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41,373 | 74aff231ca466074f96a2e6a87063fc33ca3d4db | (CNN) -- As bloody month after bloody month goes by, the United States grows ever more committed to overthrowing the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The cause is undoubtedly a just one: Avaaz, the human rights group that has been most deeply involved in the Syria crisis, reported Thursday morning that "17 civilians were beheaded or partially beheaded by regime security forces" outside of Baba Amro, the besieged Homs district that will likely soon fall to al-Assad's tanks, if it hasn't already. Last week, Syrian activists reported that regime soldiers had ambushed and killed 64 men fleeing Homs, dumping their bodies outside the city. And ousting al-Assad would bring strategic benefits, removing Iran's only Arab ally at a time when the Islamic Republic is on its heels, and taking out a patron of hard-line movements like Hamas and Hezbollah that oppose a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the United States has not done all it can to hasten al-Assad's exit. Syria is unquestionably a hard problem -- vastly more complicated than Libya: more ethnically diverse, with a far greater number of outside players involved. Turkey shares a long border with Syria and a fear of Kurdish nationalism; Russia sees al-Assad as its last remaining friend in the Middle East; Saudi Arabia would like to see the majority Sunnis in power; Iraq, Israel and Lebanon fear the inevitable chaos that will follow al-Assad's collapse; and, of course, Iran is deeply invested in the regime's survival. All this rightly makes U.S. policymakers queasy about getting sucked into a potential quagmire just as they are pulling out of two costly wars with little to show for it. Where advocates of military intervention see in Syria another Libya, or even a Kosovo, many see another Iraq in the making. It also means the United States has less leeway to pursue its interests (and values) unilaterally. As long as Turkey, for instance, opposes safe zones along the Syrian border, it's a no go. The man responsible for the carnage in Syria is Bashar al-Assad. Still, the Obama administration has made a number of blunders that, in hindsight, have made this problem harder to solve. Here are six: . 1. Underestimating al-Assad. To its credit, the administration was quick to recognize that al-Assad was in serious trouble. Obama was one of the first world leaders to call explicitly for al-Assad's ouster. But in doing so, was the administration too optimistic about his chances of survival, too naïve about the depths he would go to remain in power? 2. Taking force off the table. Yes, the Pentagon is reportedly preparing "detailed" contingency options for U.S. military action in Syria. That's what militaries do, and it's only prudent for the United States to monitor chemical weapons sites and eavesdrop on the regime's communications. It's also a good idea for the president to have a full understanding of what his options are and the risks and costs involved. But the administration has been unwilling to make the kind of threats that could make al-Assad think twice about what he's doing. That's understandable: It's hard to make a threat credible if it's obvious to all that you aren't willing to carry it out. But earnest denunciations and multilateral conferences don't seem to be working. Why undercut your diplomacy? 3. Handwringing about al Qaeda. The U.S. intelligence community is concerned about the presence in Syria of fighters from Iraq's al Qaeda branch, who are thought to be behind a spate of bombing attacks in Damascus and Aleppo. That's a reasonable worry. But Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went beyond caution this week, tarring the Syrian opposition -- which is overwhelmingly ordinary Syrians, conservative, yes, but not extremists -- with the same broad brush. "We know al Qaeda [leader Ayman al-] Zawahiri is supporting the opposition in Syria. Are we supporting al Qaeda in Syria? Hamas is now supporting the opposition. Are we supporting Hamas in Syria?" Clinton said. "If you're a military planner or if you're a secretary of state and you're trying to figure out do you have the elements of an opposition that is actually viable, that we don't see." 4. Failing to engage al-Assad's allies. If al-Assad is to fall, the pillars that prop up his regime must first be removed. Iran and Russia, both of which continue to send weapons and advice, if not more, must be convinced that a post-al-Assad Syria is something they can at least live with. Both countries have met with members of the Syrian opposition, indicating they want to explore their options. Perhaps these are merely insincere efforts to help al-Assad divide and conquer. But it's worth exploring what's real and what's not. The same goes for al-Assad's internal allies: Are we doing enough to convince senior military and security leaders that they're better off without al-Assad? 5. Ignoring China. Even if you believe the Russians will never dump al-Assad, what about the Chinese? China also vetoed the most recent U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria, in tune with its habit of standing with Russia against encroachment on the principle of state sovereignty. But Washington has made little effort to engage Beijing on this issue, or to enlist Arab oil suppliers like Saudi Arabia to lobby on the Syrian opposition's behalf. China has few tangible interests in Syria, and might be convinced that a post-al-Assad world is in its broader interest. That would leave Russia isolated and uncomfortable. 6. Focusing exclusively on the Syrian National Council. Underscoring its skittishness about the growing militarization of what is by now a civil war by any reasonable definition, the Obama administration has shied away from dealing with the Free Syrian Army's leadership in Turkey. Perhaps more is going on behind the scenes, but the United States has clearly put its energies behind the SNC. But it is unclear whether this fractious body of exiles truly represents Syrians on the ground, and its relationship with the FSA is poor. The SNC on Thursday announced it was setting up some kind of "military bureau" to funnel weapons to the FSA, but it's not yet clear the FSA is truly on board. The SNC has also had a hard time attracting support from minorities, who fear that al-Assad's ouster will put their communities at risk. These points are not an indictment of Obama's Syria policy. There are no good options here, only bad and worse ones. As al-Assad moves to consolidate his brutal victory in Homs and put the rebellion down once and for all, there's still time to rectify our mistakes and shape an outcome that saves lives and protects American interests. But not very much time. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Blake Hounshell . | Blake Hounshell says Hom is likely to fall as Syria regime continues brutal crackdown .
He says U.S. committed to ousting regime but has not gone all in to end complex conflict .
He lists 6 ways the U.S. faltered, including taking force off the table; worrying about al Qaeda .
Hounshell: There are no good options, only bad and worse; time running short to save lives . |
16,215 | 2df5eb19d68f9799d76a379b7526242b68796a55 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 08:18 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 1 October 2013 . A gardener spelled out his wedding proposal using hedge plants - then took his girlfriend on a surprise helicopter ride so he could pop the question. Liam Ireland, 31, and three assistants including his father Tony, 64, spent two hours arranging the greenery so when viewed from the air it read: 'Will you marry me Melissa'. His girlfriend Melissa Moss, 26, spotted the message written in topiary as they hovered 500ft above the fields in Eckington, Worcestershire. Proposal: Liam Ireland rearranged these hedges to spell out his proposal - then took his girlfriend up in a helicopter so she could see his message . Hedge farm manager Liam said: 'Melissa was looking out of the window and just saw "will you marry me Melissa?" spelt out in box-hedging. 'As . she turned round from looking out the window I was there with a ring. Luckily she said yes and gave me a kiss. It was a lovely moment. 'I couldn't get down on one knee because I was strapped into the helicopter but I hope I was forgiven. 'I . just thought what other way to do it than spell it out in box hedging . and fly over. It's a little bit different really. I'm just really . pleased with how it all worked out, it was perfect.' As a ruse to get his girlfriend into the helicopter, Liam said his boss Simon Williamson, 59, had arranged for . them to fly over Readyhedge nurseries, where he works, to take some aerial photographs. Romantic message: Liam, 31, spent two hours creating the message with the help of three assistants at Readyhedge nurseries where he is a manager in Eckington, Worcestershire . Happy couple: Liam and his girlfriend Melissa Moss stand next to the helicopter. He spent four months planning the proposal . They travelled to Staverton Airfield, Gloucestershire, 15 miles away, before embarking on the 45-minute round trip. The letters of the design were around eight foot deep. He said: 'It was really nerve-wracking as there were so many factors that had to work together for it to come off, like the weather, lots of details which could have gone wrong. 'The lowest the helicopter can go is 500ft so I was hoping we'd made it big enough to read from that distance. I didn't sleep too well the night before as all these things were playing on my mind. 'We circled the nursery a few times but eventually found the spot. Liam, from Eckington, had an engagement party arranged for them when they landed following the proposal on September 14. Melissa, a dental nurse, said she was taken completely by surprise when Liam proposed. Hedge design: Liam, 31, used these potted plants to spell out 'Melissa will you marry me' before taking her on a helicopter ride so she could see the message from the air . Proposal: Liam Ireland spent about four months planning his romantic proposal for girlfriend Melissa Moss . Wedding delight: Liam had an engagement party organised for Melissa after they landed following their 45-minute helicopter trip . Engaged: Liam and Melissa, a dental nurse, have been together for just over four years. They celebrated their engagement with a trip to Dubai last week . She said: 'It was a big shock, I didn't have a clue it was going to happen so it came as a total surprise. 'Liam told me his boss had organised for him to go up to take some pictures and he said he thought it would be nice if we both went up. I couldn't believe it when I saw the message. 'I've been on cloud nine ever since, I've not stopped smiling since it happened. My friends have been quite envious, Liam's very romantic and I feel very special that he went to such a big effort for me.' The couple, who have been together just over four years, celebrated their engagement with a trip to Dubai last week. They said they will start scouting for wedding venues in the coming months. | Liam Ireland arranged the hedges so they spelt out 'Will you marry me?'
He took girlfriend Melissa Moss up in a helicopter so she saw the message .
She immediately said yes when she saw the message .
Liam spent two hours arranging the box hedges to spell out his proposal . |
93,458 | 0432754745fe4a848bdd59b2711071447190fabb | By . Snejana Farberov and David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 19:35 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:02 EST, 31 October 2013 . The heiress of the Mars candy empire will face a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving following a fatal two-car crash that occurred earlier this month near her home in Virginia. Jacqueline Badger Mars, 74, was driving . her 2004 Porsche SUV in Loudoun County on October 4 when she allegedly . crossed the median on Route 50 and slammed into a 2013 Chrysler minivan. A . backseat passenger in the minivan - 86-year-old . grandmother Irene Ellisor, of Huntsville, Texas - was pronounced dead at . the scene. Deadly crash: Mars candy empire heiress Jacqueline Badger Mars (left), 74, has been charged with reckless driving over the crash earlier this month which killed 86-year-old Irene Ellisor (right) Candy queen: Jacqueline Mars and her two brothers own the largest sweets manufacturer in the world with $33billion in sales . Mars was served Tuesday with a summons on Tuesday, and is expected to appear in Loudoun County General District Court at a hearing scheduled Dec. 5 at 8:30 a.m. 'As . court proceedings begin, Jackie’s thoughts and prayers remain with . those who have suffered injury and loss,' Kent Jarrell, a personal . spokesperson for Mars, told The Washington Post on Tuesday. 'She regrets this tragic accident.' Mars is one of the richest people in the world with a net worth estimated at $20.5billion and is a resident of The Plains, Virginia. According to investigators, Mars, the granddaughter of the founder of the Mars, Inc, candy, food and beverage giant, was going westbound on Route 50 just before 2.30pm when she reportedly veered across the double yellow line near Briar Patch Lane, colliding head-on with the Chrysler minivan carrying six women. Tycoon: Mars is a divorced mother of three and the 15th wealthiest person in the world . Palatial home: Miss Mars owns a lavish estate in The Plains, Virginia . The victim, Irene Ellisor, was reportedly not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The other five occupants of the vehicle were hospitalized, among them the driver who was listed in serious condition. Mars was rushed to Stone Springs Medical Center and later transferred to Inova Fairfax Hosptial, where she was treated for her injuries and released. Ellisor and her companions had traveled to Virginia from Texas to attend the wedding of a relative, which was on the day of the crash. Jacqueline Mars and her two brothers, . John and Forrest Jr., own Mars - the largest candy maker in the world . with $33billion in sales. Tragic matriarch: Ellisor, pictured left and right at her grandson's graduation, had traveled from Texas to Virginia to attend a wedding; police say she was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash . Ambitious innovator: Mars was founded in 1911 by Jacqueline Mars' grandfather, Frank Mars, who started his business by making chocolates in his Tacoma, Washington, kitchen . All three are on the board of directors but are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the corporation. The three siblings inherited the company in 1999 after the death of their father. Jacqueline Mars was ranked by Forbes Magazine in September as the 15th wealthiest person in the world boasting a net worth upward of $20billion. Mars was founded in 1911 by Jacqueline . Mars' grandfather, Frank Mars, who got his business off the ground by making . chocolates in his Tacoma, Washington, kitchen. In 1929, the company invented the signature malt-flavored nougat, which became the filing of Milky Way and Snickers candy bars. The sweets manufacturer is also makes M&Ms, over 400 million of which are produced in the U.S. each day. Besides sugary treats, Mars’ extensive portfolio includes Uncle Ben's rice and pet food brands Pedigree and Whiskas. Sweet success: The manufacturer of Mars and a host of other candy bars has been in operation since 1911 . Made in the USA: Mars is the marker of M&Ms, over 400 million of which are produced in the U.S. daily . | Jacqueline Badger Mars, 74, was involved in a car crash near her home in Virginia earlier this month .
Her Porsche allegedly crossed the median on Route 50 and slammed into a minivan .
Irene Ellisor, 86, wasn't wearing a seat-belt and was killed in the crash .
The candy empire heiress now faces reckless driving charges . |
87,670 | f8c2d671e7ec1cc75d18f10e7893e812e4b3e1bc | It is now seven years since Ron Dennis was asked what he considered the biggest difference between managing the rivalry of Senna and Prost in the late 1980s and the then current enmity of Hamilton and Alonso. ‘The internet,’ he said. It struck me as an extraordinarily insignificant development for the boss of McLaren to be worrying about amid a multi-million-pound budget, a World Championship fight and Spygate. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Hamilton drive a Reliant Robin and Rosberg's driving selfie . Tension? Leiws Hamilton tweeted (below) that he and Nico Rosberg are 'still friends' and had ups and downs . But I now feel he was on to something relevant that has advanced at speed in the intervening years. Social media, most pertinently Twitter, has taken off, for the most part widening rather than deepening the debate (or so I would contend as a hopeless reactionary). Everyone is an instant expert, even from his armchair. Whether social media is good or bad, how an organisation, for our purposes an F1 team, delivers its news, controls its message and engages with its fans has changed irrevocably. We saw this when Lewis Hamilton tweeted that he had ‘no problem’ with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, having publicly fallen out with him at Monaco last weekend over qualifying. ‘We’ve been friends a long time,’ said Hamilton. ‘As friends we have our ups and downs. Today we spoke and we’re cool. Still friends.’ As I wrote in a separate news piece about this on Friday, the timing of the announcement was odd. I shall elaborate on my understanding of what happened in the hours leading to Hamilton’s tweet. I spoke to Niki Lauda, the Mercedes chairman, Friday morning. He said: ‘I have to tell you that everything is fully under control. Everything is back in order. ‘I spoke to Lewis he said he would speak to Nico. From my point of view there are no negatives.’ Those quotes, and others from Lauda, were going to form the main item in this column. To check a couple of points, I phoned a Mercedes spokesman. I specifically asked whether the two drivers had yet talked to each other. The spokesman said he did not know and thought it unlikely he could find out because Hamilton, he thought, was travelling across the Atlantic ahead of next weekend’s race in Canada. Odd timing: Hamilton's Tweet came at an odd juncture - after Niki Lauda had announced the pair had spoken . Just over an hour later, Sky issued a tweet encouraging viewers to contribute to a debate, on the F1 Show, tackling the fractious relationship between Hamilton and Rosberg. Eleven minutes after Sky’s tweet, came Hamilton’s tweet. So, were any of the events connected? Did Mercedes’ corporate types want to take control of the agenda, rather than let Lauda, who I suspect they think is too prone to go freelance with his views, set it? Did they wish to steer Sky’s treatment of the subject towards a discussion of a rapprochement? Mercedes deny it, of course. The same spokesman told me that Lewis tweeted independently of them, purely to reflect the updated situation. The spokesman’s revised estimate of Lewis’ itinerary was that he was ‘probably’ travelling to Canada this weekend. Under control: Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda claimed everything was fine between the pair . I don’t know whether my suspicions that Mercedes had a hand in the tweet are right – and who can blame them if they did? It is someone’s job to have the acumen to do so. A legitimate complaint from a journalist would be if the spokesman reacted to my call – in which I let him into the fact that Lauda had spoken to me – by feeding a tweet to every rival and so ruining the exclusivity of my story, such as it was. A final thought. Did Hamilton send his tweet – and choose the perfect picture of himself and Rosberg on unicycles as boys to illustrate a long and fun association – all on his own? Did he not run it by anyone at the office of Simon Fuller, his manager? Or anyone at Mercedes? I find it difficult to believe that he neglected to do so given the sensitivity of the last few days. That is the way communications work these days. We should at least be aware of this. We can then evaluate sensibly what is said, by whom, and how and when. Denial: The German team deny there was anything untoward about the timing of Hamilton's tweet . It is interesting to conjecture what the reaction would have been had Hamilton prevented Rosberg’s flying lap rather than the other way around. I suspect some fans would be split along tribal lines, just as they are now; that the stewards would have approached the incident as neutrally as they could; and that commentators, among them ex-drivers, would still try to be honest in their reading of it. But if Hamilton were judged less sympathetically would that entirely be the fault of us observers? For he has been attracted to controversy like a baby to milk throughout his Formula One career; Rosberg has been squeaky-clean. Not that there are not upsides to Hamilton’s headline-grabbing deeds, good and bad. Only last week he was named the world’s most marketable sportsman. His story in the round makes him what the American’s call ‘box office’. Squeaky clean: Rosberg has a clean record in comparison to Hamilton, who has attracted controversy . In his spare days between defending himself against bribery charges in a Munich court, Bernie Ecclestone has been trying to sell shares belonging to the sport’s largest shareholders, CVC. But I can reveal that talks with Canadian fashion tycoon Lawrence Stroll, whose interest in buying into F1 was first reported by Sky, have broken down. With F1’s other investors nervous about Ecclestone’s future, the sport’s future remains in flux. Derek Warwick, the driver steward in Monaco, explained to Sportsmail how the panel came to their decision not to penalise Rosberg. I have read that offering this explanation in print and online compromised his independence. No, that is a non-sequitur. I am more inclined to thank him for his transparency. I liked Graeme Lowdon’s line after his driver Jules Bianchi’s ninth place for Marussia last weekend. ‘Trust us to score our first points in Monaco – we can’t afford to celebrate,’ he said, hinting humorously at his team’s belief that they do not receive an equitable share of the sport’s profits. But am I alone in detecting an irony in what Lowdon – who is grandiloquently called Marussia’s president – said? Running Formula One cars in the plutocrats’ playground of Monaco is hardly the breadline. Off the mark: Jules Bianchi fianlly scored Marussa's first points after finishing ninth in Monaco . | Niki Lauda told me the Hamilton and Rosberg had spoken .
But that was at odds with a Mercedes spokesman telling me that the British driver was likely on a plane to Canada .
The pair have been feuding all season .
But has the team made sure, publicly at least, that everything is fine? |
59,412 | a8ae9e05f33658c5f5226a671d638b5c801986c6 | By . Jill Reilly . Fans walked out of a UB40 gig because the music was so loud it made their ears bleed. Around 30 people left the performance in Cambridge after complaining about the deafening volume. Anna Webster, 54, left before the reggae band had even finished their first song on Monday night. Fans walked out of a UB40 gig because the music was so loud it made their ears bleed. From left: Duncan Campbell, Martin Meredith, Laurence Parry and Brian Travers perform in London . She said: 'It was just horrendously loud - the bass was vibrating even in the foyer. 'There were so many people walking out because they couldn’t deal with it. 'It was vibrating through your whole body - it was actually altering heart rhythms.' Ms Webster, from Willingham, Cambs., said the noise caused her ear at the Corn Exchange - which already had a perforated drum - to bleed. Fellow fan Angela Paffett, 56, from Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, said deafening renditions of hits including Red, Red Wine and Can’t Help Falling in Love left her in physical pain. Anna Webster, 54, left before the reggae band had even finished their first song on Monday night at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge (pictured) She said: 'The bass crashed into you like a steam train. I had a pain in my chest.' Stella Jackson, 52, from Arlesey, Bedfordshire, also left early and said the gig was a 'waste of money' and gave her a headache. A UB40 spokesman said he spoke to Ms Webster and apologised to her if her evening was 'spoiled'. He said she was happy with the offer of VIP tickets to a gig in Wolverhampton. Birmingham's acclaimed reggae band formed in 1978. The original line-up played together for about 30 years - before Ali Campbell left in January 2008, claiming management disputes . One music fan - who had already had a perforated ear drum (a hole or tear) complained of a bleeding ear due to the noise levels at the concert - this is a symptom of the condition. This is in itself not dangerous and is nature's way of relieving pressure from the build up of pus behind the ear drum. This in turn relieves the pain of the infection and allows it to get better. Repeated perforation should however be avoided if possible because each time the ear drum bursts it leaves a small amount of scar tissue as it heals. Scar tissue is thicker than normal tissue and makes the ear drum less flexible to noise vibration. Repeated perforations may scar the ear drum leading to reduced hearing in that ear. According to the World Health Organisation, the single largest cause of preventable hearing loss is loud noise, such as from heavy industry in work places and loud music. Ways to protect your eats at concerts include: wearing earplugs, standing away from speakers and taking breaks from the room where the noise is playing. He said he believed 'the vast . majority of people were not affected', adding that no-one had complained . about the noise to the band’s sound engineer. A . Cambridge Corn Exchange spokesman said the venue always worked within . 'strict health and safety guidelines' and ear plugs were made available . for people on the night. He said the responsibility for the concert’s sound levels lay with promoter DHP Concerts. Health and safety law at the venue states that the continuous sound level should not exceed 107 dB, with the peak sound pressure level not exceeding 140 dB. Birmingham's acclaimed reggae band formed in 1978 and went on to have 34 top 40 singles and release 18 albums. The original line-up played together for about 30 years - before Ali Campbell left in January 2008, claiming management disputes. Mickey Virtue followed suit and then Astro quit in 2013 - the trio have now reformed as UB40 Reunited. The remaining six members continued to tour and record with Ali Campbell's brother, Duncan, on vocals - it was this group which played at the Corn Exchange on Monday night. The split has proved to be acrimonious - in February UB40 Reunited released a statement saying: 'Anyone going to a concert by the remaining five will be treated to merely a karaoke version of how the band did indeed sound, with a replacement singer who has never recorded a previous UB40 album and is no part of the UB40 history. 'There is only one vocal sound for UB40 and only two genuine vocalists and it is us.' | Around 30 people left the performance at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge .
Fan who already had a perforated drum said it caused her ear to bleed .
A UB40 spokesman said apologised if her evening was 'spoiled' |
14,421 | 28e613378dd09de21253fce77b11ad6cc05f1ddc | By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 09:25 EST, 14 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 14 November 2012 . For those seeking a gastronomic response to the ‘Supersized’ American lifestyle, Pizza Hut has the answer. The fast food pizza chain, which introduced stuffed crusts to pizza eaters nationwide in 1995, has now unveiled its newest culinary creation – the Overstuffed Pizza. Though nutritional information wasn’t posted on Pizza Hut’s website, one can imagine that this newest pizza invention tips the caloric scales. Scroll down for video . Have your fill: Pizza Hut's Facebook page says 'Go all in with six jumbo slices loaded with pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese, sealed between two golden crusts' All in: Pizza Hut's website encourages its patrons to go 'all in' on pizza night for $12.99 . As the Huffington Post noted, the stuffed crust pizza became one of Pizza Hut’s best sellers, and the chain has since been introducing seemingly endless variations of the formula. Hot-dog-stuffed crusts. Cone crusts. Adding to the fray, Pizza Hut has introduced what is best described as a cross between a deep-dish pizza and a calzone. The restaurant writes on its Facebook page: ‘Go all in with six jumbo slices loaded with pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese, sealed between two golden crusts.’ It is offered as either an Italian Meat Trio, or a Supremo, which comes with sausage, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Both are sold for $12.99. Nutrition information was not available on the company’s website, but a single slice of a medium stuffed-crust pan pizza comes in at 340 calories, making the whole eight slices 2,720 calories. A representative did not immediately return MailOnline’s request for nutritional information. Users on Twitter were quick to react to news of the pizza. One user, giorgiotedx, wrote: ‘Less is more, especially when it comes to pizza.’ Another user, NevineZaki, wrote: ‘OfferStuffed arteries anyone?’ Popular: Pizza Hut, owned by Yum Foods Inc., has more than 7,200 locations throughout the U.S. But not all tweets were negative. One user wrote that she was ordering a pizza ‘right away.’ Pizza Hut is owned by Yum Brands Inc, which also owns KFC and Taco Bell. Pizza Hut has more than 7,200 restaurants across the U.S. The parent company recently introduced a new line of sweet snacks for its Mexican fast food chain, Taco Bell, expanding its dessert menu to include churros and cookie sandwiches to its current lineup of cinnamon twists and caramel apple empanadas. Attracting customers to restaurants during between-meal hours has become a critical way to drive sales, as chains have to pay for fixed costs like electricity and labor anyways. Inspiration? Tina Fey's character in 30 Rock, Liz Lemon, notoriously 'shotgunned' a pizza in season five . Last month, competitor Domino’s launched a deep-pan pizza with more than double the calories found in one of their regular pies. The 12" pepperoni pan pizza, which features a thick base, slathered with butter, two layers of cheese and toppings, boasts 2,420 calories and 130 grams of fat. It makes for a dramatic contrast with the nutritional value of its regular thin-crust version, at 910 calories and 47 grams of fat. | New Overstuffed pizza offered two ways - Italian Meat Trio and Supreme .
Nutrition information not available for what company describes is 'six jumbo slices loaded with pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese, sealed between two golden crusts' |
191,632 | 842539f24a0b53a58def746746662300fe0359a4 | (CNN) -- It is always important to look back on historical moments in history and remember how it was and reflect on those who made it possible. But it is also vital to continue having a forward-looking vision that connects the past with the present. When veterans of the civil rights movement and those who weren't even alive in the 1960s pick a date and gather in Washington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a lot will be said about the past. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia is the only surviving speaker on the official part of the program, and others who witnessed the speech are older and grayer but still among us. It must have been an unbelievable sight to see about 250,000 people before the Lincoln Memorial to gather for jobs and freedom for African-Americans on August 28, 1963. We remember the march because of the massive audience as well as the culmination of that day, the riveting speech of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who delivered what is known today as the "I Have a Dream" speech. During that moment in history, the heavy hand of Jim Crow was oppressive for African-Americans all across America but especially for those living under the brutality in the South. Voting was virtually nonexistent. Blacks couldn't eat in public places like hotels and restaurants. But what the march largely focused on was the economic condition of African-Americans. When most folks think about the march, too much focus is on the "I Have a Dream" portion of King's speech and not the top two-thirds, which was a condemnation of the economic policies that stifled black growth in America. "One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination," King said. "One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition." What many people forget is that in the final year of his life, King was planning the Poor People's Campaign, looking to focus the nation on its poorest citizens. King confidant Harry Belafonte told me last year for an interview on my TV One show, "Washington Watch," that King understood that black America, and all Americans, couldn't be truly free unless they had economic freedom. A lot has changed for black America since August 28, 1963, but when you examine the economic condition in 2013, we are still facing troubled times. As America has desperately tried to escape the recession that gripped the world over the past few years, black unemployment remains pathetically high. Overall, the unemployment rate announced in March was 7.7%. For African-Americans, it was 13.8%. Black teen unemployment was 43.1%. The wealth gap between whites and blacks is even wider today than it has been in three decades. According to a recent report (PDF) released by Brandeis University, the wealth gap between whites and black increased from $85,000 to $236,500 between 1984 and 2009. The median net worth of white families is now $265,000, and it's $28,500 for black families. The Brandeis study says there are five vital factors for this: number of years owning a home, average family income, college education, employment stability, and financial support from families and inheritance. Many will read this and say, "Oh, please! Get an education, find a good job, work hard, and all will be well." But it's not as simple as that. When you look at the state of education where African-Americans largely live, resources play a crucial role in all of this. The lack of a quality education plays a role in what college you're able to attend, and that will determine what kind of job you will have. The long-term racial policies of America have also played a role. The failure of black families being able to go to college for decades in the 20th century, as well as access to good-paying jobs, has played a role in the inability of blacks to pass down wealth from one generation to another. All of these factors are why a commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom shouldn't be a big love-fest for folks focused on civil rights. It should be singularly focused on driving an agenda that speaks to the unemployment crisis afflicting black America. Those who are planning events around the march shouldn't fall into the easy trap of letting any and everyone bring their agenda in August. The beauty of the 1963 march is that it was narrow, specific and designed to address a critical need. If organizers today want to really walk in the footsteps of those in 1963, they should go back and study why they all met in the first place. The agenda was set in 1963 on jobs and income inequality. In 2013, this generation should pick up that baton and run with it so that the next time there is a commemoration, we will be celebrating how successful we were in addressing and fixing the problem. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland Martin. | Roland Martin: The 50th anniversary of the March on Washington is coming up .
Martin: In two-thirds of the "I Have a Dream" speech, King focused on economic issues .
Today, black unemployment is high, and black income levels are low, he says .
Martin: In commemorating the march, organizers must focus on economic challenges . |
158,780 | 594a297a9c66e74fa9b8ca42b196e01c3c02a5ae | Eddie Hearn has revealed he is in talks with the City Ground in Nottingham to make a 2015 fight between Carl Froch and James DeGale. Hopes of a Las Vegas showdown between Froch and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr have all but disappeared, with Hearn admitting DeGale is now the ‘strong favourite’ to be Froch’s next opponent. DeGale, who is set to have a tune-up fight in Sheffield on December 6, is the mandatory challenger for Froch’s IBF super-middleweight world title and Hearn believes it is doubtful that the Nottingham fighter will vacate his belt. VIDEO Scroll downfor James DeGale eyes IBF world title fight with Carl Froch in November . Game on: Carl Froch (above) looks set to fight James DeGale at the City Ground early next year . Next up: DeGale (right) earned mandatory status by beating Brandon Gonzales at Wembley in May . Therefore, it is looking increasingly likely that Froch will follow his stunning Wembley win over George Groves in May with another stadium fight, with February and March dates under consideration. Hearn, writing in his Mail Online column, said: ‘I met with Carl Froch last week and the first thing I could see is that he is getting itchy knuckles again. This guy wants to fight. ‘There are a lot of discussions going on at the moment and as it stands it looks to me like a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez is not going to happen. Location, location: Froch could take on DeGale at the City Ground in his hometown of Nottingham . Down and out: Froch retained his world titles with a knockout victory over George Groves . ‘James DeGale is now strong favourite to get the fight, probably in February or March of next year. 'James is obviously Carl’s mandatory challenger for the IBF super-middleweight belt and under those terms Carl has to fight him by the end of February or give up the belt. Carl is not the sort of fighter who just gives up a belt so I think that fight is now very likely. ‘I have had some discussions about possible venues and I am looking at a few outdoor stadia, including the City Ground in Nottingham, Carl’s hometown. He has filled big arenas from Manchester to Wembley to the O2 and this is the kind of fight and venue that excites him. We are working on it.’ | Carl Froch looks set to defend his world titles against James DeGale .
Froch had hoped to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr but that is unlikely .
Fight could happen at Nottingham Forest's City Ground early next year .
DeGale is set for tune-up in Sheffield on December 6 .
Froch knocked out Groves at Wembley in May to retain his belts .
DeGale is the mandatory challenger for Froch's IBF belt . |
155,767 | 5556f085b959348f3b534286f35185e76db7f7ae | By . Oliver Todd . Follow @@oliver_todd . Every day, Sportsmail takes a look at the European papers to see what are the biggest stories creating talking points on the continent. The news that is plastered over the front page of Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo today is that Manchester United and Barcelona target Juan Cuadrado will cost any buyer €50million. This will come to both suitors of the Colombian World Cup star and Louis van Gaal will have to dig deep into his transfer budget if United are to further their interest. Mundo Deportivo: 50million euros for Cuadrado . Boss: Juan Cuadrado holds off Marcelo during Colombia's World Cup quarter final with hosts Brazil . Elsewhere in Spain, AS report that Keylor Navas is getting impatient over his impending move to Real Madrid. The Costa Rica 'keeper is believed to be having his transfer held up by the continuing presence of Iker Casillas and Diego Lopez. AS: Keylor Navas is impatient . Marca: A global Madrid . Ready for the big move: Keylor Navas saves Dirk Kuyt's penalty at the World Cup with Costa Rica . Should Real fail to seal a deal within a week, Navas would have to return to training with his current club Levante - something he isn't keen on after making no secret of his wish to join the European champions. Meanwhile, Casillas is set to start in Madrid's friendly with Roma in the early hours of Wednesday morning - and Marca hail the return of the Galacticos on their front page, also picking up on Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric's comebacks. Corriere dello Sport: Juve begin . Tuttosport: Juve, you are now Allegri . Old boy: Massimiliano Allegri faces an early return to Milan as the new Juventus manager . Finally, the Italian sports papers focus on the release of this season's Serie A fixtures. Both Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport go big on Juventus' start to the campaign with an early return to AC Milan for controversially appointed boss Massimiliano Allegri on the cards. | Mundo Deportivo report Colombian international is available for €50m .
Manchester United and Barcelona had expressed interest in the winger .
Keylor Navas is getting impatient about securing move to Real Madrid .
Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric make their Galactico returns .
Italian papers feature highlights of the newly released Serie A fixture list . |
223,181 | acebc9e2d24363b93ac49fcb89c5445574fa0711 | By . Stephen Adams . and Sanchez Manning . A hospital chief executive has been paid almost half a million pounds in compensation after he fainted in his office and claimed he could no longer work because of stress. Roger Tarver, 68, was awarded a £370,000 lump sum – plus £24,000 a year for life – after claiming the stress of the job left him psychologically scarred and damaged his heart. His payout from an official NHS compensation scheme for work-related injuries dwarfs that given to many soldiers who have sustained horrendous battlefield wounds fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Compensation: Government figures show that the Department of Health in England is currently paying out £47million a year under the NHS Injury Benefits Scheme, to 8,000 former employees who were injured before 1997 . The case illustrates just how generously NHS employees are treated after claiming they cannot work, compared to servicemen who receive a medical discharge. Taxpayers are shelling out £77 million a year on work-related compensation for doctors, nurses, hospital managers and other NHS staff in England, The Mail on Sunday has found. By comparison the Ministry of Defence's spend on injured servicemen, through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, is just £44million a year. Campaigners last night said the figures, and Mr Tarver's case in particular, showed how soldiers' lives were regarded as 'cheap'. Mr Tarver, former chief executive of City Hospital in Birmingham, is being paid under the NHS Injury Benefits Scheme. Described as 'the best-kept secret in the NHS' by health unions, it gives payments of up to 85 per cent of a claimant's final salary every year for life, if their ability to work has been impaired. Mr Tarver was medically retired in 1996, aged 51, months after collapsing in his office. He was taken to the cardiac unit with a racing pulse and later diagnosed with acute stress and heart problems. He retired on his NHS pension but in 2009 won a claim under the injury benefits scheme, for £370,550 to be paid retrospectively, plus £24,000 a year for life. By comparison, Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson was initially offered just £152,000 plus a £19,000-a-year pension after he lost both legs in an Afghanistan landmine explosion in 2006. His mother Diane Dernie, who fought a successful campaign to more than triple his payout, last night criticised the disparity between the sums given to NHS staff and servicemen. She said: 'The figures are pretty indicative of the way that soldiers' lives are held to be cheap.' Mr Tarver yesterday defended his payout, but agreed many would think it unfair compared to those awarded to many soldiers. Speaking from his detached home in Dorridge, West Midlands, he said: 'I don't think my payment was generous – I worked bloody hard for the NHS for 30-odd years. 'The job was impossible. It was daft. I had to make decisions that resulted in patients dying, like who can have the intensive care bed. 'I was in a position of having to act as God. Would you want that?' Asked if his payout was unfair compared to those paid to many soldiers, he said: 'I agree – but I don't negotiate the conditions of service.' Government figures show that the Department of Health in England is currently paying out £47 million a year under the NHS Injury Benefits Scheme, to 8,000 former employees who were injured before 1997. That puts the annual average award at £5,875 – more than twice the average annual payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme of £2,750, once lump sums are factored in. But the true annual cost of the NHS scheme to the taxpayers is likely to be a quarter higher, at almost £59 million, because when post-1997 claims are included the number of cases still being paid increases by 25 per cent to 10,129. Further costs: Every year about 1,800 former health workers receive £18million in one-off compensation payments outside the government's existing scheme, raising the total annual payout to £77million . In addition, every year about 1,800 former health workers receive another £18 million in one-off compensation payments outside the scheme. That puts the total annual compensation figure for NHS staff in England alone at £77 million. The NHS Injury Benefits Scheme was replaced in April with a far less generous version called the NHS Injury Allowance Scheme. The main difference is that payments are limited to a year's salary per incident. But because the original scheme pays out for life, huge sums will continue to be paid for years to come. Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth said Parliament needed to examine whether the military covenant – the agreement under which the state pledges to look after its servicemen – was being upheld 'not just in spirit but in action'. He added: 'The Government wants to make sure we give priority to our servicemen, particularly to those who are injured and put their lives on the line. 'With the best will in the world, that's not what NHS people do.' A Department of Health spokesman said the injury benefits scheme had been scrapped because it was 'archaic and expensive'. An MoD spokesman said: 'We are committed to making sure that those injured as a result of their service get all the financial and welfare support they need.' | Roger Tarver was awarded a £370,000 lump sum - plus £24,000 a year for life .
Taxpayers are shelling out £77million a year on work-related compensation for NHS workers .
Ministry of Defence spends just £44million a year on injured servicemen . |
270,207 | e9f0a89acfe2bea354701ab9e06b15d6014b21a2 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 23:07 EST, 17 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 18 February 2014 . Watch your back, Meier! American NHL referee Brad Meier is now despised in Russia for ruling a goal in Team USA's favor during Saturday's game against the home team . Angry Russians today gathered at the American Embassy in Moscow to make apparent death threats against the US hockey referee who they blame for their country’s thrilling hockey loss to the states at the weekend. Although the fans insist the threats to boil Brad Meir and render his flesh into soap are light-hearted, it reflects growing anger in the country at the decision to have an American referee adjudicate the crucial match. Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov believes the game would have ended differently if Meier hadn't disallowed a Russian goal late in the game that would have put them in the lead. 'The referee made a mistake of course, it would have been more effective to have a different judge,' Bilyaletdinov said. The score was 2-2 when a Russian player Fedor Tyutin hit the puck into the goal, but the score came into contention when American goaltender Jonathan Quick pointed out that the net was off its base. After reviewing footage, Meier and Swedish referee Marcus Vinnerborg agreed that the net was off its base before the score and the goal couldn't be counted. The crowd of more than 11,000 at Bolshoi Ice Dome, populated with home country fans including President Vladimir Putin, erupted in anger at the call. 'It was definitely a goal,' Russian player Alex Ovechkin said. 'The goalie touched the net so the net moved. The referee had to see it. [Meier] should have given [Quick] two minutes.' Asked whether more neutral referees should be chosen for the Olympics, Bilyaletdinov said: 'We don't appoint the referees, a board of referees appoints them, so we can only take the situation as a given.' The U.S. went on to win the match thanks to T.J. Oshie scoring four times in the shootout. Jumping the gun: Russia celebrates a goal in the third period, but the score was eventually disallowed because the net was displaced . Advance: The U.S. team went on to win the match against Russia 3-2 and will compete in the quarterfinals in two days . Still in the running: The Russians are still in the tournament but will have to fight it out with Finland to stay in medal contention in a match tomorrow . The International Ice Hockey Federation later defended Meier's decision saying the rulings made by the two referees 'was the correct call and that the proper procedure had been followed with regards to the video review'. That hasn't stopped Russians from voicing their anger online and in public protests in Moscow. Many Russians fans have posted pictures of Meier on Twitter, with comments like 'Remember the face of the a**h***' and 'We will not forget this face'. The threats were more direct in Moscow on Monday when Russians fans gathered outside the American Embassy to protest Meier's call. Demonstration: Russian fans even went so far to protest Meier outside the American embassy in Moscow after Saturday's game . Some of the fans participated in a Russian sports tradition of shredding soap, which is meant to symbolize killing someone and rendering their fat to make soap. The other interpretation is the soap used on a noose in a hanging. While that sounds like a death threat, the fans insist it is light-hearted. 'Please don't take it as a death threat,' Dmitry Chesnokov, writer for Puck Daddy, told Yahoo Sports. The Russians have not yet been knocked out of the tournament. They are scheduled to go up against Finland Tuesday and team USA will compete in the quarterfinals the day after. | Brad Meier disallowed a goal that would have but the Russian team in the lead .
The crowd of more than 11,000 at Bolshoi Ice Dome erupted in anger over the call .
'The referee made a mistake,' Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said .
Protesters gathered outside the American Embassy in Moscow on Monday to voice their outage .
Russia is still in the tournament but will have to beat Finland tomorrow to remain in the running for a medal .
Team USA 's next game will be in the quarterfinals on Wednesday . |
27,247 | 4d4a1e4623fb06f91551339a184932f7c62a717a | Home captain Steve Smith's career-best 192 was the highlight of day two between Australia and India in Melbourne, but the tourists will be pleased with how they dug in when their time came to bat. Having witnessed the Baggy Green run up 530 from their overnight 295 for five, India - 2-0 down in the series - may have been expected to be worse off than they were at the close. They ended the day at the MCG on 108 for one, thanks to Murali Vijay's unbeaten 50, and although work remains to be done, they can take heart from their defiance. Steve Smith acknowledges the crowd after being dismissed on 192 runs against India in Melbourne . Smith was eight runs short of a double century as Australia took control on the second day of the third Test . Their resolve will have been severely tested by Smith and the Australian lower-order, though. Smith, shining as captain in place of the injured Michael Clarke, recorded his third straight hundred after resuming on 72, and had Brad Haddin with him for company, with the veteran keeper making 55. Smith's seventh test hundred came in 191 balls but he was not to stop there, even when Haddin left him as the only remaining recognised batsman, bottom-edging Mohammed Shami behind. That brought Mitchell Johnson to the middle and he put up an entertaining 28, going after 37 balls when R Ashwin tempted him down the pitch and he was stumped by MS Dhoni. Smith raises his bat to celebrate reaching his century during the third Test against India . Mitchell Johnson managed 28 off 37 balls before being stumped by India's MS Dhoni . Ryan Harris was next in and the gnarled paceman offered some genuine surprise, going to a Test best 74 from 88 balls. Harris clubbed eight fours and a six while out in the middle, providing real frustration for the visiting attack who, at that stage, would have been hoping to keep Australia to around 450. Ashwin eventually did for Harris, getting him playing across the line, and when Nathan Lyon went to Shami for 11 all that remained was the question of whether Smith would get to a double hundred. Murali Vijay (left) connects with a shot on his way to an unbeaten 50 on day two of the third Test . The answer was no, the skipper cleaned up by Umesh Yadav before heading off to a standing ovation after his 305-ball vigil. He quickly had to switch to tactical mode as India started their reply, and it was he who pouched the only wicket of the innings, scooping up Shikhar Dhawan for 28 off Harris. After that Vijay (55no) and Cheteshwar Pujara (25no) got to the close, although the latter was fortunate to see Haddin put him down - albeit off a difficult chance off Josh Hazlewood- when on 12. | Steve Smith scored 192 before being bowled by Umesh Yadav .
India ended the day on 108 for one after Murali Vijay's unbeaten 50 .
Australia are currently 2-0 up in the four Test series . |
198,536 | 8cfc2d4c6d1dd7aefd1f41c0ec5b6e09a97d459c | By . Angela Epstein . Thanks to gym visits and an exercise regime that includes swimming and power walking, I pride myself on being a High Street size ten. But there’s one part of my body that refuses to slim down, that I have always been ashamed of: my thick, shapeless ankles. Not for me, calves elegantly slimming down to a tapered point just above the heel. Instead, I have a stubborn chunk of shapeless flesh, a fusion of calf and ankle known as the cankle. Some people are cursed with cankles because they are overweight or retain fluid there. In my case, it’s down to bad genes. I’ve tried everything I can think of to conceal them, from leggings to full-length skirts. But nothing seems practical. So I’ve adopted a uniform of ankle boots — clinging to a wintry look well into summer. Can I shake-up my wardrobe and camouflage the dreaded cankle? The Mail’s Fashion Editor, Eliza Scarborough, gives me her tips… . Maxi dress, £95, coast-stores.comGlitter peep-toe heels, £195, lucychoilondon.com . ELIZA . SAYS: The perfect optical illusion. A maxi dress with a high slit means . you show a tantalising side view of leg. It’s important the hemline . falls at the ankle — the point where it hits the ankle will break up . those chunky cankles. MY . VERDICT: I usually feel frumpy in long dresses, but I absolutely love . this one. You get a glimpse of flesh, while the glittery shoes wink . through the gap. There’s lots to distract from my cankles. Plus, the . partly covered side view of leg means you only get a cross-section of . cankle. SCORE: 5/5 . Cream vest, £69, leather skirt, £189, reiss.comBlazer, £189, hobbs.co.ukAsymmetric sandals, £195, lkbennett.com . ELIZA . SAYS: Ankle straps draw the eye to a cankle. Instead, opt for a . sling-back shoe with an open or strappy toe. And avoid chunky straps. The black shoes here have slim straps that make feet and ankles look . daintier. MY VERDICT: I . assumed an ankle strap would give me definition. These are pretty and . the unusual shape draws the eye away from my cankles. However, I think . my ankles are just too hefty to pull off this look. SCORE: 2/5 . Lace-detailed dress, £179, reiss.comSuede knee-high boots, £265, lucychoilondon.com . ELIZA . SAYS: Knee-high boots are best if you like dresses but not your ankles. Detail at the top — such as a tassel, buckle or side seam — will draw . the eye away from your cankles. Avoid detail around the ankle, and . choose a slightly shorter skirt to show a bit of knee. MY VERDICT: The side seam on the boots creates a slender appearance. I love the combination with the dress. Foxy! SCORE: 3/5 . Cream jacket, £79.99, zara.comSkirt, £35, top, £15, marksandspencer.comGold courts, £395, jimmychoo.com . ELIZA . SAYS: High-waisted skirts lengthens legs and makes ankles appear . slimmer, as calves seem longer. Hemlines should skim the knee or fall . just below. MY VERDICT: The . last time I wore anything this high-waisted was in the Eighties. But . this look really works — although I got slight vertigo climbing into the . Jimmy Choos. SCORE: 4/5 . Knit dress, £245, lkbennett.com40 denier tights (pack of three), £9.50, marksandspencer.comSuede courts, £99, mintvelvet.co.uk . ELIZA . SAYS: Black tights are a woman’s best friend for giving long, lean legs . and ankles. But stick with black heels, as a contrasting shoe will draw . attention to your ankle area. And try suede, to blend in with your . tights. MY VERDICT: This look . is more about disguise than contouring. It reminds me of a dowdy female . frontbencher. But suede rather than patent is a great tip. SCORE: . 2/5 . Dress, £125, coast-stores.comCourts, £39, dunelondon.co.uk . ELIZA . SAYS: A round-toe shoe creates a blockier look — terrible if you have . cankles, as it shortens the foot and leg. Pointed toes are more elegant, . and lengthen the foot. MY . VERDICT: Pointy shoes remind me of bad Halloween parties where . middle-aged women dress as ‘sexy witches’. But these work! I may never . wear ankle boots again. SCORE: 5/5 . | The Mail's Fashion Editor Eliza Scarborough reveals tips to hide big ankles .
Try slashed skirts, pointy shoes and black tights to camouflage cankles . |
194,792 | 882748a080a8807288cc5f4dbaf745578886926e | (CNN) -- Federal officials say a plane crash that killed 265 people was caused in part by a rudder system design featured in various Airbus models. American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, soon after taking off from John F. Kennedy International Airport on November 12, 2001. All 260 people onboard died, along with five people on the ground. According to a recommendation issued this week by the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane's vertical stabilizer likely separated because of "the first officer's unnecessary and excessive rudder pedal inputs." But those inputs were likely caused in part by "characteristics of the Airbus A300-600 rudder system design." Two families of Airbus planes use a system design that limits available rudder pedal deflection as airspeed decreases, according to the safety board. "Consequently, at high airspeeds require lighter pedal forces ... to obtain maximum available rudder than at low speeds," the safety board wrote. The safety board notes the circumstances of flight 587 are similar to a 2008 accident involving an Airbus Industrie A319. Air Canada Flight 190 experienced "in-flight upset" and landed in Calgary. Three passengers suffered serious injuries. The popular Airbus A320 family could also be affected. The European-based company's website says it sold more than 3,200 A320 planes worldwide. "The Airbus 320 family is also susceptible to potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at higher airspeeds," the safety board wrote. Safety board officials recommended the European Aviation Safety Agency review options for modifying some Airbus planes "to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs." No one from Airbus was immediately available for comment early Saturday. | Federal officials say some Airbus planes have a potentially hazardous rudder system design .
The design may have contributed to a crash in New York in 2001 .
National Transportation Safety Board urges European safety officials to consider modifying planes . |
200,375 | 8f60f3206012ce91a979412a682d721eef2720b6 | Most people would take a couple of pieces of bread along when feeding fish. But not this couple. Andrey Torchinskiy and his wife use a baby's bottle to feed a hungry school of carp in Shanghai, China. The amusing footage, posted onto the Storyful website, shows the fish thrashing around in the water as they each take it in turns to suckle from the bottle. Feeding: The large numbers of carp fish make their way towards the bottle for feeding time . It also shows one of the fish biting so hard on the bottle that it almost rips it away from Mr Torchinskiy's wife's hand. Mr Torchinskiy said the couple decided to experiment with the bottle at the animal park as they were curious to see how the carp would react. He said: 'A guy was selling these baby bottles to feed the carp. We decided to try it just for fun, but we didn’t expect that it could be so impressive and entertaining. It was mind-blowing.' The oily freshwater fish, which are native to Europe and Asia, are brightly coloured with predominantly orange and yellow and white spots. Hungry: The carp fish are seemingly very hungry as they jostle for position in the Shanghai park lake . Fun: Mr Torchinskiy told Storyful they decided to try feedin the carp fish from a bottle for fun . | Carp fish were in a lake in a Shanghai animal park in China .
Visiting couple bought bottle outside park and decided to try it for fun .
Fish swarmed around bottle excitedly in huge numbers for feeding . |
135,654 | 3b838ca666eac5b823e9387dc1bad60dde297ae2 | Daniel Sturridge will spearhead England’s attack in Manaus on Saturday night with his position as Roy Hodgson’s No 9 beyond doubt. I played and trained with him at Liverpool and watched him develop further this season under Brendan Rodgers. Here’s why Italy may have a problem on Saturday night. He was, in my opinion, the finest finisher in the Barclays Premier League last season. He only had the seventh best conversion rate (24.7 shots per goal) of the 18 players who scored more than 10 — Rickie Lambert was top with 16.1 — but Daniel was electric. He's electric: Daniel Sturridge (second right) celebrates scoring for England against Peru last month . The biggest compliment I could pay him is that whenever he got a sight of goal, I had no doubt he would finish it off. There were all kinds of finishes, ranging from the spectacular — think of his chip against West Brom at Anfield last October — to the tap-ins all strikers thrive on. Only against Arsenal in the FA Cup did he miss chances you’d expect him to put away. He was off-target against Honduras in the final warm-up game but he is a forward with confidence and belief. The value that adds to a team is huge. He’ll relish this stage. If England go far, he could be an outside bet for the Golden Boot. Chipping in: Sturridge scored all kinds of goals for Liverpool last season, including this dink against West Brom . Dancing to his tune: Sturridge's celebration was seen more than a few times last season . When he signed for Liverpool in January 2013, we knew there were questions about his attitude. If that hadn’t been the case, we wouldn’t have got him for £12million. Had his reputation been good, Liverpool would have paid £30m for a striker of his quality. But I was happy Brendan Rodgers was prepared to give him a chance, as he was what we were looking for — a young, English lad with pace and ability. I honestly couldn’t fault him during the six months that I worked with him. He was always a good lad in the dressing room and took his job seriously. Even now when I watch from afar, he comes across well in the interviews he gives and says the right things about wanting to improve. Good attitude: Sturridge has been happy and a breath of fresh air under Brendan Rodgers (right) at Liverpool . There used to be ‘arguments’ between him and Raheem Sterling at Melwood over who was quickest and I’m sure they are continuing in training with England. What isn’t up for debate is the fact that Daniel has pace to burn. Speed frightens defenders more than anything and, if Daniel uses his properly, it could be a potent weapon for England. He has a change of a gear to get in behind top defences, as he showed when racing on to a Philippe Coutinho pass to score against Arsenal in February. He is quick off the mark and can leave people trailing. I felt at times he was conservative about how and when he made runs. If he is aggressive, it will give him another edge. Pace to burn: The speed of Sturridge (left) could be a potent weapon for England . If he had Wayne Rooney’s mentality, Daniel would be almost unstoppable. Wayne is the type of player who will play through the pain barrier and won’t let a niggle keep him out of the action. Luis Suarez is another who stays away from the treatment room at all costs. There was a feeling with Daniel that everything had to be right for him to play. If a knock played on his mind, he would want it assessed to be sure he could play but in a World Cup you don’t have time to stop and think. You must play when you are not 100 per cent fit, you have to carry the bumps and bruises and put yourself on the line. If he can do this in the years to come, you could see him blossoming into one of Europe’s best strikers. Carry on regardless: Sturridge has to learn to play when he is not 100 per cent fit . His goal record is outstanding — of players at the World Cup only Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Costa, Lionel Messi and Saturday’s opponent Ciro Immobile bettered his tally of 21 league strikes last season. But there is much more to him. I knew from his early days in training he was a class act. It was the way he opened up his body to receive a pass, how he transferred his weight from one foot to another and moved quickly into position that struck a chord. Some may say he is one-footed but left-footed players tend to be the ones with most natural ability. No question he has ability, now Daniel must make the most of the opportunity in front of him. Goal stars: Luis Suarez (left), Lionel Messi (right) and Cristiano Ronaldo (below) bettered Sturridge's tally . New pretenders: Diego Costa (left) and Ciro Immobile were the only other players to score more than Sturridge . | Sturridge was the finest finisher in the Premier League last season .
His position as England's No 9 is beyond doubt .
Sturridge is good in the dressing room and has the right attitude .
The forward's speed could be a potent weapon for England .
Sturridge needs to learn to play through the pain barrier .
Last season, only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Diego Costa and Ciro Immobile in Europe's major leagues scored more league goals . |
177,966 | 72641896a3f16a943aa13d90a7692c182dd95e3f | Jose Mourinho insists there is more to come from Didier Drogba at Chelsea as the striker says he wants to stay at the club beyond the end of the season. Mourinho led the tributes to Drogba as he was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the game by the Football Writers' Association at a Gala Tribute evening at the Savoy Hotel in London on Sunday. Mourinho hailed Drogba, who first joined Chelsea for £24million in 2004, as the club's 'best value player ever' and insisted the 36-year-old was 'not finished yet.' Chelsea striker Didier Drogba poses with his award at the Football Writers' Association Gala Tribute evening . Drogba, in action against Bradford on Saturday, has been signed by Jose Mourinho on two occasions . The 36-year-old celebrates scoring against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October last year . Dressed smartly in a blue suit and bow tie, Drogba followed the likes of Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham by picking up the prestigious award. He said: When you have achieved so much and won so many trophies like we have done in the past 10 years, that creates something special. 'I hope, and the club makes me believe, I am part of this big family, so we are going to find the best thing for both of us to promote the club in the best way." 'When I left this club (the first time in 2012), I was saying that I had done everything I wanted to do, but I think now that I did not do everything, I think there is more to do. 'I love this club and would love to be part of this club for the future, with the new players.' Earlier Mourinho, speaking to the Football Writers' Association, said: 'I came to Chelsea in the summer of 2004 and in my first written report to Mr Abramovich in relation to my plans for the club, I gave the names of some players. 'Big names were arriving at Chelsea in that period. The previous summer, for example, Claude Makelele came from Real Madrid and Hernan Crespo came from Inter, among others, but Didier was unknown and the price was very, very high. 'Yet I knew as clearly as I have ever done that he was the player I wanted. 'I was very strong to persuade my club to pay such an amount for him and I think we can already say he was the best-value signing for Chelsea in relation to what he has done for the club over so many years, and he is not finished yet.' Jose Mourinho, pictured with Drogba shortly after signing him in 2004, says the striker is his favourite player . Drogba poses for photographers after winning the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2012 . Drogba celebrates winning the 2012 FA Cup with team-mates John Terry (centre) and Frank Lampard . Drogba has been recognised for his impressive performances on the pitch over the last 16 years and also his charity work away from it, with his foundation having funded many projects in his homeland of the Ivory Coast. The 36-year-old, who started in Chelsea's shock 4-2 defeat by Bradford on Saturday, expressed his gratitude at being picked as this year's recipient. He said: 'I am really proud for this award, in the list of previous winners there are a lot of players whom I really respect and grew up trying to reach there level, so for me this is a great honour. 'When I came to England, things were difficult, there was the language barrier and culture change. 'With time, we managed to learn more from each other and today I am really happy that the football writers not only understand me a lot on the pitch, but have also helped me with my foundation work.' Midfielder Joe Cole (right) holds the Premier League trophy with Drogba at Stamford Bridge in May 2005 . Drogba holds the League Cup in 2007 after beating Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff . Mourinho also revealed that he counts Drogba as his favourite player, describing him as a 'phenomenal' person. Mourinho added: 'Throughout my career, I have always refused to say which is my favourite player or the best person, because so many have given soul and blood to play and to fight with me, but if I have to choose one who represents all the good things you want in a player and a man, I think in this moment I would choose Didier.' 'Didier arrived at Stamford Bridge for £24million, but he is probably the best-value Chelsea player ever, and I remember clearly how it happened. 'I came to Chelsea in the summer of 2004 and in my first written report to Mr Abramovich in relation to my plans for the club, I gave the names of some players. 'Big names were arriving at Chelsea in that period. The previous summer, for example, Claude Makelele came from Real Madrid and Hernan Crespo came from Inter, among others, but Didier was unknown and the price was very, very high. 'Yet I knew as clearly as I have ever done that he was the player I wanted. 'I was very strong to persuade my club to pay such an amount for him and I think we can already say he was the best-value signing for Chelsea in relation to what he has done for the club over so many years, and he is not finished yet. 'My story with him started after I got Marseille in my Champions League group when I was manager of Porto. 'Before we played against them, I travelled to Marseille to watch them play Paris Saint Germain and I was amazed with the potential I saw in him. 'When we played against them, I met him in the tunnel before the game and I told him, 'I don't have money to buy you, do you have a cousin like you who is lost in Ivory Coast?' 'That was the first time that the big guy put his arm around me. He told me, 'In Porto, you don't have money to buy me, but if you move to another club where you do have money to buy me, then I will go with you.' 'After the Champions League final with Porto at the end of that season, I moved to Chelsea and immediately began the process to sign him. 'Reflecting on our relationship, I have three moments in my mind that best characterise the man – because Didier the man is just as great as Didier the player. 'The first one was when I met him at Farnborough Airport when he was landing to sign for Chelsea. The way he hugged me, and the way he thanked me was not normal for a player towards a manager, immediately after signing for a new club. Chelsea were changing his life forever in that moment, and he knew that. 'The second moment was after we won the 2007 FA Cup at Wembley against Manchester United. The game finished and I went to the dressing room, leaving the players to enjoy the moment and to celebrate on the pitch. 'I was on the phone with my wife, when suddenly a big monster ran into the dressing room and told me that if I didn't come with the players, they wouldn't collect the cup. They would only go up there with me. 'I told him that I wanted the players to go and enjoy the moment together – that I didn't need to be there – and he said, "We are only one. You can come by your will, or I will carry you there!" 'The third moment was when I left Chelsea in 2007 and I saw the big man crying like a baby. 'So I can say that he is a phenomenal person, and I have also had the privilege to visit his country and to see what he means, not just to the people of Ivory Coast, but to so many African nations in that region. 'I know what he means as a player and as a person. That is why this combination of the player and the person is so amazing. 'Throughout my career, I have always refused to say which is my favourite player or the best person, because so many have given soul and blood to play and to fight with me, but if I have to choose one who represents all the good things you want in a player and a man, I think in this moment I would choose Didier.' | Didier Drogba attended the FWA's Gala Tribute evening on Sunday .
The striker has been recognised for his contribution to football .
Jose Mourinho believes the £24m man is Chelsea's best value player ever .
Drogba: I love this club and would love to be part of this club for the future . |
175,290 | 6edb688954fb630548fa6f7b5041e6ee4f639761 | (CNN) -- Saudi Arabia on Sunday defended its execution of a Sri Lankan maid for the death of an infant in her care and hit back at international criticism of last week's beheading. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia categorically rejects any interference in its affairs or in the provisions of its judiciary under any justifications," a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency read. Human rights groups and the Sri Lankan government had lobbied for leniency in the case of Rizana Nafeek, who was convicted of killing her employers' son in 2005. The family said she strangled the boy, Kayed bin Nayef bin Jazyan al-Otaibi, after being asked to bottle-feed him, but Nafeek said the infant accidentally choked on milk. Read more: Outrage over beheading of Sri Lankan woman by Saudi Arabia . She was executed Wednesday amid condemnation by human rights groups, the European Union and the United Nations. But in Sunday's statement, the Saudis said complaints about her execution "draw on false information about the case and are issued without full knowledge of the circumstances of the case itself." The Saudi statement denied allegations by Nafeek's advocates that she was a minor at the time of the boy's death. Sri Lanka's government said she was only 17 at the time. But the Saudi statement said her official passport showed she was 21 when the boy died. "As it is universally recognized, the passport is an official document issued by her government," the statement said. "Moreover, the legal regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not allow the recruitment of minors." Saudi Arabia is a signatory to the international Convention on the Rights of the Child, which bars the execution of offenders who were under 18 at the time of their crime. The Saudis said Nafeek had "all rights to have a legal defense," with the Sri Lankan government monitoring the case. And it said Saudi officials "at the highest levels" urged the infant's family members to agree to clemency or a payment of "blood money" in exchange for sparing Nafeek's life, but they refused. Opinion: Saudi execution: Brutal, inhuman and illegal? Nafeek was put to death Wednesday in Dawadmi, a small, dusty town about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Riyadh. Sri Lanka has withdrawn its ambassador to Saudi Arabia in response to the execution, which Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa had twice asked Saudi King Abdullah to stop. "We pointed out to Saudi officials that Rizana came to their country as a housemaid. She was not competent or trained to look after a baby, which she had been assigned to her by her employer," External Affairs Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama said in a statement released Friday. Human rights groups said Nafeek did not have access to a lawyer during her pretrial interrogation, during which she said she was assaulted and forced to sign a confession under duress. Philip Luther, director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa program, said last week that the case shows the Saudis are "woefully out of step ... with their international obligations regarding the use of the death penalty." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "dismayed" by the execution, the United Nations said last week. Amnesty says Saudi Arabia executed at least 79 people in 2012. Of those, 27 were non-Saudis -- and most of the foreigners executed in recent years were migrant workers from developing countries, the group said. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz and Jethro Mullen contributed to this report. | Saudi Arabia says Rizana Nafeek had "all rights" before her beheading last week .
The Sri Lankan maid was put to death for the 2005 killing of her employers' infant .
The Saudis say she was 21 at the time; Sri Lanka says she was 17 .
The kingdom "categorically rejects any interference in its affairs," a statement says . |
162,025 | 5d7dd28786308aa900e6360ef925b05301a1e11d | By . Sara Smyth . PUBLISHED: . 13:24 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:14 EST, 7 June 2013 . Assassinated: 32-year-old Ali Armagan was shot at six times while he was parked outside at tube station. No one has been convicted of his murder . Three men who helped set up the murder of their rival gang's leader in a revenge attack were jailed today. 32-year-old Ali Armagan, who led a North London Turkish gang was shot outside a tube station by members of the 'Tottenham Boys'. Minicab driver Suleyman Tonbul, 54, his 26-year-old . son Hasan and Mehmet Senel, 24, tipped off their gang's leader after seeing Mr Armagan in his car. Half an hour later, Mr Armagan was shot dead. The underworld drug boss' assassination was the third in a series of five murders linked to the bloody feud between the Bombacilar, or Hackney Turks, and the Tottenham Boys, or Tottenham Turks. Senel and the Tonbuls were . charged with conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm on the basis . that they expected Ali Armagan to be beaten up but not shot. 26-year-old Hassan . Tonbul was on parole at the time of the killing in February 2012. He had served an 18 month sentence for attacking a cafe owner in Tottenham . with a meat cleaver. He was also under an ASBO banning him from contacting members of the Tottenham Turks. His father, who spotted Ali Armagan while driving his minicab is said to be a well-respected member of the Turkish community and has no previous convictions. Judge Anthony Morris QC sentenced Suleyman Tonbul to eight years, Hassan Tonbul to 11 years and Senel to ten years at the Old Bailey. Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones told the . Old Bailey: 'The killing took . place against the background of a long running feud between two Turkish . drug gangs operating in north London. 'On . any view this was a particularly bloodthirsty feud. 'It is wholly . unacceptable that the streets of our city have become a battleground . between these two gangs with the risk of innocent members of the public . being injured or killed.' Suleyman Tonbul spotted Mr Armagan's distinctive Audi while driving in the Tottenham area. He made three phone calls to his son, who was with Mehmet Senel. The men are said to have passed the message on to Kemel Eren and his right hand man Omar Murat, who are believed to have gone straight to the scene in Turnpike . Lane. Six shots were fired at Mr Armagan's car. Scene of crime: 54-year-old Suleyman Tonbul spotted Ali Armagan's distinctive Audi. He was shot outside Turnpike tube station half an hour later . Old Bailey: The three men were jailed for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm because they thought Ali Armagan would be beaten up when they told gang members about his whereabouts . Only six weeks ago one of the leading members of the Tottenham Turks, Zafer Eren, was shot dead in Southgate, north London. There have also been nearly 30 other incidents involving attempted murder, beatings, arson attacks and threats of violence. Nobody . has been convicted of the murder of Ali Armagan but the court heard the . two gunmen are believed to be Kemel Eren, the head of the Tottenham . Turks, and his right hand man Omar Murat. After . the killing Kemel Eren - nicknamed 'No Fingers' - fled to Turkey and . was himself shot in December last year and left wheelchair bound. The background to the murder of Ali Armagan can be traced back a brawl at a the Manor Club in Finsbury Park, north London, on 24 January 2009. Kemal Armagan, Ali's Brother, was injured in the fight and vowed to kill anyone who attacked him, including Mehmet Senpalit, a Tottenham Turk. | Feud between London gangs 'Tottenham Boys' and 'Bombacilar' led to five deaths in past four years .
Masked assassins shot Ali Armagan outside train station after tip-off .
One of the conspirators was on parole after attacking man with meat cleaver .
Leading member of Tottenham Boys was shot dead six weeks ago . |
270,801 | eac04d9199f6c8f631bddd73c90783b7e621472d | (CNN) -- All passengers aboard a passenger train that fell into a river in southwest China's Sichuan ProvinceThursday got out alive, state-run CCTV reported Friday. The accident occurred in Guanghan at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday on the Shi-ting-jiang Bridge, part of the railway line that links Chengdu and Baoji, in northwestern Shaanxi Province. Floods caused the bridge piers to collapse, which forced the train from its track, local officials said. It was not immediately known how many passengers were inside the carriages, which a firefighter said were swept 200 meters downriver. Hundreds of people aboard five other carriages were taken to safety. The train was traveling from Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi, to Kunming, the capital of southwestern Yunnan Province. | NEW: All passengers got out alive .
Floods caused the bridge piers to collapse, forcing the train from its track .
The train was traveling from Shaanxi to Yunnan Province . |
88,971 | fc81c612eaa9d5c37127512f0f29ffdbd517c415 | By . Nick Enoch . A former interrogation centre, where Hitler’s deputy Rudolph Hess was held, is being turned into deluxe apartments. Latchmere House, in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, was known as Camp 020 during World War Two and was used to extract information from captured German agents. Several Nazi leaders were held there, and local historians count Hess, and William Joyce - better known as wireless traitor Lord Haw-Haw - among their number. Latchmere House - a former WWII interrogation centre in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey - is being turned into deluxe apartments . Several Nazi leaders were held at the site - known during the war as Camp 020. Local historians count Hitler's deputy, Rudolph Hess (left), and William Joyce - better known as wireless traitor Lord Haw-Haw (right) - among their number . Berkeley Homes has put forward two plans for HMP Latchmere on the edge of Ham and Richmond Park . Developers have bought the building, which operated a prison until 2011. Berkeley Homes has put forward two plans for HMP Latchmere on the edge of Ham and Richmond Park. Plan A envisages 60 family houses and seven apartments within the restored Latchmere House; while Plan B would see 55 family houses, 29 new apartments and, again, seven apartments within the restored house. The developer has also been asked by Friends of Latchmere House to extend the Tudor Library site to house an exhibition on its fascinating past, as well as include the aeronautical history of north Kingston. The developer has also been asked by Friends of Latchmere House to extend the Tudor Library site to house an exhibition on its fascinating past, as well as include the aeronautical history of north Kingston . Plan A envisages 60 family houses and seven apartments within the restored Latchmere House; while Plan B would see 55 family houses, 29 new apartments and, again, seven apartments within the restored house . Latchmere House was built in the 19th century, and was used as a hospital for treating shell-shocked officers during World War I . The plans will be decided by Richmond Council, although Kingston Council will also have a say. Latchmere House was built in the 19th century, and was used as a hospital for treating shell-shocked officers during World War I. During World War Two, it doubled as a shadowy interrogation base for prisoners of war, suspected Nazi double and even triple agents. Councillor David Cunningham said the history of the site should be remembered. Lord Haw-Haw (William Joyce), the Nazi propaganda broadcaster said to have been held at Latchmere (pictured with his wife Margaret) He said: 'It is fascinating because of the history going back to World War One. It is a history that needs to be remembered.' Hopes it could help ease Kingston and Richmond’s schools place crisis were ruled out in 2012 as it was 'too expensive' to buy from the Ministry of Justice. MI5 documents released in 1999 showed 480 suspects passed through Camp 020 during the war. The prison service took over the site in 1948, and it was used as a resettlement prison to help rehabilitate prisoners before release. An impression of how some of the new houses may look at the site . Its first inmates were members of the British Union of Fascists. Some were held in cells brightly lit 24 hours a day, others in cells kept in total darkness . MI5 operated Camp 020, at Latchmere House - where its 30 rooms were turned into cells with hidden microphones. The first of the German spies who arrived in Britain in September 1940 were taken there. Vital information about a coming German invasion was extracted at great speed. This indicates the use of extreme methods, but these were desperate days demanding desperate measures. In charge was Colonel Robin Stephens, known as ‘Tin Eye’, because of the monocle fixed to his right eye. It was not a term of affection. The object of interrogation, Stephens told his officers, was simple: ‘Truth in the shortest possible time.’ A top secret memo spoke of ‘special methods’, but did not elaborate. He arranged for an additional 92-cell block to be added to Latchmere House, plus a punishment room — known chillingly as Cell 13 — which was completely bare, with smooth walls and a linoleum floor. Close to 500 people passed through the gates of Camp 020. Principal among them were German spies, many of whom were ‘turned’ and persuaded — or maybe forced — to work for MI5. Its first inmates were members of the British Union of Fascists. Some were held in cells brightly lit 24 hours a day, others in cells kept in total darkness. Several prisoners were subjected to mock executions and were knocked about by the guards. Some were apparently left naked for months at a time. Camp 020 had a resident medical officer, Harold Dearden, a psychiatrist who dreamed up regimes of starvation and of sleep and sensory deprivation intended to break the will of its inmates. He experimented in techniques of torment that left few marks — methods that could be denied by the torturers and that civil servants and government ministers could disown... Extracted from Cruel Britannia by Ian Cobain (published by Portobello Books at £18.99. © Ian Cobain 2012). This excerpt appeared in the Daily Mail in 2011. | Latchmere House, in Richmond upon .
Thames, Surrey, was known as Camp 020, during WWII .
It was used .
as an interrogation centre for captured German agents .
Developers have bought the building, which operated a prison until 2011 .
Latchmere House was built in 19th .
century, and was used as hospital for treating shell-shocked officers .
during WWI .
Berkeley has two proposals for the site: Plan A - 60 family houses and seven apartments within the restored Latchmere House; Plan B - 55 family houses, 29 new apartments, plus seven apartments in the house . |
103,189 | 110cb3941c3d923af0cb19009710cd2177a57ce6 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:44 EST, 14 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 14 October 2013 . A mother is 'disgusted' with Sainsbury's after she gave her one-year-old daughter a chicken kiev and found an inch-long shard of saw blade embedded in it. Sophie Perks bought the ready meal from her local supermarket as a quick dinner for her child Maddison-Faithe. But as the 22-year-old cut the meal up on her daughter's high chair plate she was stunned when her knife hit a sharp slither of razor-sharp metal. Shock discovery: Sophie Perks, 22, with her partner Jordan Langstaff, 22, and daughter Madison-Faith, who was almost fed a chicken kiev containing a saw blade . Chilling: This is the inch-long shard found embedded in the meal, which looks similar to a hacksaw blade . When she examined the food she was shocked when she discovered a jagged shard of metal. The mother-of-one was enraged when she returned to the branch in Church Gresley, Derbyshire, to find they could offer no explanation for how the blade got into the dish. She was offered another pack of £2.50 kievs as an apology for the incident which happened on October 5. The data manager at a cancer research firm is calling for an urgent investigation into the source of the blade - to make sure no one else suffers the same fate. Miss Perks, of Swadlincote, Derbyshire said: 'I was in a rush that evening because it was my sister Molly's 18th birthday in Tamworth and so we hadn't got any time to go shopping. Offending ready meal: Miss Perks had bought the twin-pack of fresh kievs from a nearby Sainsbury's local as a quick dinner for her one-year-old daughter, but felt the metal when she cut into it . 'I popped in to the store and grabbed a two pack of kievs, the fresh ones not frozen, so my daughter could have dinner. Apology: Sainsbury's say they have launched an investigation and the store the family bought it from gave her two more free . 'When we got home I cooked them both and when they were done I cut one up on Maddison's plate and heard a clink when my knife hit something. 'I picked it up to check what had made the noise and the razor blade fell from the bottom. 'I was disgusted, if I hadn't heard the clunk I would have just served it up - I dread to think what could have happened. 'I took it back to the shop and the deputy manager was very apologetic, they gave me some new ones, which I checked in the shop and said the manager would contact me. 'When he did all he could say was that they could only offer their sincere apologies and were looking into the matter. 'I wanted to know how it got in there but they couldn't tell me. 'This needs to be looked into as soon as possible. If it is because of something from the manufacture or the machines then there needs to be a recall. 'I dread to think what could have happened. 'I will never be shopping at Sainsbury's again, it puts you off, if they could have offered an explanation or made it clear it would never happen again I might, but not now.' The supermarket giant is now investigating the claims. A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: 'We have started a thorough investigation and apologised to Miss Perks for the inconvenience caused. 'Incidents like this are extremely rare as we have the highest standards and carry out quality control checks at all stages of production.' | Sophie Perks sliced into Maddison-Faithe's dinner and felt it with her knife .
Further inspection uncovered 'inch-long' shard of jagged metal in meat .
'If I hadn't heard the clunk I would have just served it up - I dread to think what could have happened,' she said .
Sainsbury's start investigation and store gave them two more kievs . |
96,223 | 07bfef7c76d45c5643ccd8b1401d9e8a323897fb | Once upon a time, only clan chiefs could sleep at Tulloch Castle in the Scottish Highlands. Now it welcomes all, even a rumored resident ghost. With their hallowed hallways, romantic turrets and fairy-tale-like charms, castles have long intrigued travelers, especially Americans who have no such royal history stateside. Fortunately, you don't need a king's ransom: Our favorite European castle hotels start at $98 a night and many have hosted notable aristocrats. Switzerland's Wartegg Castle made a scenic lakeside refuge for the exiled Zita of Bourbon-Parma (Austria's last empress), while Belgium's Château d'Hassonville was the former hunting grounds of French enfant terrible Louis XIV. Rooms hark back to the 17th century with trappings like bronze busts, thick drapery, fireplaces and even complimentary carafes of port. Even scientists aren't immune to the magic of castles. Southern Sweden's Häckeberga Castle won over botanist Carl Linnaeus, who praised its flora and fauna. Look for ravens, white-tailed eagles and red deer in the beechwood forests along the region's new Linnaeus hiking trail -- just be back to the castle in time for a fresh seafood dinner. Without further ado, here's our list of affordable European castle hotels: . Parador de Oropesa, Spain . Legend has it that this 14th-century castillo in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos was built on a site first settled in 1716 B.C. by Hercules's soldiers. Whatever its origins, Oropesa is undoubtedly one of Spain's oldest paradors. Forty-eight rooms are scattered with vintage tiles, colorful throw rugs, hand-painted canopy beds and Peruvian folk art imported by former resident Count of Oropesa, Francisco de Toledo, who served as the viceroy of Peru from 1569 to 1581. A swimming pool commands extensive views of the surrounding mountains, olive trees and the whitewashed medieval village of Oropesa, while the loggia-style terrace is a great place to linger over a creamy cod with salsa Antigua Monacal and glass of Rioja. parador.es/en; rooms from $125. Travel + Leisure: Europe's most beautiful villages . Château d'Isenbourg, France . At a bend of the Rhine where Switzerland, Germany and France converge, this Alsatian member of the Small Luxury Hotel collection was the former royal residence of Dagobert II in the seventh-century Merovingian era. Now the castle hosts visitors in frilly Rococo-style rooms and encourages them to relax, whether by the outdoor swimming pool or in the Turkish bath and sauna (a few glasses of Alsatian wine from the 12th-century cellars also do nicely). The château is not far from Colmar, one of Europe's most beautiful villages, and overlooks the medieval city of Rouffach, the Black Forest and the Vosges foothills. slh.com; rooms from $191. 8 elegant U.S. mansion hotels . Château d'Hassonville, Belgium . Summon your musketeers for a getaway to this multiturreted 17th-century château in the densely forested Ardennes, once the hunting grounds of France's enfant terrible King Louis XIV. Rooms look the part thanks to bronze busts, floral wallpaper, thick drapery, fireplaces and complimentary carafes of port. And haute cuisine suppers are no less extravagant. Feast on pot-au-feu d'homard and filet de Bœuf Limousin interspersed with cheese courses and palate cleansers. After dinner, explore the multiple salons. hassonville.be; rooms from $169. Travel + Leisure: Affordable small hotels in Paris . Óbidos Pousada, Óbidos, Portugal . The walled town of Óbidos is a highlight of many tourist circuits, but only a select few can overnight in the 12th-century castle's plush pousada. The 17 spacious rooms, each named after a king or queen, feature whitewashed walls, four-poster canopied beds and Manueline touches like azulejo-tiled bathrooms and arrow-slit windows with views onto the windmills and vineyards. The restaurant's Portuguese cuisine includes earthy dishes like honey-roasted duck and thyme-infused veal. For those seeking a bit of majestic leisure, the hotel can arrange carriage rides, lake rowing and even hunts. pousadas.pt; from $176. Travel + Leisure: Best hotels in Italy . Dornröschenschloss Sababurg, Germany . The twin turrets of the enchanted, 675-year-old Dornröschenschloss ("Little Thorny Rose Castle") rise from the surrounding ancient oak forest like an illustration in a fairy tale. It's only fitting as this castle is located on Germany's Fairy Tale Road and claims to be the inspiration of the Brothers Grimm's Legend of Sleeping Beauty, who some say slept here for a century before she was saved by a kiss. It's likely that the brothers did visit this castle, which was then in ruins. Today, a 17-room hotel occupies part of the castle, with canopied beds, cathedral ceilings, stone walls, and of course, extremely comfortable beds. sababurg.de; rooms from $120. Tulloch Castle Hotel, Ross-shire, Scotland . Once upon a time, only the chiefs of clans could sleep in such a privileged property. Now this 12th-century castle, 45 minutes' drive from Inverness Airport (and just 28 miles from Loch Ness), is open to all, even a rumored resident ghost. A 250-year-old wood-paneled great hall and trappings like oversize plaid headboards, large drafty fireplaces and a family and pet cemetery -- replete with overgrown scrub and an iron gate -- add to the haunted atmosphere. It's all a fitting tribute to the 20-bedroom castle's windswept Scottish Highland location. bespokehotels.com; rooms from $108. Wartegg Castle, St. Gallen, Switzerland . Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the last empress of Austria, once gazed out at Lake Constance from this 16th-century castle where she lived in exile. Today's guests turn up voluntarily to enjoy the picturesque location, staying in modernized accommodations with natural Japanese futons and/or Hüsler mattresses on blonde-wood beds, exposed beams and quality Swiss-made Fischbacher bedding. End the day with organic poached pears and Appenzeller cheese and a dip in the historic turquoise bath built in 1928. wartegg.ch; rooms from $160. Leeds Castle, United Kingdom . Six queens (including Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon) have lived in Leeds Castle, which has stood in Kent, 40 miles southeast of London, since Norman times. Book a room in the Maiden's Tower -- or opt for "Knight's Glamping" and sleep in a colorfully striped medieval-style tent in the vineyard. Four-poster beds and fur throws make the experience more regal than rustic. leeds-castle.com; rooms from $150. Häckeberga Castle, Sweden . Located on one of seven small islands in Sweden's Lake Häckeberga district, this castle dates back to the 14th-century, but has been owned only by the Tham family since 1824. The property's farm was once praised in the writings of roving Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who stayed here in 1749 and called it "the most graceful of all farms in Skåne." It remains a favorite of naturalists, who can hike the region's new Linnaeus Trail and spot ravens, white-tailed eagles and red deer in the native beechwood forests before returning to the property for dinner. Salted scallop with melon and pea shoots might be on the menu, or cod fillet with samphire. The property's whiskey hour, a tasting of Mackmyra Swedish spirits, is a fine way to end an evening. enghackebergaslott.sk11.se; rooms from $184. Château de Mirambeau, France . Like an oenophile's dream home, the 19th-century Renaissance-style Château de Mirambeau sits between Bordeaux and Cognac, providing prime opportunities for visits to nearby vineyards. Of the 22 princely accommodations (canopied beds; silk-covered walls; marble baths), rooms in the main castle supply the best views of the surrounding 20-acre private park -- and the pristine Gironde estuary beyond. relaischateaux.com; rooms from $290. See more of Europe's best affordable castle hotels . | European castles are no longer the exclusive domains of aristocrats and their friends .
One Swedish castle is a favorite of naturalists and bird watchers enjoying the region's trails .
An English castle was home to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife .
A Swiss castle served as refuge for the last Austrian empress . |
20,824 | 3b16da9a21d7aa6e158afcddde3682aae7d9cdfd | Arsenal are expected to make a fresh inquiry for Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho in the next 48 hours as Arsene Wenger attempts to bolster his midfield before the transfer deadline. Arsenal will not pay the £37 million release clause in Carvalho’s contract, but Wenger wants to sign a defensive midfielder before the transfer window shuts. VIDEO Scroll down to watch William Carvalho takes out two players in one tackle . Target: Arsenal are ready to test Sporting Lisbon's resolve over William Carvalho . If Sporting will accept £20m for the player, the deal could happen but Arsenal are also considering a move for Brazilian Luiz Gustavo. The Wolfsburg midfielder has been on the club’s radar for some time but again they have been deterred by the £27m buyout clause in his contract. Interest: Arsenal could also move for Wolfburg's Luiz Gustavo . Sven Bender and his twin brother Lars remain targets but Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to sell Sven, while Lars is still recovering from the thigh injury which ruled him out of the World Cup. | Arsene Wenger wants to bolster his midfield before the transfer deadline .
Arsenal ready to make £20m bid for William Carvalho .
Gunners are also considering a move for Brazilian Luiz Gustavo . |
4,205 | 0c209bb1105f556605a7fd36598df62a6d41fb7b | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will deliver the Democratic response to President Bush's final State of the Union address - a marquee assignment for a woman who leads a state with fewer than 2 million voters. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius speaks at a news conference in June 2007 in Washington. Sebelius became the 44th governor of the state of Kansas in 2003. She made her first run for governor on a pledge to make the state more business-friendly and increase government efficiency. The Kansas governor has a political pedigree: Her father, John Gilligan, was a Democratic governor of Ohio in the '70s. But the governor has paid her political dues, with stints as a Kansas state representative and state insurance commissioner. Since she moved into the governor's mansion, Newsweek has identified Sebelius as "one to watch." Time named her one of four "rising stars from the heartland," and short-listed her as one of the nation's five best governors. "Mark my words, Sebelius will be on everyone's VP short list in 2008," Democratic blogger Markos Moulitsas said on his Daily Kos Web site, as he applauded her 2006 success in wooing disaffected Kansas Republicans. Most of the national political figures to come out of Kansas have been Republicans, like President Dwight Eisenhower and former Sen. Bob Dole. But entering her sixth year as governor, Sebelius seems to be everyone's favorite pick to join that select group. The down-to-earth governor has certified red state appeal with a blue state edge: She loves NASCAR and college sports, running and the Rolling Stones. And the 58-year-old has an offbeat sense of humor. (Sometimes, perhaps, a bit too offbeat for some voters -- like the time she said during an election-year debate that Missouri roads scared her more than the World Trade Center attacks.) But the big draw for national Democrats is her skill at appealing to moderate GOP voters -- the only way a Democrat can win major office in Kansas. Sebelius has won two gubernatorial elections in a state with roughly twice as many registered Republicans as Democrats. Bush carried the state by at least 20 points in each of his presidential runs and no Democratic presidential contender has won there since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. When Sebelius was elected governor, Kansas faced a judicial order to increase school spending in the midst of its worst budget crisis since the 1930s. Under Sebelius' leadership, the Kansas economy has rebounded, resulting in low unemployment and the creation of thousands of jobs, according to a Kansas government Web site. Her first term was considered so successful that during her re-election run, a few Republicans tried to use it against her -- predicting she'd probably be tapped for a White House run before she finished a second term. So far, Sebelius has downplayed the scenario. But she has begun to have an impact beyond the Midwest. During her first term, she visited National Guard troops in Iraq. Last year, she took on a high-profile national assignment, serving as chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association. If Sen. Hillary Clinton fails to capture the presidential nomination this year, many Democrats say Sebelius will remain high on any vice presidential short list. Democrats close to the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama told CNN Sebelius will announce after tonight's State of the Union speech that she's endorsing Obama. E-mail to a friend . | Kathleen Sebelius to deliver the Dems response to State of the Union .
Time Magazine short-listed her as one of the nation's five best governors .
Sebelius governs state with twice as many registered Republicans as Democrats . |
34,818 | 62f1571ef8484bd28a6683c9b3f3922fec6797e3 | Brazil superstar Neymar feared he was paralysed after being kneed in the back by Colombia’s Juan Zuniga. Neymar’s anguish was revealed yesterday by Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari who told Marca newspaper: ‘Marcelo ran up to Neymar and asked him how he was feeling and he told him, “I can’t feel my legs”.’ Scans later revealed he had fractured a vertebra, ruling him out of the rest of the World Cup. VIDEO Scroll down to see Neymar holding back the tears in an emotional message to fans . Fearing the worst: Neymar told Marcelo 'I can't feel my legs' after he went down against Colombia . Concern: Brazil left-back Marcelo calls for Brazil's team doctor to come on to the field as Neymar looks in pain . Ouch: Brazil star Neymar's tournament was ended after the bad foul from Colombia's Juan Zuniga . High spirits: Neymar waves as he is airlifted away from Brazil's training facility in Teresopolis . Neymar’s absence is a major blow to Brazil as they prepare to take on Germany in Tuesday's semi-final. Brazil team doctor Jose Luiz Runco . said Neymar would be out for about six weeks and added: ‘He does not . have any neurological injury that would compromise his life as an . athlete or a human being. He will be able to pass, to run.’ Neymar thanked his team-mates for . their support in an emotional video recorded at the team’s . training ground before he was flown home to Guaruja by helicopter to . begin his rehabilitation. But Scolari knows the importance of . Neymar to the squad and has asked the 22-year-old to come to Belo . Horizonte and cheer the team on against Germany. ‘He will be with us if he can, on the . bench or in the stands,’ the former Chelsea manager said. ‘It all will . depend on how he is.’ As well as being without Neymar, . Scolari will probably have to replace Thiago Silva, who is unlikely to . win an appeal against his second booking of the tournament during the . 2-1 victory against Colombia on Friday. Must go on: Luiz Felipe Scolari (left) in training at Granja Comary without Neymar . VIDEO Willian ready to fill Neymar's boots . The moment: Neymar will be 'able to pass, to run' says the Brazilian team doctor but not at the World Cup . Will he be there? Neymar has been invited to be 'on the bench or in the stands' to show his support . 6 - James Rodriguez (Colombia) 4 - Thomas Muller (Germany), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Neymar (Brazil) 3 - Karim Benzema (France), Arjen Robben (Holland), Enner Valencia (Ecuador), Robin van Persie (Holland), Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) Those in italic are out of the World Cup through injury or elimination. But the biggest task for Scolari is . filling the gap left by Neymar, who was Brazil’s top scorer at the World . Cup with four goals. ‘It’s equivalent to a catastrophe,’ Scolari said. ‘Neymar is our reference. He is a player that would make . the difference in any team. We have lost the one player we did not want . to lose.’ The Brazilian federation confirmed . yesterday that team psychologist Regina Brandao would visit the training . ground after Scolari admitted he found the ordeal of seeing his best . player injured hard to take. ‘It was a big shock,’ he said. ‘The . image of Neymar being carried off a stretcher towards the plane, the . difficulties, the tears.’ But Bastian Schweinsteiger has warned Germany the injury to Neymar could galvanise Brazil. ‘We are all very sad Neymar can’t play,’ he said. ‘It is always best if all the big players are on the pitch for the big games. ‘But the loss of Neymar can create strength and weld together the Brazilian team.’ | Neymar is out of the World Cup in Brazil after fracturing a vertebra .
Brazil beat Colombia 2-1 in quarter-final to set up Germany clash next .
Neymar will be out for six weeks, says team doctor Jose Luiz Runco .
Runco says the injury will not 'compromise his life as an athlete or a human being. He will be able to pass, to run' |
215,638 | a3213115f893a58e9339d829b2cbe5936e1033dc | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Few items are more highly prized among collectors of historical artifacts than a handwritten letter from President Lincoln. This letter from President Lincoln to Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase has been returned to the government. Now, there's one fewer in circulation. An Arizona collector handed over to the federal government Thursday a rare handwritten letter from Lincoln to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase. The letter, dated four days before Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, had been missing for more than 60 years. Federal officials, who have not ruled out its possible theft from a government collection, discovered it two years ago during routine monitoring of online auctions. They have been negotiating for its return ever since. In the short note, torn from the center of a bound volume, Lincoln tells Chase to do a small favor on behalf of someone recently fired from his job with the federal government. "Mr. (Robert) Stevens, late Superintendent of the Mint at San Francisco, asks to have a copy, or be permitted to examine, and take extracts, of the evidence upon which he was removed," Lincoln writes. "Please oblige him in one way or the other." Larry Cutler, a former prosecutor who collects artifacts ranging from Greek antiquities to presidential documents, said he had owned the document for several years and considers it a "cornerstone" example of Lincoln's compassion. Stevens, according to Cutler, was "a guy who was let go or lost his position or otherwise fired, and he wanted to look at his personnel file to find the reasons why he was let go." But officials at the National Archives suggested that there was more involved than just Lincoln's well-known practice of personally responding to letters from constituents. Jim Hastings, a senior official at the Archives, said Lincoln was taking care of some political business even as the Civil War raged. Stevens was the brother-in-law of Sen. Edward Baker of Oregon, a close colleague of Lincoln's when the two practiced law in Illinois. Baker, who was politically influential in the western United States, was killed in the Civil War two years before Lincoln requested the favor for Stevens. Hastings said "this document shows his regard for the senator. It shows his interest, even in the midst of the Civil War, in political issues on the West Coast. ... It's quite important." Cutler said his nature as a prosecutor made him question government officials when they first sought to retrieve the letter, which had been in private hands for decades. Initially, according to Cutler, an investigator reached him on his cell phone and asked him to just send the document back by registered mail. "I don't work like that," Cutler said. He said, "it took them quite a while to prove to me it was once theirs." Cutler asked them this month whether he "could see the volume that they claimed held the other half of the letter." "They opened it up, and it didn't match," he said. "My half of the letter was not the same size of the half they have." Cutler was later convinced, however, when investigators showed how an untrimmed edge matched the torn remains in the volume, along with other evidence they felt established the source of Cutler's document. He declined to say how much he paid for the Lincoln letter at an auction in 2006 but said a similar document in the president's handwriting is currently for sale at an asking price of $78,000. With television cameras, reporters and photographers capturing the moment, Cutler handed the formerly lost Lincoln letter to a National Archives official. "Here it is," he said. "I appreciate the opportunity" to donate it during the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth. CNN's Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | Rare handwritten letter is from Lincoln to Treasury Secretary Chase .
Letter is dated four days before Lincoln delivered Gettysburg Address .
Larry Cutler says he had owned the document for several years .
Cutler returned the letter to the National Archives on Thursday . |
54,064 | 993e4e7c045512c08d75d7e0679a22ef008197db | Booby-trapped Soviet weapon caches which date back to the Cold War are probably still buried across Britain, a top historian has claimed. Professor Christopher Andrew, an expert on the history of the intelligence services, made the claim after a secret archive released today revealed the location of several arms dumps across Europe. Soviet spies dug the stores under trees and farmland near major cities, and filled them with small arms and communications devices in case undercover agents needed to defend themselves. Treasure hunt: Soviet weapons caches just outside Rome, Italy, are detailed in the Mitrokhin Archive, parts of which have been revealed for the first time today. An expert said there are bound to be similar stores in Britain . Their existence is detailed in the Mitrokhin Archive, a collection of thousands of Soviet intelligence documents compiled by a defector and made public for the first time today. Disillusioned KGB Major Vasili Mitrokhin amassed the collection over more than a decade before walking into the British embassy in Latvia in 1992 shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. Defector: KGB Major Vasili Mitrokhin walked into the British embassy in Latvia with a vast trove of files . Those who saw him said he looked like a . homeless man and he had buried the files, described as one of the . greatest hauls in British history, under dirty underwear in his . suitcase. In the notes stored at Cambridge's Churchill Archives Centre, Mitrokhin - who died in 2004 - described the locations in incredible detail along with booby traps. Describing a stash near Berne, Switzerland, he wrote directions to a chapel near a farm and added: 'After taking 36 steps, you will be at the point between two large leafy trees, the only ones in the sector. 'The distance between the trees is three paces... The area between the trees has been used for the cache.' A map included in the archive pinpointed three sites, named Kollo, Fosso and Bor, around Rome. And another note provided instructions on how to disarm an explosive booby trap called Molniya or Lightning. It . read: 'When digging out the container from the earth, take care not to . strike the handle by chance. 'The handle must only be turned and the . container tilted and taken out of the hole after the explosive device . has been disarmed.' Some of the caches have since been uncovered, but many are likely to remain today, said Prof Andrew, a friend of Mitrokhin who has written two books about his vast trove of documents. Although the archive does not detail caches on British soil, Professor Andrew insisted they must exist. 'This was a large scale operation and the caches were strategically placed in most Nato countries during the Cold War,' he said. Handwritten: The KGB Major's notes (pictured) described the location of weapons stores in intricate detail . Trove: A list of Soviet agents operating abroad (left) is contained within the newly-released files (right) 'Given that Britain was second only to the United States in terms of importance to the Soviets at this time, it would be remarkable if this tactic wasn't deployed here.' However, those hoping to lay their hands on a dangerous piece of history would be disappointed, Prof Andrew said. He explained: 'Of course by now they would not be easy to find and it is unlikely the weapons would be serviceable.' | Files compiled by KGB Major Vasili Mitrokhin, who moved to UK in 1992 .
His archive - revealed today - details several weapons dumps across Europe .
One in Switzerland involves taking 36 steps from a chapel near a farm .
None mentioned are in Britain, but expert said they are almost certainly here .
Prof Christopher Andrew added: 'By now they would not be easy to find' |
133,343 | 3868d77ef4cb2058e9c97a8d0dfb864e62651831 | Tokyo (CNN) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to move forward swiftly with his plans to revive Japan's staggering economy after weekend elections gave his Liberal Democratic Party control of the upper house of parliament. The conservative LDP and its coalition partner together won 76 of the 121 seats in the House of Councillors, giving them a total of 133 votes in the 242-member chamber. Afterward, Abe said he wanted to press ahead with his plans -- including his economic programs -- "with speed." "I would like to meet the expectation of the Japanese people," Abe said after Sunday's vote. "Since the inauguration of my administration, we have been appealing that our policies are the only way to go. We believe that the Japanese people pushed us to make policy decisions and bring about the result." The LDP controls the lower house of the Diet, Japan's parliament. But until Sunday, the House of Councillors was led by opposition parties that had made it difficult for Abe to get his program through the chamber. Abe took office in December, becoming Japan's seventh prime minister in six years and taking a second turn at the job. He immediately launched a program nicknamed "Abenomics," a combination of coordinated government spending, structural reforms and central bank stimulus. The plan was to boost prices and end 15 years of deflation, leading to more robust growth for the world's third-largest economy. And Japan's economy surged in the first quarter of 2013, growing a faster-than-expected 3.5% -- but a stock-market skid in June raised questions about whether policymakers can pull off the high-wire act in the heavily indebted country. CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki reported from Tokyo; Matt Smith reported and wrote from Atlanta. | "Our policies are the only way to go," Abe says .
His ruling Liberal Democrats won control of Japan's upper house on Sunday .
He has launched an ambitious plan to revive Japan's economy . |
97,343 | 0943c985b148d6735ed0b6c745332a07938c9b32 | CURSE OF CARRINGTON . More worrying news from United’s training ground. Not only did Radamel Falcao pick up an injury there on Friday, Phil Jones and Ashley Young succumbed to the curse on Saturday. Falcao had a session of treatment on his thigh on Sunday morning but was subsequently declared unfit. Radamel Falcao trains on Friday but later suffered an injury which forced him out of Sunday's match . Phil Jones (left) was among those training at Carrington on Friday ahead of the match against Chelsea . DO YOUR JOB . There will be much talk about the logic of Rafael da Silva marking the much taller Didier Drogba for Chelsea’s goal and rightly so. Robin van Persie would have cleared Drogba’s header, though, had been standing tight to the front post as he was supposed to be. Instead, the United striker got sucked towards the ball and that was all Drogba needed to give Chelsea the lead. Luckily for Van Persie, he was able to redeem itself. Didier Drogba rises high in the box to score Chelsea's opening goal against United at Old Trafford . FERGIE TIME . The United match programme was pushing sales of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reissued autobiography with what appeared to be little more than a free advert for the great man’s book. We await any reference by United to the recent autobiography published by former Old Trafford captain Roy Keane. Sir Alex Ferguson (centre) watches the Premier League match between United and Crystal Palace last month . BEST MEMORIES . Still with the match programme, how about this for a piece of nostalgia from the George Best era? Writing a postcard to his parents from a United tour of Zurich in 1964, 17-year-old George tells them: 'The weather is brilliant, the food is not too good and the girls are fabulous.' Former Manchester United player George Best poses for the camera during his time at the club . THIS CITY IS OURS . Manchester City fans like to taunt their neighbours by pointing to the number of United fans who actually live in London. Despite chaos on the west coast line from the capital on Sunday, though, Old Trafford was still pretty much full by kick-off. The scene at London Euston earlier on Sunday morning as supporters try to travel to Manchester . DEADLY DIDIER . Drogba’s record against United is actually quite modest. Just four goals in 22 games. However he does score important goals against them, having previously won Chelsea an FA Cup final and scoring a goal here in April 2010 that effectively won Chelsea the title. Drogba celebrates after putting Chelsea ahead against United in Sunday's Premier League clash . LINEKER HAS HIS SAY . United showed impressive resilience to claim a late point, and their never-say-die attitude clearly made an impression on Gary Lineker, who tweeted after the match: ‘I don’t think Manchester United are a million miles away and will qualify for next season’s Champions League.’ The point keeps Louis van Gaal’s side in eighth position in the Premier League table. This time last season, United were also eighth, but with one more point (14). | Radamel Falcao had treatment on his thigh on Sunday but missed out .
Phil Jones and Ashley Young were also absent through injury .
Old Trafford was almost full by kick-off despite transport problems .
Didier Drogba has scored four goals in 22 games against United . |
237,763 | bfc462492be65553685dd8963a496ce02d308a91 | Sam Allardyce has conceded that only a higher power can save his West Ham defenders against the mercurial talents of Sergio Aguero on Saturday. Manchester City travel to Upton Park having beaten them four times last season while scoring a total of 15 goals - while Aguero has taken his tally for this campaign to nine goals from six games after netting four against Tottenham last weekend. Allardyce rates the reigning Premier League champions as the best squad and team this season and picked out Aguero when musing over who is their best player. Sergio Aguero (R) scored four goals against Tottenham to take his season's tally to nine in six games . West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is wary of Manchester City's visit to Upton park on Saturday . The Hammers were beaten 9-0 (on agg) by City in the semi-finals of last season's Capital One Cup . Speaking in his column for the Evening Standard, he said: 'It’s a tough question but I would have to plump for Sergio Aguero — because goals win you games — followed closely by Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany because he will help you keep clean sheets. 'With Aguero, defenders think they have him marked but then suddenly, in a blur, he’s moved the ball, shot and it’s in the back of the net. Allardyce rates Aguero as the best player in the Premier League's best team this season . Allardyce is also an admirer of the qualities of Manchester City's Yaya Toure (L) and Vincent Kompany (R) 'Enner Valencia is a bit like that for us, hence the goal against Hull while Cristiano Ronaldo did something similar against Liverpool on Wednesday. 'That’s what top players do, they take you by surprise. 'What do I tell my defenders to do? Pray, because some things, as hard as you practice, are unstoppable.' | West Ham face Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday .
Sam Allardyce rates Argentina forward Sergio Aguero as their best player .
Big Sam joked that his only advice to Hammers defenders was to 'pray' |
94,177 | 050be86ab258071ff8845efae7f9e242033b5173 | It is the part actresses have been clamouring for since the BBC announced the remake of its classic bodice-ripper series Poldark. And today The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the central character of Demelza will be played by 21-year-old Eleanor Tomlinson, who has appeared in Hollywood blockbuster Jack The Giant Slayer and the BBC drama The White Queen. She will follow the late Angharad Rees into the role of the fiery servant who falls in love with Captain Ross Poldark in Winston Graham’s series of classic novels. Eleanor Tomlinson, 21, right, is to follow the late Angharad Rees, left, to play the central character of Demelza in remake of the BBC's classic bodice-ripper series Poldark . Producers have promised that a post-watershed slot will ensure the 18th-Century romantic saga is steamier than the original. The original series ran for 29 episodes from 1975 to 1977 and attracted audiences of up to 15 million when it was screened at 7pm on Sundays. It had such an impact that churches in Cornwall even changed the times of evening services to avoid a clash. Last night Ms Tomlinson told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I will do my utmost to do justice to the spirit of Demelza. Aidan Turner will play the title character of Poldark . She’s such an iconic character, who was so brilliantly played by Angharad, and I will do my very best to try not to disappoint the army of Poldark fans out there. ‘I am conscious of the fact that the original series had a huge following and was tremendously popular.’ Welsh actress Angharad died two years ago, at the age of 63, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. One of the executive producers of the new show, Damien Timmer, added: ‘Demelza is the heart of the story and it is a real coup that she will be played by Eleanor. ‘Angharad Rees made a big impact in that role and people really loved her. But we have gone back to the source material and we believe a new audience will fall in love with Eleanor. Demelza is an incredibly complex character and we needed someone who has the potential to play the character for hopefully many series to come.’ The story follows the fortunes of Poldark, an Army officer who returns home to Cornwall from the American War of Independence to find his former life in tatters. His late father’s estate is in chaos and the love of his life, Elizabeth is engaged to his cousin. Poldark then sets about repairing the family name, but also marries Demelza, the servant girl he has made pregnant. Other key roles have gone to Lark . Rise To Candleford star Ruby Bentall, who will play Poldark’s cousin . Verity, and Icelandic actress Heida Reed, who will portray Elizabeth. Mr . Timmer said: ‘We looked at many actresses but Ruby and Heida stood . apart. Heida plays Elizabeth, who left Poldark for his cousin. It’s a . complex, difficult role and there is something incredibly likeable and . sympathetic about her. ‘Ruby is a true star in the making with a big future and we are very lucky to have such a talented cast.’ Verity: Norma Streader, left, found fame in the 1975 show, she will be replaced by 'rising star' Ruby Bentall . Elizabeth: Jill Townsend, right, was Poldark's great love, a role which will be taken by Silent Witness actress Heida Reed, left . In the original series, Verity was played by Norma Streader and Elizabeth by Jill Townsend, while Robin Ellis was the dashing Poldark. The new eight-part series, due to air next year, will feature Irish film star Aidan Turner in the title role. Winston Graham’s son Andrew said: ‘I am thrilled that producers Mammoth Screen are bringing my father’s novels freshly to life with such authenticity to the original books. We already have a brilliant Ross in Aidan Turner and now we have the two people he loves. I am sure Eleanor as Demelza and Heida as Elizabeth will be perfect. Ruby Bentall is also an excellent actor and is a great choice as Verity.’ | Eleanor Tomlinson, 21, is to play the central character of Demelza .
She has starred in Jack The Giant Slayer and BBC drama The White Queen .
Post-watershed slot to ensure romantic saga is steamier than the original .
The original series ran for 29 episodes from 1975 to 1977 .
Angharad Rees died two years ago after a long battle with pancreatic cancer . |
105,955 | 14a50ccb7ab0bb7ffec9405991b61f982f4fab51 | Gordon Brown came close to losing his sight when he was in No 10, the former prime minister hinted last night. He made the admission in his Kirkcaldy constituency, as he confirmed he will not stand for re-election in May. Mr Brown said goodbye with his wife Sarah and young sons Fraser and John – as he did when leaving Downing Street in 2010. Scroll down for video . Standing down: Today Gordon Brown (left), joined by his wife Sarah and sons John, 11, and Fraser, eight, said it was time to let a 'new person with new ideas' take over - and he will not return to frontline politics . Emotional: Gordon Brown told supporters he would continue to campaign on issues close to his heart . In a highly personal speech, he told of the pain the couple suffered when they lost their first child, Jennifer, shortly after her birth. He also revealed that problems with his eyesight in Downing Street were more serious than previously admitted. The former Labour leader suffered a serious rugby accident at the age of 16 which blinded him in one eye, and he required lengthy treatment to save the sight in the other. In 2009, Downing Street confirmed that medical checks had picked up minor retinal tears in Mr Brown’s good eye – but at the time he said there had been ‘absolutely no deterioration’ in his eyesight. Traditional: Mr Brown spoke in the Old Kirk in Kirkcaldy, the oldest church in his constituency town . 'Although I'm standing down from public office I want to renew my commitment to public service,' he added . Support: Mr Brown hugging his wife Sarah ahead of the speech, which drew praise from former opponents . Yet last night Mr Brown revealed that surgeon Hector Chawla, who saved his eyesight as a boy, came to his aid. He said: ‘When I was in Downing Street and he was retired and they discovered there were tears ... he came to help me again.’ He told 200 assembled friends and Labour Party members at the Old Kirk church: ‘I will not forget, Sarah will not forget, the strength you gave us when our daughter Jennifer was born and then died.’ As his wife looked on, he added: ‘For her love and for her support in every campaign we’ve done – national elections, local elections – Sarah was incredible in giving me support and supporting the Labour Party.’ Friends said Mr Brown wanted to go out on a high, just weeks after making a critical intervention in the Scottish independence referendum to secure the future of the United Kingdom. David Cameron, who replaced Mr Brown in May 2010, said: 'Gordon has given a huge amount in terms of public service and his contribution in government and in Parliament' Family portrait: Mr Brown said he would remain in Fife, adding: 'It is Fife where our home is and where we will be, where our children John and Fraser, who are here tonight, are happily at school' Then and now: Mr Brown leaving Downing Street with his wife and two children after his defeat in May 2010 . They also said the former prime minister still harbours ambitions to take on one more major international role, such as leading the International Monetary Fund, before he retires for good. According to Labour sources, Ed Miliband approached Mr Brown in the immediate aftermath of Scotland’s referendum to see if he would consider taking over the moribund Scottish Labour Party. But Mr Brown declined, saying publicly that he was ‘too old to be the comeback kid ... and I’m too young to be an elder statesman as well’. Mr Brown, who has served in the Commons for over 30 years, will not take a seat in the Lords. Instead, he said he will focus on his role as a UN ambassador for education, as well as his and his wife’s other charity work. Mr Brown married his wife Sarah in 2000 and they have two sons, John and James. A baby girl, Jennifer, was born prematurely and died in January 2002 . Mr Brown served as Chancellor under Tony Blair for 10 years, during which the two men repeatedly clashed about when the Prime Minister would step aside to make way for his old friend . However, he indicated he would return to front-line politics to keep Britain in the EU, should a referendum take place, adding: ‘Although I’m standing down from public office, I want to renew my commitment to public service.’ Mr Miliband last night hailed his predecessor as a ‘towering figure’ in the Labour Party and British politics. David Cameron, who defeated Mr Brown at the last general election, said he ‘wished him well’. Mr Brown, 63, had been widely expected to step down from Parliament in May. He has made only fleeting appearances at Westminster since leading Labour to a crushing defeat in 2010. When he left office Britain had one of the biggest budget deficits in the developed world, which politicians on all sides are still grappling with. However, friends insist that history will be kinder to a man who helped broker a rescue package for the world economy when it stood on the brink of collapse. Mr Brown entered the House of Commons in 1983 when he won a majority of 11,000 in Dunfermline East . After Labour's landslide election victory in 1997, Gordon Brown became Chancellor of the Exchequer . After years of waiting to become Prime Minister, Mr Brown finally entered No 10 on June 27, 2007 . The second son of Rev Dr John Ebenezer Brown, a Church of Scotland minister, Gordon Brown was brought up in Kirkcaldy, a small coastal town north of Edinburgh in Scotland. At the age of 16, he joined Edinburgh University to study history becoming the youngest undergraduate there since the war. He became a Labour MP for Dunfermline East at the second attempt in 1983 with a majority of 11,000, after briefly working as a lecturer and TV reporter, and began forging an alliance with fellow MP Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson. Gordon Brown enjoyed a mixed relationship with Tony Blair and craved the leadership for many years . He was made chancellor in 1992, choosing not to stand for leadership thereby clearing the way for Blair, on the understanding he would retain power at some point. After Labour's 1997 landslide victory, Brown became the most powerful chancellor in modern times. But he never stopped coveting the top job and spend much of the next 10 years pushing Blair to make good on their deal. When Blair finally stood down in 2007, after winning three Labour election victories, Brown was made party leader, and prime minister, without a contest. While on the campaign trail in Rochdale ahead of the 2010 general election, Mr Brown was caught on microphone describing local pensioner Gillian Duffy as 'bigoted' when she quizzed him about immigration . However he found the job he had so craved more difficult than he envisaged and he struggled, particularly with the onset of the global recession in 2008. After a disastrous showing in the local and European elections in 2009, he lost the 2010 general election campaign after losing more than 90 Labour MPs in what was Labour's worst electoral performance since Michael Foot in 1983. Mr Brown returned to the front line political stage for the Scottish referendum and played a crucial role in keeping the Union with a barnstorming speech in Glasgow the day before votes were cast. | Gordon Brown formally announced plans to stand down tonight .
He told Kirckcaldy voters it was time for 'new person with new ideas'
He added he will decline any invitation to join the House of Lords .
Friends said he wants to bow out 'on a high' after independence fight .
Cameron and Miliband paid tribute for his years of public service . |
34,115 | 60f2c325d9e733806fb0c5acda459661036808d9 | The Manchester City squad wrapped up warm for a Thursday afternoon recovery session following their 4-1 win against Sunderland on Wednesday night. Frank Lampard and Co ensured they were layered up before heading outside at City's Carrington training ground and gathering around boss Manuel Pellegrini. The players involved in City's Stadium of Light victory swapped boots for trainers as the likes of Sergio Aguero and Joe Hart looked to warm down ahead of the game against Everton on Saturday. Frank Lampard (right) and Gael Clichy prepare for Manchester City's training session on Thursday . City goalkeeper Joe Hart ensured he wrapped up warm for the recovery session . Sergio Aguero scored twice to help City to a 4-1 win against Sunderland on Wednesday night . Pellegrini received a double boost after watching his side come from behind to slay Sunderland on Wednesday night after revealing injured captain Vincent Kompany is close to a return. Kompany missed the Sunderland clash with a hamstring strain and is also out of the weekend's game against Everton, but Pellegrini now hopes he could be back for next week's crucial Champions League clash with Roma. 'Vincent is improving and maybe it is not such a serious injury as we thought at the beginning - but he needs to see the whole week and we will see what happens with him,' the Chilean said. Joe Hart and Co prepare to enter the cold outside ahead of the City training session . Bacary Sagna seemed in high spirits despite being an unused substitute on Wednesday night . Aleksandar Kolarov straps on a heart-rate monitor before heading out . Martin Demichelis (left) wraps up warm while striker Edin Dzeko gets his boots on . Manuel Pellegrini gathered his side for a talk before beginning the Thursday afternoon session . | Manchester City stars train after 4-1 win against Sunderland .
City squad wrap up before starting Carrington training session .
Frank Lampard and Co look in high spirits following fourth successive win . |
166,047 | 62b5da80fd7b0b7301b59e162fd73f361e386a2c | Ben Bradlee, the former top editor of The Washington Post who oversaw the paper's coverage of the Watergate scandal, is in hospice care as his health has declined over the past six weeks, his wife said in a C-SPAN interview. Bradlee, 93, began end-of-life care at his home last week after suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia for several years. Bradlee was the executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991 during which time the paper covered the downfall of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. "He was diagnosed a while ago, but it became obvious that he had a serious problem about two years ago," his wife, Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn, said in the C-SPAN interview Sunday. Quinn said Bradlee still recognizes her and "loves having me there." In November, President Barack Obama awarded Bradlee the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor awarded to civilians. "With Ben in charge, the Post published the Pentagon Papers, revealing the true history of America's involvement in Vietnam; exposed Watergate; unleashed a new era of investigative journalism, holding America's leaders accountable and reminding us that our freedom as a nation rests on our freedom of the press," Obama said at the ceremony. Quinn said she kept Bradlee's condition private for a while. "Once you say the A-word, everybody's attitude changes toward you," she said. Bradlee went into the newspaper business after World War II, starting a paper in New Hampshire. In 1948, he moved to Washington to report for the Post. After a brief stint as a press attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Paris' propaganda unit, Bradlee worked for Newsweek in Europe. He later became the magazine's bureau chief in Washington and helped negotiate the sale of Newsweek to The Washington Post. As a reporter in the 1950s, he became friends with future President John F. Kennedy when he moved into a house on the same block as Bradlee when he was first elected to Congress. Bradlee later wrote two books about his one-time neighbor. He rejoined the Post in 1965 as managing editor and became executive editor in 1968. In 1971, the Post and The New York Times battled the Nixon administration to the Supreme Court over the Pentagon Papers, leaked documents that showed that the war in Vietnam wasn't going as political leaders and the military brass portrayed it. The justices sided 6-3 with the two papers' rights to publish material from the papers. For the past 23 years, Bradlee has been The Washington Post's vice president at-large. | Ben Bradlee, 93, has been suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia for several years .
He oversaw Washington Post's coverage of Watergate scandal that led to Nixon's downfall .
Bradlee's wife, columnist Sally Quinn, says she kept his condition private .
He and John F. Kennedy were once neighbors, and Bradlee later wrote books about him . |
47,737 | 86b546d13d45484832aacdbe30614a0368f062a6 | By . Matthew Blake . Sorry: Tana Baumler, 59, was taking her husband and granddaughters, four and seven, to Yellowstone National Park, in Idaho, when she was caught speeding . A grandmother who was caught speeding with her two grandchildren in the car has sent a thank-you letter to the officer who gave her the ticket. Tana Baumler, 59, was taking her husband and granddaughters, four and seven, to Yellowstone National Park, in Idaho, in early July when she was clocked driving 95mph in a 75mph zone. State trooper Mike Nielson spotted her car careering along the highway and set off in hot pursuit, pulling her over when he caught up. But rather than assume the role of the stereotypical 'bad cop', he was the picture of warmth and kindness, according to Mrs Baumler. So much so that when it came to paying her $150 fine, the restauranteur felt compelled to enclose a little note thanking him for being so nice. 'I was going too fast,' she told ABC News, saying that when he approached her vehicle he went out of his way to put her granddaughters 'at ease', handing them stickers before writing out her ticket. 'They're . 4 and 7,' she went on. 'Sometimes you see the lights and a police . officer and you're scared, but he came up and talked to them and was . really nice. He had no attitude. He could have made it a bad day. But he didn't.' Alongside her cheque, her note read: 'Dear Idaho State Police, Recently I was on vacation with my . grandchildren and was pulled over for speeding. 'Officer Mike Nielson . made it a good experience for my grandchildren by talking with them . calmly and giving them stickers. He didn't leave me out and I got my . very own STICKER SHOCK :) Thanks for a great attitude.' At ease: Mike Nielson said he always tries to make children feel at ease saying it can be a little scary for them when 'the guy in the big hat walks up to the car' Officer Nielson told the channel: 'You usually just talk to the kids - the kids are just inquisitive when the guy in the big hat walks up to the car by the side of the highway and can be a bit nervous.' Mrs Baumler says running her own restaurant for 26 years had taught her the value of positive feedback. 'When anything bad happens, it's easy to be negative,' she said. 'If someone does a good job, it's always nice to say so.' Of her grandchildren, she added: 'I told them that you make these choices and that he was just doing his . job. I made a bad choice, so I [had to] pay the consequences.' Having told them that, she added, her eldest granddaughter recommended she hire Officer Nielson to work in her restaurant. Mixed reaction: As news of her story began to spread, it was met with mixed reactions online. Some praised her magnanimity, while others she had been irresponsible driving so fast with children on the back seat . As news of her story began to spread, it was met with mixed reactions online. On one comment board, 'RB in WV' wrote: 'I love happy news. Airstrikes in Gaza, Ebola spreads, Dow tumbles ... it's nice to have a break from all that.' But others were less impressed. Gabriella wrote: 'That was nice, although I don't know if I would have gone through the trouble of sending thank-you note if I got a $150 ticket; however, I wouldn't have been driving 95 in a 75 with kids in the car, either.' JohnJohnj went a step further. 'The woman is a moron,' he harrumphed. 'To drive like that with her grandchildren is disgraceful. She should be charged with child endangerment.' | Tana Baumler, 59, was taking granddaughters, 4 and 7, to Yellowstone Park .
But Idaho State Trooper Mike Nielson clocked her at 95mph in 75mph zone .
When he stopped her she says he was picture of kindness and warmth .
So she added note to cheque saying: 'Thanks for a great attitude'
She says 26 years owning a restaurant taught her value of positive feedback .
But the story met with mixed reactions, some saying she was irresponsible . |
202,212 | 91ca1e976226194dfe1d127f9281e74dda622dfa | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 09:07 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:32 EST, 17 March 2014 . A California sheriff's department has released images of clothing found with the remains of a female found in a park on January 6 in the hope that the public can help them identify her. The body was discovered in a remote area of Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in Orange County by a passerby along with clothing, including a distinctive jacket with the words 'Coach Williams' embroidered on it. Detectives estimate the remains had been exposed to the elements for at least six months and the body was badly decomposed, making identification impossible. Belongings: This jacket was found with the bones of a woman believed to be in her 30s with wavy brown hair . Name or profession: The jacket has Coach William and a volleyball or water polo ball embroidered on it . Hidden: A passerby found the woman's remains in Caspers Wilderness Park, and detectives believe they had lain there for at least six months before they were discovered . 'We didn't actually recover a body. We recovered just bones,' Lieutenant Jeff Hallock of the Orange County Sheriff's Department told KCal. Investigators haven't found any missing persons cases that match the description of the woman: a petite female aged at least 30 years with shoulder-length brown wavy hair with highlights and a distinctive gold bridge on her left jaw. Now they're hoping that the woman's clothing may help determine her identity. Sportswear: A pair of yoga-style pants was also found with the remains . Mystery woman: So far police have been unable to identify the woman who wore this pink t-shirt . The disintegrating jacket embroidered with the name 'Coach Williams' and a volleyball or water polo ball could be key to the case. 'Whether or not that was truly her name, the fact maybe she was involved somewhere, somebody you'd think is missing her, maybe she belonged to some type of organization or a school or something,' Hallock said to ABC 7. Also found with the remains were a pair of yoga-style workout pants with stripes down the side, a torn pink-speckled t-shirt and a green hair scrunchie. She may also have sustained a broken nose at some time in her life. 'Homicide, suicide, an accident - we don't have enough information to determine that,' Hallock said. 'I think our goal at this point is to determine in fact who she is. Once we determine who she is, then we can work backwards in an attempt to identify how she may have died.' | A female body was discovered in a remote wilderness area in January .
It is believed to have been there for at least six months .
Police have been unable to identify the remains and have found not missing persons cases matching her description .
They have released images of the clothing found with the remains in the hope that the public can help .
A distinctive jacket with the name 'Coach Williams' written on it could be key to the case .
The woman is believed to have been in her 30s, with brown shoulder-length wavy hair and highlights and a gold bridge on her left jaw . |
235,164 | bc6ef861db761d6104a644135d52c745cad04f6c | By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 07:05 EST, 27 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:06 EST, 27 September 2013 . Police are probing a borehole in a cemetery containing the remains of murdered concentration camp victims which they believe was dug by Nazi treasure hunters searching for the fabled Amber Room of the tsars. Ever since a book called 'The Puzzle of Poppen Wood' by Mario Ulbrich was released two years ago the search for the fabled treasure has lured legions of hunters to the scene of old mine workings in eastern Germany seeking the fortune estimated at over 150 million pounds. Ulbrich interviewed foresters, policemen, miners and old Nazis for his work which chronicles two decades of largely unreported quarrying in the wood near Zwickau in east Germany. Missing treasure: Fortune seekers are rasing the woods of east Germany in the hunt for the Amber Room, seen here recreated in 2003, widely regarded as the world's most important missing art treasure . But now a borehole has been discovered in the village of Bad Schlema in Saxony which mayor Jens Mueller says is a dig too far. ‘This is a place of rest for 42 victims of the Nazis,’ he said. ’It is too much. It is the work of the treasure hunters.’ Ulbrich goes into detail in his book about old silver, cobalt and uranium mine workings that, at nearly 6,000 feet underground, were the deepest in Germany with some shafts and galleries dating back to the middle ages. Eyewitness reports from the time speak of a special S.S. commando unit turning up at the wood early in 1945, sealing it off and dumping a secret cargo in it. With German shattered and its transportation infrastructure in ruins, believers say it must have been a singularly important cargo they hid there. Treasure hunter's bible: The Puzzle of Poppen Wood by Mario Ulbrich has guided fortune seekers to the east German woods . Searchers have found rotting wooden storage crates from WW2 in the woods but none have discovered the entrance to the cave system where the treasure allegedly lies. Crafted entirely out of amber, gold and precious stones, the Amber Room, made of numerous panels, was a masterpiece of baroque art and widely regarded as the world's most important missing art treasure. When its 565 candles were lit it was said to 'glow a fiery gold'. It was presented to Peter the Great in 1716 by the King of Prussia and, later, Catherine the Great commissioned a new generation of craftsmen to embellish the room. She had moved it from the Winter Palace in St Petersburg to her new summer abode in Tsarskoye Selo, outside the city. The room was seized by marauding Nazi troops during their onslaught on Russia in 1941. Prussian count Sommes Laubach, the Germans' 'art protection officer' and holder of a degree in art history, supervised the room's transport to Koenigsberg Castle in what was then East Prussia. In January 1945, after air raids and a savage ground assault on the city, the room was lost, many believing it was burned to pieces in the fighting. Koenigsberg became the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and ever since the Amber Room has become the new El Dorado for those who choose to believe it survived; a quest that enthralled the wealthy and the poor alike. The Maigret author Georges Simenon founded the Amber Room Club to track it down once and for all. Everyone had a different theory of what might have befallen the work. The German official in charge of the amber shipment said the crates were in a castle that burned down in an air raid.Others think the room sank to the bottom of the Baltic Sea in a torpedoed steamer used by the Nazis, or that it was hacked up by Red Army troops and sent home like sticks of rock as souvenirs of their conquest. A 2010 dig by a Russian treasure hunter in Kaliningrad failed to turn it up. Now all eyes are on the wood in eastern Germany that has become the new magnet for those who never stop dreaming of gold. | Fortune seekers believe do have dug into holocaust victims' grave .
Outrage in east German village where borehole was found in cemetery .
Treasure hunters are searching the area for the legendary Amber Room . |
127,243 | 307a0682e2dc47dd46bafd81481d3916078bcb7a | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 07:09 EST, 17 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:07 EST, 17 June 2013 . A mother-of-three who was admitted to hospital with earache died five days later from meningitis. Jo Graham thought she had a harmless infection when she was admitted to hospital after complaining of an intense earache. But the 36-year-old failed to respond to treatment and was put in an induced coma at Coventry University Hospital last December. Jo Graham, 36, was admitted to Coventry University Hospital suffering from severe earache. She was told she could probably go home the next day but her condition deteriorated rapidly . Her husband Mark made the agonising decision to turn off her life support machine five days later when doctors said nothing more could be done to save her. The cause of death was only picked up in a post-mortem examination as hospital tests failed to reveal that she had meningitis. Mrs Graham was at a Christmas lights switch on in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, with her father, Roy, when she started to feel unwell. Her mother, Pat Collins, who was in hospital with pneumonia at the time, said: ‘She told Roy she wasn’t feeling very well and Roy took her to hospital in Coventry. The mother-of-three failed to respond to treatment and was put in an induced coma. Five days after she was admitted, doctors advised her family to turn off her life support machine . ‘Jo was given tablets and was told . she could probably go home the following day but she wasn't getting any . better and she stayed in hospital.’ Ms . Collins was unaware of her daughter's battle for life until a relative . came to deliver the devastating news that she wasn't 'expected to last . another day.' She was discharged so she could visit her daughter, who worked for Warwickshire Police, and was with her the day her life support machine was switched off. Her family, including her three children - Jade, 12, Callum, eight, and Kayla four, have spoken out to raise awareness of meningitis. A post mortem examination revealed that she had died of meningitis which did not show up on the tests carried out at Coventry University Hospital . Ms Collins paid tribute to her daughter and said: ‘Jo was bubbly, her children were her life and she loved her job, all that's been taken from her. ‘Part of us still can't believe that she's gone. We still keep expecting her to walk through the door.’ Mrs Graham's kidneys, liver, pancreas and lungs were donated after her death and her family have been told that has helped save the lives of four people. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. About 3,400 people contract bacterial meningitis and septicaemia in the UK each year - one in 10 people die while one in four are left with permanent disabilities. For more information on meningitis, call Meningitis UK on 0117 947 6320 or visit www.meningitisUK.org . Meningitis is an infection of the meninges - the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. The infection causes the meninges to become inflamed and can damage the nerves and brain. The most common symptoms include a high fever, severe headache, vomiting, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, rapid breathing and a rash which does not disappear under pressure. There are two different types of meningitis - bacterial meningitis which is very serious and should be treated as a medical emergency, and viral meningitis which is more common and less serious. Meningitis can be hard to diagnose as it can come on very suddenly and is often mistaken for flu. Viral meningitis usually gets better within a couple of weeks but bacterial meningitis requires hospital admission for treatment with antibiotics. | Jo Graham, 36, was admitted to Coventry University Hospital with earache .
Was told she could go home the next day but her condition deteriorated .
She was put in an induced coma but failed to respond to treatment .
Five days later her family were advised to turn off her life support machine .
A post-mortem examination revealed she had died of meningitis . |
27,079 | 4cce7ba4c2ba2fc259be5c6cfbcac83118a94ed0 | By . Gerard Couzens . and Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 03:29 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 5 August 2013 . William Hague promised to stand by Gibraltar last night as he urged Spain to avoid further actions which could ramp up tensions. After talks with Gibraltar’s leader Fabian Picardo, the Foreign Secretary said: ‘The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Gibraltar at this time of increasing Spanish pressure and rhetoric. ‘We will respect Gibraltar’s 2006 constitution and the commitments the UK has repeatedly made not to compromise on British sovereignty over Gibraltar.’ Alarm: David Cameron is demanding an explanation over threats from Spain to impose border charges on Gibraltar . And he added: ‘I call upon Spain to respect the agreements over the Rock and to avoid actions which could increase tension further.’ Mr Picardo claimed ‘hell will freeze over’ before Gibraltarian authorities remove an artificial reef Spain believes is harming its fisherman and which has been at the centre of escalating tensions. Accusing Madrid of ‘sabre-rattling’, he said: ‘The things that have been said are more reminiscent of the type of statement you’d hear from North Korea than from an EU partner. ‘We’ve seen it before during Franco’s time but I think all of us hoped that those politics were never going to come back.’ Row: Gibraltar minister Fabian Picardo (left) hit out at the aggressive stance of Spain's foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo who threatened to charge thousands of workers £85 a day to cross the border . Spanish officials have continued to delay vehicles at the border, with moped and motorbike riders facing queues of two hours in 90-degree heat to cross over from Gibraltar. Spain claims sovereignty over the Rock, which has been a British Overseas Territory since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Last week Spanish foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo threatened to levy tolls on border crossings and shut Spanish airspace to flights bound for Gibraltar. But the UK Government has made it clear that there will be no negotiation over sovereignty as long as Gibraltar’s people want to remain British. David Cameron has now flown home from his holiday and will take charge of the crisis. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘Clearly, we remain seriously concerned by the events at the Spain-Gibraltar border. ‘The Spanish have not raised the prospect of introducing border fees with us. We are seeking an explanation from them regarding reports that they might target Gibraltar with further measures.’ Tensions: The British Foreign Office fears the proposed Spanish border charges would penalise islanders who regularly commute to Spain for work . Queues: A woman gets out of a car as she waits in line to enter to the British territory of Gibraltar at its border with Spain . Senior MPs and government officials have accused Madrid of ramping up the dispute to divert attention from the dire state of the Spanish economy. Tory MP Andrew Rosindell said: ‘The Spanish are in deep trouble. Their economy is in grave difficulties. They raise the issue of Gibraltar to generate domestic support. ‘Frankly, it’s shameful for a country like Spain, who is meant to be an ally to the United Kingdom, to treat Gibraltar in this way. It’s time they grew up and behaved like a democracy instead of bullying a small territory which has been British longer than it was Spanish.’ Lib Dem Sir Menzies Campbell warned that Spain’s tactics were unlikely to succeed. ‘It’s a gross miscalculation to believe that the people of Gibraltar, or the British Government, are likely to succumb to pressure of the kind that’s being proposed,’ he said. ‘If anything, it will simply stiffen resolve both in Whitehall and Gibraltar.’ And UKIP’s MEP for Gibraltar, William Dartmouth, even suggested that Britain send a gunboat to the Rock. He said: ‘It is time the British Government pulled its finger out and stopped mouthing diplomatic niceties to Madrid. ‘The British Government must show some backbone to support the people of Gibraltar. ‘By sending a frigate to Gib, the message will ring out loud and clear: Gibraltar is British.’ The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major source of tension between the UK and Spain. Both in 1967 and 2002, the people of Gibraltar rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty. Despite this, Spain still asserts a claim to the territory. The tension began in 1704 when an Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar from Spain during the war of the Spanish succession. The territory was then ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Historically, it has proved to be an important base for the Royal Navy. Now, its economy is based on tourism, financial services and shipping. Under the 2006 constitution of Gibraltar, the territory governs its own . affairs, although defence and foreign relations are still the . responsibility of the UK Government. Located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, it is an area of 6.8 square kilometres. | Fabian Picardo hits back at Spanish aggression over borders and air space .
Spanish threat to charge thousands of workers £85 a day to cross border .
Gibraltar authorities is building a reef to bar Spanish fishing boats .
David Cameron 'seriously concerned' but questions mount over response . |
241,677 | c4cbedb22ab20f9e13b31df57ce66aa2aed6a37a | (CNN) -- The world of social media burst with excitement Friday as millions took to Twitter, Facebook and other sites to join a virtual wedding party for Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. At the peak, there were 300 tweets per second using the Royal Wedding hashtag, according to Tweetminster, a news platform which monitors activity on Twitter. As Catherine stepped out of her car for the ceremony, nearly 9.4% of all tweets worldwide mentioned the word "wedding," according to Trendistic, which also monitors Twitter trends. "I wish Kate & Willem the very best in their marriage! :)," Mark Kwakernaak of Rotterdam in the Netherlands posted on Twitter. For Americans, the royal nuptials meant a pre-dawn start to the day. For some, it conjured a bit of nostalgia. "Yes, I set my alarm to wake up early to watch the #RoyalWedding," said Renee Nicole, who tweeted from northern Colorado. "I remember watching Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding, with my Mom." Much of the Internet buzz surrounded what gown Catherine would wear down the aisle. "I just can't wait to see the DRESS!" Stephanie Golangelo tweeted from Cleveland. "More than anything, I wanna see Kate's dress!" echoed Mary Pranica of Minneapolis. Celebrities also joined in the online excitement. Victoria Beckham, a guest at the wedding with her footballer husband David, wrote on Twitter Thursday night: "London looks beautiful!!! We are so proud to be British!" "London's looking delightful today! Flags at the ready!" wrote Harry Potter actor Tom Felton. Television personality Joan Rivers joked: "I just read that the Royal Wedding is likely to have 2 billion viewers! Many of them will be air-traffic controllers watching at work." British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver wrote: "Royal wedding day !! national day off!! have a great day today guys, I hope it includes family, friends, bad dancing food and a little drink." Former Spice Girl Mel B -- now living in Los Angeles -- said she was "getting sooo excited about the wedding, up at 5am to comment about it." "Wake up Kath-eters!" comedienne Kathy Griffin wrote. "Wanna hear ur thoughts on all things royal wedding." "Congrats to William and Kate ...and Kate's sister," wrote Justin Bieber, who is currently on tour in Sydney, Australia. The wedding proved to be a bit of downer for those thinking they had a shot at one of the world's most eligible bachelors, while others decided to look at the bright side. "Ladies, CALM DOWN u can still MARRY HARRY :)," Aditya Pratama of Jakarta, Indonesia, said on Twitter. Lauren Demitry of Buffalo, New York, took a similar approach. "That's okay. I rather marry Harry anyways," she said. While the Twitter feed for the royal wedding surged with dozens of comments a minute, not all of them were -- shall we say -- for family reading. "Who gives a damn about the #RoyalWedding seriously?" was a frequently repeated post that can be shared. Many marveled at the universal appeal of the event held at Westminster Abbey. "Even my brother is keeping up with the #RoyalWedding more than me," tweeted Liana Borja of Guam. As the wedding drew near, a "Runaway Bride" theme appeared. In the 1999 movie, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, a woman left a string of fiances at the alter. "Speak now or forever hold your peace... 'Kate, damn it - run!'" Jo Garfein of northern California suggested on Twitter. "Now THAT would make the #RoyalWedding more interesting." | NEW: There were 300 tweets per second using the Royal Wedding hashtag at the peak of the excitement .
Tweets chronicle and comment on the royal wedding .
Twitter posts marvel at and poke fun of the nuptials .
Internet postings come from around the world . |
163,982 | 600e8b4b7d06c0349921477481b66e3a5033ef07 | (CNN) -- One of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century has been put to rest: DNA analysis of bone fragments has proven that two of Czar Nicholas' children believed to have escaped were killed with their royal family during the Russian Revolution. Czar Nicholas II, from left, daughters Olga, Maria, wife Alexandra, kids Anastasia, Alexei and Tatiana in 1917. The chemically damaged and burnt remains were found in the Romanov family's makeshift grave outside the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2007. In 2008, scientists used bone and tooth fragments to identify the remains as those of the two missing children of Czar Nicholas II: 13-year-old Crown Prince Alexei, the emperor's only son and heir to the throne, and his sister Grand Duchess Maria, about 19. Researchers wanted to confirm their findings by comparing DNA from the remains with that of living Romanov relatives. The results of the DNA analysis were published online Tuesday in the journal PloS One. The Romanov family, the last Russian monarchy, was executed in 1918 by Bolsheviks in the basement of a home in Yekaterinburg, about 900 miles (1,448 kilometers) east of Moscow. Several of their staff members and servants also were killed. Nicholas' reign had ended when he abdicated the throne in 1917 at the time of the Russian Revolution. The remains of the family were discovered in 1991, during the last days of the Soviet Union. In 1998, those remains -- of Nicholas, his wife, Alexandra, and three daughters -- were interred in a cathedral in St. Petersburg that contains the crypts of other Russian royalty. At the time, many thought that Alexei and Maria might have escaped -- leading to hopes among royal supporters that one or both Romanovs were still alive. But clues left by one of the family's assassins led investigators to the grave where the remains of Alexei and Maria were unearthed in 2007. The drama surrounding the Romanovs has been the subject of many books, movies and documentaries. Several women have claimed that they were Anastasia, Nicholas' youngest daughter, contending that they escaped the executions. The body of one impostor, Anna Anderson, was cremated when she died in 1984. DNA tests showed she was not related to the Romanov family. | Researchers compared DNA of remains with that of living Romanov relatives .
Results of the DNA analysis were published online Tuesday in the journal PloS One .
The Romanovs, the last Russian monarchy, were executed in 1918 by Bolsheviks . |
282,005 | f94c72ce503c4a2c60cedc43f96bd232bf16d602 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- London's Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew recently opened an attraction that gives visitors the chance to walk among the treetops and examine tree canopies from a new perspective. The walkway at Kew is designed to give visitors a new perspective on trees. The Xstrata Treetop Walkway, which opened at the end of May, is the latest design from London Eye architects Marks Barfield. Rising to a height of 18 meters and stretching across 200 meters, visitors can walk between 50 of Kew's mature broad-leafed trees. The walkway can be found in the woodland area designed by 18th-century landscape gardener Capability Brown. Constructed from 12 steel trusses connected to 10 circular "node" platforms, the weathered steel chosen for the project already blends beautifully with the natural environment. The architects describe the end result as "a surprisingly natural, 'bark-like' texture." Tony Kirkham, head of RBG Kew's arboretum and project manager for the Xstrata Treetop Walkway, said, "As a trained arborist, I have had the privilege of being up in the tree canopy; experiencing trees at height and birds and other wildlife from a completely different perspective. It's fantastic that we are able to give visitors the same experience." In what has been designated "Year of the Tree" at Kew, Kirkham hopes that giving visitors a new perspective on the trees will help them understand the importance of nurturing them. | London's Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew opens treetop walkway .
Visitors afforded bird's eye view of previously unreachable canopy .
Kew hopes new attraction will help people understand need to nurture trees . |
118,068 | 247580174bc5899ed1ff8ed1d1df52e3e3862f7e | Promoter Frank Warren is keen on staging a St Patrick’s weekend showdown between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders. Lee claimed the vacant WBO middleweight world championship with a sixth-round stoppage win over Russian Matt Korobov on Saturday night, with the victory setting him on a collision course with European champion Saunders. While Lee will celebrate the win at a civic reception in his native Limerick on Wednesday, Warren is already planning for a spring blockbuster with his man Saunders, the WBO’s No 1 contender, and he could yet have a major say in fight plans as the promoter of the mandatory challenger when he sits down with Lee’s manager and trainer, Adam Booth, and US promoter Lou DiBella. Andy Lee stopped Matt Korobov in the sixth round in Las Vegas in win the WBO middleweight world title . Lee celebrates with his new belt (left) and referee Kenny Bayless brings the fight to a halt (right) The British champion had been in line to fight for the title but ended up taking on bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, whom he defeated on a split decision. Warren maintains that his fighter is first in line for a shot and, favouring a March date, claims he is open to the idea of a St Patrick’s Weekend battle. ‘That sounds good, doesn’t it? There’s lots of different connotations for this fight. It’s two Travellers, and there’s all sorts of ways you can look at it,’ said Warren. ‘The WBO have ordered it, that was part of the deal. I agreed with Adam [Booth] that we’d step aside to let the [Korobov] fight happen, which is what we’ve done, so we just want to get it on. March would be perfect for it.’ Both former Olympians have said they are willing to fight but Lee has insisted that he will only defend his title in Ireland, challenging Saunders to fight in Dublin or Limerick. Billy Joe Saunders (right) will be Lee's first challenger after his victory over Chris Eubank Jnr last month . Warren suggested he is open to the idea of Saunders crossing the Irish Sea, but on Lee’s demand for a title defence in Ireland, he said: ‘There’s no stipulation on that at all. There’s never been a discussion and we don’t know what’s going to happen with that. It’s all about us sitting down and the fight going where it makes the most money, that’s the bottom line. 'I absolutely understand that, but we’ll see what happens when we get together,’ added Warren on Lee’s wish for a home date. ‘I’m always open to putting a show on in Ireland, I’ve got no problem with that but obviously we’ve got to get everyone agreeing to that.’ On the possibility of purse bids, he said: ‘Adam Booth and I had an agreement and obviously that will be honoured. He [Lee] wouldn’t have got the shot if it weren’t for the fact that we stepped aside. ‘We’ll let them get back from the States. We’ll get together and go through it and see where we’re going to go with it. I’m looking forward to getting it on. It’s a good fight for the Irish and the Brits.’ | Andy Lee beat Matt Korobov to win the WBO middleweight title .
The winner was contractually bound to fight Billy Joe Saunders .
Promoter Frank Warren wants to put the fight on in March .
Lee is desperate to defend his title for the first time in Ireland . |
176,187 | 701711dcdd7a07c33567a508781796732b23bbe1 | Rome (CNN) -- Silvio Berlusconi's long strange trip through Italian politics -- and the nation's justice system -- reached another stop Thursday as a Milan court sentenced the former prime minister to a year in prison for publishing secretly recorded details of a political rival's telephone conversations. The conviction comes less than two weeks after Berlusconi came in a seemingly improbable second among voters as he tried to win back his old job. Whether Berlusconi, 76, will ever set foot in prison is questionable. Berlusconi has been charged and convicted before but has never served time. Previous charges have either been overturned on appeal or dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired. Berlusconi's lawyer, Piero Longo, said he will appeal. "We are not surprised by the verdict because of the judiciary bias against our client, which is proven here by the lack of evidence against him in this case," Longo told CNN. The cult of Silvio Berlusconi: Why Italians keep voting for him . The former prime minister is currently appealing his conviction last year on tax fraud charges relating to the sale of film rights by his media company, Mediaset. He is also on trial over allegations he paid for sex with an underage prostitute. A decision in that case is could come as early as March 18. Details of the case . The case involves publication of details from a 2005 conversation between Piero Fassino -- a political rival of Berlusconi's -- and the former chairman of an insurance group that at the time was close to taking over a large Italian bank. The takeover could have created a rival to Berlusconi's Finnivest conglomerate. The transcript -- published in a newspaper run by Berlusconi's brother, Paolo -- appeared to show Fassino, as head of the center-left opposition, had used his political position to help the insurance group take over Banco Nazionale del Lavoro. The ensuing scandal, which caused the deal to collapse, was widely viewed as an effort to discredit Fassino. The conversation was recorded by Italian financial crimes investigators, according to prosecutors, who argued Berlusconi bribed someone to obtain the recordings, then broke the law by publishing parts of them. Berlusconi has denied listening to the recordings or ordering their publication. Fassino issued a statement lauding the court's decision. "This is a ruling that restores truth and justice and confirms the judicial system, despite conscious criticism and mocking of the system for years, in a political campaign to vilify and delegitimize it," he said. Jail time, fine . According to court documents, Berlusconi was sentenced to one year in prison. Paolo Berlusconi received two years and three months. Silvio Berlusconi was also ordered to pay €80,000 (about $104,000) plus legal costs to Fassino, whose attorneys had been seeking €1 million (about $1.3 million) in damages. His lawyers will appeal to increase the award, they said in a statement following the verdict. History of scandal . Berlusconi -- who served on and off as prime minister between 1994 and 2011 -- is arguably one of the most colorful and controversial figures in the lively history of Italian politics. For years, he has been entangled in fraud, corruption and sex scandals that have often reached Italian courts. Berlusconi's first conviction came in 1997, four years after he was first elected prime minister and a year after he was removed after losing the support of other parties. The sentence in that conviction was suspended. A year later, in 1998, a court convicted him of corruption and bribery, but those verdicts were overturned in 1999 and 2000. In 2007, prosecutors accused him of judicial corruption over accusations he paid a lawyer $600,000 in exchange for favorable testimony in two court case. He was also accused of tax fraud and receipt of stolen goods involving the same lawyer. A judge dismissed some tax fraud allegations and the stolen goods case in 1998; the corruption case ended in 2012 when a judge ruled the statute of limitations had run out. He was convicted in 2012 on allegations that he had engaged in tax fraud involving Mediaset. Prosecutors accused Berlusconi of reducing Mediaset's tax liabilities by purchasing U.S. movie rights at inflated prices and then creating illegal slush funds. He is currently appealing that conviction. Sex scandals have also ensnared Berlusconi, whose wife filed for divorce in 2009 following reports of the then-prime minister's involvement with an 18-year-old girl. Two years later, magistrates in Milan said they were investigating whether Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage prostitute named Ruby the Heartbreaker, then used his power to spring her from jail in an unrelated incident in which she was picked up for theft. Berlusconi's trial on those charges began in 2011, shortly before he resigned from office. Berlusconi has a vast business empire, including media holdings and construction companies. Forbes Magazine says he has a net worth of $6.2 billion. Journalist Barbie Nadeau reported from Rome, Michael Pearson reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Peter Wilkinson, Paul Armstrong contributed to this report. | NEW: Silvio Berlusconi will appeal the verdict .
NEW: His lawyer says the case shows judicial bias against Berlusconi .
The former prime minister was accused of publishing a rival's wiretapped conversation .
Berlusconi's brother also was sentenced to prison . |
177,275 | 717ebcc40ae06a56d2c0de47bdbdee573bf0078c | BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- The Boston police officer who sent a mass e-mail in which he compared Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. to a "banana-eating jungle monkey" has apologized, saying he's not a racist. Boston Police Officer Justin Barrett has apologized for the e-mail he sent about Harvard professor. Officer Justin Barrett, 36, told a Boston television station Wednesday night that he was sorry about the e-mail, a copy of which he also sent to The Boston Globe. He repeated his apology Thursday night on CNN's "Larry King Live." "I would like to take this opportunity to offer fellow police officers, soldiers and citizens my sincerest apology over the controversial e-mail I authored," Barrett said on CNN. "I am not a racist. I did not intend any racial bigotry, harm or prejudice in my words. I sincerely apologize that these words have been received as such. I truly apologize to all." Barrett was suspended from his military duties as captain in the Army National Guard and placed on administrative leave from the Boston Police Department pending the outcome of a termination hearing. Watch Barrett apologize » . Barrett said he was moved to write the note because he felt The Boston Globe column about the Gates incident to which he was responding "seemed like it was biased. "It did not show the roles and duties of a police officer and how dangerous it already is without having a debate about people getting in a police officer's face, which should never happen at all." Asked what led him to choose to use such language, he said, "I don't know. I couldn't tell you. I have no idea." He added, in response to a question, that he had never used such language before. In a news conference Thursday morning, Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis denounced the e-mail. "We have a relationship to maintain with the community," he said. "Police officers certainly have First Amendment rights, but they can't cross the line. I believe this crosses the line." Watch Davis say Barrett will be held accountable » . Davis also said he spoke Wednesday with Gates, whom he described as "gracious and incredibly thankful that we took action." In his fiery e-mail, which he sent to some fellow Guard members as well as the newspaper, Barrett vented about a July 22 Globe column about Gates' arrest. The African-American scholar was arrested July 16 and accused of disorderly conduct after police responded to a report of a possible break-in at his Cambridge home. The charge was later dropped, but the incident sparked a debate about racial profiling and police procedures. President Obama stepped into the debate and drew criticism by saying the Cambridge police acted "stupidly." Obama, who later said he spoke without knowing all the facts, tried to calm the debate, meeting Thursday with Gates and the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, for a beer at the White House. "At this point, I am hopeful that we can all move on, and that this experience will prove an occasion for education, not recrimination," Gates said afterward in a written statement. "I know that Sergeant Crowley shares this goal." "What you had today was two gentlemen agree to disagree on a particular issue," Crowley told reporters afterward. "I don't think we spent too much time dwelling on the past; we spent a lot of time discussing the future." Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham, who wrote the editorial that sparked Barrett's e-mail, supported Gates' actions, asking readers, "Would you stand for this kind of treatment, in your own home, by a police officer who by now clearly has no right to be there?" Watch Blogger Bunch: Is race discussion possible? » . In Barrett's e-mail, which was posted on a Boston television station's Web site, he declared that if he had "been the officer he verbally assaulted like a banana-eating jungle monkey, I would have sprayed him in the face with OC (oleorosin capsicum, or pepper spray) deserving of his belligerent non-compliance." Barrett used the "jungle monkey" phrase four times, three times referring to Gates and once referring to Abraham's writing as "jungle monkey gibberish." He also declared that he was "not a racist but I am prejudice [sic] towards people who are stupid and pretend to stand up and preach for something they say is freedom but it is merely attention because you do not get enough of it in your little fear-dwelling circle of on-the-bandwagon followers." According to a statement from Boston police, Davis took action immediately on learning of Barrett's remarks, stripping the officer of his gun and his badge. Barrett's prior arrests and field investigations will be looked at for indications of racial bias, Davis said. The department will also delve deeper into the officers who received or viewed the e-mail. | Justin Barrett apologizes for e-mail about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Barrett uses phrase "jungle monkey" four times in the mass e-mail .
Barrett: "I did not intend any racial bigotry, harm or prejudice in my words."
Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis denounces the e-mail . |
206,905 | 97e83263b640f78d15cdf39bdecf7af7f9ac9180 | (CNN) -- Hero Vincent has a dream: to see the titans of Wall Street trade their palatial office suites for a row of dank prison cells. The crime? Theft. Stealing billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded bailouts. Getting rich on your dime while you struggle to make ends meet. And if you're tired of standing by while the rich get richer and the middle class crumbles, he has a suggestion: Take it to the streets. Vincent, 21 and unemployed, has suddenly become one of several unofficial spokesmen for Occupy Wall Street, a leaderless protest movement made largely of twenty-somethings upset with the state of the economy, the state of the war in Afghanistan, the state of the environment, and the state of America and the world in general. If that sounds vague, it's meant to be. In less than three weeks, the movement has become a magnet for countless disaffected Americans. And at a time when an overwhelming majority of Americans say the country's on the wrong track, there's no shortage of new potential recruits. Photos: 'Occupy Wall Street' protests . On Saturday, more than 700 protesters were arrested for blocking the Brooklyn Bridge. A splinter group called Occupy Chicago touted a "huge afternoon march." In Boston, 34 groups -- unions and other organizations focused on everything from foreclosure prevention to climate change -- marched for "an economy that works for all of us," according to one website. Over on the West Coast, Occupy Los Angeles kicked off with a march to City Hall. In Seattle, demonstrators touted "a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors (and) genders." On Monday, a live video feed from Occupy Wall Street was featured at the start of a three-day conference of progressive leaders in Washington. What does it all mean? "We're here for different reasons," said Vincent, whose father is also unemployed and recently went through a home foreclosure. "But at the end of the day, it all boils down to one thing, and that's accountability. We want accountability for the connection between Wall Street and the politicians." "Something has to change," he told CNN. "We're out here because we're tired of what's been going on." Giles Clarke, a 46-year-old freelance photographer and father of two, echoes Vincent's call for greater accountability. "People have simply had enough," Clarke said. "We're living in an age where the inequality between high-end Wall Street and the (rest of us) is simply a gap that has become too big. Millions of people have lost their jobs. Millions of people have lost their homes." There's been, Clarke said, "way too much cloak-and-dagger activity within the corridors of Wall Street" in recent years. "This is about raising awareness and a change of political discourse." The average person, according to Vincent, "is just fed up because there's no more middle class. The margin between us and the employers is so great now. Where will we be in a couple of years?" Does he actually want to occupy Wall Street and shut it down? "We want to educate people," Vincent said. But "if Wall Street actually shuts down, we'll be happy about it." The movement "feels like something that will ultimately spread like the Arab spring," said Egberto Willies, a CNN iReporter in Washington. "I call it the American autumn." Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots have clear strains of liberal economic populism -- a powerful force in U.S. history during various times characterized by growing economic stress. That said, it could be a mistake to label or tie the movement to a specific agenda, said Susan Olzak, a Stanford University sociology professor. "It's difficult to classify a social protest movement early on in its history," Olzak told CNN. "Clearer goals could eventually emerge, but there's no guarantee." "Many movements fizzle out. Others become more organized," she said. But "I think we run a risk (by) taking a snapshot at any one point in time, and trying to categorize the movement in any one way based on that snapshot. The only way to study these protest movements is to follow them over time." If Vincent, Willies and Clarke have their way, there will be plenty of time for this movement to continue to grow and evolve. Some observers question if it could become a liberal counterweight to the conservative populism of the tea party. For his part, Clarke predicts the movement will go international in the next few months. "Let's get talking," he urged. "Let's have some of these issues looked at." CNN's Greg Botelho and Maggie Lake contributed to this report. | Occupy Wall Street is a protest movement covering a range of issues, with no clear leadership .
Many of the protesters are upset with growing wealth divide in the United States .
Nobody's being held accountable, one protester complains .
It's too soon to clearly label the movement, Stanford sociologist Susan Olzak says . |
128,681 | 3245ae1ca63aaff5fe499c82aeb10f6d637400be | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:19 EST, 13 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:06 EST, 13 November 2013 . A Nebraska man is being hailed a hero in China after jumping in to a river to save a woman from drowning - while other bystanders just watched and filmed the incident on their phones. Edward Poels, who was formerly a U.S. Army captain but now lives in Shanghai with his wife and daughter, saw the woman in distress while he was on a jog near the Bund River on October 14. The 22-year-old woman, who has not been identified, caught Poels' eye as security guards ran over to the railing to look down at her. Without any delay, he took off his shoes and socks and jumped. The 51-year-old former Army captain explained to the Omaha World-Herald that he had learned how to safely jump from high places - including from helicopters above water - during his training. Scroll down for video . Hero: Edward Poels, 51, pictured with his wife, is being hailed a hero after saving a drowning woman from a river in Shanghai in October. Poels, a former U.S. Army captain, grew up in Nebraska . Once in the water, he swam towards the woman and pushed her up, saying in his best Chinese: 'I help you.' The woman grabbed onto him before falling unconscious, and together they drifted down the river. Poels spotted a rope and ladder along the river wall and moved them towards it. Maintenance workers helped him wrap the rope around the woman and he signalled for officers above to hoist her up, with him climbing close behind. She was placed on the sidewalk, but passersby continued to film the incident on their phones rather than offer the unconscious woman any help. Plunge: After jumping into the water, Poels (right) pulled the woman towards a ladder on the river wall . Rescue: He helped tie a rope around her and security officers hoisted her to safety, as caught on video . Safe: Once on the sidewalk, Poels pressed her diaphragm to let water out and she recovered in hospital . So Poels ran towards her and pushed on her diaphragm, causing her to cough up water. It took an hour from when she fell into the water before an ambulance arrived. He was . instructed by authorities to stay until emergency personnel arrived. A . passerby gave him a dry shirt after witnesses snapped him dripping as . she emerged from the water. The woman was taken to hospital and she has since been released. Authorities have not said how she ended up in the river. The rescue was widely reported in China and Poels, who remained humble about the rescue and credited the maintenance workers, said strangers congratulated him on the street. Brave: He is pictured after coming out of the water. A passerby gave him a dry shirt before he left . Poels is originally from Grand . Island, Nebraska but has lived in China since 2001, where he runs an . export business. He and his wife, Yao Weiqing, have a six-year-old daughter, Samantha. He credited his quick thinking to eight years worth of sailing experience, which has seen him perform around 15 water rescues, he said. 'You just learn to react and take things in sequence to keep everyone safe,' he said. See below for video from ICS . | Edward Poels was on his usual daily jog in Shanghai when he saw the 22-year-old woman struggling in the water .
He jumped in and pulled her to a ladder, where she was hoisted to safety .
Even when she was pulled out, people continued to film the incident so he ran over to her to give her first aid - and she has now recovered .
Poels, a former U.S. Army captain, has lived in China since 2001 . |
169,145 | 66d7ce08d5ccce8764749343a23c8cac306c2d7c | (CNN) -- This month Road to Rio -- a Green City Journey stops off in the world's second most populated country, India. Sara Sidner, Mallika Kapur and Nick Glass meet in the capital city New Delhi, to explore how carbon cuts are being made. They hit the ground on green modes of transport to take on the Green City Challenge, picking up the best of green initiatives in a city heaving with mechanical and human traffic. From a solar-paneled rickshaw they explore the cuts being made in transport -- nearly the whole public transport system is run on natural gas (CNG) and the Metro system is expanding to take 17 million cars off the road reducing emissions by 160 millions tons. The slogan of the Rio Earth Summit, where we're heading in June, is "The Future We Want." Are young Indians participating in the future they want? Sara visits a local orphanage where organic waste from the local market is powering the stoves -- one solution to Delhi's problem of 9,000 tons of waste daily. Night markets are being lit by solar lamps in an initiative pioneered by Delhi students. And in the evening: A local eco-community provides the entertainment with a Bollywood movie in a solar powered cinema accompanied by popcorn made in a solar cooker. GREEN TEA . Tea production is one of India's foremost industries and nowhere is more celebrated for its tea leaves than Darjeeling. Nick goes to visit Chamong Tea Estate where tea pickers are exploiting renewable hydroelectric power to help run their business, making this truly "green tea." CLEANING UP DIRTY PHONE CALLS . Bharti Infratel in Gurgaon, near Delhi, has turned to renewable energy to help power the conversations of the future. The telecoms industry is growing massively each year, nowhere more so than in India. With around 800 million cell phone subscribers as well as call centers, every 10% increase in penetration has increased the country's GDP by 1.2%. However, the telecoms industry has a dirty secret; it is very carbon intensive. Sara goes to find out how it are cleaning up. SUSTAINABLE SILK . India is the world's second largest producer of textiles after China. It is an age-old trade, but the millions of meters of fabric rolled out each year pump nearly 200 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere. Mallika heads to Jaipur to see how a textile factory is turning the power of the sun to weave more and burn less. MUGHAL GREEN WISDOM . Locked into the ornate stone walls of Jaipur's Mughal palaces are the keys to really green buildings. Architect Manit Rastogi has explored the palaces to build a carbon cool university in a desert climate. Nick accompanies Rastogi from the Amber Fort to the Hawa Mahal, to see how clever manipulations of stone and water have made the Pearl Academy an energy efficient masterpiece. MUMBAI RECYCLING . Approximately 7,000 tonnes of waste is generated per day in Mumbai. Residents of the city's sprawling slum Dharavi, one of the largest slums in the world, have come up with a solution. Rag pickers swarm the heaps of garbage, and now there's a buck or two more for their work. Recycling the mounds of plastic into toys, household products and accessories is making big business out of rubbish. Mallika goes to find out. Watch the show in February at the following times: . Wednesday, February 15: 1030,1730, . Saturday, February 18: 0530, 1930, . Sunday, February 19: 1230 . Saturday, February 25: 1230, . Sunday, February 26: 0530,1930 . (all times GMT) | This month Road to Rio stops off in India to check out some green initiatives there .
The team first finds new modes of transportation helping to cut carbon in New Delhi .
They also look into how Indians use renewable energy as an alternative power source .
Plus, the program explores some of the green landmarks in the country . |
217,290 | a54e8b731471f0c94b6706c2c71939e299a828b3 | Waking up and travelling to work in the dark can make the day ahead seem unbearable. To solve this, one train company has come up with the world's first 'therapy carriage' - which is designed to make people less depressed about the weather. The unique carriage was decked out with bright lights which are used to help treat people who suffer from a winter depression known as 'Seasonal Affective Disorder' (SAD). Scroll down for video . First Great Western has developed the first 'therapy carriage', in which bright lights are installed to make passengers feel less depressed on dark and cold winter days . The Lumie lights installed in the train carriage mimic sunlight, which can help people suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of seasonal depression . SAD affects 500,000 people every winter between September and April, and in particular, during January and February. And this morning's 7.06am First Great Western train from London Paddington Station to Penzance, Cornwall, was full of special SAD Lumie lights - which are designed to help treat SAD. First Great Western collaborated with charity the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA), to see how they could brighten passenger's journeys as the winter blues take their toll. SAD is caused by a chemical imbalance due to the shortening of daylight hours, and the lack of sunlight in winter. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter. As with other types of depression, the two main symptoms of SAD are a low mood and a lack of interest in life. Sufferers may also be less active than normal and sleep more. Being animals, humans are all affected to some extent by changes in light and the seasons. Most people like comfort food and tend to feel more lethargic in winter. For about 20 per cent of the UK population, mildly debilitating symptoms of SAD cause discomfort but not serious suffering. This is called 'Sub-syndromal SAD' or 'Winter Blues'. For about 2 per cent, SAD is a seriously disabling illness which prevents them from functioning normally without the appropriate treatment. Source: Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA) The SAD lights, which were installed in the carriages, help alleviate symptoms of depression during the dark winter days. This is because they reproduce daylight and provide bright light which it's claimed increases levels of alertness, boosts mood and improves overall day-to-day performance. The lights offer high levels of light intensity as they each deliver 10,000 Lux - the method in which the intensity of visible light is measured - which is said to be enough bright light to get the body clock back on track. During a bright day, the level of brightness ranges from 10,000 to 25,000 Lux. Jamie Anderson from First Great Western said: 'With the dark winter mornings and evenings, and post-Christmas blues, the first few months of the year are traditionally a time when people look to book a summer holiday, or a long weekend away, often taking advantage of the longer daylight hours on the south coast. 'Until then, we are trying to shine a ray of light on people's journeys, and help them arrive at work and travel home again without the "winter blues".' Jenny Scott-Thompson, from SADA, added: 'With the continual lack of light and a long, cold January after the Christmas celebrations, this time of year is the peak time people suffer symptoms of SAD. 'We are pleased First Great Western is taking this step to help alleviate passengers suffering with SAD Lumie lights on board.' The 7.06am service runs daily to Cornwall, a region which averages over ten more hours of sunshine a month in January than the rest of the UK, according to the Met Office. Cornwall averages 58 hours of sunshine in January, compared with an average of just 47 hours across the UK as a whole. January and February is the peak time for SAD, which is caused by a chemical imbalance due to the shortening of daylight hours, and the lack of sunlight in winter . | Train company has made a 'therapy carriage' containing 'happy lamps'
Happy lamps are lights used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
These bright lights reproduce daylight - which boosts mood and alertness .
SAD, a type of seasonal depression, peaks in January and February . |
162,439 | 5e077d9f01fdb5c3f213f373ba100ab2decb470b | Cleaning cars and performing somersaults for £2.30. It was once all in a day's work for Arsenal ace Alexis Sanchez. The 25-year-old cost the Gunners £30million when he arrived from Barcelona in the summer. But the forward, who is understood to be pocketing a wage of £150,000-a-week, has reflected on his childhood in Chile where he couldn't even afford to buy a new pair of boots. Alexis Sanchez trains with his Chile team-mates in Santiago ahead of their friendly against Peru . Sanchez - seen here celebrating after scoring against Man City - has made a solid start to his Arsenal career . 'My first pair of boots were given to me by the Mayor of Tocopilla after my mum went to speak with him,' said Sanchez, as reported by the Daily Express. 'One day he turned up at my house and just gave me them. I was made up, like a dog with two tails! 'As I could do somersaults, people would say to me, 'do a somersault and we'll give you 50 or 100 Pesos'. 'I also used to clean cars.' Sanchez is back in his native Chile as he prepares to take on South American rivals Peru in a friendly on Saturday, before taking on Bolivia next Wednesday (October 15). Sanchez's tale is one that has taken him from rags to riches via River Plate, Udinese and Barcelona . Manchester United target Arturo Vidal (centre) is also part of the Chile squad to play Peru . Despite playing in the top tiers of Italian and Spanish football, with Udinese and Barcelona, Sanchez insists the Premier League is the hardest. 'Compared to the other leagues I've played in, I think this is the hardest and I like it a lot, I really do,' Sanchez told Arsenal.com. 'Before I signed, people had told me about how Arsenal were a big club with lots of quality players. Now I'm here I look at all the players during training and realise just what fantastic quality they all have.' With a wealth of attacking talent at the Gunners, Sanchez has started life at Arsenal in a variety of forward roles but admits he feels 'slightly more comfortable' when he is deployed on the right. 'I can run and cut inside on my left foot, but any position is good for me as long as I'm playing football because I hate being on the bench,' added Sanchez. 'If you take me off it's like you're taking the ball off me. 'I want to win everything. Looking at the coaches and players we have, with a winning attitude and ambition, we can win absolutely anything.' Sanchez, attempts to evade the challenge of Branislav Ivanovic, insists the Premier League is the hardest test . Arsenal entertain Hull on October 18 and will be looking to get their title bid back on track following last weekend's defeat by Chelsea. Manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping the former Udinese star comes through the international break unscathed, following Wednesday's news that injured Mesut Ozil faces 12 weeks on the sidelines. Sanchez has thrilled Arsenal fans with some stellar performances, collecting the club's player of the month award for September. And with five goals to his name so far this season, it's fair to say he has been flipping good... Like our Arsenal Facebook page. | Alexis Sanchez currently in Chile training ahead of friendly against Peru .
The forward joined Arsenal in a £30million deal this summer .
Sanchez says the Premier League is the toughest he has played in . |
270,334 | ea1df711d1e2f9b59a6c268ecdaf1e55e40c102c | Chelsea supporters were the victims of two unprovoked attacks around an Istanbul bar on Tuesday night, with an eye-witness claiming the assailants were using bottles and knives. The fans were a part of two separate incidents the day before the Blues' trip to Galatasaray - the same area where two Leeds fans were attacked and killed in 2000, ahead of a UEFA Cup semi-final. Neither of the Chelsea fans were thought to be seriously hurt - one has a wound on the hand - and neither required hospital attention. The club were made aware of the incident. Worry: Two Chelsea fans have reportedly been stamped in Istanbul ahead of Chelsea vs Galatasaray . A 57-year-old fan, who preferred not to be named, was among those attacked and said: 'About 30 of them attacked a group of ten of us in the main street off Taksim Square. 'There were a few of them out looking for Chelsea. There were guys with bumps and bruises. 'I think tonight (Wednesday) will be worse.' Seb Owens, 22 from Putney, said: 'We were walking down the main drag looking for a pub when a huge group of them attacked us with bottles and knives. We had to split up to get away so I don't know how many were hurt.' The club's security experts will spend Wednesday investigating the incidents and speaking to fans in order to gather more information. Around 1,300 are expected at the ground for the last-16 clash. Tricky place to go: Galatasaray fans always make sure the atmosphere for visitors is forever hostile . Chelsea have to provide a report to UEFA, although it is up to the local police to deal with the issue primarily. Dave Johnstone, spokesman for the . Chelsea fanzine cfcuk, said: 'I'd say 99.9 per cent of people we have . met in Istanbul have been really nice and friendly. You can go to any . city in the world and find yourself in trouble. There is probably more . violence in parts of London. 'I . don't want to generalise about all Galatasaray or Turkish football . fans. There will always be the minority of people looking for trouble. My advice to those fans coming out today would be to be on your toes, be . wary. Don't go looking for trouble. Be friendly.' Johnstone . reports that he heard that a small group of Chelsea fans were 'rushed' and by locals purporting to be Galatasaray fans. He saw one fan who had . been stabbed in the buttock, one with a black eye and another who had . been beaten up. He described them as 'walking woundedere . Trouble: A Chelsea fan in Istanbul said that as many as 30 supporters attacked them on Tuesday . The Blues - who always have a Met police officer with them on European trips - had offered advice to travelling supporters on their website earlier this week. 'While Istanbul is generally a safe city and the police have not given any specific areas to be avoided (other than the Metro to the stadium on match day), supporters should be aware of pickpockets, petty theft and bag snatchers in crowded places,' it read. 'Care should be taken to keep bags and cameras secure and not to keep on show any other valuables. Supporters are advised to leave their passports in the hotel safe and use another form of photographic ID.' They routinely carry out an advance inspection of all European venues with a club official in advance of games. The Foreign Office confirmed it was investigating reports of the incidents which took place around Taksim Square. 'We are looking into reports,' said a spokeswoman. 'We have had no confirmation of an incident. If confirmed we stand ready to provide consular assistance.' Written in the stars: Petr Cech, training on Tuesday, knew he would face his old pal Didier Drogba . Best foot forward: Drogba (centre) leads team-mates in training before he faces the club where he is a legend . Meanwhile, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr . Cech said he saw this tie against Galatasaray coming. ‘It was written in . the stars,’ said Cech as he prepared to face Didier Drogba for the . first time since his friend left the club two years ago. They have not been on the same pitch since winning the Champions League in Munich. Cech saved three Bayern Munich . penalties that night in May 2012; Drogba headed a late equaliser, gave . away a penalty and struck the winning shoot-out spot-kick. ‘Didier is . one of those guys you would always want him beside you,’ said Cech. ‘He likes the challenge, he likes taking the responsibility and he is a winner. ‘By fighting for every inch you can bring the people with you and that’s what Didier did. ‘He loves the game. He plays with emotion and he could always bring people together with his emotions and his will to win.’ Iconic: Cech has a face of pure ecstasy as he celebrates Drogba's Champions League-winning penalty . Former blue: Drogba will line up against his former Chelsea team-mates on Wednesday night . Man in charge: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be hoping his side can overcome Galatasaray . | Supporters were victims of unprovoked attacks in the centre of Istanbul .
Eye-witnesses claim locals were armed with knives and bottles .
Chelsea face Galatasaray in the last-16 of the Champions League . |
110,783 | 1ad2e2453b60e56a63ccf3b8085dc7c37bbfad93 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. schoolchildren still have work to do when it comes to mathematics, the secretary of education said Wednesday. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says U.S. schools need to be better equipped to teach math. Arne Duncan, releasing a report on the Department of Education's latest examination of how well American children are doing in mathematics, said no one should be satisfied with what it found. "Today's results are evidence that we must better equip our schools to improve the knowledge and skills of America's students in mathematics," he said. "More must be done to narrow the troubling achievement gap that has persisted in mathematics, and to ensure that America's students make greater gains toward becoming competitive with their peers in other countries." Fourth- and eighth-grade students from more than 7,000 public and private schools nationwide were tested by the National Assessment of Educational Progress for the report, titled "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009." Massachusetts students had the highest marks at both grade levels. Other high-performing states were Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire and New Jersey. The area with the lowest marks in both grades was the District of Columbia, though the report showed that the district -- along with Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- had improved its scores since the last tests were taken in 2007. The average scores were categorized at each grade level into four groups: below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. According to the Department of Education, some of the skills required to achieve a basic level of understanding of mathematics at the fourth-grade level include performing simple computations with whole numbers; showing understanding of fractions and decimals; and solving simple real-world problems. To achieve a basic level of understanding at the eighth-grade level, students must be able work with whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percentages; be able to solve word problems and use diagrams, charts and graphs; and be able to solve simple algebra and geometry problems. Scores were slightly higher in the 2009 report than they were in 2007, but Duncan said more needs to be done. "Our students need to graduate high school ready to succeed in college and the workplace," he said. The National Assessment of Educational Progress results "are a call to action to reform the teaching and learning of mathematics and other related subjects in order to prepare our students to compete in the global economy." | Department of Education takes look at how American kids are doing in mathematics .
Fourth- and eighth-grade students from more than 7,000 U.S. schools assessed .
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey ranked high .
District of Columbia had lowest marks in both grades, but its scores are up since '07 . |
95,202 | 0655ac51acd9b5a1791856660ed00468d1e0d60c | (CNN) -- The U.S. government is getting its bill for the damage a Navy minesweeper did to a Philippine coral reef, and it's less than expected. Philippine officials say the USS Guardian damaged 2,346 square meters (25,252 square feet) of Tubbataha Reef after it ran aground January 17. That's down from the original estimate of about 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet). And that means, under Philippine law, the United States owes $1.5 million in fines, the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board said in a posting on the Tubbahata Reefs Natural Park website Monday. The fines are based on the amount of reef that has been damaged, the state-run Philippine News Agency reported. The Tubbahata board said the revised damage estimate was made by a team of U.S. Navy and Philippine marine biologists from Wednesday to Friday. The original survey was conducted January 27 while the warship was still on the reef. The Guardian was completely removed on March 30, when the ship's stern, the last of four sections into which its 224-foot-long hull had been cut, was lifted from the reef by a massive seagoing crane. "Using aerial imaging, the grounding zone was originally outlined using the ship's length as the basis for computing the total damaged area. This image was later observed to be obliquely angled thus artificially expanding the area plotted on mapping software," the statement on the park's website said. The cost of the salvage operation to remove the ship from the reef was $45 million, Stars and Stripes reported Monday, citing a U.S. 7th Fleet spokesman. An investigation into the grounding is ongoing, but last week the Navy relieved the commanding officer and three members of the minesweeper's crew of their duties based on initial results of the probe, a Navy statement said. "The initial investigation findings clearly indicate that the CO, Lt. Cmdr. Mark A. Rice; the executive officer (XO)/navigator, Lt. Daniel Tyler; the assistant navigator; and the officer of the deck at the time of the grounding did not adhere to standard U.S. Navy navigation procedures," the Navy statement said. "The U.S. Navy has the highest accountability standards, and all four Sailors were relieved by Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley due to their role in the grounding and a loss of confidence." Tubbahata Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to about 500 species of fish and 350 species of coral as well as whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and breeding seabirds. READ MORE: Minesweeper lifted from Philippine reef . READ MORE: Bow cut from U.S. ship, lifted from Philippine reef . READ MORE: U.S. Navy commander apologizes for ship stuck in reef off Philippines . | New survey shows grounded minesweeper did less damage than originally thought .
Minesweeper ran aground on Tubbahata Reef on January 17 .
Ship's commander, three others relieved of duty, U.S. Navy says . |
64,000 | b5b106d630c9e6cdbbe341f4329144f8f55e6bd7 | By . Sarah Griffiths . From tech terms and celebrity break-ups to world events, social media is giving experts more information than ever before than what people really talk about online. A study has found that ‘emoji’,’ 'futebol’, and 'ghost plane' - relating to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane - are the top trending words and phrases of the year so far. The words and phrases were plucked from among millions used online in social media, blogs and global media. Spreading like wildfire: The top trending word of the year so far is emoji ¿ small digital images (pictured) used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication - which are used by millions of people in emails and on social media . The top trending word of the year so far is emoji – the small digital images used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication - which are continuing to spread like wildfire online. They are popularly used on social media sites and in emails and there have even been complaints that the current character set is not diverse enough. Major global events hitting the news such as the actions of ‘V. V. Putin’, fighting in the ‘Crimea,’ the mystery of 'ghost plane' Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and the ‘Mid Term Elections,’ feature in the list of 15 top trending words and phrases of 2014. The recent astronomical event of the ‘blood moon’ and Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘conscious de-coupling’ were two unusual events that captured the public’s imagination and were talked about online, while long-running issues including 'climate change' and 'inflation' continued to be of interest. Hitting the headlines: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's (pictured) 'conscious de-coupling' was one of the top 10 trending words and phrases in the study . Texas-based Global Language Monitor (GLM) analysed and catalogued the latest trends in word usage and their impact on the various aspects of culture, with a particular emphasis on global English. ‘Not only is the English language adding a new word every 98 minutes, but it is also expanding the basis of word creation,’ said Paul Payack, chief word analyst at GLM. ‘The alphabet itself is now expanding beyond letters to numbers + (emoticons) diacritical marks + emoji (picture words).’ The words are collected from throughout the English-speaking world, which now numbers more than 1.83 billion speakers. The company uses ‘NarrativeTracker technologies’ to perform its internet and social media analysis, which includes looking at the internet, blogosphere, the top 300,000 print and electronic global media, as well as new social media sources as they emerge. Emoji were originally popular in Japan, and widely used online. However, in recent years they have become hugely popular elsewhere. Japanese electronic messages and webpages, whose use is spreading outside Japan. Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji literally means 'picture' (e) + 'letter' (moji). Icons are standardised and include some specific to Japanese culture, such as a bowing (apologizing) businessman, a face wearing a face mask, a white flower used to denote 'brilliant homework' or a group of emoji representing popular foods: ramen noodles, dango, onigiri, Japanese curry, and sushi. Some emoji character sets have been incorporated into Unicode, allowing them to be used elsewhere in the world - and more could now be added. | The top trending word of the year so far .
is emoji – small digital images used to express an idea or emotion in .
electronic communication .
Texas-based company Global Language Monitor analysed and catalogued the latest trends in word usage to make up its top 15 list .
The top five trending words and phrases are: Emoji, futebol, climate change, ghost plane and inflation .
It analysed word usage online, in blogs and in the top 300,000 global media titles in print and online . |
52,955 | 963431f59f5119df92ab606bf8c7fbb75d067d84 | (CNN) -- The first guests checked back into the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi-Trident hotels Sunday, marking the reopening of the two luxury venues damaged by terrorist attacks in Mumbai last month. Guests arrive Sunday at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai. Along with new guests, the hotels' five restaurants were booked with diners, representatives of the Taj Mahal said. "Today has been an incredibly moving day. The Taj has been reopened, after a massive concerted effort, in dedication to all of those who lost their lives in the attacks on Mumbai," said Ratan Tata, the chairman of the company that owns the the Taj Mahal Palace hotel. Representatives at the Oberoi-Trident marked the reopening of that hotel with a multi-religion prayer meeting. Watch as the Taj Mahal hotel reopens . "All the 550 guest rooms, including the executive floors, of the hotel are ready to receive guests," a hotel spokesman said, adding the business was reopening with "heightened security," There were still portions of both hotels that could not reopened because of damage, including the Heritage wing of the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi wing of the Oberoi-Trident. The scene Sunday is a far cry from November 26 when the hotel and many other locations in Mumbai were paralyzed by a mass of coordinated attacks. Terrorists using bombs, gunfire and fire caused the deaths of more than 160 people over three days of sieges throughout the city that is India's commercial capital. They took hostages at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotels. The assaults also targeted a historic train station, a Jewish cultural center and other landmarks. CNN's Harmeet Singh contributed to this report. | Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace Tower, Oberoi-Trident luxury hotels reopen .
Both were targeted by gunmen in last month's attacks in which around 160 died .
Parts of both hotels still closed because of damage suffered during three-day sieges . |
229,690 | b574b677bbf74824dd28ba12b8744cfff3778513 | It's the kind of behaviour expected of a rock star, not a honeymooning bridegroom. But one young couple's holiday ended in disaster when the groom was forced to fly back alone after being ordered to pay £4,000 to replace a broken television. Former soldier Wesley Dyson and his bride Heather were on the last day of their holiday in the resort of Holguin at the Paradisus del Rio D'Oro when they were ordered off their airport transfer coach. Hellish: Wesley and Heather Dyson were on the last day of their holiday when they were told a damaged TV had been found in their hotel room . The couple, from Farnworth Lancashire, were told a damaged TV had been found in their hotel room. Mr Dyson, 36, was told he would have to pay 10 times the cost value of the TV - 6,600 Cuban pesos or about £4,000 - or the police would not give him his passport back. He had to wave his 31-year-old wife off in a taxi before spending an extra night in a separate Cuban hotel, making arrangements for the cash to be put in place. Neither of the couple remember damaging the 32-inch television that had been in their room and hotel staff would not allow them back into the room to inspect it. Idyllic: The pool at the resort of Holguin at the Paradisus del Rio D'Oro, where the couple stayed . Mr Dyson, who now works as a HGV driver, said they are desperately hoping their travel insurance will cover the replacement payment. He flew back alone to Gatwick, rather than Manchester, a day later than scheduled on June 3. Mr Dyson said: 'The hotel was run by the military and we were advised paying would be in our best interests'. The newlyweds enjoy the facilities at their hotel in Cuba, before being accused of breaking the television . 'They said, if you don't pay that within three days then an investigation will start and you will be held. 'I was in the army for 13 years and have been all over the world but I've never been treated like that anywhere. 'It was horrendous - like a Cuban hell.' He warned other holidaymakers to be on guard when visiting countries like Cuba and to carry out a personal inventory of the contents of their hotel rooms complete with pictures. Hotel nightmare: Wesley Dyson, 36, pictured in the second room the couple stayed in after initially being allocated a twin room, despite paying for a honeymoon suite at the Holguin resort . Mr Dyson added: 'I don't want anyone else to be waving their new wife off in a taxi in a foreign country on her own. It was terrible. 'We had been saving for the wedding and a dream honeymoon for months so we just don't have £4,000 to hand. 'I had to borrow it off my dad in the end.' Calm before the storm: HGV driver Wesley Dyson and his wife Heather enjoying two-week holiday in Cuba before being ordered to pay £4000 . The couple booked their holiday through Thomas Cook and Mr Dyson said the reps in Cuba had been helpful but also advised him that paying for the TV would 'in his best interests'. Mr Dyson is now waiting to see if his travel insurance policy with ERV will pay out for the bill. By paying, despite the circumstances, Mr Dyson is concerned it will appear as though he is accepting liability. Happier times: Mr Dyson was told he would have to pay 10 times the cost value of the TV or the police would not give him his passport back . A Thomas Cook UK and Ireland spokesman said: 'As soon as our highly experienced resort team was made aware of the situation Mr Dyson was in, representatives went to the hotel and offered him every support possible right through until the time he was able to return home. 'Our customer services team is also in contact with Mr Dyson to see if any further assistance can be provided.' The management of the Paradisus del Rio D'Oro failed to respond to requests for a comment. | Wesley and Heather Dyson, from Lancashire, were ordered off their airport transfer coach on the last day of their honeymoon in Cuba .
Mr Dyson, 36, was told he would have to .
pay 10 times the cost value of the TV or the police would not give him his passport back .
Couple now hope their travel insurance will cover the .
replacement payment . |
45,982 | 8181e73210dd8af2f84f388fbb618b16131d35b2 | (CNN) -- Federal safety investigators cast new concerns about using lithium-ion batteries to power systems on commercial aircraft, saying they should be put through rigorous tests that produce "the most severe outcomes" before being approved for use in the skies. The National Transportation Safety Board issued the recommendations on Thursday as it continues to investigate lithium-ion batteries on Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Two batteries on those aircraft self-combusted on planes last year. The Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have vouched for the safety of the Dreamliner's re-designed battery system. And the NTSB said those changes are consistent with its new recommendations. But the safety board said the FAA needs to revise its 2008 battery standards for all aircraft, which remain in effect. Batteries should be tested in conditions that closely resemble the conditions on planes, the safety board said. They should undergo "abuse tests" in which cells are intentionally damaged. And they should be tested in ways that produce "the most severe outcomes." Such tests can show whether the batteries experience thermal runaway, an uncontrollable increase in temperature and pressure that can spread -- or cascade -- to adjacent cells. Thermal runaways typically result in smoke, a known concern when the FAA approved the Dreamliner battery. But smoke events were thought to be rare, and engineers designed ways to vent the smoke. But one witness to a Dreamliner battery incident described "heavy smoke," a small, 3-inch flame coming from the battery case and material spewing out like molten wax . Aircraft manufacturers need to ensure that systems protect "against all adverse effects." "The NTSB is vitally interested in these recommendations because they are designed to prevent accidents and save lives," the board wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. The Dreamliner is the first large commercial aircraft to use permanently installed lithium-ion batteries as it main battery and for its auxiliary power unit, or APU. The batteries are valued because they are small, lightweight and powerful. The NTSB says that in seeking certification of its batteries, Boeing and battery manufacturer GS Yuasa Corp. of Kyoto Japan, estimated that a "smoke" event would occur "less than once in 10 million flight hours." But after 51,662 hours of commercial flight, two batteries failed, one culminating in a fire. In the first incident, a maintenance worker entered the aft electronics bay of Japan Airlines Dreamliner parked at Boston Logan airport on January 7, 2013, and found heavy smoke and a small 3-inch flame coming from the battery housing. The lithium-ion battery provided electricity to the plane's auxiliary power unit, or APU. While the incident is still under investigation, he NTSB said a short circuit in one of the battery's eight cells resulted in a thermal runaway, and damage spread to adjacent cells. Nine days later, the main battery on an All Nippon Airways Dreamliner failed during a flight over Japan. No fire was observed, and damage was confined to the battery housing. "This type of failure was not expected based on the testing and analysis .... that Boeing performed as part of the 787 certification process," the NTSB wrote. In a 2006 test, the battery manufacturer drove a steel nail into one of the battery's eight cells to induce an internal short circuit, to see if the damage would result in smoke, fire and damage to the battery case. Damaged cells emitted smoke, the test showed, but the smoke could effectively be handled by the airplane's ventilation system. The FAA and Boeing said they believed at the time that thermal runaway could only occur if a cell or battery was overcharged. So they took precautions to protect against overcharging, and adopted measures to vent smoke. Boeing had considered the potential that a short circuit of a single cell would generate smoke, but it "underestimated" the effects of a thermal runaway. The safety board said it is concerned about the repeatability of tests that induce thermal runaways in batteries, and said researchers have found that current test methods "might not reliably produce failure effects as severe as those observed" in the real-world failures. Internal shorts, the safety board said, are hard to reproduce. But it is important to solve to improve safety, it said. A safety board spokesman told CNN the board could make more recommendations when it issues its final report, likely later this year. Another battery incident troubles Boeing's 787 Dreamliner . Boeing announces changes to Dreamliner battery system . Aviation authorities find no big problems at Dreamliner's battery maker . | The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating lithium-ion batteries on Boeing Dreamliners .
Its new recommendations follow battery fires on 787s last year .
The safety board says the FAA needs to revise current standards on batteries . |
120,430 | 27a21e321a682e3a13f49cbe69606534bf56c050 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 12:22 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:32 EST, 22 January 2013 . Violin prodigy Vanessa-Mae has put her music career on hold while she rehearses for a new role - skiing at the Olympics. The 34-year-old musician has been training in Zermatt, Switzerland, for three years and has set her sights on representing Thailand at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. The former child star will take part in her first skiing event in April before competing in at least five internationally recognised competitions before she can qualify for the slalom at the Sochi games in February next year. Talented: Violinist Vanessa-Mae has swapped her violin for a pair of skis in the hope of competing in the next winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia . 'People are surprised when they see me . skiing - a classical violinist, Oriental, who has lived in the city all . her life,' she said. 'But it has been my dream to be a ski bum since I was 14. This is something I am determined to do.' The violinist is a British citizen but she also holds a Thai passport. She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father but she was brought up in England when her mother remarried a Briton. Vanessa-Mae, whose full name is Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, would be only the second Thai to compete at a Winter Olympics if she qualified. Academic Prawat Nagvajara represented . Thailand in cross-country skiing at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics . and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. 'I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated - being Thai,' said Vanessa-Mae.' Violinist Vanessa-Mae started skiing at the age of four but music has always been her priority . 'My father, like most Thais, has never skied but he's really excited about me doing this as is the Thai Olympic Committee.' Vanessa-Mae started skiing at the age of four but music has always been her priority. She made her international professional debut aged 10 and made her mark on the world stage when she broke from tradition and became known for mixing her glamorous style with classical music and pop. Her first techno pop-style album, 'The Violin Player,' was released in 1995 and reached Number 11 in the UK albums chart and she has not stop touring since. However, she has not released a new album since 2004. Stunning: Vanessa-Mae was famed for mixing her glamorous style and ability to play classical music with pop music . Musician Vanessa-Mae made her professional debut aged 10. Her first techno pop-style album was released in 1995 and reached number 11 in the UK charts . Vanessa-Mae, the world famous violin prodigy, continues to delight audiences the world over. Her family moved to London from Singapore when she was just four and she started to learn the piano and later violin. At the age of seven she won a prestigious competition for 'Young British Pianist of the Year' but decided to concentrate exclusively on playing violin. When she was 11, she passed entrance exams for a one-year course at Royal College of Music and had already begun making concert appearances. She played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London as the youngest soloist in history to play Bach's, Mozart's and Kabalevsky's concertos with the orchestra. The success of The Violin Player justified a bold creative gamble she wanted to take - a new synthesis of classical and pop sounds. The albums that followed confirmed this success - worldwide sales have topped 8million units so far, earning more than 40 international platinum awards. She has collaborated with pop legends including Janet Jackson and Prince, performed on the soundtrack of the Disney animated feature Mulan, played Bach for the British Royal Family on the 250th anniversary of the composer's death and performed as she modelled a wedding dress on the runway of a Jean-Paul Gualtier fashion show in Paris. People magazine voted her one of the '50 Most Beautiful People in the World' and FHM named her one of 'The World's 100 Most Beautiful Women.' WATCH VANESSA-MAE PERFORM STORM LIVE . | The 34-year-old hopes to qualify for the giant slalom event at the Sochi Olympics in Russia next year .
The musician is a British citizen but she also holds a Thai passport . |
81,013 | e59b32b80956b5fe75aac47cd0b4e7e79352f5f7 | (CNN) -- Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle says in a campaign ad that Democratic incumbent Harry Reid is the "best friend an illegal alien ever had." According to her, he tolerates illegal people "sneaking" across the border and receiving "illegal Social Security benefits." One Democratic commercial isn't much better. Rep. Walt Minnick of Idaho has a spot accusing his opponent, Raul Labrador, of helping illegal immigrants stay in the United States and running a website offering advice on how to seek amnesty. Not to be outdone, Delaware GOP candidate Christine O'Donnell calls for "closing the border." She argues we need to stop illegal border crossings before any other legislative action is taken on immigration. Explainer: Illegal immigration 101 . These and other appeals heard on the campaign trail this year are inflammatory and move the immigration issue in the wrong direction. They are based on erroneous assumptions and misguided arguments. These claims play to popular fears and emotions rather than reasoned debate over the controversy. Similar to the views of many Americans, candidates are exaggerating the cost of immigration and underestimating its benefits. Critics assume we can solve the illegal immigration problem through strict law enforcement and putting more money into border protection. Spending on customs and border security rose from $7.4 billion in 2002 to $17 billion so far in 2010, according to the Department of Homeland Security, yet we still have more than 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States. Part of the misunderstanding is that 40 percent of those folks are here not through illegal border crossings but from overstaying visas. They came to America through lawful means, but didn't leave when their visas ran out. Half arrived before 2000, according to research by the Pew Hispanic Center, so tougher border enforcement will not eliminate undocumented visitors. Click for more commentary on timely topics . In terms of the drain on government resources, skeptics fail to understand that many illegal immigrants actually pay taxes. They incur sales taxes on purchases, property taxes when they rent or buy homes, income taxes when they are employed, and Social Security payments for jobs. A study by the Social Security Administration, for example, found that undocumented immigrants have contributed an estimated $120 billion to $240 billion to the Social Security trust fund, even though they are ineligible to receive Social Security benefits. Research by the George W. Bush Council for Economic Advisors estimated that immigrants contributed $37 billion annually to the country's overall economic activity. American cities with the biggest increases in numbers of immigrant workers also have the fastest growing economies. Rather than a drag on economic growth and job creation, as is commonly thought, immigrants help spur economic growth through employment, tax payments and consumer purchases. Immigrants are vital to American innovation and entrepreneurship. They perform jobs in agriculture, hotels, restaurants and constructions that many Americans don't want. At the high-skilled end, they set up businesses and create high-paying jobs. One quarter of the technology and engineering businesses launched in America between 1995 and 2005 had an immigrant founder. In Silicon Valley, that number was 52.4 percent. These are not isolated stories. Google, Yahoo, eBay, and Intel are among the companies with immigrant founders or co-founders. Where would the U.S. economy be if Google were based in Russia, Yahoo in Taiwan, eBay in France, and Intel in Hungary? There would be far fewer jobs and much less technology innovation in the United States. To be sure, these ventures have come through the efforts of legal, and not illegal, immigrants. But, some of the crackdowns on undocumented workers, such as the Arizona law, create a chilled climate for those here illegally, possibly persuading other immigrants to take their energy and innovation to other countries. It is time for candidates and political leaders to tell the real story about immigration. Even though illegal immigrants enrage many Americans, it would be prohibitively expensive to deport 11 million people. As a vivid illustration of this point, the Center for American Progress found that mass deportations would cost $285 billion over five years, or an average of $900 for every American. If people actually are worried about government cost, they should support the creation of a pathway to citizenship based on paying back taxes, learning English and collection of a serious fine for illegal entry. Experts say that a full path to legalization would add $1.5 trillion to the American economy over the next decade. It would be cheaper to legalize illegal immigrants than keep them underground and outside the mainstream economy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Darrell M. West. | Darrell West: Campaign ads appeal to fears on immigration and spread bad information .
Illegal immigrants pay taxes, give billions to Social Security but never get benefits, he writes .
West notes the cost of deporting the 11 million illegal immigrants would be astronomical .
Path to citizenship would add $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy over 10 years, he says . |
114,336 | 1f86dd2354f8beab1f9866124a790ac230c6a024 | The American Red Cross says power outages created by recent storms in the East and Midwest cut blood donations, which were already low this summer. In June there was a nationwide shortfall, with donations down more than 10% across the country. "We are asking people to please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit us at redcrossblood.org to find a way to donate if they can," said Stephanie Millian, Red Cross director of biomedical communications. "We need people's help." One group that would like to help, but legally can't, may be moving one step closer to eligibility. Since the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic decimated their community, gay men -- or MSMs (men who have sex with men) as they are called by federal agencies -- have not been allowed to donate blood. In June, a group of 64 U.S. legislators led by Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Illinois, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services encouraging it to move forward with a study that may lead to the end of the decades-old ban. "We remain concerned that a blanket deferral of MSM for any length of time both perpetuates the unwarranted discrimination against the bisexual and gay community and prevents healthy men from donating blood without a definitive finding of added benefit to the safety of the blood supply," the letter said. China lifts ban on lesbians giving blood . "This is a matter of life and death and we are turning away over 50,000 healthy men who want to donate blood," Quigley told CNN. "A straight person who has unsafe sex with multiple partners can give blood, and that creates a greater risk than a gay person in a monogamous relationship." The policy started at a time when people didn't know how the deadly virus that causes AIDS spread. At the time, there wasn't a good test to detect whether HIV was present in donated blood, and HIV was getting into the nation's blood supply. They knew this because hemophiliacs who were getting blood transfusions started showing symptoms of AIDS. What scientists also knew was that a disproportionate number of gay men were affected by the virus. To eliminate risk, the Food and Drug Administration added a screening question to the federal guidelines. Blood banks were instructed to ask male donors if they had had sex with a man, even once, since 1977. The FDA regards 1977 as the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the United States. If the potential donor responded "yes," he would automatically be removed from the donor pool for life. No similar questions were asked to screen out donors who engaged in other potentially risky sexual behavior. Donors weren't asked about the number of partners they had, nor were they asked if their sexual partners had engaged in unprotected sex with other HIV positive partners. "While the Red Cross is obligated by law to follow the FDA guidelines, we continue to work with the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) to push through policies that would be much more fair and consistent among donors who engage in similar risk activities," Millian said. Scientists can now screen for most instances of HIV within days of infection, and the nation's blood banks have called a lifetime ban "medically and scientifically unwarranted." Men who have sex with men still are disproportionately affected by the virus and account for nearly half the approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it is a person's behavior, not their sexual orientation, that puts them at risk say health experts. While he is a gay man, Adam Denney thinks he would be the perfect candidate to donate blood. He doesn't use IV drugs. He practices safer sex. He even educates people on how to prevent new HIV infections as a regular volunteer educator with AIDS Volunteers Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky. He thinks his exclusion is unfair. "Yes, gay men are still a high-risk community, but so are minority women, and there are no standards prohibiting them from donating. There would be rightful outrage against that kind of blanket population ban," Denney said. "I am banned based on one reason only, my sexual orientation. It's totally discriminatory." When Denney went to donate at a blood drive on the Eastern Kentucky University Campus a few years ago, he said he knew what likely would happen when the nurses asked the sexual history question. "I did know what I was getting into, but I was shocked by how it felt to be rejected," he said. "It was almost like they thought I wasn't important enough to give blood, like because I was gay I didn't count. It was a horrible feeling." Parts of UK lift lifetime ban on gay men donating blood . Nathan Schaefer with GMHC, an AIDS service organization, said Denney normally would be the type of donor blood banks are hungry for. Studies show those who give blood when they are young become regular lifetime donors, something most blood banks are struggling to find these days. GMHC has been fighting to change the ban for years. In 2010 GMHC joined a coalition of other nonprofits to encourage Congress to send a letter to HHS to end the ban, which some members of congress did. In June of that year, HHS brought together an independent panel of experts. The Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability reviewed the policy and decided to keep it and concluded the ban was "suboptimal," because it allows high-risk individuals to donate while keeping low-risk donors out. However, the expert committee also concluded "available scientific data are inadequate to support change to a specific alternate policy." The panel suggested the policy not be changed and recommended further evaluation. HHS then promised to conduct feasibility studies to determine if there was a subset of the gay male population that would pose little or no threat to the blood supply. "We finally got them to stop defending the policy at the very least, which was pretty significant," Schaefer said. The HHS is still determining the criteria for which part of the population to study. GMHC suggested the population to consider should include gay men who have had only one sex partner in the past six months. Spain and Italy, two countries with more progressive donor policies, hold everyone to that standard regardless of sexual orientation. Schaefer takes the point one step further. "A straight person could donate today after having unprotected sex with hundreds of partners, and in the United States they won't ask about that behavior," he said. He added that four out of five gay men are HIV negative, which he estimated means 2 million additional people could be blood donors. A 2010 study by the Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles estimated that if gay men who had not had sexual contact for the past 12 months were allowed to donate blood, more than 53,000 additional men would likely make more than 89,000 blood donations. That number may seem small, but blood banks say it could help enormously, especially now, when blood supply shortages are common. After Denney was denied the chance to donate, he asked some of his friends to help him demonstrate outside the blood drive. They produced signs to raise awareness about the ban and distributed educational material. They also escorted people to the drive, because they wanted people to continue to donate. "A lot of people in the Bible Belt assume you have AIDS if you are a gay man," he said. "We wanted them to understand that is not the case. We are banned based on an outdated policy. When people questioned us, I told them about how I always heard that people who donate blood are heroes. Gay men want to be heroes, too." Should people be allowed to sell their organs? | Gay men prohibited from donating blood .
In June, blood donations were down more than 10% .
Studies show 1 in 5 people donate blood, 95% of population will need donated blood .
64 members of Congress are urging the United States to end the ban . |
138,951 | 3fb080c10b558863a3b8814384f3f72a43709389 | By . Chris Pleasance . He was one of the greatest engineers of British history, designing and building 25 railway lines, over 100 bridges and three ships including the Great Western and Great Britain. She is an award-winning mechanical engineer, a star graduate from the University of Bristol, and one of a few women in her field. And now, Morwenna Wilson, the great-great granddaughter of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has been charged with renovating the area around King's Cross station, built by Brunel's contemporaries in 1851-52. Morwenna Wilson, 31, the great-great granddaughter of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has been put in charge of a team of architects and engineers renovating the area around King's Cross Station . At just 31 years old, Ms Wilson will lead a team of architects and engineers tasked with giving a modern-day twist to the old Victorian structures around the station and bringing them back to life. Brunel was one of the greatest engineers of his time, building 25 railway lines and more than 100 bridges . Speaking about her ancestor to The Times, she said: 'He was an inspiration. It definitely runs in the family. My grandfather was also an engineer.' Studying at the University of Bristol, she was perfectly placed to admire the brilliance of great-great grandfather. In 1833 Brunel was commissioned to work on the Great Western Railway linking London to Bristol, and accomplished many engineering feats during its construction, including the viaducts at Hanwell and Chippenham, the Maidenhead Bridge, the Box Tunnel and Bristol Temple Meads Station. Earlier, in 1931, his designs won a competition to build the Clifton Suspension Bridge across the River Avon which flows through the city. While he was responsible for several architectural feats in London, such as Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping, he wasn't actually the genius behind King's Cross. The station was in fact designed by his contemporary, George Turnbull, and later details were added by Lewis Cubitt. Brunel would be proud to know that, 155 . years on from his death, his descendent is carrying on with the work he . and his contemporaries started. When the work on King's Cross is completed it will house more than 18 restaurants, 2,000 new homes, 23 office spaces and a collection of outdoor venues. Women are woefully under-represented in the construction industry, making up just 11 per cent of the workforce, compared with 50 per cent in finance, 46 per cent of doctors and 27 per cent of police. Among one of his most spectacular achievement is the Clifton Suspension Bridge over the River Avon . While most of his work was completed in the west of England, he designed bridges across the UK inlcuding this one across the River Dee in Balmoral, Scotland . It's something she is keen to change. She said: 'It's not just about being a builder on site. It's about celebrating practical achievements. 'One of the things I enjoy most about my job is that I am creating tangible things. I can show people and say "I was part of this."' Another female engineer keen to engage women is Roma Agrawal, a 30-year-old structural engineer who worked on the Shard skyscraper in London and appeared as one of the inspirational women on the recent M&S poster campaign. She said there was still an element of everyday sexism on building sites, but added: 'As the number of women on site is steadily increasing, it's only a matter of time before that gets stamped out.' Brunel was a stand-out even in a field of greats, accomplishing a huge amount in a relatively short lifespan . Over the course of his relatively short life, from 1806 to 1859, Brunel was responsible for building over 25 railway lines, more than 100 bridges, eight piers and docks, and three enormous steamships. He was a stand-out even in a field which included greats like George Stevenson - so-called father of the railways - and Thomas Cubitt - who helped build large parts of London, including Finsbury, Islington and Belgravia. He constructed the Great Western Railway, linking London to Bristol, built the famous Bristol Meads Station, and designed five revolutionary suspension bridges including the Clifton Suspension Bridge over the River Avon. While he is best known for his work on the railways, he was also an accomplished ship builder. He built the the 'Great Western', which launched in 1837 and was the first steamship to ferry regular passenger journies across the Atlantic Ocean. The 'Great Britain', launched in 1843, was the world's first iron-hulled, steam-powered passenger liner to use a screw-propellar, which made ti far more efficient. The 'Great Eastern', launched in 1859, was designed in cooperation with John Scott Russell, and was by far the biggest ship ever built, but was so expensive it drove its owner into bankruptcy. | Morwenna Wilson great-great granddaughter of Isambard Kingdom Brunel .
31-year-old is engineer is in charge of renovating area around King's Cross .
Station built by Brunel's contemporaries George Turnbull and Lewis Cubitt .
Wilson is an award-winning engineer who says ancestor 'inspired' her . |
81,198 | e61e6defcbd4a9f30c26799396ce9de6c1ef396e | It has emerged Martin Place siege victim Katrina Dawson was struck by a police bullet when officers stormed the Lindt Cafe firing at Man Haron Monis. A police investigation has also revealed the gunman had enough ammunition with him to kill all of the hostage. Ms Dawson, 38, was not directly hit by a bullet but possibly a ricochet when Tactical Operations Unit officers raided the cafe just after 2am on December 16, multiple sources have confirmed to Fairfax Media. Monis had just executed another of the hostages, cafe manager Tori Johnson, at close range, and was killed in the shoot-out. Scroll down for video . Some of the hostages of the Sydney siege were able to escape the Lindt cafe before the shoot out took place . Police investigation reportedly reveals Katrina Dawson, left, was hit by a bullet fired by police as they stormed the Lindt after Man Haron Monis executed Tori Johnson, right . This news comes after it was revealed police found 20 more rounds of ammunition inside the pocket of Monis, according to news.com.au. From initial lines of inquiry, it is believed Ms Dawson was struck in the heart by a ricocheting bullet while on the floor and again in her shoulder. The siege's second victim, Tori Johnson, was shot in the head from behind - at close range - by Monis before officers raided the cafe, a source told News Corp. The circumstances surrounding the 16-hour Martin Place siege is still the subject of a critical incident investigation by the homicide squad. Ms Dawson's cause of death will be determined by the NSW Coroner once that investigation is completed. A police spokeswoman told Fairfax Media the force would not be commenting on any aspect of the investigation until that process had been completed. Ms Dawson and Mr Johnson were both held hostage by Man Haron Monis, pictured, in Sydney's Lindt cafe . Police also would not confirm if bullets had been found in Monis' pocket following the end of the siege. But a source confirmed to News Corp after his shoot-out with police, where they sprayed more than 27 shots at the gunman, they found at most 20 rounds on his body. The details of the final moments of the Sydney siege emerge days after it was revealed the gunman Man Monis was dropped from the national watch lists on the same year he was reported to AFP for repeatedly threatening an Islamic school principal. As more information comes to light about Monis’ violent and disturbing past, people continue to question why the man with a history of threatening behaviour was not being more closely monitored by authorities. It is alleged Monis repeatedly made threats to the principal of a South Sydney school, accusing him of being a traitor and a 'sell-out' for allowing the school to engage in interfaith activities, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. After sending about 12 abusive faxes, ranting about the school’s choice to associate with a Jewish school and for holding an inter-faith Anzac Day ceremony, Monis' messages became more sinister. 'People like you will get what's coming your way,' he wrote to Osman Karolia, who was the then-principal of Arkana College in Kingsgrove. Mr Karolia became concerned and asked if that was intended as a threat, to which Monis replied ‘yes’. Mr Karolia contacted Australian Federal Police, deeply concerned Monis was acting in a hostile manner towards himself and the school. Although Monis was investigated, police still elected to stop monitoring Monis by removing him from watch lists that same year. | Katrina Dawson was one of two victims killed in the 16-hour stand-off .
It has been reported Ms Dawson, 38, was 'shot by police' on December 16 .
Initially, it was thought the mother was gunned down by Man Haron Monis .
The other victim, Tori Johnson, was killed by the gunman, who also died .
Sources say police found at most 20 rounds of ammunition on Monis' body . |
136,290 | 3c520cc3e599404a0c9f4ce092ff7fb6517a2969 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 20 September 2013 . The husband of a third grade teacher has admitted promoting prostitution out of a downtown office building. Mark Fiedler and his wife Laura, a . former Springfield Public Schools teacher, are accused of arranging . meetings between people seeking sex through online ads and alleged . prostitutes. When arrested the couple told police that they thought they were arranging clients for employees hired to give massages on the third floor of the Landmark building in Springfield, Missouri. Mark Fiedler has admitted the Class C felony of promoting prostitution in the second degree. He and wife Laura are accused of arranging meetings between people seeking sex through online ads and alleged prostitutes . Police believe the Fiedlers had up to five women working for them in the 100-year-old building. The 43-year-old has admitted the . Class C felony of promoting prostitution in the second degree, which . could put him in prison for seven years. The . case against his 36-year-old wife, a third grade teacher, continues. She is charged with the . Class D felony of promoting prostitution in the third degree. That charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted. A pre-trial conference is set for next week, News-Leader reported. The charges claim that detectives found the business advertised on a website called backpage.com under the adult category and made contact to establish what was offered and the cost, KY3.com reported last year. A meeting was arranged at the building and the police moved in. The pair was arrested and charged in 2012. 'He's charged essentially with managing the prostitution business, whereas she's charged with assistance in that business,' Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson told KY3.com at the time of the charge. The prosecutor explained the delay in filing charges was due to the complex nature of the investigation. 'Much of the case is built upon records, phone records, and other records that have to be obtained from companies. 'It takes them awhile to generate those documents, to provide them to law enforcement, and then for law enforcement to take the time to analyze those documents,' Patterson told KY3.com. | Mark and Laura Fiedler are accused of arranging meetings between people seeking sex through online ads and alleged prostitutes .
He admits the Class C felony of promoting prostitution in the second degree . |
100,087 | 0cf50dce42d5583549d47ed6d7583d50b03146a9 | Spanish investigators have smashed an alleged online terror network accused of recruiting young women to join Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria. Two suspects were arrested in Melilla, the Spanish enclave neighbouring Morocco, in the latest operation by Spain's authorities targeting such recruiting networks. Another two were detained in Girona and Barcelona in Spain's northeast. The arrests came as European nations scramble to halt a surge in young people wanting to travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight with the jihadists. Suspect: One of the two suspects were arrested in Melilla, the Spanish enclave neighbouring Morocco . Another as-yet unidentified man is seen being led away by anti-terror officers following his arrest . Grinning: A third man is seen laughing and smiling as he is arrested at his home in Barcelona today . The two arrested in Melilla were said to be behind the creation and operation of several Internet platforms spreading propaganda, particularly for ISIS, the interior ministry said in a statement. 'In line with the strategy of the Daesh terrorist group, they focused on the recruitment of women who, after a process of indoctrination, would end up joining the terrorist group in conflict zones,' it said, referring to a derogatory Arabic acronym for ISIS. Private home visits were also organised for recruiting purposes and a number of young people had begun preparations to travel to war zones, the ministry said. One of those arrested ran a 'virtual community' with ISIS propaganda and more than 1,000 subscribers, it said. On Facebook, he had a 'multitude of subscribers' outside Spain, including Latin America and countries such as Belgium, France, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States, the statement said. A man is seen being arrested in Barcelona this morning on suspicion of being involved in the terror network . The father of one of four arrested men stands outside his home in Sant Vicens dels Horts, near Barcelona . The father and brother of one of the arrested men are photographed in their home this morning . One of the suspects arrested in Spain's northeast was described as an Islamic State sympathiser-turned-propagandist. The other was said to have published video to recruit potential jihadists. Authorities were working to establish links between the two in Melilla and those in Spain's northeast. Spain has dismantled several similar networks, particularly in Melilla and its other African enclave, Ceuta. The two enclaves constitute the only land borders between Africa and Europe. Authorities estimate that around 100 Spanish nationals have joined jihadist fighters in Iraq and Syria, a lower number than those from France, Britain and Germany. Britain says some 500 people have travelled from the country to join jihadist groups, while France says about 1,400 residents have either joined the jihadist cause in Syria and Iraq or were planning to do so. France on Monday announced that it had confiscated the passports of six suspected would-be jihadists and would ban another 40 from travelling. | Four men arrested on suspicion running alleged terror recruitment network .
Men accused of using the internet to spread propaganda aimed at women .
Even arranged private home visits for those preparing to leave for Syria .
One of those arrested ran a 'virtual community' with ISIS propaganda and more than 1,000 subscribers .
He distributed pro-ISIS propaganda to Latin America, Belgium, France, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey and the U.S. |
212,371 | 9f028fdc38ac9469540853961b758dd67d413eb3 | The retired judge leading an inquiry into historic sex abuse said she will not quit yesterday, after her brother was linked to an Establishment ‘cover-up’ of the paedophile ring she will be investigating. Baroness Butler-Sloss faced demands for her resignation less than 24 hours after she was appointed to lead the Government’s probe into abuse by politicians and other powerful figures. MPs and legal experts said it was inappropriate for her to keep the post given that her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was Attorney General under Margaret Thatcher when many of the abuse claims were first made. Scroll down for video . Baroness Butler-Sloss faced demands for her resignation less than 24 hours after she was appointed to lead the Government's probe into abuse by politicians and other powerful figures . Sir Michael was accused of presiding over a ‘whitewash’ and ‘the cover-up of the century’ in the 1980s by Geoffrey Dickens MP, who led a campaign to identify members of a paedophile ring allegedly operating in Whitehall, and including an MI6 officer. Actor Nigel Havers, Sir Michael’s son, defended his aunt yesterday. He said she ‘had no political ties to my father and knew nothing about what was going on in the House of Commons at that time’, adding: ‘She has every right to lead the inquiry.’ But Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who exposed Cyril Smith’s abuse and led calls for a full inquiry into the alleged official cover-up of child abuse, said: ‘It’s astonishing the Government didn’t realise they were appointing the sister of someone who had tried to deter the prosecution of a significant paedophile. It’s far too Establishment – and the Government need to think again.’ Further doubt was cast on Lady Butler-Sloss’s suitability last night when it emerged she had made significant errors in an inquiry into a Church of England paedophile scandal three years ago. Eight months after her report was published, the peer had to issue a six-page addendum in which she apologised for ‘inaccuracies’ that arose from her failure to corroborate information provided by senior Anglican figures. MPs and legal experts said it was inappropriate for her to keep the post given that her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was Attorney General under Margaret Thatcher when many of the abuse claims were first made . Mr Danczuk said the mistakes ‘raise more concerns’ about her ability to lead an inquiry into failures by Westminster, Whitehall, the BBC, Church and other public bodies to protect children from abuse. Alison Millar, a lawyer who has represented many victims of child abuse, added: ‘The concern is that she is just too close to the Establishment and in particular, [there is] concern over her connection to Sir Michael.’ However, Lady Butler-Sloss – who also headed the Cleveland inquiry into false accusations of child abuse – said yesterday: ‘If people think I am not suitable then that’s up to them.’ Whitehall sources insisted the allegations relating to Sir Michael had been considered before her appointment was announced. A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘She commands the very highest respect for her professional expertise and integrity.’ Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who exposed Cyril Smith's abuse and led calls for a full inquiry into the alleged official cover-up of child abuse, said: 'It's astonishing the Government didn't realise they were appointing the sister of someone who had tried to deter the prosecution of a significant paedophile' Last week the Mail reported the story of Sir Peter Hayman, the deputy under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, who was also believed to be a senior officer in MI6. In 1978, Hayman – a subscriber to the notorious Paedophile Information Exchange – was caught sending and receiving obscene literature through the post after a package was found on a London bus. He was named in a report submitted by the Metropolitan Police to the Director of Public Prosecutions – but never prosecuted. Mr Dickens used Parliamentary privilege to name Hayman and asked Sir Michael if he would prosecute him. In a written answer, Sir Michael replied that he agreed with the Director of Public Prosecutions that there was no need to do so. Mr Dickens called his decision the ‘cover-up of the century’. n David Cameron yesterday backed the NSPCC’s demand for new laws to make it an offence not to report child abuse in a children’s home, hospital or boarding school. The charity’s proposed rules would, however, be limited to so-called closed institutions, where children stay overnight. A whistleblower has accused the Home Office of giving tens of thousands of pounds of public money directly to the Paedophile Information Exchange. Former civil servant Tim Hulbert said the payments were made to the group at the request of the Metropolitan Police’s Special Branch. His comments cast doubts on the credibility of an internal Home Office inquiry this week that found it did not give any grants directly to PIE, which wanted to decriminalise sex between children and adults. Former civil servant Tim Hulbert has accused the Home Office of giving tens of thousands of pounds of public money directly to the Paedophile Information Exchange . The report found that while two groups linked to PIE received almost £500,000 from the Home Office, the paedophile group itself did not get any cash. But Mr Hulbert believes paperwork that could prove grants were paid straight to PIE may be among 114 files relating to child sex abuse lost by the Home Office. Breaking 35 years of silence, he said he had raised concerns with Clifford Hindley, his boss at the Voluntary Services Unit at the Home Office, when asked to renew a grant in 1979 for PIE, thought to have been worth around £30,000. He told ITV News he went to Mr Hindley and said: ‘Look, Clifford, what the hell are we doing funding an organisation like PIE?’ He added: ‘I had young children and PIE were openly campaigning for the reduction of the age of consent to four. ‘Secondly, it seemed crazy that we should be funding an organisation that was advocating a lessening of the constraints around child abuse when one of our constituent organisations was the Department of Health, which was spending a lot of money to prevent child abuse. ‘I remember having a frank exchange with him about this and his arguments [for continuing payments] were, one, it was recognised as a legitimate if not necessarily appropriate campaigning organisation. Secondly, I have a very clear recollection that he told me it was being funded at the request of Special Branch.’ He said Mr Hindley ordered the grant to be paid. But the fact that it was a renewal suggests money had also been paid by the Labour government of James Callaghan, which left office in 1979. It is not known why Special Branch would request the payment, although suspicions have been raised that undercover officers were trying to infiltrate the group to find prominent members who could be blackmailed. | Baroness Butler-Sloss faced demands to resign hours after appointment .
Her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was Attorney General under Thatcher .
It was during this time that the abuse claims were first made .
Sir Michael has been accused of presiding over ‘cover-up of the century’ |
220,165 | a8f3b66a5f9adbb2a45f942e3c5a75e24ac3fedf | By . Lucy Osborne . Birmingham businesswomen Ranjit Uppelle, 41, left, and Kavita Jnagal, 37, admitted conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown Court . They rubbed shoulders with the stars, chatted to the Chancellor and even shook hands with the Queen at Buckingham Palace – all the while being praised for helping people find work. But unknown to those they mingled with, businesswomen Ranjit Uppelle and Kavita Jnagal had been busy masterminding a sophisticated scam which saw them steal £200,000 of taxpayers’ money. The pair co-founded Simply Recruitment in 2008 – a company that claimed to ‘help adult learners improve their job chances’. This led to them being awarded the Outstanding Women in Business of the Year award. They relied on their carefully constructed veneer of respectability as they hobnobbed with the likes of Prince Charles and former Dragons’ Den tycoon James Caan. Their success led to them meeting the Queen at an Asian Women of Achievement reception held at Buckingham Palace, and at other prestigious events they mingled with Gordon Brown, George Osborne and David Cameron. But it has now emerged that the pair’s astonishing rise to success was built on a complex scam which involved taking money from the Government-funded quango, Learndirect. A court heard Uppelle, 41 and Jnagal, 37, recruited an army of ‘ghost students’ to pose as clients in order to acquire large amounts of funding. Investigators believe they claimed the money by charging Learndirect for fraudulent training courses, most of which took place between March and November 2010. The pair used company employees to fake student enrolment and exam result records in adult education packages. Their staff were told to sit the exams and then doctor the results in order to secure funding from the Government. Employees were coerced into forging the signatures of fake students to add extra weight to the fraud. Hundreds of real students are also thought to have been enrolled without their knowledge, and work was faked for students who signed up to courses but later pulled out. Other results were doctored to make it appear that students who failed the tests had actually passed their exams. High life: The two women (Jnagal pictured right) met the Queen at a Buckingham Palace reception . Now fallen from grace: The women also met Prince Charles at a business conference . Meeting the Chancellor: Uppelle, left, and Jnagal met George Osborne through their recruitment work . Uppelle, from Edgbaston in Birmingham and Jnagal, from Rugeley, near Lichfield, both admitted conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown Court. They were handed suspended jail terms of nine and six months respectively and ordered to pay £1,000 costs. Uppelle and Jnagal entered their pleas last August, but they can only now be reported after the scam’s ringleader, Sandeep Jethwa, admitted the same charge in January. He swindled at least £120,000 from the charity University for Industry by creating ghost students, – but was caught when the Metropolitan Police’s fraud squad was alerted to concerns over an unusual number of high-level passes in February 2011. Jethwa, 43, from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, was jailed for a year and has already had to repay £120,000. Detective Constable Mo Khan said: ‘Instead of helping provide adults with the skills to improve their employability, they devoted time to faking training. Jnagal, left, got a six-month suspended prison sentence and Uppelle a nine-month suspended sentence . Uppelle and Jnagal, pictured with Cherie Blair, were each given suspended jail terms and a £1,000 fine . ‘Their conspiracy undermined the entire project as well undermining their contractual obligation to Learndirect.’ Learndirect spokesman Adrian Beddow said: ‘We are pleased with the outcome of this case. ‘We identified this fraudulent behaviour and undertook a full investigation, working to bring a strong case which led to the guilty pleas of all involved. ‘We do not tolerate behaviour of this kind from our suppliers. These sentences should serve as a warning that the protection of public funds is of paramount importance to us.’ Entrepreneur and television personality James Caan also had his picture taken with the two fraudsters . | Ranjit Uppelle, 41, and Kavita Jnagal, 37, ran Simply Recruitment business .
Birmingham businesswomen claimed commission for bogus students .
Said they'd enrolled them in Learndirect adult education training courses .
In fact, they made up fake profiles and got their staff to sit and mark tests .
They admitted conspiracy to defraud at London's Southwark Crown Court .
Uppelle given a nine-month suspended jail sentence, Jnagal six .
Scam ringleader Sandeep Jethwa, 43, was jailed for a year for same charge .
Employees Donna Sandells and Sophie Mills given three-month suspended sentences for their part in the fraud . |
144,325 | 46a432e896fd5c8e263229dc57a660ff9a2f982f | Washington (CNN) -- Democrats and Republicans narrowly averted a partial shutdown of the federal government Friday night, agreeing on a budget deal and a short-term funding extension little more than an hour before the clock struck midnight and time ran out. The new funding extension, which cuts spending by $2 billion, will last through next Thursday. "The government will be open for business," President Barack Obama said. "In the final hours before our government would have been forced to shut down, leaders in both parties reached an agreement that will allow our small businesses to get the loans they need, our families to get the mortgages they applied for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work and take home their paychecks on time." Negotiators capped days of frantic closed-door talks and public recriminations by agreeing on a framework for a package of $38.5 billion in spending cuts covering the rest of the fiscal year, which expires September 30. Republicans, bolstered by their capture of the House of Representatives in last November's midterm elections, had initially pushed for $61 billion in cuts. Opinion: How did we get to brink of shutdown? A GOP push to strip $317 million in federal funding from Planned Parenthood failed. Democrats also turned back Republican attempts to get federal dollars currently set aside for family planning and women's health turned into block grants for states. Such a move would have given governors and state legislatures more ability to cut funding for services opposed by conservatives. Sources told CNN, however, that leaders of the Democratic-controlled Senate agreed to hold separate votes on both measures, as well as on an initiative to repeal President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Lessons learned from past shutdowns . Obama praised the agreement, calling the cuts "painful" but necessary to secure the country's economic future. This "is what the American people expect us to do," the president said at the White House. "That's why they sent us here." "This has been a lot of discussion and a long fight," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Republicans fought to "create a better environment for job creators in our country." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, called the deal "difficult but important for the country." Nevertheless, the furious down-to-the-wire talks portend even tougher rounds of negotiations when Congress takes up an increase in the nation's debt ceiling and the fiscal year 2012 budget in the months ahead. If the negotiations had failed, approximately 800,000 government workers would have been furloughed. A range of government services would have come to halt. Obama noted earlier in the week that the mechanism of shutting down government operations had already started. An inability to reach a deal would have hurt federal workers, people who rely on government services and the nation's broader economic recovery, he warned. Belief Blog -- My Take: Culture war in budget battle . "For us to go backwards because Washington couldn't get its act together is unacceptable," the president said. Top aides on both sides of the aisle had seemed increasingly resigned to the prospect of a shutdown. Congressional staffers began receiving their furlough notices Thursday afternoon. Friday's agreement to slash $38.5 billion in spending comes on top of two previous funding extensions that included $10 billion in cuts. Republicans, under pressure from the conservative Tea Party movement to reduce the size of government, blame Democrats for failing to pass a fiscal year 2011 budget last year when they controlled both the Senate and the House. They also say Obama and his party are ignoring the peril of rising federal deficits and the national debt. Democrats call the $61 billion in cuts initially pushed by the Republicans extreme, and argue reductions of that scale would have harmed the economic recovery while damaging education and innovation programs essential for continued growth. The budget brinkmanship showed the political stakes of the situation, with both parties trying to depict the other as unwilling to do what's right for the country. It also demonstrated the cavernous gap between the two parties on social issues. Democrats said the Republican drive to defund Planned Parenthood proves the GOP is fixated on abortion and other issues related to women's health. Republicans repeatedly insisted that the size of spending reductions was the main cause of the dispute in recent days. CNN's Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett, John King, Kate Bolduan, Brianna Keilar, Terry Frieden, Ed Henry and Dan Lothian contributed to this report. | NEW: A temporary measure will keep the government funded through next Thursday .
NEW: The deal calls for $38.5 billion in spending cuts .
NEW: Obama calls the cuts "painful" but necessary . |
228,166 | b3735ed178f49d84a9a6aa5817ee7bde5b12fb31 | Alex Salmond relaunched his political career yesterday with a boast that his party could hold the balance of power at the next General Election. The former first minister announced that he intends to stand for Parliament by seeking the SNP’s nomination in the constituency of Gordon. But he said his Scottish nationalists could emerge as power brokers if no party wins an overall majority in Westminster. Scroll down for video . Alex Salmond, who quit as SNP leader hours after losing the independence referendum, said he would 'step up to the plate' and stand for election in the Gordon constituency. He announced the decision at the Buchan Hotel in Ellon (pictured) In return for propping up a Labour government, he said another independence referendum is likely to be among the SNP’s top demands. Claiming there is the ‘prospect of real power for Scotland’ if the SNP wins a significant number of Commons seats, he warned of turning Westminster ‘upside down’. Mr Salmond stood down as SNP leader and First Minister last month and speculation over his political future has continued ever since. Today he revealed will stand in the Gordon constituency, a seat that shares some areas with his Aberdeenshire East Holyrood constituency, and is currently represented by Liberal Democrat Sir Malcolm Bruce, who is retiring in May. Mr Salmond said: 'In the weeks since the referendum the people of Scotland have refused to give up on the hope of a better Scotland. 'For those who voted Yes the referendum offered the possibility of real change. For many who voted No they insist on the vow being properly redeemed. 'Therefore it is incumbent on all of us to step up to the plate – to match the spirit being shown by the people. Therefore I can tell the constituency today that I am a candidate for the SNP nomination for Gordon.' Some polls have put the SNP well ahead in Scotland, threatening to reduce Labour to a rump of just a handful of seats. It raising the prospect of the SNP holding the balance of power if Labour and the Tories fail to secure an overall majority. But Mr Salmond insisted the SNP would not do a deal with the Tories in 'any shape or form'. 'There are other possibilities, and in these possibilities a strong group of SNP MPs will have the capacity to rumble up Westminster.' Mr Salmond said it was 'unlikely' he would sit in a Cabinet with Labour, but ruled nothing out . Asked whether he would sit in a Cabinet with Labour, Mr Salmond told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: 'That is unlikely I would have thought but I'm not ruling it out, I'm just saying it's unlikely. 'I'm actually the only person who has actually run a minority government in these islands incidentally. 'I had four years of doing that in the Scottish Parliament so you learn a great deal when you're on the receiving end of being a minority government and therefore you have some evidence as to how to accept the best possible influence to secure the best possible result for progressive thought across these islands.' Mr Salmond also played down the prospect of leading the SNP MPs in Westminster. He said: 'I have been First Minister of Scotland. I have no interest in titles and fully support Angus Robertson who is an excellent leader of the SNP at Westminster, a close friend and a fine MP. 'I am perfectly content as a constituency member of parliament and will seek to have a role in negotiating the progress for Scotland which would arise from a powerful group of SNP MPs and our allies. Nicola Sturgeon has replaced Mr Salmond as SNP leader and Scottish First Minister . Mr Salmond was previously an MP for Banff and Buchan between 1987 and 2010 and will set out his plans in a speech in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, today. Since the referendum, support for the SNP has swelled and the party's membership has grown from 25,000 to more than 92,000. Recent polls have also predicted large gains for the party at next year's general election, with one showing the SNP leading Labour by 46 per cent to 26 per cent in Scotland. Mr Salmond, who remains an MSP, has regularly been asked about his future since stepping down as First Minister but has so far refused to confirm his plans. The Gordon seat, which will now become one of the most-watched in next year's general election, was won by the Lib Dems with a majority of 6,748 over the SNP in 2010. Incumbent MP Mr Bruce said: 'People in Gordon rejected the First Minister's independence plans overwhelmingly at the referendum. 'I am sure that they would be delighted to have the chance to reject him again in May. Bring it on.' Lib Dem candidate Christine Jardine, who hopes to replace the retiring Mr Bruce as the local MP, said the area had been 'short changed' during Mr Salmond's time as First Minister. 'I'm delighted the former First Minister is set to put an end to the game-playing,' she said. 'The people of Gordon deserve better, just as they deserve an MP who will stand up for what's important to them, not chase their personal political agenda at the cost of what's best for the people of the North East. 'I intend to be a strong voice for all the people of Gordon.' Alex Salmond is, in his own head at least, Mr Scotland. He was so destined for the role he made sure he was born on Hogmanay, December 31, that great night of Scottish celebration. He could only have been more pleased if he had shared a birthday with Robert Burns. But then Salmond is a man who is often pleased with himself. Clubbable to his fans, smug to his critics, there are many who will have delighted at his demise today. At Alex Salmond's press conference to announce his resignation as First Minister, journalists from unfriendly newspapers were locked out of the room in Bute House . Yet his abilities to charm his supporters and outfox his opponents transformed Scottish politics. It is a mark of the man that at the press conference to announce his resignation as First Minister hours after his referendum defeat, journalists from unfriendly newspapers were locked out of the room in Bute House. The referendum campaign was dominated by claims he sought to bully or intimidate those who did not share his enthusiasm for breaking up the Union. You were either on his side or against him, as the BBC's Nick Robinson discovered when he dared to question the details of his plans for independence. Critics were dismissed as scaremongers. Facts dismissed as lies, experts flatly ignored. That was how he ran things, spending 20 of the last 24 years as SNP leader. When he took charge in 1990, the Scottish Nationalists had just three MPs in Westminster. There was no such thing as a Scottish Parliament. Now there are six MPs in Westminster, an unprecedented overall majority in Holyrood, and having secured an historic referendum on independence. He said he wanted to put the future of Scotland in the hands of the Scottish people. They took his dream of separation and tore it to shreds. But he is a man who refuses to take no for an answer. Born in Linlithgow in 1954, Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond was educated at Linlithgow Academy and St Andrew's University, where he first joined the SNP. Graduating with a degree in economics and history, he worked as an economist for both the Government Economic Service and the Royal Bank of Scotland before being elected as an MP for the Banff and Buchan constituency in 1987. In 1981 he married Moira, 17 years his senior They have no children, and she is rarely seen in public, though she was on hand to smuggle a Saltire past Wimbledon security in her handbag for Salmond to wave when Andy Murray was crowned champion in 2013. Mr Salmond, who will turn 60 on New Year's Eve, said he had decided to 'step up to the plate' in the interests of Scotland . His election at Westminster followed a turbulent period for the SNP, which saw its number of seats fall from 11 to two in the 1979 general election. As a young and brash newcomer, Salmond played a role in the breakaway faction of the party known as the '79 Group' which sought to take a more left-wing stance. His brief expulsion as a result did not hinder his advancement within the party in the long-term, with his election to leader coming in 1990. With the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Salmond went on to serve as leader of the opposition at Holyrood, while retaining his seat at Westminster. He stood down as SNP leader in 2000 and left the Scottish Parliament in 2001. Returning as leader in 2004, he guided the SNP to a narrow Scottish election win in 2007 and then led a minority government as he became Scotland's first SNP First Minister. With the Tories all-but wiped out in Scotland, and Labour's big beasts serving in Tony Blair's Cabinet in Westminster, few could match Salmond's abilities. While New Labour viewed Holyrood as a small pond compared to the shark-infested waters of Westminster, Salmond was the biggest fish north of the border. He rebranded the Scottish Executive as the Scottish Government, greeting David Cameron in Edinburgh like a visiting dignitary, not the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. After the 2011 elections, he bounced Westminster into accepting his claim to have a democratic mandate for a referendum. A year later he bounced David Cameron into accepting the timing of the referendum, and giving 16 and 17-year-olds the vote. A Star Trek fan, a keen golfer, an enthusiastic gambler, Salmond has a competitive streak to almost everything, even dieting. When trying to slim on the 5:2 diet, he boasted how he had shed the pounds faster than Chancellor George Osborne. He will turn 60 on Hogmanay this year, and his frequent jokes about his age on the campaign trail hinted at a private unease at this looming milestone. Yet even as he stood down as First Minister, he made clear voters had not seen the back of him. 'I am not going to withdraw entirely from public life,' he said. Now we know he will stand to become an MP in Gordon, certain to lead the SNP group in the Commons. The man who likes to challenge the history books could be about to write another new chapter. | Former First Minister to stand for election in Gordon constituency .
Decision comes after he stood down in wake of independence referendum .
Insisted he would 'step up to the plate' for the 2015 general election .
But rules out the SNP working with a Conservative government . |
224,427 | ae98770ae5eec187de95e5033ed740f5b17302ab | The body of a high school teacher who disappeared during a cyclone more than three years ago has been found in scrubland in Western Australia. Tracy Margaret Marshall, 35, vanished in the town of Karratha, in the Pilbara region 1500km north of Perth during severe tropical cyclone Carlos on February 21, 2011. Ms Marshall's car, which had overheated and broken down east of Karratha was found unoccupied on the same day as the local community was bracing for the cyclone to hit. At the time Ms Marshall had been treated for depression and hallucinations, and her husband had been desperate to fly her to Perth because there was no psychiatrist in the remote Pilbara town. Body in bushland: the discovery of remains in the Western Australian scrub being identified as those of high school teacher Tracy Margaret Marshall (pictured) brings to a close a sad ordeal for her family. Ms Marshall's husband had been desperate to get her help after she began hallucinating but no psychiatrist was available in the remote Pilbara town of Karratha . Immediate search efforts were hampered at the time by the arrival of Carlos, which brought gale force winds of up to 140km/h and caused significant damage. Last month in the same area as Ms Marshall's car had been found, a member of the public discovered human remains. Police say forensic test have now proven they are those of Ms Marshall, but it was unclear how she died. The discovery brings to a close a sad ordeal for the family of Ms Marshall, who disappeared after she walked out of the mental health unit of the local Nickol Bay Hospital. Sad saga for family: After high school teacher Tracy Marshall (pictured) descended into depression and hallucinations her husband had decided 'things were just spinning out of control' and had planned to fly her 1500km south to Perth to receive proper psychiatric care, but she walked out of a mental health unit and drove her car 50km before it broke down during severe tropical cyclone Carlos . Ms Marshall had been undergoing treatment after she became stressed and depressed working as a high school teacher. She had quit her job and started exhibiting odd behaviour, including having hallucinations in the week leading up to her disappearance. On the day she disappeared, her car was found abandoned on a road 50km out of Karratha. Her father issued an appeal, acknowledging his daughter had personal problems but saying she had never previously given them cause for concern. 'It's been a very worrying and stressful time for us as you can well imagine, we'd just like to try and get Tracey back', Quinton Bricknell said at the time. A coronial inquest held last year heard Ms Marshall had attended the Pilbara Health and Drug Service four times in the week before she vanished, but was told there was no a psychiatrist available in Karratha for two weeks. Her husband Iain Marshall claimed she had woken him up wanting him to perform an exorcism, claiming she had a cleft foot and saw the devil. When they went camping, Ms Marshall had displayed more bizarre behaviour and the next day she told her husband about several suicide attempts. Ms Marshall had also been tap dancing and waving a tube around calling it 'Excalibur' before reciting the Lord's Prayer. Mr Marshall had planned to fly his wife to Perth for psychiatric treatment on the day she disappeared as 'things were just spinning out of control' and he did not want her to have to wait to see a psychiatrist.Ms Marshall was taken back to hospital, where she was put under overnight observation but disappeared the next morning. | Tracey Margaret Marshall, 35, disappeared three years ago during Cyclone Carlos in Western Australia .
A body found last month in remote scrubland has been identified as Ms Marshall .
Tracy Marshall had been suffering depression and hallucinations before she vanished but no psychiatrist was available in remote Pilbara town .
Her desperate husband had planned to fly her to Perth because 'things were spinning out of control' |
81,278 | e64bbd200f91475f9733a61790b1775fd2b49bfa | The police officer who shot an unarmed teenager in Ferguson two weeks ago learned his trade on a force that was disbanded over racial tensions, it has emerged. Darren Wilson shot black teenager Michael Brown dead on 9 August, sparking weeks of protests and charges that the town’s police force is racist. Now the Washington Post reports that Wilson’s first job as a police officer was with a nearby force in the city of Jennings that was scrapped over racial tensions following a series of controversial incidents. Inauspicious: Darren Wilson received a special commendation for his services with the Ferguson police in February but had his beginnings in the town of Jennings where the entire police force was dismissed in 2011 . In one, a Jennings officer fired his gun at a mother fleeing in her car with a child in the back seat. In another, an officer beat a woman on her own front porch. The city council concluded that the force had been discredited with the local population and dismissed every officer. An incomplete picture of Texas-born Ferguson officer Darren Wilson has emerged since the shooting, when authorities say the white six-year police veteran killed Michael Brown during a confrontation in the predominantly black city where all but three of the 53 police officers are white. The Brown family’s attorneys have labeled Wilson as a murderer, though the investigation continues and no charges have been filed. The 28-year-old officer has gone underground since the shooting, with relatives refusing to reveal his whereabouts or discuss the shooting or Wilson’s background. But snippets of his life have emerged. Court records show Wilson divorced last November. His parents were married only four years before divorcing in 1989 in Texas. His mother Tonya Durso, also known as Tonya Harris, went on to marry twice more and died at the age of 35 when Wilson was just 16. Online court records show that she pleaded guilty in 2001 to a dozen felony stealing and forgery counts in Missouri’s St. Charles County just west of St. Louis and was sentenced to five years on probation, with the judge suspending a five-year prison sentence. After her death, Wilson was placed under the guardianship of Durso's second husband Tyler Harris until a St. Charles County judge dissolved that in mid-2004. Young life lost: Darren Wilson shot an unarmed Michael Brown, 18, six times, resulting in his death . Witnesses say Brown was walking in the middle of the street with a friend before being stopped by Wilson, who moments later shot the teenager dead, . According to the Washington Post, after completing police academy training, Wilson was employed as a rookie officer in Jennings, a city of 14,000 citizens, 89 per cent of whom were African-American and largely working class. The 45-strong police force had just one or two black officers. City council member Rodney Epps told the Washington Post that 'the straw that broke the camel's back' was an incident in which an officer shot a woman who'd been stopped for a traffic violation. 'She had a child in the back [of the] car and was probably worried about getting locked up. And this officer chased her down Highway 70, past city limits, and took a shot at her. Just ridiculous,' he said. Complaints and lawsuits piled up against the force for using unnecessary force. One woman, Cassandra Fuller, described to the Washington Post an incident in which she'd called police for help after a car smashed into the parked van in front of her home and was thrown to the ground and kicked for making a joke. There were also instances of police corruption and the city council voted six-to-one to close the department and have St Louis County run its policing. Lieutenant Jeff Fuesting was put in charge and spent four months with Wilson during a cross-over period, describing him as 'an average officer.' He said there was a fundamental disconnect between the police force and the community they were supposed to be protecting. Seeking justice: Images of people shot by police officers are displayed by demonstrators protesting the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson . Civil unrest: Since the August 9 shooting there have been mass demonstrations and protests against police brutality . 'Hands up, don't shoot': Protesters peacefully march on the streets of Ferguson two weeks after Michael Brown's death . Pro-cop: Wilson's supporters have become more vocal in recent days, demonstrating on behalf of the officer . New officers were brought in to try and create a credible police department. Wilson didn't face any disciplinary action during his time at Jennings. After being dismissed from that position, Wilson found a new job in another small, largely black Missouri town where the police force is mostly white: Ferguson. A new report from Arch City Defenders, a not-for-profit legal defense organization, shows that 'despite Ferguson’s relative poverty, fines and court fees comprise the second largest source of revenue for the city, a total of $2,635,400.' In other words, a large part of the city's income is derived from fines generated by the police from the citizens for minor infringements. Civil unrest erupted in Ferguson in the wake of the shooting, with constant demonstrations and protests over the more than two weeks since the incident indicating a deep and longstanding issue with the police force. On Saturday, Wilson's supporters staged a public rally in Ferguson where they claimed Michael Brown's death was 'warranted and justified' and promised the cop their 'unwavering support.' Having successfully raised $235,000 online for the controversial officer, The Support Officer Darren Campaign has become far more vocal in recent days, with the outdoor rally attracting a sizeable crowd in the bright afternoon sun. One woman took issue with the pro-Wilson protest 10 miles south of Ferguson. Sondra Fifer, of St. Louis, told the protesters at Barney's Sports Pub in St. Louis: 'I'm not against officers, I'm against police brutality' Two weeks on: Demonstrators in Ferguson gathered in intense heat on Saturday to mark two weeks since a white police officer shot dead an unarmed black teenager, while supporters of the officer said in a separate rally miles away the shooting was justified . Members of the St. Louis chapters of the NAACP and the National Urban League march on West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson on Saturday, August 23 . Opposing sides: Sondra Fifer (center) confronts demonstrators supporting Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson during a rally in St. Louis, Missouri August 23 . Addressed by a woman who, in a symbolic gesture of solidarity, declared her name was Darren Wilson, shared her supporters' opinion that the Ferguson officer is the victim in the story. A longtime friend — former high school classmate and hockey buddy Jake Shepard — has recently come to Wilson’s defense, insisting that he would never maliciously take a life. Still, Shepard said, 'I think he’s kind of struggling a little bit, but I think he’s doing OK.' 'He didn’t really want to talk much about it,' Shepard, also 28, said of Brown’s death. 'But I can tell you for sure it was not racially motivated. He’s not the type of person to harbor any hate for anybody. He was always nice, respectable and well-mannered, a gentleman. He doesn’t have anything bad to say about anybody, ever. He’s very genuine.' Similar depictions of Wilson, who has been on paid administrative leave since Brown’s death, have come from his boss, Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson. During a Ferguson City Council meeting in February, Wilson got special recognition from Jackson for what the chief said then was his role in responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle, then struggling with the driver and detaining him for arrest until help arrived. Jackson said the suspect was preparing a large quantity of marijuana for sale. His proclamation in hand, according a video of the meeting obtained Tuesday by the AP, Wilson returned to his seat with a broad grin. 'He was a gentle, quiet man,' Jackson said last Friday while publicly identifying Wilson, a four-year veteran of the department after spending two policing in nearby Jennings, as the officer who shot Brown, noting that Wilson has no prior disciplinary record. Calling Wilson 'distinguished' and 'a gentleman,' Jackson added that 'he is, he has been, an excellent officer.' Wilson, who has Missouri hunting and fishing licenses, did not answer the AP’s knock Tuesday on his door at his brick, ranch-style home in Missouri’s Crestwood, a largely white St. Louis suburb some 18 miles southwest of Ferguson. | Darren Wilson was a rookie cop in Jennings, Missouri .
The small city had a majority of black citizens but an almost completely white police force .
The entire department was dismissed amid allegations of racial prejudice, unnecessary use of force lawsuits and corruption .
Wilson's next job was in Ferguson, from which he's on leave pending the investigation into the death of Michael Brown .
Wilson shot Brown, 18, six times on August 9 .
There have been mass protests and demonstrations in Ferguson since . |
70,922 | c917c23e33921b1340dc046980719559950712c4 | (CNN)I know you are excited about the new Pee-wee Herman film, but what am I? Netflix announced Tuesday that it will begin production next month on a new film starring the popular 1980s TV character, titled "Pee-wee's Big Holiday." No release date has been announced. According to the Netflix news release, the on-demand movie will be produced by Paul Reubens, who plays the title character. Judd Apatow, of "Anchorman," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" fame, will co-produce. John Lee, who has directed episodes of "Inside Amy Schumer" and "Broad City," will make his feature-film directorial debut. It will be Herman's first feature film since 1988's"Big Top Pee-wee." The 1985 feature film "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" became a cult classic, and from 1986 to 1990, television viewers tuned in to the absurd and infectious adventures of "Pee-wee's Playhouse." Reubens retreated from show business for most of the 1990s, after he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater in 1991. Despite some subsequent brushes with the law, Reubens and his alter ego have experienced a comeback in recent years, including a Broadway show and many television guest appearance spots. "Judd and I dreamt up this movie four years ago. The world was much different back then -- Netflix was waiting by the mailbox for red envelopes to arrive. I've changed all that. The future is here. Get used to it. Bowtie is the new black," Reubens said in the statement. | Netflix will release a movie starring Pee-wee Herman .
Paul Reubens and Judd Apatow will produce . |
82,411 | e9a82fa2a11d8c760bce64fe36c6e21452a92c64 | By . Rebecca Camber . and Colin Fernandez . UPDATED: . 11:09 EST, 9 March 2012 . A thug has been found guilty of breaking the jaw of a student during the riots. Beau Isagba, who also has convictions for carrying a blade and cannabis possession, wept as he heard he faced a long prison sentence. The 17-year-old can now be named after the judge took the unusual step of lifting reporting restrictions due to the public interest in the case after the student’s ordeal was seen by millions of people on YouTube. Scroll down for video . Lawless: A thief shamelessly rifles through Ashraf Rossli's bag as the young man stands bleeding after being punched in the face. The incident sparked national outrage . Beau Isagba, now 18, was last month found guilty of assaulting Malaysian student Ashraf Rossli during the London riots . Video footage of events after the attack became one of the most enduring images of the riots that appalled the world and shamed Britain. Dazed and bleeding heavily, Malaysian student Ashraf Rossli, is seen slumped on a pavement clutching his jaw after being punched by the yob who stole his bicycle. Minutes later, he is robbed by a gang posing as ‘Good Samaritans’ who rifle through his rucksack before fleeing, leaving him staggering in a daze. Yesterday the shaven-haired thug who broke the 20-year-old’s jaw and left him at the mercy of the muggers was facing jail after being convicted of grievous bodily harm and robbery. Isagba told the court he was ‘very, very ashamed’ of himself. But Judge Witold Pawlack told Wood Green Crown Court: ‘He is facing a long prison sentence and there is no reason that I can see why he should remain on bail now.’ Mr Rossli was cycling over a flyover in Barking, East London, with a friend on August 8, during the height of the looting and violence which swept the country. The accountancy student, from Kuala . Lumpur, managed to dodge past one group of hoodies who lunged at him. But he then felt a hand reach into his jacket pocket. As Mr Rossli turned round to look, he was hit in the face. The blow, which was not featured in the clip, smashed his jaw and threw him from his bicycle to the laughter of a gang of youths watching. Mr Rossli said: ‘The impact was hard. I fell to the ground. Blood was coming out of my mouth.’ Isagba was captured on CCTV pedalling off with Mr Rossli’s bike. Dazed and confused, blood dripping from his mouth, Ashraf Rossli is encircled by thugs after being savagely beaten to the ground during the violence in London . From nowhere, an apparent Good Samaritan walks up and lends a hand to help heave the struggling and injured victim up from the pavement . Lowest of the low: The teenager continues to tend to the wounds on his face as thieves make off with the contents of his rucksack . Discarded: The thief, having taken the items from the teenager's bag, then casually throws them to the floor before strolling away . The victim was filmed three minutes later as he was pulled to his feet and robbed of his phone and wallet. The video of Mr Rossli, who now has two metal plates in his jaw, became an internet sensation. David Cameron said it left him disgusted. Isagba had denied grievous bodily harm and robbery. He will be sentenced on March 9 – the day after his 18th birthday. Two other men charged with robbing Mr Rossli will stand trial at a later date. Riot victim: Accountancy student Ashraf Rossli, 20, had only arrived in Britain a month before the attack. Here he is pictured . at home in Malaysia. Right he is sitting with his eight-year-old . brother Mohammed Fatiri . Mr Rossli was treated at Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, following the attack . | Beau Isagba can be named after judge ruled it was in the public interest .
He broke Ashraf Rossli's jaw before riding off on his bike .
Millions of people saw the horrific attack on YouTube .
Video footage became one of the most enduring images of summer riots . |
99,097 | 0ba768a0126976aa8980019a0bd09ae12d342d3f | Port-au-Prince, Haiti -- Horror has given way to acceptance; it can be seen on people's faces. But desperation surfaces everywhere: . In the rubble still strewn about the streets, in the steadily rising piles of garbage, in the 1,300 makeshift camps that still house so many people. Four months on, the tragedy of the massive January 12 earthquake is fresh. Relief operations thwarted widespread hunger here and so far, there have been no reports of killer disease outbreaks. But Port-au-Prince is very much running in emergency mode. Still. No humanitarian worker will argue with that sad fact. Despite the efforts and good intentions of a host of foreigners and a government that got a wake-up call, progress has been timidly slow. The future has a different meaning now for Haitians such as Edline Pierre, who worries not about where to enroll her three daughters in school but how to get them up off the floor fast enough when the rains start falling. Haiti earthquake special . She poured cement around her shack in the city's central Champs de Mars plaza. But that doesn't keep the water out or her girls safe at night. The future means getting through the night and when the sun comes back out, scrounging together a meal. On the streets, a bright spot: the sight of schoolchildren in uniforms. But only 700 of the 5,000 or so schools around the Haitian capital have opened. Some were destroyed; others are occupied by the displaced. Another welcomed sight: Hundreds of street vendors, many of whom are women, sit under a rainbow of umbrellas to sell mangoes, plantains and coconuts. Or they display a collision of goods in one basket -- shoe polish, spaghetti, shampoo, cigarettes and molasses. These are snippets of life as it was once, before that fatal day. Give us work -- not handouts . In the aftermath of what most Haitians refer to as "the catastrophe," people asked for food. They patiently lined up for hours to receive a sack of rice, a quart of oil. The lines are gone, along with the massive aid drops. International agencies are wary that too much help could stymie the local economy. Now the two million Haitians living in squalid makeshift camps -- and countless others living in the homes of generous family and friends -- need jobs. They don't want handouts; they just want money so they can feed themselves. "We are willing to work -- work hard -- for money, but we need jobs," said Joseph Cangas, a coordinator at a new camp in Corail. Some earn a few dollars here and there through work-for-cash programs. They clear debris off the streets or clean latrines in the camps. These are hardly high-quality jobs, but being employed anywhere will earn you envy. More than 100,000 Haitians found work this way. But that's only a sliver of the population. Almost four million people live in Port-au-Prince, a city designed for 250,000. Haitians lived in congested neighborhoods and shanties before the quake. Imagine those conditions compounded -- a family of six eating, sitting and sleeping in a space that's hardly bigger than the sofa in your den. When home is a place of last resort . To shield people from the potential danger of the rainy season, aid agencies have started building transitional homes and have relocated thousands to new camps on the city's perimeter. Almost 5,000 went to Corail, a stark place that evokes images of a military base in the Iraqi desert. Void of trees, the tropical sun beats down hard, and soaring temperatures make furnaces of the tents. It's not a place residents say they would choose. But this is where the government had access to land, so this is where people were brought to ride out the rains. Here, at least, they are not at risk of being washed away by torrents of water or in mudslides down steep, denuded hills. Corail has its own problems. It's far from the city, and it can cost a camp resident an astronomical $1.25 to take tap-taps, the colorful shared taxis, to central Port-au-Prince. No one at Corail could afford that journey. But they said they had to figure out a way to go where the jobs were. "We help each other. We share food," said Cangas, the camp coordinator. "But the situation is getting more tense. People have nothing so they resort to stealing sometimes." He complained about the lack of services and schools at Corail. But aid agencies don't want people to get too comfortable here. Eventually, people have to try and regain their livelihoods in the neighborhoods where they were established. "You want people to go home," said Mark Turner, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration. "The last resort is a place like Corail." Turner said camp managers have been asking Haiti's homeless this question: What will it take for you to move out of a camp? The answers are varied, and the problems aren't easily resolved. Not even the safe places feel safe . All over the city, buildings are being marked green, yellow and red. Some already say: "To demolish." But even after an engineer has marked a home green for "safe," people are reluctant to return. The United Nations estimates only 9 percent of those with green houses have gone back. What if there is another earthquake? Gerald-Emile Brun, an architect working with the government on relocation, said incentives for people to go home -- $50 and a few provisions -- are being created. But so far, nothing has been doled out. For many, Brun recognized, it's impossible to go back to the spot where their house once stood because there is no place to dispose of the rubble. In this city of renters, landlords are refusing to accept people who cannot pay the back rent for the four months they have been gone. Many of the displaced can no longer even afford the monthly amount they were paying before. And as time marches on, many landowners want to evict displaced people so the buildings can be used as intended. What if your child could not go to school because the classrooms were occupied by the homeless? What if you were homeless and had no place to shelter your children except at the neighborhood school? It's a tough call, especially for humanitarian workers who don't believe in forced evictions. But at the same time, Turner said, "we recognize the landowners have legitimate concerns." These are municipal issues that will have to be dealt with by the local government, Turner said. But it won't be easy. Ask Jacques Pablito Chardavoire, who helps manage a camp in front of the city's main cathedral. Chardavoire's response was simple but to the point: . Why would you leave an encampment that offers you a toilet, a shower, emergency food rations and, yes, even an outdoor movie screen when you have no place to go and no money in your pockets? He said almost 2,000 people were resettled in February from Champs de Mars to the cathedral. But within days, that many more people from elsewhere had flocked to Champ de Mars. "Every time we move people, more come because they need services," he said. Much is shattered, but not hope . Haitians, who have lived through political turmoil, extreme violence and grinding poverty, will tell you the earthquake was the worst experience of their lives. Whether a new city can rise from the rubble of Port-au-Prince remains in question, though Haitians are hopeful something good must come out of an event this tragic. They have to be. They have nothing left but hope. And faith. That's why if you peek down lanes on a steamy afternoon, you'll see a gathering of people under a tent, their arms stretched skyward, their eyes closed. And you'll hear the Lord's Prayer. You'll hear it, too, every Sunday morning, before the sun gets hot, at Notre Dame, the main cathedral in Port-au-Prince. The building is shattered, but not the congregation's faith. They still come to the place where, every week, they are re-energized by their belief in Christ. Several Haitians said they feared the world's goodwill would quickly fade now that the throngs of media have left and the spotlight has turned elsewhere. Edna Dunrod was one of them. She worried she was forgotten, lying on a smelly mattress under three tattered bed sheets that serve as a roof in the Champs de Mars tent city. Last month, she gave birth to Marvins, asleep in a plastic tub under a foldable umbrella. Life with a newborn in this congested camp, she said, was unbearable. "I want to go somewhere else," she said. But where, she worried. And who would help her reclaim her life? | Four months after massive quake, progress in Haiti is painfully slow .
People are afraid to return to their homes, even if they've been deemed safe .
Life in camps is difficult, but for many, it's the best option they have .
Despite their tremendous suffering, many Haitians hang onto the hope of a better future . |
151,312 | 4fa404e493b996c348aae77957718e25ac703900 | (CNN) -- Russia's seizure of Crimea last month may have unfolded with a lightning quickness, but Vladimir Putin and the West are now engaged in a much slower match of wits on a chessboard stretching across most of eastern Ukraine. Rather than going for checkmate, both sides now seem content to wait for the other to make a mistake. Putin made a strong first move by placing 40,000 troops on the border -- and separatists, who are not officially linked to Russia, on the ground in Ukraine. Now Moscow is waiting for the pro-Western government in Kiev to try to retake the parts of the east it has seemingly lost. In Russia's eyes, any such move from the capital would legitimize an overwhelming counterattack -- a re-run of the Georgia crisis in 2008, when President Mikheil Saakashvili lost his nerve, shot first, and prompted a Russian invasion. Putin's problem is time; he cannot wait forever to strike. Troops cannot remain ready for combat for many months at a time. Separatists in eastern Ukraine are lost without outside support, and may become nervous as time drags on without any glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel. On the other side of the board are U.S. President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukraine's fledgling government. The biggest challenge for Obama and his German counterpart is to keep a united Western front. They need to uphold a credible threat of massive economic sanctions that could undercut the Kremlin's funding if it doesn't toe the line. But cracks in Western unity are visible everywhere. Europe may be concerned about Russian aggression in Ukraine, but the continent is dragging its collective feet on taking a more confrontational stance towards Putin. Some nations fear Russian pressure, especially on their energy supply. Many are nervous about the price their own countries will pay as a result of tougher sanctions. And nobody is sure yet whether they're ready to abandon the idea of Russia as a vital partner. Obama, on the other hand, is much more inclined to put the squeeze on the Kremlin. Washington is used to confrontation with Russia -- and with Putin, specifically -- and America is much less economically-connected with its old Cold War rival. American leaders aren't motivated solely by their concern over eastern Europe and Russia reasserting itself as a more aggressive and expansionist power. The U.S. also wants to assert key norms of international order -- namely territorial integrity and the principle to change borders only with the consent of all parties. Ukraine is also a welcome opportunity to signal to allies and rivals alike that America is not retrenching from its global engagements. The impact of the Ukraine crisis on China and the various territorial conflicts with its neighbors will also loom very large on the minds of policy makers in Washington. But whatever the differences among U.S. and EU leaders, the more they act in concert, the better chance they have to achieve their goal: beating back Moscow's attempt to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The West also needs to make sure that Kiev's interim government doesn't lose its nerve. As hard as it is for leaders to watch pro-Russian separatists take over their buildings, any large-scale operation in eastern Ukraine could give Putin the opportunity he may be waiting for: invasion with some kind of dubious pseudo-legal cover. It is difficult to say who is in a better position. Putin is a master tactician. Since his years as a KGB agent in Dresden in the 1980s, he has gained much expertise in finding and exploiting the West's weak spots. And he seems to have broad support at home for his confrontational brand of politics. Putin's weakness is his regime's economic dependency on the West. Without the steady flow of income from the sale of gas and oil, brought under control of the Kremlin, the regime would not be able to buy support at home and to finance costly and risky foreign policy adventures. The West has no appetite to confront Russia. But if Putin's tanks roll into eastern Ukraine out of the blue, without any pretense of legitimacy, he will turn Western opinion even further against him. This could give Merkel and Obama the necessary backing for tough sanctions. If he is to achieve his main goal, which is to prevent Ukraine from associating closer with the West, Putin will have to move fast. He probably needs to have some kind of Russian presence inside Ukraine (apart from Crimea), as control over separatists in the east alone might not be sufficient or sustainable. A full-scale crackdown by the Ukrainian government on separatists would give Moscow the cover to move some Russian troops as "peacekeepers" into eastern Ukraine. Once inside the country, another "frozen conflict" could be created which would destabilize the country and prevent Western attempts to help Ukraine to get on its feet. This would keep Putin's longer-term ambition -- to bring Ukraine into a Moscow-led alliance or federation -- very much alive. If the Kremlin comes to the conclusion that the West wouldn't respond to such a move with painful sanctions -- ones that would damage Putin's inner circle and be strong enough to sap major sources of income for the Kremlin -- Putin might choose to move along such lines or in other ways. But if the U.S. and EU demonstrate that they are truly ready to use economic warfare to counter the Russian military machine, the West may yet be able to deter Putin from going much further. Something has to give soon. READ MORE: Ukrainian mayor shot as West prepares sanctions . READ MORE: Five ways the Ukraine crisis could end . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ulrich Speck. | Russia and the West locked in match of wits over eastern Ukraine .
Russia moved thousands of troops to border and is accused of stirring unrest in east Ukraine .
Speck: West must unite to pass severe sanctions on Russian regime .
Speck: Ukrainian government attempt to retake buildings could spark Russian invasion . |
76,390 | d8a85986d4f40a5c9947af038977fbcaf281c83c | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:06 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 18 October 2013 . A prison officer whose career was ended after an inmate plunged a broken bottle into her back has spoken of her relief that all guards are to be issued with stab vests. Claire Lewis recalls how she ‘almost died’ when she was attacked by convicted triple murderer Kevan Thakrar three years ago. But she says she could still be working in one of Britain’s top security jails if ministers had offered routine stab vests sooner. Victim: Frankland Prison Guard Claire Lewis was left scarred for life after a horrific attack with a broken chilli sauce bottle by convicted killer Kevan Thakrar . Scarred: The broken bottle created a one inch hole in Claire' back and chipped her spine . A review is being carried out into giving frontline staff ‘covert clothing’ to protect from knife attacks launched by prisoners, MailOnline revealed this week. The number of prison assaults involving knives has doubled in a decade, with staff at risk of being deliberately attacked by inmates or getting caught up in fights. One morning in March 2013 Claire and fellow guard Craig Wylde unlocked Thakrar’s cell door at Frankland Prison, a Category A jail in County Durham. Thakrar, serving three life sentences for murdering three men with a machine gun over a £10,000 drug debt, lunged at Craig with a broken chilli sauce bottle, tearing open his upper left arm and severing an artery. ‘Then he turned on me,’ Claire remembers. ‘He used a broken chilli sauce bottle. It snapped in my back and it almost killed me. ‘Had I had protective equipment I wouldn’t have suffered the injuries I suffered. It left me with a hole about an inch deep and it chipped my spine. ‘As a result I subsequently was medically retired, I have got PTSD. I have lost my career,' she told MailOnline. Attack: Kevan Thakrar, serving three life sentences for murder, was cleared of the attempted murder of Claire Lewis and fellow guard Craig Wylde. A campaign poster (left) against violence in jails featured a graphic picture of Clair's back after the attack . Claire, who lives with her partner Ged Mulheran and two daughters aged 18 and 15, said the attack had a ‘massive impact’ on the entire family, including ‘missing out’ on the years when her children were studying for exams. ‘Now I am on a cocktail of medication as well to assist with pain relief. I used to be physically fit and now I really struggle to do anything without suffering the consequences.’ The decision to issue prison guards with stab vests round the clock comes just two years after the government insisted it was not necessary. Last year alone there were 246 assaults on staff and inmates in prisons in England and Wales involving a knife or blade, up from 127 in 2002. Protective vests and gloves are usually only used when trouble breaks out in jails or if prison officers believe there is a serious threat to their own safety. But now prisons minister Jeremy Wright has revealed that the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) which runs the country’s jails is now ‘assessing the benefits and feasibility’ of issuing vests routinely. Growing problem: There were 246 assaults on staff and inmates in prisons in England and Wales involving a knife or blade last year, up from 127 in 2002 . Claire added: ‘It is very humbling to see that the government has finally made the right decision to issue staff with the right equipment. ‘I am over the moon to be honest because I don’t think members of the public actually realise what goes on inside those prison walls. ‘There is a need for protective equipment because the number of assaults is increasing. ‘We are dealing with some of the worst and most hardened criminals in the country. I think the prison service is kind of the forgotten service. ‘Once you are in those walls nobody knows exactly what you deal with on a daily basis.’ After the attack on Clair and Craig, Thakrar was cleared of attempted murder by a jury at Newcastle crown court. He claimed he had been a victim of a culture of racism at the jail and launched the attack in self defence after years of abuse. | Claire Lewis scarred for life by attack by triple murderer Kevan Thakrar.
Forced to retire from the prison service and now on 'cocktail' of medication .
U-turn by ministers who had ruled out idea of vests being worn routinely .
Urgent review looking at giving frontline staff stab-proof ‘covert clothing’
Number of knife attacks on staff and inmates has doubled in a decade . |
229,840 | b5a3b7bc02431c9455912996436dd2d9601b2c11 | (CNN) -- This weekend "The Avengers" hit the $1 billion mark worldwide. But long before the film's astronomical success, the 3-D glasses, the action figures and the sponsorship deals, there was the the imagination of one man -- Stan Lee. At 89, the legendary creator of some of the world's most profitable comic book characters remains quick-witted, rapturously imaginative and always laughing -- even if, as far as "The Avengers" is concerned, he's not laughing all the way to the bank. Lee recently talked to CNN's JD Cargill in an exclusive interview about the film, which of his characters he'd like to see next on the big screen, some of his current projects, and why we shouldn't assume he is now a billionaire. JD Cargill: Even the craziest estimates didn't predict this much success for "The Avengers." What is your reaction to creating some of the most profitable characters in entertainment? Stan Lee: Oh, I could have told everybody it was going to be this big of a hit! I don't know why they couldn't have predicted it. It couldn't miss! It's got some of the most popular characters in the world today. You put together a great script, a great director, great actors and a cameo by me -- how could it miss? Cargill: Not including your cameo of course, what's the film's ultimate moment for you? Lee: When they all come together and decide to fight as a team. I'm all heart! Years ago, I was writing these characters and I thought it would fun to put them together in a team. And I called it "The Avengers." And I thought, they have to have some sort of rallying cry. So I loved the idea of them shouting -- because I'm a very corny guy -- "Avengers assemble!" Cargill: Obviously with a project of this magnitude, compromises have to be made along the way. Tell me about one moment in the film you had to bend on. Lee: It might be hard to believe, but there really wasn't a part. Not only did they omit something I might not have wanted to be in, they included things that I never thought of and were wonderful. I thought this movie was as perfect as a movie like this can be. Cargill: When fans see Marvel characters making record-breaking (box office) money like this, they assume it's made you a billionaire. How close is that to the truth? Lee: I hate to admit this, but I do not share in the movie's profits. I just share in the interviews, in the glamour, in the people saying, "Wow, I love that movie, Stan" -- but I'm not a participant in the profits. Cargill: But aren't you an executive producer? Lee: Yes, but it's just an honorary title. Cargill: Do you you wish you were making more money off of it? Lee: Well, it would be nice. (laughs) But I'm used to the way the situation is. I don't go around thinking about it. I am really very pleased that people enjoy the movie, that it's doing well, and even though I didn't film the movie myself, I seem to be getting a lot of credit for it! (laughs) Cargill: Of all your beloved comic characters, which one would you like to see become a big-screen icon next? Lee: I can't wait to see Dr. Strange and The Black Panther. Cargill: Are those in the works? Lee: I have a feeling they very well might be. They're certainly being considered right now. Cargill: What's the one character you wish you had created? Lee: Well, it would have been nice to come up with Superman! (laughs)Â . Cargill: Experiencing highs and lows is part of every life and career. At this moment, what do you see as your high and what do you see as your low? Lee: Well, I suppose today the success of "The Avengers" is one of the highs. And there was a time, many many years ago, when the comic book business went bad and it looked as though Marvel was going to go out of business. We didn't call it Marvel then. It was called "Timely Comics." I had a publisher that was a great guy, but he didn't like unpleasantness. So he would say to me, "Stan, I can't afford to put the books out anymore for the next few months. I'd like for you to fire the staff while I go to Miami." It was always my job to fire the staff while he ducked away somewhere. That was certainly a low because these were people I worked with. These were friends. I had to let them know there would be no work for the foreseeable future. But luckily we were able to build the company back up again and start over again and give these guys work once more. Cargill: Poll after poll ranks "Iron Man" as the favorite Avenger. Do you have another character in the works that will rival his popularity? Lee: Here at POW! Entertainment, with my partner Gill Champion, we're working on quite a number of new movies, television series and even a live action show. Three of the new superheroes, and I can't say too much right now, but the working titles are "The Prodigal," one is called "The Annihilator," and one is called "The Retaliator." And each one of them, I say in modesty, is better than the others! (laughs) Cargill: You can't tell me anything about them? Lee: I will say that "The Annihilator" is a Chinese superhero, probably the first one done by an American studio, and it's not a Chinese film. It's a film for the entire world. It's got an angle we've never seen before and it's written by Dan Gilroy, one of our top writers. "The Retaliator" has a different angle and the element of ecology is important in that story. But he's the kind of superhero with a power that nobody has seen. "The Prodigal" is really two superheroes that are part of the same family, but they become ultimate enemies! Those are just the three movies we have in the works. We also have a number of comic books coming that will probably end up as movies or television series or so forth. Cargill: Are you talking about "The Mighty 7" and "Titanic 10"? Lee: Oh, you are so hip! "The Mighty 7" is being published by Archie. There are seven characters. Two of them are police officers from another planet. The other five are fugitives that they were bringing back somewhere and they all land on Earth through an accident and they meet me! We refer to this as the world's first reality comic book, because it has real people, starting with me. But it's still very much a superhero story. Also, like "The Avengers," we also have "The Titanic 10." This is 10 superheroes living in today's world, faced with the same problems that you and I are faced with, and suddenly something happens that has never happened before in any superhero story. I am incredibly proud of this and you'll be hearing a lot more, because it's the type of thing when people see it they'll say, "Of course, why didn't I think of that!" If that doesn't whet your appetite, I quit! Cargill: There comes a time in all our lives where we select someone to speak on our behalf. Of all of your characters, who would you have speak on your behalf and what do you imagine them saying? Lee: Wow. Maybe Iron Man, maybe Tony Stark. Only because of all of them, I think he has the best sense of humor and he's the cleverest, probably. And what would he say? God knows! (laughs) Maybe I shouldn't pick him. Maybe I shouldn't pick a guy that smart! Maybe I should pick a guy I could fool a little better. But, at first blush, I think Tony Stark would be the guy. | "The Avengers" hit the $1 billion mark in just 19 days .
At 89, Stan Lee is the creator of some of the world's most profitable comic book characters .
Lee on the movies he'd like to see: "I can't wait to see Dr. Strange and The Black Panther" |
105,301 | 13cd781f666369aa29e829fd8de7d995096a64df | North Korea's public officials are the most corrupt in the world with bribery, counterfeit medicine and backdoor payments just some of the consequences of its crooked institutions, according to a new study. Experts have assessed the public sectors of countries across the globe and placed the authoritarian state dead last, tied with Somalia, when compared to the rest of the world. The two countries both received their ranking of 174th - with eight points out of a possible 100 - after factors of corruption within all countries were indexed. In first place with the world's most honest officials was Denmark, on a score of 92, followed by New Zealand, which scored 91. Click on the map to see your country's score . North Korea (pictured) is the worst in the world for public official corruption, which includes bribery, backdoor payments and a lack of public accountability . Somalia was tied in last place with North Korea in the rankings. Pictured is Mogadishu, the country's capital . Because bribery and backdoor payments are by nature conducted in a clandestine manner, it remains impossible to accurately assess a country's level of corruption. Instead, Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index assesses perceptions of corruption across every country. This includes public officials' accountability to the public, their likelihood to accept bribes or exploit their position for personal gain, and to what extent rogue officials are prosecuted by their country's justice system. Britain was ranked 14th in the study, behind Europe's Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany. Its total points tally was 78, showing an improvement of four points since 2012. Across the Atlantic, the U.S. was ranked 17th on 74 points, trailing Canada by seven places but showing a vastly better score than every other country on its continent. Many of the Central and South American states fared poorly, with Venezuela, Honduras and Haiti among the worst. Denmark (pictured) topped the list with the world's most honest officials. The country came first with a score of 92 points out of a possible 100 . Jose Ugaz, the chair of Transparency International, said leading institutions in the U.S. and Europe needed to work with fast growing economies to hold the corrupt to account. He said: 'Corrupt officials smuggle ill-gotten assets into safe havens through offshore companies with absolute impunity. 'Countries at the bottom need to adopt radical anti-corruption measures in favour of their people. 'Countries at the top of the index should make sure they don’t export corrupt practices to underdeveloped countries.' In second place, one point behind Denmark, was New Zealand. Pictured is the view of Dunedin in the South Island . 1. Denmark, 92 points . 2. New Zealand, 91 points . 3. Finland, 89 points . 4. Sweden, 87 points . 5. Norway, 86 points . 5. Switzerland, 86 points . 7. Singapore, 84 points . 8. The Netherlands, 83 points . 9. Luxembourg, 82 points . 10. Canada, 81 points . 166. Eritrea, 18 points . 166. Libya, 18 points . 166. Uzbekistan, 18 points . 169. Turkmenistan, 17 points . 170. Iraq, 16 points . 171. South Sudan, 15 points . 172. Afghanistan, 12 points . 173. Sudan, 11 points . 174. North Korea, 8 points . 174. Somalia, 8 points . Mr Ugaz warned of the dire consequences of corruption, which he said included the denial of basic human rights and prevention of economic development. 'Grand corruption in big economies not only blocks basic human rights for the poorest but also creates governance problems and instability. 'Fast-growing economies whose governments refuse to be transparent and tolerate corruption, create a culture of impunity in which corruption thrives.' | North Korea and Somalia have the world's most corrupt public officials .
They are considered the worst for bribery and public accountability .
The most honest officials were found in Denmark and New Zealand .
Study's authors warn corruption denies the poor their basic human rights .
It also impedes economic growth and causes internal instability . |
272,991 | ed96bd2bd4e2a28a6d833805d8f97454742a52e2 | Laboour branded the Tories 'the political wing of the hedge fund industry' Labour branded the Tories ‘the political wing of the hedge fund industry’ as the latest figures underlined their dependence on donations from City figures. Almost £2 million of Tory donations in the last quarter of last year came from hedge fund donors – and three Tory donors were named last week as having previously held accounts at the Swiss branch of HSBC. Hedge funds have defended themselves against criticism from Ed Miliband, arguing that they contributed £4 billion in British taxes last year. But Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, said: ‘The Tories are now the political wing of the hedge fund industry. ‘The Tory election campaign is increasingly reliant on those who dine exclusively at the Prime Minister’s top table and a select few from the world of finance. The Tories’ plan is failing working families because their priority has been to help a few at the top.’ The biggest Conservative donors were Michael Gooley, founder of travel company Trailfinders, who gave £500,000; Lord Glendonbrook, the former owner of BMI (£334,000); and David Rowland, a property magnate (£322,000). The three donors named as having had accounts with the Swiss Branch of HSBC were Georg Von Opel, who gave £105,900; Edward Lee (£17,200) and Anwar Pervez (£8,000. Being a client of a Swiss bank is not against the law, and does not prove tax avoidance or evasion. There is no suggestion that any of the individual donors did anything unlawful. The Electoral Commission figures also reveal that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has donated more than £500,000 to the three main political parties through one of his companies. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, pictured right, and Michael Gooley, founder of travel company Trailfinders, pictured left, are both donors . Bloomberg TradeBook, a British-registered financial markets broker, has given £240,000 to Labour, £210,000 to the Liberal Democrats and £100,000 to the Conservatives since January 2011. Including gifts in kind, the company has almost doubled its political donations in the past four years to £640,704, compared with £369,567 in the four years ahead of the 2010 election. Mr Bloomberg, whose ex-wife is from England, has called Britain his second home. Mr Bloomberg declined to comment last night. | Almost £2 million Tory donations came from hedge fund donors .
Hedge funds argue they have contributed £4 billion in British taxes .
Labour say Tories are 'political wing of hedge fund industry' |
73,721 | d10cc8484ebda2a009bd30be78bea6ed6eaaad9a | Nearly 40 British Airways passengers waited 36 hours to leave India after being stranded in Mumbai airport because they missed a connecting flight. The holidaymakers - including young children and those with special needs - had flown from Goa to Mumbai after a two-week holiday, where they were due to catch a BA flight to London Heathrow. But when the internal Air India flight was delayed, the 38 passengers missed their all-important connection. Nearly 40 British Airways passengers are said to be facing an eight day wait for their next flight home after being stranded in Mumbai airport because they missed a connecting flight. Sean Read, the keyboard player for the Manic Street Preachers and Chrissie Hynde, said 'mad scenes' had erupted at the Indian airport . Worried passengers were allegedly originally told by BA staff that they could face an eight-day wait for their next flight home - because all the flights back to the UK are fully booked. The passengers spent two nights at the airport, however some families were believed to have been so desperate to leave, they paid up to £5,000 to get home. One of those stranded at the airport was Sean Read, the keyboard player for the Manic Street Preachers, the Rockingbirds and Chrissie Hynde. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Mr Read said: 'After waiting all day looks like we've been abandoned for the night by British Airways again. 'Among the left behind; a wheelchair bound woman, a cancer patient and several small children. 'Some families have given up and paid up to £5,000 just to get home. We haven't slept for 36 hours now. We were offered a hotel earlier today but horror stories of not being let back into airport without tickets put us off. 'We would take a hotel tonight rather than sleep rough again but no British Airways staff around to apply to now.' He tweeted that there had been a 'massive shouting match' between BA and Air India staff over who was to blame for the hiccup. Another passenger tweeted that none of the staff had been seen since. Mr Read then posted a photo of members of his group curled up on the airport floor among their luggage, before writing 'no hotel no food no flight'. Simon Fisher posted updates on Twitter appealing to BA over a period of several hours . The musician added that Turkish Airlines had offered the passengers seven spaces on one of its flights - but that BA staff had not been around to approve it. Other passengers also took to Twitter to air their frustrations and appeal to British Airways, but many of their tweets appeared to go without a response from the airline. Simon Fisher posted a picture of people sleeping on the floor, writing: 'Our kids asleep on the FLOOR at Mumbai airport. #britishairways @british_airways sort this out now'. He continued with updates over several hours and at one point accused the airline of ignoring the stranded passengers. Sandi Dunn, from Hackney, London, whose daughter Lisa is stranded at the airport, told MailOnline: 'BA staff were literally shouting at Air India staff over what had happened. 'Now everyone has left them there after telling them they might be stuck there for eight days because all the flights are overbooked. He added that Turkish Airlines had offered seven seats to the stranded passengers but that no one from BA was there to accept them . One passenger said they were 'desperate for help and sanity' after BA staff went home and left them stranded . Another said they were 'starving cold and have been sleeping on floors' 'They had been on a two-week holiday and just missed the connection, through no fault of their own. BA wouldn't hold the flight and now can't get them home. I just cannot get over that BA would leave them there like that - it is a first world airline.' Ms Dunn says her daughter, a director-producer for the BBC, is due to be at work today but has no way of knowing when she will be home. She added that several of the group - made up of six adults and six children - could not contact their insurance companies until today, due to the time difference. BA issued a statement saying: 'Our staff in Mumbai worked hard to assist customers who missed their connection from Mumbai to London. Samuel Hagger helped a friend book an alternative flight after she became stranded in Mumbai . A friend of stranded passengers also messaged comedian David Walliams in an attempt to drum up support . 'Our flights from Mumbai are incredibly busy at this time of year, and in order to get customers on their way as quickly as possible we booked those affected onto flights operated by both British Airways and other airlines.' The airline was unable to confirm how many passengers had been booked onto alternative flights, saying the situation was ever-changing. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that customers had booked the flights using differing methods, and so BA and Air India had to work together to come to a resolution. They did however later tell MailOnline Travel that the last remaining passengers are now travelling back to the UK having worked with other airlines to ensure safe arrival back to Heathrow. A BA spokesperson added: 'When things go wrong it is our duty to ensure our passengers are looked after as best as possible despite this being a particularly difficult time. 'It's not nice for our passengers but I am pleased to say that they have left India now, if not already arrived at home.' | 38 holidaymakers due to catch flight from Mumbai to London Heathrow .
But they missed connection when internal flight from Goa was delayed .
'Mad scenes' as BA staff allegedly refused to put them on another flight .
Passengers sleeping at airport without food after BA staff went home .
Some families have paid up to £5,000 for alternative flights in desperation . |
276,293 | f1f8093f148b57bc02085a9023493116b583ec7a | By . Alan Baldwin . Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg felt sore enough at losing Sunday's Italian Grand Prix without then having to face conspiracy theories suggesting he had done it deliberately. The Mercedes driver, who finished second after making a mistake at the first chicane while under pressure from winning team mate Lewis Hamilton, could scarcely believe anyone would suggest such a thing. 'I've heard about that, but what would be the reason for me to do something like that deliberately?,' asked the German, who saw his lead cut to 22 points with six races remaining. Winner: Lewis Hamilton gives the thumbs up as Rosberg looks on after giving up his lead at Monza . Wrong turn: Nico Rosberg goes off the track after a mistake which saw him lose first place to Lewis Hamilton . 'There is no possible reason. There is no reason why the team would ask me to change position, or something like that. 'The only thing in people's minds could be Spa, but Spa was a mistake which I've apologised for,' added the German, who hit the back of Hamilton's car on the second lap of the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks ago. Hamilton said after that race that Rosberg had 'done it on purpose' but he was certainly not accusing him of any such intent in Italy. Rosberg accepted blame for the Spa incident, which led to Hamilton's race retirement, and was handed an unspecified punishment from his angry team who reminded their drivers they could race each other but must not make contact on the track. If there were some wondering whether a restitution of points might form part of that penalty, an idea that was discussed and swiftly dismissed by some paddock pundits post-race, the driver and team ridiculed the very thought. Braking point: Rosberg attempts to brake but is forced off the track under pressure from Hamilton . Mistake: Rosberg ran straight on at the chicane on lap 29 to hand the lead to Mercedes team-mate Hamilton . 'It's not something where I have to give back something. Mistakes, errors happen, and that's the way it is, (I make) an apology and on we go,' said Rosberg, who braked late and continued straight on at the chicane. He then had to slow and zig-zag to get back on track. 'It's not like we now start shuffling and things like that, so there is no reason why I would do something like that on purpose,' added Rosberg. Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff found the idea even more mind-boggling after being asked by BBC pundit and former team owner Eddie Jordan. 'I said to Eddie that only a paranoid mind could come up with such an idea,' he said. 'I think there was lots of pressure on Nico because Lewis was so quick yesterday and you could see that today as well,' he added, explaining also that Rosberg had to miss the chicane because the alternative was to damage the tyres. Decisive moment: Rosberg denied that he had deliberately given up the lead to his teammate . Pivotal: By the time the German had negotiated the bollards Hamilton had emerged into the lead . Theories: It was suggested that Rosberg gave the place up on purpose after the incident at Spa . That would have entailed another pitstop and lost time. Television images also showed Wolff smiling apparently as Hamilton took the lead after Rosberg's error, providing more fuel for the conspiracy theorists, but he dismissed any suggestion the two things were linked. 'Whoever picks that up and tries to interpret anything in such a picture must be out of his mind,' said the Austrian. 'First of all, it's not live. 'It wasn't synchronised with the picture.' Wolff explained that he had smiled when his two drivers were closing up, with Hamilton chasing down Rosberg, out of a sense of 'here we go again' and anticipation of sparks to come. The footage was then spliced into the live action later. Hamilton had started from pole position on Sunday, with Rosberg second, but fell to fourth at the start after a problem with his car's race start settings . | Rosberg finished second after error on lap 29 .
Mercedes driver failed to turn into chicane at turn one .
Hamilton had started on pole but had to fight back after poor start . |
242,092 | c551970ee357912c697cfc20a5080af9b9ec51e2 | PUBLISHED: . 12:34 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:13 EST, 11 July 2013 . These mind-bending 3-D artworks are sure to have hardcore arcade 'gamers' reminiscing about the good old days. While many of the original old school games they take inspiration from may now be little more than collectors' items, these chalk pictures bring classics such as Space Invaders, Tetris, and Super Mario back to life with a colourful bang. Inspired by classic 80s arcade games, American artist Chris Carlson, from Colorado, has spent up to 45 hours meticulously drawing his chalk creations, which take days of planning beforehand. Scroll down for video . These mind-bending artworks of old school 80s games might look 3D, but in reality they are drawn on a wall with nothing more than chalk . American artist Chris Carlson, from Colorado, has spent up to 45 hours meticulously drawing his chalk creations, such as this one of a Nintendo Entertainment System hooked up to classic game 'Duck Hunt' The 27-year-old discovered his love for art during a trip to Europe and has been working tirelessly to develop his skills ever since. Luckily, he already had his subject matter, having had a love of games such as Super Mario since he was a child . This picture of a s Super Mario piranha plants will be familiar to children of the 80s as it reaches toothily from the pavement . Mr Carlson, 27, discovered his . love for art during a trip to Europe and has been working tirelessly to . develop his skills ever since. Mr Carlson said: 'The most difficult aspect is trying to keep a mental image of what the drawing will look like from the proper viewing angle at all times. 'When I am down on the ground drawing, I'm not paying too much attention to what the drawing looks like close up, I am thinking about what it will look like from the viewing point. 'Producing work like mine can be hard on the body. At the end of the day my knees and back are usually quite sore. The artist has taken inspiration from his own childhood favourites for his wall art. This old school bopper arcade game was huge hit 30 years ago . Mr Carlson produces the 3D chalk art- such as this life like tetris piece - full time, creating custom drawings for promotional events . He takes inspiration from old school cult classics - such as this teenage mutant ninja turtles design . 'My favorite thing about chalk art is the speed with which I can create large, detailed drawings. 'I also like the temporary nature of chalk art. 'I like the fact that these drawings can't be saved in a conventional way like paintings on a canvas. Mr Carlson produces the 3D chalk art full time, creating custom drawings for promotional events and is commissioned by major brands regularly. His favourite of his works is his ambitious Space Invaders project, a series of chalk drawings in homage to one of the original and best computer games . He said: 'My favorite drawing of my own right now is my Space Invaders project, because I feel the drawing creates a great sense of three dimensions by combining the wall and floor' Taking inspiration from M.C Escher, Vincent Van Gogh and Tracy Lee Stum, Mr Carlson creates time-lapse videos to demonstrate the processes that he goes through when creating an artwork. Mr Carlson added: 'My favorite drawing of my own right now is my Space Invaders project, because I feel the drawing creates a great sense of three dimensions by combining the wall and floor. Chalk drawings of three Iron Man masks. Mr Carlson said he takes inspiration from M.C Escher, Vincent Van Gogh and Tracy Lee Stum, Chris creates time-lapse videos to demonstrate the processes that he goes through when creating an artwork . Mr Carlson has also sued more recent computer games such as Minecraft in his work . 'My friends and family have all been very supportive and encouraging of my work. My parents give me lots of positive feedback and my friends give me lots of good ideas for drawings. 'I really appreciate it when my friends give me constructive criticism. It's nice to be told that your work is good, but it's also important to learn how you can improve.' | American artist Chris Carlson spends up to 45 hours drawing masterpieces .
Some take days of planning beforehand and can be back breaking work .
The works take inspiration from 80s classics like Super Mario and Tetris .
To more of Chris Carlson's work click here . |
192,788 | 8594e26e591366e36c65b5b5520d8fd77c225b21 | Their war for freedom in Libya may be over, but almost a year after they won the battle for the Libyan capital, a group of fighters have a new battlefield: Syria. Under the command of one of Libya's most well known rebel commanders, Al-Mahdi al-Harati, more than 30 Libyan fighters have made their way into Syria to support the Free Syrian Army rebels in their war against President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Al-Harati, who commanded the Tripoli Revolutionary brigade -- which was the first group of rebels to enter the Libyan capital last August -- has been in Syria for months leading some of his former men and Syrian military defectors who have joined his "Liwaa al-Umma" or "The Banner of the Nation" brigade. Recent YouTube videos show at least two different Syrian rebel factions announcing that they are part of the Liwa al-Umma. Heavy fighting in Syrian city of Aleppo . Al-Harati, who has dual Libyan and Irish citizenship, first visited Syria last year on what he calls a "fact finding mission" to see the situation on the ground and find out what Syrian rebels needed. "After many Syrians approached me asking for my help, I felt it was time to do more and due to the great success of the Tripoli Brigade we felt it was time to act and that meant the formation of the Banner of the Nation," Al-Harati told CNN in Skype messages this week. Al-Harati said: "With the prior success in Libya I decided to leave nationality aside and, just like world organizations helped Libya in its time of need, I decided to pass my experience to others to benefit." In the past week, at least three more former members of the Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade traveled from the Libyan capital to join their former commander in Syria, two former members of the TRB says. Al-Harati, who describes himself as a "commander and facilitator" says there were no active efforts to recruit Libyans. "These are grown men with their own minds and do not need convincing about this cause," Al-Harati said. Mohammed, 23, fought in some of the fiercest battles against Moammar Gadhafi's troops in Libya's Western Mountains. One year on, he dreams of fighting al-Assad's troops. He does not want his last name disclosed because he does not want his family to know he wants to go to Syria. "What Bashar al-Assad is doing is unacceptable in Islam ... He is killing children and wiping out entire cities ... The Syrians need people to fight with them, this is Jihad, it does not have to be my (personal) cause ... As a Muslim I have to go and help them," he said. Mohammed smiles as he recalls the fighting in Libya last year, like now he says, it was during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Syrian rebels appear more capable, yet still outgunned . "There is nothing better than Jihad during Ramadan ... There are some people who look at us and say we are Jihadist extremists, we are not. In Libya we experienced Jihad, tasted the beauty of Jihad. We are not going to Jihad like al-Qaeda and others. We are going to support our brothers in Syria," he said. Another fighter is Housam Najjair. He is 33, al-Harati's brother-in-law, and had never used a weapon until he fought in Libya last year. He said: "When I watch TV reports ... you hear the cries of an old woman or a mother of a child who has been killed, or some of the brutal pictures that we have seen of children being killed ... I can not sit back and watch that," Najjair told CNN in a Skype interview from one of Turkey's borders with Syria hours before making the dangerous journey into Syria. "I have to do whatever I can to make that journey. Because I feel guilty putting my head down at nighttime knowing that last year I was given an amazing opportunity to learn how to use weapons, for good, all for good, learn how to use weapons, how to maneuver, how to travel, how to attack, how to defend, all these things," Najjair said, adding that his aim is to share these experiences with Syrian rebels. During the interview, Najjair got the phone call he had been waiting for, his group of fighters is mobilizing to go into Syria. "It is a rollercoaster of different kinds of emotions, you get excited, you get adrenalin, fear, anticipation, all these feelings come into it, fear is not the main factor and in my mind will never be ... it will impair your judgment ... Libya was a walk in the park compared to Syria, I know this going in there," Najjair said as he prepared to leave. Najjair says the no-fly zone enforced in Libya last year helped rebel fighters and allowed them to make great advances. Without that in Syria, operating will be much harder. He says they do not have a military base, there are makeshift barracks; they are constantly on the move and cannot spend more than a day in one location. Fighters, he says, are scattered across different areas. A Syrian town's 'Street of Death' Last month, a senior Libyan security official told CNN the government was aware of Libyans fighting in Syria, but they were individuals and not government sponsored. Earlier this year, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, accused Libya of hosting and training Syrian rebels. A claim denied by the Libyan prime minister. But Libya's government and people have been vocal in their support for the Syrian opposition. Libya was one of the first countries to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council as the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people and in February, Tripoli expelled Assad's diplomats and closed down their embassy. Many in Libya say they relate to Syrians who want to overthrow the regime. It was not too long ago that they lived a similar experience. But not everyone chooses to express support militarily. Some show solidarity by hanging the Syrian opposition flag outside their shops in Tripoli, flying alongside the Free Libya flag. In a YouTube video posted on July 4, a group of six Libyan doctors is seen being greeted by Free Syrian Army troops as they enter Syria. "We are coming for you Bashar," says one of the doctors as they shake hands with the heavily armed Syrian fighters. There are no official figures on how many Libyans are currently in Syria. In February, reports of at least four Libyan fighters killed in Syria circulated, but there has been no government confirmation. For fighters like Najjair, the risk of death is a matter of faith. He said: "You have to have faith and you have to say to yourself, "if it's my time, I will be gone. If it's not my time it will be another amazing journey another amazing victory."" Faces of the Free Syrian Army . | More than 30 men who fought against Libya's regime are moving into Syria .
One fighter says: Libya was a walk in the park compared to Syria .
Unlike Libya, in Syria fighters have no base and no cover from a no-fly zone .
Libya's government and people have been vocal supporters of Syria's opposition . |
241,238 | c44b3b41f3a27d615fc797aa7dbc3cc50aee622d | Sam Allardyce appears to have done a U-turn by claiming he wants Ravel Morrison to stay at West Ham - providing his injury problems and wage demands can be managed. Hammers co-owner David Sullivan had previously said that the mercurial midfielder was not wanted by the manager, telling talkSPORT: 'Sam has said Ravel is not part of his plans but we as a board see him as part of our plans.' Allardyce now seems to support the club's view after insisting the 21-year-old still has a role to play, especially if he recovers from the hernia problems that plagued him last season. U-turn: Ravel Morrison is wanted at West Ham, provided he gets over injury problems and doesn't demand too much money . Upton spark: The England Under 21 midfielder started well at West Ham before joining QPR on loan . 'He's contracted to West Ham,' Allardyce told reporters. 'I . think he's had a hernia op. Once that's healed up I hope he becomes a . better player because he has been playing with it for a while. The . groins have been causing him a problem for a while. 'If you've . got pain, I don't think you perform to your best. Hopefully that pain . will have ended and he'll be a much freer, more active player for us. If . he could do what he did last season, that would be great because, when . he broke in to the side early last year, he had a great spell. Unfortunately he couldn't sustain it.' On the mend: Ravel Morrison has undergone successful surgery on groin injury during pre-seaon . U-turn? David Sullivan had previously said that Morrison wasn't in Sam Allardyce's (above) plans . The England Under 21 player made a bright start to his career at Upton Park before fading out and spending the latter half of the season on loan to QPR. Allardyce is willing to give the talented youngster another chance, but added that Morrison's wage demands would influence his future at the east London club. 'If he continues to do what he did last season then yes [we want to keep him] but that does depend on how much players want, how much they demand. If that demand is far too great then that becomes a difficulty for us.' | Sam Allardyce wants Ravel Morrison to stay at West Ham depending on his recovery from injury and wage demands .
Co-owner David Sullivan had said Morrison was not in the manager's plans although the board wanted to keep him .
England Under 21 international spent last season on loan with QPR .
Morrison has undergone an operation to cure hernia problems that plagued him last season . |
109,633 | 19515d4bfd9abd54ea7b3c65f2d62690b579e4c8 | By . Meghan Keneally . Last updated at 7:02 PM on 14th November 2011 . A video interview with Jerry Sandusky in 1987 offers a disturbing look into the earlier mind of the man now charged with 40 counts of sexual assault after sexually abusing at least eight young boys. The former defensive line coach for Penn State University's football team was at the height of his career when he was interviewed by NBC news, talking about the charity he formed to help underprivileged youth. Now, in light of the scandal that broke last Saturday, it is confirmed that he used that same charity as a way to pick his victims. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Behind the smile: Jerry Sandusky was interviewed by NBC in October 1987, ten years after starting his charity . Connected: Sandusky's name was inherently connected to Penn State and his coaching role made him a local hero . 'I enjoy being around children,' he said, smiling. 'I enjoy their enthusiasm. I just have a good time with them.' Sandusky created The Second Mile as a charity to help underprivileged Pennsylvania youth, often in need of foster homes. The court report filed against Sandusky says the self-described mission of the charity was to 'help children who need additional support and would benefit from positive human interaction'. Sandusky was very much the head of the program until he retired last year, and was the emotional leader of the organization, respected and admired by the children as a fatherly figure both because of his charity and because of his position in the Penn State football program. 'Spending time': The interview shows Sandusky playing sports and swimming with the children from The Second Mile . Founder: Sandusky created The Second Mile in 1977 and now it is known that is where he chose his victims . 'One of the biggest things would be the trust that would developed,' he said of his goals for the program. 'What we're trying to be is, what we think to be of, is a true friend. 'Everybody needs people to care for them.' He alludes to his role as a disciplinarian as well, which has an underlying message after having read the court reports which describe his sexual interactions with unwilling young boys. 'Sometimes they don't want it, sometimes they don't understand what you're trying to do but they want to be disciplined,' he said. 'Kids are growing up awfully fast today.' Leaders: head coach Joe Paterno (left) was . already a legend in the late eighties and Sandusky was considered his . second-in-command, making him a football celebrity on his own (right) Resigned: Jack Raykovitz, former CEO of The Second Mile, resigned amid allegations that Sandusky found his victims through the organization . The damage of the allegations continues . to spread as the charity announced Sunday that Dr. Jack Raykovitz, who . has served as the CEO of The Second Mile for the past 28 years, . resigned, saying that he and the board of directors felt it was in 'the . best interest' of the organization. This old interview and the removal of Mr Raykovitz from The Second Mile comes just as one of Sandusky's victims hired an attorney to pursue a civil suit against anyone who potentially knew about the abuse and did nothing. The lawyer, Ben Andreozzi, represents . one of the unnamed victims and would not give any clues as to which one, . but said that his client is 'torn up' about the entire situation. 'It's . important to understand that these folks were involved in the Penn . State football community,' Mr Andreozzi said in an interview with the . Today Show. 'They were on . the sidelines of football games, they were spending significant amounts . of time travelling with the team and or in the locker room with the team . and getting to know members of that football team. to say that he's . torn apart would be an emotion would really explain where he's at right . now,' he continued. Lawyered up: Ben Andreozzi is pursuing a civil lawsuit for one of the victims against anyone who knew of the abuse but did not report it to police or law enforcement officials . Because of the victims close ties to Penn State, and really the town of State College as a whole, the ripple effects of the scandal are hard for Mr Andreozzi's client to handle. 'The general public may think that an abuse victim in his position would automatically have feelings of negativity towards the university and while I think he's very disappointed in the way that members of the University community handled his situation or the situation involving the cove rup, it's a complex issue and we need to understand that he has a variety of thoughts going through his head right now,' Mr Andreozzi said. The civil suit is the first of its kind in this scandal, as so far Sandusky and two other university administrators have only been criminally charged. Disturbing: 'Sometimes they don't want it, sometimes they don't understand what you're trying to do but they want to be disciplined,' he said in the 1987 interview . Tom Corbett, the governor of Pennsylvania, thinks that this is not the end of the case either and he expects more victims to come forward now that the incidents are public. 'When the word gets out, when people understand that authorities are actually doing something about this, that they may be believed, then more people come forward, Mr Corbett said to Fox News Sunday. " 'If I had to speculate I wouldn't be surprised if we had more victims come forward.' WATCH VIDEO HERE . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | First civil suit is being pursued by one of the unnamed victims, looking to charge anyone who knew about the sexual abuse but failed to report it to police .
Sandusky: 'I enjoy their enthusiasm. I just have a good time with them.'
Pennsylvania governor says there are likely more victims to come .
The president of Sandusky's charity resigned Sunday night . |
83,627 | ed3cc26d2a14f37c039ba6e2249fa77fd8d3dea9 | (CNN) -- When night falls over Rwanda, many rural communities far removed from the country's electricity grid descend into darkness. Unplugged from the power lines, households in these areas rely mainly on fuel-based devices such as kerosene lamps for access to light. Such lanterns, however, are polluting and costly: They emit toxic fumes, pose fire hazards and also put a strain on family budgets. But recently, an innovative solution has emerged to offer affordable and efficient electricity to low-income households while benefiting the communities by providing jobs to local populations. Called POWERcycle, Nuru Energy says it has developed "the world's first commercially available pedal generator" -- a foot or hand-powered device that can recharge up to five modular light emitting diode (LED) lamps in approximately 20 minutes, as well as power mobile phones and radios. Read also: Bamboo bikes put Zambian business on right track . The company says each of its portable LED lamps provides one week of light to a rural household. It also claims that its products are more affordable and reliable than other forms of off-grid offerings that have been developed in recent years, including solar lamps or home solar lighting systems. "We looked around and said, well, what is the one energy resource that's untapped in this environment? And human power really came to mind," says Sameer Hajee, chief executive and co-founder of Nuru Energy. "We thought, well, if we can harness human energy in a way that we can create economic opportunity and low-power electricity, wouldn't that be a game changing solution?" Watch: Can handmade bicycles change lives? According to Lighting Africa, a joint World Bank - IFC program developed to increase access to clean sources of energy for lighting, 589 million people in the continent live without access to a public electricity facility. The group says African poor rural households and small businesses pay $10 billion per year for lighting purposes, while communities not connected to the grid spend $4.4 billion annually on kerosene. Read also: Pay-as-you-go solar power lights up rural Africa . Looking to address the issue of energy poverty, Hajee, a social entrepreneur with a lot of experience in international development, spent more than a month in Rwanda in 2008, trying to figure out what were the energy needs of the country's off-grid population. What he found out was "actually quite basic [energy needs]," he says. "It's light, it's cooking, it's mobile phone recharging and radio." Read also: Unplugging from the world's power lines . With help from the World Bank, Hajee co-founded Nuru Energy and in 2009 the company started testing its products in the field. Hajee quickly realized, however, that innovative technology was not enough for the project to be successful in a place like rural Rwanda. His company also needed to adopt a creative approach in the distribution front. Read also: Rwanda's B-Boys . "We couldn't just sell product -- we had to actually get involved in the value chain downstream," he says. "We thought, well, if the generator can recharge five lights so quickly, could this not be the basis of a recharging business for a local entrepreneur?" As a result, the company decided not to sell its products directly to customers. Instead, it set up a network of village-level entrepreneurs who are responsible for marketing, selling, and recharging the lights. Read also: Experts warn Africa must learn from India's microfinance problems . Hajee says this unique model of distribution has revolutionized the lives of both micro-entrepreneurs and customers. "If you look at this from the standpoint of the customer," says Hajee, "they would purchase the light for $6 and then they would pay about 20 U.S. cents per week for lighting. This is compared to about $2 a week that they would spend on kerosene before. So it's 10 times cheaper solution for them. "From the entrepreneur's perspective, in 20 minutes of pedaling, they're recharging five lights, earning about $1 -- any of us that work in Africa know that that's much more than people make in an entire day. So it's a huge value proposition for the customer and for the entrepreneur." Opinion: Could Africa be world's next manufacturing hub? Hajee notes that this model can easily be emulated across rural Africa. He says that Nuru Energy, which currently focuses on East Africa and India, has already been approached by a number of potential joint venture partners to roll out the project in other parts of the continent. "I really hope that what we're providing here is a stopgap solution to the immediate energy needs of...rural populations," says Hajee. "What I would really hope is that, you know, there's certainly effort needed in providing grid quality electricity to these populations. It'll take some time." | 589 million people in Africa live without access to a public electricity facility .
Nuru Energy has created a pedal generator that allows light and mobile phone recharging .
The company says its products are more affordable and reliable than other energy solutions .
It has set up a network of micro entrepreneurs who sell and recharge the lights . |
53,270 | 971917b412113787df57886d315f47e1cfab5a82 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 05:54 EST, 25 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:44 EST, 29 July 2013 . Another day, another wave of Apple rumours - this time about the potential demise of the iPhone 5. A Chinese source claims the company will stop making its current flagship phone when it releases its upcoming, rumoured, iPhone 5S and iPhone Lite models. The reports claims Apple wants to focus its attentions on, and ultimately promote more sales of, the newer designs. These rumours come at the same time Apple is said to be having production difficulties with the new phones, in particular the iPhone 5S, meaning the release date could be pushed back to the end of September. A Chinese source claims Apple could discontinue its iPhone 5, pictured, to focus solely on the upcoming, rumoured, iPhone 5S and iPhone Lite models. This could be in a bid to boost sales of the newer designs . Chinese site ETNews believes Apple could discontinue the iPhone 5 to focus solely on its rumoured, upcoming new models. Earlier this year, industry analyst Brian White from Topeka Capital Markets claimed Apple was working on a low-cost handset. Dubbed iPhone Mini or iPhone Lite, the new handset could come in a range of colours, be made . of plastic, have a 3.5inch screen and a 5MP camera. Prices being quoted range from £63 ($99) to £260 ($400). Apple is also believed to working on large-screen device for its iPhone 6 model. The iPhone 6 could have a 4.7-inch screen. There may also be a 5.7-inch screen iPhone model due next year. The iPhone 5S was expected to be released on 13 September, with the cheaper version due at the start of October. Production problems are now said to have pushed this date back, meaning the iPhone Lite could be released before the high-end iPhone 5. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal claimed suppliers in Asia had said Apple recently asked for prototypes of screens . that are larger than 4-inches for the iPhone. It is also said to be testing larger 13-inch iPad displays. This would make a jumbo iPad more than three inches bigger than the . current model. Chinese site ETNews claims that the touchscreen technology currently used on the iPhone 5 is 'not suitable for low-volume production'. This means that when fewer people are buying the iPhone 5 because new models are on the market, Apple will potentially spend more money on production costs than they make back in sales. Apple is expected to therefore abandon production of the iPhone 5, focusing on the . high-end successor as well as the rumoured cheaper, plastic model dubbed the iPhone Mini or iPhone Lite. If true, this would go against Apple's current policy to keep its previous two models in production at a cheaper price, to attract lower-end customers. However, AppleInsider added that the company's CEO Tim Cook recently said the the iPhone 5 was the company's most popular iPhone 'by far.' The site also quotes recent data that suggests the device makes up half of Apple's iPhone sales. In a separate report, AppleInsider has also learnt that the new models could be delayed due to production problems. According to a research note found by the site, written by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there have been 'setbacks in the production of numerous components' meaning the handset may be pushed back to the end of September. The model was expected to launch on 13 September, with the iPhone Lite due at the start of October. This delay could see the cheaper iPhone released before the high-end model. The iPhone 5S is expected to have a fingerprint scanner and an updated camera and it may be these new features that are causing the delays. Accessory manufacturer Tactus published a picture of a cheap, plastic iPhone model earlier this year. The design is rumoured to have a 3.5inch screen and 5MP camera and could cost as little as £63 ($99) Apple is rumoured to be working on an iPhone 5S, due to launch in September, as well as cheaper, plastic models dubbed iPhone Lite. Images leaked on a Chinese site, pictured, show three potential iPhone Lite colours. The cheaper model is expected to be made of plastic to keep costs down . The Telegraph also reported in June that accessory manufacturer Tactus had published a picture of a cheap, plastic iPhone model, rumoured to have a 3.5inch screen and 5MP camera. Other reports about the plastic iPhones suggest they could have with 4.7-inch screens. They . could be available in a variety of colours including yellow and red - . current iPhones and iPads only come in black and white - and may sell . for as little as £63. Earlier this month, reports in the . Wall Street Journal claimed Apple was additionally testing larger . screens, potentially for a 13-inch version of its iPad tablet. If the rumours are true Apple's giant iPad could be same size as its MacBook Pro. It would also be bigger than some laptops, including HP's 11.6-inch EliteBook. This mock-up shows what Apple's iPhone 6 handset could look like. It was designed by French technology site NowhereElse. The iPhone 6 - originally expected to be released in 2014 - could be announced as early as 27 September . At the same time Apple was said to be . working on a larger, 5.7-inch iPhone dubbed a 'phablet' because its a . cross between a phone and a tablet computer. These rumours originated in a note to investors written by industry analyst Brian White from Topeka Capital Markets. Apple traditionally unveils new handsets at an annual event in September and this was bolstered by claims this week from the company's CFO Peter Oppenheimer who said the company was 'on track to have a very busy fall.' As well as the new phones, Apple is believed to be working on a new MacBook Pro and iMac. Latest rumours from suppliers in Asia suggest Apple is working on a 13-inch version of its iPad tablet. Reports claim the company is testing prototypes of larger screens that could be used on jumbo iPhones or iPads. If the rumours are true, this giant iPad could be three inches bigger than the current model, pictured . A 13-inch iPad would make the tablet computer the same size as the company's MacBook Pro, pictured . Mr White added the iPhone Mini might 'have a curved back casing made of coloured plastic and will be thicker than the iPhone 5.' Other rumours to have generated from White's note include that the iPhone 6 - expected in 2014 - will have a much larger screen than the current 4inch iPhone 5 model. These rumours were also said to have come from sources within the phone maker's supply chain in Asia. One person said to have 'direct knowledge of the matter, according to Reuters, said: 'They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment, so you're not really sure whether this is the final prototype.' | Reports claim the iPhone 5 could soon be discontinued .
Apple said to be putting all its efforts into the iPhone 5S and Lite models .
iPhone 5S set to include a fingerprint scanner and an updated camera .
iPhone Lite expected to be made of plastic and cost around £65 .
Separate report claims production problems could see these handsets delayed until the end of September . |
276,437 | f227f2ec0e7d0ff806827f7cfa04bf138e29741b | Saying that climate change ranks among the world's most serious problems -- such as disease outbreaks, poverty, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on all nations to respond to "the greatest challenge of our generation." Kerry, speaking before college students in Jakarta, Indonesia, also criticized climate-change deniers, saying "a few loud interest groups" shouldn't be given the chance to misdirect the conversation. Kerry reiterated U.S. President Barack Obama's assertion in the State of the Union address that climate change is an undeniable fact. "We should not allow a tiny minority of shoddy scientists and science and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific fact," Kerry said at the U.S. Embassy's @america function in Jakarta. Too many ecosystems such as Indonesia's are in peril because of climate change, he said. He said Indonesia's important fishing trade would be adversely affected, citing a study that said catches in the island nation will decline by 40 percent. Kerry recalled a meeting in Brazil where many experts described the growing problem caused by climate change. The session was in 1992. Very little has been done sine then, he said. Opinion: Why global health security is a national priority . "It is time for the world to approach this problem with the cooperation, the urgency, and the commitment that a challenge of this scale warrants," he said. The secretary acknowledged the role the United States plays in greenhouse gas emissions and referred to the President's Climate Action Plan, which calls for cutting emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels. "That's because we're going straight to the largest sources of pollution," he said. Kerry said he and Obama had no time for what he called the "Flat Earth Society." It will soon be too late for action to prevent the immense costs of doing nothing. People who refuse to look at the evidence and agree on change are "burying their heads" in the sand, he said. On Friday, Obama toured a California farm hit by serious and prolonged drought. He warned that some damage to the climate had already been done and will continue unless countries "do more to combat the carbon pollution that causes climate change." Kerry was fresh off a Saturday meeting in China, the No. 1 producer of greenhouse gas emissions. He said the two nations have agreed to a partnership that will share "information and policies so that we can help develop plans to deal with the U.N. climate change negotiation that takes place in Paris next year." But, Kerry added, while industrialized countries produce a majority of emissions, other nations shouldn't get a free pass. He called on Indonesians to push their government to change policies. The United States will help, too, he said. He announced $332 million in funding through the Green Prosperity program to help Indonesia tackle unsustainable deforestation and support clean-energy projects. The United States has also forgiven some of Indonesia's debt in a debt-for-nature swap in exchange for forest conservation. The World Wildlife Federation estimates that half of Sumatra's forest cover disappeared from 1985 to 2008. The government has halted the cutting of virgin forest, also known as primary forest. "With Indonesia and the rest of the world pulling in the same direction, we can meet this challenge, the greatest challenge of our generation, and we can create the future that everybody dreams of," he said. Opinion: After year one, John Kerry's a surprise success . | Secretary of State John Kerry says climate deniers are supported by shoddy science .
He says little has been done since the 1990s when scientists first spoke of the problem .
U.S. giving Indonesia more than $300 million in aid to reduce deforestation .
Kerry says China agrees to framework for discussions on how to deal with climate change . |
238,842 | c12f0a1f817a2bc5e8a44323299f844a76f4dedd | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 06:13 EST, 17 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 18 December 2013 . When Tom Crist's mobile rang on his way to play golf in May, the last thing he was expecting was a call to say he'd just won $40million (£24.5m) on the lottery. Not knowing what to do with the money, Crist kept the win a secret even from his own four children, hung up the phone, and finished his round. But yesterday 64-year-old went public, saying that he will donate every single cent to cancer charities after his wife Jan died from the disease in February last year, aged just 57. Scroll down for video . Tom Crist, 64, won the lottery last year but kept it a secret until yesterday when he announced he would be donating his $40million windfall to cancer charities . The couple had been married for 33 years. Speaking to CBC News, the former company CEO said: 'I’ve been fortunate enough, through my career, 44 years with a company. 'I did very well for myself. I’ve done enough that I can look after myself, for my kids, so they can get looked after into the future. I don’t really need that money.' He added that his wife would be ecstatic to know he was donating the win, and says he will start with the Tom Baker centre who helped treat Jan during her illness. He added: 'She was fairly young and stuff. She beat it for six years before it finally caught up to her.' The family, who are backing Crist's plan, will then set up a trust fund which will parcel out the rest of the money to various cancer causes over the years. Crist retired as CEO of EECOL Electric in September, following the company's CAD$1.14billion sale in December last year. The retired CEO's wife, Jan, died from cancer in February last year and he says she would be ecstatic to learn he was giving the money away to a good cause . Crist won the May 3 Lotto Max draw with the numbers 4, 6, 21, 26, 30, 34 and 35 but pays for his tickets by subscription, and so didn't pick the numbers himself. He said: 'I wasn’t even sure which game I’d won on, or what the numbers were. I’ve paid for the subscription when I get the renewal notice every year, and then I just file it — sometimes I’d get a cheque for $10 or $20, but I never expected this.' During his photocall and interview, mandatory for all big lottery winners, Crist opted for a baseball cap and dark sunglasses to take as much attention away from himself as possible. The Tom Baker cancer centre is based in Calgary, where Crist lives, and provides advanced cancer care for patients, as well as carrying out research into the condition. | Tom Crist won $40million last year but didn't even tell his children .
Now he says he will donate all of it to cancer charities through a trust fund .
Tom's wife, Jan, died from the disease in February last year aged just 57 .
The former company CEO says he has no need for the money . |
244,872 | c8ededfcb173bdf01370ccec34bcc96a028fd899 | John Bercow ran up a £177 fare for a four-mile limousine trip, and the taxpayer picked up the bill. The cost of the Commons Speaker's return journey from Parliament to Euston station in north London came to more than his rail fare to Lancaster and back. The extraordinary bill emerged as Mr Bercow admitted to being 'bumptious and pompous'. The cost of the Commons Speaker's return journey from Parliament to Euston station in north London came to more than his rail fare to Lancaster and back . Mr Bercow has been repeatedly criticised for his jet-set lifestyle, embarking on globe-trotting trips funded by the taxpayer. Since becoming Speaker he has enjoyed flights to Australia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, India, USA, South Africa, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Austria and Romania. But he now faces criticism for a short trip across London, which cost more than 10 times the price of travelling on the Tube. Latest figures show that Mr Bercow had his chauffeur-driven car take him from the Houses of Parliament to Euston station, and then picked up up and took him home at the end of the day. The four-mile round trip cost a total of £177, The Sun reported. The cost was higher than two train tickets, for Mr Bercow and an aide, to travel the 460-miles to Lancaster and back. The standard class rail far came to only £154 compared to £177.49 for the car. Detaiuls of his expenses also show that he charged £193.64 for a 24-mile return trip to Bromley, South East London and an eight-mile journey to and from Battersea was £138. Insight: The programme, by respected political documentary maker Michael Cockerell, to be broadcast on Tuesday, focuses on Mr Bercow's stormy clashes with MPs in the Commons (pictured) Andy Silvester, of The TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'This is an outrageous waste. Why couldn't he have just hailed a black cab or, like most Londoners, jumped on the Tube?' A Commons spokesman said: 'Every effort is made to balance cost effectiveness and time efficiency.' However, some MPs have accused Mr Bercow of becoming too grand in his role. Now he has admitted that it cold be true. His frank admission comes in the final episode of Inside The Commons, the BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary. The programme, by respected political documentary maker Michael Cockerell, to be broadcast on Tuesday, focuses on Mr Bercow's stormy clashes with MPs in the Commons. It also covers his reportedly fraught relationship with ex-Commons Clerk Sir Robert Rogers who quit last year after allegedly being told to 'f*** off' by the Speaker. In this week's documentary, alongside clips of Mr Bercow berating misbehaving MPs, Mr Cockerell says: 'Many MPs say John Bercow is his own worst enemy because of his manner.' The Speaker admits: 'Some critics say I'm bumptious and can be pompous. If people say that, there may be truth in it.' He defends efforts to modernise the Commons, saying: 'It's not possible to make an omelette without breaking eggs.' But he admits he 'lost' his battle last year to replace Sir Robert with Australian parliamentary administrator Carol Mills amid protests she knew nothing about Commons procedure. Her appointment was blocked after a revolt by senior MPs. Mr Bercow says: 'There will be people who say, 'the Speaker lost'. Well, that is undeniable. She has not been appointed.' | Commons Speaker's bill for chauffeur-driven car to drive across London .
Cost was more than rail fare for Bercow and aide to go to Lancaster .
He admits that there is truth in claim he is 'bumptious and pompous'
Bercow makes frank admission in final episode of Inside The Commons .
The fly-on-the-wall documentary focuses on his stormy clashes with MPs . |
49,546 | 8c07b7c50f5db473683bed45d83d739b15d471e2 | Of all the reasons to lose weight, fear of not surviving a zombie apocalypse because you are too fat has got to be one of the most unusual. But that is exactly what inspired an obese mother-of-one to drop nearly 7st and become fighting fit. Siobhan Maccow, 27, went on her brutal 'zombie apocalypse diet' as a tribute to her favourite character from television show The Walking Dead. Siobhan went from 17st 7lb (left) to 11st (right) on her extreme 'zombie apocalypse' routine . Siobhan was inspired to change her body by the character Michonne (pictured), played by Zimbabwean-American actress Danai Gurira in the hit AMC series The Walking Dead . Ms Maccow, who has a six-year-old daughter, Milly, was 17st 7lb and wore size 18 clothing when she decided she wanted to emulate Michonne, played by Zimbabwean-American actress Danai Gurira in the hit AMC series. She began an intense exercise regime and overhauled her diet to slim down to the 11st size 12 she is today. Ms Maccow, a care worker, said: 'Michonne inspired me. I decided that I was going to get fit enough to survive the zombie apocalypse. 'Danai Gurira plays the character brilliantly - she has such a good body, and is so strong. I wanted to be just like her. 'Whenever I'm in the gym and I work really hard at my cardio exercises. I imagine being Michonne, and that getting fit is really important for surviving zombie attacks. It keeps me motivated. Began an intense exercise regime inspired by the TV character and thoughts of surviving zombie attacks . Thoughts of surviving a zombie apocalypses helped keep her motivated through her training and diet . 'I put Nicki Minaj on and pretend that I'm running through a zombie wasteland.' Ms Maccow, of Slough, first started to pile on the pounds when her daughter started school. She began to binge-eat as a means of coping with her boredom while unemployed. By the time she reached adulthood, Ms Maccow was subject to unkind comments about her weight, sometimes even from her own daughter. Ms Maccow said: 'I remember when Milly and I were in the changing rooms at Primark - I was trying on a new dress when I was at my fattest and my daughter said to me 'Mum, that dress is too skinny for you.' 'The whole changing room laughed at me. I was so embarrassed, that I knew I had to change.' The mother-of-one dropped from a size 18 to a slim and toned size 12 . Siobhan says her new fight fit physique means she is confident of surviving a zombie attack . Before losing weight Miss Maccow did not eat breakfast but ate a full English fry-up for lunch. She typically two Fray Bentos pies for her evening meal and snacked on portions of takeaway fried chicken and oven chips during the day. From July 2012, when she began her fitness regime, she began eating Weetabix for breakfast, tuna pasta salad for lunch, and homemade soup for dinner. When she snacked, she ate cashew nuts or dried cranberries. She also began running at the gym for at least 25 minutes every day and began weight training to tone her muscles. Today, having slimmed down three dress sizes, she wears size 12 clothing and weighs 17st 7lb, a total weight loss of 6st 7lb. She said: 'Getting into fitness has influenced my daughter, who is now keen to live healthily, and inspired my mum to lose some weight too.' 'I was watching the Walking Dead again recently, and every time I saw Michonne I couldn't stop grinning. 'I know I'm going to survive the zombie apocalypse.' | Decided to emulate her favourite character from The Walking Dead .
Michonne is played by actress Danai Gurira in the hit AMC TV series .
Began intense exercise regime and her 'zombie apocalypse diet'
Went from 17st 7lb and size 18 to 11st and a size 12 . |
113,168 | 1e12cf082e4a388b5d853f0159bb0727c8ef3145 | (CNN) -- It's a tough time for businesses, but one entrepreneur may have found the recipe for success. Male and female servers go topless at Grand View Topless Coffee Shop. On Monday, Donald Crabtree opened Grand View Topless Coffee Shop in Vassalboro, Maine, where the waiters and waitresses serve their customers topless. In a town with fewer than 4,500 residents, the topless coffee shop is booming with business. Paul Crabtree, the owner's brother, describes business so far as "fantastic." "It's just been crowds mobbing in," he said. Donald Crabtree faced initial opposition to his plan, but he won the right to go ahead in a planning board hearing last week. Many local residents were irate over the idea of combining coffee and nudity. Crabtree, however, saw a profitable business venture. "I know what people want," he said. "People like nudity, and coffee is profitable. Sure, I'd start a coffee shop, but I'd be out of work in a week." The flood of job applications -- more than 150 -- for Grand View Topless Coffee Shop reflected the rough job market. Crabtree hired 10 women and five men under stringent requirements, including friendliness and, what he considered most important, that the wait staff "treat everyone equally." Watch townspeople, employees talk about coffee shop . "We didn't hire '10s,' " he said, referring to appearance. "We hired everyone from skinny to big-boned women." Of the 15 selected, most had been laid off from other jobs in the past few months. Elvis Thompson of Brunswick, for example, was a line cook at a restaurant before he lost his job. "They couldn't afford me anymore," he said. He said he doesn't mind fielding interesting requests from customers. "An 80-year-old woman told me she wanted to see me in spandex," Thompson said. "I just feel really lucky to have a job. I need the money so I can pay my rent." Ginni Labree from Palermo, Maine, said she applied to several restaurants before being hired at the Grand View. All the restaurants declined to hire her because of her lack of experience. "I'm so excited, so excited to have a job," she said. The coffee shop jobs are paying off. One waitress received a $100 tip for a cup of coffee, and most of the wait staff make about $30 a table. Although the topless coffee shop has been open less than a week, Crabtree said he is already seeing regulars. Customers include a variety of individuals, but mainly couples and females. He also sees his new business venture as a temporary fix for customers struggling through tough economic times. "The economy is so bad," Crabtree said, "Everyone's losing their homes, their ties, everything they own. People leave here happy and can't wait to come back. It's nice to see people smile again." | Men, women without tops wait tables at Maine coffee shop .
Owner says high number of applicants a reflection of tough job market .
Staff hired on basis of friendliness and willingness to "treat everyone equally"
"People leave here happy and can't wait to come back," owner says . |
80,284 | e39381095dbf123b37b1cccfbb6b2069dbd342ab | By . Zoe Szathmary . and Associated Press Reporter . A Kansas man ate pizza, smoked marijuana and watched almost two episodes of 'Game of Thrones' with his partner before remembering his 10-month-old foster daughter was still inside a sweltering car, authorities said. Seth Jackson, 29, faces a first-degree murder charge in the July 24 death in Wichita. No charges have been filed against his partner, who has been identified as Payton Schroeder. Jackson remembered the girl after hearing a child's cries on the HBO program, Schroeder told police, according to an affidavit obtained by Kansas.com. They reportedly watched one-and-a-half episodes. Police say the girl was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours. It was around 90 degrees outside. An autopsy showed she died of hyperthermia due to heat exposure. Scroll down for video . Foster father: Seth Jackson, pictured, reportedly smoked marijuana and watched Game of Thrones before remembering his foster daughter was inside a hot car for two hours . Victim: Kadillak Poe Jones was reportedly in the sweltering car for two hours while her foster got high and watched the HBO fantasy drama . The girl has been identified by local media as Kadillak Poe Jones. Police have not released her name, however, and documents in the case only use her initials. The affidavit says Schroeder told police that Jackson called that day to let him know he would be picking Kadillak up from the baby sitter after taking their 5-year-old adopted child to a doctor's appointment. Jackson told police that when he arrived home, he locked the car and went inside with his 5-year-old and pizza he had picked up. Schroeder revealed to investigators that he and Jackson smoked marijuana that Jackson had earlier picked up that day, according to the affidavit. Scene: When officers arrived, Jackson still on the phone, making calls and repeatedly stating, 'I left her in the car, she's dead, she's dead' Professional: Jackson, right, reportedly picked up marijuana the day Kadillak died . Both men said they ran to the car to retrieve Kadillak and call authorities. Schroeder told investigators Kadillak was hot and stiff when she was taken from the car and carried into the house. As he called 911, Jackson attempted CPR but could not get the child's mouth open, according to the affidavit filed by Wichita police detective Ryan Schomaker. Officers who responded found Jackson still on the phone when they arrived, making calls and repeatedly stating, 'I left her in the car, she's dead, she's dead,' according to the affidavit. Meanwhile, Kadillak was unresponsive and lying on her back on the couch. Firefighters moved her from the couch to the floor once they arrived and attempted to revive her. Family: In addition to Kadillak, whom they were trying to adopt, Jackson and his partner had five other children in their care. They had three other foster children ages 3, 5 and 18, and two adopted children ages 5 and 7 . Couple: Jackson, left, is seen with partner Payton Schroeder, right. Jackson reportedly works for the Wichita school district . Later in an interview at police headquarters, Schroeder told detectives he and Jackson had been foster parents to Kadillak since she was 2 weeks old. Although the girl died of hyperthermia, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said the first-degree murder charge was warranted because the child died during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony, aggravated endangering of a child. The case is not charged as intentional murder. In addition to Kadillak, whom they were trying to adopt, Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care. They had three other foster children ages 3, 5 and 18, and two adopted children ages 5 and 7. The two younger foster children were visiting other relatives at the time the 10-month-old died. Jackson's Facebook account lists him as a paraprofessional for the Wichita school district. Familiar: Jackson remembered Kadillak was in the car after hearing a child cry on Game of Thrones . 'It always struck me he had empathy, compassion and patience with the students,' former substitute teacher Tom Fleming recently told KWCH. 'It just struck me, what a big heart, 5-6 kids at home and you're student teaching which you actually don't get paid for." The Kansas Department of Children and . Families (DCF) said in a July 30 statement 'We remain deeply saddened . that this child suffered such a horrific death. We support the charges . filed in this case, and we will aid in any way possible the prosecution . of the defendant.' The children were taken by the state, KAKE reported, and Jackson 'was released on bond around 5 p.m. on Saturday.' Prosecutors and Jackson's attorneys agree the circumstances are entirely different than a widely publicized case in Georgia, where a father faces murder and child cruelty charges on suspicion of intentionally leaving a 22-month-old boy inside a hot car last month as he went to work. | Seth Jackson, 29, faces a first-degree murder charge in the July 24 death of his 10-month-old foster daughter Kadillak Poe Jones .
Jackson reportedly called his partner, Payton Schroeder, to let him know he would be picking .
Kadillak up from the baby sitter after taking their 5-year-old adopted .
child to a doctor's appointment .
Jackson told police that when he arrived home, he locked the car and went inside with his 5-year-old and pizza - but not Kadillak .
Schroeder revealed to investigators that he and Jackson smoked marijuana that Jackson had earlier picked up that day .
After watching one-and-a-half episodes of 'Game of Thrones,' Jackson remembered Kadillak was inside the car after hearing a child's cries on the HBO program .
In addition to Kadillak, whom they were trying to adopt, Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care .
Jackson's Facebook account lists him as a paraprofessional for the Wichita school district . |
51,679 | 924efea5981477f91a3cd8bcf95873b2e738e1d6 | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 11:21 EST, 27 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:47 EST, 27 September 2013 . At least 21 people have been killed, with many of the victims believed to be children, after an asylum boat sank off the coast of Indonesia. Another 25 have been recsued alive but there could be many more missing as witnesses report the boat was carrying as many as 100 Middle Eastern asylum seekers. Warsono, a police official in West Java province, said 'Local people found 20 dead bodies floating in the water, most of them are children.' Scroll down for video . These pictures of asylum seekers travelling from Indonesia to Australia were taken yesterday when another vessel carrying 44 people was stopped . Lebanese officials have said a woman and her eight children had drowned while her husband survived (file picture) Those already rescued were taken to an Islamic school in the West Java district of Cianjur before being transported to the Sukabumi immigration office for identification, said Cianjur Police Chief Lt. Col. Dedy Kusuma Bakti. Some survivors told officials that more than 100 asylum seekers from Lebanon, Pakistan and Iraq were believed to be aboard the boat, but the exact number of passengers was not known, Bakti said. Lebanon's official National News Agency said 17 Lebanese drowned in the incident. Nine members of a single family were among the Lebanese victims, with a woman and her eight children dying and her husband surviving, the agency reported. Survivors said the boat was headed for Australia's Christmas Island. The deaths are the first to happen while new Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is in office as he travels to Indonesia to discuss the issue . The news comes just as Tony Abbott, Australia's new Prime Minister, travels to the developing nation in order to discuss his new policy of turning asylum ships back. Mr Abbott sought to play down international tensions today, describing the matter as a 'passing irritant' in a radio interview. However an email listing problems with Abbott's decision was accidentally made public by Indonesian officials, who are thought to be privately angered by the proposals. Hundreds of asylum seekers use rickety boats to cross from Indonesia to Australia every year, often coming from the war-torn Middle East . Both Indonesia and Australia have claimed that any changes to the current situation would breach their country's sovereignty. In the 24 hours before this accident, two other asylum boats were found travelling to Christmas Island carrying 71 asylum seekers between them . Australia navy officers are seeking permission to return 31 of the refugees to Indonesia. Scores of people from war-torn countries use Indonesia as a transit point every year, boarding rickety fishing boats bound for Christmas Island, a tiny spit of land located 310 miles south of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. | At least 21 dead including woman and her eight children .
Another 25 have been rescued and are in Indonesia .
Survivors report the boat was carrying over 100 people .
Tony Abbott is today travelling to the developing nation to discuss the issue . |
168,955 | 668ee6f6e596e72f6288ad631738f076da899b01 | By . Mike Dawes . Paris Saint-Germain have hit out at Uefa's decision to close part of the Parc des Princes when the Ligue One club next play in the Champions League this season. Uefa have clamped down on the French champions after it alleged that some of their supporters behaved abusively towards disabled Chelsea visitors at the Parc des Princes in last season's Champions League quarter-final clash. As a result PSG, who will have automatic access to the group stage after winning Ligue 1 for the second campaign in a row, must close a section of their stadium for the first continental home tie they play in 2014-15. Club talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic will aiming to lead PSG to Champions league glory next season . A . statement on the football organisation's website read: 'The Uefa . Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has ordered the closure of sectors . 104 and 105 of Paris Saint-Germain’s stadium, the Parc des Princes, for . the next Uefa competition match which Paris Saint-Germain would play as . the host club. 'The . sanction has been imposed for the discriminatory conduct of some Paris . Saint-Germain supporters towards disabled fans of Chelsea at last . season’s Uefa Champions League quarter-final first-leg match between the . two clubs in Paris on 2 April 2014.' In their decision of 21 July 2014, UEFA has ordered the partial closure of two stands of the Parc de Princes at the club's next home match of the UEFA Champions League. This sanction was taken due to the conduct of some supporters towards disabled fans during the match against Chelsea on 3 April 2014, yet warranted no official report. Paris Saint-Germain is surprised and shocked by this unfair decision and asks UEFA to transmit to the club the grounds for this decision; the first step to launching an appeal against this sanction. Paris Saint-Germain would like to reiterate its stance against all forms of discrimination, both inside the stadium and in the community. That is the first vocation of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation that, for the last 14 years, has developed educational programs to promote integration and offer opportunities to underprivileged children and youths. PSG were knocked out of last season's Champions League by Chelsea . PSG coach Laurent Blanc will be expected to deliver the Ligue One title again next season . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | PSG supporters allegedly behaved abusively towards disabled Chelsea fans in Champions League quarter-final clash .
Part of Paris Saint-Germain's stadium Parc des Princes has been closed as a result .
The French champions have hit out at UEFA's decision in an official statement . |
197,656 | 8bd3608d01f9a21c86b2bd01720960c0a85d1bdb | Senior Ukip figures are claiming two more Tory MPs are ‘in the bag’ and will be unveiled as defectors within days. To the alarm of Conservative HQ, Ukip party secretary Matthew Richardson has boasted privately that two turncoats have agreed to switch parties, according to two separate sources. Mr Richardson has told colleagues an announcement could be made as early as Ukip’s conference, which opens today in Doncaster. Chris Kelly, pictured left, and Brian Binley, pictured right, both from the Tory party, are two right-wingers who have announced they are standing down as MPs. They are likely to be Ukip targets for defection . One potential defector is said to be a Tory MP who is to stand down at next year’s general election and would sit for Ukip for the next seven months. The other is said to be a Tory currently planning to run again in 2015. Likely Ukip targets include Chris Kelly and Brian Binley, two right-wingers who have announced that they are standing down as MPs. Others thought to be have been identified by Ukip as potential targets are Gordon Henderson, Mark Reckless and Martin Vickers. The Conservative whips’ office headed by Michael Gove and in charge of party discipline is understood to be seeking assurances from MPs thought to be likely Ukip targets. The Conservatives are already braced for Clacton MP Douglas Carswell, who defected to Ukip over the summer, to hold the seat in a by-election on October 9. If he wins, he will become Ukip’s first elected MP, though a former Tory defector, Bob Spink, sat in the Commons for the party from 2008 to 2010. While the Tories believe a victory for Mr Carswell is ‘priced in’, further defections would be a shattering blow to David Cameron with a general election just months away. Ukip has previously claimed it has been in contact with eight Tory MPs. Asked about his reported remarks, Mr Richardson said: ‘I may have predicted that there will be two more people [ready to defect]. 'But I don’t know for certain. I can’t talk to you about this for reasons that will no doubt be clear. When Douglas Carswell announced his defection it took us all by surprise.’ Ukip leader Nigel Farage, left, pictured with Clacton MP Douglas Carswell, who defected from Tory to Ukip earlier this summer . Mr Richardson suggested that a recall of Parliament over military action in Iraq or Syria tomorrow could delay any potential announcement. All of the MPs denied any intention of joining Ukip. Chris Kelly referred the Mail to the statement on his website saying he stood down because he ‘found it increasingly difficult to find the right balance between my work and my personal and family life’. He said friends had asked him to join Ukip but he had said no and had not been in any negotiations with them. A poll by Lord Ashcroft, a Conservative peer and former donor, found Ukip has a 32 point lead on the Tories in Mr Carswell’s Clacton constituency. His survey, published on the ConservativeHome website, found Ukip had 56 per cent support, while the Tories were on 24 per cent and Labour on 16 per cent. The Liberal Democrats and others were on 2 per cent each. Almost six in ten of those who voted Conservative at the last general election said they would switch to Ukip, as did 45 per cent of 2010 Labour voters. More than two-thirds of those planning to vote Ukip in the by-election, which is taking place on Mr Cameron’s 48th birthday, said a large part of their decision was that Mr Carswell was ‘the best candidate locally’. | Announcement could be made at Ukip's conference, which opens today .
One potential defector said to be MP due to stand down at general election .
The other is said to be a Tory currently planning to run again in 2014 .
Likely Ukip targets include right-wingers Chris Kelly and Brian Binley .
Clacton MP Douglas Carswell defected from Tories to Ukip over the summer . |
138,058 | 3e8f8ff645fbc7e82052d29f39acc970ad81b7a4 | (CNN) -- From the responses to our story Thursday on how tablets are paving a rough road for the future of dedicated e-readers, one thing was clear: We still love our E Ink. Hundreds weighed in with comments, and the overwhelming majority argued that while tablets offer a range of nifty features, they still haven't caught up with Kindles, Nooks, Kobos or Sony Readers for curling up with a good e-book. Many folks said they've found a spot in their digital lives for both types of devices. "I have a tablet and an e-reader. They both have their place," wrote a commenter called Ken. "I wouldn't give up my e-reader because for one, the battery life is amazing. And two, its e-ink makes it almost look like paper." (E Ink is a proprietary type of electronic paper that's found in most e-readers.) Seventy-six of you voted up the comment. Ken's clearly onto something. "My Kobo is so small and light that I can hold it and click on it to turn the page with one hand," wrote the ominously monikered Sharkmann. "And the battery lasts about 1 week even if I use it a lot. For reading a book, e-ink is best, for web browsing and video, a bigger tablet is much better. Trying to make one device for everything leads to a device that does nothing well." Experts quoted in our report painted a rosier picture for tablets. While the devices haven't yet matched the easy-on-the-eyes look of E Ink, most of the new ones have high-definition screens, and it may only be a matter of time before they catch up. For now, it's the glare from a tablet's screen that's keeping some folks from spending hours on the devices, streaming Spotify and looking up definitions of big words while wading through, say, the bloody "Game of Thrones" book series. "Don't forget that some of us are light sensitive. If I sat down for a long reading session on a tablet, I would get a headache," commenter Otorman said. "For this reason, my e-reader is great. I really do fear that tablets will kill off both paper and e-ink and will diminish the pleasantness of the reading experience." Still, some folks agreed with what the analysts quoted in the report were saying. "I can go to any of a dozen sites and order a cheap tablet from China for $50 to $75 (including delivery) that does everything a reader does plus hundreds of things a reader can't do," wrote Kevin Walker. "So why waste money on a inferior product just because of the brand name?" Added lasertekk, "It's only a matter of time before an e-ink screen gets combined with a LCD, giving you both devices in one package." And some of the biggest fans of the readers noted that, in a way, they're victims of their own success. ZJM555: "Nice thing about an e-reader is you don't have to get the latest and greatest one every six months." And Amber Hielckert: "I agree. The real problem with e-readers is that they last (nearly) forever, that people don't need to replace or upgrade every few years or so. I still have the Kindle with the keyboard, and it still works great." So is there much hope for e-reader fans' beloved devices? Some of you seem to think so. Writing with the screen name guiwhiz, one commenter echoed a scenario voiced by analyst James McQuivey. "Schools. This is where they are going to be relevant," he wrote. "Giving young teenage children tablets is a big investment not just in hardware, but in all kinds of other costs/headaches as well. Give a kid an e-reader with the textbooks pre-loaded, the 'limited browser' locked down to the school websites/proxy server and then you have a potential replacement for textbooks. "Just my two cents of course, but boy that is where I would be focusing my (research and development) money if I was Nook." That, and several suggestions about improving Web browsing and other features, might keep tablets from killing electronic readers. "Maybe not kill," wrote Nodack. "But put on life support maybe." | Report on how tablets are hurting the e-reader market got CNN readers talking .
Tablets are booming, but many remain loyal to Nooks, Kindles and the like .
Tablets still haven't caught up for a pure reading experience, some commenters say .
Many have found a place in their digital arsenal for both devices . |
268,888 | e85019c389d8211c980d3b7c0cb7561a02b9699b | (CNN) -- Even during the harshest periods of the communist era, being Shanghainese had a special cachet in China. The city and its residents were a synonym for Western fashion and open-minded attitudes, as different as could be from their Mao-pin wearing comrades. Its personality remains just as strong today. Shanghai is an unusual place. It's Chinese, but not entirely; its hybrid of Eastern and Western business and social traditions is found nowhere else in mainland China. Here are the things that make China's booming commercial hub a unique place in the world's most populous country. The Bund . A number of pockets in China have impressive Western buildings -- the German Quarter in Qingdao, Russian buildings in Harbin -- but none provide the surreal feeling of "elsewhereness" like the Bund. The Bund refers to Shanghai's waterfront on the west bank of Huangpu River. Two dozen colossal Western structures, ranging in style from art deco to Victorian Gothic, stand side by side, forming a massive marble curtain. View it from afar and you'd think you were sailing into Liverpool. The 1,500-meter-long strip is a legacy passed down by one of the city's former rulers, Great Britain. It was largely built in the late-19th and early-20th centuries to establish Shanghai as the British Empire's trading hub of the Far East. The most magnificent building is today's number 10-12, the former HSBC building. When completed in 1923, the seven-story neoclassical landmark was dubbed "the most luxurious building from the Suez Canal to the Bering Strait." The building's original ceiling mural managed to survive the Cultural Revolution; the octagonal mosaic painting is one of the best-kept secrets in Shanghai. It's now in the lobby of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, the building's current occupier. With the financial center's move to the east bank of Huangpu River, the old Bund has become a new home for world-class hotels, restaurants and retailers. Skyscrapers . According to Emporis, a global real estate data provider based in Germany, Shanghai ranks sixth among world cities with the most skyscrapers. There are 241 skyscrapers in Shanghai, eight fewer than Dubai, 14 more than in Seoul and 103 more than the second mainland city on the list, Guangzhou. Although towering blocks mushroom throughout the metropolis, the skyscraper center point is the Lujiazui Financial District. On the opposite side of the traditional Bund, Lujiazui appears so futuristic that it's become a Hollywood favorite as a setting for films, most recently featured in "Her" with Joaquin Phoenix. Lujiazui is home to the most recognized high-rises in China, including the 468-meter Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the 421-meter Jinmao Tower and the 492-meter Shanghai World Financial Center. Since 1994, each of them has had a turn as the tallest structure in China. Next in line is the 632-meter Shanghai Tower. Scheduled to open in 2015, the 121-story building is set to host what it claims will be world's tallest luxury hotel, J hotel. The 258-room hotel -- a joint venture between Shanghai Jinjiang Hotel Group and Interstate Hotels and Resorts -- will occupy the 84th through 110th floors of the Shanghai Tower. International events and entertainment . When international events set up in China, Shanghai is as often as not the default host city. Large-scale events in Beijing tend to carry political messages, while those in Shanghai focus more on fun and glamor. The Chinese Formula One Grand Prix is one of the biggest annual events in Shanghai. It's the only Formula One stop in mainland China. The Shanghai Masters (October 4-12) tennis championship is attended by the highest-ranking players of the year. The week-long event is part of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000. Shanghai is also building a Disneyland. Set to open toward the end of 2015, Shanghai Disneyland will be the first Disney theme park in mainland China (Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005) and the sixth in the world. The $5.5-billion investment will further promote Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in the realm of the Monkey King. International food . High-quality international restaurants are springing up in Shanghai so quickly that it's hard to keep track of them all. New kitchens often set up on the Bund, around Xintiandi and in the former French Concession, as rivals to the established fine-dining scene in Beijing. But look beyond the glitzy restaurant menus and into the homes of private residents, and you'll see a tradition of international cuisine found nowhere else in China. The city's British rulers and Russian refugees may be long gone, but their food has remained. Worcestershire sauce, that classic condiment from the United Kingdom, has a brother some 9,000 kilometers from home. Known locally as "spicy soy sauce," Shanghainese Worcestershire sauce was first produced in 1930 to cater to the large expat market. Nowadays, the yellow-labeled bottle is ubiquitous in supermarkets. Shanghainese usually use it to accompany deep-fried pork chops. When Russians fleeing the October Revolution of 1917 came to Shanghai, they brought their borscht. The hearty beef and vegetable soup has evolved into Shanghai's favorite comfort food. Local mothers usually cook it to treat friends and families. Pidgin English . Colonial history has trickled down to Shanghai's local lingo. Shanghai dialect is filed with localized English words and pidgin English cultural identifiers unique to Shanghainese. A spring lock is called "si ba lin." Cement is "si men ting." In Shanghainese, "on sale" can refer to a "cheap" person. Shanghai dialect is incomprehensible to a typical Mandarin speaker, whose language is largely based on pronunciation and vocabulary from northern China. Shikumen . Shikumen is Shanghai's indigenous alleyway housing. Series of stone buildings were built in the 1870s as a way to accommodate the city's rapidly growing immigrant families. When the Communist Party took over in 1949, shikumen architecture was at its height -- there were around 200,000 shikumen buildings throughout central Shanghai, each divided into tenements to house five or even ten families. As modern high-rises in Shanghai have grabbed international attention, however, these local architectural treasures have been ignored or even shoved aside. Since the 1990s, shikumen buildings have been getting pulled down more quickly than the skyscrapers rise. But you can still find them in a few corners. In Xintiandi, high-end restaurants, pubs and clubs have taken over the revamped old buildings. Tianzifang is a more Bohemian area. In its labyrinth of alleyways, indie designers hang up cocktail dresses next to self-employed vendors selling replica communist souvenirs in the courtyard. For more authentic shikumen neighborhoods, Cité Bourgogne on Shaanxi Nan Lu, and Jing'an Villa on Nanjing Xi Lu, are throwbacks to a uniquely Shanghai experience that's rapidly disappearing. Now based in London, Tracy You is a native and longtime resident of Shanghai and a former CNN travel producer. | Shanghai has long been a unique city in China .
Hybrid of Eastern, Western traditions is found nowhere else in mainland China .
Shanghai ranks sixth among world cities with the most skyscrapers, with 241 .
Shanghainese dialect is filled with localized English words . |
267,089 | e5f43d190e8082a66e5d4e5d5fd45d2508459c20 | A furious woman launched a massive online campaign to force council chiefs to rip up an £80 hospital parking ticket handed to her father as her mother fought for her life. Heidi Weir, 34, a hair extension specialist, roared into action after her devastated father Derek Weir, 61, was targeted when he got back to his car at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex, just nine minutes after his ticket ran out. Red-faced council bosses have now performed an embarrassing U-turn after Miss Weir launched a huge internet campaign for justice. Heidi Weir (pictured) launched an online campaign after her father was slapped with a parking ticket while visiting her critically-ill mother in hospital. Mr Weir was just nine minutes late when he was handed the £80 fine . She created a special Facebook group when her distraught father had his fine upheld after receiving it while in an urgent meeting to discuss his critically ill wife, Natalie, 61. Mr Weir was called into the meeting with the ward sister and occupational therapist 30 minutes before his ticket ran out, but was assured the meeting would only take 15 minutes. As Mrs Weir lay battling for her life with bleeding to her brain, Mr Weir's meeting over-ran - and a parking warden pounced. On the advice of shocked hospital staff, he appealed against the fine. But both Mr Weir and his daughter say they were 'disgusted' to have their appeal rejected by the council, which runs the troubled £200m flagship hospital's car park. The authority said it would need proof of the crisis meeting last Wednesday on October 22. Miss Weir, of Chelmsford, turned to Facebook to share her thoughts - and her Hospital Parking group has attracted thousands. One post detailing the situation has received a staggering 125,000 'likes' so far - and almost 10,000 people have joined the group so far. Miss Weir slammed the council's 'inhumane, insensitive bureaucracy' and was flooded with messages of support and empathy from others who have also been singled out by jobsworths nationwide. The outraged mum-of-one wrote: 'I refuse to say to a ward sister, "excuse me, can you stop saving that person's life, please, while you write me a letter to the council to say you called my dad into the meeting?"' Two days and 100,000 'likes' later, Mr Weir, of Romford, received an email out of the blue from Havering Council to arrange a refund. A council spokesman said: 'We are cancelling the ticket and refunding the money. 'We're sorry for any distress and upset caused to the family. We had asked for supporting evidence, which is usual practice. 'But we reviewed the case and concluded, given the circumstances, we could cancel the ticket without the additional evidence.' Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex (pictured) where Mr Weir was given the £80 parking ticket . But it was too little too late for Miss Weir and she has now accused the under-fire authority of 'dropping their principles for publicity'. She said: 'It makes me even more mad. 'I'd have far more respect for them if they stuck to their guns, I don't care about our money. I care about all the people that don't have the energy to make the enormous fuss I have!' She now believes that hospital parking fees should be abolished altogether and 'will not rest' until she achieves her goal. Her mother is 'still fighting' for her life in hospital. In August the Department of Health issued new guidelines which told hospitals in England to cut the cost of parking for certain groups - including relatives of people who are seriously ill. . Ministers said relatives of people who are seriously ill or have to stay in hospital for a long time should be given free parking or reduced charges. The guidelines state: 'Additional charges should only be imposed where reasonable and should be waived when overstaying is beyond the driver’s control (eg when treatment takes longer than planned.)' | Derek Weir was called into an urgent meeting to discuss wife's condition and returned to his car just minutes late to find the £80 parking ticket .
Mr Weir appealed the fine but it was rejected by Havering Council .
Daughter launched online campaign and shamed council bosses into u-turn .
Miss Weir has slammed the council's 'inhumane, insensitive bureaucracy' |
104,163 | 126417523888dd40c8ac8c922cf1ace802e42f42 | This lane is only 6ft wide and has a sign to warn off larger vehicles, so you might have thought truck drivers would steer well clear. But to the dismay of resident Caroline Cockman, some just blindly follow their satnavs – getting themselves stuck and damaging her beautiful Grade II-listed home. She estimates that lorries have so far caused around £50,000 damage to her side and garden walls, and to her neighbour’s wall on the opposite side. Scroll down for video . Caroline Cockman said she has lost count of the number of lorries that have become stuck in her lane or damaged her property . The homeowner, who has lived at the property for 23 years, said drivers of large vehicles ought to know better . Video courtesy of Wells Journal . Yesterday the 54-year-old, who lives . in a former Georgian mill house, said: ‘Their satnavs direct them down . the lane. They ignore the evidence of their own eyes that it’s too . narrow and just carry on until they get stuck . ‘The . worst incident happened in 2008 when a big lorry got stuck then tried . to ram its way down, costing £13,000 in repairs. 'There have been so many . incidents, I can’t remember them all. Several have caused £5,000 . damage. 'I’ve started claiming off my own insurance because it was so . slow claiming third party from the driver’s insurance. ‘It’s heartbreaking because as soon as something is repaired it’s just a matter of time before it gets damaged again.’ In the past week three motorists ran into trouble on the small, narrow lane in Coxley, Somerset . Over the years Ms Cockman said around £50,000 worth of damage has been done to her home and grounds . Sometimes the homeowner does not even have the chance to see the culprit, and they get out of the situation 'scot free' Ms Cockman (left) is pleading with council officials to make signage before the turn down the lane more obvious (right) There . is a sign at the top of the lane in Coxley, near Wells, Somerset, . warning drivers of the width restriction. But Miss Cockman, who has . lived there for 23 years, wants the council to make it more prominent. Three . trucks have got stuck in the last week alone, she said. One driver had . to get in and out of the cab through a window while they waited four . hours for a rescue vehicle to arrive. Garden . designer Miss Cockman added that she believes the problem is partly . down to some drivers still using domestic satnavs designed for cars, . rather than specialist satnavs for commercial vehicles. ‘I’m told the commercial ones do carry warnings about the lane’s width but the domestic ones don’t,’ she said. 'Sometimes I’ve come home and the damage has been done and the driver has gone and got away scot free. 'Luckily I’ve got a neighbour who works from home who can now get the driver details of most incidents when they happen. 'But I’ve started claiming off my own insurance because it was so slow claiming third party from the driver’s insurance - things would drag on and on because it was lower priority. The homeowner has lived at the property for 23 years and has faced 'countless' problems, she says . Despite hearing from council representatives, little is being done to solve the problem in Coxley, Somerset . Council officials say the road signs are obvious enough despite repeated incidents. Three motorists in just one week have had trouble at the site . Ms Cockman said drivers of lorries and vans should pay more attention to the road than to their sat nav . On one occasion a driver caused £33,000 worth of damage after getting stuck in the lane and damaging the wall . The council said the sign is clearly marked enough though Ms Cockman says more needs to be done . 'Last Monday . we had a big sewage tanker, with an escort to make sure it travelled . safely, and it took him half-an-hour to reverse out. 'Then on Wednesday night someone collided with our low wall which stops vehicles coming off the lane and into our courtyard. 'Another guy was trapped for six hours. If only truck drivers used their common sense as the lane got narrower and narrower. 'You would think they ought to know better.' 'There needs to be more prominent signage at the top of the lane. 'I’ve had visits from council representatives who are sympathetic and make all the right noises but nothing ever gets done. 'It’s heartbreaking because as soon as something is repaired it’s just a matter of time before it gets damaged again.' A spokesman for Somerset County council said there were enough warnings in place to avoid lorries getting stuck in the lane. 'There are already signs in place at this location and we recommend drivers pay attention to these.' | Caroline Cockman has lived in cottage in Coxley for 23 years .
Homeowner has 'lost count' of times drivers have become stuck in lane .
Calling on council officials to make signage at top of road more obvious .
Ms Cockman says crashes to her wall have caused £50,000 in damage . |
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