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93,343 | 040fc18569fff4fd6f4fa9ee86450353875e2114 | Washington (CNN) -- Folklore says that George Washington was known for never telling a lie. But as the United States marks its first president's birthday, a new poll indicates that 74 percent of the public thinks the father of our country did lie to the public while he served as president. It's an indication that Americans think the government has been broken for a very, very long time. The CNN/Opinion Corporation survey was released Monday on the 278th anniversary of Washington's birth. Three quarters of people questioned in the survey think that modern-day federal officials are not honest, a figure that is essentially unchanged since 1994. But the poll suggests that Americans think the problem of dishonesty is not a new one. And it's not just George Washington; 71 percent think that Abraham Lincoln, known as "Honest Abe," also lied to the public while serving in the White House. Full results (pdf) "It's all part of a rich tradition in American history -- the belief that politicians are not always telling the truth," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. What should we make of the figures for Washington and Lincoln? "Part of it may be the recognition that, however much we revere them today, both men were politicians, and Americans are always a little cynical about people seeking office. Part of it may also be a realistic assessment that the president sometimes has to keep things from the public," adds Holland. "But whether it's based on cynicism or realism, or a little of both, it's an indication that Americans think that our government has been broken for many, many years." According to CNN poll numbers released Sunday, Americans overwhelmingly think that the government in this country is broken, but the public overwhelmingly holds out hope that what's broken can be fixed. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted February 12-15, with 1,023 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the overall survey. CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. | 74% of people in poll think George Washington did lie to the public as president .
"Honest Abe" Lincoln fares only a little better -- 71% believe he lied as well .
Poll suggests Americans think the problem of dishonesty is not a new one . |
54,295 | 99c98449dd5a99222dae7cfb14bc060852f220e4 | (CNN) -- Its record on dealing with racist abuse has been mixed and now Russia has been urged by a leading anti-apartheid activist to show a tougher approach to the issue ahead of hosting the 2018 World Cup. The man who led South Africa's successful World Cup bid in 2010, Danny Jordaan wants Russia to start implementing life bans for any players or individuals found guilty of racism within football. "Given our own history as South Africa as a country and given our struggle against apartheid and racism...this is an issue that Russia must give serious attention to," Jordaan told CNN's Amanda Davies. In the past, Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has insisted there is no major racism problem in the country, though earlier this month FC Rostov coach Igor Gamula said he did want to sign a Cameroonian because the club has "enough dark-skinned players, we've got six of the things." Gamula, who apologized for his comments, was given a five-game ban. During this season's Champions League leading Russian club CSKA Moscow has had to play its games behind closed doors because of fan abuse toward black players. That punishment was handed out by European governing body UEFA. And in an interview with the Associated Press, FIFA anti-racism adviser Tokyo Sexwale suggested black players might even boycott the 2018 World Cup, saying "there are certain parts [of Moscow where] if you are my color it's unsafe." Jordaan, who began to campaign against apartheid in the 1970s, argued there should be "no compromise" on the issue of racism in football. "You've already seen the response from some of the leading players on the African continent," said Jordaan. "We will certainly, at the level of the Confederation of African Football and FIFA, raise these issues because we cannot see the same teams there that will be subjected to racial abuse and threats." Jordaan pointed to the NBA's leadership in dealing with Los Angeles Clippers co-owner Donald Sterling, banning him for life after privately taped racist remarks were leaked to celebrity website TMZ.com. "In our own country we opposed both legislation and the conduct of racists in our country -- they must be confronted," added Jordaan, referring to his own country's history in dealing with apartheid. "It must be dealt with severely. There must be decisive and very strong action. "Such individuals certainly have no right to take charge of human-beings if the understanding is not that every human-being has equal worth. There are no players and things in the same team -- it's just unacceptable." Earlier in November, the head of FIFA's disciplinary committee Claudio Sulser insisted the world governing body would deal with any racism at the World Cup. Russia's 2018 Local Organizing Committee was not immediately available for comment. | Russia should impose life bans on anyone found guilty of racist abuse in football .
Call comes from leading anti-apartheid activist Danny Jordaan .
Jordaan led South Africa's successful 2010 World Cup bid .
Argues there should be "no compromise" on the issue of racist abuse in football . |
103,918 | 1216fa248c097f5fe3dbcc3ccf51bb1824e08601 | COPENHAGEN, Denamrk (CNN) -- What makes someone decide to become an actor? It sometimes seems as if the average Hollywood star is motivated mainly by the promise of a fat pay check. Connie Nielsen shot to fame playing Lucilla in "Gladiator." Or perhaps they're drawn to the celebrity lifestyle. Maybe they crave the love of an adoring public, or perhaps they see the movies as a way to leave their mark on the world, to be immortalized on celluloid. For Danish actress Connie Nielsen it was something quite different. For her, being an actor means being an outsider. "As an artist you actually do have to make a choice to be an outsider. If you're an outsider you have the freedom to say what people on the inside don't dare to say," she told CNN. So Connie Nielsen is not your typical movie star. As a 5-foot-10-inch blonde Scandinavian beauty she has the looks of a classic silver screen siren, but she has steadfastly resisted a career as Hollywood eye candy and rejected the lifestyle that goes with it. "I absolutely refuse the fame part of my business," she says. "I refuse even the money side of my business. I try to do as good work as I can do, I try to grow in my art and reach for truth," she says. Raised in Elling, a small coastal village in Denmark, she is fluent in seven languages and studied acting in France and Italy, making her screen debut in French comedy "Par Où T'es Rentré? On T'a Pas Vu Sortir" (U.S. title "How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave") in 1984. She appeared in more French and Italian movies before landing a role opposite Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves in "The Devil's Advocate" in 1997. But it wasn't until 2000, when she was cast in Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning "Gladiator", that Nielsen landed a role that really let her show her acting ability. As Lucilla, the sister of the villainous Emperor Commodus, Nielsen brought some much-needed subtlety to the swords-and-sandals epic and held her own sharing the screen with Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe. The movie made Nielsen an international star and she scored other successes with "One Hour Photo" in 2002, and "The Hunted" in 2003. But while the success of "Gladiator" opened doors for her, it also meant she had to fight the kind of typecasting that would try to limit her to playing "the love interest" to a male lead who got all the good lines. Nielsen has in the past been critical of Hollywood for its lack of female roles, saying "you think once you've shown what you can do, and your movies have been successful, that snap, you work. So to discover the difference between guys' roles and girls' roles made me plain mad. It's unjust." But Nielsen has refused to be pigeonholed, seemingly drawn to difficult roles in controversial movies. She appeared in French movie "Demonlover", which dealt with pornography, violence and corporate amorality, while more recent films have taken on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Danish drama "Brødre" (U.S. title "Brothers") is about a soldier who returns from Afghanistan a broken man, unable to communicate his experiences from the conflict. Playing his wife, Nielsen put in a powerful performance that won her awards and served to highlight how Hollywood had underused her talents. "The Situation" in 2006 was billed as the first film to be made about the Iraq war and told the story of ordinary Iraqis caught up in the conflict, while "Battle of Seattle" examined how peaceful protests erupted into riots when the World Trade Organization met in Seattle in 1999. Of her choice of subject matter, Nielsen says that rather than making a political point she is trying to show the human aspects of the conflicts. But Nielsen makes it clear that her career is not the focus of her life and she stresses the importance of making time outside the movies. She is passionate about literature and art and she is currently dating Lars Ulrich, drummer of rock group Metallica. She had a son with him in 2007 and has another son from a previous relationship. "I will always find something that I want to try and become better at. I always love to spend more time with my friends, more time with my family, my extended family. I always want to read more books," she says. Perhaps her commitment to her art, her interest in social issues and her disavowal of fame simply reflect her Danish upbringing, but there's no doubt that compared to many other Hollywood stars Connie Nielsen is a breath of fresh air. | Connie Nielsen made her name playing Lucilla in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator"
She has appeared in movies dealing with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq .
Nielsen speaks seven languages and is passionate about art and literature . |
84,416 | ef7c1fe250343fdd331d6dc3deb84964cca6f469 | A lock-unlock lever on the doomed Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo was moved earlier than it should have been, the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday night. But the agency's acting chairman stressed it was unclear whether pilot error, mechanical problems or a host of other possibilities caused the spacecraft to disintegrate in the air. "We are still a long way from finding a cause. We are months and months away," NTSB Acting Chairman Christopher Hart said. And despite a debris field spanning 5 miles, investigators have found almost all the parts of the spacecraft needed for the investigation, Hart said. The accident killed co-pilot Michael Tyner Alsbury, 39. A memorial fund has been set up for him. Co-pilot alert and talking . The surviving co-pilot is "alert" and speaking, the company that partnered with Virgin on the test flight program said Sunday. "Peter Siebold, the director of flight operations at Scaled Composites, was piloting SpaceShipTwo. He is alert and talking with his family and doctors," the company said in a statement. "We remain focused on supporting the families of the two pilots and all of our employees, as well as the agencies investigating the accident." NTSB investigators have yet to interview Siebold. "We have not because doctors did not recommend we do an interview at this stage," Hart said. Inflight breakup? SpaceShipTwo disintegrated Friday, just two minutes after the space plane separated from the jet-powered aircraft that carried it aloft. At the time, it was about 45,000 feet above, and about 20 miles northeast, of Mojave, California. SpaceShipTwo helmed by experienced pilots when flight failed . While the NTSB hasn't determined what broke the test aircraft apart, "when wreckage is dispersed like that, it indicates the likelihood of in-flight breakup," Hart said. A team of 13 to 15 investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will be on site in the Mojave Desert for about a week. But analyzing the data from the test aircraft will take much longer. Analysis: Will space accidents deter pioneer tourists? 'We're going to learn' Virgin Group founder Richard Branson said Sunday he didn't personally know Alsbury, but had the privilege of knowing Siebold. "Mike was a dear friend and inspiring colleague to the many, many friends he left behind. My heart goes out to his parents, his wife and children, his sister and the rest of his family and friends," he said about Alsbury. He wished Siebold a speedy recovery. On Saturday, Branson said that the company is "determined to find out what went wrong." When asked about the future of Virgin Galactic, Branson said the company's goal is still putting people safely into space. "I think millions of people in the world would love one day to have the chance to go to space, and this is the start of a long program," he said. Years of flight experience . The two test pilots had both had a great deal of flight experience. Alsbury worked at Scaled Composites and logged more than 1,600 hours as test pilot and test engineer in Scaled aircraft. Siebold had worked for Scaled Composites since 1996 and had 17 years and more than 2,000 hours of flight experience. Both had degrees in aeronautical engineering from California Polytechnic State University. Deadly day for space tourism -- but future 'rests' on such days, official says . As for the program itself, SpaceShipTwo had flown 55 times, 35 times on its own, Branson said in a statement. WhiteKnightTwo, the jet-powered "mothership" charged with transporting SpaceShipTwo to altitude, has flown 173 times, Branson said. "We've always known that the road to space is extremely difficult -- and that every new transportation system has to deal with bad days early in their history," Branson said. "Space is hard -- but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together." Future of the program . For years, Virgin Galactic has planned to sell trips in which SpaceShipTwo would transport passengers about 62 miles above Earth -- the beginning of outer space -- and let them experience a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to the ground. It's unclear what the failure of the space plane will mean for the program. Virgin Galactic planned to send paying customers on SpaceShipTwo as early as next year. The company released a statement late Sunday. "At Virgin Galactic, we are dedicated to opening the space frontier, while keeping safety as our 'North Star'. This has guided every decision we have made over the past decade, and any suggestion to the contrary is categorically untrue," it said. "Now is not the time for speculation. Now is the time to focus on all those affected by this tragic accident and to work with the experts at the NTSB, to get to the bottom of what happened on that tragic day, and to learn from it so that we can move forward safely with this important mission." Virgin has sold more than 700 tickets, each costing more than $250,000, for future flights. Several celebrities have already signed up, including Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Leonardo DiCaprio and Stephen Hawking. Opinion: The truth about launching spaceships . | A lever on SpaceShipTwo was moved earlier than it should have .
But the NTSB says the cause of the accident is still unclear .
A memorial fund is set up for Michael Tyner Alsbury .
The co-pilot "is alert and talking with his family and doctors" |
194,350 | 87960f38c2a48abf43a4e7dc0087beed61482b05 | (CNN) -- Don't be surprised if Casey Anthony walks out of jail a free woman after her sentencing Thursday, legal experts say. And, they add, there is nothing stopping her from cashing in on book or movie deals -- as her acquittal on serious charges now means she is free to profit off her story. With Tuesday's not guilty verdict on murder charges behind her, Anthony -- and the thousands riveted by every twist in the case -- now turn their attention to Thursday when the 25-year-old will learn her fate. A jury on Tuesday found Anthony not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter in the 2008 death of her daughter Caylee. But she still faces sentencing on four counts of lying to police regarding a missing person case. Each misdemeanor count carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail, for which Judge Belvin Perry has the option of sentencing her consecutively or concurrently. Many legal experts believe Anthony will be freed on time-served because she has already been jailed for about three years. "I would be surprised if she doesn't walk out of the courtroom Thursday," said Atlanta defense lawyer Penny Douglas Furr. "She has served so much time already. I don't think the judge will make her serve any more time. The real question now is, what will she do next." There will be no legal restrictions on Anthony profiting on the details of this case, cashing in on deals for movies, books or interviews, analysts say. Because of her acquittal, so-called Son of Sam laws -- laws designed to keep criminals from earning money from their crimes -- do not apply, they say. "Why can't she make money off of her story?" said Drew Findling, another defense lawyer. "You've seen so many cases where witnesses for the prosecution have profited from the case. Look at the O.J. Simpson case and how the prosecutor, who lost the case, wrote books and made money afterwards. So why can't Casey do it?" HLN's Nancy Grace, who has covered the Anthony case extensively since Caylee was reported missing, did not mince words about Anthony's possible plans. "Now tot mom finally has the beautiful life that she envisioned. She's free," Grace said on her show Tuesday. "She will walk free as early as this Thursday. She's set up to make very likely over a million dollars off the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony." The seven-week long trial ended with 11 hours of deliberation when an Orange County, Florida, jury found Anthony not guilty of the most serious charges. "This jury ignored the scientific evidence," said New York lawyer Susan Moss. "Apparently, they found the only 12 people who still think the world is flat." But Andrea Lyon, who once represented Anthony, said the evidence wasn't there. "That prosecution overreached," Lyon said "AC 360." "They used junk science. They attempted to overwhelm the lack of evidence with character assassination. They did not have evidence of a homicide." The jurors in the case declined to speak to the media as did four alternate jurors. The fifth, Russell Huekler, told CNN he agreed with the verdict "wholeheartedly." "The prosecution did not prove their case," Huekler said. "The big question that was not answered: How did Caylee die?" Through the course of the trial, dozens lined outside the Orlando courtoom to get a glance at the spectacle. The proceedings featured allegations of sexual abuse, questions regarding Anthony's competence and various theories on what happened to Caylee. Prosecutors alleged Anthony used chloroform to render her daughter unconscious and then duct-taped her mouth and nose to suffocate her. They alleged that she put the child's body in the trunk of her car for a few days before disposing of it. Anthony's defense attorneys maintained that Caylee was not murdered at all. They said the child drowned in the Anthony's above-ground pool on July 16, and that Anthony and her father, George, panicked upon finding her there and covered up the death. Anthony's lawyer, Jose Baez, also alleged that Anthony's father sexually abused her from the age of 8 and she had been taught to conceal her pain. The upbringing explained some Anthony's bizarre behavior during the time her daughter was missing, he argued. According to testimony, Anthony was not looking frantically for her missing child as she later told police. Instead, she moved out of her parents' home and stayed with her then-boyfriend, Tony Lazzaro. She also got a tattoo saying "Bella Vita" -- Italian for "beautiful life" -- and went shopping, witnesses said. She also partied at Orlando nightclubs and participated in a "hot body" contest at one point, according to testimony. George Anthony denied the molestation claim in testimony, saying, "I would never do anything like that to my daughter." Throughout the trial, the pain experienced by Anthony's family was evident. Both her father and mother sobbed on the stand at times recalling their granddaughter. George Anthony also cried as he testified about his January 2009 suicide attempt, which came shortly after Caylee's remains were identified. At one point during the trial, Anthony's mother, Cindy, was seen mouthing the words "I love you" to her. After the verdict, the parents released a statement saying they wished to "move forward privately" and requested the media respect their privacy. "While the family may never know what has happened to Caylee Marie Anthony, they now have closure for this chapter of their life. They will now begin the long process of rebuilding their lives," the parents said. If Anthony is released Thursday, it is unclear if she will be rebuilding her relationship with her parents. In Session correspondent Jean Casarez said she asked Cheney Mason of Anthony's defense team where Anthony will go when she is free. "He told me it would not, with all seriousness, be back to her family home," Cesarez recounted. "But, of course, anything is possible." Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here. | NEW: Lyon: The prosecution overreached .
Legal experts say Casey Anthony could go free Thursday .
A jury acquits Anthony of murder charges .
"Why can't she make money off of her story? Why can't Casey do it?" a legal expert says . |
1,976 | 05b67d7338c0bfd33ed3b977b1f48faca7c0c478 | Incredible ‘magical’ trees that bear 40 different varieties of fruit have been popping up all over US. These trees - which can simultaneously produce different varieties of peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and cherries – look ordinary throughout most of the year. But in spring, they bloom into a stunning patchwork of colours, with each tree featuring its own unique selection of stone fruit. Scroll down for video . The Tree of 40 fruit can simultaneously produce peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines almonds and cherries. Here a CGI shows what the trees will look like in spring as they become more mature . They are the work of Syracuse University sculptor and artist Sam Van Aken who created the trees in an attempt to make people reconsider how food can be produced. The project began in 2008 when Mr Van Aken discovered that a New York state orchard, which held varieties of stone fruit 200-years-old, was to be abandoned. In hopes of saving it, the artist bought the orchard, and soon after started experimenting with something known as ‘chip grafting.’ These trees look ordinary throughout most of the year. But in spring, they bloom into a stunning patchwork of colours, with each tree featuring its own unique selection of stone fruit . The trees are the work of Syracuse University sculpture and artist Sam Van Aken who created the trees in an attempt to make people reconsider how food can be produced . The process involves taking a sliver off a tree, including the bud, and inserting that into a cut in the working tree. The foreign tree part is then taped and left to heal over the winter. Mr Van Aken explained that most stone-fruits are easily compatible. The 'Tree of 40 Fruit' project was created using something known as chip grafting. The process involves taking a sliver off a tree, including the bud, and inserting that into a cut in the working tree. The foreign tree part is then taped and left to heal over winter. Mr Van Aken explained that most stone-fruits are easily compatible. Grafting is usually done in winter or early spring with dormant scion wood. What he came up with is ‘The Tree of 40 Fruit’, which is in fact, not one tree, but a series of hybridised fruit plants. So far, Mr Van Aken has created and placed 16 trees in museums, community centres and private art collections around the U.S.. In spring, the trees blossom in shades of pink, crimson and white, and in summer, they bear a range of stone fruit, as shown in Mr Van Aken's CGI image. ‘I've been told by people that have [a tree] at their home that it provides the perfect amount and perfect variety of fruit,’ Mr Van Aken told Lauren Salkeld at Epicurious. ‘So rather than having one variety that produces more than you know what to do with, it provides good amounts of each of the 40 varieties. ‘Since all of these fruit ripen at different times, from July through October, you also aren't inundated,’ he said. Mr Van Aken's trees can be seen in cities across the U.S., including Santa Fe, New Mexico; Short Hills, New Jersey; Louisville, Kentucky and Pound Ridge, New York. So far, Mr Van Aken has created and placed 16 trees in museums, community centres and private art collections around America . While they look ordinary in the above pictures, in spring, the trees blossom in shades of pink, crimson and white, and in summer bear a range of stone fruit . Mr Van Aken's trees can be seen in cities across the U.S, including Santa Fe, New Mexico; Short Hills, New Jersey; Louisville, Kentucky and Pound Ridge, New York . | Project is the work of New York-based sculptor and artist Sam Van Aken .
He created plants to make people reconsider how food can be produced .
They can be seen in cities across the US, including Santa Fe, New Mexico; Short Hills, New Jersey; Louisville, Kentucky and Pound Ridge, New York .
So far 16 'magical' trees have been produced using chip grafting technique .
Each one produces a small selection of fruits from 40 different varieties .
The process involves taking a sliver off a tree, including the bud, and inserting that into a cut in the working tree . |
135,499 | 3b4a6e4140434e8474e66e0d0ad9673cbc410c21 | Tokyo (CNN) -- Nearly seven decades after the end of World War II, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected Thursday to call for long-standing limits on the country's military to be eased to allow it to come to the aid of allies under attack. Abe's drive to revamp Japanese security policy comes at a time of rising tensions with China and concerns over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. But the prospect of a historic reinterpretation of the country's pacifist constitution has caused unease both within Japan and abroad. The United States, Tokyo's main ally and the nation that oversaw the adoption of the constitution in 1947, has supported the idea of Japan's military taking on a more assertive role in the world. As things stand, Japan can only use its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, to defend itself. Article 9 of the constitution, written in the aftermath of Imperial Japan's defeat by the allies, says the Japanese people "forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes." If, for example, a U.S. ship came under attack in the Western Pacific, Japan would not be able to offer military help unless it was also threatened. Public opinion divided . Abe, who is eager to strengthen Tokyo's alliance with Washington, wants Japan to be able to participate in collective self-defense and take a more proactive role in peacekeeping missions. He set up an advisory panel on Japan's security policy, which delivered its report to him on Thursday. Abe is expected to announce his response to the panel's conclusions and outline how he plans to proceed. He is unlikely to try to change the constitution, a formidable political challenge that would need the backing of two-thirds of both houses of Parliament and a referendum. Instead, he is expected to propose a reinterpretation of the existing text. Opinion polls suggest Japan is deeply divided over the idea of such a change, with different surveys showing drastically different levels of support and opposition. The constitution, considered by many Japanese to have kept the country out of war since 1945, is widely respected. Using national security arguments to reinterpret the Constitution on the issue of collective self-defense would "in effect, eviscerate the constitution," warned a commentary published Wednesday in The Asahi Shimbun, a leading English-language daily newspaper in Japan. U.S. support . But one of Abe's advisers, Tomohiko Taniguchi, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour last month that Japan has adopted a "strange interpretation" of the constitution for "historical reasons." "Everyone, every individual, and every nation" has the right to "act collectively with your like-minded peers," he said. A reinterpretation would still require the support of Abe's governing coalition, including the New Komeito Party, which is considered to have a strong pacifist leaning. The U.S. government, facing complex security challenges around the world, has made it clear it favors a change in Japan's military stance. "The United States welcomes Japan's efforts to play a more proactive role in contributing to global and regional peace and stability, including reexamining the interpretation of its Constitution relating to the rights of collective self-defense," Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during a visit to Tokyo last month. Chinese criticism . However, China, whose rising military spending has been cited by Japanese officials as a reason to adapt, has voiced criticism of the suggested changes. "Abe's goal, while stripping a nation of its pacifist identity, simultaneously serves to endanger the lives of the nation's citizens as their country remilitarizes and, for all intents and purposes, becomes 'war ready,'" China's official news agency Xinhua said in an analysis article last week. Some commentators in the West have also expressed concern about the way Abe appears to be going about the policy overhaul. "The government's 'reinterpretation' is the most profound challenge to the pacifist constitution since 1947," a column in the British magazine The Economist said this week. And an editorial in The New York Times warned that "such an act would completely undermine the democratic process." CNN's Will Ripley reported from Tokyo, and Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report. | Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to outline plans to change defense policy .
The country's constitution renounces using force to settle international disputes .
But Abe wants to reinterpret it to allow Japanese forces to defend allies .
That has prompted concerns within Japan and from China . |
1,527 | 046b2a2b670eefb436c6ba0fb494e8e84fe0ab40 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 13:41 EST, 20 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:43 EST, 20 July 2012 . A speedboat driver drowned in the River Thames last night after the vessel capsized when three men took it for a high-speed test run. Police divers were tonight trawling the murky water for the man's body after the tragedy which happened near the spot where two men drowned last year. The man's father told bystanders that his son, who was apparently not wearing a lifejacket, could not swim. High-speed horror: The driver of this sunken speedboat drowned in the River Thames at Shepperton, Surrey, after it flipped over when he and two other men took it out for a test run following repairs . 'Thrown out': The 12ft fibreglass boat is believed to have capsized when the driver accelerated on a bend . His friend, who had been tipped into the river with another man, managed to keep his head above water but had to let go as the strong currents threatened to drag them both under. Rescuers pulled the sunken speedboat to the river bank so police could examine it. The drama happened as the three men revved up the 12ft fibreglass speedboat during a test-run on the Thames at Shepperton, Surrey last night, following repairs. Witnesses on the idyllic stretch of the river spoke of the small craft passing their moored boats at speed, before they asked the driver to slow down. As he reached a bend further on, the man was believed to have opened the throttle on the powerboat. Trawling the waters: A police diver drops into the Thames in search of the body of the driver, who was not thought to have been wearing a life jacket . Pleasure boater Jim McCutcheon said: 'The current was very, very strong indeed when I saw a speedboat came up here with three men in it. 'They were going at speed. I told them to ease off because they were coming through a mooring and the skipper said "just testing" because they had done some repairs to the engine and were giving it a trial run. 'He did slow down and went through nice and slow and I remember saying: "You wait until he gets to the bend. He’ll open her up - and he did. 'Unfortunately, I think they were to one side and they were thrown out.' He said throttling up while turning into a strong current would have been like turning into a brick wall. 'That’s the mistake,' he said. 'The biggest mistake of the day was nobody was wearing lifejackets.' He added that he and other boaters had learned the man’s father had arrived at the scene from his home in the New Forest, Hampshire, at around 10pm last night. 'He had a word with a woman,' said Mr McCutcheon. 'He was in a terrible state. He told her his son couldn’t swim.' Tragic: The victim's friend held his head above water, but had to let go as strong currents threatened to pull both of them under . David Green, a local boat builder, was carrying out repairs to his vessel near the scene and had also been passed by the boat. He said: 'It was just a little speedboat, about 12ft. I think if went over because they were all sitting on one edge and the river’s been running really strongly lately. 'I didn’t take much notice when they went past because so many people go above the speed limit because it’s just four knots here. 'It happens because people get big engines and they want to see how fast the boat can go.' He said the first he knew something was wrong was when he heard shouting and looked over to see an upturned hull. 'I just thought it was a sailing dinghy,' he said. 'The (missing) guy’s mate had him in the water. He was holding him up but he had to let go because he couldn’t hold him any longer.' Witness David Green . He added: 'The other one had swum to the other bank. He started shouting and freaking out and saying he was in shock but what can you do? The river’s so strong.' He said that man was rescued by the fire service, who deployed their boat and used specialist underwater equipment to search for the missing man. The other survivor was helped by a group of youths, who took a lifebelt from its stand and threw it to him, before pulling him from the water. Mr Green was one of several people to comment on the fact that the trio were not properly kitted out. 'If they had been wearing life jackets the guy would still be alive. I think it should be mandatory.' Dog walker Duncan Macduff, 38, from Shepperton, was at the scene minutes after the accident. He said it was common for speedboats to throttle up as they rounded the corner. I’ve seen it happen a few times here, he said. 'When they get to the corner they open up round the bend.' Police divers were sent into the water and also used a camera on a pole to search the upturned boat and the banks and river bed. Meanwhile, a police helicopter with a thermal imaging camera hunted for any signs of body heat along the stretch of river. A Surrey Police spokesman said: 'Surrey Police was called to Russell Road in Shepperton at just before 6pm yesterday to reports that a boat had capsized and three people had fallen into the River Thames. 'Officers attended the scene where a teenage boy and a man in his 40s had managed to get to safety, however a third person, a man believed to be in his 40s is still missing.' The trio were believed to have taken to the water in their boat in nearby Walton-on-Thames. Music executive Keith Lowde and Dr Rex Walford drowned in the River Thames at Shepperton in January last year as Mr Lowde was ferrying himself and five friends from a river island dinner party at his home to the shore in pitch darkness. | Boat believed to have flipped over when driver opened throttle on bend .
Friend held his head above water, but had to let go due to strong currents .
Three men on board were not thought to have been wearing life jackets .
The two passengers were able to swim away and were pulled to safety .
Police divers trawling waters at Shepperton in Surrey for victim's body . |
193,281 | 863b1a4ec10a2d88a03d41d7fd9c751a5376cc2e | By . Glen Owen . PUBLISHED: . 17:39 EST, 18 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:47 EST, 18 January 2014 . Unite's Len McCluskey attended a meeting where NHS 'leverage' campaign was allegedly proposed . Doctors have reacted with anger after leaked documents revealed plans by union militants to intimidate GPs over health reforms. Unite's 'leverage team' – the dirty tricks unit which bullied managers and their families during last year’s Grangemouth oil refinery dispute in Scotland – intends to deploy the same tactics against doctors involved in 'privatising' the NHS. At a recent Unite executive meeting attended by controversial general secretary ‘red’ Len McCluskey, there was a proposal that ‘the next comprehensive leverage campaign will be focused on [the] defence of the National Health Service’. According to leaked minutes, the leverage team suggested taking action at a ‘local level’ by using ‘direct intervention to... target private health care companies and commissioning bodies’. Under the Government’s health reforms, the bodies, partly staffed by GPs, are responsible for putting local medical contracts out to tender – and are therefore seen by Left-wing opponents as being in the vanguard of privatisation. During the Grangemouth dispute last autumn, the sinister leverage unit – staffed by campaigners who describe themselves as ‘industrial terrorists’ – personally targeted executives of the Ineos chemical company which owns the plant by sending mobs of protesters to their homes. One director embroiled in the row over pay and conditions said he had feared for the safety of his wife and two young children after 30 Unite activists descended on his drive during the school holidays and told his neighbours that he was 'evil'. And the daughter of another company boss had 'Wanted' posters denouncing her father posted through her front door in Hampshire. During the Grangemouth dispute (pictured) the sinister leverage unit personally targeted executives of the Ineos chemical company which owns the plant by sending mobs of protesters to their homes . Last night, Tory Health Minister Dan Poulter condemned Unite’s plan, saying: 'We take threats to doctors and nurses very seriously.' 'Unite may have walked all over Ed Miliband and taken over the Labour Party, but we will not let them do that to our NHS.' Leading GP Michael Dixon, the president of NHS Clinical Commissioners, said: 'This plan is deeply worrying. It will be the patients who suffer from attempts to intimidate hard-working doctors.' 'Nobody deserves to be threatened just for trying to improve patient care.' Last night, a Unite spokeswoman said that while the executive had discussed the plan, it was 'just a proposal. She added that defending the NHS from the 'savagery' of the Government was 'one of the most serious issues facing the country'. | Unite 'leverage team' intends to deploy same tactics used at Grangemouth .
Bullied Grangemouth managers by sending mobs of protesters to houses .
Unit is staffed by campaigners who call themselves 'industrial terrorists'
Leaked minutes suggest 'leverage team' is now planning to target doctors .
Fear raised over 'direct intervention' against private health care companies . |
197,869 | 8c1e353a0b50a86520be481b6706b83ac12aecb3 | The U.S. told Iran of its plans to strike ISIS militants inside Syria in order to reassure them that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not be targetted, a senior Iranian official has claimed. The communication, confirmed in part by a senior U.S. State Department official, appears to signal a cooling in hostilities between the U.S. and Iran for the first time since a 1979 hostage crisis prompted Washington to sever ties with Tehran. Iran is said to have voiced concerns for the safety of Assad, who remains the Shia Islam-dominated nation's closest regional ally and the recipient of Iranian military support during a Syrian Civil War. Scroll down for video . Talks: Representatives for Barack Obama (right) told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) in advance of plans to strike ISIS militants inside Syria in order to ease concerns that Bashar al-Assad may be targetted . Rubble: Locals inspect buildings destroyed by US-led coalition airstrikes in the town of Kfar Derian in Aleppo province. Iran was reportedly given advance warning of the strikes against jihadist targets in Syria . Firepower: The guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke launches Tomahawk cruise missiles in the Red Sea against ISIS bases in Syria yesterday . 'Iran was concerned about Assad's position and his government being weakened in case of any action against IS (Islamic State) in Syria and brought this issue up in meetings with Americans,' the senior Iranian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'This issue was first discussed in Geneva and then was discussed thoroughly in New York where Iran was assured that Assad and his government will not be targeted in case of any military action against Daesh [ISIS] in Syria,' he added. The Iranian official said Iran was informed separately in advance of the airstrikes launched by Washington and Arab allies against Islamic State positions in Syria for the first time. Asked about the assurance that Syrian government forces would not be targeted, the senior U.S. State Department official told Reuters: . 'We communicated our intentions, but not specific timing or targets, to the Iranians. As we've said, we won't be coordinating military action with Iran. And of course we won't be sharing intelligence with Iran either.' The public communication has included some mixed signals. Unharmed: Iran is said to have voiced concerns for the safety of its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, pictured here meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Damascus yesterday, hours after the airstrikes . Destroyed: Local residents check a badly damaged house in the village of Kfar Derian, in the west of Syria's Aleppo province. The building was reportedly hit by US-led coalition airstrikes . Under attack: This image, released by the U.S. military, shows before and after images of ISIS' finance center in the Syrian city of Raqqa, following a direct hit from a Tommahawk missile . Both Iran and the United States acknowledge having an interest in defeating ISIS. Tehran has called on the world to fight the militants, who stand accused of a wave of violence, beheadings and massacres of civilians while taking over swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq. Speaking to senior editors in New York, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stopped short of endorsing or condemning the airstrikes by the United States and Arab allies, though he raised questions about its legality. He described this week as an important one for his country's talks with world powers, including the United States, which are meant to forge a long-term accord by November 24 that would end sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out cooperating with the United States to tackle the hardline Sunni militant group. But other Iranian officials said that Tehran would be ready to work with Western powers to stop the militants in return for concessions in the nuclear talks on Tehran's uranium enrichment program. Blast: This still image and the one below were taken from video released by the U.S. Central Command yesterday, showing a structure in Tall Al Qitar, Syria moments after a U.S. airstrike . On Monday the White House said it would refuse to connect nuclear talks, under way on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week, with the fight against the militant group. Iranian officials told Reuters privately that Iran already was cooperating with Washington in the fight against the jihadist rebels. 'This is an intelligence matter and I can assure you geopolitical and intelligence matters will not be shared with Americans ... but military and security issues are being shared to fight against IS (ISIS),' a senior Iran security official said. Tehran's leadership has approved the 'idea of cooperation with the Americans,' he said, because it serves Iran's interests. Iran has occasionally shared classified information with Washington, including during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the conflict in Iraq. | U.S informed Iran of airstrikes to ease fears over Syrian President's safety .
Iran is said to have been worried U.S. would strike Bashar al-Assad, not ISIS .
Assad is Iran's closest regional ally and the recipient of its military support .
Communication signals a cooling in hostilities between the U.S. and Iran .
Hostage crisis in 1979 prompted Washington to sever ties with Tehran, with the countries at odds and repeatedly threatening one another ever since . |
130,217 | 34543b05d3fbbfddba950447f782901e3588e3f1 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 00:53 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:04 EST, 8 August 2013 . Graham Brady, chairman of the influential backbench 1992 Committee, called on David Cameron and Education Secretary Michael Gove to support selective education . Senior Tory MPs demanded a return of grammar schools in England yesterday after the Conservatives in Wales announced that they will bring them back if they win the next Assembly election. Graham Brady, chairman of the influential backbench 1992 Committee, called on David Cameron and Education Secretary Michael Gove to support selective education where there are currently no grammar schools. And he said existing selective schools should be allowed to expand further. There are no remaining grammar schools in Wales and only 164 in England. David Cameron has angered many of his backbenchers by refusing to overturn a ban introduced by Labour on new grammar schools. But in a challenge to the leadership, Welsh Tories threw down the gauntlet by proposing plans for children to undergo academic selection at 14 - rather than the old 11 plus - choosing whether to continue with rigorous academic subjects or concentrate on technical or practical courses. Mr Brady, who resigned from the Tory frontbench in 2007 after Mr Cameron said he would not support more Grammar Schools, said his party should do more for parents in England who don’t want to have to pay for selective schools. He told the Mail: ‘I’m delighted to see colleagues in Wales thinking so creatively about ways to improve standards of state education. 'In England Michael Gove has done an enormous amount to increase choice and diversity in state schools. ‘I hope we will also be prepared to look at ways of freeing up schools in areas that don’t currently have grammar schools to introduce academic selection. 'Everybody accepts that selection is necessary at 16 before people go on to sit A-Levels. There’s no reason in principle why selection at 14 shouldn’t be tried. Popular: The proportion of secondary school pupils in grammars is at its highest level since 1978 . ‘In England the government celebrates the success of our existing grammar schools and is happy to allow them to expand or set up annexes in areas which already have grammar schools. 'There is a massive and unfulfilled demand for the rigour of academic selection in other parts of the country where current laws, introduced by Labour, prevent parents having the option of grammar schools in the state sector.’ David Davies, the Tory MP for Monmouth, also voiced support for the plans. He said: ‘Bring back grammar schools! Hope the Tory party in London [is] listening to what we are saying in Wales.’ His colleague Glyn Davies said he ‘loves the UK impact’ of the Welsh announcement. Angela Burns, the Conservative shadow minister for education in Wales, declared: ‘It is time we put the Grammar back into education and Wales has just that perfect opportunity. She said: ‘We could see the benefit of creating two equitable streams of education, one alongside the other, a dualing that begins at 14 - giving children the chance to develop important core subject skills before embarking on their chosen path.’ The law states that no new selective schools can open with state funding. But the existing grammars have been expanding and taking on new pupils. The proportion of secondary school pupils in grammars is at its highest level since 1978 - and almost double the historic low of 1986. Over the past 25 years, their pupil numbers have soared by tens of thousands. There are now more than 161,000 pupils in state-funded selective schools. The next Tory signal on selective education will come when Education Secretary Michael Gove rules this autumn on whether to allow one of two grammar schools in Kent to build a new ‘annexe’ in the Kent town of Sevenoaks, miles from the original schools. A Department for Education spokesman: ‘We have changed the rules so that popular schools, including grammars, can expand in response to parental demand. 'We have received two formal applications from grammar schools in Kent to expand onto the Sevenoaks site. We are currently assessing these applications.’ Under devolution, the Welsh Tories are free to set their own policy independent of Mr Cameron’s party in London. A Conservative Central Office spokesman said: ‘We don’t have an opinion on Welsh education policy because it is a devolved matter.’ | Graham Brady, chairman of the 1992 Committee, called for PM to support selective education at 14 .
There are no remaining grammar schools in Wales and only 164 in England . |
168,477 | 65e6baf2a16e279f93ad14b3c202312b57541f69 | It was revealed that a virus forced Tyson Fury to miss his last three weeks of training, but it was the fans who caught a bad cold on a fog-shrouded Saturday night in London’s Docklands. Fury climbed from his sickbed in time to reduce Dereck Chisora’s face to something out of pulp fiction with his telescopic jab and thereby move into line to challenge dominant world heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko next year. When, and if, that happens it will be a sight worth seeing. So hopefully it will take place before thousands of those watching have left. VIDEO Scroll down for Peter Fury: Tyson have to be at death's door to pull out of a fight . Tyson Fury spars with his trainer Peter Fury in the lead up to his fight with Dereck Chisora . Tyson's uncle Peter (left) revealed that the heavyweight fighter was suffering with a virus up until last week . Tyson Fury dominated Dereck Chisora for 10 rounds before his opponent was pulled out by his corner . Fury lands an uppercut on his way to a decisive victory over Chisora . ExCel sounds like a prescription drug but there was no easy remedy for the public as a rousing evening of boxing in that arena yawned on into the early hours of Sunday. Those without cars faced a choice: make a dash for the last train back to town before the main event even started, or stay in their seats to get their money’s worth before emerging into the dank and the dark to join long queues for infrequent night buses or wander deserted byways hoping to hitch a lift. They could walk for hours to the nearest quarter of the City where taxis might still have been operating. Grim choices for ticket buyers. Especially those in stiletto heels and micro dresses. These over- running shows are becoming as epidemic as flu in winter. Last weekend in Liverpool, Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly lumbered on until after midnight. Fury and Chisora were supposed to be in the ring by 11pm but did not touch gloves until 12.40am. Chisora stumbles forward as he struggled to get any purchase on his punches while Fury throws out his jab . Those in the sell-out crowd of 15,700 who were anxious to catch that last train just about made it by scarpering the moment the judges of the preceding bout awarded their split decision to Billy Joe Saunders over Chris Eubank Jnr. At least they had seen the fight of the night. But no-one is more conscious than promoter Frank Warren that they will think twice about going next time if tarrying until the climax means you cannot get home before dawn. Having lived up to his promise of a good night’s sport, he departed vowing to ‘put a curfew on the finishing time in future’. Some will be saying that those who missed Fury spearing Chisora with his switch-hitting jabs until he resembled a gargoyle were the lucky ones. Peter Fury, the gypsy giant’s trainer and uncle, let us in on the secret of his nephew’s pre-fight ailment, saying: ‘Tyson was weakened but would not pull out.’ From the first bell, Fury was on top with Chisora failing to land a decisive blow over the 10 rounds . That reinforced their decision to minimise risk, especially with a prize as rich as a mandatory position as Klitschko’s challenger at stake. Uncle Peter praised his young nephew for ‘having the maturity to be patient against a man who will always be dangerous if you give him the chance’. Some of those still in attendance grew restless as Fury used his 6ft 9in height to lean back out of Chisora’s range and his long reach to gradually disfigure his opponent’s features. It was not a performance to cause Klitschko any loss of sleep as the rest of us trudged home but it forced the stoppage of a hard man who was in better shape than when he took Fury the distance in their first fight three years ago. With Chisora’s eyes swollen to near-closing point his corner convened a medical consultation at the end of the 10th. Warren instructed them to pull him out. Fury, in a southpaw stance, shows his height and reach advantage which allowed him to dominate all night . Chisora has his eye checked after being forced to take some heavy punishment from Fury's jab . Chisora had not won a round and Warren said: ‘No boxer likes to be retired. Least of all in a fight this important. Dereck was not happy. But by then he had no chance of winning and there was no point him taking further punishment.’ The boos had been growing louder but Peter Fury said: ‘Some people with a lot of booze only want a slug-fest. We are interested in bringing the world heavyweight title back to Britain and Tyson will do that. He has phenomenal talent and until now we’ve only been scratching the surface. He’ll be ready for Klitschko next year.’ Warren said: ‘That will be a huge stadium fight and we’ll do all we can to get it over here.’ That will have to wait until Klitschko is given his chance to add the only world title missing from his collection, the WBC belt soon to be contested by Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne. The fight is waved off after Chisora's trainer Don Charles told his man that he wanted him to go out on his feet . Fury is congratulated by his wife Paris after conserving his unbeaten record with victory over Chisora . Fury locks lips with Paris and has barely a scratch on his face after the one-sided showing in London . Klitschko is expected to meet the winner in the spring, while Fury will keep busy against a top-15 opponent on Warren’s February 28 promotion at London’s O2 Arena. Assuming there are no nasty surprises, the Ukrainian and the Mancunian should meet next August or September. Saunders opened the door to his own world middleweight title shot by surviving a gladiator comeback by the powerful son of a fabled father. Chris Eubank Snr stood erect and absorbed while Junior failed to win any of the first six rounds as the experience and technical skills of Saunders taught him a lesson. But the lad is a quick learner. He turned it into a rough-house in the second half of the fight, clawed back some of the deficit and forced Saunders to dig deep to survive a storming finish. Fury claimed the European and vacant British belt to set up a challenge against Wladimir Klitschko (above) It ended with Eubank still 117-112 behind on my card but the judges called a close split decision. This came a fight or two too early for Eubank but stars can be born in thrilling defeats and by the time this rivalry blossoms into a rematch, the outcome could be different. But that is on hold while Saunders chases his dream. Fury has long hoped to become the first member of the travelling community to win a world title but Saunders may beat him to it. Billy Joe is now the mandatory challenger for the winner of next month’s fight for the WBO middleweight belt between Matt Korobov and Ireland’s Andy Lee. Saunders should get his shot in March or April and again Warren will strive to bring his man home advantage — but before the witching hour, if you please. By the time I had finished working and negotiated a plague of roadworks, I was opening my front door in London at a quarter-to-four in the morning. But then I am paid to do this, not forking out hard-earned cash for the very dubious privilege of being stranded in the dead of night. | Tyson Fury coasted to a 10th-round stoppage win over Dereck Chisora .
Fury dominated the encounter from start to finish .
Peter Fury reveals that Tyson was struggling with a chest infection up until last week and was close to withdrawing .
Fight overshadowed by late start forcing fans to dash to last trains .
Travel chaos forced thousands of fans to miss Fury's 1am victory . |
67,331 | bf0b5c832f6ba61c873e793327004b07408ba373 | Sheffield United midfielder Jose Baxter believes life in the Barclays Premier is too nice. Baxter and his team-mates will face Tottenham in a Capital One Cup quarter-final first leg at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, ready to add another Premier League team to a growing list of scalps for Nigel Clough's League One team. And the former Everton youngster hopes to remind Spurs that not every footballer in the country is out to make friends. Baxter said: 'You look at the Premier League and it's all nice football. Jose Baxter celebrates scoring for Sheffield United in last year's FA Cup semi-final against Hull at Wembley . 'They don't really touch each other and it's not like that in our league. 'The Premier League is an unbelievable league, probably the best in the world but then teams aren't used to getting barged about, people in the faces, kicking them and not helping them up when they get kicked. It works for us. 'There's a lot of matey matey stuff in the Premier League. 'I've got a couple of mates in football but I don't like it at all - hugging and kissing each other before games and all that. 'My best mate, James Wallace, is in the same team as me now but if I was playing against him, I wouldn't speak to him until the game's finished. 'It's all gone a bit crazy in the Premier League but that's probably why they are where they are. United players celebrate dumping Premier League high-flyers Southampton out of the Capital One Cup . The 22-year-old, pictured during an interview with Sportsmail last month, is a former Everton youth product . 'They're nice, they don't want to get kicked and they're all great, technical players. 'It's just when they come to play us and we give them a few kicks, they don't like it.' Clough has already guided Sheffield United past Southampton in the Capital One Cup and QPR in the FA Cup. Last season they beat Aston Villa and Fulham in the FA Cup before losing 5-3 to Hull at Wembley in the last four. Baxter added: 'Once you beat the big teams your confidence grows. 'The more big teams that come to Bramall Lane or we go to them, they will be wary because we have knocked a few big teams out. The 22-year-old pictured in action during the League One side's Capital One Cup quarter final . Baxter vies for the ball during a Europa League match for Everton in December 2009 . 'We have stated it a little bit that we are a good cup team. We just need to put it right in the league. 'If you think you just have to turn up to beat a League One team, then you've got another thing coming. 'We've obviously got respect for them, but we'll go out there to boss them about and to things to them that Premier League teams don't do and it's worked. 'Our run increases our belief that we can beat anyone in the cups and we showed that last season too. 'Look at Southampton, they've beaten everyone in the league and are high-flying in the Premier League, so for them to come here and for us to beat them, shows we can really beat anyone.' | Sheffield United face Tottenham in the Capital One Cup quarter final first leg on Wednesday night .
Midfielder Jose Baxter says England's top flight is 'too nice' and there is too much 'matey matey' stuff going on .
The 22-year-old former Everton youth product says the League One side are more than capable of another cup scalp .
The Blades have knocked out high-flying Southampton in the last round of the competition, as well as QPR in the FA Cup third round . |
247,712 | cc888207b3208b86c6dd58940035895d5bf4908e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:50 EST, 31 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:57 EST, 31 August 2012 . A man is in critical condition after stealing an LAPD police cruiser and racing it at high speeds before crashing outside of a Starbuck’s coffee shop. The man, whose identity has not been released, stole the vehicle early Thursday morning and races along South La Brea Avenue before crashing it into a pole outside of the coffee shop. He was thrown from the vehicle after it crashed, and his leg was severed, authorities said. Scroll down for videos . Joyride gone wrong: A man who stole a police car is in critical condition after he crashed into a pole in front of Starbucks early Thursday morning . Wreckage: Authorities said the man was ejected through the windscreen and his leg was severed . LAPD Sgt. Rudy Lopez told KTLA that officers were on the scene of an unrelated crime, and one officer left his unlocked with the keys in the ignition. A witness called minutes later to report the stolen squad car careering down La Brea and San Vicente, and watched in horror as the car slammed into the pole at speeds of up to 80mph. The suspect was then thrown out of the vehicle, which then rolled over several times. Witness Scott Pare told KABC that the sight was something out of Hollywood. ‘I’ve never seen a police car that mangled in my whole life, even on TV.’ He added: ‘I heard a crash, bang, boom…unbelievable.’ Chaotic: Witnesses said the crash seemed unreal, and the car flipped over several times before coming to rest . Early morning: The crash at 1298 S. La Brea Avenue, near San Vicente Boulevard, happened at 3:56 a.m. Scene: Fire crews were quick to respond to the accident; no one else was hurt in the crash . Officer Tenesha Dobine says the car was stolen shortly before 4 a.m. as police were investigating a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and robbery in the southwest area of town. She says a supervisor left the keys in the car and a man jumped in and took off on a joyride. He sped north on La Brea Avenue for several minutes before crashing into the pole and building.The patrol car was totalled. Nobody else was hurt. | Unnamed suspect stole cop car around 4am Thursday .
Took it on joyride before he crashed into pole outside of Starbucks .
Remains in critical condition and lost a leg in the accident . |
135,652 | 3b8272cf6860c49609640460c5543e7100353e3d | (CNN) -- As we mark the 25th observance of World AIDS Day on December 1, we have a golden opportunity to begin to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. To start with, this has been an extraordinary year for HIV/AIDS research, with headline-grabbing breakthroughs that stand as undeniable evidence of progress toward a cure. The first documented case of a child cured of HIV, reported in March, was followed in July by a report of two adult HIV patients no longer showing any signs of virus after undergoing stem-cell transplants and stopping antiretroviral treatment. Much work lies ahead before these and other scientific advances can be parlayed into a broadly applicable cure that can be made available to the 35 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. But it is an irony bordering on tragedy that just as a cure for HIV/AIDS is beginning to seem like a realistic proposition, the belt-tightening measures of the age of austerity could halt our momentum, cripple our progress and dash our hopes for ending AIDS in our lifetime. As a result of U.S. budget sequestration, the National Institutes of Health -- the engine of progress on AIDS research for 30 years -- will lose $229 million in AIDS research funding in the coming year. This caps a dismal decade for AIDS and other biomedical research support: From 2003 to 2012, the NIH lost 22 of its purchasing power as a result of stagnant levels of funding. This hammer blow to AIDS research funding will be accompanied by cuts to a range of other HIV/AIDS programs -- cuts that will have negligible effect on the federal deficit but will have real consequences for people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and around the world. Alicia Keys: Get loud about fighting HIV . Based on the latest available data, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, has estimated that reduced funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) alone could result in 228,000 fewer people receiving treatment for HIV. This could lead to as many as 52,000 AIDS-related deaths and could leave more than 100,000 children orphaned. The Institute of Medicine has said that PEPFAR has been "globally transformative" and has "had major positive effects on the health and well-being of individual beneficiaries, on institutions and systems in partner countries, and the overall global response to AIDS." Interactive: World AIDS Day and what it means . Why, then, are we shortchanging a program that enjoys broad bipartisan and popular support, has done more than any other foreign policy initiative in recent years to burnish America's image abroad, and has already altered -- though not irreversibly -- the trajectory of the HIV/AIDS pandemic? Nor will people living with HIV here in the United States be spared. amfAR also estimates that the sequester could cause about 15,000 Americans who need help paying for their medications to lose support from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. And more than 4,000 households could lose housing assistance as a result of cuts in the federally funded Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program. All of these cuts will fall disproportionately on people of color. Just a few years ago, the notion of a cure for HIV was considered by many to be heretical. It was creating false hope. It wasn't technically feasible. It couldn't be done. That all changed with the first reports, in 2008, of Timothy Brown, the "Berlin patient." While on treatment for HIV, Brown was diagnosed with leukemia. To treat the leukemia, he received a stem-cell transplant -- with a twist. His savvy German doctor deliberately sought, and found, a stem-cell donor from among a very small group of people born with a genetic mutation that renders them highly resistant to HIV infection. After the transplant, Brown was able to stop HIV treatment without experiencing a return of the disease. Zero new HIV infections among children can be a reality . Similarly, the idea of an "AIDS-free generation" today is tossed around with abandon. It wasn't always thus. But over 30 years, we have developed a raft of tools that enable us to effectively prevent and treat HIV infection. What's more, research has shown us conclusively that treatment is prevention. Putting people on antiretroviral drugs makes them less infectious and less likely to transmit the virus to others. Combine a broader deployment of these tools with an expansion of programs such as PEPFAR and a sustained investment in research, and you have a trifecta: a winning combination that could achieve the conquest of the AIDS pandemic in the foreseeable future. Backpedal on AIDS, and you'll pretty much guarantee that we'll be dealing with it for generations to come. Bill Gates: Where to put the smart money to end AIDS . The opinions expressed are solely those of Kevin Robert Frost and Sharon Stone. | It's been a year of breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS research .
But sequestration and cutbacks will affect those living with the disease .
Backpedaling on AIDS may mean we continue grappling with it for generations . |
213,840 | a0f50db4181037e404447b8eb24bf08b60cac111 | By . Craig Mackenzie . PUBLISHED: . 07:39 EST, 1 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 1 September 2013 . Controversy: Tamera Foster tweeted about smoking marijuana and has now been spoken to by X Factor bosses . Teenage X Factor singer Tamera Foster has been carpeted by TV bosses after boasting online about smoking marijuana, it emerged today. The 16-year-old posted pictures of what appeared to be an unlit cannabis joint and tweeted about the effect of smoking 'Zoom' - marijuana coated in the class-A drug PCP. In one tweet she wrote: 'Woiiii I just woke up :O that zoom last night put me to sleeeeeep garddd.' In another she wrote: 'Time to fly high with my sis @LivvsParkerx'. Under the picture on her Twitter account she made several references to 'Mary Jane' - slang for cannabis. X Factor chiefs have spoken to her and she is understood to be 'mortified'. Her account has now been suspended. Tamera, from Gravesend, Kent, has been tipped to be a major star with judge Gary Barlow telling her on tonight's second show: 'You have potential beyond belief'. A programme spokesman told the Sunday Mirror: 'The X Factor does not condone the use of drugs in any way and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found to be taking drugs while under our care.' Boasting: Tweet from Tamera Foster on her Twitter account which has been suspended following the controversy over her bragging about drugs . Tweet from X Factor singer Tamera Foster which showed what appeared to be an unlit joint . On January 13, Tamera reposted the picture of the 'joint' on her Twitter account - @DiorTee - with the words: 'This would please me right now.' Tipped for stardom: Tamera Foster has been given a talking to by show bosses for bragging about smoking marijuana . The paper reported she posted another picture of herself with a friend pointing out the effects marijuana can have, writing: 'Flying high with my homie Presh. Just look at my eyes mate.' In another tweet, she wrote: 'Riding that morning wave with @LivvsParker x & The Sweet Mary Jane. Previously she had written: 'Inhale that good s*** exhale the bulls*** . An X Factor source told the Sunday Mirror that Tamera had been 'spoken to' but because she was young that did not want to be too hard on her and 'ruin' her chances. A show insider told MailOnline: 'She was 15 when she posted those comments. She was very young and naive. She just mad a big mistake and now wants to move on.' Twitter followers have claimed the account isn't Tamera's but although she stopped using it months ago, it was still 'live'. She had originally auditioned in Cardiff with 22-year-old Jerrie Diller as part of a duo Silver Rock. But the judges though they lacked chemistry and asked them to sing separately. Tamera gor through easily and tonight will sing Whitney Houston's I have Nothing. Drug scandals have twice rocked X Factor in the past with Frankie Cocozza being kicked off the show in 2011 for using cocaine, while Wagner faced the axe in 2010 for buying cannabis inside the TV studios. Judge: Gary Barlow was wowed by Tamera's performance on X Factor and said she had 'potential beyond belief' | 16--year-old Tamera Foster tweeted about smoking 'zoom' - marijuana coated with the class-A drug PCP - and posted pictures of a 'joint'
Teenager's Twitter account is suspended as new scandal hits show .
X Factor bosses vow to take action against anyone found taking drugs .
Show 'does not condone the use of drugs in any way' says spokesman . |
132,607 | 377dbad888c157ae901a7b003bb8c8407453227a | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 08:00 EST, 17 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:14 EST, 17 December 2013 . A Brooklyn thug hired two mixed martial arts fighters to help him collect a debt from a poker player for a $100million gambling racket linked to Russian mobsters. Federal prosecutors say Kiril Rapoport, 41, used threats of violence to force losers to pay up. He has pleaded guilty to running poker games in Manhattan after being one of more than 30 people charged in April over the illegal gambling operation. He is expected to face at least six months behind bars. A debt collector used two mix martial arts fighters to help him scare losers in an illegal poker racket into paying up, prosecutors have said (file picture of fighters not connected with the case) When he was arrested, he was found with brass knuckles in his chest of drawers and an inoperable gun in his apartment. 'These weapons are the tools of the trade for an "enforcer" who threatens the use of force to collect debts,' prosecutors said in the presenting letter for his sentencing on Thursday, according to the New York Daily News. They say Rapoport worked with Arthur Azen, 44, from Staten Island, who admitted money laundering, conspiracy and extortionate credit collection last month. 'He (Rapoport) was not a dealer or a bartender. His job was to make sure that bettors at Azen's illegal poker games and bettors of Azen's sports book paid their debts,' the letter adds. Kiril Rapoport was one of more than 30 people charged in April over the $100million gambling operation in Manhattan (file picture) Prosecutors say Rapoport and Azen were accompanied by two MMA fighters when they were spotted by FBI agents in October last year meeting a poker player 'who appeared to be delinquent in paying his debts'. Concerned they may harm the player, but not wishing to blow their cover, the agents asked the New York City Police Department to intervene on the pretense they had reports of someone smoking marijuana in the area, the letter said. The player later admitted he owed $35,000 to $40,000. Rapoport's lawyer Jay Schwitzman claimed in August that his client had been targeted by the feds because of his Russian background. The FBI and Schwitzman declined to comment yesterday. | Kirill Rapoport used threats of violence to scare losers, say prosecutors .
Faces jail after pleading guilty to running illegal poker games in New York .
Found with brass knuckles and an inoperable gun in his apartment .
One of more than 30 people arrested in April over $100m gambling racket . |
82,487 | e9e03f1b47b424ff1b560c1cf527c8540db4965c | Shedding excess pounds is not only good for your health, but losing weight can help people get a better night's sleep and feel more alert, new research has found. Obese adults who lose at least 5 per cent of their body weight slept better and longer after six months of weight loss, the study revealed. The findings, published at a joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago, found weight loss improved sleep quality and mood regardless of how those taking part lost the weight. A new study carried out by experts in the U.S. has found that people who lose five per cent of their body weight enjoy a better night's sleep and are more likely to be in a good mood . Lead researcher Nasreen Alfaris from the University of Pennsylvannia in Philidelphia said: 'This study confirms several studies reporting that weight loss is associated with increased sleep duration.' The study examined 390 obese men and women over the course of two years. Those taking part were randomly assigned to one of three weight loss programmes. One group received printed educational material during visits four times a year, another group were given brief lifestyle counseling while the final group were given the counseling in addition to meal replacements or weight loss medication. Researchers then looked at the changes in weight, sleep duration and quality, and a participant's mood after six and 24 months of treatment. They compared those who lost 5 per cent more of their original body weight with those who lost less than 5 per cent, taking into account age and sex. At six months those people in both . groups receiving lifestyle counseling lost more weight on average than . those who were just given the relevant information. Across . all three groups, those participants who lost at least 5 per cent of . their body weight at the six-month mark reported they gained an average . of 21.6 minutes of sleep a night, compared with 1.2 minutes for those . who lost less than 5 per cent body weight. Those who lost more weight also reported better sleep quality and mood. Dr . Alfaris added: 'Further studies are needed to examine the potential . effects of weight regain in diminishing the short-term improvements of . weight loss on sleep duration and sleep quality.' Researchers examined 390 obese men and women over a two-year period, assigning them on to one of three weight loss programmes . | Scientists in the U.S. found weight loss results in better quality sleep .
390 obese women and men took part in the study over a two-year period .
Findings show after shedding pounds for six months sleep is improved .
Participants were placed on one of three different weight loss programmes . |
118,253 | 24ae5662dc5445a76c04e17e6e1ad7ff554b0236 | When Suzanne Shaw married Peter Cook on the back of his tumultuous divorce with supermodel Christie Brinkley, she chose to ignore the warnings. But in a complete reversal, Shaw has now written to Brinkley to personally apologize for not heeding her cautions about Cook's philandering. Cook's marriage to Brinkley collapsed in a very bitter and public divorce trial in 2008 following revelations he had an affair with his 18-year-old assistant Diana Bianchi. While Bianchi, now 29, has since gone on to marry a New York writer, Shaw has divorced from Cook and written a letter to Brinkley to try and mend their rift. Scroll down for video . Christie Brinkley, 60, ended her ten-year marriage to architect Peter Cook when she found out about his year-long affair with the then 18-year-old Bianchi . Peter Cook and Suzanne Shaw pictured together at the annual Hampton Classic Horse Show last year . Fight in court: Christie Brinkley is escorted by court officers as she arrives at New York State Supreme Court for the beginning of her divorce trial against Peter Cook in 2008 . According to the New York Post, the letter stated: 'Christie and I have talked recently and I have privately apologized to her, but, given the public nature of their divorce and custody battle, I feel a public apology is also appropriate and deserved. She added: 'Christie was wrongly vilified as being an embittered ex-wife. 'I’m deeply sorry for my part in causing Christie any unnecessary pain.' Meanwhile, the woman at the centre of the split between Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook six years ago has married. Diana Bianchi, 29, was just 18 when architect Cook hired her as an assistant before seducing her in 2005. The exposure of the affair between Cook and Bianchi ended his ten year marriage to supermodel Brinkley in very public divorce proceedings in 2008. Happy: Diana Bianchi, 29, who was at the centre of the Brinkley-Cook divorce, has married Aaron Arizpe . Bianchi has now married food writer Aaron Arizpe from New York, and changed her last name. 'She was just a kid when [her affair with Cook] happened,' a family friend told the New York Post. 'She was a teenager. But things change, people change, they mature. She couldn't be happier now, and we're really happy for her.' Bianchi, who was the daughter of the Brinkley-Cooks' neighbour, had a year-long affair with Cook which started in 2005 when Bianchi was 18 years old and working as his assistant. Brinkley was told of the affair in 2007 and ended their ten-year marriage which saw her and Cook embark on a very public court battle. The other woman: Diana Bianchi, pictured at the Brinkley-Cook divorce trial in 2008 . During the 2008 divorce, the court was told that Cook had paid Bianchi $300,000 in the hope she would keep the liaison quiet. The 60-year-old supermodel gained sole custody of their daughter Sailor, now 16, and 19-year-old Jack, the son of her ex Richard Taubman but later adopted by Peter Cook. | Peter Cook's second wife apologizes to his 'wrongly vilified' first wife .
Suzanne Shaw wrote apology to publicly mend rift with Christie Brinkley .
Supermodel Brinkley and Cook went through a bitter divorce battle in 2008 .
But Shaw ignored Brinkley's warnings following the divorce proceedings . |
220,993 | aa14bb7b9b3733e55ae0796b62961cdcc6687744 | By . Mark Prigg . It has been dubbed 'Tinder for bars'. Mingleton, a new iPhone dating app, allows you to find approach people in the same bar or at the same party. Once users have signed up and created a profile, they can see everyone near them who also has a profile. Scroll down for video . The app shows profiles of everyone in the same room or bar. Users can then ask to 'mingle' with another person, and the pair can see more information about each other if they accept. Mingleton uses a feature called iBeacon found in apple's latest iPhone software. This uses low energy Bluetooth to send messages over short distances, and is usually found in shops or sports stadiums, where it is increasingly being used to send messages and communicate with customers. For instance, in Apple Stores, customers can be automatically told when their Genius Bar appointment is ready to start, or be shown special offers or in which part of the store a particular product is in. The firm's two founders, said the app actually started out as a side project created by the 24-year old Harvard grads, Obi Ekekezie and Joel Ayala. 'It’s an easy, low-key way to break the ice with the people literally around you and find out who wants to meet you,' the pair explain on their web site. 'When we set out to design and create Mingleton in November of 2013, we wanted to create an app that enhanced rather than replaced the way in which we meet new people. 'Though there are a number of social location-based apps and even more online dating sites, we felt there was still significant room for improvement.' The app is designed to let people in the same bar introduces themselves to others virtually to see if they are interested, and has been dubbed 'Tinder for bars' The pair say one key problem was people lying online about their appearance. 'It’s a lot easier to misrepresent your physical appearance online than in person. 'This is why we aimed to design the app in a way that encourages users to first see someone they find interesting in real life and then use the app to find out if that person is also interested in them.' The app allows allows people to meet quickly. 'Having tried our hand at online dating, we definitely understand how disappointing it can be to spend all that time sending messages back and forth only to meet in person and recognize the two of you don’t have chemistry.' | iPhone app uses low energy Bluetooth system .
Can show nearby user's profiles - and can tell users of they have both selected each other .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from . |
20,830 | 3b1b10e634f9f68d1094c33b874d6c75043ec343 | By . Jenny Hope . An NHS hospital paid £1,800 for an agency nurse to work a single shift at its accident and emergency unit. The huge amount was for 11 hours work – equivalent to a payment of just over £163 an hour. The £1,800 total is thought to be the highest figure ever paid for a nursing shift in the NHS, although the gap between rates for NHS staffers and agency locums at every level has been widening in recent years. An unidentified nurse was paid £1,800 for one shift at the Maidstone Hospital in Kent . The extraordinary shift payment was made for a nurse covering the bank holiday on August 26 last year at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in Kent. One staff nurse at Maidstone Hospital, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Most of the nurses here struggle by on £25,000 a year or so. ‘That works out at about £90-£100 a day, so when you see someone coming in and doing the same job as you and getting paid what you take home in a month in just one day it makes you sick to the stomach.’ A Freedom of Information request found the Maidstone Trust paid out £4.7million to plug staff shortages between January and November last year, including £2.8million on agency nurses. Other data suggests the total NHS bill for temporary nurses is set to reach £450million at the end of this financial year – a 21 per cent rise on 2011/12. At least one other trust, the Mid Staffordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust, paid almost £1,800 for a specialist nurse to work 13.5 hours in accident & emergency in December 2011. The Mid Staffordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust paid almost £1,800 for a specialist nurse to work 13.5 hours in accident & emergency in December 2011 . NHS rates for staff filling a similar permanent post in A&E range between £25,528 and £34,189 a year. In most cases nurses are provided by private agencies, which normally take commission of at least 20 per cent. David Prior, the chair of the Care Quality Commission, admitted that there are some hospitals in England where you would not want to go as a patient . Such agencies usually pay hourly rates of between £25 and £40 to nursing staff, but have to find more to fill empty positions on bank holidays and meet unexpected surges in demand. Agencies advertise their willingness to pay at least twice as much as full-timers receive for nurses doing shifts at short notice, and specialist skills attract higher rates. Although Maidstone Hospital may have . paid £1,800 to get the bank holiday shift covered, it does not mean that . 80 per cent of the money automatically went to the nurse. The Royal College of Nursing said it . is up to an agency to decide how much it agrees to pay an individual for . working a shift and this may vary according to demand from its . customers.There are now more than 60 . private firms providing nursing and medical staff to the NHS. Doctors . can earn vast sums for shifts, with one agency doctor at Mid Staffs . getting £5,700 for a day’s work in 2010 and many consultants raking in . around £3,200 for a single shift. Bosses at the Maidstone and . Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said the amounts being paid were too high, . but reflected the rate it had to pay to get workers to come in on public . holidays. Other costs at the trust include 21 agency doctors paid in . excess of £1,000 per shift during 2013. A spokesman for the Maidstone Trust said agency workers were drafted in at critical times, such as peaks in A&E use over bank holidays and staff sickness. A recent report by the Care Quality Commission found that the trust had high use of temporary staff in the past, but that it was improving. The Trust spokesman said: ‘We thoroughly agree that agency charges are too high and that is why we are proactively addressing this issue and have been totally transparent with the Care Quality Commission. ‘Reducing agency use will involve international recruitment, and we need an adult debate about this while the training of more doctors and nurses nationally takes effect.’ There are some hospitals in England where you would not want to go as a patient, the head of the organisation which inspects them said yesterday. Care Quality Commission chairman David Prior said there was a postcode lottery in standards of care, adding: ‘The quality of care in one hospital can be very different from the quality of care in another.’ He said England probably had some of the best-led and best-run hospitals in the world, but added: ‘In those hospitals where you would not wish to go, you have a very poor damaged culture where employees feel they can’t raise concerns, where patients are not listened to.’ He said a number of hospital trusts had been identified as inadequate. ‘Barking, Havering and Redbridge is a good example,’ he told the BBC. ‘Heatherwood and Wexham Park would be another one.’ Mr Prior said many such hospitals were good in parts and added: ‘The critical thing that determines whether a hospital is good, bad or indifferent is the quality of leadership.’ | Sum was paid to nurse for 11 hour shift at Maidstone Hospital, Kent .
Believed to be highest figure ever paid for a nursing shift in the NHS .
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust spent £2.8m on agency nurses in 2013 . |
269,067 | e88ed8fbb0c69308365ba2571ce562208e6f63f9 | Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud could be disciplined by the Football Association after headbutting Queen Park Rangers' Nedum Onuoha during the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. Giroud was shown a red card by Martin Atkinson after he appeared to move his head in the direction of his opponent during the 53rd minute. Straight dismissals in the Premier League usually carry an automatic three-match ban, however the incident could be investigated further by the FA. Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was sent off after clashing with QPR's Nedum Onuoha . The Frenchman makes his way off the pitch after being shown a red card by Martin Atkinson . Premier League official Atkinson shows Giroud a red card, while Mathieu Flamini reacts to the dismissal . Giroud will definitely miss his side's next three games against West Ham, Southampton and Hull. He has already missed a large chunk of the season due to an injury he picked up against Everton on August 23. The Arsenal striker's dismissal did not prove to be costly as the home side went on to win 2-1. Arsene Wenger said after the match that his fellow countryman's red card was 'deserved'. He said: ‘It was deserved. He did not control himself. It changed the dynamic of the game, we were in complete control up until that point. ‘I will be having a word with him. Olivier is a guy who stands up and takes responsibility when he has done wrong.’ Giroud moves his head in the direction of Onuoha which leads to his sending off . Tomas Rosicky, who made his first Premier League appearance since October 25, said: 'I think he knows what he has done. When I was substituted I went to the dressing room for a while and he knows he made a big mistake. He has to learn from it.' Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, speaking on BT Sport, added: ‘I think Giroud will be very, very relieved. I don’t think QPR did enough until the end of the game to get a result. ‘I have looked at it from every angle and I cannot understand why Giroud was so angry to hit out like that. ‘Arsene knows it has come at a time when Arsenal were quite comfortable and on top. So it was crucial for them to get a second goal.’ The Arsenal striker confronts Onuoha before deciding to headbutt the QPR defender . Onuoha lays on the ground after Giroud's headbutt, while Atkinson blows his whistle after seeing the incident . Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger looks on as Giroud makes his way off the pitch . | Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was sent off in the 53rd minute .
The Frenchman moved his head in the direction of Nedum Onuoha .
Incident likely to be investigated by the Football Association .
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said Giroud's sending off was 'deserved'
Tomas Rosicky added: 'Giroud knows he made a big mistake' |
157,278 | 57591f351dfda630ee85b54f141119e4cf7af607 | By . Stuart Woledge . PUBLISHED: . 07:16 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 8 August 2013 . If you have ever bumped your head on a low beam or door frame, you will know it's not much fun. So spare a thought for poor old fisherman, 6ft 3ins Robert Jones, for whom - as the last occupant Britain's Smallest House - it must have been an almost daily occurrence. The big man in the tiny house had just two cramped rooms in which he could stretch out his weary limbs after returning home from sea. But now thousands of tourists from all . around the world cram inside the pretty 122-inch tall building (10ft) every year to catch a glimpse of the 16th century treasure. Squash: Britain's smallest house has proved to be a big hit with tourists, according to tour guide Anne Fletcher . Located on the west coast of Wales in the sleepy fishing village of Conwg, it can only fit four people at a time and is just 6ft wide. According to the five members of staff who now offer tours, during peak season dozens of excited visitors from as far afield as America, Japan and Australia line up to get a glimpse of this quirky dwelling. Local tour guide Anne Fletcher, 58, . dons traditional Welsh dress to give visitors an authentic experience, . and explained why the pint-sized home is a mecca for mini-home spotters . the world over. She said: 'Thousands of people come to the Smallest House in Great Britain each year. That means we get hundreds of people every week during the height of summer. Move over: With only two rooms, there was not much space for a strapping fisherman Robert Jones . Fisherman: Robert Jones spent his days at sea and his nights in this home which now attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe . 'I think people are attracted to the novelty of being in such a small space in the knowledge that at one time this was someone’s entire home. 'Tall people in particular can relate to the last occupant, fisherman Robert Jones. 'He was 6ft 3ins tall so would have had an interesting time trying to perform everyday chores.' The Smallest House in Great Britain is so small it has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the UK’s tiniest house. It was occupied for more than 200-years until Jones finally moved out in 1900. According to Ms Fletcher, neighbouring houses, which were also tiny, were destroyed by the authorities and there were attempts in the past to demolish the building. However, local people stood up against town planners and eventually raised enough money to turn Jones's house into the much-loved tourist attraction it is today. 'This house is a great way to show present-day people how we once lived,' added Ms Fletcher. 'There is a little living room with historical pictures and items. And stairs lead up to the six-foot by eight-foot bedroom. 'All the cooking, washing and toilet activities would have been performed outside. For many people this house is a total eye-opener.' Tourist attraction: Locals saved the house, which used to be one of several, and it is now a popular destination for people from all over the world . | The tiny home in Wales was once home to a 6ft 3ins tall fisherman .
With just two rooms, it only can only fit four curious tourists at a time . |
132,460 | 374b0abf93a26615d38d543b37693cc24cecc3ce | (CNN) -- I was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. This was shocking news. Sitting across from a doctor holding a clinical folder with your name on it, and hearing him say the words "low-grade glioma," "language and comprehension areas of your brain," "surgery" and "chemotherapy" is a very weird experience. My first idea was to seek other opinions. Maybe this hospital is wrong. Maybe there are other places that wouldn't need to do surgery. Maybe there is a laser, a chemical, an ancient tradition, a shaman, a scientist, a nanorobot. I felt incomplete about the way that the medical system was handling my situation. Being "diseased" is like a state of suspended life. Can I work? Have fun? Be creative? Not really. When you are declared "diseased," you become a set of medical records, therapy, dosages, exam dates. It's as if you disappear, replaced by your disease. I immediately asked for my clinical records in digital format, and left the hospital. TED.com: A new understanding of cancer . My main objective -- the best thing I felt that I could do -- was to make my digital information available on the Internet, in formats that would allow people of multiple cultures, skills, professions and inclinations to access, use, recombine and redistribute it. Why would I want them to access this information? To help me find the best cure for myself, and in the process to produce substantial social change by redefining the word "cure." But when I went home to publish my medical records, all I could do was send them to specialized professionals, either by duplicating the CDs and mailing them or by copying their closed format and uploading them somewhere. I had no direct access to my own information, since I use Linux and OSX rather than the files' Windows-based viewer. As a software engineer, I found software and programming tools to hack the files and make them open -- but a nontechnical person would have difficulty making use of their own medical data. I needed, first of all, something which I could easily share, maybe allowing people to open it from their browsers, or even from their smartphones. TED.com: New strategy in war on cancer . So I opened up my medical records and converted the data into multiple formats: spreadsheets, databases, metadata files in XML and video, image and sound files. And I published them on The Cure. The responses have been incredible. More than 200,000 people have visited the site and many have provided videos, poems, medical opinions, suggestions of alternative cures or lifestyles, personal stories of success or, sadly, failures -- and simply the statement, "I am here." Among them were more than 90 doctors and researchers who offered information and support. The geneticist and TED fellow Jimmy Lin has offered to sequence the genome of my tumor after surgery -- in an open-source platform, of course. And the Italian parliament has been debating a motion to make all patients' medical records more open and accessible, which would be amazing progress in my country. Within one day I also heard from two different doctors, who recommended similar kinds of surgery. The first version is "awake surgery," which monitors the brain in real time as different parts are touched. The second is a variation in which electrodes are placed on the brain during surgery, and then a brain map is produced (with the patient awake) and used during a second surgery (with the patient fully unconscious). TED.com: Your genes are not your fate . Existing portals and websites that allow patients and ex-patients to exchange stories and opinions already exist. But we're talking about something different. I see a cure as a dynamic process, in which multiple doctors, professionals, artists, scientists and others join as a society -- to converse, support each other, be open to various contributions and shape solutions that merge humanity, technology, technique, philosophy and art. Creativity and "normal life" become part of the process and bring "diseased" people back to life. To me, a true cure is complete, is human, and has dignity. And it never ends. Such a cure is a dialogue in which "experts" maintain their status -- and in fact, an enormous thank you goes out to all the extremely qualified professionals who are constantly responding to my calls -- but the whole process opens up to possibility. TED.com: The potential of regenerative medicine . And this is exactly what is happening: We are creating a cure by uniting the contributions of surgeons, homeopaths, oncologists, Chinese doctors, nutritionists and spiritual healers. The active participation of everyone involved -- both experts and ex-patients -- is naturally filtering out any damaging suggestion which might be proposed. To achieve this kind of cure, we must be open to strategies from different cultures and philosophical orientations. And we must embrace a wider, more profound discourse about the ways in which information circulates digitally. For now, I'm following a complex strategy developed with the help of a series of doctors and experts who responded to my open-source cure site and have suggested a variety of therapies to deal with the disease. As of now, my cancer growth has stopped. We are waiting for the next test results to decide when and if to proceed to surgery. How can you be involved? Tell us about excellent techniques and technologies from around the world that can effectively confront low-grade glioma. We have explored many opinions in Italy and Europe, but fewer outside. Share your stories and experiences, the solutions you have found, the fraud you have encountered. Send us videos, poems, images, audio or text that you see as relevant to a scenario in which art and creativity can help form a complete and ongoing cure. Or tell us, "I am here!" -- alive and connected, ready to support a fellow human being. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Salvatore Iaconesi. | Salvatore Iaconesi: I was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 39 .
He says he decided to put his medical records online, invite world to help find a cure .
More than 200,000 people have visited site; many have provided valuable information, support .
Iaconesi: I'm following a complex set of therapies before deciding on surgery . |
255,256 | d6685e812ed8778386794a5894eefaf11b74ff86 | (CNN) -- For most of my life, I've had a relationship with Iran, mostly good, but which included a long period in which Iran hurt me and other foreign service officers greatly. I was the press attaché at the United States Embassy in Teheran in 1979, and one of 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days during the Iranian Revolution. I cannot forgive the youthful Iranians who imprisoned us and the regime that legitimized their cruelty, but I try to be as objective as possible as an observer of Iran's situation today. Let's be frank. Iran's intransigence with its nuclear intentions and the West's efforts, led by the United States, to undermine Iran's economy and, perhaps, its legitimacy, are moving both sides further from a war of words and closer to a hot war. This war would easily draw in Israel, and perhaps even some of the Arab nations that are showing their Islamist side since the "Arab Spring." It could well close the Strait of Hormuz and the drive the price of oil to impossible highs, prolonging a worldwide economic funk. And it would once again put the United States front and center in a third protracted war since 2001. But, let's not jump to conclusions that war is inevitable or react reflexively to Iran's saber-rattling, the way some of the Republican presidential candidates have been doing to score points on the campaign trail. They seem to think that this war would be surgical and quick. That's the same bad thinking that got us into Iraq. I'd rather step back a moment and focus on Iran's strained domestic political situation as the real reason for its confrontation with the U.S. and the West. While I don't want to sound like an apologist for the authoritarian Islamic Republic, I also don't want us to be naïve about what's driving Iranian intentions. First, Iran's "civilian" nuclear program reaches back to the pre-revolutionary days of the Shah of Iran, and there is no proof, whether from the International Atomic Energy Agency or the U.S., that Iran is actually building a bomb. Second, it's widely reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are in open conflict today, not only politically but also theologically. While this rift is esoteric to Westerners, Tehran takes it very seriously. It comes down to Ahmadinejad trying to change the entire foundation of Iran's theological-political infrastructure by asserting that he, not Khamenei, has a direct relationship with the Shi'ite Mahdi, or messiah. Khamenei has responded by condemning Ahmadinejad and his followers as the "deviant stream." Since May 2011, this domestic conflict has shaken the regime's stability. It may have much to do with Tehran's flailing foreign policy as the sanctions do. The regime also has its hands full with upcoming parliamentary elections in March. It likes to say that the elections are both a model and inspiration for the new surge of democracy in the Arab world. It also sees these elections as a test of legitimacy. Remember, only two years ago, Iran was convulsed with a popular uprising that opposed the outcome of presidential elections. The reform movement was brutally crushed by the regime thugs. Major reformist leaders are still under house arrest. Whether the regime is able to market itself to its neighbors as a legitimate source of a Middle East revival is rather doubtful. More importantly, reformists have loudly and clearly stated that they are not going to participate in a rigged election. This will be the first time since the beginning of the Islamic Republic that any part of the electorate has bolted from the system. Khamenei must see this reformist move as a profound crack in his authority and to the regime's legitimacy. Finally, there are more domestic disasters. While Iranians of all political stripes see a nuclear program as a national status symbol, they are paying a dear price for it. The sanctions are truly hurting the average Iranian. The hardships include high unemployment, inflation and commodity shortages. Last week, Iran's currency fell to a new low against the dollar. This situation is not going to endear the regime to the electorate. Can we move away from the precipice of war? I think so. Congress members should get out of the public relations business and stop making pronouncements about Iran that are simplistic and belligerent. It makes any chance of a negotiated settlement even more difficult. The U.S. Navy's rescue of 13 Iranian fishermen from pirates in the North Arabian Sea was a surprising and awkward moment, and a chance for both sides to step back and breathe a little. But the startling news that Iran's Revolutionary Court had sentenced an American, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, to death, charging him with spying for the Central Intelligence Agency, says that Iran, once again, is up to the task of seeking revenge against the U.S. We need to find a real structure for diplomacy to calm these new levels of tension. Just as Qatar is hosting a political office for the Taliban in an attempt to open direct talks to an end the Afghan war, a regional approach to Iran may help. Qatar has become the dynamic center within the Arab League and has been a respected go-between. Yes, it has close relations with the United States and hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, but its prime minister, Al-Thani, was not timid when he said in 2006, "Qatar talks to Iran as an equal, and this is important." The Gulf Cooperation Council could play a greater role in softening Iran's relationship with the Sunni Arab world by drawing it closer to its regional neighbors, as well as serving as a liaison between Iran and the West. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those off Barry Rosen. | Barry Rosen, a former hostage in Iran, says war of words is turning into threat of war .
He says despite saber-rattling and comments by GOP candidates, war not inevitable .
He says regime flailing due to internal tensions, hard-hit economy, upcoming elections .
Rosen: Intermediaries like Qatar could provide structure for diplomacy to calm tensions . |
112,638 | 1d52cef8af071ed110d3ef8feb3e4b275dfddd01 | By . Paul Harris and Inderdeep Bains . Last updated at 3:19 PM on 12th October 2011 . They had sprayed champagne, talked excitedly about a shopping list of cars and mansions and made generous promises to help friends in need. But as Dave and Angie Dawes were flown away by helicopter after being unveiled as ecstatic £101million Lottery winners, a rather less jolly picture emerged. Not everyone, it seems, is lining up to wish them well. Angie’s ex-husband, John Leeman, could barely contain his anger as he claimed she had left him and her son with £20,000 of debts after having a secret affair with Mr Dawes. Sweet and sour: Dave and Angie Dawes' celebrations were marred by allegations that she had thrown her husband and son out of the family home after a string of affairs . Jackpot winners: Dave and Angela Dawes, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, hold their £101million cheque. The couple are not married but plan to tie the knot next year . And her teenage son Steven claimed his mother abandoned him when she walked out on the family to start a new life. Mr Leeman, married to her for 12 . years until the alleged affair was exposed, told the Daily Mail last . night: ‘She’s talking about making 20 of her friends millionaires – but . what about her son?’ The bitter allegations surfaced . within hours of the couple starring at a press conference to tell the . world that Mr Dawes’s single line of numbers in the EuroMillions lottery . had scooped the massive prize. They spoke of their plans to buy a . new engagement ring to replace the £800 model Miss Dawes already has. Marriage plans: Angela Dawes wears her . engagement ring, right, at the news conference. Her partner, who has the . word 'hate' on his knuckles, left, is planning on buying her a new one . with their £101m winnings . Humble: Dave and Angela Dawes share a one bedroom £70 per week flat in this block in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire . Then a house in Chelsea for Mr Dawes, within walking distance of the . factory worker’s beloved team’s Stamford Bridge ground. Hurt: Steven Leeman claims his mother abandoned him when she walked out on the family . They also hope to buy a home in . Portugal, where they plan to marry next year in a ceremony which Miss . Dawes said would be a ‘bit more glamorous now’. Then came gifts for friends. ‘We’ve . drawn up a list of about 15 to 20 people that we’re going to sort of . make millionaires,’ said Dave, in much the same tone as someone . distributing a couple of fivers from of his wallet. ‘Anyone that’s . helped us through our life.’ The winning line was a selection of randomly chosen numbers and the ticket was bought from WH Smith in Market Place in Wisbech. He . told the press conference in Hatfield Heath, Hertfordshire: 'We were . watching TV and the EuroMillions draw show came on so we kept watching, . not thinking we would win anything. 'We got our tickets out and watched in shock as, one by one, the numbers came up on the line I'd chosen. 'We couldn't believe it! It was too . late to call Camelot so I kept the ticket on me all night until the . morning but we didn't sleep a wink.' But Back home in Wisbech, . Cambridgeshire, where the couple shared a £70 a week one-bedroom flat, . the bile was already beginning to surface. Last night Miss Dawes released a . statement saying she was saddened by her ex-husband’s claims and that . she loved her son and would like to rebuild their relationship. Mr Leeman, a lorry driver, accused . his 43-year-old ex-wife of ‘abandoning’ their son Steven after . conducting a secret affair with her lover in the family home. Up and away! The £101m jetsetters plan to holiday in Las Vegas before tying the knot in Portugal next year . Big winners: Dave plans to buy Angela a new engagement ring before they tie the knot next year. She changed her surname to Dawes after getting divorced . Shopping spree: Dave and Angela are planning to buy properties in London and abroad, and are looking forward to a trip to Las Vegas and a skiing holiday in Switzerland in the coming months . Big winners: Dave and Angela's windfall catapults them into 703rd place in the UK's rich list . Mr Leeman said he returned home one night to find his clothes thrown outside in bags. Steven, now 17, claimed when he had . arrived hom from a school trip to France he found his father had gone. When he asked his mother where he was, he claimed: ‘She packed my bags . and told me if I didn’t like it I should go’. While the couple have been catapulted up the rich list they are only Britain's third biggest jackpot winners. Colin and Chris Weir (pictured), from Largs, Scotland, won £161m in July while another single ticket holder collected £113m a year ago. The biggest ever win was £195million won in 2002 by Andrew Whittaker, from West Virginia. Elaine and Harold Messner from New Jersey shared the world’s largest lottery prize of £250m when they won the Mega Millions draw in March 2007. However, the prize was shared further with an anonymous truck driver from Georgia. A single ticket claimed by eight co-workers from a Nebraska meat processing plant won £234m in February 2006. Larry and Nancy Ross from Michigan and Joe and Sue Kainz from Illinois shared the £232m jackpot from The Big Game in May 2000. A £154m Mega Millions prize pool was shared by two winners from Georgia and New Jersey in January 2011. Mr Leeman accused his ex-wife, who . had told reporters of her work at a British Heart Foundation shop, of . ‘preaching on TV about doing charity work’. He added: ‘I don’t want her . money, but I want her to do right by her son. ‘Angela loved going out clubbing and drinking, having a child just got in the way of her fun. ‘During his school holidays, she . would force me to take Steven in the lorry with me so he would be out of . the way when she went out to have fun. ‘She has neglected her own son very . badly. It is not right. She needs to recognise her son, rather than . trying to change her identity in the way she has. Instead she is rubbing . this in our faces.’ Miss Dawes, who has changed her name . to that of her fiance, said: ‘I’m saddened by these reports - a lot of . what has been said since my divorce has been untrue and very hurtful. ‘I’ve always wanted to be in contact with my son, who I love dearly, and very much still want to rebuild our relationship.’ The . biggest ever EuroMillions prize won in Britain was a £161million . jackpot won by Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in Scotland, back in . July. The second largest was claimed by a . single ticket-holder, who chose to remain anonymous after scooping £113m . in October last year. The fourth-biggest EuroMillions prize winner in the UK won £84million last May. In . February 2010, Nigel Page and Justine Laycock, from Gloucestershire, . broke the then record with a £56million win – now the fifth-biggest . prize in the history of EuroMillions. The sixth-biggest payout went to Les and Sam Scadding in South Wales who won £45millon in November 2009. The millionaires will now be able to . buy six of the world’s most expensive watches – a diamond-encrusted . timepiece from Chopard costing £15millon each. Or they could treat themselves to 720 . pairs of the world’s most expensive shoes – the £140,000 . diamond-encrusted heels made by the House of Borgezie. They could also buy 600 top-of-the-range sports cars – the Ferrari 458 Italia costs a mere £170,000. For a party to celebrate the win, they could easily afford Barbadian singer Rihanna, who charges £500,000 for a performance. But . if they wish to avoid long-lost family members who are no doubt set to . come out of the woodwork, the winners could escape to their own private . island, such as £100million Rangyai near Phuket in Thailand. The 110-acre private island boasts white beaches as well as tropical forests. Additional reporting: Andrew Levy . | Dave and Angie Dawes have drawn up a list of 15 close friends to give cash .
They share £70 per week one-bedroom flat but will buy a property in Chelsea .
Seething ex-husband says 'what about the son you abandoned?'
Claims Angie 'had affair' at the family home in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire .
Walked out on teenage son Steven to start new life . |
121,821 | 29768ebba537d70df5e39a18da5fe61a7e1263dc | (REAL SIMPLE) -- Whether you're hosting a formal party or just throwing together snacks for drinks with friends, we've got ideas for transforming carryout into crowd-pleasing cuisine. Everyone will assume your sink is stacked with dirty pots and pans. (And if you keep them out of the kitchen, they'll never know the truth.) Tiny-size pizzas . Start with: A large cheese pizza. (Ask for it unsliced and, if possible, slightly underbaked.) To make: Avoiding the crust, cut out mini pizzas with round cookie or biscuit cutters. Heat the rounds at 400º Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes. Top with slices of olives, marinated mushrooms, chopped prosciutto, an anchovy fillet, or fresh herbs (such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, thyme, or oregano). Mediterranean bruschetta . Start with: Garlic bread from your favorite Italian spot. To make: Slather slices with prepared marinara or pesto sauce. Top with goat cheese or mozzarella, a marinated pepper, or an oil-packed sun-dried tomato, then toast in the oven. Also try: Hummus po' boys. Spread hot garlic bread with hummus and top with coleslaw or lettuce and tomato. Cap with more hot, crunchy bread. Real Simple: How to know when food is cooked just right . Chicken- or shrimp-boat hors d'oeuvres . Start with: Your favorite chicken or shrimp Chinese stir-fry. To make: Mound spoonfuls of stir-fry into the cuplike center leaves from a head of Boston lettuce. If desired, top the boats with chopped nuts or scallion slices. Also try: Asian-Mexican fusion. Roll the dish with rice and some soy sauce in a giant tortilla. Slice into single-serving pieces. Chicken pasta with blue cheese and walnuts . Start with: A golden-brown rotisserie chicken. To make: Toss thin slices of chicken with hot pasta, crumbled blue cheese, and chopped walnuts. Also try: Quick chicken salad. Stir Dijon mustard, mayo, and chopped onion and herbs into shredded chicken meat. Season with salt and pepper and spoon onto whole-grain bread for sandwiches. Real Simple: Pasta glossary . Antipasto platter . Start with: Assorted salad-bar treats. To make: Arrange Swiss and cheddar cheese cubes, prosciutto and salami slices, marinated vegetables (artichoke hearts, red peppers, mushrooms), mixed olives, and giant capers on a platter. Also try: Salad bar as personal sous-chef. Make it your source for julienned vegetables, grated cheese, and bite-size meats. Roasted duck, watercress, and brown rice salad . Start with: Half a Chinese Peking duck (1 order). To make: Shred the meat and toss it with take-out brown rice and a splash of dumpling dipping sauce (most restaurants will add it to your order at no charge). Top with chopped watercress and scallions. Also try: Duck crostini. Finely chop the meat and toss it with minced herbs, chopped onion, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Pile the mixture on tiny toasts. Real Simple: Easy fixes for 8 common kitchen mishaps . Spareribs, minimalist style . Start with: A few orders of Chinese take-out ribs. To make: Simply separate the spareribs, heat, and serve on simple white plates. Also try: Spareribs with crunch. The glaze on Chinese-style ribs provides the perfect glue for a crunchy coating. Separate the ribs and roll them in chopped peanuts or toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot on a scoop of fried or steamed rice. Trimmings . Start with: A bucket of chicken, some biscuits, mashed potatoes, and gravy -- all from your local KFC. To make: Heat the chicken and biscuits in a 350º F oven for 10 minutes, then place in napkin-lined baskets. Put the potatoes and gravy (request it on the side) in your best bowls. Also try: Chicken dippers. Serve slices of fried chicken with homemade sauce -- yogurt or sour cream with honey mustard stirred in to taste. Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2008 Time Inc. All rights reserved. | You can feed great food to guests by fiddling with takeout .
Use cookie cutter to cut bite-size pizzas out of large uncut pizza .
Slice a rotisserie chicken and toss with blue cheese and walnuts .
Spoon shrimp stir-fry into Boston lettuce leaves, top with chopped nuts . |
224,777 | af0b2efb7c394e39d0b09d2f5645ddc778b76bb0 | Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- An attack that killed 25 people, mostly students, at a Nigerian school Monday night appeared to be "an inside job" in which the gunmen called out the names of their targets, a police spokesman told CNN Tuesday. "The attackers went to the houses of the victims, called them out by their names and killed them," Adamawa State Police spokesman Mohammed Ibrahim said. "They used guns and knives on the victims." Some of the victims' throats were slit, he said. The armed men attacked a student facility at the Federal Polytechnic, a university in Mubi, Nigeria, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yuhau Shuaib said. Suicide bomb kills 2 at Nigerian church . Among the 25 killed were 19 Federal Polytechnic students and three students from the School of Health and Technology, Ibrahim said. The three others killed were a school official, a former military man and an older gentleman, he said. Investigators are trying to determine if the attack was related to upcoming campus elections, he said. "We believe this was an inside job." "By God's grace, in the next few days we will have some suspects," he said . Mubi is in northeast Nigeria near the border with Cameroon. Opinion: Nigeria is a sinking ship, but we must not desert it . | NEW: The 25 people killed include 22 students, a police official says .
NEW: "We believe this was an inside job," the official says .
NEW: Attackers called victims out by their names and killed them," he says .
The attack happened at a university in Mubi, Nigeria . |
168,771 | 6653900554fa55339b0a90c66c17a2a6755dbab9 | Washington (CNN) -- Two U.S. citizens from Seattle and Los Angeles -- described as "would-be terrorists" by the FBI -- have been arrested and charged with plotting to kill Americans enlisting in the armed forces in Seattle, federal officials announced Thursday. The men were identified as Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, (also known as Joseph Anthony Davis), 33, of Seattle; and Walli Mujahidh, (also known as Frederick Domingue Jr.) 32, of Los Angeles. "Driven by a violent extreme ideology, these two young Americans are charged with plotting to murder men and women who were enlisting in the armed forces to serve and protect our country," said a top counter-terrorism official at the Justice Department. Acting Assistant Attorney General Todd Hinnen said the threat was averted and the public was not endangered because of the intervention of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. When the suspects attempted to recruit a third man, that individual instead went to the police, authorities said. "Because someone stepped forward we were able to disrupt a very deadly attack," said U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan. Agents began monitoring Abdul-Latif and Mujahidh in the past month and collected audio and videotapes of the pair discussing a violent assault on the Military Entrance Processing Station in Seattle. Law enforcement officials said that unbeknownst to the defendants, the weapons they obtained, including machine guns, were rendered inoperable and posed no risk to the public. The two suspects initially planned their attack on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, but later changed targets and decided to assault the recruiting station. According to a source working with federal agents, Abdul-Latif said the original plan to attack Fort Lewis "would be in retaliation for alleged crimes committed by United States soldiers in Afghanistan," a court document said. The subjects allegedly were interested in carrying out a deadly attack to gain maximum attention, according to the criminal complaint against them. "We're not only trying to kill people, we're trying to send a message. We're trying to get something that's going to be on CNN and over the world. That's what we want," said Abdul-Latif, according to the court document. Mujahidh was quoted in the document as saying, "Ain't gonna be no innocent women and children. That's why I'm saying we go in there and lay everybody down, man. Everybody in that building is connected with the military," he said. The two suspects appeared in federal court in Seattle late Thursday, where they heard the changes against them. They were not asked to enter a plea. The two men were ordered held without bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 7. Both defendants said they could not afford attorneys, so the court provided them with public defenders. The plot allegedly involved a conspiracy to use grenades and firearms which they would use to kill the victims and then use to fight police as they made their escape. The men are scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate in Seattle later Thursday to hear the charges against them. CNN's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report. | Two accused of plotting against military recruits .
Two are being held in Seattle .
Another individual reportedly turned them in . |
171,295 | 69b481c1b5280cda0dae931d8ca59c0990bad400 | (CNN) -- Five leaders of what was once the nation's largest Muslim charity were given long prison sentences Wednesday by a federal judge, months after they were found guilty of aiding a militant Palestinian organization. Ghassan Elashi, seen here at 2001 news conference, was sentenced to 65 years in prison. "These sentences should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security. Five leaders of the now-defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development were convicted in November by a federal jury for providing money and resources to the Palestinian group Hamas, designated by the United States as a terrorist organization. The trial resulted from a 15-year Justice Department investigation. Two of the men -- Shukri Abu Baker, 50, of Garland, Texas, and Ghassan Elashi, 55, of Richardson, Texas -- were also convicted on tax fraud charges. At a federal court in Dallas, Texas, U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis sentenced Abu Baker and Elashi to 65 years in prison. The other three received lesser sentences: Mohammad El-Mezain, 55, of San Diego, California, and Abdulrahman Odeh, 49, of Patterson, New Jersey each received 15 years in prison. Mufid Abdulqader, 49, of Richardson, Texas, received 20 years. Federal authorities said the Holy Land Foundation was incorporated by Abu Baker, El-Mezain and Elashi. The other two worked as fundraisers. The Bush administration shut down the Holy Land Organization in 2001 and froze its assets, charging that it was raising millions of dollars for Hamas. Before it was shut down, the group, based in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was hailed as the largest Muslim charity in America. The Justice Department accused it of funneling $12.4 million to Hamas in the guise of humanitarian donations. A first trial in 2007 ended in mistrial, prompting the Justice Department to refile charges. The jury in the second trial, which lasted two months, deliberated for eight days. Wednesday's sentencing, said Kris, culminated "many years of painstaking investigative and prosecutorial work at the federal, state and local levels." | Holy Land Foundation has been called the biggest Muslim charity in U.S.
5 charity leaders got prison sentences ranging from 65 years to 15 years .
Charity accused of sending $12.4 million to Hamas under humanitarian cloak .
Assistant AG: "These sentences should serve as a strong warning" |
224,553 | aebe09493211f6354293b6cc8ac5b853538a699c | By . Chris Parsons . UPDATED: . 04:44 EST, 31 January 2012 . They were the band who played on as the Titanic began to sink, but their instruments were thought to be long lost at the bottom of the ocean. Experts now believe, however, they have now discovered the violin belonging to heroic Titanic band master Wallace Hartley. Tests are taking place to establish whether the violin did belong to Mr Hartley, who perished along with the rest of his eight-man band when the doomed ship went down. Gallant: Wallace Hartley, pictured front row, fourth from left with violin in the Bridlington Municipal Orchestra, was one of the brave band members who played on as the Titanic sank . The band leader was said to have been found with his violin strapped to his chest after the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. But there was no mention of the instrument in records of his effects, and its whereabouts had remained a mystery ever since. The person claiming to own the violin lives in the UK, but is not a relative of Mr Hartley. The owner said the band master's fiancee, Maria Robinson, was given the instrument after the Titanic tragedy 100 years ago. If it was put up for sale it would smash the record for a Titanic artifact, currently set by the post office keys which went for £101,000 in 2007. Defiant: The band play on as the Titanic begins to sink in a scene from James Cameron's 1997 film version of the events . All eight members of the band that gallantly played as passengers lined up for evacuation to the life-boats perished in the disaster but the bodies of the band leader and two other musicians were pulled from the water by a search crew from the CS Mackay-Bennett and taken to Nova Scotia, Canada. Violinist John Law Hume from Dumfries in Scotland and bass player John Frederick Preston Clarke from Liverpool were laid to rest in Halifax but Hartley’s body was repatriated to England and buried at Colne, Lancashire, the town where he was born and raised. Newspapers at the time reported that Hartley was found fully dressed with his violin strapped to his chest. However, when the effects of Body 224 were itemised by The Office of the Provincial Secretary in Nova Scotia there was no mention of it. Other than his clothes and spare change he had only a ring, a pen, a silver matchbox, a gold cigar holder, a watch and chain, a collar stud, a pair of scissors and two pieces of correspondence. It was not among the possessions handed back to his father Albion Hartley who collected the body from the Arabic at Liverpool docks. The assumption has long been that the instrument was spirited away by someone involved in collecting the corpses. Wallace Hartley had become engaged around 1910 to a girl named Maria Robinson. She was left bereft by her fiancis death, moved to the Yorkshire seaside resort of Bridlington, and never married. She died alone in 1939. The unnamed person who now owns the violin claims that Robinson retrieved the violin after Hartley’s death. Among the supporting evidence is a 1912 diary where she has apparently drafted a letter to the authorities in Nova Scotia thanking them for acceding to her wish to have the violin sent to her. The draft letter in Maria Robinson’s diary reads: 'I would be most grateful if you could convey my heartfelt thanks to all who have made possible the return of my late fiance’s violin. Ill-fated: The gigantic liner famously sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg . Watery tomb: The bow of the Titanic at rest on the bottom of the North Atlantic, about 400 miles southeast of Newfoundland . 'May I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to you personally for your gracious intervention on my behalf.' The violin itself was stored in a brown leather case with the initials W.H.H stamped on it and an inscription on the tail piece reading: ‘For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement from Maria.’ Now the instrument believed to be Hartley’s is currently being handled by leading Titanic memorabilia auctioneer Henry Aldridge and Son. The Devizes-based firm hold every record set for items from the ship and are considered the world’s leading authority on its artifacts. They have so far spent thousands of pounds seeking to establish beyond any doubt that the violin is the genuine article. Mr Henry Aldridge said today: 'We are waiting the results of further laboratory tests. When I first saw it five years ago I was amazed. If I did not think that the probability was there I would not have bothered. 'The research is expensive business but because of the historical importance of this item the money is secondary. 'The owner has not made up their mind if they would want to sell it but I think it is more likely it will go on exhibition - if it is proved to be genuine. 'We hope to have a definite answer sometime this year. We cannot rush the scientists.' | Instrument from band was handed to owner's fiancee after he died on ship .
Tests taking place to make sure it belonged to band master Wallace Hartley . |
148,535 | 4c13a15fbc1e4a0c45f2a1cf8e6f43d323e31ffa | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 09:07 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:50 EST, 17 November 2012 . Brazen: Thieves made off $1.5m worth of Apple iPad minis from the JFK airport cargo hold - the same site as the 1978 Lufthansa heist which inspired mob film Goodfellas . Brazen thieves have stolen $1.5m worth of Apple iPad minis from the JFK airport cargo hold - the same site as the 1978 Lufthansa heist which inspired mob film GoodFellas. The crooks, who used the airport's own forklift to shift the haul of two pallets of tablet computers into a nearby truck, struck shortly before midnight on Monday. It is exactly the same building that $5million in cash and nearly $900,000 worth of jewellery was stolen from on December 11, 1978 during the heist. The robbery has been ranked as America's largest haul of cash ever. The thieves could have stolen more, the New York Post reports, but they drove off leaving three more pallets of the Apple tablets behind after they were challenged by an airport worker returning from a break. A source told the paper: 'So, as a caper goes, it was probably unsuccessful' Police have since been questioning airport workers and given three of them lie detector tests, the sources said. The possibility of an inside job has not been ruled out. It is believed the thieves arrived at Building 261 around 11pm, in a white tractor trailer marked with the name CEVA on the side, it has been reported. They pulled up to a side of the airport building which faces onto a street and has less security than the other side. It is also accessible from the airport tarmac. Wise guys: The Lufthansa heist is ranked as America's largest haul of cash ever and inspired the Scorsese film Goodfellas . Goodfellas: The Martin Scorsese film was inspired by the infamous heist in which thieves made off with the equivalent of $21million . Cargo: The $1.5m worth of Apple iPad minis were taken from the JFK airport cargo hold . Airport sources believe someone let them into the area and then let them out after they grabbed the iPads. They took about 3,600 of the minis that were being shipped by a company called Cargo Airport Services, which said the iPads had just arrived from China and were destined for locations around the US. In the Lufthansa heist $5 million in cash and nearly $900,000 was taken, which if adjusted for inflation would be some $21million today. The alleged mastermind of the robbery was Luchese crime-family associate James 'Jimmy the Gent' Burke. He allegedly got away with the crime after 'whacking' nearly all of his co-conspirators in the heist. The gangland bloodbath was recounted in one of the most famous sequences of the Martin Scorsese film GoodFellas, a film which has now reached cult status. | Around 3,600 of the minis, intended for China and worldwide, were taken during the raid .
It is exactly the same building raided during the Lufthansa heist, which inspired the Scorcese gangland film . |
149,802 | 4db1541b17264c8b52d9e9884345b9a3c382c043 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 12:43 EST, 24 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:43 EST, 24 May 2013 . An 80-year-old patient died in hospital days after he was given a drug to which he was allergic. John Dudding, of Plymouth, Devon, suffered a severe reaction after being given a penicillin-based injection at Derriford Hospital in the city - and died one week before his daughter’s wedding . Now she is suing the hospital for clinical negligence, claiming the penicillin allergy was clearly labelled on her father's medical chart - but could not be seen because there was a Post-it note in the way. Treatment: John Dudding, of Plymouth, Devon, suffered a severe reaction after being given a penicillin-based injection at Derriford Hospital (file picture) in the city and died one week before his daughter's wedding . Kim Tremaine, 54, said her father was also wearing a red wrist band to warn he had allergies - but claimed nobody rolled up his pyjama sleeve to check. Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Derriford Hospital, has admitted the ‘serious drug error’. Mrs Tremaine said: ‘In my opinion Derriford Hospital killed my father and did very little to save him. My dad didn’t go in there ill enough to die. The care he received was appalling, disgraceful.’ Mr Dudding died in February last year and his daughter said the drugs blunder happened three days after he was admitted having suffered a fall at home. An inquest is set to be held by a local coroner. Mistake: Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Derriford Hospital, has admitted the drug error (file picture) A Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman said: ‘We let Mr Dudding down in terms of the care we provided because there was a serious drug error and we apologise sincerely for this. 'In my opinion Derriford Hospital killed my father and did very little to save him' Kim Tremaine, John Dudding's daughter . ‘We don’t know how, or if this drug error contributed to Mr Dudding’s death. That is for the inquest to determine.’ The 1,100-bed hospital in March reported five 'never events' since November which all related to treatment or surgery to the wrong part of the body. 'Never events' are defined as serious and mostly-preventable incidents which should not occur. Almost 50,000 people pass through the hospital's entrance weekly - and it has more than 900 beds. | John Dudding of Plymouth suffered severe reaction at Derriford Hospital .
Daughter Kim Tremaine said penicillin allergy was on his medical chart .
Claims it couldn't be seen last February because Post-it note was in way .
Trust 'apologises sincerely' for letting him down with serious drug error . |
236,635 | be466d7b31cfdb4b8f9a6793bebe5d76eaae9a1f | One in three rioters who brought terror and destruction to the streets of London went on to commit crimes including murder, rape and robbery, figures revealed yesterday. Some 1,593 of the 3,914 thugs charged or cautioned following the disturbances of August 2011 have reoffended. Among the near-6,000 fresh crimes they notched up in the three years since the riots were 12 killings, 180 serious assaults such as wounding and 151 crimes involving a weapon. Scroll down for video . Riot: Of the 3,914 people charged or cautioned by Met Police in the wake of the London riots in August 2011 (pictured), at least 1,593 have re-offended. The offences include murder, rape, GBH, drug charges and theft . Trouble: Rioters plunged much of Britain into chaos over in August 2011, looting shops and torching buildings . But although some rioters are still in jail for offences committed during the lawlessness, the vast majority have either been freed or given non-custodial sentences. The statistics sparked fresh calls for the authorities to get a better ‘grip’ on young men entrenched in a life of violent crime and warnings that failing to keep career criminals under control is putting people in danger. The figures are also likely to be echoed in other cities struck by rioting that spread from the capital, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. A breakdown of figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal a total of 5,878 new crimes committed by the London rioters. Of these, 1,172 were violent offences – including 314 ‘assault with injury’ crimes, 171 common assaults and 265 cases of harassment. Along with 21 rapes, there were also 719 burglaries, 451 robberies and 1,075 thefts. Some 1,819 drug offences included 221 trafficking charges, and there were 36 frauds and 213 cases of vandalism. Incredibly, one rioter went on to commit 72 new crimes. The data also reveals how 168 of the 1,593 reoffenders in London belonged to gangs. Some 107 people – 17 of them gangsters – committed ten or more new offences. SELFIES and online messaging are creating a generation of youngsters who are ‘kinder’ and less likely to commit crime, Boris Johnson has claimed. The London Mayor said concerns that smartphones and handheld games consoles were turning children into ‘lidless lizards’ could be ‘more or less entirely dismissed’. He argued that gadgets gave the young ‘endless opportunities’ for self-expression and communication that kept them from being ‘sucked into crime’. In a speech on technology in Boston during a whirlwind tour of the US, Mr Johnson said: ‘I would say that on the whole the younger generation are nicer, kinder, more well-balanced and more emotionally literate than my lot ever were.’ He said while young men are typically drawn into crime because of ‘anger, low self-esteem and a sense of social exclusion’, selfies, texts and shared videos provided by handheld gizmos offer ‘myriad pipette drops of self-affirmation’. He referred to technology as a ‘liberator’ that gives voters the right to vent their feelings every day, adding: ‘I see no evidence whatever that tech is coarsening or depraving the young people of today.’ A total of 261 rioters, including 49 gang members, carried out between five and ten more crimes. London’s Deputy Mayor Stephen Greenhalgh, said urgent changes were needed to protect the public by keeping a better ‘grip’ on offenders. He called for New York-style reforms that would put City Hall in overall control of the capital’s entire criminal justice system. He said the figures proved that the riots in 2011 were fuelled by ‘prolific offenders rather than low-level opportunists’. ‘Even though the police have learnt the lessons of the riots, the wider criminal justice system needs to up its game and stop playing pass the parcel with these violent criminals,’ he warned. ‘We need to grip these offenders. Many have not been deterred, despite prosecuting them more quickly in 2011, and have gone on to rape and murder in some cases.’ The Metropolitan Police said it is working hard to reduce reoffending, but the responsibility for monitoring freed criminals fell mainly to other agencies. Rioters plunged much of Britain into chaos over several days in August 2011, looting shops, torching buildings and terrorising neighbourhoods. The unrest began in the capital and was sparked by the killing of Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by police in Tottenham, north London, on August 4. However, the rioting quickly spread to other parts of London and Britain, with Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester all hit by 'copycat violence' over the subsequent days. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'Re-offending has been too high for too long and we are introducing wide-reaching reforms to the way offenders are managed to tackle this unacceptable issue. 'This year, for the first time, all prisoners will receive at least 12 months rehabilitation on release to tackle their criminal behaviour. 'This includes those on short sentences who have the highest re-offending rates and up until now have received no statutory post-prison support. 'This will be vital in cutting crime and making our communities safer.' The figures, released by Scotland Yard, show that the offences were committed between the aftermath of the riots and the end of last year. The re-offenders included 168 gang members, the police figures revealed . | Of the 3,914 people charged over London riots, 1,593 have now re-offended .
The offences include murder, rape, theft, robbery, GBH, drugs and assault .
Of the 1,593 re-offenders, 168 were gang members - police figures show .
Deputy mayor for policing said the justice system needs to 'up its game' |
143,527 | 459ddbb26d79f463f57f82951548cc474998e9da | LONDON, England (CNN) -- More than 150 people have abandoned a sinking cruise liner that collided with an iceberg in Antarctic waters, a Chilean navy captain told CNN. The ship sent out a distress call at around 10 p.m. ET Thursday. Passenger ship Explorer reported problems near the South Shetland Islands, south of Argentina. The area is in a sector of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom. Capt. Carlos Munita of the Chilean navy said they received a distress call from the Explorer, saying the vessel had hit an iceberg around 10 p.m. ET Thursday. He added a Norwegian rescue ship had arrived at the scene. Tour companies describe the Explorer as a passenger ship which runs tours between South America and Antarctica. Some 154 people are reported to be on board ship, which carries a Liberian flag, including 100 passengers. However the nationalities of those on board is not yet known. Passengers and crew have been evacuated onto lifeboats, but the captain and the first officer are reported to have stayed on board. "The great majority of people, including all the passengers, have been safely taken off the Explorer and are now being recovered by the first of the vessels to arrive on scene in response to the distress call," Dave Jardine-Smith, head of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) search and rescue team in England said. "The passengers and crew from the Explorer have not been in lifeboats very long," Jardine-Smith said. "They should be, hopefully, in good condition. We are told that there are no injuries." Earlier, Mark Clark, a spokesman for the MCA told the Press Association five ships were on their way to help the sinking vessel. "She hit something and is taking on a serious amount of water, that is all we know." The temperature in the area is said to be at around minus 5C, with a sea temperature at around minus 1C, forecasters told the Press Association. Stephen Davenport, senior forecaster with MeteoGroup, said:"It wouldn't take long for hypothermia to set in at that kind of temperature in the sea. "They do get very bad storms down that way, and gale force winds especially, because there is no land in the way," he told PA. Lt. Matt Alex from the US Coast Guard Atlantic Area command center said the boat is owned by Gap Adventures, based in Toronto, Canada. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. | 150 passengers evacuated from a ship after it struck object in Antarctic waters .
Ship, named Explorer, was expected to sink, British coastguards said .
Passengers in lifeboats, captain and first officer remain on board . |
147,376 | 4a8a8a186a54b6db742c9011991fa412e2e0e409 | By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . PUBLISHED: . 17:26 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:23 EST, 13 June 2013 . Trials of 80mph motorway speed limits could start next year, the road safety minister said yesterday. Stephen Hammond said raising the limit to 80mph is still firmly on the Government’s agenda. There will be three trials of the higher speeds in different areas, and if successful they will be introduced across the country. The higher 80mph speed limit could be trialled at three sites across the country as early as next year . Speaking in a magazine interview Mr Hammond said: ‘It is not dead. We are thinking about it. We are thinking about how we could trial it rather than go to a consultation. ‘It would be important to have a good evidence-based trial.’ He said there will be an announcement in the autumn on the prospect of an increase and that trials could take place during 2014. He told Auto Express magazine: ‘You probably will not see it happen before the summer of next year. It might need a whole year to put the whole regulatory format in place. ‘My message, though, is that it [80mph] has not been lost. Our philosophy is that we should have the right speed on the right road.’ He added: ‘Drivers will have noticed that we have made some significant changes to guidelines to local authorities about lower speeds in rural areas. ‘We have also made it easier to introduce 20mph limits and zones.’ Supporters of the idea argue that motorways are the safest of all roads and that cars become safer at speed. Road safety minister Stephen Hammond (left) said 80mph speed limits are still on the Government's agenda but Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin (right) is said to be 'cooler' on the issue . The move towards an 80mph limit has . fallen down the Department for Transport’s list of priorities under . Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who is said to be ‘cooler’ on . the issue. By contrast, former transport secretary Philip Hammond was a major supporter, arguing that raising the limit could ‘provide hundreds of millions of pounds for the economy’, generated by lowering journey times. Road safety charity Brake opposes the plans, arguing an 80mph limit is likely to ‘lead to more deaths, crashes and serious injuries’. But AA president Edmund King said: ‘Our view is that 80mph in a modern car, in good weather, driven at a safe distance from the car in front is a safe speed. ‘Whereas 50mph in bad weather, tailgating the car in front is a very dangerous speed.’ Auto Express editor in chief Steve Fowler said: ‘My personal view is we don’t need an increase to 80mph. ‘Everyone knows people drive faster than 70mph on motorways. 'If the limit were to increase to 80mph, people would drive at 90mph.’ Mr Hammond said the Government has made it easier to introduce 20mph limits and zones . Supporters of raising the speed limit point out that when the current 70mph limit was introduced in 1964, it was set at the flat-out speed of most cars which were pretty basic compared with today’s. Last February Labour announced that, subject to safeguards, it was dropping its opposition to raising the limit and supported a switch to ‘variable’ limits of up to 80mph as a ‘safer alternative’ to blanket rises. A recent Road Safety Foundation report found motorways do not currently provide enough protection to drivers and car occupants to justify raising the speed limit. It notes England’s motorways account for 6 per cent of road deaths. Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: ‘If the limit is raised then there is likely to be an increase in carbon emissions and deaths. ‘The big question is at what speed the police will enforce a new limit. Will 80mph actually mean 90mph? 'The irony is that free flow speeds on motorways have actually fallen in recent years, so you have to question the public appetite for a change.’ | Stephen Hammond said an announcement will be made in the autumn .
Trials could go ahead as early as summer 2014 . |
145,114 | 47ae8787f3976f4b30b440184106b92be1283f52 | (CNN) -- McLaren's Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday to record his first victory of the Formula One season and move top of the drivers' standings. Frenchman Romain Grosjean in a Lotus produced an impressive drive to finish second, just ahead of Sauber's Sergio Perez. Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel finished fourth, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in fifth, which kept the Spaniard just two points behind Hamilton in the title race. "I never had a doubt in my mind that there would not be a possibility to win," said Hamilton, who is the seventh different winner in seven races this season. It was Hamilton's third Canadian Grand Prix victory in five attempts, and his 18th from 97 races overall, while teammate Jenson Button was out of the points in 16th. Latest F1 standings . While Alonso and world champion Vettel opted for a one-stop strategy, Hamilton made two stops but was able to force his way past the Spanish and German drivers. Hamilton had problems at both pit stops -- almost stalling at the first and then had a difficulty with one of his wheels at the second -- but the British driver recovered to first overtake Vettel on lap 62 and then motor past Alonso three laps later. As Alonso's tires faded the Ferrari driver slipped down to fifth, but he did manage to hold off Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg. "Fernando and I took the decision to stay out," said Vettel, explaining Red Bull's race strategy. "I felt pretty comfortable on the tires and obviously we were hoping to get the place back, but as it turned out it was the right thing to go for the second stop. "We decided a few laps from the end to do a pit stop -- a stop here is not so long, about 15 seconds -- and in the end it was the right decision. "Before the stop we were three to four seconds behind Fernando, but we ended up six seconds ahead of him." Grosjean also adopted a one-stop strategy but with better success than Alonso as he secured the second podium placing of his career, both coming this season. "It's been a great day for the team. It was an incredible race and the one stop strategy worked perfectly for us. It wasn't an easy race, but we wanted to be aggressive to achieve a good result," he said. His teammate Kimi Raikkonen was eighth, behind Red Bull's Mark Webber. Sauber had both cars in the points as Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi was ninth, while Ferrari's Felipe Massa was 10th after recovering from an early spin. | Canadian Grand Prix produces seventh different winner in seventh race of F1 season .
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton wins Montreal race for the third time in his career .
Romain Grosjean's Lotus comes second, with Sauber's Sergio Perez in third .
Hamilton leads drivers' standings with 88 points, two ahead of Fernando Alonso . |
44,403 | 7d37f7caa5c41816d1ce19b103759707263c4113 | By . Wills Robinson . When it comes to a wedding, the bride's deepest fear is that the groom may croak at the last minute. But in the village of Assam, India, it is a common sound during the traditional frog weddings. The union between the two amphibians is carried out in a bid to invoke rain for the harvest season and watched by hundreds of people from the surrounding villages. Two groups of women separately bath the males and female frogs, and then dress them in clothes and jewellery for the wedding. The bride is even made to wear a handmade necklace during the ritual conducted by a Hindu priest. Weather in the region is expected to remain hot and sunny for the next seven days, with highs of 35C. But then, showers and storms are on their way. Groom: The frog wedding in the village of Assam in India is carried out in an attempt to invoke rain . Transport: The amphibians are placed on palm leaves and pushed out into the river by the hosts . Off into the sun set: The pair are then left to float down the river as the service concludes . Attire: Red paint is smothered onto the frog's head during the ceremony carried out by a Hindu priest . Grasp: A girl holds the bride wrapped in a blanket before the ritual in the rural village . Wedding car: The frogs are dragged on a trailer surrounded by trees and a group of women who have prepared them for their special day . | Rituals carried out in village of Assam during water shortages .
The amphibians are bathed and then dressed in clothes for the occasion .
Ceremony is conducted by a Hindu priest in front of a large crowd . |
199,630 | 8e6c2aa8d4be46ee8b5f631a5dc4778fcbe91078 | Moscow (CNN) -- "Putin's Army," a new group of female fans loyal to Russia's prime minister, is calling upon all "young, smart and beautiful" women in the country who ardently support Vladimir Putin to produce amateur video clips that show how far they would go to express their affection for him. The community, which was launched in Russia's popular social networking sites VKontakte and LiveJournal, claims to have united some 800 followers behind the idea of Putin running in the March 2012 presidential election. It is not clear who exactly is behind this initiative, but the first video posted features a glamorous blonde who describes herself as student named Diana. "I'm crazy about the person who has changed our country. He is a prominent politician and an awesome man. His name is Vladimir Putin. Millions of people adore and trust him," Diana says in the narrative accompanying the video. "We are launching a contest with very simple rules. Shoot your own video as you tear up something -- or someone -- in the name of Putin. Then post your video in the VKontakte group. Those of you who produce the most original video will become the owner of an iPad 2. Tell us what YOU would do for your president," Diana says. Putin -- who already served two terms as the country's president from 2000 to 2008 -- has not announced yet whether he or his protege, incumbent Dmitry Medvedev, would run for the top office post again next year. On numerous occasions in the past few years, both Putin and Medvedev said they would sit down together and decide that soon. In the video sequence, which features club music in the background, Diana walks along Moscow streets in high heels and a black suit. As she struts with an iPhone in hand, the camera occasionally focuses on her chest. Diana joins a pair of Putin-loving friends basking under the sun by the Moscow River. The young women then look at the "Putin's Army" web page together on a laptop before Diana scribbles "I will tear off for Putin" on a white tank top in red lipstick. Wearing that top in the closing shot, Diana tears it, briefly revealing an undergarment. The provocative video has netted hundreds of thousands of hits online since it was first posted Wednesday, and several parodies of the clip have already appeared on the Internet. "Putin's Army" promised that its future activities would rock the whole country, and that every girl participating in the contest would become an Internet star. The video contest will last until August 26, the group announced. The effort isn't the first public display of affection for the Russian premier. Last week, dozens of Putin supporters formed a flash mob in front of the main government building in Moscow and sang "Blueberry Hill" -- a song Putin performed at a charity gala concert in December. And last October, a group of female journalism students from Moscow State University posed in bikinis for a calendar -- a birthday gift to Putin. Putin has denounced attempts at glorifying his image or using his name in advertisements. Over the years, he has disassociated himself from various paintings, sculptures and songs that where devoted to him, saying such fuss deeply embarrasses him. But some Russian analysts say these kinds of spectacles could be attempts to grab the attention of politically indifferent young voters before an important election season. Russia's parliamentary elections will take place in December, and the presidential election will take place in March 2012. | Female Putin supporters who participate in an online video contest can win an iPad 2 .
Putin has said he's embarrassed by flashy displays of flattery .
Some analysts say public shows of affection might be a political move .
Putin, a former president, has not announced whether he will run in the 2012 election . |
64,782 | b80176de3177a57d347193390e9d72cb19d65ddd | The man was previously convicted by Abu Dhabi First Instance Court of recklessly driving under the influence of alcohol and destroying public propert . A driver fined £3,500 for drink-driving has asked the court to give him a lighter sentence – because he has a licence which allows him to consume alcohol. The Canadian man made the plea to the Appeal Court in Abu Dhabi yesterday. The man was previously convicted by Abu Dhabi First Instance Court of recklessly driving under the influence of alcohol and destroying public property. He was ordered to pay 20,000 United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED). He appeared before the Appeal Court yesterday where he admitted that he was guilty of drink driving and apologised for his actions. But he also told the court he should not be punished so harshly since he has a licence which allows him to buy alcohol in the UAE. He said: 'I would like to apologise to the court for what I did. 'I made a mistake when I drove a car after drinking alcohol. 'I will never do it again and I am asking the court to give me a lighter sentence.' The man also gave a copy of his alcohol licence to the judge and told him: 'I did not consume the alcohol illegally.' He added that since he has a licence to drink alcohol in the UAE he hoped his sentence will be reduced. The man asked the court in Abu Dhabi (pictured) to give him a lesser sentence for drink-driving as he has a licence to consume alcohol in the UAE- but authorities say that does not mean he is allowed to drink-drive . Presiding judge Chief Justice Dr Khairi Al Kabbash told the man that having a licence for alcohol does not give him the right to drink-drive. The Appeal Court have adjourned the hearing until December 8. | Driver admitted he was guilty of drink driving in Abu Dhabi court yesterday .
Apologised but he also argued he has a licence which allows him to drink .
Said he should not be punished severely and sentence should be reduced .
But authorities say having a licence does not give him right to drink drive . |
98,392 | 0ab0a5c46929e787e15b8d32cae483d100666a0b | (CNN) -- High in the Peruvian Andes, where it's so dry and cold that very little vegetation grows, life depends on one animal: the alpaca. But in recent years, raising alpacas has become a greater challenge. Mountains that used to be covered with ice around the town of Licapa, elevation of 4,200 meters (about 13,780 feet) above sea level, are now barren. Salomon Parco, a 30-year-old Alpaca shepherd who lives in Licapa, says that no ice means no water; and no water means no grass to feed the animals. Parco also says the ice has all but disappeared in the last three decades. "The difference is that when I was a little boy, the mountaintops were white with snow and ice. But as you can see, they now look black. That's the difference," he says. Read more coverage of the Road to Durban . A stranger recently arrived in Licapa bringing hope. Eduardo Gold, an engineer and self-described inventor, is the founder of Peru Glaciers. The organization's goal is to bring the ice back to the mountains. "This community is closely tied to the glaciers," he says. "As soon as they disappear, their livelihood disappears for them as well." Along with Gold and his crew of five locals, photographer Jose Armijo and I travel to the top of the mountains. The lack of oxygen makes the hike challenging. At an elevation of 5,000 meters (about 16,400 feet), we see firsthand what's happening to the glaciers. This is where Gold and his crew are working on the project to bring the glaciers back. Gold's idea is very simple: If dark mountains absorb more heat from the sun, white mountains will have the opposite effect. The solution is to make them white. Under Gold's direction, the crew of five goes around the mountain, splashing a mixture that turns the rocks white. It's not paint, but a combination of water, sand and lime. Two percent of the mixture is soap, which makes it stick to the rocks and stay waterproof once it dries. An infrared thermometer shows a difference of 30 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius) in temperature between the dark rocks and the previously whitened ones. Gold acknowledges there is a lot of work to go before he can prove his theory works. "This is an experiment. It may or may not work. Or it may work a little. Doing something about it is better than nothing at all," he says. And it seems to be working. Gold shows us a crevice between the rocks where he finds some ice. The locals say there was no ice at all before. "We had very little water. The difference this year since we have whitened the mountain is that there's water. As you can see down there, there's a well with plenty of water, and down the hill we have even more," says Parco, the shepherd. Glaciers are crucial not only for this mountain region. They are also natural dams for all of Peru from which water flows to streams and rivers in downhill valleys. Glaciers also decrease the temperature. So far, the crew has covered an area of roughly 15,000 square meters (almost the size of three football fields), still too small to determine if Gold's idea will work in the long term. His goal is to cover 3 billion square meters, which would be much more than 500,000 football fields. For that, he would need about $1.5 billion spread over five years. He's received an award from the World Bank to work on the project, but only enough for a modest beginning. "If there's a chance of bringing change, why ignore it? Doing nothing would be worse. If we fail to act, life will end in this area," Gold says. In a way, life has already ended in the town of Licapa. Gold says that only about 900 people remain in a place that thousands used to call home. But Salomon Parco says he's confident the project will work in the long term. He's betting his children's future on it. | Mountains in Peruvian Andes that used to be covered with ice are now barren .
Mountain communities that depend on water from glaciers are threatened .
Engineer and self-described inventor wants to bring ice back to the mountains .
His solution: A mixture that turns mountain rocks white, lowers their temperature . |
285,859 | fe62d337ce8114de5745da165aa7b40f8cd4a04c | One of the University of Alberta's oldest underclassmen is a 60-year-old man who's come back to school to study the cancer that ended his wife's life. Powel Crosley's wife Sladjana died in 2009 at the age of 58 due to granulosa, a rare form of ovarian cancer. Only 5 per cent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed as granulosa. CBS News reports Crosely spent his career to now in information technology, and enrolled in cllege again in 2010. Powel Crosley, seen here with wife Sladjana, who died of a rare type of ovarian cancer in 2009, has returned to school at the age of 60 to study the disease that took her from him . 'The main thing I'm trying to do is come up with an effective treatment,' he said. Crosley especially hopes to find better drugs for patients than many now which are 'highly toxic' He's now doing course work in biochemistry and oncology and has secured a $60,000 grant to continue researching. A promising drug developed by the University of Illinois is among the compounds he's currently testing. The drug, Pac-1, has shown some results with lymphoma, which carries a mortality rate of 85 per cent. He's also hoping to find something easier for patients to process. 'Many of the drugs are highly toxic,' he told reporters. In Sladjana's case, the fatal problem came from internal bleeding cause by a medication. She was initially diagnosed in 1996. Despite undergoing six major surgeries and multiple clinical trials, the cancer metastasized to her liver and lungs. 'They . told us they caught it early, they told us there was no sign of the . disease, they told us it wouldn't come back,'he told CBS News. Much as her husband is doing now, she studied scientific literature about her cancer for 13 years and was the one who found literature pointing to Pac-1. Crosley has helped get a $60,000 grant to continue his research at the University of Alberta . She also founded the Granulosa Cell Tumor Research Foundation to help patients get information about their disease. Her husband has since taken over running the foundation. 'She . had tremendous drive and determination to look into things and achieve . things.' Crosely said. 'She was incredibly intelligent and just a very strong person. 'Her motto was: The answer lies in the lab. She was pretty persistent about things she . believed in. And so I'm just basically completing her mission.' | Powel Crosley's wife Sladjana died in 2009 at the age of 58 due to granulosa, a rare form of ovarian cancer .
Crosley has since enrolled in University of Alberta to study cancer and specifically to find a treatment for his wife's disease .
Has raised $60,000 to keep research going in school's labs . |
99,196 | 0bc71540cf3ecdf260446f5e9298dc69bb8fcb9b | Black Friday is two weeks away but die hard bargain shoppers have already begun waiting in line outside of Best Buy in California. Vicky Torres and Juanita Salas have been camping outside of the Best Buy in Beaumont, California since November 5 in order to be the first ones to snag Thanksgiving deals. Torres and Salas have set up camp with chairs, sleeping bags and pillows for the Thanksgiving sale beginning Thursday November 27 at 5 p.m. Scroll down for video . Die hard bargain shoppers: Shoppers . Vickey Torres (left) and Juanita Salas (right) of Beaumont have been camped out in front of a Best Buy since November 5 . Big sales: Two women are camping out in front of Best Buy so that they can be the first ones in line for the store's Thanksgiving sales starting at 5pm on Thanksgiving day . The weather is generally in the 70s during the day and in the 40s at night, perfect camping weather that isn't too hot or too cold, say the women. 'The employees like me,' Torres told the Star Tribune. 'Some say that’s dedication and others say that’s stupid,' she said of reaction from customers. Torres says she's been passing the time by, 'sitting here and watching people.' 'My daughter checks in on me all the time,' she added. The women have said they want to get a good deal on a television this year and don't mind waiting weeks for one. 'We could have started later, but then we wouldn't be sure to get first in line,' Torres told the Beaumont Patch. 'They only get a few items at the cheaper prices and it’s first come, first served.' Some have criticized stores like Best Buy for opening on Thanksgiving for fear that their employees will not be able to spend quality time with their families. Passing the time: The women pass the time by people watching and take turns going home to take showers . 'While we recognize the decision to open on Thanksgiving affects Best Buy employees, customers have made it clear that many of them want to begin shopping on Thanksgiving evening, ' Best Buy said in a statement. 'In recent years, millions of Americans have shopped on Thanksgiving, and our store associates are excited and prepared to help customers fulfill their holiday wish lists,' the statement continued . 'Most Thanksgiving evening shifts are filled by employees who volunteer to work.' In states like Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, stores in those states will not open until Black Friday due to their individual state laws forbidding stores to be open. Other stores open on Thanksgiving are Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Staples, Wal-Mart, Sears, J.C. Penney ,Toys ‘R’ Us, and Radio Shack. More and more bargain hunters will begin lining up outside stores in order to get the best deal but unlike Torres and Salas, they may not begin lining up for a few more weeks. Open of Thanksgiving: Best Buy is one of the stores opening there doors before Black Friday on Thanksgiving day at 5pm despite some complaints from the public calling the holiday work hours unfair for employees . | 'We could have started later, but then we wouldn't be sure to get first in line,' said Vicky Torres who's camping outside Best Buy with Juanita Salas .
While some have called the women crazy for camping out since November 5 they aren't moving until after shopping for things on sale .
Torres and Salas have set up camp with chairs, sleeping bags and pillows for the Thanksgiving sale beginning Thursday November 27 at 5 p.m. |
12,145 | 2276e0e5f9a2d722a2645359b2ece091550aa0cc | A 13-year-old girl who was declared brain dead after undergoing a routine operation to have her tonsils removed is to be taken off life support - against the wishes of her family. Jahi McMath suffered complications and went into cardiac arrest at Children's Hospital Oakland in Northern California following the procedure to cure her sleep apnea on December 9. Now the head of the pediatrics department has told the family that Jahi will be taken off life support because she has been declared dead under California law, KTVU reported. 'We didn't want her to be removed from life support but the decision is out of our hands because it's been declared a legal death,' Omari Sealey, McMath's uncle, said. Loss: Jahi McMath, 13, suffered cardiac arrest after having her tonsils out and has been declared brain dead. The hospital will now switch off her life support, even though her family does not want to . Under California law, to declare someone legally brain dead, two doctors must declare it at least three hours apart. Before the doctors gave their decision to the family, Jahi's heartbroken mother Nailah Winkfield said she had felt that the hospital was pressuring her into switching off her daughter's life support so that they could re-use the bed. 'They . just have a social worker follow me around all day long asking me "Do . you have any other family that needs to see her?" like trying to put a . rush on it,' Winkfield told ABC 7, breaking down. Chatman had added to the Oakland Tribune that . as long as her daughter's heart was beating, they wanted to keep her in the hospital, . even if it means spending Christmas in there. 'As long as she has a pulse, we want her on life support,' Sealey said. 'We want her to come home for Christmas. We want to give her presents. We want a chance for a Christmas miracle.' Apprehensive: Jahi was nervous about undergoing surgery but her mother assured her she'd be fine. As she was recovering, she was bleeding from the mouth and nose and suffered cardiac arrest . Beloved: Jahi's mother Nailah Winkfield has said that she believes God will 'spark her brain awake' The tragedy unfolded after Jahi went to the hospital for the routine surgery, even though she did not want to. Her uncle said she had told her mother 'something bad is going to happen to me'. The child's mother Nailah Winkfield and . grandmother Sandra Chatman say hospital staff failed to provide adequate . care and attention to the clearly ailing patient. She underwent the surgery but as she was recovering she started to bleed from her nose and mouth. 'My daughter had actual clots sliding out of her mouth and they gave me a cup and said, "Here, catch them with the cup so we can measure them,"' Winkfield told ABC 7. Chatman, herself a surgical nurse, said nursing staff did not react until she began screaming for help. 'I was the last one to see Jahi,' said . Chatman. 'I said, "Somebody help my baby please!" And they came in and . starting working on her. The next thing I know, the doctor said, "Oh no, . she doesn't have a heart rate anymore."' Investigation: Oakland Children's Hospital has said it will investigate what happened after the surgery . 'There was a lack of urgency,' Jahi McMath's uncle Omari Sealey said. 'It's shock, it's disbelief. You never think something like this will happen to you.' Jahi went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated. She spent the following day, Tuesday, on a ventilator, but by 2am on Wednesday doctors said she had swelling in her brain, and on Thursday, she was declared legally brain-dead, according to the Oakland Tribune. Spokesperson for Oakland Children's . Hospital said in a statement: 'We're very sad about this outcome, about . what's happened to her, but at this point I have no information on the . details of the surgery. 'We . will certainly investigate what happened. In any surgery there are . risks and there can be unexpected, unanticipated complications.' | Jahi McMath, 13, went to have her tonsils and adenoids out at Oakland Children's Hospital, California last week .
Afterwards she was bleeding from the nose and mouth, suffered cardiac arrest and was declared brain dead .
Hospital told her heartbroken family that they will switch off her life support as she has been declared legally dead .
Announcement comes after her family said they felt they were being rushed to make the decision . |
99,890 | 0cb5c205002f81c43619e3c75a9f1412ac56ab9e | When Rachel Kelly was born in 1977, her future husband Mike was already 33 years old. The couple both went through a marriage and had children with their previous spouses before finally falling in love seven years ago. The age gap and timing of their union rocked the religious community they were part of so strongly that they were forced to leave their local church, where Mike was volunteering as a pastor, and join a different congregation. But almost decade later and the Lancastrian couple are stronger than ever, with two children of their own, Aiden, four and Natasha, six. They also live with Rachel's two children from her first marriage, Kayleigh, ten, and Jessica, 12. Make and Rachel Kelly started dating when she was 30 and he was was 63. Seven years later they are married with two children. The first few years of their romance were not such plain sailing though. After meeting through the local church, Rachel and Mike remained just friends for several years while she was married to her first husband. But as her first relationship crumbled, Rachel turned to Mike for advice and assistance in leaving her partner. She said: 'My husband had gone out with the children, something had happened and I just thought to myself that I'd had enough. 'I rang Mike and asked if he could find me somewhere to stay. 'He picked me up, rang round his friends and found me somewhere. 'He took a week off work and helped out and just generally was was fantastic.' And before long, Mike's chivalrous behaviour meant Rachel started to see him as more than just a friend. She said: 'I wasn't looking for love and so was very surprised when I found I had feelings for Mike. 'But I had never been treated so well, so respected, for someone treat me so well without expecting anything back.' Mike, who had been single for fifteen years after splitting from his first wife, admits that he was already holding a torch for Rachel by this time and couldn't believe it when his feelings started to be reciprocated. He told This Morning: 'She was a friend in crisis, but there was also an attraction - I'd always fancied her a bit - for several years before we got together . 'I was of course I was surprised (when she liked me), because well, look at me. 'I always say I look like an oil painting, something like Picasso.' Rachel and Mike Kelly have a 33 year age gap, but they are happily married in a romance that has lasted seven years . The couple didn't have long to adjust to their new relationship - just six weeks after they started dating, Rachel fell pregnant. She said: 'My first husband and I had struggled to conceive with my eldest two children and with (Mike) being so old, we just decided to take a chance.' Seven years later, the couple are married with two children of their own, along with two children from Rachel's previous marriage and five children from Mike's earlier relationship. Mike has taken on the role of house husband, while Rachel is studying for a degree in nursing. He said: 'It's great, I'm a house husband and I do school runs, get up in the night with the kids, sort out meals and do most of all that side of things because I have more time. 'It's a bit like being a full-time dad, but also with the role you'd expect the wife to have.' Mike and Rachel first met int heir local church, where he was a volunteer pastor and she was the organist . And his elder children are equally comfortable with the age gap in his second marriage. When asked what his family first made of the match, he said: 'One of my lads asked if she has a friend!' The only negative of their budding romance was that Rachel and Mike were both forced to leave their local church after a backlash from fellow members of the congregation. Rachel said: 'Initially it was very difficult, but looking back I can understand why they did what they did. 'Because I was still legally married, they saw it as adultery, even though I had left my first husband before anything happened with Mike. 'But I can see why they did what they did. I don't hold any hard feelings.' Mike added: 'The problem was also that her ex-husband obviously needed some support and if had we stayed in that congregation, then he wouldn't have got the support that he needed, so we found another one.' Rachel fell for Mike because of his chivalrous behaviour . But now the dust has long settled and the couple are looking forward to sharing the rest of their lives together. And both Rachel and Mike believe that the age difference gives them just as good chance of survival as a couple who are the same age. Mike said: 'With marriages today, you see the ones who break up - they're often the same age. 'So it must be compatibility, not age and about whether you can keep the love going.' Mike and Rachel Kelly star in a documentary called Age Gap Love on Channel 5 at 9pm tonight. | Mike and Rachel Kelly met at their local church where Mike was a pastor .
They believe compatibility is more important than age for staying together .
The couple now have two children . |
231,608 | b7df4084697a58fa6fe89b5746b75840a5b4740e | (CNN) -- Real Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer Raul has confirmed he is heading to either Germany or England after bidding an emotional farewell to the Spanish club. The 33-year-old has decided to leave the Bernabeu after discussions during the close season with new coach Jose Mourinho and club president Florentino Perez. After making his debut for the club aged 17, Raul went on to amass 323 goals in 741 games for Real and he is also his country's leading scorer with 44 goals in 102 games for Spain. In a tearful speech Raul said his decision to leave was a "painful one, but I think it is also the correct one," and said his next destination will be a club in Germany or England. Speculation has been rife that Raul was on the verge of signing for German club Schalke, but the striker told a press conference his future is yet to be finalized. He said he would make a decision in the next few days: "I have had very deep discussions with Schalke but there are other teams that are also interested. My future lies in Germany or England." Raul won six Spanish league titles and three Champions League crowns during his stay at Madrid, and he told fans who gathered to mark his departure that he would support Real Madrid wherever he went. "This is a very tough and difficult day," he told reporters. "Football has been my life and Real Madrid my home. Together we have lived unique moments. "I have worn the shirt of the best team in the world for 15 years. I am now 33 and it was my last chance to experience playing football outside of Spain. It was a long, hard decision, but this isn't a goodbye, but rather a see you later. "I feel like a footballer still and I will keep on playing but I will always be loyal to Real Madrid. I have tried to give everything in my time here. "A new period starts today. I have been happy at Real Madrid and I will always be willing to help the club in whatever it needs." Tributes poured into Raul from his teammates, including Cristiano Ronaldo who told the club's official website: "Playing by Raul's side has been an honor. I always dreamed of doing so as a kid." New Real captain Iker Casillas added: "Raul is a symbol of Real Madrid. A great captain is defined by ups and downs, knowing how to always make the best of any situation. "Raul is an example of professionalism and he helped me grow as a player and person. The incredible histories of clubs are written by great footballers, and Raul is one of them." Real president Florentino Perez said: "We will never forget Raul. There are many men who form part of the legend of Real Madrid but few that are chosen to embody the club - Raul is one of those." Meanwhile, Raul's former Real Madrid teammate Guti has signed a two-year deal with Besiktas, the Turkish club have confirmed on their website. The 33-year-old joined the youth academy aged just nine and made his debut for Real in 1995. He went on to make 542 appearances, scoring 77 goals. Besiktas, based in the Turkish capital Istanbul, finished fourth in the league last season and play the first-leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie this Thursday. | Raul leaves Spanish giants Real Madrid after 18 years at the club .
The 33-year-old says he is heading for either Germany or England .
Raul joined Real Madrid in 1992 and is the club's leading scorer with 323 goals in 741 games .
He is also Spain's all-time leading scorer with 44 goals in 102 games . |
205,448 | 95f857f6f06c309da2ddd0bfa78da3bebc70a450 | By . Freya Noble . A Carlton Blues player has been kicked off the team for inappropriate conduct on social media. It was ruled that Josh Bootsma breached the AFL's code of conduct, by reportedly posting explicit images on photo-sharing app Snap Chat. The club was notified of the misconduct on Monday, apparently by the mother of a teenage girl who was believed to be exchanging images with the player. Bootsma's girlfriend Kyla Maree Addis is heavily pregnant, with the couple's baby due any day now, according to The Age. Scroll down for video . Carlton Blues player Josh Bootsma has been sacked from the club for sending explicit photos on SnapChat . It was announced on Tuesday that the Carlton player would not continue his contract with the club. This is not the first time Bootsma has been in breach of the code, and when Carlton football manager Andrew McKay addressed the media on Tuesday he said Bootsma had been known to arrive late to training and skip appointments. 'That was the final straw that broke the camels back for us to decide to terminate his contract,' Mr McKay said. While Josh Bootsma is in hot water after reportedly sending inappropriate images to a teenager, his girlfriend Kyla is due to give birth any day . When asked about the nature of the inappropriate content, Mr McKay said he didn't believe it was necessary to go into the details. 'The point is he's put something on social media that's highly inappropriate, and it really does not meet the standards of the football club.' The football manager also said that the club had tried to help Bootsma by offering him support and welfare but he had continued to let the side down. SnapChat allows users to send photos to each other which can only be viewed for a short amount of time . 'The Carlton Football Club has high expectations of its players and staff; we expect them to uphold certain standards,' he said. In a statement Carlton said the defender had been offered counseling and welfare but had not met the club's behaviour standards, according to the Herald Sun. Bootsma had a contract with the club until the end of 2015, and is currently coming to an agreement with Carlton in regards to it, with The Age reporting that he will not be paid out. He hasn't taken to the field for the club this year, and his last game was played in round 21 of 2013. | Carlton Player Josh Bootsma kicked out of the team .
Inappropriate social media conduct on social app SnapChat 'final straw'
Understood that mother of a teenager who was receiving explicit images reported Bootsma .
Bootsma's girlfriend is due to give birth in coming days . |
16,325 | 2e4a8574c8d4bf9ebc1aa526fd4f29831408e84a | Barack Obama is set to call for a new push to reduce the world's nuclear arsenal today when he delivers a highly anticipated speech in Berlin. The U.S. President will direct his argument both at Russia's Vladimir Putin and at Congress, making the case for a reduction of one third in the nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and Russia. His speech at the iconic Brandenburg Gate will have a lot to live up to, drawing comparisons with John F. Kennedy's 'Ich bin ein Berliner' address, which took place almost exactly 50 years ago. Scroll down for videos . Meeting: Barack Obama with German chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of a landmark speech in Berlin . Allies: The two leaders kiss as they meet outside the city's chancellery today . Crowds: Mr Obama greeting children gathered at the Schloss Bellevue in Berlin today . Mr Obama is also seeking to live up to a speech he himself made in 2008 while running for election, which drew 200,000 supporters and cemented his reputation as a global 'rock star' politician. The President is expected to attract a much less rapturous reception at his speech today, scheduled for 3pm local time (9am EDT). He will look to make an impact with another call for nuclear disarmament, following a number of past speeches arguing for a reduction in the world's stockpile. The issue was at the centre of his foreign policy when he first came to office, but has since fallen down the agenda in the wake of turmoil in the Middle East and the continuing global economic crisis. Red carpet: Mr Obama arrived for talks with Ms Merkel about issues such as Syria and nuclear weapons . Short visit: Mr Obama planned to spend just 24 hours in Berlin in the aftermath of the G8 summit . Head to head: Ms Merkel and Mr Obama at a bilateral meeting surrounded by aides . Photobomb: Ms Merkel turns around as a photographer captures a picture of Mr Obama flanked by National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Philip Murphy, the U.S. ambassador to Germany . Mr Obama discussed non-proliferation . with Mr Putin on Monday when they met on the sidelines of the G8 summit . in Northern Ireland. During his first term, the U.S. and . Russia agreed to limit their nuclear stockpiles to 1,550 each as part of . the 'New START' treaty, but he hopes to cut that figure by another . third. 'The U.S. intent . is to seek negotiated cuts with Russia so that we can continue to move . beyond Cold War nuclear postures,' a U.S. official said ahead of the . President's speech. Speech: Barack Obama, pictured with German president Joachim Gauck, will today call for nuclear disarmament . Talks: Mr Obama is meeting Mr Gauck and chancellor Angela Merkel during his first presidential visit to Germany . Guard of honour: The two presidents walk past a line of sailors outside the Schloss Bellevue . It is unclear whether Mr Obama is planning to negotiate a new treaty or merely to sign a non-binding agreement, which would not need ratification by Congress. His calls for co-operation with Moscow come at a time of high tension between the U.S. and Russia, which have clashed over Syria's civil war and American missile defence plans in Europe. Mr Obama will also press Congress to pass ban on nuclear tests, an initiative which has been in the works for years but has stalled recently. It is believed that other than the U.S. and Russia, France has about 300 nuclear warheads, China 240, Britain 225, and Israel, India and Pakistan roughly 100 each. Landing: Mr Obama disembarks from Air Force one at Tegel Airport with his wife Michelle and their daughters . Welcome: The couple were greeted by a guard of honour and a bouquet of flowers for Mr Obama . Other than his landmark speech, the President planned to spend Wednesday in talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel and other top politicians including president Joachim Gauck. He touched down with his family in the German capital on Tuesday night, waving to the crowds gathered at Tegel Airport. His wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha visited the city's holocaust memorial on Wednesday, accompanied by the President's half-sister Auma, who lives in Germany. Five years ago, when he was still seeking election as President, Mr Obama received a rapturous reception on a brief tour of Europe where he was greeted as a leader who could give the world a fresh start after the controversial presidency of George W. Bush. 'The Beast': Mr Obama being transported by an armoured limousine which has captured the fascination of the German media . Security: Police guard the entrance to the area near the Brandenburg Gate where Mr Obama is speaking . Now he is a much more divisive figure - . although his re-election last year was welcomed by most Europeans, . recent revelations about his administration's spying on internet . communications have tarnished his record in the eyes of many. Mr Obama's speech tomorrow will inevitably be compared with JFK's, which took place on June 26, 1963 at the Rathaus Schöneberg, a few miles away from the Berlin Wall which had been under construction over the previous two years. Kennedy's speech, considered one of his best, held up West Germany as a symbol of freedom on the front line of the battle against communism. It featured the famous line: 'All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, "Ich bin ein Berliner!"' Parallels: John F. Kennedy delivered an iconic speech in Berlin on 26 June, 1963 - almost exactly 50 years ago . | President will direct demands at Vladimir Putin and the U.S. Congress .
Efforts to cut down on nuclear weapons have stalled over past few years .
Speech at Brandenburg Gate 50 years on from 'Ich bin ein Berliner' |
136,910 | 3d19c2aa8d9da1fd35bc4deefae01bd6fe2aa123 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 08:22 EST, 23 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:50 EST, 24 February 2013 . This is the 'mummy's boy' deemed too fat to be a suicide bomber who wanted to kill thousands of people in a UK terror attack worse than 7/7. 'Big' Irfan Naseer, 31, is facing life imprisonment after being convicted of planning the biggest terrorist atrocity the UK has faced in generations. The 23-stone chemist, who plotted to plant eight rucksack nail bombs in crowded places around the country and was the ringleader of a gang who wanted to turn Britain into 'a war zone'. Scroll down for video . Mummy's boy: Pictured when he was younger, Irfan Naseer was branded a class joker - but years later plotted evil attacks on the UK . But behind his fanaticism, his own mother called him a 'mummy's boy' and his school friends branded him a 'joker' and 'idiot' as he tried to entertain them in the playground by rapping. Nicknamed 'Chubbs' at school, one ex-classmate,told The Daily Mirror: 'He used to write his own rap music and perform it to us. It had us in stitches. He was the class idiot.' Another former friend told the Daily Mirror: 'In about 2008 or 2009 he cut all ties with his old school friends. Irfan Naseer, nicknamed 'Chubbs' began plotting bombing attacks across the UK . 'Never in a million years did we think he could be responsible for such an evil plan.' He was one of the 'four lions' gang and it was bulky frame that helped him to work on his bomb-making skills while at training camps in Pakistan. He was too overweight to go on physical training exercises, and admitted he was mixing chemicals rather than 'running up and down the mountains with weapons'. Naseer gained an A at A Level chemistry, and honed his skills during a four year pharmaceuticals course at Aston University in Birmingham, coming out with a 2:2 degree in 2003. He barely worked afterwards and spent his time showing his fellow terrorists how to make a bomb out of sports injury treatments. His fascination for science first began during experiments at school while studying for GCSE chemistry classes, when the teacher showed him how to distil chemicals with a Bunsen burner. 'When I was doing my GCSEs, one of the teachers did an experiment where he had a Bunsen burner and he threw a chemical on to the fire', he told the court. 'It caused a massive flame which blackened the roof, and that kind of got me into it.' After a raid on the group's headquarters in Birmingham, Naseer had chemistry textbooks left over from his university days on his book shelves in his bedroom, mixed in with a Jihadi flag and terrorist handbooks. Ashik Ali and Irfan Khalid were found guilty of planning a string of bombings that prosecutors said could have been deadlier than the July 7 attacks in London . He had also searched repeatedly online for bomb making tips and details of how to concoct homemade explosives. Among his Internet search history was a website containing the Anarchist's Cookbook. Big Irfan admitted in court he had spent eight-and-a-half years memorising the Koran, from the age of 19. He wanted to treat himself to a quad bike in the run up to his martyrdom and was overheard telling his fellow plotters: 'It's good fun, yeah, but I wouldn't do it on the road - that's not befitting, bro. Irfan Khalid and Irfan Naseer (right) were 'central figures' in a terrorist bomb plot they planned to inflict across the UK . The trio funded the plot by pretending to be Muslim Aid charity street collectors . It was Naseer's bulky frame that helped him to work on his bomb-making skills while at training camps in Pakistan . Charity funded terror: The men posed as fundraisers for a Muslim charity (left) then used the cash to pay for bomb devices such as this alarm clock (right) 'A guy with a beard and that sitting on top of that doesn't look good.' Irfan Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, all from Birmingham, were convicted on Thursday of plotting the 'spectacular campaign' designed to claim as many lives as the 2005 London Underground bombs that killed 52 innocent people . The trio, who met at school and called themselves the Four Lions after the black comedy film by Chris Morris, even funded the plot by pretending to be Muslim Aid charity street collectors. Police received no intelligence from the Muslim community in Birmingham about the terror cell, even after relatives of four of the gang discovered they had travelled to Pakistan. The only time police were contacted about any of them was over an allegation of aggressive fundraising, concerning their charity street collections. The lack of information raises questions over Prevent, the Home Office’s strategy to combat violent extremism, which has police community engagement at its core. Detective Inspector Adam Gough, senior investigating officer in the West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit, said the extended families of Ishaaq Hussain, Shahid Khan, Khobaib Hussain and Naweed Ali ‘became aware’ the men had gone to a terror training camp when Khan called home. Although the families immediately pressured them into returning, none contacted police. Police and security services were aware the four were travelling, and they had been recorded talking about getting their families into paradise through their martyrdom. But officers decided against stopping them at that time to preserve the surveillance operation. According to detectives, none of the men received any terror training as they left the camps after a day. Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale said that while the ‘ideal’ scenario would have been for the relatives to inform police of what had happened, the families had ‘tried to do their best to bring them back and stop them from getting into harm’. | Irfan Naseer's own mother called him a 'mummy's boy'
He and Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, wanted 'to rival 9/11' |
116,466 | 2256908adccd12c62e85f374100efe4b6c3fa4c0 | Police in Australia today warned . drivers with iPhones not to navigate with Apple Maps after users looking . for one city found themselves in barren outback more than 40 miles away. Motorists . following the much-criticised mapping service to the city of Mildura in . the country's south-east ended up in the middle of the nearby . Murray-Sunset National Park. With . no nearby water supplies and temperatures in the park reaching as high . as 46C, police warned the mapping error had the potential to be . 'life-threatening'. Remote: The Murray-Sunset National Park where . drivers using Apple Maps to navigate their way to the Australian city of . Mildura ended up. Temperatures here . can reach 46C and there are no nearby water supplies . Emu footprints in one of the park's pink salt lakes: Some motorists were stranded for up to 24 hours, police said, and were forced to walk long distances before they were able to call for help . Some . lost motorists were stranded for up to 24 hours because of the glitch . and were forced to walk long distances to find phone reception. Apple's . problematic map app was launched in September as a rival to Google . Maps, which had been built in to the company's mobile devices as . standard since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. At it's launch, the service was described by Apple at the time . as 'the most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever'. But within . hours CEO Tim Cook had issued an apology and Apple was recommending . customers use alternatives. Langtree Avenue, Mildura: Mildura is a city of 30,000 in north-west Victoria. A major agricultural centre, it is noted for its grape production, supplying 80 per cent of Victoria's grapes . It has been noted that the worst errors in Apple's mapping service were found in areas outside the U.S. Off the beaten track: Police said they were . 'extremely concerned' by the error, which could direct drivers to outback 40 miles from Mildura . However, this is apparently the first time any public agency has warned that use of the service could be lethal. In a release, Sergeant Sharon Darcy of . the Victoria police said: 'Local Police have been called to assist . distressed motorists who have become stranded within the Murray-Sunset . National Park after following directions on their Apple iPhone. 'Tests . on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists . Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately . 70km away from the actual location of Mildura. 'Police . are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and . temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees, making this a potentially . life threatening issue. 'Some . of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 . hours without food or water and have walked long distances through . dangerous terrain to get phone reception.' Apple launched the maps service in September after dumping Google's maps in the latest version of its iPhone and iPad software. Instead, it decided to create its own, . using partners such as TomTom for data, while also using helicopters and . planes to create 3D maps of major cities. Wrong turn: This satellite map shows the relative locations of the Murray Sunset National Park and the city of Mildura in south-east Australia . A difficult road ahead: Apple's maps were . slammed for their poor location information and distorted images, . forcing the company into issuing an apology . However, when the app was released, users discovered thousands of flaws. This led to outrage among users who flooded Twitter and Facebook with examples of Apple's flawed maps. Errors noticed by users and tech reviewers included major towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon appearing to be missing, searches for Manchester United Football Club bringing up Sale United - a football club for the over-fives, and large parts of the world obscured by cloud in satellite views. Apple chief executive has since Tim Cook admitted the company ‘screwed up’ with the new maps service. | Users searching for the city of Mildura found themselves directed to the middle of the Murray-Sunset National Park .
They ended up in an area with no nearby water supplies and no mobile network where temperatures can reach 46C .
Some motorists were stranded for up to 24 hours and were forced to walk long distances before they were able to call for help . |
5,321 | 0f0d24e393410365f5c16b102e5b3500ef51c795 | The Government will 'build and sell' family homes in a desperate bid to end Britain's housing crisis, ministers revealed today. Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said 300,000 new homes a year were needed but building firms were failing to meet the demand. He said this had forced ministers to 'think radically' and consider using taxpayers' money to kick start a new housing boom. Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said 300,000 new homes a year were needed but not being built . Mr Alexander said: 'The message to the housebuilding sector would be simple: if you don't build them, we will.' The proposal - unveiled today ahead of George Osborne's crunch Autumn Statement tomorrow - will be trialled at a former RAF base in Cambridgeshire and could lead to homes being built twice as fast as the more conventional route. Launching the National Infrastructure Plan, which also includes details of £15 billion of road projects, £2.3 billion of flood defences and a range of energy programmes, Mr Alexander said the Government had to act to address the housing shortage. He said £100 million was being made available for the new garden city at Ebbsfleet, ministers will back the development of a 13,000-home new town at Bicester, in Oxfordshire, and the extension of the London Overground to Barking Riverside will help unlock the construction of up to 11,000 properties. The affordable homes programme will also be extended for a further two years, Mr Alexander said. But in order to meet the demand for 300,000 new homes a year 'requires us to think radically'. 'An idea that I have been promoting is direct government commissioning of housing. Government - national or local - would take responsibility for ensuring the number of homes we need each year. 'The message to the housebuilding sector would be simple: if you don't build them, we will.' Lord Deighton (left) and the Treasury chief Danny Alexander (right) hailed the publication of today's National Infrastructure Plan . There will be a detailed review to examine the potential of direct government commissioning and the Homes and Communities Agency will lead on delivering up to 10,000 new properties at the former RAF base at Northstowe in Cambridgeshire to trial the model. 'Now it's just a disused RAF base but soon it will be a development of up to 10,000 homes thanks to the pioneering action this Government has taken in trialling the new delivery model,' Mr Alexander said. 'This is the first time in a generation that the Government has owned land, led the development on it at this scale and considered commissioning homes directly.' The model would allow homes to be built quicker and give the state the ability to 'ensure developers build the most appropriate type of houses and the right associated infrastructure'. Mr Alexander said: 'We are examining in more detail the idea of direct commissioning as a solution for the whole country and piloting it on this enormously important site.' Asked whether the need to build more homes would require the development of greenfield sites, Mr Alexander said he did not 'necessarily accept' that would be the case. 'That's something that would need to be worked through in delivering this,' he said. He said redeveloping public sector land, such as Northstowe, could help meet the demand: 'We have released sites in this parliament for about 100,000 homes, we think. We want to see a much more ambitious approach in the next parliament. 'I think that is something that can really help to meet this agenda.' Meanwhile Treasury Commercial Secretary Lord Deighton said the compulsory purchase scheme could be changed, making it easier for people's homes to be bought to clear the way for major infrastructure projects. He said: 'We will be publishing a consultation paper at the next Budget to streamline and update the compulsory purchase regime to make it clearer, faster and fairer.' | Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander says 300,000 homes a year needed .
Lib Dem Cabinet minister said building firms failing to meet the demand .
This had led ministers to 'think radically' to kick start a new housing boom .
New garden cities in Kent and Oxfordshire also given the go-ahead .
Housing boom unveiled in National Infrastructure Plan unveiled today .
Comes ahead of George Osborne's crunch Autumn Statement tomorrow . |
180,144 | 75407e1ce256eb8ebebfc1b855e3efb13bc225fc | (CNN) -- Nike co-founder Phil Knight stunned backers of the Oregon Health & Science University's cancer institute by announcing he and his wife would put up half of a billion-dollar push for cancer research. The $500 million gift from Phil and Penny Knight is contingent on the Portland university's ability to raise $500 million from other donors over the next two years. Knight made the announcement at a Friday night gala for 400 top supporters of the university's Knight Cancer Institute, which the couple previously had backed with $100 million in 2008, said Dr. Joseph Robertson, president of the university. "This was probably the biggest surprise of my professional life," Robertson said. He said university leaders were already at work Saturday planning a national fund-raising campaign to match the Knights' gift. He said the Knights support the university's advances in targeted cancer treatments -- shutting down cells that enable cancer without harming healthy cells. "This great step forward will result in new treatments and earlier detection," Robertson said. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report. | Phil Knight's announcement stuns backers of Oregon health university .
Phil and Penny Knight promise $500 million if others put up same amount in two years .
Couple made earlier gift of $100 million .
University president: Gift will bring new treatments, earlier detection of cancer . |
254,493 | d56b9459947e2d5cf7dd7ed3f0bf52974784a490 | Safe standing could return to the Premier League after the Liberal Democrats revealed they will include the pledge in their 2015 General Election manifesto. The party advocate the introduction of rail seats, which are popular in the German Bundesliga, rather than a return to terracing. All-seater stadiums have been compulsory in the Premier League and the Championship since the start of the 1994-95 season, at the recommendation of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans in 1989. Safety first: Rail seating will be part of the Liberal Democrats' General Election manifesto next year . 'Safe standing is allowed in many other sports and we do not believe that the top level of football should be an exception,' Liberal Democrat spokesperson John Leech MP told the BBC. 'We are not calling for a return of the terraces of the 1980s. Modern safe standing areas using rail seating operate very successfully in top-tier football across Europe.' Rail seats can be locked in an upright position to form a barrier for fans to lean against. They can then be unlocked if seating is required. Several Premier League clubs have declared their support for a return to standing, including Manchester United. Stand and deliver: Borussia Dortmund are among a number of German clubs who utilise rail seating . Sportsmail revealed in February that the Old Trafford club were behind the move. Aston Villa, Hull and Swansea have also been vocal about the issue, as has the Football Supporters' Federation. A spokesman told the BBC: 'Football can't bury its head in the sand. Tens of thousands already stand at games.' But the Premier League remains opposed to the idea. They said: 'It remains the Premier League's position that stadiums should be all-seat, in line with government policy, and we will not be encouraging the government to change the law.' | Liberal Democrats will include safe standing pledge in manifesto .
The party favours rail seating which is popular in Germany .
Several Premier League clubs are behind the move, including Man United . |
238,216 | c04f40fbd2215a4c6313c9cb7a74aa96ee4a0d8c | Texas Representative Steve Stockman introduced legislation today that would allow taxpayers to give the Internal Revenue Service the 'same 'lame' excuses for not for handing over documents as the IRS is giving Congress. If the IRS is allowed to claim that 'convenient, unexplained, miscellaneous . computer malfunction is sufficient justification not to produce . specific, critical documentation,' Stockman's bill says, taxpayers should be able to, as well. 'Taxpayers shouldn’t be expected to follow laws the Obama administration refuses to follow themselves,' Stockman, a Republican, said in a statement announcing The Dog Ate My Tax Receipts Act. 'Taxpayers should be allowed to offer the same flimsy, obviously made-up excuses the Obama administration uses.' Texas Rep. Steve Stockman, right, introduced tongue-in-cheek legislation today called The Dog Ate My Tax Receipts Act. Stockman is pictured here chatting with Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio before a House Foreign Affairs Committee in April . The Congressman's tongue-in-cheek legislation is meant to tweak the IRS for claiming that it's unable to provide 28 months worth of emails from former Exempt Organizations Division Director Lois Lerner because her computer crashed in 2011. Lerner left the IRS last year after she was implicated in a tea party targeting scheme in which the IRS inappropriately scrutinized right-leaning organizations applying for non-profit statuses while approving progressive groups' applications with little additional questioning. At a May 2013 House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing Lerner testified that she had not broken any laws or regulations before invoking her Fifth Amendment right not to implicate herself in a crime. Since then, Congress has been trying to get its hands on her emails, dating back to January 2009, so it could see if the IRS acted alone in the targeting or it was in cahoots with the White House. IRS commissioner John Koskinen informed the House Ways and Means committee on Friday that getting the bulk of Lerner's emails for the first half of the time period in question would be more difficult than he'd originally led the committee to believe because of the computer crash. During the crash her hard drive was damaged, Koskinen told Congress, and attempts to retrieve her data afterward were unsuccessful. Koskinen told the Ways and Means commitee today that Lerner herself went to 'extraordinary' lengths to have technology experts at the IRS rebuild her hard drive so that she could access her old emails but they were 'unrecoverable.' In keeping with its usual policy, the IRS recycled Lerner's hard drive in 2011, Koskinen said, so he cannot comply with an Oversight subpoena to turn the computer part over. The computers of six other officials affiliated with the scandal also crashed, he told Congress on Monday, and the IRS is still working to recover their data. 'At this time it is too early to know whether any of the emails have been lost on any of those hard drives,' he testified today. Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen told the House Ways and Means Committee on today that the IRS can't produce emails from seven officials connected to the tea party investigation because of computer crashes, including the emails from Lois Lerner . In response to Koskinen's shocking testimony this morning, Stockman, a Republican who is not running for re-election to his House seat and only has a few months left in his congressional term, filed The Dog Ate My Tax Receipts Act this afternoon. In his bill Stockman says that 'fairness and Due Process demand that the American taxpayer be granted no less latitude than we afford the bureaucrats employed presently at the IRS.' Unless the IRS produces the documents that were subpenaed, 'taxpayers shall be given the benefit of the doubt when not producing critical documentation' if their excuse is one of the following:1. The dog ate my tax receipts2. Convenient, unexplained, miscellaneous computer malfunction3. Traded documents for five terrorists4. Burned for warmth while lost in the Yukon5. Left on table in Hillary’s Book Room6. Received water damage in the trunk of Ted Kennedy’s car7. Forgot in gun case sold to Mexican drug lords8. Forced to recycle by municipal Green Czar9. Was short on toilet paper while camping10. At this point, what difference does it make?'In any case, IRS can see the NSA for a good, high quality copy,' Stockman snarkily stated at the end of the bill. | Texas Rep. Steve Stockman introduced tongue-in-cheek legislation today that would allow taxpayers 'to offer the same flimsy, obviously made-up excuses the Obama administration uses'
The outgoing Republican Congressman's bill is called The Dog Ate My Tax Receipts Act .
Of the excuses taxpayers would be able to use for not turning over documentation are: Convenient, unexplained, miscellaneous computer malfunction; Traded documents for five terrorists and forgot in gun case sold to Mexican drug lords .
The bill is meant to tweak the IRS for claiming that it can't immediately provide Congress with emails for agency officials associated with the tea party targeting scandal because of a handful of computer crashes . |
177,732 | 7215f31bdb6242ea5af59df3db8b3106361cdc36 | (CNN)Climbing a height equivalent to Mount Everest just once would be a shuddering thought for most people, but can you imagine trying to scale 8,848 meters more than 20 times in six months ... on skis? That's the distance Mireia Miro estimates she covers every season in a bid to stay fit for the lung-busting sport of ski mountaineering. "In a normal winter, when we start skiing in November and we finish in April, sometimes May, I can do around 200,000 meters of elevation gain," Miro told CNN's Human to Hero series. The dedication to fitness has helped the Spanish dynamo reach the summit of her sport winning a clutch of titles in recent years. But not even trophies can match the winning feeling of being at one with nature. "I love being in the mountains -- it makes me feel part of the world, part of the Earth," she says. "I don't know how to explain it ... it's a little bit difficult ... but when I'm in the mountains, especially ski mountaineering, in winter alone, I have a peaceful feeling and I feel part of the things that surround me," she adds. "When I go up, I'm able to think of nothing -- it's as if your head is empty. For me, it's kind of a way to disconnect from the world." Today, under a canvas of blue sky that could have been painted by her namesake Joan Miro, the Catalan skier is quietly blazing a trail through the snowy terrain, negotiating the gentler slopes of the Pyrenees before effortlessly switching up a gear to tackle steeper climbs. "What I like in the mountains in winter is that you can choose your own trail. When I'm on the skis, I can always choose where I want to go." she explains. Combining elements of cross-country and alpine skiing, ski mountaineering, or "skimo" for short, can be done for recreation or competitively with skiers racing against the clock over a set pre-set course. "Senior women normally do 1,500 meters -- that's quite a lot, but we do three or four uphills and three or four downhills. The first women normally do that in one hour 30 minutes, one hour 40 minutes maximum -- (you are) always pushing yourself." There are dangers, notably avalanches when venturing off piste, but Miro has avoided them so far. "I'm lucky, I can say that I haven't had any really scary situations," she says. With around 25 races to complete every season, Miro has to constantly be in peak physical shape which means putting in the hard yards almost every day. The staggering uphill climbs she completes during a season -- more than 120 miles worth -- are as much a mental battle as a physical one, she says. "I think that the mind is the motor of the body. If your mind is ready, is open to new things, you will enjoy it. If your mind is closed and you don't want to improve, you won't enjoy it." With that philosophy, it is perhaps no wonder that the 26-year-old has been so successful winning dozens of races in recent years -- the high point coming in 2011 when she skied to both the World Championship and World Cup titles. Miro is also one of only a handful of women to have won the legendary Pierra Menta twice. The annual ski mountaineering race in the French Alps sees teams of two compete over four days on a monster of a course with elevations totaling 10,000 meters. "I was dreaming of (winning the) World Championships (and) I was dreaming of Pierra Menta, but I didn't expect to win them because I thought I would never have the level to do it. So when I won both, for me it was like, wow, this is one of the best moments of my life!" Unlike many skiing stars, Miro wasn't clipped into her bindings from an early age. In fact, she grew up in Barcelona on Spain's north-eastern coast more interested in swimming and martial arts. But annual summer holidays to the Pyrenees soon fostered a lasting affection for alpine activities. "My family took me to the mountains. We went for picnics, we went to see the lakes, we went to see animals, to see flowers but then when I was 12, I realized I wanted more. I wanted to learn more about mountains," she says. Her initial ski mountaineering outing was almost her last though. "The first time I went other people were telling me 'you will love it! You will enjoy the descents, it's very beautiful'. But I was so tired when I arrived at the summit that I couldn't get down. I just did one turn and fell on the ground! So it was like: 'I don't like this sport. It's too tiring!" A skiing career looked to have been stopped in its tracks before it had even started, but when she signed up for tests at a training center -- Catalonia's Ski Mountaineering Technical Center -- at the age of 17, it changed her mind and the course of her life forever. "I decided to go and just try and they picked me! That was the moment I started training and competing," she said. Miro was in good company at the center, counting superstar sky runner Kilian Jornet as one of her peers. Skyrunning is a sport that Miro also likes to compete in during the summer months, primarily as a way to keep fit for winter ski racing, although a troublesome knee hampered her progress in both activities last year. But the injury didn't completely ground her. "Last year, I started BASE jumping. It's very different from ski mountaineering or skyrunning but I love it ... It also makes me feel part of things that are around me and part of nature," she says. "With BASE jumping you realize that you are nothing and you have to take chances and you have to live your life every day and give all your energy to live it in the best way possible." Miro has recently made a return to the slopes and is currently competing at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships in Verbier, Switzerland. After feeling the thrill of jumping off tall buildings last summer, heading back to the slopes could have felt like a bit of a comedown. But the Catalan native is adamant that scaling snowy peaks will always rock her world. "I love ski mountaineering because it gives me the feeling of freedom. Ski mountaineering is part of me, I think that I need it." | Spanish ski mountaineer Mireia Miro won the world championship in 2011 .
Miro covers around 200,000 meters of elevation every skiing season .
The 26-year-old cultivated love of mountains during summer holidays in Pyrenees .
Miro also competes in skyrunning and recently took up BASE Jumping . |
63,569 | b481b8a470e62e3df727ac754448e66c66e5d16a | It does not take Kevin Pietersen long to get the heavy roller out in his latest book, which is not so much an autobiography but his version of the often troubled episodes that marked his final years in international cricket. You get the idea very early on, in the first few pages, as he recounts the meeting with Alastair Cook, Paul Downton and James Whitaker when he is informed that his England career is effectively over. "The three wise men have decided that the disastrous Ashes tour was all my fault," he declares. It cannot, of course, be true that they believed it was all down to one man, and over the next three hundred pages we are invited to make our own minds up about whether he was treated fairly or not. Kevin Pietersen poses for pictures outside the BBC studios in Salford before appearing on breakfast TV . By the very end of KP: My Autobiography, he admits ‘there should have been more cricket in these pages’, and he would probably have helped his own cause if that were to be the case. The theme of persecution runs through it like letters through a stick of Blackpool rock, as does the often very personal criticism of coach Andy Flower. There is too much of both, but it also leaves you to conclude that Pietersen has been sinned against as well as sinning. The overall effect is to bestow a sense of melancholy as much as anything, for with a little more understanding of the human condition on both sides the most exciting England batsman of his generation might not be lost to the team, as he surely is now. There is something faintly tragic when he almost pleads in the final chapter "I hope it might not truly be over" with reference to England. There is admirable self-awareness, and the tacit admission that being a Twenty20 freelance can never replace being a fully-fledged international, when he says in the preceding paragraph: "Any player who has been to the top mourns the excitement when it ends." Pietersen is heavily critical of former England head coach Andy Flower (right) throughout the book . That helps make this book is a fascinating read, expertly and colourfully ghosted by journalist David Walsh, and it will have an appeal well beyond the boundaries of the cricket constituency. When the smoke clears from all the vitriol and insults, there is much to glean for any follower of any sport. For instance the truism that success often only hides divisions in a dressing room, and that it is not necessarily the product of harmony behind the scenes. This effect is always exaggerated in cricket, which shoehorns players together for longer periods than any other pursuit. You are also reminded that even glamorous and gifted superstars of sport are as needy and insecure as anyone else, often more so. They are traits which abound in Pietersen, although he is a complex man of many parts. I got to know him relatively well in the early part of his England career as we used to collaborate on a column for Sportsmail together. Many of the things I recognised at the start of his journey are still recognisable throughout this book: he is someone of immense drive and ambition, likeable in many ways, intelligent and good company, polite and with some strong values. He could also, sometimes unwittingly, be quite rude and selfish. Pietersen takes in the applause after his famous century in the 2005 Ashes Test at the Oval . You can understand him being upset by the attitude of what he terms the bowling clique of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, who it is quite possible to imagine being a fairly malevolent force as a collective, if not as individuals. The business of the spoof Twitter account directed at him clearly wounds him more deeply than anyone would imagine, and exposes his more vulnerable side. He also had to cope with what seems the general mistrust in our country, not just in cricket, of maverick exceptional talents. He could, unquestionably, have been handled better by the ECB and Andy Flower in particular. Yet his brutal analysis of Flower – you may have read by now his description that 95 per cent of the time the coach was ‘f***ing horrendous’ – simply does not stand up to scrutiny. Flower’s methods could not have been so crude as clearly they worked for most of the time with outstanding results, and any fair-minded observer could hardly quarrel with what he and Andrew Strauss achieved. Pietersen’s treatment of the coach, with whom the whole IPL question was evidently a constant bone of contention, is unnecessarily vicious. Some of the ridicule heaped on Matt Prior is plain amusing, some of it surely unwarranted. His condescension towards Alastair Cook as a captain, who he almost describes as some sort of Sergeant Wilson figure from Dad’s Army, is a case of damning with the faintest praise, but may ring more true. Flower and Pietersen regularly clashed over the batsman's desire to play in the IPL . It is hard to disagree with Swann’s assessment on Monday that he has soft-pedalled on some figures in order not to jeopardise the possibility of a return one day. One example of how Pietersen has managed to alienate people through his career is a particularly gratuitous swipe at the undeserving Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor, who he does not especially rate on account of his height. He refers to Taylor’s father being a jockey, and suggests the son might be more suited for that profession. But ultimately you cannot argue that Pietersen deserves his say, he has clearly been misunderstood to a degree and, to his credit, he does acknowledge that he has made plenty of mistakes. He is not as bad as some would portray him, but not as pure as he would portray himself. That is like so many autobiographies, but it would be wrong to paint this as any off-the-peg account of a sporting career. It is much better than that, and an essential read. | Kevin Pietersen's book, 'KP: My Autobiography' was released on Monday .
Pietersen gives his version of the events that led to his England exile .
Sportsmail's Mike Dickson - who collaborated with Pietersen to write a column in his early years - reviews the book in its entirety . |
210,296 | 9c5f616840f56a0b51e6cf05c8976056c52c20b1 | (CNN) -- Along with math, science and social studies, gun safety could soon be part of the first-grade curriculum in some Missouri public schools. A new measure that advocates for such classes for first-graders was signed into law last week. But the idea has prompted worry from some parents and experts about the role and effectiveness of gun safety programs in a classroom setting. "I don't have a gun. My family doesn't have a gun. There is no reason for them to be teaching about gun safety when there are children with parents like me," Aimee Patton, a Kansas City blogger and mom to a 6-year-old girl, told CNN in a phone interview. Though her child attends school in Kansas, Patton has been openly critical of the bill in her blog, Pleasantly Eccentric, since the legislation was introduced one day before the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last December. Twenty children -- all of them first-graders -- and six adults were killed at the Newtown, Connecticut, school by a lone gunman. The measure signed Friday by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is part of the larger public safety bill HCS/SB 75. It encourages schools to teach gun safety to first-graders through courses such as the National Rifle Association's "Eddie Eagle" Gunsafe Program. "The purpose of the program will be to promote safety and protection of children and emphasize how students should respond if they encounter a firearm," says the bill, which was sponsored by state Sen. Dan Brown, a lifetime member of the NRA. 5 things to know about guns . The legislation prohibits school personnel and instructors from making judgments about guns or from using firearms to teach the program. Brown told CNN in an interview that Sandy Hook didn't spur any changes in the law, which he said had been percolating for years. "It became more relevant after Sandy Hook," Brown said, also noting that he did not talk with the NRA about the measure. Brown believes kids unfamiliar with guns are more likely to play with them and pull the trigger. Kids who grow up with guns, "they get it." A number of other states have taken steps encouraging schools to promote gun safety. The NRA noted the Missouri law's signing on its legislative website, but the group did not respond to efforts seeking additional comment. But in testimony before the U.S. Senate earlier this year, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said the group has a "long and proud history of teaching" safe and responsible gun ownership across the board and to kids, in particular. "Our 'Eddie Eagle' children's safety program has taught over 25 million young children that if they see a gun, they should do four things: "Stop. Don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult," he said. Eddie Eagle is a mascot dressed as an eagle who addresses gun safety issues for children in pre-K through third grade. "The purpose of the 'Eddie Eagle' Program isn't to teach whether guns are good or bad, but rather to promote the protection and safety of children," the organization's website says, adding that its purpose is to prevent accidents. Scott Holste, a Nixon spokesman, told CNN the program is optional for school districts and is not mandated under the new law, which authorizes schools to seek public grants to fund safety programs. States tighten, loosen gun laws after Newtown . Conflicting opinions . Still, Amy Jordan Wooden, a Missouri resident and mother of two young children, thinks gun safety should stay out of her kids' classrooms. "I think I'm a lot more interested in teachers and the legislature being focused on math, science and reading for our first-graders instead of an NRA curriculum. I trust the parents to teach the kids properly about the power of guns. That is where the responsibility lies, not in a school curriculum," she said. Other parents disagree. "There are too many kids who grab the guns and kill their cousins. I agree, I think they should know gun safety. It would be helpful," Cathy Peters told CNN affiliate KCTV. Two studies critical of gun safety programs . Pediatricians and gun safety experts say, however, that the efforts behind the measure may be misguided. For instance, a 2004 study on firearm-related injuries in children, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that gun safety programs for children were ineffective, "do not prevent risk behaviors and may even increase gun handling among children." Another 2004 study of the "Eddie Eagle" program, published by North Dakota State University's Department of Psychology, found that children were able to verbally repeat the program's message, but when they encountered a gun in a role-playing scenario, they were unable to put the skills to use. The North Dakota study said one shortcoming of programs like "Eddie Eagle" was the absence of active learning approaches. When and how do parents educate children about guns? "Information-based programs are less successful because they do not actively allow the children the opportunity to practice the skills being taught," the study said. Former police investigator and gun safety expert Steve Albrecht said "kids don't have the emotional maturity at that age." Albrecht is a security consultant for schools and workplaces and is also a parent. He said schools have to play a bigger role in the gun safety discussion but "in concert with the parents." "Part of the issue has to be educating the parents to keep the guns secure first. Because it doesn't matter if the kids have been to a gun safety program or not," said Albrecht. Patton agrees. She said the responsibility behind gun safety lies with parents and not with teachers. But LaPierre told the Senate in January that "teaching safe and responsible gun ownership works" and stressed that firearms accidents are at their lowest levels in more than 100 years because of safety programs like "Eddie Eagle." Brown said first-graders shouldn't be doing experiential learning with guns and felt the "Eddie Eagle" video would be enough. Guns OK in post office parking lots, federal judge rules . CNN's Bryan Koenig contributed to this report. | Missouri governor signed NRA-backed law last week .
Some experts say such programs don't work .
Bill was sponsored by a state senator who is an NRA member .
Critics say gun safety is the responsibility of gun owners . |
221,269 | aa6ee7cfb5d429b2a811ac1603b9df18f040edd6 | Editor's Note: Tess Malone is a writer for the The GW Hatchet, the leading news source for George Washington University. This article was brought to CNN.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as CNN.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. Students start groups on social networking Web sites to discuss the dogs they left at home. (UWIRE) -- For freshman Elise Chen, home is only a phone call away. It's keeping in touch with Sammy, her collie-lab mix, that's the problem. "I can talk to my dog on the phone, but I don't get anything out of it," Chen said. Chen is not the only student who misses her pet, an integral part of many families. According to membership in Facebook groups dedicated to the topic, at least 44,845 others are in the same boat. There are at least six groups dedicated to missing one's pet on the social networking site; the largest, "I love college, but I miss my dog," stands at 31,056 members. The group's wall is full of declarations of love for dogs at home, often accompanied by pictures and funny stories in the photo and discussion board sections. Chen, one of the group's newest members, said she joined when she realized the forum was a literal representation of missing her dog. In some respects, Chen said, she actually misses her dog more than she misses her parents. "My dog never says 'Go to bed,' or 'You have to be in by two,' " she said. "My dog just says, 'I'm happy to see you, even if it's 2:30 in the morning.' " GW's Facebook network has its own group for pet lovers: "I Miss My Dog." Its 89 members frequently post pictures of their "four- and sometimes three-legged friends at home," as the group's description states. The group's active members use it as a way to further express themselves on Facebook and to cope with missing their animals back home. Like Chen, junior Jared Stone said he did not realize how much his dogs were a part of his life until he came to college. "In the past, I had always been at home and always been around my dogs," Stone said. "I was used to having them nearby and petting them while watching TV. So in college, their absence hit me and I found the group on Facebook an accurate representation of how I was feeling." Although a freshman like Chen is still adjusting to college life away from pets, Stone has learned that students must learn to deal with missing their pets. "Friends fill the gap so much, but can only go so far," he said. "I've overcome it, but it's still nothing you can really get over." Many students, including law student and "I Miss My Dog" member Rebecca Rodgers, hope to eventually have dogs of their own, but they know that college is not conducive to pet ownership. "My studio is no place for a dog and definitely not with a crazy law school schedule," Rodgers said. When Rodgers misses her Australian shepherd, Missy, she turns to the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube. "I tend to watch (my) particular breed of dog, Australian shepherds," Rodgers said. "Seeing other people's dogs makes me miss mine a little less." Chen also uses technology to cope, though in a more personal manner. "I video chat with my dog," she said. Although she does not plan on getting a dog on campus any time soon, she jokes about adopting a "hallway dog" for Lafayette, where she lives this year. The Internet and hopes for the future, though good coping aids, can only help those missing their pets to an extent. Rodgers said, "Sometimes I look over my shoulder and expect a dog to follow me around." | College student: I miss my dog more than I miss my parents .
Missing a pet while at school is topic for six groups on Facebook .
Members post pictures, funny stories about their dogs . |
92,304 | 02b9fe18968f40832e0408d922460871deb39f2d | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 08:14 EST, 12 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:30 EST, 12 July 2013 . Loyalists in Northern Ireland celebrated the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne at midnight by lighting hundreds of bonfires across the city. The celebration, known as Eleventh Night, prompted one call every 77 seconds at its peak to the fire brigade as crowds burned piles of wood and furniture. Elsewhere, a member of the nationalist SDLP party claimed a death threat against him had been burned on a bonfire in County Londonderry. Stormont Assembly member John Dallat . said police warned him of the sinister message in Garvagh, which said . life would not be normal until he was disposed of. Mr Dallat said that police had been . unable to persuade organisers of the bonfire to remove a scarf in the . shape of a noose that was on display. Hundreds of bonfires, including this one in the Sandy Row area of Belfast, were lit across Northern Ireland overnight to commemorate Eleventh Night . Stacks of pallets burned at the loyalist Ballycraigy Estate in Antrim on the outskirts of Belfast overnight as residents stood back to watch . Children wave the Union flag at a fire on the Highfield estate in west Belfast to celebrate King James II's defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 . 'When I visited Garvagh just before midnight, it was very clear that the number of people turning out to support this event was a mere handful compared to years ago,' he said. 'Clearly the people of Garvagh have had enough of the wanton sectarianism that has being going on in the name of loyalism and they don't find it appealing or entertaining.' He added: 'While the death threat won't inhibit me in any way, I do take note that those involved are dangerous people who can't be ignored and should not be ignored because they have the capacity to attract the interest of loyalist paramilitaries who over the years claimed the lives of many people in East Derry.' SDLP member John Dallat said that death threats had been made against him in the bonfires . Eleventh Night is a reference to the evening before July 12, the day when Protestants commemorate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The celebration marks the defeat of . the Catholic King James, by the Protestant William of Orange, . which was one of the major turning points in Irish history. The annual demonstration sees . thousands of Orange Order members and bandsmen join parades across . Northern Ireland, which have sparked serious rioting and violence in recent years between loyalists and nationalists. A total of 550 . parades were due to take place throughout Northern Ireland today. Firefighters attended some blazes to . cool down nearby homes to protect them from the fierce heat, with 42 of . the 184 calls on the night related to the event. One fire crew had to withdraw from a . bonfire in Craigavon, County Armagh, after youths threw stones at them, . though nobody was injured. A blaze at Cluan Place, east Belfast, near where serious . sectarian rioting has broken out in the past, caused some minor external damage to a nearby building. The . Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said only 15 calls required . help from its crews, who also attended 25 minor gorse and grass fires. Eleventh Night, celebrated here on the Highfield estate, refers to the night before July 12, when Protestants commemorate the Battle of the Boyne . The victory of William of Orange, marked in the Protestant Sandy Row area of Belfast, is a significant point in Irish history . The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service received one call every 77 seconds at the height of activity last night . The 184 calls was almost double the number received on the same night last year, the service said. More than 40 displays have been deemed to be contentious by authorities, resulting in hundreds of extra police . officers been drafted on to the streets. In recent years police . officers have been battered with bricks, bottles and petrol bombs. Last year shots were also fired and a pipe bomb hurled at police lines in the Ardoyne. Unionist . anger has intensified in recent days over a decision to ban an Orange . Order parade past a sectarian flash point at Ardoyne. A man photographed the bonfire on the Ballycraigy estate on his mobile phone during celebrations . Last night bonfires were lit while today there were 550 parades planned across Northern Ireland . The Parades Commission adjudication . body banned Orangemen from taking the same route past shops in Ardoyne . on their return journey in . the afternoon. The area has been the scene of intense rioting on July 12 in recent years. The Orange Order branded the commission's decision 'ludicrous' but urged supporters not to react with violence. The decision by the Commission was the . first time it ruled that the Orange Order cannot hold an evening . parade past Ardoyne. It came after intensive talks with nationalist . residents failed to reach agreement. The fire at Lanark Way in the Shankill area of west Belfast could be seen from 20 miles away . The Lanark Way bonfire, which was lit by actor Ross Kemp as part of his investigative television series, reached its peak at 1am . At the Battle of the Boyne about . 36,000 troops commanded by King William III defeated an army of 25,000 troops led by King James II along the river Boyne . near the town of Drogheda on the Irish east coast. The victory of William, a Protestant, over . the forces of England's Catholic king created a Protestant ascendancy . in the Emerald Isle - most notably in the Ulster region. William . and his wife Mary II jointly reigned over England, Scotland and . Ireland. Their reign saw the end of fears that England would return to . Catholicism, as James wanted. There has not been a Roman Catholic . monarch since. The . battle took place on July 1 in the Julian calendar, which is equivalent . to July 11 in the Gregorian calendar in use today, while the celebration is held each . year on the 12th. Some of the bonfires, such as this one in New Mossley, Belfast, reached as high as 100ft . A man adds the finishing touch to the New Mossley bonfire ahead of last night's celebrations . | Celebration commemorates the anniversary of the 1690 Battle of the Boyne .
Protestant event remembers William of Orange's victory over James II .
Fire service says number of calls nearly doubled on last year's total .
Member of nationalist SDLP party claims one bonfire burned a death threat . |
251,800 | d1e899f90ca097c91824e29aa80a8421c892453c | (CNN) -- Silhouettes, vintage oil portraits, one-of-a-kind finds, bird imagery, lots and lots of patina -- sounds like a "Country Living" cover of flea market finds and Etsy artwork, right? It absolutely is, said Sara Morrow, the features director for the magazine -- but it's also the modern way to decorate for Halloween. "That elegant look, with, like, a slightly creepy factor," she said, is dramatic -- maybe a little more than plastic spiders and faux-cobwebs. "The cabinet of curiosities, the ravens, the silhouettes," she said, "even without Halloween, I feel like that Victorian look has become a huge trend in decorating, almost year-round." "You might hang a bunch of these oil portraits on a gallery wall in your home. You don't know who they are, you don't have any connection with them, but they're this window to what came before," she said. "And some of those portraits can be downright creepy, too." Halloween provides adventurous decorators with the perfect opportunity to tinker with trends. Halloween decorations like raven figurines, candelabras, Edwardian-portrait zombie holograms or even feathered wreaths are part of the larger movement toward decorative items that feel more genuine, more authentic, more personal, she said. "A lot of shops, like Michael's and Target, are selling products, especially holiday decor, that hark back to the early 1900s," Morrow said. "People want to feel connected to the past that way." Eschewing creepy green witch hands in candy bowls or gigantic plastic skeletons for something elegant and glitter-free doesn't necessarily mean Halloween decor has lost it's scream factor, Morrow said. The holiday has simply grown up a bit, and donned a more classic look. "Halloween has always been a huge holiday for us at Country Living," she said, "but it seems over the years it's become more of an adult holiday than it ever has before. People aren't just looking for cutesy, cartoon decorations and costumes." So what is hot these days? Skulls of any sort, Morrow said, birds --the creepier the better -- bat silhouettes, wreaths and black lace. Even the humble, snaggle-toothed jack-o'-lantern is getting a makeover. "It's amazing the things you can do with pumpkins when you think beyond carving," Morrow said. "In the past couple of years for Halloween, we've explored all sorts of different no-carve ideas. We're huge fans of painting pumpkins." "We've done everything from painting a pumpkin a really beautiful sagey-green fall color and using a stencil to paint your door number on the pumpkin and putting it on your porch," she said, to decoupaging pumpkins with fall leaves. So how can you add your own twist to Halloween? Here are other lessons from this week's Open House contributors: . Make it fun for kids and adults . "We love Halloween around our house because, for us, it's the official kick-off to the holiday season. Having said that, however, we have four tiny granddaughters, so all of our decorations are little-kid-friendly! My porch decorations (as well as the owl party favors) center around cute Halloween friends and my favorite fall elements: Pumpkins, hay bails and mums!" -- Robin Gay . "I balanced the kids' requests for spooky Halloween decor with my desire to keep things sophisticated." -- Sarah Macklem . "I chose the (styrofoam) pumpkins because they last longer. With styrofoam pumpkins, you can decorate early and use the decor year after year ... as a mom on a budget, I definitely love that." -- Jessica Kielman . Tell a spooky story . "My favorite piece(s) are the skull photos since they are from our vacation. My son loved visiting the ossuary on the outside of Prague and he is thrilled that they hang in our dining room for Halloween." -- Julia Konya . "I looked at the vintage typewriter, the table and old door and thought to myself, 'There are many holiday stories that can be told with these three pieces.' For Halloween, why not honor the great writer, Edgar Allen Poe? After that I began reading ("The Raven"). The object was to place the reader inside the poem ... the raven rapping at the window, the narrator lamenting over his lost love, Lenore, all while trying to preoccupy himself with a book of forgotten lore." -- Melinda Hartzog . CNN's Alicia Stewart contributed to this report. CNN intern Cydney Fisher produced this gallery. | Halloween decorations need not be only plastic spiders, pumpkins and witches .
Modern Halloween holiday decor includes elegant touches and Victorian inspiration .
iReporter: "Halloween can be really fun, home-grown entertainment"
For the next Open House assignment, show us how you decorate with orange. |
231,841 | b82c5d9e85ce574c6fb0327a392dac1338192524 | (CNN) -- Snowstorms barreled across New England on Wednesday, canceling flights, closing schools and creating treacherous road conditions for weather-weary travelers. Massachusetts Gov. Duval Patrick declared a state of emergency, mobilizing 250 National Guardsmen as a precaution, as officials warned of blizzard conditions across the state and into southern New Hampshire. "The wind is blowing very hard and that's what most unpleasant," said Brookline, Massachusetts, resident Bonnie Sashin. "It's blowing ice into your face." Forecasters said accumulation in scattered areas across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont could reach between 25 and 34 inches, while most areas expected 8 to 16 inches of snow. Snowfall in the heaviest areas reached rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour, according to the National Weather Service. Some residents in Brattleboro, Vermont, donned cross-country skis as they traveled down snow-jammed roads, while their neighbors heaved shovelfuls of snow out of driveways and sidewalks, said town resident Caleb Clark. More than 15,000 households were without power in Massachusetts, including thousands of customers in Plymouth County who were affected by a transmission-line outage, according to the National Grid utility company's website. The hardest-hit areas included Plymouth, Bristol, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk counties in Massachusetts, the utility company said. "This is the second major storm we are battling in less than three weeks," said Christopher E. Root, National Grid senior vice president of electricity operations. "We ask that our customers bear with us and be patient as our crews work in challenging weather conditions to restore service as safely and quickly as possible." Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said the city's snow emergency and parking ban will be lifted at 9 a.m. Thursday, but public schools will be closed as crews continue clearing roads. He urged citizens to use public transportation. Amtrak said it has suspended rail service between New York and Boston, and between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, due to severe weather and fallen trees, according to its website. Every state except Florida now has snow on the ground, including Hawaii, according to CNN meteorologist Sean Morris. High winds hampered cleanup efforts across the region, particularly along the New England coast, forecasters predicted. A band of moderate to heavy snow is expected to continue to move north along the coast, with heavy precipitation leaving southern Maine by Wednesday night, officials said. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he lifted the "weather emergency" on Wednesday, as salting crews and snow plows finished clearing city streets. The mayor said that 30 vehicles had been towed as a result of the storm. That number is in stark contrast to the thousands of cars, buses and ambulances left stranded last month after cleanup crews struggled to plow streets days after the storm. Bloomberg -- who faced sharp criticism over the slow emergency response -- said New York was better equipped to tackle Wednesday's storm. More than 1,700 flights were canceled at the New York area's three major airports, while hundreds more were grounded at Boston's Logan International Airport, officials said. General manager at LaGuardia Airport Thomas Bosco said many airlines pre-emptively canceled flights ahead of the weather Wednesday to avoid massive delays that plagued airports during last month's holiday blizzard. Philadelphia declared a snow emergency Tuesday night, while public schools there and in Boston were closed. Non-emergency state employees did not have to report to work Wednesday, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. But New York City public schools remained open, with field trips canceled, according to the office of the city's schools chancellor. The city's public schools have closed six times -- for a total of eight days -- since 1978, the office said. In the South, normally bustling cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, grappled with the unusual onslaught of ice and snow this week. AirTran Airways spokesman Christopher White said the airline is in "full recovery mode" to get traffic back to normal in the coming days at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The company canceled more than 90 Wednesday flights, after more than 260 flights were taken off the schedule Tuesday. Both Delta Air Lines and AirTran were offering one-time flight changes with no fees for a limited period. Delta canceled 1,200 flights Wednesday and has canceled 80 for Thursday because of snow in the Northeast. The airline said its Atlanta operations have returned to normal. CNN's Chad Myers, Jason Kessler, Dave Alsup, Rob Marciano, Tristan Smith, Moni Basu, Holly Yan, Andy Rose, Nick Valencia and Brian Walker contributed to this report. | Boston to lift snow emergency Thursday .
Massachusetts mobilizes 250 National Guardsmen amid blizzard conditions .
Hundreds of flights are canceled at Boston's Logan International Airport .
More than 15,000 households are without power in Massachusetts . |
38,143 | 6be2b8f153fde6c5210b1a486a88f4617c89efa3 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 10:45 EST, 24 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:45 EST, 24 September 2013 . Captain Walter Barrie was shot dead by a rogue member of the Afghan army as he played football on Remembrance Day . A British soldier was shot dead at close range by a rogue member of the Afghan army while playing a football match on Remembrance Day, an inquest has heard. Captain Walter Barrie was playing alongside members from the Afghan National Army (ANA) at his base when he was killed in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province. The gunman, named as Mohammad Ashraf, was dressed in full ANA uniform when he approached the pitch and fired nine shots towards Capt Barrie using an M16 rifle. As the other soldiers fled, the gunman moved towards a welfare tent for British troops and continued firing, the hearing at Oxford Coroner’s Court was told. The attack on November 11 last year was stopped when the Afghan soldier, described as being in his late teens or early 20s and of slim build with a beard, was shot dead by Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) soldiers, the inquest heard. Intelligence officers had warned . British troops of insider attacks after a similar incident in western . Afghanistan on November 10. Sixty per cent of insider attacks are followed by another within 72 hours, the hearing was told. Information which emerged in the days after . Capt. Barrie’s death suggested that the gunman’s brother had been shot by the . Spanish Army in Badghis province in the north west of Afghanistan just . 24 hours before the killing at FOB Shawqat. It is speculated that Ashraf may have carried out his attack in revenge for his brother getting wounded. Capt Barrie, from Penicuik in Midlothian, had been mentoring and advising a brigade of the ANA to take over security in an area of southern Afghanistan before he was killed in the 'green-on-blue' attack. The 41-year-old, of The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, had served for 25 years, including tours of Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan in 2008. A post mortem examination revealed he died from a gunshot wound to the chest. In a statement read to the court, consultant forensic pathologist Dr Nicholas Hunt said the injury had caused 'extremely rapid loss of consciousness and death'. Unsuspecting: Captain Barrie was participating in a football match with Afghan soldiers in Helmand (stock image of a match in Afghanistan pictured) when the lone gunman launched his attack . Private Ryan Houston, who was on duty as a 'Guardian Angel' to patrol the base, told the hearing that he was alerted to the attack when he heard 'a burst of fire'. 'I turned in the direction of the football pitch but I did not see the person holding the weapon,' he said. 'Capt Barrie was not moving and appeared motionless. I think I shouted "man down".' A smoke grenade was thrown onto the pitch to conceal Capt Barrie’s body from the killer and allow medics to reach him, the inquest heard. Colour Sergeant George Parker told the inquest that, after hearing the shots, he exchanged fire with the Afghan soldier who then turned and ran off. Col Sgt Parker and Pte Houston later approached the soldier as he lay on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head. 'I could see he was injured,' Pte Houston said. 'He was alive, he was making gasping sounds.' Andrew Lumley, Officer Commanding D . Company, 1 Scots, told the inquest that the shooter had been based at a check . point 150 metres from the base and had gained access by an entrance . controlled by the ANA. He revealed the shooting came just 24 hours after a similar attack in Badghis - in which the gunman's brother may have been injured. Maj Lumley said: 'It had been briefed on . that day on November 10 about a green-on-blue in Badghis provice in . North West Afghanistan where the Spanish Army is the ISAF force. 'There was no intelligence as such that linked the individual in that green-on-blue with anyone in Helmand.' Tragic: . Captain Walter Barrie, pictured with son Callum, had served with the . army for 25 years - including tours of Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern . Ireland and Afghanistan - when he was killed . He went on: 'Over the days that came after Capt Barrie’s death, more information came out about the individual involved. 'As far as we know, it eventually transpired the individual in Badghis was related to Mohammed Ashraf. I believe he had been wounded.' Col Sgt Parker said relations with members of the ANA on the base were 'generally very good' and they would play football with British troops on an almost daily basis. Since Capt Barrie’s death, two Guardian Angels and a Guard Commander are now employed at the base and improvements have been made to communications, he added. Recording his verdict, Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter said Capt Barrie was unlawfully killed while on active service. 'It does appear the individual acted alone and there has been no evidence linked to insurgents or the Taliban,' he said. Mr Salter said finding the motive behind the killing involved 'a degree of speculation', although it was thought to have been linked to an earlier insider attack on Spanish troops in Afghanistan in which the rogue soldier’s brother was wounded. 'It may be Mohammad Ashraf was concerned and motivated by that, although we’ll never know for sure,' he added. The fatal shot was most likely to have been inflicted while Capt Barrie was lying face down on the ground, causing an “extremely rapid loss of consciousness” which led to his death, the coroner said. Mr Salter described Capt Barrie as a 'highly experienced' soldier who was 'held in high degree' by the Afghan troops he trained, and offered his condolences to Capt Barrie’s wife Sonia and teenage son Callum. | Captain Walter Barrie served with the Royal Scots Borderers for 25 years - including tours of Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan .
He was shot at close range by rogue Afghan soldier Mohammad Ashraf .
Believed Ashraf was acting in revenge for his brother who was injured in a similar 'green-on-blue' attack the day before .
Oxford coroner today recorded a verdict Capt Barrie was unlawful killed . |
39,494 | 6f93d415bfa5dada2b1771ba3a6b1dddb13e1775 | Consumers today have more power than ever before. The large and diverse selection of media available on newsstands means that customers know what they should be getting, and if they aren't satisfied with the service there's a host of Web sites and forums on which they can let everyone know. Marriott's TownePlace suite . In response, organizations are seeking ever more innovative ways of understanding their customers' needs, and are even turning to anthropologists and sociologists to help them. "Whereas before a lot of services were designed from the inside out, now, because consumers are so much more empowered, they are having to think about designing from the outside in," says Fran Samalionis, global practice leader for service design and innovation at IDEO. "They have to think much more about the customer experience and then figure out how to make sense of that for the business." IDEO, a global design firm, is already well-known for designing the first mouse, for Apple, and the first notebook computer, for GriD, but the company is also causing a stir with its innovative approach to design conception, where the wishes and observations of the consumer hold powerful sway. While it employs what one would call "conventional" designers, IDEO also uses what it terms a "human factor" team -- people trained in anthropology, sociology and political sciences -- who shadow consumers, observe their everyday habits and relationship with a product, and even give them cameras to record photo journals, in a bid to understand what is really needed for a product to push through the barrier and provide true satisfaction for its customer base. A case in point is Marriott's TownePlace Suites. The hotel chain approached IDEO for ideas about how to launch an extended-stay brand. IDEO followed guests and employees around, monitoring their habits and probing them with questions about every aspect of their experience at Marriott's hotels. Their conversations taught them that extended-stay guests were mainly on the road because of work commitments; they were away from home through necessity rather than choice and therefore wanted an experience from a hotel that was closer to what they were accustomed to at home -- a "home from home." IDEO recommended that Marriott install a "map wall" in the lobby, with recommendations from fellow guests, such as where to find the best coffee shop or restaurant and where to go jogging in the local area. But they also found that while guests were looking for familiar home comforts, they were also there to work. With that in mind, they drew up prototypes for guest rooms that more closely resemble live/work areas, with an office incorporated into the layout of the bedroom. Market research is not a new concept. Organizations have been bringing their potential customers together for decades to understand what they want from their services. But Samalionis argues that it is by sending its cohorts into the field to observe customers in their natural environments that IDEO gains the real insights and results. She says that while some customers might struggle to articulate their needs -- or even fully comprehend what they are looking for in the first place -- simply by looking at their daily routines IDEO's researchers can gain significant understanding of what can be done to improve customers' relationships with a particular product or service. Such was the case when IDEO worked with Bank of America to develop a new credit card. The card was targeted at young mothers and IDEO's observation team set about following a selection of moms around as they went about their daily business: taking their children to school, shopping, even balancing their checkbooks. They discovered that many people round up their transactions to the nearest whole number for speed and convenience. At the same time, many of the moms were struggling with the discipline of saving, even though they wanted to. The solution IDEO came up with was to introduce a credit card, "Keep The Change," which would instantly transfer the amount customers would usually round up into a separate savings account. Samalionis argues that this is an excellent example of where in-field research ultimately inspired an idea that could be transposed to a real-world scheme. "Just by being able to be with them, empathize with them and observe them you get to see the stuff they can't tell you," she explains. "We saw all these habits about putting pennies in jars and rounding things up in checkbooks. If you had asked somebody, they would say they just wanted to save money." All this could be interpreted as just a glossy way of rehashing a construct that has already existed within marketing and design for years -- the market research questionnaire. But Samalionis argues that the human-centered approach is just one cog in their approach to problem-solving; trained designers, engineers, business heads and the client must also have their input. "It's not enough going out into the world and coming up with a point of view about that world," she says. "You need to make those insights actionable. Really, the magic dust in the process is in synthesizing all those perspectives into something that can help you generate amazing ideas." Ultimately, the effectiveness of an approach can be best measured by its financial returns. Bank of America's "Keep The Change" credit card scheme generated 2.5 million new, and presumably happy, customers. This willingness by designers to open themselves up to public consultation is becoming increasingly popular. In England, Bath's Theatre Royal took opinions into consideration from a panel of local schoolchildren when designing their new children's theatre, The Egg. A panel of nine- to eighteen-year-olds even had a say in the choice of architect and the menu for the cafe. Innovations derived from the consultation include knee-high glass panels on the doors so that smaller theater-goers can see where they are going and a sound-proofed room so that parents with crying babies can sit and watch the show without disturbing the rest of the audience. In Italy, car maker Fiat opened itself up for suggestions from the public during the design of its relaunched Fiat 500. Under the project title "500 Wants You," the hitherto inward-looking manufacturer invited ordinary people to submit ideas for designs on its Web site. IDEO, and other design firms like it, are changing the way large organizations interact with their customers. They are learning about new ways to keep consumers satisfied, and boosting their bank balances in the process. But in the end it's the consumer who is profiting the most from this new approach. | Designers now put the consumer, not function, at the heart of new products .
Global firm IDEO studies customer behavior to influence designs .
Hotel chain Marriott devised "home-from-home" suites for extended-stay guests .
"Keep The Change" credit card rounds up transactions, puts the pennies in savings . |
148,894 | 4c87b3aaba39d3ec5532a179e9f1d66ef5ca745d | Vincent Kompany insists Manchester City's title hopes are still alive, despite their disappointing defeat to Arsenal. City will fall eight points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea next week if they follow up their loss to Arsenal with another reverse at Stamford Bridge. Manuel Pellegrini's men rarely looked like a team capable of winning the title on Sunday, but Kompany thinks it would be foolish to write his team's chances off just yet. Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany appeals to referee Mike Dean after he concedes a penalty . In fact, the skipper thinks the result could actually help City's chances of winning the league as he thinks the players will be even more determined to beat Chelsea in what is already being billed as a 'title decider'. 'In theory it should be better for us now because we will definitely be more fired up for that (match),' the City captain said. 'We have always been great in games like this so I'm actually looking forward to it.' City moved level with Chelsea over the Christmas period but draws against Everton and Burnley have proved costly for Pellegrini's side. Monreal was caught by Kompany with the contact sending the left back crashing to the ground inside the box . When asked how damaging the Arsenal defeat could be for City, Kompany said: 'You are disappointed with any result that's not a win, but we've been in situations like this before and it won't affect the way we look at the Premier League, it won't affect the way we look at the Champions League or the FA Cup. 'We will just make sure we are better the next game. We are always liable to kick off a massive run and that's the kind of club that we are. 'Maybe this run has stopped, but the next one should be coming soon hopefully.' Santi Cazorla leads the celebrations after the Spaniard kept his cool to fire home from the penalty spot . Kompany did not put in the kind of display expected of him on his return from a month-long hamstring injury lay-off. The Belgian earned a booking for taking down Olivier Giroud and was lucky to stay on the pitch after a second foul on Alexis Sanchez which went unnoticed. The former Hamburg defender also gave away the penalty that handed Arsenal the lead, although replays showed there was minimal contact between the centre-back and Nacho Monreal. There was no doubting his hunger to impress, though, and that bodes well for City as they look to retain the title in the coming four months. Kompany earned a booking for taking down Olivier Giroud during a difficult evening for the home side . 'People who know me see I work like an animal when I am out,' the 28-year-old said. 'I want to be back stronger and I've come back at the right time as well.' Kompany refused to criticise Mike Dean's decision to give a penalty against him for the slightest of touches on Monreal. 'I've said my bit on the pitch and I don't want to go further,' the Belgian said. 'It's football. We pick ourselves up now. That spirit is there, more than ever, in this team.' Kompany hopes new signing Wilfried Bony will have a big impact when he joins the squad after the African Nations Cup. Kompany hopes new signing Wilfried Bony (above) will have a big impact when he joins the squad . 'I rate him,' said Kompany, who flew to Abu Dhabi with his team-mates for a five-day warm-weather training camp after the match. 'If we are serious about the league and the FA Cup then you need good players like him. You can't get enough of them. 'If you look at all the big teams around us, they have the same kind of strike force. You do need it. The teams we are competing with have the same tools and it's as simple as that. 'I quite enjoyed facing him (Bony) in matches, but I will face him in training more now.' | Manchester City went down 2-0 to Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday .
City currently trail league leaders Chelsea by five points .
Kompany hopes new signing Wilfried Bony will have a big impact when he joins the squad after the African Nations Cup . |
116,168 | 21f2f0797a48c6b05c9e174c95d145974fb665ea | By . Lizzie Edmonds . Playing golf is about to get a whole lot easier - as courses across the U.S. introduce a 15-inch hole on the putting green. The hole will be boosted from 4 inches to 15 inches in a pilot scheme - which is to be trialled at 100 courses across the country. It is hoped the move will improve player's scores, increase game speed and encourage more . beginners to take up the sport - which has lost around five million players . in the U.S. alone over the past 10 years. The average size of a golf hole is to be increased to 15inches in a pilot scheme which will be introduced to 100 courses across the U.S. and Canada. It is hoped the move will encourage more people to take up the sport . Sergio Garcia, pictured during day one of the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, says the holes will help encourage more beginners to take up the sport . The new holes, which will be about the . size of an average pizza, have the backing of Ted Bishop, the president . of the Professional Golfers Association of America. He said: 'We’ve got to stop scaring people away from golf by telling them that there is only one way to play the game.' The Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, is to install the 15-inch holes. Top players Sergio García and Justin Rose played on the new course during a promotional event held last month. At the event, Mr Garcia said: 'A 15in hole could help junior golfers, beginning golfers and older golfers score better, play faster and like golf more.' One course in Canada, the Redwoods Golf Course in Langley, British Columbia, is also to install the larger holes. Doug Hawley, managing director of the course, told CBC News : 'Younger folks just don't think it's cool. 'Golf hasn't really grown. It hasn't really declined. It's just staying stable. Tiger Woods reacts to he misses a putt on the 14th green during the 2008 masters in Georgia. The game has slipped in popularity across the country - with five million people abandoning the game in the past decade . Justin Rose misses a putt on 18th hole at the European Ryder Cup. The sport is thought to have originated in Scotland in the 15th Century - although some suggest it originates from the Roman game paganica . 'If you can take out some of the frustration out the game ... the more relaxed they are, the more they'll enjoy their day, and the more they'll want to come back.' According to the National Golf Foundation, the sport has lost about 5million US players in a decade. Their research found that players under the age of 35, many of whom say it is too difficult, are most likely to give up playing. Nobody was available from the golf's professional body, The R&A, to comment on the changes. Golf historians differ as to where the game originated. Some say it originated in Scotland in the 15th Century. However, others insist the sport dates back to the Roman game of paganica - where players used a bent stick to hit a leather ball. Certain historians say paganica spread through Europe as the Romans conquered the continent before it developed into the modern game. A boost in hole size is far from the only change in golfing history. Until the fifties, a golfer was not allowed to move an opponent's ball if it fell in front of theirs. After a series of revisions, the so-called Stymie Rule was abolished in 1952. Until 1974, golfers were allowed to use a ball that was 1.62inches in diameter in the British Open - but it was made illegal in 1988. Since then, the United States Golf Association's 1.68inch diameter model has been the only one allowed. Currently, if a player wishes to drop their ball back in to play, they must extend their arm out in from of them and drop it from shoulder height. Until 1984, the ball had to be dropped over the shoulder. Previously, players were penalised if an element beyond their control caused their ball to move on the green. However, after several high-profile players were affected, the USGA took action and from 2012, players are allowed to play from the new spot if their ball moves due to reasons beyond their control. Those using long putters - such as Adam Scott and Webb Simpson - were hit with a shake-up last year. Although the 2013 USGA rule doesn't completely ban long putters - which are, as the name suggests, longer versions of their regular counterparts - it prohibits players from anchoring them to their body during the stroke. Following the controversial ruling, USGA Executive Director Mike Davis said: 'This decision gets back to the USGA and R&A feeling that fundamentally golf for 600 years has been about picking up the club, gripping it with two hands and making a free swing away from the body.' | Courses across the US to increase 4-inch hole to 15 inches .
Hoped the move will encourage more people to take up the sport .
Comes as figures show golf has lost 5million players in the US in ten years . |
168,978 | 6698e871eb223d094f999bb46eb16b8c82dd6b5d | (CNN) -- A global commodities trading company says it is considering a settlement to legal claims that it is responsible for the deaths of 15 people and thousands of illnesses after 500 tons of toxic waste were dumped in the African nation of Ivory Coast. Signs such as this were still up in "toxic zones" around Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a year after the waste dumping. The Dutch company Trafigura said studies by 20 experts it has hired conclude that the chemicals did not harm anyone. "In view of that expert evidence, and the fact that claims are not being made in this litigation for deaths, miscarriages, still births, birth defects and other serious injuries, the parties are exploring the possibility of compromising the claims which have been made," Trafigura said in a release Wednesday. "A global settlement is being considered by the parties and it currently appears that this settlement is likely to be acceptable to most, if not all, of the claimants." A United Nations report also released Wednesday said Trafigura did cause death and injury when the cargo ship Probo Koala dumped 500 tons of toxic waste belonging to the company at sites around Abidjan, the West African nation's largest city. The incident happened in August 2006. "According to official estimates, 15 people died, 69 people were hospitalized and over 100,000 others, complaining of nausea and vomiting after inhaling fumes, sought medical treatment after the incident," said the report by Okechukwu Ibeanu, an unpaid investigator for the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council. "We still don't know -- and we may never know -- the full effect of the dumping. But there seems to be strong prima facie evidence that the reported deaths and adverse health consequences are related to the dumping of the waste." Ibeanu, who visited Ivory Coast and the Netherlands during his investigation, urged all parties to take steps "to address possible long-term human health and environmental effects of the incident." According to a U.N. statement, Ibeanu said last month that the areas where the toxic waste was dumped still have not been decontaminated and continue to threaten residents' health. Many people, he said, are still reporting headaches, skin lesions, digestive difficulties and nose, throat and lung problems. Trafigura noted in its release Wednesday that it initiated a plan two years ago that would compensate, without any admission of liability, any claimants who could demonstrate any injury caused by exposure to the waste, which the company calls "slops." "The company has always maintained that the Probo Koala's slops could not possibly have caused deaths and serious or long-term injuries," Trafigura said. "Independent expert witnesses firmly support Trafigura in this stance." Trafigura also maintains it "sought to comply with all relevant regulations and procedures concerning the offloading of the Probo Koala's slops in Abidjan." The company denies that the ship went to Ivory Coast solely to dump the toxic waste. "Trafigura has consistently stated that the Probo Koala was returning from a routine commercial voyage to deliver a gasoline cargo in Lagos, Nigeria, when it stopped in Abidjan," the company statement said. "Consequently, any suggestion that the vessel was sent to West Africa solely for the purpose of offloading its slops is entirely inaccurate." As one of the largest independent companies trading commodities, Trafigura has 1,900 employees in 42 nations, the company's Web site says. "We handle every element involved in the sourcing and trading of crude oil, petroleum products, renewable energies, metals, metal ores and concentrates for industrial consumers." the company says. Ivory Coast, a former French colony with a population of 20 million, is also known as Cote d'Ivoire. | Dutch firm Trafigura: Toxic dumping didn't harm anyone, according to experts .
U.N. report: Fifteen people died, 69 were hospitalized, and thousands were treated .
Toxic waste areas still have not been decontaminated, U.N. statement says . |
111,252 | 1b736de7ad9643b5926839f3431de644d968a6fc | You tap your cigarette, rearrange the flowers and head to the kitchen to make dinner. These everyday actions, using ordinary objects, are so common in our lives that our brains skim over the smallest details. But what if you held a microscope up to the unseen world? What kind of perspective would we get on common objects around us? FEI's instrument owners were invited to submit their best images for inclusion in National Geographic promotional materials for its giant screen film 'Invisible Worlds'. This view of a cigarette filter, revealing cellulose acetate fibers, was the May winner in the 'Around the House' category . That's exactly what an annual image contest organised by FEI, an Oregon-based imaging company, alongside National Geographic, aims to find out. These images, taken as part of a competition to capture the unseen world, aim to shift our perspective of common objects by placing them under a new light. FEI’s instrument owners were invited to submit their best images for inclusion in National Geographic promotional materials for its giant screen film ‘Invisible Worlds’. Marcos Rosado was awarded first place for this image of an Acacia Dealbata flower. Mr Rosado said he picked the bloom from a tree in his parents' garden . The mouth parts of the aquatic third-stage larva of an Asian tiger mosquito are seen at 800 x magnification. The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. The image was taken by Riccardo Antonelli . Barcelona-based Marcos Rosado, an electron microscopy specialist, was awarded first place in the 2013 FEI Image Contest for his entry ‘Acacia Dealbata Flower’. ‘I was in the garden of my parents' house admiring the Acacia Dealbata,’ recalled Mr Rosado. ‘I noticed a little ball hanging from a branch of the tree which was going to be a flower in a few days. ‘It seemed to have some beautiful yellow spots into it, so I decided to take it and have a look at it in the microscope. ‘What I discovered is that it, as I supposed, was an Acacia Dealbata flower about to open. It was really beautiful.’ Categories for this year's image contest were designed to be more consumer friendly and included 'The Natural World', 'The Human Body', and 'Around the House'. This image of dendritic cells (immune cells) stimulated with silicon microparticles was the July winner in 'The Human Body' category . This extreme close-up image of a Helichrysum italicum flower with pollen grains was the June winner in the 'Natural World' category. Helichrysum iltalicum is also known as the curry plant, because of the strong smell of its leaves and grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean . This photo of bacterial nanocables that were found in Denmark's Aarhus Bay was the July winner in the 'Natural World' category. Bacterial nano cables are electrically conductive systems produced by a number of bacteria . Categories for this year's image contest . were designed to be more consumer friendly and included 'The Natural World', 'The Human . Body', and 'Around the House'. Highlights include an image by Riccardo Antonelli of the mouth parts of the aquatic third-stage larva of an Asian tiger mosquito are seen at 800 x magnification. The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. Another image shows, which shows extreme close-up image of a Helichrysum italicum flower with pollen grains, was the June winner in the 'Natural World' category. Helichrysum iltalicum is also known as the curry plant, because of the strong smell of its leaves and grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean . A view of a cigarette filter, revealing cellulose acetate fibers, is shown as the May winner in the 'Around the House' category. Green-tinted false arms, also known as pseudopods, are shown from a human fibroblast cell over silica microparticles in this photo. A pseudopod is a temporary projection seen in some cells, including amoebas and white blood cells. Its function is to help the cell move . This photo reveals the fracture surface of a snap-off blade after breaking off one of the segments . This photo shows silicon nanowires that were grown on copper foil with gold on top, through a process known as chemical vapor deposition. These nanowires will be used to manufacture anodes for lithium-ion batteries . One entry imaged incredibly detailed green-tinted false arms, also known as pseudopods, shown from a human fibroblast cell over silica microparticles. A pseudopod is a temporary projection seen in some cells, including amoebas and white blood cells. Its function is to help the cell move. Cyril Geudj meanwhile used an FEI Strata scanning transmission electron microscope to create an incredible image simply titled 'The Web'. This image is an extremely high magnification image of a grid he uses to grow samples for observation. Winners of FEI’s ‘Explore the Unseen’ image contest in partnership with National Geographic’s ‘Mysteries of . the Unseen World,’ debuts November 8 2013. This photo of Torilis arvensis, more commonly known as spreading hedge parsley, was the July winner in the 'Other Relevant Science' category . Created by Cyril Geudj using an FEI Strata scanning transmission electron microscope, and simply titled 'The Web', an extremely high magnification image of a grid he uses to grow samples for observation . A microscopic image of a head lice gripping onto two human hairs. This image was the May winner in 'The Human Body' category . | The images were taken as part of a competition by Oregan-based imaging company, FEI, and National Geographic .
They include a cigarette filter, a mosquito, a close up of a curry plant and an immune cell in the human body .
Winners will be shown in National Geographic’s ‘Mysteries of the Unseen World’ film which debuts November 8 2013 . |
211,490 | 9ddc1e1d93086dc7b380c0a342fbae0f6d24d8b2 | Thirty-something men invest more in beauty products than any other age group, spending three times more on anti-ageing beauty and indulgent treatments than going the gym. These metrosexual men spend more on male grooming products than those in their 20s and 50s combined, research reveals today. Pressures to maintain their looks paired with the influence of well-groomed celebrities such as Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt are thought to have led to the recent increase in spending habits. Thirty-something men invest more in beauty products than any other age group, and David Beckham is cited as their top celebrity inspiration . The average 30-something man now admits to spending over £100 per month on expensive eye creams, luxury moisturisers and trips to the spa, which is three times as much as a standard gym membership. Of the 1,000 British men surveyed by Debenhams, those aged between 20-29 spent on average £35 per month on grooming products. The figure doubled for males in their 40s who spent an impressive £70, while those in their 50s seemed to have a more relaxed approach to male grooming at around £45 per month. The survey also revealed that men in their 30s were willing to spend up to £50 on a moisturiser and up to £40 on wrinkle busting eye creams. Clinique's Age Defence for Eyes, Elemis Deep Cleansing Facial Wash, Clarins Moisture Balm and YSL's Touche Éclat were rated as the most wanted beauty products. Women, in turn, reportedly spend just £11.12 on a moisturiser on average, according to a Superdrug study from September. The average thirty-something man now buys expensive eye creams and luxury moisturisers . Male respondents to the latest research also confessed they would purchase a male grooming product if it was endorsed by a celebrity with David Beckham, 38, ranking the highest in terms of influence. 'Our survey shows there is a steady increase in male grooming spending habits over the years.' said a spokesperson for Debenhams. 'In . your teens, grooming consists of a splash of water with a hint of soap - . if you're lucky. The introduction of electrical shavers and on the spot . treatment products in your mid-late twenties means there is a definite . increase in spending. 'But . it's all change as soon as you hit your 30's when the focus shifts to . products that maintain and prevent and money is no object. The spending . cycle declines at 50, almost returning to the amount spent in your 20's . as grooming takes a back seat and is seen as less of a priority and more . of a necessity.' The male UK skincare market is worth an estimated £600m and beauty experts at Debenhams believe this figure is set to rise as the festive season approaches and men scramble to look their best for office Christmas parties. 'The stigma associated with male grooming has finally disappeared and men are not only willing to spend money to maintain their looks, they are also recommending products to one another and frequently visiting salon's and spas, sometimes in groups' 'With the festive season drawing near, you will see a definite shift in the way men present themselves, look out for extra groomed eyebrows, glowing, flawless complexions and manicured nails.' British men are spending more time and money glamming up this party season than women. According to a new study by Travelodge, out today, men will be splashing an average £78.24 on grooming, clothing and beauty products for their festive night out - including make-up. Women are spending just £72.72 in turn. Men confessed they will also invest one hour and 28 minutes sprucing themselves up ahead of their big Christmas night out, whilst women will take just one hour and 16 minutes. One in ten men will wear make-up and 70 per cent of those will be using concealer . The study surveyed 2,500 British adults and found as 76 per cent are set to party this December - with the average reveller going to three Christmas dos. British men will be spending £35.49 on beauty products and treatments, more than women who will be forking out £34.15. More than one in ten (11 per cent) of British men are planning to wear make-up at their Christmas party this year - with 70 per cent of these men reporting that they will be using concealer. Another 61 per cent of make-up wearing men reported that they will be using lip gloss or balm. More than half (51 per cent) of make-up wearers will be using eyeliner in order to look good. Over a third (34 per cent) of men surveyed reported that they will be using a fake tanning product or have a spray tan to help them look healthier during the Christmas party season. The research also revealed that Northern men are the vainest when it comes to looking good at the Christmas party. Newcastle males will be spending the most money this party season, splashing an average £89.68 to look good for their Christmas party, and spending over an hour and a half getting ready. When it comes to spending time in front of the mirror, men in Manchester are the fussiest, taking one hour an 41 minutes to get ready. Mancunian men are also the most likely to wear make-up, with 14 per cent saying they will use some form of make-up this Christmas. Location . Average spend . % wearing make-up . Time spent . getting ready . Newcastle . £89.68 . 12% . 97 minutes . Liverpool . £87.67 . 13% . 90 minutes . Leeds . £86.67 . 11% . 92 minutes . Manchester . £85.12 . 14% . 101 minutes . London . £84.07 . 10% . 93 minutes . Edinburgh . £82.94 . 8% . 88 minutes . Nottingham . £82.91 . 11% . 88 minutes . Wolverhampton . £81.01 . 11% . 92 minutes . Birmingham . £80.03 . 12% . 93 minutes . Exeter . £79.45 . 10% . 95 minutes . | Men likely to purchase a product if endorsed by star like David Beckham .
Those in their 30s most image conscious, investing in anti-ageing products .
Willing to spend £50 on moisturiser, while women spend just £11.12 .
One in ten admit they will be using subtle make-up at festive party . |
151,354 | 4faff13dd393f27770fdc4d81aa57f98ec5a017a | Rio de Janeiro (CNN) -- Carnival revelers descended on Rio de Janeiro, flocking to hundreds of block parties and cramming into designated areas to watch elaborate parades from dusk until dawn. Pounding drums and fireworks explosions announced the start of each samba school that parades down the emblematic strip, flanked by stands with seating for 80,000 spectators. Dancers with platform heels and little else posed for photographers before bursting onto the dazzling pavement. Just before the lavish floats hit the Sambadrome, cranes lowered feathered dancers onto podiums where they will dance and swivel their hips nonstop for 40 minutes. But the five-day Carnival in Rio, which started Friday, is more than just the official parades. Neighborhoods across the city host block parties that attract revelers by the thousands -- sometimes more than a million. They drink and dance behind samba bands that wind their way through the streets. This year, about 850,000 tourists descended on Rio for Carnival celebrations, according to tourism officials. | Pounding drums and fireworks explosions announce the start of each samba school .
The five-day Carnival in Rio started Friday .
Neighborhoods across the city host block parties that attract thousands . |
88,960 | fc76b02c9e30a2e52320b245a6b1e5da3ba730ee | By . Ashley Collman . A horse named Spartacus fell over near Central Park on Wednesday, adding fuel to the debate over whether the carriage industry should remain in New York City. Those siding with Mayor Bill De Blasio's plan to ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric cars gathered Thursday at the site of the accident to protest what they believe is a cruel industry. 'We are here today because yesterday eyewitnesses report that a bus drove very close to a carriage, spooking a horse who then began to run,' PETA spokeswoman Ashley Byrne said at the demonstration Thursday afternoon. Scroll down for video . Toppled: A carriage horse named Spartacus fell in Central Park on Wednesday. Animal rights activists claim the 15-year-old horse was spooked by a passing bus . Doing fine: A carriage industry spokesman said . the accident had nothing to do with a bus and that Spartacus was . inspected by a veterinarian who determined the animal was uninjured . 'After the horse bucked and started to run the carriage tipped over onto the curb, pinning the horse down. This is more tragic evidence of why it is time to take these dangerous cruel carriages off the streets of New York City,' Ms Byrne added. However, spokesman for the carriage industry maintains that the 15-year-old horse was not injured in the 'minor accident' and that buses don't even drive by E 59th Street and Fifth Avenue where the incident happened. Instead, they say a horse parked behind Spartacus unexpectedly pulled out of its spot and clipped Spartacus' back Wheel and tipped the carriage over - causing Spartacus to fall. Out and about: Spartacus' owner Tony Salerno (right) took him for a stroll on Thursday near a Midtown stable to show that the horse was fine . Their side of the story: The carriage industry says the horse fell over when another horse unexpectedly pulled out from behind and clipped a carriage wheel causing the carriage to topple over . Retire the horses: Animal rights activists gathered at the scene of the accident on Thursday, calling for an end of the carriage industry . Agenda: New York Mayor Bill De Blasio has expressed his intention to ban the carriage industry and replace them with electric cars . 'Several carriage drivers immediately came to the horse's aid, keeping him calm and laying down while they unharnessed him, got him untangled and righted the lightweight carriage before safely allowing him to get to his feet,' the Historic Horse Drawn Carriages of Central Park, LLC said in a statement. After the incident, Spartacus was taken to his stable in Midtown where he rested and was evaluated by a veterinarian. On Thursday, Spartacus' owner brandished Tony Salerno, 62, brandished a clean veterinarian's check and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirm that the horse was not injured. Still, the accident only heightened tension on the issue and even Mayor De Blasio commented it at an unrelated event on Thursday. Horseless carriage: The electric car, designed to look like a classic motor, is being offered as an alternative to horses in Central Park . 'The one yesterday was not the first one -- it was one in a long line of accidents," De Blasio said.'And it's for a very simple reason -- horses don't belong on the streets of New York City. While De Blasio wasn't passionate about the cause when he was a member of City Council in 2007, he became the face of a horse-free park in 2011 when he said it was time to pursue 'more humane alternatives to the horse-drawn carriages'. That statement seems to have helped the mayor when he was running for office last year, and anti-carriage groups funded a serious ad campaign against Christine Quinn - his main Democrat rival. De Blasio got another supporter as well in the form of Broadway actress Kristen Chenoweth who tweeted Thursday: 'Please NYC. Let's get these horses off [the] street !!' Voicing her opinion: Broadway actress Kristen Chenoweth joined the anti-carriage side of the debate on Thursday when she sent out this tweet . Support: Actor Liam Neeson has said carriage horses should stay in the city . Actor Liam Neeson, who starred in Shindler's List and Taken, has become one of the horse-drawn carriage industry's main supporters after recently touring a stables where they are housed. 'It has been my experience, always, that horses, much like humans, are at their happiest and healthiest when working,' Neeson wrote in an April 14 editorial in The New York Times. Neeson believes the horse-carriage business is 'humane' and 'well regulated'. While four horses have been killed in collisions with motor vechiles, Neeson said that is a remarkably safe record for New York's traffic. And Neeson certainly isn't alone in wanting to keep the horses. A 'Save our Horses' petition started by the New York Daily News has garnered more than 20,000 signatures as of Thursday. On the same day as the accident, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy took his wife Carla Bruni and their daughter Giulia out for a ride on one of the carriages and all three smiled the entire time. After the ride, when asked if he thought the carriage industry should remain in New York, Sarkozy offered up an enthusiastic 'yes,' the Daily News reported. Family time: Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy (left) took a ride in one of New York City's horse-drawn carriages Wednesday with wife Carla Bruni (middle) and their daughter Giulia (right) | The 15-year-old horse was caught on video laying on the ground Wednesday afternoon .
Animal rights activists claim the horse got spooked by a passing bus .
However, a carriage industry spokesman said buses don't pass by that part of Central Park and that the horse was uninjured .
They say another horse pulled ahead of Spartacus and clipped the back wheel of the carriage causing it to topple over .
Spartacus' owner Tony Salerno took Spartacus out for a walk on Thursday to prove the animal was fine .
Mayor Bill De Blasio is seeking to end the carriage industry and replace the horses with electric cars . |
56,211 | 9f4b107b0d7233b3523676d0c23ed34c6f678869 | An aid worker battling the deadly and fast-spreading Ebola virus in West Africa said the area is completely unprepared to deal with the crisis. Ali Readhead, originally from Perth in Western Australia, has been living in Sierra Leone for the past two years and has seen first hand the devastation the disease is causing. 'It's chaos', she told Daily Mail Australia. 'They're totally under-resourced.' 'Patients are getting left in their houses because we just don't have any room.' Perth woman Ali Readhead has been working in Sierra Leone for two years, and more recently has seen the devastating effect the Ebola outbreak is having on the region . In the capital city, Freetown, there are only 30 beds available to those with Ebola, despite there being thousands of people infected or suspected to have contracted the potentially fatal virus. 'They're just waiting for people to die to free up the beds,' Ms Readhead said. Ms Readhead originally moved to Freetown to work on the women and children's health policy, but when Ebola began to spread received a direct request from the Minister of Health in Sierra Leone to help fight the disease. But she believed the only real way to contain the virus was if Australia and other nations sent expert military medical teams to set up field hospitals and isolation centres, two things which Freetown need so desperately. 'The only way we have a chance of containing this outbreak is if we deploy military', Ms Readhead said before adding that they would be able to accommodate a level of risk humanitarian aid can't. The aid worker has started a petition which has already garnered over 33,000 signatures, urging Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to do more than financially support the situation. The disease is spreading fast without the appropriate resources to contain those infected . Ali (centre) seen here at the christening of her god-daughter, said it is impossible to contain Ebola without expert military medical teams from Australia, the UK and the US . 'I've never been more devastated in my life. Last week I returned to Perth after working with the health ministry in Sierra Leone – witnessing first hand how the deadly Ebola virus is spiralling out of control and killing hundreds.' 'It's terrifying, and to be honest I'm not sure anyone knows when or how it'll end. What I saw will stay with me forever – in some places there aren't enough ambulances to pick up those infected or bury the dead,' Ms Readhead wrote on Change.org. Just last week there was a direct request made by the government in Sierra Leone to Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Ms Readhead said she believes there is hesitation in sending personnel overseas as there is a risk of infection. The reality is less than ten aid workers have contracted Ebola, and if isolation facilities were set up alongside US and the UK in West Africa treatment would be incredibly easy. Ms Readhead also revealed the wider devastation the spread of Ebola was having on the community, economy, and already struggling healthcare system. In Sierra Leone there are only 30 beds available for Ebola patients, so hundreds more are forced to stay at home until people die and free up space in the hospitals . Ms Readhead (centre) celebrated Australia day with fellow countrymen in Freetown this year . People are terrified to visit hospitals, which is having devastating effects on the number of people accessing the health facilites, a problem the region has already been battling with for years. 'Pregnant ladies are giving birth at home, if your baby has malaria you don't take them to the hospital', Ms Readhead revealed. 'The hospitals are empty beside Ebola patients.' She also told of how tough the struggle was to break down the stigma around accessing healthcare services, and how the disease is quickly unravelling all the hard work. One in eight women died during childbirth before the government introduced free healthcare for pregnant women. This is worst outbreak of Ebola the region has ever seen, and the first time it has appeared in such an urban and highly populated area. The country's government burial team is seen here carrying the coffin of Dr Modupeh Cole, Sierra Leone's second senior physician to die of Ebola . Fellow Australian Jo Dunlop (left) and British doctor Oliver Johnson have been fighting alongside Ms Readhead (centre) to keep Freetown's main isolation centre open . If it is not contained soon, the projection is grim. Authorities believe it could spread to more than 1.4 million people across the region if urgent and desperately needed help is not received. The reason the virus is spreading so quickly is the close communities without standalone houses and the close proximity of marketplaces with many people packed into them allow it to spread with much greater ease. 'We don't have that level of contact in Australia... (and) we've got the medical expertise to be able to put in place the correct procedures', Ms Readhead said when asked if Ebola could post a threat to her home country. Despite the devastating health implications, the aid worker insisted there is much more at stake than the terrible loss of life. Ms Readhead ran the Sierra Leone marathon last year with her mum there to show her support . Already unstable economies in the region are likely to crumble under the pressure, and this process has already begun . Already unstable economies in the region are likely to crumble under the pressure, and this process has already begun. Mining companies completing projects in West Africa have pulled workers out of the area in fear of Ebola, and others with 'investments in the pipelines are being disbanded.' The disease has already claimed hundreds of lives in countries in the area, and could claim many more if urgent action is not taken, Ms Readhead warned. 'It can definitely be contained... if we have beds for suspected or confirmed patients, healthworkers who are able to treat them. 'Unless we have those two things on the ground we don't stand a chance.' On Thursday evening the World Bank announced they would be providing a further $190 million AUD to go towards fighting the deadly virus outbreak. | Australia woman Ali Readhead has been in Sierra Leone for two years .
Has seen first hand the devastation the spread of Ebola is causing .
Is urging Australia and other nations to send military medical teams .
Believes this is the only way to contain the disease and stop loss of life .
African countries are grossly under-resourced and struggling badly .
Ebola is also delivering huge blows to Sierra Leone's already unstable economy and healthcare system . |
217,987 | a63d357d25eb80695073e60f7ebb61477d22dad8 | British troops have been deployed to save Kenya's elephants being slaughtered by terrorists for their valuable tusks. Al Shabaab, a group linked to Al Qaeda, is said to be funding their training and attacks by selling elephant and rhino horns on the Somalian black market - a trade worth £12billion a year. In the past year, 60 wardens and 38,000 elephants have been killed by illegal poachers. Catastrophe: Around 38,000 elephants are slain by illegal poachers each year for their highly valuable tusks . In an initiative backed by Prince Charles and Prince William, 25 soldiers from 3rd Batallion Parachute Regiment have been sent to train Kenyan rangers. The paratroopers, currently based 200 miles north of Nairobi, will spend the coming weeks teaching the Kenyan Wildlife Service, Kenyan Forestry Service and Mount Kenya Trust to patrol better, work more effectively as a team, and how to tackle poachers. The Government has also arranged for a British prosecutor to also advise her Kenyan counterparts in a bid to cripple terrorist funding in North Africa and protect the endangered species. Environment secretary Owen Paterson, who was in Kenya last week, said: 'Illegal poaching is having a devastating effect on some of the world’s most iconic species. Trade: It is thought terrorist group Al Shabaab earn £400,000 a month selling 'blood ivory' on the black market . Action: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Prince William are working on the government project to tackle illegal poaching. Earlier this year William told leaders it would be a 'catastrophe' if we ignored the crisis . 'By joining forces with those on the frontline in Kenya, our armed services will be able to provide training and support to the courageous people who put their lives on the line every day.' Earlier this year, Prince William urged leaders to take on illegal poachers to 'determine the fate of some of the world's most captivating species.' He said failure to do so would be 'a catastrophe'. Brigadier Duncan Francis, the UK’s defence attache in Nairobi, said: 'This is an excellent example of the British Army taking positive action on an issue close to many people’s hearts. 'The 25 soldiers will be making an immense contribution to securing the future of some of the world’s most endangered species.' Danger: 60 Kenyan rangers have been killed by poachers. British troops will spend the coming weeks training them . As the price of 'blood ivory' - . illegally poached tusks - soars in Africa, gangs have developed new . techniques to slay animals, such as poisoning watering holes. Al Shabaab is believed to be one of the key groups behind the increasing figures. The terrorist clan earns £400,000 a month in the trade - enough to pay their jihadists £75 a week, the Sunday Express reported. In a bid to quash the business, Hillary Clinton unveiled an $80 million plan to tackle elephant poaching in September. She . warned that money from the wildlife crime could have funded the attack . on the Westgate shopping mall in Kenya last month, a theory which is . backed by elephant conservation groups. Rhinos are also highly sought after in the trade. Sellers are now said to be pricing single rhino horns higher than its weight in cocaine. Last . month the Kenyan government said every rhino in the country would have a . microchip implanted in its horn to help stop the trade. The micro-chipping project is being supported by the World Wildlife Fund, which donated the chips. Rhino horn is highly sought after in Asia, where it is used in traditional medicines. | Al Shabaab is thought to earn £400,000 a year selling ivory in Somalia .
60 wardens and 38,000 elephants have been killed in the past year .
25 British soldiers will spend coming weeks teaching rangers to patrol better . |
109,231 | 18cc8a7b7cd51374e0862cbe61f1c422d75e781c | (CNN) -- The Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity has closed its chapter at the University of Mississippi after three of its members were suspected of tying a noose around the neck of a campus statue of civil rights icon James Meredith. Meredith was the first black student admitted to Ole Miss, which is in Oxford. "The decision is not a result of any individual incident, but a response to newly discovered, ongoing behavior that includes incidents of hazing, underage drinking, alcohol abuse, and failure to comply with the university and fraternity's codes of conduct," the fraternity said in a statement Thursday. "Though the incident involving the James Meredith statue several months ago did not directly result in the chapter's closure, it did mark the beginning of an intensified period of review." In February, someone placed a noose around the bronze statue and left behind a flag with the symbol of the Confederacy. The fraternity said then that it would expel the three students. "Sigma Phi Epsilon is committed to being a different kind of fraternity -- one that recognizes the importance of the out-of-classroom experience and is committed to making that experience the safest and most empowering part of a college male's life," CEO Brian Warren said in the statement. "Though it's always painful to close a chapter, these students' actions clearly illustrate a determination to perpetuate an experience based on risky and unconstructive behavior. In these cases, we have no choice but to close the chapter and return to campus at a later date." | A noose and Confederate emblem were found on a statue of James Meredith .
Meredith was the first black student admitted to Ole Miss .
The incident marked "the beginning of an intensified period of review," the fraternity says .
CEO says he wants Sigma Phi Epsilon to be "a different kind of fraternity" |
52,361 | 945857922f0432429eae3c968ae203a65de3ea7c | It is better known for being aligned with the rising and setting of the sun but Stonehenge has been transformed into something a lot more fiery. As the sun set last night, the World Heritage site was illuminated with fire sculptures and candle-lit paths to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Fire Garden has transformed the ancient site into a 'glowing fairytale environment' with 'mysterious . fiery engines', flaming fire pots and 'cascades of candles'. Scroll down for video . Dramatic: Fires light up the ancient stones at Stonehenge near Salisbury, Wiltshire as French artists Compagnie Carabosse present Fire Garden for the Salisbury International Arts Festival . Organised by the Salisbury . International Arts Festival, the Wiltshire-based attraction, which runs for three . consecutive nights, has been created by French arts group Compagnie . Carabosse as part of the London 2012 Festival. The arts group, which has staged installations across Europe, said . visitors would 'pass between concentric circles of flames' and 'huge . fire balls'. Festival director Maria Bota said: 'We aim to inspire, entertain and make moments which transform people and spaces. Ring of fire: As the sun set last night, the World Heritage site was illuminated with fire sculptures and candle-lit paths to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games . Ancient monument: Stonehenge was constructed boulder by boulder around 4,500 to 5,000 years ago . Inspiration: Festival director Maria Bota said the aim is to 'inspire, entertain and make moments which transform people and spaces' Maria Bota said: 'Our thanks to the remarkable Compagnie Carabosse for their continued collaboration and to London 2012 for enabling us to bring this idea to flickering life' 'Our thanks to the remarkable . Compagnie Carabosse for their beautiful fire garden creations, to . English Heritage, with whom we have worked for many years at Stonehenge, . for their continued collaboration and to London 2012 for enabling us to . bring this idea to flickering life.' Scientists published new research last month that claimed Stonehenge was built to cement a new East . West alliance between the former warring tribes of Britain as the . country started to become a United Kingdom after centuries of strife some 5,000-4,500 years ago. Important: Stonehenge had special significance for prehistoric Britons because its solstice-aligned Avenue sits upon a series of natural landforms that, by chance, form an axis between the directions of midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset . Bright skyline: The Fire Garden has transformed the ancient site into a 'glowing fairytale environment' with 'mysterious fiery engines', flaming fire pots and 'cascades of candles' Dark night: Organised by the Salisbury International Arts Festival, and was created by French arts group Compagnie Carabosse as part of the London 2012 Festival . Great balls of fire: Compagnie Carabosse, which has staged installations across Europe, said visitors would 'pass between concentric circles of flames' and 'huge fire balls' They rejected notions that the monument was prehistoric observatory, a sun temple, a place of healing, or a temple of the ancient druids. Instead they said it symbolised the ancestors of the various . clans inhabiting the area - early farming families - towards the end of the Stone Age, which . had been marked by conflict and religious differences. The site already had special significance . for prehistoric Britons because its solstice-aligned Avenue sits upon a . series of natural landforms that, by chance, form an axis between the . directions of midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. Stonehenge had special significance for prehistoric . Britons because its solstice-aligned Avenue sits upon a series of . natural landforms that, by chance, form an axis between the directions . of midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. The event will run from 9pm to midnight until tomorrow night. Theories: Scientists published new research last month that claimed Stonehenge was built to cement a new East West alliance between the former warring tribes of Britain . Revolutionary: Scientists have rejected notions that the monument was prehistoric observatory, a sun temple, a place of healing, or a temple of the ancient druids . Ancestors: Scientists say the structure symbolised the ancestors of the various clans inhabiting the area - early farming families - towards the end of the Stone Age, which had been marked by conflict and religious differences . All welcome: The event will run from 9pm to midnight until tomorrow night . | As the sun set last night, the site was illuminated with fire sculptures and candle-lit paths to mark London 2012 .
It became a 'glowing fairytale environment' with 'mysterious fiery engines', flaming fire pots and 'cascades of candles'
It was organised by the Salisbury International Arts Festival and created by French arts group Compagnie Carabosse .
The arts group said visitors would 'pass between concentric circles of flames' and 'huge fire balls'
The event will run from 9pm to midnight until tomorrow night . |
38,340 | 6c66fd6081cae5317be33200085598986c76804b | By . Andrew Warshaw . Click here to view our brilliant Match Zone service including Teofilo Gutierrez's goal. Welcome back, Colombia. They may be in the shadow of more illustrious South American contenders but what an exhilarating performance they put on Saturday amid another intoxicating atmosphere at this goal spree of a World Cup. Missing the mercurial talents of Radamel Falcao to a pre-tournament injury that robbed them of one of the world’s most potent strikers, they were nevertheless far too good for an ageing Greek team whose game plan went out of the window after five minutes. Just like in Sao Paolo in the opening game, Belo Horizonte’s imposing stadium was turned into a sea of yellow, but yellow of a different patriotic fervour. More than 40,000 Colombians poured into Brazil’s third largest city hoping to carry on where they had left off in qualifying when they finished second behind Argentina. VIDEO Scroll down for Pablo Armero shows you how to dance like a Columbian . Great start: Pablo Armero got Colombia off to an early lead in their Group C victory against Greece . Team spirit: The Colombia squad celebrated Armero's goal with a well-worked dance routine . Party time: Colombia's celebration for Armero is arguably the one of the tournament so far . Double trouble: Teofilo Gutierrez (left) doubled Colombia's lead with a 58th minute goal to put them 2-0 ahead . Pure joy: Gutierrez celebrates his first goal at this summer's World Cup as Colombia win in Belo Horizonte . Sorely missed: Injured talisman striker Falcao was cheering Colombia on in the Estadio Mineirao . Colombia: Ospina, Zuniga, Zapata, Yepes, Armero (Arias 74), Sanchez Moreno, Aguilar (Mejia 69), Rodriguez, Cuadrado, Gutierrez (Martinez 76), Ibarbo. Subs Not Used: Vargas, Carbonero, Balanta, Bacca, Ramos, Quintero, Valdes, Mondragon. Booked: Sanchez Moreno. Goals: Armero 5, Gutierrez 58, Rodriguez 90. Greece: Karnezis, Manolas, Torosidis, Papastathopoulos, Holebas, Maniatis, Katsouranis, Kone (Karagounis 78), Salpingidis (Fetfatzidis 57), Gekas (Mitroglou 64), Samaras. Subs Not Used: Glykos, Tzavelas, Moras, Tziolis, Vyntra, Christodoulopoulos, Samaris, Tachtsidis, Kapino. Booked: Papastathopoulos, Salpingidis. Attendance: 57,174 . Referee: Mark Geiger (USA). Coach Jose Pekerman described the . loss of Falcao, otherwise known as El Tigre, as his saddest day since . taking charge of Los Cafeteros but it mattered little as his team . cemented their status as dangerous floaters with a delicious exhibition . of South American flair. Colombia's . first World Cup match in the finals since 1998 offered a distinct clash . of styles. While the Greeks are known for their defensive nous and . conceded only four goals in qualifying, Colombia, who scored 27 goals . and had the most shots on target, only know how to play one way. And . so it proved in an intriguing lunchtime encounter, the first of Super . Saturday’s foursome at the same venue where England will wrap up their . group action against Costa Rica. Even . without Falcao – who nevertheless provided moral support by hugging . each and every one of his team-mates before kickoff -- Colombia were . still brimming with talent and their deafening fans, bathed in sunshine, . belted out the national anthem. Greece, . as we all know, can be disciplined, organised opponents as Otto . Rehhagel's side proved a decade ago when they shocked the world by . becoming champions of Europe. Yesterday, . however, they never really looked the part and got off to the worst . possible start when Pablo Armero -- on loan at West Ham from Napoli last . season – struck low and hard and the ball deflected off Kostantinos . Manolas, not the best 23rd birthday present for Olympiakos Piraus . defender, sparking bedlam at the side of the pitch and in the stands. Yellow wall: The 57,174 attendance inside the Estadio Mineirao was mainly dominated by Colombian supporters . Three and easy: James Rodriguez (centre) completed the scoreline with an injury-time goal for Colombia . Hopes of a nation: Rodriguez (centre) celebrates his goal in front of the fervent Colombian supporters . Down: Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis looks crestfallen after Rodriguez's goals extends the scoreline . Up for it: Vasilis Torosidis (left) came closest to scoring for Greece with his second-half header hitting the bar . With . their plan to contain and counter shot to pieces, the Greeks found it . hard to change tack. Yet as the first half drew to a close, they started . to ask questions, Panagiotis Kone’s fierce drive being spectacularly . punched away by David Ospina. Before . they could step it up , however, they faced an bigger mountain to . climb. Shortly after the break, Teofilo Gutierrez, who plays his club . football in Argentina and led the attack in place of Falcao, latched on . to a swirling corner and finished sweetly from close range. What . a chance Greece had of getting back in the game, only for Theofanis . Gekas to miss from two yards as his header struck the underside of the . bar before being cleared off the line. It was the sitter of the . tournament to date and effectively Greece’s last throw of the dice. The . “Oles” reverberated around the stadium and just to make their day,the . hugely talented James Rodriguez steered home a third in stoppage time. Lonely figure: Striker Georgios Samaras looks dejected after Greece's 3-0 Group C defeat on Saturday . Tricky customer: Colombia's Rodriguez (right) tries to skip past Greece's Kostas Katsouranis (left) On the ball: Juan Cuadrado (left) battles Sokratis Papastathopoulos (right) for the ball . Differing opinions: Colombia's Mario Yepes (left) clashes with Torosidis (right) during their Group C match . 'This . was the first match we’ve played in the finals for a long time and . result will obviously help us stay in the tournament,' said the . understated Pekerman. 'It’s . a dream to be here. Greece are an experienced team and the group is . very evenly matched. My players did exactly what was asked of them. I’m . deeply moved so many Colombians have come to Brazil.' Greece’s . Portuguese coach Fernando Santos was annoyed his team switched off late . on and conceded a third goal that might prove pivotal. 'Some . of the players thought it was over. It’s something I’ll have to talk to . the about. Nothing Colombia did surprised us but they controlled the . game. Now we have to think positive.' | Colombia beat Greece 3-0 to start their World Cup campaign with a win .
Pablo Armero scored Colombia's opener after five minutes .
Teofilo Gutierrez doubled Colombia's lead in the 58th minute .
James Rodriguez scored an injury time goal to complete the score .
Vasilis Torosidis hit the crossbar for Greece with a second-half header .
Armero and Gutierrez's goals were both celebrated with dance routines .
Injured talisman striker Falcao was in the crowd watching Colombia . |
103,769 | 11da0dc7262ad47913c5dd42fd8ba9f704b666ac | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 10:10 EST, 8 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:32 EST, 16 October 2012 . Apple, Microsoft and Amazon are set to go head to head in a unique battle for consumer's cash. The tech giants are set to release tablets within days of each other later this month. Apple is expected to launch its iPad mini on October 17th - a week before Amazon releases its tablets in the UK, and Microsoft releases its own Surface tablet. Almost ready for prime time? Website Apple.Pro revealed these images of the alleged eight-inch iPad Mini, due to launch on October 17 . The Mini launch comes as research suggests a quarter of us - 22 per . cent - own a tablet, with another three per cent regularly borrowing . someone else's tablet for web browsing. About 68 per cent of the 9,5123 adults surveyed said they purchased their tablet within the last year. The U.S. survey by the Pew Research Center also suggests the flood of . cheaper tablets, such as the Google Nexus or Amazon Fire, are weakening . Apple's grip on the market. A year ago, Apple had more than 80 per cent of the market, but this has now dropped to less around 52 per cent. The Kindle Fire has 21 per cent of the market, meanwhile Samsung's Galaxy tablet has eight per cent. Out of those surveyed, 44 per cent of adults who said they have a . smartphone, 46 per cent have an Android phone, 38 per cent, have an . iPhone and 10 per cent have a Blackberry. Apple's iPad mini is expected to so on sale around the world on November 2nd, according to online speculation. The launch date was reported by Fortune magazine, which cites Apple investors hearing the date from 'multiple sources'. The . device is believed to have similar hardware to last year's iPad 2, but . reduced to a pocket-friendly seven or eight-inch form. Fortune reports that Apple will send . out invites for the launch on October 10, gathering tech journalists and . stakeholders together to unveil the device. Amazon, meanwhile has already enjoyed huge success in the US with its updated Fire tablets - but will release them internationally for the first time on the 25th October. The gadgets, are available in both 7inch and 8.9inch versions (although only the 7inch version is currently set to go o sale outside of the US). The third contender is Microsoft, with its Surface tablets. The firm will launch the Surface tablet at the same time as Windows 8, the latest version of its desktop operating system, whcih experts say is a 'make or break' time for the firm. 'It's a dangerous game, as all three firms are trying to steal each other's thunder,' said Tom Wiggins of gadget magazine Stuff. 'Apple tend to be more cagey. 'If I was Apple, and knew that Microsoft . was launching, I'd probably try and come up with something to take the . focus away from them - and nobody else can do that in quite the same way . Apple can.' Wiggins believes that Microsoft has so far played its cards close to its chest with the Surface tablet.The firm has not even confirmed a price for the gadget. 'Microsoft is the most interesting - it's a make or break thing for them, as they have always struggled with touchscreen interfaces. 'It has the potential to be a success - but the worry is that it will be overcomplicated compared to the iPad.' However, it is Apple's iPad mini that is expected to attract most attention. 'The iPad mini is potentially huge,' said Wiggins. 'But a lot will depend on price. There are a lot of people who would like an iPad but can't afford one, so if it does launch and is £250, it will be very difficult for anyone to beat.' Experts also believe that Amazon's Kindle, which is being launched outside the US for the first tim, could be let down if not enough content is available. The gadget uses Amazon's own app and film and book stores. Steve Jobs famously ruled on a smaller iPad, saying 'The current crop of 7-inch tablets are going to be DOA, dead on arrival. 'We don't think you can make a great tablet with a 7-inch screen.' However, devices like the Amazon Kindle and Google's Nexus 7 have shown that there is a market for smaller devices that consumers can use on public transport, causing Apple to reportedly change its mind on an 'iPad mini' with a 7 or 8 inch screen. The firm has reportedly placed orders for ten million of the devices, which are also likely to feature the firms controversial new connector. 'Kindle Fire is a difficult one, especially in the UK,' said Wiggins. 'It is dependent on its content delivery, and they will have to have a lot of UK content at launch for it to work - but Kindle is a very strong brand now.. However, Wiggins also believes that the technique could also backfire - by confusing consumers. 'It is quite possible consumers will get confused,' he said. 'After the iPhone launched, a lot of competitors came out, and people did get confused. The iPad will continue to be the benchmark, the danger for Microsoft and Amazon is that people will ask 'can it do what an iPad does?' Most secrecy has surround the iPad Mini, a shrunken version . of Apple's market-changing tablet, is expected to launch on October 17, . with the device available in shops on November 2. If Apple follows previous form, the event will be held in San Francisco, with a simultaneous launch on London. Images purporting to show the iPad . Mini suggest a device measuring 7.85inches, with an aluminium back-cover . similar to the most recent iPad. It is likely to sport a rear-facing . camera and come with Apple's newest 'lightning' connector, a . controversial re-design which made previous accessories and chargers . obsolete without an adapter. If Apple follows its usual design . styles, it is likely to come in white and black versions, with a choice . of WiFi only, or a 3G option. However this unconfirmed. The device, while still likely to garner a premium price-tag, will help Apple compete with the burgeoning smaller tablet market. The 7-inch Google Nexus tablet sells for £159 for the cheapest version, while Amazon is also producing a budget tablet range. Steve Jobs was . unconvinced that a smaller tablet would be a success, seeing it as a . poor compromise between a tablet and a phone. However Apple appears to have had a change of heart, particularly now that the tablet market has now matured. One issue Apple might face by launching a Mini is a fragmentation in its core product lines. Until the release of the iPhone 5, . Apple's two product lines had kept the same screen resolution, meaning . apps did not need redesigning for different devices, a problem that plagues the competing Android platform. But with the increased screen size of . the iPhone 5, some apps now have a black border, at least until the . developers update their apps, and this problem may now afflict Apple's . tablets, depending on the final size of the Mini. | Unprecedented timing will see three launches this month .
iPad Mini, Microsoft Surface and Kindle Fire all set to go on sale .
Estimates claim Apple has ordered 10 million iPad minis . |
131,450 | 35f8b58c0aaae446814e7abdf27eadd35a00346a | By . Sara Malm . Britain’s most tattooed man has been refused a passport, but not because of his skin decorations - but his name. King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-Ite, 34, has been refused an ID renewal because of his unusual moniker, which he adopted by deed poll four years ago. The Lib Dem activist from Birmingham, formerly known as Mathew Whelan - now called Body Art for short – says it breaches his human rights to demand that he uses his birth name on his passport. Scroll down for video . Hard to ID: King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-Ite, known as Body Art for short, changed his name by deed poll five years ago and has now been told he cannot get a new passport . Body Art, who has covered 90 per cent . of his body in ink, including tattooing his left eyeball black, has . spent more than £25,000 on his passion. Now, he has been offered work abroad to turn his hobby into a job, and so applied to have his passport renewed. But . despite filling out the forms and sending the £72.50 fee, he received a . letter this week telling him the application had been rejected because . of his new name. The 34-year-old has changed his name twice, in 2007 and 2009, and his new moniker appears on his driving licence. In the name of Art: Although he is Britain's most tattooed man, it is not because of his body art that Body Art is being refused a passport . Tea and a snake: A normal day in the life of King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-Ite . All covered up: What started with a small inking has now led to 90 per cent of his body covered in tattoos . Innocent days: Body Art as a young Birmingham fan, when football was the main interest . He . said: ‘I applied for an update on my passport because it had expired. I . got a phone call from an administrator at the passport office and they . said there was a problem. ‘They . said my application was being reviewed by the policy department, they . said they needed further government documents with my name. ‘I sent them my driving licence, a letter from my MP and a mortgage letter by recorded delivery.’ He . added: ‘This is a breach of my human rights. They want to put my birth . name on my passport. But that is not my name any more.’ Body . Art has now sent an official letter of complaint to the passport . office, and local MP John Hemming is backing him, and has also written . asking for clarification. 'Unreasonable': Body Art says that it is a breach of his human rights that he needs to put his birth name on the passport, even though his new name is on his driver's licence . Staying put: The Lib Dem activist's application to renew his passport was rejected on the basis of his name, and he may now miss out job opportunities abroad at body modification conventions . Mr . Hemming said: ‘Obviously there do need to be limits on what names are . acceptable for public documents but these limits should be consistent . and the policy as to what is acceptable should be clear. ‘I have written to the passport agency to see why they take a different view from the DVLA.’ A spokeswoman for the Passport Office said they did not comment on individual cases. The . office's policy on names reads: ‘Where an applicant changes his or her . name to a string of words or phrases that would not normally be . recognised as a name, this should not be entered onto the personal . details page of the passport. ‘For . example, the names "New Year" "Happy Easter" or "Good Bye" are . unacceptable as, when put together, they became a recognised phrase or . saying.’ | King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-Ite cannot get a passport .
The Lib Dem activist, 34, used to be called Mathew Whelan .
Has 90 per cent of his body covered in ink - including his eyeball .
After changing his name by deed poll, he can no longer get new ID . |
104,247 | 127f97e33c82f962a78bb4ee0a3a0b517673febc | (CNN) -- South Sudan, the newest country in the world, is already facing a crisis. With more than 170,000 refugees on its northern border, and hundreds of thousands of people who have returned since independence, the newborn country is struggling. In July, the U.N. Refugee Agency accompanied South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek to her native country during the one-year anniversary of its independence. Wek, a refugee herself, has used her celebrity status to raise awareness about refugee issues for more than a decade; last year a partnership between her and UNHCR began to gel. "I went home for the independence with an open mind and to see how the returnees and refugees were doing," Wek said. In spite of the jubilee and pride that punctuated the independence festivities, the refugee situation is going from bad to worse. UNHCR is the lead agency managing seven camps on the contentious border between the north and the south. Torrential rains and complicated terrain are becoming lethal forces for the aid agency as it works to stave off an increasingly alarming situation. At the Yusuf Batil camp in Maban County, where Wek visited last month, 15% of the children are being rushed into acute malnutrition programs. In Upper Nile, nearly half the refugees are children under 11, and this group is suffering the most. After talking with refugees who had recently arrived in the camp, Wek said, "I can't believe it's been 20 years and people are still fleeing violence." Wek participated in handing out soap and mosquito nets as part of a widespread health and sanitation program. In spite of these efforts, the camp is seizing from the impact of diseases such as malaria and diarrhea. At a mobile health clinic, many people show signs of malaria, including aid workers. "I am so impressed by UNHCR staff who live and work side by side with the refugees," Wek said. "It's really remarkable." All is not bleak though. Wek visited her hometown, Wau, where dozens of children greeted her before she went to see a new returnee village. UNHCR is assisting more than 330,000 South Sudanese who returned home from Khartoum, Sudan, and neighboring countries. "This step in the process is exciting because it's the end of a long struggle," said Vincent Cochetel, the U.S. representative for UNHCR. "What we work so hard for is for people to be able to go home." While talking with a mother who was sharing her joy over finally coming home, Wek also learned that programs to help people restart their lives are at risk of being cut because of competing needs in the country. "I was told that 100 more houses and a school program had to be cut because of the expense of the crisis on the border. I think we as the international community have a social responsibility to help," she said. The UNHCR's Sudan refugee emergency appeal of $219 million is only 34% met. Concerned about the funding gap, citizens are stepping up to help. Pierre Omidyar, who founded eBay, and his wife, Pam, made a donation of $500,000, with the hope their contribution spurs more. But even a little goes a long way. A container to transport clean water can literally save a life and just $20 can provide 10 jerrycans for refugees. Similarly, $55 can buy five mosquito nets to protect children from the deadly threat of malaria. For $100, donors can provide kitchen sets for five families, and $345 will provide a family with much needed shelter. Wek plans to work with UNHCR not only on generating awareness for the emergency but also by helping the agency generate funds to support the returnees and their access to education. "Education is the key to the future. South Sudanese people are rich like the soil; they just need a little water and they will grow," the beaming supermodel said. UNHCR is the lead agency on the frontlines of three raging emergencies. With the situations in Syria, Sudan/South Sudan and Mali continuing to worsen, the organization is facing challenges in staffing and funding. In the past six months, the agency has assisted more than 800,000 people who have been forced to escape deadly conflict. The agency is working around the clock to ensure families are safe and receive shelter, water, food and health care. To help South Sudan, go to UNrefugees.org/Alek. | Supermodel Alek Wek traveled to South Sudan with the U.N. Refugee Agency .
A former refugee, Wek fled a violent civil war in the region more than 20 years ago .
The newly independent country of South Sudan is facing a refugee crisis .
Wek helps raise funds for UNHCR education programs serving returning refugees . |
4,545 | 0d1882bbd621b173e82dafa6bfff09f2c2696099 | By . Ted Thornhill . Smog and air pollution are lingering environmental problems in China. But a city in the northwestern region is determined to fight against dirty air using nothing more complicated than plain old tap water. Recently, local residents in Lanzhou, capital of northwest Chinas Gansu province, found that two giant sprayers had been set up at the Dongfanghong Square where a subway station of the city's Metro Line 1 is under construction. Will they see clearly now? The water sprayers will throw pulverized water 2,000 feet into the air to dispel pollution . Grand cannon: The sprayers have been placed next to construction works for a new subway station . Size matters: The cannons are enormous and have been getting a lot of attention from passers-by . The two long-range sprayers are able to pulverize and spurt out tap water to wipe out dust and smog within a radius of 600 meters to reduce air pollution caused by the metro construction. Martyn Chipperfield, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Leeds, said the water will cling on to the pollutants and bring them back down to earth. He told MailOnline: 'Lanzhou has a big problem with smog, like lots of Chinese cities. This is a small-scale effort to damp down the dust. The water will go up as a fine mist, and stick to the dust and form larger particles - and fall back down to the surface under gravity. It's basically replicating rain on a local level.' This does of course mean that anyone in the vicinity is likely to get quite mucky. However, Professor Chipperfield said that 'it will stop dust spreading over a wider area'. It won't stop pollution elsewhere, though, he added. Earlier this year Chinese scientists said that pollution 900 miles away in Beijing was so dense that its effects were comparable to that of a nuclear winter. It has been predicted that if enough nuclear bombs were detonated, so many particles would be thrown into the air that the sun could be blocked out enough to alter the weather and damage the food supply. Issue: Pollution is a major problem in many Chinese cities . Calamity: Earlier this year the pollution in Beijing was said by one expert to be having a similar effect to that of a nuclear winter . This process was under way in China’s capital city and six northern provinces, according to He Dongxian from China Agricultural University’s College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering.She warned that the toxic smog was hindering photosynthesis of plants and that if it lingers much longer, it could affect food production, according to The Guardian. Pollution had been so severe that aircraft were grounded, roads closed and tourists numbers hit, while the direct danger posed to human health was underlined by the World Health Organisation, whose readings in Beijing in February had alarming results. It was reported that the level of PM 2.5 particles, a key measure of pollution because they are small enough to be assimilated into the blood stream, reached 505 micrograms per cubic metre, far higher than the maximum level it considers to be safe, which is 25. Authorities have introduced anti-pollution policies and often pledged to clean up the environment but the problem has not eased. It remains to be seen whether the water sprayers can form part of a long-term solution. | Two giant sprayers have been set up in Lanzhou, in China's Gansu province .
They will squirt water 2,000 feet into the air to dispel lingering pollution .
The water will stick to the pollutants and bring them back to earth .
Earlier this year pollution in China was compared to a nuclear winter . |
74,399 | d2ee859acf7e35bea229f968d53240c2f1c2845c | Washington (CNN) -- A new book about former Sen. John Edwards paints him as a cold, calculating and reckless politician willing to deny fathering a daughter, risking his marriage and putting the Democratic Party in potential political jeopardy -- all in the name of trying to win the presidency. In "The Politician," former Edwards' aide Andrew Young details his efforts to conceal an ongoing extra-marital affair and the birth of a child out-of-wedlock. "The Politician" went on sale Saturday. Young described an elaborate plan that allowed Edwards to maintain a mistress while he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. The plan was funded by two wealthy benefactors, the late trial lawyer Fred Baron and banking heir widow Bunny Mellon, but Mellon was unaware that her money was being used for the mistress. A federal grand jury is investigating payments the former senator's campaign and supporters made to Rielle Hunter, who was a videographer as Edwards was preparing a bid for 2008 White House run. In the book, Young writes that "the prosecutors pressed me for exact information about checks that were written, the way the money was used and the timing of events. They wanted names, dates, and amounts in very specific terms." Young, who portrays himself as a one-time idealistic loyal aide, said he was the point person in arranging rendezvous for Edwards and Hunter and helped to keep the affair a secret. And when Edwards impregnated Hunter, Young said he agreed to the senator's request to lie and say he was the father even though Young, himself, was married with three children. Young said he told his wife about agreeing to Edwards' request as the couple drove through a McDonald's drive through to pick up food for their son. "After I finally got to holler for Chicken McNuggets with chocolate milk and the right toy, I turned to Cheri and in the time it took us to reach window number one (where you give them the money), I said, 'Edwards wants me to say I'm the father of Rielle's baby, and then Fred's gonna fly us off to someplace where we can all hide,' " Young said. His wife, Young recounted, was dumbfounded. "Are you out of your mind? Why would you even tell me about this? Why didn't you just say no?" Young said Hunter was also initially against the idea but warmed up to it after being told her financial needs would be met. His wife, Cheri, eventually agreed to the plan, setting in motion a chaotic time for the family as they uprooted their lives in North Carolina and criss-crossed the country with Hunter and their children in an effort to evade the media. Edwards denied that he was the girl's father for more than a year, saying the affair was over before Hunter became pregnant. Last week, he acknowledged paternity. "I am Quinn's father," Edwards said in a statement. "I have been able to spend time with her during the past year and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately and in peace." John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, have legally separated. On Friday, John Edwards' lawyers released a statement saying that early reports about the book indicate there are problems with Young's account. "While we have not had an opportunity to view the interview or read the book, we urge extreme caution by everyone involved," his attorneys wrote. "From media reports, it is obvious that there are many allegations which are simply false. It appears that Andrew Young is primarily motivated by financial gain and media attention." Earlier in the week, Elizabeth Edwards also challenged accusations Young made in the book regarding her cancer and the couple's children. "Elizabeth is moving on with her life and wants to put this difficult chapter behind her," her publisher Random House said in a statement. "It was an excrutiatingly (sic) painful period for her and she (has) no interest in rehashing the past. Based on the limited portions of the book that have been made available, it is clear it contains many falsehoods and exaggerations. "She will not engage in a dialogue on each of the false charges, but would like to set the record straight on two key points. First, the allegation that she sought to politicize her cancer is unconscionable, hurtful and patently false. "Second, she believed Andrew Young to be the father of this child until her husband confessed his paternity (sic) to her this past summer. She will have nothing further to say." In the book, Young accuses Elizabeth Edwards of engaging in a smear campaign to undermine his credibility. Young said it wasn't until John Edwards privately expressed indifference about the birth of his daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, in February 2008, that he realized the former senator cared only about himself. "After watching and hearing John Edwards practice a thousand little deceptions and tell a thousand different lies, ostensibly in the service of some greater good, I finally recognized that he didn't care about anyone other than himself," Young writes. "A precious living, breathing human being -- his daughter -- had come into the world, and he wasn't inclined to even call the woman who had given birth to her. Instead, I had to prompt him to do the right thing, to do the most basic, human thing. "My faith in him died almost instantly, and I felt both ashamed of my naïveté and very afraid for the future of my family." Young also writes that: . • He has a sex tape of Edwards in his possession showing the senator with a "naked pregnant woman" that Young says is Hunter. Young said he found the damaged tape in "a box of trash that Rielle had left behind after she stayed with us for a few weeks" in the Raleigh, North Carolina, home his family was renting. Young writes that even though the woman's face is obscured "it was safe to assume it was Rielle." • Despite Edwards' carefully crafted image as a champion for everyday people, he was "irritated by ordinary events. He especially hated making appearances at state fairs, where 'fat rednecks try to shove food down my face. I know I'm the people's senator, but do I have to hang out with them?'" • Edwards understood his audience and before appearing at a Service Employees International Union health care event in Las Vegas, Nevada, he instructed Young to take his Italian suit coat to a tailor to remove the label indicating it was Italian-made. In its place, Edwards had the tailor sew in a "Made in the USA" label that had been on Young's jacket. • When Edwards was not on the Atkins diet, he "loved Cracker Barrel" restaurants as well as ribs. • Edwards thought that 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry "just wasn't all that smart." Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, would later pick Edwards to be his vice presidential running mate. | Andrew Young writes he arranged rendezvous for John Edwards, Rielle Hunter .
Edwards denied he fathered a child with Hunter for more than a year .
John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards have separated, contest accounts in the book .
Federal grand jury investigating payments made to Hunter . |
60,674 | ac76e05387723b1005b4f2c2ef82efb941d2f136 | Manchester City have jetted out to Abu Dhabi for a winter training camp in an attempt to recharge their batteries ahead of the second half of the season. The Premier League champions, who were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal on Sunday, will take on Bundesliga outfit Hamburg in a glamour friendly on Wednesday - before returning in time for their fourth round FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough at the weekend. James Milner, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna hit the beach to play football with local residents on a sandy small-sided pitch. Bacary Sagna playfully wrestles with team-mate James Milner during a game of beach football . Pablo Zabaleta, Milner, Gael Clichy and Sagna made a trip to the beach in Abu Dhabi . The Manchester City quartet also showed off their cooking skills by helping a chef cook a variety of different food products on a barbecue. Milner, Zabaleta and Clichy, who all featured in City's disappointing display against Arsenal, appeared to be in high spirits despite their recent defeat. City have the chance of closing the five-point gap on league leaders Chelsea when they travel to Stamford Bridge to face their rivals on January 31. Boss Manuel Pellegrini has labelled the upcoming match in west London 'a very important game'. Speaking after Sunday's defeat, Pellegrini said: ‘The game we must play at Stamford Bridge is a very important game. ‘We must close the gap to two points. I hope we are going to recover and play the way we are playing so far. With the ball we didn’t have clear ideas. ‘Chelsea will be a very decisive game. We will try to win that game to close that gap again. ‘We didn’t play a good game. We ran a lot and had a lot of possession but we didn’t have creative ideas to try and find the space against a team that defend very well.’ Aleks Kolarov, Hart and Milner during an open training session at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium . Hart interacts with the watching audience as both Kolarov and Milner laugh along on Tuesday . Full backs Sagna and Clichy meet local residents on their trip around Abu Dhabi . Clichy was all smiles despite his side's recent defeat against former side Arsenal at the weekend . Milner shares a joke with Zabaleta as they looked to recuperate ahead of the second half of the campaign . Sagna, who was an unused substitute against Arsenal, is interviewed by Manchester City's media team . The Manchester City summer signing could feature against Bundesliga outfit Hamburg . Clichy covers his eyes from the sun while fellow countryman Sagna looks in high spirits . | Manchester City's first team stars have jetted out to Abu Dhabi .
Manuel Pellegrini's side will face Hamburg on Wednesday .
City will return in time for FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough . |
232,648 | b93c5acdb17e674ec694eae350be1df0d86f69ce | A Massachusetts man who bought a pair of lottery tickets at a grocery shop to break a $100 bill for lunch has ended up winning $10 million. Lottery officials announced Thursday that Richard Noll and his wife Lisa claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Braintree this week. He chose a one-time payment of $6.5 million before taxes. Big winnings: Richard Noll and his wife Lisa claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Braintree this week. Noll bought a pair of tickets at a grocery shop to break a $100 bill for lunch and ended up winning $10 million . The Revere man says he needed to break a $100 bill to get lunch at a sandwich shop, so he bought two $20 'Platinum Millions' instant tickets at Lanzilli Groceria in East Boston. The shop gets a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Lottery communications director Christian Teja told Itemlive.com that Noll's post-taxes prize money will come to $4.5 million. Noll says he wants to buy a house, make investments and take his granddaughter to Walt Disney World. Lottery officials said in a release 'Noll is the third $10 million "Platinum Millions" prize winner since this instant game was launched in 2013. There are two additional $10 million prizes and sixteen $1 million prizes remaining in the game.' The Blaze pointed out that there is a one in 5,040,000 chance of winning $10 million by playing 'Platinum Millions 2013.' Big plans: Winner Richard Noll says he wants to buy a house, make investments and take his granddaughter to Walt Disney World (file photo) | Lottery officials announced Thursday that Richard Noll and his wife Lisa claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Braintree this week .
He chose a one-time payment of $6.5 million before taxes .
The Revere man says he needed to break a $100 bill to get lunch at a sandwich shop, .
He bought two $20 'Platinum Millions' instant tickets at Lanzilli Groceria in East Boston . |
99,222 | 0bcdff1769693f1a765e0e668c8a80feffe640bb | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 09:59 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:36 EST, 26 July 2013 . Out after scandal: Huma Abedin was seen going to work meetings the day after she made a joint press conference with her husband Anthony Weiner . Huma Abedin has sparked further controversy with the revelation that she was employed by private companies at the same time as working for the State Department. For the first time this week Abedin is being questioned over something unrelated to her decision to stand by her husband Anthony Weiner during his latest sexting scandal. Abedin has spent almost 20 years working for Hillary Clinton, first while her husband Bill was President and then most recently when she was running the State Department. After Abedin gave birth to her son Jordan, she returned to Clinton's side in the State Department in June 2012 but her title changed from deputy chief of staff to 'special government employee'. The New York Times reported that little changed about Abedin's actual role in affair of state, but she also began consulting for private firms. Her expertise came for a price, as Fox News is reporting that Teneo paid her $355,000, which is well over double her $135,000 salary from the State Department. She and her husband reported earning $496,000 that year, with Weiner's contributions coming from the consulting business he quietly opened before making his bid for a new political life. Now one Senator is calling for Abedin to explain what inside knowledge, if any, she brought to the public sector from her dealings in the State Department . 'I am concerned that the 'special government employee' designation blurs the line between public and private sector employees, especially when employees receive full-time salaries for what appears to be part-time work,' Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa wrote in a letter to Abedin and sitting Secretary of State John Kerry. On the side: Abedin reportedly made $355,000 from her consulting work that happened as she worked for Hillary Clinton when the former First Lady was Secretary of State . Supportive: In 2012, after her husband Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress, Abedin earned $135,000 from the State Department and $355,000 from her consulting work . In response, Abedin said that the move was approved by State Department lawyers. She wrote back to the Republican Senator saying she 'was not asked, nor did I provide, insights about the Department, my work with the Secretary, or any government information to which I may have had access'. The discrepancy between her work for the government and the private sector first appeared in May as Weiner began to plot his campaign to become New York City's next mayor. She did not disclose her work with Teneo as part of her financial report, which is a standard filing for government employees in order to make known any possible conflicts of interest. Close connections: One Republican Senator is now calling for clarification as he fears she may have used classified information to help Teneo financially . No more: Mrs Abedin, seen here telling a coffee server to move during a conference in San Francisco, has worked for Mrs Clinton in various capacity since 1996 . Though officials are generally expected to report any sources of income, Clinton's longtime spokesman Philippe Reines said she did not have to do so. Her close work with Mrs Clinton has carried on past the State Department and Abedin was said to have gone on a call with the former Secretary an hour after she gave her joint press conference with her husband on Tuesday where she said she was aware that he continued sexting women well after he resigned from Congress. | Weiner's wife was given a special title that allowed her to work for the State Department while earning hundreds of thousands from private firms .
Republican Senator worried about a conflict of interest .
Comes after Abedin widely criticized for standing by her husband during his latest sexting scandal . |
166,300 | 6309588921d097d1fc20d9809aa9ec24d2a3fa5c | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 10:51 EST, 10 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:18 EST, 11 April 2013 . The iconic Louvre in Paris was forced to close its doors to the public today after staff staged a walk out in protest at the increasing number of pickpocket thefts by Romanian immigrant children at the museum. Hundreds of staff refused to work because of the increasing number of thieves targeting tourists at the city's famous landmark, which normally attracts up to 30,000 visitors a day. Many of the thieves are said to be the children of Romanian immigrants who get into the museum for free and then start asking tourists for money. Walkout: Staff at the iconic Louvre museum in Paris have staged a walk out in protest at the number of pickpocket thefts taking place . They usually ask their victims whether they speak English before surrounding them and taking money and other possessions. Although the problem of pickpocketing is said to be a widespread problem throughout the city, the Louvre seems to have become a particularly popular target for thieves. The museum had asked for extra help from the police at the end of last year, but the problem has persisted. One member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said: 'The children are tough and very well organised. Treasures: The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous works of art on display at the Louvre . 'They stop at nothing to get what they want, and work in gangs. 'We can only do so much, but arrests are usually impossible because of their young age. 'If they are kicked out, they return the next day. They are very aggressive towards staff, putting people in danger of attack.' Members of museum staff trade unions visited the Ministry of Culture following today's walk-out to demand action. Two years ago, France's then Interior Minister said that the vast majority of street robberies in Paris were being carried out by the children of Romanian immigrants. Claude Gueant said the notoriously poor and corrupt eastern European state was responsible for exporting some of the most notorious sneak thieves in the world. Many operated in gangs around the Gare du Nord Eurostar station, preying on British travellers as they arrived by high-speed train from London. France has shut down illegal Roma camps full of Romanian immigrants which have sprung up around the French capital, but Romanian crime remains a huge problem. Romania joined the EU in 2007 but faced restrictions on immigration which are set to be lifted next year, leading to an expected influx into countries like Britain. Around eight million people a year visit the Louvre, which is full of artistic treasures including the Mona Lisa. Thieves at work: Pickpocketing is said to be a problem throughout Paris, but thieves seem to target the Louvre (file picture) | The museum asked for more police protection after a spate of thefts .
The problem has shown no sign of improvement despite more officers .
Staff trade unions have visited the Ministry of Culture about the problem . |
190,713 | 82f1dc1967dd8de4158ac196f259365263a6266a | This is the terrifying moment a swarm of angry bees attacked a drone as it flew over Miami Beach in Florida. The drone quadcopter, fitted with a camera, was launched in a bid to capture a stunning aerial view of the coastal resort city. But as soon as it soared above surrounding trees and homes, it was attacked by another type of drone: male honey bees. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Before the storm: A drone quadcopter with a camera prepares to capture an aerial view of Miami Beach . Attack: But as soon as it soars above surrounding trees and homes, it is attacked by male honey bees . Swarm: Footage captured by the drone shows the bees darting above the coastal resort town in Florida . Footage captured by the aircraft shows the mass of bees darting through the air as the drone emits a loud whirring sound. They continue to swarm around the drone as it makes its way over the Miami Beach neighborhood, before landing on a block of wood in a back garden. Due to the aggressive nature and sheer number of drones protecting the hive, the bees are believed to be Africanized bees. Known as 'killer bees', these insects exhibit certain behavioral traits that make them a threat to people and other animals, including excessive defensiveness and swarming. 'Killer bees': Due to the aggressive nature and sheer number of drones protecting the hive, the bees are believed to be Africanized bees (pictured). These insects exhibit excessive defensiveness and swarming . Getting in the way: The bees are seen swarming around the drone as it soars over Miami Beach in Florida . Posing a threat: Africanized bees' behavioral traits can make them a threat to people and other animals . Although they were first introduced to Brazil in the 1950s in an effort to increase honey production, 26 swarms accidentally escaped quarantine in 1957. Since then, the insects have spread throughout South and Central America. They arrived in North America in 1985. According to Skymark Productions, which launched the drone, a bee removal professional has now inspected the hive. They are planning to either relocate or destroy it. Angry: The bees are seen daring through the air as the drone makes its way over the Miami Beach area . Landing: The insects continue to swarm the drone as it lands on a block of wood in a back garden (pictured). A bee removal professional has now inspected the hive and is planning to either relocate or destroy it . | Drone quadcopter, fitted with camera, flew over Miami Beach, Florida .
Within seconds of take off, it was attacked by a swarm of angry bees .
Due to aggressive nature, insects are believed to be Africanized bees .
Their particular behavioral traits make them threat to people and pets .
Bee removal professional plans to either relocate or destroy the hive . |
185,575 | 7c63068f16b32537e09a5dd95f59c0d332ea7405 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 12:39 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:18 EST, 9 December 2013 . A man has been found dead on a beach where TV murder mystery Broadchurch was filmed. The body of the man, thought to be in his late 40s, was discovered near the foot of a cliff in West Bay, Dorset. The horrific sight was initially thought by locals from the town of Bridport to be part of the filming for the second series of the hit ITV drama. Death: A man's body was found on the beach at West Bay in Dorset, where Broadchurch was filmed . Cordon: The beach was closed off by police as they investigated the scene of the incident . The first series of Broadchurch, which was broadcast in March and April this year, opened with the discovery of an 11-year-old boy's body on the beach. Later on in the series, a newsagent who is wrongly accused of killing the boy commits suicide nearby. The real-life tragedy came to light yesterday morning when a member of the public spotted the unidentified man lying dead while she was walking her dog. The area was cordoned off by police as they investigated the circumstances of the incident. Discovery: The body was found on Sunday morning by a member of the public who was walking her dog . Investigation: Police say they do not believe the circumstances of the man's death are suspicious . A resident, who asked not to be named, said: 'At first I thought they had started filming the second series of Broadchurch, then I realised it was real.' Another Twitter user said: 'Can't believe a body has been found on West Bay beach. People thought they were filming for Broadchurch series two. Such sad news.' A spokesman for Dorset Police said that the man's injuries were consistent with falling from a great height. Detective Sergeant Steve Broadhurst said: 'While we are keeping an open mind all the signs are that this is not suspicious.' Maggie Ray, mayor of Bridport, described the incident as 'very sad news' Filming: Broadchurch star David Tennant appearing in a scene from the hit programme on the beach . A police spokesman said the man's injuries were consistent with falling from a great height, and that the incident was not being treated as suspicious . Maggie Ray, mayor of Bridport, said: 'This is very sad news, I can only say what everyone else has been saying and that it is an awful thing to happen. 'I feel for the family and send them our condolences, we now need to find out what exactly has happened here.' The second series of Broadchurch is set to begin filming next year. | Man in his 40s found dead on beach near Bridport, Dorset yesterday .
Site was where the body of a boy was discovered in ITV murder mystery . |
239,928 | c29d7291aab08d7eb2d1f1ce9b5f4f70d853ca54 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:47 EST, 19 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:57 EST, 20 July 2012 . Mad Men earned a leading 17 Emmy nominations today - and the chance to set a new record as the most-honoured drama in television history. The AMC show, which portrays a piercingly bleak portrait of a 1960s American anti-hero (Don Draper), has already won four best drama series trophies - and is tied with Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and The West Wing to receive a fifth bid in the category. The miniseries American Horror Story, a nightmarish saga about a haunted house, received a matching 17 awards, including an acting nod for star Connie Britton. Scroll down for video . Honoured: Mad Men received a leading 17 Emmy nominations today alongside American Horror Story, pictured here John Hamm as Don Draper and Jessica Pare as his wife Megan . The show is set in Sixties New York and takes a bleak look at the murky world of advertising . Other leading nominees include the elegant British-born period drama Downton Abbey, which earned 16 bids, and two miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys, with 16, and Hemingway & Gellhorn with 15. Modern Family, honoured as best comedy series for the past two years, was the sitcom leader with 14 bids, but the category also saw an infusion of girl power. Breakout comedies with women at their centre - in fashion after the box-office success of Bridesmaids - proved alluring to Emmy voters. American Horror Story won a matching 17 nods, including a leading actress nomination for Connie Britton, left, while Lena Dunham, right, also received an acting nomination and best comedy nomination for her show Girls . Early risers Jimmy Kimmel, clad in his pyjamas, and actress Kerry Washington announced the nominees at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles at 5.30am local time . Girls, creator-star Lena Dunham's darkly comedic coming-of-age New York story, received a best comedy nod and an acting nomination for its star, . Lena Dunham. Zooey Deschanel's offbeat charm in New Girl earned her an acting bid. 'Girls is HBO's current spin on Sex and the City, which was a strong past Emmy favourite,' said Tom O'Neil, editor of the Gold Derby awards website. Homeland is nominated for best drama, with Damian Lewis and Claire Danes getting an acting honour each . Downton Abbey has been nominated for best drama in the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards . Emmy darling Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with past wins for Seinfeld and New Adventures of Old Christine, earned an acting nod for Veep. Betty White, 90, brought her brand of female empowerment to the nominations, earning a best reality series host nod for Betty White's Off Their Rockers. A no-show in the category was perennial winner Jeff Probst of Survivor. Top nominations were announced by Kerry Washington of Scandal and by Jimmy Kimmel, who will host the awards. Game Of Thrones is competing for best drama, pictured left star's Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, while Modern Family has been honoured in the best comedy category, Sofia Vergara seen right . Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey have received an acting nod each for 30 Rock, which has also bagged a place in the best comedy category . Kimmel filled in today for Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation, who was held up by weather-related travel delays on the East Coast. 'This is a sex dream, isn't it,' joked Kimmel, ABC's late-night host, who arrived on stage at the TV academy dressed in pyjamas. The Emmy ceremony is scheduled to air on ABC on September 23. Kimmel arrived to the announcement ceremony in a . pair of pyjamas and discovered that he is up for an award in the Best . Variety Series category . Drama Series . Boardwalk Empire . Breaking Bad . Downton Abbey . Game Of Thrones . Homeland . Mad Men . Lead Actress In A Drama Series . Kathy Bates - Harry's Law . Glenn Close - Damages . Claire Danes - Homeland . Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey . Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife . Elizabeth Moss - Mad Men . Lead Actor In A Drama Series . Hugh Bonneville - Downton Abbey . Steven Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire . Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad . Michael C. Hall - Dexter . Damien Lewis - Homeland . Jon Hamm - Mad Men . Outstanding Mini Series . American Horror Story . Game Change . Hatfields & McCoys . Hemingway & Gellhorn . Luther . Sherlock . Lead Actress In A Mini Series Or Movie . Connie Britton - American Horror Story . Ashley Judd - Missing . Nicole Kidman - Hemingway & Gellhorn . Julianne Moore - Game Change . Emma Thompson - The Song Of Lunch . Lead Actor In A Mini Series Or Movie . Kevin Costner - Hatfields & McCoys . Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock . Idris Elba - Luther . Woody Harrelson - Game Change . Clive Owen - Hemingway & Gellhorn . Bill Paxton - Hatfields & McCoys . Outstanding Host of a Reality Show . Tom Bergeron - Dancing With The Stars . Cat Deeley - So You Think You Can Dance . Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race . Ryan Seacrest - American Idol . Betty White - Betty White's Off Their Rockers . Best TV Reality Competition . The Amazing Race . Dancing With The Stars . Project Runway . So You Think You Can Dance . Top Chef . The Voice . Best Variety Series . The Cold Bare Reaper . The Daily Show With Jon Stewart . Jimmy Kimmel Live . Late Night With Fallon . Real Time With Bill Marr . Saturday Night Live . Lead Actress In A Comedy . Zooey Deschanel - New Girl . Lena Dunham - Girls . Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie . Tina Fey - 30 Rock . Melissa McCarthy - Mike & Molly . Julie Bowen - Modern Family . Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation . Lead Actor In A Comedy . Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock . Don Cheadle - House Of Lies . Louis C.K - Louie . Jon Cryer - Two And A Half Men . Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm . Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory . Comedy Series . The Big Bang Theory . Girls . Modern Family . 30 Rock . Veep . Showbiz roundup. Emmy nod for Downton, Dark Knight premiere and Who's on tour?... | Hit '60s show will compete for best drama against Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game Of Thrones and Homeland .
American Horror Story earns a matching 17 nods, including an acting nomination for Connie Britton . |
246,439 | caf312798b21bd3f77e8274895eeccbefa1f9bab | (CNN) -- The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is inspiring people across the country to volunteer this holiday weekend. But if you're itching to do more -- perhaps turning your next family vacation into a series of teachable moments about the importance of giving back -- there are plenty of opportunities to make that happen. More than Disney . A trip to Orlando can easily involve service. Just 20 minutes from Walt Disney World is a theme park called Give Kids the World Village. Its 70-acre grounds host 7,000 children with life-threatening illnesses every year. "We partner with more than 250 wish-granting organizations around the world to help fulfill a child's one wish to visit the beloved theme parks of Central Florida," says Colette Krahenbuhl, a spokeswoman. "If a child's wish is to swim with the dolphins, we are the destination. If a child's wish is to get a hug from Mickey Mouse, we help make that happen." The resort relies heavily on volunteers. Since its founding in 1986, more than 50,000 volunteer "angels" have been put to work. Children as young as 12 can help out by scooping ice cream and serving meals, and children who love performing can even be part of the evening entertainment. The minimum commitment is one three-hour shift. Sweat-soaked volunteering . If your family wants a physically demanding volunteer vacation, the Sierra Club and local trails organizations offer unique, sweat-soaked opportunities. For as little as $400, a family of four can spend four to five days with the Adirondack Mountain Club -- meals, lodging (usually tents), transportation and equipment included. You'll be doing much-needed trail maintenance, and reconstruction projects and your kids will be taught outdoor survival skills. But hikers beware: "While we know children have a lot of fun on these trips and they are exposed to an incredible experience, it can certainly be challenging," warns Wes Lampman, the club's director of north country operations. The club doesn't have age restrictions, but parents are urged to use their best judgment regarding their child's interest and physical ability. Trips are offered June through October. Chelsea Clinton: We can make a difference . Good works and decent lodging . The Sierra Club offers volunteer trips year-round at some of the country's top tourist destinations. At Arches National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah, parents and children can assist in removing unwanted vegetation, while in Marin County, California, families can help protect endangered Coho salmon and Steelhead trout. All meals and equipment are included, but the fee for joining is significantly higher. Helping out next October along the New Jersey Seashore, especially meaningful after Hurricane Sandy's devastation, will cost $595 per person. But if you're looking to spend a week away from home -- doing good and staying in hotel-style lodging -- this trip may still be a bargain. Pauline Frommer, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program "The Travel Show" and speaker at this year's New York Times Travel Show, says volunteer vacations offer children what they often don't get enough of in school. "As volunteers, children can get down on the ground," says Frommer, who recommends Global Volunteers trips. "They can get dirty. Unlike any other kind of travel, kids will get to better understand different people and their communities and their problems." Hiking to help others . Trekking for Kids merges one-of-a-kind hiking expeditions to places such as Machu Picchu in Peru and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with the ability to help orphans in those communities. "Children are increasingly living a multicultural global existence," says Cindy Steuart, executive director of the nonprofit travel group. "By being intimately involved in these service projects, they learn they can contribute to the greater good and make a difference. Our trips teach kids this lesson from the moment they sign up." That's because Trekking for Kids doesn't let parents just write a check and have their kids show up. Each participant pays his or her own expenses and commits to raising $1,000. Children have raised money by holding bake sales, asking family and friends for donations and conducting tag sales. "We think this increases a child's personal stake in the trip. Kids become more passionate," Steuart says. All money raised is poured into the orphanage the family will eventually visit, she says. As you plan your family's volunteer vacation, Frommer suggests keeping the following in mind: How long has the organization been in business? Do volunteers come back? Ask to speak with past volunteers; they are likely to be candid about their experiences. No matter which organization you partner with, Steuart says your child will likely learn an invaluable lesson. "They'll understand the world is not just about them. It's about how others struggle to live and what we can do to help. I think that's the kind of world Martin Luther King wanted." A life celebrated through service . Allison Gilbert writes about parenting for CNN Living. She is the author of "Parentless Parents," "Always Too Soon" and "Covering Catastrophe." | Children with life-threatening illnesses can get their wishes at Orlando's most famous parks .
The Sierra Club and other groups offer opportunities for families to do good and sweat .
Trekking for Kids requires participants to raise money for the orphanages they visit .
Kids come to "understand the world is not just about them,' travel group leader says . |
252,390 | d2aad4d5bf4ce8eacc28a9ed75ed53e09b10d2c9 | A Texas teenager jailed since February after threatening to 'shoot up a school' on Facebook, has been released from prison after an anonymous donor posted a $500,000 bail bond. Justin Carter, now 19, was arrested after he got into an argument with someone over a multiple player online video game on the social networking site. Officers swooped after they were tipped off about his online comments, in which he wrote: 'I'm going to go shoot up a school full of kids and eat their . still beating hearts'. Texas teenager Justin Carter jailed since February after threatening to 'shoot up a school' on Facebook, has been released from prison after an anonymous donor posted the $500,000 bond . He was arrested after he got into an argument with someone over a multiple player online video game on the social networking site . But now he has been released after a mystery benefactor wired the money to his legal representation. He is now planning to stay near New Braunfels, Texas, to await his trial on a felony terroristic threat charge, NPR.org reports. If convicted he could face eight years in jail. Don Flanary, Carter's attorney, told the site: 'He's glad he's out. His family is ecstatic. He feels good. He is relieved. It's been an ordeal.' Justin's father, Jack Carter, has previously said that his son had clearly made the comments in jest. Although the teenager, who turned 19 while in prison, added 'lol' (laughing out loud) and 'jk' (just kidding) to his post, a woman from Canada who saw it reported Justin to police after finding out that he lived near an elementary school. Mr Carter has since been campaigning to have his son released, and wants to teach teenagers about the dangers of posting comments on social media. 'Justin was the kind of kid who didn't read the newspaper. He didn't watch television. He wasn't aware of current events. These kids, they don't realize what they're doing. They don't understand the implications. They don't understand public space,' he told KHOU. Justin's father, Jack Carter, has previously said that his son had clearly made the comments in jest and has been campaigning to have his son released . His son first got into trouble in February after he and a friend had been playing League of Legends. Mr Carter said: 'Someone had said something to the effect of "Oh you're insane, you're crazy, you're messed up in the head," to which he replied "Oh yeah, I'm real messed up in the head, I'm going to go shoot up a school full of kids and eat their still, beating hearts.' He added that his son had made it clear that the comment was made in jest. A woman in Canada contacted the police after a Google search showed Justin's last known address was close to Wooldridge Elementary School in Austin and he was arrested. His comments were made just two months after the Sandy Hook Tragedy in which 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot twenty children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the village of Sandy Hook in Newtown, Connecticut. The mass murder has raised renewed debate about America's gun control laws . | Justin Carter, now 19, was arrested after he got into an argument online .
He threatened to 'shoot a school full of kids and eat their .
still beating hearts'
Comments, made two months after Sandy Hook tragedy, were a joke he said .
Now a mystery donor has handed over the cash needed for his bail terms . |
260,881 | ddde9f629af56a66ce598e958747f52ec4b17f6e | Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A massive earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a tsunami watch for the Indian Ocean, which was later canceled. The quake struck about 434 kilometers (270 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia's Aceh province, and had a magnitude of 8.6, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It took place at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles). A second large quake, with a magnitude of 8.2, occurred off the west coast of Sumatra about two hours later, the USGS said. Gary Gibson from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia, said the location of the second quake reduced the possibility of a tsunami. There was also a series of smaller quakes off the west coast of northern Sumatra with magnitudes between 5.1 and 5.4. There were no reports of destruction or deaths. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on local television that there were no reports of casualties or damage in Aceh. Four people were slightly injured on Simeulue Island, off the coast of Aceh, the National Disaster Management Agency said Wednesday. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for the entire Indian Ocean. And a few hours later, the center announced the tsunami watch was canceled. "A significant tsunami was generated by this earthquake. However, sea level readings now indicate that the threat has diminished or is over for most areas," the center said. How are earthquakes measured? The center earlier said that "when no major waves have occurred for at least two hours after the estimated arrival time or damaging waves have not occurred for at least two hours, then local authorities can assume the threat is passed." The center posted approximate arrival times for waves in different parts of the region, which were predicted at various times in different cities throughout the day. Waves were reported at 1-meter (about 3.3-foot) amplitude -- or height above sea level -- offshore in Meulaboh, Indonesia, but in other cities, they were reported at about a foot or less, according to the warning center. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that Britain "stands ready to help if required." The first quake took place at 2:38 p.m. local time (4:38 a.m. ET). It appears to have involved a horizontal movement rather than a vertical movement, so it is less likely that it will generate a tsunami, Gibson said. He also said that the tremor took place a long way offshore and was therefore unlikely to have caused much damage. Still, officials called on coastal residents in some low-lying areas in the region to seek higher ground. The power went out in Banda Aceh, and residents moved to higher elevations, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency. The areas most at risk of a tsunami are coastal areas of Aceh, particularly the island of Simeulue, Prih Harjadi, an official for the Indonesian geophysics agency, said on Metro TV. In some areas, residents were allowed to return after the tsunami watch was lifted. In Thailand, the National Disaster Warning Center issued an evacuation order for residents and tourists along the Andaman coast, state-run news agency MCOT said. "The tremor was felt as far as in Bangkok where office workers at several high-rise buildings said their workplaces were shaken" for three to five minutes, the report said. "Several southern provinces also felt the tremors." In the Maldives, some resorts were evacuated in advance of possible waves, according to CNN's Erin Burnett, who was on vacation in the region. "What strikes me most is essentially the lack of a warning system" in the Maldives, she said. Officials rely primarily on information from the USGS, Burnett said. Interactive: World's deadliest earthquakes . In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude underwater earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 14 countries. The majority of the deaths were in Indonesia, with Aceh bearing the brunt. That quake took place 250 kilometers (155 miles) south-southeast of Banda Aceh at a depth of 30 kilometers (19 miles). The tsunami, which washed away entire communities, caused nearly $10 billion in damage and more casualties than any other tsunami in history, according to the United Nations. Since then, officials have worked to improve warning systems and have carried out drills in the region. Indonesia is on the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The earthquake Wednesday comes just over year after a magnitude-9 quake off the northeast coast of Japan caused a devastating tsunami. The death toll from that disaster stands at about 15,850. iReport: Earthquake in Dhaka . CNN's Jethro Mullen, Josh Levs, Kathy Quiano, Harmeet Shah Singh, Mari Ramos and Sean Morris contributed to this report. | NEW: Four slightly injured on Simeulue Island .
Thailand announces evacuations along the Andaman coast .
An 8.2-magnitude aftershock strikes, followed by a series of smaller quakes .
There were no immediate reports of destruction or deaths . |
176,061 | 6fed550da2470609260bf22c09363e820e32e992 | Researchers now say the daring 1962 Alcatraz jail break that many have said over the decades likely ended in the deaths of the escapees may have had a happy ending for the three daring escapees. New computer models that consider the San Francisco Bay's tides, winds and other factors reveal the prisoners stood a small chance of paddling to freedom on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. According to the Dutch team of scientists that assembled the data, it all depends on the time inmates Clarence Anglin, John Anglin and Frank Morris set sail in their makeshift dingy made of raincoats. Scroll Down to see CG Animation . The way they look today? New computer models that consider the San Francisco Bay's tides, winds and other factors reveal John and Clarence Anglin and Frank Morris stood a small chance of paddling to freedom from Alcatraz. Here, prison mug shots of the trio are compared to images of how they might look today . Best case scenario: Computer models assembled by a Dutch team of researchers reveal the escapees had a chance to beat the odds if they launched their dingy of raincoats between 11pm and midnight and then paddled hard to the north . 'Only in the time window between (11pm) and midnight do they get close enough to the shore to have a chance to survive,' writes one of the researchers, Dr. Rolf Hut, on his blog. Otherwise, one of three disastrous things would have happened. Had they launched in the hours before, the men would have been sucked out into the frigid Pacific and died of hypothermia. Had they waited until after midnight, the tide would have shifted during their daring voyage and the current would have pushed them deeper into the San Francisco Bay. There, they either would have perished from cold before they got close enough to the East Bay to make landfall or gotten picked up by authorities when the sun rose in the morning. The Rock: For 20th century crime buffs, few capers match the intrigue and ingenuity of the "Escape from Alcatraz," the 1962 prison break three inmates pulled off with stolen spoons, dummy heads and a raincoat raft. The Dutch team from Delft University of Technology used this model of the currents in San Francisco Bay on June 11, 1962 . Worst case: If the escapees left too early or failed to paddle north after leaving the island, they would have gotten sucked into the Pacific and died . We know the third possibility never happened. Out of the 36 Alcatraz inmates who tried to flee before the prison was closed in March 1963, the three are the only ones who remain unaccounted for, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which maintains active arrest warrants on Morris and the Anglins. Assuming the men did launch sometime around 11:30 and somehow knew to first paddle their makeshift boat hard to the north--towards Angel Island, where some of their belongings and a paddle would later be found--they could have become the only prisoners to ever escape the so-called inescapable prison. 'If they hit it exactly at midnight, the beautiful thing is that we see that they would have been sucked out towards the Golden Gate Bridge,' Dr Hut told BBC News. Shocking simplicity: The men used spoons to dig holes through their cell walls . As they neared the bridge, the shifting tides would have made paddling far easier. 'In the best case, the escapees peddle northwards with a speed of almost 1 km per hour, an almost olympian effort. In that scenario, they most likely survive and make it to the north side of the Golden Gate bridge,' Hut wrote. Whether or not that happened, we're unlikely to ever know and the story's sensational mystery remains. For 20th century crime buffs, few capers match the intrigue and ingenuity of the 'Escape from Alcatraz,' which the inmates pulled off with stolen spoons, dummy heads and a raincoat raft. The escapees fashioned these dummy heads using soap, paper and real hair that they placed on their beds to fool guards . The FBI acquired most of what it learned about the great escape from a fourth inmate who planned to take part in the break out but, at the last minute, ran into technical problems. The four reportedly spent months using spoons and forks to dig holes in the crumbling masonry surrounding the air vents in their cells. The crawl spaces they fashioned eventually pierced the six-and-a-half-inch thick walls until they reached a utility corner, from which they were able to shimmy out through a roof vent. To prepare for their flights, they also produced a raft and life vests out of more than 50 cotton raincoats, with rubberized backing, that inmates were assigned. They also had created mannequin heads out of paper, paint and hair purloined from the prison barber shop. They left the heads in their beds while they worked on the raft and the night of the getaway. Replicas of the dummy heads lie in their former cells, which are popular stops with the more than a million tourists who visit Alcatraz Island every year. While what happened to the three men remains a mystery, the escape's enduring mystique isn't ambiguous at all, National Park Service spokeswoman Alexandra Picavet said. 'It's one of those yarns where everyone can attach their own reality because they can wrap themselves around whatever part they want,' Picavet said. The holes led to an unused utility area. From there, they shimmied onto the roof through a vent in the ceiling . | It all depends on the time Clarence Anglin, John Anglin and Frank Morris set sail in their makeshift dingy made of raincoats that June night .
Had they put in between 11pm and midnight--and paddled hard--a Dutch team's computer models reveal they would have made it safely to land .
Any other time and the daring trio would have wound up dead in the frigid Pacific or somewhere in the San Francisco Bay . |
207,770 | 98ffe456313f46345ac65da11bf43b982c72dccb | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 09:51 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:16 EST, 31 December 2013 . The murder rate in New York City dropped to its lowest level since records began in 2013, and now trails far behind that of America's homicide capital, Chicago. There have been just 332 murders so far this year - a 20 per cent fall from 2012's previous low of 419 slayings and fewer than one a day, outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced this week. There were also significantly fewer shootings recorded - 1,100 in 2013 compared to 1,367 in 2012, and overall crime was down 32 per cent for the year to December 29. Crime down: The murder rate in New York City dropped to its lowest level since records began in 2013, outgoing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, pictured, announced this week . Officials put the drastic drop in murders down to an increase in police on the beat in high-crime zones under Operation Impact. They also claim to have had success focusing on teens affiliated with gangs and crews who are responsible for a third of slayings under Operation Crew Cut. 'New York's crime-fighting strategies have made us America's safest big city – and one that cities across the globe want to learn from,' said Mayor Bloomberg, releasing the statistics at the graduation ceremony for the NYPD's 1,171 new officers. 'Twelve years ago, no one thought New York's crime rate could go any lower. But it did: since 2001, crime has gone down by 32 percent and in a city of 8.4 million people, there have been fewer than 350 homicides and that is largely due to the work of the fine men and women you are about to join.' Legacy: Outgoing New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, center, sits as the crowd gives him a standing ovation during the graduation ceremony of new New York Police Department officers at Madison Square Garden in New York, December 27, 2013 . He also credited the city's controversial stop-and-frisk program for the murder rate's sharp decline, even though such encounters actually decreased by 60 per cent in 2013. In 2012, New York recorded 419 murders, a record low at that point, which translates to 5.05 slayings per 100,000. The Bronx has the highest rate of murders and in 2012 the borough recorded 114 murders or 8.10 per 100,000. Chicago was America's murder capital last year, recording a total of 500 by this time, or 18.46 per 100,000. However, Chicago also recorded its lowest murder rate since the 1960s in 2013, with only 418 recorded so far. Slipped through the cracks: Tanya Byrd, 45, pictured left with her six-year-old Down's syndrome son, was tragically murdered in her Bronx home in February by her elder son, police say . Detectives: The mother's body was chopped up and scattered around the Bronx neighborhood. Police say far fewer murders were carried out this year in New York . Baltimore and Detroit were the most deadly per person, with 218 murders and 34.85 per 100,000 in the Maryland capital and 386 murders or 54.59 per 100,000 in the Michigan city. Reliable homicide data began being kept in 1963, according to the NYPD. And homicides that year stood at 548. By the height of the crack epidemic in 1990, murders peaked at 2,245. While murders and shootings are on the decline, some crimes are on the rise again. Rape and robberies are down 5 per cent, but serious assault and non-violent thefts have increased 3 and 5 per cent respectively in 2013, the New York Times reports. This is largely due to the rise of smartphone theft. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the murder rate in Newark is at its highest level for two decades. Some 110 people were slayed in 2013 in the city - the highest number since 1990. Mayor Luis Quintana Monday evening issued a statement saying that the city was fast-tracking the process to get more police officers on the streets and also to team up with other law enforcement agencies. 'Our entire city is mourning the loss of life due to gun violence which has negatively impacted our city during this holiday season,' Quintana said. 'We are listening to and agree with the concerns of our communities. The number one priority of my administration has been since day one, and continues to be, to address the public safety needs of our residents.' | There have been just 332 murders so far this year - a 20 per cent fall from 2012's record low of 419 slayings and fewer than one a day .
Outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced the drastic drop week .
There were also significantly fewer shootings recorded - 1,100 in 2013 compared to 1,367 in 2012, and overall crime is down 32 per cent from 2001 .
Meanwhile, Newark in New Jersey recorded the highest murder rate in 20 years with 110 slayings . |
207,090 | 9824df2c4282463dda5f0405061f2989711e3c81 | By . Sophie Borland . Last updated at 3:37 AM on 29th November 2011 . A quarter of patients would not recommend their local hospital, a survey revealed yesterday. Their complaints included ant-infested floors, wards stinking of sewage and uncollected rubbish. Others objected to doctors and nurses who made them feel as if they were on a factory production line. Some claimed nursing staff spent much of their time clock-watching or failed to wash their hands properly. High risk: Patients taken to hospital over the weekend for emergency treatment have a higher chance of dying, according to statistics (Posed by models) The Dr Foster research firm looked at . the responses of 8,864 patients on the NHS Choices website and found . that 26 per cent of them would not recommend their local hospital to a . friend. However, 58 per cent would do so however, while the remainder had no opinion either way. Lack of cleanliness was one of the . main reasons for the complaints to the website. One patient, who was . treated at Whipps Cross University Hospital in North-East London, said . ants had the run of the ward he was treated on. He also claimed food was . not cleared from his bedside table for four days. A patient admitted to Queen’s Hospital . in Romford, East London, said bloodied dressings covered the floor and . another said the ward stank of sewage. At Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, . a patient said black rubbish bags were left along the corridor. Another . complained that the same hospital was so dirty he ‘feared getting an . infection’. Some 72 per cent of patients who . complained were upset at being ‘left in the dark’ by doctors and nurses . who refused to speak to them about their illness or treatment. One patient who had been brought in to . the A&E department at Newham General Hospital in East London . described doctors and nurses as ‘robotic’ and said they felt like they . were on ‘some sort of mass production line’. A mother who gave birth at . Queen’s Hospital said she had been ‘made to feel like an animal’. The report also found that patients . who are admitted to A&E during the evenings or weekends are 10 per . cent more likely to die. It warned that in many trusts too few . senior consultants work outside of office hours meaning that patients . are left in the hands of junior doctors. In nearly a third of hospitals no . senior staff were on site all weekend. Overall mortality rates, however, . were found to have fallen by 20 per cent over the past decade. The lengthy report also disclosed that . some health trusts put just one nurse in charge of more than 20 elderly . patients at any one time. At South Tyneside NHS trust in Tyne . and Wear the average is one nurse to 29.5 patients while at Frimley Park . in Surrey the ratio is one to 20. Dr Peter Carter of the Royal College . of Nursing said: ‘Trusts now need to look at their staffing levels as a . matter of urgency. Due to the complex needs of many older people, having . staff with the right mixture of skills and experience on the ward is . vital.’ Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of . the NHS in England, said: ‘Mortality rates are going down, but hospitals . with high rates and poor outcomes in the evenings and at weekends must . investigate to see where performance may be falling short and look to . those with the best rates to see how they can improve.’ Professor Keogh added: ‘I will be . asking the NHS medical directors to look closely at weekend services to . ensure patients admitted at weekends receive the same standards of care . as those during the week.’ The Dr Foster report includes an analysis of patient comments made online about their hospital stay. It revealed that disrespect and not being kept informed are the two main reasons why patients would not recommend their hospital. This was found to matter far more than single-sex wards or cleanliness. | Report also finds patients admitted to A&E at evenings and weekends are 10 per cent more likely to die . |
240,299 | c313b5018dcc70f2f78faafbef6c12bf861f769e | By . Victoria Woollaston . Following powerful volcanic eruptions, large amounts of sulfur dioxide deposit themselves in ice cores buried deep within the Antarctic. By studying these deposits, researchers from Nevada have been able to accurately plot the most explosive of these events during the past 2,000 years. Topping the list was the eruption at Samalas, Indonesia in 1257, followed by the Kuwae event of 1452, and Tambora in 1815. Although the study plots earlier events, the researchers don't know exactly what these explosions were. Researchers studied records of global ice core sulfate data collected from Antarctica. In total, the study looked at 26 ice core records collected in an array of 19 sites from across Antarctica. Samalas was the most explosive eruption, and it took place in 1257 in Indonesia's Mount Rinjani's (pictured) The scientists, led by Michael Sigl and Joe McConnell of Nevada's Desert Research Institute (DRI), studied 26 ice core records from 19 sites across Antarctica. It is the most accurate and precise reconstruction to date of historic volcanic sulfate emissions in the Southern Hemisphere, and is the first annually resolved record extending through the Common Era - the last 2,000 years of human history. Powerful volcanic eruptions are one of . the most significant causes of climate variability in the past due to the large amounts of sulfur dioxide they emit. This leads to the formation . of microscopic particles known as volcanic sulfate aerosols. These . aerosols reflect more of the sun's radiation back to space and ultimately cool the . Earth's temperature. This map plots the most explosive volcanic eruptions of the last 2,000 years, based on the research and using date estimates . Topping the list was the eruption at Samalas, Indonesia in 1257, followed by the Kuwae event of 1452, and Tambora, also in Indonesia, in 1815. Although the study plots earlier events, the researchers don't know exactly what these explosions were. Based . on the timeline, however, it's possible to estimate what these events . may have been. For example, the fourth most powerful eruption took place . in around 674 AD, which could have been the Pago event in Bismarck or . the eastern Alaskan eruption in Mount Churchill believed to have take place around 700 AD. During the research, the scientists discovered evidence of 116 events - and the top ten are pictured in red. Topping the list was Samalas, Indonesia in 1257, followed by Kuwae in 1458, and Tambora in 1815. The researchers are unsure exactly what the earlier explosions were but have been able to plot the years for the fourth, fifth and sixth . Fifth and sixth place occurred between 531 to 566 AD and could be the Rabaul Caldera explosions in Papua New Guinea that is thought to have took place around 535 onwards. The seventh most powerful explosion happened shortly after Samalas, and may have been Quilatoa in the Andes in 1280. Based . on the 450 AD date of the eighth place event suggests it was Ilopango . in Central America, ninth appears to have been the Grímsvötn and Laki eruptions in Iceland around 1785. While tenth place happened shortly before Samalas and . could have been an earlier eruption of Mount Rinjani, Indonesia. Past volcanic events are measured using sulfate deposition . records found in ice cores, and have been linked to short-term global and . regional cooling. The latest research brought together an array of ice core sulfate . data in the world, including the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide . ice core - said to be the most detailed record of volcanic sulfate in the . Southern Hemisphere. By studying the levels of sulphate deposits, the team were able to construct a timeline that shows when the largest eruptions took place, based on the level of sulphate found, and which were the most destructive. A Desert Research Institute scientist examines a freshly drilled ice core in the field before ice cores are analysed in DRI's ultra-trace ice core analytical laboratory (left). Locations of Antarctic ice core sites used for volcanic sulfate aerosol deposition reconstruction are pictured right . Topping the list was the eruption at Samalas, Indonesia in 1257, followed by the Kuwae event of 1452, and Tambora in 1815. Most notably, the research found that the . two largest volcanic eruptions in recent Earth history deposited 30 to 35 percent less sulfate in . Antarctica, suggesting that these events had a weaker cooling effect on . global climate than previously thought. Powerful volcanic eruptions are one of . the most significant causes of climate variability in the past due to the large amounts of sulfur dioxide they emit. This leads to the formation . of microscopic particles known as volcanic sulfate aerosols. These . aerosols reflect more of the sun's radiation back to space and ultimately cool the . Earth's temperature. Past volcanic events are measured using sulfate deposition . records found in ice cores, and have been linked to short-term global and . regional cooling. These reconstructions are critical to accurate model simulations used to assess past natural and anthropogenic climate changes. Such . model simulations underpin environmental policy decisions including . those aimed at regulating greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions to curb . projected global warming. Although the study plots earlier events, it is unclear what these explosions were. Based on the timeline, however, it's possible to hypothesise what these events may have been. For example, the fourth most powerful eruption took place in around 674 AD, which could be the Pago event in Bismarck in 710, or the eastern Alaskan eruption in Mount Churchill of 700. Fifth and sixth place occurred between 500 to 600 AD and could be the Rabaul Caldera explosions that took place in 535 and 536. The seventh most powerful explosion happened shortly after Samalas, and may have been Quilatoa in the Andes in 1280. Based on the 450 AD date of the eighth place event suggests it was Ilopango in Central America, and tenth place happened shortly before Samalas and could have been an earlier eruption of Mount Rinjani. ‘This record provides the basis for a dramatic improvement in existing reconstructions of volcanic emissions during recent centuries and millennia,’ said the report's lead author Michael Sigl, a postdoctoral fellow and specialist in DRI's unique ultra-trace ice core analytical laboratory, located on the Institute's campus in Reno, Nevada. These reconstructions are critical to accurate model simulations used to assess past natural and anthropogenic climate changes. Such model simulations underpin environmental policy decisions including those aimed at regulating greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions to curb projected global warming. ‘This work is the culmination of more than a decade of collaborative ice core collection and analysis in our lab here at DRI,’ said Joe McConnell, a DRI research professor who developed the continuous-flow analysis system used to analyze the ice cores. An ice core section (picutred) is simultaneously analysed for a variety of elements and chemical species in DRI's ultra-trace ice core laboratory while slowly melting the ice on a heated melter plate . McConnell, a member of several research teams that collected the cores, including the 2007 to 2009 Norwegian-American Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica and the WAIS Divide project that reached a depth of 3,405 meters in 2011, added, ‘The new record identifies 116 individual volcanic events during the last 2000 years.’ ‘Our new record completes the period from years 1 to 500 AD, for which there were no reconstructions previously, and significantly improves the record for years 500 to 1500 AD,’ Sigl added. This new record also builds on DRI's previous work as part of the international Past Global Changes (PAGES) effort to help reconstruct an accurate 2,000-year-long global temperature for individual continents. Simulations of volcanic sulfate transport performed with a coupled aerosol-climate model were compared to the ice core observations and used to investigate spatial patterns of sulfate deposition to Antarctica. The third most explosive event took place at Tombora in Indonesia (pictured) in 1815 . Simulations of volcanic sulfate transport performed with a coupled aerosol-climate model were compared to the ice core observations and used to investigate spatial patterns of sulfate deposition to Antarctica. ‘Both observations and model results show that not all eruptions lead to the same spatial pattern of sulfate deposition,’ said Matthew Toohey from the German institute GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. He added, . ‘Spatial variability in sulfate deposition means that the accuracy of volcanic sulfate reconstructions depends strongly on having a sufficient number of ice core records from as many different regions of Antarctica as possible.’ The findings are published in Nature Climate Change journal. | Powerful volcanic eruptions are a significant cause of climate variability .
They emit large amounts of sulfur dioxide that create microscopic particles known as volcanic sulfate aerosols .
Past eruptions are measured using sulfate deposits found in ice cores .
Research studied 26 ice core records from 19 sites in Antarctica .
The Samalas eruption in 1257 produced the highest levels of deposits .
This was followed by the Kuwae event of 1452, and Tambora in 1815 .
Although the study plots earlier events, it is unclear what these were . |
56,628 | a07729fd628cce4d9c2a348376d39a7a11df5f16 | We may soon be able to virtually explore our local universe in the same way we explore Earth - thanks to a new map of space that plots the location and flow of our nearest galaxies. The Cosmography of the Local Universe was created by Helene Courtois from the University of Lyon and a team of researchers. It attempts to map the universe up to around 3,000 million light years away from Earth including the the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. Scroll down for video . The Cosmography of the Local Universe was created by Helene Courtois from the University of Lyon and researchers from the University of Hawaii. It attempts to map the universe up to around 3000 million light years away from Earth including the the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. The Local Supercluster, also known as the Virgo Supercluster contains the Virgo Cluster and the Local Group. This Local Group is centred around the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. At least 54 galaxy groups and clusters have been found within its diameter which is thought to be around 10 mega-light years wide. In 1982 astronomer R. Brent Tully published research explaining the basic structure of the Local Supercluster. His findings said the Supercluster consists of two components: a flattened disk containing two-thirds of the supercluster's galaxies, and a roughly spherical halo containing the remaining third. Courtois, along with researchers Daniel Pomarede, Yehuda Hoffman and Denis Courtois, has now produced a 17-minute video explaining what the mapping shows us. R. Brent Tully is also listed as a contributor and it was his 1982 paper that first presented the basic structure of the Local Supercluster of galaxies. Tully is an astronomer at the Institute for Astronomy in Honolulu, Hawaii. The video is part of the Cosmic . Flows project. It is made up of various . 3D representations of the local universe that the researchers animate, rotate, pan and zoom around during the video. The flat plain of galaxies is turned into a 3D representation in the video by French astronomers. Each galaxy is colour-coded to signify distance from Earth. The nearest galaxies are shown in dark blue and gather around the Virgo Cluster 'equator' and the Formax Cluster in the lower-left quadrant . Our local galaxy is visualised around the Virgo Cluster equator - centred at the Milky Way. The galaxies nearer this equator are densely populated, while empty spaces around these stars are called voids . Courtois also provides a commentary of what each graphic represents and points out areas of interest. Each galaxy in the video is colour-coded to signify distance from Earth. The nearest galaxies are shown in dark blue and gather around the Virgo . Cluster 'equator' and the Formax Cluster in the lower-left . quadrant. The most significant structures highlighted are the Pavo-Indus Supercluster next to the Local, or Virgo, Supercluster. Another graphic taken from the Cosmography of the Local Universe video map shows velocity flow lines between the galaxies. High density regions of galaxies are shown in red while voids are shown in blue. In the video the region around the Centarius and Fornax Clusters are densely populated so have many velocity flows . The Local Supercluster contains the Local Group; made up of around 54 galaxies including the Milky Way and dwarf galaxies. Its gravitational center is located somewhere between Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy. The Local Group covers a diameter of 10 megalight-years. The video then zooms in to show the galaxies nearest to Earth, including the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy. By rotating the galaxies, the researchers were able to see that most of our nearest galaxies lie on a flat plain. In one graphic, rows . are shown coming from each galaxy to show their relative distance from Earth. Galaxies that move in a deviant or . peculiar way towards Earth are shown with dark blue arrows and . deviant motions away from Earth are shown in red. In this cosmography graphic, rows are shown coming from each galaxy to show their relative distance from Earth. Galaxies that move in a deviant or peculiar way towards Earth are shown with dark blue arrows and deviant motions away from Earth are shown in red . Galaxies to the right of the Milky Way tend to have blue arrows while the ones to the left have red ones. The researchers claims this is evidence there is a flow of movement that picks up speed from right to left across our local galaxies. Another 3D representation created by the researchers for the video shows velocity flow lines between the galaxies. High density . regions of galaxies are shown in red while voids are shown in blue. Voids are large spaces in the universe that don't have any, or contain only a handful, of galaxies. In the video the region around the Centarius Cluster is densely populated so is shown in red with many velocity flows travelling into it. The film then ends with a 'fanciful view of the supergalactic equator.' The left-hand image from the Cosmography of the Local Universe map shows the layout of our closest galaxies with the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies highlighted. The right-hand graphic shows the surrounding galaxies that make up a proportion of the Local Group within the Local Supercluster . This cosmography represents around 0.32 per cent of the entire universe and scientist claim the visible universe extends 93 billion light years away. This doesn't include parts of the universe that are not visible. According to the video, our local universe is full of clusters of galaxies and filaments that form the edges between large voids. 'The complexity of what we are seeing is almost overwhelming,' said Courtois during her commentary. The cosmography film ends with a 'fanciful view of the supergalactic equator,' pictured. This cosmography only represents around 0.32 per cent of the entire universe and scientists claim the visible universe extends at least 93 billion light years away . The video below is a three minute edit of the Cosmography of the Universe. The full length, 17-minute version is available from the Cosmic Project website. VIDEO: Mind-boggling 3D animation shows our galaxy's position space . | French researchers have created 3D representations of what our local universe looks like .
It centres around the Milky Way and Andromeda but extends up to 3,000 million light years away .
By plotting the universe, astronomers can learn more about how galaxies form . |
20,370 | 39cbbeba0d14fb509e1c22f7fc6121902216c8f8 | Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes it will take 'two or three people to drop dead' before FIFA realises Qatar is unsuitable to host the 2022 World Cup. Earlier this week, the European Club Association proposed the tournament be played in January and February to avoid the sweltering summer temperatures, which often exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Qatar was awarded football’s premier international competition in December 2010 but the decision has been marred by controversy surrounding corruption and the country’s suitability to host. Mark Schwarzer (left) takes part in the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London on Thursday . Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani holds the World Cup trophy next to Sepp Blatter . 'People complain about it being too hot. I’ve played World Cup qualifiers there in June, and it is hot. I played a game in Oman in June one year and it was 43 degrees,' Schwarzer told the Leaders in Sport conference in London, . 'Something needs to happen to stop games at that time of year. It is just ridiculous, and it will only happen once probably not just one person, but two or three people drop dead. 'That’s unfortunate, but that’s probably the only way they will do anything. It’s ridiculous, it really is ridiculous to be playing at that time of year and I don’t why there’s even a debate. 'A committee went out there and said it was not safe to play, yet they were still awarded it.' FIFA president Sepp Blatter insists Michael Garcia’s report into allegations of bribery during the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will not be made public. Qatar was awarded football’s premier international competition in December 2010 . Mark Schwarzer believes FIFA are ignorant to the fact Qatar is unsuitable to host the 2022 World Cup . Blatter’s objection to the report’s publication adds to a widespread feeling of disenchantment with FIFA, which Schwarzer describes as a 'shame'. 'I find it really, really disappointing to see a global body that has so little trust globally, from anyone - even the members of the game,' Schwarzer said. 'And now there’s this Garcia report. Why conduct a report if you are not going to make it open? If you want trust in FIFA, surely you should open the report and say ,’here it is’. 'Open it up to the public, open it up to everyone so we can see how FIFA is run. If it is run incorrectly, then we can change it. 'It is such a shame to see football being run how it’s being run, with so little trust.' | Chelsea keeper Mark Schwarzer believes it will take 'two or three people to drop dead' before FIFA change their stance .
European Club Association have proposed the tournament be played in January and February to avoid the sweltering summer temperatures .
Sepp Blatter insists Michael Garcia’s report into allegations of bribery during the bidding processes will not be made public . |
203,937 | 940657a063099b71085ececbd604f6576acd1204 | Australia Day organisers have launched an ambitious campaign to get people across the country to sing the national anthem in unison at midday on January 26. The National Australia Day Council (NADC) says Advance Australia Fair will be sung at official events around the country but wants people at beaches, barbecues and other ceremonies to stop at noon and join in. NADC chief executive Jeremy Lasek said it was a 'great way' to unite the nation. Scroll down for video . Jessica Mauboy performs at the launch of the Australia Day concerts ticket ballot in December 2014 . Australia Day organisers have launched an ambitious campaign to get Australians across the country to sing the national anthem in unison at midday on January 26 . 'We certainly encourage people to get involved and take that moment to think about Australia Day and what is great about being Australian and belt out our national anthem,' Mr Lasek told ABC Radio. 'In Sydney at the harbour it will happen with a great deal of pomp and ceremony on the new Navy vessel HMAS Canberra with a 21-gun salute. 'While in the ACT the biggest event is a concert in Commonwealth Park where the national anthem will be played and sung with great passion and energy.' The council is also encouraging people celebrating Australia Day to share what they are doing on social media with the hashtag #AustraliaDay. In New South Wales Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force will combine to perform a 'Sault to Australia'. This will involve the 21-gun sault as well as an aerial flyover of RAAF jets. Anja Nissen, winner of the third series of The Voice, sings the Australian national anthem aboard the HMAS Canberra on Sydney Harbour on Thursday ahead of her performance on January 26 . Part of the large crowd to take part in the Australia Day parade in Melbourne last year . There will also be a free concert at the Sydney Opera House with The Wiggles performing in the morning, and a number of Australian performers including Jessica Mauboy, Sheppard, The Veronicas, Justice Crew and James Morrison taking to the stage from 7pm. In Melbourne a number of activities including an Australia Day Parade on St Kilda Road and fireworks over the Victoria Harbour. In Canberra, an Australia Day Fireworks Spectacular will be staged at Lake Burley Griffin, as well as a major festival at Commonwealth Park. The NADC is coordinating a number of others events in states and territories around Australia, which can be found on their website. The National Australia Day Council (NADC) says Advance Australia Fair will be sung at official events around the country but wants people at beaches, barbecues and other ceremonies to stop at noon and join in . Jessica Origliasso and Lisa Origliasso of The Veronicas will perform at the Opera House . NADC chief executive Jeremy Lasek said it was a 'great way' to unite the nation . | Australia Day organisers have launched an ambitious campaign .
Plan to get people across the country to sing the anthem in unison at noon .
National Australia Day Council said it was a 'great way' to unite the nation . |
114,904 | 2049c9df8161d5e6ac618a24c0d58ea55d88aaab | Owners of nursing homes which offer 'shocking' standards of care will be prosecuted, a Liberal Democrat health minister has pledged. Norman Lamb said the Government is introducing 'fundamental standards' in April next year to ensure there is 'no hiding place' for care home which mentally and physically abuse residents. He highlighted Merok Park home in Banstead, Surrey, which was closed earlier this month after inspectors found distressed residents 'crying out for help' and branded the place 'dangerous'. In chaotic scenes, pensioners were carried out in the freezing night to waiting ambulances after they were deemed 'at significant risk of harm'. Health minister Norman Lamb said owners of nursing homes which offer 'shocking' standards of care will be prosecuted and highlighted Merok Park home in Surrey (pictured), which was closed this month . 'The conditions at Merok Park were really shocking,' Mr Lamb told the Sunday Telegraph. 'Those responsible for such shocking standards have no place in care. There must be no hiding place for poor care and we must ensure that people are held to account if that ever happens. 'It's vital that people have confidence that the place where their loved one is being cared for is safe and provides compassionate, kind care.' He said that when care home companies fall short of standards 'in a serious way' which leads to suffering, the company and 'culpable directors' can be prosecuted. Gladys Wright's son captured her abuse on CCTV. Daniel Baynes was jailed for four months after he was caught abusing the 79-year-old dementia sufferer . Directors of care homes will be given a 'fit and proper person test' in an attempt to drive out those responsible for the worst scandals. All care workers will be required to undergo training under a new care certificate scheme from next year, which Mr Lamb described as 'pretty close to compulsory minimum training standards'. Norman Lamb said the Government is introducing 'fundamental standards' in April next year to ensure there is 'no hiding place' for 'shocking' care home . This comes after figures revealed that 522 care homes and services helping elderly and disabled adults with tasks such as dressing, and preparing meals, did not have adequate staffing figures. Care home watchdog, the Care Quality Commission said this equated to one in 10 of all the elderly services inspected during the course of the year. 'If nine out of 10 are capable of doing it then 10 out of 10 are able to do it,' Mr Lamb said. Families worried that their elderly relatives are being abuse by care home staff are soon to be given official advice on how to secretly install CCTV cameras. The CQC will issue guidance in the New Year explaining how to best monitor staff. Mr Lamb also warned that local authorities, which commission care services must be held to account and said the public had to decide whether they are prepared to spend more on care as the population ages . Last week Andrea Sutcliffe, the head of adult social care inspections at the CQC, warned that Britain did not care enough about elderly people to be able to guarantee them dignified support. In June Daniel Baynes was jailed for four months after he was caught abusing 79-year-old dementia sufferer Gladys Wright on a hidden camera installed by her son James. He and two colleagues, Tomasz Gidaszewski and Janusz Salnikow, were captured swearing at Mrs Wright and manhandling her at Granary Care Home, in Wraxall, North Somerset.= . Dementia sufferer and former nurse Mrs Rees was left with bruises after the ill treatment at the NHS Mary Seacole Nursing Home in Hoxton, east London. She was secretly filmed being abused by Faderera Grace Bello, 54, a staff nurse at an NHS care home and died in May aged 92 following the mistreatment. Gloria Foster, 81, died when she was left without food and medication for nine days after her care provider, Carefirst24, was shut down by immigration officers. Faderera Grace Bello was jailed for carer ill treatment and wilful neglect after Veronica Davis secretly filmed Bello poking her mother Bridget Rees in the face . | Lib Dem Norman Lamb said there will be 'no hiding place' for care homes .
Health minister said owners of 'shocking' care homes could be prosecuted .
He said 'fundamental standards' will be introduced in April next year .
Mr Lamb highlighted Merok Park home which was branded 'dangerous'
All care workers will be required to undergo training for new certificate . |
278,754 | f52380129ee24e53b91fc2be5720ea42c077f249 | Tech juggernaut Google may be hatching a plan to make their claim on the U.S. auto insurance industry. An entity named Google Compare Auto Insurance Services is not licensed to sell insurance in 26 states as well as being authorized to sell policies in one state for six insurers, revealed analyst Ellen Carney. More evidence: A Google executive was recently given authorization to sell insurance using Google Compare. Tech juggernaut Google may be hatching a plan to make their claim on the U.S. auto insurance industry . The Wall Street Journal reports that there's evidence Google could work with CoverHound, an auto-insurance comparison site in San Francisco. It's likely the company wants to displace middle men in the industry just as it's done to the shopping business and travel industry. 'We can't comment on speculation,' said a Google spokeswoman in response to the reports. 'Don't fault us though, we enjoy your coverage.' Insurance Solutions at CoverHound president Greg Isaacs agreed that the Meredith Stechbart of Google is now endorsed on the company's insurance license. It's likely the company wants to displace middle men in the industry just as it's done to the shopping business and travel industry . However he added: 'We haven't been acquired' and declined to comment further on any shared plans. Google could meet with pushback in their plans as insurance companies will be reluctant to share information with a potential competitor. Some retailers have also declined to add a 'buy' button for their products to be bought direct from Google pages. As smartphone users are increasingly directed to different company's apps to make purchases, Google is being forced to provide better searches, the Journal notes. | An entity named Google Compare Auto Insurance Services is not licensed to sell insurance in 26 states as well as being authorized to sell policies in one state for six insurers .
A Google executive was recently given authorization to sell insurance using Google Compare .
Reports that there's evidence Google could work with CoverHound, an auto-insurance comparison site in San Francisco. |
83,069 | eb899ecd903b688e46d149cc600cf538746a19d8 | By . Wills Robinson . Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn is set to undergo an operation to have a pace-maker fitted. The 73-year-old, who is known to millions of soap fans as Vera Duckworth, was told the life-saving procedure was essential after she suffered a heart attack in May. The ITV soap star, who already suffers from the incurable lung disease, emphysema, is set to go under the knife on Friday. Operation: Liz dawn, pictured on This Morning earlier this year, will go under the knife for a life-saving heart operation . A source told The Sun the disease has reduced her lung capacity to 30 per cent which puts extra strain on her heart. Liz, who smoked 24 cigarettes a day, was in the soap for 34 years before leaving due to health problems in 2008. Despite giving up smoking 15 years ago, she has been left needing to use a wheelchair. Actress: Liz Dawn played Vera Duckworth for 34 years before ill health forced her to leave the show . Couple: Liz's character, Vera, with Bill Tarmey, she left the soap in 2007, Bill died in 2012 . Coronation Street stars past and present . have rallied round the popular actress, who left the soap in 2007 after . being diagnosed with emphysema, sending messages of support to the . soap's 'tough old bird'. Millions watched as her character died . in her sleep in 2007 but she briefly made a return in 2010 as Vera's . 'spirit' when her screen husband Jack Duckworth, played by Bill Tarmey, . left the soap. Liz was left grief-stricken after Bill died in November 2011 and said she 'missed him terribly.' Health: Liz pictured just before she left Coronation Street in 2008. She was diagnosed with the incurable lung-disease, emphysema, and has been left needing a wheelchair . Together: Vera Duckworth and Jack Duckworth, played by Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey, serving behind the bar at the Rover's Return . Liz, who was hospitalised briefly this year due to health problems, said her mission for 2013 was to 'stay alive'. She said: 'I've only made one plan for 2013 - to make sure I am alive this time next year. If not for the doctors, I wouldn't be here today. But my health is very bad.' Her real-life love: Liz with her husband Donald who she said does everything for her . She revealed in the interview that only a third of her lungs work, adding: 'Thank god I have ten years of it. I wished I never smoked. 'My husband Donald does everything with me. I am reliant on him for everything.' MailOnline has contacted a representative for Liz Dawn for comment. | Actress who played Vera Duckworth will have a pace-maker fitted .
The 73-year-old was told surgery was vital following a heart attack in May .
The ITV soap star has incurable lung disease emphysema .
She left the show in 2008 because of her declining health . |
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