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226,028 | b0b46ab16fe8b68a109eb0a2ce1108c4b21650af | Donetsk, Ukraine (CNN) -- A few miles south of the town of Starobeshevo in eastern Ukraine, a group of men in uniform is slumped under a tree. They are dejected and exhausted, their eyes red with fatigue. They do not want to be filmed but tell us of the horror they endured a day earlier. As medics with the Ukrainian army, they had transported the bodies of some 70 soldiers away from a combat zone and many more who were seriously wounded. They scarcely raise their heads when a Ukrainian air force jet streaks across the sky, releasing its payload on a rebel-held area to the east. It's the only action by the air force that we've witnessed against a rebel force that's suddenly gone on the offensive across a wide area of eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned Saturday that the crisis with Russia has worsened in recent days and is inching closer to a "full-scale war." Border guard bases and checkpoints deserted . The drive north from the port city of Mariupol -- only a couple of miles from the Russian border -- offered no evidence of a Ukrainian presence. Bases of the border guard service are deserted, checkpoints on rural roads abandoned, sandbags strewn along the verge. In effect, Ukraine has forfeited control of perhaps as much as 200 miles of its eastern border. The Ukrainians claim that Russian artillery fired from across the border is helping the rebels advance and that thousands of Russian troops are mixed in with the separatists. Moscow denies both claims. 6 questions -- and answers -- about the crisis in Ukraine . Certainly the rebel forces, now united under the banner of Novorossiya -- or New Russia -- are better armed and organized than they were two months ago. They have at least some T-72 tanks; many carry new weapons. And after spending months on the defensive, they are suddenly buoyant. By contrast, a small detachment of Ukrainian troops we encountered on the way north seemed demoralized. One asked when the British Army would arrive to help Ukraine in its desperate need; another gloomily predicted a rebel onslaught at any moment. When we finally reached Starobeshevo, a rebel checkpoint had been hastily erected at the edge of town. The men were sunburned and relaxed, waving us through without even checking documents, a rarity in a country where both sides relish leafing through passports. The town itself fell to the pro-Russian separatists Friday, part of an advance south that has encircled the remnants of the Donbass Battalion, a volunteer militia fighting alongside government forces. Several houses had been badly damaged and at least one was destroyed by a direct hit. Locals said Ukrainian fire was to blame, but there is no way to prove it. The shrapnel cut jagged holes in the metal fence of the modest home opposite and damaged the roof. The elderly couple who lived there seemed shocked by the violence that had erupted around their rural community. The husband, Victor, said he was pure Ukrainian but accused the government of lying to the people. "The Ukrainians came like peacekeepers," he said, "but then they kill us. They're destroying the whole Donbass region." But Victor, who is 80, isn't about to be run out of the town where he was born. An eerie quiet in Donetsk . As we finished speaking with Victor, a battered black sedan with a flak jacket hanging over the driver's door pulled up, and a NovoRossiya fighter got out. He told us we must stop filming unless we could show press accreditation. But accreditation could be obtained only in Donetsk, a city not so easy to enter now with the Ukrainian army shelling it. Soon the fighter's commander was on the scene, a tall man in his early 40s with an air of natural authority. "You know I can just take away your camera," he said. We were not in a position to argue. Instead he put two of his men in our minivan and dispatched us with an escort to Donetsk, some 30 miles away. As the vehicle raced across open country, they trained their Dragonov rifles out of the window, whether for show or because Ukrainian units were still in the area was unclear. After a few minutes at the State Security building in Donetsk, now the military headquarters of the separatists, we were allowed to go but advised not to leave the city until our accreditation was in order. In any case, trying to leave Donetsk in the late afternoon, when the shelling and rocket fire picks up, didn't seem the smartest idea. Compared with two months ago, the city is eerily quiet. The outdoor cafes and parks that were crowded in the early summer are deserted and more stores are boarded up. Shells have hit the stadium of the football club, Shakhtar, and wrecked apartment buildings. It seems most of the people who are still here are those with nowhere else to go, caught in the middle of a war that threatens to lurch into the bitterly cold winter. | With rebel forces on offensive in eastern Ukraine, evidence of a military presence is scarce .
Ukrainian troops encountered by CNN appear demoralized .
CNN crew asked to stop filming in one rebel-held town south of Donetsk . |
245,572 | c9d995a8c4f8211a3ecf3787f365313caa280c38 | By . Sara Smyth . PUBLISHED: . 19:23 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:24 EST, 16 October 2013 . Animal rights activists are suspected of setting free nearly 400 birds . on Nick Clegg’s grace-and-favour country estate because they are reared . there for shooting. Police are investigating after the roof of the . birds’ enclosure at the Chevening Estate in Sundridge, Kent, was broken . open this week. Only 20 of the 400 birds kept on the property remain. The property is shared by the Deputy . Prime Minister with the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, as their . official weekend residence. Escaped: 380 game birds, which could have included pheasant, left, and grouse, right, were set free at the estate . Grace-and-favour: Chevening, in Kent, is shared by William Hague and Nick Clegg . Traditionally, Chevening is the second . home of the Foreign Secretary, but under the coalition William Hague is . obliged to share the government residence. Police . suspect the damage was caused by opponents of game shooting. ‘We are . not ruling out the possibility of it having been carried out by animal . rights activists,’ said a Kent Police spokesman. The . Chevening Estate refused to comment on the birds’ release, saying the . shoot and associated enclosures were sub-let to a tenant. Chevening, near Sevenoaks, was built in the 17th Century and has 115 rooms and 530 acres of woodland. It . was designed by the 17th-century British architect Inigo Jones and left . to the state in 1959 by the 7th and last Earl Stanhope. Housemates: Foreign Secretary William Hague, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, right, share use of the estate . Stately: Chevening, which dates from the 1600s and has 115 rooms, has been an official Government residence since 1959 . Police were called to the state-owned property in August when a group of travellers set up camp on the estate. A convoy of more than ten caravans appeared on the land were thought to have forced entry by breaking the locks on the gate. Mr Hague regularly uses the property at weekends when armed guards patrol the house and grounds. Secret . meetings are held there with foreign dignitaries and the American . Ambassador and Canadian High Commissioner can also have use of it. Nick Clegg has described his £15million residence as a ‘haven of freedom’. He said: ‘I’ve grown to like it. I was a little bit embarrassed by it when we first went down there. ‘But . from my purely selfish point of view, being able to walk through the . woods and fields without having a protection team at my shoulder, and . being able to let the kids run around totally unrestricted, that is . absolutely lovely. | The roof of a bird enclosure was broken and 380 animals escaped .
Police say they suspect that animal rights activists freed them .
Incident happened at Chevening Estate in Kent, whicht he Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister share . |
162,512 | 5e1a8690491c63934fc633966ef7dae274976806 | (CNN) -- There's a standard Atlantic City itinerary: arrive at one of the many casinos along the Boardwalk, head straight for the card tables and slot machines, drink some complimentary cocktails and proceed to empty your wallet. Sometimes it feels like it would be easier to cut out the middleman and simply hand over your money directly to the dealer because, let's face it, the odds are not in your favor. But don't let this dissuade you from visiting Atlantic City. Even if you're not a gambler, good times can still be had in this iconic Jersey Shore spot, which has largely bounced back from the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy. Atlantic City falls somewhere in between Vegas' glitz and Reno's grime, and you can find a bit of either, depending on your taste. There are a myriad of eating, drinking, sightseeing and shopping options, both inside and outside the casinos. So venture past the slot machines and try some of the following activities to see what AC truly has to offer beyond gambling. Belly up to the bar at local watering holes . Sure, Atlantic City's casinos offer a glut of nightclubs and ritzy bars with bottle service and pounding sound systems. But for a cheaper drinking experience with more character, check out the city's local dive bars and pubs. Many are open 24 hours for those who wish to imbibe until the sun rises. You might even chat with some regulars at places such as Culmone's (2437 Atlantic Ave.; 609-348-5170), a pleasantly seedy establishment a few blocks off the Boardwalk. If you're looking for some bar food to wash down your beer, try the Irish Pub (164 St. James Place; 609-344-9064) or Pic-A-Lilli (231 S. Tennessee Ave.; 609-344-1113) -- both offer wings, burgers and more, with a hearty dollop of local flavor on the side. Pretend you're an extra on 'Boardwalk Empire' The Knife and Fork Inn (3600 Atlantic Ave.; 609-344-1133) was a Prohibition-era speakeasy and restaurant. It frequently played host to a gang of colorful characters, including the real-life Nucky Johnson (the inspiration for the HBO show's Nucky Thompson character), before being raided and shut down by the feds. It soon reopened, and the restaurant is still going strong today, having been fully renovated and restored in 2005. It's an elegant place to enjoy a steak, some seafood, a martini or two and soak in the aura of the Roaring '20s. Get curious about history . If you're in the mood to do some historical sightseeing in the greater Atlantic City area, there are several interesting landmarks. Just south of town, in Margate, sits Lucy the Elephant, a six-story high National Historic Landmark. Lucy was originally constructed in 1881. Today, visitors can take guided tours inside the novelty pachyderm. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 3 to 12, free for children younger than 3. Margate is also home to Marven Gardens, a neighborhood of beautifully restored houses from the '20s and '30s. The Monopoly property, Marvin Gardens, is actually a misspelling of the name, an error Parker Brothers acknowledged in 1995. Absecon Lighthouse juts up prominently from the north side of Atlantic City. Dating back to 1857, this is New Jersey's tallest lighthouse and visitors can climb to the top for a view of the ocean and surrounding landscape. Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 4 to 12, free for children younger than 4. The Steel Pier doesn't look much like it did in the early 20th century, but it has entertained visitors for over 100 years and is home to an array of modern rides, games and food vendors. Single tickets can be purchased for $1, or discounted books of 35, 80 or 200 tickets are available. Take a dip . The gently sloping beach along the Atlantic City Boardwalk is surprisingly appealing and clean. When the weather is nice, you can find swimmers enjoying the warm water and calm surf, as well as surfers and kayakers. From July 1 through Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there are lifeguards stationed on the beach from Caspian Avenue to Jackson Avenue. So grab a towel and some sunscreen, and claim your spot early. Look at the fishes, or catch them . The Atlantic City Aquarium is a great place to take kids (it also hosts birthday parties), with exhibits featuring a bevy of fascinating fish and aquatic mammals. It's located right on the waterfront at historic Gardner's Basin, where you can dine at dockside restaurants and check out the Atlantic City artists' colony. Charter sightseeing, dolphin watching and fishing boats leave from the marina. Admission to the Aquarium is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for children 4 to 12 and free for children 3 and younger. Get some culture . It turns out Atlantic City is not entirely devoid of high culture. Artlantic is a project curated by Fung Collaboratives that turns vacant green spaces along the Atlantic City Boardwalk into temporary art projects that change from year to year. The project began in 2012 and will last until 2016. There are two art park locations, both an easy walk from the casinos, one between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Indiana Avenue and another on the Boardwalk at California Avenue. Indulge . This year's Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival takes place from July 25 to 27 at Caesars and features copious amounts of food, drink, parties and cocktails as well as talks and demonstrations from celebrity chefs. Packages are available to book now, starting at $250. Learn to gamble . This might seem like a cheat, but technically it's not gambling. Some casinos, such as the Trump Taj Mahal, offer instructional lessons in their poker rooms. According to the casino's FAQ, you can ask the shift manager to set up a free private or group lesson. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two for when you decide to hit the tables for real. Of course, the house doesn't like to lose, so maybe hold off the high-limit tables for just a little while. Explore beyond the tables . There is plenty to do inside Atlantic City's casinos besides gambling. Take in a music or comedy show, pamper yourself at an upscale spa, eat at one of the many posh restaurants or budget buffets or embark on an epic shopping spree. If consumerism is your preferred method of relaxation, you've come to the right place. The Quarter at the Tropicana is an Old Havana-themed cluster of shops, restaurants and nightlife, nostalgically hearkening back to the days of pre-Castro Cuba. The Pier Shops at Caesars is another area where you can spend a few hours away from the casino floor eating, shopping or watching The Water Show, a Vegas-style water, light and sound extravaganza that pops off once every hour (check with the hotel first, it is occasionally out of service). Walk the Boardwalk . Finally, take a leisurely stroll down the entire length of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, a tourist attraction that dates back to the late 1800s. On one side lies the Atlantic Ocean, stretching out behind the dunes and grass, and on the other are countless casinos, stores, novelty shops and fast-food joints. This summer, free events such as a concert by country singer Blake Shelton (July 31) and AVP pro volleyball (September 5-7) will take place along the Boardwalk. Settle in for some serious people watching. A diverse mass of humanity descends every summer, from Indian-American parades to teenage skaters to extended families from Ohio, all enjoying the sea air perfumed by the scent of fried dough and cotton candy. | Atlantic City has some of the glitz of Vegas and the grime of Reno .
It also has oceanfront lounging, a historic boardwalk and public art parks .
Venture beyond the casinos to discover this Jersey Shore destination . |
217,732 | a5e8d37b1afa98e5c099883da78bd32203fd6957 | By . Associated Press . The five-year-old girl shot dead by a five-year-old boy in a tragic accidental shooting during a playdate has been identified today. Noelle Aston Shawver of Blackfoot in eastern Idaho died on Wednesday after visiting a home in Chubbuck, police said. Police have released few details, citing an ongoing investigation. Noelle Aston Shawver, five, pictured with her parents Drew and Stacie Shawver. The little girl was shot dead on Wednesday by another five-year-old at a home in Chubbuck, Idaho . A funeral is planned for this coming Wednesday in Blackfoot. Police say emergency workers responded at about 3pm on Wednesday and took Shawver to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello. The hospital confirmed later in the evening she had died. Police said adults were in the home at the time of the shooting but were in a different room from the children. Investigators have not released the type of gun involved or said how the children got access to it. Kaeley Shawver, Noelle's aunt, told Kpvi that the family did not blame the boy who shot her niece or the boy's family. The girls' parents, Drew and Stacie Shawver, also have two younger children, a boy and a girl. The family have been raising money for Noelle's funeral expenses through their GoFundMe page. As of Friday morning, more than $19,000 had been donated to the fund. Relatives said that the money would also go towards counseling and supporting the family in time away from work. Family told Fox 9 that Noelle was a 'bright and loving' child who was due to start kindergarten in the fall. There has been an outpouring of support and donations to the devastated Idaho family after daughter Noelle, five, (pictured right) was shot dead by another child on Wednesday . Noelle was shot by another child at a home she was visiting. Police said adults were in the home at the time of the shooting but were in a different room. It is not clear how the child got access to the gun . | Noelle Aston Shawver of Blackfoot in eastern Idaho died on Wednesday after visiting a home in Chubbuck .
Adults were home at the time of the shooting, police said. It was not clear how the five-year-old boy got access to the gun .
Noelle's aunt said the family did not blame the boy who shot her niece or the child's family . |
273,477 | ee443a4e9622a70936067a5dd3133072bfd423d9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:49 EST, 6 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:50 EST, 7 October 2013 . One of Britain’s youngest horse riders will make his debut at a prestigious national event this week - aged just three. Talented Harry Edwards-Brady will be watched by thousands of people when he takes to the stage at this year’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). The tot only began riding earlier this year but is already well on his way to becoming an expert rider. Celebrations: Harry Edwards-Brady qualifies for the Horse of the Year show . Harry, who has already won an impressive four best rider titles at local shows, has qualified two different ponies for the event. He stunned crowds at a HOYS heat with a near-perfect score in July this year. Judges at the Royal Norfolk Show awarded him 48 out of 50 marks for his performance atop four-year-old Dartmoor pony Divine. Harry’s other pony, Gryngallt Page Too, is also aged just four and only launched his showing career at the start of this season. On form: Harry racked up a near-perfect score on Dartmoor pony divine . And the toddler is hoping to become one of the youngest ever winners when he makes his national debut at Birmingham NEC. Proud mum Emma, from Hatherleigh, Devon, said Harry was not intimidated despite the age of him and his horses. She said: 'I think I’ll probably be leading the youngest combination in both classes. 'Harry’s really excited now. Although he’s only three I think it’s sunk in that it’s quite an important show.' Love of horses: The toddler is hoping to become one of the youngest ever winners when he makes his national debut at Birmingham NEC . Natural talent: But Harry says he still finds time to enjoy the same things as other children his age . Despite his natural horse-riding ability, Harry said he still finds time to enjoy the same things as other children his age. He said: 'My favourite things are rides on tractors, finger painting and ice-cream.' Harry will compete in the mountain and moorland lead-rein of the year final with Divine. He will also ride Gryngallt Page Too in the lead-rein pony of hunter type class. HOYS runs from October 9 to 13. | Harry has already won an impressive four best rider titles at local shows .
Awarded near-top marks for performance atop four-year-old pony Divine .
Youngster is not intimidated despite the age of him and his horses . |
242,640 | c610f01c4256263502f26ac57bb231cc4abd2cc2 | I get around: Neanderthals interbred with all modern humans except those from sub-Saharan Africa, a new study suggests . Sub-Saharan Africans are the only modern humans whose ancestors apparently did not interbreed with Neanderthals, new research suggests. Scientists studying human genetic ancestry have found that, like modern Eurasian peoples, modern North Africans also carry genetic traces which suggest some Neanderthal ancestry. Neanderthals were a closely related species of humans who thrived in Europe and the near East during the last Ice Age but died out around 30,000 years ago. Genetic evidence published in 2010 . suggests they interbred with the ancestors of some modern humans, with . as much as 1 to 4 per cent of modern Eurasian genomes containing . Neanderthal DNA. According to one theory, this occurred . between 80,000 and 50,000 years ago, shortly after the proto-Eurasians . emerged from Africa, while they were still one population. An alternative explanation suggests . that was an ancestral group which gave rise to both Neanderthals and . modern non-Africans which genetically split from other Africans about . 230,000 years ago and stayed separate until finally leaving Africa. To determine which scenario is more . likely scientists analysed North Africans, since some researchers have . suggested were the source of the out-of-Africa migrations that led to . humans spreading across the world. The team led by Federico Sánchez-Quinto, a palaeontologist at Barcelona's Institute of Evolutionary Biology, analysed a total of 780,000 genetic variants in 125 people from seven North African locations. They found that North African populations have a significant excess of genetic variants shared with the Neanderthal genome compared to sub-Saharan Africans - on a par to that found in non-African humans. As expected, findings showed that those North African populations whose ancestors had the most interbreeding with modern Near Eastern of European humans also had a high amount of Neanderthal ancestry, and those whose ancestors bred with sub-Saharan Africans had a lower Neanderthal signal. However, they also found certain North African populations with very little Eurasian ancestry - Tunisian Berbers and Saharawi - that also showed a strong Neanderthal signal, in some cases as high or higher than Eurasian populations. Neanderthal genetic introgression in North . African populations as a fraction of that found in Europeans: Relative . proportion of Neandertal ancestry for each population is presented as . the dark blue section of the pies on a map of North Africa. Each population is also represented as a barplot of the . different geographic genetic components; in red: North African, in blue: . Sub-Saharan, in green: European, in yellow: Near East . The researchers wrote in the . open-access journal Plos One: 'Eurasian populations are the closest to . Neandertals among modern humans, which is in agreement with previous . studies. 'Sub-Saharan . Africans are, as expected, more distant to Neandertal, whereas North . African individuals are placed between these two groups. [...] . 'It is interesting to notice that the . North African populations closer to Neandertals are populations with a . large known European or Near Eastern admixture, but also the Tunisians . that have an almost complete autochthonous North African genetic . component.' The only genetically 'pure' humans: Sub-Saharan Africans are the only human population that do not show any traces of interbreeding with Neanderthals . The results suggested that the signal . came directly from ancient mixing with Neanderthals and not with more . recent interbreeding with modern humans who carried some Neanderthal . genes. Neanderthals learned how to make jewellery and sophisticated tools from the ancestors of modern humans, a study suggests. New high precision radiocarbon dating shows that a cultural exchange may have taken place between modern humans and Neanderthals in France and Spain more than 40,000 years ago. The findings have important implications for our understanding of our long-extinct sister species. If Neanderthals made such ornaments, they must have been capable of symbolic behaviour thought to be unique to man. However, the . researchers do not believe that this mixing came from Neanderthals who . entered North Africa and made contact with the population there. 'Given that the North African autochthonous ancestry seems to be 12,000–40,000 years old, our hypothesis is that this ancestral population was descendant from the populations that first interbreed with Neandertals about ~37,000–86,000 years ago somewhere in the Middle East,' they wrote. They admit that with their current data they have not managed to completely dispense with the possibility that these Neanderthal traces may have come from some common ancestor to both humans and our extinct cousins. However, they say their findings as well as those of previous studies 'tend to favor the admixture hypothesis as the most plausible one.' 'In any case,' they conclude, 'our results show that Neandertal genomic traces do not mark a division between African and non-Africans but rather a division between Sub-Saharan Africans and the rest of modern human groups, including those from North Africa.' | Modern Europeans and Asians share as much as 1 to 4 per cent of their DNA with Neanderthals .
Study now shows that North Africans also have a similar proportion of their DNA from the extinct human relatives . |
47,552 | 8618fe65337c9865422861583b8829c21bf51d14 | More than half of Real Madrid's supporters would be happy for the club to accept a bid in excess of €150million (£118m) for Gareth Bale, a survey on AS.com has revealed. Reports on Tuesday suggested that Manchester United are lining up a world-record £120million bid for the former Tottenham winger, and in a survey of over 30,000 readers, 53.75 per cent admitted they would be happy to let him go. Bale has already won four trophies in his time at the Spanish club - the Champions League, Spanish Cup, Euro Super Cup and, this week, the Club World Cup - but his days at the Bernabeu could be numbered. Gareth Bale has tasted success in his time at Real Madrid, winning four trophies since September 2013 . Bale posted a picture on his Instagram on Tuesday night showing a late training session at Madrid . A move to Manchester United would see a spectacular return to the Premier League for Welshman Bale . Louis van Gaal refused to comment on the reports at his press conference on Tuesday, suggesting that the matter is something he will discuss with the Manchester United hierarchy and not the press. 'I cannot discuss that with you,' Van Gaal said. 'I discuss that with my CEO and not with anyone of the media.' Despite the poll, Bale is well-loved among the Madrid support, having scored 33 goals in his first 66 appearances for the club. In that time, he has provided 24 assists too. September 1: Bale signs for Real Madrid for a world record fee of £86 million . September 14: The Welshman scores on his Real Madrid debut in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal . October 30: Scores two and assists two on his first home start at the Bernabeu . November 30: First hat-trick - a 'perfect' one too - for Real Madrid, against Valladolid . April 16: Bale scores the winning goal in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona. His first goal against Madrid's bitter rivals, and his 20th of the season . May 24: The former Spurs man scores a goal in extra time in the Champions League final, which Madrid go on to win 4-1... it's a record 10th European title for the Spanish side . August 12: Bale's third trophy at Madrid - the European Super Cup. He sets up the first of Ronaldo's two goals in his home city of Cardiff . December 20: Another trophy for the Welshman, and a goal in this final too. Real Madrid beat San Lorenzo 2-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup, with Bale netting the second . December 23: Reports surface of a potential exit, and 54% of Real Madrid fans would be happy to see him leave for the right price . Ben Nagle . Bale (right) celebrates with current team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final . Bale (left) scored against United in his time at Tottenham, but could soon be playing for them at Old Trafford . | 53.74 per cent of Real Madrid fans would be willing to let Gareth Bale leave if a bid of more than €150million was tabled, according to AS.com .
Reports have stated that Manchester United are interested in signing him .
Louis van Gaal refused to speculate on the story in his press conference .
Bale has scored 33 goals in 66 appearances since joining Real Madrid . |
65,034 | b8a75161cbc293f1adb710d2666d43845cb1cbfb | (CNN) -- Teenager Patrick Cantlay has brushed aside talk about turning professional after becoming the first amateur golfer to card 60 on the PGA Tour. The 19-year-old claimed the halfway lead at the Travelers Championship with his 10-under-par effort, which put him one shot clear of fellow American Johnson Wagner in Cromwell, Connecticut in the race for the $1.08 million first prize. Freshman Cantlay, who was the best-placed amateur at this month's U.S. Open as he tied for 21st, said he wanted to complete his degree at the University of California in Los Angeles before deciding whether to join the paid ranks. "I'm not thinking about it right now. I'm going to try and take care of business this week and then see what's going on," the player from Long Beach, California told the PGA Tour website. Cantlay took advantage of soft greens at TPC River Highlands to beat the course record by one shot, having earlier completed a first-round 67. He is seeking to become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991. If successful, he will then have two months to decide whether to accept a tour place and a two-year exemption from qualifying. Cantlay, who turned 19 in March, would also be the youngest player to win on the circuit since 1900 -- shaving seven months off the effort of Johnny McDermott at the 1911 U.S. Open. "I tried to have no expectations, just so I didn't limit myself," he said after becoming just the 24th player to score 60 in PGA Tour history. He shares a coach with veteran Paul Goydos, who is one of just five players to card 59 on the American tour. "I feel bad for the kids in college," Goydos, who missed the cut after a second-round 68 left him tied for 110th, told the PGA website. "He said he's going to stay four years? In four years I'll be 51. That sounds like a good deal for me. I think he should get his graduate degree." Cantlay had set a clubhouse lead of four shots when he finished his second round on Friday, but that was trimmed to one when Wagner completed a 63 on Saturday. Fellow American Shane Bertsch matched that score to be on 10-under 130, three shots off the lead, along with Nick Watney (65). Meanwhile, English golfer Mark Foster took a two-shot lead into the final round of the European Tour's BMW Open in Germany. The 35-year-old, ranked 267th in the world, carded a six-under 66 in his third round on Saturday to be on 14-over 202 ahead of Sunday's finale in Munich. Seeking his first title in eight years, Foster will be chased by a group of five players on 204 including joint halfway leader George Coetzee of South Africa, who bogeyed his last hole for a 70. Spain's Sergio Garcia was also in that group after a nine-birdie 64, along with compatriot Pablo Larrazabal (69), England's Robert Coles (65) and South Africa's two-time major winner Retief Goosen (67). Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, the youngest player to win a European Tour event, was four shots off the pace in ninth place after a 66. | Patrick Cantlay leads Travelers Championship after breaking course record .
The 19-year-old becomes first amateur golfer to card 60 on the PGA Tour .
He is seeking to become the youngest winner on the tour since 1900 .
Phil Mickelson was the last amateur player to win a PGA Tour title in 1991 . |
38,524 | 6cf1b93b210b833bcffdfed00c07a515898546bf | He's one sixth of the UK's most famous family, so it's no surprise that Romeo Beckham holds some pretty substantial pulling power. In fact it's been reported that thanks to his most recent Burberry advert, sales of the brand's classic £1,500 trench coats have gone up a substantial 10 per cent. The fashion label has credited the 12-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham for its rise in sales in the US, Europe and the Middle East after he starred in their Christmas advert last year. Scroll down for video . Romeo Beckham wore the classic Burberry trench in the advert along with a smart Burberry scarf and umbrella . In the three months to the end of December, better-than-expected sales of Burberry coats, bags and fashion climbed 14 per cent to £600m. In the four-minute festive film, Romeo wears the trench, a monogrammed scarf and carries a Burberry umbrella to match his outfit. The advert, which was first released in November, was the first ever Christmas campaign for Burberry and starred Romeo alongside 50 dancers all clad in the beige trench coats. Such was his popularity in the film called From London With Love that it was watched nine million times after being released. Simon Fuller - who previously managed the Spice Girls - is reported to have negotiated a £45,000 fee for Romeo; something which Burberry has declined to comment on in the past. Romeo looked smart in a Burberry suit and scarf at the launch of its festive campaign in November . Burberry’s finance director Carol Fairweather previously said: ‘I don’t sign off every invoice that comes into the building. 'I don’t make those decisions. It’s not for me to comment on what arrangements were paid to Romeo,' when questioned about his fee. However it seems it the figure is accurate, it could have been money well spent. For this isn't the first time the Romeo effect has helped to boost sales for the fashion brand. Romeo - pictured with (l-r) Brooklyn, Cruz and dad David holiding Harper) is no stranger to the fashion world and has previously sat front row at his mother's fashion shows . When he starred in its Spring/Summer 2013 campaign, Burberry reported a 13 per cent boost in what it called a 'stand out,' year for the brand. The campaign was Romeo's first for the fashion house and came after over a year of discussion between Burberry Chief Designer Christopher Bailey and Victoria Beckham. Bailey has previously said that Romeo is an, 'utter joy,' to work with. And once revealed: 'He's the sweetest, loveliest little chap. 'He loves clothes and fashion, he has an aesthetic point of view. He know what he likes and he had a lot of fun.' | Burberry trench sales have gone up 10% since Romeo's festive advert .
Brand credit 12-year-old's involvement in its campaign for boost .
Previously saw 13% rise in sales when he starred in SS13 campaign . |
248,514 | cd8b575b278b2aafeba31ea1b92e992247e4e8cf | Total SA says energy companies should not drill for crude in Arctic waters, marking the first time an oil major has publicly spoken out against offshore oil exploration in the region. Christophe de Margerie, Total's chief executive, told the Financial Times the risk of an oil spill in such an environmentally sensitive area was simply too high. "Oil on Greenland would be a disaster," he said in an interview. "A leak would do too much damage to the image of the company". Last week, Royal Dutch Shell had to postpone until next year an attempt to drill into oil-bearing rock off the Alaskan coast after a piece of safety equipment was damaged during testing. It has spent $4.5bn and seven years preparing to drill. ExxonMobil, ENI of Italy and Norway's Statoil have also signed deals to explore for oil in Russia's Arctic waters, while others have secured licences to drill off Greenland. Mr de Margerie emphasised that he was not opposed to Arctic exploration in principle. Total has a number of natural gas ventures in the region, including a stake in the vast Shtokman field in Russia's Barents Sea. The Total chief executive said gas leaks were easier to deal with than oil spills. His comments were welcomed by environmental groups that are opposed to Big Oil's presence in what they see as a near-pristine wilderness. "The rest of the oil industry should heed his warning," said Ben Ayliffe, head of Greenpeace's Arctic campaign. "Given the risks, companies shouldn't be touching the Arctic with a barge pole." Shell declined to comment. It has said in the past that it is well prepared for spills, with round-the-clock response teams on Alaska's North Slope and a fleet of specialised vessels that will be in place before drilling starts. According to a 2008 study by the US Geological Survey, the Arctic contains just over a fifth of the world's undiscovered, recoverable oil and gas resources. The melting of the polar ice cap has made the area more accessible to the majors than ever before. The region's challenges are formidable, however, ranging from icebergs the size of cities to storms, darkness and fierce cold. There is also no certainty of success: UK-listed explorer Cairn Energy spent $1bn exploring off Greenland and failed to find commercial volumes of oil. Total's Arctic projects are concentrated in Russia. As well as its stake in Shtokman, it has interests in a number of onshore developments, such as a big liquefied natural gas venture in Russia's far north known as Yamal LNG. It also operates a Siberian oilfield called Kharyaga. Gazprom announced in August that it was shelving Shtokman due to excessive costs. But Mr de Margerie said as far as he was concerned, it was still on. "Gazprom never told me in writing that the project is over," he said. "Discussions are not ... as active as I would like. [But] the reserves are still there." | Total SA says energy companies should not drill for crude in Arctic waters .
First time an oil major has spoken out against offshore Arctic oil exploration . |
259,505 | dbf6b8480065affaf0034d8916946620129f9301 | Devin Hester high-stepped into the NFL record book. Matt Ryan had as many touchdown passes as incompletions. Julio Jones made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch tumbling into the end zone. The result: One of the biggest wins in Atlanta Falcons history. Hester set an NFL record with his 20th return for a touchdown, Ryan threw for 286 yards and three TDs, and Jones hauled in nine passes for 161 yards and a couple of scores to lead the Falcons past the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 56-14 on Thursday night. Julio Jones takes in a spectacular touchdown pass as the Atlanta Falcons routed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 56-14, their second largest NFL win . Devin Hester high-steps into the end zone for a touchline as the Atlanta Falcons romped to a 56-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night . Hester set an NFL record with his 20th career return for a touchdown as Atlanta surged into a 56-0 lead at one point in the fourth quarter . The crowd at the Georgia Dome goes wild as Hester skips down the touchline to score a touchdown . Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns on the night, evades the tackle of Buccaneers strong safety Mark Barron . Ryan finds a gap amid the grappling bodies to pick out a pass during the second half of the Falcons' comprehensive victory on Thursday night . Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas celebrates his touchdown by hurling the ball as Atlanta took command of the match . 'It was a fun night,' Ryan said. The Falcons (2-1) led 35-0 before the Buccaneers (0-3) picked up a first down. Ryan and the other offensive starters left after Steven Jackson's 3-yard touchdown run made it 49-0 before the midway point of the third quarter. Atlanta had a stunning 56-0 lead heading to the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay scored two meaningless touchdowns to avoid the worst loss in franchise history. 'I've never been in a game quite like this,' Falcons coach Mike Smith said. It was the second-largest win in the Falcons' 48-year history, eclipsed only by 62-7 rout of New Orleans in 1973. It was only the fifth time Atlanta has won by as many as 40 points. Hester and Jones provided the signature moments. Devin Hester outsprints Bucs free safety Keith Tandy on his way to the end zone as Atlanta romped to victory . Atlanta running back Steven Jackson tries to emerge from a melee of bodies with the ball as middle linebacker Dane Fletcher grabs hold of his leg . Devonta Freeman breaks past Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David (second left) during the second half of the contest . With the Falcons already ahead 28-0, Hester took a punt at his own 44, found a seam up the middle of the field and easily zipped around the last man with a chance to tackle him, punter Michael Koenen. The 56-yard play was Hester's 20th career return for a touchdown, breaking the mark he shared with former Falcons star Deion Sanders. Sanders, now a television analyst, watched Hester's return from the sideline at the Georgia Dome. Hester high-stepped the last 10 yards are so, his left hand bobbing behind his ear — a tribute to Prime Time's signature move. 'It's tough to break the record of the guy who is my No. 1 mentor,' Hester said. 'I'm kind of emotional right now.' Sanders didn't mind a bit. He smiled broadly and waved to the crowd when he was shown on the video board, the Hall of Famer's record falling in the stadium he once proclaimed as 'my house.' Jones could've made the same claim after his superb 40-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Turning toward the sideline, he looked first over his left shoulder for the pass, turned his body when realized it was coming over his right shoulder, juggled the ball a bit as he tumbled into the end zone, cradling it under his arm just before slammed the turf, getting both feet down. Running back Steven Jackson leaps over a pile of bodies as he attempts to carry the ball upfield during the first quarter . Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon tries to recover a fumbled ball - the team came close to their biggest ever franchise defeat . Falcons defensive end Stansly Maponga (right) recovers a fumble as Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon (left) watches on . 'Just a hell of a catch,' Ryan said. 'He's a special talent.' Coming off three interceptions in a loss at Cincinnati, Ryan bounced back with a 21-of-24 showing that set a team record for completion percentage (.875). He also hooked up with Jones on an 8-yard touchdown strike, as well as Harry Douglas on a 3-yarder. 'No one ever doubted that Matt Ryan would come back and have a good game after his game last week,' Smith said. Hester, in his first year with the Falcons, also had a 20-yard touchdown run on an end around, not to mention one of the better defensive plays of the night. After the Bucs stripped the ball away from a Falcons receiver, Hester stripped it right back and fell on the fumble himself to keep possession for Atlanta. 'He channeled some of his inner defense from his college days,' Ryan quipped. The Bucs, losing their first three games for the third time in six years, couldn't do anything right. Josh McCown was 5 of 12 for 58 yards and his fourth interception of the season was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by backup safety Kemal Ishmael. A capacity crowd at the Georgia Dome witnessed a resounding win for the Falcons . The Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders perform during the first half of the football game . Somewhat mercifully, McCown left the game with a thumb injury after appearing to bang his right hand off an Atlanta player's helmet on his final throw of the night. Mike Glennon went the rest of the way at quarterback. 'I thought I had my football team ready to play,' said first-year Bucs coach Lovie Smith. 'Obviously, we weren't ready to play.' The Falcons finished with a 488-217 edge in total yards. The Bucs had five turnovers and 110 yards in penalties on what will surely go down as one of the worst embarrassments for a franchise that knows a thing or two about losing, dropping its first 26 games after entering the NFL in 1976. If not for Danny Lansanah's 27-yard interception return for a touchdown, Tampa Bay would've eclipsed its biggest loss ever, a 48-3 blowout by the San Francisco 49ers in 2011. | Atlanta Falcons romped to one of their biggest wins ever as the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers were put to the sword in Thursday night's NFL game at the Georgia Dome .
The hosts had a 56-0 lead at one point in the fourth quarter before two late Bucs touchdowns averted a record loss .
It was the second largest win in Falcons history, eclipsed only by 62-7 win over New Orleans in 1973 . |
53,959 | 98f25edd05432889bac05283bb4787f9baf77c32 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain (CNN) -- It was expected to be a court date like no other, with Spaniards riveted to a financial corruption case that involves members of the royal family. But on Saturday, when Princess Cristina arrived at the courthouse here just before 10 a.m., she offered them little. "Buenos dias," she told reporters. "Buenos dias." With that, she entered the building for a proceeding that was closed to the public in a courtroom where a photograph of her father, King Juan Carlos, hangs on a wall. As head of state, his photograph hangs at many courts. Outside, several hundred anti-monarchy and pro-republic demonstrators chanted noisily. An audio recording was made of her testimony, but it is intended for internal court use only. Upon leaving about seven hours later, she offered the news media little more than she had given upon arrival. "Hasta luego," she said. "Gracias." Her appearance marked the first time a direct member of Spain's royal family was to testify in court while facing preliminary charges for a crime, according to Spain's royal household. Her husband, Inaki Urdgangarin, faces preliminary charges in the same matter and testified a year ago. The case centers on his nonprofit Noos foundation, which received millions of dollars in government contracts to stage sports and tourism events. Princess maintained her innocence, lawyers said . Judge Jose Castro is investigating whether part of that money may have been diverted for private use by the princess, who is 48, and her husband, 46. Through their legal teams, both deny any wrongdoing, and in court on Saturday, the princess maintained her innocence, lawyers who were present at the proceedings said. The closed-door testimony for the princess was held at a local court here in the Balearic Islands. The courthouse is near the Marivent Palace, the royal family's summer residence on Mallorca, one of Europe's top tourist destinations. Judge Castro last April leveled preliminary charges against the princess in this case, but they were dropped in May after prosecutors appealed to a provincial court, citing insufficient evidence. But Castro continued his investigation and last month issued a 227-page order, again bringing preliminary charges against the princess, for alleged tax fraud and money laundering through a separate company, Aizoon, in which she had a 50% stake, with her husband holding the rest. "They used that company to pocket the public money and also to pay the lowest possible tax or simply cheat the Treasury," said Eduardo Inda, investigations editor at El Mundo newspaper who co-authored a book, "Urdangarin," about the alleged financial improprieties. "In that company, Princess Cristina is the one who signs the annual reports," Inda said. When the new preliminary charges were filed in January, Cristina's top lawyer, veteran politician and defense attorney Miquel Roca, told reporters they would appeal. But a week later, there was a sudden change of position, and it was announced that the princess would testify. Roca appeared with his client at the courthouse on Saturday. The about-face was not due to pressure from the royal household, but instead was a personal decision by the princess, who persuaded her defense team on the issue, said an official familiar with discussions within the royal household, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It was her decision to testify, simply because she has nothing to hide, and she's convinced the preliminary charges could be dropped, and it's better to testify than let the idea of cowardice be out there," the official said. The preliminary charges eventually could be dropped, but a filing of indictments would set a trial in motion. One of various corruption scandals during the economic crisis . The case is one of various financial corruption scandals affecting the royal family and major political parties and a leading union, during the economic crisis, when many Spaniards have lost jobs or had to tighten their financial belts. Princess Cristina's testimony comes as a new report by the European Commission shows that 95% of Spaniards say that corruption is widespread in the nation. The royal household two years ago excluded Princess Cristina and her husband from representing Spain at official functions, like one in Madrid this week, when the King, Queen Sofia, Crown Prince Felipe and his wife, Princess Letizia, welcomed the foreign diplomatic corps. But some Spaniards say the princess is still getting special treatment. "It's great they're finally bringing preliminary charges," said student Mariana Moragrega, outside the royal palace in Madrid, on Friday. "But considering she's the King's daughter, she'll be very protected, and won't go to jail." Spanish media reports said the judge is not expected to immediately issue a decision on whether to proceed with the case or to drop the charges against the princess. CNN's Elwyn Lopez contributed to this report . | Princess Cristina of Spain appears Saturday in a private proceeding .
"Buenos dias," she says upon entering; "Hasta luego," she says upon departure .
Cristina and husband are accused in corruption case .
The princess maintained her innocence, lawyers at the hearing tell CNN . |
278,847 | f5452434324efb4d3bece2cf103898393be62cfd | Eoin Reddan has admitted he refused to let himself dream of captaining Ireland as a youngster harbouring ambitions of a Test career. The 56-cap scrum-half conceded it will be 'surreal' to lead Ireland for the first time against Georgia at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Sunday. Ireland have made 13 changes from the 29-15 victory over South Africa, but Leinster half-back Reddan remains undeterred by the wholesale shifts. Eoin Reddan (above is set to captain Ireland for the first time when they face Georgia on Sunday . Ireland go into the Test fresh from a surprise 29-15 victory over the number two team in the world South Africa . Starting XV: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Simon Zebo, Ian 10 Madigan, 9 Eoin Reddan, 1 Dave Kilcoyne, 2 Richardt Strauss, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Dave Foley, 5 Mike McCarthy, 6 Dominic Ryan, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Robbie Diack . Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Robin Copeland, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Stuart Olding . 'It's all a bit surreal, especially when I heard earlier in the week, but it's an exciting challenge,' said Reddan. 'Joe let me know earlier in the week, just casually enough to be honest. 'I'm sure he thought it was casual, but I was pretty shocked and happy to hear it. 'Maybe it's something you couldn't even let yourself dream of doing growing up. 'I always wanted to play for Ireland, but I didn't probably even ever get to dream that I might have the chance to do what I'm going to do on Sunday.' Paul O'Connell jumps highest to collect the line-out during Ireland's win over South Africa . Rhys Ruddock (left) and Robbie Henshaw (right) halt Jan Serfontein in his tracks . Reddan forms an all-new half-back pairing with Leinster club mate Ian Madigan, with Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton among the rested multitude. Georgia are at full strength bar the absences of twin totems Davit Zirakashvili and Mamuka Gorgodze, and Reddan has challenged Ireland not to take their opponents lightly in any respect. 'It will be a challenge to play against a fairly settled team when we haven't had very long together,' said Reddan. 'They are very strong in certain areas, and there are a lot of people out there expecting something different from what might pan out. Ireland's Jonathan Sexton is tackled by Serfontein of South Africa during last weekend's surprise result . 'The more you know about them, the more respect you have for them: the people who will respect them the most will be the 15 lads running out onto the pitch. 'The only way you can get any long-term improvement is by focusing on performance and tomorrow will be no different. 'It's a big chance for a lot of players and one no one intends to waste.' | Eoin Reddan will captain Ireland for first time against Georgia on Sunday .
Ireland have made 13 changes to the side that beat South Africa last week .
Reddan said it is 'surreal' but 'exciting' to be captaining the side .
Sunday's skipper has warned his team against complacency ahead of Test . |
183,760 | 7a071d4d3d4563098e63d82d823c7c9e661094c0 | (CNN) -- Scores of insurgents have been killed over the last day during fighting in southern Afghanistan, the U.S.-led coalition said on Wednesday. U.S. soldiers pass by Afghan policemen as they stand guard at a checkpoint near the partly-ruined Darlaman Palace in Kabul. Afghan and coalition troops have killed an estimated 104 insurgents in ongoing fighting since Tuesday morning near the Musa Qalah Wadi in Helmand province, the coalition said. A coalition service member was killed and four others were wounded in the fighting between troops and Taliban militants. In neighboring Uruzgan province, a battle between Taliban militants and troops Tuesday left more than 65 insurgents dead in a six-hour battle. The Afghan-coalition patrol had been near the same spot, northeast of Deh Rawod, where more than three dozen insurgents preparing an ambush were killed last week. "As with our forces near Musa Qalah, this operation is intended to deny the enemies of peace the use of Deh Rawod as a safe haven," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman. "Much like last week's engagement, last night's overwhelming victory by ANSF against the extremists is one more example of this strategy to secure a stable and safe living area for the residents of province." There might have been injuries to three non-combatants. There were no reports of troop casualties. E-mail to a friend . | Scores of insurgents killed in clashes with Afghan and coalition forces .
At least 104 militants dead in fighting near Musa Qalah Wadi, Helmand province .
More than 65 Taliban insurgents killed Tuesday night in Uruzgan province .
Six-hour battle took place near site of planned ambush last week . |
95,655 | 06f11715a1d3b48d710879dc4e6e011cff750ff6 | Pedro Hernandez, a former Manhattan stock clerk who once lived in the same neighborhood as Etan Patz, was arrested Thursday in connection with his death, more than three decades after the 6-year-old went missing. A then-19-year-old Hernandez allegedly lured Patz to a store with the promise of a soda, choked him in the basement and then disposed of the body using a plastic bag, placing it in the trash about a block and a half away, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters. "Detectives believe in the credibility of the statement," Kelly said, referring to the man's earlier confession. Authorities were alerted to the suspect by a tip. Hernandez, who had been working in construction until an injury sidelined him, is expected to be charged with second-degree murder, Kelly said. The suspect is expected to make an initial appearance in court Friday, with the district attorney's office formally filing paperwork. He has no prior criminal record and is the father of a teenage girl, Kelly said. Etan's disappearance exactly 33 years ago on Friday helped spawn a national movement to raise awareness of missing children, which involved a then-novel approach of splashing an image of the child's face across thousands of milk cartons. According to police, in the years following Etan's disappearance, Hernandez told a family member and others that he had "done a bad thing" and killed a child in New York. He voluntarily left New Jersey on Wednesday night with detectives to travel to Manhattan and the building, currently an optical business. Kelly described the suspect as remorseful. "The detectives thought it was a feeling of relief on his part." He told reporters that other employees of the store were interviewed after Etan disappeared, but not Hernandez. "I can't tell you why," said Kelly, indicating the case apparently was a crime of opportunity. The commissioner said it is unlikely police will find Etan's remains. In her book detailing the investigation, author Lisa Cohen describes the plan Etan had the day he went missing. Just prior to his disappearance, according to the book, Patz told his parents that he planned to stop at a store to buy a soda with a dollar that he'd earned by helping a neighborhood carpenter. The carpenter, Othniel Miller, 75, had met Etan the day before and was recently the focus of media attention when investigators announced they were again questioning him. "Mr. Miller is relieved by these developments, as he was not involved in any way with Etan Patz's disappearance," said Miller's attorney Michael C. Farkas. "At the same time, Mr. Miller is very pleased that those responsible for this heinous crime may be brought to justice, and the Patz family may finally have the closure they deserve." But a separate law enforcement source said Thursday that Hernandez's claims were being treated with "a healthy dose of skepticism." Investigators have not uncovered any forensic evidence linking Hernandez to the case, Kelly added. Hernandez's name "came up more than once while interviewing others recently," said a law enforcement source, who added that authorities had been familiar with him years ago. Renewed attention over the Patz case sprung up last month when investigators scoured Miller's SoHo basement, where Etan had been seen a day before he went missing. But their search produced no apparent clues. The tipster contacted authorities months ago after news coverage of their renewed search. That contact, at least in part, prompted investigators to question Hernandez. A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office, which reopened the case in 2010, declined to comment on the recent development. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg added that there's "still a lot more investigating to do." "To his credit, District Attorney Cy Vance reopened (the investigation) in hopes not only of bringing justice, but also offering some closure to Etan's parents," the mayor told reporters Thursday. "And as a father, I just can not imagine what they've gone through." Etan went missing on May 25, 1979, a block from his home in the Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo. It was the first time that he had walked to his school bus stop by himself. His mother, Julie, learned after her son failed to return home that he hadn't been in classes that day. After calling the school and Etan's friends, she then called police. The boy was officially declared dead in 2001 as part of a lawsuit filed by his family against a drifter, Jose Antonio Ramos, a convicted child molester acquainted with Etan's babysitter. A judge found Ramos responsible for the boy's death and ordered him to pay the family $2 million -- money the Patz family has never received. Though Ramos was considered a key focus of the investigation for years, he has never been charged in the case. He is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Pennsylvania for molesting another boy and is set to be released this year. A source has previously said investigators wanted to expand the pool of possible suspects beyond Ramos. Parents Stan and Julie Patz still live in their SoHo home and have not commented on the new developments. Police said Thursday that Stan Patz was a little surprised and overwhelmed by Thursday's developments. Cohen, author of "After Etan: The Missing Child Case That Held America Captive," told CNN earlier that "the family's been living through this for 33 years. They've had many moments like this. They've learned how to deal with it." Thursday evening, Cohen told CNN's "Piers Morgan Night" she had not heard of Hernandez before the arrest. The Patz family, she said, won't be making any quick judgments on this case. Just weeks after Etan disappeared, an attacker abducted the first of more than 20 children to be kidnapped and killed in Atlanta. A suspect in that case was arrested two years later. In 1984, Congress passed the Missing Children's Assistance Act, which led to the creation of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. President Ronald Reagan named May 25, the day Etan went missing, as National Missing Children's Day. | Author of book on investigation had never heard of suspect .
Investigators have not uncovered forensic evidence linking Hernandez to the case, Kelly says .
"Detectives believe in the credibility of the statement," Police Commissioner Kelly says .
Hernandez is expected to be charged with second degree murder, police say . |
54,280 | 99c02f2d4c6f635d209e7e0d2d146c85a3066404 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 12:07 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:53 EST, 31 December 2013 . No doubt this duck was getting excited about its big moment as Taiwan prepares to see in the New Year. But then it all went horribly wrong... leaving the 50ft-tall yellow rubber superstar somewhat deflated. The massive inflatable - designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman to be a giant version of the popular bath toy - burst today while it was on show at the port of Keelung in the north of the country. Scroll down for video . Crowds had already started to gather by the port of Keelung in the north of Taiwan today when tragedy struck... The 50ft giant inflatable duck, due to take part in New Year's Eve festivities mere hours later, inexplicably burst . One theory is that the giant duck, designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, was attacked by eagles . Nooooooooo! The end is nigh for the rubber duck . It had been on display there for 11 days, only to explode at around noon - hours before large crowds were expected to gather to welcome 2014. The cause of the deflation, which was caught on film, is a mystery. However, one theory is that it was attacked by eagles. Huang Jing-tai, one of the organiser's for tonight's festivities, said: 'We want to apologise to the fans of the yellow rubber duck. The weather is fine today and we haven't found the cause of the problem. 'We will carefully examine the duck to determine the cause.' Clearly cursed, this is the third time bad fortune has befallen the giant inflatable in Taiwan. In November, a similar duck deflated when its air pump malfunctioned following a power outage during an earthquake. And in September, yet another duck was taken ashore as a typhoon approached. Dubbed Spreading Joy Around The World, Hofman's creation was designed to 'put a smile' on people's faces. Dubbed Spreading Joy Around The World, Hofman's creation was designed to 'put a smile' on people's faces . As well as Taiwan, the duck has visited . various other famous waters around the world, including the cities of . Sydney, Osaka and Auckland. The duck is deflated for transportation and then re-inflated on location using a generator. The artist claims the duck reconnects people with their childhood. Mr Hofman said he wanted to bring joy with his giant duck, which he claimed helped reconnect people with their forgotten childhoods. 'My sculptures cause an uproar, astonishment and put a smile on your face,' he said. A team of special inflatable duck investigators examine the carnage . Clearly cursed, this is the third time bad fortune has befallen the giant inflatable in Taiwan . 'They give people a break from their daily routines. Passers-by stop in front of them and enter into conversation with other spectators. People are making contact with each other again.' In a statement on his website, he said: 'The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. 'The friendly, floating rubber duck has healing properties: it can relieve tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages!' The artist's other works include Fat Monkey - a giant monkey made from 10,000 brightly coloured flip-flops - and a giant cuddly toy rabbit called Big Yellow Rabbit. On the first leg of its tour of Taiwan, the giant duck appeared at the Glory Pier in the port of Kaohsiung (above) | Cause of burst remains mystery - but it may have been attacked by eagles .
Third time Dutch artist's creation has met with misfortune in Taiwan . |
64,208 | b6573487120795dc37842c1f8c1058a033b2971d | The owner of a hotel in Scotland has turned to social media in the hope of tracking down a young couple who, he claims, left after a luxury Valentine's weekend without paying their bill. Hotelier Jason Henderson took to Facebook to allege that the couple racked up a tab of £800 then left suddenly in a silver Audi. Henderson is offering a two-night stay at the four-star Knock Castle Hotel and Spa in Crieff, Perthshire, to anyone who can help him find the pair using a CCTV image he has shared online. The young couple were captured on CCTV before disappearing, allegedly, without paying for their bill . The mystery couple reportedly splashed out on fine food, flowers and wine - leading to a hefty £800 bill. However, the furious hotel owner alleges they left early without settling up with the front desk. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Travel, Knock Castle owner Jason Henderson said: 'It's disappointing and very upsetting that this has happened, myself and all the staff work so hard to sustain the business. 'To me it's not about the £750, £800, it's about highlighting what these people have done and making sure they don't do it again. It's a matter of principle. 'All we expect is people to pay their way, and I wouldn't like this to happen to anyone, whether they are our rivals in the market or not. 'I have been blown away by the support I have received by people who are all trying to help since I posted on Facebook; it's really pleasing. 'The police here are very effective, and I'm quite confident they will catch the two.' Henderson, who has been running the hotel for seven years and takes on the roles of head chef, general manager and owner, revealed that the couple had enjoyed meals, snacks, champagne and flowers during a three-night stay. He also believes the couple were 'from Scotland' and that they used fake ID when checking in. The 4-star Knock Castle Hotel & Spa, where a case of fraud is being investigated by police after a couple allegedly fled without paying . Hotelier Jason Henderson has offered a free two night stay for anyone who can ID the couple . The Facebook post by Knock Castle claims the couple used 'false' credit card details, leaving it unable to trace the mystery guests. It also claims the couple were driving a silver Audi A3 and posted a CCTV image of them on the property. The woman has long dark hair and is wearing a pink jumper and jeans, while the man appears to be blonde and is wearing a blue zip up jacket and jeans. Police Scotland have confirmed to MailOnline Travel that the matter is being investigated. A spokesperson said: 'We can confirm we are looking into a report of fraud at Knock Castle Hotel and Spa in Crieff. 'The incident occurred between 6.30pm and 9am on February 13/14. 'The man is about 5ft 6ins, of thin build, aged in his late 20s and was wearing a blue jacket. The woman is approximately 5ft 8ins and of medium build. 'Anyone who has any information are urged to call Police Scotland on 101.' The owner of the Knock Castle Hotel & Spa has taken to social networks to identify the couple . The Facebook posts also offers a 'reward' to anyone who help identify the guests. There are already over 100 comments from Facebook users, with one user cheekily suggesting, 'The one on the right [the man] looks like a shapeshifting reptilian', while others question the hotelier's right to post the pair's pictures without their permission. Other users have spoke of their anger at the allegations that the couple left without paying. Paul Kelly wrote: 'Hope you catch them, your hotel looks very nice and people like this deserve to be caught by whatever means possible,' while Jan Thomson added: 'Sorry for your loss. Police will catch up with them for sure. Someone somewhere knows them'. Rhona Murray said: 'Sorry to hear this happened. Hope they are caught.' | Owner of Knock Castle Hotel and Spa in Scotland turns to social media .
Left angry after he claims pair scarpered after luxury Valentine's weekend .
A free stay at the Perthshire residence on offer for anyone who can help .
Police Scotland confirm they are investigating a 'report of fraud' |
176,140 | 7007746e660fbd92fece2e5ccd655bc483563abc | NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- A Yemeni freighter has become the latest commercial vessel to be attacked in the pirate-plagued Gulf of Aden, a Kenyan maritime official said Tuesday. A French frigate shadows a commercial ship leaving Djibouti harbor on its way to the Gulf of Aden. The last contact with the ship was late last week, and it was unclear exactly when the hijacking took place, said Andrew Mwangura, the head of Kenya Seafarers Association. No further details about the ship, its crew or cargo were immediately available, said Mwangura, whose organization keeps tabs on the welfare of sailors captured by the pirates. Dozens of ships have been attacked in the Gulf of Aden by pirates based in largely lawless Somalia in recent months. This has led to calls from commercial ship owners for a military blockade along the coast of Somalia to intercept pirate vessels heading out to sea. Peter Swift, managing director of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, said stronger naval action -- including aerial and aviation support -- is necessary to battle rampant piracy in the region. Watch more about the growing piracy problem » . At present, warships from a number of countries patrol an international maritime corridor, escorting some merchant ships and responding to distress calls in the area. But the navies involved say it is virtually impossible to patrol the vast sea around the gulf. Meanwhile, a spokesman for pirates holding a Saudi supertanker loaded with crude oil has told the BBC they have not set any ransom figure. He said the group has only spoken to intermediaries of the vessel's owners but he described them as untrustworthy. The pirate identified himself using only one name, Daybad, when he spoke late Monday to the BBC. Pirates seized the Sirius Star on November 15 in their most audacious hijacking to date. The vessel is carrying two million barrels of crude oil worth about $100 million. Elsewhere, the head of U.S. military operations in Africa has said he does not have any evidence that Somali pirates are connected to al Qaeda. The Africom chief, Army Gen. William "Kip" Ward, told The Associated Press Tuesday that the chaos off Somalia's high seas is a reflection of the country's political chaos. Asked about alleged connections between pirates and al Qaeda, he said: "I think that's a concern that we all would have." But he added that he doesn't have "any evidence that pirates have links to al Qaeda." | Last contact with the Yemeni freighter was late last week .
Dozens of ships have been attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden .
Report: No ransom figure yet for hijacked Saudi supertanker .
Pirates seized the Sirius Star on November 15 . |
261,819 | df141a490365e242db00f19e1c7bc9a42f4dfd5e | (CNN) -- A fast-growing wildfire had 500 firefighters battling high winds and steep terrain Wednesday as the blaze moved toward homes and resort cabins just north of Slide Rock State Park in Arizona. The fire, which began Tuesday afternoon and was likely caused by a person, has already grown to 4,500 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. About 3,200 residents in Coconino County were given pre-evacuation notices. About 300 structures were threatened by the blaze, none of which has been contained. Frank Garrison owns 20 rental cabins in the area. "It's my home, my property, my livelihood," he told CNN affiliate KTVK. "Everything." He had packed his pickup and was in a line of cars of people leaving the area Wednesday. The Butterfly Garden Inn said it was able to get all staff and guests out. "We are praying for the safety of our beautiful inn and for the brave firefighters working tirelessly to save it," the inn said on its Facebook page. "Please help us pray for a miracle." Connor Packard stood atop his mother-in-law's roof, spraying water from a garden hose. "Just spraying down the roof and the yard just in case any embers float down," he told KTVK. "There's already a bunch of ash floating down." The Slide Fire, as it has been named, is burning an area called Oak Creek Canyon. The hilly terrain and 30 mph wind gusts made it difficult for firefighters. The area is popular in the summer with tourists looking to escape the heat. Fodor's Travel named it one of the top 10 state parks in the United States. "There's pretty much one reason and one reason only to visit Slide Rock State Park, seven miles north of Sedona: to slip down the smooth, red-sandstone water slide and be carried over the surface by a cooling creek into the swimming hole below," Fodor's wrote. The park is a 43-acre historic apple farm, according to the Slide Rock website. No one has been injured because of the fire, the forest service said. Smoke from the fire was drifting to the northeast and had reached Utah, 150 miles away. What to know about wildfires . 17-year-old appears in juvenile court in California wildfires case . CNN Shane Deitert, Dave Alsup and Greg Morrison contributed to that story. | Fire grows to 4,500 acres in one day .
Slide Rock State Park is popular with tourists in the summer .
No one has been injured by the fire .
Several hundred homes, rental cabins, other buildings are threatened . |
284,511 | fc9aee362499d3fb3cc77ee2ac12692c5b6f5976 | (CNN) -- Venezuelan authorities on Wednesday announced additional arrests in connection with a massive shipment of cocaine in an Air France flight from Caracas that landed in Paris. In a prepared statement, the Venezuelan Attorney General's Office said 17 people have been arrested in the drug trafficking case. The flight originated at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. An Air France executive in Venezuela, six airline employees, a security guard and a loading platform supervisor are among those arrested. Eight members of the Venezuelan national guard are also in custody and were scheduled to appear in front of a judge Wednesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing. On September 11, French authorities discovered 1.3 tons of pure cocaine stuffed inside 30 suitcases on the flight. The colorful bags did not match any of the passengers on board, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported. The street value of the stash is about 200 million euros, or $270 million. $2.6 million in cocaine found in British woman's luggage . French authorities didn't publicize the find until Saturday. Venezuela's Public Ministry announced the arrests of three of the national guard members Sunday. Woman busted in Spain for cocaine in breast implants . Authorities worked with Spanish, British and Dutch police on the investigation, BFMTV said. This case "illustrates the importance of strengthening International cooperation in the fight against traffickers," French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said. Suspected drug smugglers sail to jail . In Venezuela, authorities promised a swift investigation as soon as the confiscation was announced in Paris. All 17 arrests were made in less than three days. Venezuelan Interior and Justice Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres told reporters in Venezuela that authorities think an organized crime group with Italian and British members is responsible for the shipment. "The suitcases were not taken into the plane through the regular baggage platforms at the airport. We're investigating how the drug (shipment) got to the airport," he said. CNN's Rafael Romo, Holly Yan, Christabelle Fombu and Nelson Quinones contributed to this report. | Airline executive, six airline workers, security guard, loading platform supervisor arrested .
Eight members of the Venezuelan national guard are also in custody .
1.3 tons of cocaine traveled in 30 colorful suitcases from Venezuela to France .
The bags weren't registered to any of the passengers on the flight . |
151,912 | 505329e8e7235d26b2d27540c25d86179d0bc0de | Editor's note: Dina Habib Powell, global head of corporate engagement at Goldman Sachs, served as U.S. assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs from 2005 to 2007. Dina Habib Powell says there are encouraging signs the world is ready to invest in empowering women. NEW YORK (CNN) -- As we mark International Women's Month in March, it is encouraging to see that the movement to recognize the vital role that women play in families, nations and economies has been building for more than a decade and that developments in the past few years have shown that real progress has begun to take hold. On the heels of International Women's Day, President Obama said Monday, "we will not sow the seeds for a brighter future or reap the benefits of the change we need without the full and active participation of women around the world." He also recently announced the creation of a new position, ambassador-at-large for global women's Issues, at the State Department. To fill this critical role, the president nominated Melanne Verveer, a widely respected women's advocate and former top aide to then first lady Hillary Clinton. Verveer was a founder of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an organization committed to empowering women and recently co-chaired by Secretary Clinton and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. There has also been very recent progress on Capitol Hill. Last month, the U.S. Senate created a Foreign Relations subcommittee that will focus on the global status of women, led by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California. The efforts have been a bipartisan priority for our leaders. In 2008, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice successfully led the effort in the U.N. Security Council to officially recognize rape as a weapon of war. And in 2001, Laura Bush used the first presidential radio address ever given by a first lady to focus international attention on the plight of women in Afghanistan and used her influence to protect and empower women around the world. Critical strides are also being made globally. In Rwanda, a country devastated by genocide, women have become a key part of the nation's rebirth. Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, more than half of the parliament is made up of women. In Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf made history when she became the first female president on the African continent. In the Middle East, Kuwait has emerged as a leader in women's suffrage and political participation. And in the United Arab Emirates, women such as Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, minister of foreign trade, have been trailblazers for progress throughout the region. This social change is being promoted at the United Nations, where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently noted that the protection, education and empowerment of women and girls are among the most important ingredients to achieving all other Millennium Development Goals. Such consensus should not be surprising as study after study has found that investing in the education of women improves lives. Every extra year of girls' education can reduce infant mortality by 5 to 10 percent. In Africa, children of mothers who receive five years of primary education are 40 percent more likely to live beyond age 5. And multicountry data show educated mothers are about 50 percent more likely to immunize their children than uneducated mothers are. But one of the most important developments of recent years has been the increasing amount of research that shows investments in women can offer not only social benefits, but also real economic growth. A growing body of evidence highlights the economic advantage of educating and empowering women. The private sector has seized on this data. There is now broad consensus that investing in women is not only just good social policy, it is "smart economics," as Bob Zoellick, president of the World Bank, says. Toward that end, the World Bank has convened a Private Sector Leaders Forum with companies committed to these issues, such as Standard Chartered, Cisco, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Carlson and Nike. My own firm, Goldman Sachs, published two critical pieces of research, "Womenomics" and "Women Hold Up Half the Sky," which found that investments in women -- through increased education and labor force participation -- can lead to real economic growth in developed and developing countries. Specifically, this research found that a 1 percentage point increase in female education raises the average level of gross domestic product by .37 and raises annual GDP growth rates by .2 on average. Such findings led to the development of 10,000 Women, an initiative that is working with a global network of leading academic and nonprofit partners to provide women at home and abroad with quality management and entrepreneurial education. This education is helping to create a greater number of female-owned small and medium enterprises, and a new generation of leaders poised to have exponential impact. One recent graduate of the program, Tuokpe Esisi, a fashion designer from Nigeria, has already increased her revenues, and immediately invested a portion of her profits to provide tutors for the illiterate male tailors she employs. This not only positions her enterprise for greater growth, but is also a perfect demonstration of the multiplier effect of investing in women. Organizations such as Women for Women International, Camfed and the International Center for Research on Women have long touted this multiplier effect and are supported by private-public partnerships dedicated to the promotion of women leaders. For example, the State Department, with the help of Vital Voices, instituted a mentoring program for the past four years with Fortune's Most Powerful Women. The program pairs leading U.S. executives -- such as Ann Moore (Time Inc), Pat Woertz (ADM), Helene Gayle (Care) and Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) -- with rising female entrepreneurs in developing countries. At the dawn of the 20th century, Egyptian poet Hafez Ibrahim said: "When you educate a woman, you create a nation." Nearly a century later, the cause of women's empowerment has never been more important. As New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently put it, gender inequality is "the dominant moral challenge we face in the 21st century." This challenge also presents an opportunity we cannot afford to squander. We should seize this moment and this momentum. There is tremendous work to be done, but history has shown us that women will not let us down. They will take up the challenge and build up their families, their villages and ultimately all our nations. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Dina Habib Powell. | Dina Powell: As we mark Women's Month, there are encouraging signs .
Both parties in the U.S. are taking steps to invest in the role of women, she says .
She says studies show that more education decreases infant mortality .
Investing in women's education leads to increases in economic growth, she says . |
162,312 | 5dda5eaca6ad4a833c3b0e1d2fe4167ad0724b16 | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 5 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:26 EST, 6 January 2014 . A bride has lost an incredible six stone and four dress sizes after seeing her herself as a 'fat little cake topper' on her wedding cake. Valerie McLean, 25, from Glasgow, vowed to slim down from 17 stone when she saw her shape reflected in the miniature marzipan form. 'I'd been big for most of my life and planning my wedding was another painful reminder,' said Valerie, an IT manager. 'The fat little cake topper' that prompted Valerie McLean to lose weight . 'The fat little cake topper just summed me up. 'I even grew between picking my wedding dress and picking it up. I was a size 16, but by the time I got the dress I'd become a size 18. 'I just couldn't get into it and burst into tears. I didn't realise I'd let my weight get so bad and thought I would look back on my wedding photographs in shame.' The shop ordered a replacement dress and the wedding went ahead in May 2012. 'I pushed my weight worries to the back of my mind and made it a wonderful day,' she added. Valerie joined Slimming World after a pal lost half a stone in two weeks. The newlywed was shocked to discover she tipped the scales at 17 stone and was on track to develop health problems like diabetes. Valerie pictured before embarking on her diet (l) and pictured recently, after shedding an incredible six stone . 'I was stunned and vowed to reach a healthy weight as soon as possible.' Using her club's eating plan she reached 10 and a half stone last week and has just five more pounds to shed to achieve her dream weight. Part of her success was a stray dog, Evan, which she and husband Grant, 32, gave a home to after seeing him at the Dogs Trust charity. She calls him her 'calorie burner' as she walks him three times a day. Valerie says she grew from size 16 to 18 between picking her wedding dress and picking it up . As the weight fell off, old friends struggled to recognise her - with one even thinking Grant had a new woman. 'We picked up one of his friends to go to football training and he called Grant to ask who his new girl was,' says Valerie. Now a slim size 10, she wants to inspire others to lose weight like she has. Valerie has started her own weight loss class in the Swallow Hotel on Paisley Road West, Glasgow. 'I realise how miserable people feel when nothing fits but dull shapeless clothes,' she added. 'Trendy fashion stores didn't stock my size.' 'I'm on a mission to help others lose unwanted and unhealthy stones.' Valerie is now on a mission to help others lose weight and hosts Slimming World classes . | Valerie McLean, 25, from Glasgow, weighed 17 stone and was size 18 .
Now size 10, she says she 'didn't realise weight had got so bad'
Joined Slimming World and dropped to 10.5 stone in 18 months . |
221,311 | aa7b74b2d10b604af1e4cfd11e7b61015162e7ff | The future of smoke alarms will not only know you're smoking, it will be able to distinguish exactly what kind of cigarette it is. AirGuard accurately recognises smoke from a fire, cigarette smoke and smoke released by marijuana. It then automatically logs and records the organic compounds found in the smoke, using an app - and this can be used to alert hoteliers, homeowners or even the police. AirGuard accurately recognises smoke from cigarettes and marijuana. The handheld version (left) is battery-powered and connects to an Android app, via Bluetooth. The plug-in version (right) connects to a network over Wi-Fi and is fitted using tamper-proof screws to make sure it can’t be removed from a hotel room or bedroom . AirGuard is expected to launch next spring and was developed by the firm FreshAir Sensor. It has been designed for landlords and hoteliers, but will also be available to homeowners - although, prices have not been announced. In addition to catching people smoking in businesses or houses, AirGuard's technology has been developed to stop the dangers of so-called third-hand smoke. Earlier this year, a study found that even after the cigarette has been extinguished, traces of smoke remain in carpets, furniture and dust. Researchers from York University said the maximum risk predicted from the third-hand smoke levels in a home where people have smoked previously equated to one extra cancer case per 1,000 of the population exposed. In addition to catching people smoking in their businesses or houses, the technology has been developed to stop the dangers of so-called third-hand smoke. Earlier this year, a study found that even after the cigarette has been extinguished, traces of smoke remain in carpets, furniture and dust. Researchers from York University said the maximum risk predicted from the third-hand smoke levels in a home where people have smoked previously equated to one extra cancer case per 1,000 of the population exposed. Using a series of polymer films, the AirGuard alarm detects the presence of various organic compounds found in cigarette and cannabis smoke. There will be two AirGuard models available; a plug-in device, and a wearable version that fits in the palm of a hand. AirGuard logs and records the organic compounds found in the smoke, using the app, and this can be used to alert hoteliers, homeowners or the police. In addition to catching people smoking in businesses or houses, AirGuard's technology has been developed to stop the dangers of smoke inhalation for other guests . The handheld version is battery-powered and connects to an Android app, via Bluetooth, which will launch at the same time as the device goes on sale. Meanwhile, the plug-in version connects to a network over Wi-Fi and is fitted using tamper-proof screws to make sure it can’t be removed from a hotel room or bedroom. ‘FreshAir Sensor’s primary focus is improving lives through the development of sensor technology,’ explained the Lebanon-based firm. ‘It is the only technology currently available that detects airborne concentrations of these chemicals. The sensors may be used in a variety of devices.' | AirGuard accurately distinguishes between cigarette and marijuana smoke .
It then logs and records the compounds found in the smoke using an app .
AirGuard is set to launch next spring and was developed by FreshAir Sensor .
There will be two versions - a tamper-proof plug-in device, and a wearable .
Designed for landlords and hotels, it will also be available to consumers .
The Lebanon-based firm has not yet announced prices . |
119,425 | 2644ea56bcbb9c1beb390528f6c73b94525c67fa | Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for the fourth and final test against India next week after a hamstring problem forced him out of training on Saturday. The 33-year-old reigning ICC Cricketer of the Year's decision to sit out Saturday's session is thought to be precautionary, with an eye on the World Cup starting in Australia next month. He had warned on Friday he was feeling the strain after taking 13 wickets to help Australia to an unassailable 2-0 series lead ahead of the final test which starts in Sydney on Tuesday. Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for the fourth Test with India due to a hamstring problem . 'Definitely, all us bowlers feel like we need to have a bit of a freshen up,' Johnson said, noting the short turnaround before the one-day triangular series with England and India later this month. 'Hopefully I can get a bit of a break at some stage.' Johnson celebrates claiming the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara during the Boxing Day Test with India . | Australia face India in the fourth Test, which begins on Tuesday .
Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for the match with hamstring problem .
Aussies head into final Test with an unassailable 2-0 series lead . |
135,829 | 3bb7a7300f5803476720959c7b54653288073186 | Cape Town, South Africa (CNN) -- When I arrived in Cape Town for Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday festivities this week a customs official asked why I was visiting the country. When I explained she said "Ah! Desmond Tutu -- he is everybody's archbishop!" She reflected the gratitude of a world that celebrates his leadership in calling out of the best of our humanity by claiming him as part of her life. At 80 Desmond Tutu is as spunky as ever in imagining and working for a world where all are included. Tutu's insistence on our need for one another in order to be fully human is the signature idea behind his global leadership on reconciliation, ending conflicts and hope. As the world celebrates his iconic leadership it illuminates the void in authentic ethical leadership in the global community. In my first personal meeting with Tutu in 1980 I was thrown off guard by his question, "Tell me about your life Robert - not what you've done but who you are." The question reflects his belief in the value and sacredness of each human story and that our lives are all bundled together. I was not prepared for his reaction to my story. I was 22 and Tutu was 49 and I wondered what our lives could have in common. Telling him of my lengthy hospitalizations as a teenager I said that I'd had an unexpected visitor in Trevor Huddleston whose book "Naught For Your Comfort" opened my eyes to the brutal realities of apartheid. Huddleston's expansive generosity about the humanity of all stood in sharp contrast to the way in which the community he served in Sophiatown was bulldozed by the apartheid government because its multi-ethnic character did not fit the paradigm of apartheid to separate people at any cost. As I paused in the telling of my story Desmond Tutu's laughter filled the room. Incredulous, I just looked at him, waiting for him to settle down. Finally Tutu said, "When I was a young boy, I had tuberculosis. I spent months in the hospital, just like you, lonely and afraid. Trevor Huddleston was my priest! He visited me almost every day, reading stories and talking to me. Huddleston inspired me to think about being a priest." Shared transformation, decades apart. On the common ground of our connecting story, Tutu then asked, "Tell me your thinking about serving in the military." I shared with him my willingness to go to prison indefinitely as a consequence for refusing to serve in the South African military that enforced apartheid. Tutu thoughtfully said, "There will be a time when this kind of action will be important. It isn't now." I hadn't expected this reaction to a decision I had wrestled with for years. I had thirty days before showing up to report for military duty or else refuse to serve and be jailed. Within ten days Tutu had me out of the country and in New York City. Desmond Tutu had no reason to act as he did other than his profound sense of our shared humanity in working for a world in which justice and the wellbeing of all is an expression of his ethical leadership of compassion. Fifteen years later I asked Desmond Tutu when he would add LGBT people into his compelling vision that we are all "made for oneness." He assured me that it would be after the fall of apartheid. This iconic leader has been true to his word. To the ire of many and the delight of others, Tutu is insistent that there are no outsiders with God or the human family. Gender equity for women and the need to protect the environment stand alongside Tutu's voice negotiating the ending of conflicts around the globe. His vision that we are all part of one family is a global vision. In a world of increasing xenophobia and a preponderance of leaders who serve the altar of exclusionary self-interest Tutu stands out because of his view that we need one another in order to be fully human. That customs official was right -- Tutu is "everybody's archbishop" for a reason. | Taylor: Tutu still working for a world where all are included .
Taylor: Tutu believes in the value and sacredness of each human story .
Tutu believes "we need one another in order to be fully human" |
271,634 | ebd463e2b4b89a626e16b43071b06f3145cfb661 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- The Other Hundred, a photo-book project featuring 100 photo stories of people across 91 countries, launched its first exhibition in Hong Kong on Thursday. The project takes aim at media rankings such as the Forbes Billionaire List and is instead dedicated to people whose lives deserve recognition but who would never make the cut, said Chandran Nair, creator of the project and CEO of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), an independent pan-Asian think tank based in Hong Kong. "The goal of The Other Hundred is both to inform and to provoke thought. The implication of many of the rich lists and articles put out by the media is that being rich is the only way to succeed or live a life of meaning. The reality is that the majority of the people are not rich and we wanted to tell their side of the story," Nair said. "It's ridiculous there are such lists like the world's 100 most beautiful people when they really look nothing like me or you," Nair added. GIFT received 12,000 submissions from 1,500 photographers in 156 countries. Nair, together with five other judges selected 100 for the accompanying photo book, published in July. The book includes short essays by acclaimed writers, such as author Pankaj Mishra, renowned Chinese poet Bei Dao and award winning journalist Amy Goodman. While the project aimed to shed light on the unspoken majority, Nair said that it does not attempt to celebrate poverty or criticize wealth. "We're trying to provoke people to define for themselves what it means to have a rich and fulfilled life. We're not trying to criticize those who seek material wealth, but the reality is that not everyone aspires to be rich, and not everybody can," Nair said. "You can tell the world is crying out for a more nuanced look at the human condition." One of the winning photographers, Theodore Kaye, said that he appreciated how the project also challenged the commercialization of the editorial market for professional photographers like himself. "There's a lot of pressure to deliver what the media wants and everybody at some point is going to bow down to it," Kaye said. "The project shows how life as it is for normal people and things as they truly are." What was most important, said Nair, was photographers' connection to the photo narratives. "We didn't want to pick the photographer who parachuted into Afghanistan and got the photo of the exotic young girl in the shadows. We want a name to put to the faces and a story to tell," Nair said. The exhibition will move next to Mumbai, New York, Beijing and Berlin in 2014. GIFT plans to follow the project with "The Other Hundred Entrepreneurs" in 2015. | The Other Hundred, a project featuring 100 photo stories, launched its first exhibition .
The project takes aim at media rankings such as the Forbes Billionaire List .
CEO: "We're trying to provoke people to define for themselves what it means to have a rich and fulfilled life"
The exhibition will move next to Mumbai, New York, Beijing and Berlin in 2014 . |
222,033 | ab6387096637ae09dc8ff194d826f7a78b4dbbe7 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 10:44 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:23 EST, 26 November 2013 . There was a time when yoga was all breathing heavily on a mountaintop or floor mat while bending in and out of the downward dog. Sometimes you used a block or a belt. Perhaps you did it in a roomful of other people. Occasionally there was some incense burning. Perhaps a little light muzak. But these days you can't carry out a sun salutation unless the room temperature is cranked up to 105 degrees Farenheit, you're lying on a surfboard or a horse with your pet Jack Russell or your baby crouched upon your back, while you tooting on a harmonica for an entire hour and an energising dinner is served up on the floor the very second you've hummed your third ohm. Fierce Grace, a hot power yoga of classical Hatha, sweaty Bikram and Ashtanga Vinyasa, is the latest kid on the bendy block . Fierce Grace is described as 'sequenced in ways that adhere to ancient yogic principles as well as the latest cutting-edge research on attaining optimum results in the minimum amount of time' And Fierce Grace, a hot power yoga of classical Hatha, sweaty Bikram and Ashtanga Vinyasa, is the latest kid on the bendy block. Founder Michele Pernetta, a hot yoga teacher for over 20 years, brought Bikram to London in 1994, but has now broken away from the teachings of its founder Bikram Choudhury. A yoga master who has taught over 20,000 students in her four studios and all over the world, Pernetta is also a martial arts blackbelt and a massage therapist who has judged the Bishnu Gosh International Yoga Championships . and taught seminars all over Europe. Fierce Grace founder Michele Pernetta, a hot yoga teacher for over 20 years, brought Bikram to London in 1994 . Pernetta said: 'With Fierce Grace I have created the yoga class I always wanted to do myself' She describes her new practice as 'sequenced in ways that adhere to ancient . yogic principles as well as the latest cutting-edge research on . attaining optimum results in the minimum amount of time.' Held in a room heated to 95 degrees Fahrenheit - marginally less sweltering than most hot yoga classes - Fierce Grace is a five-class system of interconnecting sequences, based on the same core poses and philosophy, but with a different emphasis or focus. She said: 'With Fierce Grace I have created the yoga . class I always wanted to do myself. 'Presented in five ways which . address our changing needs, it is taught in a motivating and no-nonsense . way that empowers the student to become their own teacher and connects . them with the backbone of real spirituality, while getting them super . fit and healthy. I wanted to offer a system that excluded no one.' Michele Pernetta, founder of Fierce Grace yoga . Core (75 minutes) Master the . building blocks of a great yoga practise. This class allows beginners . and advanced students alike to take the time to address their needs, . understand alignment and how to effectively work for maximum results. More hands-on corrections and help for injuries and misalignment. An . intense warm up prepares the body for long, deep stretches to realign, . resolve and release. Classic (80 minutes) Our version of the . traditional hot yoga class with more hip openers, arm, ab and bum toners . for a rounded workout. Based on Pernetta’s 20 years experience, the . changes to the well known Bikram system allow the student some freedom . to explore, to move into some pose variations and have some fun. Fierce Grace (80mins + 10 min optional meditation) Our challenging . but user-friendly general level class. This class combines the central . poses of Bikram, hatha and Ashtanga with deep twists, core . strengthening, interval-training wisdom, groan inducing abdominal work, . hip openers and delicious floor stretches to relax the body and mind. Performed to music. Fierce (aka The Beast) - 1hr 45 mins) An . advanced class that takes students to the next level in strength, . flexibility, balance, patience and sense of humour. Taught in an . encouraging non-judgemental way the class includes arm balancing, . inversions, lotus poses and deep backbends. The Fix (50 mins) A . high-octane caffeine injection for the motivated person on a tight . schedule. An effective no-frills yoga fitness regime, this 50 minute . class combines . Fierce Grace classes are held in Primrose Hill, north London, and will be rolled out across the country from 2014 . BABY YOGA . Thought to relax babies, help parents bond with their new child, encourage deep sleep and promote healthy digestion, baby yoga is becoming increasingly popular among families. Baby yoga is thought to help parents bond with a new child, to relax babies and to encourage them to sleep deeper while improving digestion . TODDLER YOGAEncouraging young children to practice supervised yoga helps them develop flexibility and core strength from an early age. Yoga has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of sickness in children, from reduction in headaches to improved concentration. Studies show children on the autistic spectrum benefit from yoga practice. Toddler yoga: Encouraging children to practice yoga can improve their concentration, core strength and flexibility . DOG YOGA . Known as 'doga', doing yoga with your dog is said to appeal to your pet’s natural instinct to stretch, has become a new fad among New York dog-owners who believe it creates a unique bonding experience. Classes involve stretching, massage and even chanting - at a pitch the dogs can mimic. Dog yoga: 'Doga' is thought to appeal to dogs' naturally bendy bodies . ANTI-GRAVITY YOGA . Practiced in a hammock, anti-gravity yoga was created by gymnasts but has been modified and enhanced to fit into the yoga mold and cater to the everyday athlete. It aims to get you in shape while realigning you from the compression of gravity. Anti-gravity yoga: This type of yoga, practiced in a hammock, is said to improve balance and agility . LAUGHTER YOGAThe concept of laughter yoga is based on the idea that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter: one gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. Clinical research conducted at Bangalore, India and America has proved that laughter lowers the level of stress hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol. Laughter yoga: The meditative practice is meant to improve mood and calm . HOT POD YOGA . Vinyasa yoga practiced in a heated inflatable room, allowing teachers to pop-up all over the country. Warmth helps the body quickly enter the practice, warming the muscles and aiding flexibility. Throughout the class it makes the heart work harder, increases the soothing nature of the environment and helps bring us out in a good sweat, so you get maximum benefits in a relatively short time. Hot pod yoga: Like Bikram, hot pod yoga is practiced in a heated room, but this time it is inside a temporary pod structure . VOGAThe brainchild of Juliet Murrell, a successful set designer in the fashion, film and design industry who qualified as a yoga instructor to restore her natural energy levels, which had been depleted by post-viral chronic fatigue. Identifying a niche for a more expressive, energetic style of yoga, Juliet went on to create VOGA, a stretching and posing routine set to an iconic 80s beat. Voga: A stretching and posing routine set to an iconic 80s beat . | Fierce Grace founder Michele Pernetta brought Bikram yoga to UK in 1994 .
Pernetta has now broken away from Bikram and launched her own brand .
Practiced in a room heated to 95 degrees Farenheit, not 105 like Bikram .
Other peculiar types of yoga, including toddler and laughter yoga . |
106,982 | 15fd66967fc521cec42f734c0f0c31a18df38386 | The ordeal for one of the victims began after she became desperate for love and attention because she was forced to care for her sick parents. So when Mohammed Karrar entered her life, bought her perfume and treated her like an adult, she believed in him. But the ‘nicey-nicey honeymoon period,’ as she described it, would last barely a year. After grooming her, Karrar made sure she was ‘out of it’ on drink and drugs before raping her on his sofa. Abuse: Mohammed Karrar, 38, left, and his brother Bassam Karrar, 33, right, forced the young girl to have sex with one of them while she performed a sex act on the other . From that moment she became his ‘property’ and a sex slave loaned out to abusers around the country for up to £600 an hour. Over five years she was repeatedly attacked in what she described as ‘torture sex’. Injected with heroin, she was sold to groups of Asian men who violently gang-raped her in bedsits and guesthouses around Oxford and elsewhere. The victim identified as Girl D for legal reasons, frequently broke down in tears giving evidence via videolink as she described her horrific ordeal. Following the rape, Karrar’s sadistic attacks became commonplace and sometimes he made ‘porn’ movies of her. If she refused, he would beat her up and threaten her with weapons, once beating her with a baseball bat. He even raped the girl, who came from a troubled family, at the home she shared with her parents. Abuse was carried out at the Nanford Guest House in Oxford. Pictured is a room at the guest house . Karrar and his brother Bassam, who have been found guilty along with five other men of a string of sex crimes, forced her to have sex with one of them while she performed a sex act on the other. Sobbing . as she recalled telling Karrar about her pregnancy, she . said: ‘He was f***ing fuming. He said I should have been a bit more . responsible.’ Given . two ‘ecstasy-like’ tablets, she was driven to a house in Reading where . she was forced to undergo an illegal abortion using a long hook. The teenager said she could not remember much of the procedure, but . believes it took place on a hard living room floor. No doctors or nurses . were present, there were no painkillers or medication.On one occasion, Karrar branded her flesh with hot metal. ‘He was branding me so that if I ever had sex with someone else, people would know I was his,’ she said. Convicted: Seven members of a paedophile ring were found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday of a catalogue of charges involving vulnerable underage girls who were groomed for sexual exploitation . Over the following four years Karrar took the girl around the country and sold her for ‘£600 a time’. She was made to wear short skirts and bikini tops before being repeatedly raped. Parties were held at which she was asked to meet the sexual requirements of up to 15 ‘important guests’. She later moved into a foster family away from Oxford and the nightmare stopped.Two years later she met Karrar after he convinced her he had changed. During a conversation at his home she demanded to know why he had abused her and sold her for sex. He became angry and raped her a final time. One victim said she had been so brainwashed by her abusers that even now she sometimes failed to see the evil in the men who had raped her. Known only as ‘Girl Three’, she endured three years of abuse at the hands of the gang. ‘It was brainwashing. Even to this day I can almost say, “They were OK”,’ she said. ‘It’s delusional. They turned me against my mum. They knew everything that they had to say to get a vulnerable person, a young person, on their side.’ Like many of the victims, she had experienced abuse as a child and was in care. She was later adopted but rebelled by running away and drinking. | Mohammed Karrar plied girl with drink and drugs and raped her .
She then became his ‘property’ and a sex slave .
Was loaned out to abusers around the country for up to £600 an hour . |
232,621 | b9327a39702b3dd993f9672b4153341efbd94124 | (CNN) -- Two-time African footballer of the year El-Hadji Diouf has been banned from international football for five years by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF). The ban follows comments the striker, who plays for English club Blackburn Rovers, made in the media relating to corruption in African football. In a statement posted on their official web site the FSF said Diouf would be forbidden "from performing any football-related activity for a period of five years with effect from the date of notification of this decision." The FSF accused Diouf of "having greatly damaged the image of both Senegalese football and of its officers and administrative techniques." In an interview with Radio France International Diouf said "the whole system of African football is corrupt" and spoke of "shenanigans" and "scams" within Senegalese soccer. The FSF claim Diouf failed to appear at a disciplinary hearing earlier this month, though the player denied having been informed about it in a subsequent interview with French sports magazine Stade. He also claimed he would "go to war" with the Senegalese football authorities if it followed through on its threat to ban him. Controversy has followed Diouf throughout his career in the UK, where he has played for Liverpool, Celtic, Sunderland and Bolton. Earlier this month his current manager at Blackburn, Steve Kean, said he thought it was time Diouf left the club after he failed to report on time for pre-season training. | El-Hadji Diouf has been banned from international soccer for five years by Senegal .
Diouf banned for claiming the football system in Africa is corrupt .
Two-time African footballer of the year also spoke of "shenanigans" in Senegal soccer .
Diouf claimed he didn't receive an invitation to a hearing earlier in the month . |
195,860 | 8981bbc3707f24c521e24842ab53b13305a722a1 | Obsessed with football and striving to become the best player he could, Danny Walsh silently slipped into the grip of a vicious eating disorder. His weight plummeted to just six stone. The then 22-year-old was suffering anorexia - one of around 176,000 men in the UK battling an eating disorder. But in just four months, Mr Walsh turned his life around, taking control and learning how to beat his illness. After being admitted to The Priory in July 2012 he underwent regular therapy, channelling his energy into eating healthy meals. But it is body-building that he credits with fuelling his recovery and his parents for saving his life. Danny Walsh, now 24, from Preston, fell victim to anorexia after becoming obsessed with being a better football player. At the height of his illness, his weight plummeted to just six stone, left. But within four months he beat his illness, gaining weight thanks to body-building, right . After being admitted to The Priory, Mr Walsh underwent therapy, channelling his energy into eating healthy meals. But it was body-building that drove his recovery, he said . Weighing in at just over 10 stone, the now 24-year-old is a healthy weight for his height, having completed his recovery. 'Looking back now is scary, I looked like a skeleton,' he said. 'I'd been quite dumpy at school and because of my asthma could never play footy. 'Once I stopped suffering with it I got really into it and joined my local team. 'I convinced myself that the slimmer I was, the fitter I became so I really cut down on my eating.' Despite eating much less than before, Mr Walsh, from Preston, continued a punishing regime of exercise, leaving him exhausted. The result was that half-way through his second year as an electrician's apprentice, he was let go having become so weak. Concerned, his father John Walsh, convinced his son to visit a GP. He was referred to hospital and at the end of 2007, Mr Walsh, then aged 18, was admitted to the psychiatric unit at Chorley Hospital in Lancashire. There, for the first time in a year, he ate a proper meal of sausage and mashed potato. Steadily his weight rose to a stable 9st 7lbs. And six months after being admitted, Mr Walsh got a new job at a bookmakers. But just as he appeared to have a grip on recovery, two tragic losses in Mr Walsh's life sent his weight spiralling down again. 'My colleague had become a second mum to me, and her death, coupled with my nan's knocked me for six,' he said. 'I didn't know what to do - everything felt out of control. 'Anorexia felt like the only thing I had any power over.' Mr Walsh's weight became so low his health took a turn for the worse. He was suffering a high blood pressure and heart problems because of his anorexia . But now, the 24-year-old has beaten his illness. He said: 'Now I'm putting about 3,500 calories in my body every day to make sure I'm fuelled.'I feel so much healthier now - fit as a fiddle. I know how lucky I've been' It was Mr Walsh's obsession with football, left, that triggered his eating disorder. Now he is fully recovered, he is planning to travel to Poland for a nose job, to complete his transformation and boost his confidence . As Mr Walsh's weight plummeted again, his health took a turn for the worse. He was suffering a sky high blood pressure and heart problems. Mr Walsh was admitted to the Priory as an outpatient where he received regular therapy to address his depression as well as the eating disorder. When he was discharged Mr Walsh forced himself to stop running for two months while he increased his calorie intake. A few months later he took up body-building. Within four months his weight had shot up as his muscles toned and stepping on the scales revealed he was a healthy 10st 3lbs. He said: 'I had all the knowledge to make body-building work for me. 'At my worst I could recite the calories off every packet in the supermarket - I was obsessed. 'I turned that sort of obsession on its head, making sure I knew I was getting all the right nutrients. 'I bought a bench and set of weights and focus on body-building, doing a bit of cardio and eating healthily. 'Now I'm putting about 3,500 calories in my body every day to make sure I'm fuelled. 'I feel so much healthier now - fit as a fiddle. I know how lucky I've been though. 'If I hadn't had my mum and dad at my worst I know I'd have died. 'They were the only thing keeping me going.' Having fully recovered his anorexia, Mr Walsh is set to travel to Poland to have rhinoplasty to complete his transformation and increase his confidence. Adam Kalecinksi from Europesurgery said: 'Having seen Danny's incredible recovery I'm more than happy to help him complete his transformation. 'Confidence is a big issue for him and I hope by having this surgery that will make him feel even more comfortable in his skin.' To find out more about eating disorders, and how to seek help visit the charity beat's website. | Danny Walsh slipped into the grip of anorexia after becoming obsessive over football, training to be the best player he could be .
At his worst, his weight plummeted to a skeletal six stone .
But within four months he managed to beat the illness and gain weight .
Body-building gave Mr Walsh the confidence to complete his recovery . |
242,688 | c622872e9064bfc8e1d16fbc5ec3845c4611fe33 | If you're planning to go to the 2014 Annual Fall Meeting of the American Physical Society in Illinois this Saturday, you might be in for a bit of a surprise with the final talk of the day. Because that's when plasma physicist Dr John Brandenburg will present his theory that an ancient civilisation on Mars was wiped out by a nuclear attack from another alien race. In his bizarre theory, Dr Brandenburg says ancient Martians known as Cydonians and Utopians were massacred in the attack - and evidence of the genocide can still be seen today. Scroll down for video . A scientist is to present his theory that ancient life on Mars was massacred. Dr Brandenburg is giving a talk on his research tomorrow in Illinois at the American Physical Society. He says there is evidence for two nuclear explosions on Mars (image from his paper shown) Back in 2011 the scientist first postulated that the red colour on Mars could have been due to a naturally occurring thermonuclear explosion. 'The Martian surface is covered with a thin layer of radioactive substances including uranium, thorium and radioactive potassium - and this pattern radiates from a hot spot on Mars,' he told Fox News at the time. 'A nuclear explosion could have sent debris all around the planet.' Aside from this outlandish theory, Dr John Brandenburg has led a rather more normal, and prestigious, career. He has a PhD in Theoretical Plasma Physics from the University of California at Davis. Currently he works as a plasma physicist at Orbital Technologies in Madison Wisconsin. He has worked on a variety of propulsion technologies and previously was an independent consultant on Space Missile Defense and Directed Energy Weapons. Dr Brandenburg has authored a number of books with his latest, Death on Mars: The Discovery of a Planetary Nuclear Massacre, to be published in February 2015. But since then he has advanced his theory to the level that he now no longer thinks it was a naturally occurring explosion - but rather one planned by an intelligent alien race. According to Vice, the conclusion of his latest paper says that nuclear isotopes in the atmosphere resembling hydrogen bomb tests 'may present an example of civilisation wiped out by a nuclear attack from space.' His research centres around the 'high concentration' of Xenon-129 in the Martian atmosphere, and uranium and thorium on the surface, spotted by Nasa's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Scientists have previously pointed about that the appearance of these elements is not surprising, as they are natural elements found everywhere. But Dr Brandenburg is adamant they are the remnants of two nuclear explosions on the surface. He will lay out his research tomorrow in his talk titled 'Evidence of Massive Thermonuclear Explosions in Mars Past, The Cydonian Hypothesis, and Fermi's Paradox'. And he is also apparently set to have a paper published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. Dr Brandenburg says evidence for the explosions exists near two sites that apparently had life in the past, including Cydonia, the location of the famous 'face on Mars' spotted from orbit (left). However, later images showed it was just a chance alignment of shifting dust dunes (right) Back in 2011 the scientist first postulated that the red colour on Mars (pictured) could have been due to a naturally occurring thermonuclear explosion - but now he thinks it was caused by an intelligent alien race . He says Mars once had an Earth-like climate home to animal and plant life, and any intelligent life would have been about as advanced as the ancient Egyptians on Earth. This is based on his analysis of two regions, one being Cydonia, where the infamous - and later discredited - 'face on Mars' was found. This, according to Dr Brandenburg, is an artefact from the ancient alien race. Here, one of the supposed nuclear explosions wiped out the civilisation at Cydonia Mensa and another, smaller one destroyed a civilisation at a region called Galaxias Chaos. 'Analysis of new images from Odyssey, MRO and Mars Express orbiters now show strong evidence of eroded archeological objects at these sites,' he writes in the abstract for his research to be presented tomorrow. 'Taken together, the data requires that the hypothesis of Mars as the site of an ancient planetary nuclear massacre, must now be considered.' Dr Brandenburg says Mars once had an Earth-like climate home to animal and plant life, and any intelligent life would have been about as advanced as the ancient Egyptians on Earth . Dr Brandenburg says his theory could explain the Fermi Paradox - namely why, if the universe is abundant with life, we haven't heard anything from anyone else yet. He warns, though, that we need to be fearful of an attack on our own planet, and should mount a manned mission to Mars to know what we're up against. 'Providentially, we are forewarned of this possible aspect of the cosmos,' he writes. 'The author therefore advocates that a human mission to Mars is mounted immediately to maximise knowledge of what occurred.' UFO expert Nigel Watson, author of the Haynes UFO Investigation Manual, told MailOnline that Dr Brandenburg is not the first to suggest Mars was 'murdered' by nuclear explosions. 'These stories and many variations of them present a view that our Solar System was the home of several nuclear battles raged between alien visitors and settlers,' he said. 'Much of the evidence is either channeled through automatic writing, psychic messages or the interpretation of ancient texts. 'Although Brandenburg's theory is on more solid ground, it still amounts to speculation based on our present day awareness of the power of nuclear weapons and our fear of its misuse. 'It is a warning that we could do the same to our own planet, and underlines the belief of many scientists that we have not detected intelligent life elsewhere in the universe because at some point civilisations will become extinct either through catastrophe or self-destruction.' | Scientist is to present his theory that ancient life on Mars was massacred .
Dr Brandenburg is giving a talk on his research tomorrow in Illinois .
He says there is evidence for two nuclear explosions on Mars .
These apparently wiped out two races - the Cydonians and Utopians .
Detection of uranium and thorium on the surface is evidence for these past explosions, he claims .
And he warns we should be wary of a similar attack on Earth . |
211,371 | 9db5421cbd46baedac52531325a18549fbce1bc3 | (CNN) -- The 222nd El Clasico -- a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid which epitomizes the ultimate in team rivalry -- turned into an individual showcase for the two greatest players in world football and fittingly ended in a 2-2 draw Sunday. Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored twice to put his side 2-1 ahead in their Camp Nou Stadium after an early strike from Real's Cristiano Ronaldo. But the Portuguese star drew the reigning Spanish champions level on the hour mark with his second goal and almost certainly kept their title hopes alive. They trail leaders Barcelona by eight points after seven games, 11 would have been almost insurmountable. A draw was probably a fair result although it is unlikely the majority of the 98,000 fans who crammed into Barcelona's magnificent home stadium would have agreed. Because at stake is not just the result of a football match but the very pride and honor of the Catalan people. Independence calls . Many from this semi-autonomous region of Spain want full independence and last month more than a million people demanded just that in a demonstration in Barcelona. Former Barca manager Pepe Guardiola publicly supported that ambition, which has gathered pace in the austerity-hit country, with many Catalonia citizens believing they are paying more than their fair share into the coffers of the government in Madrid. This feeling of Catalan identity embodied in a football club is summed up by Barcelona's motto "mes que un club" -- more than a club, and clashes against Real Madrid are chances to give vent to their feelings. Austerity gives El Clasico added twist . The passionate atmosphere Sunday went up a notch as Barcelona officials allowed fans to display the yellow and red colors of Catalonia in a giant mosaic, holding up cards to get the effect. And at exactly 17 minutes and 14 seconds, chants for independence rang out in reference to the Catalans' military defeat to the Royalists in the War of Spanish Succession in 1714. Political football . Barcelona's central defender Gerard Pique had tweeted Saturday that he wanted politics to say out of El Clasico. "The games between Barcelona and Madrid increasingly resemble Catalonia against Spain and this should not happen," he wrote. "It's just a football match." Whether all his fellow players agreed with Pique, they certainly missed him in defense as he was ruled out by injury. The full throated chants had barely subsided when Ronaldo ran through a big gap in the Barcelona back line and shot past Victor Valdes on 22 minutes. It was a record sixth goal in six matches against Barcelona and Real would be left to rue a miss by Karim Benzema soon afterwards which might have led to a different result. His mishit shot hit the post and by halftime Messi had equalized after hesitation in the Real defense. Is this El Clasico a must win game for Real? In the second half, Messi was fouled just outside the Real penalty area and got up to send an unstoppable free kick past Iker Casillas. But Ronaldo replied when weakness at the heart of the home defense was again evident and he equalized with a low shot. Both sides had chances to grab the three points but had to settle for a draw. Controversial invite . The political undertones behind the latest El Clasico found further expression in the decision by Barcelona to invite Gilad Shalit, a former Israeli soldier who was held captive in Gaza for nearly five years. It risked alienating their many supporters in the Palestine region and the Hamas government called for a boycott of the television coverage. Barcelona responded by inviting a former Palestine international player Mahmoud Sarsak, who had been detained by the Israelis, but he declined to come. | Barcelona draw 2-2 with Real Madrid in El Clasico .
Two goals apiece from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo .
Catalan giants Barcelona stay eight points clear of arch-rivals .
Game held against backdrop of growing demands for indepedence for Catalonia . |
230,197 | b61654b0b8447931606346dcad3aa3e62ff7ffed | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 19:05 EST, 13 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:25 EST, 14 November 2013 . The Duchess of Cornwall has paid tribute to her ‘workaholic’ husband on his 65th birthday, revealing: ‘He’s not one for chilling.’ In an unprecedented interview during the couple’s official tour of India, Camilla also admitted that Prince Charles was ‘the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for’ – and that he was unlikely to celebrate becoming a pensioner unless she ‘hopped up and down singing happy birthday’. Her revelations offer a charming insight into the couple’s relationship and a rarely glimpsed side of the future king, who is already the longest-serving heir in British history and today turns a pensioner. The Duchess of Cornwall has paid tribute to her 'workaholic' husband on his 65th birthday. Her revelations, in an unprecedented interview, offer a charming insight into the couple's relationship . The Duchess, 66, was speaking after an engagement at the Aluva Palace in Kerala, south-west India, on Tuesday, where she met women who have been helped to start their own businesses. But what should have been a brief exchange of words on the rain-sodden balcony turned into a lengthy chat as she spoke with undisguised warmth about her husband. She said: ‘I will tell you that he is the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for. He is a man! They are hopeless! I spend ages trying to find something that is really wonderful and then [she mimes him opening a present] “Oh, thank you very much” [she uses a non-committal voice]. It is so annoying. ‘So he likes to make a list of things that he wants so you get it exactly right. I find this time of year impossible as it’s his birthday and then it’s Christmas, so you have got two in a row. Everybody else is easy but he is not.’ Charles and Camilla arrive at Kew Place for the 80th birthday dinner for Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 . These pictures show the Prince of Wales celebrating his 50th birthday in 1998 (left) and his 60th in 2008 . The Duchess did, however, manage to find the perfect present for the Prince. ‘He collects a lot of things and it is something special – china – that I have found,’ she added. ‘It’s what he really likes. And I know he will be happy with that.’ Asked whether Charles planned to celebrate or commiserate his big day, she smiled and said: ‘I think it is commiserate – well in my case I went very quiet about it. Luckily he has caught up with me now. We are both pensioners and he can join in with me collecting the bus pass.’ Although he likes birthdays – especially ‘cake and a bit of a sing song’ – the Duchess said it was difficult to get the Prince to take time out. ‘He never, ever stops working. He’s exhausting. No matter what the day, he is always working,’ she said of her husband, who guest-edited a special edition of Country Life magazine – featuring Camilla – to commemorate his birthday. Prince Charles, pictured with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as she celebrated her 80th birthday in 2006 . Prince Charles (second from left, back) celebrates his mother's 42nd birthday with his family in 1968 when he was 19 . ‘I am hopping up and down and saying, “Darling do you think we could have a bit of, you know, peace and quiet, enjoy ourselves together?”. But he always has to finish something. He is so in the zone … you are outside … but he is always there in the zone, working, working, working.’ The couple have a string of engagements today in India and Sri Lanka, where Charles is due to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on behalf on the Queen for the first time. The Duchess said they could wait until they are on the plane tomorrow to celebrate. ‘But he’ll stick with his papers, I know he will, while I am trying to sing happy birthday. I might just even have to hold up a sign saying “happy birthday, darling”,’ she laughed. 'Workaholic' Prince Charles guest-edited a special edition of Country Life magazine to commemorate his 65th . The couple took a day off from their busy schedule yesterday at a luxury resort in Kerala. The Duchess said: ‘To be honest I think I am just going to chill out, completely, I don’t think I am going to do anything really.’ But asked whether she would persuade Charles to ‘chill out’, she laughed: ‘I doubt it, although I shall do my best. If there’s a little hint of sun I might just persuade him to go for a walk or sit outside. He loves walking, so that might do it. ‘We see the sun all the time but we never get the chance to just go and sit in it. So that would be bliss. So maybe I will persuade him. But no, my husband is not one for chilling.’ | Wife Camilla revealed Prince Charles was unlikely to celebrate becoming a pensioner unless she 'hopped up and down singing happy birthday'
Revelations offer charming insight into the couple's relationship and a rarely glimpsed side of the future king .
Prince of Wales is already the longest serving heir in British history . |
39,175 | 6eb4f450b2fca771bbb5e1988b1dcb98b346cf96 | (CNN) -- Syrian rebels have received heavy weapons -- including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles -- from "brotherly nations that support the Syrian revolution," a rebel spokesman said Friday. Free Syrian Army political and media coordinator Louay Almokdad told CNN during a phone call from Istanbul that Free Syrian Army leaders believe the weapons "will be a turning point" in the war against government forces "and will definitely change the rules of the war on the ground." Interactive: War not only about Syria . The issue of providing military assistance to Syrian rebels is expected to be further addressed Saturday at a "Friends of Syria" meeting in Doha, Qatar, which will be attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The White House has not publicly specified what steps it would take to support members of Syria's opposition, though sources have told CNN that small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons would be part of the assistance package. Syrian rebels have long sought anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, saying they are outgunned by President Bashar al-Assad's military. The White House announcement this month that it was increasing the "size and scope" of its material support to Syrian rebels came after months of political debate over the U.S. role in the conflict. Great Britain and France were strong backers of the May decision to end the European Union arms embargo on Syria, and all three countries have asserted that al-Assad's regime used chemical weapons. Al-Assad has denied the assertion. In recent weeks, the rebels have suffered a series of devastating setbacks, including the loss of the stronghold of Qusayr near the Lebanon border. CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report. | The weapons are from "brotherly nations," a rebel spokesman says .
Louay Almokdad of the Free Syrian Army says they represent "a turning point"
The issue of military assistance is expected to be raised Saturday in Doha, Qatar . |
165,362 | 61d73b0d26a22c1e887310242abf95854e4a0a97 | (CNN) -- The director of public security in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, was gunned down Wednesday night, officials said, though details of the incident remained scarce. Gen. Manuel Farfan Carreola, who served as police chief, was shot near his office by unknown assailants, said Everardo Sanchez, a spokesman for Mexico's attorney general's office. He had been in the position since a new administration assumed city leadership on January 1. Rumors of how many others were killed along with the police chief swirled in Nuevo Laredo Thursday, but city officials declined to go on the record with details surrounding the incident. The state government, which is leading the investigation, was expected to hold a news conference Thursday evening. "Obviously, the news about his death is out, but the circumstances have been in the shadows," said Joe Baeza, a spokesman for the Laredo, Texas, Police Department. The Laredo Police Department keeps in touch with its cross-border colleagues. The investigation is an ongoing process, Baeza said, though early reports that have reached his department were that five of Farfan's security team were killed in the shooting. The Laredo Police Department received several reports of sporadic gunfire on the Mexican side of the border, possibly related to the fallout of the killing, Baeza said. "There's reported instability on the Mexican side," he said. Nuevo Laredo is one of the battlegrounds that is being contested by rival drug cartels. The Gulf cartel and its former enforcers, Los Zetas, have been fighting over the territory and its lucrative smuggling routes. The Sinaloa cartel also has been fighting for years to get a foothold in the area. CNN's Nick Valencia contributed to this report. | Gen. Manuel Farfan was killed in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico .
He had served as Neuvo Laredo's for a little over one month .
Officials released few details about the shooting . |
269,290 | e8d255c1ba0f211d6df92db4325c63029f25667c | By . Jonathan O'Callaghan for MailOnline . The reason the Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk has been hotly debated for the past century. While some say it was due to human error, others say the unusual appearance of a large iceberg in a region of the Atlantic Ocean was the main factor. But now a paper claims it was not one or the other, but rather adverse weather conditions that drove icebergs south farther than usual. Scroll down for video . Researchers from the University of Sheffield say icebergs drifted farther south than usual in 1912. In this graphic the dotted line shows the sea-ice limit for April 1979-2013, the dashed line shows that in 1912 and the solid line shows the expected overall limit. Titanic's impact with an iceberg is marked by the 'X' The paper 'The iceberg risk in the Titanic year of 1912' was published in the journal Significance. Some researchers have argued that the iceberg responsible for the demise of the Titanic was sent on its deadly path by the closest approach of the moon to the Earth in 1,400 years. Texas State University researchers claimed in 2012 that a once-in-a-lifetime lunar event created a super-high tide on January 12, 1912. The tide dislodged icebergs from shallow waters off the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland, filling shipping lanes with icebergs. The ice field in the area the Titanic sank was so thick with icebergs responding rescue ships were forced to slow down. But researchers from the University of Sheffield have now attempted to dispel this as a myth and claimed the risk is much greater now. It describes how the distance the iceberg that sunk the Titanic had drifted south was much farther than would have been expected at the time. While they admit stresses on the crew might have been a factor, they say the surprising appearance of such a large iceberg meant the ship’s fate was down to poor luck. ‘It is most likely that a combination of human errors associated with the captain not reducing speed - despite a number of ice reports reaching the vessel in the days before the collision - and possible variable rivet quality in the hull manufacture led to the tragedy,’ the authors write. ‘However, the question has often been raised: was the Titanic unlucky in sailing in a year with exceptional iceberg numbers?’ At 0240 GMT on 15 April 1912, the RMS Titanic struck a large iceberg while 400 miles (643km) from land. About 330ft (100 metres) of the hull below the waterline buckled, flooding the ship with water across several compartments. In just over 2.5 hours the ship sunk (illustrated), claiming 1,514 lives in the process . This photograph shows the iceberg which sank the Titanic. The Titanic only had visual sightings and a shipboard radio to guide it through iceberg-infested waters . While today there is an extensive ice harzard warning service in the northwest Atlantic, provided by the International Ice Patrol (IIP), in 1912 ships relied on largely on information from others at sea. In early April 1912 a number of icebergs had been reported in the northwest Atlantic, which suggests it may have been an exceptional year for icebergs - although not a record. The IIP monitors icebergs by the number that drift south below the 48°N line called the I48N, which runs from Newfoundland to 40°W. This includes any iceberg greater than 16 feet (5m) in above-surface length. In 1912 1,038 icebergs are thought to have crossed the line - a large number, but not the most on record. In 2009, for example, over 1,200 icebergs were seen to cross the I48N. The iceberg which sank the Titanic was spotted just before midnight on 14 April 1912 and was 1,640 feet (500m) away. Pictured is one possible path taken by the iceberg that sank Titanic over 100 years ago . ‘The iceberg risk in 1912, in terms of number entering the northwest Atlantic shipping lanes, was therefore large, but not unprecedented,’ the authors write. Icebergs, however, generally lose most of their size while drifting south. It is thought that the Titanic iceberg was up to 605ft (185m) deep and about 410ft (125m) long, quite large for one so far south. The reason for this, the authors say, was because high pressure dominated the mid-latitude, central Atlantic atmosphere for several days in 1912. This led to winds carrying freezing air from northeastern Canada over the western Atlantic south of Newfoundland and, in turn, led to icebergs being transferred further south than normal for that time of year. Indeed, the distance south this particular iceberg travelled while maintaining the bulk of its size was largely unusual, despite being in a year with not a record number of icebergs. ‘Thus, two unfavourable factors had combined: there were a greater (though not exceptionally greater) number of icebergs than normal that year; and weather conditions had driven them further south, and earlier in the year, than was usual,’ the authors write. They add, however: ‘We may add a third: the stresses on the crew of the Titanic’s maiden voyage.’ After crashing into an iceberg, the ship that was described as 'unsinkable' went under in just two and a half hours leaving 1,517 people dead and only 700 survivors. Its wreck is pictured here . | Researchers say a combination of factors led to the sinking of the Titanic .
They say a larger iceberg than usual sent south by rare weather conditions meant the ship encountered the large hunk of ice .
The crew were unlucky in encountering such an iceberg, the authors say .
However they add stresses on the crew also played a part in the event . |
174,548 | 6dea1c1618c36003898564e68696fdce1ad06aac | By . Emma Innes . A healthy seven-year-old girl died suddenly just hours after developing chickenpox. Nicole Murphy's heartbroken parents are now warning others to be aware of the danger of the common illness. Nicole's lifeless body was found by her distraught father Aaron, 29, just 24 hours after she broke out in spots on December 27 last year. Nicole Murphy, seven, died after developing chickenpox. It is thought the illness might have triggered a fit . An inquest heard he had checked on his . daughter several times during the night but found her unresponsive and . not breathing in her bed at about 3am. She was rushed from her home in Stourport, Worcestershire, to Worcestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance where she tragically died. Stourport Coroners' Court heard yesterday how her death may have been triggered by a fit brought on by the chickenpox. But Worcestershire deputy coroner Marguerite Elcock concluded Nicole died of unknown natural causes. A pathologist was unable to provide an exact cause of death. After the hearing, Mr Murphy and his partner, Clare Rush, 29, spoke of their loss and told how they wanted to raise awareness of the complications that can be caused by the virus. A coroner recorded a verdict of death by unknown natural causes . Mr Murphy said: ‘We need more awareness that chickenpox is not just a harmless childhood illness. ‘I had no idea it could cause the shut-down of organs, I thought the worst thing was it'll scar if you scratch them. ‘I just can’t comprehend how my daughter could have died of something that doctors describe as a simple illness. ‘Nicole had been suffering quite badly and over the night, I kept hearing heavy breathing on the monitor and checking she was okay. ‘She seemed to be just sleeping, but on the last time I came back to check I found she wasn't breathing. We did what we could. ‘We came here looking for answers but we still don't really know for sure how she had died. ‘My son is missing her massively. The children have become clingy, they try and cheer me up over it, but it's so hard for all of us.’ Ms Rush, a carer, added: ‘I've heard of parents deliberately holding chickenpox parties where they bring their children into others who have the virus because they say it is better to get it as a child than an adult. ‘But I hope this might urge others to think twice about these sort of things. ‘She only broke out in spots the day before and we gave her Calpol like the doctors told us to do. But within 24 hours she was dead. ‘We are absolutely heartbroken that we have lost our little girl but we don't want other mums and dads to go through the same.’ The inquest heard how Nicole had been developed chickenpox, along with her sister Jenna, two, and five-year-old brother, Preston. In 2008 Fabio Alves-Nunes, five, died after suffering from a severe bout of chickenpox . But unlike her siblings, Nicole . suffered a severe bout of the illness and was heard to have heavy . breathing by her father who checked on her through the night. Paediatric . pathologist Dr Nikola Ostojic said he could not confirm the cause of . Nicole's death but did say there was some evidence of pneumonia and a . cyst in her brain. Mr Murphy sobbed during the hearing as the coroner told him he had done everything he could to help her. She said: ‘Things came to a head when she stopped breathing and you had to call an ambulance. Fabio died of multiple organ failure after he developed toxic shock, a type of blood poisoning . ‘That happened quickly - from being a generally poorly child with chickenpox to stopping breathing. ‘You . did absolutely everything you could to get some help, but . unfortunately, having been taken to hospital, Nicole could not be saved. ‘It may be that Nicole was very poorly with chickenpox and as a result she may have had an epileptic fit.’ Nicole was not the first child to die after developing chickenpox. In 2008, five-year-old Fabio Alves-Nunes died after suffering from the illness. He developed the illness very severely and died of multiple organ failure after he developed toxic shock, a type of blood poisoning. Chickenpox is usually a mild but infectious disease. It takes seven to 21 days for the symptoms to show after infection and people are infectious from two days before the rash appears until roughly five days after. Around 95 per cent of children catch chickenpox before the age of 16, and for most it's a mild illness leading to itching, blisters and sometimes a high temperature . After having chickenpox the body usually develops an immunity, which stops people getting it again. Most doctors recommend rest and lotion to soothe itchy spots. | Nicole Murphy, from Stourport, developed chickenpox in December 2013 .
Her father, Aaron, checked on her several times during the night .
At about 3am he found her unresponsive and not breathing .
She was rushed to hospital where she tragically died on December 27 .
A coroner recorded a verdict of death by unknown natural causes .
It is thought the illness might have triggered a fit . |
168,738 | 664ba42506d953fdc422a30d9622f62c1b4d5bea | (CNN) -- Some house important corporate meetings; others are family homes. Some are gearing up to welcome top athletes while others open their doors to school children each day. But all these buildings have one thing in common: This year they have won coveted architecture awards for innovative design and construction methods and for promoting sustainability. CNN puts the global spotlight on a handful of buildings that have been recognized not only for their good looks but for their green credentials too. Casa Locarno -- Locarno, Switzerland . Overlooking Lago Maggiore in Switzerland, Casa Locarno was designed by Designyougo and insulated to low energy standards. Instead of using conventional heating, solar collectors on the roof provide energy for the low temperature under-floor heating, as well as for hot water during most months of the year. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . Swarovski Headquarters -- Lake Zurich, Switzerland . Located on the eastern shore of the Lake Zurich in Switzerland, the transparent building houses some 500 staff of crystal manufacturer Swarovski. The low-energy, horseshoe-shaped structure uses water from the nearby lake for heating and cooling. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . OS House -- Racine, Wisconsin, United States . This LEED Platinum-certified family house, located in the town of Racine on the edge of Lake Michigan, was built by Johnsen Schmaling Architects to achieve maximum natural cross-ventilation and make the most of its solar exposure. It features a compact structured plumbing system with low-flow fixtures on taps and shower heads and an on-demand hot water circulating pump. Award: AIA 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects . Velodrome -- London, United Kingdom . Sitting at the north of London's Olympic Park, the Velodrome will open its doors this summer to welcome thousands of track cycling fans during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by Hopkins Architects and built to be lightweight and efficient to reflect the design of a bicycle, it is is one of the most sustainable Olympic Park venues. Strategically positioned roof lights allow the use of abundant daylight, while openings in the venue's external timber cladding help to achieve natural ventilation. Award: RIBA . FUSMH -- Madison, Wisconsin, United States . The First Unitarian Society Meeting House was designed by the Kubala Washatko Architects and is a 20,000-square-foot addition to the historic Meeting House in Madison, Wisconsin. The LEED-Gold certified building is about 40% more efficient than a comparable building that doesn't contain the same innovations. Carbon dioxide sensors trigger a ventilation system that provides energy savings when spaces are not occupied, while more than 90% of regularly-occupied areas are daylit. Award: AIA 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects . House in Shimogamo -- Kyoto, Japan . "To be able to see green from every room." This was the request made to designers, Edward Suzuki Associates, of this two-storied building, in the northern part of Kyoto, Japan. The modern house features a circular screen of frosted glass, behind of which there is a green zone that strikes a pleasant contrast to the industrialized material. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . Sandal Magna School -- Wakefield, United Kingdom . This community primary school in Wakefield is one of the most carbon-efficient schools in the United Kingdom. Inside, all services and building elements are visible and make the school itself a valuable tool for teaching about sustainability. Sarah Wigglesworth Architects made sure that ecological features include completely natural ventilation through wind towers and on-site energy generation for heating and cooling. Award: RIBA . Livestrong Foundation -- Austin, Texas, United States . This 1950s-era warehouse, which previously had no windows, was "adaptively reused" by Lake|Flato Architects and transformed into a LEED Gold-certified building. Nearly 90% of the materials from the demolition of the old building were recycled and used in the new structure. As part of the changes, the workers put windows in the roof that harvest Texas' ample daylight for the main workspace. Award: AIA 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects . Ixsir Winery -- Basbina, Lebanon . Overlooking Basbina in northern Lebanon, this winery combines a restored 400-year-old feudal house with a modern-built, green-skinned (walls or roof of any building that have green capability e.g. they could have plants growing in them) structure. Designed by Raed Abillama Architects, its cellar spaces are buried within the ground as a thermal sponge, creating the needed equilibrium of temperature and humidity. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . Park Hotel Hyderabad -- Hyderabad, India . This five-star luxury boutique hotel in Hyderabad, India, achieved the first LEED Gold certification for a hotel in India in 2010 and was designed by SOM. The project is distinctive for its implementation of sustainable design strategies, with special focus on daylighting: Perforated and embossed metal screens over a high-performance glazing system allow ample diffused daylight to enter the interior spaces. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . Cherokee Studios -- Los Angeles, United States . This mixed-use housing project in LA was designed by Brooks + Scarpa Architects to make the most of the the mild local climate with passive cooling strategies of cross-ventilation and thermal convection. The entire regularly-occupied building area is daylit and can also be ventilated with operable windows. Award: AIA 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects . Marco Polo Tower -- Hamburg, Germany . Designed by Behnisch Architeckten, the Marco Polo Tower brings together a high-end residential project with a holistic ecological building concept. The recessed facades are protected from direct sun by the carefully designed projecting balconies, vacuum collectors on the roof using a heat exchanger turn heat into a cooling system for the apartments. Solar collectors on the roof provide the necessary energy to warm water for the apartments and the communal fitness area. Photograph by Roland Halbe. Award: Green Good Design 2011 . | CNN presents a selection of eco-friendly buildings that were honored this year .
Eco-friendly buildings include schools, homes, sports arenas and office buildings .
Awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects and American Institute of Architects among others . |
268,249 | e774533c1e565b1ced3a506b02e0d25d862201c0 | Cult TV show Dallas has sparked an 80's fashion revival, according to sales figures released today by high street retailer Debenhams. But put thoughts of neon leggings and denim jackets out of your mind: the character driving the trend is matriarch Sue Ellen Ewing, played by 71-year-old actress Linda Gray. Sales of tailored dresses and jackets . similar to those worn by the actress have more than doubled since Sue . Ellen first appeared on the Channel 5 show, according to . Debenhams. Revival: Linda Gray (second from left) as Sue Ellen Ewing in Dallas 2012 . The impact of the return of the hit 80's . show - only weeks old - has already been felt on the high street and . been dubbed the 'Dallas Effect'. Best sellers include a £75 J by Jasper Conran tartan shift dress and £65 J by Jasper Conran jacket. Other items to register a surge in sales are evening dresses from the Designers at Debenhams ranges in bold metallics and velvet - none of which would look out of place at the TV hit show’s Oil Baron’s Ball. Also popular are glamorous 80’s trouser suits and pointy toe stiletto heels, which shoppers are buying instead of last season's chunky platform sandals. Sue Ellen gives us a masterclass in power dressing in a new episode of Dallas . Top sellers: J by Jasper Conran jacket, £65, and dress, £75 (debenhams.com) 'Power dressing is back,' says Debenhams spokeswoman Michelle Dowdall. 'Women want to look a million dollars and are going all out to make an impression by heading straight for the tried and tested power-dressing tools made famous by the notorious Texans.' 80's staples, including power suits, bold print and towering stiletto heels, all featured on the winter catwalks, while last season's delicate ladylike pieces kickstarted the current trend for matching shoes and bags - another 80's classic. Prada showed brightly printed tunic and trouser combos, while at Chanel, the three piece suit was given a revamp for A/W2012. Miu Miu, Erdem, Prabal Gurung and Roberto Cavalli also showed trouser suits, while on the high street, Debenhams, Whistles and Topshop all offer a cheaper take on the trend. Suits you: 80's style suits on the catwalk at Miu Miu (left) and Prabal Gurung . As they were: the stars of the original series of Dallas snapped on set in 1979 . Along with clothes, accessories have also taken a step back in time, with Debenhams reporting a significant rise in sales of costume jewellery, with big crystals and pearls selling well. Adds Dowdall; 'Customers are piling on the bling and splashing out on all sorts of costume jewellery to make a big 80’s style statement . 'It’s as though Dallas reminds people of a time when the economic outlook was bold and bright – just like the cast’s wardrobe!' | Two piece suits and bold prints among the pieces making a comeback .
High street retailer Debenhams reports a 110 percent increase in sales of trouser suits .
Sales of costume jewellery, including big crystals and pearls, go up by 34 per cent . |
244,424 | c8534ef13e66dd426ed43aec133c9effa64b15cc | England are less than 12 months away from a home World Cup but have just lost four Tests on the trot to New Zealand and one to South Africa. The game with Australia on Saturday week is now ‘must-win’. But do the southern-hemisphere nations agree that England are in crisis? NIK SIMON asked three legends… . MICHAEL LYNAGH (72-cap Australia fly half, 1991 Rugby World Cup winner) Michael Lynagh won the 1991 World Cup . It’s not time to press the panic button just yet but there was not a lot of creativity in England’s play at the weekend. That played into South Africa’s hands because they’re a physical side that love people running straight at them. Owen Farrell hasn’t played a lot of rugby this season and it’s not an easy task to find your feet against New Zealand and the Springboks. Maybe he wasn’t quite ready. I think there’s an option to have George Ford come in at No 10, with Owen at 12. It gives you more options with kicking and also two ball-players that can stand either side of the ruck. Defensively Owen is very strong at inside centre and he’s used to playing alongside Brad Barritt, who has been at 13. Maybe it’s time for Ben Youngs to have a go at scrum half against Samoa and show us what he’s got, but the most important thing is getting a win over Australia. Owen Farrell has been criticised for his displays against New Zealand and South Africa . The Saracens fly half could be moved to inside centre, but seems unlikely to start the next game at 10 . SEAN FITZPATRICK (92-cap former All Blacks skipper) Sean Fitzpatrick is a legendary All Black . England are going through a building phase but they will be disappointed with the performance against South Africa. They should be a bit harder on themselves but, in the context of where they were three years ago, they have made huge strides. As fans here we want England to win and the nice thing is now people are expecting them to win. Injuries have not helped their cause and South Africa at Twickenham is a game they would have targeted as a win. The fact that southern-hemisphere players are being contracted to their union also certainly helps, especially in the autumn. It makes them almost like a club team. That’s where the northern hemisphere are going to struggle against the southern hemisphere. Perhaps the RFU should look to buy out the clubs. George Ford, who came on in both games, could start for England in the next fixture against Samoa . THINUS DELPORT (Former South Africa and Gloucester full back) Thinus Delport played 18 times for South Africa . The guys all looked very nervous at Twickenham and England must learn to handle the pressure and expectation that will come over the next 12 months. South Africa had less possession and territory in the first half but capitalised on ill-discipline and unforced errors — a lot of that is down to pressure and in particular the decision-making at 9, 10 and 12. Unfortunately pressure is building on the England set-up from all angles. How they handle that will be crucial to their chances of winning the World Cup. They can go out for a beer, but if they get caught out by the media and then the result doesn’t go their way, then it becomes the wrong thing to do. But it can swing both ways and England have to find that balance between focus and relaxation very quickly. England could call on Ben Youngs to help break the malaise in the half-back positions . The Autumn Internationals on Sky Sports are part of an unrivalled schedule of rugby union with over 360 matches from the international, European and domestic game. | England suffered defeats to New Zealand and South Africa .
Stuart Lancaster's team face Samoa next weekend .
Michael Lynagh, Sean Fitzpatrick and Thinus Delport give their views . |
239,713 | c25557f6d15faecebd313f319fcc7ce1eda846aa | (CNN) -- On Saturday, in the wake of the rocket attack that downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urged the U.N. secretary-general to recognize the two main rebel groups in his country, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, as terrorist organizations. In a similar vein Monday, Poroshenko told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that everyone must chose between the terrorists and the civilized world. Although any country can declare those two rebel groups terrorist in accordance with their national legislation, and so make it illegal for any of their nationals to provide them with support, the U.N. secretary-general cannot, and nor can any other part of the United Nations, except possibly the Security Council. The reason is that there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism. In fact, the debate on what terrorism means has been going on at the United Nations for at least 20 years, stuck in major disagreement over what may be considered legitimate when people are fighting for their right to self-determination. There are, however, many international conventions that define acts of terrorism, one of the earliest being the 1971 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, which would certainly cover the downing of the Malaysian airliner, so long as the act was shown to be intentional. But for Poroshenko, the rebels in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were terrorists long before Flight 17 came down, and will remain so whether or not they are proved responsible. Russian President Vladimir Putin would see it differently. Although he backs President Bashar al-Assad's characterization of all rebel groups in Syria as terrorists, in the Ukrainian case he believes that the rebels are exercising their rights to self-defense and self-determination. The two issues are not completely similar because the Syrian rebels are looking to change their government rather than their nationality, but in both cases use of the terrorist label has the same intention of inviting universal condemnation. It makes it harder to distinguish between what may be legitimate and what is not. And here lies one of the complexities of so many current areas of conflict around the world, where borders have become disputed not by the states that exist on either side, but by the people who live inside them and resent the identity or confinement that they confer. Since 9/11, terrorism has come a long way from the isolated cases of assassination or attack that were common beforehand. A movement such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, which even terrorist groups regard as terrorist, is as much an overt insurgency as a covert group of bombers and killers. In fact, the territory it currently controls makes it one of the wealthiest oil producers in the Middle East. Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, all universally regarded as terrorist groups, control large areas of territory and aim to extend their reach. They are not like the Irish Republican Army, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, ETA or other historic organizations that more easily fit the popular concept of terrorism. Another issue that arises in the Ukrainian case is that if the rebels are terrorists, what does that make Russia? State-sponsored terrorism has been less of an issue since the rise of al Qaeda, which seems to have done perfectly well without it. And while there are murky relationships between illegal armed groups and governments in parts of Africa and South Asia, state sponsorship on a scale that involves the supply of missiles capable of bringing down an aircraft at 30,000 feet would seem to deserve a name more closely related to conventional warfare. So we now have a nasty mix in many places around the world of terrorism, armed opposition groups and proxy wars, all dressed up in ambiguity, denial and obfuscation. And while these dirty wars drag on, only one thing remains constant -- the dead bodies strewn around the fields and towns, whether fallen from the sky or just lying where they stood. It doesn't much matter whether the international community regards the Ukrainian rebel forces as terrorists or not, there are no possible reasons or exculpatory factors that can excuse what happened to Flight 17, if -- as seems to be the case -- it was brought down by a missile fired from territory under their control. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | Ukraine President says pro-Russian rebels should be called terrorists .
Richard Barrett: There's no internationally agreed definition of terrorism .
Under '71 agreement, Malaysian jet's downing would be terrorism -- but only if intentional .
Barrett: The world is seeing a merging of terrorist groups and quasi-states . |
52,623 | 952adb8101774a975a94286c91336ff7b3367d74 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:26 EST, 31 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:26 EST, 31 May 2012 . The iconic 'I Love New York' logo has been ditched as part of a $5 million tourist campaign... and replaced with a pizza slice and beach ball, among other designs. Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled the overhaul today, ditching the image that has sold countless mugs, t-shirts and baseball caps and is a world-renowned symbol of the indomitable spirit of the city. New Yorkers and visitors have been asked to sketch their own takes on the famous logo to show what they love about New York State. Scroll down for videos . Say cheese: A $5million overhaul of New York tourism has replaced the iconic 'I Love New York' logo with visitors interpretations... including the pizza slice . Tourist trade: The iconic I Heart New York logo has sold countless t-shirts, hats, sweaters, mugs, key chains... Governor Cuomo said: 'Tourism is vital to the economy of our state, supporting nearly 500,000 jobs and generating tens of billions of dollars. 'This campaign reinvents one of our state's greatest assets... which is known the world over as one of the most successful advertising symbols ever.' He added: 'There is no state that has anything over on the state of New York.' The new adverts will be shown on network and local TV and on screens in the back of New York City yellow cabs. They mainly promote sites outside the city including Niagara Falls, Finger Lakes, Saratoga Races and the Adironracks. The new idea came from the New York Tourism Department and BBDO Advertising, which inspired the fictional Sterling Cooper agency in the hit series Mad Men. They have previously made adverts for M&Ms, Volkswagen, FedEx and Lowe's. Unconventional: The new logo was developed by the New York tourist board and advertising firm BBDO . Making splash: Visitors and New Yorkers alike have been asked to re-imagine the sign over what they love the most . New York is working harder to attract tourists as other U.S. destinations adopted aggressive advertising campaigns to reel in visitors. Among states, New York ranks third in size of tourist economies behind Florida and California. This year, more that 51 million visitors were expected to New York State, from both home and abroad, pulling in $34 billion in revenue. The logo was created by Milton Glaser in the mid-Seventies and is set in an American Typewriter font. The designer's original sketches sit in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in midtown Manhattan. The image became a symbol of unity for New Yorkers following 9/11. Glaser redid the sign so it read 'I Love NY More Than Ever' with a black spot on the heart to symbolize the World Trade Center site. Making the city your own: The new adverts will be shown on national and local TV and in the back of yellow cabs . Oh rats! A mural of a rodent wearing an I Love New York t-shirt on a wall on Wooster and Grand Street in New York City, which is believed to be the work of Banksy . | Iconic red heart has been changed designs drawn by visitors and New Yorkers . |
264,870 | e31577d1e335bfb3cab4530045b704a4f314ec16 | After pleading guilty to a judge Tuesday on a felony tax evasion charge, New York Rep. Michael Grimm, a Republican, pledged to reporters he would also stay in Congress. Grimm pled guilty in court to one count of tax evasion and was set to submit to a "statement of facts" that admits to all the conduct alleged in the 20-count federal indictment. A statement from federal prosecutors in New York released on Tuesday after Grimm's court appearance noted that in addition to the tax evasion plea, Grimm also publicly admitted to hiring undocumented workers, lying under oath while serving in Congress, obstructing federal and state officials, and cheating employees out of employment insurance claims. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Venizelos stated, "The public expects their elected officials at all levels of government to behave honorably, or at a minimum, lawfully. As his guilty plea demonstrates, Grimm put self-interest above public service." Grimm apologized for his actions and took responsibility, but said the unpaid taxes from a New York restaurant he once owned were all a big mistake. "As long as I'm able to serve I'm going to serve," Grimm said. Reelected in November, he was is set to be sworn in to a new term in January. Prosecutors asked a judge to sentence Grimm on June 8th to 24 to 36 months of jail time. His defense team suggested 12 - 18 months. Can a Congressman serve from behind bars? If recent history is any guide it's unlikely that Grimm will serve out his third term that starts in January even though there is nothing in the Constitution or House Rules against felons serving in Congress. There isn't much historical precedent for it either, although one Congressman in the 1990s, Republican Jay Kim, shuffled around Capitol Hill wearing an ankle bracelet after he was convicted of 10 misdemeanors. Grimm's felony plea is a more serious matter. While Grimm said Tuesday he has talked to House leadership about his situation, he has not yet spoken with House Speaker John Boehner and Boehner has not publicly weighed in on whether Grimm should step down. But Boehner has made it clear during his time in leadership that he has little patience for those members admitting to any wrongdoing. "We won't have any announcements until the Speaker discusses the matter with Mr. Grimm," said Boehner's spokesman Michael Steel. Calls for Grimm to resign are sure to mount and GOP leaders would prefer not to deal with questions about a felon remaining in the Republican conference when they open up the new session in 2015. In previous cases where House Republicans admitted to ethical lapses -- criminal or personal -- Boehner has worked privately to encourage scandal plagued members to step aside on their own. Former Florida GOP Rep. Trey Radel, who pled guilty to cocaine possession last year, initially sought treatment for drug addiction, but resigned two months later. When half naked pictures surfaced online of Rep. Chris Lee of New York soliciting an encounter with a woman on Craigslist he quickly stepped down. Indiana Republican Mark Souder resigned his seat one day after admitting he had an affair with an aide. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called Tuesday on Boehner "to insist that Congressman Grimm resign immediately." Democrats were frustrated they were unable to defeat Grimm in November's midterm election, even with the 20-count federal indictment hanging over him. He also grabbed national headlines last January for threatening to toss a reporter over a balcony on Capitol Hill after being asked about the allegations. If Grimm does eventually decide to resign, Democrats have a good chance to pick up that seat in a special election. A spokesman for the House Democrats' campaign arm is already accusing Boehner of covering up for Grimm. "After Speaker Boehner abetted Grimm's lies to voters about his guilt in this past election, he owes it to the constituents and the Congress to make sure Michael Grimm doesn't serve in this next Congress," Josh Scherwin, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. But a senior House Republican leadership aide points out that Pelosi has not forced out those Democrats who faced ethics investigations. "After standing behind Reps. Bill Jefferson, Charlie Rangel, Jack Murtha, and many others, Rep. Pelosi has zero credibility of these issues," the aide told CNN. Jefferson's trial drug out on Capitol Hill and for a time pitted House leaders from both parties against the Justice Department, which wanted to raid his office after they found $100,000 found in his home freezer. It took some time before Pelosi and Democrats stripped Jefferson of his powerful post on the tax writing committee. He ultimately lost a bid for reelection and is serving a 13-year sentence for bribery. While Murtha and Rangel faced ethics inquiries, neither was indicted for criminal wrongdoing. Rangel was censured by his colleagues in the House for ethics violations, including failing to pay taxes, but continues to serve in Congress. Murtha, who was a top Pelosi soldier, died in 2010 while still in office. If Grimm wants to remain in Congress he'll likely face some type of punishment handed down from the House Ethics Committee, a process that could drag out for months. The panel deferred its review at the request of the Department of Justice, and under its rules will have to vote to renew its investigation when the next session begins in January. The committee declined to comment to CNN on the Grimm case. Grimm has already given up his seat on the House Financial Services Committee, but depending on his sentence he could be forced under House ethics rules to also refrain from voting on the House floor. If the Ethics committee votes that Rep Grimm's actions broke House rules he could face punishments ranging from reprimand - the mildest public condemnation -to censure or expulsion. The last time the House voted to expel a member was in 2002, after Democratic Rep Jim Traficant was convicted of bribery and tax evasion charges. The House has only expelled five members in its entire history. Three of those were during the Civil War era for disloyalty. Another, Rep. Michael (Ozzy) Myers of Pennsylvania was expelled in 1980 after a bribery conviction. | New York Rep. Michael Grimm pled guilty to tax evasion but said he would remain in Congress .
Prosecutors asked a judge to give the lawmaker between 24 and 30 months of jail time .
There is no rule against felons serving in Congress, but little precedent for it either . |
168,107 | 656bc225ee8e685348408d42e5186e5320fd94f9 | By . Leslie Larson . PUBLISHED: . 14:33 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:30 EST, 26 September 2012 . The University of California, Davis has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by students who were pepper-sprayed by campus police during a 'Occupy UC Davis' protest at the school last year. 21 current and former students from the Sacramento-area school will receive $30,000 each, according to details of the settlement disclosed on Wednesday. The cash payout comes after a university task force investigated the incident and concluded in April that UC Davis police had violated policy and found that the administration had mishandled their response to the protest. Scroll down for footage of the November 18 protest. Demonstration: Students on November 18, 2011 protested a tuition hike at the public university . Settlement: 21 current and former students from the Sacramento-area school will receive $30,000 each . The payout will settle the suit, filed in February, by students who participated in a demonstration on November 18, 2011 to protest a tuition hike at the public university. Footage of the event, distributed by the school's Aggie TV station, shows students huddled together on a sidewalk and police spraying directly down on the protesters. The gathered press and witnesses chanted 'Shame on you,' as officers sprayed the students. The event was one among many protests nationwide that were staged after the launch of the Occupy Wall Street movement, that kicked off in New York last September. The settlement, totaling $1 million, was approved on September 13, at a closed meeting of the University of California Regents in San Francisco, according to The Sacramento Bee. As part of the agreement, UCD . Chancellor Linda Katehi will also be required to draft a personal, . written apology to each individual impacted by the incident. The students who were hit with the pepper spray will also be eligible to receive support and counseling for 'academic performance issues that allegedly arose' from the clash. A total of $630,000 will be paid directly to the plaintiffs. An additional $100,000 will be paid out to other individuals who were impacted by the pepper spraying incident. A committee will be set up to distribute those funds, with a maximum amount of $20,000 to be distributed per person. The University of California will also cover legal fees for the plaintiffs, totaling $250,000, with an additional $20,000 to be paid to the American Civil Liberties Union, who spearheaded the lawsuit and who will advise the school on policies for handling future protests. 'The university still needs to work to rebuild students’ trust and this settlement is a step in the right direction' 'What we’re trying to achieve for this case is to make sure that the university improves its policies, training and its procedures to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again and that [UC Davis] is an institution that doesn’t just tolerate free speech but realizes the importance of free speech to a university environment and to our political system,' Michael Risher, an attorney for a plaintiff in the suit, told The California Aggie school newspaper in August. UC Davis Police Department (UCDPD) has been undergoing personnel changes in the aftermath of the incident and the findings from the task force, that was headed by former state Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso. A new police chief has since been appointed to oversee the campus force. One plaintiff, Fatima Sbeih, said the incident has provoked fear among the students. 'Since Nov. 18, students have been afraid of the police. The university still needs to work to rebuild students’ trust and this settlement is a step in the right direction,' Sbeih, who has since graduated from the school, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Another protester, Ian Lee, now a sophomore, said 'I felt like the university silenced me.' UC Davis Protesters Pepper Sprayed, from University of California, Davis's Aggie TV . | Students were protesting proposed tuition hikes on November 18, 2011 .
Campus police used pepper-spray to break up the crowd, deemed a violation of policy by a UC Davis task force .
University demonstration came amidst the Occupy Wall Street movement, launched in September 2011 .
Students filed a lawsuit, spearheaded by the ACLU, in February and reached a settlement of $1 million on September 13 .
In addition to cash, plaintiffs will receive a written apology from the university chancellor and counseling for academic performance issues .
'I felt like the university silenced me,' one student said . |
186,947 | 7e1a2d042f5a4b3cc7964a56c1dbc7d17acc56d3 | By . Matt Roper . PUBLISHED: . 05:09 EST, 31 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:48 EST, 31 October 2012 . A grandmother has been charged with drug smuggling after police found 55 rocks of crack hidden in her privates. Berenice Fernandes, 74, claimed she knew nothing about the stash of drugs and said her granddaughter must have hidden them on her while she was sleeping. A female police officer discovered a plastic bag containing the rocks of crack cocaine stashed in Fernandes' vagina after officers arrested the pensioner and her 33-year-old granddaughter Glaucia Bispo in Salvador, Brazil. Drug smuggling: Berenice Fernandes (left), 74, is seen covering her face at a police station with granddaughter Glaucia Bispo . Police in Salvador said officers from the force's drugs squad had been monitoring Fernandes and Bispo, who they suspected were behind a surge in drug dealing in the Boca do Rio area of the city in north east Brazil. Officers were called to the grandmother's house on Friday night after neighbours complained about noise coming from a raucous party at the property. Fernandes and Bispo were stopped as they tried to leave the house and searched by a female officer, who discovered the stash of rocks wrapped in a plastic bag in the grandmother's privates. Rocks: A female police officer found 55 rocks of crack wrapped in a plastic bag in the 74-year-old woman's privates (file photo) The women were also found to be carrying the equivalent of £40 in cash - believed to be proceeds of drug deals at the party. Both women were arrested and charged with drug smuggling. Monitored: Police suspect Fernandes and her granddaughter could be behind a surge in drug dealing in Boca do Rio, Salvador, above . | Berenice Fernandes, 74, claimed her granddaughter hid the rocks of crack cocaine on her while she slept .
Policewoman discovered a plastic bag stuffed with 55 rocks of crack cocaine after searching the pensioner .
Fernandes and her granddaughter thought to be behind a surge in drug dealing in Boca do Rio, Brazil . |
244,623 | c8968faed7a4d02f5e50c33097c9ea8bf54c5868 | Majuro, Marshall Islands (CNN) -- How long did Jose Salvador Alvarenga, the man who washed up on the shores of a group of Pacific islands last week, spend adrift at sea? He says it was around 13 months. Local fishermen in the area of Mexico from which he set off say he may have been gone for a month longer than that, which more or less matches a document from a local civil protection agency that reports he disappeared in November 2012. But some people have suggested he looks too healthy for somebody who'd been through such an ordeal. Officials in the Marshall Islands -- where the bearded, shaggy haired Alvarenga turned up last Thursday in a heavily damaged boat -- say they've abandoned efforts to pin down the length of time he spent lost in the ocean. "We gave up on trying to find out the truth of how long he drifted," said Anjanette Kattil. "Time will confirm his story. What we've been concentrating on is his medical condition to see if he's OK and his repatriation." Health improving . Alvarenga's story has raised questions about how he managed to survive on a small boat for so long. "He looks way better than I would have expected for someone who has drifted for as long as he says he has," Kattil said Wednesday. "But there is no question he has drifted for quite some time and he has washed up on our shores." Alvarenga has said he lived off fish and turtles he had caught and relied on rainwater, and sometimes his own urine, to try to stay hydrated. Doctors in the Marshall Islands have told government officials that the castaway's immune system is very weak and that his symptoms are consistent with someone who has signs of severe dehydration and a diet of only meat. But his condition is improving and he was released from the hospital Tuesday. One of his first acts was to get a haircut and a shave, ditching his tangled locks and bushy beard. "For days he's been asking for a haircut," Kattil said. He requested a cut like the one worn by the men on Ebon, the atoll where he was found, she said. A fishing trip gone awry . Alvarenga, who says he is 37, has been identified by Mexico as a Salvadoran citizen who was living in the Mexican city of Tonala. Authorities say they plan to repatriate him to El Salvador -- where his parents say they haven't seen him for years -- once his health is recovered and his documentation is sorted out. Since El Salvador doesn't have diplomatic ties with the Marshall Islands, Mexican officials are coordinating the arrangements. Alvarenga says he set off from the port of Paredon Viejo, near Tonala in Mexico's Chiapas state, in December 2012. Local fishermen in the area told El Universal newspaper that they remember Alvarenga setting off earlier, in November that year. He says he and another man intended to spend a day trying to catch sharks, but they were blown off course by northerly winds and then caught in a storm, eventually losing use of their engines. According to Kattil, Alvarenga said that four weeks into their drift, he lost his companion because he refused to eat raw birds. There are no details yet on what Alvarenga did with the man's body. Bellarmino Rodriguez Beyz, owner of Alvarenga's boat in Mexico, identified Alvarenga's companion as 23-year-old Ezequiel Córdova. Alvarenga has said that his faith in God kept him going through the ordeal, but that he also contemplated suicide when he ran low on food and water. Across an ocean . If Alvarenga's story proves true, the trip across the Pacific would have taken him across roughly 6,600 miles (10,800 kilometers) of open ocean before ending in the Marshall Islands, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, in the northern Pacific. Such an amazing journey isn't unheard of in the small Pacific nation, as three Mexican fishermen made a similar drift voyage in 2006 that lasted nine months. Those men lived off fish they caught and rainwater, and they read the Bible for comfort. Conditions in the Pacific make the timeline of Alvarenga's journey plausible, according to Judson Jones, a producer for CNN Weather. Jones said that given the average currents between Mexico and the Marshall Islands, it would have taken less than a year to travel from the origin to the end in the strongest average currents. If the trip did indeed take 13-1/2 months, it means his boat would have averaged about 18.6 miles (30 kilometers) a day. But Jones said a meandering journey in and out of the currents was most likely. Journalists Suzanne Chutaro reported from Majuro, Marshall Islands, and CNN's Jethro Mullen wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Mariano Castillo and Nick Parker contributed to this report. | NEW: There are conflicting reports as to when the castaway and his companion disappeared .
Jose Salvador Alvarenga turned up in the Marshall Islands last week in a small boat .
He claims to have been adrift for about 13 months after setting off from Mexico .
Alvarenga says he lived off fish, birds, turtles, rainwater and urine while adrift . |
191,185 | 83939c5d6edb5192197d23e07ea7d2cc006c2703 | A controversial decision to cut the benefits of a man who later starved to death was wrong, the Government admitted today. Mark Wood, 44, weighed just five-and-a-half stone when he died after staff from Government contractor Atos assessed him as being fit to work - despite suffering from more than seven disabilities and illnesses, including Asperger's syndrome. His income was cut to just £40 a week in March last year and he was ordered find employment. He died just five months later. Tragic: Mark Wood (left) in a healthier state before his benefit cut, and (right) after, having lost weight. He was 44 when he died weighing just five-and-a-half stone. His GP said the benefit cut 'pushed him before he died' Today a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions confessed the decision was wrong, sparking an internal review. It comes just two days after it emerged Atos is to quit its £500million contract early following Government criticisms. Mr Wood's GP Nicolas Ward has blasted the Government-backed contrator for 'pushing him' before he died. Speaking at an inquest into his patient's death, he said: 'Something pushed him or affected him in the time before he died and the only thing I can put my finger on is the pressure he felt he was under when his benefits were removed.' He added that he was an extremely vulnerable and fragile individual who was struggling to cope with life. Mr Wood, from Bampton, Oxfordshire, had suffered for years from obsessive compulsive disorder, Asperger's syndrome, phobias of food, pollution, paint fumes, and social situations, and cognitive behavioural problems. However, in March last year Atos insisted he was fit to work. Scandal: The Government's call for an urgent review into Atos comes two days after the firm announced it will end its £500million contract early following a stream of criticism . Prime Minister David Cameron described the case in his constituency as 'tragic' before backing an urgent investigation into Atos. But Mr Wood's grieving family have blasted the Government's announcement as a 'hollow victory' as it will not bring him back. His sister, Cathie Wood, said the announcement was a hollow victory because it would not bring him back. 'We are pleased but sad,' said 48-year-old Cathie. Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism, often referred to as a 'hidden disability'. It affects how a person makes sense of the world, hampering their social communication, social interaction and social imagination. There is no treatment for the condition and very little research on medication that is used by sufferers. Most people with Asperger's are prescribed a programme of behavioural therapy. 'They have reversed the decision - that is huge but they obviously had the information at their disposal to make the right decision and if they had done that last March Mark would not be dead. 'It is good because it hopefully means we can now get some answers.' Ms Wood and her mother Jill Gant appealed against the benefit cut earlier this month, acting on advice from Oxfordshire Welfare Rights (OWR). Today, they received a letter from the DWP saying it had 'revised' its decision to cut Mr Wood's benefits. A spokesman said: 'The coroner attributed Mr Wood's eating disorder and food phobia as the likely cause of his death, rather than his benefits being stopped. 'However, after receiving new evidence from Mark Wood's GP which was not presented at the first assessment, we have revised our original decision. 'We have written to Mr Wood's family about this decision and are carrying out an internal review.' Atos made £111.76m pounds operating profit in 2013. Ms Wood added: 'I think it is good that Atos has withdrawn but it is only part of the story - the whole system needs to be looked at.' Suzy Drohan, joint manager of OWR, said: 'Mr Wood lived in Cameron's constituency and this happened. 'We . are very sorry this had had to come to light from his death. There . could be other cases in which people have died too. We know there are . hundreds of decisions which are not right.' 'Tragic': David Cameron has spoken out about the 'tragic' case in his constituency and backed a review . Between January 2012 and January this year OWR took 312 cases to appeals against DWP decisions and 281 were successful. Mr Cameron said: 'This is a tragic case and my thoughts are with Mr Wood's family at this difficult time.' The decision means the family doesn't have to take the appeal to court. Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: 'This has been a tragic case and while this decision will not bring Mark back at least it sets the record straight. 'I have been very clear with the DWP that, in my view, Mark's case was badly mishandled by Atos and that the family's appeal needed to be dealt with as a matter of urgency and I am pleased they agreed. 'I also welcome Thursday's announcement that the Government's contract with Atos to conduct these assessments has been terminated early.' Atos refused to comment opn the reversed decision. | Mark Wood, 44, weighed 5.5st when he died after Atos cut his benefits .
Had more than 7 illnesses including Asperger's but told he was 'fit to work'
Ordered to find employment and given just £40 a week to live on .
Died of malnutrition after 5 months, his GP claims benefit cut 'pushed him'
Today Department for Work and Pensions told family the cut was 'incorrect'
David Cameron branded case 'tragic' and backed urgent review into Atos . |
153,647 | 528e81c8b02ecdf1183ed78738c63195b48afdb3 | (CNN) -- What we know -- and psychiatrists have diagnosed for decades -- as schizophrenia may really be eight separate diseases, research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry suggests. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis analyzed the DNA of more than 4,000 people with schizophrenia. They matched any gene variations they found in the DNA with study participants' individual symptoms. In doing so, they found several "gene clusters" that appear to cause eight distinct classes of schizophrenia, according to a statement from the university. "Complex diseases, such as schizophrenia, may be influenced by hundreds or thousands of genetic variants that interact with one another in complex ways," the study authors wrote in their introduction. "Genes don't operate by themselves," Dr. C. Robert Cloninger, one of the study's senior authors, explained in the statement. "They function in concert much like an orchestra, and to understand how they're working, you have to know not just who the members of the orchestra are but how they interact." Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects about 1% of the population, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Symptoms can vary from hallucinations to disordered speech to attention and decision-making problems. Past studies done on twins and families have shown that about 80% of the risk for schizophrenia is inherited, the study authors say. A study published in July showed as many as 108 genes may be tied to the mental health disorder. But scientists have had trouble identifying specific genetic variations that put people at risk. The Washington University researchers looked at instances where a single unit of DNA was altered, which is known as a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP. Then they identified 42 interactive SNP sets that significantly increased people's risk of schizophrenia, according to the study. In other words, if study participant Bob had Gene Cluster X, he was 70% more likely to have schizophrenia than study participant Fred who didn't have that cluster of genes. In some cases, certain gene clusters were matched with close to a 100% increase in risk. "In the past, scientists had been looking for associations between individual genes and schizophrenia," co-author Dr. Dragan Svrakic said in the statement. "What was missing was the idea that these genes don't act independently. They work in concert to disrupt the brain's structure and function, and that results in the illness." The idea that schizophrenia is not one single disorder is not really new, says Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona. It's similar to the way doctors use the term "breast cancer" to describe several different diseases that cause tumors in the breasts. "Schizophrenia is probably 80 different diseases," Raison says. "All psychiatric conditions likely share this heterogeneity." There are only so many ways that certain malfunctions in your genetic code can manifest, Raison says. There may be 10 separate gene mutations, but they might only express themselves as one or two symptoms. So what's causing hallucinations in one person might be different than what's causing them in another. So why are scientists trying to separate out the different schizophrenia disorders? Two reasons, Raison says: to help predict who might get schizophrenia, and to help treat it more efficiently. Take, for example, pleurisy, which is a condition where the liquid around your lungs becomes inflamed. Several things can cause pleurisy, including a viral infection, pneumonia or cancer. If you have a drug that treats pneumonia, it's going to help only a certain percentage of patients with pleurisy. But if you know that your patient's pleurisy is caused by cancer, you'll find a different course of treatment. The same could hold true for schizophrenia and other mental health conditions, Raison says. "In psychiatry land we're still stuck with pleurisy," he says. "They're descriptions of symptoms, and we only have a vague idea of the underlying causes." | Researchers say schizophrenia is not one disorder, but eight .
Genetic variations cause eight classes of schizophrenia .
Study was published in The American Journal of Psychiatry . |
28,384 | 508ce5a3f2d3e9df98332aa678f01a933a75f173 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 05:33 EST, 25 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:50 EST, 25 March 2013 . A toddler has been struck down with a mysterious illness which will eventually leave her completely unable to move - turning her into a living statue. Beatrice Naso has a room full of toys and teddy bears but the devastating disease means the three-year-old is unable to play with any of them. The child from Turin, Italy, was a perfectly normal baby but developed the mystery illness when she was just seven-months-old. Beatrice, three, was a normal baby until she was seven-months-old. She is pictured with her parents Alessando and Stefania . Beatrice's mother (pictured) first realised there was a problem when her daughter started to look stiff . Her parents, Alessando and Stefania Naso, first noticed there was a problem when Beatrice started looking stiff, days later her mother was gently massaging her wrist when it broke. Doctors examined Beatrice and discovered that her body was calcifying her soft tissue, turning her into a living statue. Surgeons at the Regina Margherita Hospital are now appealing to fellow medics worldwide to see if they can find a cure for the toddler. Her parents have also turned to Turin mayor, Piero Fassino, for help with a new specially designed house for Beatrice. Her mother, Stefania, said: ‘Doctors at the hospital are doing their best but we're desperate to find someone that can help or even another family who have a child with the same condition so they can help us cope with the situation. ‘Doctors have told us that it's a genetic anomaly which they've never seen before. It calcifies everything surrounding the joints. When she was seven-months-old Beatrice's mother was massaging her wrist and it broke . Beatrice cannot play with her toys because her movement is severely restricted by the condition . ‘I had a completely normal pregnancy and there was no sign that anything was wrong. ‘During the first few months of her life though she started to look a little more stiff than other babies and she couldn't open her hands. ‘Initial exams didn't bring up any problems though so we weren't scared. Beatrice's soft tissue is calcifying causing her to lose her mobility . Her doctors are appealing for help finding a cure . ‘It was only at seven-months-old when I was massaging her after a bath that I broke her wrist and realised something was really wrong.’ She added: ‘Doctors then did an X-ray of her entire body and discovered the strange calcifications. ‘The illness will just keep getting worse. Sooner or later she will be completely unable to move and she won't even be able to breathe anymore. ‘We are now trying to find a new house where it will be easier to move Beatrice around. ‘We could sell our current house but we will have to repay the mortgage and that will leave us with no money to invest in somewhere new.’ | Beatrice Naso, 3, has a mysterious illness that will leave her unable to move .
She was a normal baby but began to show symptoms at seven-months-old .
Parents noticed she was looking stiff, then her wrist broke during massage .
Her body is calcifying the soft tissue around her joints preventing movement . |
20,340 | 39b46190e7ef1b2dd9048c07e29b20fe1fef08c2 | With every pivotal moment in human history, it seems a conspiracy theory is not far behind. When men first landed on the moon, people soon claimed that the achievement had in fact been faked in a studio in Hollywood. And when Nasa landed its Curiosity rover on Mars, some were adamant the agency had fooled us all by filming it in Nevada. And now, after Esa completed humanity's first ever landing on a comet, so-called UFO experts have claimed 67P is not a comet at all - but in fact a spaceship. Scroll down for video . UFO believers claim Europe's comet mission had a hidden task. They said comet 67P (pictured) is actually an alien spaceship sending signals. And they claim Esa sent the Rosetta spacecraft there to make contact. The bizarre claims were apparently exposed by an anonymous Esa 'whistle blower' One of the most bizarre claims was made by Scott Waring of the website UFO Sightings Daily. He said he had received an email from an anonymous Esa 'whistle blower' that claimed intelligent-sounding signals had been received from comet 67PChuryumov-Gerasimenko 20 years ago and the object is actually an alien ship in disguise. The email said: 'Do not think for one moment that a space agency would suddenly decide to spend billions of dollars to build and send a spacecraft on a 12-year journey to simply take some close-up images of a randomly-picked-out comet floating in space. 'Comet 67P is not a comet.' Comets are of great interest to scientists because they are the oldest and most primitive bodies in the solar system that we know of. They preserve the earliest record of material from the nebula from which our sun and planets formed. While the planets in the solar system have gone through chemical transformations, comets have remained almost unchanged in the 4.5 billion year history of the solar system. It is also thought that they brought certain elements to planets, including water. They also carry complex organic molecules that may triggered life on Earth. The whistle blower, who insisted on remaining anonymous for fear of reprisals, insisted the comet 'is only being disguised as such' and appears able to change trajectory at will. The letter added: 'As for who is disguising it and why I cannot answer; all I can tell you is that whatever this thing is, it does show signs on its outside of machine-like parts and unnatural terrain. 'Whatever this object is it did not ask to be found or scrutinised, and it appears for good reason.' Other theorists spoke of 'alien structures' in images of the comet, in particular a bright white 'metallic' disc on or hovering above the 2.5 mile (4km) wide lump of ice and dust, and a sculpted non-human face. Esa unwittingly sent the speculation into overdrive when it disclosed that the comet was 'singing'. Clicking oscillations in the object's magnetic field, below the range of human hearing, sounded strangely tuneful. Yesterday, Esa's Philae lander completed its landing on a comet and returned this image, which is the first ever picture from the surface of a comet. The historic moment has been heralded as one of humanity's greatest achievements in space exploration. Another post from 'ex-naval electronics warfare technician' Carl Blackman on the website BPEarthWatch said: 'Definitely not a natural signal, there is intelligent based stuff going on here.' On the same site, ImTheDaveman commented: 'This signal is very much a non-natural source. The irony of Rosetta being sent there is too strong a coincidence.' Another post on UFO Sightings Daily argued that the signal 'had to have been made for humanity'. It added: 'Is it a message of greetings? Or is it a warning of what's to come? We the people of the world need to find out.' Of course, the comet isn't really 'singing'. It is emitting a natural signal at 40-50 millihertz that, when amplified a few thousand times, sounds like a familiar sound. The music was heard clearly by the magnetometer experiment for the first time in August, when Rosetta drew to within 60 miles (100 km) of the comet. Scientists think it must be produced by the activity of the comet, as it releases neutral particles into space where they become electrically charged due to a process called ionisation. UFO expert Nigel Watson, author of Haynes UFO Investigation Manual, told MailOnline: 'The stories and rumours surrounding Comet 67P reflect the growing belief that aliens from outer space have, since the distant past, been making regular visits to our neck of the galaxy. 'The obsession with turning any unusual rock photographed on Mars into an animal or artefact, and viewing any speck of light or object captured by spacecraft cameras as alien spaceships is part of our need to believe that we are not alone. 'These activities also indicate that many ufologists have virtually given up on actually investigating UFO sightings made on Earth, and indicates their frustration with being unable to find solid evidence to prove that UFOs are alien craft.' | UFO believers claim Europe's comet mission had a hidden task .
They said comet 67P is actually an alien spaceship that is sending signals .
And they claim Esa sent the Rosetta spacecraft there to make contact .
Bizarre claims were apparently exposed by an anonymous 'whistle blower'
Yesterday, Esa's Philae lander completed the first ever landing on a comet .
The historic moment has been heralded as one of humanity's greatest achievements in space exploration . |
230,558 | b692524c34cd07adc3a466ca7f2308e96dbe3c73 | Deontay Wilder, having taken the hallowed WBC heavyweight belt back to America on Muhammad Ali’s 73rd birthday, is ready to give Tyson Fury a shot at the world title. The big man from Alabama is even willing to bring that gift to England. Be careful how you unwrap it, Tyson. Think Trojan horses. Wilder is the most dangerous US heavyweight since Mike Tyson and is being hailed as the giant most likely to end the Klitschko domination of the ring’s marquee division. Deontay Wilder saw off Bermane Stiverne to be crowned WBC heavyweight champion on Saturday . Wilder was untroubled for large parts of the fight but when he was caught, showed he could take a punch . Wilder runs to the ropes to celebrate after the final bell (left) and shows off his new WBC heavyweight belt . After massively outpointing the first Haitian-born heavyweight champ, Bermane Stiverne, in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Wilder said: ‘I want Fury next, then Wladimir Klitschko for all the other titles by the end of this year. 'Me and Tyson would be one helluva fight. We’re both big punchers and entertainers. 'I would love to do it in the UK, where I’ve always enjoyed my visits. No problem for me.’ Those trips to Britain are reported to have included the occasional flattening of David Haye in sparring. Wilder had also knocked out all 32 of his opponents prior to this weekend inside four rounds. But it is the composed, complete style of his 12-round outclassing of Stiverne which heralds the prospect of a genuine all-American hero. Wilder worked so effectively behind a ramrod jab, with such mobility and such variety of follow-up punching, that he represents a real threat to Klitschko who, like the new champion, stands just two inches shorter than Fury at 6ft 7in. Tyson Fury (right) - who Wilder wants to fight next - easily beat Derek Chisora in a world title bout in November . Wladimir Klitschko's last bout ended with a fifth-round knockout win over Kubrat Pulev in November 2014 . Fury became the WBO mandatory challenger to multiple alphabelt champion Klitschko when he stopped Dereck Chisora late last year. But the younger of the two brothers is in negotiations to face another American, Bryant Jennings, in New York this April. There is also talk of Klitschko switching to Wilder for that date, perhaps in the hope of catching him before he benefits from more experience of the big time. If Wilder goes on to prove himself the first Real Deal since Evander Holyfield, this Bronze Bomber could be the saviour of heavyweight boxing. Wilder v Fury this spring, the winner against Klitschko in late summer, the loser versus Joshua in the autumn — now there’s a schedule to reinvigorate the hardest old game. Meanwhile, Wilder’s 33rd straight win will surely have brought a smile to Ali’s face if he was well enough to tune in upon his return home from hospital. It has also put paid to Don King’s amusing but nonsensical notion of dragging Mike Tyson out of retirement to fight Stiverne. All in all, a good Saturday night’s work. | Deontay Wilder is eyeing more success after his points win over Bermane Stiverne on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena .
The 29-year-old became the first American in nine years to win a heavyweight world title .
Next up Wilder wants to face Tyson Fury - who remains unbeaten in his professional career thus far .
After that he hopes to face Wladimir Klitschko by the end of the year . |
143,311 | 45589fae7e5d78ca4982458e072bcae32da4fcb0 | Actress Emma Watson . has launched a scathing attack on social media, claiming it is . responsible for young people losing their innocence. The . 23-year-old, who is best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, said that teenagers are becoming more self-conscious at a . younger age because of the pictures uploaded to social media sites. Watson . claimed this is ‘shortening’ their childhoods and the 'blissful' period . when young girls aren't concerned about what they look like. Growing up too fast: Actress Emma Watson, pictured at the Cannes launch of her new film The Bling Ring, claims social media is destroying childhoods by robbing young people of their innocence . She said: ‘I think it’s amazing how . self-aware people are becoming as a result of constantly posting images . on Facebook and Instagram. ‘They’re blissfully unaware their . childhoods are being shortened. That period of time when you’re not . self-conscious is sped up.’ Watson . made the comments at the Cannes launch of her new film The Bling Ring . which portrays the impact of social media on young people. Based on a true story, Watson plays a wealthy pole-dancing socialite jailed for robbery after her friends are caught out bragging about their crimes online. Emma Watson plays a pole-dancing socialite jailed after her friends were caught bragging about their crimes online in her new film The Bling Ring . Piercing: Emma Watson says teens are 'shortening' their childhoods by constantly using social networks . The gang tracked stars such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan online and stole goods worth £2million. Miss Watson revealed she watched ‘a lot of the Kardashians and Paris Hilton’ to prepare for the role. Speaking alongside co-stars Israel . Broussard, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga and Claire Julien, she said: ‘I . think technology is playing a really big part in a sense that everything . has started moving so much quicker. ‘We are becoming saturated with images. They can embody whatever they [fans] project onto that image. ‘It’s very different; it has very little to do with reality.’ Classy: Emma Watson, pictured with Israel Broussard, wore a floor-length black and white gown to the Cannes premiere . Under pressure: Watson argued that photographs being placed on websites such as Facebook and Instagram is making girls more paranoid about their looks at a younger age . The film's director Sofia . Coppola added that the film demonstrates how social media has . transformed how young people view fame and that most will do anything to . achieve notoriety. She told the Daily Telegraph: 'The . whole story seemed to say so much about our time and growing up with . Facebook and Twitter. This could never had happened 10 years ago. 'I was thinking how these kids must . be affected by all of that and how reality TV seems so normal now to all . of them having grown up with it. The idea of no privacy has become the . norm.' Coppola originally read the true story which the film is based on in a magazine. Fears: Miss Watson said she worries that teenagers are spending too much time on social networks . Director Sofia Coppola, pictured right next to Emma Watson, said her new film demonstrates the impact of social media and how some young people will now do anything for notoriety . She added: 'I think their quotes . really struck me; how they didn't seem to think they had done anything . wrong, and how they were most interested in the fame the robberies had . brought them.' Miss Watson, who was just . nine-years-old when she was cast as Hermione for the Harry Potter . films, was the picture of classic Hollywood glamour. She wore a backless floor-length . black and white gown with a sweetheart neckline, and had pulled her hair . up into an elegant chignon. The star also appeared to be sporting a ‘helix piercing’ looking like three diamond ear cuffs on her left ear. Under the spotlight: Emma Watson was just nine-years-old was she was cast in the Harry Potter films alongside Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe . | The 23-year-old actress claims young girls worry about their looks younger .
She claims this is because of photos being uploaded to social media sites .
Film star was speaking at Cannes launch of her new movie The Bling Ring . |
256,213 | d7a58c4468512535915630a78c992b31d0fdd445 | A 13-year-old boy has become one of the youngest people in British criminal history to be charged with murder. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged after a break-in which led to the death of Mark Thomas, 39. The boy remains in custody and is due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court tomorrow. Mr Thomas was found by police and paramedics with serious injuries at his home in Roehampton, South-West London, on April 22. Scene: The teenager was arrested after Martin Thomas, 39, who was pronounced dead at his home in Huntingfield Road, Roehampton, south west London . A post-mortem examination revealed that he had suffered serious haemorrhaging due to a stab wound to the lung. A 15-year-old boy has already appeared in court charged with Mr Thomas’s murder, while a 17-year-old has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of murder. Last week, Mr Thomas’s sister Vyree Thomas Williams, who lives in New York, paid tribute to her brother. She said: ‘It’s so hard. My brother was hard-working. ‘I was proud to call him my brother. Charged: The boy has been remanded in custody and will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court tomorrow . ‘He was a good guy – he was humble. He wasn’t perfect, but he was determined to make it and he gave up everything to be in London to have a better life.’ Detective Chief Inspector Charlie King, of Scotland Yard’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: ‘At this early stage we are keeping an open mind about any possible motive. ‘Members of the public have already provided us with accounts of people seen in the area prior to the incident. ‘I am urging anyone who may have more information regarding this incident to contact us.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Teenager charged after break in which led to death of Mark Thomas, 39 .
Will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court tomorrow .
Mr Thomas was found with serious at his home in Roehampton, London .
A 15-year-old boy has already been charged with his murder . |
127,456 | 30bca120b46fd6353f580b5cb9754bced2a89565 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 14:49 EST, 16 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:53 EST, 16 August 2012 . The final printed issue of the UK’s . longest-running children’s comic will be released on its 75th birthday . in December, its publishers have said. The Dandy, best known for cartoon . character Desperate Dan, is being pulled from shelves following a drop . in circulation in recent years. Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson . said the comic will still be available online and it has 'exciting . plans in the pipeline' to take it in a 'different direction'. Ellis Watson, chief executive of the . company’s newspaper and magazine publishing operations, said: 'Dan has . certainly not eaten his last cow pie. Scroll down for video . 'Struggled in digital age': The very first The Dandy comic (left) was published on December 4, 1937, and the brand was still going strong nearly ten years later (right), but has suffered a serious slump in modern times . Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson . said the comic will still be available online and they have 'exciting . plans in the pipeline' to take it in a 'different direction' 'All of The Dandy’s characters are just 110 days away from a new lease of life.' The decision comes after DC Thomson . announced it was carrying out a review of all of its magazine titles due . to 'challenges' being faced by the publishing industry. It was prompted by falling . circulation numbers, with only about 8,000 copies of The Dandy being . sold a week, down from more than 2million during its peak in the . 1950s. The Dandy, which launched in 1937, . has featured characters such as Bananaman, Korky the Cat, Cuddles and . Dimples, and Beryl the Peril. The last edition of the comic will be . released at the beginning of December to mark its official 75th . anniversary and will include a reprint of the first edition of The . Dandy. Mr Watson said: 'On December 4, we’ll . publish our 75th anniversary edition - and now that the cat’s out of . the bag - I can confirm that this will be our last print edition. Cartoon capers: At its most popular between the 1950s and the 1980s, the adventures of cow pie-eating Desperate Dan (above) and Korky the Cat sold two million copies a week . 'It’s what comes online then that will set the tone for the next 75 years and that’s why I’m so livid these plans nearly leaked. 'I’m absolutely livid that we’ve had an internal leak about what’s in the pipeline for one of our most popular titles. 'We’re counting down 110 days until the big 75th anniversary bash and we’re working on some tremendously exciting things. 'I’ve closed down loopholes to ensure much tighter internal security. 'We’ve heard about people trying to . find out the plans by hacking into www.dandy.com so we’ve taken it all . offline and moved into core project offices. We’re in lockdown.' DC Thomson said the Dandy Annual will continue to be printed and the 2013 edition is already on the shelves. A book celebrating the 75th . anniversary of The Dandy was launched at the Edinburgh International . Book Festival this week and the comic will also feature in exhibitions . at the National Library of Scotland and the Cartoon Museum. A series of re-launches has failed to regenerate the comic's sales; right, the Dandy's long-time rival and sister title, The Beano . A bronze statue of Desperate Dan . stands in Dundee city centre, alongside Minnie the Minx, from The . Dandy’s sister title The Beano. A spokesman for the Dundee-based . publisher said: ‘There are many challenges within the industry at . present, but we’re excited that the digital revolution has also given us . an opportunity to innovate and develop. ‘We’re confident that future generations will continue to enjoy our much-loved products and characters.’ Despite outlasting other once-popular . comics, including The Beezer and The Topper, a series of recent . relaunches have failed to regenerate The Dandy’s sales. In 2007, it was rebranded as Dandy . Xtreme, a fortnightly version of the comic, and in 2010 its creators . introduced celebrity-themed strips starring well-known figures such as . Simon Cowell and Jeremy Clarkson. But sales continued to fall, dropping by 50 per cent between 2010 and 2011. Britain’s . most popular comic The Beano has also struggled in recent years. According to the most recent figures, its circulation was only 38,000 at . end of 2011. Anita O’Brien, curator of the Cartoon Museum in London, said comics have struggled to keep up in the digital age. She said: ‘Kids have other things to spend their time and money on these days like playing computer games and things like that. ‘We . do workshops and lots of kids want to create their own stories and do . enjoy reading them, but there are definitely challenges.’ VIDEO: The classic comic has seen a dramatic drop in readers... | Last edition is out on December 4, including reprint of first-ever Dandy .
At its height from 1950s to 1980s, comic book sold 2million copies a week .
Sales have fallen to just 8,000 a week .
Slump in sales blamed on competition from computer games . |
171,747 | 6a488e0d1ff9627b78d3a632ebcf5fdd5836a9a5 | By . Bianca London . Two siblings and best friends discovered they were pregnant on the same day - and gave birth on the same day nine months later. Step-sisters Lydia Crispin and Dawn Bamber - who also share a birthday of April 1 - each discovered they were mothers-to-be by chance on June 18 last year. And the pair both gave birth to their daughters on February 28 this year - despite both having different due dates. Step-sisters Lydia Crispin and Dawn Bamber each discovered they were mums-to-be by chance on June 18 last year and both gave birth to their daughters on February 28 this year . It means the next generation of their family will be able to celebrate their birthday together - just like best friends Lydia and Dawn, of Euxton, Lancs. Lydia, 24, who lives with husband Danny, said: 'I had spoken to Dawn, because I always confide in her, and told her I was thinking of having a baby. She said she had been thinking about it too. We said we would always tell each other if anything happened. 'On June 18, I did a pregnancy test and found out it was positive, and the first person I phoned was Dawn. 'That night, she texted me to see if I was still awake and if she could phone me. She was crying her eyes out and told me she was pregnant.' They decided not to tell anyone until after their scans and got their parents, Sue and Keith Bamber, together for a family meal. Despite both having different due dates, they beat the odds, which means the next generation of their family will be able to celebrate their birthday together - just like they did . They told them they had won a prize and presented each parent with a gift bag containing a picture of the babies from the scans. The step-sisters went through pregnancy together, sharing each milestone and preparing for the future. They both planned to give birth at Chorley And South Ribble Hospital, Lancs., with Dawn's baby due on February 15 and Lydia's on February 20. Dawn, 25, who is engaged to Duncan Riding, said: 'It was unbelievable. I didn't think for a minute that they would arrive on the same day.' Both pregnancies went past their due dates and plans were made for Dawn's baby to be induced at Royal Preston Hospital, Lancs., on February 28. And the day before, Lydia went into labour at Chorley Hospital. Baby Summer was born at 12.30am on February 28, weighing 7lb 12oz and Dawn's daughter Courtney was delivered at 7.50pm that day, weighing 10lb 11oz . Lydia said: 'I was looking at the clock at 11.30pm hoping it would go into the next day, because I knew Dawn was being induced.' Baby Summer was born at 12.30am on February 28, weighing 7lb 12oz. And Dawn's daughter Courtney was delivered at 7.50pm that day, weighing 10lb 11oz. Lydia said: 'When we finally got the phone call to say she had had a little girl, we were over the moon. 'For our girls to have the same birthday, like us, is lovely. They will grow up together and probably go to the same school.' Dawn, who works at Cheeky Monkey's play centre in Chorley, added: 'I think they will be best friends like me and Lydia.' Experts say the odds of two sisters discovering they are pregnant and giving birth on the same days are a million to one. The step-sisters went through pregnancy together, sharing each milestone and preparing for the future - they can't wait for their daughters to do the same . | Step-sisters Lydia Crispin, 24, and Dawn .
Bamber, 25, share birthday .
Both discovered they .
were mothers-to-be by chance on June 18 last year .
Two women had different due dates .
Both pregnancies went past due .
dates and gave birth on same day .
Summer born at 12.30am on .
February 28 and Courtney .
delivered at 7.50pm . |
196,617 | 8a743bd876c3d4cada2ef179a35babf7053a7e4b | (CNN) -- A study commissioned by digital music service Spotify examined the relationship between music, romance and seduction. These soundtracks were top picks for both men and women, although the study's author, music psychologist Daniel Mullensiefen, also pointed out that men are more willing to adjust their tastes in music in order to ensure "greater success in the bedroom." Top 20 songs considered 'better than sex' . Top 20 tracks to play during sex . . Top 20 tracks for a romantic dinner . . Top 20 tracks to flirt on the dance floor . . Top 20 tracks to get 'in the mood' . | Spotify study: 40% say music is more arousing than touch .
Digital music service created playlists to accompany report . |
221,282 | aa726c22a9578a0935af42e4f5e05191c83d453e | Valery Mezague was found dead in his apartment . Former Portsmouth midfielder Valery Mezague has been found dead in his French apartment. The 30-year-old Cameroon midfielder spent part of the 2004-05 season on loan at Fratton Park from Marseille. The midfielder made 11 Premier League appearances for Portsmouth during his time on loan, and returned to England in 2013 for a spell with Bury. Mezague was also part of the Cameroon team that reached the final of the Confederations Cup in 2003, the tournament where Marc-Vivien Foe died after collapsing on the pitch. His last club Sporting Toulon Var released a statement on Mezague's death. The statement read: 'It is with great sadness that Sporting Toulon informs you of the death of Valery Mezague.' The cause of death is unknown, but a Toulon police source told AFP: 'An autopsy will he held on Monday. We do not currently have any suspicions (of criminal activity).' Mezague (left) spent a season on loan at Portsmouth from Marseille in 2004-05 . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Mezague was found dead in his apartment in France .
Cause of death is not known, but an autopsy will be held on Monday .
Cameroon midfielder spent part of 2004-05 season on loan at Portsmouth . |
30,778 | 5783cc604fa1d909400a81d45aa443d97fab766c | (CNN) -- Soccer fans should not "dwell" on the hand ball committed by French player Thierry Henry, former teammate Zinedine Zidane said in his defense Saturday. French forward Henry admitted to using his hand illegally to set up the goal that gave his team a 2-1 aggregate victory Wednesday against Ireland. France's victory pushed Ireland out of a spot at the 2010 World Cup. "What I just want to say is that Thierry Henry is not a cheater, even if it is a big foul and he committed it, let's not dwell on it," former teammate and captain for the French team, Zidane said to CNN affiliate BFMTV. "I don't think he should take more blame. It's a fact of the game that's certainly difficult to accept for the Irish but something that happens very often on the football field. I just want to say that's a lot for Henry to take." And Zidane knows what it's like to be in the spotlight -- for the good and bad. Zidane won every major honor in the game, including the 1998 World Cup. But during the last game of his 18-year professional career, he head-butted Italy's Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final game. France lost that match. France won Wednesday's match that has some Ireland fans feeling cheated. Video replays from the game shows Henry used his hand to stop the ball going out of play in extra time before he passed to William Gallas, who then scored the goal that secured France's place in the World Cup. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) requested a replay of Wednesday's controversial game, but the governing body of world football, FIFA, declined Friday. The Irish association also called on the French Football Federation to replay the game. "We regret that despite our best efforts for a replay, which would have restored the integrity of the game in front of a world-wide audience, our calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears at the French Football Federation," FAI chief John Delaney said in a statement. "Without doubt, the credibility of fair-play has been damaged by this incident in front of a world-wide audience." In its bid for a do-over, the FAI pointed to precedent set in 2005 when a World Cup qualifier between Uzbekistan and Bahrain was replayed after the referee was found to have committed a technical error. But a FIFA spokesman said the precedent did not apply to Wednesday's game because the referee in the 2005 match "saw the incident in question and simply failed to apply the proper rules." The FAI plans to "continue to call on FIFA to take action to ensure that such damaging examples of cheating are not allowed to recur," Delaney said. | Former teammate Zinedine Zidane comes to defense of Thierry Henry .
Henry admits a replay would be the "fairest solution" in handball row .
Henry set up decisive goal for France in their World Cup playoff with Ireland . |
77,100 | da9db217883de1071e3bd41e4bf5dcb81f0415c7 | It's the home of Al Shabab, pirates and a civil war that has ground on for almost three decades but for some intrepid tourists, Somalia, or to be specific, the breakaway region of Somaliland, has become the perfect place for a holiday. And as these incredible images taken by French photographer Eric Lafforgue reveal, there's no shortage of things to do - whether you're in the market for a spot of culture or fancy a day on one of the country's spectacular Indian Ocean beaches. 'To most people, Somalia and Somaliland are one and the same,' explains Constantine Savvides who travelled to the region with Lafforgue. 'Hardly anyone speaks of its struggle for independence and desire to disassociate itself from the violent turmoil afflicting the rest of the country.' Welcome to Somaliland: An elderly man photographed in the town of Baligubadle in front of a huge mural that depicts the national flag of Somaliland . Keeping the peace: Many of Somaliland's police force are female and boast specially adapted uniforms complete with the Islamic hijab headscarf . Meet the locals: According to Lafforgue and Savvides, most of Somaliland's inhabitants are only all too aware of the image problem created by neighbouring Somalia . Precious: Livestock is a key source of wealth in Somaliland, with camels proving particularly valuable. Here, a herdsman in Lughaya carries a newborn camel. Somaliland has functioned independently of the rest of Somalia since 1991 and was once known as the British Somaliland Protectorate, only joining the rest of Somalia, formerly Italian Somaliland, after gaining independence from the UK in 1960. But by 1988, relations between the inhabitants of Somaliland and the rest of Somalia had disintegrated beyond repair, with a series of massacres ordered by former Somali dictator Mohammed Siad Barre proving the spark that triggered a vicious civil war. When the beleaguered Somali government finally collapsed in 1991, Somaliland declared itself independent, although it is yet to be recognised as such by the rest of the world. Now, despite its proximity to regions controlled by Al Shabaab and to Puntland, another breakaway region and home to Somalia's notorious pirates, Lafforgue and Savvides say travelling in Somaliland is safe. 'Media attention has traditionally focused on the ongoing war between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which is backed by the international community, and Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate,' explains Savvides. 'Most of the unrest is concentrated in an area referred to in Somaliland as the "South", which, as the name implies, comprises the bottom portion of the country including the capital, Mogadishu. Scars: . The rusting remains of a Soviet era tank outside the port of Berbera. Somaliland has been at peace since breaking away from Somalia in 1991 . Busy: A man outside his popular patisserie in the town of Boorama (left) and an elderly man selling the popular narcotic khat outside his house in Baligubadle . Non-violent: A young man in a dapper pink shirt poses in front of a sign that proclaims that weapons are banned in Burao, the capital of Somaliland's Togdheer province . Stunning: . A colourfully dressed woman and children emerge from a house that dates . back to the Ottoman Empire in Somaliland's port city of Berbera . Empire: The Ottoman Empire conquered Somaliland in the 1500s and remained until the British took control. Buildings such as this, in Berbera, remain . Beauty: Both of these women are wearing qasil; a popular local beauty treatment made from ground leaves that firms the skin while protecting it from the sun . Colourful: A woman photographed in a traditional pink niqab in the city of Boorama. Like Somalia, most of Somaliland's inhabitants are Muslim . 'Coverage has also focused largely on piracy in the Gulf of Aden where 16,000 to 22,000 ships, roughly eight per cent of the world’s trade, pass through annually. The sea bandits are based in Puntland, the easternmost part of the country and the very tip of the horn of Africa.' By contrast, Somaliland has a democratic government and the streets of its capital, Hargeisa, are peaceful. And despite being unrecognised by much of the world, it has struck up trading relationships with a number of countries, among them the UK, South Africa and Belgium. Now the Somaliland government hopes that the country's stunning, deserted beaches and ancient cultural sites will encourage tourists to overcome their worries and give Somaliland a try. 'The capital Hargeisa is a vivacious place,' reveals Savvides. 'The busy streets are lined with vendors of all kinds and there is a Russian MiG airplane war memorial in the middle of the city. 'The reason for all the Russian matériel is because Somalia initially aligned itself with the USSR during the Cold War. But when the Soviets intervened in the Ogaden War and supported Somalia’s arch-rival, Ethiopia, the Somalis quickly shifted their allegiance to the United States.' Further along the coast is the city of Berbera, a port that began life as the ancient town of Malao in the first century B.C, and is described by Lafforgue and Savvides as having 'a relaxed seaside atmosphere', although the city centre does still bear the marks of war. Unlike its war-torn neighbour, Somalia, Somaliland is a peaceful democracy that boasts trade links with South Africa, Belgium, Ethiopia and the UK among others. But it wasn't always so. For substantial chunks of its history, Somaliland has been ruled by foreign powers and was a part of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years before being incorporated into the British Empire as British Somaliland. Then, as now, Somaliland was separate and bordered what was then Italian Somaliland. When independence came on the 26th June 1960, Somaliland became a sovereign state; a state of affairs that lasted just five days before the country became part of Somalia. Peace, however, would prove elusive, and a tumultuous political saga soon began, thanks to the violent totalitarian regime of dictator, Mohammed Siad Barre. When Barre’s dictatorship was overthrown in 1991, Somalia quickly descended into a state of anarchy with warlords battling for power. On May 18th of that same year, Somaliland declared its independence from the rest of the country, attempting to reclaim what it once had. Today, while fighting continues in the rest of Somalia, Somaliland is now stable and hopes to be recognised as a fully independent state by the wider world. Open for business: Somaliland is dotted with signs like this one, which is an advertising hoarding for a garage that repairs cars and sells car parts . Handy: A man transports a traditional agal soomaali hut on the back of his camel in the Zeila province. Camels remain an integral part of life in Somaliland . Nomadic: Somaliland is still home to some nomadic tribes who spend their lives in the country's deserts. Here, a nomadic woman is seen with a bottle of camel milk . Cultural sights: The ancient Laas Gaal cave paintings just outside Berbera (left) and the MiG fighter plane memorial in the centre of Somaliland's capital Hargeisa . Trade: Many of the camels raised in Somaliland are sold overseas, with Berbera's proximity to the Arabian peninsula making it a popular departure point . Within striking distance of Berbera are the ancient Laas Gaal cave paintings, which are thought to date from 9,000 B.C. 'The Neolithic art depicts humans and a range of animals in a variety of positions,' adds Savvides. 'They're amazingly well preserved with vibrant colours and clear outlines, and look a little bit like Picasso's work.' Equally impressive, reveals Savvides, are the locals; most of whom proved incredibly welcoming. 'Many women wear qasil, a natural beauty product that rejuvenates skin and protects from the sun,' he adds. 'It is made from the ground leaves of a tree and it gives their faces a yellow tint - an effect made all the more alluring when coupled with colourful clothing.' Despite their charm, many in Somaliland are all too aware of the image problem created by the ongoing violence across the Somali border and hope more visitors will come to the region so they can see how different things really are. 'The people of Somaliland are very aware of their tarnished public image due to their historical association with Puntland and the South,' explains Savvides. 'In every city I visited, people urged me to show how Somaliland was different from Somalia. They want the world to know that it's peaceful. Though Somaliland may share a common history, language, and blood with the South, the people of Somaliland deserve to be seen differently.' Culture clash: Although Somaliland retains its Islamic identity, teenagers such as this girl, right, have picked up some of the gestures found in Western hip hop videos . Colourful: Women living in Somaliland tend to choose brighter clothes than those living in Egypt and in Yemen and Saudi Arabia on the other side of the Gulf of Aden . Ruins: The remains of a British colonial house outside El Sheikh. Many were destroyed in the fighting, leaving only the chimneys still standing . Modern: A man advertising X-ray services in Hargeisa, where many of the best doctors in the region are found, and the lovely Baathela Beach just outside Berbera . Ruins: A man walks through the remains of what was once the Burao Technology Institute - one of the many buildings destroyed by war in the late 1980s . | Somaliland is a breakaway region of Somalia that declared independence from the rest in 1991 .
It currently has a democratic political system and a stable government, no pirates and no Al Shabaab .
Women have been granted equal treatment and are protected under Somaliland law - some are even policewomen .
The country hopes to become a tourist destination and has incredible beaches and lots of ancient monuments .
Somaliland is currently not recognised as independent by the wider world but has trade links with the UK .
Until 1960, was known as British Somaliland and ruled separately to the rest of Somalia, which was run by Italy . |
285,960 | fe8237ebeaa504b68e9fce3634ca1d6d1af88bf7 | Anna Wintour has joined the stampede of stars boycotting the Dorchester Collection hotels for their links with the Sultan of Brunei, who has implemented Sharia Law in his country. The Vogue editor has confirmed that she will not be staying at the Le Meurice, the hotel favoured by the fashion elite and her usual base during Paris Fashion Week. Ms Wintour release a statement to the New York Times explaining: 'While I am sensitive to the potential . impact that this issue may have on the wonderful staff at Le Meurice, I . cannot in all good conscience stay there, nor can Vogue’s editors.' In support: Anna Wintour, pictured with her daughter Bee Shaffer, is often in Paris for fashion events, but will not be staying at Le Meurice in future . The British editor's decision comes as Conde Nast confirmed that all its magazines have opted to boycott the Dorchester Collection of hotels, which includes The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane, in London, as well as famous retreat Coworth Park, in Windsor. Stephen Fry was among the first British stars to announce he was joining the campaign, tweeted that he had cancelled his stay at Coworth Park. In the US, the Beverly Hills Hotel, in Los Angeles, has become a main focus for Hollywood and the fashion industry's anger after the Sultan of Brunei approved new laws which call for homosexuals and adulterers to be stoned to death. Paris hotspot: Le Meurice is a fashion industry favourite in the French capital . Boycott: All Conde Nast magazines confirmed they would not be staying at Dorchester Collection hotels, such as Le Meurice (pictured), The Dorchester and Coworth Park . Star support: Russell Crowe tweeted that he did not agree with the boycott of The Beverly Hills Hotel . Chat show hosts Ellen DeGeneres and Jay . Leno are among those who have spoken out against the properties, with . Sir Richard Branson and Sharon . Osbourne also confirming they would be avoiding the hotels. Members of the fashion industry such as shoe . designer Brian Atwood and designer Peter Som have also called for . action, as well as François-Henri Pinault, the head of Kering, which . owns Gucci, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. However, not everyone agrees with the action being taken against the hotels. Hollywood star Russell Crowe has announced that he didn't support the Hollywood boycott that has crippled business. The star wrote on Twitter that didn't agree with the boycott as it hits hard-working staff he considers his 'friends'. Once known as the place 'to be seen', the hotel has been almost empty in recent weeks thanks to the boycott. Dissension: Russell Crowe said he did not agree with the hotel boycott . The Gladiator star Crowe tweeeted his support for workers, . saying: 'I don't agree with the boycotting of Dorchester Collection . hotels. It only hurts the hard working staff who I consider friends.' His message was greet with support on Twitter, with 102 people rewteeted the comment and 274 'favouriting' the tweet. However, not everyone agreed with the . star. Scott Holleran tweeted: 'Maybe you should watch Gladiator again . for a refresher in what it truly means to persecute innocent people.' Scroll down for video . In the pink: The Beverly Hills Hotel has been a favourite retreat of Hollywood stars since it opened in 1912 - but has found itself at the centre of protests against its owner, the Sultan of Brunei, and Brunei's new anti-gay laws . A gathering storm: Celebrities such as comedian Jay Leno have led protests outside the Beverly Hills Hotel . Kevin Kane added: . 'I am married to a gay Bruniean. Giving money to the Sultan is support. Boycott leads to media interest and political pressure.' Reality . star Kim Kardashian is said to have cancelled her bridal shower at the . hotel, while the Motion Picture & Television Fund said it will no . longer hold its annual ‘Night Before the Oscars’ party at the hotel. The . Fund said it was making a protest at Brunei’s new sharia criminal law, . which punishes same-sex relationships, as well as adultery and . abortions, with flogging and stoning. ‘We . cannot condone or tolerate these harsh and repressive laws, and as a . result support a business owned by the Sultan of Brunei or a Brunei . sovereign fund associated with the government of Brunei,’ the Fund's . directors said in a statement. Coming under fire: Protestors have been gathering outside the Beverly Hills Hotel all week . Prominent . figures such as comedians Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno, and entrepreneur . Richard Branson, have been among those to advocate shunning the hotel . and its bungalows – a favoured locale for the Hollywood elite since it . opened its doors in 1912. Branson . tweeted that no member of his Virgin staff would stay at any Dorchester . Collection property ‘until the Sultan abides by basic human rights.’ Mavis . Leno, co-chair of the Global Women's Rights Awards with husband Jay . Leno, said the new penalties ‘violate international law and have no . place in civilised society.’ Flashpoint: The Dorchester Collection, which runs the Beverly Hills Hotel, says the current protests are misdirected . In an added move, the City of Beverly Hills voted to pressure the government of Brunei into selling the Beverly Hills Hotel in the wake of its new laws. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has praised his state's laws as a ‘great achievement.’ Brunei, a conservative country where alcohol is banned and Muslim courts already govern family affairs, has begun phasing in its version of sharia law, which allows for penalties such as amputation for theft and stoning for adultery. The most severe punishments – flogging, amputation and stoning – are to be introduced over the next two years. Response: Comedian Ellen Degeneres and entrepreneur Richard Branson have been vocal in their opposition . The Dorchester Collection's chief executive has said that the hotel boycott is misdirected. ‘American companies across the board are funded by foreign investment, including sovereign wealth funds,' Christopher Cowdray said in a statement. The Beverly Hills Hotel has played host to a constellation of stars in its 102-year history. Leading lights such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, John Wayne, Faye Dunaway and The Beatles have all stayed or partied amid the property's inimitable pink walls. | Vogue editor confirmed she would not stay at Le Meurice in Paris .
Wintour Praised the 'wonderful staff' at the French hotel .
Editor is the latest to join the boycott, led by Ellen DeGeneres .
Brunei's laws call for homosexuals and adulterers to be stoned to death . |
214,931 | a23fc69586d64a48e5a3593c1d00cb4b55e40dd7 | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 07:28 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 23 December 2013 . Officers pulled the plug on a huge Christmas lights display after hundreds of spectators descended on the quiet cul-de-sac. Groups of excited families flocked to see the 12 homes in Hedge End, Hampshire, and the surrounding streets decked out like a winter wonderland. However, many were left disappointed after a neighbour alerted police - who installed a roadblock an forced homeowners to switch off the lights. Festive: Scores of people visited the cul-de-sac in Hedge End, Hampshire, which had been lit up for charity . 'Traffic chaos': One neighbour called police due to the number of visitors. Police enforced a roadblock and ordered homeowners to turn the lights off until observers had dispersed . Cars were said to be blocking roads, which raised concerns of crashes and emergency services not being able to get through. The lights were switched off until traffic dispersed and residents were only allowed to turn them back on once the roads were clear. Hampshire Constabulary even issued an online warning urging people to stay away from the area. Participants have raised £25,000 for a children’s hospice by lighting up their homes from December 1 to January 1 for the last 10 years. Many reacted angrily to the intervention and branded the shutdown ‘disgusting’. Hanna Robinson wrote on Facebook: 'I think this is a disgusting and disrespectful status from Hampshire constabulary. 'The residents in this road have come together as a community to raise money for charity, and all you can do is worry about a bit of congestion for a few nights. 'You should be spending more time fighting real crime than to be writing statuses like this... We took our three children there last night for the first time and the looks on their faces were worth a million pounds. Attraction: One of the houses in the area - where residents have been lighting up their homes for 10 years in aid of a local children's hospice . 'I think it’s lovely the hard work the people in that road are going to to raise money and more of us should take a leaf out of their books rather than them being punished for a good deed. 'I for one will be supporting there efforts.' Onlooker Carly Hughes wrote: 'Can’t believe people would complain about this! We have just been and it was magical and all for charity! 'As we were leaving the police officer stopping everyone turning into the road said it was chaos and the road was gridlocked. 'There wasn’t one car driving down the road, everyone was on foot and yes it was busy but for good reason! People need to find some Christmas spirit!' 'Punished for a good deed': One visitor hit out at the police action, saying officers were 'disrespectful' and 'disgusting' for shutting it down . Another, Gemma Burgess, said the families should be rewarded for putting the lights up and footing steep electricity bills for a good cause. She wrote: 'They do this not only for charity that they do every year but also to see the smiles on the kids’ faces. 'A lot of people can’t afford to take their kids for Christmas days out so they take them there to see the lights. 'My kids love it and look forward to it. Yes tonight it was busy but more people means more donations and how can anyone moan about that!! Bah humbug!!' And Andy Grant-West added: 'This is a charity and community thing. Our money goes regularly on police having to be at events like football that a lot of people have no interest in, but we are forced to live with it and put up with it. 'Christmas is once a year and the lights are for a charity. Can the police not extend their services and be charitable at this time of year?' Intervention: Police even issued an online warning, saying visitors must stay away from the area . A resident, who asked not to be named, said the fundraisers were due to meet with police over the future of the lights. The retired man said: 'There were hundreds and hundreds of people here and with cars parked on verges and blocking access there were fears about public safety and crashes. 'The police said it was a public order issue because of all the congestion. 'It’s a shame because at the end of the day we’re doing this for charity. 'Some people come back every night because their children love the lights so much - the reward is seeing the delighted look on their little faces. Congestion: Hampshire police said that some were 'concerned about congestion around the Christmas lights . 'When the congestion had eased, there was an outcry to be allowed to turn the lights back on. The officers on the ground got the go-ahead from their superiors and eventually we could. 'But we’ve got to have a meeting to see if we can continue using them.' A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'We were called to the Stephenson Way and Britannia Gardens area of Hedge End at 5pm on Sunday. 'Some local residents reported concerns about traffic congestion due to the numbers of motorists visiting Christmas lights. 'Police worked with residents and visitors to help clear the traffic congestion as swiftly and as safely as possible.' | Area in Hedge End, Hampshire, lit up with Christmas lights in aid of charity .
Hundreds of families visited the area - until one neighbour called police .
Officers shut down the event, installing roadblock and switching off lights .
'Can’t believe people would complain about this,' one onlooker said .
'You [police] should be spending more time fighting real crime', said another . |
99,723 | 0c7e422fe687c1cb1469c6fd2f19ea5541a97d3d | (CNN) -- One day there will be no one alive who remembers. Today, as we solemnly observe the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001, virtually every living American adult has his or her own vivid memory of that morning. It all feels very personal, because it was. And is. But 100 years from now, 150 years from now, when everyone who remembers is gone, what will the legacy of the terrible day have evolved into? And will the war be over? That is the essential question. The war on terror is unlike any other the United States has fought, and because of this there can be no genuine sense of closure, even after ceremonies as moving and heartfelt as the ones planned for Sunday will certainly be. The nation can express respect, and sorrow, and determined resolve on this 10th anniversary of the day. But closure -- bowing heads and praying one more time, and then moving on? Not possible, with this war. The morning after will arrive on schedule on Monday, but the nature of the war in which we are engaged almost guarantees a succession of mornings after without end. I have a copy of a memo of sorts, a teletype, that was sent out in September 1945. Its author was not identified by name, but by title: Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. The recipients were his colleagues: the commanding general of the Eighth Army, the commanding general of the Tenth Army, the commander of the Third Fleet. . . . I look at the memo from time to time because it is such a stark reminder of the way our current war will not conclude. The text, in that teletype style of those years, was all in capital letters: . "FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT BY JAPANESE IMPERIAL GENERAL HEADQUARTERS AND ALL JAPANESE AND JAPANESE CONTROLLED ARMED FORCES WHEREVER LOCATED WAS SIGNED ON THE BATTLESHIP MISSOURI IN TOKYO BAY AT 0908 ON SEPTEMBER 2ND 1945." And that was it: The Second World War was over. We may be destined to have no day like that. As much death and devastation as there was during World War II, as many families who lost their young soldiers, at least the nightmare ended. It may have been difficult for Americans to believe for a while -- after the years of war, it may have seemed too good to be true: Peace had come. But eventually Americans must have begun to awaken without the knots in their stomachs, without the fear for loved ones in their hearts. The danger had been defeated; the enemy was vanquished. The war was past tense. Ours is not. The enemy, as we have been told from the start, wears no uniform, flies no flag. On Sunday we mourn and give renewed thanks for the bravery of those who were so valiant in trying to save lives 10 years ago. And Monday the sun will rise over a nation still wishing for true tranquillity. Mornings after, forevermore. There is a phrase that has been used in the context both of soldiers and of civilians in past U.S. wars: "for the duration." The phrase has signified that life will be altered until the war is over. But what happens when "for the duration" has no end date? When the duration is infinite? Another wartime phrase: "on full alert." Yet no person, no nation, can remain on full alert indefinitely. The body -- the human body, the body politic -- is not made for it. Full alert is an emergency response. And when the emergency never ends, guards -- both physical and emotional -- are inevitably let down, not by choice but out of pure fatigue. The men and women who personally recall December 7, 1941, are dying off. The day of the attack on Pearl Harbor is remembered firsthand by relatively few Americans, and because of that, there are years when the anniversary of the date -- the date President Franklin D. Roosevelt vowed would live in infamy -- is allowed to pass with little notice. That is something to ponder on this September 11 anniversary, as we consider how the date will be marked a century and more from now when there is no one left alive to remember what it felt like, no one who wept on that morning. Perhaps -- even probably -- there will be additional awful days that Americans will face, more dates that will be recalled with tears. September 11, 2001, may be pushed toward the middle of the history books, regarded as an older sorrow. And there will be generations of children whose birthdays are September 11, generations of husbands and wives whose wedding dates, and anniversaries, will be September 11. The notion may seem a little odd, now, but in fact it has already begun. The world, saddened, turns on its axis. It has no other choice. The morning after always arrives. The act of remembrance, meant to help, still hurts. It does today. It will tomorrow. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene. | Bob Greene says years from now, many may not remember 9/11. Will the war even be over?
He says remembrances are moving but can't be expected to bring resolution to attacks .
He says World War II ended with a surrender; no such thing is expected in this war .
Greene: On Monday U.S. will still be wishing for tranquillity, even as event fades into history . |
136,582 | 3cae4298f3dc53cd355f72392659df63131f981d | (CNN)Journalist Steven Brill has written a new book about our dysfunctional system of health care and it's getting a lot of attention. In "America's Bitter Pill: Money, Politics, Backroom Deals, and the Fight to Fix Our Broken Healthcare System," he describes the various struggles to implement the Affordable Care Act and dissects the ongoing opposition to the bill. As a nurse, I've always supported the ACA as a way for more Americans to get needed health care. But many people, including many nurses, view Obamacare as a government intrusion into individual lives. I can see their point of view, but I believe it's mistaken. The ACA does not allow government to interfere in our lives; it compels government to keep us as safe and healthy as possible. For the record, the Affordable Care Act was based on "Romneycare," the market-based health insurance reform that Republican Mitt Romney put in place when he was governor of Massachusetts. The ACA, like Romneycare, prohibits insurance companies from excluding patients due to preexisting conditions, requires all individuals to buy insurance (since otherwise only the sick would sign up for coverage and the system would quickly become insolvent) and offers subsidies to middle-class and low-income families to make higher-quality coverage affordable. Despite its Republican provenance and utilization of private insurance companies, though, the "government takeover" label stuck to the ACA. And that was intentional. In his book, Brill explains that the phrase "government takeover of health care" came from conservative pollster Frank Luntz and became a rallying cry for the enemies of the Affordable Care Act who said Obamacare would deny Americans free choice over health insurance. "Free choice" is a tricky phrase here, because the ACA does curtail insurance choices, in that it disallows low-cost policies that don't provide anything close to real coverage of health care costs. But the only Americans who really had free choice over their health care prior to the implementation of Obamacare were those with excellent insurance or unlimited funds of their own. Consider Brill's story of his own aortic aneurysm and how glad he was to end up at New York-Presbyterian, one of New York's flagship hospital systems. There, he was operated on by an MD with an impeccable record in the exact surgical repair Brill needed. His hospital stay offered "Mother Teresa care," and though his total bill came to $190,000, his insurance paid for the bulk of it. Now consider Sean Recchi, who's profiled in Brill's book: A 42-year-old, non-Hodgkin lymphoma patient from Lancaster, Ohio, with health insurance that, Brill specifies, provided minimal reimbursement for health care costs. Recchi had to pay M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston $83,900 in advance in order to begin treatment there. M.D. Anderson is a great hospital and I'm sure Recchi also received Mother Teresa care, but the upfront cost was enormous and the Recchis are not rich. The treatment he received did save his life, but it was obviously not free or freely chosen; his life was at stake and he believed M.D. Anderson would save him. Contrasting these anecdotes gets to the nub of the problem with health care: when people's lives are at stake -- as Brill's and Recchi's both were -- survival becomes much more important than cost. But cost of care can vary dramatically depending largely on whether someone has insurance and what the quality of that insurance is. The Affordable Care Act was intended to reduce those price disparities by better standardizing what insurance covers and what it costs, making it possible for more Americans to get the health care they need. The bill is complicated and imperfect, but it has created a much fairer system of health insurance than we had before. Brill, however, says the ACA does not go far enough in terms of controlling overall costs and improving quality. Right now, the United States pays much more for health care than any other developed country and we have worse health outcomes overall. The Affordable Care Act regulates insurance companies, but does not limit the huge profits made by pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers or hospital administrators. That's because the ACA would not have passed without the support of those three groups. To corral those industries and really make American health care better, cheaper and fairer will probably require government intervention. I say that because every developed country that has some version of national health care uses government regulation to control access and set prices. Any move in that direction in the U.S., though, would bring further accusations of "socialized medicine" and stoke the "government takeover" fire. This is why I say we're focusing on the wrong thing -- on principles instead of lives. And I came to that conclusion by thinking back to my own father. A country boy from Osceola, Missouri, with the gumption to become a philosophy professor, my dad deeply resents "Fasten Seat Belt" lights in cars. "It's the government telling me how to drive!" was his common complaint. And he's right. But it's also true that seat belts save lives when automobiles crash, and Americans have acclimated ourselves to wearing seat belts and acknowledging their value. Obamacare then, may not effectively control health care costs in the long term, but the part of it that has made insurance newly affordable for millions of Americans is not an attempt to control people's lives, but to save them: a seat belt for travelers on our unbelievably expensive, miracle-delivering, health care highway. But don't take my word for it. Rely instead on Steve Beshear, governor of Kentucky, quoted in Bitter Pill describing his state's Obamacare exchange, called Kynect: "Just have a look . . . You'll like it. It's not about me or President Obama. It's about you." | Journalist Steven Brill has written a new book about our dysfunctional system of health care .
Theresa Brown: Many view Obamacare as a government intrusion into individual lives -- but they are mistaken . |
111,613 | 1bef9206785c0b3c07ea56a6cf3b909d06b564f5 | Whether a young Victor Valdes dreamed of one day pulling on the No 1 shirt of Manchester United as he grew up in a town south west of Barcelona is unknown. That he thought he would be doing so in the compact settings of Leigh Sports Village, however, is unlikely. But the 11,000-capacity home of rugby league's Leigh Centurions, complete with terraced end and next to a giant Morrison's supermarket, is exactly where the 33-year-old three-times Champions League winner pulled on the gloves for his new club for the first time. Manchester United keeper Victor Valdes was virtually a spectator until he was beaten by Jerome Sinclair's rasping drive . (from left) Victor Valdes, Joel Castro Pereira, Anderson, Andreas Pereira, Jesse Lingard and Saidy Janko celebrate United's win . Manchester United: Victor Valdes, Patrick McNair, Tom Thorpe, Tyler Blackett, Marrick Vermijl, Anderson (Liam Grimshaw), Andreas Pereira (James Weir), Reece James, Nick Powell, Jesse Lingard, Saidy Janko . Goals: Powell 34, McNair 47 . Liverpool: Lawrence Vigouroux, Ryan McLaughlin (Madger Gomes), Joe Maguire, Conor Randall, Jordan Williams, Pedro Chirivella, Sergi Canos, Cameron Brannagan, Jerome Sinclair, Jordan Ibe, Oluwaseyi Ojo. Goal: Sinclair 42 . Everything has to start somewhere. For Valdes this was his first outing since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury for the Catalan giants against Celta Vigo in March. Being back between a set of posts, albeit ones that looked they were from the 90s with loops in the top corners, was the important thing. Despite rumours he would start in Friday's FA Cup tie at Cambridge United it was this Under 21 clash with Liverpool that Louis van Gaal chose to blood the veteran. On a chilly evening in front of 5,102, Valdes could have been forgiven for thinking about the sunnier climes of Catalonia - especially when he was a spectator for the first 42 minutes as his side dominated. And perhaps his mind was on the beach when he was called into action for the first time - and could not prevent Jerome Sinclair's rasping drive from passing him on its way into the roof of his net to cancel out Nick Powell's opener. Criticism is may well be harsh. The highly-rated Birmingham 18-year-old might not hit a sweeter shot all season - although Valdes will not have enjoyed being beaten at his near post. World-Cup winning Spaniard aside, United had fielded a strong line-up for the clash with their old rivals which included Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Powell and Anderson. With three over 21s permitted, these are often nights for the forgotten remind us of their talents and the unwanted Brazilian gave us a glimpse of a past that promised so much when he dinked a looping ball over the Liverpool defence to set Powell clear. The former Crewe man, whose loan spell at Leicester City was cut short earlier this month amid rumours of attitude issues, fired wastefully wide. Powell, however, would make no mistake moments later - rising unmarked to head Andreas Pereira's free-kick into the turf and in. Valdes and midfielder Anderson were given game time in the Under 21 match at Leigh Sports Vilage . United defender Paddy McNair celebrates scoring the 47th minute winner against Liverpool . Liverpool winger Jordan Ibe takes on United midfielder Anderson on Monday night . Defender McNair capped an impressive display by scoring the winner against Liverpool . Jesse Lingard has recently returned to action after suffering a knee injury on the opening day against Swansea . Jordan Ibe started for Liverpool after being recalled from his successful loan spell at Derby County . Following Sinclair's driven leveller United re-exerted control. Two minutes after the break they were ahead again when McNair fired into the bottom corner following good work from Powell, who looked keen to impress, and Swiss midfielder Saidy Janko. As his side dominated Valdes again had little to do. He may well have glanced at the advertisement hoardings and wondered why he should 'try Leigh Market' as one advised, or made a note to look out for Kingstone Press Cider next time he is at the bar of his local. Nick Powell (left) was keen to impress after failing to shine during a loan spell at Leicester City . Swiss midfielder Saidy Janko set up McNair for Manchester United's winning goal . If nothing else, he will have picked up the words for a few of United's favourite anti-Liverpool chants from a small group behind his goal who, among ditties, belted out the Steve Gerrard/Demba Ba song. Joking aside there were positives. His distribution, on the rare times he had the ball, was decent and he sent more than one clearance thundering into the Liverpool half. A win, and 90 minutes without injury will have given him plenty of reasons to be cheerful as the team bus headed past the local retail park. The mines may have long left this part of Lancashire, but Valdes will have enjoyed his night back at the coalface. | Nick Powell put Manchester United ahead with a 34th-minute header .
Jerome Sinclair smashed the ball past Victor Valdes for Liverpool equaliser .
Paddy McNair fired home the 47th minute winner after smart reverse pass from Saidy Janko .
Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes played his first game in a United shirt . |
101,915 | 0f58ae851ae88add0ce79467ade5bc709ceb5430 | Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson has been moved to a different prison after allegedly attacking a prison governor, it has been claimed . Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson has been moved to a different prison and put in a 'punishment cell' after allegedly attacking a prison governor. The 61-year-old was moved to HMP Woodhill, in Buckinghamshire, just before Christmas last year. But he was moved to HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, on Friday after being accused of assaulting a governor at Woodhill, it has been reported. Bronson, who is serving a life sentence for robbery and kidnap, was last week apparently banned from sending out his artwork after prison chiefs at Woodhill said people on the outside were selling it for profit. He has spent 40 years in jail, 36 in solitary, since first being jailed for armed robbery in 1974. He is now in a 'punishment cell' at Wakefield, according to the website of campaign group The Charlie Bronson Appeal Fund. The website claims: 'Woodhil Prison (sic) are alleging that Charlie assaulted a Governor and made threats and have charged him and passed the matter to the police to investigate. 'Charlie's legal team have been made aware of the situation and Charlie fully intends to fight these accusations, citing extreme provocation and duress.' The website also says it has received confirmation from Bronson, who has been dubbed the UK's most violent inmate, that he is back at Wakefield where he was allowed to make an emergency phone call. Bronson has now apparently been moved to HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire (pictured) Bronson was moved from HMP Woodhill, in Buckinghamshire, (pictured) after being accused of assaulting a governor . It says: 'He is, however in the . punishment block and at present, unsure how long he will be in . punishment or indeed, at Wakefield. 'There is apparently no cell on the CSC unit so the next few days are full of uncertainty in terms of his location. 'The protocol on the punishment block is that unless he is prepared to come out with his hands on his head and get on his knees, they will not let him out for the hour's exercise he is legally entitled to. 'Charlie has refused to do this, although he is keen to stress that he is cool and being respectful to the staff at Wakefield. Bronson was moved to HMP Wakefield on Friday after being accused of assaulting a governor at HMP Woodhill, according to reports . 'Charlie has nothing in the punishment cell, and has not the opportunity to wash or shave since Friday. We are hopeful this situation will change for the better within the next few days.' Bronson, who has won 11 awards from the Koestler Trust - a prison arts charity - for his drawings and has shows in galleries across London and the south east, has been in solitary for 36 years. He has convictions for wounding, criminal damage, GBH, false imprisonment and blackmail. The Ministry of Justice has said it does not comment on individual prisoners. | Charles Bronson apparently moved from HMP Woodhill to HMP Wakefield .
He has apparently been accused of assaulting a governor at Woodhill .
According to campaign group's website, he is now on 'punishment block' |
263,807 | e1a7c4f9f92f287a79e6a937bbda9b4bb03135f1 | (CNN) -- For nearly 11 years, the family of Nelta Jacques has awaited word on her fate, as well as that of her two daughters, ages 5 and 7. The three disappeared on a rain-soaked night in June 1999 as they were traveling from Jacques' father's home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to their home in Tampa, a drive of about 260 miles. But a grisly discovery Wednesday in a Florida canal -- a submerged minivan with human remains inside -- might provide some long-sought answers. "It's hard. It's just some closure right now," Valbrun Chevalier, Jacques' brother, said Thursday. The algae-covered minivan was found Wednesday morning during a Broward County Sheriff's Office training exercise at the canal, located in a wildlife management area along I-75, authorities said in a news release. The sheriff's office has not released further details or said whether there are remains of more than one person. But Chevalier, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, said Thursday that police had notified his family that the minivan -- an older-model Dodge Caravan -- was registered to Jacques. He said he did not know whether the remains of all three had been found, but relatives were providing authorities with DNA samples Thursday. Jacques was 27 when she was last seen June 2, 1999. She had worked at a Wal-Mart and at toll plazas in Florida, along with other odd jobs, Chevalier said. She had just returned from a visit with relatives in Haiti, and had picked up her daughters -- Johanna St. Louis, 7, and Juanita Jacques, 5, from her father's home. She left for Tampa, driving her 1996 green Dodge Caravan minivan, about 11:30 p.m. in the rain, despite family members' pleas not to, Chevalier said. She never arrived. Relatives reported her and the children missing, but police had little to go on, he said. "There wasn't anything they could do. They said, 'Wait it out.'" "She was about eight months pregnant," Dinorah Perry told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in a story published Thursday. Perry runs Missing Children International Ministries in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and campaigned for greater police efforts in the search for Jacques. "Her father begged her not to drive that car alone. She said, 'Daddy, I'm grown.' " The Broward Sheriff's Office said its divers routinely conduct training exercises to recover vehicles in canals. "Usually, cars that are stolen, abandoned or dumped for insurance fraud are found," the police news release said. "About 1 in 100 vehicles yield human remains." Detectives collected evidence and processed the scene Wednesday afternoon while divers searched the water for additional remains, authorities said. The minivan was taken to the county medical examiner's office. Before finding the minivan about 11 a.m. Wednesday, police divers had pulled two other cars out of the water without incident, the release said. While Chevalier said he is brought to tears thinking of his relatives' last desperate moments in the minivan, he hopes the police investigation turns up no foul play. "I hope that's what happened, they got into an accident," he said. | Nelta Jacques and her two daughters disappeared in June 1999 .
They were traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida, on a rainy night .
Relatives were notified a minivan found in a canal Wednesday was registered to Jacques .
Relatives said they were providing DNA samples to check against remains found in the van . |
25,013 | 46de7b68518b7213d91899aedbe3a70533da5bd1 | A teenager hanged herself after becoming convinced the world would end in 2012 after researching doomsday scenarios on the internet, an inquest heard. Schoolgirl Isabel Taylor, 16, turned to Buddhism after becoming fed up with the 'complications and injustice' of the modern world. But while searching for answers she began researching doomsday scenarios - becoming convinced a nuclear reactor meltdown would end civilisation in the coming months. Isabel Taylor, 16, hanged herself after becoming convinced the world would end in 2012 . She had researched on the internet how to overdose but was found hanged in her bedroom by her mother. Yesterday her parents Gary, 51, and Ingrid, 48, said in a statement: 'We have questioned and searched our hearts to try to find an answer to why Isabel went down this devastating path. 'She yearned for an uncomplicated and perfect world where every living thing would be valued and at peace. 'But the simple and perfect world she sought, where all living things would be treated with compassion and equality, was never going to materialise. 'Unfortunately the future for her in her eyes must have seemed very bleak. 'Sadly there were too many bad points for her to contend with and the lure to opt out was too compelling. 'We can only conclude that she wasn't prepared to adjust to adulthood with all the complications, injustice and, for her, unhappiness that came with it.' The couple, of Neston, Wiltshire, said Isabel had begun making flippant remarks that the world would end soon. Mr Taylor, a retired civil servant, said: 'We were aware of the 2012 issue. She would mention it around the dinner table. 'We would take it on board and say we didn't think that was going to happen Isabel, and try to make light of it and move conversation onwards. Isabel's parents Gary, 51, and Ingrid, 48, said they believe their daughter was unable to cope with the 'complications and injustice' of adulthood . 'She would flippantly say "oh but it's all going to end next year anyway" and we would try and laugh it off. 'She believed something was going to happen that would change the world, I'm not sure whether she ever fully believed that it was going to end, but she definitely thought something was going to happen. 'She read articles on all different types of things which could make the world end, she read about 15 to 20 articles over the course of 2011 with her best friend. 'The most recent one she read was on sun spots and how if they went wrong it could cause a nuclear reaction.' Increasing numbers of websites devoted to 2012 doomsday scenarios have sprung up online, centred on claims the Mayans believed this is the year the world will end. In France a tiny village named Bugarach has seen visits from doomsday devotees, claiming it will survive any apocalypse event. The inquest at Trowbridge Town Hall, Wiltshire, heard how Isabel was concerned about 'injustices' in the world and had converted to Buddhism in Spring 2011. An inquest heard Isabel had been researching doomsday scenarios on the internet, Picture posed by model . The committed vegan had just started studying animal science and management at Wiltshire College and was a passionate animal rights campaigner who ran a guinea pig sanctuary with a friend. Her parents said: 'Isabel was a fully committed vegan and had very strong views on animal welfare especially animal testing, livestock and dairy farming. 'In the spring of 2011 she turned to the Buddhist faith and their teachings to search for answers because she could relate in their beliefs and principles. 'It would seem her belief in Buddhism and the possibility of another, better life was strong enough to persuade her that the time was right to move on to what comes next.' The inquest heard how Mrs Taylor, found her daughter hanged in her room at their home at 3.15pm in September last year, after spending much of the night on the computer. Mr Taylor added: 'We will never understand why she took her life and we will never fully come to terms with it. 'We miss her greatly , it was a tragic incident, she had such a promising career ahead of herself. 'The enormous shock of it remains with us and we will never fully come to terms with it. 'She managed to hide what was going on inside her mind because outwardly the happy, bubbly Isabel we knew and loved so well was what she portrayed to us until the end.' Assistant deputy Wiltshire Coroner Claire Balsyz, recorded a verdict that Isabel had taken her own life while the balance of her mind was disturbed. | Isabel Taylor, 16, thought civilisation would end in 2012 after researching nuclear meltdowns .
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org . |
42,800 | 78b0587395372d6edaa18d462f5dbdfc643a9669 | The New York City subway is cramped with people, but a new study shows that the underground system may be much more crowded than we realized. Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have unveiled their findings after 18 months swabbing turnstiles, ticket kiosks, railings and benches for DNA on the world's largest transport system. They found 15,152 different types of microorganisms that share the train with its 5.5 million riders, including bubonic plague, dysentery and meningitis. Zoom in on the map to find out which subways stations have the most bacteria... Principal Investigator Dr Chris Mason and his team released findings from their 'PathoMap' study on Thursday, a map of all the microorganisms and DNA present on surfaces in the New York City subway. The study, which used a super computer to study more than 10 billion biomedical fragments, was apparently inspired by Dr Mason seeing his daughter, then in preschool, sticking toys in her mouth in 2010. Scientists and volunteers started the project in 2013 and found 637 known bacterial, viral, fungal and animal species when swabbing the spaces between commuters and street musicians and logging the data in real time with a mobile app. Most of the bacteria the group found were harmless, though nearly half (48 per cent) of the DNA found matched no known organisms, according to the published study at Cell.com. Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have unveiled their findings after 18 months swabbing turnstiles, ticket kiosks, railings and benches for DNA on the world's largest transport system. The red areas show the areas with the most bacteria, according to their findings, while the cooler colours reveal less bacteria . Pictured are some of the most popular stations in New York, along with a common type of bacteria found in the area. Many are associated with different diseases such as food poisoning and infections . The New York subway system is famous for being grimy - but commuters may not have realised just how much until now. Traces of anthrax and the Bubonic plague have been found in central areas (pictured) Bacteria linked to diseases including bubonic plague and staph infections (left) are found at a number of stations around the city, along with dysentery and meningitis . The mysterious finding 'underscores the vast wealth of unknown species that are ubiquitous in urban areas,' project leader Ebrahim Afshinnekoo said. Researchers also saw 67 different bacteria species associated with diseases on the subway's surfaces in about 12 per cent of their samples, though bacteria in general made up nearly 47 per cent. Some bacteria associated with ailments such as food poisoning are found at nearly half of the 466 open stations shared by germs, riders and rats. Thankfully, more serious bacteria are less common. The most diverse station was the G train's Myrtle-Willoughby stop in Brooklyn, with 95 different bacteria . Researchers also saw 67 different bacteria species associated with diseases on the subway's surfaces in about 12 per cent of their samples, though bacteria in general made up nearly 47 per cent. Pictured are the hotspots . The microbes associated with dysentery was only found at three stations, as was the bacteria that causes bubonic plague. Scientists, who include researchers from six New York medical centers and other institutions around the world, said that the plague microbes were shown not to be alive. The New York City Department of Health disputed the finding of plague on the subway, according to the Wall Street Journal. The most diverse station was the G train's Myrtle-Willoughby stop in Brooklyn, with 95 different bacteria groups. South Ferry station, which was submerged and temporarily closed after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, showed unique sets of bacteria normally found in marine environments. Dr Chris Mason said that someone who licks a subway pole (held above by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg) would 'probably be fine' Scientists said that most of the harmful bacteria are found in low quantities and good or neutral bacteria may be out-competing them. Bubonic plague found at 3 stations . Dysentery 3 stations . E. Coli 56 stations . Food poisoning 215 stations . Meningitis 9 stations . Strep infections 66 stations . Tetanus 9 stations . City dwellers' immune systems are also equipped to handle all the microbes thrown at them during the typical day. 'You wouldn't want to lick all the poles, even though you'd probably be fine,' Dr Mason said. The principal investigator advocated exposing young children to germs when speaking at the American Museum of Natural History, according to Gothamist. 'The best thing to do with newborns is roll them like sushi on the subway ground,' he said. Researchers also mapped microorganisms that were not bacteria, including those that likely came from popular New York foodstuffs such as Italian mozzarella and kimchi. 215 stations in New York had traces of bacteria associated with food poisoning such as salmonella (pictured) The most common DNA besides bacteria came from insects, plant matter and humans, who represented 0.2 per cent of the material collected. The PathoMap study hopes to eventually create a 'weather map' or microscopic organisms to be able to warn people about potential disease outbreaks. Scientists believe studying how microbes move around urban environments will help them keep track of long-term health trends. Other researchers in 14 states are undertaking similar projects to map the microbes in transit systems. Subway studies are also underway in Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris and Sao Paulo. To view an interactive map of the regions, please click here. | Dr Chris Mason and his colleagues swabbed subway system for 18 months .
Scientists mapped 466 stations and found 15,000 types of microbes .
Germs associated with bubonic plague and dysentery found at 3 stations .
Nearly half of DNA collected did not match any known organisms .
Most common non-bacteria DNA found was from bugs, plants and humans . |
75,373 | d5b120b4d0469c55310419f5da5cba8f93dfda0f | (CNN) -- I go to the gym. It's an excellent place to watch SportsCenter while occupying a bench press that somebody else might otherwise use for actual exercise. "You done with this?" "Define done." My other favorite part of an early workout is when the gym staff finally plops the morning newspapers on the media table, where thumbing through USA Today for 20 minutes seems to be another great way to not improve my personal well being. Then I hit the sauna. Because, clearly, I've earned it. So, my daily routine isn't exactly CrossFit. In fact, it just barely even qualifies as being awake. Which is a little pathetic when you consider that, now, even toddlers are taking on CrossFit. Yes, one of the most controversial and interesting fitness crazes around -- one that some people (with incredibly loose standards) even label as a "cult" -- is actually offering age-modified classes to children. That's the larger story that people were talking about this week online. But, before diving deeper into that, I think it's important, first, to understand what CrossFit actually is. You know ... as explained by someone who's never done it. As best I comprehend the phenomenon, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that focuses on highly functional real-world movements that are constantly varied and performed at amazingly high intensity. Participants work out in groups and meet not in a gym, but an industrial-looking "box" that is void of all the things I love most -- you know, SportsCenter and USA Today. Making CrossFit even more unique is the fact that you don't decide your own routine. Instead, there is a posted daily exercise that everyone does together. It's called the workout of the day -- or the WOD. On some days it might include nothing but front squats, and on another day you might find yourself lifting weights. But whatever it is, you'll do it as a group, it's going to be intense, and there's a decent chance you might barf all over your Nikes. My gym franchise would be slightly different. "Yesterday we napped. Today we're going to stare at our hands. Be champions." People who do CrossFit absolutely swear by it. Others simply see it as snobbish, especially considering that it's far more expensive than just joining an ordinary gym. For example, the "box" nearest me in Atlanta -- BTB Fitness -- charges $250/month. My current gym is $360 for the year. So, it's definitely a lot of money. But, that doesn't mean it's snobbish. As someone who doesn't really care one way or the other, I just see a lot of really fit men and women working incredibly hard. And that's more than I can say for myself. Thus, if you want to have your own lingo and dress a certain way, I say go for it. Tube-sock-a-palooza! Really, I harbor no judgement in support of or in opposition to CrossFit. I'm not a health expert, and I'm literally sitting here writing with a Super Big Gulp. Which is just like a normal Big Gulp, but with slightly more type-2 diabetes. So, in general, I just applaud anyone who exercises. And I wish I could look as good as the people I see doing CrossFit. Which is why, at first glance, CrossFit for toddlers seems completely fine. It's not like the kids are deadlifting kettle bells or hauling giant bags of dirt around the neighborhood. If that was the case, I'd let the neighborhood kids pay me to clean my backyard. "Billy, here's a Kroger bag. Now give me 10 more dog poop lifts. And 50 bucks." Instead, at CrossFit Gantry in Long Island City Queens -- the affiliate that made news this week -- children starting at 3 years old will focus on traditional CrossFit movements but without any weight. The classes will also incorporate counting and colors, as well as bear crawls and crab walking. Basically, it's just a bunch of fun kid stuff. But with a price tag. If your son or daughter attends two classes a week, the fee for the month is $280. And, that, some argue, makes it all completely unnecessary. Especially when playgrounds are free. And outside. But, come on. We're simply talking about a fun, organized group activity for kids. It's just like karate or ballet. People shouldn't let their contempt for the word "CrossFit" overshadow that it's just something active and interesting for children to do. And people are certainly free to spend their money however they please. But don't listen to me. My kid is a dog. And Mikey's primary workout routine is dropping giant turds on my lawn. "Billy, grab another Kroger bag." Follow Jarrett Bellini on Twitter. | A gym in Long Island City is now offering CrossFit for toddlers .
Some people think it's too expensive and snobbish .
Two classes a week for a month costs $280 . |
120,374 | 27933aaddeb64b46c897fee64d746dd357204173 | Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The head of Libya's opposition government told reporters Saturday he welcomed a call Friday by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for Moammar Gadhafi to step down. Medvedev's statement, echoing the stance of American and European leaders, appeared to indicate a closing diplomatic window for the longtime Libyan strongman. The chairman of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, said he has offered amnesty to Gadhafi loyalists who defect before the demise of the regime, but reiterated that there will be "no negotiation for any solution until Gadhafi's departure." Once that happens, elections and a constitutional referendum will be held within a year, Jailil said in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. In an interview with CNN, Jalil said the council had sold a shipment of oil to China for $160 million. The confirmation of the sale is expected to buttress the political and economic credibility of the fledgling rebel power. The leader said the movement has a "financial crisis" and is seeking loans from outside the country. The council is happy for political support, but will not ask Russia for arms or economic aid, Jalil said. The unrest in Libya has persisted for months as opposition members demand an end to Gadhafi's nearly 42-year rule. Jalil marked the 100th day of the nation's civil war. "We see victories emerging at both national and international levels," he said. "We should celebrate what our heroic sons have accomplished in Misrata and the Nafusa mountains, as well as applaud the wide international support for our revolution." Meanwhile, a series of morning explosions rocked the capital of Tripoli on Saturday, including blasts at a compound belonging to Gadhafi and one at a nearby tribal compound, a government official said. The official said one morning strike occurred on Bab bin Ghashir, a tribal compound near Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound, where the other strikes occurred. The official believed the strikes were NATO attacks. No casualties were reported. Morning strikes in Tripoli are rare. NATO confirmed one of the attacks -- a press officer said the strike on Bab bin Ghashir was timed to minimize civilian casualties. NATO said it targeted a vehicle storage area at Bab bin Ghashir. The tribal compound is used by people who volunteer as support forces for Libyan authorities. A decade ago, the site was used as a military station. NATO is operating under a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the use of any means -- with the exception of foreign occupation -- to protect civilians from attack or the threat of attack. It has been conducting airstrikes targeting Gadhafi's military resources. CNN's Amir Ahmed, Raja Razek, Nima Elbagir and Ben Wedeman contributed to this report. | NEW: National Transitional Council in "financial crisis," chairman says .
A Libyan official says NATO strikes two compounds .
Libyan opposition says it sold $160 million of oil to China .
NATO says it targeted a vehicle storage area at Bab bin Ghashir . |
213,474 | a075a711f67ece9a0f1807adabae26960715b95b | What better combination than railroads and leaf-peeping? No traffic, no driving distractions, just a leisurely ride featuring fiery blasts of fall color. Ride the rails in these five locations for a heaping helping of autumn or consider a scenic train trip in your neck of the woods. Hobo & Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroads, New Hampshire . The Hobo & Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroads offer a handful of foliage train rides in New Hampshire, including a four-hour expedition from Meredith through the Lakes Region toward the White Mountains. Pass by Lake Waukewan and Lake Winona, rocky gorges and Livermore Falls on the way to Plymouth, where a hot buffet lunch awaits at the Common Man Inn. This special round-trip route is offered weekends through October 16. Coach tickets, including lunch, are $54 for adults and $25 for kids. Check the website for details and more foliage rides. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Bryson City, North Carolina . Departing from Bryson City, North Carolina, this railroad offers two fall excursions. One is a round trip to the Nantahala Gorge along the Little Tennessee and Nantahala rivers. The 4.5-hour trip includes an hour on the ground at the Nantahala Outdoor Center where you can picnic or buy lunch. The other excursion along the Tuckasegee River is a round trip to Dillsboro, with an hour and a half layover for shopping and dining in the village. In October, standard tickets for both options are $53 for adults and $31 for kids. For optimal foliage views, check out the new open-air cars debuting October 1. Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville, Ohio . In addition to weekend excursions, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is running two weekday foliage trains on Thursdays and Fridays in October. The more than two-hour round-trip rides depart at 1:30 p.m. from the Nelsonville Depot and include a half-hour stop in Robbins Crossing, a restored 1840s village on the campus of Hocking College. Adult tickets are $16, kids ages 3 to 12 are $11. Check Ohio foliage reports for the best fall color. Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, Elbe, Washington . Ride through the foothills of Mount Rainier on leaf-peeping excursions from Elbe, Washington, to Mineral Lake. On clear days, gorgeous views of the snow-capped mountain add to wildlife sightings and the striking fall colors. The trip, about 45 minutes each way, includes a 15-minute stop at the lake that can be extended by taking the afternoon train back. Trains depart Saturdays and Sundays from October 2 to 16. Adult tickets are $20, kids 4 to 12 cost $15. North Shore Scenic Railroad, Duluth, Minnesota . Soak in eye-popping splashes of yellow, red and orange on a leisurely six-hour round-trip excursion along the shores of Lake Superior between Duluth and Two Harbors. A two-hour stop in Two Harbors gives riders time to explore the historic town and have lunch before the ride back to Duluth. The foliage ride is offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through October 16. Adult tickets are $30, children ride for $18. Reservations are required. | Scenic railroads across the United States offer autumn excursions for leaf peepers .
In North Carolina, ride into the Nantahala Gorge for a fall foliage experience .
The North Shore Scenic Railroad in Minnesota runs along the shores of Lake Superior . |
250,038 | cf948e9bd9463ada58d1b7f329c72faa89c22bc8 | By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 13:39 EST, 2 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:15 EST, 3 October 2012 . Horrified commuters have spoken of the terrible moment a 12-year-old girl was left fighting for her life after being hit by tube train during yesterday's morning rush hour. Eyewitnesses described how the the girl 'screamed with pain' as she . lay trapped underneath the train at Brixton tube station in front of helpless commuters at 8.40am yesterday morning. One commuter told how the scene descended into chaos as shocked witnesses fled the station in tears after witnessing the incident. A 12-year-old girl lay trapped underneath a Victoria line train at Brixton underground station (pictured) during yesterday morning's rush hour . Serious incident: A Twitter user posted this picture of emergency services outside the station yesterday morning after the girl was struck by the tube train . Eyewitness James McDonnell, 41, said: 'The station was really packed on the platform, it was absolutely rammed with people. 'I saw three or four young women . running towards me crying with their hands over their mouths, they were . saying "Somebody has been hit, somebody has been hit". 'One woman was saying "Oh my God, I heard somebody scream. She has been hit by a train, she has been hit by a train". 'I didn't know at the time what had . happened and I didn't see the girl myself, but by everyone's reactions I . could tell that something pretty awful had happened.' The account manager from Brixton said . the aftermath descended into 'chaos' as traumatised commuters were quickly ushered . out of the station because there were not enough staff members to check . on them. He said: 'There was absolute chaos when those people ran out. There was just an . announcement over the PA system and the station was so busy that it was . chaos getting out. 'One woman ran out and her face was . streaming with tears, she was pale and shaking. I remember thinking that . she should probably talk to somebody because she was in such a state of . shock. 'But there was only one member of . staff I could see so I couldn't direct her to anyone. I did think it was . strange that there weren't more members of staff around to talk to the . commuters who had witnessed such a serious accident. The girl lay trapped under the train at Brixton station (pictured) and 'screamed with pain'. Eyewitnesses claimed she broke her back and lost several fingers . London Ambulance Service attended the incident and rushed the girl to hospital. She is believed to have 'life threatening injuries' 'Incidents . like this must happen a fair amount and the thing that stood out was . that there wasn't any member of staff for the people who were upset and . had seen the incident to turn to.' The 12-year-old girl was struck by the Victoria . Line train at around 8.40am at Brixton station in South London, the last . stop on the busy underground line. One member of station staff, who was working at the time, said he heard the girl’s wails as she lay trapped on the track unable to move. The man, who wished to remain . anonymous, said: ‘I came onto the platform and I could hear the sound of . a girl screaming coming from under the train. ‘I couldn’t see her – she was under the train. She was screaming and crying – it sounded like she was in a lot of pain. ‘There . were a lot of people standing around - it was a busy time. People were . panicking and no-one could go down on the track to help because of the . electricity. People were trying to reassure the girl from the platform. 'Someone radioed up to the station . supervisor to turn off the electricity. A special response team came . down to the platform and then we all got moved upstairs.' A local man described on a neighbourhood blog how he had gone to church to pray for the girl after seeing the incident. 'Chaos': Witnesses said Brixton Station was 'rammed' at the time of the incident . Shocked: Many witnesses described their horror after the 12-year-old was hit by the tube . Posting as Nick, he said: 'This is the most horrific . thing I have ever seen. 'I'm still completely in shock, I was shaking for an hour. I cannot remove it from my head. I see and hear it again and again. 'I left work earlier, I feel physically sick, I was terrified on my way back in the tube, and worst when I arrived to Brixton. 'I've been to church, thing I never do normally, to pray for her, and also for this poor train driver.' There was speculation that the girl was trying to reach down to the tracks to retrieve something she had dropped. However, . a police source said: ‘As far as we are aware, this wasn’t connected to . a phone dropped onto the tracks or anything else. ‘We do not believe she was trying to reach down onto the platform.’ Shocked commuters have tweeted their horror at the incident. Angela Wolff, who was in the station at the time told of hearing a ‘bang and screams’. She . said: ‘Still feel like I’m in shock and I didn’t even see anything. Just heard the bang and screams and a sea of shocked pale faces.’ The . incident was reported to British Transport Police (BTP) who attended . the scene along with Metropolitan Police Officers and paramedics. A BTP spokesman said the incident ‘is currently being treated as non-suspicious’ They added: 'The girl is in a serious critical condition in hospital. She has been assessed by the doctors at Kings College Hospital and her family are by her bedside. 'We are not at the current time divulging details of the injuries she has sustained.' Shut down: Many commuters had to find alternative routes to work while Brixton station was closed . | Girl struck by a Victoria Line train at Brixton Underground station .
Happened yesterday morning at 9am during one of station's busiest times .
Eyewitnesses claimed she broke her back and lost several fingers .
Police treating incident as 'non-suspicious'
Girl still fighting for her life in hospital . |
181,294 | 76b4dd4ebb6d2c29c56b699a1d3b22bd5fcfa902 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 23:23 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:42 EST, 31 January 2013 . A U.S. judge yesterday fined BP a record £2.5billion for its role in the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. The company agreed in November to plead guilty to charges involving the deaths of 11 workers in the April 2010 drilling rig explosion that started the spill. More than 200million gallons of oil spewed in the three months before BP’s blown-out Macondo well could be capped. It was one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. Up in flames: In this April 2010 photo taken in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig is seen burning . A series of government investigations . have blamed the blow-out on cost-cutting decisions by BP and its . partners on the drilling project. BP . separately agreed to a settlement with lawyers for Gulf Coast residents . and businesses who claim the spill cost them money. BP estimates the . deal will cost the company roughly £5billion. Lawyers . for BP and the U.S. Justice Department said the plea agreement imposes . ‘severe corporate punishment’ and will deter deep-water drilling . companies from allowing another disaster to occur. U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance said the plea deal was ‘just punishment’ considering the risks of litigation for BP and the alternatives to the . settlement. She told victims’ relatives who were . in court that she read their ‘truly gut-wrenching’ written statements . and factored their words into her decision. Damage: Oil saturates the beach in front of sandbags and booms in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, in May 2010 . ‘I’ve heard and I truly understand . your feelings and the losses you suffered,’ she said, adding that she . also believes BP executives should have personally apologised to family . members. 'I've heard and I truly understand your feelings and the losses you suffered' U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance, speaking to victims' relatives . ‘I think BP should have done that out of basic humanity,’ Judge Vance said. The . deal does not resolve the federal government’s civil claims against BP. The company could pay billions more in penalties for environmental . damage. The Justice Department has reached a . separate settlement with rig owner Transocean that resolves the . government’s civil and criminal claims over the Swiss-based company’s . role in the disaster. Transocean agreed to plead guilty to a . charge of violating the Clean Water Act and pay £890million in civil and . criminal penalties. There will be a hearing regarding that criminal . settlement next month. Remembrance: In this photo from April 2011, people gather near 11 crosses for the workers who died in the oil rig explosion and one for the Gulf of Mexico during a vigil to mark the first anniversary of the spill . Many relatives of rig workers who died in the blast submitted written statements critical of BP’s deal. Gordon Jones’s family members said BP’s sentence should include a personal, face-to-face apology to the 28-year-old’s widow and children by BP executives. A brother of Mr Jones also had urged Judge Vance to consider stiffer penalties that prohibit or limit the company’s ability to operate in U.S. waters. But Judge Vance said she couldn’t get involved in plea negotiations and only could impose a sentence that adheres to the agreed-upon terms if she accepted it. In April 2011, mourners gathered near 11 . crosses for the workers who died in the Deepwater Horizon explosion and . one for the Gulf of Mexico during a vigil to mark the first anniversary . of the spill. | BP had agreed to plead guilty to charges involving deaths of 11 workers .
Fined for its role in Gulf of Mexico oil disaster after April 2010 explosion .
Government probes blamed blow-out on cost-cutting decisions by BP . |
86,397 | f53ae03c949eae3e875d5da369359e01763cd4a4 | Russian politicians and media were last night demanding Vladimir Putin goes further by grabbing back more former Soviet regions and states. The nationalistic frenzy whipped up by the return of Crimea - in defiance of the West - has led to calls on state-run TV for Moscow to take back oil and gas-rich Kazakhstan and authoritarian Belarus as well as more slices of a battered Ukraine, already filleted by the Kremlin. Putin was last night riding the crest of an adulatory wave after righting what many Russians see as an historical wrong and reintegrating Crimea and the Black Sea fleet headquarters of Sevastopol back in to Russia after a gap of 60 years. On the crest of a wave: Russian President Vladimir Putin stands next to Crimean Premier Sergey Aksionov as he addresses a rally in Red Square, Moscow, celebrating Crimea's decision to join with Russia . Cult of personality: Russians hold flags adorned with Putin's face and a slogan reading 'We are together!' Pro-Kremlin activists march across Red Square: Putin pushed every emotional button of the collective Russian psyche as he justified the incorporation of Crimea into the Russian Federation . Senior politicians openly mocked Western sanctions and discounted Putin's assertion that he did not seek more of Ukraine as long as the West stops seeking sway in his backyard. The Russian strongman defiantly told a joint session of the Russian parliament that he would not accept NATO 'next to our home or on our historic territories'. Accusing the West of hypocrisy in pushing for self-determination for Kosovo but denying Crimea, he said the peninsula had been 'robbed' from Russia in Soviet times while 'regions of Russia's historic south' were only now Ukrainian because of a Bolshevik blunder. In an emotional and historic address he said: 'In the hearts and minds of people, Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia.' Adoring public: Putin was last night riding the crest of an adulatory wave after righting what many Russians see as an historical wrong and reintegrating Crimea and the Black Sea fleet headquarters of Sevastopol . Nationalistic fervour: Dozens of Russian flags flutter in the breeze below a typically overcast Moscow sky . Mr Aksionov, the new Crimean premier, raises his fist as he shares the stage with Speaker of the Supreme Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov, left, and head of Sevastopol city administration Alexei Chaliy, right . Putin has succeeded in uniting many of his foes behind him but last night it also appeared he had unleashed a tidal wave in favour of more land grabs. Senior politician Sergei Mironov hailed 'the great day when the gathering of Russian lands began'. Sergey Zheleznyak, deputy chairman of lower house, demanded Russian 'support' for other Ukrainian regions. 'We cannot feel calm and happy as long as we realise how our brothers in other regions of Ukraine are suffering,' he said. A prime time TV talk show speculated about restoring the sovereign states of Belarus and energy-rich Kazakhstan in a substantial remaking of the Soviet Union, while also calling for the historically Russian cities of Donetsk and Odessa in Ukraine to be returned. Meanwhile a campaign was underway for the breakaway republic of Transdniestria - in Moldova - to follow Crimea back into the embrace of the Russian bear. With some parliamentarians in tears during Putin's historic speech - when he officially welcomed Crimea and Sevastopol back to Russia - only his prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, caught napping during the barnstorming address, failed to join the patriotic fervour punctuated by standing ovations. Politicians queued up to pour scorn on Western sanctions with deputy speaker Sergey Zheleznyak branding them a 'kindergarten measure' and close Putin ally Igor Sechin accusing the U.S. and EU of 'hysteria'. Turning back the clock: An elderly woman holding a calendar depicting Soviet leader Josef Stalin celebrates in Sevastopol after watching a broadcast of Putin's speech on Crimea . Another demonstrator in Sevastopol holds the hammer and sickle in the same hand as the flag of the Russian Federation as crowds celebrate their decision to secede from Ukraine following the Western-backed coup . Tsar Vladimir: Thousands of pro-Russian people watch Putin's speech on big screens in Sevastopol . Stage-managed patriotic celebrations were marked across Russia's nine time zones yesterday. In Moscow, residents were urged by officials to fly Russian flags from their balconies to 'celebrate' the return of Crimea. Ukraine watched helplessly as Putin and Crimean leaders penned an agreement restoring the territory to Russia. Senior diplomat Yevhen Perebyynis warned: 'What has made the entire world shudder is the real rebirth of Russian imperialism, for which nothing is sacred, neither internationally recognised borders of sovereign states, nor the rights and freedoms of citizens, nor international obligations.' Kiev protested that the move 'has nothing in common with law or democracy or common sense'. But in a warning to the world, the country's foreign ministry said: 'Putin's address very clearly demonstrates just how real the threat is that Russia poses to international security and international security.' Changes: Workers dismantle a Ukranian language inscription reading 'The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea' in central Simferopol, the Crimean capital . Ukrainian volunteers were queuing to sign up for a newly-created National Guard amid fears that the threat of invasion from Russia remains, or that Putin will use alleged 'saboteurs' to spark riots and political protests in major cities. Kiev claimed it had uncovered 'convincing evidence of the participation of Russian special services in organizing unrest in the east of our country.' Last night it was claimed a Ukrainian naval officer was shot twice in the leg seeking to defend a naval facility from pro-Moscow attack in Crimea. But Putin insisted: 'The residents of Crimea and Sevastopol turned to Russia with a request to protect their rights and their lives. We could not have rejected their appeal and left them in trouble.' He complained that the fall of the USSR left Russia 'the biggest divided nations in the world' with millions of compatriots waking up in a foreign country. In Ukraine, ethnic Russians were undergoing 'forced assimilation' in a country where 'neo-Nazis' played a key role in decision making. Drink: Crimeans toast with local bubbly after watching a broadcast of Putin's address to the Federal Assembly . A Russian Navy officer watches the broadcast in Sevastopol: It came after Ukraine's new leaders watched helplessly as Putin and Crimean leaders penned an agreement restoring the territory to Russia . A woman jumps for joy during the broadcast: Kiev protested that the move 'has nothing in common with law or democracy or common sense' Western diplomats saw him as using rhetoric which could act as justification for future military adventures to restore other areas of the old USSR. But Putin told Western leaders to 'stop the hysteria' and respect his country's national interests. 'They keep trying to drive us into a corner', and could have grabbed Sevastopol for themselves. NATO members 'are great guys, but it's better for them to come visit us in Sevastopol, than for us to visit them there'. Crimean clocks are to be switched back two hours later this month, so they tick by Moscow time. Putin ordered three official languages in his new province - Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar. The Kremlin last night began pouring roubles into Crimea but was eyeing the seizure of 20 warships in the Ukrainian navy which are stranded here. Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev - often seen as a Putin critic - hailed Crimea's vote to join Russia as a 'happy event.' | Senior Russian politicians mock Western sanctions imposed in response .
Putin tells the Duma he will not tolerate Nato 'next to our home'
Prime-time TV show speculates that Belarus and Kazakhstan may be next .
Stage-managed patriotic celebrations take place across nine time zones .
Crimean time set to be switched back to hours to Moscow time .
Crimea will have Russian, Ukrainian and Tatar as official languages . |
140,899 | 4234db5064036bd5d26d6d3d44b3f386af621709 | (CNN)A winter storm ramping up in the Great Plains put the metropolitan Chicago area's more than 9 million people under a blizzard warning Sunday, and another 65 million people are under a winter storm warning across 18 states. The storm has the Northeast in its sights next. Chicago could get as much as 15 inches of snow from the storm system, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. "The streets will stay plowed and passable so people will be safe and secure," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel promised at a news conference Sunday. More than 350 pieces of equipment, including plows and salt spreaders, fanned out across the city, officials said. Up to a foot of snow was forecast in parts of Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Multiple winter storm warnings are in place from eastern Nebraska and South Dakota to the Plains. The storm will move east and affect major metropolitan areas such as New York City and Boston on Monday, Guy said. "New York City could see a wintry mix of precipitation just in time for the morning commute with a possibility of sleet and ice," and Boston will "get another round of wintery weather with new snow accumulations from 10 to 12 inches," he said. More than 2,000 U.S. flights were canceled Sunday, many of them in and out of Chicago, according to Flightaware.com, an online flight tracking service. "Rain will be the problem across the southern portions of this storm system, with a possibility of scattered storms from east Texas to Mississippi Sunday as the storm moves east.," Guy said. CNN's Kimberly Hutcherson, Joe Sutton, and meteorologist Derek Van Dam contributed to this report . | A winter storm is bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain to Plains states .
A foot of snow is forecast for some states and local accumulation could go higher .
The storm is expected to impact Northeastern Seaboard states hit by blizzard last week . |
163,443 | 5f542c84fd4b3fe9aeea5767935e4b387d587317 | The Dutch man suspected in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway has sued the Chilean government for more than $13 million, alleging his human rights were violated when Chile extradited him last year to Peru to face charges in the death of a Peruvian woman. "The lawsuit is against the Chilean government, for having violated Joran van der Sloot's basic human rights," his Peruvian lawyer Aldo Cotrina told In Session. The suit was filed September 4 with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington. "Maybe they won't accept my analysis in Peru, because they feel this is the way things have always been done," said Cotrina, who is based in New York. "But I believe there are universal human rights and we have to respect those rights. We can't say that because someone is accused of killing a person, you can violate all their rights." Cotrina said van der Sloot's former attorney, Maximo Altez, contacted him in July 2010 about the complaint, and the two men met the following month to begin researching grounds for the lawsuit on the basis of their claim that van der Sloot's human rights had been violated in June 2010, when Chile expelled him to Peru. Cotrina said he expects to complete next week a similar document, to be filed against the government of Peru. Van der Sloot, 24, faces a trial on murder and robbery charges that is set to begin January 6 in Peru. He is accused of killing 21-year-old Stephany Flores in his Lima hotel room last year. Police say he took money and bank cards from her wallet and fled to Chile, where he was arrested a few days later. The 13-page lawsuit says an international arrest warrant had not been filed against van der Sloot, but he was arrested by Chilean authorities anyway. But documents from Peru's Ministry of Interior indicate that the Peruvian police had requested his arrest; Interpol authorities in Chile and Peru were contacted, as was Chile's Ministry of Interior. The lawsuit further alleges that van der Sloot was not given enough time to appeal his expulsion from Chile, and that that failure was a violation of his basic human rights. But correspondence between Chile's Ministry of Interior and Peru's Ministry of Interior indicates that officials from both ministries considered that van der Sloot's expulsion was legal under the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) treaty, which allows for international cooperation in matters of criminal activity. The documents were obtained by In Session on TruTV, which is a sister network to CNN. The resolution to expel van der Sloot from Chile, which was approved by the Chilean government, cites a police report as having been filed on May 13, 2010. Van der Sloot's lawyer points out that his client did not even enter Chile until May 31. The lawsuit refers to the apparent typo as evidence that Chilean and Peruvian officials were violating the Dutch man's rights. The lawsuit adds that Chilean police did not give van der Sloot the opportunity to call or use a computer to contact relatives, did not give him legal representation and did not give him a translator -- all putative violations of his rights. Interpol documents obtained by In Session indicate that van der Sloot voluntarily gave a statement in English to Chilean police in which he said that he and Flores had been attacked in Lima and that he fled fearing for his life. Van der Sloot was once the prime suspect in the disappearance of Holloway, the Alabama teenager who vanished in May 2005 while on a graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba. He was arrested twice but never charged in connection with Holloway's disappearance, which remains unsolved. He also faces extradition charges to the United States. In June 2010, a federal grand jury in Alabama indicted van der Sloot on charges of wire fraud and extortion after allegations surfaced that he tried to extort $250,000 from Holloway's mother. He was given $25,000, and authorities believe he used that money to travel to Peru and participate in a poker tournament, where he met Flores. | Lawyer alleges violations of Joran van der Sloot's civil rights .
The 24-year-old Dutch man face murder trial next year in Peru .
He is also a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway . |
97,639 | 09b18512a5ebe6dee946707674748dca4c7603aa | British television coverage of the Russian Grand Prix — the most security-conscious race ever staged — could go blank moments before Vladimir Putin arrives at the Sochi Autodrom on Sunday. The BBC and Sky have been warned that Russian security forces will scramble radio frequencies to block any potential bomb being activated by these means. Radio microphones and cameras would no longer be able to function, possibly putting both networks briefly off air. BBC’s Formula One editor Mark Wilkin confirmed: ‘The worst scenario would be if we are live and got no warning about when they will interfere with the frequencies. Then we could go blank for a moment. But we have a contingency plan. We will have cameras that are not reliant on radio frequencies to take over and could go to tape instead.’ VIDEO Scroll down for Nico Rosberg's preview of the Russian GP . TV pictures could go blank moments before Vladimir Putin arrives at the Sochi Autodrom this weekend . Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone (left) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talk in ceremony . Radar guarding against a threat from the skies could also cause white speckles to appear on the screen. In another security measure, TV crews have been warned not to put their cameras too close to Putin as he accompanies his friend Bernie Ecclestone and the King of Bahrain, who is here for talks, around this shiny new circuit on the Black Sea coast. Putin’s lichniki — his guards from the Presidential Security Service, an offshoot of the old Soviet KGB — will be poised to intervene. Let’s hope someone has told the not noticeably shy Eddie Jordan, who will conduct the grid walk for the BBC. Security has been increased because of the war in Ukraine, and assassination fears are now greater than during the Winter Olympics here in February. So on the way into the circuit, there are armed guards and airport-style screening — rare for Formula One if not most other global sports events. There will also be 500 Cossack warriors protecting public order, 180 of them in the giant grandstand opposite the garages. These precautions add a faintly sinister dimension to a grand prix that already has been lent a maudlin air by last week’s accident in Japan that has left Marussia driver Jules Bianchi clinging to life. Lewis Hamilton was fastest in the second session for this weekend's inaugural Russian Grand Prix . Hamilton, 10 points ahead of Nico Rosberg in the championship, topped the timesheets on Friday afternoon . Formula One is making its inaugural foray into Russia. Hamilton set the pace in the second session . Both team-mates at Marussia and Ferrari, where he is on their young driver programme, are sleep-starved through anxiety. Their desperation tells us that Formula One’s younger generation are not hardened to serious injury and death at the track. On Friday, the FIA held a press conference in which Charlie Whiting, the race director, defended the way he conducted the Japanese Grand Prix, in which Bianchi hit a tractor that was recovering another car. Whiting did, however, highlight some areas that would be addressed by a powerful FIA safety commission: a possible speed limit during yellow-flag phases, a re-examination of whether canopies should be fitted to cockpits, a study of helmet strength, and a study into whether skirts should be fitted around tractors. Ideally we should be talking about Lewis Hamilton versus Nico Rosberg in the title fight, but Bianchi’s plight and the political nature of the race make that impossible to do as freely as we would wish. Hamilton, who leads Rosberg by 10 points and led the practice times on Friday, related the trauma of the last few days to his memories of his nine-year-old friend Daniel Spence, saying in his BBC column: ‘Even now, I can remember standing on the bank beside a track with him with our suits on just before a race, all laughing and joking. The next thing I knew I was at his funeral. It was the first time I’d been to one. Formula One driver Jules Bianchi received urgent medical treatment after the crash but remains in hospital . Formula One chiefs are proposing a speed limit to slow down cars during dangerous situations on the track . Race director Charlie Whiting says it would be best to give teams the ability to cut speed automatically . ‘It is very hard to put that out of my mind at the moment, after what happened to Jules. But it does not make me rethink wanting to be a Formula One driver. I love this sport.’ Whiting discussed a number of his ideas with the drivers on Friday and will talk to the teams collectively on Saturday morning. However, no safety improvements will be introduced for this weekend’s race — a vanity project for Putin, who has paid Ecclestone in excess of £100million towards a seven-year contract for the privilege. The staging of the race scratches an old Soviet itch. Leonid Brezhnev, who drove at hell-raising speeds around Moscow’s quiet night-time streets in his fleet of cars that included his beloved Rolls-Royce Shadow, tried to bring Formula One here. His original idea was a track circling the Kremlin. More than 30 years later the race has arrived. But should it be going ahead when, among other considerations, flight MH17 came down at a spot in Ukraine only 320 north west of here? It is a moral dilemma with which Formula One has not over-exercised itself. Then again, the West has not imposed sporting sanctions on Russia, a decision made by the EU rather than BC Ecclestone. Nor have sponsors squealed. Still, many of us will feel extremely uneasy watching President Putin playing politics in the paddock. Nico Rosberg crosses the finish line during his session practice session ahead of the Russian Grand Prix . German Rosberg, who drives for Mercedes, during his Friday practice session at the picturesque Sochi track . | Russian forces have warned the BBC and Sky about security measures .
Radio frequencies may be scrambled to block potential bomb activation .
BBC’s Formula One editor Mark Wilkin confirmed the situation .
TV crews have been warned not to put cameras too close to Vladimir Putin .
Security has been increased because of the war in Ukraine . |
177,397 | 71a4698d4bd54f2643183f9be4d825033569048b | (CNN) -- Top seed Caroline Wozniacki kept her hopes of a maiden grand slam title alive on Tuesday when she came from behind to defeat Francesca Schiavone in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Denmark's Wozniacki lost the first set in her last-eight tie with sixth seed Schiavone before she fought back to clinch a 3-6 6-3 6-3 success. Schiavone, from Italy, overcame Svetlana Kuznetsova in an energy-sapping four-hour match on Sunday, however, she still had enough in the tank to take the opening set and steal a break of serve at the start of the second. Wozniacki had never reached the semifinals at Melbourne Park, but she battled back to set up a last-four meeting with ninth seed Li Na. "It was very difficult," Wozniacki told the WTA Tour's website. "Francesca was playing well. I just thought, 'Take one ball at a time and don't give up.' "That's what happens sometimes in tennis. You just need to stay focused. Today everything went in my favor afterwards and I'm happy to sit here as the winner." World number one Wozniacki, who was beaten in the 2009 U.S. Open final by Kim Clijsters, ensured she will remain at the top of the rankings with her last-eight victory. "I don't think about the rankings," she said. "I just want to win every match I'm playing, then we'll see what happens. If I'm number one, it's fantastic, but I'm focusing on my matches." Li booked her second-successive semifinal appearance in Melbourne with a 6-2 6-4 over Germany's Andrea Petkovic. China's Li has enjoyed a perfect start to the 2011 season with a run of 10 victories in a row. "It was tough," the 28-year-old said. "I only practiced with Andrea one time last year. So, at the beginning of the match, I was a little bit nervous. But I played well today." Li, who lost to eventual winner Serena Williams in the 2010 tournament, is bidding to become China's first grand slam singles champion. Germany's Petkovic said after their clash she believes her conqueror will go on to claim the title. "I think she played really well," the 30th seed said. "I think she's going to win the tournament. "It's just the feeling, how she is on the court, her confidence and the way she's playing. Sometimes you get the feeling during the match that somebody is really strong and just has that confidence going on, that aura maybe." | Top seed Caroline Wozniacki is into the semifinals of the Australian Open .
The Dane beat Francesca Schiavone 3-6 6-3 6-3 to reach her first Melbourne semifinal .
She will face Li Na of China, who defeated Andrea Petkovic in straight-sets .
Li is bidding to become China's first grand slam singles champion . |
11,947 | 21ebcfbd40066e31086479b099ef115e346baa0e | By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 16:51 EST, 20 December 2011 . As the fallen leader of one of America's biggest foes, Kim Jong-Il would have been prominent on any U.S. intelligence watch-list. But still North Korea’s ‘dear leader' managed to pass away on a train on Saturday night without the outside world knowing for a whole two days. The remarkable intelligence blunder has left the world pondering the lack of American intelligence on one of the world's most secretive nations. Late reporting: The front pages of selected Shanghai newspapers are seen reporting on the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on Tuesday . Until a North Korean state TV announcement on Monday, South Korean officials had no idea Kim had died at 8:30pm on Saturday. Cautious U.S. officials were still quoting press reports well into . Monday. The intelligence delay and failure to pick up on any clues shows the level of secrecy in the North Korean regime, reported the New York Times. South Korean officials only found out what happened when North Korean state media reported the news in a 12pm announcement on Monday. 'This shows a big loophole in our intelligence-gathering network on North Korea,' South Korean politician Kwon Seon-taek told the New York Times. Kim, who was aged 69, kept the rest of the world on edge through his nuclear weapons programme after inheriting power from his father in 1994. Reaction: A woman eats a meal near a TV set reporting on the successive North Korean leaders at a restaurant in Guangdong, China, on Tuesday . He frustrated the U.S. and other global . powers with an intermittent approach to talks on giving up nuclear arms . in return for energy. North Korea's news agency reported he . died after having a heart attack and had been treated for cardiac and . cerebrovascular diseases. 'This shows a big loophole in our intelligence-gathering network on North Korea' Kwon Seon-taek . Kim, who reputedly had a taste for cigars and cognac, is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008. His son Kim Jong Un has taken over. But he had appeared relatively vigorous in footage from recent trips to China and Russia and in visits around the country seen on state media. His military's repeated threats to South Korea and the U.S. stoked worries that fighting might break out again on the Korean peninsula. Meanwhile his long-time pursuit of nuclear weapons raised concerns he might provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorist movements. Mourners: The body of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is seen as people pay their respects in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday . The Korean War ended more than 50 years ago in a ceasefire, and the two sides remain technically in a state of war. South Korea has accused Kim of masterminding a 1983 bombing that killed 17 South Korean officials visiting Burma, now known as Myanmar. Kim often blamed the U.S. for his country's troubles and his regime routinely derides South Korea as a puppet of the Western superpower. ‘Look, Kim Jong-Il is a dangerous person,’ President Bush said in 2005. ‘He's a man who starves his people. He's got huge concentration camps.’ | North Korean leader died on Saturday at 20:30 on train .
South Korean officials only found out on TV on Monday .
U.S. officials were still quoting press reports yesterday . |
114,002 | 1f16bb18b60a40e60e0151e2577984dc29df77da | Arsenal are exploring numerous options to help fans get home from their FA Cup quarter-final after TV schedulers announced their glamour tie against Manchester United will be on a Monday night. The Gunners will take on Louis van Gaal’s side at Old Trafford on Monday March 9, which is set to cause travel problems for the away Arsenal fans, with an evening kick-off time of 7.45pm. All four FA Cup quarter-finals will be broadcast live on TV, with the BBC and BT Sport sharing the ties. Olivier Giroud scored a brace as Arsenal knocked out Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth-round on Sunday . ‘In the wake of this announcement, the club is exploring a number of options to help our travelling supporters get back to London afterwards,’ said a statement on Arsenal’s website. ‘No return trains are currently timetabled and we will let supporters know the proposed travel plans as soon as possible.’ The Old Trafford FA Cup tie is set to finish at just after 9.30pm, meaning Arsenal fans would miss the final train from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston at 9.15pm. In order to make that train fans would have to leave the ground well before full-time or would face a 199 mile drive back to London (The Emirates Stadium), which on average takes four hours. In addition even if fans did leave early and catch the 9.15pm train, they could miss the last Underground trains on certain tube lines in London. Wayne Rooney leaps into the air to celebrate his spot-kick as Manchester United beat Preston on Monday . Arsenal Supporters' Trust spokesman Tim Payton said: ‘One of the magic things of the FA Cup is the large away fan allocation but the Football Association are damaging their own competition. They are sullying the brand of the cup. ‘The football authorities need to explain why with four quarter-finals we can’t play two on Saturday and two on Sunday. This is another example of broadcasters and their money dictating to the inconvenience of fans. ‘Broadcasters should remember, without fans at the ground there would be no atmosphere for them to show.’ Arsenal Supporters' Trust are demanding that the club and the FA help to cut their costs. Payton added: ’We are calling on the FA and Arsenal to subsidise travel to the game and have reasonably-priced match tickets. ‘We are already working with other Arsenal fan groups on the issue of broadcasted games. With £5billion about to flow into football it really is time that fans are put first.’ Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez closes down Middlesbrough's George Friend in the FA Cup fifth-round . The quarter-final action begins at 12.45pm on Saturday 7 March with Bradford City taking on Reading, live on BT Sport. Later that day West Brom make a quick trip to Villa Park to take on Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa which will be broadcast by the BBC. On Sunday March 8, with an evening kick-off of 4pm, BT Sport will take their cameras to Anfield for Blackburn’s visit to Liverpool. Finally, the mouth-watering prospect of Manchester United against Arsenal will conclude the quarter-final action, before the winners get set for semi-final ties at Wembley. | The BBC will broadcast the Old Trafford tie on Monday March 9 .
Final train back scheduled from Manchester Piccadilly to Euston is 9.15pm .
All four FA Cup quarter-finals will be broadcast on TV .
The BBC will also host Aston Villa vs West Brom on Saturday March 8 .
BT Sport will broadcast Bradford vs Reading for free on March 7 .
Liverpool vs Blackburn is the remaining tie, being shown on BT Sport . |
245,913 | ca4a0e3554ce744c17be873cc1d760529bd30cfc | Merchiston Castle School teacher James Rainy Brown, 75, hanged himself at home in Colinton, Edinburgh after claims of inappropriate conduct . A veteran teacher at a private school for boys committed suicide as police probed claims of his 'inappropriate conduct' towards pupils. Bachelor James Rainy Brown, 75, who had worked for 52 years at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, hanged himself at his home shortly after being told of the investigation. It is understood the claims involved lewd and inappropriate comments to pupils rather than physical abuse. Mr Brown had been a respected member of staff at the school, which charges fees of up to £26,655 a year. Shortly after his death two weeks ago, head teacher Andrew Hunter posted an online tribute stating that it was 'too early yet to be definitive about the circumstances of his passing'. Parents were not briefed about the latest revelations surrounding the teacher's death until last week, after the Scottish Daily Mail contacted the school. Mr Brown, who had two nieces, killed himself soon after police visited the school and he was confronted about the allegations. Now his 'heartbroken' family say they hope his name will be cleared. The 'historic' claims were deemed credible enough by Police Scotland to begin an investigation, which is still technically ongoing despite Mr Brown's death. A source close to the probe said: 'A detailed letter was sent to the police which made clear allegations about Mr Brown. 'The police went to the school to speak to the headteacher about the claims which involved inappropriate comments that had been made to pupils of a lewd nature - not physical offences.' It is believed that Mr Brown hanged himself at his home in Colinton, Edinburgh, only an hour after learning about the allegations - although officers have not yet been able to confirm the timescale. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.' Mr Rainy Brown was a popular figure at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh where he taught for 52 years . A spokesman for Mr Brown's family said: 'This is simply a tragedy. It is so unfair that it should happen to a man who dedicated his entire life to teaching and helping generations of children. 'He was the most dedicated, honourable and popular teacher you could imagine. The school was his life and his lifelong commitment to it belonged to another age. 'We are 100 per cent confident that, when the police have finished their work, his name will be cleared - but that won't bring him back and we miss him terribly.' A spokesman for the school said: 'The events of the past fortnight have been extremely traumatic for everyone associated with Merchiston Castle. 'James was a hugely respected and popular figure here, as shown by the tidal wave of letters, emails and expressions of shock and sympathy from all over the world. His death has come as a tremendous blow to the entire school population.' 'James' death has come as a tremendous blow to the entire school population.' - Merchiston Castle School spokesman . In an online tribute, Mr Hunter said the news that 'JRB' - as the teacher was affectionately known - had died was 'a tremendous blow to the entire Merchiston Castle community'. He added: 'Boys, parents, staff, Merchistonians and former parents have expressed their shock and deep sorrow that this seemingly ever-present figure will no longer be seen on our sports fields or in our classrooms.' The teacher had been 'an enduring and almost ever-present fixture at Merchiston' since arriving as a pupil in 1951. After gaining his physics degree from Edinburgh University, Mr Brown rejoined the school as a science and maths teacher in 1960. Mr Hunter said: 'His wide and varied interests, his unflagging energy and his unmatched commitment to the life of the school over the following 52 years are the stuff of legend.' Mr Brown was called 'an outstanding teacher and academic, sports coach, outdoors enthusiast, housemaster and tutor and leaves an indelible mark across so many aspects of the history of this place'. A 'fitting tribute' was planned, Mr Hunter said. He concluded that Mr Brown's 'unstinting' service to Merchiston 'belonged to another age' and it was 'no exaggeration to say that we will not see his like again'. On a separate Facebook page, someone with the name 'Alice Taxidermist' wrote: 'Why would JRB kill himself? 'Deeply religious, fairly good health, I saw him just past December. 'Huge tragedy in my mind! Why?' The school stated that Mr Brown had requested a private funeral as he had wanted only 'the minimum legal requirements' to be fulfilled. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details . | James Rainy Brown, 75, taught at Edinburgh's Merchiston Castle School .
Died after learning police were investigating allegations of 'lewd comments'
Mr Brown, of Colinton, had taught at £26,000-a-year school for 52 years . |
96,353 | 07f3e6096b6b928e9068186cd85b275edda72212 | Alan Irvine was fighting for his job from day one. Supporters frustrated with a season of turmoil on and off the pitch were vocal in criticising the appointment of a man sacked from his two previous stints as manager, at Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End. Irvine, renowned as an excellent football coach, will be bitterly disappointed he failed to last longer than 22 games in charge of West Bromwich Albion. But a record of five wins and 11 losses was viewed as unpalatable by chairman Jeremy Peace, whose instinct to pull the trigger decisively sees him about to embark on a fourth head coach in little more than a year. Alan Irvine can't hide his anguish after his side fell to another defeat at Stoke at the weekend . Steve Clarke was sacked on December 14, 2013, while Pepe Mel left the Hawthorns in May after Albion finished one place above the relegation zone. Stability seems a distant planet for this club right now. The revolving door is not just used by the employee charged with training the squad and picking the team – for that is the role of head coach in West Brom’s continental structure. Joleon Lescott (centre) said that Irvine always had the backing of the West Brom players . Forward Mame Biram Diouf scores the opening goal of Stoke City's win against West Bromwich Albion . The head-spinning extends to those on the pitch. A summer flurry like no other saw 10 players leave and 11 join. At times signings appeared slapdash. A significant number have failed to impress. Chief among them is record purchase Brown Ideye, who cost £10million but has scored only twice in all competitions and looked off the pace. Giorgos Samaras, Jason Davidson, Sebastian Blanco and Chris Baird have all made little impression, with the jury still out on Cristian Gamboa and Silverstre Varela. Club record signing Brown Ideye (centre) has been a major disappointment since joining in the summer . Irvine had a hand in all these moves to varying degrees but is not intimately involved on the recruitment side. Recently he admitted to not stepping foot in the recruitment room since the summer. The system Albion use on that front needs scrutiny. Technical director Terry Burton was appointed from Arsenal last summer tasked with bringing in a new head coach and overseeing transfers. But his previous role was not dedicated to that and he started at West Brom playing catch-up. That left the club behind others and they are paying the price now. Technical director Terry Burton (left) at Irvine's unveiling was brought in from Arsenal last summer . Sporting director Richard Garlick sorts contracts and finances. Everyone is answerable to Peace. Irvine was popular with players who respected his training methods – described as varied and interesting. But perhaps, to his cost, he was too nice – unable to provoke performances on matchdays. Even though Irvine would work his fingers to the bone – in contrast to Mel, for example – this eventuality was all too predictable. Peace grew increasingly concerned as results tailed off, with the current run at seven defeats in nine matches. Irvine could have been sent packing before the Aston Villa match but got a win courtesy of Craig Gardner’s late strike. Irvine acknowledges the crowd at his home debut back in August at the start of the season . At Irvine’s peak during the 4-0 win over Burnley supporters chanted his name, but it was all too fleeting. The viciousness of the abuse aimed his way after the 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Sunday was impossible to ride out, Peace determined. Peace must make his next appointment work. The turbulent nature of the Hawthorns dugout needs to cease. Tim Sherwood, who came very close to getting the job after Mel, is the frontrunner. Talks collapsed last summer over his wage demands and his desire to bring in staff of Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey. Those hurdles could be overcome this time. Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood is the favourite to replace Irvine at the Hawthorns . Sherwood would work within West Brom’s structure but provide a more outspoken voice to Irvine. It would be interesting to see how he functions in the role. Tony Pulis is another option and a surer bet in the Premier League. Although whether the former Stoke and Crystal Palace manager would agree to West Brom’s model remains to be seen. Assistant head coaches Rob Kelly and Keith Downing will take charge for the New Year’s Day clash at West Ham but their long term futures remain uncertain. Former Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis is looking for a new club and could head to the Hawthorns . Late on Monday night West Brom released a statement. Tellingly, a replacement is expected by the weekend. Irvine was praised by the club for his work to bring on Saido Berahino and Craig Dawson the imperative of staying in the top division was underlined too. Whoever comes next will understand that necessity. | West Brom have only won once in their last nine Premier League games .
Alan Irvine was subjected to barrage of abuse after 2-0 defeat by Stoke .
Irvine only lasted 22 games in charge at the Hawthorns . |
249,622 | cf10fce833a0d3f5bb26fe1a4790398c99d5564b | A man who falsely claimed benefits under his brother's name for nearly three decades has been found living in a holiday resort on Spain's Costa del Sol. Retired joiner Norman Brennan, 70, fled to Mijas from Britain five years ago just as he was due to be sentenced for embezzling almost £120,000 under the name of his brother who lived abroad. Today, as Brennan said he would not return to face justice, Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said he would deal with the fugitive fraudster himself. 'This case is outrageous,' the politician said. On the run: Norman Brennan, 70, has been found in Spain after fleeing the UK where he'd admitted fraud . 'No': Norman Brennan told the Sky News reporter that he would not return to Britain to face charges . Brenna, formerly of Netherton, Merseyside, fled the UK in 2008 after pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to seven combined charges of council tax, housing benefit and jobseeker’s allowance fraud. For years he had claimed the benefits, which totalled nearly £120,000, in the name of his brother, Leslie, who had lived in Germany for nearly 30 years. Brennan was given bail when sentencing was adjourned, but gave authorities the slip and left the country. It is believed he went straight to Mijas where he is said to have bought two adjoining properties in a golfing resort. Today a television channel tracked down down the pensioner, who has long white hair, a bushy white moustache and uses a stick to walk, to the Spanish village of Mijas Costas. When asked by the Sky News presenter if the thought he should be in the UK, Brennan simply replied: 'No'. No plans to face justice: Brennan has lived in Mijas since he jumped bail in Liverpool five years ago . The pensioner, from Netherton on Merseyside, had long white hair, a moustache, and now walks with a stick . Mr Duncan Smith told the news channel: 'I’m astonished. I’ll certainly take this case away, and I know that I have myself fraud investigators who are out in Spain already. 'We’ll check this case, and I can promise you that if they haven’t done enough, they will now do their level best to get this man back. 'This sort of case is outrageous, and I’ll deal with it.' A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: 'Merseyside Police can confirm assistance was provided to Sefton Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with their original investigation into Mr Brennan. 'Since the issue of an arrest warrant for Mr Brennan in 2008 the force has been working with other agencies to locate and affect his arrest. This work is ongoing.' An international arrest warrant remains in place for Brennan. | Norman Brennan jumped bail in Liverpool court in 2008 and fled to Mijas .
He'd admitted claiming benefits in his brother's name for nearly 30 years .
Sky News found the pensioner living on a golf course on the Costa del Sol .
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith says case is 'outrageous' |
151,481 | 4fd91873a62b951d2ed1266522b4d8014c47fa14 | (CNN) -- No sooner had Ruganzu Bruno and his troupe of fellow eco-artists arrived at Kampala's Kawempe area than their presence stirred up questions within the local community. "What are you doing?" the startled residents asked. "Why are you using all this plastic?" they continued, baffled by the piles of waste bottles that were gradually filling a dusty compound yard in the northwestern suburb of the Ugandan capital. What the group of artists was doing was creating "The Hand That Speaks," an enormous structure made of recycled materials to raise awareness about environmental degradation. "We were trying to bring out the message that the hand is the one which is throwing this trash into the environment and at the same time it could be used to collect [them] and save the environment," says Bruno. And once the nine artists started assembling their futuristic creation, using more than 20,000 bottles collected in the slums of Kampala, the local crowds also decided to lend a helping hand. "At first, the community were confused but then they really loved it," says Bruno. "They were always getting us bottles." Eco Art . That was about four years ago, when Bruno was still a student at the Kyambogo University fine art school. During that time, the talented painter and sculptor discovered that he wasn't interested in just crafting artworks that would only satisfy his creative needs. Instead, he wanted his art to have a positive impact on his community. "When we are trying to achieve things in life we are self-centered, and as artists we tend to make work for ourselves," explains Bruno, 30. "I kind of felt a change within myself to think about others," he adds. "From then on I could not only paint -- I decided to work on work that was beneficial to my community." Driven by a desire to influence his surroundings, Bruno then became involved in eco-art projects, devising innovative ways to deal with Kampala's acute waste management problem. In 2010 he founded Eco Art Uganda, a collective of artists promoting environmental awareness by transforming anything from discarded bottles and cast-aside metal to broken TVs and computers into contemporary and functional pieces of art. Read this: Specs 'give trash a second chance' "I was looking for materials that were not expensive and easily available," says the soft-spoken artist, who hails from southwest Uganda. "I really found that this trash and rubbish could actually become a really positive way of communicating to people," adds Bruno, who's won several accolades for his work, including the Ugandan Young Achievers award 2011. Amusement park . In April last year, Bruno also won the $10,000 City 2.0 Award at the TEDx summit in Doha, Qatar, for his idea to create an amusement playground for children living in Kampala's congested slums. Using an array of recycled materials, Bruno went on to transform a school yard in Kampala's Kireka community into a fun and safe place where children can play and learn. The eco-park, which was completed last September, is dotted with whimsical structures attracting dozens of children each day -- from a colorful helicopter and life-size board games made of bottles to recycled swings and climbing frames crafted from old tires. Bruno says the entire community, which lacked a recreation facility, embraced the project wholeheartedly. Read this: Boy's flashy invention scares off lions . "I talked to the head of the school, and together with the parents and the students, they are the ones who collected the bottles," says Bruno, who is also a lecturer in the department of Art & Design at Kyambogo University. "So we built the playground together as a team and they know how to repair it -- this is very important in terms of sustainability." But more importantly, Bruno, who was orphaned at a young age, says the project has had a positive impact on the children. "The attention of children in class has improved; the number of children who are dropping out [is falling] because now they have something to keep them busy there, " he adds. "There is a really good progress and it has also helped them to express themselves in class." Legacy . Bruno says his goal is to recreate "as many as 100" similar amusement parks in other parts of Uganda. He is also using the prize money to grow an eco-artist loan scheme he's developed, aimed at supporting the business endeavors of creative women in Kireka. It's all part of his continuous efforts to be an artist whose work will serve his community's needs. "I think a man will always be remembered by his work, "says Bruno. "I'm an advocate now of the environment; I'm an advocate for play for children; I'm an artist ...who wants his work to have an effect on the people.". | Ugandan Ruganzu Bruno raises environmental awareness through his art .
He uses waste bottles and other recycled materials to create functional pieces of art .
He won the City 2.0 Award last year for his idea to build a playground from trash .
He has also developed a loan scheme that helps eco artists . |
222,308 | abc5eac88edffc9d7c7802ae0977ca56333934c8 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 01:22 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:25 EST, 3 January 2014 . New Year's Eve suicide: Aronno Haque went missing on December 30 and his body was found two days later in the Central Park Lake . New York Police pulled the body of a 22-year-old Indiana college student out of the Central Park Lake on New Year's Day two days after the Bagladeshi native went missing. Aronno Haque, of Dhaka, Bangladesh, was spending the break from school with relatives in Jamaica, Queens when he disappeared on December 30. He was last seen around 1:30pm that day when he went to meet friends near Union Square in New York. When he left, he told them he had to mail a bunch of letters and that they needed to be in writing since the message was very personal. The next day, police found his wallet, passport, phone and 'various papers' near the lake prompting a diving search of the waters on New Years Eve. But it wasn't until the afternoon on January 1 that divers were able to locate his body. Detectives told his uncle he 'walked straight [into the water].' They found a note among his belongings with his family's phone number, telling officers to call them so they could look after his body. Haque's uncle Raoshan Chowdhury, 58, had no idea his nephew was having problems. The night before he disappeared, Haque talked to him about applying for a green card and looking for a job in the U.S. after graduation. Letters: Haque was last seen on December 30 around 1:30pm while visiting friends in Union Square. He told them he had to mail letters to family and that the message was sensitive and couldn't be sent in an email . Remains: Police found Haque's wallet and other belongings near the Central Park boathouse on New Year's Eve prompting a diving search for his body . 'He was kind of shy, very reserved, but also fun-loving,' Mr Chowdhury told DNAinfo. 'He loved to socialize with friends, he loved going to the movies, trying different dishes.' Haque came to the U.S. four years ago to attend Wabash University, an all-male liberal arts school in Indiana where he studied economics. On Thursday, the university's President Gregory Hess issued a statement of remorse. 'All of us at Wabash are deeply saddened by the news of Aronno's passing. He was a very kind and generous person, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.' Out of the blue: Haque was staying with his uncle in Jamaica, Queens for the break from school. His uncle says he had no idea the 22-year-old was having problems . Loved: Friends and family remembered the lost college student in posts on Facebook and Reddit . Friends and family have been sharing their memories of the young student on Facebook and Reddit. Rudolph Alan says he lived two doors down from Haque in a dorm at Wabash this semester and that they ran into each other often. 'It saddens me to think he may have been in much pain,' Mr Alan wrote, 'but I hope and pray he can be at peace and pray that his family may be given strength during this trying time. May we never forget Aronno Haque.' Haque body is being transported back to Bangladesh for burial. | Aronno Haque, 22, was staying with family in Jamaica, Queens while on break from Wabash College in Indiana .
He was last seen December 30 when he met with friends in Union Square .
His body was found two days later in the Central Park Lake after police found his belongings near the boat house on New Year's Eve .
His uncle said he had no idea the student was having problems . |
258,003 | d9e93d5808ed11ca2f81be4ef05b869d6d548708 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:33 EST, 8 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:56 EST, 8 November 2013 . Social media users who declare support for charities may look good but they are less likely to hand over cash, according to a new report. The token activists who do not dig into their pockets to give financial support have been dubbed 'slacktivists' by researchers. 'Charities incorrectly assume that . connecting with people through social media always leads to more . meaningful support,' said Sauder PhD student Kirk Kristofferson, of the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business. Social media users who declare support for charities may look good but they are less likely to actually hand over cash, according to a new report. The more public the declaration, the less likely a person was to donate . 'Our research shows that if people are able to declare support for a charity publicly in social media it can actually make them less likely to donate to the cause later on.' Scientists say it is vital for charities to take note of the findings, which hint at a long-term loss of income . In a series of studies, researchers invited participants to engage in an initial act of free support for a cause - joining a Facebook group, accepting a poppy, pin or magnet or signing a petition. Participants were then asked to donate money or volunteer. They found that the more public the token show of endorsement, the less likely participants are to provide meaningful support later. If participants were provided with the chance to express token support more privately, such as confidentially signing a petition, they were more likely to give later. The researchers suggest this occurs because giving public endorsement satisfies the desire to look good to others, reducing the urgency to give later. Providing token support in private leads people to perceive their values are aligned with the cause without the payoff of having people witness it. With the holiday season being the biggest fundraising period of the year, the researchers say it is vital that charities take another look at their strategies and plan appropriately. The study features in the forthcoming Journal of Consumer Research. | Many charities believe that social media is an efficient way to boost income .
But experts believe that connecting with would-be donors on sites such as Twitter and Facebook could be counterintuitive .
Experts found that the more public the show of support, the less likely a person was to give money to a charity . |
76,106 | d7e21332ebf906d86cbc53e98cd5195f4de7d06d | By . David Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 12:45 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:26 EST, 3 April 2013 . After years of fruitless searching for love, retired multi-millionaire Dinshah Vimadalal decided drastic action was needed. The 69-year-old travel agency tycoon splashed out £15,000 on a full-page advertisement in The Times of India’s matrimonial section in search of a younger bride. Under the headline ‘He is a Great Guy – Wish to Marry Him?’ the bizarre feature spells out exactly what the Mumbai-born businessman is looking for in a wife. Looking for love: Dinshah Vimadalal placed this advert in the Mumbai edition of the Times of India which describes the sort of woman he wants to marry . His demands include a woman who is slim, under 40, childless and a meat eater. Despite owning his own private plane, a sprawling mansion in Mexico and a fleet of cars and motorcycles, Mr Vimadalal has struggled to find love since his wife died in a car crash three years ago. Multimillionaire: Dinshah Vimadalal has struggled to find a new partner after his wife died three years ago . He boasts about flying the Atlantic, driving his motorbikes at speeds of over 130 mph and, despite being a heavy smoker, he claims any woman older than 40 would have trouble keeping up with his all action lifestyle. ‘You must speak English and have done your basic schooling. I don't care how much money you have or don't have ... you should have a sense of adventure and the desire to live an exciting life,’ he wrote in the ad that appeared in the paper’s Mumbai edition on Sunday. ‘You should be no older than 40 and slim. And please don't be a vegetarian. If you are divorced it doesn't matter, but definitely no children. 'I am much older than 40 but am very young at heart, very young physically, very active and any girl older than 40 would have a tough time keeping up with my active lifestyle,’ he added. Mr Vimadalal returned to his native Mumbai in search of love after trawling Mexico, the U.S. and online and finding 'only idiots'. He first moved from India to Canada to work for an airline company in 1967 before later moving to Los Angeles because Vancouver was 'too cold'. It was there he met his first wife Firoza and the two started up a travel company called Magnum together. But he closed it down in 1994 after he 'had become super rich and didn’t need to work anymore', according to the Mumbai Mirror. He later spent five years building the house in Mexico which he named Palacio de Noelle after his sister. Since his ad was published on Sunday, Mr Vimadalal has 'interviewed' 20 potential brides, but 'there have been no serious possibilities.' 'Two or three were very sweet, nice people, but I place a lot of emphasis on the figure,' he told the Daily Telegraph. 'I don't mind if the face is not pretty but I like a slim figure and the girls who have been very nice had big fat bottoms. I don't like that.' But as his advert suggests, he is full of self-belief and says he is determined to find that special someone. 'I won’t leave, till I find a bride. I genuinely miss having a life partner,' he told a reporter from the Mumbai Mirror. | Travel agency tycoon Dinshah Vimadalal looking for love after wife died .
Says any woman over 40 couldn't keep up with his lifestyle .
Boasts about fleet of cars, flying private plane and riding motorbikes .
Has 'interviewed' candidates but unsatisfied by their 'big, fat bottoms' |
151,051 | 4f4d72f02ebf03d61ebc5948c95057fc7ffd6e7a | By . Kieran Corcoran . Gary Glitter has appeared at crown court accused of plying a schoolgirl with alcohol so he could have sex with her. The former pop star faces a string of charges relating to alleged sex offences against two under-age girls in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 70-year-old sat in the dock at London’s Southwark Crown Court but struggled to hear through a hearing loop as he was asked by the court clerk to confirm his name. Scroll down for video . Difficulty hearing: Glitter, pictured arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London today, was asked for confirm his real name - Paul Gadd - but struggled to understand . Addressing the former singer, who appeared in court under his real name Paul Gadd, Judge Alistair McCreath asked: 'Mr Gadd, can you hear me now?' Glitter replied: 'I’m sorry, I can’t.' The judge said: 'It sounded like you just did. 'We wanted to know if you were Paul Gadd but we know who you are.' Looking tanned and sporting a white goatee beard, Glitter was allowed to leave the dock and sit behind his defence barrister for the rest of the hearing. He sat with his hands cupping his ears as the court heard a plea and case management hearing would take place on August 20. Dressed in a dark pin-striped suit with a black polka dot handkerchief, blue stripped jumper, black scarf and wearing glasses, Glitter removed his black fedora hat for the hearing. He also took off a pair of tinted glasses after being told to wear 'normal spectacles' for the hearing when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier this month. Glitter, from Marylebone in central London, is accused of eight charges, with six relating to one girl and two to another. He is accused of four counts of indecent assault against the first alleged victim, who was aged 12 or 13 at the time, between January 1977 and December that year. Glitter is accused of administering a drug - 'namely alcohol' - with the intention to 'stupefy or overpower' the girl to enable him to have sex with her between January and May 1977. He also faces one charge of unlawful intercourse with a girl aged under 13 between the same dates. The former singer, who was released on bail, is accused of another two counts of indecent assault against a second complainant, who was aged 13 or 14 at the time, between October 1979 and December 1980. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Glitter - real name Paul Gadd - faces sex assault charges related to two girls .
He is accused of indecent assault and unlawful intercourse with girl under 13 .
Charges relate to two separate girls and date between 1977 and 1980 .
He was asked to confirm his name but struggled to use a hearing loop . |
250,118 | cfaec9a834c88cbb7a6c8e86b36d7a880ecbd55c | At the last soccer World Cup, it was all about 3D. This time around, it's nothing less than 4K. In 2010, FIFA was the driving force behind 3D television. The international soccer authority teamed up with Sony to bring fans 3D images of 25 matches from the World Cup tournament in South Africa. Back then, TV companies and broadcasters were hoping to follow the box office success of 3D movies. Even the Queen got into 3D, recording her 2012 Christmas message in 3D format. But the demand for 3D TV has not been as great as expected. Hollywood has fully embraced 3D technology. Around a third of all cinema screens globally are now 3D and the number of 3D film releases is growing steadily. But the glasses required to fully experience 3D have put off the small-screen viewers. Duncan Humphreys, of Stream TV Networks, said the special glasses clashed with the multi-screen experience many younger viewers demand. Many broadcasters have now scaled back on their 3D ambitions. BBC put its 3D TV project on hold for three years in last June, after saying the technology hadn't lived up to expectations. ESPN followed just a couple months later, closing its 3D channel down due to "limited viewer adoption of 3D services." Even FIFA has ditched the special 3D spectacles, betting instead on a brand new technology, 4K. The technology promises to offer viewing experiences four times clearer than high definition. A standard high definition television has a 1080p resolution, or more than 2 million pixels per frame. 4K TVs have more than 8.8 million pixels. FIFA and Sony are filming three full matches in 4K, and will also put out an official 2014 FIFA World Cup film in 4K once the tournament is over. Read more: Can Amazon help 3-D finally catch on?Read more: 4K TV promises to be four times clearer than high-def . | The demand for 3D television has not been as great as originally expected .
The need to wear 3D glasses clashed with the multi-screen experience many demand .
4K technology is taking over -- some World Cup games will be filmed using this ultra high-definition technology . |
128,569 | 32235869a5100b9694c1ffe2c604995a3dab5ef8 | (LifeWire) -- Fifty years ago this Saturday, Laika -- a sweet-tempered stray plucked off the streets of Moscow -- was thrust into the global spotlight when she became the first living creature sent into space. A Newfoundland, like this champion named Josh, saved the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. When Sputnik 2's canine passenger (nicknamed "Muttnik" by the media) hit orbit, the Soviet Union grabbed the edge over the U.S. in the space race, a crux of competition during the Cold War. Sadly, Laika's history-making voyage ended prematurely: In their rush to be first, Soviet scientists had made no provisions for her safe return. "She died before reaching orbit, and before any real data was gleaned about sustaining life in that environment," says Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of "The Pawprints of History: Dogs and the Course of Human Events." But if little scientific knowledge was gleaned from Laika's journey, her mark on world events is undeniable. "We were behind the Russians," says Coren. "The U.S. quickly switched focus to putting a living being on the moon." Laika is just one of the many canines to have left a furry legacy behind. Coren names 10 other dogs and the roles they played in history. Nos. 1 and 2. Strelka and Belka's successful orbit . Laika was the first dog sent into space, but Strelka (Little Arrow) and Belka (Squirrel) -- launched on Sputnik 5 in 1960 for a one-day mission -- were the first to return alive. As a result, much more was learned from their mission. Strelka later gave birth to a litter of puppies, one of which, Pushinka, was given to President John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline. No. 3. How Peritas saved civilization . Without his dog, Peritas, Alexander the Great might have been Alexander the So-So. When the warrior was swarmed by the troops of Persia's Darius III, Peritas leapt and bit the lip of an elephant charging his master. Alexander lived to pursue his famed conquest, forging the empire underlying Western civilization as we know it. No. 4. Charlie, Kennedy's Cuban Missile Crisis companion . At the height of 1962's Cuban missile crisis, President Kennedy had his son's Welsh terrier Charlie summoned to the chaotic War Room. The president held the terrier in his lap, petting him and appearing, by all accounts, to relax. Eventually he announced that he was ready to "make some decisions" -- those that de-escalated the conflict. No. 5. Jofi, the first therapy dog . Sigmund Freud usually kept a chow named Jofi in his office during psychotherapy sessions, believing the dog comforted the patients. Freud's notes on these interactions, detailed in his diaries, form the basis of modern-day pet-assisted therapy. Dog returned to fire victims » . No. 6. Urian bites Pope, separates church and state . Henry VIII sent Cardinal Wolsey to meet with Pope Clement VII, hoping the pontiff would grant the ruler an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. When the pope extended his bare toe to be kissed (as was the custom) by Wolsey, the Cardinal's dog, Urian, sprang forward and bit the pope. Clement flew into a rage, the divorce was off and Henry -- to ensure the annulment the Catholic Church refused to grant -- later established the Church of England. No. 7. Newfoundland saves Napoleon . Napoleon Bonaparte owed his life to a nameless Newfoundland. As Bonaparte fled the island of Elba in 1815, where he was exiled, choppy seas pitched him overboard. A fisherman's dog jumped in after the drowning despot and kept him afloat. Napoleon lived to experience his own defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. No. 8. Nixon professes love for Checkers . In his 1952 "Checkers speech," Richard Nixon -- then a candidate for vice president who was accused of pawing $18,000 in illegal campaign contributions -- admitted to accepting an American cocker spaniel, Checkers, as a gift. "And you know, the kids, like all kids, loved the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it," Nixon said during his famous speech. His heartfelt proclamation swayed public opinion and prolonged Nixon's political career. No. 9. Peps, Wagner's harshest critic . Without Peps, composer Richard Wagner's Cavalier King Charles spaniel, that helicopter scene in the film "Apocalypse Now" (scored to "The Ride of the Valkyries") might sound very different. Wagner would have Peps sit on a special chair as he played his latest compositions and, based upon the dog's reactions, he'd keep or toss each passage. No. 10. Donnchadh and the American Revolution . In 1306, when Edward I of England sought to bring down Robert the Bruce (and his ploy to rule Scotland), his men used Robert's own dog, Donnchadh, to find him. Though the animal led them to their target, he then turned and defended his master, who lived to become king of Scotland and produce a daughter who married into the Stuart family. Many generations later, the irrational actions of Robert the Bruce's direct descendant, King George III, would cause the American colonists to rebel. Modern medicine attributes King George's apparent madness to porphyria, a genetically transmitted disease that researchers trace back to the Scottish Stuarts. E-mail to a friend . LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers. E. Bougerol is a writer and editor who lives in New York City. | Several dogs have earned a spot in history .
A Soviet dog named Laika rode into space history .
A dog stood between Alexander the Great and a charging elephant .
One puppy got final approval on a composer's music . |
118,348 | 24cae851799d16afa16d62eb371a435924bad793 | BEIJING, China (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broached the issue of human rights with Chinese leaders on Saturday, but emphasized that the global financial slump and other international crises were more pressing and immediate priorities. U.S. Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton meets Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing. The United States will continue to press China on issues such as Tibet, Taiwan and human rights, she told reporters accompanying her. "Successive administrations and Chinese governments have been poised back and forth on these issues, and we have to continue to press them. But our pressing on those issues can't interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis, and the security crisis," she told reporters in Seoul, South Korea. Clinton made China the last and most crucial stopover in her Asia trip, signaling the new administration's first attempts to lay a foundation toward a China policy. It is Clinton's first trip to China as secretary of state. Watch Clinton talk to CNN about Asian tour » . She met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday and discussed the framework for further high-level and mid-level discussions. "It is essential that the United States and China have a positive, cooperative relationship," Clinton told a group of reporters. Earlier Saturday, Clinton met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing, where they discussed what they regard as the new defining Sino-U.S. strategic goals: the world economic crisis, regional security and the environment. Watch report on the talks » . The United States and China are the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Human rights, a traditional topic in discussions between the two countries, was broached during Saturday's meeting between Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who agreed to engage in a continuous discussion on the issue. Secretary Clinton said both nations will continue to hold frank discussions on crucial human rights issues, such as Tibet and freedom of expression in China. In the past, Clinton has been an outspoken, staunch critic of China's human rights stance. In a welcoming response, Yang said China was willing to discuss the often-contentious subject of human rights. "Although differences exist, China is willing to conduct the dialogues with the U.S. to push forward the human rights situation on the premise of mutual respect and noninterference in each other's internal affairs," Yang was quoted by China's state-run Xinhua news agency as saying. On the economic front, both leaders emphasized the importance of working in cooperation since their economies are intertwined. China, the world's top holder of U.S. debt, wants to ensure liquidity and security in its dealings with U.S. treasury bonds. "We did use foreign exchange reserves to buy U.S. treasury bonds. Our principle of using reserves is to ensure security and liquidity," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told reporters. China-U.S. trade volume rose by 10.5 percent in 2008 to 333.7 billion U.S. dollars, Xinhua reported. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, China is North Korea's largest trade partner. It has taken a leadership position in the six-party talks, a multinational diplomatic effort to denuclearize North Korea. In Seoul, Clinton did not refrain from harsh words, restating the U.S. position on North Korea. "North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the U.S. while insulting and refusing dialogue with the Republic of Korea," she said. Mid-level military discussions will resume this month, Clinton announced Saturday. Last October, the Bush administration notified Congress of its plan to sell $6.5 billion in arms to Taiwan -- a move that caused China to suspend military talks with the U.S. Clinton told CNN's Senior Correspondent Jill Dougherty that U.S. policy toward Taiwan will not change. Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama are scheduled to meet at the G20 meeting in London in April. | Meetings are climax of Clinton's Asian tour, first foreign visit as Secretary of State .
Issues discussed included economic crisis, regional security, environment .
U.S., China are the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases .
U.S., China stress importance of cooperation as economies are intertwined . |
73,945 | d1aed4e2a245f1c2090311ea5a8be130cff75e72 | The past 12 months have been the worst for aviation fatalities so far this decade - with the total of number of people killed if airline crashes reaching 1,050 even before the Air Asia plane vanished. Two incidents involving Malaysia Airlines planes - one over eastern Ukraine and the other in the Indian Ocean - led to the deaths of 537 people, while an Air Algerie crash in Mali killed 116 and TransAsia Airways crash in Taiwan killed a further 49 people. The remaining 456 fatalities were largely in incidents involving small commercial planes or private aircraft operating on behalf of companies, governments or organisations. Despite 2014 having the highest number of fatalities so far this decade, the total number of crashes was in fact the lowest since the first commercial jet airliner took off in 1949 - totalling just 111 across the whole world over the past 12 months. The all-time deadliest year for aviation was 1972 when a staggering 2,429 people were killed in a total of 55 plane crashes - including the crash of Aeroflot Flight 217, which killed 174 people in Russia, and Convair 990 Coronado, which claimed 155 lives in Spain. However this year's total death count of 1,212, including those presumed dead on board the missing Air Asia flight, marks a significant rise on the very low 265 fatalities in 2013 - which led to it being named the safest year in aviation since the end of the Second World War. Scroll down for videos . Deadly: The past 12 months have been the worst for aviation fatalities so far this decade - with the total of number of people killed if airline crashes reaching 1,158 even before the Air Asia plane (pictured) vanished . Fatal: Two incidents involving Malaysia Airlines planes - one over eastern Ukraine (pictured) and the other in the Indian Ocean - led to the deaths of 537 people . Surprising: Despite 2014 having the highest number of fatalities so far this decade, the total number of crashes was in fact the lowest since the first commercial jet airliner took off in 1949 . 2014 has been a horrific year for Malaysia-based airlines, with 537 people dying on Malaysia Airlines planes, and a further 162 people missing and feared dead in this week's Air Asia incident. In total more than half the people killed in aviation incidents this year had been flying on board Malaysia-registered planes. In January a total of 12 people lost their lives in five separate incidents, while the same number of crashes in February killed 107. There were only three fatal incidents in March, but the still-unexplained incident involving Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 left 239 people dead, bringing the total to 248. April saw two incidents with a total of 10 people killed, before a spike in incidents in May saw five fatal crashes leading to 35 people losing their lives, and seven crashes in June killed 64. July was by far the worst month for aviation fatalities this year, with a Malaysia Airlines plane being shot down over eastern Ukraine killing 298 people, 116 people dying in an Air Algérie downing in Mali, and 48 dead in the TransAsia Airways crash in Taiwan. Two other crashes killed six people bringing the total dead in airline incidents in July to 468. In August five crashes led to the deaths of 60 people, before a decline in September saw three downed planes and 12 killed, and three October incidents resulted in the deaths of 10 people. A further two crashes in November saw 11 people lose their lives. Before the disappearance of the Air Asia flight there had already been three fatal plane crashes this month, killing 13 people. Air Asia flight QZ8501 had 155 passengers on board and seven crew - all of whom are missing and feared to be dead. Wrekage: The remains of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 is seen after being shot down over eastern Ukraine . Horror: 298 people were killed when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot out of the sky in July . Despite the heavy death toll, 2014 actually had the lowest number of crashes since the first commercial jet airliner took off in 1949 - just 111 in the past 12 months. 'It will probably come as a surprise to most people, but really it was a very safe year,' Paul Hayes, of the flight consultancy business Ascend told the Wall Street Journal. Over the past 65 years, the aviation accident rate has been declining rapidly, despite more and more people taking to the skies every year. The current crash rate is 2.1 for every million planes that takes the skies - with the odds even lower on large commercial aircraft. However the distressing disappearance of AirAsia flight QZ8501 is the latest installment in Indonesia's checkered airline history which has seen the deaths of almost 650 people in 20 years. The nation has struggled with its air safety record over the past two decades as the airline market in Southeast Asia faced unparalleled demand for low-cost flights from a rapidly expanding population. While Indonesia has benefited economically from the growing market, it is struggling to meet safety standards, unable provide enough qualified pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and updated airport technology to ensure safety. There were only three fatal incidents in March, but the still-unexplained incident involving Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 left 239 people dead, bringing the total to 248. Pictured, rescue workers search for MH370 . Carnage: 48 people were killed when a TransAsia Airways plane crashed in Taiwan in July . Despite 30 per cent of plane crashes around the world occurring as a result of weather conditions, ground-based wind-shear detection systems introduced to notify plane crews to issues are absent in many airports around Indonesia. The nation of over 250 million people is set in a region which 'needs to look at improving air infrastructure and pursue an open skies policy,' Mr Niemeijer told Quartz. The Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation recorded a 20% increase in seat volume between 2012 and 2013, totalling 5.6 million passengers on flights in the region. The figures are expected to increase, with 70% of the world's busiest routes travelling through Southeast Asia, and 30% of the world's aircraft passengers expected to travel to the region in 2014, reported Orient Aviation Journal. Crash site: Another incident in July saw an Air Algerie plane come down in Mali . 116 people died in the Air Algerie crash earlier this year. The plane crashed in the same month as MH17 . Willem Niemeijer, co-founder of Khiri Travel Group, said that 'increasing air traffic means crashes will increase as well.' In the past 20 years 532 people have died in crashes in Indonesia, and 116 people have been presumed dead. In 2014 so far there have been five major plane crashes in Southeast Asia, including the doomed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 en route to Kuala Lumpur, and the disappearance of MH370 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. There has been one major flight incident in Indonesia annually for the past three years, including the disappearance of the AirAsia flight on Sunday which was carrying 155 passengers and seven crew members on board. January . 5th: Vineland Corporation - United States - 1 person killed . 12th: US Army, Afghanistan - 3 people killed . 18th: Private aircraft, Germany - 4 people killed . 20th: Scoala Superioara de Aviatie Civila, Romania - 2 people killed . February . 11th: Algerian Air Force, Algeria - 76 people killed . 16th: Nepal Airlines, Nepal - 18 people killed . 17th: Global Airlift / International Organization for Migration, South Sudan - 1 person killed . 19th: TDC Aviation LLC, United States - 1 person killed . 21st: Libyan Air Cargo, Tunisia - 11 people killed . March . 3rd: Iran Civil Aviation Organization, Iran - 4 people killed . 8th: Malaysia Airlines, Indian Ocean - 239 people killed . 28th: Indian Air Force, India - 5 people killed . April . 8th: Hageland Aviation Services, United States - 2 people killed . 19th: LACSA, Mexico - 8 people killed . May . 8th: ALIANSA Colombia, Colombia - 6 people killed . 12th: Kenyan Air Force, Kenya - 1 person killed . 17th: Laos Government, Laos - 16 people killed . 27th: Kowzef S.A, Uruguay - 5 people killed . 31st: SK Travel LLC, United States - 7 people killed . June . 6th: Ukraine Air Force, Ukraine - 5 people killed . 7th: Private plane, Russia - 1 person killed . 14th: Ukraine Air Force, Ukraine - 49 people killed . 17th: South African Air Force, South Africa - 3 people killed . 18th: Synfuels Holdings Finance LLC, United States - 3 people killed . 23rd: GFD Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung, Germany - 2 people killed . 24th: Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan - 1 person killed . July . 2nd: Skyward International Aviation, Kenya - 4 people killed . 14th: Ukraine Air Force, Ukraine - 2 people killed . 17th: Malaysia Airlines, Ukraine - 298 people killed . 23rd: TransAsia Airways, Taiwan - 48 people killed . 24th: Swiftair / Air Algérie, Mali - 116 people killed . August . 10th: Sepahan Airlines, Iran - 39 people killed . 13th: AF Andrade Empreendimentos e Participações, Brazil - 7 people killed . 23rd: Doren Air Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo - 4 people killed . 30th: Ukraine Air Alliance, Algeria - 7 people killed . 31st: Safari Express Cargo, Tanzania - 3 people killed . September . 14th: Tango Jet, Argentina - 2 people killed . 20th: Hevilift, Papua New Guinea - 4 people killed . 21st: Egyptian Air Force, Egypt - 6 people killed . October . 20th: Unijet, Russia - 4 people killed . 29th: SkyWay Enterprises, Dutch Antilles - 2 people killed . 30th: Beechcraft, United States - 4 people killed . November . 9th: Diplomat Aviation, Bahamas - 9 people killed . 14th: Global Airlift, South Sudan - 2 people killed . December . 8th: Sage Aviation, United States - 6 people killed . 12th: Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka - 5 people killed . 18th: T-Air LLC, Mexico - 2 people killed . 28th: Air Asia, Indonesia - 162 people missing and feared dead . Source: Aviation Safety Network . | Including Air Asia plane, 1,212 people were killed in air crashes in 2014 .
Incidents involving Malaysia-based airlines led to total of 699 fatalities .
In 2013 just 265 people were killed worldwide as a result of plane crashes .
That made last year the safest in aviation since the Second World War .
But despite 2014's very high death toll, there were only 111 plane crashes .
That is the lowest number since commercial jet flights began in 1949 . |
190,398 | 8284e9bd1d71c05fee2e6b2c42e95c664c8cdb19 | Five young boys sit in a hospital waiting room in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the expression on their faces range from fear to curiosity and determination. They are all set to take part in a traditional mass-circumcision at the Tuanku Mizan Army hospital in the capital. Circumcision, a rite of passage in the mainly Muslim country, is a major event in the lives of these young boys. Waiting game: A group of Malaysian boys wait for their turn during a mass-circumcision ceremony at the Tuanku Mizan Army hospital in Kuala Lumpur . During the mass-circumcisions, dozens of young boys of similar age undergo the ritual surgery together, and are often carried out during school holidays. In this instance, 112 boys participated in the event organised by the Ministry of Defence for children of defence personnel. The boys were given a red-carpet welcome as they arrived at the hospital, with family watching as they went inside. After the mass-procedure, the boys and their families gather to celebrate their 'passage into manhood'. Islam is the main religion in Malaysia, with more than 61 per cent of the population adhering to the faith. Red-carpet welcome: The boys all wear their Sunday best when they arrive to take part in the ceremony . The cleanse: Dozens of boys laugh as they are doused with water prior to the mass-circumcision ceremony, considered a celebration of reaching manhood . A father's support: The mass-circumcision had been organised by the Ministry of Defence for children of defence personnel . Tradition: More than 110 Muslim boys took part in the ceremony in the Malaysian capital on Friday . Inrecovery: A young Malaysian boy is assisted by a nurse after the circumcision ceremony, and leaves to join his family to celebrate the rite of passage . | Dozens of young boys participate in mass circumcision in Malaysia .
Considered a rite of passage, with welcome ceremony and celebrations .
Photographer followed one event in Kuala Lumpur this week . |
74,470 | d31d2e5b0f3ddf284ba725a6704004cf664c6a63 | Philip Levine, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet whose intimate portraits of blue-collar life were grounded in personal experience and political conscience - died at his Fresno, California home on Saturday, at age 87. Former US poet laureate from 2011 to 2012, Levine passed away from pancreatic and liver cancer, his wife said Sunday. He was among the country's most decorated poets, winning the Pulitzer in 1995 for The Simple Truth and the National Book Awards for the 1979 collection Ashes and for What Work Is. Levine's other honors included the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement and a National Book Critics Circle Award. Philip Levine (pictured in 2006), a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet whose intimate portraits of blue-collar life were grounded in personal experience and political conscience, died at his California home on Saturday at age 87. While he taught in several colleges, Levine had little in common with the academic poets of his time, as he was not abstract, insular or digressive. Levine captured the ways 'ordinary people are extraordinary,' while writing poems that are accessible to readers, said Edward Hirsch, a friend of Levine and president of the Guggenheim Foundation. 'They move between the most ordinary diction and high romantic heights.' He added: 'We've lost a great presence in American poetry.' Born in Detroit in 1928 and the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Levine was profoundly shaped by his working-class childhood and years spent working in jobs ranging from driving a truck to assembling parts at a Chevrolet plant. As a poet, he consciously modeled himself after Walt Whitman, as he strove to be a writer of everyday experience and cosmic wonder. This was evident in his tactile, conversational poems that focused on his childhood, living in Spain, marriage, parenting and poetry itself. Levine was also a lover of the earth and sky as much as any poet of nature, but his poems explored the pangs of work and workers, such as Buying and Selling or Saturday Sweeping, in which employees toil under a leaky roof and 'blue hesitant light.' In What Work Is, the title piece of his celebrated 1991 collection, he offers a grim sketch of standing on line in the rain, hoping for a job: . This is about waiting, . shifting from one foot to another. Feeling the light rain falling like mist . into your hair, blurring your vision . until you think you see your own brother . ahead of you, maybe ten places. The former poet laureate from 2011 to 2012 passed away from pancreatic and liver cancer, his wife said Sunday. He was among the country's most decorated poets, winning the Pulitzer in 1995 for The Simple Truth and National Book Awards for the 1979 collection Ashes and for What Work Is . Levine's father, who was an auto-parts salesman, died when he was five years old. And although his mother found work as an office manager, he remembered his childhood as 'a succession of moves from first a house to a series of ever-shrinking apartments.' As a kid, he was scrawny and imagined himself in peril on the streets of Detroit, 'the most anti-Semitic city west of Munich.' He would picture himself walking home from school with a rifle, shooting at Cadillacs, Lincolns and other cars owned by rich people. By the end 1942, when he was 14, and had worked at a soap factory and, like a first kiss, he discovered poetry. Levine became fond of it while attending Detroit's Central High School in 1945, after a teacher let him borrow a book by poet Wilfred Owen, according to the Detroit Free Press. He would walk the streets late at night, speaking to the 'moon and stars about the emotional revolution that was raging' inside him. Levine later attended Wayne State University, where he read the verse of Stephen Crane, T.S. Eliot and William Carlos Williams, and 'immersed' himself in the history of poetry. 'I believed even then that if I could transform my experience into poetry I would give it the value and dignity it did not begin to possess on its own,' he later observed. The exhausting factory hours made Levine so determined to write that he showed up in 1953 at the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop even though a planned fellowship had fallen through. He was told he could sign up for one course, but he enrolled in three, and Poet John Berryman became his mentor. 'He seemed to feel I had something genuine,' Levine told The Paris Review in 1988, 'but that I wasn't doing enough with it, wasn't demanding enough from my work. He kept directing me to poetry that would raise my standards.' As a poet, he (pictured in 1999) consciously modeled himself after Walt Whitman, as he strove to be a writer of everyday experience and cosmic wonder. This was evident in his tactile, conversational poems that focused on his childhood, living in Spain, marriage, parenting and poetry itself . Levine's other honors included the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement (above Levine pictured in 1987 after receiving the prize) and a National Book Critics Circle Award . Poet Yvor Winters allowed Levine to stay with him at his home in California and also selected him for a Stanford Writing Fellowship in 1958. Around the same time, Levine joined the faculty of California State in Fresno and remained there for more than 30 years. He also taught at Princeton University and Columbia University among other colleges. Levine was married twice, to Patty Kanterman and to Frances J. Artley, his wife since 1954. He is survived by Artley, his twin brother Edward and another brother Eli, his three sons, Mark, John and Teddy, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the New York Times. Levine's debut collection On the Edge came out in 1963, and other books included Not This Pig, They Feed the Lion and 1933. During a time in the 1960s, he spent time in Spain, and developed a deep bond to the country and to its people, especially those who had fought Francisco Franco during the country's civil war of the 1930s. He wrote poems about Spain and helped translate works by the Spanish poets Gloria Fuertes and James Sabines. When he was back in the US, Levine was an opponent of the Vietnam War and defender of civil rights and the rights of working people. In Coming Home, Detroit 1968, he took in 'the charred faces' and 'eyes boarded up' of his hometown, which had been devastated by riots the year before. In 1968, he also was among the writers who vowed not to pay taxes until the Vietnam War ended. 'I can remember feeling full of the power of a just cause and believing that power would not fail me. It failed me or I failed it. We didn't really change the way Americans lived, unless you take hairstyles seriously,' he once said. 'I'm not a man of action; it finally comes down to that. I'm not so profoundly moral that I can often overcome my fears of prison or torture or exile or poverty. I'm a contemplative person who goes in the corner and writes.' | One of the country's most decorated poets, Levine died at his Fresno, California home on Saturday from pancreatic and liver cancer .
He won the Pulitzer in 1995, and also received National Book Awards, Ruth Lily Poetry Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award .
Levine is survived by wife Frances J. Artley, two brothers, three sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild . |
29,966 | 552d75aeb0d63f98234ed6bb0e5c810555f94883 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 03:52 EST, 17 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 17 December 2013 . Charges: Drazen Premate, 57, allegedly set fire to H20 Church on West Livingston Street in Orlando on Saturday . A homeless man has claimed that he burnt down a Florida church because he was 'tired of those mosquitoes.' Drazen Premate, 57, allegedly set fire to H20 Church on West Livingston Street in Orlando on Saturday. In the official police statement this week, the main motive seems to have simply been due to 'bug bites.' 'A man at the church Saturday afternoon saw Premate add wood to a fire, which then grew out of control. According to an arrest report released Monday, there was ‘substantial’ damage to the rear of the building, reported The Sun Sentinel. Premate told authorities he started the fire because of ‘bug bites.’ The church is understood to have 'substantial' damage to the rear of the building. He was arrested on a criminal arson charge and currently remains in the Orange County Jail. Prior to becoming homeless Premate was commercial space expert and science pioneer and co-owned a company called the International Space Corporation in Melbourne. The venture which which won a joint endeavor agreement from NASA to fly experimental crystal-growing furnaces on six to eight shuttle voyages. Damage: The church is understood to have 'substantial' damage to the rear of the building . At the time, the agreement was one of only nine NASA issued. His LinkedIn page states: 'ISC was a privately held space company Drazen co-founded with a private Space Coast investor Robert C. Haines that had a Joint Endeavor Agreement with NASA for 7 Shuttle flights worth $23 million to fly in space the largest space furnace ever built in the world (still the case today) to process expensive crystals and other materials in zero-g of space. 'This Normal Freezing Space Furnace (NFSF) designed by Drazen Premate & Bill Aldrich was built by ISC with private capital found by Drazen. After Shuttle Challenger accident and upon Space Shuttle return to flight status in 1989 NASA cancelled all private Materials Processing in Space projects utilizing Shuttle cargo bay for safety concerns and the company closed. Past: Prior to becoming homeless Premate was commercial space expert and science pioneer and co-owned a company called the International Space Corporation in Melbourne . | Drazen Premate, 57, allegedly set fire to H20 Church in Orland .
Police statement: Main motive seems to have simply been due to 'bug bites' |
2,718 | 07f388a7cc70c658e7b954984dfed448cfd80524 | By . Leon Watson . A football player accused of beating a former teammate into a coma left custody today as it emerged that he allegedly kicked the man in the head because he was enraged that a bouncer had kissed his girlfriend's hand. Rutgers University quarterback Philip . Robert Nelson, who once played at the University of Minnesota, was . charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of . third-degree assault. He left custody on Tuesday with a towel over his head less than 48 hours after the alleged attack took place in Mankato, Minnesota. Isaac Kolstad, a 24-year-old married father, was 'sucker-punched' by an unknown attacker before Nelson allegedly kicked him in the head 'like a soccer ball' in the early hours of Sunday following a graduation celebration. Scroll down for video . Former Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson leaves the Blue Earth County jail with a towel on his head . Nelson posted $20,00 bail in his assault case stemming from a fight outside a bar that left another former football player in critical condition with head injuries, in Mankato, Minnesota . Authorities say Nelson kicked Isaac Dallas Kolstad, 24, in the head after another man punched and knocked him to the ground early Sunday as bars were closing in Mankato . Unfortunately for Nelson, the towel blew off his head as he left the Blue Earth County jail. He did not want to speak to reporters . According to a criminal complaint seen by NJ.com, 20-year-old Nelson was angry because a bouncer at a bar had hit on his girlfriend and he is extremely protective of the young woman. Nelson's girlfriend told police that as they left the bar, they saw Mr Kolstad outside. The bouncer and Mr Kolstad are different people. Nelson and Mr Kolstad got into a verbal dispute before Kolstad threw a punch that hit Nelson in the back, causing him to fall to the ground, according to a police officer who had seen surveillance tapes. Police had released surveillance video of events surrounding the altercation and they are asking for the public's help. Graduate student Steph Stassen, 25, told the Star Tribune that . a man in a black shirt came 'out of nowhere' and punched Mr Kolstad in . the head after he had left a bar in the early hours of Sunday. She said: 'He [Kolstad] was knocked out on his feet. He fell straight back and smoked his head on the pavement.' Attack: Isaac Kolstad, pictured with his wife Molly, was a former linebacker celebrating his graduation on Saturday night with friends before the alleged assault took place . Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson allegedly assaulted a former teammate from the University of Minnesota on Saturday . Isaac Kolstad, 24, pictured on the football field last year. He is fighting for his life in hospital today after being attacked by two men on Saturday night . She added that the sound of Mr Kolstad hitting the concrete was so loud because he didn't catch himself. Kolstad, a former linebacker at Minnesota State-Mankato, had surgery to relieve swelling in his skull at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato. It . is yet unclear if he has suffered permanent brain damage. According to . the criminal complaint, a neurosurgeon said that he was unsure Mr Kolstad will survive the attack. He has bleeding of the brain, skull fracture, brain swelling, brain shifting, and deterioration of lungs from lack of oxygen, according to the criminal complaint. Kolstad's skull fracture was on the left side of his head where he was kicked. Nelson, with his hands and feet shackled, was arraigned earlier in the . day on first-degree and third-degree assault charges, NJ.com reported. A judge set . Nelson's bail at $20,000. He then left the . Blue Earth County jail less than 48-hours after the attack trying to . mask his identity, but failed when a gust of wind blew the towel up. Rutgers announced Tuesday that it has dismissed quarterback Philip Nelson from its football program. Mr Kolstad is married to Molly, a nurse, who is pregnant with their second child. The couple already have a three-year-old daughter. He graduated in December with a degree in business management and works in sales at Fastenal, an industrial distribution company. His father Blaine told WCCO that his son had been out with friends on Saturday night celebrating his graduation when he was attacked in a busy downtown area. Booked: Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson pictured in his booking photo on Sunday. He has been charged with assault . He was found at an intersection around 2am on Sunday by police and taken to hospital in an ambulance. On a CaringBridge . fundraising page, the father wrote: 'He had one surgery today to put a . pressure gauge in his skull. He may need additional surgeries in the . coming days. We do know that his brain did sustain permanent damage.' Witnesses . said that Mr Kolstad, who was described by a friend as 'a quiet, young . man' who was not a big drinker, was with a group of football players in . the South Street Saloon in the downtown area just before closing time. Mr Kolstad was found by police half a block from the bar. The . family said in a statement: 'We are extremely grateful for the . outpouring of support we have received during this difficult time. Victim: Isaac Kolstad, seen here with his wife and daughter, was listed as being in critical condition after he was allegedly beaten by Philip Nelson . Attack: Isaac Kolstad, pictured with his wife Molly, was a former linebacker celebrating his graduation on Saturday night with friends before the alleged assault took place . 'Isaac . is a very strong and determined young man, who is dearly loved by his . family and friends. We would respectfully ask for your continued . prayers.' His . sister Rebekah also tweeted: 'Please everyone who reads this pray for . my big brother Isaac he is in critical condition and needs your prayers . to help him survive.' 'We are in the process of gathering information on the situation and reserve comment until the legal process is complete,' Rutgers Senior Associate Athletic Director Jason Baum said in a statement, NJ.com reports. A vigil was held on Sunday night for Kolstad. Police were looking for a second suspect and reviewing surveillance camera footage in the area. Nelson, 20, was taken to the Blue Earth County jail, according to a police statement. A message left with Nelson's parents Monday was not immediately returned. Vigil: Friends, teammates and community members hold a candle light vigil on Sunday for Kolstad . Hope: Minnesota State-Mankato head football coach Todd Hoffner lights a candle held by former team member Sam Thompson, who said a few words at a candle light vigil held for former Minnesota State-Mankato, linebacker Isaac Kolstad . Golden Gopher: Philip Nelson is seen in this November 2013 file photo looking to throw a pass when he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers . | Philip Nelson, 20, was charged with assault in Minnesota on Monday .
The alleged attack came after Nelson became angry at a different man, who was a bouncer at a bar, because he 'hit on his girlfriend'
Linebacker Isaac Kolstad is being treated at Mayo Clinic in Mankato but doctors are not optimistic that he will survive .
He suffered bleeding of the brain, skull fracture, brain swelling, brain shifting, and deterioration of lungs from lack of oxygen .
Rutgers announced Tuesday that it has dismissed quarterback Philip Nelson from its football program .
Unknown assailant allegedly 'came out of nowhere' and punched him .
Mr Kolstad was knocked unconscious, causing his head to hit the concrete .
Mr Kolstad has a pregnant wife Molly and a three-year-old daughter . |
154,484 | 53a43fb03824c6882aa364dda2a10e635385118f | A private plane which crashed nose-first into the ground at a London airport was at the centre of an investigation by air accident officials today. Emergency services were called to Biggin Hill Airport last night after the twin-engined jet carrying two crew members and four passengers left the runway while preparing for departure, causing its nose gear to collapse in the soft ground. Photographs taken at the scene showed the plane's nose had come off in the incident, and the aircraft was wedged into the muddy grass at the edge of the runway. Dramatic: This jet crashed nose-first next to the runway at London's Biggin Hill airport last night . Witnesses described seeing emergency vehicles surrounding the Gulfstream G1159-A on the runway while smoke poured out of it at around 8.30pm. The London Ambulance Service said eight people had been assessed by medics and a woman in her 30s was taken to hospital with minor injuries. It is believed she had hurt her ankle and she was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Farnborough for further treatment. However, a spokesman for the airport said the two crew members and four passengers were unhurt but were treated for shock at the scene. They were escorted from the aircraft by the airport's fire service. Airport Managing Director Will Curtis said: 'The incident was attended immediately by our airfield fire service and also by units from London Fire Brigade in accordance with our emergency incident planning procedures, but these were quickly stood down. 'We are very grateful to all emergency services for their ongoing cooperation and support.' Small scale: The accident happened at Biggin Hill airport (above) which is near Bromley, south east London . London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines to the airport in Bromley, south east London, with around 30 fire officers from Biggin Hill, Orpington, Addington and Bromley attending. The incident caused around five gallons of fuel to be spilled, and the firefighters were tasked with cleaning up the liquid. The Air Accident Investigation Branch confirmed today it has sent officers to examine the cause of the incident at the airport, which specialises in private aviation and flight instruction. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'The AAIB is investigating.' The jet was built in 1984 and is registered to the aviation firm World Heir Inc in Atlanta, Georgia, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The firm declined to comment or say whether the plane was being leased. A representative said: 'I have no comment at this time. The investigation's ongoing. 'It was a situation where the plane departed the runway while taxiing for takeoff and no one was seriously injured.' LAS officer Chris Hawswell tweeted: 'We have attended a private passenger jet that was involved in an accident on takeoff. 'In total we have assessed 8 persons that were on board and are taking a woman to hospital with minor injuries. 'We activated a number of resources as a pre-determined attendance, most were cancelled before arriving.' | Woman in her 30s had to be taken to hospital after incident at Biggin Hill .
Fire crews called as smoke poured from 30-year-old Gulfstream G1159-A .
Two crew members and four passengers treated for shock at the scene .
Jet is owned by a firm in Atlanta, Georgia, which declined to comment . |
56,028 | 9eccfcc231c7c0d65cb0c333cb3d1731a5fe2f3f | (CNN) -- Baseball's not a contact sport. It is not football, where rock-abbed men brutalize each other to get the ball. It is not hockey, where a guy on ice skates gets "checked" (aka whacked) if he's got the puck. It isn't even basketball, where 7-foot mastodons give each other a shove on the spine and a thump in the rump, jostling for a few precious feet of space by the hoop. No, baseball is not played that way. With one exception. "Collisions at home plate." That is what they are called, in the lingo of the game. "A collision at the plate." It occurs principally when a man is running at full speed, attempting to score a run for his side. If the ball gets there ahead of him, a catcher, shielded by equipment that includes a mask, shin guards and a Kevlar-like protective vest, like a cop from a SWAT squad, blocks the plate. Wham. Runner smashes into catcher, who must "tag" him with the ball (and not drop it) before that runner can step on home plate. Savannah Guthrie, co-host of NBC's "Today" morning show, innocently professed her ignorance of baseball on Thursday, saying: "I never thought that was a play. ... I thought it was an accident." No, it is quite deliberate. A runner runs as hard as he can into a catcher, becoming a human crash-test dummy. Very exciting. Unfortunately, there is a side effect. Somebody stands a chance of getting seriously hurt. Broken bones. Cartilage damage. Brain trauma. Is this necessary? Is the "collision at home plate" such a key element of a centuries-old sport that the show must go on? Are we a bunch of wusses now, no longer willing or able to play this game in the way that our daddies and granddaddies did? Or are we finally coming to our senses? Major League Baseball believes the latter to be true. A proposal is being made, to be formally presented to team owners in January, to forever eliminate the "collision" from the baseball vernacular and rulebook. No more bowling over the catcher. No more trying to "knock the ball out of his hands." No more trying to "knock him into the middle of next week," to quote some lame 20th century slang. From now on, if agreed upon by all, a runner must slide into home plate -- or at the very least try to dodge the catcher and the ball -- rather than plow into him like a steer into a matador. Concussions are becoming much too commonplace. Up-to-date medical knowledge is demonstrating how many ex-athletes suffer everlasting degeneration from the impacts of violent incidents on the field of play. No matter how much you love the great game of baseball, you couldn't possibly believe that it would be less great a game if we no longer make a catcher "stand his ground" and await a blunt-force crash with a fellow human being. Or could you? People who follow baseball get their noses out of joint whenever somebody tries to change a rule. Instant replay would be a big help? No, it wouldn't. A time clock on the batter or pitcher would speed things up? Nuts to that. Warnings to both benches and mandatory ejections if a pitcher throws a ball at a batter on purpose? Namby-pamby nonsense. Don't fix what ain't broke! (Some people say.) But come on, this is a good thing, right? Keeping a catcher from getting killed? Or a runner from breaking his neck? Because that's what "collisions" cause, yes? Serious injury and potentially even death? How did ex-catcher Bruce Bochy, now the manager of the San Francisco Giants, put it in a New York Times piece this week? "I think it's better to be proactive before we carry a guy off the field paralyzed and think, 'Why didn't we change this rule?' " Amen to that. Ballplayers current and past understand the danger. Bochy saw his star catcher, Buster Posey, severely injured in May 2011 when he was smashed into by Scott Cousins of the Florida (now Miami) Marlins, breaking a fibula and being lost for the rest of the year. Brian Sabean, the Giants' general manager, described Cousins' actions that day with the word "malicious." But rules are rules, until we change them. Managers galore are former catchers: Bochy, Mike Scioscia (Angels), Joe Girardi (Yankees), Joe Maddon (Rays), Mike Matheny (Cardinals), Ned Yost (Royals), Bob Melvin (A's), Fredi Gonzalez (Braves), John Gibbons (Blue Jays), Mike Redmond (Marlins). Each of them wore that backstop gear in their playing days. Each could tell you a story of a violent man-on-man crash. Many are old enough to have a memory of the most famous baseball collision of all. It happened at the 1970 All-Star Game. (Yes, a game that didn't even count.) Pete Rose on second base. Jim Hickman singles. From center field. Amos Otis throws the ball to Ray Fosse, his catcher. Rose barrels toward home plate. He slams into Fosse like a whale into a fishing boat. Fosse goes flying. So does the ball. Rose's team wins the game. Fosse, however, is never the same. He is seriously injured and supposedly can still feel a twinge of pain from that experience, 43 years later. Occupational hazard? OK, maybe. No one ever promised a catcher that baseball was going to be a waltz in the park, with nothing but love taps. But maybe enough is enough. What would it hurt, trying to prevent someone being hurt? MLB rule committee votes to impose rule eliminating home plate collisions . I went to a Detroit vs. Boston game on a June night in 1983. Kirk Gibson was at bat. Lou Whitaker was on first base. A fly ball sailed over Red Sox outfielder Tony Armas' head. Whitaker had to wait to make sure it wasn't caught. He then ran full speed, with Gibson right on his heels. Whitaker was tagged out by Rich Gedman, the catcher. Gibson kept coming. The umpire, Larry Barnett, got in his way, while calling Whitaker out. Gibson smashed into both the catcher and umpire. The ball ended up on the ground. The ump ended up in the hospital. "I was going to run over whoever was in my way," Gibson said afterward. "I was out if I don't." The crowd, as they say, went wild. It was thrilling. It also was scary. Runner, catcher AND umpire could have been hurt, even paralyzed, from a single play. The score at that moment was 6 to 1. It wasn't a World Series, wasn't a walk-off game-winning run, wasn't a big deal. But that's the way guys like Gibson were taught to play, giving everything they've got, risk be damned. He was playing to win, period, and by the rules. Nobody's fault. But time for those rules to change. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mike Downey. | Baseball becomes contact sport when catcher blocks plate to keep runner from scoring .
Mike Downey says the collisions at home plate are thrilling and often memorable .
But, he asks, is it worth the possible damage to the catcher's body?
Downey: Ray Fosse still feels pain from a collision 43 years ago . |
234,364 | bb68621cfb7dc08172dbb09849fa0f18999137f5 | Fit-again Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is confident he can forge a successful partnership with Mario Balotelli as the club look to secure Champions League football next season. Sturridge made his first Premier League start since August in Liverpool's 3-2 win against top-four rivals Tottenham on Tuesday night, but it was former Manchester City striker Balotelli that stole the headlines. The 24-year-old Italy striker came off the bench, replacing Sturridge, and scored the winner for Brendan Rodgers' side - his first Premier League strike since joining the Anfield club last summer from AC Milan. Daniel Sturridge made his first Premier League start since August in the 3-2 win against Tottenham . Sturridge (centre) wins a penalty after he was adjudged to have been brought down by Danny Rose . Mario Balotelli replaced Sturridge in the second half of the clash at Anfield . Balotelli's best game for Liverpool came alongside Sturridge at White Hart Lane on his debut last August and the 25-year-old believes they can combine as a pair going forward. Sturridge said: 'He's been waiting for a while to break his duck and been working very hard in training, and now he has scored one in the league I am sure things will start to go his way now. 'For me it's always about trying to help players who are here, not just Mario, but all the boys who are at the club. It's not easy to settle into a new team, a new area, a new lifestyle, with different people around you and so on and so forth. 'People don't ever take that into account. I just try to do my bit, although I'm not taking any credit for him scoring – I'm just happy he did.' Balotelli had only been on the pitch a short while when he scored the winning goal . Balotelli celebrates with Adam Lallana after scoring the winning goal for Liverpool . Sturridge added: 'Whatever team the manager chooses to put out I will do my best whoever I have a partnership with. I try to adapt to whoever I am playing with and bring out the best in each other, and we (me and Mario) click when we are playing together.' 'But it is not just about me trying to do what I do - in the Tottenham game (in August) I played a little bit differently to how I did on Tuesday. 'I know Philippe Coutinho likes to thread balls through so I had to play on the shoulder a bit more. 'With Mario I can move around and go into wide areas because I know he will occupy the centre-halves. 'You play differently with different players and I am sure we will strike up a partnership in the future, I have no doubts about that. | Daniel Sturridge made his first start since August against Tottenham .
Mario Balotelli netted his first Premier League goal for the club in 3-2 win .
England striker Sturridge says the pair can strike up a partnership . |
3,279 | 097823bb4a2fe41875509cd35b403a03e4dd5509 | A smartphone app that gives you the full lowdown on VIP airport lounges is available to download - for free. Many lounges offer their facilities for a one-off fee, busting the myth that these have to be booked in advance when sorting your flights. There are hundreds of lounges around the world that are there to be taken advantage of, and one San Francisco-based company's app, LoungeBuddy, can help you select the right one for you. Scroll down for video . If you fancy a massage at the Qantas First Class Lounge at Sydney airport, LoungeBuddy can help you book . The app will tell you what lounges are available as well as give guest reviews to help . With delays, cancellations and missed connections a hardship felt by many, a bit of wining and dining in an airport lounge could prove to be the perfect solution. Whether you’re looking for a comfortable spot to relax and have a cocktail, a work desk to be productive, a place to have a meal while enjoying views of the tarmac, or access to a shower after that long flight, a private oasis is now available to you. Treat yourself with a stay at the New South Wales Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport . The business class lounge at Mauritius, SSR International Airport, oozes class and style . The smartphone app can advise of costs as well as exact locations of VIP lounges around the world . You can instantly book and access your airport oasis in LoungeBuddy in seconds. The user will have to input their itinerary, what lounge access, if any, they have, and the app will do the rest, notifying of exact location and price. You can also browse photos and reviews of the lounges, making your selection an informed one. The LoungBuddy app is available free on IOS and Android. | LoungeBuddy can advise of walk-in lounges as well as reviews .
The app also tells you what facilities are on offer, and what will be 'free'
App is available on IOS and Android platforms, and is free to download . |
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