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244,745 | c8c3163277a175393b6ab6ab2f715ce11691d9a3 | President Barack Obama said he identified the September 11 assault on the U.S. Consulate in Libya as a terrorist attack within a day; former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said it took two weeks. A timeline of the Obama administration's comments on the Libya attack . The claim: "The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people in the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened," Obama said. "That this was an act of terror and I also said that we're going to hunt down those who committed this crime." The counterclaim: "It took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror," Romney responded moments later. The facts: On September 12, the day after the attack that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, Obama said in comments in the Rose Garden that he had learned about the attack on the consulate the night before. Fact Check: What about the security in Benghazi? "Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe," he said. "No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done." Opinion: Do facts even matter? On September 13, at a campaign event in Las Vegas, Obama vowed to bring the killers to justice. He then added, "No act of terror will dim the light of the values that we proudly shine on the rest of the world, and no act of violence will shake the resolve of the United States of America." Other administration officials, however, said in subsequent days that they were unaware of any credible intelligence suggesting that the attack had been planned in advance. On September 13, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, said authorities "are very cautious about drawing any conclusions with regard to who the perpetrators were, what their motivations were, (and) whether it was premeditated" until they had completed an investigation. On September 16, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said, "We do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditated or preplanned." On September 19, Matthew Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that the ambassador and three other Americans "were killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our embassy." White House spokesman Jay Carney sought to clear up any confusion on September 20. "It is, I think, self-evident that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack. Our embassy was attacked violently, and the result was four deaths of American officials." On September 25, on ABC's "The View," interviewer Joy Behar asked Obama about a remark made by his secretary of state. "I heard Hillary Clinton say it was an act of terrorism. Is it? What do you say?" To that, Obama responded, "We're still doing an investigation. There's no doubt that (with) the kind of weapons that were used, the ongoing assault, that it wasn't just a mob action. We don't have all the information yet, so we're still gathering it. But what's clear is that around the world there's still a lot of threats out there." Obama added that "extremist militias" were suspected to have been involved. Fact Check: Did Obama say he wants 'daylight' between U.S., Israel? Two days later, Carney responded bluntly to a question about why Obama had not labeled the incident a terrorist attack. "I think you're misunderstanding something here," Carney said. "I'm the president's spokesman. When the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matt Olsen, in open testimony in Congress, answered a question by saying yes, by the definitions we go by -- this is me paraphrasing -- this was a terrorist attack -- I echoed that, because this president, this administration, everybody looks to the intelligence community for the assessments on this. And it has been since I said so, the president's position that this was a terrorist attack." The conclusion: Romney's precise comment was false. Obama did describe the killings in Benghazi as an act of terror twice in the two days after the attack. In an interview two weeks after the incident, though, he appeared to reserve judgment, and some Obama administration officials, including Carney and Rice, suggested in the days after the attack that the United States had no indication that it was a planned assault. Complete coverage of CNN's Fact Checks . | "It took the president 14 days" to describe Benghazi attack as a terror act, Romney says .
"No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation," Obama says a day after attack .
Obama reiterates the stance a day later at another event . |
52,126 | 93a0cf30f5e25dc0b71b7beabaa657304d58e435 | By . Lydia Warren and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:40 EST, 18 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:48 EST, 18 December 2012 . Donald Trump was victorious in a lawsuit he filed against former Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin, who called the Miss USA pageant 'fixed' and 'trashy' after she failed to make the semifinals of the beauty contest this summer. Mr Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, sued Monnin for defamation after she alleged in June that a fellow contestant . in the competition had seen a list of the top five winners before the . finalists were named on stage. A U.S. District Court Magistrate ruled last week in favor of the Miss Universe Organization, awarding it $5 million in damages and stated Monnin's statements 'were false' and 'showed a reckless disregard,' according to the New York Post. Scroll down for video . Accusations: Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin (left) said Miss Florida Karina Brez (right) said she had seen a list of the Miss USA finalists before they were called. Another contestant claimed that she heard the same . Miss Pennsylvania's Sheena Monnin accused Miss Universe Organization of rigging the competition when . she resigned from her position in mid June. She claimed Karina Brez, who was representing Florida at the contest in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 3, recited the top five women after seeing a list of their names backstage. In a Facebook post announcing her . resignation, she wrote: 'Apparently the morning of June 3rd [Brez] saw a . folder lying open to a page that said 'FINAL SHOW Telecast, June 3, . 2012' and she saw the places for Top 5 already filled in. 'After . the Top 16 were called and we were standing backstage she hesitantly . said to me and another contestant that she knew who the Top 5 were. I . said 'who do you think they will be?' She said that she didn't 'think' she 'knew' because she saw the list that morning. 'She . relayed whose names were on the list. Then we agreed to wait and see if . that was indeed the Top 5 called that night. After it was indeed the . Top 5 I knew the show must be rigged.' Miss . Universe Organization vehemently denied the claims and said that Monnin . had cited the new rules allowing transgender contestants as her reason . for resigning. Donald Trump . also denied the claims and proceeded with the lawsuit against Monnin, who he believed . was suffering 'loser's remorse'. 'I did see her for about a second. I . never felt that she had a chance,' he told the Today show over the summer. Battle: Donald Trump, the co-owner of Miss Universe Organization, successfully sued Miss Monnin (right) for her claims. A judge has awarded the pageant $5 million in damages . Bitter: Miss Monnin looks on (right) as Trump addresses the crowd at the competition this summer. He has now said he never believed Miss Monnin would take the crown and it is a case of sour grapes . 'I know what I heard, and I know what I in turn witnessed... so I’m prepared to continue to march forward,' Monnin responded on Today. 'I . feel an injustice has been done, not only to the other people who were . not in the top five, but to the thousands of pageant girls across the . country who competed, believing this is an honest system.' But Brez has also come forward to deny she made the claims seriously. 'Backstage . during the pageant, I did see a piece of paper with names on it and . like most people in such frenetic circumstances, joked that they must be . the names of the final contestants,' Brez said. 'It . was a throwaway comment, in the stress of the pageant, and was never . meant as fact. The list I saw didn’t even have the eventual winner on . it.' Monnin told Today she believes Brez changed her story out of fear. 'She looked a little bit scared because . she had just seen something that would potentially, drastically change . the reputation of the Miss Universe Organization,' she said. 'This is a big deal.' Top five: Monnin claims another contestant told her Miss Ohio, Miss Maryland, Miss Rhode Island, Miss Nevada and Miss Georgia would be the top five before they were even read out . Deserved? After the 51 contestants were whittled down, Olivia Culpo from Rhode Island was named the winner . Good answer: Culpo, pictured with hosts Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic, impressed during the Q&A round . Well, she didn't know: Culpo is surrounded by fellow contestants after being crowned Miss USA . The latest accuser, who was not identified, said Miss Brez had appeared 'very, very flustered and upset' as the top 15 girls were announced. 'I thought it might be because she . didn’t make the top 15 cut, but at that point she was able to reveal to . me at least four of the five names who went on to be the top girls,' the . contestant told FOX News. 'She couldn’t remember the fifth . because she was so upset. Several of the girls then started hearing . through the grapevine about a list; a lot of people were upset.' 'A lot of the girls now are very upset . about how Pennsylvania is being treated and aggressively attacked by an . organization that claims to empower women,' she said. Top . ten: Monnin said the contestant told her about the discovery as the top . 16 were announced. But organizers have said she resigned because she . was against the new rule allowing transgender contestants . Discovery: Monnin claimed the unidentified contestant saw the top five list backstage before the show . The top 15 girls are decided by preliminary judging in the days before the broadcast, and fan voting determines the 16th. The top ten, top five and winner are decided in the live show, a rep said. The scores for the competition are believed to be entered into a computer system as the show is live. These results are monitored and verified by Ernst & Young. 'In accordance with the rules of the competition, Ernst & Young's tabulation of the judges' votes which determined the final five contestants did not occur until after the evening gown competition had been completed,' a representative said. Judge Joe Jonas tweeted after the accusations: 'All I can say... Is the Miss USA competition was NOT rigged. Miss [Rhode Island] USA won fair and square.' The pageant named Ms Culpo, a 20-year-old cellist, the winner after she made it clear that she embraced all beauty queens - transgender or otherwise - during the interview portion. In the dreaded final question round, Ms . Culpo was faced with the most difficult question of the night: Would it . be fair for a person born a man to be named Miss Universe after becoming . a woman? Final rounds: But organizers said the contestant denied telling Monnin she had seen any such list . Rearly lovely: The pageant was held at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip . Ms Culpo never stumbled as she embraced the Miss Universe Organization's recent decision to admit transgender contestants. 'I do think that would be fair,' she said. 'But I could understand how people could be apprehensive to take that road.' It is an opinion that Monnin does not share. In her resignation email, she wrote: 'I refuse to be part of a pageant system that has so far and so completely removed itself from its foundational principles as to allow and support natural born males to compete in it. 'This goes against ever moral fiber of my being. I believe in integrity, high moral character, and fair play, none of which are part of this system any longer.' Ms Culpo will represent the United States at the 61st Miss Universe pageant on December 19 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997. | Miss Pennsylvania's Sheena Monnin claimed Miss Florida had seen a list of the five finalists before the show had even begun .
Monnin claimed the pageant was 'fixed' and 'trashy'
Show co-owner Donald Trump sued Monnin for accusations . |
36,319 | 66fc8ce11268844296f85f2645909fef61f35022 | (CNN) -- Flooding has claimed 102 lives in southwestern Nigeria, where a dam burst and a river overflowed near the city of Ibadan, officials said Wednesday. A rain deluge from Friday night to early Saturday caused the Odo Ona River to overflow and the Eleyele dam to collapse, said Yushau Shuaib of the government's National Emergency Management Agency. Several homes were swept away and temporary camps were set up, Shuaib said. The Nigerian Red Cross, which is helping in the crisis, said earlier this week that more victims could still be found in remote areas that rescue teams have not reached. The government is delivering aid to people displaced by the flooding in Ibadan and surrounding areas in Oyo state, the National Emergency Management Agency said. Thousands of people have been displaced, and about 1,500 of them are being looked after in centers run by government officials and the Red Cross in the Ibadan area, Red Cross spokesman Umar Mairiga told CNN on Tuesday. They are being given emergency food rations, as well as mattresses, blankets and rubber mats, Mairiga said. The deputy governor of Oyo state, Chief Moses Adeyemo, called for more federal government help to resettle those displaced and to rebuild bridges and water channels destroyed by the flooding, the statement said. NEMA warned that there could be more flooding in urban areas during the rainy season if drains were inadequate or blocked by uncleared waste. Journalist Alkasim Abdulkadir and CNN's Christian Purefoy and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report. | More than 100 people have died in Nigerian flooding .
More flooding is possible during the rainy season, agency warns .
Thousands of people have been displaced, the Nigerian Red Cross says . |
236,959 | beb24c213f509ce4565993cc4e21b26405e54bbe | By . Jill Foster . Ben and Will are bright, sporty boys. Seven-year-old Will is a fan of martial arts while his elder brother Ben, 12, would love to be a rugby player when he grows up. But, like many children, one of their favourite pastimes is playing computer games, and they spend hours every week playing on the family's iPad. Like most modern parents, Nicky Hayes, 39, and her husband Simon, 45, admit there's a convenience factor in allowing their sons to play these games. But the couple, from Ashtead, Surrey, are now fastidious about the security settings on their iPad, having learnt their lesson the hard - and expensive - way. Concern: Kathryn Bennett and her grandson Alfie, who unwittingly spent . £3,500 playing games on her iPad . 'We've changed our password and disabled a setting which allowed the boys to purchase games or credits for a game without us knowing,' says Nicky. 'We've added every parental control you can think of.' The couple are ever-vigilant because, two years ago, Will racked up a debt of £1,200 on his mother's debit card by playing a supposedly ‘free’ game on the iPad. Only five at the time, the youngster had no idea that the game, which encouraged him to purchase 'virtual zombie brains', would result in his parents paying real money. While they were stunned that their young son could run up such a debt, Nicky, a business consultant, and Simon, a property developer, were lucky to be able to take the financial hit. But not every parent is as fortunate - and the consequences can be tragic. Last month, an inquest heard how 13-year-old Lancashire schoolboy Henry Tattersall hanged himself after spending £422 online on Xbox games. While the coroner ruled that Henry had intended to be found, the tragic incident happened after his mother confronted him over the bill. It makes me so cross that Apple target . children with so-called "free" games then enable them to buy "add-ons" for extortionate sums of money . Numerous other children have unwittingly spent fortunes on their parents' credit or debit cards. Last summer, eight-year-old Lilly Neale, from Somerset, ran up almost £4,000, while Theo Rowland-Fry, eight, from Bristol, spent £1,000. Danny Kitchen, also from Bristol, was five when he racked up a £1,700 bill on a zombie game. The first time Nicky Hayes realised something was wrong was when she went to the cash machine and discovered her balance was £1,000 short. Her bank told her the purchases had been made on iTunes, Apple's media player which lets you download music, games and videos. 'I knew it wasn't me - I hadn't bought anything from iTunes recently,' she says. 'Then I went into my account online and saw dozens of purchases. Over a two to three-day period, one of my sons had spent £1,200 on a game where they had to pay to acquire virtual zombie brains. 'It was part of a free game we'd downloaded. I wasn't aware you could spend money on it. I rang Apple, who were remarkably unhelpful. They said that as the purchases had been made legitimately, they couldn't refund the money. Innocent: Many children aren't aware they are spending money when playing iPad games (posed by models) 'I told them it had been spent without my authorisation, but they just weren't interested. 'We'd always been careful to protect our iPad with a password and not to tell the boys what it was but, like every customer, we'd had to input our card details to sign up to iTunes, and these details were stored. 'It turned out Will had watched me inputting the password and memorised it. The game kept asking him if he wanted to buy more for £50 and he kept pressing the "yes" button. He didn't think he'd spent "real money".' Dr Kevin Curran, a lecturer in computer science at the University of Ulster, says incidents such incidents are common - and a major problem. 'Of course, a password is required, but even if a parent never lets their child know it, there are loopholes which allow a child to purchase without a parent's knowledge,' he says. Louise Worth, 50, found this out when she let her ten-year-old son, Alex, play a free game called Six-Guns last year. When I got the bill, I was furious, but Alex genuinely didn't realise he'd been spending money . The housewife from Barnet, north London, realised he'd spent £250 only when she checked her email and found 28 iTunes invoices. 'Alex doesn’t know my password, but one evening he'd been playing a game with my permission and it kept asking if he wanted to go up a level, so he kept pressing "yes". 'When I got the bill, I was furious, but Alex genuinely didn't realise he'd been spending money. He thought the game was offering him "prizes". I rang Apple who said their terms and conditions meant they didn't have to give the money back. I was furious. 'That's when Apple checked my account and found a 15-minute time-limit setting on it, which allowed for purchases without a password as long as they were all made within 15 minutes of the first password being entered. 'They said that Alex must have made all 28 purchases within that 15-minute time-frame, but I thought that was impossible. 'For two weeks I fought the decision, and three times Apple came back and said they would not refund the money. Eventually, they backed down and paid it. 'But they made it clear this was a once-only offer. They were very arrogant about it. It makes me so cross that Apple target children with so-called "free" games then enable them to buy "add-ons" for extortionate sums of money.' Lesson learnt: The Bennetts eventually got their money back . Around 90 per cent of apps are now "freemium" - which means that the app is free to download but payments are required to unlock features or purchase extra items. Many of these items are attractive to children, such as virtual jewels, sweets or zombie brains. A study last year revealed that parents had lost £30 million thanks to children's unauthorised purchases. It's a problem that extends far beyond the UK. Recently in the U.S., Apple agreed to refund at least £66 million to parents whose children had racked up in-app bills. Now, the UK's Office of Fair Trading has announced the introduction of new in-app purchases standards, so that from April 1, all apps should clearly disclose information about the costs associated with a game before it’s downloaded. This all comes too late for Roger Bennett, 66, whose grandson Alfie, eight, spent £3,500 on his iPad last year while playing games such as Clash of the Clans, Beat the Boss and Temple Run. Roger, a retired fire officer from Worcester, says it was his wife Kathryn, 63, a retired teacher, who noticed that something was awry. Living online . Two in five children have internet access in their bedrooms by the time they leave primary school . 'Our Apple iTunes account is connected to a bank account that we don't use very often, and when Kathryn realised we were £1,300 overdrawn on it, we knew something was wrong,' he says. The couple asked their grandchildren whether they had been buying anything online. 'Alfie looked a bit sheepish. He has ADHD and can be manic at times, but when he's playing on the iPad, he's calm. So we downloaded some free games, not realising there is a 15-minute slot when you can buy extras without having to put the card details back in. 'When I found out what he'd done, I was furious, but we couldn't shout at him because he hadn't realised what was happening.' When Roger contacted Apple, they offered to refund just £500 because of Alfie's special needs. It was only when a journalist friend became involved that they agreed to pay back the full amount. 'It's a lot of money, so we were very grateful,' says Roger. 'It's a lesson for all of us. I've heard of many others who have been in a similar situation. One friend's son spent nearly £8,000 on his dad's credit card. 'I blame Apple, not the children. They've made a lot of money out of it.' The Mail contacted Apple, but the company declined to comment. | Office of Fair Trading has announced new in-app purchases standards .
Comes after numerous of parents have received hefty bills .
Children unaware they were paying for games . |
120,441 | 27a4cf773d7e72b7f6cead33aceb1cbad46802f0 | By . Belinda Robinson . U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama kept up her charm offensive in China by visiting the site of the terracotta warriors – but briefly talked about politics calling on the Chinese government to open up the internet to all of its citizens. The First Lady, along with daughters Sasha 12, and Malia 15, watched a folk dance by local performers during her visit to the City Wall, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province and later joined in by dancing and skipping rope, much to the delight of her Chinese hosts. The family also came face-to-face with China’s terracotta warriors on Monday on a week-long tour of several major sites while the First Lady carefully skirted political issues. Scroll down for video . First mother: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama (C) hugs her daughters Malia (L) and Sasha (R) as they watch a folk dance by performers during her visit to the City Wall, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province . Performance art: U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (C) dances with folk performers as she visits the City Wall, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province . Skipping: First Lady Michelle Obama (Center) shows off her skills as she skips while Chinese dignitaries and children applaud during a visit to the Xi'an City Wall . Dancing: U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (C) dances with folk performers as she visits the City Wall, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province . Mrs Obama and her daughters stood in one of the largest . pits at the site of the Teracotta army which is located outside Xian, in . the northern province of Shaanxi to view the stunning ancient statues . while a guide showed them around. The . site houses 8,000 life-size warriors left by China's first emperor Qin . Shi Huang who reigned in the 3rd century BC, a hugely popular tourist . attraction that saw five million visitors last year. Since her arrival in Beijing on Thursday night Mrs Obama has focused on talking about soft issues. Enthusiastic guest: Mrs Obama, along with her daughters, throws herself into the occasion during the visit to the Xian City Wall . Educating: The First Lady posed with schoolchildren during the trip. She is officially in China to help promote education and has widely steered clear of controversial issues . Grandma diplomacy: Mrs Obama has brought her mother Marian Robinson (far right) along on the trip as part of a nod to traditional family values . Audience: The family watch the performance from the top of an ancient city wall . She promoted education and study abroad whilst on a . tour of the Forbidden City, a former imperial palace, with her . counterpart Peng Liyuan and avoided speaking about human rights or . freedom of speech. But at her first and only speech on Saturday at Peking University's Stanford Centre she argued for greater internet freedoms. Mrs . Obama said that new technology can ‘open up the entire world and expose . us to ideas and innovations we could never have imagined.’ Convoy: Mrs Obama, her mother Marian Robinson and her two daughters Sasha and Malia arrive at the ancient walled city of Xi'an, China . Walkabout: Mrs Obama, her mother and her two daughters, as well as the family's delegation, are taken for a tour of the ancient city by their Chinese hosts . Motherly love: Mrs Obama chats to her youngest daughter Sasha during the family's tour of the ancient city . View from above: The Obamas look down on the hoards of Terracotta Warriors during their visit to the ancient City Wall . She . added: ‘When it comes to expressing yourself freely, and worshipping as . you choose, and having open access to information -- we believe those . are universal rights that are the birthright of every person on this . planet.’ ‘We believe . that all people deserve the opportunity to fulfill their highest . potential, as I was able to do in the United States’ The First Lady’s speech was at China’s oldest national university in northwestern Beijing. Ancient: US First Lady Michelle Obama (L) and daughters Sasha (C) and Maila (R) look at the Terracotta Warriors in China's central Shaanxi province of Xian . Monument: U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (centre R) and daughter Sasha (C) are told about the history of the incredible Terracotta Warriors . History: The First Lady listens intently as she is told about the Terracotta Warriors . Fashion forward: Mrs Obama looked to have co-ordinated her wardrobe with that of her eldest daughter with both she and Malia sporting black skinny trousers and wearing their hair in loose curls . Speaking to a mixture of 200 Chinese and American students, Mrs Obama spent much of her speech promoting the values of study-abroad programs. However, she was also keen to praise the power of the internet for its ability to spread freedom. She did not mention issues about censorship or the fact that the Chinese government blocks social-media sites like Twitter and Facebook. China has developed its own brand of social media sites like Weibo or Weixin which are extremely popular, in the absence of any other social media platforms. Mrs Obama also warned that a government should not shield itself from criticism. She said: ‘That’s how we decide which values and ideas we think are best—by questioning and debating them vigorously, by listening to all sides of the argument and by judging for ourselves.’ Lesson: The family were told of the history of the The Terracotta Army or the 'Terracotta Warriors and Horses', a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China . Up close: The family and their tour guides get up close to the world famous statues as their tour guide shows them around the historic site . Educational visit: Mrs Obama, her mother and her two young daughters looked relaxed and were dressed casually as they made their way around the ancient models . ‘And believe me, I know how this can be a messy and frustrating process. My husband and I are on the receiving end of plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens, and it’s not always easy but we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.’ ‘Because time and time again, we have seen that countries are stronger and more prosperous when the voices and opinions of all citizens can be heard,’ she said. While Ms Obama’s trip has been largely successful, on Sunday, her motorcade was met with jeers from two people outside the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Police and men in grey sweatshirts hurried to subdue the protestors, and it was unclear why they were shouting. In addition to her trips to see the Terracotta army, Mrs Obama and her daughters strolled along the Great Wall of China to the north of the capital to view another breathtaking Chinese monument. Vendors at the tourist site appeared to have removed T-shirts that are typically on sale showing President Obama in a Mao hat, with one merchant revealing a boxful of the souvenirs stored in the back of her tent. The Terracotta Army or the 'Terracotta Warriors and Horses', is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. The figures, dating from around the late third century BC, were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Three pits containing the Terracotta Army hold over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits near by Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were also found in other pits and they include officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. The Terracotta Army was discovered on 29 March 1974 to the east of Xi’An in Shaanxi province by a group of farmers when they were digging a water well around one mile east of the Qin Emperor's tomb mound at Mount li (Lishan)a region riddled with underground springs and watercourses. For centuries, there had been occasional reports of pieces of terracotta figures and fragments of the Qin necropolis– roofing tiles, bricks, and chunks of masonry – having been dug up in the area. Army: Terracotta Soldiers line up in the Museum of Terracotta Warriors at the historic excavation site in china . Fascinating history: US First Lady Michelle Obama (C) and daughters Sasha (centre R) and Malia (R) look at the Terracotta Warriors in China's central Shaanxi province of Xian and learn more about their past . Fun: Michelle Obama (L) laughs as she visits the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and enjoys spending time with her daughters Sasha and Malia . Great wall: US First Lady Michelle Obama (L) walks with her daughters Malia (C) and Sasha (R) during a visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, northeast of Beijing, on . Strolling: Michelle Obama looks at the wall as she walks with her daughters Malia, front, and Sasha, left, as they climb the steps at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China in Beijing . Exploration: Michelle Obama (C) walks with her daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (bottom) during a visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, northeast of Beijing . Keeping guard: A Chinese police woman stands guard on the wall as U.S. First lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, visit the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China in Beijing, China Sunday, March 23, 2014 . | U.S. First lady has bought her own brand of U.S. diplomacy to China .
She has been seen folk dancing, skipping rope and talking with Chinese officials .
The First Lady visited key cultural sites such as the site of the Terracotta Army and Great wall of China .
She briefly talked about politics - urging for more internet freedom for citizens .
But she avoided deeper political issues during her tour of China . |
120,564 | 27cee744633fb5ad53dd453a6e0c0d88371b6f32 | Tunnels under the U.S.-Mexico border are nothing new, but authorities spotted two smugglers taking a different approach this week: driving a Jeep over the 14-foot fence dividing the two countries. But the makeshift ramp the suspects propped up at the border near Yuma, Arizona, didn't work, officials said. U.S. Border Patrol agents patrolling the area saw the Jeep get stuck. It was left wedged atop the fence, and its drivers fled into Mexico, the patrol said in a statement. It was not immediately clear what the vehicle may have been carrying. "Suspects attempting to drive a vehicle over the border fence fell prey to their own devices," the statement said. Border Patrol agents confiscated the vehicle and the makeshift ramp. | Suspected smugglers propped up a ramp along the border, officials say .
The Jeep they were driving got stuck and was left teetering atop the fence .
The drivers fled into Mexico, the U.S. Border Patrol says . |
234,261 | bb43790626dcf1c77b4cb8ff15e93e9c310774c5 | A charming video shows how one family's pet pygmy anteater makes sure an infant kangaroo stays off his turf. The clip shows the moment the anteater stands on two legs and spreads his like a scarecrow, sending the frightened joey hopping sharply away. It was filmed and uploaded by U.S.-based writer and conservationist Julia Heckathorn, who keeps the exotic animals to educate children. I am anteater, hear me roar: The pygmy anteater stands up on its hind legs in an intimidating pose . Mummy! This kangaroo joey knows its best to make a sharp exit when his anteater housemate comes by . The anteater's bizarre scarecrow pose is in fact the very same defensive position it would adopt if it felt threatened in the world. In their natural habitat of Central and South America, pygmy anteaters' main enemies are jaguars and pumas which hunt them in the grasslands, swampy areas, and forests where they live. When chased into a corner, the anteaters would rear up on their hind legs, roar loudly and slash desperately with the sharp claws on their front legs. Ms Heckathorn's Search For The Hidden Clover project combines her writing and art with educational events and conservation work. USDA licensed to keep and exhibit exotic animals, she works to raise awareness of endangered and at risk species from all over the world. Her current conservation project (and subject of her latest book) is saving the three-toed pygmy sloth species and their habitat, Escudo Island, Panama. You can see more of here videos on her YouTube channel and find out more about their upcoming projects on their Facebook page. | The pygmy anteater is in fact adopting a natural defensive posture .
In the wild it would fight back against jaguars by slashing them with its claws .
The two animals belong to a U.S.-based conservationist and writer . |
156,536 | 5660dfd6887f9b459c3ac16c139879a5d646f326 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 13 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 13 December 2012 . A thick sparkling frost coated much of the UK today, leaving many places cold but with a winter wonderland look. Rivers across the country had chunks of ice floating them as everywhere from Scarborough to Hampshire experienced bitterly cold conditions. Scotland in particular suffered, as snow dusted the north of the country and residents had to wrap up warm against the plummeting temperatures. But the festive appearance is about to melt away, as heavy rain and gale force winds are working their way from the Atlantic towards the UK. Water not-quite-fall: Climbers Simon Stokes and Mark Davies admire giant icicles along the frozen Kinder Downfall waterfall high in the Derbyshire Peak District . Cold shower: The waterfall remains frozen but is expected to be back to normal by the weekend . Wintry friend: As the big freeze continues, deer foraged for food and grazed in Petworth Park, West Sussex . Deer at Wonham Manor in Betchworth, Surrey completed this picturesque scene which showed a frosty white park . Rain is on its way: Dog walkers stroll through early morning mist and frost on Hollow Ponds in east London this morning . Two horse riders enjoy the beautiful scenery on a crisp, frosty morning in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire today . Two railway workers patrol the frosty train tracks in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire as winds and rain headed towards the UK . The western weather front is expected to . bring winds reaching speeds of up to 50mph tomorrow across the UK, with . wet spells estimated to produce 20-25mm rain in the south-west of . England and south wales. A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'It's an area of low pressure that 's bringing the weather front from the west. 'Tomorrow will be much milder over the UK, with the temperature hitting highs of 7C to 11C. The south will see temperatures in double figures. 'It'll be a wet day for the south west of England. 'In eastern parts of Scotland, there is expected to be 20 to 40mm of rain. 'There will be gusts of up to 40pmh and 50pmh everywhere. 'Exposed southern coasts and higher grounds will see gusts of up to 60mph.' Basingstoke Canal near Odiham in Hampshire felt the cold as plants were covered in layers of ice and even the river had chunks of ice in it . Used to the cold! Highland Cow calves stands in the snow at a farm near Crianlarich, Scotland, as snow dusted parts of the countrry . Members of The Mere Angling Club in Scarborough try and break up the ice ahead of a competition this weekend as temperatures plummeted freezing the lake and the surrounding trees . Hillwalker Dougie Andrews walks through the snow on the West Highland Way near Tynedrum, Scotland . A man braces the cold as he walks through Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, which had been coated in frost, transforming it into a carnival of blue, white and wintry colours . People wrapped up warm to walk dogs in Selly Park, Birmingham, as sub zero temperatures and ice brought beautiful scenes to the UK today . Today had been predicted to be the coldest day of the year, with temperatures last night dropping to -12C in Scotland. There was a dusting of snow in the northern parts of Scotland, but most of the country only experienced a glittering frost and some fog last night and the early part of this morning. But the Met Office revealed that it had been mild compared to the sub-zero conditions in February, where a temperature of -15C was recorded in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, making that that the coldest date of the year so far. The spokesman said: 'This year's winter is only 12 and bit days old, so it's been the coldest day of the season so far.' Clearly not enjoying his early morning dip! A man makes his way out of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park after a swim this morning . Hows the water? This swimmer looks a little shocked as he wades out of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. But warmer weather is on the way . Picturesque: A steam train powers its way through Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, leaving plumes of steam behind . Today the thermometer will hover . between 2C and 4C in most places - although cities including Liverpool . and Birmingham will feel the chill as the temperature does not reach any . higher than 1C. But after . the wet and windy conditions tomorrow, at least the weekend will bring a . welcome rise in temperature, and even some sunny spells. The spokesman said: 'The weather will be milder, there will just be showers around the country. 'There will be some dry spells. It will be generally cloudy with some sunny spells.' Yesterday . freezing fog and ice brought beautiful scenes to the countryside but . transport chaos in many cities yesterday as temperatures plummeted to . -10C. About 200 flights . were cancelled as airports struggled to deal with the treacherous . conditions, while major roads were jammed and rail users faced delays . after the country woke to a thick blanket of frost and fog. The River Thames froze at Wargrave, Berkshire, and canals iced over in London, Birmingham and Stockport. They've got their fur coats on! Selly Park in Birmingham was coated in thick frost - but that didn't stop these dogs playing about . A dog runs through the frosty covered grass as the Sun breaks through the early morning fog on Staxton Hill, Ryedale, North Yorkshire . What a view! Early morning frost coats a bench at the top of Sutton Bank on the North York Moors, as temperatures plummeted last night . | Gale force winds will reach speeds of up to 60mph at exposed southern coasts and high ground .
Sunny spells and rain will reach the UK by the weekend .
Temperatures expected to reach up to 11C tomorrow in the south .
Thermometer will hover around 2C and 4C today for large parts of the country . |
201,223 | 9084d50efae4ff51d57c369a230714f7aed6bb13 | I thought we had seen everything in this World Cup, but that first half was absolutely unbelievable. I wrote on Monday that I feared for Brazil. Yes, they have talent but they have been playing off the cuff and relying on pure passion to get them through. And it finally caught up with them. The Germans were their first proper test but they are a good team, not a great team. Brazil were utterly shambolic and made them look like world-beaters. VIDEO Scroll down for Germany's team profile & qualifying highlights . Running riot: Germany players celebrate after Andre Schurrle nets against Brazil in the second half . Seventh heaven: Schurrle scores Germany's seventh goal as Davis Luiz looks on . Capitulation: Sami Khedira (left) celebrate scoring Germany's fifth goal as stunned Brazil fans look on . Gentle reminder: Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari gestures from the touchline as his team capitulated . Time to reflect: Scolari addressed his Brazil players in a group after the game . Nightmare: Fans in Rio look on in shock as Brazil suffered a humiliating defeat . Luiz is not a defender . David Luiz has been one of the main men for Brazil in this tournament, but he went back to exactly what he is: a midfielder playing in defence. After two minutes he was charging around in the final third like a striker and he has no interest in his defensive duties. Ending in tears: David Luiz is confronted by Thiago Silva at the final whistle . Out of place: Luiz was often caught of position during the 90 minutes . Leading with the arm: Luiz attempts to fend off Klose with an elbow in the first half . By the end of the first half he looked like he’d given up. It’s all well and good scoring 35-yard free-kicks, but I want my defenders to defend. He was badly at fault for the first goal and did not look much like a £50million defender. No case for the defence . The Brazil defence was appalling, but three of the back four would rather play elsewhere. I thought Maicon was finished after he was terrorised by Gareth Bale and Luiz and Marcelo want to play in midfield. Elsewhere they looked slow and Luiz Felipe Scolari has to shoulder a lot of the blame. Yes . they missed Neymar and Thiago Silva, but they have been disorganised . all tournament. They finally met a side who could exploit that. Not up to it: Maicon was found out by the German attack . Ruthless Germany . Brazil completely lost it in the first half but credit the Germans. So often you see teams collapse but the opposition can’t take full advantage. Not the Germans. They were absolutely ruthless in front of goal. Two good: Toni Kroos celebrates his brace as Germany cruised to victory . VIDEO . Specialist Klose . In England we would have written off Miroslav Klose by now for being too old. His selection will have raised eyebrows in Germany but it shows imagination from Joachim Low to pick a specialist and proves Germany have the perfect blend of youth and experience. VIDEO Team Profile: Germany highlights . Record breaker: Miroslav Klose scores his 16th goal in World Cups to become the all time top scorer . | Germany were unbelievable in the first half but Brazil were shambolic .
David Luiz looked uninterested in his defensive duties .
Luiz Felipe Scolari must take the blame for this defeat . |
106,192 | 14f7ec978301e1ab3a969c6598e65711d02fe21b | (CNN) -- Thirty days of signs and signals have revealed to the world in Francis I, a pope who seems eager to earn the title pontiff, or bridge-builder. Beginning with his choice of a name, which evokes the beloved image of St. Francis of Assisi, the former cardinal of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, put the world on notice that change was afoot by forgoing the fancy red slippers and ermine stole favored by other popes. Since then he has shown a remarkable common touch in his encounters with the public and greater sensitivity to others than the man who came before him. Try as he did, Francis' immediate predecessor, Benedict XVI, never looked comfortable in his own skin, let alone in pastoral contact with others. Clad in his ornate robes, he seemed to keep the world at arm's length in a way that betrayed his long service as Rome's "Rottweiler" (a nickname he received from the press) in charge of disciplining those who deviated from doctrine. While personally warmer, the pope before Benedict, John Paul II, was stern when it came to religious matters and approached the world with an Us vs. Them mindset. As the church was rocked by a seemingly endless number of sex abuse scandals -- thousands of child victims and systematic cover-ups by the hierarchy -- he blamed secular society, especially the media, and capitalistic materialism. Pope Francis tasks cardinals with studying reform of Catholic Church . In contrast with John Paul and Benedict, Francis doesn't seem capable of greeting anyone without a big, sincere smile and whenever given the choice between clerical privilege and everyday human experience, he opts for the human. This was demonstrated most clearly as he visited a jail during Holy Week to symbolically wash the feet of a dozen people who represented the apostles. Among them were two women and two Muslims. Their presence, and Francis's ease with them, dismayed traditionalists who recoiled at the sight of females and non-Catholics being included in the ritual. It thrilled those who hunger for a more accessible and inclusive church. The survivors of clerical abuse, who I have come to know during three years of writing my book "Mortal Sins," hope that Francis will bring real change. However, they have been discouraged by 30 years of church evasions and counterattacks and are understandably wary. Tough-minded evaluators, they criticize Francis' record on abuse in Argentina. There he was among many of the world's Catholic bishops -- fully 25% -- who failed to meet a deadline for establishing policies to deal with complaints and priests who were accused, according to the Wall Street Journal. Victims also wait for Francis to demonstrate that he will discipline offenders and reveal their records. "We don't think statements make kids any safer," SNAP leader Barbara Blaine told me this week. "Unless he makes kids safer, he's not doing his job." Blaine's "show-me" attitude is echoed by her SNAP colleague Peter Isely, who was sexually abused when he attended a Catholic boarding school in Wisconsin. Isely said he admires the new man's style and sees, in his personality, reason for hope. Vatican seeks to rebrand its relationship with science . "St. Francis was the single greatest reformer in the history of the Catholic Church,"' noted Isely. "My favorite quote by St. Francis is, `Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.' Confronting and reforming the church's global system of child sex abuse and cover-up, that is doing what is necessary. If Pope Francis does that, who knows what's possible? Better yet, what's impossible." Jeffrey Anderson, the attorney most responsible for the waves of litigation that have revealed the church's secrets on abusive priests, is even more optimistic. Regarded by some as the most dreaded enemy of institutional Catholicism, Anderson told me, "This pope has already demonstrated in action and words a humility we haven't seen before. I see that as revolutionary and it is in direct contrast with the hubris that was the source of the abuse crisis. It gives me hope that he can, if he chooses to, go against the power structure and fundamentally change things. For today I have hope like I never had." Although I am also skeptical of church leaders and well aware of the hierarchy's long-standing failure on the abuse issue, Francis' first 30 days have led me to agree with Anderson when it comes to the new pope's personality. This is a shift for me, and I make it tentatively, because like all Catholics and former Catholics, I know we are susceptible to the influence of church stagecraft. We want to believe, and that desire has been exploited too often in the past. If Francis makes the changes that the church must make to end the sex abuse crisis, it will happen because he grasps and wields the power of his office. As a cardinal, he was bound by his oath of obedience to "go along." As pope, he is the one who makes the rules and requires others to obey. What if one of those requirements included an open, transparent and serious program to make children safe and heal the trauma of the past 30 years? Pope to Vatican: 'Act decisively' on sex abuse cases . Many of history's transformational figures have been men who, when they finally achieved power, used it in surprising ways. Theodore Roosevelt, son of wealth and privilege, became the trust-busting enemy of corporate monopolists. Southerner Lyndon Johnson used his considerable skills to champion civil rights. Richard Nixon, Republican friend of industrialists, created the Environmental Protection Agency. Francis has his chance now. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael D'Antonio. | Michael D'Antonio: Pope Francis' first month has shown a remarkable common touch .
He says the Pope connects with people on a human level .
Even those leading cause of church abuse victims like what they see, he says .
D'Antonio: Pope has great opportunity to end the sex abuse crisis . |
68,184 | c17467edf6f5f0e18bcd2e2ea64f80b5c7c7b63f | Suicide prevention charity Samaritans has launched a new Twitter app that enables users to monitor the accounts of their friends for distressing messages . A new app aims to help suicidal people by alerting their friends when they post messages online which might suggest that they are considering killing themselves. The programme, dubbed 'Samaritans Radar', was created by suicide prevention charity the Samaritans, and must be downloaded by individual users who are then able to monitor people they follow on Twitter for potential warning signs. This is done by Samaritans' specially created algorithm that identifies words and phrases that could suggest depression or suicidal thoughts - such as 'help me', 'hate myself' or 'tired of being alone'. Joe Ferns of Samaritans said: 'Social media has changed how we talk to each other. It has created a dis-inhibition effect that means people are being more honest online. 'We know that people struggling to cope often go online looking for support, however, there is still so much we need to learn about why this happens and how we can make the online environment safer for vulnerable people.' Mr Ferns said that this new tool would help because rather than placing them directly in front of an organisation, friends can step in to offer help first. 'By not addressing this issue we run the risk of shutting these discussions down and driving them underground. 'Instead we need to use tools such as Samaritans Radar to encourage people to look out for one another online, helping them to reach out and offer support. People will go to friends first. 'This app and the guidance provided enables them to help.' After activation, users will receive an alert via email when a potentially worrying tweet is spotted. Once a user has logged in, they will be able to see the tweet and confirm whether or not it is a potential worry. If a user confirms that a tweet is worrying, information and guidance on how to approach the poster and talk to them is sent out. The advice will include tips on how to introduce the idea of contacting Samaritans, but the charity suggested that they would not get involved unless requested to do so by those involved. Mr Ferns said that Samaritans were hoping to work with other social networks such as Facebook as well, but claimed that Twitter is easier to monitor because it is 'more open'. If a user confirms that a tweet is worrying, information and guidance on how to approach the poster and talk to them is sent out. File picture . Simon McAvoy, from digital agency Jam, who created the app, said: 'Social media gets a lot of bad press, but we believe there is good to be done.' Patricia Cartes, Twitter's global head of trust and safety outreach, said that the younger generation were the key audience for the new app. 'While the app is aimed at anyone using Twitter, the key audience for Samaritans Radar is the "Millennials" group - otherwise known as Generation Y - which typically includes 18 to 35-year-olds. 'They are "digital natives" - growing up using new technology and the first generation to grow up with computers in their home.' Professor Jonathan Scourfield, from the school of social sciences at Cardiff University, explained that a pattern had been found between suicidal language being posted online, adding that the number of suicides highlighted the need to monitor places such as Twitter more. 'Through social media there has been a normalisation of suicidal language through repeated use online,' he said. 'Twitter is important because past studies have found that a correlation between suicidal statements posted online and resulting suicides exists.' Anyone with a Twitter account can activate Samaritans Radar by visiting the website and signing into Twitter and providing an email address for alerts to be sent to. | App will monitor a friend's Twitter feed for troubling posts and alert user .
It uses an algorithm that identifies words and phrases that could suggest depression or suicidal thoughts . |
279,032 | f5802dd22aba742862368d2b34748fe69d9ac972 | By . Alasdair Glennie Tv Correspondent . Janet Ellis, who has suffered the pain of ten miscarriages shared her story to promote health charity Wellbeing of Women . It is a heartache she chose to keep private for many years. But having suffered the pain of ten miscarriages, Janet Ellis feels she is well-placed to observe how women can often be ‘stoic’ when it comes to their feelings. Miss Ellis, 58, one of Blue Peter’s best-loved presenters, had a string of miscarriages between 1994 and 1999. She eventually gave up on having a fourth child to focus on her daughter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, now 35 and a singer, and her two younger siblings. Sharing her story to promote health charity Wellbeing of Women, she said her gender has a tendency to ‘suffer in silence’. ‘I talked to the people who needed to know ... I didn’t want it to become the main thing about me,’ she said. Miss Ellis said she believes women often neglect their own wellbeing to care for others, adding: ‘There is a tendency for women to ignore their own health problems until things get really terrible. ‘I think most women are quite stoic about how they are feeling. They tend not to mention the trivial headache or the cold, whereas it does sometimes become a bit more of a production for men.’ Miss Ellis presented Blue Peter from 1983 to 1987. She quit after giving birth to her son Jackson, now 27, with her second husband John Leach. At the time it was speculated that the presenter was forced to leave the BBC because they were unmarried at the time. But she now insists the decision was entirely her own. She said: ‘I was prioritising baby. With two small children, and that amount of filming and live shows, it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. Janet eventually gave up on having a fourth child to focus on her daughter Sophie Ellis Bextor, pictured, and her two younger siblings . ‘Blue Peter was perfect while it lasted. Sophie was young enough to fit in with what I was doing. But I think that sort of thing becomes harder when children get older. 'I might have stayed on a couple of years if I hadn’t had Jack, but he was a jolly good reason to leave. So I never regretted it.’ Calling for more older women to be put on TV, she added: ‘I think the right person for the job, and if she happens to be an older women, then of course. A bit of positive discrimination doesn’t go amiss.’ Miss Ellis went on to have her second daughter Martha-Rose in 1991. | TV presenter suffered the pain of ten miscarriages between 1994 and 1999 .
Says women can often be 'stoic' when it comes to their feelings .
Eventually gave up on having a fourth child to focus on her other children .
They include singer Sophie Ellis Bextor and her two younger siblings .
Has shared her experience to promote health charity Wellbeing of Women . |
38,276 | 6c38ca8a4834290830ada3063afcd43305d2da51 | A Marine veteran jailed in Mexico on weapons charges for allegedly bringing guns across the border said he never intended to leave the country but missed an exit when heading to meet friends in a border town. Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, 25, said he was headed to dinner in San Ysidro on March 31 when he mistakenly wound up at a border crossing point in Tijuana, U-T San Diego reported. 'I was going to call them after I drove off the exit, but I never got off the exit, I blew right past it,' he told the newspaper in an interview from jail. 'I wasn't paying attention, thinking I had way farther to go. I ended up in Mexico with no way to turn around.' Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi left, is being held at Tijuana's La Mesa Penitentiary on weapons charges for mistakenly crossing the border with a shotgun, handgun and rifle in his vehicle . He said Mexican authorities found three guns inside the truck he had recently driven from Florida to make a new start in San Diego. He was jailed, and is now being held in Tijuana's La Mesa Penitentiary without bail. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter last week wrote a letter asking Secretary of State John Kerry to secure Tahmooressi's release. State Department officials said they were aware of an arrest of a U.S. citizen in Mexico, but they do not comment on arrests of private individuals without the person's permission. Similar cases have occurred before. In 2008, an active-duty Army soldier was jailed in Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, for driving into Mexico with guns, knives and ammunition. In 1999, a Marine was detained in Tijuana for two weeks after driving into Mexico with guns, the newspaper reported. If Tahmooressi is convicted, he faces six to 21 years in a Mexican prison, his lawyers said, adding that alternatively the case could be dropped if the Mexican attorney general's office in Mexico City requests dismissal. Tahmooressi served four years in the Marines, including two tours in Afghanistan. He says he was honorably discharged in November 2012. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter last week wrote a letter asking Secretary of State John Kerry (pictured) to secure Tahmooressi's release . After he was jailed, Tahmooressi tried to escape by climbing over a gate and heading up onto a roof, and then onto another one. He gave up when a guard opened fire, but the incident earned him the nickname 'Spider-Man'. He later grabbed a light bulb and stabbed himself in the neck. He was taken to the hospital and given stiches. He said he longs for his family and friends and has been receiving visits from an English-speaking Christian chaplain. 'I put my faith in God that he will take care of me,' he said. 'It was just a big mistake, and I hope that the people here will realize that and that the judge will realize that.' | Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, 25, was headed to dinner in San Ysidro .
Instead, Marine claims he missed the exit and wound up in Tijuana .
Secretary of State John Kerry has been called on to help secure his release . |
144,663 | 47153307f55f59056ba528086d4f9161057574a1 | (CNN) -- On Friday, first lady Michelle Obama turns 50, and the party, we hear, is going to be fantastic. There's even a rumor Beyoncé will perform. The first lady proves 50 is certainly no signifier of slowing down or calling it quits, even if the AARP does consider you worthy of membership. The list of other powerful, in-their-prime women and men over 50 is miles long. Chances are Brad Pitt, Rita Wilson, Oprah Winfrey, Janet Napolitano, Daniel Day Lewis, Meg Whitman, and their many, many cohorts can attest to some of the pros of turning the Big 5-0, among them: . 1) You can forget about contraception. Probably. Although it is biologically possible for many women to get pregnant after 50, it's generally much, much harder and less likely: Women older than 47 account for just .01% of births. Of course, the children you already have might be teenagers. Many women, like Michelle Obama, who chose to have children in their 30s will reach 50 with teens living in the house, and might be facing all the stress, angst and struggle that comes with seeing a child through adolescence. Up next: College tuition! 2) You're perfectly content to stay home on a Saturday night. In your 20s, you might have felt a certain self-consciousness -- guilt, perhaps, or anxiety -- if your Saturday night was spent in your sweatpants on the couch rather than out being social. These days, whether you're married or single, you might have less energy, but you also know that a weekend night in doesn't spell doom for your social life. 3) Yes, it's hot in here—those are, after all, hot flashes you're having. But that's OK. While menopause can be a slog lasting as long as 12 years, the upside is not having to deal with periods. Ever again. Not to mention PMS, cysts, fibroids, or the aforementioned late-in-life pregnancy. Depression is less common post-menopause. Besides, there's nothing like a hot flash on a cold day. 4) Fifty years in, you know who you are. As Michelle Obama told Parade magazine last summer about reaching 50, "I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman." Many people cite their 50s as the best decade, when you know what you want personally and professionally and know -- at least better than you did in your 20s or even 30s, at least -- how to go about getting it if you haven't already. 5) That said, it's not too late to change direction. More and more people over 50 are taking on "encore" careers, reinventing themselves in professions that might more closely align with their passions. Nonprofit group Encore.org, dedicated to helping professionals find their "second act," notes that as many as 9 million people age 44 to 70 are getting paid for work that combines their personal passion with a social purpose. 6) Mentorship isn't over. Though the traditional mentor-mentee relationship puts the older, more experienced worker in the teaching role, just because all your mentors have retired doesn't mean you have no one left to learn from. A recent trend has seen millennials mentoring boomers, teaching them about technology and keeping them current and vital. Some companies have introduced "reverse mentoring" programs designed to pair younger employees with older ones. 7) You sleep less -- and can therefore do more. Studies have found that people need less sleep as they age, leaving them plenty of time to go for a run, work on a project, or do anything else your 20-something cohorts aren't doing while they're dozing an average extra seven hours a week. 8) You can age however gracefully you'd like. If you're going gray, you can flaunt it, and you can be proud of your laugh lines. But if your crow's feet or other signs of 50 years well-lived bother you, there are more options than ever before to do something about it, with fewer stigmas attached. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedures such as Botox, Juvederm, chemical peels and the like have reached an all-time high. Also growing: eyelid surgery and facelifts. 9) You're your own meteorologist. Medicine has long disputed that achy joints can predict coming rain, but the old joke may have some truth to it. Doctors are coming around to the idea, admitting that those with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibroid myalgia, or nerve damage in the knees, elbows, and other joints -- more likely, of course, as you grow older -- can indeed feel ambient changes. 10) You're not 60! Enough said, right? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peggy Drexler. | Peggy Drexler: Michelle Obama turns 50, and shows it isn't about slowing down .
Drexler: The list of powerful, in-their-prime women and men over 50 is miles long .
She says: You can forget about contraception. You know who you are.
Drexler: You're OK staying home on a Saturday night. You can start anew . |
94,418 | 055a129aa46d5924de557ffbb79cd080122b7353 | (CNN) -- Hours of TV each day. The internet. Increased travel and mobility. All these factors expose us to culture and voices on a national rather than local scale. But if you think all this exposure is homogenizing our language, think again. Regional accents are going strong around the United States, bringing with them all kinds of cultural flavor. If you're one of the many that assume all this media exposure must be homogenizing the American accent, you're not alone. It sounds like a logical hypothesis: The accents heard in the media are far-reaching and pervasive, so local accents must be on the decline as the population is exposed to all this "standardized" speech. But experts say it's a common misconception that has no basis in fact. "There is zero evidence for television or the other popular media disseminating or influencing sound changes or grammatical innovations," wrote linguist J.K. Chambers in a 2006 essay for PBS. And experts agree that regional accents around the United States are alive and well. But what effect are these regional accents having on American culture? As part of the CNN iReport cultural census, which examines some of the more intangible characteristics that define the American population, we asked people around the country to read a standard passage aloud so we could evaluate their regional accent. We also asked them to tell us a little about their speech: how they feel about their accent, who influenced it, and how they think others view it. Some of the strongest opinions came from iReporters with "country" accents: Southern or Western. These accents are among the most stigmatized in the United States, and people who possess them have a wide range of views, from pride to annoyance. "I hope that when others hear me speak, they hear me, not my western twang," writes iReporter Sarah Beth Boynton, who was raised in Salt Lake City. Boynton grew up singing with her family and got sick of hearing that she should only sing country music because of her accent. "I have made a concerted effort to speak with as little 'western twang' in my accent as possible," she revealed. Meghann Holmes also tries to modulate her accent, but for professional reasons. A native of Kentucky, she says she's proud of her accent and has "great appreciation for regional accents and dialects." But she thinks this pride may not be appropriate for her workplace. "Because I work in public relations, and because I am aware that some employ a negative image of people with strong 'hillbilly' accents, I tend to modify my speech when I am conducting business," says Holmes, who lives in London, Kentucky. According to law professor Mari Matsuda, concerns like Holmes' are well-founded. Matsuda, who teaches and writes at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, penned a frequently cited paper called "Voices of America: Accent, Antidiscrimination Law, and a Jurisprudence for the Last Reconstruction" for the Yale Law Journal. "Sociolinguists have shown that in the area of speech evaluation, we are particularly susceptible to the cultural stereotypes we have absorbed," she writes. "Low-status accents will sound foreign and unintelligible. High-status accents will sound clear and competent." Or, to put it simply, "there is significant discrimination against regional accents," she said via e-mail. Matsuda argues that discrimination against both foreign and domestic accents, intentional or unintentional, can hurt people with a "low-status" accent when they're looking for a job. A University of Chicago psychology study from 2010 backs her up: The study found that people who spoke with a foreign accent were seen as less credible than those who spoke with a "standard" American accent. Still, some Americans wouldn't give up their regional accent for anything. Just ask Sonya Tricie of New Orleans. "I always hated my accent growing up, often trying to over-enunciate words to prevent sounding like the people around me," she remembers. But her tune changed, literally, when she went through the hellish experience of Hurricane Katrina. "After Hurricane Katrina, I was horrified when I realized this very cultural and unique thing might be gone forever," Tricie explains. "I moved back home and there is almost no way to describe how happy it makes me when one of my kids says something so local in our accent!" "I love my accent. It is a part of me," agrees Kenyotta Elijah of Lufkin, Texas. She, too, tried to change her accent for professional reasons when she was younger, and says she's gotten her fair share of jokes from people who have "preconceived notions about southerners, particularly Texans." But now, it's a point of pride. "I love it when others, especially northerners, hear me talk," she says. "Most of the time, they find my accent cute." | Regional accents are alive and well in the United States .
We asked iReporters to tell us about their accents .
Some feel having a local accent hurts them professionally .
Others say they take pride in their accent . |
136,027 | 3bfcf8d4b9b209f379bf81ac37cbc79d48600f98 | Click here to read Sportsmail's exclusive interview with Stewart Downing . Stewart Downing believes West Ham should target European football for next year after their impressive start to the new season. After last weekend's 2-0 win over QPR, Sam Allardyce's seventh-placed side sit above Arsenal and Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League and are just three points behind third-placed Southampton. The Hammers have earned plaudits for their attacking brand of football with Downing the heartbeat of their positive performances. Stewart Downing hopes West Ham can target European football after a strong start to the season . The former £20million Liverpool star's magnificent form prompted boss Allardyce to hail him as the 'best midfielder in the league'. Downing is quick to play down his manager's glowing praise, however. But he does hope to continue to shine as he looks to guide West Ham into Europe for the first time since 2006. 'It's a great compliment. Maybe exaggerated a little! But as a player it gives you great confidence and I'm really enjoying playing right now,' he said, answering questions from West Ham supporters on the club's official Twitter feed. Diafra Sakho (left) and Downing (centre) celebrate West Ham's second goal against QPR last weekend . 'Realistically, I don't see why we can't aim for Europe if we carry on like how we've started.' Downing has been successfully remoulded by boss Allardyce as a central midfielder in recent weeks, playing behind strikers Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho. And the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa winger revealed he is relishing his new role in the team. 'The new players have settled quickly and the formation is working well,' he said. 'At the minute, the way the team's playing, I prefer playing behind the strikers.' 'Obviously I'd like to score more goals, but as long as I'm playing well and the team is I don't think about it.' Despite calls for Downing to win back his place in national side, boss Roy Hodgson has overlooked him for England's Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia. Roy Hodgson chose not to select Downing for his most recent England squad . Speaking exclusively to Sportsmail's Matt Lawton last week, Downing admitted he was disappointed to have been overlooked, adding the likes of fellow Hammers' Mark Noble and James Tomkins also deserve a chance. 'Maybe he just wants to go for younger players, which I guess is fair,' said the 30-year-old. '(Noble) has been doing it consistently for seven or eight years. And James Tomkins. 'I think there are a few players who should feel disappointed. ‘But sometimes it’s difficult. You see the squad and there are a lot of players who are not playing for their clubs, but they’re getting picked.' Downing believes West Ham team-mate Noble should have been called up to the recent England squad . Hodgson shouts instructions as Downing looks on during the England Training session in 2012 . Downing, who has 34 international caps to his name, insists he would love to pull on the Three Lions jersey again telling Hammers' fans on Thursday that he would be delighted to answer any future call-ups. 'Realistically, I'm not sure I'll get picked but if I am I'd love to play.' Downing, meanwhile, revealed West Ham's 2016 move to the Olympic Stadium played a huge part in his £5million switch from Anfield last summer. 'It's a big part of why I came here,' said Downing, who also confessed to enjoying the East End's favourite dish pie and mash. 'If we keep going the way we're going we'll head there in a good position.' You can read the full Q&A on West Ham's official Twitter feed, here: https://twitter.com/whufc_official . | Stewart Downing is hoping West Ham can target European football for next season .
West Ham have made bright start to Premier League campaign and sit in seventh place .
Downing has been key to West Ham's success so far this season . |
13,383 | 2606e6519b0c4c73da46058b9da2df2b1790fd1d | A stabbing at a service station has left a teenager dead and another two men seriously injured. Police were called to the petrol station on Benaud Street at Macgregor in south Brisbane at about 9.20pm on Tuesday night after reports two men had been seriously injured. Investigators found the body of a third man, aged 19, who had been killed nearby. Scroll down for video . Police were called to the petrol station on Benaud Street at Macgregor, south of Brisbane, at about 9.20pm on Tuesday night after reports two men had been seriously injured . The stabbing at the petrol station in Brisbane's south has left one man dead and another two seriously injured . The two injured men, both aged 20, were taken to the Princess Alexandria Hospital where they remain in a serious condition. Three crime scenes were established, one at the service station and two in Benaud Street, which included a car and a house. 'Initial information suggests that this was not a random incident and it is believed that there is no wider risk to public safety,' Queensland Police said. Police are currently questioning three other men, aged in their 20s, in relation to the incident. Police believe the incident was not random and are currently questioning several other men . The two injured men, both aged 20, were taken to the Princess Alexandria Hospital where they remain in a serious condition . Police are currently questioning several other men in relation to the incident . Investigations are continuing. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day. | Police called to the petrol station in Brisbane's south at 9.20pm on Tuesday .
One man was found dead and another two seriously injured from stabbing .
Two injured men, both aged 20, are in a serious condition in hospital .
Police believe the stabbing was not random and are questioning other men . |
46,952 | 844481d5b48dd5d15ef2714614e27a04d1adcdfc | Pope Francis has told a senior Vatican official to "act decisively" against sexual abuse and carry out "due proceedings against the guilty," the Vatican announced Friday. Francis last month took the helm of a Roman Catholic Church that has been rocked in recent years by allegations of priests sexually abusing minors. Francis recommended that the Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith "act decisively with regard to cases of sexual abuse, first of all by promoting measures for the protection of minors, as well as in offering assistance to those who have suffered abuse, carrying out due proceedings against the guilty," the Vatican said. The statement does not specify who "the guilty" are. But in recent years, priests, nuns and other people connected to the Catholic Church have been accused of sexually abusing children. Catholics: 5 ways for Francis to move forward . His instructions to move decisively, "continuing along the lines set by Benedict XVI," came in an audience with Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith -- or the Vatican's main doctrinal enforcer. Benedict held that role before he became pope. Francis called for the Church hierarchy to "formulate and implement" the necessary directives to address an area he described as "so important" to the Church's credibility and worship. The pope said that the "victims of abuse are present in a particular way in his prayers for those who are suffering," the Vatican said. It's the first time Francis has publicly addressed the issue since becoming pope. Opinion: Next pope must tackle sex abuse . 'Victims need action' The U.S.-based group SNAP, or the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, reacted with skepticism to the news from the Vatican. Barbara Dorris, victims outreach director for SNAP, said there was a need for action rather than words. "Once again, as has happened hundreds of times already, a top Catholic official says he's asking another top Catholic official to take action about pedophile priests and complicit bishops," she said in a statement. "Big deal." The new pope should be ordering a change of track rather than a continuation on the same course, Dorris said. "It's tragic that Pope Francis is asking a top aide to stay on the irresponsible path charted by Pope Benedict," she said. "It's tragic that a pope who's shown a willingness to send signals that hint at change in several ways is not signaling that he wants no change in how the church deals with child sex crimes and cover ups." She called for concrete action to protect vulnerable children, "not old vague pledges that help a widely-discredited institution protect its reputation." 5 things to know about the new pope . Benedict XVI said many times that abusers should be prosecuted, but was accused by SNAP and other victims' groups of doing too little. He stepped down as pontiff at the end of February. Benedict spoke with some victims of sexual abuse by priests on papal visits to countries including the United States and the United Kingdom, where he expressed his "deep sorrow" over the scandal. The Vatican selected those whom he met. Members of SNAP in Illinois have asked Francis to meet with survivors of abuse by priests. Last month, one alleged victim of priest sex abuse in Los Angeles, Michael Duran, urged Francis to give Catholics new hope and make priests and cardinals accountable for their actions in cases where children have been sexually abused by clergy. Duran said he was sexually abused for three years by a Los Angeles Archdiocese priest beginning in 1983, when Duran was 11. The priest has since been defrocked and a lawsuit against him and the archdiocese has been settled. | Victims' group calls for action not words, says Francis should take a new path .
Francis calls on the Church hierarchy to "act decisively" against sexual abuse .
He urges measures to boost protection for children, the Vatican says .
The Catholic Church has been rocked by claims of priests sexually abusing minors . |
285,785 | fe4fbf0e42e36f7a0379cc0750c0e2be19ab5ad3 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Most New Yorkers and visitors to Times Square know of The Naked Cowboy. The Naked Cowboy is part of the scenery at New York City's Times Square. For the past 10 years, he's the guy you've seen on the sidewalk, with the great body, strumming his guitar and singing, dressed in a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and underwear -- and nothing else, even in the dead of winter. As a native New Yorker, I will admit that at times, it has been my guilty pleasure to walk or drive by The Cowboy to see if he can bear the elements. To my amazement, he's always there and pretty naked -- in rain, sleet, snow, heat or bitter cold. I've even taken pictures. Watch The Naked Cowboy in his natural habitat » . Well, it seems that Mars Inc., the makers of M&Ms, also knows about Robert Burck (The Cowboy's real name). Burck sued Mars this week for $6 million in federal court in New York. The allegations: trademark infringement under the Lanham Act and violation of his right of publicity under New York Civil Rights Law §51, arising from a video billboard for M&Ms. The video ad depicts an M&M frolicking around New York, in what kind of looks like Times Square, in what kind of looks like The Naked Cowboy's outfit -- briefs and nothing more than a smile. There have been plenty of jokes about the lawsuit, and I'm especially fond of the ones found on The Wall Street Journal Law Blog on Thursday, such as: . All jokes aside, I think he may have a case. In order for him to show trademark infringement, The Naked Cowboy has to be trademarked; has to prove that Mars, without his consent, infringed upon the trademark; and has to show there's a "likelihood of confusion" between his trademark and the allegedly infringing mark -- in this case the naked M&M. To state a claim under New York's civil rights law, Burck has to show that Mars used his name, portrait or picture for purposes of trade or advertising, and without his written consent. Surprising to some -- at least to me -- The Naked Cowboy's name and likeness are in fact registered trademarks owned by Burck. According to the complaint, Burck has licensed The Naked Cowboy name and/or likeness to companies for the purposes of advertising and endorsement. Mars, Inc., had no immediate comment. His character is part of the USA Network's "Characters Welcome" campaign; he appeared in a music video for the song "Rockstar" by the multiplatinum artist Nickelback; and he's featured singing in the video game "True Crime: New York City at Times Square." He also has appeared in several movies and television programs, including "Starship Dave," "Survive This," "Mulva: Zombie A** Kicker," "Steve Harvey's Big Time," "New York Minute," "Creature Feature," "Lonely Planet," "Troma's Edge," "American Icon" and "The Howard Stern Show." He even appeared in a Chevrolet commercial that debuted during Super Bowl XLI. And this isn't the first time a pseudo-celebrity (sorry Cowboy) has sued and won. Remember Vanna White? She was awarded $403,000 when Samsung used a robot, wearing a blond wig, jewelry and a dress, that turned letters on a game board similar to White's role on "Wheel of Fortune," the TV game show. Still laughing? I'm not. At the end of the day, this lawsuit may be the end of the era of the "naked" cowboy. I predict he will be able to afford some very nice duds. E-mail to a friend . | The Naked Cowboy, aka Robert Burck, registered his trademark .
He has filed a federal lawsuit against Mars Inc., the maker of M&Ms .
His suit seeks $6 million . |
243,393 | c6ffd3b810b3ccc557f1eca2accddf2766376ea7 | By . Deni Kirkova . She first got drunk aged 10, and at her lowest point swallowed paint stripper to get high - but even that couldn't stop her. Recovering alcoholic Jackie Ellis from Port Talbot warns it was all too easy to become addicted. The mother-of-two says drinking 'crept up' on her, spiralling from once a week sessions to round the clock. But now Jackie, 50, has started her first job in 15 years after beating drug and alcohol dependency. Jackie Ellis aged 50, has just started her first job in 15 years after battling drug and alcohol dependency . At her worst Jackie was downing 16 cans of lager and between half and one whole bottle of vodka each day. 'I lost my husband, friends, my family, my self-respect and my confidence,' she recalls. She hit the bottle after miscarrying twin girls aged 25. Within three years the former supermarket cashier was drinking all day and passing out in the afternoon before drinking again through the night. 'I started drinking once a week then . twice then three times. Then I thought it was OK as long as I wasn't . drinking in the day,' she admits. 'One day, when I was feeling dreadful with a hangover, I thought I would have hair of the dog at 2pm and that became a pattern.' She admits her sons, now 29 and 33, were only clothed and fed with help from her parents and even being rushed to hospital with a burst stomach after downing paint stripper 10 years ago didn't stop her drinking. Jackie was drinking all day and passing out in the afternoon before drinking again through the night . It wasn't until younger sister Carole died four years ago aged 32 that Jackie, then 46, decided to stop. She was shocked when Carole, also a drinker, collapsed with a burst ulcer and doctors later found she had had sclerosis. 'I do believe my sister saved me,' says Jackie. 'I thought if I don't do something about it I'll be next.' A week after the funeral Jackie went to her GP for help and was referred to the Welsh Centre for Action on Dependency and Addiction. They helped her get dry and now, after 15 years unemployed, Jackie is starting her first job with help from Workways, an EU-funded local council project to help long-term jobless back to work. 'WCADA saved me,' says Jackie, 'They helped me so much. I can't thank them enough.' After . decades of heavy drinking she had to cut down rather than stop drinking . suddenly and got support with group therapy, counselling and voluntary . work organised by WCADA. Then last year Jackie, who has been re-united with her sons since going teetotal, was referred to back-to-work project Workways, where mentor Paul Billington helped persuade her to do work experience. After volunteering in the kitchens at WCADA she embarked on a voluntary mentoring role to help others fighting substance misuse. Earlier this month, Jackie started working in the organisation's Bridgend office as a peer mentor. Although she's not supposed to tell clients about her past, she says she does if they ask and it's something she has to face, . 'It was who I was,' she says. 'I can't describe how amazing it feels now. I have got my self-respect back and I'm a decent person again. 'I'm in contact with my sons again and friends, that's the best bit. I'm too busy to drink.' She finally quite when her sister - also a drinker - died. She collapsed with a burst ulcer at just 32 . Jackie even has a new partner, something she never dreamed would happen. 'I would hardly recognise Jackie as the person I first met a year ago,' says Paul. 'She's a very good example of how far you can come. It's fantastic and it's been a privilege working with her.' The Workways back-to-work project to help long-term unemployed, that helped Jackie, is run by Neath Port Talbot Council in collaboration with Bridgend Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Swansea councils. It is funded by the EU Social Fund through the Welsh Government. | Jackie Ellis, 50, from Port Talbot hit the bottle after miscarrying twins at 25 .
Eventually downed up to 16 cans of lager and a bottle of vodka each day .
'I lost my husband, friends, my family, my self-respect and my confidence'
Stopped only after sister Carole, also a drinker, died four years ago aged 32 . |
67,446 | bf623837ef86e88855ce4aa3eba342860d7bcef1 | (CNN) -- Think of all of the ridiculous things you've seen on Twitter. Have a good mental image? Hold on to it, because a recent tweet from a presumed fan of rapper J. Cole might top your list. On Tuesday, the same day J. Cole officially released his latest album, "Born Sinner," he retweeted a threat he received from a Twitter user who goes by the name @_TzC_. "Retweet me and I'll buy 'Born Sinner.' Don't retweet me and I'll kill my lil sister," the message said. It was accompanied by a photo of a girl standing with a gun pointed at her head. At the time, J. Cole responded to the tweet, "wildest s*** i ever seen on twitter bruh." CNN reached out to J. Cole's camp for further comment, but has yet to hear back. @_TzC_ first posted the statement late Monday night, and since then has tweeted that he's been "ripped apart" by other users -- not to mention that the police have gotten involved. "My mom is so mad at me.... I gotta go into hiding for a lil while," he shared, later replying to one inquirer, "(I)t was a BB gun. Cops came to my house and everything." In a statement to TMZ, he offered an apology: "I'd like to apologize to America for the photo and to put J. Cole in that position. It was all a joke. It was an unloaded BB gun and my sister was in on it. I only tweeted it because I didn't expect a response. Mr. Cole please don't sue me. I want to formally apologize more to J. Cole and yeah my mom made me delete my twitter until I fixed it." Police in New Braunfels, Texas, are investigating the tweet's alleged author. Capt. John McDonald said the BB gun was unloaded and he called the post a lapse in judgment. The Twitter user has been cooperative in visits to the department, he said. There has been no decision on charges, which would be misdemeanors if pursued, McDonald said on Wednesday. The image in question was still visible on Twitter on Wednesday, and the social networking site referred CNN to its media policy, noting that the company doesn't comment on individual accounts "for privacy and security reasons." Twitter's media policy states that the company doesn't "mediate content," although "some content is not permissible by law." If an uploaded image is reported and is found to be unlawful, the photo would be removed and the individual's account would be suspended. On Wednesday, the Twitter user in question was still posting, as he told his followers: "I make terrible decisions. Don't admire me. ... I'm not a bad person, I'm just stupid." CNN's Denise Quan and Chandler Friedman contributed to this report. | NEW: Police in Texas investigate .
Rapper J. Cole received a tweeted threat from another user .
It said the person would kill their sister if they didn't receive a retweet .
The Twitter user has since apologized . |
22,328 | 3f65130ca4e1e239b91f86223c7e9a087a155608 | (Mashable) -- At least one former Apple exec wasn't surprised or sad to hear the news that iOS chief Scott Forstall is leaving the company. Tony Fadell, Apple's former top hardware designer and the man considered to be the brains behind the iPod, told the BBC in a recent interview that Forstall "got what he deserved." Fadell continued, "I think what happened just a few weeks back was deserved and justified and it happened." Forstall was an influential figure at Apple for years who oversaw the development of the company's mobile operating system and was at one point seen as a possible successor to Steve Jobs. His departure was announced last month as part of a larger executive shakeup at the company. Several reports since then have suggested that Forstall didn't get along well with some other key players on the team and angered CEO Tim Cook by refusing to apologize for Apple's maps application. In the interview, Fadell hints that Forstall wasn't exactly a beloved figure at the company probably won't be missed much. "If you read some of the reports, people were cheering in Cupertino when that event happened," he said. Fadell, who left Apple in 2008 and went on to create the Nest thermostat, went on to argue that Apple and its employees may actually be in a better position now that Forstall is gone. "I think Apple is in a great space, it has great products and there are amazing people at the company, and those people actually have a chance to have a firm footing now and continue the legacy Steve left," he said. See the original article on Mashable.com. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Apple's former top hardware designer says Apple's Scott Forstall "got what he deserved"
Forstall's departure from Apple was announced last month as part of an executive shakeup .
Tony Fadell made the comments in a recent BBC interview . |
211,974 | 9e83e17d601da82955880ef55de3504732b06575 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 04:58 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 27 November 2013 . A 25-year-old carer went into hospital with a nose bleed and came out in a wheelchair, unable to walk unaided. Megan Taylor, from Blackburn, suffered a severe allergic reaction to a drug which, she says, had been blacklisted on her medical notes. Ms Taylor has a blood clotting disorder and was admitted to A&E with a nose bleed but the bleeding did not stop and she became nauseous. Megan Taylor, 25, went into hospital with a nose bleed and came out in a wheelchair after suffering a severe allergic reaction to a drug she says doctors should never have given her . Medics at Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, gave her the anti-sickness drug Metoclopramide. Ms Taylor says they ignored her medical notes, which warned of a previous severe reaction to the drug. She says she now suffers repeated muscle spasms down her left side, cannot walk unaided, is unable to work and has spent the past month in a rehabilitation unit. East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, which runs Royal Blackburn, is investigating her claims. It has not admitted any error, but declined to comment while its investigation is continuing. Ms Taylor and her partner Craig Hodgson, claim her allergy to Metoclopramide was documented in her patient notes after a previous adverse reaction. ‘Distressing muscle or movement disorders’ are among the recognised side effects of Metoclopramide, while the NHS Choices website warns that ‘some people should never use it’. Ms Taylor says she was given an anti-sickness drug at Royal Blackburn Hospital even though her medical notes said she was allergic to it and had suffered a previous reaction . Mr Hodgson says Ms Taylor had suffered similar symptoms after being given the drug several years ago at the Royal Blackburn, when the allergy was discovered, although the symptoms were less severe. Her mobility and muscle strength gradually improved after that episode, and the couple are hopeful she can recover again this time. Metoclopramide is a treatment for nausea and vomiting and stomach discomfort. It also helps to restore normal gut movement after surgery. It works by increasing the action of the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract so that food moves more quickly from the stomach to the lower gut. The drug is not suitable for everyone and the NHS says 'some people should never use it'. It should not be given to people who are allergic to any of the ingredients. Side effects of taking the drug can include blood problems, breast enlargement in men, breathing difficulties, confusion, depression, eyesight problems, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, skin problems and raised blood pressure. Source: NHS Choices . The father-of-two, who works as a gardener, said: ‘The reaction to the drug seems to have killed the left side of her body and she’s having repeated fits. Last week she had about 20 fits or episodes in one day. ‘She needs 24-hour care at the moment and we’re struggling to cope. ‘I don’t think it’s acceptable at all because it’s a basic thing to get right. If they haven’t got time to have a look at your notes what chance have patients got?’ Ms Taylor was in hospital after suffering a severe nose bleed at the start of October. Mr Hodgson took her to the emergency ward, where staff struggled to stop the bleeding and she started feeling sick. She said she was then admitted and given Metoclopramide over the course of four days, despite the allergy being stated in her notes. Ms Taylor, step-mother to Mr Hodgson’s children, then remained in hospital for observations and began to suffer spasms and restricted movement. And according to the couple, medics . said she would urgently need to see a neurologist at Royal Preston . Hospital, who could diagnose problems with her nervous system. But they say this only happened yesterday due to mistakes and delays in the referral process between Blackburn and Preston. Ms Taylor now suffers repeated spasms down her left side, is unable to walk unaided, cannot work and has been in a rehabilitation unit for the last month - last time she had a reaction to the drug she eventually recovered her strength so is hoping the same will happen again . She was discharged to a rehabilitation unit on October 22, where she remains now. Mr Hodgson said: ‘Right at the beginning, the doctors in A&E said she needed to see a neurologist urgently, and we made numerous requests over the last six weeks, but they failed to come up with an appointment until yesterday. It’s farcical and we just seemed to be getting fobbed off.’ Ms Taylor said: ‘The whole experience . has been horrible. This has put so much pressure on my family and it . doesn’t feel like the hospitals want to help me. We are considering . taking legal action now.’ Ms Taylor said: 'The whole experience has been horrible. This has put so much pressure on my family and it doesn't feel like the hospitals want to help me. We are considering taking legal action now' The couple have lodged a formal complaint but are taking legal advice before submitting a second complaint, relating to the allergic reaction. Rineke Schram, medical director at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Blackburn, said: ‘We take any concerns regarding clinical care very seriously. ‘We can confirm that we received a letter of concern from the family on November 15 2013. The concerns raised by the family did not include any reference to the alleged adverse drug reaction. However, we will ensure that this concern is investigated as part of the overall complaint.’ | Megan Taylor, who has a blood clotting disorder, was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital with a severe nose bleed in October this year .
She says she was given the anti-sickness drug Metoclopramide even though her medical notes state she is allergic to it and should never be given it .
She now suffers repeated muscle spasms down her left side, cannot walk unaided, is unable to work and has been in a rehabilitation unit for a month .
The hospital is investigating her claims and she is considering legal action . |
225,727 | b04c1f952e0772ca626a8c2658efa696270f6d3c | A taxpayer-funded youth group has drawn up controversial plans for Britain’s first school for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pupils. LGBT Youth North West wants the school to cater for children aged 13 and older who have been bullied and hopes the idea will be copied across the country. Organisers yesterday denied that the school would become a ‘ghetto’ for gay children and said mainstream schools can be ‘one of the last bastions of homophobia’. Scroll down for video . Controversial: A youth group has unveiled plans for Britain's first all-LGBT school (posed by model) But critics said the move would amount to segregation and would harm efforts to improve tolerance of gay people. Amelia Lee, the group’s strategic director, said the idea was based on the Harvey Milk School in New York, named after the American politician later played by Sean Penn in a Hollywood movie. She visited the Harvey Milk school last year, and said she had secured a meeting with officials at the Department for Education. But Tory MP and former education minister Tim Loughton said: ‘We need to do a lot more to combat homophobic bullying and to create a more tolerant society. Elizabeth Lowe, 14, killed herself in misplaced fear that her Christian parents would reject her . ‘But I cannot see how segregating a group of young people identified by their sexuality can aid better engagement and understanding. ‘The way to achieve more integration, understanding and empathy is not by segregating members of one group, and this would seem to me to be a step backwards from achieving tolerance.’ UKIP deputy leader and education spokesman, Paul Nuttall said: 'This idea does nothing but foster division. “At a time that successive governments have closed all but a few special schools, why this sudden exception, if not for reasons of political correctness? “Integration is the key to understanding, and it is utterly bizarre to be taking a step that highlights differences and adds nothing of value to a child’s education.' Miss Lee said her organisation has carried out a survey of gay, lesbian and transgender young people which found many felt teachers had been unsupportive and in some cases simply urged them to ‘ignore’ bullying. ‘Teachers in mainstream schools have problems in tackling issues like homophobic bullying and coming out,’ she said. ‘Unfortunately, schools can be one of the last bastions of homophobia. ‘We have also seen tragic cases such as that of Elizabeth Lowe, a 14-year-old who committed suicide in a park in Manchester because she was struggling with coming out and was worried about telling her parents. ‘It’s to combat problems like those that we want to work with schools and pupil referral units to help young people who are struggling in mainstream education.’ The group received a grant for £63,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government to enable it to purchase the building where it is based, the Joyce Layland LGBT Centre in central Manchester. And it used part of the funding to conduct a feasibility study into setting up a school. Miss Lee paid for the visit to the U.S. out of her own pocket. Miss Lee said that by coincidence Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also visiting the Harvey Milk School last year at the same time she was there. She also praised the ‘climate of change’ within the department towards homophobic bullying in schools. City: City council officials in Manchester (pictured) say they are open to the idea, which is in early stages . A source close to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told the Mail: ‘There is simply no way that we will approve a free school specifically for LGBT young people. ‘Pupils regardless of their sexuality should be educated in mainstream schools which should be equipped to tackle any bullying that should occur.’ Miss Lee said the proposed school would also be open to pupils who were not gay or transgender but felt more comfortable in such an environment and those who are questioning their sexuality. Critic: MP Tim Loughton said the idea would segregate students from one another even more . LGBT Youth North West is a regional organisation that seeks to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people in the North West of England. It receives funding from a raft of state funded bodies, including the region’s councils and parts of the NHS. It also says its work is ‘supported by’ the National Lottery, Comic Relief and Children in Need. Miss Lee said she intends to wait until after the General Election to decide whether to go ahead with an application to set up a free school, with the first pupils starting in around three years’ time. She said around two-thirds of the anticipated 60 pupils would be full-time, with the rest attending for around a day a week from their usual schools. ‘The last thing we want is for young people to fall out of mainstream education permanently, or for this to become a ghetto for lesbian, gay and bisexual students,’ she said. ‘This would be somewhere that students who are struggling with the negative effects of issues like bullying could attend classes for a period of time while ensuring they get the grades they are capable of.’ She said children would not be enrolled in the school as their first-choice secondary, but referred there if they were having problems in mainstream education, potentially staying for a year or more. A spokesman from the Department for Communities and Local Government said the grant was to help the group purchase the community centre from Manchester City Council and was not to set up a school. A spokesman said: ‘The Department for Communities and Local Government has not funded this school.’ ‘Rather, through the organisation Social Investment Business, grants have been given to local areas wishing to run buildings for community uses.’ A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: ‘We supported LGBT Youth NW in their bid for funding to look at the feasibility of expanding their premises and developing the work they do. ‘One of their development ambitions is around how they might make additional educational support available to LGBT young people. We’ve had an initial discussion with them about that, but there are no current plans that we’re aware of to open a LGBT school in the city.’ | Centre for 60 teenagers is by taxpayer-funded LGBT Youth North West .
Group says it could prevent suicides like that of Elizabeth Lowe, 14 .
But MPs said idea would not reduce prejudice in mainstream schools .
Tory Tim Loughton: 'It seems a step backwards from achieving tolerance' |
67,991 | c0eb041c475f2671b8712f55b90fba5df320f6b4 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 08:41 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:13 EST, 1 August 2012 . For months he had struggled to communicate, the power of speech fading with his life. But hand-in-hand once more with the woman he had loved for 40 years, John Clark summoned his strength one last time. ‘Grace, I love you. Grace, I love you. I love you,’ the 86-year-old said to his frail wife, lying on a hospital bed, in Tampa, Florida. Within 24 hours both had died peacefully. 'I love you': John Clark (left), who had been unable to speak for months, spoke clearly to tell wife Grace (right) his feelings as she lay in hospital. Within 24 hours they had both died peacefully . Mr Clark had been residing in an assisted living facility in Tampa, Florida. His wife Grace, 81, would visit him everyday until she suffered a heart attack in late June. His step-son Fred Hearns, 63, told Mr Clark that his wife was sick but did not go into details until her condition deteriorated. Then on July 22 he told his step-father that Mrs Clark was getting worse each day and then drove him to the hospital to visit his wife of more than 40 years. After seeing his wife Mr Clark returned to the home but just four hours later was found unresponsive and taken to St Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa where he was pronounced dead. The next morning doctors removed Mrs Clark’s ventilator and she died at noon, just 16 hours after her beloved husband. Two months earlier Mr Clark had moved into the Amrose Care facility after his wife could no longer care for him at home but she continued to feed and care for him. Last visit: Mr Clark spoke his final words to his wife of more than 40 years at Tampa Hospital where Mrs Clark was admitted after suffering a heart attack . The facility’s administrator Angie de la Rosa told the Tampa Bay Times that Mr Clark understood when spoken to but struggled to speak. She said: ‘If he really wanted to express himself he could emit words, almost whispering sounds.’ The couple married around 1970, spending many summers in the American state of Maryland where Mr Clark worked as a chef in resort hotels. Mr Hearns, a retired director of the Tampa Department of Community Affairs said of his step-father: ‘He was the custodian, the chef, the painter and the plumber…could cook better than anybody.’ His mother, a former data processors, was a strict enforcer of rules, even locking Mr Hearns out church when he arrived moments too late as a boy. Mr Hearns said: ‘She gave me that look that said “You know you're late. Now just wait until the singing starts”.’ After their death Mr Hearns said: ‘In my mind I could hear her telling him “John, I'll see you at 12 noon sharp”.’ Rev David Green the pastor of the Allen Temple Church in Tampa, where Mr Clark served as a trustee, said: ‘They had a marriage that was grounded by their faith.’ | John Clark, 86, spoke after months of being unable to express himself .
He spoke while holding his wife's hand as she lay in hospital after suffering a heart attack .
Mr Clark was found dead after his visit and wife Grace Clark followed, dying 16 hours after her husband . |
253,391 | d3fe67f97529dfeaaa4dc78458c584dd6701e0e3 | By . Ashley Collman . One heartless real estate agent in Ocean City, New Jersey called out an elderly couple for parking on their lawn, ruining the neighborhood for wealthy clients. Bill Doughten, 78, and his 79-year-old wife Barbara received the letter at their Ocean City, New Jersey home on Tuesday. The letter, which had no return address, read: . 'I'm trying to sell million dollar homes in the neighborhood. I drive my clients around and they see your car parked sideways on the front lawn! You have a driveway - use it!' Scroll down for video . 'You have a driveway - use it': A real estate agent in Ocean City, New Jersey sent the above letter to an elderly couple, saying their car parked on the lawn was ruining the neighborhood for potential buyers . Cowardly: Mr and Mrs Doughten called the letter, sent without a return address a 'sneak attack' 'It's like a sneak attack,' Mr Doughten told NBC 10. 'No name. They didn't say who they were.' The letter enraged both the Doughtens and their grandchildren, who posted the letter on Facebook and it has since garnered over 700 shares. 'I have to say, that I have seen sales people do some pretty scum bag things in my life, but this may take the cake,' granddaughter Stephanie Powley wrote. 'I hope someone recognizes your handwriting so that your wife (long shot that you have one), your boss or even YOUR GRANDPARENTS know who you are,' she added. Accessibility: Mr Doughten says he parks on the lawn so he can be closer to the front door to bring in groceries . Humble: Mrs Doughten says their neighborhood doesn't have any million-dollar homes . Mr Doughten said he parks the car on the grass so he can be closer to the front door when he brings in groceries. He says his advancing age means his leg doesn't work and he shakes. The couple say they aren't going to change their habits just because of one anonymous note. 'I can do whatever I want to do,' Mrs Doughten said. 'I'm not moving the car. I don't know of any million dollar homes in this neighborhood.' Standing their ground: The couples granddaughters posted this pic to Facebook . | Bill Doughten, 78, and his 79-year-old wife Barbara received the letter Tuesday at their Ocean City, New Jersey home .
The letter came without a return address and admonished the couple for parking on their lawn . |
99,212 | 0bcb7c9cb96ca0a3a36daac06a1e1410dac8b269 | By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 15:34 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:40 EST, 24 January 2014 . Overdose: Daniel Spargo-Mabbs died after taking an ecstasy tablet . Police have ordered further tests on the body of a 16-year-old boy who died from an ecstasy overdose. Daniel Spargo-Mabbs died in hospital on Monday after collapsing at a rave on an industrial site in Hayes, west London. He suffered a massive heart attack at the party on Saturday night, and passed away in his mother's arms two days later in an intensive care unit. But a post-mortem failed to establish a definitive cause of death for the sixth-former from Croydon, south London, who heartbreakingly promised his parents 'I won't die' as he left for the event. Two people have been charged with drugs offences following the death of Daniel from Croydon in south London. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'A post-mortem examination took place on Thursday at Uxbridge Mortuary. 'No formal cause of death has been given at this stage and we await the results of further tests. 'Detectives from Hillingdon are investigating. 'Two men, aged 18 and 20, have been charged in relation to the incident. Both have been remanded in custody to appear at Isleworth Crown Court in February. 'A third man, aged 19, was arrested in connection with the incident has been bailed until a date in late March, pending further investigation.' Daniel's mother, Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, 46, spoke of the 'peaceful' moment her son - who had dreams of joining the army - died in her arms. Tragedy: Daniel fell ill after taking ecstasy at a rave in Hayes, west London, in the early hours of Saturday and, despite hospital treatment, died on Monday in the arms of his mother . She said she was grateful for the chance to say goodbye to him in person rather than him being killed on active duty. Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: 'He could have gone to Afghanistan and been blown to smithereens, but I got to hold him while he died,' said Mrs Spargo-Mabbs. 'It was so peaceful and we all got to say goodbye and we were all with him.' The mother-of-two said that before Daniel's death her family had seen the negative effects of drugs through a relative who had battled addiction, and warned other parents not to be naive about their children taking illegal substances. Fantastic boy: Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said her son was a 'good kid with a sense of adventure' 'We have seen at first hand the effect . of addiction and the knock-on effect on the wider family, and he knew . what that looked like,' she said. 'We told him just don’t even do it once. You just don’t know if that’s going to be you. But Daniel would have known people that would have done it and said it was amazing.' Heartbroken: Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, 46, has described the moment her son died in her arms . 'However good they are and however much you think you know what they might be aware of, if you’ve got a teenager they will know people who have taken drugs. And it’s frighteningly cheap, it’s pocket money.' Daniel's parents have left his bed unmade in his bedroom at their home in Croydon, south London, which has a collage of photographs stuck to the walls and a Prom King certificate from last summer. His father Tim opens and closes the curtains each day. He said: 'He is never coming back. Nobody is ever going to sleep in that bed again, he will never enter this house again. 'What used to be a lively vibrant room is now still and empty and quiet. It’s just awful.' The couple, who also have an 18-year-old son, Jacob, said they have had messages of support from all over the world including Australia, Cambodia, India and the United States, and hope to raise awareness of the dangers of drug-taking. Nicqueel Pitrora, 18, from Croydon, and Ryan Kirk, 20, from Beckenham, both south London, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court yesterday and are next due at Isleworth Crown Court on February 5. | Daniel Spargo-Mabbs died on Monday after taking pill at a rave in London .
He was a sixth-form pupil at a school in Croydon, south London .
Two men have been charged in relation to his death .
Police say they are continuing to investigate, and await further tests . |
132,958 | 37edb24bb3cc4aa62f626b958b4fc3c6c76164e0 | (Mental Floss) -- 1. Cordless tools . Your life may be safer and more comfortable because of inventions that came from space research. As long as NASA was going to the trouble of sending Apollo astronauts to the moon, it figured it might as well equip them with drills and ask them to dig up rock samples when they got there. But realizing that a 239,000-mile extension cord would be impractical, NASA teamed up with Black & Decker to develop tools that featured rechargeable batteries and special low-power consumption motors, which should make your DustBuster seem a lot more impressive. 2. Smoke detectors . In the 1970s, NASA partnered with Honeywell Corp. to create a device that would detect smoke and toxic gases in Skylab, America's first space station. The result was the first ionization smoke detector, using a minute amount of the radioactive isotope Americium-241. This led to the 1979 introduction of inexpensive photoelectric detection devices, which go off when smoke (or sometimes a hot, steamy shower) blocks the light beam. To date, smoke detectors have saved countless lives here on Earth, but they're especially useful in space, where running outside to wait for the fire truck isn't an option. 3. Enriched baby food . NASA-sponsored research has also helped make major improvements to commercially available baby food, and we're not talking about freeze-dried strained peas. While testing the potential of algae as a food supply for long-duration space travel, a Maryland-based biosciences company discovered an algae additive that contains two fatty acids closely resembling those found in human breast milk. The company now uses it to make an enriched infant formula called Formulaid, thought to be essential for babies' visual and mental development. 4. New-age pavement . When you buy a new set of tires, the old ones have to go somewhere, right? Most of them end up in huge, flammable tire dumps, which may hold millions of old tires, each one containing about a quart of oil in the rubber. If a dump catches fire, however, it can burn with a thick, toxic smoke for weeks on end. But today, old tires are being put to good use. NASA's experience in fuel-related cryogenics helped develop processes to freeze the tires to below -200 degrees Fahrenheit so that they crumble, separating the rubber from other materials and producing what's called "crumb." This waste is recycled into several new products, including an ingredient used to pave highways, which means your new radial tires may someday be rolling over your old ones. 5. Those cool ear thermometers . Any parent knows you don't take a baby's temperature by sticking a glass thermometer in its mouth, but inserting it the other way isn't much fun, either. And what about the incapacitated patient who can't even say "aaah"? The Diatek Corp. of California wanted a safer way to take a person's temperature, and who better to turn to than NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the place with over 30 years of experience using infrared sensors to remotely observe celestial bodies? Together, they developed a fast and accurate thermometer that, when its disposable probe cover (to prevent cross-infection) is inserted into the ear canal, detects infrared radiation from the eardrum and gives a digital readout in less than two seconds. 6. Fast-acting dental braces . Do your old-fashioned braces set off airport metal detectors? Save yourself embarrassing strip searches by getting new ones. Many orthodontists now use ceramic braces that are bonded to the teeth and strung together with a thin, light wire made of NiTinol (nickel-titanium), an alloy brought to you compliments of NASA. Because of its amazing ability to maintain its original shape, NiTi (as it's known in the industry) provides space satellites with the ability to spring open after being cramped and contorted inside a rocket. But don't think its capabilities are limited to space. When used in dental appliances, NiTi exerts a continuous force against the teeth to move in the right direction, eliminating the need for wire tightening, thus reducing a patient's overall time in braces ... and much of the pain. 7. Protective paint . What do the Statue of Liberty, a gigantic Buddha in Hong Kong and the Golden Gate Bridge all have in common? They're protected by the American space program ... sort of. In the late 1980s, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center began a research program to develop coatings for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to shield the launch structures from salt-air corrosion, rocket exhaust and thermal stress. Applications of this material proved ideal for protecting structures like bridges, antenna towers and the occasional big Buddha. 8. (Better) cardiac pacemakers . Pacemakers have come a long way since their invention in 1950. Far from the large, external contraptions used early on, modern pacemakers can self-adjust in most cases and even activate themselves when needed. But one of the most significant advances in pacemaker technology came in the 1970s, with the help of a NASA-developed system of communication called bi-directional telemetry, originally used to communicate with satellites. Siemens-Pacesetter, Inc. teamed with NASA to develop a similar telemetry system, which not only allows doctors to make changes to the unit's function over time, but also updates them on how the device is interacting with the patient -- all without picking up a scalpel. 9. Scratch-resistant glasses . Thanks to NASA technology, plastic lenses for glasses last up to 10 times longer than they used to. That's because its Ames Research Center created a scratch-resistant (read: extremely hard) coating to protect equipment from getting beaten up by space debris. Later, the Foster Grant Corp. acquired the license for the coating method and used it in their plastic sunglasses, which matched the hardness of glass lenses, but were much lighter. Among other uses, it's now employed in most eyewear and industrial face shields. 10. Oh-so comfy sneaker insoles . Can't run a five-minute mile? Don't blame your sneakers. If they're relatively new, they're probably giving you quite a bit of help already. In the 1970s, many shoe manufacturers began replacing their standard foam rubber insoles with a new, highly shock-absorbent material -- one giant step for tennis shoes. The new kicks were padded with "viscoelastic" bubbles that conformed to your foot and then returned to their normal shape when you took the shoes off. Turns out, they got the idea (and the technology) from NASA, which had developed the material to better cushion astronauts during blastoff. And one pop culture killer . Despite popular theory, NASA did NOT invent Tang orange breakfast drink for the astronauts. It was introduced in 1957 by General Foods and was on grocery store shelves for years before NASA decided it worked well in space. E-mail to a friend . For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | Several everyday items come from space program .
Cushions for astronauts leads to better shoes for us .
NASA communication system leads to better pacemakers .
Statue of Liberty protected by coating developed by NASA . |
201,324 | 90accfc38ddf48c30b133ae7fa2c10d548b9b239 | By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . Home loans taken on by first-time buyers are at their highest level since records began 40 years ago, according to alarming figures from banks and building societies. Typically, young buyers are borrowing the equivalent of 3.47 times their gross household income, leaving them particularly vulnerable to any rise in interest rates, which could come later this year. The trend appears to be at odds with the affordability tests brought in by the Financial Conduct Authority in April. How much? First-time buyers are taking on the highest number of loans since records began 40 years ago . Its mortgage market review (MMR) has required lenders to make much more stringent checks on the income and spending patterns of buyers to ensure they can meet repayments. In theory, these affordability tests look at everything from spending on haircuts to gambling, holidays and childcare before agreeing a loan. Many experts predicted that the review would lead to a sharp fall in new buyers and long delays in mortgage approvals. However, figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders yesterday suggest this has not happened. There were 28,600 loans adding up to £4.2billion to first-time buyers in June. This was a rise of 7.1 per cent on the previous month and 18.7 per cent higher than in June 2013. At the same time, the average loan rose to £123,865. The June increase took the total number of loans to first-time buyers to 79,900 for the second quarter of 2014, which was up by 24 per cent on the same period last year. Matthew Pointon, of analysts Capital Economics, said the figures ‘suggest that the mortgage market review has not slammed the brakes on lending’ The CML said the average loan in relation to income has been rising steadily over the past year from 3.33 in the second quarter of 2013 to 3.47 today. This is the highest figure recorded by the CML since it began collecting the data in 1974. Looking at the whole property market, the CML figures show that a total of 171,000 loans for house purchases were approved in the second quarter of 2013, up by 19 per cent on a year ago. Matthew Pointon, of analysts Capital Economics, said the figures ‘suggest that the mortgage market review has not slammed the brakes on lending’. He added: ‘The breakdown between types of buyer shows that it is first-time buyers who are still driving the rise in lending. There is no evidence that the mortgage market review has tightened up lending criteria.’ Mr Pointon said an increase in interest rates would put a strain on those carrying big mortgages. ‘That said, we only expect interest rates to rise very gradually next year,’ he added. During past property booms, some young buyers were borrowing five or six times their income, while others effectively invented a claimed income in order to borrow huge sums under so-called self-certified mortgages. However this was always a minority and the mean figure for all first-time buyers was generally around three times income. Paul Smee, of the CML, said the review had not had the effect anticipated by many in the industry. He added: ‘For the second month running since new FCA rules took effect, lending characteristics remain similar to the market beforehand. ‘We now feel confident that, as we would hope, the MMR effect is more gentle dampener than hard brake. ‘As we recently suggested in our revised forecasts, lending levels should continue to increase modestly over the course of the year, driven mostly by house purchase but with remortgaging also recovering.’ Getting the right mortgage is essential to making sure buying a home is as affordable as possible. There . are hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there, so, as well as . doing your own research, this is an occasion to search out expert . opinion from a good mortgage broker. First, read Mail Online's award-winning money section This is Money's regularly updated What next for mortgage rates? This outlines the current state of the market and highlights the current best buy deals. Then also check the top mortgage deals on offer currently in our best buy mortgage tables, or click through by using our helpful table (right). You should now be armed with some knowledge about what is on offer and you can use our True cost mortgage calculator to compare how different deals stack up. You should also talk to a mortgage broker. There is no obligation to go through with their recommendation and so . they may not end up actually arranging the mortgage for you, but they will be able to explain your options and . help you to find the best deal. Go a broker who offers advice from the whole market. Avoid . brokers who offer a restricted service based on products from a limited . number of lenders, and don't just simply go to your bank - unless you . get lucky, you will be unlikely to find the best deal this way . This . is Money has a carefully chosen partnership with mortgage broker London . and Country. We have picked them because they offer a good service, . with no upfront fees. Find about more about London & Country's fee free mortgage advice here. - Amy Andrew, This is Money . | Figures released by Council of Mortgage Lenders show booming market .
Loan numbers rose 7.1% from May to June and 18.7% in the last year .
Trend appears to be at odds with new affordability tests by FCA regulator . |
20,551 | 3a51fd6c705f9c34507c6aafd313488ca94baf2d | By . Emma Thomas . PUBLISHED: . 14:52 EST, 3 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:55 EST, 3 December 2013 . A 'polo-playing friend of Prince Charles' could be jailed for failing to hand over Mercedes cars, a Harley Davidson motorbike and a personalised number plate to his ex-wife. Libor Krejci, 63, a former tennis coach turned property developer, led an 'international lifestyle', including yachting and playing polo with royalty, off the back of an off-shore family trust worth at least £30m, according to his ex-wife, Gillian Hope Lewis. But he claimed he was broke, having declared himself bankrupt in the UK when he and his wife split in 2000. Battle: Libor Krejci (left), was described as a 'polo playing friend of Prince Charles' worth £30m, is facing a bid to have him jailed by his ex-wife Gillian Hope Lewis (right), for not handing over Mercedes CL500 and SL350 cars and a Harley Davidson as well as a personalised number plate as part of his divorce settlement . However, his plea of poverty was rejected by divorce judge, Mr Justice Mostyn, who ordered him to pay his ex £368,000 including costs. In June last year, the judge also ruled that Mrs Hope Lewis could enforce her order against two riverside flats in Battersea - valued by lawyers at £1m - along with two Mercedes cars and a Harley Davidson, as they represented the only accessible assets linked to her husband in the UK. The properties and the vehicles were the property of Mr Krejci’s off-shore family trust, but the judge allowed the wife to 'pierce the corporate veil' and take possession in order to satisfy the divorce award. Now Mrs Hope Lewis has applied to the High Court to have Mr Krejci committed to prison, for his alleged failure to deliver up the Mercedes CL500 and SL350 cars and the motorbike, along with personalised number plate LBO1. Mr Krejci has already had an appeal against the lump sum order thrown out by Lord Justice Thorpe, in the Court of Appeal - where he was described by the judge as 'generally angry about everything.' The businessman, of Lombard Road, Battersea, and Mrs Hope Lewis, separated in 2000, after a 17-year marriage, leaving her as the primary carer for their teenage daughter. In 2011, Mr Justice Mostyn called Mr Krejci’s conduct of the case 'truly abysmal'. He also found that 'bankruptcy in the UK didn’t involve much hardship for the husband.' 'His business was successful and was owned by the (off-shore) trust,' said the judge, who added: 'He had access to large amounts of cash from his inheritance in the Czech Republic.' 'Friend of Prince Charles': Mrs Hope Lewis' then barrister, Duncan Brooks, told the Appeal Court last year 'he is the polo-playing friend of Prince Charles and the beneficiary of an off-shore trust with assets exceeding £30m' He put Mr Krejci’s identifiable assets at £1m, although his wife claims he has access to far more. Mrs Hope Lewis, formerly of Bole Walk, Cardiff, but currently believed to be living in Battersea, is now asking the High Court Family Division to commit her ex-husband to prison for alleged contempt of court in failing to hand over the cars and motorbike awarded to her by the judge. In a preliminary hearing, her barrister, Amy Kisser, told the court that '19 attempts' had so far been made to serve court documents on Mr Krejci, without success, and asked Mrs Justice Parker to deem that he had been officially informed of the proceedings via email last month. Timothy Becker, for Mr Krejci, did not object, and the judge ruled that good service had been achieved and ordered Mr Krejci to pay legal costs. However Mr Becker went on to tell the court that Mr Krejci argues it is not his responsibility to hand over the vehicles and number plate. The most valuable of the cars is in the Czech Republic and, according to the husband, belonged to a former tennis player whom he used to coach, the barrister said. '(Ownership) has been transferred to the wife, so in our submission, it is up to her to retrieve it,' he told the judge. Miss Kisser said that the tennis player - David Rikl, a former Wimbledon doubles finalist - had told Mrs Hope Lewis, "we’ve got the car - come and get it in the Czech Republic if you want to try your hand," - that is his position.' International lifestyle: Libor Krejci, 63, a former tennis coach turned property developer, led an 'international lifestyle', including yachting and playing polo with royalty, off the back of an off-shore family trust worth at least £30m, according to his ex-wife, Gillian Hope Lewis. Pictured is Prince Harry taking part in a charity polo match . Arguing that it is Mr Krejci’s responsibility to track down and deliver up the vehicles to his ex, the barrister added: 'It is for him and his company to take proceedings in the Czech Republic.' Mrs Hope Lewis’ then barrister, Duncan Brooks, told the Appeal Court last year that Mr Krejci 'is a man of contradiction.' 'To the court, in these proceedings, he is penniless and staving off the insolvency of the company that has been his life’s work. 'To the public at large he is the polo-playing friend of Prince Charles and the beneficiary of an off-shore trust with assets exceeding £30m, including properties in Monaco, Geneva, New York and Prague.' The barrister also claimed that 'post-separation, the husband had continued to live life as before, funded via the trust.' He added: 'By contrast, the wife...was not funded by the trust and was left penniless...Mr Krejci continued to lead an international lifestyle, developing properties and spending much of his time sailing. All of this was conducted behind the veil of the trust.' The full committal hearing, which could see Mr Krejci put behind bars if he does not hand over the vehicles and the number plate, is now set to come back before the High Court in the New Year. Mr Krejci also has another challenge pending in the Court of Appeal, which will be heard first. Outside court, the husband’s barrister estimated the value of the two properties at about £1m, though the equity in them is believed to be less than £100,000. The value of the vehicles and number plate is a matter of dispute between the former spouses. | Libor Krejci, 63, a former tennis coach led an 'international lifestyle'
The property developer's claims he is broke was rejected by divorce judge .
Ex-wife Gillian Hope Lewis has now applied to have him committed to prison . |
37,484 | 6a2b224a4413e779a20ff68a2eca8bd560195acb | (CNN) -- "The moment I got into the modeling industry, I knew I had to be an entrepreneur," says former supermodel Iman. One of the most recognized models of the 1970s and '80s, Iman has used her entrepreneurial skills to great effect in the fashion industry, with her own cosmetics business and in her charitable fund-raising work. Married to rock star David Bowie and now residing in New York, Iman was born in Somalia in 1955. Her father was an ambassador, but her comfortable upbringing was disrupted in 1969 with the assassination of Somalia's president, forcing her and her family to flee to Kenya. "We left Somalia with nothing but the clothes on our back. Not even photographs, nothing. So it's a total loss of everything and a total loss of your own self, your own country, your own place in terms of your people. If you're lucky you're in a country that will give you a second chance," she told CNN. She was lucky and her adopted home of Kenya provided her with a scholarship at Nairobi University, and it was also in the Kenyan capital that she was discovered as a model. Stopped on a Nairobi street by fashion photographer Peter Beard, she was soon signed by a top model agency and moved to New York in 1975. With her exotic looks she caused a stir in the fashion world, helped in part by a fanciful story about her background spread by Beard. "They wanted to believe because it's kind of like 'My Fair Lady'. Everything about that article was fabricated... I was discovered herding goats and discovered in the jungle; I've never seen the jungle in my life. I was a city girl," she said. Iman admits she was complicit in the fabrication, suggesting an early realization that the fashion industry was built around control and manipulation. "I had to be very clever about not over exposing myself, not under exposing myself. I had to make sure that I knew my worth that I would not settle if they gave me less. I knew how to walk away. It's very key." After facing numerous challenges being a black model, she launched Iman Cosmetics in 1994, designed for models no matter the color of their skin. A hugely successful catwalk career as a model ended in 1989, but she faced up to the transitory nature of her career and gained a greater sense of self long before that when she was injured in a car accident in 1983. "Where everything was about what you do and about how you look, it changed to more security about me. It was not about 'how will I look ten years from now?' It all became about what kind of person would I be ten years from now. "Because of it I became very comfortable in my own skin. In a weird way I didn't think about outward looks anymore," she said. | Former supermodel Iman now has own multi-million dollar cosmetics business .
Discovered by photographer Peter Beard in Kenya; married to David Bowie .
Organizes fund-raising events for charities including, Keep A Child Alive .
"Iman: The moment I got into the modeling industry, I knew I had to be an entrepreneur" |
282,663 | fa1b82136220ea0030dda76ebb1dc7f3141931ac | Fernando Torres is excited about the prospect of playing with Cesc Fabregas at Chelsea next season, and welcomes the competition Diego Costa will also bring to the side's attack. The striker has failed to set Stamford Bridge alight since joining the Blues from Liverpool for £50million in 2011, only managing 20 goals. But he hopes the arrival of Spain team-mate Fabregas can help him and Chelsea when the new campaign gets under way. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Costa and Torres scoring during Spain training . Teamwork: Cesc Fabregas (left) and Fernando Torres (right) try to catch Arjen Robben last Friday . Blue is the colour: Fabregas insists he cannot wait to link up with his new Chelsea team-mates . Linking up: Spain team-mates Fernando Torres and Diego Costa could be lining up together at Chelsea . Up for the challenge: Fernando Torres is relishing the prospect of possibly competing with Diego Costa (below) 'I wish he could have joined us a couple of years earlier,' Torres told Spanish radio station Onda Cero. 'He is a blessing for strikers, he always looks to find that final key pass, he's the type of player Chelsea don't have.' Torres' fellow Spain striker Diego Costa is set to follow Fabregas to west London, with the Atletico Madrid man admitting he is on the verge of joining the Blues for a reported £32m. Costa, whose 36 goals last season fired Atletico to the Primera Division title and the Champions League final, is expected to be Jose Mourinho's first-choice striker next term, but Torres said he will welcome the arrival of his international team-mate. 'People have been saying for some time that Chelsea have signed a striker, and if it's Diego, then it's very welcome,' he added. 'The level of competition at big clubs should always be very high.' | Torres excited to play with Spanish team-mates Fabregas and Costa .
Costa expected to join in £32million deal after Fabregas signed last week . |
252,371 | d2a5f2d9aed6dc97ec3542d3fef65dfd2999cc2e | (CNN) -- The calendar is overflowing with occasions to mark. It seems like there's a special day for almost everything. For example, September 19 is celebrated by some as International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But the surplus of observances shouldn't detract from the really important ones, like Friday, March 8, International Women's Day. The first International Women's Day was held in 1911, but it was international only in the technical sense that women in four European nations marched. These activists were ahead of their time in thinking about women's economic and political equality; they may not have been so far ahead of their time that they envisioned what it has come to mean for many of us today. Now, International Women's Day represents a movement that is for every woman and girl, no matter where they live. This year, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize nominee in history by risking her life for the cause of universal girls' education. Her courage has inspired women across the world. Some of the bravest, most revolutionary voices about empowerment are coming from women and girls like Malala who are calling the world's attention to social norms that prevent women from realizing their full potential. I just spent some time visiting the poorest parts of Northern India, where I met a courageous woman named Sharmila Devi. Because the government has invested in its basic health system, she received a visit from a trained health worker who told her that spacing her pregnancies was safer for herself and her children. Sharmila decided to use contraceptives despite the opposition of her mother-in-law. In India, husbands and mothers-in-law have been at the core of family decision making power structures for generations. Sharmila's courage in seeking outside information and defying her parents-in-law as a way to determine her own future and improve that of her children represents a huge leap forward for women throughout the country. Here is the reality we must confront on International Women's Day: The decisions women make about their families are the key to improving life for many of the poorest communities in the world. The evidence shows that in the developing world, women play a different role than men and are more likely to take care of their family's health care and nutrition, things that children need to become productive adults and contribute to the economic and social development of societies. In fact, research has shown that a child's chances of survival increase by 20% when the mother controls the household budget. Yet in many places, women, especially young women, have very little decision-making authority to be able to effect this kind of change. The work of making sure that women and girls everywhere can seize their potential is about making specific changes that will set into motion these longer term outcomes. For me, it means making sure they have access to the contraceptives so many women tell me they want and need. It's also about harder to measure changes like whether they have the information and the power to plan their families on their own terms. When I try to imagine the future, I am optimistic because I see women demanding information and opportunities in the face of social norms that say they're not permitted to do so. I'm also optimistic because no matter where I go, people ask me, "What can I do to help?" Malala and Devi aren't the only heroes. Millions of people—men and women—stand by the conviction that empowered women are a source of progress, and they want to take action. That's why I'm proud to announce the launch of my team page on Catapult.org, a crowd-funding platform dedicated to supporting women and girls. I identified these three great projects from GirlUp, Breakthrough, and Jacaranda Health and hope you can join Catapult to help fund them. Our foundation will match every dollar donated to these projects. Together, we can help women and girls determine their own future, no matter where they're from. To me, this is why marking International Women's Day is important. It's a chance for so many people to move beyond "celebrating" and take action to create meaningful and sustainable change for women and girls. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Melinda Gates. | Melinda Gates: International Women's Day started small a century ago .
She says there's now global awareness of vital role of women in society, economy .
When women can direct family budget, health care and education improve, she says .
Gates: Empowered women are a source of progress, want to take action . |
194,595 | 87e4a57ad26547c596e3c03cb63af17de31c4178 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:06 EST, 18 July 2013 . A police officer in Seattle is being investigated after a video appeared online appearing to show him urinating against a wall while on duty. The Seattle Police Department has launched an internal review after the video appearing to show the officer literally caught with his pants down was posted on YouTube. Apparently filmed behind some shops in the Washington city, the officer is seen to pull up in his patrol car in what appears at first to be a routine security check. Scroll down for video . On duty: The police officer was seen on camera getting out of his patrol car on what appeared to be a routine security check behind some shops . Not wanting to be caught: The officer looks around to check that no one is watching him . Caught in the act: The officer then appears to undo his trousers and urinates against a wall . But when the officer approaches a corner by the bins and appears to undo his trousers as he checks to see that no one is watching, it becomes clear that he is more worried about being caught than catching anyone else up to no good. He then appears to urinate on the wall. Unbeknown to the officer, he is standing directly below a CCTV camera which is recording his every move. When he realises his mistake, he is seen to utter something in alarm before heading out of shot. He eventually gets back into his patrol car and drives away. Busted: The officer gets a shock when he looks up and spots the CCTV camera above his head . Gone: After disappearing briefly, the officer makes a hasty retreat back to his police car before driving away . The video has reportedly been passed on to the officer's commander as well as the force's Office of Professional Accountability for investigation. The officer's actions have left local business owners, fed up of people using the area as a public toilet, unimpressed according to Komonews.com. Liz Warren, who manages a local photography store, said: 'It's a terrible thing for a police officer who's supposed to be getting people in trouble for this kind of thing, and then they're going and doing it.' But not only is the officer annoying the locals, he is also breaking the law - urinating in public is illegal according to the Seattle Municipal Code. The fine if caught is $27. | The officer was caught on CCTV urinating behind a shop in Seattle .
Pulling up in his patrol car, the officer looks around to see nobody is looking .
He appears to urinate on a wall and looks alarmed when he spots a camera .
Urinating in public is an offence that carries a $27 fine in Seattle . |
100,852 | 0df3a3834fc79e818b04930c808ef94ebd42d82d | By . Craig Mackenzie . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 1 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:26 EST, 1 December 2013 . Assaulted: Gerrard captains Liverpool in last weekend's Merseyside derby . Steven Gerrard has been assaulted in the street by a thug who abused and threatened the England and Liverpool captain. The 33-year-old was reportedly left 'badly shaken' after the attack outside a convenience store near his luxury home. He was alone and had just got of his Range Rover when he was confronted by the mystery attacker before the man ran away. Gerrard was not seriously hurt, but the incident in the wealthy village near Liverpool, where he lives with his wife Alex and three young daughters, has raised fears about the family's security. Merseyside police have confirmed they are investigating a case of common assault over the incident which happened in August. Soon after the attack, a female police officer was arrested in an investigation into whether an attempt was made to obtain CCTV footage of the attack taken from a nearby shop. She was questioned by detectives on suspicion of committing misconduct in a public office. Officers took a statement from the player who is expected to captain Liverpool at Hull City on Sunday. A Merseyside Police spokesman told the . Sunday Mirror: 'As a result of this investigation, a female officer who . has been on a career break since early this year is being investigated . in relation to potential misconduct in a public office. It would be . inappropriate to comment further at this stage.' The attack is not the first time thugs have targeted Gerrard, who was raised in the city's Huyton area. In September a fan scaled a perimeter wall at Liverpool’s training ground and yelled threats against his family. Smiles better: Gerrard at Liverpool training in Merseyside earlier this week . Couple: Gerrard with his wife Alex, who have been targeted by thugs They have three young daughters . Leader: Gerrard also captains his country . The man sped away on a bike shouting: 'I’ll kill you and your f****** kids.' In December 2007, masked raiders burst in and confronted 31-year-old Alex as the couple’s children slept. In 2001, both Steven and Alex faced death threats from members of Liverpool’s underworld. After Gerrard was said to have been chased by a local criminal through the streets of Liverpool in his car, steel gates 10ft high and state-of-the-art security cameras were put up at the footballer's £3million home. Liverpool Football Club and the player’s agent refused to comment on the assault. Get that hand down! Brendan Rodgers believes Steven Gerrard can become a centre half . Are you having a laugh boss? Gerrard shares a joke with manager Brendan Rodgers during training . Running the show: Gerrard is still Liverpool's driving force in midfield . | Man confronted England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard outside convenience store before fleeing .
Woman police officer arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office . |
134,981 | 3a9c79dd6e14d7225eb5fe66cf5d5ff7d50069a7 | New York (CNN) -- "Inspiration exists," runs a famous quote attributed to Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. "It just has to find us working." And at the Maker Faire, which took place in the grounds of the New York Hall of Science recently, there was plenty of evidence of that hard work. The Maker Faire is a glorious celebration of nerdiness. When exhibitors aren't talking excitedly about Ram or Javascript, or the correct proportion of catalyst to reactant in the conversion of vegetable oil to biofuel, they are showcasing the truly incredible benefits to be reaped from locking yourself away in your room or garden shed for years on end. Brian Patton, for example, a middle school teacher from Trenton, New Jersey, has spent his time building a singing robot. With pipe cleaners for eyebrows and doll's eyes, the robot is synched to a computer program that Patton wrote himself and allows him to control 17 tiny motors that alter the features of the animatronic face. He moves the features of the face in time to the song by moving a mouse and records each motor individually. The recordings can be played back simultaneously to get the full effect. Watch Erno Rubik on Make, Create, Innovate on Tuesday October 9 on Quest Means Business . The e-puppeteer has an application in mind for his creation -- a teaching aid for children with autism. "There is already quite a lot of anecdotal evidence that autistic kids respond better to robots than to adults," Patton says. "The robot could be a sort of surrogate teacher for them. They could learn by singing along with it." Not all the musical performances at the fair were as complex as Patton's robots, and some of the best innovations on display were the most simple. Read more: 'Li-Fi' provides a light bulb moment for wireless web . It's surprisingly easy to turn vegetable oil into biofuel as Ben Jorritsma, from Sussex County, New Jersey demonstrated. Collecting used vegetable oil from local restaurants to make biofuel at his family farm, Jorritsma claims to make enough to power 20 tractors. "Most of the production cost is for the methanol, which is used as the reactant," explained Jorristsma. "You need potassium hydroxide as a catalyst. Basically all you're doing is breaking apart polymers to thin the oil down so that it won't clog your engine." Sponsored by "Make Magazine," the Maker Faire began in San Mateo, California in 2006 and has since spawned events in Detroit and San Francisco -- which attracted 100,000 visitors last year. Read more: $30 gadget lets you control computer with your eyes . This is the third time the show has come to New York where it received the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who declared the week leading up to this year's fair "Maker Week" in the city. One of the best things about the event is the spirit of openness that seems to pervade, with exhibitors incredibly generous about sharing their hard-earned knowledge. Special FX expert Marc Fields, for example, hosted a seminar explaining some of the how-tos of creating movie props. He showed how paints containing powdered metal can be splashed with acid to create metal oxides that give the effect of natural rusting, and how to make fake tree bark from a mold ingeniously colored using carpet scrapings. "I want people to see that they could go home and do a lot of this stuff themselves," said Fields, who has built props for enclosures at the Bronx Zoo and worked on Hollywood movies such as "Cold Mountain." This DIY ethos is probably the strongest theme binding all the participants. Near the end of the day, I meet Jason Naumoff, an event organizer based outside San Francisco. A few years ago, Naumoff put together a competition that offered entrants the chance to build a machine in just 72 hours from "conception to reality." Now sponsored by the energy drink maker Red Bull, the theme of this year's competition was "games" and included a centrifuge made with a golf cart engine that spun players at up to five times the force of gravity. "When you leave people to their own devices and don't constrain them, the results are mind-blowing," Naumoff said. | Maker Faire in New York provides a platform for inventors to showcase their ingenious ideas .
Organized by "Make Magazine," the exhibition attracts many DIY inventors and thousands of visitors .
Vast array of ideas and projects on display from animatronic robots to special effects masterclasses . |
110,036 | 19db624da07456c630821b0e6ce3ba64f5bfcb5f | A nursery school owner who left a three-year-old girl strapped inside a car for more than six hours has been cleared of child neglect after a judge accepted she did not have a 'guilty mind'. Carol Cort, 67, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, was acquitted after her defence lawyer successfully argued that she lacked the 'mens rea' for the crime - essentially meaning she did not intend to do it. Mrs Cort had been giving the little girl a lift to the Barn Nursery School, in the Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water, as a favour for her mother on February 18 last year. Carol Cort, 67, was giving the little girl a lift to the Barn Nursery School, located on this business park in Bourton-on-the-Water, as a favour for her mother . When she arrived at the nursery, she automatically picked up her handbag, locked the car and went to work - leaving the toddler, referred to only as as 'E', strapped into her car seat. Mrs Cort, who had worked in child care for 46 years, went back to her car at 3pm and drove to an after-school club to pick up other children before realising what she had done. By that time E had been trapped in the car for more than five hours, without food, water or toilet facilities. As soon as Mrs Cort realised what had happened she rushed to the child's home and tearfully confessed to the girl's mother. In today's hearing, the mother of the abandoned girl told the court: 'I just remember Mrs Cort saying she had done something really terrible and dreadful and had let all the children down. 'I think I was in shock - I don't think it registered. Mrs Cort said she had left her in the bus all day and that she had forgotten her.' The prosecution alleged Mrs Cort had been reckless in leaving the child in the locked car and therefore acted willfully. Mrs Cort offered the little girl, who has been named only as 'E' a free place at the Barn - but her mother withdrew her child from the nursery (posed by models) The defence countered this, while also obtaining an expert opinion from Dr Dilum Jayawickrama, a consultant forensic pathologist - who said Mrs Cort was suffering from 'mild to moderate' depression at the time. Dismissing the charge, District Judge Joti Bopa Rai said the Crown had not challenged this testimony with its own expert and had not shown that Mrs Cort acted 'willfully'. Upon hearing the judge's ruling, Mrs Cort hugged her daughter Alison, who was sitting next to her at Stroud Magistrates’ Court. Since the incident education watchdog Ofsted has closed down the nursery, which Mrs Cort ran with her husband Peter and daughter. Today, she chose not to comment. | Carol Cort, 67, of Gloucestershire, was giving the three-year-old girl a lift to Barn Nursery School as a favour to her mother .
On arriving, she locked the car and went to work, but left toddler inside .
After returning at 3pm she realised mistake and rushed to mother to confess .
Mrs Cort, suffering depression at time, has already lost childminding rights .
But today she was cleared of child neglect at Stroud Magistrates’ Court . |
225,747 | b04f842c66107a137de3748e444bb88a84ca694e | By . James Gordon . Last Sunday night, Barkhad Abdi, the Somali American actor who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in captain Phillips was mixing with the great and the good of Hollywood at the Oscars. The movie was the 28-year-old's film debut for which he was paid $65,000 for starring in the picture. He left his job in his brother's mobile phone store when he got the gig, but now two years on, the money is spent and with no definite offers of work in the pipelines, he is completely broke. Scroll down for video... Another out-of-work actor! Captain Phillips star and Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi has had an incredible rise to fame, yet despite his Best Supporting Actor nomination he is now broke and without work . Living the high life, kinda: Actor Barkhad Abdi attends the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter in West Hollywood . Me & Mr Hanks: Oscar winner Tom Hanks played Captain Richard . Phillips in the movie inspired by the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, . during which merchant mariner Captain Phillips was taken hostage by . pirates in the Indian Ocean led by Abduwali Muse . Despite receiving supporting actor nominations not just at the Oscars but the Golden Globes, SAG and even winning a BAFTA Award, all the accolades in the world simply do not come with cash. The New Yorker reported that the former limo driver was living off the glitzy glamor while in Los Angeles for the awards season. Instead of staying at the posh Beverly Hilton hotel, he chose instead to stay near the airport so that he could be near a friend who could drive him around for free. Abdi's also rented his tux on Sunday night. Although he is still living in Minnesota, he is planning to move to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career in earnest. I'm the Captain now! The Somalia native was only paid $65,000 two years ago for his Academy Award-nominated performance playing the pirate leader opposite Tom Hanks . Living it up: Barkhad Abdi, 28, gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari in Hollywood, but like his clothes, it's rented . On set: Bakhad Abdi, center starring in Captain Phillips. During awards season, he told the magazine his clothes were loaners and that he got a town car to drive him around, but only for film publicity . He’s broke, apart from a weekly allowance that the studio provides and a car which he can use for official events only. This for an actor that was quick enough to improvise the now famous 'I'm the captain now' line in the film . Adibi has said that he is not a big spender. At this stage, he can't afford to be. 'I never pictured myself as a famous person. I like the essence of film making and storytelling. The fame part, I'm just trying to take it easy,' he told ABC News. 'I'm not big into buying stuff, I'm a simple guy,' he said. 'I bought a car, not that big name of a car, a Saab. I'm not into big name stuff.' Adibi was a frequent guest on the talk show circuit during awards season, and also did several print and online interviews. Critical acclaim: Barkhad Abdi has been nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as a Somali pirate in The Captain . His Best Support Actor nomination put . him up against Hollywood regulars Bradley Cooper, Michael Fassbender, . Jared Leto, and Jonah Hill . Prior . to his role in Captain Phillips he was a limo driver in Minneapolis . before taking working at his brother's T-Mobile shop in the 24 Mall . following the nine weeks of filming. Adibi was born in . Mogadishu and moved to Minneapolis in Minnesota when he was 14. He was working as a . limousine driver and also part-time at his brother's cellphone store . before he won the career-making role in Paul Greengrass's movie. After filming, he was forced to return to work selling mobile phones, but decided to quit when the movie was released. 'How I thought about it was, like, when the movie came out, reviews either gonna be good or bad,' Abdi said to The New Yorker. 'Either way, I cannot be working here.' From Minneapolis to Hollywood: Barkhad Abdi called this modest apartment block home just a few years ago . A more modest life: The 24 Mall where Barkhad Abdi's brother Guled runs a . T Mobile store - and Barkhad at the one of the numerous award ceremonies he has attended over the past couple of months . Captain . Phillips was nominated for a total of six Oscars, including best film, . but did not take any prizes at Sunday night's ceremony. It has so far . made more than $217m at the box office against a budget of $55m. Abdi says he hasn't seen any bonuses or extra paychecks despite the film's success. 'It’s been a really wild ride. Every time . it gets bigger and bigger and bigger and now it’s an Oscar nomination. It’s just a little too big to comprehend. But that’s life. I’m just . looking forward to the next adventure.' The A-list: Barkhad Abdi shows off pictures of his new friends Reese Witherspoon and Sacha Baron Cohen while enjoying the Golden Globes in Hollywood . New pals: Barkhad Abdi poses with House of Cards star and Oscar winner Kevin Spacey - while director Paul Greengrass looks on . Happy . to post pictures of his new Hollywood chums, ranging from Reese . Witherspoon to Kevin Space and Sacha Baron Cohen - and even happier to . zoom around LA in a Ferrar, Barkhad still says he hasn't gone all Hollywood and hired a stylist or acting coach. Abdi is now in talks to star in a film about South African runner Willie Mtolo, who competed in the 1992 New York marathon. The . film called The Place That Hits the Sun is about a Marathon runner who . develops an unlikely friendship with a local bar owner, once sanctions . against South African athletes competing internationally were lifted. Speaking . about a future in acting, he said: 'Yeah, I want to keep on doing it... any role, as long as it’s a good story, it doesn’t matter ... I'm . moving to L.A. and I’m reading some scripts now, specifically there’s a . TV show that I’m reading for.' Buddies: Barkhad Abdi chats to co-star Tom Hanks at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards last month . Hug it out: Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi share a hug at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards last month . | Acting newcomer Barkhad Abdi was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Captain Phillips .
Barkhad was paid $65,000 two years ago to star in the film - the movie has gone on to make $217 million at the box office .
The Captain Phillips star is finding it hard to make ends meet, despite his Oscar nomination .
He now plans to move to LA permanently to continue his acting career .
Barkhad won his role in an open call and says of his Oscar nomination: 'It was shocking, honestly - I was jumping up and down' |
164,951 | 614cce2e8d65923e79fc9cfa1d2b999870d61c15 | Louis van Gaal is a fan of the rotation policy judging by his start to life as Manchester United manager. The Dutchman has spent north of £150million buying stars from across the globe but does not seem so sure how he is going to fit them all in, using 33 players in just five matches this season. And 14 years after Claudio Ranieri, the original 'Tinkerman', was appointed as Chelsea boss on September 18, 2000, it seems fitting that a new Premier League manager is willing to experiment. Louis van Gaal has become the new 'Tinkerman' after fielding 33 different players in five matches this year . Radamel Falcao is one of Van Gaal's new recruits to United this summer, leading to his large squad rotation . Angel di Maria (left) and Ander Herrera (right) also arrived to Old Trafford during a £150m spending spree . Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is one of six different forwards used by Van Gaal this season . Tom Cleverley (left) and Danny Welbeck (right) both featured for Van Gaal before departing United . Claudio Ranieri (pictured), who was appointed Chelsea boss exactly 14 years ago, was branded as the original 'Tinkerman' due to a perceived over-rotation of his squad during his tenure at Stamford Bridge . Manchester United have used 33 players so far this season in just five matches. Louis van Gaal has used one goalkeeper, nine defenders, six forwards and an incredible 17 different midfielders in four Premier League fixtures and one league cup match. Goalkeepers (1): David de Gea. Defenders (9): Tyler Blackett, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Michael Keane, Marnick Vermijl, Reece James, Jonny Evans, Marcos Rojo, Rafael. Midfielders (17): Jesse Lingard, Adnan Januzaj, Ashley Young, Darren Fletcher, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata, Nani (now on loan at Sporting Lisbon), Antonio Valencia, Tom Cleverley (now on loan at Aston Villa), Anderson, Saidy Janko, Andreas Pereira, Shinji Kagawa (now at Borussia Dortmund), Nick Powell (now on loan at Leicester City), Angel di Maria, Daley Blind. Forwards (6): Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck (now at Arsenal), Javier Hernandez (now on loan at Real Madrid), James Wilson, Radamel Falcao. United have had four matches in the Premier League and one in the Capital One Cup and have used five more players than any other top-flight side. Crystal Palace are second having used 28 players in five matches, with Hull City third on 27 (although they have played eight games this season). Everton have played the fewest matches (four) and have rotated their squad the least - with just 17 different Toffees have taken to the field - while Chelsea and Southampton have used just 18 players in five matches each, indicating that Roberto Martinez, Jose Mourinho and Ronald Koeman are all happy with their squads. Van Gaal has fielded 26 different players in the Premier League alone, three greater than the next most-rotated sides Hull and QPR. With seven new faces at Old Trafford this summer - including Radamel Falcao, Angel di Maria and Daley Blind - Van Gaal has arguably become the new 'Tinkerman' after changing his side drastically for each match so far this season. Anderson is one of an astonishing 17 different midfielders that Manchester United have used this season . Youngsters such as James Wilson (left) have also been used by Van Gaal as he looks for his best side . Crystal Palace have fielded the second highest number of players this year, having used 28 in five matches . Hull City boss Steve Bruce has fielded 27 players this season but they have played a total of eight matches . Claudio Ranieri was the original 'Tinkerman' during his time at Chelsea, where he spent four years as boss . Everton have fielded the fewest players this year (four) but have also played the fewest matches (four) 1) Manchester United - 33 players (five games in all competitions) 2) Crystal Palace - 28 (five games) 3) Hull City - 27 (eight games) 4) Queens Park Rangers - 25 (five games) =4) West Ham United - 25 (five games) 6) Manchester City - 24 (six games) =6) Stoke City - 24 (five games) =6) Tottenham Hotspur - 24 (five games) 9) West Bromwich Albion - 22 (five games) =9) Arsenal - 22 (eight games) 11) Leciester City - 21 (five games) =11) Liverpool - 21 (five games) = 11) Swansea City - 21 (five games) 14) Burnley - 20 (five games) =14) Newcastle United - 20 (five games) =14) Sunderland - 20 (five games) 17) Aston Villa - 19 (five games) 18) Chelsea - 18 (five games) =18) Southampton - 18 (five games) 20) Everton - 17 (four games) *Stats provided by Opta . Ranieri was famously given that moniker for what was perceived as his over-rotation of his Chelsea squad during his four years at Stamford Bridge (2000-04), but it seems that Van Gaal has taken on the mantle. In the Dutchman's defence, United have been ravaged by injuries, and Van Gaal has also tried to give youngsters their opportunity in the first team. Yet he also gave game-time to players such as Nani, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley and Shinji Kagawa before discarding them and allowing them to leave the club. He has also had a look at relatively unknown players Marnick Vermijl, Saidy Janko and Reece James. Interestingly, the one position Van Gaal has not rotated is his goalkeeper - with David de Gea having featured in all five of United's fixtures in both league and cup. In total, United have used nine defenders, six forwards and a staggering 17 midfielders, as well as De Gea, in just five matches so far this season. And, with Van Gaal's history of fielding academy players, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he will continue to blood an even greater number of youngsters as the season progresses. Amazingly, Luke Shaw is yet to make his debut and Michael Carrick has been injured all season, so Van Gaal is almost guaranteed to field at least 35 different players this campaign. And who knows how many more there will be if United repeat the summer spending spree in the next transfer window. Luke Shaw (left) and Michael Carrick (right) are yet to play for United this season so Van Gaal could realistically use more than 35 players during his first season in charge at Old Trafford . Robin van Persie is one of six different forwards used by Louis van Gaal at Manchester United this season . Jonny Evans is one of nine defenders deployed at United as Van Gaal rotates his squad to find his best team . Argentina defender Marcos Rojo is another expensive new signing at United . VIDEO Di Maria praises Marcos Rojo . David de Gea is the only goalkeeper Van Gaal has used, despite having fielded 33 different players . | Manchester United have used 33 players in just five matches this season .
Louis van Gaal has fielded five more players than Crystal Palace in second .
Crystal Palace have used second-most players with 28 in five games .
Hull City third with 27 players used but have played three more matches .
Everton fielded just 17 in four games, Chelsea and Southampton 18 in five .
Claudio Ranieri, the original 'Tinkerman', appointed on September 18, 2000 .
Louis van Gaal has used one goalkeeper, six forwards and nine defenders .
He has used 26 in Premier League alone, three more than any other side .
The Dutchman has also played an incredible 17 different midfielders .
Luke Shaw and Michael Carrick yet to play this season so it could reach 35 . |
225,745 | b04f2951fb8cbebc8a1d24ef924118712f49e328 | Felix Magath confesses to being 'afraid' as Fulham's increasingly desperate quest to secure another season in the Barclays Premier League reaches a critical point. While Magath is convinced victories over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and at home against Crystal Palace the following weekend will result in survival, he is still racked by nerves. The veteran German manager has never experienced relegation during his 19-year coaching career and knows Fulham are close to ending that proud record. Afraid: Magath, who has never been relegated, admits he fears failing at Fulham . 'For me, it (keeping Fulham in the Premier League) would be my most successful achievement,' the Whites boss said. 'I have never been relegated and I'm a bit afraid of the situation, I don't know how it feels to be relegated. I am afraid. 'I am always nervous, without nerves you can not bring 100 per cent. 'The mental side is always the most important thing - the players know how to kick, mentality is what we are fighting for.' Fulham are one point adrift of safety with two matches remaining and Magath accepts only two victories will clinch a 14th successive Premier League season. 'I still believe two wins will be enough,' he said. Tough times: Magath has been through a lot already in his short time at Fulham - now his side need to win . Not giving up: Magath knows Hughes (above) will not allow Stoke to let up now they are safe . 'There is no doubt, we need three points to have the chance to not be relegated. That is the situation. 'We know Stoke are a very good team at home, but we are confident that we have developed in the last few weeks and showed against Hull last weekend that we are able to play good games. 'Away from home we won at Aston Villa and we are confident we can manage it. 'The atmosphere is very good and the players want to show people we are still alive.' Both Stoke and Palace have climbed out of the relegation battle, leaving them with nothing to play for this season, but Magath denies mid-table opponents signpost an easier route to safety. 'I don't think so because if you are safe you have a lot of confidence, so it could be that their payers do better than before,' he said. | German boss says staying up would be 'most successful achievement'
Magath believes two wins would be enough, but admits he is afraid of losing . |
15,980 | 2d4ba68da8e440b7e34b79675a3c6756361c346a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:09 EST, 20 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:10 EST, 20 August 2012 . A mother-of-one has been unable to eat for four years after her pregnancy left her with a paralysed stomach. Charlene Johnstone developed gastroparesis when she fell pregnant with her son, Hayden, now three - and hasn't been able to eat since. The illness caused Charlene, 24, from Glasgow, to shrink from a healthy size 12 to a gaunt size 6 after being sick 15 times a day. Suffering: Charlene's weight plummeted and doctors originally thought she had pregnancy complications, before diagnosing her with gastroparesis after her son Hayden was born . Since her baby was born, Charlene has spent 14 hours a day attached to a drip, which she is fed through. Ms Johnstone said: 'I was initially told I was suffering complications from pregnancy. I had what I thought was severe morning sickness, lasting all day every day. 'It didn't go away after the first trimester, but I still thought it was pregnancy-related because I was fit and healthy before. I just thought I was unlucky. 'When I was officially diagnosed with stomach paralysis, I was told it could have been caused by the weight of the baby and the size of my miniscule bump. 'They thought I was having a small baby, so I went two weeks overdue and was induced, but when Hayden was born he was 10lb. 'Doctors thought he'd been sitting so internally and being so large he'd probably de-sensitised the nerve that supplies nerve function to the intestines.' Now out of hospital, Charlene is attached to a machine and drip fed 14 hours a day. Charlene with her mother Liz and her son Hayden. Her mother spoke to consultants and their MP to get funding for a 'stomach pacemaker' Struggle: Charlene, pictured in hospital, could eat for seven months after she was fitted with a pacemaker, but she has now developed intestinal failure, meaning she can't empty food . She said: 'I used to love chicken fajitas and homemade soup. I enjoyed chips with cheese and doner meat with salad cream. 'But because my stomach doesn't move, I don't get the empty feeling so I don't get hunger pangs anymore which is good.' When she discovered she was expecting, the former bouncer quit her job as the potential for injury was high. Charlene said: 'It turns out I didn't really have a choice, as I was in and out of hospital for the full nine months. 'I was so unwell that I found having a shower completely exhausting. I was advised to do as little as possible to allow my baby to develop.' At 42 weeks, Charlene gave birth to healthy baby boy, but after having Hayden her health rapidly began to deteriorate. Over the next few years baffled doctors explored everything. After being referred to a specialist she was diagnosed with severe gastroparesis. The condition reduces the ability of the stomach to empty its contents even though there is no blockage. The cause of it is unknown, but medics believe it could be triggered by a disruption of nerve signals to the stomach. She said: 'All I wanted was to go home and spend time with my baby but I wasn't well enough. 'I was so weak I couldn't even lift Hayden without collapsing and struggled to carry out his night feeds.' My little soldier: Charlene said her son Hayden kept her going . By March 2009 Charlene couldn't keep anything down, her weight plummeted to just five stone and she became dangerously ill. She was rushed to the high dependency unit and underwent three blood transfusions after suffering abdominal pain and coughing up blood. After seven months in hospital, her weight slowly crept back up and she was discharged. She said: 'My son was almost one and I had hardly been there, I felt so guilty.' Doctors even tried a highly experimental botox procedure, to try and relax the stomach muscles and allow food to move to the small intestine, but it didn't work. A temporary gastric pacemaker, in February 2010, proved successful and Charlene was eager for the permanent version. She said: 'It was heart-breaking to have the pacemaker removed after five days. My energy levels zapped back to zero and I was constantly vomiting again.' Although she was eligible for a permanent one, funding wasn't available. She said: 'The thought of another year like the last filled me with dread. The operation would cost £22,250. But my mum, Liz, 50, didn't give up and spoke to consultants and MPs until it was funded. I had it done in March 2010.' 'I was able to tolerate oral foods for almost eight months until my bowel failed. 'Intestinal failure is the final outcome. Nothing can be done at that stage, but with help from my consultant, Doctor Matthew Priest, at Gartnavel General Hospital, I can manage the symptoms.' 'My ward are so supportive and when I'm ill they help me fight to get better. They're like a second family. The ward is so busy they don't get enough praise for what they do. 'Hayden has been my wee soldier. There are times when I'm very poorly and I want to give up but then I think of what my wee granny said, 'If you ever feel like giving up, then think about why you held on so long in the first place' and that reason is Hayden.' | Doctors said Charlene's son may have de-sensitised the nerve that supplies nerve function to the intestines when he was in the womb .
Charlene is now drip fed for 14 hours every day . |
37,347 | 69ccdf94663ac13850de7569d7d1fce56496305f | Tottenham striker Harry Kane deserves an England call-up to Roy Hodgson's senior squad, according to Clive Allen. Kane has been in impressive form for Tottenham since the start of the season, scoring 12 goals in 21 games for the north London outfit. And former Tottenham forward Allen believes he is ready to join the likes of Wayne Rooney, Gary Cahill and Joe Hart in the Three Lions' senior set up. Tottenham striker Harry Kane deserves a call-up to Roy Hodgson's England side, insists Clive Allen . Kane scored Tottenham's third goal in their 4-0 Capital One Cup win against Newcastle . Allen, speaking to talkSPORT, said: 'He is doing everything he is capable of. Seeing him come in as a kid, you could see he had talent. 'He has got a magnificent attitude and there is no problem in terms of keeping his feet on the ground because he was really focused from a young age. 'He wasn’t overconfident, he worked really hard at his game, and he was able to deal with every level he played at. It is great to see a young English striker scoring goals in the Premier League. Harry is single-minded in the right way and I think it is fantastic. 'People are starting to talk about him making the England side. That would be a meteoric rise and it would be nothing more than he deserved because he has worked hard to get to where he is.' Kane has scored eight goals in 10 games for England's Under 21 side. Kane, pictured celebrating with Tom Ince, has scored eight goals in 10 games for England's Under 21 side . | Harry Kane has scored 12 goals in 21 games for Tottenham Hotspur .
He scored in Tottenham's 4-0 Capital One Cup win against Newcastle .
Clive Allen believes a senior call-up would cap Kane's 'meteoric rise' |
99,398 | 0c04d40f6f241cb04075ce53d4b5dd2bd6bbe003 | (Mashable) -- It'd be an understatement to say that this has been a terrible week for Apple, and we haven't even reached the halfway point. On Monday, Consumer Reports dealt a devastating blow to the iPhone 4 when it declined to recommend the device to consumers due to the antenna reception problem. Consumer Reports concluded from its tests that cell reception is indeed lost if you cover up the small gap between the two metal bands on the bottom left corner (as it's facing you) of the phone. The media quickly picked up the story. Tuesday wasn't any better for the tech giant. Consumer Reports slammed Apple for not providing a fix to customers at no extra cost. Some have even suggested that a recall was imminent -- an endeavor that would cost the company $1.5 billion. All of this news resulted in a sharp dive in Apple's stock price, although it has since made a partial recovery. There are even class action lawsuits waiting in the wings. Apple has a nightmare on its hands, and no software fix will make the problem go away. The issue has taken on a life of its own. The situation isn't impossible for Apple to recover from, though. However, the company needs to take action, and it needs to do it quick. Here are what my top five priorities would be if I were in Steve Jobs' shoes: . 1. Acknowledge that the antenna problem is real . While you can't call the data conclusive, you can say that the data overwhelmingly points to one conclusion: the iPhone has an antenna problem. The iPhone antenna issue has been replicated in countless YouTube videos and by multiple media organizations, including us. Apple's internal documents show that they know the issue is real. This is almost certainly a hardware issue, and it's time that Apple stopped being coy and just admit that the phone does have an issue with its reception. The current string of denials and half-truths won't have any legs as the pressure mounts and the lawyers come knocking. The best thing the company can do is issue an open letter on the antenna issue, ideally from Steve Jobs himself. The key to making this go away is transparency. 2. Go into the technical details . Once Apple acknowledges the problem, it needs to give up details, such as the science behind the antenna issue, why the company didn't catch it during testing, and different potential fixes. Don't spare the public the complicated and scientific issues behind the iPhone's design and how different grips affect reception -- anything less won't appease a critical public. 3. Roll out the software update . Apple has promised a software update earlier this month to "fix" the formula used to calculate signal bar strength display, which the company pointed to as the root of the iPhone antenna problem. While we believe that the software fix was meant to be a decoy to the real hardware issue, the company has already committed to the software update, and it should roll it out as promised. Don't keep trying to point to software as the problem, though: most people are aware that it's not a software bug causing the antenna issue and treating it as such is just demeaning and condescending to iPhone users everywhere. 4. Make the bumpers free . Out of all of my suggestions, this one is the key. Those iPhone bumpers may cost $29.00 in the Apple Store, but in reality the rubber and plastic mold only costs a fraction of that price (possibly around $1 per bumper). Providing that accessory to customers for free solves the antenna issue, as bare skin has to touch the iPhone 4's metal casing in order to drop signal. It's not an ideal fix, but it's far better than the other option: a recall. 5. No matter what, don't issue an iPhone 4 recall . Some have suggested that Apple should recall the iPhone 4. That isn't a simple affair. In fact, most users would be more annoyed and upset than pleased with the Cuptertino-based company. Let's play out the scenario. Apple performs a recall of its devices. Millions of people are annoyed as they either have to give up their device or keep a clearly defective one. Apple, already at peak production capacity, would take weeks -- if not months -- to replace the phones. Estimates place the cost of a recall in the billions. Here's the truth: The iPhone 4 antenna issue isn't a hazardous one. It isn't exploding in people's hands, it isn't cutting anyone's palms randomly, and it isn't suddenly bursting into flames. Those are critical issues that would require a recall. The antenna issue, while important and a problem that Apple should have found and addressed before the product's launch last month, doesn't rise to that level. Recalls are meant only as a last resort. Do you think Ford is going to recall all of its cars for a faulty radio? Apple, while it may be feeling the pressure, can't cave to it. There is a balance here. It has to be truthful with what's actually wrong with the iPhone antenna and what is not. It has to keep its emotions in check as it discusses the antenna independent of the iPhone 4's many other amazing features. And finally, the company has to give customers something to solve the issue. Free bumpers seem like the appropriate middle ground. A recall is over-the-top extreme and hurts rather than helps consumers in the end. © 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | To stem the complaints and bad press over the iPhone 4, Apple needs to take action quickly .
Here are what my top five priorities would be if I were in Steve Jobs' shoes .
The company should acknowledge the phone's antenna problems are real .
Issue free bumpers to address the reception problem, but don't recall the phone . |
157,262 | 5754f68711e80723caf6c75d0543e7ed13ed605d | By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 19:17 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 4 September 2013 . Wonga approves 10,400 loans a day and makes £1.2million a week in profit, it emerged yesterday. The number of loans handed out by the controversial payday loans company has soared by 70 per cent in a year. Wonga, which charges stratospheric annual interest rates, was criticised yesterday for profiting from the misery of the poor and encouraging them to sink deeper into debt. Big business: The payday loan company, whose television advert is shown, was criticised for profiting from the misery of the poor . On the rise: The number of loans handed out by the company has soared 70 per cent in a year . Citizens Advice said it was wrong that people were being ‘bombarded with glossy payday loan adverts which mask the misery of a life in debt’. Chief executive Gillian Guy said: ‘Payday lenders’ profits come directly from the pockets of consumers, many of whom turn to them out of desperation rather than choice.’ MP Stella Creasy, who has campaigned against payday loan firms, said: ‘Money made in this industry comes at a heavy cost to our country.’ But Errol Damelin, Wonga’s founder and chief executive, insisted it was ‘lending responsibly ... to people who can generally afford to pay us back quickly.’ He said most of its customers were ‘young, single, employed, digitally savvy and can pay us back on time’, adding: ‘This is not about people on breadlines being desperate. ‘This is about us serving customers who want to take a loan and know they can pay it back in three days, in the same way that they want to buy one song on iTunes.’ Launched when the credit crunch struck in 2007, Wonga – which advertises itself on TV with elderly puppet characters Betty, Earl and Joyce, lends up to £1,000 at a time. Opposed: MP Stella Creasy has spoken out against payday loan firms like Wonga . But there is growing concern over the ease with which money can be borrowed from the firm and other payday lenders at sky-high rates. Critics claim they encourage vulnerable people further into debt by allowing those who cannot repay loans to extend them, and letting customers take out a second loan before repaying their first. Last year, Wonga approved 3.8million loans, a rise of nearly 60 per cent on 2011, according to its financial report, published yesterday. After lending more than a £1billion in a year for the first time, it now plans to expand by encouraging customers to buy luxuries they would otherwise struggle to afford. Its ‘Pay Later’ deal allows borrowers to buy ‘higher value goods’, such as furniture or a dishwasher, for up to £1,000, with an up-front charge of 7 per cent of the price. Critics such as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby want to set up rival, ethical lenders, but their ambitions lag far behind Wonga’s successful business model. But Matthew Lawrence, of the Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank, said critics were fighting a losing battle, adding: ‘Wonga-bashing isn’t working. Wonga’s profits make it clear that the campaign for affordable, short-term credit is losing, while Wonga is winning.’ | Controversial firm Wonga approves 10,400 loans a day it has emerged .
The company was criticised for profiting from the misery of the poor . |
159,749 | 5a7fb3d2742f43888522520a74b66e58d1d45e8f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:02 EST, 2 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 2 November 2012 . A deranged man allegedly used his pet python to beat his girlfriend asshe soaked in a hot tub and then fled the scene after tossing thesnake in with her. The snake died in the tub. Keith Paro, from West Springfield, Massachusetts, carried out histwisted assault on Tuesday and turned himself in two days later. His girlfriend suffered from bruises to her knees, back, arms and stomach. Weapon and victim: Keith Paro, from West Springfield, Massachusetts, carried out his twisted assault with this python . Police say the couple got into an argument and Paro, 34, removed thesnake from its cage and "began beating the female repeatedly." Paro faces charges of domestic assault and battery, larceny over $250,wanton and malicious damage over $250, and cruelty to animals. He was held in lieu of $2,500 cash bail at his arraignment Friday. The incident marks the second case of animal cruelty reported in WestSpringfield in October, according to The Republican. More animal attacks: Vicente Alvarado . allegedly threw this kitten against a wall during an argument with his girlfriend . Local police arrested Vicente Alvarado on October 20 after heallegedly threw a kitten against a wall during an argument with hisgirlfriend. The kitten died from its injuries. Alvarado, 26, was charged with cruelty to animals. He denied the charge in District Court and is being held without bail. A pre-trial hearing has been set for November 21. | Keith Paro, 34, used his pet python to attack his girlfriend as she soaked in a hot tub .
Paro threw the snake in the hot tub and fled the scene before turning himself in .
The incident marks the second case of animal cruelty reported in the same neighborhood in October . |
162,979 | 5ebf56c20bc9b5748d2c62c2fc38231ee5bf90fa | Bent crooked over a computer... leaning onto your elbow to answer the phone... slouched on the sofa when you get home... picking up children in both arms... it's no wonder the modern back is a crooked mess of tight muscle knots and painful nodules. And many of us are spending a fortune every year begging pricey physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, Pilates teachers and massage therapists to snap us straight again. But a new gadget - named the Nodger and not much more complicated than a crooked stick - is promising to change our lives forever... and save us a tidy pile of pounds in the process. Scroll down for video . Team FEMAIL can't get enough of the crooked contraption, and the 'Nodg-imonials' read pretty impressively, too . The Back Nodger, which costs £29.99, claims to be able to 'instantly relieve knots and muscle tension all over your body' by allowing you to 'self-massage', applying deep and precise pressure into your own knots without the assistance of a doctor, masseuse or even a really good pal. You can do this all on your own. This method of releasing knots is often known as acupressure or Shiatsu massage, the ancient Japanese technique used by sports masseurs and physiotherapists all over the world by improving blood flow and reducing tension. To use the nodger you hold the foam handle with two hands, one above the other. Then hook it over your back with the red nodule on the peskiest knot. Office . manager Camila said: 'I have my Back Nodger with me all day at work in . my handbag. I have never had so many visitors at my desk wanting to try . it out. It sounds dodgy, but it works a treat' Relax your . shoulders and push the nodger away from you to apply targeted pressure . into the knot, allowing the pressure to continue for one deep breath in . and out. Team FEMAIL can't get enough of the crooked contraption, and the 'Nodg-imonials' read pretty impressively, too. Mother-of-three . Alice says: 'Thank You Back Nodger. This is the best product I've . bought in years. My husband is happy too as he says I don't ask to be . massaged as much now.' Office . manager Camila adds: 'I have my Back Nodger with me all day at work in . my handbag. I have never had so many visitors at my desk wanting to try . it out. It sounds dodgy, but it works a treat.' The nodger's bits and how they work . | The Back Nodger, £29.99, promises to banish knots and neck tension .
Allows you to 'self-massage' without the help of a masseuse or friend . |
270,339 | ea1eb14f2e1ad9a8594bbe99db1fccbe2adfe88e | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . and Victoria Woollaston . Google’s much-anticipated modular smartphone could be available in January 2015 for as little as $50 (£30). The Project Ara 'Grey Phone' will consist of a simple frame, screen, Wi-Fi connection and processor with users able to customise it with various plug-in modules, colours and accessories. Paul Eremenko, Google’s Project Ara head, revealed the date to attendees at the company’s developer conference this week and has outlined further plans for the device. Google's much-anticipated modular smartphone could be available in January 2015 for as little as $50 (£30) ‘It's called the Grey Phone because it's meant to be drab grey to get people to customise it,’ Mr Eremenko said. The phones will be able run on multiple batteries - when one battery dies, it can be detached and replaced with a full battery module. Lower-resolution cameras can be swapped with higher-res versions, and users will be also be able to 3D print replacement parts. Lower-resolution cameras can be swapped with higher-res versions, and users will be also be able to 3D print replacement parts . Google's kit describes various modules including batteries, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, cameras, speakers and more. In theory, any sensor that can be fitted to a module will work on Ara handsets, pictured . Each phone will have a central 'spine' and an endoskeleton that individual modules will clip on to. There will be three different sized endos - mini, medium and large, pictured . Google’s modular smartphone could be available in January 2015 for as little as $50 (£30). According to an earlier developer kit, Ara . phones will be able run on multiple batteries - when one battery dies, . it can be detached and replaced with a full battery module. Each phone . will have a central 'spine' and an endoskeleton - nicknamed 'endo' - . made of ribs that the individual modules will clip on to. There will be three different sized . endos - including mini, medium and large - to rival the existing range of . phones currently on the market, from compacts to phablets. Larger phones will be able to accomodate either larger, or additional modules, than the mini will. Google's kit describes various modules including batteries, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, cameras, speakers and more. In . theory, any sensor that can be fitted to a module will be able to . attach to a module and while Google will make the shell, these modules . will be made by other companies. By printing their own parts, users will also be able to customise them. By printing their own parts, users will also be able to customise them. Google has revealed each phone will have a central 'spine' and an endoskeleton - nicknamed 'endo' - made of ribs that the individual modules will clip on to. There will be three different sized endos - including mini, medium and large - to rival the existing range of phones currently on the market, from compacts to phablets. Larger Grey Phones will be able to accommodate more modules than the mini will, for example. Google's kit describes various modules including batteries, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, cameras, speakers and more. In theory, any sensor that can be fitted to a module will be able to attach to a device, and while Google will make the shell, these modules will be made by other companies. At the developer conference, Google outlined a time frame for development for the modular device, attempting to attract hardware and software developers. The main frame of the Grey Phone will be built to last around five to six years, according to Mr Eremenko, allowing users to upgrade their phones regularly. He added that the basic framework can be used to build any number of devices, beyond a simple smartphone. ‘If it can be other things, we encourage that,’ Mr Eremenko said but added that Google intends Ara to be ‘ultimately a great smartphone first and foremost’. Project Ara was developed as a result of Google’s purchase of Motorola and its Advanced Technology and Projects group. It is based on the Phonebloks designs by Dutch inventor Dave Hakkens. It was initially assigned to Motorola, and had been planned to add to the firm's existing range, but Google sold the phone maker to Lenovo in January. Google's Project Ara is based on the Phonebloks designs by Dutch inventor Dave Hakkens. His components were called bloks, and they each attached to a universal base that contained all the relevant electric connections. They were fixed onto this board using pins, with two screws holding everything in place . | It will consist of a simple frame, screen, Wi-Fi connection and processor .
Users can customise it with plug-in modules, colours and accessories .
Main frame of the Grey Phone will be built to last around five to six years .
The phone was assigned to Motorola, before Google sold the mobile firm .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from . |
4,535 | 0d122fe187251d9ad24d28387caad5521f5aa45f | By . Sadie Whitelocks . New parents to a sick baby staged their wedding in hospital so they could be together for the event as a family. Amber Brunell, 23, and Joshua Fox, 24, from Bangor, Pennsylvania, tied the knot last Thursday in the intensive care unit at St. Christopher's Hospital where their son, Lucas, is being monitored. The infant was born weighing a healthy 9lbs 11oz on February 21 but shortly after birth an ultrasound revealed he had an obstruction in his intestines which was causing discomfort and required surgery. Scroll down for video . Together as a family: Amber Brunell, 23, and Joshua Fox, 24, staged their wedding in hospital so their sick baby could be part of the big event . Although the operation went well, he then developed an air leak in his left lung. A tube was placed his chest to remedy the situation but when his oxygen levels did not improve further intervention was needed. Doctors used an artificial heart-lung machine to take over the work of the newborn's lungs. Within a few days his condition improved and he is now on the road to recovery. Dressed to impress: Ms Brunell wore a rented white bridal dress, while her fiance wore a tuxedo and even baby Lucas had a pinstripe suit for the ceremony . Perfect timing: Ms Brunell and Mr Fox had been gearing up for their wedding for more than two years and the arrival of their son inspired them to finally say 'I do' Ms Brunell and Mr Fox had been gearing up for their wedding for more than two years and the arrival of their son inspired them to finally say 'I do'. Pastor . Francis Pultro, the chaplain at St. Christopher's Hospital, officiated their wedding. Ms Brunell wore a rented white bridal dress, while her fiance wore a tuxedo and even baby . Lucas had a pinstripe suit for the ceremony. Recalling her big day, Ms Brunell told Fox News: 'We were finalizing details until the last minute. 'I had some wedding jitters, but overall, was excited.' The charity, Ronald . McDonald House, which has been providing accommodation to the newlyweds since February 25, . also donated a wedding cake, car transportation and dinner. | Amber Brunell and Joshua Fox from Pennsylvania welcomed their son, Lucas, on February 21 .
Shortly after birth an ultrasound revealed he had an obstruction in his intestines which required surgery . |
267,953 | e7081e3dcaf27422569b0ea1aa936a71f505a31b | Arjen Robben has admitted it 'wasn't easy' to work under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea due to the injury problems that plagued the early stages of his career. Bayern Munich winger Robben spent three seasons under The Special One between 2004 and 2007, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups. But despite his key role in Mourinho's first-era Chelsea side, the Dutchman says his frequent spells out with injury meant that things didn't always work out as he would have wanted. Arjen Robben's relationship with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea was complicated by his injury problems . The Dutch winger was often out injured but is now regularly fit for his current club Bayern Munich . Robben scored in Bayern's impressive 8-0 victory over Hamburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday . The 31-year-old winger praised the Portuguese coach's role in his development but felt that Mourinho's dislike for players who get injured made things difficult for them both before he eventually moved to Real Madrid for £24million in 2007. 'It was very good to work with him (Mourinho) at that age because I was young and with Mourinho you have to be mentally very strong,' Robben said. 'You have to jump on the train with him or you're off. So it was great for my development.' Mourinho and Robben walk from the pitch together at Anfield after a Chelsea defeat . Robben was an important player in Mourinho's first Chelsea spell but was constantly troubled by injury . Robben won two Premier League titles and formed a dangerous partnership with Damien Duff . Robben did not make his Chelsea debut until October in his first season at Stamford Bridge due to a broken metatarsal suffered in pre-season but he went on to form an impressive partnership with Damien Duff as Mourinho's men went unbeaten in the league for the rest of the campaign. 'It was hard at first because I came with an injury,' Robben told The Guardian. ' It was very difficult for me and also for him. Of course, he doesn’t like players who get injured. 'So it wasn’t easy but I always had the feeling I had his confidence. I played some great games for Chelsea but it was unfortunate I had injury problems and I couldn’t do it over a long period – like now.' Robben still retains good memories of his time in London though - and reserved particular praise for the much-maligned hectic festive period, although he added: 'playing four games in 10 days is crazy.' Mourinho barks out instructions during training at Chelsea, and Robben praised his help in his development . Mourinho greets Robben on one of their meetings as opponents since the winger left west London . Mourinho, of course, is back at Chelsea attempting to conjure up a third Premier League title . | Dutch winger played for three seasons under Mourinho at Chelsea .
His time in London included numerous spells out with injury issues .
Robben praised Mourinho's work but said the injuries were unfortunate . |
105,257 | 13c01dd3f88e2ebc20c2db2c1c43cc9e566eb68b | A funfair operator and her two young sons have died after a fire ripped through the caravan where they were living during the winter. Sadie Peters, 36, and her children - aged just one and six - were declared dead at the scene after a blaze broke out at 1.45am at a long-standing site for fairground families in Newchapel, Surrey. Her 35-year-old husband John and eldest son, aged ten, survived and were treated for burns. Mr and Mrs Peters belonged to families which have spent generations travelling the country to run fairs, according to the president of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Fairground operator Sadie Peters and her two sons, aged one and six, died in a fire in Surrey . Blaze: The site was cordoned off this morning by police and firefighters as they investigated the fire's cause . Guild president David Wallis, 70, said distraught members have rallied round the family and a permanent benevolent fund will donate money to the survivors. 'We represent 20,000 people overall and every one of them feels for the family at this time, especially so close to Christmas', he said. 'There is a strength in the community where we stick together and support each other. That's what we'll be doing now.' The site where the fire happened is reserved for travelling fairground families and was cordoned off this morning while police and firefighters investigated. One neighbour who has lived on the close-knit site for 20 years, and asked not to be named, said: 'I was woken up at around 1.30am, I heard the fire engines outside. 'They are a family of five. Her eldest son and husband were asleep on the sofa when it happened, so I have heard, and they tried to save the family but couldn't. David Wallis, president of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain, said: 'There is a strength in the community where we stick together and support each other. That's what we'll be doing now' One resident said: 'Most of us are related - everybody knows everybody - and it's just a tragic accident' 'My husband ran down to help and said the scene was devastating. There was screaming and crying. It must have been horrible. 'We are a very close knit community and for this sort of thing to happen is just such a shock. For it to happen around this sort of time of year as well just makes things worse. We are all thinking of the family now.' Another resident said: 'I know who they are, obviously we all do, we are a small community and everyone knows everyone here. 'We are not related to them but there is a national grief. Everyone in the fairground industry knows everyone up and down the country. 'We are just completely devastated. For a family to be ripped apart like that is just tragic. 'We are all thinking of them and praying. I just can't believe what has happened. I am struggling to get my head around it. 'I don't know how her husband and son are going to cope with it all.' One resident of the site said: 'It's very upsetting. It's two small children and their mother. This is a big community of people who all get on well and they're all completely devastated.' Another added: 'Most of us are related down there - everybody knows everybody - and it's just a tragic accident.' Countryside: The site set aside for fairground workers is in Newchapel, Surrey. Parish councillor Graham Marks said: 'I'm very shocked and saddened. The residents there are part of our community. They support us' A Surrey Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: 'We were called at 1.37am on Tuesday 30 December to a report of a caravan fire. 'Three fire crews were sent to the incident and put out the fire using hose reels. 'Sadly, two children and one woman have died. A man and another child were also treated for burn injuries at the scene and the child has since been taken to East Surrey Hospital. 'Surrey Fire and Rescue Service & Surrey Police are carrying out a joint investigation and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved at this tragic time.' A Surrey Police spokesman said earlier: 'Surrey Police and Surrey Fire and Rescue units are currently at the scene, which remains cordoned off while inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire continue.' Called The Plantation, the site has been set aside for fairground families for around 30 years. It won permission to expand by four plots on the green belt in 2011. A Tandridge District Council report in December last year said there were 72 families living on 38 plots, some of whom were 'doubled up' at a rate of two or three to a plot. Backed up: Traffic waited to pass the scene as police and firefighters continued their investigations . Tragic: Another man and a child were treated and the scene, and the child was later taken to hospital . 'Overcrowding is a significant issue', it said. 'There are significantly more families residing at The Plantation than the original planning approval allows for'. The carnival workers were concerned there was not enough room to store their equipment, it added. Parish councillor Graham Marks told MailOnline: 'They use it for a winter's quarters to educate their kids and repair all the fair equipment, then from Easter onwards they're usually travelling the country. 'I'm very shocked and saddened. The residents there are part of our parish and part of our community and have been for many years. They support us and any fundraising we have.' District councillor Ken Harwood added: 'These incidents are always tragic but this time of the year it's particularly poignant. As a community everybody feels something like this.' A Tandridge District Council spokesman said it had not found any evidence that the layout of the site had changed since last year's report. 'Tandridge District Council has no role in the management of the site which is in private ownership,' he said. 'The Council has no direct involvement in this investigation but will assist should the services of the Council be required in any way. 'We would express our sympathies to other members of the family.' A South East Coast Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'We sent two ambulances, two cars and three vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team. 'Sadly as a result of the fire three people were pronounced dead at the scene. We also treated a man and a child at the scene for burns and/or smoke inhalation.' | Fatal blaze broke out at site in Newchapel, Surrey, at 1.45am on Tuesday .
Sadie Peters, 36, and husband John from long line of fairground families .
Two boys who died were aged just one and six, police investigators said .
John, 35, and eldest son, aged 10, were both treated for burns by medics .
Surrey site is a winter home for fairground families to maintain their rides .
Neighbour: 'We are a very close-knit community. This is such a shock' |
48,135 | 87e0ba89f2e0c61bb48080c530f9d9d3293c334a | Rapid City, South Dakota (CNN) -- Walid Shoebat had a blunt message for the roughly 300 South Dakota police officers and sheriff's deputies who gathered to hear him warn about the dangers of Islamic radicalism. Terrorism and Islam are inseparable, he tells them. All U.S. mosques should be under scrutiny. "All Islamic organizations in America should be the No. 1 enemy. All of them," he says. It's a message Shoebat is selling based on his own background as a Palestinian-American convert to conservative Christianity. Born in the West Bank, the son of an American mother, he says he was a Palestinian Liberation Organization terrorist in his youth who helped firebomb an Israeli bank in Bethlehem and spent time in an Israeli jail. That billing helps him land speaking engagements like a May event in Rapid City -- a forum put on by the state Office of Homeland Security, which paid Shoebat $5,000 for the appearance. He's a darling on the church and university lecture circuit, with his speeches, books and video sales bringing in $500,000-plus in 2009, according to tax records. "Being an ex-terrorist myself is to understand the mindset of a terrorist," Shoebat told CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." But CNN reporters in the United States, Israel and the Palestinian territories found no evidence that would support that biography. Neither Shoebat nor his business partner provided any proof of Shoebat's involvement in terrorism, despite repeated requests. Back in his hometown of Beit Sahour, outside Bethlehem, relatives say they can't understand how Shoebat could turn so roundly on his family and his faith. "I have never heard anything about Walid being a mujahedeen or a terrorist," said Daood Shoebat, who says he is Walid Shoebat's fourth cousin. "He claims this for his own personal reasons." CNN's Jerusalem bureau went to great lengths trying to verify Shoebat's story. The Tel Aviv headquarters of Bank Leumi had no record of a firebombing at its now-demolished Bethlehem branch. Israeli police had no record of the bombing, and the prison where Shoebat says he was held "for a few weeks" for inciting anti-Israel demonstrations says it has no record of him being incarcerated there either. Shoebat says he was never charged because he was a U.S. citizen. "I was born by an American mother," he said. "The other conspirators in the act ended up in jail. I ended up released." He said his own family has vouched for his prison time. But relatives CNN spoke to described him as a "regular kid" who left home at 18, eventually becoming a computer programmer in the United States. Shoebat, now in his 50s, says he converted to Christianity in 1993 and began spreading the word about the dangers of Islam. He has been interviewed as a terrorism expert on several television programs, including a handful of appearances on CNN and its sister network, HLN, in 2006 and 2007. Since al Qaeda's 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, expertise on terrorism has been in high demand. The federal Department of Homeland Security has spent nearly $40 million on counterterrorism training since 2006. The department doesn't keep track of how much goes to speakers, nor does it advise officials on the speakers hired by states and municipalities. Shoebat spoke at a 2010 conference in South Dakota and was so well-received that he was invited back for the May event in Rapid City, according to state officials. He warned the police and first responders gathered in the hotel conference rooms that the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah had operatives working in Mexico and that drug cartels were raising money with Islamic groups. He also asserted that federal agents could have prevented the 9/11 attacks by looking for a chafed spot, called "zabibah," that sometimes forms on the foreheads of devout Muslims. "You need ex-terrorists who can tell you what life is like and what thinking is like of potential terrorists," Shoebat said. "But had we looked at the zabibah only, we would have deflected a suicide action of killing 3,000 Americans." But Shoebat also told the group there were 17 hijackers when there were 19. And perhaps more surprising from a man who bills himself as a terror expert, Shoebat said the Transportation Security Administration could have stopped them. The TSA wasn't created until after the 9-11 attacks. Jim Carpenter, South Dakota's homeland security director, said Shoebat brought "a point of view that certainly is not mainstream." "He brings in commentary about living and being raised as a Muslim and converting over to Christianity -- gives them a different aspect of breaking the mold, so to speak," Carpenter said. But he said Shoebat's appearance was "a small portion" of the two-and-a-half-day conference. "It's not like we're talking about setting up training and a discipline we would follow, that this is the only way and that's the particular point of view of a Muslim or somebody of the Islamic faith. That's not the case," Carpenter said. "That's his point of view." Carpenter said there is "no fear of threat" from Islamic terrorism in South Dakota, where the last census reports showed the state's Muslim community made up less than one-half of 1 percent of the population. According to Rapid City's local newspaper, about two dozen Muslims live in the city. During Shoebat's presentation, he criticized Muslim organizations and told audience members to be leery of Muslim doctors, engineers, students and mosques. "Now, we aren't saying every single mosque is potential terrorist headquarters. But if you look at certain reports by the Hudson report, 80 percent of mosques they found pamphlets and education on jihad. So they're in the mosque, the mosque in accordance to the Muslim brotherhood is the command post and center." The conservative Hudson Institute said it never issued such a report and has no idea why its name was invoked. Shoebat warned that making special accommodations for Muslim beliefs was a step toward establishing Islamic religious law. And he recounted how he wore a T-shirt that read "Profile me" on a trip to the airport and approached the screeners at the security checkpoint. "I got tapped down, I got checked, I got all these different things," he said. "I say it's wonderful." Shoebat and business partner Keith Davies run several foundations and three websites that are all linked. Shoebat said the major group, the Forum for Middle East Understanding, includes his own Walid Shoebat Foundation. In tax records filed by Davies, the Forum for Middle East Understanding reported 2009 earnings from speaking engagements, videos and book sales of more than $560,000. The documents are thin on specifics, and so is Shoebat. "Basically, we are in information, and we do speaking and we do also helping Christians that are being persecuted in countries like Pakistan, and we help Christians that are suffering all throughout the Middle East," he said. Asked how they do that, he said, "None of your business" -- adding that disclosing details could endanger people he was trying to help in Islamic countries that have laws against blasphemy. Shoebat's name doesn't appear on any of the paperwork. As for his own salary, he said he makes "probably what a gas station makes or a garage makes." "Everybody thinks I'm just raking in the dough, which is absolutely incorrect," he said. He referred details to Davies, who offered to provide a copy of the group's tax returns -- but didn't. When asked who served on the foundation's board of advisers, Davies gave "Anderson Cooper 360" the name of a former pilot, who didn't return phone calls. But he could not name the high-ranking military officers he said were on the board. Federal officials say they don't know exactly how much money has gone to speakers like Shoebat. But in April, the bipartisan leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee raised concerns about "vitriolic diatribes" being delivered by "self-appointed counterterrorism experts" at similar seminars. Sen. Susan Collins, the committee's Republican chairwoman, and Connecticut Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman asked the department to account for how much federal grant money went to state and local counterterrorism programs and what standards guided those grants. The request followed reports by the liberal Political Research Associates and the Washington Monthly that raised similar questions. The Homeland Security Department told CNN that it has standards -- and if training programs don't meet them, "corrective action will be taken." "We have not and will not tolerate training programs -- or any DHS-supported program -- that rely on racial or ethnic profiling," the agency said in a written statement. Kevin Flower and Enas I. Al-Muthaffar in Jerusalem and Amy Roberts and Max Newfield in Atlanta contributed to this report. Watch Anderson Cooper . 360° weeknights 8pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here. | Walid Shoebat advises police to investigate Islamic groups and mosques .
He says he's a former Palestinian terrorist who once bombed an Israeli bank .
A CNN investigation found no evidence to support his biography .
A Senate committee has raised concerns about "self-appointed counterterrorism experts" |
67,353 | bf187e5226d0f9dd554a1a9eb615d9788beedd58 | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 12:38 EST, 11 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:36 EST, 11 August 2013 . She was the girl with the voice of an angel who swiftly fell to earth after a damaging series of revelations about her drinking binges and her rocky relationship with Welsh rugby star, Gavin Henson. But Charlotte Church is back and this time she's got a bright blonde new 'do and a new-found feminist fervour, although according to the singer, feminism isn't something she's ever lacked. I'd been a raving feminist all my life. I just hadn't realised it until reasonably recently. Until I had a little girl really. Feminist: Church says she has been a raving feminist all her life but didn't realise until 'reasonably recently' 'And then everything started to annoy me - the way women are placed in the world really p***ed me off. The more you understand the way the world works, the clearer you are about certain issues. 'Mainly it was down to having kids. And having split with Gavin. Those things did massively inform me about life!' It's no surprise that Church is protective of her daughter, particularly as growing up in the spotlight herself, she was forced to endure a succession of tabloid headlines criticising her developing body in the most embarrassing of ways. 'CHEST SWELL' read one headline, while her fledgling relationships and social life were pounced on. As a result, she's wary about media focus on female celebrities and their children, telling The Telegraph's Stella Magazine: 'It makes me feel nauseous that it still happens [negative attention]. Educational: Church says having a daughter and splitting with Henson (left) have taught her a lot . Tough: Church became famous at a very early age and was dogged by the media during her adolescence . 'Today, going shopping in town, I thought I'd get the kids a couple of bits and bobs and the boy's toys are awesome - loads of cool things! 'But for girls, it's just image-obsessed crap. You've got all these ridiculous dolls, or you can paint your nails or do your make-up... It's all based around image.' 'I want to instill in Ruby [her six-year-old daughter by Henson] the idea that who gives a damn about what you look like? And hopefully I lead by example with that - 'cause I don't.' Read the full interview in The Telegraph . | Split with Gavin Henson and having a daughter were turning points .
Church, 27, believes too much pressure is put on girls over image .
Hopes to teach daughter Ruby that what you look like is irrelevant . |
28,766 | 51aaae6cfe8100b1935a35eeb5e2f9386ca78186 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The body of a 24-year-old American woman traveling alone in Thailand and missing for five days was found over the weekend in a national park, trampled by elephants. Lily Glidden's body was so badly damaged that authorities immediately came to the startling conclusion after finding her January 18 following a manhunt that brought in 70 people. The Tufts graduate of Freeville, New York, had been taking pictures of the animals in Kaeng Krachan National . Park, just outside Bangkok. Scroll down for video . Animal-lover: Lily Glidden posted about her adventures helping animals on Facebook. She previously helped to relocate wolves, left, and posed with snakes in Hong Kong, right . Crushed: Lily Glidden was found crumpled in the woods of Thailand's Kaeng Krachan National Park January 18 (elephants in the park pictured). Authorities revealed today that the American tourist was trampled by wild elephants . Remote: Kaeng Krachan is Thailand's largest national forest and is well known for its elephants but attacks are rare . Her devastated family paid tribute to her and her work to help animals in a statement to NBC today. 'We believe that what happened to Lily was a result of unknowable and unusual circumstances which she must have been unable to foresee or prevent.' 'Lily was very aware of the dangers of working with wildlife and not a person to court foolish risks, particularly where animals were involved.' 'She had an educated and dedicated respect for the natural world and was completely comfortable in it. She did extensive solo hiking and backpacking in many parts throughout the West and knew how to respond to chance encounters with bears and other potentially dangerous animals.' 'She was also a fearless individual... We would wish her remembered as an extremely competent professional in her chosen field.' Park rangers announced Thursday they'd found the body in the park outside Bangkok. Glidden was found crumpled in the woods after the search team was deployed. 'Her arms, her wrists and other parts of the body were broken, so we assumed she was trampled by elephants because no humans could have caused such powerful damage to the body,' said police Col. Woradet Suanklaai. Police sent the body to a forensic institute in the capital to determine the cause of death, he said. Graduate: The biology student hoped to become a vet after completing her travels . Tragic death: The 24-year-old left her camp site to take photos of wildlife throughout the park . Kaeng Krachan is the largest national park in Thailand, covering nearly 32,300 square feet of forest. It is 124 miles southwest of Bangkok. Woradet said Glidden was alone when she left a camping ground in the park. 'Looking at the pictures she took in her camera, we see a lot of animals, birds, snakes, lizards,' Woradet said. 'We assumed she wanted to take pictures of elephants because that's what the Kaeng Krachan National Park is famous for. We believe she wanted to find them and take some photos.' Tragic: Kaeng Krachan is world famous for its wild Asian elephants. Authorities say Glidden, who was traveling alone, was taking photos of them when she was killed . On her Facebook page, the biology student showed her love of animals. Various pictures show her posing alongside snakes, wolves and a pet tortoise. She had taken courses at the Vermont Wilderness School and the Wilderness Awareness School in Washington and wanted to work as a vet. She was also president of the Tufts outdoor club. | Lily Glidden, 24, a recent graduate of Tufts University was traveling alone when she apparently got too close to the wild animals .
Her body was found crumpled in the woods of Kaeng Krachan National Park with bones crushed throughout her body .
She was missing for five days when her body was found Saturday .
Her family today paid tribute to the young woman who they described as a fearless outdoor researcher who knew how to handle 'dangerous animals' |
7,507 | 15468e9c370e73982742e9e249f90d9651659011 | (CNN) -- Defending champion Roger Federer and world number two Rafael Nadal were sent crashing from the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati Friday. Federer, unbeaten at the hard court tournament since 2008, went down tamely to eighth seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, losing 6-2 7-6 in just over 90 minutes. Earlier, in-form Mardy Fish thrashed Nadal 6-3 6-4 to march into the semifinals in Ohio. Victory earned the seventh-seeded American a clash against fourth-ranked Andy Murray of Britain, who he beat in the corresponding tournament last year. The seventh seed, who pushed world number one Novak Djokovic all the way in the Montreal Masters final last week, continued that superb form against a listless Nadal. Fish claimed the early break against Nadal, who had been involved in a marathon tussle with fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco the previous evening, and never looked back. He wrapped up the first set in 43 minutes and broke through in the fifth game of the second as Nadal sent a forehand wide on break point against him. Fish, who was serving magnificently, never looked like surrendering the advantage and carved out three match points before winning it with a forehand passing shot after one hour 43 minutes. It was his first victory in seven attempts against the indominatable Nadal as he acknowledged in his post-match interview. "He's kicked my butt six times and it feels pretty good to have turned it around," he told Sky Sports. "I'm so much more confident right now and if I was to choose a surface and a court I would choose this one," he added. Murray, who crashed out in ignominious fashion in his opener in Montreal last week, has been showing much improved form and saw off France's Gilles Simon 6-3 6-3 in an early morning encounter. "It is good when you win to get it out of the way," Murray told Sky Sports. "I managed to get through and look forward to the next one." But it was the defeat of Federer that proved the main talking point as the former world number one looked out of sorts from the start against the big-hitting Berdych. He was broken twice in the opening set and could not fashion a single break point. The second set was closer, but Berdych, who beat the Swiss star in the semifinals of Wimbledon last year, easily won the tiebreak 7-3 to progresss. He will play world number one Novak Djokovic, who was also given a scare before beating Gael Monfils in the night match. The French sixth seed took the first set, but his Serbian opponent recovered to win 3-6 6-4 6-3 in two and a half hours. "It was a very physical match, but I hung in there and it was a good win," Djokovic told AFP. The win takes Djokovic to 56-1 for the year with his only defeat to Federer in the semifinals of the French Open. | NEW: Novak Djokovic survives scare to beat Gael Monfils in Cincinnati .
Champion Roger Federer beaten by Tomas Berdych quarterfinals .
Mardy Fish also shocks second seed Rafael Nadal in straight sets .
He will play Britain's Andy Murray who beat Gilles Simon in straight sets . |
32,271 | 5bcc00ee054ac0cd74456180b5dd8bc815102181 | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 11 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 11 July 2012 . An executive fighting a £300,000 battle to make insurers pay up for a fire that gutted his home has denied that his boyfriend started the blaze while having a 'hissy fit.' Jonathan Smyth returned home from work on the evening of Tuesday, January 22 2008, to find his house in Margaret Street, Brighton, ablaze with police and firefighters in attendance. The fire, which started in a basement bedroom, made the £350,000 house uninhabitable and caused huge damage to the contents - as well as killing three pet cats. Mr Smyth, who shared his four-storey three-bedroom house with two friends and his 41-year-old boyfriend Tony Howe - pet name ‘Tony Bear’ - subsequently made a claim for £200,000 against his policy with St Andrews Insurance Plc. Jonathan Smyth (left) shared his house with two friends and his boyfriend, Tony Howe, 41, (right) and denies his partner started the fire after a tantrum. Mr Smyth is fighting a £300,000 insurance battle . However the company refused to pay, denying liability for the damage, and asserting that Mr Howe had 'set the fire' when he was ‘intoxicated’ and having what his boyfriend described in court as 'a Tony Bear tantrum.' Mr Smyth, who works as an information security manager for Direct Line, is suing the insurers for more than £300,000 in the High Court, asking Judge John Randall QC to force them to meet his claim, plus interest and expenses. The court heard that while Mr Smyth, now of Cooperage Quay, Stirling, Scotland, was at work on the evening of the fire, Mr Howe and their flatmate, Rebecca Alexander, had an 'altercation' prior to the blaze being discovered. The court heard Mr Howe and the couple's flatmate Rebecca Alexander (pictured) had an 'altercation' before the blaze was discovered . The two flatmates had a 'history' of disagreements 'about tidiness' in the house, Sonia Nolten, for the insurance company, told the court. Mr Smyth had received a text from Miss Alexander as he made his way home from work, saying that Mr Howe had gone into a 'big fat Tony Tantrum' and that the pair had fallen out. The fire was discovered and the house evacuated whilst Miss Alexander, at the foot of whose bed the seat of the blaze was found, was out and she subsequently made 'accusations of arson' against Mr Howe. The fire brigade investigated and concluded that 'the most likely cause was a deliberate act.' Both Mr Howe and Miss Alexander were subsequently interviewed by the police in relation the fire, but neither was charged. However, on the basis of reports by the police and fire service, the insurance company, after its own inquiries, refused to pay out, explaining: 'It is the view of the insurer, based on the investigation, that Mr Howe set the fire because he was angry with Miss Alexander and intoxicated.' Mr Smyth, in the High Court witness box under cross-examination, admitted his boyfriend was 'rather prone to having hissy fits' but denied that he would have done anything to damage the house or harm any of its occupants. 'Tony had tantrums yes, hissy fits,' he said. 'I called them Tony Bear tantrums - it was like watching a five-year-old stamping and shouting,' he added. 'The tantrums varied. Sometimes it was just a moan, a complaint. On much rarer occasions it was a full stomp the feet and shout. Generally it was a hissy fit, not a full-on shouting match, a complaint, a bit of attention seeking,' he went on. 'What I call a Tony Bear tantrum covered a wide spectrum from the full blown row to a little ‘look at me’ attention seeking,' Mr Smyth added. Defending his boyfriend from the accusation that he would have set the fire in a 'rage', Mr Smyth said: 'Tony is soft - he wouldn’t lift a finger - it’s not in his nature.' Damage: The fire started in a basement bedroom of Mr Smyth's former home in Brighton and made it uninhabitable. Three pet cats were also killed in the blaze . Mr Howe, facing cross-examination himself, admitted that the descriptions of 'Tony Tantrums' were accurate. 'I do have other types of Tony Tantrum. I have lain on the floor in Marks & Spencer completely sober and made everybody laugh because I couldn’t get my own way about a bacon sandwich,' he told the judge. Mr Howe admitted that he had been drinking in pubs on the night of the blaze to celebrate his birthday and was 'merry' before returning home and rowing with Miss Alexander about 'the state of the kitchen'. He said that he yelled swearwords at Miss Alexander as she left the house and that the row had been 'on the bad end of the Tony Bear tantrum spectrum.' Miss Nolten, who is seeking to prove to the judge that Mr Howe probably set the fire, categorised this as 'extreme behaviour.' However, Mr Howe denies any involvement, accidental or deliberate, in the starting of the fire. The hearing continues. | The fire started in a basement bedroom, made the house uninhabitable and killed three cats in January 2008 .
Jonathan Smyth told court his boyfriend Tony Howe - nicknamed Tony Bear - was prone to 'hissy fits' but would not have started the fire .
Insurance company believes Mr Howe did start the fire because he was angry following an argument with another housemate over 'tidiness' |
262,200 | df99649818f3221a89fea9270ffb34ab52fe925b | By . Sara Malm for MailOnline . Mystery man: The man was jailed for a robbery in 1997, and has since claimed he hails from Canada, South Africa and Kazakhstan (stock image) A foreign national has avoided deportation from Sweden for more than ten years, by claiming he has forgotten where he is from. The 44-year-old man committed aggravated robbery in Stockholm in 1997 and was jailed for five years, after which he was set to be deported. However, while in prison, the man claims to have suffered amnesia and does not know which country he is from – or at least cannot make up his mind about it. In 1997, the man was involved in an . armed robbery of a jeweller’s shop in the Swedish capital, and found . guilty alongside at least one other man. During . the trial, he claimed to be from the former Soviet Union, his family . hailing from Kazakhstan where he said they lived under threat. He . was sentenced to five years and immediate deportation for life. Although he was released from prison after three years, in 2000, he remained in . custody as neither the police or the Swedish Migrationboard could . identify him. In a 2002 . interview the man claimed his name was Edward Brown. He said he thought he was . born in South Africa to a Polish mother and South African stepfather, . but his amnesia made him unsure. A . year later, in 2003, still being held by police, he told Svenska . Dagbladet: ‘I just want my freedom, it is my human right. 'And then I . will not stay in Sweden, I will make my way home to Canada.’ He told the paper he did not remember telling the court he was from Kazakhstan in 1997, not did he know how he suffered amnesia. Catch 22: Swedish Police have been unable to identify the man or prove his amnesia is fake, and can therefore not deport him (stock image) He was released later that year, telling police he was definitely from the former Soviet Union, and has since been working as an artist in Karlstad, a small town in south-east Sweden. As Swedish Police have been unable to identify him, nor prove whether he is telling the truth about suffering amnesia, they are still unable to deport him - and do not know where to send him. The 44-year-old has made several attempts to overturn the ruling to deport him, but they have been denied. Now, 17 years after his robbery conviction, the Swedish Migration board has applied for the Migration Court of Appeal to take up the case and affirm the deportation. | The 44-year-old cannot be deported as it's not clear where he is from .
Jailed for aggravated robbery in 1997, to be deported after serving time .
Claims to suffer from amnesia, and Swedish authorities cannot identify him .
Since 1997, he has claimed he is from Canada, South Africa and Kazakhstan . |
278,010 | f4298da63dc3f6441cd2103f3b4412160a4bc49b | (CNN) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has disciplined two Marines over a videotape that showed a Marine throwing a puppy over a cliff, the military said Wednesday. YouTube.com removed the video for violating the Web site's terms of use. Officials did not specify the role that each man played in the incident, which received international attention after a video of it appeared on YouTube.com March 3. Lance Cpl. David Motari is being processed for removal for his role, the Marine Corps said, and Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion also has been punished. The video shows someone throwing a black-and-white puppy off a rocky cliff. The dog makes a yelping sound as it flies through the air. "That's mean. That was mean," someone off-camera is heard saying. YouTube removed the video about a day after it was posted, "due to terms of use violation," the site said. The Marines were quick to condemn the video when it surfaced, calling it "shocking and deplorable." Marine officials said the disciplinary action followed a thorough investigation, according to a statement that the Marine Corps Base Hawaii released Wednesday. "The actions seen in the Internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine and will not be tolerated," the statement said. | Lance Cpl. David Motari faces removal; Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion punished .
Video surfaced March 3 on YouTube showing a Marine tossing a puppy over a cliff .
The Marines condemned the incident, calling it "shocking and deplorable" |
201,173 | 9073941184dd4e2ebeaaa8273b721c4e153ccc2d | Istanbul (CNN) -- The president of Turkey's Besiktas basketball team says he has a verbal agreement to sign a $2 million contract with former NBA most valuable player Allen Iverson. "I'm going to New York on Friday," said Seref Yalcin, the president of the Besiktas basketball team. "I talked to Allan and his manager yesterday, Gary Moore. He said there's no problem; he's able to sign. Friday, I'll be there, and we'll probably sign Sunday. And Monday, I'll bring him with me." Yalcin said he was offering the former NBA star $1.5 million in addition to a half-million dollar signing bonus for a two-year contract. "This is a major advertisement for Turkish basketball. Besiktas' value as a brand has increased. Everyone is talking about this and Besiktas," Yalcin said. The Besiktas president predicted that Iverson would take his team to the top of Turkey's Champions League. "He's going to bring lots of fans into our arena," Yalcin said. "If he plays with even 50 percent of his NBA capacity, that will be enough. This will also be good for Turkish basketball in general since he will inspire the youngsters here." Yalcin said he has offered Iverson housing, transport, school for his five children and an assistant/translator who will be on call 24 hours a day to help the American athlete operate in Turkey's sprawling commercial capital. Yalcin predicted that Iverson would be able to play with Besiktas in a game scheduled for November 7. The Turkish basketball season has just begun, and Besiktas has a record of one win and one loss. Iverson joined the NBA in 1996 and played 10 seasons in Philadelphia before moving among Denver, Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia again. | The president of the Besiktas basketball team says he expects a Sunday signing .
Iverson will get $2 million for a two-year contract, Seref Yalcin says .
Yalcin: "He's going to bring lots of fans into our arena" |
226,704 | b18be386e93aee8b4c1e6062d5d7ab61e817863a | By . Richard Spillett . White Dee has hit out at boob job call girl Josie Cunningham, insisting her behaviour brings shame on 'genuine' benefits claimants. Benefits Street star Dee branded the wannabe glamour model 'absolutely pathetic' and an 'attention seeker' in a rant on internet radio yesterday. She said Cunningham, famed for demanding a £4,800 breast operation on the NHS, made her 'so cross'. Scroll down for video . Benefits Street's White Dee (right) has hit out at NHS boob job escort Josie Cunningham (left) Dee, 42, told online radio station Fubar: 'This is obviously someone who is seeking publicity but, I just cannot work it out, she's going about it in the wrong way.' Mum-of-two Dee, real name Diedre Kelly, reacted furiously when told Cunningham has tweeted: 'Sticks and stones will break my bones but taxpayers will always fund me'. Dee responded: 'That is just absolutely pathetic. Things like that are just going to get the backs up of people, the genuine people who do need benefits. I'm cross.' Dee, who has been on handouts for five years after she was sacked by her local council in Birmingham, added: 'I could talk about her for hours.' The . reality TV star hit out after pregnant Cunningham, 23, revealed she . sends her children to school in taxpayer-funded taxis and turned to . drink and cigarettes after finding out her unborn baby is a boy. Dee also . revealed that her controversial trips to Majorca, in which she has been . seen downing cocktails, are work and not a holiday. But she insisted she could not take on a . full-time job as she still has bouts of depression. Dee, 42, has made regular trips to Majorca since finding fame on the Channel 4 reality show . Dee was left furious after hearing how Cunningham (pictured) tweeted: 'Sticks and stones will break my bones but taxpayers will always fund me.' Dee said: 'I don't know anyone who has to publicly declare what they are earning, what they are on. As long as my conscience is clear then that's all that matters.' The mother-of-two hit back at those who claim she should now start working full-time, insisting she is still has 'mental health issues' after the death of her mother two years ago. She added: 'Just because I'm in the public eye, it doesn't automatically make me better. I have to take it one day at a time. 'It's hard to get over the death of anybody and I'm still seeing specialists because they are still trying to work out the correct medication. So it's work in progress.' Dee also renewed her claims that the system was to blame for how much she is paid by the state and insisted she has not scammed any benefits and has only claimed what she is entitled to. She added: 'I seem to be the person that is to blame for the whole of the benefits system. But it's the government that needs to look at it. If people want to blame me than, by all means, give me the Prime Minister's job.' Photos of Dee downing shots and cocktails at a 'Carnage Magaluf' night earlier this year sparked fury in the UK . But she insisted that it is nobody's business how she spends her time and said she is still too ill to work . | Benefits Street star slams ex call girl who demanded breast op on the NHS .
Dee says Cunningham's actions anger 'genuine' benefits claimant like herself .
She brands Cunningham an 'attention seeker' who makes her 'very cross'
In online radio interview, Dee admits boozy jaunts to Magaluf were work .
But she says she is still too ill to do a full time job and is 'work in progress' |
222,399 | abe30bb74b43de047ef50138e1e96ff00caba91e | (CNN) -- The wife and son of an 85-year-old American being held in North Korea called for his release Monday, saying they need him back at the head of the table for Thanksgiving. Merrill Newman of Palo Alto, California, was pulled off a plane in Pyongyang. He has been detained ever since. His wife, Lee, said she would like to remind authorities in North Korea that Newman has been held for 30 days. "We need to have Merrill back at the head of the table for the holidays. And we ask -- respectfully -- for them to release him and let him come home," she told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Asked what she would like to tell her husband, Lee Newman said simply: "We're missing you, and we want you home." Washington does not have diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, and it has been working through Sweden -- the U.S. protecting power in North Korea -- to obtain information about the American. "We've had talks with the State Department, regular conversations since the detention. I think they've been working very hard to secure the release, to establish sufficient communications to get some feedback. But at this point, we don't think there's been any official feedback," said Newman's son, Jeff. "The Swedish consulate, which would be the first touch point, hasn't had any contact with him and that's what we need to know -- if nothing else to just establish his well-being and the fact that he's getting his medication." The family has said Newman suffers from a heart condition and only had enough medication for the trip. They have sent packages of medication but do not know whether he has received them. Newman, a Korean War veteran and retired financial consultant, was last seen aboard a flight from Pyongyang to Beijing. Just minutes before the plane was to depart, he was removed from the flight by North Korean authorities. According to his family, he had been on a 10-day organized private tour of North Korea. From phone calls and postcards he sent, the trip was going well and there was no indication of any kind of problem, his son said. "We just want nothing more than to have this misunderstanding put behind us," Jeff Newman told Blitzer. "The right thing to do would be to put him on a plane and let him come back and join his family that loves him and misses him in California." Newman is one of two American citizens being held in North Korea. The other one, Kenneth Bae, was arrested in November 2012 and sentenced in May to 15 years of hard labor. The North Korean government has said he was found guilty of "hostile acts" and attempts to topple the government. North Korea has not publicly said why it is holding Newman. Among the possibilities is his military service. He served as an Army infantry officer during the Korean War, which saw North Korea fight South Korea, the United States and the United Nations between 1950 and 1953. An armistice signed in 1953 ended the three-year war between North Korea and South Korea. The two sides technically remain at war. "His time that he spent in the service was an important part of his life as a young man, and he was, I think, trying to put closure on that," said Newman's wife. "He always has had an interest in the world, a respect for the Korean people, and he was looking forward to this as an opportunity to see the country -- for whatever opportunity he might have to see the people -- and to come back with a sense of comfort on having completed that circle." It is also possible North Korean authorities mistook him for another Merrill Newman, a Korean War veteran awarded the Silver Star for valor in combat. North Korean authorities are known to routinely run background checks on foreigners, travel agencies warn potential visitors. News of the detention came as talks were under way between the United States and China, North Korea's closest ally, about reviving negotiations to dismantle Pyongyang's nuclear program. The timing raises questions about whether North Korea plans to use Newman as a bargaining chip in the negotiations, a move the West has previously accused it of using to try to gain concessions from negotiations. | Merrill Newman of Palo Alto, California, was pulled off a plane in Pyongyang .
North Korea has not publicly said why it is holding Newman .
"We're missing you, and we want you home," his wife tells CNN . |
143,710 | 45d7d55c8caffeef005a2f026bc1e6ff81fd4d08 | (CNN) -- Somber and brow beaten, Kolubah piles potato greens on top of his head and walks to the nearest market at 5am. Barefoot. He has to sell all of his greens to make money so his family can eat. His parents and siblings are unable to provide for themselves, so everyday Kolubah is forced to skip school and earn a living. His only solace: football. Later that same day Coach Tio kneels down to tie Kolubah's shoelaces. Kolubah is 10-years-old and the breadwinner for his family. But so rarely does he wear shoes, he doesn't even know how to tie his own laces. Tough childhoods . Tough childhoods are not uncommon in Liberia, West Africa. In January, I was there with a documentary team shooting an episode of "The World Cup Project" -- a documentary TV show featuring 11 countries and 11 organizations around the world that are using football for social change and development in the build up to this year's tournament. We found a country still recovering from a civil war that ended a decade ago, and resulted in around 250,000 people dying and thousands more being displaced. During the conflict, children as young as eight were handed machetes and machine guns and told to massacre their families. Child soldiers were the weapon of choice in this brutal war and the scars are still very raw. But there is a glowing red sunset at the end of this story as an heroic organization of local football coaches is changing the face of Liberia. One football game at a time. The woman behind this organization -- LACES, Life and Change Experienced Thru Sport -- is Seren Fryatt, 34, from Muncie, Indiana. After she spent several months volunteering on board a floating hospital ship in Liberia, and playing for Liberia's Professional Women's Soccer Division, LACES was born. Fryatt dreamed of promoting social change and development through her favorite sport -- football -- and her dream became a reality in 2007 when LACES set up its first program in Liberia. LACES' mission is simple: "To develop positive role models in communities in a manner that is fun and challenging." LACES currently has three programs in Liberia in Kona, Cotton Tree and Duport Road and has worked with 80 coaches and 700 kids. It is a faith-based organization and recruits its coaches from local churches, they then attend a workshop on coaching and mentor training and are given equipment to register children ages 10-14. According to Fryatt, "this age group was chosen because it is within this range that children are in the formative stages of learning and comprehension of personal decision making. As well as mentoring the children and training the coaches, LACES also has a feeding program. Weekly, after each game, the kids are provided with a free meal to enjoy with their coach. Sometimes this is the only meal the children get on this day. Before the end of the year LACES plans to roll out a new "Kick Out Corruption" campaign to tackle the problem of corruption in Liberia. "It's vital the children of the future know their rights, and know what is right and wrong when it comes to corruption," Fryatt claims. "Unfortunately corruption is a very real everyday problem here and we want to try and address that." Many of the Laces coaches themselves grew up during the civil war. They are now teaching children social skills through football, ensuring the children of this generation do not become new victims of the conflict they lived through. And through their work the coaches are coming to terms with their own pasts, their own losses and sometimes their own brutal actions. Horrific memories . LACES' national director, James Moore, was brutally attacked and stabbed in his own home in Monrovia recently as his children slept in the next room. He reveals: "It brought back horrific memories of the war. The war may be over but the scars still remain." Some of his memories are truly terrifying. James says that at just 13 years old he walked for four days with his 80-year-old grandmother, through the jungle, to a neighboring village for safety. He went to fetch food for his family and heard a ruckus. As any curious teenager would, James went towards the noise. But he wishes to this day that he had not. He watched as a man executed another man, ripped his heart out of his chest and ate it. "It is the worst thing I have ever seen and causes me nightmares to this day," James admits. Pastor Louis Roberts, Mentoring Manager of LACES, has his own harrowing tales to tell. He lost his entire family under Charles Taylor's regime. His mother, his father, his brothers and sisters all died, leaving him to fend for himself. But instead of picking up a gun, Pastor Roberts found the church and LACES and is determined to educate the children so Liberia never sees another Civil War. "The children are the future of this country," he says. "It is my job to make sure they learn basic social skills like respect for their families, their team mates and their coaches. These skills are what LACES is all about. We teach the kids how to have fun, but also how to be better people. On and off the pitch." The "The World Cup Project" TV series will debut in June through Snag Films. Follow on Twitter and Facebook. Find out more about LACES at www.lacesport.org. Read more: Holy water washes away sins at Ethiopia's Timket festival . Read more: Why did the elephant cross the road? To avoid the drunks . | LACES helps poor children in Liberia to change their lives through football .
The organization promotes positive role models and aims to fight corruption .
Its feeding program assures a free meal for every child after a game .
The scheme helps children and their coaches to overcome the trauma of civil war . |
101,843 | 0f3fbb2349d0c11b673a9885b6ed9c85bd493739 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . More rules are being put into place to try and limit mischief during the Black Friday shopping hordes. The Mall of America is implementing their parental guidance rule all day on the big shopping day, banning anyone under the age of 16-years-old has to be accompanied by someone who is over 21. The Bloomington, Minnesota mall is one of the most crowded places to be on the busiest shopping day of the year, and though they normally just use the rule on Friday and Saturday evenings, they are extending those hours this year to stem off trouble. To be filled: The Mall of America gets more than 40million visitors each year and they expect more than 200,000 people on Black Friday so they're trying to cut down on unattended minors . On December 27 last year, the chaos of the crowds was coupled with a fight the involved a chair-throwing melee, so this year mall administrators are looking to lessen any damage. 'We had never opened at midnight on Black Friday prior to last year,' the mall's vice president Dan Jasper told NBC's Today. 'We had 217,000 people that day, including some unaccompanied kids who are 14, 15. Just for the safety of everyone, we expanded the policy.' Crazed bargain hunters started lining up Black Friday deals at commercial stores throughout the country as early as Monday evening. Adding to the mayhem: American Idol winner Phillip Phillips will be performing at the Mall on Friday . Best Buy shoppers in California have started pitching tents outside several store locations, more than 100 hours before the company’s big holiday sale begins. Shoppers in Arizona are also getting an early start in line, equipped with soda, water, snacks, laptops and air mattresses. According to CBS San Francisco, more and more retailers across the country will require big buyers to hand over their driver's licenses so that the store can keep a record to place alongside your purchase history. In doing so, they will be able to keep tabs on who makes multiple returns after the busy shopping day. If an individual abuses the system, they may have their right to return unwanted goods taken away for future purchases. The flood of bargain hunters could mean an even bigger headache for holiday workers this year. Retail employees recently began . protesting the earlier shifts they were given this Black Friday as . several chain stores have decided to open earlier than previous years. Target, Walmart, Sears and Toys ‘R’ Us . are all opening their doors between 8 and 9pm this Thanksgiving, two to . four hours earlier than last year. They're here: Shoppers flood a Best Buy store in Mesquite, Texas that opened at midnight on November 25 2011 . Crazed consumers: Shoppers vie for copies of video games at a Black Friday sale at a Walmart store in Mentor, Ohio in 2011 . That news led to the organization of a national Black Friday walkout among Walmart workers and more than 40 petitions on Change.org protesting this year's Thanksgiving shifts at several big chain retailers. Adding to the mayhem of hundreds of thousands of people expected at the Mall of America, they are following in the footsteps of other retailers who are doing what they can to draw the ready-to-spend crowds on Friday. The Star Tribune reports that American . Idol winner Phillip Phillips will be performing inside the Mall, which . is the second-largest in the country in terms of space throughout the . entire United States. Part of the problem was that the Mall, . which typically welcomes more than 40 million people per year, became a . hotspot for teenagers to see and be seen, as opposed to simply going . through their Christmas shopping list. Early shoppers: Shoppers camp outside of a Best Buy store in Miami, Florida . 'Last year we experienced a large influx of youth, more than we had anticipated,' spokesman Bridget Jewell told the Pioneer Press. 'We don't want it to turn into a place for people to come and hang out.' Administrators are hoping that the adult guidance policy is good on all fronts. 'Retailers love the policy. When we first implemented it, there were concerns that sales would drop. But sales increased following the implementation and remain strong. It encourages more families to come out with their kids and sales went up,' Jasper said. 'Every single tenant was thrilled because they know it’s a policy that keeps everyone safe and leads to increased sales.' | Busiest mall in the country cracking down on unattended teens .
Deal-frenzied shoppers started lining up outside stores on Monday .
Many shops will store driver's license information to keep track of how often certain shoppers make returns after Black Friday . |
257,985 | d9e2f6ca112f772832578b35f452dd67fa9f162b | It costs more than the UK's average house price, and more than ten times the UK's average annual salary. But if money is no object, and you've already spent quarter of a million on a Roller, then perhaps a £275,000 parking space is the logical next step. An estate agency in Knightsbridge is marketing an underground parking space near the Royal Albert Hall in central London for the mind-boggling six-figure sum. Money well spent? The £275,000 parking space is located close to London's Royal Albert Hall . And in case you were wondering 'Why so cheap?', the answer is that it won't be yours for ever: the space is for sale on an 84-year lease. This exclusive parking space is situated in an underground, gated car park on Prince Consort Road in London's SW7, just a stone's throw from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Agents WA Ellis, whose offices overlook Harrods, describe it as a space that could 'easily accommodate a Rolls Royce or two medium-sized cars'. The firm's Robert Lewis, who is selling it, said the space would cost a lot more if it were nearer Harrods. He said: 'We generally see garages come on the market for between £180,000 and £275,000. 'A lot of people have townhouses and flats that are Victorian and don't have parking, and people don't want to park their Ferraris in the street; this is a secure underground car park. 'Could easily accommodate a Rolls Royce': WA Ellis's website advertises the space . Home to expensive cars: The underground parking complex already boasts some impressive marques . 'It can also be beneficial for people's insurance and if you were selling a house nearby you could sell it "With parking". 'The garages and spaces we sell near Harrods can sell for a lot more, you often see Bugatti Veyrons parked in there. 'There isn't a lot of parking in central London so people like to know they have always got a space.' The average house price in the UK at the . moment is £162,638. In Yorkshire this falls to £157,157 and in the North . West it is £154,678. In Greater London homeowners can expect to fork . out £445,641, but the average house price in the City of Westminster, where this parking space is found, is an eye-watering £1,278,787. The parking space is underneath the Royal Albert Hall off Prince Consort Road in Knightsbridge, central London . Expensive address: You'd be unlikely to afford an actual flat with just £275,000 in Prince Consort Road . Expensive badge: Top-of-the- range Rolls Royces can cost a lot more than even a parking space in Knightsbridge . If you've got £275,000 to spend but don't want a parking space in Knightsbridge, there are plenty of other options for you. At just £17,000 each on the road, you could afford not just one but 15 Ford Focus Zetecs. Somewhat smaller than a Rolls Royce, these might be easier to park in a tight spot, and the insurance premium will be lower, too. If you are looking for a home for yourself rather than your car, there are plenty of affordable options for sale in the Lancashire town of Burnley. Local agent Frost & Co are putting a two-bedroomed house in Dall Street up for auction next Wednesday with a starting bid of £1,000, which would leave you plenty of change to replace the metal screens with actual windows. In sought-after Fulham, south west London, £275,000 will buy you a one-bedroom flat above a furniture shop on Lillie Road, though it could do with a little decorating. Meanwhile for the same sum you could buy a three-bedroom house in Morden, near New Malden, complete with driveway and double glazing. Alternatively, you could extend your budget by £10,000 and buy another Rolls Royce. A five-door, eight-speed Rolls Royce Phantom costs from £285,200 on the road while, if you're going for broke, a long wheelbase version will set you back £336,700. And that's before you've paid to park it. | The space is in an underground car park near London's Royal Albert Hall .
Agent WA Ellis say leasehold space could fit two 'medium-sized' cars . |
139,580 | 407e4b173128c767097044bff5ee0c6658afcc3d | A popular 15-year-old student has committed suicide after he reportedly faced expulsion and could have been placed on the sex offenders' register simply for streaking at a high school football game. Christian Adamek, from Huntsville, Alabama, hanged himself on October 2, a week after he was arrested for running naked across the Sparkman High football field during a game. The teenager died two days later from his injuries and on Wednesday, friends and family gathered at a memorial service as they struggled to comprehend the beloved student's death. A video of Adamek streaking during a game against a rival team was posted on YouTube hours after the event and students took to Twitter to call him a 'legend'. Loss: Christian Adamek, 15, hanged himself last week after he faced possible expulsion and criminal charges for streaking across his high school's football field during a game the week earlier . 'Sparkman's new slogan is gonna be "Welcome to Sparkman High School, Home of Christian Adamek",' one student wrote. But school staff did not treat the situation so lightly. Sparkman High Principal Michael Campbell told WHNT a day before the suicide attempt that the teen could face major repercussions because of his actions. 'There's the legal complications,' Campbell said. 'Public lewdness and court consequences . outside of school with the legal system, as well as the school . consequences that the school system has set up.' Incident: Adamek, seen right, was filmed streaking across the school football field on September 27 . In Alabama, indecent exposure is linked to the state's sex offender laws, meaning that he could have found himself on the sex offenders register due to the streaking. Campbell added that that the incident was not just a prank and needed to be treated seriously. Sparkman High administrators even recommended . that Adamek face a hearing in the Madison County court system to . determine if formal charges would be filed, WHNT reported. Adamek had also been disciplined by the school district but the details had not been made public. The day before the suicide attempt, the principal had confirmed that Adamek was not at school and the teenager's sister suggested on Twitter that Adamek faced expulsion, AL.com reported. Popular: After the streaking, fellow students called Adamek, pictured, a 'legend' but the school district took it far more seriously, recommending that he had a court hearing and disciplining him . Missed: He is pictured with his mother, Angela, in his younger years. He also leaves behind a brother and sister . Campbell declined to comment on Adamek's death but the Madison County school district issued a statement saying it had 'received word that a Sparkman High School student has passed away'. 'Our prayers and thoughts are with the family during this time of bereavement,' the statement read. The messages on Twitter have now turned from congratulatory to somber. 'Praying for the Adamek family. Christian was so funny and nice. He will be missed by so many,' one girl wrote. The family - Adamek leaves behind his mother, Angela, and a sister and a brother - shared photos and memories online of the fun-loving teen, who was pictured posing and grinning at the camera. At Wednesday's memorial service, his Boy Scout Troop master, David Silvernail, said Adamek was a popular teenager who always had a smile on his face. Questions: The principal of Sparkman High School in Harvest, Alabama has not commented on the suicide . 'There are two kinds of people in the world; ones that brighten the room when they walk in and those that don't,' he said. 'He was one that brightened the room when he walked in. That's what I'll always remember about Christian.' His mother, Angela, thanked her son's friends and said they could learn from his life, AL.com reported. 'Remember to smile, don't be afraid to do something goofy and remember the consequences of those actions, ask for help when you need it, ask for help if you think your friends need it if you don't know what to do, be quirky, be happy, be smart,' she said. | Christian Adamek hanged himself on October 2 and died from his injuries two days later - a week after he streaked at his high school football game .
He was arrested and school district recommended he face a court hearing .
If convicted of indecent exposure, he'd have gone on sex offenders list .
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org .
For confidential support in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 . |
93,489 | 043b8b68dbb2cf7ea7f656652093a29ef1f5b798 | Mark Hughes has backed the FA’s probe into Garry Monk and insisted that Victor Moses is no cheat. The Stoke manager also said he hoped officials would not have their impression of his winger swayed by the media attention. Monk has been asked for an explanation of his comments following Swansea’s defeat to Stoke on Sunday, where he raged at Moses for alleged diving and claimed referee Michael Oliver had cheated his side. Garry Monk (left) was furious about a penalty given against his side, calling Victor Moses (right) 'a cheat' Mark Hughes (above) supports The Football Association's decision to ask Monk about his comments . Oliver awarded Stoke a penalty when Moses fell under contact from Angel Rangel in the area. Stoke chairman Peter Coates made a complaint to the FA about Monk’s accusations. ‘It’s right that the FA have to ask for Garry’s comments,’ said Hughes. ‘I made my feelings known at the end of the game. We have a strongly held view. ‘Now it’s up to them whether to take it further. It’s disappointing as it overshadowed our performance. Moses won a penalty following a challenge from Swansea's Angel Rangel (right), earning Stoke a 1-1 draw . ‘Garry’s a very articulate young man and on this occasion maybe used the wrong words. That can happen. Victor said he felt contact and was impeded, just as I thought.’ Hughes insisted the furore should not dictate observer’s impressions of the 23-year-old – including referees. ‘Victor is a very strong-minded player and will get on with business of playing well for Stoke City,’ he said. ‘I hope this week doesn’t shape people’s view of him. What was said of him wasn’t correct.’ | FA have begun an enquiry into Garry Monk's comments on Victor Moses .
Stoke manager Mark Hughes supports it, saying Moses is not a cheat .
Monk felt penalty Moses got in 1-1 draw with Swansea 'cheated' his team . |
219,672 | a85d1d99a70316e95866d0aea91dd97aac553168 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 22:24 EST, 8 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:36 EST, 9 October 2012 . A disgusted NFL player ripped his team's hometown fans after they cheered loudly while his quarterback was injured on the field. The fan response came as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel was knocked out of the game on Sunday by a Baltimore Ravens defender about 100 pounds heavier, causing him to suffer a head injury. Cassel sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter hit, and had to be helped off the field before the Chiefs ultimately lost 9-6. Scroll down for video . Brutality: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel is surrounded by trainers and teammates after he suffered a head injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday . Enraged: After the game, Eric Winston ripped Kansas City Chiefs fans for cheering while Cassel was sidelined . Instead of showing concern for the fallen QB, a section of fans - who blame Cassel for the team’s woeful 1-4 start - cheered. The response enraged Cassel’s teammates. Among them was offensive tackle Eric . Winston, who lambasted fans as reporters surrounded him in the locker . room after the game. He told reporters: 'I think it's . sickening and disgusting. We are not gladiators and this is not the . Roman Colosseum. This is a game. This is a game that's going to cost us a . lot down the road. That's OK. We picked it. Examined: Cassel is looked after by Chiefs doctors after taking the brutal hit from Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata . ‘We deserve it. I don't want your pity. But we've got a lot of problems as a society if people think that's OK.' On Monday, Winston stood by his remarks the day before, and added: 'It might have been 7,000, might have been 700, but it was still too many. I was directing those comments at a few people, and when I say a few people, I do mean a few people, because I don't think it was the majority of people or even the vast minority of people.' Even the Ravens 330-pound defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who issued the punishing blow on Cassel, thought the fan reaction was uncalled for. Ngata told ESPN: 'For them to cheer for him being hurt, that's just not cool.' Ngata added: 'Hopefully, he bounces back and gets better.' Prior to the game some fans paid for a plane to hover over Arrowhead Stadium, towing a banner that pleaded for Cassel to be benched and for Chiefs GM Scott Pioli to be fired. Due to his injury, Cassel is likely to be sidelined for at least next weekend's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel did not rule out Cassel's return to the field this week, but said the team is putting safety first. Crennel . said: 'Some individuals recover faster than others, but with the . emphasis on concussions in the league, they're making sure we do due . diligence with the player's health, making sure he's not rushed back, so . we'll see.' Injury: Matt Cassel lies on the field after he suffered a head injury in the fourth quarter of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens . Dazed: Trainers assist Kansas City Chiefs Cassel during the fourth quarter hit in the Chiefs' 9-6 loss to the Ravens . The fans' blasé attitude to Cassel's . concussion fails to take into consideration the seriousness of head . injuries - and their fatal effects - in the NFL. Several players in recent years, including Tennessee Titan O.J. Murdock and Atlanta Falcons' Ray Easterling, have committed suicide months or years after suffering head injuries. In another indication that blows to . the head may cause serious trouble, a study in September discovered that . football players are three times more likely to die from degenerative . brain disease. The death rate from Alzheimer's, . Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease combined was about three times of . that for the general U.S. population, researchers from the National . Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported. The fans' blasé attitude to Cassel's concussion fails to take into consideration the seriousness of head injuries - and their fatal effects - in the NFL. In the past two years, the suicides of six NFL players have been linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated blows to the head. Sufferers can show symptoms such as memory loss, aggression, confusion . and depression which may appear within months or many . decades later. Later in life it can eventually cause dementia. Experts believe CTE may be caused by the loss of neurons and scarring of . brain tissue among other injuries caused by repeated concussion. It changes brain cells' cytoskeletons, which is thought to be due to . damage to cerebral blood vessels. The condition is virtually . indistinguishable from Alzheimer’s. Players who have committed suicide in recent years, with possible links to the condition, include: . Dave Duerson: Two-time Super Bowl winner Dave Duerson shot himself in February 2011 after texting family members asking for his brain to be examined for CTE. Wade Belak: Former Nashville Predator Wade Belak was found dead in September 2011, having hanged himself in a Toronto hotel room. Junior Seau: In May 2012 Junior Seau, of the San Diego Chargers, died of a gunshot wound to the chest. He was found by his girlfriend at his home in California. Kurt Crain: The South Alabama associate head football coach, who once played in the NFL, shot himself in April 2012. He had had reportedly been suffering from a severe prostate infection. Ray Easterling: Also in April Ray Easterling, a one-time Atlanta Falcons star, shot himself at home after struggling to cope with dementia. O.J. Murdock: In July, the 25-year-old Tennessee Titans wide receiver fatally shot himself while sitting in his car after texting his coach to apologise. Watch video below . | Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel suffered a concussion during Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens .
Fans who blame Cassel for the team's poor start began cheering .
Offensive tackle Eric Winston ripped fans after the game, calling their actions 'sickening' and 'disgusting' |
246,085 | ca82bd87c1c72f3e5b97785fd2be7ce6ca44f073 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:52 EST, 27 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:46 EST, 27 July 2012 . A nun who planned to put up a 24ft high illuminated cross in her garden to stand as a symbol of 'hope' for neighbours has been thwarted by planners. Sister Mary Michael, 68, had intended to use the giant cross for three hours of daily prayers at her modest bungalow in North Hykeham, Linconshire. But planning officials have rejected the nun's proposals and described the planned Christian symbol as 'inappropriate'. Sister Mary Michael in the back garden of her home in North Hykeham, Lincolnshire where she had intended to put up a giant 7.38m cross . North Kesteven District Council agreed with neighbours who had complained about the LED-lit cross, saying it would 'have a harmful visual impact'. The 68-year-old has said she is disappointed but has no plans to fight the decision: 'You can't fight the council. I think the Devil is a bit easier really. Sister Mary included an example of what the illuminated cross would have looked like in her application to the council . The huge illuminated cross would have towered over the nun's rented bungalow, pictured, if the application had succeeded . 'I thought it would be lovely for people,' she added. Sister Mary planned to hold daily prayer meetings with fellow worshipers at her rented bungalow in the quiet cul-de-sac. However, her initial planning application attracted widespread opposition from nearby residents with 19 formal objections lodged with the local authority. And even an anti-light pollution group - the Campaign for Dark Skies - objected to the proposed lighting on the cross. The proposed cross would have towered over the nun's property - but the application has hit a brick wall after being rejected by planners . Sister Mary had planned for the cross to stand as a 7.38m replica of the enormous 'Glorious Cross of Dozule'. But as well as facing problems with planners, the nun also appeared to have funding difficulties after only managing to raise £20 towards the cost of the cross which would have towered over her home. A neighbour who voiced concerns about the giant cross said she had no objections to the Christian symbol but was concerned about the LED-illumination. Betty Snell, whose property backs on to the proposed site of the cross, said: 'I object to it because of the height and the fact that it will be illuminated. Sister Mary hit the headlines when she protested against movie The Da Vinci Code by holding a 12 hour . vigil with Gerard Fox, 31, infront of Lincoln Cathedral where scenes . from the film were shot . A spokesman for the Diocese of Nottingham has described Sister Mary Michael as a 'one-woman order' 'The fact it is a religious symbol is irrelevant, it is the size of it and that it will be lit up.' In the notice refusing planning permission, the local council went on to say the cross would 'represent an...intrusive feature within (a) wholly residential area.' Sister Mary also hit the headlines in 2006 after travelling from Lincolnshire to the Cannes Film Festival to protest at the premiere of the movie The Da Vinci Code. She attracted international attention for the protest and also appeared in the world's media after kneeling on the steps of Lincoln Cathedral as the movie was being filmed inside. She claims to belong to Our Lady’s Community of Peace and Mercy in Lincoln. But the Roman Catholic Church has said Sister Mary is not ‘canonically recognised’ even if she does do ‘good works’. She is known to have spent three years with a closed Carmelite order in Cornwall, but decided to continue wearing a slightly modified habit despite no longer being a fully-fledged nun. A spokesman for the Diocese of Nottingham, in which she lives, said she was now a ‘maverick’ and a ‘one-woman order’. | Sister Mary Michael, 68, had hoped to use the giant cross for three hours of daily prayers at her modest rented bungalow in North Hykeham, Lincolnshire .
But after planning officials rejected the application following a flood of complaints from neighbours, the nun says she has no intentions to appeal .
'You can't fight the council. I think the Devil is a bit easier really,' the 68-year-old said . |
176,008 | 6fd6e83c87e2509cba8410b10c10222d58d0886f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:15 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:48 EST, 7 October 2013 . Laura and Kevin Stier weren't even trying to get pregnant when they defied extreme genetic odds and conceived identical triplets without any help from fertility specialists. Now the couple have just brought their identical daughters home from the hospital after being watched for more than three . months after their delivery. There is a one in 8,000 chance of conceiving triplets naturally, and the while chances of identical triplets get even more slim and range from 1-in-60,000 to 1-in-2,000,000. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Out and about: Hannah, Norah and Lucy Stier left the hospital for the first time since their birth in mid June . Early birds: The girls were born tow and a half months early and weighed a collective 7 pounds . Twins are the most common form of multiple birth, and the whether a pair are identical or fraternal is determined by the number of eggs involved. When two separate eggs are fertilized during the same cycle, the children are fraternal twins while identical twins are produced when one egg splits into two embryos meaning that the two children would share genetic material. Triplets are more of a rarity, and can be the result of a variety of combinations. Two eggs can produce the twins as one would be fertilized on its own while the other splits into two, meaning that the threesome comes from one pair of twins and one individual embryo. The process of conceiving identical triplets comes from when one egg is used for all three, so the one egg splits into two embryos, and then one of those embryos splits again to produce the third child. There is a one in 8,000 chance of . conceiving triplets naturally, and the while chances of identical . triplets get even more slim and range from 1-in-60,000 to . 1-in-2,000,000. 'There was nothing to lead us to believe that this was ever a possibility,' Mrs Stier said. Their first indication that they were having an unusual pregnancy came when their doctor looked at the ultrasound and made an unexpected face. 'I said "is everything okay?" He said "Yeah, I’m seeing three heartbeats,"' Mrs Stier recalled. 'I think my heart stopped,' the West Allis, Wisconsin mom told the local Fox affiliate. Mrs Stier was taken into the hospital in the beginning of June because one of the three babies appeared to be in distress. Ten days later, the three girls- Lucy, Hannah and Norah- were born. Their delivery came two and a half months early and the three babies had a collective body weight of less than 7 pounds. 'That’s a gift in itself, and to be born on Father’s Day, too— that’s a little extra,' Kevin Stier told Fox6Now. The Stiers are using relative size and slight differences in haircolor to tell the girls apart. 'They’ve . been so fun and we love seeing them grow and where they are now from . where they started, it’s such a miracle that everybody is happy,' Mrs . Stier said. New parents: Kevin (left) and Laura Stier (right) were not even trying to get pregnant . Drama-free: Laura Stier was taken into the hospital 10 days before the triplets were born . | Laura Stier gave birth to identical triplets without any fertility help or family history of multiple children .
The three girls were born on Father's Day and weighed a collective 7lbs .
Chances of naturally conceiving triplets is 1-in-8,000 while chances of identical triplets range from 1-in-60,000 to 1-in-1,000,000 or 1-in-2,000,000 . |
111,610 | 1bece45e3b72d59f51606610d01689d3692373f3 | Washington (CNN) -- Congress went beyond the edge of the fiscal cliff to get a deal done in back-to-back, late-night sessions to avert a financial crisis, or at least to put it off for a couple months. Here are winners and losers in the deal: . Winners . Vice President Joe Biden: This might not have been the "Big f***ing deal" that he proclaimed the passage of Obamacare to be, but it was a pretty big deal. Biden used his years of experience cutting deals in the Senate to work out a compromise with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He used the same playbook in the first extension of the Bush-era tax cuts in 2010 and the debt ceiling fight in 2011, walking through the proposal with progressives in the Senate and then the House to bring them in line. Then he went and got a sandwich. Biden hasn't ruled out a run for the White House when Obama's second term is up and his role in this deal makes a President Biden believable. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: He found the "dance partner" he was looking for in Biden and skillfully worked behind the scenes with the vice president to broker a deal that got overwhelming Republican support in the Senate. It's too early to tell whether McConnell will pay the price with hard-line conservatives at home in Kentucky who have already shown that they can oust Senate incumbents who anger them by working with Democrats. No real Republican opponent has emerged in his re-election race in 2014 but they mobilized two years ago to elect Rand Paul to the Senate over McConnell's hand-picked candidate. Inside the deal . President Barack Obama: White House insiders say he learned lessons in his first term and would be a tougher negotiator in his second. He didn't get the big deal that he set out for and some progressives think that he gave too much away, but getting Republican votes to raise taxes on the wealthy is significant. And he did pick Biden to be his vice president. The wealthy: Despite higher taxes, it could have been a lot worse. The unemployed: Another year of benefits for those actively looking for work. Five things to know about the fiscal cliff . Losers . The employed: The two-year payroll tax holiday is over, so take-home pay will go down -- around $2,000 less a year for the average wage earner as the rate went from 4.2% to 6.2%. But ending the tax holiday will add about $120 billion to federal coffers. House Speaker John Boehner: He had to pull his "Plan B" back from the floor when it became clear that he didn't have the Republican votes for passage and then had to sit back and watch McConnell make a deal with Biden. On Tuesday, he was reduced to dodging microphones and listening to conservative members vent about the deal that was forced on them. While weakened, Boehner's standing appears safe, though. Really, who would want this job? House Republicans: Could their reputation get any worse? First, they publicly threaten the deal passed by the Senate to up the anxiety for the nation on New Year's Day. And then they cave when the votes to add spending cuts to that proposal never materialized. Finally, they tell Superstorm Sandy victims waiting for more help from Washington to wait longer -- pushing back a vote on an aid package. A grand bargain: Have you seen anything that makes you think these guys get a long-term deal done to address the real crisis on the debt ceiling a few more weeks down the road? The can: That poor sucker gets a couple more dents and a few more scuffs as it gets kicked down the road again. iReport: What's your message for Washington? | Biden and McConnell lauded for their ability to work together on deal .
Obama sticks to his guns on deal -- for the most part .
Boehner takes some licks in fiscal cliff drama .
Congressional Republicans criticized for threatening deal . |
46,284 | 82663495f57854bfcfc02a7aa4a35a11b07863d6 | By . Chloe Thomas . PUBLISHED: . 13:15 EST, 11 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:12 EST, 13 July 2012 . Her cousin the Duchess of Cambridge is a paragon of elegance and politeness, but racy burlesque dancer Katrina Darling has shunned the shackles of decorum and is getting ready to strip for Playboy. The 21 year old distant cousin of Kate Middleton has been approached by the US adult magazine to pose naked on the front cover and Miss Darling has accepted their offer. Miss Darling will be featured in an eight-page pictorial in the September issue which will hit the newsstands at the end of August, Playboy magazine confirmed. Raunchy? Katrina Darling (right), a cousin of the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton (left) has agreed to strip for Playboy magazine . The brunette - who by day works as a banker at Barclays bank - is originally from Sunderland, however, she recently moved to London to pursue her career as an exotic dancer. Last month, she raised eyebrows when she performed a risqué version of God Save the Queen for at Whiskey Mist nightclub in Mayfair- a favourite haunt of Princes William and Harry. At the start of the act, Miss Darling donned a figure hugging red corset teamed with a union jack skirt and small crown perched on her head. But as the anthem got going she stripped off completely, revealing bright red nipple tassels and a thong. Covergirl: Miss Darling will be featured in an . eight-page pictorial in the September issue which will hit the . newsstands at the end of August, Playboy magazine confirmed . Miss Darling is not shy about her late night escapades and claims the team who work alongside her in the private wealth management division treat her hobby as a source of amusement. In March, she said: 'Everybody is really supportive. They think it's a bit of fun.' And her Playboy debut is bound to go down a storm in the States, where Kate Middleton and the Royals are adored. Despite this, the provocative performer has never met her cousin, who one day will be Queen. Miss Darling is Kate Middleton's second cousin once removed and claimed that she only found out about the family link when the engagement was announced in November 2010. Racy: Last month Miss Darling raised eyebrows when she performed a risqué version of God Save the Queen for at Whiskey Mist nightclub in Mayfair - a favourite haunt of Princes William and Harry . The 21 year old, who has never made any attempt to contact the Middletons, insisted that she had been a burlesque dancer for years and the recent success and attention is just a happy coincidence. Speaking about her latest God Save the Queen routine, Miss Darling claimed that she was not cashing in on her royal connections and just wanted to do something fun to mark the Queen's 60th anniversary on the throne, adding:'I just wanted to do something special for the jubilee and decided on burlesque'. | Katrina Darling, 21, recently quit her job as an analyst at Barclays bank in London to concentrate on her career as an exotic dancer . |
261,957 | df464ab1ca5941e9247fa98d02ad4356c6e3af7a | Artur Mierzejewski, 34, saved a man from drowning on the East River . A Good Samaritan braved choppy East River waters on Monday to rescue a man who wanted to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in the river but nearly drowned instead. Artur Mierzejewski, 34, told DNAinfo New York that he was walking through the Gantry Plaza State Park about 8pm. He noticed a group of three men in their twenties at the end of the Queens park's pier. One of them yelled 'ALS challenge' and jumped off the pier, the news website reported. But soon the man started to realized he couldn't swim back. He yelled to a friend that he was having a hard time getting back to the pier. The man attempted a rescue but couldn't get very far himself. Mierzejewski had to act. 'I knew that feeling,' Mierzejewski, who nearly drowned in Poland when he was 8, told DNAinfo. 'I could not just watch this guy drown and not help.' He jumped into the river and started to pull the man out. 'I thought I was not going to make it,' Mierzejewski told DNAinfo. 'His head would sometimes slip under the water, and he was pulling me down with him,' he added. 'But once we made it to the pillar (of the pier), I heard police sirens and I knew we were going to be okay." Once they were close to the pier, detective Andrew Perbse jumped in. A crowd gathered to watch as Mierzejewski tried to pull the man from the East River . 'I jumped down into the water, grabbed the two men, made sure they had . their life ring, and the other guy had the pylon and just told them we . were going to get them out of the water,' Sperber told ABC 7. The two simmers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, NBC 4 reported. Mierzejewski refused treatment. But he made sure to share a thought with the man he saved. 'I guess you're not going to do anything that . stupid again,' Mierzejewski told him, according to DNAinfo. 'For sure not,' he replied. Rescuers eventually pulled Mierzejewski and the men he rescued from the water . The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is an effort to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, which is a debilitating neurological disease. In the challenge, participants douse themselves with a bucket of iced water and challenge their friends to do the same. The ALS Association has so far received $79.7 million in donations since July 29. It provides cares for people suffering from ALS and supports research to find a cure. | Artur Mierzejewski, 34, rescued a man who jumped into the East River to do the viral challenge .
The man nearly drowned once he realized the water was much choppier than he'd anticipated .
Mierzejewski once almost drowned as a kid . |
233,362 | ba1e4ce43f92487312d0e0bedf3894e386c4949f | LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former football great O.J. Simpson, convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping, deserves leniency in sentencing as he is a first-time offender who showed no criminal intent, his attorney says in court papers. O.J. Simpson should receive a six-year sentence in a 2007 hotel room confrontation, his attorney says. Attorney Gabriel Grasso argued that Simpson should receive the minimum sentence, six years. Grasso acknowledged in court papers, "Clearly Simpson was not using good judgment" during a 2007 hotel room confrontation over sports memorabilia. Simpson could receive a maximum life sentence from Judge Jackie Glass on Friday. A pre-sentencing report recommended an 18-year sentence. On October 3, a jury convicted Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart of 12 charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon. Watch Stewart talk about the night they were arrested » . Their convictions stem from a September 13, 2007, fracas at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Prosecutors alleged that Simpson led a group of men who used threats, guns and force to take sports memorabilia from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley. Simpson said he was attempting to recover items that belonged to him. Four men charged with Simpson cut deals with the prosecution and testified against him. One testified that Simpson asked him to bring a gun to the encounter. "These were not crimes committed on strangers, but were acts stemming from prior relationships with the individuals in the room at the Palace Station," Grasso wrote in the memorandum. "There was overwhelming evidence at trial that Simpson's intent was to recover property that was his and only his," the lawyer argued. "The trial testimony showed Simpson's intent was to return anything that did not belong to him. This intention can be heard throughout the recordings of the Palace Station incident." He added, "However, there is nothing in the record to show that Simpson evinced a criminal mind or showed the requisite criminal intent." Because of that and other factors, Grasso wrote, Simpson's sentence should fall on the low end of the minimum sentencing range. In a sentencing brief for Stewart, 54, defense attorney E. Brent Byron said his client also should be sentenced to six years, noting he "did not kill anyone, nor did he bind or gag anyone." He had no weapon and "no witness testified that Mr. Stewart knew that weapons were going to be used," the brief said. Both sentencing memorandums note that one of the victims, Beardsley, did not even want the case prosecuted. Attorneys for both Simpson and Stewart have filed motions seeking a new trial. Simpson's lawyers cite seven reasons why a new trial should be granted in their brief, including that he was denied a fair hearing when two African-Americans were dismissed from the potential jury pool. An all-white jury convicted the men. | NEW: Probation report recommends 18 years; defense asks for six .
O.J. Simpson convicted of robbery, kidnapping in October .
Judge to sentence Simpson on Friday in Las Vegas sports memorabilia case . |
146,449 | 4961a0d5f903781259f150035541a9e92ffa3259 | (CNN) -- World number one Caroline Wozniacki enjoyed the perfect preparation for the French Open as she beat Chinese star Shuai Peng Saturday to win the WTA tournament in Brussels. Wozniacki will be aiming to win her first grand slam title at Roland Garros and warmed up with a 2-6 6-3 6-3 victory in the final to claim her 16th career title. The Dane also beat reigning French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in three sets in the semifinals and now heads to Paris where she faces Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm in her first round match. "It's my fourth title of the season. I was pleased with the way I played and fought today," Wozniacki told the official WTA website. "Now I'm looking forward to Roland Garros -- I think I play on Monday, but I'll be ready." Peng had beaten number two seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia in her semifinal but was unable to make the most of her strong start as she took the first set. Wozniacki's victory came after two hours 35 minutes as she wrapped up her first title on red clay. Meanwhile, hosts Germany won a record fifth ATP World Team Cup title on Saturday as they beat defending champions Argentina 2-1 in the final in Dusseldorf. Philipp Kohlschreiber partnered Philipp Petzschner as they gained a 6-3 7-6 win over Juan Ignacio Chela and Maximo Gonzalez in the deciding doubles. Chela had earlier drew Argentina level with a 6-4 7-6 win over Kohlschreiber after Germany's Florian Mayer had earlier scored a straight-sets 7-6 6-0 win over Juan Monaco. "This title is very special for us and to play in a team like this is always great fun," Kohlschreiber told AFP. | Caroline Wozniacki wins Brussels title ahead of French Open .
World No.1 beats Shuai Peng in three sets in final to claim 16th career crown .
Germany win men's World Team Cup with a 2-1 win over Argentina . |
265,575 | e3f2dff33e5723907a2b64417d52ac83a4353cdb | By . Jill Reilly . Two sisters travelling to their father's funeral died when their car was hit by a freight train after becoming 'distracted by grief at a level crossing. The tragedy happened near the Russian city of Kursk as Natalia Lahova, 63, and her sister Lioudmila, 60, were travelling to the funeral of their father Artem. Artem, 87, a veteran of the Second World War, was being buried with full military honours when the accident happened. Scroll down for video . Two sisters travelling to their father's funeral died when their car was hit by a freight train after their grief distracted them at a level crossing . A police spokesman said: 'We have CCTV footage from the scene and it looks like both women failed to notice that a train was bearing down at the spot where they were crossing. 'The train was going at over 90 kph. The women's car was struck full on. There was nothing anyone could do for them.' Emergency medics arrived ten minutes after the impact but both sisters had been killed instantly. The tragedy happened near the Russian city of Kursk as Natalia Lahova, 63, and her sister Lioudmila, 60, were travelling to the funeral of their father Artem. Pictured: The train approaching . The car can be seen here just milliseconds before it was hit by the train . The train hits the car, with the impact pushing it up along the track. The sisters died instantly . A police spokesman said a full investigation will be carried out. 'The witnesses of the accident think that it must have been the grief of the women which caused them not to notice the danger,' said the spokesman. 'Their father was a hero of the Great Patriotic War against the Germans and it is a shame they did not get to say goodbye to him before their untimely deaths.' The car is removed from the track using lifting equipment. Emergency medics arrived ten minutes after the impact . A police spokesman said: 'The witnesses of the accident think that it must have been the grief of the women which caused them not to notice the danger' | Tragedy happened near the city of Kursk as sisters were travelling to funeral .
Natalia Lahova, 63, and her sister Lioudmila, 60 were both killed instantly . |
105,776 | 146d096ce8cbbd50e05884e98c921087cc8f9556 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 05:38 EST, 25 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 25 January 2013 . A bride who described herself as 'fat, frumpy and uncomfortable in her own skin' dropped a staggering five dress sizes and nearly halved her body weight for her wedding day. Liz Evans lost more than five stone in less than eight months meaning she could tie the knot in a size eight dress rather than a size 18. The 27-year-old, who once tipped the scales at more than 14 stone, has now been named Slimming World's Miss Slinky 2013. Scroll down for video . Big loser: Liz Evans lost more than five stone in less than eight months meaning she could tie the knot in a size eight dress rather than a size 18 . Speaking about her weight insecurities prior to her wedding she said: 'I knew I wouldn't be able to relax and enjoy myself, . 'I knew my fiance Fran loved me whatever size I was but I was determined that I wasn't going to feel that way on my wedding day, so on 3 January last year I went along to my first Slimming World group. Achievement: Prior to her wedding, she described herself as fat, frumpy and uncomfortable in her own skin but now loves being able to wear fashionable outfits and has a new found confidence . 'After losing 5st I felt . fantastic on the day in August and even wore a bikini on my honeymoon, . but the best thing is that I finally feel normal - not fat or frumpy.' Mrs Evans, from Liverpool, began to battle with her weight in her teens. 'When I started high school, I stopped doing ballet and going swimming and I'd buy chocolate and crisps from the vending machines,' she said. 'That's when I started to put on weight. 'After leaving school, I made the excuse that I was too busy to eat healthily and my weight went up and up.' The extra pounds began to take their toll on her health and Mrs Evans suffered from high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Great job! Liz says she is now the lightest she has been since school - and has lost the equivalent in weight as a heavy suitcase . What a lightweight! Liz with her husband Fran Evans . The admin assistant for Jaguar, who is studying to become a midwife, now weighs 8st 13lb. She said the weight loss programme completely changed her life. She is now the lightest she has been since school. 'Doing 13-hour shifts and being on my feet all day as a student midwife was horrendous,' she added. 'But now it's much easier and I don't feel like a hypocrite when I'm talking to mums-to-be about healthy eating and nutrition. 'And . I love being able to go into a shop and pick up something in a size 8 . or 10 and know it'll fit - I can wear fashionable outfits and share . clothes with my friends now. 'When we went on honeymoon, we weighed our cases and they were 32kg. 'I couldn't even pick them up but before I lost weight I was carrying around that weight every day - it's hard to believe. 'I've been at my target weight for five months now and I know I'll never go back to the old Liz.' | Liz Evans felt fat, frumpy and uncomfortable in her own skin .
Dropped five dress sizes and more than five stone in less than eight months .
Tied knot in size 8 rather than size 18 dress .
Now weighs 8st 13lbs .
Once tipped scales as more than 14st and has now been named Slimming World's Miss Slinky 2013 .
'The best thing is I finally feel normal - not fat and frumpy', she says . |
245,565 | c9d71a344caeb7539fde7f8860fe60c3dff6163a | Firefighters working on Southern California wildfires have found a badly burned body in a transient camp. The . city of Carlsbad said the body was found Thursday while firefighters . were checking hotspots on a fire that began a day earlier. The city says . it had no information about person who died. It . appears to be the first fatality in fires throughout the San Diego . region that have destroyed eight homes, an 18-unit apartment complex and . two businesses. The San Diego County sheriff says arson will be among the many possibilities investigators will look at in trying to determine what caused nine fires to break out during a two-day heat wave . A Fountain Valley firefighter stands atop his fire truck as a helicopter comes in for a water drop on the Coco Fire in San Marcos . A helicopter dumps water on a fire devastated area as the Cocos Fire continues to burn out-of-control near San Marcos . The body was found shortly . before all evacuation orders were lifted in Carlsbad, a city of 110,000 . people 30 miles north of San Diego. The . San Diego County sheriff says arson will be among the many . possibilities investigators will look at in trying to determine what . caused nine fires to break out during a two-day heat wave. Sheriff . Bill Gore said Thursday that it could take months to find the causes of . the blazes concentrated in the northwestern area of the county, from . the coast to areas 10 to 15 miles inland. The first fire started Tuesday. The eight other wildfires erupted over the course of hours Wednesday. Gore says investigators are not ruling anything out, but he also wouldn't prejudge the investigations. He noted that sparks from vehicles can easily ignite brush in such hot, dry and windy conditions. The fires have caused more than $22 million in damage so far. Two firefighters discuss a strategy change while fighting a wildfire from the backyard of a home . Authorities announced they have a suspect in custody but have not yet identified them . As calmer winds . allowed firefighters to make progress on nine fires burning in San Diego . County, one of the most serious blazes suddenly roared Thursday . afternoon burning close to homes, triggering thousands of new evacuation . orders and keeping the situation tenuous. Growing . flames raced along scrubby hillsides near the city of San Marcos as . massive black plumes filled the afternoon skies after a half-day lull in . winds that had allowed firefighters to gain ground against flames that . have scorched thousands of acres this week. Ash . laden smoke limited visibility to a few feet at times in the inland . suburban community. On one semi-rural street, five horses wandered . nervously in a paddock as firefighters worked to protect nearby homes . and barns. Sheriff Bill Gore said the flare-up . prompted more than 13,000 new evacuation notices in the San Marcos area . and served as a 'reminder to everybody just how volatile this can be.' Fire crews battle the Cocos Fire in San Marcos on Thursday . The new evacuations were in addition to more than 20,000 orders issued . Wednesday. About 85,000 people live in San Marcos. Since . the first blazed erupted Tuesday during a heat wave, officials have . repeatedly predicted the worst was over only to be confronted by a new . challenge amid the hot, dry and windy conditions. The . fires have destroyed eight houses, an 18-unit condominium complex and . two businesses and burned more than 15 square miles, causing more than . $20 million in damage so far. The flare-up in . San Marcos ran up a slope in a heavily vegetated area but with no wind . on it. The fire was being driven by fuel and topography, said Division . Chief Dave Allen of the California Department of Forestry and Fire . Protection. 'It's created its own weather pattern there as it sucks oxygen in,' he told a news conference. State fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser said the fire was running east along hillsides behind California State University San Marcos. The . 1.56-square-mile blaze was only 5 per cent contained. The fire, which . broke out Wednesday, forced the evacuation of the university campus . where nearly 10,000 students were in the middle of final exams. Graduation ceremonies were canceled. Investigators were trying to determine the causes of the various fires. A firefighter stands amidst smoke from the Cocos Fire . Asked . about the possibility of arson, the sheriff said he wouldn't prejudge . the investigations. He noted that sparks from vehicles can easily ignite . brush in such dry conditions. Emergency . officials said a significant number of firefighting aircraft had become . available, including four air tankers and 22 military helicopters, in . addition to local agency helicopters. Ten of . the military helicopters were being used to battle a blaze that grew to . 9.37 square miles on the Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton. Despite its . growth, the fire was 20 percent contained and was no longer considered a . threat to communities. Twelve other military helicopters were available to the county. A large home is engulfed in smoke as flames approach in San Marco . One of the nine fires burning in San Diego County suddenly flared Thursday afternoon and burned close to homes, trigging thousands of new evacuation orders . Since . the fires began, 125,000 evacuation notices have been sent, officials . said. Schools also have been shut down and the Legoland amusement park . had to close Wednesday. It reopened Thursday. Greg . Saska stood in front of his charred Carlsbad home Thursday in sandals . that showed his soot-covered feet. He said he was not impressed with the . fire response. 'I don't want to complain but I . wish they had just made a little more effort to put the fire out,' Saska said. 'The end of the house right there that you see was still . burning. And they (firefighters) just left. And I'm just kinda going, . What would've been the big deal to stay here another 10 minutes and put . that out totally. I just don't get it.' Firefighters . have been contending with sweltering heat in their fight to contain . flames fueled by brush and trees left brittle by drought. Temperatures . on Thursday ranged from the high 90s to 100. The San Diego County sheriff says nearly 13,000 new evacuation notices have been issued due to a wildfire . A wall of flames dozens of feet high advanced on a hillside community near San Diego, threatening to destroy upscale houses . Temperature records were broken, and horse racing was canceled at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, east of Los Angeles. Officials . said a Carlsbad-area blaze that has been the most destructive so far . was 75 percent contained and had burned 400 acres. The wildfire . destroyed an 18-unit condominium complex and four residences, Carlsbad . Mayor Matt Hall said. Some evacuation orders were being lifted in Carlsbad, but hotspots were still a concern. Numerous schools will be closed Friday, officials said. | Unidentified body discovered in transient camp .
Nine blazes began over the course of Tuesday to Wednesday ravaging the coast to 15 miles inland .
The fires have caused more than $22 million in damage .
More than 13,000 new evacuation notices in the San Marcos area .
and served as a 'reminder to everybody just how volatile this can be'
Fires have destroyed eight houses, an 18-unit condominium complex and .
two businesses and burned more than 15 square miles . |
257,676 | d9787ee617e3e292551be65f0074cc60e27da11b | New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen claims England are facing a dilemma over their tactics after discovering they are unable to match the All Blacks at a fast-paced game. Stuart Lancaster's tourists enter the series finale at Waikato Stadium hoping to salvage some pride after slumping to defeat in the first two Tests. They were blown away in the third quarter of the 28-27 loss in Dunedin, conceding three tries in 11 devastating minutes as New Zealand delivered a lesson in the art of finishing. Blown away: Ma'a Nonu (centre) celebrates scoring the first of three New Zealand tries in 11 minutes . England entered the series hoping to develop the high-tempo gameplan that served them well during the RBS 6 Nations, but Hansen insists they are now overcome with doubt. 'They are in a bit of a quandary really because they took us on in Dunedin playing a game of real pace and worked out they couldn't,' he said. 'So what are they going to do now? I've seen Lancaster mention in the paper that maybe they shouldn't play too much rugby down their end, so maybe they're going to kick a wee bit more. 'But they will have a good plan because they are good coaches, so we've just got to make sure we've got a good one to counter it. 'England are a determined bunch so they'll want to put in another performance they can be proud of, so I don't think we've broken their spirit. Re-jig: Head coach Stuart Lancaster has made seven changes to the side that started in Dunedin . Stoking the fire: All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has questioned England's selection . 'They're a group of people who believe in themselves, so they'll get up again for the last Test.' England arrived in New Zealand outlining their intent to win the series but have been outplayed by the world champions over the first two Tests. In the 20-15 victory at Eden Park the All Blacks produced the match-winning try two minutes from time and in Dunedin they emerged convincing winners, even if the scoreline suggests otherwise. A 2-1 series defeat would be viewed as an acceptable return and head coach Stuart Lancaster admits their summer tour should be deemed a success or failure based on Saturday's outcome. 'The series will be judged ultimately by the scoreline. We desperately want that win and that's why we need to put in a high-quality performance,' Lancaster said. Try time: Marland Yarde was one of three Englishmen to touch down in the second Test . 'We will judge the tour by results but also the knowledge and experience we've learned about our players. 'The ability to learn who can and who can't deliver at the highest level has been absolutely invaluable. 'You can watch as many DVDs and games as you like, but it's only when you get your hands on players week in week out that you really learn the true strengths of individuals. 'That's been the most invaluable part of the tour because that's what you need leading up to a World Cup.' VIDEO I'm here to play Test rugby - Dickson . | New Zealand play England in the third and final Test on Saturday .
All Blacks won second Test 28-27 to seal series win .
England coach Stuart Lancaster has made seven changes to his side . |
70,104 | c6c3b708affa30f24599064acfa62af2f37d0e52 | By . Darren Boyle . A heartbroken family has been ordered to demolish their dream £500,000 home - after bungling builders made it 6ft too high and 4ft too wide. Car sales manager Andy Murray, 51, paid £164,000 for a building plot and a further £300,000 constructing the four-bedroom property. He left the project in the hands of his architects and builders but claims they failed to follow the plans. The local council rejected Andrew Murray's planning application because his house in Glasgow had exceeded size guidelines . Council officials objected to the large balcony at the rear or the property and claimed if they allowed it to remain it would set a precedent . The four-bedroom dream house and en-suite bathrooms throughout and a designer kitchen, according to the plans, pictured . After the home was built and fitted with a £27,000 kitchen and four bathrooms costing £25,000, the council stepped in and ordered it to be demolished. Mr Murray and his wife Frances, 53, will even be charged £11,500 for demolition - due to take place next week - and will have to sell his current home, valued at £350,000, to cover the debts. The father-of-three, of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, said: 'It’s a disaster for us. We’ll be out on the street. 'I don’t blame the council. They have exhausted every other avenue.' Planners at East Dunbartonshire Council in Scotland say the property is more than 6ft higher, 9ft longer and 4ft wider than the plans stated and also has too many windows and an unapproved 13ft balcony. Andy Murray has been told that he must pay almost £12,000 to demolish his dream home, pictured, after the council denied planning permission . Mr Murray said that some of the interior fittings inside the property, pictured, have been removed and the interior has been vandalised . Now, the property which is much larger than others in the area, pictured rear, will be demolished on Tuesday . In a letter to the council, Andy said he had put 'trust and faith in the professionalism of our friend who we understood to be reputable builder who would oversee the project on our behalf'. He added: 'However, it is now evident that we were too trustworthy and that we did not give the project the attention that we should have.' Thomas Glen, the council’s head of development and enterprise said: 'The house as constructed differs considerably from a previously-approved scheme, is not in line with local plan policy and guidance, and raises considerable amenity and potential precedent issues. 'Following the decision, the council’s planning service will initiate formal enforcement action.' Mr Murray claims builders Textura and the architects told him the home would meet council regulations and planning consent would be given retrospectively. But in the two years since the house was put up it still has neither planning permission nor a building warrant. A spokesperson for the architect firm CRGP who are based at this building in Glasgow said: 'We cannot make any comment at this time' It also lacks an electricity supply, plumbing and a waste water system. The builders have now gone bankrupt and it is thought subcontractors were not paid and stripped out fixtures and fittings. The house has also been broken into and vandalised. Mr Murray said: 'The whole thing has had a terrible effect on my family. It is a financial catastrophe. 'To invest all this money in a new home and lose it, and lose my old home because of the huge debts is beyond a nightmare. 'We were never rich. But we worked hard to attain what we thought was a comfortable position. All of that is gone now and we don’t know where to turn.' Mr Murray used Textura UK Ltd to build the house who used CRGP Ltd Architects and Surveyors to lodge the unsuccessful planning application with East Dunbartonshire Council. John and Mary Houston, who live next door to the house, said they were 'heartbroken' for the Murrays. Mr Houston, 76, said: 'The council has been out in our garden checking it out. One official said the side wall looks like the Berlin Wall. 'It’s tragic for Andy and his family.' Mrs Houston, 74, said: 'We know the house is out of place here but in all honesty we would rather it was allowed to stay.' According to company records, the building firm Textura UK Ltd is in 'voluntary creditors' liquidation' and not able to comment. A spokesperson for the architect firm CRGP said: 'We cannot make any comment at this time.' | Family face agony of watching their dream home demolished on Tuesday .
Council said house 'differed considerably' from an earlier approved plan .
House builder Textura UK Ltd in 'voluntary creditors' liquidation'
Family face having to sell their old home to pay demolition debts . |
161,043 | 5c312526c00b496d8c034f30ee5702f3809f92b1 | By . Tamara Cohen, Political Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 18:54 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 18 October 2013 . Sir James Munby who oversees the shadowy Court of Protection, indicated the rules should be changed to make it more transparent . The controversial court which can make life-or-death decisions and send people to jail in secret, came a step closer to being opened up to public and media scrutiny last night. Addressing a conference in London, Sir James Munby, one of the country’s most senior judges who oversees the shadowy Court of Protection, indicated the rules should be changed to make it more transparent. The president of the Family Division of the High Court said it should be treated in the same way as the family courts where media are allowed to attend proceedings. Lord Justice Munby was asked to . consider what steps could be taken to increase the court’s transparency . by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling earlier this year. It . was subject to an outcry following revelations by the Mail about Wanda . Maddocks, who was jailed in secret after trying to remove her father . from a care home. The . judge said: ‘My starting point is that, unless there is very good . reason to the contrary, the [Court of Protection] rules should start off . in the same way [as those governing the family courts], with the same . starting point, and proceed in a similar fashion. 'One . very striking difference is that, in the family court, any accredited . media representative has the right to attend all family proceedings . . . . the starting point in the Court of Protection is completely the . other way round. 'My . feeling is that the starting point should be the same in both, so that . there should be the same kind of presumptive right of media access to . Court of Protection proceedings, as there are in family proceedings,' the Guardian reported. Controversial case: Wanda Maddocks was jailed in secret after trying to remove her father from a care home . This . month one of the country’s most senior judges, Lord Neuberger, . president of the Supreme Court, praised the Mail for exposing the secret . jailing of Mrs Maddocks by the court, which was set up in 2007 under . Labour’s Mental Capacity Act. It gave the State draconian powers to intervene in the lives of those deemed unfit to look over their own affairs. The Mail highlighted Miss Maddocks’s shock when police arrived at her father John’s care home to ‘cart her off to jail’. She had been sentenced in secret for disobeying court orders by trying to remove him from the home. She served six weeks. The case forced Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, to order that no one else should ever be jailed in private without the sentence and reasons for it being announced outside the closed courtroom. Lord Justice Munby is keen to further open up the family courts – which journalists can now attend but are more often than not prevented from reporting the details of a case. He said that while there were differences between the family court and the Court of Protection, they should be part of a single system. More judgments should be published, so that the public could have confidence that justice was being done. | Senior judge sir James Munby indicates rules should be changed .
It would mean media could be allowed to attend proceedings . |
53,313 | 973c14551fc97a1eef094bd0f33356d9e6836234 | Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- In Tripoli, "no guns" signs outnumber ones that say, "no smoking." Khadija Teri made that telling observation in her blog a few days back. She witnessed men drawing weapons while arguing on the street. "Seeing men shouting, waving guns and pointing them at each other just because of a silly argument is frightening," she wrote. A year after the start of the Libyan revolution, human rights groups describe a nation of lawless militias who commit crimes with impunity and threaten to destabilize the nation by hindering efforts to rebuild. Amnesty International said abuses committed by militias amount to war crimes and the monitoring group called on Libyan authorities to rein them in. Otherwise, Amnesty said, the risks Libyans took to demand justice in their homeland, could end up being in vain. A year ago, Libyans dared to take to the streets of Benghazi, their simmering anger heated to a boil by the arrest of human rights lawyer Fathi Terbil. As many as 2,000 protesters gathered outside of government offices. They chanted slogans against Moammar Gadhafi, the man who had ruled them with a firm grip for four decades. It was unimaginable then that he could ever be ousted from power. But the Libyans persisted, inspired by their neighbors to the east and west. They called for a "Day of Rage" on February 17. After that, the protests intensified and spread and eight long months later, after brutal fighting and a NATO air campaign, Gadhafi was defeated. This week, Libyans could hardly believe a year has passed by. Since October, when Gadhafi was captured and killed, many aspects of life seem normal. But in important ways, Libya has foundered. Perhaps the nation is no different than any other that is recovering from trauma and massive upheaval. Frustration is palpable on the streets, as is an unease about what the future might hold. As Libyans prepare to celebrate their freedom, revolutionary fighters in the capital are on high alert and additional checkpoints have sprouted everywhere. Ordinary Libyans cling to the optimism that blossomed with the first protests in Benghazi last February. Building a nation after four decades of tyranny is no easy task, they say. At the main plaza that Gadhafi called Green Square (it's now known as Martyr's Square), revolutionary music blares from cars. But many still fear former regime loyalists might try to disrupt anniversary celebrations or somehow still destroy the new Libya. In recent days, text messages have circulated among former regime loyalists calling for their own uprising to "liberate (Tripoli) from the NATO revolution." Videos by what is being self described as the Libyan "resistance" have also emerged on social media sites. Only 17% of Libyans feel people can be trusted, found an Oxford Research International poll, touted as the first national survey of Libya and startling in some of its revelations. Consider that only 29% of Libyans said they would prefer to live in a democracy; 35% said they would still prefer rule by a strong leader. And 16% of the 2,000 Libyans surveyed were ready to resort to violence for political ends. That means 630,000 people are potential fighters, in addition to the 280,000 people who previously picked up a gun. The revolutionary militias on the streets call themselves their nation's heroes. They are the ones who drove out Gadhafi, after all. They insist on retaining arms to protect their revolution, especially given that military and police presence is virtually nonexistent. Mohammed, 28, says Libya's government is weak; its defenses not strong enough. The nation needs a government that can quickly integrate revolutionary factions under one umbrella; one that can activate a functioning judiciary. Recruit a national army, he says. Without strong national reconciliation measures, Mohammed fears that Libya will risk civil war. "I am hoping for the best every day," he says. But he worries. And is not alone in his fears. Criticism has been rising of the National Transitional Council and the performance of the interim government. Many Libyans say they are frustrated with the slow pace of rebuilding, not unusual for a nation almost starting from scratch. But the question is will the Libyan government be able to maintain confidence of its people? Other Libyans decry the lack of transparency in decision-making and the government's inability to impose authority over the the militias. Tripoli residents complain of daily cuts in electricity and an ill-equipped health care system. Some of that frustration has surfaced very publicly. Last month angry protesters stormed the NTC headquarters in Benghazi and the deputy head of the council, Abdulhafidh Ghoga resigned from his post amid the protests. Government officials argue that they have inherited a mess left behind from the four decades of Gadhafi rule. They have pleaded for patience. Anes AlSharif, the former spokesman for the Tripoli Military Council, an umbrella group of the armed factions in the capital, blames the current situation on the lack of leadership by the civilian authority. "There is a feeling growing that the NTC is not doing enough towards driving this revolution from phase one to phase two in this transitional period," he says. Libyans have only to look at Egypt to see how prickly the revolutionary journey can be. "It is a government with no real power and what it really needs is to have a partnership with the guys who are on the ground and make them a part of this state," AlSharif says. Voters are set to go to the polls at the end of June to pick a national assembly that will be tasked with drafting a constitution. The goal before was to get rid of Gadhafi. Now, Libya's leaders will have to unify the nation with new goals -- ones that respect the enormous sacrifices of the Libyan people, AlSharif says. "We need to be faithful to their sacrifices to our country and to ... remember the goal of this revolution was not one to get rid of the Gadhafi regime and to create chaos," he says. "This would be a disaster, an ultimate betrayal to our guys who fell in the fight for freedom and to establish an advanced modern state." The objectives may seem lofty at times, but Friday, Libyans are taking stock in what they have already gained. "We never believed that this revolution will come and now it's a reality so we feel like we are in a dream," says Minister of Planning Essa Tuwegiart. Journalist Ramadan Jarbou, however, knows it's very real. He no longer has to dote on each word, consider its consequences. No one bothers him after he publishes an article. The Benghazi writer erupts in stinging statements about Gadhafi's neglect of Libya. "I can express myself," he says. And that, he says, was why the revolution was worth it. Jomana Karadsheh reported from Tripoli and Moni Basu, from Atlanta. | Tensions are high on the first anniversary of Libya's revolution .
Human rights groups warn that armed militias threaten Libya's stability .
A national survey found a lack of trust is prevalent among Libyans .
Some Libyans are frustrated with the pace of progress . |
12,639 | 23d6e157fada273b93c23d74480c7ba6402852bf | (CNN) -- A cryptic confession on the popular PostSecret blog had Chicago police searching a city park over the weekend for a possible homicide victim. The anonymous message appeared as one of the Sunday Secrets posted weekly on the PostSecret blog. Followers of the blog mail postcards illustrating their anonymous secrets to website founder Frank Warren. Each Sunday, Warren scans a selection from the thousands mailed to him and uploads them to the blog. The postcard in question appeared as the top image Sunday and showed what appeared to be an aerial map of a park. A Post-It style note attached to the image read, "I said she dumped me, but really I dumped her (body)," with a red arrow pointing to a particular spot. Eagle-eyed users of the website Reddit helped identify the exact location on the postcard as Chicago's Jackson Park, and the post quickly spread across social media. It also caught the attention of the Chicago Police. Opinion: How the world shares its secrets . "We basically had a cryptic message observed on the site pertaining to a possible criminal act," Officer John Mirabelli told CNN Monday. "Officers immediately went to the park and conducted a search. There was no evidence of a crime or anything that was unusual." Police detectives will continue to investigate, "but nothing has surfaced to indicate that a crime was committed," Mirabelli said. Reaction to the posting varied. On its Twitter page, PostSecret retweeted comments, including one from Paige Bernard, who wrote, "thank you for posting that really chilling confession. Even the scariest secrets need to be heard." Another user expressed outrage: "posting that photo and map of a where a dead woman's body may lay, is exploitative and wrong. What is wrong with you!?!" Why people share murder, rape on Facebook . While it appears the postcard was a hoax, authorities are not finished with their investigation. "If the intent behind the message was to cause alarm and cause the police to search that location, then it is a crime -- like screaming fire in a crowded theater," Mirabelli said. "But it depends on the offender -- are we dealing with a child or an adult? A whole lot of factors to consider." The postcard implying that a killing may have been committed remained at the top of the website Monday. Warren did not return a CNN request Monday for comment. Warren started PostSecret as an art installation in 2004, handing out self-addressed postcards inviting people to share their secrets with him anonymously. The idea went viral, with Warren receiving more than a half-million postcards in nearly 10 years -- all sent to his Germantown, Maryland, home. Secrets range from the funny ("I walk across campus so I can poop in the dorm with the nice bathrooms," one secret posted Sunday reads) to the downright eerie ("Everyone who knew me before 9/11 believes I'm dead," is one Warren shares regularly when he gives talks on the website on college campuses). Florida man allegedly kills wife, posts confession, photo of body on Facebook . | Secret posted on popular blog suggests writer killed a woman .
Social media users help identify the site as a Chicago park .
A police search turns up no evidence that a crime was committed . |
91,389 | 018ba910690ed38917cc1b092009e3953edeeece | David de Gea should be talked about in the same breath as the best goalkeepers in Premier League history, according to Gary Neville. The Spain international was man of the match as Manchester United beat Liverpool on Sunday and his current form for Louis van Gaal's side has seen him attract huge praise. Neville highlighted the importance of giving him a new deal and claimed De Gea's recent improvement should see him compared to some of the all-time great keepers. VIDEO Scroll down for Louis van Gaal lose his rag with journalist over the future of de Gea . David De Gea heads out for the club's Christmas party followed by former Real Madrid man Angel di Maria . De Gea joined United team-mates Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney and Ander Herrera for the night out . De Gea was given the man of the match award in Manchester United's win against Liverpool . Speaking on Sky Sports 1's Monday Night Football, Neville said: 'I'm measuring him against (Edwin) Van der Sar, (Peter) Schmeichel, David Seaman - probably the three best goalkeepers in Premier League history. 'We're seeing a huge improvement. He's always been a great shot stopper, he's been doing that since day one. 'Crosses (are) the part of his game that he still got that bit of improvement to do but if you look at the improvement he's made from where he was three years ago it is absolutely staggering. 'He caught 56 per cent of crosses in his first season, this season he is catching 91 per cent. That is what a Manchester United goalkeeper, one who is playing at a world class level, has to do. 'A goalkeeper should save seven or eight (one-on-ones) out of 10. They should save the majority of them. The best goalkeepers save the majority of their one-on-ones and this to me is his biggest change. On Monday Night Football, Gary Neville claimed De Gea was one of the best keepers in the Premier League . De Gea saves Raheem Sterling's effort at Old Trafford despite the midfielder looking certain to score . De Gea thwarted Sterling multiple times during the Premier League clash on Sunday afternoon . 'He's winning Manchester United match after match, which is what I would expect from a Manchester Untied goalkeeper. 'Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said it was a performance he had not seen in 15 years of going to Old Trafford and I would agree with him. 'He has now become a great goalkeeper, a fantastic goalkeeper. 'Manchester United are ranked third in the league in the most errors leading to shots but in errors leading to goals they're the best in the league because their goalkeeper pulls them out of the mire every single time. 'It's fantastic performances, great goalkeeping and Manchester United have got to get this lad signed up because he's a big, big player for them now.' Sky Sports' graphic from Monday Night Football demonstrating De Gea's ability to save his team from errors . The former Atletico Madrid man also made a string of great saves from Mario Balotelli efforts . VIDEO 6 wins in a row, my wife is happy - Van Gaal . | David de Gea has been widely praised for his current form .
The keeper was man of the match as Manchester United beat Liverpool .
Gary Neville said he was one of the best in Premier League history .
The former United man also said they had to get him to sign a new deal . |
121,438 | 28f5890f52f9c7256d92c240c0b080d21a286dd0 | Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- This could amount to some pretty pricey sushi. A giant bluefin tuna caught off the coast of northern Japan went for a record 32.49 million yen (about $396,000) at an auction Wednesday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market said. The price was the highest for a tuna since the market began keeping track in 1999. It all breaks down to about 95,000 yen per kilogram, or about $527 a pound, for the 342-kilogram (754-pound) fish. The bluefin, caught off Hokkaido in northern Japan, was "an excellent quality" said Yosuke Imada, the owner of the high-end Kyubei sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The catch will be split by Imada and Hong Kong's Itamae Sushi chain. "It became a bit too expensive," Imada said answering questions after the record bidding. "But the people would talk about it a while." The New Year auction, the first of 2011, typically brings some of the highest prices of the year and is considered to be very symbolic. The record price reflects the increasing demand for high-quality fresh tuna, especially throughout Asia, with competition between Japanese and Chinese buyers intensifying in recent years. CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report. | The record-setting fish will be split by a Tokyo restaurant and a Hong Kong chain .
The first auction of the New Year typically brings the highest prices .
Sushi is increasingly popular across Asia, not just Japan . |
31,200 | 58b1f52c849a975574026391dc337f342a0e559a | A man in a Florida news station's helicopter found a missing ten-year-old boy on Monday - and was able to tip off law enforcement on where to find him in the woods, local media reported. The boy is a Saturn Elementary School student and vanished near lunch, Brevard County school officials told WKMG. The CBS affiliate reported that one of its own photojournalists, David Sprung, was on the Sky 6 helicopter and discovered the boy's ground position. Found: The missing 10-year-old was seen by a WKMG helicopter on Monday after he went missing from his elementary school . Making a break for it: The boy is a Saturn Elementary School student and has said he was 'running away from school' 'Normally people don't like Mondays... I now like Mondays,' Sprung told WKMG. 'This has been the absolute best day of my life since I've been doing news.' Indeed, the Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey Office said in a Monday release 'This afternoon, Deputies responded to Saturn Elementary School after School Administrators reported the child had left the campus. The administrators advised the child has existing medical conditions and was not in possession of required medications. 'Aviation Units, K9 Units, and Agents from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office immediately responded to assist in the search. During the efforts, Media Helicopters also responded to the area and assisted in trying to help locate the missing child. 'Dave Sprung, a media helicopter pilot with WKMG Orlando subsequently spotted the child deep in the woods in the area of the school and alerted the Sheriff's Aviation Unit.' Eagle eye: David Sprung, pictured, was in the Sky 6 helicopter when he noticed the boy down below . Discovery: Sheriff's deputies are seen collecting the boy in the woods on Monday . The boy later told WKMG while in a stretcher after deputies collected him that he had been 'running away from school.' 'Upon recovery the child was medically evaluated by Brevard County Fire Rescue and determined to be fatigued, but otherwise unharmed,' Ivey said in the release. 'Deputies safely assisted the child out of the woods where he was united with his family.' Brevard County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cpl. David Jacobs told Daily Mail Online the sheriff's office received a call about the boy at 12:19pm. Deputies were dispatched one minute later, with the first deputy arriving at 12:23pm, Jacobs said. The news helicopter observed the boy at 1:40pm, and deputies got to his location 17 minutes later, Jacobs said. The boy was 200 yards into the woods, and it took deputies 26 minutes to get out of the woods due to heavy brush, Jacobs told Daily Mail Online. Brevard Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Irwin told Florida Today 'A lunchtime supervision plan is in place so students are monitored consistently,' and mentioned a student of conduct and check-out procedures. Irwin told Daily Mail Online she was deferring to the BCSO report, and said 'We were advised that the student left campus at lunch (approximately 12:30). The teacher on duty saw him leave and immediately contacted school administrators. They in turn contacted BCSO and the family.' | A man in a Florida news station's helicopter found a missing ten-year-old boy - and was able to tip off law enforcement on where to find him .
The boy is a Saturn Elementary School student and vanished on Monday .
David Sprung was on WKMG's Sky 6 helicopter and discovered the boy's ground position . |
100,698 | 0dbe022a747088dbad3c74109e2a69b4568ccc90 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 05:35 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 15 August 2013 . The meteor that exploded over Russia in February caused a thin stratospheric dust belt that travelled around the world in just four days. NASA satellites made the unprecedented measurements of the meteor which is thought to have released 30 times more energy than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. The meteor fireball measuring 18 meters across and weighing 11,000 metric tons, screamed into Earth's atmosphere at 41,600 mph. Scroll down for videos... Satellite data from Nasa has revealed that that four days after the bolide explosion, the faster, higher portion of the plume (red) had snaked its way entirely around the northern hemisphere and back to Chelyabinsk in Russia . Burning from the friction with Earth's thin air, the space rock exploded 14.5 miles (23.3km) above the Russian town Chelyabinsk. For comparison, the meteor that triggered mass extinctions, including the dinosaurs, measured about 10 kilometres across and released about 1 billion times the energy of the atom bomb. Some of the surviving pieces of the Chelyabinsk bolide fell to the ground. But the explosion also deposited hundreds of tons of dust up in the stratosphere forming a thin but cohesive and persistent dust belt. The meteor fireball, pictured, that crashed into Russia in February was part of a 656-feet wide asteroid called 2011 EO40. Spanish astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor and claim it came from the Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses passed Earth as it orbits the sun . Experts said the meteor that left a 50-foot hole in a frozen lake on the outskirts of Chelyabinsk, in the Urals, weighed around 100,000 tonnes and measured 55 feet in diameter . ‘We wanted to know if our satellite could detect the meteor dust,’ said atmospheric physicist Nick Gorkavyi of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center. ‘Indeed, we saw the formation of a new dust belt in Earth's stratosphere, and achieved the first space-based observation of the long-term evolution of a bolide plume.’ Gorkavyi and colleagues combined a series of satellite measurements with atmospheric models to simulate how the plume from the bolide explosion evolved as the stratospheric jet stream carried it around the Northern Hemisphere. About 3.5 hours after the initial explosion, the Ozone Mapping Profiling Suite on the Nasa-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite detected the plume high in the atmosphere at an altitude of about 25 miles (40 kilometers), moving east at about 190 mph. VIDEO: Nasa tracks the aftermath of the Chelyabinsk meteor explosion . Burning from the friction with Earth's thin air, the space rock exploded 14.5 miles (23.3km) above the Russian town Chelyabinsk . The day after the explosion, the satellite detected the plume continuing its eastward flow in the jet and reaching the Aleutian Islands. Larger, heavier particles began to lose altitude and speed, while their smaller, lighter counterparts stayed aloft and retained speed – consistent with wind speed variations at the different altitudes. Just four days after the explosion, the faster, higher portion of the plume had snaked its way entirely around the Northern Hemisphere and back to Chelyabinsk. At least three months later, a detectable belt of bolide dust was still present around the planet. Spanish astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor that were scattered across the Russian town of Chelyabinsk, where the meteor landed, and claim it came from the large Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses passed Earth as it orbits the sun. They added that the piece may have broken off because of the stress caused by the gravitaional pull of the planets and the sun, or could have been caused by the asteroid hitting into something else during its orbit. Over 1,000 people were injured by the exploding rock and scientists managed to recover more than 50 tiny fragments of the meteor, allowing them to study its contents and origin. As it raced through the sky, the 50-foot wide chunk of space rock compressed the air ahead of it, creating the enormous temperatures that meant it exploded in a fireball. Although some debris fell to earth, ‘whipping up a pillar of ice, water and steam’ and creating a 20-foot-wide crater, the damage in nearby towns was actually caused by shockwaves created by the meteor breaking the sound barrier and then exploding. The city of Chelyabinsk, 900 miles east of Moscow and close to the Kazakhstan border, took the brunt of the impact . Local residents said they witnessed burning objects in the sky of the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions . ‘Of course, the Chelyabinsk bolide is much smaller than the “dinosaurs killer,” and this is good,’ said Gorkavyi. ‘We have the unique opportunity to safely study a potentially very dangerous type of event.’ Collectors from around the world will be keen to get hold of a piece of the meteor. Film director Steven Spielberg is a noted collector. In October a 9in piece of the Seymchan meteorite found in Siberia in 1960 sold in New York for $43,750 (£28,200). Astronomers have also revealed that the meteor could have hit UK cities if it had hit at a slightly different time of day. | The meteor created a 50-foot hole in a frozen lake near town of Chelyabinsk .
Around 3.5 hours after the explosion, its dust belt moved east at 190 mph .
In four days, the belt had snaked its way around .
the entire planet .
It released 30 times more energy than the atomic bomb in Hiroshima . |
34,143 | 61025d0ce2b893c64cd5e305e338c13e8fd94434 | The most expensive and luxurious Range Rover ever created by the British 4X4 firm is revealed today – with a right royal £140,000 price tag to match. The target audience for the sumptuous off-roader is royalty – both the blue-blooded real and the ‘tinsel-town’ Hollywood variety - as well as ministers and senior politicians and top sporting stars. After his birth, baby Prince George arrived back from hospital to Kensington Palace with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge in a Range Rover – after his father skilfully strapped him into his child seat. The new Range Rover, which will be available in a premium Autobiography Black version, will be delivered to UK customers in August 2014 and cost £140,000 . The car will be the first Range Rover with a long wheel-base aimed at giving A-list passengers extra legroom while they are driven by their chauffeurs . The interior will feature leather and wood trims along with mood lighting and programmable settings for each seat . The new range-topping super-luxury Autobiography Black derivative of the Range Rover offers rear occupants fully adjustable reclining first class airline style seats with in-built massager, champagne chiller, individual electronic tables in black leather, mood lighting in ten colours, as well as a range of luxurious leather, wood and other interior trim. Despite its name, it will also be available in white and other colours, as ‘Black’ is a term used in the automotive industry to denote a prestige model. For the first time in 20 years Jaguar Land Rover is also offering customers a long wheel-base version of the Range Rover – giving five and a half inches of extra legroom to occupants in a bid to capture more of the limousine market for chauffeured VIPs. A Land Rover spokesman said: ‘This will be the most expensive and luxurious Range Rover ever.’ It is powered by a 5.0 litre supercharged V8 petrol engine which propels it from rest to 60mph in just 5.5 seconds to a top speed of 140mph. The most luxurious Range Rover Autobiography Black makes its world debut at the Dubai International Motor Show on November 5 and will be available in long wheel-base form only in the UK. Despite all the comfort and luxury, the new Range Rover is powered by a supercharged V8 engine and will do 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds . All seats come complete with massagers, the rear chairs can recline like First Class airline seats and there is also a champagne chiller . As well as enjoying all that extra space, rear passengers can also enjoy 10.2in television screens behind the blacked-out windows . It has been designed and engineered by Jaguar Land Rover’s new Engineered To Order division to combine luxury, design and 4X4 performance. It and other long wheel-base models will then appear later in November at the Los Angeles Motor Show in the US and at the Guangzhou motor show in China – both vital and booming markets for the UK luxury car maker. Land Rover said: ‘The first Range Rover long wheel-base in 20 years will cater for a growing group of consumers looking for the ultimate sports utility vehicle and a unique alternative to the traditional long wheelbase saloon cars. 'It represents the pinnacle of desirability to bring even higher levels of refinement to the world’s finest luxury sports utility vehicle.’ Range Rover is already the car of choice for celebrities arriving at red carpet events and film premieres and Jaguar Land Rover hope the long wheel-base and Autobiography Black versions will be ‘even more appealing’. Daniel Craig arrived at the Skyfall Bond premiere in a Range Rover. Last week Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth arrived at the Thor premiere in one. Brad Pitt is currently filming in the UK and has been spotted being driven to and from Pinewood studios in a Range Rover. Range Rovers are already used by a host of the rich and famous, including Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt, and Prince William . The Autobiography Black, the most exclusive version of the new Range Rover, will be available in a range of colours, as the 'Black' refers to its premium status . The Autobiography Black will make its world debut at the Dubai International Motor Show on November 5 . One insider said: ‘The new long wheel-base version is also expected to be a big hit with royalty, top politicians and diplomats who need a chauffeur vehicle which is luxurious but safe. 'When the Duke of Cambridge collected the Duchess and Prince George from hospital his choice of vehicle was a Range Rover.’ First customer deliveries of Range Rover long wheel-base versions will be from March 2014 with Autobiography Black deliveries commencing in August 2014. A ‘green’ Range Rover Hybrid derivative will also become available later in 2014. It is the first Range Rover long wheel-base since the Range Rover LSE which ran from 1992 to 1994. John Edwards, managing director of the Individual Products Division said: ‘This exclusive vehicle offers our customers an unrivalled and luxurious driving experience that provides a seamless integration between the needs of business and leisure.’ Phil Popham, group marketing director for Jaguar Land Rover said: ’The Range Rover Autobiography Black is our most luxurious specification yet. 'It epitomises sophisticated design with immaculate attention to detail. The subtle, elegant and luxurious finishing touches combine with a first class experience for both driver and passengers to deliver new levels of exclusivity to our customers.’ Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern, said: ’The Range Rover Autobiography Black is an intensely design focused response to our customers’ desire for more choice and exclusivity. 'It represents the pinnacle of desirability in the world of luxury inhabited by our Range Rover customers.’ Range Rover Autobiography Black long wheel-basePrice: from £140,000Height: 6ftWidth (mirrors folded): 7ft 3 inchesLength: 17ftEngine: 5.0 litre supercharged V8 petro0-60mph: 5.5 secondsTop speed: 140mph.Legroom: 47.5 inches (nearly 4ft) – 5 and a half inches more than standard Range RoverLoad volume: 82.8 cubic feet - 11.1 cubic feet more than standardFeatures include: . | First ever long wheel-base Range Rover aims to compete with limousines .
Seats, dash, tables and 'ski hatch' all finished in leather .
Mood lighting in 10 different colours allows drivers to set the tone .
Airline style chairs have TVs and massagers fitted into them . |
93,818 | 04a304b63c97530fece45815ee755d634197dfd7 | By . Arthur Martin . UPDATED: . 17:41 EST, 21 June 2011 . A Stradivarius violin described as the 'Mona Lisa' of the music world has sold for a record £9.8million at auction to raise money for victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The pristine instrument was made by the famed craftsman Antonio Stradivari in 1721 and is one of the two best preserved among his violins. The 'Lady Blunt' is named after former owner Lady Anne Blunt, granddaughter of the poet Lord Byron. Record sale: The Lady Blunt violin, made by Stradivarius in 1721, fetched nearly £10m following the online auction . Master craftsmanship: Experts said it was rare to find a Stradivarius in such pristine condition . Previous owner: The violin was named after Lady Anne Blunt, the granddaughter of Lord Byron . The density of the wood used is what's thought to give Stradivarius violins their uniquely sweet sound. Tests . were carried out on violins made by Stradivarius and another renowned . Italian violin maker, Guarneri del Gesu, along with eight 'modern' violins. Experts discovered . that variations in wood growth density, determined by tree growth . cycles, were considerably larger in the modern violins. Early . growth wood, produced during spring, is more porous and less dense than . late growth wood which provides more structural support rather than . transporting water. The . early and late growth wood in the modern instruments had noticeable . different densities not present in the older instruments. Experts concluded that wood treatments used by the Italian craftsment may have contributed to the instruments' sound. It was bought by an anonymous bidder in an internet auction in London on Monday. It sold for almost £4million more than was paid for it in 2008. Stradivari made violins, violas and cellos in Cremona, Italy. Some 600 are still in existence. The Lady Blunt violin has survived, like the Messiah Stradivarius of 1716, in near-original condition. Jason Price, director of Tarisio, the online auction house that sold the violin, said: 'Fine instruments appreciate in value just like fine works of art. 'The Lady Blunt is the most significant violin that a collector can buy. 'In the world of stringed instruments, it is the equivalent of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David.' The Nippon Music Foundation, which sold the violin, donated the proceeds to victims of the Japanese disaster. Kazuko Shiomi, president of the Foundation, said: 'While this violin was very important to our collection, the needs of our fellow Japanese people ... have proven that we all need to help, in any way we can.' | Proceeds will go to victims of Japanese earthquake . |
260,876 | ddddc75363f9c78a97433f9de3911fd37fc299d0 | By . Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 12:22 EST, 2 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:36 EST, 3 November 2012 . How do you relocate 12,000 creatures including sharks, walruses and a giant octopus? If power at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island is not restored soon, staff fear they may have to find out. Superstorm Sandy sent a wall of water crashing over Brooklyn's boardwalk and into the aquarium on Monday. Eerie: A black drum fish is reflected in flood water at Coney Island's New York Aquarium after the attraction was flooded during Superstorm Sandy . Critical situation: Unless power is restored soon staff may have to relocate some of the attraction's animals, including sharks, penguins and a giant octopus . The flooded attraction, which is . currently closed, is now using a generator to power its two main exhibit . buildings - Glover's Reef and Conservation Hall. There are still areas . that remain 'off line'. Jim . Breheny, executive vice president of WCS Zoos and Aquarium and director . of the Bronx Zoo, said in a statement: 'We are facing a critical period . when we will have to decide if we are going to move some of our . animals. 'We are . still working around the clock to accomplish what we need to do. We . continue to pump water out of the areas which house crucial operating . systems.' The decision on whether some animals will be temporarily relocated to other AZA aquariums will likely come on Saturday morning. Booster: The flooded attraction is now using a generator to power its two main exhibit buildings - Glover's Reef and Conservation Hall. but there are still areas that remain 'off line' It's OK, he's fine: The aquarium reported that Mitik, its orphaned rescue walrus, had weathered the storm without incident and 'seemed interested and amused by all the activity around him' The aquarium reported that Mitik, . its orphaned rescue walrus, had weathered the storm without incident . and 'seemed interested and amused by all the activity around him'. The . attraction also announced its adult walruses, sharks, penguins, sea . turtles, and sea lions all survived the storm as did the aquarium's fish . collection despite power being lost when the storm hit. Elsewhere in Coney Island, residents have begun searching for any food that can be salvaged from flooded stores. Four days after Sandy made landfall, . frustration is mounting over gas shortages, power outages and delays in . getting aid to struggling communities. Desperate: A woman searches for food that can be salvaged from a flooded store in Coney Island, New York . Resourceful: Residents look inside black bags full of items to see if any food can be salvaged after the flooding . Shut out: Residents gather outside a closed supermarket, delving in bags to see whether anything edible can be found . Search: People look for salvageable food among discarded items outside a flooded delicatessen in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, after Superstorm Sandy . Challenge: Residents examine bottles and tins discarded by a flooded delicatessen in Coney Island, New York . Meals on wheels: Residents look in trolleys, opening boxes containing snacks, as they try to salvage food from a flooded grocery store . Food and drink: A woman holds jars and bottles from a store in Coney Island which was flooded during Superstorm Sandy . Miserable: Bearing mops and black bags, men try to clean up a flooded delicatessen after Superstorm Sandy . Closed: Two women peer into the window of a flooded delicatessen as Coney Island tries to recover from the impact of Superstorm Sandy . | Aquarium faces 'critical period' and is forced to use generators .
Visitor attraction remains closed after Monday's superstorm .
But Mitik the orphaned rescue walrus is fine, venue officials say . |
14,340 | 28a9bfb3cd20b2eda92cb175dda43b8559a27103 | Straggly beards, duck calls and catching frogs aren't the first things that come to mind when you think of musicals - but that's not stopping the Robertsons. The Duck Dynasty stars are working with Broadway producers on a 90-minute production about their 'rags to riches' story, which will open at in Las Vegas in February, the New York Times reported. But already several Broadway producers have expressed their shock that colleagues would work with the family after its patriarch, Phil Robertson, made remarks comparing homosexuality to bestiality. Jeff Calhoun, the director of 'The Duck Commander Family Musical', is himself gay but said they had already started working on the musical when Robertson made the comments to GQ last year. Growing empire: The Robertson family, who star in 'Duck Dynasty', are now working with Broadway producers on a musical about their 'rags to riches' story, which will open at a casino in Las Vegas next year . Calhoun, who also directed 'Newsies' on Broadway, decided to press ahead with the project anyway. He told the newspaper that his husband's family share similar outlooks to the Robertsons. 'We've agreed to disagree on some things, but we're family and we love and respect each other,' he said. 'I like to think that this musical could bridge some gaps, too.' He added that rather than shying away from the issue, they would be addressing the remarks in the musical - although the team said it is still working out how to do so. The show, which will open at the Rio hotel and casino, will feature actors playing the members of the Robertson family, who own a multi-millionaire duck call business in Louisiana. Controversial: The show was briefly suspended last year after patriarch Phil Robertson made homophobic remarks comparing homosexuality to bestiality. Despite repeating the remarks, the show is still on air . Not backing down: Jeff Calhoun, the director of Broadway's 'Newsies', is directing the Duck Dynasty show. Calhoun, who is gay, said that he intended to address Robertson's remarks in the show . The musical might also feature video of the real family and duck hunting, as well as a 14 songs mixing country, blues and show tunes, the Times reported. An opening number might be entitled, 'Faith, Food and Family'. The show is based upon a book Willie Robertson, a star of the show and one of Phil Robertson's sons, wrote in 2012 with his wife. 'We've enjoyed the process of making a musical alongside the team who is interested in telling the Robertson family story from an outside perspective,' he said. Michael David, a Broadway producer behind the show, said that the musical will challenge audiences more than other productions on stage. 'The Robertsons are so unusual, their story so juicy, and theater shouldn't be limited to telling stories about people you resemble or revere,' he said. Showtime: The musical will open at the Rio Hotel & Casino, where the Chippendales perform, in February . David, who also produced the 'Jersey Boys' for Las Vegas, said that he also believes Duck Dynasty could enjoy similar success, although there is no plan to take it to Broadway yet. The family have starred in Duck Dynasty since 2012 and their seventh season starts next week. The show has had as many as 11 million viewers, although numbers dropped after the recent scandal. 'Everything is blurred on what’s right and what's wrong. Sin becomes fine,' he said in the interview last year. 'Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. 'Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men... Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won't inherit the kingdom of God.' Despite A&E briefly dropping him from the show, he has not kept quiet about his homophobic views and has been filmed defending them on multiple occasions since. | The Robertson family are working on 'The Duck Commander Family Musical' with Broadway producers .
The 90-minute show is set to open at a Las Vegas casino next February .
Several liberal and gay Broadway producers have expressed their disgust that colleagues would work with the openly homophobic family .
The musical's director, who is gay, said they would be incorporating Phil Robertson's anti-gay remarks into the show - but he's not yet sure how . |
182,437 | 783ad09c4c2e846e3d535ee11864c1cfb3f9f8f3 | Michelle Obama's fringe was the subject of debate on Twitter after she appeared to have trouble keeping it out of her eyes while giving a speech. The First Lady had a blunt fringe - or bangs as they say in the U.S. - cut in January earlier this year. But in May she reverted to her longer, side-swept look after the President spoofed the look in some Photoshopped pictures shown during his annual speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April. And today as she gave a speech at the G8 summit in Belfast, the First Lady went for a softer look with flicks reminiscent of Farrah Fawcett in the 70s. Scroll down for video . Fringegate: Michelle Obama's new longer 'bangs', as they are called in the U.S., may look softer - but viewers said it annoyed them when it constantly fell into her eyes . Trendy: The look, debuted by Michelle today at the G8 summit in Belfast, was reminiscent of Farrah Fawcett in the 70s - but it didn't win her many fans in cyberspace . And it was her growing locks that got cyberspace talking while she gave the televised speech in Belfast today. One user, Sue Crossan (@scrossannz), wrote on Twitter: 'Watching Michelle Obama's speech in Belfast. Impressive but I wish she would get her fringe sorted out. #badhairday.' Another user called Brennan McKeag (@brennanmckeag) added: 'Michelle Obama's fringe annoyed me the whole way through her speech, why didn't she just sweep it off her face!?' Nessa O'Mahoney (@Nessao) tweeted: 'Michelle Obama is a terrific speaker this morning. Inspirational. Why do I desperately want to give her a hair clip?' Got the message: At an event just a few hours later, her hair was more firmly cast out of her eyeline . Much better: Earlier in the day (left), her bangs were astray but the fringe was cast in place for a visit to The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin on Monday evening (right) The speech saw the First lady urge around 2,000 schoolchildren, university students and graduates to step outside their comfort zones, challenge the status quo and help create a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Mrs Obama spoke for 10 minutes before her husband took to the stage, and was introduced by 16-year-old schoolgirl Hannah Nelson, who spoke of her desire to see greater stability in Northern Ireland. She later flew to Dublin with daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha, 12. Disheveled: The errant hair caught the attention of members of the audience . Fringe whinge: These Twitter uses lashed out at Michelle's unruly fringe during her speech today . Bang on trend? Left, Michelle's longer, 70s style fringe that riled Twitter users today in Belfast. Right, the original fringe that garnered endless attention in a portrait released by the White House in February this year . No stragglers: A neat side-swept look in March 2011, left, and right, and a shorter look in June later the same year . Feeling quiffy? LLeft, a swept-back style from December 2011, and right, a little quiff in May the same year . | First Lady had blunt fringe cut in January this year .
President Obama lampooned her haircut at White House speech in April .
Michelle changed 'bangs' back to her former side-swept look in May .
But today as she spoke at G8 summit the fringe constantly fell into her eyes .
One Twitter user asked why the First Lady didn't sweep it off her face .
Another said they wanted to 'give her a hair clip'
But some hit back saying, 'Stop focusing on looks. She was there to speak' |
89,905 | ff50fa2c0df03b78ffc6d043200af6c082057a0d | Devastated British tycoon Alan Bond yesterday spoke of his grief after his wife was found dead at their mansion. Mr Bond, 73, appeared frail and tearful as he emerged from his home in Perth, Western Australia, where Diana Bliss, 57, is understood to have been found floating in the swimming pool. The disgraced multi-millionaire is believed to battled desperately to revive his wife, a former air stewardess, and called an ambulance at around 11.30 am. Speaking outside the family home, he said: 'It's so new... I've lost my beautiful wife,' according to PerthNow. Devastated: Alan Bond returns from church yesterday morning, saying he has lost his 'beautiful wife' who was found dead at their mansion . It is understood that the family . briefly went to church in the morning. Mr Bond's daughter Jody Fewster . later gave a statement confirming that Miss Bliss had been 'sick for a . while'. 'But no one would have expected all this,' Ms Fewster added. 'The family is devastated, her friends . are devastated and dad just can’t talk at the moment. We would really . appreciate a little bit of privacy at this time. 'I just really appreciate your interest because she was beautiful but that’s all about we can say at the moment.' Flamboyant Bond – who was jailed for . fraud, lost a fortune and bounced back to make another – may have raised . the alarm himself after the tragedy. Tragedy: Millionaire Alan Bond (right) discovered his wife Diana Bliss (left) dead in the swimming pool at their home in Perth, Western Australia . Luxury: Miss Bliss, 57, is believed to have been found by Mr Bond floating in the pool of their home (pictured) Neighbours in Cottesloe, a suburb of Perth in Western Australia, said Ms Bliss had been struggling with personal problems. Residents said she had lost a lot of . weight recently and had been battling anxiety and depression for . several years. One said she had received treatment for depression in a . London clinic last year. Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I saw her a week ago and she looked terrible.’ Police said last night that there were . no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Australian-born Ms . Bliss, the daughter of a Methodist minister. A police spokesman said: ‘About . 11.30am local time, Western Australian Police were notified by St John . Ambulance of a deceased woman at Hawkstone Street, Cottesloe.’ The spokesman said a report would be sent to the coroner. Friends and former colleagues of Ms Bliss have been paying tribute to the 'bubbly, talented and honest' theatre producer. Aerial view: The swimming pool in the back garden of the couple's mansion is circled in red . Tony Bonney said the death of Ms Bliss in was a tragic loss. 'The most admirable thing about her . was she had such a great passion for theatre and performance,' Tony . Bonney told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I was working at the Blue Room when I . first met her; she was very bubbly with an infectious attitude, but . smart, very well connected and very honest.' Entertainment publicist Rosita Stangl added: 'She was highly regarded by some of Australia’s top theatre promoters.' Ms Stangl said that Miss Bliss had been in demand after a string of successes in London's West End. 'If you make it in the West End, you . are doing very well, that’s why those in the Australian theatre industry . respec . The tragedy comes 12 years after . Bond’s showjumper daughter Susanne Edwards – the second of his four children – died . at her Perth home aged 41 after apparently overdosing on prescription . drugs. Mr Bond in the late 80s at the height of his debt problems, and right, Miss Bliss working in the theatre during the same period . Mr Bond is driven away by a prison officer in 1997 after being sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a $1 billion fraud . Death: Miss Bliss was Mr Bond's second wife and had stood by him despite his time in jail and bankruptcy . Ms Bliss, who had worked as a Qantas . flight attendant, in public relations and later as a successful theatre . producer, married Bond in 1995 after he had been discharged as a . bankrupt. He was divorced from his first wife, Eileen, three years earlier. Bond, 73, who emigrated with his . parents from London to Australia in 1950, began as a signwriter but went . on to become a multi-millionaire whose investments in airships, . property, breweries and diamond mines enabled him to bankroll challenges . for the America’s Cup, the premier international yacht race. In 1983, his Australia II Syndicate won the trophy, which had been held by the New York Yacht Club since 1851. In 1987, Bond controversially bought . Vincent van Gogh’s Irises for £36 million – at the time the highest . price paid for a single painting. But the purchase was subsidised by a . substantial loan from auctioneer Sotheby’s, which Bond failed to repay. Art experts suggested it may have been a manipulated sale designed to . artificially inflate the value. After his empire collapsed, Bond was . declared bankrupt in 1992 with personal debts of £1.2 billion. He was . jailed for seven years in 1997 after pleading guilty to using his . controlling interest in the Bell Resources company to siphon off more . than £800 million into the coffers of his Bond Corporation. He served . four years in jail and since then he has worked with his son, Craig, to . build up a new fortune in oil and diamonds. By 2008, Bond was said to be worth about £170 million. | Diana Bliss, 57, had stood by husband's side after bankruptcy and time in jail . |
75,455 | d5fe504e55f7a8839b8067b65f439e7d6eb0c2ee | BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi forces detained the suspected leader of a terrorist cell network believed to be funded by Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter, who is wanted by Iraqi authorities on terrorism charges, the U.S. military announced Monday. Raghad Hussein is currently living in Jordan under the protection of the royal family. The raid happened Sunday in Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. It was carried out by Iraqi forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, the military said. The network, believed to be funded by Raghad Hussein, has been "linked to a series of attacks on coalition forces" using rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs, the military said. "These attacks have claimed the lives of numerous Soldiers and Airmen," a military statement said. Other leaders of the network have been detained in previous raids, the military said. The international police organization Interpol last year issued an alert to authorities across the world that Raghad Hussein is wanted by Iraqi authorities. The Iraqi government has issued an arrest warrant for the 38-year-old daughter of the late Iraqi leader on charges of inciting terrorism and crimes against life and health. Interpol -- based in Lyon, France -- issued a Red Notice in the case. That is a request to police anywhere to help track her down and extradite her to Iraq. She has been living in Jordan under the protection of the royal family. E-mail to a friend . | Iraqi forces detain the suspected leader of a terrorist cell network .
Cell is believed to be funded by Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter, Raghad .
Raghad, wanted in Iraq on terrorism charges, currently living in Jordan . |
200,214 | 8f3095e6de2387bb63d11dd705f7f0e8eb98c33a | Synthia Nath thought she was a winner at the Face Of Beauty International awards. That was until organisers told her there had been an 'honest mistake' and that 'another Indian girl' had actually won the pageant category for most photogenic. In an embarrassing series of events, the New Zealand Herald reports that the 19-year-old Fijian native was first told to raise $3000 to travel to Turkey for the Miss Globe International pageant after winning her local crown at the Face Of Beauty International event in Papakura on May 10. Mistaken identity: Synthia Nath ws told she had been mistaken by 'another Indian' contestant after winning the prestigious Miss Globe New Zealand . 'They told me, 'Do you have $3000?,' Ms Nath said, according to The Herald. 'I was shocked, I was like, 'Aren't you supposed to give me the money?' They were like 'No' and asked if I had the three grand or not.' Ms Nath had already spent $1000 on her dress and entry fee and told Face Of Beauty executive Milagros Manuel she couldn't afford the $3000 for flights. She was reportedly told to 'give the crown and sash back' if she couldn't raise the cash. Shortfall: Ms Nath was originally told she had to raise $3000 to attend the next round of competition in Turkey . The next day she rang back organisers and was reportedly told 'I mixed up the name somehow and it was another Indian girl that should have won.' She was forced to hand her sash and crown to the rightful winner, but told in an email 'You can keep it and pretend that you still are Miss Globe.' Ms Nath is now seeking an apology and compensation for the $500 entry fee and $420 for 10 tickets she sold to the event. The New Zealand Herald reports Ms Nath was confused for Fijian-born contestant Loriza Latif. Lydia Smit was announced the overall winner of Miss Globe New Zealand. The other girl: Loriza Latif, also born in Fiji, was reportedly the actual winner . | Synthia Nath announced as photogenic winner of Miss Globe New Zealand .
Organisers said it was a mistake and award was meant for Loriza Latif .
Confusion was because Nath looked similar to the 'another Indian girl'
Nath is suing for compensation and wants an apology . |
5,857 | 109cd3dcac8830a219e914b2a60034379f18f094 | (CNN) -- A World War II German U-boat, sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic more than 72 years ago, has been discovered off the coast of North Carolina, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday. The German sub, the U-576, was found at the bottom of the Atlantic 30 miles off Cape Hatteras and just 240 yards from an American merchant ship, the merchant tanker Bluefields, which was part of a 24-ship U.S. convoy heading from Virginia to Key West, Florida, on July 14, 1942. "This is not just the discovery of a single shipwreck," said Joe Hoyt, chief scientist of NOAA's Office of Marine Sanctuaries expedition, which found the vessels. "We have discovered an important battle site that is part of the Battle of the Atlantic. These two ships rest only a few hundred yards apart and together help us interpret and share their forgotten stories." The story of U-576 is the more tragic of the two wrecks. Bluefields did not sustain any casualties during the sinking, but all 45 crew of the U-boat were lost. Commanding U-576 that July day was Kapitanleutnant Hans-Dieter Heinicke. According to documents from the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, where the wrecks rest, Heinicke had radioed back to commanders in occupied France on July 13 to say the U-boat was damaged and heading back to Germany after a month-long patrol without success against Allied shipping. A U-boat and its American prey haunt Gulf of Mexico . As U-576 began that journey home, it ran across convoy KS-520, with 19 merchant vessels and five escorts, on the afternoon of July 14, according to the documents. Heinicke, who was on his fifth U-boat patrol with relatively little success against Allied shipping, saw a chance for redemption. "In spite of his damaged ship, Heinicke decided to attack at all costs," a history from the sanctuary reads. "However, at 4:00 pm just before he could fire his torpedoes, one of the Coast Guard cutters picked up a sonar contact. The Coast Guard crew dropped three depth charges, followed by five more 10 minutes later." But Heinicke pressed his attack, firing off four torpedoes about 4:15 p.m. "The U-576 sank the Nicaraguan-flagged freighter Bluefields and severely damaged two other ships. In response, U.S. Navy Kingfisher aircraft, which provided the convoy's air cover, bombed U-576 while the merchant ship Unicoi attacked it with its deck gun," the NOAA release reads. The sub sank in minutes. Two NOAA research vessels, the Okeanos Explorer and SRVX Sand Tiger, participated in the search for the wrecks, which were found and verified in August, NOAA said. The wreck site is considered a war grave and protected by international law. "Few people realize how close the war actually came to America's shores," David Alberg, superintendent of NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, said in a statement. "As we learn more about the underwater battlefield, Bluefields and U-576 will provide additional insight into a relatively little-known chapter in American history." Zeroing in on what caused Civil War submarine's sinking . | German U-576 attacked convoy off Cape Hatteras in 1942 .
U-boat sank tanker Bluefields, but was sunk by Allied planes, ship .
Wrecks rest 240 yards apart on bottom of Atlantic . |
209,626 | 9b766e7b57bf4d50a3a5329d1c8073ba2867cc29 | The recent decision by Yahoo's chief executive to drop the company's work from home policy makes sense, doesn't it? Plenty or people believe that if you aren't in the office, you aren't working; if you aren't clocking face time with bosses and co-workers, you aren't fully committed, and long hours are the measure of productivity. Right? Not exactly. Organizational sociologists call these beliefs "rational myths," convictions about how things should be done that are widely shared but not necessarily accurate. Back when work revolved around the power loom and the assembly line, centralized schedules and locations made sense. The 40-hour work week, time-oriented management practices, and our beliefs about them, became institutionalized during this period. But a lot of what we believe about the right kind of workplace is wrong. Studies show that people who have control over when and where they work are more productive and have better morale and loyalty. And face-to-face office interactions have a dark side. A Harvard study of software engineers found that emphasizing face time encouraged managers to arbitrarily label problems as crises and then evaluate workers on whether they put in long hours in response. Inefficiency got worse when workers knew management was evaluating only time, not results -- they put in lots of hours, but got little done. Managers who replaced the clock-watching culture with more rational planning increased productivity, reduced stress and shifted efforts toward collectively getting work done. Simplify your life: Telecommuting isn't just for parents . But what about the collaborations and creativity from water-cooler conversations? These conversations actually may encourage groupthink rather than innovation. Studies show that people tend to network, cooperate and collaborate with others like themselves, so hallway conversations may merely result in interactions among those who think alike. It's the collaboration among diverse groups of people that fosters the most creative and cutting-edge thinking. Because virtual interactions through online chats and teleconferencing make personal similarities less obvious, these may be better than hallway conversations for cultivating innovation. Equating face time with productivity also has gender implications. First, men are more likely to have supportive partners managing home and family, and therefore have more time to spend in the physical workplace. Not so for women, who are more likely to have employed partners, or no partners to help shoulder responsibilities at home. It is no accident that institutionalized work schedules favor workers in traditional family relationships; the 40-hour workweek was a historical bargain between employers and labor for a family wage sufficient to support a male breadwinner and a homemaker spouse. But only about 20% of families fit that model anymore, and most of those are headed by men. Focusing on face time can disadvantage women, especially mothers, in other ways. A Stanford study found that mothers were permitted fewer absences than fathers, even when their productivity and performance were the same. Similarly, a study of large-firm lawyers found that hours worked both in and out of the office positively affected men's chances for partnership, but hours worked out of the office did not help women make partner: Only face time mattered for women. Who works from home and how they do it . Why do we cling to the face time fallacy? The real problem is that our cultural beliefs about workplace practices lag behind technological and other changes in the workplace. They get in the way of finding new management techniques for the virtual workplace. Perhaps Marissa Mayer of Yahoo bought into the idea that face time means productivity because it seemed like a legitimate way to show she meant business. But if recent reports that she monitors her employees' remote data connections are accurate, she could have fired the slackers who failed to log in rather than demanding that all workers get back to the office. Other companies promote innovation without requiring face time: 3M rewards employees who come up with innovative ideas, Google encourages interactions across departmental divides without eliminating telecommuting altogether, and companies like Suntell and Gap Inc. evaluate their employees on performance, not presence. Yahoo's new policy may drive workers with family responsibilities, disproportionately women, to quit, leaving it more male, young and childless. With less diversity, innovation will suffer. This explains the other, vociferous reaction to Yahoo's policy change: surprised dismay. By allowing employees to work outside the office, Yahoo and its competitors revealed a new way to work that improves productivity, diversity and morale. In our view, the outcry at Yahoo's retrenchment shows the destabilization of the rational myth of face time. The shifting culture and reality of work reveals what else might be possible—and better—for workers and for employers. | Shelley Correll, Catherine Albiston: Work in office more productive, right? Wrong .
They say studies show those who can control where they work are more productive .
They say men who worked in and out of office more likely to make partner than women .
Writers: Yahoo's edict on telecommuting a blunt instrument based on face time fallacy . |
215,651 | a3223d223069c67fb8e8621478d43f755a416924 | By . Graeme Yorke . PUBLISHED: . 04:17 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:07 EST, 25 June 2013 . David Beckham could captain his country one more time against Germany to commemorate the centenary of the 1914 Christmas Day truce. The retired footballer is to be approached by the Government to mark the day British and Germans troops laid down their weapons and played football on No Man's Land. The Government wants Beckham, who acted as an ambassador for the 2012 Olympics and 2018 World Cup bids, to lead a team of British players and serving soldiers in a football match against the Germans on Boxing Day 2014. Patriotic: David Beckham has made no secret of the pride he takes in representing his country . The game would be shown live on television as a way to capture the interest of the public in the centenary of the start of the First World War. Sir Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer, who faced each other in the 1966 World Cup Final, may also be among the football legends invited to join the event, reports the Sunday Times. The Christmas Day truce saw more . than 100,000 British and German soldiers lower their guns and leave the . trenches in the mud of No Man's Land. Inspirational: The midfielder captained England to qualification for three consecutive major tournaments . Busy schedule: Beckham has recently been putting the hours in in China . In some areas, soldiers on both sides merely held their fire throughout the day. But elsewhere, troops climbed out of their trenches and exchanging gifts and handshakes and . playing football. The match finished 3-2 to the Germans, according to the diaries of Kurt Zehmisch, a soldier in the 134th Saxons. Leader: And Beckham could temporarily make a return to the role of England captain . More practically, soldiers used the time to reclaim their dead from no man's land and bury them behind the lines. In . the evening, soldiers of both sides sang carols and fighting . only resumed when fresh battalions were moved into the line. The impromptu battlefield football matches were recreated in this picture at Dale Barracks between German soldiers and Royal Welsh Fusiliers . The Christmas Day truce of 1914, showing German and British soldiers socialising . The football match, to be held at Messines, near Ypres in Belgium, is among ideas to be considered by the First World War advisory group, chaired by Culture Secretary Maria Miller. Footballs have previously been placed at the site next to the wooden cross that commemorates the truce. Defence . Minister Andrew Murrison said in February that a football match was 'a . no-brainer in terms of an event that is going to reach part of the . community that perhaps might not get terribly entrenched into this'. Speaking . to The Guardian, Dr Murrison said: 'It had no real relevance to the . outcome of the war but at that deeply, intensely, personal level, it is . something that people really do latch on to.' German and British troops swapped gifts and sang carols together for a festive break from war . Group of German soldiers fraternise with two English soldiers, one in great coat and one in rear wearing balaclava, on Christmas Day 1914 . Soldiers on the Western Front were seen eating a meal to celebrate Christmas Day in a shell hole partly occupied by the grave of a comrade . | Retired England captain could lead team of players and serving soldiers .
Match would be televised on Boxing Day 2014 from Messines, Belgium . |
241,182 | c43919c0ecdbc947cc83e24731a3336cad53246a | Detroit, Michigan (CNN) -- President Barack Obama, speaking at auto plants here Friday, praised the recovery of the embattled U.S. auto industry and celebrated the tough choices he says made a comeback possible. "Last year, many thought this industry would keep losing jobs, as it had for the better part of the past decade. Today, U.S. automakers have added more than 55,000 jobs since last June," said Obama, speaking at a Chrysler plant. He said both Chrysler Group LLC and General Motors Corp. have rebounded from the depths of their government-brokered bankruptcies and are back on track to grow. Later in the day, Obama toured and spoke at a GM plant, where he also made the case for why the federal government's investment in the auto industry was a wise move. At times sounding like a candidate on the campaign trial, he is working to build support for his economic policies with just a few months to go until midterm elections in November. In the 12 months before he took office, Obama said, the U.S. auto industry had lost hundreds of thousands of jobs and had seen its sales drop 40 percent. He cited estimates suggesting more than 1 million people would have lost their jobs if Chrysler and GM, two of the three big U.S. automakers, had been allowed to liquidate. Ford Motor Co. was the only one of the "Big 3" automakers that did not take a government bailout. At the GM plant, Obama also stressed the need to develop and manufacture green technologies that would cut the country's dependence on oil. He test drove the Chevrolet Volt, GM's electric car, which is expected to roll out later this year. "Today, this industry is growing strong. It's creating new jobs. It's manufacturing the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us toward an energy independent future," Obama said. | NEW: President touts development of green technologies .
Says 55,000 new jobs have been added by the U.S. auto industry .
Obama defends government support for the companies as a good investment . |
264,740 | e2e6687d96ccb01bc5a26772392657fa837a6827 | By . Hugo Gye and Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 02:55 EST, 15 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:12 EST, 15 May 2013 . In the running: Anthony Weiner is about to announce his campaign to be Mayor of New York . Anthony Weiner is about to announce that he will run to be Mayor of New York City, it was reported today. The disgraced former congressman has . been flirting with the idea of a political comeback ever since he . re-emerged into the public eye earlier this year. Now he is believed to have appointed a campaign manager, and will officially announce his candidacy within the next few days. Mr Weiner, 48, was forced to resign . as U.S. congressman for a district in Queens in 2011 after it emerged . that he had sent explicit pictures of himself to a 21-year-old woman. Over the past few months the Democrat . has conducted a series of interviews in a bid to rehabilitate his . public image, and has long been suspected of harbouring an ambition to . succeed Michael Bloomberg as Mayor. One poll last month put Mr Weiner at second place among New York voters, behind only the current favourite Christine Quinn. Now sources have confirmed that he . will announce his candidacy before Memorial Day on May 27 in order to . meet the deadlines for filing election papers next month. 'He's definitely running,' a friend told the New York Post today. A major step towards confirming his . candidacy came this month when Mr Weiner hired Danny Kedem as his . campaign manager, according to Politico. Mr Kedem is an experienced Democratic . operative who was involved with a congressional campaign in Staten . Island ahead of last year's elections. The candidate has also hired a press secretary and is moving to appoint staff to other key roles. Couple: Mr Weiner is married Huma Abedin, who is one of the top aides to Hillary Clinton . Mr Weiner suffered a blow this week . when it emerged that he will not attract the support of Bill and Hillary . Clinton, who have distanced themselves from him despite their . friendship with his wife Huma Abedin, one of the top aides to the former . Secretary of State. 'The Clintons wish Weiner would just . disappear. Every time he pops up, it’s a reminder of Bill’s scandal with . Monica Lewinsky, and it isn’t helpful to Hillary’s hopes for 2016,' an . unidentified Democrat told the New York Post's Page Six. The references to Lewinsky will . inevitably be a distraction if Hillary decides . to run as the Democratic nominee for president in the next election, . and since many consider her the party's front runner, it is important . for her to take steps to keep it that way. Close: But Mrs Clinton and her husband are unlikely to support Mr Weiner's mayoral bid this year . Overlapping: Hillary, seen here when she was a Senator for New York, worked with then-congressman Anthony Weiner and knows him socially through her work with Huma . Mr . Weiner has been opening up publicly in the last month through a series . of interviews to reintroduce himself to New Yorkers, and in one of the . profiles Ms Abedin told The New York Times that Mrs Clinton was a major source of support for her when the scandal broke. 'We’ve had a lot of personal . conversations, none of which I feel comfortable talking about. But what I . will say about her, and for that matter her entire family, the . unconditional love and support they have given me has been a real gift,' she told the Times. It . comes as little shock that Ms Abedin finds the former President a . supportive friend as well, since he performed her wedding ceremony in . 2010. The potential . problems with a Weiner campaign are effectively connected to how close . Ms Abedin is with her longtime boss, who is now considered favourite to . be the next Democratic presidential nominee. | Weiner will announce start of campaign within next few days, source says .
Has hired experienced Democratic operative as his campaign manager .
Forced to quit as congressman in 2011 after sexting scandal . |
36,385 | 6725d31750a08ca86c98a992f4b1355fa234b2f3 | (CNN) -- You can tell a lot about a person by the T-shirts they wear. Each T-shirt has a story to tell -- a story that, in some cases, can span decades. Where did they go to college? What sports did they play in high school? Do they run 5Ks or marathons? I, myself, have a favorite T-shirt -- size medium. It's navy blue, and I received it for attending a baseball camp when I was 11. Attending that camp was one of the highlights of my youth. I wore that T-shirt more than I should have. In high school, I would wear it underneath my soccer and baseball jerseys. In college, it served as my personal pick-up basketball uniform. I still have that T-shirt. Today, it's resting safely in a drawer at home. The sleeves are missing, and it's a tad tight, but I still have the tee and everything it represents. To me, it stands for countless hours of hard work and sweat. It stands for my love of sports that was second to none. What would I find if I were to go through your stack of T-shirts? What T-shirts would you be proud of? Which ones would define you? Getting fit for the family I love . As you know, my goal is to complete the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in September with my fellow Fit Nation teammates. At the end of the race we will undoubtedly be handed an official race T-shirt. (Last year's T-shirt was black and looked really cool.) Now, I'm not implying that I am running the race solely to inherit another T-shirt, but it will surely be a great reminder of the experience. Needless to say, the T-shirt will be one that I cherish. When I die, I want the people packing up my belongings to find my collection of old T-shirts. Hopefully, after sifting through the stacks, they'll find my 2013 Malibu triathlon shirt and wonder, "How did he get this? Did he really run a triathlon?" If only they knew. If only they knew about the hard work that went into earning that T-shirt. That T-shirt will have a story to tell, too. One that began on a cold day in January 2013, and hopefully, one that will never end. Do you have a favorite T-shirt you'll never give away? Share a photo of it on iReport or Instagram using the hashtag #TshirtTales. | Douglas Mogle is training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon with CNN Fit Nation .
An old baseball T-shirt reminds Mogle that he has an inner athlete waiting to appear .
What's in your drawer? Share a favorite T-shirt on Instagram using hashtag #TshirtTales . |
216,757 | a49ccd5b731c20b4a0500d109d5c1ef6ababd878 | If you look back wistfully at the Sixties and wish you were there, perhaps it's worth refreshing your memory. These outrageous adverts were the norm - with men blowing smoke in their wives' faces, stepping on their heads and groping them while they clean the house. Everything from Volkswagen cars to Kellogg's cereals used a little everyday sexism to brighten up their brands in a time when political correctness wasn't even dreamed up. Advertisers once played on the fact many saw women as good for little other than shopping. While attitudes have come a long way, recent research suggests many men are still afraid to speak up in support of women . 'Some men want to voice their support, but fear that no one will take them seriously, because they lack a vested interest in the cause,' said Professor Grant. Pictured is a sexist vintage advert from Schlitz . Fur-ious: This advert for trousers depicted a woman as a tiger-skin rug, boasting: 'After one look at his Mr Leggs slacks, she was ready to have him walk all over her'. The same would be unlikely to be true now . The big questions: It seems husbands tended to be either half-murderous towards their wives or groping them . Don't buy the wrong coffee! This advert for Chase & Sanborn is light-hearted, but would shock many today . In fact, the phrase 'politically correct' only gained its current meaning in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. That meant these advertisers felt free to be as offensive as they liked - depicting women being spanked and babies telling their mothers to smoke Marlboro cigarettes. And the spirit of TV hit Mad Men is alive and well in one poster for Van Heusen ties, which shows a wife on her knees delivering breakfast with the bold claim: 'Show her it's a man's world'. Some of the adverts are simply funny, like the Gillette razor so safe it's pictured being used by a baby. But others would now be downright irresponsible: 'For a better start in life, start Cola earlier!' Easily replaced: This VW ad said its parts were cheap, and it was cavalier in its attitude to women too. It boldly said: 'She can jab the hood or bump off the bumper... You can replace anything she uses to stop the car' A man's world: Sexism was used to sell every luxury brand, from Van Heusen ties to Tipalet cigarettes . 'Men are better than women!' This advert for sweaters said wives were 'a bit of a drag' on a mountain . The advert for Volkswagen boasts of the firm's hard-wearing cars, beginning simply: 'Women are soft and gentle, but they hit things'. And one for Drummond sweaters proclaims: 'Indoors women are useful - even pleasant. On a mountain they are something of a drag'. The vintage pieces look shockingly out of date now, but they will be far from the last adverts to be deemed sexist. Last year an advert for Renault cars was banned in Britain for having a little too much 'va va voom' - in other words, multiple close-ups on the breasts and bottoms of burlesque dancers. And a U.S. commercial for hair removal product Veet prompted outrage earlier this month by suggesting women were manly if they chose to keep their body hair. Light up Mom! This advert claimed 'you need never feel over-smoked'. Perhaps they hadn't heard of cancer . Rotten: These adverts promoted sugary drinks for toddlers, asking: 'How soon is too soon? Not soon enough' Nice and safe: The 'recent nationwide survey' this Camel advert was based on is probably a little out of date . And finally: Some of the ads, such as this one for a razor so safe it can be used by a baby, are downright funny . Women do not have the monopoly on being offended, however. A Samsung TV advert last year infuriated some customers who claimed its depiction of lazy, hairy 'slobs' was unfair to the world's men. The controversy was a lesson in there being no such thing as bad publicity, however - as despite being slammed as 'feminist porn' it got more than 10million hits on YouTube. | Volkswagen, Drummond sweaters and Kellogg's all feature in collection .
The men grope their wives, tread on them and blow smoke in their faces .
One ad for a postage meter asks: 'Is it always illegal to kill a woman?' |
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