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21,243 | 3c3bbceb45b73817f3e9d5d503896d30d2d04bce | Two boys missing in rugged forest north of Rocky Mountain National Park have been found alive and well. Larimer County officials say the boys, ages 11 and 12, were separated from their group while hunting small game. They did not require any medical attention when found on Sunday and were being reunited with their hunting party from the local area. Far to roam: The two boys aged 11 and 12 reportedly disappeared sometime Saturday and spent the night alone in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado . The boys were armed with .22-caliber rifles and had backpacks with survival gear, water and food. Authorities were contacted on Sunday morning. Officials said family members assisted with the search. Authorities said several agencies and an aircraft helped in the search for the boys. Mulitple agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Larimer County Search and Rescue and the Larimer County Sheriff's Office had been called in to work on finding the boys, reports the Denver Channel. | The boys were separated from their group in the wilds of Larimer County, where they spent the night in the wilderness on Saturday .
Authorities were contacted on Sunday and multiple agencies were involved in the search before the boys were found alive and well .
The boys had been armed with .22-caliber rifles and their backpacks included survival gear . |
269,525 | e91bba8ab993fc6b68b1ba11d6b9118d7f51b8f0 | A Brazilian man claims he 'cried ink for two days' after getting his eyeballs tattooed to make them darker. Tattoo artist Rodrigo Fernando dos Santos, 39, of Sao Paulo, decided to go ahead with the bizarre procedure after having already had 70 per cent of his body covered in ink. The work involved a special syringe being used to inject the ink into the whites of his eyes. Scroll down for video . Bizarre: Tattoo artist Rodrigo Fernando dos Santos, 39, decided covering his body in ink-work was just not enough - so he got his eyes done too . Painful: The whites of the tattoo artist's eyes are now darker than his pupils . The irreversible procedure involved using a syringe to inject ink into the sclera - the protective outer layer - of his eyes, 9News reports. The ink used to inject his eye is believed to be the same used for tattoos on the rest of the body. Eye specialists have advised against the procedure which some warn can cause inflammation and possibly even vision loss, according to 9News. Eye tattooing is believed to be growing in popularity worldwide, with a tattoo artist in Australia claiming to be the first to have had the procedure done. It is part of a trend for more . unusual tattoos, with some women even having 'perfect' eyebrows and . nipples tattooed onto them as a beauty treatment. Tattooing goes back thousands of . years, and has been a widespread practice across the globe, from the Pacific . islands to northern Europe since ancient times. It is currently enjoying a . growth in popularity, with celebrities such as David Beckham setting the . trend by having their bodies covered in ink-work. Before and after: Mr Dos Santos as he was before having his face and eyes tattooed (left), and afterwards . | Rodrigo Fernando dos Santos had ink injected into whites of eyes .
Had already had 70 per cent of his body covered tattoos .
Specialists warn eye tattoos may cause vision damage . |
160,178 | 5b0896895a1f7658c0a91897ee8f150fdf00ad15 | Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- More than 100 security guards have been protesting outside some of the World Cup stadiums this week in South Africa, calling on soccer's world governing body FIFA to upgrade their pay. Along with dealing with security, the guards handle tickets -- so a strike delayed the start of Monday's match between world champions Italy and Paraguay in Cape Town. Local police had to be brought in to the stadium to handle security. Protesters were out again Tuesday outside of Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Protesters sang and dance, some holding placards that read: "We want our money and then we will feel it." The strikes have been frowned upon by tournament organizers, but FIFA did not immediately respond for a request for comment. "Although we have respect for workers' rights, we find it unacceptable for them to disrupt match-day proceedings and will not hesitate to take action in such instances," Danny Jordaan, the CEO of South Africa's World Cup organizing committee told South Africa's news agency News 24. CNN's Robyn Curnow contributed to this report. | Security guards are protesting their pay outside some World Cup stadiums .
Guards handle tickets, slowed down start of Italy-Paraguay match .
Local police brought in stadium in Cape Town to handle security .
World Cup organizers say it is wrong for workers to disrupt match-day proceedings . |
165,930 | 6291d6f3b9e3093c39095b70f98a6b69ddc9f005 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 8 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:20 EST, 8 January 2014 . Busty blonde Lacey Wildd performs an array of bizarre party tricks with her LLL implants in tonight's episode of TLC's My Strange Addiction. In a preview clip for the show, the 45-year-old mother-of-six from Florida, reveals how she can use her silicon chest as a drinks tray, proudly balancing two champagne glasses without a wobble. She then turns out the lights and puts a flashlight to her bosom, exclaiming 'I've got my own jack-o'-lanterns' as her overstretched chest starts to glow. Scroll down for video . 'I've got my own jack-o'-lanterns!': Busty glamor model Lacey Wildd performs an array of bizarre party tricks with her LLL implants in tonight's episode of TLC's My Strange Addiction . But it's not all fun and games, and Ms Wildd reveals there are many things she can't do with her cartoon-like curves. For instance, she cannot lay down on her back for too long otherwise she starts to feel faint. 'I do feel like I'm being suffocated,' the glamor model admits as she reclines on the couch. Party girl: The 45-year-old mother-of-six shows how she can use her silicon chest as a drinks tray, proudly balancing two champagne glasses without a wobble . Addicted: Despite her implants causing issues, Ms Wildd is determined to go from an LLL to a QQQ so she can claim title to the largest augmented breasts in the world . Instead she uses four or five pillows to keep her propped up at a 30 degree angle during the night. She also can't tell when she's due her next pedicure as it's difficult to see over her protruding torso. 'I can't even tell you the last time I could see my toes or my feet,' she exclaims. 'I can't even tell you the last time I could see my toes or my feet' Her youngest daughter, Jenaveve, says that it's almost impossible to hug her. 'I just give it under her boobs . . . so they don't crush me,' the youngster said. Despite . her implants causing issues, Ms Wildd is determined to go from an LLL . to a QQQ so she can claim title to the largest augmented breasts in the . world. Last year, she raised $23,000 in donations from fans for the surgery - which will be her thirteenth in total. Issues: The glamor model says she cannot lay down on her back because she feels like she's suffocating . Plastic can melt? She must also be careful when cooking at the stove . Currently the top spot is held by Maxi Mounds, who wears a U.S. size 42M bra. Ms . Wildd said that she is ‘nervous’ about her surgery, paid for by . internet donations, as medical experts have repeatedly warned her it’s . not safe. ‘My goal was never to be famous. My goal was to be able to support my children' Her . chest is already so heavy at 21lbs, that she had to have an internal . bra made of pigskin and her own muscle implanted into her torso. But the bubbly blonde insists that her ambition to increase the size of her breasts is actually for her children's welfare. ‘I want to leave a legacy to my . children,' says Ms Wildd, who has six children ranging in age from six . to 29, plus a 25-year-old stepson. ‘My goal was never to be famous. My goal was to be able to take care of them, to be able to support them.’ Embarrassing mum: Lacey Wildd's children - from left Brandan, Michael, Jenaveve, and Tori - desperately want her to stop having surgery . She said growing up she was one of six . children, and her mother was so poor they couldn’t afford a house with . electricity or running water. ‘I . want to provide for my kids and pay for a college education, so they . have opportunities I didn't have,’ Ms Wildd previously said. With . the additional TV appearances, film work and subscriptions to her . website, laceywildd.net, she says her income has ‘quadrupled' since 2012 . and she plans on retiring in three years time. However, Ms Wildd’s children, four of . which still live at home, say that her looks have seen them face . cyber-bullying and teasing at school. No need for sit-ups: Ms Wildd has had the muscles in her stomach sewn together and says her abs feel taut 'like guitar strings' Tight squeeze: Shopping for clothes can prove quite a challenge when you've got a chest as large as Ms Wildd . Upkeep: The glamor model has spent more than $250,000 enhancing her appearance . Her . daughter Tori Glynn, 18, who appeared with her on MTV's True Life, . said: ‘She is kind of like too much, and she's not taking into . consideration that this is your project, this is your thing and not all . of ours. Tori and her . siblings are also concerned about their mother’s health, and fear bigger . implants will cause terrible side-effects such as stretching, tearing, . or even an infection that might kill her. Tori previously said: 'I don't want my mom to have her boobs made any bigger. 'I think she isn't really thinking about our opinions. What if she dies? Is she taking that into consideration? 'Does she really care that her kids could be left alone?' Transformation: As a child Ms Wildd says she . used to be a brunette tomboy, left, but today she is a peroxide blonde glamor model . Then and now: Lacey Wildd in 1990 after her first operation, left, and after surgery in 2001 . Despite . her children's concerns, Ms Wildd, real name Paula Simonds, is . determined to have the procedure - which will take her closer towards . her goal of becoming the world's biggest breasted model. 'It will increase my fame and earning . power considerably. I want to make the most of this opportunity, to give . my kids a good lifestyle.' Cosmetic . surgery carries the same general risks as all operations, including . infection and blood clots. There's also a risk of bleeding and scarring. Problems . that can occur immediately after breast reconstruction surgery include . infection, fluid under the wound and pain and discomfort. If . the area around the breast implant becomes repeatedly infected or fluid . keeps building up, the implant may need to be removed. Sometimes, the flap of tissue that is used to make a new breast can die and will need to be surgically removed. Long-term . problems that can develop after breast reconstruction surgery include . the implant hardening and changing shape, fluid leaks from the implant . making lymph glands swell and unequal-sized breasts due to changes in . weight. Growing up in Illinois, Ms Wildd used to be a thin, brunette waitress and became a mother of two in her late teens. 'I . wasn't making as much money as the blonde girls with the big boobs. I . had two kids to take care of on my own,' she Ms Wildd who has worked as a . tattoo artist, a veterinarian assistant and a marketer. Using . money from waiting on tables, Ms Wildd saved up money for her first . implant, and at 21, she expanded from an A cup to a D. 'That . was the day that changed my life. It gave me a lot more confidence. The . way people noticed me. People wanted to be around me. I turned myself . into a Barbie,' she told the newspaper. She eventually moved to Las Vegas, where she worked as a showgirl and continued developing her figure. At . 26, she plumped up to a double D cup and three years later, she became a . triple D and had six more operations to expand her breast size. At 24 she increased to a K cup and last year, she ballooned to an L cup. The . surgery-addicted model, says she prepares her skin before implants to . avoid the risks of rupturing, and take every care to avoid dangerous . infections. Along with . breast augmentations, Ms Wildd has also had two tummy tucks, four full . body liposuctions, ab sculpting, lip implants, bottom implants and two . bottom lifts. Video Source TLC . Bigger? Ms Wildd said that she is 'nervous' about her surgery, paid for by internet donations . In the TLC new episode she explains that the muscles in her stomach have been 'sewed together' so she never needs to do a sit-up again. 'It feels like guitar strings,' she says happily stroking her 'man-made' abs. Cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Alberto Gallerani, based in Miami, previously warned that Ms Wildd may be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder and should not have further breast implants. 'The skin around her breasts is already extremely thin, and it would be too dangerous for her to undergo more surgery,' he said. ‘I would advise she reconsider and seek help for her surgery obsession.' But Ms Wildd insists this year’s operation will be her last one. She . told the Sun Sentinel: 'My major goal is to actually retire the boobs. I . never really wanted to be known for my boobs, I guess my boobs made me . famous. ‘I know a lot of people worry that I am hurting myself or my kids. I promise you, I am not.’ | Glamor model Lacey Wildd, 45, says her world revolves around her breasts .
Last year she raised $23,000 in donations from fans to go up to a QQQ cup .
She cannot see her feet or pick up her children because of her large chest . |
95,850 | 073a9683c9f7ba6652379c6dcf6a2e7b973b381c | Allegations: Acclaimed artist Graham Ovenden, 70, is accused of abusing children who posed as models for him in the 1970s and '80s, a court heard . A famous artist . sexually abused young girls after blindfolding them and dressing them in . Victorian-style nighties, a jury heard today. Graham Ovenden, 70, is accused of offences against four children aged from six to 14 who posed for him between 1972 and 1985. Ovenden's work includes nude and semi-nude portraits of young girls. Ramsay . Quaife, prosecuting, said the offences took place at his homes . in London and Cornwall and the alleged victims - all now adults - had . similar accounts of the alleged abuse. He . added that the accused told police he still has ‘a very major . reputation’ for painting some of the best portraits of children in the . last 200 years. Mr Quaife told . Truro Crown Court in Cornwall that the offences took place as the . youngsters modelled for Ovenden, who is also a renowned fine art . photographer. He said: 'What . we say is that Mr Ovenden is a paedophile, that is a sexual abuser of . children, and we say in this case the target of his abuse was young . girls.' He described how . Ovenden would dress the children up in Victorian style nighties before . leaving them naked and blindfolded. He said of one alleged victim: 'The . defendant would put the tape down over her eyes. She could not see . anything. The tape was black, stretchy and smelt of glue. 'Although she could not see, she could hear the defendant and she could remember the sound of his belt buckle.' Mr. Quaife added that Ovenden was actually performing an indecent assault on the children. Court appearance: The Cornish artist's work includes nude and semi-nude portraits of young girls . He . said in some cases the naked girls whose eyes were taped were moved . into different positions and pictured where their genitals could be . seen. Ovenden, from Pantersbridge, near Bodmin, Cornwall, denies six charges of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Graham Ovenden is accused of abusing children who posed for him .
Accused of abusing children as young as six in the '70s and '80s .
Four alleged victims complained to police in late 2000s, court heard . |
43,287 | 7a125a8d8284547fcf578c9d7fb80a8753eeab8f | By . Thomas Burrows for MailOnline . Pop icon Kate Bush has asked fans not to film or take pictures of her comeback gigs that start next week. The singer will play a 22-night residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo, beginning next Tuesday. The venue was the scene of her last gig on May 14, 1979 - when it was known as the Hammersmith Odeon. Kate Bush (left) performing in 1979, the year she last played a gig and (right) today. She will play her first live gig for 35 years when she begins a 22-night residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo next week . At that time, mobile phone technology and home computing were only in their infancy. And she has urged her fans to refrain from using mobile phones and tablets to record, or take pictures, of the upcoming tour. Writing on her website, she said: 'I have a request for all of you who are coming to the shows. We have purposefully chosen an intimate theatre setting rather than a large venue or stadium. 'It would mean a great deal to me if you would please refrain from taking photos or filming during the shows. I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with iPhones, iPads or cameras. 'I know it's a lot to ask but it would allow us to all share in the experience together.' The Wuthering Heights singer has asked fans not to film, or take pictures, of her upcoming gig . Kate Bush last performed at the Hammersmith Odeon in May 1979 and will play at the same venue on Tuesday . The Wuthering Heights singer is not the first musician to criticise gig-goers who spend their time using their mobile devices rather than watching the show. Roger Daltrey, The Who frontman, recently said it was 'weird' that people seemed to spend more time on their phones than watching a show. He said: 'I feel sorry for them, I really feel sorry for them. Looking at life through a screen and not being in the moment totally - if you're doing that, you're 50 per cent there, right? It's weird. I find it weird.' Performance artist Marina Abramovic also recently barred visitors to her exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London from bringing in their devices, so they could focus more on the art she was creating. Bush's live comeback tour sold out in less than 15 minutes when tickets were released in March this year. She soared to fame in 1979 with her single Wuthering Heights, which she wrote when she was just 18. Shy of publicity, Bush has become respected for her uncompromising individualism and her comeback tour sold out in less than 15 minutes . The song based on Emily Brontë's dark love story of the same name was followed by hits including Babooshka and Running Up That Hill. Shy of publicity, she became respected for her uncompromising individualism and refusal to make pop music in anything other than her own style. She was just 20 when she completed The Tour Of Life with three dates at what was then called the Hammersmith Odeon, after topping the charts with Wuthering Heights the previous year, becoming the first woman to go to number one singing one of her own songs. Over the years, theories about her absence from the stage have included her perfectionism, a fear of flying and the death of one of the tour crew, lighting director Bill Duffield, during a show. But in a rare interview with Mojo magazine in 2011 to mark a comeback from one of her lengthy recording silences, she explained that her years of absence from the touring circuit were simply down to the sheer exertion of a show. She said: 'It was enormously enjoyable. But physically it was absolutely exhausting.' | Pop icon Kate Bush has urged fans not to film or take pictures of her gigs .
Her comeback tour starts at London's Hammersmith Apollo next week .
It was the scene of her last 1979 gig - tickets this year sold out in 15 minutes . |
182,412 | 7835884539e891f693f8878b5b13717c34c18b54 | By . James Rush . Most drivers will know just how annoying, not to mention dangerous, it can be when a motorist driving in the opposite direction blinds them by leaving their full-beam headlights on. But now police in China appear to have developed a novel punishment for anyone caught with their lights on full-beam at night - forcing them to sit and stare into the headlights themselves. Traffic police in the city of Shenzhen, in south east China's Guangdong province, introduced the rule following a number of accidents blamed on motorists blinding drivers of oncoming traffic by using their lights on full-beam. Police in China appear to have developed a novel punishment for anyone caught with their lights on full-beam at night - forcing them to sit and stare into the headlights themselves . Police in China introduced the rule following a number of accidents blamed on motorists blinding drivers of oncoming traffic by using their lights on full-beam . Any motorist who now refuses to undergo the punishment faces a fine, having their car impounded and even runs the risk of losing their licence. A local traffic police department spokesman said the initiative had received some criticism but overall it had been widely appreciated. The spokesman said: 'We have had a few critics but overall the vast majority of people have approved the initiative. 'Anybody caught with full beam is asked to pay a small fine (£30) and has to stare at the headlights themselves to see what it is like.' A local traffic police department spokesman said the initiative had received some criticism but overall it had been widely appreciated . A number of people who have undergone the punishment however complained that the ordeal had lasted five minutes, when interviewed by local media . Any motorist who now refuses to undergo the punishment faces a fine, having their car impounded and even runs the risk of losing their licence . A number of people who have undergone the punishment however complained that the ordeal had lasted five minutes, when interviewed by local media. Police have denied the punishment lasted this long, claiming it was more likely to last for just seconds and only occasionally up to a minute but never longer. The police spokesman said: 'A short time is enough to give people an idea of what the other driver is seeing and to be more considerate in the future. 'We don't want to punish them by causing pain or damaging their eyes.' | Police in China force drivers caught using full-beam lights to sit and stare into them as form of punishment .
Traffic police introduced the rule following a number of accidents caused by motorists blinding drivers of oncoming traffic by using their full-beam lights .
Motorists who have undergone the punishment have complained it lasts for up to five minutes, although police insist it lasts for a minute at the longest . |
59,109 | a7c6febccae825d475dd0896a33e358df5bc0c9f | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 17:53 EST, 14 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:24 EST, 15 April 2013 . Controversy: Bishop of Grantham Tim Ellis has expressed concern over such a lavish funeral for so divisive a figure as Baroness Thatcher . The bishop of Baroness Thatcher’s home town has joined her political opponents in questioning the cost of her funeral. The Rt Rev Dr Tim Ellis, Bishop of Grantham, described the scale of the event as a ‘mistake’. Yesterday, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesman Douglas Alexander said he would prefer to see a simpler funeral, while former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott suggested the occasion should be privatised. And Lord Ashdown, the Lib Dem elected leader of his party during Lady Thatcher’s final years in power, also said he would prefer something ‘more simple’. Dr Ellis said the ceremonial event, costing up to £10million, was ‘asking for trouble’ amid divisions over the late prime minister’s legacy. The Anglican bishop added: ‘I think that in a context where there is manifestly great ill-feeling about her tenure and about her legacy, to then actually have a situation where we seem to be expecting the nation to glorify that with a £10million funeral... I think any sensible person would say that that is asking for trouble. ‘It plays into the hands of those more extreme people who will use the funeral as an opportunity to promote certain political views. I think it was probably a mistake.’ But Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, said: ‘He’s completely wrong and it seems particularly bizarre that of all the people to take this view, it’s the Bishop of Grantham. He’s using his position in the Church of England to basically put forward his own political views.’ And Andrew Rosindell, Tory MP for Romford, said: ‘The arrangements for the funeral have been agreed by the Queen, who is the head of the Church of England. It is not for a bishop to call that into question.’ Dr Tim Ellis fears the cost of the funeral will play into the hands of those who despise her legacy . Members of the military rehearse at Wellington Barracks in Central London for former PM Margaret Thatcher's funeral procession on Wednesday . Meanwhile, Lord Prescott suggested the 13,000 millionaires who benefited from the Government’s cut in the top rate of tax should each contribute £770 to pay for it. ‘Privatise her funeral. It would be a fitting tribute,’ he added. Mr Alexander called for a debate to be held over the appropriate arrangements for when a prime minister dies, and said: ‘I’m a Presbyterian, I would, by inclination, err towards something rather more simple than what we will see, but my sense is this is not the week to be having those discussions.’ Lord Ashdown said: ‘I have to say something just as solemn but a little more simple might be better.’ | Bishop of Grantham says the ceremony is 'asking for trouble'
He says the funeral plays into the hands of the extreme Left .
But Tory MPs claim he is using funeral to state his own political views . |
275,482 | f0e5226dea5f51701299ffc770c60bd4a9b2216c | The end of the computer is nigh. When the clock strikes 14 minutes and seven seconds past three on the morning of Tuesday 19 January 2038 UTC, a bug is expected to hit the web. Any computer, program, server or gadget running a 32-bit system could then fail, on a global scale, unless they are patched and upgraded in advance. This is known as the Year 2038 Problem, and is a theory that was recently proved when Psy's Gangnam Style exceeded two billion views on YouTube. Scroll down for video . The Year 2038 Problem affects software using a 32-bit system. Once the time reaches 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038, affected computers will not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, and the year 1901. This could wipe out programs that rely on the internal clock to make measurements . The Year 2038 Problem, or Y2038, specifically affects software using a 32-bit integer system. It is a similar problem that was faced in the year 2000, when the Millennium Bug, also known as the Y2K, meant certain computers couldn't distinguish between the years 1900 and 2000. 32-bit systems use four bytes, which mean they can use 4GB of memory in one go. By comparison, a 16-bit system uses two bytes and 64-bit systems use eight. Once the bug hits, affected computers will not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, and the year 1901. For some computers this will simply mean the date is shown as incorrect, but it could equally wipe out computers and programs that rely on the internal clock to make precise measurements, for example. It could also cause software to crash. Many phones, for example, as well as flight systems and cars use embedded systems that rely on storing accurate times and dates. Some programs that work with future dates may also start experiencing problems sooner. For example, a program that looks ahead 20 years will need to be fixed by 2018. After 2018, it won't be able to register dates after 19 January 2038 and bugs may appear. These systems store memory and carry out processes using binary digits, represented as 0 or 1 - and the total number of digits a 32-bit system can represent is 4,294,967,295. But because half of the values are negative, and half are positive this doesn't range from zero up to 4,294,967,295. Instead, the total numbers range from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647, thus making the upper limit of a 32-bit system 2,147,483,647. This means there is only a limited amount of storage that can be used to store all the binary 0 and 1 numbers. YouTube was set up on a 32-bit system and when Psy's Gangnam Style video reached this upper limit of views, the counter broke. To solve the problem, Google updated the system to 64-bits, which can handle 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 views, or more than 9 quintillion. At the time, Google said in a blog post: ‘We never thought a video would be watched in numbers greater than a 32-bit integer (=2,147,483,647 views), but that was before we met PSY. "Gangnam Style" has been viewed so many times we have to upgrade!’ The standard four-byte format assumes the beginning of time is 1 January, 1970, at 12:00:00 a.m. When the clock strikes 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038, a total of 2147483647 seconds since 1 January 1970 will have passed. The GIF above illustrates how the binary code, the decimal number and the date will appear when computers reach 03:14 UTC on 19 January 2038. To solve the problem, software manufacturers will need to update to a 64-bit system . YouTube was set up on a 32-bit system and when Psy's Gangnam Style video reached the system's upper limit of the amount of data it can store, the counter broke. To solve the problem, Google updated YouTube to run on 64-bits, which can handle 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 views, or more than 9 quintillion . At the time of writing, 2,175,046,789 people have watched the music video with its distinctive horsey dance. The number is displayed after digits spin around (screenshot) when the mouse hovered over them . The Year 2038 Problem, or Y2038, specifically affects software using a 32-bit integer system and has been theorised for years. 32-bit systems use four bytes, which mean they can use 4GB of memory in one go. By comparison, a 16-bit system uses two bytes and 64-bit systems use eight. The upper limit of numbers that a 32-bit system can store is 2,147,483,647. This standard four-byte format assumes the beginning of time is 1 January, 1970, at 12:00:00 a.m. When the clock strikes 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038, a total of 2147483647 seconds since the 1 January 1970 will have passed. Computers will then not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, and the year 1901. This is called an 'integer overflow', and means the counter has run out of usable bits and begins reporting a negative number. Computers will then not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, and the year 1901. This is called an 'integer overflow', and means the counter has run out of usable bits and begins reporting a negative number. For some computers, this will simply mean the date is shown as incorrect, but it could equally wipe out computers and programs that rely on the internal clock to make precise measurements, for example. It could also cause software to crash. Many phones, for example, as well as flight systems and cars use embedded systems that rely on storing accurate times and dates. In particular, the bug affects the Unix operating system, which powers Android and Apple phones, as well as most internet servers. Some programs that work with future dates may also start experiencing problems sooner. For example, a program that looks ahead 20 years will need to be fixed by 2018. After 2018, it won't be able to register dates after 19 January 2038 and bugs may appear. As Economist journalist Glenn Fleishman explained: 'Modern versions of the operating system have solved this problem by moving to a 64-bit signed integer to count seconds, but some ancient devices or those running ancient software may fail unpredictably.' Affected systems will need to upgrade in order to avoid any problems. | Psy’s Gangnam Style was recently viewed so many times on YouTube that the site had to upgrade the way figures are shown on the site .
The site 'broke' because it runs on a 32-bit system, which uses four-bytes .
These systems can only handle a finite number of binary digits .
A four-byte format assumes time began on 1 January, 1970, at 12:00:00 .
At 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038, the maximum number of seconds that a 32-bit system can handle will have passed since this date .
This will cause computers to run negative numbers, and dates .
Anomaly could cause software to crash and computers to be wiped out . |
145,610 | 4849c07d8de09685119354774e8ae92491e81fdb | Tie the knot: Adele Vellacott and Dave Cobain became the first Take Me Out couple to get married on Saturday . Adele Vellacott and Dave Cobain have become the first Take Me Out couple to get married. The couple, who live in London, met on the hit dating show but ended up going on dates to the show's fictional date destination - the Isle of Fernando's - with other people. Two years later they have a one year old baby, and on Saturday tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel in Monmouthshire, South Wales. Adele, 34, and Dave, 30, appeared on the second series of the ITV show in 2012. Each . episode sees single men trying to impress 30 single girls, eventually . selecting their favourites from those who still have their lights left . on. But it wasn't love at first sight as Dave picked Lucy Evans - and Adele ended up going out with someone else. When they were in Fernando's, however, they didn't end up hitting it off with their respective dates, and love slowly blossomed. Adele confesses to MailOnline that pined after Dave for months, but he kept spurning her advances. 'It was between me and another girl at the end, we were both from Wales, and he ended up on the date with the other girl. We all got flown over to Fernando's but our dates didn't work out, and Dave and I ended up building up a great friendship. 'He's lovely. Something about him pulled me towards him. 'In . the months that followed we ended up meeting at parties and reunions... he made me chase him for quite a while, playing hard to get. I really . liked him, he's a cheeky chappy. 'I liked . him from the start but didn't realise they were these strong . relationship feelings. I thought I wasn't his cup of tea because he kept . blowing me out when I'd ask him out on a date. 'I hadn't been in a serious relationship . for five years before I got with Dave. I lost my confidence a lot... so . for me to start chasing somebody. I couldn't carry on. Match made on TV: Adele, 34, and Dave, 30, appeared on the second series of the ITV show in 2012 . Didn't work out: The decision was between Adele and another girl at the end, and he ended up on the date with the other girl. 'We all got flown over to Fernando's but our dates didn't work out, and Dave and I ended up building up a great friendship,' she said . Love at second sight? The couple, who live in London, met on the hit dating show but ended up going on dates to the Isle of Fernando's with other people . 'Eventually I thought, I cant keep asking him out. I just told him outright that I had feelings for him... 'He had no idea. He actually said he thought I was out of his league.' Soon after, the couple got together, and by June 2013 they had their beautiful boy, Freddie, Take Me Out's first baby. He was even page boy at the big day yesterday and 'stole the show'. Just 100 close family, friends and fellow contestants were in attendance, including Take Me Out's Natalie Booth, a red-haired burlesque performer, and blonde, tattooed Kate McGann. No likey, no lighty: Adele pictured with Paddy on the show. She didn't win the date but things worked out in the end . Parents: Two years after their appearance on the show, the couple have a one-year-old son Freddie . Special role: Little Freddie was a page boy at his parents' wedding . But the show's presenter Paddy McGuinness, 40, was absent. 'I met . Paddy again a while back when I did a pilot for another show. He joked . about being invited to the wedding but we didn't think he'd want to come . all the way to Wales. 'We keep in touch with some of the production team and they tell us he often asks how we are,' Adele tells the Star. 'We love telling people how we met. It's . such a lovely story. People say to Dave "I bet you never live it down . that you turned her light off". Sealed with a kiss: The couple are setting sail on a cruise around the Canary Islands, including Tenerife - the real home to the fictional Isle of Fernando's where Take Me Out couples have their first dates . Cupid? Adele said: 'I met Paddy again a while back when I did a pilot for another show. He joked about being invited to the wedding but we didn't think he'd want to come all the way to Wales' Wrong choice? It wasn't love at first sight as Dave picked Lucy Evans - and Adele ended up going out with someone else . Hit show: Presenter Paddy McGuinness had joked about being invited to the wedding, but the couple did not think he would want to go to Wales . In a week's time the newlyweds are off on honeymoon to - where else - the Isle of Fernando's. They will take a cruise around . the Canary Islands, including Tenerife - the real home to the fictional . Isle of Fernando's where Take Me Out couples have their first dates. The Welsh presenter for Psychic TV, who has lived in London for ten years, has now relocated back to Wales with her new family. | Adele Vellacott and Dave Cobain married in Monmouthshire, South Wales .
Couple met on ITV show in 2012 - but ended up on dates with other people .
Adele, 34, and Dave, 30, also have a one-year-old son, Freddie . |
263,582 | e1645fb2158f0514a1311d0d090c45dd289833ce | Authorities said they will drop the last remaining charge against a Detroit police officer who shot and killed a 7-year-old girl during a during a nighttime raid after two trials ended without convictions. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy will move Friday to dismiss the misdemeanor charge against Joseph Weekley, who shot and killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones while she slept in 2010. Police were accompanied by a camera crew for the show 'The First 48' on A&E when Weekley burst into the home and fired one shot from his submachine gun that struck Aiyana in the head. Dropped: The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office will drop the last remaining charge against Joseph Weekley, pictured in this file photo, who shot and killed a 7-year-old girl after two trials ended without a conviction . Weekley was indicted in 2011 on a charge of involuntary manslaughter charge for the shooting, which authorities believe was unintentional. The first trial ended without a verdict in June 2013. His second ended in October with a hung jury. During the second trial, a judge dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Worthy called it 'unfortunate' that Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway dismissed the felony manslaughter charge, leaving only the misdemeanor count, which carries a two-year maximum sentence. 'Under the law, her decision cannot be appealed,' Worthy said in a statement. Aiyana's grandmother, Mertilla Jones, said in a statement Wednesday that 'it feels like the system' failed their family. Jones called Gray Hathaway's dismissal of the manslaughter charge 'even more insidious, given the fact that a 7-year-old child was killed while she was sleeping.' Victim: Police claimed Aiyana Stanley-Jones's grandmother struggled with Weekley, leading to the fatal shot, though her grandmother denies a struggle took place . Grieving: Aiyana's parents, Dominika Stanley and Charles Jones, wept on the stand in this file photo from 2010 . Haunted: Though he did not testify in either trial, Weekley has said he is 'haunted' by the raid, which a high-ranking official in the Detroit Police Department said broke protocol . Weekley's attorney, Steve Fishman, said the prosecutor's decision was 'courageous' and 'a correct one.' Weekley has said he feels 'haunted' by the tragedy. His was supposed to be an elite police unit, but a high-ranking Detroit police official told Mother Jones the raid broke protocol and that officers 'went Hollywood.' Officers were after Chauncey Owens, who an informant said was to blame for the murder of 17-year-old Je'Rean Blake Nobles days before. Instead they stormed the apartment where Charles Jones and his family were. Jones was later found guilty of second-degree murder in Je'Rean's death for providing the gun Owens used to shoot him, the Detroit Free Press reports. During the raid, Weekley's submachine gun fired seconds after a stun grenade was thrown through a window. He didn't testify but insisted that he mistakenly pulled the trigger during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother, who denies she struggled with the officer. Ron Scott, a spokesman for Aiyana's family and founder of the Detroit Coalition against Police Brutality, said they will push the federal government to seek civil rights charges in the case. 'This kind of blatant disregard and militarization that destroys human life, we have to stop it and send a message that it will not be tolerated, especially in the lives of young black people,' Scott said. | Joseph Weekley shot and killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones while she slept on a couch near her grandmother .
Police were raiding the apartment in search of a man accused of a murder days before .
A camera crew was filming the raid for 'The First 48,' a reality show on A&E .
One trial for involuntary manslaughter ended without a verdict, while another ended with a hung jury .
A high-ranking official in the Detroit Police Department said officers broke protocol and 'went Hollywood' |
286,682 | ff73272f039a91411bae91bb704c560ff22154b7 | (CNN) -- American teenager Sloane Stephens stunned her compatriot Serena Williams on Wednesday, beating the 15-time grand slam winner 3-6 7-5 6-4 to reach the Australian Open semifinals. The 29th seed, playing in her first grand slam quarterfinal, came from once set down to overcome third seed Williams who suffered a back injury having already rolled an ankle earlier in the tournament. Despite Williams' fitness problems, few had given Stephens a chance of beating the five-time Melbourne champion. "Someone asked me, 'Do you think you can win?' I was like, 'Yeah, I think so, but I wasn't like too clear about it,''" the 19-year-old told reporters after advancing to a tie with world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka on Thursday. "Then this morning when I got up, I was like, 'Look, dude, like, you can do this, go out and play and do your best.'" Stephens did not make the best possible start as Williams went one set and a break of serve ahead, before the 19-year-old American dug deep to pull out an unlikely triumph. "You just fight and just get every ball back, run every ball down, and just get a lot of balls in play," said Stephens, explaining her strategy after the loss of that first set. "From then on I got aggressive, started coming to the net more, and just got a lot more comfortable." Stephens becomes the first U.S. teenager to reach a grand slam semfinal since Serena at the 2001 U.S. Open, and the first to achieve the feat outside of the Williams sisters since Alexandra Stevenson at Wimbledon in 1999. For Williams, it marked the end of a campaign which had pushed her body to the limit. "I'm almost relieved that it's over because there's only so much I felt I could do," said the 31-year-old. "It's been a little difficult. I've been thrown a lot of balls these two weeks." When one journalist asked Williams if she had considered retiring hurt during the match, it caused some confusion in the press room. "Are you kidding me? I'm not retiring," responded Williams, believing the reporter was asking if she was considering ending her career. "Oh, you mean, retiring in the match! Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you meant my career. You're crazy. "I thought about it like for a nanosecond. It's a quarterfinal of a grand slam. Even if I have to take off in a wheeler before I retire." Defending champion Azarenka had to battle through a tough 77-minute first set against Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, before winning 7-5 6-1. When asked about Stephens prior to her victory against Williams, Belarus' Azarenka said: "I think Sloane is a very, very talented girl. I think over the last couple years you see her development, you know, as a tennis player. "Her game has come together. She's an all round player, very competitive. I think she has a good potential. It's just a matter of her getting all those details in place and really wanting to achieve great things." The second semifinal, also due to take place on Thursday, sees sixth seed Li Na take on No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova -- who is yet to drop at set at the tournament. | Sloane Stephens beats compatriot Serena Williams to reach Australian Open semis .
The 19-year-old came from one set down to defeat the third seed .
Stephens will play her first ever grand slam semifinal against world No.1 Victoria Azarenka .
Top seed Azarenka beat Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5 6-1 . |
221,770 | ab12e0fbfabf82c26090ed92343531abc4fcd547 | Two Saudi men are facing jail after they were convicted of deliberately driving over a stray dog ten times until it was dead - and filming the despicable act of cruelty. In the footage, which quickly went viral on social media, one of the men is seen driving a 4x4 vehicle in an unspecified desert area in Saudi Arabia while the second videos the clip. The dog had been standing in the road when the car driver deliberately smashed into it. Clearly still alive, but obviously crippled and unable to escape, it was then repeatedly run over. Despicable: A frame from the video showing a young Saudi man repeatedly running over a dog in the desert . The video clip - which is too distressing to republish here on MailOnline - provoked a furious reaction. The pair were arrested after people who saw it urged authorities to take action. It also sparked a campaign for the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA), responsible for the conservation and development of wildlife, to develop strong laws that would lead to harsher penalties for anyone who tortures animals. The campaign to bring the men to justice was also backed by several key legal figures who said that it was not only inhumane but also against the teachings of Islam. 'This animal is a God's creation and its torture is a violation of the Islamic teachings,' said one of the participants in a social media group. Another added: 'Islam recommends merciful treatment of animals.' 'Violation of Islamic teachings': The video went viral on social media, where commenters slammed it as a deeply immoral act and urged authorities to take action against the pair . The court adjourned before sentencing and the pair face either jail or a fine of up to £90,000. Jabir Al-Shehri of the Ministry of Agriculture said the two young men had clearly breached the terms of the the unified code of merciful treatment of animals adopted by all Gulf states. Al-Shehri said the vehicle's number plate, which was clearly visible in the clip, was an important lead that helped security forces to arrest the culprits, who have not been named. | Online commenters call it 'a violation of the Islamic teachings' on animals .
Furious reaction to the video spurred authorities into taking action .
The pair face either jail or a fine of up to £90,000 for the animal cruelty . |
282,199 | f987ae949fffee3abd64a198c8e08d3bacd4703e | By . Derek Lawrenson . Remember those Black Fridays from not so long ago where Rory McIlroy would turn up with his B game, shoot 40 or so for nine holes and blow his chances of winning? If truth be told, he had another ordinary Friday here at the 96th USPGA Championship, hitting just eight fairways and 11 greens in regulation. How terrifying for the opposition, therefore, that the newly-refocused Rory still shot a four under par 67 to add to his opening 66 to lead the season’s final major at the halfway stage. If McIlroy is now able to hit the front playing average, what on earth is going to happen when he showcases his A game? McIlroy leads by a shot on a good-looking leaderboard from dangerous Australian Jason Day and veteran American Jim Furyk, with fellow countrymen Rickie Fowler and Ryan Palmer two shots adrift. Still on top: McIlroy wasn't at his brilliant best on Friday, but he still takes a one-shot lead into the third round . In the swing: The Northern Irishman is playing as close to perfect as you can get in the majors at the moment . Then comes Phil Mickelson after a spectacular eagle three at the last and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, with two European big hitters – Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood – four shots behind. Westwood slipped back after his marvellous first round 65 but is still in contention to win his first major after a 73. Ian Poulter was another to regress with a 73. Tiger Woods? Thank goodness he has now gone home after missing the halfway cut by a comfortable margin following a second round 74 because this was painful to watch. Difficult Tiger: It was a sad sight to see the 14-time major champion struggle with injury and form . Whatever happened to the 14-time major champion who only ever played to win? Here, he limped around both physically and metaphorically to raise the question again: what on earth was he doing here? Let’s hope we don’t see him again until he is healthy - however long it takes. As for McIlroy, add these two rounds to the four he played at Royal Liverpool at The Open and the 72 holes at Firestone last week, and that makes him 41 under par for the duration, with only one round in the seventies. It’s worth spelling them out: 66,66,68,71,69,64,66,66,66 and 67. If that is not the perfect ten rounds, it must be as close as damn it. McIlroy was asked for the umpteenth time why it has all gone right but this time gave a particularly candid answer. He did not say or mean it unkindly, but he did pinpoint the moment he ditched his tennis-playing fiancé, Caroline Wozniacki, at the end of May. Problems: Bubba Watson failed to find his best form, and later had to apologise for his behaviour on the course . ‘I think what happened has been for the best in terms of my golf,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve put a bit more time into it and it has refocused me. I mean, what else do I have to do now? 'I go to the golf course, to the gym and it’s just my life at the minute. I worked pretty hard before but the past couple of months I’ve really just buried myself in my game. It obviously works pretty well, so I am going to keep doing it.’ A deluge created fresh water hazards in the middle of fairways and caused a 50 minute suspension early on. The day called for the steadfast rather than the spectacular, but trust McIlroy to come up with a mixture of both. Starting from the 10th, he had one eagle three at the 18th and should have had another at the 7th where he missed from 8ft. But this was a round where he also showed off some of the overlooked qualities of his game, including his new-found resolve to grind out a score. A perfect Day: The Australian Jason Day is McIlroy's closest competitor after reaching eight under par . McIlroy missed his first four fairways plus five greens in regulation in a row at one point, but saved par expertly on several occasions with a few adept up and downs. ‘I think when you’re 100 per cent confident as I am now you know you’re going to get opportunities to put it right, so I know I am not going to go on one of those runs where I shoot a 42 for nine holes,’ he said. ‘Mentally, I am just in a far better place.’ McIlroy vowed to keep playing the same brand of smart but aggressive golf that won him The Open. ‘I think the only time I’ve ever tried to protect a lead was the final round of the 2011 Masters and that didn’t work out so well (he lost a four shot lead),’ he said. ‘It took me a couple of years to learn to be comfortable with a lead but what works for me is to try to get four ahead if I am three ahead, and so on. Do I expect to win? I wouldn’t say that. But if I execute my game plan, there’s a good chance.’ Is there anything that can distract McIlroy from his mission? There was a fresh obstacle on Friday in the form of an insufferable example of self-pity from playing partner, Bubba Watson. On the charge: Rickie Fowler picked up eight birdies, more than making up for his three bogeys . Aren’t devout Christians supposed to be able to put things in perspective? Not this one on this day. He whined incessantly as his ball flew off in all directions except straight. The American’s woes were just one more bit of good news for US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson, then, but McIlroy donned cloth ears to drown out the constant moans. Bubba at least had the grace to apologise for his behaviour on Twitter afterwards. ‘Sorry for my actions today. Just trying to get better as a person,’ he wrote. While McIlroy was unaffected, US Open Champion Martin Kaymer – the third member of the group - stumbled to a 74. Still in contention: An eagle at the last put Mickelson within three shots of the lead at the half-way stage . He was a typically class act afterwards, preferring to praise one of his playing partners rather than attack the other. ‘When Rory hits his driver that long and that straight and his short game is incredible, it is very difficult to beat him,’ he said. ‘ . You just have to respect how good he plays. He’s definitely the best player in the world.’ Now, in his 25th major, Open Champion McIlroy has the chance to make it two wins in two months and make it four majors claimed at the age of just 25. Anyone out there still doubt the Rory era has begun? | McIlroy hits 67 to take one-shot lead into third round .
Northern Irishman says his split from tennis star has helped him refocus .
Tiger Woods misses cut after another poor round .
Jason Day one shot behind McIlroy on eight under . |
134,760 | 3a4d0fb924ba9bf9f9ee80833b65e8fc0b89a308 | By . Associated Press . Baltimore County Police say two students who were shooting ducks and geese near Stevenson University were the cause of a report that triggered a campus lockdown. The department said on its official Twitter feed late Monday that no charges will be filed in the incident. University President Kevin J. Manning said in an emailed statement that the two students were hunting with BB guns in the woods near campus. Scroll down for video . Police found one of the BB guns that sparked a lockdown at Stevenson University in Baltimore on Monday afternoon . Police say the investigation began about 2.25pm on Monday when two people saw what they thought was a person with a gun and called 911. The university ordered the Owings Mills campus on lockdown as tactical teams searched the area. A suspicious pick-up truck . containing a rifle with a scope was recovered after the vehicle came on . to campus using a parking pass, SkyTeam 11 Captain Roy Taylor told WBAL. The lockdown was lifted shortly after 5pm, but classes and other evening activities on the campus in rural Maryland were cancelled. 'We are proud of the response of our security staff, students and others . in acting quickly and cooperatively with our campus alerts,' Manning said in a statement to the Baltimore Sun. 'While we are relieved with this safe outcome, this has been a sobering . experience for us and our families. This reminds us all of the . importance of our "see something, say something" mantra.' Nyah Reese, 19, told the Baltimore Sun that she and classmates huddled in the corner of a . classroom until officers told them the area was safe. 'I saw some kids crying,' she said, adding that she remained calm. 'I was a little scared.' The private university has around 4,000 students spread over two campuses. Tactical teams searched the school for about three hours before giving an all clear. Some students said they were terrified during the lockdown . | Two students were shooting ducks and geese in a wooded area near Stevenson Univerity .
The school was in lockdown for three hours until police found the students and their BB guns .
The Baltimore County Police Department said no charges will be filed . |
195,317 | 88d6ce231270c78cb3e89a376743c2788c501678 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . Quorn, soya and tofu - It seems they have all had their day as protein-rich meat substitutes. Now, one Austrian woman claims that the new super food set to take over our kitchen counters is maggots. And she has developed a new machine to make cooking up dishes much easier. Scroll down for video . The Farm 432 device can harvest half a kilogram of larvae every week, which is enough for two meals. The woman behind the Farm 432 device, Katharina Unger, said the machine is designed to be the perfect environment for flies and their larvae allowing in enough light and space for them to grow . The woman behind the Farm 432 device is Katharina Unger, an industrial design graduate of University of Applied Arts in Vienna, who wants to tackle the factory farmed meat industry by growing protein at home. The Farm 432 device can harvest half a kilogram of larvae every week, which is enough for two meals. She describes the cooked larvae as smelling like starchy potatoes with a nutty and meaty taste. The machine is designed to be the perfect environment for flies and their larvae allowing in enough light and space for them to grow. Katharina Unger recommends eating the larvae with tomato risotto. 'I like to mix parboiled rice with wild rice together with the larvae, put a lot of tomato sauce in it and a bit of parmesan cheese,' she said . By 2050 meat production will need to increase by 50 per cent to meet population increase. Katharina Unger predicts that because we . already use one third of croplands for the production of animal feed, . it will be necessary to develop alternative food sources and production . methods. The United Nations is in agreement. In a . recent report, it suggests that insects are a viable source of protein . for humans, animals and pets. The report highlighted grasshoppers, . ants and other bugs as protein-packed substitutes that are less harmful . to the environment than traditional meat. While the current design is for home use, the system can be scaled up for professional kitchens. It is also easy enough for anyone to use, she says. To begin with, you simply drop some black soldier fly larvae into an appliance chamber. Here they grow and then move to a larger chamber, mate and produce larva. This falls down into a separate area, where it matures, moves on up a tube, and falls into a cup. Some larvae are dropped back into the machine to restart the process, while the rest are ready to eat. Black Soldier flies were chosen as they are easy to breed and contain up to 42 per cent protein - double the amount in the average chicken breast - and a high level of calcium and amino acids. A gram of Black Soldier fly eggs can become 2.4 kilograms of edible protein after 432 hours in the Farm 432. But if Black Soldier flies aren’t to your taste then other larvae may be used in the same way. The cooked larvae are said to smell like starchy potatoes and have a nutty and meaty taste . While the current design is for home use, the system can be scaled up for professional kitchens . By 2050 meat production is predicted to increase by 50 per cent to meet population increase. Ms Unger claims that because we . already use one third of croplands for the production of animal feed, . it will be necessary to develop alternative food sources and production . methods. The United Nations is in agreement. In a . recent report, it suggests that insects are a viable source of protein . for humans, animals and pets. The report highlighted grasshoppers, . ants and other bugs as protein-packed substitutes that are less harmful . to the environment than traditional meat. Speaking with Dezeen, Ms Unger recommends eating the larvae with tomato risotto. ‘I like to mix parboiled rice with wild rice together with the larvae, put a lot of tomato sauce in it and a bit of parmesan cheese,’ she said. ‘A bit of parsley or basil on top and you have a perfect meal.’ A machine that breeds maggots for your dinner table could soon be found on a kitchen counter near you . | Katharina Unger has developed a maggot-breeding device for the kitchen .
It produces Black Soldier larvae which contain up to 42 per cent protein .
The cooked larvae 'smell like starchy potatoes and have a nutty taste' |
41,447 | 74ea9698809e6e93303aa261582b504209f192e6 | By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 16:31 EST, 23 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:18 EST, 24 November 2012 . Breaking into a bookshop before sitting down to read a copy of Fly Fishing by J R Hartley can hardly be described as a typical Saturday night out. But that’s what one drunk man ended up doing before he called the police to confess his crime. Clive Crittenden had been out drinking in Tonbridge, Kent and was on his way home in the early hours with a kebab in hand when he broke into the Mr Books store. Scroll down for video . Not your average Saturday night: Clive Crittenden broke into Mr Books in Tonbridge, Kent before he started reading a copy of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley . Shop owner Mark Richardson told the . Kent and Sussex Courier that books were thrown around the shop, items . swept off the counter and an antique bookslide and a wooden box . containing small change smashed during the 3.30am incident. The 50-year-old said: ‘The first I . knew of it was about 9am on Sunday when I found answering machine . messages from my landlord and the police. ‘My initial feeling was of shock and sheer horror and I was worried about what damage had been done. ‘It's fortunate that he hasn't damaged . any of the really valuable stuff as he must have been blundering round . in the dark. It's just a mess, really.’ The shop owner said that books were thrown around the shop (interior pictured) and items swept off the counter during the incident . After stealing some £1 coins, Crittenden settled down to read the book which was immortalised in the popular 1983 . Yellow Pages TV advertisement. Mr Richardson added: ‘He actually said to the police he was sitting in my shop reading Fly Fishing by JR Hartley. ‘I think they thought he was taking the mickey at first but there is actually a copy right by the phone. ‘It’s a book that I’ve had in the . window before because it symbolises that I can get anything for you. His . choice of book adds to the bizarreness of the whole situation. Crittenden sat reading the book with a kebab in hand. The title was named after the book in 1983 Yellow Pages advert (pictured) ‘I even think in a strange sort of way that might have brought him to his senses.’ The book was written by author . Michael Russell under the pseudonym of JR Hartley to cash in on the . success of the TV advertisement which shows an elderly man calling round . various bookshops looking for a copy of a ‘rather old’ book that he had . written years before. He is told by all that the book is . not in stock and it is only when his daughter picks up a copy of Yellow . Pages that he tracks down a copy. When the advertisement was aired, . the book was purely fictional but in 1991, Mr Russell published Fly . Fishing: Memories of Angling Days. The advert (pictured) showed the fictional author JR Hartley trying to track down a copy of his book about fly fishing . After spending some time reading . the book, while eating a kebab and drinking a bottle of water, . Crittenden was ‘overcome with remorse’ and dialled 999 from the . bookshop’s phone to confess the crime. According to owner Mr Richardson, . Crittenden told police that he was reading Fly Fishing by JR Hartley and . that officers initially thought he was joking when he called at 4am. He added: ‘The detective described . it as a one-off, what with him phoning to get himself arrested. It . sounds funny after the event but it isn’t really funny at all.' Crittenden admitted burglary at . Sevenoaks JPs on Tuesday this week and was handed a one year community . order and ordered to attend a course called Reducing Offending. Now watch the 1983 Yellow Pages advert . | Clive Crittenden stole some £1 coins before sitting down with the book .
Ate a kebab while reading the title made famous in 1983 Yellow Pages ad .
But, he felt 'overcome with remorse' and dialled 999 to confess the crime . |
224,867 | af2cc9973eaefebd2afdda610298665336e0130c | Despite regular changes to the New Tricks cast, viewers have always been able to rely on the familiar presence of Dennis Waterman. But now the 66-year-old has revealed that he too is leaving the hit BBC One drama, and will appear in only the first two episodes of the next series because he ‘misses the old team’. The original cast, when the programme began in 2003, featured Alun Armstrong, James Bolam and Amanda Redman, but over the years they have been replaced by Denis Lawson, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Tamzin Outhwaite. Dennis Waterman (far right) now stars alongside Tamzin Outhwaite, Denis Lawson (left) and Nicholas Lyndhurst (far left) Waterman’s spokesman said yesterday: ‘Dennis has decided to quit New Tricks. There are another ten episodes [for series 12] that they are going to start filming in November and he will be in two of them. ‘Dennis misses the old crew, the original line-up. The chemistry between them on the set was remarkable.’ He added that there had been ‘no big falling out’ – simply that the old team had worked together for a long time. ‘All of the other leading cast members decided the time was right for them to leave one by one, and now Dennis has decided it is his time.’ Bolam quit in 2012 saying the show had gone stale, while Redman left in 2013 claiming that filming took too long. It is not known who will replace Waterman, who also sings the programme’s theme. Waterman with the original cast of the BBC One drama, who have all left the show over the last few years . | Dennis Waterman, 66, revealed he is leaving BBC One show New Tricks .
He will appear in the first two episodes of series 12, starting in November .
Spokesman said he misses old crew and that there has been no falling out .
It is not yet known who will replace the actor who plays Gerry Standing . |
262,004 | df578f5e15b98fd5104cd52b64c5d8c8d625edd8 | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 16:22 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:23 EST, 4 October 2013 . It is the latest in the 'poopertrator' saga that has left Yale college students bewildered and angry. Berkley students were woken in the early hours of this morning to find a laundry line of soiled T-shirts, pants and towels hung across campus. Not only that, but at 3.35am students received an anonymous email from the alleged 'poopertrator' to inform them of his latest 'masterpiece'. Students at Berkley, which is one of Yales' residential colleges, received the email from 'Copro Philiac' which said: 'Last time, I promise.' Dirty laundry: Ivy League it may be, but someone at Yale University is causing a stink . It was signed 'Forever yours, YP' and . included three photographs of the items of clothing with what looked . like feces smeared over them, the Yale Daily News reports. In a 10:32am follow-up email, the . anonymous 'poopetrator' sent another photograph of the line of soiled . clothes with the comment: 'It’s still a good morning!' News of the 'poopertrator' made . headlines earlier this week after someone at Saybrook residential . college had been urinating into washing machines and even dropping their . feces in. The matter was brought to campus . officials' attention after a student brought physical evidence of the . crime to the Saybrook Master Paul Hudak's office. According to the Yale Daily News, . the pooper has been on the loose since early September, but it wasn't . until student Lucy Fleming showed the evidence - her soiled laundry - to . college authorities that Yale police joined the search. They have not yet commented about the line of dirty clothes. On September 7, Fleming went to Saybrook's laundry room to collect her clean washing from a dryer after it had already been urinated in the laundry earlier in the day. She had rewashed the clothes, but when she removed her clothing from the dryer she realized that they were covered in feces. 'I simultaneously wanted to throw up, cry and punch someone,' Fleming told the Yale Daily News. The serial-pooper quickly became the talk of Twitter, with students dubbing the trending scandal #poopgate2k13. It seems that while not engaged in intellectual pursuits, a person, almost certainly a Yale student, had been throwing food and urine into dryers for some weeks before Fleming's dryer discovery. The recent escalation to fecal matter has college residents watching their clothing for the entire dryer cycle, and some campus colleges fear a spate of copy-cat laundry poopers. Some students, however, are unconcerned about the nefarious laundry-soiler and 'Dirty Laundry' parties have been thrown around the university. Exclusive: Yale is one of the nation's most sought-after colleges . And others have taken a more academic approach to the issue. 'Leave it to YDN, Yale PD, and . the Yale administration to miss a work of art, even when it hits them . like a stinking pile of s**t. This is clearly an act of the avant-garde, not a criminal mind,' wrote a commenter on Yale Daily News, only identifying themselves as 'AnAlumnus'. 'Defying bourgeoisie standards of etiquette, and destabilizing the . hegemonic "clean/dirty" binary (which itself is underpinned and . constructed by hidden economic, racial, and gender ideologies) our . intrepid defecator (though perhaps we cannot assume that the artist . recycled his or her own byproduct) juxtaposes the filthy with the . sanitary, making the thought-provoking suggestion that we are all full . of it, always and at all times, even at our most pristine,' wrote the former student and consummate stirrer. According to the Yale Daily News, there have been at least four separate incidents involving human feces in the Saybrook laundry. 'We have asked our students not to leave their laundry unattended, the affected machines have been thoroughly disinfected, and we are actively seeking information about who the perpetrator might be,' Hudak told the News. Dryer disaster: Many students have had their clothing ruined by someone throwing food waste, urine and feces into the dryer with their clean clothes . Hudak also sent an email addressing the matter to students: . 'Dear Saybrugians,' he wrote. 'Someone has been doing weird, creepy, and (frankly) disgusting things in the Laundry Room. This must stop immediately. If you have observed something of this nature, or know who the perpetrator might be, please let me know. I can’t imagine why someone would do these things, but it has got to stop, and we will take measures to be sure it does.' Student Camille Fonseca told the Yale Daily News that students have been standing watch over the dryers to ensure their clothes don't get ruined, and that many students think the college should employ 24-hour security guards in the laundry. 'It’s ruining people’s quality of life,' she said. The search continues for the Yale poopertrator - and when he or she is found, the poop will surely hit the fan. | Someone at a Yale residential college has been urinating and throwing human feces into dryers with other people's clean clothing .
There have been more that four incidents over the past month .
Yale police are now searching for the person dubbed the 'poopertrator' |
267,304 | e6326c213baa4d9879f3e720d9e32eec73d73444 | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 10:57 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:24 EST, 5 August 2013 . A father glumly contemplates a barbecue dotted with chargrilled sausages. Another arrives home to find his precious golf clubs strewn across the driveway. One ends up being hit in the crotch with a flying water pistol. The other steps on a toy rake with very painful consequences. This is fatherhood Durex style, where far from enjoying father and son bonding or adoring looks from an admiring little daughter, becoming a daddy means facing a daily assault course of mess and annoyance - plus some excruciating injuries to the nether regions. Now the condom manufacturer's dystopian vision of daddyhood has gone viral - perhaps driven by real-life fathers ruefully wishing they'd taken the Durex advice. Scroll down for video . Misery: The father is hit in the face with a plastic sword followed by an even more painful strike to the crotch . Ruined: This father contemplates his wrecked golf clubs before being smacked in the crotch with a toy rake . Set to the sombre strains of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, the fashionably low-lit ad has already had more than 172,000 views on Youtube and begins with a miserable looking father wearily watching sausages burn on a barbecue. He looks back to see his wife screaming at his squabbling children, who are busy flinging water at each other, before turning back to the grill with a grimace. But things take a turn for the worse, when his son whacks him in the face with a plastic sword while another hoses both him and the barbecue down with a water pistol before the toy is thrown - hitting him painfully in the crotch. Father number two wearily arrives home to find his driveway strewn with toys and rubbish, among which, to his horror, are his beloved golf clubs. Argh! This naughty child knocks his father's hot cup of coffee straight into his lap . Relaxation? Forget it! There's no peace for this father but there is a body slam . As he turns away, sad-faced, he treads on the end of a toy rake which springs up and whacks him - where else - in his crotch. Then comes a father who is trying to work from home, hindered by his small son who climbs up his chair smacking him on the head and making him drop his coffee. Like his fellow fathers, the scalding coffee and cup drop straight onto his lap. The final father is seen attempting to relax and watch TV while his children indulge in a pillow fight around him. Giving up, he puts on his headphones and lies back to relax. But unbeknown to him, his son has scaled the side of the sofa and is preparing to remind men why they should wear a condom as he launches himself straight in to his daddy's most delicate region. | Durex' 'Protect Yourself' ad has had more than 172,000 YouTube views .
Each of the four fathers featured ends up being smacked in the crotch .
Other downsides include having precious possessions destroyed . |
108,687 | 182647066bb1fa7c2971b5a701e91107cf923c9b | Elizabeth Scroggs has been charged with a felony count of Sexual Assault by Persons with Supervisory or Disciplinary Authority . A Georgia high school teacher is in custody after police say a 'sexual relationship' was uncovered between her and a student. Elizabeth Scroggs, of Coahulla Creek High School, has been charged with a felony count of Sexual Assault by Persons with Supervisory or Disciplinary Authority. The victim, unidentified by authorities, is reportedly 18. WRCBTV reports that the inappropriate relationship allegedly took place in December 2014. Whitfield County Sheriff's reps said the encounters did not take place on school property. According to the Dalton Daily Citizen, she was arrested at the school on Wednesday night. Authorities were tipped off by an anonymous call. The student was reportedly a willing participant. Scroggs is now being held without bond at the Whitefield County Jail. She began her career with the school system in 2006 at New Hope Middle School. The local board of education must determine what steps to take next. The local board of education must determine what steps to take next . | The victim, unidentified by authorities, is reportedly 18, and was a willing participant .
Elizabeth Scroggs is now being held on felony charges without bond .
Authorities discovered the relationship after an anonymous tip . |
13,872 | 27537ad23af10edf0f1eeac45d376bb81a9c40c7 | London (CNN) -- The publisher of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World has paid singer Charlotte Church and her family £600,000 ($952,000) to settle a phone-hacking lawsuit, her lawyer said Monday. The payment by Murdoch's News Group Newspapers includes £300,000 in damages, plus legal costs, lawyer Mike Brookes said -- far more than other hacking victims have been paid. Speaking outside the court after the settlement was reached, Church said the behavior of tabloid journalists had "sickened and disgusted her," and she did not believe the News International apology in court was sincere. "They are not truly sorry; they are just sorry they got caught," Church said. Murdoch's News of the World was closed down last summer over revelations about phone hacking and police bribery by people working for the newspaper. Targets of phone hacking included not only celebrities like Church but also victims of crime and terrorism, wounded troops and their families, and politicians. Police are conducting three investigations into illegal activity by British journalists and private detectives working for them. Two parliamentary committees are also probing the scandal, and a separate independent inquiry has been established by Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron himself was drawn into the scandal for having hired a former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, to be his spokesman after Coulson left the paper over the hacking scandal. Coulson has since resigned as Cameron's spokesman. He denies wrongdoing, but is among more than a dozen people arrested over phone hacking. No one has been charged. The Church settlement is much higher than in 59 other suits settled recently by News International, the British newspaper publishing arm of Murdoch's News Corp. Actor Jude Law was paid £130,000 ($206,000), for example, while retired soccer star Paul Gascoigne was paid £68,000 ($108,000). The newspaper publisher has also been paying the legal costs of the suits. Church had been the lone holdout refusing to settle, but said Monday she had changed her mind to protect her parents. News International was prepared to make the case "into an interrogation into my mother's medical history," Church said. "I would have learning nothing more from an actual trial since it was clear no one from News International was prepared to take the stand," she said. Brookes, her lawyer, said the settlement was higher than for others because Church's parents had also been targeted, starting when she was a teenager. "The News of the World trespassed into the lives of an entire family. James and Maria are not remotely in the public eye. They are no more and no less than proud parents with an exceptionally talented daughter," he said. He said in court that News of the World "targeted Charlotte and her voice mail messages repeatedly," obtained her personal medical information starting when she was 16, violated the privacy of her parents' voice mail, and "coerced" Church's mother into giving them an interview about Maria Church's attempted suicide. A lawyer for the publisher said in court he accepted "everything Mr. Brookes has said," apologized, and said "they should never have had to endure what they have suffered." Church's settlement does not end the lawsuits against News International. Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, announced February 22 that she was suing over allegations her voice mail was intercepted to get news of her pregnancy when her husband was in office. | NEW: Her family should never have had to endure what they did, Murdoch's lawyer says .
Murdoch's News International group pays the singer £600,000 ($952,000)
"They're just sorry they got caught," Church says of News International .
Among others who settled were actor Jude Law and soccer star Paul Gascoigne . |
103,799 | 11ead703bca4975c21c58e935b0ffab0fad3e5bb | With arms opened wide and a slight hint of a frown, the leader of this group of raccoons seems to be warning their saviours to keep back as they are rescued after an overnight stay in a dumpster. But the raccoon behind him isn't quite so confident, putting its paws protectively around a smaller raccoon as it inspects the human who will get them out. These adorable photos were taken in Albany, New York, after resident Danique Peynado went to take the rubbish out with her boyfriend. Scroll down for video . 'What took you so long?' The trapped - and hungry - raccoons look less than welcoming as salvation arrives . As she opened the lid to throw the trash into the dumpster, she stopped when she saw four pairs of beseeching eyes looking up at her. The raccoons had got themselves trapped overnight while foraging for food in the large green bin, but were not at all sure about the people who wanted to help them out. Ms Peynado and her boyfriend Jeff made a ramp for the notoriously shy creatures out of cardboard and retreated to give the animals the confidence to come out. The raccoons emerged blinking in the morning sunshine and then fled, probably to the next garbage bin. Dumpsters are a popular source of food for raccoons, who tend not to think before they leap, and who are usually able to climb onto rubbish to get out once they have eaten enough. But when the dumpster has recently been emptied, as this one had, there is nothing to climb onto - let alone eat - and the scavengers are stuck until a kind-hearted human comes and helps them out. Raccoons are shy but clever - studies have shown they learn which night trash is put out in a neighbourhood . Now how do we get down? The raccoons climbed up a cardboard ramp to get out of the Albany dumpster . Let's go the back way: The hungry animals worked out the best way to get down after being helped out . | Hungry raccoons had not looked before they leapt into bin in Albany, NY .
They were discovered by Danique Peynado when she took the trash out .
Raccoons get stuck in dumpsters when there's no rubbish to climb onto . |
17,840 | 328904e2d744b4f288be5c385d897364ac1b0b21 | Three weeks after four Americans were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in eastern Libya, an FBI team arrived at the site as the investigation continued in other places, too, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday. "You should not assume that all we could do or have been doing is restricted solely to Benghazi," Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters in Washington. "There are a variety of other places in country and outside the country where relevant things could be done and have been done. This is a matter that's been under active investigation almost since the time of the incident and I'm satisfied with the progress that we have made." Holder said the focus of the Justice Department was "to solve this matter, to hold people accountable. So that's what we will do." Pentagon spokesman George Little said Thursday that a U.S. military support mission accompanied the FBI team, which was in Benghazi "for a number of hours" before it left the city. "We have not been sitting around waiting, you know, for information to come to us," Little said, adding that U.S. investigators were "actively chasing leads in various ways." U.S. Special Operations forces were in Libya and nearby countries aiding in the collection of intelligence regarding the assault, a U.S. military official told CNN Thursday. The official declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information. Read more: CNN finds, returns journal belonging to late U.S. ambassador . The September 11 consulate attack killed U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The incident heightened global scrutiny of the North African nation and sparked debate over whether the Obama administration has been forthcoming about the incident. Read more: U.S. gathers information about possible targets in Libya . Officials said the military presence was an indication of ongoing security concerns in the region. Security concerns at the site had led the FBI to delay for more than three weeks its visit to Benghazi. FBI and military officials had cited the need for proper military protection in the event of another attack. Little described the security team accompanying the FBI as a "small footprint of military personnel." Read more: In revision, U.S. intelligence believes Libya attack a terror assault . The visit took place after the Libyans approved the presence of the FBI and the U.S. military in Benghazi. The U.S. military force that provided security was approved by Libyan government, Little said. Kevin Perkins, FBI associate deputy director, told a congressional hearing on September 19 that a "significant number of FBI agents, analysts and various support employees" had been assigned to the case. "We are conducting interviews, gathering evidence and trying to sort out the facts, working with our partners both from a criminal standpoint, as well as in the intelligence community, to try to determine exactly what took place on the ground that evening," he told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. Read more: US, Libyan officials meet to assess what went wrong . The failure of investigators to visit the site in the immediate aftermath of the attack has raised questions about the integrity of the FBI investigation and concerns that sensitive documents may have been left unsecured. Three days after the attack, CNN Senior Correspondent Arwa Damon discovered Stevens' journal during a visit to the unguarded, abandoned compound. This week, a Washington Post reporter visiting the site found sensitive documents, including personnel records of Libyans who had been contracted to provide security, emergency evacuation protocols and details of U.S. weapons collection efforts. But a State Department official told CNN that no classified documents had been left on the premises. In the days after the assault, U.S. administration officials offered conflicting assessments as what may have led to the fatal security breach. Officials initially said the violence erupted spontaneously amid a large protest about a privately made video produced in the United States that mocked the Prophet Mohammed. But the U.S. intelligence community revised its assessment, saying it believes it was a planned terrorist assault. The intelligence community now believes it was "a deliberate and organized terrorist assault carried out by extremists" affiliated with or sympathetic to al Qaeda. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said the attack was "clearly" planned and conducted by terrorists, and that it "took a while" for there to be information to reach such a conclusion. But a senior U.S. official told CNN that, within a day or so of the attack, the U.S. intelligence community had begun to gather information suggesting it was the work of extremists either affiliated with or inspired by al Qaeda groups. Inside the Benghazi diplomatic mission . | Justice Department's focus is "to hold people accountable," Holder says .
The FBI team arrived Wednesday and worked through Thursday, an official says .
The FBI visit had been stalled over security concerns .
The killings in September spawned scrutiny of Libya and a political uproar in the U.S. |
246,147 | ca9938e9d40f2618c23e09607f2f84da8eca01fb | Ministry of Defence officials are secretly examining plans to slash the size of the army by a quarter, a former defence minister has revealed. Sir Nick Harvey said the department was drawing up proposals which would see 20,000 troops axed – taking the size of the army to just 60,000 regular soldiers. The army has already been cut from 102,000 regular soldiers to 82,000, but further cuts may be needed to cope with the impending ‘financial crunch’ faced by the MoD, Sir Nick said. Former Defence Minister Sir Nick Harvey said the MoD was drawing up proposals which would see 20,000 troops axed – taking the size of the army to just 60,000 regular soldiers . The Lib Dem defence spokesman, speaking in the Commons during a debate on Trident renewal, said: ‘There are already paper exercises going on in looking at what an army of just 60,000 would look like because of the financial crunch that the department is going to be facing.’ He told MPs that several areas of the UK's military would need to be replaced in the coming years – but warned defence spending could drop towards 1.5 per cent of national income. Sir Nick questioned why the renewal of the country's Trident nuclear deterrent was receiving an ‘automatic bye’. He claimed the cost of buying, operating and decommissioning new submarines for the Trident nuclear deterrent could cost more than £100 billion over 30 years. Sir Nick told the Commons: ‘We know that the national deficit remains a serious problem. ‘We do not hear from any of the political parties - not mine, nor anybody else's - that defence is going to be insulated or protected from a tough comprehensive spending review later this year. ‘If defence was to face another cut comparable to that which it took in 2010, which seems to me entirely possible, then the proportion of our gross domestic product that we are spending on defence - which is already destined to go below 2 per cent next year - will make rapid headway towards 1.5 per cent of GDP.' Defence Secretary Michael Fallon (left) and British Army head Sir Peter Wall (right) face further military cuts after the next election . Sir Nick criticised the decision to push ahead with the maintenance of Britain's nuclear deterrent. He said: ‘For some reason, keeping a nuclear deterrent going at the level we thought was necessary at the height of the Cold War in 1980 gets an automatic bye and is just assumed to be beyond debate. ‘Nobody even wants to put it on the table and debate it alongside these other things that are there to mitigate the threats we really face, the dangers which our own security assessment in 2010 said are first league threats that we really face here and now.’ On Trident, Sir Nick said any new submarines should be capable of carrying out other functions as well as providing a nuclear deterrent. He said: ‘I do not believe that it makes any sense whatever for us to be sailing the high seas 24/7 waving weapons of mass destruction at the rest of the world because we thought it was necessary in 1980 or because we have made a £30billion investment, which we think would leave us looking embarrassed if we didn't do it.’ | Ex minister Sir Nick Harvey said proposals drawn up to axe 20,000 troops .
The army has already been cut from 102,000 regular soldiers to 82,000 .
But the Lib Dem defence spokesman said it could be further cut to 60,000 .
Proposal drawn up to cope with impending 'financial crunch' faced by MoD . |
287,087 | fff8c4836275d6079178a62d1badbaae8a6b0e07 | (CNN) -- Lane Kommer should be skiing this week. Instead he postponed a trip to Colorado because the snow situation just isn't looking good. "We've been keeping a close eye on the weather the last few weeks and keeping our fingers crossed, hoping for some good snow and it just got to the point where we decided it's better to reschedule and pay to change our plans than to go out there and be disappointed," said Kommer, who was planning to fly from Dallas to meet up with friends at Beaver Creek Resort. Now they're planning to go in February. It is a decision faced by skiers and snowboarders across the United States as ski resorts scramble to make the snow that Mother Nature isn't providing. December 2011 yielded the 11th least extensive snow cover in the United States in the past 46 years, according to climatologist David Robinson, a professor in the geography department at Rutgers University. Weather patterns are moving in and out too quickly and nothing is locking in to produce significant snowfall, he said. "It doesn't look like there's going to be huge improvement the next two weeks and we're getting halfway through winter by then. But still, hope springs eternal for late January into early March. One would expect that we're going to see at least some interruption in this progressive fast-moving pattern," Robinson said. Any snow would be a welcome change for the Lake Tahoe area straddling California and Nevada, where odd spring-like weather has plagued snow seekers. Base snow averaged about 14 inches at seven area resorts on Thursday, with summit averages of a little more than 19 inches. The annual average summit snowfall at one of the resorts is 350 inches. Revenue at some California resorts over the peak week between Christmas and New Year's was down 20% to 30% after a tremendous ski season across the United States last year, according to estimates from the National Ski Areas Association. It's no good for skiers, but the warm weather is pleasant, said local restaurant manager Vicky Mallett. "It's just gorgeous. People are paddle-boarding and hiking and riding their bikes, so they're definitely in town hanging out," said Mallett, who manages the Fire Sign Café in Tahoe City, California. Lack of the cold white stuff actually brought a boost to the café's business in the past few weeks, she said. "We're really busy because (visitors are) not skiing." People who would usually be on the trails all day are skiing in the morning and then coming into town, Mallett said, but she suspects the novelty of the warm weather will wear off for vacationers. Ski resorts in other parts of the West didn't experience such steep declines in December business. In Colorado and Utah, revenue was down by single digit percentages over the holiday week, said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association. Holiday bookings at major destination resorts are usually made before the start of the season. With the lack of snow going into January, some potential customers are hanging back to see what happens, Berry said. "We are a weather-dependent industry, no matter what, and we've done lots of things to help mitigate it, but at the end of the day, it's always nice to have Mother Nature's help," he said. Some of Colorado's biggest resorts -- like Aspen and Vail -- are surviving on high altitude, cold temperatures and enough money to produce a lot of man-made snow, said Patrick Crawford, content director of snow sports website OnTheSnow. Ski areas are trying to make the best of it. Aspen/Snowmass CEO Mike Kaplan penned a blog post this week titled "The Glass is Half Full" highlighting some of the best trail conditions, and a Facebook comment complaining about attractive photos of "fake snow" on the resort's page received this upbeat response: "Yep - sometimes we've got to lend a hand when Mother Nature is being fickle. Sure beats doing nothing, right?" Vail Resorts, which owns six resorts in Colorado and California, is looking at a .6% increase in total lift ticket revenue from the start of the season in November through the beginning of January over the same period last year, according to CEO Rob Katz. Katz said that slight uptick after last year's incredible season is due in large part to the company's investment in snowmaking and family-friendly activities and amenities. So while a lot of expert terrain is closed, the intermediate terrain is available to vacationing families. "For an expert skier who wants to ski everything, no question, they come and they say 'hey, this isn't as good as it was last year,' absolutely," Katz said. Despite a very slow start to the ski season, there are a few brighter spots, Crawford said. Western storm systems have split to the far north and south of the country, so conditions in New Mexico, Arizona and southern Colorado in the south and the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Canada are looking pretty good. "We can't complain certainly," said Kathleen Goyette, a spokeswoman for Ski Washington. Resorts in Washington got 20 to 35 inches of fresh snow during the last week of December. The state's resorts are aware of their luck compared with many other areas of the country, she said. "We've been there before," Goyette said. "We've been the ones with no snow." Not so compassionate is Big Sky Resort in Montana, which is taking a run at Vail Resorts' business with an offer of free lift tickets to holders of the company's Epic Pass, which allows unlimited access to all six Vail-owned resorts in Colorado and California. Epic Pass holders must book lodging through Big Sky to be eligible for free skiing. Still, there's no bounty of deals, and the OnTheSnow user community isn't happy paying full price for poor conditions, Crawford said. "Considering the state of the snow, you don't see as many discounts as you think you might. But this is also when (resorts) make all their money." Things have "turned the corner" at ski areas east of the Mississippi after a 10% to 15% slump in holiday week revenue, said Berry of the National Ski Areas Association. There has been some natural snow in some areas this week and colder temperatures mean resorts are "making snow like crazy." People in the ski business have their fingers crossed for recovery across the country. Lack of snow affects livelihoods as well as vacation plans. "It's a big big deal for our little industry," Crawford said. | Ski resorts have suffered from dry weather and warm temperatures .
Base snow averaged about 14 inches this week at Lake Tahoe resorts .
Bright spots include New Mexico, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska . |
1,956 | 05a64a9b8de4e7628625d222402973202d5fc4ba | Washington (CNN) -- Gaby Pacheco calls herself an aspiring U.S. citizen who is compiling the paperwork and trying to get the $465 needed to apply for a two-year reprieve from getting deported. James D. Doebler says his superiors at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are threatening to suspend him for putting an arrested illegal immigrant into the hearing process that could lead to deportation. The two are on opposite sides of a lawsuit filed this week by Doebler and nine other ICE agents that challenges a new Obama administration policy intended to remove the threat of deportation faced by young illegal immigrants who arrived in America as children and have good student or military records. Doebler and his fellow complainants argue the new policy on immigration law enforcement exceeds the administration's authority and puts ICE agents in the position of facing disciplinary action for doing their jobs. "They're in a position now that's just untenable," argued Roy Beck of NumbersUSA, an advocacy group for more restrictive immigration that is bankrolling the lawsuit. The goal of the lawsuit is to force a court ruling on whether the new administration policy is legal, Beck told CNN on Friday. If so, then the ICE agents are protected; and if not, the case would halt what the former journalist called a harmful influx of illegal workers at a time when young Americans are struggling to find jobs. "Obviously, we would not be pleased if they say this is a legal order," Beck said, adding: "We do believe strongly that the president doesn't have the right to do this." Pacheco and others reject the premise of the lawsuit, calling it a politically motivated effort to undermine the "deferred action" directive by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that went into full effect last week. "I think they're using this as a political plan to rally the voters in election season," said Pacheco, the political director of United We Dream, an advocacy group for young illegal immigrants like herself. A statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the lawsuit lacked a sound legal basis, noting that "over 100 of the nation's top constitutional and immigration law scholars signed on to a letter" attesting to the constitutionality of the new administration policy. Trumka's statement added that the suing agents "are working with some of the most anti-immigrant forces in the country; forces that have long sowed division and destruction." The agents are represented by Kris Kobach, the Republican Kansas secretary of state who worked on Arizona's controversial immigration law and is an informal adviser to presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, according to NumbersUSA. CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said Friday that the lawsuit lacked legal merit. "I can't imagine any judge would even give them standing to file the case, much less decide it on the merits," Toobin said. "I am unaware of any law that allows federal employees to challenge the legality of the actions of their superiors." Filed Thursday in federal court in Dallas, the lawsuit challenges the two-year deferred action policy of the Obama administration, as well the policy of "prosecutorial discretion," in which ICE agents are supposed to focus their attention on dangerous criminals who are illegal immigrants. In a nutshell, the agents involved do not want to obey the new policies and do not want to face any disciplinary actions or lawsuits if they continue to arrest any type of immigrant who is in the United States illegally. "We are federal law enforcement officers who are being ordered to break the law," said Chris Crane, one of the agents filing suit and the president of the ICE agents and officers union. "This directive puts ICE agents and officers in a horrible position." According to the lawsuit, Doebler "arrested an alien who was unlawfully present in the United States and issued the alien an NTA (notice to appear), contrary to the general directions of his supervisors that he should decline to issue NTAs to certain illegal aliens." "Plaintiff Doebler was issued a Notice of Proposed Suspension," the lawsuit says. "Plaintiff Doebler is facing a three-day suspension for arresting and processing the alien for a hearing rather than exercising the 'prosecutorial discretion' commanded by his supervisors. Plaintiff Doebler requested a written directive ordering him not to issue the NTA. His supervisors have refused to give him a written directive and would not sign any paperwork authorizing the use of 'prosecutorial discretion.' " Now, the lawsuit says, Doebler "reasonably fears, based on his past experience, that if he follows the requirements of federal law, contrary to the 'Directive,' and arrests an alien or issues the alien an NTA, he will be disciplined again. He reasonably fears that a second disciplinary action will result in the loss of his job." Matt Chandler, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, responded Thursday that the department "uses prosecutorial discretion to assist in focusing vigorously on the removal of individuals who are convicted criminals, repeat immigration law violators, and recent border-crossers." In fiscal year 2011, ICE removed 216,000 criminal illegal immigrants, Chandler said, adding that it was the largest annual figure in history and an 89% increase over the administration of President George W. Bush. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals decision is a temporary measure until Congress takes action on reforming immigration policies, Chandler continued, adding that it "ensures that responsible young people, who are Americans in every way but on paper, have an opportunity to remain in the country and make their fullest contribution." Pacheco, who came to America with her parents from Ecuador at the age of 8, described herself in similar terms. She graduated from Miami Dade College and now wants to get a master's degree, she said. "We speak the language. We are part of the fabric of this nation," she said. "This is my home. They are telling me that I do not belong, that I am not American." President Barack Obama made a similar point in announcing the policy change in June, calling the decision to halt deportations of people like Pacheco "the right thing to do." Under the new policy, the Obama administration will give a two-year deferral from deportation to illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children if they are younger than 30, arrived in the country before the age of 16, pose no criminal or security threat, and were successful students or served in the military. Supporters stress the plan does not grant immunity or provide a shortcut to citizenship, but instead affords undocumented immigrant children a chance to be productive workers while removing the threat of deportation for two years. Opponents say the policy amounts to granting backdoor amnesty to people who came to America illegally and tightening an already poor job market for young Americans. As many as 1.7 million youths may qualify for the program, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. The deferred deportation policy includes some of the provisions of a Democratic proposal called the DREAM Act that failed to win enough Republican support to become law. Obama made clear that the new policy was intended to be a temporary step until Congress passes a more comprehensive immigration law that addresses the situation of young illegal immigrants who have essentially grown up as Americans. Beck called such an approach misguided. "We're going to do something that's not allowed by law in order to get Congress to pass something which they have defeated repeatedly," he said. "It's just such an abuse of power." His group raised $100,000 for the lawsuit Thursday, Beck said, adding that he expected the case to cost "a few hundred thousand dollars." "If it goes to the Supreme Court, who knows?" he added. CNN's Carol Cratty and William Mears contributed to this report. | Ten immigration agents challenge the administration over halting some deportations .
Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin: The lawsuit has no legal standing .
At issue is a move to allow children of illegal immigrants to study and work in America .
Opponents of the policy call it backdoor amnesty . |
185,376 | 7c1b8875d3f1c4e405f00f7e09b86907162e920d | Charged: Solomon Yemane-Berhane, 21, allegedly tried to steal two beers but lost his clothing instead . A man from Oregon attempted to rob a convenience store of two beers and lost his most of his clothing in the process earlier this month. Solomon Yemane-Berhane, 21, was stripped down to his boxer shorts during a fight with the owners of the Best Mart in Beaverton on November 9 after he allegedly tried snagging two beers from the cooler. In surveillance footage of the three minute battle, the owners of the store can be seen grabbing him in attempt to stop him from walking out the door. Berhane finally manages to escape the owners' grips and runs out the store wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. After scampering off, the half-naked suspect was arrested by police nearby and no one was injured, reports Oregon Live. Berhane was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, third-degree robbery, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree theft and fourth-degree assault. In the surveillance footage, the owner can be seen trying to stop Berhane from leaving the store with two stolen beers. She calls her husband to help detain the alleged thief. Oregon Live reports that the owner recognized Berhane because she refused to sell him beer a week before and he smashed some bottles on the ground. When Berhane entered the shop he was wearing a hat, jacket, t-shirt, and sneakers but rapidly begins losing items of clothing during the scuffle. At one point the owners try to pin him to the counter but he starts flinging candy off the shelves in attempt to break free. Finally after successfully escaping from the store, Berhane goes back inside one more time to grab his pants. The confrontation: One of the owners attempts to stop the alleged thief from leaving the store with beer . The scuffle:The owner calls over her husband and together they pin the alleged thief to the counter as his clothes fall off in the process . Pants off: One of the owners can be seen holding the theif from behind as his pants begin slipping down to reveal his boxer shorts . The escape: Finally the theif dashed out of the store wearing nothing but his skivvies as the owners follow . The return: The alleged thief proceeds to dart back into the store and grab his opa . | Solomon Yemane-Berhane, 21, was stripped down to his boxer shorts during a fight with the owners of the Best Mart in Beaverton .
Berhane allegedly stole two beers from the cooler .
The owners refused selling beer to him two weeks ago and so he smashed beer bottles on the ground . |
248,840 | cdffe08073ef58d5f60ea737831f0f406679712c | A British teenager on a gap year has been found dead in Colombia after taking a hallucinogenic drug in a tribal ritual. Henry Miller, 19, who was due to go to university in September, had travelled to a remote rainforest area in the long-troubled South American country and taken 'Yage', which induces vivid hallucinations and supposedly spiritual experiences. The youngster took the drug twice with a local tribe, and collapsed on the second occasion. Found dead: Henry Miller, 19, has travelled into remote Colombian rainforest (file image) Hours later Henry's body was dumped on a lonely dirt road. His corpse was later found there on Wednesday, and photographed for a grim image on a local news website. Colombian police are now investigating the death, and the people who supplied Henry with Yage, which was said by one local to kill a couple of people there every year. Henry, from Bristol, had been travelling round South America for some months, but only recently arrived in the remote town of Mocoa in the Putumayo region. Around a week ago he booked in to the Casa del Rio hostel there. The hostel continues to list the taking of the potentially lethal hallucinogen on its 'things to do' web page, saying: 'experience Yagé, Indian tradition taking a medicinal plant which purifies and can make you hallucinate'. Drink: Yage is made from a plant known as 'the vine of the dead' (pictured) The young Briton, who appears to have been travelling alone but had made friends on his travels, first drank the drug on Sunday without suffering apparent harm, then took it again on Tuesday. Henry travelled a short distance from his hostel to take the drug on the land of a shaman named as Guillemo Mavisoy Mutumbajoy from the Kamentsa tribe, among a small group of other tourists from around the world. There was one local report that Henry fell unconscious at around 3am on Wednesday morning, and that attempts were made to revive him with a nettle ointment said to be an antidote to Yage. One source was reported as telling a local Colombian news site: 'A couple of people die every year from taking Yage. I can't say very much as there is a police investigation. 'Henry was a very decent polite young man who looked more like a student than a hippy. He was not the sort of person you would expect that would take Yage.' The source added that Miller, who was travelling alone but had met others on his south American journey, may have been talked into taking the potentially lethal herbal cocktail. He revealed that Miller took part in the drug taking ritual twice while he was in Mocoa, with just one day between sessions, and 'was planning to travel on but changed his mind to go and take it again'. Investigators from the Colombian Attorney General's Office removed the body to Mocoa to establish the cause of death. A UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the death of a British national on 23 April in Colombia. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.' | Henry Miller, 19, was found dumped on dirt road after visiting remote tribe .
He had travelled into remote rainforest to take tribal drink called Yage .
Henry, from Bristol, was found dead on Wednesday after ritual .
One report says Henry fell unconscious and tribesmen tried to revive him .
Police in Colombia are now investigating the death . |
55,345 | 9cda4be30c7605519a161ebb6f3e2c6f1d7dbaaf | Defending champion Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the US Open after failing to recover from a wrist injury. Nadal was in a race to be fit for the final Grand Slam of the year, which begins on August 25, after injuring his right wrist during a training session in Majorca last month. And the Spaniard has had to admit defeat, which is good news for Andy Murray who will now be moved up one place in the seedings to No 8. Out: Defending champion Rafael Nadal will not be playing at the US Open this year because of injury . It means the Brit will face an easier draw at Flushing Meadows should he make the last 16, facing an opponent seeded between No 9 and 12. In an announcement on Monday afternoon, Nadal said: 'I am very sorry to announce I won't be able to play at this year's US Open, a tournament on which I've played three consecutive finals in my last participations. VIDEO Injury forces Nadal out of year's final grand slam . Doubling up: Nadal won the US Open for the second time last year - the first coming in 2010 . Murray's potential last-16 opponents: . No 9 seed - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Fra) No 10 - Kei Nishikori (Jpn) No 11 - Ernests Gulbis (Lat) No 12 - Richard Gasquet (Fra) 'I am sure you understand that it is a very tough moment for me since it is a tournament I love and where I have great memories from fans, the night matches, so many things. 'Not much more I can do right now, other than accept the situation and, as always in my case, work hard in order to be able to compete at the highest level once I am back.' As a result, Roger Federer is bumped up to the No 2 seed which is a boost to the 33-year-old's hopes of winning his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2012. If Federer - who won his first Masters title for two years in Cincinnati on Sunday - was to win the tournament, he would move above rival Nadal in the rankings to No 2. King of New York: Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in the final at Flushing Meadows last year . It has not been the best of years for 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, whose last match was a shock last-16 defeat to 19-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios at the start of July. Nadal, 28, did win the French Open in June for a ninth time but struggled during the early part of the clay-court season and suffered a back problem during his defeat in the Australian Open final to Stanislas Wawrinka. Sidelined: Nadal's last outing was at Wimbledon earlier this summer... Sent packing: Nadal crashed to a shock defeat at the hands of little-known Nick Kyrgios at SW19 . | Rafael Nadal has been ruled out of the US Open through injury .
Nadal won at Flushing Meadows last year, beating Novak Djokovic in the final .
The Spaniard last played at Wimbledon earlier this summer .
Nadal has won 14 Grand Slams . |
147,585 | 4ad62e18db2d985b4e030446cb4a5070ee99ede0 | Parents have attacked a 'disgusting' new television advert for a life insurance company - which appears to show a monster urinating on a customer in a bath. The bizarre TV campaign for Beagle Street life insurance was given a restriction preventing it from being shown around children's programmes. It was, however, broadcast numerous times during the day and in the early evening leading to more than 50 complaints made to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA). The advert was shown on a number of channels, including during a showing of movie About A Boy on ITV and Gogglebox on Channel 4 as well as on Comedy Central, STV and the History Channel. The advert starts with a man reading a newspaper as he takes a relaxing soak in the tub. But two seconds in, a monster appears and turns on a tap between his legs before spraying a jet of water at the shocked man's face. Scroll down for video . The bizarre ad for Beagle Street life insurance shows a man soaking in the bath before a monster appears . Two seconds into the 30-second advert, the large gremlin-like creature turns on a tap between his legs . Parents blasted the ad for being shown before the watershed as it appears to show a man being urinated on . The gremlin then roars, scaring the customer into leaping out of the bath as a voiceover says: 'Life insurance can be a bit of a nightmare.' A few seconds later, the monster suddenly explodes - sending fluff all over the man - before turning into a cute Furby-like character. The voiceover then comes back in, adding: 'But Beagle Street is different. A simple, friendly life insurance service online.' The new smaller creature then says 'Hello Roger, little back rub?' before the 30-second advert ends with the company website. Beagle Street say it is aimed at engaging with a new generation of customers who don't have or understand life insurance. The campaign, launched by advertising company The Corner London, who describe it as 'a cheeky dig at the old way of life insurance'. But furious parents blasted the company and said the 'disturbing' advert - called 'Life insurance. Reborn' - had given their young children nightmares. One said: 'I don't have problems with ads but this one is really freaking out my four-year-old nephew who has stopped the family from turning the TV on. 'He doesn't even have a bath because he's too frightened of the gremlin jumping out in the bath. 'He is screaming and won't go up to bed in time, he takes his mum up to bed at 8pm with her and won't let anyone switch television on at all.' The campaign aims to engage with a new generation of customers who don't have or understand life insurance . In a strange turn of events, the monster disappears leaving feathers and a Furby-like creature in its place . Another parent added: 'This advert is not suitable for daytime viewing. My two-year-old son cries as soon as it starts now and we have to act quickly to turn the channel over. 'Whoever came up with this advertising campaign clearly does not have children and in my view has completely driven away families from ever using their services. 'It should not be shown in the daytime or even at all as it's a ridiculous advert for the product it is attempting to promote.' One disgusted view said: 'It is a horrible advert, totally repellent, and I do not understand why anyone would be compelled to buy life insurance from this company. 'Also, although I do see that the monster in the corner is squirting water from the tap at the man in the bath, it looks like he is weeing on him. 'This one ought to be banned - or limited to The Horror Channel.' Another parent fumed: 'My two-year-old experienced terrible nightmares after seeing this advert. 'Kids do not need to see this kind of advertising and to be honest, most adults don't need to either. Ban it please.' Viewers also took to social media to express their disgust. Sarah Sanderson wrote on Twitter: 'It's 8.10pm and that stupid #BeagleStreet advert has come on. Surely it's a tad scary for kids? (Mine is in bed!)' Alisha Mann added: 'What is with that beagle street ad??? its gross and disturbing, makes me feel sick #BeagleStreet #grossedout' And Kirsty Boden said: 'Just witnessed THE sketchiest life insurance ad ever... Scarred! #beaglestreet' The Advertising Standards Agency received 55 complaints and others took to Twitter to express their disgust . Defending the campaign, Neil Simpson, founding partner of The Corner London, said: 'There are so many barriers to life insurance at the moment, hence the need for a simplification. 'We believe the campaign is altogether very un-life insurance in a good way.' On their website, the advertising company say: 'Our launch campaign takes a cheeky dig at the old way of life insurance and introduces the cutest of characters that is the embodiment of Beagle Street...life insurance reborn.' The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) confirmed they had received 55 complaints about the advert. They also revealed the campaign had been given an ex-kids restriction by Clearcast - meaning it shouldn't be broadcast around programmes that appeal to children. A spokesperson for the ASA said they were looking into the complaints to see if the advert should be investigated. They added: 'Generally complaints about the ad have said it is offensive and inappropriate for children. 'This ad has been shown at a variety of times during the day and early evening. 'The ad was given an ex-kids restriction by Clearcast. An ex-kids restriction means that it should not be broadcast in or around programmes with particular appeal to children. 'This means it could appear at any time of the day, but shouldn't appear during ad breaks for kids programmes. 'We are currently investigating these complaints to see if the ad should be investigated.' | Advertising Standards Agency got 55 complaints about Beagle Street advert .
It was given a restriction to not be shown during kids programmes .
But was shown during the day and early evening on ITV and Channel 4 .
One parent said: 'My two-year-old experienced terrible nightmares' |
183,674 | 79eb89e9bdf75aaf863bc800cdbe54cd135411a1 | Pat Preston, 65, of Whickam in Gateshead used to be prim and polite but she now can't stop swearing after a stroke she suffered in January . Grandmother Pat Preston used to think of herself as a was a prim and proper woman. The nature of her job as a bank customer service adviser demanded she was extremely polite and well-mannered. But now the 65-year-old can't help but swear like a trooper after suffering a stroke that changed her personality. Mrs Preston, of Whickam in Gateshead shocked her husband Michael, 66, by letting rip a stream of four-letter worlds in front of her doctors, in the presence of friends. And she has even called her young grandchildren 'little b*****s'. The change was brought about by a stroke she suffered in January. It left Mrs Preston unable to control her feelings, blurting out swear words when prior to her stroke she would've refrained from vocalising her thoughts. She now has a 'swear box' in which she adds money after using inappropriate words, and is working with a psychologist to come to terms with the changes. Mrs Preston said: 'Before I had a stroke I would still get annoyed at things but I could control my upset, however now I just can't help it. 'I can swear during conversations and a couple of weeks ago my grandchildren were playing up and I called them 'little b*****s'. 'My husband gets annoyed because he's a retired headteacher and gets horrified sometimes at what I say. I can get a little nervous too about what language I might use. 'If something really annoys me I am not able to keep my thoughts to myself and I'm quite outspoken. 'If I go into a shop and don't like how the assistants are reacting to me or even someone else I will say so. 'I was not aware that a stroke could affect someone in this way and change their personality. My close family and friends still can't quite accept that I've had a stroke.' Scroll down for video . Mrs Preston had just enjoyed a weekend of birthday celebrations in January and was in a shopping centre in Gateshead when she began to feel unwell, coming over faint, with a headache and sweating. She immediately called her husband, but was so breathless she could not get her words out. Yet it was only when got home and found she couldn't move her legs to get out of the car that the emergency services were called. Mrs Preston was taken to Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she was assessed and treated by specialists. She remained in the combined stroke unit for more than six weeks. Her home has since been adapted and Mrs Preston now relies on walking sticks to get around. Mrs Preston said her husband Michael, 66, a retired headteacher was shocked after she swore in front of doctors, in the presence of friends and even called her young grandchildren 'little b*****s' 'I would be telling lies if I said that there is not a time each day that I don't think about what happened and the impact it's had on my life,' she said. 'But I have to accept what has happened and move forward the best that I can as you only get one life. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. This can damage or change parts of the brain, which is known to cause a whole variety of neuropsychological and behavioral changes. Depression is the most common, but stroke has also been known to cause uncontrollable laughing or crying or neglect syndrome, in which people don't recognise one side of their visual field. Last year a Brazilian man developed what doctors have called pathological generosity, after a stroke damaged parts of his brain, causing his behaviour to change. The 49-year-old began to give away money, food and drinks excessively and even quit his corporate job because he felt he could no longer work there following his personality change. Doctors said the stroke disrupted the part of his brain related to higher thinking and decision making. 'I am about 75 per cent back to what I was like before the stroke. I feel very lucky that I can carry on with my life as I am and you have got to see the funny side of things or it would get you down.' Mrs Preston is receiving help from psychologists to come to terms with the changes in her life and has been able to regain movement to her affected left side thanks to working with occupational therapists. Specialist stroke nurse Marie Twentyman, who works at Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: 'Patients can have a change of personality following a stroke. 'Sometimes words get mixed up in the brain and vocabulary that would not normally be used by a patients is. 'Stroke affects everyone differently. 'When Pat was on the ward you could see that she would become frustrated as she had been so independent before, and it was when she became tired and frustrated that she would use language that she would not normally have used. 'It is very important that if anyone is suspected to have suffered a stroke that they seek medical treatment quickly so that treatment can be given as soon as possible.' On Saturday, Pat is hosting a charity event to raise funds for Ward 22 at the QE Hospital to thank staff for the care she received. She hopes to raise more than £500 to purchase six personal DVD players for patients, and Lloyds TSB in Gateshead has agreed to match donations up to £500. To give a donation or for more details on the event visit her website. | Pat Preston, 65, was a polite, well-mannered bank customer service adviser .
But she suffered a stroke in January which changed her personality .
Now can't stop swearing, in front of doctors, friends and her grandchildren .
She is seeing a psychologist to help with the personality change .
Stroke can damage parts of the brain causing behavioural changes . |
145,123 | 47b162ec1b6b3b6a9583703cbc3af0c82646d212 | (Entertainment Weekly) -- "Amelia" is a frustratingly old-school, Hollywood-style, inspirational biopic about Amelia Earhart that doesn't trust a viewer's independent assessment of the famous woman pictured on the screen. Hilary Swank plays Amelia Earhart and Richard Gere plays husband George Putnam in "Amelia." The mystery we ought to be paying attention to is: What really happened on the legendary American aviator's final, fatal flight in 1937? But the question audiences are left with is this: How could so tradition-busting a role model have resulted in so square, stiff, and earthbound a movie? Why present such a modern woman in such a fusty format? Dressed for the title role in a wardrobe of jumpsuits, leather jackets, scarves, and slinky evening wear dashing enough to stop air traffic, Hilary Swank's Earhart doesn't so much talk as make stump speeches -- even when she's at her own breakfast table. And director Mira Nair ("The Namesake"), working from an overexplanatory script by Ron Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan (based on dual biographies by Susan Butler and Mary S. Lovell), overloads the picture with a cargo of messages, so much so that she deadens her subject's spirit. Some of these talking points are aimed at today's teenage girls who might admire the subject's highly personal fashion sense; others go out to older women who cherish her feminist cred. All of them add up to banners that might as well be flown from an aircraft tail over a beach: Amelia Earhart lived free in life and love! And Fly! She! Must! Of course, she did, setting records as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in 1928 (she was a passenger, but still, ladies of the day generally didn't wear leather helmets and zoom through the air). Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932. She went on to launch her own brand-name fashion line. In 1935, she became the first pilot to fly solo from Hawaii to California. Sometimes the press dubbed her Lady Lindy, linking her fame to that of pioneering pilot Charles Lindbergh. Most famously, she vanished (along with her navigator, Fred Noonan) in the middle of the Pacific while on an around-the-world flight in 1937; her plane was never found, and she was declared legally dead in 1939. Along the way, the celebrity married George Putnam, the publisher and tireless promoter who shaped her public image. (Richard Gere does the honors as Putnam with all the dated, silver-head-in-hands poses required of him as a worried businessman/spouse whose wife is also his client.) For a time, the freethinking woman also conducted a love affair with aeronautics pioneer Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor), now best known as the father of writer Gore Vidal. Swank delivers long, carefully composed explications of Earhart's unorthodox attitude toward marriage and feminine autonomy, taken from her journal entries, in studied accents somewhere between those of the Kansas plains of Earhart's birth and those of Katharine Hepburn in her most famous trouser-wearing, gumption-gal roles. iReport.com: Share your movie reviews . "Amelia" dutifully conveys the salient biographical info with a trusty cinematic device: As Earhart and Noonan embark on their doomed flight, flashbacks catch the audience up on the events that got her there. (Christopher Eccleston, as Noonan, is the one understated player in this endeavor.) Those last 10 minutes or so of radio-communications loss, concurrent instrument failure, and dawning awareness of disaster are honestly gripping. But just in case the point isn't clear enough (She! Must! Fly!), throughout the drama composer Gabriel Yared lays on blasts of musical exclamations that are as distracting as sirens. Sometimes that music says, "It's great to be in the sky and surfing the clouds!" Sometimes it says, "Look how pretty the landscape looks below -- kind of makes you miss the music in 'Out of Africa,' right?" Sometimes the rumble of violins and horns hints, "Uh-oh, we're getting to the tragic part of the story!" Mostly, the busy orchestra backs up the starry cinematography to remind us, "This slim, androgynous beauty, with her unusual love life and her driving need to take to the skies, sure was something, huh?!" Whatever the message, there's no navigating around such intrusive messengers. EW Grade: C+ . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Amelia" hits viewers over the head with its themes, says EW .
Film stars Hilary Swank as aviator Amelia Earhart .
"Amelia" is flat and dull when it should be exciting .
Some of the dialogue is delivered as speeches: yawn . |
141,009 | 4255025233052747f5d67b628d81ee2cd23cc5ec | It is 20 years since Vanity Fair first published its New Establishment list marking the cultural shift in American life away from an industrial economy to one more centered around technology and entertainment. Eagerly anticipated and now required reading, the list of 93 marks out those firmly in charge of shaping the current zeitgeist, 'The Powers that Be' and those who threaten to break into this exclusive club, 'The Disrupters'. Both lists are dominated by white men, with 30 billionaires and 36 new entries, with news moguls such as Rupert Murdoch and Michael Bloomberg firmly entrenched inside the top ten. Top dogs: Rupert Murdoch topped Vanity Fair's 'The Powers that Be' top 25 while Tesla Motors visionary, Elon Musk (right) was named number one in 'The Disrupters' list in the magazine's annual 'New Establishment' list . Indeed, Murdoch has been the only constant member of the 'Powers that Be' list since its inception, with newcomer and Silicon Valley's resident visionary, Elon Musk topping out the 'Disrupters'. Tech-giants dominate the 'Disrupters', with Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin at number two, and Apple's Tim Cook and British design guru Jonathan Ive at number three. Facebook's 30-year-old Mark Zuckerberg is at five with Pinterest's 32-year-old chief Ben Silbermann topping out a top ten entirely comprised of men. The first of only five women in a list of 50 'Disrupters' is Zuckerberg's Chief Financial Officer at Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg. Number two: Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin, both 41, stay at number two in Vanity Fair's list of Disrupters . Disrupters: Apple CEO and design guru Jonathan Ive (right) placed at number three on the list of those disrupting the current establishment . Highest women: Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg (left) comes in at 12 on the disrupters list while Yahoo's Marissa Mayer hits the list at 15 . She is joined by Yahoo chief Marissa Mayer in the top twenty at 15 along with Susan Wojcicki, who replaced YouTube chief, Salar Kamangar, in February. Comedian Kevin Hart comes in at number 24 on the disrupters list from Vanity Fair . In a top 50 full of the chiefs of the new establishment such as Spotify, Vice, Snapchat, GoPro and WhatsApp, there is room for only one African American, the comedian, Kevin Hart. While the Vanity Fair 'Disrupters' list reflects poorly on diversity of those hoping to break into the culutral movers and shakers, it is not necessarily reflected in its more robust 'Powers that Be' roll call. While Murdoch and Bloomberg sit at number one and four respectively, music giants Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z both come in at joint number five - boosted by $100 worth of ticket sales for their recent joint tour, but chastened by rumors surrounding the health of their marriage. Last year, the power-couple topped the list, but ugly surveillance footage of Beyoncé's sister Solange attacking Jay Z inside a Manhattan elevator earlier this summer has taken the shine off their glossy united front. Former number 1's: Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z appear at number five on the list of 'The Powers that Be' - but last year they were at the top of that list . Entertainment and media moguls: Michael Bloomberg drops from two to four on the list of powers that be, while embattled NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell makes an appearance at number eight this year . Embattled NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also makes the powerful list, coming in at number eight, although it remains to be seen whether he will be there next year as the league's handling of the Ray Rice affair is rapidly spiraling out of his control. The top ten also includes potential 2016 presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton, who comes in at number nine after not featuring the previous year at all. She will surely only rise up Vanity Fair's list if, as expected, she confirms she will be running for president - a decision she has promised to make before January 1, 2015. Late night hosts: Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert made number 15 on the list of movers and shakers on the 25 'Powers that Be' New entry: Hilary Clinton is ranked number nine on the list of 'The Powers that Be' alongside Robert Downey JR. at six - and will surely rise during the year . The other women in the top 25 'Powers that Be' are Sandra Bullock, at 14 and BIg Bang Theory show runner, Shonda Rhimes at 18. At joint number 15 are the future late night triumvirate of Stephen Colbert. Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. When Colbert was announced as the replacement for CBS's long-serving David Letterman on the Late Show, many bemoaned the lack of diversity on the nation's television sets at that prestigious time-slot. Fresh from the $3 billion sale of his Beats music subscription and headphone company, Dr. Dre is the first and highest African American on the list at number 12, joined in the top 25 by Pharrel Williams at 22 and Tyler Perry at 20. DISRUPTERS . 1 ELON MUSK TESLA MOTORS, SPACEX . 2 LARRY PAGE AND SERGEY BRIN GOOGLE . 3 TIM COOK AND JONATHAN IVE APPLE . 4 JEFF BEZOS AMAZON . 5 MARK ZUCKERBERG FACEBOOK . 6 REED HASTINGS AND TED SARANDOS NETFLIX . 7 MARC ANDREESSEN AND BEN HOROWITZ ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ . 8 JACK MA ALIBABA . 9 TRAVIS KALANICK UBER . 10 BEN SILBERMANN PINTEREST . 11 SATYA NADELLA MICROSOFT . 12 SHERYL SANDBERG FACEBOOK . 13 KEVIN FEIGE MARVEL STUDIOS . 14 JACK DORSEY SQUARE, TWITTER . 15 MARISSA MAYER YAHOO . 16 DICK COSTOLO TWITTER . 17 DREW HOUSTON DROPBOX . 18 DANIEL EK SPOTIFY . 19 SUSAN WOJCICKI YOUTUBE . 20 EVAN SPIEGEL SNAPCHAT . 21 BRIAN CHESKY AIRBNB . 22 SHANE SMITH VICE . 23 PREET BHARARA FEDERAL PROSECUTOR . 24 KEVIN HART COMEDIAN . 25 YURI MILNER INVESTOR . 26 NICK WOODMAN GOPRO . 27 RAND PAUL POLITICIAN . 28 MASAYOSHI SON SOFTBANK . 29 KEVIN SYSTROM INSTAGRAM . 30 PIERRE OMIDYAR FIRST LOOK MEDIA . 31 JØRGEN VIG KNUDSTORP LEGO . 32 JONAH PERETTI BUZZFEED . 33 THE YOUTUBE STAR . 34 JEREMY STOPPELMAN YELP . 35 ROELOF BOTHA AND JIM GOETZ SEQUOIA CAPITAL . 36 JOHN GREEN AUTHOR . 37 DIETRICH MATESCHITZ RED BULL . 38 MEGAN ELLISON AND DAVID ELLISON FILM PRODUCER . 39 DANA BRUNETTI PRODUCER . 40 WALT MOSSBERG AND KARA SWISHER RE/CODE . 41 TONY FADELL NEST LABS . 42 EDWARD SNOWDEN ACTIVIST . 43 BRIAN ACTON AND JAN KOUM WHATSAPP . 44 BILL MARIS GOOGLE VENTURES . 45 HOSAIN RAHMAN AND YVES BÉHAR JAWBONE . 46 JOHN LEGERE T-MOBILE . 47 YANCEY STRICKLER KICKSTARTER . 48 SOPHIA AMORUSO NASTY GAL . 49 SEAN RAD TINDER . 50 DAVID ROSENBLATT 1STDIBS . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . THE POWERS THAT BE . 1 RUPERT MURDOCH 21ST CENTURY FOX, NEWS CORP. 2 BOB IGER THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY . 3 BRIAN ROBERTS AND STEVE BURKE COMCAST . 4 MICHAEL BLOOMBERG BLOOMBERG LP . 5 BEYONCÉ MUSICIAN . 5 JAY Z MUSICIAN . 6 ROBERT DOWNEY JR. ACTOR . 7 DAVID ZASLAV DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS . 8 ROGER GOODELL NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE . 9 HILLARY CLINTON POLITICIAN . 10 DAVID FINCHER DIRECTOR . 11 LEE KUN-HEE AND LEE JAE-YONG SAMSUNG . 12 JIMMY IOVINE AND DR. DRE BEATS . 13 HERB ALLEN III ALLEN & CO. 14 SANDRA BULLOCK ACTRESS . 15 JIMMY FALLON, JIMMY KIMMEL AND STEPHEN COLBERT LATE-NIGHT HOST . 16 REID HOFFMAN AND JEFF WEINER LINKEDIN, GREYLOCK . 17 RICHARD PLEPLER AND MICHAEL LOMBARDO HBO . 18 SHONDA RHIMES AND CHUCK LORRE SHOW-RUNNER . 19 TOM STEYER PHILANTHROPIST . 20 TYLER PERRY FILMMAKER . 21 MICHAEL RAPINO LIVE NATION . 22 PHARRELL WILLIAMS MUSICIAN . 23 MARC BENIOFF SALESFORCE.COM . 24 J.J. ABRAMS FILMMAKER . 25 DAN GILBERT QUICKEN LOANS . | The 20th anniversary of Vanity Fair's New Establishment List .
Rupert Murdoch comes top in poll of 'The Powers that Be'
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk comes top in 'The Disrupters' list . |
149,109 | 4cccc29220dbcbbaf7c6eb35b13a277f949be571 | (CNN) -- Faced with a loud and angry backlash from some of its most active users, photo-sharing app Instagram backtracked Tuesday on new language that appeared to give the company ownership of their images. "The language we proposed ... raised question about whether your photos can be part of an advertisement," Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom wrote in a blog post. "We do not have plans for anything like this and because of that we're going to remove the language that raised the question." An update Monday to Instagram's terms of service had stated that data collected through the app can be shared with Facebook. That's not a surprising move, considering Facebook paid an estimated $1 billion for the photo-sharing service earlier this year. But the language that upset some of the app's more than 100 million users said that "a business or other entity may pay" Instagram for the use of user images and may do so "without any compensation to you." That didn't sit well with some -- including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wedding photographer. "Pro or not if a company wants to use your photos for advertising they need to TELL you and PAY you," Noah Kalina wrote Tuesday on Twitter. Kalina stopped short of vowing to quit Instagram, saying he hopes that language will be deleted. The proposed changes are set to go into effect January 16. Others weren't being so patient. A popular Twitter feed associated with the hacker collective Anonymous was urging its more than 780,000 followers to dump the app Tuesday morning. "Only way to opt out of @instagram selling your photos is deleting your account," wrote the person who runs the account. "Sounds good to us. #BoycottInstagram". The feed posted image after image of screen shots from followers who had done just that. It claimed it was receiving thousands of such images -- too many to count. Systrom wrote that the intent of the new terms was "to communicate that we'd like to experiment with innovative advertising that feels appropriate on Instagram." "Instead it was interpreted by many that we were going to sell your photos to others without any compensation," he wrote. "This is not true and it is our mistake that this language is confusing. To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos. We are working on updated language in the terms to make sure this is clear." The new terms appeared to significantly broaden what Instagram can do with users' content. Currently they say, "Instagram may place such advertising and promotions on the Instagram Services or on, about, or in conjunction with your Content." Systrom's post came after a morning when social media and tech blogs lit up with complaints. #BoycottInstagram and #Instagram were top trending topics on Twitter for much of the day. Wil Wheaton, who parlayed a child-actor stint on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" into becoming one of the Web's earliest star bloggers, wrote that he doesn't use Instagram. But he questions whether other "celebrities to some degree" could be exploited if they do. "If someone Instagrams a photo of Seth Green walking through an Urban Outfitters, does that mean Urban Outfitters can take that image and use it to create an implied endorsement by Seth?" Wheaton wrote. "What if the picture is taken by a complete stranger? Who gets final say in how the image is used? The subject, the photographer, or Instagram?" Even CNN's own Anderson Cooper was expressing some concern on the site. "#Instagram will now be able to use anyone's photos in ads? Without consent?" he wrote on Twitter. "Come on! Is there another photo app people recommend?" Cooper wasn't the only one considering his options. "I have my fingers crossed that they, Instagram, will listen to the voice of the community and reverse the new terms of service, but I'm not holding my breath," wrote photojournalist Richard Koci Hernandez, who has more than 163,000 Instagram followers. He shared his thoughts Tuesday on Instagram, where he was posting blank black squares instead of his usual artful black-and-white images. "I don't feel like debating the terms of service or being too nostalgic about the old days of Instagram, I feel that it's much better just to take our work and more importantly friendship and conversation to another place that respects our rights and ownership as creators," Hernandez added. "Let's move the party to a new location." Bloggers also were spotlighting tools like Hipstamatic and Camera Awesome, as well as Twitter's own new photo service that includes Instagram-like filters. A year-and-a-half-old blog post from photo-sharing site Flickr was also making the rounds. In it, Yahoo, which owns Flickr, uses language, perhaps aimed at Facebook, that says "(w)e feel very strongly that sharing online shouldn't mean giving up rights to your photos." Systrom said Instagram agrees. "Instagram users own their content and Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos," he wrote. "Nothing about this has changed. We respect that there are creative artists and hobbyists alike that pour their heart into creating beautiful photos, and we respect that your photos are your photos. Period." It is, of course, too early to know how many people were fleeing Instagram on Tuesday. But anecdotal evidence suggested a movement was afoot. Instaport, a tool that lets users export and and download their Instagram images, was reporting overtaxed servers Tuesday morning. "Our servers are very busy right now, so it may show you some errors," the company wrote to a user on its Twitter feed. "Please try again later or tomorrow." | NEW: Instagram backtracks on controversial privacy language .
Language appeared to let the app sell users' images for advertising .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wedding photographer called it unfair .
NEW: Instagram co-founder: "It is not our intention to sell your photos" |
171,597 | 6a1a6cda6d4d3833a10e89ff7a8ec74491cf308a | A pet cat was blinded in a brutal attack and left for dead in a bin by thugs because he looks like Hitler, his shocked owner has claimed. Baz, a seven year-old tomcat, has a distinctive patch of black fur under his nose, which resembles the Nazi dictator's moustache. Owner Kirsty Sparrow became worried when her pet, who also has dark fun on the top of his head, failed to return home after a weekend on the prowl in Tredworth, Gloucestershire. Likeness: Kirsty Sparrow, 26, believes her cat Baz was attacked and dumped because he looks like Hitler . Likeness: Baz, a seven year-old tomcat, has a distinctive patch of black fur under his nose, which resembles the Nazi dictator's moustache . A neighbour found him days later, dumped in a bin having suffered severe injuries. Ms Sparrow, 26, rushed Baz to the vet for emergency treatment, but the cat's left eye had to be removed because it was so badly damaged. She believes her pet was targeted because of his unfortunate likeness. 'A lot of people say he looks like Hitler but he is so timid and gentle,' said Ms Sparrow, who has been left with a £600 care bill for her cat's treatment. Lookalike: Many of Ms Sparrow's friends have told her that Baz looks like Adolf Hitler, pictured in 1937 . Rescue: Baz had disappeared and was found days later by a neighbour. He had been dumped in a bin . Injuries: After he was discovered in the bin Baz was rushed to a vet for emergency treatment. His eye had to be removed because it was so damaged . Cause: Vets do not think that Baz was hit by a car, as he had not suffered any other injuries . 'I couldn’t believe the state of him. His eye was all swollen, it was like a marble. 'They said he was unlikely to have been hit by a car as there were no other injuries, and that he was probably kicked. 'I took a call at work from the vet to say he had been found in a bin, but was in a bad way. He’d been there for a while. 'It’s shocking someone would do something like that.' Ms . Sparrow, who has just left her Tesco job to go on maternity leave, . added: 'I put a photo on Facebook of Baz as he has a distinctive black . mark under his nose and asked if anyone saw him to contact me.' Before: Pet cat Baz as he looked before the attack . Fear: Ms Sparrow became worried when her pet, who also has dark fun on the top of his head, failed to return home after a weekend on the prowl in Tredworth, Gloucestershire . Ms Sparrow, who has owned Baz since he was a kitten, says the cat has . looked like Hitler since birth but it has never drawn any negative . attention before. She said: 'He's always looked like this way. I don't know why anyone would do that to any animal, no matter how they look.' Ms Sparrow said that Baz's moustache gets a lot of attention from her friends. 'His moustache is what makes . him, him. It's the first thing I asked about when I turned up at the . vets, if his features were all still there. I was crying,' she said. 'People say that he looks like Hitler. He is so cute and he does look like Hitler. People can't believe it . when I show them pictures. He's also bigger than my nan's dog.' Other than the loss of his eye, Baz is . set to make a full recovery following the attack but will be kept . inside for quite some time. 'People say that he looks like Hitler. He is so cute and he does look like Hitler' Kirsty Sparrow . He will be heading back to the vet on Sunday to has his stitches removed. The bruising below his ribs will heal over time. 'The vet said not to let him out yet. I don't want to though. I'm scared it will happen again.' The police are currently in contact with her grandmother, Cath, as Ms Sparrow is too shook up to deal with the situation. 'I'm quite traumatised by it so she is dealing with it for me. I was crying my eyes out at the vets,' she added. Her . grandmother said: 'To think there is someone out there walking the . streets who can do something like that to a defenceless animal is . frightening. It is absolutely horrific.' Gloucestershire police are investigating the incident and appealing for witnesses. Recovery: Baz will be heading back to the vet on Sunday to has his stitches removed. The bruising below his ribs will heal over time . | Baz, 7, has a distinctive patch of black fur which resembles a moustache .
He vanished from his home in Tredworth, Gloucestershire .
Neighbour found Baz dumped in a bin having suffered severe injuries .
Vets had no choice but to remove his eye because it was so damaged .
Owner Kirsty Sparrow believes cat was targeted because of its likeness . |
112,154 | 1caa19e8c14faab33f86401cb23711e54999aec0 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 05:40 EST, 21 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 21 January 2014 . A couple have quietly footed a $105,000 bill to cover the cost of helping a five-year-old cancer victim fulfill his dream of becoming Batman for the day. Philanthropists John and Marcia Goldman have handed San Francisco a cheque to pay for the costs of a huge party held for 'BatKid' leukemia patient Miles Scott. As many as 12,000 people turned out to help make Miles' wish - granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation - come true, and millions more watched on from around the world, including President Obama, who tweeted in support of the brave little boy. But the bill - amassed renting a sound system, video screens and other equipment to accommodate the surprisingly large crowd that - topped $105,000. Our hero: Thousands of Americans hailed Batkid as cancer patient Miles Scott lives his dream . As many as 12,000 people turned out to help make Miles' wish - granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation - come true, and millions more watched on from around the world . As Miles worked his way around the city, crowds of San Franciscans lined the streets to watch his heroics. First, he rescued a damsel in distress, then he foiled a dastardly plan to rob the bank by the Riddler, and his third challenge was to rescue mascot Lou Seal from the clutches of the Penguin. The little boy was first diagnosed with leukemia when he was 18 months old. He finished his latest treatment in June and is now in remission. The Goldmans told SFGate that they had read that the Make-A-Wish Foundation was trying to raise the money to pay back the city for the setup and public safety costs surrounding the event. Mr Goodman added: 'We thought, 'Wait a minute - they shouldn't have to pay for such a good deed and such an amazing event. 'We've supported Make-A-Wish for some time. 'What a great way to celebrate something really amazing. It brought out the best in the city and showed it to the world.' Philanthropists John and Marcia Goldman have handed San Francisco a cheque to pay for the costs of a huge party held for 'BatKid' leukemia patient Miles Scott . The pint-sized superhero sped around in a Batmobile – with a police motorcycle escort and news helicopters circling overhead – as he vanquished crime. Batkid Saves City, screamed the headlines on a special edition of The San Francisco – or rather Gotham City – Chronicle. And President Obama sent a taped message from the White House saying: ‘Way to go, Miles. Way to save Gotham!’ At the end of the day, Mayor Ed Lee presented Miles with a giant chocolate key to the city as a huge, cheering crowd gathered outside City Hall. Miles’s mother Natalie, from Oregon, had written to the Make-A-Wish Foundation saying her ailing son dreamed of being a mini crimefighter. About 10,000 people flanked the streets of San Francisco, as it transformed into Gotham City . The surprise was a complete shock to the youngster, who thought he was visiting San Francisco to pick up a Batman costume when the action started happening. She said at the time: ‘It was a day he will remember forever. People were lining the streets. I . have been in tears from the outpouring of love, kindness and humanity . that has been shown to my son.’ In real life, Miles has defeated an . enemy more deadly than any supervillain. 'He has been fighting . leukaemia since he was 18 months old, but he underwent his final surgery . last month, and the cancer is now in remission. The surprise was a complete shock to the youngster, who thought he was visiting San Francisco to pick up a Batman costume when the action started happening . Miles's mother Natalie, from Oregon, had written to the Make-A-Wish Foundation saying her ailing son dreamed of being a mini crimefighter . San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee thanks Batkid for his efforts in front of the crowds. It emerged that the city paid out $105,000 for the day, which granted Miles Scott's wish to be a superhero . ‘This day has meant an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son’s body,’ Mrs Scott added. ‘He is our superhero.’ Police Chief Greg Suhr, who recorded mayday messages to set Batkid on his missions, said: ‘This is one of those days which makes me so proud. It has turned into a full-blown phenomenon. ‘Everyone joined together to make this young boy’s dream come true.’ | City held a huge party held for 'BatKid' leukemia patient Miles Scott .
His wish, granted by Make-A-Wish Foundation, was to become superhero .
Heartwarming scenes were shown across the world and YouTube hit .
Bill for renting sound system, screens and equipment topped $105,000 .
Philanthropists John and Marcia Goldman given San Francisco a cheque . |
115,004 | 206b7fbdb70fa2fb6578aa0efc0dd4fc334f1044 | (CNN) -- It's 7:20 a.m. and Carl Daikeler hasn't worked out yet. Not a big deal for the 49% of Americans who don't exercise regularly, but it's going to bother him all day. The problem is the CEO of Beachbody, the company behind P90X and Insanity, doesn't like to work out. So much so that he sometimes has to "trick" himself into the gym. Like the time he decided he couldn't brush his teeth before he worked out for at least 10 minutes. That little ploy inspired Beachbody's 10-Minute Trainer program. The fitness industry is constantly coming up with similar tricks to get more of us off the couch, Daikeler said. The result is a rotation of incoming and outgoing trends -- from Jane Fonda's VHS tapes in the early '80s to Beachbody's DVD programs that are popular today. Daikeler compares fitness to fashion. "Somebody starts wearing a certain shoe in Milan or Japan and suddenly everybody wants to wear it," he said. "It doesn't just solve the problem -- like shoes cover your feet. It makes you feel like it's (a part of) your identity." Starla Kay teaches youth video classes at the Indiana Black Expo in Indianapolis. She has a 19-month-old son and not a lot of time for a workout program that doesn't work. She tried kickboxing, aerobics and just going to the gym, but nothing really stuck until she got one of this year's hot trends, P90X. "This is the first actual program I've done," she said. "I feel stronger. I feel like I have more energy. I've lost 9 pounds so far." The American College of Sports Medicine publishes a yearly survey of the top worldwide fitness trends. The top 10 list for 2011 includes boot camps and programs aimed at older adults. Trends depend on many factors, said the survey's lead author, Walt Thompson. Take Pilates, which dropped off the survey's list from No. 9 last year. Thompson believes the economy made Pilates equipment and specialized instructors too expensive for clubs to maintain. He's not sure if Pilates will make a return to the top 20, but he doesn't expect a few of this year's trends to stick around long. "The problem with the high-intensity kind of programs is that they deliver a punch like severe weight loss programs do, but they're difficult to comply with in the long haul," he said. Remember the slide board? Tae Bo? Step aerobics? All trends Houston, Texas, YMCA senior program director Karen Behrend has seen come and go in her 28 years of teaching group fitness. "The reason why programs like that don't stick is because they're too hard to do," she said. "The things that really stick are programs that cross over multiple (ability) levels." Kay said when she first attempted the P90X DVD program it was "too much" so she dropped it after two weeks. But when she started attending a class with an instructor who taught her how to modify the moves, she found herself returning six days a week at 7 a.m. Behrend cites classes like Zumba, body pump and spinning as success stories. They're consistent, easy to follow and include that always important element of fun. "They make people feel successful," IDEA Fitness Journal Editor-in-chief Sandy Todd Webster said. "That's a huge key in good programming is to make people feel like 'Wow, I get it.' " IDEA is the world's largest association for fitness and wellness professionals. It also does a yearly survey of fitness trends. This year, aerobics, water fitness and martial arts-based classes had the largest decline in popularity. Dance and boot camp classes showed the largest growth. "Think Jazzercise classes -- they're fun. They combine good music, easy choreography (and) social aspects," Webster said. Jazzercise is one of those trends that stuck. Judi Sheppard Missett founded the company in 1969 and the dance-based classes are still popular across the world. In fact, Entrepreneur Magazine recently named Jazzercise 2011's most successful fitness franchise. "It's not like you can take a six-week course and be fit the rest of your life," Missett said. "It's really good that people are coming up with different ways to move. I'm happy for anybody doing anything, anything that gets them off the couch and on their feet." She continues to choreograph routines to approximately 30 new songs every 10 weeks to keep her high member retention rate. It is the beauty and curse of the industry, Behrend said. Old trends evolve into new ones, forcing gyms to stay cutting edge, but keeping customers excited about working out. "The trick only lasts so long," Daikeler said, going back to his fashion analogy. "The best designers aren't looking for trends; the best designers set the trends. Will this capture a market audience or is this like Lady Gaga's meat dress?" Daikeler said he just hopes whatever the industry comes up with next is the end of the biggest trend in America right now: obesity. | Fitness industry constantly coming up with tricks to get more of us off the couch .
P90X has earned $420 million in sales for Beachbody since 2005 .
Jazzercise began in 1969 and classes are still popular across the world . |
208,924 | 9a8d170ba59ae109935a4d453ab3481c53b4bae4 | A father-of-three who was wrongfully imprisoned for 23 years after being framed for murder by a rogue detective has reached a $6.4 million settlement with New York City. David Ranta, 59, was freed last year after being jailed for the 1990 shooting of a Brooklyn rabbi. On his release, he filed a $150 million claim that was settled before it even reached the city's legal department - a decision that apparently acknowledges the overwhelming evidence the city faced. 'While no amount of money could ever . compensate David for the 23 years that were taken away from him, this . settlement allows him the stability to continue to put his life back . together,' Ranta’s lawyer, Pierre Sussman, said, the New York Times reported. Payout: David Ranta, pictured after he walked free from prison last March, has won a $6.4 million payout from the City of New York after he served 23 years for a murder he did not commit . Heading home: Ahead of his release, a year-long investigation found that witnesses had lied in the case . 'We are now focusing . our efforts on pursuing an unjust conviction claim with the state of New . York.' Ranta, who had a heart . attack one day after his release, 'would like everyone to . know he is happy to have a chance at recovering his health, taking care . of his heart and being there for his family and children', Sussman said. Ranta has three children, including a daughter who was just a baby when he was locked away. The . case is the first expected to be brought against the city by former . inmates who were convicted based on allegedly botched investigative work . by Louis Scarcella. The . detective, who has denied any wrongdoing, is accused of making up . confessions, leading witnesses and using informers who have since . admitted lying for better sentencing deals. Murdered: Rabbi Chaskel Werzberger, (center right), attends a wedding in the Williamsburg section of the Brooklyn borough of New York. He was shot in the head during a botched robbery in 1990 . Ranta was convicted of killing Hasidic rabbi and Holocaust survivor Chaskel Werzberger as he got inside his car just as a jewelry store was being robbed nearby. Werzberger was shot in the head and the robber used his car as a getaway vehicle. Ranta, who had previously had small . run-ins with the law, was sentenced to 37 years to life in prison even . though there was no physical evidence linking him to the scene. Then-district attorney, Charles J. Hynes, fought off numerous appeals in the case, even when evidence pointed to another killer, Joseph Astin, who later died in a car crash. Years after the conviction, a witness who was just 13 when he was brought before a line up said he was told to pick the man with 'the big noise'. His revelation sparked an investigation by the district attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit that ultimately led to Ranta's release. Convicted: A witness, who was just 13 at the time, said that a detective told him to pick out the man 'with the big nose' from the line-up - and only Ranta (number 3) fitted that description . It uncovered two other witnesses also said they had lied after Scarcella offered them the chance to get out of jail if they provided information, the Times reported. Questions: Retired detective Louis Scarcella was once celebrated for cracking murder cases . Ranta had also accused Scarcella, who has now retired, of making up his confession, which the detective claimed took place while the suspect was handcuffed at Central Booking. It later emerged that Scarcella had gleaned six confessions from different inmates with the same words - 'You got it right. I was there' - and that he had used the same witness in different cases. Prosecutors also learned that Scarcella had received an anonymous call saying Joseph Astin was responsible for the killing and questioned his wife - but dropped the lead when Astin died. His wife even testified in 1996 that he had admitted the murder to her on the day but he died two months later. Efforts by Ranta's legal team to free him on the testimony failed. Scarcella allegedly never submitted any paperwork showing that he had investigated Astin. Authorities said around 50 of his cases would be reopened. He has since retired. Of the settlement, Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said: 'This settlement is in the best interests of all parties and closes the door on a truly regrettable episode in our city’s history. I am pleased that my office was able to move quickly on this case.' Ranta, who had filed the claim against the city two months after his release, is also expected to make a wrongful conviction claim against the state. | David Ranta, 59, was freed in March 2013 after he served 23 years for the shooting death of a Brooklyn rabbi in 1990 .
After his release, he filed a $150 million claim that was settled this week .
His release came after witnesses said they had lied or been coerced into naming Ranta as the killer by detective Louis Scarcella .
Ranta also claimed that Scarcella had made up his confession .
50 of his cases are now being re-opened - but he has denied wrongdoing . |
78,206 | ddba1ca5f070b67620cbac9f7bdcba981900695e | (CNN) -- Heavy rains from the outer bands of Typhoon Saola, which hovered near the Philippines beginning last week, have left 23 people dead and another five injured, an official with the National Disaster Coordinating Center said Thursday. The center's executive director, Benito Ramos, told CNN in a telephone interview that another 129 people -- most of them fishermen -- had been rescued. Forty-four evacuation centers were opened as Manila and the cities of Valenzuela and Malabon north of the capital along Manila Bay remained flooded, he said. In all, Saola dropped as much as half a meter (1.5 feet) of rain over the Philippines, said CNNI Meteorologist Taylor Ward. Rains over the Philippines were only intermittent by Thursday at about 4 a.m., when the typhoon -- packing winds of 157 kph (98 mph) was making landfall in northeast Taiwan, said Ward. Taipingshan, a mountainous in northern Taiwan, got more than 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) of rain. "The mountains really help enhance the rainfall," Ward said. "They basically force the air upwards, and that squeezes out the possible precipitation." He described Saola as the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane in the Atlantic when it made landfall in Taiwan. It was expected to continue at similar strength into China, striking 300 to 400 miles south of Shanghai at about 10 p.m. Thursday (10 a.m. ET). The U.S. government's National Hurricane Center describes a Category 2 storm as one with sustained winds of 154-177 kph (96 - 110 mph) that "will cause extensive damage." Another typhoon -- Typhoon Damrey -- was expected to strike about 150 miles north of Shanghai, Ward said. Damrey was expected to be slightly weaker -- the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic, he said. The hurricane center describes those as packing sustained winds of 119-153 kph (74-95 mph) that "will produce some damage." CNN's Samira Said contributed to this report. | 129 people, most of them fishermen, have been rescued in the Philippines .
44 evacuation centers are open .
The typhoon has moved on to Taiwan .
It is expected to continue on to China . |
65,097 | b8db846a96d6205240aa3e40f81bea510cd0bb1f | A 17-year-old boy has tragically died after he fell out the tray of a ute and suffered severe injuries while it was going along a beach in northern Queensland. The incident happened at Rocky Point Beach near Weipa which is located approximately 804km north west of Cairns, about 3am this morning. Queensland Police are investigating the death of the boy after he passed away at Weipa Hospital. The accident happened at Rocky Point Beach near Weipa which is located approximately 804km north west of Cairns . A police spokesman said the boy did suffer head injuries but could not comment any further until more tests had been conducted. Queensland Health could not comment on the case because the boy has died. The driver of the vehicle, a 17-year-old boy, and the three passengers, all 16-years-old, were not injured. Locals say lots of people drive up and down Rocky Point Beach in Weipa in vehicles . Bailey O'Sullivan who works at the sports bar at the Albatros Bay Resort in Weipa, told Daily Mail Australia: 'It is very shocking, very sad.' Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000. | A 17-year-old sadly died after he fell out of the tray of a ute in Weipa, northern Queensland .
The vehicle was travelling along Rocky Point Beach on the Cape York Peninsula at around 3am when the accident happened .
The 17-year-old driver and three passengers, all 16, escaped uninjured . |
37,730 | 6ad89d717e5eafa2d156acd9866bd3144b3fe7ab | (CNN) -- Iran's foreign minister Tuesday called on Yemen's neighbors to stay out of the conflict between Yemeni forces and Shiite Muslim rebels, while Yemen said it had seized an Iranian ship near its territorial waters. Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters in Tehran that Shiite-dominated Iran has expressed its concern for Yemen's "national unity and territorial integrity," the state-run Press TV network reported. "We strongly advise regional and neighboring states not to interfere in Yemen's internal affairs and try to restore peace and stability to the state," Mottaki said, adding, "Those who choose to fuel the flames of conflict must know that the fire will reach them." Battles between Yemeni government forces and the Shiite Houthi rebel movement have raged intermittently for five years in northern Yemen, where government troops launched a new offensive in late summer. The conflict is considered to be separatist and sectarian, pitting the Houthi against the country's Sunni majority. Saudi Arabia, Yemen's northern neighbor, turned its air force against suspected Houthi rebels last week. The Saudi government said an armed group had infiltrated into its territory and fired on border guards, leaving three members of the Saudi security forces dead and 15 wounded before the airstrikes pushed them back. The Houthi claimed the airstrikes occurred within Yemeni territory, a claim both the Saudi and Yemeni governments denied. Meanwhile, Yemen has accused Iran of supporting the rebels. A Yemeni government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue, told CNN that Yemen's navy was "on the highest state of alert" and watching for any possible smuggling of weapons to the Houthi. The official said an Iranian boat was captured near Yemeni and Saudi territorial waters last week and was being towed to the Yemeni navy's headquarters at Hudeidah, on the Red Sea. The persistent fighting has raised concerns that Yemen -- where U.S. officials say al Qaeda is attempting to establish a new foothold in the region -- could be the stage for a proxy struggle between Iran and the Sunni-led Saudi monarchy. But the Yemeni official said the conflict in his country "is not a sectarian war." "The main reason for fighting this group is that it's up in arms in rebellion against Yemen's government and it is challenging the legitimacy of Yemen's central government in Sanaa," he said. "The constitution of Yemen gives the government the right to defend the sovereignty and unity of Yemen. The leadership of the insurgency has a sectarian ideology, but that doesn't mean Yemen is involved in a sectarian battle." CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report. | Yemen's Sunni government, Shiite Houthi rebels have fought intermittently for years .
Yemen has accused Shiite-dominated Iran of supporting the rebels .
Yemen said it had seized an Iranian ship near its territorial waters .
Some worry Yemen could be stage for proxy struggle between Iran, Saudi monarchy . |
11,541 | 20d0c2da5821fbc26d055e7d17172384af2d066d | By . Joe Strange for MailOnline . Follow @@Joe_Strange . Miami Heat's Luol Deng has hit back at Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry over racist remarks he made about him during a conference call in June. The conversation, which concerned scouting reports of free agents and has just become public, included Ferry saying that Deng 'has a little African in him. Not in a bad way, but he's like a guy who would have a nice store out front but sell you counterfeit stuff out of the back.' Ferry also described Deng as being 'two-faced' and accused him of being a liar and a cheat. Fighting back: Luol Deng has described his pride at his African heritage after comments by Danny Ferry . Punished: Atlanta Hawks general manager Ferry was disciplined by the team for racist remarks about Deng . Power: Michael Gearon Jr (left) and Bruce Levenson . Deng has now responded to those claims in a strongly-worded statement, describing the pride he feels towards his African heritage. 'HE HAS A LITTLE AFRICAN IN HIM,' Deng begins. 'These words were recently used to describe me. It would ordinarily make any African parent proud to hear their child recognised for their heritage. 'I'm proud to say I actually have a lot of African in me, not just 'a little.' For my entire life, my identity has been a source of pride and strength. Among my family and friends, in my country of South Sudan and across the broader continent of Africa, I can think of no greater privilege than to do what I love for a living while also representing my heritage on the highest stage. Unfortunately, the comment about my heritage was not made with the same respect and appreciation. 'Concerning my free agency, the focus should purely have been on my professionalism and my ability as an athlete. Every person should have the right to be treated with respect and evaluated as an individual, rather than be reduced to a stereotype. I am saddened and disappointed that this way of thinking still exists today. I am even more disturbed that it was shared so freely in a business setting. 'However, there is comfort in knowing that there are people who aren't comfortable with it and have the courage to speak up. In the same way a generalization should not define a group of people, the attitude of a few should not define a whole organization or league. 'Ultimately, I'm thankful to be with an organisation that appreciates me for who I am and has gone out of its way to make me feel welcome.' Ever present: Deng spent a decade at the Chicago Bulls before moving to Cleveland and now Miami Heat . Ferry has been disciplined by Hawks CEO Steve Koonin but details of his punishment have not been revealed. He will remain the team's general manager. Ferry apologised for his comments on Tuesday but claimed he was only repeating what he had heard about Sudan-born Deng. 'In regards to the insensitive remarks that were used during our due diligence process, I was repeating comments that were gathered from numerous sources during background conversations and scouting about different players,' Ferry said in the statement. 'I repeated those comments during a telephone conversation reviewing the draft and free agency process. Those words do not reflect my views, or words that I would use to describe an individual and I certainly regret it. I apologise to those I offended and to Luol, who I reached out to Monday morning.' An investigation into Ferry's comments also led to the discovery of a racist email sent by co-owner Bruce Levenson. He has since announced that he will sell his controlling stake in the team. | Miami Heat star Luol Deng has hit back at racist comments made by Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry .
Ferry said Deng 'has a little bit of African in him' during a conference call relating to scouting reports in June .
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has since disciplined Ferry .
Ferry made the remarks about Deng while pursuing him as a free agent .
NBA franchise did not disclose details of the discipline .
Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson is also selling his controlling stake in the team after a racist email sent by him was discovered . |
286,495 | ff375361612460e1360e51d19e61803677aa1f5b | Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner and World War II officer who survived a horrific plane crash, a seven-week journey across the Pacific in a raft, near starvation and unspeakable torture in Japanese POW camps, has died. He was 97. The cause of death was pneumonia, his family said in a statement from Universal Pictures, which is making a film adaptation of "Unbroken," Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling chronicle about Zamperini's life. "Having overcome insurmountable odds at every turn in his life, Olympic runner and World War II hero Louis Zamperini has never broken down from a challenge. He recently faced the greatest challenge of his life with a life-threatening case of pneumonia. After a 40-day long battle for his life, he peacefully passed away in the presence of his entire family, leaving behind a legacy that has touched so many lives," the Zamperini family said in a statement. "His indomitable courage and fighting spirit were never more apparent than in these last days." On her Facebook page, Hillenbrand wrote, "Farewell to the grandest, most buoyant, most generous soul I ever knew. Thank you, Louie, for all you gave to me, to our country, and to the world. I will never forget our last, laughing talk, your singsong 'I love you! I love you!' and the words you whispered to me when you last hugged me goodbye, words that left me in happy tears, words that I will remember forever. I will love you and miss you to the end of my days. Godspeed, sweet Louie." Angelina Jolie, the director of the "Unbroken" film, added, "It is a loss impossible to describe. We are all so grateful for how enriched our lives are for having known him. We will miss him terribly." Zamperini's tale is one of those that would be dismissed as fiction if it weren't true. A wild child who grew up in Torrance, California, he was tamed by a love for running and an unquenchable competitiveness. At 19, he ran the 5,000 meters at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin despite mere weeks of training at that distance. He missed a medal but, in his determination to catch the leaders, ran his last lap in an astonishing 56 seconds. With the 1940 Olympics canceled due to the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps prior to Pearl Harbor and eventually became a bombardier on the sometimes unwieldy B-24 Liberator, nicknamed the "Flying Brick." In late May of 1943, he and a crew took off on a search mission for a fallen pilot. Somewhere over the open Pacific, the plane failed and crashed into the ocean. Zamperini and two colleagues survived, but their troubles were just beginning. He and the other crew members had to survive 47 days on a raft, in scorching sunlight and often without drinking water. They collected rain when it fell and killed albatrosses who alit on the raft. Sharks constantly circled beneath them. One person died on the journey. When Zamperini and his buddy, pilot Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips, finally washed ashore on a Pacific island, they found they had drifted 2,000 miles -- only to be taken in as prisoners of war by the Japanese. Life only got harder. The men were fed poorly and feared being killed by their captors. Zamperini was singled out for abuse by one camp sergeant, nicknamed "the Bird," who beat him regularly in psychotic fury. Zamperini was declared dead by the U.S. military. Yet he endured. As documented in "Unbroken," after the war, Zamperini struggled to adjust. He drank heavily. He had trouble sleeping. He wanted revenge on the Bird. But, thanks to a newfound faith -- inspired by visits to Billy Graham's Los Angeles Crusade in 1949 -- and an unshakable spirit, he overcame his troubles and became an inspirational speaker. He established a camp for troubled youths called Victory Boys Camp. His wife, Cynthia, was a cornerstone of his life. They were married for more than 50 years, until her death in 2001. He also forgave his wartime tormenters, some of them in person during a 1950 visit to a Tokyo prison where they were serving sentences for war crimes. He was willing to forgive the Bird, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, though Watanabe refused to meet with Zamperini when he had the chance, in 1998, when Zamperini returned to Japan to carry the torch at the Nagano Winter Games. Scott Blackmun, CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, issued a statement offering condolences to the family and saying, "We're proud to say that among his many accomplishments and triumphs, Mr. Zamperini was an Olympian. His fighting spirit was a true representation of Team USA and our country, both in Berlin and throughout his life. His presence will be missed." Hillenbrand's book was released in November 2010. It remains on the bestseller lists almost four years later. Jolie's movie is scheduled to be released Christmas Day. "It will be hard to make a film worthy of this great man," she told the Hollywood Reporter in 2013. "I am deeply honored to have the chance and will do all I can to bring Louie's inspiring story to life." People we lost in 2014 . | "Farewell to the grandest, most buoyant, most generous soul I ever knew" -- Hillenbrand .
Louis Zamperini is the subject of bestseller and upcoming film "Unbroken"
Zamperini survived plane crash, weeks on raft, Japanese POW camps .
After World War II, he became inspirational speaker . |
215,231 | a2a0cc0c0059edd47eb1e48264c428fe51e605fc | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:11 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:59 EST, 11 July 2013 . The president and CEO of the railway's parent company says an employee failed to properly set the brakes of the train that crashed into a town in Quebec, killing at least 15 people while another 45 remain missing. Edward Burkhardt made the comments during a visit Wednesday to the town that was devastated by the runaway oil train four days ago. 'It was questionable whether hand brakes were put I place at this time,' Burkhardt said. 'I don't think any employees removed brakes. They failed to set the brakes.' 'I think he did something wrong ...We think he applied some hand brakes but the question is did he apply enough of them. 'He said he applied 11 hand brakes we think that's not true. Initially we believed him but now we don't.' Scroll down for videos . Inferno: 15 people are now confirmed dead and 45 are still missing as the train company president said the accident was caused by an employee failing to lock the set the brakes . Razed: The number of people missing who may have been vaporized in the explosion is now up to 45 . What went wrong: Safety inspectors search the wreckage for clues on Wednesday as they try to determine the cause of the crash. The company president made the announcement about the brakes today as well . In memory: A makeshift memorial is set up, as much of the town is still struggling with the possibility that 60 people died in the crash. The lack of bodies hints that they may have vaporized in the heat . He said a train engineer has been suspended without pay. All told, 15 bodies have been found but they are so badly burned that they are unidentifiable. That . number does not include the 15 people whose bodies were burnt so badly . that they are unidentifiable, bringing the total number up to 60. Burkhardt said that he had stayed in Chicago to deal with the crisis in his office, where he was better able to communicate with insurers and officials in different places during what he described as 20-hour work days. At a press conference, shortly before Burkhardt was due to arrive in Lac-Megantic, Quebec Premier Pauline Marois faulted the company's response in the wake of the disaster. 'We have realized there are serious gaps from the railway company from not having been there and not communicating with the public,' Marois said. She also announced a $60million fund to help victims in Lac-Megantic and to rebuild the town. Burkhardt . visited the devastated town a day after police announced they were . pursuing a painstaking, wide-ranging criminal investigation of the . inferno ignited by the derailment of the oil train that demolished the . center of this lakeside town of 6,000. Flanked . by reporters at Montreal's Trudeau airport Tuesday evening, Burkhardt . suggested firefighters who extinguished an earlier fire on the same . train shared some of the blame. Long road ahead: Rescue workers comb the debris for evidence of survivors following the huge train crash on Saturday which devastated the small town of Lac-Megantic in Quebec . 'We . have responsibility for this incident. We don't have total . responsibility but we have partial responsibility,' Burkhardt said in . remarks broadcast on CTV. Quebec . police inspector Michel Forget announced Wednesday morning that the . number of missing had risen to 60, a number that included the 15 bodies . recovered so far that have been burnt beyond recognition. Police had . earlier put the number of missing at 50. Mr . Forget said the numbers remained in flux as reports of missing people . trickled in or people believed to be missing turned out to be alive. Mr . Forget had earlier ruled out terrorism as a cause, but said that an . array of other possibilities remain under investigation, including . criminal negligence. Other officials have raised the possibility that . the train was tampered with before the crash early Saturday. Debris: Terrorism has been ruled out as a possible cause but there is still a criminal investigation underway . Shells: Burnt cars are seen near the train wreckage which was traveling far too fast when it went off the rails, investigators told reporters on Tuesday . 'We're not at the stage of arrests.' The . heart of the town's central business district is being treated as a . crime scene and remained cordoned off by police tape - not only the 30 . buildings razed by the fire but also many adjacent blocks. On . downtown's main street - Rue de Laval - police positioned a truck near . the perimeter of the no-go zone, which prevented news crews from getting . direct photo and video views of the search operations being conducted . by some 200 officers. Police . officials left no doubt that the hunt for the missing people was taxing . - they said two officers were withdrawn from the sector because of . worries about their physical condition. 'This . is a very risky environment,' said Quebec Provincial Police Sgt. Benoit . Richard. 'We have to secure the safety of those working there. We have . some hotspots on the scene. There is some gas.' The . Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway train broke loose early Saturday . and hurtled downhill through the darkness nearly seven miles (11 . kilometers) before jumping the tracks at 63 mph (101 kph) in . Lac-Megantic, in eastern Quebec near the Maine border, investigators . said. All but one of the 73 cars were carrying oil. At least five . exploded. Still standing: The Sainte-Agnes Catholic Church stands unscathed next to the derailment and blast site . Vast devastation: A police officer walks amongst axle gear and the battered tankers which careered downhill . Desolate: Burnt down houses and cars are seen near the train wreckage where 40 people remain unaccounted for amid fears that their bodies may have vaporized in the extreme heat . Terror: Burnt cars are seen near the train wreckage in Lac Megantic on Saturday. The crude oil freight train derailed and blew up causing residents to run for their lives . Rail dispatchers . had no chance to warn anyone during the runaway train's 18-minute . journey because they didn't know it was happening themselves, . Transportation Safety Board officials said. Such warning systems are in place on busier lines but not on secondary lines, said TSB manager Ed Belkaloul. At . the center of the destruction is the Musi-Cafe, a popular bar that was . filled at the time of the explosion, which also forced about 2,000 of . the town's 6,000 residents from their homes. By . Tuesday, only about 800 were still barred from returning to their . houses, though residents were cautioned to boil tap water before . drinking it. Efforts . continued to stop waves of crude oil spilled in the disaster from . reaching the St. Lawrence River, the backbone of the province's water . supply. Investigators . searching for a cause of the accident are looking closely at the fire . that happened on the train less than an hour before it got loose while . parked in the nearby town of Nantes. Carnage: Emergency workers are seen at the site of the train wreckage in the small French-Canadian town close to Montreal . Smouldering: A single column of a building still stands as the rest of the structure has been reduced to rubble around it . The . train's engine was shut down - standard operating procedure dictated by . the train's owners, Nantes Fire Chief Patrick Lambert said. Burkhardt . suggested that shutting off the locomotive to put out the fire might . have disabled the brakes. 'The . train had the engine shut down by the firemen, they didn't do that for . malicious purposes by it's what happens,' Burkhardt told reporters at . the Montreal airport. 'The . firemen should have roused the locomotive engineer who was in his hotel . and taken him to the scene with them. But it's easy to say what should . have happened. We're dealing with what happened.' Lambert . defended the fire department, saying that the blaze was extinguished . within about 45 minutes and that's when firefighters' involvement ended. The . accident has thrown a spotlight on MMA's safety record: over the past . decade, the company has consistently recorded a much higher accident . rate than the national average in the U.S., according to data from the . Federal Railroad Administration. Last . year, for instance, the railroad had 36.1 accidents per million miles . traveled by its trains. The national average for 2012 was 14.6. Crushed: The tankers may have been tampered with, transport officials said on Tuesday . Fearing the worst: Exhausted firefighters take a much-needed break on a set of train wheels as they worked to recover the now 45 suspected missing residents . Before . the Lac-Megantic accident, the company had 34 derailments since 2003, . according to the federal agency. Over that period, the company was . involved in five accidents that had reportable damage of more than . $100,000. The severity of . those incidents, however, is difficult to determine from the federal . agency's 10-year data overviews on railroad safety. But . before the weekend accident, incidents involving the company's trains . had resulted in just one death. That 2006 accident involved a vehicle . that struck a moving train at a highway crossing. Burkhardt said the figures were misleading. 'This . is the only significant mainline derailment this company has had in the . last 10 years. We've had, like most railroads, a number of smallish . incidents, usually involving accidents in yard trackage and industry . trackage,' he told the CBC. Hard choices: Emergency personnel look over the debris from a runaway train as a crane removes some of the destruction . Melded: Piles of destroyed cars are heaped together showing the force of the explosion . Nonetheless, . Burkhardt predicted the accident would lead to changes in the way . railways operate, and indicated that MMA would no longer leave loaded . trains unattended, a practice he said was standard in the industry. The . tanker cars involved in the crash were the DOT-111 type - a staple of . the American freight rail fleet whose flaws have been noted as far back . as a 1991 safety study. Experts . say the DOT-111's steel shell is so thin that it is prone to puncture . in an accident, potentially spilling cargo that can catch fire, explode . or contaminate the environment. | 15 dead but unidentified because of bad burns after train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded on Saturday after several tankers came loose .
Town of Lac-Megantic in Quebec was engulfed in a massive inferno .
45 people missing as experts say they may have been vaporized in blast . |
122,283 | 2a119ac8b86bd833a069e60144d5a6fa96b8394e | By . James Tozer . and Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 16 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:35 EST, 16 January 2013 . A choirmaster who allegedly raped a pupil at a leading private school told the girl that she 'bewitched him' while grooming her, a court heard today. Former National Youth Choir director Michael Brewer is accused of tying the girl to a . bed with a belt before being told by his wife Hilary to . ‘show her what he’d done to her’. The pair, both 68, are on trial over sex offences dating back more than 30 years, with the former choirmaster alleged to have had a two-year teacher-pupil . affair. Trial: Michael Brewer appeared at Manchester Crown Square Crown Court charged with rape and six counts of indecent assault following a police investigation, along with his wife Hilary Brewer . The alleged victim detailed how their . relationship progressed in 1978 when she was aged 14 from hugs in his . school office to kisses, intimate touching and then full sex. Giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court today, she said: 'Very quickly Mike would . tell me that I bewitched him. That he found me irresistible, that he . found me wise and wonderful, hugely talented and that these feelings . could not be wrong because they felt so right. The former pupil told the . court that she had felt 'nurtured in many ways' and that Brewer made her . feel 'special' and 'flattered'. She added: 'I did not feel at the . time I was a victim. It was a relationship that developed in a . completely normal way. We would kiss, he would touch me.' Nurtured: The former pupil, giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court, said that Michael Brewer told her she 'bewitched him' She told the jury she had not had any normal relationships at that stage after being abused by an uncle at a much earlier age. 'I now realise I was at the hands of paedophiles,' she said. Most of the abuse was said to have taken place in his office and his camper van which was parked on the grounds of Chetham’s . School in Manchester. She said the pair would often go into . the van together and said 'it was very easy for a teacher to take a . student out of school in those days'. The woman added: 'He liked me to perform oral sex on him when he drove.' She said their relationship 'intensified' when she was 15, becoming more obvious to others at the school. Sexual relations also took place when . she visited the then Brewer family home in Chorlton, Manchester, as his . ex-wife and children slept upstairs, she alleged. She eventually left the school to . study abroad but received a stream of letters from Brewer who signed . them Mat - which she said stood for Middle Aged Teacher. 'I had almost daily letters telling . me how much he loved me, how he missed me, he was going to leave his . wife when the time was right,' she explained. Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, previously told . the court Brewer was a brilliant and charismatic teacher whose only . problem was that he ‘could not keep his hands off’ the girls at the school. Prestigious: Brewer was director of music at the renowned Chetham's School in Manchester until 1994 . The alleged abuse culminated when she . visited the couple at home aged 18 and was told Mrs Brewer knew of the . affair. Mrs Brewer is said to have told the teenager ‘she had always . wanted a sexual relationship with a woman’ and that the girl ‘owed her’ because of what had happened with her husband. The girl was taken upstairs and forced . to take part in a sex act by Mrs Brewer, who displayed a ‘great . thrill’, said Mr Cadwallader. She was loosely tied to a bed using a . belt, the jury was told, before Mrs Brewer told her husband to ‘show her . what he’d done’ to her, and the pair had sex. Brewer went on to target at least two more girls, the court was told, one of which resulted in a sexual affair. The first, a boarder at Chetham’s at . the same time as the alleged victim, was said to have been propositioned . during a school trip when she was 17. Brewer pinned her up against the wall . in a dark corridor and told her ‘You want it really, don’t you?’, Mr . Cadwallader said. But she told him to ‘**** off’, ducked out of the way . and ran back to her dormitory, he said. Around 15 years later, in the . mid-1990s, Brewer allegedly groomed a 16-year-old, first giving her . ‘platonic’ hugs in his office before moving on to kisses. Court hearing: The charges relate to the alleged abuse and rape of a teenage girl . Eventually he began helping to take . off her top and suggesting she perform a sex act on him, the court . heard. But one evening principal Peter Hullah knocked on Brewer’s door . and heard ‘scuffling’.Brewer called out ‘Wait a minute’ and, when Mr . Hullah was allowed in, the girl could be seen exiting by a second door. Following an inquiry that year, 1994, Brewer resigned. The trial was told the original . alleged victim later told several people of her affair with Brewer but . never directly complained to police. However three decades on she told a . doctor who did inform detectives, resulting in the now divorced . couple’s arrest. The court heard the former pupil had been a hugely gifted musician. But she was also a disruptive, . badly-behaved teenager who used alcohol from a young age and had been . sexually abused by a relative. Brewer groomed her and the later pupil . through flattery, Mr Cadwallader said, ‘commenting on their figure, . their dress’ and also ‘their musical talent’. He would encourage the first girl to . take part in sex acts in his office, telling her to use a side door . rather than the main entrance so his secretary didn’t become suspicious, . the jury was told. Her bad behaviour eventually led to her being suspended, and she was sent to live with the Brewers. By the time she was 15 he was treating . her as his girlfriend, taking her to pubs and allegedly indecently . assaulting her beside a canal. Court: The pair have both pleaded not guilty at their trial at Manchester Crown Court, pictured . She went to study music abroad when . she was 16, but on her return to Britain went to visit the Brewers where . the alleged rape took place. At the time, she didn’t regard what happened as abuse and saw it as ‘a small price to pay for the affection’ he showed her. ‘The prosecution case is very much . that he abused that position using his power, influence and personality . to seduce her,’ Mr Cadwallader added. The alleged victim began her evidence yesterday by describing how her home life was ‘hell’. She said she thought Brewer was ‘the bee’s knees’, ‘a special teacher’ who needed to be ‘worshipped’ by his pupils. Brewer, of Selly Oak, Birmingham, denies one count of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault. His ex-wife, of Rossendale, Lancashire, denies one count of indecent assault and one of aiding and abetting rape. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Michael Brewer accused of abusing teenagers at Chetham's School .
His wife Hilary is also on trial for allegedly helping him rape a girl .
Woman, now aged 48, gave evidence at Manchester Crown Court today .
Said teacher made her feel 'nurtured' and told how relationship progressed from hugs to full sex . |
20,201 | 39569afc07ab54087ba02dc8252be864ff4c9b50 | (CNN) -- At least 25 people were killed in what the United Nations called Friday a shocking escalation of violence in Ivory Coast, wracked by an electoral crisis that many fear is sliding toward another civil war. Doctors Without Borders treated 66 people with gunshot wounds and injuries caused by shell explosions in the wake of the attacks, according to a news release from the medical aid group. Women and children were among those injured, the statement said. France, Ivory Coast's former colonial ruler, condemned Thursday's "deliberate massacre of civilians" and called on the U.N. Security Council to adopt sanctions against self-declared President Laurent Gbagbo and his circle, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero. The international community has widely recognized Gbagbo's challenger, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner of a November election and the legitimate leader of the west African nation. But Gbagbo has refused to cede power, with the stalemate resulting in uncertainty and bloodshed. The United Nations refugee agency reported heavy shelling in the Abobo neighborhood of Abidjan was responsible for the deaths. Many more were injured. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the shelling and urged the U.N. Security Council to take "further measures" against those found responsible for the violence. He said the U.N. would "continue to take the necessary steps to protect the civilian population." A statement from Amnesty International provided more details about the violence Thursday. Mortar shells fell on a market, the rights group said, describing it as one of the most serious incidents in the city since the current crisis erupted. "This afternoon, before one o'clock prayers, women were selling their goods in the market ... in Abobo," an eyewitness told an Amnesty International researcher. "Everything was quiet when suddenly we heard an awful sound and a shell hit the ground. At least 10 people, mainly women, were killed and others wounded." Another eyewitness told the group's researcher that the attacks came just after prayers. "A woman ... came in with her baby," according to the news release. "She was hit by a shell and died in the hospital a few hours afterwards. Her baby was wounded. Another 16 month-year-old baby was killed by the same shell." Earlier in the week, attacks were reported in other parts of Abidjan, the commercial center of Ivory Coast, said a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "We are shocked at the escalating violence in (Ivory Coast), particularly in Abidjan, where this week was by far the most violent since the post-election crisis began," the agency spokesman said at a briefing Friday. A UNHCR monitor reported that 30 shops were burned Thursday and empty bullet shell casings littered the streets. A community radio station was also attacked and set on fire in the neighborhood of Adjame, and sporadic gunfire was heard in several districts of Yopougon, where heavy fighting took place Monday. The intensifying urban warfare has displaced hundreds of thousands of people attempting to flee to safer ground. About 75,000 have crossed borders, most into Liberia, according to the U.S. State Department. But thousands of others are out of their homes within Ivory Coast. Humanitarian agencies have reported hampered aid distribution due to security concerns and harassment. Human Rights Watch has blamed the violence on Gbagbo's security forces and said their actions give "every indication of amounting to crimes against humanity." | NEW: Women and children are among the dead in market attack, says Doctors Without Borders .
U.N. chief condemns killings, calls for Security Council action .
At least 25 people were killed Thursday, the U.N. refugee agency says .
France condemns the violence and calls for sanctions . |
204,865 | 953b76e4389aed371d43fc5503a2567ee68a2d60 | (CNN) -- The hostage standoff between Philippines forces and separatist rebels is over, a military spokesman said Friday. Government forces killed 15 of the rebels and rescued six hostages in fighting that began Thursday and lasted into early Friday, Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said. The freed hostages told troops they believe no one else is being held by the separatist group, the Moro National Liberation Front, which took 180 people hostage in the coastal city of Zamboanga more than two weeks ago. Efforts to negotiate the hostages' release failed, resulting in intense bursts of fighting that had left 158 people dead as of Thursday, including 125 members of the MNLF, the government-run Philippines News Agency said. Troops have captured 186 rebels and are now in a clearing operation to sweep the region of any remaining rebels, Zagala said. "We have severely diminished the numbers of the faction, but we will not rest until we have cleared the area," he said. The rebels are part of the MNLF, a separatist movement founded in 1971 by Nur Misuari with the aim of establishing an autonomous region for Muslims in the mainly Catholic Philippines. The MNLF signed a peace deal with the central government in Manila in 1996, but some of its members have broken away to continue a violent campaign. At least 3 dead in Philippines bombing . CNN's Tim Schwarz, Kathy Quiano and Jethro Mullen contributed to this report. | Philippines military says all hostages freed from separatist group in Zamboanga .
Troops killed 15 rebels, freed six hostages in overnight fighting, spokesman says .
The military says it's sweeping the region for any remaining rebels . |
68,272 | c1a9ec313ffccfe8b6bef8275316c2db867f57ce | Washington (CNN) -- Five people, including three police officers, have been indicted on charges related to the beating death of a Latino man in rural Pennsylvania in July 2008, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Two indictments charge the five with federal hate crimes, obstruction of justice and conspiracy in what authorities are calling a racially motivated attack. The indictments come almost six months after a Schuylkill County jury acquitted two teens of aggravated assault and one of murder in the death of Luis Ramirez. The undocumented Mexican immigrant was beaten into a coma during a street brawl involving the teens and their friends on a residential street in Shenandoah. The incident divided the small, rural mining town along racial lines and became a flash point for racial tensions nationwide. After the verdict, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell denounced the attack as racially motivated and called on the Justice Department to intervene. A federal grand jury handed up the indictments last week, and they were unsealed Tuesday. The two young men, Derrick Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky, are accused of a hate crime for beating Ramirez while shouting racial epithets at him, according to the department. If convicted of hate crime charges, Donchak and Piekarsky face a maximum penalty of life in prison. Donchak also faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted of obstruction, and an additional five years on the charge of conspiring to obstruct justice. Donchak also faces three counts of conspiring to obstruct justice and related offences. He is accused of attempting to orchestrate a coverup with members of the Shenandoah Police Department, the Justice Department said. Shenandoah Police Chief Matthew Nestor and Lt. William Moyer and Officer Jason Hayes are charged with conspiring to obstruct justice in the Ramirez investigation. Moyer faces additional charges of witness and evidence tampering and making false statements to the FBI. Nestor, Moyer and Hayes intentionally failed to "memorialize or record" statements made by Piekarsky about the incident, and "wrote false and misleading official reports" that "intentionally omitted information about the true nature of the assault and the investigation," the indictment said. Nestor, Moyer and Hayes each face up to 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction charges if convicted, authorities said, along with an additional five years on the charges of conspiring to obstruct justice. Moyer faces an additional five years if convicted of making false statements to the FBI. At the time of Ramirez's death, Hayes was dating Piekarsky's mother and Moyer's son was a high school freshman who played football with the youths involved in the attack, according to the indictment. State prosecutors alleged that a group of teens including Donchak and Piekarsky, then 19 and 17, baited Ramirez into a confrontation after a night of drinking. Donchak and Piekarsky were walking home from a local festival when they encountered Ramirez and attacked him, "striking and kicking him while members of the group yelled racial slurs at him," the Justice Department said. Prosecutors alleged Piekarsky delivered a fatal kick to Ramirez's head after Ramirez was knocked to the ground. A medical examiner ruled Ramirez died from blunt-force trauma to the head. In June, an all-white Pennsylvania jury acquitted Piekarsky of third-degree murder and convicted him and Donchak of misdemeanor simple assault. The two were also found not guilty of aggravated assault, ethnic intimidation and hindering apprehension. Donchak was convicted of corrupting minors for providing the alcohol to his friends before the fight. The two were sentenced to up to 23 months in the county jail. After the verdict, Rendell sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recommending the Justice Department pursue civil rights charges. "The evidence suggests that Mr. Ramirez was targeted, beaten and killed because he was Mexican," Rendell wrote. "Such lawlessness and violence hurts not only the victim of the attack, but also our towns and communities that are torn apart by such bigotry and intolerance." Gladys Limon, an attorney representing Crystal Dillman, Ramirez's fiancee, said Dillman welcomes the indictments, but remains fearful for her safety. Dillman has moved to an undisclosed location outside Shenandoah. Her truck was vandalized, and some people have yelled racial epithets at her on the streets, the attorney said. "She is overwhelmed and is feeling a range of emotions," Limon said. "His family has suffered a great deal in the past year." It has been particularly hard for Ramirez's family as the holidays approach, she said. "The children miss their father. Crystal misses having him around for the holidays," Limon said. "Crystal says this is a gift from God, that this will bring justice to Luis." A petition calling for federal charges in the case garnered 50,000 signatures, Limon said. A hearing in the case was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. "The FBI wants to hear from anyone who may have information regarding alleged civil rights violations or public corruption in Schuylkill County," the Justice Department said Tuesday. Those with information can contact the Allentown, Pennsylvania, FBI office. CNN's Emanuella Grinberg, Rose Arce and Jacinth Planer contributed to this report. | NEW: Attorney says victim's fiancee calls indictments a "gift from God" that "will bring justice"
Indictments include hate crime, obstruction, conspiracy, misconduct, extortion charges .
2 people charged with hate crime for beating man in 2008 while shouting racial epithets .
Justice Department alleges "scheme to obstruct the investigation of the fatal assault" |
100,484 | 0d73dace964e0cd7cf5aad9b10d3a5b9e62eb7a5 | By . Ruth Styles . The last king to sit on it was poisoned at his own wedding, so it was perhaps no surprise that the Queen preferred not to take the Iron Throne when she visited the Game of Thrones set. Instead, the monarch inspected the seat, which is made from interlaced iron swords, from a safe distance before getting a closer look at the royal treasury of Westeros, laid out beside it. She was, however, happy to hold a tiny replica and beamed as she met cast members, among them Kit Harington who plays Jon Snow, Lena Headey who plays Queen Cersei Lannister and Sophie Turner who plays Sansa Stark. Scroll down for video . One will not be sitting there! The Queen looks reluctant to take the famous Iron Throne, instead choosing to inspect it from a safe distance . Nice . to meet you: The Queen is introduced to Game of Thrones cast members, . among them Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) No thank you! The Queen looks less than impressed as she examines the throne, watched by Game of Thrones star Lena Headey . The set, which is in Belfast's recently completed Titanic Quarter, is where many of the scenes inside King's Landing - the royal palace of Westeros - are filmed. Home to the wicked queen Cersei Lannister, King's Landing was the scene of several Machiavellian plots and scores of unpleasant murders, among them that of the 'Mad King' Aerys II Targaryen who was stabbed in the back by Cersei's brother, Jaime. Luckily for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the cast were on their best behaviour and chatted politely with the royal couple as they showed them around the set. Maisie Williams, the 17-year-old star who plays the spirited Arya Stark, was the first of the actors to chat to the monarch. 'She kept commenting on how uncomfortable the throne looked, that was funny,' she said. Looks uncomfortable! Buckingham Palace refused to say whether the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh watch Game of Thrones . Curious? The Queen steps a little closer to the throne which according to Westeros legend, is made from more than 1000 swords - is she tempted to take a seat? One is amused! The Queen seemed in good spirits during her tour of the set while the Duke of Edinburgh was fascinated by the knives and swords . 'I don't think I've ever been as nervous . to meet anybody,' added Headey. 'I didn't think I was, and then I saw her appear and I . suddenly thought, "it's the Queen, the real Queen"! She was really cool and gorgeous and delightful. 'I . think of everything she has done and everything she has achieved and . the fact she is still interested even though she has met countless . people and talked about numerous things.' Equally excited was Harrington. 'Being here and meeting the Queen, it's . pretty amazing that the show has done that and she has come to see the . sets. It gives it some sense of scale,' he said. 'She is an . incredible person. She has an incredible presence about her. To meet . someone who has been on the throne as long as she has and has seen the . things she has, it's quite an experience.' One has better jewels in the Tower! The Queen looked less than impressed with the contents of the Westeros royal treasury . Nice to meet you: The Queen chats to Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) while the Duke speaks to Lena Heady and Kit Harington . Captivated: . The Queen and Prince Philip were both fascinated by the huge array of . props - most of which took the form of swords and knives . Chatty . couple: The Queen and Prince Phillip seem to have lots of questions for . the Game of Thrones cast, among them Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington . Nervous? Rose Leslie (Ygritte), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Kit Harrington (Jon . Snow) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) await the arrival of the Queen . The HBO drama, which emerged from a set of fantasy novels by George R. R Martin, is thought to be loosely based on the Wars of the Roses, which saw two opposing dynasties battle it out for the throne of England. With York on one side and Lancaster on . the other, England was convulsed by a series of battles, dastardly plots . and pretenders lurking on the other side of the Channel until, with the . death of Richard III, Lancaster finally triumphed. The Queen, who also holds the title and . the lands of the Duchy of Lancaster, had earlier been given a snapshot . into the UK's more recent bloody past, visiting the infamous Crumlin . Road Gaol, accompanied by former inmate Martin McGuinness. McGuinness, who remains a controversial . figure thanks to his links to the IRA, also met the Queen for a . 10-minute meeting at Hillsborough Castle, her official residence in . Northern Ireland, last night. Not as good as the Crown Jewels! The Queen showed a healthy interest during her tour of the set and looked particularly interested in the trappings . A . fan in the making? The Queen seemed keen to learn more about the . programme although Buckingham Palace refused to say whether she watches . the show . More manageable? The Queen holds a miniature . Iron Throne and seems slightly happier with its size compared to the . original throne . Wicked . queen: In the fantasy world of Westeros, the evil Queen Cersei rules . the roost - with the help of her brother, and erstwhile lover, Jaime . Lannister . Afterwards, he told the BBC that the meeting was about 'reaching out the hand of friendship to the Unionist community'. 'I met Queen Elizabeth tonight in my role as Deputy First Minister, representing the entire community,' he added. 'Reconciliation requires bold gestures and this is the third time I have met with Queen Elizabeth as part of that continuing process.' Buckingham Palace declined to say . whether the Queen and Duke are fans of the show. A . spokeswoman said they were 'interested to see the impact the filming . has had on the local economy and the local skills and crafts that make . the show.' The Queen's visit to the Game of Thrones set was one of a series of engagements scheduled in and around Belfast today. After a lunch at Belfast City Hall with local dignitaries, the monarch visited the lovely St George's covered market, where she chatted to stallholders and met well-wishers. She also became the latest victim of an unscheduled royal selfie, as an eager young fan tried to snap a photo with her on his iPhone - much to the consternation of the Queen's security detail. Afterwards, she was driven back to Hillsborough Castle, her Northern Irish official residence, where she and the Duke of Edinburgh joined guests for a party in the sunny garden. Not impressed: The Queen's security detail look horrified as a local boy attempts to take a selfie with the Queen during her visit to St George's market . Adorable: The Queen looks delighted after being presented with a cushion by a tiny well-wisher during her visit to the lovely St George's covered market in Belfast . Enjoying the day: The Queen, who had changed into a pretty pale pink ensemble, beamed as she was introduced to guests at Hillsborough Castle . Prison: The Queen had earlier been given a snapshot into the UK's more recent bloody past at the Crumlin Road Gaol with Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson . | The Queen toured the set of the popular HBO drama during a visit to Belfast's Titanic Quarter .
Although the only real queen on the set, Her Majesty refused to take the famous Iron Throne .
Game of Thrones is loosely based on the Wars of the Roses, which was eventually won by Lancaster .
The Queen herself is descended from Lancaster and is the current holder of both Duchy and title .
She was joined for the visit by stars Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)
Lena Headey, who plays Queen Cersei Lannister, confessed to being nervous before the meeting .
Buckingham Palace refused to say whether the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh watch the HBO show . |
225,804 | b061087eb355dc8263f8f61df3af500d061ece0e | By . Eddie Wrenn . PUBLISHED: . 05:41 EST, 30 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:53 EST, 30 July 2012 . When life becomes a struggle against a common enemy, it is hopefully a time when warring factions can unite and reconcile their differences. Perhaps this is the reason for a startling new co-operative friendship between two factions of dolphins, who before have not even bothered to share a tuna snack between them. The two bottlenose dolphin populations, living in the clear waters of Moreton Bay near Brisbane in Eastern Australia, have rarely interacted - but when fishing boats stopped using the bay, the dolphins got together to forage. Friends reunited: The bottlenose dolphins of Moreton bay are now co-operating on the food forage (file picture) Tranquil coast: Moreton Bay, near Brisbane in Eastern Australia, is home to two tribes of dolphin - now merged into one group . One of the dolphin groups would feed almost entirely on the off-casts from trawler boats, while the other tribe would hunt fish for themselves. In what was called 'the parting of the pods', the dolphins would never associate. But with fishing reduced in the area by around 50 per cent, the dophins 're-engineered' their relationships. Speaking to BBC Nature, Dr Ina Ansmann, marine vertebrate ecologist for the . University of Queensland, said: 'There's never been really any experiments looking at social . structure... where you can compare what it was like before and what it . is like now. Social behaviour: The dolphins became friends again in Moreton Bay, near Brisbane . 'The dolphins had basically re-arranged their whole social system after trawling disappeared so they're now actually interacting again. 'When relying on natural food sources I guess it's more important for . them to interact with others, or to learn from others, or to co-operate . with others to get to these food sources. 'Presumably they're sharing information, co-operating and things like that.' The scientists can tell individual dolphins apart from markings on their dorsal fin - usually scars or notches - and could follow individual dolphins as they moved between packs. The behaviour of the divided animals was first noted in the 1990s, but now they hunt together - and perhaps one dolphin was the peace-broker, as he has is now 'fully integrated' with the other pack. | Two groups in Brisbane join forces to hunt for food .
First time 'joining of the pods' has been seen in the wild . |
135,464 | 3b40e49eabbc36a3c321eb6fee10fb027a47b7bd | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 02:24 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:26 EST, 7 January 2013 . Violent biker gangs from Australia, Canada and the US have arrived in Europe prompting fears of a battle for organised crime markets throughout the continent. Britain has been warned that turf wars could break out as 'Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs' fight for control over the drugs, weapons and human trafficking criminal markets. The European Union's law enforcement agency has now warned of a repeat of the 1990s biker wars that left at least 11 dead. Warning: Hells Angels are among the biker gangs that are expanding, according to Europol . The EUs law enforcement agency says tensions are increasing as gangs arrive from US and Australia (file picture) Europol said the arrival of notorious gangs including Comancheros and Rebels from Australia, Rock Machine from Canada and Mongols and Vagos from the US has exacerbated tensions with established clubs. It has informed police forces across the continent that established gangs are expandings and said there are already ongoing territorial battles with organised crime groups. Football hooligans from Britain and the continent, as well as former military personnel, right-wing extremists and prison gangs are among those expected to be targeted for recruitment. Europol said the four main groups - Outlaws, Hells Angels, Bandidos and Gremium MC - were all increasing their membership, particularly in north east and south east Europe. Outlaws (left) and Bandidos (right) has also increased its membership in recent years . Gerry Tobin, a Hell's Angels member, was murdered by a rival gang . It has warned that gang members are known to use 'extreme forms of violence' including automatic rifles such as Kalashnikovs and grenades 'indiscriminately'. Europol said the number of biker gang chapters in Europe has increased significantly since 2010 and there are now more than 700 chapters across the continent. Experts fear the new wave could lead to a repeat of the Nordic Biker Wars in the 1990s. Eleven people were killed and dozens more injured during a three year battle between the Hells Angels and Bandidos in Scandinavia that involved the use of car bombs and machine guns. Biker gang violence has also been seen in Britain more recently. In 2008 seven members of the South Warwickshire Outlaws were jailed for the murder of Hell's Angel Gerry Tobin, who was shot as he rode his Harley Davidson on the M40 after leaving a biker festival. A Europol spokesperson said: 'The main threat to public safety associated with OMCGs stems from their propensity to use extreme forms of violence... and the indiscriminate nature with which this violence is often used in open conflicts between rival groups.' The spokesperson added: 'Merely establishing a chapter on the ‘turf’ of another OMCG is interpreted as an act of provocation and is likely to result in violent confrontations and retaliation. 'Given the significant expansion of OMCGs and charters in Europe, Europol has informed its law enforcement partners that dedicated monitoring and analysis is needed because of the risk of clashes and the possible impact on the general organised crime situation.' | Gangs from Australia, Canada and the US have travelled to the continent .
Europol has warned it could spark territorial war and increase tensions .
Could lead to battles for control over drugs, weapons and human trafficking . |
47,002 | 846cf1e810a788b6866e9465f9c6cc4efb8ffa69 | (CNN Student News) -- January 13, 2012 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Mississippi . Haiti . New Zealand & Papua New Guinea . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program .
Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
87,712 | f8e68f3519ec1be3be033937f946d5cf186ee88c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:00 AM on 7th July 2011 . The cost of using the internet on a tablet in Europe is to be more than halved (posed by model) Excessive charges for using smartphones and laptops to access the internet and emails while abroad are to be slashed. Travellers can be billed up to 50 times more than at home to download a song, picture or map, generating huge bills. These so-called data roaming charges can be as much as £10.70 per megabyte, which would be equivalent to downloading a single picture or a minute of music. However, the EU has announced plans for a cap that will bring down the average charge of £2 per megabyte to 80p from July next year. There are plans to cut the figure further to 45p in July 2014. The new price regime will only apply to EU citizens visiting another member state. There will be no protection for those travelling to other destinations such as Turkey, the U.S. or Australia. The proposals were outlined by EU digital chief Neelie Kroes, who is hoping new companies, such as supermarkets, will enter the market to increase competition. The eventual aim is to bring the cost of using smartphones and laptops overseas to around the same level as at home. The EU has already capped the price of calls and texts from other EU nations. Monique Goyens, of European consumers' group BEUC, welcomed the price cap, saying: 'It's unjustifiable that data roaming can be 50 times more expensive than when at home.' The move comes after the EU last week extended the cap on mobile phone call roaming charges by a further four years, to 2016. However, it comes as a blow to mobile operators who will also have to comply with new regulations on calls and SMS messages. Savings: The cost in euros of making and receiving calls while abroad has fallen slowly since 2009 . The proposals to cut the cost of data roaming are part of plans by Kroes to slash cross-border mobile charges by 2015. And there will be a clause to phase out the price caps before 2016, should the structural measures result in cheaper international calls. Richard Feasey, public policy director at Vodafone, told the Financial Times: 'It's good the Commission is reflecting on new options for regulating the roaming market and has recognised that price caps have major drawbacks.' Last week an EU directive was introduced to force down the cost of making and receiving mobile phone calls while in Europe. EU's Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes wants to 'address the lack of competition' The rules mean that the maximum . permitted charge will be no more than 32p per minute, excluding VAT, for . calls made while abroad - down from 35p. It also will cost not more than 10p per minute for calls received while abroad in EU countries. The cost of sending a text message remains at a maximum of 10p while it costs nothing to receive one. The . changes bring the EU a step closer to making sure that within three . years it will be the same price to use a mobile either at home or . abroad. Commissioners have . taken action because network operators are making profits of an . astonishing 200 per cent on calls made in Europe and a staggering 400 . per cent on calls received. The cost of sending a text message remains at a maximum of 10p while it costs nothing to receive one. But despite this, existing rules to prevent bill shocks for using the internet on a mobile while abroad remain weak. Operators . must only apply an automatic 50 Euros or £45 cut-off limit on accounts . unless the customer explicitly agrees otherwise, but need not do . anything else. Operators must warn customers when they reach 80 per cent of their limit. The . EU's Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes admitted last week that . despite the cuts, a lack of open competition means operators are still . making massive profits on foreign calls and internet use. Still expensive: Consumers arriving in Europe by air, sea or rail will have the cost of using their phone abroad cut but mobile internet prices are still very high . 'These . latest price caps will temporarily reduce retail prices for making and . receiving voice calls when in another EU country during the coming . year,' he said. 'But we have to tackle roaming problems at the root with a long-lasting structural approach. 'The Commission will therefore be coming forward very shortly with comprehensive new proposals for long-term solutions to address the underlying problem of lack of competition in roaming markets.' Making calls: 3p cheaper . Receiving calls: Capped at 10p per minute . Sending Texts: 10p (maximum) Receiving texts: Free . Data roaming (internet): £45 limit* . Browsing internet or receiving emails: No more than 81p per megabyte from July 2012, falling to 40p by 2014 . * Unless requested. Compulsory maximum roaming rates were first imposed on mobile network operators four years ago to tackle what the Commission called the 'roaming rip-off'. A legal claim by the networks that the Commission was exceeding its powers failed last year, and rates fell further. Action by Brussels against high roaming charges has been one of the most popular consumer-driven moves by the EU. On average there has been a 60 per cent cut in the maximum charges operators could levy on mobile users making or receiving calls while in another EU country since 2007. Last week's additional price drop means mobile roaming charges are about 75 per cent cheaper on average than they were six years ago when the Commission first urged operators to cut their rates voluntarily. The current roaming rules apply until June 2012 and the European Commission is due to present its plans for the following period next week. | Charges for internet on smartphone or tablet in EU more than halved .
Price-cap is a blow to mobile operators .
Cost of calls drops to 32p per minute, down from 35p .
Calls received in Europe to cost no more than 10p per minute .
EU wants same charges at home and abroad by 2015 . |
271,063 | eb1b2a565fedabfb6a062332bf9ea31a362afb0f | The deadly Ebola virus could spread across the world infecting people from the U.S. to China within three weeks, scientists have warned. There is a 50 per cent chance a traveller carrying the disease could touch down in the UK by October 24, a team of U.S. researchers have predicted. Using Ebola spread patterns and airline traffic data they have calculated the odds of the virus spreading across the world. They estimate there is a 75 per cent chance Ebola will reach French shores by October 24. And Belgium has a 40 per cent chance of seeing the disease arrive on its territory, while Spain and Switzerland have lower risks of 14 per cent each. The virus is spreading rapidly across West Africa, with more than 3,400 people known to have died and 7,500 infected. Scroll down for videos . A team of scientists at Northeastern University in Boston have used air travel information to predict where the deadly Ebola virus could reach in the next three weeks . Scientists predicted there is a 50 per cent chance the Ebola virus will reach the UK and a 75 per cent chance it will reach France by October 24 . The disease is spreading rapidly across West Africa, with more than 3,400 people known to have died and 7,500 infected . Using Ebola spread patterns and airline traffic data a team of U.S. scientists have calculated the odds of the virus spreading across the world. Volunteers in Monrovia, Liberia are pictured carrying a man, suspected of having the virus, to a health centre in the capital . The numbers are based on air travel remaining at full capacity, and are being constantly updated by the researchers, who last reviewed the figures based on data from October 1. But assuming there is an 80 per cent reduction in travel to reflect that many airlines are halting flights to affected regions, the scientists predict France's risk is still 25 per cent, and the UK's is 15 per cent. But the researchers, whose work is published in the journal PLOS, said the risks change every day the epidemic continues. Professor Alessandro Vespignani of Northeastern University in Boston, who led the research, said: 'This is not a deterministic list, it's about probabilities – but those probabilities are growing for everyone. 'It's just a matter of who gets lucky and who gets unlucky. 'Air traffic is the driver. 'But there are also differences in connections with the affected countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone), as well as different numbers of cases in these three countries - so depending on that, the probability numbers change.' Dr Derek Gatherer, of Lancaster University, an expert in viruses who has been tracking the epidemic, said: 'It's really a lottery. 'If this thing continues to rage on in West Africa and indeed gets worse, as some people have predicted, then it's only a matter of time before one of these cases ends up on a plane to Europe.' Nigeria, Senegal and the U.S. - where the first case was diagnosed on Tuesday - have all seen people carrying the haemorrhagic fever virus, apparently unwittingly, arrive on their shores. Experts warn the virus could also reach Belgium, Spain and Switzerland within the next three weeks . France is among the countries deemed most likely to be hit next, because the worst affected countries include Guinea, a French-speaking country with busy travel links back. Britain lies dangerously in the path of the virus, due to Heathrow's status as one of the world's biggest travel hubs, with frequent links to Nigeria. The researchers at Northeastern University, in Boston, calculated the countries most at risk in the short term, are: . France and Britain have each treated one national who was brought home with the disease and then cured. The scientists' study suggests that more may bring it to Europe not knowing they are infected. The World Health Organisation has not placed any restrictions on air travel and has encouraged airlines to keep flying to the worst-hit countries. British Airways and Emirates have suspended some flights but other airlines continue to fly to the region. Patients diagnosed with Ebola, which is transmitted via bodily fluids, are most contagious when they reach the terminal stage. In its final attack on the body, the virus causes both internal and external bleeding, profuse vomiting and diarrhoea, all of which can contain high concentrations of the infectious virus. There is still a high risk of the virus being passed on in earlier stages, especially since people may not know they are infected, with symptoms taking between two and 21 days to emerge. It is therefore feared a sufferer could travel to Britain without knowing they had the disease and infect others. Last week Thomas Eric Duncan became the first patient to fly into America without knowing he had Ebola and 114 people came into contact with him before he was diagnosed. Study author and expert in viruses who has been tracking the epidemic, Dr Derek Gatherer, of Lancaster University, said: 'It's really a lottery.' Volunteers are pictured pushing a cart through the streets of Monrovia, Liberia, carrying a suspected victim of the deadly virus to a local health centre . Nigeria, Senegal and the U.S. - where the first case was diagnosed on Tuesday - have all seen people carrying the haemorrhagic fever virus, apparently unwittingly, arrive on their shores. A man suspected of having Ebola waits to be admitted to the Island Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia - one of the worst hit nations . They were tracked down by health authorities and ten remain under surveillance. Within the European Union, free movement of people means someone unknowingly infected with Ebola could easily drive through several neighbouring countries before feeling ill and seeking help, and spend weeks in contact with friends or strangers before becoming sick enough to show up on airport scanners. Vital supplies destined to help in the fight against Ebola raging through Sierra Leone have been sitting idly on a dock side for nearly two months. A shipping container packed with medical supplies has been locked at Freetown port in the country since August 9, the New York Times reported. It contains 100 bags and boxes of hospital linens, 100 cases of protective suits, 80 of face masks, as well as gloves, stretchers, mattresses and other supplies vital to helping fight the epidemic. The items were donated by individuals and hospitals in the U.S., according to Chernoh Alpha Bah, who organised the shipment. Mr Bah is an opposition politican from President Ernest Bai Koroma's hometown of Makeni - a region hit by the epidemic. A government official, told the NY Times, he believes political tensions may have caused the delay in releasing the supplies, to prevent the opposition benefiting from being seen to bring in the donations. Mr Bah said he expected the shipment to be welcomed by the authorities, and said he he expected the shipping fee of $6,500 would be a small price to pay. He said: 'They are blaming us for shipping in without authorisation. 'It appears all they are interested in is cash donations. And all we have are supplies.' Professor Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at Nottingham University, said many cases 'can slip through the net' despite screening at West African airports. He added: 'Whilst the risk of imported ebola virus remains small, it's still a very real risk and one that won't go away until this outbreak is stopped. Ebola virus isn't just an African problem.' However, the chance of the disease spreading widely or developing into an epidemic in a wealthy, developed country is extremely low, healthcare specialists say. According to the latest Ebola risk assessment from the European Centres of Disease Prevention and Control, which monitors health and disease in the region, 'the capacity to detect and confirm cases...is considered to be sufficient to interrupt any possible local transmission of the disease early'. Dr Gatherer cited Nigeria as an example of how Ebola can be halted with swift and detailed action. Despite being in West Africa and being home to one of the world's most crowded, chaotic cities, Nigeria has managed to contain Ebola's spread to a total of 20 cases and eight deaths, and looks likely to be declared free of the virus in coming weeks. 'Even if we have a worse case scenario where someone doesn't present for medical treatment, or..it's not correctly identified as Ebola, and we get secondary transmission, it's not likely to be a very long secondary transmission chain,' he said. 'People aren't living in very crowded conditions (in Europe), so the disease doesn't have the same environment it has in a shanty town in Monrovia, where the environment is perfect for it to spread. 'It's a different matter in modern western cities with the very sanitised, sterile lives that we live.' So far one Briton, 29-year-old nurse William Pooley, has contracted ebola, but he was diagnosed while volunteering in Sierra Leone and was transported to Britain in an isolation tent. Mr Pooley recovered and was discharged from the Royal Free Hospital in north London 10 days after he landed. | Disease spreading rapidly across West Africa; more than 3,400 people dead and 7,500 infected .
The first case was confirmed in the United States last week .
114 people came into contact with him before he was diagnosed .
Scientists believe an infected person will arrive in the UK before October 24 .
Estimate a 75% chance of the virus reaching France in that time .
Belgium has a 40% chance of the disease reaching its shores, while Spain and Switzerland have lower risks, at 14% each . |
195,986 | 89a4af3d246315433e6806881a8529482cf06866 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:47 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:48 EST, 19 September 2013 . One of two rusting cars hauled out of an Oklahoma lake this week is believed to contain the remains of three teenagers who have been missing since 1970, police say. The blue Chevrolet Camaro matched the description of the car 18-year-olds Thomas Michael Rios and Leah Gail Johnson, and 16-year-old Jimmy Allen Williams were last seen in. An Oklahoma sheriff has now said investigators are confident that three sets of remains found in the car belong to the friends, who were last seen heading to a football match. Vanished: From left, Jimmy Williams, 16, Leah Gail Johnson and . Thomas Michael Rios disappeared in 1970 . Missing: Jimmy Williams poses next to his then brand-new Camaro as a 16-year-old in 1970 . In total, six sets of remains have been found in the two car wrecks, which were discovered as police tested sonar on the lake last week, according to Fox News. 'We believe that we have two vehicles related to two different missing persons cases,' Custer County Sheriff Bruce Peoples said. 'One is a case from Beckham County in 1970, and the other is a case from Washita County in 1969.' Even though the cars are linked to cases years apart, they were found submerged side by side, 12ft under the surface. Bottles of beer were also found in the car believed to belong to the teenagers, according to the Daily Elk Citian. 'None of the human remains in the Camaro show signs of trauma on first inspection, but keep in mind that they're covered in mud and will need to be examined further,' Sheriff Peoples said. Although officers are confident they have found the teenagers, it could take up to a year before DNA results confirm the identities. Police are also just beginning to investigate the remains found in the second car. 'They're getting into the trunk. We don't have any information yet on how many sets of remains may be in there,' Sheriff Peoples said. Scroll down for video . Baffled: The discovery of two rusting vintage cars containing six bodies has reignited the mystery of how three teenagers and three other people vanished more than four decades ago . Evidence: An investigator takes a picture of a shoe at the crime scene where six bodies and two cars were pulled from the lake . Shock discovery: It happened in Custer County, Oklahoma, when officers went to Foss Lake to take out a new sonar detection system, just to see how well it worked . Three bodies believed to be those of local teenagers who disappeared in 1970 were discovered inside the Camaro . The other car - a 1950 model Chevrolet - contained three bodies believed to be those of Washita County residents who went missing in the early 1960s . He added: 'This lake isn’t crystal clear. It’s a . typical western Oklahoma lake with a lot of silt in it. The visibility . is only 6 to 12 inches on a good day,' he said. The mystery surrounding the teenagers' disappearance led to theories that they had stumbled across a crime and been murdered. It is too early to tell what happened to the victims found in the two cars, but Sheriff Peoples said: 'We'll treat it as a crime until we're able to determine it's a simple car wreck.' he added that it was possible the people simply drove into the lake and drowned. Retired Sheriff Howard Sampier had been working the night the teenagers went missing. He said: 'Never really had any good leads to speak of. We never had any sort of lead or idea about the Foss Lake area.' The . friends had told their families they were heading to a football game so . the search for them centered on possible routes they could have taken. A . lake on the route they were supposed to have taken had even been . searched previously, but it turns out the police could have been looking . in the wrong place entirely. Although . the cars were found close to a boat ramp, Sheriff Peoples said the . water is so cloudy it was understandable that they had remained . undetected. Investigation: It could take up to a year to fully identify the remains of those found in the two cars . Closure: The sheriffs office hopes the discovery of the cars will help provide answers to the victims' families . The . second car is thought to contain the remains of a 69-year-old man and . his two friends who went missing in the state in the late 1950s or early . 1960s. Reports yesterday by local station KFOR states that one of the victims in the car thought to have belonged to the teenager has been identified but they are waiting to notify all of the relatives of the victims involved before releasing any names. The teenagers went missing on November 20, 1970. They . are still listed as missing persons and were thought to have been . headed to a football game in nearby Elk City but also could have . detoured to go hunting at Foss Lake. Authorities . discovered the cars accidentally. Betsy Randolph, spokesman for the . Oklahoma Highway Patrol, said dive teams were at Foss Lake conducting . training with sonar when they came upon the vehicles last week. 'So . they went back and did a scheduled dive today and were going to recover . the cars. When they pulled the cars out of the water, the first one . that came out they found bones in the car,' she said. A 1950s Chevrolet similar to the older car which was believed to contain the remains of three people from Washita County, who went missing in the early 1960s . Other victims: Local news reports claim that the three people inside the Chevrolet were a 69-year-old man from Elk City and his two friends . Rusted: Police divers were sent down to investigate the cars before they were pulled out of the lake and the bones were discovered . Investigation: Custer County Sheriff Bruce Peoples said the decomposed nature of the cars made it difficult to positively identify them at the scene . The two cars are seen above. The remains found inside are to be turned over to the medical examiner's office who are expected to use DNA from surviving family members to identify the skeletons . When . they pulled the second car out, another set of bones was discovered. The divers then went back in the water and searched around and found a . skull, she said. Jimmy Allen Williams, 16, and his friends Thomas Michael Rios, 18, and Leah Gail Johnson, 18, disappeared on On Nov. 20, 1970. Jimmy, who had a part time job at a grocery store, had bought himself a brand new Camaro muscle car six days earlier. He told his parents he was going to a football game, but according to reports at the time, he backed up his car to the back door of the home and loaded several shotguns into the trunk with the help of one of his younger brothers. According to one of his friends called Wayne, the three friends were actually going on a shooting trip. Wayne said he was had planned to join them but changed his mind at the last minute because there was not enough room for him in the car. The three teenagers never returned home. The . remains were turned over to the medical examiner's office who are . expected to use DNA from surviving family members to identify the . skeletons. 'We thought it was just going to be stolen vehicles and that's not what it turned out to be, obviously,' Ms Randolph said. Kim Carmichael was a friend of the Camaro's owner, 16-year-old Jimmy Williams. She told Oklahoma's Newsnine.com: 'I just remember how devastated everybody was . 'We lived in a little town ... Nothing like that ever happened in Sayre. At . the time of the disappearance, Ms Carmichael's father was the . undersheriff in nearby Beckham County where the teenagers were last seen. He died in 2003 never knowing what happened. Ms . Carmichael added: 'He said there was nothing ... There were no leads, . no nothing. He said it was just like they vanished into thin air. .'I can't imagine what [Williams'] family was going through if I could see what my dad was going through.' Oklahoma Highway Patrol said they are hoping the . discovery will offer some relief to families who may have gone decades . wondering where a missing loved one was. Ms Randolph added: 'We're hoping these individuals, that . this is going to bring some sort of closure to some families out there . who have been waiting to hear about missing people. Chance find: The two cars were discovered by Highway Patrolmen testing new sonar equipment at Foss Lake near Elk City, Oklahoma . Drudging up clues: There were five skeletons between the two cars . Scene: The cars weer found in Foss Lake near Elk City in western Oklahoma . 'If . that's the case, then we're thrilled we were able to bring some sort of . closure to those families.' The . medical examiner had called a number of relatives of possible victims . to the scene, many of whom said that they never lost hope. 'We . never gave up. We always wanted some clue that somebody knew someone,' said Debbie McManaman, a possible victim's granddaughter. | Sheriff's office 'confident' remains in Camaro belong to three friends who disappeared in 1970 .
Bottles of beer were also found in wreckage .
Two wrecks found as police tested sonar near boat ramp .
Jimmy Williams, 16, Thomas Michael Rios, 18, and Leah Gail Johnson, 18, vanished on way to football match . |
131,142 | 35964eab3a9302dac37ffc94479d84e5010121c7 | New York (CNN) -- The commuter train that jumped its tracks in the Bronx was barreling into a curve at nearly three times the posted speed when it derailed, killing four passengers, federal safety officials said Monday. Preliminary data from the event recorders aboard the train clocked it at 82 mph as it approached the 30-mph curve, where the Hudson and Harlem rivers converge, National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener told reporters. The data show the engineer cut the throttle and slammed on the brakes, but those moves came "very late in the game," Weener said. "This is raw data off the event recorders, so it tells us what happened. It doesn't tell us why it happened," Weener said. Investigators questioned the engineer, William Rockefeller, and the rest of the train crew on Monday. Rockefeller told investigators he applied the brakes, but the train didn't slow down, according to a law enforcement official who was at the scene and is familiar with the investigation. But while the cause of the derailment has not yet been determined, investigators have seen no indication of brake problems, Weener said. All seven coaches and the locomotive came off the tracks in the Sunday morning crash on New York's Metro-North Hudson line. In addition to the four dead, at least 67 more were hurt. Three remained in critical condition Monday night, and 16 others were still hospitalized, hospitals told CNN. The train's recorded speed is not only far faster than the rated speed for the curve where the derailment occurred, it's faster than the 70 mph posted for the section of track that led into the curve, Weener said. The force of the crash ripped apart the rails and a section of the track bed, leaving chunks of concrete strewn about the scene. David Schanoes, a former deputy chief of field operations for the Metro-North line, said the data is "uncannily similar" to a July rail crash in Spain that left 79 dead. "I would have to see all the data from the event recorder," Schanoes told CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront. "But clearly, from what has been captured, the train was overspeeding, and the request for emergency brake application comes too late for the train to be able to negotiate the curvature." Weener said authorities will be looking at the engineer's recent work history and will examine his mobile phone, which is now in the hands of authorities. In the Spanish crash, a court found the engineer had been on the phone with railway staff when the train derailed. But a preliminary review has found no reason to believe Rockefeller was using his phone at the time of Sunday's derailment, a senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN. In a statement issued Monday evening, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the data "makes clear that, as we suspected, extreme speed was a central cause of this crash." "The lives that were lost yesterday are a stark reminder that protecting the safety of all New Yorkers must be our top priority," Cuomo said. "When the investigation concludes, we will make sure that any responsible parties are held accountable. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of the victims of yesterday's crash." The Hudson Line carried 15.9 million people last year. About 150 were aboard when the train derailed, authorities said. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said the speed report "sort of takes your breath away." "For a train to be going 82 mph around that curve is just a frightening thought," said Schumer, D-New York, who appeared at a news conference with Weener. "The fact that it was going 82 mph even in the 70-mph zones before the curve started raises so many questions and is scary." Schumer said the tracks appear to have been in good shape, and the preliminary indication is that signals were working properly -- "but it's premature to blame anyone or anything right now," he added. 'It was just smoke' The train was about 10 miles short of its destination, Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, when it derailed on the approach to the Spuyten Duyvil station in the Bronx. Despite the high speed, surviving passenger Amanda Swanson said she felt the wreck in slow motion. "I was nodding off, and the thing that woke me up was my own equilibrium," Swanson told CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. "I realized that my body was tilted very severely, and that woke me up -- and when I woke up and saw the entire cab of the train was tilted, I immediately woke up and realized that I was in the middle of a train crash." The windows of the coaches broke out and then, "gravel came flying up in our faces," said Swanson, 26, who was on her way to work at a Midtown Manhattan restaurant. She put her bag in front of her face to block the rubble as the car she was riding in flipped over and skidded to a stop with a thud. "I couldn't see anything," she told CNN's New Day. "It was just smoke." Workers lifted the rail cars back onto the tracks on Monday, and police determined no other bodies were trapped in the wreckage. Beth Barret, who sent photos to CNN's iReport, called the scene "very surreal and very scary." "It was a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie," Barret said. Cameras may have caught deadly derailment . It's not the first time a train jumped the tracks on that turn. A freight train derailed in the same curve in July, damaging about 1,500 feet of track, the Metropolitan Transit Authority reported at the time. Mary Schiavo, a former inspector-general for the U.S. Department of Transportation, said investigators should take a close look at the sharp curve. "It has been there forever, but the fact that we've had other accidents there means we have to look beyond just the fact that the train engineer said that brakes were not working," she said. "We have to see if there's additional issues concerning that track." Weener said the agency would look into whether there was any connection between the July derailment and Sunday's crash, but both he and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo discounted the possibility. "The curve has been here for many, many years, right, and trains take the curve every day, 365 days a year ... We've always had this configuration. We didn't have accidents," Cuomo said Sunday. "So there has to be another factor." Authorities also are looking for video that may have captured the derailment, safety board spokesman Keith Holloway said. Railroad officials have said there were no video cameras aboard the train. Weener said security cameras from a nearby bridge captured the train's approach, but the image is small and obscured by a cloud of dust. Video technicians in Washington will try to recover some usable imagery from the recording, he told CNN's "The Situation Room." Metro-North Railroad inspects its tracks twice a week, spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said. The most recent inspection found the track was "OK for normal operations." She said the train wasn't equipped with positive train control -- a high-tech system designed to slow down or stop trains to prevent crashes caused by human error. Anders said the railroad conducted routine drug and alcohol tests on crew members but has not released the results. Rockefeller appeared coherent at the scene, and there was no indication he was intoxicated, said a high-ranking law enforcement official who is part of the investigation. Anthony Bottalico, general chairman of the union that represents Rockefeller and the train's conductors, said the crew members are also eager to find out what caused the crash and "make sure it doesn't ever happen again." "Hopefully over the next day or two, there will be some kind of idea or closure," he said. The victims . The MTA identified those killed as Donna L. Smith, 54, of Newburgh, New York; James G. Lovell, 58, of Cold Spring, New York; James M. Ferrari, 59, of Montrose, New York; and So Kisook Ahn, 35, of Queens, New York. Lovell did freelance audio and was headed into New York to work Sunday morning, said Dave Merandy, a town council member in the Hudson Valley community of Philipstown. "He loved his family and did what was necessary to keep things afloat with his family. He was a great man," Merandy said. One of the survivors suffered a spinal cord injury that could leave him paralyzed from the neck down, said Dr. David Listman, director of the emergency department at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. The man is the father of a 14-year-old boy who was released from the hospital Sunday. "It's hard to understand how they were sitting next to each other on the train, and the son walks away with minor bruises, and the father sustained such a severe injury," Listman said. While patients with severe fractures could be released from the hospital Monday, he said, they may require further treatment and mental health care after surviving the devastating accident. "For a lot of these people, the train was their way of commuting to work. I think a lot of these people are going to have to contend with getting back to normal life," he said. "I think that's going to be very difficult for them." Train crash victim was 'pure goodness,' widow says . CNN's Alexandra Field reported from New York. CNN's Matt Smith, Holly Yan and Catherine E. Shoichet reported from Atlanta. CNN's Eden Pontz, AnneClaire Stapleton, Rene Marsh, Kate Bolduan, Wolf Blitzer, Polina Marinova, Lorenzo Ferrigno, Alexandra Field, Kristina Sgueglia, Jon Auerbach, Dana Garrett, Shimon Prokupecz, Mike M. Ahlers and Haley Draznin contributed to this report. | NEW: Crash is "uncannily similar" to one in Spain in July, former rail executive says .
The doomed commuter train was doing 82 mph as it went into a curve, NTSB says .
The throttle was cut and brakes applied "very late in the game," NTSB official says .
Nineteen people remain hospitalized after the crash, which killed four . |
20,584 | 3a68bf1905901273618af5554b8b46cf5f2d622c | By . Michael Seamark and Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:42 EST, 23 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:07 EST, 24 October 2012 . A senior Mirror group executive was paying £125-a-time for mobile numbers and voicemail pin codes two years before it was known that the News of the World was relentlessly hacking phones, it emerged today. Scotland Yard is said to have invoices from private investigators who provided the service, and yesterday the male former Mirror employee accused of employing them refused to comment on the allegations. The paperwork, seen by the Independent, allegedly shows that the Mirror was regularly using loopholes in the law before 2000 to allow them to hack phones. Plunge: Shares in Trinity Mirror fell by more than 10 per cent after claims of phone-hacking were lodged against its newspapers and today damning invoices allegedly show an executive paid for phone numbers and voicemail pins . It came as investors in Trinity Mirror called for an investigation as shares in the publisher fell more than 10 per cent after Sven-Goran Eriksson was among four people to lodge claims of alleged phone-hacking against its newspapers. The High Court legal action is the first in the hacking scandal to be launched against newspapers outside Rupert Murdoch’s News International. The regimes of three Trinity Mirror editors are implicated in the . claims, including Piers Morgan who edited the Daily Mirror between 1995 . and 2004. One major shareholder told the Financial Times: 'We need as much information as possible on this. Any inquiry would be a good thing as that would clear up any concerns about further scandals.' Another added: 'A year ago we had discussions with Trinity and they claimed they had done an internal investigation. We were never convinced they were asking the right questions. There was a lack of clarity and satisfaction.' Former England football manager Mr Eriksson has filed a complaint alleging hacking at the Daily Mirror at a time when Piers Morgan was editor. Claim: Former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson (left) has filed a complaint alleging hacking at the Daily Mirror at a time when Piers Morgan (right) was editor . Mr Morgan, now a CNN talk-show host in the United States, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the practice and rejected claims during a high-profile appearance at the Leveson Inquiry last December. The three other claimants are Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati, Abbie Gibson, a former nanny for the Beckham family, and Garry Flitcroft, the former captain of Blackburn Rovers football team, and they involve the Sunday Mirror and The People. The claims, lodged at the High Court, allege ‘breach of confidence and misuse of private information’ relating to the ‘interception and/or misuse of mobile phone voicemail messages and/or the interception of telephone accounts.’ No further details have been filed. Media lawyer Mark Lewis, solicitor for the four, said that unlike cases involving the now defunct News of the World - in which a list of alleged victims was found in a notebook - there was no paper trail this time. He told Sky News: ‘There might not be . a documentary smoking gun, but we will show there is a smoking bullet, . the consequence of the actions.’ Legal action: Former footballer Garry Flitcroft (left) and Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati (right) have also made a claim against Trinity Mirror . Trinity Mirror said in a statement made through the London stock exchange: ‘We note the allegations made against us by Mark Lewis in today’s papers. ‘We have not yet received any claims nor have we been provided with any substantiation for those claims. ‘As we have previously stated, all our journalists work within the criminal law and the Press Complaints Commission code of conduct.’ News International has settled dozens of phone-hacking claims, paying out tens of millions of pounds to compensate victims. The Mirror claims come weeks before Lord Justice Leveson - who has been conducting a long-running inquiry into the press - is due to unveil his expected proposals for future regulation. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Invoices at Scotland Yard show man paid £125-a-go for data that would allow them to hack .
Executive, who cannot be named, no longer works for the company .
Publisher of Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People sees share price fall .
Mr Eriksson files complaint alleging hacking at Daily Mirror .
Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati among other claimants . |
108,468 | 17db62f3fc15abbe3e1ee384e1a268e64bd6ff5d | AOKIGAHARA FOREST, Japan (CNN) -- Aokigahara Forest is known for two things in Japan: breathtaking views of Mount Fuji and suicides. Also called the Sea of Trees, this destination for the desperate is a place where the suicidal disappear, often never to be found in the dense forest. Japan's Aokigahara Forest is known as the "suicide forest" because people often go there to take their own lives. Taro, a 46-year-old man fired from his job at an iron manufacturing company, hoped to fade into the blackness. "My will to live disappeared," said Taro. "I'd lost my identity, so I didn't want to live on this earth. That's why I went there." Taro, who did not want to be identified fully, was swimming in debt and had been evicted from his company apartment. He lost financial control, which he believes to be the foundation of any stable life, he said. "You need money to survive. If you have a girlfriend, you need money. If you want to get married, you need it for your life. Money is always necessary for your life." Watch Taro describe why he wanted to die in "suicide forest" » . Taro bought a one-way ticket to the forest, west of Tokyo, Japan. When he got there, he slashed his wrists, though the cut wasn't enough to kill him quickly. He started to wander, he said. He collapsed after days and lay in the bushes, nearly dead from dehydration, starvation and frostbite. He would lose his toes on his right foot from the frostbite. But he didn't lose his life, because a hiker stumbled upon his nearly dead body and raised the alarm. Taro's story is just one of hundreds logged at Aokigahara Forest every year, a place known throughout Japan as the "suicide forest." The area is home to the highest number of suicides in the entire country. Japan's suicide rate, already one of the world's highest, has increased with the recent economic downturn. There were 2,645 suicides recorded in January 2009, a 15 percent increase from the 2,305 for January 2008, according to the Japanese government. The Japanese government said suicide rates are a priority and pledged to cut the number of suicides by more than 20 percent by 2016. It plans to improve suicide awareness in schools and workplaces. But officials fear the toll will rise with unemployment and bankruptcies, matching suicide spikes in earlier tough economic times. "Unemployment is leading to this," said Toyoki Yoshida, a suicide and credit counselor. "Society and the government need to establish immediate countermeasures to prevent suicides. There should be more places where they can come and seek help." Yoshida and his fellow volunteer, Norio Sawaguchi, posted signs in Aokigahara Forest urging suicidal visitors to call their organization, a credit counseling service. Both men say Japanese society too often turns a cold shoulder to the unemployed and bankrupt, and breeds a culture where suicide is still seen as an honorable option. Local authorities, saying they are the last resort to stop people from killing themselves in the forest, have posted security cameras at the entrances of the forest. The goal, said Imasa Watanabe of the Yamanashi Prefectural Government is to track the people who walk into the forest. Watanabe fears more suicidal visitors will arrive in the coming weeks. "Especially in March, the end of the fiscal year, more suicidal people will come here because of the bad economy," he said. "It's my dream to stop suicides in this forest, but to be honest, it would be difficult to prevent all the cases here." One year after his suicide attempt, Taro is volunteering with the credit counseling agency that helped him get back on his feet. He's still living in a shelter and looking for a job. He's ashamed, he said, that he still thinks about suicide. "I try not to think about it, but I can't say never. For now, the will to live is stronger." | Forest with stunning views of Mount Fuji is also known as place to die .
Counselors now roam Aokigahara Forest, hoping to help the desperate .
Suicides in Japan were 15 percent higher in January than a year earlier .
Officials fear more people will kill themselves amid the tough economy . |
182,681 | 78920efdadaf12faeb4cfd61a861848ceacb0a2e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:55 EST, 26 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:36 EST, 26 October 2013 . Three children have been killed - all brothers, one of them a four-month-old baby - after a fire erupted in a Bronx apartment building on Friday night. The Fire Department said they were called to a six-story block at 64 West 165th Street, at Anderson Avenue, near Yankee Stadium, at about 8pm. The fire broke out in Apt. 2C, with flames and smoke seen from the street. Three siblings - Elijah Artis, 5, Jeremiah Artis, 2, and Michael Turner, four months - were pronounced dead on arrival at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, police said. The boys' 25-year-old mother, their four-year-old sister and the twin sister of the four-month-old boy were treated for smoke inhalation. Scene: Three children, all brothers, have been killed in a fire that broke out in second-level apartment in the Bronx. While the cause is unknown, the fire is suspected to have been started by candles after the power in the apartment was shut off from nonpayment . The mother of the three victims, aged 25, was seen climbing out this window and down the fire escape with her three other children . Stable: Other residents of the apartment block were treated for smoke inhalation . They are in a stable condition. Other residents were also treated for smoke inhalation. A large contingent of firefighters and nearly a dozen fire vehicles, working over a two-block stretch, had the fire under control by 10:30 pm. Yvonne Laracuente, 27, who was with friends nearby, heard a long scream from a woman. 'It was a yell,' she told the New York Times. 'She was screaming ''my babies''.' When Ms. Laracuente and her friends ran toward the sound, they saw a woman wearing only a T-shirt on the fire escape of the building. She was holding a toddler, Ms. Laracuente said. Two men pulled down the fire-escape ladder and helped the woman and the child climb down. While the fire is being treated as suspicious, with the cause unknown, one resident of the building said the electricity of apartment 2C been turned off, according to ABC 7. Witness: One woman emotionally told ABC 7 how she watched paramedics attempt to resuscitate the boys that were pulled from the apartment . The Fire Department had the blaze extinguished by about 10.30pm . Another neighbor said power and gas company Con Edison had turned off the electricity due to nonpayment. The mother had gone to the bodega downstairs and bought candles to light the apartment. The mother had been approved for public assistance, and the lights were due to come back on Saturday . Strangely, the building is about 10 blocks from the site of a 2007 fire that killed 10 people, including eight children. | Blaze broke out about 8pm Friday night inside a second-story apartment in the Bronx .
Three boys - aged five, two and four months - have been confirmed dead .
Their mother, 25, and two sisters managed to escape .
One of the sisters is a twin to the four-month-old deceased .
Investigators have been told the apartment's electricity was shut off and that the family had been using candles .
Other residents treated for smoke inhalation . |
24,605 | 45bdda04552585ffb409cab05363059c8db73069 | John F Kennedy Jr had a steamy relationship with Madonna who his mother Jackie Onassis hated because she posed as Marilyn Monroe on the cover of Life magazine, a new book has claimed. JFK Jr, who was once dubbed the sexiest man alive, reportedly began seeing the Material Girl star in 1988 following the breakdown of her marriage to actor Sean Penn. In his new book 'The Good Son: JFK Jr. and the Mother He Loved,' author Christopher Andersen tells how Madonna 'went after' JFK Jr, telling friends she believed an affair with him 'would be nothing less than “cosmic"'. Scroll down for video . Relationship: John F Kennedy Jr and Madonna, pictured here in 1996, had an affair following the breakdown of her marriage to actor Sean Penn, a new book has claimed . The book also quotes dancer Erika Belle, one of Madonna’s closest friends at the time, who claims JFK Jr was equally keen. She said: 'You could see it in his eyes that first time they met. 'John was totally in awe.' JFK Jr and Madonna would reportedly meet at a health club where they shared the same trainer and would occasionally jog around Central Park together in the early morning. While they managed to keep their relationship secret from the media, JFK Jr was not said to have been shy about introducing the singer to his mother. The book tells how he brought her to his mother's Central Park flat where she signed the guestbook 'Mrs. Sean Penn', as she was still legally married at the time. Disapproving: JFK Jr's mother Jackie Onassis is said to have been unimpressed by Madonna particularly as she had posed as Marilyn Monroe on the cover of Life magazine . Jackie was reportedly unimpressed with the singer partly due to her use of crucifixes and other Catholic images which had been deemed sacrilegious by the Vatican. But what is said to have upset her most of all was seeing a copy of Life Magazine which featured Madonna on the cover dressed up as Marilyn Monroe - Monroe being one of several women who her husband had famously cheated on her with. Scandal: Monroe was one of several women who JFK famously cheated on Jackie Onassis with . Author Christopher Andersen writes: 'One unwelcome reminder of JFK’s torrid affair with Marilyn — the affair that most troubled Jackie — arrived on her doorstep in the form of another blond bombshell by the name of Madonna.' Another part of the excerpt published by the New York Daily News, highlights the steamy nature of their alleged affair. It reads: 'One day while he was staying with Billy Noonan in Hyannis Port, John phoned New York to check his messages. 'On the other end, a woman with a familiar voice was calling from Rome. “Kennedy,” she began, “I’m drunk and when I see you next I’m going to take your ...” The rest was decidedly X-rated, and after John played it for Noonan, his friend asked to hear it again. 'Unable to quite place the voice, Noonan begged John to tell him who it was. “Madonna,” John answered matter-of-factly. 'Noonan was speechless. “You are banging Madonna?” Noonan asked. “How do I not know this until now?” 'So what was it like sleeping with Madonna? “Let me tell you,” Kennedy replied, “she’s a sexual dynamo.”' The book tells how at the time JFK Jr was still dating steady girlfriend Christina Haag - who Jackie O wanted him to marry - but somehow managed to keep his relationship with Madonna secret from her. However Madonna's ex husband Sean Penn is said to have confronted JFK Junior over it when they met at a party in Robert De Niro’s honor at the Tribeca Grill. Madonna's ex husband Sean Penn is said to have confronted JFK Junior over the relationship when they met at a party in Robert De Niro’s honor at the Tribeca Grill . When JFK junior went to intorduce himself, Mr Penn, reported snarled: 'I know who you are. You owe me an apology.' According to the book JFK Jr then 'beat a hasty retreat' because he was aware of Penn's reputation for fighting. JFK Jr is known to have had relationships with a string of women including Sex and the City actor Sarah Jessica Parker, who he is said to have seen at the same time as Madonna. He died in 1999 in a plane crash along with his wife Carolyn Bessette, and her elder sister Lauren. | Couple began relationship after her marriage to Sean Penn broke down .
Kennedy told a friend she was a 'sexual dynamo'
Sean Penn reportedly confronted him saying 'you owe me an apology' |
203,517 | 93709081c1bc6b874b143eecc32bea4cc3980e2b | A couple returned home from the cinema to find a naked man had beaten their grandparents to death and was raping their two-year-old daughter. Touch Chea, 71, and his wife, Sorn Sreap, 73, were found dead in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday night from significant blunt force injuries. Police said both Sreap and the toddler were raped. Officers arrested Jerry Andrew Active, 24, as he fled the east Anchorage homicide scene wearing just his boxer shorts. Suspect: Jerry Andrew Active tries to shield his face during his arraignment on charges of murder and sexual assault of a minor in the Anchorage jail court on Sunday . Active was arrested about a block from an apartment where the bodies of Sorn Sreap and Touch Chea were found dead on Saturday night by their granddaughter, who had returned from a trip to a movie with her husband . Registered sex offender: Active spent time in jail in 2010 and 2011 for a similar attack four years ago and was on probation . The registered sex offender was later charged with first and second-degree murder, sexual assault and burglary. Active was on parole for an almost identical attack he committed four years ago, according to the Anchorage Daily News. In 2009 he entered a home in Togiak and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl while the family slept. He then attacked three members of the family. The 24-year-old served time in jail for attempted sexual abuse of a minor and trespassing in 2010 and 2011, court records show. He was charged with violating his probation this . spring and was supposed to be on probation until 2014. Police said the younger couple, who . are in their twenties, went to a movie on Saturday night with their son and left . the two-year-old in the care of Chea and Sreap. They returned shortly before 8pm and found the door locked from the inside by the chain, but peeking through they could see the body of one of their grandparents. The father told police he forced his way in through a window and discovered the bodies of Chea and Sreap. They then discovered a naked man in the bedroom with their daughter. His wife called 911 and police dispatchers heard screaming over the phone. She reported a man had broken into her home and killed her . grandmother, Sreap. The man was described as being naked with several . tattoos. The wife, who is . pregnant, and her husband tried to keep the suspect from leaving and a . struggle began, Police Sergeant Slawomir Markiewicz said. The suspect, by then wearing boxer . shorts, was able to get away after a few minutes of fighting, Markiewicz . said. Officers found Active about a block away. 'He did offer some resistance but he was arrested,' Markiewicz said. The suspect apparently entered the apartment through a window, Markiewicz said. The two-year-old was taken to hospital for a forensic physical examination, and it was discovered that she had also been physically assaulted. She was taken to a hospital where she underwent surgery for her injuries. Scene: The victims were part of an extended family that lived in a ground-floor, east Anchorage apartment with their granddaughter and her husband . Accused: The registered sex offender was charged with first and second-degree murder, sexual assault and burglary . Merciless: Active entered the apartment through an open window and locked it from the inside so he could commit the horrific acts . The double homicide happened Anchorage, Alaska. Police said they were affected by the brutality and the ages of the victims . Social media: Active had a number of menacing and ominous pictures on his MySpace account . Investigators were affected by the brutality and the ages of the victims, police department spokeswoman Anita Shell said. 'They said this was the worst thing they had ever seen in their lives, and these are seasoned detectives,' Shell said. Police Sergeant Slawomir Markiewicz said yesterday that there are no indications that the victims were connected to the suspect. 'It doesn't appear that he knew them,' he said. 'It looks like a totally random act.' The . victims were part of an extended family that lived in a ground-floor, . east Anchorage apartment with their granddaughter and her husband, who . are the parents of the toddler and her four-year-old brother. The younger couple's 90-year-old great-grandmother also lives in the apartment and was at home during the incident. Markiewicz said the case is unusual. 'It's certainly very rare to see this kind of violence - a complete stranger, sexually assaulting and murdering someone,' he said. The bodies of Sreap and Chea were taken to the state medical examiner's office for autopsies. Names of the toddler and her parents were withheld. | Touch Chea, 71, and Sorn Sreap, 73, found dead in Alaska .
Police said they suffered significant blunt force injuries .
Officers arrested Jerry Andrew Active, 24, as he allegedly fled .
Active arrested for similar attack four years ago .
Investigators affected by the 'brutality and the ages of victims' |
176,354 | 704d5ab8616022bba5b0da58333a0a5b190fbb71 | ISIS militants fighting in Iraq and Syria have greeted the death of Hollywood actor Robin Williams with bizarre Twitter outbursts declaring their love for his 1995 film Jumanji. As news broke of the 63-year-old's death in an apparent suicide, Islamist militants and their supporters took to social media to discuss the merits of Williams' long career in the film industry. The expressions of love for his fantasy adventure film Jumanji were tempered somewhat by a number of terrorists condemning the late actor for jokes he made about jihadists during a filmed stand-up performance that has been uploaded on YouTube. Scroll down for video . Unlikely fan: One ISIS supporter who goes by the name Abdullah and uses the Twitter handle @Mujahid4life (pictured right on his Twitter page) was quick to voice his love of Robin Williams' 1995 film Jumanji . Agreement: Abdullah is understood to be a 19-year-old Briton. Responding to London-based user Ibn Fulaan, who said he 'liked Jumanji', Abdullah tweeted: 'Good movie. Loved it as a kid' As news broke of Robin Williams' death in an apparent suicide, Islamist militants and their supporters took to social media to discuss the merits of his 1995 film Jumanji (pictured) One known Islamist who goes by the name . Abdullah and uses the Twitter handle @Mujahid4life was quick to voice . his love of the actor's mid-1990s work. 'Abdullah' is understood to be a 19-year-old British born Islamist and ISIS supporter. Responding to London-based user Ibn Fulaan, who declared Williams death a 'shame' because he 'liked Jumanji', 'Abdullah' tweeted: 'Good movie. Loved it as a kid.' Fulaan responded: 'Same, I had it on video lol.' When . other Twitter users expressed their disbelief that 'Abdullah' was . openly discussing his love of Williams' films, another Islamist by the . name Omar Shishani said: 'We are humans like you, joke about girls . mirls... why we shouldn't see movie? [Sic]' The exchange saw the Islamist fighters . enter into a debate about movies, with 'Abdullah' answering a number of . questions on his all-time favourite films. Asked . by one Twitter user what his favourite Star Wars film was, he replied: 'I . like Empire Strikes Back most,' before admitting he could 'maybe' see . parallels between the film's rebels forces and ISIS. Warning: ISIS fighters have expressed a desire to expand its territory to include stretches of Europe, including Rome and Madrid, and have also threatened to raise the jihadist flag over Downing Street and the White House . Bizarre: The Islamist fighters entered into a debate about movies, with Abdullah answering a number of questions on his all-time favourite films - many of which are Disney movies from the 1990s . The hugely popular television series Games of Thrones did not get his seal of approval, however, with the 19-year-old admitting he had only managed to get through two episodes before switching it off . Off-message: Abdullah did, however, express his concern that his radical Islamist message may have been lost somewhat while discussing Disney films . Discussing his views on Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Schindler's List, 'Abdullah' replied: 'It was ok, but i think i only watched like half of it, been a while, can't remember. i like Spielberg flicks tho.' When quizzed on his love of 90s children's' movies, the 'Abdullah' said he preferred Lion King to Bambi but admitted: 'honestly i like all the disney renaissance flicks.' The hugely popular television series . Games of Thrones did not get his seal of approval, however, with the . 19-year-old admitting he had only managed to get through two episodes . before switching it off as it contained 'too much nudity.' After receiving a number of shocked tweets asking why he was so interested in Western films and television, the ISIS supporter sent a message to a follower saying: 'They think i grew up . somewhere in a mud hut so i never saw a movie whereas i've seen most of . the flicks they ask. lol.' 'Abdullah' did, however, express concern that his radical Islamist message may . have been lost somewhat while discussing Disney films, saying: 'Now I'm . actually worried that people will start to follow me because they wanna . hear about my favorite movies instead of reporting jihad.' Disbelief: Abdullah gained a huge amount of social media attention after voicing his love of Robin Williams' mid-1990s work . After receiving a number of shocked messages asking why he was so interested in Western films, the ISIS jihadist sent a message saying: 'They think i grew up somewhere in a mud hut' Change of mind: Having earlier declared himself to be a fan of Jumanji, Abdullah later attacked Robin Williams after video emerged of him mocking jihadists during a stand-up performance . Having earlier declared himself to be a fan of Jumanji, 'Abdullah' appeared to change his mind a short time later after other ISIS militants posted YouTube footage of Williams mocking jihadists during a stand-up performance. In the clip . Williams jokes that the oft-repeated claim that Islamic martyrs receive . '71 dark-haired virgins' may have been misinterpreted, and they are in . fact given '72 crystal clear raisins'. He . also jokes about the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden being beaten . at the gates of heaven by the first president of the U.S. George . Washington and 71 Virginians. The . video prompted 'Abdullah' to share the clip with his followers, saying: . 'Those that say "RIP" to #RobinWilliams check out what he had to say . about Islam...May Allah make him burn.' He . also mocked claims Williams committed suicide, describing it as a . 'blessing' and claiming 'Allah guards us from depression. Hell, what an . evil destination.' Another Twitter user who goes my the name @AbuHamza1948 and usually posts in Arabic script added: 'he...crossed dressed for a living and defames our religion may Allah give him what he deserves in the Akhira [afterlife].' ISIS militants fighting in Iraq and . Syria have reportedly issued Islamic State passports as part of their . 'psychological warfare' campaign. Following . their attempt to form a caliphate in the vast area of the Middle East . under their control, ISIS leaders are said to be introducing passports . to give the unrecognised state an air of legitimacy. However . experts believe the sinister black and white design, . which is based on the black jihadist flag flown by ISIS terrorists and . warns of a 'deployment of armies' if the holder comes to harm while . travelling abroad, proved the passports are little more than a symbolic . gesture. Authentic? ISIS militants have reportedly issued these Islamic State passports in the hope they will give the unrecognised state an air of legitimacy. The documents are said to have been issued to 11,000 people . While ISIS has expressed a . desire to expand its territory to include stretches of Europe, including . Rome and Madrid, and have also threatened to raise the jihadist flag . over Downing Street and the White House, the issuing of passports is . more about sending a message than transporting fighters. Issuing . state documents is both a clear indication that ISIS considers its . declared caliphate to be the world's newest state, and also to shrug off . the threat posed to its existence by U.S. airstrikes. So far at least two versions of the alleged passport have emerged online. Although . it is not possible to prove the authenticity of either version, the . latter has been widely shared on social media by respected terror . experts and academics. Dr . Magnus Ranstorp, a Swedish academic who regularly briefs senior . government and security officials on the threat of Islamic terrorism, . tweeted a photograph of the plastic passport along with the caption: . 'Illusions of a Caliphate. ISIS issue passports as part of psychological . warfare.' | Islamist militants turn to Twitter to debate the merits of late actor's films .
Several singled out Williams' 1995 fantasy adventure film Jumanji for praise .
Later condemned him after YouTube clip showed Williams mocking jihadists .
Debate changed to films in general revealing Western past of ISIS fighters .
19-year-old British-born fighter named Lion King as one of his favourite films .
'Abdullah', who uses the Twitter handle @Mujahid4Life, went on to praise Star Wars and Schindler's List but attacked Game of Thrones for 'nudity' |
48,837 | 89ddc36d4a34bf7a98b031d02b36a82269a0dc4b | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 09:48 EST, 22 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 22 October 2013 . His bizarre collection of James Bond memorabilia has become world famous, and earned him a reputation as Britain’s biggest 007 fan. But lifelong enthusiast Daryl Burchmore is selling off his colossal collection - which includes secret agent themed toys, sweets, ladies tights, and even cans of tuna - after being made redundant. The tens of thousands of individual pieces, painstakingly gathered over four decades, have featured in museum exhibitions and on TV in the UK, United States . and Japan, and have taken over his four-bedroomed house in Eastbourne, Sussex. Lifelong James Bond enthusiast Daryl Burchmore is selling off his colossal 007 collection - which includes secret agent themed toys, sweets, ladies tights, and even cans of tuna . The tens of thousands of individual pieces, painstakingly gathered over four decades, have taken over his four-bedroomed house in Eastbourne, Sussex - much to the annoyance of his long-suffering wife Jane . But now - much to the relief of his long suffering wife Jane - the unusual haul of goods will go under the hammer on Friday, and is expected to bring more than £100,000. 'She’s never been a fan of it because it takes over the house,' Mr Burchmore said. 'She likes watching the films, but that’s as far as it goes.' Many of the 600 lots, some containing several items, were originally children’s playthings, and Friday’s sale is being handled by specialist toy auction house Vectris, of Stockton on Tees. And although individual items seem modestly priced - a rare edition of Goldfinger’s vintage Rolls Royce estimated at about £400 - it is the sheer scale which makes the collection unique. Auctioneer Andy Reed said: 'This reflects one man’s passion for collecting over about 40 years, and he has amassed everything he could related to James Bond. 'It’s unbelievable what some people will collect.' There are posters, autographs, costumes, toys, sweets, cinema tickets, movie premiere programmes, brochures, Easter eggs, bubble bath and even a pair of branded 007 shoes and ladies tights. Mr Burchmore is even selling a couple of cans of John West tuna fish - bought because the label bears a competition promoting Die Another Day. The father-of-two said he became 'hooked' on Bond at the age of eight. The bizarre haul contains posters, autographs, costumes, toys, sweets, cinema tickets, movie premiere programmes, brochures, Easter eggs, bubble bath and even a pair of branded 007 shoes and ladies tights . He still recalls the day in . 1973 when his father took him to the cinema for a double bill of On Her . Majesty’s Secret Service and Live and Let Die. 'When I came out, I was hooked - the music, the action, it got my pulse racing,' he said. Later, when he left school, he said he blew his first meagre £25 pay packet on branded goods. But two . years ago, the 51-year-old was made redundant as a senior custodian . with English Heritage, and he has been able to find only part time work . since. Mr Burchmore, who has met all six Bond stars several times and became a personal friend of ‘Q’ actor Desmond Llewelyn, said: 'There are a few reasons why I’m selling - I’m 51, I can’t take it with me, and I’ve got two kids and a mortgage to support. 'I also I lost my job two years ago and I’m only in part time work at the moment, that’s how bad its been. 'Just before I was made redundant we bought a new house and I had an idea that I was gong to turn the fourth bedroom, which is like an annexe, into a private museum. 'But that’ll never happen now and I want to knock a hole in the mortgage. I’ve got to enjoy my life rather than scrimping and saving and worrying.' | Daryl Burchmore is selling off themed toys, tights, and even cans of tuna .
Collection has taken over his four-bedroomed house in Sussex .
Much to relief of wife Jane - bizarre haul of goods will go under hammer .
He said he was forced to sell the pieces after he was made redundant . |
124,057 | 2c5e07f867f16c5d7a8f56dbdbf6720f7c645204 | By . Victoria Woollaston . Flying into an airport is most people’s first glimpse of their holiday or business destination. After being inspired by these views as she travelled the world, art director Lauren O’Neill has collected satellite shots of global airports from London's Heathrow to New York's John F. Kennedy airport. The images reveal the complex beauty of these sprawling behemoths, and in the same way flights keep cities connected, the airports resemble connections in the human body - from muscles to nerves. Brooklyn-based art director Lauren O'Neill collected satellite shots of global airports after she was inspired by the 'systems of design at play' spotted as she travelled the world. The images reveal the complex beauty of these sprawling behemoths and as flights keep cities connected, the airports resemble connections in the human body. For example, this aerial shot of Zurich airport looks like muscles stretched over a skeleton . O’Neill wrote on her blog: ‘I’ve been fascinated by airports for as long as I can remember - there’s something about the comings and goings, the organisation and operation that’s so intriguing to me. ‘I’ve always lived in a direct flight pattern of an airport. Day-to-day, I glance out my window and watch planes circle about waiting to land.’ Among her collection is an aerial shot of Zurich airport. Its runways and buildings, interspersed with green patches, look like muscles stretched over a skeleton. The airport is divided in three, with Terminal A, B, and E connected to central building via an automated track, known as the Skymetro. Terminal A is used by domestic flights in the Schengen Area, Terminal E is entirely used by international flights. While Terminal B is designed to handle both Schengen and some non-Schengen flights, keeping the two sets of passenger flows separate. Elsewhere, the clinical look of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and planes, captured from above, resembles strips of veins and nerves. It is located seven miles (11 km) south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia and has been one of the world's busiest airports since 1998. Many of the one million flights that take off and land are domestic flights . The markings painted onto the runways of Wellington International Airport (pictured) resemble the lines drawn on cosmetic surgery patient's skin. Dotted white lines are cut through with solid yellow markings that show where planes park, turn around and take off from. Its close proximity to one of its car parks is visible in the top right-hand corner . Elsewhere, the clinical look of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and planes, captured from above resembles strips of veins and nerves. It is located seven miles (11 km) south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia and has been one of the world's busiest airports since 1998. Many of the one million flights that take off and land are domestic flights, and Atlanta serves as a major hub for travel throughout the Southeastern U.S. It has 207 domestic and international gates served over seven terminals. The markings painted onto the runways of Wellington International Airport resemble the lines drawn on cosmetic surgery patients' skin. Dotted white lines are cut through with solid yellow markings that show where planes park, turn around and take off. Its close proximity to one of its car parks is visible in the top right-hand corner. Although many airports in the collection feature parallel and straight lines, Newark Liberty International Airport stands out because of its curved design. It straddles the municipal boundary between Newark and Elizabeth in New Jersey. As a result, the airport is owned by the city of Newark but operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . The Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport features a mixture of curves and straight lines and looks like a graphic created using a Spirograph. It is the main hub and maintenance base for the Iberia airline, which is responsible for more than 60 percent of Barajas' traffic. Following the death of former Spanish Prime Minister, Adolfo Suárez in March, Madrid-Barajas was renamed Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez, Madrid-Barajas . Wellington has a reputation for rough and turbulent landings due to the channelling effect of Cook Strait creating strong and gusty winds. ‘During layovers, I often find myself observing the activity on the runway and thinking that I’d love to see this from above,’ continued O’Neill. ‘With a creative block on a project, I took to Google mapping airports and was enamoured by the beautiful satellite shots on my screen. Since then, wanderlust has often inspired me to get lost in the satellite imagery of various destinations even when I’m glued to my desk.’ Although many airports in the collection feature parallel and straight lines, Newark Liberty International Airport stands out because of its curved design. The sparse nature of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is revealed in one image, where the shape of the runway and the airport resembles an elephant and its trunk. It covers only 6.6 square miles (17 sq km) and has just two runways and three helipads . John F. Kennedy International Airport (pictured) was originally called Idlewild Airport after the golf course it was built on. It was designed to relieve LaGuardia Airport in Queens, which was crowded soon after opening in 1939. Over seventy airlines operate out of JFK and it is the base for JetBlue Airways . It straddles the municipal boundary between Newark and Elizabeth in New Jersey. As a result, the airport is owned by the city of Newark, but operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport features a mixture of curves and straight lines, and consequently looks like a graphic created using a Spirograph. It is the main hub and maintenance base for the Iberia airline, which is responsible for more than 60 percent of Barajas' traffic. Following the death of former Spanish Prime Minister, Adolfo Suárez in March, Madrid-Barajas was renamed Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez, Madrid–Barajas. The sparse nature and stark contrast of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is revealed in one image, where the shape of the runway and the airport resembles an elephant and its trunk. It covers only 6.6 square miles (17 sq km) and has just two runways and three helipads. Aerial shots of Logan International Airport (pictured) make it look more like an intersection on a road, than an airport. Its parallel runways resemble arm and leg bones, and the airport is situated next to the port in Boston, Massachusetts . While many of the airports are a wash of oranges, blacks and greens, London Heathrow (pictured) looks almost clinical with its solid white and grey hues. The planes appear to camouflage into the runways, and even the terminal buildings are a discreet silver colour. The uniform positioning of the planes resemble teeth. Heathrow is the fifth busiest airport in the world, in terms of passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe . The airport is named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, an officer who served for the 19th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Air Force. Aerial shots of Logan International Airport make it look more like an intersection on a road, than an airport. Its parallel runways resemble arm and leg bones, and the airport is situated next to the port in Boston, Massachusetts. While many of the airports are a wash of oranges, blacks and greens, London Heathrow looks almost clinical with its solid white and grey hues. The planes appear to camouflage into the runways, and even the terminal buildings are a discreet silver colour. And the uniform positioning of the planes in O’Neill’s image resembles teeth. The shape of the terminals at Denver airport look like planes themselves, with long stretching buildings, resembling the wings, and centre foyers that look like the cockpit. At 54 square miles (139 sq km), it is the largest airport in the U.S by total area, and runway 16R/34L is the longest public use runway in the country . Heathrow is the busiest airport in the UK, and the fifth busiest airport in the world, in terms of passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe. It began in 1929 as a small airfield called Great West Aerodrome on land near the hamlet of Heathrow, from which the airport takes its name. Meanwhile, the shape of the terminals at Denver airport look like planes themselves, with long stretching buildings, resembling the wings, and centre foyers resembling cockpits. At 54 square miles (139 sq km), it is the largest airport in the U.S by total area, and its runway 16R/34L is the longest public use runway in the country. O’Neill continued: ‘I love the idea of circling above an airport waiting to land. I feel like that mirrors my process of searching for and cropping the right shot. 'Plus, I love the fact that a lot of the taxiway markings and linework are patterned across an airport’s tarmac.’ O’Neill is senior associate art director at Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, she has also freelanced as a graphic designer and taught graphic design to sophomores and juniors at Virginia Commonwealth University arts. O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg (pictured) is one of the darkest images in O'Neill's collection. It is also the only one to show clouds above the runways. The airport is one of the few in the world that has non-stop flights to six inhabited continents, others include Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Doha International Airport . | The images were taken from Google Maps by art director Lauren O’Neill for her blog Holding Pattern .
She was inspired by the ‘systems of design at play’ which she has spotted at airports around the world .
Satellite shots reveal the sprawling nature of airports including London's Heathrow, Zurich, Wellington and JFK .
Uniform patterns resemble the inner workings of the human body - from muscles to nerves and even teeth . |
248,509 | cd8a05ba0b8212dba6a742e9d1f933a86b65cbd9 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 13:58 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:00 EST, 15 November 2013 . Perched on a deep pink stem as the dawn breaks, this Indonesian caterpillar cannot resist creeping up to another to give it a good morning kiss. Dropping their heads to nestle against each other, the couple looks besotted. Loved up: Amateur photographer Beti Monaris, 27, from Yogyakarta, Indonesia watched as the two caterpillars crawled up together and met face-to-face in his backgarden . The spell-binding image was caught by amateur photographer Beti Monaris, 27, as he went out into his back garden in Yogyakarta, the capital of Java, at 7am. Almost walking straight into the silent and loved-up pair, he crept backwards to grab his camera without disturbing the moment. The caterpillars look like a piece of art sharing their moment on a bright pink stem. Dawning: As the sunlight breaks, the creatures nestle their heads against each other lovingly . It is the start of monsoon season in the former Dutch colony, making the water-soaked caterpillars and stem glisten even more. Heavy rain, coupled with high temperatures, starts in November and lasts until April, giving rise to rich and colourful plants. Designed to blend in with their surroundings to avoid predators, this is a rare snapshot of the creatures venturing into dangerous grounds. | Creatures nestled up to each other at dawn in Yogyakarta, Indonesia .
Amateur photographer Beti Monaris, 27, almost walked into the pair . |
171,121 | 697b063855cae1c1ccb52cdc4d88af98f87b3245 | By . Katy Winter . From talking owls to controversial rappers, TK Maxx is known for pushing boundaries when it comes to advertising campaigns. And it would seem that the brand's advertising team haven't lost their touch, after casting not one but two pensioners in the Christmas campaign. Along with adorable children and pretty women, the TV advert stars veteran actor Paul Collard, 95, and evergreen beauty Daphne Selfe, 85, appears in an accompanying video. Veteran star: At 92, actor Paul Collard is significantly older than the other models appearing in the advert . Perfect present: 85-year-old model Daphne Selfe is seen talking about her ideal gift . Collard, 92, is seen looking dapper in a tweed jacket, light blue shirt and striped maroon tie in the advert, titled The Moment. Standing next to a Christmas tree his face lights up with joy at opening his present as he throws his head back in unbridled laughter. Miss Selfe, meanwhile, appears in an accompanying film looking glamorous in a grey and black jumper, black coat and silver jewellery and upon being asked what the most perfect gift she has ever received is, answers simply: ‘A beautiful garment.' But few can match the achievements of Miss Selfe, who began her modelling career more than 60 years ago. Heartwarming: The short film focuses on the moment when you receive a carefully chosen present . Diversity: Along with Collard and Selfe, The Moment features a wide range of models of varying ages . Festive: The Christmas campaign was directed by James Strong, best known for BBC drama Broadchurch . Silver-haired Miss Selfe has starred in countless catwalk extravaganzas, campaigns and magazine spreads during her career and recently appeared in Channel 4 documentary Fabulous Fashionistas which profiled some of the UK's most glamorous pensioners. Talking about her style she said: 'I have and wear a lot of vintage clothes and it is how I have always dressed. I still have my ‘going away suit’ which I bought in Madrid in the ‘50’s. 'It’s thick white brocade cotton and can be put in the washing machine. It’s had several ‘updates’ over the years but is still as good as ever and I would hate to part with it. And her top tip for negotiating a visit to TK Maxx? 'Definitely to go when you are feeling fit and energetic - there's a lot of choice!’ High Street megastore TK Maxx is famous for its labels for less ethos and for its groundbreaking campaigns . Career: Selfe has been modelling for more than 60 years and starred in C4 documentary Fabulous Fashionistas . This years’ Christmas advert has been directed by award winning film and television drama director, James Strong, whose credits include the highly acclaimed BBC drama Broadchurch. The Moment is set to a special arrangement of the 1982 Yazoo hit, Only You, played by a 30-piece orchestra and recorded at the Abbey Road studios in London. 'Behind all the glitz and glamour of Christmas, we wanted to get to the heart of gift giving and convey the pure joy that comes from finding the perfect gift for someone special - a gift that is as unique as they are,’ said Deborah Dolce, TK Maxx' director of brand and marketing. ‘Our aim was to show people that these are the best gifts. We hope people we love the way we have brought this very touching and unique moment to life, she said. The Moment will launch on ITV tonight at 7.15pm tonight and until Christmas Eve . | New campaign from the discount retailer is called The Moment .
TV advert produced by award winning director, James Strong .
Actor Paul Collard, 92-years-old and 85-year-old model Daphne Selfe star .
Miss Selfe also starred in the retailer's A/W 13 campaign . |
56,474 | a00724eb742803e9944e6098dba56903a7549bbc | Mohammed Merah killed three schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers . The brother of Toulouse gunman Mohammed Merah appeared before an anti-terrorist judge today and was formally charged with ‘complicity in murder’. Meanwhile the fall-out from last week's massascre has led to an escalation in religious tension, with Jewish graves being desecrated across France. Riot police have also been called to housing estates on the . outskirts of major cities like Paris because of anti-Semitic demonstrations . being held in support of the 23-year-old killer. Abdelkader Merah, the 29-year-old brother of Mohammed, appeared in court today after allegations that he was close to a Jewish school last Monday when his 23-year-old sibling gunned down a Rabbi, his two children, and a teenage pupil. He is also believed to have assisted his brother in an attack on French paratroopers, which saw three shot dead. Under conditions of utmost security in central Paris this morning, Abdelkader Merah was driven to the Palais de Justice in an armoured convoy. There a criminal investigation was opened which could see the self-confessed Islamic extremist jailed for life. In a statement read out soon afterwards, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office said: ‘The investigations being handled by the police have established the existence of serious evidence against Abdelkader Merah corroborating, or making plausible, his participation as an accomplice in the commission of crimes in connection with a terrorist enterprise.’ Abdelkader was remanded in custody, and taken to a high-security prison in Paris, where he is likely to remain until his trial. Adbelkader has already told police interrogators that he was ‘very proud’ of what Merah did, and admitted to dining with him just before the attack on the Ozar Hatorah school in Toulouse. ‘Signals from Abdelkader’s mobile phone were emitted close to the school at the time of the murders,’ said an investigating source. Suspect: Police escort Abdelkader Merah to the French police's anti-terrorist headquarters in Levallois-Perret, outside Paris on Saturday . Among numerous questions Abedelkader . is facing is how Merah got hold of an arsenal of weapons, including an . Uzi sub-machine gun, and even the kind of Sten gun used by British . soldiers during the Second World War. It is also believed that Abdekkader . also helped his brother buy the Yamaha T-Max motorbike used in all the . attacks, and to respray the vehicle and remove its tracking device. Meanwhile, new video footage released by police shows the inside of the Toulouse apartment . where Mohammed Merah had his last stand. The chaotic flat is cluttered . with furniture strewn across each room blocking the way, and one wall is . peppered in what looks like bullet holes. Merah is being held up as an martyr . in some quarters, with Jewish cemeteries targeted in attacks which . police are linking to the Merah atrocities. On Thursday night Stars of David - a . symbol of Judaism - were torn off some 30 graves in the eastern Jewish . cemetery in the Mediterranean city of Nice. Lanterns were also stolen from more . than 20 sealed tombs in the same cemetery, with local police . commissioner Hergot Nicolas saying all were targeted 'because they are . Jewish, while Christian graves nearby were ignored.' Bullet holes line the wall of the apartment of Mohamed Merah, the self-proclaimed Islamic extremist who killed seven people, after a 32-hour siege . David Shoushana, the chief rabbi in . Nice, said there had been similar attacks on other cemeteries since . Merah was shot dead on Thursday, adding that there was a 'possible . connection with the Toulouse killings.' Also on Thursday, graffiti including . 'Long Live Merah' and 'Vengeance!' appeared on a prominent wall in the . Paris suburb of Sartrouville as youths gathered to 'honour' the killer. 'They were mainly kids who are trying to make a political point out of these horrific crimes,' said a local police spokesman. 'Police have broken up similar . gatherings on other estates around Paris, and other cities, where Merah . is being portrayed by a tiny minority as martyr.' The . girlfriend of one of Merah’s victims said she intended to marry her . partner in a posthumous ceremony. Caroline . Monet, 21, has been given presidential permission to wed 25-year-old . Corporal Abel Chennouf, who was shot dead at a cash machine in the town . of Montauban, near Toulouse, this month. Her lawyer, Gilbert Collard, said Ms Monet had received approval from President Nicolas Sarkozy for the ceremony to take place. Corporal Abel Chennouf, left, was shot dead by Merah. His girlfriend Caroline Money, right, has been given permission to wed him posthumously . Posthumous marriages are unusual in France, but they can be sanctioned in ‘grave circumstances’, said Mr Collard. 'I’ve already had it done twice, for policemen’s girlfriends,' he said. 'It’s a really moving ceremony with an empty chair representing the dead spouse. 'There won’t be any problems with approval, and the marriage will allow the new child to have a father.' A teacher from Rouen, in northern . France, was also suspended after organising a minute's silence for . Mehar, saying he was a 'victim' who had a difficult childhood on an . immigrant housing estate in Toulouse. Merah, who filmed himself carrying . out the executions of four Jewish people and three French soldiers who . had fought in Afghanistan, was a self-styled Jihadist. He said he wanted to kill Jewish . children in revenge for the lives of Palestinian youngsters who had died . at the hands of the Israeli army. Victims: Imad Ibn-Ziaten, 30, Abel Chennouf, 25, and Mohamed Legouade, 26 were killed by Merah last week . There are some 500,000 Jews in . France, and security measures around them have increased after Merah . shot a rabbi and three children at a school in Toulouse last Monday. There are some six million Muslims . living in France, making up the largest group of its kind in western . Europe, but Islamic leaders have rejected Merah as being utterly . unrepresentative of a largely peace-loving and law-abiding community. Mohammed Merah was gunned down by . special forces outside his council flat in Toulouse last Thursday . following a fierce firefight. Abelkader had been arrested the day . before along with his 30-year-old wife - who has not been named - and . the brothers’ divorced mother, Zoulika Aziri, 54. At one point, police brought his mother to the scene, but she refused to urge her son to surrender, officials said. Both women have now been released, . and have expressed shock at the decision to charge Adbelkader, who . denies having anything to do with his brother’s crimes. Network: 23-year-old killer Mohammed Merah, who is said to have met with UK jihadists in Afghanistan . Tragic: The mother and father of French paratrooper Imad Ben Ziaten carry a portrait of their son as they wait for his body's arrival at Rabat airport . Evidence has also emerged that Merah was in touch with British Jihadists preparing terrorist atrocities across the world. During a visit to Afghanistan just . over a year ago, Merah was using the codename ‘Youssef Toulouse’, which . was passed to the UK authorities. Paris security sources believe that . both Merah brothers were involved in two local Islamist organisations, . Forsane Alizza (The Knights of Pride) and a more militant jihadist . network known as the Toulouse group, or Jund al-Khalifah. Jund al-Khalifah, an Al-Qaeda . splinter group, has already admitted to working with a ‘Youssef the . Frenchman’ - who is believed to be Merah. ‘Not only were members of these . groups in touch with British Jidhadists while in Europe, but they would . have met them in Afghanistan,’ said one security source in the French . capital. ‘There is a window as later as 2010 when Merah would have been in touch with Jihadists from all over the world.’ Scene: A general view of the block of apartments in which Mohammed Merah was shot by police . The source said that Merah was known . to have entered Kabul, the Capital of Afghanistan on November 13th 2010, . after a journey across Turkey and Iraq. He was picked up by American security . agents in the Afghan city of Kandahar on November 30th , and returned . to France on December 5th 2010. The Toulouse group, which brought . together young fundamentalists of North African descent, was formed in . around 2006, with the stated aim of targeting western interests in . Europe, and sending recruits to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. The French authorities are facing . growing criticism that Merah, a known fundamentalist who was on the U.S. no-fly list and had attended an al-Qaeda training camp, was left alone . to carry out his crimes. | 'Very proud' brother of Merah charged after explosives found in his car .
Video shows spread of bullet holes across wall of flat where Merah lived .
Attacks on Jewish graves across France linked to Toulouse killings .
Murderer killed seven victims with close-range bullet shots to the head . |
1,039 | 02eca497e247ae49b2d245ccd2da413ef2bfb1df | Ever since the Cardiff Express Gareth Bale pulled out of London and into Madrid, English football’s top division has been bereft of a player with the pace, close control and courage to run with the ball from deep. Now, thanks to Real Madrid and Barcelona deciding they were surplus to requirements, Angel di Maria and Alexis Sanchez are tearing up the Premier League and terrorising its defences. Sportmail takes a look at what makes Manchester United’s No 7 and Arsenal’s No 17 so unstoppable. Alexis Sanchez (left) and Angel di Maria have injected pace and power into the Premier League . Real Madrid star Gareth Bale (left) has a similar style to the new Premier League recruits . PASSING AND VISION . It’s easier to find space in the Premier League than it is in Spain, where almost all teams have two defensive midfielders shielding the back four and often don’t come out of their own half – particularly if they are playing Real Madrid or Barca. Alexis and Di Maria would have been used to playing tight games against teams camped in and around their own penalty area and neither can probably believe the space they are now finding in England. Cesc Fabregas has spoken about this key difference between La Liga and the Premier League. Sanchez (centre) isn't afraid to run at defenders from deep as he showed against Manchester City . Di Maria will have been used to playing in tight games while at Real Madrid . Manchester United's new signing looks to skip past QPR midfielder Sandro on Sunday . 'In England opponents come chasing you and it is easier to play a quick one-two and go beyond him into space,' he says. 'You can’t do that in Spain where you are likely to be up against two very shrewd defensive midfielders.' Many of the players who move from La Liga to the Premier League talk about the anarchy of English football with the crowd roaring both sides on and players responding by throwing caution to the wind at the expensive of positional discipline. Both Di Maria and Alexis are bound to benefit. Both Sanchez and Di Maria will benefit from finding more space in the Premier League . Angel di Maria (above) made his Premier League debut for Manchester United against Burnley . PACE . It was once said of Lionel Messi that he runs faster with the ball than without it and it is easy to get the same impression watching Di Maria. The run down the left that led to Ander Herrera’s goal on Sunday was reminiscent of Ryan Giggs at his best. Alexis is also bursting with pace although perhaps not the same control over longer distances as the United man. DRIBBLING . Both Sanchez and Di Maria can go past people in tight areas but neither will try to do so if they see a more efficient route to goal via either a shot or a cross. Both players have all the tricks but neither is a showman for the sake of it. The goals and assists statistics from last season prove that – it’s all about end product. The former Barcelona forward looks to get past Frank Lampard (left) on Saturday . SET-PIECES . Did Di Maria over-hit that free-kick? Surely if he had over-hit it, it would have ended up in the seating behind the goal instead of the back of the net. It was a clever delivery perfectly measured to zip over the turf just in that dangerous area between advancing keeper and the back-pedaling defenders; designed to end in the far corner, or if someone got a touch on it, to beat the keeper at his near post. Both these two can score from set-pieces and both will be glad of having moved up the pecking order: Di Maria was behind Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale at Real and Alexis behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Xavi last season at Barca. Di Maria scored Manchester United's first against QPR on Sunday with a free-kick . Sanchez (right) celebrates scoring Arsenal's second goal against City with a superb volley . END PRODUCT . Sanchez scored 21 goals last season for Barcelona finishing behind only Messi in the scoring stakes. It’s little wonder he has been increasingly used by his country through the middle, although with Arsenal dominating many of the games in which he plays up front means he spends too much time with his back to goal – a monumental waste of his ability to run into space. Wenger seems to have realised that with the purchase of Danny Welbeck. Sanchez (above) has settled in well at Arsenal, scoring three goals so far including this one against Besiktas . KILLER PASS . Di Maria played the final ball in 17 of Real Madrid’s goals last season and created a staggering 91 chances. He topped the assist table in La Liga with Atletico Madrid’s Koke creating 68 chances and Cesc Fabregas, in his final season at Barcelona, 58. Sometimes the assist is unintentional. In the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid last season it was his shot on goal that bobbled up for Bale to head Real Madrid in front. Sanchez also made it into double figures at Barcelona with 10 assists in La Liga. His decision making improved across his three seasons at the Nou Camp and Arsenal can now reap the benefits of that. Argentina wingerDi Maria is loved by his team-mates and isknown for setting them up on a regular basis . | Alexis Sanchez and Angel di Maria bring pace, close control and courage to the Premier League .
The dynamic duo have similar playing styles to Gareth Bale .
Di Maria scored his first goal for Manchester United during his team's 4-0 win against QPR on Sunday .
Sanchez has three goals to his name in an Arsenal shirt . |
225,979 | b0a2c6acecd139543b127cac30d0b6dc608244cc | Young Lithuanian civilians are swapping their suits and ties for camouflage and joining a paramilitary group amid concerns that Ukraine is 'only the beginning' for Russia. Lithuania is among the Baltic states calling on NATO to intervene and ward off any potential threat from Russian forces. But as they wait, a force of students, businessmen, civil servants, . journalists and politicians are among hundreds who have joined . the Lithuania Riflemen's Union. Young Lithuanian civilians are swapping their suits and ties for camouflage and joining a paramilitary group amid concerns that Ukraine is 'only the beginning' for Russia . Russia's takeover of Crimea and increasing signs of its involvement in Ukraine's east are sparking a sharp rise in paramilitary recruits who have joined the government-sponsored Lithuania Riflemen's Union, a group first set up in 1919 but banned in 1940 under Soviet rule. Students, businessmen, civil servants, journalists and politicians are among hundreds who have joined the Lithuania Riflemen's Union . The group - which was first set . up in 1919 but banned in 1940 under Soviet rule - now has around 7,000 members, three times the number since the beginning of the crises in Ukraine, and almost the same the amount of its military personnel. It comes after a respected Moscow political scientist and editor claimed Vladimir Putin is plotting to rebuild much of the old Soviet Union after being stung by a Barack Obama jibe that he rules a mere 'regional power' A member of Lithuania Riflemen's Union takes an oath on the Juozapine Hill, Vilnius, Lithuania. The group - which was first set up in 1919 but banned in 1940 under Soviet rule - now has around 7,000 members, three times the number since the beginning of the crises in Ukraine . It comes after a respected Moscow political scientist and editor claimed Vladimir Putin is plotting to rebuild much of the old Soviet Union after being stung by a Barack Obama jibe that he rules a mere 'regional power' The analysis from Yevgenia Albats came as the West assessed whether the Kremlin leader's seven point peace plan for Ukraine was serious, or a stunt to confuse NATO leaders at their Welsh summit today. She claimed recent comments from Putin suggest he has his eyes on grabbing back Kazakhstan and could also swallow up Belarus, Moldova, and even the staunchly Western Baltic states like Estonia, where Obama visited to deliver a message of support for eastern Europe. Putin said several days ago that the world's ninth largest country Kazakhstan, part of the old tsarist and Soviet empires, was a recent appearance on the map, adding: 'I am confident that a majority of its population supports development of close ties with Russia.' Recent comments from Putin suggest he has his eyes on grabbing back Kazakhstan and could also swallow up Belarus, Moldova, and even the staunchly Western Baltic states like Estonia . The ailing 74-year-old Kazakh dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev - who single-handedly created the state - was 'prudent' and would 'never act against the will of his country's people' by leaning too far to the West, he said. Albats said the comment was revealing about the intentions of Putin, who makes all his decisions in 'close contact' with the former KGB. 'Ukraine is only a beginning, and those 'slips' about Kazakhstan are not at all coincidental,' she predicted, adding: 'We will see how it all unfolds in Belarus, Moldova, perhaps the Baltic states, to Kazakhstan, and so on.' She claimed that Russia's population is falling but if Putin rebuilt the old Soviet empire he would have larger numbers. 'We can only oppose the USA if we are big. The USSR could have done it, even though half of the country was starving,' she said. | Students, businessmen, civil servants, .
journalists and politicians are among hundreds who have joined .
the Lithuania Riflemen's Union .
Paramilitary group was set .
up in 1919 but banned in 1940 under Soviet rule .
Comes amid fears Putin is plotting to rebuild much of the old Soviet Union . |
144,524 | 46e81a61119068213990c5ef4b871c4af654bc73 | Three-time major winner Billy Casper has died at the age of 83, the US PGA Tour has announced. Casper, who won the US Open in 1959 and 1966 and the Masters in 1970, claimed 51 PGA Tour titles in total between 1956 and 1975 to sit seventh on the Tour's all-time victories list. The PGA Tour said on its website: 'Billy Casper, one of the most prolific PGA TOUR winners in history and long considered among the sport's finest putters, suffered a heart attack and died Saturday at his home in Springview, Utah. He was 83.' Three-time major winner Billy Casper has died at the age of 83 . Casper (left) is helped into the Masters jacket after his 1970 win by '69 champion George Archer . According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, which quoted an email from Casper's son Bob, Casper had spent five weeks after Thanksgiving in hospital battling pneumonia. He had since returned home. Jack Nicklaus was among those to pay their tributes to San Diego native Casper. The 75-year-old Nicklaus, who won a record 18 major golf titles in his career, said on his Facebook page: 'I have said many times that during my career, when I looked up at a leaderboard, I wasn't just looking to see where a (Arnold) Palmer or a (Gary) Player or a (Lee) Trevino was. 'I was also checking to see where Billy Casper was. Billy had tremendous confidence. He just believed in himself. You knew when you played against Billy Casper, Billy would not beat himself. 'You want to talk about someone who could perform under pressure, if you wanted someone to get up and-down for you, Billy Casper was your man. I think it is fair to say that Billy was probably under-rated by those who didn't play against him. Those who did compete against him, knew how special he was.' Casper reacts after running a 25-foot putt into the cup on the 11th green during his playoff with Arnold Palmer for the U.S. Open title in San Francisco in June 1966 . Casper plays to the crowd while playing for the US Ryder Cup team in October 1965 . Casper hit out of a trap during the Masters playoff at Augusta during his victory in 1970 . Quoted on the PGA Tour website, Player added: 'I played a lot with Billy, and I always thought Billy had a wonderful short game. The way he managed the golf course - he had tremendous course management, which not a lot of people talk about. 'They talk about elongating, but that's not what wins golf tournaments; it's a great short game, the kinds of games we see with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. They are not good drivers of the ball and yet, they've been No. 1 and No. 2. Billy had a great short game, managed the course well and he was always a thorough gentleman.' | Golf legend Billy Casper has died at the age of 83 of a heart attack .
Casper won the US Open in 1959 and 1966, and the Masters in 1970 .
Jack Nicklaus among those to pay tribute to Casper . |
18,142 | 335f0145dbd66d0aff02529f9b0cf9c1f9ee7be0 | Editor's note: CNN contributor Bob Greene is a best-selling author whose current book is "When We Get to Surf City: A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams." "Tumbling tumbleweeds" have been romanticized in song, but they're no fun in some parts of the U.S. (CNN) -- "Do we like them?" Patrick Victor, a game and fish commission employee in San Carlos, Arizona, repeated the question back to me as if I had proved my lunacy by asking it in the first place. "Do we like tumbleweeds?" he said. "No one likes them. They're not like in the cowboy movies. We consider them garbage -- worse than garbage. There is nothing to treasure or cherish about a tumbleweed." We were talking about tumbleweeds because of a theory I had been pondering: . In this country, because of the immediacy of news, it seems as if everyone from one coast to the other is worrying obsessively about the same thing at the same time. You name it: the banking meltdown one day, the feared floods in Fargo, North Dakota, the next; the forced ouster of the head of General Motors one morning, followed soon after by the street demonstrations in London during the Group of 20 summit. We all tend to fret together about one crisis at a time; undoubtedly there will be something new for all of us to be nervous about together before sundown tonight. So the goal here was to come up with something utterly unlikely -- something that, in 2009, you wouldn't think would bother people -- and find out if it does. Tumbleweeds. That, just picked at random, was the test case. "They can be a pretty big problem out here," said Scott McGuire, a code enforcement inspector in Greeley, Colorado. "When the wind is right, they'll pile up right to the roofline of a house. Seriously -- people can't see out of their windows or even easily get out of their homes." There was something instructive, even (in an off-kilter way) comforting, about learning this: the affirmation that, in this increasingly monolithic country, there are still local vexations that override the breaking news bulletins on the national networks, that people in one pocket of America are routinely dealing with forces that people a few hundred miles away are blissfully unaware of. Just hearing about it makes life seem somehow more life-size. "I meant what I said literally," McGuire said, continuing on his pinned-in-the-house-by-tumbleweeds theme. "They are big and prickly -- they can blow for hundreds of miles, sometimes all the way from Wyoming. They go until the wind dies out or they run into something. That's when people can have piles of them pressing against their homes -- when the tumbleweeds stop there." Tumbleweeds, if you haven't thought about them in years, may seem like a gauzy memory from old Western movies, a nostalgic high-plains symbol of desolation and loneliness. There was that campfire song by Roy Rogers and his group, the Sons of the Pioneers; once you think of the lyrics and melody again, you can't get it out of your head: . "See them tumbling down/Pledging their love to the ground/Lonely but free I'll be found/Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds." But in the 21st century? In our connected-by-broadband, addicted-to-cell phones, technologically tethered nation? Tumbleweeds? As something to be concerned about? "They're ugly and nasty," said Charlene Hardin, the county manager of Roosevelt County, New Mexico. "They can make our roads impassable. You can see 12-foot-high, chain-link fences with tumbleweeds piled all the way up to the top. They're very flammable -- toss a cigarette, and you have a big fire. "Tumbleweeds are more than a nuisance out here. We'll get complaints from people who can't even get out of their own driveways because the tumbleweeds have them hemmed in." Tumbleweeds are mainly a plague in the West and Southwest: certainly not dire on the level of, say, a national security issue, but a perpetual pain in the neck. They're a gnarled and unpleasant-looking plant, useless as a crop or nutritionally; they dry up, separate from their roots and blow across the land, spreading seeds. They're thorny, are often painful to the touch and can grow as big as trash bags -- it's not uncommon to see tumbleweeds 4 feet in diameter rolling speedily along. As Velda Bucklen, who lives west of Kersey, Colorado, and who was concerned about people just heaving errant tumbleweeds off their property and thus onto nearby lawns, wrote in a letter to the editor of her local newspaper: "They are prickly and strong. ... I have been guilty of tossing them into the street and sending them on their way. .... Please don't fight with your neighbors." The people of the United States, though, are nothing if not resourceful. Just as you may have been unaware that tumbleweeds are a contemporary problem, so you may be heartened to learn that, as always, where some people see bad news, others see opportunity. "I thought there might be some money in tumbleweeds," said Linda Katz of Garden City, Kansas. She was right. She runs a company called Prairie Tumbleweed Farm (its motto is "If they don't tumble, we don't sell them!"), and she said she has found a steady mail-order market for tumbleweeds. "Personally I'm not fond of them, but apparently some people are," she said. "They're just big, rolling weeds. But people order them for wedding decorations. People order them for dances. Servicemen say tumbleweeds remind them of home. I've taken two orders already today." Finding them is not a challenge: "They just roll by the house." She grabs them, puts them in boxes and mails them off. And, to answer your question before you can ask it: $25 for a large tumbleweed, $15 for a small. Before we leave this topic so we can all return to more conventional news, a word from Bob Lee, director of weed and pest control in Cheyenne, Wyoming: . "I've seen people here who have gone away for a two-week vacation, and when they come back, there are so many tumbleweeds in front of their house that they have to chop their way to the front door." So, Mr. Lee, is there one stirring and inspirational parting message you'd like to convey to people? "Just that tumbleweeds don't have any redeeming features, as far as I'm aware of." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene. | Bob Greene: National issues such as economic crisis dominate news .
Greene says that we quickly move from one crisis to the next .
Greene: Still there are regional concerns that never get a big spotlight .
Some parts of the U.S. are plagued by "tumbling tumbleweeds" |
273,490 | ee48a8da69f1f45081886b304c4d491994f7cfee | David Moyes, Phil Neville and David Gill were getting into the derby spirit as they watched Manchester United Under 21s lose in a close encounter with cross-town rivals City. The United manager was joined by first team coach Neville and former chief executive Gill as the action unfolded at the AJ Bell Stadium. In one picture from the game, Neville can be seen on his feet, lamenting a missed United chance during the first half in the Under 21 Premier League match. No cigar! Phil Neville looks disappointed as he sits behind David Gill (left) and manager David Moyes (right) Get in: Greg Leigh (second right) celebrates after opening the scoring . Taking his seat: Moyes gets in position to watch the match at the AJ Bell Stadium . City took the lead early in the game through a Greg Leigh header before hot prospect Jesse Lingard levelled the match. But Patrick Vieira's talented youth side regained the lead shortly afterward through George Glendon, whose father Kevin had a brief spell at the club between 1979 and 1980. City were without their exciting young winger Marcos Lopes, who is likely to be included in the squad to take on Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Wednesday evening. Vieira's men managed to hold on for their eighth win in a row - not to mention the local bragging rights. Battle of wills: Patrick Vieira's (pictured) City side were up against Nicky Butt's Under 21s in Manchester . Overseeing: Butt watches his young United side during training . In action: Seko Fofana (left) watches intently as he plays the ball away from Larnell Cole (right) | David Moyes and Phil Neville at AJ Bell Stadium for Manchester derby .
Jesse Lingard scored for United but City take the spoils with goals from Greg Leigh and George Glendon .
Former chief executive David Gill also with United manager at the match . |
8,902 | 191b8ce1e3fedf889fda212732d3f5ffd85e7c8c | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 08:55 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:46 EST, 14 November 2013 . Prince Harry and the wounded servicemen and women he is trekking to the South Pole with got a warm send off for their gruelling charity race today. The 29-year-old royal and his team of adventurers were at London's Trafalgar Square before the start of the 208-mile Walking With The Wounded challenge. The group are due to fly to Cape Town, in South Africa, on Sunday before moving on to Antarctica two days later. Although . he has always been the 'action man' of the royal family, Harry's . participation in the challenge is one of his toughest tests yet. Scroll down for video . Prince Harry today hailed the courage of 12 wounded servicemen and women who are about to race each other across Antarctica . 'Action man': Prince Harry (pictured) and his team of adventurers were at London's Trafalgar Square before the start of the 208-mile Walking With The Wounded challenge . Harry, who will take time off from his job as an Apache helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps to compete, will be part of a five-strong team of Britons . He told the Walking with the Wounded departure event the expedition will prove 'even when you've lost a leg or lost an arm, or whatever the illness may be, that you can achieve pretty much anything if you put your mind to it'. 'The cause is for one cause and one cause only and that is to raise awareness for all the wounded, sick and injured whether it's in military life or whether it's in civilian life,' the prince said. Harry, who will take time . off from his job as an Apache helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps to . compete, will be part of a five-strong team of Britons racing against . rivals from the U.S. and the Commonwealth to the southern-most point on . the globe. The marathon effort will see them travel a distance of 208 . miles in temperatures of up to -50C, all while hauling custom built . arctic sledges, weighing in excess of 11 stone. Ready: Prince Harry arrives for the Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge launch in London . Challenge: The prince is planning to race along a 208-mile route to the South Pole . Long road ahead: The South Pole team at the Trafalgar Square photocall . Britain's Prince Harry, sixth left, poses for a group photograph on stage with other competitors, including actor Dominic West . Harry told the Walking with the Wounded departure event the expedition will prove 'even when you've lost a leg or lost an arm, or whatever the illness may be, that you can achieve pretty much anything if you put your mind to it' Harry took to the stage and was presented with the expedition flag. He said how much the men and women he will be walking with had done just to get here. The money raised will go towards helping wounded service personnel. He added: 'This trip is another way of reminding everybody that as Afghanistan draws down and these guys aren't in the news anymore so than they already are, it's a reminder to everybody that support must continue.' Prince Harry poses with children from Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Primary School in Brixton, south London . The marathon effort will Harry's team travel a distance of 208 miles in temperatures of up to -50C, all while hauling custom built arctic sledges, weighing in excess of 11 stone . Prince Harry told the crowd how much the men and women he will be walking with had done just to get here . Prince Harry gets out of a car as he arrives to attend the Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge departure event . The team expect to trek for between nine and 12 miles a day (15 to 20km), dragging 11-stone (70kg) sledges, and are likely to encounter vast crevasses, moving ice-shelves, glaciers and snow storms . Three of the other teams ready to depart for their trek to raise funds for the charity Walking With The wounded . Actor Dominic West, who is an 'Honorary Team Soldier On Member', was also at the launch . As part of his expedition training, Prince Harry, an Army pilot who has served in Afghanistan, spent a night in a sub-zero Army test facility in September. He and four team-mates, who all lost limbs in Afghanistan, were subjected to ambient temperatures down to -35C (-31F) and wind speeds of 45mph (72kph). In the Antarctic, the team will face even lower temperatures of -45C (-49) and savage 50mph (80kph) winds. They expect to trek for between nine and 12 miles a day (15 to 20km), dragging 11-stone (70kg) sledges, and are likely to encounter vast crevasses, moving ice-shelves, glaciers and snow storms. Of the location, the prince said: 'Antarctica is the only place on earth that is still as it should be. May we never tame that, but I can assure you the boys and girls behind me will do their very best.' The race begins on November 30 and competitors are expecting to reach the geographic South Pole by December 16. The competitors hope to reach the geographical South Pole on December 16 . Hopefully they'll all be home safely for Christmas which no doubt the new uncle hopes to celebrate with family . | The 29-year-old royal and his team of adventurers will travel 208 miles .
It is part of the Walking With The Wounded challenge .
Harry's .
participation in the challenge is one of his toughest tests yet . |
269,802 | e97130bd84cd85f75a7db31cb5c291fc5b45c7ef | Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. ambassador to Syria visited the embattled town of Hama Thursday as part of what the State Department called an effort to show U.S. support for Syrians fighting for democracy. Ambassador Robert Ford visited Hama "to make absolutely clear with his physical presence that we stand with those Syrians who are expressing their right to speak for change," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. Hama has been wracked with violence and a general strike this week after a series of peaceful demonstrations, including a huge anti-government demonstration last Friday. A fierce crackdown ensued in the area, with activists and Human Rights Watch reporting many arrests and deaths. President Bashar al-Assad fired the Hama provincial governor Saturday and security forces removed tanks to the outskirts of the city, a sign that the tensions there could be easing. Ambassador Ford met with over a dozen Hama residents and visited a hospital that has treated some of those wounded in the security forces crackdown, Nuland said, adding that he was greeted with a "very warm welcome." The state news agency SANA reported that a Foreign Ministry source accused Ford of going to Hama without obtaining prior permission from the government. According to the report, the Foreign Ministry official said Ford's visit was "clear evidence of the U.S. involvement in the ongoing events in Syria and its bids to aggravate the situations which destabilize Syria.'' Nuland, however, said U.S. officials notified the Syrian government that an embassy team was traveling to Hama. "The embassy informed Syrian officials that an embassy delegation, without specifying whom, would be heading to Hama. And they then proceeded to make their way there and were allowed to proceed," Nuland said. Ford's delegation did not include any official Syrian "handlers," Nuland said, adding that Syrian authorities allowed him through check points to reach the town. "For him to go personally at this time and stand with the people of Hama, I think expresses in physical terms -- not to mention political terms -- our view that the people of Hama have the right to express themselves peacefully and that we are concerned about the posture that the security forces have taken," Nuland said, adding that Ford plans to stay through protests planned on Friday. It is unclear whether Hama residents will turn out for nationwide demonstrations on Friday after Muslim prayers. Last month, Hama was the site of violent crackdowns by security forces that killed 60 protesters. The city is a sensitive spot for Syrian authorities. In 1982, it was the scene of a brutal military crackdown targeting Sunni Muslims by the Alawite-dominated government of Hafez al-Assad, the current president's late father. Thousands were killed, with Human Rights Watch putting the toll at 10,000. | NEW: The State Department says Syrian authorities were told of the planned visit .
The Syrian town of Hama has been wracked with violence .
The U.S. ambassador to Syria visited the town Thursday .
State Department says it was to show U.S. support for Syrians fighting for democracy . |
79,073 | e023b2be071cbdd9bdf6df8fcebd130fc867a4a3 | A dangerous shrimp that could decimate British waterways has been found in the UK. The killer crustacean - branded a 'voracious predator' by the Environment Agency has been found in the Worcester and Birmingham canal following previous sighting in the River Severn. It arrived in the UK from Eastern Europe, and feeds on fish, sparking fears it could dramatically change the UK's delicate marine ecosystem. Public enemy number one: The 'killer shrimp' that could decimate Britain's waterways. The Environment Agency today issued a high alert warning people to look out for it. Adults are up to 30mm in length. The body is curled and semi-transparent. They have two pairs of antennae and large, powerful mandibles. Newly hatched young are about 1.8mm in length and resemble adults. According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, . the killer shrimp is 'a voracious predator' that 'kills a range of . native species, including young fish, and can significantly alter . ecosystems'. Regarding its cousin, the Environment Agency says it is 'uncertain at this stage what its impact might be'. Experts have scrambled a team of investigators dedicated to tracking the shrimps’ movements and how quickly they are spreading throughout the country. The Environment Agency’s Area Manager for Worcs, David Throup, said; 'We are concerned that this invasive species has been found in the Midlands. 'We now have a dedicated team whose focus is to establish the degree of the problem, and whether the shrimp has spread wider than the locations already found. 'We are treating this as a priority so that we can come up with a plan to help contain its spread as far as possible.' The alien shrimp - proper name . Dikerogammarus haemobaphes - is a relative of a non-native species that . has migrated from Eastern Europe. The . new shrimp was first discovered in the River Severn but has now been . found in two canals, showing the creature has spread over a distance of . more than 20 miles. Anglers and other users of Midlands . waterways are being urged to check, clean and dry all their equipment . after use, especially nets, and to drain, clean and dry boats and . kayaks. The Birmingham canal where the shrimp was spotted . Experts have already begun capturing the shrimps in British waters. The new shrimp was first found after samples were taken from the River Severn by Severn Trent Water near Worcester, but has since been found in two canals, showing the creature had spread over a distance of more than 20 miles. This is the first time the shrimp has been found in the UK. The shrimp at different stages of its life . British Shrimp form a valuable part of the UK's marine ecosystem - but there are fears a new Eastern European species could cause havoc. | Fears shrimp could upset delicate ecosystem .
Anglers and other river users urged to keep an eye out for the creature as Environment Agency scrambles team to search for it . |
56,319 | 9f9b83bab1041c9a4c90a197fdba99721ec46131 | By . Pa Reporter . FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein maintains it is important to award World Cups to countries that have not hosted them before despite the controversy surrounding the decision to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. FIFA awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively in 2010, but a report was commissioned amid allegations by the Sunday Times that disgraced former FIFA executive committee member Mohamed Bin Hammam had made payments to football officials in return for votes for Qatar. FIFA ethics investigator Michael Garcia submitted his report into the bidding contests in May and, while he would not be drawn on speculation that the 2022 World Cup could be hosted elsewhere if evidence of corruption was uncovered, Prince Ali insists it is essential for all the world's regions to experience staging a World Cup. Reason: FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein insists it's vital that the World Cup has new hosts . Concern: There are fears that Qatar was the wrong choice for the 2022 World Cup and won't deliver the goods . Project: Qatar plan to accomodate all the visitors for the World Cup with state of the art facilities . Finished product: The stadium proposals have state of the art designs to make their facilities excellent . 'I was not there at the time that these bids were made so I can't really comment on that (the 2022 World Cup being moved). I think the important thing is that we have two wonderful World Cups coming up in the future,' he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. 'It's very important to take it to different parts of the world, I'm a firm believer in that, so let's just hope that if it's done in the right way and everything is satisfactory in order to kick off then let's go for it, whatever the decisions are that come up.' Prince Ali, who is also president of the Jordan Football Association, went on to speak of his pride over the World Cup coming to his continent in eight years' time - provided everything is above board. He said: 'It's always a good thing when a World Cup is hosted in your continent. Having said that, we're very proud to be hosting in Jordan the Under-17 Women's World Cup in 2016, so I'm very happy if it comes to our region as long as it's done in the proper and correct way and hopefully things will go in the direction we want.' | Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein believes Qatar should not deter FIFA from picking new countries to the host the World Cup .
Mohamed Bin Hammam allegedly made payments to football officials in return for votes for Qatar .
Qatar will host the World Cup in 2022 . |
248,857 | ce090fd9e983b610d93799417c2c53d69198dfbe | (CNN) -- At first glance, it looks like the real thing. It's white, with a brown filter. When the tip glows red, a smoke-like puff follows. But this is not a typical cigarette -- it's an "e-cig." A what? An electronic cigarette. When an e-cigarette user inhales, a battery inside warms liquid nicotine stored in a plastic filter. Makers of e-cigs tout their product as the first healthy cigarette, free of harmful chemicals and tar typically found in tobacco products. The only ingredient: pure liquid nicotine. "Our product is comparable to the nicotine patch except people still get the oral fixation, which they love," explained Elicko Taieb, CEO of Smoking Everywhere, one of the largest distributors of electronic cigarettes. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers e-cigs an unapproved new drug because of a lack of scientific proof that they're safe or effective. The FDA is trying to halt importation of e-cigs, but isn't seizing products already being sold in the United States. "The FDA has been detaining and refusing importations since at least last summer of these so-called 'electronic cigarettes,' " FDA spokesperson Rita Chappelle told CNN in a written statement. Watch Sanjay Gupta's take on e-cigarette » . Smoking Everywhere is "pretty sure" the product is safe, based on laboratory testing in Europe, Taieb said. The company declined a CNN request to review safety reports. "There are no ingredients in our e-cigs that can cause cancer. However, it is a pretty new product, so we are not 100 percent sure of the side effects at this point," Taieb said. "But we haven't heard of any negative side effects yet, but we are pretty sure they are safe." Electronic cigarettes run on a battery. A person inhales an e-cig as he or she would a typical cigarette. When inhaled, the battery warms liquid nicotine stored in a plastic filter. The combination of heat and liquid creates the vapor or "smoke" puff when exhaled. Health experts say the idea of an electronic cigarette is a great alternative to tobacco smoke but more evidence is needed. "Nicotine is not the thing in tobacco smoke that causes cancer, but inhaling pure nicotine may be dangerous," said Dr. Steven Schroeder, physician and smoking cessation expert at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. "We have no clue what the health effects could be." Nicotine replacement therapies -- the patch or gum -- are safe and highly successful to help quit smoking. Tobacco smoke causes nearly 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. "If it is a choice between smoking tobacco product or a nicotine replacement -- of course, keep taking the nicotine," Schroeder said. "It is a heck of a lot healthier than tobacco smoking." Developers of e-cigs echo the thought. "We aren't claiming electronic cigarettes help you quit altogether, but I promise our product won't cause cancer. So no matter what way you look at it, it's the healthier option," Taieb said. Smoking Everywhere sells thousands of electronic cigarettes a day in the United States, the company said. Most are sold online or in 100 mall kiosks across the states. The company, which gave samples of e-cigs to celebrities at this year's Grammy and Oscar awards, said it expects that "big-name" actors will soon promote the product. U.S. sales are expected to double in 2009. Sales of e-cigs have been on the rise in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden and Brazil for several years. The trend prompted the World Health Organization to issue a statement in 2008 calling for more safety testing. "If the marketers of the electronic cigarette want to help smokers quit, then they need to conduct clinical studies and toxicity analyses," the statement said. The idea that that e-cigs may be a good tobacco smoke alternative in the future could hold true, the FDA and WHO acknowledged, but proof of the product's safety must come first. | Electronic cigarettes don't contain tar, other chemicals; only liquid nicotine .
CEO "pretty sure" e-cigarettes are safe .
FDA says safety not proved, has been refusing importations .
WHO called for more safety testing in 2008 . |
159,280 | 59e49b22c5f265b6f4b6244e1e1a6d654abc0266 | Novak Djokovic made a ruthless start to the defence of his ATP World Tour Finals title as he beat Marin Cilic in just 56 minutes. The world No 1 dominated proceedings throughout at the O2 Arena with a 6-1, 6-1 victory, which is his 28th win in a row on an indoor court. Djokovic said: 'It was a great performance. I was hoping I could play this way. I was preparing myself for this match. I knew already one week ago that I was going to play Marin. Novak Djokovic walks out on court to play against Marin Cilic at the O2 Arena . 'You could see that he didn't feel so comfortable. I tried to use my experience playing on this stage, the stadium, which is pretty different from any other.' Djokovic had won all ten of his previous meetings against Cilic and never at any point on Monday night did it look like this particular contest would end any differently. The first break of the match came in the third game with US Open champion Cilic nervously putting a forehand wide as he faced break point. Two stunning forehand cross-court passes helped Djokovic seal the double break for 4-1 and a tame Cilic backhand into the net ended a 27-minute first set. World No 1 Novak Djokovic dominated proceedings throughout on Monday night . Another Cilic error saw Djokovic claim the early break in the second set, although he did halt the Serb's run of eight straight games as he immediately broke back with a blistering forehand down the line. Hopes of a possible Cilic revival were swiftly ended, however, as the Croat sprayed yet more groundstrokes and Djokovic won four games in a row to seal a comfortable victory. Two more wins in the round-robin stage for Djokovic will see him secure the year-end No 1 ranking and he looks odds on to do so given his dominance under a roof in the last two years. Djokovic next faces Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday in what will be their first meeting since the Swiss won a thrilling Australian Open quarter-final back in January. Croat Marin Cilic has lost all of his 11 meetings against Djokovic . | Novak Djokovic dominated proceedings throughout with a 6-1, 6-1 victory .
World No 1 has won 28 matches in a row on an indoor court .
Djokovic next faces Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday . |
228,583 | b3f9fa06492bed4394ca521100b10e87431d0ddb | (CNN) -- Outside my window, the wind is starting to die down, although it still comes through in gusts, sending branches and debris tumbling down the deserted street outside. The power's been out since 4 a.m. Life has skidded to a slow crawl, with no data available on my smartphone and no Internet to tell me when the storm might subside. It's just me inside my shelter, listening to the howl of the weather and racing to eat everything in the fridge before it spoils and has to be tossed into a garbage bag. Some people in New Orleans party before a storm starts or even after it begins. Young voices hollered and whooped down the street last night, kids running through the rain with bottles in their hands. In the meantime, I stood on the porch as the wind started to pick up. Waiting. Hurricane Isaac photos . Luckily, I made sure to charge up all my laptops before the power went out. In the dark, I sit in front of a rectangular glowing screen, a reminder that my separation from technology is only temporary until someone comes and repairs the lines. Soon, I'll be connected to the world again. For now, I send texts from time to time, just to make sure others are OK, to let them know I am thinking of them as we sit in the darkness listening to the world outside. Some might describe the feeling that comes with waiting for a hurricane to arrive as fear, anxiety or anger. To me, it's not quite any of those things. It's closer to surrender. Growing up, my grandmother told me stories of Hurricane Betsy that engraved themselves on my memory. In their home on Desire Street in the Ninth Ward, they stayed put when they heard that weather was coming, with none of the advanced ways to communicate about the threat of a storm that we have now. New Orleans: The food that got them through . When Betsy hit in 1965, my grandmother watched as the floodwaters gushed from the floor furnace in the hallway of their home, spilling across the living room floor. I listened, frozen in awe, as she described to me those first moments of panic, how everyone stood there and watched it, the long seconds before my mother screamed with fear. They made a mad scramble into the attic, listening to the wind batter the walls of the house as the water slowly rose up the stairs. When it drew too close, my uncle chopped a hole in the roof so they wouldn't drown. They used a bedsheet to tie themselves together so they wouldn't fall after they made their way out into the wind. Luckily, right before they climbed out of the hole, the rain stopped. I grew up not with a fear of hurricanes but rather a conviction that they had to be dealt with using a mix of careful planning and complete concession to the whims of nature. Those vivid images from my grandmother's stories never left me. She was a figure of courage to me, a devoted survivor. A love letter to Louisiana . When Hurricane Katrina destroyed the home where my mother and grandmother raised me, we were lucky enough not to be in it. They were evacuated to the Hotel Intercontinental in the French Quarter and were there for days without power. Later, my mother described to me how the entire building shook from side to side while the winds tore through the city. She smiles now when she tells the story, because she knows how close it was, how fortunate they were to be airlifted out in the end. I moved to Los Angeles not long after the storm, leaving New Orleans and my own flooded apartment behind me. The majority of what I owned was destroyed. Since I didn't have the capability to deal with what had happened, I chose to run in the other direction. But now I've returned. My grandmother never sought help for her post-traumatic stress symptoms after Betsy. In a way, I couldn't blame her. It was unspoken between us, but I knew there was something about that kind of grief that was both a secret and a treasure. Admitting it meant admitting how much life had hurt you. It was easier to carry it silently. As I watched Isaac draw up the mouth of the Mississippi River on the same August day that Katrina did seven years ago, I felt a sense of calm. I'm calm still as I sit in the dark, looking at the frayed electrical wires dangling from the poles outside the window. That's how a hurricane feels to me. It's coming face to face with something of great power, and knowing it's OK to be small and vulnerable in the face of it. From my parents' experiences, I know you can fight these things. I also know you can choose to accept them absolutely rather than struggle. If Isaac had been a stronger storm, I would have left. After so many years of hurricanes, you start to develop the same feel for them that a farmer does when he licks a finger and sticks it in the air to find out which way the wind is blowing. Monday night, as I walked home, the breeze was gentle and lovely, like a missive sent in advance of Isaac's arrival. I'll be there soon, it said. But you'll withstand me. Have you been through a natural disaster? Share what helped you weather the storm in the comments section below. | Colette Bennett fled New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home .
Bennett returned and hunkered down as Hurricane Isaac passed through her hometown .
Her family has lived through several hurricanes and passed down the harrowing stories .
Surrender and preparation are the keys to weathering a hurricane, says Bennett . |
250,149 | cfbdba4e119d60a5a56d472d71009ff72b7a97e5 | (CNN) -- "Jughead, do you want to be my best man?" comic book character Archie asks on his blog. The marriage issue is due to arrive at comic stores in August and on newsstands in September. Archie Andrews -- who spent decades in high school, flirting with girl-next-door Betty Cooper and heiress-next-door Veronica Lodge -- is getting married. "I am so excited, I am getting Married to Archie. There is so much to do, so many plans to make. I wonder if Betty wants to be my Maid of Honor? I bet she is so happy for me!" Veronica writes on her blog. Yup, Archie is marrying Veronica, breaking Betty's heart. "I am so sad, I don't even know what to say," Betty writes on her blog. Betty has months to dry her tears. The marriage issue is due to arrive at comic stores in August and on newsstands in September, according to publisher Archie Comic Publications (archiecomics.com). "It's the milestone 600th issue and we're serving up the Archie story of the century as Archie marries Veronica!!!" the publisher says on its Web site. "The 32-page issue takes a look at Archie and his friends after they graduate college! What careers will they seek? Will the friends stay in Riverdale or disperse? What would lead Archie to have marriage on his mind? And who would he choose Veronica or Betty? How will Betty react? How will Veronica react? Can Archie shake off his klutzy past and hold down a steady job... for more than a month? One thing is certain: this will be the biggest Archie Comics story ever!" Archie might be in over his head. According to Veronica's online profile, "She is very conceited, usually fickle, and extremely flirtatious." He went for the bad girl instead of Betty. Her online profile says, "Through every crazy, loving scheme to win Archie's love, Betty always remains completely unaffected, loyal and sweet." Maybe Archie will come to his senses. His online profile says, "He does things on the spur of the moment, which almost always gives him a very keen cause for regret." | Comic book character Archie Andrews finally chooses between Betty and Veronica .
The fictional marriage marks the comic book's milestone 600th issue .
Is Archie in over his head? Fans must wait until August to find out . |
40,237 | 7190d9382e2b82fd619d4ca79ed1515f596c02ca | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:38 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:43 EST, 12 December 2012 . Jailed: Two brothers used the internet to sexually abuse 110 children around the world . Two brothers who used the internet to sexually abuse 110 children around the world have been jailed for five years. Mohammed Khalaf Al Ali Alhamadi, 35, and his brother Yousef Al Ali Alhamadi, 27, targeted victims aged between 12 and 16 on social networking and instant messaging applications, often pretending to be someone the children already knew. They would then trick victims, including 78 in the UK, into giving them their online passwords using a link, before threatening them into ‘engaging in sexual activities via webcam’, said the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), which led the operation. The brothers, who were arrested last December, were jailed at a court in their native Kuwait today after being convicted of blackmail relating to child sexual abuse offences. Once the abusers were identified and arrested, CEOP worked with Kuwaiti authorities and international law enforcement partners and child protection agencies in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Jersey, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden and the United States. In order to identify other victims, CEOP launched a media appeal in December 2011, encouraging British victims to come forward. A special helpline number set up by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) as part of the investigation for UK youngsters to report the men. CEOP deputy chief executive Andy Baker said: ‘These two individuals mistakenly thought that they could abuse children in the UK and elsewhere and not be caught for their crimes. ‘Today has seen justice for their victims after a challenging investigation. ‘This illustrates once again how officers from CEOP and other law enforcement agencies will go the extra mile to protect children from abuse, wherever they are in the world. Led operation: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (pictured) worked with Kuwaiti authorities and international law enforcement partners and child protection agencies in several countries to catch the culprits . ‘This is also another example . highlighting how law enforcement and child protection agencies around . the world will work together to ensure that offenders are identified, no . matter where their victims are located. ‘Offenders who think they can contact, coerce and cause harm to young people via the internet without facing the consequences need to take note of this conviction. ‘Everything you do online leaves a digital footprint and we will use this information to locate you and ensure you face justice for your crimes.’ CEOP is now urging parents buying devices that connect to the internet for their children this Christmas to consider online safety measures. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Mohammed Khalaf Al Ali Alhamadi and brother Yousef Al Ali Alhamadi were jailed for five years .
They targeted victims aged between 12 and 16 on social networking and instant messaging applications .
They would trick victims into giving them online passwords before threatening them .
Of the 110 victims, 78 were from Britain . |
282,504 | f9e630a7744b6d7e1eb2bd678cc40425c6d672f8 | What happens when you bring together 40 professional dancers and 40 treadmills? An epic fitness flash mob, of course. The high-energy video was shot on location in Logan, Utah, and was conceptualised by fitness equipment manufacturer, NordicTrack. Forty professional dancers, along with YouTube and Vine stars, came together for an epic fitness flash mob . Filmed on location in Logan, Utah, the dancers jogged in place on and off for over 12 hours during the shoot . Twelve YouTube and Vine stars were on hand to create the musical masterpiece, dancing along to the song The Str!ke by band Atom Bomb. Choreographed by Jason Celaya, it featured local dance teams like My Bad Crew, USU Dance Companies, Dance Factory, and USU Dance Club. Over the course of a grueling 12 hours, the 40 dancers jog-danced in high altitude - and, on occasion, on an incline - while being filmed on an Epic Red Dragon and 4k Sony f7 camera. The high-energy melody - a song called The Strike by Atom Bomb - provided the soundtrack . As part of NordicTrack's #makefunhappen campaign, the video was released and has since gone viral . The music video showcases NordicTrack's new technology and has already been viewed 2.1 million times . The #makefunhappen campaign is in part to promote the brand's new 1-Touch Incline and Decline controls. Select NordicTrack treadmills had adopted iFit technology and also boast reflex cushioning to help your run or walk feel more 'real' - just don't attempt to leap onto the handlebars. The video was filmed near the Icon Health & Fitness Headquarters. For more information visit: http://www.nordictrack.com/ . Click here for the original YouTube video. | Shot on location in Utah, video was part of NordicTrack ad campaign .
Features 40 professional dancers, as well as YouTube and Vine stars .
Dancers jogged in place over the course of 12 hours during the shoot . |
175,499 | 6f2528893af5d8f7c9d3fb0c9e00e59ef3e8f002 | It's a massive week in the Champions League as the final round of group stage fixtures are played and the last 16 line-up confirmed. While some groups are settled, there's plenty to play for in others and some big names staring at elimination. Ahead of Wednesday's fixtures, we take you through the permutations and possibilities for each of the final four groups. GROUP E . Bayern Munich are guaranteed top spot in this group, while the other three teams all have a chance of joining them in the knockout phase. Manchester City will go through if they beat Roma in Italy and CSKA Moscow fail to beat Bayern in Germany. If CSKA lose, City can also advance with a score draw because of their superior goal difference to Roma. However, if both matches end in a draw, Roma are the ones who go through. CSKA can advance if they beat Bayern and Roma fail to beat City. If both CSKA and City win, the Russians advance by virtue of their superior head-to-head record over the Premier League champions. Yaya Toure will be pivotal when Manchester City head to Roma in their decisive Champions League game . A tense final night is in store in Group E as Roma, CSKA Moscow and Man City aim to follow Bayern Munich . GROUP F . Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are both comfortably through and they meet at the Nou Camp to decide who'll top the group. A win or draw will see the French champions finish first. If Barcelona win, they will finish top. Ajax will ensure Europa League football after Christmas if they win or draw against APOEL in Amsterdam. A defeat, however, will see the Cypriots through in their place. Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns to former club Barcelona as top spot in Group F is determined . Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona meet at the Nou Camp to determine who'll finish top in Group F . GROUP G . Chelsea's 5-0 win at Schalke on matchday five ensured they will top the group. In order to join them, the Germans must beat Maribor and hope Sporting Lisbon lose at Stamford Bridge. If Schalke win and Sporting draw, the Portuguese side advance because of their superior head-to-head record. Maribor could pounce and gain the Europa League spot if they beat Schalke. Roberto Di Matteo's Schalke need to beat Maribor and hope Sporting Lisbon lose against Chelsea to progress . Schalke and Sporting Lisbon could qualify alongside Chelsea from Group G . GROUP H . Porto will definitely finish top and Shakhtar Donetsk have second place sewn up in this pool. So it's between Athletic Bilbao and BATE Borisov for the Europa League spot. The Spanish side need a win or a draw but a defeat would leave BATE third. Athletic Bilbao take on BATE Borisov for the Europa League place in Group H . Only the Europa League spot is up for grabs in Group H with Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk already through . | Manchester City go through if they win against Roma and CSKA lose .
Barcelona play PSG to determine top spot in Group F .
Click here to follow the Roma vs Manchester City game LIVE .
Click here to follow the Barcelona vs PSG clash LIVE .
Click here to follow Chelsea vs Sporting Lisbon LIVE . |
179,256 | 74130ea465f5152bb56497dd952fb1a4ac9ec096 | By . Snejana Farberov . A woman tossed a baby and a toddler out of a second-story window of a Las Vegas home Thursday before jumping from the window herself. Authorities said the three were transported to University Medical Center. Police responded to the scene in a middle-class neighborhood in northeast Las Vegas at around 5.50am to discover a 35-year-old woman lying on the ground next to her 1-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. Family drama: A married Las Vegas woman tossed her two young children out of the second-floor window of this brown house on Spiritual Way before jumping after them in a failed murder-suicide attempt . The two children suffered apparent head injuries, and the mother sustained a spinal injury. The toddler was listed Thursday in extremely critical condition and his sister was in critical condition, reported KTNV. Investigators believe the woman was trying to kill her children before taking her own life. Her family told police she has been battling depressed, Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. 'We don't know why she did it,' said Officer Larry Hadfield. Maria Cortes, who lives down the street in the 3700 block of Spiritual Way and saw ambulances Thursday morning, described her neighbors as a couple with three children. Cortes said she didn't know them well but said hello from time to time. 'They looked like a happy family,' she said. | The 35-year-old married Las Vegas woman injured her spine; her 6-month-old son and 1-year-old daughter are in critical condition .
Mother's family told police she has been battling depression . |
272,974 | ed92082e8af073d4368c706a668b9e65889aca2f | By . Jack Doyle, Home Affairs Correspondent . Last updated at 9:13 AM on 9th December 2011 . Belgian police have threatened to arrest British border staff stopping illegal migrants taking Eurostar trains to London. Dozens of migrants are thought to exploit the so-called ‘Lille Loophole’ every day. They buy a Eurostar ticket from Brussels to Lille, allowing them to avoid the UK border checks in the Belgian capital. Loophole: Passengers can miss key border checks by buying a ticket from Brussels to Lille but then stay on until London . And when the train stops in Lille they . simply stay on board and carry on through the Channel Tunnel to London, . where passports are rarely checked. Internal border agency figures suggest use of the loophole has shot up . in recent months. The Belgian authorities insist Britain cannot . interrogate Eurostar passengers with tickets to France because both . countries are inside the European Union’s Schengen area of free . movement. St Pancras station in London. The Government alone is powerless to close the so-called 'Lille loophole' and is in negotiation with other European countries . UK officials were pulled up when they tried to stop two Iranian men said . to ‘bear all the hallmarks of Lille loopholers’. Hiding under a Eurostar train is one way of getting into Britain – as is trying to sneak into the back of a lorry. But both are dangerous and far from certain to succeed – unlike the ‘Lille loophole’. Illegal migrants must first buy a ticket – often for as little as £23 –from Brussels in Belgium to Lille in France. Crucially, this ticket allows them to bypass the British border controls at the Eurostar terminal in Brussels, which are designed for those with tickets to London. Instead the migrants walk down the passport-free lane for Lille passengers – where only their ticket is checked. When the train gets to Lille, they stay on board and complete the journey to London. Some buy a second ticket covering the final leg of their trip so they do not fall foul of ticket inspectors. Brussels police say stopping passengers with tickets to Lille, even those thought to be headed for London, breaches the Schengen agreement on free movement. One of the UK . officials told BBC Radio 4’s The Report that a Belgian officer shouted . at him: ‘This has got to stop. You are not in Britain now, you are in . Schengen. If they make a complaint you will be arrested.’ The threats mean British officials may now have to turn a blind eye to suspected illegal migrants. In the first six months of this year, officers caught 80 migrants using . the loophole to get into the country. But in the following five months . that number increased to 240. Last year just 14 migrants were caught on . the route. As the figures show only those who are detected by the Border Agency, the true figure is likely to be much higher. Border Agency sources said there were fears the loophole could be . exploited by terrorists and people traffickers. One said it was not . unusual to see up to 20 suspect passengers on a Eurostar train. Another officer even claimed Belgian police had been known to use the loophole to clear migrants from the streets of Brussels. Immigration minister Damian Green said: ‘We are working closely with our . Belgian counterparts and Eurostar to resolve this as quickly as . possible.’ A spokesman for the Belgian government did not respond to requests for a comment. | Passengers buy a train ticket from Brussels to Lille but can stay on until London without passport checks .
Alarm first raised in 2001 but nothing was done about it .
UKBA's Jonathan Sedgwick tells MPs it is 'unsatisfactory' but insists it is not a loophole . |
183,939 | 7a419b7603efa85702731e1f4ab1c4ecf04ab8d9 | By . Steve Nolan and John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 10:55 EST, 29 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:51 EST, 29 January 2013 . She's normally known for her combative interviewing style, but BBC radio presenter Shelagh Fogarty was left shrieking in fear when a surprise studio guest made an appearance yesterday. BBC 5 Live lunchtime presenter Miss Fogarty started screaming and leapt on her chair live on air after a guest spotted a mouse running around the studio. The 47-year-old was interviewing Mike Linnell from drugs charity Lifeline Project live on air at the BBC's Salford studio just before 1pm when her guest spotted the unwelcome rodent. Scroll down for video . Surprise guest: The presenter was visibly shocked when the mouse made an appearance in the studio shortly before 1pm yesterday . Horror: Miss Fogarty leapt up in horror and kneeled on her chair . Startled: Studio guest Mike Linnell clutched his chest as he saw the mouse prompting presenter Shelagh Fogarty to think that he had been taken ill . Amused: Mr Linnell was initially shocked at the sight of the mouse but was later amused at Miss Fogarty's reaction . She screamed: 'Don't tell me you can see it, please stop, just get it out of here, oh god, oh, I don't want to carry on doing this programme, please someone get rid of the mouse.' The brazen mouse was clearly not as afraid of Miss Fogarty as she was of it as it ran onto the desk and across her hand. The usually calm and composed presenter became upset and changed studio following the incident. Mr Linnell told her that he had seen the rodent when he faltered as he answered a question and she asked if there was something wrong. 'Oh my god, oh, oh how horrible,' screamed Miss Fogarty. 'Oh gosh sorry I'm live on the radio squealing and kneeling on my chair because there's a mouse in the room. 'I thought you were unwell. I'm going to leave it there because I am not sure I can continue interviewing in a a serious manner when I know there is a mouse scurrying around my feet.' Shock: Miss Fogarty expressed her embarrassment at having screamed on air and briefly regained her composure before squealing in fear again . Drama: Workers looked around the studio for the mouse but were unable to find it, prompting Miss Fogarty to move studios . Miss Fogarty appeared to regain her composure, telling listeners: 'I'm just about OK, but these feet aren't touching the ground, I've got big boots on as well, there's no way this mouse could do me harm, it's quite ridiculous.' She started screaming again moments later when the mouse was spotted again, begging others in the studio to get rid of the animal. She said: 'If it walks on my hand I'm resigning. It's on the bloody table.' Presenter: BBC 5 Live's Shelagh Fogarty was caught unawares by the rodent as it made an appearance in her Salford Quays studio . Miss Fogarty was then forced to move studio in the middle of her programme after the mouse walked over her hand off air. At the end of her show, she told BBC 5 Live colleague Richard Bacon: ‘I was in the other studio as normal earlier on and at two minutes to one, one of my guests just went “huh” and clutched his chest, I thought “oh my god, he’s having a heart attack”, and I said “are you OK?”, and he said, “I’ve just seen a mouse” and pointed to the little holes in the desk from where various wires come, and there was a little mouse sitting in there. 'I squealed and put my feet up on the chair as I did not want them on the floor. 'But the floor was not the issue and the mouse was then on the table and came across my hand. It was just horrible.’ She added: ‘I’m off to breathe deeply and recover from the mouse incident, eugh.’ Hours . after the incident, staff had still been unable to capture the mouse. Newsreader Rachel Hodges told listeners: ‘He could be anywhere. Someone . was trying to catch him in a coffee cup with a lid but failed. The mouse . is on the loose.’ The mouse was spotted in the Corporation's new multi-million pound home which only opened its doors back in 2011. Miss Fogarty is not the first BBC presenter to be startled by a mouse live on air. Just . last month BBC Three Counties weather girl Kate Kinsella was reading . out a bulletin on the Iain Lee breakfast show when she spotted a rodent . in the studio. She said: 'We could be seeing gale force winds from time to time during the afternoon. 'The good news is it will start to... AHH. Sorry there's a mouse just run past me in my studio.' The BBC's relocation to Salford has been the subject of widespread criticism, with high-ranking members of staff questioning the need for the huge expenditure on the move. The luxurious new base at Salford Quays, which houses programmes such as Blue Peter and Match of the Day, cost £200 million, with huge amounts of extra expenditure on staff relocation and transport between Manchester and London. The Director General of BBC North Peter Salmon has still not purchased a home in the north, despite claiming that he would relocate close to the Salford base in 2010, it was revealed yesterday. Ridiculous: Following the ordeal, Miss Fogarty told listeners that her reaction was 'ridiculous' as here's no way this mouse could do me harm' Terrified: BBC 5 Live presenter was visibly frightened by the rodent . Studio: The BBC's new Salford Quays development in Greater Manchester . Asked at a conference whether he had . purchased a home in the region, he said: ‘I don’t think it is about . whether people buy. It is about your commitment. My intention is still . to buy up there.’ Salmon has previously defended staff . who have come under fire for living in London and working at the Media . City site in Salford, such as Radio Five Live’s Victoria Derbyshire, . after it emerged that during some periods just 60 per cent of her shows . were broadcast from the North. Around 850 BBC staff have been given a . total of £11 million to cover the costs of moving, as well as one-off . payouts worth 10 per cent of their salary, to encourage them to move . north from London. Another 1,000 people will move to the £180m HQ in the future, sending costs spiralling even further, according to reports. Shelagh Fogarty screams at a mouse in the BBC Radio 5Live studio . | The mouse made an appearance during Shelagh Fogarty's show on BBC 5 Live .
The 47-year-old moved studios after members of staff were unable to catch the mouse . |
193,156 | 8613d744847389b73f8701293b949a08a6befaab | My daughter graduated from Duplos to traditional LEGOs when she was 5, around the time the iconic building blocks maker released its Friends line based on five female characters. My daughter was interested in science and art, but LEGO was interested in selling her pink beauty salons and cupcake bakeries. When we went LEGO shopping, she expressed frustration over the lack of female "minifigures" in her favorite LEGOs, such as the blue- and black-packaged City set or the yellow-boxed Dino world. LEGO has expanded the Friends line by introducing activities such as biking, camping and playing sports. But now at 7, my daughter is very much aware of the gender disparity in toy marketing. She sees it in the color-coded toy aisles, where male characters outnumber females, and she's frustrated that she does not see more female characters in toys she likes. The Friends line encapsulates my problem with LEGO: the lack of female minifigures in the yellow, blue and black boxes and the lack of males in the Friends sets. It's obvious from walking through a toy store that LEGO has focused its licensing and product development around boys. To capture the girl market, LEGO created the alternate, girl-only world of Heartlake City for Friends instead of incorporating more females into existing LEGO sets. LEGO says the line was one of its most successful to date, "surpassing early projections to triple the number of girls building with LEGO bricks" in 2012. But that still leaves the market wide open for children such as my daughter, who want more female "minifigs" in gender-neutral packaging. Instead, LEGO clearly distinguishes which sets are aimed at boys or girls, and our children take in the colors on the packaging and placement on the shelves through a cultural lens. They get the message loud and clear. LEGO is the second-largest toy manufacturer in the world; gender parity matters in a product that is consumed and loved by so many children. When kids play across gender lines . Through my business and blog, I frequently discuss gender stereotypes in children's products. A few weeks ago, a dad in New Zealand pointed out the LEGO CUUSOO competition site, which allows LEGO enthusiasts to submit product ideas on which the community may vote. The father asked me to use my social media following to promote a project called the "Female Minifigure Set," comprising 13 ideas for female minifigures engaged in astronomy, chemistry, geology, zoology, firefighting and law enforcement. I loved the project's focus on women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These are examples I want for my daughter and son. If my daughter sees females in these roles, she is more likely to believe that she can fill these roles as an adult. If my son grows up with females occupying an equal amount of space in his toys, he is more likely to become an adult who respects women and sees them as equals. Teen says pink Easy-Bake oven discourages boys from playing kitchen . Research shows that when women make up 25% or more of a group, stereotypes begin to drop off, according to gender activist group SPARK Summit. About 16% of LEGO minifigures are female, and this number includes the Friends line, according to SPARK Summit analysis. The project reached 10,000 votes on June 13, thanks in large part to social media. LEGO said the project will advance to the review phase, where a LEGO review board will examine the idea. During the campaign to get 10,000 votes, I noticed how many times people commented they would buy these sets because their sons and daughters wanted them. I drafted a Change.org petition to aggregate these consumer voices and let LEGO executives know that if they make the Female Minifigure Set, we will buy it in droves. The petition asks LEGO's decision-makers to consider the voices of more than 9,000 petition signers who say they would buy female LEGO Minifigs for our sons and daughters. While gender equality in toys is largely seen as a girl-power issue, dozens of comments on the petition indicate that parents understand it's important for boys and girls to see female characters doing smart and daring things. I think LEGO is a wonderful toy with a few not wonderful parts. LEGO gives my son and daughter a chance to play side by side. And in the end, that is what I am after, a space that is equal for boys and girls. | Melissa Atkins Wardy launched a petition asking LEGO to make proposed Female Minifigure Set .
Female Minifigure Set includes 13 female characters in law enforcement, science roles .
Wardy says it's good for girls and boys to see female figures in smart and daring roles . |
70,171 | c6e6a55f683110c85e4edbb9bc18a73d137f0acc | By . Alan Roden . Alex Salmond is under pressure to deliver the ‘speech of his life’ tomorrow as new opinion polls reveal that his independence campaign is faltering. The First Minister is in Aberdeen for the SNP’s final conference before September’s referendum, where supporters will be bitterly disappointed that movement towards a Yes vote has stalled. A Survation poll has handed the pro-Union Better Together campaign a comfortable ten-point lead, with backing for independence down two points since last month to just 37 per cent. Pressure: First Minister Alex Salmond, pictured at the SNP conference today, has seen mounting criticism of his plans for independence, amid fears of a run on the banks . Support for a No vote held steady on 47 . per cent, with the findings suggesting that growing numbers of women are . opposed to leaving the UK. A separate study for Panelbase, which is the SNP’s favourite pollster as it consistently shows strong backing for separation, puts the Yes vote on 40 per cent – down one point since a poll published at the weekend. The No vote slipped by one point to 45 per cent. Panelbase also found that even if Scots accept Nationalist claims that their family would be better off – which most studies show is improbable – only slightly over half of adults would vote Yes. Ahead of Mr Salmond’s keynote speech tomorrow, his deputy Nicola Sturgeon used the conference platform today to make a desperate appeal to Labour voters to back the break-up of Britain. Around 800,000 traditional Labour voters in the central belt are thought to be key to the referendum result, and Miss Sturgeon claimed that a Yes vote could ‘rejuvenate’ her party’s main rivals. Her audacious appeal comes as Scotland’s leading elections expert, Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University, said the latest polling results give pro-independence campaign leaders a reason to ‘pause for thought’. ‘The No side’s recent apparent nervousness should be steadied a little,’ he said. A new poll by Survation gives the No campaign a 10-point lead . Banks face being forced to abandon an independent Scotland or risk losing nearly £300billion from English customers, figures show. Two-fifths of clients from other parts of the UK would pull their money out of Scottish institutions if there is a Yes vote and no deal is struck to share the pound, according to a poll. Currency exchange firm UKForex, which commissioned the YouGov survey, estimated Scottish banks would lose £280billion if they did not move south of the Border after independence. Such a loss of business would be devastating, cutting their balance sheets by more than a third. It is the latest economic blow to Alex Salmond's separation bid, which has seen finan-cial bodies queue up to raise concerns. Business Secretary Vince Cable has already warned that RBS would abandon its Edinburgh HQ and move to London after separation, a move that would result in the loss of 3,200 jobs north of the Border. Of 1,622 non-Scots quizzed for UKForex, 42 per cent said they would be 'more likely' to move to an English bank, with 5 per cent saying they would be 'less likely' and 40 per cent saying it would make no difference. Twice as many thought they would be worse off if Scotland voted for independence than predicted a boost - 16 per cent compared to eight, while 56 per cent thought it would make no difference. ‘In themselves the changes are statistically insignificant. However, this [Survation poll] is the second poll in a row to show that the winter’s increase in Yes support may have come to a halt now that spring finally seems to be with us. ‘That is not the impression the Yes side would like to see created. They would prefer to see their support increase month on month – a movement with apparent sufficient momentum to take them past the winning post by September. They must fear that while the winter’s gains may have been consolidated, their further progress is now stalled.’ Professor Curtice added: ‘The SNP gather in Aberdeen this weekend for their spring conference. Activists will be hoping that Mr Salmond gives the speech of his life. It is certainly not an opportunity he can afford to waste.’ Survation sampled 1,002 people aged 16 and over in Scotland from April 4-to-7. Results have been compared with a previous Survation poll between March 6 and 7. The findings show that support for separation among women has fallen by 4 points since the last survey, dropping from 32.5 per cent to just 28.5 per cent. Panelbase sampled 1,024 people aged 16 and over from April 4-to-9, and results were compared with a previous Panelbase poll in March. Better Together leader Alistair Darling said: ‘It's no surprise that Scots are rejecting Alex Salmond's negative and divisive campaign when he won't tell us what would replace the pound or how our essential public services, like schools and hospitals, would be funded. ‘There can be no complacency from those of us who want Scotland to remain in the UK. We will do everything we can to convince those who have yet to make up their mind that we are stronger and better together as part of the UK.’ But Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins said: ‘These are extremely encouraging findings, which show that the referendum is wide open. ‘On these new (Panelbase) figures, Yes just needs a three-point swing to move ahead - and we are very confident of achieving success in September.’ Miss Sturgeon will say today: ‘To every Labour voter in the country, I say this: the Yes campaign is not asking you to leave your party. Instead it offers you the chance to get your party back. ‘An independent Scotland will not mean the end of Labour, but might mean a rejuvenated Labour – a Labour Party free to make its own decisions, a Labour Party that no longer needs to dance a Westminster tune. ‘For everyone out there with Labour in your heart, the message is clear – don’t vote No to stop the SNP, vote Yes to reclaim the Labour Party.’ Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, issued a plea to Labour voters to back independence at the SNP Spring Conference in Aberdeen . Miss Sturgeon also announced an extra £1million for foodbanks in Scotland as she courts the left-wing vote. Despite the slump in support for separation, SNP activists will be delighted with the party political polling results in the Survation study. The Nationalists are on 44.9 per cent in the constituency vote for the next Holyrood election, with Labour trailing on 32.1 per cent – down nearly two points since March. The Tories are up 0.5 percentage points to 13.5 per cent, with the LibDems on 5.7 per cent. SNP business convener Derek Mackay said: ‘The fall in Labour support will undoubtedly set alarm bells ringing there, and raise further questions about Johann Lamont's leadership.’ But Drew Smith, Labour's constitutional spokesman, said: ’This is both desperate and dishonest from Nicola Sturgeon who will clearly say anything to persuade people to vote to break up the United Kingdom. ‘Nicola Sturgeon has been campaigning against Labour all her political life, in good times, and in bad times, and when we were lifting children and pensioners out of poverty, she still argued for nationalism. ‘The Scottish Labour Party works in partnership with people all over the UK and beyond who share our values of fairness and equality and we reject Nicola Sturgeon's narrow politics of division and grievance. ‘Perhaps Nicola Sturgeon would be better concentrating her campaigning efforts on the one in three SNP voters who don't believe in separation.’ | Rallying cry from SNP leader as Yes vote slides in the polls again .
Latest survey gives the pro-Union Better Together campaign 10-point lead .
Now desperate SNP issues plea to Labour voters to back independence .
Warning customers could force banks to quit independent Scotland .
Fears it could see £280billion withdrawn from Scotland and taken south . |
122,312 | 2a1abae7244f20457be309c34e79b07212b04ee6 | An American woman whose skin turned silver after using nose drops is warning people of the dangers of medicines containing the metal. Rosemary Jacobs, 71, has lived with the irreversible skin condition argyria for 60 years and it has blighted her life. The retired primary school teacher's skin started to turn silver when she began using nasal drops containing colloidal silver (CS) at the age of 11. Rosemary Jacobs (pictured at 36) has lived with silver skin for 60 years after she was given nose drops containing the metal when she was just 11 years old . Four years later, a skin biopsy revealed silver particles bound deep beneath her skin and she was diagnosed with argyria. Argyria is a condition caused by exposure to chemical forms of the element silver. It causes the skin to become blue or bluish-grey coloured and develops because silver accumulates in the body over time. It is thought to be irreversible. Ms Jacobs, from Vermont, U.S., said: ‘When I was 11 years old, my mother mentioned to an ENT specialist that I always had a cold. ‘He told me that it had to be allergies and prescribed nose drops that contained silver recommending I take them “as needed”.’ Ms Jacobs took the nose drops whenever she had a stuffy nose and it was only until a nurse spotted her argyria that she saw a dermatologist and was diagnosed. Ms Jacobs (pictured at the age of 36) said: 'People point and stare, calling me names and telling me to take my Halloween makeup off' Ms Jacobs has argyria - a condition which is caused by the build up of silver in the body. The main symptom of the condition is that the skin takes on a blue hue . But in the 1950s no treatment was available so she was forced to live with the skin condition. Argyria results from prolonged contact with, or ingestion of, silver. It occurs when silver builds up in the body staining the skin a bluish colour. The condition is most commonly seen in workers involved in silver mining, refining or manufacturing. Cases have also been attributed to taking colloidal silver dietary supplements and surgical procedures involving using silver sutures. The condition is very rare and does not usually cause other symptoms. Source: Medscape . She was subjected to cruel comments from strangers who would think she had a contagious disease and would cross the street when they saw her. Ms Jacobs, who lives alone and has never had a long term relationship, said: ‘They told me my colour was permanent. It was devastating. ‘I have not been a normal colour since and it has blighted my life. ‘People point and stare, calling me names and telling me to take my Halloween makeup off. ‘Some even say I look like the walking dead. ‘I used to get asked where I was from and what languages I speak. ‘It's really hurtful, even though I have looked this way for such a long time I still long to look “normal”. Ms Jacobs has even been discriminated against by employers who refused to hire her because of the way she looks. Ms Jacobs (pictured before using the nose drops) says the colour of her skin has blighted her life meaning she never formed a long-term relationship and is subjected to cruel comments from strangers . Ms Jacobs (pictured before the condition developed) says even after 60 years she still longs to look 'normal' An air hostess once tried to give her oxygen on a plane, after thinking the blood had drained from her face. At 36, desperate to rid her body of . its silver hue, Ms Jacobs underwent a skin dermabrasion, where the top . layer of skin was removed, leaving it red raw. Her face healed, but she was left with a pink and blotchy complexion with patches of grey still visible. She . said: ‘The dermabrasion didn't hurt at all, it just looked awful for a . while afterwards. It took about six months to know what the final colour . would be. Ms Jacobs (pictured at 26) says she has been discriminated against by employers who refused to hire her because of the way she looks . Ms Jacobs (pictured with her mother, Rose, before her skin turned silver) says an air hostess on a plane once tried to give her an oxygen mask when she saw the colour of her face . ‘I did it as an experiment, but I would never let anyone dermabrade my upper or lower eyelids so I knew that if it worked I'd end up looking like a raccoon, so basically still weird. ‘I don't think I look much better now.’ Now, . after years of verbal abuse, cruel remarks and severe skin treatments, . Ms Jacobs is determined to raise awareness of the dangers of taking . supplements and medicines containing silver. She . believes there has been an increase in dietary supplements containing . it and says they should have warning labels about argyria. At 36, Ms Jacobs underwent a skin dermabrasion, where the top layer of skin was removed. Her face healed, but she was left with a pink and blotchy complexion with patches of grey still visible . Ms Jacobs (pictured with her mother, Rose, when her condition was developing) said: 'The change in my skin colour was so slow I didn't notice. My family and friends didn't notice either because they saw me every day. I didn't notice until it was too late' She said: ‘Silver is still present in lots of products sold on the internet. ‘Taking it can ruin your life and people need to know that. ‘The . change in my skin colour was so slow I didn't notice. My family and . friends didn't notice either because they saw me every day. ‘I didn't notice until it was too late.’ There . are a few dozen other cases of argyria worldwide. The most famous was . Paul Karason, from California, known as the 'Papa Smurf', who died of a . heart attack in September this year. Ms Jacobs (pictured at 25) is raising awareness of the dangers of using medications which contain silver . | Rosemary Jacobs, 71, developed the condition argyria at the age of 11 .
It is caused by an irreversible build up of silver in the body .
She developed it because she was given nose drops containing silver .
She says it has blighted her life and left her subjected to cruel comments .
She is now warning people of the dangers of taking medications which contain silver . |
76,873 | da0897b007de9a94816a301a891d5044cf80edc9 | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 14:55 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:00 EST, 23 December 2012 . Laid to rest: Little Emilie Parker, pictured, was laid to rest on Saturday as the last of the funerals for the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting were held . The heartbroken families of Emilie Parker, Ana Marquez-Greene and Josephine Gay laid to rest their little angels today as the last of the funerals were held for the 26 Sandy Hook shooting victims. At a ceremony in Ogden, Utah, where her family lived before moving to Newtown, Emilie's family and friends remembered the six-year-old as they lowered a white child's size coffin into the ground. Her father, Robbie Parker, described his little girl as someone who loved to make people smile and never missed a chance to draw a picture or make a card. The outpouring of grief was overwhelming in the northern Utah city and volunteers tied ribbons around the town's trees, signs and utility poles in Emilie's favourite pink. However, only close friends and family attended the funeral, that commenced at 10am, though it was broadcast live at a nearby chapel for the public. On Thursday night, her relatives released 26 lanterns into the sky at a memorial service. Emilie's dad released the final lantern, a pink one, into the sky. In a press conference, Parker teared up as said how the world was a better for having had Emilie in it. 'I'm so blessed to be her dad,' he said. At a public memorial on Thursday, Parker said he felt the compassion from the public was coming from a 'pure place.' Laid to rest: The casket of Emilie Parker is brought out of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints after her funeral in Ogden, Utah . Devastated family: Alissa Parker, left, and her husband, Robbie Parker, center, carry their daughters following funeral services for their 6-year old daughter, Emilie . Emotional: The casket of 6-year-old shooting victim Emilie Parker is carried by pallbearers following her funeral services . Procession: A hearse makes its way through the streets carrying the casket of Emilie Parker . 'I want you to know as we saw all of . the ribbons and all of the effort you put into that, it made me and . Alissa really feel like we were getting a big hug from everybody,' he . said. Emilie was buried alongside her grandfather, who was killed in a bicycle accident a few months ago. The heartbreaking event was held on . the same day as fellow victims Josephine Gay, 7, and Ana Marquez-Greene, . 6, were laid to rest, ending a tear-jerking procession of ceremonies. Being strong: Robbie Parker, pictured with his daughter, said the world was better for having had Emilie in it . Overcome: Mourners embrace following Emilie Parker's funeral in Utah . Remembering: Bareli Taylor, left, and Claudia Wardle stand on the street as the hearse carrying the casket of Emilie Parker drives by . Tears: Mourner Claudia Wardle cries after the hearse carrying Emilie Parker passed by following funeral services for the 6-year old Connecticut elementary shooting victim . We love you Emilie: Utah residents line the street as a hearse carrying Emilie Parker drives by . Josephine's funeral mass was held at . Saint Rose of Lima on Saturday morning. The first grader had just turned . seven the week of the shooting. On Monday, purple balloons — Josephine's favorite color — were tied to the family mailbox and those of all her neighbours. ''Joey' is a beautiful little girl, may she never be forgotten and live forever . in our hearts,' wrote Polly Larsen, a family friend, on Facebook, . according to NBC. Also buried: Josephine Gay, 7, pictured left, and Ana Marquez-Greene, 6, right, were also laid to rest on Saturday morning, ending a tear-jerking procession of ceremonies . Goodbye friend: A girl looks into the hearse carrying the casket of Josephine Gay after the little girl's funeral services at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church on Saturday . Salute: Police salute as the casket of Josephine Gay is loaded into a hearse after her funeral . Ana's funeral: A horse drawn carriage carrying the body of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene leaves the church after her funeral in Bloomfield, Connecticut, on Saturday . New to school: Young Ana Marquez-Greene had just moved to Newtown two months ago, partly because her parents wanted her to attend the esteemed Sandy Hook school . Life cut short: Marquez-Greene, 6, was killed when gunman Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week . Flowers: Photos showing those killed in the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School are imprinted on fake roses at a memorial in the Sandy Hook village of Newtown on Saturday . Young Ana Marquez-Greene had just moved to Newtown two months ago, partly because her parents wanted her to attend the esteemed Sandy Hook school. Ana's funeral was held on Saturday morning at First Cathedral in Bloomfield, Connecticut. 'As much as she's needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me, Ana beat us all to paradise,'Ana's father, Jimmy Greene, wrote on Facebook. On Friday morning, millions of Americans observed a moment's silence to remember the three children and the scores of other victims who were shot to death when a gunman burst into Sandy Hook Elementary school and showered its classrooms with bullets. | Emilie Parker, 6, Josephine Gay, 7, and Ana Marquez-Greene, 6, were buried this morning, ending a tear-jerking week of ceremonies .
Girls were shot dead when a gunman stormed the elementary school with an automatic rifle on December 14, killing 20 children and six staff . |
180,521 | 75b2b4294cb79567e7a966a584afb12228073cd9 | Prosecutors in Montana say a man caught leaving a house he had apparently burglarized apologized to the homeowner and offered him some heroin. The Billings Gazette reports Christopher Dayell Bittner made an initial court appearance Monday on felony burglary and drug possession charges. Authorities say the homeowner and his seven-year-old son came home as Bittner was leaving Saturday. Yellowstone County Attorney Paul Adam says Bittner apologized and offered the drug. Apologetic: Christopher Dayell Bittner - pictured here from a family member's Facebook page - allegedly offered a homeowner in Billings, Montana, some heroin after being caught burglarizing the man's house . He was found nearby, and court records say a search of his backpack turned up 31.5 grams of heroin, seven syriunges, other drug paraphernalia and items belonging to the homeowner. Bittner allegedly stole a sweatshirt, art box and face cream from the house. He also reportedly offered to sell the homeowner a guitar he had with him during their counter. Public defender Roberta Drew asked that Bittner be released without bail because he wanted to attend his father's funeral. Bail was set at $7,500, but Bittner was allowed to attend the service. | Christopher Dayell Bittner was allegedly caught burglarizing a house in Billings, Montana, on Monday .
Appeared 'apologetic' and offered to give the homeowner some heroin .
Later arrested and found with 31.5 grams of the drug, police say .
Stole obscure items from the house including face cream . |
104,859 | 1348ee2ca17b057fc0629154f807c4f52093a481 | Napoleon the Great by by Andrew Roberts (Allen Lane, £30) As there are already ‘many tens of thousands’ of books on Napoleon, and 33,000 extant letters and memoranda by him to consult in the Paris archives, Andrew Roberts will have to concede that the trajectory of his subject’s life and career, from Corsican upbringing to meeting his Waterloo at, er, Waterloo, is pretty well known. Never before, however, has the scope and sweep been encapsulated so cogently in a single volume — even if it is a veritably Napoleonic volume of 1,000 pages, needing its own lectern. Roberts has a superb eye for detail and useless facts. Napoleon Brandy, for example, is ill-named, as the Emperor never drank spirits. On the other hand, he took 800,000 pints of red wine with him to Egypt. Though Napoleon is credited with inventing the Legion d’Honneur, not many people know he set up the French Fire Brigade — the sapeurs-pompiers — or that he introduced street lighting in Malta. Scroll down for video . Napoleon Brandy is ill-named, as the Emperor never drank spirits, on the other hand, he took 800,000 pints of red wine with him to Egypt . At the height of his power, Napoleon owned 39 palaces, some he never once visited. He was considered a monstrous figure in Britain — Boney as a bogey-man — yet Keats had a snuffbox with his portrait on it, Byron built a replica of his coach, and Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister, wrote odes about him. Napoleon’s cure for piles was to apply leeches to his bottom. He was clearly a brave man. ‘I am the Revolution!’ Napoleon had exclaimed, and Roberts’s book backs up the boast. After his first few military victories, ‘I no longer regarded myself as a simple general,’ the character whom his troops affectionately called ‘the little corporal’ stated, ‘but as a man called upon to decide the fate of peoples.’ Napoleon was a veritable force of destiny — his megalomania was a foretaste of Hitler’s. Roberts, however, is at pains to make us appreciate Napoleon’s more humane achievements. He abolished the Inquisition and anti-Semitic regulations; he got rid of feudal practices and restraints on trade imposed by guilds, for example. Insisting on ‘equality before the law’ in civil and criminal actions, Napoleon drew up legislation to protect citizens from arbitrary arrest. He protected property rights and codified inheritance decrees. He gave better pay, conditions and pensions to soldiers. He instituted an educational system based on merit, not the privileges of birth. Napoleon was a veritable force of destiny — his megalomania was a foretaste of Hitler’s . All well and good — but for Napoleon, warfare was his preferred element, not a legislative chamber or committee room. He was never more down in the dumps than when he told Josephine: ‘My enemies are defeated, thrashed, in full rout.’ He didn’t much like Paris, a place ‘he had come to equate with corruption, disloyalty, heartache, secret malice and the potential for deep embarrassment’. How much more wholesome, manly, psychologically cleaner and fresher, by contrast, was a battlefield, with its displays of sheer courage and strategic ingenuity. As a military cadet, where he’d excelled in maths and ballistics, Napoleon learned the arts of musketry, drills and horsemanship. He early in life formed ‘a strong belief’ in the virtues of brute force. ‘One cannot remain three minutes without gunpowder,’ was his philosophy, and his tutors thought him ‘blunt in manners, bold, enterprising and even ferocious’. His first major action was at Toulon, where by ‘hectoring, bluster, requisitioning and political string-pulling’ he pounded the British fleet with cannon and mortars. Napoleon was a brigadier-general by the age of 24. He went on to fight more than 60 pitched battles, Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Borodino among them, and blow me down with a feather if Andrew Roberts doesn’t give an account of every single one, with maps, diagrams and in prose of much wit and total clarity. So what if 18,000 men lost their lives in a campaign? Napoleon could rely on 50,000 fresh conscripts each year. He understood ‘the psychology of the average soldier’ — their need for songs, mottoes, medals, ‘small things that helped breed devotion’ and ensured the esprit de corps. Much of the army’s time was spent fighting and re-fighting the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Napoleon was an expert at playing allies off against each other, drawing up treaties that would then be breached and give him further excuses for war. Continuous conflict ensured there was a steady stream of pictures, statues and furniture from conquered cities making its way to Paris — loot for the Louvre. Napoleon invaded Egypt to annexe the Ottoman Empire and ‘damage British trade in the region’. For Napoleon, warfare was his preferred element, not a legislative chamber or committee room . He went to Spain to steal their ships, with which he’d planned to invade England — as with Hitler, a long-gestated and unfulfilled dream. ‘Good and upstanding people must be persuaded by gentle means,’ he murmured. ‘The rabble must be moved by terror.’ As dictators throughout history always realise, terror tactics work best. ‘Bloodletting is among the ingredients of political medicine,’ he believed. He used grapeshot on civilians and ordered massacres and village burnings. It was Napoleon’s policy to execute influential inhabitants, ‘at least one of whom must be a lawyer’. Well, most of us will be with him there. At one town he took in the Middle East, even he was a little taken aback, however, at ‘the sound of shots, shrieking of women and fathers, piles of bodies, a daughter being raped on the cadaver of her mother, the smell of blood, the groans of the wounded’. Yet how else really, he reasoned, could you ‘secure tranquillity’? Poetic justice of a kind came about in Jaffa. The French caught the plague from the locals. Soldiers were ‘covered with foam and the disgusting evacuations of abscessed buboes’. At Borodino, 60,000 cannonballs were fired. There were 43,000 immediate casualties and 140,000 further deaths from wounds and disease, statistics that would remain a record until World War I . The march on Moscow and the subsequent retreat in sub-zero temperatures is another horrific episode, ‘reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch’s depiction of Hades’, to which Roberts gives the full Tolstoyan treatment. At Borodino, 60,000 cannonballs were fired. There were 43,000 immediate casualties and 140,000 further deaths from wounds and disease, statistics that would remain a record until World War I. To put this in perspective, Roberts says it was like a Jumbo jet crashing with no survivors every five minutes for ten hours solid into an area six miles square. A quarter of a million horses were taken on the Russian adventure, 10,000 expiring in the very first week from a combination of dehydration and a diet of wet grass. Napoleon himself went through five mounts a week, exhausting them ‘in quick succession’ as he ‘bowled unstoppably along a narrow valley gorge’. No wonder he had piles. It was clear to anyone that Napoleon was driven by an ambition ‘full of zeal and fire’ and that one day he’d run the whole show in France if not Europe and the whole world . It was clear to anyone that Napoleon was driven by an ambition ‘full of zeal and fire’ and that one day he’d run the whole show in France if not Europe and the whole world. Having been elected First Consul in 1799, he soon became First Consul for Life and then Emperor. His costume at his coronation included a gold laurel-wreath that evoked Ancient Rome. Like the guillotined Louis XVI, he took up residence in the Tuileries and went in for flunkeys, grandeur and elaborate display. His wife Josephine’s dress bills were bigger than Marie Antoinette’s. Napoleon was not such a tactical genius with his lady friends. His first paramour was the 16-year-old Desirée, daughter of ‘a dead royalist textile and soap millionaire’. Her rejection of him ‘contributed to his deep cynicism about women and even about love itself’. Josephine, or the Vicomtesse Marie-Joseph-Rose Tascher de la Pagerie for short, had blackened stubs for teeth, the result of chewing raw sugar in Martinique as a child. Her detractors called her ‘a cajoling courtesan’, and Napoleon thought her ‘frivolous, capricious and giddy’, so he married her in 1796. It was not the great romance of legend. Napoleon didn’t seem to mind that she took lovers, one immediately after their marriage. He was seldom at their home in Paris, preferring to invade Russia than the bedchamber. After the defeat by Wellington at Waterloo, in 1815, Napoleon wanted to settle in the U.S., where he’d no doubt have started up again. Instead, he was banished 4,400 miles away to the humid island of St Helena, where it was so damp his playing cards stuck together unless kept in the oven — one of the typical small details that makes Roberts’s book an epic joy. | Napoleon Brandy is ill-named, as the Emperor never drank spirits .
On the other hand, he took 800,000 pints of red wine with him to Egypt .
Napoleon was a veritable force of destiny .
His megalomania was a foretaste of Hitler’s .
Warfare was his preferred element, not a committee room .
At Borodino, 60,000 cannonballs were fired. There were 43,000 casualties .
These statistics would remain a record until World War I .
It was clear that Napoleon was driven by an ambition ‘full of zeal and fire’ |
96,991 | 08d098df466f6761a661074b62b58570475da540 | Neil Redfearn is proud of Leeds' history in the FA Cup and hopes he and his players can create some more at Sunderland on Sunday. United's head coach grew up a Leeds fan and experienced the highs and lows of knockout football following his team in the competition. He watched them beat Arsenal to win the 1972 final with an Allan Clarke goal, before they were denied back-to-back successes a year later when they were shocked by Sunderland in an all-time classic. Neil Refearn grew up as a Leeds United fan and wants to continue their proud FA Cup history . When Redfearn was growing up, Leeds were one of the powerhouses in English football. Nowadays, they are struggling in the lower echelons of the Championship table . The club has a very different feel about it now to then - owner Massimo Cellino has overseen a cosmopolitan overhaul that was unthinkable when Don Revie and his players were Wembley regulars - but Redfearn claims the club is still as focused on FA Cup glory as it was when he was idolising them on the television. 'It was a big day for us which would start at 10am with all the interviews and I would be glued to the telly,' the 49-year-old recalled. 'Being a Leeds fan and knowing about 1972 when we won against Arsenal, and then losing to Sunderland, they're the games that stick in your mind as a youngster. 'Obviously, the great players that Leeds had, Clarke, (Peter) Lorimer, (Billy) Bremner, these are people that have gone down in legendary history at Leeds United and they add to this romance that this football club has got with the FA Cup, so it's important that we go up to Sunderland give a good account of ourselves.' Sunderland are Leeds' opponents on Sunday, and the two teams contested a famous final in 1973 . Redfearn believes that Leeds' loss to Sunderland in 1973 will still be playing on some fans' minds . The sides have not met in the cup since that final 42 years ago, and such was Revie's impact at Leeds that Redfearn reckons revenge will still be on the mind of some connected with the club. 'I would have thought so, I would see it as that,' he said. 'I have to say there are a lot of people here that I have met in my seven years that are associated with the club that associate with the Revie ways.' Leeds could field players from as many as nine different countries at the Stadium of Light - players who by Redfearn's own admission have struggled with the demands of the Championship, where a winless December has left the Whites in relegation trouble. But the one-time semi-finalist with Oldham thinks his foreign legion know what it means to do well in the FA Cup. 'I think they do, the coverage of all aspects of football in this country is top notch and they see the FA Cup as being a prestigious tournament,' he said. Sunderland captain Bobby Kerr holds the FA Cup aloft after his side beat Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley . Sunderland goalkeeper Jim Montgomery (right) made a spectacular double save in the 1973 final . 'They understand it and they understand at Leeds United it's important to win. When you enter a competition you enter it to win it and we're in it to win it.' That is an ambitious claim considering Leeds' dreadful league form, with results leading to some reports suggesting Cellino is ready to sack a coach for the third time this season. It is understood there is no immediate desire from the Italian to fire Redfearn and send him back to his old job with the academy, with the pair having spoken this week and finalised transfer targets, with Sassuolo striker Leonardo Pavoletti likely to be signed on loan. | Neil Redfearn grew up as a Leeds United fan watching them on television .
He watched them beat Arsenal in the 1972 final, before missing out in 1973 .
In that 1973 final, Leeds lost to Sunderland - their opponents on Sunday .
Redfearn wants to continue the proud history the club have in the Cup . |
259,024 | db43c03f030440f982829b7ea2461968bc20b504 | By . Darren Boyle . A man hired to work in a shop after he suffered financial problems tipped-off two criminals who stole £12,500 from the owner's cousin who was carrying the the takings home. Anthony Underdown approached shopkeeper Zahid Akhter for a job to pay back money he owed following a county court judgement. Preston Crown Court heard that Underdown was 'unhappy with his working conditions' after three years working at the Nisa supermarket in Ribbleton, Lancashire and wanted 'revenge' on the owner. Anthony Underdown, left, asked Zahid Akhter for a job because he owed money following a County Court judgement. After three years at the shop, Underdown gave information on the store's takings to criminals . Preston Crown Court heard that Underdown continued to work at the Nisa Extra store in Ribbleton, Lancs, pictured, after robbery and even played with the owner's children . Underdown passed on information to criminals Thomas Lynch and Martin McDermott who trailed the owner's cousin, Qaiser Mehboob, 30, from the shop when he was carrying £12,500 takings. The 27-year-old was jailed for 16 months after he pleaded guilty to assisting in the commission of a robbery in Accrington, Lancashire in June 2013. Prosecuting, Hanifa Patel said Underdown was caught out by mobile phone evidence linking him to the robbers. She added: 'The victim arrived outside his home at 11.45pm and as he got out of his car he was approached by McDermott and Lynch. 'They began to hit him all over, the face the head and the body. As one hit him the other tried to snatch the takings. The victim gave chase and was struck again and that caused him to stop.' Underdown's solicitor Adrian Williams said: 'He’s not a sophisticated man. He has not been before a court and has no convictions. 'It’s my submission Lynch and McDermott had planned a robbery and befriended the defendant. He’s been incredibly foolish and deeply regrets what he’s done.' Preston Crown Court heard that Thomas Lynch, left and Martin McDermott, right, trailed the victim from the shop to his home with the £25,000 takings in a bag where they attacked him outside his house in Accrington . Judge Anthony Russell told Underdown: 'It must be understood those who give information to criminals to enable them to commit crime will receive punishment. 'You later told police there was an element of revenge. 'The robbery may not have occurred had you not given that information. 'It’s very sad to see a man with an exemplary character other than this before the court facing such a serious charge.' McDermott was ordered to pay Mr Akhter £7,040 compensation following a Proceeds of Crime hearing. Preston Crown Court heard that McDermott, 25, of Fulwood, Lancs and Lynch, 26, currently in HMP Preston are already serving 40 months and four years respectively for the robbery. Mr Akhter told the court: 'I had helped him out financially when he got into trouble with a County Court Judgement. 'I feel totally betrayed, and it has made me not trust other people, which isn’t nice. I was shocked when I found he was involved.' His wife, Shazia Akhter added: 'After the robbery he carried on working for us, playing with our children when they came into the shop.' | Anthony Underdown worked in the shop in Lancashire for three years .
Undertown wanted 'revenge' over his 'unhappy' working conditions .
He tipped-off two criminals who committed the robbery in Accrington .
Robbers tailed shopkeeper's cousin home before stealing the takings .
One robber hit the victim over the head while the second snatched the bag .
Underdown was uncovered after police followed mobile phone data trail . |
24,830 | 465ddafe2364acdb979c02121894a8286243c25a | On Earth we've colonised deserts, forests, mountains and many other locations, but we're yet to truly live on our planet's most abundant locale, namely oceans, which cover 71 per cent of the surface. That could all be set to change though as one company has unveiled designs for floating cities that could operate both on the surface and underwater. Using a number of advanced technologies, the enormous spheres could house 5,000 people and also perform research on the seabed. Scroll down for video . This artist impression image released from Japan's construction company Shimizu Corporation on shows a modern-day Atlantis, a sphere 1,600 feet (500 metres) in diameter that houses hotels, residential spaces and commercial complexes . The futuristic concepts were drawn up by the Shimizu Corporation in Tokyo, in partnership with Tokyo University and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (Jamstec). Each vast globe would float at the surface of the sea, but could be submerged in bad weather, down the centre of a gigantic spiral structure that plunges to depths of up 2.5 miles (4km). The spiral would form a path nine miles (15km) to a building on the ocean floor, which could serve as a resource development factory that could collect rare metals and rare earths. Their design is not just for one but for several vast globes known as Ocean Spirals dotted over the ocean that could survive extreme weather events like earthquakes, which are fairly common in Japan. Shimizu says that micro organisms called 'methanogens' could be used to convert carbon dioxide captured at the surface into methane. The wide difference in water temperatures and pressures between the top and bottom of the ocean, meanwhile, could be used to generate power. Each Ocean Spiral would cost about $25 billion and, if construction begins soon, the first could apparently be built by 2030. Each vast globe would float at the surface of the sea, but could be submerged in bad weather, down the centre of a gigantic spiral structure that plunges to depths of up 2.5 miles (4km) People could live and work in the city, or come and visit for a location and view some of the amazing marine life outside . During bad weather the spheres would be submerged underwater. The design of each globe is such that they are watertight, so the entire object can be submerged, or part of it can be exposed out of the ocean . To build the massive structures, the company intends to use industrial-sized 3D printers, with resin being used instead of other materials such as concrete. Each globe would be 1,600 feet (500 metres) in diameter and would have on board hotels, residential areas and commercial spaces. The design of each globe is such that they are watertight, so the entire object can be submerged, or part of it can remain exposed out of the ocean. The spirals would extend about 1.8 to 2.5 (3 or 4km) to the ocean floor. At the bottom could be a research station that would be used to produce power, in addition to mining the seabed. Supplies could also be delivered to the station via undersea docking facilities. Small spheres would travel up and down the spiral to transport cargo to and from the research station at the bottom. On the surface boats can dock with the sphere, allowing residents and visitors to come and go as they please . The spiral would form a path nine miles (15km) to a building on the ocean floor, which could serve as a resource development factory that could collect rare metals and rare earths . The difference in water temperatures and pressures between the top and bottom of the ocean could be used to generate power . 'The company in cooperation with many organisations has spent two years to design the project working with technologies we think will be plausible in the future,' said a Shimizu spokesman. It is one of several futuristic projects unveiled by the company, which also includes a floating metropolis and solar power ring around the moon. In 2012, another Japanese construction firm, Obayashi Corp, claimed it could execute an out-of-this-world plan to put tourists in space within 40 years by building an elevator that stretches a quarter of the way to the moon. Obayashi claimed it could use carbon nanotube technology, which is more than 20 times stronger than steel, to build a lift shaft 60,000 miles (96,000km) above Earth. | Tokyo-based construction firm Shimizu Corporation has revealed concepts for futuristic cities .
Called Ocean Spirals the massive structures would float on the top of oceans and submerge during bad weather .
Each sphere is 1,600 feet (500 metres) across and can accommodate 5,000 people in homes and hotels .
The spheres would be placed at the top of spirals 2.5 miles deep with a research station on the seabed .
Shimizu says it would cost £16.2 billion ($25.5 billion) to build the first sphere, which could be done by 2030 . |
179,553 | 747b19032855ac4598b777290a03f45b57845db1 | (Travel + Leisure) -- From Fitzrovia to Covent Garden, London is embracing its charming -- and sometimes cheeky -- past. Every era, from the roaring '20s to the swinging '60s, is represented, with new takes on old-fashioned locales: chip and sweets shops, hidden Prohibition-style hangouts, even ballrooms. The shelves at Hope and Greenwood, in Covent Garden, are filled with glass jars brimming with British sweets. But rather than flaunt themselves as fusty Churchillian relics, these new spots are drawing stylish Bright Young Things who can't get enough of the city's collective nostalgia trip. They're celebrating inspired design, tastes and bygone lifestyles with zeal. At the forefront of London's retro renaissance: sugar. Behind a shiny strawberry-red façade in Covent Garden, British confectionary is experiencing a resurgence at Hope and Greenwood, a sweet 1950s-style candy store named after its sugar-loving owners. Glass jars and cut-crystal candy dishes that grandma would love brim with classic and all-but-disappeared "pick and mix" English candies -- Minty Humbugs, Raspberry Ruffles and Traffic Light Lollies. It's the kind of place that will even inspire adults on a strict diet to indulge in sweets (and sweet thoughts) of yesteryear. Travel + Leisure: See London's best retro spots . Over in the trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood of Marble Arch, Cocomaya is attracting followers with its jewel-like handcrafted chocolates tantalizingly displayed under glass domes on marble counter tops and antique mirrors. And places such as East End's Treacle are delighting locals and visitors alike with a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse, serving up comforting classics like Jammy Dodgers and buttercream cupcakes. Bourne & Hollingsworth (named after the department store that once existed on its site) is decidedly more adult; the quirky basement bar in Fitzrovia is tricked out to feel like grandma's -- complete with signature floral wallpaper and consciously stodgy décor. Still, zany accents, like a fireplace full of discarded Champagne bottles, reflect the underground boîte's joie de vivre spirit of excess. On Prohibition themed nights, vintage gin cocktails arrive hidden in teapots, as Billie Holliday sets the mood. Geales, in Notting Hill, is the ideal spot to start -- or end -- an evening on the town, London-style. Now a shadow of its former 1939 no-frills self, the newly renovated fish and chips shop is giving a lighter gourmet twist to an old London standby; golden, delicately fried cod and haddock is the restaurant's main event, supported by more elegant briny treats like raw oysters and classic shrimp cocktail. No matter where you go in London town these days, vintage style is everywhere. What's old is new -- again! -- in England's retro-mad city. Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. | Sugar is at the forefront of London's retro renaissance .
Hope and Greenwood is a sweet 1950s-style candy store .
East End's Treacle is a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse . |
3,327 | 099f1392707490abf4a70222199484ba13f37dd3 | London (CNN) -- The cleanup operation continued Tuesday, a day after a major Atlantic storm pummeled England, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, killing at least 13 people. Hurricane-force winds early Monday caused major disruption to travel and power supplies. In Britain, 61,000 homes remained without electricity Tuesday, after power was restored to 100,000 properties overnight, said Tim Field, a spokesman for the Energy Networks Association, which represents British and Irish power operators. Overall, 605,000 properties have been reconnected, he told CNN. Energy companies said they were working to restore power as quickly as possible. Rail services were largely running again across southern England on Tuesday, a day after fallen trees caused chaos as they blocked rail lines and roads. London's Heathrow Airport, where the number of flights was reduced Monday because of the severe weather, said operations were returning to normal Tuesday. At least two storm-related deaths were confirmed Monday in England, and a third person was missing after being swept out to sea. Police in Kent said a 17-year-old girl was killed when a tree fell on the home where she was sleeping in Hever, south of London. A man in his 50s was killed when a tree fell on a vehicle in Watford, northwest of London, according to Hertfordshire police. Authorities suspect two other UK deaths may be related to the storm. A man and a woman died -- and a third person was hospitalized -- as a result of a gas explosion in Hounslow in west London, London's Metropolitan Police said. Investigators were checking whether a fallen tree damaged gas pipes and caused the blast. Deaths were also reported elsewhere in Europe. Seven people were killed in Germany, German media reported, some by fallen trees. A woman in the city of Heiligenhafen was killed when a wall supporting a terrace fell on her. A tourist was killed by a falling tree in Amsterdam, police said. In France, the body of a woman was found on a beach near Belle-Ile. Witnesses said she was swept away by a wave. Officials said 42,000 homes in northern France were without electricity. Overnight, the number of homes in France without power peaked at 75,000. High winds also tore across Denmark, where at least two people were killed, according to the Copenhagen Post. Search suspended . As the storm approached, UK rescuers had to suspend their search for a missing teenager believed to have been swept out to sea. The unidentified teenager disappeared from Newhaven, East Sussex, on the southern coast, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The strongest wind gusts in England -- 99 mph -- were recorded on the Isle of Wight, which is off the southern coast, the Met Office said. Network Rail, which manages Britain's rail infrastructure, said Monday that more than 100 trees were on rails in the network across the southeast. Weather forecasters had said before the storm arrived that it could be the region's worst in a decade. But conditions were not as severe as those during the Great Storm of 1987, which was responsible for the deaths of 18 people in Britain and four in France. In 1990, the Burns Day Storm left a trail of destruction from the Isles of Scilly to Denmark, killing 100 people, including 47 in the British Isles, according to the Met Office. CNN's Karen Smith contributed to this report. | Power is restored to many UK homes, but 61,000 remain without electricity .
At least 13 deaths are reported across Northern Europe .
Gusts close to 100 mph battered the southern coast of England .
The storm also rammed Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark . |
36,998 | 68e5579c8c8f20e97583ce22aee8f9870dff8910 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:26 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 2 January 2013 . A McDonald's worker who super-sized herself by eating Big Macs twice a day has lost eight stone after switching to the salad bar. Teresa Mayhew, 25, from South Wales, loved to tuck in to free portions of burger and chips while at work, routinely eating her employer's high-calorie food for both breakfast and lunch, followed by a takeaway kebab or pizza for dinner. And in just a couple of years her weight doubled to more than 19 stone, forcing her to get bigger and bigger standard issue beige and brown uniforms, until she was wearing a size 26. Before: Teresa Mayhew from Pentre, South Wales, was eating McDonald's burgers and chips for breakfast and lunch, and watched her weight soar to 19 stone in just a couple of years . She said: 'I was loving the food we sell at McDonalds - I just kept eating and eating. 'We're allowed to have free food. So I'd eat that when I had a break and then when I got home I'd have more food - pizza, chips, kebabs. 'I didn't really know when I was full so it was easy to keep on going.' Teresa refused to weigh herself for two years, and when she eventually plucked up courage she watched in horror as the needle on the scale went to 19 stone 2lbs. She said: 'When I started piling on the . weight it didn't really bother me. But I realised I was taking a huge . risk with my health - I felt my future was going down the drain.' After: Teresa Mayhew says she still has a few pounds to lose before she reaches her dream weight, but is still thrilled with her new size . Teresa also became despondent when she couldn't wear most clothes she found on the high street. She said: 'I was going into clothes shops looking for nice things but I couldn't actually fit into them. So I was wearing the same thing all the time. 'I'd see other people wearing nice clothes and think, "I want to be like that".' Teresa, from the village of Pentre in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, joined a Weight Watchers slimming club and was told to drop burgers from her diet. So instead of eating fat-packed double cheese burgers for lunch, Teresa started opting for salads. Then and now: Teresa decided to lose weight when she realised she was risking her health and her future . And at home she started cooking healthy meals for herself while her family carried on tucking into takeaways and chips. And now, almost two years on,Teresa has lost a staggering 7st 12lb to reach her Weight Watchers . target of 11st 4lb. She now wears a dress size 12 to 14, and although she would still like to lose a few pounds, she is thrilled with her new body. Teresa said: 'It's amazing, I just can't believe I've done it. 'In work, when I see customers I haven't seen for a while they say, "You've changed so much, how have you done it?".' Breakfast: McDonald's . Lunch: McDonald's . Dinner: Pizza, chips, kebabs . Breakfast: Porridge or Weetabix . Lunch: Salad or soup . Dinner: Quorn spaghetti bolognese . She was lovin' it: Theresa pictured during her McDonald's binging phase, when she routinely ate burgers and chips twice a day . Teresa celebrated her weight loss by going to Mexico with friends - her first holiday in eight years. She said: 'I kept thinking people would stare at me and call me names because of my size. 'But I've always wanted to swim with dolphins and i did it in Mexico. It was just amazing.' Pretty in pink: Teresa celebrated her weight loss by treating herself to a holiday in Mexico with friends - her first vacation in eight years . Happy meals? The McDonald's in which Teresa works, and where her weight ballooned to over 19 stone because of the food she was eating . | Teresa Mayhew, 25, from South Wales, was size 26 and is now 12/14 .
Weighed 19st 2lb, now weighs 11st 4lb .
Used to eat McDonalds twice a day, and takeaway for dinner .
Now eats porridge, salad and vegetarian pasta .
Went on first holiday in eight years to Mexico to swim with dolphins . |
271,464 | eb9f73b6dfcaf07a002e26dd8d903f3e82d46638 | San Francisco, California (CNN) -- Web sites come and go, but the short bursts of text you publish on one Web site in particular -- Twitter.com --may end up having a longer shelf life than the company itself. The Library of Congress announced this week that it will archive the billions of tweets published since Twitter launched in March 2006. Yes, that Twitter, the social networking site mocked and trash-talked in the press, late-night talk shows and by retro-minded pundits as 21st-century navel gazing for fidgeting geeks (David Letterman: "You know what it reminds me of? Oh yeah, a waste of time.") But that's not the way the library sees it: If you use Twitter and your status updates are public, they should be in the archive. Twitter haters can go on scoffing that tweets are only ephemeral bits of frivolous information, but the Library of Congress has just ratified the importance of social media in recording history. What else does this mean? Only that future generations will have an unprecedented amount of firsthand data (in 140-character bites) about what people from every corner of the world were doing, thinking and feeling at every moment starting four years ago. There will be a record, for example, of the torrent of tweets that brought news from street demonstrations during the Iranian elections last year, when Internet and mobile lines were cut off. There will be a record of the devastation and the relief efforts out of Haiti and Chile after the earthquakes; and of a certain historic presidential inauguration. (http://twitter.com/barackobama/status/992176676 "We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent and passion. All of this happened because of you. Thanks") More on the Library of Congress plan to archive tweets . Thoughts and ideas written by people who wouldn't necessarily be in a position to write them into books (some for good reason) will be immortalized just the same. Current and future academics, historians and anthropologists will have a simple but deep dataset to analyze in new ways they haven't thought of yet. The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. Its mission is to "sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations." It doesn't sound like the right place to archive messages thumbed on a cell phone or dashed off in the Web page text box of a Web site. Or as one of my own twitter followers put it: "Since when does banality & frivolity warrant cultural preservation?" -@matty_g http://twitter.com/matty_g/status/12187504242 . But amidst the "craving a chocolate bar" or "watching my cat throw up a hairball" tweets, there is a serious reflection of historical context -- a real-time timeline written by regular people. Even a small sampling of archived tweets yields insights. "BREAKING: Healthcare Reform Just Passed!!!! This is one small step for health care, one giant leap for America!"http://twitter.com/Jason_Pollock/status/10852088956 . Another, when Shaun White won the Olympic gold: . "Oh my God! Shaun White was amazing in the half pipe! Landing the double mctwist/big mac/white snake/ giant tomato! Sweet!" http://twitter.com/Swiftsfan/status/9268595586 . And this week the White House (@whitehouse on Twitter) solicited ideas from citizens about what the United States' next major technological or scientific achievement should be. The archive of tweeted replies is intended to help prioritize the president's to-do list. Finally, three things about Twitter's dataset particularly suit it for the library's archive: . 1. A tweet is small and has a simple structure. 2. Most tweets are public. 3. Billions of public tweets are already available, and millions of new tweets go into the system every day. While Twitter itself and certain partners maintain copies of the data created with the service, the library will preserve that data regardless of what becomes of those businesses. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that the tweet archive gives many more people entrée into a collection historically reserved for a select few. Getting your words and ideas included in such an important cultural archive is a privilege. Twitter users may cringe at the thought that their tweet about the cat getting sick will outlive them like this, but they should celebrate, then make their next tweet really good. It will be around for awhile. Or as a twitter follower put it: «LC archiving tweets should remind us all that once it is in the ether, it's forever.» -@itwalkabout http://twitter.com/itwalkabout/status/12187791303 . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gina Trapani. | Library of Congress will archive all Twitter messages since site started in 2006 .
The move, Gina Trapani says, validates social media's role in recording history .
Archive gives academics, historians, anthropologists a simple, deep dataset, she says .
Trapani: Many more people will have entrée into a collection usually reserved for select few . |
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