of The Mujahid 4', the video which is 1.43 minutes long is full of heavily worded threats and taunts the US-led coalition that recently began air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq. 'I say this about your coalition: you threaten us with your countries, bring every nation that you wish to us, bring every nation that you want to come and fight us. Whether it's 50 nations or 50 thousand nations it means nothing to us,' Elmir says. Reading from a script, a black and white scarf wrapped around his head and a huge rifle in his hand, he warns: 'Bring your planes bring everything you want to use because it will not harm us because we have Allah which is something you do not have.' Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf is wanted by the Federal Police for his activities in Syria . Former Sydney boxer Mohamed Elomar posted photos of himself holding up decapitated heads on Twitter . A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: 'This video again highlights the threat posed by ISIL.' 'As the Prime Minister has said on many occasions, ISIL is a threat that reaches out to Australia and our allies and partners.' Elmir's family told the Sydney Morning Herald in June they were devastated their son had been 'brainwashed'. His family's lawyer Zali Burrows told the Australian Associated Press: 'The family went to the media today as a plea to the government to bring their boy back. 'We know they have the intelligence to pinpoint him. 'The concern is that he's being used as a tracking device to gather further intelligence, to see where he's actually going to go.' Ms Burrows questioned how Elmir was not stopped by Federal Police, who were thought to be monitoring him. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced Australia will send its special forces into Iraq to fight against Islamic State. Elmir's video was published one day after the announcement. | Ginger jihadist Abdullah Elmir could face 25 years in jail if he ever sets foot on Australian soil again .
The Australian Federal Police have confirmed the evidence is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions .
Meanwhile, the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez' who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East has returned to Sydney to sit his HSC exams .
Some schoolmates admit they feared Elmir would run away to ISIS 'because he would sometimes talk about it a bit'
Elmir 'was a quiet kid and never got in trouble' who enjoyed debating and the theatre .
The 17-year-old terrorist appeared in a YouTube video rant against western society . |
196,865 | 8acb459116863e60b6dc78b2701509f5f7a0c66b | By . David Kent . Carles Puyol is used to being the rock at the heart of the Barcelona defence but now it seems he is showing his strength in a different way - by using his girlfriend as an impromptu set of weights. The 36-year-old retired at the end of last season following a glorious 15-year career with Barcelona, winning 21 trophies as well as captaining the Catalan giants for 10 years. But now the former Spain defender has been keeping himself in shape by giving his girlfriend Vanessa Lorenzo a bit of a lift. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Carles Puyol's emotional farewell . Keeping fit: Carles Puyol uses his strength to keep aloft his girlfriend Vanessa Lorenzo . Bend it like Puyol: The former Barcelona captain also showed off this pose with his partner . Legend: Puyol was a class act for Barcelona during his 15 years at the club . VIDEO Mathieu wants to take centre stage for Barca . Puyol may have packed the game in after a series of knee problems forced him into retirement, but that hasn't stopped him keeping in shape. And while his former Barcelona team-mates, including his mooted replacement Jeremy Mathieu, are in England training at St George's Park, he was pictured lifting up his girlfriend up in the air - proving he hasn't lost any of his famed strength. And maybe Puyol has been inspired to take up a career in weightlifing (although he almost certainly wouldn't be able to use his girlfriend as equipment!) | Puyol is ensuring he keeps fit in the aftermath of his retirement by bench-pressing his girlfriend Vanessa Lorenzo .
The 36-year-old spent 15 years at Barcelona, winning 21 trophies .
Puyol captained the Catalan club for a decade .
Barca currently training at St George's Park in Burton . |
8,259 | 17606f9fd4532bff14ba9059aece0efe9ea5ce25 | (CNN) -- In the new trailer for "Mad Max: Fury Road," the world is almost out of water, everyone's gone out of their mind -- and it all looks amazing. The fourth installment in George Miller's post-apocalyptic series, "Mad Max: Fury Road" stars Tom Hardy in Mel Gibson's old role of Max Rockatansky, a man living in a world that is nothing but "fire and blood." Hoping to find a way to exist in the midst of insanity, he finds a partner in Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa, who has no time for coddling. "Out here, everything hurts," Theron's fierce character says in the clip. "You want to get through this? Do as I say. Now pick up what you can and run." Between those bits of well-chosen dialogue, clever editing and a soaring score, even those who've missed out on Miller's prior "Mad Max" movies will be curious to see what "Fury Road's" all about come May 15, 2015. If apocalypse and mayhem just isn't your flavor, there's another, gentler movie arriving around the same time: Disney-Pixar's "Inside Out." The animated movie takes us inside the emotional center of an adolescent girl named Riley in the middle of a major transition as her family relocates from the Midwest to San Francisco. Stars like Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Lewis Black provide the voices of Riley's turbulent emotions, bringing life to feelings like Joy (Poehler), Fear (Hader), Anger (Black) and Disgust (Kaling.) But as the latest trailer for "Inside Out" shows, it's not just young Riley whose emotions will be the center of attention -- we'll get to see inside her parents' heads, too. "Inside Out" opens on June 19, 2015. Long before either "Fury Road" or "Inside Out" make their appearances, though, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke and Craig Robinson will be back with the sequel to 2010's comedy "Hot Tub Time Machine." This time around, the trio find themselves shuttling off into the future -- 2025, to be exact -- where they learn that their lives take a downward turn. But in an attempt to fix the problems before they start the trio accidentally cause another crisis, as seen in the movie's new trailer. (Warning: There's some crude and potentially offensive humor in this clip.) "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" opens February 20, 2015. | A new trailer for "Mad Max: Fury Road" premiered this week .
It was followed by clips for "Inside Out" and "Hot Tub Time Machine 2"
All three films will open in theaters in 2015 . |
257,888 | d9c014fe4215f57c242fbe079ac178a84d80ed96 | (CNN) -- Think that President Barack Obama has done a back flip on Iraq and Syria, gotten that old-time religion and is now a convert to the "let's kill them wherever we find them" approach of his predecessors? Think again, or at least lay down until the feeling passes. Indeed, stripped to its essence, what the President has outlined isn't some grand strategy to transform the region or even to "ultimately destroy" ISIS; it's a much narrower transactional one to protect the homeland. And here's why: . The speech the President gave is quite consistent with who he is and what his priorities have been all along, particularly relating to counterterrorism. Sure he's now morphed from a desire to avoid militarizing the U.S. role in Syria to a new willingness to do so. But the reason he's traveled down that road is critical. It's not some ideological crusade, fascination with nation-building or democratization of a new Middle East. ISIS now poses a threat to the homeland, a contingency that could not only directly threaten Americans but destroy his presidency as well. And the one area where Obama has been prepared to be ready to take on risk is in counterterrorism. Anti-terrorist in chief . Indeed, it's hardly a secret and it is a disappointment to many of his own supporters that this President long ago morphed into a much more disciplined and risk-ready anti-terrorist than his predecessor. He doubled down in Afghanistan; used drones 10 times more than President George W. Bush (431 targeted killings); authorized the mission that killed Osama bin Laden; dismantled much of al Qaeda central; and has been involved in a giant game of Whack-a-Mole these past six years against bad guys from Pakistan to Yemen and Somalia. ISIS might not be a threat to the homeland now. According to the State Department's Annual Report on Terrorism for 2013, there were 17,891 global fatalities because of terror; only 16 Americans were among them. But who knows how ISIS might direct its efforts in the future? It's richer, smarter and more capable than al Qaeda in many respects. And there's quite a bit of time left on Obama's presidential clock. He simply cannot afford to play loose on this issue. Indeed he must be perceived and in fact deliver on doing everything he possibly can to preempt and prevent ISIS from striking here or in the region against Americans. He wasn't 20 seconds intro his speech before he said the following: "As commander in chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people." And the polls demonstrate pretty conclusively that ISIS is on America's radar screen and people see it as a real threat. Grand strategy? Not really . We'd love to believe that all parts of the strategy the President laid out Wednesday night can work seamlessly in pursuit of that ultimate presidential responsibility. But it's hard to imagine they will. Securing an end state in Iraq and Syria that will somehow lead to good governance and reduce the grievances on which ISIS feeds seems a real stretch. It won't happen quickly, easily or probably at all, certainly not without Syrians and Iraqis taking real ownership. And getting a bunch of constrained Sunni Arab allies on board who seem at odds with one another -- namely Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE on the one hand and Qatar and Turkey on the other -- also seems very unlikely. Certainly plans to get Arabs on the ground to actually fight against ISIS -- now bandied about by some very smart people -- are also a bridge too far. Providing bases and money to train Syrians to fight, sure; sharing intelligence, absolutely. But we need to keep our expectations very low. Any kind of Sunni Arab state coalition of the willing actually willing to enter the fight against ISIS on the ground seems like a fanciful scene out of a bad Hollywood movie. The only way the Arab states are willing to fight ISIS? To the last American. Is the enemy of my enemy my friend? Iran is another problematic piece of the puzzle -- and was not mentioned at all in the President's speech. The administration has a short-term coincidence of interest with Iran against ISIS. We've seen this movie before in the first Gulf War in the early 1990s when Iran condemned Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait and in Afghanistan in 2001, when elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were on the ground training and fighting alongside U.S. Special Operations forces to bolster the Northern Alliance. But the emphasis should be the on short term. Tehran has a different vision for Iraq and Syria than we do. Consider the machinations in Baghdad over the past decade by Qassem Suleimani, head of the Qods Force. So any notion that the enemy of my enemy is my friend just doesn't add up in this case. Iran isn't America's friend. Whether the administration can fashion an effective fighting force out of scores of Syrian militias is a very arguable proposition. Let's road test it. But it will take time. In the interim, we will have enough difficulty operating against ISIS on our own without good intelligence and special forces on the ground, and getting at ISIS in the midst of a civil war. In the end, whether this approach works or not, the essence of the President's policy will end up being driven by U.S. air power: Destroy ISIS from the air, certainly as they move across the border into Iraq and then as the intel improves, attack them in Syria, too, and empower our new allies to do so on the ground. After more than a decade of the war on terror against al Qaeda, if you asked us what the most immediate threat to the continental United States is, we wouldn't say ISIS. We'd say al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula with its demonstrated capacity to make bombs and to try to attack America. Our point isn't to deny the success of counterterrorism efforts; it's to suggest that hitting one jihadist group usually means that affiliates and derivatives emerge. And that's likely to happen even with great success against ISIS. This really is the long war. Fighting these people is like breathing. You just can't stop. We think the President gets all this. And frankly, there really isn't much more he could have said or in fact much more he could be doing. In the end, this is not about grand plans, designs and hopes to transform the Middle East -- one broken, angry and dysfunctional region of the world. For America, it's about how to continue our track record: no al Qaeda-directed attacks on U.S. soil in 13 years. You can dress it up all you want with allies, coalitions, political reforms and inclusiveness. But Obama knows that in the end when stripped to its essence, it's about killing bad guys before they have a chance to kill us. | Has President Obama reverted to George W. Bush's policy on terrorism and the Middle East?
Aaron Miller says the President instead is narrowly focused on preventing homeland terrorism .
He says Obama long ago put his faith in counterterrorism, including drone strikes .
Obama knows his presidency will be judged partly on whether he kept U.S. safe, Miller says . |
267,907 | e6f4d815f65108e62441fe5d08857c25cf6fa3d3 | CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Sears Tower is history. As of Thursday, the iconic Chicago, Illinois, skyscraper is now named Willis Tower. It still looks the same, but Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois, will have a new name: Willis Tower. At least that's what the owners of the 110-story skyscraper now call it after its new main tenant, the London, England-based insurance broker Willis Group Holdings. However, there are plenty of people who refuse to call it that. More than 90,000 people have joined the group "People Against the Sears Tower Name Change," on the social networking Web site Facebook. "This name change is absurd," one member wrote. "Would Paris change the name of the Eiffel Tower? Or London change Buckingham Palace? Or New York, the Statue of Liberty? I believe the Illinois Congress needs to proclaim the Sears Tower a recognizable landmark that is known all over the world by people who have traveled to Chicago." The group has gathered more than 34,000 signatures on an online petition against the name change. The name change seemed to be a fait accompli, though. A renaming ceremony was scheduled for Thursday with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. The skyscraper's Web site also features the new name. Watch sky-high perspective of tower » . "Having our name associated with Chicago's most iconic structure underscores our commitment to this great city, and recognizes Chicago's importance as a major financial hub and international business center," Willis CEO and Chairman Joseph J. Plumeri said in a news release. The landmark opened in 1973 with its original occupant, Sears Roebuck & Co. The retailing giant has since moved its headquarters to suburban Chicago. That doesn't matter to those against the name change. "I asked a cabdriver to take me to the Willis tower. He said, 'Where the hell is that?'" a member of the Facebook group wrote. "That pretty much sums it up. No one will start calling it the Willis Tower." | Chicago's Sears Tower renamed Willis Tower after London insurance broker .
Thousands join online group opposing building's name change .
Landmark opened in 1973 with original tenant Sears Roebuck & Co. |
54,845 | 9b56177a0205bbbe7eab30c7f5b7cd13cea2e644 | By . Bianca London . The children have opened their presents, the turkey is in the oven and the chatty relatives are gathered in the lounge but as the clock strikes 12.56pm on Christmas Day, our stress levels peak. The most stressful time on Christmas Day has been revealed as 12.56pm - just before lunch is served. Almost half of Brits (47 per cent) say preparing the turkey, vegetables, and all the trimmings is the most demanding task they face on December 25. Stress o'clock: A new study has revealed that 12.56pm is the most stressful time on Christmas Day - just before dinner is served . This is because of the difficulty of timing everything right (33 per cent), and coping with interfering relatives (16 per cent). Others are stressed by the effort required to chop, peel, baste, and mix (15 per cent), and struggling to squeeze everything in the oven (32 per cent). The pressure is heaped on by the amount of time put into making sure everything is perfect, found the new study. The average adult spends four hours 30 minutes preparing and cooking Christmas dinner. This is only slightly less than the four hours 36 minutes spent chatting, playing games, and watching television with family. Multitasking: Almost half of Brits say preparing the turkey, vegetables, and all the trimmings is the most demanding task they face on December 25 . And it is significantly more than the 38 minutes dedicated to unwrapping presents, and one hour 39 minutes sat at the dinner table. An eager one in ten amateur cooks spend six hours or more slaving over the stove, the poll of 2,000 people revealed. Furthermore, we first think about the meal on December 14 and then spend 14 hours worrying about it before preparations even start. The biggest annoyance with poorly made mains is cold food (27 per cent), watery gravy (26 per cent), and raw turkey (20 per cent). Tough meat also fails to impress. Men typically cook their first Christmas dinner at a later age than women, starting at 27 rather than 25. Was it worth it? An eager one in ten amateur cooks spend six hours or more slaving over the stove, the poll of 2,000 people revealed . They also admit they struggle to multitask, with 28 per cent saying it is what makes cooking stressful. One in seven people aged 55 and over, and 38 per cent of all men have never cooked a Christmas dinner - and only 35 per cent of men have made a Christmas cake. A spokesman from Magimix, who commissioned the survey, said: 'Christmas cooking is becoming a real source of stress for the nation, with 12.56pm the time we're tipping over the edge. 'It's understandable that people want the most important meal of the year to be perfect but many of us are putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves to impress family and friends.' | Half of Brits say preparing turkey and trimmings is most demanding task .
Average adult spends 4 hours 30 minutes cooking Christmas dinner .
One in ten amateur cooks spend six hours or more slaving over stove .
We first think about meal on December 14 .
Then spend 14 hours worrying about it before preparations even start . |
195,573 | 892327519b284dbbfee0ea2cb0cf749e5b435fa8 | By . Julian Robinson . Abbie Keers was left with these horrific injuries after the alleged incident in Stanley, County Durham . A man accused of smashing a beer bottle through a car window and injuring a schoolgirl is to face crown court. Matthew McCrea is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and is alleged to have thrown a bottle at the silver Fiat Punto car a family was travelling in. Abbie Keers, nine, is said to have been sitting in the passenger seat and needed surgery after the alleged incident on the A693 in Stanley, County Durham, at around 10.20pm on Valentine's Day. McCrea, 24, spoke only to confirm his name and details at Consett Magistrates' Court. He entered no plea to the charge. The youngster was travelling with her grandmother, former Northumbria Police officer Sandra Webb, mum Clare Webb and little sister Lexi, who was three at the time. The car was travelling from the roundabout near the library towards the Asda roundabout when it was hit by the bottle. Blair Martin, prosecuting, said: 'The vehicle was a Fiat motor vehicle driven by the injured party's grandmother. 'Also in the car was the injured party's sibling and the mother of the children. The injured party was in fact in the front passenger seat. 'The vehicle was driven through the underpass along the A693 Stanley bypass. 'It has been level with the entrance when the bottle has been thrown at the windscreen. 'It has gone through the windscreen and caused injury to Abbie's face.' Nine-year-old Abbie Keers, pictured here with her mother Clare Webb (left) and grandmother Sandra (right) is not believed to have been permanently scarred despite her horrific injuries . The schoolgirl is said to have been left with facial injuries so serious she was immediately rushed to hospital. The youngster is alleged to have needed surgery to remove pieces of glass from her face from just below her left eye. Although the alleged incident was said to have been traumatic for the youngster, she is not believed to have been left permanently scarred. Abbie also suffered cuts to her forehead, hands, nose and around her right eye. Abbie, of Stanley, County Durham, suffered gashes to her forehead, nose, hands and around her right eye when shards of glass allegedly became embedded in her face . The East Stanley Primary and Junior School pupil spoke publicly about her ordeal at the time. The keen gymnast said: 'The glass cut into my face and was stinging - it was very painful. But the doctors said I had been very lucky.' Magistrates have declined jurisdiction of the case, believing it is so serious as to be heard at crown court. McCrea, of Tyne Vale, Stanley, County Durham, is due to appear at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday May 20 at 10am . Matthew McCrea, of Tyne Vale, Stanley, County Durham, is due to appear at Durham Crown Court, pictured, later in May . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Abbie Keers was in passenger seat when car was hit by a bottle in Stanley, County Durham .
Nine-year-old allegedly needed surgery after incident on Valentines Day .
Matthew McCrea is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm .
He is yet to enter a plea and is due to appear next at Durham Crown Court . |
63,631 | b4abe905a1bfc5752ae0f3b320816d2f54bd290a | A generous attorney who overheard how a defendant could not afford restitution in his theft case has given the young father $983 so he avoids becoming a felon. Colin M. Murphy was sitting in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon last Thursday as he waited for his case, when he heard lawyers and the judge discussing Castor Conley's predicament. Conley, a 27-year-old married father of a 17-month-old girl, paid $150 to $200 for a stolen Nissan truck last year and then sold it for $275 to another buyer, who in turn sold its parts, authorities said. The defendant, who had one other conviction for a fourth-degree assault in 2011, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, but the deputy district attorney agreed for it to be classified as a misdemeanor if he paid $983 to the owner of the truck, The Oregonian reported. Generous: Castor Conley, left with his wife, was ordered to pay $983 to the owner of a stolen truck in order to avoid a felony but could not pay up. An attorney, Colin M. Murphy, right, overheard and offered the money . Scene: Murphy had been waiting for his case to start in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon last Thursday when he heard Conley's lawyer telling the court that his client could not afford the sum . The vehicle's owner, Shawn Stratton, also lost camping equipment that was inside the car, as well as hundreds of dollars to cover his insurance deductible. But Conley said he was unable to pay the money. Arrested: Conley admitted to buying a stolen truck for $150-$200 and then selling it for $275 last year . Failing to pay the sum meant that the plea deal would fall through and he would be convicted of a felony. Murphy, who has never met Conley before, said he knows how much a felony can affect employment and housing prospects. He said he felt the court simply wanted to compensate the truck's original owner while not overly penalizing the defendant. The deputy district attorney, Kevin Demer, said he did not want to punish Conley too harshly because he was the most minor player in a much larger scheme, and he had admitted to the crime. So Murphy stepped forward and offered the $983. Conley became emotional at the generous offer, his attorney, Lawrence Taylor, said. He shook the man's had and expressed his thanks. 'I've never experienced anything like this, not for even a smaller amount,' Taylor told ABC News. 'This is unique and I've been practicing for 22 years.' Under the state's law, an attorney is not allowed to give or loan his client money, but Murphy does not represent Conley and mostly works in business law. Taylor, who had never seen Murphy before, said the attorney gave him a check that day. The judge told Conley that he should eventually pay Murphy back. Scheme: The truck was then taken to West Coast Car Crushing, pictured, and sold for its parts, but the deputy district attorney concluded that Conley had been a tiny part of a much larger operation . 'If I get paid back, great,' Murphy said. 'If I don't, no problem. I'm not going to hold the kid to it.' Murphy said he was happy to give the man a chance. 'All of us sometime in our lives have done something we would rather not have done,' he told The Oregonian. 'And the time will come when perhaps we are going to be held accountable. And I think at that point we would like to have somebody show us mercy.' | Castor Conley, 27, pleaded guilty to a felony for buying a stolen truck last year that he then sold to another man, who sold it for parts .
The deputy DA agreed to classify his charge as a misdemeanor if he paid the trucks' owner $983 - but he could not come up with the money .
As attorneys and a judge discussed his case in court in Portland, Oregon last week, another lawyer, Colin M. Murphy, overheard them talking .
He said he knew how much a felony could affect future job and housing prospects so he told them he'd pay the money .
Conley, who had never met the attorney, became emotional at the offer . |
162,278 | 5dcf600e9b1db226e1188ea58fa0e92e033410e6 | Wu Yuanhong, a man suffering from schizophrenia in China's southeastern Jiangxi Province, was forced by his mother to live in a small metal cage for 11 years after he beat a young boy to death. Reports of Wu's dire situation surfaced in Chinese media last May, accompanied by images of the 42-year old sitting in the cage in his underwear, his feet shackled by a heavy chain. Cases similar to Wu are not unheard of in China. Work pressure, the breakdown of traditional family structures, and other aspects of China's rapid modernization have brought an increase in psychological stress to the population. There are often reports of violent, random attacks, killings and suicides. One of the most memorable was when a depressed 27-year-old factory worker tried to feed himself to a pair of Bengal tigers at a Chengdu zoo by jumping into their cage last February. Not enough help . The country's public health system is struggling to keep up with the demand in mental health care. Around 173 million Chinese suffer from a mental disorder, according to a 2009 study published in British medical journal The Lancet. But there are only 20,000 psychiatrists, equaling 1.5 for each 100,000 people, or a tenth of the ratio in the United States. Professor Michael Phillips, director of the Shanghai Mental Health Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, estimated that only 5% of people who currently have a mental illness in China have received psychiatric care from a professional. "The factors that affect the low care-seeking rates are many," he said. "Lack of awareness that they suffer from a psychiatric condition, lack of locally available mental health services, fear of stigma, belief that seeking psychological help will be useless, costs, etcetera." Dubious therapy . As a response to the massive demand for help with mental health problems, under-qualified mental health practitioners have sprung up across the country. Dr. Sammy Cheng Kin-wing, Hong Kong-based chairman of the Division of Clinical Psychology, part of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, said he receives many complaints from the public. Commonly complaints are about unregistered psychologists who give unprofessional advice to clients, fail to provide proper assessments and break confidentiality. "Many people are setting up practices in mainland China. Some are well-trained, but that's just a minority. Because the need is so great, the unqualified can still run their businesses and offer treatment. I've been in contact with patients who feel very angry over services received, sometimes with emotional state worsened during treatment. They said they would never see a psychologist again," said Cheng. Professor Phillips agreed that "charlatans occur everywhere" and "there are uneducated subgroups in China that are gullible." "In terms of professional services there are certainly locations with sub-standard levels of care, primarily because of a lack of trained personnel," he added. 'Ankang' Ironically, while those in genuine need of help have been unable to get any, the government has used confinement in mental institutions as a way to silence political dissenters, human rights activists claim. Nicholas Bequelin, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Hong Kong, said it's a method that has been used increasingly over the past decade, calling it "an absolute violation of medical ethics." One of those alleged to have been a victim of the practice, is Xing Shiku. Chinese Human Rights Defenders say he has been incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital in Heilongjiang Province for more than six years. Xing, they say, had been filing complaints to the central government about corruption and other problems related to the privatization of the state-owned company where he worked. These mental institutions are called "ankang" ("peace and health") hospitals and are managed by the Public Security Bureau. Treatments include beatings and electric shocks, according to HRW. As of 2011, there were some 20 "ankang" institutions operating in China. Although China's National Health and Family Planning Commission did not directly respond to the allegations, they stated that "China's mental health organizations strictly follow laws when practicing diagnosis and treatment." They added that diagnoses of mental disorders are made according to the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders and International Classification of Diseases. Baby steps . The government has taken steps to address the shallow mental health system, such as financing mental health services and provide training for primary care providers. Most notably, a new mental health law was introduced last year -- it took 27 years to pass the legislation. Among the most significant changes was a new set of rights for patients, including not being hospitalized against their will. Despite constructive changes, HRW argues that there are still plenty of loopholes. "The very first test of the mental health law will be whether those held in psychiatric facilities for political reasons are immediately released," the organization's China director, Sophie Richardson, said in a statement. The new law is a big step in the right direction, most commentators say. But a voluntary admissions system will further increase the need for more mental health practitioners and community-based services, potentially sending a system already in disarray into further decline. While a wholesale reform of the mental health system is needed, one expert says no number of laws and certifications can help therapists gain the most important skill of all: a nuanced understanding of human emotion. Harry Hoffmann and his wife Tina, a psychological counselor, run Da Wen, a counseling and coaching private practice in Kunming, Yunnan Province. Part of their business is to train those who wish to become therapists themselves. "I met a man from Chengdu with a master degree in psychology who said 'I have learned nothing about inner feelings and emotions (from school). Can you help me to gain those skills?'" said Hoffmann. "For me, therapy is almost like art, with a set of ethical guidelines and a holistic health approach." Factory life far from home leaves China's migrant workers vulnerable . | There are 1.5 therapists for each 100,000 mental illness sufferers .
Unqualified therapists prey on the weak, worsening their condition .
Human Rights Watch says mental hospitals are filled with political prisoners . |
64,677 | b7b06a5607db83140ccff6b106acabbd6bfbf69c | Washington (CNN) -- Attorney General Eric Holder, a longtime target of Republicans who have tried to force him out of office, now faces the prospect of angering liberal supporters when the Justice Department decides whether to file federal charges in the Trayvon Martin killing. Civil rights groups are planning nationwide vigils, and more than a million people support an online petition drive calling for admitted shooter George Zimmerman to face federal charges in the February 2012 killing. Holder confronted that political pressure Tuesday in a speech to the NAACP, which is conducting the petition drive. He repeated his pledge for a full investigation of Martin's death in the aftermath of Zimmerman's acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges by a Florida court, saying the Justice Department "will continue to act in a manner that is consistent with the facts and the law. We will not be afraid." But he was careful to avoid any promise or hint of federal charges. Instead, Holder took aim at "stand your ground" laws like the one in Florida that have expanded the right to respond with deadly force if attacked outside the home. Those laws "try to fix something that was never broken" and "senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods," he said. "By allowing -- and perhaps encouraging -- violent situations to escalate in public, such laws undermine public safety," Holder said in his first public comment on legislation that more than 30 states have passed in some form. Despite outrage, federal charges uncertain in Zimmerman case . "We must stand our ground to ensure that our laws reduce violence and take a hard look at laws that contribute to more violence than they prevent," he added. Zimmerman's lawyers didn't invoke Florida's "stand your ground" law in court, but it was included in the instructions to the jury that acquitted him. Florida Gov. Rick Scott's office reaffirmed his support for the law Tuesday afternoon, saying a task force set up by his office reviewed the statute after Martin's death. "The task force recommended that the law should not be overturned, and Governor Scott agrees," Scott spokeswoman Melissa Sellers said in a written statement. Chris W. Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, similarly disagreed with Holder. "The attorney general fails to understand that self-defense is not a concept, it's a fundamental human right," he said in a statement. "To send a message that legitimate self-defense is to blame is unconscionable, and demonstrates once again that this administration will exploit tragedies to push their political agenda." Stevie Wonder says he'll boycott 'stand your ground' states . Holder's focus Tuesday on a broader legal issue avoided the difficult decision he faces over whether to bring federal criminal charges. Legal experts say federal charges against Zimmerman are unlikely. Because Zimmerman is a private citizen, he can only be charged with a hate crime in terms of civil rights violations under federal law, said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Florida who now is in private practice. To successfully prosecute Zimmerman, the Justice Department would have to show that Zimmerman "caused the death of Trayvon Martin solely motivated by/because of his race or color," Weinstein told CNN in an e-mail. "This element was absent from the state trial and quite frankly doesn't exist." Verdict doesn't end debate in Trayvon Martin death . CNN Legal analyst Paul Callan agreed Monday that federal prosecutors are "in sort of a tough spot." The hate crimes statute is generally applied to cases involving police officers or other government agents, Callan said, adding that using it in a case involving a lone private citizen is "very, very rare and I think in this case, it's going to be very hard to prove." Sources told CNN Monday that Justice Department officials were reviewing trial evidence to determine if such a case was winnable. The sources made clear that Holder's department would only file charges if officials believe they can secure a conviction. If Holder decides not to bring a federal case against Zimmerman, he will disappoint liberal supporters who contend the Martin killing was a civil rights violation. The nation's first African-American attorney general has been popular with the political left for his support of gay marriage and challenges to GOP efforts to change voting laws. At the same time, his policies have made him a political lightning rod for conservatives. Holder was censured last year by the Republican-led House over complaints that he failed to fully cooperate with a congressional investigation of the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-walking operation. He called the episode a politically motivated effort to discredit him. 5 things about the controversy surrounding Eric Holder . Last year, Holder himself raised questions about possible federal charges against Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, who killed Martin during an altercation as the unarmed teenager was walking in the community. "For a federal hate crime, we have to prove the highest standard in the law," Holder said in April 2012, 45 days after Zimmerman shot Martin in what was depicted by civil rights groups as a racially motivated killing. In words that now sound prescient, Holder described to reporters that day how "something that was reckless, that was negligent does not meet that standard." "We have to show that there was specific intent to do the crime with requisite state of mind," he said. Zimmerman's acquittal on Saturday showed the Florida jury rejected that he intended to kill Martin for any reason, including the racial motivation necessary for federal charges that he violated Martin's civil rights. In a speech in Washington on Monday, Holder said the Justice Department would "continue to act in a manner that is consistent with the facts and the law" in examining what he called "the tragic, unnecessary shooting death of Trayvon Martin." "Independent of the legal determination that will be made, I believe that this tragedy provides yet another opportunity for our nation to speak honestly about the complicated and emotionally charged issues that this case has raised," Holder said. "We must not -- as we have too often in the past -- let this opportunity pass." Zimmerman was 'justified' in shooting Martin, juror says . Separately, the White House said President Barack Obama would play no role in deciding whether federal charges are filed. "Cases are brought on the merits and the merits are evaluated by the professionals at the Department of Justice," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. The president on Sunday called Martin's killing a tragedy for America, but said in a written statement that the jury had spoken. He acknowledged the case had "elicited strong passions," but urged "calm reflection" in its aftermath. Still, political pressure for a federal case is mounting. On Tuesday, the Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders gathered outside the Department of Justice to announce scores of "Justice for Trayvon" vigils outside of federal buildings across the country this weekend. "People all over the country will gather to show that we are not having a two- or three-day anger fit," Sharpton said. "This is a social movement for justice." He also called for a full federal investigation of the Martin killing, saying mere remarks by Obama and others weren't enough. "The president has made a statement of consolation," Sharpton said. "We don't need consolation. We need legislation and we need some federal prosecution." Watch Holder's speech . Those seeking federal charges say the killing was racially motivated, arguing that Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, targeted Martin for special scrutiny because the teenager was an African-American. Regardless of how the shooting occurred, they say, the fight occurred because of Martin's race. "The most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin," says the petition on the NAACP website. Five Reasons for acquittal . Rep. Marcia Fudge, the Ohio Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said racial profiling like what Zimmerman did to Martin "continues to make communities of innocent individuals fear a justice system designed to protect them." "Men and women wonder if merely walking or driving justifies being followed, stopped, or questioned," Fudge said in a statement Monday. "This practice and the presumption of guilt so often associated with people of color must come to an end." Petition to White House . Such political pressure evokes memories of the Rodney King case in 1991, when videotape of white Los Angeles police officers clubbing an African-American man after a car chase prompted race-tinged national furor. When a criminal court failed to convict the officers of police brutality, riots ensued in Los Angeles over alleged racial discrimination. The Justice Department then filed a civil rights suit against the officers, alleging "deprivations of federal rights under color of law," and two of them were convicted in 1993. A court sentenced them to 30 months in federal prison. Weinstein said the Justice Department can't file similar charges against Zimmerman because he is a private citizen instead of a police officer or government official of any kind. "There are no other relevant sections under which to prosecute him" other than the hate crime statute, which covers "offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin," Weinstein added. A federal hate crimes violation in a killing carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Even if the federal charges were identical to the state charges, it would not be double jeopardy for Zimmerman because the federal government is a separate and sovereign entity. Martin's family can still file a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Zimmerman to seek penalties and damages. Such a legal move carries no criminal penalty or prison time. Obama won't get involved in decision . CNN's Carol Cratty, Jessica Yellin and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report. | NEW: NRA accuses administration of exploiting tragedies for political gain .
In weighing federal probe, "We will not be afraid," Holder says .
Florida governor defends "stand your ground" law .
Those self-defense laws "sow dangerous conflict," Holder says . |
114,556 | 1fd7c9f2590ffe2befe88f87997abb8f66bd3a5d | By . MailOnline Reporter . Police who patrol school grounds in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton are to be given semi-automatic rifles to help deal with firearms incidents. The move - revealed as children prepared to return after the summer holidays on Monday - came after officers said they needed to better equipped to deal with attackers who are increasingly well-armed. In several recent US school shootings, suspects have been armed with high-powered guns and protected by body armor, and officers also cited the prospect of a terrorist attack. Police who patrol school grounds in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton are to be given semi-automatic rifles to help deal with firearms incidents such as the massacre at Sandy Hook in 2012 (pictured) Officers in Compton will now be able to call upon an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, which would allow them to penetrate a suspect's body armor and target them from further away than with handguns. But residents in Compton - which has long been associated with gang and gun culture - claimed the move was unnecessary, and added that police had never had to shoot anyone on a school campus before. The local school board, which has responsibility for 26,000 students in the south LA suburb, has allowed specially selected officers to carry the AR-15s in the back of their cars after undergoing training. William Wu, Compton police chief, told the school board in a meeting last month: 'This is our objective: save lives. Officers will be armed with AR-15 semi-automatic weapons similar to the one pictured . There have been at least 74 school shootings since the Sandy Hook massacre, in which 26 people died . 'Handguns you'd be lucky to hit accurately at 25 yards. With a rifle in the hands of a trained person, you can be go 50, 100 yards accurately.' Some students and parents, who have previously accused school police in Compton of racial profiling, expressed concern over the switch to more powerful weapons on school grounds. 'The school police has been very notorious in the community and in reality has never had to shoot anyone before,' said Francisco Orozco, a recent Dominguez High School graduate and founder of the Compton Democratic Club, told KPCC. 'So this escalation of weapons we feel is very unnecessary. 'The school police has not even earned the right to carry handguns.' According to Mr Wu, several other US school districts in California, Florida, Utah and Kansas already have police armed with semi-automatic weapons. He said: 'These rifles give us greater flexibility in dealing with a person with bad intent who comes onto any of our campuses.' Ladd Everitt, spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said the development was 'deeply disturbing'. He told Fox News: 'There is no other free nation in the world that would even consider this.' According to The Washington Post, there have been at least 74 school shootings since the deadly Sandy Hook massacre of December 2012. Although Compton - which has a population of 100,000 - has a global reputation for violence, the murder rate has dropped dramatically in recent years. It is ranked as LA's 11th 'most deadly neighborhood' over the past 12 months, according to the Los Angeles Times. It ranks high in both violent crime and property crime rates, with gunshots being the most common cause of death. The national debate over racial profiling by police has been reignited recently by the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. When violent riots erupted in the city, the local police departments responded with armored vehicles, SWAT units and military-grade armors in the following days. | Police 'not equipped' to deal with modern trend of heavily-armed attackers .
Officers will have to undergo training and keep weapons in back of their car .
Compton residents say move is unnecessary, with no previous incidents . |
205,712 | 965177e371329adc56aad5950436b62c6baa551b | Big businesses are to be offered money to turn off their power to stop Britain suffering from a winter of electricity power cuts. Ahead of unveiling a raft of new measures designed to keep the lights, Energy Secretary Ed Davey insisted: 'There will be no blackouts. Period.' It follows warnings that the number of power cuts has soared in recent years, amid fears that Seventies-style rationing will be needed to ensure supplies can be maintained. Energy Secretary Ed Davey insisted the government had plans to keep the lights on this winter . The government is expected to announce new contingency measures this week to ensure supplies are secure, and options for reducing demand if it is needed. It follows concerns about energy security after a fire forced the closure of Didcot B, a gas-fired station in Oxfordshire which produces enough electricity to meet the needs of one million households. It was reduced to half capacity after a blaze broke out in one of the two cooling tower modules at the site. The Didcot incident is the latest blaze to hit Britain's power capacity, with Ironbridge and Ferrybridge crippled by fires earlier this year. Energy supply has also been hit by plans to close a site at Barking in east London. Figures from energy regulator show there were 17,657 blackouts affecting 3.5million people in 2013-14, compared with 1,600 cuts affecting 180,900 in 2010-11. Under the governments plans, mothballed power plants could be brought back into use to bolster power supplies. But factories and heavy industry could be asked to reduce or halt production, or switch to their own generators, to ensure homes are unaffected by power shortages. Mr Davey told the Sunday Telegraph: 'There will be no blackouts. Period. 'We have extra contingencies on top of the caution, and extra contingencies on top of the contingencies. 'They (companies) volunteer to get payments - if the National Grid say, 'we want you to come off the national grid for a few hours and generate your own power', you will get paid for that. 'That is cheaper for the consumer than building an extra power plant. Cheaper, quicker and industry likes it.' A major fire broke out this week at Didcot B, a gas-fired station in Oxfordshire which produces enough electricity to meet the needs of one million households . The blazein one of the two cooling tower modules meant the plant is reduced to half capacity . Mr Davey added: 'Some companies would change their behaviour, voluntarily, and be recompensed for it. Turning down their refrigerators by a degree, or changing a shift pattern for a week so staff come in earlier... The idea is to move factory production away from peak demand periods.' Four UK nuclear power reactors which have been shut down after a defect was discovered at one of them will only be operating at three-quarters capacity when they return to service by the end of this year. The UK is facing an energy crunch over the next two winters when the capacity margin - how much its total generating capacity outstrips expected peak demand - is expected to shrink to as little as 2 per cent. Mr Davey added that while the public should be energy efficient, turning off unused appliances and lights where they can, the Government was not making a formal request. | Government to set out plans to keep the lights on in the coming months .
Companies will be paid to reduce demand or switch to their own generators .
Ed Davey insists he has 'extra contingencies on top of the contingencies' |
232,377 | b8e3e5199b6d6792b41ddcf67f501946becbbec1 | As a journalist hailing from the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, the epicenter of a violent Maoist insurgency, Shubhranshu Choudhary was regularly confronted with the shortcomings of his profession. The uprising, described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2006 as India's "single biggest internal security challenge ever," drew much of its strength from the disenfranchised indigenous communities who are a majority in Chhattisgarh. Numbering perhaps as many as 100 million across India, the "tribals" live in impoverished rural conditions comparable to or lower than those prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations. Yet despite their centrality to the conflict, the voice of the tribal people was almost completely absent from the national media conversation. "There's not a single tribal journalist," said Choudhary. "There's a complete disconnect: reader, writer, (media) owners all on one side, this 100 million population on the other. The journalism is completely one-sided." Not only were the tribal people absent as voices in the media -- they had no access as consumers either, said Choudhary. There were any number of barriers. They spoke different languages to those used in the mainstream press. Many did not read or write. They lived in remote, inaccessible villages, without electricity. "To reach one village you typically need to cross five rivers and five hills -- and there are no roads," said Choudhary. "The only communication they have is with their wife or husband or people from neighboring villages if they go to market, because there is no radio, TV, magazines -- nothing in those languages." Choudhary, a former BBC journalist, saw a link between the rural poor's exclusion and the violence wracking the region. "It is natural when your concerns are not heard you find another avenue -- that avenue has happened to be a violent ideology called Maoism." And so with support from the International Center for Journalists, with whom he is a Knight International Journalism Fellow, Choudhary began an experiment in citizen journalism. "We understood it would have to be cheap and that voice would be key -- because people are not comfortable with reading and writing," he said. The initial phase of the experiment, which revolved around the internet and community radio stations, "failed completely," he admitted. But then he took a different tack, focusing on mobile phones, which have a 74% penetration rate in India. "Mobile is the most democratic tool in India today," said Choudhary. Although the mobile penetration rate in rural areas was about half the national level (36%), phones were still a common sight even in the most remote villages. "When we started working in 2004-5 in the villages, we did not see mobile phones. But there has been a sea-change. Mobile phone use has exploded." Read more: Indian phone features 29 Quran translations . The result, CGNet Swara (roughly, the "voice of Chhattisgarh") is a voice portal that allows anyone with a mobile phone to record or listen to news and items of interest. The operation is simple: on dialing the service's number, users press "1" to record a report, or "2" to listen to one. Once a report is recorded, it is verified and edited by a team of moderators before being made accessible on the service. The service "did better than we ever expected," said Choudhary. He added that in the two years since it began, Swara has had 9,000 users, logged more than 30,000 phone calls and published 750 news stories, including a number which have had a big impact. For example, in January last year, Swara published a citizen journalist interview with Pitbasu Bhoi, a disabled man who said he had not been paid wages for 100 days of work on the government's flagship rural job guarantee scheme. Bhoi's infant son had died as he could not afford to bring him to a hospital for treatment. National dailies picked up the story and a light was shone on what activists say is a common complaint of unpaid wages. Bhoi now contributes reports to the service himself. Other stories have shared allegations including villages being razed in raids by security forces, police brutality, food programs for poor children going months without receiving supplies, and resistance to land being taken over for mining. "It is the first communication platform of any type for these people," Choudhary said. "When they raise their concerns in their own language, some journalist or lawyer picks it up or authorities hear about it and solve their problem then the circle is completed." The service has also played a role in preserving the tribal languages, he said. Read more: India's telecoms king looks to Africa . Elisa Tinsley, director of the ICJ's Knight International Journalism Fellowships, and a former world editor at USA Today, said the initiative was a prime example of the type of journalism the program sought to encourage. "Swara uses an innovative mobile phone system to help isolated communities for the first time have access to local news. And it provides an outlet that allows the people in these communities to be heard, hold governments accountable and create transparency." Swara works because of the low cost and prevalence of the mobile phone, said Choudhary, and its success has seen it replicated in other parts of the world. In Indonesia, RuaiSwara provides a similar service in Bahasa, while an affiliated service, RuaiSMS, uses text messages to facilitate citizen reporting in West Kalimantan and West Borneo. Other projects modeled on Swara are being developed in Egypt and Afghanistan. Choudhary is continuing to tinker with the model, with aspirations to overcome legal hurdles and incorporate a shortwave radio component into Swara's operations. For that reason, he said, Swara needs to be especially careful about the accuracy of its reports. "We are extra cautious not to give the authorities any reason to close us down, because we are the ones bringing out unpleasant stories for them," Choudhary said. "There are people in power who would be very happy to shut us down." | Citizen journalism project using mobile phone technology to reach India's tribal communities .
The state where the service operates has been the center of a violent Maoist insurgency .
CGNet Swara allows people in remote areas to file and listen to reports from their mobile .
Founders say it has given a voice to an excluded community . |
78,818 | df550818bbb50bc0b3cdae91c228a62ed7b21f4d | Manchester United have pencilled in two dates towards the end of January as possibles for a lucrative overseas friendly. With United not playing in Europe this season, the club are keen to make up some of the lost revenue by arranging an exhibition game overseas, more than likely in the Middle East. UEFA rules forbid such a game taking place in a week when European competition is taking place as they don't like members clubs staging friendlies that may shift focus away from the Champions League and Europa League. VIDEO Scroll down to watch United scoring against LA Galaxy in recent overseas friendly . Manchester United are eyeing up two dates in January for a lucrative overseas friendly . Louis van Gaal was not happy about the pre-season tour to America but isn't opposed to January friendlies . *TV dates yet to be anounced . January 1: Stoke (h) TBC: FA Cup third round . January 10: Southampton (h) January 17: QPR (a) TBC: FA Cup fourth round . January 31: Leicester (h) However, United have identified the weeks beginning January 19 and January 26 as potential dates. These are the weeks the Capital One Cup semi-finals will be played and are free for United as Louis van Gaal's team have already exited the competition. United have said that they will not plan anything without the agreement of Van Gaal and are aware that the issue is a sensitive one in the wake of the Dutch veteran's complaints about too much travelling during the club's pre-season tour of America. However, Van Gaal has subsequently said he would not be opposed to the idea. The United boss insisted: 'I agree with that idea. 'We (the club and I) have spoken last week with each other and also (chief executive) Ed Woodward, so I fully agree. 'It's good because I like to play games against high-level opponents.' United are likely to seek a game somewhere like Dubai or Qatar and may even to return to Saudi Arabia, where Sir Alex Ferguson took his team for warm weather training several years ago. Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck celebrate after a goal against Los Angeles Galaxy in July . Darren Fletcher and the United team enjoyed their pre-season tour and they could be on the road again . VIDEO Premier League to explore playing matches overseas . | January friendly will more than likely take place in the Middle East .
Manchester United are not in Europe and keen to make up for lost revenue .
United looking at dates where they would be playing in the Capital One Cup .
Louis van Gaal's side were knocked out by MK Dons earlier in season .
Dutchman has agreed with Ed Woodward that friendly is a good idea . |
50,690 | 8f68cc2e3a7468a8ea69c36be868a0b2e417e7ed | (CNN) -- A woman put on trial for wearing clothing deemed indecent by Sudanese authorities was jailed Monday for refusing to pay a court-ordered fine, her lawyer said. Sudanese journalist Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein was facing 40 lashes for wearing trousers. Lubna al-Hussein had faced 40 lashes for wearing pants deemed too tight and a blouse considered too sheer. The threat of lashes was dropped when a court found her guilty but ordered instead that she pay a fine. "She is now in jail," her attorney Nabil Adib told CNN. "She refused to pay the fine as a matter of principal." Al-Hussein will appeal her verdict in an effort to have the conservative Muslim government's decency law declared unconstitutional, Adib said by phone from Khartoum. Watch what outfit brought the charges » . "We intend to file an appeal within the next three days, but we do not know how long it will take the court of appeals to decide on the case," Adib said. "We expect it will happen in the next two to three weeks." He said al-Hussein could be in jail for a month unless her verdict is overturned. Al-Hussein, who was arrested in July, pleaded not guilty during her one-day trial Monday, he said. She was not allowed to call defense witnesses or present a defense case, he added. She was sentenced to pay 500 Sudanese pounds ($209) or face a month in prison, starting immediately, the lawyer said. "She thinks that she did not have fair trial and a conviction was wrong so she did not want to pay the fine nor let anyone else pay on her behalf," Nadib said. Al-Hussein, a journalist who worked in the media department of the United Nations mission in Sudan, resigned from her U.N. position in order to waive her immunity as an international worker and face trial. Police lobbed tear gas at people outside the courthouse Monday, and closed roads leading to the courthouse before the trial began, al-Hussein told CNN before the hearing. Sudanese security forces roughly handled scores of al-Hussein supporters, injuring some and detaining 47 women, according to an eyewitness who spoke to CNN by phone. A Sudanese official accused "the West" of interfering in the case. Mohammed Khair, the information attaché at the Sudan Consulate in Dubai, said the international campaign surrounding the case "proves the West contributes only toward deepening (the) crisis." The human rights organization Amnesty International had previously called for the charges to be dropped. "The manner in which this law has been used against women is unacceptable, and the penalty called for by the law -- up to 40 lashes -- abhorrent," Tawanda Hondora, deputy director of Amnesty International's Africa program, said in a statement. Al-Hussein was arrested along with 18 other women on July 3 at a Khartoum restaurant when police burst in and checked women for their clothing. "I don't think she was targeted specifically," Adib said. "They attack public and private parties and groups. They are called 'morality police' and she was just a victim of a round-up." Put your questions to Dutch activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali here . At the time of her arrest, she said, she was wearing pants, a blouse and a hijab, or a headscarf worn by Muslim women. Scores of protesters gathered outside the courtroom in Khartoum to support al-Hussein in early August, when she was last scheduled to be tried. The demonstrators carried banners and wore headbands with the messages, "No return to the dark ages" and "No to suppressing women." Others demanded an amendment to the country's public order law that human rights activists say is vague on what constitutes indecent dress. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he is concerned about al-Hussein's case. "The United Nations will make every effort to ensure that the rights of its staff members are protected," Ban said in July. "The flogging is against the international human rights standards. I call on all parties to live up to their obligations under all relevant international instruments." In addition to the group of lawyers defending her, al-Hussein was also represented by two Egyptian defense attorneys, she said. CNN's Raja Razek and Elham Nakhlawi contributed to this report. | Woman tried for wearing clothing deemed indecent jailed for refusing to pay fine .
Sudanese court spared female journalist lashing for wearing tight trousers .
She faced up to 40 lashes for wearing pants considered too tight .
Resigned U.N. position to avoid immunity afforded international workers . |
265,453 | e3ce24f36193e2f7a27030b337e5b5b25035af57 | Georgetown, Guyana (CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Guyana is warning American citizens against flying out of the country on Caribbean Airlines flights bound for the United States for the next two days. The embassy said it received unconfirmed threat information about such Caribbean Airlines flights -- but did not offer specifics. "Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy advises all U.S. Citizens in Guyana traveling on Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to the United States from Monday, February 10, through Wednesday, February 12, 2014, to make alternate travel arrangements," the embassy said in a statement. Late Sunday night, the government of Guyana announced that it had activated emergency security plans and raised the terror threat level at the country's main international airport in wake of threats to Caribbean Airlines flights. Caribbean Airlines has added additional security measures and is cooperating with authorities, the company said in a statement Monday. It said all flights are operating as scheduled. CNN's Ric Ward contributed to this report. | Embassy says it received unconfirmed threat information .
It does not offer specifics .
The airline says it has added additional security measures . |
243,003 | c6872e3ff7980064df42c7b36f14fcbfe50451c8 | By . Harriet Arkell . After watching a film in which a man travelled around the world on his motorbike, Welsh journalist Hannah Engelkamp was inspired to go on an odyssey of her own. The international aspect didn't really appeal to her, though, and she thought she'd like some company. So it was, then, that on May 27 last year, Miss Engelkamp set off on her own challenge: a six-month, 1,000-mile trek around Wales, with Chico, her newly-acquired donkey. Hannah Engelkamp, 34, and her donkey, Chico, spent nearly six months trekking 1,000 miles around Wales . Chico, who never made it as a beach donkey because he doesn't like sand, walked more than 1,000 miles . Miss Engelkamp was joined occasionally by relatives or her boyfriend, but mostly it was just her and Chico . Miss Engelkamp said: 'I was inspired by the film Twice Upon A Caravan, and remember seeing horses in it, but I thought a horse would have been a bit too big and scary. 'When the Wales Coast Path opened, I thought the idea of walking right the way around the country was amazing.' She bought Chico, a five-year-old gelding, from a Shropshire dealer who was selling him because he was meant to be a beach donkey but didn't like putting his hooves on sand. The pair of them set off from Miss Engelkamp's home in Aberystwyth early last summer, heading north up the coast and then clockwise the whole way around Wales. With little more than 29 maps, a video camera, and a couple of panniers with such essentials as hoofpicks and fly repellent, the pair made the countryside their home, camping in fields overnight, and clip-clopping through the countryside by day. Miss Engelkamp said: 'Thankfully I met a lot of kind people . along the way and many of them let me stay in their living rooms or . camp in their back gardens. Chico and Miss Engelkamp walked clockwise around Wales after starting in Aberystwyth last May . Route: The pair started in Aberystwyth in May last year and walked clockwise around Wales . Room at the inn? Miss Engelkamp camped in fields or, if she was lucky, stayed in kind strangers' spare rooms . 'My . mum and dad came along with me for a few days, as did my partner and . sister, but for a lot of the time it was just me and Chico.' People living along the route who read . about her trip on social media sites would get in touch and offer Miss . Engelkamp a bed for the night, something she particularly appreciated when the weather got colder. 'Even . when I hadn't met people I would still manage to stay in camp sites or farmers' fields with their permission,' she said. 'I was overwhelmed . by the support I received.' While the scenery and the kindness of strangers were the high points, the low point was when Chico decided to demonstrate just how stubborn a donkey can be. Miss Engelkamp said: 'Just as we reached Hay on Wye, Chico decided he didn't want to walk up hills. 'That area is full of hills, so it was a complete nightmare. We'd only walked about a mile from where we woke up, and I spent five hours tugging him to come with me, but he wouldn't budge. 'In the end, I decided to take him off the leading rein and I just walked on, hoping he would follow me of his own accord. 'Thankfully, he did, but not before I'd had time to wonder why on earth I was doing this in the first place.' The trip, which she initially thought might take two or three months ended up taking nearly six, and Miss Engelkamp and Chico trotted back into Aberystwyth just before Christmas. Mane attraction: Trekking with a donkey drew lots of attention, including from these two punks . Better turn back: The route wasn't always suited to Chico, forcing last-minute changes of plan . Little donkey: Chico enjoyed the attentions of some young schoolchildren during his Welsh odyssey . Chico is now resting in a field near Miss Engelkamp's home in Aberystwyth after his six-month trek . Stunning scenery: The journalist and the donkey spent all day in the fresh air, admiring the Welsh countryside . She said: 'By . the end of it I was absolutely shattered. My shoe laces were rotten, so I . had to buy some more, and a few other bits and bobs along the way, but it was totally worth . it. 'I'm . just glad I've shown people that it is possible to go out and have an . adventure on your own doorstep without spending a fortune.' Chico is now putting his hooves up in a field near Miss Engelkamp's house, and she has bought him a friend, another donkey called Florence, to keep him company through the winter. Miss Engelkamp raised £600 for local charities during her travels, and is now hoping to turn the 3,000 photos and 200 hours of video footage she shot along the way into a book and film. She needs to raise £28,000 by the end of the month to do this and already has £17,000 pledged to help her. She said: 'I got 200 hours of video footage along the way so my partner Rhys, who is a film-maker, and I are hoping to put it all together. 'I'm also writing a book about the journey.' To visit Miss Engelkamp's fundraising page click here. | Hannah Engelkamp, 34, walked the whole way around Wales with donkey .
The freelance journalist from Aberystwyth set out with Chico last May .
They camped in fields or strangers' back gardens, drawing crowds en route .
Miss Engelkamp was inspired by film about man travelling world on a bike .
She decided to walk round Wales and bought the donkey for company .
Now back home, she wants to turn her unusual journey into book and film . |
37,353 | 69d1f2d79d4d5aaf7711a64e8e9d20842db5a05c | By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 14:37 EST, 15 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 15 March 2012 . Josh Wakeham, aged just 22 months, was killed in a freak accident when the cord from his bedroom window blind became wrapped around his neck . A coroner today warned parents of the dangers of ordinary hazards in the home after a tragic toddler was strangled by the cord on a window blind in his bedroom. Little Joshua Wakeham, who would have had his second birthday tomorrow, died in the freak accident on January 24, this year, as he looked out of the window. He was found dead by his mother with the blind cord wrapped around his neck when she went to check on him. The inquest heard ‘active and inquisitive’ Josh was the third child in Britain this year to die after becoming entangled in a roller blind cord. Coroner David Bowen said: ‘It is not reasonable for any parent to monitor their children 24 hours a day, but I hope this tragedy will serve as a warning to all parents. ‘Potential hazards should be put out of reach of children.’ The inquest heard little Josh, then aged 22 months, loved to stand on his bed to wave at passers-by out of his bedroom on the top-floor of his family’s three-storey home. His mother Tracey Ford, 34, said: ‘There was a blackout blind on the window which was there when we moved in. 'He loved to wave to people and I never saw him play with the string on the blind. ‘I put him to bed that night with his toys and turned on the nightlight to let him settle.’ Tracey, who was described a very caring mother, went to check shortly after 9pm - but immediately realised something was wrong. She said: ‘I could see he was stood up and it looked like he was looking out of the window. I then saw that the cord was around his neck. When I touched him he felt cold. Warning: Josh's mother Tracey Ford with her partner and Josh's stepfather Tim Llewellin are warning other parents of the dangers of looped cords on window blinds . ‘I dialled 999 and they gave me instructions to give him mouth-to-mouth. I tried, I really tried. But he was cold.’ Det Sgt Wendy Keeping told the inquest: ‘This is the third death this year in the UK involving young children with roller blinds. Joshua was nearly two and he would not have known of the dangers at all. ‘He became trapped in it and was not old enough to recognise the danger.’ The family’s MP Paul Flynn has . made an early day motion in the House of Commons to call on the blind . manufacturers to bring in safety features. He is also calling for a Government . initiative to publicise the serious danger to the lives of children . from the 250million cords in British homes. Mr Flynn said: ‘The case is heart breaking. The industry should bring out safer cords. ‘There’s new regulations coming in from Europe within a year but there will still be a problem with existing cords. ‘We are asking the government to start a campaign to make sure everyone knows of the dangers.' A post mortem examination found that the youngster had died as a result of strangulation from the cord. Josh’s parents Tracey and Tim have moved out of the house in Newport, South Wales, since the tragedy. Gwent coroner Mr Bowen recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: ‘Joshua was normal, active, healthy, inquisitive child who liked nothing better than standing at his bedroom window waving at members of the public as they walked past. ‘He would stand in the window whether it was day or night. He became entangled in the cord and would not have recognised the danger - he was much too young to release himself.’ He concluded: ‘I am satisfied that while standing at the window Joshua somehow became entangled. ‘He would never have recognised the danger that the cord posed. 'He would have been much too young and would also have been much too weak to release himself. ‘The verdict in this tragic case, therefore, is accidental death.’ The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are campaigning to raise awareness. Spokesman Michael Corley said: ‘There have been 22 deaths caused by blind cords since 1999. ‘Eleven of these have happened since the beginning of 2010. This is far too high. We are calling for laws to reduce the risks of looped cords by placing safety devices in them or by getting rid of them altogether.’ In October, 2011, the parents of Emily Warner told how their family had been left 'broken' by her death . In October, 2010, 18-month-old Rithik Chakrabarti died in his bedroom in Dorset. And in 2009 Gethin Jones, 23 months, was found strangled at his home in Nefyn, North Wales. In October, 2011, the parents of Emily Warner told how their family had been left 'broken' by her death. The little girl had been put to bed but stood up on the end of her bed-frame and was climbing across her window sill when the accident happened last August. The two-year-old was left paralysed and suffered brain damage, and died months later. Caden Laine, who was 21 months old, died after apparently being strangled by a looped cord from his bedroom window at the family home in Plymouth, Devon. His devastated parents, Tony and Danielle Laine, said that the tragic accident had taken the life of their 'little angel' and warned other parents to check their children's bedrooms in a bid to prevent similar deaths. Caden had an identical twin, Finley, and two-year-old brother Blake. Harrison Joyce, three, from Staffordshire, also died after becoming tangled in a cord in February 2010 . Mrs Laine told how she left the twins' bedroom for just minutes to make some milk, before she returned and found her son hanged on the cord of the vertical blinds. They believe Caden climbed on to a chest of drawers near the window before the tragic event around 7.15pm, in April, last year. Harrison Joyce, three, and Lillian Bagnall-Lambe, 16 months, both from Staffordshire, died in separate incidents within the space of five days after becoming tangled in the cords in February, 2010. Harrison was believed to have been acting out action moves from cartoon series 'Go Diego' when he became tangled in the cord and was killed. He had been left alone for a matter of minutes. Blinds with looped cords are already banned in other countries, including America, Canada and Australia, but millions of people in Britain have them fitted in their homes. Andrew Haigh, coroner for South Staffordshire, recorded accidental death verdicts in respect of the two children's deaths. But he urged the Government to look again at existing safety regulations and said he would be writing to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to highlight the problem. Leah Edwards was sleeping beside her 17-month-old brother at the family home in Maldon, Essex, when the tragedy happened in October 2010. She became entangled in a blind cord. The youngster was discovered by her seven-year-old brother, Christian. | Mother Tracey Wakeham found Joshua, 22 months, hanging with roller blind cord around his neck .
Campaigners warn of 22 deaths caused by blind cords since 1999 .
Manufacturers must take action, MP demands . |
265,230 | e3858a8dd7125cec6c541a0fad5a07687fcc8178 | By . Leon Watson for MailOnline . A terminally ill great-grandfather mugged by thugs has branded his attackers as 'cowards'. Cancer sufferer Jack Keppie, given just months to live, was attacked from behind by two men in their 20s while on his way home after drinking with friends in his local pub. Mr Keppie, 69, was left with two suspected broken ribs and bruises up his arms and legs after the assault and robbery in Denton, Greater Manchester. He said: 'I thought that was it to be honest - they could have killed me without a doubt. But eventually, they just ran off. They're disgusting. I've got terminal prostate cancer, I don't need this sort of thing happening, it was horrendous. Terminally ill great-grandfather Jack Keppie, 69, from Denton, Greater Manchester, outside his local pub the Angel in Denton, after he was attacked from behind by two men in their 20s while on his way home . 'I looked behind me to make sure no-one was following me, but out of nowhere, I got smacked on the back on the head and fell to the ground and landed on my stomach. 'They took my wallet out of my pocket, took the cash out then threw the wallet very aggressively in my face. Then they called me a few names and started kicking me in the stomach. They toddled off up the road, never to be seen again.' Diagnosed with prostate cancer last October and given 12 months to live, Mr Keppie's failing health has deteriorated ever since. But in the days leading up to the attack on August 5, he regained some strength in his legs and felt confident enough to walk alone to his local pub, the Angel in Denton, and join his friends for a drink. But as he walked home, the two thugs, both aged around 20, attacked him from behind, one punching him in the back knocking him to the ground, before the other stood on his back and stole £100 from his wallet. The pair kicked and swore at the defenceless pensioner as he lay on the pavement before making off. Cancer sufferer Jack Keppie said having a pint with his friends is one of his few remaining pleasures . Mr Keppie added: 'It won't stop me going out, but I'm looking behind me all the time now, I'm very cautious. I still go out, but I don't walk alone anymore. It's a short distance, but it's not worth the risk. 'It's a cowardly way to attack someone. I've got prostate cancer and they're kicking me in the stomach. They are cowards and just typical hoodies. I just don't want it to happen again. 'They should have a conscience and give themselves up. One day, this will come back to them. 'They don't deserve to be living, they're not human beings. Luckily, I've got a lot of close friends around me, looking after me. It won't happen again if they have anything to do with it.' Detective Constable Fiona Rigby, of Greater Manchester Police, said: 'This was a vicious and cowardly attack on a frail and dying man. 'He has terminal cancer and is very ill. In fact he doesn't have long to live. One of his remaining pleasures in life is to walk to his local pub for a couple of beers with his friends. 'Now because of the despicable actions of these cowards, this modest pleasure has been utterly destroyed. 'Walking to and from the pub was part of his ritual, no doubt bringing him a modicum of independence. Now he has to get a taxi out of fear. 'The robbers probably wouldn't have known about his condition, but one look at him would have told them he was frail, vulnerable and clearly not going to put up a fight - precisely why these bullies picked on him no doubt.' Anyone in the area near the allotments on Wood Street in Denton around midnight on August 5 is urged to call police. The attackers are described as aged around 20, 5ft 8in or 9in, with local accents. One wore a light grey tracksuit while the other wore a black tracksuit. Both wore their hoods up. | Jack Keppie was attacked from behind by two men in their 20s .
He was on his way home from the pub - one his few remaining pleasures .
Mr Keppie was diagnosed with prostate cancer last October .
The 69-year-old, from Denton, Manchester, was given just months to live . |
29,180 | 52e9cd670b6b2eee379b13c61ef27cd464b77b33 | By . James Salmon for the Daily Mail . Follow @@JamesSalmon79 . Almost 300 customers are deserting the Co-op Bank every working day due to a ‘hurricane of bad publicity’, its boss admitted yesterday. The bank’s near-collapse and a sex and drugs scandal involving former chairman Paul Flowers have proved the final straw for tens of thousands of savers. In the first half of the year, 37,921 people switched their current accounts away from the Co-op, which attracted just 9,722 new customers. Drought: The loss of 300 customers a day is thought to be the biggest in the bank's 141-year history . The loss is thought to be the biggest in the bank’s 141-year history. Chief executive Niall Booker described the loss of each customer as a ‘mortal wound’, but said he had expected even more to defect after the bank’s ‘hurricane of negative publicity’. He pointed out that the desertions still accounted for less than 2 per cent of their current account customers. The comments came as the bank revealed it made a £76million loss in the first half of the year, much less severe than the £845million loss incurred in the same period last year. This was largely due to a drop in losses from bad loans, and a smaller bill for wrongdoing. Scandal: It comes after the bank's near-collapse and the expose of Paul Flowers' sex and drugs scandal . But they went on to reveal that the bank would still be vulnerable if there was ‘an unusually high level of withdrawals’ as it is so reliant on deposits from customers. James Daley, a consumer campaigner and founder of website Fairer Finance, said: ‘The results suggest the business is a complete basket case and give very little cause for optimism. 'I cannot see any good reason why a customer would want to move their account to the Co-op.’ However in an appeal to customers, Mr Booker claimed the Co-op is an ‘ethical’ bank. He said: ‘The Co-operative has a valuable role to play providing customers with a different choice, set apart as it is by the values and ethics that remain a key reason why customers choose to bank with us.’ | Bank's near-collapse provided final straw for tens of thousands of savers .
37,921 switched current accounts away from Co-op in first half of the year .
Loss is thought to be the biggest in the bank's 141-year history . |
199,432 | 8e2ea5fb569ba94612194e8132b9d82d91a4478e | Washington (CNN) -- Counterfeit capsules of the diet drug Alli that are sold online can pose a serious health risk to some users, a research director from the Food and Drug Administration said Saturday. The FDA warned consumers this week that fake versions of the over-the-counter drug are being sold, mainly on online auction sites. Testing shows that the counterfeit pills contain excessive amounts of sibutramine, a prescription drug and controlled substance that can place people with cardiovascular disease at risk for higher blood pressure, heart attack or stroke, said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. The fake pills contain at least twice as much sibutramine as would normally be recommended, she said. "Unfortunately, many people with high blood pressure or heart disease are trying to improve their health by losing weight, and we are concerned that such individuals might be exposed to the counterfeit drug," Woodcock said. Woodcock said possible symptoms of excess sibutramine are heart palpitations, sleeplessness, anxiety, dry mouth, nausea and shakiness. She said the FDA has received about two dozen calls from people reporting these symptoms. According to Alli's Web site, sibutramine is the active ingredient in the prescription diet drug Meridia. "Sibutramine could potentially interact with other medications the consumer may be taking, and there are dosing differences between Alli (three times a day) and Meridia (once a day)," the site says. Analysis also shows that the counterfeit pills lack the active ingredient orlistat found in the authentic Alli product, which prevents a portion of the fat eaten from being absorbed, Alli's Web site says. Instead, the fat passes directly through the digestive system and is eliminated. According to Alli, which is made by London, England-based pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, consumers should watch for these signs in determining whether the product they are buying is fake: . • LOT code information is missing from the top of the box. • The expiration date includes month, day and year (example: 06162010), instead of only the month and year (example: 05/12). • The seal on the bottle should read "SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION" in white ink on the real Alli bottle; this statement is not present on the fake product. • The counterfeit capsule is slightly larger, and its content is powdery; the genuine capsule is shaped more like a pellet. | Counterfeit pills sold online contain excessive amount of drug, FDA says .
Excess sibutramine can cause heart palpitations, sleeplessness, nausea .
Fake pills also lack active ingredient in real diet drug . |
263,914 | e1ccf9517b504b7bc63c505184a902eab407b173 | London (CNN) -- According to the United Nations' mission in Iraq, 712 Iraqis were violently killed in April 2013. This is both normal and extraordinary. It is normal because it pales into comparison beside the monthly death toll in the worst years of the country's civil war. It is extraordinary because it is the highest such figure since that civil war subsided five years ago. Understanding the violence requires grasping three confluent trends: the increasingly authoritarian streak of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the rise of both peaceful and violent protest among Iraq's aggrieved Sunni minority (a fifth of the population), and, finally, a regional trend of worsening sectarian tensions between Shia and Sunni Muslims. Each of these strands is tightly woven together. It was the invasion of Iraq a decade ago and the subsequent empowerment of its Shia majority that sparked fears of what Jordan's King Abdullah famously called a "Shia crescent" from Syria to Iran. Prime Minister al-Maliki spent his years of exile under Saddam in both those countries, and is widely seen as having aligned Iraq more closely to Iranian interests -- for instance, allowing Iranian over-flights of arms to the Assad regime. This diplomatic shift compounded a political one. Al-Maliki has undermined political institutions that were designed to be independent, such as the central bank and election commission. He has seized personal control of key army and intelligence units, many of them CIA-backed, including the 6,000-strong Iraqi Special Forces. Read more: Iraq at crossroads as bombs explode . When the last American troops left Iraq at the end of 2011, al-Maliki pounced. Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi, the most senior Sunni figure in the government, was forced to flee Iraq and was later sentenced to death. A year later in December 2012, hundreds of bodyguards and staff of Finance Minister Rafi al-Issawi, another senior Sunni, were arrested, triggering major protests. And on April 23, the situation worsened when Iraqi forces backed by helicopters killed dozens of peaceful Sunni protesters in the town of Hawijah. The town was seen by nearby Kurds as a conduit for suicide bombers, and the government claimed that the protesters were harboring militants from a Sunni militant group called the Naqshbandia Order. Maliki established a ministerial committee to look into the Hawijah episode and has made a few other concessions, but the damage was done: a previously peaceful movement has grown angrier and, in places, more violent. Taken together, Maliki's heavy-handed and sectarian actions have fanned flames that were never really extinguished. The result is a powerful sense of Sunni victimhood with many policies, such as de-Baathification (the removal of Saddam's party loyalists from positions of influence), seen as little more than collective punishment of Sunnis. The new wave of Iraqi protest embodies this trend. The protests are concentrated in Sunni-majority provinces. Protesters frequently excoriate Iran's influence in Iraqi politics and acclaim the Sunni-majority Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighting the neighboring Assad regime. Sometimes, their slogans are nakedly and belligerently sectarian. This naturally alienates many Iraqi Shias, who resent being associated with a foreign power and see the FSA as retrograde, Saudi-backed jihadists rather than freedom fighters. They are also likelier to see Maliki's various power-grabs as necessary steps to bring order and security to Iraq in the face of a growing regional and domestic threat from Sunni extremists such as al Qaeda and its ideological brethren. Iraq's increasingly autonomous Kurds, buoyed by potentially vast oil reserves, share some of these fears and sit in uneasy alliance with Shia political groups. Indeed, the Syrian civil war has widened Iraq's sectarian divisions and created a source of major instability. In March, around 50 Syrian soldiers who had fled into Iraq were ambushed and killed. The single most powerful Syrian rebel group, Jabhat al-Nusra, is an offshoot of al Qaeda in Iraq, and its personal and logistical networks run across the Syria-Iraq border. If al-Assad were to fall, this would have a catalytic effect on parts of Iraq, amplifying Sunni militancy and resulting in a flood of weapons of fighters across the border. Does this mean that Iraq is fated to return to the dark days of 2006-2007, when death squads were run in the heart of government and Baghdad faced waves of ethnic cleansing? It is important to note that while Iraq itself bleeds, the Iraqi state is strong. Al-Maliki is vulnerable in Sunni-majority areas where the Sunni militias of the al-Sahwa movement provide security, but his large and cohesive security forces serve as a buffer against wider chaos. Moreover, many Sunni groups are eager to keep the violence in check, having previously suffered greatly at the hands of al Qaeda in Iraq. It is certainly too early to talk about the country's break-up. Next year's parliamentary elections will be a pivotal moment. At the last elections in 2010, the Sunni-dominated but secular Iraqiya bloc won more seats but couldn't form a government, and eventually let Maliki take the top spot. This time round, it will be harder for Maliki to outmaneuver his political rivals: they have learnt that power sharing is a sham, and the Kurds are in a stronger position. In provincial elections held last month, Maliki's coalition saw its vote share decline, with many of his harder-line Shia Islamist rivals faring better. Another victory for Maliki under contested conditions would produce severe political instability, especially if present levels of violence continue. The imperative is for political accommodation, reconciliation, and compromise. Yet Maliki is unlikely to opt for this route as long as he feels he can keep his grip on power with the help of his swollen army, paramilitary, and intelligence apparatus. There is no obvious way out for Iraq. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Shashank Joshi. | Monthly death toll has doubled in Iraq; now highest figure since end of war .
Increasing toll is related to authoritarian streak of PM Nuri al-Maliki, says Shashank Joshi .
Joshi: Sectarian is closely linked to protests, concentrated in Sunni-majority areas .
Too early to talk about Iraq's break-up, he says, but there's no obvious way out of violence . |
114,562 | 1fdb56ca4710f89f886b14991382823b8dbd244a | After receiving a call from a gay man who said he suffered homophobic abuse on a train in Luton, two radio presenters decided to conduct an experiment. BBC Three Counties DJs Iain Lee and Justin Dealey walked through the town to gauge the public reaction to an openly gay couple. A 23-year-old called Nick had told them he was used to being insulted by strangers when he and his boyfriend held hands. Scroll down for video . Radio presenters Iain Lee and Justin Dealey conducted the experiment after a caller said he suffered homophobic abuse on a train . The pair pretend to be a gay couple and walk through the town to gauge the public reaction to a gay couple . And after the two presenters walked the streets of Luton doing so, they were shocked to be told: 'It's disgusting'. In the video, the men walk down a street and as they pass a group of men, each one turns to stare at the supposedly gay couple. Mr Dealey says: 'We've walked about three or four minutes and we've had looks, we've definitely had looks.' And Mr Lee says: 'I saw a dad usher a child away from us, did you see that? 'Yeah, there was a dad walking with his kid, he clocked the hands, clocked us, and then said, 'Come on, love. Come on.' Mr Dealey says: 'We've walked about three or four minutes and we've had looks, we've definitely had looks' As they pass a group of men in hi-vis vests, each one turns to stare at the supposedly gay couple . But then they approach a teenager after overhearing him say 'urgh' after noticing their entwined hands. They approach the boy and ask him to elaborate on his comment and are told: 'I thought it was disgusting.' Asked why, he repeats: 'Because it's disgusting.' A woman, who was with him at the time, says: 'He doesn't obviously agree with homosexuality. He's got a stigma. He's a teenage boy.' And when asked for her own views, she says: 'I'm not against it, but I don't like it in my face to be honest. 'It does make me feel a little bit embarrassed if you two were to embrace in a kiss, I would feel a little bit awkward but that's about as far as it would go.' She adds she is not 'narrow-minded' but says: 'Especially in Luton you don't see that. You wouldn't see that.' And the boy then repeats: 'I just think it's wrong for two men, I think it's disgusting in my opinion.' At the end of the experiment, Mr Lee concludes: 'It certainly felt uncomfortable. Whereas I know if you'd been a girl and I was holding your hand, there would have been nothing. He adds: 'I'm surprised and disappointed.' They approach a teenager : 'I just think it's wrong for two men, I think it's disgusting' | Radio presenters Iain Lee and Justin Dealey decided to conduct experiment after a caller said he suffered homophobic abuse on a train .
Walked through town to gauge the public reaction to an openly gay couple .
As they pass a group of men, each turns to stare at the apparent couple .
They approach a teenage boy after overhearing him say 'urgh'
The boy says: 'I just think it's wrong for two men, I think it's disgusting' |
20,718 | 3acb8e8d5ca074f8e4ef4faf16b9499ad0f77dfa | (CNN) -- The Tamil Tigers have been invited by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to lay down their arms after government forces retook the city of Kilinochchi Friday, once the center of power for the rebel group. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has called on the Tamil Tigers to stop fighting. But while Colombo celebrated the government success with fireworks, within an hour a suicide bomber abruptly shattered whatever hopes the president may have had for immediate peace. The bomber, riding a motorcycle, blew himself up outside air force headquarters in Colombo, killing two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit, authorities said. The new year may signal a turn in Sri Lanka's conflict -- but it is unlikely to be an end. The Tamil Tigers have their roots in the earliest days of Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. But since then they have grown from a political group intent on protecting their rights to a fierce rebel movement classified by the United States and others as a terrorist organization. The conflict between the Tigers and the government has lasted more than 25 years and left at least 65,000 people dead. The Tigers are part of the island's minority Tamils, an ethnic group that has lived on the island for centuries since their ancestors came over from southern India. These Sri Lankan Tamils are distinct from Indian Tamils, an even smaller minority, who came with the British colonists in the 19th century. Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese have lived on the island much longer than the Tamils and represent about three-quarters of the population, according to the U.S. State Department. Most historians believe they came over from northern India in the 6th century B.C. It was Sri Lanka's post-independence government that sparked the rise of the Tamil Tigers. After 1948, Tamils started growing uneasy with the country's unitary government and apprehensive that the Sinhalese might abuse Tamil rights. They felt marginalized when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister after winning the 1956 elections on a platform of Sinhalese nationalism. The Tamils bristled at his declaration that Sinhala would be the official language and protested against government policies deemed favorable to the Sinhalese. Violence and radicalization started to grow during the following decades, and by the 1970s, Tamil politicians were demanding a separate Tamil state -- Tamil Eelam -- in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, the Tamils' traditional homeland. Other Tamil groups, however, sought a separate state by force. Among them were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), founded in 1976 -- and now simply known as the Tamil Tigers. The violence still raging today intensified in 1983, when the Tamil Tigers killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers. It led to the largest outburst of violence in the island's history, with hundreds of Tamils killed, tens of thousands left homeless and more than 100,000 fleeting to south India, according to the U.S. State Department. The government began trying to suppress the Tamil Tigers in the north and east while the Tigers launched terrorist attacks in the capital of Colombo and elsewhere. Fighting has continued for the most part since then, halted briefly by a handful of peace agreements, some of them high-profile. Under an accord signed with India in 1987, the government gave in to some Tamil demands, including devolution of power to the provinces and official status for the Tamil language. But fighting continued. The Tamils fought an Indian peacekeeping force deployed in the north and east as part of the 1987 accord, and after years of bloody fighting, the Indians withdrew in early 1990. The United States designated the LTTE as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. In February 2002, Sri Lanka's government and the LTTE signed a cease-fire agreement at Norwegian-sponsored talks. But the LTTE dropped out of the negotiations a year later, claiming they were being marginalized. They launched a suicide bombing campaign the next year. The Tigers stepped up their attacks in April 2006 with an explosion at a Sinhalese market and two suicide bombings that killed a top army commander and seriously wounded another. Weeks later, the European Union designated the LTTE as a terrorist organization. Sri Lankan government forces engaged the rebels in heavy fighting in 2008 in the Kilinochchi region, once the capital and center of political power for the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers ran a parallel administration from Kilinochchi with their own police force, courts, prisons and taxes. But after Sri Lanka launched a new offensive against the rebels in the autumn, the insurgents moved their nerve center and logistics bases to Mullaitivu, on the northeastern coast. After hovering on the outskirts of Kilinochchi for more than a month, government troops retook the city. Rajapaksa declared it a "victory against separatism" -- but violence soon followed. | Conflict between Tamil Tigers and government has lasted more than 25 years .
At least 65,000 killed, thousands homeless, 100,000-plus fled to south India .
Tigers have their roots in the earliest days of Sri Lanka's independence in 1948 .
The group has demanded a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka . |
255,306 | d6793e5e206333ea7914b9685a1d526f35539ce4 | (CNN) -- Alec Baldwin and his daughter Ireland have apparently mended their differences. The 18-year-old model used Twitter to defend her father after his use of an anti-gay slur. The younger Baldwin insists that her dad "has a kind heart." "For someone who has battled with anger management issues, my dad has grown tremendously," she tweeted. "My dad is far from a homophobe or a racist." (CNN has not been able to verify that the Twitter account belongs to Ireland Baldwin.) His daughter knows a great deal about such anger issues. In 2007 a voice mail was leaked in which the actor ranted and called his then-11-year-old daughter a "rude, thoughtless little pig." Recently Alec Baldwin lashed out at a paparazzo who was outside his Manhattan apartment and called the man a "c******king f*g." That resulted in both GLAAD and CNN's Anderson Cooper taking Baldwin to task. "Wow, Alec Baldwin shows his true colors yet again," Cooper tweeted. "How is he going to lie and excuse his anti-gay slurs this time?" Ireland Baldwin said via Twitter that "Paparazzi can bring out many confined feelings of anger and spite out of anyone" and that "... what my dad said was WRONG. What my dad felt WASN'T." "Boundaries have to be made," she said "Paparazzi have jobs to do, but some of them jeopardize people's lives and cross a line. My dad has an INFANT CHILD to protect." The "30 Rock" star has had a rough time of it lately, with MSNBC putting his show "Up Late" on a two-week suspension in the wake of the scandal. A rep for MSNBC told CNN the show is scheduled to return after the suspension. On Saturday, Baldwin -- who had already apologized for the slur he used against the photographer -- posted a piece on The Huffington Post in which he said he would never again use the term "toxic queen" as he did in referring to a tabloid journalist. He expressed amazement at how he has been characterized. "My friends who happen to be gay are baffled by this," he wrote. "They see me as one who has recently fought for marriage equality and has been a supporter of gay rights for many years. Now, the charge of being a 'homophobic bigot,' to quote one crusader in the gay community, is affixed." He also asked that his network not be judged by his actions. "Don't allow my problem to be MSNBC's problem," he said in his piece. "They are good people who work hard at a job, just like many of you. And two, please respect the privacy of my wife and family. If you have an opinion of me, then express it. Think what you like. But I ask that my wife, who I care about more than words can say, and both my children, be left out of this." Actress guilty of stalking Baldwin gets 210 days in jail . | Ireland Baldwin says her dad "has a good heart"
Alec Baldwin is in trouble over an anti-gay slur aimed at a paparazzo .
His daughter defends him on Twitter, says he's not a homophobe . |
1,279 | 039b57ef71a884086b25bb7f28872140a51ae1c2 | (CNN) -- You can't Google this. OK, maybe you can. But MC Hammer doesn't want you to. The venerable rapper, who helped usher hip-hop into the pop mainstream in the early '90s, has rolled out a search engine he hopes will outperform Google, Bing and other established tools. The project, called WireDoo, has been two years in the making, said Hammer (real name Stanley Burrell) Wednesday at the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco. At the conference, he said what will make his search tool better than Google (or, too legit to quit, if you will) will be its "deep search" ability. "It's about relationships beyond just the keywords," he said, according to Mashable, a CNN.com content partner. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur (after some late-90s difficulties) said a search would render not just direct results, but also information on possibly related topics. Its tagline is: "Search once and see what's related." Other details about the product were scarce. WireDoo, which Hammer said he has a team developing, is still in pre-beta. Its website is currently letting people sign up to test the search engine when a beta release is ready. | Say what? Rapper MC Hammer launches a new ... search engine .
WireDoo will give search results, plus results for possibly related topics, Hammer says . |
17,273 | 30eddc7ecd7fd38488e58c55436f32640c65649e | Bogota, Colombia (CNN) -- It's the largest producer of cocaine in the world and a key supplier of heroin to the United States. According to the CIA, Colombia produces 535 metric tons of cocaine a year, most of it for the U.S. market. The South American country has retained its status as key cocaine producer in spite of an ambitious anti-drug agreement launched a decade ago with the financial support of the United States. The agreement is called "Plan Colombia." Since 2000, the plan has cost the United States $7 billion, according to the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think tank that has closely monitored the implementation of Plan Colombia. The money has been mostly used to help Colombia strengthen its police and military. Before the implementation of Plan Colombia, 50% of the Colombian territory didn't have a government security presence. Marta Lucia Ramirez, a former Colombian minister of defense and one of the architects of Plan Colombia, says the agreement has helped her country to strengthen democracy and government institutions. It has also increased the Colombian government's ability to fight what she calls "narco-terrorism." But Ramirez also says that the high drug demand in the U.S. makes it difficult to eradicate production at home. "I really believe that the American strategy against drugs is not enough. It's probably a failure. It's [a policy] that they have to review," says Ramirez. Colombia welcomes U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske this week. Kerlikowske, in his role as director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, will do a progress evaluation of plan Colombia as part of his trip. Ahead of his visit, Kerlikowske told the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo that he sees a commitment on the part of the government of President Juan Manuel Santos, who took office in August. "We're going to talk about the continuation of the relationship between both countries, not only in terms of reduction but also in terms of prevention and demand," said Kerlikowske. Security experts, including Colombian Aurelio Suarez, say Plan Colombia has improved security, but it has fallen short on its original goal of reducing drug production in the region. In what is known as the balloon effect, increased army attacks against drug traffickers in Colombia has moved coca and poppy crops elsewhere. "And the quantity of the drug production from the Andean countries like Bolivia, Peru and Colombia is the same as 10 years ago," says Suarez. Salud Hernandez, a journalist who has traveled extensively in areas where coca is grown, has witnessed the balloon effect. She says drug traffickers just move to other countries, but also relocate within Colombia. "There are still drug dealers [in Colombia]. There's still a lot of drug trafficking, and there are still a lot of crops in many regions of the country," says Hernandez. What's even more troublesome, the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue says that roughly 90% of cocaine sold in the United States still comes from Colombia. Michael Shifter, the organization's president, says that "Plan Colombia's many critics rightly point to the policy's failure to meet the fundamental purpose for which the program was developed: To reduce the availability of drugs, particularly cocaine in U.S. communities," says Shifter. In Colombia there's a new push to refocus government efforts on improving socioeconomic conditions for the population as a means of making organized crime and guerrillas associated with drug traffickers less appealing to peasants who live in marginalized areas. Colombia's problems go well beyond drug trafficking and security. About 50% of Colombians live in poverty, and 60% have no regular employment. Now that security has improved, many Colombians such as security analyst Suarez say it's time for the Colombian government to address issues such as social inequality and long-term development as a way to slow down the seemingly never-ending production of illicit drugs in Colombia. | Since 2000, U.S. has funded anti-drug initiative "Plan Colombia" at cost of $7 billion .
One of the architects of plan points out democracy has been strengthened in Colombia .
Critics point out that 90% of cocaine sold in U.S. comes from Colombia .
U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske will visit this week to check on progress of anti-drug effort . |
235,307 | bc9d57706721697855f43c451c851dad98a0446b | (CNN) -- For Clem Pellett, tracking down his grandfather's killer was not his original mission. "I was just putting together an old family story ... and these serendipitous events happened, and we accidentally caught him," Pellett, of Bellevue, Washington, told CNN in a phone interview Wednesday. That "old family story" focuses on two men: Clarence Pellet -- a grandfather that Clem Pellett never knew -- and a drifter named Frank Dryman. According to the Montana Department of Corrections, on April 4, 1951, Clarence Pellett picked up a hitchhiker near Shelby, Montana. The hitchhiker was Dryman, then a 19-year-old drifter who was carrying a loaded gun that, according to the state, he used to shoot and kill Clarence Pellett on the side of windswept Montana road. Dryman took the car and drove to Canada, where he was later arrested for the murder, according to the Montana Department of Corrections. After several trials and appeals, Dryman was convicted in Montana and sentenced to life in prison, then paroled in 1969, according to state records. Less than two years after his parole, Dryman was listed by the Montana Department of Corrections as "absconded." He had disappeared. And that is where the "old family story" stopped for nearly 40 years, until last year when Clem Pellett came across some old newspapers clippings of the murder, which had occurred two years before he was born. "So what I knew of it (was) 'never pick up a hitchhiker,' and 'your grandfather died begging for his life,'" he said. "It's hard -- this is someone I never knew, but as I read, I thought, 'You know, this poor man who happens to be my grandfather -- his death just got kicked to the curb,' and that became the issue." Over the course of a year, Clem Pellett worked closely with the Montana Parole Board and with Department of Corrections officials, who supplied him with an old post office box number in Glendale, Arizona, and details about Dryman's unique knuckle tattoos. That old address was just enough to give private investigators hired by Clem Pellett the lead they needed, and the search for Dryman was on in earnest. Pellett never imagined it would turn out the way it did, though. "We thought he was going to be dead," he said. But 78-year old Frank Dryman proved them wrong. With the help of several private investigators, the search ended when Dryman was found living as a notary public and operating a wedding chapel in Arizona City, Arizona. In the sparsely populated land between Phoenix and Tucson, Dryman had "flown under the radar for years, but he didn't fool me" says private investigator Patrick Cote. "What I really wanted to do (was) check his hands -- for the tattoos. I knew that this fellow was probably the one, because I was looking for the letters L-O-V-E tattooed on his knuckles. And I could see he had old stars tattooed on his fingers to cover 'love.' I called up to the other investigator and said 'I think I got your guy,'" said Cote. Pellett informed Montana Parole Board officials and they worked quickly, contacting local law enforcement in Arizona. Dryman was arrested on Tuesday and is now awaiting extradition proceedings to Montana. "Whatever the justice system does I'm happy with it," said Clem Pellett. "Whatever happens, happens." | Frank Dryman was convicted of killing Clarence Pellett on a roadside in 1951 .
Dryman was entenced to life in prison, then paroled in 1969, and disappeared .
Pellett's grandson worked Montana authorities and found him in Arizona .
Dryman was arrested Tuesday and awaits extradition to Montana . |
28,194 | 4fed70b6e337f24aac8e79d4f6b03e139e157f9c | Beijing (CNN) -- At least 175 people have died from flooding this month in southern and eastern China, the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs said Monday. Another 86 people are missing from the flooding that began with rainfall on June 3. The ministry said 13 provinces have been affected, more than 1.6 million people have been evacuated, and the direct economic losses has reached 35.02 billion yuan ($5.4 billion). The flooding has destroyed at least 8,400 houses in Zhejiang province alone, a provincial agency said. More than 4.4 million have been affected by the flooding in Zhejiang as of Monday, according to the Zhejiang Flood Control Office. About 292,000 have been evacuated, according to the agency's website. The direct economic loss in Zhejiang has reached 7.69 billion yuan ($1.18 billion), the agency said. Zhao Fayuan, director of the Zhejiang Flood Control Office, said the areas around the Qiantang and Dongtiao rivers have been the most severely affected. In Zhoushan, about 155 kilometers (95 miles) southeast of Shanghai, massive pools of water submerged homes in a section of the city on Tuesday, leaving only the tops of power poles as clues of the community underneath. Residents fear waters may not recede for another week. At least 171,000 hectares (422,550 acres) of crops have been destroyed by flooding, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing data from local officials. A Zhejiang official said more than 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) of dikes were in danger of overflowing near Lanxi city, according to Xinhua. The southern province of Jiangxi is grappling with the worst flooding on record there. At least 40,000 people have been evacuated from flooding over the weekend. "The farmlands are severely affected by the flood," Qiu Qiyong of the Jiangxi Flood Control and Drought Relief Office said Monday. He said the economic loss over two days reached 0.836 billion yuan ($129 million). Residents in Jiangxi got a bit of a respite Monday, as rainfall stopped and water levels decreased. Some of those evacuated were able to return to their homes. Hubei province -- where the Three Gorges Dam is located -- has suffered significant flooding, according to Xinhua. And the rains caused water levels in dozens of reservoirs in neighboring Hunan province "to exceed alarming levels," the news agency said. The flooding ended the worst drought to hit southern China in 50 years. It came a month after the Chinese government acknowledged that Three Gorges Dam -- the world's largest hydropower plant -- was having "urgent problems" and warned of environmental, construction and migration "disasters." The dam was originally touted for its ability to control the impact of flooding that threatens the Yangtze River Delta each summer. But more than 1,000 towns and villages were flooded during the digging and construction of the dam's giant concrete barrier. And landslides and pollution have plagued the areas near the dam since it was built. | NEW: Residents fear waters may not recede for another week .
Direct economic losses reach 35.02 billion yuan ($5.4 billion)
Flooding has impacted 13 provinces since June 3 .
At least 8,400 houses are destroyed in Zhejiang province alone . |
64,326 | b6acd42e26b7a5ffe30fca0ee86c0fa3f098eda7 | By . Anna Hodgekiss for MailOnline . A beauty therapist who went abroad for a bargain boob job was horrified when the implants burst through her skin just days later, nearly killing her. Claire Hawker, 30, had been recommended the cosmetic surgeon in Prague by a friend and was initially delighted with her new figure. But just days after returning home, her size G breasts started leaking a brown discharge and suddenly burst. Scroll down for video . Claire Hawker was nearly killed by a boob job she had abroad after developing a raging infection . Ms Hawker before the breast enlargement (image right, pictured right). The mother-of-two said her confidence was at an all-time low because her breasts were sagging and different sizes, with one a B cup and one a C . After being rushed to hospital, surgeons warned the mother-of-two she would die if the implants were not removed immediately. ‘I remember feeling scared then angry when I was told my implants would have to be taken out - but I had no choice,' says Ms Hawker, from Reading. 'I had wanted bigger boobs for almost a decade because they had really sagged after having children. My confidence was rock bottom.' While one breast was a 34B cup, the was other a C - and both began to droop following the birth of her daughter, Jasmine, at 17. ‘Working in the beauty industry it was important to me to look good and feel confident, though I hadn’t for a very long time,’ said Ms Hawker. ‘I would look in the mirror and feel so self-conscious about that part of my body. I wished my breasts could be bigger.’ But as a single mother, she couldn't afford expensive cosmetic surgery. 'It got to the point where my appearance was affecting how I felt at work, though. As a beauty therapist it was critical I looked and felt good, but my clothes hung on me like a sack of potatoes.’ Then in July 2008 a friend who’d had liposuction at a cosmetic surgery in Prague recommended the clinic to Ms Hawker. After researching the clinic online, she discovered she could have a breast uplift and implants for £2,300 – a third of the cost she would pay in the UK. Friends and family also backed her decision to go abroad, so she took out a loan for £4,000 to cover flights and expenses. Video courtesy of Tariq Ahmad Practice . She was also unhappy with her uneven breasts (left) and hoped surgery would sort the problem out. But even a week after surgery in Prague, she was in agonising pain (right) 'A year later as I got on the plane to Prague, I was so excited about having the body I'd always dreamed of,' she said. After five days exploring the city, Ms Hawker met the surgeon who would perform her procedure. She said: 'The receptionist at the clinic explained the surgeon didn’t speak much English, so I should show him photos of what I wanted. ‘But I assured myself he knew what he was doing and I showed him some magazine clippings of celebs with size G breasts, like I wanted.’ However on waking up two hours after the op, she was in total agony. 'My breasts were bandaged up so I couldn’t seem them and there was pain shooting through my chest. 'I told my friend I thought I was going to die.’ The next day, her bandages were changed again before she was discharged - still without having seen her new breasts. Surgeons told Ms Hawker her implants were too big. This had ripped open the skin around them, which had become infected . Even as she boarded the plane home the day after, her breasts continued to ache and she took some tablets the surgery had given her to ease her suffering. 'I figured I should expect some pain following surgery, so I did my best not to worry,' she said. Back home, she spent the following few days slumped on the sofa, barely able to move her arms for the pain. But a week later, despite still being bandaged up, she decided she was ready to visit the salon where she worked to show her mother and colleagues her new breasts. As she lifted her top however, she noticed her bra was damp and a brown, smelly discharge was leaking from her left breast. ‘My mum said she could see my implant poking out of a 50p sized hole in my skin, which had burst open.’ After being rushed to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, a surgeon examined her breast. As he did, the skin under her right breast split too. ‘He said my implants were too big and they’d ripped open the skin around them, which had become infected. 'They had to be removed or I would die.' He added she was the fourth person he'd seen that week who's been the victim of botched cosmetic surgery abroad. Later that day Ms Hawker was taken in to theatre to have her implants removed and she spent the next week having the infection washed out of them. 'I spent two weeks in hospital and regretted going overseas so much,' she said. 'It really hadn’t been worth it.’ Even after being discharged, Ms Hawker had to return every two weeks for the next year so that nurses could clean her wounds and check her breasts were healing. But nothing can repair her confidence, which is now even lower, having been left with small breasts and horrific scarring. She said: ‘My breasts looked even worse than before and I worried even if I got new implants, the skin under them would always look like I’d been burnt. ‘At least the uplift I’d received overseas hadn’t gone wrong, so my breasts looked alright when I wore strappy tops. ‘But I continued to miss the fullness my new breasts had given me and my confidence, at work and going out with friends, and I felt at an all-time low.’ She was told she would have to wait at least two years - and until she’d made a full recovery - before she could have further surgery. Though it would cost her thousands - and she was still paying off her loan for her original surgery, Ms Hawker said she couldn't stay the way she was. Then in May 2013, she spotted a magazine ad recruiting people for a documentary about botched cosmetic surgery called Botched Up Bodies. In return they’d receive free corrective surgery. Last year Ms Hawker underwent further surgery in the UK to correct the damage and enlarge her breasts again . She said: 'Having this surgery changed my life. I’m more confident now and love receiving compliments. I just wish I hadn't risked my life the first time for cheap cosmetic surgery' Ms Hawker said: ‘I was anxious about appearing on TV but my mum encouraged me and I decided it was worth it to get the body I wanted.’ At Royal Welbeck Hospital, in London, a leading cosmetic surgeon Dr Nick Percival, from Cosmetic Surgery Partners, examined her and recommended an E cup. On the day of her surgery last June she admits feeling nervous. 'But when I came round hours later - not in any pain and with new 34E breasts - she was thrilled. Then in November, she had a second procedure to remove the scar tissue she’d lived with for three years. She said: ‘Having this surgery changed my life. I’m more confident now and love receiving compliments. ‘I wish I hadn’t been so eager before to have cosmetic surgery. I should have researched my options and saved up to have it done in the UK. ‘Instead, going abroad almost cost me my life. It’s not worth risking it for cheap cosmetic surgery.’ | WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT .
Claire Hawker, 30, was desperate for bigger breasts as hers had 'sagged'
Mother-of-two was recommended cosmetic surgeon in Prague by a friend .
Paid £4,000 for flights and surgery - but surgeon spoke little English .
Was still in excruciating pain a week after the op and noticed breast leaking .
At hospital, surgeons said implants were too big and had ripped the skin .
Without immediate removal, the infection raging in her body would kill her .
Later had repair surgery after appearing on TV show Botched Up Bodies . |
216,075 | a3b754a5dcf0e454f35cf2e08a088dc04f560cc7 | By . John Drayton . For a tournament that started so well for Xabi Alonso, the 2014 World Cup turned into such a nightmare that the Spain midfielder needed a break to get away from the game. The Real Madrid star has enjoyed a holiday between Spain's unexpected group stage exit in Brazil and the start of the new season by spending time away with his wife, Nagore Aramburu. It wasn't all as a result of Spain's early exit though as the couple were staying at the Hotel Spendido in Portofino to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Grab a towel: Xabi Alonso was spending time in Italy with his wife Nagore Aramburu . Reveal: Nagoe Aramburu shows off her bikini before sitting by the pool with Xabi Alonso . Alonso, 32, made use of the facilities around him as he sat on a sun lounger, but also kept the exercise up with a swim in the pool. The former Liverpool midfielder scored Spain's opening goal as they took a 1-0 lead over Holland in their first World Cup game, but it would be a match his side would go on to lose 5-1. The world and European champions would then suffer defeat their second game to Chile, ensuring they would be the first team to exit the tournament long with Australia, who they defeated 3-0 in the final group game. Keeping head above water: Alonso relaxes with a swim while staying at the Hotel Splendido in Potofino . Post-World Cup break: Alonso and his wife Nagore Aramburu were celebrating their fifth anniversary . Shock: Alonso was part of a Spain side that suffered a humiliating group stage exit as world champions . | Xabi Alonso celebrated fifth wedding anniversary with wife Nagore Aramburu at Hotel Spendido in Portofino .
Real Madrid star took break following Spain's humiliating World Cup group stage exit . |
114,498 | 1fbe613598070874202f28d3101dd080b3cfa774 | Cannabis smokers in their 30s have lungs so badly damaged that they look like an 80 year old’s, doctors have warned. They say that young adults who have smoked cannabis for less than a decade are turning up at A&E with a severe, rapid and advanced form of the lung disease emphysema. Some are in their 30s and in some cases their lungs are so badly damaged that they are put on long-term oxygen therapy. Scroll down for video . Smokers of the drug in their 30s have lungs so badly damaged they are put on long-term oxygen therapy while one man is awaiting a lung transplant, a study of users in a rural region of north Wales concluded . One patient, studied in Ysbyty Gwynedd, a hospital in Bangor, north Wales, is waiting for a lung transplant, a British Thoracic Society conference heard. Emphysema, in which the millions of tiny air sacs in the lungs are gradually damaged, is normally caused by tobacco and usually occurs late in life. It is thought the cannabis-tobacco mixture found in joints is more damaging because they are often smoked without a filter. Cannabis smokers also tend to inhale for longer and much of the cannabis on sale today is much stronger than in the past. Dr Damian Mckeon, a consultant in respiratory medicine at Ysbyty Gwynedd, who studied eight patients who had smoked at least five joints a day, said: ‘We are seeing young people on the wards with the lungs of 80 year olds after less than a decade of smoking cannabis and tobacco. Young adults who have smoked cannabis for less than a decade are turning up at A&E with a severe, rapid and advanced form of the lung disease emphysema (pictured) ‘Our study was in a rural region of North Wales but we believe these cases may represent the tip of the iceberg. ‘Cannabis is far stronger these days and we are seeing the emergence of a new severe form of emphysema – which could lead to people struggling for breath for the rest of their life. ‘We urgently need a detailed study across the UK which analyses the national picture of cannabis-use and lung disease.’ Dr Bernard Higgins, of the British Thoracic Society, said: ‘This study is yet another small but persuasive piece of a jigsaw pointing to a real danger of regularly smoking joints. ‘The Government should monitor this emerging evidence carefully and take it into account when considering future drugs and smoking policy.’ | Many, who are just in their 30s, are in need of long-term oxygen therapy .
One patient in Bangor, north Wales, is now awaiting a lung transplant .
Cannabis-tobacco mix damaging because often smoked without filter .
Emphysema normally caused by tobacco and usually occurs late in life . |
321 | 00f88099cf4ede416782f845635a3578081e2fa5 | A seagull has become the surprise star of a horse race - after it was caught in a photo-finish pipping a top jockey to the post for second place. The bird swooped down to clinch second spot by a beak after it photo-bombed the dying seconds of the 19.10 at Brighton on Tuesday. The race was won by 7/2 favourite Jewelled, ridden by Richard Hughes. This is the incredible moment a photo finish revealed a top jockey was pipped at the post into third place - by a seagull . Luke Morris, riding Sagesse came in second at the East Sussex racecourse, despite being just edged by the seagull. Spokesperson George Hill said: 'In all my years of racing, I’ve never seen a finish quite like that before. 'I don’t know what the odds are of that happening, but the bookies still gave Sagesse its proper result. The bird swooped down to clinch second spot by a beak after it photo-bombed the dying seconds of the 19.10 at Brighton racecourse (stock picture) on Tuesday . 'We are about a mile-and-a-half from the sea, and there are a lot of seagulls around, but this has never happened before as far as we are aware. 'The bird just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and was captured on Event Image’s photo finish.' | Bird swooped down to clinch second spot by a beak in 19.10 at Brighton .
Luke Morris, riding Sagesse came in second at the East Sussex racecourse .
But he was just edged by the seagull who was the unofficial second . |
6,208 | 11983bcfff961003d2a208838418e4761917b933 | Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has backed Adel Taarabt to prove he is capable of competing at the highest level of English football. Taarabt, who has made two appearances for QPR so far this season, was omitted from Harry Redknapp's pre-season squad for their summer tour of the US - but has since managed to edge his way back into his manager's plans. Fernandes believes Taarabt can replicate the form he had shown at Loftus Road before sealing consecutive loan moves to Fulham and AC Milan with the help of QPR's coaching staff. Back in the fold: Adel Taarabt starred for QPR in their Capital One Cup defeat against Burton Albion . Public backing: Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has put his trust in Taarabt . The QPR owner has revealed that Glenn Hoddle has taken it upon himself to keep a close eye on the Moroccan's development. 'Adel is a QPR enigma,' Fernandes told the Evening Standard. 'On his day he is the best, someone who can turn a game around. He has shown in the Championship what an amazing player he is. 'He has shown flashes of brilliance. Glenn Hoddle is very focused on Adel. He is a Glenn Hoddle player. He is flash, which Glenn was. 'Adel has got to get his head right. He saw my trainer about nutrition and he gave me a very good report on Adel. We are going to get a special nutritionist for him because he is like me. He eats all the wrong things at the wrong time. 'Adel sent me a text saying, "I want to show the world what I can do". Now he is focused on making it work at QPR. He is training hard. If we can get the best out of him, we are going to be the winners.' Close watch: First team coach Glenn Hoddle is keen on helping Taarabt resurrect his QPR career . | Tony Fernandes is confident QPR can get the best out of Adel Taarabt .
QPR coach Glenn Hoddle is working closely with the Moroccan midfielder .
Fernandes plans to employ a nutritionist to improve Taarabt's diet . |
228,245 | b3892d629b21a456092b4646d50ce3b80515307c | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 15:56 EST, 5 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:08 EST, 6 March 2014 . Essay optional. No penalties for wrong answers. The SAT college entrance exam is undergoing sweeping revisions. Changes in the annual test that millions of students take will also do away with some vocabulary words such as 'prevaricator' and 'sagacious' in favor of words more commonly used in school and on the job. College Board officials said Wednesday the update — the first since 2005 — is needed to make the exam better representative of what students study in high school and the skills they need to succeed in college and afterward. The test should offer 'worthy challenges, not artificial obstacles,' said College Board President David Coleman at an announcement event in Austin, Texas. Scroll down for video . New rules: Changes to SATs were announced today which College Board officials hope will make tests more relevant to the working world . The new exam will be rolled out in 2016, so this year's ninth graders will be the first to take it, in their junior year. The new SAT will continue to test reading, writing and math skills, with an emphasis on analysis. Scoring will return to a 1,600-point scale last used in 2004, with a separate score for the optional essay. For the first time, students will have the option of taking the test on computers. One of the biggest changes is that the extra penalty for wrong answers, which discouraged guessing, will be eliminated. And some vocabulary words will be replaced with words such as "synthesis" and 'empirical' that are used more widely in classrooms and in work settings. Coleman said many students who are terrified they will be tested on lots of SAT words currently have one recourse: drilling with flashcards. He said educators know that flashcards are not the best way to build real word knowledge that lasts, but 'when the SAT rolls around they become the royal road. Students stop reading and start flipping.' The essay will be changed in other ways, too. It will measure students' ability to analyze and explain how an author builds an argument, instead of measuring the coherence of the writing but not the quality or accuracy of the reasoning. It will be up to school districts and colleges the students apply to as to whether the essay will be required. Each exam will include a passage drawn from 'founding documents' such as the Declaration of Independence or from discussions they've inspired. New measurement: Essays will no longer be compulsory and wrong answers will not be penalized in the exams . Instead of testing a wide range of math concepts, the new exam will focus on a few areas, like algebra, deemed most needed for college and life afterward. A calculator will be allowed only on certain math questions, instead of on the entire math portion. A longstanding criticism of the SAT is that students from wealthier households do better on the exam because they can afford expensive test preparation classes. The College Board seeks to defuse that by saying it will partner with the nonprofit Khan Academy to provide free test preparation materials for the redesigned SAT. It also says every income-eligible student who takes the SAT will receive four fee waivers to apply for college, which continues an effort the College Board has had to assist low-income students. These are the first SAT upgrades since 2005 when the essay portion was added and analogy questions were removed. There have been other notable changes to the test, such as in 1994 when antonym questions were removed and calculators were allowed for the first time. The test was first used in 1926. The SAT was taken last year by 1.7 million students. It has historically been more popular on the coasts, while the other popular standardized college entrance exam, the ACT, dominated the central U.S. But the ACT overtook the SAT in overall use in 2012, in part because it is taken by almost every junior in 13 states as part of the states' testing regimen. Last year, the ACT said it would begin offering computer-based testing in 2015. | College Board outlined changes to the examinations today .
From 2016 students will be given the option of taking the exam on computer, extra penalties for wrong answers will be removed and the essay portion of the tests will no longer be compulsory .
Certain words will also be removed from the test in a bid to make it more focused on phrases and expressions people use in the working world .
The tests were last updated in 2005 . |
33,128 | 5e22bbfc7232418b8d2dd646b952e404df5bd048 | Cupertino, California (CNN) -- Apple on Tuesday unveiled the iPhone 4S, a faster version of its best-selling smartphone that includes a virtual "personal assistant" you can talk to. "When you think about it, only Apple could make such amazing software, hardware and services and bring them together into such a powerful yet integrated experience," the company's new CEO Tim Cook said at a press conference Tuesday at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California. The next-generation iPhone also will be available on Sprint's wireless network for the first time, in addition to AT&T and Verizon. A model with 16 GB of storage starts at $200 with a two-year wireless contract; the 64 GB model costs $400. An online presale for the phone begins on Friday, and the phone will become available in stores on October 14. Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder who recently resigned as CEO amid health concerns, did not take the stage at the press conference and was not seen by CNN reporters at the event. The iPhone 4S looks identical to a previous model, but it contains an A5 processor that the company says is up to seven times faster at rendering graphics and twice as fast at processing data. It has a personal assistant called "Siri," which takes voice commands and can translate speech into text. Siri also talks back, answering questions and reading calendar events and updates. "I've been in the AI (artificial intelligence) field a long time. This blows me away," Apple's Scott Forstall, a senior vice president for iPhone software, said after he announced the new service, which only works on the iPhone 4S, not on previous models. In a demo, Forstall asked the phone to "find me a Greek restaurant in Palo Alto." The phone pulled up restaurants from the app Yelp and said: "I have found 14 Greek restaurants; five of them are in Palo Alto. I have listed them according to ranking." Some people who followed the event online joked that Siri reminded them of the computer HAL from the movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey." "We are clearly headed to Terminator/HAL territory here. Humans are doomed. Deal with it," wrote Sam Grobart on the New York Times' live blog of the press conference. The voice feature also pulls data from Wikipedia and search engine WolframAlpha, among other information services. The iPhone 4S is also a "world phone," meaning it will be able to place calls more easily on wireless networks all over the world, not just in the United States. Among the other updates: . -- The phone also has "fantastic battery life," allowing people to talk for eight hours before needing to charge it again, said Phil Schiller, Apple's vice-president for product marketing. -- It features an 8-megapixel camera with a better light sensor, making it as good or better than many point-and-shoot devices. -- It will shoot high-definition video, and it has a new image stabilization feature to make YouTube videos less shaky. Despite some new features, however, some market analysts were disappointed that Apple did not release a more radically designed version of its smartphone, as CNNMoney reports. Apple's shares sagged slightly for the day on news of the phone's update. At the event on Tuesday, Apple also announced updates to its mobile operating system, called iOS5, which will be available for free on October 12. The new version of the operating system works on the iPhone 4 and 3GS, as well as both versions of the iPad and the iPod Touch. The iOS 5 system includes several new features, including a cloud service that will sync some photos and files from the iPhone onto Internet servers. A product called iTunes Match will sync music from the iPhone with a database in the cloud, making it possible to play your music on any device or computer instead of just on the one where you purchased it. The iTunes Match product will be available later this month, the company said, and costs $25 per year. A new app called Cards will let iPhone owners send paper greeting cards to people for a fee that includes postage. And, finally, a new social networking app called Find My Friends lets users share their current location with close contacts. In all, Apple says it has sold 250 million gadgets that run on its mobile operating system. The company finds itself as the top mobile gadget maker. The iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS were the best-selling smartphone models in the United States in the second quarter of this fiscal year, according to data from the NPD Group. Apple says it sold more than 20 million iPhones in the last financial quarter alone, up 142% from that same period of time in 2010. Cook on Tuesday said the iPhone is the bestselling phone in the world. We'll have to wait a few weeks to see how well the iPhone 4S continues that success. | Apple iPhone 4S is faster than previous versions .
It has enhanced voice-recognition features .
iPhone 4S goes on sale starting at $200 on October 14 .
For the first time, it's available on Sprint as well as AT&T and Verizon . |
187,834 | 7f3a4c5cff22e0ab43e5887776e43784df95fbac | (CNN) -- We all know the feeling of dread that washes over you when standing at the baggage carousel after a flight. "Did my bag make it?" In the last couple of years, another wrinkle has been added to the mix in the form of bag fees. In the past, if an airline lost, delayed or damaged your bag, you could get compensation. That's still true today, but what about that fee you paid just for the right to check your bag? Can you get that back? While some airlines will give you something back, the majority won't. That's surprising to a lot of people, and it doesn't really seem fair. Are you paying just to check your bag or are you paying for it to actually get to your destination when you do? Only one airline will refund your bag fees if your bag is lost, delayed, or damaged and that's Frontier, with its hubs in Denver and Milwaukee. Kudos to Frontier for doing the right thing, but very few others will do anything at all. Alaska led the way in compensating travelers when it first introduced its bag fees for the first checked bag. Now, if you aren't reunited with your bags within 20 minutes of arriving at the gate, you're entitled to a $20 discount on a future flight or 2,000 bonus miles in the airline's frequent flier program. There are a couple of catches. This won't automatically get put into your account -- you'll have to talk to someone at the airport within two hours of your arrival to get the credit. Also, it's only one coupon per person, regardless of how many bags were checked. Delta has also decided to do something in this arena, but it's structured differently. If your bags are delayed more than 12 hours on Delta, and you've paid the first and second bag fees, then you can get a credit as well. But on Delta it's a $25 credit for the first bag and another $25 if you had a second bag. Unfortunately, this is really the end of the line when it comes to getting something in return when your bags go missing. United has a bag fee refund form, as do others, but the only reasons it says it gives refunds are if there were duplicate charges, if you didn't travel or if you didn't actually check a bag. If your bag was delayed, it appears you aren't getting that fee back in any shape or form. Southwest and JetBlue, of course, won't refund your money for checking that first bag, because they don't charge a fee for those bags. Instead, they bake the cost into the ticket price, and you aren't getting a refund for that. There is a little bit of relief on the horizon from the federal government, but it's really minor at best. Regulation soon goes into effect that will require airlines to refund bag fees but only if the bag is lost permanently. In other words, if your bag is simply delayed for a day or two or 10, then this regulation doesn't apply. It's only if that bag is lost and gone forever. Not much teeth to this rule. So what can you do? Well, if your bag is lost or delayed, you can always try contacting customer relations at the airline. Depending upon the situation, that might be able to get you some bonus miles or a voucher, but that's the luck of the draw. | Brett Snyder thinks travelers should receive refunds if they don't get their luggage .
Delta has a $25 to $50 voucher if your bags are delayed by more than 12 hours .
Frontier is one airline that refunds bag fees if your bag doesn't arrive on your flight . |
137,390 | 3db0f8305ab9a5db458a48e1838bec5abc5354ab | A father-of-two was killed in a . horrifying accident when a giant inflatable ball in which he and another . man were rolling down a mountain plunged off a cliff at a ski-resort in . southern Russia. Denis Burakov, 27, married with two young daughters, broke his neck and spine in the zorbing accident, say reports. His companion Vladimir Shcherbov, 33, . was hospitalised with concussion and multiple lacerations to the head . and body, but miraculously was later released. Scroll down for video . Denis Burakov, 27, was killed in a horrifying accident when a giant inflatable ball in which he and another man were rolling down a mountain plunged off a cliff. Pictured: Mr Burakov with his two daughters and his wife . Tragic accident: One of the zorbing operators holds the sphere securely as the path it is meant to travel down stretches out ahead . The so-called 'orb' was supposed to . come to a halt at the bottom of a gentle snowy piste, designed for the sport, which originates in New Zealand. But in a terrifying accident filmed by the victim's friends, it lurched first to the right and then to the left. As he got into the giant ball, an . unnamed friend - who filmed the horror - is heard saying: 'Denis, you'll . be like Jackie Chan in the Armour of God movie!' Unknown to come: The pair set off on their journey as they are rolled down the slope by the operators . Bouncing ride: The giant sphere bounces down the path as the pair spin around while harnessed into place . An instructor is asked how far the . 'orb' can go, replying 'not that far' and explaining there was a man . lower down the mountain ready to catch it if it went off track. But as it is pushed down the slope, a man's voice is heard saying: 'Oh f***, it's gone in the wrong direction again.' Suddenly the male voice screams: 'Hold it, hold it! Hold!' Then he says: 'Ah well, it's OK, it'll stop by itself.' The ball crashes through rocks and teeters on the edge of ravine - before disappearing from view, over the cliff. Uncontrollable: The ball rolls to the bottom of the hill where people are waiting, but then suddenly veers off to left . Panic: As the massive sphere rolls across the path a figure can be seen desperately chasing after it . Desperate: When the ball rolls over the side of the slope it starts to gather momentum and turns . The friend filming the death ride plunge asks: 'What's going on there?' The voice replies: 'Nothing.' But then calmly adds: 'A catastrophe.' At this the footage stops. At terrifying speed, the ball had . plunged down Ganachhirskiy Gorge in the Dombai resort complex in . Russia's North Caucasus mountain range. Falling steeply and battered by rocks, it was pulled down relentlessly by gravity. 'The orb went on for about one and a . half kilometres, jumping on the rocks and hitting them,' said anaide to . local police commander Sergei Shuvayev . It came to rest on a frozen lake called Peacock's Eye. Surrounded by thick woodland it took . rescuers an agonising long time to reach the stricken men, and drag the . orb onto firm ground. When they got there, Mr Burakov from . Pyatigorsk, was still alive but he died on the way to hospital on the . day of the incident, 3 January. Speed: Although the ball slows at a bump - it is not clear from the video which it is - it then tips over and speeds up . Fatal: In the final shot of the terrifying video the ball can be seen spinning out of control down a steep incline . His companion survived. 'He was extremely lucky to get away so lightly,' said a local report. 'As for whatever they felt falling . down the slope it is hard even to imagine. Some compare the pressure to . what cosmonauts feel,' said the Stavropol edition of Komsomolskaya . Pravda newspaper. A probe has been opened into criminal negligence causing death on the part of the extreme sports organisers. The maximum penalty is ten years in prison. Tragic: Denis Burakov, left, pictured during a skiing holiday. Friends said that he had gone on away following the New Year . Family man: Mr Burakov with wife Ekaterina. It was not immediately clear if his wife and his young daughters were with him in Dombai . Astonishingly there were no barriers to prevent the out of control orb rolling relentlessly down the mountain. Friends said that he had gone on a ski-ing holiday following the New Year. 'He became intrigued about the orb . and the man said the trips were only 300 roubles - and that it was great . fun,' said an onlooker. 'Denis was known to love extreme adventures,' said a friend. He enjoyed visiting the mountains in winter and summer. It was not immediately clear if his wife, Ekaterina, and his young daughters were with him in Dombai. | Denis Burakov, 27, broke his neck and spine in the accident .
Companion Vladimir Shcherbov, 33, was hospitalised with concussion and multiple lacerations to the head and body, but was later released . |
52,256 | 940c868f09c5b695f26de9d254c224d63d19081e | Washington (CNN) -- The House of Representatives voted Tuesday night to approve a Senate bill to avert a feared fiscal cliff. The measure that sought to maintain tax cuts for most Americans but increase rates on the wealthy passed the Democratic-led Senate overwhelmingly early in the day. There was discussion about amending the Senate bill by adding spending cuts, but in the end, House lawmakers voted on the bill as written -- a so-called up or down vote. Get the latest updates from CNN's political team . The legislation would raise roughly $600 billion in new revenues over 10 years, according to various estimates. "I'd say let's take the Senate deal, fight another day," Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, told CNN before the House vote. He predicted the House would pass the bill with a "pretty strong bipartisan majority." "I'm a very reluctant yes," said Rep. Nan Hayworth, an outgoing Republican representative from New York. "This is the best we can do given the Senate and the White House sentiment at this point in time, and it is at least a partial victory for the American people," she said. "I'll take that at this point." The timing of the vote was crucial, as a new Congress is set to be sworn in Thursday. The legislation averted much of the fiscal cliff's negative near-term economic impact by extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the majority of Americans. It also extends long-term unemployment benefits that were set to expire. Had the House not acted, and the tax cuts enacted last decade expired fully, broad tax increases would have kicked in, as would $110 billion in automatic cuts to domestic and military spending. Read more: 5 things to know about the fiscal cliff . Dana Ford and Josh Levs reported from Atlanta; Dana Bash reported from Washington. CNN's Ed Payne, Matt Smith, Mike Pearson, Jessica Yellin, Deirdre Walsh, Lisa Desjardins, Ted Barrett and Ashley Killough contributed to this report. | NEW: House approves the deal late Tuesday night .
The vote was an up-or-down vote on the Senate compromise .
Lawmakers were under a tight deadline; A new Congress is set to be sworn in Thursday . |
208,860 | 9a74e4d22e884d40a1c95a6e2ecbcec06ced6947 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:24 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:24 EST, 11 March 2014 . The father of a newborn baby who was killed in an apparent dog attack carried her small pink coffin into a church today as mourners gathered to pay their last respects. Eliza-Mae Mullane was just six days old when Nisha, an Alaskan malamute recently rescued by her parents, allegedly attacked her in her nursery at home in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire. Her devastated parents, Sharon John, 42, and Patrick Mullane, 35, were greeted by friends and family outside the Welsh village's Holy Cross Catholic Church, two weeks after the attack happened. Funeral: Patrick Mullane, 35, father of Eliza-Mae, carries her coffin outside the Holy Cross Catholic Church . Horrific ordeal: Mr Mullane (centre) leaves the Carmarthenshire church with Father Pius Augustine (right) Baby: The coffin was covered with pink and white flowers and Mr Mullane placed it in the funeral vehicle . Emotional day: Sharon John, 42, mother of Eliza-Mae Mullane, wears pink for the funeral in Wales today . The order of service carried a picture . of Eliza-Mae still wearing her hospital ID wrist band, and the words . ‘Daddy's pudding’. Her parents both wore pink for the funeral, attended . by 50 mourners. People . carried pink teddies and heart-shaped wreaths into the simple 30-minute . service. The baby's coffin was covered with pink and white flowers as . scrap dealer Mr Mullane carried it into the church. Father . Pius Augustine said: ‘This is a terribly sad occasion for Eliza-Mae's . family. The whole community is behind them and they will be in our . thoughts and prayers.’ Two . children's songs - The Butterfly Song and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, . sung by Eva Cassidy - were played. Police who investigated Eliza-Mae's . death sat with her family and friends. Mourners: People carried flowers, pink teddies and heart-shaped wreaths into the simple 30-minute service . On display: An undertaker carrying pictures of Eliza Mae (left), and the funeral prosession arrives at the church . Emotional day: Mrs John is comforted outside the Catholic church in Carmarthenshire by fellow mourners . Walking in front: The funeral procession with the coffin and family arriving at the church today . On the back of the order of service, her parents thanked people for their kindness since the tragedy. 'This . is a terribly sad occasion for Eliza-Mae's family. The whole community . is behind them and they will be in our thoughts and prayers' Father Pius Augustine . And . in a statement released later, they said: ‘Even though she was an . important part of our family for such a short period of time, Eliza-Mae . will always be in our hearts and thought. ‘We will cherish the little time we . were able to share with her. She was a dearly loved daughter, sister, . grand-daughter and niece. ‘She brought joy into our family, and losing her like this has cast the most horrible shadow over all of us.’ Died aged six days old: Eliza-Mae spent the first three days of her short life in a special care unit at the maternity hospital where she was born . Memory: The order of service for six-day-old Eliza-Mae (left), who is also seen in these photographs (right) Appreciative: The baby's parents thanked everyone for their kindness since the tragedy. Mrs John is in pink . Eliza-Mae spent the first three days of her short life in a special care unit at the maternity hospital where she was born. 'She brought joy into our family, and losing her like this has cast the most horrible shadow over all of us' Sharon John and Patrick Mullane . She had spent just three nights at home when the dogs - Nisha and a collie cross called Roxy - attacked her. After police carried out forensic tests, the dogs were humanely destroyed. Ms John has two other children - Harley, five, and Lily-Rose, three - in their terraced house. An inquest is due to be held later this year into Eliza-Mae’s death, which happened on February 18. | Eliza-Mae Mullane was just six days old when dog apparently attacked her .
Killed last month in nursery at her home in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire .
Parents Sharon John, 42, and Patrick Mullane, 35, attended funeral today .
Order of service carried picture of Eliza-Mae and words 'Daddy's pudding' |
231,790 | b81b3a7eb589b417ec3924c190990eda42572ec9 | The head of the BBC has admitted he thinks the television ‘watershed’ is doomed. Director General Tony Hall openly declared what many viewers have long feared – that the days of the 9pm cut-off are numbered. The watershed - designed to prevent children being exposed to violence, sex and swearing – has been appreciated by families for decades. BBC Director General Tony Hall has openly declared that that the days of the 9pm cut-off are numbered . But now Lord Hall has confessed: ‘The watershed is still a useful way of judging the content and sensitivities, and taste and decency issues. But has the watershed got a future in 20 or 30 years’ time? I suspect not.’ There has been mounting concern that the 9pm cut-off is being abolished by stealth, with explicit content increasingly aired earlier in the evening. In particular, series such as The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent have been criticised for screening raunchy early-evening performances by singers such as Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. There are also worries about music videos that are available online and can be viewed by children of any age. In a wide-ranging interview in this week’s Radio Times, Lord Hall was asked about violence towards women in drama The Fall and a recent rape storyline in EastEnders, which is broadcast earlier than the watershed. He said: ‘EastEnders has been rejuvenated over the past year, and if that was all we did, I can understand the point, but at the same time we’re doing dramas like Esio Trot, Wolf Hall. 'There’s a range of drama and it’s right that our dramas look at very tough issues in a way that is sensitive. If [violence against women] was the entirety of what we did, I would be concerned, but it’s not.’ There has been mounting concern that the 9pm cut-off is being abolished by stealth, with explicit content increasingly aired earlier in the evening. Families have long-appreciated the watershed (file picture, posed) In recent months, media campaign groups have warned of a ‘slippery slope’, with increasingly adult themes featuring in pre-watershed programmes. The BBC featured a nude dominatrix in its hit detective drama Sherlock 25 minutes before the watershed. The watershed was introduced in 1964 and broadcasters came under increasing pressure to abide by it by campaigners such as Mary Whitehouse, who was ridiculed by some as being out of touch after she railed against broadcasters and artists whose work she felt was obscene. In 1965 she founded the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association, using it as a platform to criticise the BBC for its perceived lack of accountability and excessive portrayals of sex, violence and bad language. At the time, she was loathed by liberals such as then BBC Director General Sir Hugh Carleton Greene, whom she once called the ‘devil incarnate’. Lord Hall confessed this week: ‘The watershed is still a useful way of judging the content and sensitivities, and taste and decency issues. But has the watershed got a future in 20 or 30 years’ time? I suspect not’ But since her death aged 91 in 2001, a growing number of commentators have said her views on the dangers of broadcasting gratuitous sex and violence had been ahead of their time. In 2010 veteran broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, who fought for a new liberal age of freedom, admitted that she had come to agree with her one-time bête noire. And last month actress Julie Walters agreed too – saying she had been wrong to dismiss Mrs Whitehouse’s ideas in the 1970s. Last year, broadcasting watchdog Ofcom, in charge of monitoring the watershed, said a survey showed a record 78 per cent support for the 9pm cut-off. | BBC Director General Tony Hall said days of the watershed are numbered .
He said he suspects the 9pm cut-off won't be in use in 20 to 30 years' time .
It comes amid concerns by media campaign groups that there are already increasingly adult themes featuring in certain pre-watershed programmes . |
268,554 | e7dbff61577bdb12ef4b6efa9cf4681242cc0ede | Not content with creating a pair of fake legs so gamers can simulate lying on a girlfriend’s lap, Japanese developers have now gone a step further. Designers at Up Frontier have created a model with a fake pair of breasts that is fitted with pressure sensors, and connects to an Oculus Rift headset. When the wearer squeezes the model's breasts, a virtual character squeals with shock and places her arms over her chest. Scroll down for video . Designers at Up Frontier have created a model with a fake pair of breasts (pictured) that is fitted with pressure sensors, and connects to an Oculus Rift headset . A video of the breast simulator recently appeared on Japanese video share platform Nico Nico, in which a user called Ryuto was seen testing the breast simulator. In the video, Ryuto sees an image of the virtual girl on the Oculus Rift headset. Oculus was founded by 21-year-old college dropout Palmer Luckey. It is designed to provide users with an immersive virtual reality experience not only for conventional video games, but for other activities as well. Facebook purchased the company earlier this year when their $2bn (£1.2bn) deal to buy VR headset firm Oculus was approved. The firm is developing the leading VR headset - with a developer version on sale for $350 (£210). It will first be used for immersive games, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised the headset will 'change the way we work, play and communicate' - although virtual worlds could include advertising admitted Zuckerberg . The purchase of Oculus put Facebook in a battle with Sony, who have already unveiled their own version of a VR headset, destined for the PS4 next year. As the player’s virtual hands close over the virtual girlfriend’s breasts, in the real world their hands are actually closing on the model bust. This is designed to make the experience visual and tactile. Upon squeezing the breasts - which are made using foam from a novelty mouse pad - the girl squeals with shock, covers her chest with her arms, and turns her eyes to the ground. It was created by the same firm that created a virtual reality girlfriend with fake legs. When wearing the headset, owners of the lap can rest their head on the virtual girl's legs and talk to her. Using a video-game controller they can also stand up and walk around, but if they stray too far from the girl she will give them a 'roundhouse kick.' The Oculus Rift headset has been handed out to independent developers to come up with modifications. A commercial version of the headset is due to go on sale at the start of next year. And the virtual reality breast groping headset, complete with model, will be on display at Japan's Oculus Rift Festival taking place this weekend. Oculus was founded by 21-year-old college dropout Palmer Luckey. When the wearer squeezes the model's breasts, a virtual character squeals with shock and places her arms over her chest (pictured). It was created by the same firm that created a virtual reality girlfriend with fake legs . It is designed to provide users with an immersive virtual reality experience not only for conventional video games, but for other activities as well. Facebook purchased the company earlier this year when their $2bn (£1.2bn) deal to buy VR headset firm Oculus was approved. The firm is developing the leading VR headset - with a developer version on sale for $350 (£210). It will first be used for immersive games, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised the headset will 'change the way we work, play and communicate' - although virtual worlds could include advertising admitted Zuckerberg . The purchase of Oculus put Facebook in a battle with Sony, who have already unveiled their own version of a VR headset, destined for the PS4 next year. The breast simulator was created by the same firm that created a virtual reality girlfriend with fake legs (pictured) When wearing the Oculus Rift headset, owners of the lap can rest their head on the virtual girl's legs and talk to her . | Japanese developers have created a model with a pair of breasts .
Model features pressure sensors and connects with an Oculus Rift headset .
When the wearer squeezes the breasts, a virtual character reacts .
She squeals with shock, places her arms over her chest and closes her eyes .
The system is due to go on display at the Japan’s Oculus Rift Festival . |
185,440 | 7c308d77a4bc4f6f4762eed82fa134543c48602c | Jose Mourinho insisted Chelsea’s comfortable win over Tottenham proves his side can cope without Diego Costa. The Spain international was suspended for Wednesday night’s clash, but the Blues hardly missed their first-choice striker as Didier Drogba produced a virtuoso display. And even when Drogba was substituted in the second half, his replacement Loic Remy scored an exceptional goal to seal victory. VIDEO Scroll down for Jose Mourinho: Didier Drogba is remarkable, he's a team player . Jose Mourinho (far left) watches Chelsea take on Tottenham while Diego Costa watches (centre, far right) Didier Drogba filled in for Costa on Wednesday night and scored during Chelsea's 3-0 win over Tottenham . ‘We need Costa, but I think our mentality is the right mentality,’ said Mourinho. ‘We don’t have a player? We don’t cry about it. You give confidence to the others and the others respond in the best way.’ Costa is available for Saturday’s clash against Newcastle, meaning match-winner Drogba could find himself back on the bench at St James’ Park. However, Chelsea will be without key midfielder Nemanja Matic, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday night, through suspension. But like the Blues coped without Costa, Mourinho insists his table-toppers can deal without their midfield lynchpin this weekend. ‘Matic is suspended? No problem, no problem,’ said Mourinho . Drogba celebrates scoring against Tottenham as the Blues went on to record a 3-0 win over their rivals . Chelsea will be without Nemanja Matic at Newcastle, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season . ‘We’ll play another one, like Diego Costa. Did you remember Diego Costa tonight? I didn’t. We give confidence to the other people. ‘We don’t cry when somebody cannot play. Obviously Matic is playing fantastically well for us. But that’s the way we think. To forget him. ‘December is a difficult month and it’s almost impossible for players to play every game this month - certainly later in the month so I have to change some players. ‘Of course, Diego Costa is already rested and now Matic is suspended for one game so he will be rested.’ Spurs still haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since 1990, where Gary Lineker scored the winner - and Mourinho joked: 'I think Lineker is happy with that.’ Meanwhile, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted his players believed they could end their 24-year Stamford Bridge hoodoo. ‘If you watch the game again, I think the answer is easy: we believed,’ said the Argentine. ‘We showed we believed we could get a positive result, but this is football. The first chance they created, they scored. The second chance, the second goal.’ Loic Remy celebrates making it 3-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham . Remy helped fill in for Costa at Stamford Bridge with fellow striker Drogba on Wednesday night . | Diego Costa was suspended for Wednesday night's clash against Spurs .
Chelsea beat their London rivals 3-0 at Stamford Bridge .
Didier Drogba and Loic Remy were the strikers on the score-sheet . |
203,622 | 939a27e8d1f38fc92b635a518b3088fb33bea7d2 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Comedic actor Chris Kattan was charged with driving under the influence after his car slammed into a highway construction truck on a Los Angeles freeway early Monday, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said. Kattan, 43, suffered a bloody nose in the crash, but no workers were in the truck, Officer Leland Tang said. "It could have been a lot worse," Tang said. The former "Saturday Night Live" cast member failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the Los Angeles Police Department's Van Nuys precinct to be booked on the DUI charge, he said. It is suspected that he was under the influence of an unknown drug, Tang said. A chemical test conducted by police will help identify the drug, he said. Kattan was driving a black 2011 Mercedes on the Ventura Freeway where a California Department of Transportation crew was working just before 2 a.m. when the accident happened, Tang said. Kattan posted a message to fans on his Twitter account Monday afternoon: . "Those concerned or just adding gossip: I'm fine, passed all tests, released without bail, have drivers license, cop offered to drive me home" CNN's Henry Hanks contributed to this report. | NEW: Chris Kattan tweets "I'm fine, passed all tests, released without bail"
Kattan suffered a bloody nose in the crash, but no workers were in the truck he hit, police say .
"It could have been a lot worse," California Highway Patrol spokesman says .
The actor is suspected to have been under the influence of an unknown drug . |
229,668 | b56c787aa3b2c4cb52a2155057e3be71182a843e | A girl of three who featured in ITV soap Emmerdale died from horrific burns after her dress caught fire in a freak accident. Sophie Firth apparently leaned over a gas fire at her grandmother’s home and her clothes ignited. Her mother Amy Harhoff, 28, tried to smother the flames with a blanket, but Sophie was severely injured, with 70 per cent of her body covered in burns. Angelic: Sophie Firth, aged three, has died of organ failure after her dress was set alight by a gas fire . She was taken to Sheffield Children’s . Hospital and transferred to the burns unit but lost her fight to stay . alive on Tuesday – nine days after she was admitted. Her family, including her father . Neil, a project manager for Doncaster Council, and Amy, a traffic . planner for the council, were with her when she died. They issued a statement telling of . their devastation at losing their ‘bright and beautiful’ little girl. Sophie also had a one-year-old brother. She appeared in Emmerdale for three months in 2009 as Angelica, baby of Jimmy and Nicola King. The family had been living at the . grandmother’s home in Skellow, Doncaster, while renovation work was . being carried out on their home in Austerfield, Doncaster. She was due to appear in a nativity play at her nursery school next week. The fatal accident happened at the family home in Skellow, South Yorkshire on December 2. Actress: In 2009, Sophie played Angelica, the baby daughter of Jimmy and Nicola King on Emmerdale - the onscreen family are pictured together here . Heart-breaking: Sophie's parents described her as a 'little princess' after her death . After catching fire, her mother Amy . Harhoff, 28, desperately tried to to save the girl by smothering her in a . blanket as family members called for fire and ambulance services. The . house, where the three-year-old's family was living while their own . home nearby was being renovated, was not damaged by the fire. Sophie was taken to hospital in Sheffield for treatment to her 70 per cent burns and was later transferred to a specialist unit in Newcastle. She was given a skin graft last Friday, but her organs began to fail after she developed a blood infection. Her parents, who both work for Doncaster Council, were at her side when she passed away. They have spoken of their devastation at losing their 'beautiful little girl' and say they will 'carry their little princess in their arms forever'. Sophie's brother, George, turns one year old today. Soon after she was born, Sophie was . on the cast of Emmerdale for three months from August 2009 playing . Angelica King, before being replaced by Rebecca Bakes. Home: Sophie was injured at her grandmother's house in Skellow, South Yorkshire on December 2 . In . the soap, Angelica was born prematurely and suffered from breathing . problems. After being released from intensive care, she was kidnapped by . her aunt Lexi, who was upset at her inability to have a child, and held . hostage on the roof of the hospital. 'We are devastated to hear of Sophie's tragic death,' a spokesman for the programme said. 'Our sincere condolences go out to her family. Everyone at Emmerdale is thinking of them at this sad time.' Sophie's uncle Mick Harhoff paid tribute to his 'beautiful niece' and said the family would never get over the loss. 'Sophie was such a lovely little girl and she was exceptionally bright,' he said. 'She always used to say that she wanted to be a princess. 'You do expect that one day you may bury your parents but you never expect to bury a child.' A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: 'This was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the girl’s family and friends at this extremely distressing time. 'Any fire can be dangerous. We would urge people to pay particular attention to the risk of fires in their home during the cold weather and as we approach the holiday season.' | Sophie Firth spent nine days in hospital fighting for life after accident .
Succumbed to blood infection after skin graft following 70% burns .
Played baby Angelica King on ITV soap for three months in 2009 .
Emmerdale staff were 'devastated' to hear of three-year-old's death . |
88,559 | fb566ce204c73602b629dfd392cf6024761a4891 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:50 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 31 July 2013 . Abuse: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said using Twitter was not an excuse for 'grotesque' behaviour . Nick Clegg today backed a police operation to arrest Twitter trolls who have posted vile abuse and threats of rape. The Deputy Prime Minister said arrests this week ‘sent out a signal’ that using online messaging is not an excuse for ‘totally unacceptable behaviour’. Mr Clegg warned: ‘Just because you tweet something doesn’t mean you can start behaving in a grotesque, offensive, abusive and sometimes criminal way.’ He spoke out after it emerged internet trolls have been targeting female Cabinet ministers with threats of rape on video website YouTube. Several Cabinet ministers including Home Secretary Theresa May, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and International Development Secretary Justine Greening are among women who have been the target of a series of abusive messages on the Google-owned website. Earlier this week Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy was the target of abusive messages on twitter threatening her with rape. She was told on Twitter she would be tracked down and raped, with the terrifying threat: ‘Shall we meet near your house?’ More than 100,000 people have now signed a petition calling on Twitter to beef up its procedures for dealing with abuse. The petition states: 'Abuse on Twitter is common, sadly too common. And it frequently goes ignored. We need Twitter to recognise that its current reporting system is below required standards.' Miss Creasy was targeted because she had backed feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who suffered similarly vile online messages - leading one alleged abuser to be arrested and bailed. Abuse: One of the shocking tweets aimed at Culture Secretary Maria Miller on YouTube . The MP has also been subjected to abusive messages on YouTube. On Sunday Jack Riley, a car mechanic from Prestwich, Manchester, was arrested and taken to London for questioning over an offensive message he allegedly sent to Miss Criado-Perez after she backed plans to put Jane Austen on the new £10 note. The 21-year-old was later bailed. A 25-year-old man was also held by Northumbria Police on suspicion of harassment in relation to abusive Twitter messages sent to Miss Creasy and Miss Criado-Perez. He was also later bailed. Mr Clegg backed the police moving in to arrest people suspected of posting vile abuse online. ‘We shouldn’t blame the medium for what is totally unacceptable behaviour,’ he said at his monthly press conference. ‘I think it is right - really good . actually’ that the police have sent out a signal by arresting these two . characters – one in Manchester and one in Hull – for sending out these . highly abusive and threatening tweets. ‘I . think it’s good the police have sent out this signal that just because . you are tweeting you can’t suddenly behave in a way that you would never . behave if you were facing that person on the street. 'Just because you tweet something doesn’t . mean you can start behaving in a grotesque, offensive, abusive and . sometimes criminal way' Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg . ‘I just think sometimes there’s a tendency to believe that just because it’s a new medium you can behave in a different way – well no you can’t. ‘Civilised, grown up appropriate behaviour should be respect by people whatever medium they use.’ Twitter has come under growing pressure to act against people who use the site to issue threats to other users, with calls for a button to make it easier to report offensive messages. But the row wideneded with the revelation that similar threats have been posted on YouTube. Many of the expletive-filled messages have remained on the site's comments section, posted under videos featuring senior female politicians, for as long as two years despite YouTube claiming that it does not tolerate harassment or threatening comments. Targeted: Home Secretary Theresa May, left, and Culture Secretary Maria Miller have both been the target of internet trolls on YouTube . In one of the most shocking posts targeting Ms May, YouTube user Bufon63 adds: 'May, die and painfully. The world will be a better place.' A torrent of abuse posted under a video of Maria Miller MP describes her as being 'evil personified'. Shadow Culture Secretary Harriet Harman is also targeted on the website with one post four months ago reading: 'Exterminate the whore.' Abuse: International Development Secretary Justine Greening has faced vile online messages . The latest revelations of online abuse aimed at female MPs comes after several politicians were targeted by trolls on Twitter. Miss Creasy was the target of abusive messages on Twitter threatening her with rape. The MP has also been subjected to abusive messages on YouTube. Miss Criado-Perez, 29, said Twitter . needed to 'get a grip' on security and that the social network was . ill-equipped to handle episodes of sustained abuse and needed to work . more closely with police to deal with internet trolls. Miss Criado-Perez met Twitter directors on Monday night along with Miss Creasy. 'This will have been a wake-up call for Twitter,' Miss Criado-Perez said. 'It will hopefully have led them to realise that they are not equipped to deal with this kind of thing properly. They need to get a grip and figure it out.' A second MP, Claire Perry, received death threats relating to her fight against pornography on the internet. Television . historian Mary Beard was also targeted by trolls, but received a . grovelling apology from one after she publicised his abusive tweet and . other Twitter users threatened to inform his family. Oliver Rawlings, 20, branded Cambridge classicist Mary Beard a ‘filthy old slut’, and added a revolting sexual comment. Professor . Beard, who silenced Rawlings by naming and shaming him as a Twitter . troll, offered to take the student ‘out for a drink and smack his . bottom’. Threats: The latest row comes just days after it emerged that MP Stella Creasy (left) and feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez (right) were threatened with rape on Twitter . Vile: MP Stella Creasy faced threats of rape on Twitter this week . Hitting back: Miss Creasy retweeted the abuse aimed at her in a bid to highlight the issue . Rawlings used his own Twitter account . to send abuse to Professor Beard while she was speaking to Jeremy Vine . on BBC Radio 2 on Monday, about how she had been victimised by trolls. After . she forwarded his attack to her 42,000 followers – one of whom offered . to send her his mother’s postal address – Rawlings wrote: ‘I sincerely . apologise for my trolling. His aunt Joy Rawlings told the Daily Mail that his Twitter misdemeanours were 'totally out of character'. 'This will have been a wake-up call for Twitter. It will hopefully have led them to realise that they are not equipped to deal with this kind of thing properly' Caroline Criado-Perez, feminist campaigner . The . row prompted chairman of the culture select committee John Whittingdale . to say that Twitter bosses would be asked to give evidence to . Parliament. He said . yesterday: 'I would have thought it very possible that the committee . might want, in the course of our inquiry, to talk to Twitter.' Del . Harvey, Twitter’s director for trust and safety, admitted it was not . the company’s policy to automatically report threatening or abusive . messages to police. The . website does not hold information to reveal the location a message has . been sent from and therefore can not identify the correct local police . force, Ms Harvey said. She also revealed she had received . messages threatening to rape her on 'multiple platforms across multiple . sites on the internet' but chose not to prosecute. Trolls: Jack Riley, left, was held by police over threats to Miss Criado-Perez, while Oliver Rawlings, right, apologised for trolling historian Mary Beard . Ms Harvey told BBC Radio Five Live: 'We don’t have that much information about our users compared with other platforms. We don’t always have that information about where the message came from. 'If somebody called you and said, "I’m going to come over and beat you up", you don’t expect the phone company to contact the police. You certainly expect them to work with police.' A spokesman for YouTube told MailOnline that the website has various safeguards in place to try and protect users and members of the public from abuse and harassment. 'We don’t have that much information about our users compared with other platforms' Del Harvey, Twitter’s director for trust and safety . He said: Comments and feedback are a valuable part of YouTube and we’re always disturbed when a minority try to spoil the experience for others. Harassment and threats are not tolerated on YouTube. 'If users come across a threatening comment, they can contact us through an easy-to-use tool. 'A staff of specialists monitors the reports from the tool 24/7 and takes action to remove and, when appropriate, report threatening comments to the authorities. 'Users can decide how they want to manage comments on their videos. They can allow comments, moderate them, or disable them.' Hundreds of internet trolls were prosecuted last year, it was revealed yesterday. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had brought more than 1,700 cases to court involving abuse sent online or by mobile phone text message in 2012, up 10 per cent on the year before. A further 600 charges have already been brought against internet and text bullies in the first five months of this year. | Ministers including Home Secretary Theresa May have been targeted .
Some of the vile comments have remained on YouTube for two years .
The latest revelations come after a row involving female MPs and Twitter .
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy was threatened with rape on the site .
Twitter bosses could face questions from a parliamentary inquiry .
100,000 sign petition for Twitter to beef up ways of dealing with abuse . |
197,916 | 8c2c0ff082d60b5d2249459dbcd8a50553f22a10 | Napoleon famously said that 'an army marches on its stomach', but who knew that soldiers from across the world would be powered by such a diverse range of foodstuffs including Tabasco sauce for the British and a shot of alcohol for the Italian troops? Operational ration packs including canned, freeze-dried or pre-cooked food are dished out to many servicemen and women on the front line, providing enough food to get them through 24 hours and millions of pounds have been spent on making them as appetising as possible, with gadgets including heaters to warm the meals also included in the packs. British troops serving in Afghanistan find themselves tucking into favourites from home including chicken tikka masala, vegetarian pasta and jam-filled biscuits, as well as familiar brands such as Typhoo tea and Kenco coffee with a tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce to spice up their meals. Although the French used to include red wine with their ration packs they now must make do with venison pate and duck confit, as it is now only the Italians who are provided with any type of alcohol in the form of a miniature measure of 40 per cent alcohol 'cordiale' . Estonian troops snack on smoked sprats, stuffed peppers and halva, while German forces enjoy liver sausage spread and rye bread. The ration packs were collected from troops from across the world serving in Kabul, Afghanistan by the Guardian newspaper for a dinner in aid of charities School of Leadership, Afghanistan and The Afghan Schools Trust, attended by diplomats, aid workers, security contractors and other officials. As they are legally banned from giving away ration packs, the Americans were unable contribute to dinner, although US ration packs can sometimes be purchased in markets should they fail to make it to Afghanistan via Pakistan. Peanut butter, spiced apple cider, almond poppy seed pound cake, cranberries and tropical punch give US soldiers a taste of home while on the front line. Scroll down for video . The British ration pack contains a host of familiar items including Typhoo tea and a tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce as well as favourites such as chicken tikka masala, vegetarian pasta, jam-filled biscuits and boiled sweets . It is only the Italian troops who are provided with any type of alcohol in the form of a miniature measure of 40 per cent alcohol 'cordiale', as well as some minestrone pasta soup, rice salad, an energy bar and some fruit salad . Although French troops are no lobger given red wine, they can enjoy venison pate, a cassoulet with duck confit, a Creole-style pork dish, fish soup, a chocolate pudding and a Dupont D'Isigny caramel - as well as a disposable heater to help warm the food . The Estonian ration pack contains treats such as stuffed peppers, chicken pate, green tea, crackers and smoked sprats, as well as halva for pudding . Peanut butter, spiced apple cider, almond poppy seed pound cake, cranberries and tropical punch give US soldiers a taste of home while on the front line . Salmon fillet with Tuscan sauce, vegetable couscous, a packet of Baxters soup, peanut butter and a Bear Paw desert makes up a meal designed for Canadian troops . Spanish soldiers are given packs containing green beans with ham, pate, squid, powdered vegetable soup and cracker for their lunch, followed by a desert of peaches in syrup . Included in the German pack is liver-sausage spread to be served on rye bread, Italian biscotti and goulash with potatoes, as well as pots of cherry and apricot jams . Soldiers from Singapore are given pack of Szechuan chicken noodles, rice with mushrooms and basil, and soya milk with red-bean dessert, as well as other items such as energy drinks in a 'accessory pack' There are plenty of snacks packed into the Australian ration including a steak bar, processed cheese and a military-issue packet of Vegemite, as well as a spoon which doubles as a can opener. Main meals include tuna pasta and meatballs . The Australian ration packs, bagged up to be given to the hungry troops . The ration packs were collected from troops from across the world serving in Kabul, Afghanistan, for a dinner in aid of charities School of Leadership, Afghanistan and The Afghan Schools Trust . | Operational ration packs provide enough food to feed a serviceman or woman for 24 hours .
British troops are given chicken tikka masala, vegetarian pasta, tea, coffee, biscuits and Tabasco sauce .
Only the Italian forces are given alcohol, in the form of a 40 per cent measure of cordiale .
Ration packs were collected from troops serving in Kabul, Afghanistan for a charity dinner in aid of Afghan schools . |
201,717 | 91299495bc5c6a460b981d1ec8430dcaa8876a53 | Britain is to hand over an expected £600million more to fight global warming in the Third World including cash to build sea and flood defences. Angry MPs said last night that voters would not understand why money is being sent overseas when not enough has been done to shore up flood defences here. Earlier this year homes and fields in Somerset were flooded as a result of the wettest winter on record. Some local people believe the Environment Agency’s decision to stop dredging rivers was also a factor. Days ago pictures emerged of water rising again on the Somerset Levels. Scroll down for video . Britain is set to hand over hundreds of millions of pounds to fight build flood defences in the Third World despite fears that parts of the country will become submerged in water this winter. The River Parrett in Burrowbridge, Somerset, flooded 11 months ago and has already risen (pictured) The latest handout will be announced by David Cameron on Thursday, the day of the Rochester and Strood by-election. But many Tory MPs believe voters are sick of seeing taxpayers’ money sent abroad to tackle fashionable causes. The massive giveaway risks becoming a propaganda gift to Ukip which is confident of winning the by-election. The party has exploited public scepticism about climate change and the value of foreign aid. Some of the funding will go on flood defences amid fears that climate change will lead to more adverse weather. But Andrew Rosindell, Tory MP for Romford, said: ‘At a time when we in our own country have suffered from flooding and devastation, with potentially more to come, this doesn’t send out the right message. ‘The overwhelming mood in the country is that the first duty of government is to look after this country. It sends a confusing message to people affected by flooding here that we are spending so much on flood defences overseas rather than at home. I don’t think this will help us win the general election.’ Flooded fields near the village of Muchelney in Somerset which was completely submerged last winter . Residents are concerned not enough is being done to prevent flooding again this year in Somerset. A car and caravan can be seen in a flooded field in February . The donation will be handed to the new United Nations Green Climate Fund, which is being set up to help developing countries cut their carbon emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change. Government sources refused to disclose the exact size of the commitment last night, but confirmed it will run into ‘hundreds of millions of pounds’. The money is likely to be taken from Britain’s £11.5billion aid budget, part of which is earmarked for helping countries deal with climate change. Critics claimed handing more money to foreign flood defences 'did not send out the right message' One source indicated that Britain’s contribution is unlikely to be less than the amount given by France and Germany who have each pledged $1billion (£625 million). The US will donate $3billion. Mr Cameron initially appeared to suggest that Britain would not contribute to the new fund, saying the UK had ‘more than played its part’ in the fight against climate change. But, speaking at his closing press conference at the G20 summit in Brisbane yesterday, the Prime Minister confirmed a major donation would be announced this week. Mr Cameron insisted the cash was not ‘new money’ and attempted to play down the significance of the move. The Prime Minister said: ‘Britain has already set aside a substantial sum for green climate funds, and all we have to do now is decide how much of that already set aside money to put into this specific fund. ‘As ever in these things Britain will play its part and play a very constant part. ‘It’s been good that some other countries have been encouraged to come forward and put some money there. But everyone knows Britain will play our part because we’ve already set aside money, so when we make an announcement it won’t be new money.’ Peter Bone, Conservative MP for Wellingborough, said voters would not understand why their money was being ‘wasted’ in this way. ‘We have not got enough money to provide enough firefighters and police officers locally, so to spend £600million on what I would say is a wasted project just seems crackers,’ he said. Roger Helmer, Ukip’s energy spokesman, suggested Mr Cameron was engaged in a vanity exercise to maintain his standing among world leaders. Mr Helmer said: ‘Cameron is preparing to play “me too” with hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money. Money that could be better spent at home.’ | David Cameron to offer more financial help to flood-prone countries .
Water has already been seen rising again on the Somerset Levels .
Area was submerged in water after wettest winter on record .
MPs said sending money abroad 'did not send out the right message' |
42,209 | 7723adf8c7168a9dd008b889fa7c1532d87d1807 | Hollywood, Florida (CNN) -- Connor Boss appears to be just like any other contestant waiting to sign into the Miss Florida USA pageant until it is her turn to fill out the registration sheet. Boss, with her nose almost touching the paper, has trouble reading the form. Boss, 18, is the first legally blind contestant to compete for Miss Florida USA. Ten years ago, she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a hereditary eye disease that caused her vision to get progressively worse. "It affects my retina and my central vision, so my peripheral vision is intact," said Boss. "When I'm looking at people, I try and look around. People take me as being rude but it's hard for me to focus straight forward." Focusing is not a problem for Boss when it comes to her goals. Boss, a freshman at Florida State University, graduated high school with a 4.2 grade point average. "All of her tests ended up being read to her, even the SAT and ACT for college were read to her," said her mother, Traci Boss. It was not only academia where Boss excelled; she was her high school senior class president and captain of the cheerleading squad. Boss got her start in pageants after seeing her friends compete. "All the girls participated in this pageant called Miss Junior Harvest Queen and Harvest Queen," she said. Boss entered Miss Harvest Queen when she was 16. Triathlete with Stargardt disease sues over blackout glasses requirement . "I ended up winning, which was the coolest experience," she said excitedly, as if it was yesterday. "And I promised myself after that I had to try another one." During the pageants, Boss is treated just like all the other contestants, but she must rely on her other senses to compensate for her poor eyesight. In rehearsal, Boss pays close attention to where she needs to be on stage and how to get there. "She'll actually say 'four steps here, step down four steps, step down,' " explained Miss Florida USA Executive Producer Grant Gravitt. "She'll memorize it." Humor is also an important outlet for Boss when dealing with her disease. "I find a lot of humor in it, the stupid stuff that I do, like running into things, tripping all the time over things that I cannot see," she said. Although Boss is good at laughing off her missteps, she works very hard to avoid them, especially when she is on stage. "I think she's different than any other girl but not because of her blindness," said Gravitt. "I just think that she's an awesome young lady that is really coming into the prime of her own." Boss, who has as good a chance as the other 73 contestants at becoming Miss Florida USA 2013, says the older she gets the less importance she places on winning the crown. "I've come to learn that it's not even about winning the pageants," she said. "I'm so glad that my story can be shared and that at least if I can inspire one person, I feel like I've won already." Married beauty queen must return crown . | Connor Boss, 18, is the first legally blind contestant to compete in Miss Florida USA .
She was diagnosed with a hereditary eye disease at age 8 .
Boss, a college freshman, says winning the pageant isn't why she's competing .
'If I can inspire one person, I feel like I've won already,' she says . |
33,398 | 5f00573a36baf359c3a0c4699a6832a0fa9a7146 | Still smiling? Nick Buckles, chief executive of GS4, does not know if all Olympic security staff will be able to speak English . Having been forced to apologise for failing to recruit enough Olympics security staff G4S's boss was left red-faced again today after he admitted he had no idea if those who are working could speak English. Asked whether all the security guards the company had recruited could speak fluent English, chief executive Nick Buckles said it was a 'difficult question to answer'. He added: 'I am pretty . sure that they can, but I can’t say categorically as I sit here today.' Later asked the same question by Sky Mr . Buckles said: 'As part of the SIA (Security Industry Authority) training . and as part of the SIA certification you have to be able to speak . English. That’s the standard for the UK security industry.' The G4S supremo's latest revelation follows his apology for failing to provide enough security for the games - causing the army to be drafted in to plug the hole. Mr Buckles, who earns £1.2million a year, said accepted full responsibility for the fiasco over providing guards for the Olympics and has today confirmed the penalty . payment would be in the range of £10million to £20million as a result of the . firm’s failure to meet its commitments. In a statement late last night, the . company disclosed that it stood to lose up to £50 million on its £284 . million contract with the Games organisers, Locog, as a result of the . fiasco. It said it ‘deeply regrets’ the mistakes . which led to 3,500 servicemen being summoned at the 11th hour to plug . gaps in its Olympics security operation. The admission apparently . followed heated discussions with furious Home Office officials. Today G4S has said it will meet the full cost of deploying thousands of extra troops to the London Olympics after it failed to supply sufficient numbers of security guards. However Mr Buckles said that the bulk of the loss would come from paying the Ministry of Defence to supply 3,500 additional troops to make up the shortfall. 'We accept that we underestimated the task of supplying staff for the Olympics. We deeply regret that,' Mr Buckles told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. Despite having signed the initial contract in 2010, Mr Buckles said that he had only realised 'eight or nine days ago' that there would be a shortfall in the numbers. 'We are recruiting a large number of people, they are all working through a process of interview, two or three different degrees of training, licensing, accreditation,' he said. Reinforcements: Police patrol the River Lea near the Olympic stadium in a powerboat. They will be providing extra security and emergency responses if anything happens . 'Our review process was around the number of people applying for interviews, we had 100,000 of those, the number of people interviewed which was 50,000. 'So basically you work through that process of numbers and as they were getting ready for deployment over a period of time, it’s only when you get closer and closer to the Games that your realise that the number isn’t as high as you expect.' The Daily Mail has also revealed . police would also have to deploy several hundred extra officers to do . work which should have been done by G4S guards. Senior police officers welcomed G4S’s apology, but privately expressed fears that it was ‘too little and too late’. G4S said it accepted responsibility for the additional cost of the increased military deployment. It is the first open acknowledgement by chief executive Nick Buckles that the world’s largest security provider has dismally failed in its obligations to provide 10,000 staff for Olympic venues since news of the recruitment scandal emerged on Wednesday. ‘The company is also incurring other significant costs as it endeavours to meet the contract challenges,’ the firm admitted. ‘Whilst it is not possible to gauge the precise financial impact, it is estimated that the company will incur a loss on the contract in the range of £35 million to £50 million, all of which will fall in the current financial year.’ Call up: Extra police have been drafted in to fill the gaps in Olympics security caused by blundering private firm G4S . It is understood the deduction in pay for the Olympics work will take G4S out of profit on the Games contract. In its statement, G4S said it had run into difficulties in processing applicants in sufficient numbers through the necessary training and vetting procedures in what it described as ‘an extremely complex workforce supply contract’ on an ‘unprecedented scale’. ‘As a result, we will be unable to deliver all of the necessary workforce numbers,’ it said. ‘We have worked very closely with Locog throughout the build up. At the point we felt that we could no longer assure the scale of the security workforce we had committed to, we advised them of the situation.’ Mr Buckles, who has been summoned to give evidence before the Home Affairs Select Committee next Tuesday, said: ‘We are deeply disappointed that we have not been able to fully deliver against our contract with Locog and that it has been necessary to call upon the additional military personnel. In partnership with the military and Locog, we are working flat out around the clock to resolve the situation. We are determined that together we will deliver a successful and secure Games.’ John Connolly, G4S Chairman, added: ‘It is a significant disappointment to everyone at the Company that we have fallen short of our obligations.’ Debacle: The officers will join an additional 3,500 troops who have been drafted in to help protect the Olympic park . As the apology was released, the Mail learnt that several hundred extra police are to be drafted into the Olympics security operation to fill the gaps caused by the blundering private firm. It comes only two days after 3,500 troops had to be called up to help protect the Olympic Park.The latest move is a major embarrassment to Home Secretary Theresa May, who is coming under increasing pressure over her handling of the affair. A senior security source said: ‘Behind the scenes, some senior officers are seething. They have lost confidence in G4S and are angry that they have been left to pick up the pieces.’ G4S admitted earlier this week it might not be able to provide enough guards, resulting in the Army being called in. Now, amid fears G4S will still not be able to provide anywhere near the revised number of security guards it has promised for the Games, police chiefs have been forced to put hundreds of extra officers on Olympics duties. On guard: Two RAF men show off their sniper rifles as the their helicopter hovers over London as part of the Olympic security effort . A total of 17,000 servicemen and women . will now be involved in the Olympics, including 11,800 soldiers, 2,600 . sailors and marines, and 2,600 airmen . They are expected to carry out basic functions such as guarding entrances, and possibly searching spectators and bags. Around 12,000 officers were already due to be on duty across the Olympic venues on peak days, but this figure is now likely to top 13,000.The decision to call in extra police was seen as a sign of the complete lack of confidence senior officers have in G4S. Retired Met chief superintendent Kevin Hurley said: ‘I suspect a number of senior officers who, with their teams, have worked very hard preparing for the Olympics will feel very disappointed at being let down at such a late stage by a private security firm.’ A total of 17,000 servicemen and women will now be involved in the Olympics, including 11,800 soldiers, 2,600 sailors and marines, and 2,600 airmen. Some 11,000 of these will be involved in the security of more than 30 sporting venues and some 70 non-competition venues, including car parks and hotels, while others will carry out specialist support roles. Overall, the security force for the Games will include a mix of military, private security guards and more than 2,000 unpaid London 2012 volunteers. Pointing the way: A steward directs arriving soldiers to the Olympic Park site using a novelty foam hand . Reinforcements: A group of squaddies walk towards an exit from the Olympic Park . A soldier cycles and carries a second bike on the tow path of the River Lea, where his colleagues are temporarily stationed . Last night it was claimed that management at a G4S vetting centre were aware six months ago that it would not meet recruitment targets it was set to provide security at the Olympics. A former employee told Channel 4 News the company knew in January that there would be serious problems reaching the new level of 10,000 Olympic security staff – a figure revised up from 2,000 by London 2012 organisers Locog in December. G4S has not yet responded to the whistleblower’s allegations. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said several hundred officers would be deployed at venues in Dorset and the West Midlands to plug the gap left by G4S. Met Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, National Olympic Security Co-ordinator, said: ‘This is not impacting on our existing plans for the safety and security operation, which we are confident we can still meet.’ The part of the M4 linking Heathrow with West London which was closed for nearly a week while a crack was repaired was reopened yesterday, but can be used only by cars. Buses or lorries over 7.5 tons are still banned. Thumbs up: London Mayor Boris Johnson greets a security staff member at the Olympic Park and claims the Games will be better because of an increased army presence . | Nick Buckles, G4S boss, paid £1.2million a year .
G4S says it will foot the £20million bill for army troops drafted to fill staff gap .
2,000 officers already due to be on duty at Olympics on peak days .
Move comes two days after 3,500 troops were called in to help .
Theresa May under increasing pressure for her handling of the affair .
Fears G4S will not be able to provide the revised number of security guards . |
40,713 | 72dab5f3f5064b035c9cfa05a36a2b6d29e14106 | Manchester United have confirmed that Wayne Rooney and England’s other World Cup stars will join the club’s tour party to America next week after new manager Louis van Gaal cut short their summer holidays. United’s players have been used to a month’s rest after major tournaments in the past, but the club are sticking to the three-week break stipulated in their contracts to ensure the majority of their big names are on show in the USA. VIDEO Scroll down for Rooney: Van Gaal is a great appointment and it's exciting times . Enjoy it while it lasts, Wayne! Rooney has been ordered to report back to duty for United's tour to the US . Van Gaal is anxious to have all the players together as soon as possible so he can start working with his new squad, and United are also mindful of their commercial obligations as they begin a £326million seven-year shirt sponsorship with American car giant Chevrolet. Strict: Louis van Gaal has cut short his players' summer holidays . United’s first game is the Chevrolet Cup against LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday July, 23, followed by three games against Roma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup. It means that Rooney and his England teammates Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw will board the transatlantic flight from Manchester just 23 days after touching down from Brazil. Soak up the sun: Chris Smalling poses with girlfriend Sam Cooke while on holiday after the World Cup . They will be joined by the likes of Juan Mata, David De Gea, Nani, Antonio Valencia and Shinji Kagawa, although players whose countries reached the knockout stages of the World Cup will be given extra time off. Holland coach Van Gaal has already told United that he is ready to go straight to work after the tournament even if his side reach Sunday’s final. VIDEO Van Gaal will rebuild United - Yorke . | Old Trafford chief wants players available as soon as possible .
United mindful of sponsorship obligations ahead of Chevrolet Cup .
England contingent to return to duty 23 days after coming home from Brazil . |
203,791 | 93d43a1442990de32f525ce02f8d9fed51e93259 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Bob Andrews lost his sight in the Vietnam War but the patriotic American is keen to serve his country again by helping to revive a Ryder Cup competition for blind golfers. Blind golfer Tony Shearman with guide Martin Poole. Former U.S. Marine Andrews was 22 when he was robbed of his vision in 1967 after a grenade explosion left him unable to see. Andrews only occasionally played golf when he was younger. But when he lost his sight his interest in the sport really developed and he became involved in the development of the U.S. Blind Golf Association. Andrews is excited by the possibility of a return of blind golf's version of the Ryder Cup, which was last contested in 1995. And as a former president of the USBGA who now sits on the board of the International Blind Golf Association, Andrews is hopeful the tournament can be revived. "I would love to see a Ryder Cup for blind golfers make a return. We had some great days back in the 1990s and played some great courses such as Wentworth," he said. "The Ryder Cup itself is really popular and I think that matchplay in a team scenario is ideal for blind golf so bringing it back is something we should all work towards. "Of course, there are different levels of blindness and provided that the criteria can be laid down -- which has caused some problems in the past -- then I think we could have a brilliant event on our hands." Tony Shearman, of the English Blind Golf Association, agreed that there is interest in a Ryder Cup competition for blind golfers on his side of the Atlantic. He added: "Blind golf is really growing and expanding as a sport in Europe and further afield. I think there is a real appetite among the top players here to get some sort of match up between the U.S. and Europe if at all possible. "We also have some of the best players, including current world champion Mike Loten, so it would be a really good contest. If something can be sorted out that would be brilliant," he finished. Blind or partially sighted golfers have a sighted coach who assists the golfer in describing distance, direction and characteristics of the hole, and helps with club head alignment behind the ball, prior to the stroke. From this point, the golfer is on their own, and it is their skill that determines the resulting stroke. Other than the coach, there is only one relaxation to the Royal & Ancient Rules of Golf: Blind or partially sighted golfers are allowed to ground their club in a hazard. Andrews, who lives in Florida, revealed that blind golfers use several techniques to aid them just before they make the shot. "Some golfers like to visualize what the whole looks like and get as much information as possible from the sighted coach to try and paint a picture in their mind of what the layout of the hole might be," he told CNN. "But I prefer to play the numbers game. What is the par for hole? What is the length of the hole? Once I know these things I can calculate the power needed for my shots and pretty much know how far I need to hit the ball and which club I need. "Without doubt, putting is the most difficult -- I try to read the contour of the greens through my shoes to get a feel for how hard I have to hit the ball, whether there is a gradient et cetera," Andrews explained. "A lot of the time, with advice from the coach, blind golfers can make it to the greens in more or less the same number of shots as sighted players," he said. "Most of the golf I play is against players who have full vision. And let me tell you they don't cut me any slack whatsoever -- not a single stroke -- especially if the loser buys the beer!" he joked. While the sighted coach is essential to the blind golfer, having an extra person can also bring a fresh set of problems. "Sometimes having a coach can overcomplicate things for you with the amount of information and often when they leave stuff out it can actually help you," Andrews explained. "For example, I would hit over a lake easier if I didn't know I was doing so -- but if I know it is there then all of a sudden it puts more pressure on you," he said. "The other thing is that you are playing as part of a team," he continued. "You might be on fire and playing the best golf of your life but if the other part of that team is having a bad day it can mean you don't shoot the score you want." | Vietnam veteran Bob Andrews is keen to revive a Ryder Cup for blind golfers .
Blind golfers usually have a sighted coach who advises them on shots .
There are relatively few differences between blind golf and conventional golf .
English blind golfer Tony Shearman would also welcome a return of the event . |
115,058 | 207dde026a0130543380f90fd7718456630d0d66 | By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 13:18 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:50 EST, 23 December 2013 . Alzheimer's disease could be diagnosed earlier after scientists pinpointed where it starts in the brain. The discovery means patients could benefit from starting treatment sooner. Researchers scanned the brains of 96 pensioners and tracked their health for three-and-a-half years. None had memory problems at the start of the study but 12 had developed mild Alzheimer's by the end. Discovery: This computer-generated image shows the results of the findings - that Alzheimer's disease begins in the entrohinal cotrex (shown in yellow), and then spreads to other cortical regions (shown in red) By closely examining the results from 96 adults, the scientists were able to see that, while 84 of the brains remained normal, the 12 which came to develop Alzheimer's shows reduced metabolic activity in the LEC area. The change, associated with declining memory, occurred at a time when all 12 volunteers were free of dementia. The study also showed how over time the effects of Alzheimer's spread from the LEC to other areas of the brain's cerebral cortex. One region especially targeted was the parietal cortex, an area involved in functions including spatial orientation and navigation. Lead researcher Professor Scott Small, director of Columbia University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, said: 'It has been known for years that Alzheimer's starts in a brain region known as the entorhinal cortex. But this study is the first to show in living patients that it begins specifically in the lateral entorhinal cortex, or LEC. 'The LEC is considered to be a gateway to the hippocampus, which plays a key role in the consolidation of long-term memory, among other functions. If the LEC is affected, other aspects of the hippocampus will also be affected.' Research: The insight into the debilitating disease was carried out by Columbia University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center . The scientists suspect Alzheimer's spreads through a kind of 'domino effect', whereby neurons affected in the LEC reduce the ability of neurons around them to resist the change. Two of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease are sticky protein deposits in the brain called beta amyloid plaques, and 'tangles' of tau protein. A first step to accumulating beta amyloid is the production of amyloid precursor protein (APP). 'The LEC is especially vulnerable to Alzheimer's because it normally accumulates tau, which sensitises the LEC to the accumulation of APP,' said co-author Professor Karen Duff. 'Together, these two proteins damage neurons in the LEC, setting the stage for Alzheimer's.' Tests on mice confirmed that the same changes in the LEC seen in the volunteers were associated with raised tau and APP. The researchers used a high-resolution form of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to map metabolic activity in the brains of the study participants. 'Now that we've pinpointed where Alzheimer's starts, and shown that those changes are observable using fMRI, we may be able to detect Alzheimer's at its earliest preclinical stage, when the disease might be more treatable and before it spreads to other brain regions,' said Prof Small. The new imaging method could also be used to assess potential new drug treatments at early stages of the disease, said the researchers. | Scientist from Columbia University in New York made the discovery .
They found the disease starts in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC)
It is linked to the part of the brain where long-term memories are stored .
Study also outlined how the disease spreads from the LEC to the rest of the brain . |
261,904 | df33bd6684e5583aa861c3d43ce97d98e31240c1 | With 100 billion neurons and 37 trillion cells, the human body is simply too complex to be artificially designed by modern computers. But in the quest to create artificial life, what if we started a lot smaller? That’s what team of scientists has done, creating a replica of the simplest form of life we know. The worm Caenorhabditis elegans has just 300 neurons and around 1,000 cells - and now a robot has been created that mimics the actions of this simple organism. Scroll down for video . The OpenWorm team from California is making a 'digital' worm. Their project is recreating the neurons and cells in C. elegans, the simplest organism we know of. By making a digital worm the team hope to create artificial life. They have implanted the digital 'mind' of the worm into a Lego machine (shown) The OpenWorm project, a global effort including researchers from the US and UK, is attempting to create the world’s first digital animal. Earlier this year they ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the creation of a worm you can download onto your computer. The Caenorhabditis elegans nematode is only around 0.04 inches (1mm) in length, is transparent and feeds on bacteria, such as E. coli. It moves around in water at a rate of about 0.04 inches (1mm) per second. Despite being composed of just 1,000 . cells, the creature exhibits relatively advanced behaviour such as . finding a mate and avoiding predators. The . worm has been the focus of huge amounts of research and was the first . multi-celled organism to have its entire genome mapped. And they have also created a robot that mimics the actions of a real-life worm. C. elegans is one of the simplest forms of life we know, thanks to its limited neurons and cells, and thus researchers have been able to accurately map its body. The worm, though simple, contains 80 per cent of the same genes as humans and can be studied as a more basic version of complex life. With a brain, stomach and bodily functions, the worm has provided scientists with a way to study life on a much smaller and more manageable scale. In this latest project the researchers mapped the entire physiology of a C. elegans organism. They then recreated the worm’s brain, cells and more in digital form, complete with neurons ‘firing’ to make decisions. Earlier this year the OpenWorm project ran a successful digital campaign to fund their digital worm (shown). Next year people will be able to buy and download their own worm for use on computers. The artificial creature accurately recreates the cells and neurons in a real C. elegans worm . In a recent comment on futrology site Edge, SpaceX and Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence. In his comment he feared that the risk of ‘something seriously dangerous happening’ could be in as few as five years. Although he doesn’t go into detail, he alludes to ‘digital superintelligences’ and internet bots as being among the potential problems facing humanity. In the comment he says the pace of progress in AI is ‘incredibly fast’. He continued: ‘I am not alone in thinking we should be worried. ‘The leading AI companies have taken great steps to ensure safety. ‘They recognise the danger, but believe that they can shape and control the digital superintelligences and prevent bad ones from escaping into the internet. That remains to be seen…’ The ultimate goal of the project is to give people access to their own digital worm called WormSim to study on their computers through the OpenWorm project. Following the successful Kickstarter campaign, this should be available next year. But they have also inserted the artificial brain of the worm into a Lego machine, specifically a Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot. By recreating the 302 neurons and 959 cells of this tiny nematode worm, the robot can then be left to ‘mimic’ the actions of a real-life worm. This means it moves around, runs into obstacles like walls and also turns. The robot is very basic for now, and does not possess the ability to perform more complex functions such as eating. It’s an important step, though, to creating artificial life that can think for itself. While this worm is a very basic form of life, it may be a precursor to making much more complex animals. This will be a huge undertaking, though - even a mouse has 22 million neurons in its brain. ‘The mere act of trying to put a working model together causes us to realise what we know and what we don't know,’ John Long, a roboticist and neuroscientist at Vassar College in New York State, told New Scientist. The Caenorhabditis elegans nematode (scanning electron microscope image shown) is only around 0.04 inches (1mm) in length, is transparent and feeds on bacteria, such as E. coli. The worm has been the focus of huge amounts of research and was the first multi-celled organism to have its entire genome mapped . Creating an aritifical brain (stock image left) is viewed as being the first step to creating artificial intelligence. Some experts even believe that the key to one day inhabiting far away planets is to get rid of the body altogether, such as how cartoon villain Krang (right), from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, did . | The OpenWorm global project is making a 'digital' worm .
Their project is recreating the neurons and cells in C. elegans .
It is the simplest organism we know of but has similarities to humans .
By making a digital worm the team hope to create artificial life .
They have implanted the digital 'mind' of the worm into a Lego machine .
In a video it acts and behaves just like the worm would in the real world .
Next year the team will allow people to download their own digital worm . |
247,297 | cc098727731a4acee03e2aaf5e5af4c58a5647c2 | (CNN) -- Earlier this year, Matt Keller sat down with officials in Afghanistan -- not to discuss troop deployments, suicide bombings or opium traffickers. He was there to talk about getting laptop computers into the hands of little girls. Girls in India take a seat on the floor and get to work on their new laptops. As Taliban insurgents continue to crack down on girls who go to school and women who dare to teach them, Keller was awestruck by the Afghan government's determination to educate all children, even if it means finding tools that allow them to intellectually grow in the privacy of their own homes. "For them to propose this was astounding," said Keller, who works for One Laptop per Child, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, nonprofit committed to creating and distributing affordable, durable and solar-powered laptops to the world's poorest children. "That hunger for knowledge, that desire to learn, is pretty profound." From Uruguay, Haiti and Mexico to Mongolia, Ghana and the small Polynesian island of Niue, at least 750,000 kids -- a number that will double by June, Chairman Nicholas Negroponte said -- are tapping away on One Laptop per Child-produced XO laptop keyboards. They're exploring mathematics, composing music and art, learning new languages, designing animation, collecting data, collaborating with peers across borders and accessing learning tools (including textbooks) that they would never see otherwise. Targeting current and historic conflict zones, including Iraq, Rwanda and most recently the Gaza Strip, not only fulfills the group's mission to offer equal-access education to the most isolated children, it may also promote world peace, Keller said. By putting laptops "into the hands of kids who would otherwise be indoctrinated," he explained, "we can make the case pretty successfully that doing this is a long-term solution to root causes." When the laptops, which incorporate free wireless Internet connectivity and open-source programming, first rolled out in 2007, they cost $205 each. Now, they're down to $180. The price is higher than Negroponte's original goal of $100 a pop, but it's a figure he believes will keep going down as One Laptop per Child finds ways to engineer the product with fewer components. The hope is that with corporate sponsorships and donations, collected through a program called Give One Get One, the computers can be delivered to kids at no cost to the poorest host-country governments. The laptops allow students to engage in learning differently, enjoy a customized approach and hone critical thinking skills, explained David Cavallo, One Laptop per Child's vice president of learning. And their mere existence, he said, keeps kids coming to school. Cavallo spoke of a school in Rwanda that lacks electricity and traditionally had a 50 percent attendance rate. It is now drawing 1,000 more students than its previous full capacity, he said, and is even attracting kids -- who in turn are teaching their parents and grandparents -- on weekends. "Rwanda is recovering from genocide," he said. This is a "real engagement of a society directing itself to a different future." And the kids, no matter their previous exposure to technology, immediately gravitate to the machines. Keller, the group's director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, recalled a visit to rural Ethiopia. As he passed out the laptops, he kept one eye on the children, the other on his watch. Seven seconds was all it took for an 8-year-old boy to flip open the never-seen-before computer, find and then hit the power button. Within two weeks, that boy and his classmates would be programming. Meanwhile, the nearby adults stared at the oddball objects and flashed the international look of, "What the hell is this thing?" Keller said. "Kids are technology natives, and adults are technology immigrants." Despite its ongoing successes, the downturn in the economy has taken a toll on the nonprofit. The last Give One Get One promotion brought in $2.5 million, while the first incarnation brought in $37.5 million, Negroponte said. And corporate sponsors fell from 11 to three in the span of 30 days, he added. Early this year, the organization laid off half of its staff, bringing the total on payroll to just 32. These economic realities, though disappointing, won't impede the mission, said Negroponte, who created One Laptop per Child with others from the MIT Media Lab. Thousands of volunteers around the world offer technical support and training, and serve as translators and programmers. "If we could get all the children in the world -- 1.2 billion of them between 6 and 12 -- to have a connected laptop, that would be success," Negroponte said. "Roughly half of those children have no electricity at home or school. The poverty is so extreme, and the environmental conditions are so extreme, we have to focus on them." The push has been to reach out to developing nations, but that hasn't precluded the group from serving American communities that can pursue the program at a scale that makes sense financially. Birmingham City Schools in Alabama, for example, now has 14,000 of the group's laptops in students' hands. Michael Wilson, principal of Glen Iris Elementary School in Birmingham, opened his building's doors last year as the district's pilot school for the free laptop program. "It's been an overwhelming success at our school," which has a poverty rate of 83 percent, Wilson said. Through professional development and a summer camp for kids, the school is learning how to best utilize the computers. And the students, who own their laptops, are learning about responsibility. They're "totally engaged in what they're doing," Wilson said. "I have kids getting out of cars in the morning with their laptops open." One of those kids might be Amicah Bitten, a fourth-grader who is using the computer on her own time to learn Spanish with her mother, Kamonia Bates. "It gets me more interested because she's interested. ... She doesn't put it down," said Bates, who used to take her daughter to the library when she needed a computer. "I like it because people can learn stuff," Amicah, 9, said after school. "You can listen to music. You can take pictures. You can also learn how to make different things. I can learn Spanish. I can learn French. I can learn how to use the keyboard. ... Yes ma'am, my laptop can do many things." | One Laptop per Child targets kids in poorest and most conflicted regions .
Laptops can help girls learn in Afghanistan, where Taliban cracks down on schools .
1.5 million laptops will be distributed by June, chairman says .
Economy may be a challenge, but goal to give equal access to all kids won't stop . |
28,524 | 50ea288615f9929cb2ac7b2821eb6a3c9ca84134 | At first glance, the new car unveiled at a motor show appeared to be an updated model of the Range Rover Evoque. With its signature body shape, lights and radiator grill and silver logo across the front edge of its bonnet, it was the spitting image of the British bestseller. But in fact, it was a brazen copy of the hugely popular UK-designed ‘baby’ off-roader – and a fraction of the price. The hugely popular UK-designed 'baby' off-roader, the £40,000-plus Range Rover Evoque . Chinese carmaker LandWind launched its own £14,000 X7 at the Guangzhou motor show in China last week . Little-known Chinese carmaker LandWind launched its £14,000 X7 at the Guangzhou motor show in China last week. Its uncanny similarity to the £40,000-plus Evoque’s distinctive design provoked an angry response from Jaguar Land Rover, which may take legal action to protect its brand. The British manufacturer has just opened its first car factory in China in a venture with local firm Chery. Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Dr Ralf Speth, pictured with Business Secretary Vince Cable . Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Dr Ralf Speth told Autocar magazine: ‘The fact that this kind of copying is ongoing in China is very disappointing. The intellectual property (IP) is owned by Jaguar Land Rover and if you break that IP then you are in breach of international regulations.’ But drivers looking for a fashionable car at a bargain price might want to wait for safety inspection results. LandWind’s earlier CV9 people-carrier scored just two stars out of five in European crash tests in 2010. | Chinese carmaker LandWind launched its £14,000 X7 at a motor show .
It bore close resemblance to the £40,000-plus Range Rover Evoque .
Jaguar Land Rover may take legal action to protect its brand . |
12,029 | 2220ad6258c01d47836ce24a0ee9bb20d7576e38 | Dappy appeared before a judge at St Albans Crown Court after breaching his probation order . A judge has ordered N-Dubz rapper Dappy to behave but said he will not go back to jail - despite breaching his sentence for punching a nightclubber. The 27-year-old, whose real name is Costadinos Contostavlos, arrived at St Albans Crown Court after he reportedly missed a probation appointment and showed up late for a 'self-control' workshop. He was serving a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty in September of assaulting a football coach on the dancefloor of Evissa nightclub in Reading, Berkshire. Dappy was also subject to a four-month curfew with an electronic tag keeping him at home between 10pm and 5am and ordered him to pay a fine and compensation. The attack happened after the rapper began chatting to a man's girlfriend and female friend and got into a brawl with coach Devonn Reid, leaving him with a bleeding nose. Mr Reid was out celebrating his 21st birthday at the club when he asked the rapper to stop talking to the women. Dappy denied the attack, claiming he had felt threatened by a 'group of six or seven big boys' at the bar and said he'd been pulled away by a bouncer before a punch was thrown. He was also serving another suspended sentence at the time for spitting in the face of two teenage girls at a petrol station in Guildford, Surrey, in February 2012, while on a night out. The former Celebrity Big Brother star and cousin of singer Tulisa Contostavlos, was also fined £800 last year for slapping a man at a nightclub in Chelmsford, Essex. Arriving at court on Wednesday, the rapper carried a packed black bag in preparation for a custodial sentence. Wearing a white shirt done up to the collar with no tie and black pullover, he stood in the dock to admit two charges of breaching the conditions of his probation that was imposed as part of a suspended sentence at Guilford crown court on November 6 last year. The court heard that on December 2, he failed to attend an appointment with a probation officer and on December 17 he arrived late for a 'Thinking Skills Programme' group workshop, which aimed to get him to improve his self-control and curb negative behaviour. At the start the hearing Helen Flavell, for Hertfordshire probation service, told Judge John Plumstead: 'There were two breaches of the order. He appears to have prioritised other things over his attendance on the programme.' Dappy leaving court after he assaulted a man in a nightclub in Reading (left) and Judge John Plumstead (right) who told the rap star to 'shape up and behave' She said that there had also been 10 breaches of his curfew 10pm to 6am when he had arrived home late, which amounted to two hours and 15 minutes. Jon Harrison, defending, said Dappy had 'outstanding commitments' to HMRC and his mortgage provider, but had recently received a 'block of money' to reduce what he owes. He said the December 17 offence was caused by lateness and was not a 'flagrant breach'. He said he had not caused the group session to be stopped. Judge Plumstead said: 'He will have to shape up and behave. Probation officers are not just there waiting to see him. They have a full diary and public money is being wasted. If he breaches the conditions again he will be locked up. It is in his hands.' The singer put his hands together in prayer as the judge told him: 'What you did is a form of rudeness. Probation officers work extremely hard. 'They are over-stretched, under-funded and short in numbers. If they make time for you it is important for you to turn up. I hope you have learned your lesson and will co-operate.' The rapper was fined £800 last year for slapping a man at a nightclub in Chelmsford, Essex (CCTV, pictured) Dappy, of North Mymms, Hertfordshire, admitted breaching his probation order and was fined £1,000 - £500 for each offence. He was also ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs, which he has three months to pay. The court heard he must stand before a judge in three months time for a review. As he left the eight-minute long hearing and told friends: 'Let's get out of here'. 'I have got to take it seriously,' he told reporters outside court. 'When I missed the appointment my phone had smashed and and I did not see a text. So unfortunately I did not know I had to go that day. It was a silly mistake and the second time I was late.' He said he had got his tax problems sorted out and had an album coming out in February. At the original hearing for the 2013 nightclub assault, his defence lawyer told the court the rapper was struggling financially, having put his house up for sale to pay large tax debts he had run up. Jon Harrison added Dappy had 'underlying issues' and wanted to 'address the root cause of his bad reactions to other people'. The singer has been seeing a psychiatrist, the court heard, who said the death of Dappy's father had had a big impact on him. In December 2008, Dappy pleaded guilty to two accounts of assault at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, Essex, after spitting in a girl's face while drunk on a night out. He was given a suspended sentence for 12 months, 100 hours community service, £50 compensation to the girl and her friend and £300 costs. In January 2009 he was arrested and bailed after he was accused of making death threats with a gun, but denied the allegation. Three days later he was removed from an Edinburgh to London flight by police after appearing to be acting disorderly. A year later, Dappy appeared on The Chris Moyles Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1 with N-Dubz bandmates Fazer and Tulisa. A woman in Boston, Lincolnshire, sent a text to the show complaining Dappy was 'vile' and 'a little boy with a silly hat'. He secretly copied her phone number and the following day sent threatening messages. His management apologised and offered her free concert tickets but the band was subsequently dropped from the Government's anti-bullying 'R U Cyber Safe?' campaign. In April 2010 CCTV pictures surfaced of Dappy taking the illegal drug Mephedrone in a nightclub and he appeared on GMTV to apologise. Shortly after the incident he was asked to leave Alton Towers theme park hotel in Staffordshire for allegedly smoking cannabis. In October 2011, Dappy was arrested on suspicion of assaulting the mother of his two children, Kaye Vassell, and was later released without charge. Four months later in February 2012 he was arrested and bailed on suspicion of affray, along with another man, after he was alleged to have spat at two women at a petrol station in Guildford, Surrey. He had been celebrating the release of his single Rockstar at the Casino nightclub and was on the way to the recording studios in Godalming when they stopped at a Shell garage where a brawl broke out and was found guilty of affray one assault offence in January 2013. He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. In February 2014 he was convicted of common assault and fined £800 after he hit at man at a nightclub in Chelmsford, Essex. The incident, which was captured on CCTV, erupted at Chicago Rock Cafe after clubber George Chittock called him 'a mug'. On 6 October 2013, Dappy hit a man on his nose at a nightclub in Reading, Berkshire and was convicted of assault at Reading Magistrates' Court. A judge handed him a two-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, a four-month curfew with an electronic tag keeping him at home between the hours of 10pm and 5am and ordered him to pay a fine and compensation. His most recent appearance at court on Wednesday was for breaching his suspended sentence after he reportedly failed to turn up to a probation appointment and arrived late for a workshop aimed at improving his self-control. He admitted the breach and was fined £1,000. | Dappy was ordered before a court after he missed a probation appointment .
He had been serving a suspended jail sentence for punching a clubber .
Judge John Plumstead told 27-year-old rapper to 'shape up and behave'
Dappy admitted the breach and was fined £1,000 at St Albans Crown Court .
Leaving court after the eight-minute hearing he said: 'Let's get out of here' |
285,773 | fe4d01dfc7fefaf607cf9f843c1383958d1c63f7 | Despite its poverty and isolation, . North Korea has poured resources into a sophisticated . cyber-warfare cell called Bureau 121, defectors from the . secretive state revealed as Pyongyang came under the microscope for . a crippling hack into computers at Sony Pictures Entertainment. North Korea has consistently denied it was behind last months attack and subsequent leaks but U.S. officials announced on Wednesday that the hack indeed originated from the Hermit Kingdom. That means Bureau 121 is back in the spotlight in a major way as the world awaits more details in the coming days about how the unprecedented studio take-down was orchestrated and what U.S. authorities plan to do in response. Powerful weapon: Jang Se-yul is a defector who trained as one of North Korea's 'cyber warriors' in the country's Bureau 121 hacker cell. He says the North Korea's hackers can launch powerful attacks on the country's enemies . Defectors from the North have said Bureau 121, staffed by . some of the most talented computer experts in the insular state, . is part of the General Bureau of Reconnaissance, an elite spy . agency run by the military. They have said it is involved in . state-sponsored hacking, used by the Pyongyang government to spy . on or sabotage its enemies. Pyongyang has active cyber-warfare capabilities, military . and software security experts have said. Much of it is targeted . at the South, technically still in a state of war with North . Korea. But Pyongyang has made no secret of its hatred of the . United States, which was on the South's side in the 1950-53 . Korean War. Military hackers are among the most talented, and rewarded, . people in North Korea, handpicked and trained from as young as . 17, said Jang Se-yul, who studied with them at North Korea's . military college for computer science, or the University of . Automation, before defecting to the South six years ago. Speaking to Reuters in Seoul, he said the Bureau 121 unit . comprises about 1,800 cyber-warriors, and is considered the . elite of the military. 'For them, the strongest weapon is cyber. In North Korea, . it's called the Secret War,' Jang said. One of his friends works in an overseas team of the unit, . and is ostensibly an employee of a North Korean trading firm, . Jang said. Back home, the friend and his family have been given . a large state-allocated apartment in an upscale part of . Pyongyang, Jang said. 'No one knows ... his company runs business as usual. That's . why what he does is scarier,' Jang said. 'My friend, who belongs . to a rural area, could bring all of his family to Pyongyang. Incentives for North Korea's cyber experts are very strong ... they are rich people in Pyongyang.' North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits an outpost at Mount Osung Defectors from the North have said Bureau 121, staffed bysome of the most talented computer experts in the insular state,is part of the General Bureau of Reconnaissance, an elite spyagency run by the North Korean military . Slowly advancing: Here, a North Korean student works at a computer terminal inside a computer lab at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang. The nation is increasingly online and according to defectors they harbor hackers to attack South Korea and their perceived enemies in the West . Despite its poverty and isolation,North Korea has poured resources into a sophisticatedcyber-warfare cell called Bureau 121, defectors from thesecretive state revealed as Pyongyang came under the microscope fora crippling hack into computers at Sony Pictures Entertainment . A U.S. government source said investigators had determined that North Korea was behind a cyberattack on Sony Pictures as the studio pulled all plans to release its comedy, The Interview, about an assassination attempt on the North Korean leader. Hackers who said they were incensed by the film attacked Sony Corp last month, leaking documents that drew global headlines, and now they have forced an apparently unprecedented change of plans for a major movie release. The United States may officially announce that the North Korean government was behind the attack in the near future, the U.S. government source said. 'The Interview' had been set to debut on December 25, Christmas Day, on thousands of screens. 'Sony has no further release plans for the film,' a Sony spokeswoman said when asked whether the movie would be released later in theaters or as video on demand. Earlier in the day Sony canceled next week's theatrical release, citing decisions by several theater chains to hold off showing the film. Sony came under immediate criticism for the decision. 'With the Sony collapse America has lost its first cyberwar. This is a very, very dangerous precedent,' Tweeted former Republican House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich. He said the hackers in Bureau 121 were among the 100 . students who graduate from the University of Automation each . year after five years of study. Over 2,500 apply for places at . the university, which has a campus in Pyongyang, behind barbed . wire. 'They are handpicked,' said Kim Heung-kwang, a former . computer science professor in North Korea who defected to the . South in 2004, referring to the state hackers. 'It is a great . honour for them. It is a white-collar job there and people have . fantasies about it.' The technology news site Re/code reported on earlier this month that . Sony intends to name North Korea as the source of the attack. But when asked about the Re/code report, a Sony spokeswoman said . no announcement from the studio was coming. The company declined . comment on Thursday. Sony Pictures, a unit of Japan's Sony Corp, is the . distributor of 'The Interview,' a forthcoming comedy featuring . a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North . Korea has described the film as an 'act of war'. Last year, more than 30,000 PCs at South Korean banks and . broadcasting companies were hit by a similar attack that . cybersecurity researchers widely believe was launched from North . Korea. Months later, the South Korean government's online presence . was targeted, with the president's website defaced with a banner . reading 'Long live General Kim Jong Un, president of . reunification!' Under the threat of terrorist attacks from hackers and with the nation's largest multiplex chains pulling the film from their screens, Sony Pictures Entertainment took the unprecedented step of canceling the Dec. 25 release of the Seth Rogen comedy 'The Interview.' The cancellation announced Wednesday was a startling blow to the Hollywood studio that has been shaken by hacker leaks and intimidations over the last several weeks by an anonymous group calling itself Guardians of Peace. A U.S. official said Wednesday that federal investigators have now connected the Sony hacking to North Korea and may make an announcement in the near future. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to openly discuss an ongoing criminal case. Taken down: A poster for the movie The Interview is carried away by a worker after being pulled from a display case at a Carmike Cinemas movie theater Wednesday in Atlanta . Sony said it was cancelling 'The Interview' release 'in light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film.' The studio said it respected and shared in the exhibitors' concerns. 'We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public,' read the statement. 'We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.' Seemingly putting to rest any hope of a delayed theatrical release or a video-on-demand release Sony Pictures spokeswoman Jean Guerin later added: 'Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film.' A movie theater worker sweeps rain water under a poster for the movie The Interview at the AMC Glendora 12 movie theater in Glendora, California The fallout from the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack that began four weeks ago exploded Tuesday after the shadowy group calling themselves Guardians of Peace escalated their attack beyond corporate espionage and threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 . Sony has said it stands by the makers of The Interview, a comedy about two journalists - James Franco and Seth Rogen - recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un . Neither attack was particularly sophisticated, but South . Korean authorities said North Korea was to blame, even though . 'hacktivist' groups - online activists who hack high-profile . targets in order to spread political messages - first appeared . to claim responsibility. Those attacks used rudimentary but effective malware which . security researchers later dubbed DarkSeoul. Also known as the DarkSeoul Gang, the hackers have been . involved in a five-year spree against South Korean targets, . according to a report last year by computer security firm . Symantec, which estimated the group included 10 to 50 hackers . and described it as 'unique' in its ability to carry out . high-profile and damaging attacks over several years. Some security experts have cast doubt on North Korean . involvement in the attack on Sony, citing the publicity-seeking . hacktivist style of the attacks. However, the use of an unknown . name by the group behind the Sony attacks, 'Guardians of Peace', . is similar to previous attacks by the DarkSeoul gang. It remains unclear if the DarkSeoul gang are outsiders . working on behalf of North Korea, or some of Pyongyang's troops . in the isolated country's own 'cyber army'. Base of operations? According to Tech Times, a defector has stated that North Korea keeps a hacker cell here, at this hotel in Shenyang, China . | Military hackers are among the most talented, and rewarded, people in North Korea .
They are handpicked and trained from as young as 17-years-old .
One defector revealed the Hermit Kingdom's 1,800 cyber-warriors are soldiers in what they call the Secret War .
Also known as the DarkSeoul Gang, the hackers have been involved in a five-year spree against South Korean targets .
Experts warn Pyongyang has active cyber-warfare capabilities and may have aimed them at Sony as vengeance for the film The Interview .
Sony Pictures December 25 release under the threat of terrorist attacks from hackers . |
90,923 | 00f07a5cb372b9212b90e3d2ca7bda22a6b5bd5e | Like any typical teenager, Ryan Kitching . resisted all his mother's attempts to get him to tidy his bedroom. For two weeks, the 19-year-old turned a . deaf ear to all her pleas for him to clear up the mess. But when he finally gave in and started . sifting through the junk, he found a lottery ticket from the February 8 draw. And instead of tossing it in the bin, he had it checked - and found it had five . winning numbers and a bonus ball. Ryan Kitching, 19 was nagged by his mother Susan (both pictured) into finally tidying up his bedroom - and struck gold by finding a lost lottery ticket worth £52,981 . Ryan, of Penicuik, Midlothian, is still torn about what to do with his winnings. He has been enjoying nights out with his friends and is considering a 'lads' holiday' to Magaluf . Suddenly, supermarket worker Ryan, of . Penicuik, Midlothian, found himself £52,981 the richer and posted on his . Facebook page: 'Special thanks to my mum for putting up with me haha!' Now he plans to reward his long-suffering . mother Susan and father Raymond by arranging for them to go on holiday. Describing how he struck lucky, he said: . 'My room needed a good clean and my mum had been nagging me for a good . couple of weeks. 'I had just got back from the gym and she . wasn't even home at the time but I knew I'd be in trouble if I didn't clean it . up. 'There was loads of washing up which I hadn't put away and my Xbox games . were lying everywhere.' Ryan revealed that the money will also be some consolation after he was dumped recently by his girlfriend . As Ryan cleared up the mess, he came across the ticket he had bought from the Tesco store in Penicuik, where he works behind the fish counter . As Ryan cleared up the mess, he came . across the ticket he had bought from the Tesco store in Penicuik where he works . behind the fish counter. His first instinct was to throw it away: . 'But then I thought, "I'm taking my mum shopping anyway - I'll get the numbers . checked, it will do no harm.'" He left the ticket at the store's kiosk to . get it checked and, as he walked away, a friend shouted after him, saying he . had 'won big'. Ryan left the ticket at the Tesco store's kiosk to get it checked and, as he walked away, a friend shouted after him, saying he had 'won big' He said: 'I had to phone up Camelot and . the woman was asking me lots of questions, and I just wanted her to get to the . point. 'When I gave her the last number of the serial code, she said I had won . £52,981. I just couldn't believe it.' Ryan is still torn about what to do with . his winnings. He has been enjoying nights out with his friends and is . considering a 'lads' holiday' to Magaluf. But his father has been doing some nagging . of his own, suggesting more responsible ways of investing the cash: 'He's been . playing the lottery since it started and has never won more than £50, so he's . raging. He wants me to put the deposit down on some property, then maybe rent . it out. 'But I don't want to move out just . yet - I still get my tea cooked here.' Ryan revealed that the money will also be . some consolation after he was dumped recently by his girlfriend. He said: . 'She'll be sad she finished with me now but I'm glad. At least I'll be able to . enjoy the money for myself now and treat myself, for a change.' He has no plans to quit his job or stop . his work with charity First Response, which trains volunteers to provide . emergency medical aid. 'It's . a great charity and I'm planning on donating some of the winnings to . them,' he said. | Tesco fish counter worker Ryan Kitching, 19, found ticket from Feb 8 draw .
'I don't want to move out just yet - I get my tea cooked here'
On girlfriend who'd just dumped him: 'She'll be sad she finished with me now' |
254,690 | d5af1869d6879c811e6883443ba2ce4bce2b5c59 | Spending on contactless cards more than trebled last year to a record £2.32billion, figures show. Users made ten contactless payments every second in 2014 as they entered mainstream use. It means they were used a total of 319.2million times, the UK Cards Association reports. The steep rise has prompted the spending limit on the cards to be increased to £30 from September this year. On the rise: Users made ten contactless payments every second in 2014 as they entered mainstream use. It means they were used a total of 319.2million times, the UK Cards Association reports (file picture) At the moment shoppers can pay for items worth up to £20 simply by touching it against a reader, rather than entering their PIN or signing anything. There are now 58million contactless cards in circulation in the UK and they are accepted by many major chains and organisations including Aldi, Boots, Waitrose and even Barnardo's. Transport for London launched contactless payments across the transport network in the capital last September. Shashi Verma, Transport for London's director of customer experience, said: 'We have seen over 41 million journeys made across London using contactless within just five months. 'Using contactless payments to travel can save our customers time, they don't need to stop to top-up an Oyster card, or buy a ticket.' People using contactless spend £8.26 per transaction, on average. Separate figures revealed that Bristol has seen the most significant increase in contactless usage in 2014, when compared with the country's other major cities. Widespread: There are now 58million contactless cards in circulation in the UK and they are accepted by many major chains and organisations. It is also in use across the London transport network (pictured) Barclaycard said that contactless payments in Bristol saw 150 per cent growth between January 1 and December 31 last year. London saw the second biggest upswing in contactless transactions, recording a 130 per cent increase over the same period. London leads the way when it comes to overall contactless use, according to Barclaycard's figures. Nearly one in three card transactions taking place last year in London were contactless, according to Barclaycard's data. London was closely followed by Leeds, where the proportion of transactions on cards which were contactless was 27.3 per cent. Richard Koch, head of policy at the UK Cards Association, which is the trade body for the card payments industry, said: 'Contactless has now firmly stepped into the mainstream. 'With usage soaring every month last year, we've seen people flocking to contactless payments as they switch away from cash. 'For retailers, contactless means quicker queues at the tills and greater convenience for their customers.' | Users made 10 contactless payments every second in 2014, figures reveal .
Rise has prompted spending limit on cards to be increased to £30 this year .
Cards are accepted by many major chains and organisations across UK . |
180,030 | 75198de6cf7d0358c0f6dbea50311598fa0673ab | By . Jason Groves, Political Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 30 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:24 EST, 31 August 2012 . Britain's former ambassador to Afghanistan yesterday spoke of his ‘heartbreak’ at the sight of wounded soldiers taking part in the Paralympic Games’ opening ceremony. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles accused the Government of ‘betraying’ those who served in Afghanistan, because its plan to pull out troops in 2014 would hand large parts of the country to the Taliban. He said it was painful to watch the soldiers bear their horrific injuries so bravely. Hero: Marine Joe Townsend, who lost both legs in Afghanistan, carries the torch into the Olympic Stadium . Eight wounded servicemen and women are in Britain’s Paralympic team, and several others were involved in the torch relay. Sir Sherard, who was Britain’s ambassador in Kabul until June 2010, said that he had been particularly moved by the high-profile involvement of Captain Harry Parker and Marine Joe Townsend, who both lost both legs in separate bomb blasts in Afghanistan. He said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘What breaks my heart is when I saw Captain Harry Parker running down Whitehall carrying the Olympic flame last night and Marine Joe Townsend going into the Olympic stadium also carrying the torch. ‘We are betraying them because we – the diplomats, the politicians, the civil servants – have failed to accompany a perfectly sensible military tactical campaign with a serious political strategy.’ Sir Sherard said politicians on both sides of the Atlantic had failed to use the results of the military effort to develop a lasting peace process in Afghanistan. Heartbreaking: Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles said it was painful to watch wounded soldiers taking part in the spectacular show . He said there was a real danger that the fragile gains made in the country would quickly evaporate when British and American troops leave in 2014. He added: ‘What we are doing, . essentially, is cultivating an allotment in a jungle, and the question . is what happens when the gardeners leave?’ Sir . Sherard said that al Qaeda had been ‘virtually eliminated’ in . Afghanistan but that politicians had failed to invest the will and . resources needed to ‘finish the job’. He . said British troops had done a superb job, but added: ‘We’re in danger . of betraying their legacy, betraying their courage, unless the . politicians, the diplomats, do their job, which is to broker a serious . solution inside Afghanistan and involving all the countries of the . region.’ Barack Obama and David Cameron have both committed to withdrawing all combat troops from Afghanistan by 2014. Critics, . including some in the military, accuse the two leaders of acting for . domestic political purposes and warn that premature withdrawal from . Afghanistan will hand control over large parts of the country to the . Taliban. 'Betrayed': Discus thrower Derek Derenalagi lost both legs when his armoured vehicle hit an improvised device while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2007 . Athlete: Volleyball player Netra Rana sustained serious back and leg injuries in a blast in Afghanistan in 2008 . Sir Sherard called on the US to broker talks with all the main parties in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, along with talks involving the country’s neighbours, particularly Pakistan. But he conceded this was unlikely ahead of November’s US elections as there were ‘no votes in being portrayed talking to the Taliban’. Ministers insist that by 2014 the Afghan security forces will be fully trained and capable of dealing with the Taliban by themselves. But Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, also yesterday accused politicians of failing to match the commitment of the troops. He said that soldiers did not talk of ‘betrayal’, but added: ‘I think there have been some very serious shortcomings politically.’ Colonel Kemp said the West had failed to prevent the Afghan government sliding into the ‘depths of corruption’. And he said it was extraordinary that Pakistan had been allowed to supply ‘such strong levels of support to the Taliban’. Pledge: David Cameron (left) and Barack Obama (right) have committed to withdrawing all combat troops from Afghanistan by 2014 . | Britain's former ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, accused the Government of 'betraying' those who served there .
He said it was painful to watch soldiers bear their horrific injuries during the Opening Ceremony . |
208,499 | 99f432948d621780690c39ce68335a3ea46509d0 | Most people can detect the distinctive fresh, earthy aroma of an approaching rain storm, but now scientists have worked out why. Researchers using high speed cameras have found that drops of water release clouds of tiny particles when they hit surfaces like soil and leaves. Their study showed that a raindrop hitting an uneven surface, they trap bubbles of air that shoot upwards and burst from the top of the water droplet like fizz in a champagne glass. The researchers captured the moment water droplets impact different surfaces using high speed cameras and saw that tiny clouds of aerosols were produced, as seen above, as the droplets flattened on the surface . These tiny bubbles carry minute amounts of aromatic particles of oil and dust from the surface that can then be blown for miles by gusts of wind ahead of rain storms. This, the scientists say, explains why it is possible to smell a rain storm long before it arrives, even when it has been dry for several days. Scientists have been using slow motion videos of raindrops hitting the ground to help them understand what happens to debris when a meteorite hits the Earth. Studying real asteroid impacts as they happen is almost impossible, so researchers came up with a way to recreate the impact of a far smaller scale. Using high-precision laser profilometry with high speed photographs, they were able to see how the liquid 'debris' created by the impact spread out in sandy soil and study the morphology that was created by the 'crater'. Rain drops hitting soft sand is similar to what happens when asteroids smash into the Earth . The effect, known as Petrichor, is often most pronounced during the summer, accompanying the first rain after a long dry smell when more dust and oils have accumulated on plants and on the ground. The new research, which was conducted by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found that different types of rainfall could alter the smell. The scientists found that light showers and moderate seemed to trigger more aerosols compared with heavy rain that might accompany thunder storms. They also found that the type of soil could also influence how many aerosols were released and was particularly pronounced on clay or sandy soil. Dr Youngsoo Joung, one of the scientists at MIT's department of engineering who conducted the research, said the findings could also help to explain how some soil-based bacteria can spread disease. He said: 'Until now, people didn’t know that aerosols could be generated from raindrops on soil. 'When moderate or light rain hits sandy or clay soils, you can observe lots of aerosols, because sandy clay has medium wetting properties. 'Heavy rain (which has a high) impact speed, means there’s not enough time to make bubbles inside the droplet. The scent of an approaching rain storm, like the one above in Kingston upon Hull, is known as Petrichor . 'This finding should be a good reference for future work, illuminating microbes and chemicals existing inside soil and other natural materials, and how they can be delivered in the environment, and possibly to humans. 'To prevent transmission of microorganisms from nature to humans, we need to know the exact mechanism. In this work, we provide one possible way of transmission.' Scientists in Australia were the first to coin the word 'petrichor' for the smell of approaching rain and characterised it as the release of plant oils along with a compound called geosmin, which is produced by soil dwelling bacteria. However, the new research is the first to explain the mechanism that causes these compounds to become airborne. The scientists, whose work is published in the journal Nature Communications, conducted 600 experiments on 28 different types of surfaces - 12 man made surfaces, like aluminium, and 16 soil surfaces. These included soil collected from alongside the Charles River and sandy soil from Nahant Beach in Nahant, Massachusetts. Plants produce aromatic oils that can build up on leaves (above) and in soil during dry periods. These are then carried inside clouds of aerosols caused by light rain hitting these surfaces, according to the new research . The researchers measured the permeability of each soil by adding water to the bottom of a sample within a test tube and measuring how long it took the water to rise upwards. They then dropped single droplets of water from different heights to simulate varying intensities of rainwater. They used high speed cameras to capture what happened to the raindrops on impact. They found that as a raindrop hits a surface, it flattens and tiny bubbles trapped in pores in the surface rise up through the droplet and burst into the air. With light droplets of rain, more of these bubbles become aerosols, producing a cloud of tiny 'frenzied' droplets within a few microseconds, particularly in porous material like sandy and clay based soil. When a light breeze was simulated by blowing air across the top of the soil, the scientists found the aerosols were carried away. Aerosol release by rain has only previously been studied when drops land on the surface of water (above) They believe that along with the air and water that form the aerosols, tiny amounts of oil and dust from the surface are also trapped inside. The researchers also found the impact speed of a droplet and the surface 'wetability' were crucial in determining how much aerosols were produced. Dr Cullen Buie, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering who led the work, said: . 'Rain happens every day - it's raining now, somewhere in the world. 'It's a very common phenomenon, and it was intriguing to us that no one had observed this mechanism before.' He said that while the Australian researchers had first identified the phenomenon of Petrichor in 1964, they had not explained what might cause it to occur. The high speed cameras made it possible to see the number of aerosols produced on different surfaces. As can be seen in the image above, an aluminum surface produces more aerosols than sandy clay soil . He added: 'They talked about oils emitted by plants, and certain chemicals from bacteria, that lead to this smell you get after a rain following a long dry spell. 'Interestingly, they don't discuss the mechanism for how that smell gets into the air. One hypothesis we have is that that smell comes from this mechanism we've discovered.' James Bird, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Boston University who also studies the behaviour of fluids when they drop onto surfaces and was not involved in the latest study, said the work could explain how microbes end up high in the atmosphere. He said: Microbes from soil have been observed high in the atmosphere. 'This paper provides an elegant mechanism by which these microbes can be propelled past the stagnant layer of air around them to a place where the breeze can take them elsewhere.' | MIT scientists used high speed cameras to study water drops hitting soil .
Air trapped under droplets produce tiny bubbles that burst out of the water .
Light and moderate rain produced the most aerosols in sandy and clay soil .
Aromatic oils and dust from the soil can be trapped inside the aerosols .
These can then be carried away by the wind in front of approaching storms .
The scientists say the mechanism might also spread bacteria from soil . |
191,423 | 83e2563123276721e08c3dd1cf0795e794f3618c | A former RAF Spitfire pilot who fought in World War Two has deployed his parachute for the first time - at the grand old age of 92. Peter Proctor, from Southport, Merseyside, also served in Burma, India and Zimbabwe during the war but never had to pull his ripcord. The seasoned pilot jumped out of a plane for the first time at Sibson Airfield, Peterborough, more than 70 years after he joined the RAF. Scroll down for video . The sky's the limit: Peter Proctor, 92, from Southport, Merseyside, makes his first jump with his instructor . Mr Proctor, who has two artificial hips and a false knee, plunged more than 13,000 feet to successfully complete his first ever freefall jump. He said: 'I've spent a lot of my life up in the air but this was a completely different experience. 'I was fortunate that I never had to deploy my parachute during the war. Pre-flight checks: The former RAF man is readied for action before he plunges back to earth from 13,000 feet . 'In all honesty it's a good job that today was the first time. 'It would have been a nightmare trying to open up the hatches and jump out of the plane back then. 'I'm so glad I've managed to complete the dive and I'd love to do it again in the near future. 'The whole thing was done and dusted in about six or seven minutes but it really did give me a great adrenaline rush.' Geronimo! The veteran experiences a little g-force as he freefalls in skies above Sibson Airfield, Peterborough . Canopy deployed successfully, it's time to relax and enjoy the view as he glides safely back to earth . Thumbs up: It's mission accomplished for the 92-year-old former Spitfire pilot on his maiden jump . Mr Proctor joined the RAF in 1942 where he was stationed in Durban, South Africa, to do his training before being sent to Zimbabwe where he earned his wings. He went on to become a fighter pilot in Egypt, India and went on a jungle self-preservation course before being sent to Burma in 1945. The pilot ended his career in the armed forces in 1946 to return to his job as a store keeper in a shoe factory and went on to become a lorry driver for 33 years. Now and then: Mr Proctor joined the RAF in 1942 and flew in the war - but never had to bail out of a plane . Icon of the air: Mr Proctor flew a Spitfire, above, during the Second World War (file picture) His wife of 56 years, Olive, passed away eight years ago but Mr Proctor has been determined to continue travelling around the world. He said: 'Olive died eight years ago and it was absolutely devastating. 'But I've had great support from my family and friends who always encourage me to enjoy life. 'I've been to so many countries during my life and I want to tick off as many more as I possibly can in the future. 'I wouldn't mind giving this another go - there's no better feeling for me than being up in the sky. 'Some of the views were phenomenal but it's a good job I had my goggles on as it was incredibly windy. 'I'm very grateful to the RAF for making this jump possible.' Mr Proctor, originally from Rossendale, Lancashire, did the jump with the RAF Falcons and raised £3,000 for the Royal Air Force Association which provides support to servicemen and their families. To donate to the cause click here. | Former pilot from Merseyside takes the plunge from an incredible 13,000ft .
He raises £3,000 for Royal Air Force Association which supports servicemen .
Veteran makes his first parachute jump 70 years after he joined the RAF . |
273,926 | eed0570c30fffd58550034e977fba3031e81272b | Arsenal target William Carvalho has revealed he is desperate to move to the Premier League. The Gunners failed with an initial offer £15m last summer for the midfielder after Sporting slapped a £30m price tag on his head. The Portuguese club are ready to reopen talks with Arsenal willing to pay £20m and his agent Jorge Mendes is trying to broker a deal. VIDEO Scroll down to see Carvalho take out two players in one tackle . William Carvalho (left) is a £20million target for Arsenal in January . Carvalho (left) was wanted by Wenger in the past but the clubs were unable to agree a fee . Carvalho told Portuguese publication Record: 'My dream is to play in England. I know some clubs are interested but my agent Jorge is looking after it and I am relaxed. 'Now my mission is to work in Sporting and they will be in charge of any transfer and my future. That is very important.' Talks between the two clubs broke down in the autumn after Carvalho was valued at £30m by his Portuguese team. Arsene Wenger is open to buying reinforcements in the January window . But with Arsene Wenger taking Arsenal through to the Champions League knockout stages, where they face Monaco, the importance of solving their well-documented defensive problems have increased. Carvalho, 22, is one of the very few top international-class players who will probably be available in January. Sporting were eliminated from the Champions League by losing their final group game against Chelsea on December 10 and though they will be in the Europa League, they are willing to cash in on their biggest asset. Arsenal's initial offer of £15m two months ago was dismissed but the negotiations ended on friendly terms. Arsenal have been playing Mathieu Flamini in front of the back four with Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta out injured. Carvalho can also play at centre back. The youngster played in two of Portugal's three games at the World Cup and was also linked with Manchester United, although they have since signed Daley Blind. | Arsene Wenger ready to make fresh £20m bid for William Carvalho .
Talks between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon broke down in the summer .
Super agent Jorge Mendes is trying to broker a deal for midfielder .
Click here for more Arsenal transfer news .
READ: Arsenal want to tie up £3.5m deal for Krystian Bielik . |
207,217 | 984b62c5efff7c9277281defe684e2af650ab6bf | Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith would love to see Danny Welbeck at the Emirates and insists Arsene Wenger can transform him into a 'top player'. Welbeck has fallen out of favour at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal, and is expected to leave the club before the transfer window closes on Monday night. Smith believes he could be the solution to Wenger's striker shortage, tellingskysports.com: 'I think he would make an excellent signing for somebody. He's had unfair criticism over the last couple of years really, he's been playing out of position at United and shunted around the park. Goal: Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring against Los Angeles Galaxy during a pre-season friendly in July . Out of favour: Welbeck made his first United start of the season against MK Dons on Tuesday night . 'Yes, his finishing hasn't been up to scratch at times but that comes from not playing in your regular position. I think if he was given an extended spell through the middle, where he likes it, you would see a really top player develop. I would love to see him at Arsenal.' Giroud's injury looks set to rule him out until the new year, and Wenger may still decide to add to his squad. When asked to compare Giroud and Welbeck, Smith was quick to point out the difference in styles between the two players. 'Danny Welbeck's got most attributes. Olivier Giroud is a very good target man and is a very good header of the ball, and he'll get you 20+ goals, so that's not to be sniffed at, but Danny is different. He's very good technically as he's shown with England and he is a bit quicker.' Header: Giroud scored a last-minute equaliser against Everton, before scans showed he had broken his ankle . VIDEO Giroud injury scare for Wenger . | Olivier Giroud has broken his ankle and will be out for four months .
Danny Welbeck has fallen out of favour with United boss Louis van Gaal .
Arsene Wenger is assessing his striker shortage before the window shuts .
Alan Smith says Welbeck could be the perfect fit for Arsenal . |
151,353 | 4fafcdd14b7355f232dae99458238d7ccd7068b9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:23 EST, 27 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:18 EST, 27 November 2012 . A New Orleans man allegedly shot himself in the foot by accident with a stolen gun. Derain Williams, 20, was arrested and booked with possession of a stolen firearm after he was treated for the bullet wound in his right foot on Friday, The Times-Picayune reports. Williams reportedly told a police officer dispatched to the hospital that he shot himself while trying to unload a .40 caliber pistol he found in his backyard on November 18, the police report said. Oops!: Derain Williams, 20, was arrested and booked with possession of a stolen firearm after he was treated for accidentally shooting himself in the foot . Williams was taken to a local hospital after the bullet pierced his lowest appendage. He granted police permission to search his home and retrieve the gun. They found it in a backpack at his apartment, the police report said. When deputies checked the serial number, they discovered that that pistol had been reported stolen from a Metairie home near New Orleans in February 2009. Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, where Willliams was treated for his bullet wound . Police also said that the pistol was clean despite Williams' claim that he had found it in his ‘overgrown’ and ‘muddy’ backyard. Williams was booked at a local correctional center. He was released Saturday on a $10,000 bond. | Derain Williams, 20, of New Orleans was arrested and booked with possession of a stolen firearm after accidentally shooting himself in the foot . |
21,817 | 3dfe5f3ce3954103d2e15dfc04aa5a6b45898969 | Madrid (CNN) -- The youngest daughter of Spain's King Juan Carlos won't appeal preliminary charges against her for alleged financial crimes, and will give unprecedented testimony before a judge on February 8, a court and her lawyers said Monday. Princess Cristina will be the first direct member of Spain's royal family to testify in court while facing preliminary charges for a crime, Spain's royal household confirmed. Her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, the King's son-in-law, already faces preliminary charges in the same case. He testified last February about his business dealings and the alleged diversion of public funds that have been at the center of a judge's investigation. The princess and her husband, through their legal teams, deny any wrongdoing. Judge Jose Castro is leading the investigation at a local court in Palma de Mallorca, in Spain's Balearic Islands. In April, the magistrate brought preliminary charges against the princess in this case, but they were dropped in May after prosecutors appealed to a provincial court, citing insufficient evidence. But Castro continued his investigation and on Tuesday, in a 227-page order, again leveled preliminary charges against her. Before that, prosecutors said publicly they would oppose the renewed preliminary charges. On Tuesday, the princess's lawyers vowed to appeal again to a provincial court. But in recent days, there was a sudden change of position. In a prepared statement Saturday, the princess's lawyers said that an appeal of the preliminary charges would have "collateral effects" for the princess by dragging out the process and that she had decided to "appear voluntarily" before the judge, who initially set March 8 as the court date. On Monday, the judge told reporters that given the new situation, he felt obliged to move up the court date, to February 8. That's a Saturday, and, as with her husband last year, authorities think a weekend day is a better time for the court appearance in central Palma de Mallorca, given the intense media attention, a court spokeswoman said. The case centers on Urdangarin's nonprofit foundation, which obtained public contracts from regional governments to stage sports and tourism events. The judge is investigating whether some of those funds were diverted for private use. The judge wants to question the princess about alleged tax fraud and money laundering through a company she had with her husband. He seeks to determine how much knowledge or participation the princess may have had in this company's activities, according to the court order last Tuesday. The preliminary charges eventually could be dropped, but a filing of indictments would set a trial in motion. Urdangarin, an Olympic medalist in handball, was granted the title of duke of Palma when he married Princess Cristina in 1997. The fraud scandal has created unprecedented problems for Spain's popular royal family and kept the country riveted. There have been open calls for the King, 76, to abdicate in favor of his son, Crown Prince Felipe, 45, who is seen as untouched by this and other scandals. But the royal household has said the King does not plan to abdicate. In April, the royal household revealed that it had asked the government in February 2013 to include the monarchy in a new law on transparency -- regarding financing and other activities. The government approved the law in September. | Princess Cristina, King Juan Carlos' youngest daughter, won't appeal preliminary charges .
She'll be first direct royal family member to testify in court amid preliminary charges for a crime .
Husband, Inaki Urdangarin, also faces preliminary charges in the case; both deny wrongdoing .
Judge is investigating whether funds from Urdangarin's nonprofit went for private use . |
108,000 | 173c44092b870f2b5c3ae6a3168f08aaf9354aea | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 05:12 EST, 15 August 2011 . Supercop: William Bratton is being brought in as an adviser but has staked a claim for the top Met job . David Cameron's new adviser on gang warfare would be prepared to become a British citizen to become head of the Met Police. American 'supercop' Bill Bratton has told friends he is prepared to swap his nationality if it made any difference to the selection process for the country's top police job. Mr Bratton, credited with turning around the New York Police Department and its Los Angeles counterpart, said he believed an outsider could reinvigorate a police force. He told the Guardian: 'I've been an outsider in every department I've worked in. Bureaucrats change processes, leaders change culture. 'I think of myself as a transformational leader who changes cultures.' It came as police chiefs and Boris Johnson made an outspoken attack yesterday on David Cameron's calls for zero tolerance policing. In a new broadside about plans for 20 per cent budget cuts to the police, the Mayor of London insisted that crime will come down only if there are more police on the streets. Senior policemen angrily denounced . Home Secretary Theresa May for suggesting that it was politicians who . turned around the initially sluggish police response to last week’s . riots. Sir Hugh Orde, . president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, complained that . commanders had their hands tied by human rights laws. Zero tolerance: David Cameron today . promised a new tough approach to all forms of street crime - but he has . been criticised by Sir Hugh Orde, right . The increasingly acrimonious relationship between politicians and police gained new impetus yesterday when Mr Cameron signalled his support for Mr Bratton’s zero tolerance approach to cleaning up crime when he ran the police departments in New York and Los Angeles. Mr Bratton was initially mooted as the next Metropolitan Police Commissioner - a positions in which he said he was 'seriously interested - but the idea was blocked by Mrs May. Instead, Mr Bratton will join a taskforce on gangs. In an interview published yesterday, Mr Cameron said: ‘We haven’t talked the language of zero tolerance enough but the message is getting through.’ Sir Hugh Orde said tough U.S. tactics advocated by Mr Bratton would not be possible in Britain because of the European Convention on Human Rights. He said: ‘I am not sure I want to learn about gangs from an area of America that has 400 of them. It seems to me, if you’ve got 400 gangs, then you’re not being very effective. Happy at the top: Mr Bratton, right, during a visit to London in 2006 with former London Mayor Ken Livingstone and former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Ian Blair . 'If you look at the style of policing in the States, and their levels of violence, they are fundamentally different from here.’ He added: ‘What I suggested to the Home Secretary is a more sensible approach, maybe to look across far wider styles of policing and – more usefully – at European styles; they, like us, are bound by the European Convention.’ In an interview in today's Guardian Bratton said his position within the Met was no different to Orde's in Northern Ireland when he too was an outsider as an Englishman. Mr Bratton said: 'I find it ironical the hue and cry about outsiders,' adding that he had faced similar situations in New York and LA. He added: 'The Met is having its share of issues and leadership crises, certainly. It is a mirror image of when I went into the NYPD and LAPD, and both those cities turned out quite well. 'I've been an outsider in every department I've worked in. Bureaucrats change processes, leaders change culture. I think of myself as a transformational leader who changes cultures.' In a further crack at zero tolerance plans, Chief Constable Chris Sims of West Midlands Police said he would not be ‘slavishly adopting empty slogans’. ‘Officers have been overwhelmed by the support shown by the public and it feels a million miles from the debates apparently raging in Westminster,’ he said. Mr Bratton, who will advise a Government taskforce on gangs, said yesterday that he had cut murders in New York by nearly half and gang crimes in LA by 60 per cent in eight years. ‘I do know about gangs. I understand the way they operate, the way they generate and the need for the Government to tackle them head on,’ he said. He added that British gangs are ‘much smaller and less sophisticated than in LA. Still, there are certain methods that have proved very successful in America which could be used to great effect here’. He said he would employ injunctions limiting the movement of gang members, higher sentences for crimes committed by gangs, and ex-gang members as ‘interventionists’ to steer current members away from gangs. The Prime Minister has promised the new tough approach after rioting in the UK. Here the Reeves furniture store in Croydon goes up in flames during the disturbances . But Boris Johnson used the news to reopen his offensive against police cuts. He pointed out that Mr Bratton cut crime in New York and Los Angeles only because he flooded the streets with police. The Mayor said: ‘His particular success in tackling crime in New York was very much due to a huge ramp up in numbers from about 30,000 to 42,000 officers in New York, that was instrumental in his success. 'In the end there’s going to have to be an argument about money. The case I make to Government and I’m going to continue to make is that numbers matter. People need to see police out there on the streets.’ 'In the end there’s going to have to be . an argument about money. The case I make to Government and I’m going to . continue to make is that numbers matter. People need to see police out . there on the streets' - Boris Johnson . Police chiefs began speaking out last week after Mr Cameron and Mrs May both criticised the initial police response to the riots and then sought to claim credit for the deployment of 16,000 officers on the streets of London. MP Mark Pritchard, secretary of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said: ‘Sir Hugh Orde’s very public and ill-judged remarks underline the need for the Coalition Government to push ahead with elected police commissioners. ‘Senior officers are not a law unto themselves and should not think they have a monopoly of wisdom.’ Tory MP Dominic Raab said Sir Hugh’s comments about human rights were ‘daft’. ‘There is no serious human rights reason for not learning lessons from U.S. experience of visible, robust and pro-active policing, and tailoring them to Britain,’ he said. ‘It’s sound policy and exactly what the public want to see now.’ Last night the Home Affairs Select Committee announced plans for an inquiry into the riots to find out where to apportion the blame and the credit. Mr Johnson, Mrs May, Mr Bratton and the bosses of mobile phone companies used by the rioters to co-ordinate their looting will be summoned to give evidence. Chairman Keith Vaz sent pointed questions to police chiefs around the country asking how many officers they deployed on each day of the riots, who ordered the surge in police numbers and whether they have the resources they need. | Chiefs round on Cameron's new police advisor .
Boris Johnson calls for more bobbies on patrol . |
46,937 | 8439d46e3883fae2742d2543e2139abfffe72112 | Former Ashes-winning captain Mike Gatting looks likely to be the best-known casualty of a remarkable ageism purge taking place at the England Cricket Board. Gatting, highly-respected managing director of cricket partnerships, is expected to be offered a low-key ambassador role after radical changes are recommended at a board meeting today. Gatting’s demise follows the recent departure of chief executive David Collier, commercial director John Perera and HR director Lesley Cook — all of whom are in their late 50s or 60. Mike Gatting is highly-respected in his ECB role but will be asked to take a lower level job to make way for a younger generation of administrators . And other members of ECB staff in that age bracket feel similarly threatened by the more youthful revolution being carried out by Yorkshire’s Colin Graves in advance of him becoming chairman of ECB and Tom Harrison arriving at Lord’s as the new chief executive. Gatting said: ‘Changes are being made, but I don’t know what they’ll be. I’m waiting to find out.’ Collier’s surprise departure last summer is understood to be connected with him finding it very difficult to work with Graves, who wants to build a new much more county-focused ECB regime around the new CEO, commercial chief Sanjay Patel and ultra-political chief operating officer Gordon Hollins, who has carried out the major staff review. Supermarket chain tycoon Graves, whose ascendancy will mean current chairman Giles Clarke concentrates on ICC business in a likely new role as ECB President, has the strong support of two powerful county chairmen in Surrey’s Richard Thompson and Somerset’s Andy Nash. Ironically, the executives leaving the ECB are younger than first-class umpires Peter Willey and George Sharp who are taking their aegism case to an employment tribunal after being retired against their wishes at the age of 65. The FA were absent from Sports Personality of the Year in Glasgow despite the fact the England manager is usually interviewed. And even after the World Cup debacle, a chat with a croaking Gary Lineker could still have been relatively upbeat after England’s 100 per cent start to their Euro 2016 campaign. However, Roy Hodgson and all the Wembley top brass were ‘unavailable’. Roy Hodgson was unavailable to go to Sports Personality of the Year, where there was no FA representation . England's dismal World Cup showing meant that the national football team were not on the SPOTY agenda . But Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan, linked with succeeding departing FA chief Alex Horne, did attend as well as Scotland boss Gordon Strachan. British golf’s high command from the R&A, European Tour and Ryder Cup had travelled to Scotland in anticipation of double-major winner Rory McIlroy being named Sports Personality of the Year. Rory McIlroy (right) was expected to win, but ended up finishing behind F1 driver Lewis Hamilton . But they were remarkably sanguine after Lewis Hamilton’s victory that exposes the total inadequacy of a public vote shoehorned into 35 minutes on the night when F1’s social media dominance over golf became so apparent. World champion Lewis Hamilton, Britain’s richest sportsman as well as BBC Sports Personality of the Year, is understood to have granted Ari Emanuel’s Hollywood entertainment agency William Morris Endeavor a trial period to represent him to see what they can do for his benefit. WME, who bought IMG earlier this year for $2.4billion, used to look after Hamilton’s girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. Hamilton's success was an indication of the dominance of F1's of social media presence over golf's . Gill’s FIFA plans begin . David Gill, who is standing as the England candidate for the British vice-presidency on the FIFA ExCo, is starting to distance himself from the Premier League and the possible conflicts that would bring in Zurich. He is to step down from the PL’s audit and remuneration committee. Meanwhile, the PL will have to change their statutes to accommodate CEO Richard Scudamore becoming executive chairman, which is currently the favourite option. Article 42 states the chairman must be independent and FA approved, which won’t help Scudamore’s cause. Chelsea are promoting themselves as the first Premier League club to be accredited for paying all staff, and sub-contractors, the minimum £9.15-an-hour London living wage. Chelsea may be comfortable with life on the pitch at the moment, but they have upset some security personell . This coincides with them outsourcing their security operation to specialists ISS FS security. It has upset some long-term Chelsea security personnel who have lost their club connection while three chiefs, Keith Overstall, Ed Ashwell and John Cottam, remain on the club payroll. Chelsea say the move is for best security and the three bosses have a wider remit. | Gatting follows David Collier, John Perera and Lesley Cook in ageist purge .
Older ECB staff feel under threat of youthful revolution .
Roy Hodgson 'unavailable' for Sports Personality after dismal World Cup .
Chelsea become first Premier League club to pay living wage . |
86,075 | f42660081197afdfbe7dd34f8fcb608fb26dd9c4 | By . Paul Revoir . PUBLISHED: . 17:29 EST, 30 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:55 EST, 31 May 2012 . Harrowing scenes of newly-born dairy calves being lined up and shot dead simply because they are male have left television viewers sickened. The images of three Jersey calves being killed were filmed to highlight the grim reality of the dairy industry. The Channel 4 programme, featuring farmer Jimmy Doherty, was explaining how more than 90,000 male dairy calves are shot at birth every year because there is no market for them. But graphic scenes of a ‘knacker man’ pointing his gun to the head of the calves and shooting them in their brains was too gruesome for many. Alarming: Scenes on the programme proved too much for some viewers and the channel received 58 complaints . Shocking: Graphic scenes of a 'knacker man' pointing his gun to the head of the calves and shooting them in their brains was too gruesome for some . Last night Channel 4 said it had received 58 complaints about the first episode of Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket, while the media regulator Ofcom had received more than ten. Viewers described the footage as ‘sick’, ‘horrific’ and one of the most upsetting things they had seen on TV. Channel 4 showed the slaughterman creeping up beside the calves, who were about a day old or younger, before pulling his trigger.One of the animals was seen collapsing, then the camera cut away to the face of the presenter as the other two were killed. They were then taken away to be rendered down to tallow to fuel a Belgian power station. Mr Doherty was later seen planning to make his own range of meatballs in an attempt to tackle the ‘huge’ problem in the dairy industry of unwanted male calves. 'Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket' showed a dairy farmer slaughtering three young male calves at 9.30pm on Tuesday night . The programme, featuring farmer Jimmy Doherty, was explaining how more than 90,000 male dairy calves are shot at birth every year because there is no market for them . The TV farmer suggested slaughtered animals could instead be raised for veal. He said British rose veal was ‘high welfare’ but because of previous cruelty concerns around this kind of meat, male calves were still viewed as a ‘waste product’. The scenes, which aired at around 9.30pm on Tuesday, shocked many animal lovers. One tweeted: ‘Harrowing scenes of male calves being euthanised on Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket.’ Another said: ‘Had to turn that Jimmy programme over, they were shooting male calves who were only a day old! Beautiful creatures, so sad! Feel sick.’ A third added: ‘One of the most upsetting things I’ve seen in ages. Just awful.’ Others described the scenes as ‘pretty horrific’ as another said the calves ‘looked like Bambi’. Support: Animal charities backed the decision to show the scenes. The RSPCA said it was important to raise awareness about how food and drink is produced . Upset: Many distressed viewers took to Twitter to express their feelings. One described the scenes as 'sick' But animal charities backed the decision to show the scenes. The RSPCA said it was important to raise awareness about how food and drink is produced. A Channel 4 spokesman said: ‘We feel it is important to show the reality of this practice to offer viewers a rounded perspective of the issues the programme touches on. ‘The programme went out after the watershed, was preceded by a warning and the animals were killed humanely by an expert.’ VIDEO: Warning distressing content. The clip was aired on Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket, Channel 4 . | Three Jersey calves were filmed being killed on the Channel 4 programme featuring farmer Jimmy Doherty .
Nearly 60 people complained about the graphic scenes aired at 9.30pm on Tuesday . |
192,892 | 85b99793835cffbc74cddbdea8edc61994e44a83 | London (CNN) -- For a certain kind of middle-aged male, Friday's double golden anniversary, marking the premiere of "Dr. No" and the release of the Beatles' debut single "Love Me Do", offers an unmissable opportunity to wallow in nostalgia. Even from a distance of half a century, there are few totems of popular culture more revered and more marketable than James Bond and the Fab Four. The Beatles embodied the energy and youthful spirit of their era, yet their remarkable creativity, productivity and talent for reinvention means that much of their music still sounds fresh today, while contemporaries such as Gerry and the Pacemakers and the Dave Clark Five remain trapped for ever in the beat scene of the early "Swinging Sixties." Never before seen Beatles photos sell for more than £350,000 . Abbey Road crosswalk named historic landmark . Bond too, despite initial industry skepticism -- "It simply won't work in America... (Sean) Connery will never go over," one studio representative told producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman at the premiere of "Dr. No" -- was a perfect hero for the age of Cold War paranoia and nuclear brinkmanship, the film's Caribbean setting even mirroring the unfolding Cuban missile crisis. Yet under Broccoli's long stewardship, Bond remained a figure capable of reflecting our contemporary obsessions -- whereas a jet pack-wearing Connery once propelled himself across the screens of the space age, now Daniel Craig's taut, humorless 007 is more likely to be equipped with the latest smartphone gadgets. Some, preposterously, have even claimed the existence of the Beatles as evidence of a divine hand at work. Commenting last week on the announcement that the band's albums would be re-released later this year on "audiophile quality vinyl", music producer Rick Rubin said of the band's prolific output: "Truthfully, I think of it as proof of God, because it's beyond man's ability." Predictably, both anniversaries are accompanied by a welter of other rehashed and recycled material cashing in on the occasion. Beatles completists not content with the band's already expansive canon of literature can now look forward to an anthology of John Lennon's letters and several exhaustive new reference books. Meanwhile, the "Let It Be" musical has just opened in London and a remastered DVD edition of "Magical Mystery Tour" is set to go on sale, accompanied by a serious-minded BBC documentary on the making of the critically derided comic caper that can easily be summed up in five letters: drugs. Bond's back catalogue also gets a 50th birthday facelift with the re-packaging of the 22 films as a Blu-Ray box set - though one wonders, even among hardcore fans of the series, whether there is much appetite for the sight of Roger Moore creaking and wheezing his way through "A View to a Kill" in high-definition clarity -- a role for which even the eyebrow-raising Englishman admits he was "400 years too old" by 1985. Designing 007: Exhibition marks 50 years of James Bond . James bond car sells for $4 million . None of these products are presumably aimed at a generation that can actually remember Connery or the Beatles in their heydays. The least likely upgraders to Blu-Ray would seem to be those old enough to have seen "Dr. No" in a cinema, just as the "Beatles: Rock Band" console game is unlikely to have held much appeal among those who first encountered the band -- then the UK's eighth most popular "small group," according to a poll at the time -- supporting Helen Shapiro in early 1963. Instead, they are targeted at what could be described as "Mojo Man," intended to prod once again the Pavlovian reflexes of compulsive consumer-collectors who, in an era when the concept of music and movies as something that we own in physical form looks increasingly redundant, remain one of the ailing entertainment industry's more dependable customers. Though not quite old enough to remember the sixties, Mojo Man grew up in a world in which the popular culture of the decade resonated long after the idealism, social change and upheaval of the era had passed into the history books, and in which the Beatles' template of guitars, bass and drums and the Bond staples of stunts, super villains and seducible women had laid the foundations for rock music and the modern action movie. Yet the problem with this conservative world view is that nothing subsequent can ever live up to the mythologized past, while other influences on the culture of our own era are belittled and ignored. Modern pop music, after all, arguably owes more to the traditions of hip hop and dance music than to "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Its enduring influence is demonstrated by an outburst by Noel Gallagher in 2008, in which the former Oasis star, born in 1967, listed the top five bands of all time as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Sex Pistols and the Kinks -- according to deeply reductive criteria that included "no solo artists, no female artists, no collectives allowed (Public Enemy etc.)." Such blinkered reverence is at odds with the world in which the Beatles and Bond came to stardom, when the spending power of neophyte teenagers dominated pop culture and a song or movie could be top of the pops or a box office hit one week and gone the next. No one involved in the creation of "Love Me Do" or "Dr. No" would have expected that either would be anything more than quick money spinners -- a throwaway two-minute pop song and a low-budget adaptation of a cheap paperback attempting to cash in on the Cold War appetite for espionage thrillers. In their own words: Journalists who covered Lennon's murder . TIME: Meeting the Beatles . John Lennon and George Harrison quickly became deeply disillusioned with life in the Beatles, while even Paul McCartney, now strip-mining his own back catalogue in stadiums around the world, spent years attempting to step out of the band's shadow. Similarly, Connery in a 1965 interview with Playboy magazine complained that being typecast as Bond had become "a bit of a bore." Yet the Beatles remain the band that we can't live and let die, doomed to be recycled as fading photocopies of the original with every incremental improvement in music technology and significant anniversary until one day we can all look forward to high-definition holograms of John, Paul, George and Ringo performing "All You Need is Love" in our living rooms. Similarly with Bond, while it's easy to put out new editions of the old classics or to recycle familiar plots in updated settings, can anyone say they genuinely expect "Skyfall," the 23rd installment due to be released later this month, to bring anything new to the series? Fifty years is a long time, even by the standards of the rise and fall of nations, but in the ever changing world (in which we live in) of pop culture both Bond and the Beatles should long ago have been passed over to the custody of historians for safekeeping. With the release of their albums once again on vinyl, the Beatles' music will have turned full circle, returning via tapes, compact discs, minidiscs and mp3s to the format where it all began. Perhaps that's an appropriate moment, finally, to let it be. Opinion: James Bond on Her Majesty's secret service . | Friday marks the anniversaries of first Bond film premiere and release of Beatles' debut single .
For some this offers an unmissable chance to wallow in nostalgia, says Simon Hooper .
But Hooper believes we shouldn't dwell too much on the past .
Perhaps it's time to leave the sequels and re-releases behind, he says . |
35,947 | 660bd58ec05e7c4656182e356d663ed04721b479 | Dwindling numbers: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, holds the King James Bible, which celebrates its 400th anniversary this year. He has been urged by David Cameron to speak up for Christianity . Christianity is slowly, but surely losing ground in England and Wales, according to an official survey yesterday. The number who declare themselves to be Christian has dropped by nearly 10 per cent in five years, while the number of non-believers is growing. The state research into race and religion also showed that Christians are less than half as likely to attend a place of worship as followers of other traditions. The Citizenship Survey showed that Christianity remains the faith of the great majority of the population. But its share dropped from 77 per cent to 70 per cent between 2005 and 2010. Over the same period the numbers who say they have no religion went up from 15 per cent to 21 per cent. The findings were published days after David Cameron’s speech on the importance of Christianity to Britain, in which he urged the Church of England and its leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to take a lead in restoring moral values. The Citizenship Survey is the sixth and last in its ten-year history. Labour launched the research effort in 2001 in the hope of charting levels of prejudice and neighbourhood tensions and finding ways to help ease them. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles ordered the end of the project earlier this year because ministers considered the £4million cost of each survey could not be justified. The findings were based on questionnaires answered by 10,000 people, with further groups of 5,000 ethnic minority members and 1,200 Muslims consulted to shore up findings among smaller groups of the population. Losing faith? Canterbury Cathedral (above) is the mother church of the Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. But its significance appears to be diminishing as fewer people are declaring themselves Christian . Questions covered issues including fear . of crime, giving to charity, the state of neighbourhoods and experiences . of the downturn as well as matters of religion and race. The results on the decline of Christianity come at a time when many Christians feel that equality laws are attacking some of their core beliefs. Four test cases on the rights of Christians, including two involving people refused the right to wear crucifixes at work and two which centre on Christians who refused to acknowledge same-sex relationships, are to be decided by the European Court of Human Rights in coming weeks. The report said: ‘While Christianity . remained the most prevalent faith in England and Wales, between 2005 and . 2010 there was a steady decrease in the proportion of people who . identified themselves as Christian. ‘Christian people were much less likely . than all the other main religions to say that they practised their . religion, while Muslim people were most likely to practise their . religion.’ Disillusioned: The apparent decline of the faith comes as many Christians believe their core beliefs, such as being able to wear crucifixes at work, are coming under fire from equality laws . However there were signs that, as Christian numbers dwindled, their commitment increased. A third of Christians said they went to church regularly. The figure was 33 per cent, up from 31 per cent in 2005. Urging action: Mr Cameron spoke out recently to stress the importance of Christianity to help restore moral values . Fewer . than half the population now think racial prejudice is on the increase. In the two years to 2010, numbers who believe racism is getting worse . went down from 56 per cent to 47 per cent. The . authors of the survey, produced by the Communities Department, said: . ‘The positive shifts over time were generally observed across all ethnic . and religious groups, and were often most pronounced among minority . groups.’ Seven per cent of the whole population thought racial or religious harassment was a problem in their neighbourhood, and 4 per cent of people had actually experienced racial bullying, in most cases consisting of verbal abuse. This was down from 5 per cent in the previous year. Asian people broadly said they had suffered less racial harassment over the past two years. For example, among Pakistanis the numbers who said they had experienced racial harassment in the past two years dropped from 20 per cent in 2009 to 13 per cent last year. However, Caribbeans and Black Africans said their experience of racial harassment had risen. | Christians also less likely to attend place of worship compared to other religions, state survey reveals .
Comes days after David Cameron urged Church of England to restore moral values . |
33,417 | 5f0e589ab0533ba675e348bdcd0848b09fa6f78c | An Italian man left unable to speak or communicate properly following a head injury took doctors by surprise by ‘waking up’ and talking to his family normally after being given a common anti-anxiety drug. The 43-year-old man, who doctors have named SV, suffered a traumatic head injury during a car accident two years ago. He was left in a coma for 40 days, and then in a vegetative state – where he was awake but showing no signs of awareness – for four weeks. A 43-year-old Italian man who was left unable to speak or communicate after a head injury amazed doctors by 'waking up' when he was given the common anti-anxiety drug midazolam. Tests revealed the drug had triggered changes in two networks of the brain responsible for responding to tasks and language . One year on after the accident, SV’s condition had deteriorated. He could only think and move slowly, and was completely dependent on others for all daily tasks necessary for living. Throughout the next year, his family noticed even more of a decline. He didn’t speak or communicate in any way, and didn’t answer simple requests like ‘close your eyes’. He would carry out what doctors called ‘aimless repetitive behaviours’ like clapping, but wouldn’t respond to other stimulus from doctors or his family. Doctors tested a few different drugs, hoping to help him communicate again. After nothing seemed to work, they stopped giving medicine. He was diagnosed as being in a ‘minimally conscious state’, meaning he was awake, but was unable to communicate and needed constant care. One day SV was send for a routine CT scan - a test which uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images the brain – his doctors decided to give him common anti-anxiety drug midazolam to sedate him. What happened next amazed doctors. Instead of making the man drowsy for the procedure, the drug ‘woke him up’ and he started to chat to the anaesthetists and then his parents. Midazolam is in the family of drugs called ‘benzodiazepines’. It works in the brain to cause sleepiness, muscle relaxation, and short-term memory loss, and to reduce anxiety. Midazolam can cause severe breathing problems when used for sedation for conditions that do not require urgent medical attentions. It can stop the lungs working properly, which could result in brain damage or death if not treated properly. He spoke to his aunt on the phone, recognised the road to his home and even congratulated his brother when he was told he had graduated. His family asked him about his accident, but he couldn’t remember anything and was unaware he’d been unable to speak until now. Two hours later the drugs wore off and SV returned to his previous, minimally conscious state. A few weeks later doctors gave him the anti-anxiety drug again, and this time monitored his behaviour and also looked at EEG recordings of his brain - a scan which picks up brain impulses. Once again SV started to chat and interact, and could even carry out basic maths, before losing the ability to speak when the drugs wore off. Doctors said SV was ‘able to understand verbal commands and to perform any type of response required, either behavioural or verbal,’ after being given the drug. When they studied the EEG recordings of his brain impulses, they found the drug had triggered a change in the brainwave activity in two parts of the brain. The first was the part of the brain called the task-positive network, which helps us respond to tasks that require our attention. The second was the part of the brain responsible for speaking and understanding language. Writing in the journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, where the doctors documented SV’s case, they said this is the first described in medical literature where a patient has ‘woken up’ after being given the drug midazolam. Midazolam is from the family of drugs called benzodiazepines. Doctors said its use in patients with minimal consciousness - who are unable to communicate - should be investigated. A midazolam molecule is pictured . They said they suspected SV may have catatonia – a symptom of medical conditions like schtitzophrenia and depression - which leaves a seemingly-awake person unresponsive to stimulus. This is because patients with catatonia are also responsive to benzodiazepines, the family of drugs which includes midazolam. However, they theorized that perhaps some patients in a ‘minimally conscious state’ also show symptoms of catatonia, leaving them unable to move. Either way, they concluded that treatment with midazolam should be explored for such patients. They could be given a continuous infusion of the drug midazolam, which is commonly done in intensive care units for people undergoing long-lasting seizures, they said. However, it is not clear what SV's long-term's fate was. | A 43-year-old Italian man was left needing daily care after a head injury .
Could only think and move slowly, and completely dependent on others .
During a routine CT scan he was given drug midazolam as a sedative .
Miraculously, he 'woke up' and started chatting to his family as normal .
Doctors found the drug had brought him out of his barely conscious state . |
232,522 | b912d3719891efe262857ff4375468d428dbd936 | Nestled beneath a stretch of earth in a quiet Swedish village, archaeologists have uncovered a treasure trove of hand-carved figurines. No less than 29 of these so-called guldgubbars, which means 'Gold Old Men', were unearthed in the southern region of Blekinge and each are thought to have been made using 6th Century Roman coins. The figurines are most commonly found at sites of ritual and worship as devotions to the gods, and because they were discovered alongside the ruins of houses and a forge, archaeologists now believe the area may have been home to an Iron Age cult. No less than 29 so-called guldgubbars, pictured, were unearthed in the southern region of Blekinge in Sweden. Each of the figurines are around two centimetres tall and were made using 6th Century Roman coins hammered into the elaborate shapes . ‘Without a doubt, the place was important during the Iron Age for several hundred years,’ said lead archaeologist Mikael Henriksson. ‘Clearly, we can start a new chapter in the study of the Blekinge Iron Age.’ The hoard of gold, said to be one of the largest discoveries of guldgubbar in the whole of Sweden, was found during excavations of the site being carried out by the Blekinge Museum. Each of the figurines is thought to date back to the 6th century AD and each measure two centimetres tall. Guldgubbars are also known as Gold Old Men or Gold Wives because they are shaped like men, pictured left, and women, right. They're commonly associated with places or political or religious significance and are thought to have been created as gifts for the gods in certain cults . The figurines were found at a site in the west of Vang, a village in Blekinge, pictured, on the south coast of Sweden. Researchers have suspected the area was an Iron Age settlement for some time since finding a 3rd century bronze bust in the same region back in 2004, and more recently, unearthing the ruins of houses . ‘The discovery of gold from this period shows that people in the area served as soldiers in the Roman Army,' said Björn Nilsson, of Södertörn University College. ‘Up here in the Nordic countries the gold coins that had been paid to the soldiers were melted down and formed into guldgubbar and guldkoner.' Guldkoner refers to the female figurines, also known as Gold Wives. The theory about the site being an . Iron Age settlement were bolstered by the discovery of glass beads and . other bronze household items as well as pottery, animal bones and clay. ‘Gold Old men are most commonly found at sites associated with power or religious rites,’ continued Henriksson. ‘Maybe the site has been used as a place of worship but as yet we can only speculate. ‘What we now know about the place is that it was a certainly a settlement in the Iron Age.’ The discovery of the gold figurines, . alongside bronze busts and signs that a community once lived in the . region, has led archaeologists to believe an Iron Age cult once lived in . the area. Guldgubbars, also known as Gold Old Men or Gold Wives, are commonly associated with places or political or religious significance. They were made from coins, in this . instance given to local residents who were soldiers of the Roman Army, . and hammered into the shapes of clothed men and women. Hoards of objects such as these, as . well as the bronze objects found in the same region, may have been . buried as gifts to the gods. Metal during the Bronze and Iron Age was deemed valuable enough for objects made from it to serve as a sacrifice. The vast number of guldgubbars discovered in Vang, said to be the third largest hoard ever found in Sweden, additionally suggests this area could have been a region of great religious significance. This is bolstered by the various ruins of houses and other findings hinting that a settlement would have been set up in the region and survived for hundreds of years. Archaeologists have known for some . time the region once held Roman significance. Although Sweden was not part of . the Roman Empire, experts have speculated that inhabitants of the . region may have been mercenaries for the Roman Army. Graves . of Norse warriors have also been found containing Roman weapons, which . reinforces the interaction between the two cultures. In 2004, researchers uncovered a cast bronze head in the region and believe it represents a Celtic god or goddess. In 2004, researchers from Belkinge Museum uncovered a cast bronze head, pictured, in the same region as the figurines and believe it to represent a Celtic god or goddess . More recently, researchers also uncovered five more bronze cast heads. The majority are thought to be of Celtic origin like the one found in 2004 yet two, pictured, were designed differently. Both have Roman features with so-called ‘melon hairstyles’ and date back to 200AD . Interestingly, during the latest round of excavations, researchers uncovered five more of these heads. The . majority are thought to be of Celtic origin yet two were designed . differently. Both have Roman features with so-called ‘melon hairstyles’, . dating back to 200AD. It . is not known whether the collections of Celtic and Roman figures are . linked, although it is unusual that devotional artefacts from two . different cultures have been found so close to one another. It is thought the Roman heads would have been fixed to bronze jugs or drinking vessels. Two of the bronze heads discovered in Vang on display at the Blekinge Museum . Archaeologists believe the heads, including the one pictured, would have been fixed to bronze jugs or drinking vessels. They are also similar to Iron Age heads recently found on the island of Osland . | Hoard of 2cm-tall figurines were found in the village of Vang in Blekinge .
Called guldgubbar, they are also known as Gold Old Men or Gold Wives .
Researchers believe they were made from Roman coins which were hammered into shape .
Guldgubbars are commonly associated with areas of ritual and worship .
Archaeologists found ruins of a house and a forge suggesting the region was once home to an Iron Age cult . |
75,196 | d531f0bb98eccd81798b5c4d11e1d9b98179eec3 | By . Hayley Peterson . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 24 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 25 April 2013 . Boston bombings victim Jeff Bauman, who famously helped authorities identify suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev and lost both his legs in the blasts, delivered a birthday present to another victim of the attacks on Tuesday. The heartwarming moment was captured in a photograph that went viral on social media sites Wednesday. Bauman, 27, is pictured handing Sydney Corcoran a Macy's bag in a hospital room. It was Corcoran's 18th birthday on Tuesday. Corcoran was cheering on her aunt at the marathon with other family members when the bombs went off last Monday. She suffered shrapnel wounds, including a torn femoral artery. Sydney's mother, Celeste, lost both her legs below the knee. Scroll down for video . Jeff Bauman, 27, is photographed delivering a birthday present to 18-year-old victim Sydney Corcoran. It's believed that the woman in the forefront of the photo is Celeste, Sydney's mother . Carlos Arredondo, center, helps medical workers run a man named Jeff Bauman Jr. who lost his legs in the blast, to ambulances . Tragedy: Sydney Corcoran, 18, left, suffered shrapnel wounds, including a torn femoral artery. Sydney's mother, Celeste, right, lost both her legs below the knee . Family: Sydney Corcoran and her mother Celeste comfort each other in their hospital beds . Bauman had both his legs blown off in . the first explosion near the marathon finish line and he was bleeding . out when Carlos Arredondo swooped in to save his life by tying fabric . around one of his legs and pinching an artery in the other. Exactly one week after the bombings, Arrendondo visited Bauman in the hospital where he is still recovering. 'I was so happy to see him with his . big open-wide eyes and very grateful to be able to hug him and let him . know how proud I am of him,' Arredondo told the Concord Monitor of . his visit. A photograph of the two of them - Bauman . sitting white-faced in the wheelchair and grasping his left leg while . Arredondo, donning a cowboy hat, runs beside him with his artery in hand . - became one of the most widely seen images from the day of the bombings. Jeff Bauman Jr., 27, of Chelmsford, . Massachusetts, pictured left, before and right after, had been watching . his girlfriend compete in the race when the devastating blast went off . Hero: A badly shaken Carlos Arredondo, who was at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon when two explosives detonated . 'The picture that you see, that’s what . it is and that how it happened, you know,' Bauman told the Monitor. 'I . was just trying to help him in every way I could, and thank God he gave . me the opportunity to help this beautiful young man.' Arredondo said he spent . an hour with Bauman at the hospital, 'trying to talk with him and laugh . with him and let him know how great he was doing while all this was . happening.' He also brought Bauman gifts, . including a hat and a card signed by military families who have lost . someone in war. One of Arredondo's sons died in Iraq in 2004 and his . other son took his own life just before Christmas in 2011. Bauman has received more than $600,000 in donations for his medical bills over the last week. His stepmother, Csilla Bauman, of . Concord, told the newspaper that the 27-year-old has been feeling . positive about his recovery. Recovery: Both Sydney (right) and her mother Celeste (center) are still recovering . Bauman, pictured right, is in stable condition at Boston Medical Center having lost both legs . 'His mind is just very focused on . just going every day and getting stronger and just adjusting to this new . way of life that he’s going to live, but in a positive way,' she said. On Wednesday, Bauman was photographed delivering a birthday present to 18-year-old bombing victim Sydney Corcoran. The photograph went viral online. On the day of the marathon, Bauman . was standing near the finish line and waiting for his girlfriend to . cross. When he woke in the hospital several days later, he blurted out that he had seen a man drop a bag near his feet. His description of the man led authorities . to identify the suspects in the bombing. Double tragedy: Marine Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo (left) was killed in Iraq in 2004. His brother Brian took his own life last month after struggling to deal with his elder brother's death . Grief: Brian Arredondo (left) joins his father Carlos as they attend a . memorial for his brother Alexander who was killed in the Iraq war. Brian . took his own life just before Christmas 2011Terrifying moment blast hits crowds at Boston marathon . | Marathon bombings victim Jeff Bauman, 27, gave the gift to Sydney Corcoron for her birthday Tuesday .
After losing his legs in the blasts, Bauman helped authorities identify suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev .
Corcoran suffered shrapnel wounds and a torn femoral artery .
Her mother lost both legs below the knee . |
218,963 | a76857ba97d0df2a0f6aef564ac299ed7cc26c57 | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 06:48 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:53 EST, 16 December 2013 . This grainy image shows the terrifying moment a gunman fired his weapon at a house in a quiet residential street. The shooting occurred during a vicious, eight-month vendetta waged by gypsy crimelord Eugene Price, 34, and his family against a rival clan in St Helen's, Merseyside. In another incident, Price's hitmen shot at a caravan as two small children slept inside, and there were four firebomb attacks against the Maughan family which brought 'fear and misery' to the streets of the town, a court heard. Today Price, who made an estimated . £1million a year from organised crime rackets, was jailed for 25 years . after admitting a string of offences including conspiracy to possess a firearm with . intent to endanger life. Chilling: The moment a hitman opened fire on a house in a quiet residential street in St Helens, Merseyside . Criminal mastermind Eugene Price, 34, left, and fellow gang member David Doolan, 28, were jailed today . Damage: The end of terrace house in St Helens was shot at by the gunman during the feud between families . Inquiries revealed Price ran a busy drugs store in the town which had over 100 visits from addicts every day, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Police surveillance showed in one week in April last year in which more than £14,000-worth of Class A drugs including cocaine and heroin were sold from the house. But Price and his gang were rounded up during a major crackdown on organised crime after his hitman, David Doolan, 28, was bugged by police and was caught boasting and laughing about his roles in the shootings. Details emerged at Liverpool Crown Court as Price, from Leeds, was jailed for 25 years after he conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to commit arson and possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. The court heard shots were fired at . two properties belonging to members of the Maughan family in February last year. During the attack on the caravan, a shotgun was fired through the . window where a five-year-old boy lay sleeping child underneath and his . eight-year-old sister lay asleep nearby. Christopher Lunt, 27, left, was jailed for 21 1/2 years while Mark Jervis, 32, was sent to prison for four years . Gang members Norman Worrall, 58, left, and Stephen Finney, 21, were jailed for conspiracy to supply drugs . Drugs: Debbie Ballard, 43, was jailed for five years four months and Chirstopher Kendall, 29, for 13 years . Pellets from the gun covered the . five-year-old boy but he escaped injury. No-one was injured during the . attack on the house although a window and door were damaged. Prosecutor David Birrell said the scale of Price’s drugs operation was 'frankly enormous.' Passing sentence, Judge Dennis . Watson QC told Price and his accomplices: 'Against a background of . extremely serious inter-gang violence, you would seek out the homes of . your rivals and discharge firearms.' 'You were all involved in a very well . organised retailing operation which was responsible for putting huge . quantities of Class A drugs onto the streets of St Helens. 'Class A drugs such as heroin and . cocaine wreck lives, fuel crime, break up families and cause death. You . were all well aware of the misery you were peddling and it’s worthy of . note that since all of you were arrested the general level of crime in . St Helens, I’m told, has fallen significantly.' This police photo shows damage done to a caravan which was shot at while a boy and girl slept inside it . Police discovered quantities of Class A drugs in their swoop - Eugene Price made £1million a year from his racket . Doolan, from Bootle, Liverpool, was jailed for 18 years for conspiracy to supply drugs, to commit arson, and to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. A third leading gang member Christopher Lunt, 27, of Wigan, was jailed for 21 and a half years for the same offences, and five other members of the crime family were jailed for a total of 34 years. Since the police swoop, crime levels in . the town have dropped and residents say the streets are . much 'quieter and safer', the court heard. Today Detective Superintendent Richie Salter of Merseyside Police said: 'These people had access to firearms and were not afraid to use them. They had a complete disregard for the safety and lives of others. Damage: Liverpool Crown Court heard how the gang members opened fire on a caravan while children slept inside . Police discovered 'wraps' of drugs bound in cling film stored inside Tupperware boxes in their raid . 'At the time of the shooting on the caravan a five-year-old child was asleep on the bed. We are so fortunate that the child, or others who were in the caravan, were not seriously injured or killed. 'When you look at the photographs, it really brings home the complete disregard that these people have for the lives of others.' Five other people were convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Christopher Kendall, 29, of Wigan, was jailed for 13 years; Norman Worrall, 58, of Bootle, Liverpool was jailed for six years; Debbie Ballard, 43, of St Helens, was jailed for five years four months; Stephen Finney, 21, of St Helens, was jailed for five years; and Mark Jervis, 32, of St Helens, was jailed for four years. | Gypsy crimelord Eugene Price, 34, and gang terrorised streets of St Helens .
They shot at house and caravan while children slept inside it during fight with rival Merseyside clan .
Liverpool Crown Court heard Price made some £1million a year from crime .
He and henchmen ran busy drugs store visited by 100 people each day .
Today Price, from Leeds, was jailed for 25 years after admitting conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to commit arson, and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs .
Christopher Lunt, 27, and David Doolan, 28, jailed for the same offences .
Six other people were jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs . |
202,253 | 91da592981de5b21164708986d1e08081de5e1cc | Sony is set to spearhead Google's move into the living room. The electronics giants is one of several that today revealed its 2015 TV sets will run the Android TV software created by Google. However, Samsung has abandoned the software in favour of its own Tizen system in a bid to break away from Google. Scroll down for video . Sony's new KD-65X9000C 4K TV, which will run Google's Android TV software and is just 0.2inch thick. the firm boasted the TV set is slimmer than its smartphone. Google's Android TV is set to be built into new TVs from Sony, Sharp and Philips, it was revealed today. Sony's version of Android TV uses its own special remote. Via the built-in microphone on the touch-pad Remote, users can use Voice Control to search for content, ask questions and control the TV. It also includes Google Cast so users can easily send content from your smartphone or tablet to your TV. Google's software allows consumers to access Google's Play Store to download apps, and to run games without the need for a separate console. 'Brand new this year, Android TV makes your viewing smarter than ever,' said Sony as it unveiled its new Android TVs. 'Imagine everything you love doing on your tablet or smartphone: now on the big screen. 'Sony Android TV brings it all to life in your living room, letting you explore a world of movies, music, photos, games, search, apps and more – all brought to you with fabulous Sony picture and sound quality.' Sony's version of Android TV uses its own special remote. Via the built-in microphone on the touch-pad Remote, users can use Voice Control to search for content, ask questions and control the TV. 'It'll pick up on accents, and translate 42 different languages, said Sony's Mike Fasulo. 'All of our 2015 TVs will run on the Android TV platform,' he confirmed. 'Now you can use your TV with the same interface as your phone and tablet.' Android TV also includes Google Cast so users can easily send content from your smartphone or tablet to your TV. Philips will also be using Android in all of its 2015 TVs, the firm said today. TP Vision, which own the brand, said Philips' 2015 range of Android TVs will run Android 5.0 Lollipop. This means users will have access to the Google Play Store. 'We want to leverage the advantage of being a pioneer member of Android's large, fast growing eco-system,' said Albert Mombarg, Head of Smart TV at TP Vision. 'It attracts a huge base of developers, who now can easily adapt their apps for different types of devices including TVs.' Some of the apps available on Google's TV software . Sharp also revealed two new TVs running Android. 'The UE30 and UH30 series will adopt the Android TV platform,' it said,. 'Android TV brings together movies, apps and games from Google Play™, as well as helpful features like voice search and the ability to cast content from your mobile device to Sharp televisions. Sharp has also developed its own app, called SmartCentral 4.0, which enables consumers to browse and search cable, satellite and streaming services from a single screen. South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics said it will release smart televisions equipped with its new platform built around the Tizen operating system this year, as it seeks to lower its reliance on Google. Samsung said all of its new web-connected TV sets would be run by Tizen,and revealed them topday. 'Building our Smart Platform around Tizen is a groundbreaking step towards a much more intelligent and integrated system,' Lee Won-Jin, a Samsung executive vice president, said in a statement. Joe Stinziano unveils the new Samsung S'UHD smart TV at a Samsung Electronics news conference during the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. the firm has snubbed Google's Android to develop its own software called Tizen . 'Tizen not only enriches the entertainment experience for our customers today, but unlocks great potential for the future in home entertainment,' he said. Samsung, the world's largest mobile phone producer, has focused on developing the Tizen operating system along with companies led by Intel to lower its reliance on Google's Android operating system. Tizen can be applied to mobile devices, digital cameras and home appliances. Samsung has rolled out Tizen-based digital cameras and wearable smart watches this year. | Firms all plan TV sets running Google's Lollipop Android software .
Will allow users to download apps and stream music and video .
Will compete against Samsung, which has its own Tizen software . |
170,513 | 68b8f23974e5fd01f121ea0356fab20d8235a536 | A crocodile had to be taken to hospital after it was crushed by an 18-stone Russian woman on a bus. The seven foot reptile called Fedya was travelling on a circus bus full of performers and was fast asleep when the vehicle hit a bump in the road near Severomorsk, in Russia, sending the woman, flying. The woman, an accountant for the circus troupe, was not wearing a seatbelt and tumbled on top of the crocodile which happened to be sleeping near her, according to RIA Novosti - the news agency which operates under the scope of the Russian government. A crocodile was injured after it was crushed by an 18-stone Russian woman on a bus (file picture) The Soviet Circus, based in the region of Murmansk, feared for the reptile's life after the shock left it vomiting for three hours. This can be a sign of severe internal injury for crocodiles. The accountant escaped with only minor injuries but has been reprimanded for not wearing her seatbelt. Fedya was taken to a nearby hospital where it was checked for internal injuries by experts. It had to skip a performance that had been scheduled for later in the evening. The Soviet Circus feared for the reptile's life when the shock left . it vomiting for three hours . Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported that the woman was 'advised to lose weight and observe safety precautions'. Animals including tigers, lions and monkeys are still used in Russian circuses, where there are no laws preventing them performing. | Seven foot reptile called Fedya was travelling on a circus bus .
It was fast asleep when the vehicle hit a bump in the road .
A woman sitting near by was thrown on top of the animal .
Circus feared for crocodiles life after it vomited for three hours . |
74,268 | d29806091ebab022b9bc7cd1a3be4fac420458cb | After more than a decade together, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings are going out on top, ending their partnership with yet another gold medal. The pair, two of the most recognisable faces in the sport, won their third gold medal yesterday at London’s Horse Guards Parade. Between Athens, Beijing and London, they are undefeated, having won all but one set on the world's top stage. Gold and glory: Misty May-Treanor, left, and Kerri Walsh Jennings, right, pose with their gold medals, their third-straight, following the final in London . Jumping for joy: Walsh Jennings gets some air time as she and May-Treanor celebrate their third gold medal in beach volleyball . Following the match, May-Treanor,35, said she will retire from the sport to spend more time with her husband, Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Matt Treanor, and start a family. She said: 'This is my last match. Beach volleyball's not going to be my career anymore... It's time for me to be a wife. ‘I want to be a mom and share time with my family. All of us as athletes sacrifice more on the family end than people realize. And it's getting back to that. My mind says it's time. My body says it's time. And it's the right time.' Matt Treanor was not in the crowd in London, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t watching. Couple: May-Treanor is pictured left with her husband Matt Treanor in 2005 when he was with the Florida Marlins. Treanor now plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers . Before the Dodgers game against the Colorado Rockies in LA yesterday, he anxiously sat in front of a computer in the team's clubhouse to view the action on a weak internet connection that made him miss the final few points. 'I'm just real proud of her,' he said in the Dodger Stadium dugout. 'I am sure she is much more comfortable on the court than I am watching her.' He said that he couldn’t be happier, and admitted that he shed tears of joy as his wife and her longtime teammate won the match against compatriots Jen Kessy and April Ross. Embrace: Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor hug in the sand after defeating April Ross and Jen Kessy in the women's gold medal beach volleyball final . Friends with kids: May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings hold Walsh Jennings' children Joseph and Sundance as they celebrate their gold medal win . Tense moment: Matt Treanor appears anxious as he watches the women's volleyball final from the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium . Pre-game celebration: Matt Treanor flashes a thumbs up and is congratulated by teammates after his wife and her partner Kerri Walsh Jennings won gold . ‘Tears didn’t flow right away because there were a bunch of people in the room… To me it’s a swarming effect. There’s all these thoughts and emotions that come into your head and a lot of it is just about Misty. It’s about what she wanted to do and sacrificed and for her to accomplish that.' When asked if she was the best athlete in the family, Treanor said: ‘Yeah, I’ve been saying that for the last eight years.' Walsh Jennings, 33, who lifted herself into the stands to celebrate with her family yesterday, has said she will keep competing, but it is unclear whom she will play with. Rise and fall: May-Treanor appeared on Dancing With the Stars after the Beijing games, but was forced out of the competition after tearing her Achilles . Family in focus: Walsh Jennings had two children after winning their second gold medal in the Beijing games . After winning gold in Beijing in 2008, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings took some time off. Walsh Jennings, had two children with fellow beach volleyballer Casey Jennings – Joseph and Sundance. May-Treanor competed on Dancing With the Stars, but was forced to drop out of the celebrity dance reality show after tearing her Achilles tendon. She thought she was done with volleyball for good, until a 2010 tournament revealed a hunger for more Olympic gold. Dive: Misty May-Treanor digs out a ball during the gold medal beach volleyball match against Jen Kessy and April Ross . Unbeatable: The team of Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor was the first to win two gold medals in a row, let alone three . She told NBC’s Bob Costas: 'There was this tournament that came about. I played with Kerri - I don’t know if I should’ve been quite out there yet. It was USA vs Brazil [and I was] still playing at a good level after the injury - I was like, "OK I’ll come back."' May-Treanor competed with another partner while Walsh Jennings had her second child, but she wished to end the journey with the person she wanted to finish it with, 'and that was Kerri.' But on the road to their third Olympics, the duo realised their relationship had become strained, and they sought professional help. The St Louis Post-Dispatch reported earlier this month that May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings sought couples therapy to bolster their relationship before heading to London. Sportsmanship: The opposing U.S. teams hug each other at the end of the gold medal match . On the podium: The medallists listen to the U.S. national anthem during the medal ceremony . Walsh Jennings, 33, told the paper: 'We were in a funk, mentally. It wasn't physical at all. We were just in a weird place.' What followed were several sessions with famed sports psychologist Michael Gervais, who helped them learn how to work better as a team. What transpired was an unstoppable partnership that stunned the world, and even had Ross and Kessy in awe of the Olympic icons. Perfection: Walsh Jennings leaps into the stands as she celebrates . 'I know how hard it is to win one tournament. And the amount of tournaments they've won is crazy,' said Kessy, who took the silver with Ross in their Olympic debuts. She added: 'For them to do it for years and years and to be on top is just really impressive. We learn a lot from them.' Child's play: The duo celebrates with Walsh Jenning's children after winning the gold medal . Celebration: Kerri Walsh Jennings, left, and Misty May-Treanor, right, go berserk after winning the gold medal . Battle: Jen Kessy, left, attempts to block the ball against Misty May-Treanor, right . Shout: May-Treanor yells into a TV camera amid celebrations after she and Walsh Jennings won the gold medal . Under the net: Kerri Walsh Jennings sets the ball during the beach volleyball match . | Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings reflect after winning their third gold medal in three Olympics .
May-Treanor, 35, says she will retire after this match to focus on starting a family .
Her husband Matt Treanor, a Los Angeles Dodgers catcher, admits he cried as he watched final from Dodger Stadium .
They faced compatriots Jen Kessy and April Ross in an all-American final . |
66,466 | bc898b251f7ee800f424da013da56e6ecd3eaf29 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Dom DeLuise, who spiced up such movies as "Blazing Saddles," "Silent Movie" and "The Cannonball Run" with his manic delivery and roly-poly persona, has died, his son's publicist said. Dom DeLuise was best known for his roles in Mel Brooks films as well as films with his friend Burt Reynolds. Publicist Jay Schwartz did not disclose the cause of death, but DeLuise, 75, had been battling cancer for more than a year. DeLuise was surrounded by family when he died in a Santa Monica, California, hospital Monday night, son Michael DeLuise told CNN affiliate KTLA. DeLuise was most famous for his supporting roles in a number of Mel Brooks films, including 1974's "Saddles" -- in which he played a flamboyant musical director who led dancers in a number called "The French Mistake" -- and 1976's "Silent Movie," in which he played the assistant to Brooks' director Mel Funn. He was also in the Brooks-directed "The Twelve Chairs" (1970), "Spaceballs" (1987) and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993). But he could also assay more serious roles, most notably in the 1980 dark comedy "Fatso," in which he played an overweight man trying to wean himself from comfort food. The film was directed by Brooks' wife, Anne Bancroft. Watch an impromptu performance by Dom DeLuise » . DeLuise, who struggled with his own weight, was also an author of cookbooks. In 1991, he told CNN's Larry King that after meeting Luciano Pavarotti while working on an opera, he realized he needed to try to shed some of his weight. "I finally became powerless over food," he told King. "You know, anybody who's an alcoholic or cocaine or something, that's what food was to me." Besides authoring cookbooks, DeLuise penned seven children's books. DeLuise was also part of the supporting cast in the Burt Reynolds crash-'em-up vehicles "Smokey and the Bandit II" (1980), "Cannonball Run" (1981) and "Cannonball Run II" (1984). Other DeLuise films include "The End" (1978), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982) and "Johnny Dangerously" (1984). His voice was featured in such films as "An American Tail" (1986) and its sequels, "All Dogs Go to Heaven" (1989) and its 1996 sequel, and "Oliver & Company" (1988). Dominic DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 1, 1933. In the 1960s he had bit parts in a handful of movies, including "Fail Safe" (1964), but became well known as a regular on "The Entertainers" and a Dean Martin variety show. He had his own summer replacement show in 1968 and was a regular on Glen Campbell's "Goodtime Hour" in 1971-72. Watch DeLuise talk about working on "The Mike Douglas Show" » . DeLuise had three sons -- Peter, Michael and David -- who all became actors. He told Larry King that it was the "joy of my life" to work with his oldest son, Peter, when he directed the film "Second Nature." His wife of 40 years, actress Carol Arthur, appeared in several movies with him, including "Blazing Saddles" and "Silent Movie," according to DeLuise's Web site. DeLuise worked closely on several films with pal Gene Wilder, who in 2002 told Larry King that of all of his co-stars, DeLuise "makes me laugh the most." A frequent collaborator with DeLuise, Burt Reynolds released a statement to "Entertainment Tonight" on his friend's death. "I was thinking the other day about this. As you get older you think about this more and more, I was dreading this moment. Dom always made everyone feel better when he was around. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I will miss him very much," Reynolds says. | Dom DeLuise appeared in several Mel Brooks films and Burt Reynolds movies .
Among DeLuise's best-known films: "Silent Movie," "Cannonball Run"
Reynolds: "Dom always made everyone feel better when he was around" |
185,271 | 7bfae26a9e66da7007b85200b917d90fb4754f38 | Rome (CNN) -- Vatican workmen scaled the roof of the Sistine Chapel Saturday, as they installed the chimney which will release the black or white smoke that signifies whether a new pope has been elected. The chimney is the first publicly visible sign of the preparations going on inside the chapel, which is where the Roman Catholic cardinals will gather on Tuesday for the start of the conclave -- the secret papal election. Footage released by the Vatican has shown the installation of two stoves inside the chapel. One is used to burn the cardinals' ballots after they are cast and the other to send up the smoke signal. If no one has won, a chemical is added to make the smoke black. This lets people waiting in St. Peter's Square below -- and the people watching on TV around the world -- know what is happening. White smoke means a new pope has been chosen. If the smoke is released after dark, a spotlight will be trained on the chimney so that it can still be seen, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Saturday. The stove will be tested before the conclave to make sure it can produce smoke, Lombardi said, but privately, so as not to cause too much excitement. The cardinals met Saturday morning for the latest in a series of sessions known as General Congregations. These are open to all the cardinals, not just those aged under 80, and are an important part of the preparations for the election. As well as getting to know their counterparts from around the world, the cardinals discuss the major issues facing the church, including its handling of allegations of child sex abuse by priests and a scandal over leaks from the Vatican last year that revealed claims of corruption, as well as the church's future direction. The final General Congregation will take place on Monday, the Vatican said. More than 130 cardinals have already spoken at the meetings. Once the conclave starts, the 115 cardinal-electors can't leave Vatican City until the process is done and aren't allowed to speak with anyone outside of the conclave. They stay in a Vatican hotel, Casa Santa Marta, for the duration and, in line with tradition, drew lots for their rooms during Saturday's meeting. 'Praying a lot' The cardinal-electors will move into Santa Marta first thing on Tuesday, the Vatican said. They will then attend a special morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The first vote will be held that afternoon, with subsequent ballots cast over the following days until one of the contenders gains the two-thirds majority that means he is elected head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. The longest conclave held since the turn of the 20th century lasted five days. The Sistine Chapel, whose famous ceiling was painted by Renaissance artist Michelangelo, has been closed to tourists while the preparations for the conclave are made. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, one of about a dozen leading candidates to become pope, wrote in a blog post Friday that he misses New York after 10 days and is sorry he won't be there on St. Patrick's Day. "We cardinals sure are praying a lot," he said. Contrary to media reports, he said, the focus of the cardinals' meetings is much the same as it was two millenia ago, namely: "How most effectively to present the Person, message, and invitation of Jesus to a world that, while searching for salvation and eternal truth, are also at times doubting, skeptical, too busy, or frustrated." This means discussions on such subjects as preaching, teaching the faith, care of the poor and sick, and support for the church's clergy and the families that make up their congregations, Dolan said. "Those are the 'big issues.' You may find that hard to believe, since the 'word on the street' is that all we talk about is corruption in the Vatican, sexual abuse, money. Do these topics come up? Yes! Do they dominate? No!" he wrote. Ring destroyed . Meanwhile, the Italian press is full of speculation about which cardinal may win enough support from his counterparts to be elected, and what regional alliances are being formed. The United States has 11 of the 115 votes, making it the second largest national bloc after Italy. Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said Saturday that the symbolic Fisherman's Ring and the seal that Benedict XVI used as pope have been scratched to render them invalid. Three other symbols of Benedict XVI's papacy were destroyed in the same way, he said. The next pope will get a new Fisherman's Ring and seal with his own name on it after he is elected. Benedict XVI resigned 10 days ago, becoming the first pontiff to do so in six centuries. CNN's Dan Rivers and Richard Allen Greene reported from Rome and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. Hada Messia in Rome contributed to this report. | Vatican: The papal ring and seal belonging to Benedict XVI have now been destroyed .
A chimney is installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City .
Once the conclave starts, it will release smoke that signals whether a new pope is elected .
The 115 cardinal-electors will vote for the first time on Tuesday afternoon . |
209,581 | 9b661434de1be7ec9451ff6e94e651ddfd2d7d73 | Al-Shabaab militants raided a quarry in Kenya, separating non-Muslim workers from their Muslim counterparts and executing them, a spokesman for the group said Tuesday. At least 36 bodies were found Tuesday dumped in the quarry in the village of Kormey, near the Somali border, the Kenyan Red Cross said. Al-Shabaab said the attack was retaliation for mosque raids that Kenyan security forces carried out last month to weed out extremists. Kormey is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the border city of Mandera, in an area where the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants are known to operate. Last month, the Islamist militants ambushed a bus in Kenya and sprayed bullets on those who failed to recite Quran verses, killing at least 28 people, authorities said. The bus, which had 60 people aboard, was heading from Mandera to the capital of Nairobi. The group says the latest attacks are a response to the police raid on multiple mosques in the port city of Mombasa after explosives were found in one. "Our Mujhahideen forces are always ready to launch frequent deadly cross-border attacks against Kenya as a revenge," group spokesman Sheikh Ali Dheere said in a statement read on a pro-Al-Shabaab radio station in Somalia. National police chief resigns . After news of the quarry attack surfaced, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said he accepted the resignation of the country's national police chief, David Kimaiyo. Kenyatta said the recent attacks constituted "a war, and a war we must win." Tuesday's attack was swiftly condemned, with Nairobi's Jamia Mosque, the largest in the country, calling it a "beastly tactic." "This unfortunate and ugly incident should not be used to divide peace loving Kenyans who have lived harmoniously for centuries -- along religious or ethnic lines," the mosque said in a statement, "but rather it should be taken to reflect on improving the security situation of the country." Al-Shabaab, which has ties to al Qaeda, has launched a series of attacks in Kenya since Kenyan forces went into neighboring Somalia in 2011 to battle the extremists. Kenyan soldiers have targeted militants' hideouts across Somalia, prompting retaliatory attacks from the terror group. Last year, Al-Shabaab raided a Nairobi mall in a brazen attack that left 68 people dead and kept shoppers under siege for days. In addition to Kenya and Somalia, the terror group has struck in Uganda, where it killed more than 70 people gathered to watch a broadcast of the World Cup Final soccer match in Kampala in 2010. As the attacks get more daring, the international community has rallied to battle the militants. In September, a U.S. airstrike killed Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane. The terror group later replaced him and vowed to avenge his death. | Kenya's President accepts the national police chief's resignation .
Al-Shabaab said the quarry attack was retaliation for mosque raids .
Last month, the Islamist militants ambushed a bus and killed 28 .
The international community has rallied to battle the militants . |
201,218 | 9083268a9836aafcf5342f54adf19b3f70aab023 | John Terry’s 100th Champions League appearance was clearly something to celebrate — though perhaps the Chelsea skipper was being a touch ambitious by attempting to score from 100 yards, his first-half free kick falling short and dribbling wide. Still it is a remarkable achievement for Terry, who made his first appearance in the competition as an ungainly 22-year-old against Slovakian club MSK Zilina alongside Marcel Desailly, Glen Johnson and Wayne Bridge in 2003. Chelsea captain John Terry reached 100 Champions League appearances for the club on Tuesday night . Terry (right) made his Champions League debut as a 22-year-old against Slovakian club MSK Zilina in 2003 . Jose Mourinho warned that his former club’s ground could be a bit of a bear pit. And so it proved with the incessant chanting and deafening whistles that greeted the first-half performance of Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz showing Sporting fans at their vociferous best. Their anger reached a peak when former Benfica player Nemanja Matic opened the scoring. Blues boss Jose Mourinho warned his side that Sporting's Estadio Jose Alvalade could be a bit of a bear pit . Nemanja Matic (second right) scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon . William Carvalho is a little too slow around the pitch to justify his £37million price tag for some Premier League sides. Certainly Arsenal baulked at paying that in August. That said, he knows his role in front of the back four well and his muscular frame represents a considerable obstacle. Arsene Wenger would be glad to have a player with those qualities at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Sporting midfielder William Carvalho (right) attracted interest from Arsenal in the summer . A world champion he may be but Andre Schurrle is on a miserable run in front of goal. After some wayward finishing against Bolton last week he missed two great chances here. Maybe Mourinho had a point when he told him to be more clinical after a hat-trick at Fulham last season. Andre Schurrle (bottom) endured a torrid night in front of goal for Chelsea against Sporting Lisbon . Schurrle (right) missed a glorious chance in the first half to give Chelsea the lead but saw his shot go wide . | John Terry made his 100th Champions League appearance on Tuesday .
Chelsea captain made his competition debut against MSK Zilina in 2003 .
Arsenal target William Carvalho impressed in midfield for Sporting .
Andre Schurrle missed some glorious chances for Chelsea in Lisbon . |
218,636 | a703ec46de9078c0c441b97a3788fcbb0be5e2b2 | By . David Richards . Last updated at 4:46 PM on 15th December 2011 . To seasoned Robert Mugabe watchers who have to reach for a pair of sunglasses every time he puts in a personal appearance, this might come as a bit of a surprise. For the 87-year-old Zimbabwean tyrant has agreed for his signature to be used with a new fashion label in a bid to reach out to younger voters. The news - unlikely to send a shiver through the fashion houses of Milan and Paris - was been reported in gushing tones by the Zimbabwe Broadcast Corporation which said demand had already been high after the fashion line was launched in the capital, Harare. The network reported: 'A new fashion stable, House of Gushungo, whose label is President Robert Mugabe's signature, has hit the capital by storm. If you like this, you'll just love my latest fashion line: Robert Mugabe gestures during a tree-planting ceremony while sporting a interesting take on the Hawaiian shirt. It appears to have a pictures of him as a young man (top left of shirt), a cow being milked (bottom left) and the wheels of a steam train (peeking out from under the paper in his hand) The looks that's taking Harare by storm, apparently. No prizes for spotting Mugabe's signature - it covers the entire chest area of this House of Gushongo T-shirt in stylish black . Another speech, another outfit. Here the Zimbabwean leader sports a batik-style shirt with Seventies style lapels . 'The newly formed House of Gushungo clothing stable has introduced a new clothing line from the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe's signature. 'The clothing stable is set to redefine the country's fashion industry which is mostly dominated by foreign clothing labels. 'The contemporary line appeals to today's modern men and women, offering style, comfort and a splash of attitude.' This time the former freedom fighter wears a shirt with chains being broken and the name of his party, Zanu PF, emblazoned on his lapels . Attempts by Mugabe - rumoured to be suffering from prostate cancer - to reach out to the young are not new. Last month it emerged that Mugabe is to appear in pop songs by a local band linked to Zimbabwe's information minister Webster Shamu. The ZBC reported that the line of Mugabe clothing was launched recently by a Zimbabwean company Yedu Nesu Holdings. The firm's range is designed for men and women and includes formal clothes, t-shirts, winter wear, jackets and caps. Mugabe's signature is emblazoned on every item to allow their wearers to demonstrate their support for the freedom fighter-turned dictator. Label boss Nicholas Munyonga said the range had been designed to honour Mugabe after his three decades of power. He told ZBC: 'We decided to come up with something that is long lasting, something that will last for ever and in honour of the our President.' The news has been interpreted by some as part of an attempt by Mugabe to appeal to young voters. Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since it gained independence from Britain in 1980. But in recent years he has seen support for his Zanu-PF party collapse after the country's once-booming economy went into meltdown. At the last presidential election in 2008 Mugabe suffered the indignity of losing in the first round of polling to the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. He later claimed victory in a controversial run-off poll after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew from the race amid widespread political violence. The two men later formed an uneasy unity government which has theoretically controlled Zimbabwe since February 2009. However Mugabe has repeatedly spoken of his desire to secure a fresh mandate for his own party to rule alone once again. He was last week re-elected Zanu-PF leader and told the organisation's annual conference he planned to call new elections next year. Some analysts believe he would be unable to secure sufficient support to win a free and fair election and could resort to intimidation and terror in an attempt to shore up his support. Zanu-PF leaders are also reportedly worried that Mugabe's advancing years could count against him at the polls. The octogenarian has recently faced repeated rumours about his failing health and is believed to be suffering from prostate cancer. | House of Gushungo claims clothing line 'has hit the capital by storm'
His signature to be used on formal clothes, t-shirts, jackets and caps .
'The contemporary line appeals to today's modern men and women, offering style, comfort and a splash of attitude' |
67,595 | bfc34873b223cb8127c46082010f21e9164affbb | By . Paul Bentley . and Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 18:38 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:49 EST, 14 January 2014 . Parents are losing control over what youngsters watch, experts have warned . Parents are losing control over what youngsters watch, experts warned yesterday. This is because tablets, phones and computers allow their children to see violence and pornography without their knowledge. Children as young as 12 are viewing vile and often illegal websites with their friends using the new technology which parents cannot track – although some would argue that parents should be stricter about leaving their children to view content unsupervised. This has left a generation . desensitised to the obscene language and sexual images which have become . the ‘wallpaper’ of children’s lives, said a report for the British . Board of Film Classification. Parents . said they worried about what children aged ten to 15 were now able to . view using phones, tablets such as iPads and computers -– even though in . many cases they bought the devices for them. They also expressed . concern about the surge in sleepovers, which often have little adult . supervision and allow children to watch films their parents would not . approve of. Children were also seen as desensitised to the sexualisation of young women. The . BBFC report said: ‘For many parents, technology is in the hands of the . young and the balance of power within the household has shifted.’ The Daily Mail has campaigned for an opt-in system of filters. The scheme, slowly being rolled out by the internet giants, would mean adults would actively have to ask for the household to have access to X-rated websites. Researchers for the BBFC questioned 10,000 people – including teenagers – about the viewing habits of young people, for the report to accompany its new guidance on film classification. Children are viewing often illegal websites with friends using new technology like iPads . The British Board of Film Classification has also announced plans to clamp down on raunchy music videos in the UK. Videos made featuring artists such as Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Britney Spears could be targeted following the large-scale public consultation. The body said there are ‘special worries’ about sexual content in music videos. The vow to crack down on the videos came as the BBFC released a report stating that parents are losing control over what their children watch. In its report it noted: ‘A specific issue highlighted by the consultation is in relation to sexual content, where the public is particularly concerned about the sexualisation of girls, and pornography. ‘The content of music videos and the ease of accessibility of online porn are special worries.’ It also said the ‘sexualisation of young girls was of particular concern’. ‘Music videos were identified as a key source of sexual imagery, which parents believed to be potentially harmful to young girls’ emotional wellbeing and social development,’ the report said. ‘The overwhelming reaction to the music videos content was one of shock and incredulity.’ ‘Parents are working hard to maintain . control, yet feel that the tide of information and challenging content . can sometimes be against them,’ the report said. ‘By . age 15, most parents argued that it was “game over” and they could no . longer control their child’s viewing. They were fairly pragmatic about . the way in which their children were viewing films – online, at friends, . illegally downloading.’ The fears raised in the report were echoed by Tory MP John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. ‘Now so much viewing is done online. All it requires is for the viewer aged 15 to know what the parental lock password is and it’s very easy to get around,’ he said. ‘It is perfectly true that most children over 15 are very familiar and literate with digital distribution online and therefore for parents to control it is much harder.’ The BBFC report said that because children are now able to watch films using portable devices on their own in their rooms or with their friends, ‘childhood years and their innocence are felt to be under threat with children being exposed to age-inappropriate content... at an earlier age than ever before’. The results support the findings of the Bailey review in 2011, which said: ‘Children are under significant pressure to grow up at a faster pace than ever before. Mothers of girls were particularly sensitive to the increasingly sexual and sexualised culture that their daughters are growing up in and worry about the long-term impact on their development.’ Bad language was also a big concern with the shock value of four-letter words diminishing with each generation. | Tablets, phones and computers allow children to see violence and pornography without their knowledge .
Children as young as 12 are viewing vile and often illegal websites .
Left a generation desensitised to the obscene language and sexual images .
Findings are in report by the British Board of Film Classification . |
46,946 | 844143e1beaed42671bea365f10b072cebbe0b64 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 22:32 EST, 17 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 22:41 EST, 17 July 2012 . Talking in code: Nearly 150 recorded phone calls made by George Zimmerman were released by prosecutors today . Recorded phone calls released today show that George Zimmerman spoke in code while talking to his wife about life in prison and to his friend about the amount of money he had raised through an online donation site for supporters. In addition to talking to family and friends, Zimmerman called the controversial Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones who planned to host a rally in support of the neighborhood watchman, using religious messages to urge Mr Jones to cancel the spectacle. Almost 150 calls were made public as a continuing evidence dump by the Florida state attorney prosecution team, a number of them showing how Zimmerman was very aware that his calls were being recorded and that he and his family used codes and their bilingual language skills to keep their true meanings hidden. As a warning at the beginning of one . of his joint calls with his wife Shellie and his sister Susie, Zimmerman . invokes Florida's last high-profile court case. 'You . remember the Casey Anthony case? Anything you say on the phone is going . to end up on WTMJ,' he said referring to a local radio station. Business Insider . reports that Shellie was discussing when Zimmerman would be released . from jail, and rather than using standard dates and months, she made . sure only those involved would understand. 'It's gonna be at Susie's birth month, maybe sooner,' she said. 'Honey, you have no idea what's going on but I cannot tell you,' she continued. The 37-hours of calls took place while George Zimmerman was in jail after being charged with the second degree murder of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. During a different call, Shellie became audibly upset that he had shared some information- which we still do not know- with his family. Released: Before leaving on a bail bond on July 6 (seen above), Zimmerman used the code of his sister Susie's birth month as the way to describe the date to his wife . 'Oh my God! Okay, well, if we're all screwed that's fine,' she said. His sister Susie then interjects as a moderator of sorts. 'The thing is, that things are being recorded,' Susie said. 'I didn't say, I didn't say it like that. It was, you know, in code,' George responded, admitting that they had clearly been trying to hide their conversations. While that supposed coded interaction . is still unidentified, Zimmerman's phone call with controversial . preacher Terry Jones does not appear to be covert, but Mr Jones still . doesn't seem to understand. On . April 19, Zimmerman appealed to Mr Jones' religious senses when he . called to stop an upcoming rally that Mr Jones had arranged. I . was calling today to ask you humbly, from one God-fearing sinner to . another, for time for healing, for not only the city of Sanford but . America,' Mr Zimmerman said in the call according to NBC News' The Grio. Wife and confidante: Shellie Zimmerman, left, was charged with lying during the bond hearing of her husband . 'I know that your intentions are good, and I know that ultimately God will see his will be done, however, I see that Saturday -- I just ask that you allow the city to heal and America to heal. 'I just ask that perhaps instead of coming Saturday and protesting, we allow law enforcement to do their job and not lose focus, and that perhaps you could even come and visit and pray with me instead of protesting.' Support: One of the recordings calls into question whether attorney Mark O'Mara (right) knew about the full volume of funds that had been donated to Zimmerman (left) online . Mr Jones did not give up on his plans quickly, however, simply grunting along and eventually uttering 'hmm... okay.' He stressed that he felt the protest was necessary 'to sort of counter what has been going on in the news media and to pull us back to the Constitution and pull us back to justice and, of course, part of the message will be in the area of forgiveness.' 'I think it could be a very vital step in that area but, okay, we will definitely consider that.' Other phone calls are lighter on the substance, containing his complaints about the fact that it took several days for him to get his anti-anxiety medication. In another call, he tells a friend that much of the publicity of the case would have been avoided had his parents named him something more Hispanic like 'Jorge'. The Miami Herald . says that Zimmerman's lawyer, Frank Taaffe, had been approached by . someone identified only as 'S.H'. The paper speculates that the man in . question may be Fox News host Sean Hannity, though the news network . officially denied the theory on Tuesday. Mr . Taaffe would not say who approached him on behalf of what group, but he . did say that part of the deal would involve Zimmerman using Jose Baez, . the divisive lawyer who represented Casey Anthony. The . first time that Zimmerman got in trouble for his coded calls was when . he and his wife undershot the amount of money they had in their donation . account. For instance, The Huffington Post reports that they said $8 when they meant $80,000 and $37 for $37,000. Questionable contacts: In one call, Zimmerman reminds his wife and sister to keep their language coded because of when local radio stations played Casey Anthony's (right) calls . Plea to a pastor: Zimmerman called Terry Jones (pictured), best known for wanting to burn a Koran on the anniversary of 9/11, urging him to stop a rally in support of Zimmerman so that the community could heal . While Shellie was arrested and charged with perjury on that count- and subsequently released on $1,000 bond- the latest phone calls show that Zimmerman's lawyer may have lied about knowing the true amount in the questionable account. Publicly, attorney Mark O'Mara has denied knowing how much was in the account, which is understandable because if he did then he too can be charged with perjury or contempt of court. Zimmerman was recorded telling his friend Scott that his lawyer had assured him that the thousands he accrued through the site were not a legal factor because 'Right now you're not working. You're not providing an income for your family. You're probably not going to be employable for the rest of your life,' Scott asked if Mr O'Mara knew about 'the volume' of the donations and Zimmerman said no, but his prior statement shows that Mr O'Mara may have had a general idea. | State attorneys released 150 recorded calls made by Zimmerman .
He talks about how he and his relatives have to speak in code .
Urged Pastor Jones to call off a planned rally of support in effort to 'heal'
Possible Fox News connection behind anonymous donor offering to hire Zimmerman's legal team as long as it included Casey Anthony's lawyer . |
33,193 | 5e5b72713c0704b4c1fb5135f05838a3898134e7 | (CNN) -- Joss Christensen led a U.S. clean sweep in freestyle skiing slopestyle at the Sochi Winter Olympics Thursday before paying an emotional tribute to his late father. The 22-year-old Christensen dominated both the heats and finals, producing the two best runs on each occasion, to take the gold. With Gus Kenworthy taking silver and Nicholas Goepper winning bronze, it was an all-American podium. Christensen, who struggled to find his form after his father James passed away last August, came to the Games as an outsider and as the last pick on the U.S. team, but with scores of 95.80 and 93.80 in the final the Games debutant was an emphatic victor. But his first thoughts were with his dad. "I wish he was here and I hope he is smiling down on me. I hope I made him proud. I did it for him," he said. Christensen was also congratulated by Sage Kotsenburg, who won the first gold of the Sochi Games, taking the snowboard version of slopestyle Saturday. "It's hard not to feel a lump in your throat when you here Joss' story," he said. The United States has proved dominant in slopestyle, which is making it's debut in the Winter Olympics, winning three of the four golds on offer plus a silver. German joy in luge . Meanwhile, German domination in the luge is total as the team completed a clean sweep of gold medals by storming to victory in the first-ever relay event at the Games. Women's champion Natalie Geisenberger, men's gold medalist Felix Loch and doubles winners Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt combined for Germany's seventh gold to date in Sochi. Nicknamed the "Bayern Express," the team proved unbeatable and finished over a second clear of silver medalist Russia, with Latvia in bronze. China makes skating history . But there was an upset in the women's 1,000 meters speed skating competition as Chinese outsider Zhang Hong beat her more established rivals to claim her country's first victory in the event. Zhang clocked one minute 14.02 seconds as an early starter and had to sit while 11 further pairs of skaters attempted to beat her time at the Adler Arena oval. Ireen Wust of the Netherlands, the 3,000m gold medalist, came closest, but was over half a second slower in taking the silver. Fellow Dutch competitor Margot Boer took the bronze while fancied American pair Heather Richardson and world record-holder Brittany Bowe were only seventh and eighth. China also came out on top in a chaotic women's 500m short track speed skating final, which was marred by a three-skater pileup. Five-time world champion Li Jianrou stayed upright to take the gold but admitted fortune had been on her side. "I believe it's a miracle. I always believe in myself. I skated like I do in my daily training. I'm lucky to get this gold medal," she said. Britain's Elise Christie crossed the line second but was disqualified after officials ruled she had caused the crash. Italy's Arianna Fontana, the bronze medalist from Vancouver in 2010, took silver with Park Seung-Hi of South Korea in bronze. Bjoerndalen upstaged by new biathlon star . Martin Fourcade made it double gold in Sochi as he followed his 12.5 km pursuit triumph with victory in the 20 km individual biathlon event. The 25-year-old is the first French athlete to win two golds at a Games since alpine skiing great Jean-Claude Killy in 1968. Germany's Erik Lesser took silver and Russian Evgeniy Garanichev won bronze on his 26th birthday, but there was disappointment for Norwegian veteran Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. The 40-year-old failed in his bid to win Winter Olympic record of 13 medals when he finished in 34th after problems in the shooting section, where he picked four penalties. "I wanted to show my rivals that I'm still angry," said Fourcade after his triumph, when asked if he was "focused" or "angry." On a day when six golds were awarded, Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland won the women' s 10km classic style event in nordic skiing. Kowalczyk, who started favorite, finished nearly 20 seconds clear of Charlotte Kalla of Sweden, with Therese Johaug of Norway in third place. Away from the medal action, Russia's ice hockey men opened their campaign with a 5-2 win over Slovenia, while the United States thrashed Slovakia 7-1 and defending champions Canada beat Norway 3-1. But there was disappointment for the host nation when figure skating hero Yvegeny Plushenko dramatically withdrew just before he was due to compete in the men's figure skating short program. The 31-year-old had been personally congratulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin after helping his country to win the team gold Sunday. A two-time Olympic champion, he was bidding to become the first man to win five figure skating medals at the Winter Games. | American debutant Joss Christensen wins freestyle skiing slopestyle gold .
Chinese skater Li Jianrou takes honors in women's short-track 500m .
Zhang Hong wins China's first ever speed skating gold medal .
German dominance in luge continues with relay gold . |
181,833 | 77719afd87dfaa01190dbe249b6218f20f7e2482 | By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:07 EST, 7 October 2013 . He always told G-G-G-G-Granville the corner shop would be his one day. And when – after almost 30 years – Open All Hours returns to our screens, viewers will see that stammering Albert Arkwright was true to his word. In plans for a Christmas special revealed yesterday, Sir David Jason will once again play Granville. This time, however, the one-time hapless grocery assistant is in charge. Family favourites: David Jason and Ronnie Barker in Open All Hours which will return to our screens at Christmas . The show will also feature Lynda Baron, 74, returning as unlikely sex symbol nurse Gladys Emmanuel. In the new episode, Arkwright – originally played by Ronnie Barker – has died and passed the shop on to his nephew in his will. A show source said: ‘The other characters will mention Arkwright, and his picture will be up on the wall of the shop.’ In the original series, Granville was often referred to as ‘young lad’, even though Sir David was over 30 when he played the role. Filmed in Doncaster, Open All Hours ran for 26 episodes between 1976 and 1985. Sir David Jason will once again play Granville in the Christmas special . It had 17million viewers at its peak and in 2004 was voted eighth best British sitcom in a nationwide poll. Much of the plot was taken up with Arkwright’s clumsy attempts to woo Nurse Gladys, including several unwanted attempts to climb up to her bedroom window with a ladder. The devious shop owner was expert at persuading customers to buy his products but was miserly with his own money. Every episode ended with Arkwright shutting up shop for the night and reflecting on the day. The one-off episode has been written by Roy Clarke, who penned the original series. Sir David, 73, said yesterday: ‘I am sure there is an audience out there who would like to see what Granville has been getting up to in the corner shop. It will be a great family show for Christmas and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Arkwright.’ Mr Clarke – who is also known for his success with Last of the Summer Wine and Keeping Up Appearances – added: ‘This has been fun – a great opportunity to work with David Jason again and to suggest how things at that corner shop might look today.’ Mark Freeland, the BBC’s controller of UK comedy production, said: ‘Having the chance to see Arkwright’s beloved shop again, now run by Granville, I hope will bring broad grins to lots and lots of faces at Christmas.’ In 2006, Arkwright’s original shop – a hairdressing salon which was converted for filming – was saved from demolition after a campaign group fought off council proposals to bulldoze it as part of wider regeneration plans. Popular: Open All Hours ran for 26 episodes between 1976 and 1985 and had 17million viewers at its peak . Two years later, it was put up for auction but failed to meet its reserve price. The BBC said it would start filming the new episode next month but had not yet decided whether it would be shot in the original location. | Sir David Jason will once again play Granville in the Chrismas special .
This time the one-time hapless grocery assistant is in charge .
Arkwright – originally played by Ronnie Barker – has died and passed the shop on to his nephew in his will . |
103,491 | 1174eb85c4e497404b9540b00acdec37e2540715 | By . Marielle Simon for Daily Mail Australia . An Australian photographer has been inspired to bring back to life black and white images found on a Flickr archive, the Costică Acsinte Archive. The original 5,000 images were taken by a Romanian photographer Costică Acsinte, who died in 1984 and since been digitised by photo enthusiast Cezar Popescu from 2013. It was the photographer Jane Long's fascination with the post war images and their subjects, that prompted her to give each character a story through her new series 'The Dancing with Costica'. Artist, Jane Long admits to having a favourite from the series; Innocence, which took the longest to become a character in the tales of her own invention . 'I thought I needed some practice with restoration work so I did a search and that’s where I came across the Costica Acsinte Archive,' Ms Long told Daily Mail Australia. 'They were hauntingly beautiful.' The Brisbane based conceptual photographer has worked as a graphic designer for 20 years, but over the past two years she has found herself only working in photography. 'I missed the photo-shop element, photography wasn't enough. 'Once I coloured up the original images I felt they looked quite real,' she said. 'I didn't want them to look too real, I didn't want people to think it was shot as a colour image. Working with historical images and restoring them was a concept completely foreign Ms Long, but the beauty and mystery of the images drew her in, giving the artist freedom to create anything she envisioned. The image, Fresh, was one of 5,000 images taken by by a Romanian war photographer Costică Acsinte . 'I like ambiguity so it made sense for it to look real and then to create a fantasy scene around them. 'What people think is real is not, and what they think is not real actually is.' Ms Long describes the concept of her series as the complete opposite to the original images. 'I was free to create anything I wanted, making them beautiful and happy. Many of the images are post war so it was still a dark time for them.' The artist admits to having a favourite from the series; Innocence, which took the longest to become a character in the tales of her own invention. 'Innocence was the first image that jumped out for me. 'It took me a long time to find a story for her, I kept going back to her asking myself "What would I do?", she said. 'She is close to my heart.' Jane Long plans on continuing restoration of images and is currently working on a similar shot to Innocence. Said said, 'restoring and recolouring the images is only part of the process, the rest is the dance.' The post war images have since been digitised by photo enthusiast Cezar Popescu. Singalong, above, was another favourite of Longs . Beacon, above, originally from the Costică Acsinte Archive on Flickr . Ms Long was drawn by the beauty and mystery of the images. All Hands on Deck, above, is featured in her series of 'The Dancing with Costica' | Photographer and graphic designer, Jane Long has been inspired by black and white images from Flickr's Costică Acsinte Archive, recreating them into a fantasy series, 'The Dancing with Costica'
The original 5,000 images were taken by a Romanian war photographer Costică Acsinte .
In 2013, photo enthusiast Cezar Popescu began restoring the black and white images .
Ms Long describes the concept of her series as the complete opposite to the original images . |
5,095 | 0e7ad86e13fa56a92d7950a33f6f5968751c5236 | CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt is suspending ties with France's famous Louvre museum until the latter returns artifacts that it knew were stolen when it purchased them, the head of the country's antiquities council said Wednesday. Egypt accuses the Louvre museum of failing to make good on promises to return antiquities. Zahi Hawass, director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said he wrote a letter seven years ago to major museums around the world asking them to consult with Egyptian authorities before buying any ancient Egyptian artifacts from outside sellers. Hawass said the Louvre had bought five murals chipped off the walls from a tomb in Thebes and been stolen by antiquities robbers in the 1980s. He sent a letter to the Louvre a year ago asking that the stolen paintings be returned, he said. The museum promised to return the items but has not followed through, he said. Until it does so, Egypt will suspend its cooperation with the Louvre, Hawass said. A Louvre spokesman declined to comment on Egypt's claims. Egypt maintains antiquities exchange programs with museums around the world. The Louvre is one of the biggest repositories of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world, much of it treasure taken during the time of the French and British occupation of the country. Egypt's position is that artifacts taken by European powers during that period are a fait accompli, but anything taken illegally since Egypt's independence must be returned. This has been one of the major emphases of Hawass since he became head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 2002. Egypt took similar steps against museums in England and Belgium in the past. Those ties were restored after the artifacts in question were returned, Hawass said. | Egypt suspends ties with France's famous Louvre museum .
Country accuses museum of failing to return stolen antiquities .
Louvre is one of world's biggest repositories of ancient Egyptian antiquities . |
17,113 | 307f66f5825b6c614deba379c4693a2f918d9d99 | Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian know fashion. This month they launch their first British clothing line for high-street stalwart Dorothy Perkins and to celebrate the sisters have been sharing their style secrets. Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL Kim, Kourtney and Khloe explain how they would style their favourite pieces from their eponymous line, the Kardashian Kollection, as well as share the style rules they live by and tell us what they love about each others' looks. Sister act: Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian model clothes from their Dorothy Perkins line . The siblings have created over 100 larger-than-life pieces for the brand, with a heavy emphasis on the party season, including sequined clutch bags, sparkling tops and, naturally, swathes of dance floor ready dresses. The collection is available from Dorothy Perkins from tomorrow, making it easy to emulate your favourite sister. Love Kourtney's bohemian chic, Kim's red carpet glamour or Khloé's edgy style? Here's how the girls rock their looks: . Kim: 'With my figure, I might belt a looser dress in to create focus on my waist line' What is your favourite piece from the collection? How would you style it three different ways? I absolutely love our sheer spot blouse, which comes in both ivory and black. This blouse is so chic and versatile for any occasion. The polka dot details are divine. and the feminine tailoring is so on trend at the moment. As soon as we could get our hands on the first samples we have been wearing this blouse everywhere! It is perfect for a business meeting with a tight black pencil skirt and simple black pump heels. I would pull my hair into a sleek ponytail or top knot bun and pair with our gold hoops, which I love! It's a great go-to outfit if you need to dress to impress for work. If I was heading to dinner with friends, I could pair the blouse with our cute black shorts, sexy heels or ankle boots and a fabulous little clutch. A statement ring and earrings would definitely complete the look. If it was a little colder, a black blazer is the perfect solution. For more relaxed weekend style, you can pair with leather pants, simple black heels and an oversized statement tote with hair down. What is the one style rule you live by? I always try and buy timeless pieces. I avoid fashion fads that are totally out by the next season. My sisters and I - with our Kardashian Kollection design partner Bruno Schiavi - always look to include timeless trends like lace and leopard print. Are your looks very different? What do you like about each others style? I think we all have a similar appreciation of style. Sometimes we do wear the same things and I love how my sisters can make something look so different. With my figure, I might belt a looser dress in to create focus on my waist line whilst Kourt looks fabulous in it worn loose. Who is the Kardashian/Dorothy Perkins girl? The girls and women that love fashion and style and are looking for affordable prices to look on trend. Short and sassy: Kim's favourite pieces from the Kardashian Kollection are the sheer spot blouse (£35) and the black shorts with satin trim (£30) Kourtney: 'Have fun with fashion! Life is too short to take it seriously' What is your favourite piece from the collection? How would you style it THREE different ways? I . love our gold sequin jacket - I think it's so stunning . and workable for so many occasions. This is definitely one of my . favourite pieces. I think sequins are fun and add a little boho flair. My . favourite way to wear this jacket is over a simple black top with faux . leather tights. I would definitely wear this to a family dinner with . black ballet flats or out with some suede black thigh high boots. A long . gold necklace would work really well with a fun ring. I think a big . black oversized bag would work best with this outfit. If . you want a way to really make a little black dress stand out then this . jacket is perfect. Add chic black heels and a cool clutch. If . you're looking to add a touch of glam to the perfect daytime lunch . outfit then this sequin blazer looks great with the sleeves rolled up . over a white t shirt and jeans. You can roll up the bottoms of the jeans . or leave them down depending on what works best for your body shape and . pair with great sandals. What is the one style rule you live by? Have . fun with fashion! Life is too short to take it seriously. I am a very . moody dresser...I dress for my moods, so if I'm feeling a like having . some fun, I will throw on a turban to spice things up a little bit. It's . all about how clothes make you feel. Are your looks very different? What do you like about each others style? I'm . definitely more adventurous with my style and am not afraid to go for . bolder colours and prints. I think my sisters are so fashionable in . general and really know how to rock their curvy figures. Kim always . looks stunning in a bodycon dress whilst I love love love a leather look . on Khloe. She can seriously pull off anything, especially with the amazing shoes she always has on. When packing for Miami, I told Kim that . I would most definitely be offending her with my bright colors and . prints, since she is an all black or an all white phase when it comes to . her fashion. Who is the Kardashian/Dorothy Perkins girl? We . really take inspiration from our fans - what they want, what they like . and what they are looking to spend. They are our Kardashian/Dorothy . Perkins girls because they look to us for style inspiration and we're . excited to finally be able to offer the UK our line. Gold sequin jacket: £50 . Azure top with lace detail: £32 . Blue leopard-print top: £30 . Khloe: 'Always dress for your body! Not every trend works for every body type' What is your favourite piece from the collection? How would you style it three different ways? One . of my favourite pieces of the UK line would be our Gold Bar Bodycon . dress. The dress comes in different colours and prints like leopard . print, green and red, but I can't go past classic black. The dress is . tight fitting with long sleeves and a cut out below the neck highlighted . by a gold bar. It's a super sexy dress, yet also conservative for a . work to dinner look. I am a big fan of long sleeve classy dresses. This . is a huge favourite of mine. The . dress is an ideal purchase in the lead up to holiday season and can be . paired with rocking black heels and classic gold jewelry with a black . clutch for the ultimate night out. This dress is perfect for an event . where you want to look your best and make an impression. For date night or dinner with someone special, throw a chic trench coat . over the dress to keep warm. Our Kardashian Kollection line has a . gorgeous lace trench coat that would go perfectly. Pair with heeled . black ankle boots and wear your hair in a sleek ponytail. I think you . should keep accessories to a minimum with this look. I am an earring . girl so I would personally go towards a basic but fab gold hoop. If . earrings aren't your thing, then keep it simple and wear a statement . ring. For a day time . event where you still need to dress up a little, pair the dress with a . great fitting denim jacket and gorgeous black flat sandals. A black tote . would match the outfit perfectly and help keep all your daytime . essentials with you. What is the one style rule you live by? Always . dress for your body! Not every trend works for every body type. But I . am a strong believer that every woman, no matter her size or age . can incorporate the current trends of the season in to her look. Just . remember to not lose yourself in finding the right way to wear a trend your way. Trendy doesn't mean you can't put your own personal signature . on it.Know the ones that work for you and always accentuate your . assets. Are your looks very different? What do you like about each others style? I . think Kim and I have a similar style whilst Kourt definitely rocks . brighter colours and prints more often. I take a leap out of her book . sometimes and try to work in something really bright like coloured . jeans. We notice our differences in our styles more when we are . designing our collection with Bruno. There are things we all . agree on like leopard print whilst there may be a top that one of us . really likes more than others but we'll keep it in the line because it . suits her style really well. We have learned so much from in our design process. We have learned over the . years that we cannot just design for ourselves. Our consumer is our . voice and that's who we have to focus on. We love constructive criticism . and we love fan feedback. We have always considered ourselves a social . media brand. A brand for our fans and we wholeheartedly respect their . wishes and we fight to give our consumers everything they wish for such . as Kardashian Kurves which is our plus size line in America. Who is the Kardashian/Dorothy Perkins girl? The Kardashian/Dorothy Perkins girl loves timeless fashion and has a focus on the latest trends. It's . a dream come true to be bringing our Kardashian Kollection line to the . UK because we get to make it accessible to so many more of our fans . through Dorothy Perkins. Our line includes all the things we love about . fashion - the trends we love, the details we are crazy for and pieces . that suit our body types - all designed for our fans and those who love . fashion as much as we do. Black dress with cut out: £40 . Floral print trench coat: £75 . Black bag with gold studs: £45 . | Kim, Kourtney and Khloe have designed a line for Dorothy Perkins .
The high street Kardashian Kollection hits stores on 8 November .
All three sisters will be in London's Westfield to meet fans on Saturday 10th November . |
282,274 | f99dcb575619bdc981c411cc9139eecff74e825f | Kennedy Space Center, Florida (CNN) -- NASA launched its Ares I-X rocket Wednesday, after multiple delays over two days because of bad weather. The 327-foot rocket -- which NASA considers the world's largest -- took off at 11:30 a.m. ET, 30 minutes before a noon deadline for the launch. It rose about 24 miles. About two minutes after liftoff, the first-stage, reusable rocket booster fell into the Atlantic, where it was to be picked up by a ship. It was the first flight test for the Constellation Program, NASA's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. The rocket's launch is part of NASA's mission to someday return astronauts to the moon and later travel to Mars. NASA spokesman George Diller, who was moderating the launch preparations for broadcasters, communicated the frustration as launches were repeatedly called off with just minutes to go. After 11 a.m., it appeared there would be a narrow window for a liftoff, and a half-hour later the rocket roared skyward. "I can't tell you how proud I am of all of you," Ed Mango, Ares I-X launch director, told engineers and others inside the center after the launch. "That was just one of the most beautiful rocket launches I've ever seen." "It shows what we can do when we have a common goal." As the clock ticked toward noon, NASA officials nervously awaited all-clears for technical items and a weather clearance from weather officer Kathy Winters who, time and again, said conditions were "red," meaning a no-go. A reconnaissance plane was giving her frequent weather reports. She kept looking for a break in the high-level clouds. "It's a very dynamic situation," Winters said. Before the launch, the space agency had begun negotiating with the Air Force to see if a Thursday launch attempt was possible. Failing that, NASA couldn't have tried again until November 16. NASA's primary concern was the high-level, cold clouds that can cause triboelectrification, or the production of a kind of static electricity, similar to what happens when you walk across a carpet, then touch something. If static surrounds the rocket, it can interfere with radio signals sent by or to the rocket. The Constellation Program has been developing new vehicles to replace space shuttles, which will be phased out in 2010. If the program moves forward, the Orion capsule atop the Ares rocket will not be ready to take astronauts into space until at least 2015, leaving a gap of at least five years in which the only way the United States would be able to put humans in orbit would be by hitching a ride with the Russians. Part of the test rocket mission is for scientists to try out three massive main parachutes, measuring 150 feet in diameter and weighing one ton each -- the largest rocket parachutes ever manufactured. The parachutes are a primary element of the rocket's deceleration system, NASA says. After the rocket is successfully launched, the parachutes are to open at the same time, "providing the drag necessary to slow the descent of the huge solid rocket motor for a soft landing in the ocean," the agency says on its Web site. The two parts of the rocket are to separate at about 130,000 feet. The top of the rocket, known as the upper stage, includes a mock Orion crew capsule and a launch abort system. The upper stage will continue its ascent until gravity forces its return to Earth, after which it will fall into the Atlantic Ocean. The launch comes at a critical time, when NASA is waiting for President Obama to decide future funding for the agency. An independent committee reviewing the future of space flight recently reported that the U.S. space program appears to be pursuing goals that exceed current funding. The committee also recommended to the White House that funding for NASA's under-construction international space station should be extended until 2020. CNN's Kim Segal and John Zarrella contributed to this report. | NEW: "One of the most beautiful rocket launches I've ever seen," says launch director .
Ares l-X rocket heads into space at 11:30 a.m. ET .
Weather delayed launch Tuesday at Kennedy Space Center .
Eventual goal with Ares I-X program is return to the moon . |
278,155 | f4578b8c26a447416a95c7664e6d26e03ff8b276 | (CNN)A heroic dog that rose to Internet fame after attempting to save her owner from an Ohio house fire was released from an animal hospital and is now at home with her new family. Carmen, a 9-year-old boxer, went home Monday with Phil Ledford and his wife Elizabeth after two weeks of 24-hour care at an animal hospital. Phil Ledford's brother Ben Ledford was Carmen's original owner. He died in a February 5 fire. Phil Ledford said the homecoming is bittersweet. "It'll be tough in that sense, seeing Carmen everyday, because she will remind me of Ben," Phil Ledford told CNN affiliate WCPO. "But it'll be like having a piece of him around," he said. First responders to the fire found Carmen on top of Ben Ledford, trying to shelter his face from the heat, smoke and flame, according to WCPO. Ledford, 33, was taken to a hospital where he died. Carmen ended up at Cincinnati's Care Center, a critical care veterinary hospital where she has been ever since. Carmen was initially battling severe lung damage and smoke inhalation, Dr. Daniel Carey, a vet at the hospital, told WCPO. Carmen was able to come off oxygen support over the weekend and has been eating on her own, according to a post on the Facebook page of the animal hospital Care Center Vets in Cincinnati. "We will all miss her sweet, loving face (and kisses), but we are so glad she is able to be home with her family tonight," the post said. Fans of Carmen have donated more than $29,000 toward the $25,000 goal for the care of the boxer on the Crowdrise website. Many dog lovers posted messages with their donations. "We have a boxer baby, and this act of devotion is not surprising," Don and Lukasz Mallory wrote Friday on the crowdfunding site. "Prayers to the family for their loss and to Carmen for a fast recovery. If a dog can be this devoted to a human being, how much more should we be to each other." Phil Ledford said he knows his brother would be happy to see Carmen "healthy and happy." "We still cannot find the words to truly express how much we appreciate the support we've received from everyone for Ben, the family and for Carmen," Phil Ledford said on the crowdfunding site. CNN's Michael Martinez contributed to this report. | Carmen was critically injured February 5 .
Her owner was killed in house fire .
Carmen now at home with deceased owner's brother . |
38,571 | 6d15a3fa6e8914e6e10b4cdde3b1db18115db816 | Police have released nearly 200 images of looters who ransacked a Ferguson grocery store the night it emerged that a grand jury would not indict the officer who shot dead Michael Brown. The photographs and footage showing 180 suspects were released by St Louis County police on Wednesday to ask the public for help identifying the people inside the store. The group descended on Dellwood Market on December 24 after authorities announced that Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson would not be charged over killing Brown, 18, in August. The decision sparked protests and widespread looting across the area, with some people setting fire to vehicles and businesses and raiding their shelves for items. Scroll down for video . Looters: Police in Missouri have released images showing people breaking in to a St Louis-area store in November after authorities announced that Darren Wilson would not be indicted for killing Michael Brown . Do you know them? Images clearly show the people breaking into the convenience store on November 24 . Destruction: The group broke in after smashing down a flimsy wall and pouring into the store . In the footage, a small group of people can be seen trying to break into the store by yanking the handle and then by using a crowbar to bust down the door. After two minutes of failing to get into the store, some males smash through a flimsy wall - and suddenly crowds of looters stream inside. For several minutes, they rush into the store and crowd the aisles, grabbing items and pushing past each other before leaving the store with their arms full. While some of the looters covered their faces with masks and others hid behind hoods or hats, many of them are clearly identifiable in the footage. It is the third time police have released photos and surveillance video in an effort to track down those responsible for looting in and around Ferguson. Earlier this month, they released surveillance images from Phillips 66 and so far the public has helped identify five of the suspects, KSDK reported. Hidden: Some of the looters hid behind hoods or masks as they entered the convenience store . Wreckage: The store was targeted three times by looters and the owner has said he will not re-build again . Taking their time: Looters stroll into the store after the group smashed down the thin wall, seen right . Thieves: Some of the looters filled their arms with goods before fleeing and now police are looking for them . About a week later, they released surveillance images from looting at Crazy Deals and Rehoboth Pharmacy. A dozen Ferguson-area businesses were destroyed in fires and many other businesses were damaged in looting in the hours following the announcement. It was the third time that Dellwood Market was hit amid the uproar over Brown's killing. It was also targeted in August when looters shot off the locks, entered the store and started a fire. The store's owner, Mumtaz Lalani, told Fox that he was looted twice in August and it cost him between $50,000 and $100,000 to rebuild after each incident. He said that following the November attack, he would not be rebuilding his store. If you can identity any of these suspects, please contact the St. Louis County Police at 314-889-2341 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477. All calls are anonymous. Uproar: The looting came amid protests following the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, pictured, who was shot by a police officer in August . Before the attack: Dellwood Market, pictured, was rebuilt after the first looting - but was later targeted again . Destroyed: A firefighter responds to fires that were set inside the store after looting in August. The owner said he spent as much as $100,000 restoring the store after the first attacks . | Police released the photographs and footage on Wednesday to ask the public for help identifying the people inside the store .
They show crowds of looters smashing their way into Dellwood Market in St Louis on December 24, trashing the store and leaving with items .
Earlier that night, authorities had announced that Darren Wilson would not face charges for shooting unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown . |
169,407 | 67314d02600e165b6afca364679ac0ff08a46ea9 | EXCLUSIVE By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . UK taxpayers are spending £30million-a-year sending child benefit to families who live abroad across the European Union. David Cameron has admitted it is ‘impossible’ to stop the cash being exported each year by migrant workers whose families are spread across the continent. But in the wake of the UKIP triumph in the European and local elections, he faces growing pressure from Tory MPs to act now, with calls for a bar on claiming welfare for up to five years after arriving in Britain. Almost two-thirds of all child benefit exported from the UK is sent to Poland, according to latest figures released to Parliament . New figures show that last year the British taxpayer paid child benefit to 20,400 families, covering 34,268 children. Child benefit is paid at £20.30 a week for the first child and £13.40 for every other child, regardless of parental income. It means the total bill for children living overseas is up to £30million-a-year. There has been a slight fall since 2012, when an extra 3,682 families claimed child benefit abroad. Each year more than £30million in child benefit is sent to families across the EU, paid for by the British taxpayer . Prime Minister David Cameron has warned it is all but impossible to tackle the problem of child benefit being sent abroad under current EU law . Almost two-thirds of the families are in Poland, claiming for 22,093 children. People in the UK are also sending child benefit to 1,231 families in Ireland for 2,505 children. A further 1,215 in Lithuania, 797 in Latvia, 789 in France, 692 in Slovakia and 600 in Spain are all receiving child benefit from the UK Treasury. UKIP leader Nigel Farage has capitalised on warnings that the UK cannot control its own borders or welfare system while it remains a member of the European Union. Mr Farage said the Government's three-month ban on migrants claiming benefits in Britain was not long enough. He said there should be a five year block on allowing immigrants to get any benefits. He said: "We must be completely mad to be giving people from Eastern Europe in-work benefits.' UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who celebrated winning the European elections this week, has warned Britain cannot control its borders or welfare system while it remains a member of the EU . Mr Cameron has vowed to tackle the problem as part of his plan to claw back powers from Brussels before staging an in-out EU referendum before 2017. But he admits that until his negotiations begin, after the 2015 election, it is virtually impossible to stop the money being sent abroad. Speaking earlier this month, the Prime Minister told the BBC: ‘Today if you travel and work from another European country into Britain, you can then claim child benefit and other benefits for your family back at home even though actually they’re not living in the UK and going to UK schools and all the rest of it. ‘And under the current rules, it seems extremely difficult, if not impossible, to change that. Now I haven’t met anybody who thinks this is sensible … so that is again a really big change.’ The government insists that the ‘main purpose of child benefit is to support families in the UK’. However, EU rules mean that social security must be paid across borders. But ministers are drawing up plans for a new crackdown on migrants’ access to benefits to try to win back disaffected voters from Ukip. The new push, which could see unemployed EU nationals kicked out of the country after just six months, was announced yesterday amid continued fallout from the Ukip surge in last week’s elections. Currently, new arrivals cannot claim benefits for the first three months in the country followed by six months in which they can. Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said he welcome the fact that the number of children abroad to which the UK provides benefits has decreased. He added: ''The number of children receiving benefit still remains high and despite widespread frustration without EU reform this issue will never be resolved. 'The Prime Minister should lay out his reform agenda now or face an impossible task.' Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee . Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who obtained the figures through a parliamentary questions, said: ‘I have a very simple view of this. I think that a common market does not mean we have a common benefits system. ‘I don’t believe that anybody coming in from the Europe Union should get any benefits at all until they are more permanently settled in this country. I think it should be five years before they get benefits – three months is not good enough. ‘I know David Cameron says we cannot do it at the moment. I think we should. ‘If they need benefits they should return to their own country and claim benefits there.’ On January 1 new rules were introduced to stop new arrivals claiming benefits for up to three months, to deter people from coming from Romania and Bulgaria when work restrictions were lifted. Last week figures showed that the number of people getting work from the two countries fell from 144,000 in the last three months of 2013 to the first three months of 2014. Treasury minister Nicky Morgan said: ‘The recent changes to migrants’ access to benefits announced by the Government sends a strong message that the UK benefit system is not open to abuse, as well as deterring those who may seek residence in the UK primarily to claim benefits. ‘Strengthening compliance checks will help prevent EEA migrants from claiming, and continuing to claim,benefits they are not entitled to. Checks will be applied to both new claims and existing awards.’ | UK taxpayer funds payments to 20,400 families with 34,268 children .
Almost two-thirds sent to Poland, followed by Ireland, Lithuania and Latvia .
David Cameron says no-one he has met thinks the benefits are 'sensible'
But Prime Minister warns that under existing EU rules it cannot be blocked .
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell says claims should be blocked for five years . |
213,532 | a0895829cf9f8fbfb9a54d2903369c998130dcd3 | By . Lucy Crossley . Decay: Pope Francis has attacked Rome's 'moral decay', citing child prostitutes and busy soup kitchens in his adopted home city as examples of society's downfall . Pope Francis has attacked Rome's 'moral decay', citing child prostitutes and busy soup kitchens in his adopted home city as examples of society's downfall. The 77-year-old Pontiff spoke of the 'tremendous pain' he felt over the darker side of the city in an interview to mark the feasts of Saints Peter and Paul. He also hit out at economic struggles, unemployment and Italy's falling birth rate, as well as expressing the view that communists had 'stolen' the flag of Christianity. Describing the exploitation of children as something that makes him 'suffer', the Pope told Rome-based newspaper Il Messaggero that he had been sickened to learn that in his native Buenos Aires there were girls as young as 12 working as prostitutes. 'It made me sick. But even more so to see the powerful cars driven by old men pull up,' he told the newspaper's Vatican correspondent Franca Giansoldati. 'They could have been their grandfathers. The little girl would be made up and the men would pay 15 pesos which would go towards buying drugs. 'For me, the people who do this to girls are are paedophiles. 'It also happens in Rome. The Eternal City, which should be a beacon in the world, is a mirror of society's moral decay.' Asked whether he was more afraid of the moral degradation, or the material poverty of a city, Francis said that both made him 'afraid', adding that people were having to turn to soup kitchens in Rome in order to feed their families. 'An auxiliary bishop of Rome told me that many people go to the soup kitchen and in secret, full of shame, take home food,' he said. The Pope also blamed Europe's economic struggles for a falling birth rate, both in Italy and other European countries as people worried they could not afford to start a family. 'People are afraid of losing their jobs or not being able to pay the rent,' he said. Scroll down for video . Meeting: Pope Francis poses during his meeting with President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina at the Vatican on Saturday . 'Social policy does not help. Italy has a very low birth rate, and in Spain it is the same. France is a bit better, but it is also low. 'It is as if Europe has grown tired of being a mother, and would instead prefer to be a grandmother. 'Much of this is caused by the economic crisis, not just from a cultural shift marked by selfishness and hedonism.' But the Pontiff did have some positive marks for his new home, saying he found the people of Rome 'really likeable'. 'I wish for them not to lose their joy, hope, and faith, despite the difficulties,' he said. Pope Francis was also asked about a blog post in the Economist magazine, which described him as sounding like a Leninist due to his criticism of capitalism and calls for economic reform. Children: Pope Francis, who hugged a group of children during his audience in St Peter's Square last week, blamed Europe's economic struggles for Italy's falling birth rate . 'I can only say that the communists have . stolen our flag. The flag of the poor is Christian. Poverty is at the . centre of the Gospel,' he said, citing Biblical passages about the need . to help the poor, the sick and the needy. 'Communists say that all this is communism. Sure, twenty centuries later. So when they speak, one can say to them: "but then you are Christian",' he said. Since his election in March 2013, Francis has often attacked the global economic system as being insensitive to the poor and not doing enough to share wealth with those who need it most. On Sunday Francis led his first major public ceremony since health problems forced a spate of cancelled appointments, and appeared to hold up well during the 90-minute Mass in St Peter's Basilica to honour Saints Peter and Paul. The Vatican has played down the cancellations, including one at the last minute on Friday, attributing them without elaboration to some mild health problem. Concerns: Since his election in March 2013, Francis has often attacked the global economic system as being insensitive to the poor and not doing enough to share wealth with those who need it most . Francis chatted with each of 24 archbishops kneeling before him to receive a white woollen band symbolising shared episcopal power. He later addressed the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square and appealed for Iraq's leaders to save the nation from further warfare. Francis then did what he has started doing recently when greeting the public - asking for prayers for him, too. 'Please don't forget to pray for me,' he said. These requests for prayers, combined with his recent quip that a pope's job could be unhealthy and the cancellation of several appointments in the last few weeks, fuelled concern that perhaps Francis was seriously ill. The Vatican insisted on Friday 'there are no reasons to worry about the pope's health'. | Pontiff, 77, speaks out about his 'tremendous pain' over darker side of Rome .
Says he felt 'sick' to learn girls as young as 12 were working as prostitutes .
Rome should be a 'beacon to the world', but is instead a 'mirror of society's moral decay', Pope says in interview to mark feast day . |
189,325 | 8131b83801a872ab9a30e2ea944a1fe232221bd8 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 08:28 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:35 EST, 29 November 2013 . Tragic: Jayne Rowley, 47, pictured here with husband Martin, 45, at their daughter Victoria's wedding two months ago, died after catching malaria in Gambia . A mother-of-two has died after catching malaria while on holiday with her husband at their luxury villa in Gambia. Jayne Rowley, 47, who made regular trips to the west African country over the past two decades, suffered a seizure after the bug attacked 'every organ in her body'. Today her husband Martin Rowley, 45, spoke out about his regret that they did not 'religiously' take their anti-malaria medication. Two days after returning from a 10-day break two weeks ago, the couple were rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for treatment. They had been staying in their three-bedroom holiday home in the Brufut area of Gambia, which they had owned for two years, where they regularly donated football kits and goalposts to local children. But they did not follow medical advice to take tablets at regular intervals throughout the day, and on Wednesday Mrs Rowley - mother to Victoria, 22, and James, 17 - succumbed to the illness. Her devastated husband of 25 years has spoken of the heartbreaking moment he waved his wife goodbye so she could be treated on a different ward before she died from the killer bug. Mr Rowley, 45, from Lytham in Lancashire, said: 'I never thought anything of waving her goodbye at the time because I was still in a bit of a blur. 'We had been bed-ridden and we decided we had better go to hospital to get ourselves checked. 'We thought it must have been something more sinister than flu because I almost couldn’t walk, it was so bad. 'On the way she had a seizure which was horrendous for her. 'I wasn’t able to be by her side because I was being treated.' Mr Rowley said he first started showing flu-like symptoms on November 17 and his wife started feeling ill two days later. He said: 'The only way I can describe it is the worst case of flu you can experience. 'Whereas with flu the headaches get better, in this case they get worse and worse. Regular visits: Mr and Mrs Rowley often visited their villa (pictured) and donated to local communities . Tourist destination: The couple from Lytham, Lancashire, visited Brufut in Gambia (pictured) numerous times . 'It’s like being hit by a sledgehammer every moment of the day.' The following week they went to hospital and Mrs Rowley had a seizure and ended up in intensive care. He was told of his wife’s deteriorating condition in the early hours of Tuesday. She was visited by 35 friends and family members before she died the next day. Mr Rowley said: 'She was just a lovely girl and a good mother to our children. I’m still in a state of shock - I’ll never see her again. 'I don’t think the children will cope with it, they’re struggling.' Before their visit they had not followed health warnings to regularly take anti-malaria medication before, during and after the trip. Mr Rowley said: 'We were never religious with them so we might just have taken a couple of them. Malaria, a tropical, mosquito-borne disease, causes fever and vomiting and can disrupt the blood supply to vital organs if it remains untreated. These symptoms become evident around 10 to 15 days after being bitten. The parasite has become resistant to some treatments and, with no effective vaccine, trying to halt the disease has been limited to controlling mosquitoes, distributing pesticide-laced nets for homes and spraying the indoors of buildings with insecticides - the method known as vector control. At-risk people, including pregnant women and children, can also take antimalarial medications during seasons when the cases of malaria are highest. The CDC points out that no antimalarial drug is 100 per cent protective and should be used in conjunction with other measures like insecticides. Despite efforts, the disease still kills around one million people and leaves more than 200 million sick every year. 'We would be slack with them and just buy them locally in Gambia. 'When I saw her on Tuesday she was completely out of it and didn’t regain consciousness. It attacked every organ in her body. 'We . go back and forward a few times a year. We got complacent. I would . recommend nobody does this as we have learnt by our mistake.' The couple, who have owned and run Carpets of Lytham for many years, began feeling unwell after their return, which he had put down to returning to a cold climate. After being bed ridden for several days they decided to seek medical help. Mr Rowley’s condition has been treated and on Thursday he was discharged from hospital with a course of anti-malaria medication. The couple met when Mr Rowley worked as a barman at the Ship and Royal pub in Lytham, Lancashire. They later married and had two children who are both employed at their parents’ business. Just two months ago, Victoria got married. Mr Rowley said: 'The one thing we said last night was Jayne was at least alive to see Victoria get married, because it was the proudest day of her life.' The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine said only two people died of the disease in the UK last year. Malaria is caused by a tiny parasite which enters the bloodstream when a person is bitten by the female mosquito. After a few days, the infected person will become very ill and fevered Malaria is a leading cause of illness and death, affecting 300 million people around the globe and resulting in 800,000 deaths a year. Worldwide, a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds. Dr Ford, who practises at the tropical medicine school’s travel clinic and is a clinical adviser for the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), said malaria was treatable with early diagnosis. But she said people needed to take a full course of anti-malaria tablets as part of their travel arrangements to high-risk areas. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) The Gambia is a major tourist destination for British tourists with more than 60,000 visitors a year accounting for 60 per cent of its tourists. | Jayne Rowley from Lytham in Lancashire suffered a seizure two weeks after holiday with husband to three-bedroom villa in Brufut, Gambia .
Husband Martin, 45, also caught the disease which they thought was flu .
They had made regular trips to the district for more than two decades .
Today husband of 25 years spoke of regret at not taking regular medication .
Couple owned Carpets of Lytham and had two children aged 22 and 17 . |
211,065 | 9d55b9e5da862acb17b2a5ec9076d034a362815f | By . Dan Bloom . Mothercare is recalling two types of £140 luxury cot mattresses over fears they do not have the right fireproofing. The baby goods giant issued a safety alert after a change in the way its supplier made two luxury mattresses with 'Outlast' heat distribution technology. The firm is investigating concerns that the fire retardant used in the mattresses may not meet its standards, meaning they would have a greater risk of catching alight. Recall: Mothercare is recalling two types of £140 luxury cot mattresses over fears they do not have the right fireproofing. Pictured is one of the mattress brands, which has since been removed from the firm's website . Check the label: Customers can find out whether they are affected by searching for the style number . Both products have now been removed from the firm's website while the problem is resolved. The recall affects two sizes of the the firm's Luxury Pocket Sprung Mattress which were sold between June 5 and June 23 of this year. One . product affected is the £140 Cot Bed Luxury Pocket Sprung Mattress with . Outlast measuring 70x140x12.5cm, with style number X7548. The . other is the slightly smaller, cheaper 60x120x12.5cm Cot Luxury Pocket . Sprung Mattress with Outlast, with style number X7547. Customers are only affected if they bought a mattress from June 5 to June 23 this year. The two varieties affected are the 70x140x12.5cm Cot Bed Luxury Pocket Sprung Mattress with Outlast and the 60x120x12.5cm Cot Luxury Pocket Sprung Mattress with Outlast. Other, similarly-named mattresses - including with Spacetec and Coolmax technology - are not affected. Check if yours is affected by reading the label on the back. If the style number is X7547 or X7548, yours is affected. If it is, stop using it and take it to your nearest store for a refund. You can also call customer services on 0344 875 5122. Worried customers who bought mattresses between June 5 and June 23 can check if theirs is affected by examining the style number on the label. If the number is X7547 or X7548 the mattress should be returned to a Mothercare store or by calling the firm's customer services helpline. A spokesman for consumer group Which? said: 'It's good that Mothercare are taking action to recall this product if it is potentially unsafe. If parents are concerned, they should check the style number of their mattress to see if they are affected and contact Mothercare without delay. 'If you’re affected by this recall take a look at our advice on baby bedding and cot mattresses to help you find the best. It also includes safety tips for buying and using baby bedding.' A Mothercare spokesman said: 'A decision has been made to recall the above mattresses following notification from the supplier of a change in production methods which may affect the fire retardant performance and compliance of these products. 'No other Mothercare cot or cot bed mattresses are affected by this notice. 'If you have one of these mattresses please return it to your nearest Mothercare store for a suitable exchange or a full refund. 'Alternatively if you require further assistance please contact the Mothercare Customer Care Team on 0344 875 5122. 'This action is a precautionary measure and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.' It is the first product recall by Mothercare in more than a year. Precautionary measure: The product recall notice issued by babywear and bedding giant Mothercare . High street name: A spokesman for the firm apologised for any inconvenience caused by the move . The last was in February last year when the firm raised fears a travel swing had a possibility of tipping over forwards, injuring the baby inside. The recall affected certain ‘Loved So Much’, ‘Little Circus’, ‘My Jungle Family’ and ‘Please Look After Me Bear’ swings and parents were advised to stop using them immediately. The babywear giant also had to recall products over faulty fire retardants three years ago. Issued in August 2011, the problem affected certain Xcursion Travel Systems made between September 1, 2010, and July 19, 2011. | Baby goods giant raised fears the mattresses may not be fully fire retardant .
Recall is for mattresses with Outlast heat technology sold from June 5-23 .
High street firm apologised and said recall is a 'precautionary measure' |
168,861 | 667498a5909c3c1e9181cb0fecd30385a4758493 | (CNN) -- With Ferrari currently enduring one of its least competitive Formula 1 seasons in years, the man who helped the team to the top of the sport is to step down as chairman. More than two decades after first taking up the post in 1991, Luca di Montezemolo will leave the Scuderia on October 13, with chief executive officer of parent company Fiat Sergio Marchionne is set to succeed him. "This is the end of an era and so I have decided to leave my position as chairman after almost 23 marvellous and unforgettable years," read a statement from Di Montezemolo. Under the Italian success became almost routine for Ferrari. Eight Constructors' World Championships arrived in that time, while Michael Schumacher dominated as a Scuderia driver, claiming five straight World Championships between 2000 and 2004. Away from the track, Di Montezemolo also played a key role away in helping to transform the brand into one of the world's finest luxury car makers. "Ferrari is the most wonderful company in the world. It has been a great privilege and honour to have been its leader," Di Montezemolo's statement continued. "I devoted all of my enthusiasm and commitment to it over the years. Together with my family, it was, and continues to be, the most important thing in my life." Marchionne paid tribute to the man he is due to succeed -- someone he was appointed alongside to the Fiat Board of Directors in 2003. "We worked side by side, sharing concerns, difficulties and successes," said Marchionne in a statement. "As chairman of Ferrari, he drove the company to a new level of technological and organizational excellence which also brought with it outstanding financial results." Since 2008, however, Ferrari have been starved of such successes, with the team having now gone nearly six years without either a Drivers' or Constructors' World Championship title. The 67-year-old Di Montezemolo's future had been the subject of speculation due to Ferrari's poor form on the track this year -- Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen sit fifth and 10th respectively in the World Championship standings, while the team itself lie fourth in the Constructors' World Championship, 292 points off leaders Mercedes. Reports emerged ahead of Sunday's Italian Grand Prix in Monza about a Di Montezemolo exit, although the Italian was insistent afterwards about staying in the role despite Ferrari suffering their worst performance of the season -- Alonso was forced to retire, while Raikkonen had to settle for ninth. Marchionne, though, immediately contradicted his colleague -- "We are good friends but his statements... these are things I wouldn't have said myself. "Luca and I have discussed the future of Ferrari at length," Marchionne's statement continued. "And our mutual desire to see Ferrari achieve its true potential on the track has led to misunderstandings which became clearly visible over the last weekend. "I want to thank Luca for all he has done for Fiat, for Ferrari and for me personally." Di Montezemolo first arrived at Ferrari in 1973, becoming assistant to the manufacturer's founder, Enzo Ferrari, before going on to manage the team from 1974. A number of different roles in Fiat followed during the 1980s, before he assumed his position as president in 1991. "I wish the shareholders, particularly Piero Ferrari who has always been by my side, and everyone in the Company the many more years of success that Ferrari deserves," Di Montezemolo added. | Luca di Montezemolo to resign as Ferrari chairman .
Di Montezemolo has enjoyed much success in the role over 23 years .
The 67-year-old to be succeeded by Sergio Marchionne .
In recent Formula One seasons Ferrari has struggled . |
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