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10,574 | 1e151cceb59683541050d46cc01867b16f97e010 | Five men who smashed an American student's eye socket with a bottle he was drinking from 'because he was obviously not local' are facing jail today. Francesco Hounye, 23, had been in Britain just three days when he was attacked by the gang who kicked him in the head as he lay wounded on the ground, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. He was set upon in an area where a 'Muslim patrol' attempting to enforce Sharia law in east London had previously been caught on camera. But police have stressed that there was no evidence to suggest this attack was a hate crime or motivated by religion in any way. Scroll down for video . Francesco Hounye, 23, had been in the UK for just three days when he was set upon by a gang, who smashed a bottle in his face . Detailed CCTV footage captured the attack on the American student by a group of Asian men . Samad Uddin, 24, Shaleem Uddin, 21, Shadhat Hussain, 20, Kamrul Hussain, 23, and Massom Rahman, 22, targeted the student when they saw him swigging from a bottle of Jagermeister. Mr Hounye had been out for the night in the Brick Lane area of east London and was walking with a friend to his home in Shadwell in June last year. He was confronted by the group who wrestled the bottle from him, then chased him and smashed the bottle over his head – leaving him needing 23 stitches in his face. CCTV footage footage shows Mr Hounye being kicked mercilessly as he lay crouched in the road. Masoon Rahman, pictured at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where he has admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent . Mr Hounye had been out for the night in the Brick Lane area of east London with a friend he had been staying with when he was attacked . Police have stressed that there was no evidence to suggest this attack was a hate crime or motivated by religion in any way . Six months after the attack a demonstration was staged in nearby Brick Lane where around 60 protestors targeted Muslim-owned businesses for selling ‘evil’ alcohol. Samad Uddin was on trial for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent after the four others admitted their roles in the attack. But he later changed his plea and admitted the charge. Shaleem Uddin and Kamrul Hussain both hold previous convictions for assaults in 2010 but they escaped with suspended sentences. The gang were identified after CCTV surveillance captured the apparently spontaneous group attack . Shadhat Hussain has been before the courts for possession of cannabis and cocaine while Rahman was of previous good character. The gang were identified after CCTV surveillance captured the apparently spontaneous group attack. ‘All of them were willingly involved in that attack, all of them played a part,’ said prosecutor Paul Casey. ‘Two in particular played the most serious role, Shaleem Uddin and Samad Uddin. ‘Shaleem Uddin used the bottle to strike Mr Hounye over the head, causing him severe cuts to the side of his head. The student said as a result of the attack he was now too scared to go out on his own in London . ‘Immediately prior to that, Samad Uddin and a number of others were involved trying to wrestle the bottle from Mr Hounye.’ ‘During the course of the attack Samad Uddin aimed a number of kicks to Mr Hounye whilst he was prone on the ground, including one which CCTV shows his right foot connecting with some force with Mr Hounye’s head.’ In the CCTV footage Samad Uddin can be seen taking hold of Mr Hounye’s shoulder. The victim was then grabbed from behind by a second male and other members of the gang wrestled the bottle from his clutches. ‘The first punches are thrown at Mr Hounye, the bottle is wrestled from him, Shelim Hussain smashes him over the head with the bottle,’ said Mr Casey. Samad Uddin is seen kicking Mr Hounye across the road after he broke free and attempted to escape. Mr Hounye was grabbed from behind by one male and other members of the gang wrestled the bottle from his clutches . Samad Uddin is seen kicking Mr Hounye across the road after he broke free and attempted to escape . He was arrested in April this year after he was recognised by a police officer who had seen the CCTV footage, but initially claimed the allegations were as a result of mistaken identity. Samad Uddin from Shadwell and Shaleem Uddin from Whitechapel have admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Kamrul Hussain from Whitechapel, Shadhat Hussain from Canning Town and Masoom Rahman from Whitechapel also admitted the charge. The Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'There is no evidence to suggest that this attack was a hate crime or motivated by religion in any way. Speculation to the contrary is wrong and potentially damaging to community relations.' They said Mr Hounye was assaulted simply because he was 'obviously not local.' In a statement, traumatised Mr Hounye, who had come to London to study, said: 'As a result of this incident I am now scared to go out on my own in London. 'I am a visitor to the UK and was considering continuing my studies here but this incident has made me think twice. 'I feel very emotional about the whole situation. I also now face the rest of my life with the permanent scarring that will be left on my face as a result of this attack. 'Every time I look in the mirror from now on I will be reminded of this incident.' The gang are due to be sentenced later today. | Student Francesco Hounye, 23, was attacked by a gang in east London .
He needed 23 stitches after they smashed a bottle over his eye socket .
Five men are facing jail today after admitting causing grievous bodily harm .
Reports in the US suggested the assailants were on a 'Muslim Patrol'
But police said there is no evidence that attack was religiously motivated . |
228,488 | b3d8cf13fd1e6f42ac0ec09cbc9439875fe8cc56 | (CNN) -- As Superstorm Sandy slammed into the East Coast on Monday night, one Twitter user in New York City posted a flurry of alarming reports about fallout from the storm -- from plans to shut down all power in Manhattan to floodwaters pouring into the New York Stock Exchange. Like many social media messages about Sandy, they were scary and confusing, but some of them were reported as facts by news outlets. And, it turns out, many of them were outright lies. They were apparently posted by a Wall Street analyst who doubled as campaign manager for a candidate for Congress. After a blogger exposed him, the analyst apologized on Twitter Tuesday night amid a flood of online scorn and left the campaign. An elected official is pushing for criminal charges. Hurricane safety: When the lights go out . The case reinforces how social media can spread misinformation at lightning speed and raises the question of whether users should face prosecution for knowingly posting false information during a natural disaster or other emergency. It all began Monday when Hurricane Sandy was approaching landfall and the owner of the Twitter account @ComfortablySmug, whose bio lists interests including "Finance, Gin, Politics, Books, Food, Fine Clothing (and) Meeting Strangers," began posting rapid-fire tweets to his 6,500 followers. The tone of many of the tweets, which included false accounts of destruction, seem intended to spread confusion and fear. "BREAKING: Con Edison has begun shutting down all power in Manhattan," read one tweet. "BREAKING: Governor Cuomo is trapped in Manhattan. Has been taken to a secure shelter," said another. The user also wrote that all major lines of the New York City subways had been flooded and would be closed for at least a week. And he contributed to the confusion surrounding reports, which proved to be false, that the New York Stock Exchange had flooded. Some news outlets, including CNN, briefly mentioned the NYSE flooding accounts after they were reported on the National Weather Service's website. 7 ways to manage stress in a disaster . Two of ComfortablySmug's posts about Sandy were retweeted more than 500 times each. But many Twitter users challenged the truth of his reports, and the Con Edison tweet drew a direct rebuttal from the company itself. The Twitter account has no real name attached to it. But Buzzfeed contributor Jack Stuef reported he was able to compare altered photos posted on the account to unedited versions of them elsewhere on the Internet. Stuef identified the account owner as Shashank Tripathi, a hedge fund analyst and campaign manager for a candidate for Congress. While never giving his name, the account holder seemed to acknowledge as much Tuesday night in a post apologizing for his actions. He also announced his resignation from the campaign of Republican Christopher Wight, who is seeking New York's 12th Congressional seat. "I wish to offer the people of New York a sincere, humble and unconditional apology," he wrote after Stuef's story had identified him. He then linked to a longer note. "While some would use the anonymity and instant feedback of social media as an excuse, I take full responsibility for my actions," he continued. "I deeply regret any distress or harm they may have caused." On Wednesday morning, Wight's campaign website said Tripathi had been replaced. Tripathi did not respond Wednesday to a Twitter message seeking comment. 5 things you need to know . An investment banker on leave from J.P. Morgan, Wight faces Democratic incumbent Rep. Carolyn Maloney in a district that includes parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan and voted overwhelmingly for President Obama in 2008. In a statement posted Wednesday afternoon on his campaign site, Wight said he was "shocked and disgusted" by Tripathi's behavior. "His actions were all the more distressing, occurring as they did, in the midst of Monday's disastrous weather -- during a time when no one was truly safe," he wrote. "I learned from online reports yesterday, just as others did, that Shashank had been spreading false information from a personal and anonymous Twitter account. While he had been with my campaign for seven months, I had no indication that he was capable of the type of behavior he exhibited." Less is known about Tripathi, whose account links to a fund raising site for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and who used Sandy to pepper his feed with nasty political jabs, including this fake retweet from President Obama's account: "RT @BarackObama: If you are trapped in New York City and are running out of food, remember to eat your dogs first before going outside -bo" His tweets suggest he attended this year's Republican National Convention, and he's listed as a volunteer coordinator for Romney and other GOP candidates. At least one elected official has asked that criminal charges be considered in the case. New York City Councilman Peter Vallone says he has asked the Manhattan district attorney's office to look into the possibility that Tripathi's tweets were the digital equivalent of shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater. "The Manhattan DA is taking this very seriously," Vallone, a Democrat, told Buzzfeed, while acknowledging it may be a hard case to make. "I hope the fact that I'm asking for criminal charges to be seriously considered will make him much less comfortable and much less smug." How you can help . | A Twitter user who spread lies about Superstorm Sandy is exposed .
Shashank Tripathi was managing the campaign of a Congress hopeful .
His 6,500 followers got fake reports of flooding, other destruction .
New York councilman has asked for a criminal investigation . |
232,237 | b8b8c97025d9ca3a8b942876d9e302a0f5cd7d23 | (CNN) -- Chengdu police are investigating the death of a Foxconn employee, whose body was found outside his residence earlier this week. The man, whose surname is Xi, fell to his death, according to Chengdu authorities. The death is being reported by Reuters and other news agencies as a suicide, which CNN cannot independently confirm. "We were informed by local law enforcement authorities in the city of Chengdu that [Wednesday] afternoon, a 23 year-old male Foxconn employee was found dead outside his off-campus residence in Chengdu," Foxconn Technology Group said in a statement. "Chengdu law enforcement authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into this matter and Foxconn is cooperating with that process. We have extended our condolences to the family of this employee and we are working with the Foxconn Labor Union and others to provide the family with the support they need at this very sad time." Apple and Foxconn -- a major manufacturer of iPhones and iPads -- agreed to improve labor conditions at the Chinese plants earlier this year. Foxconn, a subsidiary of Taiwan-based electronics supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. -- which also makes electronic goods for Sony, Microsoft, Nokia and other household brands -- came under intense scrutiny by CNN and other media outlets in 2010 after a series of suicides by workers at its Chinese plants raised questions about living and working conditions. Though Foxconn maintains its workers are treated well, Chairman Terry Gou made an unprecedented public apology in the wake of the suicides. Foxconn then released a statement saying it had introduced counselors, started a 24-hour phone counseling service and opened a stress room where workers can take out their frustration on mannequins with bats. Apple joined the Fair Labor Association earlier this year -- the first technology company to do so -- and authorized the group to audit Foxconn operations. A March 29 report found several violations, especially regarding excessive work hours of more than 60 hours a week. Apple and Foxconn have pledged to reduce working hours. CNN's Paul Armstrong and Corinna Liu contributed to this report . | Chengdu police are investigating the death of a Foxconn employee .
Body of the 23-year-old found outside his residence, apparently from a fall .
Comes after a rash of suicides at the brought scrutiny to the Apple supplier . |
209,325 | 9b102893c7d520fad1fa1307872fa02637ad507b | Luis Suarez began the final countdown to his long awaited debut for Barcelona by scoring twice in a specially-arranged friendly against an Indonesia Under 19 XI. A Barca B team XI won the game 6-0 with Suarez graciously giving up the chance to complete a hat-trick by allowing Maxi Rolon to take a late penalty. One month today he will face Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and in his first full 90 minutes since the World Cup he showed he is not far off full match fitness with an energetic display capped by a goal from his first chance. Luis Suarez started in attack for Barcelona B against Indonesia Under 19s as he looked to build on his form and fitness ahead of his return from suspension . Suarez is congratulated by his Barcelona B team-mates after scoring his side's second goal of the match . The £75million summer signing glided into the box before unleashing a left footed shot to score against Indonesia's Under 19 side . Suarez is unable to take part in La Liga matches until October 25 as a result of his ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup but can play in friendlies. Enrique said he wanted Suarez to take part in a Barcelona B match so he could improve his 'match rhythm' ahead of his return to the first team. Suarez and former Ajax team-mate Thomas Vermaelen warmed up on pitch number seven at their new side's Joan Gamper training complex ahead of their appearance for Barcelona B. The Indonesians, wearing all white, conceded inside the first few minutes when Vermaelen nodded home from close range to put his side in the lead. Suarez also managed to get himself on the scoresheet inside the first half. Barcelona's summer signing latched onto a pass from Croatian playmaker Alen Halilovic before beating the helpless Indonesian shot stopper. Barcelona B could have had a penalty when Suarez and Halilovic linked up superbly once again before the latter appeared to have been brought down by the Indonesian custodian. David Babunski put his side further in the lead when the Macedonian starlet struck from 20 yards in the 27th minute. Suarez tucks the ball away from inside the box after a brilliant pass by Alen Halilovic to score past the Indonesian goalkeeper . Barcelona duo Suarez and Vermaelen pose for a picture with the Indonesian Under 19 national team before the friendly encounter . The opening exchanges of the second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Barcelona camped in their opposition's half. Suarez and Halilovic both showed why they will play a big part in the first team by continuing to pepper Indonesia's goal. Vermaelen's successful first appearance for Barcelona came to an end in the 62nd minute when the Belgium international was replaced by Bicho. It did not take long for Bicho to make an impact on the game as his first touch saw him score his side's fourth as he played a shot underneath the legs of the onrushing keeper. Suarez added another soon after Bicho's strike when the Uruguayan, who was being cheered on by his family, curled the ball into the net. He had a chance to grab a hat-trick when he successfully appealed to the referee for a penalty. However he allowed his younger team-mate Rolon to score from the spot. Former Liverpool ace Suarez looked strong throughout the 90 minutes despite his recent lack of match practice since his last competitive appearance against Italy in Brazil. There was a pitch invasion at the end of the match from Suarez's little girl Delfina, who ran to congratulate her dad in the centre circle before the Indonesian team had their picture taken with the Barcelona No 7. Suarez took to Twitter after the match to say he was 'grateful' of having the chance of playing with Barcelona B and that he was preparing to support his team-mates in their La Liga encounter against Malaga. Like our MailOnline Sport Facebook page. Suarez took to Twitter to say he was 'grateful to play with Barcelona B' and that he was preparing to support the first team in their match against Malaga . Suarez shakes the hand of Indonesia's captain before kick off at Barcelona's Joan Gamper training complex . Suarez's eyes are fully fixed on the ball as he looks to run onto a lofted through pass . Suarez, who is banned from first team action until October 25 following his bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, looked lively throughout the friendly encounter . Suarez's wife Sofia, pictured with the couple's two children, cheered on her husband from the stands of Barcelona's training ground . Suarez's daughter raced onto the pitch to celebrate her dad's brace on his first appearance for Barcelona B . Daughter Delfina greets her dad on the turf of Barcelona's training ground following the Catalan giants' emphatic win . Suarez, pictured with Lionel Messi, will return to first team action against La Liga rivals Real Madrid on October 25 . Former Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen, pictured with Ivan Rakitic, started in defence against the Indonesian youth team . Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is keen for Suarez to get some minutes under his belt ahead of his first team comeback . VIDEO See both Suarez goals for Barca B . | Luis Enrique wants Luis Suarez to get some 'match rhythm' ahead of his comeback from suspension .
Suarez is expected to make his Barcelona debut against Real Madrid on October 25 .
Thomas Vermaelen, who opened the scoring for Barcelona B, is yet to make a competitive appearance for the La Liga giants since joining from Arsenal .
Suarez added a second nine minutes later to put his side 2-0 up after just 12 minutes .
Starlets David Babunski and Bicho got themselves on the scoresheet against an Indonesian XI .
Uruguayan international Suarez grabbed a second to make it 5-0 before Maxi Rolon scored sixth from the spot . |
79,878 | e273fd42c4dfcf57e70f278762b60ae7440b8847 | We're more used to seeing him scaling cliff faces dressed in a tuxedo or emerging half-naked from the sea in just a pair of pale blue trunks. But Daniel Craig left the Twittersphere more than just a little shaken and stirred when he turned up to launch of the new James Bond film - wearing a 'Christmas' knitted jumper. The usually-stylish actor donned the navy blue crew-neck as he marked the start of the production of Spectre, the 24th installment of the 007 film empire. Scroll down for video . Daniel Craig caused a stir yesterday when he turned up to the Spectre launch wearing a blue knitted jumper . The usually-stylish actor, pictured with Lea Sedoux and Monica Belluci, paired the 'grandad' jumper with grey slacks and a white shirt - much to the dismay of his fans . And, if that wasn't enough, the actor decided to pair the 'sensible' jumper with grey trousers, a white shirt and a plain pair of black shoes - setting pulses racing for all the wrong reasons. Despite the excitement surrounding the much-anticipated event, it wasn't long before the questionable ensemble was the talk of the launch, sending Twitter into meltdown. Mark Machado swiftly announced: 'Daniel Craig has officially opened Christmas jumper season'. After that, there were a flurry of concerned tweets about Craig's new look. One user, Montynero, was baffled that the actor had rocked up to the event 'in a Dad jumper looking like a drunk supply teacher'. While Shirley Lemon wrote: 'Love James Bond. Love Daniel Craig. Love the new title: Spectre. But don't want to see Bond in his sensible jumper.' Another user explained that the cold weather was 'no excuse' for the knitwear, writing: 'I know it's a bit chilly today but that's no escuse for Daniel Craig to wear such a grandad jumper.' It wasn't long before a spoof image of Daniel Craig sporting a Christmas jumper was sweeping the internet . Bond fans took to Twitter to express their dismay at Mr Craig's choice of 'grandad' jumper . And Dan Cooper described the look as similar to 'an accountant at a fancy dress ball'. As one Twitter user pointed out, the jumper 'wasn't even a V-neck'. The jumper caused such a stir that one Photoshop-savvy user took it upon themselves to superimpose a reindeer onto Craig's top, in a spoof 'Christmas jumper' image which swept the internet. But for others, the outfit was a welcome change from the swanky suits for which James Bond is well-known. Kathy Keown tweeted that the jumper gave her 'hope that Spectre's costuming aesthetic will be mainly knitwear'. And Ismail Mulla thought Craig still looked the part, stating that he 'could make a tartan apron look cool'. The new film features a stellar line-up and is being directed by Sam Mendes (fourth from left) Another user Daniel Blythe took comfort from the fact that, for once in his life, he was 'as stylish as James Bond'. The title of the new film, directed by Brit movie maker Sam Mendes, revolves around the Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism and Revenge and Extortion. Spectre is led by iconic evil genius Ernst Blofeld, the super-villain from the Dr No and Thunderball movies. But some 007 fans were rather taken by the actor's outfit, with several saying that he pulled it off in usual Daniel Craig style . The film, which is due for general release on 6 November 2015, will feature Oscar-winning star Christoph Waltz, Moriarty actor Andrew Scott, Italian star Monica Bellucci and French actress Lea Seydoux alongside Craig. It has taken its title from the shadowy terrorist organisation created by Bond author Ian Fleming which first appeared in his novel Thunderball. Locations for the new film will include London, Mexico City, Rome, Morocco's Tangier and Erfoud, as well as Solden in Austria, which promises to see Bond returning to the ski slopes. 'All of them are amazing places. I'm very excited to be going to these locations over seven months, which is how long we'll be shooting,' said Mendes. Announcing the production, film-makers said of the plot: 'A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. 'While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre.' | Daniel Craig attended launch dressed in navy crew-neck knitted jumper .
He paired the 'sensible' top with grey slacks, a white shirt and black shoes .
'Christmas jumper'-style ensemble sent Twittersphere into meltdown .
Spectre, due for release in November, is 24th installment of Bond empire . |
222,211 | aba69c145f82687af254d2c143afac02b66a559b | Survivor: Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro, 40, lived through a usually-fatal birth complication when her daughter was delivered by cesarean . A new mother whose heart stopped beating after a rare complication while giving birth miraculously survived 45 minutes with no pulse. Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro, 40, was saved by 'divine providence' after her cesarean section went badly wrong. Amniotic fluid from her womb got into her bloodstream and had stopped her heart beating - which is usually fatal. Doctors at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida, were just about to pronounce Graupera-Cassimiro dead when her heart restarted for no obvious reason. The complication came just after she gave birth to a healthy daughter, Taily, who is now two and a half weeks old. Grauper-Cassimiro passed out for three hours while medics battle to bring her back. They assumed they had failed, and called her family into the operation room to declare her death officially. Her family had already been told there was nothing more that could be done. But the mother of two, who works in human resources, defied expectations in the September 23 ordeal, and, even more stunningly, suffered no brain damage other other ill-effects. She is now at home and caring for her child. This week she returned to the hospital to thank the medics who helped save her. At the reunion, she said: 'I don't know why I was given this opportunity - but I'm very grateful for it. 'God had the right people in the right place', she told the Sun Sentinel. 'Picture of health': Graupera-Cassimiro is shown above with her daughter Taily at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital . Grauper-Cassimiro was awake and talking to her family after her 'unremarkable' cesarean when she suddenly passed out. Medical workers used shock paddles and chest compressions throughout the emergency to try to restore heart beat and circulation while she was unconscious. Despite a three-hour fight to save her, when Grauper-Cassimiro's pulse gave out, doctors thought she would surely die, and had told her distraught family as much when she pulled through. A hospital spokesman said: 'She essentially spontaneously resuscitated when we were about to call the time of death.' 'Today she is the picture of health.' Doctors had no immediate explanation for her survival. The spokesman called her survival 'divine providence.' 'Divine providence': Medics at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida say they don't know why she lived . | Ruby Craupera-Cassimiro, 40, fell unconscious after cesarean birth .
Daughter Taily had been born, but amniotic fluid leaked into mothers' blood .
She passed out while talking to family, and complication stopped her heart .
Condition is usually fatal, and medics had told family she would surely die .
But just before they pronounced her death, her pulse returned .
Medics at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Florida, thank 'divine providence' |
233,307 | ba0c1163d0546f8cebcfddb984fc46047abede19 | Few laws can drive political discourse and posturing like the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. The individual mandate was one of its most contentious aspects. Today, though, it's another mandate -- the employer penalty -- that is garnering headlines. The Obama administration announced it would delay the implementation of the employer penalty for a year, until 2015. This move is sure to please businesses that employ a large number of lower-wage employees who don't receive comprehensive health insurance. But it's also been met with other cries of dismay. Some have declared the delay another bit of evidence that Obamacare is fatally flawed and that it should be repealed immediately. Others have declared that this delay bodes poorly for the individual mandate, which should not be attacked. And still more have taken it as a larger indication of the state of the administration, that it spells doom for immigration overhaul, that it's a sign of a tyrannical administration, or that it's just one more illustration of incompetence in getting Obamacare off the ground. For the most part, these are all political posturing. The employer penalty, like the individual mandate, is just one small part of a very large law. It serves a specific purpose, and although Obamacare will not perform as efficiently without it, it will still function. The employer penalty is complicated. The first thing to know is that it only applies to businesses with more than 50 full-time-equivalent employees. Any "small business" with 50 or fewer employees doesn't have to provide insurance at all. If you have more than 50 workers, you have to provide comprehensive insurance to your employees that covers a core set of benefits, and the premiums can't cost workers more than 9.5% of their income. If you don't, you pay a penalty of $2,000 for each full-time worker -- your total of employees minus 30. Alternatively, you can provide them with much less comprehensive plans that meet "minimum essential coverage." But employees can refuse this coverage and instead go to an exchange in their state to obtain health insurance. If they do, businesses will pay a penalty of $3,000 for each employee who goes to an exchange and qualifies for a subsidy from the federal government. These penalties can add up to millions for large employers. So companies are taking them seriously. But it's important to put things in perspective. It's likely that more than 95% of businesses are smaller than the 50-employee limit, so few need concern themselves with the penalty at all. Moreover, of the 4% of employers who are large enough to have the penalty affect them, about 95% already offer coverage. When all is said and done, the employer penalty will likely apply to about 10,000 companies out of about 6 million in the United States. Those companies employ about 1% of American workers. But the penalty will still be real to these companies. They will be thrilled to see it delayed, and they will certainly fight to see it pushed back even further, or repealed. There are some reasons to cheer them on. The employer penalty, as designed, has a lot of flaws. It encourages employers to push people into part-time jobs to have fewer full-time employees to count. It also is an incentive to get people to hire more well-off employees as opposed to poorer employees, because they can't get subsidies in the exchanges and won't incur a penalty for the employer if insurance isn't offered. So why have an employer penalty at all? The simple reason is that it lowers the cost of Obamacare. Helping people buy insurance is expensive. When people get their insurance in the exchange with a subsidy, it costs the federal government money. When they get their insurance at their job, it costs the federal government much less. So pushing the uninsured to their employers, through the penalty, lowers the cost of Obamacare overall. If we get rid of the employer penalty, the likely effect is that the number of uninsured will not drop as much, and the cost of the law will go up. It's really that simple. Supporters of the law don't like the former, and opponents don't like the latter. So everyone will have something about which to complain. But still, the law will function, albeit less efficiently. As for me, I've never had a huge problem with the employer penalty. For better or for worse, we have an employer-based insurance system in the United States. The majority of people living here get their insurance through a job. Partly that's historical, because of wage freezes in World War II, and partly that's because the tax deduction for employer-sponsored insurance makes it all the more enticing to get insurance instead of wage increases. So if we want to continue this type of system, it makes sense to have employers either provide insurance to their workers or pay some sort of tax, or penalty, to help the government do it for them. That doesn't mean there aren't better ways to do this. First of all, we could uncouple insurance from jobs entirely. There's really no good reason to have the system function this way. Past proposals, such as the Wyden-Bennett plan, would reduce employer-based insurance substantially. Sen. John McCain proposed eliminating the employer-sponsored insurance deduction in his 2008 presidential campaign. Even a single-payer plan, such as Medicare for all, would accomplish this task. Short of that, if you want to keep this system intact, other mechanisms such as an overall payroll tax instead of this employer penalty would have removed the various bad incentives to favor wealthy or part-time employees. It's a fixable problem. But fixing it would require a functioning government. It would need Congress to pass a bill replacing or eliminating the employer mandate, and then the president to sign it. That's not going to happen. Opponents of Obamacare don't appear eager to fix the law in ways that would make it less unpopular or repeal less likely. Supporters don't appear eager to spend political capital to tinker with a law that cost them so much to pass in the first place. So we'll get administrative fixes such as this one, which wind up pleasing few, other than those who enjoy political theater. | Employer penalty for not providing full health care delayed for a year, till 2015.
Aaron Carroll: Outcry oversized since penalty applies only to companies with 50-plus workers .
Employer penalty will likely apply to about 10,000 companies out of about 6 million, he says .
Carroll: It's all political theater -- Obamacare would hurt without penalty, but it would function . |
112,045 | 1c82224f360ddfcfda17af06e26195b066b467f9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:57 EST, 21 August 2013 . A unique Rolls-Royce customised by The Who rocker John Entwistle to carry his pack of Irish wolfhounds is to go under the hammer. The 1980 Silver Shadow was owned by Entwistle while he was living in an English country mansion, in Gloucestershire. He had the car sent to an unknown coach builder who converted it from a normal saloon into the estate body, also known as a shooting brake. Bespoke: An elongated version of a 1980s Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, owned by the late John Entwistle, is to go under the hammer next month . Big back end: The Who rocker sent his saloon Rolls-Royce to a specialist coach builder to be extended into an estate so his dogs could fit in the back . The luxury British car makers never made an estate version so rich owners were forced to commission specialist coach-builders to extend the body work in order to have one. The rocker would then use the customised Rolls as the perfect car for ferrying his large pack of dogs from A to B. After his tragic death in Las Vegas in 2002 from a cocaine-induced heart attack, his beloved motor was sold to a Scottish laird by his family. The owners have now decided to sell the Rolls-Royce, which is expected to sell for between £12,000 and £16,000 when it goes under the hammer next month. Well loved: It might not be to everyone's taste, but the current Scottish owners have looked after it well, keeping it away from the elements in a garage . The elongated car has cream leather upholstery and a mahogany dash and steering wheel . John Entwistle, who died in 2022, used the Rolls as the perfect car for ferrying his large pack of dogs . A spokesman for Bonhams, which is selling the car, said: 'There was never an official factory-bodied estate version of the Shadow but that did not deter those wealthy enough from commissioning their own. 'The car has been kept at an estate in Perthshire, Scotland where it was mainly used for grouse shooting, and has been garage stored in a "bubble" to maintain ideal air temperature.' The brown car has a 6,750cc V8 engine, cream leather upholstery and a mahogany dash and steering wheel. Under the hammer: The bespoke brown Rolls will go up for auction with Bonhams next month . The auctioneer expects the strange vehicle to fetch between £12,000 and £16,000 . | Star had the car converted from a saloon to an estate for his large dogs .
A Scottish family bought the unusual car after Entwistle's death in 2002 .
The vehicle is to go up for auction with Bonhams next month . |
163,368 | 5f3b7ca9cea048e47b88a66035e2f4f29ddc44e0 | Washington (CNN) -- "So gimme a stage . Where this bull here can rage. And though I can fight, . I'd much rather recite . That's entertainment!" -- Jake LaMotta, rehearsing his stage routine, from the movie "Raging Bull" It sounded like a good way to pass a snowy Washington day when the rest of the federal government was shut down because of the weather: watch a potentially entertaining Supreme Court oral argument, when the issue was about a Hollywood movie and the colorful life of a professional athlete. The appeal deals with a 1963 book and screenplay on the life of boxer Jake LaMotta, the former middleweight champion who wrote it with his childhood friend and business partner Frank "Peter" Petrella. LaMotta's story was made into the 1980 movie "Raging Bull," starring actor Robert De Niro. But the underlying issue Tuesday was surely more dry: equitable defense and tolling for remedies in civil copyright claims. The dense subject matter was enough to temper the court's creative, even mischievous streak -- no pop culture references to showbiz or sports; no clever rhetoric about this being a "knockout" legal fight; and no justice who would admit ever seeing the Oscar-winning film. On purely aesthetic grounds, the justices' public review of the case was a disappointing script, the ending of which won't be known for months. At issue is whether Petrella's daughter waited too long to file a copyright infringement lawsuit over the original screenplay and the subsequent rights to the story. Her father died a year after the movie's release. Federal copyright law gave Paula Petrella the right to renew the copyrights before the term expired, which she did in 1991. But her lawsuit was not filed until 2009. MGM Studios and 20th Century Fox -- the movie's distributor -- say that violates the established legal principle of "laches," which bars most claims that are unreasonably delayed, on the theory it would unfairly burden the adverse party. Both sides also dispute what ownership rights the studio retained after the elder Petrella's death, and which were subsequently returned to his daughter. Paula Petrella claims she is the sole owner of the book and the original screenplay, and that the subsequent film infringes on those copyrights. Paula Petrella seeks damages dating back three years from the filing of the lawsuit, and an injunction on further distribution of the work without compensation. Her lawyers claim the yearslong delay was caused by fear of retaliation, lack of money to file the suit and being told by the studio that "Raging Bull" was no longer making money. MGM and Fox say they have invested heavily to convert the film to formats such as DVD for home viewing, and for overseas distribution. The companies say having an open-ended period to file copyright claims makes it hard to make future business decisions. Justice Sonia Sotomayor posed tough questions for both sides. "You see, counselor, this is my problem. I sort of disagree with you fundamentally, because I don't know that you're entitled to injunctive relief," she told Petrella's lawyer, Stephanos Bibas. "The government says you might be entitled to payment for the use of your copyright because it belongs to you and there shouldn't be some adverse possession right that the other side gets. But in terms of injunctive relief, given their [studio's] reliance on your failure to act for 18 years, they shouldn't be put out of business and told that they can't continue in their business." Later, the studio's attorney Mark Perry called the plaintiff's claims a "bizarre argument." He added Petrella sought to "skim the cream" and pick an opportune time to file her claim, after the studio invested so much in the movie over the years. "What's so bad about that?" asked Sotomayor. "You've gotten a lot of profits in those 18 years and, in fact, at one point when she did reach out to you, you told her, 'Why sue? You're not going to get any money. We're not making any.'" The movie won two Oscars, including best actor for De Niro, who portrayed the boxer. LaMotta is 92 and not a party in the appeal. The fighter also known as the "Bronx Bull" held the middleweight title from 1949-51. The case is Petrella v. MGM, Inc. (12-1315). | Daughter of screenwriter filed copyright infringement case .
Other side's lawyers said she waited too long to make claim .
Oscar-winning movie was about boxer Jake LaMotta . |
283,585 | fb57fac82283234f3d53513f010eaf7b37f28594 | Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- Thousands of people are expected to march Tuesday in South Africa to protest a portrait of President Jacob Zuma that shows his genitals. Zuma's supporters in the ruling African National Congress say the portrait is insulting and call it an attack on both the president and his party. About 15,000 people are expected to participate in the march to Johannesburg's Goodman Gallery, where the work was on display, according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation. The painting by artist Brett Murray, called "The Spear," is reminiscent of Soviet-era propaganda posters. Red on one half and black on the other, the painting shows Zuma in a proud stance with his genitals prominently exposed. Attorney weeps as he argues for censoring painting . The painting was defaced last week after a storm of protests and condemnation, the SABC reported. "We believe all these actions by the gallery are not only a violation of the right to dignity of ... President Jacob Zuma but are a clear and calculated attack on the ANC," the party said on its website. "We therefore again call on all South Africans, members and (supporters) of the ANC and our alliance partners to come and register their outrage at this insult and attack on our president and the ANC," it said. The Sunday newspaper City Press removed the image of the portrait from its website after the ANC threatened a boycott, but it complained Monday the ANC still wants the paper to apologize for running it in the first place. Democratic Alliance, the ANC's official opposition, said The Spear "was brilliant as a work of political satire, which is also why it became an instant icon." Calls for the painting's censorship, the party said, indicate a dangerous move away from the right to free speech. If he felt insulted, Zuma should have sued the artist rather than calling for the painting's removal, the Democratic Alliance said. | The portrait shows President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed .
The ruling party says the painting is insulting .
Reports say 15,000 people are expected to march in protest . |
217,942 | a62a8217db5c5ae3671167f7f35de24e81a7102c | Joachim Low piled the pressure on World Cup semi-final referee Marco Rodriguez with an extraordinary attack on the standard of officiating at the World Cup ahead of Germany’s semi-final with Brazil. Germany’s controversial coach claimed Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Colombia had turned into ‘a fight’ and went on to say that refereeing standards are better in Europe. Brazilian forward Neymar has been ruled out of the World Cup with a fractured vertebrae after he was kneed in the back by Colombia defender Juan Zuniga. VIDEO Scroll down for Fifa rejected claims that referees were instructed to be lenient . Poor: Germany coach Joachim Low believes the level of officiating at the World Cup has been sub-standard . Critical: Low has not been impressed with the brutality of some of the tackles at the World Cup . Attack: Low believes some of the tackles at the World Cup would not have been tolerated in Europe . Colombia forward James Rodriguez, the World Cup’s leading scorer, was deliberately targeted in Fortaleza, and a record 54 fouls at this World Cup were committed by both teams during the stormy clash which was refereed by Spaniard Carlos Velasco Carballo. Low said: ‘Colombia against Brazil was a real fight. ‘I hope the referee, Mr Rodriguez from Mexico, will clamp down on things. That physical energy in the match against Colombia went beyond the limits in Europe. ‘If that match had been played in Europe, 22 players wouldn't have ended that match. There were brutal fouls. People blocking opponents however they could. It was really exaggerated. 'That's what we saw on the pitch, so I hope these really brutal and crude fouls are stopped, or we won't see players like Messi, Ozil or Neymar, and we'll just see players who go out to destroy. ‘This is a World Cup that's full of dynamism and physical force, but I've seen matches where the limits have been surpassed. Out of action: Brazil's team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Neymar will be out for four-to-six weeks . Target: Brazil players took it in turns to foul Colombia's Jame Rodriguez during their quarter-final . Focused: Germany striker Thomas Muller is ready to strike a ball during training . Stopper: Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer dives as he practises saving penalties during training . VIDEO All Star XI: Manuel Neuer . ‘There were numerous fouls from both sides, not just the one foul against Neymar, but many others as well.’ And Rodriguez is the match official who missed Luis Suarez’s bite on Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s final group game against Italy. He is now under massive pressure in front of a worldwide television audience after Low broke ranks to claim the standard of officiating was below that expected in European football. Germany’s head coach added: ’It affected playing time was only 38 or 39 minutes, so there were so many breaks in play. ‘I don't think players and fans like the match being constantly stopped. It's not a good match. The players were warned what would earn them a yellow or a red card. ‘You saw in the Colombia match many fouls from behind which were really dangerous for the players. There were slide tackles from behind and from the side. ‘You have to protect the players when you're a referee. That's something that's important for everyone working in football. You have to protect the attackers. Applaud: Muller (second left) claps his team-mates during their training session ahead of Brazil clash . Talking tactics: Germany coach Low stands in the centre of a group huddle during training . Tough: Rodriguez is tackled by Brazil's Fernandinho, who marshaled him for the entire game . Ready: Low (second right) looks on during Germany training at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte . ‘They have been aggressed in a very bad way. I don't think it was a good thing that we saw there.’ Brazil’s highly-physical approach has been heavily criticised following last Friday’s brutal clash with Colombia in Fortaleza. Although Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari claims his team are playing within the rules, the five-time champions have attracted some unwanted attention ahead of this clash. Germany defender Jerome Boateng spoke in Belo Horizonte last night and claimed Low’s observations were all accurate ahead of this mouth-watering tie. Boateng, who was sluggish in Germany’s opening games at the tournament, said: ‘ I share the coach's opinion. We've never seen as many fouls like in that match, especially from behind. Quite a lot of things went beyond what is acceptable. ‘We’ll just have to impose our way of playing. I'm highly motivated and glad I'm playing here, like the whole team. We're happy and I'm eager to play that match.’ Germany’s head coach, who arrived for the press conference on Monday around 90 minutes ahead of schedule, claimed the absence of Neymar could be a motivating factor. Missing: Brazil captain Thiago Silva will be missing from the semi-final against Germany due to suspension . Ready: Germany defender Jerome Boateng (left) alongside coach Low during pre-match press conference . The Brazil forward has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament, but Low knows the passionate atmosphere inside the Estadio Mineairo could play into Brazil’s hands. Low, who is attempting to win Germany’s fourth World Cup, added: ‘You shouldn't believe the absence of Neymar or Thiago Silva will be a big disadvantage for Brazil. Dante won't deliver a bad match against Germany. ‘He's an excellent player, and others will feel invigorated. You've seen teams lose some players and others accept the responsibility. They'll be on the pitch fighting for Neymar and the nation to make sure they reach the final. That is my view. ‘This semi-final is very interesting: it’s the battle of the continents, Europe v South America. ‘There are 200million Brazilians here cheering for their team. The tournament has unleashed energy on the team. But we are self-assured. We know what we can deliver. If we tap into our tactical abilities tomorrow, we have a good chance. 'Brazil will unleash all its passion on us, emotional and physical. This is obvious. 'It's happened in previous matches. In this stadium, any attack will be accompanied by tremendous noise from their fans. What we have to do is concentrate and courageous doing our jobs.' | Germany coach Low believes some of the physical tackles in the World Cup so far have gone 'beyond the limits' that would be acceptable in Europe .
He referenced Juan Zuniga's tackle which injured Neymar .
Germany face Brazil in World Cup semi-final in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday .
Mexican Marco Rodriguez will officiate the crunch tie .
He is the referee who missed Luis Suarez's bite on Giorgio Chiellini . |
159,199 | 59c6c2b833cca3f437c63fdcbf9eb93c16c5567b | (CNN) -- Once again, we confront the specter of a school day bathed in bloodshed. A 16-year-old, Alex Hribal, allegedly takes two long knives into a crowded corridor and sends 20 classmates and an adult to the hospital with grave injuries. Arraigned as an adult, Hribal looks all too familiar: thin, scared, vacant-eyed. He looks younger than his years as he is manacled and maneuvered into a police car. We have not yet filled in a motive. Hribal's attorney says, "He worked well in groups, and this happened. So there's a reason for it -- that's what I'm saying. And we have to get to the bottom of that." And because it was knives, not guns, it was -- thankfully -- not a massacre. But much about the attack is familiar. Fifteen years ago, my doctoral students and I devoted two years to studying rampage shootings in American high schools in response to the epidemic epitomized by the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. To try to understand what motivates school attackers, we interviewed everyone who had any knowledge of two episodes -- one near Paducah, Kentucky, and the other outside Jonesboro, Arkansas -- that took place in the late '90s. Congress wanted to know about the circumstances that led to these outbursts in communities that have no experience of murderous violence. What we found at the center of the stories we followed were young men who looked a lot like Hribal. Rampage attacks happen in safe, relatively isolated communities. Indeed, they are most common in small rural towns where the biggest public "stage" is the local high school, the place the community gathers for events such as football games on Saturdays and everybody knows your name. The perpetrators are often described in the media as loners, but they are not. They are most often "failed joiners," people who work overtime to ingratiate themselves into cliques that reject them. But they don't stop trying. Fading into the background, close to anonymous, but rarely ever thought of as troublemakers, the protagonists look for ways to gain acceptance and attention. They may act like clowns; they sometimes bully other children; they steal -- all to seek the approval of social groups that continuously deny them recognition. In the instances we studied, all that effort starts to pay off the day they start talking about killing people. Suddenly they are the objects of attention. Everyone pivots toward them. They may even find their "friends" goading them. Michael Carneal, the shooter in Kentucky, resembled Hribal. Slight and short, he was a freshman who simply could not cut it in the world of high school peers. He was socially awkward and a bit of prankster, but he wasn't a loner. Carneal tried to gain the friendship of many different social groups and finally landed in the laps of the Goths, boys who wore satanic garb and spoke in dark tones but who were actually among the smart ones. They told Carneal that the pistol he stole from home wasn't good enough, that he should come to school in a trench coat sporting a shotgun. Carneal was so eager to gain their approval that he followed these instructions almost to the letter. Three kids huddled together in a prayer group were murdered, one was paralyzed from the waist down and a fifth was hit in the arms, her athletic career ended in an instant. But when Carneal shot these innocents, what was uppermost in his mind was not that he was going to kill kids but rather how this bold act would help him gain traction with the Goths. They would see him as notorious and dangerous rather than a loser who was awkward and boring. He told the forensic psychiatrist who interviewed him after his arrest that he had found a route to popularity. The Goths would visit his house and invite him to their homes. He would have friends once he proved himself worthy of their respect. We don't know yet if the Murrysville, Pennsylvania, suspect fits this profile. The surprise that so many of his schoolmates have expressed comes close to what teachers told us about Carneal: that they could have named 50 others who might have committed this kind of mayhem before they got to him. The son of a lawyer and a homemaker, until the previous year a good student, with no obvious interest in guns, Carneal was not on their radar screen. But many teenagers avoided school on the Monday that Carneal murdered his classmates because they knew something bad was coming. One thing we should be grateful for: The attacker in Pennsylvania was armed only with knives. Had he had access to the weapons Carneal had, we would have seen dozens die rather than suffer these wounds. Knife attacks happen in countries such as Japan where guns are hard to access, and they have been lethal. Just not as deadly as a loaded high-capacity automatic weapon that requires a split second to gun down dozens of people. This is small comfort in Murrysville. | Katherine Newman has studied school rampages, says stabbing attack has echoes of them .
She says they tend to happen in "safe" rural towns and suspects first mislabeled as loners .
She says attackers often are "failed joiners" who seek acceptance in actions .
Newman: It's small comfort for Pennsylvania town that attacker used knives instead of guns . |
139,013 | 3fc4ca369bc6e00bda19b155506269871140aef9 | By . John Hall for MailOnline . A dog-loving Brazilian man has created a series of clever artworks in which his adorable bull terrier Jimmy Choo stars in a variety of quirky poses. Rafael Mantesso, who lives in the municipality of Carangola, spends much of his spare time taking photographs of the five-year-old dog, who he positions alongside cartoons he has drawn. The result is dozens of hilarious images in which Jimmy Choo appears to be taking part in all manner of unusual activities - ranging from police line-ups to fashion parades and karaoke competitions. Mr Mantesso, 31, said was first inspired to take the quirky pictures when he found himself living alone in a flat without any furniture after going through a divorce. Superdog! In this comedy artwork, Jimmy Choo is made to appear to be flying over skyscrapers while wearing a Superman cape. In fact he is lying on the floor and has simply been cleverly positioned on top of cartoon drawn by his owner . Quirky: Rafael Mantesso (right) encourages his adorable English Bull terrier Jimmy Choo to pose with his hand-drawn artworks, such as this clever re-imagining of the iconic promotional poster for the movie Jaws (left) Joke: Jimmy Choo is pictured wearing a fake Nirvana T-shirt, which actually shows the 90s pop band Hanson . No shame: Jimmy Choo loves being the centre of attention, according to his owner Rafael Mantesso . Dressing up: Rafael Mantesso describes Jimmy Choo as his best friend and says he loves photographing him . Speaking about how he took up his unusual hobby, Mr Mantesso said: 'After my divorce all I had was Jimmy, and blank empty walls. I realised they made a great white canvas background for light-hearted pictures with Jimmy as the star.' The images he has taken include Jimmy Choo posed as an angel, counting sheep while sleeping and standing in a mock police mug shot - all of which are completed with Mr Mantesso's cartoon editing. Having taken the photographs, the co-founder of a gastronomy institute then posts them on the image-sharing social media site Instagram. Mr Mantesso says Jimmy Choo is more than happy to strike all many of unusual poses as he simply enjoys being the centre of his owner's attention. Angel: Jimmy Choo poses on his back, having being cleverly placed on top of a artwork drawn by his owner . Strike a pose: Rafeal Mantesso was first inspired to take the quirky pictures when he found himself in an empty flat with no furniture after he went through a divorce . Adorable: Rafael Mantesso says he likes to take pictures of Jimmy Choo interacting with every day items, such as this red suitcase (left). He also enjoys putting different illustrations in his quirky shots (right) Crooner: In this cleverly constructed image, a yawning Jimmy Choo appears to be singing into a microphone . Rafael Mantesso has had a great response to his work. 'People ultimately love Jimmy and love dogs,' he says . Describing his creative process, Mr Mantesso said: 'I like to take pictures of Jimmy interacting with things from every day life and as I love to draw I like to put different illustrations in the shots.' 'Taking pictures and creating art with Jimmy is my hobby, but it's so great that I have to time to play with Jimmy, who is my best friend,' he added. One of Mr Mantesso's main motivations for taking the photographs is to prove to people that, contrary to their reputation, the bull terrier is a 'lovely and inspirational' breed of dog. He says his unique artworks have already gathered a firm following of Instagram and he has even started receiving requests for various scenarios that he and Jimmy Choo may want to consider. 'I have had a great response to my work- people ultimately love Jimmy and love dogs,' he said. He's innocent! Rafael has made Jimmy Choo pose for a bank robbery mugshot in this well-crafted picture . Changing places: Jimmy Choo's owner says photographing the dog has helped him get over his divorce . Sweet dreams: In this adorable image a sleeping Jimmy Choo is made to look as if he is counting sheep . Why so glum? Jimmy Choo appears to be sulking on the sofa as cartoons drawn by his owner look on . Rafael Mantesso says fans of his artwork have even requested different poses for Jimmy Choo to strike . Relaxing: Rafael Mantesso says taking pictures and creating art with Jimmy Choo is his hobby - adding that it is great to be able to spend so much time with his pet bull terrier . | Rafael Mantesso, 31, started taking photographs of his bull terrier Jimmy Choo after going through a divorce .
He found himself living alone in a small apartment without any furniture in the municipality of Carangola in Brazil .
Decided to use bare white walls and floors to draw cartoons - posing his five-year-old 'best friend' next to them .
He then uploads all of his quirky images to social network Instagram, where they now have a committed fan base . |
43,134 | 79ab3720dd865b2ae7f27e59caf82a15bceca019 | 45% of older women have suffered from Vaginal Atrophy . Vaginal Atrophy is more commonly known as vaginal dryness . Vaginal Atrophy is usually caused by loss of oestrogen during menopause . 70% of women with VA say their sex life has suffered as a result . Treatment is simple and includes HRT and topical oestrogen creams and gel . By . Toni Jones . PUBLISHED: . 08:18 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:09 EST, 18 October 2012 . Happy World Menopause Day! There won't be a parade and there isn't a fun dress code but the World Health Organisation has designated October 18th as World Menopause Day in a bid to inform more women about menopause and its impact. Our ageing population means that more women than ever are entering menopause and suffering the effects, often in silence because of embarrassment or a lack of information.. 62-year-old Kathryn Colas suffered from Vaginal Atrophy in silence for years and said it almost destroyed her marriage . One of the most common and debilitating side effects of menopause is Vaginal . Atrophy (VA) - also known as vaginal dryness. A survey commissioned by . the British Menopause Society has revealed that 45% of women who have . reached the menopause have suffered from VA and 70% of those women say that their sex life has suffered drastically as a result. VA can have disastrous consequences for sex lives, relationships . and marriages as well as the physical and mental health of women and although treatment is easy diagnosis remains tricky because it is such a taboo subject for many doctors and their patients. Today on This Morning 62-year-old Kathryn Colas appeared on the sofa with the show's resident doctor Dr. Chris Steele to talk about the impact VA had on her life, and try and help raise awareness. She said: 'It started in my 40s when using tampons became painful. 'Gradually sex was very painful, it was like a carpet burn. 'I was always too embarrassed to talk to my husband and he started to say it was like sleeping with a stranger. He felt very isolated and we started rowing about it. 'I was too embarrassed to go to the doctor too. 'I did my own research and found out that what I was feeling had a name, it was Vaginal Atrophy, I thought "that is me"!'It is life changing, going from being a . jibbering idiot thinking there is something very wrong with me to finding out . that this is just a symptom of the menopause. 'And the remedy is so very simple. It is magic. It is transforming. 'My husband used to say "I just want my wife back," I used to say "I just want my life back!".' The graphic by Novo Nordisk shows how Vaginal Atrophy affects both men and women, it was created as a result of a survey of 4000 women of menopausal age . WHAT IS VAGINAL ATROPHY . Before . the menopause the skin and tissues around the vagina are kept supple . and moist by fluids and mucus. These are made by glands at the neck of . the womb. Oestrogen (the female hormone) affects these glands. Oestrogen . also affects the tissues in and around the vagina, causing the lining . of the vagina to be thicker and more elastic. Oestrogen also stimulates . the cells that line the vagina to produce glycogen, a compound which . encourages the presence of helpful bacteria which protect the vagina . from infection.After the menopause the ovaries make less . oestrogen. The lack of oestrogen leads to thinning of the tissues around . the vagina and a reduction in the number of glands that make mucus. You . also lose some fat tissue from around the genital area. This may make . the area also look slightly different than before the menopause.In . summary, the hormonal changes make the vagina shorter, less elastic and . drier. The genital skin also looks paler. These changes usually take . months or years to develop after the menopause and vary from woman to . woman. Atrophic vaginitis is the medical term for the condition when . these changes produce troublesome symptoms. - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - . THE SYMPTONS OF VAGINAL ATROPHY . The . changes described above can occur without causing any symptoms or . discomfort. However, some of the following symptoms may develop in some . women. - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . HOW TO TREAT IT . Not . all women have all of the above symptoms. Treatment may depend on which . symptoms are the most troublesome. Because the problem is mainly due to . a lack of oestrogen, it can be helped by replacing the oestrogen in the . tissues. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)This . means taking oestrogen in the form of a tablet, gel, implant or . patches. This may be the best treatment for relieving the symptoms, but . some women don't like the idea of taking HRT. There are advantages and . disadvantages of using HRT. See separate leaflet called 'Menopause and . HRT' for more detail. Oestrogen creamsSometimes . a cream, pessary or vaginal ring containing oestrogen is prescribed. This restores oestrogen to the vagina and surrounding tissues without . giving oestrogen to the whole body. Usually the treatment is used every . day for about two weeks, and then twice a week for a further three . months. After this the effect of the treatment may be assessed by your . doctor. This treatment usually works well but the symptoms may recur . some time after stopping the treatment. Repeated courses of treatment . are often necessary. It is important to follow the instructions about . the amount of cream to use. Lubricating gelsIf . vaginal dryness is the only problem, or hormone creams are not . recommended because of other medical problems, lubricating gels may . help. There are two gels which are available in the UK that are . specifically designed to help the problem of vaginal dryness. They . replace moisture. They are Replens® and Sylk®. You can buy these from . the pharmacy and your pharmacist should be able to advise you. | 45% of older women have suffered from Vaginal Atrophy .
Vaginal Atrophy is more commonly known as vaginal dryness .
Vaginal Atrophy is usually caused by loss of oestrogen during menopause .
70% of women with VA say their sex life has suffered as a result .
Treatment is simple and includes HRT and topical oestrogen creams and gel . |
103,223 | 111615d6ed184be39b29289b7587f2057873a90b | A rare eyewitness account by one of the British heroes of the Battle of Rorke's Drift - where 150 soldiers fought off 4,000 Zulu warriors - has sold for £15,500 at auction. Assistant Commissary Officer (ACO) Walter Dunne's letter, dated January 24, 1879, describes how he and a vastly outnumbered group of soldiers successfully defended the outpost in South Africa. The ACO was recommended for the Victoria Cross for his role in the heroic stand, which was later immortalised in the 1964 film Zulu, starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker. Remarkable: 135 years after Rorke's Drift this letter, left, by Walter Dunne, right, has sold at auction . Brave: At Rorke's Drift 150 British soldiers successfully defended the outpost against 4,000 Zulu warriors . The high sale price was expected because of how rare the letter is and not least because the piece of paper was actually at the Battle of Rorke's Drift . The letter, which was bought by a museum, reveals how, together with a comrade, he fortified the mission station by organising a makeshift barricade from 200lb mealie bags which were stacked 5ft high. The following day, ACO Dunne picked up a delivery note for the mealie bags and used it to write the letter to friend Capt Warneford in Cape Colony in South Africa. He describes how, after the Zulus killed 1,500 British soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot at Isandlwana, they headed to the outpost at Rorke's Drift, quickly surrounding the troops. The Rorke's Drift letter was discovered in an album of letters, paintings and other items collected by Captain WJ Warneford's wife Winifred. The sale at auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes, Wiltshire, also saw letters from Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, who commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 24th Foot, fetch £1,200 when they went under the hammer. They were bought by a collector who specialises in the Zulu wars. Lt Bromhead was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the battle. Letters from Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Durnford, who was killed at nearby Isandlwana, were also part of the sale. The letter was addressed to ACO Dunne's good friend Captain W. J. Warneford (pictured) Rorke's Drift/ 24 Jan.r '79/ . My dear Warneford, Sad news about the 1/24th. (1st Battalion, 24th Foot) 5Cd commanded by Col. Pulleine were cut to pieces and the camp sacked. 20 Officers are missing. About 1000 of the Kafirs came in here and attacked us on the same day (22nd). We had got about 2 hours notice and fortified the place with trap of grain biscuit boxes &c. They came on most determinedly on all sides. They drove our fellows out of the Hospital, killed the patients and burned the place. They made several attempts to storm us but the soldiers (B Co of 24th under Bromhead) kept up such a steady killing fire that they were driven back each time. We had only 80 men, the contingent having bolted before a shot was fired. The fight was kept up all night & in the morning the Kafirs retreated leaving 351 dead bodies. Dalton was wounded in the shoulder and temp clerk Byrne killed & 12 of the men... W A Dunne (over) Some of the missing are Pulleine, Col. Dunford, Capt. Russell, Hodson (killed), Anstey, Daly, Mostyn, Dyer, Griffith, Pope, Austin, Pulleine (2 Mr.) Shepherd (S... major) Wardell (killed), Younghusband, Degacher, Porteous, Carage Dyson, Atkinson - Coghill is believed to have escaped & also Melvill. Michael Caine pictured during shot from the film 1964 film Zulu, in which he plays Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead . Of ACO Dunne's letter, auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: 'We were very happy with that because it was a unique piece of history. We were delighted to have been given the opportunity of selling it. Material from Rorke's Drift is like hen's teeth - you just do not come across it.' ACO Dunne, who was in charge of the stores at Rorke's Drift, praises Lt Bromhead who was played by Caine in the famous film. The defence of Rorke's Drift was recognised with the awarding of no fewer than 11 Victoria Crosses. ACO Dunne, from County Cork, was turned down for a VC but was mentioned in dispatches. After 35 years of service, he retired to Gibraltar in 1908 but died the same year at a nursing home. Mr Aldridge described the album as a 'fascinating chronicle of a colonial family in the early part of the 19th century - a tumultuous period of history'. Finest hour: Painting commemorating the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift in 1879 - a victory by the British against the odds . It was on January 22 1879, on the Natal border with Zululand, in South Africa, that the tiny British garrison of 140 men - many of them sick and wounded - fought for at least 12 hours to repel repeated attacks by up to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The defence was rewarded by Queen Victoria's government with no fewer than 11 Victoria Crosses. The name of Rorke’s Drift led to the much-loved film starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. The movie, which is still celebrated more than 50 years after it was made, saw Baker play Lieutenant John Chard, while Caine played his right-hand man, Lieutenant Goville Bromhead. After fighting day and night the Zulus eventually retreated after 351 of the men died and 500 were wounded. It was part of the wider Anglo - Zulu war took place during 1879. The conflict began because the Zulu kingdom presented an obstacle to British imperial ambitions in southern Africa. The British invasion of Zululand began on January 11 1879, with the British objective being an eventual federation in Africa. The battle of Isandlwana erupted on the 22nd of January 1879, 11 days after the British started their invasion. 20,000 Zulu warriors attacked 1,800 British, colonial and native troops and 400 civilians. The Zulus, who had more numbers, overwhelmed the British, killing over 1,300 troops, while around 1,000 Zulu soldiers were killed. The battle of Rorke's Drift started almost immediately after, ending on the 23rd. The Battle of Ulundi on the 4th of July 1879 effectively ended the Zulu-Anglo war, with the defeat of the Zulu forces by the British when over 5,200 British and African soldiers razed the capital of Zululand after defeating the main Zulu army. The war ultimately ended with a British victory, and Zulu independence. | Authentic, first-hand account of battle in South Africa sells for £15,000 .
Battle involved outnumbered soldiers fending off 4,000 Zulu warriors .
It was described in a letter written by army hero Walter Dunne .
Mr Dunne's letter has now been sold at auction for £15,000 to a museum .
The battle was immortalised in the 1964 film Zulu starring Michael Caine . |
121,402 | 28eca4731adfe143d4f0762040b27504a96dea62 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 07:28 EST, 3 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 3 October 2013 . While many gamers will be busily completing missions in Grand Theft Auto V as quickly as possible, one small group of fans has made a time-lapse video to showcase the lifelike graphics of the new game. The three-and-a-half minute video takes viewers on a tour of fictional San Andreas state and captures some of the tiny details that make the video game world seem so realistic. The video was created by the people behind YouTube's popular 'THE DESPICABLE CHANNEL' and took them a whole day to put together sequences of varied scenes in the game. Scroll down for video . While many gamers will be busily completing missions in Grand Theft Auto V as quickly as possible, one small group of fans has made an time-lapse video to showcase the lifelike graphics of the new game. In this image the leaves of trees and cables move to denote a breezy landscape . In what could be seen as a homage to the game's developers, Rockstar, the time-lapse video, while obviously computer-generated, does not seem too strange or artificial thanks to the inclusion of details such as window reflections and people leaving footsteps in sand, PetaPixel said. The video allows viewers to spot details built into the game, such as different cars stopping at traffic lights in varied positions and different people loitering in front of shops. The wind moves trees and cables in a natural-looking way, while changes in sunlight alter the reflections on office windows. The three-and-a-half minute long video takes viewers on a tour of fictional San Andreas state and captures some of the tiny details that make the video game world seem so realistic - such as changing reflections in windows (seen here) The video was created by the people behind YouTube's popular 'THE DESPICABLE CHANNEL' and took them a whole day to put together sequences of varied scenes in the game. Viewers can watch the variety of cars speed along this computer-generated highway . Waves lap rocks in a rhythmic but idiosyncratic way seen in real-life and changing weather systems and believable clouds also immerse the viewers in the computerised world. This is particularly impressive seeing as the game was shot using an XBox 360 with graphics hardware that is now around eight-years-old. Grand Theft Auto V was released last month to huge acclaim and exceeded worldwide sales of £500 million shortly after going on sale, its published said. The game delivered the highest first day retail sales of any . title sold by Take-Two Interactive Software, the parent company of the . game's developer Rockstar. In what could be seen as a homage to the game's developers, Rockstar, the time-lapse video, while obviously computer-generated, does not seem too strange or artificial thanks to details like waves lapping on a beach in a rhythmic but idiosyncratic way seen in real-life . Stores across the UK opened their doors at midnight on 18 September for the launch of the game, which reportedly cost around £170 million to make and market - more than films such as Avatar.Experts estimate it could generate £1 billion during its first year on sale, with gamers predicted to snap up some 25 million copies - breaking current records.The Grand Theft Auto series has accumulated sales of 135 million copies since its 1997 debut. GTA IV has reportedly sold more than 25 million copies since its 2008 release. Grand Theft Auto V was released last month and exceeded worldwide sales of £500 million shortly after going on sale, its published said. The game delivered the highest first day retail sales of any title sold by Take-Two Interactive Software, the parent company of the game's developer Rockstar . | Short video takes viewers on tour of fictional San Andreas state .
Created by people behind YouTube's 'THE DESPICABLE CHANNEL'
Allows viewers to spot details .
built into the game, including different cars stopping at traffic lights, changing reflections in windows and clouds . |
256,813 | d866e5e92d7218afdc5c995d8b6e143a36dad9ea | Vijay Mallya has insisted the current difficulties he and fellow co-owner Subrata Roy are facing is having no impact on their running of Force India. At the start of the month Mallya was declared a 'wilful defaulter' by the United Bank of India due to non-payment of debts owed by his now grounded Kingfisher Airlines. A wilful defaulter is unable to borrow money from other financial institutions, could lose directorial posts in other companies, and potentially faces criminal proceedings for recovery of any debts. Vijay Mallya insists he hasn't borrowed money from any banks as he's pictured at a Kingfisher event . Roy, head of the Sahara conglomerate of businesses, is involved in a long-running dispute over his group's failure to repay billions of pounds to investors who were sold seemingly illegal bonds. Roy is currently imprisoned and working from a makeshift office in jail after failing to appear at a contempt hearing earlier this year. Speaking on the issues, Mallya said: 'Sahara Group have problems relating to funds raised from the public which the Securities and Exchange Board of India have determined were not raised as per regulations and need to be refunded. Mallya watches on after he signed Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez to Force India in December 2013 . 'Sahara claims the investors have been refunded and provided the necessary proof of refund to the Securities and Exchange Board of India. 'They don't seem to be able to verify the facts provided by Sahara. 'The agreement between Sahara and myself is they're shareholders in the team, they continue to be shareholders in the team. 'I have asked them if they would like to change the situation and they said no, they want to stay in.' Sachin Tendulkar shakes hands with Force India owner Mallya before the Indian Grand Prix . With regard to Mallya's position and the Silverstone-based marque, he added: 'As far as my situation is concerned, I'm not a borrower, I have not borrowed any money from any bank. 'Therefore all you read about may contain my name, but has to do with one of our companies, which is Kingfisher Airlines. 'If you continue to refer to me in my personal capacity, it conveys the wrong impression I'm a debtor in a sense, which I'm not. 'I've always run and managed the team which is doing better than it ever has in its history, and we're going forward from here.' | Mallya was declared a 'wilful defaulter' by the United Bank of India due to non-payment of debts .
Viijay Mallya insists he has not borrowed money from any bank .
The Force India owners wants to resolve their financial disputes . |
7,000 | 13d426ec6ff22441595bdf4c8f5a72607d76d1b4 | Detectives working to find missing Madeleine McCann have given their counterparts in Portugal a new list of potential suspects and have urged them to investigate them . More than 20 new suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation have been identified by British police. A Scotland Yard review of the bungled Portuguese inquiry into the three-year-old’s disappearance in 2007 has uncovered dozens of fresh leads, it emerged yesterday. They include ‘forensic opportunities’ and several ‘people of interest’, including Britons, who have not been eliminated from the case. Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, are said to be ‘greatly encouraged’ by the developments. But the Mail has learned that behind the scenes, a major diplomatic row is brewing because the Portuguese authorities are adamant they will not reopen the inquiry. Officials in Lisbon have told their British counterparts that under Portuguese laws, they can reopen the case only if there is new evidence. But Yard chiefs – who want the Portuguese to agree to a joint investigation – say their new leads could, if properly explored, result in new evidence and possibly the Maddie mystery being solved. One well-placed source described the deadlock as ‘a Mexican stand-off’. ‘It’s a chicken-and-egg situation. Significant new evidence can be found if the leads uncovered by the Yard are investigated. There are two major obstacles to a joint investigation: the money to fund it in Portugal and the loss of face they would suffer from having to agree to such an inquiry.’ It is understood high-level discussions have taken place in the UK about the possibility of Scotland Yard launching its own investigation. British police do not have jurisdiction in Portugal, but they have the right to investigate and prosecute any British suspects linked to Madeleine’s disappearance. Still hopeful: Mrs McCann returned to Portugal this month with her mother, Susan Healy, six years on . This picture shows Kate and Gerry McCann marking the fifth anniversary of their daughter's disappearance with an 'aged' photo of how she might look - on the sixth anniversary this year they said they'd not given up . Should the Met decide to launch its own investigation, it is likely to send a formal letter of request to the Portuguese authorities – seeking its assistance in its inquiries. Last night a Yard spokesman confirmed a high-level delegation of officers travelled to Portugal in March, but he refused to comment on what discussions took place. The senior detective who has overseen the Met’s two-year review of the case yesterday confirmed his officers had drawn up a list of people who they say are ‘of interest’. Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell, the head of Scotland Yard’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said there were a ‘good number’ of individuals who should be questioned. He would not disclose the precise number but sources told the Mail that at least 20 potential suspects – including a number of Britons who were in the Algarve at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance six years ago – had not been properly eliminated. Mr Campbell urged the Portuguese authorities to investigate the new leads. He said: ‘There are a lot of people of interest. There are people who could be properly explored further, if only to be eliminated.’ Madeleine went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2007 as her parents dined with friends nearby. The shambolic Portuguese inquiry was shelved in 2008 but Scotland Yard launched a Home Office-funded review of the case in 2011 following the intervention of David Cameron. Last year the officer in day-to-day charge of the review, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, said his team had identified 195 potential leads after examining a huge bundle of material. Mr Campbell said it was ‘perfectly probable’ that information which could identify the suspect responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance was already in the Portuguese files. He reiterated a claim that Madeleine could still be alive. He said: ‘You only have to look at the case in Cleveland, Ohio, and the European cases. Of course there is a possibility she is alive. ‘But the key is to investigate the case and, alive or dead, we should be able to try and discern what happened.’ The McCanns, of Rothley, Leicestershire, have been kept closely informed of Scotland Yard’s review – codenamed Operation Grange – over the past two years. A spokesman for the couple said: ‘They have been encouraged from the moment the review started and are now greatly encouraged that police have drawn up a short list of people who they believe are of interest to the inquiry.’ A source close to the couple said: ‘While they don’t want to raise their hopes too much, they are buoyed up by these revelations.’ A Home Office source said: ‘Clearly not all the 20 potential suspects identified by the Met could be responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance. But the Yard are adamant that if they were running the inquiry here, these people would have been properly eliminated.’ The Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz in the Algarve from where Madeleine McCann was abducted in May 2007 . Madeleine McCann as she looked when she went missing, left, and how she would look now, right . DCS Campbell, who retired today as head of the Met's Homicide and Serious Crime Command, urged Portuguese police to act on the new list of potential suspects in the Madeleine McCann case . | Met police have named 'a good number' of potential suspects to speak to .
DCS Hamish Campbell says his officers have done 'fantastic' case review .
He urged his Portuguese counterparts to investigate their fresh leads .
Kate and Gerry McCann are 'very, very pleased' about the new list of names .
Madeleine went missing in May 2007 during a family holiday in Praia da Luz . |
198,804 | 8d598f719b9b082f14641dd3796c59b672897326 | By . James Rush . An alleged mob boss who pleaded to be released on bail on grounds of his diabetes has reportedly been eating junk food including Pringles and Hershey candy bars while in jail. Thomas 'Tommy D' DiFiore had applied to be released on $4m bail at a hearing in Brooklyn Federal Court last month, claiming his Type 2 diabetes was out of control. But prosecution witness Dr Robin Edwin said the 70-year-old's commissary purchases revealed he had been buying food which would not have helped the condition. Thomas 'Tommy D' DiFiore applied to be released on bail because of his Type 2 diabetes, but a prosecution witness said the 70-year-old's commissary purchases revealed he had been buying junk food . DiFiore, of Commack, Long Island, was said to have been purchasing foods including Ramen-flavoured chili noodles, six-packs of Hershey candy bars, peanut butter and Pepsi cola, according to The New York Daily News. Dr Edwin reportedly told the court: 'These all would cause his sugars to go up quite high and it would be very hard to control diabetes while they're consuming these foods.' Federal Judge Allyne Ross denied DiFiore's bid for release, ruling he was a danger to the public. He was arrested on extortion charges in January. DiFiore's lawyer Steve Zissou said the commissary purchases were for other inmates and were not consumed by his client. DiFiore was one of five alleged high-ranking members of the Bonanno organised crime family arrested and charged in January, including Vincent Asaro, 78, a suspect in the 1978 Lufthansa heist at JFK which inspired the film Goodfellas. Asaro was charged with the theft of $5 million in cash and $1 million in jewellry from the Lufthansa Terminal at JFK airport on December 11, 1978. Prosecution witness Dr Robin Edwin said DiFiore's commissary purchases revealed he had been buying snacks including Pringles . DiFiore, of Commack, Long Island, was said to have been purchasing foods including Ramen-flavoured chili noodles, six-packs of Hershey candy bars, peanut butter and Pepsi cola . At the time, it was the biggest cash heist ever in the U.S. The stolen $5 million would be worth $17.9 million in 2013 dollars, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During a brief hearing at a Brooklyn . court in January following the arrests, Asaro, the alleged leader of the . Bonanno organized crime family, pleaded not guilty to robbery charges. DiFiore and three other men, who prosecutors claimed were members of the New York-based gang, were arrested for other crimes. | Thomas 'Tommy D' DiFiore claimed his Type 2 diabetes was out of control .
But commissary purchases revealed he had been buying junk food .
Judge refused his application for bail, saying he was a danger to the public . |
171,385 | 69d1b8de4263f5b5f7dda51dfeaf0343dfdf8938 | (CNN) -- Prue Murdoch, the daughter of Rupert by his first marriage, once told me that her abiding memory of her father over the breakfast table was not of his beaming face, but of the back page of a newspaper. One doubts if James Murdoch even remembers that. Judging by his evidence to the parliamentary inquiry into the "industrial-scale" hacking of innocent parties' phones by the News of the World and The Sun -- over which he presided, as executive chairman of their publisher, News International -- he appears to have suffered so bad a case of amnesia that it's a miracle he even remembered his own name. That his inquisitors, competitors and shareholders have struggled to believe his evidence is an understatement. Nonetheless, it still came as a surprise when James resigned from his position Wednesday, congratulating himself on the successful launch of the new Sun on Sunday last weekend. Coming so soon after the closure of the News of the World -- in apparent contrition for its despicable and illegal snooping, but in fact because advertisers had withdrawn their support -- the publication of the new Sunday rag has been widely perceived as an act of breathtaking cynicism. Pundits have even wondered if it was the Murdochs' plan all along to cut costs by replacing two papers with one leaner, seven-day operation. But that's another story. Today's questions are: Why did James go now; and how has his departure played in Parliament, in the press and with the public? To the first, the quick answer is that his I-don't-know-nuthin' stance was becoming untenable. Even the News of the World's ex-lawyer has pointed the finger at him, and it can only be a matter of time until hard proof of his complicity in either the hacking or its coverup becomes apparent. At another level, it can be seen as a PR move: Let the parliamentarians think they've got a scalp; and let the public and shareholders think there's a new broom in New International's Augean stable. If so, it has certainly impressed the money men: News International's share price rose 2% on the news, and there is speculation that the company is being primed for a sale. Many politicians are also happy. Against all the academic research, it is generally believed that the press has a huge effect on the public's voting intentions. And since the Murdoch press generally leans to the right, while its tormentors lean leftward, they are counting James' resignation as a victory for the common man. While the Conservative Party has been rather muted on the subject, Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has weighed in with veiled demands for James' arrest and prosecution. But what of the common man? The truth is, he probably doesn't give a flying fig. A friend of mine who works in the popular press tells me that she recently commissioned some research into the attitudes of 1,000 former readers of the News of the World. "If the paper was still being published, they would still be buying it," she said. "Ninety-five percent of them either didn't know or didn't care about the methods by which the paper got its stories. "They can feel sympathy for the parents of Milly Dowler [the murdered schoolgirl whose phone was hacked by News of the World investigators], as they can for Charlotte Church [the celebrity singer and another phone hacking victim]. But at the end of the day, their interest in a story will always outweigh any qualms about how it was obtained." True, the public's interest in the James Murdoch story has hardly been piqued. Most papers have made very little of it. Maybe that's because they have their own misdemeanors to conceal; maybe because, in such a close-knit profession, it limits job prospects to attack the son of a major employer; maybe because of an unspoken convention among the press barons that they don't attack each other. But one suspects that our editors know what their readers really care about. Today, that's the death of Monkees frontman Davy Jones. And ain't that a shame? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tim Willis. | James Murdoch resigned as the chairman of News International on Wednesday .
Tim Willis: His I-don't-know-nuthin' stance was becoming untenable in the hacking scandal .
Willis: Politicians are happy about the resignation and count it as a victory for the public .
He says the public has far more interest in the death of Davy Jones than Murdoch news . |
90,605 | 008c18c6471ee503fccdf7811463ec8ff4de09b7 | A chemistry teacher in Egypt has become a laughing stock after an explosive video of him bungling an experiment became a worldwide internet hit. The teacher - named locally in the Egyptian capital Cairo as Ahmed Gabr, 38, - was supposed to be showing the class how to produce a mild reaction by producing oxyhydrogen, or bang gas as it is also known. But he apparently bungled the quantities and sent children screaming from the classroom when the tumbler he was using exploded, showering the room with sparks, flying glass and boiling chemicals. Scroll down for video . Bang: A chemistry teacher in Egypt has become a laughing stock after an explosive video of him bungling an experiment and causing a classroom explosion became a worldwide internet hit. Fortunately, no one was hurt . Before and after: The teacher was supposed to be showing the class how to produce a mild reaction by producing oxyhydrogen . Some of the terrified youngsters can be heard praying as they fight to get out of the classroom while others shout out in distress. Angry parents flooded the school with complaints as their children came home with chemical splattered clothing. One - mother Asim Kanika, 36, - said: 'That man is a fool. Its amazing nobody lost an eye with all that flying glass.' The pupils were showered with the chemical and shards of glass. Their parents were reportedly furious . She added: 'He's very lucky that none of the children were really hurt, just very scared and shaken up.' Footage of the bungled experiment has made Gabr a reluctant star on YouTube and social media. One watcher, Hazel222, joked: 'A lesson the kids won't forget in a hurry.' | Teacher was filmed during lesson in Egyptian capital Cairo .
Was showing the class how to produce a 'mild' chemical reaction .
But he appears to have misjudged the quantities, causing ball of flame . |
105,070 | 138d1ec0277dd7d65f529eb688c80773474e3a68 | It has long been thought that asteroids formed from planetary embryos known as protoplanets that eventually combined and led to the formation of fully-fledged planets. But, now a study claims that asteroids are not building blocks at all - but rather they were made from the collisions of these protoplanets. If true, the research would mean that meteorites on Earth are not a glimpse into a time before Earth was formed, and are instead merely a byproduct of our own planet's formation. Scientists at Purdue University in Louisiana have presented a new asteroid theory. They say asteroids may have formed during the collision of protoplanets (illustration shown). Such planetary embryos combined to create the terrestrial planets. Previously it was thought asteroids formed before the protoplanets . The new theory centres around tiny, glassy, spherical grains known as chondrules. These were once molten droplets, and are now found scattered over asteroids. It had been thought that chondrules were the early kernels of terrestrial planets. As the solar system started to pull together four billion years ago, these droplets collided with dust and gas, creating the early protoplanets. These were objects larger than an asteroid, but smaller than our moon in size, and they ultimately formed the terrestrial planets in the inner solar system today. An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions in the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt. A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system. A meteor is what we call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up. This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere. If any of this meteoroid makes it to Earth, it is called a meteorite. Meteors, meteoroids and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets. The scientists at Purdue University in Indiana, who carried out the latest research, however, say that chondrules actually formed after the protoplanets. They claim that when protoplanets in the early solar system collided, creating the planets, the collisions created asteroids as a byproduct. These bodies would have smashed together with such violent force that they melted a fraction of their material, and shot a molten plume out into the surrounding solar nebula. Droplets of this molten material would have eventually cooled to form chondrules, which in turn attached to larger bodies like asteroids - some of which would eventually impact Earth, to be preserved as meteorites. Dr Brandon Johnson, now a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told MailOnline that this new theory would apply to the more than 90 per cent of meteorites that contain abundant chondrules. Others that contain no chondrules ‘are likely more representative of the material that accreted to form planetesimals or planetary building blocks,’ he added. The new research is based on an analysis of how chondrules formed. These tiny, glassy, spherical grains - the circular objects on the meteorite seen here - are now thought to have formed in the collision of protoplanets in the early solar system, suggesting asteroids also formed around a similar time . Bodies in the solar nebula around the young sun (illustration shown) would have smashed together with such violent force that they melted a fraction of their material, and shot a molten plume out. Droplets of this molten material would have eventually cooled to form chondrules, which attached to larger bodies like asteroids . In the early solar system, collision speeds were much lower than they are now. The planetary embryos were no larger than Earth's moon and their collisions were relatively gentle, occurring at a speed of a few miles per second. For the most part, impacts at this speed would blast rock into broken fragments, but not melt it, allowing for the formation of asteroids with chondrules on them. Chondrules have long been a puzzling feature of meteorites and, if they weren't observable in meteorites, scientists would likely never have predicted their existence. ‘Chondrules are incredibly abundant and so they must be telling us something important about what conditions were like in the early solar system when the planets were forming,’ Dr Minton said. ‘We think collisions were common in the early solar system and that planets are built out of the collisions between smaller bodies, so an impact theory for the origin of chondrules fits well with what we know of how planets formed.’ If confirmed, this theory would give us a new understanding of our beginnings in the solar system - and suggest that most meteorites do not represent a time before Earth was born. ‘Chondrule-bearing meteorites have long been thought to be similar to the building blocks of planets,’ said Dr David Minton, an assistant professor of Earth, atmospheric and planetary science at Purdue, who was involved in the research. ‘This study suggests that instead chondrules might actually be byproducts of impacts between objects of an earlier generation, and meteorites may not be representative of the material that made planets.’ His colleague Dr Jay Melosh, a professor in the same department, added: ‘Understanding the origin of chondrules is like looking through the keyhole of a door; while we can't see all that is happening behind the door, it gives us a clear view of one part of the room and a glimpse into the very beginnings of our solar system. ‘We've found that an impact model fits extremely well with what we know about this unique material and the early solar system, and this suggests that, contrary to the current opinion among meteorite experts, asteroids are not leftover planet-building material and clumps of chondrules are not prerequisite to a planet.’ The method of chondrule creation suggested by the team revolves around something called ‘jetting’, which occurs at the beginning of an impact as the surfaces of two objects meet. The rock caught in the pinch between the colliding objects is compressed to high pressure and intensely heated, creating a bright flash. The heat is enough to melt rock and create droplets in the ejected debris that can become chondrules. An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions in the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt. This illustration shows an asteroid breaking apart. Some asteroids are rich in metal, and it's thought others may have brought water to Earth . Meteorites that we find on Earth come from either asteroids or comets passing through the atmosphere and hitting the ground (illustration of an asteroid on approach shown). They were thought to be a snippet into the very young solar system, but may now be a snapshot of a later period . | Scientists at Purdue University in Indiana present new asteroid theory .
They say asteroids may have formed during the collision of protoplanets .
Such planetary embryos combined to create the terrestrial planets .
Previously it was thought asteroids formed before the protoplanets and provided the building blocks in the early solar system .
But now scientists say 90% of meteorites were likely created at the same time as Earth . |
109,652 | 195745304f29aed8ea52df4546186235732fe60f | This stunt takes the concept of speed dating to a whole new level. Car maker Ford recruited a professional female driver to take several unsuspecting men on blind dates at a coffee shop in Dallas, Texas, and offer them a lift home in her 2015 Mustang GT. Secretly filmed footage show her playing a 'dumb blonde' before getting out into an empty parking lot and showing what she can do. A look of deep concentration suddenly washes over her. The men are lost for words as they're flung back in their seats at speeds of up to 120mph. Wow: Ford recruited a professional female driver to take several unsuspecting men on blind dates at a coffee shop in Dallas, Texas, before offering them a lift home in her 2015 Mustang GT . Mustang Sally: Secret cameras show her playing a 'dumb blonde', before she gets out into an empty car parking lot and shows what she can do. A look of deep concentration suddenly washed over her . From powerslides to high-speed spins, the woman behind the wheel doesn't hold back. Smoke from the burning rubber fills the air. 'Oh yeah baby. That's what I'm talking about!' one of her passengers exclaims. 'Why are we going so fast?' another man quips, as he pulls a worried facial expression. Delighting in her freewheeling abilities, the woman asks one of her suitors what he thinks. 'So I guess you're showing me how to drive this thing aren't ya,' he responds while catching his breath. Speechless: The men are lost for words as they're flung back in their seats at speeds of up to 120mph . Belt up: From powerslides to high-speed spins, the woman behind the wheel doesn't hold back . Getting into the spirit: 'Oh yeah baby That's what I'm talking about!' one of her passengers exclaims . Dating prank: After a short while the woman reveals her true identity.'I'm a professional stunt driver,' she says with a grin on her face as she points out the secret cameras in her Mustang . After a short while the woman reveals her true identity. 'I'm a professional stunt driver,' she says with a grin on her face as she points out the secret cameras in her Mustang. She explains that the whole thing was a set up arranged by Ford in the run-up to Valentine's Day. Despite being duped, one man concludes: 'This is like the best first date I've been on in my life.' To date, a video of the dating prank has been watched more than one million times. Many viewers have said how it highlights the awkwardness of dating with the men coming up with 'boring chat' and confidently describing themselves as 'well-rounded' and 'very adventurous'. They also attempt to show their 'dumb blonde' date how to drive before being put in their place. It's not known if any of their passengers saw their speedy chauffeur again. Popular pick: To date, a video of the dating prank has been watched more than one million times. Back on track: Ford recently announced its plans to take the iconic Mustang to international market for the first time in its 50 years of existence . Caught on camera: Many viewers have said how it highlights the awkwardness of dating with the men coming up with 'boring chat' and confidently describing themselves as 'well-rounded' and 'very adventurous' | Ford recruited a professional female driver to take several unsuspecting men on blind dates at a coffee shop in Dallas, Texas, before offering them a lift home in her 2015 Mustang GT .
Secret cameras show her playing a 'dumb blonde', before she gets out into an empty car parking lot and shows what she can do .
A look of deep concentration suddenly washed over her .
The men are lost for words as they're flung back in their seats at speeds of up to 195mph . |
41,300 | 747c9f40873ad20a37a8c39313690750cc42e844 | For many, it was a period of financial turmoil as banks failed, stock markets tumbled and millions lost their jobs. However, billionaire Warren Buffett kept on doing what he does best and began investing in a handful of blue-chip companies during the financial crisis. Five years on and the value of those deals are clear for all to see, America’s second richest man earning another $10 billion thanks to his choice investments. Shrewd: Billionaire Warren Buffett tossed lifelines to a handful of blue-chip companies during the financial crisis . And I made this much! Five years later, the payoff on those deals is becoming clear: $10 billion and counting . Buffet's boost: Berkshire Hathaway's investments are paying off. From an investment of $25bn dollars, almost $10bn in profits have been realized . Although it proves that the rich are getting richer, it also confirms that wisdom of one of Mr Buffett's favorite investing maxims: ‘Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.’ The fall of 2008, when the market was shaky and confidence was low, a number of stocks of companies that had decent reputations, were at record lows including Wells Fargo & Co. and American Express Co. ‘You make your best buys when people are overwhelmingly fearful,’ Mr Buffet said. ‘In terms of simple profitability, an average investor could have done just as well investing in the stock market if they bought during the panic period,’ Mr. Buffett said in an interview to the Wall Street Journal, but few investors, if any, were able to navigate the choppy financial waters quite as expertly. Sweet smell of success: Buffet decided to invest in a few major companies and is now seeing a profit of $10 billion and counting . By comparison, the U.S. government invested about $420 billion through its Troubled Asset Relief Program. The government also demanded beneficial terms and collected sizable dividend payments for a return of about $50 billion, or 12%, thus far, according to the U.S. Treasury's website. The latest windfall for the Omaha, Nebraska billionaire and his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., came when candy maker Mars Inc. repaid $4.4 billion that its subsidiary, Wrigley, borrowed in 2008. That payment alone is expected to net Berkshire a profit of at least $680 million. Mr. Buffett said he hopes to use the cash to make other big investments soon that will bring equally attractive returns. Berkshire will continue to buy stocks to add to its portfolio of over $100 billion, because ‘it's still better to have equities than cash,’ he said. It all began with Mars in April of 2008, when credit markets began to tighten their belts, however, what meant even more to companies that were craving much-needed capital was Mr Buffet. However In addition to much-needed capital, the companies acquired something equally valuable: Mr. Buffett's implicit endorsement of their long-term prospects. Call the midas touch if you will - shares of these companies generally went up after they revealed Berkshire's involvement. In six major deals, Berkshire invested a total of about $26 billion. Mr. Buffett used Berkshire's gigantic cash hoard to move swiftly and exact lucrative terms that created a stream of payments from the borrowers. Mr. Buffett's deal-making started in the early days of the crisis and continued deep into the recovery. The last of the deals was a 2011 loan to Bank of America Corp. for $5 billion. Besides Mars and Bank of America, Berkshire made investments in Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Swiss Re Ltd., Dow Chemical Co., and General Electric Co. Several deals are continuing to pay hefty dividends. Cool head: When most panicked during the financial crisis, Warren Buffett invested . As the economy has recovered, and with credit available at more attractive rates, some of the companies have opted to redeem securities owned by Berkshire or adjust the terms in ways favorable to Mr. Buffett. For example, Berkshire became one of Goldman’s largest shareholders with a $2.1 billion stake after the close of a five-year deal in which Berkshire injected $5 billion into the bank. The deal required the bank to pay $500 million in annual dividends. When Goldman redeemed the shares in March 2011, it paid Berkshire an extra $500 million as a premium. Berkshire helped Mars finance its $23 billion purchase of Wrigley. Berkshire contributed $6.5 billion, including $2.1 billion for preferred stock in Wrigley that pays an annual dividend. Berkshire also bought an additional $1 billion of Wrigley debt later. Tthe investment is expected to net Berkshire nearly $4 billion, including annual dividends and a prepayment premium since the bonds were due in 2018. In another display of Mr Buffett's ingenuity, Berkshire invested $5 billion in Bank of America which adds about $300 million in annual pretax income. The deal allowed Buffet to purchase another 700 million shares for an additional $5 billion at $7.14 a share. Given the bank's current stock price at about $14, it would create a further profit of $5 billion. When it comes to affairs of government Mr Buffett doesn’t believe holding congress to ransom is the way to pass legislation. ‘It makes absolutely no sense for politicians to use the debt ceiling as a threat to get their way on other legislation. It ought to be banned as a weapon. It should be like nuclear bombs, basically too horrible to use,’ he said in an interview with Fortune. If Congress doesn’t increase the country's borrowing power by October 17, the government won’t have enough money to pay its bills, according to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. Defaulting on the nation's debt could trigger a global financial meltdown. ‘We will go right up to the point of extreme idiocy, but we won’t cross it,’ the Oracle of Omaha said last week. | Buffett invested in well known companies at record lows in 2008 .
Investments acted as 'lifelines' to firms .
His endorsement and confidence saw their stock prices rise .
Sometimes special deals were created with buyback options making Buffett even richer .
Oracle of Omaha: 'Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful’ |
191,457 | 83ef88644945b5f5f8476204c8863a1d2c835c9f | A newly-wed couple face being separated for the arrival of their first child because of new visa rules that have come into force. Marianne Bailey, 35, may have to give birth on her own because her Japanese husband, Kei Yamamoto, 30, may have to leave the country because they are having troubles getting a spousal visa. The couple married in Chelsea in October last year after meeting while she was working in Japan. Ms Bailey, a product designer from Wandsworth, south London, earns well above the the £18,600 threshold required by law, rents out two properties and has two jobs. Facing difficulties: Marianne Bailey is considering becoming an Irish citizen to enable her husband to stay here . But a bureaucratic loophole means only the rental income is considered valid by the Home Office and a letter from the UK Border Agency said there was 'no flexibility' on the financial criteria. They were shocked to hear Mr Yamamoto could be forced to leave a month before their child is due in July, according to the Evening Standard. 'I’m faced with having my first child on my own because my husband might get kicked out the country,' Mrs Bailey-Yamamoto said. 'I feel like the Government are trying to force me out because I married a foreigner.' Last July, the Home Office instituted new rules forcing British citizens to meet certain financial criteria before they can get a visa for their foreign spouses. Ms Bailey-Yamamoto was advised by five visa specialists to drop her battle, saying she had no chance of complying with the rules because she is self-employed and does not have significant savings. However, she earns money by working as a university lecturer and design consultant, renting out her properties and drawing funds from a pension pot. Mr Yamamoto is currently unable to work in the UK because he does not have a visa. 'I’ve been told citizens of other EU countries do not have to meet any financial requirements at all,' Mrs Bailey-Yamamoto told the Standard. 'They . don’t have to pay the £800 visa fee like we do, they don’t even need a . job and they can come here freely and marry whoever they want. Whereas . I’m a successful entrepreneur trying to support British industry and . I’ve worked really hard in my twenties to get where I am.' She is even considering taking up Irish citizenship to get around the rules - but although her grandmother is Irish, she has only been to the country once. Another option is for Mrs Bailey-Yamamoto to sell off one of her properties to boost her savings, but it would then take another six months for her husband's visa to be granted, which means he would not be by her side when she gives birth. A Home Office spokesman said: . 'European nationals are able to bring family members to the UK. However, . European nationals do not have unrestricted access to the UK, they must . be exercising their treaty rights by working, studying or being . self-sufficient.' Craig Colville and his wife, Crystal, were told that she could not stay in the UK because he was not a British citizen despite the fact he is Welsh . Partners of British citizens who wish to apply to remain in the country on the basis of their relationship must meet an array of criteria set out by the UK Border Agency. They must prove that they and their other half are both over 18, that their relationship is 'genuine and subsisting', that any marriage or civil partnership is valid under UK law, and that they intend to live with their partner permanently in the UK. UKBA also requires proof that would-be British citizens have met their partner in person, that the couple in question are not related in any way that would prevent them marrying under UK law, and that any previous relationship has permanently broken down. Finally the applicant must show that they meet UKBA's list of 'suitability requirements', along with its English language requirement, and - crucially for Crystal Colville - its financial requirement. This states that any non-national hoping to remain in the country on the grounds that their partner is a British citizen must have an income of at least £18,600. If the applicant has a child that is not a citizen or settled in the country that they wish to live with them in the country, the minimum income goes up to £22,400. Each additional child requires an additional income of £2,400. The UKBA states on its website that applicants can meet the financial requirement from the employment or self-employment of their sponsor, as well as through their own employment. Cash savings are also taken into account when applications are being considered, along with any benefits or pension payments the applicant or their sponsor receive in the UK. Last week a Welsh photographer was told he could not bring his Canadian wife into the UK because he was not a British citizen. Craig Colville was born in St Asaph in North Wales to British parents but the UK Border Agency has denied his new wife Crystal Levy permission to stay in the country, claiming that he 'does not hold settled status'. Mr Colville, who even has a twin brother whose citizenship has never been disputed, is now facing leaving Britain over the blunder. Officials admitted that the bizarre claim was a 'clerical error', but insisted that Mr Colville’s new wife would have to leave the country in any case because she does not make enough money to stay. New rules governing the applications of the partners of British citizens came in on July 8 2012. Would-be British citizens who applied before that date were required to prove that they and their sponsor had adequate means to support themselves without relying on state handouts, but no specific minimum income level was set. | Baby is due in July but Kei Yamamoto may have to leave UK in June .
Couple married in October but he has been refused a spousal visa .
Marianne Bailey earns well above legal threshold and owns two properties . |
7,260 | 1494a29ead501934e94f47f3bed78400570198de | (CNN) -- Since 2005, Bruno Serato has been serving up free pasta dinners to children, many of whom are poor and live in motels with their families. Serato is an Italian chef and the founder of Caterina's Club, a nonprofit that provides dinner seven days a week to more than 300 children at the Boys & Girls Club in Anaheim, California. CNN asked Serato for his thoughts on being chosen as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011. CNN: Where were you when you got the call that you'd been selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Bruno Serato: I was home, getting ready to go to work after talking to my mom in Italy over Skype. I can't express the feelings I had at that moment. I was so happy. I was in tears. I wanted to scream like Tarzan! It was amazing news. CNN: What do you hope this recognition will mean to Caterina's Club? Serato: This gives me hope that I can make Caterina's Club a leader in resolving children's hunger in America. I do believe that, all together, we can make a big difference. If restaurants and chefs across America worked with their local Boys & Girls Clubs and followed our program, we could feed millions of children. I feel like I'm a voice on this Earth and my mission is to tell people: "Let's step forward. Don't just talk about it. Do something about it." We can make this a better place to be and fight the poverty in our country. CNN: How will you use the $50,000 award that you receive for being selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Serato: It will help me to keep doing what I do and serve more children in need. I also hope to travel to promote the program and make more people aware of our national "motel kids" problem. CNN: What do you want people to know most about your work? Serato: In America, in our own backyards, we have kids who go to bed hungry. If we do something about it, we will have no hungry children in America. If you give up one cup of coffee a day, you can feed 10 kids. One bag of pasta costs a few dollars, and that can serve 10 kids. If I can feed more than 300 kids alone, all together we can feed millions. Read the full story on CNN Hero Bruno Serato: . Making sure 'motel kids' don't go hungry . | Bruno Serato was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011 .
Serato feeds more than 300 children every night in Anaheim, California .
Serato: All together, we can make a big difference and feed millions . |
150,964 | 4f2f6d0cdabc08f4d8aaa0eb43995c566cf27122 | By . Thomas Durante . Last updated at 9:53 AM on 5th September 2011 . Police are investigating after a man's body was found at the bottom of an NFL player's swimming pool after a Labor Day party. The body of Engram Lamar Crenshaw, 37, from Katy, Texas, was pulled out of the pool at the home of Houston Texan Antonio Smith. Police were called to the $1million, five-acre property at around 9.30am on Sunday morning after fellow guests had found the dead man. Mr Crenshaw, who was fully clothed when he was found, is believed to have been a personal friend of Mr Smith. Pool party tragedy: Antonio Smith, 29, is about to begin his third season with the Houston Texans . Bird's eye view: Satellite image shows the Texas home of Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith, where a partygoer was found dead in the pool . Labor Day weekend bash: This flyer advertised the pool party at Antonio Smith's home . Fort Bend County authorities are now investigating the drowning, although no foul play is suspected. Fort Bend County sheriff’s spokesman Bob Haenel said an autopsy has been ordered. It is likely to be carried out on Monday. Mr Smith, 29, advertised the pool party several times on Twitter, saying: ‘Hot and sunny out at 94's paradise ranch cowboy boots ninja mask and speedo's.' Law enforcement officials said that about 100 people attended the party, and 25 of them stayed at the house overnight. The victim was reportedly last seen alive at about 2am. Mr Haenel said: 'All I know is they had a party last night and they found a guy at the bottom of the pool this morning.' Captain James Burger from the Sheriff's Office said: 'There were no abrasions and no evidence of physical injuries to his body.' 'He was not dressed to be swimming in the pool, I can say that,' he added, according to USA Today. 'Apparently he stayed out there by himself. In the morning, when people woke up and went outside, they discovered him in the pool.' Mr Smith’s home is located just north of Richmond, a suburb of Houston. As well as a swimming pool, it has a man-made lake at the front. He is about to begin his third season with the Texans. In a statement to the Chronicle, the team said: 'We're aware of the situation. We're gathering facts and will have no further comment at this time.' The team is scheduled to open their season on September 11 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans signed Smith in 2009 on a five-year, $35 million contract that included a $12.5 million signing bonus. He played five years with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Texans. Labour party: Antonio Smith took to Twitter to talk about his Labor Day weekend pool party, where one of his guests wound up dead . House party: Law enforcement officials said that about 100 people attended the pool party at the home of Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith . | Dead man a family friend of Houston Texans player Antonio Smith .
He was found in the pool fully-clothed morning after party . |
102,872 | 109575674e1bb5d53b6a776150f9975e1472cd47 | By . Sarah Dean . Fifty years since the Fab Four made their one and only visit to Australia, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were back in Sydney on Saturday. The Beatles' iconic Abbey Road album cover was recreated in front of Sydney's Opera House by waxwork models, over 10,553 miles from where the band originally posed in London, to celebrate their arrival Down Under. Dressed in swinging sixties garb, the models were placed on a zebra crossing in Sydney harbour - instead of outside Abbey Road Studios. Look who's back: Waxwork figures of the Beatles posed in front of Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House on Saturday . Iconic: The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover, featuring the Fab Four walking across a zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios, is one of the most famous and imitated images in the history of music . Abbey Road, released in 1969, was the eleventh studio album by the Beatles and remains their best-selling record. The waxworks of the world's favourite band have just arrived in Sydney from Tokoyo and will be part of an interactive exhibit at Madame Tussauds in Darling Harbour, in the city centre. Madame Tussauds first held sittings with The Beatles in 1964 - the same year that they toured Australia. Of course what was lacking when the waxworks touched down in Sydney on Saturday was the hysterical Beatlemania that occurred when the real Liverpudlian lads arrived in Sydney on 11 June 1964. Long time: It has been 50 years since the band really visited Australia on their one and only tour Down Under . Swinging sixties: Madame Tussauds first held sittings with The Beatles in 1964 - the same year that they toured Australia . The Beatles began their Australian tour in Adelaide on 12 June 1964, when 300,000 people lined the streets from the airport to the city to welcome them. Ringo Starr was hospitalised in the UK when it kicked off so Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in as a drummer until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne. By the time they were back in Sydney on 18 June, it was Paul McCartney's 22nd birthday, and after the concert a party was held back at the Chevron Hotel. Abbey Road now: Tourists cross the zebra crossing made famous by the Beatles . Beatlemania: On 12 June 1964 a huge crowd gathered outside the Town Hall in King William Street, to welcome the Beatles to Adelaide . Last week, one ardent fan, now 64, revealed they still have a piece of cake from the musician's 22nd birthday bash. The Beatles were not only on their way to becoming the biggest rock band in 1964, they were also the first ever to be featured at Madame Tussauds. For the new touring figures, Madame Tussauds have used a combination of the sitting measurements and additional image research including a number of image references from the 1969 Abbey Road photo shoot. Biggest fans? Hundreds of screaming women met the Beatles with banners and photos in Australia in 1964 . The style of the figures is based on their styling around the time, not long before the band's dissolution in 1970. 'Not only can guests interact with the famous four, but they can also recreate a moment of Beatles history in their very own Abbey Road album cover,' Quinn Clarke, general manager of Madame Tussauds Sydney, said. The waxworks will be in Sydney until September, when they will be flown to San Francisco for the last leg of their tour. Adored: Paul McCartney and George Harrison look out from Melbourne Town Hall (left) and Paul McCartney celebrating his 22nd birthday on tour with the band in Sydney on 18 June (right) | Waxworks of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr arrived in Sydney on Saturday .
The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover was recreated by the Opera House .
The band toured Australia in 1964 and were greeted by Beatlemania . |
163,569 | 5f830d3d57801f778d997eae13c9d0777d5d026e | (CNN)Barcelona's chances of winning the Spanish league where dealt a huge blow Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 by Malaga at the Camp Nou Stadium. A mistake by Barcelona defender Dani Alves in the eighth minute allowed Juanmi to fire Malaga in to the lead, a lead they maintained relatively comfortably. The defeat left them in second place just a point behind behind Real but with their Madrid rivals still to play its one game in hand. Much of the talk before this weekend's round of fixtures surrounded the effectiveness of MSN versus BBC; acronyms for the players that have been pivotal in attack for Barcelona and Real Madrid this season. Messi, Suarez and Neymar for the former; Benzema, Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo for the latter. Up until the start of the year, Real Madrid's strike force had dominated. But since the start of 2015 Barcelona's new look triumvirate has thrived. Lionel Messi has scored 14 goals alone, two more than the entire Real strike force, whilst Neymar has bagged ten goals, and Suarez four. But the three players were surprisingly subdued and had no answer to Malaga's resolute defending. "We're used to these kind of games. I'd like it to be an accident but it is becoming habit, the opposition close up and we can't find a way through," Barcelona boss Luis Enrique told AFP after the game. "These kind of results are sometimes a good reminder that other sides have their qualities. You could consider this a deserved defeat." The result ended a superb run of form for Barcelona, who had won their last 11 matches in all competitions and scored 42 goals in the process. "They scored and shut up shop," added a frustrated Sergio Busquets. "They let us use the ball out wide and we tried, but the final ball wasn't there and we didn't create clear cut chances." Real Madrid can go four points clear of Barcelona on Sunday when they play Elche. | Barcelona beaten at home by Malaga .
Messi, Suarez and Neymar strangely subdued .
Real can got four points clear Sunday . |
3,990 | 0b8258bdc59016f68d2e17f289dbc434b7cfbe38 | Indianapolis (CNN) -- Let's just come out and say what a lot of people are thinking this Super Bowl weekend: Indianapolis? Really? Hard-core fans who blow wads of cash every season to get their championship tickets punched want to know: Has the NFL reached a point when this iconic face-off between our national gladiators can be hosted by any team city? Even a cold-weather, landlocked, midsize burg surrounded by corn and guided by a mysterious force called "Hoosier Hospitality"? Because, sorry sports fans, let's be real: This ain't New Orleans, Miami or Southern California -- or any of the sunshiny February playgrounds that have dominated location choices for 45 years. This is smack in the heart of "flyover country," where many fans of the New England Patriots and New York Giants have never before dared to venture. You can picture them trying to locate the home of the Indianapolis Colts on a map, saying, "It's in one of those 'I' states, like Iowa, Idaho or Illinois." There's no need to mince words. Indy natives have heard it all before: "Nap-town," "India-no-place." "Hoosiers," as Indiana residents call themselves, are used to being underestimated, and they often take advantage of the benefits of low expectations. (Full disclosure: The author is an Indiana native, but, like many of his kind, he is unable to explain the origin of the word "Hoosier.") After decades of strategizing, planning and selling the city to NFL team owners, Indy says it's ready to host Super Bowl XLVI. "It's the pinnacle," said former Mayor Bill Hudnut, who started the campaign rolling in the early '80s. Without a doubt, preparations have transformed the town's look and feel. The community has poured hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and corporate coin to build new hotels, spruce up landscaping and resurface miles of streets. As a result, a sea of Patriots blue, Giants blue and Colts blue has been flowing through the downtown area -- now dubbed Super Bowl Village. More than 300,000 have walked through the neighborhood in the past week, officials said. Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy told CNN affiliate WRTV-TV that the city is putting "its best foot forward." The fans are "going to be pleasantly surprised," he said. There's more to Indy than the Super Bowl . Restaurants, hotels and the village all surround Lucas Oil Stadium -- creating a compact, walkable Super Bowl district that veterans say is unique to almost all previous venues except perhaps New Orleans. "I think the setup here is fantastic," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told WRTV. Streets have been renamed Raiders Road, Chiefs Avenue -- one for each NFL squad. "Mike Epps and Snoop Dogg are coming in tonight!" a fan shouted to a friend wearing a Giants jersey. Buildings are draped with majestic, gigantic multistory banners, and the street signs are adorned with the ubiquitous face of Madonna, the Super Bowl halftime headliner . Parlor games? "Oh no, here we go," say local skeptics -- eyes rolling. "This is the part where the media elite play that tired parlor game that comes up every time Indiana takes the national stage." Does Indianapolis have to prove anything by hosting the game? Is this about some kind of cornfed inferiority complex that Hoosiers have been trying to shake for decades? "We're not about that," said Dianna Boyce of Indianapolis' Super Bowl host committee. "We let our actions speak louder than our words." It's all a little shocking for those who remember what this neighborhood was like 30 years ago. There wasn't much here. For workers at the old brick-walled Hurst's HamBeens building on McCarty Street -- a stone's throw from the stadium -- there were no bars or nightspots for hanging out after quittin' time. "You could count the number of restaurants on one hand," Boyce said. "You just didn't come downtown to have fun back then." In the old days, Indianapolis meant the "brickyard" -- the Indianapolis 500, said Tom Griswold, longtime co-host of the Indy-based syndicated radio program "The Bob & Tom Show." "But after the arrival of Peyton Manning, now they say 'the Indianapolis Colts.' " The image of Manning's face looms large on a building-size Papa John's banner in Super Bowl Village. Fourteen years after Manning joined the Colts, Americans are indeed talking about the $90 million quarterback. Specifically, they're talking about his neck. Manning's recovery from neck surgery -- perhaps the most talked about neck in the history of sports -- threatens to overshadow Sunday's game, which will feature Manning's brother Eli as quarterback for the Giants. Most people know the injury forced Peyton Manning to sit out the Colts' entire season, resulting in two wins and 14 losses -- a stinking record after 2010's 10-6 season. Now the Colts face an epic decision about whether to pay Manning a $28 million bonus to stay on the team or to cut him loose as a free agent. Has Manning played his last game with the Colts? Indianapolis had its own epic decision to make in the early '80s. At the time, the city had no NFL team. Yet Hudnut, then the mayor, greenlit construction of a $77 million-domed football stadium. Indy was putting out bait to lure the NFL. "Stones of steel," said a fan who recalled the story while walking through Super Bowl Village on Tuesday. "It took guts." Before the stadium was finished, the Colts had agreed to move from Baltimore to Indy, triggering a generation of hatred among the Maryland city's fans over the "theft" of their storied franchise. It was a major step toward using sports to crank up Indy's status and economic standing. Soon the city was hosting NCAA basketball's Final Four and the NBA All-Star Game. "Gradually in the '80s and '90s people who knew the city regarded Indianapolis as quite a town -- even though people who didn't know Indy still thought of it as a brickyard and a cornfield," Hudnut said. Fast-forward to Sunday when perhaps more than 112 million people will watch the NFL world championship "taking place in little old Indianapolis," said Griswold, the radio host. Mission accomplished. The hosting seems to be going well so far -- thanks in part to unusually warm temperatures in the low 50s at a time when it's usually a few degrees above freezing. "We're loving it. I had to get out here in the village and see everybody!" Boyce said. "Outstanding" was how Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne described the weather for WRTV. "Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves," Wayne said, a year after a freak cold snap put a damper on events surrounding the Dallas Super Bowl. "I haven't heard one bad complaint." In 1982, Detroit opened the door to cold-weather Super Bowl hosting. New York is scheduled for 2014. "Our plan was to eventually get into the rotation for future Super Bowls," Hudnut said. "Let's get through the first one, first," the NFL's Goodell told WRTV. "I think the hospitality and the way they have done this will reflect very well on Indianapolis going forward." Talk of the town . The village -- a $12 million, three-block, "family-friendly festival" with shops and restaurants -- has been built not just for Sunday, but for the future. "After the fans have long gone, other people are going to be able to come in and use this space for decades," Boyce said. Meantime, Boyce said she expects Indy to demonstrate the spirit of "Hoosier Hospitality." "We're a friendly folk," she said. "People say hi to you when you walk down the street. It's all the time, not just when the Super Bowl is here." What's getting the most attention? The zip line is the talk of the town. For $10, you can climb the zip line's 95-foot tower, attach yourself to a metal cable and fly 80 feet above the crowd to another tower 650 feet down the street. "It's the new version of the bungee jump," one woman said. Fans reported the wait last Sunday for the zip line was seven hours. That's almost as long as TV's Super Bowl pregame show. Homeless complaints . But not everyone in Indianapolis is awaiting the big game. Justin Baranowski, 33, a homeless man from California, said, "Starting at the end of last week the police started pushing us away from certain areas that we're allowed to be in," including the Super Bowl Village. Authorities insist officers aren't cracking down because of the game, but they said police are working with private organizations to help get the homeless into shelters. "We're not moving anyone against their will," said Marc Lotter, spokesman for Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. The city is sharing its Super Bowl gravy with needy segments of the community. A neighborhood without a grocery store now has a food cooperative thanks to private and NFL funds, Boyce said. Another area received a 20,000-square-foot community youth center, including a gym, classrooms and weekly programs such as cooking, fitness and finance. Hosting this game is "a step of a higher level than we've ever taken before," Hudnut said. "We had to prove that we could be major league." So what's next for Indy? A Democratic or Republican national convention may not be out of the question, he said. And what about Sunday? "The best sign of success will be that the city doesn't become the story," Griswold said. "The story needs to be about the game. I honestly think the best report would be people saying that 'the game was great and -- oh yeah by the way Indianapolis was really nice. I had a really good time.' " | Indianapolis is hosting its first Super Bowl as the Giants take on the Patriots .
City officials set Super Bowl goal almost 30 years ago .
More than 300,000 are visiting downtown area dubbed Super Bowl Village .
Initial NFL hosting reviews are positive a year after cold snap marred Dallas Super Bowl . |
39,571 | 6fc11e21e02ce712eea7846ddea5e1aa890b1c7c | Not everyone agrees with the phrase - 'the more the merrier', as organisers have cancelled a property development's first launch party because too many people confirmed attendance. Mirvac and UrbanGrowth, the property development's organisers, cancelled Tuesday's cocktail event for the launch of Green Square located in the inner-south of Sydney. After receiving 'overwhelming success' and 'overwhelming interest', the organisers sent an email to guest just one week before the party, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. Green Square is set to contain approximately 2000 apartments, 14,000-square-metres of retail space and around 50,000-square-metres of office space . The card invitation to Green Square's cocktail party event. Mirvac and UrbanGrowth, the property development organisers, cancelled the first launch of Green Square in the inner-south of Sydney . 'A surprisingly high volume of acceptances to the event from stakeholders, supporters and friends of Green Square has seen guest numbers exceed both our expectations and the capacity of the venue,' the email read. 'We plan to host the event in early 2015 to allow us to accommodate the large number of guests interested in experiencing all that Green Square has to offer.' Green Square is set to contain approximately 2000 apartments, 14,000-square-metres of retail space and around 50,000-square-metres of office space. The development hopes to see hundreds of new families relocating to the Green Square town centre, with already having an overwhelming level of interest for one, two and three bedroom apartments, The Australian reports. 'Green Square has been conceived from a very different urban design perspective,' said Brett Draffen, Mirvac chief investment officer. The development hopes to see hundreds of new families relocating to the Green Square town centre, with already having an overwhelming level of interest for one, two and three bedroom apartments . 'All the fundamentals that contribute to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle have been considered. Residents have ready access to Green Square Train Station. 'Sydney will need to accommodate another 1.7 million people by 2030 and to do so, housing density, in locations close to infrastructure will need to increase.' But it seems like both Mirvac Group and UrbanGrowth are not quite ready for the overwhelming response from interested parties. After spending around $45,000 for the event, John Carfi, executive of residential apartment at Mirvac Group justified his reason to postbone event. 'In the scheme of the sales and marketing process for this development, [the cost is] not significant,' he said. Organisers estimated that only 500 people would join the launch party at Eveleigh's Australia Technology Park. Neither UrbanGrowth or Mirvac has mentioned how many people RSVP-ed yes to the event but according to Mr Carfi, organisers were not prepared to cater to such a large crowd. 'I've lost count, to be honest. We're certainly well over what we anticipated,' said Mr Carfi. He said he did not want to 'underwhelm people' and give off a bad first impression. 'That was probably the bigger risk for us,'he said. Organisers estimated that only 500 people would join the launch party at Eveleigh's Australia Technology Park . | Mirvac and UrbanGrowth cancels Green Square's first launch party on Tuesday .
Guests were told via email one week before the event .
Green Square in Sydney's inner-south is set to contain approximately 2000 apartments .
John Carfi, executive of residential apartment at Mirvac Group spent around $45,000 for the cancelled event .
Mirvac and UrbanGrowth will rescheduled the event for early 2015 . |
247,799 | cca41b26b2276902cfe47cd19ee1fbdd2a371b4a | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 8 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:16 EST, 8 August 2012 . Hillary Clinton is taking time out of her busy international schedule during her last few months as Secretary of State to make her presence known, on the dance floor that is. Mrs Clinton's latest dance outburst occurred on Tuesday during a dinner in Pretoria, South Africa. The former first lady has been showing her lighter side in recent months, and first unveiled her smooth moves during a trip to a Colombian nightclub during an international summit in Cartagena this April. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Letting loose: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton showed off some of her trademark dance moves while at a dinner during an international visit to South Africa on Tuesday . Good fun: South African jazz singer Judith Sephuma (left) pulled Mrs Clinton into the center of the dance circle . Enthusiastic: The former first lady has been showing off her lighter side in recent months as she prepares to end her term, having said that she will not continue on if President Obama is re-elected . Considering that trip was marred by the unravelling of the Secret Service prostitution scandal, Mrs Clinton's night out was seen as a fun way for the ever-busy diplomat to relax with her staff. Unlike the Latin grooves of her April dance floor appearance, Mrs Clinton was swayed by the sounds of South African jazz singer Judith Sephuma at Tuesday night's dinner. Video shows that Mrs Clinton was the first one to get on the dance floor at the event, and it quickly filled after her lead. After beginning with some non-threatening shoulder-shuffling and hip shaking, the singer eventually singled the Secretary out and the two began to jokingly wiggling next to one another. Scene stealer: Clinton looks on as under secretary Bob Hormats briefly becomes the star of the show . Connecting through rhythm: Clinton links hands with African Union Chair-Designate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The last time Mrs Clinton was seen dancing was during a trip to Colombia . Empowered: Earlier in the day, Clinton appeared with Nkoana-Mashabane (right) and said that American efforts in South Africa have helped save hundreds of thousands of lives . Even though the singer was a bit more wild on the fashion front with an animal print dress, Mrs Clinton didn't shy away from the spotlight with her wardrobe selection either, opting for an electric blue evening jacket and her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. With her wide smile and continued presence at the center of the action, it was clear that Mrs Clinton had fun at the event. Not to be deceived by the implication that the trip was largely social, she kept a tight schedule throughout the day. Showing 'em how it's done: Clinton boogies with her South African counterpart, foreign minister Maite Nkoanna-Mashabane (left) during the Tuesday event . Not a dance move: Even when they were off the dance floor during their meetings earlier on Tuesday, Nkoana-Mashabane and Clinton appeared to be in sync . Her trip to South Africa- the country . with the highest rate of HIV infection- came nearly two weeks after she . spoke at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. She met with foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the pair hosted a joint press conference where Mrs Clinton said that through the various American-sponsored relief programs, they have been able to save 'hundreds of thousands of lives' in the country. They also attended a business summit where economic incentives were analysed for possible ways to expand growth in the region. In keeping with the friendly nature of the visit, Mrs Clinton paid a visit to former South African president Nelson Mandela. Old friends: On Monday, Clinton met with former South African President Nelson Mandela. The two have known eachother since the 1990s when Bill Clinton and Mandela were presidents at the same time . Though the 94-year-old leader is in ailing health and has seen only a handful of visitors outside of direct relatives in recent years, he appeared happy throughout the visit on Monday. Mrs Clinton commented on his 'beautiful smile'. Mr Mandela and the Clintons have a long-standing relationship, as he was president at the same time as Mrs Clinton's husband, former President Bill. In spite of her surge in popularity across both sides of the political aisle in recent months, Mrs Clinton has repeatedly declared that she will be resigning and not serving as Secretary if President Obama is re-elected for a second term. Though many have speculated that she is lining up for a second presidential run in 2016, she has denied as much publicly and said that the busy schedule has left her in need of a break. VIDEO: Hillary Clinton gets down! See the US Secretary of State dancing the night away!... | Hillary Clinton tore up the floor at a dinner event Tuesday night .
The Secretary of State has seemed relaxed during diplomatic trips recently .
Has announced she will not be continuing the job if President Obama is re-elected to a second term, citing the gruelling travel schedule . |
221,306 | aa7a96b4b1f249150d7cd824e901bcea4dfed808 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 15:33 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:36 EST, 6 January 2013 . The body of Janelle Duncan-Bailey was found yesterday afternoon in Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath . A man has been charged with the murder of a mother after her body was found in a parked vehicle, Scotland Yard said today. Jerome McDonald, 30, of Fairlands Avenue in Croydon, south London, is accused of killing Janelle Duncan-Bailey. The 25-year-old mother of two went missing in south London in the early hours of Wednesday. Officers found her body in a car yesterday afternoon in Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath. Ms Duncan-Bailey left her children, boys aged two and seven, with a friend in Bromley while she attended a family function on Wednesday, police said. She left the friend’s at about 4am to return to Thornton Heath, where at about 4.30am she visited her former partner’s home. Police were called after reports of a domestic incident and Ms Duncan-Bailey left the address with officers. It is believed she asked to be taken to another friend’s house in Limpsfield Avenue, Thornton Heath, and she was last seen between 5am and 5.30am walking towards flats there. Ms Duncan-Bailey was reported missing later that day after she failed to collect her children. On Friday, McDonald was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to a south London police station for questioning. Officers went to Mayfield Crescent yesterday and found Ms Duncan-Bailey’s body in a vehicle parked there. Police said next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination is yet to be scheduled. McDonald will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court tomorrow. Det Chief Insp Charles King, of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: 'I would like to appeal to anyone who was in the Limpsfield Avenue area between 5am and 6am to make contact with us. A parked car being removed from Mayfield Crescent in Thornton Heath, South London, where the body of mother Janelle Duncan-Bailey was found by detectives investigating her disappearance . A man has now been charged with her murder, and will appear in court tomorrow . 'Lots of people would have been out and about at that time of the morning, either on their way to work or walking dogs - they may have noticed a woman dressed so distinctively. 'Did you see a black woman around that time wearing a leopard-skin print dress and no shoes? If so, we want to hear from you.' Anyone with information about Ms . Duncan-Bailey should contact detectives from the Specialist Crime . Directorate at Sutton police station on 0208 721 4054, or Crimestoppers . on 0800 555 111. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Janelle Duncan-Bailey went missing in South London early on Wednesday .
Her body was found yesterday in Thornton Heath .
Jerome McDonald, 30, has been charged with her murder . |
169,662 | 678df39f51987f23712560a7077cec1403c01599 | (EW.com) -- In the "Incredible Burt Wonderstone," Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi play world-famous Las Vegas magicians. Carell wears spangled red velvet and a poufy wig that makes him look like Barry Manilow, and Buscemi sports an even more unreal-looking lanky mop. Each night, they kick off their act by doing a smiley little dance to ''Abracadabra,'' that cheesy-catchy Steve Miller Band classic. This trademark fanfare places the two somewhere between Siegfried & Roy and the head-bopping Butabi brothers from "Saturday Night Live," and I chuckled, with mild pleasure, at the dopey kitschiness of it. I assumed (or at least hoped) that the dance would be a warm-up for the much bigger laughs to come. Carell's Burt Wonderstone and Buscemi's Anton Marvelton have been partners ever since they were childhood geeks who began inventing their own magic tricks back in the early '80s. They've been doing their sold-out show at Bally's for so long now that they're sick of it, and sick of each other, too. Burt, off stage, is a toxic diva who makes groupies sign contracts and treats Anton like an indentured servant. One night, the two are working with a brand-new assistant, Jane (Olivia Wilde), performing a classic trick that requires Burt and Jane to huddle inside a box, which Anton jabs with swords. Squeezed inside the compartment, Burt asks Jane to sleep with him that night, and when she turns him down, he throws a hissy fit. It should be an over-the-top funny moment, as Carell lashes out with a faux-aristocratic hauteur. He's going for a Will Ferrell meltdown, yet there's something a little too controlled about Carell's bombastic nuttiness. The effect isn't hilariously insane. Once again, it's just kind of mild. 'Burt Wonderstone': Box office magic? "Burt Wonderstone" seems to be reaching for the tone of early Farrelly brothers movies like Kingpin, and also for the madcap hostility of Zoolander. Yet in too many scenes, the comedy doesn't quite ignite. The movie rarely climbs out of the chuckle zone, except for a few times when Jim Carrey is on screen as Burt and Anton's rival, a stringy-haired, tattooed street magician who specializes in cable-TV stunts that represent the new era: He's like Criss Angel as a Zen pain freak. The gleam of madness in Carrey's eye finds a perfect home in this role, which has him upping the ante on how far he'll go (holding in his urine for 12 days, spending a night on hot coals), all as a way to bedazzle jaded audiences. 'Glee': Idina Menzel to return . He beats Burt and Anton at their own game, and their act starts to fall apart. And so, in a way, does the movie. Instead of getting wilder, it turns earnest and mushy, as Burt, humbled by failure, starts performing at a retirement home, where he befriends Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin), the cranky magician whose VHS tape first inspired him as a kid. Burt Wonderstone has a real affection for the world of illusionists, a showbiz demimonde it treats with simultaneous snark and awe. Yet the movie itself is too cautious and unimaginative to bring off what a great magic trick — or comedy — should do: make us laugh out loud with surprise. B- . See the original article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Carell wears spangled red velvet and a poufy wig in "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone"
Carell and Buscemi play world-famous Las Vegas magicians .
Their characters have been partners ever since they were childhood geeks .
"Burt Wonderstone" seems to be reaching for the tone of early Farrelly brothers movies . |
44,890 | 7e857276e672f4d3b38945c49d67e9f0e7be50f8 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 08:19 EST, 16 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 16 November 2012 . This unsuspecting grasshopper didn't stand a chance when a hungry tarsier decided to swing by for dinner. The furry primate used its strong hind legs to propel itself two metres through the air and pluck the insect from a tree trunk. The moment was captured by a photographer who had travelled to Indonesia to see the cute creatures - which bear a striking resemblance to Furby toys thanks to their enormous eyes - in action. Fast food: The tarsier propelled itself through the air to grab the unsuspecting grasshopper clinging to a tree trunk in Indonesia . Wildlife photographer Juergen Freund travelled from his home in Cairns, Australia, to Indonesia's Tangkoko National Park to observe its population of tarsiers. The primates have grown accustomed to the watchful gaze of tourists who flock to the park just before sundown to catch the nocturnal animals as they wake up. 'When I finally got to see them I thought they were the cutest little fur balls of all time,' said Mr Freund, who snapped the remarkable pictures on a Nikon D3X camera. 'They had these high-pitched squeaks to communicate with each other and their eyes were just so big in relation to their body,' he added. Swing by for dinner: The furry creature was snapped in mid-air by photographer Juergen Freund . Swoop: The nocturnal tarsier has its long fingers extended as it leaps to grasp its prey . Gotcha: The hungry primate seizes the grasshopper from the tree trunk at Tangkoko National Park . Mr Freund patiently waited for the snoozing tarsiers to wake up and start foraging for insects. 'I trekked for an hour to the hollowed strangler fig tree where the tarsiers were sleeping and waited there until they woke up so I could capture this,' he said. 'I thought I saw Yoda every time a tarsier woke up and came out of its sleeping tree.' Feeding time: Tarsiers emerge at night to forage for grubs and insects - this one has swooped on a praying mantis . 'Furby-like': Tarsiers, found in South East Asia, have enormous eyes and long hind legs . | Furry primate was captured on camera in Tangkoko National Park, Indonesia .
Nocturnal tarsier propelled itself through the air to pluck a grasshopper from a tree trunk . |
27,845 | 4eec47f242f06b4d5c9f0365a418a0ddda6ad5a9 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 10:49 EST, 26 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 27 November 2012 . Art is usually a labour of love for the creator. But one muse showed her devotion to creativity by lying spreadeagled and naked in the middle of a pig farm. The result was an aerial project - shot by photographer John . Crawford between 1984 and 1987 - showing his then wife Carina . pictured from a bird's-eye perspective. Captivating: The photo project showing a nude from the air has gone viral on the internet . Sky's the limit: The series - shot by photographer John Crawford between 1984 and 1987 - shows his then wife Carina naked pictured from a birds-eye perspective . After locking the 35mm colour . negatives and prints away in a box, they have finally seen the light of . day, a quarter of a century after the project's completion. And now the photo project has gone viral on the internet. Kiwi photographer Mr Crawford spent most of the mid-1980s flying from job to job in small planes. It gave him a unique view of the odd symmetry found on the ground - sparking the unique project titled 'Aerial Nudes'. Mr Crawford, 61, from Taranaki, New Zealand, said: 'From my school days I had been interested in graphics, strange patterns and shapes. 'Looking down from a hovering helicopter you see the landscape from a birds eye perspective and suddenly everything becomes abstract and symmetrical with no distracting horizon line. Work of art: Mr Crawford would rope in favours from friends to help create the stunning series - including mates rates on a Jet Ranger helicopter and hiring tractors for a ploughed field scenario . But after locking the 35mm colour negatives away in a box, they have finally seen the light of day - a quarter of a century after the project's completion . All for art: The photographer's wife lies down on stacks of piping in a piece called Yellow Pipe in Taranaki . 'I thought strategically placing a nude in these locations would emphasise the point that we as human beings are so minuscule and insignificant in relation to the enormity of the planet we live on.' Locations for the project included a runway, a railway line and a moving car weaving through traffic. Each one was meticulously planned, with Mr Crawford scouting potential locations from the air during his day job as a commercial photographer. Labour of love: Kiwi photographer John spent most of the mid-1980s shooting New Zealand's north Island from the air . After spotting a good area, he would return to photograph it in more detail - before trying to persuade land owners to let him shoot a nude there. After spotting a good area, he would return to photograph it in more detail - before trying to persuade land owners to let him shoot a nude there. Mr Crawford would rope in favours from friends to help create the stunning series - including mates rates on a . Jet Ranger helicopter and hiring tractors for a ploughed field scenario. Mr Crawford added: "To pull it off we had to wait for the right day. It had to be flat overcast light, not too windy. Family connection: Due to the reaction online John now plans to return to the project - using his 27-year-old daughter Amelia to pose naked on a Boeing 747 . Taking his time: On why the project has taken so long to reach a wider audience, John revealed: 'When I started the series I thought they were pretty cool, but I like to mull things around in my head' Rediscovered: 'Revisiting the images 25 years later was certainly a buzz,' said the photographer . 'Shooting above a local airport I had to talk the air traffic controllers into diverting incoming flights, and when I was shooting the nude on the runway the control tower suddenly filed up with men and binoculars.' Every shot is as it appeared to John on that day - no photoshop or trickery, just a camera. Mr Crawford,said: 'People ask me if I used Google Maps or a drone, but it is all from nothing more than a camera, no photo editing at all.' On why the project has taken so long to reach a wider audience, Mr Crawford revealed: 'When I started the series I thought they were pretty cool, but I like to mull things around in my head. 'As a photographer you get very close to your work. You think about it, proof it, enlarge it and print it, then you get sick of it. 'I just put these photographs away a lot longer than normal. Revisiting the images 25 years later was certainly a buzz.' And thanks to the reaction from fans online after posting them on his website, Mr Crawford now plans to return to the project - using his 27-year-old daughter Amelia to pose naked on a Boeing 747. For more of John Crawford's shots visit: www.johncrawford.co.nz . | The series - shot by photographer John Crawford between 1984 and 1987 - shows his then wife Carina naked pictured from a bird's-eye perspective . |
6,289 | 11d975d1204b168aa41ac5dc64b7dd91d9c4cd1d | A nervous flyer who dashed for the exit door on a Qantas flight forced the plane to return back to Melbourne airport as other passengers feared for their lives. An 18-year-old man become ‘quite fidgety and agitated’ just 15 minutes into a Qantas Link flight to Hobart on Thursday, an airline spokesperson told the ABC. Southern Cross News Tasmania reported other passengers on the plane were terrified as cabin crew attempted to bring the man under control. An 18-year-old man become ‘quite fidgety and agitated’ just 15 minutes into a Qantas Link flight to Hobart . ‘Passengers say he was “playing” with exit door and grew increasingly anxious,’ reporter Mitch Broughton wrote on Twitter. The captain reportedly made the decision to return to Melbourne because they were not far from the airport at about 1pm. Australian Federal Police officers arrived on the scene and interviewed the man. He was not charged with any offences. The passengers onboard, who had their flight disrupted, then took off from Melbourne again 45 minutes later. The flight turned back to Melbourne airport at 1pm, not long after take off . | An 18-year-old man reportedly began acting erratically 15 minutes into flight .
Passengers claim he tried to open the emergency exit door .
Pilot decided to turn back to Melbourne airport . |
280,316 | f720e9ec2c35ec38f4c17e9a49bc1d178354c7ba | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:40 EST, 9 May 2012 . Prison: Peter Jee has been jailed for two years for engaging in a sex act with a vulnerable woman he knew had mental health difficulties . A married police officer has been jailed for two years for getting a vulnerable woman who had threatened to kill herself to perform a sex act on him. Peter Jee 38, who was a Greater Manchester Police sergeant at the time, committed the crime after she dialled 999 and he drove her home. Jee was one of three officers responding to the call from the confused woman who was threatening to take her own life. Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told she had taken a mix of drink and medication and just wanted police to take her home. Having satisfied themselves that she was in no danger, the officers had left her house in Rochdale. But Jee returned, minutes later, when he was sure his two colleagues had driven off and got the woman to perform a sex act on him as he fondled her. He was caught out after making what he thought had been discreet admissions to three colleagues - and from DNA found at the scene. The court was told that at first he denied he had even gone back to the house, and later claimed his victim had ‘come on’ to him. After the woman made an official complaint, Jee used police computer equipment to see how close he was to being arrested. Jee, who is married with children, later sent a text message to a colleague saying: 'I’m going to resign. It’s all my fault.' Jailing him, Judge Timothy Mort said: 'You went to this address as a serving police officer in uniform, with a very high degree of trust placed in you. Vulnerable: The woman had dialled 999 and had taken drugs and been drinking before Jee accosted her . 'You abused that trust to take advantage of her vulnerability to satisfy your own sexual needs, and you realised that you might be able to get away with it because of your position.' Jee - who was in the top three per cent in the country in his sergeant’s exams - had been arrested on suspicion of rape, but the Crown later accepted a guilty plea to a charge of misconduct in public office. His victim was described as having a bi-polar illness, which can make her appear at times elated, or in a low mood. Alcohol complicated her symptoms. When officers arrived she was drunk, was slurring her words, and couldn’t walk without stumbling. When asked why she had not made an immediate complaint, she said: 'Who would have believed me?' His victim told police that the incident had had a significant impact on her life, she suffered panic attacks, and she could no longer trust police officers. Michael Lavery, defending, said Jee’s greatest shame had been to have been arrested in front of his family. His main concern now was the impact on his children. Judge Mort added: 'What possessed you to go back to the address I just don’t know. You knew there were problems, and it should have been a clear red traffic light.' Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, said: 'Jee’s inexcusable actions let everyone down: those that we protect and those that work selflessly to deliver policing across Greater Manchester. The sentence given sends out a clear message that society expects the highest standards from those who have a duty to protect them.' | Peter Jee returned to the victim's house in Rochdale after he knew that his colleagues had left the scene .
The woman had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs and just wanted to go home . |
233,556 | ba5e4760cefc7145d8caedde09806018bc29bd44 | After years of refusing to be drawn on whether he supports Scottish independence or not, Wimbledon champion and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray appears to have finally taken a side. The 27-year-old, tweeted in the early hours of Thursday morning: 'Huge day for Scotland today! no campaign negativity last few days totally swayed my view on it. excited to see the outcome. lets do this!' With the bold statement to his 2.7million followers on the day voting starts, Murray appears to have dropped his carefully guarded neutrality when he's been asked his views on the referendum in the past. Gold: Murray represented Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, winning a Gold and Silver medal. He now appears to be in favour of an independent Scotland . 'Yes' supporters in Twitter were delighted with the reigning Sports Personality Of The Year's tweet. One said: 'Bless you Andy. Fellow Scots going for the ace!' while another said: 'All power to @andy_murray - finally out for YES! It's true!' No campaigners also weighed in, with one tweeting: 'Disappointed in you andy , you may have just swayed the undecided.' Murray had reason to be particularly cautious about taking a stance, given the reaction to his comment about football - 'I’ll support anyone that’s playing England' - eight years ago that is still held against him by some to this day. Team GB: Murray has an impressive Davis Cup record for Great Britain, winning 19 of his 21 singles matches. His future as a member of Team GB will now be in question . The day after his triumph at SW19 last year Murray declared that he would have to say something on independence but the nearest he has come to publicly expressing a view was in March last year, when he said in an interview with the Times magazine: 'I don't think you should judge the thing on emotion, but on what is best economically for Scotland. 'You don't want to come to a snap decision and then see the country go tits up. 'I am proud to be Scottish, but I am also proud to be British. I don't think there is any contradiction in that.' Display: Murray criticised Alex Salmond for unfurling a Saltire in Wimbledon's Royal Box last year . VIDEO Scottish Referendum: Polls open, voting begins . More recently he has pointed out that his view has little relevance because, as a longstanding resident of Surrey, he does not have a vote. But there have been hints of his thinking, such as criticising Alex Salmond for unfurling a Saltire in Wimbledon's Royal Box last year. In the past expressed his admiration for staunch 'No' supporter Gordon Brown, and did not give the impression of being a great enthusiast for independence. His private and professional connections make a nonsense of any suggestions that he is in some way anti-English, and he has never shied from wrapping himself in the Union Jack or made a secret of his pride in representing Great Britain. It was notable that after London 2012 he declined to appear at the parade of Scottish Olympians in Glasgow but made his own personal visit to his hometown of Dunblane. | Wimbledon champion appears to have taken a side early this morning .
He told his 2.7million followers that it was a 'huge' day .
In the past he has carefully avoided coming out in favour of either side . |
215,145 | a28588d721c3968c9301b6471d0a9ada0b496f2e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Arson: Kenneth Haskins, 58, who was left disfigured after shooting himself in the face, allegedly set fire to his own home . A resident ordered to stop performing sex acts next to his open apartment windows tried to 'burn the property to the ground in protest at the ban'. Kenneth Haskins, 58, was told by the building managers that he had to stop performing the sex acts where his neighbours could see him. But, allegedly believing he had been treated unjustly, Haskins is accused of then setting fire to his apartment in Tampa, Florida, in revenge. Fire fighters were then called to the scene at the Mar Plaza Apartments in East Temple Heights Road. They discovered smoke was billowing from one of the apartments on the first floor which was well alight. It took 20 minutes for crews to extinguish the blaze. An investigation revealed that the fire originated in two separate areas - a bedroom and the kitchen - inside Haskins' apartment, according to a police report. Fire investigators determined that flammable liquids were spread to start the blaze. A resident of one of the apartments told police that his neighbour, Kenneth Haskins, 58, admitted starting the fire, according to an arrest report. Haskins, who suffers from facial disfigurement after shooting himself in the face with a shotgun, later told detectives that he wanted to get back at the company that manages Mar Plaza because they had recently told him to stop performing sex acts in front of his open windows and front door. He was arrested and charged with arson and is being held in custody at the Orient Road Jail without bail. Protest: Haskins allegedly set fire to his apartment in Tampa, Florisa, to get revenge on building management who banned him from performing sex acts near his open windows . Fire fighters had to evacuate 28 residents from Mar Plaza Apartments in East Temple Heights Road, pictured, while they extinguished the blaze . Firefighters and police evacuated 28 other apartments after the fire broke out. No one was injured but four people were left homeless as a result of the fire, according to Tampa Fire Rescue officials. Fire and smoke damage was confined to Haskins' apartment and the one next door, fire officials said. Two other apartments on the first floor also sustained water damage. The American Red Cross was called to assist the displace residents with finding temporary housing. Mar Plaza, according to internet postings, is a community of about 80 small apartments. It caters to low-income seniors and disabled people. Haskins lived in the apartment for more than a decade, according to Tampa police. He has no major criminal history in Florida, according to state records. In custody: Haskins was arrested and charged with arson. He is being held in custody at the Orient Road Jail, pictured, without bail . | Kenneth Haskins, 58, was banned from performing sex acts next to his open apartment windows by building management .
He allegedly set fire to his apartment in Tampa, Florida, to get revenge .
It took fire fighters 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze .
Around 28 people were evacuated while four residents were left homeless .
Haskins has been charged with arson and is being held in custody at the Orient Road Jail without bail . |
237,218 | bf056e5bede53cb9cf0c310f1ce51c635ee6b764 | A Florida mom left her two young boys alone at home for hours, tying one to a sliding door with two belts and leaving both in diapers overflowing with their own filth, police charge. Derek Riley, a driver for the furniture store Rent-a-Center, told cops that he was visiting a customer in Orlando on Tuesday when he noticed two little boys, about 2 and 5, playing by themselves in a fenced-in backyard. He noticed something stranger about the older of the boys: two belts tied his left ankle up to a sliding glass door. 'They had him like an animal in there,' Riley told WFTV. 'That was really shocking to me.' 'You know how you would tie your dog to a tree outside?' he added. 'It was like that circumstance a little bit.' Cops in Orlando say that a mother left her 5-year-old boy tied to this sliding door by his ankle using two leather belts. He was left alone with his brother, about 2, and both were in overflowing diapers when they were rescued . Charged: The mother of the boys, 24-year-old Neftaldry Escarment, was arrested on a child neglect charge . Ryan knocked on the front door but nobody answered. He called the Orange County Sheriff's Office, whose deputies barged into the front door and found the children by themselves. The boys reeked of urine, and both were wearing diapers that appeared to not have been changed in some time. The 5-year-old boy, who was tied to the door, had a raw ankle that indicated he was routinely left like this for hours at a time. He could not reach the bathroom, food or water from where he was. Deputies say the house looked like a nightmare: there were sharp pieces of metal and full trash bags in the backyard where the children played, as well as greasy pans and unsecured chemicals easily reachable inside the apartment. The mother — Neftaldry Escarment, 24, of Haiti — arrived while deputies were in the house and told them she was at work. Investigators checked in with her supposed employer and found out she hadn't worked there for months. Escarment told authorities that the father, whose name has not been released, was at work at the time and she had no way of reaching him. She was charged with child neglect and remains at Orange County Jail on $1,000 bond. The children have been placed in the care of protective services. 'They shouldn't have kids, simple — they shouldn't,' Riley told WFTV. 'Not everybody should be able to have kids.' Filthy: Police say that the backyard where the children were kept was covered in sharp objects and trash. The boys also had access to hazardous chemicals inside the house . Good Samaritan: Deliveryman Derek Riley heard the children playing by themselves and called the police when he noticed the parents were not around . | Neftaldry Escarment, 24 of Haiti, was arrested for child neglect .
Her two boys, 2 and 5, were alone at home, one of them tied up to a sliding glass door with no access to the bathroom, food or water .
They were both in dirty diapers that reeked of bodily fluids . |
192,756 | 8588c7a2a92745ffe73a93fe1664767b5cf202fd | Koalas are generally seen as some of the cuddliest critters Australia has to offer, but a recent video from a Brisbane sanctuary shows they have a tougher side, too. The clip, uploaded to YouTube on Saturday, shows two Koala's embroiled in a vicious fight inside Brisbane's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, tussling each other across the enclosure while a zoo keeper tries using a rake to keep them apart. But Lone Pine koala keeper Karen Nilsson said the said the behaviour is commonplace during mating season, when the animals argue over breeding, reports Nine News. The clip, uploaded to YouTube on Saturday, shows two Koala's embroiled in a viscous fight . The male koala, Mr Peabody, is the only male koala in the sanctuary permitted to mate. He is believed to have made an unwanted advance on his female neighbour. 'She didn't appreciate him being there because she's not ready to mate. She was just trying to send him on his way,' Ms Nilsson said. 'He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was actually a very polite little tiff. Both are 100 percent fine – no injuries whatsoever. Whatever the issue was, they've sorted it out and moved on.' Ms Nilsson said the rake is used by keepers in order to keep the animals apart without risking harm. But the animals rarely hurt each other during the tiffs. The male, Mr Peabody, is believed to have made an unwanted advance on his female neighbour . The keeper uses a rake in order to keep the animals apart without risking harm . 'Sometimes they get little bite marks on the ears but it's pretty minor. Once the hierarchy is established, they get on really well,' she said. Fighting among koalas is common for males, who use the fights as a means of climbing the hierarchy. Females will generally only fight during mating season if males make an unwanted advance. | The clip shows two Koala's embroiled in a viscous fight .
The behaviour is commonplace during the animals mating season .
The male made an unwanted advance on his female neighbour .
Female koalas will fight off unwanted advances during mating season . |
259,158 | db74532c7d2f8458fdf02003da463401a852526b | By . Charles Martland . Joel Campbell has been pictured for the first time training with the Arsenal squad. The 22-year-old got a taste of the action with the squad in Austria, where the club are holding a four day training camp before returning to host the Emirates Cup at the weekend, in which they play Benfica and Monaco. Campbell impressed last season on loan at Greek champions Olympiacos, scoring eleven goals including a fabulous curling strike in a 2-0 first-leg victory over Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League.VIDEO Scroll down to watch Calum Chambers sing the Kooks to his new team-mates . Looking to impress: Striker Joel Campbell has joined his Arsenal team mates at their training camp in Austria . Taking note: Arsene Wenger is keeping a watchful eye on the progress of Joel Campbell in Austria . He also showed his promise at the World Cup with Costa Rica, hitting the net against Uruguay and becoming an integral part of a side which unexpectedly reached the Quarter Finals before penalty shootout anguish against Holland. The left-footed forward’s future at Arsenal remains unclear. With competition from the likes of Olivier Giroud and Yaya Sanogo, as well as the arrival of the dynamic Alexis Sanchez, he could find his first-team opportunities limited at the club. Skills: Campbell will be hoping to show off his extensive skill set for Arsenal this campaign . Stuck in: new signing Calum Chambers (left) attempts to tackle Francis Coquelin (right) as the hard work starts . Preparation: The Gunners are getting ready for the Emirates Cup where they play Benfica and Monaco . An alternative would be for Campbell to be loaned for the fifth time in as many seasons. Several Premier League clubs including Southampton and West Ham are reported to be interested should the Gunners’ decide Campbell needs to play his football elsewhere next season. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has not given any definitive answers on the Costa Rican’s immediate future. The Frenchman has said simply 'He will definitely come back to us for pre-season,' before adding 'He is maturing well.' Focusing: Jack Wilshere (right) will be focusing on his form and fitness this season to regain a starting spot . Pivotal: Olivier Giroud (left) and Laurent Koscielny (right) will be crucial in Arsenal's trophy hunt this season . Competition: Wojciech Szczesny faces tough competition in goal this season with the signing of David Ospina . | Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell has joined Arsenal team mates in training .
22-year-old had impressive World Cup as he looks to be in Wenger's plans .
Gunners are on a pre-season training camp in Austria .
Arsene Wenger's men play in the Emirates Cup this weekend . |
176,227 | 702344e39cfaa0b6481d4d4bbc10198fbcffa078 | Kansas City, Missouri (CNN) -- The man charged with shooting at motorists on Kansas City highways apparently fired a .380 pistol from his own car before speeding away, documents released on Friday said. Authorities identified the suspect as Mohammed Pedro Whitaker. He is 27 and lives in Grandview, south of Kansas City, reported CNN affiliate KCTV-TV. He was charged with 18 felony counts covering nine incidents and is being held under $1 million cash bond. Probable cause statements show police connected the shootings through .380 bullets found in the vehicles. Starting in early March, motorists told police of being shot at in the I-435/I-470/Highway 71 interchanges. In several cases, the drivers reported seeing a dark green car near them driven by a man wearing sunglasses, a dark hoodie and sometimes a black ski mask. One break came when a witness looking for a lost cell phone beside a road found a Walmart bag containing .380 ammunition, the documents showed. Prints on the ammunition boxes matched Whitaker's. After police started shadowing Whitaker, he was observed trying to buy a .380 handgun with a laser sight from a man in a Bass Pro Shop parking lot, the statements said. When police questioned the second man, he told officers he advertised the pistol online but refused to sell when Whitaker couldn't provide identification, the statement said. Police served search warrants at Whitaker's residence on Monday and Thursday and found a .380 pistol, ammunition, sunglasses and three black hoodie sweatshirts, the statements show. When questioned by police, Whitaker said he was one of the "highway shooter's" victims and claimed not to own a firearm, the probable cause statements say. Jackson County, Missouri, prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, speaking at a press briefing, said Whitaker acted alone. She said he is being held on $1 million cash bond. Baker wouldn't reveal much background on Whitaker but said he has "very little criminal record." Whitaker is accused of shooting at nine vehicles, with two charges in each incident, Baker said. Baker said surveillance, ballistics, more than 100 tips from citizens and witness statements helped authorities with their case. "It wasn't built on one thing," she said. "It was built on a series of things." Earlier, police said someone had fired a gun at as many as 20 motorists on major roads and highways. Baker didn't say if investigators suspected Whitaker in the other cases but that more charges may be filed. Three people in vehicles were reported shot, none with life-threatening injuries. Whitaker was charged in two of those cases, Baker said. Whitaker was arrested Thursday. Kevin Cooksey, who lives across an alley from the suspect, said he saw police take him into custody. "He couldn't go nowhere because he was surrounded. Completely surrounded," Cooksey told affiliate KSHB-TV. "They were on him. As soon as it happened, they were on him." The shootings began March 8. Some motorists weren't even aware shots had been fired at their vehicles. Jennie Baugher was driving along U.S. 71 when she heard something strike her car. "I thought a big rock hit us," said the married mother of two from Roeland Park, Kansas. "My husband saw it the next day. Immediately when he told me that there was a hole in my car, I realized a bullet hit my car." Mechanic found bullet holes . Tom McFarlin said he thinks shots at his vehicle came from a moving car on one of the ramps or overpasses. "It was exactly where the highway splits," he said. McFarlin was headed home to Lee's Summit, Missouri, on Interstate 470 south after watching his son's basketball game. Like Baugher, his car was shot in the evening, around 8:30. When he took his car to mechanics a few days later, they discovered not one, but two bullets. The second one was lodged in the undercarriage. Both cars were hit in the rear on the passenger side. The bullets lodged in metal and did not make it inside. In McFarlin's case, had the bullet made its way through the metal, anyone sitting in the passenger seat would have been hit. Authorities had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Fears calmed . Residents greeted news of the arrest with relief. "It's actually been really nerve-racking," Marisol Sanchez told KCTV. "It's really scary because I've been scared driving around," motorist Melissa Mitchell also told KCTV. "Everybody is talking about the shooter, and now it's good that they have caught him in a short time," said gas station manager Bader Qureini. Kansas City Mayor Sly James praised the investigators, saying, "Our citizens should have a heightened sense of security on the highways." CNN's Dave Cera and George Howell reported from Kansas City, Missouri. CNN's Ed Payne and Ralph Ellis wrote this report in Atlanta. | Man charged with 18 felony counts covering nine incidents .
Police identify the suspect as Mohammed Pedro Whitaker .
Break came when witness found ammo boxes beside road .
He is being held on $1 million cash bond, prosecutor says . |
92,530 | 0301c96bcd05680cd41ce27915ae8dcdd054de84 | By . Sam Cunningham . Follow @@samcunningham . A whole host of Barclays Premier League clubs are pursuing Southampton's Jack Cork, with just a year left to run on his contract. Swansea, QPR, Crystal Palace and West Brom are all interested in the central midfielder. Southampton are holding out on offering Cork a new deal as new manager Ronald Koeman runs the rule over him and defender Jose Fonte, who is also moving into the last year of his current deal. But other top flight clubs are monitoring the situation of Cork in anticipation of a move. Attracting interest: Premier League sides are looking at Jack Cork's contractual situation . Out to prove: Jose Fonte is in the last year of his Southampton contract . Taking a look: Southampton boss Ronald Koeman will assess Cork and Fonte before offering new deals . The south coast club acted at the end of last week to try to secure striker Jay Rodriguez on a new five-year deal, despite having two years to run on his current contract. But Koeman is keen to spend longer looking at Cork and Fonte and said last week: 'It's a little bit too fast to have any kind of opinion. I need more time. 'But they are important players and, as always, if they will come in the last season of a contract, you have to do something at the club, and we will talk about that and we will make decisions about that. But it's a little bit too early now.' Cork joined Southampton from Chelsea in 2011 and has been an ever-present in the centre of midfield during the past three seasons, helping them to promotion from the Championship in his debut campaign. Last season Cork made 33 appearances for the club as they finished eighth in the Premier League. | Jack Cork has one year to run on existing Southampton deal .
Swansea, Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace and WBA all interested in midfielder .
Saints boss Ronald Koeman still to decide on offering 25-year-old a new contract as well as Jose Fonte . |
138,248 | 3eca3548627023b7c244262a1651de97818717f4 | (CNN) -- Organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have responded to criticism over the plight of migrant workers on stadia and infrastructure projects by saying Tuesday that "tangible progress" had been made in addressing widespread concerns over their welfare. They published an updated 50-page "workers' charter" -- developed in consultation with the International Labor Organization -- detailing measures to improve wages, accommodation as well as promising regular inspections. FIFA had set the Qatari authorities a deadline of February 12 to give an update on measures to improve conditions for workers. Theo Zwanziger, a senior member of the world governing body's executive committee, is to report its findings to the European parliament Thursday. Zahir Belounis, a French Algerian striker who was trapped in Qatar after a dispute with his club, is also to due to appear to give his perspective. FIFA acted after its president Sepp Blatter condemned working conditions in the Gulf state as "unacceptable" as he responded to damning reports last year from Amnesty International and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). They detailed systematic abuse and the ITUC claimed that fatal construction injuries were eight times higher in Qatar than other developed nations, with migrant workers from India and Nepal the worst affected. 'We have always believed that Qatar's hosting of the World Cup would be a catalyst to accelerate positive initiatives, already being undertaken by Qatar, which will leave a legacy of enhanced, sustainable and meaningful progress in regards to worker welfare across the country," said Hassan Al Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. "We already see this progress taking place across Qatar on a daily basis, and will continue to work hard to make our vision become the ever-present reality on the ground.' Nicholas McGeehan, the Gulf researcher of Human Rights Watch, one of the most trenchant critics of the Qatari government, told CNN that its authorities "deserve credit for its efforts to improve standards on the projects within its control" -- but he urged caution. "They not guaranteeing workers' rights to change employer, or their right to leave the country or their right to bargain collectively for decent pay and conditions if things go wrong. "If the Qatari government is serious about reform it should apply these standards to the whole migrant worker population, back them up with sanctions, and get to work on reform of the kafala system." McGeehan's call echoes that of other human rights groups for an end to practices under the kafala system, which ties workers to their employer and stops them leaving the country without their permission. It has been compared with modern-day slavery and was highlighted by the Belounis affair, the footballer who was unable to leave Qatar following a pay dispute with his club side El Jaish and was left stranded in the country with his family for two years. Despite threatening a hunger strike and suicide, Belounis, who eventually flew home to France last November, has told CNN that the Gulf state still deserves the right to stage the World Cup. Qatar is spending a reported $200 billion on infrastucture and building projects associated with its staging of football's global showpiece, but work has only just started on one of the stadiums to be used. Only 38 workers are currently employed at the Al Wakrah Stadium, where a "successful inspection" was held January 13, according to the organizers. They said that they would be meeting representatives from other building projects in the "coming months" to achieve a "unified standard" across the whole of Qatar for migrant workers. 'We will continue to work closely with our partners to achieve practical solutions which will leave a sustainable legacy for Qatar long after 2022,' said Farah Al-Muftah, who chairs the Supreme Committee's Workers' Welfare Committee. But critics pointed out it is unclear what projects are covered by the new charter and which are under the control of the Supreme Committee. "It's not the state-led, cross-sector regulation that Qatar's migrant workers desperately need," said McGeehan. FIFA has also still to decide the actual dates for the 2022 World Cup after fears that the searing heat in Qatar in the summer will be dangerous for players and spectators. There have been widespread calls for a "Winter World Cup" and FIFA says it's consulting stakeholders, including the major European leagues, before making a final decision. | Qatar's World Cup 2022 organizers adopt a 'workers' charter'
Charter is response to criticism of treatment of migrant workers on building projects .
FIFA set Qatar a deadline of February 12 to update on improvements .
Critics say Qatar's 'kafala' system needs to be reformed . |
210,333 | 9c7093fdc01457b968f8f7cca13103e96bf89cd7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . An advert for Russian brides showing a woman exposing her cleavage on the Radio Times website has been banned for being ‘overtly sexual'. Three readers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after spotting the saucy image, which showed a brunette wearing only a ‘low-cut bra’. She was pictured lying down and pouting at the camera, along with the wording: ‘Sexy Russian Sensations... Free membership... Flirt now.’ 'Overtly sexual': A screengrab of the advert as it appears on the Russian brides website. Three readers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after spotting the saucy image . The ASA said the advert appeared on a general TV listings website. Speaking on the ban, the ASA said: 'We noted that the ad featured a woman in a . provocative pose that focused on her cleavage, and her pursed lips . appeared seductive in nature. ‘Because the ad was overtly sexual and could also be seen by children, we concluded it was likely to cause serious or widespread offence.' It added that the advert must not be allowed to appear again. Bosses at Anastasia International, parent company of russianbrides.com did not response to the ASA. A spokesman for Immediate Media Company London Ltd, the publisher of Radio Times, said that the ad put directly put on its website by a ‘trading partner’. Offensive: The Advertising Standards Authority concluded that because children could see the advert on a general TV listings website, it was likely to cause serious or widespread offence . It said that ‘despite an automatic block on ads of an adult, provocative or suggestive nature’, the ad was put up on its website, but that it has taken steps to stop it happening again. It said additional blocks had been put on ads on its website, adding that ‘an additional block on ‘dating’ ads’ had been put in place ‘to ensure another layer of protection was in place’. | Advert showed a woman pouting at the camera while wearing 'low-cut bra'
Picture appeared alongside words ‘Sexy Russian Sensations... Flirt now'
Three readers complained about advert on Radio Times TV listings website .
Advertising Standards Authority ruled it must not be allowed to appear again . |
269,772 | e968e3b01bad17c251f668e9ad51f3915db31c30 | Instead of showing off his huge watch collection or piles and piles of cash, Floyd Mayweather took to Instagram to flaunt another aspect of his lavish lifestyle on Tuesday morning. The 37-year-old posted a video of himself dressed in just a pair of boxer shorts, laid on a massage table watching 10 scantily-clad women dance in front of him. The WBC and WBA welterweight champion uploaded the clip with the message: 'If GOD made anything better than a woman, I don't want it' #mrmylifeisthes*** #tmt #tmg' Floyd Mayweather (centre, back to camera) watches 10 women dance as he lies on a massage table . The women, all of whom are not wearing very much, dance for Mayweather in the 15-second clip . Undefeated Mayweather (left) defeated Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas back in September . In the 15-second video, Mayweather can be seen bouncing along to rap music as he admires the ladies dressed in lingerie and bikinis. It's not the first time the American has given fans a glimpse of what he gets up to in his time away from the ring, with a host of pictures and clips uploaded to his popular Instagram account. Last Saturday he shared an image of himself and his son Koraun sitting in a gold Bentley golf cart - a present for the 15-year-old. One of the girls turns around and gives Mayweather a smile as she dances with nine other others . Mayweather bounces along to rap music during the video, which he posted to his Instagram account . Mayweather shared this picture of himself and son Koraun after buying him a gold Bentley golf cart . In recent weeks Mayweather has posted videos of himself counting huge amounts of money and a picture of himself training popstar Justin Bieber. The undefeated champion could have even more cash to play with if Manny Pacquiao beats Chris Algieri in Macau on Saturday night. A win for the Filipino would move a mega $1billion fight between the pair even closer, with the prospect of it being shown on pay-per-view in China adding to the purse significantly. A long-awaited fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao (left) could happen if he beats Chris Algieri . | Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather posted a 15-second clip on Tuesday .
The American can be seen watching 10 scantily-clad women dancing .
Mayweather regularly shares pictures and videos of his lavish lifestyle .
A big-money showdown between him and Manny Pacquiao is edging closer . |
133,895 | 391f67f5274d068ef804753264b33ae7828acabb | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 23:06 EST, 18 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:11 EST, 19 December 2012 . The Indiana man who was arrested for threatening to 'go on a rampage' at a local school and was found to have 47 guns in his home entered a not guilty plea in court today. The wife of Von Meyer, 60, called police after he said he would stab her with a screwdriver, kill her children and grandchildren, and launch a shooting spree at the school where she works as part of the cafeteria staff. Meyer's threats on Friday came just hours before a 20-year-old man opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School halfway across the country in Connecticut. Arrested: Von Meyer, 60, was arrested after threatening to kill people at a nearby elementary school . Meyer's wife, who has not been . publicly named, got in an altercation with her husband on Friday morning . when he threatened to gouge her eyes out, stab her with the . construction tool, and light her on fire when she was sleeping. He also threatened his wife's . children and grand children before turning his attention to the children . of Jane Ball Elementary School. The couple's home is less than 500 . feet from the school, and Meyer was undoubtedly familiar with the . facility because his wife works there. The police report states that the . school is easily accessed from Meyer's home by a series of trails and . paths that cut through a wooded area. Officials at Jane Ball School were notified, and they immediately took unspecified security measures. The same happened at all local schools on . Friday because of the threat, which was undoubtedly heightened as news . rolled in of the shooting in Connecticut. Wooded area: Meyer lives in a home that is less than 1,000 feet away from an elementary school . Dangerously close: Meyer's house is extremely close to an elementary school, making his comments more threatening . He claimed that he was going to 'kill . as many people as he could before police could stop him', and once they . showed up at the couple's Ceder Lake home, it was clear that he would . have been able to carry through with that threat. When police arrived at Meyer's home, . they found 47 guns- many of which would have fit in a historical . collection- and ammunition, the sum of which cost more than $100,000. 'Through investigation, police . learned that Meyer reportedly had a large number of weapons hidden . throughout the two story historical home,' the report states. Police arrested Meyer and he now . faces four counts of felony intimidation, two counts of resisting law . enforcement, and one count of domestic battery. Bond has been set at $100,000 and he is going to be represented by a public defender. That said, police chief Jerry Smill . told the Associated Press that he believes that the threat against the . school was not serious. Meyer's wife said in the probable . cause affidavit that it was not the first time that her husband had . threatened her, and that they had a 'turbulent' relationship. Meyer was known to be a member of the Invaders Motorcycle Gang, though his role in the group was unclear. Like . the notorious Hells Angels, the Invaders Motorcycle Gang is also . considered an outlaw group. The Northern Indiana chapter was founded in . 1965. | Von Meyer, 60, was arrested after making threats against school .
Meyer lives less than 500 feet from Jane Ball Elementary School .
Man is known member of Invaders Motorcycle Gang . |
144,750 | 4737ac8fdb1d9a829be600421f66a77293009e58 | By . Eleanor Gower . Actor Johnny Depp cuts a mean figure on set of his latest film about notorious Boston mob boss James 'Whitey' Bulger. The 50-year-old actor was almost unrecognisable in a bald cap and receding blond wig as he began filming a new movie about the gangster's life, called Black Mass, on Wednesday. Tghe biopic will tell the story of . Bulger, who last November received two life sentences and five years for . his part in 11 murders and other crimes including drug trafficking, . racketeering, extortion and money laundering in a 30-year reign over the Boston underworld. He was eventually captured in Santa Monica, California, in 2011 after 16 years on the run. Likeness: Actor Johnny Depp (left) cuts a mean figure on set of his latest film about notorious mob boss James 'Whitey' Bulger (right), who last November received two life sentences and five years for . his part in 11 murders and other crimes . Guy Pearce will join Depp as Whitey's law abiding brother Bill - former president of the Massachusetts Senate, while Joel Edgerton will appear as corrupt FBI Agent John Connolly. Dakota Johnson joins the cast as Bulger's girlfriend Lindsey - the mother of his . six-year-old son Douglas, who dies tragically. Smoke break: The 50-year-old was seen puffing on a cigarette as he arrived on the set . Transformation: It was hard to believe it was the same man who had arrived for filming earlier in the day (right) 'The reason to play him is obvious to me,' Depp told Collider in . an interview earlier this year. 'He’s a fascinating character. It’s . not like anything I’ve done before, on that level. I’m very excited to . slide into that skin for a little bit.' 'Meanwhile, one of Bulger's old hangouts . is currently being painstakingly recreated in a Cambridge square in . preparation for scenes in the movie, reports Masslive.com. Infamous South Boston dive bar Triple O's - where Bulger allegedly ran his gang and business enterprise - will be recreated for the film using the façade and interior of the Polish American Club. Inspiration: Bulger was the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's sinister character Frank Costello in the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie The Departed. The film also starred Matt Damon (right) and Leonardo DiCaprio . America's Most Wanted: James Bulger's FBI . Fugitive poster along with his girlfriend Catherine Greig before he was . discovered living in Santa Monica, California back in 2011 . Posing as any other retired couple: Whitey Bulger spent 16 years on the run with his . girlfriend Catherine Greig (pictured together . here in an undated photo) Spotted: Greig and Bulger were captured in 2011 in their then-apartment in Santa Monica, California . The original bar is now a Japanese restaurant in the increasingly gentrified area known as 'Southie' by locals. Sept. 3, 1929: James Bulger is born to Irish immigrant parents living in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. He is the second of six children. His shock of platinum blonde hair earns him the nickname 'Whitey.' 1956: Whitey Bulger is sentenced to federal prison for bank robbery. After he’s suspected of plotting an escape from one prison, he’s transferred to Alcatraz. 1960: Bulger’s younger brother, William, is elected to the state House of Representatives. John Connolly, a childhood friend from South Boston, works on the campaign. 1965: Bulger is released from prison returns to Boston. He becomes a top underling to local mobster Howie Winter, boss of the Winter Hill Gang. 1970: William Bulger is elected to the state Senate. 1975: Bulger cuts a deal with Connolly - now a Boston-based FBI agent - to provide information on the Italian Mafia in exchange for protection. 1978: William Bulger becomes president of the state Senate. 1981: Roger Wheeler, owner of World Jai Alai, a gambling . enterprise from which Bulger was skimming money, is . shot between the eyes in the parking lot of his country club in Tulsa, . Oklahoma. 1982: Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi gun down a former henchman in broad daylight on a South Boston street to silence him over the Wheeler murder. Connolly files a report with the FBI saying rival gangsters made the hit. July 1982: Flemmi and Bulger order a hit on John Callahan, the former president of World Jai Alai. January 1995: Bulger disappears on the eve of his indictment on racketeering charges. 1997: The FBI, under court order, admits that Bulger was a 'top echelon' informant launching a federal probe into the agency’s corrupt ties to its mob informants. June 22, 2011: Bulger is arrested in Santa Monica, CA, with girlfriend Catherine Grieg. Aug 12, 2013: Bulger is found guilty of a raft of racketeering charges, including his role in 11 murders. Nov 13 2013: Bulger, aged 84 , is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus five years. Before announcing her sentence, the judge tells Bulger that the 'scope, callousness and depravity of your crimes are almost unfathomable.' She says they are made 'all the more heinous because they were all about money.' Despite his eventual downfall, Bulger - the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's sinister character in the . 2006 Martin Scorsese movie The Departed - was seen for years as a Robin Hood figure who . bought Thanksgiving turkeys for working-class residents . and kept hard drugs out of the neighborhood. But that . image was shattered when authorities started digging up bodies linked to . Mob killings in the Boston area more than a decade ago. Corrupt Boston FBI agents protected . Bulger for years while he worked simultaneously as a crime boss and an . FBI informant who ratted out the rival New England Mafia and other crime . groups. However, in . 1994, police and the DEA launched an investigation into Bulger's . gambling operations, with the gangster and associate Stephen Flemmi set . to be indicted. But Bulger's former FBI handler and friend John Connelly tipped him off, allowing the criminal to flee with his common law wife, . Theresa Stanley. Missing her children, it was only a month before Stanley returned with Bulger, but he fled soon afterwards with his mistress Catherine Greig. Bulger had been a great source of embarrassment for the FBI after he had infiltrated the Boston office of the bureau and bought off agents who protected him. Some feared he would never be caught and he was soon placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List - at one point he was only second to Osama Bin Laden. FBI . agents have told how they struggled to find a workable lead for ten . years - nor did they have any good photographs of the pair. They were aware of the couple's love of animals, but appeals to veterinarians proved unsuccessful. There . had also been reports that Greig had once had breast implants and other . plastic surgery in Boston before they fled the city, and, grasping at . straws, they turned to cosmetics surgeons in the hope of a clue. To their astonishment, one came from Dr Matthias Donelan, who not only found her file in storage - but crucially, photographs. It gave them the lead they'd been looking for and started putting out public service announcements on women's television shows asking if anyone recognised Grieg. Then they got a call from a neighbour. Deputy U.S. Marshall Neil Sullivan, who took the lead, said: 'The tipster specifically described that they were caring for this cat and their love for this cat. 'So that was just one piece of the puzzle on the tip that added up to saying "if this isn’t them it’s something we better check out immediately because it sure sounds like them."' The pair were arrested in Santa Monica on June 22 2011. Prosecutors at Bulger's two-month trial . portrayed him as a cold-blooded, hands-on boss who killed anyone he saw . as a threat, along with innocent people who happened to get in the way. Bulger was defiant to the end, . calling his trial a sham and refusing to testify . or provide information to probation officials preparing a sentencing . report for the judge. Finally, on August 12 2013, a jury convicted Bulger in 11 of the 19 killings he was charged with . participating in but acquitted him of seven and could not reach a . conclusion on an eighth. New drinking hole: Infamous dive bar Triple O's was being recreated in a Cambridge Square on Wednesday . Favourite haunt: The original dive bar where Bulger spent time running his underground empire . Quiet on set: The inside of the building is currently being worked on to use for the Black Mass interiors . Refurbishment: The Polish American club in Cambridge is being used for the movie . Judge Denise Casper told him the depravity of his crimes is 'almost unfathomable,' calling them 'heinous' and 'all about money'. Bulger looked directly at her, listening intently. 'The . testimony of human suffering that you and your associates inflicted on . others was at times agonizing to hear and painful to watch,' Casper said . 'At times during the trial I wished that we were watching a movie, that what we were hearing was not real.' She then sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences plus five years, as prosecutors had requested. The new film is slated for release next year. And director Cooper said he was determined to 'get to the root of the psychology and behaviour' in his film, telling Collider that he was looking forward to working with Depp. 'I only want to work with actors to have a strong . point of view and who want to race to set,' he said. 'And Johnny is that type of . actor. He’s always pushing himself and . always playing something different. He’s one of the best actors in . American screen history. 'Our hope is to really craft a full-bodied . portrait in ways that you haven’t seen. It’s exciting to see an actor . like Johnny really attracted to a part like this because you’ve never . seen him like this. | Depp was on set of new film 'Black Mass' about notorious gangster's life .
Bulger recently handed 2 life sentences for 11 murders and other crimes .
Other crimes include drug trafficking, .
racketeering, extortion, laundering .
Gave inspiration to Jack Nicholson's character in 2006 film The Departed . |
92,433 | 02e3362daad6a09520212e2141ab3d543389d2cd | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 05:30 EST, 22 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:30 EST, 22 January 2013 . Prince Harry has spoken out about how much he enjoyed serving as an equal alongside his fellow soldiers, saying that his stint in Afghanistan was 'as normal as it's going to get' for him. He has been pictured helping out with chores at his base in Camp Bastion, wiping down counters and joking around with other officers. The prince paid tribute to his comrades who allowed him to get on with his day job in relative anonymity and treated him as 'one of the guys'. He was relaxing today after flying out of Afghanistan at the end of his 20-week deployment in the country. Scroll down for video . Getting involved: Prince Harry pictured on October 31 cleaning the kitchen at Camp Bastion . Joking around: Harry drawing a caricature of the soldier who is responsible for making the tea . While on duty as an Apache helicopter pilot, the man known as Captain Wales shared a room with another pilot in an accommodation block made of modified shipping containers. When he spent time with the 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, he described the situation as 'completely normal', and could use the facilities at his base without being disturbed. However, when he entered the more public areas of the camp, he admitted he sometimes received unwanted attention. 'For me it's not that normal because I go into the cookhouse and everyone has a good old gawp, and that's one thing that I dislike about being here,' he said. 'Because there's plenty of guys in there that have never met me, therefore look at me as Prince Harry and not as Captain Wales, which is frustrating. 'Which is probably another reason why I'd love to be out in the PBs [patrol bases], away from it all. 'But yeah, it's completely normal. It's as normal as it's going to get. I'm one of the guys. I don't get treated any differently.' Day job: Harry, pictured on December 12, was flying Apache helicopters in Helmand province . In the cockpit: The prince pictured relaxing while at the controls of his helicopter on October 31 . Harry was accompanied by officers from SO14, the Metropolitan Police Royal Protection Branch, at all times when he was at the base. However, in Afghanistan his security detail was smaller than usual, and they did not accompany him when he flew on missions 'outside the wire'. After leaving the country on a regular personnel aircraft last night, the prince was taken to an undisclosed location for a 24-hour 'decompression' period alongside other troops. The decompression usually takes place in Cyprus. Soldiers are said to be given four cans of lager each and are allowed to relax on the beaches as they prepare to return to the UK. It was revealed yesterday that Harry had killed Taliban militants during his deployment in Afghanistan, as he opened up about topics such as the naked pictures of him in a Las Vegas hotel room and the news that he is to become an uncle. The prince's closest friends at the camp were the other crew members on the two aircraft he flew. While on duty waiting for call-outs they played the military board-game Uckers, watched films, played computer games and chatted. 'One of the guys': Harry, pictured on November 1, paid tribute to his comrades for treating him normally . Concentration: Harry attending a mission briefing at Camp Bastion on October 31 . Captain Simon Beattie, the commander of Harry’s flight of four men, is also a co-pilot gunner and has known the prince for over a year. 'It's easy to put aside the fact he's the third in line to the throne,' the 30-year-old from Bath said. 'He's a normal guy. 'He's someone I consider a friend and someone I enjoy working with, so it's not something you notice.' He added that soldiers were not shy about joking around with the prince, saying that 'he's pretty forward on the banter as well'. Mr Beattie added: 'It's just part of us all being together. If you put a group of guys together anywhere, take the beers out of the equation, you still get the fun and the messing around that happens.' Sergeant James John, another pilot in 662 Sqn, said: 'Captain Wales is just another member of the squadron and another member of our flight, and we all work together, the same as we would with anyone else that comes in and out of the crews, so it's a situation-no-change.' The 27-year-old from Bridgend in south Wales revealed Harry's closest colleagues are protective of him and try to help him lead an ordinary life. 'It's important to have a normal job, I imagine, in such a high-profile place,' he said. 'It's nice to be able to just get on and do your job, which is what everyone tries to give him while he's here, and he's finding it great.' Chain of command: Despite his royal status, Harry was subordinate to a number of other officers . Comrade: Corporal Graham Carr was responsible for re-arming Harry's helicopter in the middle of missions . Harry's squadron commander, Major Ali Mack, likened his unit to a 'family', and said the royal settled in quickly when he arrived in September last year. 'He is, as far as I’m concerned, given no special treatment,' the 37-year-old from Glasgow said. 'I treat him very much as I do the rest of my officers within the squadron.' Corporal Graham Carr, who was responsible for re-arming the prince's helicopter, spoke about the strange experience of finding himself in charge of a Royal. 'He might be third in line to the throne, but that’s how it works out here,' the 28-year-old said. 'Harry comes through the gates - all the aircrew’s kit is stored in our shack, so they come in there. We see them every day. He’s a good laugh, good banter. 'Sometimes after they’ve got down, they’ve got time to sit and chat and have a brew. To be honest, it’s just normal stuff. Football, the UK, what you’re missing and that sort of stuff.' However, Mr Carr admitted he would never forget his time in close quarters with Prince Harry. 'It’s certainly an honour, and it’s something that I’ll tell the kids about, and the grandkids, in the future,' he said. After it was announced yesterday that Harry was heading home from Afghanistan, Twitter lit up with messages about the prince within minutes. @SPWhittaker73 wrote: 'Go Prince Harry! Knows how to party hard in Vegas... and what to do when faced against the Taliban. Harry 1 - Taliban 0 #shoots&scores.' That sentiment was echoed by @JLock4820, who wrote: 'So I guess Prince Harry is the real life 007.' | Royal pictured wiping tabletops at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan .
Pays tribute to comrades who made tour 'as normal as it's going to get'
Fellow soldiers reveal their bonds of friendship with the prince .
Harry is currently relaxing in undisclosed location on his way home . |
275,568 | f1024f4a94ace5fb06d23040481e082276543cb4 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A MoveOn.org political advertisement that criticized the top U.S. commander in Iraq was "disgusting," President Bush said Thursday, accusing Democrats of being afraid to criticize the anti-war group. Gen. David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill last week about the so-called surge in Iraq. Bush told reporters at a White House news conference that MoveOn.org's ad in The New York Times about Gen. David Petraeus was a "sorry deal." The September 10 full-page ad was titled "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" "I felt like the ad was an attack, not only on Gen. Petraeus, but on the U.S. military," Bush said. "And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democratic Party spoke out strongly against that kind of ad." Bush said that "most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org" and they "are more afraid of irritating them than they are of irritating the United States military." Watch Bush condemn the MoveOn.org ad » . He said, "It's one thing to attack me. It's another thing to attack somebody like Gen. Petraeus." Many Democratic lawmakers immediately criticized the ad after it was published. Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, reacted quickly to Bush's comments. "What's disgusting is that the president has more interest in political attacks than developing an exit strategy to get our troops out of Iraq and end this awful war," Pariser said. "The president has no credibility on Iraq: He lied repeatedly to the American people to get us into the war. Most Americans oppose the war and want us to get out." MoveOn.org and other war critics have accused Petraeus and the Bush administration of "cherry-picking" data to make it seem that military success is being achieved in Iraq. During testimony last week before Congress, Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, said they believed the U.S. troop increase in Iraq has had some success, an assertion that critics of the war have questioned. A Senate GOP amendment to repudiate the MoveOn.org ad passed Thursday 72-25 as Republicans tried to force Democrats to distance themselves, on the record, from the controversy. GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said the amendment "gives our colleagues a chance to distance themselves from these despicable tactics, distance themselves from the notion that some group literally has them on a leash, like a puppet on a string." Among Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut voted against the resolution. Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Barack Obama of Illinois didn't vote. The Democrats on Thursday failed to pass their resolution. It included a condemnation of the "unwarranted personal attack" on Petraeus, but also condemned "personal attacks" that happened in 2002 against then-Democratic Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia and attacks in 2004 against Sen. John Kerry. The vote was 51-46, but 60 votes were needed to proceed. The Democrats' amendment was sponsored by Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she faults the Republicans for blocking the Democratic resolution praising Cleland, who was wounded while serving in Vietnam, and Kerry, who is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. "The Senate just voted to denounce, condemn, whatever it is, MoveOn for that ad, but at same time, they rejected assaults on those who have served in our military with great heroism -- the Boxer amendment," Pelosi said. "It seems that the Republicans are selective in how they want to honor those who are serving or have served in the military. It was very disappointing, but it was also very telling." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Dana Bash contributed to this report. | NEW: Dems fail in bid to condemn attacks on Petraeus, Max Cleland, John Kerry .
Senate passes 72-25 a GOP amendment to repudiate MoveOn.org ad .
President Bush calls MoveOn.org's ad on Gen. David Petraeus "disgusting"
Newspaper ad titled "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" |
127,249 | 307b81416c2f2596628f327467c2d546db895838 | Sir Mark Walport (pictured), David Cameron's personal scientific . adviser, has said that the rise of genetically modified food is . 'inexorable' Calls to relax the rules on GM crops were backed yesterday by the nation’s chief scientist. Sir Mark Walport said the rise of genetically modified food was ‘inexorable’ and there was a ‘strong case’ for it to be grown in Britain. So far biotech firms have been deterred from growing GM crops in Europe by the tightest controls in the world. But controversially Sir Mark, who is David Cameron’s personal scientific adviser, said the food was proving its worth and production is increasing globally. ‘It is inexorably rising up the agenda . again because as a technology it is showing its value more and more, . obviously in terms of the crops that are able to feed the world,’ he . added. ‘The job of a scientific adviser is to set out the scientific case and that scientific case is becoming stronger and stronger.’ But . Peter Riley, of campaign group GM Freeze, said: ‘The public remains . extremely sceptical about the safety of GM foods and the benefits that . are said to come from them. Politicians and scientific leaders need to look at other food options that do not come with such a large risk. ‘The push for GM is being orchestrated by large industry rather than in the interest of the consumer or public health.’ Sir Mark said it was his ‘job to advise on the science and it is then the politician’s job to decide how to use that ... The final decision is a political decision’. His comments – in his first public speech in the job – are the latest indication that the GM lobby is rapidly gaining influence after years of public hostility. Sir Mark Walport, in his first public speech in the role as Cameron's (right) scientific adviser, said there was a ‘strong scientific case’ for GM crops to be grown in Britain and that GM food is proving its worth globally . Doubts: Campaigners say that the public is still not convinced that GM foods are safe to eat . Earlier this month, four major supermarkets ended bans on farm suppliers giving GM feed to animals producing meat, milk and eggs. The vast majority of those foods sold in Britain will now come from animals raised on a GM diet.However, a survey by the Food Standards Agency last year found two in three people believe food from animals given a GM diet should be described as such. And a British Science Association study showed public support for so-called Frankenstein Foods declining from 46 per cent in 2002 to just 27 per cent now. Campaign groups have also raised concerns over ministers’ secret meetings with GM lobby groups – details of which emerged only following freedom of information requests. Supporter: Environment Secretary Owen Patterson said last year that he is a keen proponent of GM foods . Environment Secretary Owen Paterson last year came out as keen proponent of GM crops, dismissing consumer fears as ‘humbug’. And, days ago, scientists called on ministers to back technology which could produce genetically modified salmon, pigs and cattle. Speaking after his address to the University of Cambridge’s centre for science and policy’s annual conference, Sir Mark said GM crops could provide important potential benefits for food production. He added: ‘For every genetic modification you have to ask what plant, what gene and for what purpose. The case will be strong for some and not strong for others. Each case has be decided on its merits.’ Asked for examples of crops that would benefit British farming, Sir Mark said: ‘If it were possible for instance to develop a blight-resistant potato, then that would be a valuable thing to do.’ He also said that ‘golden rice’ –genetically modified rice that contains higher levels of vitamin A to reduce blindness and other diseases in the developing world – had ‘been around for some time’. Biotech firms such as Monsanto have ensured that 80 per cent of the soya grown in the US and Brazil is GM. It is one of the reasons why British supermarkets have now been forced to allow GM-fed produce into the food chain. New rules: Earlier this month, four major supermarkets ended bans on farm suppliers giving GM feed to chickens . The first GM meat and fish could also go on sale this summer. Authorities in the US are expected to grant approval to Aquabounty salmon, which has been modified to grow twice as fast as normal. For shoppers who refuse to buy meat, milk and eggs from animals fed on GM, the only alternative may be to buy more expensive organic produce. GM crop farming has been shown to harm bees, butterflies and other insects in UK trials and on farms across the US, where many have become blighted with superweeds. Sir Mark, 60, was director of the Wellcome Trust from 2003 to 2013 and has headed the Division of Medicine at Imperial College London. In 2009, he was knighted for services to medical research. | Sir Mark Walport says the rise of GM foods is 'inexorable'
Biotech firms have been deterred by tight European controls .
But Sir Mark says the food is proving its worth globally .
Campaigners say the public remains sceptical about its safety . |
287,072 | fff1c52ce6e96d59ef6a0b477203e8c307df0d25 | George Groves is a force of nature. Carl Froch is a force which defies nature. The weather is set fair for London but the micro-climate about to be generated by 80,000 people inside Wembley Stadium is brewing up a storm. Froch’s thunderous punches and the lightning fists of Groves threaten to make this a Saturday night as electrifying as it is historic. But which of them will be struck down? The warrior with the huge heart and unbreakable jaw, or the high-tech strategist with the creative thought process? VIDEO Scroll down to watch Froch and Groves square up at an intense weigh-in . Storm brewing: George Groves and Carl Froch are heading into a titanic clash at Wembley . Weigh in: The two boxers salute the crowd after being weighed at Wembly Arena . Not that either of these fighting men is entirely devoid of the other’s prime qualities but it is the broad differences which are dividing opinion so sharply. The Nottingham Cobra and London’s Saint George each predict one-sided victories by knock-out which will leave no scope for the kind of controversy ignited by the abrupt conclusion to their first, dramatic encounter. You pay your money – either to be there, to watch on TV or place a bet – and you take your choice. The great British public are split down the middle. The bookmakers have Froch as the marginal favourite but Groves still close to even money. A majority of the fraternity of the ring appear to favour Froch – with Barry McGuigan, Amir Khan, Lennox Lewis, Anthony Joshua and legendary American promoter Bob Arum among those telling me that experience will out – but there are plenty of dissenters. War: The two fought out a brutal encounter in Manchester in the first fight . Controversy: The fight was stopped by referee Howard Foster in the ninth round - perhaps prematurely . What everyone seems to agree upon is that Groves needs to win early or Froch gets him late. Everyone, that is, except the combatants themselves. Groves says: ‘I expect to KO Carl with a left hook in the third round but if he survives I will dominate even more the longer it goes.’ Froch says: ‘I will box properly this time and take George out in the middle to late rounds. Unless he actually does come out looking for that third-round win, in which case I stop him early.’ Welcome to confused.com. What we know for sure is that the 26-year-old Groves gained the nation’s respect with his instant flooring of Froch six months ago and the lead he held on the scorecards before referee Howard Foster jumped hastily between them in the ninth round. More significantly, he also caught the attention of the world super-middleweight champion. Froch went into their first fight underestimating Groves to the point of under-preparing and was so irritated by the presumptuous attitude of an opponent 10 years his junior that he fought with near-suicidal anger instead of a calculating brain. ‘I’m not making that mistake again,’ he says. ‘I’ve trained back to the physical condition I achieved in my 20s.’ Workout: Froch works out in Broadmarsh Shopping Centre in Nottingham earlier this week . Looking good: Groves hits the pads at Westfield Shopping Centre, west London . That has been done by a return to road running instead of cutting corners on the treadmill and with a tough strengthening regime which has included, most eye-catchingly, the repeated battering of a lorry tyre with a heavy metal bar. Froch has also addressed his complacency issue by engaging a sports psychologist. He says: ‘I will be fighting with my mind not my emotions. I won’t be charging out again looking for a quick one-shot KO to teach him a lesson — and getting caught myself. ‘Instead of the worst Carl Froch of my career, George is now facing the best Carl Froch there’s ever been.’ To which Groves says: ‘That’s just not true. He should have lost the first fight and he can’t win this fight. I’m a better boxer than him in every aspect and he just can’t change.’ Must see: Media and fans pack into Wembley arena to witness the weigh-in . Fighting talk: Froch and Groves once again went at it during the weigh-in . On the opposite page, McGuigan, who is grooming Carl Frampton as his own heir to greatness in Belfast, advises Froch to make some basic adjustments ‘not least by keeping his left hand up by the side of his head to block those big Groves rights.’ Whether he will pay heed is open to doubt. Froch knows the risk entailed in keeping that arm low but it has always been one he is prepared to take. Armed with that iron chin he is willing to absorb a big shot so he can keep jabbing and hooking with his left from unusual and unexpected angles, adhering to the ring maxim that it is the punches opponents do not see coming which are most devastating. While the late Friday afternoon timing of the weigh-in could create a stamina issue for Groves if he has to toil down to the 12-stone limit — even though he denies he is not a 12-round fighter — the real key to this intriguing contest lies secreted deep in the contrasting personalities of these two men. Confident: Froch says he will be in better shape and a better frame of mind for the rematch . Both are proud and excited to be the central characters in a passion play being staged before the biggest boxing audience in Britain since the war. But while Groves says ‘80,000 or 8,000 is the same to me,’ Froch declares himself ‘honoured and humbled by the magnitude of the occasion.’ Groves reports knowledge and experience gained from the original clash, while Froch says: ‘You can’t beat a man like me with bravado.’ Groves, as he prepares to move on to German promoters Sauerland, is setting himself the target of ‘an impressive performance to make the world sit up and take notice. Froch says: ‘I have no real interest in becoming a celebrity. It’s the winning that comes first.’ The scale of interest has been driven by the public’s love affair with these Battles of Britain and such rematches make a lot of money for all concerned. Better? Groves said he 'expects' to beat Froch in the third round with a left hook . Promoter Eddie Hearn took a gamble booking Wembley for the night after an England match but he has successfully tapped into a popular mood of fascination. Projected Sky pay-per-view sales of a million may fall just short of Ricky Hatton’s record 1.2m for his Las Vegas fight with Floyd Mayweather but if it is achieved then Froch will bank anything up to £10m, Groves close to £2m. Being the defending champion has its purse privileges, which Froch has earned the hard way as he goes into his 12th straight world-title fight, all but one against the elite fighters in his division. Although, at coming up to 37, he has no plans for imminent retirement he was asked this week how he would like to be remembered whenever that day comes. Froch replied: ‘As a warrior who feared no man and ducked no-one.’ Time for action: The pair go face to face for real at Wembley stadium on Saturday night . As one who predicted he would stop Groves in the ninth round of the first fight, I expect Froch to be fractionally more patient before his world-class battle-hardening prevails again, in the 10th or 11th. But whatever the result, that epitaph of his has already been assured. Froch-Groves II, Unfinished Business, is live on Sky Sports Box Office. | Carl Froch and George Groves prepare to clash at Wembley .
80,000 people will pack inside the national stadium on Saturday night .
The Cobra is a narrow favourite against St George .
Huge purse could be worth up to £10m for Froch and £2m for Groves .
I predict a battle-hardened Froch to win in the 10th or 11th round . |
116,914 | 22eef4d5e85a5e7f2593dfff30db4bbcccd2e429 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 21:40 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:19 EST, 24 April 2013 . The Justice Department laid out its case in a lawsuit against Lance Armstrong on Tuesday, saying the cyclist violated his contract with the U.S. Postal Service and was 'unjustly enriched' while cheating to win the Tour de France. The government had previously announced it would join the whistle-blower lawsuit brought by former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis. Tuesday was the deadline to file its formal complaint. The Postal Service paid about $40 million to be the title sponsor of Armstrong's teams for six of his seven Tour de France victories. The filing in U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., says the USPS paid Armstrong $17 million form 1998-2004. The lawsuit also names former team Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel and team management company Tailwind Sports as defendants. Lawsuit: The Justice Department laid out its case in a lawsuit against Lance Armstrong, saying the cyclist violated his contract with the U.S. Postal Service and was 'unjustly enriched' while cheating to win the Tour de France . The financial costs for Armstrong and Bruyneel could be high. The government said it would seek triple damages assessed by the jury. 'Defendants were unjustly enriched to the extent of the payments and other benefits they received from the USPS, either directly or indirectly,' the complaint said. Armstrong, who in January admitted using performance-enhancing drugs after years of denials, has argued that the Postal Service's endorsement of his team earned the government agency far more than it paid him. Armstrong attorney Elliot Peters called the government's complaint 'opportunistic, and insincere.' 'The U.S. Postal Service benefited tremendously from its sponsorship of the cycling team. Its own studies repeatedly and conclusively prove this. The USPS was never the victim of fraud. Lance Armstrong rode his heart out for the USPS team, and gave the brand tremendous exposure during the sponsorship years,' Peters said. The government must prove not only that the Postal Service was defrauded, but that it was damaged somehow. Sponsorship: Previous studies done for the Postal Service concluded the agency reaped at least $139 million in worldwide brand exposure in four years - $35 million to $40 million for sponsoring the Armstrong team in 2001 . Previous studies done for the Postal Service concluded the agency reaped at least $139 million in worldwide brand exposure in four years - $35 million to $40 million for sponsoring the Armstrong team in 2001; $38 million to $42 million in 2002; $31 million in 2003; and $34.6 million in 2004. The formal complaint against Armstrong appears to rely heavily on evidence and statements supplied by Landis and gathered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for its 2012 investigation that exposed a doping program on the USPS team. Armstrong has been banned from sports for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France victories. Bruyneel, who lives in London, also has been charged by USADA with doping violations but is fighting that case in arbitration. The government notes the contract with the Postal Service required riders to follow the rules of cycling, which included bans on performance-enhancing drugs and methods. Confession: Armstrong now admits using steroids, blood boosters and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs and measures to win . Armstrong now admits using steroids, blood boosters and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs and measures to win. By breaking the rules and covering it up, Armstrong and Bruyneel committed fraud against the U.S. government, the complaint said. The complaint said that for years, team officials assured the Postal Service that the team was not doping. Armstrong had been the target of a federal criminal grand jury, but that case was closed without charges in February 2012. Armstrong has previously tried to settle the Landis whistleblower lawsuit, but those talks broke down before the government announced its intention to join the case. Armstrong is also fighting a lawsuit from Dallas-based promotions company SCA to recover about $12 million it paid him in bonuses, and a lawsuit from the London-based Sunday Times, which wants to get back $500,000 it paid him to settle a libel case. | Lawsuit from Department of Justice claims cyclist violated his contract with U.S. Postal Service .
Also claims he was 'unjustly enriched' while cheating on Tour de France wins . |
80,259 | e37db60c3e14fcce022ff7d98f01df6dda2eeb4c | (CNN) -- Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will meet next week with the general who's looking into how the now-freed prisoner of war was captured by the Taliban in 2009, the Army and his attorney said. Attorney Eugene Fidell told CNN he will know for sure next week exactly when the meeting will take place. Bergdahl has met once before, briefly, with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, the point person for the Army's investigation. The 28-year-old soldier spent five years in the hands of Taliban militants after he disappeared in Afghanistan in June 2009. After he was released in May in exchange for five senior Taliban members held by the U.S. military, Bergdahl underwent counseling and medical care at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas. The news of Bergdahl's freedom initially was met with jubilation, but it quickly turned as many called for an investigation into his disappearance and captivity. Some critics accused the soldier of deserting his comrades in war. An Army fact-finding investigation conducted in the months after his disappearance concluded he left his outpost deliberately and of his own free will, according to an official who was briefed on the report. The Army has no definitive finding that Bergdahl deserted because that would require knowing his intent -- something officials couldn't learn without talking to the soldier, a U.S. military official recently told CNN. Bergdahl is now back on regular duty at the headquarters of U.S. Army North in Texas. He is working with a unit responsible for homeland defense, civil support operations and security cooperation programs involving countries such as Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas. He will eventually be given a position commensurate with his rank of sergeant, the Army said earlier this month. Bergdahl was a private first class when he was captured, and the Army extended his enlistment and twice promoted him on schedule while he was in captivity. A grateful Bergdahl 'understands that his life has been saved,' lawyer says . | Bergdahl and Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl have met once before, briefly .
Many have called for investigation into Bergdahl's disappearance, captivity .
Bergdahl, 28, is back on regular duty in Texas . |
85,538 | f29c457132c4508fcd3c3e085bc027e24d38fa5b | Mount St. Helens, Washington (CNN) -- A climber who fell into the crater of Mount St. Helens volcano on Monday has been found dead, an official said Tuesday. A U.S. Naval helicopter lifted the body of Joseph Bohlig, 52, from the south crater wall at 2:45 p.m. local time and flew it to Carson, Washington, for transport to the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy, said David L. Cox, undersheriff of the Skamania County Sheriff's Office. Bohlig, of Kelso, Washington, was at the edge of the volcano's crater Monday when the cornice on which he was standing crumbled, causing him to plunge 1,500 feet down its ice- and rock-covered inner wall, authorities said. "The snow gave way, the cornice overhang gave way as he was standing there and he essentially fell the distance that he did," Skamania County Sheriff Dave Brown said. "Nobody saw him after he went over the crater rim, didn't see where he landed." Fellow climber Scott Salkovics told CNN affiliate KGW that Bohlig had handed his camera to another climber and was about to pose for a picture with Mount Rainier in the background when he turned around and took a final step on the cornice. "Boom, it busted off and I saw him clawing for the edge with a startled look on his face, and then he disappeared," Salkovics told KGW. "I was looking right at him, he was only 10 feet away ... then he just disappeared." KGW: "He was only 10 feet away ... then he just disappeared" Bohlig was a veteran climber, CNN affiliate KATU reported. Salkovics and Bohlig had recently returned from a climbing trip in Ecuador and thought it would be fun to do a trip on Mount St. Helens, KGW reported. Warnings about unstable cornices on the crater rim are posted, according to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Web site. Every year, thousands of climbers trek to the rim of the active volcano, according to the Web site. Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, killing 57 people and leveling nearly 150 square miles of forest. CNN's Amanda O'Donnell, Patty Lane, Melanie Whitley and Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report. | Climber's body to be taken to medical examiner's office, official says .
Joseph Bohlig's body found day after he fell while posing for picture .
Bohlig slid 1,500 feet into Mount St. Helens crater .
He was a veteran climber, CNN affiliate KATU reports . |
164,206 | 605a1936ead820c28c207a12d4a535ba55025292 | MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (CNN) -- Discussions about proposals on the economy and health care were overshadowed by heated exchanges between rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during Monday night's Democratic debate. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama started arguing almost as soon as the debate began. The two Democratic front-runners took shots at each others' economic plans and criticized the accuracy of recent accusations the two campaigns have traded. Obama said Clinton's charge that fiscal responsibility isn't a priority for him "isn't true." "This is one of the things that has happened in the course of this campaign. There are a set of assertions made by Sen. Clinton as well as her husband that are not factually accurate," Obama said, raising the criticisms the Clintons made about him in recent days. "Part of what the people are looking for right now is somebody who is going to solve problems and not resort to the same typical politics that we've seen in Washington," he said. Clinton replied she was referring to differences in Obama's position toward the Iraq war. "It was more about the distinction between words and action. And I think that is a fair assessment for voters to make," she said. Watch Clinton, Obama trade jabs » . Clinton said it is "sometimes difficult to understand what Sen. Obama has said because as soon as he is confronted on it he says that's not what he meant." Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards jumped in, saying "Are there three people in this debate, not two?" "This kind of squabbling -- how many children is this going to get health care? How many people are going to get education because of this? How many kids are going to get to go to college because of this?" Edwards said to cheers from the crowd. "I respect both of my fellow candidates, but we have got to understand this is not about us personally." CNN I-Reporters, providing their reaction to the debate, responded negatively to the bickering tone between Clinton and Obama. "I am proud that Sen. Edwards is taking the high road and making himself stand out from the bickering senators, Clinton and Obama. We don't need blame for our troubles, we need solutions," wrote David Parker of San Jose, California. "The two leading candidates are getting closer to nothing -- they will lose the election to Republican Party if they keep talking in such a way," Duop Chak of Colorado Springs, Colorado, wrote on CNN.com's Political Ticker. The candidates are facing off in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, five days before the state's Democratic primary. The debate was put together by CNN and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. See what the candidates said on the issues » . CNN political analyst Bill Schneider said this could be a debate "where John Edwards gets back in the game." "He's effectively making his points, while Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are in silly squabbles. Voters have too many concerns to care about Obama and Clinton's political potshots," Schneider said.Edwards said ending poverty is "the cause of my life." See what CNN's political team thought about the attacks » . "Now, fiscal responsibility, which I think was the question. It was a little hard to tell there at the end of that. But I think the question was about fiscal responsibility," he said. "I have proposed, I think, the most aggressive, most progressive agenda of the three of us up here," he said. On the issue of Iraq, Clinton was asked if she is looking to end the war or win it. "I'm looking to bring our troops home, starting within 60 days of my becoming president," she said. "There is no military solution, and our young men and women should not remain as the referees of their conflict." Edwards said within his first year as president he would have all combat troops out of Iraq and there would be no permanent military bases in Iraq. "I have not heard either of them say that definitively," he said. Obama responded saying, "I want to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in, but I want to make sure that we get all of our combat troops out as quickly as we can safely." Watch Edwards, Obama debate Iraq » . CNN's Wolf Blitzer is moderating and CNN's Suzanne Malveaux and Joe Johns are asking questions. Watch the crew get ready for Monday's debate » . Clinton and Obama directed some of their responses at each other instead of the panel of moderators. "It is very difficult having a standup debate with you because you never take responsibility for any vote," Clinton said after attacking Obama for not supporting a Senate amendment that would have capped the interest rate on credit cards at 30 percent. "It's just very difficult to get a straight answer." The comment drew boos from Obama supporters. At one point, Clinton said that Obama had represented a "slum landlord business" in Chicago when he was practicing law, which brought some boos from the audience. When given an opportunity to respond, Obama explained the law firm he used to work for represented a church group that had partnered with an individual to do a project "and I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project. That's what she's referring to." Then he turned the explanation into a shot at Clinton. "Now, it's fine for her to throw that out, but the larger reason that I think this debate is important is because we do have to trust our leaders and what they say," he said. "...Truthfulness during campaigns makes a difference." Edwards said it's being coming "increasingly likely" that the GOP presidential nominee will be Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Watch what McCain says about Edwards » . "Here's what we have to be thinking about. Who will be tough enough and strong enough and who can compete against John McCain in every place in America?" Edwards said. "I think I can go everywhere and compete head-to-head with McCain." So far in the Democratic contests, Clinton, a senator from New York, has won New Hampshire, Nevada and Michigan. In Michigan, she was the only major candidate on the ballot. Obama, a senator from Illinois, won in Iowa. Edwards finished second in Iowa, but he has yet to win any states. Edwards would like to rebound in South Carolina, his native state. He won the primary there in 2004 when he was making his first bid for the White House. Each of the candidates is trying to gain the support of the state's African-Americans, who make up almost half of the Democratic primary voters. The majority of South Carolina black Democrats are leaning toward Obama, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Friday. The poll suggests nearly 60 percent of black registered Democrats were backing Obama as the presidential nominee, with 31 percent supporting Clinton. That's a major shift from October, when African-Americans backed Clinton over Obama, 57 percent to 33 percent. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Bill Schneider contributed to this report. | NEW: Front-runners waste no time launching new attacks .
NEW: Edwards tries to stay out of heated exchange .
Top three Democratic candidates debating in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina .
South Carolina's Democratic primary is Saturday . |
102,442 | 0fffbd261a62ffbcfea446fbad33fe2863580d56 | A car used as a Halloween prop - complete with a zombie driver - has been clamped by DVLA jobsworths. The blue Vauxhall Astra estate was part of a gruesome mocked-up car crash on private land outside The Anchor, Darwen, Lancashire. It had no engine, only one front wheel and a model zombie covered in fake blood in the passengers seat. The Halloween prop was clamped by 'embarrassed' DVLA workers on Monday morning . House of horrors: The Anchor goes to great lengths to transform itself for Halloween . Not a treat: Melissa and Lance Montgomery have been left dumbstruck by the DVLA's Halloween trick . Licensees Melissa and Lance Montgomery and their regulars were surprised to see the car being clamped by workmen from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The yellow immobilising device was put in place on Monday morning - but Lance said the wheel was not properly attached to the specially modified car. The car was part of Melissa and Lance's typically elaborate Halloween display, which also featured boarded-up windows and a host of scary goings-on inside the pub. Melissa, who has been at the pub for two years, said she was amazed when DVLA workmen turned up to put on the clamp. She said: 'They seemed a bit embarrassed to be honest and I felt quite sorry for them. 'I offered to make them a cup of tea!' A spokesman for the DVLA said the car was parked on public land . Licensee Melissa Montgomery said she offered the 'embarrassed' workers a cup of tea . Stunned regulars could not believe their eyes and took to Facebook to voice their shock at what had gone on. Martin Ainsworth said: 'I have just been to The Anchor to say hi to my friends Mel and Lance and see how they got on with their Halloween weekend and the DVLA have clamped the prop zombie car outside! 'They say it has no MOT. It has also got no engine and half the front is missing, because it's a Halloween prop on private property. 'Are these people actually serious?' The Halloween prop has no engine, yet it was clamped by the DVLA on Monday morning . Paul Fisher said: 'Can't believe what I witnessed this morning while waiting for the bus outside The Anchor. 'Some jobsworth clamping the Halloween car. Shocking.' A spokesman for the DVLA said the car did not have Statutory Off Road Notification and had been stickered three days previously. Cars that have Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) do not need annual MOT tests. All cars that do not have SORN need to be taxed and insured. A SORN can be lodged if an owner does not use or keep their vehicle on public land. A SORN is valid until a vehicle is sold or scrapped, or it is taxed. He said DVLA agents are not allowed to lift a car's bonnet and there was no way of knowing the prop did not have an engine. 'The car was parked on public land and there was no sign or sticker to tell us it was a prop,' he said. 'On the face of it it was an intact vehicle. We've done nothing wrong.' But Lance Montgomery said it was obvious that the car was a prop and that the clamped wheel was not properly attached to the car. He also disputes the DVLA's assertion that the car was parked on public land, and said he did not know that the car had been stickered. 'As far as we're concerned the land is a part of our pub. It's not tarmacked' he said. 'We've had tables and chairs there and nobody has complained before.' | DVLA clamps car in elaborate Halloween display at Lancashire pub .
Wheel clamped on Monday morning as publicans and witnesses looked on .
DVLA says untaxed vehicles are not to be driven, but car is immobile .
Clamped wheel was not attached to the specially modified prop .
DVLA says car was on public land, but pub owners dispute this . |
284,229 | fc3da53552b943a06a2cfcc6af6d3679bf6ea15b | By . Jessica Jerreat . The FBI today released dramatic footage of the Times Square bomber, who used a bicycle to flee the scene after targeting a military recruiting center. Ten minutes of footage, showing the suspected bomber cycling away after leaving a device more powerful than both bombs used at the Boston Marathon, have been released. The early morning blast on March 6, 2008, is being linked to two earlier attacks at foreign embassies also in New York, with the belief the suspect is a serial bomber . See footage of the bike bomber: . Getaway vehicle: The bicycle police believe was used by the bomber who attacked Times Square in 2008 . 'Someone, somewhere, knows something . about a bomber who's still on the run,' FBI Assistant . Director-in-Charge George Venizelos, said. A reward for $65,000 is being offered for the first time, as the FBI confirmed it believes the attack on the Armed Forces Career Center could be linked to attacks on the UK Embassy in 2005 and the Mexico Embassy in 2007. Ten minutes of previously unreleased surveillance footage show the bomb detonating in Times Square and the suspected bomber cycling through the streets of New York on a blue Ross bicycle. The footage and photos of the attack are being put up on billboards in Times Square and across the northeast. Planted: The bike bomber left the homemade device at the Military Recruitment Center in Times Square . Explosion: A plume of smoke rises above Times Square after the bomb was detonated on March 6, 2008 . 'Today we're asking for the public's . assistance in finding those responsible and encouraging the public to . look closely at these photos and video, which could be the key to . breaking the case,' Mr Venizelos told ABC. It is possible the bomber was not working alone, the FBI said. Three figures are seen walking towards the recruiting center as the device is lit, and then walking off, seemingly with the bomber, according to the New York Times. 'Although the suspect appears to be working alone, he or she may have had a lookout or surveillance team of as many as five other individuals in Times Square at the time of the attack,' the FBI said. The force of the blast, at 3.40am, shattered the front of the recruiting center, and was heard by nearby hotel guests and subway passengers. It is not known if the suspect is a man or woman, or what age, race and height they are. Impact: No one was injured in the blast but several people were walking nearby as it went off . Escape: A cyclist believed to be the Times Square bomber is seen on surveillance video cycling in the city . Shortly after the 2008 attack, New York City Police Department Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly told San Francisco Gate: 'Although it was cold, it was not cold enough to require an individual to have everything covered. His whole face was pretty much covered.' The Times Square device was created from an ammunition tin packed with gunpowder. It was detonated in Times Square at 3:45am, damaging the iconic military recruiting station and blocking traffic for more than two hours. People who were already working in offices close to the explosion were not allowed to go home, and those arriving for work were turned away. 'The bomber narrowly missed killing or injuring passers-by who can be seen clearly in the vicinity, moments before the blast,' Mr Kelly said. 'The distance between polemics by bombing and the murdering of innocents is short.' The blue bike the bomber used to make a getaway was later found in a dumpster near Madison Avenue and 38th Street by workers, about three hours after the attack, according to Fox News. Bashir Saleh had been setting up his coffee stall near the recruiting center when the device was detonated. Wanted: The suspected Times Square bomber, who targeted the military recruitment center, is seen on surveillance footage . Crime scene: Times Square was closed off after the explosion as police searched for evidence . 'I heard a very loud explosion. It was the first time I ever heard such a thing. I thought it was some problem with the cart. I got a gas tank here. I thought it might have exploded, that’s how loud it was,' he told the New York Times shortly after the attack. 'I ran out towards the source of the noise. I saw a cloud of smoke, then I saw the police rushing towards it. In a matter of minutes there were 10 to 15 police cars. It was a scary experience for me.' The effects of the blast were felt by guests staying at the New York Marriott Marquis. 'I felt the building shaking, and then a second after, I heard the explosion,' Mercy Sepulveda, from Fort Lauderdale, Forida, said. 'It sounded like a gas tank exploding.' The recruiting center for all branches of the military, which had a $1 million redesign in 1999, had been a regular focal point for protests about the war in Iraq. The device and timing of the attack there was similar to explosions in New York at the UK Embassy in 2005 and the Mexico Embassy in 2007. In the British Embassy attack, two . devices packed with gunpowder were left in plant pots outside the . building on the day of the UK's general election. The building also served as offices for a company that had attracted protests after it supplied bulldozers to Israel. Target: The bomber attacked the US military recruiting center in Times Square . In 2007, two more hand-made devices were set off at the Mexico Embassy. Although people were in the building at the time, no injuries were reported. Like the Times Square bomb, the devices were detonated by hand between 3am and 3.45am, and witnesses reported seeing a person riding away on a bicycle. Anyone with information on any of the bombings should call the FBI at (212) 384-1000. | Explosion linked to attacks on UK and Mexico embassies in New York .
$65,000 reward to find 'serial bomber' using homemade devices . |
201,284 | 909e02a1072de8d671c05ded5e5291e0ebc3d4c4 | (CNN) -- The AGA Rangemaster may be a quintessentially British cooker, but demand has slumped amid the UK's recession. Now, the cooker that has been at the heart of British kitchens since the 1930s, is looking overseas for its profits. Britain's troubled housing market hit sales of the sturdy oven hard, the company's chief executive William McGrath told CNN. Sales fell and the company cut jobs. Read more: Patek Philippe boss: Quality is more important than growth . "The level of housing transaction is well under half the level it was back in 2007 and 2008, so, really we have seen a flat-lining period," McGrath said. "There is a correlation between house sales and purchases for your kitchen; indeed, you are most likely to spend money on your kitchen in the six months or so after you move house," he said. Read more: Europe's new threat: Slow decay . In 2012 sales dipped 2.5%, but with some rigorous cost-cutting the company has managed to post a 12% jump in pre-tax profit. "From the peak we have lost around 600 people," McGrath told CNN. The move has saved the company around $27 million, but to sustain profits they're looking to new markets. The company sells 37% of all its products to North America, but it expects this number to increase to half of all its sales. It also plans to launch in the Chinese market. Read more: Auto industry revs up recovery on Spain . "In China there are very few cookers," says McGrath. "The cooker doesn't really exist as a product category, so we're talking about the potential for a whole new product category which will hopefully take China by storm." Moulding the Chinese consumer into one with British tastes is an ambitious strategy. The Chinese buyer, used to steaming, boiling and frying food on a gas burner, may need some persuading to consider a giant cooker complete with roasting and baking ovens. Read more: GE Europe chief eyes investment in Germany . Chinese houses could also cause issues for the company's strategy. Chinese kitchens are often small and in high-rise buildings -- creating a squeeze for a cooker which is between 90 and 110cm wide and weighs around the same as a baby elephant. But McGrath is optimistic, demonstrating to CNN how a wok can be used to stir-fry on the rangemaster's hot plate. "As we found in Britain in the 1930s, there's the evolution in the nature of the Chinese kitchen, maybe moving from a galley kitchen to something's that is more the heart of the home," McGrath said. Home is where the heart is, and increasingly this will be overseas for AGA Rangemaster. While it weathers the storm in Europe, it'll try to cook up a storm in China. | Britain's troubled housing market hit sales of the sturdy oven hard, CEO William McGrath told CNN .
In 2012 sales dipped 2.5%, but with cost-cutting the company has managed a 12% jump in pre-tax profit .
AGA Rangemaster looking to China -- the world's second-largest economy -- as next growth market . |
103,110 | 10edc26d9762e43683496407a206a3214b5852dc | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:47 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:48 EST, 23 December 2013 . Fire stations across the country are in financial limbo as they wait for the IRS ruling on whether they have to provide volunteer firefighters medical insurance under Obamacare. According to the Affordable Health Care Act, businesses with more than 50 full-time employees are required to provide health insurance for them, a full-time employee defined as someone who works over 30 hours a week. Pennsylvania Representative Lou Barletta, a Republican, says that having to provide insuance will 'threaten public safety' by putting 'unbearable financial burdens' on already cash-strapped stations. Financial burden: Pennsylvania Representative Lou Barletta visits the Duncannon Fire Company. He is looking to pass legislation that will exempt volunteer firefighters from Obamacare . Rep Barletta along with Mark Warner, the Democratic Senator from Virginia, are sponsoring legislation to exempt volunteer fire, medical and rescue personnel from full-time status. 'This is just another example of how Obamacare was not well thought out,' Rep Barletta said on December 11 while introducing the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act. 'So, we're left to try to pave over the potholes. And this is a big one - possibly affecting fire stations nationwide.' Rep Barletta says the broad definition of full-time employee is hard to apply to a fire station staff. 'Does it mean when a volunteer is wearing a beeper or carrying a fire department cell phone?' Barletta asks. 'Does it include downtime at the station house? Listening to a scanner? These are all legimimate questions raised since ObamaCare has been forced on Americans.' Changing the law: Rep Barletta believes Obamacare will be too much of a financial burden on already cash-strapped fire companies . Rep Barletta wrote to the IRS in November asking for clarifications on whether the new legislation applies to these volunteer workers but they have not given an official ruling yet. 'We are taking those comments into account as we work toward issuing final regulations on the employer provision, 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code,' Treasury spokeswoman Victoria Esser told The Patriot-News. 'Pending issuance of the final reulations, it would bot be appropriate for us to comment on their likely content.' No matter what the decision, the stations won't have to provide insurance until 2015, since the 'employer mandate' part of the act was delayed to give officials more time to work out the regulations. | Under the Affordable Care Act, all businesses with over 50 full-time employees must provide them health care .
Fire stations across the country are waiting to hear whether volunteer firefighters will be counted as full time employees .
Rep Lou Barletta is hoping to pass legislation to exempt volunteer emergency workers from Obamacare .
He thinks having to provide medical insurance will cripple these already cash-strapped agencies . |
174,523 | 6de1b58a8754a01b388c20788dfd89427ee652c5 | Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- Ivory Coast's diplomatic squabble centered Wednesday on a siege laid to a posh waterfront hotel where the president-elect has been holed up under the protection of United Nations peacekeepers. The world body, meanwhile, said it would ask the Security Council to approve up to 2,000 more troops to help ensure the presidency for Alassane Ouattara, recognized as the rightful winner of the disputed election that sparked the current political crisis. Alain Le Roy, the under-secretary-general for U.N. peacekeeping, said after a Security Council briefing that he was worried "we are facing more difficulties" in Ivory Coast. As the political standoff continued, the top U.S. diplomat on Africa said Laurent Gbagbo, the defiant self-declared president, had "stolen" the vote that removed him from office. "There is no question but that the election in the Ivory Coast was stolen by President Gbagbo and those around him," Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson told reporters Wednesday. Gbagbo's "continued presence in office amounts to a theft of the election," Carson said. The United States and other countries have offered Gbagbo what they call a "dignified exit," which could mean living and working in other countries, including the United States. Gbagbo, however, has ignored those offers and has refused to accept telephone calls from U.S. officials. Carson said Gbagbo has challenged democracy not only in Ivory Coast but also in the entire region. Gbagbo, appearing to be softening his stance, had agreed to remove a military blockade around Ouattara's headquarters, but had not done so by Wednesday afternoon. "The promise has not been kept," Le Roy said. Alcide Djedje, Gbagbo's foreign minister, said Gbagbo justified the continued siege as "a measure of security" because 300 of Ouattara's soldiers within the hotel are heavily armed. This hotel is a short boat ride from Gbagbo's residence. Djedje said the armed soldiers also posed a danger to people living near the hotel. Gbagbo, said Djedje, is waiting for Ouattara to release the soldiers before pulling back the military. "The information I have is that he will lift the blockade," said Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the African Union envoy for the mediation effort. "He called the head of the military in our presence and asked him to lift the embargo, and I'm assuming that has happened." Odinga, who visited Abidjan earlier this week with a delegation representing West African states, said Gbagbo was open to a meeting with the president-elect. "He (Gbagbo) does not want any conditions," Odinga said. "He wants amnesty, he wants to know he's safe if he chooses to stay. These are things that have to be discussed face-to-face." In short, Odinga said, the disputed president is willing to negotiate unconditionally. "But Ouattara is not willing to negotiate unless Gbagbo accepts that he's president," Odinga said. "Ouattara is being difficult." Ouattara has said he will ensure protection for Gbagbo if he concedes, Odinga said. Major organizations, including the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, have declared Ouattara the winner of the November 28 presidential runoff vote. Gbagbo, the incumbent, considers himself the rightful winner, and has not budged amid international pressure on him to step down. Violence following Gbagbo's refusal to vacate office has left more than 170 people dead in Ivory Coast and disrupted life for residents in Abidjan, the country's commercial hub. West African states will oust Gbagbo using military force if the standoff continues, Odinga said. "We made it very clear that the stand of the African Union and ECOWAS is that Ouattara is the legitimate president," he said. "And in the absence of a peaceful settlement, military action will be pursued." Odinga, who was named prime minister after an election dispute led to the formation of a coalition government in Kenya, said power-sharing will not be an option for the West African nation. "It is dangerous," Odinga said. "It was replicated in Kenya and Zimbabwe, and set a dangerous precedence ... because it tells losers that they can cling to power in the hopes that a power-sharing will be worked out." A coalition government is not "a healthy process," he said. "Losers must agree to surrender power." The United States will not consider a power- sharing agreement because the outcome of the election was clear, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said. "No one disputes the results of the election besides President Gbagbo," Crowley told reporters. "And we believe that for the future of democracy in Cote d'Ivoire and West Africa that he should step down. And that is why we continue to support diplomatic efforts to resolve that with the peaceful transfer of power to Mr. Ouattara." Cote d'Ivoire is the French name for Ivory Coast, a former French colony. Gbagbo has demanded a recount, which mediators have said is not an option because the election documents have been in the custody of his supporters. Mediators will return to Ivory Coast in the near future, but a date has not been set, Odinga said. CNN's Whitney Hurst, Faith Karimi and Jill Dougherty and journalist Eric Agnero contributed to this report. | NEW: Top U.S. envoy says Laurent Gbagbo stole the vote .
Gbagbo says he'll lift a siege on his rival's hotel, but the blockade continues Wednesday .
Gbagbo is open to talks, Kenyan prime minister says . |
40,203 | 717366895bd910d407c1113f9c5230f54ed58e39 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 04:48 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:50 EST, 2 April 2013 . For regular smartphone users, trying to use your handset to zoom on screen while holding a cup of coffee or your shopping can be something of a juggling act. However, one US user of Google's maps software has discovered a secret gesture built into the firm's software than makes life easier. It allows users to 'zoom' on the map simply by double clicking on the screen then leaving their finger on screen. The newly-discovered 'one hand zoom' feature on Google's Maps app lets users easily zoom in with one hand while out and about by simply double tapping and holding their finger on the screen . 'A friend and I just discovered a simple yet incredibly useful feature in Google Maps for iPhone… The one-hand zoom,' said Carl Sednaoui, who blogged about the find. 'To perform a one-hand zoom simply double tap on your map and, after the second tap, leave your finger pressed. 'You can then move your finger up and down to zoom in/ zoom out.' The tip soon wen viral, and was described by Sednaoui as 'Simple, useful, elegant, brilliant.' He also called for other mobile phone firms to implement the feature. 'Dear Apple, I’d love to see you implement this in Apple Maps. 'Dear developers, I’d love to see you implement this in any pinch-to-zoom app.' Google's map app is available on both android (shown here) and Apple's iOS - and the new one hand zoom technique works on both. Google yesterday announced the . introduction of Treasure Mode following the discovery of the long lost . maps of pirate Willian 'Captain' Kidd during an underwater exhibition. They're . only kidding about the discovery, of course - it's one of a string of . hoax new products and services the online ads giant revealed for April . Fool's Day. But the new . Treasure Mode is such fun that observers are nonetheless hoping that it . will actually last beyond the annual day of tricks and tomfoolery. Me hearties! Google today announced the introduction of Treasure Mode following the discovery of the long lost maps of pirate Willian 'Captain' Kidd during an underwater exhibition . Google has led the way in jolly . tech-related April Fool's japes, with its Treasure Mode joining Gmail . Blue, Google Nose and the announcement that YouTube has in fact been an . eight-year competition to find the best video. | Allows users to 'zoom' on the map simply by double clicking on the screen then leaving their finger on screen .
Works in both Android and iOS version of the Google Maps app . |
65,005 | b89955e5c515026f79f1182b6af2f60d16454950 | A family wedding reception descended into chaos after a 40-person fight broke out - over a pork pie. Around 30 to 40 wedding guests were involved in the brawl at the wedding of Wendy Carter and her fiance Ryan Barraclough. The bride's white gown was doused in beer and WKD as punches were thrown, and children were forced to hide in the toilets at the Harold Club in Low Moor, Bradford, West Yorkshire. One woman reportedly had her ear and cheek bitten during the fracas. A family wedding reception erupted in violence after a 40 man fight broke out - over a pork pie. Around 30 to 40 wedding guests were involved in the brawl at the wedding of Wendy Carter and her fiance Ryan Barraclough . The bride's white gown was doused in beer and WKD as punches were thrown, and children were forced to hide in the toilets, at the Harold Club in Low Moor, Bradford, West Yorkshire . It is not clear exactly how the fight started, but it is believed a pork pie and a water pistol were involved. But despite chaos, the newlyweds managed to laugh off the incident. Speaking at their home in Bradford Mr Barraclough, 27, joked: 'We had a brilliant day. It was great and you've got to expect a good punch up at a wedding.' His new wife added: 'It's just funny now. We had a great wedding and it didn't spoil it.' Police officers were called after the function crumbled on Saturday evening and made three arrests - one for a public order matter and others for assault. The public order arrest resulted in a fixed penalty and the other two people were bailed pending further enquiries. But despite chaos, the newlyweds managed to laugh off the incident. Speaking at their home in Bradford Mr Carter, 27, joked: 'We had a brilliant day. It was great and you've got to expect a good punch up at a wedding' Chris Sowden, 43, steward at the Harold Club said yesterday people had been drinking since 2pm. Apparently there was some tension building for an hour or so before it happened. He said: It all started with a water pistol then a pork pie got thrown. 'It was completely out of control and by the end about 30 to 40 guests had got involved. 'I've worked here for 14 years and I've never seen anything like it. We had to shut the bar at 7pm when it was supposed to be open until 11. 'The bride was devastated. Her dress was ruined, she had a lovely big white gown and it had beer and WKD all over it. 'I was downstairs when it kicked off and had to go up to try and sort it out. I spoke to some guests and they said the pork pie was thrown and it all got out of control.' His new wife added: 'It's just funny now. We had a great wedding and it didn't spoil it' 'The scariest thing was there was a lot of children and they all had to hide in the toilets. By the time the police got here the fight had moved to the car park. 'I was amazed nothing got broken. There wasn't even a broken glass. All we had to do was straighten some tables. 'There were about 70 guests in total, it was pretty much all family. 'Mostly people had some cuts and bruises but one of the women involved the initial fight had her cheek bitten and her ear bitten. 'We gave the bride and groom their deposit back as a gesture because they were so upset. Members of West Yorkshire Police's Dog Unit took to social networking website Twitter where they revealed that they had been called to a 'large fight' at a wedding. The tweet added: 'All started over a pork pie apparently! #clubclosed #dayruined' | Fight broke out at reception for Wendy Carter and Ryan Barraclough .
Bride's dress covered in beer and WKD as punches were thrown .
One woman reportedly had her ear and cheek bitten during the fracas .
Not clear how fight started, but pork pie and water pistol were involved . |
239,245 | c1bfc2f2d0c6ee29f32c05c50a0b2a3ce0408e73 | Phil Jagielka will not turn his back on England after insisting he is ready to battle to reclaim his place in Roy Hodgson’s line-up. Everton’s captain was scrutinised after England tumbled out of the World Cup and Hodgson looked at different defensive options during the recent games against Norway and Switzerland, though he did put Jagielka to close out a victory in Basel. Jagielka has not looked to have talks with Hodgson about where he stands in the squad but he does accept that, on recent evidence, he has fallen behind Phil Jones and Chris Smalling in the pecking order to be Gary Cahill’s partner. Phil Jagielka (right) will not turn his back on England and insists he is ready to battle to reclaim his place . Jagielka talks to goalkeeper Tim Howard as Everton thrashed Wolfsburg in Europe on Thursday night . That, however, is not going to be a signal for him to end his career after winning 30 caps. Though he admitted the fallout from the World Cup was a difficult experience, Jagielka maintains his confidence has not been affected and is aiming to show Hodgson he can play a role going forward. ‘There is no point beating myself up about things,’ said Jagielka. ‘I want to play in winning teams and be a big part of a winning team, so there were some aspects I needed to sort out for myself. There are periods of a career where you feel you cannot do too much right. ‘After the game against Switzerland I was as happy as anyone else. I have not pushed my career as far as I can to get to the highest level just to spit my dummy out and say ‘I’m not going to come just because you’re not playing me’. I would like to play every game and play a big part of it. ‘It doesn’t feel nice (being dropped by England). That is the easiest way of saying it, but the manager has a job to do. If you look at building for the future that can work against me, but if you start looking too deeply at things it is not going to do me any favours. ‘I’m not going to demand reasons for not playing. What is there for me to speak to (Hodgson) about? A lot of people could do that for England. That is not what it is about. We are part of a team and if the manager makes a decision you stick by it. All I can do is my best.’ Gary Cahill (left) is England's premier central defender with Phil Jones preferred as his partner at the back . Before this season began, Jagielka said he would “not know for a month” whether the World Cup had left a scar. If his initial displays were scratchy – Everton conceded 10 times in their opening three games – his last two performances against West Brom and Wolfsburg have been much better. ‘I do not feel it has (left a mark),’ said Jagielka, whose side face Crystal Palace tomorrow. ‘It is an obvious assumption to make because it has not been great and could have been a lot better since. On a personal level I do not go around shouting about things. ‘I am sure I would not have been asked this if we had won the first three games of the season and kept clean sheets. I know I have to answer these questions. It has been a sticky four months but the players and coaching staff (at Everton) have been brilliant. ‘I do not think I have been horrific but when you look at the results I have been part of you can throw criticism my way and it is something I have to deal with.’ | Everton captain Phil Jagielka was scrutinised after the World Cup .
England went out of their group in disgrace in Brazil .
Jagielka was dropped for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland .
Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are seen as Gary Cahill's partners at the back . |
109,849 | 1997e9b29d774951f27aa32e6a343127a389ca61 | Amazing new pictures have been released which capture the stories behind the far-flung resting places of Commonwealth soldiers who died during the First World War. The images, which feature in a new photographic book, show war graves and memorials from around the world in what is being billed as photographic tribute to the unsung heroes of the Great War. It also honours the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which maintains graves at more than 23,000 locations across the world. The Anzac beach cemetery in Gallipoli, Turkey, which also features in the new book. The cemetery has 391 casualties buried there, mainly from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war in April 1915. The cemetery was created on the first day of the Anzac landings until the evacuation. There are 369 identified casualties buried there, as well as 33, who have never been identified. The Trekkopje Cemetery in Nambia, where nine Commonwealth soldiers are buried. The cemetery, one of the smallest war grave cemeteries in the world, is situated on railway property adjacent to the now abandoned Trekkopje station in the African country. The nine casualties buried at the cemetery were victims of an attack by German forces on South African railway protection troops on April 26, 1915. The youngest man to die in the attack was 19-year-old William Ernest Anderson, while the oldest was George Stirrit Reid, aged 63. The Guisancourt farm cemetery in France, where 150 Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War are buried. The cemetery was made shortly after the farm in northern France was captured in October 1918 with mainly British casualties buried there. The farm, near the town of Gouy, was secured by the 11th Sherwood Foresters and the 1st/6th Royal Warwicks (25th Division). Of the casualties buried here, 15 are unidentified with all but one falling in October, 1918. The Beaumont-Hamel Memorial Park in the Somme, pictured, in northern France. The town of Beaumont-Hamel was reached in July 1916, but could not be held. It took until November of that year before the town could be secured. The cemetery is the burial site of British casualties, including some whose remains were taken to the site after the Armistice in November 1918. A total of 179 soldiers are buried at the cemetery, with 82 of those buried there still unidentified . In the book, photo journalist Michael St Maur Sheil visited hundreds of sites to bring to life the stories behind them - from a soldier buried alongside his twin, who died the same day, in Saskatchewan in Canada to the memorial by the Tower of London dedicated to 12,000 men lost at sea. Accompanied by a commentary from Peter Francis, from the CWGC, the photos are hoped to give an insight into the sheer number and spread of war graves and the commission’s work in maintaining them. United Kingdom - 781, 858 . Canada - 60, 260 . Australia - 59, 508 . India - 52, 229 . New Zealand - 16, 693 . South Africa - 8,940 . From headstones in the remote Namib Desert to those in the undergrowth of Buff Bay in Jamaica,and from an isolated grave on a tiny island on Loch Shiel to the 72,000 names on the Thiepval Memorial in France, the book aims to commemorate some of history’s greatest and most devastating battles and the men and women who fought and died in them. Mr Sheil said he wanted to 'make each picture count'. He explained: 'I did not want the book to be just a collection of stones and crosses but rather wanted to show the cemeteries within the landscape. 'The CWGC works in an amazing range of climatic and geographical regions so I wanted show that extent and show the landscapes where these men died. 'They were all equal places of death and my job was really to reflect the extent of CWGC work in caring for these graves wherever they may be. 'The handful of men buried at Trekkopje in the Namib desert are just as ‘dead’ and were just as missed by their families as the mass of men in Tyne Cot.' He said the most memorable spot for him was the grave of Donald Pollack, who is buried alongside his twin brother in the remote hills of Saskatchewan. The Osmandwall cemetery in Orkney, off the coast of Scotland, pictured, is the burial site of Royal British Navy members, who died during the early part of the First World War. It was used by the Navy from the outbreak of war in 1914, until 1915 before the creation of Lyness Cemetery elsewhere on Orkney. There are 42 casualties buried there, many of them in the eastern part of the site in a plot marked by a war cross . The St Finnan's Isle Burial Ground is a tiny island in Loch Shiel, near Fort William known locally as the 'Green Isle'. It is surrounded by a ruined chapel and ancient burial sites. There are only two graves, one of which is that of a D. Grant who lived in the tiny hamlet of Dalelia, across the loch from the island and who died in 1916. The other is of Mary MacDonald, a 23-year-old, who died during the Second World War . The burial site is on an island in the middle of Loch Shiel, close to Fort William in Inverness-shire. The cemetery is privately owned and is only accessible by boat. Author of the new book Michael St Maur Sheil said he wanted to make Mr Sheil 'each picture count' and aims to tell the story behind the cemeteries and about the soldiers and people who are buried there . The Gretna Memorial in Edinburgh's Rosebank Cemetery contains 270 First World War burials. Most died in the Gretna railway disaster, when two trains collided at Quintinshill Junction near Gretna on May 22, 1915, killing 210 officers and men of the 1st/7th Royal Scots on their way to embark for Gallipoli. Victims of the disaster are buried in the Memorial Ground. During the war, the port of Leith in Edinburgh was used by hospital ships from north Russia and about 4,500 officers and men passed through it . More than 180 men who fell during the First World War are buried at Queensferry Cemetery in West Lothian, pictured, with almost all of them serving in the Royal Navy. The headstone was erected by the people of South Queensferry in memory of those died during the Battle of Jutland, a naval battle during 1916, where the British defeated the German forces . 'It is a lovely tranquil spot though the farmstead has long been abandoned. One can only imagine the happy scene as he returned from the war to be greeted by his family and especially his twin brother, Alexander', explained Mr Sheil. 'And one can only imagine the horror and misery for his mother as he fell sick with influenza and infected his brother: how terrible it must have been for her to watch her two sons, born on the same day, dying on the same day. 'The Spanish flu was a vicious killer where you literally drowned in your own bodily fluids and to have this happen in such a remote place, so far from help after the joy of home-coming is such a cruel irony.' The book, For The Fallen by photojournalist Michael St MaurSheil, who visited hundreds of Commonwealth War Graves sites to bring to life the stories behind them . Mr Sheil, who has been documenting battlefields of the Great War since 2006, said he hoped the book would help people realise that the First World War was fought far beyond Europe. He added: 'I would like people to realise that the First World War was exactly that, namely a World War: we tend to think of it just being in France but we ignore its territorial range and the collateral loss of life. 'The loss of life in Africa is estimated to have been over one million people largely through famine and disease and it helped generate the terrible pandemic of Spanish flu. 'I think that cemeteries tend to ‘bend’ history in that it is easy to research and tell the stories of the men in the cemeteries whereas it is often impossible to tell the story of those who survived and never again spoke of their experiences so those who vied are often forgotten about.' | New images show the resting places around the world of Commonwealth soliders who died during World War One .
They include one of the smallest cemeteries in Nambia to the Anzac beach burial site in Gallipoli in Turkey .
Pictures feature in a new book by journalist Michael St Maur Shiel as a tribute to the unsung heroes of the Great War .
He says he wanted the photos to give an insight into the sheer number of graves and the stories behind them .
The book, For The Fallen, also honours the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission .
For The Fallen, with photographs by Michael St Maur Sheil and words by Peter Francis, is published today, AA Publishing, £25. |
192,335 | 85042edfc95eae0cfc41aa916d5041c09c6c2c4e | By . Sophie Borland . UPDATED: . 03:15 EST, 3 February 2012 . Patients admitted to hospitals at weekends are far more likely to die than those taken there on weekdays, a major study has confirmed. Chances of recovery are jeopardised because senior doctors are absent and tests and scans are not immediately available. A study of over 14million NHS admissions found that Sunday patients are 16 per cent more likely to die within the next 30 days than those brought in on a Wednesday. Worrying: Patients admitted to hospitals at weekends are far more likely to die than those taken there on weekdays, a major study has confirmed . Patients admitted on a Saturday are 11 per cent more likely to die in 30 days. Alarmingly, the researchers warned that patients who go to hospital at weekends tend to be sicker – making it crucial that they receive the highest standard of medical attention. This is due to a higher number of road accidents, drink-related injuries and poor out-of-hours GP care that means patients’ deteriorate while treatment is delayed. Earlier this week, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley ordered a ‘fundamental rethink’ of how hospitals are run at weekends. Responding to this study Mr Lansley said: ‘It is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results. ‘Much of the rest of the country continues to be open for the public’s needs at weekends – an NHS that revolves around patients should be the same. ‘By opening some services seven days a . week, more patients will get the care and treatment that they need when . they need it. In some parts of the NHS, this is already happening. Concerned: Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said it is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results . 'On Saturdays and sometimes Sundays, some services have scanners open to provide tests, are doing operations, and have more senior staff around.’ Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘The NHS exists to ensure that its users are given the best possible care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is simply not acceptable for somebody to face an increased risk of death just because they were unfortunate enough to suffer an injury or get sick on a Saturday or Sunday as opposed to any other day of the week.’ Researchers from University College London – whose work was commissioned by the Department of Health – looked at 14.2million hospital admissions in 2009/10. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the researchers concluded: ‘There may be aspects of care associated with weekend admissions which disadvantage patients. ‘Some urgent conditions require prompt treatment and in some cases the way weekend care is organised may lead to delays which can adversely affect the outcome.’ The study backs up a report in November by Dr Foster Intelligence linking a higher death rate at weekends with poorer staff levels. Most consultants tend to work office hours and at weekends the wards are left in the hands of junior doctors. In addition, departments responsible for certain scans and blood tests are shut until Monday. The researchers pointed out that patients admitted at weekends may be more seriously ill. Some who become seriously ill on Friday try and hang on until Monday, during which time they deteriorate further and end up needing urgent treatment. There are also more injuries from road accidents, alcohol and self-harming at weekends. Dr Andrew Goddard, of the Royal College of Physicians, said: ‘This study is further evidence that patients admitted at weekends are more likely to die following admission than patients admitted to hospital during the week. ‘There are many reasons for this, but the two most important are that the patients are more ill and there are fewer doctors available.’ David Stout, deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation said: ‘There is no doubt that this is something the NHS has to improve. 'Patients should never have to worry about what is the "right" time to visit their local hospital.’ | Chances of recovery are jeopardised because senior doctors are absent and tests are not always available .
Study finds that Sunday patients are 16 per cent more likely to die than those admitted on a Wednesday .
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says the findings are 'unacceptable' |
197,458 | 8b92ec0e298c4394fa31e3c200912636fe7b5d61 | By . Jessica Jerreat . Jailed: Nicholas Cheese has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after assaulting a 13-year-old girl . A 27-year-old from the UK was jailed for 17 years on Monday after filming himself sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl from Maine who he befriended in a Harry Potter chat room. Nicholas Cheese was found guilty of abusing the Levant girl over three days in a motel room in Bangor, Maine, in June last year. As the judge jailed Cheese, from Wolvercote near Oxford, he condemned the businessman for subjecting the young girl to 'a range of sexual experiences many adults would refuse to explore'. Cheese, who worked in the dry cleaning industry, had befriended the victim, who has not been identified, through an online chat room for fans of the Harry Potter children's books when she was 12. He arranged to meet the girl at his motel room, when he traveled to the U.S. for a business trip, and admitted to police he knew she was only 13. Cheese was found guilty of one count of producing pornography after filming his final encounter with the child. Initial charges from his arrest on July 1, of gross sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor, were dismissed in September when his case moved from state to federal court. The victim did not appear in court, but her father spoke on her behalf, telling Judge John Woodcock that his daughter had met Cheese when she was recovering from a life-threatening illness. Cheese is said to have helped the girl through the illness, details of which were not revealed, then arranged to meet her while on his way to a conference in Texas. 'My daughter is more upset about what . happened afterward,' he said of Cheese’s prosecution. 'She feels like she lost her best friend.' Assault: Cheese flew to Bangor in Maine from his Oxford home so he could meet the 13-year-old . The judge said that although the sex would be considered consensual if it had been between adults, he said the victim was not a '13-year-old who looked like she was 18', the Bangor Daily News reported. He added: 'The defendant’s actions against this 13-year-old girl were unusually aggressive.' Fan site: Cheese met his victim through an online chat room for Harry Potter fans . As he sentenced Cheese to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release, he said: 'When [Cheese] met her, he gave her a crash . course in sex. 'In a matter of three days, he exposed her to a range of . sexual experiences many adults would refuse to explore.' Cheese wept as his parents, who had . flown to the U.S. for his hearing, addressed the court and pleaded for . leniency for their son. His father lives in Britain and his mother has a . home in Spain. The victim's father had contacted police on June 30 last year to say that his daughter had been sexually assaulted by a man from the UK. Detective Andrew Whitehouse and Detective Brent Beaulieu interviewed Cheese at the motel he was staying in, and later arrested him and confiscated his passport. During questioning Cheese admitted he had gone to Bangor to have sex with the 13-year-old, and that he had previously got her to send explicit pictures and videos to him. The images and footage, and a sexually explicit photo taken in the motel room, were found on Cheese's cellphone, according to court documents. Child pornography was also found on his home computer by police in the UK. It is not clear if he will face charges relating to those images. He is expected to be deported at the end of his prison term in the U.S. | Nicholas Cheese has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for assault .
Judge condemned him for giving teenager 'crash course in sex'
Victim's father says Cheese helped his daughter through life-threatening sickness a year before his perverted attack . |
85,326 | f2061f35248af682711ac1b2f5d46d3cbad8e102 | By . MailOnline Reporter . Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been awarded France's top civilian honor at a low-key ceremony in Paris. The 72-year-old billionaire blushed and grinned as he accepted the Legion d'Honneur - or Legion of Honor - from France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at the Quai d'Orsay on Tuesday. 'Many thanks to Laurent Fabius and the French Legion of Honor, which embodies the ideals of liberty our nations share,' Bloomberg wrote on Twitter following the ceremony. Bloomberg, who stepped down following his third term as mayor last year, is in France to speak about climate change at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development conference. Tres bien: France's Foreign minister Laurent Fabius, right, awards the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris on Tuesday . The Legion of Honor, which was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is the highest decoration in France 'created to honor extraordinary contributions to the country', according to the consulate. The award is divided into five degrees: Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross - and Bloomberg was promoted with the Commander grade. Bloomberg proudly shared a snap of the moment he received the award on Twitter, while Fabius also commended the achievement by tweeting an image showing the pair smiling together. The former mayor has long nodded to France's support in the U.S. Chuffed: The award is the highest decoration in France and honors 'extraordinary contributions to the country' Worn with pride: Bloomberg, who stepped down from office last year, wears his award following the ceremony . While in office in 2011, he co-hosted an event at the Statue of Liberty with then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy to celebrate '125 years of friendship between New York City and France'. There, Bloomberg said the U.S. should not forget France's support during the American Revolution, while Sarkozy agreed France and the U.S. shared 'bonds of blood' and a common value of freedom. And last year - in a show of just how much he appreciates the country - he famously spent $13,300 on a custom copper bath made by skilled French craftsmen for his five-storey Manhattan home. Bloomberg is not the first American - or New Yorker - to receive the award. Happy to be there: Bloomberg has previously thanked France for helping the U.S. throughout history . Pose: Bloomberg poses for photographers with Fabius at the Quai d'Orsay. He later thanked the minister on Twitter, saying the award 'embodies the ideals of liberty our nations share' In 2006, former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, who was in office under Bloomberg, was awarded the Légion d'honneur during a ceremony at the French consulate in Manhattan. Other notable American recipients include Walt Disney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Dylan, Danielle Steele, Julia Child, Toni Morrison and the later-disgraced General David Petraeus. In addition, most American veterans who served in France during World Wars I and II are inducted into the Légion d'honneur after they apply. | Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg received the Legion d'Honneur from France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Tuesday .
The top award 'embodies the ideals of liberty our nations share', he said .
He joins a lengthy list of other U.S. recipients, including Walt Disney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Dylan and Ray Kelly . |
202,620 | 9253a8327777c36f42c899a3f127cd0c7b22f1e5 | Archaeologists are hopeful that an ancient mound in northern Greece could hold the untouched remains of an important senior official from the time of Alexander the Great. Excavations at the ‘incredibly important’ tomb have revealed a pair of sphinxes guarding the grave's entrance. The two sculptures were found under an arch at the Kasta Tumulus site near ancient Amphipolis in Macedonia, Greece. At 1,935ft (590m) wide, it is the largest burial of its kind ever discovered in Greece. Scroll down for video . Archaeologists were hopeful that an ancient mound in northern Greece could hold the remains of a senior official from the time of Alexander the Great. They discovered that its entrance is guarded by a pair of sphinxes (pictured) but last month warned that signs of forced entry indicate it was plundered in antiquity . Greece’s Culture Ministry said that most of the earth around the mythical creatures has now been removed to reveal part of a marble lintel with frescoes. Chief archaeologist Katerina Peristeri, believes that the monument being uncovered is a unique tomb, not just for Greece but for the entire Balkanic peninsula, and described it as being of ‘global interest’. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who visited the tightly-guarded site two weeks ago, said the discovery ‘is clearly extremely important’ and dates between 325 and 300 B.C. Alexander, who started from the northern Greek region of Macedonia to build an empire stretching as far as India, died in 323 B.C. and was buried in Egypt. Archaeologists . excavating an ancient mound in northern Greece (picutred) have . uncovered what appears to be the entrance to an important tomb. It is . believed to have been built at the end of the reign of warrior-king . Alexander the Great and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras described the . discovery as 'extremely important’ Alexander (statue pictured) was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia in July 356 BC, and died of a fever in Babylon in June 323 BC . Alexander III of Macedon was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia in July 356 BC. He died of a fever in Babylon in June 323 BC. Alexander led an army across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt claiming the land as he went. His greatest victory was at the Battle of Gaugamela, now northern Iraq, in 331 BC, and during his trek across these Persian territories, he was said to never have suffered a defeat. This led him to be known as Alexander the Great. Following this battle in Gaugamela, Alexander led his army a further 11,000 miles (17,700km), founded over 70 cities and created an empire that stretched across three continents. This covered from Greece in the west, to Egypt in the south, Danube in the north, and Indian Punjab to the East. Alexander was buried in Egypt. His fellow royals were traditionally interred in a cemetery near Vergina, far to the west. The lavishly-furnished tomb of Alexander's father, Philip II, was discovered during the 1970s. His fellow royals were traditionally interred in a cemetery near Vergina, to the west, where the lavishly-furnished tomb of Alexander's father, Philip II, was discovered during the 1970s. But archaeologists believe the Amphipolis grave, which is surrounded by a surprisingly long and well-built wall with courses of marble decorations, may have belonged to a senior ancient official. Dr Peristeri has argued the mound was originally topped by a large stone lion that was unearthed a century ago, and is now situated around 3 miles (5km) from the excavation site. Geophysical teams have identified there are three main rooms within the huge circular structure, news.com.au reported. In the past, the lion has been associated with Laomedon of Mytilene, one of Alexander's military commanders who became governor of Syria after the king's death. Greece's culture ministry said that earth around the sphinx statues has been removed to reveal part of a marble lintel with frescoes (pictured) but hopes of finding further treasures now seem to be slim . The tomb is situated in Amphipolis region of Serres in Greece (marked). Archaeologists believe the grave may have belonged to a senior ancient official. While it looks largely undisturbed, there are fears that looting took place hundreds of years ago . In Greek tradition, the mythical sphinx has the haunches of a lion, sometimes with the wings of a great bird, and the face of a human - usually a woman. It was described by writers as being treacherous and merciless. In many myths, including Oedipus, those who could not answer a riddle posed by the monster, would be killed and eaten. The sphinx described by the Ancient Egyptians was usually male and more benevolent. In both cultures, they often guarded entrances to temples and important tombs. The oldest sphinx found guarding a site was discovered in Turkey and dates to 9,500 BC. ‘The excavation will answer the crucial question of who was buried inside,’ Mr Samaras said. Last week The Culture Ministry called for ‘understanding’ while the Amphipolis excavation proceeds. The discovery has sparked global interest and wild speculation that it may contain rich treasures or the bones of an ancient celebrity. The doorway of the tomb is covered in earth, with traces of painted plaster decoration. ‘It's astonishing, the biggest tomb we have found in Greece so far,’ said archaeologist Chryssoula Paliadelli, an expert on the period who is not involved in the excavation. ‘It clearly shows the wealth that allowed construction of what was, at the time, a hugely costly monument.’ While the tomb appears to be undisturbed, there are fears that it could have been looted hundreds of years ago. Part of a stone wall that blocked off the subterranean entrance is missing, while the sphinxes, which were originally six feet (2metres) high, lack heads and wings. Near the sphinxes, excavators have found fragments of a large marble lion that originally capped the mound, which they say indicates the site was severely damaged and dug up in later antiquity. The excavation is expected to last at least another few weeks. Excavator Katerina Peristeri has argued the mound was originally topped by a large stone lion that was unearthed a century ago, and is now situated around 3 miles (5km) from the excavation site (pictured). The lion has been associated with Laomedon of Mytilene, who was one of Alexander's military commanders . | The tomb is situated in Amphipolis region of Serres in Greece .
Mysterious headless sphinxes have been found at its entrance .
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras described the find as ‘incredibly important,’ and one archaeologist thinks it could be of 'global importance'
The tomb and its burial site is said to date back between 325 and 300 BC .
This means it could have been built during the reign of Alexander the Great .
Experts believe it could hold the remains of a senior ancient official . |
272,753 | ed410a56a3ca370b9c3b3050e3428ce4663fd1bb | The girlfriend of New England Patriots footballer Aaron Hernandez was in court today accused of lying about the disposal of evidence in the murder case against him. Standing just feet from relatives of Odin Lloyd, who was shot dead in June, Shayanna Jenkins pleaded not guilty to a single charge of perjury for allegedly lying to a Massachusetts grand jury. The 24-year-old, said to have a 'don't ask don't tell' relationship with Hernandez, is accused of lying at a hearing in August about where she threw a box he allegedly asked her to 'get rid of' after Mr Lloyd's murder, Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg said. Charges: Shayanna Jenkins has been accused of perjury in the murder case against Aaron Hernandez . Grief: Ursula Ward, whose son Odin was shot dead, wipes away tears in the Massachusetts court as she listens to Jenkins' testimony . Jenkins is also accused of falsely telling police that Mr Lloyd, who was dating her sister, dealt drugs, prosecutors said. She initially invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, but was later granted immunity for her testimony, Mr Bomberg said. Hernandez, 23, has pleaded not guilty to the murder on June 17 of Mr Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-professional footballer from Boston. He is being held without bail. Mr Lloyd's body was found near the North Attleborough home Jenkins and Hernandez shared with their infant daughter, according to Boston.com. His mother, Ursula Ward, was seen to wipe away tears in the courtroom as she listened to testimony from Jenkins. In court on Tuesday, Mr Bomberg said that the day after Mr Lloyd was killed, Jenkins retrieved a box from the basement of the home she shared with Hernandez in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, put it in a trash bag, covered it with baby clothes and drove away with it. Accused: New England Patriots footballer Aaron Hernandez is facing murder and gun charges . Jenkins repeatedly told grand jurors she threw the box in a dumpster but couldn't recall where, according to Mr Bomberg. The attorney did not say what is believed to have been in the box. Hernandez's associate Carlos Ortiz, who is charged as an accessory in the case, has told investigators the professional footballer put firearms in a box in his basement after the killing, according to court records. Victim: Semi-professional footballer Odin Lloyd was shot dead in June . Prosecutors have said the murder weapon has not been found. Jenkins, who has turned up to support Hernandez at his court hearings, also allegedly denied asking her maids to sign non-disclosure agreements after Mr Lloyd's death, the Courant reported. The maids, who reported seeing guns at the house, later testified before the grand jury that Jenkins did ask them to sign documents, copies of which have been submitted as evidence, Mr Bomberg said. Defense attorney Janice Bassil said Jenkins answered every question asked of her before the grand jury and that prosecutors were overreaching with the perjury charge. She said there is no evidence Jenkins lied and that prosecutors sought the indictment simply because they didn't believe her. She called lead prosecutor William McCauley's questioning of Jenkins 'extremely aggressive' and heavy-handed. Ms Bassil described the relationship between Jenkins and Hernandez, who have a child together, as one of 'don't ask, don't tell'. She claimed that style of relationship, where couples share only parts of their lives with each other, was common among sports figures and entertainers. The perjury charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years. Prosecutors have asked the judge assigned to the Hernandez case, Susan Garsh, to recuse herself, saying she and Mr McCauley have a 'well-known and publicly documented history of antagonism' stemming from a 2010 murder trial he argued before her. Mr McCauley won a conviction in that case but was quoted in the press as criticizing Judge Garsh, saying she had unfairly limited or excluded evidence and exhibited antagonism. A hearing on the request is scheduled for Monday. Three others face charges in the Hernandez case. Ernest Wallace and Ortiz, who prosecutors say were with Hernandez and Mr Lloyd in a car on the night Mr Lloyd was killed, have been charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact. Wallace has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $500,000 bail. Ortiz is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday. Hernandez's cousin, Tanya Singleton, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit accessory after the fact and criminal contempt. Prosecutors say she refused to testify before the grand jury even though she was offered immunity. Perjury: Shayanna Jenkins is accused of lying about helping to dispose of a box after Mr Lloyd's murder . Relationship: Jenkins was said to have a 'don't ask don't tell' arrangement with boyfriend Hernandez, the court was told . Hernandez has also been linked to an investigation into a double homicide in Boston in 2012. While investigating Mr Lloyd's death, police found a SUV rented in Hernandez's name at the home of his uncle, which was wanted in connection with those killings. Jenkins was released on personal recognizance . during her arraignment in Fall River Superior Court on a single perjury . count. Prosecutors had sought $5,000 cash bail. She is due back in court for a pre-trial conference on November 6. | Couple had 'don't ask don't tell' relationship arrangement .
Shayanna Jenkins pleaded not guilty to perjury after allegedly lying to jury .
24-year-old allegedly denied asking maids to sign non-disclose agreements .
Footballer accused of shooting semi-professional player Odin Lloyd on June 17 . |
176,907 | 70ff6f2d8b4c767f8c3df7ec0634547162dbd531 | By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:22 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 23 May 2013 . Elected police commissioners have sparked a cronyism row by packing their offices with taxpayer-funded political appointees. A string of them have appointed former campaign aides, party colleagues and local councillors to highly-paid deputy posts in their expanding offices, a report revealed. MPs found that the commissioners, who are paid up to £100,000 a year to supervise local police forces, were hiring dozens of officials to work with them, on salaries of up to £70,000. Former MP Tony Lloyd, who heads the Greater Manchester force, has appointed 45 members of staff, including two communications officers and a head of 'scrutiny and engagement' Once the cost of their offices are totalled up, 14 PCCs – or one in three of the total – are already costing more than the Police Authorities they replaced, the Commons home affairs committee said. One Police and Crime Commissioner, former MP Tony Lloyd who heads the Greater Manchester force, has appointed 45 members of staff, including two communications officers and a head of ‘scrutiny and engagement’. Critics said the PCCs were guilty of ‘building cosy little empires’. Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Police and Crime Commissioners were elected to keep a watchful eye on police spending, not to build their own cosy little empires. ‘Taxpayers elected their PCCs – and not all of their political friends – precisely because they wanted to see someone crack down on wasteful spending and unnecessary bureaucracy in the police.’ PCCs are barred from appointing party political office holders and ‘active party members’ to their staff, with the exception of the position of deputy PCC. All other roles should be ‘appointed on merit’, the rules say. However, the report notes that ‘the position of deputy is not a politically restricted post. Some PCCs have consequently recruited political or personal contacts’. They include Northamptonshire PCC Adam Simmonds, who appointed three interim assistant commissioners on £65,000, including two from his campaign team. West Midlands PCC Bob Jones hired three Labour councillors as assistant commissioners on £22,500 and a deputy commissioner, Yvonne Mosquito, on £65,000. Kent PCC Ann Barnes hired her Lib Dem former campaign manager Peter Carroll as an adviser on £70,000, while Surrey PCC Kevin Hurley, a former Metropolitan Police officer, hired a former colleague, Jeff Harris, as his deputy on £50,000. A separate BBC survey revealed PCCs had created nearly 450 posts in their offices since the November elections. Behind Manchester, the West Yorkshire PCC has hired 27 staff, Merseyside 26 and West Midlands 23. The committee called for a national register of PCCs’ interests and for ‘stronger scrutiny’ of the commissioners to prevent ‘maverick decision making’. They found that only one in four has published their full spending information online – such as expenses and contacts – despite the law requiring them to do so. Chief Executive of the GMP PCC's office Russell Bernstein said: 'The staff in Tony’s office were transferred over from the police authority. 'As highlighted in the Home Affairs Select Committee report, the cost of running Tony’s office is significantly less than other police and crime commissioners. 'This represents a saving of 8.5% on the costs of the former police authority and the Commissioner is looking to identify further savings.' Kent PCC Ann Barnes hired her Lib Dem former campaign manager Peter Carroll as an adviser on £70,000 . A PCC whose staff were arrested after . he reported them for allegedly exposing his expenses claim for a . chauffeur-driven Mercedes has been criticised by MPs. Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner . Richard Rhodes reported the whistleblowers for telling a local . newspaper that he had charged the taxpayer £700 for two chauffeur-driven . trips. He later apologised but said he had no regrets about calling the police. Three people have been arrested and could face jail if convicted over the leaks. MPs on the committee said: ‘Where . PCCs are considered to have exceeded their powers or otherwise behaved . inappropriately, it is unacceptable that those who expose the matter . should be at risk of losing their jobs, or face other reprisals.’ | String of police commissioners hiring dozens of officials to work with them .
14 of the PCCs are costing more than the Police Authorities they replaced .
Critics have accused PCCs of 'building cosy little empires' |
181,761 | 7755a0ba84a1139779eb4ae6caae8f34b29d6440 | (CNN) -- She is small but only in physical stature. Aung San Suu Kyi is the very embodiment of Myanmar's long struggle for democracy. The 66-year-old human rights icon defied Myanmar's authoritarian military junta with her quiet demeanor and grace when she spent 15 of 21 years under house arrest for her unending opposition to authoritarian rule in Myanmar. By the time she was freed in November 2010, she had become, perhaps, the world's most recognizable political prisoner. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. Over the past year, Suu Kyi has met repeatedly with Myanmar's President Thein Sein and the country's minister for labor and for social welfare, relief and resettlement, Aung Kyi. Now, she will participate in Myanmar's next elections, Nyan Win, the spokesman for her National League for Democracy, said Friday. Her National League for Democracy announced earlier Friday that it planned to re-register as a political party and participate in all future parliamentary elections. During her captivity, she lived quietly by herself at her disintegrating Inya Lake villa in Yangon (the former capital, also known as Rangoon), accompanied solely by two maids. She had little outside human contact except for visits from her doctor. Sometimes, though, she was able to speak over the wall of her compound to her supporters, never once tiring of her crusade to break down the tyranny of dictatorship in her beloved homeland of Burma, the alternate name for Myanmar. Known as the "lady" in Myanmar, Suu Kyi has been compared to former South African President Nelson Mandela, who spent a chunk of his life in jail for fighting apartheid. In an interview with CNN several years ago, Suu Kyi, in fact, likened Myanmar's plight to South Africa's former brutal race-based system. "It's a form of apartheid," she said. "In Africa, it was apartheid based on color. Here, it is apartheid based on ideas. It is as though those who want democracy are somehow of an alien inferior breed and this is not so." The daughter of Gen. Aung San, a hero of Burmese independence, Suu Kyi spent much of her early life abroad, going to school in India and at Oxford University in England. She never sought political office. Rather, leadership was bestowed upon her when she returned home in 1988 after her mother suffered a stroke. Journey into politics . During her visit, a student uprising erupted and spotlighted her as a symbol of freedom. When Suu Kyi's mother died the next year, Suu Kyi vowed that just as her parents had served the people of Burma, so, too, would she. In her first public speech, she stood before a crowd of several hundred thousand people with her husband, Michael Aris, and her two sons and called for a democratic government. "The present crisis is the concern of the entire nation," she said. "I could not, as my father's daughter, remain indifferent to all that was going on. This national crisis could, in fact, be called the second struggle for independence." She won over the Burmese people. One of them was Nyo Ohn Myint, who participated in the 1988 protests as a college professor and now serves as one of the leaders in Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. "She is more than her father's daughter," he told CNN. "She has proven that she can bring together the Burmese people." In 1989, the military regime threw her in jail. But even with Suu Kyi sitting behind bars, her party won the elections the following year by a landslide, gaining 82 percent of the seats in parliament. The regime ignored the results of the vote and Senior Gen. Than Shwe continued to impose numerous terms of house arrest on her. Suu Kyi, meanwhile, became the recipient of several human rights prizes and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Over the years, Suu Kyi repeatedly challenged the junta and discouraged foreign investment in Myanmar. In one incident in 1998, soldiers prevented her from leaving Yangon. But Suu Kyi refused to turn back and was detained in her minivan for almost two weeks. The ordeal left her severely dehydrated, but was typical of her almost stubborn determination. Myint described her as energetic but humble. And a good listener. "That's a skill I barely see in other people," Myint said. Gandhi's example . She has remained a devoted Buddhist who from the beginning admired the principles on non-violence and civil disobedience espoused by India's Mahatma Gandhi, Myint said. Over the years, Suu Kyi has made clear her devotion to bringing democracy to Myanmar. She has spoken of her separation from her loved ones as the sacrifice she chose to make for the freedom of her country. Her dying husband petitioned the Myanmar authorities to allow him to visit his wife. He had last seen her in 1995, but his request was rejected. Instead, the junta encouraged Suu Kyi to join her family abroad. But she said she knew that if she left, she would never be allowed to return. Aris died of prostate cancer in March 1999. Even before they were married, Suu Kyi had penned a letter to Aris professing her love of country. "I only ask one thing," she wrote, "that should my people need me, you would help me to do my duty by them." Myint recalled calling her to express his condolences after Aris died in 1999. Suu Kyi was calm on the phone for the four-minute conversation but Myint could tell her heart was breaking. "Maybe we are good at politics," Suu Kyi told Myint. "But we are bad at family matters." Life in captivity . Suu Kyi tried to break the monotony of her life by playing her piano, another passion in her life, according to the independent Irrawaddy magazine. But in time, the piano warped and Suu Kyi turned to painting to fill the void, the magazine reported. One day, maybe, people will see her canvases. Suu Kyi has also asked her lawyers to bring her books in English and French. Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz had been allowed to present her with his book "Globalization and Its Discontent." In 2007, people defiantly took to the streets to protest rising fuel costs. The demonstrations were seen as a direct challenge to the authority of the government. The regime answered with a brutal crackdown. Suu Kyi's detention was extended again and again. She appeared gaunt -- and unhappy. Even when Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar in May 2008, Suu Kyi was not allowed to leave her house, though trees were crashing down all around her. The following year, Myanmar was again propelled into the headlines by a bizarre incident involving an American, John Yettaw, who improvised flippers to swim Inya Lake to Suu Kyi's compound. He said he had received a message from God to do so. Yettaw was arrested, and Suu Kyi was put on trial, charged with harboring Yettaw, and was punished with another 18 months of house arrest. Some believe that Suu Kyi's stubborn defiance has become an obstacle to progress in Myanmar. But her followers remain ardent in their admiration. She has clung to her dream of democracy, peace and freedom for Myanmar's 50 million impoverished people, they say. Those simple ideals have greatly complicated one woman's life. | Aung San Suu Kyi has been compared to Nelson Mandela .
Suu Kyi has been described as energetic but humble .
She's the daughter of a Burmese hero of independence . |
207,148 | 9835a2b094e4823a025350d6e7a6572c73213f72 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband holds the title of prince but he may look more like a movie pirate for the next two weeks as he wears a patch over an eye. The patch protects an eye that Prince Frederic Von Anhalt accidentally glued shut Tuesday morning, publicist John Blanchette said. "It was dark and he grabbed his wife's nail glue instead of eye drops," Blanchette said. "It was stupid," Von Anhalt said after a doctor repaired the damage at a Beverly Hills eye clinic. When Von Anhalt returned to his Bel Air, California, home later Tuesday morning he moved his wife's nail glue from the couple's bathroom. "She doesn't use it anymore," Von Anhalt said. Von Anhalt, 68, will have to wear the patch over his right eye for two weeks, he said. Gabor, 93, suffered an eye injury years ago when she mistakenly used "crazy glue" on her eyelashes, her daughter Francesca Hilton said. She has been frail and "pretty much confined to a wheelchair" since a 2002 car accident, Von Anhalt said. The crash happened when the car in which she was riding with her hairdresser slammed into a light pole on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Gabor underwent hip replacement surgery last summer after she fell from her bed. The Hungarian-born actress, the second of the three celebrated Gabor sisters, is most famous for her many marriages. Among her husbands was Oscar-winning actor George Sanders. Her more prominent films include John Huston's Toulouse-Lautrec biopic, "Moulin Rouge," in 1952, "The Story of Three Loves" in 1953, "The Girl in the Kremlin" in 1957, and Orson Welles' 1958 cult classic, "Touch of Evil." Her sisters are deceased -- Eva in 1995 and Magda in 1997. | Prince Frederic Von Anhalt accidently glued his right eye shut .
A Beverly Hills doctor repaired his eye Tuesday morning .
Von Anhalt has moved his actress-wife's nail glue . |
152,054 | 508106a10001c1d1ba22e0f60b68c87e463a2298 | Ed Miliband yesterday dropped any mention of Britain’s vast budget deficit, immigration and welfare from his final party conference speech before the General Election. Instead, the Labour leader put an assault on the wealthy and more cash for the NHS at the heart of a statist bid for power. Retreating to his party’s old comfort zone, the Labour leader railed against owners of expensive homes, bankers, Tories, energy and tobacco companies and the media. Scroll down for video . Ed Miliband dropped any mention of Britain’s vast budget deficit, immigration and welfare from his final party conference speech before the General Election. Aides said the speech ‘changed’ as it was being delivered . After the speech, Miliband attempted to kiss his wife Justine who pulled away but later managed to get it right . Last night it emerged that he had either ditched or forgotten to deliver a planned section promising to ‘get the deficit down’ and ‘no proposals for additional borrowing’. Extracts of his address released in advance to favoured journalists also revealed he had been expected to promise to make immigrants ‘learn English and earn their way’, but failed to do so. On welfare, Mr Miliband also neglected to say that all who can work ‘have a responsibility to do so’. Aides said the speech, delivered without notes, had ‘changed’ as it was being delivered. In what was widely seen as a lacklustre appearance at the conference in Manchester, which he described as the start of a ‘job interview’ to become Prime Minister, he sketched out a vision for a decade in Downing Street. While the Conservatives told people ‘you’re on your own’, the Labour leader said that if elected he would seek to fashion an interventionist state based on something he called ‘the principle of together’. He said he would tax tobacco companies, owners of valuable properties and hedge funds to raise £2.5 billion to pay for 20,000 more nurses, 8,000 extra GPs, 5,000 careworkers and 3,000 midwives. A ‘mansion tax’ would be introduced on more than 100,000 homes worth more than £2 million. Businesses would be required to pay a minimum wage of £8 an hour by 2020, big banks ‘broken up’ and firms that want government contracts made to take on apprentices. Developers will no longer be allowed to ‘sit on land’, which will be released for housebuilding, ‘cruel and vindictive’ cuts to housing benefit will be reversed and all electricity required to be environmentally friendly by 2030. Miliband went in for a kiss with his wife Justine but had to brush it off when she accidentally moved away . The pair joked about the mishap before later having a quick peck in front of the clapping crowd and cameras . The House of Lords will be scrapped and replaced with a ‘National Senate of the Nations and the Regions’ and 16- and 17-year-olds will be given the vote. ‘Friends, it is time we ran the country like we know it can be run,’ Mr Miliband said in the 68-minute speech. The Labour leader, who used the word ‘together’ 47 times, said he aimed to ‘restore people’s faith in the future’. ‘I’m not talking about changing a policy, or simply a different programme. But something that is bigger: transforming the idea, the ethic, of how our country is run. ‘What people across England, Scotland and Wales, across every part of the UK, are saying is this country doesn’t care about me. Politics doesn’t listen. 'The economy doesn’t work. And they are not wrong. They are right. But this Labour Party has a plan to put it right.’ Mr Miliband also reeled off a list of people and organisations he said he had ‘stood up to’, including Rupert Murdoch over phone hacking, banks over bonuses, payday lenders and energy companies over their profits and the Daily Mail when it ran an article about his father’s views. After the speech, the Labour leader was forced to brush off an embarrassing mishap after moving in to kiss wife Justine - who pulled away at the crucial moment. The gaffe occurred when he brought her to the centre of the stage to wave to the crowd and cameras. The pair managed to laugh off the mishap and later had a peck on the lips to make up for it. Last night Labour MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk said Mr Miliband appeared to have a ‘mental block’ on immigration and welfare. ‘He talks a lot in his speech about meeting Gareth and Josephine and others in the park or the pub,’ he said. ‘It seems strange that none of them he’s met have mentioned immigration and welfare. ‘You do wonder if he has a mental block about talking about these issues.’ Chancellor George Osborne said it was ‘extraordinary’ Mr Miliband ‘didn’t mention the deficit once’. ‘If you can’t fix the economy you can’t fund the NHS,’ he added. Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the union Unite, Labour’s biggest financial backer, was delighted with Mr Miliband’s speech. ‘The keys of No 10 are within his grasp,’ he said. But Grant Shapps, the Conservative party chairman, said: ‘All Ed Miliband offers is more wasteful spending, more borrowing and more taxes. 'You can’t fund the NHS if you lose control of the nation’s finances and bankrupt the economy like Labour did last time.’ A Labour government will hit thousands of pubs and clubs with a late-night-opening tax – in a blunt admission of the chaos caused by its 24-hour drinking laws. Yesterday Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said drinking venues in some areas which want to open beyond midnight will be forced to pay up to £4,400 a year extra. The party leader, who used the word ‘together’ 47 times, said he aimed to ‘restore people’s faith in the future’ Aides said Mr Miliband's speech, which was given without notes, had ‘changed’ as it was being delivered . Ed Miliband has an approval rating of minus 23 per cent, making him the most unpopular since Foot . Ed Miliband is the most unpopular opposition leader in the run-up to a General Election since Michael Foot, polls have shown. Mr Foot is the only politician in the past 40 years to have a worse rating than Mr Miliband 12 months ahead of an election, according to researchers Ipsos Mori. Mr Miliband is languishing with an approval rating of minus 23 per cent. At this point before the 2010 election, David Cameron had an approval rating of plus 23 per cent. Only those leaders with positive approval ratings – Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Mr Cameron – went on to become Prime Minister, while all those with negative ratings lost the election. Confronted with the appalling figures for Labour on BBC’s Newsnight, the party’s education spokesman Tristram Hunt claimed that he wasn’t concerned. ‘The great thing about being in Ed Miliband’s team is that we’re in the history-busting business,’ he said. It was reported yesterday that Mr Miliband suspects anti-semitism may be behind some of the hostility towards him. | Ed Miliband failed to mention the budget deficit, immigration and welfare .
It came in his final party conference speech before the General Election .
Aides said the speech 'changed’ as it was being delivered by Labour leader . |
57,452 | a2cff34511b2b18713392cecc35a8bc1f6bf6028 | By . Leon Watson . Things got very harey for this tourist when she visited a tiny island off Japan that's been overrun with rabbits. After offering them some food, she was chased down a road by a stampede of wild bunnies in this adorable video posted on Reddit. Known as Rabbit Island, Okunoshima was used as the secret base for the Japanese Imperial Army’s lethal gas operation during World War Two. Scroll down for video . Stampeding rabbits: Bunnies swarmed around this tourist after she offered them food . Stop rabbiting! The rabbits ran from all directions to chase after the woman . From 1929 to 1945, more than 6,000 . tons of poison gas were manufactured on the remote island, and the . program was shrouded in secrecy. For 16 years, Okunoshima was left off maps, and workers who produced . the five types of poison gas - which were mostly used in warfare in . China - were told to keep the factories a secret. But somewhere along the line rabbits were introduced and - as rabbits tend to do - they bred fast. Some sources claim they were brought to the island to test the effects of the poison and released by workers when the war ended. Others sources say that a group of schoolchildren on a field trip released eight of the animals in 1971. Now tourists flock to the 2.5 mile wide Inland Sea island off the coast of Takehara to feed and pet the hundreds of bunnies that call it home. And it's easy to see why. The island where the rabbits live is called Okunoshima, and was used as the secret base for the Japanese Imperial Army's lethal gas operation during World War Two . | Adorable video showing bunnies chasing a tourist was posted online .
It was filmed on the Japanese island of Okunoshima, in the Inland Sea .
The tiny island was used as a secret army base during World War Two . |
37,266 | 699322df26c43a3993020e0d3ca8e853de168e90 | The terrorist ex-husband of a 19-year-old Dutch jihadist rescued from Syria by her mother says she lived a happy life among Islamic extremists, cooking, going to tea parties and doing 'girl stuff'. The girl, who has only been named as Aicha, was arrested after her mother brought her back to the Netherlands and is suspected of joining a terrorist organisation, meaning she could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Her mother, Monique Verbert, rescued her daughter from Syria after reports that she had been treated 'like a slave' by the jihadists, but Aicha's former husband Omar Yilmaz painted a very different picture. Terrorist Omar Yilmaz said the Dutch jihadist girl, known only as Aicha, lived a happy life doing 'girl stuff' while living in Syria . Aicha was rescued from Syria by her mother and brought back to the Netherlands, where she has was arrested . Yilmaz, who married Aicha after she became infatuated with him, told the Sunday Times that she lived a pleasant life as a housewife in Syria. He said: 'She would spend most of the day either at home or with our neighbours. Cooking food, tea parties ... girl stuff.' He said the pair split up amicably after a few months together. 'We both knew it wasn't going to work,' he said. 'I have her her dues ... and went on with my jihad. 'I never harmed her. When she was married to me ... she had contact with her family daily.' But Aicha is reported to have told Turkish media that Yilmaz, who is said to have served in the Dutch military, used her 'like a slave and threw me away'. Yilmaz is said to have been a member of the Dutch military before going to Syria to fight with Islamic extremists . Yilmaz, chatting on an instant messaging app, did not mention why he and the 19-year-old split up, but said he thought she had remarried a Tunisian fighter since they divorced. Aicha fled to Syria in February last year after months of chatting with Yilmaz online. Ms Verbert said Aicha changed her name and started wearing a niqab after converting to Islam. Ms Verbert travelled to Syria to rescue her daughter, Aicha, from life with jihadists . The teenager first contacted Yilmaz after she was 'completely impressed' by a video he posted on the internet. Ms Verbert, speaking on Dutch television in September, said: 'She basically saw him as a sort of Robin Hood ... that he was a nice man and fought against [Syrian President] Assad. 'She said again and again: "Mum, look at that guy - isn't it good what he does?" 'She's a very sweet, sensitive girl.' Aicha is being held in solitary confinement, but Dutch journalist Johan van Beek said the teenager may have 'experienced things that might have traumatic effects'. He said: 'If that is the case they will send in experts to deprogramme her. If it is clear she's a victim, which is very possible, she'll have psychological help to help get back into society.' About 130 Dutch jihadists have gone to fight in Syria. Around 30 have since returned and 14 have been killed. | Dutch jihadist bride enjoyed doing 'girl stuff' while married to a terrorist .
Aicha, 19, fled to Syria to marry Islamic extremist Omar Yilmaz last year .
Yilmaz revealed that she cooked for jihadists and went to tea parties .
He says they split up amicably, but she said she was treated 'like a slave'
Teenager's mother rescued her daughter from Syria earlier this month .
Aicha was arrested after returning home and could face 30 years in prison . |
245,071 | c93021fdb368bbf7d48afa44c0368e777cae0702 | Giglio, Italy (CNN) -- The wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship has begun its final voyage. Salvage crews refloated the ship last week so they can move it from its resting place off Giglio Island to the Italian port of Genoa to be dismantled. On Wednesday morning, the rusting hulk set off into open waters under tow. Attached to its sides are the huge steel hollow boxes, or sponsons, that were pumped full of compressed air to give the ship buoyancy. It's been more than 2½ years since the ship ran aground off Giglio Island with more than 4,200 passengers aboard, killing 32 people in a disaster that drew global attention. The vessel will be towed -- slowly and carefully -- approximately 240 kilometers (150 miles) to Genoa, where it will be broken up. A convoy of 17 boats will travel along with it. The ship is expected to arrive in Genoa on Sunday. It'll take about two years to dismantle the massive cruise liner. Environmental concerns prompted the decision to undertake the expensive and difficult process of refloating the Costa Concordia rather than taking it apart on site. Since the wreck two years ago, 24 metric tons of debris -- including furniture, dishes, food, personal effects and ship parts -- have been recovered from the seabed. The Costa Concordia is the largest salvage ever attempted -- and the most expensive, at a cost of $1.5 billion so far. Nine things to know about the plan to salvage the Costa Concordia . The Costa Concordia salvage by the numbers . How the Costa Concordia was raised . 'We'll die without that boat:' What the Costa Concordia leaves behind in Giglio . | The vessel is being towed to the Italian port of Genoa .
Dismantling the cruise ship could take two years .
32 passengers and crew were killed when the ship capsized in 2012 . |
73,209 | cf98e94bae9916e87195f7afe48fbcfd10010712 | By . Wil Longbottom . Last updated at 11:32 AM on 27th July 2011 . Part of Oslo's central train station was evacuated this morning after the discovery of an abandoned suitcase. And police were looking for a 'dangerous' and unstable man released from prison on Monday who claims to identify himself with the man who launched fatal bomb and shooting attacks last week. The Norwegian Railway Authority said the suitcase was found in on one of the buses which links the Oslo Sentral to the city's airport. Evacuated: The main train station in Norway's capital, Oslo S, has been evacuated after a suspicious suitcase was discovered this morning . Threat: A police officer stands outside the car park entrance to Oslo S station. Reports say a man was seen leaving the suitcase on a bus, before leaving the station . Police sealed off the area, but the abandoned luggage was later found not to contain anything suspicious. A fireman at the scene said: 'There is some baggage that was left on a bus and that the police bomb squad is checking it out.' An official for NSB, the national rail service, said: 'All the trains and the buses have been cancelled until further notice. 'Under police orders nobody is allowed to go into the station.' Jack Vaadahl, the driver of a bus scheduled to travel to Oslo airport, said he reported the suspicious suitcase to security personnel. He said: 'A suspicious person left in a hurry... leaving his luggage on the bus.' Cordoned off: The bus was scheduled to drive to Oslo's airport when the driver spotted the bag left on board . Investigation: Police are also looking for a 'dangerous' man released from prison on Monday who claims to identify with massacre suspect Anders Breivik . NTB news agency reported that someone was spotted putting a suitcase on a bus near railway track 19 and then leaving the scene. The city is on high alert in the wake of Friday's bombing and youth camp shooting that killed at least 68 people. The first Cabinet ministers were due to return to their offices today after the car bomb exploded in the government district of the Norwegian capital. Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian, has confessed to the attacks, according to police and his lawyer, but pleaded not guilty to the killings. In a rambling 1,500-page manifesto, he claims to have been associated with two terror cells within the country, as well as others abroad. Acting alone? Breivik leaves court in Oslo on Monday. The 32-year-old has admitted detonating a bomb in the capital and a mass-shooting on Utoya island, but denies killing at least 68 people . It comes as a Norwegian Cabinet minister was preparing to make a symbolic return to her bomb-damaged office as the nation tries to return to some form of normality. Administration and Church Affairs Minister Rigmor Aasrud will be the first to return to her normal office after the blast blew a hole through the prime minister's office and badly damaged other buildings. For the moment, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will work from the defence ministry and cabinet meetings will be held in a medieval fort near the Oslo waterfront. It is unclear whether the prime minister's 17-storey building will be rebuilt or torn down.Police blew up at cache of explosives found at a farm rented by Breivik last night. He is believed to have developed his bomb using fertiliser he bought under the cover of being a farmer. | Ex-prisoner claimed to be associated with Anders Behring Breivik .
Bomb disposal robot used to investigate suitcase .
Abandoned luggage later found not to contain anything suspicious .
First Cabinet minister returns to bomb-damaged office in Oslo .
Police blow up cache of explosives found at Breivik's farm . |
171,994 | 6a9c55677835ca3f56c7e0b49eed3ffcf19c7ad6 | (CNN) -- Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has backed Red Bull's world champion Sebastian Vettel to match the achievements of fellow German driver Michael Schumacher. Vettel, 23, claimed his maiden title during a dramatic final grand prix of the 2010 season in Abu Dhabi, while the 42-year-old Schumacher claimed seven titles between 1994 and 2004. Ecclestone, 80, said the competition faced by Vettel is much tougher than when Schumacher -- who now races for Mercedes -- was so dominant for Ferrari. "The competition Sebastian is facing is much bigger than that confronted by Michael," Ecclestone told Formula One's official web site. "That makes Seb's wins even more noteworthy. I don't see a reason why there shouldn't be a Red Bull era just as Ferrari had theirs with Michael." Red Bull claimed the constructors' title in 2010 to complete a clean-sweep of the sport's top honors, and the British-based Austrian marque have been equally successful in 2011 with Vettel winning six of the season's opening eight races. Far from making the sport less appealing, Ecclestone is confident that Vettel's current supremacy increases fans' interest in the elite division of motorsport. "Sebastian is in a similar position as Michael. Sebastian is the best right now and that's why he is dominating, and that's what makes it so interesting for the fans," Ecclestone said. "Every race weekend starts with a big question mark -- who will be able to beat Vettel? That's why fans tune in." Vettel, who also became Formula One's youngest champion with his 2010 success, extended his contract with Red Bull until 2014 in March this year, but had previously been linked with a switch to Italian outfit Ferrari. Vettel, who started his career at Sauber in 2006 before joining Toro Rosso in July 2007, said he admired the proud history of teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, but he insisted he was happy with Red Bull. "I feel completely happy at Red Bull. Of course Ferrari and Mercedes do come with a huge legend, but I am not into myth right now. What's important for me is that when I come from the track and look in the mirror in my hotel room I want to be able to say, 'Yes, that's me and I am satisfied with what I see.' "After Abu Dhabi it feels good to know that I don't have anything to prove to myself anymore." Schumacher returned to racing with Mercedes at the beginning of the 2010 campaign, having originally retired from Formula One in 2006. The veteran driver has struggled for form since making his surprise comeback, with his recent fourth placing at the rain-affected Canadian Grand Prix a rare highlight. The 2011 season continues with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 10, a race won last year by Vettel's Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. | Bernie Ecclestone believes Sebastian Vettel can match Michael Schumacher's record .
F1 supremo also claims that Vettel faces tougher competition in the paddock .
World champion Vettel leads the Formula One drivers' standings after eight races .
Schumacher won seven world titles before retiring in 2006 and returning last year . |
231,175 | b74eed60368bc9102d73ec950ddf9cd5df3c2547 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 05:12 EST, 16 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:55 EST, 16 August 2013 . A manager at the prestigious New York Athletic Club allegedly demanded sexual favours from female employees in return for prime hours and weekends off, according to court papers. It is claimed that banquet supervisor Nesim Zuberi, 45, 'had his own harem' of female employees at the Manhattan club and took photographs and videos of encounters with them to show to co-workers. Mr Zuberi is also said to have shown pictures of his penis to colleagues and images of him and his wife involved in a sexual act with a 'Russian lady', according to the papers seen by the New York Post. Claims: Nesim Zuberi is alleged to have had his own 'harem' of female employees at the New York Athletics Club, pictured . The papers claimed that he asked female staff to join him in late night orgies in exchange for plum work assignments. Lawyer for Keisi Ballenilla, a former employee of the club who was sole plaintiff in the related 2011 lawsuit said: 'Zuberi had (and possibly still has) his own harem made up of vulnerable female club employees).' Ballenilla made the claims in a deposition made earlier this year and seen by the Post. She claimed that at least five employees were involved in the trysts, with one female banquet server allegedly pressured into having sex with Mr Zuberi. The woman involved was also said to be involved in a sexual relationship with a Catholic priest at the time. Exclusive: Annual membership of the prestigious club costs $3,000 to maintain after an $8,500 joining fee . According to the deposition, Ms Ballenilla claims that she was coerced into having sex with Zuberi on a billiard table at the club. She also alleges that in 2009, while pregnant with her daughter, Mr Zuberi still demanded sex. But the club has fiercely denied the allegations. NYAC spokesman James O'Brien told the Post: 'As soon as the lawsuit was filed, our outside legal counsel conducted an exhaustive investigation and concluded that the allegations were without merit.' Mr Zuberi also strenously denied the allegations, telling the paper: 'Listen, there's no truth to any of this.' Alumni: Four time Olympic discus champion Al Oerter was a member of N.Y.A.C . The New York Athletic Club was founded in 1868 and has approximately 8,600 members. Its main location is at 1800 Central Park South in Manhattan, a few blocks from the Plaza Hotel and the designer stores of 5th Avenue. There is a summer location for the club on Travers Island in Westchester County - an exclusive outpost nestled among upstate mansions and marinas packed with yachts. The club's long-established reputation as a haven of classy R&R has turned it into a renowned facet of the glamorous New York City lifestyle. In season four of Mad Men, Don Draper (played by John Hamm) is seen doing laps of the pool at the New York Athletic Club - and later smoking under the awnings and ogling women walking by. Real-life members of the NYAC include Robert Ripley who created the tourist attraction Ripley's Believe It or Not! Other notable members were Broadway star George M Cohan, four-time Olympic discus champion Al Oerter, wrestler Bruce Baumgartner and polo player Wolf Wigo. The Central Park building has 24-floors, two restaurants, one cocktail lounge, a library, ballroom and eight floors of guest rooms for members. Members have won 230 Olympic Games Medals - including 120 gold. Forty former members competed at the Beijing Olympics and brought home 16 medals. It costs $8,500 to join and to retain membership costs $3,000 annually. | A lawsuit has been filed against Nesim Zuberi of the New York Athletic Club .
Ex-employee Keisi Ballenilla has claimed sexual harassment against him .
Both Mr Zuberi and the prestigious club have denied the allegations . |
278,174 | f45c5708ea05898602841b0d0eb643f23dec8c2b | This is the shocking moment that an RAC patrol man was hit by a lorry swerving off a motorway. Mark Wootton ‘miraculously’ survived the hit-and-run crash but was left in agony and suffered a broken back as a result of the crash on the M6 in Birmingham. The 40-year-old recovery worker, who suffered two fractured vertebrae in the crash nine months ago, had gone to the aid of a stricken motorist when he was knocked by the lorry. Scroll down for video . On camera: This is the moment that an RAC patrol man was hit by a lorry (right) swerving off a motorway . Hit-and-run: Recovery driver Mark Wootton (left) is seen securing a vehicle in an emergency refuge area - narrowly avoiding being killed by lorry driver Terence Poolman (right) Terence Poolman, 69, of Shifnal, Shropshire, who admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was jailed for eight months this week. He was also banned from the roads for two years. Judge Melbourne Inman QC said: ‘The incident is caught graphically on the motorway CCTV. ‘From the video it is quite clear that your vehicle veered from the inside lane and it carried all the way across to the hard shoulder and then into, to some degree, the emergency refuge area.’ ‘Mr Wootton was in the process of arranging to tow the stricken vehicle away and was kneeling down, protruding a little to the off side of the vehicle, when your vehicle swept past. ‘You hit him. It is miraculous he was not even more seriously injured or possibly killed. You only missed hitting both vehicles by what appeared to be a matter of inches.’ The judge said Mr Wootton still suffered from pain and added that it was unclear if he would be able to return to his employment as an emergency recovery driver because of the ‘terrifying ordeal’. Crash: The judge said Mr Wootton still suffered from pain and added that it was unclear if he would be able to return to his employment as an emergency recovery driver because of the ‘terrifying ordeal’ Astonishing: Poolman (in the yellow vehicle) veered in an arc, and struck the patrol man before carrying on . He added that Poolman, who did not realise he had hit the patrol man, must have been distracted. Mark Phillips, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said that on April 28 last year Mr Wootton had been called to a breakdown between junctions six and seven on the motorway. Driver: Terence Poolman, 69, of Shifnal, Shropshire, who admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was jailed for eight months this week . Mr Wootton towed the vehicle from the hard shoulder to the refuge area and had been between it and his van when he was attaching safety lights. Poolman, who was driving a low loader towing a dumper truck, veered in an arc, and struck the patrol man before carrying on. Another driver who stopped at the scene described Mr Wootton, who was on the floor, ‘screaming in agony’. X-rays revealed the fractures and he was discharged from hospital the following day. Mr Phillips said the lorry was traced to a depot in Shifnal - and Poolman, who had a previous conviction for causing death by reckless driving in 1970, was arrested. Laura Culley, defending, said: ‘It is a mystery to him to this day how this occurred.’ She said he had not been speeding or tired and that he had undergone a medical assessment which had not revealed any problem. PC David Gaunt, who led the hunt for the hit-and-run driver said: ‘Without a registration number, we knew it would be almost impossible to bring the driver to justice. ‘The only lead we had was a branded catering van seen travelling directly behind Poolman’s lorry. ‘We knew it was a long shot, but we decided to contact the company and ask them if any of their drivers had witnessed the incident and crucially, taken down the registration. ‘Astonishingly, one of them contacted us to say he had done and from there, we were able to trace Poolman. ‘The recovery driver is extremely lucky to be alive and the consequences of Poolman’s complete lack of attention that day could have been a lot worse. 'The victim remains in a lot of pain and has been unable to work since the crash. The impact of his injuries will stay with him for the rest of his life and he worries about what kind of work he will be able to do in the future.’ | Mark Wootton survived hit-and-run crash on M6 but suffered broken back .
He was helping stricken motorist when knocked by lorry in Birmingham .
Terence Poolman, 69, admits causing serious injury by dangerous driving . |
885 | 028754ab608b84d914ec1857a4824490738adf4f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:26 EST, 10 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:06 EST, 10 November 2012 . A New York Times blogger and celebrity numbers wiz is set to make millions for his spot-on election prediction. Nate Silver, the 34-year-old statistician who developed his own formula for predicting presidential outcomes, bet MSNB morning host Joe Scarborough $2,000 that Obama would win the election on November 6. Both men agreed to donate their winnings to charity. Scroll down for video . Blogger celebrity: Nate Silver sits on the stairs at a hotel in Chicago on November 9, 2012 . Numbers man: The creator of the much-read FiveThirtyEight blog sits with computer in hand . Silver won and is now poised to take in far more than his initial bet, Business Insider reports. Silver, who started his career analyzing baseball players’ performances, earned $700,000 for a two book deal with Penguin after calling the 2008 presidential election, according to the New York Observer. On Election Day Business Insider proposed that Silver could potentially double those earnings in 2012 with more book deals and high-paid speaking gigs if he were to successfully call the election again. In addition to blogging for the Times, Silver is the founder of his own much-read blog FiveThirtyEight.com. Wrong call: MSNBC host Joe Scarborough bet Silver $2,000 that his 2102 election prediction would not come true . Silver was the topic of a 'Today' show segment on Friday after successfully predicting Obama’s win. 'He's becoming a bit of a celebrity,' 'Today' show host Andrea Canning told viewers. 'President Obama may have been the big winner this week, but coming in a close second: New York Times blogger, statistician and self-described geek, Nate Silver.' Hometown support: Obama addresses supporters at his election night victory rally in Chicago. Watch video here: . | New York Times blogger Nate Silver bet MSNB morning host Joe .
Scarborough $2,000 that Obama would win the election on November 6 .
Both men agreed to donate their winnings to charity.
Silver won the bet and is now poised to earn millions in high-paid book deals and speaking gigs . |
205,319 | 95c85f929d21a9b3ca0ef54f1fc941ae21f7433a | By . Will Stewart . A senior Russian aide today blasted the Ukrainian government 'a Nazi Frankenstein' as the crisis-hit country signed a 'historic' trade deal with the European Union. Outspoken Sergei Glazyev said the Ukrainian leader's endorsement of an historic pact with the EU was 'illegitimate'. The signing earlier today by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko in Brussels puts his country on track for eventual EU membership while taking a giant symbolic step away from Moscow's orbit. Scroll down for video . Sergei Glazyev, left, who is a close aide to the Russian president described Ukrainian president Petro Porshenko, right, as a 'Nazi Frankenstein' accusing him of organising a military coup in Ukraine . President Petro Poroshenko, pictured, signed the agreement this morning at the EU Council offices in Brussels, despite the strong objections of Moscow . The extraordinary Nazi jibe from Glazyev - a key architect of Putin's strategy on Crimea and Ukraine - highlights a deep loathing between those close to the Kremlin leader and the new government in Kiev. 'Europe is trying to push Ukraine to sign this agreement by force,' the Russian president's adviser on regional economic integration told the BBC. 'They organised a military coup in Ukraine, they helped Nazis to come to power. This Nazi government is bombing the largest region in Ukraine.' Asked if he believed Mr Poroshenko was a Nazi he replied: 'Of course.' He warned that people in the EU would regret bringing Ukraine into the fold. 'The European public will be... surprised when this Nazi Frankenstein, which was born by the Euro bureaucrats and some politicians, will knock on the European countries' doors,' he claimed. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, centre, was greeted by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, left and European Council President Herman Van Romuy, right after signing the historic agreement . Poroshenko was an 'illegitimate' president because parts of eastern Ukraine did not vote in May elections, so he had no right to sign today's EU accord. The deal between the 28-country European Union and Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia concerns broad trade and economic agreements. The closer relationship with the EU led to protests against the old pro-Russian Viktor Yankuvych, who did not want today's agreement to proceed. President Poroshenko described today's agreement as 'the most important day' for his country since independence from the Soviet Union. He said: 'It's absolutely a new perspective for my country.' The failure of former president Yanukovych to sign the deal precipitated the current crisis. President Poroshenko, centre, took the opportunity to discuss the Ukrainian situation with his French counterpart Francois Hollande, left and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right . Blue balloons with yellow stars are released as people gather in Independence Square in Kiev to celebrate a free-trade agreement between Ukraine and the European Union . A Ukrainian mother wearing a national flag holds her daughter who is wrapped in a European Union flag as they attend a gathering in Independence Square in Kiev, to celebrate the signing of a historic EU-Ukraine association agreement . President Porshenko said he signed the agreement with the same pen Yanukovych was supposed to use last year. He said: 'Historic events are unavoidable.' President Poroshenko reminded EU . leaders of the Ukrainians who died opposing Yanukovych's government and . in the ongoing battle against the pro-Russian insurgency in the . country's east. He said Ukraine 'paid the highest possible price to make . her European dreams come true.' He asked EU leaders to take a further step and formally pledge that one day Ukraine can join the EU as a full-fledged member. That 'would cost the European Union nothing,' he said, 'but would mean the world to my country.' As part of the agreement, Ukraine has to accept EU product regulations as well as introducing new rules on copyright, government contracts and reducing corruption. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for restraint in Ukraine following a recent escalation in violence along Ukraine's eastern border with Russia . Russian President Vladimir Putin said the most important thing was to guarantee a 'long-term cease fire' in Ukraine . Glazyev's attack seemed at odds with Putin's moves in recent days to help the peace process - and avoid a threatened new round of crippling sanctions. The controversial aide recently called on Putin to destroy Ukraine's military capability and met separatists in eastern regions who are seeking to join Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not immediately comment on the trade pact, but in recent days has signaled that he wants to de-escalate the conflict ahead of talks later Friday by the EU's heads of state and government on whether to ramp up sanctions against Russia over its conduct toward Ukraine. He said: 'The most important thing is to guarantee a long-term cease-fire as a precondition for meaningful talks between the Kiev authorities and representatives of the southeast (of Ukraine).' The U.N. said Friday that 110,000 Ukrainians had fled to Russia this year and another 54,000 fled their homes but stayed in Ukraine as the government fought with separatists in the mostly Russian-speaking east. Long lines of cars stuffed with belongings backed up at the border heading into Russia this week. The European Commission believes the new trade deal could boost Ukraine's national income by €1.2 billion a year. Mr Putin, right, greets Matlotliso Lineo Lydia Ntoane, Lesotho's new ambassador at the Aleksandrovsky Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace . | Moscow angry over Ukrainian attempts to move closer politically to the EU .
Putin aide Sergei Glazyev describes today's planned pact as 'illegitimate'
Glazyev brands Petro Poroshenko's government a 'Nazi Frankenstein'
Poroshenko signs 'historic' trade agreement with the European Union .
Poroshenko asks European leaders to consider Ukrainian EU membership .
Russians claim thousands of refugees fleeing Ukraine fearing retribution . |
94,181 | 050d40065e57df48760a2d0cbf19150cb9cfdd06 | The recent ruling to reform the New York Police Department's controversial 'stop-and-frisk' tactic has already led to a sharp rise in shootings, new figures reveal. In the month after the policy was ruled unconstitutional shootings spiked nearly 13 per cent while gun seizures fell almost a fifth, the figures show. In the 28 days up to September 8 there were 140 shootings across the city, compared with 124 over the same period last year, according to NYPD statistics. Police stop and search an African American motorist in Brooklyn: The recent ruling to reform the New York Police Department's controversial 'stop-and-frisk' tactic has already led to a sharp rise in shootings, figures reveal . The shocking rise in gun crime has emerged days after the federal judge who ordered an overhaul of the stop-and-frisk strategy refused to delay it pending an appeal by the city. U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said such a delay would send 'precisely the wrong signal.' She had ordered changes in August after finding the program discriminates against minorities. Police have stopped, questioned and sometimes patted down about 5million people over a decade. Dismissing the suggestion that reforms of the 'stop-and-frisk' strategy be delayed, Judge Scheindlin wrote: 'Ordering a stay now would send precisely the wrong signal. 'It would essentially confirm that the past practices, resulting in hundreds of thousands of stops - overwhelmingly of minorities - that resulted in little or no enforcement action or seizure of contraband were justified and based on constitutional police practices. 'It would also send the message that reducing the number of stops is somehow dangerous to the residents of this city.' But with figures showing the number of gunshot victims up 9 per cent over the same period last year following the ruling on August 12, that's the message implicit in the latest statistics on gun crime on NYC. Seizures of firearms are also down, with 239 taken by police between August 10 and September 8, compared with 289 over the same period last year, according to the statistics seen by the New York Post. And gun charges have fallen by more than 15 per cent from 492 last year to 417 this year. Sources blamed Scheindlin's ruling for the disturbing trends. A police department source told the Post that police are reluctant to stop and search because 'they're scared of being sued.' 'They feel as if the city is not going to indemnify them in lawsuits,' the source said. 'They never stop and frisk old white guys like me': U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled the tactic unconstitutional last month after finding the program discriminates against minorities . Judge Scheindlin has not commented on today's statistics, but on Tuesday she criticised 'certain high-level city officials and pundits' who have misinterpreted her ruling. She said she did not order an end to the stop-and-frisk program but instead insisted that it be carried out legally. And she defended her remedies, which include the appointment of a monitor to ensure the program's legality and of a facilitator to conduct meetings with interested parties in neighborhoods where frequent stops occur. She had also ordered some officers to wear cameras. She said the vast majority of the overhaul won't be implemented until the monitor and the facilitator meet with the community, the police department and other stakeholders to create sensible solutions. 'In short, the only activity at this stage is discussion between the monitor, the facilitator and the parties to develop the remedies,' she said. 'No other specific relief is imminent, much less ordered.' Michael A. Cardozo, the city's top lawyer, said in a statement that the city remains committed to reversing Scheindlin's rulings as quickly as possible. He noted that the city has asked the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan for an expedited appeal so police officers are not in limbo. 'We cannot afford such delay, as public safety is of paramount concern to the mayor and the police commissioner,' he said. | Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled on August 12 policy must be reformed .
Shootings now up nearly 13 per cent compared to same period last year .
The number of gunshot victims is now up 9 per cent, NYPD figures show .
Statistics revealed days after Judge Scheindlin refused to delay decision . |
181,176 | 768801d69d007592f65adb7f4ec43f5d812978da | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 17:36 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 19 June 2013 . A group of daring archaeologists uncovered a lost 1,200-year-old city on a misty Cambodian mountain by hacking through the thick jungle, strewn with live land mines. Yet they were also aided in their quest by some incredible technology that revealed the ancient city to them in the first place, and guided by a local - a one-legged former Khmer Rouge soldier. Mahendraparvata, the city they found, is thought to pre-date the famous site of Angkor Wat by around 350 years and lies only 25 miles west of that huge temple. Archaeologists believe Mahendraparvata was the first city of the Angkor Empire in 802 AD. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Discovery: Damian Evans, director of the University of Sydney's archaeological research center in Cambodia, was amazed by what his team found . Technology: The airborne Lidar system revealed a long-forgotten urban landscape . Finds: The team discovered 1,200-year-old statues and temples . Lidar is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by shooting a laser at a target and analysing the light that is reflected back. The technology was developed in the early 1960s and uses laser imaging with radar technology that can calculate distances. It was first used in meteorology to measure clouds by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The term lidar is a portmanteau of 'light and 'radar.' Lidar uses ultraviolet, visible, or near infrared light to image objects and can be used with a wide range of targets, including non-metallic objects, rocks, rain, chemical compounds, aerosols, clouds and even single molecules. A narrow laser beam can be used to map physical features with very high resolution. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the expedition exclusively, which began in earnest after the team used Lidar technology on a helicopter. The Lidar system uses pulsing laser signals to see through the thick undergrowth, where it detected a distinct outline of the the long-forgotten city. It uses ultraviolet, visible, or near . infrared light to image objects and can be used with a wide range of . targets, including non-metallic objects, rocks, rain, chemical . compounds, aerosols, clouds and even single molecules. This map of northwest Cambodia gives an overview of the areas where Evans and his team used the Lidar imagery technology. The relevant areas covered are shaded yellow . Perilous: The team were guided by Heng Heap (left) a local, one-legged, former Khmer Rouge soldier through the dangerous jungle . Damian Evans, director of the . University of Sydney's archaeological research center in Cambodia, told . the Morning Herald of his 'eureka' moment when the city appeared on his . screen. 'With this . instrument - bang - all of a sudden we saw an immediate picture of an . entire city that no one knew existed which is just remarkable,' Evans . said. So his team headed into the perilous . mountain countryside of Cambodia, along goat tracks, through deep bogs . and around rivers, always avoiding the live land mines placed during . previous conflicts. Location: Mahendraparvata lies in the Phnom Kulen mountain range in Siem Reap Province of Cambodia . They were helped in this by Heng Heap, a chain-smoking former Khmer Rouge soldier who lost a leg in mine explosion. Even the local was surprised by what the archaeologists took him to. The team discovered a whole urban landscape with canals, roads, caves and, as yet unexplained, mounds which could be tombs. Evans added that: 'There may be implications for society today... for example, we see from the imagery that the landscape was completely devoid of vegetation.' The archaeologist had one explanation for this: 'One theory we are looking at is that the severe environmental impact of deforestation and the dependence on water management led to the demise of the civilisation … perhaps it became too successful to the point of becoming unmanageable.' Ancestor: The new-found city predates the famous Angkor Wat temple by 350 years . The archaeologists were astounded by what they found . Lidar imagery shows the central area of Angkor. The 'walled city' of Angkor Thom is pictured above Angkor Wat. The red lines are features such as roads and canals from the post-medieval period, while the other features are from the Angkor era . A pre-publication draft from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claimed that Mahendraparvata, as well as Angkor Wat, would have been part of a 'vast urban network.' The paper said: 'We identify an entire, previously undocumented, formally planned urban landscape into which the major temples such as Angkor Wat were integrated.' Beyond these newly identified urban landscapes, the Lidar data reveal anthropogenic changes to the landscape on a vast scale, and lend further weight to an emerging consensus that infrastructural complexity, unsustainable modes of subsistence and climate variation were crucial factors in the decline of the classical Khmer civilization.' According to NBC News, the researchers claim the new map shows a pattern of 'city blocks'. Mounds and ponds would have been built within these blocks to create temple precincts. They type of 'cityscapes' were seen in ancient Angkor as well as the Phnom Kulen region and another area farther northeast, known as Koh Ker. The researchers added: 'These 'urban temples' are not isolated; rather, they are nodes in an increasingly concentrated medieval cityscape.' | Archaeologists used Lidar technology that combines narrow lasers with radars to scan the ancient city .
It was attached to a helicopter that spent a week flying over the site north of Angkor Wat collecting the data . |
57,586 | a33e042a89bc22def1804ec1d71beb2b029cbc97 | (CNN) -- Deep in my heart, I do believe that we shall overcome someday: This is the refrain that guided the hearts and hands and voices of the '60s generation. At the LBJ Library, April 8-10, the Civil Rights Summit will begin -- the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the passage of the great 1960s civil rights laws. It was legislation that changed America forever and for the better. There were four great laws, each building upon the other. The 1964 Civil Rights Bill, also known as the Public Accommodations Act, ensured that people of color could use the same water fountains, toilets, public transport and seats in restaurants and hotels as white people. The 1965 Voting Rights Act ensured people of color the right to vote. The 1968 Fair Housing Act made it possible for people of color and all religions to be able to buy a house where they could afford to. The 1968 Immigration Act eliminated racial and ethnic quotas. These laws opened the doors of liberty and justice for all as never before. No matter how imperfect they were, they made ours a more just society. For me it was all so very personal. My father, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act on my 17th birthday. The only handwritten note I have from my father was his birthday letter written at 12:10 p.m. that day. Daddy didn't have time to go to the pharmacy to buy a Hallmark card. At 6 p.m., he was signing a bill into law that would liberate my generation from the shackles of legalized apartheid. It was the best birthday present anyone could ever receive. Many doubt 1964 Civil Rights Act could pass today . When I questioned why he gave the first pen used to sign the bill to the Republican leader Sen. Everett Dirksen instead of one of the great civil rights leaders, he shook his head in disappointment that I hadn't gotten the obvious lesson. He told me, "Luci Baines, I didn't have to convince one of the great civil rights leaders to be for that legislation. They were already for it. But because of Everett Dirksen's decision to support this law and bring his supporters with him, the great civil rights leaders and I have a law, not just a bill. That's why Senator Dirksen got the pen. He deserved it." When I questioned why we had gone to the Capitol Rotunda for the signing, Daddy shook his head in disappointment again. "Luci Baines, we have to go to the Rotunda of the Capitol. "There will be many brave men and women not returning to these hallowed halls because of their courageous stand for voting rights. And there are many brave men and women who will be able to serve here only because of the courage of this Congress. That's why we must go to the Rotunda to let the world know how grateful we are to this Congress." I was on "Daddy duty" on August 6, 1965, and stood behind him in the Rotunda as he signed the Voting Rights Act into law. That day he taught me not only about the justice of the act; he taught me the importance of his favorite biblical passage, "Come, let us reason together." These lessons of social justice have changed our country forever, for the better, although their work is far from done. The lessons of coming and reasoning together remain a cry we need to answer now more than ever. It was all so very personal. I grew up in Washington in an area fondly known as "Hanukkah Heights." We lived in "Hanukkah Heights" because there were no restrictive covenants as there were in other areas that discriminated against buyers based on their color or religion. My first employer and forever friend was one of the first Jews able to buy a home in what had been a restricted neighborhood. The Fair Housing Act was not just a bill for justice to me. It was all so very personal. There are 25 members in my immediate family. We are of mixed race, mixed ethnicities, many nationalities. We are Catholics, Protestants, Jews and others. We are a family of immigrants with all the diversity that Lyndon Johnson celebrated. At the head of the stairs in the LBJ Library is one of my favorite quotes of my father. "Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact." Much was accomplished when our nation "came and reasoned together." But there are still laws that make it harder for the poor to have access to the voting booth. And there are laws that still exist that bar equality based on whom you love. There remains much to be done. Generations of Johnsons are so grateful that four presidents are coming to the LBJ Library to celebrate this Civil Rights 50th anniversary with a new generation committed to social justice. It is our hope that by coming and reasoning together once more, we can renew our commitment to making ours a country "blind to color, where education is unaware of race and opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins." Only then will our proclamation for emancipation become a fact. Only then will we overcome the bondage of social injustice that hurts us all. But with a new renewal to the needs of social justice, I do believe, deep in my heart that we shall overcome someday! | Civil Rights Summit April 8-10 at LBJ Library honors 50th anniversary of civil rights laws .
Luci Baines Johnson's father, LBJ, signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act on her 17th birthday .
She stood behind him as he signed the Voting Rights Act; he taught her justice of the law .
Her dad wanted U.S. to be "blind to color," where education, opportunity is unaware of color . |
209,007 | 9aa9d596b03bc0badd92044032750eeaf8e95ed1 | By . James Nye and Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 09:32 EST, 20 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:23 EST, 20 June 2012 . A U.S. congressional panel voted on Wednesday to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his failure to turn in sensitive Justice Department documents after a grueling six hours deliberating on Capitol Hill. After the 23-17 party-line vote, the controversy will now be passed onto the full House of Representatives, which will vote on it next week, unless there is a resolution in the interim. In the case, the Obama administration invoked executive privilege for the first time since coming to office, withholding some documents related to a failed gun-running investigation. Decision made: After six hours of arguments and amendments, members on the Republican side of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee consider a vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress . Announcement: Republican Representative Darryl Issa,centre, delivers remarks to reporters after the committee approved a resolution holding Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress . Attorney General Eric Holder talks to reporters after meeting with House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa . The Republican-controlled House of . Representatives' Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on a . party-line vote, decided to cite the nation's top law enforcement . officer in connection with the operation, code-named 'Fast and Furious.' The move set up a new confrontation between the Democratic president and Congress. House Speaker John Boehner and . Majority Leader Eric Cantor said if the requested documents were . submitted before that vote, it would provide an opportunity to resolve . the issue. In theory, an official charged with . contempt could be punished with a fine or jail, but no one expects it to . come to that. Weeks or months of controversy feeding into the . presidential election campaign is the more likely result. Republicans were already taking . advantage of the moment to portray the president as a participant in a . cover-up, just as congressional Democrats did when they fought with . President George W. Bush over that administration's refusal to turn over . documents relating to the dismissal of a group of federal prosecutors. 'Until now, everyone believed that . the decisions regarding 'Fast and Furious were confined to the . Department of Justice,' said Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker . Boehner. He added: 'The White House decision . to invoke executive privilege implies that White House officials were . either involved in the Fast and Furious operation or the cover-up that . followed.' Presidents since Richard Nixon have . claimed executive privilege to protect internal documents and . conversations in similar disputes with Congress with varying results, as . the courts have never given presidents any absolute authority to defy . subpoenas from Congress. Even before the vote, the White House criticized the panel chaired by conservative Representative Darrell Issa. President Obama has granted an 11th-hour request by Attorney General Eric Holder to exert executive privilege over the Fast and the Furious documents the Department of Justice has said . 'Instead of creating jobs or . strengthening the middle-class, congressional Republicans are spending . their time on a politically-motivated, taxpayer-funded election-year . fishing expedition,' White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer . told Reuters. Rep Issa and other Republicans on the . panel accused the Justice Department that Holder heads of stonewalling . and trying to protect its political appointees from potentially . embarrassing revelations about the botched gun-running probe. 'The frustration of this committee in not getting documents for a year and a half must be satisfied today,' Rep Issa said. The documents, requested by a House committee, explain how the . Justice Department learned that there were problems with the operation that . resulted in hundreds of guns illicitly purchased in Arizona gun shops . winding up in Mexico. In February 2011, when the controversy over the law enforcement operation was first disclosed, the department denied that agents had engaged in gun-walking. 'It’s a whole variety of material, and it’s consistent with what we have already made available — emails, documents of that nature — that really go into the way in which the department handled itself from February of 2011 until December of 2011,' Holder told reporters. The Justice Dept says that President Obama has exerted executive privilege over Fast and Furious documents after Attorney General Eric Holder made the personal request . Ordinarily, such deliberative documents are off-limits to Congress. In Operation Fast and Furious, the Justice Department’s initial incorrect denials are seen as providing justification for Congress’ document demands. Issa and the House Republican leadership have asked whether the department’s initial denial in a Feb. 4, 2011, letter to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, was part of a broader effort to obstruct a congressional investigation. The material 'pretty clearly demonstrates that there was no intention to mislead, to deceive,' Holder told reporters. 'The attorney general has made an unprecedented offer to turn over documents that are part of the Department of Justice’s internal deliberations and work product and to brief the committee on their contents,' said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, one of the committee’s Democrats and a former federal prosecutor. 'Regrettably, Chairman Issa refuses to take yes for an answer.' 'We have offered to make materials available ... to brief on those documents, to answer any questions that might come up with regard to the documents that we produced,' the attorney general said. 'The ball’s in their court,' Holder said. 'We made what we thought was an extraordinary offer.' Issa took a different view: 'After this meeting I cannot say that I am optimistic' for avoiding a contempt vote. Attorney General Eric Holder (right) walks through Statuary Hall to speak to reporters following his meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday . Issa spokesman Frederick Hill said that at the meeting, 'the attorney general indicated he would only be willing to produce a subset of documents that numbered fewer than 1,300 pages if the committee would first agree that the production of these documents would end the committee’s investigation of the Justice Department.' Issa declined the offer. In a letter to Issa on Tuesday night, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said 'our offer would have provided the committee with unprecedented access to these documents, many of which are not covered by the committee’s subpoenas in this matter.' The White House move came in response to a planned vote by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for withholding the documents. The panel's chairman, Republican Darrell Issa, vowed to press on with the contempt charge. 'I write now to inform you that the president has asserted executive privilege over relevant ... documents,' Deputy Attorney General James Cole wrote to the committee. Executive privilege allows the White House to argue that some private communications between the president and members of his administration cannot be divulged to Congress. 'This untimely assertion by the Justice Department falls short of any reason to delay today's proceedings,' Issa said. If the House panel votes to charge Holder with contempt, it would then be up to the full House to decide whether to bring that charge against the nation's top law enforcement officer. The process could take months or even years of court battles and further poison the political atmosphere in a presidential election year. For months, the committee and the Justice Department have been in negotiations over documents related to federal law enforcement's handling of the 'Fast and Furious' probe of guns heading from the United States into Mexico and then being used by Mexican drug cartels. President Barack Obama asserted executive privilege for the first . time Wednesday. He applied the presidential power to withhold documents a . House committee is seeking in an investigation of a flawed . gun-smuggling probe called Operation Fast and Furious. Presidents have the right to invoke executive privilege to preserve . the confidentiality of information and documents in the face of . legislative inquiries. The White House says presidents have asserted . that privilege 25 times since 1980. Here's a look at how many times each president since Ronald Reagan have asserted executive privilege: . President Barack Obama: 1 . President George W. Bush: 6 . President Bill Clinton: 14 . President George H.W. Bush: 1 . President Ronald Reagan: 3 . | House Committee found Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for 'Fast and Furious' documents .
Controversy will go to full House next week unless resolution reached .
Was first time President Obama invoked executive privilege . |
168,371 | 65c3a296b3db47d29ef37b732d215f6fa9ee823d | (CNN) -- For most of us, it's hard to relate to the images of destruction we see on the television screen. It's nearly impossible to imaging losing it all. But for the residents of Joplin, it's all too familiar. Monday's massive EF5 tornado that tore through 17 miles of Moore, Oklahoma, brought back dark memories for those who survived the similarly powerful twister in Joplin almost two years earlier. Seeing footage of Moore, Oklahoma, takes Jennifer Parr right back to May 22, 2011, the day an EF5 tornado ravaged Joplin and killed more than 150 people. "I can still feel the shock, the awe, the sadness," she said. "I can still remember the smell too. It smelled like freshly cut wood." CNN iReport followed up with Parr and other Joplin tornado survivors to find out how they moved on after the tragedy. They offered the following advice to the people of Moore: . 'Let others help you' Processing emotions has been difficult since Parr lost her entire home in the tornado. Two years later, the 32-year-old continues to work with a therapist. Talking out her struggles has helped her "move forward and not stay stuck in the past," she said. "There are some days it is still hard to comprehend what I went through." Shock and adrenaline carried her through the first days after the tornado. But after that, she said she didn't know what to do. Parr empathizes with what the people of Moore are going through this week, remembering her own difficult experience. "Right now it feels impossible to start picking up the pieces, not knowing where to even start," she recalled. Leaning on friends and family in the area helped as she started to piece her life back together. Her advice to Moore residents is simple: "Let others help you, even when you think you don't need the help." 'With patience we always get it right' Fernando Martinez hails from a Navy family and spent most of his life moving around. But when his grandparents retired, Joplin became home. The day of the tornado, Martinez, his parents, grandparents and niece were all home together. Everyone survived, but the tornado tore their lives apart. His mother was drained "emotionally" from the experience, so she and his father uprooted and moved to California. The rest of the family stayed in Joplin. "I could never leave this town, and I have tried," said the 25-year-old. "I just keep coming back." It was Martinez's close-knit family and his friends that helped him get through the months of wrangling with insurance companies and repairing the damage to the house. "I think that when you experience something so traumatic and difficult to understand, you become stronger willed and it hardens your emotions a bit, making you a bit braver," he said. Moving on though requires living on, Martinez said. "Life sucks sometimes, and we are sometimes given the worst hands when playing, but with patience, we always get it right and we always win." 'It helps prevent panic' Ben Callihan may have returned to his day-to-day life quickly after repairing the $2,000 worth of damage to his Joplin home, but the storm affected him psychologically. He and his roommate called their mothers as the twister barreled through their neighborhood. "The calls lost connection, and when the tornado was next to us it sounded like a clothes dryer, with footballs being kicked at my house every couple of seconds," he recalled. These days, the 32-year-old lifelong Joplin resident is a lot more wary about inclement weather. "Twice in the last month during tornado sirens I have sped to the temporary FEMA shelters in another town," he said, even though he knows that he should hunker down in the nearest available shelter, as FEMA recommends. Callihan, who survived by hiding in his bathtub, has found it comforting to make his way to a shelter even when the weather is less dangerous than a tornado. "It helps prevent panic," he explained. He encouraged tornado survivors to take advantage of free counseling and therapy that may be provided in Moore. | Two years ago, a massive tornado swept through Joplin, Missouri, killing 150 people.
The anniversary takes place the same week as an EF5 tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma.
CNN iReport asked Joplin residents for their advice for the people in Moore. |
195,156 | 88a06312be9c9f32fcb102eb3b6795ab3a3e813c | By . Anna Hodgekiss . A young bride managed her first dance at her wedding despite being struck down with a paralysing spinal injury which doctors told her was incurable. Kirsty Brutnell, 24, had been with her partner Adam, 28, for just three months when she woke one morning completely unable to use her legs. Doctors diagnosed her with incurable syringomyelia - a condition which involves cysts growing on the spinal cord. Brave: Kirsty Brutnell managed her first dance at her wedding despite being struck down with a paralysing spinal injury which doctors told her was incurable . Shock: Miss Brutnell, 24, had been with her partner Adam, 28, for just three months when she woke one morning completely unable to use her legs . In Mrs Brutnell’s case, the cysts were growing perilously close to her brain stem, ruling out the possibility of surgery to remove them. Mrs Brutnell, a former mental health nurse of Sturminster Newton, Dorset, said: 'I worried about what the diagnosis meant for me and Adam. 'We hadn’t been together for that long and I thought, "he hasn’t signed up for this". 'I actually told him to leave me, even though I loved him. But he was having none of it.' Mrs Brutnell met Adam, a carpenter, through online dating in 2011 and says it was love at first sight. She said: 'Internet dating brought me the man of my dreams. I moved away from West Moors in East Dorset to Parracombe in North Devon where he lived to start a new life together. It was a bit of a whirlwind.' Condition: Doctors diagnosed Mrs Brutnell with incurable syringomyelia - a condition which involves cysts growing on the spinal cord . But then in April 2011, just two weeks after she relocated, she started to experience unsettling weakness in her lower body. She said: 'I collapsed at home. It was completely unexpected - it was as if my leg couldn’t hold me up anymore. I thought I was just tired, and hoped a night in bed would sort me out.' But when she woke the next morning, she couldn’t feel anything below her hips at all. An ambulance rushed her to North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple where doctors diagnosed syringomyelia. Syringomyelia sees a tube-shape cavity form and fill with liquid in the spinal cord. Complications can be far reaching, including problems with pain, numbness, weakness, stiffness, control of bladder or bowel function, and paralysis. Problem: In Mrs Brutnell's case, the cysts were growing perilously close to her brain stem, ruling out the possibility of surgery to remove them . Syringomyelia is a disorder in which a cyst forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, expands and elongates over time, destroying a portion of the spinal cord from its centre and expanding outward. As a syrinx widens, it compresses and injures nerve fibres that carry information from the brain to the extremities. Damage to the spinal cord often leads to progressive weakness in the arms and legs, stiffness in the back, shoulders, arms, or legs, and chronic, severe pain. Other symptoms may include headaches, a loss of the ability to feel extremes of hot or cold (especially in the hands), and loss of bladder and other functions. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke . Cavities can get larger over time, exerting increased pressure, making symptoms worse. However the damage can be halted and sometimes repaired with surgery. But surgery was judged far too risky in Mrs Brutnell’s case because the cyst was so close to her brain-stem. She said: 'The doctors said although I could have physiotherapy to help me move again, I had a long road ahead, and if the cysts got any bigger, my paralysis could be permanent. 'I thought it wasn’t fair on Adam to expect him to be my carer. We’d had loads of plans and it seemed we’d have to give them all up. 'I told him to find someone else who he could live he dreams with and I promised I would understand. 'When he came back to the hospital the next day, I knew he was devoted.' Over the following months Mrs Brutnell . learned to use an electric wheelchair and was able to train herself to . walk short distances on crutches. In September 2013, the couple married. Mrs Brutnell defied . the expectations of doctors by managing to walk down the aisle, holding . onto the arm of her grandfather, Brian, and enjoy her first dance. Joy: Mrs Brutnell defied the expectations of doctors by managing to walk down the aisle and enjoy her first dance . She said: 'Adam and I danced to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s song "It’s Your Love". For one day I could forget about all our troubles. 'I wanted to do something special for Adam. I built up my strength beforehand to make sure I had the energy to do it. 'Despite all our challenges, I feel lucky. If I’m ever having a down day I can remember our wedding day, and know that I’ll have Adam with me, no matter what.' | Kirsty Brutnell, 24, was diagnosed her with incurable syringomyelia .
Condition involves cysts growing on the spinal cord, causing paralysis .
She was not eligible for surgery as cysts were so close to her brain stem .
Managed to train herself to walk short distances so she could do first dance .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from . |
262,982 | e09fb571f07cae48b6f72ca621ed30ca54869164 | (CNN) -- Rosie O'Donnell and spouse Kelli Carpenter "are working through their issues" and "nothing else will be said" about rumors the couple is splitting, according to O'Donnell's publicist. Rumors have been swirling that Kelli Carpenter, left, and Rosie O'Donnell are splitting. Online buzz about the Carpenter-O'Donnell marriage grew louder this week after O'Donnell did not give a clear-cut denial in a USA Today interview on Tuesday. The former talk show host's publicist echoed her non-denial in a statement to CNN Wednesday. "They are a family and will remain a family forever and are working through their issues," publicist Cindi Berger said in an e-mailed response. "Nothing else will be said." O'Donnell and Carpenter were married in a private ceremony in San Francisco, California, Mayor Gavin Newsom's office in February 2004. The city of San Francisco issued the couple a marriage license two weeks after Newsom said his mayoral responsibility not to discriminate trumped a state law banning such marriages. O'Donnell said on her wedding day that she was inspired to make her longtime relationship with Carpenter official by "vile and vicious and hateful comments" made by President George W. Bush that week. Then-President Bush announced that week that he would seek a Constitutional amendment to mandate that same-sex couples not be allowed to marry. O'Donnell and Carpenter are also business partners. They started R Family Vacations, which organizes cruises tailored for gay couples. Their family includes four children. The three oldest -- Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12 and Blake, 9 -- are adopted. Six-year-old Vivienne -- conceived through a sperm donation -- was born to Carpenter. | Rumors that Rosie O'Donnell, spouse Kelli Carpenter are splitting .
O'Donnell did not deny rumors to USA Today .
Publicist: Pair "are working through their issues"
Two were married in San Francisco in 2004 . |
199,881 | 8ec077047ff478f90dab54daa23dac512d690edf | Many brides find themselves desperately trying to lose a pound or two just before their big day to make sure they fit into their dress. Tsia Pullen had a more drastic plan. She was so determined to lose weight for her wedding that she decided to have plastic surgery – and sold her house to pay for it. Mrs Pullen, who weighed 18 stone at her heaviest, spent £22,000 on a variety of cosmetic operations abroad, including a gastric band which helped her drop seven dress sizes and lose ten stone. Investment: Tsia Pullen paid £19,000 towards surgery - as well as spending £3,000 - on travel . Tsia was overjoyed to be a beautiful bride. Tsia when she weighed 18st. 'I'd struggled with my weight all my life,' she says . The money came from her £80,000 . semi-detached house, which she put on the market within weeks of her . engagement to her then fiance, Alastair. Seven years on, the couple have finally tied the knot – and Mrs Pullen is convinced it all was worth it. Last night the 34-year-old said: ‘People thought I was insane, but I knew it was the right thing to do.‘It . was the first house I’d ever bought, it had a massive garden and I was . proud of it. But more than anything I wanted to look amazing on my . wedding day.’ Tsia in hospital after surgery in Belgium where she had a gastric band fitting, an arm and thigh lift as well as breast implants, costing £22,000 in total . Tsia's final procedure was a tummy tuck to . remove the excess skin she was left with after her weight loss (left), . though the operation left her with bruising (right) but she says it was . all worth it . Tsia met Alistair through her job as a receptionist for a taxi firm when he called up to book a car in 2003 . Tsia said that although Alistair, pictured with her at her heaviest, loved her regardless, she didn't want to be an overweight bride . At her heaviest, 5ft 1in Mrs Pullen weighed 18 stone and wore a dress size 24. ‘I hated myself so much,’ she said. ‘I . used to end up in tears when I went shopping – nothing fitted, and as . well as the embarrassment, walking around the shops would leave me . breathless and in agony as I was so big.’ In 2003 Mrs Pullen, who worked as a receptionist in a taxi firm, took a . phone call ‘from a friendly-sounding male voice, who turned out to be . Alastair’. ‘He’d only . phoned for a taxi, but he was warm, funny and friendly, and for months . we swapped messages and chatted on the phone before I plucked up the . courage to meet him,’ she said. Tsia says her lack of self confidence about her size before the weight loss (left) made it easy to make the extreme decision to sell her home to fund the cosmetic surgery to give her her dream body (right) ‘I . was certain he’d be put off by my body but Alastair didn’t bat an . eyelid. He loved me for me and our relationship quickly blossomed. Three . years later, in 2006, he proposed. ‘But . then it hit me – this awful vision of a bulging bride waddling down the . aisle. I didn’t want Alastair to have to marry me while I looked like . that. I wanted to be a beautiful bride.’ Mrs . Pullen didn’t have any savings, but she did own her own home. So she . made the decision to sell the property, in Bolton, and move in with . Alastair, who lived in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Tsia shrunk to a trim size 10 and her breasts shrunk from a size 44GG to a 36FF . The . house sold for £80,000 and, after clearing the £55,000 mortgage, Mrs . Pullen was left with £25,000 for her plastic surgery. In April 2006 she . travelled to a private clinic in Belgium for her first operation, a . gastric band procedure which cost £8,000. In two years she shed ten stone, going from a size 24 to a size ten. Her bra size also went down to a 36FF from a 44GG. After spending £22,000 on surgery, Tsia is finally happy with what she sees in the mirror . In . 2008 she travelled back to the clinic for three further operations. In . June that year she spent £4,000 on arm and thigh lifts, followed by . £3,700 for a breast lift and liposuction three months later. She . spent another £3,500 on a further breast uplift in December. The . procedures alone cost £19,000, but with travel and accommodation the . total bill was £22,000. Mrs . Pullen, who now runs her own business selling customised pram covers, . said: ‘It was a huge amount to pay for cosmetic surgery, and I know some . people would think badly of me for it, but it was worth every penny. ‘After . every painful operation I kept telling myself that the end result would . be worth it. When I started seeing the results, I could feel my . confidence soaring. I felt like a brand new person and for the first . time in my life, I felt sexy.’ The . final operation on Mrs Pullen’s list was a tummy tuck, scheduled for . April 2009. But that, and the couple’s wedding plans, had to be put on . hold when she became pregnant with her son Mylo, now four. Instead . she had the operation in October 2009, two months after his birth. Mrs . Pullen was eligible for the tummy tuck on the NHS, because doctors . agreed the excess skin she was carrying around her stomach was affecting . her self-esteem and mental wellbeing. The couple finally tied the knot on their ten-year anniversary, on May 18 this year. Mrs . Pullen said: ‘I had my slim-fit wedding dress ready and waiting and I . was so excited to put it on and walk down the aisle. I felt like a . princess. ‘I really do . feel like the luckiest bride in the world. I don’t regret selling my . house to fund my surgery for one minute – it’s easily the best thing I . ever did.’ | Tsia Pullen weighed 18st at 5ft 1in and hated her body .
Decided to sell her house when her husband Alastair proposed .
Had £8k gastric band, breast implants, arm and thigh lift and tummy tuck .
Postponed wedding - and tummy tuck - when she fell pregnant .
Had baby then had £5k tummy tuck on NHS before big day .
Shrunk from size 24 to size 10 while her 44GG breasts shrunk to a 36FF . |
53,427 | 97899f4bf7a3518824b2001b2eb784dfaea7bcae | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 20:40 EST, 10 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 11 June 2013 . A Japanese prosthetics maker has found himself on an unexpected mission – making fake fingers for the mafia. In the East Asian nation a chopped off pinkie signifies a membership of the Yakuza, the feared Japanese mafia, who are required to sever their own fingers to pay for offenses to the organisation. For the past ten years, Shintaro Hayashi has been making prosthetic pinkies for members of the Yakuza who want to disguise their background in the underworld. Fresh fingers: A technician sculpts prosthetic fingers made from silicon in a workshop in Tokyo, Japan, to fit onto past and present members of the yakuza . After building his career making silicone prosthetics for breast cancer patients and amputees he found himself with a new clientele. ‘I started to see a gradual increase in people who were asking for prosthetic pinkies,’ Hayashi, 39, told ABC News. ‘They weren't the standard small, medium or large, but custom-made pinkies.’ A missing pinkie is a telltale sign that someone is a past or present member of the Yakuza. The ritual, known as ‘yubitsume’ is a way for members to ‘pay’ for committing offenses to the Yakuza, such as taking drugs, getting in fights or stealing. Gruesome business: The Yakuza tradition of forcing members to cut their . fingers off as punishment has seen a surge in clients for pinkie . prosthetics . Replacement: A former yakuza member who has had to cut off his little and ring finger as punishment for breaking the 'code of conduct' shows off his prosthetics . Examples: Plastic surgeon Maria Niino, holds prosthetic fingers that she makes for Yakuza members . The little finger on the left hand is the first to go – often one joint at a time – but many Yakuza members are missing several digits. Shintaro Hayashi helps ex-Yakuza disguise their past to help them find a job, or current members to hide their allegiance at family occasions or official outings. One single finger prosthetic costs £1,925 and is custom made to fit the ‘yubitsume’ victim’s hand. Most Yakuza customers visit Shintaro Hayashi’s workshop several times a year as the silicone is worn out or needs repainting. Shintaro Hayashi estimates that around five per cent of his clients are former Yakuza members and has produced more than 300 prosthetic fingers. Drawing board: A custom made little finger costs on average over £1,900 to make . Helping hand: Fingers are lined up to be fitted and re-touched at Shintaro Hayashi's clinic . New beginning: One of Shintaro Hayashi's ex-Yakuza clients shows off his . prosthetic little finger, which he got when he left the organisation . and needed to disguise his past to get a job . He says his Yakuza clients come in three categories: former members who are looking for a career outside the mafia, members who need to cover up for a child’s wedding or a family event or men pushed by their partners who are worried about their reputation. ‘Many people keep a fist, to prevent detection,' he told ABC News. 'But there comes a point where you can't hide your fingers any longer. Some people have one joint severed, others have worse.’ The Yakuza is a collective term given to Japan's organised crime syndicates. It is estimated that the Yakuza has over 100,000 members spread across the country in different gangs, but together they make the largest organised crime group in the world. Victim: Some Yakuza members who have been part of the mafia for a long . time has had several fingers fall to the gruesome 'yubitsume' tradition . Old practice: The 'yubitsume' always starts on with the first joints on the left hand little finger as this would weaken the way a traditional Japanese sword is held . They are known for their controlled organisation and strict codes of conduct, which involves punishments such as 'yubitsume' for members who break the rules. The tradition of 'yubitsume', beginning with the first joints of the left hand little finger comes from the Japanese way of holding a sword with 'yubitsume' intended to weaken the Yakuza member’s sword grip. A recent crackdown on the Yakuza has seen an increasing demand for prosthetic pinkies. The number of members has been on the decline since the Japanese Government introduced the Anti-Organized Crime Law in 1992 and as recent as last year, the US Treasury Department froze assets for the largest Yakuza ‘family’, the Yamaguchi-gumi, . Shintaro Hayashi can only see his client base expand, and adds: ‘If you put on the finger, you can turn your life around.’ | Japanese mafia punishment sees members cut off their own fingers .
Gory tradition has seen calls for prosthetic fingers soar .
A missing finger is a tell tale sign of a member of the Yakuza .
Ex-mafia must disguise their past in order to get a job . |
275,912 | f171340b9aa0ae5c4460b44f8beb0aaab0e0576b | An elderly woman accused of murdering her husband with knives and an axe will require an Italian interpreter when she appears in an Adelaide court. A 75-year-old woman accused of murdering her husband with knives and an axe has avoided arrest by turning up to court for the first time. Lucia Colella is charged with murdering Antonio Colella at their Alberton home in Adelaide on July 6. Lucia Colella, 75, is seen heading to court in Adelaide to answer a charge of murdering her husband, using two knives and an axe. She's is accused of murdering Antonio Colella at their Alberton home in Adelaide in July 2014 . The elderly woman accused of murdering her husband with knives and an axe will require an Italian interpreter when she appears in an Adelaide court . Mrs Colella was in hospital until she was granted home detention bail on November 7, but failed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on November 27. She turned up on Thursday and requested an Italian interpreter . She was in hospital until she was granted home detention bail on November 7, but failed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on November 27. Magistrate Bob Harrup issued a warrant for her arrest, but ordered it to remain on the file and be activated only if she did not attend court on January 15. Colella turned up on Thursday when she was due to answer the charge, but the case was adjourned to February 2 when an Italian interpreter will be required. Magistrate Bob Harrup issued a warrant for Mrs Colella's arrest, but ordered it to remain on the file and be activated only if she did not attend court on Thursday . When she was granted bail last year, her lawyer said she had never been in trouble with the police and had suffered from undiagnosed psychosis and psychotic episodes before her husband's death. The crown had argued against bail saying Colella was unstable and posed a risk to herself and the community. The victim was a retired bus driver, described as 'a lovely old fella' by neighbours. Mr Colella, was aged in his 70s, had three children and and was a grandfather who lived in the Alberton home with his wife for about 20 years. He was found dead in a bedroom and his wife was then arrested inside the house. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Lucia Colella is charged with murdering her long-time husband .
Accused of killing him with knives and an axe .
Was subject of an arrest warrant after failing to turn up to court previously .
The case was adjourned until February 2 after an Italian interpreter was requested by the accused grandmother . |
216,910 | a4d569a9230d201b791a9a31cba1e792a4c6742e | The Care Quality Commission has identified 1,200 GP practices in England which may not be providing safe care (file picture, posed by model) One in six GP surgeries could be putting tens of thousands of patients at risk, according to the NHS watchdog. The Care Quality Commission has identified 1,200 practices in England which may not be providing safe care, including 864 it has categorised as of ‘highest concern’. Failings include misdiagnosing cancer, inadequate care of the elderly and making patients wait too long for appointments. CQC chief inspector Professor Steve Field said most surgeries were managing to provide good care despite high demand, but added: ‘We’re sadly finding some very poor practices. ‘These typically are chaotic, have very poor leadership and a lack of learning culture. They also have a poor skill mix – some don’t have any nurses. 'Patients could be at risk by simple things such as by prescribing out-of-date medicines and vaccines. ’ The poorly performing surgeries will be prioritised for vigorous, day-long spot checks over the next two years, which could lead to the worst being closed down. Preliminary assessments of nearly all 8,000 surgeries in England were carried out as part of a new Ofsted-style ratings system based on 38 categories covering safety and basic care. The surgeries have been placed into one of six categories ranging from ‘highest concern’ to ‘lowest concern’. Patients can go to the CQC website to see how their surgery is performing in comparison with neighbouring practices and how they rate according to national standards. Criteria include detection rates for cancer and dementia, opening hours, giving patients the flu jab and the numbers of frail, elderly patients ending up in A&E because they are not properly looked after. The consequences for patients of any one of these failings can be catastrophic. Scroll down for video . Several practices have been identified as having high rates of patients whose cancers are only detected in A&E – because the GP failed to diagnose it in previous appointments. By this stage, the cancer has often spread to other organs and may have become untreatable. The CQC also identified 217 surgeries which could be putting young women at risk by not offering them screening for cervical cancer. A further 228 are making patients wait far too long to see a doctor or nurse. The surgeries were given a score for each of the 38 indicators. These were added together to give an overall score, with the final result determining which of the six bands they were placed in. There were 864 surgeries in band 1 (‘highest concern’) and 332 in band 2. By comparison there were 3,979 surgeries in band 6 (‘lowest concern’). Failings identified by the health watchdog include misdiagnosing cancer, inadequate care of the elderly and making patients wait too long for appointments. It has categorised 864 surgeries as of ‘highest concern’ Prof Field, who is also a GP in Edgbaston, Birmingham, added: ‘GPs are under a lot of pressure but they are demonstrating that even in deprived areas they can provide fantastic care. I do have concerns about access to practices. But we need to do more to encourage people to take better care of themselves and to make better use of pharmacies.’ Prof Field said he expected that only about 160 practices (two per cent) would be put in special measures, where officials from NHS England would step in and instruct them to make urgent improvements. If these are not carried out, the surgeries could be closed down and patients taken on by others nearby. Roger Goss, of Patient Concern, said: ‘The patients at these high-risk practices should be told so they have the option of going elsewhere. ‘That is part of the NHS’s duty of candour, its obligation to be honest and open. Over the past 18 months there has been a rise in the number of patients contacting us with concerns – most notably not being able to get an appointment, which is fundamental.’ GPs are being warned not to close early over the festive period. NHS officials have written to surgeries over concerns they will close their doors mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve when it is traditionally quiet. Last year NHS England found that one in 20 GPs had shut by 4pm and left patients in the hands of out-of-hours firms. A letter sent to practices last week – obtained by Pulse magazine – reminds them that Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are ‘normal working days’. Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients’ Association, added: ‘The NHS must be open and transparent and patients should be provided with as much information as possible about their GP practice. ‘We know that if patients are provided with information, they are able to make more meaningful choices about their healthcare. The more transparent and honest a GP surgery and its staff are, the more confidence the public will have in the system.’ Patients can check their surgery’s rating by going to www.cqc.org.uk/content/our-intelligent-monitoring-gp-practices and inserting their postcode. However, the website has already been criticised by some patients as being riddled with jargon and difficult to interpret. Joyce Robins, co-director of Patient Concern, said: ‘There are just too many patients and not enough doctors. Many are just stretched to the limit and that is why so many patients are ending up in A&E.’ Dr Maureen Baker, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, added: ‘Many practices are struggling to meet quality standards due to factors beyond their control, such as lack of funding, significant increases in patient consultations and difficulties in trying to recruit sufficient GPs to meet patients’ needs.’ Mike Bewick, deputy medical director at NHS England, said: ‘We’re pleased this report shows that despite the increased pressure on GPs there are so many good and outstanding practices across the country.’ | Care Quality Commission: 1,200 practices may not be providing safe care .
Watchdog has categorised 864 surgeries in England as of 'highest concern'
Failings include misdiagnosis, inadequate care and appointments delays . |
284,190 | fc33686d2cbc9c47662ec4c03a1c74e675ae0b0f | A police dog named Copper has been credited for saving the life of a missing 6-year-old Utah boy who accidentally fell into an open manhole and became trapped underground. Kollin Bailey presented a large bone and a stocking full of doggie treats to his new four-legged friend on Saturday, a day after his ordeal in cold darkness about 10 feet below ground. 'He saved my life,' the boy told KUTV-TV, echoing his parents' belief. Scroll down for video... Kollin went missing from his Herriman home Friday evening. He was supposed to be playing at the neighbor's house, but instead, he ended up at the bottom of a nine-foot manhole . Copper the bloodhound, a West Valley City Police Department K9. Copper has successfully tracked down 81 suspects and missing persons . Kollin Bailey's neighbors decorated his door with well wishes after he broke his arm falling in a manhol . After he was reported missing Friday afternoon, the 6-year-old bloodhound tracked his scent to the manhole in Kollin's hometown of Herriman, about 25 miles south of Salt Lake City. Police said the boy spent three to four hours there until he was located Friday night. An officer then descended the hole to lift him out. 'I was really scared ... I thought I was going to miss Christmas,' Kollin said. Kollin, who suffered a broken arm and mild concussion, said he was flying a kite when he tripped and fell into the manhole. K9 teams from the West Valley City Police Department were called to assist, including Sgt. Shane Matheson and bloodhound Copper . Sgt. Shane Matheson of West Valley City PD and his bloodhound, Copper. Kollin fell into an open manhole Friday night was found thanks to a police K9 . Kollin spent two hours alone in the hole and could have been there much longer. 'I thought I was going to miss Christmas', the 6-year-old boy said . 'I was looking back at my kite and I fell, then I blacked out. And when I opened my eyes, I was in there,' he told the Dessert News. When he didn't come home his mother got worried. Shara Bailey, Kollin's mother, 'I just kept falling over last night. I just couldn't stand because I was so scared.' Kollin was yelling for help, but he was in such a seculded spot that nobody could hear him. Kollin Bailey, 'My mom and dad couldn't hear me.' Fortunately, bloodhounds don't rely on sound. They go for smell. Kollin had been playing in a grassy area near his home when he fell into an uncovered manhole . As the 100-pound bloodhound came trotting around the corner with Matheson, Kollin and his family embraced the dog and the sergeant with hugs and words of thanks . It’s hard to hear anybody in the area where Kollin fell. Fortunately, bloodhounds don’t rely on sound; they go for smell and Kollin was found within minutes after the search began . It was a special meeting for six year-old Kollin Bailey, as he came face to face with Copper the bloodhound . The dog's handler, West Valley City police Sgt. Shane Matheson, said it only took Copper about 20 minutes to lead him to the manhole once they joined the search. They began their search from where Kollin's bicycle was found. 'Kollin was pretty relieved he had been found,' Matheson told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'He said he thought he had been down there seven hours.' Fortunately, Kollin was okay. His family took him to the hospital. He has a broken arm and scratches. It is unknown why the manhole was uncovered, but Herriman officials believe someone had tampered with the cover. Maintenance crews had not been to the area for quite some time. Shawn Bailey, 'My son's life goes out to them. Because he wouldn't be with us today if we didn't have those K-9 units and great police officers.' It was all in a day's work for Copper, who has tracked down 81 suspects and missing people, Matheson added. 'To him it is just a game of hide and seek,' he said. 'It's kind of a nice change of pace from finding bad guys to actually helping a family out.' 'I was telling everybody at the hospital last night, 'That dog is going to get the biggest bone he's ever gotten for Christmas,' said Kollin's father . By Saturday morning, Kollin and his family had gone through an emotional 24 hours. 'I was flying my kite, and I think I saw a rock and I think I tripped over it and fell into the hole', Kollin said . Kollin’s mother, Shara Bailey, said they began looking for him. She said she was afraid for her child. 'I had thought the worst, you know? You always wonder how do people go to sleep at night without their babies home? And I was terrified I was going to have to,' she said . Today the family is just thankful, for the efforts and kindness of their neighborhood, that their child was found and only suffered a broken arm. They said they are especially grateful for Copper and Sgt Matheson . Kollin’s time in the hole probably lasted three to four hours. A police officer jumped down the hole and lifted the boy up to other officers . When Kollin first hugged his mom after being rescued from the hole, she said he was most concerned about missing Christmas . | Kollin Bailey, 6, was flying his kite when he fell down an open manhole cover .
Despite screaming nobody could hear him in the area where he was laying .
Police K-9 found Kollin within minutes and he was found with a broken arm . |
110,851 | 1ae98d86be9f50f31a3d09d468840de14ebcd817 | (CNN) -- Mario Gomez gave Bayern Munich a precious 2-1 advantage in their Champions League tie against Real Madrid with an 90th minute winner in the first leg in the Allianz Arena Tuesday. The match looked headed for a draw until the prolific striker connected with Philipp Lahm's right wing cross to give Bayern a deserved victory. They had gone ahead through Franck Ribery in the first half with Mesut Ozil leveling in a rare Real Madrid attack just after the break. Gomez had endured a frustrating night, wasting an earlier gilt-edged chance to put them ahead for a second time when he shot over from close range. But he was rewarded for his persistence with his 40th goal of the season to give the Bavarian giants real hope of reaching the final which will be played in their home stadium next month. English Premier League Chelsea entertain reigning champions Barcelona in the second semifinal first leg Wednesday. La Liga leaders Real had gone into their away tie as favorites to progress, but from the early moments it was clear Bayern would be a difficult proposition. Ribery felt he should have had a penalty when his shirt was tugged by Sergio Ramos, but English referee Howard Webb waved away the protests. The French international did not have long to wait to be celebrating as he latched on to a loose ball in the Real penalty area from a corner and lashed his shot past Iker Casillas. Gomez had the first of his chances before halftime as Casillas turned behind his shot and it looked to be costly as Real equalized in the 53rd minute. Cristiano Ronaldo wasted the first chance as his weak shot was saved by Manuel Neuer. But Karim Benzema picked up the rebound and his shot across the goal came to Ronaldo, who cut it back for Ozil to shoot home from close range. It was the precursor for a good spell for Real but Bayern regrouped and began to create opportunities again. Gomez lifted his effort over in the 71st minute and then headed straight at Casillas. He also had penalty appeals waved away before striking late in typical fashion after superb work from the tireless Lahm. Real boss Jose Mourinho, whose team face an El Clasico showdown with Barcelona Saturday, is still confident his team will progress. "We have the second leg to come and it's not like we have to make a historical comeback, what we have to do is very achievable," he told gathered reporters. "If we win at home, we are there. I am optimistic we can return here to play the final." | Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 in Champions League semifinal first leg .
Mario Gomez scores 90th minute winner in Allianz Arena .
Mesut Ozil equalized Frank Ribery's first half opener for Bayern .
Barcelona play Chelsea in second semifinal Wednesday . |
155,019 | 5456ef5986b02e401bf3998cf642f804555a6341 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- On September 11, 2001, Kathryn Freed watched from two blocks away as a plane hit the World Trade Center's north tower. After September 11, most of lower Manhattan was covered in thick dust from the collapsed towers. "Honestly, it was so surreal," Freed said. "We heard the plane coming -- it was very low and very loud -- and we watched it go right over our heads; we just watched it hit dead center the north tower. I stood there and watched the skin of the building come off. It looked like tinsel from a Christmas tree falling down." A short while later, Freed saw the second plane plow through the south tower in a giant fireball. And as she headed back toward her apartment, four blocks from what was soon to be known as ground zero, the south tower collapsed, sending a plume of debris into the air and straight down her street. Freed believes that the lingering cloud of dust -- caused by the towers' collapse and the digging out of ground zero -- caused some of her long- and short-term medical problems, such as her "WTC cough" and other respiratory issues. She's among the many residents of lower Manhattan, emergency responders, recovery workers, commuters and passers-by to have developed serious, sometimes chronic medical problems since the terrorist attack seven years ago. A commission charged with examining the scope and depth of the attack's health effects reviewed more than 100 scientific articles published since 2001 and found that new asthma levels among residents and rescue workers were two to three times higher than the national estimates. The report by the World Trade Center Medical Working Group, issued in advance of the September 11 anniversary, also found that two to three years after the attack, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder remained elevated among rescue and recovery workers and residents of lower Manhattan. Interactive: More on PTSD » . But the most reassuring finding was that in all the studies they looked at, there was consistency. "The primary finding of the report, as you synthesize the main findings from more than 100 peer review articles on the health ramifications of 9/11, is that the findings are very similar across the studies," Lorna Thorpe said. Thorpe, the deputy commissioner in the Division of Epidemiology at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is a member of the Medical Working Group. "That is a very important characteristic to us when we are trying to say how well we understand the short- and medium-term health ramifications," she said. The group, appointed last year by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is composed of 16 professionals with varied areas of expertise who include researchers, clinicians, psychiatrists, pulmonologists and environmental health experts. According to their report, there were also glimmers of good news: New diagnoses of the autoimmune disorder sarcoidosis, which were elevated among responding firefighters early on, are now back to pre-September 11 rates; early symptoms for PTSD resolved quickly for most people; and any impact on birth outcomes was small in magnitude. "The review of existing services found that at the moment, the panoply of services that exist in New York City are sufficient for those who are stepping forward with potential 9/11 illnesses, but moving forward, additional federal support for sustaining those services is critical," Thorpe said, adding that the bigger the outreach effort, the greater the chance of demand to outstrip supply. According to the group, there are still many unanswered questions, including how extensively the disaster affected the health of residents, area workers and students; what kind of exposure increased risk; how persistent the mental and physical symptoms are; how prevalent depression and substance abuse are; whether there is a possibility of trade center-related cancer; and how effective is the treatment received by those who sought it. The medical working group also issued recommendations, including advocating for long-term federal funding to ensure that treatment and monitoring can continue; expanding the research into trade center-related conditions and evaluating the treatments involved; and expanding the education efforts to increase awareness of both the availability of medical resources for those affected and the clinical guidelines created to treat them. Freed believes that she was lucky in that she was "too busy" to develop PTSD; at the time, she was a New York council member and spent the months after the attack working to get her neighborhood back on its feet, bringing in supplies, medicine, information and services. She also continued to live in her apartment, where inches of dust had collected on the terrace, and didn't leave the neighborhood with its ever-present dust cloud for months. "At that time, I had such a bad WTC cough -- I had gone to one of the doctors at Mount Sinai [hospital], and he basically told me to get out of the district because I was having such a hard time breathing," she said. "Like everyone down there, I had a bad cough and what I thought was heartburn, but after the doctor's visit, I realized the air was so, so caustic that just breathing ended up burning your respiratory system." To this day, Freed, who is now a civil court judge for Manhattan, suffers from the breathing problems and allergies that developed after the attack, and although she occasionally gets "the cough," it doesn't bother her nearly as often. The WTC Medical Working Group is expected to issue an update every year. Freed is glad they are around, but she added, "It might have been nice to have it seven years ago." | Working group looked at more than 100 studies done since 2001 .
Survivors reported higher levels of PTSD and respiratory problems such as asthma .
More federal funds needed for medical services for at-risk groups, panel says .
Watch 9/11 memorials in New York and Washington on CNN.com Live . |
276,227 | f1e2312c67e32bbd132da40c4e5f8bd76f76e933 | By . Nicola Rowe . PUBLISHED: . 06:54 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:57 EST, 18 June 2013 . A bidding-war is stirring among high flying millionaires in a desperate move to snap up the world's first aeroplane car - which is up for sale for £600,000. With cars and congestion becoming too much for commuters in the 1940s, pioneering inventor Moulton Taylor developed a way to soar above the rest. The American designer built the first-ever Aerocar in 1949 and successfully proved that the roadster - complete with foldable wings to keep a street-worthy size - could be done. A bidding-war is stirring among high flying millionaires in a desperate move to snap up the worlds first aeroplane car - which is up for sale for £600,000 . With cars and congestion becoming too much for commuters in the 1940s, pioneering inventor Moulton Taylor developed a way to soar above the rest . The Aerocar was set to take the world by storm but after almost 25 years of campaigning Taylor still could still not strike a deal - he even lost a deal with auto giants Ford. Along with the original prototype, only four others were ever built and madcap collectors are battling to own the startling piece of engineering history - which is still able to cruise at 110mph. Greg Herrick, of aviation enthusiast Historic Sales, said: 'This was the peak of 20th century design at the time and was close to taking the world's imagination by storm. The first-ever Aerocar was built in 1949 and successfully proved that the roadster - complete with folding wings to keep it a street-worthy size - could be done . The Aerocar's creator was a gifted aeronautical engineer who was 'crazy about airplanes' and the battle to become a proud owner of the car has been extreme . 'There really was nothing like it around at the time and the design attracted so much attention - it was such an incredibly advanced piece of kit. 'It was on the front of newspapers, magazines, books and on TV shows across the globe - it's popularity was unprecedented. 'But the oil crash in the 1970s and a lack of businesses willing to invest eventually led to all interest fizzling away - to this day there is still nothing like it.' Not only can it be readily converted from an airplane to a car, but its wings can be folded back along the sides of the detached fuselage and towed behind the automobile like a trailer . The Aerocar was set to take the world by storm but after almost 25 years of campaigning, Taylor still could still not strike a deal - he even lost a deal with auto giant Ford . Engine: Lycoming 0-320, 4-cylinder, rated at 150 hp Length Overall (as an airplane): 21ft Height Overall (as an airplane): 7 ft. 2 in Length of car portion: 10 ft 4 in Length of trailer portion: 13 ft Width of trailer: 8 ftWingspan: 30 ftWing Chord: 6 ft. 3 in.Wing Area: 168 sq. ft.Seat (car) Width: 44 in.Baggage Space: 24 cu. ft.Gross Weight: 2,100 lbs.Empty Weight: 1,300 lbs.Useful Load: 800 lbs.Payload w/ 24 gal. Fuel: 656 lbs.Maximum Speed: 110 mphCruise Speed: 100 mphApproach Speed: 68 mphLanding Speed: 55 mphService Ceiling: 12,000 ft.Fuel Capacity: 24 gal.Oil Capacity: 7 qts.Cruising Range: 300 miles . The 21ft Aerocar is a two-place aircraft with side-by-side seating, four wheels, 30ft wingspan and a single Lycoming 0-320 engine mounted over the rear wheels. The propeller is mounted at the end of a long tail cone, and the latter is angled up considerably, to provide adequate propeller clearance. Its cruise speed is 100mph, and it initially sold for $25,000. Not only can it be readily converted from an airplane to a road-going car, but also its wings can be folded back along the sides of the detached fuselage and towed behind the automobile like a trailer. The idea for the Aerocar occurred to its designer Taylor in 1946. After meeting inventor Robert E. Fulton, Jr. he became captivated by the concept of his flying car. Molt immediately saw the weakness in the fixed, detachable wings of Fulton's design, and set about building his prototype Aerocar with folding wings, which he completed in 1949. After a successful demonstration flight, Molt promoted the Aerocar at aircraft and auto shows and on TV. As the flood of inquiries poured in, Molt raised money to certify the machine as an airplane, and to build four 'pre-production' Aerocars for demonstrations and eventual sale. Taylor built his first 'production' Aerocar in 1954 and flew them, as he attempted to develop a market into the early 1960s. He used fiberglass on the cars' outer panels to keep the weight down and developed a front wheel drive because the rear wheels were used for landing. Takeoff speed was 55 mph and the airplane was controlled with the same steering wheel. One Aerocar is owned by the Smithsonian museum group, one is in the EAA museum and two are in private hands . Molt was a gifted aeronautical engineer who was 'crazy about airplanes' and the battle to become a proud owner of the car has been extreme. Greg said: 'There are four surviving Aerocars out of five built. One is owned by the Smithsonian museum group, one is in the EAA museum and two are in private hands. 'The prototype for the next generation is in the Boeing museum in Seattle. 'It's a really rare chance to buy this.' | Only four of the five 'Aerocars' ever built in the 1940s are still in existence .
It cruises at 110mph and easily converts from airplane to road-going car .
Car is a 21ft long, two-place aircraft .
with seating for two, a 30ft wingspan and single .
Lycoming 0-320 engine mounted over rear wheels .
Wings can be folded back along the sides of the detached fuselage and towed behind the automobile like a trailer . |
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