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235,916 | bd64a0c989015031153b7cc48227af5dd0c13b65 | (CNN) -- The Federal Reserve Board announced an $85 billion plan Tuesday to bail out troubled insurance giant American International Group Inc. Suze Orman says it's a good thing the federal government bailed out troubled national insurer AIG. The federal government decided to intervene after determining a failure of the company, whose financial dealings stretch around the world, could hurt the already delicate markets and the economy. Personal finance expert Suze Orman appeared on "Larry King Live" on Tuesday to discuss what the AIG bailout means to you and how safe is your money during this economic downturn. The following is an edited version of the interview: . Larry King: A few months ago, you said on this very show that you would be worried if there was another big government bailout. It's now happening. Should the government be helping AIG? Suze Orman: Well, in this particular case, I have to tell you they should. Bear Stearns, very different. Lehman, very different. AIG is an international giant that just doesn't have ramifications here in the United States. It is worldwide. They're like in 130 countries. They have 100,000 employees. Everybody has an AIG insurance policy. So in this particular case, my opinion, thank God, they bailed out AIG. Watch Orman discuss what AIG's bailout means for consumers » . King: What about Barclays and Lehman? Orman: They're selling Neuberger Berman to Barclays, that's fine. That will all work itself out. The major danger that we had here, which is why you saw the stock markets go up today, is that rumors were circulating that AIG was going to be saved. The big downfall would have been if AIG, in my opinion, had gone under. King: Sen. McCain is saying this involves fraud -- or let me use another word similar to fraud -- on Wall Street. Do you agree? Orman: It starts way back when there was nobody overseeing and regulating. Nothing. It's how many times have I said on this program, what were they all thinking? Why were they lending money to people who shouldn't have been borrowing money? Why were they packaging these things? What about the rating agencies? Why weren't the rating agencies rating everything the way they should have been and now they're making matters worse? So whether it's fraud or not, was there deceit going on? I don't know if it was deceit as much as just total irresponsibility is what caused this. Watch Larry's cure for US economic problems » . King: Is this a good time to get into the market? Orman: No. It's not a good time to get in with brand-new money. I would let these markets kind of wash themselves out. On the other hand, if you're investing in a 401k every month with small amounts of money, that's OK as long as you don't need the money for 10, 15, 20 years. If you just got an inheritance and you have $50,000, should you be putting it in the stock market now? Are you kidding? These are the markets that you just sit on the sidelines and wait on the sidelines and stay away from them until everything works out. iReport.com: Are you worried about the Wall Street crisis? King: Oil settled down today to $91.15 a barrel. What does that mean? Are gas prices going to go down? Orman: Yes. Gas prices probably will go down, I hope, to essentially $3 a gallon. What you're essentially seeing here is like a tax rebate for everybody. That's a lot of people that will help them a lot. Lehman, AIG -- I get that's all bad news, but the good news is for the main people that have to get by every single day. Your gas bills, in terms of what you put in your cars, aren't going to be as high. Your heating bills aren't going to be as high. To go from $150 a barrel down to $91, that's significant. King: The Federal Reserve decided to leave short-term interest rates unchanged today at 2 percent. Good or bad? Orman: I personally think it was bad. Listen, the banks in the United States of America are in trouble. Anything we can do, in my opinion, to help the banking system so they can make a little bit more money, I think, would have been a good idea. If we had lowered interest rates, the Fed funds rate, the banks would have been making more money on the money that they lent out, which would be helping everybody in the long run. So I think they should have lowered, but they left the same. King: Could other major financial institutions go under? Orman: Absolutely, they can. You would think that they couldn't, but when you see dinosaurs -- Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, AIG -- going down the drain, anything can happen. Nothing is beyond the imagination at this point in time. | Suze Orman: It's good that federal government stepped in to save AIG .
Nation's economic woes stem from total irresponsibility, Orman says .
Orman says it's not a good time to enter stock market .
Orman warns other financial institutions could go under . |
56,971 | a158aa14f84cc7802c187515b4c1a728603f12c2 | By . Andrew Magee . PUBLISHED: . 17:52 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 17 March 2014 . Chelsea must be wary of Roberto Mancini's Galatasaray on Tuesday evening. Here, Sportsmail runs the rule over the Turkish giants and identifies three key men who can dent the Blues' hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals. THE OLD FRIEND . Didier Drogba will make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday but could still do his old employers some damage. He had a quiet night in the first leg in Istanbul where John Terry marshalled him well, but he has scored twice for Galatasaray since that meeting and will want to add to his tally on a ground where he found the net 89 times for Chelsea. Returning hero: Didier Drogba will be back at Stamford Bridge and is certain to get a warm reception . No love lost: Drogba says it will be difficult to play against Chelsea but will do his utmost to win the game . History boy: Drogba was instrumental in Chelsea's Champions League win over Bayern Munich in 2012 . 1-1 after the first leg . Kick-off: 7.45pm, Stamford Bridge . TV & Radio: LIVE on ITV1 from 7.30pm and BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT . Referee: Felix Brych (Germany) CORAL BOOT ROOM BET: Didier Drogba to score — 10-3 . THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY . Wesley Sneijder was linked with a move to Chelsea last summer but the Dutchman opted to go to Turkey instead where he is now one of Galatasaray’s most creative players. In the first leg his corner led to his team’s equaliser and he created more chances than any other player on the pitch. He also knows what it takes to win at Stamford Bridge — in his only appearance at the ground he helped Inter Milan to a 1-0 win in 2010. His manager that night? Jose Mourinho. The and now: Wesley Sneijder was a key player in Mourinho's Treble-winning Inter Milan side . Maestro: Sneijder's eye for a pass makes him a dangerous opponent in front of the Blues' defence . Three to fear: Drogba (right), Sneijder and Felipe Melo pose for the cameras earlier this season . Tribute: Felipe Melo named his son after Gary Lineker, to the surprise of the former England star . THE GARY LINEKER FAN . Felipe Melo might play in midfield but he always has one eye up front, so much so he named his son after Gary Lineker. Melo explained in 2010: ‘I gave that name [Lineker] to my son because I find it very beautiful.’ Though flattered, Lineker said: ‘Surely with the array of talent within the Brazilian team, he could have named him after someone other than a goal hanger like me!’ Melo has only scored twice all season, but he made more passes in the Chelsea half than any other player in the first leg. CHELSEA’S CENTENARY MAN . If he plays tonight, Petr Cech will be making his 100th appearance in the Champions League, with 88 of those coming for Chelsea and the other 12 for Sparta Prague. Galatasaray will do well to get past the Czech goalkeeper — he has conceded just 10 goals at Stamford Bridge this season and only one at home in 2014. Interesting method: Petr Cech could make his 100th appearance in the Champions League on Tuesday . Curious: Cech was put through his paces using a tennis racquet and tennis balls at Cobham . Veteran: Cech concedes a penalty from then Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho back in 2005 . Galatasaray are in good form having lost just one of their last 23 matches. But they have only won four out of 19 away games all season. The Turks also have a miserable record in England. In eight matches they have won just once, drawing three and losing five. | Didier Drogba, Wesley Sneijder and Felipe Melo ones to watch .
But Galatasaray have poor away record this season under Roberto Mancini .
Petr Cech in line for 100th Champions League appearance . |
40,783 | 73083fd0317787f984a6c3ee945130a9b39f37fb | (CNN) -- Newtown's legislative council had heard enough: residents complaining about loud gunfire, the Connecticut town's small police station inundated with phone calls from frightened residents. So, a few months ago, they tried to restrict when and where residents could shoot their guns in an effort to quiet the complaints. Instead, they got an earful from gun-control opponents. Today, there's a much deeper debate over gun rights in Newtown and around the country in the wake of Friday's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school. And the battle line in that debate runs straight through towns such as the once-sleepy Connecticut community. "It's a town with a longstanding history and cultural tradition of guns," explained council member Paul Lundquist. Newtown's longstanding gun culture manifested itself as a family outing for Adam Lanza, 20, who authorities say shot and killed his mother -- who introduced him to target shooting -- before killing 20 children and six adults at the elementary school and then taking his own life. For several years, Lanza and his mother frequented several gun ranges in the area, according to federal authorities. That's nothing out of the ordinary in this Connecticut town, where shooting sports are a popular pastime. "In Newtown right now, you can shoot any gun at anytime on your property," said town police commission member Joel Faxon. Lawmakers seem prepared to tackle gun control . The commission's attempt earlier this year to curb the city's lax attitude toward gun use was stonewalled by gun-control opponents in August, which Faxon said he couldn't understand. "All we wanted to do was make sure that all the guns that are fired in Newtown are fired in a safe fashion and aren't going to injure anybody and aren't going to infringe on anybody else's property and create a danger," Faxson explained. "Even that safety-based solution was staunchly and vigorously opposed by gun rights individuals." It shows just how sensitive the debate over gun control can be in Newtown -- and the nation. But what about now? Has the climate for gun control changed in the wake of Friday's horrible attack? Might Newton's gun culture change as a result of what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary? "I would hope so," Faxon says. "The time has come now for people to be reasonable. It's unreasonable not to have a safety ordinance about where you're going to have a shooting range. If that can't pass, I mean, what CAN pass?" Gun-control opponents say even small restrictions represent a slippery slope that threatens Second Amendment constitutional rights. "You can make as many laws as you want it will NOT change people who want to hurt others," said CNN commenter Steve Lahey. "We all need to arm ourselves now. That is the only way." Another CNN commenter, Hector Rodriguez, disagrees. He suggests the nation should "start by banning all assault weapons. You don't need them unless you want to be the next mass shooter!" These comments and other similarly entrenched positions on both sides of the debate show that gun rights are connected with deep-seated moral issues for many Americans, explained constitutional expert David Kopel. "Just as some people believe there can be absolutely no restrictions on the First Amendment right of freedom of speech and of the press, some other people take a similar view to the Second Amendment about the right to bear arms," said Kopel of the Denver-based think tank Independence Institute. "At the other end of the spectrum, some advocates of gun prohibition view the idea of owning guns to defend yourself as intrinsically immoral." Analysis: Guns and the law . In Washington, the gun-control issue has lain virtually dormant for years since a 1994 federal ban on semi-automatic assault rifles elapsed in 2004. But that was before Friday. Newtown has lit a legislative flame. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has vowed to introduce new legislation banning weapons such as the Newtown gunman's Bushmaster rifle. "Six-year-olds with three to 11 bullets from this Bushmaster in their body. Twenty of them. Is this America? I don't think so," said Feinstein. "And I think these incidents are going to continue until we do something to change the supply mode of these weapons out in our society." The California Democrat said her bill will propose banning "the sale, the transfer, the importation, and the possession" of such weapons. Feinstein, who helped champion the 1994 ban, said she and her staff have looked at the initial bill and tried to "perfect it." Even Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat and self-described "proud gun owner," said the Newtown massacre should be the tipping point in the debate over limiting gun rights. A new ABC/Washington Post survey taken shortly after Friday's shooting in Newtown suggests that American attitudes are already shifting. According to the survey, 44% of Americans now strongly support stricter gun laws, with 32% opposed. That's the first time in five years of ABC/Washington Post polling where significantly more people favor rather than oppose stricter gun-control measures. And for the first time in surveys dating back to 2000, less than 50% of respondents said the best way to reduce gun violence is to enforce existing laws, a common mantra for those who oppose gun restrictions. The number of people who say the best way to cut gun violence is to pass new laws has risen to 32%, the highest level in an ABC/Washington Post poll since 2000. In the months and years ahead, Newtown will become a symbol -- not for its rolling hills or for being "nicer" than other busy parts of the Northeast -- but for the worst tragedy ever imaginable. It will join that dark list of names, such Columbine, or even Dunblane, the Scottish town where a gunman killed a teacher and 16 students who were about the same age as those in Newtown. In Australia, say "the Port Arthur," and most folks will immediately think of the horrific slaughter of 35 people by a man with a semi-automatic rifle. Both of those 1996 massacres in Dunblane and Port Arthur sparked widespread outrage that led to restrictions on weapons. Twelve days after Port Arthur, Australia's prime minister announced gun reforms. High-caliber rifles and shotguns were banned and other restrictions were enacted. Dunblane sparked a national anti-gun campaign and petition drive that resulted in a UK ban on the private ownership of handguns. The question is: Will the outrage over Newtown have similar results? After shooting, cops take no-tolerance approach to copycat threats . CNN's Ashley Killough and Todd Schwarzschild contributed to this report . | Before Friday's attack, Newtown considered regulating outdoor shooting ranges .
Expert: Gun-control advocates and opponents see it as a moral issue .
Newtown will enter gun-control lexicon like Columbine, Dunblane, Port Arthur . |
122,427 | 2a3be027fc3ec300d1211e57ccbbe665fe9f7b43 | (CNN) -- Silicon Valley giant Yahoo is turning to a 17-year-old to boost the company's mobile development by acquiring the teenager's tech start-up in a reported multi-million dollar deal. Summly -- the brain child of London-based boy genius Nick D'Aloisio -- delivers automated snapshots of news stories to its users on mobile devices and formats articles for the small screen. D'Aloisio started the company when he was 15 and quickly attracted investors, including Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing and Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and Stephen Fry. In a statement on the Summly website, teenager D'Aloisio paid tribute to his friends, family and users while adding that Yahoo! is the "perfect fit" for the start-up company, which received Apple's Best Apps of 2012 award for Intuitive Touch. In November, Yahoo boss Marissa Mayer said the U.S. multinational would start focusing more on mobile strategy particularly on news, sports and apps. In a blog post announcing the deal, Adam Cahan, senior vice president of mobile and emerging products at Yahoo, wrote: "Mobile devices are at the center of how we engage with the people experiences and interests we love." Cahan added: "Most articles and web pages were formatted for browsing with mouse clicks. The ability to skim them on a phone or a tablet can be a real challenge... Summly solves this by delivering snapshots of stories, giving you a simple and elegant way to find the news you want, faster than ever before." Although the details of the deal are not disclosed, the acquisition is likely to make a millionaire of teenager D'Aloisio, who will now join Yahoo! Cahan asks for Summly users to "stay tuned" as the app gets ready to reappear as part of Yahoo!'s mobile arsenal. | The Summly app delivers snapshots of news stories to its users on mobile .
D'Aloisio started the company at 15 and gained support from Aston Kutcher and Stephen Fry .
In November, Yahoo! boss Marissa Mayer said the company would focus on mobile . |
53,521 | 97d00825e1a07b85720d18bb5e2117ec242b8b60 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:22 EST, 2 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:14 EST, 3 April 2012 . A heartbroken mother has relived the horrific moment she dragged her 21 month old son out of the family washing machine before he later died in her arms. Ollie Hebb was helping mother Tiffany on laundry day, climbing atop a bin so he could toss clothes into a top-loading washer. Mrs Hebb sat down to read a magazine, but then noticed Ollie was missing. 'I walked around through my whole house calling his name and couldn’t find him anywhere,' she told KSL-TV. 'And then I put my hands in the washer and felt his little body. The worst day of my life.' Tragic: Ollie Hebb died before his second birthday when he became stuck in the family washing machine . Grief: Tiffany Hebb, pictured with her brother, made the appalling discovery at her home on March 23 . She told the Deseret News: 'I couldn’t get him out of the washer; he was stuck. 'So I pulled his head above the water, and he had no heartbeat, no pulse. He wasn’t breathing.' After getting help from a neighbour to pull him out, Ollie’s heart . restarted nearly an hour later. He was put on life support for 24 hours . before the family decided to let him go on March 24. 'We just held him, cuddling him for his last moments of life,' Hebb told . the paper. 'Six hours later, he took his last breath and passed away'. His mother, recently moved to Oregon from Utah, says she never thought the washing machine would be a danger to her child and is telling her story to make parents aware of the danger. The Consumer Products Safety Commission, a federal agency, says such deaths are rare — two children under the age of five died in washing machines between 2005 and 2009, according to a recent report. Tiffany and Chris Hebb will probably not face charges, according Michael Rouches, spokesman for police in Hillsboro, Oregon. 'Detectives don't believe that this was an intentional crime or that anyone stuck the baby in the washer,' Mr Roushes said on Monday. 'We have the DA's office look into it, just to make sure there wasn't a degree of negligence.' Memorial: Ollie's father Chris described the agony of waking up and remembering his son is gone . Mr Rouches said detectives couldn't find other cases when toddlers drowned under similar circumstances. 'She was 30 feet away in the living room, reading a magazine,' he said. 'It wasn't like the mother had this kid unattended at the time.' The 2011 report says two children under the age of 5 died in washing machines between 2005 and 2009. During that time, 350 children died in bathtubs, and 77 drowned in something else, such as a decorative water feature, a cooler or a septic tank. Danger: Ollie's parents are using his death as a chance to remind others of the perils of household appliances . Ollie when his parents decided to take him off life support after 24 hours. His organs were donated, to give other children a chance of life. The couple had recently moved from Orem, Utah to the Portland suburb where Mr Hebb had found a job. The boy was buried over the weekend in Utah. 'Every night when I go to sleep, I start feeling sick,' Mr Hebb told the Deseret News. 'Every time I wake up, I think this is a nightmare and then realise it's real. You hear a baby crying in the night from a neighbour's house. You wake up, hoping it's your little boy, and then realise he's not there.' | 21-month-old Ollie Hebb drowned at family home after accident with washer .
Mother Tiffany relives the panic-stricken moments she fought to save him .
Only two children died in washing machines between 2005 and 2009 . |
7,278 | 149d037b39f23e6eb566259a2fcc2d4b1a2a3c1b | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 18:22 EST, 17 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:31 EST, 17 March 2013 . The scene was a desert palace overlooking an ancient wadi, its walls covered with priceless Bedouin hangings. Inside was a feast laid on for a future king – the Prince of Wales – by a future king. For in the centre of the dining room, sitting upright on a silver platter surrounded by a bed of cardamom-scented rice was the piece de resistance: A whole skinned and roasted baby camel. Guest of honour: Prince Charles was offered baby camel by the Saudi Royal family as he visited the Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz . Royal visit: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive for an audience with the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Saidat at the Sultan's Palace . If Charles felt a little queasy at this point (as many of his entourage certainly were), he was diplomatic enough not to show it. In fact the prince, dressed in a Savile Row suit, took his place at the head table with his host, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz. As a plate of prime carved meat was brought to him, the 64-year-old managed to daintily bring a couple of morsels to his lips with a gracious smile, before cleverly pushing his food round his plate for the rest of the hour-long banquet. Greeting: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales with the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Saidat on the final leg of his tour of the Middle East . Delicacy: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall tries some chocolates made by women who are learning cooking skills at the Female Academy for Arts and Crafts . Welcome ceremony: Prince Charles and Camilla receive a welcome worthy of royals at Muscat International Airport today . ‘I have never seen anything like it before,’ said a member of the British delegation that accompanied the prince, ‘and to be honest I hope I never will again. ‘As we walked in there was this huge creature sitting on a salver in the middle of the room. It was rather white and shiny with these large ribs protruding from the side. ‘It was only a few seconds later that I noticed this hump in the middle of it and realised what it was.‘We were told that it was a whole baby camel and that it was a sign of the huge esteem in which the prince is held that it had been roasted for him.’ Grandeur: Charles and Camilla have an audience with the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Saidat at the Sultan's Palace at Bayt al Baraka . The banquet was held just outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Friday night to welcome Charles, who was on a three-day visit to the kingdom as part of a tour of the Middle East on behalf of the British government. The prince was taken from his lodgings, Grand Palace, one of the Saudi royal family’s numerous gold-encrusted residences, to the Wadi Hanifa, a short drive out from the city. Overlooking an oasis and the 18th century ruins of old Riyadh, the Diriyah Palace is part of an 26,500-acre estate that has its own mosque, helipad and stables. Charles was invited to sit down with the Crown Prince and 60 of his closest relatives to enjoy coffee and high-level discussions. After half an hour he was invited into the banqueting area where he was greeted by the roasted camel and several whole roasted sheep and lamb, which had been placed on tables for other dignitaries to pick at. The Duchess of Cornwall was at a separate women’s banquet being thrown for her by one of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia’s wives, Princess Hessa bint Trad Al Saalan. The duchess said she had noticed a ‘sea of change’ in treatment towards women since her last in 2006. ‘They are in a world that can see and is starting to recognise their talents,’ she said. | HRH was served roast baby camel and cardamom-scented rice .
The Prince managed politely to eat a few mouthfuls of the meat .
He sat at the head table with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia .
It is the final leg of Charles and Camilla's tour of the MIddle East . |
64,160 | b63a2547820c696c0c8b8d7aa59028809ccd9ee9 | By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 18:16 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 27 September 2012 . A mother’s children are never far from her mind – and scientists may have worked out why. They believe that if a woman has a son, some of his cells pass into her body before reaching her brain. And the male DNA may linger there for decades. Bond: Scientists believe that if a woman has a son, some of his cells pass into her body before reaching her - and the male DNA may linger there for decades . While there is no evidence it makes the woman more masculine, it may have important implications for her health. American scientists examined brain specimens from 59 women who had died between the ages of 32 and 101. A gene that is carried on the Y chromosome – and so should only be found in men – was present in almost two-thirds of the brains. The researchers, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, say the most likely explanation is the gene came from a son when he was carried in the womb. Helping hand: The male DNA may help a woman fight breast cancer by boosting her immune response . In the same way that a mother passes . oxygen and nutrients to her unborn child through the placenta, . ‘traffic’, including cells, also moves in the other direction. The . study suggests that the baby’s cells – or their descendants – persist . in the mother for decades, as male DNA was found in the brain of a woman . who died aged 94. It is thought having a daughter also leaves a mark on the mother’s brain – but testing for this would be more difficult. The study, published in the journal PLoS . ONE, is the first to find male DNA in women’s brains. It is too early . to say what effect, if any, it has. Previous studies have found male cells in women’s blood, bone marrow, hearts, lungs, livers and other organs. And the phenomenon, which is known as microchimerism, is thought to be good for a woman’s health. A vaccine that cuts the odds of premature births, miscarriages and other problems in pregnancy is a step closer. Scientists have shed light on white blood cells made by the mother-to-be which suppress her immune system and stop it attacking the ‘foreign’ baby. It is thought that some complications in pregnancy may be caused by not having enough protective cells, or them not working properly. The study, published in the journal Nature, found the cells rein in the immune system while still protecting the mother against infections. The male DNA may help a woman fight breast cancer by boosting her immune response. It may also help with rheumatoid arthritis and the repair of damaged tissues. Some scientists believe that the infusion of ‘fresh’ cells from child to mother could help explain why women tend to live longer than men. But microchimerism has also been linked to higher odds of bowel and skin cancer. Researcher Dr Lee Nelson said: ‘Foetal microchimerism – the presence of foetal cells in the mother – appears to be something of a Jekyll and Hyde phenomenon.’ She added that finding out more about how the cells cause or protect against disease could lead to new treatments. ‘Better understanding of the actions of the transferred cells could someday allow clinicians to harness the stowaways’ beneficial effects while limiting their destructive potential,’ said Dr Nelson. | Cells pass into mother's body before making it to brain .
Male DNA may linger there for decades, scientists say .
Study in journal by cancer research centre in Seattle . |
88,162 | fa332f18e106b6a9bbd6e3025111e53ef82915a6 | This important leader handles the debt crisis with grace, navigating expertly between austerity and growth. The leader's opponents grumble, more out of jealousy than genuine opposition, and loyal supporters hail the leader as a hero. The leader's popularity soars; re-election is not in question. Meanwhile, unemployment is at an all-time low, and the leader's nation is looking like its own island of prosperity, a beacon to a suffering continent. For President Barack Obama, this is a daydream. For German Chancellor Angela Merkel, this is life. Funny how the most admired leader of the Western world right now, the clearest example we have of consistent success during trying times, is a woman. The pictures in the news, day after day, tell the story: House Speaker John Boehner looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell looks like he swallowed a lemon. Sen. Ted Cruz looks bizarrely smug while the world crumbles around him, and Obama can only shake his head and loosen his collar. The only Washington type who was smiling on the front page of the newspaper this week was Janet Yellen, newly nominated by Obama to be the chair of the Federal Reserve, and anointed by one observer as the most powerful woman in world history. Oh, and there was one other person smiling in Washington: Christine Lagarde, chief of the International Monetary Fund, who was in the U.S. capital for the organization's annual meeting and who said just about the only sensible thing anyone in town has said all week on the debt ceiling crisis: "I hope that in a few weeks' time, we will look back and say, 'What a waste of time that was.' " This has not been a shining week for the patriarchy. The men in suits dither, posture, plan negotiation sessions and then cancel them, and employ copious military metaphors -- "wage battle," "refuse to surrender" -- to no effect. Increasingly they become associated in the minds of the American people with verbs normally used to describe toddlers, such as "tantrum" or "throw a fit." Competence, meanwhile belongs to the women, particularly in the usually macho world of global finance. Over in Europe, Merkel was re-elected on the basis of her deft handling of the eurozone crisis, and in the United States, monetary policy was entrusted to Yellen. Making the victory extra sweet for women, she was chosen instead of Lawrence Summers, who will forever be remembered for saying women aren't that good at math. And this moment of female triumph extends beyond mere competence to unfathomable bravery. The hero of the moment -- the person who has been shot at, nearly killed and is still not afraid to talk -- is a heroine: 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who was nominated for a Nobel Prize and who told Jon Stewart this week that if she were faced with a Taliban gunman such as the one who shot her last year she would, once again, explain to him how important education is for girls. (In response Stewart asked if he could adopt her.) Perhaps this will be remembered as the week when everything shifted, when we realized that leaving groups of men in charge of global decisions and of facing down terrorists is not a good idea, and we'd better calmly hand the reins over to the women. Don't laugh. It happened in Iceland. Lagarde described the transfer of power recently on a panel at the Clinton Global Initiative. She explained how women brought Iceland out of its recession. After the economy crashed, "the banks, the funds, the government -- everything was taken over by women," she told The Wall Street Journal. "So when it's messy, you get the women in. But when the mess is sorted," she added, "keep the women." | Hanna Rosin: A leader guiding a nation to prosperity? Obama? No, Angela Merkel in Germany .
She says news full of dithering male leaders, while a woman has been picked to head the Fed .
She says competence in global leadership belongs to women like IMF chief Christine Lagarde .
Rosin: This may be the week when the world realizes women are better at the helm . |
211,807 | 9e4907c594d78e8f9bcd7f8a3a055432db9a339b | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 03:34 EST, 6 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:51 EST, 14 May 2013 . Shrouded in secrecy: Translators working on Dan Brown's new novel Inferno were banned from discussing the plot and made to work in an underground bunker to keep the text a mystery . It is a scene that could have come out of one of Dan Brown's own novels - 11 people confined inside an underground bunker keeping a closely-guarded secret from the rest of the world. However, instead of a mystery to be solved by Brown's hero Robert Langdon, this was the reality for translators toiling over the Da Vinci Code author's latest tome. Such was the publisher's desire to release Brown's new novel Inferno in several languages on the same day, the translators are said to have found themselves cooped up in a high-security basement working seven days a week until at least 8pm. The English translation of Inferno is 'hell', and it would be hard to imagine a more devilish existence then that of the linguists, who were tasked with reading the new novel day and night. The chosen 11 were banned from taking mobile phones into the windowless bunker at the Milan headquarters of Italian publishing house, Mondadori. Their laptops were nailed down to their workstations and the translators, from France, Spain, Germany, Brazil and Italy, were only permitted to access the internet via a solitary supervised shared computer, according to newspaper The Independent on Sunday. Security surrounding the project was so tight that although the translators were allowed to eat their meals at the Mondadori staff canteen, each was given a cover story to conceal what they were really up to between February and April 2012. When not in use the prized manuscripts were stored in safes, guarded as tightly as the valuable artworks depicted in Brown's popular mystery thrillers. The plot of Inferno has been shrouded in secrecy, but is believed to make repeated references to Dante's Inferno, the first part of epic poem The Divine Comedy, which depicts the narrator's journey through hell. Publishers were so scared that the . translators might pirate the text before the publication date each of . the 11 was banned from discussing the plot, forced to sign in and out . each time they entered the bunker and to keep a record of all their . activities, including cigarette and meal breaks. Going globall: The new novel by Dan Brown, above, being released on May 14 in English, French, German, Spanish, Catalan, Italian and Portuguese versions . Italian translator Annamaria Raffo told magazine TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, which is also published by Berlusconi family-owned Mondadori, that there was initially 'distrust' among the group, although by the end of the ordeal the bunker had a 'playground atmosphere'. A French translator, Carole Delporte added that the experience had enabled the linguists to immerse themselves completely in the text. Foreign versions of English language books have usually been published after the originals, causing publishers to lose money. The blog, Love German Books, has . stated that Brown's last novel, The Lost Symbol, had already climbed to . number two on the country's bestseller list by the time the German . version was released - one month after the English edition hit the . shelves. Inferno will . instead be published on May 14, and released in English, French, German, . Spanish, Catalan, Italian and Portuguese versions on the same day. Big screen hero: Tom Hanks, right, has played Brown's hero Robert Langdon, in the film version of novels The Da Vinci Code, which also starred Audrey Tautou, left . It is the fourth of Brown's books to feature symbology expert Robert Langdon, who was portrayed by actor Tom Hanks in the film versions of previous novels, The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. According to the description of the novel on Amazon,Inferno is 'set in the heart of Europe, where Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centred around one of history's most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces.' He has said of the new book: 'Although I studied Dante's Inferno as a student, it wasn't until recently, while researching in Florence, that I came to appreciate the enduring influence of Dante's work on the modern world. 'With this new novel, I am excited to take readers on a journey deep into this mysterious realm, a landscape of codes, symbols, and more than a few secret passageways.' The 48-year-old's books have previously been translated into 52 languages and as of last year had sold more than 200 million copies combined, while the Tom hanks films have taken around £800 million. Inspiration: Brown's new novel is thought to reference Dante's Inferno, which depicts the narrator's journey through hell. Pictured is a medieval interpretation of the tale . | Translators worked in windowless bunker at an Italian publishing house .
Chosen 11 were given cover stories to hide the true nature of their work .
New novel references Dante's Inferno which depicts a journey through hell . |
89,715 | fec7820a2dca01f1904524aada77d4e95c7738b4 | An elderly British man faces up to three years in a Pakistani prison after he was tricked into reading the Koran in public. Masud Ahmad, 72, belongs to the minority Ahmadiyya sect, who under Pakistani law are banned from calling themselves Muslim, with Amnesty International saying he was deliberately tricked into reading the holy book in Lahore by figures linked to a right-wing religious group. The case comes just a week after Mohammad Asghar, a 69-year-old alleged paranoid schizophrenic from Edinburgh, was sentenced to death in Pakistan for apparently claiming to be the Prophet Mohammad in letters he wrote to government officials. Banned: Masud Ahmad belongs to the minority Ahmadiyya sect, who under Pakistani law are not allowed to call themselves Muslim or read the Koran in public. His family say he was duped into doing so . It is believed Mr Ahmad was secretly filmed reading from the Koran in November last year by two men posing as patients at the homeopathy clinic he ran in Lahore. Amnesty International say he was maliciously targeted because of his religion. Every year dozens of Ahmadi Muslims are charged with breaching Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws simply for practicing Islam, while they and other minority groups are also at risk of sectarian violence. Speaking to The Independent, Mr Ahmad's son Abbas, 39, said: 'We are concerned he will never see his nine grandchildren but we are concerned with his life. We know what happens [in] these sort of cases.' Abbas Ahmad said his father had been released on bail ahead of a trial and is currently in secure accommodation. He added: We want to bring him back to Britain... In Pakistan there is no justice. Someone has made a false case and they have sent him to prison for nothing'. Until he returned to Pakistan in 1982 for an operation to remove a tumour, Mr Ahmad had lived in London for 22-years working as a photographer. Strict: Scores of people have been arrested in Pakistan under the country's harsh blasphemy laws. Every year dozens of Ahmadis are punished by strict religious courts . His case echoes that of Mohammad Asghar - the mentally ill man from Edinburgh who was sentenced to death in Pakistan last week after he allegedly claimed to be the Prophet Mohammad. Mr Asghar was arrested in 2010 in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, for making the claims in letters he sent to various government officials. But a lawyer who defended Mr Asghar said and the case was really a property dispute and that his 69-year-old client is currently in very poor health facing death for a crime that was never committed. Amnesty . International's deputy Asia Pacific director Polly Truscott said: . 'Mohammad Asghar is now facing the gallows simply for writing a series . of letters. He does not deserve punishment. No one should be charged on . the basis of this sort of conduct. David Cameron spoke out against the verdict in the week, saying he was 'deeply concerned' that the Pakistani court had failed to include medical evidence in Mr Asghar's trial. | Masud Ahmad belongs to the Ahmadiyya sect who cannot practice Islam .
Minority Muslim sect are not allowed to read the Koran in a public space .
The pensioner now faces up to three years in prison on blasphemy charges .
Case comes just one week as Mohammad Asghar was sentenced to death .
Asghar, another Brit, was accused of claiming to be Prophet Mohammad .
Previously had schizophrenia treatment but court barred medial evidence . |
277,046 | f2efc06c6bed8b883f260341819f2e7fd6c018f3 | (CNN) -- A series of explosions at an ammunition depot killed 200 people and wounded about 2,000 more in Brazzaville, the capital of Africa's Republic of Congo, Congolese officials said Monday. The explosions occurred shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday (2 a.m. ET) when a fire at the depot set off a cache of tank shells, said Betu Bangana, director of protocol for President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. Bangana said at least 200 people had been confirmed dead by Monday morning, and many bodies may be "unfindable." Ministry of Information press attache Bruno Impene said hospitals were overflowing, with the wounded lying in the corridors. The blasts destroyed numerous homes in the neighborhoods surrounding the installation, Bangana said. The force of the explosions broke windows up to 5 km (3 miles) away in Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC's military responded by putting tanks and troops on the streets and the banks of the Congo River, which separates the two cities, until it became clear that no attack on the capital was under way. Impene said a short circuit the suspected cause of the fire. Authorities are treating the blaze as accidental, Bangana said. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse and journalist Fred Robarts contributed to this report. | Hospitals are overflowing with wounded, an official says .
An electrical short is the suspected cause of the ammo dump blasts .
Congo's government says the explosions killed at least 200 people .
The concussions broke windows across the Congo River in Kinshasa . |
278,952 | f568862f2edf4982baeb9022f780ee91504067a4 | Anxiety, depression, guilt, sleeplessness, marital strife, drug and alcohol abuse — these are some of the mental health issues facing residents in Newtown, Connecticut, two years after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Only now is the scope of the psychological damage to children, parents and others becoming clear, and the need for treatment is likely to persist a long time. 'Here it is two years later, and it's still hard to deal with. But, God, you didn't want to know me two years ago,' said Beth Hegarty, a Sandy Hook mother who happened to be inside the school that day with her three daughters, all of whom survived. Scroll down for video . Damage: Only now is the scope of the psychological damage to children, parents and others becoming clear, and the need for treatment is likely to persist a long time . Forever grieving: Jennifer Hensel (left), Jeremy Richman and David Wheeler (right), the parents of six-year-old victims, Avielle Richman and Benjamin Wheeler attend the launch of The Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit created in response to the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last year . Trauma: Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, lost daughter Ana Marquez-Greene in the horror . Hegarty and her girls are among the thousands of people in this close-knit town of 27,000 who have taken advantage of counselling and other programs made available through millions in grants and donations. With the second anniversary of the shooting rampage approaching Sunday, agencies have been working to set up a support system for the next 12 to 15 years, as the youngest survivors approach adulthood. Mental health officials say the demand for treatment is high, with many people reporting substance abuse, relationship troubles, disorganization, depression, overthinking or inability to sleep, all related to the December 14, 2012, attack in which a young man killed 20 children and six educators before committing suicide. And some of the problems are just now coming to the surface. Innocent: White roses with the faces of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting are attached to a telephone pole near the school on the one-month anniversary of the shooting . Face of a killer: On December 14 2012, Adam lanza (left) shot dead his mother, Nancy (right), before heading to Sandy Hook Elementary School to murder 20 children and 6 adult staff members. he then took his own liife . Help: With the second anniversary of the shooting rampage approaching Sunday, agencies have been working to set up a support system for the next 12 to 15 years, as the youngest survivors approach adulthood . 'We've found the issues are more complex in the second year,' said Joseph Erardi, Newtown's school superintendent. 'A lot of people were running on adrenaline the first year.' The Hegarty children have had trouble sleeping and difficulty with loud noises and crowds. Whenever they leave the house, they look for places they can hide in case something bad happens. In February, a school counselor suggested the family seek help because one of the daughters wasn't paying attention in class; she was staring at the doorway. Support: A chalk board column is displayed at the Resiliency Center of Newtown which was founded after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shootings. The center offers the community mental and emotional health programs that include art, music and play therapy . Hegarty and her children have been receiving support from Newtown's Resiliency Center, an organization formed after the shooting that has seen rising demand for its offerings, which include art, music and play therapy. Hegarty said the programs have helped her become more 'even-keeled.' 'I was super reactive to everything. I would fly off the handle on a whim. I was emotional. I couldn't handle crowds or loud noises,' said Hegarty, who took cover under a conference table during the shooting while the principal and psychologist she had been meeting with died. 'For my girls, there is less running down the hallway in the middle of the night and climbing into my bed. They want to go more places instead of staying at home all the time.' Newtown has received about $15 million in grants from the U.S. Education Department and the U.S. Justice Department to support its recovery. The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, which oversees the biggest pot of private donations made to Newtown, has about $4 million left after paying out more than $7 million to the families of the 26 victims and other children who were in the same classrooms but survived. Newtown Youth and Family Services, the main mental health agency, has quadrupled its counseling staff, adding 29 positions in the months following the shootings, Executive Director Candice Bohr said. She said the federal grant money that recently came through will help cover its costs. Jennifer Barahona, director of the foundation overseeing the private dollars, said the group has been spending about $60,000 a month on one-on-one counseling for people who have no insurance or whose insurers won't cover such treatment. She said more people are reaching out for help every day. The Newtown school system is starting a long-term program to teach young people from kindergarten through high school how to handle their feelings. It is also setting up a mental health center at the middle school in January to help those who were affected by the tragedy while in elementary school. Teachers have been trained to identify students who might have mental health problems. Melissa Brymer, director of terrorism and disaster programs at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, has been consulting with Newtown to develop a plan to make sure the mental health needs are met for another 12 to 15 years. Hegarty said she struggles with survivor guilt, but the Resiliency Center has helped her and her children. 'Are we 100 percent? No,' she said. 'But will we ever be 100 percent? We might not be.' | On Dec. 14 2012, Adam Lanza killed 26 at Sandy Hook, mostly children .
2 years on, guilt, insomnia, marital strife and alcohol abuse among issues .
Agencies working to set up a support system for the next 12 to 15 years .
Newtown's Resiliency Center, formed after massacre, has seen rising demand for its offerings, which include art, music and play therapy . |
187,582 | 7eecb31517050df71d8e6ea6c2e063ce69d6949e | Hairdresser Donna Hamer attacked her then boyfriend after a gay friend sent him a picture of a penis 'as a joke' A hairdresser furiously attacked her boyfriend with a kitchen roll holder and threatened him with a 12-inch knife after a gay friend messaged him a photo of a penis 'as a joke'. Donna Hamer, 28, 'went mad' and sank her teeth into Rick Scherzo's hands after he received the picture message on his computer. As Mr Scherzo, 30, pleaded with Hamer to stop and told her it was just a prank, she punched him in the face and shouted: 'You're gay.' She even threatened her boyfriend with a 12-inch knife and broke his phone when he tried to call the police. After the violence, Hamer, from Nelson, Lancashire, posted a string of messages on Facebook falsely claiming Mr Scherzo had beaten her up. She wrote: 'Just found out my ex is now messaging my friends on here. Tellin lies trying to justifie (sic) what he done.He can do what he wants now never again will he hurt.' But then she bombarded Mr Scherzo with more than 100 apologetic texts as she tried to win him back. Prosecuting, Enza Geldard told Burnley Magistrates' Court that the pair started their relationship at Christmas in 2013, but had broken up by March last year. A week later, Hamer told Mr Scherzo that she was pregnant, leading the pair to get back together and move into her flat. She later said she had lost the baby, with Mr Scherzo telling the police that he did not know if she was pregnant in the first place. Rick Scherzo insisted the penis picture was a prank but Hamer continued her attack, punching him in the face . Hamer, 28, also beat Mr Scherzo with a rolling pin holder and threatened him with a 12-inch chef's knife . The couple were at home in September 19 last year when the victim was chatting to his male friend, who is gay, on his computer. Miss Geldard said: 'He says Donna Hamer saw this picture and has gone mad. She started calling him gay and wouldn't let it go, although he told her it was just a joke.' Hamer, who admitted assault by beating, then punched Mr Scherzo in the face and bit both his hands as he was restraining her. She started hitting him again before the pair tried to calm the row down, the court heard. Mr Scherzo said he was going to bed and didn't want her sleeping in the same room. Hamer then began striking him again so he punched her in the face in self-defence. She went into the kitchen, returning with the 13-inch long kitchen roll pole before hitting him with it. Mr Scherzo managed to grab it off her so Hamer went into the kitchen again, coming back with a 12-inch chef's knife. She then demanded money from him they had spent on holiday flights together. Mr Scherzo said in his statement: 'I panicked when I saw her with the knife. She held it to my chest and said: "Are you going to get me the money tomorrow?"' He tried to sleep in the living room while Hamer was in the bedroom, but she followed him and started 'kicking off again'. After warning her he would the call the police, she grabbed his phone from his hand, cracking the screen and breaking it. Violent: Hamer was handed a community order and told to attend a course to deal with her behaviour . After the attack, Hamer bombarded Mr Scherzo with more than 100 apologetic texts as she tried to win him back . Mr Scherzo added: 'In the morning I had to go to work. I told her to pack her things and get out. When I got home she gave me the keys and left. That night she placed it all over Facebook that I have beaten her up. I have blocked her so I couldn't see it, but my friends told me about it.' Throughout the next week, Hamer sent him 102 text messages, which he deleted, as well as contacting his friends. He told police: 'I just want her to leave me alone and stop texting and threatening me. I want to move on with my life and just want her to do the same.' The court was told that Mr Scherzo did not want contact with Hamer, who is pregnant with his child, but did want to be involvement in his child's life. Defence lawyer Kamran Yousaf said the incident was fuelled by alcohol and added: 'Clearly, she was aggrieved when she saw that image on the computer and confronted him. She found it offensive and disgusting, but she acted wrongly. She shouldn't have done what she did. 'She was clearly angry. She admits assaulting the complainant in order to prevent him from assaulting her. She didn't intend to injure him. She used these weapons to threaten and intimidate the victim. 'Since this incident she has stopped drinking, because of the incident and because she's pregnant. She is remorseful and regrets this incident.' Sentencing, justice of the peace David Bennett told Hamer: 'This was a serious offence and concerned us somewhat because of the nature of the offending, it was in alcohol and the presence of weapons. There is always an enormous risk and the consequences can be horrendous.' Hamer was given a community order and must attend a course to deal with her behaviour. She must also pay a £60 victim surcharge and £200 costs. | Donna Hamer attacked her boyfriend after he was sent a 'joke' penis photo .
Hairdresser 'went mad' as she bit Rick Scherzo and punched him in face .
28-year-old beat him with a kitchen roll holder and shouted: 'You're gay'
Hamer even threatened Mr Scherzo, 30, with a 12-inch chef's knife .
She then bombarded him with 100 apologetic texts to try to win him back .
Hamer admitted assault by beating and was given a community order . |
12,114 | 226105998a64c038007413bf05b510b5068b9a64 | The Washington Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Tuesday in a case filed by three sex trafficking victims who say the website Backpage.com helps promote the exploitation of children. The suit is one of two taking on the classified ad website. A federal case was filed in Boston last week. KIRO-TV reported that court documents allege that the ages of the women, who were then teenagers, were not checked by Backpage.com. Harmful? A lawsuit filed by three sex trafficking victims say Backpage.com helps promote the exploitation of children . The teenagers were allegedly digitally pimped, the affiliate station reported. The two plaintiffs in the Boston case alleged in the suit they 'were sold for sex in Massachusetts and Rhode Island more than 1,900 times combined when they were from 15 to 17 years of age,' The Boston Globe reported. Backpage attorney Elizabeth McDougall told the newspaper 'We work extremely closely with law enforcement to find and to help rescue victims and to collaborate in facilitating arrests and prosecutions of perpetrators.' Backpage.com argues that the lawsuits are an attempt at censorship. It says the Communications Decency Act gives it immunity from the activities of its members or users. Lawyers for the three girls say they were sold as prostitutes in advertisements on Backpage.com. They say it and other sites offering 'adult services' are not protected by the communications act because they are responsible for some of the information on the website. Backpage.com asked a Supreme Court judge to dismiss the case. The judge declined, so Backpage.com appealed. The lawsuit comes after Washington lawmakers passed a bill in 2012 that imposed a $10,000 fine and up to a year in prison if a website failed to make reasonable attempts to ascertain the age of someone placing an ad for commercial sex. The day it was to take effect, a federal judge issued a restraining order. The law was struck down in December 2012. Harm: Lawyers for the three girls say they were sold as prostitutes in advertisements on Backpage.com . | The Washington Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case filed by three sex trafficking victims .
They say Backpage.com helps promote the exploitation of children .
Backpage.com says the Communications Decency Act gives it immunity from the activities of its members or users . |
156,861 | 56d1d4a81cacdf791590e2647f811e7cf0158957 | Charlie Adam insists Stoke outplayed Arsenal last weekend and has rubbished claims suggesting his side try to bully teams. The midfielder came off the bench in the 69th minute to feature in Stoke's impressive 3-2 win against Arsenal. Adam believes Stoke deserved the three points against Arsene Wenger's side after racing into a three-goal lead before conceding two second-half goals. Charlie Adam, pictured with Alexis Sanchez, insists Stoke do not bully opposing temas . Stoke trio Peter Crouch, Bojan and Jonathan Walters got on the scoresheet against Arsenal . Speaking to the Daily Star, Adam said on the performance against the Gunners: 'Listen, we beat Arsenal last weekend and not only did we beat them, we outplayed them. 'A lot of people seem to have the mindset that we try to bully teams like Arsenal. That's just rubbish. We're physical, in that we stand up to everybody, because you have to in the English game. 'The problem we have is that some people have tunnel vision. They still want to paint us as just wanting to kick people. 'But we're a good team that passes the ball. Our play in the first 45 minutes against Arsenal was sensational.' Adam has claimed Stoke outplayed Arsenal during their 3-2 win against Arsene Wenger's side . | Stoke defeated Arsenal 3-2 in the Premier League last Saturday .
Charlie Adam is unhappy with people labelling Stoke as bullies .
The Scotland international insists: 'We're a good team that passes the ball' |
75,217 | d5410cc1d123d1a5471c6fbf30d0b2dd52a9c6c2 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 20:48 EST, 24 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:05 EST, 25 March 2013 . Michael Heseltine said poorer countries like India and China are doing far better than Western states because their poverty means they have more to strive for . The economy is stalling because Britons feel too rich to push for growth, Lord Heseltine has suggested. The Tory grandee said the wealthier a country becomes, the less ‘national will’ there is to ensure the economy improves. The peer, who has just returned from a trip to India, said poorer countries like India and China are doing far better than Western states because their poverty means they have more to strive for. And he made the claim that an economic recovery was not ‘essential’ for the future of the UK. The former deputy prime minister’s claims invite accusations of being out of touch at a time when millions are struggling to find work. But, asked in the interview whether it is essential that the economy improves, he said: ‘It’s not essential. It doesn’t need to. It can go on drifting down. ‘There is no God-given rule saying you’ve got to have a well-performing economy. It could be an indifferent economy. ‘It’s a question of whether the national will is there; whether we want it. And the richer you get the less imperative there is. ‘Maybe one of the problems of advanced economies is that people are sufficiently well-off they don’t need to drive themselves any more. ‘All these comparisons with China and India are ridiculous. I’ve just come back from India. You know why they’ve got to drive themselves – they’ve got real problems. ‘While in this country there are people with problems, the vast majority of people have standards which are not comparable with the Third World.’ Asked whether the problem is lack of desire to see growth, he told the Independent newspaper: ‘It could be. I don’t personally subscribe to that view but I don’t discount it as a possible thought. Lord Heseltine said poverty stricken countries like India strive to drive their economy forward because they have 'real problems' ‘I think that there is in the nature of most people a desire to do something and to do it better, and do it to a degree of personal satisfaction.’ Lord Heseltine has just completed a report for the Coalition Government into how to promote growth in the economy. Last week the Treasury backed most of the recommendations. Deputy prime minister from 1995 to 1997 under John Major, Lord Heseltine is most remembered for his tussles with the previous prime minister Margaret Thatcher. He resigned from her cabinet in 1986 in a disagreement called the ‘Westland affair’ which centred on the fate of the Westland helicopter company. Four years later his challenge to Lady Thatcher’s leadership ended with her resignation. In the early 1980s he helped regenerate Merseyside after the Toxteth riots, and in the early 1990s he was asked by Mr Major to dismantle the hated poll tax. | Former Tory Deputy PM blames a lack of motivation to drive economy .
He said growth isn't necessary and an 'indifferent' economy will work .
He claims 'the richer you get the less imperative there is' to work harder . |
73,544 | d0850d7d0920a2d48e04bf76d2941379293d5cb6 | Parliament is set to be recalled on Friday for MPs to vote on launching air strikes on Islamic State fanatics in northern Iraq. David Cameron is today holding talks in New York with his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi, who is expected to make a formal request for help. MPs are expected to be summoned for an emergency session debate in the Commons on Friday morning to approve the action, with British Tornado bombers in action by the weekend. Scroll down for video . Aerial warfare: British Tornado bombers could be hitting ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq this weekend. File picture . Interviewed on NBC News, Mr Cameron said the IS group posed a direct threat to Britain. 'These people want to kill us,' he said. They've got us in their sights and we have to put together this coalition … to make sure that we ultimately destroy this evil organisation.' The move comes amid growing Tory criticism of Britain's cautious response to the threat posed by IS, which has murdered three Western hostages and is threatening to kill kidnapped British taxi driver Alan Henning. Mr Henning's brother-in-law Colin Livesey last night appealed for air strikes to be called off, arguing that the raids would reduce the chance of him being released alive. But Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Britain had to take the fight to the extremists – and suggested bombing raids should be extended to IS strongholds in Syria. The PM will offer the services of the RAF during talks with his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi . Mr Fallon told the Spectator magazine: 'We've had attacks on the streets of London, on our transport system, at Glasgow Airport, the murder of Lee Rigby – how much more evidence do you need that this is a very clear and dangerous threat to our way of life and to all the democracies of the West. 'This is a new Battle of Britain. 'Iraq is under attack not just from terrorists inside its own borders but from terrorists in the north of Syria. 'If Syria continues to be unwilling or unable to deal with IS then at least the question arises as to whether we shouldn't assist Iraq in doing so.' Downing Street remains nervous about Labour's stance on the issue after Ed Miliband yesterday called for a UN resolution sanctioning military action against IS. A British source pointed out there had already been two resolutions condemning IS – with a third expected today on the issue of foreign jihadis. But the source said there was no prospect of a resolution on military action because of Russian opposition. However, today Mr Miliband insisted his party was 'open to the possibility' of UK forces joining air strikes in Iraq but would not commit in advance of seeing detailed proposals. He said he would 'look very seriously' at any proposal to meet a request from Iraq for British involvement, but action in Syria was a 'more complex' question. 'Isil is a threat that can't be turned away from,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'We've said that we need an alliance which is not just a military alliance but a political and diplomatic alliance. 'How will I judge any proposal? Whether Britain can have an effect, whether we can succeed and whether it is legitimate and lawful. But I am open to the possibility.' An IS militant fires a rocket propelled grenade launcher during fighting near the Syrian Kurdish town of Ain al-Arab, known as Kobane by the Kurds . Barrage: An IS militant fires a heavy machine gun during the fighting. Some 140,000 mainly Kurdish refugees have now crossed the border into Turkey after the militants moved on the town of Ain al-Arab . An IS militant firing a cannon mounted on a truck during fighting near the Syrian Kurdish town of Ain al-Arab, . He said he had not spoken to Mr Cameron about the issue or the potential recall of Parliament. Britain was caught flat-footed yesterday when the US carried out its first air strikes on IS positions in Syria, in conjunction with five Arab countries. Downing Street is understood to have been given a 'courtesy call' by the Pentagon shortly beforehand. But the UK was notably absent from a list of allies praised by Barack Obama yesterday for standing 'shoulder to shoulder' with the US. The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea launches a Tomahawk cruise missile in the Arabian Gulf yesterday . Syrian children hold up debris as they check a damaged house, reportedly hit by U.S.-led coalition air strikes, in the village of Kfar Derian in the western Aleppo province . Mr Cameron last night insisted Britain would play its part in the assault. Asked about the possibility of British bombing raids, he said: 'We're looking carefully at what role we can play in this coalition. 'We've already taken a number of steps so far. We've also armed the (Kurdish fighters). And we will keep looking at what more we can do.' But Tory former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said it was becoming a 'national embarrassment' that the UK was not taking part. He insisted: 'We should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the US and our allies against this utterly brutal group, not sitting on the sidelines.' Liam Fox, the former defence secretary and standard-bearer for the Tory right, said: 'We risk exacerbating the idea, first achieved by the Syria vote, that we have opted out of any leadership role in global affairs.' Mr Cameron will today plead with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani for his support in the fight against IS. It will be the first face-to-face talks for 35 years between the leaders of the two countries which have been at loggerheads over Tehran's nuclear policy. | Prime Minister will offer air support to his Iraqi counterpart today .
Parliament expected to be recalled on Friday for a vote on military action .
RAF bombers could be hitting insurgent targets by this weekend .
Cameron says terror group poses a direct threat to Britain . |
280,262 | f70e92b30865d0ae57df7c81c44799cb894d9570 | (CNN)A ruthless Roger Federer confidently dispatched World No 1. Novak Djokovic 6-3 7-5 to take the Dubai Tennis Championships title Saturday in little over one hour and 36 minutes. The Swiss master, appearing in his 126th tour final (of which he has now won 84) was at his imperious best, frustrating Djokovic who could do little to stem the variety of forehand, backhand and volleyed winners coming from the other side of the net. "I don't think I could have played much better," Federer said on court after the match. Federer edged ahead in game seven of the first, breaking Djokovic before confidently serving out for the set. A critical double fault by Djokovic at 5-5 in the second handed his on-form opponent the upper hand. Federer then took the final game on serve to ensure he would win the Dubai title for the seventh time. The match also saw Federer serve up the 9,000th ace of his career, becoming only the fourth man to achieve the feat since 1991. "Clearly it is nice to get past that so now I don't have to think about it ever again for the next 9,000 or so," he joked . A magnanimous Djokovic later congratulated Federer on his victory. "Today he was just the better player on the court," the Serb said. "There was not much I could do." "(Federer) didn't miss much. I think he missed one or two volleys the entire match. | Federer defeats Djokovic to take Dubai Championships .
Victory marks 84th tour victory of Federer's career . |
175,882 | 6faa00eeb672479a2605275449ae69e512f96394 | The number of people abandoning Russia has shot up to its highest level in 15 years. More than 200,000 Russians emigrated in the first eight months of this year - continuing a 'brain drain' which has been apparent since Vladimir Putin was re-elected as President in 2012. It has caused shockwaves among analysts because until then, the number of people leaving Russia had been declining for 20 years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Brain drain: After 20 years of decline since a Cold War peak, the number of Russians abandoning their nation is soaring and reached 203,659 in eight months this year. Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service . At the peak of Russia's 'first brain drain' from 1990 to 1992, when the country lay in turmoil as it converted to capitalism, more than 2million people left permanently to live abroad. Slowly but surely the figure began to fall, and finally dropped below 100,000 per year in 2003. By 2011 just 36,000 people were leaving Russia every year - and for every departure, ten people were arriving from nations such as Uzbekistan and Armenia. Yet in 2012, the year President Putin won his third Presidential term, that number suddenly spiked to 122,751, according to official figures by Russia's Federal State Statistics Service. It rose again to 186,382 in 2013 and reached 203,659 in the first eight months of 2014 - a period in which Russia has annexed Crimea and increasingly flexed its muscle on the world stage. Today that figure threatened to rise even further as the Kremlin said Russia will fall into recession next year - an announcement which forced the rouble to a record low against the dollar. Threat: The figure could rise dramatically after officials in the Kremlin (pictured) said Russia will fall into recession this year - with the rouble at an all-time low against the dollar after falling 40 per cent this year . Controversial: The stark increase has happened since Vladimir Putin won his third term as President in 2012 . Russia's economic development ministry revised its GDP forecast for next year from a 1.2 per cent growth to a 0.8 per cent drop. It is a blow for an economy which has been hit by Western sanctions and the plunging rates it can get for its oil exports. The rouble has already dropped by more than 40 per cent this year - hitting an all-time low of 53.97 to the dollar - and disposable income for Russian families is expected to fall almost 3 per cent in 2015. But there are other reasons for migration. Many of those leaving have included prominent journalists and intellectuals who say they feel threatened for opposing Putin in an ever-increasing crackdown on dissent. Former world chess champion and political opponent Garry Kasparov, economist Sergei Guriyev and the founder of the 'Russian Facebook' Pavel Durov have all fled to live elsewhere. Intellectuals: Former chess champion Garry Kasparov (pictured) is among Putin's opponents who have fled . Some are gay people who say they are persecuted amid a rise of religious fervour, homophobic attacks and a law against 'gay propaganda' which was signed last year. The number of gay Russians seeking asylum in the U.S. rose from 68 in 2012 to 127 in 2013 and 161 between January and October this year. In total around 40,000 Russians applied for asylum across the world in 2013, 76 per cent more than in 2012, according to a United Nations report. Others came under pressure because of the way they reported the Ukraine crisis. Alexander Shchetinin, the founder of the Novy Region news agency, has since fled to Kiev and intends to renounce his Russian citizenship because of 'bias' on Russian state TV. He wrote in a Ukrainian magazine: 'The more I watched the more I became convinced that nothing can be remedied here. 'It will take generations to cleanse people's souls of the effects of this radioactive TV.' Fleeing: Russian gay couple Igor Bazilevsky (left) and Andrew Nasonov are among hundreds seeking asylum . Desperation: Scores of people have contacted genealogist Vladimir Paley (pictured) in a bid to prove a claim to another country. 'They are people who have already made money and are now scared to lose it,' he said . Another wealthy Moscow businessman interviewed by Vocactiv said he was desperate to leave. 'I want my children to grow up in a fairer country, one where the rule of law is more or less observed,' he said. 'I used to think it was possible to build a better society in Russia, but I’ve basically lost all hope now. It’s time to leave.' Russian genealogist Vladimir Paley told in July how he was beset by requests from wealthy clients - who wanted to prove they were eligible for citizenship in another country. 'They are people who have already made money and are now scared to lose it,' he said. The spike in departures comes despite the majority of Russians agreeing with Putin, whose poll ratings are considerably higher than most of the western leaders he combats on the world stage. Russian singer Tatiana Konkova said that was exactly the reason so many of the remaining minority were voting with their feet. 'I don't share the opinion of 90 per cent of the country,' she told Reuters earlier this year. 'I feel like a foreigner here now.' Yet Russia is still a dream destination for hundreds of thousands of people across eastern Europe. That means even with the recent exodus, 300,000 more people are arriving in Russia every year than the number who leave. The most arrivals come from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Kazakhstan - as well as Ukraine, which more than 58,000 people fled to live in Russia between January and August this year. Such is the appeal that Russia hosted the second-largest number of international migrants of any country in the world last year, according to the UN. The figure was beaten only by the U.S. - though it was followed closely by Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Britain. Figures are for January - August 2014 inclusive. Source: Federal State Statistics Service of Russia . | Number of Russian emigrants had declined for 20 years after 1990 peak .
But three years ago the figure suddenly shot up - and now keeps rising .
203,000 Russians have left the country in just eight months this year .
Many of those fleeing are gay people and intellectuals who oppose Putin .
Kremlin admits it will soon enter recession with rouble at an all-time low .
Yet Russia still has huge immigration from abroad, more than are leaving . |
68,362 | c1ddfa1d137526b7508de714489d5648bb1a0e1d | (CNN) -- "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" (38 Studios, Big Huge Games) blends the best of role-playing and fighting game mechanics, then uses them to back up a deep, rich story, resulting in a fresh-feeling entry into the world of fantasy gaming. The game, released last week, boasts quite a bit of star power with New York Times best-selling author R. A. Salvatore building the story; comics superstar and "Spawn" creator Todd McFarlane directing the art and action; and role-playing game-design legend Ken Rolston putting it all together. Brought together by Curt Schilling, former baseball star and founder of 38 Studios, the team set out to meet high expectations for a title that was inevitably going to be compared to blockbusters like "Skyrim" and "Dragon Age." The role-playing elements are open, allowing players to pick and choose from different destinies (might, finesse, sorcery) and refine their characters with specific skills and abilities. Victories in combat and other skill challenges help hone particular skills, while other abilities (for instance, the always-handy teleportation skill) become part of your character's repertoire as he or she grows stronger. Players can mix and match talents, but to really obtain the mightiest powers, they should focus on one "destiny" area. Sure, it might limit some things you want to do right out of the gate, but super-sizing your skills in one particular area will eventually let you make up for those early deficiencies. Read about the vision behind the video game . And if you change your mind and really want to find out what the other destinies are like, there's a nonplayer character called a Fateweaver who will allow you to redistribute all your ability points and skills. That way, players can play as a mage for part of the game, redistribute to play a powerful fighter, and then switch back again if they so choose. There is a cost associated with each new "fate-weaving," but it is a fun dynamic to have this much flexibility in character creation. Pro tip: Max out the "Detect Hidden" skill, and it will reveal nearly everything on your map. Otherwise, a majority of the items (enemies, chests, lorestones, etc.) can't be found unless you just stumble across them. A massive 170-plus quests (and I know I still haven't found them all) drive the far-reaching story line. Some are simple (gather items and return), while others are more intricate and linked together. The main quest drives the story, but you'll want to explore the faction quests, side quests and tasks to gain as much experience and power as you can before the final showdown. Salvatore envisioned and wrote 10,000 years' worth of history for Amalur, the equivalent of 10 novels of information. Each book, item and location in the game is full of history and legend and, united, make the story feel alive. So-called "lore stones" are placed throughout the lands, offering everything from bits and pieces of that rich history to simple gossip about love triangles in a nearby town. As in nearly all RPG games, you are encouraged to interact with other people you meet. Interestingly, Salvatore did not write any of the nearly 50,000 lines of dialogue present in the game. A radial response system offers conversation choices, but some of those choices can be rather frustrating. There is no way to get a good feel for the person you are chatting with and determine if your response is going to result in something positive or offensive to them. I backtracked a couple of times when I thought my response was going to be helpful, but did not give me the result I expected. There is crafting of potions and forging of weapons and armor by collecting pieces of other weapons. But unless that is something you really enjoy, there are enough potions and weapons to be found from dead opponents and sealed chests that you don't have to do it if you don't want to. The game changer for this RPG title is the combat. In an effort to stand out and be different from similar games, developers searched for a way to create a dynamic fighting system that didn't detract from the feel of role playing. Players get two weapons, a primary and a secondary, and a single button on the controller activates each one. There are so many different types to choose, from very fast daggers to very slow hammers. Ranged weapons include staffs, bows and chakrams (whirling discs that return to the throwers' hand after each attack). Different combat techniques are used, depending on how you tap the button and your character's position relative to your opponent. It makes combat simple, while still providing nice effects. Melee not your cup of tea? Magic can be easily accessed with the press of a couple of buttons. As with weapons, how you tap or hold down the buttons affects how your spells work -- for example, tossing a ball of lightning with a tap while electrifying the ground by holding down the same button. Having easy access to weapons and magic makes battles fun and fast-paced. There's no waiting to access different inventory screens to get the right sword or finding the right drop-down to cast the spell needed. Players can shoot an arrow, toss a fireball, roll into melee range and slash with a broadsword all in four button pushes. It is a combat mechanic more commonly found in fighting games, but it goes very well here without detracting from the role-playing game feel. There are a few weaknesses in "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning." For example, all of the interior rooms start feeling the same after a while, and there aren't enough decisions to be made in conversation that actually make a difference. But there's nothing here to truly detract from the superb role-playing and fighting action. It is a deep and rich experience in a world that has a wonderful back story and vibrant environments. The familiar role-playing elements are all there, along with a flexible and powerful combat system that ramps up the enjoyment factor. Whether you plunge right into the main quest and ignore all others or decide to investigate every book and runestone throughout the land, "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" is ready for the challenge. Are you? "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" is available in North America and Europe. It is for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC, and is rated M for Mature because of blood and gore, intense violence and suggestive themes. This review was done using an advance copy for the PlayStation 3. | Players are able to pick and refine their characters with specific skills and abilities .
At least 170 quests drive the immense story line .
R.A. Salvatore envisioned and wrote 10,000 years' worth of history for Amalur . |
50,092 | 8dabd6a3c0ff4ab25697eeed88668928399c49a9 | Former senior IRS official Lois Lerner had deeply held political biases while she was in a position of authority, according to Republican lawmakers who unveiled emails on Wednesday showing her referring to conservatives as 'crazies' and 'a**holes.' Michigan Rep. Dave Camp, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder to demand what he called 'a serious investigation' – something he said has been lacking. Camp wants Holder to appoint an outside special counsel to probe the culture of the IRS and explain why hundreds of conservative groups were subjected to intrusive questioning and years-long delays when they applied for nonprofit tax benefits – steps that were not taken against liberal organizations. Scroll down for videos . A**HOLES: Former IRS official Lois Lerner let loose on conservatives several years into her agency's alleged intense targeting of them for their political beliefs . He told the attorney general on Wednesday that the newly disclosed email correspondence 'shows Ms. Lerner's mistreatment of conservative groups was driven by her personal hostility toward conservatives.' The November 9, 2012 email exchange with an unnamed colleague – the person's name was redacted in the copy Camp's staff released publicly – took place while Lerner was in the United Kingdom. 'Overheard some ladies talking about American[s] today,' Lerner wrote. 'According to them we've bankrupted ourselves and a[re] through. We'll never be able to pay off our debt and are going down the tubes.' Turning sarcastic, Lerner pounced on her British acquaintances. 'They don't seem to see that they can't afford to keep up their welfare state either,' she wrote. 'Strange.' The conversation turned ugly when Lerner's writing companion let loose first on conservatives. 'Well, you . should hear the whacko wing of the GOP,' the person replied. 'The US is . through; too many foreigners sucking the teat; time to hunker down, buy . ammo and food, and prepare for the end.' 'The right wing radio shows are scary to listen to.' 'Great,' Lerner wrote back. 'Maybe we are through if there are that many a**holes.' 'And I'm talking about the hosts of the shows,' came the reply. 'The callers are rabid.' In . the final message of the exchange, Lerner wrote that 'we don't need to . worry about [illegal] alien terrorists. It's our own crazies that will . take us down.' Lerner's . visit to the UK coincided with a management shakeup at the IRS. On the . day of the email exchange, then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman left . office at the conclusion of his appointed term and deputy commissioner . Steven Miller took over. Foot-dragging: Camp says Attorney General Eric Holder hasn't undertaken a serious investigation of Lerner and the Obama administration's IRS . Miller would resign seven months later after the tea party scandal broke wide open and President Obama pledged publicly to 'hold the responsible parties accountable. 'I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing like this happens again,' Obama said. In England months earlier, Lerner emailed of a Friday morning meeting with 'internal "spooks"' in an unnamed government agency. Then she took some leisure time. 'Ha[d] work this morning. Got to talk to their internal "spooks",' she wrote. I was going to take the train to windsor Castle, but stuff closes early in winter so it wasn't going to work. Instead, went [to] Hempstead –an Edwardian English village, full of beautiful, huge houses – which have been ruined by letting the hoi paloi [sic] live there! These people have ruined everything with their equality push!' 'Tonight [I'm] going to a movie and dinner with [redacted] and her partner. Tomorrow at 8am, I get on a tour bus to go to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford (or is it Cambridge?). Figured I may never get the chance otherwise and have always wanted to see Stonehenge.' 'Then,' she added, 'hopefully a nice dinner and bed to be ready for the trip home. Am being good --no shopping. Everything is super expensive even if the dollar and pound were equal. See you soon.' Lerner pleaded the Fifth Amendment twice in 2013 and 2014 in House hearings, refuding to answer questions about her role in targeting conservative groups on the basis of words like 'tea party' and 'patriots' in their names. After determining that she had waived that right by making a self-serving opening statement, House Republicans carried a vote to find her in contempt of Congress and referred her to the Justice Department for prosecution. Holder, who heads the DOJ, has taken no action. | Lerner slammed right-of-center Americans in an email to a colleague in 2012, seven months before the tea-party targeting scandal broke .
'Maybe we are through if there are that many a**holes,' she wrote, responding to a comment about conservative talk radio programs .
'We don't need to worry about [illegal] alien terrorists,' she snarked: 'It's our own crazies that will take us down'
Lerner presided over years of alleged partisan discrimination against conservative groups that applied for nonprofit tax benefits . |
261,394 | de89647326a7da5c4eb7ebadf2b880cf8ebe1db5 | Miami (CNN)Rumors of another major change in U.S.-Cuba policy are sparking a surge in Cuban migrants in recent days, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Agency officials tell CNN that Cubans are being told the decades-old "wet foot, dry foot" policy is going away on January 15, and that has many of them attempting to reach the United States. The policy, which was enacted in 1995, grants asylum to any Cuban who reaches U.S. soil, or "dry foots." But most Cubans found at sea would be sent back to Cuba. Any change to that policy, which is part of the Cuban Adjustment Act, would need approval by Congress, which is highly unlikely to happen. "We recognize that when these rumors continue to perpetuate, they grow. People believe it. They may get desperate. They may try and take to the sea," said Capt. Mark Fedor, the chief of response for the Coast Guard's 7th District, which patrols most of the waters around the island nation. Since the Obama administration announced a renewal of diplomatic relations with the Castro government on December 16, the Coast Guard says there has been a 235% increase in the number of Cubans found at sea, compared with the first two weeks of December. Overall, the final month of 2014 saw a 117% jump year to year in the number of migrants from the Communist island. "Having this many people at sea, in very unseaworthy vessels -- it just makes for a very dangerous environment," said Fedor. The source of the rumors is unknown. But, Coast Guard officials believe human smugglers and builders of makeshift boats may be partly to blame. "These boats aren't just laying around. These people are getting paid to build these boats. That's the profit motive behind all this," said Fedor. "There are people making money off of this. And they don't care about the safety of these folks. I think it's in their benefit to perpetuate these rumors. And we're trying to combat that." Ever since Fidel Castro took power in Cuba in 1959, there have been incidents of mass migration from Cuba -- the most famous of which was the Mariel boatlift of 1980, when roughly 125,000 Cubans landed on Florida's shores within a six-month span. Although the recent surge is not considered a mass migration, Fedor says, "We're always attentive to that. There's a variety of factors that could lead to a mass migration. But right now, we're not at that level." But, just in case, Fedor says the Coast Guard has put additional resources in the Florida Straits to deal with the current situation. | Rumors in Cuba suggest it may soon be harder to get asylum in U.S.
U.S. Coast Guard reports huge increase in number of Cubans found at sea .
The rumors may be coming from human smugglers or boat builders, Coast Guard says . |
39,663 | 70022779f1af5353d984a746a778347086e0f4c0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:55 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:55 EST, 7 March 2014 . The case against three football fans who allegedly used the word ‘Yid’ has been dropped. Gary Whybrow, 31, Sam Parsons, 24, and Peter Ditchman, 52, were accused of public order offences at Tottenham Hotspur matches last autumn. But the Crown Prosecution Service announced yesterday that the case would be discontinued as there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of convictions. Controversial: Spurs fans began using the word themselves after years of abuse at White Hart Lane (pictured) Baljit Ubhey from the CPS said: ‘Although the same words used in other contexts could in theory satisfy the criteria for “threatening, abusive or insulting”, it is unlikely a court would find that they were in the context of the three cases in question.’ Mr Whybrow, from west London, and Mr Parsons, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, were charged with a public order offence following a match in November. Mr Ditchman, from Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, was accused over a match in October. For years Tottenham Hotspur, who have a strong Jewish following, have received anti-semitic abuse from opposition supporters. In an act of defiance, some fans started using the word ‘Yid’ themselves and it often features in chants at their White Hart Lane ground in north London. But police had warned supporters they would take action. The CPS decided it was not in the public interest to prosecute the trio. Pictured: Spurs fans in 2011 . | Gary Whybrow, 31, Sam Parsons, 24, and Peter Ditchman, 52, were accused of public order offences at matches last autumn .
Arrest was controversial because Spurs have a strong Jewish following .
Fans began using the word in defiance after receiving abuse themselves . |
30,729 | 5765f05055eade1f985e469261c97a5c536e4164 | (CNN) -- A quick-hitting Northeast snowstorm that began coating the nation's capital Wednesday has forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights for travelers in New England and the Eastern Seaboard, according to airline spokesmen. Winter storm warnings were in effect Wednesday from the southern Appalachian mountains to coastal Massachusetts and were expected to expire Thursday morning, said CNN meteorologist Sean Morris. Snow was falling about an inch an hour in Washington, D.C., which was expected to receive 4 to 6 inches Wednesday evening, he said. Federal employees and most schools in Washington ended business early on Wednesday. New York is expected to receive 8 to 12 inches of snow starting about midnight, Morris said. Boston should also see 8 to 12 inches, with the heaviest snow falling Thursday morning, he said. Nashville and central Tennessee got 2 to 4 inches of snow Wednesday, Morris said. The snowfall was even prompting airlines to pre-emptively cancel flights. Among the biggest cancellations were Delta Airlines' 575 flights between Washington, D.C., and Boston, said spokesman Anthony Black. American Airlines/American Eagle spokesman Ed Martelle said the two airlines cancelled 280 flights for Wednesday and 65 more are cancelled for Thursday between Washington, D.C., and Boston. United cancelled 276 flights Wednesday and proactively cancelled 71 more for Thursday, and Continental cancelled 322 flights Wednesday and 108 more for Thursday, said Christen David, spokesman for both airlines. Southwest Airlines canceled more than 100 flights Wednesday in the Northeast, said spokeswoman Brandy King. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley wants people to stay off the roads. "This is a serious traffic hazard and challenge," O'Malley said at a press briefing from the state's operation center in Hanover. Maryland officials said 1,600 maintenance workers and 1,400 pieces of equipment would be on the roads all night battling the storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the area until early Thursday morning. Snow accumulations could reach 10 inches. One problem that could hamper snow removal is the lack of sand and chemical preparation for roadways, due to the recent heavy rains. "We have not been able to successfully pretreat the surfaces," O'Malley told reporters after a briefing with Maryland public safety and transportation officials. Maryland has not activated the National Guard, but they are ready for deployment if needed, officials said. In Florida, the National Weather Service has dispatched survey teams to investigate damage caused by storms that moved across the state Tuesday evening. They found that a tornado near Boca Raton had snapped and uprooted trees, CNN meteorologist Morris said. In St. Petersburg, Florida, 90 mph straight-line winds damaged a gas station and injured one person, Morris said. A tornado near Alva, Florida, destroyed and damaged six mobile homes, and straight-line winds between 60 and 90 mph damaged several homes near Groveland, Florida, Morris said. This snowstorm comes after many had just dug themselves out of a blizzard that walloped the Northeast earlier this month. The storm that hit in early January closed hundreds of schools, stopped the rail system between New York City and points north for days and grounded hundreds of flights. Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont reached up to 30 inches, while most areas got 8 to 16 inches of snow. CNN's Eric Fiegel contributed to this report . | NEW: Hundreds of flights are canceled Wednesday and even for Thursday .
Two tornadoes in Florida damage homes and injure one person .
Snow will cover many states in the East Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters say . |
82,537 | ea09c88361d847adbe93a60b4053cd803d98a32c | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has opened the door to his players smoking the occasional cigarette by insisting it does not have an adverse effect on performance. Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has been reprimanded after being caught smoking in the showers following the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat to Southampton at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day. The Poland international has been left sweating on his place for Sunday’s clash against Stoke after Wenger refused to guarantee his presence in the starting XI. Arsene Wenger on Friday insisted that his goalkeeper is not guaranteed to start against Stoke onSunday . Wojciech Szczesny apologised to boss Wenger following smoking incident after Southampton loss . Colombia international David Ospina will replace Szczesny, whose position as No 1 was already under threat prior to the smoking incident, should Wenger decide to axe the 24-year-old. It is not the first time an Arsenal player has been caught in a smoking-related storm. William Gallas and Jack Wilshere have both been publicly criticised by Wenger for smoking in public. But the Arsenal manager seems relaxed about members of his squad having the odd cigarette, saying: ‘Does the occasional cigarette affect performance? No. ‘If you make a good pass on the football pitch that is what people want to see. ‘I’m sure there are some top sportsmen who smoke, but it is not a good example. The best is you don’t smoke.’ Wenger smoking in the dugout during his days as manager of Monaco . Wenger revealed he grew up in a time of military service and was paid in cigarettes . Commenting on whether Szczesny or Ospina will start at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Wenger added: ‘I have not selected the starting 11 yet. Will I take the (Szczesny) incident into account? I take everything into account. ‘I don’t want to talk about it because what happens in our dressing room stays in our dressing room. Every club has its internal discipline and rules. It doesn’t necessarily need to be public. ‘Ideally you want everybody to behave in the perfect way. I like Wojciech as a person, when he makes a mistake he stands up for it. He’s a guy who learns from his mistakes. ‘He has apologised. He made a mistake. He is not the first one and not the last one.’ Wenger speaks from a position of knowledge having been a smoker himself in his younger days. A video of the Frenchman puffing on a cigarette while on the bench as Monaco coach has gone viral this week amid the controversy surrounding his keeper. ‘The other day I was on French television and they showed me on the bench smoking a cigarette. I didn’t even think it was me,’ said Wenger. Mesut Ozil has been back in training for Arsenal ahead of their home game against Stoke City . ‘At that time, I remember Marcello Lippi at Juventus smoked a cigar during the whole game in every game. ‘I grew up in a pub where you did not see from here to the window because of the smoke and I spent my youth selling cigarettes. But times have changed. Society has had an evolution. In some respects in a positive way, in others a negative way. ‘One of the positives is that people don’t smoke any more. But my issue is that the players here are judged on their performances. ‘Ideally, the best way to have a high level of performance is to behave as well as possible, as close as possible to the rules that allow you to perform. ‘I am against smoking, but I have grown up in a period where I had to accomplish military service, and at the end of the month we got paid by cigarettes, so it incited us to smoke. ‘After, of course, slowly it became banned and it doesn’t exist anymore, but when I was a boy I grew up surrounded by smokers. I smoked myself when I didn’t play anymore.’ Like our Arsenal Facebook page. | Arsene Wenger leaves Wojciech Szczesny sweating on place in first team .
Gunners goalkeeper fined after being caught smoking in dressing room .
'I am against smoking,' insists Arsenal boss Wenger .
But Frenchman claimed smoking doesn't always affect performance . |
115,287 | 20c78fd6b6acd5d8d781056579cb41b4045b191b | By . Pa Reporter . CLICK HERE to follow Sportsmail's LIVE coverage of the transfer deadline day . Colchester have promoted academy chief Tony Humes to the role of first-team manager following the departure of Joe Dunne. The 48-year-old was a centre-half with Ipswich and Wrexham in his playing days and worked with the youth teams at both of those clubs before joining the U's in a similar capacity. Dunne parted company with the club following a run of four straight League One defeats which left Colchester second bottom in the table. Promotion: Tony Humes has been named Colchester manager after working with the U's academy . Out the door: Joe Dunne parted ways with the club after four straight defeats in League One . Humes will be assisted by Richard Hall, who was working with the club's under-21s. It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Tony Humes has been promoted to first-team manager at Colchester .
Former Ipswich and Wrexham defender was formerly in charge of academy .
Joe Dunne left the club following four straight defeats in League One . |
35,635 | 6542db1c70ed743f38f78cbba84ba9d77a098f39 | By . Bianca London . and Deni Kirkova . When MailOnline launched a competition for one lucky mother to meet Enrique Iglesias, unsurprisingly, the entries came in thick and fast. But one entry, sent in by Josephine Haydney's son Myron, really stood out so FEMAIL granted them the opportunity of a lifetime to meet the global superstar. Myron, 16, explained what a huge fan his mother was in his entry: 'She has absolutely adored Enrique for the best part of 15 years (since I can remember). Best day ever! Josephine Haydney and son Myron were granted the opportunity of a lifetime to meet global superstar Enrique Iglesias . 'Literally, every single day mum listens to his albums for at least an hour, if not...2 or 3 hours.' Myron went on to explain how his 7-year-old sister is severely disabled and relies on his parents for all of her personal care and needs. She suffers from a rare condition called Cask Gene Mutation, and when she received her diagnosis, she was only the seventh person diagnosed in the world. Tragically for the family, last August, mum Josephine was diagnosed with breast cancer. 'Because of this, my family's whole world has turned upside down,' Myron told us. 'Mum hasn't been able to care for my sister like she used to because she hasn't had the strength to. She has had chemotherapy and she has been really sick and I feel helpless as there is nothing I can do to help her. Hero: Josephine had breast surgery a few days before the meet and greet, so, explained Myron, to meet Enrique a few days later (on Mother's Day) would be 'out of this world' for her - and it really was . 'All I want is to see her smile again like she did on her last chemo session and if she met Enrique, I am sure it would give her the extra strength to carry on.' Josephine had breast surgery a few days before the meet and greet, so, explained Myron, to meet Enrique a few days later (on Mother's Day) would be 'out of this world' for her. He added: 'It's not fair because my mum always puts other people before herself and she is just a complete inspiration to me. 'It's easy for me to say because she's my mum but I have never known anyone who is so caring and warm -hearted. Great son: Myron says his mother (pictured, right, at her last chemo session) is a complete inspiration to him . 'I just think mum deserves this so much because Enrique is what gives mum strength at the moment, let alone if she actually met him.' Myron and Josephine were whisked down to London from Cornwall for a luxurious night away and met the superstar. Speaking after the event, Myron said: 'I wanted to give my mum something to smile about again. 'We had a fantastic time meeting Enrique. It's given my mum the inspiration to fight cancer and stay positive.' A thrilled Josephine said: 'Winning the competition made me think that anything is possible. 'I never thought I would make a 6 hours journey from Cornwall to London just four days after my breast cancer surgery. It was the best Mother's Day present I could've ever wished for.' AND JOSEPHINE AND MYRON WEREN'T THE ONLY TWO TO MEET ENRIQUE...FEMAIL WRITER DENI KIRKOVA MET THE SPANISH HEARTTHROB . His fortieth isn't too far off but Enrique Iglesias looks hotter than ever. In an exclusive interview with FEMAIL the sexy Spaniard reveals the inspiration behind his new album, his top chat-up lines and his grooming secrets. Enrique, 38, reveals he doesn't like too much hair and he personally depilates everywhere. Scroll down for video . Enrique chats to FEMAIL about Sex & Love, his grooming routine and top chat up lines . When asked about his top grooming tips for men, Enrique reveals he keeps his routine simple but thorough. 'If you have a hairy back, shave it; brush your teeth; fake tan I'm not so much into. Not too much hair I guess - I shave everywhere. I'm kidding, I don't shave everywhere... But most places you do try to trim.' Enrique likes to keep things fragrant as well as tidy: he reveals he is coming out with a new fragrance for men called . Adrenaline - a completely new venture for him. 'I never thought I would say this but I was pretty involved in it, I wear it myself and I like it. 'It . has a woody kind of smell to it. I just went with my other favourites . that I would wear in the past and combined them and said "This is the . direction I want to take it in". It's going to come out towards the end . of the year.' Looking - and smelling - good is a priority for the star, who claims that since he's turned 30 keeping in shape hasn't been as easy. Enrique Iglesias, pictured earlier this month, says he prefers performing to burn calories rather than the gym . 'One of the things I've noticed, when . you turn 30 and up, you've gotta watch a little bit more what you eat. But in my case going on tour, two hours on stage, you actually lose a . lot of calories which is good. I notice when I'm not on tour I'm not in . as good shape. It helps me like a workout. 'When it comes down to the gym or . anything that's cardio, like running on the treadmill, I'm very lazy. What I like to do more is sports. Whether it's surfing or paying . racquetball with my friends, you sweat a lot and I like that better.' And talking of getting sweaty... we had to grill him about his chat-up lines. 'My . lines tend to be kind of stupid and immature,' he says. 'If a girl can laugh at a . joke then I always think that's cool. That's fun, it's a good opener.' And when it comes to dating, he likes to prepare things in advance but doesn't like anything too loud or fancy. 'I like dinner and a movie, and places that are not very loud.' 'My lines tend to be kind of stupid and immature. If a girl can laugh at a joke then I always think that's cool' The craving for simplicity is reflected in the title of his latest album, Sex and Love. 'Sex And Love is the first title I thought of when I listened to the album,' he says. 'A . lot of times I thought, "maybe it's too simple, too straightforward", . but every time I thought of a new title kept coming back to Sex & . Love. 'It's something we can all relate to.' Enrique Iglesias' latest album Sex And Love is out now . Hot Enrique headed to a signing event at HMV after our interview . His album Sex And Love is out now . | Josephine Haydney was competition winner .
Her son Myron, 16, entered her .
Just had last chemo session and cares for disabled daughter .
Myron said his mother is his 'inspiration' and it was great to see her smile . |
183,574 | 79cc239dd02068930372ac630e9e0fc488c8830b | Sports fans who marvelled at the thunderous thighs of German cyclist Robert Forstemann have found a new superhuman at the Olympic Park.... the swimmer with 'waterwings'. Italian Fabio Scozzoli's impressive torso drew gasps from the crowd when he strode into the Aquatics Centre ahead of the men's 100m breaststroke final on Sunday night. And when the 23-year-old dived in the water, his fully flexed underarm muscles looked like a pair of wings. Fabio Scozzoli of Italy shows off his giant underarms while competing in the 100m breaststroke . Scozzoli's 'wings' are so big, some swimming fans have accused him of growing fins to gain an advantage. They . may look impressive, but bulging arms didn't help him the world championships silver medal winner claim a place on the podium on Sunday - he finished seventh out . of eight in the breaststroke final. Fabio Scozzoli's impressive physique didn't help him win a medal in Sunday night's 100m breaststroke final . Forstemann's thighs exploded into the public consciousness after he was pitted against his compatriot Andre Greipel in a 'quad off' by New Zealand cyclist Greg Henderson. The track and road racing cyclist . posted a photograph on Twitter of the pair standing next to each other . bearing their muscular bottom halves. Mr . Henderson said: ‘You thought Greipel has a big set of legs. There was a . quad off in the German camp today. Greipel lost. pic.twitter.com/91Y7S7ps’ The . post was accompanied with the above picture which seemed to prove the . two cyclists had been sticking to their strict Games training regime - . no doubt with plenty of squats. Donning only boxers, with their trousers dropped to their ankles, the Germans show off their gigantic quadriceps. Although Greipel’s thighs look big, . Förstemann has freakishly large vein-laden muscles which dwarf those of . his 30-year-old compatriot. Forstemann . was part of the UCI Track Cycling world champion side which won the . team sprint for the Germans, but has been omitted from the sprint team . for the London Games. Greipel - as well as partaking in . Henderson's 'quad off' - competed alongside Mark Cavendish and Bradley . Wiggins in Saturday's equally thrilling road race. Calf off: Andre Greipel (left) appears to have been well beaten by compatriot Robert Forstemann (right) Big enough? Forstemann's thighs make his compatriot's impressively large legs look small . Defeated: Greipel appears to have lost out in the 'quad off' to his track cycling compatriot . Bothered: Sir Chris Hoy tweeted this photo of his cycling team-mates watching The Jeremy Kyle Show ahead of their first event on Thursday . | Italian swimmer Fabio Scozzoli, 23 showed off massive underarms .
Follows 'quad off' between German cyclists Robert Forstemann and Andre Greipe . |
34,534 | 622616c480b06a279055b477ede3735038de2546 | By . Corey Charlton . A terrified patient woke up in 'agony' during an operation being performed by an HIV-positive dentist who was later struck off the register. Donald Richardson claims he could have contracted the virus after he was given a general anaesthetic by disgraced Paisley dentist Harry Robertson - who wasn’t even qualified to knock people out. Robertson was struck off the dental register in July for lying about having HIV. Mr . Richardson, 52, requested the anaesthetic for a 2007 root canal . treatment and fillings because of his fear of needles and so paid £100 . in advance for a specialist anaesthetist to visit and ensure he was not . awake. Patient Donald Richardson said he was 'frozen with fear' when he woke up during the root canal procedure . But after a 40 minute wait the anaesthetist failed to turn up and Robertson took the situation into his own hands. Half an hour in to the procedure, he woke up in intense pain before Robertson rushed to give him more anaesthetic. He said: 'You can imagine my horror when I woke up to find him still working in my mouth. I was in agony.' He now faces an HIV test with his doctor with more needles and has complained to the NHS. Robertson refused to comment when confronted at his Glasgow home, despite some of his former patients remaining un-traced for HIV tests. Mr Richardson said: 'When I read about this doctor hiding his HIV from patients I was horrified. 'He put my life at risk by doing the anaesthetic himself and I will pursue him legally as far as I can take it now. 'Not only will I have to go through a test for HIV where I’ll have to face a needle but I now know that this man wasn’t even qualified to perform a general anaesthetic on me which is more worrying. 'This is a complicated procedure even for a qualified anaesthetist because if you don’t get the levels right you can kill someone. 'I sat in the waiting room for 40 minutes but he didn’t turn up. He took me into his room, sat me on the chair and administered it himself. 'I had no idea what was going on and I was completely knocked out. 'When I woke up half-way through he then got this massive needle and injected more anaesthetic into my gums. 'I was frozen with fear and I’ll never forget that day for the rest of my life. 'On the way out he handed me the £100 back but it was such a terrible experience I never went back to him. Kelburne Dental surgery in Paisley where Harry Robertson worked before he was struck off the register . 'This guy had obviously given me too little of the stuff and I woke up in the middle of it all. He could just as easily have given me too much and killed me. 'To lie about having HIV is bad enough but to carry out life-threatening procedures without being properly qualified is out of order. 'I’m absolutely terrified of having an HIV test, not because I fear I may have HIV, but because I will have to face a needle.' A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the vast majority of Robertson's patients had been contacted to inform them of his HIV-status. 'There were people who we could not trace because they had moved from the area and we conducted a public awareness campaign in the hope these people would present for testing. 'Ultimately, however, it was down to a personal decision by individuals on whether to respond to our appeal for testing. 'Some 10,000 people have been tested and not a single person was found to have caught HIV as a result of medical or dental treatment.' | Donald Richardson was one of thousands treated by HIV-positive dentist .
He claims the dentist administered anaesthetic despite not being qualified .
Mr Richardson woke up during the root canal operation in 'agony'
Disgraced dentist Harry Robertson was struck off the register in July . |
208,988 | 9aa32bb61012b9a8300495592d388bbc8156e75e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:24 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:14 EST, 25 October 2013 . The daughter of a man who is awaiting trial for the death of his son says she has no doubts that he is also responsible for the death of her mother as well. Karl Karlsen, 52, is in a jail cell in Romulus, New York facing charges of second-degree murder and insurance fraud in the death of his Levi Karlsen. His daughter, Erin Deroche, has spoken out for the first time, telling ABC News that she has no doubts that her father is guilty of killing bother her brother and their mom as well. Scroll down for video... Accused: Karl Karlsen is on trial for second-degree murder in the death of his son Levi, who was crushed to death by a truck . Tragic loss: After ten hours interrogation by police, he finally admitted he had been there when the truck fell on his son Levi and had accidentally caused it to happen, before leaving him to die . Second wife: Knowing about the insurance payout on his son, when Cindy, pictured, found out her husband took out a $1.2million policy on her, she grew suspicious and feared for her life . Mother and son: Karl Karlsen is awaiting trial for the murder of his son, Levi, but now his daughter believes that he is also behind his first wife's death in a house fire . Justice for Levi: Karl Karlsen's current wife, Cindy, managed to get him to explain how and why his son Levi was crushed whilst fixing parts underneath a truck . Karlsen was arrested and charged with . second-degree murder and insurance fraud last year after his second . wife Cindy - fearing for her life - agreed to wear a wire while talking . to him about his son's death. A judge ruled recently that the never-before-heard tapes could be used as evidence against him in his trial. In 2008, Levi Karlsen, 23, was crushed to death when the truck he was working on slipped off its jack and landed on top of him. His death was initially ruled an accident, but Karlsen collected a $700,000 life insurance payout after the incident, raising suspicions. A family member tipped off the police about the large insurance policy and opened an investigation into his death last year. Authorities in California also opened an investigation into the 1991 California house fire that killed Karlsen's wife and Deroche's mother Christina Karlsen. Karlsen cashed in on a $200,000 life insurance policy soon after. Did he do it? Karl Karlsen's wife, Christina, died in a house fire but his daughter believes that he may have been responsible for her death . Truth uncovered: Christina Karlsen perished in a house fire whilst her children and husband escaped - but her daughter believes there is more to the story . On the tapes, obtained by ABC's Nightline, the 52-year-old can be heard telling Cindy while they were in a restaurant that he had removed his truck's front tires and raised it on a single jack before Levi volunteered to do the repair. 'I . didn't push the truck, I said,' Karlsen said after Cindy asked him for . the truth in Levi's death. 'No, I said I had nothing to do -- . but I said I took advantage of the situation once it happened.' Police arrested Karlsen soon after and interrogated him for ten hours, in which he denied killing his son 75 times. In . the police interrogation tapes, also obtained by ABC News, he said: 'I . found him dead. I f***ing panicked. I don't know. I don't know. I left . him.' Confession: After ten hours of interrogation by police, Karlsen finally admitting playing a part in his son's death and leaving him to die . Suspicious: Karl Karlsen's first wife Christina perished in a house fire after she became trapped in the bathroom - the windows of which, Karlsen had boarded up with wood and 17 nails just days before . Finally he told police he had been there when the truck fell on his son and caused it to fall. 'I . opened the truck door because I had to get inside to move the linkage . for the truck, and when I did, it tipped, and it just, whoosh, f***ing . fell over,' Karlsen said. He maintains it was an accident, but did admit that he left his son to die. 'He . did admit that he caused the truck to fall on his son. He did admit . that he left his son on the floor dying, but he never admitted that it . was a planned, deliberate act,' said Seneca County Lt Investigator John . Cleere. 'The officers . at the scene didn't see anything out of the ordinary,' he told ABC. 'They saw what appeared to be two grieving parents and what appeared to . be an accident.' Knowing . about the insurance payout on his son, when Cindy found out her husband . took out a $1.2million policy on her, she grew suspicious and feared for . her life. Wire-tapped: Karl Karlsen was recorded by his wife explaining how a truck his son was working on was precariously balanced . That's what prompted her to work with . police, leading to second-degree murder and insurance fraud charges . against Karl Karlsen in the death of his 23-year-old son, Levi. And . New York and California authorities are now taking a new look at the . circumstances of the 1991 death of his former wife, Christina Karlsen. Karlsen has not been charged in relation to anything related to his wife's death. During the house fire that killed their mother, Christina, was screaming to get the children out of the house. Christina, was trapped in the bathroom after spilled kerosene . was ignited by a faulty electric light. Although Karl Karlsen is . credited with getting Levi and their other two children out safely, . Christina was unable to escape through the bathroom window because . Karlsen had boarded it up from the outside days before, saying it was . broken. ‘At the time, I was six years old. I didn't understand that my mother was behind that wall dying,’ Deroche said. A week after the fire, Karlsen left California for upstate New York with his three children to be near his family. Levi Karlsen, father of two young children, was crushed to death by a pickup truck at his family's farm . Suspect: Karl Karlsen arriving for a court appearance at the Seneca County Courthouse in Waterloo, New York, last December . As she got older, Deroche said she was . able to process what happened and came to believe that her father . didn't do enough to help save her mother. ‘You . know, that's not how people are supposed to act when someone they love . is trapped and literally burning in front of them,’ Deroche said. It . wasn't until Deroche and her brother Levi were 11 or 12 when she said . they secretly discussed the possibility that their father wasn't being . truthful regarding their mother's death. ‘Between . the two of us...we knew, because he didn't try,’ Deroche said. ‘He . didn't make an effort to save her. He just stood there,’ she told ABC . News. However, when she . and Levi confronted their father, Deroche said, ‘his biggest concern was . that he wondered what the community would think of his own children . accusing him of murdering their mother.’ Karl Karlsen has been charged with murdering his son and will be reinvestigated for a fire that killed his first wife. He collected insurance payouts on both occasions . The family farm in upstate New York where Levi Karlsen died. Karl Karlsen bought the property with insurance money paid out from a suspicious fire that killed his first wife . After she received the news that Levi . had died in an apparent accident, Deroche said she tried to put her . suspicions of Karlsen's involvement in Levi's death at bay, but was . relieved when she learned about the investigation into her father. ‘It was never a question for me,’ Deroche said. ‘It was a matter of fact.’ When . Karlsen was jailed, Deroche said she went to visit her father and told . him that she knew he was involved in her mother's and Levi's deaths. ‘He . won't ever own up to Levi,’ Deroche said. ‘But he did tell me… 'It's . been over 20 years, and they still haven't got me yet. What makes you . think they're going to get me now?’ Karlsen . will be put on trial in two weeks but a judge ruled that testimony . about the California fire and Christina Karlsen's death is off limits. While . she said she isn't angry with her father, Deroche said she regrets not . going to police sooner with her suspicions of her mother's death. ‘What if I had said something earlier?’ Deroche said. ‘Maybe he'd still be here for his girls.’ Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. | Karl Karlsen, 52, of Romlus, New York, received huge life insurance payouts after deaths of his son and first wife .
Daughter believes that he likely killed her mother as well in the early 90s .
New wife Cindy feared for her life when he took out a $1.2m policy on her and secretly recorded him .
Trial begins in a couple of weeks . |
187,982 | 7f6f35185f5d3bde36057fc8752e098d4f11b445 | A New Mexico man has settled with local authorities for $1.6 million after claiming police forced him to undergo "multiple digital penetrations and three enemas" on an invalid warrant and without finding any of the illicit drugs they were looking for. David Eckert "feels gratified that the city and county acted quickly, and ... that they recognize his dignity and humanity," his lawyer, Joe Kennedy, said Thursday. "He expects that it won't happen to anyone else ever again." Hidalgo County, New Mexico, Manager Jose Salazar, the top official in the county involved in the settlement, declined to comment on Thursday. And a CNN call to Deming, New Mexico, police Chief Brandon Gigante was not immediately returned. Eckert, 54, who sued the county and police departments last year, said that he feels he "got some justice, as I think the settlement shows they were wrong to do what they did to me." "I feel grateful to live in the United States," Eckert said in a statement posted on his lawyer's Facebook page. "Bad things happen, but in America there is a way to get justice." The lawsuit laid out in vivid detail Eckert's version of his 12-hour ordeal early in January 2013. Lawsuit: Cops forced man to undergo enemas, colonoscopy . According to a police affidavit accompanying that lawsuit, a detective asked a different officer to pull over Eckert's 1998 brown Dodge pickup truck for not properly stopping at a stop sign. After Eckert was pulled over, a Deming police officer said that he saw Eckert "was avoiding eye contact with me," his "left hand began to shake," and he stood "erect (with) his legs together," the affidavit stated. Eckert was told he could go home after a third officer issued him a traffic citation. But before he did, Eckert voluntarily consented to a search of him and his vehicle, according to the affidavit. A K-9 dog subsequently hit on a spot in the Dodge's driver's seat, though no drugs were found. "Hidalgo County K-9 officer did inform me that he had dealt with Mr. Eckert on a previous case and stated that Mr. Eckert was known to insert drugs into his anal cavity and had been caught in Hidalgo County with drugs in his anal cavity," the affidavit said. While CNN could not corroborate that claim, a search of Eckert's criminal history indicated he has been arrested several times on drug possession charges, though many of those charges were dismissed. Outrage over highway body cavity search . Eckert was then put in "investigative detention" and transported around 2 p.m. to the Deming Police Department. Sometime after that, a judge signed a search warrant "to include but not limited to his anal cavity." His next stop was Gila Regional Medical Center, where the lawsuit states "no drugs were found" in "an X-ray and two digital searches of his rectum by two different doctors." One doctor at this time found nothing unusual in his stool. Three enemas were conducted on Eckert after 10:20 p.m. A chest X-ray followed, succeeded by a colonoscopy around 1:25 a.m. Again, in all these tests, authorities found "no drugs" on Eckert, according to his lawsuit. "(Authorities) acted completely outside the bounds of human decency by orchestrating wholly superfluous physical body cavity searches performed by an unethical medical professional," the plaintiff asserted. Because Eckert "merely looked nervous during a traffic stop," the lawsuit claims that authorities ended up violating his constitutional right against unreasonable searches and seizures on a number of grounds. One was that "the language in the warrant was overly broad and, therefore, invalid," said the plaintiff, asserting that the chest X-ray and colonoscopy, for instance, weren't related or confined to the "anal cavity." Moreover, many of the tests took place outside the 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. timeframe for which any such search warrant (unless otherwise authorized) is legally valid under New Mexico law, according to the lawsuit. Eckert agreed to the $1.6 million settlement on December 20, according to his attorney, but it became public only in recent days. The New Mexico man said, in his latest statement, that he wants to maintain his privacy and -- to whatever extent he can -- not have his "face ... be linked with jokes related to anal probing." At the same time, Eckert said that he was heartened by those who relayed their sympathy and their own horror stories involving police on online articles about his lawsuit. "I felt very helpless and alone that night," he wrote. "The comments I have read on news stories from people have made me feel much better and not so alone." | David Eckert sued, saying police subjected him to "digital penetrations," enemas .
These actions and a colonoscopy occurred over 12 hours in early 2013 in New Mexico .
Authorities never found drugs; his lawsuit says the warrant used for search was invalid .
Eckert says the settlement gives him "some justice" and "shows they were wrong" |
178,107 | 7290a30f0df951fdf571d9948a578743fa9ff5b5 | By . Peter Cox . PUBLISHED: . 02:27 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:07 EST, 29 March 2013 . Nelson Mandela will battle to recover from his life-threatening lung infection, a close friend believes. The comments from his lawyer, George Bizos, came as Mr Mandela spent his second night in hospital. He believes the 94-year-old is determined ‘to keep on going’ despite suffering a long history of illness. Scroll down for video . Ailing health: Nelson Mandela has been re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection, the South African government announced today . 'Having best possible treatment: Mr Mandela (pictured with his family celebrating his 93rd birthday) was taken into hospital shortly before midnight, according to South African President Jacob Zuma . Mr Zuma said Mr Mandela was doing 'very well' and said he was hoping to visit him in hospital as soon as possible . The anti-apartheid hero was admitted to . hospital late Wednesday night, prompting South African president Jacob . Zuma to call on the nation to prepare itself for the worst. But Mr Bizos said: 'It's a matter one doesn't have to discuss. I am 84 – every one of us wants to keep on going. 'I think that he has always had . confidence in members of the (health) profession and he has the love and . care of (his wife) Graca and members of his family and a few of his . friends that go to him from time to time. I think he enjoys that and . would like to continue.' The South African government today said Mr Mandela was in good spirits and making 'steady progress'. Mr Bizos, who defended Mr Mandela . during his 1960s treason trial told The Daily Telegraph he was planning . to visit his friend – either in hospital or at his home if he is . discharged – 'in the next day or so'. Mr Zuma said South Africans should be realistic about the prognosis because of Mr Mandela’s age. ‘In Zulu, when someone passes away . who is very old, people say he or she has gone home. I think those are . some of the things we should be thinking about,’ Mr Zuma said. It is the fourth time in just over two years that the increasingly frail Mr Mandela has been admitted to hospital. Mr Zuma said Mr Mandela was doing ‘very well’ and said he was hoping to visit him in hospital as soon as possible. But a family member said: 'He is very poorly. This (situation) is very worrying.' Zuma had yesterday called for the 'world to pray for our beloved Madiba', making reference to his clan name. Fondly referring to the Nobel Peace . Prize laureate by his clan name, he said: ‘We appeal to the people of . South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba and his family . and to keep them in their thoughts. ‘We have full confidence in the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to ensure recovery.’ The governing African National Congress called for prayers for Mr Mandela, as did US President Barack Obama. Reclusive: Mr Mandela last made a public appearance on a major stage when South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup. He is pictured here with his wife Graca Machel during the closing ceremony in Johannesburg . Mr Zuma’s office said Mr Mandela was . conscious and ‘responding positively’ to treatment but did not reveal . where he is being treated. Spokesman Mac Maharaj later added: ‘I think . we need to be clear that the doctors are attending to Madiba on a . continuous basis. They prefer to act on the side of caution, and the . moment they felt there was a recurrence of the lung infection, they felt . that it warranted immediate hospitalisation given his age and given his . history.’ Mr Mandela, who became South Africa’s . first black president in 1994, has been in and out of hospital for the . past few months. He spent 18 days on a ward in December undergoing . treatment for the lung infection and gallstones surgery. It was his longest stay in hospital . since 1990, when he was released from prison after serving 27 years for . conspiring to overthrow the white-minority apartheid government. Icon: Mr Mandela strikes his famous salute with then-wife Winnie after being released from prison in 1990. He contracted tuberculosis in jail which has caused him a number of health problems over the years . But he has been frail and in poor . health for several years. It is believed his lung infection stems from a . bout of tuberculosis he contracted in the 1980s while working in a . prison quarry at the Robben Island jail. Mr Mandela spent much of last year in Qunu, his ancestral village in the poor Eastern Cape province. But since his release from hospital . in December he has been at his home in an affluent Johannesburg suburb, . close to sophisticated medical care. Earlier this month he underwent medical tests. Fondly called the ‘father of the nation’, Mr Mandela has been mostly absent from the political scene for the past decade. But he remains an enduring symbol of the struggle against racism. | George Bizos says Mr Mandela 'wants to keep going' despite long illness .
Hospital says he is in good spirits and making 'steady progress'
Nelson Mandela was rushed to hospital after return of lung infection .
President Jacob Zuma calls for 'world to pray for our beloved Madiba'
Mr Mandela 'conscious' but infection a 'concern', says his spokesman .
The former South African president has long history of lung problems .
Released from hospital two weeks ago after 'successful' routine tests . |
5,066 | 0e6682379e48849c2bd47f6f1acd7873b7c5478e | By . James Tozer . UPDATED: . 20:04 EST, 13 February 2012 . It is a touching memento of her down-to-earth manner. Addressed simply ‘To George’, this hand-written Valentine’s Day card from Princess Diana is not quite the romantic mystery it might at first appear, however. The Daily Mail can reveal that the recipient was none other than George Smith, the royal valet who caused a scandal when he claimed to have been raped by a member of Prince Charles’s household. Bit of fun: The cute card was specially printed and then signed by Diana, pictured together with its recipient, valet George Smith . In fact, the ex-soldier would have received the cute pink card the same year in which he would later claim the attack took place. Up for sale for £8,000, it is part of a package of memorabilia sold by Mr Smith’s family after he died penniless. Diana is believed to have sent similar messages to several favoured servants on cards specially printed in 1989, when she was still married to Charles. Mr Smith’s card – at least the third to be sold – is advertised as addressed to a servant ‘very closely associated and personally employed for many years as a personal valet to the Princess’. It is in reality from the collection of a man who also told the Mail on Sunday in 2003 that he witnessed Prince Charles in a compromising position with a servant. Nice gesture: The front of the card, left, and inside, right, which is personally signed from Princess Diana. It is expected to fetch nearly £8,000 at auction . The former corporal in the Welsh . Guards was Charles’s valet for nine years until being dismissed in 1997, . but was regarded by Diana as an ally during their break-up. The . Falklands veteran suffered from mental health problems and his . scandalous allegations have always been strenuously denied. During . the 2002 trial of former butler Paul Burrell for stealing from Diana’s . estate, it emerged she had kept a recording of his claims. But the tape . vanished. After years of . alcoholism, Mr Smith died in 2004 aged 45, with his collection of cards . and notes from Diana passed to his widow, Yvonne, and their two . children. They are understood to have sold them to dealer Mark Riddle to fund ‘a new life abroad’. Mr . Riddle said the card is ‘part of a few sent by Diana to cheer up . loveless employees’. He added: ‘Not many people can ever have been . handed a Valentine’s card by a princess, let alone one of the most . iconic. It shows her sense of fun and girlishness.’ Riddle, who owns Memorabilia UK, . tasked with selling the extremely rare card, added: 'The family of . George contacted me after his death saying they wanted to sell his . collection of Diana artefacts. 'I . was amazed when I saw it, not many people can ever have been handed a . Valentine’s card by a Princess, let alone one of the most iconic. 'George had a whole host of Diana memorabilia, often signed by her. 'It . is believed to have been part of a few sent by Diana to cheer up . loveless employees, but one, however, cannot imagine she gave out too . many of these.' The pink card - which measures 18x13cm - comes from the 1989 Andrew Brownsword collection and is called 'Lady Di by Dino...' Funny: The Valentine's Day card was anonymously sent by Diana in 1989 when she was still married to Prince Charles. However, it was intended as a practical joke and not a romantic gesture . It shows a teddy bear jumping among . pink hearts and the printed message, 'Hey Valentine! Not Many Men . Receive a Valentine’s Card From Princess Diana.' Inside the message concludes, 'And You’re One of Them', and the Princess has written 'to George, from Diana!' Memorabilia dealer Mr Riddle added: 'You can only imagine the potential worth of this Diana Valentine card in say 100 years time. 'It really shows the Princess’s sense of fun and girlishness. 'Like many rare collectables it is a hard thing to accurately value, but we have currently pricing it at £7,995. 'Hopefully this treasure can be safe-guarded for the next generation to enjoy.' Only one other similar card has ever been discovered, which was addressed to Sgt Lewis, a former soldier who worked for the Royal family. At least two similar cards have . previously been auctioned. One was sold by former royal servant Sergeant . Ronald Lewis for £2,000 while another written to ex-royal chef Mervyn . Wycherley fetched £1,200. | Pink personalised card was sent to a former valet and footman George Smith .
Card is up for sale as part of a collection . |
227,162 | b225e14fe49c41d721a2e0974f0bef15b39e5d2f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:53 EST, 11 June 2013 . A severed deer's head was left at a Tesco supermarket checkout and entrails strewn across one of the aisles. The body parts are believed to have been left by a man in the early hours of the morning last Tuesday. Police are now investigating the incident, which is being treated as criminal damage as the check-out surfaces had to be professionally cleaned at a cost of £300. Police are investigating after a deer's head was left at a Tesco checkout and intestines scattered in the aisle . A spokesman for Essex Police said: ‘Officers were called to a Tesco on Radwinter Road, Saffron Walden, just before 1.20am on Tuesday June 4. 'This was after reports that a deer head had been left at one of the self-scan checkouts and offal deposited in one of the aisles. ‘Officers are investigating the incident.’ Tesco refused to comment on the incident. A spokesman said: 'We apologise to our customers for this incident. It is a matter for the police and we are helping them with their enquiries.' The severed deer's head was left at a Tesco self-service checkout, like the one pictured left. Right is a file picture of a red deer stag, although it's unclear exactly what type of decapitated deer was left at Tesco . | Severed deer's head left by man at Tesco self-service checkout .
Entrails also strewn across the aisles of the supermarket .
Incident being treated as criminal damage and police investigating . |
272,607 | ed186004195a3f30c412831ea06b6a096fca3e79 | A popular YouTube prankster who boasts more than 1.2 million subscribers to his comedy channel has turned his talents for low-budget video making into a booming family business after landing his own reality series. Jack Vale, 41, uprooted his wife, and their five children, from their home Hungtington Beach, California, in order to move them to Las Vegas, after the now-infamous prankster's celebrity status in their local area left him unable to film his normal hidden-camera comedy series without being spotted. 'We knew we had to go somewhere because we were being recognized,' the YouTube star told Daily Mail Online. Scroll down for video . Too famous? Jack Vale, 41, revealed to Daily Mail Online that he and his family were forced to think about moving after he began being recognized in his local area . 'You want that fresh feeling when you're uploading content and people were staring to recognize me from seeing my videos, or from being told about previous pranks and it made it difficult to keep coming up with new and exciting ideas.' And in addition to keeping his YouTube content fresh and interesting, Jack admits his family's move to Sin City was also motivated by another factor: his new HLN reality series Jack Vale: Offline. The show documents the family's move from California to Nevada, and follows the Vale clan as they set out to unleash their finest pranks and practical jokes on the people of Las Vegas. 'It's been so exciting to be in a new place, with so many more people there to interact with and work with,' Jack said. 'We've had such a great time working here, the atmosphere is great and it's just an incredible city to be in, especially when you're doing the kind of work that we are.' Family affair: Jack and his family are all involved in the new HLN reality series . Doting wife: Sherry Vale admits that she never expected her husband would make his living as a famous prankster . And despite some initial reservations from his family members, Jack insists both his wife and their children have taken to their new home - and their new role as his reality TV co-stars - with serious energy and enthusiasm. 'We are really spontaneous as a family,' he explained. 'And everyone was so excited at the prospect of starting this new chapter. 'Everyone is involved in the show; my son Jake helps with the camera work, while Chris is a wizard with social media. They all pitch in and have great ideas. 'Our house is filled with laughter and fun.' The comedian added that, while he often dreamed of one day turned his YouTube success into a reality series, he never imagined that it would actually happen. Got you! Just minutes after arriving in Las Vegas, Jack can be seen pranking a newly-married couple . 'We're moving': Jack announces the move to his family in front of the cameras . 'I let myself think about it, I've thought about it my whole life,' he said. 'But I only realized it was an actual possibility a couple of years ago, when people started getting in touch saying that they'd like to pay to feature clips from my videos on their shows and so on. 'That was when I started to think that maybe this dream could become a reality.' While is show is built around practical jokes and pranking, Jack is adamant that the content, which includes everything from dressing as Santa and passing wind in an elevator to prank-calling people on Craigslist, is all completely family-friendly. 'Some people wake up and think about what videos will make other people angry,' he said. 'They create content that they know will offend or upset others. 'That's not what I do. I create stuff that the whole family can watch and enjoy. That's why it has been so great to get my whole family involved - first in YouTube and now in the show.' Jack Vale: Offline premieres on HLN tonight at 10pm . | The comedian's YouTube channel boasts more than 1.2 million subscribers .
Jack, 41, is currently starring in Jack Vale: Offline on HLN, which documents his family's public pranks .
He revealed to Daily Mail Online that he moved his whole family to Las Vegas in order to find new victims for his hilarious hidden camera clips . |
86,402 | f53f3f752707087e39c143be4854cea69469a50a | By . Lucy Crossley . Sisters-in-law who robbed a grandmother in the street, tearing out clumps of her hair, punching her in the head and stealing her phone have been spared jail. Chelsea Coyne, 28, pounced on the woman from behind, before kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, swiped her mobile phone. The attack on the 48-year-old grandmother was caught on the Mitre Hotel's CCTV cameras and helped secure the convictions of the Coynes, who have now been sentenced for the attack. Attack: Chelsea Coyne, 28, (left) pounced on the woman from behind before . kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, (right) swiped her mobile phone . Manchester Magistrates' Court was . told that the woman had been enjoying a drink in the hotel and pub . following a Christmas shopping trip with her son's girlfriend. As she chatted to her son on her phone outside the venue, Chelsea Coyne ‘jumped’ her, with the brunette repeatedly kicking the victim and punching her in the head. Subhanur Chowdhury, prosecuting, said: 'She was speaking with her son on her mobile phone. 'At . that point, she was jumped on and ended up on the floor. She was being . repeatedly kicked whilst on the floor and being punched around the head. 'She manages to get up then realises that she had dropped the phone.' Crime scene: The 48-year-old victim had been standing outside the Mitre Hotel in Manchester (pictured) when she was attacked by Chelsea Coyne . Guilty: Chelsea Coyne, left, admitted an assault charge following the attack in December last year. Rachael Coyne, right, picked up the woman's iPhone after she dropped it during the attack . The victim suffered ‘substantial injuries’ to . her face and forehead and lost hair on the back of her head when it was . pulled during the attack, the court was told. The woman, a grandmother-of-four from Ancoats, said she suffers from headaches following the incident. 'I feel like I am living a nightmare,' she said in a statement read to the court. 'It is so hard to put into words. I feel embarrassed.' Chelsea Coyne pleaded guilty to assault following the attack in December last year. Her sister-in-law Rachael Coyne picked up the woman’s white iPhone after she dropped it during the attack and both then walked away. The blonde denied theft but was found guilty after a trial. The court heard the victim had returned to the pub the day after the attack and secured the CCTV footage for the police. Dominic Ingle, defending, claimed the victim suffered from alopecia, which had contributed to her hair loss. He said: 'It was an unpleasant assault but there is far more to this than meets the eye. 'This is not a black and white matter. They are genuinely good people. They have made a very, very, severe mistake.' Chelsea Coyne, of Miles Platting, Manchester, was sentenced to a six-month community order and a six-week curfew. Rachael Coyne, also of Miles Platting, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. Both women were also ordered to pay costs and compensation, and have been given a two-year restraining order preventing them from contacting the victim. | Chelsea Coyne 'jumped' the victim before Rachael Coyne took her mobile .
Grandmother was talking on the phone outside hotel when she was attacked .
Sisters-in-law spared jail after they were convicted for assault and theft . |
167,789 | 6505b653b3c9ff1124fcbfb378ec94e12be59329 | var twitterVia = 'MailOnline'; . DM.later('bundle', function(){ . DM.has('shareLinkTop', 'shareLinks', { . 'id': '2524179', . 'title': 'John McCain back opposition leaders and attends anti-government rally', . 'url': 'http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524179/John-McCain-tells-Ukraine-protesters-We-support-just-cause.html', . 'eTwitterStatus': ' http://dailym.ai/1k4DiAT via @' + twitterVia, . 'articleChannelFollowButton': 'MailOnline', . 'isChannel': false, . 'hideEmail': true, . 'placement': 'top', . 'anchor': 'tl'}); . }); . 29 . View comments . DM.later('bundle', function(){ . DMS.Article.init('top'); . }); . U.S. Senator John McCain met Ukrainian opposition leaders in Kiev on Saturday and voiced support for protesters camped out for weeks in the capital, a move sure to anger Moscow for what it sees as Western meddling in its backyard. The street protests started after the November 21 decision by President Viktor Yanukovich - seeking the best possible deal for Ukraine to stave off bankruptcy - to walk away from a trade pact with Europe at the last minute and seek closer ties with its old Soviet master. The movement has since grown in size and vehemence, bringing tens of thousands onto the streets in a series of rallies, becoming an all-out protest against the president and his cabinet. Greetings: U.S. Senator John McCain waves to pro-European integration protesters during a mass rally at Independence Square in Kiev . We are with you: McCain told more than 200,000 EU supporters rallying in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, that Washington backed their desire for European integration . Face in the crowd: U.S. Senator John McCain greets well-wishers. About 200,000 anti-government demonstrators converged on the central square in a dramatic demonstration after nearly four weeks of daily protests . McCain is the latest of a string of European and American dignitaries to tour the sprawling protest camp set up behind tall barricades - prompting Russia to accuse the West of excessive involvement. McCain was due to be joined by the chairman of the Senate's Europe subcommittee, Chris Murphy, on Sunday. 'I am proud of the people of Ukraine and their steadfast efforts for democracy,' McCain told reporters after meeting the country's Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara. McCain then met opposition leaders - the ex-boxing champion Vitaly Klitchko, former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and far right nationalist Oleh Tyahnybog - who are calling for Yanukovich's government to resign and for early elections. One voice: Pro-European integration protesters gather under an image of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in Independence Square in Kiev December 14, 2013 . Vocal: Supporters of Ukranian President President Viktor Yanukovich hold flags and shout slogans during a rally in central Kiev. Message on scarf reads 'Yanukovich our President 2010' Police violence on November 30 . against what was initially a pro-Europe demonstration shocked . Ukrainians, setting a match to deep-seated anger over corruption and . sleaze. U.S. Democrats and . Republicans have condemned the harsh measures and on Friday senators . issued a resolution calling for the United States to consider sanctions . in case there is further violence against peaceful demonstrators. 'I . heard he (McCain) was here. It's nice that they know of us, that they . remember us. It is great that they support us,' said Volodimir . Tarabanov, 28, who works for a delivery company in Kiev. Thousands . of Yanukovich supporters staged a rival rally in Kiev on Saturday, many . bused in from Donetsk and other cities in eastern Ukraine - the . traditional stronghold of the president's Party of Regions. Support: U.S. Senator John McCain met Ukrainian opposition leaders in Kiev on Saturday and voiced support for protesters camped out for weeks in the capital, a move sure to anger Moscow for what it sees as Western meddling in its backyard . U.S. Senator John McCain, speaks as Democratic senator from the state of Connecticut, Chris Murphy, second left, and Opposition leader Oleh Tyahnybok, right, stand around him during a Pro-European Union rally in Independence Square in Kiev . 'We are here to support the president and stability,' 18-year-old Maria Nikolayeva said, holding the Party of Regions blue flag. 'Yanukovich is our best prospect at the moment ... I don't see any alternative.' In an attempt to defuse weeks of unrest, Yanukovich on Saturday dismissed the head of Kiev's state administration and a national security aide over the violence on November 30. Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said two more police officials involved that night were under investigation. But protesters continued to stream into the capital for the weekend protest. Talks between the government and the opposition on Friday appeared to go nowhere. Sweden's foreign minister said Russia should not feel threatened if Ukraine moved closer to the European Union. 'Ukraine has a free trade agreement (FTA) with Russia and we have nothing against that,' Carl Bildt told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Monaco. 'Why should they object that the Ukraine has an FTA with the EU? It is a win-win for Ukraine and Russia. Why they should see everything as a zero sum game? It's not,' said Bildt, who was closely involved in EU talks with the Ukraine. The proximity of rival demonstrations in Kiev - separated only by a line of riot police - raised fears of fresh violence. 'The most difficult matters should and can only be solved at the negotiating table. People should not be driven away from their work, from their families,' Prime Minister Mykola Azarov told supporters. 'Let's tell the people to go back home to their families and their business.' Sergei Bychok, a 43-year-old electrician, said he came to the pro-government rally because he wanted stability. Encouraging words: 'To all Ukraine, America stands with you,' he called out to the cheering crowd. 'The free world is with you, America is with you, I am with you... Ukraine will make Europe better and Europe will make Ukraine better' Message from America: McCain told more than 200,000 EU supporters rallying in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on December 15 that Washington backed their desire for European integration . 'I got my salary but a lot of people are here because they are afraid they won't,' he said in a whisper, referring to widespread accusations among Yanukovich opponents that the authorities paid or pressured people to attend their rally. In the square held by the anti-government protesters - now known as the 'Maidan', meaning 'Square', or the 'Euro-maidan' - the atmosphere was peaceful. For those who stayed overnight, the day began with early morning prayers followed by an aerobics session led from the stage. The crowds grew denser towards the evening with people holding up placards picturing Yanukovich and Azarov behind bars and sporting stickers reading 'Raise Ukraine!'. 'I'm here for Europe and against Yanukovich. For me it's almost the same because it's the European Union association that is our chance to rid Ukraine of corruption,' said Oleh, a 22-year-old engineering student. 'We will be here a month or as long as it takes.' | U.S. Senator John McCain visits anti-government protesters in Kiev .
Calls mass protest 'incredible display of patriotism' in tweet .
Ukraine had been on track to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union this fall .
Massive pressure from Moscow forced the Yanukovych government to think twice .
Protesters are venting their anger at the government's perceived political allegiance to Moscow .
Protests began after Yanukovych on Nov 21 refused to sign a deal with EU .
Demonstrators have set up an extensive tent camp in the capital's main square . |
244,221 | c8165a9587d542834a17eede1b8770c99389a33a | Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) -- The Gulf Coast oil disaster. A massive hurricane. The collapse of a highway overpass during rush hour. A terrorist attack. All of these calamities have happened in the United States in recent years. And today, graduate students at the University of Minnesota are analyzing these disasters to learn how they can prepare for the next one -- or help prevent it. They are all working toward a master of science in security technology. It's sort of like a degree in all things Homeland Security. The new graduate program, which began last month, has attracted students from a variety of backgrounds. Students attending the inaugural class include a U.S. Marine, a government IT guy, even a U.S. postal worker. They are studying high profile catastrophes from natural disasters like hurricanes and pandemic diseases to critical infrastructure failures and biological or explosive terrorist attacks. They also examine collapses in the banking industry, the postal service, electric power grids and food supply chains. The program is taught by Massoud Amin, a leading security expert and the director of the university's Technological Leadership Institute. After the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, Amin was tasked with assessing the security risk to the nation's electrical power grid. He and his team reported their findings to the U.S. government. Amin said his passion for improving people's lives through technology began as a young boy in Iran. "I went with my dad to villages to practice medicine ... where women would die in childbirth," Amin said. "And I would see that as soon as they got electricity, their lives would improve. "Because of this experience, I kind of knew at that young age ... I wanted to use physics to improve the lives of others." Three years ago, he got a close-up view of how physics can impact people's lives. Sitting in his office, he watched as the I-35 west bridge that crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed just a few yards away, killing 13 people. Amin said that tragedy helped spark the idea for the master's program. "All these large scale critical systems that we take for granted ... how do we prevent systemic failure in them," he said. "If a disturbance occurs in one place, how do we identify precursors to disturbances before [disaster] happens?" The biggest challenge his students face is coming up with a solution to preventing disasters without hindering civil liberties and privacy, Amin said. A large number of the students enrolled in the program are working professionals from industries where security and risk assessment play an important role. Nathan Hunstad, an information technology analyst for Minnesota's Democratic caucus, said security plays a "pretty big part" of his job. "What we do here is political, so there's obviously a lot of need for secrecy and privacy," Hunstad said. "We're very cognizant of security issues." Hunstad said he has been looking for a way to combine his interest in cryptology and code-breaking with his passion for public policy. "Working for the Department of Homeland Security or continuing to work for the legislature in terms of setting broad security policies for the state or country ... that would probably be my dream job," he said. Student Bill Hagestad already has first-hand experience with securing critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. "During the initial invasion of Iraq, part of my job was to go around and evaluate locations throughout the central command area of operations, look at facilities and make sure they were not vulnerable to attack by terrorists," he said. After earning his graduate degree, the Marine Corps reserve officer hopes to one day become the chief technology officer of a computer networking company, focusing on cyber threats. That may not sound like a job that could prevent the next terrorist attack. But Amin says learning about past disasters can help anyone in any position be better prepared for the next one: . "At the risk of being grandiose, we can help save the world." CNN's Thom Patterson contributed to this report . | University of Minnesota offers master's program in security technology .
Program teaches students how to prepare for natural disasters and terrorist attacks .
Many students are professionals, including military and government workers .
Program is the brainchild of Massoud Amin, an Iranian-born security expert . |
121,655 | 293dc3134b70eb9fdea0a458db088a00d5f25604 | Arsenal record signing Mesut Ozil is clearly relishing his return for the Gunners ahead of Arsene Wenger's side hosting Stoke at the Emirates on Sunday. The German playmaker, a £42.5million signing from Real Madrid in 2013, picked up an injury against Chelsea in October and returns to the Arsenal squad along with Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Flamini and Olivier Giroud. Ozil and the rest of the Arsenal squad appeared in high spirits in training on Saturday but midfielder Santi Cazorla warned his team mates to focus on their own game against a 'dangerous' Stoke side, who beat the Gunners 3-2 at the Britannia Stadium last month. Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil enjoys a joke during training on Saturday ahead of facing Stoke at the Emirates . Cazorla is adamant Arsenal can combat Stoke's direct play by playing to their own strengths, with Wenger's side looking to extend a run of only one defeat in their last 27 Premier League contests at home. 'They are a very physical team with good players,' Cazorla told Arsenal.com. 'Set-pieces and the second ball will always be dangerous for us. We need to focus on our game. '[The 3-2 defeat] was strange because we were losing 1-0 in the first 30 seconds and we can't do that. We need to concentrate because they are very dangerous from long balls and [dealing with that is] key for us in this game,' added Cazorla. Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini, back from injuries, muck around ahead of training on Saturday . Ozil lines up in training alongside Arsenal talisman Alexis Sanchez as the Gunners are put through their paces . Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has warned his team mates to be wary of Stoke's direct style of play . French striker Olivier Giroud takes a break in training, who has returned to the Arsenal squad this weekend . 'They are trying to play with the ball a little bit more but they are still strongest from long balls and set-pieces. It's very important to get the points at home. When we play at home, we enjoy ourselves and we are stronger.' In his pre-match press conference Wenger admitted Arsenal have missed Ozil's creative input on the side. 'He is an exceptional football player,' said the Arsenal manager. 'He always gives you continuity in your game. He's a very creative player and ideally you want all your best players available. 'The advantage of these players - for example Giroud, Koscielny, Debuchy, Ozil - at the moment where most of the players in the league have played 26 or 27 games in their legs, they have four or five. If we can get them ready and fresh and competitive, it can give us a new [impetus].' Forward Alexis Sanchez, who has 16 goals in all competitions, enjoys himself in Arsenal training . Laurent Koscielny attempts to challenge England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in training . The Arsenal first team go through a running drill ahead of facing Stoke at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday . Arsenal manager is thrilled to have his record signing Ozil back in the squad after three months out injured . Arsenal forward Theo Walcott and Frances Coquelin look for the ball during a training match on Saturday . Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (left) has hit the headlines this week after being caught smoking . Gunners Alexis Sanchez and Joel Campbell vie for possession in training with Ozil (centre) watching on . | Arsenal face Stoke City at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon .
Mesut Ozil has been out of action with a knee injury since October .
Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Flamini and Olivier Giroud also in line to return .
Stoke beat the Gunners 3-2 at the Britannia Stadium last month . |
65,151 | b8fd2e89a41799e39e92d059cfd7c8ec20a29648 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:28 EST, 18 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:52 EST, 18 March 2014 . A woman who has battled severe anorexia for 30 years is finally in recovery and has made it her mission to help others struggling with the same issue. Danielle Buettner, 36, from Lawrence, Kansas, was admitted to a hospice two years ago and given just six months to live, weighing in at the time at just 56lbs. Now, at 99lbs, she is finally at a low but healthy weight range for the first time in her life, and she's determined to open people's eyes to the life-destroying nature of eating disorders. Road to recovery: Danielle Buettner pictured a year ago, when she was still severely underweight (left) and in her recent interview with Fox4kc (right) at a healthier 99lbs . Telling her story: Ms Buettner is proud to be in recovery and at 99lbs, heavier than she has ever been . 'The osteoporosis, I'll never be able to . have children, I do have a pacemaker,' she told Fox4kc. Ms . Buettner says childhood abuse sparked her unhealthy eating habits at . the tender age of six, but she wasn't diagnosed until age 12. 'I would watch . people eat, I would make food for other people, and I would go to the . refrigerator and smell food and that was enough for me,' she admitted. In a video from just a year ago, the petite blonde's sunken cheeks and protruding bones are shockingly apparent. 'I weighed 56lbs, and I knew that I needed to get better,' she said. Weak: Ms Buettner's anorexia caused her to suffer respiratory failure and a two-week coma. Today she wears a pacemaker, suffers from osteoporosis, and will never be able to have children (pictured a year ago) 'I will dance again': Ms Buettner is seen looking dangerously underweight in a photo from late 2011 . Her poor health was such that it caused her to go into respiratory failure and slip into a coma for two weeks. She also had to be intubated six times. But with the help of her peer support specialist Lindsay Munson, she has been able to overcome her disorder slowly and begin the process of recovery. Severely underweight: In a video from just a year ago, the petite blonde's sunken cheeks and protruding bones are shockingly apparent . Suffering: Ms Buettner, seen in her Facebook profile image, has battled her eating disorder for 30 years . These days, while she's still considered underweight, Ms Buettner is proud to be in recovery and heavier than she has ever been. Her goal now is to become a peer mentor and help others overcome their eating disorders. 'Look how close to death I was, look how far I've come,' she said. 'And you can do it too.' | Danielle Buettner, 36, from Lawrence, Kansas, says childhood abuse sparked her 30-year battle with anorexia .
She was given just six months to live at her lowest weight, which caused her to lapse into a coma and suffer respiratory failure .
Danielle now weighs a healthier 99lbs, though she has been fitted with a pacemaker, suffers from osteoporosis, and will never be able to have children . |
48,438 | 88b5149f014f081b272426a2c9d7513a2ee8f562 | Niko Kranjcar bounced back from two brutal tackles to spoil Mark Hughes’s homecoming party. The Croatian, who Harry Redknapp loves so much he’s signed him four times, embedded himself further in the manager’s affections with an 88th minute equaliser. It will be viewed as a point won for QPR but two points lost for Stoke who led twice and had opportunities to seal victory. Mame Biram Diouf scores his second Premier League goal of the season (the other a spectacular solo effort) to put Stoke City ahead against QPR at Loftus Road . Rio Ferdinand did not enjoy the most successful afternoon at Loftus Road, and was beaten by Peter Crouch in the air as the forward provided the assist for the opener . QPR equalised just before half-time, a corner was met by summer signing Steven Caulker whose header, with the help of a deflection, found the back of the net . QPR (4-3-1-2): Green 6; Isla 5, Caulker 6.5, Ferdinand 5, Traore 6; Mutch 6 (Henry, 49 6.5), Barton 5 (Phillips 34 6), Fer 7; Kranjkar 8; Vargas 6, Austin 5 . SUBS: McCarthy, Phillips, Onuoha, Henry, Dunner, Hoilett, Zamora . Stoke (4-2-3-1): Begovic 6.5; Bardsley 6, Shawcross (c) 5.5, Wilson 6, Pieters 5; Whelan 6, Nzonzi 5; Diouf 7, Adam 5, Moses 8; Crouch 7.5 . SUBS: Sorensen, Huth, Muniesa, Arnautovic, Sidwell, Assaidi, Krkic . Referee: Martin Atkinson. Redknapp was full of admiration as he revealed the 30-year-old took a ‘massive pay cut’ to come back to West London, where he also spent last season on loan. Kranjcar, who played under Redknapp at Portsmouth and Tottenham, is thought to have sacrificed £6million in wages over two years from Dynamo Kiev. ‘He took a massive cut in wages,’ said Redknapp. ‘We pay a third of what he was earning in Ukraine. He had a massive, fantastic contract in Russia and he just wanted to come back here and play football. It’s very rare to see a boy do that.’ There was a sense of justice in Kranjcar’s goal after he was twice brutally and illegally felled, first by Ryan Shawcross, then by Steve Sidwell, whose lunging challenge resulted in a free kick just outside the Stoke area — prime Kranjcar territory. The midfielder, who had come close from range several times, fired into the top right corner. ‘He scores those in training all the time,’ said Redknapp, ‘He’s a class player and it was a great free kick after two bad challenges. He punished them.’ There was a sense of justice in the goal for Kranjcar who was twice bullied to the deck, first by a bruising Ryan Shawcross tackle, then an illegal Steve Sidwell challenge which resulted in a free kick from 20-yards, prime Kranjcar territory. Both Crouch and Charlie Adam attempted to clear Steven Caulker's header but, ultimately, the poor communication led to Crouch poking it into his own net . Crouch again gets the better of former Manchester United defender Ferdinand, losing his marker and sweeping home a Victor Moses cross to restore the lead . Just as QPR seemed to be heading for defeat, Niko Kranjcar's excellently-placed free-kick levelled the score with just minutes remaining . MINS KM MILES . QPR total 104.8 65.1 . Niko Kranjcar 90 10.5 6.5 . Steven Caulker 90 10.4 6.5 . Mauricio Isla 90 10.4 6.4 . Stoke total 107.2 66.6 . Peter Crouch 90 11.1 6.9 . Steven N'Zonzi 90 10.9 6.8 . Mame Biram Diouf 90 10.5 6.5 . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League . The striker, who had come close from range several times, fired it into the top right corner. Harry Redknapp burst out of his dugout in celebration leaving a stony faced Hughes to rue what could have been. After pulling off an extraordinary victory at Manchester City earlier this season, Hughes was vying to do the double over his former clubs by winning at Loftus Road. It was an intimidating atmosphere for the 50 year old, returning for the first time since being sacked by owner Tony Fernandes in 2012. Some QPR fans perceive the financial and confidence problems the club currently faces as being a hangover from Hughes's 10 month stint here. The game was just two minutes old when chants of ‘stand up if you hate Mark Hughes’ echoed round the loveable old ground. He nearly had the last laugh through goals from Mame Biram Diouf and Peter Crouch. Crouch showed he is defying the calendar better than Rio Ferdinand, who was not as incisive in defence as he is in his recent acerbic autobiography. The 33-year-old striker, not known for his searing speed, outsprinted his former England teammate and minutes later controversially used him as a climbing ladder to assist the opening goal. Victor Moses employed what Ferdinand might call silky skills to wrong foot Mauricio Isla and send his cross arching into the box. Crouch flicked the ball on for Diouf to head home from six yards out. Moses, who wreaked havoc down the wing, set up Crouch with a peach of an opportunity to extend Stoke’s on the half hour mark but his long limbs got in the way and he could not get his shot on target. QPR had the majority of possession in the opening 20 minutes but lacked the nous to make the most of it. Their most significant chance was Kranjcar’s sweet left footed shot from 28 yards out which whistled over the crossbar. Mauricio Isla, the Chilean full-back on loan from Italian champions Juventus, tussles for the ball with Stoke City's Victor Moses, who is on loan from Chelsea . Eduardo Vargas made his home debut for Queens Park Rangers after coming on as a second-half substitute against Manchester United in the 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford . But QPR captain Joey Barton didn't last long, Harry Redknapp subbed him off mid-way through the first half after the former Marseille man picked up an injury . Their breakthrough came on 42mins when Crouch helped Steven Caulker’s goal into the top corner of the net, getting in the way of teammate Charlie Adam who was poised to make a goal line clearance. QPR’s two new imports from Cardiff teamed up for their goal. Caulker, bought from Cardiff for £8m this summer, got on the end of a cross from Jordon Mutch, heading towards the bottom right corner from close range. Moses was again on point for the second goal, opening up the QPR defence like his biblical namesake parted the red sea. The Nigeria international shrugged off Isla and his pinpoint cross found Crouch, unmarked in the box and able to direct into the goal with his right foot. Stoke, who hold the unwanted record of being the team last on Match Of The Day the highest number of times, did everything to ensure a shake up in the running order, with exciting counter-attacking football and QPR contributed with persistent attacking. ‘The overriding emotion is disappointment,’ said former QPR boss Hughes. ‘We allowed them back into the game and it should have already been too far away from them.’ Despite a questionable record that has seen QPR relegated once before under Harry Redknapp, the R's manager revealed he was likely to sign a new contract soon . Peter Crouch demonstrated a rare turn of pace to beat Rio Ferdinand down the line and compound the former Manchester United man's terrible afternoon . Mark Hughes was not given a warm reception upon his return to QPR, he recently described his time there as his toughest period as a manager . The battle between Crouch and Ferdinand was a feature throughout the game, with Redknapp's summer signing consistently failing to get the better of his man . Vargas, on loan from Napoli, failed to impress at Loftus Road with Redknapp admitting that the Chilean does not speak a word of English . QPR's manager said that Mauricio Isla was in a similar position to Vargas in terms of his English, and that the two players only spoke to each other . Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross puts in a heavy challenge on Charlie Austin, who cut a frustrated figure for much of the afternoon . Former Arsenal left-back Armand Traore attempts to put in a cross while being tracked by Diouf . | Syoke City drew with QPR 2-2 in their Premier League match at Loftus Road .
Mame Biram Diouf scored his second goal of the season to put Stoke ahead .
But QPR equalised just before half time through a Steven Caulker header .
Although it appeared as though Peter Crouch actually got the final touch to put it into his own net .
Crouch scored early in the second half to put visitors 2-1 up, Victor Moses provided the assist .
Niko Kranjcar scored late equaliser .
Rio Ferdinand had poor performance for QPR . |
252,634 | d2f3ba1dabb65a511693da3df7bf4aa14fd5d64d | (CNN) -- Danica Patrick stunned the watching world at last month's Daytona 500 when she became the first female driver to claim pole position at any top-division NASCAR race. The American smashed yet another hole in the myth that motorsport is just for men -- and her achievements have not gone unnoticed by Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone, who wants her to challenge the likes of world champion Sebastian Vettel and title rival Fernando Alonso. "There should be no reason why not, providing that we find a team to take her," Ecclestone said in an interview with the official F1 website. "Danica would be good to have with one of the teams now. All the things that people worry about -- whether a woman can cope with the G-forces and all that -- she has proven that she can. "She's been there and done it. What I think -- and I cannot blame her for it -- is that she will hardly want to give up the exposure she has in the U.S. to come here and maybe not make it. "I have been looking for a woman for years! I always thought that this could be a good idea." Ecclestone said he had discussed introducing women drivers with Dietrich Mateschitz, who owns the Red Bull team that has dominated F1 for the past three years. "I spoke with Didi Mateschitz some time ago about the issue of an American team and at that time I said that we would want an American woman driver. He seems ready," the 82-year-old said. Patrick, 30, is currently enjoying her first full year as a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver after racing open-wheel IndyCars for several years. She is the leading female driver in motorsport, but has not given any indication of moving over to the world of Formula One. The last woman to race an F1 car was Lella Lombardi back in 1976. The Italian, who drove for March, Williams and RAM, is the only female driver in F1 history to have recorded a top-six finish. More recently, women have been employed as test drivers -- such as Maria de Villota, whose career at the Marussia team was cut short by an accident last year. The Spaniard, the daughter of a motor racing driver, was considered an excellent prospect and was well respected within the Formula One circuit. But her career was curtailed in July 2012 when the MR-01 race car she was driving hit a support truck and left her with serious head and facial injuries, losing sight in one eye. Since de Villota's accident, Scotland's Susie Wolff has been grabbing the headlines. The 30-year-old works as a developmental driver for the Williams team -- quite a leap from the eight-year-old who started off go-karting. But she still faces a challenge to follow in the pioneering tire marks of Lombardi and Maria Teresa de Filippis -- the first woman to compete in F1, racing five times between 1958 and 1959. | Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone wants more women in the sport .
The last woman to race an F1 car was Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
Susie Wolff is the only female driver in the sport heading into the 2013 season .
Scotland's Wolff works as development driver for Williams . |
3,945 | 0b63de0e583d8a0ff5218a8154202cd7898bf73b | The Thai government has labelled 65 provinces as disaster zones as residents struggle to cope with winter temperatures of 15C (59F). In the North of the country a cold snap has seen the mercury drop as low as 1C (34F) in rural areas, with towns and city shivering in temperatures of 14C. The Government is now handing out free warm clothing and winter blankets to chilly residents, and any province which has more than three consecutive days of sub 15C temperatures can apply for emergency funding. In the province of Chiang Mai six districts have been declared 'disaster zones' as temperatures have been below 15C for more than three days (file picture) One 51-year-old man has been killed as a result of the sudden heat drop. Doctors believe he died from the cold weather and rain as he had fallen asleep in the tent after getting drunk. In the northern Nakhon Phanom province, governor Adisak Thep-art said 10 out of 12 districts have been declared disaster zones with some 100,000 people suffering. So far, 20,000 residents have received winter aid. Maha Sarakham province in the northeast has also been swept by the cold spell, brought about by an area of high pressure drifting across from China, with up to 200,000 Maha Sarakham residents in danger. Several thousand people are expected to suffer because of the 'cold snap', and one man has died after falling asleep drunk in a tent in the rain (file picture) Frost has also been seen for the third time this year on top of Thailand's tallest mountain peak Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai, a province where six districts have so far been declared as disaster zones. According to the Changrai Times the frost temperature was recorded at -1.4 degrees Celsius, while the overall temperature has dropped sharply by 6-8C, with temperature in downtown Chiang Mai province recorded at 14.3C. During a weekly cabinet meeting today, members were briefed on plummeting temperatures in Thailand’s upper parts and the villagers’ lack of warm clothes and blankets. | Parts of Thailand declared disaster zones after mercury dips below 15C .
Government officials are handing out free blankets and warm clothing .
National new agency report frost has been seen for the third time this year . |
267,609 | e69398ecb3fb010dc6746ccaaf4abea0333722ef | With Arsenal's passage to the knockout phase of the Champions League already assured, Arsene Wenger has named six rising stars from the club's academy in his squad for Tuesday night's match with Galatasaray in Istanbul. Ahead of the match, we run the rule over the half-dozen hoping to make an impression out in Turkey. Chuba Akpom (19, striker, English) Akpom is probably the best known of the six, with Wenger commenting in Monday's press conference that the striker is 'close to the first team.' The 19-year-old, who comes from Newham, has already had plenty of exposure to the first-team picture, making his Premier League debut from the bench in a 3-1 win at Sunderland back in September 2013. Chuba Akpom celebrates completing his hat-trick in Arsenal Under 21s win at Brighton last week . Akpom takes on the Monaco defence during last summer's Emirates Cup tournament . He also played in the Gunners' League Cup win over West Bromwich last season and was named on the bench for further Premier League games at home to Liverpool and West Ham, as well as the Wembley FA Cup semi-final with Wigan. He spent time on loan at Brentford and Coventry City to gain experience last season and has been in fine form for Arsenal's Under 21s this campaign, scoring nine times. Akpom has represented England at every level from Under 16 to Under 20 and has been a reliable goalscorer at each age group. Gedion Zelalem (17, midfielder, German) Berlin-born teenager Zelalem was signed by Arsenal in the summer of 2013 after impressing scout Daniel Karbassiyoon while playing for American side Olney Rangers during a Dallas Cup match. He almost immediately progressed from the Under 16s to the Under 21s and in July 2013 accompanied the first-team squad on their Asian tour. Gedion Zelalem weaves his way through the Borussia Dortmund defence during a UEFA Youth League game . Zelalem is greeted by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during a training session this week . Though his selection came as a surprise to many, Zelalem seized his chance and his style even drew favourable comparisons in some quarters to Cesc Fabregas. He was expected to make his Premier League debut in the early portion of the 2013-14 campaign but injury held up his progress. In the end, he made his competitive debut in an FA Cup tie with Coventry City on January 24, replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with 19 minutes to play. Though no additional first-team appearances were forthcoming, Zelalem is a regular in the Under 21 team and also the Under 19 side that plays in the UEFA Youth League. Zelalem has so far represented the country of his birth, Germany, to Under 17 standard. Ainsley Maitland-Niles (17, winger, English) Rapid winger Maitland-Niles was named on the bench for Arsenal's defeat at Stoke at the weekend and is now set for his first European trip with the senior team. The youngster started last season with the Under 18s but it quickly became apparent that he was more than competent at a higher standard with his pace and crossing ability. Ainsley Maitland-Niles takes on Anderlecht player Samy Bourard during a UEFA Youth League encounter . Flying winger Maitland-Niles tries to get the better of the Brighton defence in last week's match . He made 14 appearances in the Under 21 Premier League and was pretty much an ever-present in Arsenal's run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League. Maitland-Niles was also influential in Arsenal's run to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup, where they were beaten by eventual winners Chelsea. He has cemented his place in the Under 21 side this season, swapping between right wing and central midfield positions, and has also represented England at Under 18 level for the first time. Stefan O'Connor (17, defender, English) Commanding centre-half O'Connor has established himself in Arsenal's Under 21 side despite only being 17 years of age. He has always been ahead of the curve in that regard but has really pushed on in the last 18 months, establishing himself as a regular in the Under 21 team and the UEFA Youth League side. O'Connor scored his first goal at Under 21 level in a 4-3 win over Manchester City back in April. He has also been capped for England at Under 17 standard, playing in two matches against Belgium at St George's Park back in January. Stefan O'Connor holds off the challenge of Blackburn's Dean Rittenberg during an U21 Premier League game . O'Connor is tackled by Aston Villa's Courtney Wilden during an U21 Premier League match at Villa Park . Alex Iwobi (18, winger, born in Nigeria and plays for England) Born in Lagos, Iwobi is the nephew of national hero Jay-Jay Okocha and has been with Arsenal since the age of eight. The 18-year-old is equally adept playing on the left flank or in central midfield in support of the striker. His only involvement with the first team to date came when he was included in the squad for last season's Capital One Cup tie at West Brom, though he didn't make it off the bench. Last season saw Iwobi make regular appearances for the Under 21s and he also featured in the UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup, where he scored goals against Torquay United and Charlton Athletic. Having signed his first professional contract at the club, Iwobi is expected to kick on and reach greater heights. He has played for England up to Under 18 standard. Alex Iwobi chases the ball during Arsenal's UEFA Youth League game with Borussia Dortmund last month . Iwobi (left) celebrates with goalscorer Akpom during Arsenal's U21 win at Brighton . Iwobi is the nephew of Nigerian legend Jay Jay Okocha, seen here during his Bolton days . Glen Kamara (19, defensive midfield, Finnish) Kamara combines style and substance in the defensive midfield position and this will be his first taste of first-team involvement. Born in Tampere, Finland, Kamara joined Arsenal from Southend United in 2012, quickly establishing himself as a regular in all the youth competitions. This includes the Under 21 Premier League, where he made 12 appearances last season, and the UEFA Youth League, where he played in every game except the quarter-final with Barcelona. A Finland Under 21 international, Kamara has cemented his place in Steve Gatting's Under 21 team this year. Glen Kamara in possession of the ball during the U21 match at Brighton's Amex Stadium last week . Kamara cracks a smile during training ahead of Arsenal's trip to Galatasaray . Head here to Like our Arsenal Facebook page. | Arsenal face Galatasaray in UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday .
Striker Chuba Akpom is 'close to first team', according to Arsene Wenger .
Gedion Zelalem is hoping to make second appearance for senior team .
Fleet-footed winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles was on bench at Stoke .
Stefan O'Connor is a commanding centre-half who plays for Under 21s .
Alex Iwobi is the nephew of Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha .
Glen Kamara is a defensive midfielder who plays for Finland Under 21s . |
67,175 | be8f18cb5e89b2de91ec7c2e21317397355a67aa | (CNN)Astronauts on the International Space Station will make a spacewalk Sunday despite the appearance of water inside an astronaut's helmet after a spacewalk earlier this week, NASA reported Friday on its website. NASA said the suit worn by NASA astronaut Terry Virts has a history of "sublimator water carryover." Water in the sublimator cooling component can condense when the suit is repressurized after a spacewalk, causing a small amount of water to push into the helmet, NASA said. NASA said International Space Station managers had "a high degree of confidence" in the suit. On the upcoming spacewalk, Virts and Barry Wilmore will install antennas to provide data to visiting vehicles and deploy 400 feet of cable along the edge of the station. Virts said he first noticed traces of fluid and dampness in his helmet Wednesday while he was waiting for the crew lock cabin to repressurize in the International Space Station. He and Wilmore had been outside the space station for nearly seven hours working on the station's robotic arm and performing some maintenance. Virts immediately alerted fellow astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti about the water and she alerted Mission Control in Houston. Cristoforetti helped Virts out of his helmet and examined it. She confirmed the presence of moisture, mostly in the helmet absorption pad, or HAP, describing it as "wet and cold." At the request of Mission Control, Anton Shkaplerov used a syringe to draw as much water as he could from the top of the helmet. Water had collected in the white plastic at the top and around both ear cups. Shkaplerov estimated there was 15 milliliters of water in the helmet. That's a far cry from the amount of water that accumulated in Luca Parmitano's suit during a spacewalk in July 2013. Between 1 and 1.5 liters of water backed up in the suit and helmet, prompting fears Parmitano could drown in his own helmet. The spacewalk was cut short and NASA implemented some changes to its suits, including the addition of absorbent padding in helmets. There was another intrusion of water into the helmet during another spacewalk on December 24, 2013. NASA commentator Rob Navias said it was noticed at the same point in the mission as Wednesday's leak -- during the repressurization of the crew lock, the area from which astronauts enter and exit ISS while in space. | NASA says International Space Station astronauts will make a spacewalk on Sunday .
Astronaut Terry Virts found a small amount of water inside his helmet this week . |
194,276 | 877eb4278947f90887e9ff3e1c549614bc34ff19 | A Los Angeles marketing firm is calling Alex from Target a fake. And they say they're responsible. Breakr, a company dedicated to 'connecting fans to their fandom' announced Tuesday that they'd orchestrated the meme's massive viral popularity. The news was a sharp blow to many teenage Alex from Target lovers, but do they truly have a reason to be upset? Scroll down for video . Is this man responsible for Alex from Target? Dil-Domine Jacobe Leonares (right) is CEO of marketing startup Breakr and says his firm is behind the viral meme . Breakr CEO Dil-Domine Jacobe Leonares wrote in a LinkedIn post about his company's involvement: . 'Yesterday, we had fun on Twitter with the hashtag #AlexFromTarget which ended up to be one of the most amazing social media experiments ever,' he wrote Monday. 'We wanted to see how powerful the fangirl demographic was.' The result was one of the most popular, overnight viral memes ever. On Monday alone, Alex from Target was tweeted about some 1 million times. Alex turned out to be a random, handsome Texas teenage Target employee named Alex Laboeuf. By Tuesday, Laboeuf's Twitter followers numbered around 500,000 and his good fortune continues to pour forth. Ellen Degeneres tweeted a photo of herself along with Alex and the hashtag #AlexFromTargetAtTargetWithEllen. In addition to internet stardom, it appears Alex may have won himself a spot on a holiday Target commercial. But was it Breakr who got him there, or are they just looking to profit from the Alex phenomenon? From the start of the Alex from Target craze, everyone appears to agree it was a British Twitter user named Abbie who first tweeted Alex's photo. Not so fast: The undisputed first person to tweet the photo was this British girl -- she says she's never heard of Breakr . First saw Alex? Texas teen Alanna Page (left) first tweeted about Alex after seeing him at Target in late October. Her friend Brooklyn then responded with the now-infamous pic of Alex after seeing him for herself and a meme was born . So how did a girl in England hook up with a California marketing startup with a handful of employees and an app on the iTunes store boasting all of 30 reviews? She didn't. Abbie herself says she has no idea who they are. 'i dont work for breakr wtf i dont even know what it is,' she tweeted. She also shared on Tuesday evening some of her not-so-positive feelings about the craze. 'whatever im so done with this alex s***' she tweeted. What's more, as the Daily Dot reports, Abbie wasn't the photographer--it was more likely a girl named Brooklyn Reiff, who recognized Alex while in line at Target from a tweet her friend had sent previously. 'Alanna tweeted about a checkout guy at target being attractive & I soon found myself in his checkout line.. remembering Alanna's tweet,' Reiff told the Daily Dot. 'I quickly snapped a pic of 'Alex from Target' and tweeted Alanna.' Neither Reiff nor Alanna Page have had any connections to -- or even heard of Breakr -- either. 'I have never heard of Breakr but a few of my friends are sending me links to the post but I don't really know what it is,' Reiff added. Viral craze: Alex from Target is Alex Laboeuf (right). His skyrocketing popularity appears to have gotten him onto a commercial beside Ellen Degeneres, who tweeted this photo . Popular: Celebrities and fangirl teens alike have jumped on the Alex from Target bandwagon . Target also tweeted their take on Alex from Target, though they appear to have had nothing to do with creating the meme . | A company called Breakr says they orchestrated the Alex phenomenon .
However, the first person to tweet the photo claims she got it from Tumblr and is a British teen while Breakr is based in Los Angeles . |
256,120 | d7885785e64d836f0c72523e3d19f76254c5be85 | Derby County appear to be on course for their second signing of the January window with reports in Spain announcing a deal has been struck for Eibar defender Raul Albentosa. Head coach Steve McClaren has stated more new arrivals would follow Darren Bent through the door and a fee of £470,000 is said to have been reached for the 26-year-old. McClaren admitted on Thursday that Derby were looking at positions to strengthen to allow regular first-team players the opportunity of rest as the season reaches its second half. Derby are set to sign Eibar defender Raul Albentosa (left) for £470,000 during the January transfer window . Centre-back is an obvious area that could be improved by another option, with an additional left-back also likely to be on the list. At 6ft 4in Albentosa is an imposing centre-back and has helped Eibar to eighth in La Liga this season. ‘We are looking at one or two possibilities,’ McClaren said. 'We have got one or two positions in which we are over-playing players at the present moment, and we are looking in those areas.’ The 6ft 4in centre back (left) will bolster the Rams' defensive options as they seek promotion this season . | Raul Albentosa will bolster Derby's defensive options for promotion bid .
Centre-back has helped Eibar to eighth in La Liga this season .
Albentosa would be Derby's second signing this window after Darren Bent . |
240,274 | c30adb0f860bdae8d2b1bc4a784515987fa44bb3 | These dramatic sequence of pictures show a driver mow down a pensioner, before reversing over the victim a second time as they thought the car was stuck on a speed bump. Footage of the accident was recorded on another driver's dashboard camera in the Sakha Republic, in north-eastern Russia. The video shows a 4x4 reverse out of a parking space. Unknown to the driver, identified as Lucia Ilyina, a pensioner, Milena Blinova, 68, was crossing the road behind her. Scroll down for video . Pensioner Milena Blinova, 68, was stood behind the car in the Sakha Republic, in north-eastern Russia . As the car started to reverse out of a parking space, the pensioner tried to scuttle away . Before any one could alert the driver, the pensioner was hit to the ground and dragged under the rear wheels . Before any one had the chance to intervene, the pensioner was knocked to the ground and dragged under the rear wheels of the vehicle. But instead of stopping, Ms Ilyina started to accelerate backwards - as she thought she had got wedged on a speed bump. She only stopped when startled passers-by shouted at her to stop. Shocked onlookers intervene to help the stricken pensioner, who was mistaken by the driver for a speed bump . Pensioner Milena Blinova was taken to hospital and is recovering from leg fractures and bruising . Ms Ilyina, 37, explained: 'I didn't see her at all but as I was going back I felt the car bump onto something. 'I thought it was a speed hump or a pothole so I accelerated to try to get over it.' Police say Ms Blinova is recovering after treatment for leg fractures and bruising. Police spokesman Dmitry Evseyev said: 'It was not any one person's fault. We have had words with the driver about her need to take more care, but there are no charges.' | Driver, Lucia Ilyina, reversed over pensioner, Milena Blinova in car park .
Drove over victim twice as she thought the car was stuck on a speed bump .
Footage was recorded on a driver's dashboard camera in north-east Russia .
The 68-year-old is recovering after treatment for leg fractures and bruising .
Police have said Ms Ilyina will not face any charges over the incident . |
263,611 | e16d774c065730eaacb3cc502cdca0c9e73440bc | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:54 EST, 17 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 17 November 2012 . Men and women risked broken bones on Friday in a race to see who can strut the best in stilettos. Up to 100 runners from the Marikina suburb of Manila in the Philippines competed in the whacky annual race, Tour of Heels. Competitors scrambled along a 500 metre track in heels at least three inches high in an unusual test of balance and endurance. Up to 100 runners competed in the annual race in the Marikina suburb of Manila in the Philippines, pictured . Competitors scrambled along a 500 metre track in a variety of flamboyant heels at least three inches high . The race takes place to celebrate the shoe festival in Marikina, the shoe capital of the country . Competitors wore a dazzling array of outfits in a bid to win the 'shoe-perstar award' for most glamorous runner . The race takes place to celebrate the shoe festival in Marikina, which is known as the shoe capital of the country. Men and women were kept separate during the event to prevent any injuries as they raced to the finish line. Runner Karel Blances admitted: 'It is difficult having to tiptoe and I salute those women who wear high heels. It definitely hurts to wear them.' Competitors wore a range of flamboyant outfits to match their stilettos in a bid to win the 'shoe-perstar award' for the most glamorous runner. Men were kept separate from women during the race to prevent any injuries . One woman even wore her bridal dress to claim the sought-after award for most glamorous runner . Glendolly Sumait wore her bridal dress to try to claim the award and finish first. But she was let down by the bulkiness of her dress. She said: 'It is easier to run with rubber shoes because you can easily run fast, instead of wearing heels where you need to look sexy while running.' Cash prizes were awarded to the quickest and best dressed runners of the race. Gerald De Asis, who fended off competition to be crowned the winner of the men's division, said the secret to his success was willpower and technique. He said: 'You have to balance yourself so you won't trip and don't think about what you're wearing. Just keep running.' Medics were on hand to tend to any injuries as competitors tripped and heels snapped . | Up to 100 runners competed in the bizarre annual race on Friday in the Filipino capital of Manila .
The competition takes place to celebrate the shoe festival in the Marikina suburb - known as the shoe capital of the Philippines . |
176,199 | 701b44c8cc193ba366f09e19ea1e027b2c497d3f | By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 12:58 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:40 EST, 22 January 2014 . Kanwal Butt, 17, died immediately after putting his ear to the tracks to see if his train was approaching . A teenage boy was fatally electrocuted after trying to 'listen' to train tracks – as is done in his native Pakistan. Kanwal Butt, 17, suffered severe burns and died immediately after putting his ear to the live rail to see if his train was approaching Godstone station in Surrey, an inquest heard. Kanwal, who had come to the UK from Pakistan with his family 18 months earlier, had already walked across the tracks to the intercom to ask staff why his train was late. The 17-year-old then clambered down from the platform again, knelt down and leaned towards the deadly rail, which discharged a shock that killed him instantly. An inquest was told that the teenager, who was making his first solo train journey in Britain, would probably not have known about live rails. His father, Amjad Butt, told police in a statement: ‘He has never travelled alone by train. In Pakistan trains operate on coal or diesel. I don’t think Kanwal would have known the rails are full of electricity. ‘In Pakistan you can walk across the track.’ The popular teenager was three weeks into a work experience placement at an Indian and Nepalese restaurant in Godstone and had been excited about returning to his family in Aldershot, Hampshire, to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid. His death prompted his family and a local councillor to call for greater emphasis on rail-side warnings, especially in an age when more people are travelling to Britain to live and work. Gary Roberts, a customer service operator for Southern Railways, told police in a statement how on August 7 last year he was on duty in his office, answering calls from the public and operating the CCTV cameras across the network. He said he received a call at 10.20pm from Godstone station from a foreign man who was asking why the board at the station said the train was at 10.40pm when online it had said it would call at 10.30pm. He told him it was running late and then advised him on where to change for the journey home. The next thing Mr Roberts knew of the situation was when a duty manager called him asking him to review CCTV footage from Godstone after receiving reports of a body on the line. Detective Sergeant Danny Stockdale, of British Transport Police, said: ‘It shows Mr Butt arriving at the station at about 10.09pm, on his own, carrying a suitcase. ‘He goes onto the platform. He jumps down onto the tracks crosses the tracks on foot, on to the other platform, where he is for a couple of minutes, then crosses back over the tracks. ‘He stays for a few seconds, goes down on the tracks, goes on to his knees, leans forward, puts his head onto the tracks.’ An inquest was told that the teenager, who was making his first solo train journey in Britain from Godstone station (pictured), would probably not have known about live rails . Mr Roberts said the next thing visible was smoke, before Kanwal was seen lying on the tracks. Parshuram Pandey, from the Lal Akash restaurant, said: ‘In Pakistan to find out if a train is approaching you would kneel on the ground and put your ear to the rail.’ Mr Pandey also described Kanwal as ‘a very nice boy’ who was liked by everybody at the restaurant and had already become good friends with people in the short time he was with them. Chef Sandip Pokharel said: ‘I only knew him for three weeks but I’m upset because he was such a lovely person.’ He had been excited at the prospect of going home but turned down an offer to be dropped off at Redhill railway station because he did not want to be any trouble. Instead he accepted help in working out train times, packed his case and made his way to the nearby station. Soon afterwards, staff saw emergency vehicles converging on the site. The inquest heard that officers told them there was a trespasser on the railway. Mr Butt, through local district and county councillor Charles Choudhary, questioned whether the train information boards had been working at the time his son was at the station, because he had been agitated by the late-running train. Mr Butt told the coroner: ‘My son was a lovely, lively, happy boy who had just sat his exams at college and has got good results. He wanted to go to further education college. ‘I can’t believe this has happened and my family are all in great shock.’ Kanwal's death prompted his family and a local councillor to call for greater emphasis on rail-side warnings . But assistant coroner Belinda Cheney, presiding at the inquest in Woking, Surrey, said: ‘It’s not the fact that the train was running late that causes his death. It’s his going down on to the track.’ She concluded: ‘He was an extremely likeable young man who was looking forward to going home and may well have been anxious about his late-running train. ‘However, for reasons we will never know he decided to go down onto the track rather than use the footbridge to ascertain when that train was coming. ‘He appears to place his ear to the track, possibly to determine when his late-running train will arrive and not appreciating the tracks are electrified. ‘I will record that he died as an accident.’ Afterwards Mr Choudhary said: ‘What we have to do is make the public more aware of the dangers of people jumping onto the tracks. ‘A large number of people are coming from Europe, Asia and Africa and there needs to be a system to let the public know it’s dangerous. ‘The warnings have to be on the platform, in front of you.’ | Kanwal Butt, 17, died immediately in Godstone, Surrey, an inquest heard .
He had already crossed the tracks to ask staff why his train was late .
The teenager, who moved to the UK 18 months ago and was travelling alone by train for the first time, may not have known about live rails . |
190,241 | 8250ae4be995343004ca01b61932a60db9fb6b5e | By . Laura Williamson and Adam Shergold . PUBLISHED: . 04:26 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:08 EST, 25 July 2012 . The 30th Summer Olympic Games officially opened this afternoon and there was a perfect start for Team GB as the women's football team beat New Zealand 1-0. But organsiers were forced to make a grovelling apology to the North Korean team who refused to start theIR match against Colombia when the South Korean flag was displayed by mistake. In the British match a free-kick from Steph Houghton after 65 minutes split the sides at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, though the ground was only half-full for Britain's historic debut in the competition. Great Britain players and coach Hope Powell celebrate at the final whistle after the team beat New Zealand 1-0 . Stephanie Houghton (far right) curls home the winning goal as Team GB beat New Zealand 1-0 at the Millennium Stadium . Talking about the mix-up with the . North Korean flag organisers said: 'Today ahead of the women's football . match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen . video package instead of the North Korean flag. 'Clearly that is a mistake. We will . apologize to the team and the National Olympic Committee and steps will . be taken to ensure this does not happen again.' The match against Colombia was delayed more than an hour and was scheduled to start shortly. Gaffe: The South Korean Flag is shown next to a North Korea player before the match against Colombia which had to be delayed after the North Koreans refused to play . Shock: Horrified North Korean supporters watch on after the flag of their bitter rivals South Korea is displayed by mistake . Hasty Correction: The North Korean team did eventually take to the field after the right flag was displayed . Despite all the organisers' claims that . the Olympics would sell-out, Team GB kicked off the London Games in . front of swathes of empty seats. But . those in attendance saw a winning start, as Houghton's perfect 25-yard . free-kick proved the difference in a tightly-fought match. Officially, an estimated . 40,000 tickets had been sold - which would be a record for a women's . football international in Britain - but there were huge swathes of empty . seats when the match began as fans drifted into the stadium. There were plenty of seats to choose from as Great Britain and New Zealand emerged into the Millennium Stadium to get the 2012 Olympics underway . Fans get ready for the start of the Olympics at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but there were plenty of empty seats at the Great Britain versus New Zealand women's football match . Those that did arrive early wouldn't have been too inspired by a goalless first-half, but Great Britain gained the upper hand after half-time. As . of yesterday, 36,200 tickets had been sold in advance - barely enough . to fill two tiers of the 74,000-capacity stadium - with a few thousand . expected to pick up £20 seats on the gate to watch Hope Powell's team. The unfilled seats would have come as a disappointment for Games organiser Lord Coe, who . was in Cardiff to officially declare the Olympics open. He said: 'We are ready, the nation is ready - let the Games begin. Lord Sebastian Coe was in Cardiff to officially declare the Olympics open before the first women's football match of the Games between Great Britain and New Zealand . 'It has been a long journey but I’m convinced these games will lift the nation and bring the country together. 'We’ve . proved the doubters wrong by getting everything ready on time and we’re . looking forward to making these Olympics a huge success. 'When I arrived in Cardiff I felt I had arrived in an Olympic city - this is the start of the Games in a fantastic setting. 'We haven’t left any stone unturned in giving the athletes the platform on which to perform.' Millennium Stadium general manager Gerry Toms stressed the historic nature of the occasion as a Team GB women's football team played in the Olympics for the first time. He said: 'There was some criticism that ticket sales were slow. 'But a normal women’s football game would attract about 6,000-8,000 and we are close to 40,000. 'Clearly there is an interest in the football and the Olympics. People who are not normally football fans want to be able to say that they were there.' The Great Britain team play New Zealand this afternoon in the first event of the 2012 Olympic Games . Meanwhile, 41,000 will be at Hampden Park in Glasgow this evening for a women's football double-header of the United States v France and North Korea v Columbia. While this will fill most of the 52,000-seater Scottish national stadium, only 6,500 of the tickets have actually been sold. The remainder have been given away to charities, youth groups and sports clubs. Organisers said overall 80,000 free tickets had been distributed for Hampden's eight Olympic matches. Two other games will be played today at the City of Coventry Stadium, which holds 32,500. The Millennium stadium had been cleaned and freshly painted for the occasion, the familiar red of the Welsh national rugby and football teams replaced by purple Olympic paraphernalia. The finishing touches are applied to Olympic branding at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff ahead of Team GB's women's football opener with New Zealand . Cardiff likes to shout about its sporting pedigree, and rightly so. Team GB boast a record number of Welsh athletes — 30 (which beats the 27 who appeared in 1908) — including two captains: Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs and 400 metres hurdles world champion Dai Greene. A giant set of Olympic rings, measuring 18m x 8m (59ft x 26ft), has been outside the City Hall since late April. Huge crowds cheered the Olympic torch when it visited Cardiff in May. Team GB striker Kelly Smith on the ball in a training session in Cardiff ahead of the Olympics opener against New Zealand . About £160,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent on ‘cleansing and animating’ the city centre, which is prettily dressed in bunting to mark the 11 football matches it will hold over the next 16 days. But this hasn't translated into ticket sales. Tickets will be available on the gate today, starting at £20 with Under 16s paying their age. The ease of catching a train from London also means the city has seen only a modest rise in hotel bookings. A recent poll by Cardiff-based . newspaper The Western Mail saw 52 per cent of 1,006 respondents agree . with the statement: ‘I don’t think Wales will see any benefits from the . London 2012 Olympics.’ It . was God Save The Queen that was rehearsed at the stadium yesterday, in . preparation for the arrival of a British team that does not include a . single Welsh player. But . the British team are looking forward to their chance to take . centre-stage in a home Olympic Games. Their match will be broadcast live . on BBC One from 3.30pm this afternoon. Those . in attendance at the Millennium Stadium will witness history, because . this is the first time a British women's football team has participated . in the Olympics. 'It is fantastic to be opening the Games and that we aren't competing with any other sport,' said Team GB captain Casey Stoney. 'This is as big as the World Cup. If opening the Games with the first-ever GB side is pressure, let's make it a good one. 'We are desperate to do well and make sure we leave a lasting legacy for women's football.' Team GB face a tricky group with Cameroon and Brazil, one of the favourites for gold, to play after New Zealand. | Free-kick from Steph Houghton gives GB 1-0 victory over New Zealand .
Lord Coe declares the Olympic Games officially open before match .
But there's lots of empty seats at the Millennium Stadium as the first Olympic event gets underway .
40,000-strong crowd still a record for a women's football international .
30,000 tickets given away free for tonight's matches at Hampden Park . |
4,272 | 0c4e81d5f7d519102a0aa6cac494532d65a7b38e | By . Lillian Radulova . Two pregnant women who threw bleach out a car window and hit a four-year-old girl have had their jail terms quashed. The pair have instead been placed on good behaviour bonds. Sarah Louise Roan, 21, and Lauren Jackson, 22, appealed against the severity of their sentences after they were handed at least six months in prison for hurling Harpic White and Shine from a moving car in northwest Sydney. Scroll down for video . Sarah Louise Roan, 21, (right) and Lauren Jackson, 22, (left) avoided their original six-month jail sentences for throwing bleach at a toddler at Kellyville Ridge last year . The bleach hit a mother and her four-year-old girl, who dropped to the ground and screamed: 'It's stinging! It's stinging!'. After the girl's eyes swelled up, her mother took her to hospital for treatment. She suffered no permanent injuries. On appeal, both women said they did not know they had hit the girl when Jackson threw the bleach out the window at Kellyville Ridge in May last year. Parramatta District Court heard that Roan was driving when she began throwing a series of items, including a pair of socks and a ball out the window, hitting an oncoming vehicle. The Parramatta District Court placed the pregnant women on good behaviour bonds after their appeal . Soon after, Jackson joined her in throwing things from the car, before yelling 'skanks' at two children, believed to be about eight years old. Jackson then threw the bottle of bleach. On appeal Jackson said she was 'upset' when she discovered the toilet cleaner gel had struck the four-year-old girl. The next day Roan handed herself into police. Jackson's lawyer Greg West argued that some of the facts of the case may have been 'misunderstood' by the magistrate on sentence and argued that neither woman deserved full-time custodial sentences. The four-year-old girl was splashed in the eyes when the bleach was thrown out of the car's windows. She was taken to hospital for treatment . He pointed out it could mean both being separated from their soon-to-be born children. Judge Norman Delaney quashed their sentences on Monday and placed Roan on a six-month good behaviour bond. Jackson was placed on a two-year bond for one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a six-month bond for one count of assault. | Sarah Roan, 21, and Lauren Jackson, 22, received good behaviour bonds .
They admitted to throwing bleach out of their car window, hitting a toddler .
The four-year-old girl had to be taken to hospital for treatment .
Their lawyer pointed out that a harsh sentence could mean them being separated from their soon-to-be born children .
Their appeal was upheld, and their jail sentences were quashed . |
238,328 | c07d442b5f037ba17bffe621d050dd7006d11deb | Volatile volcano Mount Etna has been blowing perfect 'smoke' rings into Sicily's blue skies. The volcano erupted violently on November 11 and since then has produced regular explosions, as well as hundreds of perfect vortex rings. While theories abound, scientists are not entirely sure why the volcano is able to blow the circular puffs of steam - although some think a circular vent could be the cause. Scroll down for video . Volatile volcano Mount Etna has been blowing perfect smoke rings after erupting violently on November 11 and has since produced regular explosions, as well as dozens of perfect vortex rings . Some of the smoke rings measure hundreds of feet in diameter, according to Volcano Discovery. German volcanologist Dr Tom Pfeiffer, who founded the volcano watching website and runs tours of active volcanoes, said dozens of smoke rings were blown eastwards by a strong wind. He believes the reason for the unusual smoke-like formations is because the violent eruption had changed the structure of a vent – perhaps into a particularly circular shape that allowed the volcano to make the steam rings, which he said are a ‘rare phenomenon'. Writing on the website, he said: ‘Being . Etna, she exaggerates: Not only one ring every now and then, but she . made dozens if not hundreds during a few hours, often in a row.’ In 2,000 when the volcano produced another series of impressive rings, Two volcanologists, said they could be formed by rapid gas pulses emitted by narrow vents into the atmosphere. More recent rings are pictured . Volatile volcano Mount Etna has been blowing perfect smoke rings after erupting violently on November 11 and has since produced regular explosions, as well as dozens of perfect vortex rings . It is not the first time that Etna has managed to produce the circular smoke rings and photographs have been taken of them since the 1970s and notably in the year 2000. Mount Etna is the tallest and most active . volcano in Europe and is situated on the geological boundary where the . European and African plates collide. In . 2,000 when the volcano produced another series of impressive rings, Two . volcanologists, Drs Jurg Alean and Maro Fulle, told the BBC: ‘They [the rings] could be formed by rapid gas pulses emitted by narrow vents into the atmosphere. ‘The physics seems somewhat complicated and we are trying to establish if there are sound scientific theories about them.’ The pair run a monitoring station and keep a photographic record of the volcano’s activity. Other experts have theories about why the rings of steam are produced. It is not the first time that Etna has managed to produce the circular steam rings and photographs have been taken of them since the 1970s and notably in the year 2000. Here, it is possible to see the steam rings above the volcano . German volcanologist Dr Tom Pfeiffer believes the reason for the unusual smokey formations is because the violent eruption had changed the morphology of a vent . Writing on Fiboni blog, Sana Lane said steam rings above volcanoes typically measure between 100m and 200m across. She said 'vortex rings' are formed when air mixes with steam or smoke, having been forced out of a small circular opening. Because there is a bottleneck at the opening, the air in the centre if forced out faster, which creates a circular motion to form a vortex. The shape of the ring is maintained because of the rotational motion of the air so the rings need the right shaped opening and velocity to form. Mount Etna is not the only volcano to have created the curious rings and Stromboli in Italy, Hekla in Iceland and Mount Aso in Japan are also said to have produced steam rings. Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, close to the cities of Messina and Catania. It lies on a convergent plate margin between the African plate and the Erasian Plate. It is the tallest active volcano on the European continent at 3,329m high . When Etna started to erupt last month (pictured) none of the villages of Catania, dotted around the mountain, needed to be evacuated, though airspace over the southern Italian island was briefly closed . More than 25 per cent of Sicily's population lives on Etna's slopes, and it is the main source of income for the island - a combination of agriculture, due to its rich volcanic soil, and tourism. Here, Etna is pictured erupting last month . | The volcano in Sicily erupted violently on November 11 and has created hundreds of smoke rings that travelled east .
Volcanologist Dr Tom Pfeiffer, who photographed the phenomenon, believes they were produced by a circular vent .
It is not the first time Etna has managed to produce the smoky halos . |
35,956 | 6611a8ae523605a9bf04e2492dd2386ade1fc2d1 | SAN JOSE, California -- Top-seed Andy Roddick easily defeated Delray Beach winner Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2 6-4 in the headline match at the ATP tournament in San Jose on Thursday night. A pumped up Roddick needed little over an hour to dispatch teenager Nishikori. Roddick needed just 63 minutes to defeat the 18-year-old Japanese who won his first ATP title on Sunday and was on an eight-match winning run. But American number one Roddick imposed his quality from the start by taking a commanding 3-0 lead and breaking Nishikori's serve before the youngster won a game. Roddick, who has won twice in San Jose, repeated the break later in a feisty opening set which came to a head in the seventh game. Roddick barked at the young player as they exchanged shots at the net. Nishikori held his cool, did not respond, and just walked away. "I didn't understand a word he said," Nishikori said. But when pressed he acknowledged that he did in fact understand what Roddick had shouted at him but just did not want to repeat it before the press. But Roddick had no trouble repeating what he had said. "I told him to stick me with it the next time. I just let him know that he needs to finish it. I had no problem with it. But it was a monologue." Roddick duly rounded off the set in the next game and broke Nishikori's service in the fourth game of the second only for his youthful opponent to break straight back. But as Nishikori served at 4-5 to stay in the tournament he made two crucial errors. He missed an easy slam shot that would have given him the advantage at deuce and then saw his saw his volley go wide that gave Roddick the match. "I made too many easy mistakes," Nishikori said. "I didn't take advantage of the many chances I had. But overall I was happy with the way I played." In the early evening match, James Blake, beaten by Nishikori in the Delray Beach final, overcame first-serve problems to beat Jesse Levine 6-4 6-4 to move onto the quarterfinals. The second-seeded New Yorker, ranked ninth in the world, will face Robby Ginepri in the quarterfinals. "I thought I played well," Blake said. "I felt comfortable and although I had a slow start I was able to put pressure on Jesse." In afternoon matches, John Isner beat third-seeded German Tommy Haas 4-6 7-6 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals. Isner, the ATP Tour's second-tallest player at six-foot-nine, will next face Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Haas, ranked 26th in the world, was three match points from winning the second set in a tiebreaker before the 106th-ranked Isner rallied to win. Fifth-seeded Mardy Fish also advanced, beating Germany's Denis Gremelmayr 6-7 6-3 6-3 to make the quarterfinals for the second week in a row. Fish will face Roddick in the quarterfinals. Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun beat American lucky loser Wayne Odesnik 6-4 6-4. Lu will face fourth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek in the quarterfinals. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. | Top seed Andy Roddick reaches last eight of ATP tournament in San Jose .
The American defeats Delray Beach winner Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2 6-4 .
Second seed James Blake also advances but third seed Tommy Haas is out . |
286,769 | ff8dbf71a05c826e6931aec0a21a97d3fbed5d6d | A U.S. senator warned on Thursday that ISIS, the militant terror group sweeping across Iraq, aims to destroy an American population center and is working on a plan to do it. 'They're crazy out there and they're rapidly developing a method of blowing up a major U.S. city and people just can't believe that's happening,' Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe told the Fox-25 television in Oklahoma City. Inhofe, the ranking GOP member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that leaders of ISIS 'are really bad terrorists. They're so bad even al-Qaeda is afraid of them.' Rep. Jim Bridenstine, a fellow Oklahoma Republican and a committee member, told the Tulsa World that ISIS Islamists are 'cutting children's bodies in half. They're shooting them. I've never seen anything like it.' Scroll down for video . The Oklahoma senator warned that the US faces a novel and potentially catastrophic threat from ISIS, and said President Barack Obama isn't up to the task of defeating the terror group . The warnings came after a stomach-churning video released Tuesday showed the beheading of American photojournalist James Foley at the hands of an ISIS militant, and on the heels of a press briefing where Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the U.S. military's job is to 'get ready' for whatever battle might lie ahead. ISIS is 'as sophisticated and well-funded as any group that we have seen,' Hagel said, appearing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. 'They're beyond just a terrorist group,' Hagel said. 'They marry ideology and a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well funded. ...This is beyond anything we've seen, so we must prepare for everything.' 'It's a long-term threat,' he conceded under questioning from reporters, adding moments later that 'the president has been very clear on mission creep. And he's made it very clear that he will not allow that.' Gen. Dempsey warned that America's involvement in Iraq will continue for years to come, citing the intensity of hatred among ethnic, religious and tribal groups there. 'The conflict against those groups – most of which are local, some of which are regional, and some of which are global in nature – that's going to be a very long contest,' he said. Rep. Jim Bridenstine said if America is going to do battle with ISIS, 'we have to win' 'It's ideological. It's not political. It's religious in many cases. So, yes, it's going to be a very long contest.' Bridenstine said hours later that 'if we're going to do these kinds of operations, we have to win.' But a frustrated Inhofe said Thursday night that he fears President Obama isn't up to the task, despite the tough words he delivered Wednesday before hitting the golf course. 'Obama's lofty rhetoric is undermined by fainthearted follow-through and lack of meaningful action,' he told the World. 'The president's limited strikes in Iraq have not halted ISIS' momentum but only temporarily redirected it,' said Inhofe. 'Without sustained pressure, ISIS will regroup and continue its campaign of terror.' 'We're in the most dangerous position we've ever been in as a nation,' he told Fox-25. A top Marine general agreed on Wednesday, writing on the DefenseOne website that if the U.S. military doesn't 'eradicate' ISIS now more attacks on the West will come. General John Allen praised Obama for the ordering airstrikes on ISIS camps in northern Iraq, but he urged him to 'move quickly to pressure the organisations entire "nervous system," break it up, and destroy its pieces.' 'The U.S. is now firmly in the game and remains the only nation on the planet capable of exerting the kind of strategic leadership, influence and strike capacity to deal with IS[IS],' he wrote. 'It is also the only power capable of organizing a coalition's reaction to this regional and international threat.' ‘This group,' he wrote, 'is not a flash in the pan that will go away of its own accord or if we don’t poke at it.' General Allen praised Obama for recent airstrikes, but urged him to 'move quickly to pressure the organisations entire "nervous system"' Allen also denied that the U.S. military was war weary, saying it's fully capable of attacking and reducing ISIS. ‘We should do it now, but supported substantially by our traditional allies and partners, especially by those in the region who have the most to give – and the most to lose – if the Islamic State’s march continues.' ‘If we delay now, we will pay later.' The president told a global audience this week from his Martha's Vineyard vacation spot that the U.S. 'will continue to do what we must do to protect our people.' 'We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what's necessary to see that justice is done.' 'We act against ISIL, standing alongside others,' Obama added, hinting at his 'coalition' strategy rather than a plan to strike unilaterally with overwhelming American force. Inhofe, though, warned that without a concrete plan, Obama's words ring hollow. 'Relentless': Obama drew fire this week for golfing as an angry nation mourned the death of journalist James Foley at the hands of an ISIS militant . The video, uploaded to jihadi websites on Tuesday, shows the beginning of Foley's decapitation – and then his severed head resting on top of his prone body . 'You have to come up with something that we're going to do,' the senator said, 'because they're holding another hostage in place.' 'And the problem is, the president, quite frankly – he says all these things and he never does them.' With the right strategy, he added, the U.S. could defeat ISIS on its home turf before the threat arrives on America's doorstep. 'This idea that they're coming and infiltrating the United States – sure, some are coming in who have had an association with ISIS. But the majority of them are still over there,' he said. The senator also defended the United States government's sweeping intelligence programs that have drawn barbs from civil libertarians, suggesting that information dragnets would play a part in keeping ISIS at bay. 'You have to have an intelligence process going on to stop attacks on America,' he said. | Oklahoma senator said Obama needs a plan to crush the terror group .
'They're so bad even al-Qaeda is afraid of them,' Inhofe said .
Another member of Congress said 'they're cutting children's bodies in half. They're shooting them. I've never seen anything like it'
Obama draws a series of red-lines and 'says all these things and he never does them,' Inhofe claimed .
His policy shows a 'fainthearted follow-through and lack of meaningful action' |
47,980 | 876c4b1a606cd9d5630fd8095838726707f43b77 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 04:47 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:17 EST, 11 April 2013 . In Iraq's national museum, home to some of the world's most precious artefacts of ancient Mesopotamia, a caption beside a skeleton simply reads in English: 'dated to very old time.' And some of the museum's most impressive pieces carry no labels at all - like a giant stone head lying on the ground that may or may not belong on a nearby empty pedestal labelled 'Assyrian King Nimrod,' the Biblical tormentor of the patriarch Abraham. Ten years after Iraq's national museum was looted and smashed by thieves during the US-led invasion in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein, it is still far from ready to reopen to the public. A sign next to a skeleton in Iraq's national museum says it is 'dated to very old time'. The staff face the problem of not having enough background about the museum's collection and an incomplete inventory . Ten years after the US invasion, the national museum is still not ready to reopen to the public . Only Iraqi students and officials or foreign delegations are able to visit the museum by prior arrangement . Among the treasures that survived the looting is this lion, symbolising Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. The panel came from the Ishtar gate, Babylon and dates back to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II from 605-562BC . Work to overcome decades of neglect and the destruction of war has been hindered by power struggles, poorly-skilled staff and the persistent violence plaguing the country, said Bahaa Mayah, Iraq's most senior antiquities official. 'I wish that the great historical Baghdad would appear in her finest face and that the Iraq museum opens,' said Mayah, the head of antiquities in the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry. 'But our wishes crash against the unfortunate reality we live in.' The museum was once the showcase for 7,000 years of history in Mesopotamia, birthplace of some of the first cities and one of the first writing systems - cuneiform - and home to a succession of major civilisations, including the Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian, through to a flourishing Islamic empire. The museum was left a wreck the day after Baghdad fell to US troops on April 10, 2003. Ancient clay scrolls and pottery littered the floor. Looters made off with everything from gold bowls and ritual funeral masks to elaborate headdresses. The US was sharply criticised for not protecting the museum. Recovered statues from the 2003 looting . Because the museum's inventory was never completed, it is uncertain how many pieces were stolen, but the number is estimated at 15,000 pieces. More than a quarter have been retrieved, said Mayah, who has overseen the museum formally since 2012 but has been involved in its renovations for the past five years. Work began soon after the museum was smashed up in 2003, starting with the basics, such as computers, office furniture, air conditioning. By mid-2004, the museum was rewired for electricity and most basic repairs to its structure completed. Since then, the US and Italian governments have helped renovate the halls. But work has been slow. Only five of . 30 exhibition halls have been renovated so far - and two of those have . to be done again because they were improperly done. As . a result, the museum is still not open to the general public. Its only . visitors are specially arranged foreign delegations, Iraqi officials and . field trips by Iraqi students. It is . part of a broader problem of preservation of antiquities in Iraq. There . are over 12,000 registered archaeological sites in Iraq but they are . mostly not protected, allowing for widespread, ongoing looting, Mayah told the Associated Press. The museum itself . was shut from the early 1990s by regime officials who said they . feared for its safety, as Saddam mired the country in war, leading to . crippling sanctions. The . closure meant the museum's inventory wasn't updated. Sanctions meant . staff couldn't update their skills, and many qualified employees left . amid an exodus of Iraqis from the country. Tens of thousands of artefacts chronicling some 7,000 years of civilisation in Mesopotamia are believed to have been looted from Iraq in the chaos which followed the US-led invasion ten years ago . Despite international efforts, fewer than half of the missing artefacts have so far been found and returned to the museum . Objects in the museum include this cosmetic container carved from stone, found near Ur . Statues from the ninth century Kingdom of Nimrod are among the works still in the museum's possession . In a central Baghdad quarter, the museum is surrounded by high concrete blast walls. Guards check bags in a caravan set up in the neglected museum garden. The main entrance is under construction, so visitors enter through a corridor leading to administrative rooms. An Associated Press reporter said the renovated exhibition halls were eerily quiet, with gleaming floors and shining display cases, the artefacts encased neatly inside. The sound of workers employing drills was palpable as they renovated another hall. A ladder was strewn under a map of ancient Mesopotamia. Fewer than half of the 15,000 stolen objects have been found and returned . Two of the renovated rooms are meant to showcase the Sumerian civilization, which emerged some 3,000 years ago. But the labels on the artefacts shed little light on the antiquities that represent some of humankind's most important milestones. Many labels lacked the age of the artefact, where it was found, what civilisation it belonged to, or what its use was. Some didn't have labels at all. Nowhere in the hall - or anywhere else - is it explained who the Sumerians were or how they influenced later civilisations. In one of the displays lay a skeleton in the earth it was found in, alongside rings and jars. A printed label beside it read: 'A human skeleton found in situ, put beside him some jars and rings between him dated to very old time.' The label on a fist-sized figurine of a monkey clutching his ears simply identifies it as 'some monkey.' A hand-sized stone carving in one display case was described as 'the legendary hero Gilgamesh wrestling with two lions, early 3rd millennium,' with no further explanation of who Gilgamesh was - the Sumerian hero-king of one of the first written stories in history. UK-based Iraqi archaeologist Lamia . al-Gailani, who is following the renovations, said labels were lacking . because the outdated inventory didn't list the pieces and the staff, . lacking expertise, weren't familiar with the pieces' background. A . US State Department official advising on the renovation said it was . better to display the pieces imperfectly than keep them hidden. But . more problematic and confusing, is that the displays in the Sumerian . halls mix in artefacts from the later Babylonian era, as well as from . the Neanderthals, an entirely different hominid species from homo . sapiens that died out some 30,000 years ago. Mayah . said the two halls would be renovated again this year. Sometime this . year, he hopes, all the finished halls can be opened to the general . public. Other renovated halls fared better. Displays in the hall on Baghdad's Islamic dynasty were clear. Another hall explained the significance of the 5,000 year-old Arab city of Hatra, adorned with rare statues. The items still under the museum's care include this Bronze Age carved stone vessel found in the Ur area . Other treasures include a limestone slab depicting the water god, Ea, receiving a minor deity . Stone figures depicting the family of Sanatruq I, the king of Hatra, found at the site of the ancient city . Another find from Hatra, this limestone statue of a cloaked woman . The museum's prize is the soaring Assyrian hall, chronicling the kingdom that rose to become a major empire in the region in the 2nd and 1st millennia B.C. The hall is lined with stone etchings of giant winged creatures and statues of hand-clasped Assyrian kings. Yet even here, at the hall's rear, lay the unidentified broken stone head the size of an exercise ball, bearded and wearing a crown. Nearby stood an empty pedestal labeled for a statue of Nimrod. 'Even the renovations that have been done are disappointing. I won't compare it to the great museums of the world, but still - it's way behind,' said a UN adviser to the museum who spoke anonymously, not wishing to offend local staff. Turf battles over the museum haven't helped. The culture ministry and tourism ministry both claimed authority over the museum in 2005, confusing staff and delaying renovations. The body that directly oversees the museum - the State Antiquities Authority - was leaderless from 2006 onwards. In 2012, the Iraqi parliament finally definitively put the museum under the tourism ministry. Ongoing . violence, particularly suicide bombings hitting Baghdad during most of . the past ten years, has also kept away foreign experts who could have . helped speed the process, said al-Gailani. The violence also means tourists are staying away from Iraq, reducing the incentive for staff to speed up renovations. One US official said it was better for the museum to display the items with imperfect details rather than hide them away . If the museum had stayed closed, more than 7,000 years of Mesopotamian history would be hidden from the world . Although Iraq is relatively safer since the height of violence in 2007, there are still frequent attacks against government institutions, mostly the hallmark of al Qaeda. Ultimately, the museum didn't have to be world-class, said al-Gailani. 'The antiquities are so unique and rich, sometimes you forget if they are exhibited well or not,' she said. The museum's woes mattered little to a visiting group of Iraqi schoolgirls. They rushed into the room, gaping at the statues, taking notes. 'It's not like television,' said Sawsan Kadhim, 19. 'Now if somebody says something about our history, I can say I saw it in reality.' | The museum was looted of 15,000 pieces during the US-led war .
Fewer than half of the items have been recovered, despite international hunt .
The museum's inventory was incomplete - making labelling objects difficult .
It had closed in the early 1990s for safety amid Saddam Hussein's rule . |
38,971 | 6e1b1cb2dbce87a93fbe1aa1fe83ed47fef6a755 | A pilot on Russian national airline Aeroflot branded Ukrainians 'filth' in a cockpit message while flying over the country and is a racist homophobe who calls them 'scum' and 'killers' on his open social media websites. In a series of sickening posts, Oleg Bugaev, 30, repeatedly uses offensive terms to describe the people of the Ukraine, jokes about the MH17 tragedy and a helicopter being shot down. The posts have come to light as tension between the two countries remains high after Russia annexed the southern Crimea peninsula in March and continues to back rebels in eastern Ukraine. Russian Aeroflot pilot Oleg Bugaev claims he was misquoted when he was accused of calling Ukrainians filth during an August flight from Moscow to Vienna . On his open social media websites Bugaev repeatedly refers to Ukrainians as filth, Nazis and scum. He also makes light of the MH17 Malaysian Airlines tragedy which killed 298 people when it was shot down over Ukraine . Bugaev's 'filth' outburst stunned passengers on a scheduled passenger flight from Moscow to Vienna in August, which was tweeted by Slovakian diplomat Martin Kaco. Kaco wrote: ''En route by Aeroflot to VIE, captain to passengers: 'We fly over remnants of Ukraine, where Banderovtsi and other filth lives.'' The pilot's words referred to Stepan Bandera, seen as a fascist by many Russians for colluding with Nazi Germany but a hero by many Ukrainians for seeking an independent state not controlled by Moscow. Aeroflot did not apologise for the outburst but five days after Kaco's original complaint, they tweeted a reply. 'We've studied your message,' they wrote. 'The fact was confirmed. The pilot had no right to express his personal opinion while on duty... In this case the pilot has violated our internal regulations. We have started the internal investigation.' Supporting Russian separatists Bugaev wrote: 'Ukrainian invaders, go away from Russian land' With a delicately placed Nazi swastika, Bugaev posted a cartoon alongside the caption: 'Donetsk is not Kiev' Bugaev expressed his support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin in yet another anti-Ukrainian post on his social media site . But they have repeatedly declined MailOnline requests to reveal the outcome or whether Bugaev was grounded or disciplined. Using an online forum for flight crew Bugaev, who has been flying with Aeroflot since 2007, confessed that he was wrong to make the comments but claimed that he had been misquoted. 'I am that very captain who allegedly abused the Ukrainian people,' he wrote 'My words were flipped 180 degrees. Abuse was added to them and even words I do not know. He added: 'I have discussed it with the management. Of course, I confess it that I was wrong. I violated Aeroflot's standards by having added that we were flying over the remnants of Ukraine.' But his seemingly contrite words do not match the vitriol on his own social media account on which he repeatedly uses the word 'filth' to describe Ukrainians. Next to a picture of an empty grave, Bugaev who is married to 27-year-old Tatiana with whom he has a two-year-old daughter, wrote: 'The only way Bandera filth can get the lands of the south east (Ukraine).' Bugaev wrote: 'Nobody has ever put Donbass on its knees and no one will do' Referencing Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, who made his fortune in the confectionery business, Bugaev calls him a 'chocolate gay' On another of his hate filled diatribes he declared: 'Bandera scum you are not my brother', while next to a picture of a man with a noose he wrote: 'Pray, Bandera, bastard.' In another post the pilot declares "No place for Nazis on our land" showing a map of Novorossiya that imagines Ukraine as a rump landlocked state totally cut off from access to the Azov and Black seas. He also branded Baroness Ashton - the former EU foreign affairs chief - as 'Eurohorse' while another image declared: 'EuroNazis will not pass'. Apparently alluding to Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko who made his fortune in chocolate, he wrote: 'Chocolate gay get off Donbass.' Bugaev with his wife Tatiana, 27. They have a two-year-old daughter together . A picture of a Russian boot kicking out Ukrainians from the east of their country is captioned: 'Invaders go home.' Making light of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 tragedy which killed 298 people, including 10 Britons, he blames the Ukrainian forces for the tragedy. 'The tradition of the Ukrainian army is to hit a plane once every 13 years,' he stated flippantly. Both pro-Russian separatists and the Ukraine have blamed each other for the tragedy. Alongside his tirades also posted pictures showing him on foreign trips in Germany, Dubai, Hurgada, and Luanda in Nigeria. Seeking to explain his anger towards Ukrainians, on the flight crew forum he said was raised in 'beautiful' Lugansk, a region now substantially separatist hands, less than 50 miles from the Russian border. 'My house in Lugansk where I spent all my childhood with my parents was destroyed by Grad artillery,' he wrote. 'At the end of July I took my relatives away from Lugansk - two women with a small child, they live with me now and are still recovering. Their husbands stayed there in the (separatist) self-defence, to protect their land and houses.' He added: 'At the border with Novorossiya, in Donetsk town of Rostov region, I met people who were on the run, and I have never seen so much human suffering. These people have lost all they had at once but still they were happy to get out of the hell and to be alive.' Accepting he went too far in his flight deck remarks, he thanks other pilots 'for your support' adding: 'I am so pleased to experience our Slavic nation getting together'. He claimed: 'I was stupid to blurt out too much, but I abused nobody.' | Oleg Bulaev said his outburst was wrong during the August flight .
The Russian national airline is refusing to apologise for the comments .
Bulaev's social media accounts are filled with anti-Ukrainian vitriol .
He mocks the MH17 tragedy and blames Ukrainian forces .
He claims his childhood home was destroyed by a missile . |
134,537 | 3a009843de61d567c1d0414408053c4daf3951a9 | Marouane Fellaini has vowed that his nightmare first season at Manchester United has made him a stronger player. The much-maligned midfielder endured a disappointing first term at Old Trafford as the deposed Premier League champions finished seventh. Fellaini's £27million transfer to the club move from Everton, in August last year, still causes much derision among many Red Devils' supporters who have been unimpressed with his performances in midfield. Marouane Fellaini believes his torrid first season at Manchester United has made him a stronger player . Fellaini (right) is currently out of action after sustaining an ankle injury at the start of the season . Fellaini says that United boss Louis van Gaal (right) has assured him of first-team opportunities this season . The 26-year-old is currently working his way back to full fitness after suffering an ankle injury at the start of the season, and the Belgian international has revealed that United boss Louis van Gaal has assured him that he will get opportunities to stake a claim in the first team. 'I talked to Van Gaal, and he has never said that I had to leave. He said I had a lot of competition, but that I got the chance to prove it [that I deserve to play],' Fellaini told Sport Wereld. 'I have known difficult moments last season, but there is a stronger player afterwards. I have confidence in myself and in my game again. 'I played a good World Cup and also during the preparation, I was good. It is unfortunate that this injury is for now just a spanner in the works, but at the end of the month I will be back.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page. Fellaini was spotted driving to United training on Wednesday as he bids to recover from his ankle injury . | Marouane Fellaini says he is stronger player after his torrid debut season at Manchester United .
Fellaini joined United in a £27million deal from Everton last August .
Belgian international says he has been reassured of first-team opportunities by boss Louis van Gaal when he over ankle injury . |
9,237 | 1a2bd063f5d1b57fa8d6da9154e852a05e373d84 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 18 January 2012 . Google will claim solidarity with thousands of websites preparing to 'go dark' at midnight tonight, Eastern Time, in protest against draconian plans to police the . internet and combat piracy. Some of the world's biggest tech . companies are planning to take part in the blackout, including . Wikipedia, Mozilla, Reddit and WordPress. But the search giant has ruled out the possibility of blacking out itself. Google instead said it would change its home page to show its support. Support network: Google will claim solidarity with websites blacking out on Wednesday but search giant has ruled out the possibility of blacking out itself . 'Like many businesses, entrepreneurs and web users, we oppose these bills because there are smart, targeted ways to shut down foreign rogue websites without asking American companies to censor the Internet,' a Google spokeswoman wrote in a statement seen by the Huffington Post. 'So tomorrow we will be joining many other tech companies to highlight this issue on our U.S. home page.' Wikipedia is to shut down its . English-language site. An estimated 100 million people will be . affected by the one-day closure of Wikipedia alone, which has . become a vital tool for businesses and students. Jimmy Wales, who founded the site, warned students via Twitter to ‘do your homework early’ ahead of the shutdown. The blackout is part of a widespread protest . campaign orchestrated via social sites such as Reddit - and other . internet heavyweights such as browser company Mozilla are to join in. They are angry about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), which are going before the U.S. Congress. Twitter is not joining in the protest. Its CEO Dick Costolo said at the weekend that applying single-nation politics to a worldwide service was 'foolish'. However co-founder Jack Dorsey did stand with other top tech companies who wrote an open letter to Congress last month warning of the dangers that SOPA would bring to business and innovation. Unprecedented: The English version of Wikipedia is being blacked out for 24 hours in protest against proposed legislation currently going through Congress - the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act . No show: Twitter Dick Costolo called the blackout 'foolish' The laws are designed to prevent online pirates from making music, film, television shows and eBooks available free of charge. However, . critics argue they go much further and amount to an attempt to control . and censor the internet, so curtailing freedom of expression. The Stop Online Piracy Act and the . Protect Intellectual Property Act in Congress - designed to . crack down on sales of pirated U.S. products overseas - has pit internet giants, consumer groups and freedom of speech advocates against film studios and record labels. The . House bill (SOPA) would allow a private party to go straight to a . website's advertising and payment providers and request they sever ties. Supporters include the film and music . industry, which often sees its products sold illegally. They say the . legislation is needed to protect intellectual property and jobs. Critics say the legislation could hurt . the technology industry and infringe on free-speech rights. Among their . concerns are provisions that would weaken cyber-security for companies . and hinder domain access rights. The . most controversial provision is in the House bill, which would have . enabled federal authorities to 'blacklist' sites that are alleged to . distribute pirated content. That would essentially cut off portions of . the Internet to all U.S. users. But congressional leaders appear to be . backing off this provision. Supporters say the legislation is . needed to protect intellectual property and jobs. Critics say the . legislation is too broad and could hurt the technology industry and . infringe on free-speech rights. There are also fears they will give . the U.S. authorities even greater powers to pursue alleged law-breakers . on both sides of the Atlantic. Last week, UK courts decided to extradite British student Richard O’Dwyer to the U.S. on charges of online piracy. In theory, the 23-year-old could be . jailed for ten years for setting up the TVShack website, which provided . links to free pirate downloads of films and TV programmes. His defenders claim he is small fry in . the piracy industry and say Google, which has huge financial and . political muscle, is a major player. Google has never been prosecuted even . though its search engine gives links to many sites that offer illegal . streaming or pirate downloads of films, music, TV shows and eBooks. Wales said in a statement: 'Today Wikipedians from around the world have spoken about their opposition to this destructive legislation. 'This is an extraordinary action for our community to take - and while we regret having to prevent the world from having access to Wikipedia for even a second, we simply cannot ignore the fact that SOPA and PIPA endanger free speech both in the United States and abroad, and set a frightening precedent of Internet censorship for the world.' According to a press release, users of the site have discussed for more than a month whether it should react to the legislation and, in the past few days, tried to decide how. The foundation behind the site, Wikimedia, said it collected input from users over a period of 72 hours before making its final decision on Monday evening based on that feedback. 'This is by far the largest level of participation in a community discussion ever seen on Wikipedia, which illustrates the level of concern that Wikipedians feel about this proposed legislation,' a statement on the Wikimedia Foundation website reads. Protesting: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales expects an estimated 100 million visitors to be affected by a Wikipedia black out . 'The overwhelming majority of . participants support community action to encourage greater public action . in response to these two bills.' 'Of the proposals considered by . Wikipedians, those that would result in a "blackout" of the English . Wikipedia, in concert with similar blackouts on other websites opposed . to SOPA and PIPA, received the strongest support.' Mr Wales told the BBC: ‘Proponents of . the Stop Online Piracy Act have characterised the opposition as being . people who want to enable piracy or defend piracy. ‘But that’s not really the point. The . point is the bill is so over broad and so badly written that it’s going . to impact all kinds of things that don’t have anything to do with . stopping piracy.’ Social news community Reddit has already announced that it will 'go dark' on Wednesday to protest against the bill. High-profile blog BoingBoing has also announced that it will protest. Browser maker Mozilla has . said that it also intends to protest by 'going dark' briefly and . hosting anti-SOPA content, although copies of its Firefox browser will . continue to work as normal. Comedy network Cheezburger (host of Failblog) also said it will join in. Several sites such as SopaStrike offer 'do it yourself' kits for smaller websites to 'go dark' in protest at SOPA. SopaStrike hosts a list of smaller sites that have said they will black out in protest. Not all sites who join the protest will 'switch off' entirely - some will host banners or turn the front page black instead. Facebook has voiced opposition to the bill but has not committed to any form of protest this week. Twitter will not join in - its CEO said that applying single-nation politics to a worldwide service was 'foolish'. He claimed the proposals were part of a wider attempt by governments to regulate the internet. ‘All around the world, we’re seeing . the development of legislation intended to fight online piracy, and . regulate the internet in other ways, that hurt online freedoms.’ Barack Obama has hinted he may water . down the proposals, which would remove the possibility of Google and . others being prosecuted for directing people to pirate websites. Big Brother Watch, the UK civil liberties campaign group, backed the protest. Its director Nick Pickles said: ‘The . proposals represent a blunt attack on freedom of speech, based upon a . deeply flawed understanding of how the internet works.’ A large-scale blackout is . expected from midnight Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday . until midnight on Wednesday. 'We are looking at a powerful protest,' said Jay Walsh, spokesman for the foundation. Tech . companies such as Facebook, Yahoo and others have also . questioned the legislation and said it poses a serious risk to the . industry. Several online communities such as Reddit, BoingBoing and others have announced plans to go blackout in protest. The Obama administration has also raised concerns about the legislation. The administration said over the weekend that it will work with Congress on legislation to help battle piracy and counterfeiting while defending free expression, privacy, security and innovation in the Internet. | Blackout of 7,000 websites expected from midnight EST on Tuesday .
until the same time on Wednesday .
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales called the move an 'extraordinary action' against the endangerment of free speech .
CEO of Twitter says his site will not 'go dark' calling the blackout 'foolish' |
152,006 | 50732d9f22ad17e388f0fb8262aab6010542841a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Controversial baseball legend Pete Rose - who currently is banned from Major League Baseball for life for betting on on games in which his own team was playing - is returning to manage a baseball team, but just for one day. The 73-year-old Rose, who has the most career hits in major league history, is scheduled to skipper the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League on Monday. Rose - who is referred to by his fans as 'Charlie Hustle' for his intensity on the field - was managing the Cincinnati Reds in 1989 when he agreed to a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball. Banned: Pete Rose is managing one game for the independent league Bridgeport Bluefish . Rose was banned from Major League Baseball in 1989 after it was discovered that he was betting on the Cincinnati Reds while he was the team's manager . Rose can take this one-game job because the Bluefish are not affiliated with any major league team. He has occasionally appeared at official events since his ban, with MLB's permission. For years, Rose denied that he had ever bet on baseball, despite a lengthy investigation concluding that he had. In 2004, Rose finally admitted that he had bet on baseball, and that he had even bet on the Cincinnati Reds while he was the team's manager. He claims, however, that he never bet against his team. The admission - which included an apology - came in the form of a book Rose had written, so its sincerity has always been questioned. 'Charlie Hustle': Rose was known for his intense play and holds the MLB record for most hits in his career . Because of the ban, Rose is prohibited from managing in MLB and from being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, which given his incredible statistics, is a very likely scenario if not for his having bet on his own team. He now lives in Las Vegas and makes money selling his autograph and memorabilia at nearby casinos and sports stores. Rose, however, is still holding out hope that his ban will be lifted and that he'll be allowed to manage a team and be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 'I've waited 25 years, but I've done so because I was the one who screwed up,' Rose told ESPN.com. 'And if I were given a second chance, I would be the happiest guy in the world.' In 1997, Rose applied for reinstatement with MLB Comissioner Bud Selig. Selig, who is set to retire in January of 2015, has never ruled on Rose's application. Reinstatement: Rose has been trying to get MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to lift the ban so he can manage a team and be inducted into the Hall of Fame . Work: Rose currently lives in Las Vegas where he sells his autograph and memorabilia at casinos and sports stores . 'I haven't given up on Bud,' Rose said. 'I'm not glad he's leaving. He has a love for the game and has been good for it. If the next guy is his best friend, I don't expect he'll just turn me loose, but if he isn't, I hope he has an open mind.' Rose - who went to prison in 1990 for tax evasion - is also despised by many baseball fans for a play that happened in the 1970 All Star Game, in which Rose tackled catcher Ray Fosse at the plate. The game was an exhibition game, and critics say Rose should have just slid into home rather than take out Fosse, who suffered a broken and separated shoulder from the hit, which never completely healed properly. The Bluefish will host the Lancaster Barnstormers in Rose's game. The team says the Atlantic League is all about giving people second chances. | Pete Rose was banned from baseball after it was determined that he bet on his own team while managing the Cincinnati Reds .
Rose denied that he bet on baseball for years, until 2004, when he admitted to doing so in a book he'd written .
'Charlie Hustle,' as he is called, is allowed to manage the independent league team because it has no affiliation with Major League Baseball .
Rose has been trying to have his ban lifted since 1997 so he can manage in MLB and be inducted into the Hall of Fame .
Rose has more hits in his career than anyone who has ever played in MLB .
He currently lives in Las Vegas where he still gambles and makes money selling autographs and old memorabilia . |
16,285 | 2e2ea93098073bca95631f07f0fb2204f3b219ed | By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 15:25 EST, 10 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:28 EST, 11 March 2013 . Crufts dog show boasts the best of preened pooches of all breeds, colours, shapes - and sizes. Scrabble the Leonberger and Mimi the Chihuahua demonstrated the impressive variety the competition has to offer, as they were captured together in an adorable photograph. Tiny Mimi stood between the front legs of sturdy Scrabble on the third day of Crufts, which saw 27,000 dogs fill Birmingham's NEC Arena over the weekend. Mimi the Chihuahua is dwarfed by Scrabble, the Leonberger, who won Pets as Therapy dog of the year . Golden-coated Scrabble stood tall above little Mimi, who pulled off her best puppy dog eyes for the cameras. Both dogs work as volunteers for the charity Pets As Therapy and Scrabble won the charity's competition for dog of the year. Puppy poser: American Cocker Spaniel Ricky readying himself for competition in a decorative snood, while his coat is tied up with purple hair clips . Dressed to impress: Owners dressed pets in an array of doggy garments to ensure their pooches stood out . His owner Ann Burrell said: 'He . epitomises all that Pets As Therapy stands for. He gives unconditional . love to everyone he meets.' The adorable pair were not the only canines to catch the attention of show-goers over the four-day competition. A common sight at the show, which attracted 145,000 visitors, was dogs dressed in outfits by their proud owners. Some wore simple cotton vests and humorous bibs which made them stand out from the crowd. But American . Cocker Spaniel Ricky brought a little sparkle to the arena in a . decorative green snood with gold detail, while his coat was tied up with . purple hair clips. Poodle Toy Lincoln was a poser and appeared to give a wink to the camera, while another dog seemed more camera shy and buried its snout in a nearby Ugg boot. One dog seemed to come over camera shy, while Lincoln the white fluffy Poodle appeared to wink for his photo . Dog lovers from 41 countries, from as far afield as Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, took part in the event. A record 2,131 dogs were registered, with 13 new breeds making their debuts in the breed-judging, gamekeepers' classes and obedience championships. Crufts was founded in the Victorian era by Charles Cruft - with the inaugural show attracting 2,437 entries to the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington in 1891. | Mimi the Chihuahua was pictured with Scrabble the Leonberger at Crufts .
Scrabble won Pets As Therapy best dog on competition's third day . |
25,590 | 4879d53f714463b6a621521f545b4ca6149aea5a | By . Glen Owen and Brendan Carlin . PUBLISHED: . 18:49 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:13 EST, 27 December 2012 . David Cameron was last night battling to contain his party split over gay marriage after a delegation of senior MPs urged him to reconsider the plans – and two Tories had a ‘toxic’ public argument in the Commons over the issue. The confrontation between fiercely anti-gay marriage MP Sir Gerald Howarth and rising star Gavin Barwell took place in front of shocked colleagues in the Commons Tea Room. One onlooker told The Mail on Sunday that ‘offensive words relating to sexual orientation’ were used – although this aspect of the exchange is denied by the men. 'Frank': Gavin Barwell, left, supports legalising gay marriage while Sir Gerald owarth, right, fiercely opposes the Bill . The row came shortly after the Prime Minister was accused of ‘not listening’ to party anger over plans to legalise same-sex marriage at a meeting with members of the executive of the Tories’ 1922 Committee of backbench MPs. At the meeting on Tuesday, the MPs warned Mr Cameron the party was haemorrhaging support over the issue. Northampton MP Brian Binley told him: ‘The problem is, you are not listening to your core vote.’ Sources at the meeting claimed Mr Cameron replied by saying that ‘nobody will remember this [issue] in 2015’ – when the next General Election is due – and begging the MPs to let him ‘get this out of the way as quickly as we can’. No 10 did not confirm Mr Cameron’s comments last night. More than 100 Tory MPs are expected to rebel when the issue comes to a Commons vote, expected at the end of next month. Prime Minister David Cameron has been warned he risks tearing the Conservative party apart with his plan to legalise gay marriage . Opponents of the measure claim Mr Cameron’s party Whips are using ‘dirty tricks’ in an attempt to avert an embarrassing defeat. One said: ‘Even though it is supposed to be a free vote, there are suggestions the Whips are telling MPs known to support gay marriage that they must be present but allowing those against to stay away if they wish. I’ve been told that there is a parliamentary trip where one pro-MP is being told he must come back, while an opponent is under no such instruction.’ The stormy confrontation between Mr Barwell and Sir Gerald took place earlier this week. One witness said: ‘It was pretty toxic. Howarth was being critical of Barwell’s support for the measure, and Barwell gave as good as he got.’ Last night, Aldershot MP Sir Gerald confirmed that he had a ‘robust’ argument with Mr Barwell. He also acknowledged he was ‘angry’ about the gay marriage Bill, branding it a ‘catastrophe’. However, the former Defence Minister denied using homophobic language. He said: ‘Gavin and I had a discussion. This issue is deeply divisive. It’s pitting friend against friend.’ Croydon MP Mr Barwell, who is an aide to Education Secretary Michael Gove – a key Cabinet supporter of same-sex marriage – said he had a ‘free and frank’ discussion with Sir Gerald. He declined to characterise it as a row or to discuss the terminology used. However, his Tory colleague Alec Shelbrooke said: ‘I’ve heard Gerald had an argument with Gavin in the Tea Room. We have been told it was very nasty.’ Last night, there were claims the Prime Minister had finally realised the depth of anger over the issue. Tory MPs said they had been invited to a meeting with Mr Cameron as soon as the Commons resumes in the New Year that will ‘focus’ on the 2015 General Election campaign. | Supporter Gavin Barwell clashed with anti-gay marriage Sir Gerald Howarth .
Row comes as Cameron accused of 'not listening' to the party over the issue .
More than 100 MPs expected to rebel in vote expected next month . |
277,180 | f31c05ef68e99dc117c43f3724ebf4f34a1c2a61 | (CNN) -- After a day of progress against a huge wildfire, crews in Arizona were bracing for Saturday's predicted higher winds and low humidity -- conditions that will make underbrush a tinderbox. "The weather conditions will be going back to less favorable conditions," said John Helmich, spokesman for the Southwest Interagency Incident Management team. Wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour were possible in some areas of the massive fire, forecasters said. Thousands of firefighters were able to concentrate Friday on "burnout fires," intended to burn ground fuel that feed the large fire, officials said. Crews were able to keep the fire from crossing into New Mexico. And, Helmich said, they continued their "absolutely fantastic" effort to build containment lines and save thousands of residences and structures. The flames have consumed 29 homes, 22 of them in the evacuated city of Greer. More than 5,200 homes are threatened, according to officials. Jim Whittington, another spokesman, said Saturday will be a challenge. "High winds, low humidity are all of the conditions necessary for large fire growth," Whittington said. "We know that the winds are going to come up on Saturday, so we have until then to get as much work done and to get to the point where we feel comfortable to where we can sit there and deal with what the winds throw at us." Only 5% of the wildfire was contained by Friday evening, officials said. The Wallow Fire has scorched more than 408,876 acres, leaving a giant bear-paw-like burn mark on the map of eastern Arizona. Air and ground crews concentrated on protecting residences and structures in and near the evacuated cities of Springerville and Eagar. More than 3,000 people are working to douse the fire, from the ground and air. About 221 fire engines and 14 helicopters were in use. Power companies said Friday that they are still watching the huge fire and its potential impact on crucial transmission lines that supply power to hundreds of thousands. El Paso Electric said the fire is about 15 miles from lines that serve nearly 400,000 people. The utility is working with partners and other companies on other sources of power if the lines are closed, company spokeswoman Teresa Souza told CNN. If that occurs, customers in southeastern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, could see rolling blackouts. Tucson Electric Power has two lines about 8 miles from the fire. Those lines carry electricity through the region to Tucson. "We're watching it carefully," spokesman Joe Salkowski said. If the lines are closed or damaged, the company will be able to prevent outages by using other power sources, Salkowski said. Tucson Electric Power has a coal-powered plant about 12 miles northeast of Springerville, which is evacuated. Officials are safeguarding the plant, but its distance from the fire and the grassy terrain make it "reasonably protected," the spokesman said. Meanwhile, authorities were discussing damage caused by the fire with residents in particularly hard-hit communities. Authorities were notifying residents in the community of Greer, where the wildfire destroyed 22 homes and damaged five others, according to information from the Apache County Sheriff's Office posted on the InciWeb incident information site. Officials were also notifying residents in Alpine and Nutrioso, where five homes had been destroyed, the site said. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer declared a state of emergency earlier in the week to mobilize funds for the wildfires in Apache and Greenlee counties. The blaze -- about the size of Houston -- has caused authorities to evacuate thousands of people since the wildfire began sweeping through the Apache National Forest on May 29. Journalist Craig Johnson contributed to this report. | NEW: Officials are bracing for winds of up to 30 miles an hour Saturday .
NEW: Containment of the fire is expected to be more difficult .
Power companies make contingencies if lines are closed .
Crews have kept fire from reaching New Mexico . |
19,355 | 36da38f2d8867b030fd96635d67180976a6e170f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Clearly a morning person, one Melbourne commuter spent their train ride practising their dance routine. Clearly believing he was out of sight of all the other passengers, the man strutted along to non-existent music, swinging his umbrella as he went. All the while, an unseen commuter quietly captured the moves on his phone. Scroll down for video . Clearly believing he was out of sight of all the other passengers, a Melbourne practised his dance routine on a train while an unseen commuter quietly captured the moves on his phone . 'Because I've never met a guy like him before, he makes me feel so special inside,' the anonymous dancer recited. 'I think I'm in love.' Donning a pair of sunglasses and a smart black suit, the dancing man thrust and swung while walking down the train isle in silence. He even managed to throw in some impressive fist pumping as well as swinging off the train’s poles. Meanwhile, the other commuters remained oblivious to the routine being performed , with one person absorbed in their book and another distracted by his head phones. With a final impressive hair flick, the dancing man ended his routine by exited stage right. | A Melbourne man performed a dance routine on a train while a fellow commuter secretly filmed him .
At one stage, the dancer recited: 'I've never met a guy like him before, he makes me feel so special inside'
The other train passengers remained completely oblivious to the scene . |
44,997 | 7ecd4c32b75994179eb5e77cd884e8dad26e869f | A Dallas County sheriff's deputy remains hospitalized today with Ebola symptoms, more than a week after he went unprotected into the apartment of 'patient zero' Thomas Duncan. Sgt Michael Monnig went on Wednesday to an urgent-care facility in Frisco, Texas with his wife, after complaining of stomach problems. The deputy presented at the clinic a week after he visited the Dallas home where Duncan was staying when he developed Ebola symptoms. Sgt Monnig was at the home to deliver a quarantine order to family members. Neither Sgt Monnig, nor the other two health officials, Zachary Thompson and Christopher Perkins with him, were wearing protective clothing or masks despite being in the apartment as cleaning crews were going about their work in full protective gear. Sgt Monning was given an Ebola test at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, though results usually take 48 hours and aren't due back until Friday night. A possible Ebola patient, believed to be Dallas County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Monnig, is brought to the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday in Dallas, Texas . The sheriff's deputy arrives at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital today via ambulance after attending an urgent-care clinic with symptoms . Sgt Monnig walked into Texas Presbyterian Hosptial today accompanied by medics in hazmat suits . Sgt Monnig, pictured here with his family, went to an urgent-care facility in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday with Ebola-like symptoms. His family said he was simply taking precautions . 'It was pretty scary': Monnig's wife recalled the fear she had after learning her husband was in the apartment where Duncan took ill and likely relived that fear on Wednesday . Sgt Monnig's son, Logan Monnig, told CBS that his father had woken up with 'stomach issues' and had gone to the clinic as a precaution. Logan said family were told by the CDC that their father was not at risk of the virus, as he had only been in the apartment for 30 minutes and had not come in contact with bodily fluids. 'We are not expecting him to' test positive for Ebola, said Logan. The day after going into the apartment, Sgt Monnig and his fellow officers were told to bag up the clothes they'd been wearing. Their police cars were also taken out of commission. 'That starts putting question marks in your mind,' Monnig told WFAA in an October 3 report. 'You know when you go home and then the next day you start hearing that equipment is being quarantined or asked to be bagged up, that you had on or were driving. 'Then your question is, "well, what about me?" And so those were the questions that were raised.' Now the question is: Why wasn't Monnig warned before entering the home completely without protection? 'There should be some kind of protocols as far as what kind of a response we're going to have and what kind of safety equipment we're going to have,' Christopher Dyer, president of the Dallas County Sheriff's Association, said in the WFAA interview. 'Those kinds of things didn't happen.' Monnig's wife Lisa echoed his sentiment. 'It was pretty scary,' Lisa Monnig said about the day her husband entered the apartment. 'I was awake until he got home that night.' No doubt Monnig is now feeling that pit in her stomach again as she and her family are forced to wait out the next two days it will take to determine whether Monnig managed to catch the dreaded virus. Mr Duncan, 42, died on Wednesday morning at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, two weeks after developing symptoms of the virus. Sgt Monnig told medics at the Frisco clinic today that he had been in contact with first victim Mr Duncan and had not been wearing protective clothing. A firefighter removes red tape from a vehicle parked outside a CareNow clinic in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday. Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland says the deputy is being treated 'out of an abundance of caution' A medical team in hazmat suits along with law enforcement rushed to the scene at a CareNow clinic in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday after a man turned up with Ebola-like symptoms . The person, reportedly a Dallas County sheriff's deputy, was exhibiting Ebola symptoms today and claimed to have had contact with patient Thomas Duncan, who died from the virus on Wednesday morning . An ambulance, driven by a firefighter-paramedic wearing a hazmat suit, carries an individual, believed to be a Dallas County sheriff's deputy, with Ebola symptoms to a hospital in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday afternoon after the person turned up at an urgent care clinic . The CareNow clinic was immediately placed in lock-down because Monnig was exhibiting signs of the deadly virus - including feeling sick and appearing flushed with a fever. The CDC told MailOnline today that the person is not one of the 48 contacts being monitored, and there is no indication of any direct contact with the initial patient, Mr Duncan. None of the 48 individuals with verified or possible contact with the patient has shown symptoms, the CDC said today. A father who had taken his teenage son to the clinic to get a flu shot on Wednesday told WFAA that the man entered the clinic with his wife, appeared flushed and was hunched over. Chuck Moreno said that he and his son had self-quarantined in an exam room, put on surgical masks and sprayed themselves with disinfectant. Sgt Monnig answered yes in a screening questionnaire to a question about travel to West Africa and is said to have contact with Duncan, referred to as ‘patient zero’. The Frisco patient was rushed to Texas Health Presbyterian Hosptial by ambulance after turning up at the urgent care clinic on Main Street. Medics at the clinic called 911 at around 12.30pm to request an ambulance for the patient. A team in hazmat suits and face masks transported the law enforcement officer. A hospital spokesman said: 'Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas can confirm today that a patient has been admitted to the Emergency Room after reporting possible exposure to the Ebola virus. 'Right now, there are more questions than answers about this case. Our professional staff of nurses and doctors is prepared to examine the patient, discuss any findings with appropriate agencies and officials. A second person is exhibiting Ebola symptoms in Texas today and claimed to have had contact with Thomas Duncan who died from Ebola today . A sign on the door of the apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan stayed with family warns that the unit has been quarantined by the commissioner of health on Wednesday . Where it began: Neither Sgt Monnig, nor the other two health officials, Zachary Thompson (left) and Christopher Perkins (right) with him, were wearing protective clothing or masks. The two other men are seen here leaving the apartment where Patient Zero stayed while ill. Neither Thompson nor Perkins have reported any worrisome symptoms . 'We are on alert with precautions and systems in place. At the same time, we are caring for routine cases which are completely separate in operations.' The clinic was keeping everyone at the center until they are checked out by the CDC - it is unknown how many people were exposed to the patient. All those at the clinic will be transferred to a hospital but it is unclear which medical facility. While no doubt in a fearful and nearvous state now, Mr. Monnig's career has often hinged largely on his physical toughness, even more so than most cops. The large-framed Monnig once worked as a sort of human punching bag for incoming Dallas County police recruits who learned how to use batons by beating Monnig. At least that was his job until 2008, when Monnig was temporarily terminated from the police force after getting seriously injured during one of his brutal training sessions. He was unable to work in active duty and the force was apparently not interested in giving him a desk job. Concerned son: Monnig's son Logan (pictured) spoke to reporters outside the family home not long after his father checked himself in with doctors Wednesday. Logan Monnig said he and his family are worried about Mr. Monnig but said 'we are not expecting him to' test positive for Ebola . A patient attended CareNow clinic in Frisco, Texas today and was rushed to a nearby hospital after presenting with Ebola symptoms. The clinic was placed on lockdown until everyone inside can be checked by the CDC . 'Your job is basically to get beaten up by recruits,' CBS DFW said in a 2008 interview about his firing. 'Part of it is,' he replied. 'I want it to be as realistic as possible.' Thanks in part to the 2008 broadcast, Monnig was rehired by the force. Mr Duncan, a 42-year-old Liberian national, exposed nearly 50 people to the disease in America before he was put in isolation at Texas Presbyterian. His fiancee Louise Troh is currently in quarantine with her 13-year-old son and two nephews and under constant monitoring by health officials over fears that they, too, could develop symptoms during a 21-day incubation period. Tough guy: Part of Monnig's job, at least back before 2008, was to take the physical blows dealt by Dallas county police recruits learning how to use batons . Fired: After sustaining an injury during his extreme training sessions that kept him off his beat, Monnig was fired. However, a local CBS report that cast light on the apparent unfair treatment got Monnig his job back . Ten people, including seven healthcare workers and three family members, are considered at high risk for Ebola after they were exposed to Duncan after he became contagious. Another 38 more are being monitors by the CDC for possible risk of the disease. Duncan's fiancee Louise Troh, who is perhaps highest at risk of catching the disease after she cared for him at her Dallas apartment while he sweated and vomited through the early staged of the disease, says she does not blame him for possibly exposing her. The White House said on Wednesday that extra screening for fever will be carried out for arriving aircraft passengers from West Africa, where the virus has killed nearly 4,000 people in three countries. The screening will start at New York's John F. Kennedy airport from the weekend, and later at Newark Liberty, Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. Authorities will use a non-invasive device to take the temperature of passengers and have them fill out a questionnaire created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking for detailed information about their activities. A cleaning crew in bio-hazard suits decontaminated the Dallas apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan fell ill almost two weeks ago. He died from the deadly virus on Wednesday . President Obama participates in a conference call with state and local officials to discuss domestic preparedness response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, at the White House today . | Dallas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Monnig went to an urgent care clinic in Frisco, Texas with his wife on Wednesday .
Ebola test results are due back Friday evening .
A witness at the clinic described him as 'hunched over and flushed'
CDC officials have told Monnig's family there was 'no risk' he had been exposed to the disease .
The deputy was inside the apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan fell ill - the officer wasn't wearing protective clothing .
The CDC said the person is not one of the 48 contacts being monitored .
Liberian national Mr Duncan, 42, died from Ebola on Wednesday morning . |
154,777 | 5402f7910cec114609f32ec27e68b63d6b620b39 | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:49 EST, 5 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:17 EST, 5 February 2013 . A judge has granted media organizations' request for a hearing to discuss access to transcripts and court documents related to top secret proceedings in the Chandra Levy case. Judge Gerald Fisher scheduled a hearing for tomorrow on the issue brought by the media groups, including the Associated Press. He has held two recent hearings in the case and barred the public and press from hearing the majority of both proceedings, which took place after possible doubts of the key witness emerged. The man convicted of killing Levy may go free after doubts have surfaced over the credibility of a key witness. Fisher added that he has sealed a portion of the first hearing because of 'safety issues.' The media also want to attend another hearing scheduled for Thursday and future hearings. A Salvadoran man, Ingmar Guandique, was convicted of killing Levy in 2010. He is serving a 60-year prison sentence. It was reported last month that Guandique, 31, may have his conviction tossed out after doubts emerged over the credibility of a key witnesses' testimony. The disclosure led the judge to hold the secret hearings with prosecutors and lawyers for Guandique to discuss the case. Court records show the hearings have . taken place behind closed doors but neither prosecutors nor defense . lawyers have revealed the purpose of the sessions. Guandique always maintained his innocence in Levy's death. Even Levy's devastated parents are being kept in the dark over what was going on. 'Whether they have to have a new trial or have another suspect, or whatever, we don't know,' her dad, Robert Levy, told CBS News. 'They can't tell us because it's secret.' Chandra, whose case captured the nation's attention because of her affair with her married boss, California congressman Gary Condit. Though Condit, who is no longer in Congress, was interviewed by . investigators, authorities eventually ruled him out as a suspect and . don't believe he had anything to do with her death. Condit testified at trial that he had . no role in Levy's disappearance or death, but evaded questions about his . relationship with her. Guandique, an illegal immigrant . from El Salvador, was convicted in 2010 of killing Levy, but always maintained his innocence. Levy's remains . were found in 2002 in a heavily wooded area of Washington's Rock Creek . Park. Guandique's lawyers are accusing prosecutors of withholding evidence. Prosecutors acknowledged at the outset of the case that they had no physical evidence linking Guandique to Levy's death, but they argued at trial that the attack on Levy fit a pattern of attacks by Guandique on other female joggers in Rock Creek park around the same time she went missing. Their case also leaned heavily on the testimony of a former cellmate of Guandique, who claimed that Guandique admitted while behind bars to killing Levy. Guandique is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence. Robert Levy said, 'He's a convicted rapist and an illegal alien. He's not legal at all or . working or anything. He's just a criminal, so he shouldn't go free. 'But . if he's innocent of murder then he shouldn't be in jail for it.' | Secret hearings came after doubts were expressed about witness in the case, who said Ingmar Guandique killed Levy in 2001 .
Hearing to discuss access to transcripts and court documents to be held tomorrow . |
279,698 | f65414c5f25a1b9781633a120452b6641a7cd51c | Michael Phelps will take another small step in his comeback to competitive swimming when he competes in two races; but this time he will do it without the presence of his friend and greatest rival. The 28-year-old competed for the first time since retiring after the London Olympics when he plunged back into the pool at a Grand Prix meet in Phoenix last month. He was narrowly beaten in the 100 metres butterfly by Ryan Lochte, his uber-competitive team mate whom Phelps credits for driving him to greater heights. Shock: Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps came out of retirement to compete in a Grand Prix in Phoenix . That loss only helped the competitive juices to start flowing again in an ominous warning to his rivals that he has his heart set on greater goals. On Friday, Phelps will again compete in the 100m fly at a Grand Prix meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, but without Lochte, who is taking a break to overcome a minor injury. Phelps will also compete in 200m freestyle, an event he won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he captured a mind-boggling eight gold medals, but dropped from his programme for London. Phelps has not said what his long-term plans are this time, insisting he is simply testing the waters to see if he still enjoys the grind of training, but he has not ruled out the possibility of competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Going for gold: Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals . As the most decorated Olympian of all time with nothing to prove, Phelps is unlikely to take on another massive programme but could still add to his golden stockpile with a reduced schedule. Although he was beaten in the 100m butterfly in Phoenix, he did enough to qualify for a place at this year’s US National championships in California, which double as the selection event for next year’s world titles in Russia. The 100m butterfly is one of two individual events that Phelps won at three successive Olympics. And if he qualifies for the event at Rio, he will automatically make the US men’s medley relay team, which has never been beaten at the Olympics. Phelps is unlikely to swim the more gruelling 200m freestyle at Rio but would be an automatic pick for the 4x200m relay team, as long as he qualifies. He faces stiff competition winning the 200m freestyle at Charlotte against a field that includes reigning Olympic champion, Yannick Agnel of France, who now trains with Phelps in North Baltimore. But results matter very little in the early stages of his comeback and a qualifying time for the nationals could be all that Phelps wants for now. Despite his staggering achievements, Phelps and long-time coach Bob Bowman have always been coy about revealing their plans and nothing has changed. They have still not said when he will race again after Charlotte, saying only that their next plan was to head to Colorado for intense high-altitude training. Rivalry: Phelps competed and lost out to former team mate and friend Ryan Lochte in Phoenix . Secretive: Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman has refused to divulge their long-term plans . | Michael Phelps will take part in two races at a swimming Grand Prix .
Phelps has refused to reveal his plans for the long-term .
He will head to Colorado with coach Bob Bowman for high-altitude training . |
35,670 | 655c8058fd5ae34973fb62f5a5b5f8ffd8aed5de | (CNN) -- Does John Edwards deserve to go to prison? The jury has decided, and he's walking. Whatever we may think of the Edwards trial, one thing is certain: the prosecution was a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money on a non-crime. Who cares if a billionaire wants to give a multimillionaire some money to hide his mistress (who pays taxes on the gift)? The prosecution of Edwards was never so much about Edwards as it was about George Holding. Wait -- who is George Holding? And why should we care? After winning a recent primary, Holding is likely the next congressman in the 13th District of North Carolina. He initiated the prosecution against Edwards while he was a U.S. Attorney. But he didn't argue the case in court. Instead, after receiving a year's worth of headlines (and Republican praise) for charging Edwards, Holding resigned from the case to run for Congress. Maybe Holding understood the weakness of the case, which rested upon Edwards' failure to report the money billionaire heiress Bunny Mellon and another wealthy donor gave to him to help hide his mistress. The problem is that if Edwards had reported contributions and then used them for personal expenses, he would have been guilty of a crime, since the Federal Election Commission bars spending official campaign funds on personal expenses. Therefore, according to Holding, Edwards was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. To prove his case, Holding had to show that Edwards knowingly broke the law. But if neglecting to report the gifts as campaign contributions constituted a crime, yet reporting such gifts as contributions would violate existing law (by implying that Edwards converted contributions to personal use), then it is impossible to prove Edwards knew he was breaking the law, which would be necessary for a conviction. That's not very good legal reasoning on which to rest a case -- especially a case unlike any other that had been successfully tried. And since Holding had access to all the available evidence and knew that no witness and no recordings would suggest that Edwards knew he was breaking the law, it is difficult to see how Holding thought he might win, other than hoping that jurors disliked Edwards so much they would convict him. Or maybe Holding wasn't all that concerned with the legal reasoning. Perhaps he realized that, win or lose, he'd already gotten enough mileage from the case to realize his political ambitions. By the time he indicted Edwards, the well-connected Holding knew that the newly Republican state legislature had drawn a safe district he could win, if only he could get out of the primary. And what better way to appeal to Republican diehards than prosecuting the smarmy, liberal trial lawyer John Edwards? Holding certainly received his reward last month when he won his congressional primary. The public generally associates politicians with the pursuit of ambition and power. Too often, investigators act from similar motives. Law enforcement officials seek to justify long, expensive investigations into high-profile targets by stretching the law to win convictions and mount the biggest scalps on their walls. The former head of the St. Louis FBI who investigated me for a campaign finance violation years ago said of his job: "I love the chase. [It] was fantastic. It was me against them. And the smarter they were, the richer they were, the more I enjoyed catching them." But justice isn't about investigators' adrenaline rushes or personal advancement. It's about the common good. If the central goal of prosecuting "corrupt" public figures is to remove them from public life, then the Edwards prosecution is a clear case of overkill. He is a walking punch line, unfit to run for dog catcher. Why should prosecutors spend millions of dollars and years of time targeting him with novel legal theories? I am familiar with Edwards' predicament. During my 2004 congressional campaign in Missouri, I approved a meeting between two aides and a man who wanted to send out a postcard highlighting my opponent's dismal attendance record in the state House. In the immediate aftermath, our campaign denied any involvement in the mailing, and then when faced with a Federal Election Commission complaint which gave us a chance to come clean, we maintained our denial. Five years later, through an unlikely set of circumstances culminating in my best friend's wiretap, I ended up in prison for a year. As a current taxpayer who spent a year loading trucks at a prison warehouse, eating food for which you, dear reader, paid, I can tell you two things. First, I did not want to pay to house, feed and clothe multimillionaire lawyer John Edwards. Second, the only person in this sordid mess whom prosecutors should have considered indicting is someone who was already granted immunity. That's right, Andrew Young, who defrauded the 99-year-old Bunny Mellon by siphoning (or, more precisely, stealing) hundreds of thousands of dollars to build his dream house. Of course, prosecuting Young wouldn't have gotten George Holding all the publicity that prosecuting John Edwards did, and it definitely wouldn't have gotten him to Congress. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeff Smith. | Jeff Smith: John Edwards trial was a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money on a non-crime .
Smith: Prosecution of Edwards was really about George Holding, who will be in Congress .
He says Holding indicted Edwards for political gains and attention .
Smith: The person in this sordid mess who ought to be prosecuted is Andrew Young . |
129,481 | 335e2e3cf91c38982042a2ab8ecfa0f3f657a2e2 | (EW.com) -- This just in: "Simpsons" news anchor Kent Brockman will turn to Aaron Sorkin during a career dilemma. The Oscar-winning writer and creator of HBO's "The Newsroom" will make a cameo appearance on the animated Fox comedy, EW has learned. Sorkin, who has also played himself on "30 Rock" and "Entourage," lends his voice to an episode in which Brockman considers switching jobs. Seth MacFarlane to guest on 'The Simpsons' as... "Kent has decided that local news has been a real mistake and a terrible career move for him," says "Simpsons" executive producer Al Jean. "He wants to interview with a big cable news channel and goes to Fox News." In a moment of truth during Brockman's meeting at the Fox News, Sorkin appears in a thought bubble above Brockman's head and advises the anchor on whether or not he should work for the cable channel. (The "Simpsons," of course, has a fondness for Fox News jokes.) The episode — which is titled "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" and airs next fall as part of season 25 — also includes brief cameos from Joe Namath and Gordon Ramsay (who guested on a season 23 episode). Ramsay pops up in a joke about the Fox network. Justin Bieber to cameo on 'The Simpsons' Notes Jean: "To give equal time, when we make fun of Fox News, we also make fun of the Fox network." See the original article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Sorkin will make a cameo appearance on "The Simpsons"
Sorkin has also played himself on "30 Rock" and "Entourage"
The episode, which is titled "Four Regrettings and a Funeral," will air next fall . |
202,424 | 920f78ae175972c6ef23f6ee3c3148f64ad4c416 | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 11:29 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:42 EST, 14 March 2014 . It takes professional athletes years of training and thousands of pounds worth of equipment to compete for a medal at the Winter Olympics. But at this skiing event in Afghanistan all you need is enthusiasm and a couple of planks of wood. The annual Afghan Ski Challenge, which takes place in Banyam, near the capital Kabul, is so low-tech there aren't even ski lifts, with competitors forced to hike three miles up a mountain before the event even begins. The fourth annual Afghan Ski Challenge took place in Banyam, near Kabul, at the beginning of March . The race is open to both snowboarders and skiers, many of whom bring their own equipment . The race is free for Afghans who are encouraged to bring their own equipment but 'no weapons' International skiers travel to take part in the race, but they must pay $500 (£300) to enter . Keen amateurs often strap tyre strips to a plank of wood to use as a ski, and compete wearing warm clothing . Dressed in jumpers, scarves and even loafers, the competitors carry their equipment up to roughly 3,400 metres (11,100ft) before skiing back down. There is only one event, a downhill race everyone takes part in at the same time, with the winner being the first to cross the finish line after passing through all the checkpoints on the way down. The race is open to both skiers and snowboarders, with most competitors using whatever they can get their hands on. In recent years, many Afghan nationals have shown their ingenuity by carving themselves skis and poles out of wood, using old planks or fence posts. The slopes are so low-tech that there aren't even chair lifts, with skiers hiking five miles before the race starts . The annual event, in its fourth year, is organised by the Banyam Ski Club . On the club's website they warn that medical facilities are 'basic' and there is no mountain rescue service . Any profit from the event is reinvested in tourism in Afghanistan as the country emerges from conflict . While the keen amateurs may grab the attention with their DIY skis, the event was won by a professional Afghan ski instructor . They then use sandal straps, plastic and strips cut from old tyres to hold their feet in place before racing down the Koh-e-Baba Mountain Range. British photographer Paul Hutchings, 42, who captured these images, said they would still put most people to shame. He said: 'It is absolutely amazing to watch these guys use the most basic items to ski. They use whatever they can get their hands on. 'It is totally different to the Alps and the Rockies. The are no lifts, no chairs, this is raw skiing at its best.' Despite the equipment, photographer Paul Hutchings said the skiers would put most amateurs to shame . The Koh-e-Baba Mountain Range, near to Kabul, where the event takes place, has snow for four months a year . Banyam Ski Club is part owned by skiing enthusiasts from Switzerland who are trying to promote the sport . Participants all race at once and the winner is the one who crosses the finish line first after passing through all of the checkpoints dotted along the route . This year's winner was Ali Shah, an Afghan ski instructor, who finished the 4k run before anyone else . The event, now in its fourth year, featured 15 racers from Afghanistan and 15 international competitors from the USA, Australia, Norway, Slovenia, New Zealand, France and the UK. Foreign competitors must pay $500 (£300) to take part, but for Afghan nationals the competition is free. The challenge was eventually won by Afghan ski instructor Ali Shah - who used modern equipment and was used to the high-altitude conditions. Mr Hutchings, from Cardiff, Wales, added: 'The area is covered in snow for three to four months and because the locals are used to the altitude they are really fit and hardly get tired around the course.' A simple piece of wood serves as a cheap, but not very effective alternative to carbon fibre . Bits of old shoes, spare plastic, foam and tyre rubber are all then used in place of conventional foot straps . Competitors from around the world take part in the race, using slightly more advanced equipment . The event, which takes place in one of the safe Afghan regions, draws a large crowd every year . All money made by the race is put back into promoting the local skiing and tourism in Afghanistan as the country emerges from a decade of war. While Banyam Ski Club, which organises the event, insists the area is safe from fighting, they do point out that the mountains don't have any of the safety feature usually associated with ski resorts. There are no avalanche warning systems, no mobile phone signal, no mountain rescue service, and medical facilities are 'basic', their Facebook page says. They say that the competition is strictly 'no weapons', adding that 'all participants take part solely at their own risk' | Afghan Ski Challenge happens every March in Banyam, near Kabul .
Competitors come from all over the world to take part .
It is free to compete for Afghans, who often bring their own equipment .
Wooden planks complete with tyre strips serve as makeshift skis . |
204,794 | 9525351140d2d32d058a7f161ab2270dce8f8104 | PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 14 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:39 EST, 14 September 2012 . Medical history: The research in Seoul could make the jab a thing of a past . Some people hate them, some people fear them, and the rest of us probably don't enjoy them that much. But needle injections could finally become medical history, after scientists found a way to use lasers to take the 'ouch!' out of a medicine jab. The process, developed at Seoul National University in South Korea, could revolutionise how we receive annual flu shots, childhood immunisations, and other treatments that involve piercing the skin with a needle. The laser-based system blasts microscopic jets of drugs directly into the skin, and the creators say it is as gentle and painless as 'being hit with a puff of air'. The system uses an 'yttrium aluminum . garnet' laser to propel a tiny, precise stream of medicine with just the . right amount of force. This type of laser is commonly used by dermatologists, particularly for facial esthetic treatments. Now . Jack Yoh, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, has . combined the laser with a small adaptor that contains the drug to be . delivered, in liquid form, plus a chamber containing water that acts as a . 'driving' fluid. Each laser pulse, which lasts just 250 millionths of a second, generates a vapor bubble inside the driving fluid. The . pressure of that bubble puts elastic strain on the membrane between the . water and drug, causing the drug to be forcefully ejected from a . miniature nozzle in a narrow jet. The jet is a mere 150 millionths of a meter (micrometers) in diameter, just a little larger than the width of a human hair. The beam entrance view of the laser injector: The technology could end the jab forever . Yoh said: 'The impacting jet pressure is higher than the skin tensile strength and thus causes the jet to smoothly penetrate into the targeted depth underneath the skin, without any splashback of the drug.' Tests on guinea pig skin show that the drug-laden jet can penetrate up to several millimeters beneath the skin surface, with no damage to the tissue. Because of the narrowness and quickness of the jet, it should cause little or no pain, Yoh said - 'However, our aim is the epidermal layer,' which is located closer to the skin surface, at a depth of only about 500 micrometers. Tested in gel: The laser creates a hole in the gel (the black line) before the drug is injected . This region of the skin has no nerve endings, so the method 'will be completely pain-free'. In previous studies, the researchers used a laser wavelength that was not well absorbed by the water of the driving liquid, causing the formation of tiny shock waves that dissipated energy and hampered the formation of the vapor bubble. In the new work, Yoh and colleagues use a laser with a wavelength of 2,940 nanometers, which is readily absorbed by water. This allows the formation of a larger and more stable vapor bubble "which then induces higher pressure on the membrane," he said. 'This is ideal for creating the jet and significantly improves skin penetration.' Although other research groups have developed similar injectors, 'they are mechanically driven', using piston-like devices to force drugs into the skin, which gives less control over the jet strength and the drug dosage. 'The laser-driven microjet injector can precisely control dose and the depth of drug penetration underneath the skin. 'Control via laser power is the major advancement over other devices, I believe.' Yoh is now working with a company to produce low-cost replaceable injectors for clinical use. | South Korea team creates laser that uses 'just the right amount of force' to inject medicine .
Future jabs could be as painful as 'a puff of fresh air' |
110,630 | 1a99045dc1fe8de49cf77e8bfc7184ec730d0297 | (CNN) -- Most of us have agreed to share a cab with a stranger while traveling, but we haven't wound up in jail as a result. That wrong-place-wrong-time nightmare scenario, however, is apparently what's happened to Stacey Addison, an American veterinarian from Oregon, who has been traveling solo around the world since January 2013. According to the Oregonian newspaper and Addison's Facebook page, on September 5, Addison traveled from Indonesia into Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor) and shared a cab from the border crossing at Batugade to the capital city of Dili. "Along the way, another passenger asked to pick up a package at a DHL office," reports the Oregonian. "Police, acting on a tip from Indonesian authorities, were watching and found methamphetamine in the parcel. "Addison and everyone else in the cab were arrested." "I was held in the Dili Detention Center for four nights then released after an initial hearing," Addison later posted on Facebook. "The judge ordered that my passport be held until further investigations have been completed." "(Addison) was conditionally released September 9 but wasn't allowed to leave the country," according to the Oregonian. "Prosecutors told her she was needed as a witness for an investigation that could take a year." Solitary confinement, hair chopped . After an October 29 court appearance, Addison was jailed again without explanation or warning, and spent five days in solitary confinement. It's unclear when Addison will be released. The Oregonian reports that local U.S. consular officials have visited twice with Addison in prison and that U.S. State Department officials will meet with the Timorese ambassador on Friday. Addison's mother, Bernadette Kero, has established a Facebook page PleaseHelpStacey. On November 1, Kero posted the following update: . "Yesterday I spoke with Josh at the U.S. Embassy in Dili after his visit with Stacey at Gleno prison. "He said that conditions are basic but decent. ... She is in 'Induction' period so alone for 5 days and her hair has been cut short per prison protocol. She will be moved to the Female Unit on Monday. "He told me she was being strong. ... She (said) how difficult it was to be all alone in a small cell with nothing to do but worry all day." "I am trying to keep busy and keep the anxiety at bay, but the uncertainty is always there," Addison posted on Facebook on October 19, between her first and second incarcerations. "This isn't how I had imagined I would be spending my time during the trip of a lifetime. I hope it is all over soon." | Travel nightmare comes true for American Stacey Addison in Timor-Leste .
Addison arrested after sharing a cab with a stranger carrying methamphetamine .
She's being held as a witness in the case, which could take up to a year to investigate .
U.S. State Department to meet this week with Timor-Leste ambassador . |
160,687 | 5bbbc34a8575bd9609a782a5a75191413d141501 | Chinese president Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan were welcomed at Government House in Canberra for a cuddle with a cute wombat, a tour of the grounds to see the kangaroos and to sign a ground breaking trade deal which will eventually see 95 per cent of Australian exports will enter China tariff-free. The Chinese super powers were welcomed in Canberra with a ceremonial welcome by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and then shown round the grounds. They were introduced to the resident wombats and taken round the grounds in a golf buggy to be shown to kangaroos which shyly hid under the trees. Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove (R) stands with China's President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan as she holds a wombat . China's President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan looked very pleased to meet the wombat at Government House in Canberra . President Xi and his wife attended meetings today in Canberra and then went onto the federal Parliament where he gave a speech . President Xi and his wife were given a ceremonial welcome at Government House when he arrived in Canberra . President Xi and his wife were invited to sign the Government House guest book and they attended a number of meetings before he addressed the federal Parliament. In the ground breaking speech on Monday afternoon President Xi said he was pleased to be in Australia and that he was looking forward to visiting Tasmania tomorrow as part of his trip. He said he thought 'kangaroos were strange and koalas were cute' and he wanted Australia and China to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' to improve trade and relations between the two countries. He also described his commitment to peace and touching on the country's size calling it 'the big guy in the room' he tried to alleviate fears over other countries fearing China's size and growing power. President Xi and China's first lady sat down with Mr Cosgrove at Government House for meetings . Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove, President Xi Jinping and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove at Government House . The leaders took a trip round Government House to see the kangaroos and wombats in a golf buggy in Canberra . The kangaroos made an appearance for the world leaders at Government House, President Xi said they kangaroos were 'strange' Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he is confident the new pact will create jobs and boost the economy. 'This will add billions to the economy, create jobs and drive higher living standards for Australians,' Mr Abbott said. China is Australia's number one trading partner, with the two-way flow of goods and services exceeding $150 billion last year. Mr Xi told parliament his country of 1.3 billion people was a 'market of immense potential', importing more than US$10 trillion in goods over the next five years and investing $500 billion overseas, while its people make over 500 million overseas visits. China's President Xi Jinping signs the guestbook upon his arrival at Government House . Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan (C) signs the guestbook at Government House on Monday . The agreement will bring cheaper clothing, cars, household goods and electronic items are just some of the wins for consumers for Australia. The historic free-trade deal with China worth an estimated $18 billion over a decade. German President Angela Merkel plays with toy trucks during demonstration of transportation logistics as she visits the Future Logistics Living Lab in Sydney on Monday . The Chancellor looks at a drone prototype whose electronics are designed to withstand cyber attack . Prime Minister and Tony Abbott and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the pact after Mr Xi addressed federal Parliament in Canberra on Monday afternoon, during which he praised Australia as a country of 'dynamism and innovation'. Under the deal, 85 per cent of all Australian exports will enter China tariff-free, NewsCorp Australia reports. The agreement also removes significant trade barriers for agriculture, resources and energy, manufacturing exports and investment. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, also visited Future Logistics Living Lab in Sydney,and looked at a drone prototype whose electronics are designed to withstand cyber attack and she was seen playing with models of trucks during an interactive demonstration on Monday. China's President Xi Jingping gave a speech at Canberra's Government House on Monday afternoon . China and Australia signed a big trade deal and he said he wanted the trade relationship to grow and grow . | Chinese president Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan were welcomed at Government House in Canberra .
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove showed them round and they had a cuddle with a wombat .
They also had a trip round the grounds in a golf buggy to take a closer look at the kangaroos .
President Xi addressed the federal Parliament saying he wanted the two countries work 'shoulder to shoulder'
The $18 billion deal is described as a 'game changer' that will open up billions of dollars in new export markets .
It will being in cheaper cars, clothing and electronic items into the Australian market . |
284,253 | fc46a84d45d3dc853b289bf3668731d2f442b747 | (CNN) -- U.S. Senate nominee Alvin Greene, a political unknown who became the surprise winner of the South Carolina Democratic primary, was indicted Friday by a grand jury on obscenity charges. Greene was indicted on one felony count of "disseminating, procuring or promoting obscenity," according to the Richland County clerk of courts. He was also indicted on a misdemeanor count of "communicating an obscene message to another person without consent." Greene told CNN Senior Political Editor Mark Preston that his lawyer "is dealing" with the indictments. Following the announcement of Greene's indictment, South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler released a statement asking Greene to resign. "In June, I asked Mr. Greene to withdraw his candidacy because of the charges against him. Following today's indictments, I repeat that request," Fowler said. "It will be impossible for Mr. Greene to address his legal issues and run a statewide campaign. The indictment renews concerns that Mr. Greene cannot represent the values of the Democratic Party or South Carolina voters." Greene was charged by police in November with showing pornographic material to a female University of South Carolina student on a computer in the school's library. The alleged victim, according to university police, also said Greene asked if he could come to her room. The woman said the incident happened November 4. Greene's June 8 primary victory stunned politicians in South Carolina because they had never heard of him and saw no proof he had mounted any type of campaign. His Democratic opponent, Vic Rawl, tried to have the election overturned, saying there were voting machine irregularities, but the state party denied the request. The existence of the obscenity-related criminal charges didn't surface until after the primary win. State Democratic leaders called on Greene to step aside. He is believed to have little chance of running a serious campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint. Greene has remained tight-lipped regarding the obscenity charges. "I'm innocent until proven guilty. ... I'm concentrating on my campaign issues: jobs, education and justice," he said in a recent interview. He refused to answer any more questions regarding the allegations. The obscenity issue is one of several controversies swirling around Greene's long shot candidacy. Observers have also questioned how the 32-year-old nominee, who is believed to have very little personal wealth, was able to afford the $10,440 filing fee required to get his name on the Democratic Senate primary ballot. South Carolina's top law enforcement agency said it determined that Greene used his own money to pay the fee, though the state attorney general's office said it did not receive a request from the agency to subpoena Greene's bank records. Greene's military record also has raised questions. Greene, according to records obtained by The Associated Press, was denied two promotions and made "mistakes as severe as uploading sensitive information improperly, and as basic as an overall inability to clearly express his thoughts and perform basic tasks." The records cover three years of Greene's service in the Air Force. Greene was discharged from the military in August 2009. Greene recently attracted attention to his candidacy by proposing to create jobs in South Carolina by making "toys of me, especially for the holidays. Little dolls. Like maybe action dolls. Me in an Army uniform, Air Force uniform, and me in my suit." CNN's Steve Brusk and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | Alvin Greene has been indicted on two obscenity charges .
Greene is the South Carolina Democratic Senate nominee .
Greene was charged in November with showing pornography to college student .
Greene tells CNN his lawyer "is dealing" with the indictment . |
258,720 | dadaa3151331348df854c3c058577f51571e1c39 | (CNN) -- Guinea international Lass Bangoura pulled out of a key African Cup of Nations match against Ghana Saturday because his club teammates were worried he could contract Ebola. Bangoura, who plays for Rayo Vallecano in Spain, told the La Liga side's official website that he had been told of their fears in a phone call while training for the Group E qualifier. With Guinea one of the worst affected countries by the deadly virus, the international match had already been moved to the Moroccan city of Casablanca, but that apparently did not satisfy his fellow Rayo squad members. "My teammates were afraid and at the end of practice I spoke with the (Guinea) coach Michel Dussuyer and said there was a problem, because of Ebola. "I asked him if I could be excused because I didn't want any problems with the club, because they are the ones who pay my salary," he said. Bangoura has now returned to his club, who are based in the Spanish capital Madrid where earlier this week a nurse became the first person in Europe to contract Ebola outside of West Africa. She remains critically ill in hospital. "My Rayo teammates welcomed me back," Bangoura said. "They have confidence in me, but what people need to understand is that when you are summoned for the national team, you have to see a doctor and get tested. "Every national team has its own doctor who takes care of these issues. I am fine, there is no problem (with my health)," he added. The 22-year-old Bangoura is a regular in the Rayo first team and has also established himself in his national squad. He was concerned that his withdrawal could lead to problems for his family back home in Guinea. "I just spoke to my mother, we have been talking. It is the first time I have left the national team and I am scared that there could be some crazy person who harms my family. "This afternoon I'll be speaking on my country's radio to say I have no issue with the national team and to say I'm sorry." The spread of the Ebola virus has had a serious impact on football in affected countries, with all competitive games stopped in Sierra Leona. African Cup of Nations qualifiers involving its national team, Guinea and Liberia have also been relocated by the Confederation of African Football. | Guinea star Alhassane (Lass) Bangoura withdraws from national squad .
Bangoura cites fears of his Rayo Vallecano club teammates over Ebola .
Guinea due to play against Ghana in Morocco .
"I am fine" Bangoura says when asked about his health . |
4,688 | 0d736c2d736bfa58254dcbc46e514a294432d367 | Juan Mata’s relationship with Jose Mourinho had sunk so low that he had no option but to leave Chelsea after the pair stopped speaking. The Spain midfielder cost Manchester United £37.1million in January and has revealed there was ‘no dialogue’ with his manager at Stamford Bridge. It marked a sorry end for Mata, who was widely adored in west London and had scooped the club’s fans’ and players’ Player of the Year awards the previous season. Jose Mourinho (left) and Juan Mata weren't on speaking terms before the latter left Chelsea last season . Spaniard Mata eventually left for Manchester United in a £37.1million move back in January . Manager Louis van Gaal has drawn lavish praise from Mata in an interview with El Pais on Monday . ‘For better or for worse, we had no relationship, there was no dialogue,’ Mata told El Pais. ‘I was not happy, but always gave the most respected and my colleagues. You never know what will happen in life.’ For a man usually so reserved, it is a damning character assassination. The 26-year-old hasn’t properly clicked into gear at Old Trafford just yet, although Louis van Gaal has found it easier to engineer more consistent performances than predecessor David Moyes. Mata – in direct contrast to his forthright criticism for Mourinho – praised the Dutchman highly as United attempt to claw their way back into the Champions League. ‘He [Van Gaal] has so much experience and I can learn a lot from him. He’s tough when he has to be. ‘He says things in a firm way, intensely, but then he’s somebody who is very close with the players. He really likes to talk with us, to ask us what we think about the exercises that we do in training.’ They are comments which could be construed as more than a thinly-veiled dig at Mourinho. Mata has won the players' and fans' Player of the Year awards at Chelsea before leaving the club . Spain Under 21 midfielder Ander Herrera (centre) lives on the same street as Mata in the North West . Mata does appear to have settled in the north – labelling Manchester as ‘the real England’. Hardly surprising, given he lives on the same street as Spanish team-mates David de Gea and Ander Herrera. ‘De Gea told me that at first it was difficult because I did not know the language,’ he added. ‘When I got [here, he] helped me a lot and now we take a hand [to] Ander, with whom I have a very close relationship because our way of interpreting life is similar. ‘We spend almost every day together.’ It was a candid interview, in which the former Valencia playmaker also asserted that he's undervalued in his homeland after playing just once for Spain this calendar year. 'Maybe I feel my values more in England than in Spain,' he added. 'Now I have not [been] mentioned, but am not looking for excuses or justifications.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page. VIDEO Mourinho pleased with evolution of his team . | Man Utd star Juan Mata reveals he and Jose Mourinho had 'no relationship'
Manchester United signed the Spaniard from Chelsea for £37.1m in January .
Mata lives on the same street as David de Gea and Ander Herrera . |
179,595 | 748b0badc59cdacb0717ac7a55a490f7e0ab4d71 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 03:07 EST, 12 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:08 EST, 12 September 2012 . Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the company’s disastrous stock market launch damaged the company’s image during his first interview since the company went public in May. ‘The performance of the stock has obviously been disappointing,’ the Facebook founder, chairman and CEO said while being questioned at a technology conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. While talking about his personal coding skills, Zuckerberg tellingly said to applause: ‘Everything I do breaks, but we fix it quickly’. His interview comes amid massive turmoil within the company, as four senior executives have left in recent months and the company's morale is predictably low after their share price dropped to nearly half of what it was when they launched. Under fire: Mark Zuckerberg had his first interview since his company went public in May . Zuckerberg broke his silence at Tech Crunch Disrupt, answering questions posed by the conference’s founder Michael Arrington who has been critical of the social networking company in the past. Mr Arrington asked about how the . dramatic decrease in stock worth has affected the company’s morale and . Zuckerberg was blunt in responding: ‘Well it doesn’t help.’ The . hardest-hit by the dropping share price -which . initially launched at $38-per-share in May and now stands at a paltry . $19.48 - are employees who are . paid partially in stock, but the 28-year-old multi-billionaire said that . the company takes the lackluster stock price into consideration when . doling it out for salary. ‘We haven’t really done anything on equity to incentivise people,’ he said. ‘The . way that we do compensation is we translate the amount of cash we give . you into shares so if the shares are undervalued’ they give employees . more stock to equate to the amount they feel is fair. ‘We're going to do the things we think will build value over the long run,’ Zuckerberg explained while justifying the decision to go public. ‘We are a mission-driven company’ which he said tends to look to their larger goal of making the world more open and transparent, but like any business, ‘you can’t just focus on that.’ The sit down: Tech Crunch founder Michael Arrington, who has been critical of Facebook in the past, interviewed Zuckerberg for about 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon . ‘The best people want to work on a mission they believe in but they also want to make a lot of money. ‘In order to do that we need to have a business model that makes a lot of money.’ ‘Building a mission and building a business goes hand in hand… the primary thing that makes me excited is about the mission.’ The decision to appear for the interview . was a clear effort by Zuckerberg to open up and re-energize the company . in hopes of stemming the exodus of key employees. Over the course of the summer, five . department heads all left the company, but today Zuckerberg said that he . feels now is the time to 'double down'. Focus on phones: While he said that he 'does everything' on his phone, he repeated past denials that the company is developing a phone of their own . 'I actually think that its a great time for people to stay,' he said, which was met with moderate applause. The appearance may have worked as well, with some analysts predicting that the talk helped increase Facebook's market capital by $1.7billion during the half-hour talk. The Facebook stock went up two per cent during after-hours trading, showing a positive response from the business world about the CEO's talk. Zuckerberg explained that he takes a inherently cautious approach when it comes to his evaluation of the company's public image. 'When people are writing nice stuff about us, it's important to get in front of the company and say, "Don't believe all this." When they write negative stuff, it's important to get in front of the company and say, "Don't believe all this." 'We are very self-critical too.' One of the mistakes that Zuckerberg pointed out was that they spent too long focusing on their HTML platform for the web as opposed to adapting and improving the product for mobile devices which he now firmly believes is the future of the network. He said that they underestimated 'how fundamentally good mobile is' for their growth. From a numbers perspective, he said a focus on mobile phones makes sense simply because they will have so many more prospective users as more people have phones than computers. That shift also makes financial sense for advertisers as engagement levels are higher on phones as well. 'I basically live on my mobile device,' Zuckerberg said. 'You know the founders letter in the S-1? I wrote that on my phone. I do everything on my phone.' Having fun: Zuckerberg admitted that his job is now more about achieving the mission of creating a more open web and while he did say he still had fun, his focus is more on building 'good stuff' Mr Arrington admitted that he has floated the theory that Facebook is developing their own physical phone for years- imagining a world where a group of engineers have been hidden away to create the new device- but Zuckerberg echoed his past denials repeatedly during the talk. He explained that it is better for Facebook to be available on all different mobile networks so that they can reach the most users no matter what type of phone they have, rather than spending time, money and energy developing their own product that would only get '10 million, 20 million people to use it. That doesn't move the needle for us!' 'Do you believe me yet? It's always been such a juicy story, but it's so clearly the wrong strategy for us,' he affirmed. In that same vein, Zuckerberg said that the company is actively developing their new Facebook app for Android but was non-committal when discussing a launch date, saying only that 'it will be ready when it's ready'. Another area that he confirmed is under improvement is the network's search function because he feels there is a depth of untapped potential for the tool since it typically just used to find people. 'We do on the order of a billion queries a day, and we're basically not even trying,' he said. Moving forward: He listed the Android app and improved search capabilities as two areas that the company is currently working on . What he said the company is interested in looking at are the way that Facebook can use the information about the user's friends and experiences to tailor the search. He gave the example of how can Facebook help a user find what sushi places their friends have been to in New York? Or what friends work at a particular company where the user wants to apply for a job? 'Facebook is uniquely positioned to give you answers,' he said. He gave nods to tech start ups like vacation home rental Airbnb, Spotify, and Instagram. Considering Zuckerberg was the one behind Facebook's $1billion acquisition of the photo-sharing service, it comes as little surprise that he said they were 'killing it'. While he remained upbeat and focused on the company's positive future in light of the discouraging stock market launch, he pointedly deflected to his dedication to the company's mission when asked if he was still having fun. 'For me it's not really about fun. It's about mission. It goes through waves. There are times when everyone thinks what we're doing is awesome. There are times when everyone is pessimistic. I would rather be in the cycle where people underestimate us. I would rather be underestimated. It gives us freedom to go out and do interesting stuff,' he said. 'When you look back 10 or 20 years from now, the legacy of this company should be that we've connected everyone in the world and they can share what they want.' | Mark Zuckerberg gave first interview since company went public .
Came amid major departures of top executives, and he admitted that the plummeting stock price 'doesn't help' morale .
Remained positive saying that now is the time to 'double down'
Revealed new Android app is coming and wants to focus on mobile . |
46,097 | 81d6d01314c255c2701b0debcd6bc0b7ec2ee2ba | A squad of miniature chocolate Terracotta warriors wearing marzipan Santa hats is ready to wage sweet war this Christmas in China. The 300 warriors were crafted by bakers at Xi'an Shangri-La hotel in Xi'an city, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Made from 100kg of Belgian chocolate, the edible versions are modelled on the country's Terracotta Army, a set of life-size ancient Chinese army sculptures from 3rd century BC. Good enough to eat: Bakers at Xi'an Shangri-La hotel in Xi'an city, China, created miniature chocolate models of the country's iconic Terracotta Army sculptures from 3rd century BC . The idea to combine a traditional Christmas symbol in the form of a Santa hat with the image of a Chinese Terracotta warrior formed from chocolate has proved a real hit for the upcoming festival. The chocolate army took bakers ten days to create and was on display at the hotel. It has proved so successful that confectioners all over the country have made their own versions. With less than one percent of the country Christian, Christmas is not a public holiday in China. But in recent years it has become a massive commercial success with Christmas gifts proving hugely popular with local consumers. The chocolate army took bakers ten days to create and was on display at the hotel. The idea has now been copied by confectioners all across China . Bakers used 100kg of Belgium chocolate to make 300 Terracotta Warriors. The hats are made from marzipan . The original Terracotta Warriors are clay sculptures that were buried with imperial rulers over 2,000 years ago. They were rediscovered in 1974 by farmers in Lintong District, in Xi'an in Shaanxi province. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest warriors representing the generals. The army also includes 8,000 warriors and 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. The chocolate versions with Santa hats have not been welcomed by all with some Chinese social media users saying that they were a 'massive insult to Chinese people everywhere' But the chocolate versions with Santa hats have not been welcomed by all. After these images were posted on Chinese social media website Weibo, user LanWeiYu said: 'The Emperor would be turning in his grave if he knew what was happening with his funeral guard.' Another user added that the cheap commercialisation of one of the most spectacular parts of the country's heritage was a 'massive insult to Chinese people everywhere'. User LuBay said: 'Christmas here is only about making money, and this is one of the worst examples I've seen.' The confectioners however are continuing selling the Santa hat-wearing figures, which according to some users, not only look good but taste good as well. | Bakers in Xi'an City in northwest China's Shaanxi Province made the army .
Ten days and 100kg of Belgian chocolate to shape Christmas mini militia .
Edible soldiers idea copied by confectioners all across the country .
Sweet version modelled on China's life-size Terracotta Army sculptures . |
102,309 | 0fdb99a5df96afe5290b6d4e0533241aac8a2bc8 | West Brom manager Tony Pulis refused to get carried away after the Baggies trounced Barclays Premier League rivals West Ham 4-0 to become the first team to reach this season's FA Cup quarter-finals. Goals from Brown Ideye (two), James Morrison and Saido Berahino ensured West Brom booked their place in the sixth round for the first time in seven years, but Pulis is at present unwilling to contemplate the possibility of taking the Baggies to Wembley. 'We mustn't get carried away,' Pulis, who tasted defeat in the 2011 FA Cup final as Stoke were beaten by Manchester City, told BT Sport 1. Brown Ideye celebrates in style as West Brom defeat West Ham 4-0 to reach FA Cup quarter-finals . West Brom manager Tony Pulis is refusing to start thinking of Wembley as the Baggies battle relegation . 'It was a good performance, we're very pleased, but there's still a long way to go in the league and obviously we need a little but of luck in the next draw.' Pulis was more forthright about two-goal Ideye and dismissed speculation the club's £10million record signing was set for The Hawthorns exit door during the winter transfer window. 'Even if we had brought Carlton (Cole) in, we still would've needed another forward to have stayed so I'm not so sure he would've left,' Pulis added. Ideye scored an impressive brace despite being linked with a move away from the Hawthorns in January . West Brom midfielder James Morrison scored the goal of the game with a sublime long-range effort . 'But he's done absolutely fantastic and there was a weight on his shoulders and scoring goals takes that weight off your shoulders and he's blossomed and looks a good player.' While Pulis refuses to look further than the next round, Ideye, who has scored four goals in three games, sees no reason why West Brom cannot win the trophy at Wembley in May. 'We were on top of the game today, we played very well from the goalkeeper to the attack so I think if we continue like this good things will happen,' he said. Former West Brom stra Morgan Amalfitano strikes Chris Brunt in full view of referee Martin Atkinson . Amalfitano gives referee Martin Atkinson no choice but to send him off in the second half . West Ham's miserable afternoon was made all the worse by substitute Morgan Amalfitano's second-half dismissal and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce believes his side's recent fixture congestion has finally caught up with them. 'I would say it (the defeat) was probably coming based on what we've had to cope with over the last few weeks and I think it told on us today, there's no doubt about that,' he said. 'I have to give West Brom a lot of credit - they were very good. I don't want to take any credit away from them, particularly the front two today, but I look at the players and there was not the energy we know they've got based on all they've done in the last few weeks.' On Amalfitano's dismissal, Allardyce added: 'It's unprofessional, isn't it? The punishment is laid down in our code of conduct and by the Football League. 'That will be dealt with, as always, internally and we'll move on, but I don't think it's made any difference to the result.' | West Brom reached FA Cup quarter-finals with 4-0 defeat of West Ham .
Brown Ideye (2), James Morrison and Saido Berahino scored for Baggies .
New manager Tony Pulis is refusing to get carried away . |
219,846 | a89170aa2ae2fe78d41834fcdd2b968b7f238464 | By . Corey Charlton . Derek Giles, 56, admitted his role in the drug offending and was sentenced to seven years in jail . A gang of drug smugglers has been jailed for a total of 44 years after trying to import more than £1million worth of cocaine into the UK hidden in tins of a popular Jamaican vegetable dish. One of the men, Derek Giles, 56, was a baggage handler at Gatwick Airport and was vital in helping slip the cocaine, which was secured in the tins of Jamaican Pride Callaloo, through security checks. The five men and two women were sentenced after either admitting their role or being found guilty in the sophisticated drug . smuggling operation at Kingston Crown Court in Surrey on Friday. It began in April last year when Craig Accra, 33, from Liverpool, travelled to Montego Bay, Jamaica with his partner. A month later, he met Londoners Glenroy Williams, 51, and Lawrence French, 54, in Birmingham before later meeting an unnamed associate to discuss taking up to 12 kilograms of cocaine from Jamaica to Britain for a fee of £100,000. The plan was for the drugs to travel from Antigua to London, then from London to Holland, in an attempt to attract less attention than a direct flight from the Caribbean. On June 12 Lee Edward Kent, 36, from Liverpool, and another person arranged to meet others in the gang in Amsterdam. However, their attempt failed when Eileen Adams, 55, also of Liverpool, panicked when she couldn't see the bag the airport luggage carousel. Instead, she grabbed another bag from the carousel and was arrested for theft. Unaware his operation was being watched by police and the National Crime Agency, Williams attempted to smuggle again. This time Sharon Dixon, 51, London, travelled from Gatwick Airport to Jamaica in September. On her September 19 return to Gatwick, she did not leave the airport as she was booked onto a transfer flight to Porto in Portugal. As a result her baggage was 'in transfer' and therefore collected by the transfer baggage handlers. Later that day, police raided Gatwick baggage handler Giles’ home and found a small rucksack with four sealed tins of the popular Jamaican chopped leaf vegetable labelled Jamaican Pride Callaloo in the kitchen. The tins contained cocaine with a street value of £400,000. Callaloo is a spinach-like vegetable dish seasoned and steamed in Jamaica, often eaten for breakfast. These are the tins in which the cocaine was found after Dixon returned to Britain from Jamaica . Inside the sealed tins of Jamaican Pride Callaloo was cocaine worth about £400,000 . Derek Giles, who was sentenced to seven years jail, was a baggage handler at Gatwick Airport (pictured). A . succession of arrests followed which included the wider members of the group. All . the defendants pleaded guilty apart from Dixon, who denied the offence . throughout but was found guilty at trial at Kingston Crown Court on . March 26. Dixon . had previously been sentenced to a 10 year prison sentence in 1996 for . the importation of 3kgs of cocaine in her luggage via Stanstead Airport. Detective . Inspector Jerry Troon from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Specialist . Economic and Organised Crime Command said: 'These sentences are a . satisfying culmination of months of painstaking police work by officers . from the MPS and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit. Those involved have had a direct link with the supply to mid-level dealers within London and Merseyside and I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues whose fine work led to their incarceration. 'This investigation shows that we will seek anyone actively involved in the drugs trade and use all the powers available to us to combat it. 'The message is clear - if you deal in drugs we will find you, we will arrest you and you will be put in front of the courts to face the consequences of your actions.' Police mugshots of Craig Accra (left) and . Lawrence French (right). The group first failed in their attempts to . smuggle cocaine into Britain and were caught by police the second time . Lee Kent (left) received a sentence of five . years and eight months jail for his role in planning the failed caper, . while Glenroy Williams (right) was sentenced to 11 years in jail . Eileen Adams (left) and Sharon Dixon (right). Adams panicked when she could not see her bag at the airport luggage . carousel during the group's first attempt at smuggling cocaine from . Jamaica to Britain . Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson, head of operations at Titan - the North West Regional organised crime unit, said: “This was a sophisticated gang with influences in several major UK cities as well as criminal contacts abroad. 'The ringleaders devised a ploy whereby they used couriers to make several flights during the importing of the drugs to ensure their bags remained ‘in transfer’. 'They thought this would avoid detection but clearly they were wrong and law enforcement agencies became wise to their intentions at an early stage. 'Once we knew about all the people involved they were systematically arrested and incriminating evidence was found. The fact that all but one pleaded guilty showed the overwhelming evidence against them. 'Titan and the Metropolitan Police worked extremely closely to dismantle this conspiracy and seize more than a million pounds of drugs destined for the streets of cities across the UK. 'The jailing of this gang shows that there is no criminal out there that is beyond Titan’s reach.' | Gang jailed for 44 years for attempts to smuggle £1m of cocaine into Britain .
Drugs were found hidden in sealed tins of Jamaican Pride Callaloo vegetable .
Attempted to escape airport detection by classing luggage as 'in transfer'
Six members of the group pleaded guilty, including Gatwick baggage handler . |
287,060 | ffee67cf410c32857f263cb5b8a15b492194ac53 | (CNN) -- A late Sergio Ramos goal earned Real Madrid a 2-1 win against Barcelona at the Bernabeu on Saturday as the La Liga leaders slumped to a second consecutive El Clasico defeat. Five days after being dumped out of the Copa del Rey by Jose Mourinho's side, the Catalan club were once again forced to play second fiddle to their archrivals. Read: Ronaldo double sinks Barca . Karim Benzema put the hosts ahead in the sixth minute, slotting home after Alvaro Morata had crossed from the left before Barca equalized 12 minutes later -- Lionel Messi collecting his 18th goal against Real Madrid and his 50th of the season. Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a sub in the second half and livened up proceedings, but it was Sergio Ramos who scored the winner eight minutes from the end, rising highest to head home Luka Modric's corner. Barcelona thought they should have been awarded a penalty in the final minute when, at the other end, Ramos appeared to trip Adriano but the referee didn't agree. An angry protest by Victor Valdes after the final whistle earned the goalkeeper a red card. The result takes Real to 55 points and within one point of second-place city rivals Atletico -- who travel to Malaga on Sunday. Despite the loss -- just their second in the league this season -- Barca are still way out ahead of on 68 points, but not in an unassailable position just yet, as the match winner Ramos pointed out. "In the league 13 points is better than 16. We have reduced the distance and whilst it is still possible mathematically we are obliged to fight," Ramos said. But thoughts are already turning to Tuesday's last 16 Champions League match up against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Defender Pepe believes back-to-back wins over Barcelona can inspire Real to victory in the second leg with the tie evenly poised at 1-1. Blog: Pedro's Point of View . "We are very happy with the victory and it was important to win. It gives us a lot of hope for the game on Tuesday, we have to go out and try to win the game in Manchester," Pepe said. In La Liga's other Saturday matches, Valencia played out a 2-2 draw with Levante while the game between bottom-of-the-table Deportivo La Coruna and ninth-place Rayo Vallecano ended goalless. Athletic Bilbao move up to 14th after a 1-0 win against Osasuna. Meanwhile in Serie A, Giampaolo Pazzini scored twice as AC Milan overran 10-man Lazio 3-0 at the San Siro on Saturday. Lazio's chances of getting anything from the game were dealt a fatal blow when Antonio Candreva was shown a straight red after 17 minutes for a foul on Stephan El Shaarawy. Milan proceeded to dominate and two quick-fire goals at the end of the first half -- Pazzini in the 40th minute and Kevin Prince Boateng four minutes later -- effectively killed the contest. Read: Juventus stay six points clear . Pazzini, who is deputizing for the injured Mario Balotelli, scored his second of the night on the hour mark to put the game beyond the reach of the visitors. The win extends Milan's unbeaten league run to nine games and lifts them to fourth -- two points above city rivals Inter who travel to Catania on Sunday. Third place Lazio, meanwhile, have taken just five points from their last seven games. | Sergio Ramos headed goal earns Real Madrid second El Clasico win in five days .
Benzema gives Madrid early lead before Messi leveled with 50th goal of the season .
Madrid play Manchester United in last 16 second leg Champions League tie on Tuesday .
In Serie A, AC Milan beat 10-man Lazio 3-0 to move up to fourth in the table . |
27,970 | 4f4166636514bc614fc138a2484313235a05a239 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 2:49 AM on 23rd February 2012 . The president of the California Fish and Wildlife Commission has caused outrage after posing for photographs clutching a dead mountain lion. Daniel Richards, 59, is believed to have shot the animal in Idaho, where hunting the big cats is legal. However in California, the state where he is in charge of wildlife decisions, hunting mountain lions has been banned for two decades. Scroll down for video . Big game: Daniel Richards, president of the Californian Fish and Wildlife Commission, controversially poses with a dead mountain lion which he shot in Idaho where hunting the cats is legal . Legislation in California also makes it illegal to bring the corpses of mountain lions into the state - although it was unclear if Mr Richards had done this. The picture came to light after it was posted on the website of Western Outdoor News, the largest hunting and fishing newspaper in California. It shows Mr Richards dressed in camouflage, standing in snow-covered woodland, proudly hoisting up the creature which slumps over in his arms. In charge: Daniel Richards was pictured holding a trophy mountain lion - hunting the creature has been illegal for 20 years in his home state of California . Mr Richards, who is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, assumed the presidency of the Fish and Game Commission in 2008. His term ends next year. Californian congressman Jared Huffman told the San Jose Mercury News: 'He’s done something that’s a disgrace to his position and to responsible hunters in California.' The hunting of mountain lions has been illegal in California since 1990 after proposition 117 was passed. The legislation also set aside $30 million of state funding until . 2020 to buy up habitat to protect mountain lions and other species. The non-profit Mountain Lion Foundation, which fought for the law to be passed, has now called for Mr Richards to give up his role. On the MLF's website, it stated: 'While technically no laws were broken, California residents are disgusted and calling for Richards' immediate removal from the Commission. 'Since Richards proudly and openly defies the priorities of the people he was appointed to represent, clearly he can't be trusted and he needs to go.' | Daniel Richards, 59, accused of 'defying priorities' by going to Idaho on big game shoot . |
270,009 | e9b18ec0335122b0bd8a1505755098b042ea5dc2 | (CNN) -- North Korea upped the ante Tuesday in its war of words, threatening to target South Korea and U.S. military bases. Even by North Korean standards, the series of threats this month by leader Kim Jong Un and ensuing actions have been incredibly provocative, making the situation on the Korean Peninsula more worrisome. Here's a look at Kim's escalating rhetoric and his country's actions since he came to power after his father's death in 2011: . March 2012 . As South Korea hosts world leaders at an international nuclear security summit in Seoul, North Korea moves a long-range rocket toward a launch pad. Pyongyang says it plans to carry out the test in mid-April as part of a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the nation's founder. April 2012 . Defying warnings by U.S. President Barack Obama that Kim has nothing to gain from provocations, Pyongyang launches the rocket. It breaks apart and falls into the sea. August 2012 . Kim visits the same military unit behind a 2010 attack on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, where he reminds the troops to be ready to fight a "sacred war" against Seoul. The North Korean leader makes the veiled threat just ahead of an annual war games conducted on the Korean Peninsula by the United States and South Korea. The dictator calls the joint Seoul-Washington military exercises a "war rehearsal" to invade. October 2012 . North Korea claims to have developed missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. December 2012 . Kim announces plans to launch another long-range rocket in a renewed effort to send a satellite into space. Two days after the government announces the launch window is being pushed back because of technical issues, the rocket lifts off from the west coast of North Korea. Pyongyang declares the mission a success. January 2013 . North Korea announces it is planning a new nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches, all of which it says are part of a new phase of confrontation with the United States. The threats come two days after the U.N. Security Council approves the broadening of sanctions in response to the rocket launch in December that apparently put a satellite in orbit. February 2013 . North Korea carries out an underground nuclear bomb test on February 12. The test is designed "to defend the country's security and sovereignty in the face of the ferocious hostile act of the U.S.," the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency says at the time, referring to new U.S.-led sanctions. "This nuclear test is our first measure, which displayed our maximum restraint. ... If the U.S. continues with their hostility and complicates the situation, it would be inevitable to continuously conduct a stronger second or third measure." March 2013 . Angered by U.N. Security Council sanctions over its nuclear test, North Korea threatens for the first time to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States and South Korea. It's one of a series of provocative threats and, in some cases, actions by North Korea that begins with Pyongyang saying it is scrapping the 1953 truce that effectively ended the Korean War. At the same time, it cuts off its direct phone links with South Korea at Panmunjom, the abandoned village that sits on the border between the two countries. North Korea then doubles down on the threat, saying it is nullifying the joint declaration on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. One of the country's top generals, according to published reports, claims Pyongyang has nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that are ready to be fired. Although U.S. officials don't believe North Korea is in a position to strike the United States, the Obama administration responds to the threat by announcing plans to deploy additional ground-based missile interceptors on the West Coast. U.S. officials also say B-52 bombers are making flights over South Korea as part of annual, joint military exercises this month that have enraged North Korea. Pyongyang releases a new propaganda video that shows an imaged missile attack on U.S. government buildings in Washington, including the White House and the Capitol. The roughly four-minute video is posted on the YouTube channel of the North Korean government website Uriminzokkiri. North Korea threatens Tuesday to attack U.S. and South Korea bases, putting its troops on alert. It announces through state-run media that the military is ready for combat. The threat follows claims that U.S. B-52 bombers again made flights Monday over South Korea. CNN's Elise Labott, Jethro Mullen and Brad Lendon contributed to this report. | North Korea on Tuesday threatens to attack U.S. and South Korean bases .
Pyongyang puts its troops on full alert and announces its military is ready for combat .
The threat comes amid joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises . |
13,252 | 25a85b9d0db72a7eb4d874019fd3d43ca7faf7b7 | (CNN) -- Maria Sharapova has been forced out of the U.S. Open with a right shoulder injury, continuing a turbulent few months for the four-time grand slam winner. The world No. 3 is suffering from bursitis, which occurs when a small, fluid-filled sac forms under the skin. "I have done everything I could since Wimbledon to get myself ready but it just wasn't enough time," Sharapova said in a statement released on her website. "I have done many tests, received several opinions and it all comes down to taking the proper amount of time to heal my shoulder injury properly. It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favorite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon. "I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. I will miss being part of the US Open, but can't wait for next year." After losing to Portuguese qualifier Michelle Larcher De Brito in the second round of Wimbledon in June, the Russian ended her three-year partnership with coach Thomas Hogstedt. She then hired legendary eight-time grand slam winner Jimmy Connors as his replacement, but that was ended after just one match, her second-round defeat to American starlet Sloane Stephens at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. The 2006 U.S. Open champion had reportedly agreed to have her father coach her throughout the year's final grand slam. Sharapova grabbed the headlines earlier this week amid suggestions she was set to change her name to "Sugarpova" for the duration of tournament, a marketing stunt designed to promote her candy range. Her representatives, however, told CNN that it would be "too complicated." In Sharapova's absence Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska will be instated as the third seed for Thursday's draw. Home fans suffered a blow with the news that American Mardy Fish has withdrawn from tournament as he continues to struggle with ongoing health issues. The former world No. 7 has been battling a heart condition which first came to light in May 2012 and required him to have surgery to correct faulty electrical connections within his heart. Fish has already missed the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon this year. Earlier this week he was forced to withdraw from his match with Jarkko Nieminen at the Winston-Salem Open. "Friends, unfortunately my health won't allow me to compete this year at the US Open. Thank you for all your support," the 31-year-old announced on his official Twitter account. Fish reached the fourth round at Flushing Meadows in each of the last three years and was a quarterfinalist in 2008. | Maria Sharapova pulls out of the U.S. Open with a shoulder injury .
The world No. 3 was a champion at Flushing Meadows in 2006 .
She is replaced as third seed by Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska .
Former U.S. No. 1 Mardy Fish to miss the U.S. Open due to health issues . |
276,954 | f2ce05a9c91348f2433cc926ae3cd575b25116ef | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- A Georgia inmate, found dead in prison where she was serving a life sentence for killing her boyfriend and husband with antifreeze, apparently committed suicide, authorities said Wednesday. Autopsy results on Julia Lynn Womack Turner showed she died from the "toxic effects of the prescription medication propranolol, a blood pressure medication that Ms. Turner had been prescribed," according to Georgia's chief medical examiner. Investigators found no evidence of injury or foul play and the prison death is being classified as a suicide, Dr. Kris Sperry said. "Toxicology studies revealed that Ms. Turner had a lethal level of this drug in her blood indicating that she had ingested an amount well above the prescribed dosage," Dr. Sperry said. Turner, who went by Lynn, was serving a sentence of life in prison without parole in the Metro State Prison for women in Atlanta. She was found unresponsive in her cell on the morning of August 30, and medics could not revive her. Lynn Turner was convicted of murder in the deaths of her husband, police officer Glenn Turner, and her boyfriend, firefighter Randy Thompson. Both men were poisoned with antifreeze. Glenn Turner died March 3, 1995, from what was initially thought to be an irregular heartbeat. A week later, Lynn Turner moved in with Thompson, with whom she had begun an affair several months earlier. But it was not until Thompson died in 2001 under similar circumstances that authorities exhumed the body of Glenn Turner and performed another autopsy. In both cases, the men had exhibited flu-like symptoms before being taken to the emergency room. They both died less than 24 hours after they left the hospital, from what a coroner initially identified as heart failure. Further examination, however, revealed traces of ethylene glycol, a byproduct of antifreeze, in both of their bodies. Lynn Turner was convicted of killing her husband in 2004, then convicted in 2007 of killing Thompson. Cobb County, Georgia, prosecutors labeled her a "black widow" who murdered both men for financial gain. After her husband's death, Lynn Turner received more than $150,000 in benefits and interest from his life insurance and pension. She received about $36,000 in benefits as a result of Thompson's death. CNN's Ashley Hayes contributed to this report. | Medical examiner: Turner died from a blood pressure drug overdose .
Authorities say there were no signs of foul play in Lynn Turner's death .
She was found unresponsive in her Georgia prison cell .
Turner was serving life terms for killing her boyfriend and husband . |
152,463 | 510a9ca3d7c69ea928f9485717d28c53b30cd110 | Phil Mickelson lost his cool with an on-course TV cameraman during his fourball tie on the opening morning of the Ryder Cup. Mickelson, paired with Keegan Bradley, snapped at the cameraman for getting too close to the action. Bradley's caddie Steve 'Pepsi' Hale warned the cameraman not to get too close to the action on the sixth tee, but an earpiece prevented him from hearing. Phil Mickelson (centre) and partner Keegan Bradley (left) speak with Team USA captain Tom Watson (right) on the sixth tee at the Ryder Cup . Mickelson strikes an approach shot to the 5th hole at Gleneagles in the Morning Fourballs . Mickelson lines up a putt on the sixth green in the Morning Fourballs at Gleneagles . Mickelson then waded in. 'Just cover the golf,' he shouted. 'Don't interfere.' Tensions were already high as Mickelson faces Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy in the morning fourball, having been involved in a spat with the latter in the lead up to the opening day. McIlroy hit back at Mickelson's taunts ahead of the Ryder Cup by telling him: 'At least we're not wanted by the FBI!' McIlroy was responding to a comment by the American on Wednesday about the ongoing court case involving the former management company that also represents his fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell. Mickelson was asked an innocuous question about unity in the American camp and replied: 'Well, not only are we able to play together, we also don't litigate against each other and that's a real plus, I feel, heading into this week.' (From left) Mickelson, Bradley, referee Mats Lanner, McIlroy and Garcia line up ahead of their fourballs match . VIDEO McIlroy saves point with a great putt . Mickelson hits out of the bunker on the third hole at Gleneagles as the Ryder Cup gets underway . But McIlroy, who will partner Sergio Garcia in a fourball clash with Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on Friday, countered by referencing Mickelson's contact with the FBI over allegations of involvement in an insider trading scandal worth millions of dollars. Mickelson was later cleared of any direct involvement but the FBI said they would continue to investigate. McIlroy said: 'I got a couple of jabs back at him at the gala dinner. I know Phil well and we had a couple of laughs about it. We took it well. 'Myself and G-Mac confronted him at the gala dinner and I had a couple of goes. It was all good fun.' McIlroy helps Garcia line up a putt on the fifth hole during their Morning fourballs match . McDowell also insisted it was all taken in jest: 'Rory and I are very comfortable with the situation at this point. 'Obviously Phil hasn't really read any of the quotes over the last couple of weeks.' He added: 'So did we bring up the FBI? We didn't mention that at all! I don't think they have any jurisdiction here in Scotland! 'It was a bit of a wind-up. Bit of craic.' | The TV cameraman was warned by Keegan Bradley's caddie not to get too close to the action .
But he did not hear due to an earpiece .
Mickelson then lost his temper, shouting: 'Just cover the golf. Don't interfere'
American pair are taking on Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia . |
176,667 | 70b797fae6b91dc0811b2ab846ba57c5406808f0 | When new mother Melissa Lawson noticed bruises on her legs and constant back ache, she put the symptoms down to her recent pregnancy. The 19-year-old had no reason to suspect it was a sign of something more sinister. But after visiting her doctor, the mother-of-one was immediately referred to hospital where tests revealed she was actually suffering chronic myeloid leukaemia. Melissa Lawson, 19, blamed her bruised legs and back pain last April on her recent pregnancy - shortly after giving birth to her son Michael, now 16 months, pictured . Ms Lawson, a full-time mother, said: 'In April last year I was getting stomach pains and coming out in bruises, but couldn't explain what was causing it.' Eventually, she put the bruises on her leg down to her new son Michael gently pinching her skin. She added: 'I had back ache quite early on, but my mum said she had back ache for about a year after having my brother, so that's what I put it down to. 'But one day I felt so sick, had a headache and my stomach was really swollen. I had big, lumpy bruises too. Mum said "something is not right".' After doctors diagnosed Miss Lawson's cancer, they kept her in at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital for two nights, while deciding the best course of medication. She said: 'I didn't know anything about leukaemia so I wasn't look for the signs because I didn't know what they were. 'Even when I was getting bruises I had put it down to the baby. I think a lot of people won't be sure what it is so I want to raise awareness so other people know what to look out for. 'It was hard on my partner, Mike. He is a car valet and had to take unpaid time off work to look after our baby. That was quite a hard time. The mother-of-one visited her doctor, who immediately referred her to hospital where tests revealed Miss Lawson was in fact suffering chronic myeloid leukaemia . Miss Lawson, who says she will one day have a brother or sister for baby Michael, is raising awareness of the disease, having not been aware of the symptoms before she was struck by the blood cancer . Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood forming system in the body. It originates in the bone marrow - the soft inner part of your bones. In leukaemia, abnormal white blood cells are made in the bone marrow. White blood cells usually circulate around the body in the blood stream and protect the body from infection. But in leukaemia the cells do not work and do not fight infections. Around one in four people with chronic myeloid leukaemia will have no symptoms when they are diagnosed. But other patients will suffer: . 'When Mike had to go back into work my mum and dad were able to step in and help out. My family have all been brilliant.' When she is ready, Miss Lawson said she hopes to have another child. Michael is now 16 months old. She said: 'Professor Clark at the Royal said it's not impossible for me to have children again. 'This may be feasible once the leukaemia has been successfully treated for another year or two. 'I'm grateful I've got Michael and he's healthy but it would be nice to have a brother or sister for him.' Prof essor Clark, a consultant haematologist, said: 'Symptoms of leukaemias are often vague 'everyday' complaints such as tiredness, aches and pains or maybe recurrent infections, that don't go away with simple measures. 'There may even be no symptoms, as they are sometimes diagnosed on a blood test in an unrelated routine check-up. 'It is always worth seeking medical advice if you have easy bruising, as with Melissa. 'A simple blood test via the GP is all that is needed to rule out a leukaemia or similar blood disorder.' | Melissa Lawson noticed bruises on her legs last April .
She put it and her back ache down to her recent pregnancy .
But tests revealed 19-year-old was suffering chronic myeloid leukaemia .
She has now recovered and aims to raise awareness of the disease .
Weight loss, tiredness, a loss of appetite and recurrent infections are all signs and symptoms of the form of leukaemia Miss Lawson was suffering .
Son Michael is now 16 months old and she said she hopes for more children . |
133,490 | 38a0d3fbf2efea1454131c271df2f9ebc226e491 | For more than two centuries it has been respected around the world as a sign of Britain’s greatness. Now the Union Jack, the nation’s proudest symbol, is poised to get a history-making new look – minus the Scottish saltire. Secret Government papers propose ditching the cross of St Andrew, a white X on a blue background, that makes up a third of the current design if Scotland votes for independence, the Daily Mail can reveal today. Banishing the blue: How the new Union Jack will look, according to secret Government documents . Iconic: The flag that has been famous for more than 200 years . That would leave a modified Union Jack comprising only the red cross of St George – representing England and Wales – and the red saltire of Ireland’s St Patrick. The dramatic change to our national flag – the first since 1801, when St Patrick’s cross was added – was accidentally revealed in confidential papers carried by a Government adviser in Downing Street. Briefing notes seen as he stepped from a ministerial car show a detailed design for the new flag and appear to list strategies for introducing it post-referendum. The Daily Mail can confirm that the Scot-free flag is already in production at Britain’s longest-established producer. Undercover pictures taken inside Flagmakers of Chesham, Buckinghamshire, show a red and white design exactly as described on the Downing Street papers. Flagged up: An aide accidentally shows papers detailing the plan as he steps out of a car . Manufacture is going ahead despite the fact that no vote will be held on Scottish independence until September 18, and no decision has been made in Scotland yet on whether to keep the Union Jack or use only the Scottish saltire. Machine-room workers at Flagmakers are believed to have produced hundreds of Scot-free versions and are confident they can meet demand if necessary. Changing the flag would need both political and royal approval. It is understood the Downing Street strategy maps out a timeline to include liaising with Buckingham Palace. The race to get everything completed inside six months began after experts at the Flag Institute, an advisory charity, released a set of possible designs for a post-independence flag six weeks ago. A survey last year found nearly 65 per cent would be in favour of the change in the event of a Yes vote. But the haste with which the Government is anticipating ditching the saltire is bound to cause outrage among No vote supporters. Yesterday UK-OK organisers in Scotland told the Mail they would ‘fight to the end’ to save the Union Jack and resist any moves to make Scotland a saltire-only zone. Campaigner Avril McTickle explained: ‘There is no constitutional need to change the flag, and no justification whatsoever for Downing Street to hatch a policy in secret to do so. No one removed the cross of St Patrick from the flag when the Irish Free State was created in 1922. Why take the saltire off now?’ | Symbol has represented Britain for two centuries and is respected globally .
Plans would see the cross of St Andrew ditched from the design .
Would be the first change since 1801, when Ireland's red saltire was added .
Details revealed by a Downing Street adviser as he stepped out of his car . |
49,908 | 8d23f9d17f1bf3a62a331fd5f9dead450007170c | Washington (CNN) -- Could the Boston Marathon bombing have been prevented? That was the question legislators tried to answer at Thursday's House Committee on Homeland Security hearing, where the members of Congress asked a former senator, Boston's top cop and two experts on public safety about whether or not the intelligence community dropped the ball when they closed an investigation into one of the alleged Boston bombers before the marathon bombing in April. In opening the hearing, Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the committee chairman, said he feared "the Boston bombers may have succeeded because our system failed. We can and we must do better." "We learned over a decade ago the danger in failing to connect the dots," McCaul said, referring to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. One of the alleged culprits in the Boston bombing, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was investigated by the FBI after the agency received a tip from Russian authorities that the suspect could be radicalizing. Tamerlan, along with his 19-year-old brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, allegedly carried out the April 15 marathon bombing, which killed three people and left 264 people wounded. Russian intelligence services asked the FBI to investigate Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 over a possible association with terror groups. They later also asked the CIA. After receiving a tip, the FBI investigated Tsarnaev and, at the time, didn't find that he was engaging in any extremist activity. Boston bombing suspect's body entombed in undisclosed location . The FBI said a three-month probe turned up nothing derogatory about Tsarnaev. The agency also said the Russians never responded to requests for more details. The case was closed. Tamerlan Tsarnaev's name was put on a Customs and Border Protection list to alert officials in case he left the country and the CIA also asked that his name be added to another file, the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment list, which contains more than 700,000 names of suspected foreign and domestic terrorists. "Based on what I've seen so far, the FBI performed its duties, the Department of Homeland Security did what it was supposed to be doing," President Barack Obama has said. Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, one of four witnesses at the hearing, told legislators that "though it would not have been easy, it was possible to prevent the terrorist attacks in Boston." Lieberman, who pushed for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security after the 9/11 attacks, said that post-9/11 reforms have worked well to protect Americans, but they are not perfect. Boston Police Commissioners Edward Davis echoed Lieberman's sentiment. "The truth of the matter is nobody bats a thousand," the commissioner said. "I think that as a nation we need to come to terms with it and do everything we can to prevent it, but also recognize that fusion centers and intelligence analysis and joint terrorism task forces are part of our future," Davis said. "The world is a dangerous place and I think we need to recognize that and be prepared for it." Bomb suspect's friend out on bail, released to mom . Republican lawmakers in particular were critical of the FBI for not following up on its initial investigation of Tsarnaev. In an exchange with McCaul, Davis acknowledged that if he had known about the initial FBI investigation, he would have done things differently. "If you'd had this information before the bombing, would you have done -- your police force and you -- would you have done anything differently," McCaul asked. "That's very hard to say," answered Davis. "We would certainly look at the information, we would certainly talk to the individual. " McCaul continued to press Davis, asking "but if you knew of a Russian intelligence warning that this man's an extremist and made travel overseas and the fact that he did travel overseas and came back into the United States, would that may not have caused you to give this individual a second look?" "Absolutely," said Davis. In apparent response to the idea that the FBI did not inform Boston police of the investigation, the bureau issued a statement Thursday from Boston Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers, saying the information was available. The Boston Police Department has representatives on the Boston-area Joint Terrorism Task Force, he said, and all task force members can access Guardian, "a web-based counterterrorism incident management application that was launched in July 2004." All task force members "are able to perform customized key word searches of Guardian to identify relevant" assessment of suspects, he said. The assessment of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of about 1,000 conducted by the Boston task force in 2011, was "documented" in the Guardian database and "was thorough, comprehensive and fully compliant with law and policy," DesLauriers said. He noted that the task force is limited by law in "the types of investigative methods" it can use when there are no specific accusations. In addition to revisiting the FBI's initial investigation into Tsarnaev, Davis used his testimony to say the Boston Marathon bombing is further proof the United States must strengthen vulnerable targets without violating civil liberties. Before a hearing convened by the House Committee on Homeland Security, Davis submitted lengthy written testimony that touches on what worked and what didn't in the response to the Boston bombing. In that testimony, Davis argues that in order to defend soft targets -- locations that are not armored or are largely undefended -- law enforcement agencies need to "deploy more assets including technology, cameras, undercover officers and specialized units." "It is clear after these events and other types of mass casualties such as those which have happened in our nation's schools and colleges that we need to continue to harden soft targets, especially events that lend themselves toward large gatherings celebratory in nature," Davis wrote. However, Davis cautioned against overstepping the bounds of security. "I do not endorse actions that move Boston and our nation into a police state mentality, with surveillance cameras attached to every light pole in the city," he said. After the bombing, Davis became the face of the response. Almost every legislator who asked questions in Thursday's hearing thanked him for his service. Davis used that high-profile response as proof that reforms to the nation's video surveillance are needed, writing that in order to catch the bombers, law enforcement officials rely "almost exclusively on the support of our business partners to provide critical video surveillance along the finish line." "I strongly support the enhanced ability to monitor public places," he wrote. "This monitoring, which been upheld by the United States Supreme Court, violates no constitutionally protected rights but gives police the ability to investigate and effectively prosecute. Images from cameras do not lie. They do not forget. They can be viewed by a jury as evidence of what occurred." In the hunt for the Tsarnaev brothers, surveillance video proved crucial. Investigators solicited video from many of the business around the marathon route and used it to locate the bombing suspects. On April 18, the FBI released surveillance-camera pictures of the brothers. The final 24 hours that paralyzed Boston . Although Thursday's meeting is the first congressional hearing on the Boston bombing, it certainly will not be the last. Legislators in both the Senate and the House have expressed an interest in hosting experts to discuss what to learn from the terrorist attack. The Boston bombing saga began after the two bombs went off at the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street on April 15. Hundreds of Boston law enforcement officers then began a gripping week long search for those who carried out the terrorist attack. Late at night on April 18, Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier was shot and killed on campus, allegedly by the bombing suspects. In the early morning of April 19, the suspects allegedly hijacked a car in Cambridge and led police on a high speed chase through Cambridge and Watertown, two Boston suburbs. In a shootout during the chase, the older Tsarnaev brother was wounded by gunfire. He later died at a hospital. Throughout much of that day, hundreds of law enforcement officers went door-to-door on 20 streets in Watertown, looking for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Residents around Boston were asked by authorities to stay inside as the hunt continues for the suspect. In the early evening of April 19, David Henneberry discovered Tsarnaev, wounded, hiding in his boat. He alerted police, and after a tense standoff, police took him into custody. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was in serious condition at the time of his capture, is now stable and charged with one count of using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death and one count of malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death. In addition to Tsarnaev, three 19-year-olds -- Azamat Tazhayakov, Dias Kadyrbayev, and Robel Phillipos -- were arrested in connection with the bombings. The three are accused of helping Tsarnaev after the bombing by taking items from his dorm room in an effort to keep them from investigators. CNN's Pam Benson and Carol Cratty contributed to this report. | Congressman: "Boston bombers may have succeeded because our system failed"
"The truth of the matter is nobody bats a thousand," Boston top cop says.
Boston police commissioner advocates more cameras to defend "soft" targets .
Police "almost exclusively" relied on businesses to provide video surveillance, he says . |
157,902 | 5825cafed28daaaf5e576e0fc4feb4641a4688dd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:49 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 7 March 2014 . The dating app Tinder has come under fire over a ‘slut-shaming’ safe sex ad that is appearing in fictitious female profiles. The campaign, created by the AIDS Task Force, suggests to male users that they may catch an STD from hooking up with female Tinder users with the tagline: 'You're probably not her only match. Use a condom.' Responses to the ad have been vitriolic, with Twitter users calling it ‘disgusting’. The campaign: Tinder has been accused of slut-shaming for a campaign created by the AIDS Task Force . One, Hayley Burrows wrote: 'This actually makes me sick.’ Another, . Elise Garofalo, responded: ‘Two steps forward, one step back...’ and . Audrey Blake, said that ‘slut-shaming just needs to stop.’ According . to a video about the campaign, published by the Israeli advertising . firm behind it, GREAT Interactive, Tinder's male users reach the message . through fake female profiles. Each shows photos of an attractive woman . posing suggestively alongside multiple partners. The last photo in the fictitious profile’s slideshow reveals the app's controversial message. A . representative for Tinder told MailOnline that it was ‘not involved . with this AIDS project in any way’ – and indeed it does seem that the app . is simply being used as a platform for the AIDS Task Force message. The . Daily Dot, which initially noticed the ad, argues that the AIDS Task . Force campaign is still effective, despite the anger surrounding it. ‘To . be fair, the campaign is clever—what better way to spread a positive . social message than to broadcast it on an app used by millions every . day?’ writes reporter EJ Dickson. ‘And it’s never a bad idea to advocate . for safer sex practices, especially on a platform that’s implicitly, if . not explicitly, used primarily to find casual sex partners.’ Tagline: The campaign has been named The Tinder AIDS Project, but Tinder has denied involvement in its creation . How it works: The app has installed multiple fake profiles that feature attractive people posing with multiple partners of the opposite sex, telling men to use protection to protect against STDs . The site concurs with critics, however, that the ‘social message is compromised by blatant slut-shaming.’ But . while GREAT Interactive’s video tells us that ‘having a one-night-stand . has never been easier,’ Tinder’s 27-year-old creator insists otherwise. Justin Mateen told the Huffington Post in December that Tinder isn’t a hook-up app, ‘because women aren’t wired that way.’ Tinder . does not reveal how many users it has, but recently disclosed that it . facilitates around 750million profile ratings per day, leading to more . than 5million matches. The . platform’s international growth has become so astounding that Tinder . says it plans to expand to China by the end of this year. | The campaign, created by the AIDS Task Force, suggests to male users that they may catch an STD from hooking up with female Tinder users .
A representative for Tinder told MailOnline that it was ‘not involved with this AIDS project in any way’ |
115,364 | 20de3c65a55410983dfee2b41e94282927ae7846 | Anniversaries are useful moments to pause and reflect. For the 70th anniversary of D-Day and subsequent campaign in northern France, it is also an opportunity to look at the past in detail and ask how much of what we think we know is true and how much is well-entrenched myth. Not only is it more interesting, it is also of greater worth as we plan for the future and pray there will never be a conflict like World War II again. 1. MYTH: D-Day was predominantly an American operation . REALITY: For many people, D-Day is defined by the bloodshed at Omaha -- the codename for one of the five beaches where Allied forces landed -- and the American airborne drops. Even in Germany, the perception is still that D-Day was a largely American show; in the recent German TV mini-series, "Generation War," there was a reference to the "American landings" in France. But despite "Band of Brothers," despite "Saving Private Ryan," despite those 11 photographs taken by Robert Capa in the swell on that morning of June 6 1944, D-Day was not a predominantly American effort. Rather, it was an Allied effort with, if anything, Britain taking the lead. Yes, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme Allied commander, was American, but his deputy, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was British, as were all three service chiefs. Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham, commander of the tactical air forces, was also British. The plan for Operation Overlord -- as D-Day was codenamed -- was largely that of Gen. Bernard Montgomery, the land force commander. The Royal Navy had overall responsibility for Operation Neptune, the naval plan. Of the 1,213 warships involved, 200 were American and 892 were British; of the 4,126 landing craft involved, 805 were American and 3,261 were British. Share your family's D-Day stories . Indeed, 31% of all U.S. supplies used during D-Day came directly from Britain, while two-thirds of the 12,000 aircraft involved were also British, as were two-thirds of those that landed in occupied France. Despite the initial slaughter at Omaha, casualties across the American and British beaches were much the same. This is not to belittle the U.S. effort but rather to add context and a wider, 360-degree view. History needs to teach as well as entertain. 2. MYTH: American forces were ill-prepared . REALITY: By the end of World War II the United States had the best armed services in the world. The 77-day Normandy campaign did much to help them reach this point. Northern France was a showcase for American tactical and operational flexibility. At the start of the campaign, the Americans found themselves fighting through the Norman "bocage," an area of small fields lined with thick, raised hedgerows and narrow, sunken lanes. They hadn't trained for this; instead they expected that the Germans would quickly retreat after a successful Allied landing. For the Germans, the bocage offered cover and ambush opportunities for mortar teams and machine guns. Even the American 30-ton Sherman tanks couldn't get through these hedgerows. Then a U.S. sergeant came up with the ingenious solution of attaching a hedge-cutting tool built from German beach obstacles to the front of a Sherman. Gen. Omar Bradley, the U.S. First Army commander, was impressed; within a fortnight, the device had been fitted to 60% of all U.S. Shermans in Normandy. This was but one example. During the campaign huge developments also were made in close air support, as well as in coordination between infantry, artillery and armor. Medical services advanced so much that one in four casualties returned to the battlefield after treatment, remarkable for 1944. 3. MYTH: The Allies became bogged down in Normandy . REALITY: In the pre-invasion estimates for the Normandy campaign, the Allies expected to be roughly 50 miles inland after 17 days, based on German retreats in North Africa and Italy. But Adolf Hitler ordered his forces to fight as close to the French coast as possible and not give an inch. On paper it seemed that the Allies weren't making much progress, but in reality the German strategy worked to the Allies' advantage as they pounded the enemy with offshore naval guns. For by 1944 the Allies had realized that German tactics -- which dated back more than 100 years -- were rigidly predictable. Striking back once the enemy had overextended itself was central to German DNA throughout World War II. The Allies soon realized that this penchant for counterattack meant that the Germans would eventually move into the open and get hammered. By the end of the Normandy campaign the Germans were hemorrhaging men and machines, with two armies all but destroyed. True, a handful of Germans did escape the attempted encirclement around Falaise, but it was still a massive Allied victory. In the rapid advance that followed, the Allies moved more quickly than Germans had in the opposite direction four years before, during the invasion of France. 4. MYTH: German soldiers were better trained than their Allied counterparts . REALITY: At the start of World War II the best German units were more than a match for their Allied opposition -- but by 1944 that had changed radically. There were a few exceptions, such as the Panzer Lehr, but come D-Day most German units were not as well trained as the Allies. Some Allied units in Normandy had been preparing for four years for this campaign. In contrast, many German troops had had little more than a few weeks' notice. The German ad hoc battle groups known as kampfgruppen are traditionally regarded as showcasing tactical flexibility, but even these were borne of extreme shortages and desperation toward the end of the war. The German paratroopers, or fallschirmjäger, were acknowledged to be among the best of their armed forces, yet one veteran I interviewed recalled how he had barely any training, save a few route marches and practice at laying mines. He never trained with a tank, had no transport and had to march 200 miles from Brittany when sent to the front. His case was not atypical: All infantry divisions in Normandy were expected to move by either foot or horse-drawn cart. The veteran I spoke to reached Saint-Lô, a major Normandy town, on June 12 with a company of 120 men. When he was captured on August 19 he was one of just nine men still standing. The Germans had a doctrine during World War II called auftragstaktik -- best described as the ability to use one's initiative -- which has been hailed as what set their soldiers apart. But the paratrooper I spoke to knew nothing of it. By that stage of the war, German training was so skimpy that it was impossible to implement. 5. MYTH: The Germans had stronger tactical skills . REALITY: The dogged determination of the Germans to fight during D-Day is often confused with tactical skill. It shouldn't. The best analogy is with more recent conflicts like Afghanistan or even Vietnam, when Western forces had the best training and kit yet struggled to defeat a massively inferior enemy. As the Taliban have shown, it is very difficult to completely defeat your enemy if they don't want to be defeated. The only way to do that is to kill them all. This is why the Germans took so long to be defeated in Normandy and, subsequently, despite a lack of training, they were still a very dangerous and deadly enemy with plenty of powerful weapons and a fierce determination to keep fighting. This was for a number of reasons: Nazi indoctrination, a profound sense of duty and the threat of execution for deserters. In World War I the Germans executed 48 men for desertion; during World War II that figure rose to 30,000. 6. MYTH: America and Britain got off lightly in World War II . REALITY: Allied frontline troops suffered horrifically during World War II. Democracies such as Britain and America tried to achieve victory with as few casualties as possible. For the most part, they did this very successfully using technology and machinery to shield lives wherever they could. However, short distances still had to be won by the infantry, tank units and artillery. Although technology meant the Allies needed fewer forces than a generation earlier, those in the firing line still pulled the very short straw. Losses to frontline troops were proportionally worse during the 77-day Normandy campaign than they were during the major battles along the Western Front during World War I. D-Day veteran: I don't want them to be forgotten . | D-Day signalled the start of the campaign which ended World War II in Europe .
Many myths have subsequently developed about the events in Normandy, says historian .
James Holland says Operation Overlord was not just an American venture .
He also argues that German soldiers were not better trained than the Allies . |
13,323 | 25da00d6591faf84f7b9970dc5fe14c2cf8ec91f | Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said his government was ready to work with any side, including Britain and the U.S., or join any regional or international alliance against the Islamic State group . Syria has said it is ready to cooperate with the international community to tackle Islamic State militants as it continues its civil war with various rebel groups. Foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said his government was ready to work with any side, including Britain and the U.S., or join any regional or international alliance against the Islamic State group. But he insisted any military action inside the country must be co-ordinated with Damascus, or else an attack would be considered as aggression. Al-Moallen added that airstrikes alone will not be enough to eliminate extremists groups such as the Islamic State and the Nusra Front. He called for 'drying up' their resources including cutting off funding and arming by regional state actors and private donations as well as controlling the borders and exchange of intelligence information. America's top general last night said he will only recommend military action against Islamic State militants in Syria directly if they become a threat to the U.S. homeland. General Martin Dempsey said that he still believes the insurgent group is more of a regional threat and is not planning any attacks against the U.S or Europe. The Joint Chiefs of Staff also said he believed key allies in the region, such as Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, will join the U.S. in its battle against the group. Al-Moallem's remarks at a news conference in Damascus marked the first public comments by a senior official of President Bashar Assad's government on the threat posed by the Islamic State group, which has captured large swaths of Iraqi and Syrian territory. 'Syria is ready to cooperate and coordinate on the regional and international level in the war on terror,' al-Moallem said. 'But any effort to combat terrorism should be coordinated with the Syrian government.' Al-Moallem's remarks at a news conference in Damascus marked the first public comments by a senior Assad official on the threat posed by the Islamic State group . He went on to say: 'Any strike which is not coordinated with the government will be considered as aggression.' President Barack Obama has resisted ordering U.S. military action in Syria for three years, even after a deadly chemical weapons attack a year ago near Damascus he blamed on President Assad's government. But now, Obama faces pressure from his own military leaders to go after the Islamic State group inside Syria. Obama remains wary, however, of getting dragged into the bloody and complex Syrian civil war that the United Nations says has killed more than 190,000 people. Western authorities now fear the Islamic State 'caliphate' could be used as a launchpad for global terror attacks - fears that were increased following the beheading of American journalist James Foley last week. An Islamic State video last week depicting the beheading of Mr Foley prompted revulsion in the West and calls for tougher action against the jihadists, including taking the fight to them in Syria as well as Iraq. Some experts have suggested that attacking Islamic State in Syria should involve coming to some sort of arrangement with the government of President Assad, seen in the West as a pariah since an uprising against him began three years ago. A man inspects damage at the entrance of the National Hospital of al-Tabaqa, caused by what activists said was an airstrike by forces of Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad on the hospital, beside al-Tabqa military base, west of Raqqa . Last week, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond insisted that Britain will not 'align' itself with President Assad to defeat IS fighters. Mr Hammond said Britain may have a 'common enemy' with the Syrian regime but added: 'That doesn't make us friends. It doesn't make us able to trust them, it doesn't enable us to work with them.' His remarks came after Lord Dannatt, the former Chief of the General Staff, said it was impossible to fight Islamic State terrorists in Iraq while allowing them to retain their stronghold in bordering Syria. The peer said Britain would eventually have to work with President Assad to defeat the insurgency by getting his approval for a bombing campaign in Syria. During today's press conference, al-Moallem said the Syrian government had repeatedly warned of the threat of terrorism and the need to cut off resources and funding but 'no one listened to us.' Syria's government has long described the rebels fighting to topple Assad as 'terrorists' in a foreign conspiracy. U.S. officials revealed last week that U.S. forces had tried to rescue Mr Foley in a failed operation in Raqqa in July. General Martin Dempsey said last night that he still believes the insurgent group is more of a regional threat and is not planning any attacks against the U.S or Europe . 'Had there been prior coordination that operation would not have failed,' al-Moallem said. The minister also denounced 'in the strongest terms possible' Mr Foley's killing last week by Islamic State militants, while asking: 'Has the West ever condemned the massacres by the Islamic State and Nusra against our armed forces or citizens?' Al-Moallem's news conference came a day after jihadis captured a major military air base in northeastern Syria, eliminating the last government-held outpost in a province otherwise dominated by the Islamic State group. After several failed attempts, Islamic State fighters stormed the Tabqa air base Sunday, killing dozens of troops inside. Al-Moallem conceded defeat in Tabqa, saying that soldiers were withdrawn to nearby areas, along with their weaponry and warplanes inside the base. The Islamic State group has established a self-declared caliphate in areas straddling Iraq and Syria's shared borders. The United States began airstrikes against the group in northern Iraq earlier this month which have helped the Kurdish peshmerga to reclaim some lost territory. Lord Dannatt, the former Chief of the General Staff, has said it was impossible to fight Islamic State terrorists in Iraq while allowing them to retain their stronghold in bordering Syria . The United Nations meanwhile today condemned 'appalling, widespread' crimes by Islamic State forces in Iraq, including mass executions of prisoners that could amount to war crimes. U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay condemned 'grave, horrific human rights violations' being committed by Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim group which has seized large areas of Iraq and Syria to the alarm of the Baghdad government and its allies in the West. Up to 670 prisoners from Badush prison in the city of Mosul were killed by Islamic State on June 10, Pillay said in a statement quoting survivors and witnesses to the 'massacre' as telling U.N. human rights investigators. 'Such cold-blooded, systematic and intentional killings of civilians, after singling them out for their religious affiliation, may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity,' Pillay said. Islamic State (ISIL) loaded 1,000 to 1,500 prisoners from the jail on to trucks and took them for screening, Pillay said. Sunni inmates were then separated and removed. 'ISIL gunmen then yelled insults at the remaining prisoners, lined them up in four rows, ordered them to kneel and opened fire,' she said. | Syrian foreign minister says government is ready to cooperate to fight ISIS .
But he insisted any military action must be co-ordinated with Damascus .
He said any attack not coordinated with the government would be considered as 'aggression' |
99,554 | 0c45cf869179eeecdf94bfd12230bbbc4a67637e | Dominic Francis has organised a demonstration on the Baroness Thatcher funeral route . Protesters plan to disrupt Baroness Thatcher’s funeral by turning their backs on the funeral cortege as it passes. Thousands of people are supporting the plot as the eyes of millions of people turn on St Paul’s Cathedral next Wednesday. The architect of the protest is Dominic Francis, 25, whose parents live in a £700,000 home in Royal Tunbridge Wells. Mr Francis, a student at Ruskin . College in Oxford, said mourners had brought the disturbance on . themselves by holding such a public event. He was urging protests with a ‘heavy heart’ because of the ‘State funding’ of the huge ceremonial event. Mr Francis said the action would be . peaceful, adding: ‘I support that her mourners should be allowed to . grieve in peace. But when they decided to hold a State-funded, large . ceremony like that, they open themselves up to public criticism.’ Today, police are focusing on . Trafalgar Square, with thousands of anarchists, Left-wingers and trade . unionists vowing to descend on the landmark to ‘celebrate’ Lady . Thatcher’s death. Members of the Durham Miners' Association boarded a minibus this morning to make their way to the capital to join in tonight's planned protest. In an extra headache for police, . thousands of Millwall Football Club fans could clash with protesters in . Central London after watching their side take on Wigan in the FA Cup . semi-final at Wembley. Boris Johnson warned today that . police will be ready to tackle rioters 'celebrating' the death of . Margaret Thatcher at a giant party planned for Trafalgar Square on . Saturday evening. Warning: Mayor of London Boris Johnson has said . troublemakers celebrating Lady Thatcher's death have been warned they . will be 'properly dealt with . Running amok: Black Bloc thugs break away from a TUC protest in London last October - the group has been linked to tomorrow's 'celebrations' To the streets: Riot police were forced to take action in Brixton as anti-Thatcher protesters caused disorder this week . The Mayor . of London said troublemakers who break the law 'will be properly dealt . with' and questioned why they would rejoice the death of an 87-year-old . woman. Fanatics hope a . ‘protest’ in Central London tomorrow will ignite an explosion of . violence that will culminate with disturbances at her funeral on . Wednesday. Thousands are set to rejoice the Iron Lady's death at up to 25 locations across the UK, with the biggest one planned for Trafalgar Square. It was the scene of the notorious Poll Tax riots in 1990, just before Lady Thatcher left power. The protesters' campaign of violence is fuelled by rallying threats posted on networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Police intelligence analysts are monitoring a growing torrent of disturbing online messages. Dozens of groups are urging others to ‘take to the streets’, including one under the title: ‘If Thatcher does get a State Funeral We Will Riot.’ Central London’s streets will be cleared of traffic on the day and the 87-year-old former prime minister’s coffin will be taken to the door of St Paul's Cathedral on a horse-drawn gun carriage. Protesters plan to turn their back to the cortege, and other could try to disrupt it. 'London's police, the MPS, City of London and British Transport Police, are working together to deliver a security operation for Baroness Thatcher's funeral,' a Metropolitan Police spokesman has said. 'Given the nature of the event our operation will use of a range of appropriate tactics.' A terrorist group that has previously admitted sending parcel bombs is among the organisations being linked to threatened protests today. A message posted on a website linked to the Informal Anarchist Federation hinted at its support for Thatcher 'death parties', according to a report in the Sun. It said: 'Expect the pigs to turn up!' More than 40 parties are believed to have been planned in locations across the country, including Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield. The Informal Anarchist Federation has claimed responsibility for sending letter bombs to targets in Italy in the past. On the evening after Baroness Thatcher's death, 300 people assembled in Glasgow's George Square with party hats and streamers, and 150 people threw a raucous celebration in Brixton, south London. Demonstrators also climbed up the nearby Ritzy Cinema and re-arranged the film titles outside to say: 'Margaret Thatcher's dead. Equality is the key.' Extra police were called to Brixton as the party raged on until nearly 2am. Two women were arrested on suspicion of burglary after being found inside a shop whose front windows had been smashed. | 25-year-old Dominic Francis studies at Oxford's Ruskin College .
Fanatics plan to 'celebrate' Iron Lady's death in Central London today .
If people do break the law they will be properly .
dealt with,' Mayor said .
Police preparing for planned protest in Trafalgar Square tonight .
Members of Durham Miners' Association among those taking part . |
188,597 | 803f05259ab04a3ad0d9c83b4e94deef5300c8e9 | A lawyer for the Charles Manson family said that the cult leader murdered many more people than previously thought, according to tapes that have recently been heard for the first time in 40 years. Billy Boyd, a lawyer who represented cult member Charles 'Tex' Watson, reportedly said that Manson had told his client that he killed 'a bunch of other people'. In 1969, the Manson family murdered seven people including film director Roman Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate under the direction of the charismatic ex-convict. Accusations: Charles 'Tex' Watson (left) allegedly told his lawyer that Charles Manson (right) had murdered many more people . Dark secrets: Manson family lawyer Billy Boyd (pictured) allegedly says on previously unheard tapes that Manson had murdered before the Sharon Tate killings . A voice which is allegedly Boyd's says that beside the seven known murders, Manson had told Watson he had killed alone, according to a recording obtained by Fox. Billy Boyd died in 2009, while Watson is serving a life sentence. Boyd said in the recordings, while speaking to an author, that his client was not implicated in any of these crimes. Watson was originally sentenced to death for killing Sharon Tate Polanski, Abigail Ann Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Thomas Jay Sebring and Steven Earl Parent but California suspended the death penalty in 1972. Despite multiple attempts at parole, Manson is still behind bars for orchestrating the brutal killings, which he dubbed 'Helter Skelter' - in a deeply disturbed tribute to the Beatles song. The lawyer had taped 20 hours of conversations with Watson as they prepared for his murder trial. The . Los Angeles Police Department is desperate to get their hands on the . tapes which they believe could hold crucial information to solving many . more murders. Murdered: Actress Sharon Tate was eight and a half months pregnant when she was killed by Manson's followers on his orders . LAPD Chief Charlie Beck asked the Department of Justice to hand over the tapes which had been the property of Boyd's Texas law firm which went bankrupt last year. Watson tried to stop the tapes becoming public saying their release was a 'public dishonor' to those affected by the Manson murders. The recordings were private until September 1976 when Watson authorised their sale to author Chaplain Ray Hoekstra to help cover legal fees. The material was used in Mr Hoekstra's book Will You Die For Me? which was released in 1976. Charles Manson, now 77, is one of America's most notorious mass murderers. Amid the hippie culture of the 1960s, . the ex-convict put together a collection of runaways and outcasts known . as the Manson Family. In . the summer of 1969 he became one of the 20th century's most infamous . criminals when he directed his mostly young, female followers to murder . seven people. Actress . Sharon Tate was stabbed 16 times by members of the cult in the early . morning hours of August 9, 1969 at the Benedict Canyon estate, sheltered . in the hills of Los Angeles. She was eight and a half months pregnant. Life in prison: Charles Manson, who orchestrated his cult to murder seven people, will not be eligible for parole until he is 92 . Four other people were stabbed or shot to death in Tate's home that night by the Manson followers, who scrawled the word 'Pig' in blood on the front door before leaving. The following night, Manson's group stabbed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca to death, using their blood to write 'Rise,' 'Death to Pigs' and 'Helter Skelter' - a misspelled reference to the Beatles song - on the walls and refrigerator door. Manson is imprisoned at Corcoran State Prison in Kings County, California. He was convicted of the seven slayings as well as the murder of an acquaintance, Gary Hinman, who was stabbed to death in July 1969. Like Watson, he was originally given a death sentence but spared execution after the California Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional. In 1977, his sentence was commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Manson will next be eligible for parole in 15 years, when he will be 92-years-old. When he was denied release in 2007 the parole board ruled that he 'continues to pose an unreasonable danger to others and may still bring harm to anyone he would come in contact with'. | Lawyer Billy Boyd had 20 hours of conversations with convicted murderer Charles Watson at his Texas law firm .
Boyd died in 2009 after fighting against release of tapes saying it would be a 'public dishonor' to those affected by Sharon Tate killings .
Charles Manson, now 77, remains in prison and is not eligible for parole until he is 92 . |
128,772 | 326124dd24b0a42494da400911c510b358e383e2 | Madrid (CNN) -- Chanting "they don't represent us," tens of thousands in Madrid railed early Sunday against Spain's government and austerity cuts -- venting their anger on the first anniversary of the so-called May 15 protest movement. The government earlier had given a 10 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) Saturday deadline for the crowd in the central Puerta del Sol plaza to disperse. Yet while their numbers appeared to thin somewhat by early Sunday, they remained a loud and vibrant presence in the square -- as a large number of police, stationed at a nearby government building and along side streets, looked on and let them be. Throngs of like-minded demonstrators also gathered over the weekend in Barcelona and about 80 other cities around Spain. The coordinated events marked the return of the "indignados" -- or the outraged, as the protesters became known -- who led Europe's first serious and significant anti-cuts and anti-austerity grassroots movement. Similar demonstrations decrying governments' attempts to get their budgets in order, sometimes by slashing public funding, later emerged elsewhere around Europe. In Madrid this weekend, marchers from the north, south, east and west descended on Puerta del Sol plaza on Saturday evening. For hours, demonstrators shouted, jumped, sang and waved white handkerchiefs. Their most dramatic moment, though, may have been their quietest: when they held their hands aloft, silently, in a "silent shout" before erupting in cheers. If and when the crowd dissipates early Sunday, they are expected to return. The government has OK'd three more days of protests in Madrid, meaning similar scenes could play out into the middle of the week. The number of demonstrators evident in Madrid over the weekend were strong, though they appeared to be slightly fewer than those who had gathered in the same spot -- in what's known as ground zero of the movement -- a year earlier. Back then, protesters encamped in Madrid and other cities made their voices heard. The tens of thousands of people who turned out in the initial days grew to an estimated 6 million protesters over the following months, in a nation of 46 million people. Since then, Occupy camps around the world have come and gone. The new protests organized by the May 15 movement are different in at least one key respect: a new conservative government is now in control, having taken over in December. Spain's economic crisis also has worsened since last year. The nation has slipped back into a recession, the unemployment rate has risen to 24% overall and more than 50% for those under age 25, and the government has enacted billions of dollars in austerity cuts, along with some tax hikes, to reduce the budget deficit. "We are really tired of this situation," said Madrid protester Paola Alvarado, a purchasing agent. "And the new government is the same. They steal our money and give it to the banks." Spain's austerity protests have been largely peaceful to date, with only occasional clashes between protesters and police, and some arrests in cities like Barcelona and Valencia. And prior the latest protests, the new government -- which has vowed to maintain order and prevent a repetition of encampments in Madrid and beyond -- urged police commanders to use "common sense" as to how they dealt with the latest round of public dissent. In recent months, Spanish trade unions, traditionally the protest leaders, have been at the forefront of demonstrations against the austerity cuts and labor market reforms, with the May 15 movement barely visible. "Maybe the most important thing is it awakened a consciousness, beyond concrete changes, to make historic change possible," said Jon Aguirre Such, who was a movement spokesman a year ago but now spends more time on his architectural cooperative for urban planning. "I think everyone who took part in the May 15 movement made history. They can take away from us many things, but not our memory and our dream," Aguirre said. The original May 15 movement is credited with helping stop dozens of housing evictions. Activists pressured bank and court officials to delay or stop foreclosures on delinquent mortgages. But Ignacio Urquiza, a sociologist who has studied the movement for the left-leaning Fundacion Alternativas, said there has been little big-picture change as to government policies and operations. "The demonstrations didn't do more than expose -- for a brief time -- some issues. But Spain's economic crisis and political system have not changed. They are the same as last year," he said. | NEW: Thousands in Madrid's Puerta del Sol plaza do a "silent shout" to protest cuts .
NEW: "The new government is the same," a woman says, claiming people are fed up .
Similar rallies are held in Barcelona and other cities around Spain .
The protests coincide with the anniversary of the launch of the May 15 movement . |
178,847 | 738f63bf18792679f0c5520e37612a126020b941 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Chiquita Brands International faces a $7.86 billion lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of nearly 400 Colombian families who say the company should be held responsible for the "torture and murder" of their loved ones. With a map of alleged victims, Jonathan Reiter makes his case Wednesday at a New York news conference. Attorney Jonathan Reiter said his clients are seeking "damages for terrorism, war crimes ... and wrongful death." The plaintiffs are asking for $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages for each of the 393 victims named in the suit. Earlier this year, Chiquita, as part of a plea agreement, admitted that what it called protection payments had been given to Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, or AUC. AUC was named a terrorist organization by the United States in 2002, making it a crime to give them money. The lawsuit alleges Chiquita's interaction with the paramilitary group went further than the payments -- it accuses the company of facilitating shipments of arms to the group. "They conspired with the AUC, aided and abetted them in a far-reaching conspiracy and plan to control every aspect of banana growing, distribution and sale," Reiter said. The attorney said one couple refused to sell their banana farm "for pennies" and were killed by AUC in 2001, and other murder victims had been directed to "sell their bananas only to Chiquita." The families filing the suit will remain anonymous because of fear of reprisals in their home country, he said. "The principle upon which this lawsuit is brought is that when you put money into the hands of terrorists, when you put guns into the hands of terrorists, then you are legally responsible for the atrocities, the murders and the tortures that those terrorists commit," Reiter said. Responding to the allegations Wednesday afternoon, the company said, "Chiquita Brands International categorically denies the allegations made by these attorneys. We reiterate that Chiquita and its employees were victims and that the actions taken by the company were always motivated to protect the lives of our employees and their families." Chiquita's director of communications, Michael Mitchell, went on to say, "Our company had been forced to make protection payments to safeguard our workforce. It is absolutely untrue for anyone to suggest that these payments were made for any other purpose." Mitchell said the company will fight the allegations. "Chiquita has already been the victim of extortion in Colombia. We will not allow ourselves to become extortion victims in the United States." In the March plea agreement, Chiquita Brands International agreed to pay a $25 million fine for the payments made by the company's former banana-producing subsidiary in Colombia. During a government investigation, the company admitted to making payments to AUC even after outside counsel told the company those payments were illegal and should stop immediately. E-mail to a friend . | Attorney: Clients allege terrorism, war crimes, wrongful death, seek $7.86 billion .
Plaintiffs want $20 million in damages for each of 393 victims named in suit .
Chiquita admits paying a group that the U.S. labeled a terrorist organization .
Company "categorically denies" attorneys' allegations, says it will fight them . |
23,556 | 42e2a43925a89ac7a330e7582e3b5ad1b1e8cbb9 | Ordering lunch just got a lot more complicated than deciding how to answer, "Do you want fries with that?" Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy sparked reactions that were swift and strong after he weighed in on same-sex marriage by saying his company backs the traditional family unit. Politicians from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke up. Supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage protested. And suddenly, the type of fast-food bag you carry could reveal your views on a hot-button social issue that has split the country. Some proponents of same-sex marriage have decried Cathy's comments and called for a boycott of the chain, which had annual sales of more than $4.1 billion last year and has more than 1,615 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C., with the strongest concentration in the Southeast. "How backward and ignorant ... how sad," CNN reader Joe Brown said. "No more Chick-fil-A for me. I am not in the stone-casting business as a Christian." Evangelist Billy Graham defends Chick-fil-A . The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), meanwhile, is promoting a National Same-Sex Kiss Day to be held at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country on August 3. The Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, for its part, has gained the support of such high-profile leaders as the Rev. Billy Graham. Graham has praised restaurant founder S. Truett Cathy and son Don Cathy "for their strong stand for the Christian faith." "I've known their family for many years and have watched them grow Chick-fil-A into one of the best businesses in America while never compromising their values," Graham said, breaking his usual silence on hot-button issues. Regular customers of the chain also have shown their loyalty to Chick-fil-A, posting messages on the company's Facebook page since the controversy broke out. CNN reader Greg Tanner said his appreciation for Chick-fil-A "tripled" after he heard about Cathy's comments. "I've always loved their chicken. I was always bummed yet respected them for closing on Sundays. Even though I'm a foxhole Christian and don't practice any particular religion, I do wholly believe that marriage is between a man and woman. ... Stand up for what you believe!" Tanner said. Politicos such as Santorum and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are also showing their support. Huckabee has called for a "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" next Wednesday. Henson, Huckabee take sides in Chick-fil-A same-sex marriage controversy . "I have been incensed at the vitriolic assaults on the Chick-fil-A company because the CEO, Dan Cathy, made comments recently in which he affirmed his view that the Biblical view of marriage should be upheld," Huckabee, a Republican, wrote in a Facebook posting announcing the event. He called for supporters to "simply affirm appreciation for a company run by Christian principles by showing up" at their local Chick-fil-A next week. As of Friday afternoon, nearly 300,000 had accepted a Facebook invitation to participate in the event. But at the local level, Chick-fil-A is meeting resistance from city officials in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney sent a letter to Cathy this week, telling the CEO in blunt terms to "take a hike and take your intolerance with you," and vowing to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting condemning the company. "There is no place for this type of hate in our great City of Brotherly and Sisterly Affection," Kenney wrote. San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee tweeted: "Closest #ChickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer." In Chicago, Alderman Joe Moreno has been working for months to block construction of a Chick-fil-A in his district, citing traffic congestion and worry about the company's "business practices." Mayor Emanuel, a Democrat, said this week that "Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values. They're not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members." 9 religious companies (besides Chick-fil-A) And in Boston, where Chick-fil-A is considering opening a location, Mayor Thomas Menino, also a Democrat, made it clear the chain would not be welcome. "I don't want an individual who will continue to advocate against people's rights. That's who I am and that's what Boston's all about," he said. Chick-fil-A responded to the firestorm this week by defending its company culture and saying it would stay out of political debates in the future. "The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender," a company statement said. "We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent owner/operators." The statement has done little to quiet the uproar as protesters rallied Thursday at the grand opening of a Chick-fil-A in Laguna Hills, California, and disrupted planned festivities for the day. Roughly 250 participants carried signs emblazoned with rainbows and messages of support for gay rights. "Those kinds of messages and that kind of rhetoric is very, very hurtful to our families," Laura Kanter, youth program director at LGBT advocacy group The Center Orange County, told CNN affiliate KABC of Cathy's comments. "We have families, we have children, we have parents." In Washington, protesters gathered where a Chick-fil-A food truck had parked for the lunch hour Thursday and said they would continue to follow it as it moves around the district. Readers defend Chick-fil-A's stance on marriage . The groundswell of opposition to the chain could reflect changing attitudes about same-sex marriage. A CNN/ORC poll last month found that a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, reflecting a dramatic shift in public opinion over the last two decades. Despite the growing support, voters in 31 states have approved measures defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The number of Americans who say they have a close friend or family member who is gay, meanwhile, has jumped from 49% in 2010 to 60% today, the first time in CNN polling that a majority of Americans have said that. In the 1990s, most Americans said they did not know anyone close to them who was gay. Attitudes about sexual orientation have also changed over that same time period. In 1998, a majority believed that someone who is homosexual could change their sexual orientation if they chose to do so. Today, only a third feel that way, and the number who say that gays cannot change their orientation is almost six in 10. Chick-fil-A executive dies . When it comes to Chick-fil-A, many say Cathy's comments won't sway them one way or another on their fast-food meal of choice. "No American can say anything these days without someone getting offended. If I don't want my rights of Free Speech taken away, then I'm not going to try to take someone else's rights away," said CNN iReporter Byron Thomas of Beaufort, South Carolina. "Chick-fil-A has done nothing wrong! Chick-fil-A's stance on gay marriage isn't banning anyone from their restaurant or refusing to serve them." Kim Mitchell, who bypassed protesters in Washington on Thursday to get a bite from the Chick-fil-A food truck, said she supports the chain's overall business model as well as same-sex marriage. "I believe (Cathy's) employing a lot of young people and he's more of what we need in business today," she told CNN affiliate WJLA. Koert Van Ittersum, who teaches brand management to MBA students at Georgia Tech, said the long-term impact of the controversy on Chick-fil-A's bottom line remains to be seen, though he expects it to be "fairly marginal." "It will have an impact -- how big it's going to be is very difficult to say," he said. "There's a group of people out there who support Chick-fil-A because of their values, and this may strengthen that for them ... (but) if people get offended by what other people say, that will have negative implications if it irks people enough and they ... say, 'I'm going to vote with my wallet.' " How the Chick-fil-A same-sex marriage controversy has evolved . | Dan Cathy prompted a firestorm of criticism after saying he backs the traditional family unit .
Some want a boycott of the Chick-fil-A chain; others say his stance reaffirms their support .
Officials in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia have voiced their opposition to Cathy's comments .
One business expert says the long-term impact on the company remains to be seen . |
177,460 | 71b7956de2f9c5ddc7540e7e05291ab4f0cb6d13 | By . Richard Spillett . White Dee announced she is finally off benefits today and admitted the welfare system is far too open to abuse. The Benefits Street star had sparked anger by insisting she still deserves handouts while headlining bar crawls in Magaluf and pocketing fees for TV appearances. After reports that the Department of Work and Pensions was investigating her benefits, she revealed today that she is no longer receiving state support. Scroll down for video . White Dee has revealed she is no longer claiming benefits after raking in money from media appearances . Dee hit out at the welfare system on ITV's This Morning, saying it allowed some people to live 'too comfortably' After four years unemployed, she said too many benefits claimants are milking the system and have no motivation to get a job. She told ITV's This Morning: 'Maybe it shouldn't be made so comfortable for people on benefits. 'There are genuine people on benefits who do really want to find a job but then there's other people who are so comfortable that they are thinking: "Well why should I find a job, because I'm perfectly happy living how I am?"' Despite presenter Phillip Schofield revealing Dee was getting £500 for the 20-minute appearance on the show, she insisted most the deals her agent got her were 'not that lucrative'. Dee - real name Deidre Kelly - claimed she still suffers from the 'bereavement depression' which has prevented her from getting a job, but hoped her new career as a reality TV star would mean she can now support herself. She said: 'It's something that's happened to me. I've been absolutely catapulted into a completely different world, but if now is a chance to provide a better future for my children then I'm going to do it, but I'll do it legally.' Dee renewed her war of words with Josie Cunningham, who recently appeared naked after demanding a boob job on the NHS. Dee, who Cunningham has attacked online, said Cunningham was openly mocking taxpayers . The mother-of-two also insisted she was only drinking shandy and water during an appearance in Magaluf . She added: 'I didn't go on them [benefits] with the view of staying on them for the rest of my life.' Dee renewed her hostilities with Josie Cunningham, who became famous for insisting she deserved a breast implant operation on the NHS. Showing off her gold-painted nails, Dee, 42, said: 'She's actually just rubbing it in the taxpayers' faces. I mean, fund it yourself, it does really make me angry.' The pair clashed after Cunningham claimed Dee was jealous of her youth. Dee replied: 'I'm perfectly happy with my life, thank you very much.' Dee's lifestyle came in for criticism when she appeared downing drinks and knocking back beers on the stage of a 'Carnage Magaluf' night earlier this year. Today, she claimed she had only been drinking water and shandy but had pulled the stunts as part of her appearance on the bar crawl night. | Benefits Street star has come off state support due to 'work in public eye'
She says she's not on handouts anymore due to earnings from appearances .
Comes after reports of government investigation into her finances .
The mother-of-two says many people are 'too comfortable' on benefits .
She renews fight with Josie Cunningham, who she says 'mocks taxpayers' |
283,451 | fb2b1af020370b0f4b608d53f53512c90182dae3 | (CNN) -- Crews in North Dakota were testing the air Tuesday morning for any dangerous fumes a day after two trains wrecked, sparking a large fire. The results of the tests will help determine when it is safe for residents to resume their routine activities. One of the trains was carrying crude oil, which sent dangerous smoke into the air, officials said. The incident occurred one mile west of Casselton, a town of 2,300 residents about 25 miles west of Fargo. Authorities issued an evacuation order, which was not mandatory, but "strongly, strongly recommended," Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney told CNN. He estimated that 65% of area residents heeded the call to leave their homes. There were no injuries in the wreck, and everyone is accounted for, Laney said. "When you see the fireball and you see the damage and the aftermath, that's amazing that nobody was hurt," he said. "There were people inside their homes that could feel the heat from the explosion in their homes." Firefighters were forced to let the fire burn out. The extreme heat made it impossible for them to get close enough to the flames to battle the blaze. CNN's Steve Almasy, Aaron Cooper and Carma Hassan contributed to this report. | Crews are testing the air near Casselton, North Dakota .
They are testing for any toxic fumes .
A train wreck on Monday created an oil fire . |
94,323 | 053b4eddc621cbd12f1d78860035ec823e9b587c | The heart-wrenching exchange between a father whose son died in a car crash and the teenage drunk driver who was behind the wheel left witnesses in a Wyoming courtroom in tears on Monday. Takunda Mavima, 18, had just finished high school and was driving home from a graduation party on May 20 when he crashed into another car full of his classmates at Wyoming Park High School. Tim See, 17, and Krysta Howell, 15, died in the crash and now Mavima, who was also 17 at the time of the crash, will spend the next two-and-a-half to fifteen years in jail as a result. Forgiveness: Drunk driver Takuna Mavima, center, is embraced by Tim See, the father of one of the two teenagers that Mavima killed in a car accident shortly after his high school graduation in May . The local ABC affiliate WZZM 13 reports that at the time of the crash, Mavima had a 0.10 blood alcohol level, well over the legal limit of 0.08. Mavima had attended a party at his friend Shane Harlan's house before the accident and Michigan Live reports that Harlan was subsequently sentenced to probation and ordered to spend five days in a court-ordered program. Mavima's remorse was obvious as he attempted to hold back tears during his address to the courtroom filled with relatives of his victims. 'I’m so sorry that I took two bright, intelligent, wonderful people out of this world …. I wish … I’m so sorry,' he said, stopping intermittently for tears. Victims: Tim See, 17, and Krysta Howell, 15, were in a car with other students that was hit by Mavima in May but they were the only two who died . Remorseful: Mavima had to fight back tears as he apologized to the families of the victims . In tears: Former Wyoming Park student Takunda Mavima weeps as he stands with his attorney David Dodge during his sentencing on Monday . His sorrow did not fall on deaf ears, as . both the sister and the father of victim Tim See spoke on behalf of . Mavima, urging the judge to give him a light sentence as he understands . and has apologized for his actions. 'I am begging you to let Takunda make something of himself in the real world-- don't send him to prison and get hard and bitter, that boy has learned his lesson a thousand times over and he'll never make the same mistake again,' Lauren See said in court. 'I promised myself one thing that day. I promised myself I would not get angry.' Forgiveness was seen throughout the ordeal, as the victim's father, whose name is also Tim, hugged Mavima as he walked out of court after the sentencing. Tears: Angel Howell (left), the mother of victim Krysta, and Tim and Denise See (center and right), father of the second victim, were all present during Mavima's sentencing . Emotional: The courtroom was filled with relatives of the two victims and the drunk driver, as well as their friends since all three went to the same high school . 'It was a perfect storm, everything that happened,' Mr See said. Relatives of Krysta were also present and her mother Angel said that in light of the accident she is determined to raise awareness about drinking and driving. While there is a range, the sentence is considered to be on the lighter side of the state's mandatory sentencing guidelines. | Takunda Mavima was 17 when he was driving home drunk from a high school graduation party in Grand Rapids, Wyoming .
His car crashed into another car filled with students from his same school .
Tim See, 17, and Krysta Howell, 15, were killed . |
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