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9,875 | 1c00665365d7251f2c7fb31cd74df77fae1b30ef | The photographs taken by a British explorer that ignited worldwide debate over the existence of the Yeti in the Himalayas are to be auctioned. During the 1951 Everest expedition, Eric Earle Shipton CBE used an ice pick to give the footprints in the snow at the Memluk Basin some scale. The footprints measure between 12 and 13 inches long. The photographs came more than 25 years after photographer and member of the Royal Geographic Society N.A. Tombazi claimed to have made the first European sighting of the mythical beast. Eric Shipton used an ice pick to give scale to the footprint, which some believe to be that of a Yeti, captured during a 1951 Everest expedition; the picture is part of a set being auctioned . The collection of photographs taken by Mr Shipton, and an envelope which states they are pictures of the 'abominable snow man's feet' He wrote: 'Unquestionably, the figure in outline was exactly like a human being, walking upright and stopping occasionally to pull at some dwarf rhododendron bushes. 'It showed up dark against the snow, and as far as I could make out, wore no clothes.' Mr Shipton's photographs are part of Christie's ‘Out of the Ordinary: The Online Edit’ auction which will run until September 10. They are being sold for between £2 and £3,000. Since the photographs were taken critics, paranormal investigators and academics have scrutinised and debated their authenticity. A climbing boot is used to give the footprint, believed to measure between 12 and 13 inches, scale . This picture, which shows footprints leading up the mountain, is part of the Christie's auction called Out of the Ordinary: The Outline Edit, which runs until September 10 . One of the Everest expedition group is pictured during the 1951 ascent; the images are being auctioned for between £2 and £3,000 . Some claim Mr Shipton’s photographs offer the best evidence yet of the Yeti’s existence, while others suggest the footprints belong to a known creature and were elongated by melting snow. There was a further potential encounter with the Yeti by Sir Edmund Hilary, the first man to scale Mount Everest, in 1952 on a pass between the Ngojumba and Khumbu glaciers. In his book, Hillary, High Adventure, Sir Edmund wrote that his group were climbing a steep pitch when one of the party found a 'tuft of long black hairs'. Sir Edmund said it was 'thick and coarse' and looked more like 'bristles than anything else'. Sir Edmund Hillary, pictured here with his sherpa Tenzing Norgay, once wrote of finding what some in his expedition group thought was a tuft of Yeti hair, and later returned to Everest to find further proof . The men who made the discovery, were certain of what it was, calling out 'Yeti, Sahib! Yeti!'. Sir Edmund wrote: 'I couldn’t help being impressed by their conviction, and it did seem a strange place to find some hair. 'We were well over 19,000 feet and the Abominable Snowman was obviously no mean rock climber.' In 1960 Sir Edmund mounted an expedition to collect and evaluate evidence of the Yeti's existence, but it proved inconclusive. Last year, British climber Mike Rees, 73, took a photograph of a footprint in the Himalayas and Yeti experts believe it offered further proof of the creature’s existence. This is the second time Mr Shipton's photographs have been offered for sale. They sold at auction in London in 2007 for £3,500. Mr Shipton was a distinguished British Himalayan mountaineer who explored Africa and the Himalayas throughout his life. He died in England in 1977, age 69, after falling ill during an expedition in Bhutan the previous year. 1832: A book on trekker B.H Hodgon's experiences in Nepal recalls the sighting of a tall, bipedal creature covered in long dark hair. Mr Hodgson concluded it was anorangutan. 1899: Laurence Waddell reports his guides seeing an ape-like creature and seeing footprints. He suspects they spotted a bear. 1925: N.A Tombazi, a photographer, wrote that he saw a creature in the Himalayas that was walking upright like a human, was dark coloured, and wore no clothes. 1951: Eric Shipton captured images of what some believe is a Yeti footprint. 1948: Peter Byrne claimed to have discovered a Yeti footprint in India. 1953: Sir Edmund Hillary reported seeing large footprints while scaling Mount Everest. He discounted Yeti reports as unreliable. 1954: Mountaineering leader John Jackson photographed symbolic paintings of the Yeti along with many sets of footprints in Nepal, some of which could not be identified. 1959: Supposed Yeti feces were collected and analysed. They were found to contain a parasite that could not be identified. 1959: Actor James Stewart, while visiting India, reportedly smuggled Yeti remains to London. 1960: Sir Edmund mounted an expedition to collect and analyse physical evidence of the Yeti. He found nothing conclusive. 1970: British mountaineer Don Whillans claimed to have witnessed a creature while scaled Annapurna. 1983: Daniel Taylor and Robert Fleming Jr led a Yeti expedition into Nepal's Barun Valley where footprints were discovered. 1996: A hoax Yeti movie called The Snow Walker Film was aired. 2007: U.S TV programme Destination Truth reported finding Yeti-like footprints in the Everest region. 2008: The BBC reported that hairs collected in North-East India were tested, but results about what creature it came from were inconclusive. 2008: Japanese adventures photographed footprints thought to have been left by a Yeti. 2011: At a conference in Russia , scientists and enthusiasts claimed to have 95 per cent proof of the Yeti's existence. It was later claimed to be a publicity stunt. 2011: A hunter claims to have spotted a bear-like creature trying to kill one of his sheep in Russia. 2013: British climber Mike Rees captures an image of footprints in the Himalayas thought to offer further proof of the Yeti's existence. | The Yeti footprint measures between 12 and 13 inches in length .
The pictures are thought to offer the best proof of the creature's existence .
They are expected to fetch up to £3,000 at an auction ending next month . |
157,955 | 583676b7ba5b43c9e27d2c46357cd29f95ad759c | European leaders gather in Brussels on November 22 to pass the budget . By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 2 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:55 EST, 3 November 2012 . Enough is enough: Angela Merkel is reported to be 'losing her patience' with the UK over Europe . German leader Angela Merkel is reported to be 'losing her patience' with the UK over Europe as an EU commissioner challenges London to decide whether or not it wants to remain in the bloc. Respected German news magazine Der Spiegel also said on Friday that Brussels is reaching the end of its tether over British attitudes to the union as the budget squabbling which threatens to split prime minister David Cameron's conservatives once more brings the UK role in the club under the spotlight. Britain is adamant in its refusal to accept the budget proposal of €1 trillion (£800million) made by the European Commission and has demanded that it be slashed by up to 20 percent. On Friday, European Commissioner for financial programming and budget Janusz Lewandowski, Poland's representative in the EU's executive, said it was time for Britain to make a 'fundamental decision' regarding its future in the European Union. 'Of course there are limits,' he said in an interview with the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. 'We can't finance more Europe with substantially less money.' When asked if he was referring to budgetary criticism coming from London, Lewandowski said: 'Of course I am also referring to Great Britain. Either they see their future in the European Union in the long term or they don't. 'You should not forget that in the course of recent years, leaders have handed the EU new obligations. Unfortunately it is often the case that the financial aspect is forgotten.' European leaders gather in Brussels on November 22 to pass the budget. Tough talk: EU Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski, left, said it was time for Britain to make a 'fundamental decision' while David Cameron, right, said Britain was 'taking the toughest line of all in the budget negotiations' 'This government is taking the toughest line in these budget negotiations of any government since we joined the European Union,' Cameron said. 'At best we would like it cut, at worst frozen, and I'm quite prepared to use the veto if we don't get a deal that's good for Britain.' Lewandowski is not the only one losing his patience with the tone of the debate. Several European leaders have waded into the budget debate in recent days and some have used language similar in its firmness to that coming out of London. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on . Thursday asked for all sides to calm down. 'I don't want to throw more . vetoes into the room,' she said at a press conference. 'It doesn't help . bring about a solution.' But she too is said to be on a collision course with Cameron. Chancellery . sources say that when she visits him in London next week she will ask . him straight out; do you want to be part of the continent or not? 'She is a scientist and a patient woman,' said a close aide. 'But her patience with the UK is wearing very, very thin.....' Not snookered yet: Despite the pressure, David Cameron did find time for a spot of snooker during a visit to Twenty Twenty at the Schofield Centre in Loughborough, Leicestershire, today . | The German Chancellor is said to be on a collision course with Cameron .
Brussels is also said to be reaching the end of its tether over British attitudes to the union .
European Commissioner for financial .
programming and budget Janusz Lewandowski said it was time for Britain to make a 'fundamental .
decision'
European leaders gather in Brussels on November 22 to pass the budget . |
214,789 | a21449a70e602897effe1b2f7a4828e79d99e348 | By . Jill Reilly . A little girl who was so tiny that she could only fit into dolls' clothes when she was born prematurely is now preparing to start primary school. Kim Blake, 36, was warned that her daughter Janey, now three, had less than a one per cent chance of survival when she was born nearly three months premature. For reasons still unknown, the placenta feeding Janey in the womb had failed to form properly, blocking vital nutrients and oxygen. She was born weighing just 1lb 7oz. Janey, now three, had less than a one per cent chance of survival when she was born nearly three months premature, but now she is preparing to start school. Right Kim Blake holding her daughter after she was born . 'Our daughter Jodie had the idea of dressing her in a pair of pink leggings she had taken from one of her dolls. They were a perfect fit,' said her mother Kim Blake . Mrs Blake, who volunteers as a Cub Scout leader, said: 'We brought her home in time for her brother Jason’s birthday. I’d ordered clothes for Janey from the internet, but when they arrived they were obviously far too large to fit her. 'Our daughter Jodie had the idea of dressing her in a pair of pink leggings she had taken from one of her dolls. They were a perfect fit. 'Janey actually had ‘Baby Born’ written on her bum for a little while.' Janey in intensive care shortly after she was born. For reason still unknown, the placenta feeding Janey in the womb had failed to form properly, blocking vital nutrients and oxygen . Mrs Blake, of Watford, was shocked when she was told by doctors at a 28 week scan that they wanted to deliver Janey immediately by emergency Cesarean section . Mrs Blake, of Watford, was shocked when she was told by doctors at a 28 week scan that they wanted to deliver Janey immediately by emergency Cesarean section. She said: 'They said there was a problem with the blood supply through the umbilical chord and they wanted to deliver her straight away. 'They informed me that the delivery unit was ready to receive me. I panicked - I didn’t think she had the slightest chance of surviving. At the time she weighed just 450 grams.' Mrs Blake and her husband Steve, 37, a Royal Mail worker, were taken to the special care baby unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Janey was smaller than many dolls when she was born premature at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge . Kim and Steve Blake with Janey shortly after she was born. The couple were warned that if she wasn't breathing when she arrived, doctors wouldn't attempt to resuscitate her . Janey's parents visit her in hospital along with her brother Jason and her sister Jodie . The delivery was postponed at the last minute by a senior consultant who wanted to carry out tests to see whether Janey would survive outside the womb. Mrs Blake would stay on the ward for another 10 days, during which time she was encouraged to prepare for the reality of caring for a premature baby. She said: 'The midwives suggested we visited the neonatal area, where we were lucky to meet a new mum and the premature baby she was caring for. It was a very useful experience to see what a premature baby looks like in real life. 'It reduced the shock and the fear of the unknown. 'Still, it was a very nervous wait. A consultant told us he expected Janey to have less than one per cent chance of survival and we were warned that if she wasn’t breathing when she arrived, they wouldn’t attempt to resuscitate her. 'I asked them to give her one go - in case she just needed a kickstart to get going.' To Mr and Mrs Blake’s relief, Janey cried at the delivery before she was immediately taken to an incubator. The midwives informed them the placenta had been rock-hard and so small it could have fitted into half a disposable cup. Mrs Blake advised other parents caring for premature babies to treat their children as individual cases and avoid the temptation to compare the progress of their children with others . 'We were told Janey might miss some developmental milestones, but she's rushed ahead. She started walking at a young age than her younger sister,' said her mother . The cause of the placenta malformation remains a mystery. Janey had her first meal - one drop of milk - at five days old. She fought off a serious infection seven days after her birthday and required four blood transfusions before she was strong enough to return home to her brother Jason, now 11, and sister Jodie, 10. Mrs Blake said: 'The children had seen a photograph of Janey shortly after she was born and Jason’s reaction was to ask if she was alive. 'He came to visit Janey while she was still in hospital and the nurse asked what he wanted for his upcoming birthday. He said he wanted his sister to come home. She arrived home just in time for the party. 'We were struggling to find something for Jodie to wear because her legs were still so small. That’s when Jodie walked in holding her doll’s leggings and said, ‘what about these?’. 'We were told Janey might miss some developmental milestones, but she’s rushed ahead. She started walking at a young age than her younger sister.' Janey started nursery school last year and in September this year she will enter primary school reception class. Mrs Blake said: 'At first we had problems finding her a uniform for nursery - we were still buying trousers from Mothercare and she wore a vest meant for nine to 12 month old children. 'But since Christmas she’s really hit a growth spurt. She’s not too far away from her classmates in height - she’s not the shortest any more - but she’s still very skinny, so we carefully monitor her diet and general health. 'She’s a very caring girl who loves animals. She’s very cheeky and bossy - she’s definitely in charge of the older two and comes across as being older than she is.' Mrs Blake advised other parents caring for premature babies to treat their children as individual cases and avoid the temptation to compare the progress of their children with others. She said: We are in touch with parents whose children were in a similar situation to Janey’s. Janey spent longer in the incubator than many of them, but is doing better than them in many ways now. 'Remember that every child is individual.' | Janey had less than one per cent chance of survival when she was born .
Born - weighing just 1lb 7oz - nearly three months premature .
Placenta had failed to form properly, blocking vital nutrients and oxygen .
Parents were warned she could miss some developmental milestone .
But they say she's 'rushed ahead' and started walking earlier than her sister . |
1,846 | 0554412038f5deecf7c001ec68853952e92bdb21 | Police in Georgia are searching for a retired couple who disappeared after going to purchase a car from a seller they contacted online. Vietnam War vet Elrey 'Bud' Runion, 69, and his 66-year-old wife, June Runion, drove from Marietta to McRae on Thursday to meet someone who had responded to a Craigslist ad placed by Bud seeking a 1966 Mustang. Daughter Virginia Owens said she became suspicious after her parents failed to show up to babysit her children on Friday and didn't answer their cell phone. Bud and June Runion, who are both in their late 60s, drove from Marietta to McRae on Thursday to meet someone who had responded to a Craigslist ad placed by Bud seeking a 1966 Mustang . The missing couple's daughter say their father had wanted a 1966 Mustang ever since he had returned from duty in Vietnam in 1966 . Daughter Virginia Owens said she became suspicious after her parents failed to show up to babysit her children on Friday and didn't answer their cell phone . The couple were driving a champagne colored 2003 GMC Envoy and cell phone data shows they made it to McRae by Thursday evening. Police say the phone number the Runions called traces back to a disposable cell phone, signals from which they are tracking in hopes of finding the couple. A missing person's report has been filed with Cobb County police. Owens and her sister, Stephanie Bishop, say the last conversation they had with their parents was one in which they had expressed excitement over the car. They said their father had wanted the car ever since he returned from duty in Vietnam in 1966. ‘We’re just staying positive and not thinking the worst,’ Brittany Patterson, another daughter, told AJC.com. The couple's concerned daughters have set up a Facebook page to assist with the search and to raise awareness of the couple's disappearance. To date it has been shared more than 40,000 times. The couple were driving a champagne colored 2003 GMC Envoy and cell phone data shows they made it to McRae by Thursday evening . The couple's concerned daughters have set up a Facebook page to assist with the search and to raise awareness of the couple's disappearance. To date it has been shared more than 40,000 times . | Bud and June Runion, who are both in their late 60s, had drove to meet someone who responded to Bud's ad seeking a 1966 Mustang .
Cell phone data shows the couple made it to McRae, Georgia, by Thursday evening but they haven't been heard from since .
The couple were driving a champagne colored 2003 GMC Envoy .
The couple's daughters became concerned when the grandparents didn't show up to babysit and didn't answer their cell phones . |
100,662 | 0daed63ca26593711b0bcce2b644e2dc7afb119a | A crash on a Chicago highway has sent a 4-year-old boy flying through the rear window, but police say the child's father who was behind the wheel was too drunk to notice. Franklin Jackson, 46, of Texas, has been charged in connection to his toddler son's death Sunday on Day Ryan Expressway in Chicago. According to Illinois State Police, Mr Jackson was heading north on the highway with his wife and four young children at around 4.20pm Sunday when he smashed his Ford Expedition SUV into a guardrail twice. Bad dad: Franklin Jackson (left), 46, of Texas, has been charged in connection to the death of his 4-year-old son (right), who was ejected from the family SUV through the rear window without his drunken father even noticing . Franklin Jr was ejected from the vehicle on impact, landing on a grass-covered embankment near the 87th Street exit. The . toddler's father reportedly didn't realize his son was not in the car . until he pulled into a gas station four exits away to check on the . damage to his SUV, Chicago Tribune reported. Meanwhile, the 4-year-old was rushed to Comer Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5.25pm. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the boy died from head trauma. State . police said Franklin Jr was among four children under the age of three . in the car, but was the only one not wearing a seat belt. Crime scene: Jackson slammed his SUV twice into a guardrail along Dan Ryan Expressway, sending his son flying onto a grassy embankment . The . victim’s 23-year-old mother, who was also in the SUV, and his siblings, . two boys ages 1 and 2, and a 3-month-old girl, were not injured in the . accident. The father suffered broken ribs. Defenseless: Police say Franklin Jr, pictured here after his first haircut, was the only one of his four brothers and sisters who was riding in the car unrestrained . Mr . Franklin, of League City, Texas, has been charged with reckless . homicide and aggravated driving under the influence. He was being held . on $250,000. Police . officers who responded to the scene found an empty vodka bottle, an . empty beer can and an unopened beer in Franklin's car. According to Prosecutor Maura White, six hours after the crash Franklin's blood alcohol level was .04 per cent, which is below the legal limit, Chicago Sun-Times reported. But forensic experts estimated that at the time of the collision, his blood alcohol level was between .11 and .15 per cent – nearly twice the legal limit. Jackson's wife, Linda Bassett, posted a message on her Facebook page Saturday telling her friends how excited she was about traveling to Chicago to visit her family for the holidays. 'Chicago here we come,' the woman gushed. 'Will be there soon.' Earlier that day, however, the 23-year-old mother of four expressed some concerns about taking the 1,110-mile trip up north. 'Heavenly farther I pray that you watch over me n[sic] my family on this long trip to Chicago,' she wrote. In response to a friend's comment about the 17-hour road trip, Miss Bassett promised to be 'very careful.' | Franklin Jackson Jr, 4, died from head trauma an hour after being thrown from car .
Toddler was ejected on impact after his father slammed twice into guardrail on Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago .
Franklin Jackson Sr, 46, only noticed his son was missing when he pulled into gas station four exits away from crash site to check on damage to SUV .
Police found empty vodka and beer containers inside the Ford Expedition .
Toddler was riding with his parents and three siblings, all under age 3, but was the only one unrestrained . |
261,617 | ded2caae043655c20c53fe892d385a8306f0a577 | London (CNN) -- It's the time of year when hammers are poised at the world's major auction houses and the strength of the art market for the coming year is tested. Following a trend set in the last few years, Impressionist and Modern works of art are likely to be the big sellers. "Impressionist and Modern art has been very strong for a number of years, but it seems to be getting stronger and stronger," said Deborah Allan, Head of the Impressionist & Modern Art Department at Bonhams auction house in London. "It's amazing really, even with the huge financial problems that have been happening worldwide," she said. Bonhams clocked sales for works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso at their Impressionist and Modern Sale Tuesday. The star lots included a Modigliani portrait of a woman and a Picasso painting of Notre Dame in Paris, which sold for £1.3 million and $1.4 million (£825,250 and £864,450) respectively, both just shy of their $1.6 million upper estimates. On the same day, three works of art from the Elizabeth Taylor collection fetched a combined £13.7 million ($21.7m) at Christie's auction house, more than doubling their pre-sale low estimate of £6.2 million. An additional 35 works from the film star's fine art collection will be offered for sale on 8 February as part of Christie's continuing sales series devoted to Impressionist and Modern Art. Over at Sotheby's auction house in London, auctioneers also anticipate a healthy sale Wednesday, with star lots in the form of paintings by Claude Monet and Austrian painter Gustav Klimt. Dating from 1901, the painting by Klimt depicts the shore of a lake, bordered by birch trees, and is estimated to sell for between $9.5 million and $13 million (£6 million and £8 million). It is particularly unique because it has been in the same family collection for over 100 years, said Helena Newman, Chairman of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art, Europe. See also: Leonardo: The man, the myth, the mystery . "(The painting) hasn't been seen in a public exhibition or appeared at auction and it's rather exciting for the market place because that sort of thing only happens very rarely," she said. Interest in the Viennese symbolist painter, perhaps best-known for his 1907 painting "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" -- which sold in 2006 for a reported $135 million, at the time the highest sum ever paid for a painting -- has been steadily growing these last few years. A landscape painting by Klimt, which had been stolen by the Nazis and eventually returned to the heir of the original owner, sold at Sotheby's in New York in November 2011 for $40.4 million. With 2012 marking the 150th anniversary of the artist's birth, it is quite possible that the 1901 work "Lakeshore with birches" will smash its upper estimate at Sotheby's on Wednesday. Also included in the sale is a painting of a snowy landscape by Impressionist artist Claude Monet, which like the Klimt is entering the market after a long period -- nearly 100 years -- in a private collection. It is expected to sell for between $7 million and $10 million (£4.5 million and £6.5 million). "It's from the mid-1880s, when Monet was at Giverny," said Newman of Sotheby's. "There was an account of some snow falling and (Monet) immediately muffled himself up and went out and put his easel on the road in order to capture en plein air the extraordinary effect of the light," she explained. Despite a rocky year in the financial markets, Newman believes that the range and depth of works in the sale at Sotheby's reflects confidence in the market. See also: Picasso, Mondrian works stolen in Athens heist . "Sellers have recognized that there is a huge global demand for a whole range of collectors both established and relatively new who are looking to buy top quality material of Impressionist and Modern art," she said. Allan at Bonhams echoed this, saying that the market for Impressionist and Modern art is particularly strong because as less great works with historical provenance come on the market, they become more and more expensive. "I think also with the true globalization of buyers, (the market is now) so international, and with the internet and internet bidding, it's so easy to access our sales (and) it's really changed the market," she said. And paintings by Impressionists escape a recently implemented EU Artist's Resale Right Directive, which applies to European artists who have died in the past 70 years as well as living European artists -- though Newman doesn't believe the charge, which caps at a maximum of 12,500 Euros ($16,500) on a transaction, will deter buyers. "The average lot value in our evening sale is £1.5 million ($1.9 million) so in the grand scheme of things I don't anticipate that it will have a measurable effect," said Newman. | Impressionist and Modern auction sales kick off in London; will test the strength of the global art market .
Popularity for Impressionist and Modern artworks still high, in spite of problems in the global financial markets .
Star lots of sales at Bonhams and Sotheby's include paintings by Monet, Klimt, Modigliani and Picasso .
Prices stay high because of rarity of great works by Impressionist and Modern artists with historical provenance . |
51,648 | 923885e801758c625c3c68e9c6828ab7fc55f70f | One student in a dog agility class is drawing a lot of attention, and not just for her athletic skills. Amy Trotter is a pig. Amid the barking of corgis, collies and Labradors, visitors at the Family Dog Training Center in Kent, Washington, will sometimes hear a snort. And before they know it Amy comes trotting along, jumping through the hoop, balancing on the teeter-totter, retrieving the dumbbell and zipping through the play tunnel. Scroll down for video . Coming through: One student in a dog agility class is drawing a lot of attention, and not just for her athletic skills. Amy is a pig . Causing commotion: Amid the barking of corgis, collies and Labradors, visitors at the Family Dog Training Center in Kent, Washington, will sometimes hear a snort . Lori Stock, Amy's owner, already had five dogs and two rats but she wanted a new animal to train. She says the porker is a quick learner and very motivated by food rewards. 'She is the smartest dog I've ever trained,' Stock told KOMO News. 'She is quite eager to participate in class and do the homework outside of class.' Five-month-old Amy has already graduated from a puppy manners course on to agility and obedience classes. Training center president Kathy Lang says it's not the first non-dog she has seen on site. A few years ago a pygmy goat attended several classes. Amy appears to have settled in well, although she did get some funny looks from her classmates at first. 'The first time [my dog] saw and heard Amy, she kind of looked at me, and looked back at Amy like, "what kind of dog is that,"' said Paula Kurtz. Amy will demonstrate her new skills during the Seattle Kennel Club dog show next month. She and some of her classmates are also set to perform a 'freestyle musical dance'. She'd better remember not to hog the limelight. Go fetch! Lori Stock, Amy's owner, used to keep to keep dogs in the past but she wanted a new animal to train . Sniffing out treats: She says the porker is a quick learner and very motivated by food rewards . You lookin' at me? Five-month-old Amy has already graduated from a puppy manners course on to agility and obedience classes . Ready for action: Amy will demonstrate her new skills during the Seattle Kennel Club dog show next month . Time to shine: She and some of her classmates are also set to perform a 'freestyle musical dance' - She'd better remember not to hog the limelight . | The porker is attending classes at the Family Dog Training Center in Kent, Washington .
Her owner Lori Stock, used to own dogs but wanted a new animal to train .
She says Amy is a quick learner and very motivated by treats .
The pig will demonstrated her skills at the Seattle Kennel Club dog show next month . |
62,733 | b23222cc7b61a2908a2bd320c4cbe77762622f81 | SAN BERNARDINO, California (CNN) -- Three-year-old Briant Rodriguez remained in a hospital bed fatigued and malnourished Monday, 15 days after being kidnapped at gunpoint and then dumped on the streets of Mexico. Liberato Vega, 30, left, and Israel Moreno, 28, are suspects in the kidnapping of 3-year-old Briant Rodriguez. Police don't know much about what happened to the boy, who was taken after gunmen tied his family and ransacked his California home on May 3. They don't know why the gunmen broke into the home, why they kidnapped the bubbly 3-year-old or how he ended up wandering the streets of Mexicali with a shaved head, rather than the long hair he had sported before the kidnapping. But police believe they do know who is responsible. In a news conference on Monday, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department and FBI identified the two suspect gunmen as Liberato Vega, 30, and Israel Moreno, 28. The two men, who authorities said were illegal immigrants with criminal records, are believed to have burst into the San Bernardino home, ransacked the house, tied up 3-year-old Briant Rodriguez's family and snatched the child two weeks ago. The boy was returned to his family Saturday in the border town of Calexico. "It was a very emotional and unforgettable experience," said San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Doug Hubbard, who was with the boy's mother when he was returned. "Enough said there -- before I get emotional." Officials said the boy was still in the hospital Monday and was being treated for malnourishment and fatigue. "We're very happy that he's alive," San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops said this weekend. "A 3-year-old goes missing in this country for two weeks -- sometimes it has an unhappy ending. "This one did not." Now, police are trying to piece together exactly what may have happened during the 13 days the boy was missing. Detectives from the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department and Federal Bureau of Investigations agents were able to identify the alleged kidnappers based on unspecified physical evidence at the San Bernardino home and interviews with the boy's family and neighbors. Hubbard said the family has adamantly denied knowing who may be responsible for the kidnapping or having any association with those responsible. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Don Roberts said it was, however, "likely that this family was the target" of the kidnappers. "But why, we don't know," Roberts said, adding that the kidnappers had clearly planned the crime. Officials said they believe Vega and Moreno are the two men they captured on video at a home-improvement store near the Rodriguez home before the crime buying tape like the kind that was used to bind the family. Hubbard said there are no-bail warrants issued for both men for home invasion robbery and kidnapping and Roberts said the FBI also obtained federal warrants for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for both men. "We will leave no stone unturned until these two are returned to San Bernardino to face justice," Roberts said. "We will not take a break until that day happens." Authorities are hunting for both men, who have criminal records, in Mexico where they were both born. Roberts said both men have previously been deported from the United States, where they were living illegally. Their previous residences are empty, police said. Vega, who police said they considered to be the primary suspect, has had seven encounters with authorities in San Bernardino, according to court records, including four convictions in 2005 for a variety of charges, including driving under the influence. He also has a dismissed burglary case and two open cases against him for driving under the influence, providing false information to police and driving without a license. Police described Vega as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 9 inches weighing 130 pounds. Moreno was convicted in 2008 for driving under the influence and has another similar case open against him. Police described Moreno as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 6 inches weighing 150 pounds. Police have said they are also looking for 21-year-old Claudia Acosta, Vega's girlfriend, who may be traveling with him. They aren't sure how she's related to the kidnapping. | NEW: Liberato Vega, 30, and Israel Moreno, 28, suspects in kidnapping .
NEW: Officials believe both men, illegal immigrants, have fled to Mexico .
Briant Rodriguez found wandering streets in Mexicali, police say .
Boy had been missing since May 3, when armed men burst into his family's home . |
205,486 | 9603e3fd812b18d57a019a2747f6f5f8d733974c | By . Deni Kirkova . Many women can relate to the scene in Sex And The City when Charlotte receives an emergency call from Carrie to escape a bad date. And now a nifty gadget has been invented so women everywhere can pick up their mobile and say 'Something bad happened?!' without needing to call their friend first. Whether it's a dodgy suitor or a more dangerous threat, the Guardian Angel is designed as the perfect escape route for women in an uncomfortable situation. It resembles just a necklace or bracelet, but fosters technology to help the wearer combat harassment . The personal safety accessory line may resemble an elegant silver necklace or bracelet, but it fosters technology which helps the wearer combat harassment and alert their contacts when they are in distress. Dubbed the Guardian Angel after its halo-like . design, the device features a special button that can be pressed when . the wearer is in a precarious situation. When activated, a call is made . to the wearer's own mobile phone, allowing her to have an excuse to . walk away from the harasser in a shared space such as an office or a bar. Available worldwide, it is suitable for workplaces, social . settings or even more potentially threatening situations. If the wearer is particularity worried about their safety, they . can hold the button for three seconds to send an SOS text message to a . designated number, such as parents or a friend, to notify them of danger. Dubbed the Guardian Angel after its halo-like design, the device features a special button . The text message even provides coordinates and a Google Map . link to her exact location. Fusing technology with style, the Guardian Angel is the brainchild of advertising agency JWT Singapore, in partnership with Singapore-based advocacy organisation Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). AWARE works to promote gender equality, including through providing . counselling and services to women. 'AWARE believes in the rights of women . to participate in social and public spaces free from harassment and . violence,' executive director Corinna Lim told Marketing Interactive. 'But . especially in a workplace or social scenario, there can be social . penalties for confronting harassers directly. 'The Guardian Angel can . help to defuse some harassment situations. The emergency contact . function also empowers women to more easily seek help in cases of . serious threat.' Although the Guardian Angel was designed in Singapore, it can be used anywhere in the world and does not require the recipient or wearer to download anything nor have a smartphone. The Guardian Angel is sold online by Singaporean retailer My . Room Retail at the-guardianangel.com and 10 per cent of each sale of . the Guardian Angel will go to AWARE . Create your own 'Something bad happened?!' moment with the Guardian Angel or Bad Date App . eHarmony's Bad Date Rescue App lets users choose an emergency scenario to help them flee from a dodgy suitor. Be it your mother calling to say your sister is having a baby, your flatmate saying the apartment has sprung a leak, or even your boss requiring your help as 'everything in the office is broken'. The free app, which is available in the UK and US, will call the user at a pre-scheduled time, or a one-touch 'quick rescue' starting in three seconds, one minute or five minutes, report She Knows. The phone call looks remarkably convincing when it flashes up on a smartphone, and there's a real (pre-recorded) voice at the other end. In the final attempt to be fail safe, the app even features a Repeat After Me script, for those whose acting skills aren't perfectly polished, to simply say what the voice tells them to. | Guardian Angel costs from £71 and can be worn as bracelet or necklace .
When button is pressed the wearer's own mobile phone will ring .
Further function sends SOS message to a designated number .
Notifies friend of danger, coordinates and a Google Map to location .
Company ship worldwide from £6 via DHL . |
183,915 | 7a3a425f772b2f8ffecc77288ca3c0ac042f0133 | London (CNN) -- "We are One Woman, you cry and I hear you. We are One Woman, you sing, I sing along." These are the words from the song track "One Woman," a song that UN Women have launched to celebrate women worldwide on International Women's Day. Twenty five artists from 20 countries took part in the production, which was inspired by UN Women's own projects worldwide. The song was performed by artists who donated their time to create a message of hope and celebration. UN Women's aim is to engage listeners, and encourage them to join in the cause of women's empowerment and gender equality. Beth Blatt, founder of Hope Sings, wrote the lyrics. The aim, she said, was to signify the inter-relatedness of the world. "We are all connected. Every woman's victory is a victory for us all," Blatt said. Full coverage: Leading women . UN Women's work in training female police officers, and men marching for women's rights, are some of the stories that Beth thought of while penning the lyrics. She then identified singers from China to Mexico to be part of the global project. Yuna Zarai, a pop singer-songwriter from Malaysia, was one of the performers. She said that the song is based on real women and the problems they face in everyday life. "I have a large fan base back home. And this is an amazing way to teach all the girls out there, especially the girls in Malaysia," said Zarai. "I feel like there is so much potential in them to be successful, and it's a good message to all the younger generations to just sort of believe in themselves and also take care of one another." Zarai said the world does not understand the country's underlying violence against women. "I feel like there should be more awareness and it should start from an early age. I feel like in school there should be an education about women and violence,' she said. Costa Rican singer Debbie Nova echoed Yuna's reasons for participating in the song. Nova said artists have a responsibility to use their voices and instruments to communicate powerful and positive messages. "I think women in Costa Rica and Latin America in general are still very oppressed, The figure of a man is still very prominent as the traditional calling-the-shots figure in the family unit," she said. Proceeds from "One Woman" sales will support programs organized by UN Women. | The song "One Woman" has been released to celebrate women worldwide on International Women's Day .
Twenty five artists from 20 countries took part in the production .
Songwriter Beth Blatt penned the lyrics to signify the inter-relatedness of the world . |
176,865 | 70f07ef04c5ae843c9bd234b5ba4475c58630f4b | (CNN) -- Two anti-whaling activists who were seized by a Japanese whaling vessel two days ago have been handed over to Australian government officials on a ship in the Antarctic, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday. Australian citizen Benjamin Potts and British citizen Giles Lane, both members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, jumped on board the Yushin Maru No. 2 Tuesday to deliver a letter saying the vessel was violating international law and Australian law by killing whales. The anti-whaling group accused the crew of the Japanese vessel of kidnapping the men based on a video that showed Potts and Lane tied to the ship's railing. In the video, Japanese fishermen pace back and forth in front of them. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Wednesday did not answer questions about whether the men would be charged for their actions, stressing instead that the immediate priority was to retrieve them. "I'm not going to give a running commentary on who's done what to whom and the various allegations and counter allegation," he said. Smith said the Japanese government -- which formally approached Australia to assist in the transfer -- did not lay out any conditions for the transfer, in which the men were brought on board the Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking. Watch the anti-whaling activists board the Japanese vessel » . Capt. Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, had said earlier that the men were seized by the Japanese crew and assaulted. Watch Watson describe the incident » . Sea Shepherd claims Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research, which is backing the operations, had said it would release the two activists if Sea Shepherd agrees to stop interfering in its whaling operations. The group says it will not agree to that demand. The Japanese Fisheries Agency said Thursday it would readily hand over the two men. But the agency charged that the Sea Shepherd members were the terrorists. At a news conference earlier, the agency released pictures of broken bottles they claim group members threw at the ship. They also released a photo of the two activists relaxing and drinking tea aboard the Yushin Maru. "For some time, for 10, 15 minutes, I understand, they were tied to a GPS mast," Tomohiko Taniguchi of Japan's Foreign Ministry told CNN. "The Japanese crew members feared that two crew members from Sea Shepherd might do something violent." He said Potts and Lane boarded the vessel without permission. Watson said the two boarded only after attempts to contact the ship by radio were unsuccessful. Japan has been hunting whales in the Antarctic and apparently plans to kill as many as 1,000 this winter. The killings are allowed under international law because their main purpose is scientific. "We regard them as poachers," Watson said. E-mail to a friend . CNN Correspondent Kyung Lah contributed to this report. | Two anti-whaling activists handed over to Australian government officials .
Japan contacting Australia to help secure release of activists, reports say .
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society says ship's crew kidnapped 2 of its members .
The activists boarded the Japanese whaling vessel to deliver a letter . |
51,737 | 92823c13eac8f921d1800b6b8e433b13c14be5d6 | Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- We found him on a Sunday morning, as an outdoor service came to a close at what was once the Notre Dame cathedral. When the hymns faded, we picked through the carcass of the building, and there he was among the collapsed walls, his slender body framed by piles of rubble and blue sky attempting to peek through after a hard rain. In his arms, he cradled a child, not more than a year old. Her name, he said, is Christella. Christ is here. She was born, he told us, on January 12, 2010, just hours before Haiti's massive earthquake. His story was stunning, even in a place where everyone has a tale of survival. We immediately thought of it as symbolic of Haiti's struggle this past year -- to go on living despite extreme hardship. But it would not take long for doubt to creep in. It's difficult to believe people in the new world that is Port-au-Prince, where desperation prompts people to say anything if they think that it will bring them attention, and maybe help. Not that trust was ever in abundance here during decades of dictators and despots. But now people have very little documentation left of their lives, and journalists have little choice but to place some faith in what the subjects of their stories tell them. Many people we interviewed wanted payment, simply for answering our questions. It was not an agreement we could make. But we could understand the request, coming as it did in a place where meals are not routine, where grinding poverty has changed the rules of life. The grim anniversary of the earthquake has long passed. This week, the spotlight fell on Haiti for a different reason -- Michel Martelly was declared the winner of a troubled presidential election. But for the most part, international journalists, like us, have packed their bags and gone elsewhere. Some are in Japan, covering that nation's earthquake tragedy. But the story of the man in the rubble of the cathedral still haunts. It is worth telling because it does epitomize something about Haiti: a new wave of misery in which truth, and deception, are both tools for survival. A tale of desperation, resilience . This much is known to be true: The man asked nothing of me or my CNN colleague Jim Spellman when we happened upon him. Only when we remarked on his situation did he say he wished he had a tent to shield his baby from the rain and milk to fill her aching belly. And this is the story he told. Christella was born on January 12, at 9 a.m., almost eight hours before the ground shook for 35 seconds and dismantled much of Port-au-Prince. His wife of five years, Carla Fleurival, gave birth in a small shelter they called home in the shadows of the cathedral. In all his 23 years, he has known nothing but poverty of the most extreme kind. When he was 3, his mother brought him with her from Leogane to beg in the big city. He grew to manhood while living on the streets of Port-au-Prince. He had hoped for a different life for his own 3-year-old son, Christopher, and now, Christella. Clinton returns to help in ongoing recovery . Then the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de L'Assomption came tumbling down. Dust billowed everywhere as enormous chunks of plaster and concrete roared like an avalanche, flattening everything in its path. Instantly, Carla was crushed to death. She was buried with about 30 others behind the cathedral. The man's friend, Marie Batiste, was cooking rice and beans on a small wooden stove. It toppled over and the hot water scalded Christella. The father scooped her up and ran with her to the general hospital. As he talked, he showed us the scars on the baby's right leg. These days, he enters the broken cathedral to shelter his baby from the searing sun, to seek refuge in the very building that wrought death in his family. Sometimes, he peddles for change from the foreigners who visit. He depends on the charity of others, he said. He began believing that everything that befell him was God's will. He has no money. When he finds food, he said, he feels guilty that he gives most of it to his infant daughter. His son goes without -- for two, maybe three days. "I don't even know how to take care of her," he said. "I bathe her but I don't know how to braid her hair." Single fatherhood is hard anywhere. Imagine the enormity of the task for a poor man in post-earthquake Haiti. He wiped tears away with his dust-caked hands. It was difficult not to be moved by his story. We photographed him, interviewed him further. But when we returned two days later, we were led to see him in a different light. Others cast doubt on his story. "He is not telling you the truth," two men told us, indirectly, through our interpreter. "He has a wife. He wants your money." If that was his ultimate goal, he put up an elaborate ruse, hoping we would find him amid the rubble and pity him. And he'd never asked us for money. We made our way through the tents and plastic tarpaulins on the street near the cathedral, asking others who lived there about him. A blind man known for his guitar riffs and his willingness to talk to foreigners told us the story was true. So did Marie Batiste, the friend who was cooking that day and said she saw the quake throw water on the baby. Spellman and I believed the man's story. So did other journalists. The Miami Herald's Carl Juste photographed Christella and her father four months ago for the anniversary of the earthquake. "I can only go by what he told me. I believe him," Juste told me. "If someone is lying to you, you would sense it. No one told me he is lying." So why would some try to discredit him? The man insisted he had not embellished his story. He said others accused him of lying because they were jealous. "They all hate me because most often people who come to the cathedral give me money or food so that I can take care of the baby." It is a sad fact that there is so much competition for attention in Haiti. That one man's need can be seen as another's threat. In an odd way, it matters little whether the man's story is true. The fact of his existence is real, as are the dire circumstances in which he lives. He is not just a metaphor for Haiti. He is a man. And I feel certain that if we return to the small city of tents and tarps that hug the cast-iron gates of the cathedral, we will find him there. He says his name is Fritz Robert Pierre-Saint. I believe this to be true. | Many people we interviewed wanted payment, simply for answering our questions .
People have little documentation left of their lives, and journalists have to have faith in subjects .
The man told us his daughter was born just hours before Haiti's massive earthquake . |
126,089 | 2ef855b36d3ca49ce48718446655153471bab99c | Ricky Hatton has shown his charitable side by giving out food and presents at a homeless charity ahead of Christmas. The former two-weight world champion turned up at the shelter in Manchester with the donations to help those struggling during the festive season. Hatton is a patron at charity Bernabus and the 36-year-old said he was glad to be in a position to help. Ricky Hatton has shown his charitable side by giving out food and presents at a homeless charity . Boxing champion Hatton helps out at the homeless charity in Manchester as Christmas approaches . Hatton poses with a buffet of sandwiches at the charity after turning up with donations to help those struggling . Hatton: 'It's heartbreaking, especially at Christmas, it's probably the hardest time of the year for them' 'I'm very proud as a Manchester lad of being a patron at Barnabus,' he told the Manchester Evening News. 'I regularly walk through the city centre and see poor people. 'It's heartbreaking, especially at Christmas, it's probably the hardest time of the year for them. Some haven't got families, food or water. That's why I brought all this today.' Fundraising manager Carol Price said: 'It's been an amazing day. Things like this are really important at this time of year. 'When people are homeless and they see people in town partying and shopping, it reminds them of how little they have.' Dharmesh Bhayani from Europium also donated more than £1,000 for a buffet and pairs of shoes for those at the centre. Former two-weight world champion Hatton in the ring during his boxing days in 2007 in Las Vegas . | Ricky Hatton has been giving out donations at a Manchester charity .
The boxing champ donated food and presents ahead of Christmas .
'It's heartbreaking, especially at Christmas, it's probably the hardest time of the year for them. Some haven't got families, food or water,' he says . |
45,031 | 7ee63de5077de51e2aeb021302adbea3b87d7e94 | Arjen Robben has said he is tired of people criticising him after he admitted diving during Holland's last-16 win against Mexico. The Dutchman appeared to be making a particular effort to stay on his feet during the World Cup quarter-final win against Costa Rica on Saturday, despite being fouled a number of times over the course of the 120 minutes. Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS after the match, he said: 'In recent days there has been a lot of talk about diving and actually I'm tired of this bull****. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Hilarious moment U.S. fan goads RVP thinking he's Robben . Big call: Robben won a penalty in extra-time for this tackle from Mexico captain Rafael Marquez . Public enemy: Robben has been criticised for going down under the challenge from Marquez . Tumble: Robben is challenged by Michael Umana and Junior Diaz during Holland's World Cup quarter-final win . Block: Cristian Gamboa steps in front of Robben to stop him in full flight during the match in Salvador . VIDEO Pinto concerned over Robben's diving . Robben admitted trying to con the referee in Holland's 2-1 victory over Mexico, which prompted Miguel Herrera to brand the forward a cheat. The Dutchman revealed he dived in an attempt to win a penalty - but not for the decisive 93rd minute spot-kick that secured Holland's progress to the quarter-finals. 'I must apologise,' said Robben. 'The one [at the end] was a penalty, but the other one was a dive in the first half. I shouldn't be doing that.' But after the Costa Rica win he hit back at the criticism levelled at him since he made the admission. 'I get kicked from all sides, but luckily I am still fit,' he told NOS. 'I felt that I could make the difference, but didn't get the ball enough. Celebrate: Robben screams with happiness after scoring his penalty against Costa Rica . Congratulations: Robin van Persie embraces the winger after he fired his spot-kick past Keylor Navas . Giving his views: Robben in Holland training with Wesley Sneijder on Monday at Estadio Gavea in Rio . 'I don't want to blow my own trumpet, but I felt I was so good [against Costa Rica].' He reserved some praise for Holland's other players, particularly substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul, who stopped spot-kicks from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana in the shoot-out to send Holland through to the last four. 'All praise and compliments to him,' said Robben. 'He saved two penalties and is now the hero of the Netherlands. I think that's fantastic.' Bold move: Goalkeeper Tim Krul replaced Jasper Cillessen ahead of the dramatic penalty-shootout . Delight and despair: Krul celebrates after saving a penalty from Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz (left) Jumping for joy: Holland's Dirk Kuyt was the first Dutch player to congratulate goalkeeper Krul . Memphis Depay, who started the game for Louis van Gaal's side after impressing as a substitute in previous matches, said he lost his voice during the shoot-out as he cheered on his team-mates. 'I lost my voice a little bit from all the yelling at each penalty,' said the 20-year-old. 'Everyone held themselves together. We showed we are a very strong team.' Holland face Argentina in their semi-final on Wednesday. Emotional: Depay said he lost his voice in the shoot-out as Holland sealed their last four spot . Shield: The young Dutchman said the team proved their strength by winning the shoot-out . | Louis van Gaal's side sealed a spot in the last four by beating Costa Rica .
Holland failed to score in 120 minutes, with Tim Krul proving the hero in their penalty shoot-out win .
After their last-16 victory against Mexico, Robben admitted to diving .
He responded to criticism to that after the quarter-final win on Saturday .
The Bayern Munich winger says he is lucky to stay fit because he gets fouled so often during games . |
58,136 | a4c9dbbc6f28d3956079bcbf2ac24cb1f16cc85c | Gone are the days when history buffs waited to stumble across a lucky find while out walking. Now treasure hunters are using the internet to make their own fortunes. One man has stunned professional archaeologists by locating a Bronze Age settlement using Google Earth. Howard Jones’ online research was proved correct when he unearthed 5,000-year-old flint tools and other evidence of habitation. Spotted: One man has stunned professional archaeologists by locating a Bronze Age settlement using Google Earth. This aerial picture taken in 1989 shows the area in Spriddlestone, South Devon. The lines indicate the location of the prehistoric buildings thought to lie beneath the earth . He began his search for a settlement by trawling satellite images for the sort of terrain that would have offered food, water and shelter to prehistoric man. Using Google’s overhead mapping website to zoom in on fields and farmland, he managed to pinpoint a site in Spriddlestone in the South Hams, Devon. The former Royal Marine from Plymstock, Devon, then sought permission from the local landowner before using a metal detector to look for remains. It didn’t take long before he unearthed scraps of metal, pottery shards and flint tools. Unearthed: Howard Jones unearthed scraps of metal, pottery shards and flint tools (pictured) at the prehistoric site. They include an Iron Age hinge from a bucket (the curved piece of metal). Experts hope to find more similar fragments when they excavate the site in February next year . Excavations are ongoing to establish the importance of the settlement, which lies in Spriddlestone in the South Hams, Devon. It is thought to be Bronze Age, or Iron Age. Howard Jones discovered flint tools, pottery fragments and metal shards thought to be 5,000 years old. A geophysical survey revealed two large buried structures thought to be prehistoric farm buildings. Other parts of the settlement could date from Roman times, between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. The survey images show tracks, enclosures and pits, which could indicate a metal works. Mr Jones told Devon County archaeologist Bill Horner about his discovery, who carried out a geophysical survey using ground-penetrating radar equipment. Together, they found two large buried structures that they believe are farm buildings dating back to the Bronze or Iron Age. Mr Horner said: ‘The survey shows two or three probable farmsteads which look to be late prehistoric, bronze age to Iron Age. ‘Other parts of the underlying settlement possibly continue to the Romano-British period, around 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. ‘The images also show tracks and enclosures, as well as a number of pits, which alongside Howard’s findings, looks like evidence of metal works. ‘We know that Devon’s mineral resources were being traded along the coast and along the channel in prehistoric times. Scanned: The former Royal Marine from Plymstock, Devon, sought permission from the local landowner before using a metal detector to look for evidence of prehistoric habitation on the land (pictured) ‘While Dartmoor is famous for preserved historic sites, the same is not true of coastal areas. So this could be the missing link between those moorland sites and the evidence we have of trading.’ Mr Jones, who is now a commercial diver, said: ‘Night after night I looked at Google Earth asking myself the question ‘if I was alive 3,000 years ago where would I live’. ‘I would need food, water, shelter, close to Dartmoor for minerals, close to a river to access the sea and trade routes. ‘After a few weeks I put an “X marks the spot” on the map - that was where I would live.’ He was initially unable to test his theory because he was unsure who the land belonged to, until he came across the landowner by chance. Mapped: Using Google’s overheard mapping website to zoom in on fields and farmland, Mr Jones pinpointed a site in Spriddlestone in the South Hams, Devon (marked at A) that he believed would hold treasure . Discovered: Mr Jones (pictured right) told archaeologist Bill Horner about his discovery, who carried out a geophysical survey using ground-penetrating radar equipment. They found two large buried structures that they believe are farm buildings dating back to the Bronze or Iron Age. Small finds are pictured left . ‘At kids rugby training one night I remembered that one of the other coaches was a farmer and I asked him if I could field walk and detect on his land. ‘As I didn’t know where his farm was, I arranged for my family and I to meet him and he gave us a tour of his fields. ‘It was then I found out that my “X marks the spot” was on his land - it was unbelievable.’ It is hoped that a series of trench digs, set to take place February next year, will provide further evidence of the prehistoric settlement. Mr Jones has previously searched for ancient artefacts underwater and in 2010 he was involved in the discovery of a 300-year-old Dutch merchant vessel called the Aagtekerke, off the Devon coast. | Former Royal Marine from Plymstock, Devon, trawled Google Earth for terrain that would have offered food, water and shelter to prehistoric men .
He pinpointed a spot in South Hams and found the landowner to investigate .
Howard Jones unearthed scraps of metal, pottery shards and flint tools dating back 5,000 years - hinting the site was a Bronze Age settlement .
Experts surveyed the field and found two large buried farm buildings .
Some parts of the settlement are thought to date back to Roman times . |
140,106 | 41251a58b5c19f56edeb58a187f1af99cb43b467 | Despite years of coaching youth football in Indianapolis, John Padgett had never walked away with the top prize: the coveted Washington Township Football League championship. But just four days before he lost his lengthy battle with cancer, the 48-year-old coach watched with joy as his fifth and sixth grade team took the title - winning his version of the Super Bowl. And just nine hours before he passed away, the 18 youngsters took their celebrations from a local elementary school to his bedside, knowing that it wouldn't be the same without him. The coach, a married father, passed away on Sunday night at his home in Indianapolis just hours before the boys said their goodbyes, the Indy Star reported. Loved: John Padgett, a youth football coach from Indiana, passed away after living long enough to watch his team take the championship title. He is pictured with one of the boys, Connor Essick, at the game . 'I'm just so thankful to the boys,' his wife Debra said. 'Because I know – I really believe – I got some extra time with John because he wanted to see the season through, and he wanted to go to that Super Bowl party.' Padgett was diagnosed with lymphoma in his lungs last year and had part of his left lung removed, but by April doctors saw it had spread to his lymph system and gave him just months to live. He underwent repeated rounds of chemotherapy and always made it to the games, even though, by the end, he couldn't walk and struggled to breathe. By the time the boys took their pizza party to his hospital bed at his home last weekend, their coach could no longer speak or open his eyes. Proud: Coach Padgett (pictured back, center) is pictured alongside his team of fifth and sixth graders, who took their celebrations to his bedside on Sunday when he was too ill to attend . Family: His wife Debbie, pictured together left, said she believes her husband lived long enough to watch the boys win and celebrate with them. He is pictured right with their adopted son, Darian . But assistant coach Mark Zinn said he is sure Padgett knew they were there, because when he held his hand and told him he was an amazing man, Zinn felt Padgett's hand squeezing his. 'I about lost it,' Zinn told the Indy Star. Padgett, a graphics designer, leaves behind his wife Debbie, 52, and their son Darian. The couple, who learned after their married that they couldn't have children, adopted Darian after Debbie met him at Ernie Pyle Elementary, where she taught the second grade. She became aware of the little boy because he kept on stealing breakfast, and she soon learned that he was in the foster system. She went home and told her husband that they needed to adopt the boy and - without even meeting him - Padgett agreed. When Darian joined the family, he asked his dad to play football with him, and Padgett signed him up for the Washington Township Football League and joined as coach. But even after his son grew out of the team, Padgett continued coaching the kids. Still smiling: Padgett, pictured in hospital, even missed an Alice Cooper concert because he didn't have enough energy to go to both the show and his team's semifinal - so he chose his team . Friends paid tribute to the beloved coach, who always put the kids first. They remembered how he skipped an Alice Cooper concert - his favorite musician - to see his team's semi-final earlier this month. The boys are now planning to be there for their coach, attending his funeral on Friday wearing their jerseys, each with the name 'Padgett' across the back. 'He was dying, but he faced it,' Zinn said. 'John got right in cancer's face and said, "You're not going to beat me. You might win, but you're not going to beat me".' | John Padgett, 48, passed away last Sunday at his home in Indianapolis .
Just four days before, he had watched his beloved youth football team take the coveted Washington Township Football League championship title .
A few days later, he was supposed to attend the team's celebrations, but he was too ill to go - so the boys took the party to his bedside .
Just hours after they left, Padgett passed away . |
95,199 | 06548bbd8dbb0fa9531dfc8c55090d2c34e9dac4 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 12:08 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:08 EST, 13 January 2014 . Relatives of a murdered retired postmistress have criticised police who initially treated her death as an accident - even though she was repeatedly stabbed and set on fire. Detectives still working on the unsolved killing of 86-year-old Una Crown in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, have admitted that vital clues may have been destroyed because of the confusion. Her body was discovered by relative John Payne, 77, when he called at her bungalow to take her for a day out last January. She had suffered serious burns and multiple stab wounds. Death: Una Crown, 86, with her late husband Jack. Detectives still working on her unsolved killing have admitted that vital clues may have been destroyed because of early confusion . Probe: An officer stands outside the Wisbech home where Mrs Crown was found murdered in January 2013 . However, officers first thought she had accidentally set herself on fire. They told Mr Payne and his wife Judy, 70, that they were free to enter her home and sort through her belongings. But three days later they dramatically changed their minds and launched a murder investigation, telling Mr and Mrs Payne the bungalow was now a crime scene. A post-mortem found Mrs Crown had been stabbed repeatedly - including through the heart and lungs - and then set on fire by her killer. Mr and Mrs Payne complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and said they had felt ‘very let down’ by Cambridgeshire Constabulary. Now, one year after her death, the force has admitted key evidence could have been lost as a result of the confusion. Investigation: Police officers in Cambridgeshire first thought Mrs Crown had accidentally set herself on fire . Evidence: A post-mortem found Mrs Crown had been stabbed repeatedly - including through the heart and lungs - and then set on fire by her killer . Mrs Payne, from Wisbech, said: ‘I was surprised when the police said it was an accident. After a few days the point was proved. We got home and within half an hour the police arrived and told us it was a homicide.’ Mystery: Mrs Crown, who lived alone, was last seen alive on January 11 but spoke to a friend by telephone at about 5pm the following day . Police officers said the family’s complaint to the IPCC had been ‘locally resolved’ and Mrs Crown’s relatives were content with this. Detective Chief Inspector Jon Hutchinson said: ‘There was a problem with the first two days in that the officers that attended were under the impression this was a tragic accident. ‘Officers made the assumption that it was a non-suspicious death. There is always the potential, as a result of that, we may not have been as quick off the mark as we should have been. ‘We are absolutely determined that we will do everything to bring the offender to justice and to bring closure to Una’s family.’ Mrs Crown, who lived alone, was last seen alive on January 11 but spoke to a friend by telephone at about 5pm the following day. Police believe she was murdered some time before 9pm. A £10,000 Crimestoppers reward has been offered for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of Mrs Crown’s killer. Det Con Hutchinson added: ‘We still believe the answer to this crime lies in the local community and we need their help. ‘I would urge people to think back to this time a year ago, did a friend or loved one come home with blood on them or smelling of smoke? Were they acting strangely around that time? Did they suddenly come into money? ‘Any information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, could prove crucial to solving this terrible crime and giving some closure to Mrs Crown’s family who are desperate for answers.’ | Detectives are still working on unsolved killing of 86-year-old Una Crown .
Body was discovered by relative when he called at her bungalow last year .
Police thought she'd set herself on fire by mistake but changed their mind . |
274,287 | ef428f2bc8a69b38729544f401ac32fb9daddc44 | Bereaved loved ones of the deceased looking for a unique take on the classic funeral service are increasingly taking advantage of showmen pallbearers who march, dance and twirl the casket toward its final resting place. These lively professionals lend a decided different air to the traditionally somber ceremony, but they could come at a steep price. While some funeral homes offer the service, which is more common in the American South, free with a funeral, others charge as much as $1,400 a show. Scroll down for video . Lively: Bereaved loved ones of the deceased looking for a unique take on the classic funeral service are increasingly taking advantage of something unique--dancing pallbearers . Stepping it up: The pallbearers in this show march in, wearing all white, and approach the casket in a synchronized dance . Can be pricey: The unique show is offered free of charge at some funeral homes, but others charge upwards of $1,500 . John B. Houston funeral homes in New Jersey and New York have been offering the unique services, in which eight impeccably dressed gentleman synchronize movements like spinning around with the casket on their shoulders, since 2010. That's when owner John Houston witnessed the spectacle at legendary performer Lena Horne's funeral. 'It’s show business,' Houston told ABC News. The Alabama native said he was accustomed to the showier funerals of the South and looked to his gym trainer to help him recruit some strong-armed gentlemen to become his home's 'White Glove' pallbearers. The White Glove service is now a staple at his homes, where around 1 in 10 'upper echelon' clients request it. Showmen: The mourners may even give the dancers a round of applause, like this group did as the dancers bowed to the deceased . Final resting place: The men take the body to the hearse and depending on the ceremony will do their choreography once more as they carry the casket to its grave . 'They raise the casket, basically shoulder it at the end of the service from the top of the church down the aisle, and put the body in the hearse,' said owner john Houston. 'Then they accompany the hearse, walking. Then, depending on the service, they may do the same thing at the cemetery, shoulder the casket to the grave.' The pallbearers often dance in unison to gospel music, with one of them men leading as a sort of 'drillmaster.' Houston told ABC that the service is offered to everyone, but that it's African Americans who generally opt for it. | The bereaved may now pay for livelier last rites that include choreographed exits for the casket .
The practice is more common in the Southern U.S. but is increasingly showing up elsewhere .
Some funeral homes include the shows at no charge, while others charge as much as $1,400 . |
30,611 | 570fb0ba21cade999f75e0f05004ed2ed8b8d410 | Horrifying: Dwayne Ward, 17, is fighting for his life following the attack in Turkey . A British teenager is still fighting for his life . after he was stripped naked and 'stabbed 17 times' for kissing a local girl in a Turkish bar. Dwayne Ward, 17, was found soaked in blood in a garden in the Tepe district of Marmaris, by locals after a night out with his older brother on Tuesday. A police report revealed Dwayne said: 'I was having fun while I was out and I kissed a Turkish girl at the bar I was in.' 'I went to another bar and that was when they hit me in the head with a hard object.' He then added, according to The Sun: 'I don't remember the rest.' The teenager, from Middlesbrough, Cleveland, was on holiday with his brother Darren, 32, and their mother Doris. He was found at 7.30am with injuries including cuts to the throat, chest, groin, legs and back. The teenager was taken to the intensive care unit of the Marmaris State Hospital - he is reportedly in a critical condition. Attila Dincer, 26, who works cleaning . cars in the area near to where Dwayne was found, is now being questioned in . relation to the incident. He was arrested in the early hours of . Thursday morning and shortly after Ismail A, 24, from Aksaray, was . arrested on a bus in Konya, 354 miles away. Using information believed to have . come from Dincer, Turkish police in Mugla liased with other forces . across the country - tracking Ismail on a bus heading for his home town. Anxious wait: Today Dwayne Ward's mother Doris, right, and brother Darren, 32, left, were seen waiting outside Marmaris State Hospital as he underwent further surgery - he was found stabbed over a dozen times on Tuesday . Treatment: The state hospital in Marmaris where 17-year-old Dwayne Ward is fighting for his life . Ismail was taken from the bus at Konya and is being transferred back to Marmaris to undergo questioning. Marmaris police immediately launched a major investigation into the . alleged attack andall leave was cancelled as they desperately tried to track down the attackers. Within 48 hours police had checked 217 cameras covering the town's Bar Street and surrounding areas. Careful . examination of the camera's showed Dwayne leaving Bar Street and then a . few hundred yards further on two men were seen following him and taking . hold of his arms. Suspect: Attila Dincer (blue T-shirt) is led away by police. He is being questioned in connection with the stabbing of 17-year-old Dwaine Ward in the Turkish resort town of Marmaris . Ismail A, 24, the second suspect being questioned. He was arrested on a bus in Konya, 354 miles from Marmaris . Troubling time: Older brother Darren, visits the police station to give evidence . According . to police and hospital reports Dwayne had been stabbed more than a . dozen times including twice in the throat and several times in the . chest. It is said to have pierced his heart. It is said he had also been stabbed in the groin, legs and back and his arms had been slashed with a razor. Today family and friends today spoke of their horror after the 'quiet, decent' football-loving teen was attacked. Carolyn Ward, a relative of Dwayne's, . said: 'It has been a massive shock to the family, his dad Wayne is due . to fly out out to Turkey soon. Two British men are believed to have died in separate drowning incidents in Turkey, while a teenager is fighting for his life after he was stabbed ten times . Horrifying: The naked body of Dwayne Ward, was discovered by horrified local residents in this public garden in Marmaris - he'd been stripped and stabbed more than a dozen times . 'From what we understand his . condition has improved slightly and we are hoping that proves to be the . case. He's such a nice, quiet young lad, it's hard to believe he's been . set on like this.' Dwayne's uncle, Vincent Ward said: 'It's hit everyone very hard, his Dad's in bits about it but is going out there tomorrow.' Wayne Hand, 17, a former school friend at Middlesbrough's Macmillan Academy, which Dwayne left last year. Wayne said: 'He's a really nice genuine lad and definitely not the sort to go looking for trouble. 'If he got into bother it will have come to him because he's just not one of those people who invites it. At school he was quiet and well liked. 'After leaving MacMillan he moved on . to Middlesbrough College and that's where he's studying now, I think . it's something sports based. 'He's a good footballer and loves . sport of all kinds. There have been loads of people on Twitter and . Facebook this morning talking about him as word has spread of what's . happened. 'He's a very popular lad and we're all totally shocked. We just want to see him him recovered and home as soon as possible.' Neighbours at the family's neat semi . detached home were also shocked by the news that Dwayne had been left . fighting for his life. One neighbour said: 'He is a . respectable, decent lad from a nice family. He is certainly not the sort . of kid who would have gone looking for trouble. 'He spent most of his time kicking a football around at the back of the house either on his own or with his mates. People on Belcekiz beach called paramedics after noticing that a body, believed to be that of Anthony Gissing, was floating in the sea without moving . The attack took place after the young . man and his older brother, had been out drinking in the . town's Bar Street on Monday night. The brothers had reportedly become separated among the crowds and Darren had returned to their hotel alone. The . brothers are believed to be on holiday with their mother- staying at . the privately run Ali Baba Otel close to the town's busy market place. Speaking . from the Ali Baba Otel, yesterday morning his mother said: 'Dwayne's . facing another operation this morning. His dad's flying out from the UK . to be with him. 'I'm too distressed to talk about it.' The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirmed hospitalisation of the teenager. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Dwayne Ward was found naked in a garden in the Tepe district of Marmaris .
The teenager is said to be in a critical condition at local hospital .
Two men have been arrested after a huge police manhunt .
Dwayne: 'I was having fun while I was out and I kissed a Turkish girl' |
118,017 | 2466a383e006e6d4647bfad539db644c33888eda | (CNN) -- The Humane Society has accused a federally funded primate center of mistreating chimpanzees and other primates, saying that some animals showed signs of psychosis and self-mutilation. New Iberia Research Center cages about 325 chimps on its 100 acres. It also has about 6,000 monkeys. The allegations against the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana, which houses more than 6,500 primates, came after a nine-month undercover investigation. The center denies the allegations. "We found animals living in isolation, exhibiting self-mutilating behavior, psychosis, all sorts of emotional and physical problems at this laboratory," Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN on Wednesday. The Humane Society's undercover investigator, who worked as a laboratory technician with a hidden camera, revealed 338 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, which sets standards for the treatment of animals in labs, Pacelle said. The Humane Society posted some of its secret footage on its Web site. The footage includes an animal with what the group said was a self-inflicted wound, another animal jumping in circles in its cage, and chimpanzees screaming as lab technicians approached with a dart gun. The violations were filed in a 108-page complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is required by law to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, the organization said. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he will order a thorough investigation of animal welfare practices at the facility. "If the allegations prove to be true, the American public can expect the perpetrators to be held fully accountable. I take the protection of animals very seriously, and will do my utmost to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act," he said in a written statement. The New Iberia Research Center, part of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, issued a statement saying that the videos "distort acceptable standard procedures and incorrectly imply mistreatment of nonhuman primates at the New Iberia Research Center." It added: "We take very seriously our responsibility to care for the animals housed at the center and to carry out biomedical research according to federal rules and regulations." The center further said it properly housed and cared for the animals. It also said it complies with regulations of the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Humane Society accused workers at New Iberia of hitting primates on the mouth, using "painful" dart guns and removing infant monkeys from their mothers. The Humane Society also said it had documented evidence of "rampant" breeding of government-owned chimpanzees. In 2007, the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research Resources, following a 12-year moratorium, said it would no longer breed chimpanzees for research, citing financial reasons. The New Iberia Research Center has received more than $37 million in grants from the NIH, according to the center's Web site. The NIH said it has opened an investigation regarding the allegations and said it is working closely with the USDA. However, it said it could not comment on the allegations while its investigation is under way. "The results will be available when the investigation is complete," the NIH said in a written statement. "We are committed to the safety and welfare of all animals in research. All animals used in federally funded research are protected by laws, regulations, and policies to ensure they are used in the smallest numbers possible and with the greatest commitment to their comfort." Pacelle said the most serious issue was the self-mutilation and "nonstop pacing and circling, psychosis and other abnormal behaviors." "These are highly intelligent animals. They have a sense of self, they have a sense of past and future, they have the wide range of emotions that we have," he said. "They should not be subjected to this long-term, decade-long isolation, and all these painful and physical procedures and the psychological torment in these laboratories." The New Iberia Research Center says it offers a "broad range of diagnostic, laboratory, and human resources for the development and characterization of nonhuman primate models for applied and basic research aimed at promoting human quality of life." In its statement e-mailed to CNN, the center said it has made numerous contributions to public health improvements for the prevention and treatment of three forms of hepatitis, mumps, measles, chicken pox and mad cow disease. CNN's Bill Caiaccio and Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report. | Society says undercover investigation found animal psychosis, self-mutilation .
Center denies allegations, says it properly housed and cared for the animals .
Agriculture secretary says he'll order investigation of facility's animal welfare practices .
New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana houses more than 6,500 primates . |
38,335 | 6c62db0cb1b9e0c60b3953bb9618b5426a558798 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 05:24 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 18 March 2013 . An Amazonian man has moved from an isolated village in the rainforest to the concrete jungle of New York City. Nilson Tuwe Huni Kui left his tribe in Brazil, with a population of only 600 people, to move to the Big Apple to tell the world about his people and the hardships they face. The 29-year-old is the son of traditional chief of the Huni Kiu Kaxinawa in the Western Amazon, who he says is ‘equivalent to Obama’. Scroll down for video . Long way from home: Nilson Tuwe Huni Kui has moved to New York City from his village in the Western Amazon in Brazil to learn English and to become a filmmaker . Mr Kui spoke to BBC about his trip to New York where he will spend a total of nine months studying filmmaking and being a spokesperson and ‘messenger’ for his people. He said: ‘I came to New York City directly from the rainforest. ‘My dream is to learn English and to meet people and show them my culture and get support for my people.’ 'Directly from the rainforest': Mr Kui moved from his village with a population of only 600 people to be a spokesperson for his people and the problems they face . The . indigenous filmmaker was given the opportunity to study in New York . because of the Tribal Link’s Indigenous Fellowship Program and the . Nataasha van Kampen Foundation after a summit last year in Rio de . Janeiro. He is learning English, filmmaking and editing, and is making a documentary film about his tribe called ‘Us and Them’ about voluntary isolation and the problems his people face such as illegal loggers and drug cartels. Culture shock: Arriving in New York in September last year, Mr Kui has grappled with culture shock, learning how to use the subway and taking in the vast array of people from all over the world, the American food and the 'very, very cold weather' Riding the subway: While in New York, Mr Kui catches the train, it takes five days travel by boat to reach his village from the nearest town . 'Show them my culture': Mr Kui is making a film about his tribe and some of the hardships they face including illegal logging and drug cartels . Mr Kui said: ‘Through technology you can learn about the world and the world can learn about you. ‘I’m working on a movie about the people who live in voluntary isolation. I’d like to become a professional filmmaker to help my people.’ Arriving in New York in September last year, Mr Kui has grappled with culture shock, learning how to use the subway and take in the vast array of different people from all over the world, the American food and the ‘very, very cold weather’. Young leader: The 29-year-old is the son of the traditional chief of the Huni Kiu Kaxinawa who he says is 'equivalent to Obama' Tribal culture: Mr Kiu said his people are 'rich in biodiversity, in culture and in spirituality' He said: ‘People may think that richness is about money but for us in the rainforest being rich is something else. We are rich in biodiversity, in culture and in spirituality.’ It takes five days travel by boat to reach his village from the nearest town. The people prefer an isolated existence and avoid contact with the outside world. The Indigenous Fellowship Program aims to help indigenous peoples from all over the world get education and training in a field of their interest to ultimately improve life for their native community. Amazonians: The Huni Kiu Kaxinawa tribe live in the Western Amazon of Brazil in the state of Acre and they prefer an isolated existence and avoid contact with the outside world . International opportunity: The tribe spokesperson was given the chance to study in New York because of the Tribal Link's Indigenous Fellowship Program and the Nataasha van Kampen Foundation . | Nilson Tuwe Huni Kui has moved to New York to study filmmaking .
He comes from a tribe in Brazil in the Western Amazon but will spend a total of nine months in New York .
He hopes to be a spokesperson for his tribe and tell of their hardship . |
35,321 | 646428f9d3f0a7d91a5fe3f44c13c6e9c200baa5 | (CNN) -- The U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee are expected to ask a federal judge Monday to shut down Web sites they allege scam customers trying to buy Olympic tickets, according to court documents. The Web site www.beijingticketing.com is accused in a lawsuit of scamming Olympic ticket buyers. The IOC and the USOC filed lawsuits on July 22 against several Web sites -- primarily www.beijingticketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com -- for illegally using Olympic trademarks to dupe customers into giving them credit card, passport and banking information. Lawyers for the IOC and USOC are expected to petition U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White on Monday to permanently shut down several sites listed in the lawsuit. The lawsuit names the company XL & H Ltd, known as Xclusive Leisure & Hospitality Ltd. and six other Web sites believed to be fraudulent. Several consumers who purchased tickets from the site contacted the USOC when they did not receive tickets, despite numerous calls and e-mails to the Web sites founder, according to a USOC press release. The scam has hit Olympic fans in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Japan, China and Norway, according to media reports. Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates told local media that relatives of the country's softball team had been victims of the site. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the New South Wales Government set up a hotline for those duped out of tickets. The hotline has received hundreds of calls from around the globe with consumers detailing losses as high as $57,000. The IOC and USOC successfully secured a restraining order on July 23 in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona, that shut down www.beijing-2008tickets.com, according to court documents. That site is now shut down and no contact information is available. The site www.BeijingTicketing.com priced tickets for Friday's Olympic opening ceremony at about $2,000, with events such as swimming selling for between $300 and $500. The site is the first entry that comes up for a Google search for "Olympic tickets," second only to the authorized dealer of Olympic tickets, www.cosport.com. The Web site ww.beijingticketing.com site lists a London phone number, which rang unanswered. The site lists an office address in Arizona. The site boasts tickets for nearly every Olympic event, with some events showing sell-outs already. The site also looked to assure ticket buyers of its authenticity with a note at the bottom of the site. "Beijing 2008 Ticketing is a well known tickets agent and a trusted market place for buyers to find book Olympic tickets," the note stated. "We assure 100% guaranteed tickets delivery." | USOC, IOC claim fake ticket sites have bilked customers using their trademark .
Sites www.BeijingTicketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com named in suit .
One site claims "We assure 100 % guaranteed tickets delivery" |
26,186 | 4a378af472e28356b234186e2e0a403131e607cd | What happens when you drop a bowling ball and feather at the same time? The answer seems pretty obvious, with the latter falling slower due to air resistance. But in the latest episode of Human Universe Professor Brian Cox explained how, in the absence of air, both fall at the same rate owing to the laws of gravity. To prove the theory he used the world’s largest vacuum chamber, which normally tests spacecraft, to drop a bowling ball and feather from a great height in space-like conditions. Scroll down for video . In the latest episode of Human Universe Brian Cox tests the laws of gravity . To do so he travels to the Nasa Space Power Facility near Cleveland, Ohio, the world's biggest vacuum chamber, and drops a bowling ball and feathers (shown) - which fall at the same rate . The video is from the fourth episode of Brian Cox’s Human Universe, which looked at our origins and place in the universe. Professor Cox visited Nasa’s Space Power Facility near Cleveland, Ohio to investigate theories of gravity from two great scientific minds: Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. Both theorised that, in the absence of air, objects would fall to Earth at the same rate. In the 16th century Italian scientist Galileo predicted that, if two objects of different weight were dropped from a height, they would fall at the same rate owing to the law of gravity. He supposedly tested this by dropping two balls of different mass from the Leaning Tower of Pisa in 1589. The following century on 5 July 1687 English physicist Sir Isaac Newton published a similar theory, his law of universal gravitation, which explained how the force of gravity attracts objects together. But on Earth there is one noticeable problem to testing these theories, namely air resistance. While objects of different weight should fall slower, using an object like a feather seems to defeat the theories as its larger surface area and low mass means it floats to the ground. But, so the theory goes, in the absence of air a feather should fall at the same rate as a bowling ball, even given the hugely different weights. In the early 20th centurty though Einstein proposed that the objects were not falling at all. Rather, if you were to replace one of the objects with, say, a person in a box, it would be impossible for the person to know they were falling. And this is what Cox concludes with his experiment: from the frame of reference from one of the falling objects in the vacuum it would be impossible to know what forces are acting. This was famously proven on the lunar surface in 1971 by Commander David Scott during the Apollo 15 mission. On the moon he dropped a feather and hammer and watched as they fell in the same time, proving that all objects fall at the same rate when air resistance and other forces do not come into play. To create an environment devoid of air, similar to the conditions encountered in space, the vacuum chamber Professor Cox visited is capable of pumping out 30 tons of air until there are just two grams (0.004lbs) left. Originally built in 1969 to test nuclear propulsion systems, the chamber is now used to test modern spacecraft - but Professor Cox used it to test this more humble although still impressive experiment. First Professor Cox raises a bowling ball and some feathers high into the chamber, before the air has been removed, and drops them to the floor. In this initial experiment the bowling ball drops straight to the ground whereas the feathers float, owing to the air resistance in the room. He alludes to the earlier experiment by Galileo that tested the same hypothesis. ‘Galileo’s experiment was simple,’ he explains. ‘He took a heavy object, and a light one, and dropped them at the same time to see which fell fastest.’ But, while Galileo’s experiment proved two similarly shaped objects would fall at the same speed despite being different weights, he didn’t have access to a vacuum chamber in the 17th Century to conduct Professor Cox's more extravagant experiment. Namely he wasn’t able to show that two objects of vastly different weight and surface area, in this case a feather and a bowling ball, would fall at the same rate. Nasa's Space Power Facility (shown) was built in the 1960s to test nuclear propulsion systems but is now usually used to test spacecraft. It was made out of aluminium to cope with the radiation but needs an outer concrete 'shell' to make sure it is strong enough to hold a vacuum inside . The Space Power Facility (SPF) was built by Nasa in 1969. At 122 feet (37.2 metres) high and 100 feet (30.5 metres) in diameter it is the world’s largest vacuum chamber. Originally used for testing nuclear propulsion systems, it has since been repurposed for modern spacecraft. In just three hours it is capable of removing almost all of the air in the 800,000 cubic-foot (22,650 cubic metres) chamber, similar to the conditions that would be encountered in space. It can also be chilled to temperatures of -160°C (-250°F). It was made out of aluminium to cope with the radiation but needs an outer concrete 'shell' to make sure it is strong enough to hold a vacuum inside. As the team gears up to perform the experiment the giant door of the chamber closes and the 800,000 cubic feet (22,650 cubic metres) of air is pumped out in a process taking three hours. ‘But once it’s complete there’s a near perfect vacuum inside,’ said Professor Cox. Standing with the control team, one of the engineers presses a button that again releases the bowling ball and feather from a height, as in the first experiment. But this time, in a moment that amazes the team that Professor Cox is with, both dramatically fall at exactly the same rate. ‘They came down exactly the same!’ exclaims one of the team with Professor Cox. ‘Holy mackerel,’ says another. Professor Cox's reasoning for conducting the experiment is not just to prove Galileo and Newton correct. It’s to prove a more interesting hypothesis put forward by Albert Einstein in the 20th century. Galileo's theory of gravity was famously proven on the lunar surface in 1971 by Commander David Scott during the Apollo 15 mission (shown). He dropped a feather and hammer and watched as they fell in the same time, proving that all objects fall at the same rate when air resistance and other forces do not come into play . ‘Isaac Newton would say that the ball and the feather fall because there’s a force pulling them down: gravity,’ he said. ‘But Einstein imagined the scene very differently. ‘The “happiest thought of his life” [as Einstein called it] was this; the reason the bowling ball and the feather fall together is because they’re not falling. ‘They’re standing still. There is no force acting on them at all. ‘He reasoned that if you couldn’t see the background, there’d be no way of knowing that the ball and the feathers were being accelerated towards the Earth. ‘So he concluded they weren’t.’ This slight tweaking of Newton’s earlier theory enabled Einstein to more accurately define his own Special Theory of Relativity. This regards the relationship between space and time but one of its conclusions is that nothing can travel faster than light. Albert Einstein's Special Theory of Relavity showed how space and time interact, and also looked at the effect gravity has on the universe. It was first proposed by Einstein in 1905. Illustrated here is Nasa's Gravity Probe B spacecraft, launched in 2004 with a twin spacecraft to prove Einstein's theories . Under Newton’s theory, though, it was thought that changes in gravitational force would be instantaneous - clearly breaking the laws of physics. But Einstein proposed that the objects were not falling at all. Rather, if you were to replace one of the objects with, say, a person in a box, it would be impossible for the person to know they were falling. And this is what Cox meant with his final statement. From the frame of reference from one of the falling objects in the vacuum it would be impossible to know what forces are acting. This became known as the ‘Principle of Equivalence’ and, in essence, it showed that mass was independent from other forces like gravity. Long story short? Cox’s experiment proved the theory of gravity that Einstein called "the happiest thought of my life”. Professor Cox showed that, in the absence of air, falling objects are essentially 'at rest' and it is not possible to know if one of the objects is moving unless there is a 'background'. Here, former Nasa astronaut Bruce McCandless II is seen floating above Earth using a special personal propulsion system in 1984 . | In the latest episode of Human Universe Brian Cox tested the laws of gravity .
To do so he travels to the Nasa Space Power Facility near Cleveland, Ohio .
This is the world's biggest vacuum chamber, used to test spacecraft in space-like conditions .
In the experiment Cox raises a bowling ball and feathers above the ground .
Almost all of the air is removed from the chamber to make it a vacuum .
The objects are then dropped and hit the ground at the same time .
This is because there is no air resistance and they 'fall' at the same rate .
But Professor Cox explains they are not 'falling' at all, but rather adhering to Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity . |
39,257 | 6ee93ce28f242c82b872dda51fc576356bb492cb | (CNN) -- A 4-year-old Ohio girl who vanished more than three weeks ago was found alive and in good condition, halfway across the country in southern California, authorities said. Haylee Donathan was found with her mother and her mother's boyfriend, fugitive sex offender Robbie Potter. Haylee Donathan, her mother Candace Watson and Robbie Potter were discovered hiding for the past week at The Morning Star Ranch, a retreat in Valley Center, near San Diego, said Peter Elliott, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio. Potter is a registered sex offender, officials said. He was being sought by the U.S. Marshal's Service. Late Tuesday Haylee was in the custody of a children's protective services agency in the San Diego County area, Elliott said. She was doing well but may have chicken pox, he added. "We understand she is healthy and happy and I believe, waiting to come back to her grandmother here," he said. Watch authorities announce their find » . The journey west took them more than two thousand miles from Mansfield, the north-Central Ohio city where the girl and her mother live. "I am very happy that my granddaughter's coming home," said Mary Watson, Haylee's grandmother. "And I just want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart." Watson, 24, and Potter, 27, were arrested without incident and held by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. When asked their reaction, Elliott said, "I believe a little shocked that we were able to find them." Potter and Watson were still using the same vehicle, a 1980s blue Chevrolet pickup truck they drove from Ohio, Elliott said. Watson's hair was a bit darker and Potter also changed his appearance slightly. Authorities had feared Haylee was endangered. Potter, a sex offender, had escaped a half-way house on May 28, the day the girl and her mother fell out of sight. Countless tips came in while they were missing but one in particular led to the breakthrough on Tuesday, Elliott said without elaborating. But a tip from members of the ranch could have lead to the raid and arrest, a ranchmember told CNN. Kevin Carlin, a member of the ranch in the neighborhood of Valley Center, told CNN in a telephone interview that ranch members became suspicious when a former ranch guest saw billboards urging help in finding Haylee and the two adults. Elliott also praised intense national news coverage from programs such as HLN's Nancy Grace and Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, as well as local media and Clear Channel, which put up missing child billboards across the country. When she is returned to Ohio, Haylee will be placed in the custody of her grandmother, Elliott said. The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of 27-year-old Potter. Potter was wanted on a state warrant for parole violation and a federal warrant for probation violation. He is a convicted tier three sex offender, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, a unit of the Justice Department. While on the run, Potter and Watson were reportedly seen on surveillance video on May 31 at a Wal-Mart Store in Marion, Ohio, 40 miles from Mansfield. Haylee was not on that video. Adding to concerns, Watson's roommate, Samantha Covert, said last week in an interview on Nancy Grace that she saw the little girl in bed with her mother and Potter the morning they disappeared. Covert said Watson carried a basket of clothing, pillows and blankets. Watson will likely face state charges, including harboring a fugitive, according to Elliott. In addition to other charges, he said Potter may be prosecuted under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, a federal sex offender registration and self-reporting law that carries a multi-year felony sentence if violated. On its Web site, the Morning Star Ranch describes itself as "a community of growers of organic, pesticide-free avocados, grapefruit, persimmons, nuts, and other produce." Elliot said he believed it is a rehab facility and also called it a Christian retreat. | Missing Ohio girl found alive near San Diego, California, authorities say .
Tip led authorities to raid communal farm .
Haylee Donathan was with mother, boyfriend who's a fugitive sex offender .
Haylee, mother were last seen May 28 . |
71,130 | c9af4d8ea0edf842821b9486992bf4f9065d51c4 | Four men were miraculously found alive after a landslide buried them alive on a construction site in China . Two of the builders had been buried in the trench for over two hours when firefighters pulled them out on Wednesday afternoon. The accident happened in Shaoyang County, southern China's Hunan province when two builders working on the site were buried in a mudslide. Stuck in: Firefighters tread carefully as they free one of the men so as not to set off another landslide . When the construction team sent two workers to rescue them, they too were caught in a second slide. Firefighters were called to the scene and after two hours, all four workers were found unharmed. This is the latest in a long line of work related accidents in China as a result of its notoriously slack health and safety regulations, some of which have had deadly outcomes. In September, 19 workers died on a construction site in Wuhan, central China when a lift cable snapped, causing it to fall 30 floors. Bad luck twice: The first two men were buried whilst working in this trench in Shaoyang county, Hunan, and the last two were caught in a landslide trying to save them . Dig him out: Firefighters and builders uncover the head of one of the men, miraculously still alive . The accident occurred only days after a . man nearly died from a metal bar impaling his head on another . construction site in Shangrao, China's eastern Jiangxi province. A prominent case is that of Iphone and iPad supplier Foxconn, which put . up metal wires on their factories' dormitory windows after 14 . workers jumped to their deaths at their . Shenzhen plant in 2010. Despite the safety measures a further five workers have killed themselves in 2011-2012 at different Foxconn factories across China. Although the government says it is taking measures to reduce fatalities, . more than 75,500 people died in work-related accidents last year, . according to the State Administration of Work Safety. Get me out: The buried builder looks strained as he is being shovelled out of the ground . Blessed: The builders were lucky to be alive after two hours under the rubble and mud . Relief: Shaken and very dirty, the construction worker is finally freed from the mud . | Two of the men survived two hours buried alive at Shaoyang County construction site .
More than 75,500 people died in work-related accidents in China in 2011 . |
29,186 | 52ed8489582aafead4bd427fa9e3b5a6f995653f | (CNN) -- Genetic screening techniques that allow parents to choose their children's gender are now more accurate than ever and are becoming increasingly mainstream, but experts are divided over whether the technology should be used in this way. A technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was originally developed two decades ago to allow embryos to be tested for genetic disease. It requires parents to use in vitro fertilization, where eggs are fertilized outside the womb. With PGD, the embryos are tested for genetic disorders and only those that are free of disease are transferred to the mother's uterus. It means that parents who carry genetic defects can ensure they don't pass on a genetic illness to their children. But PGD also can also be used to allow people undergoing in-vitro fertilization to select the gender of the embryo implanted in the mother's uterus. Click on the flags above to watch people around the world answer the question, "Would you choose your child's gender?" Using PGD for gender selection is banned in most countries, but it is legal in the U.S., where the procedure costs around $18,000, including in-vitro fertilization. Los Angeles fertility expert Dr. Jeffrey Steinberg uses PGD for gender selection. He told CNN's Vital Signs program that many of his American clients already have children of one gender and are trying to achieve "family balancing." He added that 70 percent of his patients are from countries where the procedure is banned. Critics question the ethics of gender selection, and some argue that it could lead to a gender imbalance, particularly in societies with a traditional preference for boys. "If anything, there's a slight preponderance for females, and this is contrary to everything that is publicized, and clearly it varies by country," said Steinberg. "China is strongly in favor of boys, as we would suspect. India, strongly in favor of boys. But when you look at the world in general, it's 50-50" Dr. Mark Hughes, who pioneered PGD, he has concerns about its use for non-medical purposes. He told CNN, "It definitely is an expanded reproductive choice. The question is, is it medicine? Is it something that doctors should be involved in?" But Steinberg argues that it's wrong to limit scientific capabilities. "I say to critics that the last thing in the world that you want to do is put the handcuffs on science. "We've been giving women expanded reproductive choices for 50 years. This is another choice." Although the technology for gender selection is becoming more widespread, it remains controversial. Some feel that it's "playing God," while others welcome having more choice in family planning. Would you choose your child's gender? Sound Off below. | Technology that lets parents choose their children's gender is becoming more mainstream .
Some experts believe that it's wrong to use such technology for non-medical purposes .
CNN asked people around the world if they would choose their child's gender . |
271,453 | eb9adbd651939bc8170e70e2ffe6d527feb14bd0 | (CNN) -- A teenage mother and her young daughter, snatched off a Cleveland street, were found shot to death in a garage early Sunday, Cleveland, Ohio, police said. Thomas Lorde, the estranged boyfriend of 19-year-old Latasha Jackson and the father of 1-year-old Chaniya Wynn, was found next to them, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said Sunday. Cleveland police issued an Amber Alert on Saturday after witnesses reported seeing Jackson and Chaniya abducted while walking on East 72nd Avenue in Cleveland. Jackson's 14-year-old brother was walking with the pair when he said Lorde approached. "He walked up on us and ... he pulled out the gun. He pointed it at me," the brother told CNN affiliate WEWS. "He told me to run." The brother, who CNN is not identifying because of his age, ran home and called 911. "I was scared for my niece and my sister," he said. "She (Jackson) was silent. She was scared. She didn't know what to do." The alert named Lorde, 25, as the kidnapping suspect, warning that he was a "violent sexual predator with felony warrants out of New York," and armed and dangerous. The alert was lifted Sunday after police found the bodies of the three "in a closed garage of an unoccupied structure in the 7000 block of Union Avenue," a police statement said. "All three were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead on the scene," the statement said. No other details of the investigation were made public. CNN's Maggie Schneider contributed to this report. | NEW: "He walked up on us and ... he pulled out the gun," victim's brother says .
The mother's estranged boyfriend is found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, police say .
19-year-old Latasha Jackson and 1-year-old Chaniya are found dead Sunday in a Cleveland garage .
Witnesses tell police they saw Lorde snatch the mom and child off a Cleveland street . |
207,560 | 98be0b9ace092184e950c28f1b2d04a143fa7685 | West Ham Ladies footballer: Katie Sheppard, 20, sent angry text messages ‘shouting’ at her partner . A rising star of women’s football was found hanging days after a row over her girlfriend’s refusal to tell her parents about their relationship, an inquest heard today. Katie Sheppard, 20, who played for West Ham Ladies, sent angry text messages ‘shouting’ at her partner Nancy Richardson. The midfielder died earlier this year just hours before she was due to begin pre-season training at the club. Her body was found hanging on July 2 by Nathaniel Hall, her mother’s partner, at her home in of Sidcup, south-east London. Today an inquest at Croydon Coroner’s Court in south London heard how officers called to her family home were concerned that the couple may have planned a suicide pact. PC Alex Giacomazzi said he rushed to Miss Richardson’s home after speaking to Miss Sheppard’s brother Christopher, soon after her body was discovered. He told the inquest: ‘I learned that Katie was openly homosexual and her family and friends had accepted that. 'I found out she had a girlfriend called Nancy Richardson. I was worried that there may have been some sort of pact and they did it together.’ But when he turned up at Miss Richardson’s home he had to break the news to her in front of her parents. Miss Richardson revealed communication between the two had been difficult in the days before, the inquest heard. Coroner Dr Adela Williams asked PC Giacomazzi if his investigation had revealed anything of concern before Katie’s death. He told the court he had gone through Miss Richardson’s phone and the tone of the messages from Miss Sheppard had changed. He said: ‘It had suddenly changed very dramatically and Katie started "shouting" over text message, using capitals, because Nancy wasn’t telling her parents about the relationship.’ At 10.29am on the day of her death Miss Sheppard sent a chilling message sent to her girlfriend saying: ‘Don’t look at your phone or you might turn up here and I can’t physically answer.’ Trophy: Miss Sheppard died this year just hours before she was due to begin pre-season training at the club . A diary found in her bedroom contained a handwritten note with the message: ‘God forgive me, I sacrifice myself to you and to your kingdom.’ Beside the message was a picture of a coffin with the letter ‘K’ on it, the inquest heard. Doctors records showed Miss Sheppard had been prescribed antidepressants the year before her death, although none were found at her home. Footballer: Miss Sheppard's body was found hanging at her home in of Sidcup, south-east London . A police investigation and post mortem ruled out foul play and gave the cause of death as asphyxia by hanging. Recording an open verdict, coroner Dr Adela Williams said: ‘We are left with a situation where there’s really no explanation for why Katie died. ‘We are left with a young girl who had a really major shift in her life, going to university is a major event in a young girl’s life. I don’t think we know if she intended to do it as a call for help. ‘I don’t find the note itself as evidence that she intended to do it, although I appreciate that’s not satisfactory for the family to hear.’ She added: ‘I’m desperately sorry and I would like to give my sincerest condolences to Katie’s family.’ The former Charlton Athletic junior player had recently returned home for the summer from Kent University. Miss Sheppard, a sports therapy student, had played for West Ham ladies for two years, making four first team appearances in 2012/13. She hoped to go on to play for a U.S. team. In a questionnaire on the Charlton Athletic website, she said she aspired to be like footballer Scott Parker, but that her father was her biggest inspiration. She said of her father: ‘He is the one who takes me to and from games and will always be honest in telling me about how I played and how to progress.’ Miss Sheppard’s family declined to comment as they left today’s hearing. Hammers midfielder: In a questionnaire, Miss Sheppard said she wanted to be like footballer Scott Parker . | Katie Sheppard of West Ham Ladies sent angry text messages to partner .
Died just hours before she was due to begin pre-season training at club .
Open verdict from coroner; cause of death given as asphyxia by hanging .
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details . |
176,203 | 701cb7bd564591222c0b8cbb32af77a7a931f37d | By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 9:34 AM on 26th September 2011 . The red squirrel faces extinction in the next two decades as its population has dropped by half in the past 50 years, warn researchers. Efforts through wildlife biodiversity action plans to save British mammals have failed to halt the decline in numbers of red squirrels, as well as hedgehogs, Scottish wildcats and dormice. Red squirrel populations have been hit by invasive grey squirrels, which compete with reds for food and carry a disease which is fatal to their native cousins. And wildlife experts think the animals will soon be confined to remote areas of Britain such as the Scottish Highlands. Under threat: The population of red squirrels has fallen by half in the past 50 years, according to experts . According to a Oxford University report, . numbers of UK hedgehogs have dwindled to about 1.5million, compared . with 30million in the 1950s. A report by the university's wildlife conservation unit for the People's Trust for Endangered Species states that the common dormouse and mountain hare are also under threat, despite the efforts of nationwide biodiversity action plans. The State of Britain's Mammals study claims that seven mammal species whose conservation was given priority status were still declining last year. The report states: 'Although many of Britain's mammals apparently declined significantly in the past 25 years, some appear to have stabilised or even increased in the last decade,' the report states. 1 Red-necked phalarope (pictured) 2 Black-tailed godwit . 3 Scottish wildcat . 4 Capercaillie . 5 Cuckoo . 6 Red squirrel . 7 Turtle dove . 8 Natterjack toad . 9 Brown hare . 10 Hedgehog . 'Of the 25 monitored mammal species native to Britain, half are stable (not necessarily in a good state) or increasing.' Despite the largely negative news from the report, there was some encouragement from the fact that the populations of bats, otters and water voles has increased. Otters in particular have benefited . from cleaner rivers in Britain, following a ban on chemicals used in . sheep dip in the late 1990s. But a combination of pesticides killing their prey, hedgerow low and other factors has seen the UK's hedgehog numbers plummet. The . omens for the red squirrel have also not been helped by the discovery . in Scotland in 2005 of the squirrel pox virus, carried by grey . squirrels. The disease had previously been confined to England, where it has been one of the causes of the huge reduction in the number of red squirrels. David Macdonald, one of the report's authors, warned: 'We expect the future of red squirrels to be confined to a few islands, such as Anglesey and the Isle of Wight, or in the Highlands of Scotland.' He and co-author Dawn Burnham added: 'The last 15 years . have seen some successes, particularly recovery of some rare species. 'However, with the ongoing decline of . once common species, like hedgehogs, it is widely accepted that targets . for the Convention on Biological Diversity, for 2010, were missed. 'In . general, progress has been better for species restricted in range that . could benefit from targeted, site-based, conservation efforts. 'There's been less progress on targets for habitats and many widespread species.' Dying out: The hedgehog is now on the list of the 10 most endangered species in Britain . As well as 'holding the line' by taking steps to protect threatened mammals, the authors suggest radical conservation efforts including bringing back once-native species, such as beavers and even the Eurasian lynx, to the UK. 'We should be thinking about beaver reintroductions in Wales and England in the course of the immediate future,' Professor Macdonald said. He has also floated the idea of more radical interventions to help Britain's wildlife, including taking large areas out of agriculture for 're-wilding' and fenced and unfenced nature reserves. An environmental survey last month named red squirrels, hedgehogs, the brown hare and the Scottish wildcat in Britain's top 10 endangered species. The red-necked phalathrope was said to be Britain's most endangered species, while the red squirrel was sixth, and the hedgehog tenth. | Hedgehog population drops to 1.5m from 30m in 1950s .
Scottish wildcats and dormice also under threat . |
46,041 | 81b54331e66cd9ea4f3045c2967b56aea97b6f34 | (CNN) -- At least 23 people died Saturday when a protest rally turned violent outside Madagascar's Presidential Palace, a fire official at the main hospital said. People duck to avoid gunfire Saturday in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. The official said 83 people were injured during the demonstration in the capital city of Antananarivo, according to journalist Dregoire Pourtier, who passed the information to CNN. The International Committee of the Red Cross helped at least 18 injured people, press officer Mbola Ramamanana said. Brittany Martin, an American who is a Harvard Fellow and lives near the palace, said she could hear the crowd cheering amid intermittent gunshots and noises that may have been tear gas canisters. iReport.com: Are you there? "From the window I can see military cars and ambulances driving by," Martin said. "Nothing is up in smoke. We know there have been people killed from French and Malagasy news reports. "We can see the back of the president's palace. This morning was totally peaceful. We knew that Andry [Rajoelina] was unveiling his new government at the May 13th Plaza, which was peaceful," she said, citing a friend who was there. Madagascar's government is in flux. President Marc Ravalomanana fired Rajoelina as mayor of Antananarivo and put someone else in the job, but Rajoelina is still technically mayor and claims to head a transitional national government. Martin said she heard gunshots starting about 2 p.m., after the protesters marched from the plaza to the palace. She said it was unclear where the shots were coming from. Some media reports blamed foreign mercenaries for the shootings; others said army guards were responsible or that the army was firing at the mercenaries to protect the crowd. Violence in Madagascar began January 26, when protesters stormed state-run television and radio stations in Antananarivo. Hours earlier, the government had shut down a radio station owned by Rajoelina and, weeks before, had similarly shut down Rajoelina's television station after it aired an interview with ex-President Didier Ratsiraka. Ravalomanana took power in 2001 after ousting Ratsiraka in a tense, hotly contested election. Ratsiraka fled to France afterward. Loyalists blame Ratsiraka's family members for inciting the recent trouble. There is also anger in Madagascar -- where the World Bank says the average person earns about $320 a year -- over reports that Ravalomanana recently bought a $60 million airplane. Last Saturday, Rajoelina took to the streets, declaring himself the nation's leader after a week of violence and looting that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 300. Rajoelina urged supporters to demand the resignation of Ravalomanana and said he planned to take charge until a transition government can be established in the island nation off Africa's southeastern coast. Map » . "What we've been pushing for is dialogue the whole time," said Rodney Ford, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy. He said he received reports that palace guards used tear gas and shot into the air to try to disperse the crowd. "I don't think anyone wanted violence." According to the U.S. State Department, Madagascar has about 20 million people with ethnic origins in Africa and Asia. It was administered by the British Empire during much of the 19th century until it came under the control of France, from which it gained independence in 1960. | Gunfire heard near presidential palace, site of anti-government rally .
President and fired mayor of capital city are locked in a power struggle .
Rally started peacefully, American in capital says . |
229,686 | b5732576669d0426e92de824d4b61a47e84b7aa4 | FIFA has agreed to reveal the details of two controversial World Cup bids after their corruption investigator resigned amid claims of an alleged cover up. American lawyer Michael Garcia was tasked with investigating corruption claims concerning the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids won by Russia and Qatar. Mr Garcia resigned as FIFA's ethics investigator on Wednesday after the association refused to allow him to challenge findings that cleared the Russian and Qatari bids of any wrongdoing during the selection process. Scroll down for video . Former FIFA ethics investigator Michael Garcia resigned on Wednesday accusing the association of suffering from 'a lack of leadership', prompting president Sepp Blatter, pictured today, to call an emergency meeting . Michael Garcia, pictured, was tasked with looking into the bidding process concerning the 2018 and 2022 World Cup competitions which were awarded to Russia and Qatar amid allegations of corruption . Mr Garcia accused FIFA of suffering from 'a lack of leadership' and announced his resignation on Wednesday. He resigned on the eve of a major meeting of FIFA's executive committee which is responsible for running world football. The committee has been under considerable pressure over allegations surrounding the process used to choose the venues for the next two World Cups. At today's meeting in Morocco, FIFA agreed that the 430-page report should be published, with certain names and details redacted for legal reasons. However, the report's publication will be delayed until the ethics committee considers charges against three of FIFA's ruling executive committee. American lawyer Michael Garcia produced a 430-page report into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, won by Russia and Qatar respectively. He quit on Wednesday as FIFA's ethics investigator after losing his appeal challenging the findings to clear Russia and Qatar to host the World Cups. Today's meeting was addressed by Domenico Scala, head of FIFA's audit and compliance committee who advised that an 'appropriate form' of Mr Garcia's report should be published, with names and other details redacted for legal reasons. This was agreed unanimously by the executive committee. German member Theo Zwanziger wanted to change FIFA's ethics code rules to publish the report immediately and in full, but this proposal was not considered by the committe.. FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce, from Northern Ireland, welcomed the move. JULY 2012 . FIFA appoint US lawyer Garcia and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert to their Ethics Committee. Garcia is brought in to investigate bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. SEPTEMBER 2014 . Garcia submits his 430-page report. Eckert says it will not be made public, with only his summary published. OCTOBER 2014 . Garcia, among others, calls for the report to be published in full and says of FIFA: ‘(The) investigation and adjudication process operates in most parts unseen and unheard... (it) might be appropriate for an intelligence agency but not for an ethics compliance process in an international sports institution.’ NOVEMBER 2014 . Eckert publishes his summary, which clears Russia and Qatar of corruption, but claims England had undermined the integrity of bidding during their 2018 bid campaign. Garcia says the findings contain ‘erroneous representations ’, and says he will appeal. DECEMBER 2014 . FIFA dismiss Garcia’s complaint to their Appeal Committee. Garcia resigns from the Ethics Committee. He said: 'I am pleased the the FIFA executive committee decided without a vote to publish this report. It shows that people at FIFA at the moment do desire transparency and the sooner we can get on with talking about the game of football that we all love, the better.' FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: 'I am pleased they have agreed. It has been a long process to arrive at this point and I understand the views of those who have been critical. 'We have always been determined that the truth should be known. That is, after all, why we set up an independent Ethics Committee with an investigatory chamber that has all necessary means to undertake investigations on its own initiative.' Mr Garcia, who said himself that the report should be published, spent 18 months investigating allegations of corruption in the bidding process, during which he interviewed 75 witnesses. In November, FIFA's ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert issued a 42-page summary based on Garcia's report which identified cases of 'inappropriate conduct' in a number of the bids but said there was not enough evidence to justify re-opening the bidding process. In Friday's statement, MrBlatter reiterated that the bidding process for the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups would not be re-opened. He said: 'We will not revisit the 2018 and 2022 vote and a report by independent, external legal experts commissioned by Mr Scala supports the view that there are no legal grounds to revoke the Executive Committee's decision on the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. 'Now it is important that the work of the Ethics Committee continues and that any instances of wrongdoing are fully investigated and their perpetrators pursued and sanctioned.' Mr Garcia, who appealed against the summary of his investigation, saying it contained misrepresentations, resigned on Wednesday, one day after a FIFA tribunal ruled his application to be inadmissible. The executive committee also appointed Zurich-based Swiss lawyer Cornel Borbely to replace Mr Garcia in an acting capacity. He had previously been Garcia's deputy and investigated the Russian and American World Cup bids. Mr Garcia said: 'It is the lack of leadership on these issues within FIFA that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end. No independent governance committee, investigator or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organisation.’ Sepp Blatter, pictured today in Morocco, said that he 'understands the views of those who have been critical' | FIFA agree to publish report into Qatar and Russia World Cup bids .
Ethics investigator Michael Garcia resigned on Wednesday over cover-up .
Association said report will be published with sections redacted .
Mr Garcia accused FIFA of suffering from 'a lack of leadership'
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he 'understands the views of critics'
FIFA has no plans to reopen bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups . |
202,299 | 91e93546d92aa27ce9a870b6cc31e396186e257d | Dangerous criminals nearing the end of their sentences who are released from prison for the day are to be fitted with new satellite tracking devices to ease public fears over safety. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling is planning to introduce the new tags next month, The Mail on Sunday understands. The most serious offenders – including murderers, rapists and armed robbers – will be tagged first, but by the end of next year, Mr Grayling wants all of the 1,500 prisoners who are released on ‘temporary licence’ each day to be tagged. Scroll down for video . Fled: 'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley (left) committed an armed robbery while on the run from an open prison. Sabul Miah (right), a mugger serving two life sentences, escaped from Standford Hill prison, Kent, last month . Basic tags have been used by the prison system for the past 15 years, mainly for minor offenders who have been offered early release or a non-custodial sentence. They are linked to a ‘base station’ in their homes, only allowing the prison service to check whether they have obeyed a dusk-to-dawn curfew order. The new models are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which means if offenders go on the run the police can find them immediately. The system, which has to be worn 24 hours a day – ‘bath, bed, everything’ according to a source – contains a battery that is recharged from the mains. The police are alerted if the tag runs out of charge. Mr Grayling is introducing the new devices after a spate of cases in which convicts have committed violent crimes after absconding from open prisons. Earlier this year Michael Wheatley – an armed robber known as the ‘Skull Cracker’ because he pistol-whipped his victims – committed an armed robbery at the same building society he had held up at gunpoint 13 years earlier after failing to return to Standford Hill open prison in Kent. It was the third time Wheatley, 55, who was sentenced to 13 life sentences at the Old Bailey in 2002, had absconded during his criminal career. He evaded capture for four days. The satnav tags will be gradually rolled out across the nation after Wheatley, pictured during an armed robbery, fled from jail . Last week The Mail on Sunday revealed that Sabul Miah, a mugger who received two life sentences in 2003 for attacking pensioners with a knife, had escaped after also failing to return to Standford Hill. He was recaptured on Wednesday. Mr Grayling is also keen to ease the pressure on prison places. The current prison population of 85,786 in England and Wales is just 2,218 short of full capacity, and it costs the taxpayer more than £120,000 for each new prison place created. Each prisoner costs the state £40,000 a year. Release on temporary licence is used in an attempt to reintegrate offenders who have served lengthy prison sentences back into the community. A Justice Department source said: ‘When this new technology starts to come on stream, we’ll be able to track offenders on day release far more closely. The reality is, if you’ve got a tag around your ankle and “eyes in the sky” watching you, it’s going to make you think twice about going AWOL.’ Police are hunting a convicted burglar who has absconded from HMP Leyhill in Gloucestershire. He is the third inmate to go on the run from the prison inside a week. Avon and Somerset Police said Michael Dare – described as a risk to the public – was last seen at the prison at 5pm on Friday. The 29-year-old is serving a 20-month sentence for a burglary committed in 2010. He is believed to be in Birmingham. He is described as white, 5ft 11ins, of heavy build, with an angular face and receding brown hair. He speaks with an East Anglian accent and has a tattoo of a cross on his left arm. Police are already hunting convicted murderer Daniel Shankly, 30, and Daniel Wynne, 29, who are believed to have vanished together from HMP Leyhill on October 25. | Dangerous criminals on day release from prison will have satellite tags .
Murderers and rapists will wear tags when on release near end of sentence .
Eventually all prisoners on licence will wear them, Justice Secretary says .
Tags will help monitor whether criminals obey dusk-to-dawn curfews .
Earlier this year prisoner 'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley robbed bank .
Violent thug went on the run after failing to return to Standford Hill prison . |
55,323 | 9cc921f93c641d073a9aadd47a675fc151d10cbc | A woman who was overcome by fumes at an industrial cellar died after losing her balance and falling into a giant vat of wine. Wine specialist Nerea Perez was watching the fermenting process at the cellar in the Spanish village of Salas de los Barrios, in the north west of the country. It has been reported that the 25-year-old was overcome by the fumes given off during the process causing her to lose her balance and fall into the vat. Nerea Perez died after falling into a vat of wine at an industrial cellar after being overcome by fumes (file picture) Emergency services were then called to scene after receiving a call that about an incident at a warehouse. However, when they reached the cellar, they were unable to save her as she became intoxicated by the gases and could only retrieve her body. According to InfoBizero, her uncle Raul Perez, a well-known winemaker, found her body. The emergency services also had to give assistance to members of Miss Perez's family, who were said to be overcome with grief after the incident. Tributes have already been paid to Miss Perez, who was also the secretary of the Socialist Youth of Bierzo, in the town of Ponferrada, El Bierzo. The incident happened at an industrial wine cellar in Salas de los Barrios, pictured, in north west Spain . All campaigning by the group was suspended today as a mark of respect as people took to social media to speak of their shock. Alvaro Gerarfo Courel, the district secretary of the party told the website: 'We regret the loss of a member of the Bierzo, a companion, which is made more painful by the circumstance and her youth. 'We will show deepest sympathy and send a big hug to her family, friends and the Socialist Youth of Bierzo.' | Nerea Perez, a wine specialist, was watching the wine fermenting process .
25-year-old was overcome by the fumes and lost her balance at the cellar .
Ended up falling into a giant vat of wine at the warehouse in Spain .
Emergency services were called but they were unable to save her .
Her uncle, the well-known wine maker Raul Perez found her body in the vat . |
129,438 | 334e5804dcd8a8938b8878fdac41defaaad6ca66 | For one obese woman, trying to shed the pounds came with one major hurdle - she hated fruit and vegetables so much she hadn't touched a piece of green veg since she was four and not a morsel of fruit had passed her lips since the age of 10. But at 21st 2lb 38-year-old Wendy from Manchester, was so scared her weight was going to kill her she decided to bite the broccoli and face her fruit and vegetable phobia. After seven weeks of a calorie controlled diet, the mother-of-three, who appeared on Channel 4's weight loss documentary, Weighing Up The Enemy, last night managed to drop 11lb, 7.2 per cent of her body fat. Scroll down for video . At 21st 2lb, Wendy, 38, from Manchester, was so scared her weight was going to kill her she decided to break the habit of a lifetime and try fruit and veg . Wendy's family motivated her: 'I thought I was going to die - that my children wouldn’t get to see me' The former nursery manager, was made redundant seven years ago and lives off council benefits. 'We currently receive housing benefit, council tax benefit and my husband receives a disability living allowance. It’s not an option for us to me back to work. We would be worse off than we are now,' she said. It was after losing her job that Wendy piled on the pounds, putting on 6st in as many years. 'I ate loads out of boredom more than anything. If I was feeling a bit low I just wanted my food,' she admitted on the Channel 4 programme presented by Dr Christian Jessen. She also admitted that there one friend who was always there for her - KFC. ‘Fried chicken was my favourite. It's like a thousand little kisses. 'As you put them into your mouth it’s like they’re kissing you and your tongue’s saying thank you.' 'I ate loads out of boredom more than anything,' said Wendy. 'If I was feeling a bit low I just wanted my food' Despite romanticising about her favourite junk food, Wendy realised that her penchant for fried, unhealthy meals was leading her down a dangerous path. ‘I knew if I didn’t change my lifestyle I was going to be dead soon – my body was going to give up. 'I thought I was going to die - that my children wouldn’t get to see me. 'I'd done the Atkins Diet, Slimming World, Weight Watchers and I'd even tried a Chinese tea diet,' she says, but none of them had worked. At 21st 2lb Wendy was carrying an extra 11st and at 52 per cent, her body fat was double what it should have been. In order to shift the pounds welfare reliant Wendy took on the challenge to stick to a calorie controlled diet, consuming a maximum of 1,200 calories a day. But without fruit and vegetables to eat, keeping down the calories was no simple feat. 'I didn’t eat fruit and I didn’t eat vegetables. Perhaps if I did, I wouldn’t have been that size,' she said. 'Last time I'd had an apple I must have been about ten or 12. I didn’t have anything that was remotely healthy to be fair. 'Green was poison!' After seven weeks Wendy lost 11lb, 7.2 per cent of her body fat and is continuing on her diet . But spurred on by her husband Ian, Wendy decided to give the green stuff a go. Apart from the lack of healthy foods, she also had trouble cutting out the takeaway and snacks. 'I tried not to cut everything out I enjoyed eating so that when I had a craving I could go upstairs into my drawer, which has given me loads of pleasure in the past, and have something I enjoyed eating as a treat. Exercise also proved a challenge - even a short walk around the block was a huge challenge. 'I have tried it in the past and it’s been too painful to get round the whole thing. On her first attempt, Wendy hoped to burn 500 calories, the equivalent of two Mars Bars, but was disappointed to learn she had only worked off 95 calories. But spurred on by the idea that she may not see her children grow up, Wendy stuck to a calorie controlled diet and upped her exercise - hitting the gym three times a week. 'Before all of this my confidence was at rock bottom,' she says. After seven weeks Wendy lost 11lb, 7.2 per cent of her body fat. ‘The weight loss has been great for me. It's such a massive goal I’ve wanted to start for such a long time,' she says. 'This is the diet I’ve taken most seriously and will continue until I’m at an ideal weight.' Dr Christian Jessen featured in Channel 4's Weighing Up The Enemy which aired on Tuesday . | Former nursery manager challenged husband to a diet on Channel 4 show .
After seven weeks on the 1,200 calories-a-day diet, she lost 11lb .
Ballooned to 21st 2lb after years on an unhealthy junk food diet . |
211,215 | 9d86d7cc7309eb4699f5baaced915ad1fba0ac1c | Historic Olympic events such as the triple jump and swimming races are in the line of fire after new rules were agreed by the IOC to allow more sports into future Games. The IOC will give greater flexibility to the Olympic programme to allow host cities to stage new sports - there have been calls to bring in sports such as surfing that have greater appeal to young people. It could also pave the way to baseball/softball and possibly squash and karate being included in the Tokyo 2020 Games. However, the number of athletes will be capped at 10,500 meaning that there will be pressure on the bigger sports such as track and field and swimming to agree to a cut in the number of events. Triple Jump could be one of the sports which could be cut for future Games - Phillips Idowu represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics . Canada's IOC member Dick Pound believes synchronised swimming should also be chopped . Canada's IOC member Dick Pound identified triple jump, synchronised swimming and race-walking as events he believes should be dropped from the Games. Sebastian Coe, head of the British Olympic Association and IAAF vice-president, hit back saying: 'Triple jump is a sacrosanct sport in track and field.' Lord Coe also defended race-walking but conceded there will now be pressure on athletics, saying: 'There are roughly 10,500 athletes in an Olympics and we take roughly 2,200 - a fifth of all competitors and 47 different disciplines. Does that mean track and field needs to be vigilant about protecting its events then the answer is almost certainly "yes it will".' Other IOC members believe the situation with swimming, which allowed Michael Phelps to win eight gold medals in one Games in 2008, needs to be reformed. Julio Maglione, president of swimming's international federation FINA, said: 'I don't know what will happen, this is the truth, it's a difficult moment. 'I suppose that it's a problem we discuss in the future, we don't know what's going to happen with us, athletics, gymnastics.' In other rule changes - part of the greatest shake-up in the Olympics since 1999 - it was agreed that Games will be able to staged in more than one city or even in different countries in the future. Canada's IOC member Pound has identified triple jump, synchronised swimming and race-walking as the sports which should be chopped . Sebastian Coe hit back at Pound by jumping to the defence of triple jump and race-walking . The 127th IOC session meeting in Monaco on Monday passed recommendations on bidding for Games despite concerns being expressed that the changes could damage the atmosphere of the Olympics. The new rules will also make it less costly for cities to bid to host Games with the IOC picking up the bill for some of the costs. The rules were passed unanimously but there were some concerns expressed by IOC members about holding Olympics in different cities or countries. Denis Oswald, the Swiss IOC member who oversaw the preparations for London 2012, said: 'I am worried that the unique character of the Games could be diminished by the recommendation to allow some events to be dispersed over several locations within the same country, or even in a neighbouring country. 'The Olympic village won't look the same and for isolated athletes it will resemble more a kind of world championship without living a true Olympic experience.' IOC vice-president John Coates, who presented the changes to bidding rules, said holding events outside the host city or country would only be considered in 'exceptional circumstances'. Meanwhile, suggestions that some summer events could be held during the winter Olympics have been dismissed by the IOC. Brian Cookson, the president of cycling's governing body UCI, was among those calling for a radical overhaul of the Olympics, with indoor sports such as track cycling, judo and badminton possibly moving to the Winter Games. Sepp Blatter will have to step down from his role at the IOC in 2016 due to new age limit restrictions . The IOC also agreed to maintain an age limit of 70 for IOC members - with a few limited exceptions permitted. In February, FIFA president Sepp Blatter called the limit 'discrimination' and the 78-year-old now faces having to step down from the IOC in 2016 when he reaches the limit of 80 for members elected before 1999. Blatter was in Monaco but did not challenge the proposal on this occasion. Speaking afterwards, Blatter said he did not oppose the age limits this time as he had already made his point. 'I am a team player, I am in the IOC team and I accept what was proposed,' he said. Asked why FIFA had decided against age limits, Blatter replied: 'In FIFA we have another team.' It meant that all 40 proposals put forward as part of the Olympic Agenda 2020 were voted for unanimously and IOC president Thomas Bach told a news conference this would go down as an historic day for the Olympic movement. Bach said: 'Not in my wildest dreams did I expect this to happen so easily. I hope in 20 years I can look back to this day with satisfaction and happiness and maybe with a little bit of relief.' | The IOC will give greater flexibility to the Olympic programme .
New rules will allow future Olympic Games host cities to stage new sports .
IOC member Dick Pound has named sports which should be dropped .
Sebastian Coe responded to Pound by defending triple jump . |
155,834 | 557064765a2813afa177a0311521b58bfe0c0335 | By . Nick Enoch . and Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 08:46 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:29 EST, 3 January 2014 . A Michigan doctor who disappeared nearly a month ago had been stalking a well-known local gospel singer, and even referred to him as her 'husband', a local newspaper reports. Dr Teleka Patrick, 30, had a personal protection order filed against her by pastor and gospel singer Marvin Sapp, 46, who said Dr Patrick had visited his home and contacted his young children to get close to him. It is also indicated in the PPO that Dr Patrick, who started her residency at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan last year, moved to the area from California because of Pastor Sapp. Scroll down for video . Dr Teleka Patrick, 30, who started her residency at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan last year, disappeared in early December . 'She has moved from CA to MI,' Sapp wrote in part in the PPO request. 'Joined my church, contacts my children, and has been to my home.' WOOD-TV reported that Pastor Sapp had filed the PPO order in September, and that he had 'over 400 page(s) of correspondence from her to which I have never responded.' He added that Patrick’s stalking had gone on for at least a year prior to her moving to Michigan. The young doctor was reported missing when she did not show up for work on December 6. Surveillance footage showed her the night before failing to secure a room at a Radisson hotel just five minutes away from her apartment. Stalked: Pastor and gospel singer Marvin Sapp, 46, filed a personal protection order against Teleka Patrick after she visited his home and contacted his young children to get close to him . According to police, Dr Patrick worked a shift at Borgess on December 5 and had one of her colleagues drive her to the Radisson after work. Both her purse and cellphone were found left behind at work, and surveillance footage at the hotel shows her trying to get a room with cash, but not having enough money. In the footage, without . audio, Dr Patrick talks calmly with the front desk clerk for about 15 . minutes before leaving after not getting the room. She . is then seen boarding a complimentary hotel shuttle back to her gold . Lexus parked at the medical center - the last time anyone saw her. It . was really sad to watch it because this is the last video record of her . before she went missing,' Teleka's sister Tenesha Patrick told WWMT. Just two hours later, Dr Patrick's . car was discovered abandoned in a ditch on the westbound side of 1-94, . more than 100 miles away in Portage, Indiana. The keys were missing from . the inside of the car. Trying to find a room: Dr Patrick is pictured walking up to the Radisson hotel in Kalamazoo after getting a ride there after work . Why was she there? Dr Patrick's family doesn't know why she was trying to book a room. Investigators later found she left both her phone and purse at work . No cards: Dr Patrick was caught on the hotel's surveillance cameras trying and failing to secure the room with cash . Dr Patrick was officially reported missing the next day when she failed to show up for work. One of her colleagues told investigators that she received a phone call that day and that her demeanor changed after she hung up. Dr Patrick's parents, who live in Florida, said she has a busy schedule but usually calls them once a week, usually on Sundays. They did not believe that their daughter was in a romantic relationship. Her family has now asked the investigator handling another famous missing persons case, Mary Land, who disappeared ten years ago, to help find her. Dr Patrick's parents met with Jim Carlin of Justinian Investigative Services in Battle Creek and the agency will now work on her case. Leaving: The last time Dr Patrick is caught on surveillance cameras, she is seen boarding a complimentary hotel shuttle which took her back to the medical center where her car was parked . Dr Patrick had started her first year of residency in Kalamazoo after graduating from medical school last spring . Close to home: The hotel is located just five minutes from Dr Patrick's apartment . Her mother Irene told CNN: 'She has an outgoing personality... she's a warm, friendly, lovely person to be around.' She added that her daughter had just bought a plane ticket to fly to Florida. 'Who was calling her, what was that about, does that have anything to do with her disappearance?' her sister asked. Her . family is currently offering a $10,000 reward for information on her . disappearance, and have hired their own private investigator. 'We keep getting closer to Christmas, and it keeps getting further and further away,' Tenesha told ABC News. Anyone with information on Dr Patrick's disappearance are being asked to call the Indiana State Police at 219-696-6242 or the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department at 269-383-8748. | Dr Teleka Patrick, from Michigan, has been missing since December 6 .
Co-worker drove her to a hotel where she failed to get a room .
Her car was found two hours later abandoned in ditch 100 miles away .
Gospel singer Marvin Sapp had filed a personal protection order against her .
Her family hires private investigator of Mary Land case to help find her . |
208,806 | 9a62534c5ce2e16d97552fc0c5646d281306fcb4 | (CNN) -- Humanitarian organizations have been unable to meet the "massive needs" of civilians facing brutal attacks in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a medical aid group said Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of Congolese have been displaced by years of violence in the region. Extreme violence against civilians is spreading from Haut-Uele into Bas-Uele, as well as into neighboring southern Sudan and eastern Central African Republic, according to the international humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). The civilian population in that region has been the target of attacks by the Ugandan rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army, known as LRA, and the Ugandan and Congolese offensive against the LRA, the doctors organization said in a news release. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled. The organization said it has more than 150 people working in the Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele districts, where it has provided help to about 16,000 displaced people and treated thousands of patients. "The local population is the target of violence: murder, kidnapping and sexual abuse," said Luis Encinas, coordinator of Medecins Sans Frontieres operations in Central Africa. "We are talking about tactics of violence aimed at instilling fear in the people. Our patients have told us the most brutal stories -- about children who are forced to kill their parents and people burnt alive inside their homes." To the south, a joint operation has been waged since January by the Congolese army and Rwandan troops against the Rwandan Hutu militia Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda. On Tuesday, 84 humanitarian and human rights groups in the Congo Advocacy Coalition spoke out against the operation in eastern Congo, known as Kimia II and backed by U.N. peacekeepers since March. The operation has resulted in an "unacceptable cost" for the civilian population, the coalition said. Since the action began, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed and 7,000 women and girls have been raped, the coalition said. Some of the militia leaders participated in the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, member groups said in a report on the Human Rights Watch Web site. Sexual violence has grown increasingly brutal in the Kimia II operation, one observer said. "We're seeing more cases of mutilation, extreme violence and torture in sexual violence cases against women and girls, and many more of the victims are children," said Immaculee Birhaheka of Promotion et Appui aux Initiatives Feminines (Promotion and Support of Women's Initiatives). More than 6,000 homes have been burned down in the provinces of North and South Kivu, the coalition said. Nearly 900,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and live in desperate conditions with host families, in forests or in displacement camps with limited access to food and medicine, it said. The American Association for the Advancement of Science says satellite imagery shows that in Busurungi, one of the main towns in North Kivu, and the surrounding 100 square kilometers (about 260 square miles), 1,494 homes and structures have been destroyed, some as recently as September. That is a destruction rate of about 80 percent. U.N. peacekeepers have provided millions of dollars worth in tactical expertise, transport and aviation support, food rations, fuel and medical supplies to Congolese army soldiers. "Despite such support, U.N. peacekeepers have not used their leverage to get the government to remove commanders with known track records of human rights abuses from participating in the operations," the coalition said. "The human rights and humanitarian consequences of the current military operation are simply disastrous," said Marcel Stoessel of Oxfam, a coalition member. "U.N. peacekeepers, who have a mandate to protect civilians, urgently need to work with government forces to make sure civilians get the protection they need, or discontinue their support," he said. According to the coalition, 3,000 additional U.N. peacekeepers authorized by the U.N. Security Council in November are just arriving, and helicopters and other support has not materialized. After the Rwandan and Congolese governments began their joint campaign against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda, "no provisions were made for the protection of civilians, despite the FDLR's long and brutal track record of attacking defenseless communities when provoked," said John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project. Enough, a project of the Center for American Progress, works to end genocide and crimes against humanity. | Rebel groups target civilians in northeastern section of country .
Violence spreading into Sudan, Central African Republic .
Humanitarian groups speak out against joint military operation .
U.N. peacekeepers are urged to do more . |
208,480 | 99ebb8ab498527209418e987809c1d6cdd29377f | A driver has captured the shocking moment a car towing a trailer turns blindly into oncoming traffic. The footage shows a vehicle driving down a street with a 60km/h limit, believed to be in Wagga Wagga, southwest of Sydney, before colliding into a white wagon and trailer. Footage of the incident, which was caught on a dashboard camera - or dash cam - shows the motorist driving past two cars, who were both waiting and indicating to turn right onto the street at the intersection. Scroll down for video . A driver has captured the shocking moment a car towing a trailer turns blindly into oncoming traffic . But as the driver gets closer to the intersection and becomes aware of the turning vehicle towing a trailer, she is heard slamming on the brakes as it screeches. The white wagon is seen quickly turning and putting their trailer in the path of oncoming traffic. With steam coming out of the car bonnet, the driver is heard swearing on impact as she gets out of her car before slamming the door. The shocking footage shows a vehicle driving down a 60km/h street before colliding into a car and trailer . The video was supplied by Tegan Ellis, who also commented on the video, saying: 'The cars weren't stopped to let him through, they were waiting to turn into the street on the right,' she wrote. 'The street this involved was a street/highway 60km p/h. The cars waiting to turn were blocking the intersection and his path and I had already entered across the intersection. 'He admitted at scene couldn't see past 2 cars waiting to turn. Street he was wanting to turn into is a 50km p/h street.' With steam coming out of the car bonnet, the driver is heard swearing on impact as she gets out of her car before slamming the door . A caption alongside the video explained: 'One of the most common causes of accidents we see here. People turning when they don't have a clear view.' The video was published on the Dash Cam Owners Australia's Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon and has received over 60,000 views. The organisations online forum documents the dangerous things that happen on Australian roads, all filmed through a dash camera. | Dash-cam filmed accident on a New South Wales road .
Driver captures a car towing a trailer turning blindly into oncoming traffic .
The video was published on Dash Cam Owners Australia's Facebook page . |
122,370 | 2a2e50ff080ab3769d0daf5d7d8bfc1912c25236 | A financial whiz who combined a successful City career with raising her six children has blamed exhausted stay-at-home mothers who prefer to stay in at night for the failure of her first restaurant . Fund manager Nicola Horlick says she had to close Georgina's, her bistro in Barnes, south west London, after 18 months because the area was 'full of mothers with children who don't go out much at night'. The 53-year-old multi-millionaire, who named the business after her eldest daughter who died of leukaemia in 1998, says she wasn't making a profit because the restaurant wasn't doing enough trade at night. She also cited 'outrageous' business rates in the smart suburb for the restaurant's failure and blamed local estate agents for pushing them up. Fund manager Nicola Horlick, 53, blames the closure of her Barnes restaurant on 'mothers who don't go out' Closed after 18 months: Horlick named her restaurant after her eldest daughter, who died of leukaemia . Horlick said that while her cream-painted canteen did a roaring lunchtime trade, it was not doing enough covers in the evenings to make money. 'I have learnt a lot of lessons,' she said. 'The problem is Barnes if full of mothers with children who don't go out much at night. 'So although we were doing 200 lunches on a Saturday and breaking even, I need to give a proper return to shareholders.' Horlick is now planning to try again in nearby Chiswick, where - although it, too, is home to a large population of 'yummy mummies' - she believes she has found more suitable premises. She intends to be open in time for Valentine's Day and says she has six chefs and six front-of-house staff already lined up. She launched Georgina's after having the . idea for it while sitting on her sick daughter's bed discussing her . favourite foods while she was being treated at Great Ormond Street . Hospital in 1998. 'Superwoman' and her large family - this 1997 photo shows her with her nanny and children (L-R) Rupert, Alice, Antonia, Georgina and Serena. After Georgina died she had another son, Benjie . When she launched it in spring 2012, Horlick said she intended to fill a hole in the market by offering good food at breakfast and lunchtimes, as well as dinner in the evenings. She told bighospitality.co.uk: 'There will be amazing homemade granolas and yogurts in the morning and then fantastic salads at lunchtime but a full service dinner in the evening. 'A lot of restaurants in London do very, very little trade at lunchtime and don't do any breakfast or teatime trade and that is actually rather a waste when costs are so incredibly high.' She added: 'I wouldn't do it unless I thought it was a good business proposition because there is no point otherwise.' 'Full of mothers': Barnes, with its pond and coffee shops, is a popular place for families in south west London . Georgina's was well-received by diners in Barnes, who wrote enthusiastic reviews on the TopTable website. 'Went . here for dinner and the food was amazing!', wrote one. 'Really liked . the decor too, simplistic but stylish - would definitely return and try . the brunch that I've heard is yummy.' Another wrote: 'A really good spot for a light, healthy lunch. Highly recommended.' Born in December 1960 to Michael Gayford and his Polish wife, Suzanna, Nicola was educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College and Birkenhead High School before studying law at Oxford. In 1983 she joined SG Warburg as a graduate trainee, and rose to director level before joining Morgan Grenfell Asset Management nine years later. Meanwhile, she had married financier Tim Horlick in 1984, an old friend from Oxford, and had her first child, Georgina, in 1986. Horlick brought the Midas touch to Morgan Grenfell, turning the company upside-down, dramatically increasing its profits, and earning herself £1.5million a year - a vast sum 16 years ago - for her work. Role model: In the mid-1990s, Nicola Horlick appeared to be the working City mother who had it all . When Morgan Grenfell sacked Horlick, she flew to their Frankfurt HQ - with 40 journalists in tow - to ask why . But it was in 1997 that she earned herself the 'Superwoman' tag when, after being sacked from Morgan Grenfell, she summoned a pack of 40 journalists and flew with them to the company's Frankfurt offices to demand her job back. At 36, she already had five children, one of whom was seriously ill, to cope with alongside her high-powered job, but the country was entranced by the supermother who wouldn't take no for an answer. Ultimately, though, she did, and went off alone, setting up SG Asset Management in 1997, the year before her daughter died of leukaemia, and then Bramdean Asset Management in 2005. In 2005 Horlick got divorced and met journalist Martin Baker, when he came to interview her for the Sunday Telegraph. She and Baker married the following year, and they live together in Barnes. After her first marriage ended in divorce, Horlick found love with newspaper journalist Martin Baker . Horlick's independent career appeared to be coasting when, in 2008, she lost £12million of investors' money to fraudster Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scam. Since then, she has launched the Rockpool investment company, gone into film production with Derby Street films, and joined the board of an NHS trust. Two months ago she announced plans to launch a crowdfunding venture, a website called Money&Co, in early 2014. Horlick . said the site would allow investors to make loans available to . fledgling businesses, which would be repaid with a profit if the venture . were a success. | Multi-millionaire mother-of-six had to close London bistro after 18 months .
Horlick, 53, called her restaurant Georgina's after her daughter who died .
She said it failed as Barnes, in south west London, was 'full of mothers'
Horlick said there wasn't enough demand for dinner to make a profit .
Founder of Bramdean Asset Management now plans to open in Chiswick . |
13,379 | 260343fc9edb0c6cde787fa5d230afeaef12cedf | Pahoa, Hawaii (CNN) -- The lava flow has slowed, if not stalled altogether. Still, authorities warned Thursday that the threat to eastern Hawaii residents -- much like the oozing, simmering, destructive lava itself -- hasn't gone away. Darryl Oliveira, the director of the Hawaii County Civil Defense, told reporters that "there's been no movement forward" at the front of the destructive lava stream between Wednesday and Thursday. "But there's lots of activity behind it," Oliveira said. "... There are breakouts along the margins that we'll have to watch and be wary of." The lava began moving toward the area of Pahoa, on Hawaii's Big Island, in June, when a volcanic crater vented and released the river of liquid rock. It's been creeping along ever since, with authorities warning at one point the main road in Pahoa could be overcome by Friday morning. The lack of recent movement changes that equation, though the main flow -- which is about 20 yards wide at its tip, expanding to 100 yards farther back -- is still within about 480 feet of that street. There's no guarantee of what happens next, including whether the stream resumes its forward movement or whether any of its offshoots encroach on people or properties. A USGS geologist has said the lava flow could continue for 30 years. As Matthew Patrick, a geologist with the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, explained Thursday: "The flow is still active, and there is still scattered activity in the flow. "So it's just a matter of where that activity is at any given moment." On Wednesday, Oliveria said about 20 families in the path of the lava have been told to evacuate. Many others have packed up, "prepared to move at a moment's notice" should they, too, get the order. "You can see some of them walking around; they are still very upset, distraught, frustrated -- the full range of emotions as they're dealing with this crisis," the civil defense director said Thursday. So far, thankfully, no homes have been buried. Nor have any vehicles. Instead, it's mostly grass and vegetation that have been immersed and scorched. This isn't a lazy river, after all. It's a 2,000-degree river of molten rock, the kind that a firefighter can't use a hose to stop. "As it moves across soil, you can hear and smell the fire," said Troy Scott of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency. "It is incredibly hot ... the heat is very strong." That's why there are ongoing efforts to make sure people and property are protected, as well as to clear out any hazardous materials, such as those at a one-time gas station, in the lava's potential path. Local civil defense officials got some help Thursday, in the form of 80 Hawaii National Guard members. Oliveria explained that these guardsmen will drive around on patrols as an extra set of eyes. He said, "As long as we need them, they'll be here." What to know about volcanoes . CNN's Martin Savidge reported from Pahoa; Greg Botelho reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Holly Yan contributed to this report. | NEW: Front of lava flow doesn't budge, "but there's lots of activity behind it," official says .
NEW: He says residents ready to evacuate are "very upset, distraught, frustrated"
NEW: A geologist says "the flow is still active;" things could change at any moment .
The lava flow on Hawaii's Big Island began in June; houses and roads are threatened . |
164,472 | 60adff45f9c578788d3699a564a687b3345ff7f9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:46 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:21 EST, 22 January 2014 . A woman who was shot dead with her two young children and her mother by her estranged police officer husband texted a friend to say she couldn't stand his rage just hours before the tragedies. After returning from a Christmas break to Disneyworld, Joshua Boren killed Kelly Boren, 32, her mother Marie King, 55, his son Jaden, seven, and daughter Haley, five, at their home in Utah. The five bodies were discovered in bedrooms after Boren, 34, failed to turn up for a night shift. The murder victims are being laid to rest on Wednesday, while Josh will be buried on Thursday. Now friends have spoken to the Salt Lake Tribune about Mrs Boren's fears and frustrations with her husband - and how she claimed she was about to file for divorce. Horror: Authorities believe Josh Boren killed his wife, Kelly and their two children, Jaden and Hayley, and his mother-in-law before taking his own life. Friends have now said Kelly was going to file for divorce . Killed: Marie King, 55, pictured,Boren's mother-in-law, was found dead in a separate bedroom . One of her workout partners, RiRi Whiting, had helped persuade Kelly to separate from Joshua a few months before the killings. That day, Kelly, who was British, sent Whiting a text saying she had decided to get a divorce and couldn't stand her husband's rage anymore, Whiting told the Tribune. Whiting asked her what she meant and Kelly said she would explain later that night at the gym - but she never showed up. The separation was nothing new, Archuleta said, explaining that in 2010, Joshua had slept on the couch for six months as Kelly considered divorcing him. Another friend, Stacy Archuleta, said that 'many other people in our community knew of these problems, and none of us dared to go to anybody'. Force: Colleagues went to check on Boren, pictured, when he failed to turn up to his police officer shift . Cute: The lives of Hayley, left, and Jaden, right, Boren were tragically cut short . She added that Kelly had told her that she was unhappy and felt unsafe, but urged her friend not to tell anyone in case it affected chances of reconciliation, the Tribune reported. 'I wish I would have said something back then,' Archuleta said. 'I was afraid I would upset her.' Police have said they were never called to the home over the four years the family living in Spanish Fork, but friends claim Kelly said her husband was abusive. Friends said that the couple had been going to events together and had a counseling session planned for the week of their deaths. The revelations come after Kelly's father spoke out about the murder-suicide, calling it 'unimaginable.' Jeff King said two Davis County sheriffs rand his doorbell to give him the shocking news. 'Police show up at your door in the early hours and tell you your only child is dead, your grandchildren are dead, your ex-wife is dead and the son-in-law you trusted and counted on to look after your child is...' the Layton man said Monday. Horror: Jeff King, pictured, said two 'very compassionate' Davis County sheriffs rand his doorbell early Friday morning to give him the shocking news that his family had been murdered . Crime scene: Marie King was found dead in one upstairs bedroom. Kelly Boren, Josh Boren and their children were in another bedroom of the two story home, pictured . 'You look for understanding, and there is none,' King told the Deseret News. 'You can't describe how you're feeling. ...They were my whole world.' Boren's colleagues became concerned at around 11 p.m. Thursday when the officer didn't show up for work at 10 p.m. They went to check on him and spotted blood and shell casings on the carpet through the window of the family's Spanish Fork home. After officers entered the house, they discovered 'a large quantity of blood on the stairway leading to the second floor of the residence.' Marie King was found dead in one upstairs bedroom. Kelly Boren, Josh Boren and their children were in another. | Josh Boren killed his wife, Kelly Boren, 32, their two children, Joshua 'Jaden,' 7, and Hayley, 5, and his mother-in-law, Marie King, 55, last week .
He then shot himself dead - and the bodies were found when he failed to turn up for work .
Friends have now revealed that Kelly had decided to divorce her husband after they had separated and failed to reconcile .
They say she had expressed concerns about feeling unsafe . |
259,271 | dba1b7730e06dbd5756fa5a26336c27f9107a8bc | By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 14:20 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:05 EST, 31 January 2013 . A steam train enthusiast was crushed to death when a train took off in the wrong direction while he was standing behind it, trapping him between two carriages. Retired police officer Robert Lund, 65, died almost instantly from 'extreme' chest and abdominal injuries, an inquest heard today. He had been helping a fellow volunteer uncouple carriages at Grosmont station, when he signalled for the driver to take off. Scroll down for video . Inquest: Retired police officer Robert Lund, 65, died almost instantly after the incident at Grosmont station, an inquest at North Yorkshire Coroners' Court heard today . But the locomotive unexpectedly moved off in the wrong direction, North Yorkshire Coroners’ Court was told. Mr Lund, was working as a guard on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, when the incident took place on May 21 last year. It is thought Mr Lund, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, returned to the area between the carriages before he was struck. Norman Ash, who was driving the S15 . steam locomotive, said it was possible he did not lock a . reversing lever into place, which could have allowed the locomotive to . slip between forward and reverse. Enthusiast: A steam train pictured on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where 'enthusiast' on which Mr Lund worked as a guard . The retired professional train driver with more than 50 years’ experience, said: 'I turned round to see which way was I was going and the next thing I knew I was going the opposite way. 'I slapped the emergency brake on. I . was more concerned we were going to collide with the coaches we’d just . come off. I never even thought about Mr Lund going back between the . coaches. He added: 'There was no impact at all. At that point the fireman said to me, ‘is the guard on your side?’. I said no.' Mr Ash said he got off the footplate, adding: 'I found Mr Lund trapped. All I can remember is seeing his legs dangling down from between the coaches. That’s all I could see.' He said there was no way of freeing Mr Lund so he contacted the signalman and told him to call the emergency services. 'The next thing I knew, the operations manager Mr Hugill came out'” he said. 'I think he shouted, ‘Bob, Bob’, a few times but there was no response.' Mr Ash said they moved the train to release Mr Lund before paramedics and police arrived. Pathologist Nigel Cooper said Mr Lund died of chest and abdomen injuries. He added: 'The injuries indicated an extreme crushing force. The internal injuries were very severe. I think death must have occurred very quickly due to the severity of the injuries.' Accident investigators said the incident was 'highly unusual' and experts had re-enacted some of the events to figure out what happened. Both Mr Lund and Mr Ash were both very experienced railwaymen in whom the investigators had complete confidence, Chris Hall, of the Rail Accident Investigation Board, told jurors. He said Mr Lund would have had 'no reason to believe' the train would change direction, which was most likely caused by the driver forgetting to lock the reverse lever. 'If it was the case that he didn’t apply the latch, it is probably a case of simple forgetfulness that all human beings are capable of,' Mr Hall added. The inquest will resume tomorrow, when the jury will be sent out to consider its verdict. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Robert Lund, 65, crushed while working on North Yorkshire Moors Railway .
Retired police officer standing behind train that took off in wrong direction .
Pathologist said that he died of 'extreme' injuries to chest and abdomen . |
177,077 | 713983d843967d0602641302187a9013d209851d | A 102-year-old letter found in a couple’s attic has revealed that Titanic was nearly stopped from beginning its doomed voyage. The letter, which sold for £24,000 at an auction this afternoon, reveals that the large wake caused by Titanic leaving Southampton snapped the mooring ropes of two ships, New York and Oceanic. Titanic was seconds away from hitting New York - but changed direction just in time. If the crash had happened it would have without doubt changed the course of history, auctioneers have said. Scroll down for video . A 102-year-old letter from the chief engineer of Titanic to his son has revealed that the ship almost collided with two other vessels as it left Southampton to begin its doomed voyage . Titanic chief engineer Joseph Bell, pictured on his wedding day with his wife, Maud, sent the letter, which shows that Titanic was seconds away from hitting another ship, potentially changing the course of history . The letter, written by chief engineer Joseph Bell to his son Frank, said: ‘We have made a good run from Southampton, everything is working A1. ‘We nearly had a collision with New York and Oceanic when leaving Southampton. The wash of our propellers made the two ships range about when we were passing them, this made their mooring ropes break and the New York set off across the river until the tugs got hold of her again. ‘No damage was done but it looked like trouble at the time. Keep well and be a good lad. ‘Regards to Mrs Johnston. Your loving father, J. Bell.’ Mr Bell posted the letter from Queenstown - now Cobh - in Ireland on April 11, 1912. Three days later, Titanic, described as ‘practically unsinkable’, hit an iceberg and sank. It killed more than 1,500 people including Mr Bell, who left behind his wife Maud and four children. Andrew Aldridge, from Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers, said: ‘We got a phone call six months ago from a couple in the UK who are distant direct relations to Joseph Bell. They had just discovered this letter, which had been in their attic for decades. 'We have had a great deal of interest from collectors across the world including the UK, United States, China and Russia. ‘The letter is particularly interesting because of who wrote it and the fact it describes the event in detail. ‘Mr Bell also ironically describes everything as “working A1” on board the liner when she left Southampton. ‘The crash would not have been a disaster but would have been bad enough to delay Titanic for a day or two as the structural integrity of the hull would have needed to be checked. Without a doubt it would have changed the course of history.' A lunch menu for the first-class restaurant on board Titanic is also up for sale at an auction this afternoon . Elise Lurette (left) was carrying a deck plan of Titanic that helped her get to the lifeboats when the ship hit an iceberg. The cover of the deck plan is pictured right . The deck plan was only given to staff and first-class passengers aboard the doomed ship, which sank in 1912 . Mr Bell was born on March, 12 1861 in Farlam, Cumbria. He left Cumbria and went to Newcastle to work as an apprentice engine fitter at Robert Stephenson and Company, a locomotive manufacturing firm. In 1885, Mr Bell joined shipping company White Star Line. He travelled to New Zealand and New York and served on 18 ships. He married Maud Bates in 1893 and had four children - Frances, Marjorie Clare, Eileen Maud and Ralph Douglas. A decade later, the family moved to Belfast and Mr Bell became chief engineer on RMS Olympic, an ocean liner which was also described as ‘unsinkable’. He was transferred to Titanic and oversaw the construction of the ship. He was 51-years-old when Titanic sank. His gravestone is engraved with ‘no greater love hath man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends’. Mr Bell’s letter is not the only significant document to be auctioned on Saturday. A first class luncheon menu from April 12, 1912, a deck plan and a postcard from a maid are also up for sale. Ms Lurette sent a postcard to her nephew from Titanic when it stopped off at Queenstown, in Ireland . The postcard, which had a picture of the Titanic on one side, the deck plan and the lunch menu were found in Miss Lurette's coat pocket . The three documents were in the pocket of a coat that 59-year-old Eugénie Elise Lurette, a maid, was wearing when she got into Lifeboat 6. She boarded Titanic at Cherbourg and was travelling with her employers William and Marie Spencer. A member of crew woke her up after the ship hit the iceberg and she was rescued. The menu showed that the wealthy passengers feasted on mutton chops, roast beef, Melton Mowbray pie, lamb and mint sauce, ox tongue, tapioca pudding and greengage tart for the Friday afternoon lunch. Welsh rarebit and Omer Pacha egg were crossed off as they had been taken off the menu for that day. Miss Lurette sent the postcard to her nephew from Titanic when it stopped off at Queenstown. Despite being used to the extravagant and opulent lifestyle of her employers, Elise wrote that the levels of luxury and comfort on the liner were 'unknown to her until this day.' The menu and deck plan fetched £60,000 and £23,000, and the postcard sold for £62,000. March 31, 1909: Construction work on Titanic begins in Belfast Harbour. May 31, 1911: Titanic is first launched in front of an audience of 100,000 people. Noon, April 10, 1912: Titanic departs Southampton with 922 passengers on board. Minutes later, it narrowly avoids colliding with two ships, New York and Oceanic. 4pm, April 10: 274 more passengers embarked at Cherbourg, France. 8pm, April 10: Titanic leaves Cherbourg, bound for Queenstown, Ireland. 11:30am, April 11: The ship arrives at Cork, Ireland. 1:30pm, April 11: Titanic departs from Ireland after picking up 113 more passengers, setting off for America. April 14: Titanic's crew are warned by other ships of drifting icebergs. 11:40pm, April 14: The ship's lookout spots an iceberg immediately ahead and warns the captain, but is too late and the Titanic collides with it and begins taking on water . 2:20am, April 15: Titanic suddenly starts sinking faster, plunging more than a thousand people into the freezing cold water. 4am, April 15: First ship arrives after an earlier SOS call from Titanic, saving 710 people. September 1985: The wreck of Titanic is found. | 102-year-old letter reveals Titanic almost collided with two other ships .
Collision was narrowly avoided as the ship was leaving Southampton .
Letter, from Titanic's chief engineer to his son, says 'it looked like trouble'
The crash would have delayed departure and changed the course of history .
More than 1,500 died when the ship hit an iceberg and sank in April, 1912 .
Letter was auctioned today and sold for £24,000 - twice its estimated value . |
170,144 | 68357decb5607c63270f9cbb42a43f40806fb876 | Nine-year-old label Cushnie Et Ochs may have been creeping up the popularity stakes for some time now, but this week in New York, the designer name truly exploded. Hotel heiress Ivanka Trump, Today host Savannah Guthrie, Gone Girl's Emily Ratajkowski and Australian actress Abbie Cornish have all worn figure-hugging cutout dresses by the New York-based designers in the last few days, as well as several high-profile models. Established in 2008 by Londoner Carly Cushnie and New Yorker Michelle Ochs, both 28, Cushnie Et Ochs was first publicized when Michelle Obama wore one of their designs in 2011; after Bergdorf Goodman plucked them from obscurity and picked up their very first collection for Spring 2009. Scroll down for video . Stunning: Ivanka Trump became the latest celebrity to step out in Cushnie Et Ochs last night when she donned an elegant black cutout number to the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice in New York . Ivanka, 33, turned heads with her pearl embellished Cushnie Et Ochs gown last night, which she wore to the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice in New York . Day earlier, Today host Savannah Guthrie, 43, wore a $550 figure-hugging crop top by the label to interview a host of celebrity guests at the SNL 40th anniversary show. And for some celebrities last week, Cushnie Et Ochs - which specializes in form-fitting, architectural dresses that make use of clever cut-outs and sheer panels - proved a little too popular, when several models inadvertently turned up to events last week wearing identical frocks. Post baby body: Today host Savannah Guthrie, 43, wore a $550 figure-hugging crop top by the label to interview a host of celebrity guests at the SNL 40th anniversary show on Sunday . CUSHNIE ET OCHS Cutout stretch-knit top . Buy from Net A Porter here... Visit site . Presenter and total YUMMY MUMMY Savannah Gutherie knocked it out the the style park last night as she took to the red carpet for Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary show on Sunday night wearing this chic all-black ensemble. We love how Savannah has played with proportions in this look teaming that sleek cropped top with the full A-line midi skirt. It draws in the eyeline to her slender stomach and fuses daring with demure expertly. Savannah's stretch knit by Cushnie et Ochs is a super flattering number that promises to be a real hero of your capsule closet so why not click right to Net A Porter to get yours now? It's a universally stylish piece that will go with EVERYTHING you already own. We'll be styling ours with our favorite high waist jeans in the day before vamping it up at night and working in a leather mini/ . Want the look for less? Check out our edit of similar styles online below.... Bailey 44 top at Bloomingdales (now $66) Visit site . BLQ BASIQ cropped top at Revolve Clothing . Visit site . May Kool black asymmetrical top (now $19.99) Visit site . Lanston top at Revolve Clothing . Visit site . Designers behind the label: New Yorker Michelle Ochs (left) and Londoner Carly Cushnie (right), both 28, pose with Gone Girl star Emily Ratajkowski (center) at their Cushnie Et Ochs Fall 2015 show in New York last Friday . Front row: Actress Abbie Cornish attended the runway show in a black Cushnie Et Ochs cutout dress . Fall 2015: The designers' latest collection at New York Fashion Week was still full of body-con dresses, but also introduced some more fluid pieces, including a range of velvet pant suits . At last week's Sports Illustrated 2015 Swimsuit bash in Nashville, Tennessee, models Emily Ratajkowski and Sara Sampaio inadvertently sported an identical $1,495 tangerine Cushnie Et Ochs number. The brunettes spent most of the night posing side-by-side, with Ms Ratajkowski later joking on Instagram: 'Yep were #twinning! Decided to rock it together and be each other's dates! (sic)' The very next night in New York, Victoria's Secret models Lais Ribeiro and Heather Marks both arrived at the amfAR gala in matching Cushnie Et Ochs gowns, this time a $2,395 teal cut-out gown. That same slinky floor-length frock was also worn by model and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi, 44, in New York last October. Oops! Victoria's Secret models Lais Ribeiro (left) and Heather Marks (center) both arrived at the amfAR gala last week in matching $2,395 teal Cushnie Et Ochs gowns, and Padma Lakshmi wore it last Octover (right) Double trouble: At last week's Sports Illustrated 2015 Swimsuit bash in Nashville, Tennessee, models Emily Ratajkowski and Sara Sampaio inadvertently sported an identical $1,495 tangerine Cushnie Et Ochs number . So who are the designers behind the wildly successful label, and how did they climb to the top? Michelle graduated from New York's Parsons School of Design and interned for Marc Jacobs, while Carly studied at the same school and interned for Donna Karen, Proenza Schouler and Oscar De La Renta. Cushnie Et Ochs was first notably worn by Reese Witherspoon at a Los Angeles film gala in November 2011, but made its first real splash the following month. After the First Lady Michelle Obama wore an elegant pine green dress by the designers to attend the 2011 Christmas in Washington event, fashion die-hards were drawn like moths to a flame. Made: After the First Lady Michelle Obama wore an elegant pine green dress by the designers to attend the 2011 Christmas in Washington event, fashion die-hards were drawn like moths to a flame . Speaking to Three Bad Mice about their aesthetic around this time, Carly and Michelle cited 'the female body, strength and inner spirit' as their inspiration. 'The brand is for women by women, and we want to always express this female sensuality in our clothes,' they said. 'We often look to art and architecture to influence our sculptural shapes and lines.' Last year, Cushnie Et Ochs' statement gowns were worn by Kim Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Selena Gomez and Lea Michelle, among others. At New York Fashion week in 2013, supermodel Karlie Kloss showcased an asymmetrical white dress on the Cushnie Et Ochs runway, and loved it so much she snapped it up and wore it to attend Betsey Johnson's show the following week. Fans: Jenna Dewan Tatum donned an orange Cushnie Et Ochs gown at the Jupiter Ascending premiere (left), and Kim Kardashian wore a blue number to the 2014 LACMA Art + Film Gala in November (right) Showing skin: Lea Michelle stepped out at the American Horror Story premiere in a daring example last October (left) and Selena Gomez opted for a burgundy get-up at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in May (right) LBD: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley sported a seductive design at last year's Cannes Awards (left) while Jennifer Lopez impressed at American Idol's XIII Finals bash last February with her Cushnie Et Ochs frock (right) Karlie Kloss wore a dress she had previously showcased on the Cushnie Et Ochs runway in September 2013 to a Fashion Week party a week later (left) and Doutzen Kroes sported a similar dress the same night (right) Early adopters: Elizabeth Hurley was wearing the label back in 2011 (left), as was Reese Witherspoon (right) Michelle and Carly unveiled their widely-praised Fall 2015 collection at New York Fashion Week on Friday. The designer's latest line was still full of body-con dresses, but also introduced some more fluid pieces, including a range of velvet pant suits. And another thing, much to the dismay of animal lovers everywhere: fur. Asked by The Fashion Spot to name their favorite element of this season, Carly responded: 'Fur. Loads of it. I’ve got a giant fur scarf and my fur coat, I’m not ashamed.' 'Same,' echoed Michelle. 'I’ve got two coats and my fur wraparound.' Let's hope this particular enthusiasm fizzles, and the women keep on with what they do best; sensual, show-stopping party frocks. | Cushnie Et Ochs was launched in 2008 by Londoner Carly Cushnie and New Yorker Michelle Ochs, both 28 .
It first gained traction after Michelle Obama wore a dress by the designers to an event in 2011 .
Since then it has amassed celebrity fans including Reese Witherspoon, Karlie Kloss, Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski .
Two sets of models inadvertently turned up to events last week wearing identical Cushnie Et Ochs frocks . |
272,936 | ed8290ee269979e016c53812b1a30cb5ae6073d3 | Suspected explosive devices sent to Army recruitment offices in southern England bear 'hallmarks of Northern Ireland-related terrorism', Number 10 has said. And one of the packages has been discovered to have had a Republic of Ireland postmark on it, it has been claimed. Four suspicious packages were discovered in offices in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough today, counter-terrorism police officers said. Bomb disposal units at the scene in Brighton after a suspect package was delivered to the Army careers office . Four suspect packages have been delivered to Army careers offices in the south-east of England, including one in Brighton . Specialist officers and equipment were called in to the scene after the 'crude' threat was sent . One package was found in Aldershot, Hampshire, yesterday, while two packets were found on Tuesday at the armed forces careers office in Reading, Berkshire, and the Army and RAF careers office in Chatham, Kent, the South East Counter Terrorism Unit (Sectu) said. Police officers found 'basic but viable' devices, but consider them a 'low-level threat', sources said. Prime Minister David Cameron chaired a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergencies committee to discuss the suspicious parcels, which sources said were 'crude' in design but 'could have caused injury to others'. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: 'Seven suspect packages have been identified as containing small, crude, but potentially viable devices bearing the hallmarks of Northern Ireland-related terrorism. 'These have now been safely dealt with by the police and bomb disposal units. 'Guidance has been issued to staff at all military establishments and Royal Mail asking them to be extra vigilant and to look out for any suspect packages and the screening procedures for mail to armed forces careers offices is being reviewed. 'The national threat level remains under constant review.' Police and bomb disposal teams in St Peter's Street, Canterbury, patrol the area following the bomb scare today . Shoppers have been evacuated from surrounding streets after 'explosive devices' were found at an army recruitment centre in Canterbury, Kent . These are the locations in southern England where the packages have been found in Army recruitment offices . Ministry of Defence bomb disposal units were called, although this is routine with any suspect package. Detective Superintendent Stan Gilmour, of Sectu, said: 'The contents of the packages are suspicious in nature and will now be sent off for forensic examination. 'Even if the contents are determined to be a viable device, they pose a very low-level threat and are unlikely to cause significant harm or damage. 'When a suspect package is reported we have a routine response which means we may need to evacuate the area if necessary until we can be sure it poses no threat to the public. 'While this can cause concern and disruption for local communities, it is a necessary precaution until we know what we are dealing with.' Police officers found 'basic but viable' devices that were delivered to the careers' centre in Oxford . The packages, one which was sent to an office Chatham, Kent, were 'crude' in design but 'could have caused injury to others' Advice has been sent to the Royal Mail and to the Ministry of Defence to ensure that staff 'remain vigilant', Sectu added. The Queensmere shopping centre in Slough was evacuated, while cordons were placed close to all offices where packages have been found. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said security advice has been reiterated to its personnel, while the Royal Mail said it was co-operating with the police investigation. It is understood that a suspected package found at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk was a false alarm and is not related to the investigation at the armed forces recruitment offices. Dissident Irish republicans have targeted England on several occasions since the 1970s. In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, in 1972, a bomb was detonated in Aldershot, at the headquarters of the Parachute Regiment, killing seven people. A year later two bombs were set off by IRA members in London, including one outside the Old Bailey, which killed one man and injured 180 others. In 1972, a bomb was detonated in Aldershot, at the headquarters of the Parachute Regiment, killing seven . In 1973, two bombs were set off by IRA members in London, including one outside the Old Bailey (pictured) In 1974, 21 people were killed in a Birmingham pub bombing, while another 11 died after an IRA bomb was planted on a coach carrying servicemen and their families along the M62. Ten years later, the Conservative Party conference in Brighton was targeted, killing five people. In the 1990s, the IRA set off a large bomb at London’s Canary Wharf offices, killing two people and causing millions of pounds of damage. This explosion, in Canary Wharf in 1996, caused millions of pounds of damage . In the same year, an explosive device detonated prematurely on a bus travelling along Aldwych in central London, killing the IRA operative and injuring eight others . In 1996, 206 people were injured after a 1,500kg bomb was detonated in the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester. And in the same year an explosive device detonated prematurely on a bus travelling along Aldwych in central London, killing the IRA operative and injuring eight others. In 2001, a car bomb was detonated outside the BBC's headquarters, while Ealing, Birmingham and Hendon were also hit. | One of the suspect packages had a Republic of Ireland postmark on it .
They were discovered at Army careers offices in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury and Queensmere shopping centre in Slough today .
One package was found in Aldershot, Hampshire, yesterday .
Two packets were found on Tuesday at the armed forces careers office in Reading and the Army and RAF careers office in Chatham, Kent .
Devices are 'basic but viable' and considered as a 'low-level threat' |
117,689 | 23f56392b377a8da6a5dd596aa25b72deb9db974 | (CNN) -- The man who led Germany to a World Cup win both as a player and a coach admits he has lost faith in FIFA due to the way the voting process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments was handled. Franz Beckenbauer, a member of FIFA's executive committee, criticized football's governing body after the amount of votes each bidder received was made public. Beckenbauer was one of the 22 FIFA members who voted in the process and claims he was assured that the details would remain private. Yet soon after it was announced that Russia had won the right to host the 2018 competition, and Qatar had secured the 2022 version, media were reporting that two of the favorites, England and Australia, attracted just two votes and one vote respectively. It led to an angry reaction from representatives of the England and Australia bid teams and Beckenbauer acknowledges his faith in FIFA has been shaken as a result. "I am disappointed with the way FIFA dealt with the result. The seven losing countries were treated disgracefully, particularly England and Australia, Beckenbauer told German newspaper Bild. "All of us ExCo members were told ahead of the ballot that neither we nor the public would ever know the exact number of votes for each country. After each round of voting we were told only which country had been ruled out. "Then, a few hours later, I was hearing from journalists what the exact voting had been. It's certainly affected my confidence in FIFA." England were particularly vociferous in their criticism of FIFA and claimed several committee members promised them votes that didn't materialize. Ron Walker, a member of the Australian Football Federation, claimed the voting process had been "contaminated" in the year leading up to the announcement on December 2. Beckenbauer was instrumental in taking the World Cup to Germany in 2006 having won the tournament as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990. He announced in November that he will step down from his current role with FIFA in March in order to spend more time with his family. | Franz Beckenbauer says he's lost faith in FIFA after the World Cup voting process .
Germany legend says losing bidders were treated "disgracefully"
Beckenbauer is to step down from FIFA's executive committee in March . |
181,344 | 76c3f7e4f47594189393c94265b1b361a57419a1 | Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- Seven oil spill recovery workers who were hospitalized in New Orleans after complaining of feeling ill were properly trained and had protective gear on, according to the the federal on-scene coordinator for the oil spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico. "The heat and humidity in Louisiana can be challenging," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry told reporters Thursday afternoon. She said the workers were treated for several symptoms, including headaches, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath. Safety officials from the Coast Guard, BP and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration had responded to the incident, Landry. "Basically, these folks all had the proper personal protective equipment on, and they all received the required training," she said. "Fortunately, everyone is fine." An investigation is under way "to make sure what we can do to ensure that these workers are all working in safe conditions," Landry said. "We will continue to monitor this situation very carefully so that nobody is put in harm's way as they respond to this spill," she added. A BP spokesman, John Curry, said the company takes "worker safety seriously." The company also said it has provided spill recovery workers with protective equipment, such as suits, steel-toed boots, gloves, hard hats and safety glasses. In addition, BP said, workers are conducting about 250 air-quality tests a day. They also are testing workers for exposure to irritants and other substances that could be harmful, BP said. The company also noted that testing has shown that "airborne contaminants are well within safe limits." The seven workers were at West Jefferson Medical Center in suburban New Orleans, said spokeswoman Taslin Alfonzo said. Five were discharged Thursday afternoon, she said. Based on their symptoms, the workers appeared to have come into contact with some type of irritant, Alfonzo said. However, the hospital doesn't have a toxicology department, so it couldn't identify the irritant. About 10 workers complained of feeling ill on Wednesday, prompting officials to recall more than 100 boats from an area adjacent to the Mississippi River delta. Lisa Faust with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said she believes as many as five were treated at the scene. Six of the seven were brought to the Marrero, Louisiana, hospital Wednesday night by ambulance, and the seventh was flown in. No additional patients have been admitted, Alfonzo said. The Unified Command -- a coalition of agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service -- said Wednesday it recalled 125 vessels from Breton Sound, which lies about 50 miles southeast of New Orleans. The vessels were involved in cleaning up oil that has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico since April, when an oil rig sank about 40 miles south of Louisiana, opening up a leak that has been gushing crude oil into the water. U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Louisiana, again called on the federal government to deploy temporary clinics to south Louisiana to screen workers and relatives possibly affected by the oil. "As I first alerted the federal government over a week ago, our workers and residents in the oil-affected areas of south Louisiana are facing a looming health crisis," Melancon said in a written statement. "People are being exposed to hazardous oil fumes and potentially dangerous dispersants every day, and there is no health care infrastructure in place to treat them and monitor the situation." Melancon said he will personally ask President Barack Obama to take action when Obama visits south Louisiana on Friday. | NEW: BP says it takes worker safety seriously .
NEW: BP says it conducts safety tests and provides safety gear .
125 commercial vessels recalled from water near Louisiana .
Congressman urges government to set up mobile clinics . |
215,861 | a36a04ac11d1ad63719a546545142d440d786e92 | Louis van Gaal might have given his players a thumbs up at the end of another frenetic encounter, but it remains as much about crisis management as football management for the Dutchman at Manchester United. He did his best to deny that at Old Trafford yesterday, daring to suggest Wayne Rooney received a red card for nothing more than ‘a professional foul’ and refusing to respond to the idea that it might have been a mistake to make him captain. It was neither a good question, nor a good analysis of Rooney’s challenge on Stewart Downing, the Dutchman said. Even if Downing was deep in his own half, and 70 yards from United’s goal, when Rooney decided to plant his right foot in the West Ham midfielder’s thigh. Manchester United's Wayne Rooney takes down Stewart Downing of West Ham and receives a red card . Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, centre, is shown a red card by referee Lee Mason . Wayne Rooney received a straight red after a foul on Stewart Downing of West Ham . United captain Wayne Rooney walks off the pitch after receiving a red card for a foul on Stewart Downing . Manchester United (4-1-2-1-2): De Gea 6; Rafael 6, McNair 7, Rojo 6, Shaw 6; Blind 7; Herrera 7 (Valencia 74 6), Di Maria 6 (Thorpe 90 6); Rooney 4; Van Persie 7, Falcao 6 (Fletcher 65 6). Sent off: Rooney. Booked: Herrera. West Ham (4-3-1-2): Adrian 5; Demel 6 (Jenkinson 65 6), Tomkins 6, Reid 5, Cresswell 6; Song 5, Poyet 6, Amalfitano 6 (Cole 61 6); Downing 6: Sakho 7, E Valencia 6. Booked: Song, Sakho. Referee: L Mason. Man of the match Blind. ‘Crazy’ was how many saw it, but not Van Gaal. No, like Rooney, he somehow saw danger in Downing’s run. He was taken down because he needed to be, United’s manager essentially argued, with Rooney’s only mistake being the over-zealous nature of the tackle. More seasoned Rooney watchers will have a different view of the sixth red card of his career. We have seen this before; a senseless, seemingly unprovoked moment of madness that normally succeeds only in leaving a manager wondering if this hugely gifted footballer can be trusted. But even by Rooney’s standards this was extraordinary; enough surely to alarm a watching Roy Hodgson however blasé Van Gaal might have claimed to be about it. In the end, in the isolated context of this game, it mattered not. The advantage United secured with first-half goals from Rooney and Robin van Persie was enough to see off a spirited West Ham side. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney opens the scoring in the fifth minute . Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, right, celebrates after scoring against West Ham United . MINS PLD KM MILES . Manchester United 108.1 67.2 . Daley Blind 90 11.8 7.3 . Robin van Persie 90 11.1 6.9 . Angel Di María 89 10.6 6.6 . West Ham United 108.6 67.5 . Stewart Downing 90 10.9 6.8 . Aaron Cresswell 90 10.8 6.7 . Alexandre Song 90 10.7 6.6 . But Van Gaal must now prepare for three games, one at home against Everton and another against league leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford, without his captain at a time when leadership on the pitch is almost as important as the guidance he continues to provide off it. It was already proving another uncomfortable spectacle for Van Gaal as his side swung almost as violently between rapidly executed attacks and anxiety attacks at the opposite end of the field. But attacks of a purely physical nature are the last thing he needs, when Rooney is so central a figure in a team still struggling to overcome the imbalance created by a brilliant forward line and an inexperienced defence. In fairness to those charged with the task of defending United’s goal yesterday, they actually did rather well in the end. They were aided by the poor quality of West Ham’s finishing, but it was an improvement on last Sunday’s debacle at Leicester. Patrick McNair, a 19-year-old from Northern Ireland, impressed on his debut in a back four boasting another debutant in Luke Shaw as well as a centre-half — Marcos Rojo — making only his third appearance for the club. If anything, McNair looked more assured than the more experienced Argentinian and was responsible for a marvellous headed clearance late in the second half. Going forward, of course, United remain excellent, with Rooney outstanding at times in this game. It actually made his clash with Downing all the more bizarre. He should have been celebrating the 10th anniversary of his United debut with a fine performance as well as a goal that lifts him to third in the all-time list for the Premier League. United started, much as they did at Leicester last week, with what amounted to a commanding attacking display that simply proved too much for their opponents. The move that led to Wayne Rooney's goal vs West Ham - click here for more stats in matchzone . Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, centre left, scores second goal against West Ham . Manchester United's Robin van Persie celebrates after scoring against West Ham . They were ahead after only five minutes, Rooney meeting a bouncing cross from Rafael with a marvellous first-time strike that curled beyond the reach of keeper Adrian. No sooner had United’s captain settled the nerves at Old Trafford, however, than a defensive error very nearly led to an equaliser for the visitors. A poorly directed backpass from an otherwise impressive Daley Blind suddenly invited Enner Valencia to strike, but the West Ham forward blasted over. It was a combination of defensive errors that then enabled Van Persie to double United’s lead in the 22nd minute. A poor clearance from Adrian was compounded when Alex Song lost possession to Ander Herrera. He passed to Radamel Falcao, who in turn found Van Persie with a superb pass. Even then, though, Winston Reid was too hesitant in challenging Van Persie and the Dutchman beat Adrian with a delightful right-foot strike. West Ham striker Diafra Sakho (centre) pulls a goal back with a close-range header . West Ham's Kevin Nolan had the ball in the net but the effort was ruled out for offside . Defender Luke Shaw made his first start for United since his £30m summer move from Southampton . United Manager Louis van Gaal gives a thumbs up to the fans after a much-needed victory at Old Trafford . Paddy McNair impressed on his United debut and actually looked more assured than Marcos Rojo . Argentine midfielder Angel Di Maria was again at the heart of United's attacking prowess . Defender Tom Thorpe also made his debut against West Ham on Saturday . United's assistant manager Ryan Giggs (left) talks to referee Lee Mason after the final whistle . Angel di Maria really should have made it 3-0 but sent an effort wide and the mistake was made to feel all the more costly when Diafra Sakho seized on the mess United made of defending a Downing corner in the 37th minute. David de Gea was most at fault for flapping ineffectively at the ball under pressure from Morgan Amalfitano, and after Valencia saw his initial header bounce off the crossbar Sakho was there to pounce with a more accurate effort. De Gea made amends when he denied Sakho after the break, and in the end credit should be given to a makeshift defence that just about protected that one-goal margin. But Van Gaal will also know Sam Allardyce’s side were not as impressive as they had been against Liverpool the previous week. West Ham’s manager was also bitterly disappointed with his side’s failure to take advantage of Rooney’s red card. Afterwards Allardyce also blamed the match officials for ruling that Kevin Nolan was offside when he converted Carl Jenkinson’s cross from close range with little more than a minute remaining. It was certainly a close call from the officials which, on another day, could have gone in the visitors’ favour. To be fair to Allardyce, his argument was nothing like as bizarre as his opposite number’s. | Wayne Rooney received a straight red card after he lashed out at West Ham midfielder Stewart Downing .
Rooney had put United ahead with marvellous first-time strike that curled beyond the reach of Adrian .
Robin van Persie added a second in the 23rd minute with a delightful strike .
United keeper David De Gea was most at fault when Sakho pounced to give the Hammers a lifline .
Kevin Nolan thought he had equalised in the last minute but his effort was ruled out for offside .
Paddy McNair impressed on his debut and looked more assured than Marcos Rojo . |
70,052 | c69cc6554f0a0d259ad4c89ad542a1e71025c6f2 | By . Tara Brady . Two more men have been found guilty of wearing burkas and posing as Muslim women to steal £1m of designer watches in a smash and grab attack raid at Selfridges. Ritchie Graham, 23, and Vincent Bellamy, 37, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery at the Selfridges Wonder Room between 1 January 2013 and 7 June 2013. Customers and staff at the famous store on London’s Oxford Street were left 'terrified' as a gang of men dressed in burkas smashed display cabinets in the shop's Wonder Room stealing 143 watches worth £1,496,280 and damaging others worth £1.1m last June. Smash and grab: An eyewitness films one of the burka-clad robbers fleeing Selfridges . But as they fled on stolen motorbikes, a motor scooter and a BMW car, the rider of the scooter Connor Groake lost control and both he and Sam Curtin, who was still wearing his burka, were tackled to the ground by passers-by. The gang, armed with axes and other equipment, had also worn burkas to raid a jewellery store in Windsor two months earlier. During the 'well-planned robbery' at Robert Gatward jewellers in King Edward Court the gang smashed display cabinets stealing 19 Rolex watches costing between £3,000 and £31,650 each. As they ran through the pedestrian zone, one of the burqa clad men wielded an axe raised above his head to 'ward off anyone who may have sought to impede their escape.' Caught on camera: This cameraphone video shows one of the robbers running for the exit . The north London-based gang escaped by car with £175,000 of watches and caused a further £41,361 worth of damage. Prosecutor Roger Smart earlier told Kingston Crown Court following the Windsor robbery, the same gang, along with some new faces, 'doubtless buoyed by the success of the robbery in Windsor' targeted Selfridges on Oxford Street in central London on June 6th last year. He said: 'The plot to rob was audacious, well-planned and carried out with the same degree of professional execution as the previous robbery. 'They made their way inside the store and smashed at showcases containing high value watches of a variety of makes. Escape: The burka-clad raider clutches what appears to be an axe while fleeing the scene . 'Members of the public and staff were terrified by their actions. The robber used the burka to disguise their identities and hide their equipment. 'Such was their behaviour and appearance that it crossed the minds of many of those who were forced to witness the robbery that the men dressed in burka were using them in order to hide their identities while perpetrating a terrorist atrocity.' But as they escaped the scooter rider lost control and Mr Smart said: 'It was the quick thinking and bravery of members of the public that lead to both of them being detained, some of the watches being recovered and aided the police investigation.' Response: The court heard how getaway drivers crashed and were apprehended . Before the trial started Curtin, 20, and Groake, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob Selfridges.Last July, Groake was sentenced to eight years and Curtin to 13 years in jail. Curtin also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob the Windsor jewellery and has yet to be sentenced. Kris Monaghan, 25, and Ian Rawlings, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob Selfridges at an earlier hearing and also await sentence. Jailed: Curtin, 20 (right), and Groake, 25 (left), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob Selfridges . Destruction: A man looks at the damage left after an armed robbery at Selfridges on Oxford Street, London . Evidence: A forensic officer photographs the wreckage in Selfridges left after an armed robbery . Guns: Police officers at the scene of a smash and grab robbery in Selfridges on Oxford Street in central London . Targeted: The gang of armed robbers targeted Selfridges Department Store on Oxford Street in June 2013 . Leon Wright, 25, was found not guilty of conspiracy to rob. Graham and Ramela Gordon, 18, were also found guilty of conspiracy to rob the Windsor store last April. Graham and Vincent will be sentenced at a later date. | Ritchie Graham, 23, and Vincent Bellamy, 37, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery .
Customers at the store on London’s Oxford Street were left 'terrified'
A gang of men dressed in burkas smashed display cabinets .
Connor Groake and Sam Curtin arrested at the scene .
Graham and Vincent will be sentenced at a later date . |
222,755 | ac5c968c93d8dda39803ffbe23667e00de9deb9a | The Omaha Police Officers Association in Nebraska has come under extreme criticism after it posted a video of an African American toddler uttering profanities to use as an example of ‘the thug cycle’. The diapered child is seen in a phone camera video taken by two purported relatives who are swearing at each other and the child and teaching him to swear back. '... despite the fact that it is sickening, heartbreaking footage, we have an obligation to share it to continue to educate the law abiding public about the terrible cycle of violence and thuggery that some young innocent children find themselves helplessly trapped in,’ said the post on their website. Scroll down for video . 'Thug cycle': A video of a toddler was posted by the Omaha police union as an example of city violence, which has angered some people who say nothing illegal is happening in the video . Facebook comments: People react to the video post from the self-proclaimed uncle of the toddler . Union President John Wells defended their decision to post the video saying 'a lot of these children end up dealing with law enforcement' The website states: ‘Now while we . didn't see anything in this video that is blatantly 'illegal', we sure . did see a lot that is flat out immoral and completely unhealthy for this . little child from a healthy upbringing standpoint.’ The . post tells the public that they are ‘literally watching “the cycle” of . violence continue right in front of your eyes. A powerful cycle that . must be broken if we ever hope to get a handle on violence in Omaha. A . powerful cycle that the police alone cannot stop.’ The . so-called ‘thug’ who posted the video of the toddler has lashed back in . a comment on the police association’s Facebook page, which has not done . him any favours as it's laced with f-word bombs. Union President John Wells, who is a sergeant in the Omaha Police Department, told Gawker that they use the term ‘thug’ as a ‘general term on our Facebook page’, but that it could be substituted by a variety of other terms including ‘abnormal, antisocial, criminal’. However, many people have taken to social media to criticize the move. One user, Joshua David, said on the union's Facebook page: 'As a union employee and member, I'm ashamed that this post exists. Not because of the video, but because of the racism. But hey, at least he'll learn early that he's nothing but an n-word to society.' Defending their action of posting the . video of the toddler and likening it to violence, Wells said that 'a lot of . these children end up dealing with law enforcement'. WARNING: Video contains graphic content . Taught bad things: The child is seen sticking up his middle finger, right, and in the left photo is covering his face as his relatives call him various profanities . ‘[But] I'm not saying that this kid won't grow up to be a productive member of society.’The . post called the video's creator, who is reportedly the toddler's uncle, . a ‘local thug’, but Wells said: ‘I don't know that he's a gangbanger... he mentions 29th Street, which is a local Bloods gang here’. He . told Gawker.com that his association is different to the police . department, which is why they have ‘a lot more latitude to be a little . more edgy’ and that edginess is necessary to force a deeper conversation . on the city's crime problems. Omaha . is largely ethnically segregated, he says, and many residents dismiss . crime by saying ‘it didn't happen in my part of town, that's not a . problem’, he said. | The Omaha Police Officers Association is being criticised for posting a video of an African American toddler uttering profanities .
They say it's an example of 'the thug cycle’ in Nebraska .
The diapered child is seen in a phone camera video taken by two purported relatives .
The toddler is urged to swear as the relatives swear at him and each other . |
216,445 | a437cdfb8b29f2672c0557e602aab18eccd8c255 | Dogs are known as man's best friend, but they make sure to look out for their fellow canines as well. A tiny dachshund named Razor helped alert a passersby in Belen, New Mexico, to the fact that his 180lb friend Jazzy, a St Bernard, was stuck two feet in the mud. Owner Tim Chavez believes that the nine-year-old large dog was stuck in a muddy irrigation ditch for 18 hours after she ran away from home, according to KRQE. Scroll down for video . Little Lassie: Razor the dachshund (left) alerted a passing driver to the predicament of St Bernard Jazzy, after the big dog became stuck in a ditch . Sticky situation: The dachshund's work led to fire and police workers coming to the irrigation ditch and rescuing Jazzy with a spineboard . Razor began barking wildly last Monday morning, the day after his larger pal left. The tiny dog then took off across a field towards Jazzy in the ditch. A passer-by driving on the road adjacent to the ditch heard the barking, looked down and saw Razor next to the immobilized Jazzy. Jazzy was then taken out of the mud by eight rescue workers who used backboard straps and a spine board. Hot dog hero: The St Bernard and Razor were reunited on the shore, and the Belen, New Mexico, city council plans on honoring the small hero . Belen Fire and Rescue's Manny Garcia said that the dogs hind legs were submerged and she was unable to move, according to KOAT. Razor's heroics have earned her local fame, and the city council plans to honor the dog with a certificate at the beginning of March. 'It really means a lot. You don’t really realize how attached you are to your pets until something like this happens,” Mr Chavez said . The dog lover's pitbull Layla also ran away from home last Sunday and is still missing. Worried owner: Tim Chavez also lost his pitbull Layla on Sunday, the same day that Jazzy left home and ended up in a ditch . | Razor barked wildly after big buddy Jazzy ran away from New Mexico home .
Small dog ran across field to irrigation ditch and passerby called 911 .
180lb St Bernard was rescued with spine board by firefighters and police . |
204,295 | 947b565f8bc642552fc573a9f296082a2e362b70 | (CNN) -- "Jughead, do you want to be my best man?" comic book character Archie asks on his blog. The marriage issue is due to arrive at comic stores in August and on newsstands in September. Archie Andrews -- who spent decades in high school, flirting with girl-next-door Betty Cooper and heiress-next-door Veronica Lodge -- is getting married. "I am so excited, I am getting Married to Archie. There is so much to do, so many plans to make. I wonder if Betty wants to be my Maid of Honor? I bet she is so happy for me!" Veronica writes on her blog. Yup, Archie is marrying Veronica, breaking Betty's heart. "I am so sad, I don't even know what to say," Betty writes on her blog. Betty has months to dry her tears. The marriage issue is due to arrive at comic stores in August and on newsstands in September, according to publisher Archie Comic Publications (archiecomics.com). "It's the milestone 600th issue and we're serving up the Archie story of the century as Archie marries Veronica!!!" the publisher says on its Web site. "The 32-page issue takes a look at Archie and his friends after they graduate college! What careers will they seek? Will the friends stay in Riverdale or disperse? What would lead Archie to have marriage on his mind? And who would he choose Veronica or Betty? How will Betty react? How will Veronica react? Can Archie shake off his klutzy past and hold down a steady job... for more than a month? One thing is certain: this will be the biggest Archie Comics story ever!" Archie might be in over his head. According to Veronica's online profile, "She is very conceited, usually fickle, and extremely flirtatious." He went for the bad girl instead of Betty. Her online profile says, "Through every crazy, loving scheme to win Archie's love, Betty always remains completely unaffected, loyal and sweet." Maybe Archie will come to his senses. His online profile says, "He does things on the spur of the moment, which almost always gives him a very keen cause for regret." | Comic book character Archie Andrews finally chooses between Betty and Veronica .
The fictional marriage marks the comic book's milestone 600th issue .
Is Archie in over his head? Fans must wait until August to find out . |
167,327 | 64676be8a6054903fc22a301c603796b1fcb6fd4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:34 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:34 EST, 26 December 2013 . Gordon Hayward, a player for the Utah Jazz, had all his Christmas wishes come true when his girlfriend accepted his proposal of marriage on Christmas day.Hayward, 23, posted a picture of himself and his new fiancee Robyn Van Vliet on Instagram with the caption: "Merry Christmas to everyone out there! Hope it’s a good one! Mine was especially good bc [sic] SHE SAID YES!!!! So thrilled I get to marry my best friend and such an amazing person @robynvanvliet! I love you!!!"For her part, the teen wrote that she was happy to be 'finally engaged to the love of my life.' 'Soo happy I get to marry this babe,' she wrote on her own Instagram account accompanied by the same photograph of the couple. According to Van Vliet’s Facebook page, she graduated in 2013 from Bishop Chatard High School in Indiana and is currently in her first year of beauty school.She listed herself as 'in a relationship' on September 8 on her Facebook account. Young love: Gordon Hayward and Robyn Van Vliet became engaged after dating for five months . Hometown: The pair are both from Indiana, where she recently graduated high school . Young love: Van Vliet called Hayward the love of her life, adding she was glad to 'finally' be engaged to him . He grew up in Indiana and up until last summer was dating Kolbi Killingback, with whom he was in a relationship for five years. The pair began dating in high school, though Killingback was two years younger than him. Van Vliet graduated high school in the spring. She first mentioned Hayward on her Instagram account in late July, which appears to be around the time they met. On his game: Hayward is a valuable player for the Utah Jazz . Last month Hayward posted about how much he was looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with Van Vliet. 'Love that I get the chance to see this beautiful girl for Thanksgiving,' he wrote. She responded, 'Welll [sic] I love you soooo I'm happy I get to be with you too Gordon.' Hayward is in his fourth NBA season with the Utah Jazz. | Gordon Hayward, 23, became engaged to Robyn Van Vliet on Christmas day .
He was drafted to the Utah Jazz in 2010 .
Van Vliet graduated high school in the spring and is in her first year of beauty school . |
272,245 | eca39a27a45c2da5bee8e7ba6aa11f7103bc5fdf | He's used to having his fair share of female attention, but few women have had the courage to ask Prince Harry for a dance. But he wasn't afraid to show off his best moves during his visit to the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus daycare centre in Santiago, which looks after children with mental and physical disabilities. He is currently on his third day of a Royal tour of Chile, where he flew out to support England football team. Scroll down for video . Happy Harry! The Prince dances with children at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus day care centre in Santiago, Chile, where they look after children with mental and physical disabilities . Shuffle: Harry looks like he's learning dance moves from one of the girls at the hospital in Santiago, Chile . Helping hand: Prince Harry helps a young girl hold a sign up during his visit to a daycare centre for children with mental and physical disabilities in Santiago . Crouching Harry: Harry joins in fun games with children and staff at a daycare centre in Santiago. Harry has been a hit with children in Chile during his Royal tour . Royal moves: Prince Harry dances with children at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus day care centre in Santiago . And whilst . the football team may be enjoying some time off after their World Cup . exit last Tuesday, Prince Harry has been busy touring the country and . mingling with adoring fans, children and members of the public. As . well as dancing on the steps of the daycare centre, much to the . amusement of it's patients and onlookers, he played with the children . and spent time with them throughout the whole day. He hung out with a young boy called Russel, four, and high-fived the beaming boy as they played in the centre, the Foundation of Friends of Jesus. He laughed when seven-year-old Pascal Vasquez stole the microphone from him as began to make a speech. Cheeky: Pascal Vasquez, pictured here, steals the microphone from Prince Harry as he meets children with mental and physical disabilities at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus in Santiago Chile . Child's play: Prince Harry meets children during his visit to the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus in Santiago . today . High five: A delighted child plays with Princer Harry at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus in Santiago . Caring: Prince Harry visits children at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus in Santiago during his Royal tour of Chile . Cute: Harry larks around with kids at the Foundation for Friends of Jesus. The playful Prince looked in his element during the Royal visit . Heartwarming: Prince Harry surrounds himself with youngsters at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus. The Prince has been delighted to support local communities and centres such as this . Other pictures show Harry bonding with teenagers in the centre as well as a host of youngsters. The centre does incredible work with young people who suffer from mental and physical disabilities, though it wasn't just the patients that seemed delighted by the Royal visit. Staff at the centre looked only too happy to hang out with Prince Harry, too. This isn't the first time during his trip to Chile that the Prince, who turns 30 in September, has indulged his playful side. On Friday he visited the . Sagrada Familia kindergarten school in Chile where he cheered up . underprivileged children from the Mapuche indigenous community. Having fun: Prince Harry looks delighted as he is surrounded by laughing children . Song and dance: Later on in the day things appeared to be getting musical, as one of the youngsters brings out a tambourine and staff clap . Nice to meet you! One young girl becomes the envy of women everywhere, as Prince Harry holds her hand . Sweet nothings: Harry appears to be heartwarmed at something said to him by one of the girls at the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus centre in Santiago . Prince Harry watches a trail bike demonstration on the last day of his visit to Santiago, Chile . But Harry called off his participation in the last event of the day - trail bike riding in the foothills of the Andes . He was said to have canceled his part in the event after coming down with a bug . Instead the Prince watched youngsters riding around close to a river bed and performing wheelies . The prince was said to have been struck down with a 'splitting headache'. He was handed an African pygmy hedgehog named Vlad as he watched the event . He clearly revelled in their company: Harry's face was all smiles and laughter throughout the day, where he played games and musical instruments with the young children, who clearly had the time of their lives as well. Yesterday he visited to a slum outside the former . capital, Valparaiso, and showed his practical side by mending the . family’s television just in time for them to watch the Brazil v Chile . match in the World Cup. The Prince was in the village of El . Vergel, one of the many slums that cling to the hillsides overlooking . the city, to see how the community is being rebuilt following a forest . fire in April that destroyed nine in ten of the self-made homes. He visited various homes of people who suffered during the fires, and even helped one family repair their TV. | Prince Harry visited the Fundacion Amigos de Jesus in Santiago .
The centre looks after children with mental and physical disabilites .
The Prince is currently on day three of his Royal tour of Chile . |
256,743 | d84e24cb71825b5954d9e545c01f3ad3c1c99c5b | Praise: Sharon Kaur was praised for her work when she met Prime Minister David Cameron at Downing Street on the 16th April 2012 . An award-winning businesswoman feted by David Cameron and George Osborne at Downing Street faces charges of assaulting her own sister in front of astonished shoppers. Sharon Kaur allegedly attacked her younger sister Kulvinder by grabbing her hair from behind, spitting at her and clawing at her face, in what court papers term ‘a beating’. She will appear before magistrates tomorrow accused of assault. The alleged attack, which left divorcee Kulvinder, 37, battered and bruised, took place outside an O2 mobile phone shop in Ilford, East London, just a few miles from her home. As onlookers gathered round, Ms Kaur is said to have run into the crowd, leaving her sister behind. High-profile entrepreneur Ms Kaur, 46, runs the Sahara Homes care home empire with former West Ham FC chairman Terence Brown. She is managing director of the company she built from scratch, which focuses on people with learning disabilities. Ms Kaur visited Mr Cameron in No10 two years ago, along with other members of the Sikh community. A year earlier, she was pictured with Chancellor George Osborne at another Sikh community gathering. She was named Businesswoman of the Year at the 2007 Asian Women of Achievement Awards, attended by Cherie Blair and presented by Liz Hurley. Ms Kaur is highly respected in the Sikh community for extensive charity work, including a five-day trek in the Sahara, which raised more than £12,000 for a children’s hospice in East London. Of Indian-Punjabi descent, Ms Kaur was born in Huddersfield and was raised in a pub owned by her mother. She . left school at 15, but later studied for a media degree while working . as a dress designer. She went on to appear in an Indian version of The X . Factor for TV’s Sikh Channel. Ms Kaur found her vocation when an aunt asked her to help out in a care home. Assault: Ms Kaur's alleged attack on her sister took place outside an O2 mobile phone shop in Ilford, East London . She later bought a four-bedroom house with a bank loan, lived in one bedroom and used the other rooms to house three women who had been abused in childhood. But she has admitted the care industry has had its challenging moments. In an earlier interview, she said: ‘I have had service users [care home residents] break my nose, tear my hair out, damage my jaw and I have been dragged around the streets of East London until being rescued by my brother and the police.’ Ms Kaur confirmed she will appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court in East London, saying: ‘That’s right, but I don’t see what the big deal is.’ Her sister was unavailable for comment. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Sharon Kaur allegedly beat up her younger sister in front of stunned shoppers outside a shop in Ilford, East London .
The care home boss has been feted for her work by David Cameron and George Osborne at Downing Street .
The alleged attack left divorcee Kulvinder, 37, battered and bruised .
Ms Kaur, 46, will appear before magistrates tomorrow accused of assault . |
192,601 | 8551ad68145d5c8d53503197a25f20ff2e58853e | By 2030, the top cancer killers in the United States will be lung, pancreas and liver, according to a new report published Monday in the American Association for Cancer Research's journal. Lung cancer is already the top killer overall, but pancreatic and liver cancer will surpass the cancers currently considered the second and third leading causes of death, researchers say. Right now, second most dangerous is breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men; and third is colorectal cancer for both men and women. Researchers looked at trends in cancer incidence and death rates between 2006 and 2010, and used that data -- combined with expected U.S. demographic changes -- to predict numbers for 2030. Overall, the cancer-related death rate has been decreasing, researchers say, as a result of improved screening and treatment options. Yet while deaths from breast, prostate and colon cancers are projected to drop, deaths caused by liver, pancreatic, bladder and leukemia cancers are expected to increase. In fact, liver and pancreatic cancers will surpass breast and prostate to become the second and third-leading causes of cancer-related deaths, the researchers say. "We've been able to turn the tide in other cancers, with an investment in (research)," said lead author Lynn Matrisian, vice president of scientific and medical affairs at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, which funded the study. "We're hoping that with increased effort ... we will be able to impact and change those projections." The rate of pancreatic cancer has been slowly increasing for the past 15 years, says Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. Some of that rise can be attributed to the prevalence of obesity and diabetes. "Many Americans are not aware that the combination of obesity, high-caloric intake and lack of physical activity is the second-leading cause of cancer in the U.S.," Brawley said. "It is linked to at least 12 types of cancer, of which these are two. This is an American problem ... the rise in pancreatic cancer is not as severe as in Europe where obesity is less of an issue." Obesity may affect cancer patients' outcomes . Overall, the number of cancer cases is expected to increase over the next 16 years, due to the rapidly aging population. In 2010, the United States had about 1.5 million cases of cancer; in 2030, researchers expect that number to reach 2.1 million. "We're living much longer in the United States, so the number of people 65 age and older will be much greater," Matrisian said. "And that's, of course, one of the biggest risk factors for cancer: Age." Lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers are currently the most common in the United States. Known as the "big four," these cancers have the highest incidence rates and receive the most research funding from the National Cancer Institute. This is unlikely to change by 2030, the researchers say, except for colorectal cancer, which is expected to be surpassed by thyroid, melanoma and uterine cancers in total number of cases. "The decrease in colorectal cancer, falling from the top four incidence and top two in deaths, seems to be primarily the result of advances in colorectal cancer screening," the report authors write. The dramatic increase in thyroid cases is not a new epidemic, they say, but simply an increase in the number of cases being diagnosed. And while thyroid cancer has a 98% five-year survival rate, only 6% of pancreatic cancer patients are alive five years after diagnosis. The pancreas is difficult to scan with current imaging technologies, Matrisian says, because of its location in the body. And pancreatic tumors are often surrounded by dense tissue that render drugs useless. Surgery is the only treatment known to cure pancreatic cancer, but less than 20% of cases are operable, the report says. "If we want to change the death rate for these diseases, it is necessary to increase the investment in understanding them and identifying early detection strategies," the report says. | Liver, pancreatic cancers to surpass breast, prostate as leading causes of death .
Rate of pancreatic cancer has been increasing steadily, in part because of obesity .
Aging population will increase cancer incidence rates in the U.S. and abroad . |
273,575 | ee634fde002033e6eaa56025b5584af1ab5951a7 | The blasted-out building where the Charlie Hebdo gunmen died after an eight-hour siege by police has already become a macabre tourist attraction. These dramatic pictures show the print works on an industrial estate 19 miles north east of Paris where Cherif and Said Kouachi made their last stand. The two-storey building, with every window shot out, was today the scene of ghoulish fascination as visitors posed for ‘selfies’ and families brought their children to gawp at the damage. Scroll down for video . Grim lure: People gathered today at the print works where the Charlie Hebdo gunmen made their last stand . History: From behind a police cordon, ordinary passers-by recorded the scene on their camera phones . One local said: 'We came here to think about everything that happened here. The atmosphere is heavy' Police had stormed the premises on Friday following an eight hour standoff after the gunmen took control of the small business taking owner Michele Catalano hostage. In front of the heavily guarded building was the grey Peugeot 206 that the extremist Islamist brothers hijacked in the forest on Friday morning before setting off on a frantic car chase along the Rue National 2. The front windscreen of the car was pierced by a single bullet hole while the back windscreen was completely shot out. Families took their children on a bike ride past the scene as dozens of tourists snapped pictures on their camera phones. One Italian tourist, Pio Pirolo, asked a bystander to take a selfie of him, saying: ‘I want to show everyone that I was here. Some day this will be history.’ Blown out: The windows of the print works were destroyed during the eight-hour standoff with police . The industrial estate is around 19 miles from the centre of Paris near the city's Charles de Gaulle airport . Damage: The religious fanatics had said they would only emerge from their hideout as martyrs . An elderly man taking pictures of his wife on his camera phone said: ‘We just wanted to see it in person, not just on the news.’ One local resident, who lives opposite the factory, brought his two sons to see the site after attending a march in the morning. Fabrice Bruneau, a recruitment consultant, said: ‘We came here to think about everything that happened here, to remember it. The atmosphere is heavy here.' The father-of-two said he spent the siege crouched in his shower room: ‘We hid in our bathroom the whole day watching the scene on smartphone TV. ‘At 6pm we heard explosions and the windows all vibrated. I was so scared because of our children. ‘There is no more liberty in France. People are too scared. ‘ . One resident who lives opposite the factory said: 'I was so scared because of our children' No change: The Peugeot 206 which the brothers hijacked on the morning of the siege remained outside . ‘We are living in a terrible age. We have a problem with integration. We need to do something. These people are a risk.’ Cherif Kouachi and his brother Said sparked global horror when they burst into the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and slaughtered 12 people last Wednesday, including a police officer outside the building. The extremists spent two days on the run until they were gunned down at the industrial estate in Dammartin, which is near Charles de Gaulle Airport. The end to the pursuit played out on live TV and social media as one hostage was eventually freed from the printing plant. Graphic designer Lilian Lepere, 27, who was inside the building, hid in a cardboard box and sent text messages to police after realising the Charlie Hebdo killers were holed up in his office. He told friends: 'I'm not a hero. I just did what anyone would do to save their own life. 'I just did what any normal person would do if they were in the same situation.' Photos: Passers-by came to mourn and to see the scene of the brothers' deaths for themselves . Memorial: The gathering happened as millions marched in cities across France to remember the dead . | Police stormed two-storey building in Dammartin after siege on Friday .
Since then it has remained cordoned off with the windows blasted out .
One Italian tourist took a selfie, saying: 'Some day this will be history'
Others lived locally and took photos to contemplate 'heavy atmosphere' |
242,403 | c5c3ac094f8cf87f6805befbfad538e0768a12bb | By . Mail Online Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:25 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:28 EST, 7 March 2014 . These photos show the faces of the Pakistani women who are forced to spend their lives in slavery - because their families are in debt. Living without running water, and often trapped by their employers for the rest of their lives, these women are forced to work in brick kilns, agricultural fields and other hard labour industries to clear debts which overshadow their families' lives. Associated . Press photographer Muhammed Muheisen took the photos in his home country to show the . difficult conditions faced by the women who work as 'bonded labourers'. Scroll down for video . In her father's footsteps: Naila Liyaqat, 16, a Pakistani brick factory worker, at the site of her brick factory in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, . Pakistan. Naila's father is in debt to his employer to the tune of . around 300,000 rupees, which is approximately £1,800 . Factory worker: Samina Manzoor, 27, a Pakistani brick factory worker, shares a debt with . her husband of 300,000 rupees which is about £1,800. Samina is just an example of the thousands of women working in Pakistan to repay debts . Trapped: Raina Anwar, 24, a Pakistani brick factory worker, at the site of her . work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Raina and her husband are in . debt to their employer the amount of 190,000 rupees, about £1,100. A person becomes a bonded labourer when they are made to work to repay a loan . No escape: Amna Bhatti, 60, a Pakistani brick factory worker, at the site of her work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Amna is in debt to her employer for the amount of 150,000 rupees, about £900. She says: 'Once you enter this road, the only way out is death' But, tragically, these workers are just a handful of the hundreds of thousands of women across Pakistan who face the same fate. A person becomes a bonded labourer when . they are made to work as repayment for a loan. This loan is often taken out by a family member who has since died. There are no reliable statistics about the number of Pakistanis living and working as bonded labourers. But, . according to the National Coalition Against Bonded Labor, which is made . up of different organisations, they can be found across the country . working in agriculture, the carpet-making industry, brick kilns and . other industries. Amna Bhatti has spent half a century shaping mud into bricks in a huge kiln south of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. She started by paying off her parents' debt and now she's paying off her late husband's. She will probably spend the rest of her life as a bonded labourer. Mrs Bhatti was 10 when she started working at the kiln to pay off her parents' debt. Now, at 60, she is paying off the 250,000 rupees, around £1,500, her husband left behind when he died 12 years ago. Illegal: Brick factory worker Nusrat Azhar, 29, holding her daughter, Noor, one. She works with her sister . Shaziyya, 33, at a brick factory on the . outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Nusrat and Shaziyya inherited their . father's 400,000 rupee debt - which is around £2,400 - to their employer . Brick factory workers: Nasreen Ijaz, 24, with her daughter . Attiya, 3, at the site of her work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Nasreen and her husband are in debt to their employer to the amount of . 100,000 rupees, about £600 . Bonded: Rubina Rafaqat, 22, with her child at . the site of her work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Rubina and . her husband are in debt to their employer the amount of 200,000 rupees, . about £1,200. The labourers often have no proper living facilities or basic amenities, such as running water or bathrooms . She has managed to cut 100,000 rupees . off that original loan, but has taken even more loans from her employer - so . it is doubtful she will ever escape the debt. Mrs Bhatti said: 'We are poor, and we will always stay poor. When you enter this road the only way out of it is death.' The labourers often have no proper living facilities or basic amenities, such as running water or bathrooms. They generally earn about 350 rupees per day for their hard work. This is a little over £2. Bonded labour is the most widely used method of enslaving people around the world. A person starts work to repay a loan, usually inherited from a family member. Hard worker: Maqbool Ghulam, 35, at the site of her . brick favtory in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Maqbool and her husband are . in debt to their employer the amount of 250,000 rupees, about £1,500. Most bonded labourers earn just 350 rupees per day, which is just over £2 . Najma Shahid, 25, at the site of her . work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan, with her son Adil, six, who . suffers from a fever. He sleeps on the ground wrapped with a shawl. Najma . and her husband are in debt to their employer for the amount of 80,000 . rupees, about £500 . Emna Mohammed, 65, at the site of her work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Emna . inherited her late husband's 95,000 . rupee debt to their employer. This is around £550. It is common for women to carry on working to repay a debt once the person who borrowed the money has died . The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay, often for seven days a week. The value of their work over the years is usually more than the original amount of money borrowed. But often the debts are so hard to escape, that it is passed on to future generations. While working to repay debts their employer says they owe, the labourers are not allowed to work elsewhere. Poverty and threats of violence force . many bonded labourers to stay with their masters. If they left, they . would not otherwise be able to eat or have a place to sleep. Various forms of force can also be used to make sure they stay. In many cases they are kept under surveillance, sometimes under lock and key. Life sentence: Navila Shirali, 17, at the site of her work in Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Navila works to clear her father's debt to his employer, which is around 500,000 rupees, . nearly £3,000. Navila will probably be working to repay the debt for the rest of her life . Fearful: Khurshid Mumtaz, 25, a Pakistani brick factory worker, comforts her . crying daughter Haima, 4, at the site of her work in Mandra, near . Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Khurshid and her husband are in debt to their . employer the amount of 194,000 rupees, about £1,200. Women continue to work out of fear of poverty or violence . The debts also play an large part in human trafficking. People who are offered a ‘job’ abroad often borrow big sums of money to pay the traffickers. These sums cover the costs of their journey as well as a fee for finding a ‘job’ and is often borrowed against their family house or business. But when it turns out that the promised job did not exist, the trafficked victim cannot leave until the debt is paid off. The victim might be threatened with violence, either on themselves or their families back home. Debt bondage was used as a means of trapping labourers into working on plantations in Africa, the Caribbean and South-East Asia, after the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Ghaziya Iqbal, 35, breastfeeds her . child Farman, nine months old, at the site of her work on the outskirts . of Islamabad, Pakistan. Ghaziya and her husband are in debt to their . employer. They owe around 250,000 rupees, which is about £1,500 . Family suffering: Sofia Zahour, 25, a Pakistani brick factory worker, with her daughter Alina, 2, at the site of her work in . Mandra, near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Sofia and her husband are in debt to their employer for 400,000 rupees, about £2,400 debt . In South Asia, it is rooted in the caste system and predominately affects Dalits, the lowest caste called Untouchables. It still exists in agriculture, brick kilns, mills and factories. Bonded labour also remains a problem in some regions of South America. In the Punjab region of India, hundreds of thousands men, women and children are forced to work as bonded labourers in quarries and brick kilns where they receive little or no pay in return for a loan, which is used for survival, including medical costs. Today the International Labour Organisation estimates a minimum of 11.7 million people are in forced labour in the Asia-Pacific region. Most of those are in debt bondage. Despite the fact that bonded labour is illegal, some governments are unwilling to enforce the law, or to ensure that those who profit from it are punished. Widespread discrimination against some social groups means they have limited access to justice, education and ways to get themselves out of poverty. Bonded labour exists in spite of being explicitly outlawed by the United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery (1956). | Muhammed Muheisen visited brick kilns to photograph terrible conditions faced by thousands of 'bonded labourers'
The women spend seven days a week carrying out hard labour to repay debts taken out by their families .
The workers are found in agriculture, carpet-making and brick factories and do not have running water or bathrooms .
Labourer Amna Bhatti says there is no escape: 'We are poor. We will always stay poor.' |
17,794 | 326895c26242889fb5c701387a4c513590e4c17e | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The number of movies nominated for the best picture Oscar will double next year, a move apparently aimed at bolstering sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast. Danny Boyle exults in an Oscar win for "Slumdog Millionaire" earlier this year. "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," Sid Ganis, president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said. Doubling the nominations would make it more likely a viewer's favorite movie is in the running for the top honor, which may make them want to watch the show, said Steve Pond, author of "The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards." "This clearly is a reaction to declining ratings," Pond said. "Even though this last show the ratings were up ... over the last 10 years or so the ratings have been down." Oscar producers realized they "can juice the show up all you want, but people watch the Oscars when there are movies competing that they have an interest in," Pond said. The best picture nominations often consist of movies that "the vast majority of people have not seen," he said. The problem "came to a head with 'The Dark Knight,' " which sold more than $1 billion in tickets worldwide, but was snubbed by the academy in the best picture category last year, he said. The Batman sequel won best movie at the MTV Movie Awards and was chosen favorite movie by the People's Choice Awards. It also made many critics' top 10 lists. If the nomination field had been expanded last year, the film might have made the best picture list, "which clearly would have been some kind of bump in the ratings," Pond said. This would also counter the impression among TV viewers that the awards show is "for movie snobs who don't like the movies I like," he said. The decision to double the number of features films nominated is a return to the way the Oscars were awarded in its early decades, when as many as 12 movies were considered in the field of finalists, Ganis said. "After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," Ganis said. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same -- one best picture winner -- but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009." Nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on February 2, 2010. The awards show is set for March 7 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. A best picture nomination often serves as a marketing boost for films, driving DVD sales for those films no longer in theaters. | NEW: Nominating more films "a reaction to declining ratings," says expert .
Academy Awards to nominate 10 best picture possibilities next year .
Academy has been nominating just five films for more than six decades .
"The Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots," says its president . |
264,083 | e2065e59f1c76e155d6e1ff67aecb6f7577b3a9c | (CNN) -- Our favorite Sunday of the year will arrive on February 2, and we're already armed with snacks and snark to dissect the best part of Super Bowl XLVIII: its commercials. There will be the usual deluge of movie trailers -- expect to see clips for Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" movie as well as Kevin Costner's "Draft Day" -- plus the ad spots shilling beer, M&Ms and everything else. Here are seven clips that we're looking forward to watching all over again: . Budweiser's puppy love . C'mon people. This has small furry creatures, adoption and interspecies bonding. We've long awaited the moment when the Super Bowl gives up on football and just makes the Puppy Bowl the main event, and we consider this Budweiser commercial to be the first step toward that glorious day. The Muppets steal a car . The Muppets are mostly around for fun, but they often sneak in a lesson or two while they're at it. With their Super Bowl commercial, they impart a very useful one: do not, under any circumstances, pull over for a Muppets bus -- unless you want them to hijack your car. (On the other hand, if your car is hijacked by Muppets, at least you'll get a groovy song out of it.) Anna Kendrick's 'non-Super Bowl' Super Bowl commercial . We love this Newcastle Brown Ale ad for so many reasons, but we're only going to give you our top three: 1) It stars Anna Kendrick. 2) It stars Anna Kendrick basically giving the "am I beer commercial hot?" monologue we give ourselves every morning. 3) It stars Anna Kendrick giving the only appropriate response to that: "I mean I'm hot ... But like ... beer commercial hot? No. But I love a challenge." The 'Full House' reunion . We haven't seen Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and John Stamos -- aka "Full House's" Danny Tanner, Uncle Joey and Uncle Jesse -- together like this since "Full House" went off the air almost 19 years ago, so excuse us while we're going to soak up as much of this minireunion as possible. If we're lucky, maybe Saget and Coulier will join Stamos in his Dannon Oikos spokesman duties full-time. 'Draft day' trailer . If the marketing team behind Kevin Costner's upcoming dramedy "Draft Day" didn't find a way to advertise during the Super Bowl, we'd question their devotion to the job. The film, directed by Ivan Reitman and also starring Jennifer Garner and Ellen Burstyn, features Costner as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns as he grapples with the responsibility of having the No. 1 draft pick. We're getting shades of "Jerry Maguire" from this movie, and we like it. 'Noah' trailer . Admittedly, the promotion for "Noah" is a bit of a downer (#TheFloodIsComing? That's a great thought to have during the Super Bowl), but we can't help but be excited to see what Darren Aronofsky's going to do with this classic Biblical story. Stars include Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson. The film will arrive in theaters on March 28. Ellen's Beats Music commercial, with bears . Ellen DeGeneres is a self-described fan of the new Beats Music app, and she shot a Super Bowl ad to show just how much she loves it. Playing what appears to be a modern-day Goldilocks who likes to hang out at a place called The Woods (we think we've been there ...), DeGeneres grooves to pop music with some hipster bears. Which commercials are you looking forward to watching on Sunday? Are you a Super Bowl ad expert? | Part of the fun of the Super Bowl is watching the ads .
A number of them have been released before the big game .
These seven are ones we can't wait to watch again . |
57,310 | a26269855ffb1a07949527ca4f77d3e54dce4e75 | This is the moment a shameless shopper agrees to go out with a man she previously turned down for lunch after promised she'll meet David Beckham if she comes along. Browsing jewellery in a shop window in Hitchin Market Square, Hertfordshire, the woman curtly turns down prankster Paul Klein when he asks her to join he and a group of friends for a meal. Asked whether she'll take a photograph of the man and his comedy sidekick, Paul Woods, she takes the latter's iPhone into her hands. Scroll down for video . Paul Wood and Paul Klein approach the woman as she browses jewellery in a shop window in Hitchin . After being turned down, the men ask the woman to take a picture of them using one of their mobile phones . When 'David Beckham' phones, the woman bashfully hands the phone back. Within minutes, she tells the pair that she's changed her mind, on the basis that she would 'love to meet' the former footballer and his family. The encounter, a 'social experiment' by Woody and Kleiny as they call themselves, was filmed from afar and shared on YouTube. 'We wanted to see what would happen once she thought there was a celebrity involved. We'd already done a similar experiment called The Wag Experiment,' said Mr Klein, 23. 'We approached a lady and I asked her on a date. She said no, but when Woody approached me pretending I was a famous footballer and asked for a selfie with me she quickly changed her mind. 'The whole idea was to have a bit of a laugh, but ultimately we wanted to send out a moral message saying you should get to know people and not just because of who their friends are. When 'David Beckham' flashes on the phone, Mr Woods makes a quiet exit, leaving the woman in shock that the pair may be friends with the former footballer . The woman quickly changes her mind, telling the men she'd 'love' to meet the Beckham family and begins walking towards the hidden camera . Unable to keep their cool, the pair reveal the encounter has been filmed as part of a prank and that, to her disappointment, the woman will not be meeting David Beckham afterall . 'It was really hard to act natural when we filmed the video. Obviously it's a bit far fetched to have David Beckham call you so we had to pay attention to detail in coming across as convincing as possible. Pranksters: Paul Wood and Paul Klein said they hoped to start a career in television . 'Woody was on the phone in the background pretending to chat to him while dropping hints, like mentioning "Vicky" and "Brooklyn". 'All of a sudden this woman said she wanted to come with us to meet him. 'We were going to string it out longer, but I started laughing and it got the better of us. 'We had to tell her then - luckily she saw the funny side but didn't want her face revealing.' Since being posted on YouTube on Tuesday, the video has amassed thousands of comments and likes. The pranksters, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent as football experts, say they hope the clips will propel them into a career in television presenting. 'We've been doing these videos since September and this is what we're currently doing full time. 'The plan is to be the next Ant and Dec - we see ourselves more as presenters than pranksters,' said Mr Wood, 24. 'We created this Youtube channel to build a profile for ourselves online. 'We're hoping it will snowball by the end of the year - we already have 5,000 subscribers but hoping we can soon reach the 10k mark.' Famous family: The woman changed her mind after being promised to meet David and Victoria Beckham and their children Cruz, (left), Romeo (centre) and Brooklyn (second right). They also have a daughter, Harper . | Paul Wood and Paul Klein approached woman at shop window in Hitchin .
Comedy duo invite her to lunch with their friends but she turns them down .
When 'David Beckham' phones one of the pair, the woman notices name .
She changes her mind, saying she would 'love to meet' famous family .
The encounter was filmed on a hidden camera and shared on YouTube . |
278,651 | f4f8bcab94686ec215b95853c35ad6ccf592f660 | He's the walking talking encyclopaedia of chocolate, well REAL chocolate that is, dubbed the real life 'Willy Wonka' who has claimed to revoluntionise the way we think about, experience and indulge in chocolate. Quirky UK artisan chocolatier, Willie Harcourt Cooze has devoted much of his life, to crafting the world's most perfect blend and says what we now know as the delicious treat is in fact, not real chocolate. 'What's happened at the turn of the century, big companies have gobbled up producing chocolate and adding cheap ingredients like processed sugar, which is highly addictive, to put in the flavour what we think chocolate is about,' he said. Scroll down for video . Quirky UK artisan chocolatier, Willie Harcourt Cooze, started his chocolate journey after buying a cacao farm in Venezuela . Willie, dubbed UK's 'Willy Wonka' and a cross between Bear Grylls and chef Heston Bumenthal, still uses antique machines in making his chocolate because they capture subtle notes and unique flavours . 'A good cacao with properly fermented beans will open people's eyes when they eat it.' 'People are surprised (at the difference) you see the awakening in their face, like it was for me.' Willie, who has been dubbed a mix between adventurer Bear Grylls and famous chef Heston Blumenthal, started his chocolate quest nearly two decades. He bought a 1,000 acre cacao farm in the rainforests of Venezuela, then created a custom-built factory to make chocolate in his own way with antique machines which are smaller and slower than their modern counterparts, but capture subtle notes and unique flavours. 'Chocolate was a fruit of the gods, it was used and drunk in many ceremonial occasions in South America, it was special back then.' 'Forgotten is the goodness of chocolate.' To bring that back, the chocolate enthusiast says he goes to extreme lengths to get his beans which are the most important in making the best quality. 'I've just recently been to Columbia and Peru to extend my search for new people,' he said excitedly. 'In eight days I met hundreds of farmers and I came back with a suitcase full of beans, that's what you need to do to get the best of the best to make chocolate.' Willie, the chocolate enthusiast has been referred to as the UK's 'Willy Wonka' Willie (pictured left and right) prides himself on buying and producing all his chocolate, or 'bean to bar' as he calls it, buying direct trade and at higher prices to local farmers to ensure quality is better . Willie prides himself on buying and producing all his chocolate, or 'bean to bar' as he calls it, buying direct trade and at higher prices to local farmers to ensure quality is better. 'I tweek the fermentation if I need to, it allows me to manufacture the chocolate myself and develop the flavours.' Willie (pictured) loves to experiment with his chocolate and cacao in cooking including making bread with cacao and adding it to mashed potato or on top of Tuna . 'I make in small batches, around seven to 11 days it takes and that enables me to deliver the end product to the consumer at a reasonable price.' 'Simple chocolate to bring out the flavour of the beans. If you don't have good quality you need to add all these things, like sugar and additives.' One myth he seemed to have debunked is about dark chocolate. He says while most of us associate the dark variety with being bitter, he says that's not the case. 'Dark chocolate isn't bitter, the reason is because the manufacturers are not using good quality beans and it's been heavily roasted.' The chocolate nut likens real chocolate to a fine wine because each bean has a very different profile and tastes differently. 'For example in Madagascar, they have got a very well know fruity profile which is quite unique and in the last century has developed into it's own flavour through the soil and the climate,' he said. In Venezuela where he first started his chocolate obsession, he describes the flavours as very interesting while in Rio he says the taste is predominantly coffee and has nutty notes. With most of Willie's chocolate range has only three ingredients - cacao, natural cacao butter and raw cane sugar, there's no doubt his brown gold will delight fussy foodies and the health conscious. He believes the health benefits are backed up by research that real chocolate is good for you, full of essential vitamins and minerals for the body. 'There's a really interesting study in the UK that chose my chocolate and found it was high in antioxidants which is good for cardiovascular,' he said. 'It supports my argument over processing that if you over process it, you kill it.' 'I think I tick a lot of the boxes, I like to keep things simple so you get instant gratification when you put it in your mouth.' Admitting to a hot chocolate, or Cacao every day, he says there's many different ways you can use cacao in cooking. His 'Willie's Cacao's' range that has come to Australia and is available on our shelves at Coles . Likened to 'Willy Wonka' (pictured) Willie is in Australia to launch his luxurious chocolates here . 'It is an interesting condiment, in cooking its remarkable in savoury or sweet,' he said. The chocolate phenomenon is now in Australia to launch his 'Willie's Cacao' range . Willie has tried a variety of different dishes including cacao in bread which he dissolves into the dough. 'It comes out a rick dark colour and when toasted brings out a nutty flavour. I add avocado and duck eggs on my toast as well as a mix of cacao and chilli.' 'You can also make gravy and it compliments the flavour or throw in when you are cooking rice, it's a very soft flavour,' he said. He's also tried it in mashed potato, grated it on Tuna and made a vegetarian Porcini mushroom risotto. 'It can lift something with a depth of flavour.' The UK chocolate phenomenon is now in Australia for two weeks to officially launch his luxurious chocolate. 'Willie's Cacao' which is stocked in the UK and shipped to chocolate lovers all over the world, is now available on shelves here, with supermarket giant Coles stocking his products. 'It's a hugely great opportunity for me, it's all about making chocolate and tasting it, I'm on a mission and the mission is so big there's never a point you reach it.' A small bar of the Peruvian flavoured delight will set you back about $4 for 50 grams while if you want indulgence, you could try the lime and chilli for around $13. 'No chocolate like this in supermarkets, and once you've tasted it the others will be spoilt because you're eating something so good,' he said. And when asked which flavour was his favourite he was tasked with a big decision, but said it was hard to choose referring to all his creations as his children. But did admit,' I go through fazes.' | Real life 'Willy Wonka' is hoping to change the way we think about the taste of chocolate .
The quirk artisan chocolatier has devoted most of his life to creating the treat after buying a cacao farm in Venezuela .
Willie Harcourt Cooze says the better the bean the better the quality .
The chocolate nut has been described as between Bear Grylls and chef Heston Blumenthal .
He is in Australia to launch his luxurious chocolate range 'Willie's Cacao' |
40,202 | 71713418c3c822ddf38c4d53b28d5b79b479421e | Texas Attorney General and the GOP's candidate for governor in the Lone State Greg Abbott is getting knocked around today for declining to tell a local newspaper whether he would have defended a ban on interracial marriage if he were the state's lawyer when it was being challenged. Asked about the outdated law by the San Antonio Express-News editorial board as part of an endorsement interview, Abbott said: 'Right now, if there was a ban on interracial marriage, that's already been ruled unconstitutional. 'And all I can do is deal with the issues that are before me ... The job of an attorney general is to represent and defend in court the laws of their client, which is the state Legislature, unless and until a court strikes it down.' He later argued that state government 'would be a dictatorship' by attorney generals if they were able to choose which laws to defend based on their personal preferences. Republican gubernatorial nominee and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott waves to supporters at a rally last week. Abbott is under fire today for comments he made during an editorial board interview about interracial marriage . Abbott, left, wouldn't say today whether he would defended an interracial marriage ban if he'd been the state's lawyer at the time. Progressives attacked the non-answer today and characterized him as racist, even though his wife Cecilia, is Hispanic. They are pictured here at a 2012 event in Texas . A member of the Express News' editorial board explained in a write up of the interview that she gave him Abbott a chance to clarify his answer, and Abbott said, 'Actually, the reason why you’re uncertain about it is because I didn’t answer the question. And I can’t go back and answer some hypothetical question like that.' Abbott intended to make the point that it would not be appropriate for him to 'dictate policy' as AG. That's the role of lawmakers. Something he went on to explain to the Express-News in detail. But that's not how the discussion is playing out, particularly in progressive circles, even though Abbott's wife, Cecilia, is Hispanic. If Greg Abbott is elected in November, as widely expected, Cecilia Abbott will become the state's first Latina first lady. Recent polls have Abbott leading his Democratic opponent in the race, state senator Wendy Davis, by more than 10 points, and the GOP official's comments today on interracial marriage are unlikely to change that. Still, Democrats in the state holding out hope for a victory in 15 days, and they attacked Abbott's nuanced response to the interracial marriage question today as being both vague and tinged with racism. Texas Progress, a non-profit that specializes in rapid response communications against Republicans in the state, posted the first portion of the interview and blasted Abbott for refusing to answer the question. 'Wrong, Greg Abbott. You can and should answer a question like that. The answer Texans deserve to hear from a man that is running to be their Governor is a definitive: “No, I would not." ' The progressive organization said Abbott's answer shows 'just how out-of-touch and backwards' he is. It also hit him for advocating on behalf of the state's contentious voter identification law. Democratic gubernatorial Democratic candidate Wendy Davis talks to supporters before casting her vote on the first day of early voting today at the Charles Griffin Sub-Courthouse, in Fort Worth, Texas. Davis said on Monday that Abbott's refusal to say whether he would have defended a law banning interracial marriage is 'troubling' Davis also linked Abbott's position on interracial marriage to his support for the state's voter ID law . The U.S. Supreme Court said Saturday that it would allow the statute to go into effect ahead of November's election, despite pleas from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to block it. Abbott's office praised the Supreme Court's decision last weekend in a statement. 'We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed that Texas' voter ID law should remain in effect for the upcoming election,' a spokeswoman for the Texas AG's office, Lauren Bean, said. 'The state will continue to defend the voter ID law and remains confident that the district court's misguided ruling will be overturned on the merits. The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that voter ID laws are a legal and sensible way to protect the integrity of elections.' Democrats believe that the laws purposefully disenfranchise black voters. In discussing Abbott's interracial marriage conundrum today, Texas Progress accused him of defending a statute that 'intentionally discriminated against African American and Hispanics.' Davis also linked his position on the interracial marriage ban to his support for the state's voter ID law. 'Greg Abbott won't say whether he'd defend an interracial marriage ban—troubling but not surprising from someone who defends a "poll tax," ' Davis tweeted. Abbott, left, speaks to a group of supporters on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, in Houston, Texas. Abbott has been wheelchair bound since a tree fell on him in 1984. He sued the property owner and won millions. Davis has made the incident an issue in the gubernatorial race . Abbott was asked if he would advocate on behalf of an interracial marriage ban by the Express-News after a Republican attorney general candidate in Wisconsin said recently that he would have defended the law if he were the state's lawyer even though 'it might be distasteful to me.' 'I've got to stay consistent with that — as the state's lawyer, it's not my job to pick and choose' which laws to uphold, the candidate, Brad Schimel, said. Seeking to avoid the same media firestorm that followed Schimel's response, Abbott opted not to answer the hypothetical question when it was posed to him by the Express-News. He did, however, give a similar explanation for why he would advocate on behalf of the state for a law even if he didn't agree with it. 'What kind of state would we live in if the public policies of this state were allowed to be determined by the attorney general?' Abbott said. 'The attorney general would have a super veto over the elected representatives, and that would be a chaotic form of government, contrary to our fundamental constitutional principles. It would be way beyond the separation of powers. It would be a dictatorship... by the attorney general.' Abbott said he 'would love it' if the state's attorney had broad authority to set statewide policies. 'The state would look a whole lot more like me right now if I did abandon my role and exercised my magic wand and decided what cases I would defend and which I didn't, and therefore allowed me to dictate policy in this state,' he said. 'But I think that by doing what I do, I am maintaining the policy that I think is appropriate, and that is for each elected official to fulfill their constitutional obligations,' Abbott added. The Texas gubernatorial race has had no shortage of drama in the last several weeks, even before Abbott's comments today and the Supreme Court's mandate over the weekend. Davis, whose claim to fame is an abortion rights filibuster she held on the state senate floor last year, has accused wheelchair-bound Abbott of denying other victims the same justice he received after he was injured while jogging more than three decades ago. After a tree fell on Abbott he successfully sued the property owner and won millions. Davis noted his disability in an ad, featuring video of an empty wheel chair, and tried to shame him for litigating cases against other paraplegics and survivors of accidents and crimes. The ad was roundly criticized in the media as too harsh but the Democrat has refused to back down from her claims or yank the commercial. | Abbott argued that 'the job of an attorney general is to represent and defend in court the laws of their client, which is the state Legislature'
State government 'would be a dictatorship' by attorney generals if they were able to choose which laws to defend based on personal preferences .
Abbott intended to make the point that it would not be appropriate for him to 'dictate policy' as AG, but that's not how it's playing .
His wife, Cecilia, is Hispanic and will become the first Latina first lady if he wins . |
203,300 | 932e10a53c3320a20bae3474b608f1dfd207e884 | Washington (CNN) -- Dr. Phil McGraw, better known simply as Dr. Phil, brought his fiery brand of advocacy to Capitol Hill Thursday on the topic of student cyber-security, and specifically online bullying. As part of a panel at a House Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee hearing, McGraw compared the World Wide Web to the Wild, Wild West of older times. "The gunslingers are keyboard bullies. They are these people that with anonymity attack other students in a way that can completely destroy their reputations," he said. McGraw described it as a pervasive problem. "With MySpace and Facebook, email, chat rooms, there are so many of these things with so much power that they constitute weapons of mass destruction when it comes to communications with these kids," he said. A recent Pew study found that 73 percent of American teenagers who are online use social networking sites. McGraw said he has received tens of thousands of letters from kids asking for help with bullying. The subcommittee was looking at the topic of cyber-bullying as they are considering the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, more commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act. | Dr. Phil participates in panel at Capitol Hill .
He spoke about cyber-bullying among students .
A recent study shows 73 percent of teenagers used social networking sites . |
109,219 | 18c6fb234880292b583e37e3b49263ccb5ab3667 | It really will be Titanic occasion – in terms of scale and location and not that sinking feeling – when Carl Frampton makes his bid for the IBF world super-bantamweight title on September 6. Promoter Barry McGuigan will stage Frampton’s challenge to Spain’s Kiko Martinez in a specially built arena on the site from which the Titanic was launched in Belfast. The 16,000-crowd - the biggest fight attendance ever in Northern Ireland – will assemble in a space around the new Titanic Museum and cranes of the old shipyard. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Carl Frampton talk about Kiko Martinez . Battle ready: Kiko Martinez and Carl Frampton (right) after the press conference on Tuesday . The temporary stands will be erected and then taken down, in quick fire-fashion, similar to the conversion of Wembley Stadium for Carl Froch’s victory over George Groves. A rescued Titanic stairway in the museum, as well as the slipway into which the great ill-fated ship was launched and the tug which pulled it into the water, will be used for VIP entertaining. The boxing set-up must be in and out quickly to accommodate the Belfast Proms. This unique project has required the support of Northern Ireland’s first minister Peter Robinson. Frampton himself is thrilled by the concept and said: ‘I mustn’t be letting anybody down here. ‘I’m already virtually in shape for the fight. Everybody in Ulster expects me to win a world title as a matter of course but I know it’s not as easy as that. Big hitter: Frampton is launching a bid for the IBF world super-bantamweight title . ‘I’m preparing for a tough fight.’ This a rematch following Frampton’s earlier stoppage of Martinez in an eliminator. But the Spaniard has regrouped since to beat Frampton to the IBF belt. Martinez claims: ‘I have regained all my confidence from winning the title and I have no doubts about coming back to Belfast to defend it.’ The idea for the very special setting was born, ironically, from McGuigan’s memory of an open air fight in a huge temporary arena which used to be erected in the car park of Cesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. McGuigan lost his world title in 120-degree heat there to American Steve Cruz in 1986. But he said: ‘It will be a nostalgic venue but, trust me, there’s not the same result for Carl this time.’ Bout: Frampton (right) in action against France's Jeremy Parodi at the Odyssey Arena in October, 2013 . Frampton v Martinez will be live on BoxNation on September 6 . | Frampton to take on Martinez in bid for IBF super-bantamweight title .
Bout will take place in specially built arena in Belfast shipyard .
Venue will be able to accommodate 16,000 spectators . |
52,497 | 94bfef77760eb61d9a142c3b4a9ff39bb705e190 | A serial 999 hoaxer repeatedly dialled ambulance operators – so he could sing them Elvis songs. Charles Rush, 59, called to serenade them with tunes by the King of Rock 'n' Roll after getting drunk on New Year's Eve. Police officers found him in a phone box at 7.50am on New Year's Day, Sunderland Magistrates' Court was told. A little less conversation: Charles Rush (left) repeatedly dialled 999 so he could sing Elvis (right) songs after getting drunk on New Year's Eve . It is the latest in a series of breaches for Rush, who was slapped with a decade-long Anti Social Behaviour Order in 2005 for hoax 999 calls and has 355 convictions. Lee Poppett, prosecuting, said: 'The police officer asked him to put the phone down so he could speak to him. 'He replied "I want to sing Elvis songs to the nurses" and that is what he told the emergency services on New Year's Day. 'Perhaps the only saving grace is that this is his only breach of this year.' Rush admitted breaching his order by making an unwarranted emergency call and being intoxicated in a public place. Gerry Armstrong, defending, said: 'On the evening of New Year's Eve he had been genuinely taken ill and was taken to hospital where he was treated and discharged. Rush, who has an ASBO for hoax phone calls and 355 convictions, was given an absolute discharge at Sunderland Magistrates' Court (pictured) 'Unfortunately, after having a drink, he decided he wished to thank the nurses for their care, it would appear with an Elvis Presley song. 'Engelbert Humperdinck perhaps in these circumstances with Please Release Me would have been a bit more suitable.' Homeless Rush was asked for A Little Less Conversation in future and was given an absolute discharge. | A serial 999 hoaxer called emergency services to sing Elvis songs .
Drunk Charles Rush wanted to serenade nurses who treated him earlier .
Police officers found him in a phone box at 7.50am on New Year's Day .
Rush already has an ASBO for hoax 999 calls and has 355 convictions .
Magistrates gave the homeless man, 59, an absolute discharge . |
98,949 | 0b707c099aa3c7cc43d7d3df0582e5409378e93e | (CNN) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford told the woman with whom he was having an affair they were "in a hopelessly impossible situation of love" last year when he was thought to be under consideration for the Republican vice presidential nomination, according to e-mails obtained by The State newspaper. Gov. Mark Sanford speaks during a news conference at the State Capitol in Columbia on Wednesday. The Columbia-based newspaper, which acquired the e-mails in December, told CNN that the governor's office had confirmed their authenticity on Wednesday. When contacted by CNN, a spokesman for the governor would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the e-mails. The e-mails between the GOP governor and a Buenos Aires, Argentina, resident named "Maria," were exchanged in July of last year, according to the newspaper. In one July 10 message, Sanford told the woman about his plans to take a family vacation and meet with then-Republican presidential candidate John McCain who "has kicked up the whole VP talk all over again in the press back home ..." before he veered into more emotional territory. "You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty," Sanford wrote, according to the e-mails published on the newspaper's Web site. Watch CNN.com's political team discuss the situation » . "I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of the night's light -- but hey, that would be going into sexual details ..." "...while all the things above are all too true -- at the same time we are in a ... hopelessly impossible situation of love...." he added. "How in the world this lightening strike snuck up on us I am still not quite sure. As I have said to you before I certainly had a special feeling about you from the first time we met, but these feelings were contained and I genuinely enjoyed our special friendship and the comparing of all too many personal notes ..." Earlier, "Maria" -- whose full name has not yet been released -- also proclaimed her devotion in a July 9 e-mail. "You are my love ... something hard to believe even for myself as it's also a kind of impossible love, not only because of distance but situation," she wrote. "Sometimes you don't choose things, they just happen ... I can't redirect my feelings and I am very happy with mine towards you." John O'Connor, the newspaper reporter who wrote the story about the e-mails, told CNN Wednesday afternoon that The State did not confront Sanford with the messages in December because at the time "there was little way to tell that these were authentic e-mails." Watch Gov. Sanford's conference Wednesday » . O'Connor said that given the recent events surrounding Sanford, the paper then decided to approach the governor's office with the e-mails. Sanford, who had been considered a potential candidate for the 2012 presidential campaign, admitted the affair Wednesday. The affair began in the last year and was discovered five months ago, Sanford told reporters without elaborating. He added he and his wife were trying to work through it. The governor had not been seen in public since June 18. When questioned, Sanford's staff had told media outlets that he was hiking in the Appalachian Trail. But Sanford was spotted Wednesday in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Sanford said he had been in Buenos Aires, adding it was his fault for "shrouding this larger trip." | The State newspaper says governor's office confirmed authenticity of e-mails .
"You have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty," S.C. governor wrote .
Argentine woman returned his feelings: "You are my love ... "
Paper acquired e-mails in December, didn't pursue authentication until recently . |
4,796 | 0dc34a6f0be74d83cba73df701f17169c30cb539 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:44 EST, 16 October 2013 . This is the moment a man told he would never walk again stands from his wheelchair and defies doctors to take his agonising first steps. Sheer determination evident across his face, Nick Carr, 26, appears to be wracked with pain as he stands up for the first time in 23 years. He was left wheelchair-bound after he was struck down with encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, when he was just three. Scroll down for video . Determined: Nick Carr, who was told he would never walk again, steps from his wheelchair for the first time with the help from his carer John Williams . Defying the odds: Nick was left wheelchair-bound after he was struck down with encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, when he was just three . Doctors told him that he would never stand or walk again but Mr Carr, of Truro, Cornwall, has now defied the odds. He climbed out of his chair and, still clinging to its arms, walked 65 feet in front of an emotional crowd. Mr . Carr spent a year training in a gym to prepare for his effort, which helped to raise money for a new sports centre for disabled people. 'It was incredibly tough and very painful,' he said. 'I knew there were a lot of people watching me, but I was focused on getting the walk done. 'It felt amazing to do this for such a worthy cause.' Charity challenge: Nick, pictured in the centre, and his pals were taking part in a challenge to raise funds for a new sports centre for disabled people . Mr Carr completed the challenge, aided by carer John Williams, at Lemon Quay in Truro surrounded by crowds of people cheering him on. He joined his friends Keith Cornick and John Williams as they took part in a 1,000-mile charity tour of the UK from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall. Together the trio raised more than £10,000 for the new state-of-the-art Centre of Challenge and Innovation in Truro. The centre is a proposed £20million new unit which, if built, will house a diving pool, rock climbing wall, sky-diving tunnel and wave rider. Denise Boaden, part of the Centre for Challenge’s driving force, said: 'It was inspirational and very moving. 'People were cheering Nick on and a few people were crying. It was very emotional.' To make a donation to the fund click here. | Nick Carr left wheelchair-bound when he was just three years old .
26-year-old defies the odds to walk 20metres in front of cheering crowd .
Brave Nick spent a year in the gym to prepare for charity challenge . |
179,658 | 749e3aa5195a99a4a3f9a8a6a5a02f3b8209da17 | (CNN) -- The cool of Barack Obama was very much on display on a warm day in Boston's Christopher Columbus Park during the summer of 2004. John Kerry, right, and Obama confer at the 2004 DNC, where Obama wowed the crowd with his keynote address. It was going to be a big day for the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate from Illinois. In a few hours, on that night, July 27, 2004, he was to give the keynote address to the Democratic National Convention at the Fleet Center about a mile away. But as he gave a lunchtime speech on environmental policy to a leisurely crowd of about 100 people at the green space on Boston Harbor, he was relaxed and loose, seemingly unconcerned about what was ahead. Taking notes amid the crowd, I hoped to get a few minutes with the candidate. I'd been told about his vaunted charisma -- my two brothers, both of whom live in Chicago, had mentioned his oratorical gifts -- but in person Obama seemed familiar, even a touch wonky, as he talked about asthma rates and the Bush administration's environmental record. I chatted with Obama's press attaché and with a Chicago Tribune reporter, David Mendell, as the speech wound down, and was offered a ride in a nondescript minivan back to the Fleet Center. Even then Obama was attracting attention; several members of the audience gave him enthusiastic greetings as he left the scene to get in the van. In the front passenger seat of the van, the rail-thin Obama, obviously hungry (he later told me he'd lost eight pounds since the beginning of the campaign), chewed on a sandwich and joked with the other passengers as I peppered him with questions during the 20-minute ride. He answered with deliberate thoughtfulness, though he'd probably heard at least a few of them dozens of times already. Was he worried about the speech, the kind of spotlight that had made political leaders including William Jennings Bryan, Mario Cuomo and Ann Richards national figures? "There's going to be some adrenaline," he said, after taking off his tie and unbuttoning his white dress shirt. "But the pressure I'm experiencing is nothing compared to folks I'm meeting getting laid off. ... That's real pressure." And what about the Senate race? Illinois Republicans were in disarray and better-known, better-funded candidates had fallen by the wayside, with Obama seemingly now a sure thing for the seat. "Three months is a lifetime in politics," Obama replied. By now, Obama's rise is well known: the son of a Kenyan father and Kansas mother, raised in Indonesia and Hawaii, community organizer, Harvard Law Review editor, author, law instructor, politician. He's been astutely revealing in his books, notably his 1995 memoir "Dreams From My Father," and his presidential campaign has reflected his demeanor. But none of it was foreordained. In the fall of 2003, when he was still an Illinois state senator, he was one of seven candidates running for Peter Fitzgerald's vacated U.S. Senate seat. One of his opponents was a multimillionaire; another was the Illinois state controller. Obama was unknown and underfunded. "I remember asking [at one event], 'Where is he?' " Mendell recalled at the Boston rally. "And somebody said, 'He's parking the car.' " Mendell's description of Obama's 2004 race offers echoes of his painstaking, grassroots 2008 campaign. Obama had some good luck: The multimillionaire, Blair Hull, had details of his ugly divorce come out during the campaign. But Obama's success was also a tribute to his meticulous resolve. "He ran a really smart primary campaign," Mendell said. "He waited until the ninth inning to score all his runs. ... It was masterfully done." Mendell later wrote a book on Obama, "Obama: From Promise to Power." Not even Obama knows for sure how he landed the keynote slot. In his 2006 book, "The Audacity of Hope," he writes, "The process by which I was selected ... remains something of a mystery to me." He didn't meet 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry until the Illinois primary was over, he recalls; he spoke at a Kerry fundraiser but didn't know he'd be giving a speech at the DNC until weeks later. Even then, he didn't know he'd deliver the keynote until told by Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill. According to an August article in The New Republic, Obama was selected over some better-known names by the Kerry brain trust, which included Cahill and adviser Robert Shrum, for various reasons. As an African-American, he would help attract minority voters; Obama was also youthful and energetic, qualities that the Kerry campaign wanted to display on television. And he had a good rapport with Kerry, Mendell told the magazine. "It's Kerry kind of looking at him [at the fundraiser] and picking up tricks from the rookie," Mendell said. "That was the event where he really impressed Kerry." The keynote, of course, electrified the nation and introduced America to the man who would become president. "Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us," Obama said. "Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America -- there's the United States of America. ... "We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America." He gave a hint of those words in the van on the way to the Fleet Center. He was going to give a unifying message, he said, not one that reinforced the "slash-and-burn politics" that had divided the country. "People know [President] Bush isn't the cause of every problem in the world, and they know the Democrats aren't a bunch of raving lunatics," he said. Having finished the sandwich, the van approaching its destination, and prepared to enter the Fleet Center for another round of interviews. When that was over, he was going to take a jog. "Then a long shower," he added, "and maybe a nap." History may have awaited, but he wasn't perturbed. Then again, maybe he knew something the rest of us didn't. He'd completed the speech a couple weeks earlier, and he must have suspected its power. In a New Yorker article by Ryan Lizza, Obama's friend Marty Nesbitt also recalls the buzz building around Obama that day, and a clue Obama gave as to what was next. "My speech," Obama said, "is pretty good." Watch another 'pretty good' address: Obama's victory speech » . | Writer rode with Obama on his way to give keynote address at 2004 DNC .
Obama's keynote electrified the nation, emphasized unity .
Candidate John Kerry took a chance giving keynote to lesser-known Obama .
Obama calm: Said the pressure "nothing compared to folks ... getting laid off" |
15,278 | 2b74a9772201fcf5d1801711931c8303000a93ee | By . Lizzie Parry . Glamorous images of Hollywood stars and U.S. presidents found in the dusty filing cabinet of a British photographer are set to be exhibited for the first time. Thousands of images, many in black and white, were unearthed at the Brighton home of George Douglas, after the photographer passed away. The unique collection includes images of Breakfast At Tiffany's actress Audrey Hepburn, English actor Sir Dirk Bogarde as well as former U.S. president Harry Truman, James Bond star Roger Moore and Peter Sellers. The images, which span three decades . from the 1940s to 1960s, were discovered by fellow photographer and Mr . Douglas's neighbour Roger Bamber, who inherited his friend's home . following his death. Thousands of images - including this of Breakfast At Tiffany's actress Audrey Hepburn - were discovered at the Brighton home of photographer George Douglas after his death . Thirty of the images are set to go on display for the first time in May as part of Brighton's Artists Open Houses event. This photograph of Angela Lansbury is part of the collection found in a dusty filing cabinet by Mr Douglas's friend and neighbour Roger Bamber . The negatives, which had lain buried for years, include social and historical images from the period, including the Queen's rat-catcher and Britain's first female chimney sweep, Mr Bamber said. Thirty images from the archive will go on display at Mr Douglas's former home as part of Brighton's Artists Open Houses festival in May. Photographer Nigel Swallow, who is now living in the property, said he is expecting it to take him at least a year for himself and Mr Bamber to sort through the photographs, and that he has taken advice as to how it can be properly archived. Mr Swallow said: 'It's something that should be taken very good care of and I am chuffed that I have been asked to look after the archive. 'The first priority is making sure we preserve George's work.' Mr Douglas, whose nickname was Speedy George due to his fast-paced work ethic, worked for many years at Picture Post magazine. He spent much of his time in California, but would spend his summers in Brighton, Mr Bamber said. He retired to live in his house full-time in 2007 until his death in December 2010 at the age of 88, he continued. George Douglas, whose nickname was Speedy George due to his fast-paced work ethic, worked for many years at Picture Post magazine . The images span three decades from the 1940s to 1960s, and include pictures of former U.S. president Harry Truman and James Bond star Roger Moore. This photograph shows a performers on Santa Monica beach . English actor and comedian Tony Hancock, captured by George Douglas with a group of penguins. Mr Douglas worked for Picture Post for a large part of his career . The collection includes this series of pictures of actor Peter Sellers . Mr Bamber . said Mr Douglas, who was born in Rottingdean, East Sussex, but moved to . Dallas, Texas, in 1939, trained in aeronautical design engineering but . his heart was not in it. He . said: 'The Leica camera he bought from a pawnshop consumed his spare . time and once he had sold his first picture, for 30 US dollars, he . handed in his notice. 'He . sold his first photographs to the Los Angeles Times in the 1940s and . moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, in 1948, where he was in charge of . photography for the Sun Valley News Bureau, taking pictures of famous . visitors including Gary Cooper and President Harry Truman. 'In 1949 he moved back to LA and began his career as a celebrity photographer with a picture of Angela Lansbury for Life magazine. 'But it was an English magazine that intrigued him. He noticed that Life photographers he admired had trained in London on the Picture Post, which specialised in 35mm photography and a documentary style. 'He set off for England in 1950. A set of pictures of two children with their pet boa constrictor got him through the door and became the first of many assignments he undertook for Picture Post. 'He fell "more than a little in love" with Audrey Hepburn when he spent a fortnight photographing her in New York as she prepared for the Broadway production of Gigi, and became friends with the novelist Paul Gallico and the actor Peter Sellers.' Picture Post closed in 1957 and George turned to women's magazines and the TV Mirror, Mr Bamber said. He went on: 'In 1964, the Beatles asked him to become their photographer on the set of A Hard Day's Night. 'Paul McCartney had been impressed by George's portraits of his then girlfriend Jane Asher; but two weeks at the Twickenham Studios besieged by screaming teenagers was enough to persuade George that he was not cut out for pop photography.' | Thousands of images were unearthed at the Brighton home of photographer George Douglas, who died in 2010 .
Pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Roger Moore, Peter Sellers and former U.S. president Harry Truman among collection .
The images span three decades of Hollywood glamour from 1940s to 1060s, with social and historical photographs .
Neighbour and friend Roger Bamber found the collection and 30 images are set to go on display in Brighton in May . |
186,712 | 7ddadaabc7c8a870fa6001544a97579be937c12e | (CNN) -- Former World No.1 Vijay Singh says he has been left '"shocked" and "angry" after the revelation that he used a spray which may have contained a banned substance under the PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Policy. The PGA Tour said Wednesday that it was investigating claims that Singh had used a banned drug contained in deer antler spray. The 49-year-old Fijian star told Sports Illustrated that he used the spray "every couple of hours..every day." He is quoted as saying: "I'm looking forward to some change in my body. "It's really hard to feel the difference if you're only doing it for a couple of months." But the spray is reported to be contain a substance called IGF-1, which is a "natural, anabolic hormone that stimulates muscle growth." IGF-1 is banned by several professional sports organizations, including the PGA Tour. Statement . In a statement issued through the PGA Wednesday, Singh said he had no idea that the spray may contain a banned substance. "While I have used deer antler spray, at no time was I aware that it may contain a substance that is banned under the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy," said the statement. "In fact, when I first received the product, I reviewed the list of ingredients and did not see any prohibited substances. "I am absolutely shocked that deer antler spray may contain a banned substance and am angry that I have put myself in this position. "I have been in contact with the PGA Tour and am cooperating fully with their review of this matter. I will not be commenting further at this time." Singh upstages McIlroy and Woods . Two years ago, 1999 British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was advised by golf officials to stop using the spray. It is manufactured by an Alabama-based company Sports With Alternatives to Steroids (SWATS), who have links to other major sports in the United States. Deer velvet . CNN Senior Managing Editor of Medical News Tim Langmaid says the spray, which is also known as deer velvet, is purportedly used to boost strength and endurance, while it also improves immune system function. He said: "It contains small amounts of deer IGF-1, or Insulin-like Growth Factor-1, which mediates the level of HGH in the body. "It comes from the deer velvet that covers the growing bone and cartilage that develop into deer antlers. "It's the IGF-1 that is on WADA's banned substance list. Excessive use in humans can lead to metabolic dysfunction, including glucose intolerance." The spray is derived from deer harvested in New Zealand. The Sports Illustrated article claimed Singh paid $9,000 for the product. A PGA spokesman told CNN that the "matter regarding Mr Singh is pending review" but could not give an indication of how long the investigation would take. "There is no timetable at the moment," he added . The 49-year-old Singh was scheduled to play in the Phoenix Open in Arizona starting Thursday, but pulled out citing a back injury, the PGA Tour website reported. Controversy . Singh's illustrious career has in the past been dogged by controversies, not least back in 1985 when he was banned from the Asian Tour over allegations he changed his scorecard to his advantage during a round. He shrugged off that setback to gradually make his mark, first on the European Tour, then over in the United States, where he has campaigned on the PGA Tour since 1993. He has won three majors and was the money list winner in 2003, relegating Tiger Woods to second spot. But the same year, Singh's veiled criticism of women's No.1 Annika Sorenstam for competing against the men in the Colonial tournament led to negative publicity. However, in 2004 Singh took the No.1 spot in the rankings from Woods and won the PGA Championship, his final major. Despite his advancing years, he qualifies for the Champions Tour next month, Singh has continued to compete at the highest level of golf and is regularly in the upper reaches of the leader board in PGA events. | Vijay Singh under scrutiny for alleged use of banned product .
Singh admits in published interview that he used deer antler spray .
PGA Tour officials tell CNN they are reviewing the situation .
The 49-year-old Fijian skips Phoenix Open due to back injury . |
250,719 | d07b0c1884ae995678f85cc6d9af91a9cbf22953 | (CNN) -- Amid the rubble, you see a child's toy, clothing, furniture, family photographs. Homes that once sheltered families now ripped open, their insides spilling out like intestines. These haunting images were captured in Aleppo in June by Italian photographer Matteo Rovella. While many photographers concentrate on the faces of Syria's brutal conflict, Rovella saw another side: what happens when a person's private space becomes ripped open by war. "You see such scenes, and you imagine the moment when people had to escape from the rooms," he said. "I imagine the people who must run away -- or die." Rovella had visited several camps on both sides of the Syria-Turkey border in early 2013. Thanks to a friend in the city keeping him up to date with events, he decided in June to head to the Syrian city of Aleppo, which has been ravaged in fighting between government and rebel fighters. Syrians take steps toward healing . After organizing a car ride with a man from the Free Syrian Army, the main opposition rebel force, he crossed the border from Turkey. Many journalists choose to enter with the rebels for better access and less censorship than with the Syrian government, he said. The trip to Aleppo involved nerve-jangling encounters with armed checkpoints and constant fear of discovery. Just carrying a camera was dangerous, he said, particularly since the abduction of several foreign journalists in the country. "There are many independent armed gangs, and they could stop you, rob you, kidnap you and in the worst case, kill you." When he arrived in Aleppo and began to work, photographing and interviewing Free Syrian Army fighters and local residents, he saw much of the city's precious historical monuments damaged or destroyed and neighborhoods smashed to pieces. At one point, while he was interviewing a local rebel commander, a mortar wheeled overhead, slamming into two fighters less than 100 meters from him. "It was horrible. And strange, as it felt like I was not there, maybe because of the camera creating distance, just working inside my (camera) viewer," he said. "In truth, of course, you are very much there, and you're risking your life." After a few days, Rovella began documenting the devastation through a series of evocative images of abandoned and destroyed homes that had been attacked over the course of the conflict. Almost all the people he met over the course of his visit had lost part or all of their homes. "It's something like still-life photography, but you can see inside the homes tensions and fear, the moments of violence, how you were obligated to leave your things, your home, your life and go away, maybe to not come back." Nearly 700 killed in Syria rebel infighting . It was dangerous work. Many of the buildings are now lookout points for the Free Syrian Army and targeted by government attacks. He often found himself sprinting with rebel fighters from one building to the next. "I was walking through buildings and taking pictures very fast," he said. "But I tried to do it in an artistic way. " Now back in Italy, he feels that the images of abandoned buildings show how the calm of everyday home life can suddenly, terribly, be shattered forever. "It is a way to sensitize people to the war," he said of his images. "I think my testimony could be a little piece more to help the Syrians. A very tiny piece of help." | Italian photographer spent six weeks in Aleppo documenting impact of Syria's conflict .
Matteo Rovella wanted images to convey impact of violence that forced people to escape .
"I was ... taking pictures very fast, but I tried to do it in an artistic way," he said . |
155,253 | 54ab831e6efb54c466c3f99b402651f2f60614cc | A daredevil duo have become the first to complete Britain's toughest climb - in a gruelling challenge that took an entire day. Adventurers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker battled a series of brutal ascents throughout the Peak District almost entirely without ropes. The pair overcame tiredness, hunger and pain during the day and into the night - and even lost 3.5kg of weight during the 22 hour and 36 minute marathon. Scroll down for video . Gruelling: Adventurers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker (pictured) battled a series of steep ascents throughout the Peak District almost entirely without ropes . Mr Randall (pictured in action left) and Mr Whittaker (right) have become the first to complete Britain's toughest climb . They needed head torches to navigate some of the most technical routes in the UK which involved steep climbs and awkward slopes. Their climb even included almost 24 miles of running between each route - as well as having to eat enough food to provide 6000 calories. In doing so, they smashed a series of climbing records across the Eastern and Western Peak District areas set by climbers Joe Brown and Don Whillans. Mr Randall, from Sheffield, said: 'On the surface the climbing appears relatively straight forward with only approximately 6,000ft of ascent. 'But it's the style of the route that really kills you - Brown and Whillans routes seek out the burliest, steepest and most awkward routes on the gritstone edges. Mr Randall and his climbing partner overcame tiredness, hunger and pain during the day and into the night . The adventurers needed head torches to navigate some of the most technical routes in the UK which involved steep climbs and awkward slopes . Tough: The challenge was so hard that the pair lost 3.5kg of weight during the 22 hour and 36 minute marathon . In completing the challenge, they smashed a series of climbing records across the Eastern and Western Peak District areas set by climbers Joe Brown and Don Whillans . 'I felt like I had jelly for arms and it was a reminder skin isn't so tough. 'Add on 23.6 miles of running between crags and routes and trying not to get lost in seven hours of solo climbing done in darkness it was a challenge.' In 2009 the pair climbed all of the Western Peak District routes taking them 10 hours to climb over 1500ft of rock. It was then Mr Whittaker came up with the idea of linking two sets of routes together and the challenge was set. In 2009 the pair climbed all of the Western Peak District routes taking them 10 hours to climb over 1500ft of rock . Painful: The pair pushed the boundaries of their physical capabilities as they took on the challenge in the Peak District . Tom Randall, pictured at Chatsworth Crag, said the challenge left him feeling 'like I had jelly for arms' Thirsty work: The pair came up with the idea of linking two sets of climbs in one day five years ago and have now made the dream become a reality . Mr Randall added: 'I said to Pete "who's going to actually do that? It's an absolute monster day out". 'Fast forward five years and there I was on a September night at 10pm preparing myself for the unthinkable. 'During the weeks leading up to the attempt we had been out on the edges slowly improving our soloing skills, learning more than 130 pitches of climbing, practicing the approaches and devising our strategy. 'Most importantly we'd worked hard on driving an unstoppable motivation - there was no chance we would get through it without some serious knuckling down and suffering. 'We both went through so many different emotions throughout the whole process.' | Gruelling 22 hour challenge in Peak District involved 6,000ft of climbing .
Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker took on climb almost completely without ropes .
It also involved 24 miles of running between each of the individual ascents .
The pair had to eat enough food to provide 6,000 calories during climb . |
202,531 | 9236cae5fba09d470ed0a9b52a6f7071832954d1 | By . Victoria Woollaston . As the world was going about its business in July 2012, a solar storm of epic proportions was speeding through Earth's orbit. Researchers in California and China said a rapid succession of coronal mass ejections - intense eruptions on the Sun - that took place between 22 and 23 July caused a pulse of magnetised plasma to hurtle towards the planet. A study has now revealed that if these eruptions had taken place just nine days earlier, this solar blast would have smashed into Earth, potentially wiping out power supplies, phone signals and satellite communication. Scroll down for video . A succession of intense eruptions on . the sun, which took place between 22 and 23 July, pictured, caused a pulse of magnetised plasma to hurtle towards Earth. If these eruptions had taken place nine days earlier, the blast would have smashed into us, . potentially wiping out power supplies . Researchers in California and China said . a rapid succession of coronal mass ejections - intense eruptions on the . sun - that took place in July 2012 caused a pulse of magnetised . plasma to hurtle through Earth's orbit. The huge . outburst on the sun, on 22 July, propelled a magnetic cloud through the . solar wind at a peak speed of more than 1,242 miles per second (2,000 . km/s). This is four times the typical speed of a magnetic storm. It tore through Earth’s orbit but, luckily, Earth and the other planets were on the other side of the sun at the time. If the eruptions had taken place nine days earlier, Earth would have been directly in line with the ignition spot on the sun. Any . planets in the line of sight would have suffered severe magnetic storms . as the magnetic field of the outburst tangled with the planets’ own . magnetic fields. This has the potential to wipe out power supplies, phone signals and satellite communication. The researchers added Earth would have been 'enveloped in magnetic fireworks matching the largest magnetic storm ever reported on Earth, the so-called Carrington event of 1859.' The 1859 storm was so strong, the Northern . Lights were said to be . have been visible as far south as Hawaii. The Northern Lights predominantly appear in polar regions and are caused by the collision of energetic . charged particles in the magnetosphere and solar wind. Following the 1859 storm, telegraph services were disrupted worldwide. In a paper, published in the journal Nature Communications, former University of California Berkeley postdoctoral fellow and research physicist Ying D. Liu, and UC Berkeley research physicist Janet G. Luhmann reported their analysis of the magnetic storm, which was detected by Nasa’s Stereo A spacecraft. 'Had it hit Earth, it probably would have been like the big one in 1859, but the effect today, with our modern technologies, would have been tremendous,' said Luhmann. A study last year estimated the cost of a solar storm could reach $2.6 trillion worldwide. This image was captured on 23 July 2012 by Nasa's Stereo A spacecraft. It shows a coronal mass ejection leaving the sun at speeds of more than 1,200 miles per second (2,000 km/s) - four times the typical speed of a magnetic storm. It tore through Earth's orbit but the planet was on other side of the sun at the time . Arcs of plasma are shown rising on the surface of the sun in this Nasa image taken by the Stereo spacecraft. The arcs are superheated matter made up of moving charged particles. Most coronal mass ejections are more bulbous and wide, yet this is is quite narrow and contained . In 1859 a solar storm known as the Solar Superstorm, or Carrington Event named after Richard Carrington who . recorded it, saw numerous solar flares appear. From 28 August 28 to 2 September sunspots and solar flares were observed. British astronomer Carrington . observed the largest flare, which caused a major coronal mass ejection - . a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic field - to travel directly . toward Earth. It was so strong that the Northern . Lights - a natural light display that appears predominantly in that . Arctic and Antarctic regions caused by the collision of energetic . charged particles in the magnetosphere and solar wind - were said to be . have been visible as far south as Hawaii. Telegraph services were also disrupted. 'An extreme space weather storm - a solar superstorm - is a low-probability, high-consequence event that poses severe threats to critical infrastructures of the modern society,' warned Liu, who now works at the National Space Science Centre of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. 'The cost of an extreme space weather event, if it hits Earth, could reach trillions of dollars with a potential recovery time of 4-10 years. 'Therefore, it is paramount to the security and economic interest of the modern society to understand solar superstorms.' Based on their analysis of the 2012 event, Liu and Luhmann concluded that a huge outburst on the sun on 22 July propelled a magnetic cloud through the solar wind at a peak speed of more than 1,240 miles per second (2,000 km/s). This is four times the typical speed of a magnetic storm. It tore through Earth’s orbit but, luckily, Earth and the other planets were on the other side of the sun at the time. Any planets in the line of sight would have suffered severe magnetic storms as the magnetic field of the outburst tangled with the planets’ own magnetic fields. This diagram shows the route Nasa's Stereo spacecrafts take around the sun. Stereo is made up of two observatories - one ahead of Earth in its orbit, Stereo A, and the other trailing behind, Stereo B. Scientists use the crafts to see the structure and evolution of solar storms as they blast from the sun . During the sun's cycle the amount of solar activity reaches peaks and troughs known as Solar Maximum and Minimum. During Solar Maximum, solar activity is at its highest due to a flip, or reversal, of the sun's magnetic field, illustration pictured. This causes the sun's electromagnetic radiation to grows by around 0.1% . During the sun's cycle, the amount of solar activity reaches peaks and troughs known as Solar Maximum and Solar Minimum. During Solar Maximum the amount of solar activity is at its highest due to a flip, or reversal, of the sun's magnetic field. Since . 1976 there have been three Solar Maximums and they occur roughly every . 11 years, although this can vary from between nine and 14 years. During . a Solar Maximum, large numbers of sunspots appear and the sun's . irradiance - or electromagnetic radiation - output grows by around 0.1 . per cent. This increase in energy can impact global climate and recent studies have shown some correlation with regional weather patterns. 'The authors believe this extreme event was due to the interaction of two CMEs separated by only 10 to 15 minutes,' said Joe Gurman, project scientist for Stereo at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre. 'People keep saying that these are rare natural hazards, but they are happening in the solar system even though we don’t always see them,' Luhmann added. 'It’s like with earthquakes - it is hard to impress upon people the importance of preparing unless you suffer a magnitude 9 earthquake.' The goal of Stereo and other satellites probing the magnetic fields of the sun and Earth is to understand how and why the sun sends out these large solar storms and to be able to predict them during the sun’s 11-year solar cycle. During the sun's cycle, the amount of solar activity reaches peaks and troughs known as Solar Maximum and Solar Minimum. During Solar Maximum the amount of solar activity is at its highest due to a flip, or reversal, of the sun's magnetic field. During . a Solar Maximum, large numbers of sunspots appear and the sun's . irradiance - or electromagnetic radiation - output grows by around 0.1 . per cent. This increase in energy can impact global climate and recent studies have shown some correlation with regional weather patterns. | During July 2012, researchers witnessed a series of coronal mass ejections .
These are intense eruptions which take place on the surface of the Sun .
The eruptions sent a pulse of magnetised plasma through Earth's orbit .
If they had happened just nine days earlier, when Earth was aligned with the location of the eruptions, this plasma would have struck the planet .
Solar blasts have the potential to disable satellites and electricity grids . |
192,189 | 84d6b0577a3220e5b4a4698d780ac688a2f0d4c8 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A powerful bomb planted in a car killed nine people and injured 21 others in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, a senior police official said. The bomb rocked a neighborhood in the outskirts of Peshawar and destroyed several shops, said Peshawar police chief Liaqat Ali Khan. A police station was nearby but it's not clear if security forces were the target of the blast, Khan said. Peshawar is the gateway to the country's tribal region where security forces have been battling an insurgency led by the Pakistani Taliban. Local reports on Pakistani TV showed the charred remains of a car, several shops that were gutted by the explosion and rescue crews carrying victims to safety. | The blast goes off in the outskirts of Peshawar .
Police: It is unclear if security forces were the target of the blast . |
190,929 | 83405f685de080b90bd9bd45124a804cc64ecb09 | By . Hayley O'keeffe . PUBLISHED: . 15:11 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:03 EST, 23 November 2013 . Victim of discrimination: Isabel Sitz pictured arriving at her first employment tribunal in July this year . A City banker was fired by a firm dubbed ‘Bunga Bunga Securities’ when she complained about bosses slashing her £95,000-a-year salary to the £6.08-an-hour minimum wage because she was a woman. Isabel Sitz, 42, told a tribunal how sexist managers at Oppenheimer Europe stripped her of lucrative client accounts. She said that boss Max Lami gave the best business to 'his boys', who could bond with male clients over beer, rugby and hunting. Another manager referred to her as 'sweetheart' and male colleagues compared their firm to the notorious sex parties of Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi in emails discussing ‘bunga bunga’, the tribunal heard. When Miss Sitz alleged gender discrimination over the sudden, £80,000 cut to her basic salary, she was fired the very next working day. A panel at Central London employment tribunal found that she suffered sex discrimination, victimisation and unfair dismissal. It ruled that Oppenheimer 'falsely claimed that there had been a real investigation' into Miss Sitz’s discrimination complaint. It noted that the firm would not let her approach her key contacts when they moved firms to drum up new business - but expected her to introduce her clients to new colleagues. And a poorly performing male colleague had staged reductions to his salary rather than being put on the then UK hourly minimum wage of £6.08. Miss Sitz is now set to receive substantial compensation from Oppenheimer for lost earnings and injury to feelings. In its judgment, the panel ruled: 'Looking at the evidence as a whole - and particularly the difference in treatment between the claimant and her colleagues - there is evidence from which we could infer, in the absence of an adequate explanation, that the claimant has been subject to sex discrimination in her dismissal and the process leading up to it.' The boss: Massimiliano 'Max' Lami pictured in July. The firm says it will appeal against the tribunal's findings . It added: 'We find that the claimant’s gender was a factor in Oppenheimer’s decision to dismiss her. 'In particular, we find that when the claimant’s figures reduced, Mr Lami was less willing to assist her to gain alternative clients than he would have been had she been a man.' Speaking after the judgment, Miss Sitz’s solicitor Andrej Pungerl, of law firm Stone Joseph, said: 'The tribunal had a full view of all the evidence and came to its decision, which vindicates Isabel and she is delighted by the decision.' Mr Pungerl declined to say how much compensation Miss Sitz is seeking from Oppenheimer after winning her case. He said: 'For Isabel, it is about the principle, not the money. 'Without the discrimination, Isabel ‘s career trajectory was of a senior, top broker.' Miss Sitz joined the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce World Markets in 2007. The bank was acquired by Oppenheimer, which provides investment services to institutional clients, the following year. Miss Sitz became an executive director for Oppenheimer, in charge of US equity sales. Giving evidence, she said: 'There were many comments about bunga bunga. That was done all the time. 'I kept my head down and worked rather than listening but there were also emails sent around, such as the reference to OpCo as ‘bunga bunga securities’ (when bunga bunga refers to erotic parties with sexual favours dispensed to men by women) which to my mind was demeaning. 'I couldn’t believe this was being sent around. Of course I was offended by this kind of thing.' In each of 2009 and 2010, Miss Sitz made around £1.2 million in revenue for the investment bank. She earned up to 25 per cent in commission from revenue brought in. And at her peak, she was the firm’s third best performer, bringing in 12 percent of its total revenue. But she claimed her performance plummeted after Mr Lami gave the best business to 'his boys'. She said: 'Max Lami has a PA called Nadia. He would call out her name, ‘Nadia, Nadia’. He was shouting at her. 'And then the boys in the office would shout ‘Nadia, Nadia’. She had to prepare his lunch every day in the kitchen. 'I remember a couple of occasions when he told me: "Isabel, I don’t understand why my wife works. I bring in the money." Things like that really shocked me.' Miss Sitz said her plight worsened when another boss, Robert Van Den Bergh, stripped her of more accounts and called her ‘sweetheart’. He said he was handing over her Irish accounts to John Todman because the clients were all ‘boyos’. She said: 'He called the Irish a bunch of lying, cheating, stealing time-wasters. He then went on to explain it is mostly about beer and rugby in Ireland, and so he thought I should be removed from the Irish accounts and they should be given to Mr Todman who could take the clients to rugby matches.' It was also said that it would not be appropriate for her to join male clients on hunting trips. But Mr Van Den Bergh insisted he only removed her from the Irish accounts because she was 'irrelevant and unknown' to the clients. He said his comments were a light-hearted attempt to take her off the accounts without hurting her feelings. Mr Lami told the tribunal that Miss Sitz was 'caught up in a fantasy of her own making' after being abandoned by her core client base. Miss Sitz said she 'begged' to be given more accounts and be allowed to contact potential clients but was 'ignored'. By 2012 she was left with just four accounts, only two of which made significant money and was a 'broken woman', she said. She said: “I wanted an equal opportunity for my success which I wasn’t given. I threatened the men. I think they felt threatened by me. 'I don’t like to be all walked over. That is what a woman has to go through in the City.' Miss Sitz complained of gender discrimination on Friday June 8, 2012 - and was made redundant on the following Monday. Spanish Miss Sitz, however, lost her claim of race discrimination. In a statement, the firm insisted today that it was right to fire her - despite the tribunal ruling of unfair dismissal. It said: 'Oppenheimer Europe was disappointed to learn of the tribunal’s decision, even though it dismissed a substantial portion of the claim, and believes the facts of the case supported a full dismissal. 'We are proud that both our male and female employees, comprising over a dozen nationalities, testified that the company does not engage in discrimination in the workplace. 'The company will review its options with its legal counsel, including taking an appeal of this decision.' | Isabel Sitz, 42, said sexist managers docked her pay by £80,000 .
The banker told how she was fired when she complained about the cut .
Tribunal heard how a manager at the firm referred to her as 'sweetheart'
Firm says that it will appeal against the court's decision in her favour . |
137,923 | 3e6093407f10d979085afc5e7a917d4ff648babb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:18 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:43 EST, 21 May 2013 . Tornado-hit Oklahoma is bracing itself for a third day of storms today as it emerged the devastated suburb of Moore remains without running water in the wake of yesterday's carnage. At least 91 people were killed and more than 230 injured when the twister struck at about 3pm yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. With rescuers continuing their desperate search for survivors in the early hours, engineers were battling to restore vital water supplies. Nightmare scenario: The clean-up and rescue operations in Oklahoma are likely to be hampered by yet more severe weather. Forecasters are predicting the same front which spawned yesterday's deadly twister is likely to strike again . Devastation: To make matters worse, the southern suburb of Moore, which was worst hit by yesterday's storm, is still without running water . Deadly: The 200mph tornado destroyed everything in its path . The clean-up and rescue operation is likely to be disrupted on Tuesday, though, as forecasters warned the state more severe weather is on the way. More tornadoes, powerful thunderstorms and damaging hail is expected to scythe through the area from the same weather system that created yesterday's 200mph winds. Large swathes of the town of Moore were utterly devastated by the storm . An area from Dallas to Little Rock, Arkansas, has the greatest chance of severe weather, while a portion of the central U.S. from Michigan to Texas is at risk, according to the U.S. Storm Prediction Center. 'The real areas of concern are Arkansas, northern Louisiana and northeastern Texas, where you could have the most damaging storms,' said Christopher Vaccaro, spokesman for the National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Moore storm 'is certainly on the high end of the scale' in terms of destructiveness, he said. Oklahoma City has been struck by tornadoes more times than any other place in the U.S., according to government data. Yesterday’s storm came the day after two people were killed and 39 injured in separate storms in the state. At least 30 tornadoes were reported on May 19 from Illinois to Oklahoma. The exact strength of yesterday’s storm won’t be known until a survey team inspects the damage in the coming days, said John Pike, a spokesman with the weather service in Norman, Oklahoma, about 10 miles south of Moore. Preliminary indications were that it was at least an EF-4 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, said Ryan Barnes, a weather service meteorologist. That’s the second-most-powerful classification on the six-step rankings and means the cyclone had wind gusts of 166 to 200 miles (267 to 322 kilometers) per hour for three seconds. Classification is based on damage, not actual wind measurements. Here are the paths of tornadoes over the years in the Moore, Oklahoma area: Red: 1999, Blue: 2003, Green: 2013 . Apocalyptic scene: Yesterday's tornado was a mile-wide . Tornadoes can last from several seconds to more than an hour, with the most storms breaking up within 10 minutes, according to the storm center. The swath of devastation shown on television is consistent with an EF-5 tornado, the most powerful kind, with winds of at least 200 miles per hour, said Mark Hoekzema, chief meteorologist for Earth Networks in Germantown, Maryland. 'From everything that I have seen it is undoubtedly an EF-5 and it is one of the worst ones I have seen,' Hoekzema said. 'This appears to have been very wide and to have gone through a substantially populated area.' There were only 58 EF-5 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. between 1950 and 2011, according to the storm center. About 1,300 tornadoes hit the country every year. Severe thunderstorms killed 118 people in the U.S. last year and caused an estimated $27.7 billion in economic losses, second only to hurricanes and tropical storms among natural disasters, according to the Insurance Information Institute of New York. | Same weather front that flattened area set to produce more devastation .
Southern suburb of Moore remains without running water .
Area from Dallas to Little Rock, Arkansas, most at risk of further storms .
Experts say yesterday's tornado was 'strongest possible' |
225,108 | af8285fc6a886869549ead665b39b5c618dc5097 | Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Paris Hilton left Japan late Wednesday afternoon after initially being refused entry because of a drug conviction, immigration officials said. The American socialite was heading back to the United States "after a lengthy delay at Japanese immigration," her spokesman said Wednesday. "Paris is very disappointed and fought hard to keep her business commitments and see her fans, but she is forced to postpone her commitments in Asia," the spokesman said. She arrived in Japan on Tuesday and had been allowed to spend the night, to see whether immigration officials would reconsider their initial refusal to allow her entry. Hilton left about 4 p.m. Wednesday, before they reached a final verdict, said an immigration official at Narita Airport. Hilton pleaded guilty to a drug charge earlier in the week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Japan generally denies entry to foreigners who are on probation. Hilton had traveled to Japan because of "business obligations planned many months earlier," her spokesman said. "Paris understands and respects the rules and laws of the immigration authorities in Japan and fully wishes to cooperate with them," the spokesman said. "Paris looks forward to returning in the future to a country she loves and has been coming to for the past 10 years." On Monday, Hilton entered guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of drug possession and obstruction of an officer, but a felony cocaine possession charge was dropped. She was sentenced to a year of probation, a $2,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. She was arrested on the Las Vegas Strip last month after she and her boyfriend were stopped by a motorcycle officer who smelled marijuana coming from their vehicle. Hilton admitted in court Tuesday that a small amount of cocaine found in her pocketbook was hers. CNN's Junko Ogura and Marc Balinsky contributed to this report. | NEW: Hilton is "very disappointed" and fought to stay in Japan .
The socialite is headed back to the U.S.
She pleaded guilty to a drug charge earlier in the week in Las Vegas .
Hilton was traveling on business, a spokesman said . |
155,517 | 55032ba42bfa08c1b395d4b54bf423bd39a47a4b | (CNN) -- Rick Warren -- the man at the center of an inaugural firestorm -- has built his career on an uncontroversial reputation. President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. The irony of the furor over Warren's selection to deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony is that the California minister first drew notice for his determination to expand the evangelical agenda beyond hot-button social issues like opposition to same-sex marriage. Warren has been described as the next Billy Graham, an evangelical leader with a moderate reputation and mass-market appeal -- although instead of massive open-air rallies and an out-sized television presence, Warren focused on forging partnerships with unlikely allies working to protect the environment and fight AIDS. As a pioneer of the mega-church movement, Warren looked to translate traditional evangelical messages for a wider audience. He penned "The Purpose-Driven Life," a spiritually based self-help guide that brought mainstream best-seller status to a muted religious message. In his model, everyday concerns were a top priority: Attendees at his Saddleback Church -- now more than 20,000 strong -- could expect free classes on home finance, or assistance with child care needs. Warren urged ministers to adopt a Madison Avenue approach: to super-charge the growth of congregations by fine-tuning their pitch for the "un-churched." He released bullet-point sermons with crossover potential, along with material to help churchgoers follow along. The church atmosphere he called for was a relaxed one, with dressed-down ministers leading services in nontraditional venues, featuring easy-listening music chosen with younger listeners in mind. But even as Warren's nonpartisan appeal led to increasingly high-profile roles -- like host of this summer's presidential faith forum, featuring Sens. Obama and John McCain -- controversy grew over his conservative stands on social issues. The headlines may be new, but Warren's positions aren't. During the last election cycle, he sent thousands of pastors an e-mail laying out what he viewed as non-negotiable issues for evangelicals deciding on their pick at the polls, from stem-cell research and abortion to same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, after Obama announced Warren as his choice, prominent liberal groups and gay rights proponents criticized the selection. Some said the choice signaled that Obama is not interested in advancing gay rights or protecting abortion rights. iReport.com: What do you think of the choice? Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said Wednesday that he feels a "deep level of disrespect" because of the choice of Warren and is calling on Obama to reconsider the move. Read more about the criticism of Obama's choice . On Thursday, Obama defended his decision to tap Warren. "And I would note that a couple of years ago, I was invited to Rick Warren's church to speak, despite his awareness that I held views that were entirely contrary to his when it came to gay and lesbian rights, when it came to issues like abortion. ... "And that dialogue, I think, is part of what my campaign's been all about: That we're not going to agree on every single issue, but what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere ... where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans." But progressive commentators said Warren is a symbol of division. "When Obama advances a progressive agenda on social issues, as he's certain to do, Warren will continue to speak out on the other side," wrote the Washington Monthly's Steve Benen. "Only now, he'll do so with the added authority that comes with being the president's hand-chosen pastor for the inauguration's invocation. Warren's status will soar, and his criticism of Obama's policies -- or Democrats' in general -- will resonate that much louder." Warren himself is working to contain the fallout from his support for California's Proposition 8. In an interview set to air this week, he denied that his stand against same-sex marriage meant he was homophobic. "Of course not. I have always treated them with respect," he said. "When they come and wanna talk to me, I talk to 'em. When the protesters came, we served them water and doughnuts." | Pastor Rick Warren first drew notice for trying to expand past hot-button issues .
Warren looked to translate traditional evangelical messages for a wider audience .
President-elect Barack Obama chose Warren to deliver invocation at inauguration .
Gay, abortion rights activists angry about Obama's choice . |
243,835 | c79dc3f9d7cb24f8688ca2b074269c9bb392d3c2 | Alexandra Klimenko was picking up her youngest child from nursery when the sudden violent explosion shook the Ukrainian street. When the dust cleared, they would find the 33-year-old's body shielding her beloved three-year-old daughter. Alexandra - called Sashinka by friends and family - was dead, killed by a rocket launched 80 miles away by a pro-Russian rebel. In the Ukraine - just a four hour flight away from the safety of the UK - carrying on everyday tasks can prove fatal, and even hiding in your home will not shield you from the rockets the two sides are firing at each other. Devastated: Alexander Klimenko says goodbye to his wife Alexandra, who was killed by a rebel rocket . Tragedy: The body of Vladimir Kolozin lies in the street next to the biscuits he had bought from the shop. His wife Tanya was killed seconds later in a separate attack, which saw a missile hit the couple's balcony . Since fighting broke out between the Ukrainian government and the Moscow-backed separatists almost a year ago, nearly 6,000 people have been killed. The fierce fighting has driven an estimated 1million people from their homes. A ceasefire agreed in Minsk last week, which should have seen both sides start to withdraw from a 'buffer zone' around the front line from Sunday, has had little effect. Indeed, rebels said they had no intention of observing the ceasefire at Debaltseve, where they have been advancing since January and now have a Ukrainian unit all but encircled. Meanwhile, one rebel commander claimed the Ukrainian army had broken the ceasefire 27 times in the just 24 hours. Images of the conflict circulating in western media show tanks, soldiers and the occasional bursts of rockets being launched. What they rarely show are the people still trapped between the two warring factions, desperately trying to carry on with their everyday lives - just like millions across Europe. Broken: The ceasefire agreed between the two sides is not being stuck to by either the government or rebels . Clean up: Residents who have not fled the battle zones are left to deal with the consequences of the war . One million: It is estimated up to a million people have left since the war started almost a year ago . Destroyed: Igor shows of the damage to his flat after last Tuesday's assault on Kramtorsk . So it is easy to forget the countless stories of loss, and the suffering Europe has not experienced since the genocidal bloodletting that engulfed the Balkans in the 1990s. On February 10, Alexandra became another of those countless stories. She had left her home in Kramatorsk, a city to the north of Donetsk, to pick up her daughter from nursery. She was in a rush: her seven-year-old son was at home, ill with the flu, and she wanted to get back to him as quickly as possible. But she never returned home. Instead, she was killed by a Tornado rocket – one of the most sophisticated weapons in Moscow’s arsenal - when she was a couple of steps from the entrance to her building. Several other shells had landed around her, tearing massive holes into the sides of buildings, shattering windows and destroying cars. Bereaved: Nearly 6,000 people have died - including innocent civilians like mother-of-two Alexandra . Mourning: The graves of fighters without names marked with numbers in the cemetery of Mospyne . Her neighbours said she’d thrown herself on top of her daughter to protect her from the explosions. Shrapnel from the rocket tore into the child’s arm and killed Alexandra instantly. ‘My neighbour told me to call her after we heard the explosions. I never thought anything might happen,’ recalled Alexandra’s aunt, Tatyana Alexandrovna, in her flat Saturday. ‘She hadn’t phoned all day and I knew her son had been ill for a couple of days. 'Normally, her going to the day care earlier than usual wouldn’t have warranted a phone call,’ she added. Her aunt attempted to reach her via mobile phone at least half a dozen times. ‘I kept calling and calling…there was no answer. I tried again, then again. The mobile provider kept giving me a message that she wasn’t available. 'Finally I got through and a very hesitant man’s voice was on the other end, ‘ said Tatyana. ‘Where is my Sashinka?’ ‘She’s dead. A shell exploded and killed her. I’m sorry,’ said the voice before hanging up. ‘I froze. I just didn’t know what to do,' Tatyana said. 'My neighbour got me together and insisted we go to her flat. When we arrived the neighbours told us the emergency teams had taken her to a nearby hospital with all those who’d been wounded. 'We rushed there hoping that maybe the man on the phone had been wrong; maybe she was just hurt and still alive. 'When we got to the emergency room the doctors told us she was dead on arrival and that they may have to amputate her daughter’s arm.' At Alexandra’s funeral, relatives and friends as well as her distraught husband decried the on going violence, blaming all involved for waging war on the local population. Her son has yet to be told of his mother’s death. ‘I wanted to take him to the coffin and let him kiss mummy goodbye. I just couldn’t do it. He keeps asking for her. I have no idea what to do,’ said her husband Alexander, who works in Moscow. ‘The little one in the hospital doesn’t speak expect for when asleep, calling out for mum. We’re just happy the doctors didn’t have to amputate,’ said Tatyana Alexandrovna. ‘We still need to tell her 93-year-old grandmother. She’s been asking about her for days, wondering why, “my Sashinka hasn’t come to visit.” We still don’t know how to tell her what happened.’ On a different part of the city, another family is coming to terms with its own horrendous tragedy - a tragedy which serves to show arbitrary cruelty of this civil war. Vladimir Kolozin, a 62-year-old former engineer and director at the city’s NKMZ machine factory, was returning home after buying biscuits a rocket exploded less than five feet away. The blast threw him against the wall of the building behind him, nearly blowing off his face in the process. Killing: People have died on both sides of the conflict. Here, girls are pictured at a separatist fighter's funeral . Waste: It was hoped the ceasefire would bring an end to the deaths of civilians and fighters like this one . Picking up the pieces: All the people left behind can do is try to continue to live their lives . Splayed out on the frozen pavement, his newly bought biscuits lay just a few inches from the hand that was carrying them home. Seconds later, his wife Tamara - who was awaiting his return home for their midday meal - was killed as a second rocket ripped through the couple’s balcony. All three - Alexandra, Vladimir and Tanya - were killed in the same spate of attacks last Tuesday. On Saturday, Kolozin’s former colleagues participated in a citywide vigil for those killed in last Tuesday’s attack. Far from being unique, it was one of hundreds which have rained down on countless towns in eastern Ukraine. Caught between the combatants, the civilians that are forced to endure the horror of indiscriminate shelling. Nearly 14,000 people have been wounded since fighting between Ukrainian armed forces and pro-Moscow rebels, backed by regular Russian army units, began last April. Shattered: Windows in Kramatorsk have been blown in by the blasts - letting freezing air into homes . Destruction: Despite the chaos around them, people remain hopeful things might change for the better. 'It was a lovely flat once,' Igor told MailOnline. 'Once all of this is over and Putin leaves us alone, It will be again' As has been the case on dozens of occasions in Donetsk, Slavyansk, Debaltsevo and Mariupol, Kramatorsk’s emergency room surgeons had to work frantically to care for the dozens of wounded flooding in the door, while nurses and orderlies were charged with trying to console family members that had packed into the dark hospital corridors. ‘My husband is in surgery. They won’t tell me anything other than to wait. He was just at work like any other day,’ a distraught young woman named Marina said in the city’s main hospital, shortly after last week’s attack. Those who survive are left to pick up the pieces; comforting distraught relatives and cleaning up their shattered homes. Yana, whose flat is around the corner from where Kolozin and his wife were killed, is one of those people. ‘I was sitting here in my bedroom – my husband had just decided to go downstairs to the shop when I heard heavy concussion explosions,' she told MailOnline. 'Luckily, I had just walked into the next room when a shell exploded right outside our balcony.' Yana and her husband Igor, a couple in the mid-50s, have spent most of their life savings from their meagre earnings as engineers to refurbish their flat in an old Stalin-era building in the city centre. Amid the shattered glass, pock marked walls are the couple’s charming collection bric-a-brac from their trips to Thailand, Goa and Singapore. ‘Well, it was a lovely flat once. Once all of this is over and Putin leaves us alone, It will be again,’ said Igor. | Alexandra Klimenko killed as she picked up her daughter from nursery .
At least 11 died in the same assault on Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk .
Include couple killed in separate attacks within seconds of each other .
Kramatorsk one of hundreds of towns where civilians caught in crossfire .
Nearly 6,000 dead as government and rebels continue to fight for control . |
52,530 | 94d8d09768838f76c0fe73f360eae9a110cd9ca9 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:26 EST, 14 March 2013 . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. At 27, and already tipping the scales at 39 stone, the death sentence finally proved the spur he needed to shed the weight. Now, just over a year and a half on, and Mr Mason, from Hockley, Essex, is less than half the man he was after shedding a huge 23 stone during nine months at a Thai boxing camp. Scroll down for video . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. But he quickly changed his life around by packing up and moving to a Thai boxing camp . By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . Mr Mason admitted his weight crept up as he regularly binged on greasy, fried food and meals out while working as a second-hand car salesman. By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist. His health was extremely poor and his weight was causing a host of ailments, including breathing trouble, swollen legs and other serious physical problems. After the stark diagnosis, Mr Mason turned to the internet for help. He found training camp Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, booked a flight, and took the drastic decision to leave his job and move to the country. Before ( left) he was 39 stone, now (right) he has lost more than 24 stone through a hard line Thai boxing exercise regime . Despite struggling to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, his training soon began in earnest. Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad, and took part in three or four high-energy Thai boxing sessions every day. Whereas before he would feast on greasy takeaways and high fat snacks, now a typical dinner was grilled chicken, with vegetables and brown rice. He said: 'When I was at school I was captain of the basketball team, l played rugby too. 'When I went to work I got lazy. My weight just crept up on me over the years, I didn't want to admit to myself that I needed to change my life. Mr Mason struggled to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, but his training soon began in earnest . He was soon taking part in three or four high - energy Thai boxing sessions every day . Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad . At 39 stone Mr Mason dwarfs his opponent but he could barely breathe when he first started his exercise routine . Mr Mason is now training people all over the world thanks to his time at the camp and has lost a huge 24 stone . 'One day I went to the hospital and they said 'you have got five years to live'. I then went on the internet and found Thai training camp Tiger Muay Thai and then just upped and left. 'Now I am training people all over the world.' Mr Mason, who has kept a blog of his time in Thailand, and is now back in the UK for Christmas, said his family and friends cannot believe the change. He said: 'People still don't recognise me. 'Mum and dad recognised me at the airport, just, but they had to take a second glance! Some friends here have walked straight past me.' But the journey has not been easy for Mr Mason. By the time Mr Mason was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg . Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750 mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh-eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg. After spending three months in hospital in Thailand, followed by six months back in the UK to recover, he finally returned to the camp to carry on with his hardline weight loss routine. He said: 'It was a struggle to walk 400 metres to begin with and now I am running 10km every morning. It changed my life. I am training four or five times a day. 'I was badly ill in August 2011, I was out of action for three months and had three operations to cut both my legs open and cut the infection out.' Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750-mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children in the country. He added: 'It is going to be tough, but it is nice to give back.' To sponsor his bike ride, go to weightlossthailand.com or to find out more about the For Life charity, visit www.4lifethailand.org . | James Mason, from Essex, was 39 stone when doctors told him he had five years to live .
By the time he was 27, he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist .
But now, thanks to a Thai boxing camp, he is less than half the man he was . |
52,555 | 94f0984eed25b199e560b73182fb36703f71f874 | By . Emma Innes . Doctors are baffled by an ultra-rare condition which means a three-year-old boy has grown to just 2ft 5ins tall. Brody Land, who still wears clothes designed for children aged six to nine months, has a form of dwarfism so rare that doctors in the UK have been unable to properly diagnose him. The toddler stands at just 74cm (2ft 5 in) tall when the average height for a boy of his age in the UK is 95cm (3ft 1in). Brody Land (pictured with his mother, Emma) is just 74cm tall when he should be about 95cm tall . He is able to walk, although sometimes uses a pushchair when he gets tired, and his mother has taught him sign language because he struggles to speak. Brody’s parents, Emma and Chris Land, have now set their sights on travelling to the U.S. where they hope specialists will be able to provide them with a diagnosis. Mrs Land, 25, a part-time administrator, said: ‘We just need a diagnosis and I don’t want to stop until I know what he has got. I’m learning as I go along because there are no other children in the UK with the same condition. ‘I had my first three-month scan with Brody and they told me that he had Down’s syndrome, but this was not the case. ‘At 11 months old they told me he had dwarfism but they couldn’t give me a diagnosis. ‘When Brody was about two the doctors said to me that they had done everything they could and they just told us it was Brody’s syndrome.’ Brody is so small that he still wears clothes designed for children who are between six and nine months old . Doctors say Brody is the only child in the UK to have his condition so they are unable to formally diagnose him - his parents say they have been told he has 'Brody syndrome' Brody's doctors say they have done everything they can for him. He is pictured at 10 months old . The mother-of-one had to give up full-time work as a nursery nurse to attend the many hospital appointments Brody required but the youngster has recently started mainstream nursery school. Mrs Land, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, said: ‘Brody has started going to school every morning and he absolutely loves it. He’s such a sociable little boy and he hates playing alone. ‘All the children at school look after him and hold his hand - I think they just want to protect him really. He is progressing well though and he’ll continue in mainstream education while he’s in primary school.’ Mrs Land and husband Chris, 28, a labourer, are now desperate for a diagnosis and are hoping to raise £10,000 to take him to America for specialist tests. After a pregnancy scan, Brody's parents were told he had Down's syndrome but they were later told this was not the case and that he actually has a form of dwarfism . Brody's parents now hope to take him to see specialists in the U.S. in the hope of getting a formal diagnosis . Mrs Land said: 'When Brody was about two the doctors said to me that they had done everything they could and they just told us it was Brody's syndrome' She said: ‘We are part of a dwarfs’ community that meets once a year and they’ve all got a diagnosis. I’d just like to say this is what he has. ‘Going to America is our last hope really. We just want a bit of closure and I won’t give up until I have done everything I can. ‘When he gets older and starts asking me questions about his condition I want to be able to say that I tried everything.’ Mrs Land says she wants answers about Brody's condition so she can answer his questions as he gets older . Mrs Land said: 'We just need a diagnosis and I don't want to stop until I know what he has got' Consultant paediatrician Dr Andrea Nussbaumer, from Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: ‘We are dedicated to providing the very best possible care for all our patients and we continue to work with a number of specialists in the hope of getting an accurate diagnosis for Brody’s condition. ‘In the meantime we are concentrating on working with Brody and his family to ensure that he receives all the care and support he needs.’ Anyone wishing to donate can email Mrs Land on [email protected] . | Brody Land wears clothes designed for six to nine-month-old children .
His condition is so rare doctors haven't been able to formally diagnose it .
His parents are now hoping to take him to the U.S. to see specialists there . |
214,752 | a20874b31ab6fab4f41ebe7c276b8df934bfa74a | Britain is set to be blasted by more blustery showers this evening with wind making temperatures appear much colder, according to forecasters. Rain, which battered coastlines in the west, will head east throughout the evening, becoming heavier throughout the night. Temperatures will struggle to get above 5-6C but will feel much cooler, the Met Office said. In Wales today gale force storms hit the seaside town of Aberystwyth. In Scotland a family escaped being crushed after 50mph winds brought a massive tree crashing through their home. And an HGV was blown over in high winds on the A1 south-bound near Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, causing long traffic delays and congestion. Scroll down for video . The estimated £100,000 worth of damage caused after 50mph winds brought a tree crashing through Pamela Foster's family home in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, forcing the terrified family to flee . The woods at the back of the Foster home where the massive tree fell from . The family have been forced to abandon their home, but are also lucky to be alive . Gale force winds and stormy seas batter the seafront and beach at Aberystwyth on the west Wales coast today . Miniscule: A lonely boat looking particularly vulnerable as a wave crashes against the pier at Aberystwyth . A man braves the elements along the coastline of Aberystwyth this morning . The Welsh coast took a battering this morning from high winds and towering waves. The gale force winds caused enormous waves to crash in Aberystwyth . A HGV has blown over after being caught n high winds on the A1 south-bound near Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, causing lengthy traffic delays and congestion in the area . Take cover: Huge waves crash over the sea the sea wall and into the path of passing cars in Ayr, Scotland . An estimated £100,000 of damage has been caused to the garage and a car . parked outside the property in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, and the family . living there have been forced to abandon their home. Owner Pamela Foster, 42, recalled the horrifying moment the tree crashed through the family home on Wednesday night. She said: 'I was sitting in the house with my two daughters at the time when it struck just after 7pm. 'It wasn't a loud crashing noise, it was more of a crushing noise. I looked out of the window, but I couldn't see anything because it was dark. 'When I opened the front door the light showed this massive tree lying there in our driveway and that was when we saw it had smashed through the garage too. 'It is a really sturdy building and the tree just ploughed through it.' The tree narrowly avoided the bedroom of her daughters Kayleigh, 15, and Rebecca, 13. A spokeswoman from Grampian Fire and Rescue Service said: 'It was one large tree which fell through a double garage on to a street lamp.' Waves battered the coast, in Aberystwyth this morning as boats battled against the choppy waters. Tonight there will be clear spells and . blustery showers away from Scotland, which will be hit by persistent . rain and hill snow, but thickening cloud in southern Britain will bring . heavy rain. Morning rain in . the South will clear to sunny spells and showers for much of the UK . tomorrow. But early rain in Scotland will push to northern England as . the day goes on, bringing colder conditions. It . will be bright and breezy on Saturday with plenty of sunshine, before . clouding over in Scotland. Most areas will stay largely dry, but North . Sea coastal counties will see scattered snow showers. It . comes after Britain woke up to more showers and gales yesterday. Gusts . of 75 to 85mph had been recorded across the Northern Isles, Western Isles . and north-west Scotland. Today: Blustery showers and sunny spells with heaviest rain in West Tomorrow: Morning rain in South will clear to sunny spells and rain . Three-day forecast: The heaviest of the rain today will be in Scotland, but it should be more sunny by Saturday . In the deep: A driver gets stuck in floodwater in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, after the River Nene burst its banks . Escape: Luckily another motorist came to the driver's rescue and pulled his vehicle from the floodwater . As westerly winds increase to produce gusts of 50-60mph, perhaps as high as 70mph on exposed coasts and hills, workers in central Birmingham on their lunch break battle through the winds . Friends struggle against the strong winds in Birmingham. Most of Britain woke up to more showers and gales today . BlackpoolWet and windy: Strong winds were pictured yesterday in Blackpool, Lancashire. Britain is set to be blasted by more blustery showers today . Banks burst: The main road in village of Holywell, Cambridgeshire, is pictured yesterday after it flooded . Beleaguered Britons continue to suffer from the effects of last week's Big Freeze, with torrential rain plus the Big Thaw causing flooding in low-lying areas. Meanwhile survivors and relatives of those who died in one of the UK's worst peacetime disasters will today pause to remember the floods of 1953, sixty years on. The Great Flood battered the east coast of England as high spring tides, deep atmospheric low pressure and exceptionally strong northerly gales led to sea water surging over coastal defences and sweeping two miles inland. By the morning of February 1, the death toll on land was estimated at 307 in English coastal towns and villages. Many more died on the continent and at sea. A policeman carries a child to safety at Canvey Island, Essex, during the great floods of 1953 . The UK is 'better prepared than ever before' to respond to major flooding, the Environment Minister has said today. Sixty years ago, the Great Flood battered the east coast of England as high spring tides, deep atmospheric low pressure and exceptionally strong northerly gales led to sea water surging over coastal defences and sweeping two miles inland. By the morning of February 1, the death toll on land was estimated at 307 in English coastal towns and villages. Many more died on the Continent and at sea. It has been named one of the country's worst peace time disasters. Today, Environment Minister Richard Benyon will attend a commemorative service in Humberside and visit the Hull Barrier, which has had a £10million refurbishment over the last 18 months. He said: 'The floods of 1953 saw the terrible loss of over 300 lives and devastating damage to thousands of homes. 'The tragedy was made all the worse by the fact that no flood warning system was in place. 'Today, people have a much better chance to protect their lives, loved ones and possessions and stay safe by signing up for the Environment Agency flood warnings. 'While the risk of extreme weather has never gone away, the country is better prepared than ever before to respond to major flooding and I thank the emergency services and Environment Agency for their hard work during the recent floods.' The Environment Agency said that, despite major improvements to sea defences and warning systems, 1.3 million people or one in 25 homes in England and Wales remain at risk of coastal flooding. The situation is likely to be exacerbated in coming years as a result of climate change, the agency added. | Environmental Agency has 36 flood warnings and 153 flood alerts in place as Britain is blasted by more rain .
Today: Blustery showers and sunny spells with heaviest rain in west, moving east into the night .
Tomorrow: Morning rain in clearing eastwards during the morning then brightening up for the afternoon .
Saturday: Sunny spells with a cold northerly wind bringing wintry showers, with frost overnight . |
125,769 | 2e9243e4e910ab1fdcaeb15df8e88c55ee7ed834 | Police in North Carolina have launched a manhunt after a man opened fire in a church playground, hitting four children and leaving a 12-year-old boy seriously injured. The Reverend James Gailliard at Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount said the shooting happened shortly before 6pm Monday, as about two dozen neighborhood teens played basketball on courts behind the sanctuary. Gailliard was in his office when he heard more than 15 gunshots and ran outside. Among those hit was 12-year-old Nyreek Horne, who the preacher said was shot through the head. He cradled the bleeding boy until help arrived. Biting: Colauito Tyson and her 4-year-old granddaughter hold back their emotions at a concert in honor of the shooting's victims on Tuesday . Heartbreaking: Churchgoer Barbara Allen raises her hands in prayer Tuesday, the day after four children were injured- one critically- in a shooting outside Word Tabernacle Church on Monday . 'In our community, we do hear gunshots from time to time. But what was different this time was that it was so close and it was so many,' Gailliard said. 'I held him in my arms until the paramedics got there. He was shot in the eye and the bullet went out the back of his brain. He was struggling to breathe, but he was fighting.' Fear: Residents like Pastor Florence Nicholson are worried about a growing rate of violence in the area . Police said Tuesday that Horne remained in critical condition. Three other young males shot — ages 13, 17 and 19 — were all treated and released. Witnesses could provide only a vague description of the shooter, who ran away and was seen getting into a small, light-colored SUV. Rocky Mount police are asking members of public to come forward with any information that might help lead them to a suspect. It was the latest shooting in a small Southern city dealing with violent crime on a scale typical in more urban areas. The shooting at the church happened days after a funeral for 15-year-old Brian Freeman, who was walking home with a friend when a car pulled up and someone started firing. A city of nearly 60,000 located about . 50 miles east of Raleigh, Rocky Mount sits along Interstate 95 — a . primary north-south corridor for moving drugs and illegal guns between . major East Coast cities. In . 2012, the most recent year for which FBI crime statistics are . available, the murder rate in Rocky Mount was more than twice that of . New York City. The Rocky . Mount police force has a sizable gang awareness and prevention program. The city council has instituted anti-graffiti measures and a local . 'Youth Protection Ordinance' that includes a nightly curfew barring . those under 15 from gathering in public without adult supervision. Using their voices: Charita Grant (left) and Karey Pierre (right) sing through their emotions at a Concert of Prayer . 'We're . experiencing many of the problems many other communities are . experiencing with gang violence, and we are addressing that,' said Cpl. Michael Lewis, a police spokesman. 'There's age groups from middle school on up through high school involved in this type of activity.' Lewis said it is too early in the . investigation to know whether the latest shooting involved a . gang-related dispute, but Gailliard said there is a widespread suspicion . in the community that Monday's mass shooting was in retaliation for the . recent drive-by killing. Those involved are from different neighborhoods engaged in competition for turf, the preacher said. Gailliard . moved south from Philadelphia nine years ago to found the church. Part . of his congregation's ministry involves reaching out to young people who . live near the church. Gailliard . said he had never seen Horne before he was shot, but he has since met . the boy's family at the hospital. He organized a vigil on Tuesday to . pray for the boy's recovery and an end to the violence. Holy ground: The shooting took place on the playground outside of Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina (pictured) Support: Reverend James Gailliard, pictured, cradled the most gravely injured of the four youths that were shot until the ambulance arrived on the scene . He said people there are often distrustful of the police, but he was encouraging people to tell the detectives what they know. 'Unfortunately, in my time have I have funeralized a lot of young African-American males who died in violent situations,' the preacher said. 'We put the basketball goals up and took the fence down specifically so the community could just walk on the premises and have a safe place to play. That trust has been violated.' | A 12-year-old boy is in critical condition and three others- ages 13, 17 and 19- were also shot on Monday .
Shooting took place on the playground outside of the Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina .
Comes the day after a funeral for a local 15-year-old who was killed in a similar drive by shooting . |
35,848 | 65c980defcc9d44df6712952b04d2f663cd0c703 | By . Joe Strange . Follow @@Joe_Strange . Every day Sportsmail takes a look at the European papers to see what are the biggest stories creating talking points on the continent. In Spain, Marca lead with a potentially huge summer transfer by claiming that Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is on the verge of joining Barcelona. The Argentine, who is part of his country's squad at the World Cup, only joined Rafa Benitez's side from Real Madrid last summer but the paper say he is 'very close' to a move to the Nou Camp. Over in Spain: Marca (left) claim Barcelona are close to signing Gonzalo Higuain, while Xabi Alonso tells AS (right) that Spain aren't finished after their 5-1 defeat to Holland . According to Marca, Higuain has agreed to join Luis Enrique's side but the La Liga giants are yet to come to an agreement with Napoli. AS focus on Spain's World Cup campaign, with midfielder Xabi Alonso claiming that Vicente Del Bosque's side aren't finished despite their 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Holland on Friday. There is also a mention for Real star Cristiano Ronaldo, who will come up against team-mate Sami Khedira and former team-mate Mesut Ozil when Portugal take on Germany. The 29-year-old has been struggling with injury in recent weeks and he admits he cannot remember a game in his career where he has not felt pain. Portuguese papers Record and A Bola go big on Ronaldo ahead of the Group G clash at the Arena Fonte Nova. The former say that 'This is the year for Portugal', while the latter claim that Ronaldo will be at the centre of the universe come Monday afternoon in Brazil. Man of the moment: Portuguese papers Record (left) and A Bola (right) focus on star man Cristiano Ronaldo . Over to Italy and Tuttosport react to the impressive performance of Matteo Darmian in Italy's 2-1 win against England on Saturday evening. Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini claims that the right-back deserves to leave Torino for a club playing in the Champions League, although manager Cesare Prandelli urges the media and fans not to ruin his impressive debut by getting carried away. The same paper also claim that Juve want to sign River Plate's Eder Alvarez Balanta and Fiorentina's Juan Cuardrado, while Inter Milan are keen on Zenit's Domenico Criscito. La Gazzetta dello Sport also lead Italy's victory against Roy Hodgson's side, picking out their record-breaking pass completion rate of 93% - the highest recorded at a World Cup finals. Match-winner Mario Balotelli is also selected for praise, with the paper using his 'Super Mario' nickname after his header sealed a 2-1 win in Manaus. Perfect start: Tuttosport (left) and La Gazzetta dello Sport (right) react to Italy's 2-1 win against England . | Higuain is 'very close' to a move to Barcelona according to Marca .
Xabo Alonso says Spain are not finished despite their 5-1 defeat to Holland .
Cristiano Ronaldo says he has never played a game without pain .
Giorgio Chiellini claims Italy defender Matteo Darmian deserves to play in the Champions League after his performance against England . |
219,956 | a8b3e51a36a38a8608162bba460d209b10b3b681 | A former teacher at the exclusive Miss Porter's School, who is serving an 18-month sentence for sexually assaulting a female student, now faces more jail time for child porn. Married father-of-three Joseph Prem Rajkumar, 44, who taught physics at the Connecticut girls' school, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of child pornography. The charge directly relates to his abuse of a 17-year-old girl at the school after he allegedly coerced her into creating a secret email account in 2011 and then pushed her to expose her breasts to him during video chats. Disgraced: Teacher Joseph Prem Rajkumar, 44, who is currently in state prison serving 18 months for the sexual assault of a student at the exclusive Miss Porter's, is facing more jail time over a child porn charge . A federal investigation discovered that Rajkumar sent and received messages with at least six female students at his school. He even tried to force another girl to have a sexual relationship with him, the Hartford Courant reported. He texted one girl that she 'looked hot' in the pants she was wearing and told another to create an email account, without using her name, to do 'naughty things'. The disgraced teacher is due back in court for sentencing on February 6 where he faces up to 20 years in prison. Rajkumar was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ten years on probation in January 2014 for the attack at the Farmington school. He must register as a sex offender for a decade after prison. Judge Joan Alexander told Rajkumar in January that as part of his probation, he could not teach or be near children under 16. The sentence will keep the sex offender away from his three children aged one, three and eight years old. His wife, Sarah Rajkumar, begged the judge not to register her husband as a sex offender but Judge Alexander said it was required by law. Mrs Rajkumar told the court in January that her husband was an 'exceptionally good man who made a grave error in judgment', adding that he had been overwhelmed by his responsibilities at the school and at home. Privileged: The elite Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut is a private boarding and day school for girls where tuition costs up to $52,000 each year . The victim was not in court for sentencing although her father was present. The judge praised the student for coming forward to report Rajkumar's attacks. Rajkumar who taught physics and coached soccer and track, was employed at the school in August 2009. He was fired on March 4, 2013 and charged on March 25 with two counts of felony second-degree sexual assault and one count of misdemeanor fourth-degree sexual assault. Police said the allegations dated back to 2010. The victim said that Rajkumar started groping her when she was 15 and that they had sex in his classroom closet and sent sexual videos to one another after she turned 17. The allegations came out after the former student, who is now in college, told her boyfriend who went to the police. The former student said that it had started when she was 15 and that Rajkumar would hug her and run his hands down her back when she was stressed about big tests. The girl told police that the situation developed and that she and Rajkumar had sex several times during some weeks. They had sex in a closet in his classroom. Miss Porter's is a girls-only, college preparatory school established in 1843. It is a small, private establishment with 306 girls currently enrolled. There are 52 teachers of which half live on the campus. The school takes pride in a vast array of extracurricular activities including 18 sports teams, dance and theater programs, pottery, painting and textile classes. Tuition for this year costs $52,475 for boarding students and $42,055 for girls who attend day classes. Miss Porter's was founded by education reformer Sarah Porter, who, in contrast to finishing schools of the day, insisted on a rigorous education for young women including chemistry, physiology, botany, geology, and astronomy in addition to the regular subjects of Latin, foreign languages, history and geography. The school is known for its close-knit community. According to the official website: 'Miss Porter's School educates young women to become informed, bold, resourceful and ethical global citizens. 'We expect our graduates to shape a changing world.' Former students include Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis who attended Miss Porter's from 1944 to 1947. Another notable alumna is Gloria Vanderbilt, a member of the legendary American dynasty and mother of CNN's Anderson Cooper. Other former students, who call themselves 'Ancients' include socialite and fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer. | Joseph Prem Rajkumar, 44, is serving 18 months of a suspended ten-year sentence in state prison .
Married father-of-three pleaded guilty to child porn in Hartford, Connecticut on Tuesday .
Federal investigation found he allegedly forced his victim to set up 'secret' email account and pushed her to expose her breasts during video chats .
Disgraced teacher will be sentenced over child porn charge on February 6 where he faces up to 20 years in prison . |
186,048 | 7cf1db2f25000f5c54913ba8e173f477de786e76 | Many smartwatches track exercise and calories, but now a new wristband allows parents to keep tabs on their children. The wearable phone and GPS tracker is designed to be worn by children and allows them to call their parents. It is thought that Tinitell will be among the smallest commercial mobile phones on the market when it launches and will be operated through the click of a button or via voice recognition. Scroll down for video . No more lost kids! The Tinitell wearable phone and GPS tracker (pictured) is designed to be worn by children and allows them to make calls as well as enabling their movements to be tracked by parents . The watch is designed to be practical for playtime and does not have a delicate screen. Instead, it has a large button to select a function and will use voice recognition to allow children to a particular contact. If a child were to say ‘mum’ the watch will call the assigned number linked to a pre-recorded voice label. Children will be able to search for contacts manually using volume keys on the side of the watch to access other numbers. More advanced features will be controlled by parents via an accompanying smartphone app, which they will be able to use to see the location of their children on a map, as the watch has built-in GPS. Small design for tiny hands: Tinitell is thought to be the smallest commercial mobile phone on the market and can be operated through the click of a button or via voice recognition . There's an app for that: Advanced watch features are controlled by parents via an accompanying smartphone app, which they can be used to see the location of their children on a map (pictured) and call them too . When Tinitell is launched, children will be able to make phone calls to their parents using the colourful watch. It will be operated by clicking the large button or via voice recognition. If a child were to say ‘mum’ the watch will call the assigned number linked to a pre-recorded voice label. Children will be able to search for contacts manually using volume keys to access other numbers when it goes on sale. More advanced features will be controlled by parents via an accompanying smartphone app, which they will be able to use to see the location of their children on a map as the watch has built-in GPS. It is available to pre-order on Kickstarter for an early bird price of $99 (£52). While the watch is not completely waterproof, it is splash proof and can withstand quick dips in water. Tinitell was created by Mats Horn in Stockholm, who came up with the idea in 2012 while hanging out with a friend who is also a father. He is now raising money on Kickstarter to put his invention into production and is approximately half way to reaching his goal after pulling in just under $60,000 (£35,530). Tinitell is available to pre-order on Kickstarter for early backers for $99 (£52) and is expected to be sold later for $179 (£106). It is common for children to take mobile phones to school, but smartphones are expensive and can be lost easily. Mr Horn said his friend’s son wanted to go outside and play but didn’t have a smartphone. ‘He had lost a cell phone once before . and we didn’t feel like lending out our smartphones. Worst of all, we . couldn’t join him outside because we were busy cooking dinner. His son . ended up playing in his room with his iPad, and I thought that was sad.’ The watch (pictured) comes in four colours and is designed to be practical. It does not have a delicate screen, but instead has a large button to select a function and voice recognition to call a particular contact . Bright idea:Tinitell (pictured) was created by Mats Horn in Stockholm, who came up with the idea in 2012 while hanging out with a friend who is also a father when his lost his smartphone and was kept inside to play . This led Mr Horn to create the simple mobile phone for children - 'Nothing advanced, just a nicely designed speaker and microphone to handle quick ‘hellos’ and ‘come here’ signals,’ he said. He saw that the market for a simple mobile for children was still largely untapped and that no big companies had thought of the idea. ‘I realised it’s not in their DNA to make products less advanced. I saw a huge opportunity and customer benefit that I felt obliged to tackle with an affordable solution.’ The Swedish start-up was previously privately funded with loans through the Swedish entrepreneurship infrastructure. Tinitell won Sweden’s largest entrepreneurship competition in 2013 and was declared as the country’s most promising tech start-up. He said that Tinitell’s purpose is to facilitate voice communication between parents and their younger children. The $40 LeapBand has motion sensors built in, and connects to a special mobile phone app to allow parents to see how their children are doing on the activity based games. A wearable computer than can track activity, download apps and even play games has been released. However, while it may sound like the much awaited Apple iWatch, in fact the LeapBand is aimed at a very different audience - four to seven year olds. The firm behind it says the gadget can help parents keep track of how much exercise their children are getting.It boasts a built-in accelerometer, a high-resolution color screen, a rechargeable battery and water-resistant design. The watch boasts a built-in accelerometer, a high-resolution color screen, a rechargeable battery and water-resistant design. It comes preloaded with 50 different activities and challenges, tracking a child's physical moves so the more active a child is, the more points they earn with their virtual pet. As the child earns points through active play, they can unlock additional games, challenges, levels of play and virtual rewards for their on-screen pet. | Tinitell was created by Mats Horn in Stockholm and is thought to be among the smallest commercial mobile phones on the market .
It will be operated by children using a large button in the place of a watch face as well as voice recognition to call contacts .
Parents will be able to track the location of their children using an accompanying app as the watch has built-in GPS .
Tinitell can be pre-ordered on Kickstarter by early backers for $99 (£52) |
15,159 | 2b166255218f1ebcd7d7ed56ac4a3064c2b2a704 | Disgraced: Molly Shattuck, 47, was indicted on Monday on two counts of third-degree rape, four counts of unlawful sexual contact and three counts of providing alcohol to minors . The inappropriate sexual relationship between Molly Shattuck, the 47-year-old former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader, and a 15-year-old boy which has lead to the mother-of-three being charged with third-degree rape was instigated by her own son, police have revealed. According to Delaware State Police, it was one of Shattuck’s own children who urged the unnamed victim to text his mom because ‘she is obsessed with you’ after spotting photos of the teen on Instagram. Disgraced Shattuck was indicted on Monday on two counts of third-degree rape, four counts of unlawful sexual contact and three counts of providing alcohol to minors. She was released on $84,000 bond after an arraignment on Wednesday at Sussex County Superior Court in Georgetown, Delaware. The ill-feted relationship had begun at the end of May when Shattuck - the estranged wife of billionaire businessman Mayo Shattuck III - commented on a photo of the teen on Instagram. The victim replied with a private message of thanks, but Shattuck's son then forwarded his mother's cell phone number, saying, ‘You should text my Mom, she is obsessed with you,’ according to court records. The pair first met a month later while the teen was visiting a friend in her neighborhood, reports DelawareOnline. Scroll down for video . The inappropriate sexual relationship between Molly Shattuck, the 47-year-old former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader, and a 15-year-old boy which led to the mother-of-three being charged with third-degree rape was in fact instigated by her son, police have revealed. Above Shattuck is pictured with her estranged husband Mayo and their three children . The meeting ended with a hug but no other physical contact between the 47-year-old mom and 15-year-old boy, court records said. Things soon moved up a gear as the pair started to meet for regular private trysts in Shattuck’s Cadillac Escalade. Court records show that a meeting at an AMC movie theater followed by another in a school parking lot. During July, Shattuck picked the teenager up from summer school ‘five or six times’ at lunchtime and they would ‘talk and eat and then get in the back of the car and kiss or make out,’ police said. It was during one of these incidents that Shattuck allegedly touched the teenager's penis. ‘Between their encounters, Shattuck asked for pictures via text message’ and he would send pictures of himself shirtless and one in his underwear, the victim told police. The Baltimore native became the oldest NFL cheerleader in history when she cheered for the Ravens in 2005 . For Labor Day weekend Shattuck rented this beach house in Bethany Beach where she is alleged to have plied her 15-year-old victim with beer before performing oral sex on him at least twice . A holiday to remember? Shattuck tweeted about her trip to Bethany Beach over the Labor Day weekend . For Labor Day weekend Shattuck took her children and some of their friends - including the victim - to stay at a rented beach house in Bethany Beach. 'Sometime around 2 a.m. Sunday morning, they drove to a liquor store and (Molly) Shattuck purchased a 12-pack of Miller Lite and a 12-pack of Bud Light for them,' state the court documents. Once back at the house, Shattuck is alleged to have performed oral sex on the boy at least twice - first outside the home while walking the dog and then again in her bedroom. The documents state '(the boy) described the undergarments (Molly) Shattuck was wearing when he entered her bedroom.' Shattuck is alleged to told the boy 'if he wanted to have sex she would. The boy opted out. He decided to leave. At that point, she told him to come back later but he did not go back.' The next day the boy's father collected him. Shattuck was released on $84,000 bond after an arraignment on Wednesday at Sussex County Superior Court in Georgetown, Delaware . Molly Shattuck is separated from billionaire business executive Mayo Shattuck III, 60, the current chairman of energy provider Exelon . Shattuck is also alleged to have sent the teen pictures through Instagram of him taken at the beach over the Labor Day weekend. On September 26, the boy's family reported Shattuck to the police who executed a search warrant at her $2.5 million home on October 1. The search warrant led investigators to seize her cell phone and her computer. Detectives also specifically sought a pink lace bra and panties that the victim described her as wearing in the bedroom of her beach house. The grand jury indictment against Shattuck reveals that the two counts of rape in the third degree are for 'putting her mouth on his penis.' There four counts of unlawful sexual contact in the second degree are 'touching his penis,' causing or allowing the teen to 'touch her breasts with his mouth,' causing or allowing the teen to 'touch her vagina with his hand,' and for causing or allowing the teen to 'touch her vagina with his penis.' The three counts of providing alcohol to minors are for providing alcohol to three different minors. Shattuck is also a fitness consultant and advocate and published a book in February called Vibrant Living . Shattuck is separated from Mayo Shattuck III, 60, the billionaire former CEO of Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Nuclear Group and the current chairman of Chicago-based Exelon Corp., also an energy provider. The couple have three children - Spencer, 15, Lillian, 11, and Wyatt, 8. 'This is a difficult situation for everyone involved,' her lawyers told DelawareOnline. In 2005, Baltimore native Shattuck became the oldest NFL cheerleader in history up to that time when the Ravens selected her for the squad on her first tryout. She cheered for two years and was a part-time coach for six more years. Police executed a search warrant at Molly Shattuck's $2.5 million five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom Maryland home on October 1 . Shattuck is also a fitness consultant and advocate, who published a book in February called Vibrant Living. According to her website, which is currently in 'maintenance mode', she has implemented a 21-day plan for health and improved living with people, companies and groups across the U.S. for the past several years. A cached version of her biography on the site says she is an ambassador for the American Diabetes Association and works with the American Heart Association and United Way of Central Maryland's Access to Healthy Food Initiative. She's a trustee of the United Way of Central Maryland, and a member of boards for the Baltimore School for the Arts, the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and the National Children's Museum. In 2008, Shattuck appeared on an episode of the ABC-TV reality show Secret Millionaire and gave away $190,000 to people helping the poor. Shattuck was released on $84,000 bond after an arraignment on Wednesday in Sussex County Superior Court in Georgetown, Delaware . According to online Maryland court records, Molly and Mayo Shattuck filed for divorce September 29 in Baltimore County. The Baltimore Sun reported in March that the couple had separated, although Molly Shattuck demurred to the newspaper about when the breakup occurred, saying, 'It's been awhile.' | Mother-of-three Molly Shattuck was arrested and charged in connection with a sexual relationship involving a 15-year-old boy on Wednesday .
Police have now revealed that it was her own son who told her victim that his mom 'is obsessed with you' and passed on her cell phone number .
The 47-year-old and 15-year-old soon started to meet for make out sessions in her Cadillac Escalade .
She allegedly performed oral sex on him at least twice over the Labor Day weekend, after first plying him with beer .
The boy opted out of her offer to have sexual intercourse and called his dad to collect him the next day .
Detectives specifically sought a pink lace bra and panties that the victim described when they carried out a search of Shattuck's home .
She has been indicted on two counts of third-degree rape, four counts of unlawful sexual contact and three counts of providing alcohol to minors .
The Baltimore native became the oldest NFL cheerleader in history when she cheered for the Ravens in 2005 . |
237,377 | bf3a6c2c13efde88569d8da885fa8c335b21bc1d | From matching tattoos of the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building to bizarre banana body art, couples are taking their love to new heights by getting matching etchings. But as an entertaining post on American website Happyplace.com revealed, tattoos-for-two don't always go to plan. Among the etchings that have caused regret since being added in the throes of early love or lust are green and red light sabres, a married pair with the words 'I do' and 'Ditto' inked onto their fingers and another couple who thought nothing said love quite like a pair of avocados sketched on their arms. Bananas! One couple found a fruity - and permanent - way to show their love for one another . Let's hope they stay together! This couple say they're soulmates... in permanent ink . Deathly romance: This pair's love apparently involves drinking to death, as their skull and cross-bottles show . Home, sweet home: The sentiment is lovely. Sadly for this couple, the tattoos are not . Locked up: She's got the key to his heart according to this unsightly pair of matching tattoos . Equally regrettable are the couple who got interlocked hearts etched onto their bodies. Apart, the inkings look like abstract lines, with the full glory of the tattoos only becoming apparent when their arms are locked together. Other bizarre tattoos include the pair for whom death by alcohol equals romance. Their matching tattoos show a skull and crossbones, with the bones exchanged for gin bottles. Although the tattooed twosomes boast some particularly awful examples, they're by no means alone in their mutual passion for ink. Britney Spears and her former husband Kevin Federline got matching blue and pink dice tattoos, but both had them lasered off following their divorce. Puzzling: This couple decided to get a matching pair of jigsaw pieces etched onto their ankles . Is the force with them? A pair of Star Wars inspired light sabres (left) and matching avocados (right) Fellow Hollywood enfant terrible, Lindsey Lohan, also got a tattoo to celebrate her love for DJ Sam Ronson - who returned the favour - but once again, the laser was required after the pair broke up. Even Rihanna has been caught out by the tattoo trend. Former love Chris Brown inked a portrait of her face on his neck, although may have to cover it up as the couple have now split. One couple who haven't had to call in the laser specialists are happily married showbiz couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, who showed their love by getting 'IV' inked onto their index fingers. Subtle: Beyonce and Jay-Z have discreet 'IV' tattoos on their wedding ring fingers . Not a good look: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline (pictured) got matching pink and blue dice tattoos . Dodgy doodle: This couple chose romantic interlocked hearts that look like doodles when they're apart . In the beginning was the word... Which ended up as a tattoo (right) while sightseeing inspired those to the left . | Tattoos-for-two include a skull and cross-bottles, bananas and avocados .
Other couples plumped for declarations of love etched in permanent ink .
Rihanna and Chris Brown are an A-list pair who got matching marks . |
21,757 | 3dd65d18157611b598413f75f1e94b32c11ebd48 | Care worker Melissa Swift admitted trying to kill three of her colleagues by poisoning them with bleach . A care home worker could be jailed for life after admitting trying to kill three of her colleagues by poisoning them with bleach. Melissa Swift pleaded guilty to attempting to murder her co-workers at Goldfield Court in West Bromwich in July and August last year. The 23-year-old was arrested after 32 people showed signs of food poisoning at the home which provides care for the elderly. She had tried to spread a 'bleach-type oxidant' in her colleagues' drinks, Birmingham Crown Court heard. The fridge was in a communal area which may have been accessed by residents at the home. Swift - a former police special constable - also admitted to sending two letters threatening to kill the recipients, of which one was sent to her sister, Lulla Swift. Swift admitted three counts of attempted murder - which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison - and two counts of threatening to kill at Birmingham Crown Court today. The court heard how Swift was attempting to kill three colleagues - Amy Garbett, Billy McCann, and Sharon Moss - by poisoning them when dozens took ill at the home in August. Adrian Keeling, prosecuting, said: 'It's the case she intended to poison three of her colleagues at Goldfield Court, and made threats to kill on two other individuals.' She was arrested in August after 32 people suffered headaches, nausea and diarrhoea at the home. Police searched the home and seized 400 drinks and food items from fridges in communal and private areas. Among those who took ill was a resident in her 90s. Four people were hospitalised as a result of the incident though all made a good recovery. Speaking after the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Michaela Kerr, who led the investigation, said Swift's offending against 'vulnerable people in a care home setting' was 'particularly heinous'. Officers launched an inquiry when they had a tip-off regarding Swift about 'a change in her behaviour'. Swift tried to spread a 'bleach-type oxidant' in her colleagues' drinks at Goldfield Court care home in West Bromwich . DCI Kerr said: 'She told someone things like 'I feel like I'm going to hurt somebody', and 'I'm going to hurt people'.' It also emerged that Swift had been a special constable with West Midlands Police until the month prior to her arrest, when she resigned. DCI Kerr added that Swift 'deceived her colleagues and hatched a plan to cause ill to those she worked with as a result of some malice, for which we have never truly discovered the cause'. She said: 'She not only thought out a way of poisoning her workmates but also followed the plan through and administered bleach to their drinks, leaving them in the usual staff fridge where she knew they would go. 'The plan was dangerous, reckless and hugely alarming. We do know that the poisons were administered into drinks that everybody in that care home had access to.' 'There is nothing to have stopped anyone from consuming the drinks she tampered with and, given the nature of her profession and workplace as a care provider, she went against everything her dedicated colleagues worked for. 'Thankfully, no one was seriously injured as a result of what she did, but the story could so easily have been different.' Police officers remove evidence after 32 people at the home fell ill following the poisoning of drinks by Swift . Care home resident Brenda Stephenson, 89, a grandmother-of-four who has lived at the home for two and a half years, said: 'She was always really nice and polite and seemed to enjoy her job as far as I could see. 'But you never know how people really feel on the inside and she was very quiet. Nobody could believe it when she was arrested, it shocked everybody here. 'If you can't trust carers, who can you trust? She deserved everything she gets. 'We had police here going through all our fridges at the time, it was very surreal and extremely concerning. You expect carers to care for you, not to try and kill you.' Another resident Michael Peach, 72, who has lived at the care home for two years, added: 'Police emptied our fridges and they just left my loaf of bread. 'They even took my jellied eels. I am really shocked by it all.' Goldfield Court is described as 'extra care housing' for older people. There are 93 flats at the site, run by Housing & Care 21. The development includes lounges, a restaurant, a hair salon, a guest suite, an activity room and gardens for residents. Flats can be rented rented or purchased under a shared ownership scheme and start at more than £33,000 for a quarter share and £107,000 for a 75 per cent share. In its most recent inspection of the sheltered housing complex, independent regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found the site was meeting all standards. A routine inspection carried out in October last year concluded the measures in place 'protected people who lived there from the risk of harm and abuse'. Swift, who was remanded in custody, will be sentenced in April. | Melissa Swift admitted trying to poison three colleagues at Goldfield Court .
32 staff and residents at the West Bromwich care home took ill last year .
Swift, 23, put 'bleach-like oxidant' in drinks in communal fridge in August .
Also admitted sending 2 letters threatening to kill - including 1 to her sister .
Former special constable's crimes were 'particularly heinous', police say .
Swift will be sentenced for crimes at Birmingham Crown Court in April . |
231,920 | b8458868b901cefe958f6891a8b26287a91d200d | (CNN)For decades, U.S. climate change policy amounted to a hypocrisy associated with bad parenting: "Do as I say, not as I do." That began to change Monday when President Barack Obama's administration announced its boldest step yet to reduce the nation's biggest source of pollution blamed for global warming -- carbon emission from power plants. A proposed new Environmental Protection Agency rule would reduce such emissions 30% by 2030, compared to the levels in 2005. The move announced by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was intended to show the world that the United States would walk the climate change talk, and establish Obama's environmental legacy as he enters the final third of his presidency. "For the sake of our families' health and our kids' future, we have a moral obligation to act on climate," McCarthy said. "When we do, we'll turn risks on climate into business opportunity. We'll spur innovation and investment, and we'll build a world-leading clean energy economy." Obama later made a similar case in a conference call with the American Lung Association, noting that power plant pollution contributes to asthma and other diseases suffered by American kids, especially black and Latino youngsters. "This beautiful blue ball in space" "This is something that is important for all of us," he said, urging support for efforts to work together to help protect "this beautiful blue ball in the middle of space there we're a part of." The announcement, expected for months, prompted immediate protests from the energy industry, Republicans and some Democrats from coal and oil states who complained the proposed EPA rules would harm the economy and raise energy prices. "All the major legislative and regulatory proposals to combat global warming kill jobs and disproportionately hurt lower income people and minorities," the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research argued in a list of "top 10 reasons Washington should not impose new global warming laws or regulations." Nonsense, Obama shot back, noting how similar warnings always greeted major environmental progress in the past, but eventually proved untrue. "What we've seen every time is that these claims are debunked when you actually give workers and business the tools and incentive they need to innovate," he said, citing previous government moves against air pollution and acid rain. Carbon pollution that increased dramatically since the industrial revolution of the 19th century corresponds to the warming of the global climate, and scientists predict rising oceans, volatile weather patterns, changing agriculture zones and other impacts in coming decades that will affect everyone on the planet and require an increasing percentage of national budgets to prevent catastrophic results. Energy industry campaign . A multimillion-dollar campaign backed by the energy industry has sought to debunk the science of climate change, but polls show most Americans believe the planet is warming. Almost a third of America's carbon emissions comes from electricity generation, and the proposed EPA rules announced Monday would give states a variety of options to meet the goal of an overall 30% reduction in such pollution by 2030. Some of the ideas already being used include improving energy efficiency at plants, changing how long they operate each day and increasing alternative energy sources such as wind and solar production. EPA officials concede some of the dirtiest power plants now operating, such as older coal-fired plants, will end up shuttered as the nation shifts its reliance from traditional fossil fuel sources to cleaner alternatives. Coal supplied 37% of U.S. electricity in 2012, compared to 30% from natural gas, 19% from nuclear power plants, 7% from hydropower sources such as dams and 5% from renewable sources such as wind and solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. By 2030, just over 30% of U.S. electricity will come from coal and about the same amount from natural gas, with wind, solar and other alternative sources providing about 9%, according to the EPA officials who spoke to reporters on Monday on the condition of not being identified. According to the EPA, the proposed new rules would reduce carbon pollution by the same amount as removing two-thirds of all cars and trucks form American roads. It put the cost as high as $8.8 billion a year, but noted health gains such as fewer premature deaths and respiratory diseases along with other benefits would be worth tens of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. Higher costs or more opportunity? While critics contend the EPA rules will mean higher electricity costs, Obama and members of his administration argued the transformation to a more energy efficient power sector would bring lower electricity bills in the future. For Obama, another key motivation is to give the United States standing to pressure emerging economies in China, India and other countries to also adopt cleaner energy policies. Until now, U.S. calls for all players to participate in global climate change agreement went unheeded because developing countries argued America and other industrialized powers got rich while polluting, and now they should have the same chance to develop. At home, enemies of climate change legislation complained any U.S. steps would be meaningless, putting America at a disadvantage for policies that would do little on their own to reduce overall global emissions. White House spokesman Jay Carney told CNN on Monday that in order to get the kind of global buy-in necessary to achieve the kind of overall cuts in carbon emissions required to make a difference, the United States "has to lead, first of all, and this is an indication that the United States will lead on this very important challenge posed by climate change and global warming." The EPA will hold a public comment period and then revise the proposal over the next year. Under the proposed rule, states would have until June 30, 2016, to submit plans for achieving the reduced emissions target. States that need more time can submit an initial version by that date and explain the need for more time, with a final version due one or two years later, "as appropriate," the proposed rule says. "This is something we put off" According to the EPA , the regulation will "reduce pollutants that contribute to the soot and smog that make people sick by over 25 percent." The agency projects the reductions will avoid 2,700 to 6,600 premature deaths and 140,000 to 150,000 asthma attacks in children. "This is something we can't put off, and the President deserves huge credit for making this his legacy," said David Doniger of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Opponents were equally effusive in their condemnation. "The administration has set out to kill coal and its 800,000 jobs," Sen. Mike Enzi said in the GOP weekly address Saturday. The Chamber of Commerce, a business federation, estimated the new regulations will cost the economy $50 billion a year. Obama's move could affect competitive Senate races in coal industry states such as Kentucky, North Carolina and Colorado at a time when Democrats are trying to keep control of the upper chamber. "By imposing these draconian new rules on the nation's coal industry, President Obama and every other liberal lawmaker in Washington who quietly supports them is also picking regional favorites, helping their political supporters in states like California and New York while inflicting acute pain on states like Kentucky," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is facing a re-election battle in November in the Bluegrass State. "The impact on individuals and families and entire regions of the country will be catastrophic, as a proud domestic industry is decimated — and many of its jobs shipped overseas." Some Democrats doubting . Some Democrats from fossil fuel states who face tough re-election battles, such as Sens. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana and Mark Pryor in Arkansas, expressed concern Monday with the proposed EPA rule but stopped short of condemning outright the need to address rising carbon emissions. Democratic Sen. Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, who also has a tough re-election challenge from former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, took her own regional approach to the matter, saying the EPA rule was needed to balance regulation of power plants. "For too long, the Midwest has been allowed to lag behind New Hampshire and other New England states in addressing carbon pollution," she said, referring to acid rain regulations that affected her region. "The draft EPA rules will get Midwest power plants to do what power plants in New England have already done and will decrease the air pollution that moves from the Midwest to our states." Shaheen added that "we are already seeing the impact of climate change in New Hampshire, threatening many of our traditional industries and the health of our children," saying she would "carefully review the proposed EPA rules to ensure they protect New Hampshire, but the time for national action is long overdue." Robert Redford: Take the path to clean energy . Opinion: Cleaner air will help save planet . CNN's Holly Yan, Kevin Liptak, and Mary Grace Lucas contributed to this report. | President Obama says critics always wrong with dire predictions .
Administration officials say it will build jobs, benefit the economy .
The regulations will prevent up to 6,600 premature deaths, the EPA says .
Plan will cost up to $8.8 billion annually but bring benefits worth $55-$93 billion, EPA says . |
192,159 | 84ce5db7fb8794bbbbb4015ffbe37d1bae520efa | (CNN) -- William Clay Ford -- grandson of automaker Henry Ford and the figurative father of the Detroit Lions' NFL franchise -- died Sunday morning after battling pneumonia. He was 88. The Ford Motor Company -- for which Ford served for 57 years as an employee and board member -- said that Ford died at his home. William Clay Ford Jr., the company's former president and current executive chairman, remembered his father as a "great business leader and humanitarian" as well as "a wonderful family man." The news about Ford hit especially hard among those associated with the Lions, which he became president of in 1961 and purchased two years later. He was the team's chairman at the time of his death. "No owner loved his team more than Mr. Ford loved the Lions," Tom Lewand, team president, said. Lions' greats -- past and present -- weighed in on Twitter. Star wide receiver Calvin Johnson called the news a "great loss to the Lions family." "Mr. Ford was a visionary that will be missed by all," said Hall of Fame former running back Barry Sanders. He leaves behind Martha Firestone Ford, to whom he was married for 66 years, three daughters and his one son, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. People we've lost in 2014 . CNN's Jill Martin contributed to this report. | William Clay Ford dies Sunday at his home from pneumonia, car company says .
He had worked or been on the board at Ford Motor Company for 57 years .
Ford also owned the NFL's Detroit Lions since 1963 .
Son calls him a "wonderful family man"; Barry Sanders says he was a "visionary" |
70,860 | c8e8da6b58a7c5d26758e1f1739d3a26132b8d27 | Pirelli may yet change its thinking over the tyre choice for the forthcoming Brazilian Grand Prix, but not as a consequence of Felipe Massa's 'dangerous' comments. Pirelli, the tyre manufacturer, recently announced they would be running the hard and medium compounds for the November 9 race on Massa's home turf at Interlagos. Massa, however, slated the plan as 'dangerous, very dangerous', and 'totally unacceptable' given the track has been re-surfaced with a new layer of asphalt this year. Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director, gets a talking to from Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone . The Brazilian Grand Prix on November 9 is hosted at the Interlagos circuit, which has been resurfaced . Massa added: 'Normally whatever track I go to where they put down new asphalt, it gets even easier on the tyres. I have no idea why they choose these tyres.' Massa's remarks cut little ice with Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery as he told Press Association Sport: 'That's a little bit strange as we've raced before there with the hard tyre. 'The data would suggest, as it has done for the last three years, it's one of the more aggressive circuits we have on the calendar, with a risk of blistering problems. 'We know the soft tyre, with the extreme loads, has potential to blister, so the decision was taken to go with the harder tyre.' Felipe Massa described Pirelli's first choice of tyres for his home Grand Prix as 'very dangerous' Hembery, though, at least recognised the fact the resurfacing works may have a bearing and is willing to alter the compounds if the data dictates. Hembery added: 'There is one factor, which we need to do a double verification on, which is the surface as they've now completed a full resurfacing. 'We'll do another check with that. We have a meeting with the Tyre Working Group, where we have all the tyre experts from all the teams, and we'll discuss it with them. 'If there is unanimous agreement then we can reconsider, so we are open to change. 'But it needs to done on fact, data and details than from a random comment.' | Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director, claims tyre choice not finalised .
Pirelli had chosen medium and hard tyres for the Brazilian Grand Prix .
Williams driver Felipe Massa described the decision as 'very dangerous'
Hembery insists the same tyres were used last year at Interlagos . |
144,157 | 4669c849783f969748c6fac8b2483372446d1683 | High numbers of new Ebola cases and deaths in Africa are prompting increased efforts to contain the deadly outbreak. As of July 12, the cumulative number of Ebola virus cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone was at 964, including 603 deaths. The death toll has almost doubled in a month's time; reported deaths in the three countries in mid-June was 350. A coordination center is being established in Conakry, Guinea, where the World Health Organization is sending epidemiologists, communications experts and other support staff. Trained volunteers are also helping officials find possible cases and isolate infected individuals. Can we stop the deadliest Ebola outbreak from spreading? The Ebola outbreak in Guinea was first reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March. By the end of the month, UNICEF said at least 59 out of 80 people who contracted Ebola there had died. In April, the outbreak spread to Conakry, Guinea's capital, and to neighboring countries Liberia and Sierra Leone. Ebola typically kills 90% of those infected with the virus, but the death rate in this outbreak has dropped to roughly 60% thanks to early treatment. Officials believe that the Ebola outbreak has taken such a strong hold in West Africa due to the proximity of the jungle --where the virus originated -- to Conakry, which has a population of 2 million. Since symptoms don't immediately appear, the virus can easily spread as people travel around the region. Once the virus takes hold, many die in an average of 10 days as the blood fails to clot and hemorrhaging occurs. What you need to know about Ebola . The disease isn't contagious until symptoms appear. Symptoms include fever, headache and fatigue. At that point, the Ebola virus is spread via bodily fluids. The CDC says this particular outbreak is challenging to contain due to weak healthcare infrastructures and community mistrust and resistance in the affected countries. It is the first time a major outbreak of the virus has been seen in West Africa, which aids in the confusion and fear over the current situation, the WHO said on its website. I survived Ebola but villagers shunned me . | As of July 12, a total of 603 deaths from Ebola have been reported .
The WHO is sending senior disease specialists to Guinea's capital .
The Ebola outbreak was first documented in March, and has been spreading since . |
280,485 | f75b3f72fce3890fd84ff026ff1f4453a82d0c27 | Raymond van Barneveld produced one of the performances of the tournament so far as he blitzed Rowby-John Rodriguez in his first-round match at the World Darts Championship. The five-time world champion averaged an astonishing 125.25 and hit three straight 12 darters in the final set of his 3-0 crushing of the young Austrian. The Dutchman also hit three 180s and checkouts of 167 and 170 as he only dropped two legs at Alexandra Palace on Monday. Raymond van Barneveld produced a strong showing as he eased into the second round at Alexandra Palace . Barney dropped just two legs and checked out 167 and 170 on his way to victory . VIDEO Watch Barney's 170 checkout! Van Barneveld decided to ditch the glasses he had been trialing at previous event, and the move paid off. He told Sky Sports: 'I tried to play in three tournaments in glasses and I never ever felt comfortable. The view is fantastic, it's like playing in HD, but tonight I've hit a 167 and 170 without glasses. 'I feel brilliant after that. You want to win before Christams, you want to go home happy and celebrate with your family and be happy, you don't want to lose and go home for Christmas after losing. The Dutchman had been playing with glasses, but decided to take them off for this tournament . Van Barneveld makes his way to the stage for his first-round match at the World Darts Championship . VIDEO Stunning start from van Barneveld . 'I fly back home tomorrow and have a day off but will be back practising soon, because this is the big one that we all want to win so there's no time to rest. I've changed back to some older darts, these are the same darts as the Premier League and World Cup, I tried a new set during the summer but after those finishes I'll stick with these.' Also on Monday night, Phil Taylor's conqueror last year Michael Smith hit nine 180s to see off Mensur Suljovic in a high-quality match that saw both players average just shy of 100. Michael Smith beat Mensur Suljovic in a high-quality match which saw both players average just shy of 100 . The night started with a challenge between England cricketers Jimmy Anderson (left) and Alastair Cook . All four sets went down to a deciding leg, but it was Smith who held his nerve to win three of them and take his place in the second round, even though his three-dart average of 97.47 was slightly less than his opponent's 98.91. In the first match of the evening, Jamie Caven held off Jason Hogg for a 3-2 win while Brendan Dolan rounded off Monday's action with a 3-0 win over Nolan Arandse without dropping a single leg. VIDEO Cricket meets darts: Cook vs Anderson . | Raymond van Barneveld beats Rowby-John Rodriguez in first round .
Dutchman dropped just two legs as he smashed his opponent .
Barney hit three straight 12-darters and averaged 125.25 in the final set .
Michael Smith beats Mensur Suljovic in high-quality contest . |
26,390 | 4ad8d6f6c49d341744fef2353cb0cedbdae5e279 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:38 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:16 EST, 9 October 2013 . Cadillac unveiled its new, revamped Escalade on Monday night in New York and in addition to a slick new look, General Motors also managed to tack an inch or two onto the already hulking SUV. GM hopes the new look and feel of the once proud king of luxury sport utility vehicles in America will help Cadillac get back its crown. They’ve also added new theft prevention technology to the $70,000 SUV. The move comes just as the vehicle has finally shed its dubious reputation as America’s most stolen vehicle and as Cadillac sales in general begin to recover from a recession era slump. Scroll down for video . Revamped: The 2015 Cadillac Escalade has been given a new look and some extra inches as GM looks to corner America's rebounding luxury SUV market . ‘The 2015 Escalade is completely new and elevated in design and technology, inside and out. The clear objective is to once again assume the leadership position among luxury SUVs,’ said senior VP Bob Ferguson in a statement. One way in which the Escalade is new is in size. Already one of the largest SUVs, Cadillac has added an inch and a half to both its ESV model and the standard Escalade. According to the Detroit Free Press, sales at Cadillac have risen 29 percent this year from the first nine months of 2012. While the Escalade makes up only 12.3% of luxury SUV sales versus American market leader Mercedes-Benz’s 44.4 percent, market analysts say the 2015 model could start to tip the balance. Longer: The 2015 Cadillac Escalade features 1.5 inches more length on both its standard and ESV (pictured) models . Beaming: The new Escalade has made its signature skinny headlights even skinnier than the 2014 model (left) by adding high tech LED lamps to the 2015 model (right) ‘[It] leaves no doubt that the brand is staying on its course of providing a big, bold SUV to its luxury customers with no excuses. The vehicle is more powerful than ever, yet offers better fuel economy, and it is filled with electronic driver aids that should improve its already impressive safety record,’ Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book, told USA Today. Cadillac intends to aid drivers while they’re not even driving, with new theft-prevention technology designed to make sure the SUV doesn’t slide back into first place as America’s most commonly stolen car—SUV or otherwise. New leaf? The new Escalade also features a high tech ant-theft system standard in order to combat the SUV's only recently shed reputation as America's most stolen vehicle . Modern: The 2015 also comes standard with Cadillac's CUE system, a central touchscreen controlled command center . Refined: Cadillac also hopes to make an impact with its fine leather interiors standard on each Escalade . GM has made some superficial changes to its luxury SUV, as well. Specifically, they’ve focused on refining the vehicle’s signature deluxe interiors even further. ‘It’s a very rich-looking interior,’ Nerad said. ‘It seems ergonomically excellent, and at the same time it’s luxurious and looks rich.’ The 2015 also comes standard with the Cadillac User Experience touchscreen, heated and cooled front seats, and the market segment’s only front-center side airbag. The Escalade goes into production next spring and is expected to MSRP close to today’s starting price of $67,970. | The Escalade was until recently America's most stolen vehicle .
Cadillac added an inch and a half to both models of the already hulking SUV .
General Motors hope to continue a post-recession rebound with remodeled $70,000 vehicle . |
233,188 | b9e3b0fc41f78fbbb43d175d3b1a016c0e2467b6 | 'Unacceptable': Chair of the public accounts committee Margaret Hodge (pictured) said: 'Every pound that is lost to fraud and corruption is a pound that could have been spent on educating a child' Millions of pounds of British aid money could be lost to crooks and fraudsters because of 'unacceptably poor' controls on corruption, MPs warn today. The Commons public accounts committee warns the Department for International Development (Dfid) needs to impose 'much tougher' scrutiny of money channelled through the private sector. MPs said they had heard evidence that millions of pounds was spent on projects with links to known fraudsters. They highlighted a £20 million investment in a power plant project in Ivory Coast, in which one company had alleged links to the notorious fraudster James Ibori, the former Wickes cashier who was jailed for 13 years in 2012 for a £50 million fraud. MPs also raised concerns about a £20 million investment in a gas plant in Nigeria, involving a company allegedly involved in 'looting Nigerian oil revenues'. The UK is the biggest donor to the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) - which was set up to invest in infrastructure projects in developing countries - with total support expected to reach £860 million by 2017. Today's report says the PIDG was beset by 'poor financial management', lavish travel spending, and doubts about the integrity of its investments. Committee chairman Margaret Hodge said: 'It is essential for public confidence in spending on overseas aid that Dfid is able to demonstrate that UK taxpayers' money is being used for its intended purpose - of helping the world's poorest people - and not ending up in the wrong hands. 'Every pound that is lost to fraud and corruption is a pound that could have been spent on educating a child, improving health systems or supporting economic development. 'We recognise that PIDG operates in countries where standards of governance can be challenging. However the department's oversight of PIDG has been unacceptably poor and has left it open to questions about the integrity of PIDG's investments and some of the companies with which it works.' A Dfid spokesman rejected the claims, saying there was 'absolutely no evidence' of wrongdoing linked to the companies involved in either the Ivory Coast or Nigeria projects. 'Britain's investment in the Private Infrastructure Development Group has helped to create 200,000 jobs and driven £6.8billion of private investment into some of the world's poorest countries, developing their economies and making them less dependent on aid,' the spokesman said. Investment: The Commons public accounts committee warns the Department for International Development (pictured, file photo) needs to impose 'much tougher' scrutiny of money channelled through the private sector . Warning: Committee chairman Margaret Hodge (pictured) said: 'It is essential for public confidence in spending on overseas aid that Dfid is able to demonstrate that UK taxpayers' money is being used for its intended purpose . 'We already have strong oversight of PIDG's activities and have recently clamped down on excessive travel rates. An independent review of their operations, backed by Britain, will ensure they continue to kick start growth in the developing world.' But critics said the report highlighted the folly of the Government's controversial target of spending 0.7 per cent of Britain's income on aid, which has been blamed for rushed spending. Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'Another day, another tale of international aid being handed out without proper checks or oversight. It is becoming a familiar story and shows how ludicrous it is to put an arbitrary 0.7 per cent target on the statute book. The department must improve its handling of taxpayers' money and ensure that not a penny sent abroad is wasted or lost in the system.' Labour last night said it had 'grave concerns' about the way money was being spent with the private sector. Shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh said: 'There's nothing wrong with working with the private sector. These are funds set up by a Labour government. My question is when you scale them up this quick without changes to governance and oversight (there is) concern about where and how the money is spent.' | MPs on the public accounts committee criticised poor foreign investment .
Claimed millions being spent on projects with links to known fraudsters .
Highlighted separate £20million investments in Ivory Coast and Nigeria .
Committee says DfID needs to impose a 'much tougher' level of scrutiny .
Chairman Margaret Hodge says money should help the 'world's poorest' |
173,002 | 6be425ccdb27ef2aded125a4586ac28a63f7b7ac | By . Michael Seamark and Ian Drury . PUBLISHED: . 06:13 EST, 10 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 11 April 2013 . It proved to be a defining moment during her time as Prime Minister and in death, the Falklands War will again play a key role. Further details of Baroness Thatcher’s funeral arrangements emerged yesterday and her military triumph in the South Atlantic will take centre stage. Outside St Paul’s, the gun carriage carrying her coffin will be greeted by a guard of honour formed of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, the regiment which lost 32 men in the bombing of the troop ship Sir Galahad during the 1982 conflict. Military honours from parliament to st pauls . The ten-strong bearer party has been deliberately chosen from ships, units and stations ‘notable for their service during the Falklands Campaign’. In all, more than 700 members of the Armed Forces will take part in the funeral next Wednesday, lining the streets as the cortege travels the two miles from Westminster to the cathedral. David Cameron said: ‘In a week from now, as people gather in London to lay Margaret Thatcher to rest, the sun will be rising over the Falklands. And because of her courage, and the skill, bravery and sacrifice of our Armed Forces – it will rise again for freedom.’ Details of the service and the official guest list will be released in the coming days as a Whitehall committee draws up plans to execute Operation True Blue, the codename for the funeral. War leader's funeral: Baroness Thatcher will be carried into St Paul's by units linked to the Falklands War . Margaret Thatcher stands proudly on Victory Green, Port Stanley, during her visit to mark the tenth anniversary of the Falklands War . The Bishop of London, the Right Rev Richard Chartres, will preach the sermon at the funeral. A friend of the Prince of Wales who knows the Thatcher family, he was, ironically, at the centre of a fierce row at the Falklands thanksgiving service between Lady Thatcher and then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie. She furiously accused Dr Runcie of being unpatriotic when, preaching a message of reconciliation rather than triumphalism, he asked the congregation to pray for relatives of the Argentine dead. The sermon was written by the Archbishop’s chaplain at the time – Richard Chartres. There is expected to be music from Elgar and a selection of hymns and readings agreed by Lady Thatcher and her aides, including William Wordsworth’s ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality’. Map: The funeral procession will run from Parliament to St Paul's Cathedral via Trafalgar Square . The final bill for the funeral may approach £10million. Lady Thatcher’s family is meeting an unspecified amount of the expense, thought to cover transport, flowers and the cremation, with the Government funding the rest, including security. Foreign Secretary William Hague said: ‘When it comes to money, the rebate she negotiated for this country from the EU has brought us so far £75billion…I think that puts money in perspective.’ The widow of Falklands war hero Lieutenant Colonel Herbert ‘H’ Jones has been invited to Lady Thatcher’s funeral. The 42-year-old officer was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross when he was shot charging an Argentine trench while commanding 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, during the Battle of Goose Green. His wife Sara, who has received a CBE for her services to forces charities, will attend the service at St Paul’s. Honoured: A British Royal Marine watches over captured Argentine soldiers following the Battle of Goose Green, during which Lieutenant Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones, 42, was fatally wounded. He would later be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his valiance . Freda McKay, the mother of Sergeant Ian McKay, who also won a posthumous VC, is expected to be invited. The 29-year-old who served with 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment laid down his life to save his comrades when he fell taking on an Argentine gun post. Others military personnel tipped to be invited include Major General Julian Thompson, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines in the conflict, General Sir Michael Rose, who commanded the SAS during the conflict, and General Sir Peter de la Billiere, British commander during the first Gulf War. The bearer party will include representatives of the Scots Guards, who fought one of the bloodiest battles of the conflict with Argentina – the night assault on Mount Tumbledown – and the Parachute Regiment, who turned the tide of the war by re-capturing Goose Green. Once the coffin is transferred from a hearse to a gun carriage, this is the route it will take to the doors of St Paul's . Did Baroness Thatcher face a tougher job as prime minister than David Cameron does today? FAMILY: Her twin children Sir Mark and Carol Thatcher will lead the family mourners. Both Mark’s present and ex-wife are expected to be at the service. Sir Mark, 59, who has spent 25 years living and working abroad will be accompanied by his second wife Sarah, whom he married in 2008. His first wife, Diane, who lives in Dallas, Texas, is expected to travel to London next week accompanied by the couple’s two children, Michael, 24, and 19-year-old Amanda – Lady Thatcher’s only grandchildren. Carol Thatcher is expected to be accompanied by Swiss ski–instructor Marco Grass, her on-off partner who has shared an apartment with her in the upmarket Swiss ski resort of Klosters for the past 20 years. Sombre: Sir Mark and Carol Thatcher, pictured either side of their late mother Margaret during the funeral of her husband Denis, will lead the family of mourners . ROYAL FAMILY: The Queen and Prince Philip broke with tradition by agreeing to attend the funeral. The only other time a reigning monarch had attended the final farewell of a Prime Minister was in 1965, when the Queen joined the congregation for the funeral of Winston Churchill. The extraordinary gesture delighted Lady Thatcher’s friends and allies disappointed that she would not be honoured with a full state funeral. No other members of the Royal Family will be present. Attending: The Queen with Lady Thatcher at a dinner to mark the former Prime Minister's 70th birthday, left, and pictured again with Baroness Thatcher, while opening a new wing of the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2000, right, will break with protocol to attend the funeral . WORLD LEADERS: President Obama and wife, Michelle, are expected to be invited along with the first President George Bush, who was in the White House while Lady Thatcher was in Downing Street, and his wife, Barbara, but it has not yet been made clear who will make the trip. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, 91, will not travel to London and had asked the chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation to represent her. ‘Mrs Reagan is heartbroken over Baroness Thatcher’s death and would really like to be there in person to pay her respects,’ said her spokeswoman. ‘Unfortunately, she is no longer able to make that kind of a trip, so will not be attending the funeral.’ Dignitaries: President Obama and wife, Michelle, left, are expected to be invited along with the first President George Bush, who was in the White House while Lady Thatcher was in Downing Street, and his wife, Barbara, pictured right . The last president of apartheid South Africa, FW de Klerk, will attend. De Klerk, who ordered the release of Nelson Mandela from jail and then agreed to the negotiations that ended apartheid, will be with his wife, Elita. Others likely to be invited include Mikhail Gorbachev, the former president of the Soviet Union. POLITICIANS: David Cameron will be joined by former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, and his successor Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah. Sir John Major will be among senior politicians from the Thatcher years much in evidence but there may be a couple of notable exceptions. Her political opponent Lord Kinnock and his wife Glenys are likely to snub her funeral. When Lord Heseltine, the former Conservative Cabinet Minister who launched the leadership contest that ended Baroness Thatcher’s rule, was asked if he would attend her funeral, he did not respond. THE RITZ: Ten members of staff from the Ritz, where Baroness Thatcher died on Monday, have been invited to her funeral as thanks for the care she received. HER CARERS: Constant companions, New Zealanders Kate and Janice, and her ever-faithful police protection officers are expected to be inside St Paul’s. GRANTHAM: Councillor Kelham Cooke of the Grantham and Stamford Conservative Association said that around 20 of their members were expected to make the journey to London and planned to line the route of the funeral procession in order to pay their respects. | The Iron Lady had asked for a war leader's funeral, Downing Street say .
Her coffin will be carried by units who helped liberate the Falklands .
Welsh Guards, who suffered most casualties in 1982, form guard of honour .
'This will be a fitting salute to a great prime minister,'
David Cameron said .
Argentine president Cristina Kirchner will not be invited to the service .
Queen and Prince Philip to break with tradition by agreeing to attend funeral .
Only other time is when Queen attended Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965 .
Sir Mark Thatcher: 'She would be honoured and humbled by her presence'
Tony Blair confirms he and his wife Cherie will also be attending .
Former St Paul's canon says it's 'problematic' having Thatcher funeral there . |
16,334 | 2e4e0faef881e90e29195853268ca1c79e2bcc38 | Almost 13,000 patients die needlessly from severe infections every year, experts warned yesterday. A study found that opportunities to save lives lost to sepsis are missed because of delays in diagnosis and treatment. The care failures are not only lethal, they cost the NHS more through longer hospital stays, according to research by the Health Service Ombudsman. Sepsis, which is similar to septicaemia, happens when the immune system overreacts to an infection attacking organs such as the heart and liver. Nearly 13,000 patients are dying needlessly from severe infections, say medical experts . It causes fever, inflammation and blood pressure and clotting problems that can lead to multiple organ failure. The ombudsman’s report, published today for World Sepsis Day, looked in detail at ten cases in which patients died through medical failures in the critical first few hours. Problems included lack of early diagnosis, failure to recognise the severity of the illness, delays in treatment, and delay in control of infection. Julie Mellor, who was made health ombudsman in January 2012, said: ‘In the cases in our report, sadly, all patients died. In some of these cases, with better care and treatment, they may have survived. ‘It is time for the NHS to act to save lives by improving the care of patients with sepsis.’ Grandmother Hilary Lovell (right) lost her battle with sepsis on Christmas Day three years ago. She had been feeling poorly the week before, but was diagnosed with flu by her GP. On Christmas Eve Mrs Lovell, 64, from Embsay, North Yorkshire, became delirious and an ambulance was called. She was immediately diagnosed with sepsis by the medics. The inflammation caused the grandmother-of-eight to have a heart attack and she died on Christmas morning, two days before her granddaughter Chloe’s first birthday. Her daughter Rhiannon Oliver said: ‘All our lives changed that day. For me, I’d lost my mum and my best friend, my husband had lost a surrogate mum. My children’s loss was the most wonderful and devoted Nanny. All in the space of six days. ‘I’d never heard of sepsis before and I only wish I knew then what I know now. Perhaps then my mum would still be here.’ Mrs Oliver said she believes more should be done to raise awareness among the public and the medical profession. She added: ‘Both the public and the medics need education and awareness of the condition. If I’d have known what symptoms to look for the alarm bells would have rung and we could have sought help quicker. ‘All medics should receive training on entry at medical school. When an estimated 37,000 people a year are dying drastic action really is needed.’ Ron Daniels, of the UK Sepsis Trust, said at least 12,500 lives could be saved a year if hospitals improved their procedures. ‘The best hospitals have achieved better outcomes from sepsis by adopting a simple set of life-saving measures, collectively known as the Sepsis 6, and ensuring that a culture of awareness around sepsis has been created,’ he added. ‘We now need to spread this awareness to other health professionals and to the public. ‘The UK Sepsis Trust welcomes this excellent report from the ombudsman, which exposes common themes where care has failed.’ According to the Royal College of Physicians a doctor should not leave severe sepsis cases until antibiotics have been administered. Intravenous antibiotics are the first line of treatment, along with oxygen, fluids and medication to increase blood pressure, but in many cases patients are not referred in time to critical care facilities. Dialysis for kidney failure and breathing support for respiratory failure are necessary for the worst cases. Peter Carter, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘This report shows the tragic consequences of sepsis and raises an important issue for everyone in health care. ‘It is vital that all staff are provided with training and support to enable them to recognise the signs and symptoms of sepsis, and crucially to know how to act quickly when sepsis is diagnosed.’ Experts say sepsis is becoming more common, partly because of a rising number of elderly people with weakened immune systems or underlying diseases such as cancer. The illness accounts for 100,000 hospital admissions each year, with around 37,000 people dying. The most common causes are pneumonia, bowel perforation, urinary infection and severe skin infections. Mike Durkin, who is director of patient safety for NHS England, said: ‘We all need in every setting to understand the importance of identifying deterioration in both adults and children, in reducing the admission of full-term babies to neonatal care and identifying problems in vulnerable older people in the first 48 hours of acute illness.’ Sepsis is different to septicaemia in that the infection is not limited to the blood and can be caused by a viral or fungal source as well as a bacterial one. | The delays are causing almost 13,000 deaths a year, say experts .
They also cost the health service money through longer stays .
Health ombudsman said 'it is time for the NHS to act' |
156,519 | 5659442e563527e371f88e0d4423c97daba9e472 | A Texas teacher has resigned after allegations that he recited a sexually explicit poem to freshman high school students during class. The poem references the biblical story of Adam and Eve and includes sexual innuendos. It was read to students at Nederland High School in Nederland, 80 miles east of Houston. The teacher's name has not been released by officials from the Nederland Independent School District, and his resignation was accepted Friday morning by the superintendent. A Texas teacher has resigned from Nederland High School (above) following allegations that he recited a sexually explicit poem to freshman high school students during class . Angry parents and students in the freshman class said they made complaints about the teacher. Parent Jerry Windham (above) said the poem reading is 'just not right' Parent Roseanne Lalko (above) said the teacher does not need to teach anymore or ever . Angry parents and students in the freshman class said they made complaints about the teacher, according to 12NewsNow. 'They're there to get an education. This is not educating them,' said parent Jerry Windham. He added: 'Children already know enough without him needing to push it. It's just not right.' Steven Beagle, the principal of Nederland High School, said the teacher used inappropriate language in class and that district officials first learned of the incident on Wednesday . Parent Roseanne Lalko said the teacher does not need to teach anymore or ever. She said: 'It's awful what's happening with the morals.' Steven Beagle, the principal of Nederland High School, said the teacher used inappropriate language in class and that district officials first learned of the incident on Wednesday. He said that immediately after they learned of the incident, he conducted a thorough investigation of the complaint along with other administrative staff, according to Beaumont Enterprise. Beagle also said that he assures parents that the district takes complaints of this nature very seriously. In the Garden of Eden, . As everyone knows, . Lives Adam and Eve, . Without any clothes. In this garden, . Were two little leaves, . One covered Adam's, . One covered Eve's. As the story goes on, . Never the less to say, . The wind came along, . And blew the leaves away. At the sight, . Adam did stare, . There was Eve's treasure, . All covered with hair. And wonder came, . Under Eve's eyes, . As Adam's thing, . Started to rise. They found a spot, . That suited them best, . A nice big tree, . Where they began to rest. Her legs spread wider, . And wider apart, . While thrill after thrill, . Came into her heart. The head of Adam's thing, . Peeked into the hole, . And filled her with passion, . Beyond her control. Backward and forward, . His thing did slide, . And Eve's treasure, . Was all wet inside. The joy was good, . She wouldn't let loose, . Until Adam's thing, . Was all out of juice. Then down through the years, . People did screw, . And now it is time, . For me and you. So pull down your pants, . And lay in the grass, . Cause I'm in the mood, . For a piece of that ASS! | Teacher from Nederland High School in Texas filed for resignation Friday morning following allegations .
His name has not been released by district officials who said teacher used inappropriate language in class .
Angry students and parents complained with some saying he should not be allowed to teach anymore . |
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