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64,554 | b753330984510a0c65c7164fa8e1cb7e2f64e27e | Confidence is running high in the England camp and Chris Robshaw believes his side have developed the composure to lose their ‘nearly men’ tag and finally challenge for the elusive Grand Slam. England have finished second in every RBS 6 Nations since Stuart Lancaster took over in 2012, but the Red Rose side are now the bookies’ favourites to win the championship after their opening-round victory over Wales. Robshaw’s side trailed 10-0 after just eight minutes at the Millennium Stadium, but the 28-year-old skipper believes previous heartbreaks ensured there was no panic in the face of adversity — contrasting Friday’s performance to the 30-3 defeat in 2013. England captain Chris Robshaw takes part in a training session at Pennyhill Park on Tuesday . Robshaw, pictured with Luther Burrell, has his sights set on winning the Six Nations Grand Slam . Robshaw passes the ball during training as England prepare to take on Italy on Saturday . ‘We probably weren’t as flustered, were we?’ said Robshaw. ‘Two years ago we probably panicked and chased things a little bit. The good thing was that no-one went off script. It was still reasonably early in the game and the guys stuck to doing their jobs. ‘We had a great win, but it’s a start to the campaign for us and that’s all. It’s about how we back it up because we’ve had some great wins in this tournament but unfortunately we haven’t picked anything up. We’ve got a triple crown, but the big prize at the end has eluded us three times. That’s our main objective.’ Robshaw led England to victory in the Six Nations opener against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff . Jonathan Joseph scored the decisive try of the game as they won 16-21 against Wales on Friday night . England's stars celebrate their win against Wales in the changing rooms after Friday night's brilliant result . Next England must overcome wooden-spoon tipped Italy, and Robshaw has stressed the importance of not being caught off guard. ‘It’ll be a completely different pressure,’ said Robshaw. ‘I’m sure most people will expect us to win comfortably. ‘We’re treating them with the utmost respect, like we treat every other side that we’ve played. They will have nothing to lose.’ | England beat Wales 21-16 int he Six Nations opener at Millennium Stadium .
Captain Chris Robshaw has his sights on winning the elusive Grand Slam .
England now face Italy in their second game of the tournament on Saturday . |
216,218 | a3e83500443f053dcd073f89865849d671cdb07c | By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 12:14 EST, 17 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:53 EST, 18 October 2012 . Politicians, celebrities, business leaders and cultural icons are alleged to be at the heart of the corruption and tax dodging that is rampant in Greece. There is massive pressure on the country to clean up its act to stave off bankruptcy and stay in the euro. But tax records exposed in Germany show incredible fiddling while the country's finances burn. One individual who declared an annual income of £21,000 siphoned £45 million into foreign banks. Politicians and celebrities are on a 54,000 strong list of people linked to Greek corruption. Here protesting journalists shout slogans and carry a banner reading 'Don't let those trying to eat you fill their bellies' Another, who declared less than £4,000 in 2010, deposited an astonishing £17 million pounds offshore. A third person claimed to have no income the same year - but sent more than £6 million overseas. Investigators from 'troika' - the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, and the . European Central Bank - are tasked with getting Greece to knuckle down. It has pledged to implement reforms to put an end to the criminality. German press reports claim there are 54,000 people on lists being studied by the Greek Finance Ministry. Their tax returns are said to bear no resemblance to their actual finances. One person declared less than £4,000 in 2010 but deposited £17 million offshore. But the poor and homeless are forced to live off food donated by the Greek church . Celebrities, politicians, business leaders and cultural figureheads are all mentioned - as well as details of 1,991 known Swiss bank accounts. Greece's Financial and Economic Crime Unit, the SDOE, has not acted on information supplied by overseas banks to the IMF. Now Germany's Spiegel magazine has claimed at least 60 politicians - who are meant to be getting Greece out of the mire - are among tax cheats. High-ranking former ministers are among those suspected of involvement in bogus transactions and money-laundering. The former prefect of Thessaloniki city, Panagiotis Psomiadis, is alleged to have received nearly €1 million - more than £810,000 - for public works projects that were never built. He is also suspected of being connected with a mafia ring of loan sharks. Transparency International Greece chairman, Costas Bakouris, believes the country is 'very bad now as a society'. These men and women were among those queueing to be fed in Athens today. Costas Bakouris is chairman of Transparency International Greece. The 75-year-old said: 'We are very bad now as a society. We have become bad. We are greedy and asocial.' 'Now that it's clear that the creditors will continue to pay, people are turning a blind eye to the inevitable'. He claimed an 'incompetent political class' continued to rule Greece. According to Spiegel, investigators even discovered €2.8 million - more than £2.2 million - in an account belonging to the deputy mayor of a town of 14,000 people in Greece's Thessaly region. None was declared. 'The man receives a monthly salary of approximately €1,500,' said the magazine. The troika is aghast that the IKA, Greece's social security agency, has been used as 'personal piggy bank' by managers. Funds intended for the poor have been paid to family, friends and themselves. Of 700 people registered blind on the island of Zakynthos only 60 are genuine. Money for bogus claims has been siphoned off by crooks in the IKA. Bakouris claimed Greece had 'all the right conditions for corruption'. He said there was 'plenty of bureaucracy, no functioning justice system, laws with numerous loopholes and economic pressure.' Only one senior politician is so far facing corruption charges. Ex-defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos has been in jail awaiting trial for the past six months. He is alleged to have accepted millions of euros in kickbacks for projects. | Politicians and celebrities on list of 54,000 investigated for corruption .
Tax returns said to bear little or no resemblance to financial reality .
One crook siphoned off £45 million abroad but declared income of £21,000 .
City boss said to have received more than £800,000 for unbuilt works .
Campaigner warns Greece has 'all the right conditions for corruption' |
53,515 | 97cd533d04a6ec4e29d52f7e731f607feb46d4f3 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 10:34 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 18 December 2012 . Actor Jody Latham, pictured, burst into tears today as he was spared a jail sentence for growing cannabis . A former shameless actor who said he grew his own cannabis to avoid the risk of being identified by buying from a street dealer has today been spared jail. Jody Latham, 29, wept in court as he was told by a judge that his 'sophisticated' production of the drug at his former girlfriend's house could only warrant a prison term. His tears of anguish turned to relief though when he learned the 12-month sentence would be suspended for two years. Latham, who recently dated the X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Burnley Crown Court to production of cannabis between March and May last year. Police seized 24 plants at a former girlfriend's home in Stacksteads, Lancashire, as tests later showed 16 of the plants had matured and were capable of being sold for up to £9,000. Habitual cannabis user Latham told the court he grew the plants because he was worried that buying from dealers would attract attention with his celebrity status. Judge Beverley Lunt told the former EastEnders star the simple solution was not to buy cannabis in the first place. She warned him he would be brought before her if he committed another offence and he would then lose his liberty. 'I hope this will you deter you from offending and make you give up this drug,' she said. Latham, who found fame when he played . Philip 'Lip' Gallagher in Channel 4's Shameless and later as pimp Rob . Grayson in the BBC1 soap EastEnders, has a number of previous . convictions, including two cautions for offences involving cannabis. In 2006 he was cautioned for possession and in 2007 he was similarly cautioned for cannabis production on the Isle of Man. He was convicted of assault in 2003 and for using threatening words or behaviour in 2007 and 2010. Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said the Crown was prepared to concede that . on the evidence the defendant's production at the address in Acre Park, . Stacksteads, was 'capable of being used to supply to friends and nothing . more'. Fangs for the memories: Jody Latham and Tulisa Contostavlos pictured together in September when they were dating . She said police received a report of a disturbance at the house on the evening of May 13 last year and then were later told Latham had allegedly assaulted his then girlfriend, mother-of-three Sarah Melia. Further inquiries found Latham in a drunken state in the street and he was arrested on suspicion of assault, although Melia later told police she not wish to make a complaint. Police uncovered the small cannabis factory when they searched the house. Miss Statham said: 'It was a relatively sophisticated production set up with timers and lighting equipment. Steamy: The pair first met when Jody co-starred in Tulisa's steamy video for Sight Of You . 'An officer also stated there was hydroponic equipment as well.' Melia, 31, of Bacup, admitted, at an earlier hearing, permitting the drug to be produced. Wayne Jackson, defending Latham, of Market Street, Bacup, said his client had invested £1,500 for the growing of the cannabis but it was not as a business. 'He accepts he has been a very foolish young man bearing in mind he has a very promising career ahead of him,' he said. 'I met Latham a number of years ago in Bradford. He was a very calm, collected young man. 'The young man I saw here today is a sharp contrast to that.' On his own admission Latham had been smoking cannabis 'on and off' since he was 16. 'Foolish young man': Jody pictured alongside his co-stars in Eastenders last year . He knew he had a problem that needed to be addressed and he was due to attend The Priory clinic at the weekend as an outpatient. Latham was 'fearful' of a prison sentence as he knew that future work in his career could dry up as a result, said Mr Jackson. A large number of testimonials were handed to Judge Lunt. Mr Jackson said: 'What people say about him is that he is a decent man at the core. He needs to tap into that decency and try to put all this behind him and live a law-abiding lifestyle. 'He is a young man with great potential. It is about time that he realised that.' Latham was also ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work in the community. Melia, who has no previous convictions or cautions, was given a 12-month community order and told to perform 40 hours of work. The judge told her she had a responsibility for her children who lived in the house at the time, and had acted under the influence of Latham and out of 'a sense of misguided loyalty'. Judge Lunt told her she was quite satisfied she would not be before the courts again. | Jody Latham wept as judge said crime could only warrant a prison term .
29-year-old was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years .
Police earlier seized 24 plants - capable of being sold for up to £9,000 . |
269,615 | e938abd4251b32274fbbc2484d8d13b80af3d291 | By . Ruth Styles . 'First what I do is get my tape measure and then I measure its circumference and get the weight of the product. 'People like to know whether its rigid, flexible or floppy and if it has balls as well.' Explaining the secret of writing product descriptions for dildos, editorial assistant Cazz Thornton plonks a plastic member onto a set of scales. It might sound bizarre but for Cazz, and the rest of the 130 strong workforce at Lovehoney, Britain's biggest sex toy retailer, this is business as usual. Scroll down for video . Inspection: Editorial assistant Cazz Thornton picks a selection of Lovehoney products at the Bath HQ . And its certainly not a job for the faint-hearted. From dealing with queries on butt plugs to dispensing advice on how to escape from a chastity belt and sending out more than 3,000 orders a day, the staff at the company certainly have their hands full. Now a new fly-on-the-wall series are to go behind the scenes at Lovehoney, shedding light on the goings on at the Bath-based retailer, whether developing new toys or fielding queries from customers. The business was founded in 2002 by a pair of former technology journalists, Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford who identified a gap in the market for non-seedy sex toys for women, long before E.L James made whips and nipple clamps a regular part of the nation's sex life. After an initial £9000 investment, the company is now worth £30m. 'All of the websites were presented in a . really pornographic way and it was people coming from the porn world . into the sex toy world and trying to sell products that way online,' explains Longhurst of his eureka moment. Business brains: Neal Slateford (left) and Richard Longhurst (right) founded the company in 2002 . Returns: Andrea Bartlett (left) and Roy Aza (right) handle returned products with the help of some rubber gloves . 'We came at it from a totally different way - we're both internet nerds . and it's a female-friendly website.' Now he's hoping that sales will get another boost in the shape of the upcoming 50 Shades of Grey film, and hopes to cash in via the company's official 50 Shades range. 'It was such a blindingly obvious thing to . do,' explains Slateford. 'There's this massive best-selling book with loads of sex toys in it . and obviously, it has got to be good to get the license to do sex toys . based on the book.' Having approached author E.L James for approval, Lovehoney launched its 50 Shades range, which includes a spanking paddle, riding crop and love balls, in 2012 and recouped the initial investment within four months of the launch. Now, with filming for 50 Shades of Grey: The Movie well under way, the pair are excited about the retail possibilities and have sent a selection of products to director Sam Taylor-Wood in the hopes they'll feature in the film. 50 Shades of Hunk: Will 'Mr Grey' aka Jamie Dornan find himself wielding the 'Sweet Sting' riding crop? Official: Lovehoney produces the E.L James approved 50 Shades of Grey intimate accessories range . 'We've sent a 36" bamboo cane, a red Swarovski crystal . nipple clamp and ostrich feather tickler [among other things],' explains Longhurst. 'It's a once in a lifetime . opportunity.' If they're used, however, it won't be the first time that a Lovehoney product has enjoyed a moment in the spotlight. 'We had one of our 50 Shades products, the Sweet Sting riding crop, in a Britney Spears video,' adds a gleeful Longhurst. 'It was for her smash hit song, Work . B***h.' Mischievously, he adds: 'Britney can obviously recognise quality when she sees it.' Although Longhurst and Slateford take centre stage, the new series looks set to make stars of the rest of the Lovehoney staff as well. Along with editorial assistant Cazz, later seen gamely packaging up a buzzing 'sex machine' to send to an eager reviewer, there's sweet former bank worker Chelsea who spends her days fielding inquiries about the correct way to use vibrating eggs, and Andrea Bartlett, doyenne of the returns department. Staff treats: Lovehoney staffer Mel Bartlett rummages through the company's very popular staff box . Donning rubber gloves as she unpacks an eye-opening selection of returned items, Andrea specialises in reading out the complaints, many of which are hilariously funny, straight-faced before offering a sympathetic quip to colleagues, Roy and Jax. 'This is Bam, one of our big boys,' she explains, a giant 12" dildo drooping gently in her hand. 'It turned out to be too large so they sent it . back. Whatever floats your boat I suppose.' Reading from the accompanying note, she adds: 'Sorry to have to sent this item back - he is too big for a 4ft 10" girl. If you could send me a six inch, that would be fine.' 'She probably took one look at it and crossed her legs!' laughs Andrea. Elsewhere in the company, Lovehoney staff are seen doing everything from compiling product reviews to giving their opinions on quirky items that range from the 'armadildo', an armadillo shaped member, to the 'winter willy warmer' and Slateford's latest invention, the vibrating finger. Unusual decor: A set of painful-looking nipple hang from the wall in Lovehoney's staff department . Testing! Staffer Lucy Plummer works, seemingly unbothered by Neal's prototype vibrating finger next to her . 'Right now this is basically a pumpkin carver with a couple of latex fingers stuck on the end,' he chortles. 'It's really powerful!' Working at Lovehoney is clearly not for the faint-hearted, although all of the staff appear to love what they do - even if it does make telling their parents what they do tricky. 'You never know how people are going to . react when you tell them you're running a sex toy business,' says Longhurst, who only plucked up the courage to tell his mother about the business long after he established it. 'I . didn't know how she was going to react so I kept it quiet from her for a . bit,' he continues. 'I remember when I was younger, at the age of about eight, calling . my sister a dildo at the dinner table and my mum flew off the handle, . she went absolutely mental! 'She was like, "Do you know what a dildo is? Do you know what that is?" and I didn't so she said, "It's a rubber . penis!" 'I remember thinking to myself, "Why would anyone need a . rubber penis?" Now,' he adds, laughing, 'I know.' Frisky Business airs on Wednesdays from 26 March at 10pm, on Lifetime Sky 156/Virgin 242 . All clear: Roy checks a naughty French maid outfit to make sure its 100% unused and thus, resellable . Tough job: Andrea prepares to inspect Jessica, the deluxe 'teddybabe' returned to her department . 200 items appear in Andrea, Jax and Roy's in-tray each day and range from vibrating love eggs to 'teddybabes'. Each comes with a note explaining why it didn't make the grade. Here are five of the funniest read out by Andrea: . On 'teddybabe' love doll Jessica: . 'It was the wrong type you sent - this is the deluxe model instead of the smaller standard. I also think it looks ugly.' On a purple dildo: . 'Why am I returning this? I bought it for my girlfriend and as soon as . she opened it, she laughed at me, slapped me round the face with it and . put it back in its packaging. She demands that I send it back. It's . unused.' On the Earth Love Doll: . 'This has been returned because my son is only 15 and his parents . were not happy when this arrived in the post!' On the Lovehoney snug plug: . 'I am returning my items as I found with the Lovehoney snug plug, it . was slightly too small. With the cock rings, I found them too . uncomfortable to wear and they ripped out some of my public hair. I . would like to have a refund if that is possible.' On a pair of handcuffs: . 'I . am returning the items enclosed for various reasons. The sleeve with balls . split and some balls came out inside my wife. The handcuffs were thrown at . me and my wife called me a b***** for thinking of using them.' | Lovehoney is responsible for one in three sex toys sold in the UK .
Launched by Neal Slateford and Richard Longhurst and worth £30m .
New fly-on-the-wall documentary delves into working life at the company .
Tasks include dispensing advice to customers and dealing with returns .
5000 products include 'teddybabes', 'winter willy warmers' and 'armadildos' |
112,995 | 1dd0dc6748b7e88cfdc045975a769a0ab3cb2d3a | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 09:09 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:27 EST, 12 August 2013 . Two New Yorkers either don’t care about or don’t understand the city’s byzantine parking regulations. Despite owing almost $350,000 for over 2,200 parking tickets between them, the two individuals aren’t even at the top of the list of worst scofflaws in New York. That honor goes to a New Jersey-based company that owes more than $316,000 for over 1,700 tickets, according to the city. The 10 worst offenders were made public Monday by the New York Post. Parking tickets: Some people pay them, others owe six-figures worth of fines . Wallinton, NJ-based Consolidated Dairies owes a staggering $316,059 – including over $37,000 in interest – for 1,759 tickets racked up by drivers since 2005, according to the Post. A message left for comment by MailOnline with the dairy products distributor was not returned. The top 10 list, first reported by the Post, is made up almost entirely of companies - except for two people. Manhattan resident John Caruso is indebted $176,821 for the 872 tickets he’s racked up in the past 8 years, including over $54,000 in interest, according to the Post, which speculated the reason he can’t be tracked down is because he’s never lived at the address listed for him in city records. The Greenwich Street address the city has for him used to have mailboxes for non-residents, according to a doorman questioned by the Post. Coming in just after Caruso is Brooklyn’s Anthony Grady, who owes $172,250 towards 1,404 tickets dating back to 2005. When the Post attempted to reach Grady, there was an eviction sign on the scofflaw’s door. Source: NYC Department of Finance . Former neighbors defended him, telling the Post that the parking signs in the area are confusing because of a nearby school. ‘The school has different schedules of when you can or can’t park on the road. The signs [are] a little bit hidden,’ Kelsea Baker told the paper. City Finance Commissioner David Frankel expressed his frustration to the paper, saying that it’s ‘outrageous that a few New Yorkers cheat their fellow citizens.’ Frankel may be an outlier though, especially after the city’s rage-inducing parking signs were completely redesigned earlier this year. Referring to the old parking signs as ‘a five-foot-high totem pole of confusing information,’ city Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said the new signs would be ‘ easier to read and take the stress out of figuring out where and when you can legally park’ at their January unveiling. Redesigned parking signs: The city unveiled new parking signs earlier this year in an effort to decrease the frustration felt by many city drivers . ‘You shouldn't need a Ph.D in parking signage to understand where you are allowed to leave your car in New York," City Council Member Daniel Garodnick added. Parking signs have long confused city drivers, and were even lampooned by comedian Louis C.K. The city is still in the process of rolling out the new signs, but they – along with parking holidays in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – may have contributed to the city issuing fewer tickets in fiscal year 2013 than in previous years. Meter maids wrote just under 7.4million tickets totalling $466million between July 2012 and June 2013, according to the Post, a surprising drop from the 9million tickets and $512million in fines the previous year. Deadbeat offenders owe about $570million in unpaid tickets, according to the Post. The city removes parking ticket debt from its books after eight years. | The two individuals are in the top 10 list of worst parking ticket scofflaws, which is mostly made up of companies .
The worst offender is a New Jersey-based company with over $316,000 in parking tickets since 2005 .
The city is owed roughly $570million in outstanding parking fines . |
89,162 | fd10cb078543cf0fd7ba2f5293b814a1ef403627 | (CNN) -- New York City parents who are raising questions about the city's plan to expand its pilot program of dispensing contraception, including the morning-after pill, to high school students are doing what parents should do. They're asking questions. If they seek information from credible sources, they will learn that when taken within five days of intercourse, the morning-after pill Plan B, which contains one of the hormones found in regular pills, is safe and effective. They also will learn that other forms of contraception have been available in many New York City public high schools for years. This new plan, open to all, is actually designed for girls who have been hardest to reach. These young women, from poor and working-poor families, are much more likely than others to get pregnant by accident. Then, one of two things happens: A girl gets an abortion, or she has a baby she cannot support. Neither New York City's school authorities, nor Mayor Michael Bloomberg, finds those options desirable; both are quite rightly supporting the expansion. According to Joanna Kuebler of the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, about 40% of school-based health centers in the United States are allowed by their school districts to dispense contraception. Sixty percent of centers are prohibited from doing so. Requirements for parental consent vary. New York's effort to reduce teen pregnancies appears to be among the largest and most comprehensive. What hangs some people up is the school administration's decision, during the recent pilot phase of the project, to allow parents to opt their children out of it. Parents received letters in the mail describing the program and telling them that their child would be in the program unless a parent disallowed it in writing. Only 1% to 2% of parents denied permission. It's a good bet many parents didn't read the letters, or if they did, thought their daughter wasn't having sex, or weren't sure how they felt -- so they didn't do anything. New York schools' Plan B program draws critics, supporters . The school system took their silence as an endorsement and moved to expand the program. I think I probably would have done the same thing. But opponents said a fairer way of judging parents' attitudes would have been to require them to opt their children in if they wanted them in the program. They argued that that would require a student and parent to talk to each other about the student's sexual activity -- a good thing. Advocates for the city's plan offered a credible response. They said that many students and parents would avoid such a discussion. Absent parental approval, students who were already sexually active, or about to be, would be in the same boat as before: unable to easily acquire contraception after either consensual or nonconsensual sex. We live in one of the richest, most well-educated countries in the world, yet we have the highest teen birth rate of comparable countries. That is simply not right. Yes, parents are children's first teachers and moral guides, but they need assistance, which is what the New York City system is attempting to provide. No reliable scientific evidence shows that the availability of birth control encourages young people to start having sex earlier. And there is good evidence that the increased availability of birth control, as well as improved sex education, has lowered the teen pregnancy rate dramatically. According to data released this week by the National Center for Health Statistics, the teen birth rate in 2011 -- about one birth for every 32 girls -- is the lowest it has been since the 1940s, when the center began to track childbearing. A lower teen pregnancy rate means a lower abortion rate. Among the 7,000 girls ages 15 to17 who got pregnant last year in New York City, nine out of 10 pregnancies were unplanned, and almost two out of three resulted in abortions. For that reason alone, we should embrace New York's efforts to make all forms of contraception accessible, as well as affordable and safe. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Laura Sessions Stepp. | N.Y.C. expands program to dispense birth control in high schools with morning-after pill .
Laura Stepp: The U.S. has the highest teen birth rate of comparable Western countries .
Stepp: No evidence contraception encourages teens to start having sex earlier .
Stepp: Birth control lowers teen pregnancy rate, which means fewer abortions . |
285,086 | fd68404666cbfce7e8486a3dd6f07be0544aa035 | TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran has released a French academic from prison, though it's not clear when Clotilde Reiss can return home, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office announced Sunday. French national Clotilde Reiss, right, and British embassy worker Hossein Rassam, far left, in court. Reiss, 24, is the second French woman facing charges as part of mass trials in Iran who was released on bond. French authorities are now demanding that Iran drop all charges against Reiss and Nazak Afshar -- an employee of the French embassy in Tehran who was released August 8, the statement from Sarkozy's office said. They were arrested in connection with protests after the June 12 presidential election. Reiss will stay at the French embassy in Tehran while she awaits her return to France, the statement said. She has spoken with her father and is good health and spirits, it said. Iranian media reported Reiss admitted to crimes in court Saturday in connection with protests after the presidential election, and asked for clemency. "I shouldn't have participated in the illegal demonstration and shouldn't have sent the pictures, I am regretful," the semi-official Fars news agency has quoted her as saying. "I apologize to the Iranian people and court and I hope the people and the court forgive me." Human rights groups and Iran's opposition leaders have accused the government of forcing people to make such confessions. Iranian authorities arrested about 4,000 people amid protests against the controversial election, judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi has said, according to the Iran Labor News Agency. He said 3,700 were released in the first week. But 100 defendants, including Afshar, Reiss, and an Iranian employee of the British embassy, appeared this month in Tehran's Revolutionary Court at a mass trial on charges related to recent post-election violence. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets to protest the official result of the vote -- the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The government said he won by a landslide, but his opponents accused officials of rigging the results. A crackdown by security forces followed, and at least 30 people died in the violence. | Not clear when Clotilde Reiss can return home, French officials said .
Reiss, 24, is second French woman facing charges released on bond .
Reiss and Nazak Afshar arrested in connection with protests after June 12 election . |
105,313 | 13d18e910d794f92200a3a4174e27ba8370974de | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:41 EST, 12 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:41 EST, 12 November 2013 . Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's lawyers say prosecutors have failed to hand over evidence which could help them argue against the death penalty . Lawyers for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev renewed their accusations on Tuesday that prosecutors are withholding evidence they need to defend their client against a potential death penalty. Tsarnaev's lawyers complained that prosecutors have failed to turn over several types of evidence they believe could help them argue against the death penalty, including information on a 2011 triple slaying in Waltham in which Tsarnaev's older brother, Tamerlan, is a suspect. Miriam Conrad, one of Tsarnaev's lawyers, told the judge that the defense has also been frustrated by the government's refusal to turn over the immigration files of Tsarnaev's family and friends, information she said could also be used to argue against the death penalty. 'The government could provide it, and has not offered a single reason why it won't,' she said. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Weinreb countered that prosecutors have turned over 'virtually all of the mitigating evidence' they have. 'We have not withheld any favorable information from them,' he said. The judge set a January 31 deadline for Attorney General Eric Holder to announce whether he will seek the death penalty for Tsarnaev, the Boston Globe reported today. In court documents filed last month, prosecutors acknowledged that a friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev told investigators that Tamerlan participated in the unsolved killings of three men who were found in a Waltham apartment with their throats slit and marijuana sprinkled over their bodies. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's lawyers argued in court papers that any evidence of Tamerlan's involvement is mitigating information that is important as they prepare to defend his brother in the marathon bombing. His lawyers haven't said why they consider the evidence to be mitigating, but legal experts have theorized that the defense may be trying to show that Dzhokhar fell under the murderous influence of his older brother and that Tamerlan was the driving force behind the marathon bombings. Conrad reiterated the defense request Tuesday and asked Judge George O'Toole Jr. to order prosecutors to turn over the records in the triple murder or at least review the file to see whether the information can be shared with the defense. Federal prosecutors have said they won't provide the records because state prosecutors are in the middle of an ongoing investigation into the killings and releasing details could jeopardize the investigation. Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev is suspected of involvement in three murders, evidence of which the defense team claim is relevant in his younger brother's trial . Authorities have alleged that the Tsarnaev brothers built and planted two pressure cooker bombs near the finish line of the April 15 marathon to retaliate against the United States for U.S. military action in Muslim countries. The explosions killed three people and injured more than 260. Tsarnaev, his parents and siblings, ethnic Chechens from Russia, came to the United States about a decade ago and lived in Cambridge. Tsarnaev, 20, has pleaded not guilty to a 30-count federal indictment that includes charges of using a weapon of mass destruction. Seventeen of the charges carry a possible death penalty. Prosecutors said they are in the process of completing their written proposal to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who will make the decision on whether to seek the death penalty against Tsarnaev. Holder is expected to decide by January 31. Tsarnaev's lawyers also asked the judge to ease restrictions placed on Tsarnaev in prison, arguing that they are inhibiting their ability to defend him. The measures, which are often used in terrorism cases, restrict a defendant's access to the mail, the media, the telephone and visitors. O'Toole took both defense motions under advisement and did not immediately rule. The judge rejected a request from prosecutors to schedule Tsarnaev's trial for next fall, saying it was too early to decide on a trial date. The next status conference was scheduled for February 12. | Judge today set a January 31 deadline for .
Attorney General Eric Holder to announce whether he will seek the .
death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev . |
245,232 | c968dcfce02a41397a403e00c0808145794a1ef9 | (CNN) -- A part of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris was evacuated Friday due to the accumulation of snow on the roof and hundreds of flights were canceled because of a shortage of de-icing fluid, authorities said, as blustery winter weather snarled travel across Europe. Nearly 2,000 passengers were moved from Terminal 2E to other parts of the airport, French authorities said, calling the measure "preventative." Part of the roof of that terminal collapsed in 2004, shortly after the state-of-the-art building was inaugurated. Four people were killed, media reports at the time said. About a foot of snow had fallen on the roof Friday by the time authorities decided to close the terminal, French media reports said. Authorities were working to clear it and reopen the terminal. French authorities earlier Friday asked airlines to cancel half their morning flights to and from the airport because de-icing fluid was running low, they said. That led to the cancellation of 400 flights Friday morning -- 200 arrivals and 200 departures. Then, early in the afternoon, authorities asked airlines to scrap a third of their flights for the rest of the day. Charles de Gaulle is the second busiest airport in Europe, after Heathrow in London. By Friday evening, conditions there were improving, and flights on Christmas Day were predicted to depart as scheduled. Authorities have said that as many as 200 passengers may spend the night at the airport, where some 800 mattresses were set up in a makeshift dormitory. Elsewhere at Charles de Gaulle Friday, a chartered plane arrived safely carrying 84 Haitian children, who are to be adopted by French families, the government said. Medical and logistical supplies met the flight. Paris' second airport, Orly, has not had to cancel flights because it is not running out of glycol, which is using for de-icing, authorities said. Despite the winter weather, Air France said it intended to operate all of its flights between the Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports. It also said it intended to operate all of its long-haul flights. Airports across Europe are still struggling to get passengers to their destinations after they were snarled by unexpected snow over the weekend. In Brussels, heavy snowfall forced the closure of all but one runway, the airport said in a statement. It was only accepting a few flights, as the airport said it did not have sufficient capacity to handle incoming traffic. Heathrow, in London, said in a statement that it was open and that most flights would operate on Friday. London's Gatwick Airport similarly said it was open and that flights were operating, but it warned there may be some delays and cancellations because of snowfall across Northern Europe. Dublin, Ireland's airport was experiencing delays Friday because of de-icing and because airplanes were in the wrong places after the week's disruptions, the airport said in a statement. At the Frankfurt airport in Germany, most flights were operating as scheduled but some were scratched and others were delayed, said duty officer Heinz Fass. About 45 landings and 35 starts were canceled, he said, because of winter weather at other European airports. Meanwhile, the Swedish Transport Administration wrote on its website that the traffic situation was "extremely alarming" and that there were major problems with both road and rail traffic, especially in the southern parts of the country. The problems there are expected to continue through Christmas Day. CNN's Niki Cook and Per Nyberg contributed to this report. | Brussels airport says all but one runway shut because of heavy snowfall .
Airports in London are operating, with some delays and cancellations possible .
Charles de Gaulle airport cancels a third of afternoon and evening flights .
About a foot of snow falls on the roof, forcing a partial evacuation . |
219,124 | a79f0e9615d7ec774a8a30cfeefdac23f9f63ca3 | David Beckham and his three boys were at the Maracana to take in the World Cup final on Sunday night - and there was no doubting which side they were supporting. Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz were all kitted out in Argentina shirts as they took on Germany for the greatest prize in world football. Their choice of attire may not have gone down too well with Brazilian heroes Pele and Kaka, with whom Beckham posed for photographs prior to kick-off. Family affair: David Beckham with his sons Brooklyn (left), Cruz (second right) and Romeo (right) at the Maracana Stadium as they prepared to watch the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany . Support: David Beckham was at the Maracana with his three sons for the World Cup final - and all three were kitted out in Argentina shirts as they prepared to take on Germany. Here, Beckham chats with Kaka, his former team-mate at Milan . Showpiece: Beckham arrives at the Maracana Stadium to take in the most high profile match in world football . Time heals: Beckham was famously sent off for England against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, but that didn't stop his sons pledging allegiance to the South American side . Legends: Beckham shares a joke with Brazilian great Pele as they wait for kick-off at the Maracana . Brazilian connection: Beckham poses for pictures with Kaka, his former team-mate at Milan, and Pele ahead of the match . Beckham and Pele embraced and chatted while excited fans took pictures on their phones. The former England captain was a team-mate of Kaka during the first of his loan spells at Milan in 2009. Beckham was sent off against Argentina when playing for England in the last-16 of the 1998 World Cup, but judging by his sons' choice of shirt, time has proved a great healer. Infamous: Beckham is sent off for kicking out at Argentina's Diego Simeone during the 1998 World Cup . Snapper: Beckham takes photographs of his sons as they attend the Maracana final . Hug: Pele was delighted to see Beckham and embraced him warmly . The Beckhams were in Rio de Janeiro to take in one of the most eagerly anticipated World Cup finals in decades, the culmination of a tournament in Brazil that has delivered goals and entertainment at every turn. Argentina, who have been followed to Rio by hundreds of thousands of fans for the occasion, are bidding to win their third World Cup title, while Germany are hoping to make it four. VIDEO Argentine fans in tears as Germany clinch title . | David Beckham attended World Cup showpiece with sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz .
Former England captain posed for pictures with Pele and Kaka before match .
All three of Beckham's boys were wearing Argentina shirts .
Beckham was sent off for England against Argentina in 1998 World Cup .
Argentina play Germany in Rio de Janeiro final . |
248,628 | cdb70e9a335d04855d6302833babb1f3de9f5e0a | (CNN) -- An environmentally-friendly surfboard has taken to the waves after five years in development. Surf's up: Mark Harris tries out the Eden eco-surfboard. British profession surfer Mark "Egor" Harris was one of the first to try the British-made board at Fistral beach in Cornwall, England, giving its performance and eco-credentials the thumbs up. "It felt good and I can see these boards being popular with surfers. We spend a lot of time on the beach and in the sea and surfers have been campaigning to clean up the oceans for years. This board goes hand-in-hand with that philosophy," said Harris. The surfboard has been in development in the south west of England for five years and is the culmination of a collaboration between the Eden Project gardens and biosphere and three local companies. Chris Hines, former sustainability director of the Eden Project and a lifelong surfer and committed environmentalist came up with the idea for the board when a balsa tree had to be taken down in the rainforest biome. "I said, well, let's make a completely sustainable surfboard, because I knew people who could laminate in hemp cloth and plant-based resin, so we went for it. It was a eureka moment: we thought, let's really have a go, let's really see what we can do," he told CNN. Hines and the Eden Project team soon realized that balsa and hemp cloth were too heavy for commercially viable surfboards, but desire remained to produce a surfboard that reduces the reliance on petroleum chemicals and uses more sustainable materials. The Eden team worked with local company Homeblown to create a new type of foam core for the eco-board, 15 to 20 percent of which is made from plant derived material. Another local Cornish company, Sustainable Composites, developed a resin made almost entirely from linseed oil instead of oil-derived coatings, meaning over 50 percent of the final finished surfboards are made from renewable materials. Completing the use of local companies, the boards are being manufactured by surfboard shapers, Laminations. Junior British surfing champion Tassy Swallow is set to compete at the International Surfing Association World Junior Championships in Ecuador on a new Eden surfboard. "It's a really good board, it worked really well," said Swallow after her first outing on the board. "It feels a lot more buoyant in the nose which makes it easier to catch waves. It will really catch on when people realize that it's as good as a regular board." | New eco-surfboard made with over 50 percent renewable materials .
Developed by Eden Project in England in tandem with local companies .
Manufacturers hope it will appeal to surfers who are traditionally eco-conscious . |
137,806 | 3e3737903b47bb06ef08af81bccc31e9e3a04cf7 | Madonna may have suffered a triumphant fall at last night's Brit Awards, but it was Jimmy Carr's jokes that really fell flat. The 42-year-old comedian has come under fire for suggesting that Madonna was taking Hormone Replacement Therapy drugs. Jimmy was invited to present British Video of the Year alongside the American model Karlie Kloss. Scroll down for video . Jimmy Carr has been slammed on Twitter for suggesting that 56-year-old Madonna was using Hormone Replacement Therapy - a treatment to relieve the symptoms of the menopause . After quipping that this was 'the best episode of CD:UK' he'd ever seen he proceeded to the audience that he had been inside Madonna's dressing room and it was full of drugs. 'I'm so excited about Madonna' he said 'I snuck into her dressing room back stage earlier and there's a lot of drugs back there.' A stunned Karlie then tries to change the subject saying 'anyway.' but the comedian quickly interrupts with: 'But don't worry it's all HRT stuff.' An obviously unimpressed Karlie rolls her eyes and briskly moves on by announcing the nominees for the awards before presenting the award to Simon Cowell on behalf of One Direction. Richard Madeley tweeted his support for Madonna and even gave Jimmy a taste of his own medicine . He later tweeted that he had been impressed by Madonna's recovery after her fall . Madonna suffered a fall after she was dragged by her cape off stage during her performance last night . The comment that suggests that the 56-year-old singer is taking Hormone Repacement Therapy (a treatment that relieves symptoms of the menopause) has since been met with heavy critiscm from Twitter users. Ricahrd Madeley was quick to point out his disgust at the tasteless joke and even went as far as to give Jimmy a taste of his own medicine. He tweeted: 'I like Jimmy Carr but Jesus his HRT/drugs gag about Madonna at The Brits. Unfunny, anti-woman, cheap. Maybe his stand-up relies on Viagra.' Other Twitter users also took to the Internet to express their disgust with the joke . Many agreed that Carr's joke had been a flop . The presenter then added in a later tweet: 'And Madonna's recovery from a really bad fall was the perfect reply. Well done M.' Jimmy didn't just leave a bad taste in Madeley's mouth either with thousands of tweets flooding in criticising the comedian. One user said: 'What's going on with the #Brits this year? So many awkward moments. Bad HRT joke by Jimmy Carr too. Let's have a go at older women shall we?' While another tweeted their support for the singer: 'Madonna had the accident and yet it was @jimmycarr who died on stage at the Brits tonight..' As well as his HRT gag Jimmy made another flop when he attempted to poke fun at gender equality. 'I just think it's crazy in this day and age that we have separate awards and toilets for men and women' said Carr which seemed an equally frosty reception. A lot of the tweets suggested that it was the sexist nature of the joke that was most distasteful . Other's suggested that such a bad joke could even result in the end of Carr's career . Many of the tweets shared a support of Madonna after Carr's jibe . | Jimmy Carr presented British Video of the Year at last night's BRITs .
He said that Madonna's dressing room was full of drugs .
But added that they were all varieties of Hormone Replacement Therapy .
Twitter uses have since tweeted their disgust at the joke . |
49,616 | 8c467bc4707ac80b1fed5f0c5bc88b457d4f0a92 | Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- After dumping intense rain and bringing strong winds to Haiti and Cuba on Saturday, Tropical Storm Isaac picked up steam -- and promised to pick up strength -- as it spun toward Florida. The storm left at least two people dead in the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, pounding camps where hundreds of thousands of people live in tents. As the Haitian government and outside agencies continued to assess the damage, the focus surrounding Isaac increasingly turned toward Florida, much like the storm itself. Isaac was roughly 65 miles northeast of Camaguey, Cuba, and 340 miles east-southeast of Key West by late Saturday, moving at about 17 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm system is expected to gain strength and become a hurricane by early Monday as it moves past the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico. After barreling north -- affecting Florida's western coast along the way -- the storm is expected to pack 100 mph sustained winds by the time it makes landfall sometime late Tuesday afternoon or early evening on the Florida Panhandle, likely near Panama City, according to forecasters. That progression prompted Republican Party officials in Tampa to effectively push back Monday's scheduled start of the Republican National Convention one day, hoping the move will make it safer and easier for delegates to attend. Tropical storm conditions could first be felt there by late Sunday, and by late Monday afternoon and early evening, Isaac's eye should be west of the coastal city. Florida's governor, Rick Scott, insisted Saturday that his state will be ready for whatever happens. "This is a state that has dealt with hurricanes forever," he told reporters Saturday in Broward County. "We are a state that we know we have to get prepared for hurricanes." As preparations continue, authorities in Haiti spent Saturday assessing Isaac's aftermath. The country is still recovering from a devastating earthquake that struck more than two years ago, and its challenges are compounded by the fact it is led by a relatively new government with limited resources. All that said, the top U.N. humanitarian official in the nation praised the initial response efforts. "So far, I think we're faring reasonably well in our response," Kevin Kennedy told CNN on Saturday afternoon, referring to the efforts led by the Haitian government and assisted by U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations. Haitian radio reported that the worst damage was in the country's southeast. Heavy rain and strong winds persisting into the morning hours caused visible damage to trees and houses in the city of Jacmel, on Haiti's southern coast, and knocked out power. As many as 1,500 of the city's residents took refuge in a school serving as a shelter. Jacmel Mayor Hugues Paul confirmed at least one death on the outskirts of his city, voicing fears that more deaths will be reported. A 10-year-old girl also died when a wall fell on her house in Thomazeau, near Port-au-Prince, the country's civil protection agency said. At the Mega IV camp, where 8,000 Haitians live in makeshift shelters, fallen trees and flooding damaged hundreds of tents. Almost no one had evacuated the camp before the storm, and authorities were searching the camp tent by tent looking for victims. At another camp, Canaan, half the tents were blown away, according to an official statement on the radio. Haiti's national electricity supplier at one point said that 30 out of the country's 32 electricity grids were down. Bernard Mevs Hospital was operating on generator power after losing electricity, just before midnight, said Scott Gillenwater of the Project Medishare, which provides services at the hospital. The nation's main airport closed for a time, but had reopened by late Saturday afternoon, according to Rachel Brumbaugh, operations manager in Haiti for the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. In Port-au-Prince, people were evacuated to areas behind the presidential palace and also to a stadium. The storm dumped up to a foot of rain around Hispaniola -- the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic -- with up to 20 inches in some locales. Kennedy pointed out the prospect of another humanitarian disaster would have been much worse right after the 2010 earthquake, when about 1.5 million people were living in about 1,500 makeshift camps. Today, he said that figure is closer to 400,000. But Haiti may not be out of the woods yet, with the possibility of even more heavy rain causing a host of problems along the coast and in populated areas downhill from mountains. "We could possibly get another 10 inches and, should that happen, we'd be very concerned about flooding in the low-lying areas and those places adjacent to the sea," Kennedy said. Water levels along the Grey River in Port-au-Prince are already "at their breaking point," and more rain could cause them to overflow their banks and flood surrounding areas, Brumbaugh said. In Jacmel, residents fear that large amounts of rainfall may cause mudslides, runoff and severe flooding as it did several years ago. "I'm very worried about the water coming off the mountains and that the city fills up like a sink," said Paul, the city's mayor. Isaac threatens destruction, cholera . After hitting Haiti, Isaac skirted eastern and central Cuba. Cuban officials reported some storm surge and flooding from rain in the far eastern part of the country, and about 200 people were said to be in shelters in the town of Baracoa. But thus far no major damage or injuries were reported. Strong wind gusts were also felt in Havana. After passing Cuba and getting back out over open water, Isaac is forecast to gain strength over the next 48 hours, the hurricane center reported. The Florida Keys, Florida Bay and the state's west coast, from Bonita Beach south to Ocean Reef, are under a hurricane warning. And a hurricane watch, first issued early Saturday, continued overnight for Florida's east coast from Golden Beach south to Ocean Reef. A watch means hurricane conditions are possible, and a warning means that hurricane conditions are expected. A tropical storm warning, meanwhile, was in effect overnight Saturday for Cuba's eastern provinces, most of the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, the east coast of Florida from Sebastian Inlet south to Ocean Reef and the west coast of Florida from Tarpon Springs south to Bonita Springs -- an area that includes Tampa. "It has been a fortunate seven years since Wilma hit Florida," National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb said, referring to the last hurricane to make landfall in the state. "The luck is going to run out at some point." Scott declared a state of emergency for his state, which he said is "standard protocol" to ensure a well-coordinated response with local, state and federal agencies. Big storms like these are nothing to Floridians, the governor pointed out, and people are already working to get ahead of this one. In Key West, the southernmost point in the United States and likely the first part of the Sunshine State to be hit by Isaac, Mayor Craig Cates told CNN on Saturday that "we're ready (and) we're confident that it's not going to be really bad." Many storefront windows were boarded up, while hotels were largely vacant even though no orders or recommendations for evacuations had been issued. Some in Key West, though, suggested they were ready and eager to ride out the storm. "We came down here to have a good time, we're not going to let a hurricane get in the way," Paul Cannella, a tourist from Chicago who is visiting the Keys. "I am a big believer in lifetime experiences, (and) I've heard about hurricane parties, so we're going to have some fun with it." Opinion: Wyclef Jean: What about Haiti? CNN's Martin Savidge, Gary Tuchman, Jim Spellman, Greg Botelho, Brian Walker, Karen Smith and Danielle Dellorto and journalist Jean Junior Osman contributed to this report. | NEW: Moving northwest at 17 mph, the storm was 340 miles from Key West late Saturday .
The start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa is delayed until Tuesday .
U.N. and aid officials praise the Haiti government's response to the storm .
Authorities report at least 2 dead in the impoverished nation due to Tropical Storm Isaac . |
79,117 | e041a2bb887458459656149c8e61aa66d1084f0c | For the first time in three decades, the nation's most common sexually transmitted disease is on the decline. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday that the rate and number of chlamydia (pronounced kluh-MID'-ee-uh) cases fell by 1.5per cent in 2013. But there were still 1.4 million new cases reported - more than any other sexually transmitted disease. Experts are not sure what to make of the one-year drop. On the decline: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday that the rate and number of chlamydia cases fell last year by 1.5per cent (stock photo) The rate in women decreased by 2.4per cent, while the rate in men increased by 0.8per cent. The drop in cases follows a spike over the previous four years; the report stated that between 2009 and 2013, the chlamydia rate in men increased 21per cent, compared with a 6.2per cent increase in women during the same four-year period. The disease's prevalence also varied by racial and ethnic minority populations. For example, in 2013, the chlamydia rate in blacks was 6.4 times the rate in whites and the rate among American Indians and Alaska natives was almost four times the rate among whites. STD screening: A urine test such as the one pictured can detect chlamydia, which is easily treated with antibiotics . Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics. Untreated, it can damage a woman's reproductive system. According to the CDC, chlamydia can be contacted through vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the disease. While most people who have chlamydia have no symptoms, they may experience an abnormal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating several weeks after sex with an infected partner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that gonorrhea cases declined by less than 1per cent. The numbers for the most contagious forms of syphilis rose about 10per cent - to 17,375. The increase was mainly among gay men. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the rate and number of chlamydia cases fell last year by 1.5per cent . |
36,316 | 66fb8984c01685f17753cec00b68f761319d05d8 | By . Rachel Quigley, Lucy Buckland and Jennifer Madison . Last updated at 5:26 AM on 30th December 2011 . Dead: Shele Danishefsky Covlin was found dead in her bath tub on New Year's Eve 2009 . The husband of a wealthy UBS executive accused of her murder has been blocked from gaining further access to the $1.6million life-insurance-policy payout she left for their children. Shele Danishefsky Covlin, 47, was found dead in the bathtub at her Manhattan apartment by her daughter with a large cut to her head on New Year's Eve 2009. Though her death was ruled an accidental falling at the time, her body was later exhumed and a medical examiner said in July 2010 she had been strangled. Today it emerged her husband Rod Covlin filed papers in Westchester County Surrogate’s Court in April asking to be named guardian of the cashed-in Aetna policy that his wife had left for their children Anna, 11, and Myles, five. Court papers state Covlin wrote: 'I am Anna’s father, I have her best interests at heart, and I am in the best . position to determine her current and future needs.' Today, Westchester County Surrogate’s . Court Judge Anthony Scarpino temporarily stripped him of the right to . control the account. The order will remain in place until . at least next Wednesday, when an emergency hearing is scheduled to . review the circumstances surrounding how he obtained access to the the . money. A source told The New York Post Covlin had been listed as the beneficiary of the insurance policy but Shele changed it to her children four weeks before she died. Covlin’s bid was successful and he filed a similar petition to control Myles’ half of the payout. Although both children stand to inherit the money when they are 18, the 39-year-old does have the power to invest and can apply for the court to withdraw cash. Court papers show Colvin left blank the answer to a question about whether the children's custody had ever been the subject of a court order. Accused: Rod Covlin, centre, pictured with his mother and attorney after he appeared in court last April over custody of their children . He also failed to divulge that an order of protection had been filed against him before and after his wife’s murder, allowing him only supervised visits with the pair. And the unemployed father wrote 'n/a' under a question asking for the name and address of the children's maternal grandfather and grandmother, who have been fighting to keep him from getting their daughter’s money in a separate court case. It emerged yesterday the Manhattan public administrator has filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Roderick Covlin, a former stock trader, according to the New York Post. Mrs Covlin's Orthodox Jewish family refused an autopsy at the time and she was buried immediately, following religious tradition. But when the district attorney's office looked into the case, they learned she had scheduled a meeting with her lawyer to remove her ex-husband from her will. Scene: Her body was found in the bath tub of her apartment in the Upper West Side of Manhattan . According to the Post, a suit has been . filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by Public Administrator Ethel Griffin, . a little-known county official who handles estate complications. The . suit charges that Covlin 'intentionally, deliberately, willfully, . wantonly, maliciously, brutally and without provocation or just cause . did strangle, choke, strike, injure, assault, abuse, beat and murder' his wife. Mrs Covlin left an estate of at least $1million which her husband is to split 50-50 with their two children Anna and Myles. A judge appointed the public administrator as executor at the time and she is now seeking to stop Mr Covlin from taking half of his wife's assets. There is still an active criminal investigation in the case. Covlin lives in Westchester County with his children. Shele’s brother Philip Danishefsky is seeking custody of the kids. Fall: Shele Covlin was found in the bath tub of her apartment (not pictured) by her daughter with a gash to her head so her death was ruled as accidental . If he is indicted and found guilty of . killing his wife, he will lose his share of her estate, all of which . would go to the children. He has never been arrested or charged in her death. At the time of her death, the unemployed Covlin was living across the hall from his former wife and their daughter and son, all of whom had an order of protection against him. After the daughter found Shele in the bathroom, she went to get her dad and let him in the apartment. Sources told The Post that in the aftermath of Shele’s death, her purse and smart-phone went missing. Both contained her schedule for meetings with a lawyer to discuss removing Rod from her will. | Shele Danishefsky Covlin had apparently changed policy one month before her death . |
70,541 | c7f6e25b6abad711e7b5d81c0dbb27ab4de6f197 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:22 EST, 12 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:30 EST, 12 July 2013 . A British Airways manager is facing disciplinary action after he made a series of vile comments about Andy Murray's mother's looks. Area manager Simon Taylor, from Staines, Surrey, made the cruel comments on his Facebook page as Judy Murray was watching her son win the men's final at Wimbledon. Among the comments he compared her to a 'recently salted slug' and 'a manatee's spleen'. Apology: BA area manager Simon Taylor, pictured . posing with a Jim'll Fix It mug (left) and in a carnival-style headdress . (right), both of which were posted on his Facebook profile . Glamorous: Judy Murray, pictured celebrating her son's win at Wimbledon, was the target of a series of vile comments made by a BA boss on Facebook . The 46-year-old, who is in charge of . 1,500 cabin crew, allegedly made a number of comments on his Facebook page according to The Sun. His comments came after a cabin crew dispute in which Mr Taylor had to discipline staff for comments they made on Facebook. The airline has stressed Mr Taylor has since apologised for his comments and said they are taking the matter 'seriously'. A BA spokesman said: 'We are sorry for one of our staff's behaviour. He has publicly apologised on his Facebook site for his inappropriate postings while he was off duty and has taken them down. 'We are taking this matter seriously.' Comments: BBC presenter John Inverdale (left) was labelled a 'sexist moron' by viewers after he made disparaging comments about Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli (right) The incident comes after BBC . presenter John Inverdale was labelled a 'sexist moron' by viewers after . he made disparaging comments about Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli. The . corporation received 674 complaints and was forced to issue an apology . after the presenter said the French star was 'never going to be a . looker'. He tried to . draw a line under the matter the following day by explaining his . comments on air and sending an apologetic letter to Bartoli. But . despite the player saying the incident 'doesn't matter', Inverdale was . hit by a backlash from listeners who said his apology was 'inadequate'. | British Airways has apologised and said it is taking matter 'seriously'
Area manager Simon Taylor facing disciplinary action for his comments .
Mr Taylor has reprimanded cabin crew for posting offensive comments . |
150,988 | 4f35f925da250c38826a9931f5a54fd432e0c429 | By . Sean Poulter . PUBLISHED: . 18:17 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:22 EST, 18 November 2013 . Not content with raising energy costs, suppliers are now making it difficult and expensive for customers to speak to them. Those phoning about bills and services are facing a long wait, according to a study, with some firms keeping them on hold for up to almost 47 minutes. And these calls are also generating unnecessary telephone bills for customer. Frustrating: Power firms keep customers waiting for up to 47 minutes, research has found (library image) Recent price rises have caused a surge in callers wanting to change their tariff or move to a rival energy firm. But firms have failed to ensure their call centres have sufficient staff to deal with them. Research by Which? found that the average wait for a customer to speak to a real person has increased over the past six months. On average 14 out of the 16 energy companies called left researchers on hold for longer than they did when the same test was carried out in April. A spokesman said: ‘Our latest research found that the longest average waiting time went up from 17 minutes 5 seconds to over 25 minutes.’ Scottish Power had the worst single example of keeping a customer on hold, with a delay of 46 minutes and 49 seconds. Its average delay before a call was answered by a human being was two seconds short of 19 minutes. Npower, which has the highest standard tariff of the Big Six energy companies at just under £1,500 a year, had the longest average delay of 19 minutes and 14 seconds – two minutes and nine seconds longer than in April. The longest average waiting time was with the small company First Utility, where it rose from six minutes and 13 seconds to 25 minutes and 10 seconds. Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, said: ‘With trust in the industry already at rock bottom and consumers being hit by the latest round of price hikes, it’s time the energy companies started putting their customers first.’ | Study shows some firms are keeping customers waiting for up to 47 minutes .
Research found average waiting time increased over last six months .
Rise in energy prices seen a surge in callers wishing to change their tariff .
But study by Which? shows firms failed to increase staff numbers .
First Utility and Npower have among the worst average waiting times . |
246,645 | cb30b9fc7b17cfa471346270acc164c10a83ae19 | Arsene Wenger believes Thierry Henry deserves to be honoured by Arsenal beyond the statute depicting him outside the Emirates. The Gunners boss enjoyed Henry in full flight and at his best after landing him from Juventus. The France striker is Arsenal's greatest ever goalscorer and announced his retirement from football earlier this week. Thierry Henry became such a legend in north London that he earned his own statue at the Emirates Stadium . Arsenal legend Henry has retired from football to become a pundit with Sky Sports . Henry moved from Juventus to Arsenal in August 1999 for a fee of about £11m under Arsene Wenger . And, given the impact Henry had in north London, Wenger is adamant the club will mark the end of his career fittingly. 'We will organise something in his honour and I hope the France team will also give him the recognition that he deserves,' Wenger told L'Equipe. 'We cannot just end it like this. He deserves a proper tribute. It is very important.' Wenger (celebrating with Henry in 2007) insists Arsenal must honour his retirement properly . Henry had his moments, sometimes difficult to manage, but Wenger only found kind words for the 37-year-old. 'Thierry is blessed with a strong personality and he could get angry. But once he had refound his calm, he was always very clear headed,' he added. 'As well as his extraordinary passion for football, he always showed an incredible insight in his judgement of players. He has a real ability to unearth talent.' | Thierry Henry retired from football earlier this week .
The 37-year-old became a legend while up front for Arsenal .
Arsene Wenger wants the Gunners to honour him properly . |
150,210 | 4e36877a339353a35bfdf3f816d6b75ffd8fe468 | By . Daniel Martin . and Mark Duell . Tony Benn’s body could be allowed to lie overnight in a Palace of Westminster chapel, it emerged last night. The Queen has been asked to approve the unusual tribute following the intervention of Commons Speaker John Bercow. The only politician to have been accorded the honour was Margaret Thatcher, before her ceremonial funeral last April. Unusual tribute: The body of Tony Benn (left) could be allowed to lie overnight in a Palace of Westminster chapel. The only politician to have been accorded the honour was Margaret Thatcher (right) last year . Honour: The coffin of Baroness Thatcher rests in the Crypt Chapel of St Mary Undercroft beneath the Houses of Parliament in Central London on the day before her ceremonial funeral last April . Mr Benn, who died last week aged 88, won more elections than any Labour MP – 16 – and was a Cabinet minister in the 1960s and 1970s. His family said last night that the idea had come from the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons. It also has the support of the Lords Speaker, and the request was put to Her Majesty by Black Rod, a senior Parliamentary official. The former Cabinet minister is one of only two politicians - along with former Tory prime minister Edward Heath - to be awarded the Freedom of the House in recognition of his long years of service. Remembered: The coffin bearing the body of Baroness Thatcher at St Paul's Cathedral in London during her funeral service last April . Request: The Queen (left) has been asked to approve the unusual tribute following the intervention of Commons Speaker John Bercow (right) A book of condolence has been opened for Tony Benn in Parliament and MPs will have the opportunity to pay personal tributes in the Commons tomorrow. Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband will be given a chance to pay tribute today. Mr Benn became MP for Bristol South East in 1950 - however, he was prevented from being an MP when he became the second Viscount Stansgate, after his father's death in 1960. But he fought to change the law and was the first to renounce his peerage, which was crucial in the creation of the Peerage Act in 1963. He retired from the Commons in 2001. A spokesman for the Benn family said: ‘At the suggestion of the Speaker and by agreement with the Lords Speaker, Black Rod and the Dean of Westminster Abbey, an approach has been made by Black Rod to the Palace for agreement that Mr Benn’s body rest in the chapel of St Mary’s Undercroft on the night before his funeral.’ If permission is granted, his body would arrive in the chapel on the evening of March 26, before his funeral in St Margaret’s Church opposite Parliament the following day. A short service would be held after the arrival of Mr Benn’s body in the chapel. The Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Chaplain to the Speaker, has agreed to watch over his body through the night should permission be granted. The only other politician granted the honour was Baroness Thatcher last year. | Queen is asked to approve tribute following John Bercow's intervention .
Only politician to have been accorded the honour was Margaret Thatcher .
Benn won more elections than any Labour MP but died last week aged 88 . |
174,886 | 6e59717711a2fd2aabfded2231f753fe1aaca059 | (CNN) -- Two different terror attacks by two different sets of Islamic extremists in two different democracies. But the difference in people's responses is what's key, and exemplifies why America truly is exceptional. I'm referring to the bombing in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 15 and the attack on a British soldier on a London street on May 22. After the Boston attack, which claimed the lives of three people and injured more than 250 others, a minor anti-Muslim backlash was reported. The most notable: A Bangladeshi man in New York City was allegedly beaten and a Muslim woman in Boston was struck in the shoulder and called a terrorist. And sure the professional Islamophobes, who make their living spewing hate, came out to sell their rancid goods of division and distrust. However, thankfully, and unsurprisingly, Americans weren't buying it. But in England, the backlash against British Muslims has been alarming. Since the terror attack on May 22, there have been 193 anti-Muslim incidents in England, that's 15 times the average number. These hate crimes ranged from vandalizing mosques to pulling off women's headscarves, to threats of violence against Muslims and to minor assaults. One of the most serious incidents happened Sunday night when three firebombs were thrown at the Grimsby Islamic Cultural Center in Lincolnshire, while worshipers were inside in the mosque. Luckily no one was killed. According to British media reports, this wave of anti-Muslim fever was not spontaneous. It has been an organized campaign of hate led by the right-wing group English Defence League, which held protests on the streets of London and Newcastle this past weekend. At its London event, EDL's leader Tommy Robinson told supporters: "They've had their Arab spring. This is time for the English spring." Of course, the terrorists who killed the British soldier were of Nigerian heritage, not Arab. But then again, bigots aren't the brightest, whether they're English or American. Obviously, the anti-Muslim attacks and rallies orchestrated by the EDL don't represent mainstream British society. In fact, an anti-racism rally was held in London to counter the EDL's march. And comedian and actor Russell Brand wrote a heartfelt column for the UK's popular The Sun tabloid, imploring his fellow Brits to remain tolerant and not blame all Muslims for the sins of two madmen. Another bright spot: At a smaller EDL protest in York, Muslims invited the protesters into their mosque and found some common ground in a properly British way, with tea and cookies and an impromptu game of soccer. But why didn't we see an angry anti-Muslim backlash in the United States after the Boston bombings killed and injured so many more people? A few reasons. Not only did the American-Muslim community quickly denounce the Boston bombing, but people of other faiths publicly stood with American-Muslims, including Jewish and Christian leaders in the Boston area. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all Americans love Muslims. But there's a difference between not feeling too warmly about a minority group and actually advocating discrimination and hatred and committing violence against them. But the bigger reason we didn't see a backlash like the one in England has to do with who we are as Americans. Our nation's DNA can be found on the words affixed to the seal of the United States of America: "E Pluribus Unum" which means "Out of many, one." To most Americans, Republicans and Democrats both, these words are more than rhetoric. It's the promise our Founding Fathers offered, to welcome people from all different backgrounds to become one with us as Americans. America was, and still remains, a melting pot. And since its creation, that melting pot has grown; it has become bigger, more colorful and more vibrant. Sure, some are troubled by our increasing diversity. We see it in the angry rhetoric from those on the far right toward those who don't look, pray or act like them. And we regrettably see it in the hate crimes perpetrated against people simply because they are different. We need to look no further than New York City, the "bluest" city in the "bluest state," to see a spike in reports of hate crimes against gays, with 29 so far this year compared with 14 last year. Mark Carson, a gay man, was killed on May 18 while he was walking the streets of Greenwich Village. Carson was murdered simply because of his sexual orientation. We may never be able to end all hate crimes in a nation of more than 300 million people. But we must remain vigilant in countering the voices of intolerance and hatred. The reaction to the Boston bombings, in such marked contrast to England's reaction to the killing of the soldier, shows we are on the right path. By staying on this path, we will ensure that the United States remains truly exceptional. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah. | Dean Obeidallah: Anti-Muslim backlash in England was severe after a soldier was slain .
In comparison, he says, the backlash in the U.S. after the Boston bombings was minor .
He says American Muslims denounced the act and other faiths stood with them .
Also, he says, the melting pot and "out of many, one" make up our identity . |
60,077 | aaa4110a9cea9e5a27198780c161521a0d91268c | An array of stunning girls walked the runway in the hope of winning a modelling contract in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. The Jacare e Moda show was held in the Brazilian region of Jacarezinho and saw girls as well as some boys up to the age of 22 take part. All participants in the contest, called 'the most beautiful among them', were from the north zone of Rio. Scroll down for video . A model walks on the runway during the fashion show in the hope of winning a contract . The community is one of many slums in Rio, and the fashion show in a favela helped raise awareness of the good the company is doing for the local area. The entry requirement for attendees was a 1kg donation of non-perishable food for people in need, and the winning participant won a sought-after modelling contract. Jacare e Moda (Jacare's Fashion) is a fashion school and modelling agency that helps educate and empower locals who are interested in the fashion industry. It describes itself as a 'producer of fashion in the slums of North Zone of Rio de Janeiro' on its Facebook page. Models wait before the start of a fashion show thrown by Jacare e Moda in the Jacarezinho community yesterday . Stunning contestants wait their turn, sitting backstage wearing strappy platform sandals . A model is prepared with makeup at the charitable event where the entry requirement was a 1kg donation of non-perishable food . The company holds events and talks with industry professionals which are open to the public, themed around local culture, urban art, graffiti, traditional fashion and fine arts. Jacare e Moda runs editorials in local publications and encourages north zone residents to get involved in its productions, in partnership with social programmes and local government. They often enlist councillors to assist on projects. Girls and boys were encouraged to sign up for the fashion show yesterday, and registration closed on October 17. Minors were required to obtain permission from their guardian if they wished to enrol. Jacare e Moda runs editorials in local publications and encourages north zone residents to get involved in its productions . The fashion show in a favela helped raise awareness of the good the company is doing for the local area . Jacare e Moda is a fashion school and modelling agency that helps educate and empower locals who are interested fashion . Beautiful Brazilian girls and women are preparing for their moment on the catwalk . Recent competitions have included educational prizes such as a course in English. Jacare e Moda also recently held a lecture with a local woman from the slums who has succeeded in fashion, named Gabi Monteiro, in which she helped encourage locals to be proud of their origin and conquer whatever they want. A local councillor recently assisted on one of their projects in the region, where he lived for 28 years. Around 1.6 million reside in the favelas of Rio. Local girls and boys were encouraged to sign up for the fashion show yesterday; minors had to get permission from their guardian . A little contestant wears the Mini Miss Brazil 2015 sash with pride, as well as a lovely costume crown . Local hopefuls relax backstage in their normal clothes . The company educates on local culture, urban art, graffiti, traditional fashion and fine arts . An attendee poses at the fashion show (l) and a male model struts his stuff in front of a cheering crowd (r) The company holds events and talks with industry professionals which are open to the public . | Fashion school and modelling agency Jacare e Moda works with and for local community .
Holds competitions where prizes include educational courses and entry requirement is food donation .
Invites locals from the slums who have succeeded in fashion to give lectures, and gets local councillors involved .
Yesterday's event saw beautiful Brazilians up to the age of 22 compete for a modelling contract . |
84,542 | efd774fcfc97d1fe2199d39465782b29f3a5faa4 | (CNN) -- Someone conducted keyword searches on "chloroform" using a desktop computer located in the home Casey Anthony shared with her parents, a computer examiner testified Wednesday in Anthony's capital murder trial. The searches were found in a portion of the computer's hard drive that indicated they had been deleted, Detective Sandra Osborne of the Orange County Sheriff's Office testified. However, she told jurors, deleted material remains on a computer's hard drive and can be retrieved until it is overwritten by new data. It had not been overwritten on the Anthonys' computer, she said, and "a complete Internet history" was obtained. Anthony, 25, faces seven counts in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading investigators. If convicted, she could face the death penalty. The toddler's family last saw her on June 16, 2008, but no one alerted police until July 15, when the girl's maternal grandmother tracked down the suspect and demanded answers. Prosecutors allege Anthony used chloroform on her daughter and suffocated her by putting duct tape over the little girl's mouth and nose. They allege Anthony put her daughter's body in her car trunk before disposing of it. Caylee's skeletal remains were found in December 2008, less than a mile from the home of Anthony's parents. Anthony has pleaded not guilty and denied having anything to do with her daughter's death. Defense attorney Jose Baez has said that when all the facts are known, it will become clear his client is innocent. The searches using the keyword "chloroform" were conducted in March, three months before Caylee disappeared, according to testimony. It appears the computer user first searched for "chloraform" on Google and received results for "chloroform," said John Bradley, owner of the software development company that created the software used to retrieve the data. One of the search results was from Wikipedia.org, which was accessed, he testified. It also appeared searches were conducted using terms such as "inhalation," "self-defense," "meningeal artery," "ruptured spleen," "alcohol" and "head injury," he said. The user either typed those terms in to search, Bradley said, or in some instances might have clicked on links on the Wikipedia site to go to a different page. Searches were also conducted on "how to make chloroform," "neck breaking" and "making weapons out of household products," Bradley testified. During his cross-examination, Baez attempted to show that the user apparently did not spend a great deal of time looking at the pages referencing chloroform. Only a few seconds elapsed in some cases before the next site was accessed, Bradley said. Bradley agreed with Baez's assertion that the links do not tell jurors what was on the websites accessed, and that some could have been jokes or information on self-defense. He also agreed he could not say how closely the user was examining the websites or whether a user was looking at multiple browsers. While there were two user-created profiles on the computer, Osborne told Baez she could not tell who performed the searches. She also testified she found no reference to chloroform on a computer belonging to Ricardo Morales, Anthony's former boyfriend. Shown a photo Morales earlier admitted posting on his MySpace page featuring a couple with the caption, "Win her over with chloroform," Osborne said either it had been deleted and overwritten or posted from another computer. She said a keyword search would not necessarily have located the picture, since the keyword was embedded in pixels in the picture. Morales earlier testified he posted the photo as a joke. Osborne said she also was asked to find any records on the computer relating to a Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez. Anthony told authorities Gonzalez, who had been Caylee's nanny for years, abducted her. Osborne testified she found searches for Gonzalez on people search sites, Google and high school class reunion sites, along with the social networking site MySpace. All of those searches were conducted on July 16, 2008 -- the day after Caylee was reported missing to authorities, she testified. But Osborne said she found no searches for Gonzalez before that date, another blow to Anthony's claims to authorities that she had been frantically searching for Gonzalez and her daughter during the month before police were notified Caylee was missing. Anthony's former boyfriend, friends and acquaintances who saw her during that time recalled her shopping, eating out, going to parties and hitting nightclubs, but all of them testified she never mentioned her missing daughter and none of them noticed any change in her demeanor. Her mother testified that Anthony had moved out of her parents' home about the time Caylee went missing, offering little in the way of explanation, and that when she inquired after Caylee, she was told she was with her nanny. Police were never able to find the nanny. They did find a woman named Zenaida Gonzalez, who denied ever meeting Anthony or Caylee and later sued for defamation. Earlier Wednesday, jurors heard testimony that a second cadaver dog alerted to the potential scent of human remains in the backyard of the Anthony home, but -- like the first dog -- failed to do so again once land in that area was disturbed. Within three to four minutes of being given a command to search in the yard, "I saw there was an area of interest he kept going back to and sniffing pretty hard," Osceola County, Florida, sheriff's Sgt. Kristin Brewer said of her dog, Bones. The dog made a second lap around the backyard and then gave his final alert -- sitting down, she said. The alert was within six to eight feet of that made the same day, July 17, 2008, by another cadaver dog, named Gerus, Brewer said -- although she did not find that out until afterward. She said she and Bones returned to the Anthony home the following day, but several crime scene units were working there and "a lot of dirt, mulch, pavers ... changed the landscape quite a bit." Bones did not alert to any locations in the yard on the second search, she said. Gerus also did not alert the second day, Gerus' handler, Orange County sheriff's Deputy Jason Forgey, testified Tuesday. Gerus also alerted to the smell of human remains in the trunk of Anthony's car, Forgey testified Tuesday. When the dog passed around Anthony's white Pontiac Sunfire on July 17, 2008, "he started indicating in the rear of the vehicle," Forgey said. "I could tell he was working something." After the trunk was opened, Gerus put his front paws inside and then lay down, signaling that he had detected the scent of remains. Forgey explained the conflicting results in the Anthony backyard by saying that he believed Gerus alerted to a scent on the surface of the land. Once technicians disturbed the surface, he said, the scent was diminished "where the dog wouldn't find it. It was gone at that point." On cross-examination, however, Forgey said he does not know the real reason behind the conflicting alerts. Still, he said, "in every single time (Gerus has) had an alert besides this case, he's had a find," that is, he found remains. Brewer offered a similar explanation on Wednesday. "Whatever he was alerting to could have been moved or destroyed or dissipated because of all the work that had been done," she said, "or they may just not have dug enough to find what was below the surface." A crime scene investigator, the operator of a towing company and members of Anthony's family all have testified they smelled a bad odor coming from Anthony's car after it was found abandoned in a parking lot on June 27, 2008, and then towed four days later. A bag of trash found in the trunk, which had been sitting there for weeks during a Florida summer, has been suggested as a possible source of the odor. But Forgey told Burdick his dog does not alert on trash, and has been trained around garbage. Forgey told Baez that he's smelled human decomposition on numerous occasions and "I smelled it clear as day" in Anthony's car. Also Tuesday, FBI forensic chemist Michael Rickenbach testified he analyzed pieces of Anthony's trunk liner, carpet and parts of the spare tire cover, among other items. On those, he said, chloroform "residue" was found, but it was at low levels. But he did not want to offer specific levels, saying it would not be appropriate because he conducted qualitative testing, confirming chloroform's presence, rather than quantitative testing, which would detect its level. Under questioning from prosecutor Jeff Ashton, Rickenbach said the samples were sent to him in a cardboard box, not a sealed container, which could have allowed some of the chloroform to evaporate, lowering the levels present. Having the car trunk open for a time might also lower the levels, he said. On Monday, Arpad Vass, a senior research scientist at Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, testified that the presence of chloroform on a carpet sample from the trunk was found at a "shockingly high" level -- far beyond what normally would be seen in environmental samples. Both Vass and Rickenbach tested the carpet inside the trunk. However, Vass, who is not a chemist, was attempting to find compounds associated with human decomposition. Rickenbach was specifically testing for the presence of chloroform. Vass told jurors in the Orlando courtroom that the presence of a decomposing human body is the only plausible explanation for the odor in Anthony's trunk and the results found in forensic testing. In Session's Michael Christian contributed to this report. Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here. | Items including "head injury" and "inhalation" were also searched, expert says .
No searches for Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez were found before July 16, 2008 .
Casey Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 .
If convicted, she could face the death penalty . |
79,303 | e0ccefa6a981331cabc886690d5845c87cbcbae5 | (CNN) -- North Korea turned up the temperature yet another degree on its neighbors Monday, warning that it would not give any advance notice before attacking South Korea. "Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now," the North said in a statement carried by its official news agency, KCNA. North Korea said it was responding to insults from the"puppet authorities" in the South, claiming that there had been a rally against North Korea in Seoul, the South Korean capital. It called the rally a "monstrous criminal act." North Korea said last month it was withdrawing from the armistice that put the Korean War on hold in 1953. 5 things we still don't know about North Korea's nukes . Timeline: War of words escalates . CNN's Esprit Smith contributed to this report. | NEW: North Korea says it will strike "without any notice"
Tensions have been increasing steadily on the divided peninsula . |
112,785 | 1d87024558bf650d0d413cd0829545c319971150 | (CNN) -- Doctors frequently tell patients that they have to lose weight. But the majority of them don't know how it feels to be overweight or what it really takes to lose weight. I do. Between my 17th and 19th birthday, I went from overweight teenager to lean adult by losing 99 pounds. I was a happy teenager from a loving family. Food never served as a substitute for happiness in my life, and I had no reason for comfort eating. My mother didn't like fast food and always cooked healthy meals. Knowing that, it seems absurd that I weighed 264 pounds at 16. The reason for my weight gain was simple: I loved food (I still do!), I ate way too much, and I hated exercise. Well, that's not totally true. My friends and I were passionate soccer players -- sometimes I would even start sweating when my Xbox game got too exciting. "If I don't eat greasy fast-food, stay away from sweet soft drinks and avoid candies, I won't get fat," I used to think. So while my brother was having two potatoes, I ate four. He would have enjoyed a glass of milk in the morning if I hadn't already emptied the whole liter. He loved bread with some bacon; I preferred a lot of bacon with some bread. If you eat more calories than your body needs you will gain weight. It's as simple as that. We are constantly told to focus on what we're eating, and yet we forget to think about how much we are eating. Of course, I got bullied for being overweight. When you're fat, you're a target. I struggled with the teasing in the beginning but got used to it very quickly. That was dangerous -- getting used to people picking on your size means you're accustomed to being that size so there is no need for change. I would still be extremely obese right now if it wasn't for a school trip to Paris in 2005. I like French food and had a lot of it. But on the trip I got food poisoning and lost 7 pounds. Those 7 pounds were the spark that started the fire. I realized that sometimes you have to RSVP yes when life sends you an invitation for change. At first I thought: "Cool, I lost 7 pounds. I will try not to regain that weight." Then I remembered there was something called exercise, and that experts said it could help you lose weight. So I started using my mother's elliptical machine. I worked out for 15 to 20 minutes every single day. I also tried to eat half of what I had eaten before. Instead of four potatoes I ate two; instead of drinking a whole bottle of milk, I would only drink half of it. My body responded well: Within two years I had lost 99 pounds. (If I had known I would eventually be writing a weight loss story for CNN, I would have gone for 100). I realized that if you and your body are hungry for change, weight loss can be fun, instead of a burden. Luckily, I've never encountered the dreaded yo-yo effect. I have maintained my slimmer figure for seven years now. I never stopped exercising. After you've come so far, you don't want to take a risk and regain the weight because of laziness. I purposefully gained 22 pounds working out in the gym because I wanted to build muscle. Now my 6-foot 4-inch frame weighs 187 pounds. My body mass index is 22. There are countless books on how to lose weight. All the authors seem to have priceless pieces of advice they've skillfully converted into cash. But in the end, I believe losing weight is a simple trade: . You feed your body the right amount of food and exercise. In return, your body burns fat. Even your wallet gets a little lighter because you have to buy new clothes. After seven years of medical education, I have learned a lot about the health dangers of being overweight. I'm glad I took life's invitation to change as a teen. As a doctor who has been where they are, I hope to help others who are struggling with their weight do the same. | Felix Gussone started his weight loss journey after getting food poisoning in Paris .
He worked out every day for 20 minutes and halved his calorie intake .
He lost 99 pounds over the next two years and has maintained ever since . |
271,206 | eb4eafa763dd4a4f5a6fdcb393c1b8c97a4a9bff | By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 10:54 EST, 14 October 2011 . Riot police today marched on the last remaining protesters at Occupy Denver’s camp and were met with chants of ‘peaceful!' and ‘shameful!’. Dozens of police advanced on the cluster of demonstrators supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement at the Colorado State Capitol. The demonstrators retreated without resisting - but some were arrested as they backed away from their encampment on Friday. Taken away: Colorado State Patrol officers drag a Occupy Denver protester away as the group is evicted early Friday from Lincoln Park . Split up: Colorado State Patrol separate Occupy Denver protesters arm-in-arm in Lincoln Park on Friday . Officers placed plastic ties around protesters' wrists, carried or dragged some from the encampment and took away others by the arm. But there were no immediate signs of physical violence and an exact number of arrests has not yet been confirmed. Stragglers were carried by police to small tractors and driven away. Some protesters covered their faces with handmade masks or bandanas. Authorities began taking down dozens of tents at around 3:30am. Signs: Dozens of police in riot gear advanced early Friday on the last remaining cluster of protesters supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement at the state Capitol . Standoff: Several hundred Occupy Denver protesters remained in Lincoln Park, across from the State Capitol building in Denver early on Friday morning, even as the park was deemed closed by executive order . At about 6:30am, officers advanced on a line of protesters who had locked arms around the remaining tents. 'My main complaint is there is no more middle class in America. The rich control most of the money' David Humphrey of Pine . Officers held their batons horizontally and nudged or pushed the protesters to break up the human chain. By 7am, most of the group had retreated across a street that had been closed to traffic. Some protesters moved back into the street when officers let traffic flow again, prompting police to herd them back to the sidewalk. Clearout: The demonstrators retreated without resisting, but some were arrested by police . As in other cities, the Denver protesters said they object to Wall Street excesses and the economic power of the rich. 'This is a very disciplined action' Pavlos Stavropoulos of Littleton . ‘My main complaint is there is no more middle class in America. The rich control most of the money,’ said David Humphrey, 24, of Pine, Colorado. He carried a sign with a picture of President Barack Obama and the words ‘Change God bless.’ Pavlos Stavropoulos of Littleton, Colorado, a medic for the protest, had seen no serious injuries. ‘This is a very disciplined action,’ he said. | Dozens of police advanced on Colorado protesters and some were arrested .
Officers used plastic ties on wrists, dragged others and lead away some .
Occupy Denver is part of international Occupy Wall Street movement . |
269,340 | e8df0e9c1d8cb29771c8fc5fe8a281db6431704f | The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says it is firing four senior officials after allegations and investigations of long wait times and other problems at VA medical facilities. Directors at the VA health care systems in Pittsburgh, central Alabama and Dublin, Georgia, are in the process of being fired, and the VA's deputy chief procurement director in Washington is also in line to lose her job, the VA headquarters in Washington said in recent news releases. The Pittsburgh move comes almost two years after CNN first reported about an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease at a VA hospital there. Part of CNN's 2012 investigation found 21 patients at the Pittsburgh VA who were diagnosed with the disease, five of whom died within 30 days of being diagnosed. VA officials knew about problems and dangers with the medical center's water system, but did not disclose that information for almost a year. In a followup investigation, the VA's inspector general found that the Pittsburgh VA's staff did not take the proper steps to prevent the spread of Legionella, such as flushing water faucets, and that pneumonia patients were not properly tested for the disease. The director of that hospital, Terry Gerigk Wolf, has been on administrative leave since June and is now in the process of being fired for "conduct unbecoming a Senior Executive." Wolf has the right to appeal that decision before the firing is complete, a VA representative said. "VA will actively and aggressively pursue disciplinary action on those who violate our values. There should be no doubt that when we discover evidence of wrongdoing, we will hold employees accountable," VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said. The firings are a direct result of wrongdoing found by the VA's Office of Inspector General and the Office of Accountability Review, including significant delays and wait times of veterans, manipulation of appointment data, "neglect of duty," inappropriate handling of VA contracts and misconduct at VA facilities. VA inspector general admits wait times contributed to vets' deaths . The firings also follow a yearlong investigation by CNN that found numerous instances of delays in care and, at times, deaths of U.S. veterans at VA facilities across the country. The reports sparked a national outrage, which led to the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and prompted numerous House and Senate hearings. That resulted in a new law revising the VA health care system designed to help veterans get faster care. The new law, which was passed this summer and signed by President Obama, also gives VA Secretary Robert McDonald more authority to quickly fire top executives. The VA also announced that John Goldman, the director of the VA medical center in Dublin, is in the process of being fired after the VA's inspector general revealed that the hospital's staff closed out more than 1,500 patient appointments to hide long wait times in order to meet goals set by VA headquarters. Goldman announced he was retiring four days before his removal was made public. U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Florida and chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, who led the charge for more accountability at the VA and whose committee has been instrumental in pressing for details of wrongdoing at VA facilities, said Tuesday that he is not certain the new process of firings is enough. "Bragging about the proposed removal of someone who has already announced his retirement can only be described as disingenuous. Department leaders must not tolerate this instance of what appears to be blatant deceit. Such semantic sleights of hand are insulting to the families struck by the VA scandal and only do more harm to the department's badly damaged credibility," he said in a statement to CNN. "Congress acted with near unanimity to give the VA secretary greater authority to actually fire failing executives, not just propose removing them. Because this is merely a proposed action, we need to reserve judgment on whether appropriate accountability has been achieved." In a statement Tuesday, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said, "Recently, VA announced disciplinary actions against four individuals, consistent with the law that Congress just passed. If Congress wants VA to implement a different law, it should pass one. Until then, VA will use the authority it has been given fully and responsibly to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our nation's veterans while at the same time ensuring that disciplinary actions are based on the best possible evidence from entities such as the Inspector General, the Office of Special Counsel, and the Justice Department, so that these actions stick." Part of CNN's investigation brought national attention to a secret waiting list at the Phoenix VA and to charges by whistleblowers that veterans had died there, waiting for care. All of the charges have been substantiated by the inspector general. Just after those revelations, three top officials at that VA facility, including Director Sharon Helman, were placed on administrative leave and are in the process of being fired. Helman is still being paid. The VA is also in the process of firing James Talton, the director of the Central Alabama VA Healthcare System, where the inspector general confirmed this year that a lack of trained appointment schedulers contributed to some delays and dysfunction in the hospital's podiatry clinic. A 2012 inspector general report also found that Central Alabama VA patients did not receive timely colorectal cancer screenings. VA audits this year showed that more than 6,000 patients waited at least 90 days for care at this medical center and that some schedulers there were instructed to hide long wait times. The fourth VA employee being fired, Deputy Chief Procurement Officer Susan Taylor, inappropriately influenced the awarding of VA contracts to a private company and interfered with an investigation into the matter, according to a report by the VA's inspector general. Taylor reportedly gave preferential treatment to the company FedBid, an online marketplace, and had an affair with a former employee of several government agencies who had ties to the company. The VA's inspector general stated that Taylor "improperly disclosed non-public VA information to unauthorized persons, misused her position and VA resources for private gain, and engaged in a prohibited personnel practice." On Tuesday, the VA also announced that Joan Ricard, the director of the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Chicago, will retire at the end of this month, after 40 years at the VA, including two years as director of the hospital. Ricard has, like other VA officials, been at the center of controversy in recent months. At Hines, like other VA hospitals, CNN and other media outlets reported allegations made by whistle blowers about veterans being kept on secret wait lists, and hiding of actual delays in care, while administrators received bonuses. | Officials in Pittsburgh, Alabama and Georgia are in the process of being fired .
VA's deputy chief procurement director in Washington is also in line to lose her job .
VA's Office of Inspector General and Office of Accountability Review found wrongdoing .
A CNN investigation found numerous instances of delays in care for veterans at VA facilities . |
265,387 | e3ba218b48537602241fa156f0d5bb52f3f3fc38 | The capture of the most wanted sub-atomic particle in physics was today named as Science journal's Breakthrough of the Year. Scientists had been chasing the Higgs boson, nicknamed the 'God particle' for more than four decades. In July the team from the European nuclear research facility at Cern in Geneva announced the detection of a particle that fitted the description of the elusive Higgs. Top breakthrough: A representation of traces of traces of a proton-proton collision measured in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experience in the search for the Higgs boson . The boson is believed to give matter mass via an associated 'Higgs field' that permeates space. Without the property of mass, the universe we live in could not exist. Scientists used the world's biggest atom smashing machine, the £2.6billion Large Hadron Collider on the Swiss-French border, to track down the missing particle. Finding the Higgs topped the list of most important discoveries of 2012 released today by Science, one of the world's most prestigious scientific journals. The particle was first proposed by a British physicist Professor Peter Higgs almost 50 years ago when he was a 34-year-old scientist working at the University of Edinburgh. Emotional moment: Professor Peter Higgs appears to wipe away a tear after scientists at the Large Hadron Collider claim to have possibly discovered a particle believed to be the Higgs boson . But until this year, no-one had been able to prove that his theory was right. Science news journalist Adrian Cho, who wrote about the discovery in the journal's latest issue, said: 'Mass must somehow emerge from interactions of the otherwise mass-less particles themselves. that's where the Higgs comes in. 'Just as an electric field consists of particles called photons, the Higgs field consists of Higgs bosons woven into the vacuum. Physicists have now blasted them out of the vacuum and into brief existence.' Science also lists nine other pioneering achievements from 2012. Curiosity coming into land on Mars: The rover's landing system was another scientific achievement hailed by the journal in its end-of-year round up . Brain-machine interface: Jan Scheuermann, a 52 year-old woman who was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disorder 13 years ago, using a mechanical arm controlled by her brain to feed herself . | Scientists had hunting for evidence of the Higgs boson for over 40 years .
Physicists using found it using Cern's £2.6billion atom smasher .
Journal Science also lists nine runners up .
The Denisovan Genome: Scientists sequenced the DNA blueprint of the Denisovans, an extinct species of human that lived alongside Neanderthals and the ancestors of people living today.
Making Eggs From Stem Cells: Japanese researchers showed that embryonic stem cells from mice could be coaxed into becoming viable egg cells.
Curiosity's Landing System: Mission engineers at the American space agency Nasa safely and precisely placed the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. They used a 'sky crane' that dropped the 3.3 ton rover to the surface from a hovering platform on three cables.
X-ray Laser Provides Protein Structure: Researchers used an X-ray laser, which shines a billion times brighter than traditional synchrotron sources, to determine the structure of an enzyme required by the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness. The advance demonstrated the potential of X-ray lasers to decipher proteins that conventional X-ray sources cannot.
Precision Engineering of Genomes: The revision and deletion of DNA in higher organisms has generally been hit-or-miss. In 2012, a tool known as TALENs, which stands for 'transcription activator-like effector nucleases,' allowed scientists to alter or inactivate specific genes in animals such as zebra fish and toads, and cells from patients with disease.
Majorana Fermions: The existence of Majorana fermions, particles that act as their own antimatter and annihilate themselves, has been debated for more than seven decades. This year, a team of physicists and chemists in the Netherlands provided the first solid evidence that such exotic matter exists, in the form of quasi-particles. These are groups of interacting electrons that behave like single particles.
The ENCODE Project: A decade-long study reported this year in more than 30 papers revealed that the human genetic code is more functional than researchers had believed. Although just 2% of the genome codes for actual proteins, the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements, or ENCODE, project indicated that about 80% of it is active in ways such as helping to switch genes on or off.
Brain-Machine Interfaces: Scientists showed that paralysed human patients could move a mechanical arm with their minds and perform complex movements in three dimensions. The technology is still experimental, and costly, but the team is hopeful that one day it will help patients paralysed by strokes, spinal injuries and other conditions.
Neutrino Mixing Angle: Hundreds of researchers working on the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment in China found the last part of the jigsaw describing how particles known as neutrinos morph from one strain or 'flavour' to another as they travel at near-light speed. Neutrinos may someday help researchers to explain why the universe contains so much matter and so little antimatter. |
65,039 | b8abbc5d3159732c034cae1fc0dad5195b76ace7 | By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 15:29 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:59 EST, 7 January 2013 . Jailed: Keith Sivills siphoned off £168,000 to fund his lavish lifestyle . A businessman who stole tens of thousands of pounds to fund his extravagant lifestyle has been jailed for 20 months. Keith Sivills, 55, admitted to creating false documents for CB Construction (Cleveland) Ltd in a £168,000 tax dodge which took place over three years up to 2010. Teesside Crown Court heard how he siphoned off £100,000 plus from the business for his own purposes. The 55-year-old, who is also a racehorse owner and football club president, was branded ‘greedy’ by a judge as he was jailed. Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told . Sivills: ‘You acted out of greed and have lost your good name and . standing in the community, and let everyone down.’ Sivill’s barrister, Richard Fisher, told the court that the 55-year-old was a successful director and was not trying to keep an ailing company afloat. He described the crimes, which saw him providing false trading accounts and VAT returns, as ‘a serious error of judgement on his part'. He also admitted they were carried out through greed because Sivills ‘had a certain lifestyle’. Mr Fisher described the tax evasion as ‘madness’ and said the businessman, from Easington, near Saltburn, east . Cleveland, had behaved in a selfless way in other aspects of his life. He said Sivills had worked with local charities and sports clubs, and had helped people - including those who had been in prison to find employment. Sivills is the president of Evo-Stik . Northern Premier League football club, Whitby Town, and has owned a . number of national hunt racehorses in the past. A judge at Teeside Crown Court (pictured) branded Siphills 'greedy' and said he had 'lost his good name' He admitted making false statements on accounts between 2007 and 2010, and on VAT returns between 2008 and 2009, when he appeared in court in November last year. The court heard that he created false invoices to pocket money for himself, and wrote out company cheques for cash, as well as submitting false tax returns. The swindle resulted in a loss to HM Revenue and Customs of £168,000 but at an earlier hearing, it was revealed that Sivills has repaid more than that amount which he cheated from public funds. | Keith Sivills admitted to providing false documents for CB Construction Ltd .
He siphoned off £100,000 plus from the business for his own purposes .
The racehorse owner and football club president branded 'greedy' by judge . |
82,318 | e961df23d97e5c2bbdbd6743867799426d91916c | Sumo the cat shocked RSPCA staff earlier this year when the flabby tabby waddled through their doors and tipped the scales at 14.3 kilograms. Now the chubby kitty has lost more than two kilos in as many months enjoying his new found agility and playfulness. One of the vet nurses at the Wacol RSPCA in Brisbane - Tanya Boland - has been caring for Sumo since July and told Daily Mail Australia he's much more active and 'quite amused' he's now able to lick his shrinking belly. Transformation: The pudgy pet has purr-fected his weight loss plan already losing more than two kilos . 'He's doing really well', she said. 'He's been running around, he's a lot more agile.' When he was brought into the RSPCA Vicki Lomax, a veterinarian working at the centre said Sumo was 'the biggest cat I've ever seen and I've been a vet for 45 years.' Sumo came to the RSPCA because his owners were moving house and could not take him with them. When he was brought to the RSPCA centre staff decided to name him and settled, for obvious reasons, on Sumo. But now the pudgy pet, who weighed almost three times his ideal weight of five to six kilos, is loving a more active lifestyle. Before: Just a few months ago Sumo the chubby tabby tipped the scales at 14.3 kilograms . Flabby tabby: Vet nurse Tanya Boland (pictured) has been looking after Sumo since he was brought into Wacol RSPCA in Brisbane back in July . 'He's been playing with my cat and bit more and playing with the toys', Ms Boland said of the the nine-year-old domestic short hair. 'They're like brothers and sisters, sometimes they get a long and sometimes they fight.' '(But) he's a lot more active and he's happy he can lick his belly and his back.' When at his heaviest Sumo was at serious risk of a number of weight-related diseases such as heart and kidney disease, diabetes, muscle atrophy, and arthritis. However a strict diet of a new trial Hills brand metabolic cat food split into two meals a day, the fat cat is sure to be a slim Jim in no time. New tricks: Ms Boland said Sumo is very pleased he can now groom his own belly and back . Cutting back: The chubby cat has been on a portion-controlled diet of low-calorie metabolic cat food . Sumo was put on a special weight loss plan by his vet . The chubby tabby is on low-calorie diet . He's also been given much smaller and more controlled potions of food . His carer Tanya Boland makes sure he only eats a small amount twice a day . Sumo has learned to run around and is getting much more exercise . Keeping up with Ms Boland's younger cat has also helped him shed some kilos . Plus his exercise running up and down the hall of Ms Boland's home with his favourite toy 'rattle mouse' is also helping him shift the weight. Earlier this year Ms Lomax told Daily Mail Australia that as with humans, pets get overweight from a combination of overfeeding and lack of exercise. She warned: 'Cats can be very persistent, there are cats that will follow you to the fridge and more or less demand food. There are owners who have trouble saying no, I guess it's like parents saying no to the kids.' Ms Boland said although she's enjoying the time spent with Sumo and her younger cat Jasmine, her house simply isn't big enough for two cats in the long term. 'I've got a friend's mother who's interested in adopting him', Ms Boland revealed. 'She's had a fat cat before so she knows what they're like to handle.' Though the vet nurse did admit she'll be sad to see Sumo go when he's lost a little more weight. 'He's a funny little character but my house just isn't big enough for two cats.' No more: Sumo used to be so large he could barely move around . | Sumo astonished RSPCA staff and was the biggest cat they'd ever seen .
He weighed 14.3kg, almost three times his ideal weight of five to six kg .
Now he's shed more than two kilos and is down to 12 kilograms .
Tanya Bolard, a vet nurse looking after Sumo said he's much more active .
Revealed he's very amused by the fact he can now lick his belly and back . |
69,332 | c496db670fbb7d24502be0423ab6d41bcf1e425b | For centuries, shoes have held more than just a functional purpose for women. Many a night has been marred by squeezing into a pair of sky-scraper heels that are half a size too small, meaning a toss-up between a barefoot walk home and enormous blisters. But we still insist on spending a fortune on impractical heels season after season. Now the Victoria & Albert museum is planning an exhibition that charts our love affair with footwear through the ages called Shoes: Pleasure and Pain. Scroll down for video . For centuries, shoes have held more than just a functional purpose for women. Now the V&A museum is planning an exhibition that charts our love affair with footwear through the ages. Pictured is the High & Mighty shoot for American Vogue from February 1995 featuring model Nadja Auermann . The exhibition, which starts in June next year, will explore the agonising aspect of wearing extreme shoes, as well as the euphoria and obsession they can inspire. Some of the most extreme footwear in the world will go on display in the museum's summer 2015 fashion exhibition. More than 200 pairs of historic and contemporary shoes from around the world will be on show - many for the first time. They collection spans 2000 years and includes a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to futuristic-looking shoes created using 3D printing. Roger Vivier for Christian Dior evening shoe, beaded silk and leather, France, 1958 - 60 . Wedding toe-knob paduka, silver and goldover wood, India, 1800s . One sandal, gilded and incised leather andpapyrus, Egypt, c30 BCE-300 CE . Shoes worn by - or associated with - Marilyn Monroe, Queen Victoria, Sarah Jessica Parker and Daphne Guinness will be shown, alongside famous pairs of shoes like the ballet slippers designed for Moira Shearer in the 1948 film The Red Shoes. Footwear for men and women by 70 named designers including Dior, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Prada will also be on display. Historic lotus shoes made for bound feet and 16th-century chopines, silk mules with vertiginous platforms designed to lift skirts above the muddy streets, will also feature. Exhibition curator, Helen Persson, said: 'Shoes are one of the most telling aspects of dress. 'Beautiful, sculptural objects, they are also powerful indicators of gender, status, identity, taste and even sexual preference. 'Our choice in shoes can help project an image of who we want to be.' Caroline Groves (1959), Parakeet shoes, leather silk satin, solid silver talons and heel tips, with feathers . RiRi, Sophia Webster, Spring Summer 2013 . Shoes on display will also include Indian men's shoes with extremely long toes, noisy slap-sole shoes worn in Europe during the 17th century and the famous Vivienne Westwood blue platforms worn by Naomi Campbell in 1993. Desirable shoes like the 'Pompadour', worn by trend-setting women in the 18th-century French court will sit together with designs by top names in fashion today such as Alexander McQueen and Sophia Webster. The shoe collection will also show how footwear can represent an expression of sexual empowerment or a passive source of pleasure. Like feet, shoes can be objects of fetishism. High Japanese geta, extreme heels and tight-laced leather boots will be on display as well as examples of erotic styles channeled by recent mainstream fashion. NOVA, by Zaha Hadid for United Nude . Man's leather Oxford lace-up shoe, turquoise leather with applied gold leather decoration; Coxton Shoe Co. Ltd, Rushen, Northamptonshire, England, ca. 1925. Stitched, applied and punched leather with cord laces . In contrast, another part of the exhibition will be dedicated to dissecting the processes involved in designing and creating footwear, laying out the story from concept to final shoe. The displays will show how makers combine traditional craftsmanship with technological innovation and how they unite function with art. Designer sketches, materials, embellishments and shoe lasts, such as the lasts created by H. & M. Rayne for Princess Diana, will be on show in this section, alongside 'pullovers' from Roger Vivier for Christian Dior. Also on display will be footwear that pushes the boundaries of possibility, including the form-pressed Nova shoes designed by Zaha Hadid with an unsupported 16cm heel and Andreia Chaves' Invisible Naked shoes that fuse a study of optical illusion with 3D printing and high quality leather making techniques. Visit vam.ac.uk/shoes or call 0800 912 6961 for more details . | Exhibition starting in June explores our habit of wearing extreme shoes .
70 named designers like Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo on display .
Collection spans 2000 years and includes shoes created using 3D printing . |
17,832 | 328493bf37cc0291f5015fef69a2d90e3e370ee1 | Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes sat quietly in court on Tuesday ahead of the arduous process of jury selection for his murder trial. The 27-year-old, who opened fire on a packed movie theater in Aurora in July 2012, killing 12 people and injuring 70, was seen in civilian clothing for the first time since the shooting. As he sat in court, he had no visible restraints, though the judge had ordered him to be tethered to the floor in a way the public couldn't see for the trial. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and he had a medium-length curly beard and wore oval-shaped reddish glasses - a stark contrast to his earlier bright orange hair and wide eyes. Scroll down for video . Smart: James Holmes, pictured in a courtroom sketch with Arapahoe County Public Defender Tamara Brady on Tuesday, was smartly dressed during his jury selection in Centennial, Colorado . Preparations: A courtroom sketch shows Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. with members of the prosecution team (right) and defense team (left) during opening proceedings of the Holmes murder trial on Tuesday . An unprecedented jury pool of 9,000 people had initially been summoned but later fell to 7,000 after some summons could not be delivered and some people were excused. Through questionnaires, individual and group interviews, the pool will be winnowed to a handful in the weeks ahead to hear the death penalty trial that could last until October. The entire process is expected to take until May or June. Jury selection was set to begin later in the day on Tuesday with the first group of several hundred people filling out questionnaires. During a morning hearing, Judge Carlos Samour suggested that attorneys might not have to screen all the prospective jurors before beginning to select panelists. He said the process could stop after a few thousand people are screened if he and both sides agree they have a large enough pool from which to choose a jury. On Tuesday, the defense also objected to the use of a video during the trial, saying prosecutors gave it to them too late. The video is apparently from the jail where Holmes is being held, but its contents have not been made public. Heading to court: People enter the Arapahoe County court ahead of jury selection on Tuesday morning. The final jury will be selected from a pool of 7,000 people - down from an initial group of 9,000 . Waiting: People stand in a security line at the court house ahead of the start of Holmes' murder trial . Watchful eye: A security officer looks down from the roof of the Arapahoe County Justice Center Tuesday . The judge also spent about 25 minutes going over ground rules for jury selection and the trial, urging attorneys on both sides to be professional and respectful. 'We're going to be spending a lot of time together,' Samour said. On trial: Holmes, pictured in an earlier mug shot, wore civilian clothing to the court on Tuesday . The scope of jury selection and the trial are testaments to the logistical hurdles of trying the rare case of a mass shooter who survives his attack. 'The public is going to get an insight into the mind of a killer who says he doesn't know right from wrong,' said Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant. 'It is really rare. It just doesn't usually come to this.' In the two and a half years years since the shooting, the case has sparked an emotionally charged debate, with Holmes' parents begging for a plea deal that would save his life while many survivors and family members of victims have demanded that he be put to death. Twelve people died and 70 were injured in the attack during a midnight showing of a new Batman movie. Holmes was arrested as he stripped off his combat gear in the parking lot of the Century 16 movie theater. He later pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder. If jurors find him guilty, they must then decide whether to recommend the death penalty. If Holmes is found not guilty, he would be committed indefinitely to the state mental hospital. Defense attorneys acknowledge Holmes was the gunman in the July 20, 2012, attack but say he was in the grip of a psychotic episode at the time. Stark difference: He is pictured on July 23, 2012, days after he allegedly opened fire on the movie theater during a midnight showing. His orange hair is now gone and he instead sports a curly beard . Under Colorado law, defendants are not legally liable for their acts if their minds are so 'diseased' that they cannot distinguish right from wrong. Part of the reason the case has dragged on so long is the battle over whether that standard applies to Holmes. Few details on those arguments have been made public. Prosecutors and defense attorneys remain under a long-running gag order, and court documents detailing the issue have stayed under seal. Holmes' sanity was evaluated by a state psychiatrist but the results were not made public. Prosecutors objected to the findings and persuaded a judge to order a second evaluation. Those results were contested by the defense. Prosecutors previously rejected at least one proposed plea deal made by attorneys for Holmes, criticizing the lawyers for publicizing the offer and calling it a ploy meant to draw the public and the judge into what should be private plea negotiations. Survivors of the attack and family members of victims have had a long time to get ready for a trial. Scene: Balloons, crosses and flowers are placed outside the Aurora movie theater after the shooting . Victims: Twelve people died in the attack, including AJ Boik, 18, left, and Veronica Moser-Sullivan, six, right . 'We've all been to therapists and have talked to our families and have our support groups, so we're prepared,' said Marcus Weaver, who was shot in the arm and whose friend, Rebecca Wingo, died in the attack. 'It's gonna be quite the journey.' It could take until June to find the jurors and alternates who were not biased by the widespread news coverage of the shooting. Equally challenging will be finding jurors who were not personally affected by the attack. Judge Samour called nearly nine times as many prospective jurors as were summoned in the ongoing Boston marathon bombing trial. That meant the county's 600,000 residents had a nearly one-in-50 chance of being selected. | James Holmes, 27, is accused of opening fire on a packed movie theater in Aurora, Colorado in July 2012 - killing 12 and injuring 70 people .
Selection from a jury pool of 7,000 people began on Tuesday .
Jurors will be rigorously screened first through questionnaires then through individual questioning that will whittle them to 100 .
Group questioning will follow to get down to just 12 jurors and 12 alternates - a process that will take until May or June .
Jurors will be warned that they'll see the majority of the gruesome photographs and video taken at the crime scene . |
9,893 | 1c1033b1803fe61aca958cad2752ea8b6ca82f57 | By . Mia De Graaf . One Direction’s Liam Payne has said the group has ‘a lot of growing up to do’, following his bandmates’ apparent use of illegal drugs. In the first sign of an apology after Mail Online's exclusive video emerged of members Louis Tomlinson, 22, and Zayn Malik, 21, smoking a ‘joint’ in Peru, Payne suggested things had gone ‘a little sideways’. He tweeted: 'I love my boys and maybe things have gone a little sideways I apologise for that. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Apology: Liam Payne, 20, tweeted a full statement on behalf of Zayn and Louis apologising for the 'joint' video . 'We are only in our 20's we all do stupid things at this age. 'We . all have a lot of growing up to do in an extreme circumstance I'm not . making excuse but it's fact we are gunna fall short somewhere. 'Hopefully . we stand the test of time an get it right in the end I don't take this . for granted and I'm extremely grateful to be here doing this. 'Thank you to everyone who has stuck with us through this just know that we love you guys for it and it means the world.' His words come after Harry Styles hit . out at his bandmates Louis and Zayn for their ‘reckless and stupid’ behaviour in the now infamous 'joint' video. Harry . is said to be annoyed with them for potentially jeopardising the band’s . upcoming 39-date United States tour after the film showed them sharing a . suspicious roll-up in Peru last month. 'Joint . lit. Happy days!' Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson smoked a 'roll up . cigarette' and joke about marijuana in a video taken in Lima, Peru, last . month . Hit . maker: Zayn takes a draw on the roll up. Before they began their . journey someone can be heard asking: 'Are we allowed to talk contraband . in this?' Warm up: Louis can be heard joking that 'Mary J' is 'one . very very important factor of Zayn’s warm up' Happy daze: At one point during the video, Louis asks: 'How is it Zayn?' Pausing a beat before he exhales Zayn replies: 'Nice'. Zayn blows smoke at the camera and says: 'I know you like dat, bro' Controversial: In . MailOnline’s exclusive video, Louis Tomlinson, 22, can be heard putting . on an accent while speaking about doing drugs. He then says: ‘It’s . green only, Nig.’ Louis and Zayn, who did not mention the . indiscretion during a sell-out concert in Sunderland this week, could . be banned from the United States by immigration authorities. It has also emerged Harry has chosen to fly in a different private jet to Zayn because he does not like his smoking, a source said. An insider told The Sun: ‘Harry is . annoyed about the whole debacle,' and revealed how the singer thought it . was ‘stupid and reckless’ of the pair to film their actions on camera. Harry Styles, pictured performing at One Direction's sold out concert in Sunderland last night, is said to be annoyed with bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik for potentially jeopardising the band's upcoming 39-date US tour . Flying solo: Separate jets for Harry and his increasingly estranged bandmates this month. Does it mean that some members of the boy band can't stand each other? Harry Styles hit out at bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik (pictured) for their 'reckless and stupid' behaviour after video footage emerged of them smoking a 'joint' Despite the band putting on a united show at the opening night of their tour, it is thought the scandal could create a divide in the band . The source also revealed how, despite his reputation, Harry, 20, is in fact ‘professional and mature’ and does not approve of such antics which he fears could now overshadow the band's success. ‘This should be one of the biggest weeks of the band’s career with the launch of their UK stadium tour. Instead it has been taken over by this controversy,' the insider added. It comes as Louis’ father said he was ‘worried’ for his son after watching the footage - which was filmed on April 27 as the pair were escorted by car to a show at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru, where they performed to a 40,000-strong crowd. | Payne, 20, responded to Mail Online exclusive video of Zayn smoking .
Admitted 'things have gone a little sideways' in tweeted statement .
Comes after Harry Styles hit out at 'reckless' bandmates for video . |
173,434 | 6c72772f6503d9db1776023d6e2e8472ff584b59 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 13:22 EST, 14 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 14 April 2013 . Prince Harry is expected to announce he will join a group of wounded soldiers trekking to the South Pole. The official launch of the Walking With The Wounded polar challenge will be held this week and even though the 28-year-old prince has not yet publicly spoken about taking part it is thought he may join the participants because he is also a patron of the charity. In March 2011, he joined an amputee team which trekked to the North Pole alongside Captain Disney, 30, who lost his right leg in battle. Expedition: Prince Harry takes down his tent during the Walking With the Wounded trip to the North Pole . Captain Disney told The Telegraph: 'I know he'd want to be involved. He's a soldier - of course he'd love to do this. But first and foremost I'd like him to be there because he is a really good bloke.' Prince Harry, or Captain Wales as he is known in the military, was involved in a two-part documentary called Harry's Heroes which was filmed during the trip to the North Pole. He had to cut the expedition short because of his brother William's wedding. During the documentary he said: 'These guys have been to hell and back and come out the other side. 'They are amazing, absolutely astonishing; the inspiration they give to everyone is unbelievable. Support: Prince Harry joined four British soldiers injured in action for the Walking With The Wounded challenge during their last days of packing before setting off to walk to the North Pole . Prince Harry (centre) looks at some maps with team leader Inge Solheim (left) when he joined the Walking With The Wounded team in 2011 . In training: Prince Harry joined soldiers on the expedition to the North Pole which was also filmed for a documentary called Harry's Heroes . 'I guess I have three different lives. One is my military life, one is my private life, one is the public stuff. But me as a military man is my number one favourite, because I get to spend time with people like this.' Prince Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2005. He successfully completed a 44-week training course as an Officer Cadet, before being commissioned in April 2006 as a Second Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals). In February 2008 he went on to complete more than two months service with the British Army in Helmand province, Afghanistan, as a Forward Air Controller for NATO forces and was promoted from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant in April 2008. In January 2009 he began a two-and-a-half year training course to become a fully operational, full-time Army Air Corps helicopter pilot. He remains an officer in the Household Cavalry during the training period. The expedition will take place as a race between a British team, a U.S. team and a team representing the Commonwealth countries Canada and Australia. Following extensive training, from cold weather training in Iceland in March, to team training through the summer and a final session of snow preparation in October, the teams will fly to Antartica in November. They aim to reach the South Pole around December 17. In a statement released ahead of Friday's launch, Prince Harry said: 'Walking With The Wounded continues to champion our extraordinary wounded service personnel and highlight their determination and courage to face future challenges following injury on the battlefield, whether physical or cognitive. 'Their inspirational expeditions have already impacted so many and I hope they will continue to impact many more. 'I am delighted to be Patron of the Allied South Pole Challenge, their latest ambitious project. Not only will this involve wounded personnel from the United Kingdom, but there will be a team from the United States and a team from the Commonwealth. This means the awareness created will be global, and will not only show the tenacity of these young men and women, but also the strong links between our Allies, off the battlefield as well as on. 'The Allied Challenge in 2013 promises to be a quite remarkable endeavour. I urge everyone to get behind the expedition and ‘Support the Walk’. The Walking With The Wounded team during training on the Langiokull Glacier in Iceland. Three teams are getting ready to take on the South Pole Allied Challenge Expedition . Preparation: The expedition will take place as a race between a British team, a U.S. team and a team representing the Commonwealth countries Canada and Australia . | In 2011 the Prince joined an amputee team which trekked to the North Pole .
He is patron of the charity Walking With The Wounded .
It is believed Captain Wales will join soldiers who have been wounded in battle on an expedition to the South Pole in December . |
35,143 | 63e0a876f7e7d69a1c025a4271f9d8a99a670d2b | By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 16:25 EST, 31 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:27 EST, 31 March 2013 . The Cyprus financial crisis could infect banks across Europe including Britain, MPs warned last night, as the full horror of the raid on expats bank accounts was laid bare. Savers in the island’s largest banks face 80 per cent of their deposits over £85,000 being wiped out, far more than anticipated, under the conditions of the EU bailout of their stricken economy. Residents of the island, and expats hoping for a quiet life in the sunshine, have spoken of losing their businesses and life savings under the rescue deal they have dubbed ‘daylight robbery’. MP Douglas Carswell has warned Britons to think carefully about which banks they put their money in . Savers at the Bank of Cyprus will see 37.5 per cent of any deposits over £85,000 converted into shares in the bank . When the £8.5billion bailout was announced it was suggested all those with money in Cypriot banks would be asked to pay the price, leading all of them to close their doors for two weeks. But under the emergency rescue deal agreed last week, only ‘large depositors’ will now take a hammering to raise £5billion of the funds – including the island’s 60,000 British residents. Big depositors at Bank of Cyprus, the island’s largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 per cent, under the package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said on Saturday. Those who have invested more than £85,000 will lose 37.5 per cent in money that will be converted into bank shares. They will keep these, but there are fears their entire value could be wiped out. Thousands of Cypriots demonstrate to protest against the harsh treatment imposed on Cyprus by the Eurogroup earlier this week . And in a second raid, they could lose up to 22.5 per cent more, depending on how much is needed to prop up the bank’s reserves. Experts will determine this in the next 90 days. The size of the raid for such investors had been expected to be only 30 to 40 per cent. Cypriot officials say large savers at Laiki, the second largest bank, could lose as much as 80 per cent of their savings. Eurosceptic MP Douglas Carswell said yesterday the catastrophic bailout would send the island’s economy into collapse, and have serious consequences for the banking system across the Eurozone. He said: ‘The thing that should frighten us all is that the clowns that have done this to Cyprus are still running the European Union, they are still presiding over us. ‘This isn’t a bailout, it’s the collapse of Cyprus’s financial system and this is the price. This is not about Russian oligarchs, it’s about ordinary paying to rescue the European elite from their own stupid euro project. Laiki Bank customers are also reported to be facing the loss of 80 per cent of their deposits above the £85,000 limit . Banks in Cyprus are open for normal business but with strict restrictions on how much money their clients can access, after being shut for nearly two weeks . ‘I think for the first time in living memory, people in Britain should make certain that they spread their risks and think carefully as to which bank you put your money in. ‘We’ve been led for generations to think deposits are safe but the modern banking system means there are more people who think they are owed money than there is money in the banks. ‘We should not feel smugness, as our Government like the rest of the Eurozone has been too busy trying to rescue bankers from our investment folly. Is this run by people you can trust? ‘They talked about monetary union creating stability in the Eurozone, in Cyprus it’s killed the economy and created real hardship and poverty. Nobody in their right mind would invest in Cyprus and southern Europe. ‘If people in Cyprus have lost 60-80 per cent of their deposits, who in their right mind have that much in their account in Spain or Greece or Portugal? It’s not just about Cyprus, it sends a powerful signal to the Eurozone.’ Ordinary Cypriots step in the streets to protest against the massive "haircuts" imposed by The European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund . Cyprus’ Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said the measures were taken to put the Bank of Cyprus on a solid footing. He said: ‘We suffered a serious blow without doubt ... but we now have a bank which is reformed and ready to assume its role in the Cypriot economy.’ Experts predict a huge social impact, with unemployment on the island, currently at 15 per cent, set to soar, and many people vulnerable to losing their homes or being forced under the breadline. Banks finally opened last week with a raft of restrictions, including daily withdrawal limits of £200 for individuals and £4200 for businesses, and caps on money that can be taken out of the country. Tryfonas Neokleous, owner of a clothes shop in central Nicosia said: ‘Europe shouldn’t have allowed this disaster to happen here. Cyprus was paradise and they’ve turned it into hell. I don’t expect anything anymore. People are going to spend their money on food and everything else they’ve been deprived of the last 15 days.’ Pantelis Panayotou, a 70-year-old jeweller said: ‘People are numb.’ | The island's largest savers face losing 80% of their deposits over £85,000 .
MP Douglas Carswell said the bailout would collapse the island’s economy .
Added that Britons should think carefully about where they put their money .
Residents have spoken of losing their life savings under the rescue deal .
They have dubbed the Cyprus bailout deal as ‘daylight robbery’ |
70,328 | c7648a645f113f3cd8f70beeac968d989e9d4b3c | A cluster-balloonist who became the first person to fly the English Channel has launched a house into the sky just like in the Disney movie 'Up'. Intrepid Jonathan Trappe, 38, took off just like the 78-year-old character Carl Frederickson in the hit movie. Trappe, from Raleigh, North Carolina, stepped into the cartoon themed home before soaring above the Leon International Balloon festival in Mexico yesterday. Scroll down for video . Taking off: A cluster-balloonist has launched a house into the sky just like in the Disney movie Up . Flying high: Intrepid Jonathan Trappe, 38, took off just like the 78-year-old character Carl Frederickson in the hit movie . Up, up and away: In the hit movie, Up, pictured, 78-year-old character Carl Frederickson takes off with his house attached to balloons . Trappe was using the event as a warm-up for his planned trans-Atlantic flight scheduled for next summer. He aims to complete the 2,500 mile journey across the pond in a seven foot lifeboat carried by 365 huge helium balloons. Trappe has invested $170,000 into his Atlantic dream, for which he's been training his whole career, and now he's launching a site so ordinary people can play their part this amazing adventure. Showing off: Trappe, from Raleigh, North Carolina, stepped into the cartoon themed home before soaring above the Leon International Balloon festival in Mexico yesterday . Journey of a lifetime: He aims to complete the 2,500 mile journey across the pond in a seven foot lifeboat carried by 365 huge helium balloons . The daredevil, is learning to sail a lifeboat, in case he needs to ditch into the ocean during the danger-filled mission. The unique gondola will have an open roof for take-off but a canopy to protect Trappe from high-altitude winds and frost bite during the crossing. He will fly at between 18,000ft and 25,000ft, beating his previous world altitude record of 21,600ft, and must fly uninterrupted a distance ten times longer than his previous world record of 230 miles in order to succeed. The adventurer, who holds records for . crossing the Alps, flying the most cluster balloons, and the longest . distance, has spent his entire career building up to the momentous . expedition. He said: 'I didn't wake up one day and think: 'I'm going to fly across the Atlantic.' Planning: The adventurer, who holds records for crossing the Alps, flying the most cluster balloons, and the longest distance, has spent his entire career building up to the momentous expedition . Challenge: Mr Trappe is ready to take on the Atlantic, a challenge which has called to balloonists for decades, although five others have died in the process, and none have crossed attached to cluster-balloons . 'Every attempt before this was geared towards this flight. I've been training for a long time.' In May 2010 Trappe became famous worldwide when flew from England to Belgium dangling from scores of helium balloons. Now he is ready to take on the Atlantic, a challenge which has called to balloonists for decades, although five others have died in the process, and none have crossed attached to cluster-balloons. 'It's about living an interesting life - for me as the pilot and those watching,' said Trappe. 'So, one day we can look back and say: 'Humankind were able to pull this off. They did it.' Those interested in donating or sponsoring Trappe can do so at: http://www.indiegogo.com/upacrosstheatlantic . | Will attempt to fly from Maine to Paris in his bid to cross the 2,500 mile ocean .
Made his name crossing the English Channel in 2010 . |
189,023 | 80cb33d35fc059b9be06ebc5cc3ab4b7f04e6873 | These errie pictures show how a once-magnificent orphanage backed by stars of the silver screen has been left to rot for a decade after plans to turn into a clinic for paedophiles were blocked by the local community. Grade Two listed Silverlands was once an orphanage home to 60 destitute children and supported by the likes of Noel Coward, Sir Laurence Olivier and Richard Attenborough. The ornate chandeliers that hangs precariously from the ceilings and the mahogany panelling now are the only hints of the house's former grandeur. Despite,its glamours past the property in Chertsey, Surrey, now has boarded up windows and mould growing on the walls, as nature threatens to reclaim it. A chandelier still hangs over the impressive oak staircase and landing inside Silverlands in Chertsey, Surrey, that has been left to rot . 'I wanted to photograph an abandoned orphanage because of the idea behind it,' said online blogger Stacey Louise, 21, who explored the abandoned property with her partner Tim Barber, 31. 'I liked the fact that the place children were left at has now been left itself - almost as if the building has become an orphan. The Neo-Georgian entrance hall has survived the years of neglect and the staircase leads to what were once the bedrooms of the orphans house there . 'A place that once was filled with children and some happy times now alone and lost, hidden from people and forgotten.' Silverlands was originally built in 1814 by Surrey brewer Robert Porter, before being largely rebuilt by its second owner Vice Admiral Sir Henry Hotham. The three storey home was extended by its third owner Sir John Brunner, who lived here between 1907-8 and 1919, and was believed to have added the grand Neo-Georgian panelled entrance lobby and library. It became home to the Actors Orphanage in 1938, who aimed to board, clothe and educate destitute children of actors and actresses. The Fund's first President was the eminent actor, Sir Henry Irving. Two years later the children were evacuated to New York following the outbreak of World War II. The orphans, thanks to Noel Coward, were sent to the Edwin Gould Foundation in New York, where they stayed for the entire conflict. Rubble now litters the floor of the once the grand dinning room at Silverlands that was believed to have hosted the likes of Noel Coward and Sir Laurence Olivier . IN 1945, the Actors Orphanage Fund returned to Silverlands after the Germans surrendered to Allied forces. In the early 1940s a nursing school was also established at the site to train staff for nearby hospitals. In 1956 Laurence Olivier took over as president of the Fund and Richard Attenborough served as his deputy. Together the pair introduced many changes at the home. They instigated changes, including the old dormitories being partitioned into individual cubicles each furnished with a new bed, small bureau and mirror. The children were divided into 'family groups' each containing a mixture of boys and girls of different ages and placed under the supervision of house parents. Each group had its own sitting room and dining room. The children were also allowed to choose some of their own clothes, listen to pop music, and hold or attend Saturday night dances. The Ministry of Justice had planned to turn Silverlands into a clinic for paedophiles in the late nineties, but were forced to abandon their plans following opposition from local people . In 1958 facing rising repair costs the orphanage closed its doors, but the nursing school remained until the 1990s. The site lay empty until the late nineties when the Ministry of Justice announced plans to turn it into a clinic for paedophiles and sex offenders. The proposal was met by strong opposition from the local community and the proposals were eventually abandoned in 2002 after a series of candle light vigils. A decaying toilet inside the former orphanage that was home to up to 60 children for 20 years, between 1938 and 1958 . Silverlands has been left to rot ever since. The entrance hall to Silverlands, dates back to the early 20th Century and is in a Neo-Georgian style, with full height panelling . Despite years of neglect the elaborate early 20th Century Neo-Georgian entrance hall, with fall height panelling, remains, as does the main stair case, which features carved oak balustrades. One ground floor rooms has an Adam-style plastered ceiling and columns dating back to around 1845, another has early 20th Century dado panelling, doorcase. A thick layer of dust covers the stone floors, capets and every surface inside the building which has been left to rot . 'I tried to visit the abandoned orphanage a couple of years ago and ended up being chased out by security guards and the police,' said Mr Barber, who captured the images in the middle of the night. 'Going back was always on the cards, this place has always been on the 'to do' list because of what it was and what it once had meant to so many people and families. The walls inside one of the gathering rooms have started to crumble after years of neglect. Mould appears to be growing on the walls of this hall. Photographer Tim Barber said: 'To me, these pictures capture a time that has been long forgotten.' 'What was particularly astonishing was the centrepiece of the building where the huge grand oak staircase stood with beautiful ornate chandeliers hanging over it. 'The inside was very grand and, in its day, would have been very impressive. 'To me, these pictures capture a time that has been long forgotten. Staff quarters: An internal staircase inside the grand orphanage. Photographer Stacey Louise said the 'building has become an orphan' The main corridor inside Silverlands that was once walked by children and staff who lived in the orphanage in Chertsey, Surrey . 'The people who walked the corridors and stairs have long since left and nature has started to consume what is left of the building. 'I see a place whose purpose has become void and now is destined to be forgotten by the world.' Silverlands has been left rotting ever since. 1814 - The original large country house was built by local brewer Robert Porter. 1820 - Silverlands was rebuilt by Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Hotham and Silverlands was the Hotham family home until around 1887. 1896 - The Actors' Orphanage was started by Kittie Carson at Croydon and was established as the Actors' Orphanage Fund in 1912. 1915 - The orphanage moved to Langley Hall, Berkshire, and in 1934, Noël Coward became President of the charity . 1938 - The charity moved its orphanage to Silverlands in Chertsey, Surrey. 1940 - The children living in the home were evacuated to the Edwin Gould Foundation in New York, USA. 1941 - Some of the buildings became a female nurse’s school for the nearby Botley Park Asylum and St Peter’s Hospital. 1945 - The children returned to Silverlands after the end of World War II. The orphanage ran alongside the nures's school. 1956 - Sir Laurence Olivier took over as President of the charity with Richard Attenborough as his Deputy. 1958 - The cost of major repairs needed to the building, the declining numbers of children at the home resulted in a decision to close Silverlands as an orphanage. 1990 - Silverlands Nursing School amalgamated with other schools of nursing to become the Francis Harrison College of nursing and midwifery. Late nineties - The probation service was looking at taking over Silverlands as a clinic for paedophiles.The proposals were met by strong opposition from local people who organised a candle lit vigil in protest. 2002 - The Ministry of Justice announced that Silverlands was no longer being considered for the clinic. | Silverlands was built as a large country house in 1849 by local brewer Robert Porter in Chertsey, Surrey .
It was rebuilt by Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Hotham in 1820 and became the Hotham family home .
The Actors' Orphanage, backed by Noel Coward, moved to Silverlands in 1938 and remained for 20 years .
The property was also used as a nursing school to train staff for a local hospital and nearby asylum .
In 2002 plans to turn the abandoned property into a clinic for paedophile were blocked by the local community .
It has remained empty ever since and these images show how the once grand building is rotting and decaying . |
96,616 | 085278987b80db1710fa8805fea216f924d8b89c | (CNN) -- In compiling a new George Harrison greatest-hits collection, the idea was to focus on the flow, his widow, Olivia, told CNNRadio Monday. George Harrison, shown here in 1992, had hits with "My Sweet Lord" and "All Those Years Ago," among others. "It's a collection that spans his career, and we put them together in a way we thought they would just kind of flow, you know, musically, into one another," she said of "Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison," out Tuesday. "But, it's all George, you know." In 1970, the Beatles broke up. Harrison burst out of the palace with "All Things Must Pass," a monster three-record set that featured friends like Eric Clapton, Leon Russell and former bandmate Ringo Starr. Critics and fans agree the album is among the best solo offerings from a former Fab. Although five cuts from "All Things" got the nod on this package -- the title track, "Isn't it a Pity," "What is Life," "The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp" and, of course, "My Sweet Lord" -- this look back displays Harrison's solo work throughout his career. The 19-cut CD extends all the way through "Brainwashed," his final album, featuring that album's chirpy "Any Road" and the hypnotic instrumental "Marwa Blues." The Beatles are present too. Three live Harrison songs from "The Concert for Bangladesh" -- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun" -- sound as good today as they did on that August date in 1971 at Madison Square Garden. And, of course, his bouncy, tongue-in-cheek "When We Was Fab," from his 1987 release "Cloud Nine," shows Harrison looking back without anger. "I think that there is an underlying thread that he always expressed, always a bit of humor, always a bit of longing," said Olivia Harrison. "You know, I don't like to overuse the word spirituality, but, you know, he was interested in things not of this world." Harrison is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a Beatle and once as a solo artist. | New George Harrison collection, "Let It Roll," out Tuesday .
CD songs from 1970s "All Things Must Pass" through 2002's "Brainwashed"
Widow: Harrison's songs had "always a bit of humor, always a bit of longing" |
57,578 | a334ad72c0a51f1da96a49369f550e421a97c1d7 | Tottenham target Yevhen Konoplykana has revealed his interest in a move to Roma and says that the Serie A side and his club Dnipro have an agreement in place. The winger, who scored a stunning goal against England at Wembley, is in high demand - with a number of clubs including Liverpool credited with an interest. But the Ukraine international insists that despite an agreement between the clubs, talk of an immediate move is premature. Yevhen Konoplyanka has revealed his interest in move to Roma but insists that he has yet to agree a move . The Dnipro star was previously close to a move to Liverpool in the summer but the move fell through . 'I know there was talk that there would be a medical soon, but that's not true,' the Ukrainian international told Gazzetta dello Sport. 'I promised the President that I'd stay at Dnipro until the end of my contract. As I understand it, the two clubs have reached an agreement, but not with me. 'That's why the deal hasn't been completed. 'I like Roma though, they're a big European club. I'm convinced that in the next few days my future will be decided.' The tricky winger scored a stunning goal against England at Wembley back in 2012 . Konoplyanka's deal with the Russian club runs out in the summer and he could wait to make a decision . | Tottenham target Yevhen Konoplykana admits he likes the look of Roma .
The Serie A side and Dnipro have an agreement in place for the winger .
Konoplyanka insists though that he has yet to agree a move to Rome .
Follow all the latest transfer news here . |
236,554 | be2fdbd9cdeb2c5a3c401df3aff33bebf64ad6f8 | (CNN) -- It is widely recognized that the signing of the Armistice in 1918 did not put an end to the drama that began in 1914. Traditional geopolitical rivalries continued but now overlapped with competing ideologies of fascism and Stalinism to foster a climate of permanent war. That is why many observers at the time described the period 1914-1945 as a modern version of the Thirty Years War. Yet this second Thirty Years War soon gave way to the four decades-long Cold War. For a very brief moment the demise of the Cold War appeared to bring to an end the conflicts unleashed on the battlefields in 1914. But this "End of History" moment was brief. Today we are in the midst of a conflict originally designated as a "War on Terror" but which has been rebranded by the American government as the "Long War" and more recently as "Overseas Contingency Operation." The conflicts unleashed in 1914 were not confined to the military sphere. They were also a battle of ideas and a clash of cultures. The story that began in 1914 was influenced by a crisis of meaning that afflicted the political and cultural elites of western societies. A powerful mood of estrangement and disorientation dominated cultural life. In this moment of confusion even artists and intellectual sought meaning through fighting for a cause -- even a military one. Some of the most enthusiastic supporters of the war were motivated by a disposition to react against what they took to be the soulless world of capitalist modernity. Stefan Zweig, the renowned Austrian novelist, playwright and well-known pacifist lived to see two world wars. When the Great War broke out in 1914, he along with almost all European intellectuals, supported his nation's war effort. Later, with a hint of embarrassment he recalled the sense of excitement and celebration that the news of the impending conflict provoked among people. "And to be truthful, I must acknowledge that there was a majestic, rapturous, and even seductive something in this first outbreak of the people from which one could escape only with difficulty," he recalled. World War I would be the last time that a significant body of intellectuals and artists would seek existential meaning on the battlefield. But conflicts over norms and values, which were crystallized through their quest for meaning continues to this day. Indeed on hindsight it is evident that the Great War was a catalyst for eroding the prevailing system of meaning and helped intensify a clash of values. That is why the origins of what is currently described as the Culture Wars can be situated at some time around August 1914. Culture became politicized and geopolitical ambitions were framed through appeals to a "way of life." Today, very few respectable intellectuals would be caught waving the flag. Instead of the flag, competing groups flaunt their identity and instead of celebrating their way of life they acclaim their lifestyle. With the demise of old ideologies the politicization of culture has acquired an increasingly unrestrained character. It is worth noting that most of the high-profile divisive issues -- family life, gay marriage, abortion, assisted suicide, multiculturalism -- express conflicts over cultural values. These symbolic struggles over the constitution of legitimate lifestyles continually exacerbate the fragmentation of social life. What's more disturbing is that such struggles increasingly extend into global affairs. The current conflict between Russia and its Western opponents is almost entirely conducted through the medium of culture. The denunciation of Putin as an authoritarian homophobe is self-consciously countered by the claim that Russia stands firm as the bastion of traditional values. Like Putin, many Muslims also take their stand on hallow grounds of tradition. Young Western Muslims self-consciously reject the values of the communities where they grew up and embrace a call to arms for a war of cultures. Jihadist videos often communicate a simple message -- which is that the Jihad provides quest for meaning. As I write, the war drums are again beating. Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the head of ISIS, has declared the establishment of a new caliphate in the Middle East. His object is to abolish one legacy of World War I, the border between Syria and Iraq. There is still no end in sight to the Great War. | The period 1914-1945 was once described as a modern version of the Thirty Years War .
This second Thirty Years War gave way to four decades-long Cold War, says Frank Furedi .
Furedi: Origins of "Culture Wars" can be situated at some time around August 1914 .
Young Muslims embrace a call to arms for a war of cultures, he adds . |
144,361 | 46b125671297cdb2ec985b10c4926afcf2bc0bce | A BBC reporter has faced calls to resign after he told the daughter of Holocaust survivors in Paris: 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'. Journalist Tim Willcox sparked anger during his coverage of yesterday's rally in Paris, held in memory of the 17 victims of last week's terror attacks, including four Jewish people in a siege at a Kosher supermarket. During a live report from the streets of Paris, Willcox was speaking to a number of participants in the march, including one woman who expressed her fears that Jews were being persecuted, and 'the situation is going back to the days of the 1930s in Europe.' Scroll down for video . BBC reporter Tim Willcox (pictured) has faced calls to resign after he told the daughter of Holocaust survivors: 'Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well' during a live broadcast from Paris yesterday . Willcox was speaking to this woman, named as Chava, at the Paris rally who expressed her fears that Jews were being persecuted, and 'the situation is going back to the days of the 1930s in Europe' To this, Willcox, who was broadcasting on the BBC News channel replied: 'Many critics though of Israel's policy would suggest that the Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well.' When the woman, shaking her head, responded saying: 'We can't do an amalgam', he told her: 'You understand everything is seen from different perspectives.' She was identified during the broadcast as 'Chava', and told Willcox when she was introduced on screen that she had lived in France for 20 years, but was originally from Israel. She said her parents were from Poland, and came to Israel after the Second World War. She had attended the rally with a friend, Aziz, who is French-born and comes from a Muslim background, with his parents being originally from Algeria. Willcox has today apologised for his comments, taking to Twitter to say he had not meant to cause offence. He wrote: 'Really sorry for any offence caused by a poorly phrased question in a live interview in Paris yesterday - it was entirely unintentional.' Willcox has today apologised for his comments, taking to Twitter to say he had not meant to cause offence . Willcox, pictured, wrote: 'Really sorry for any offence caused by a poorly phrased question in a live interview in Paris yesterday - it was entirely unintentional.' But many viewers also used the social network to express their anger and concerns over Willcox's rally coverage, including historian and BBC presenter Simon Schama. He wrote on Twitter: 'Appalling of @BBCTimWillcox to imply any and all JEWS (not Israelis) responsible for treatment of Palestinians by hectoring lady in Paris.' And added: 'Then he had gall to patronise her at the end - "you see people see it from all sides" That Palestinian plight justifies anti-semitic murder?' Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard also joined the debate, tweeting: 'What is @BBCTimWillcox's problem with Jews? Once is problematic. Twice is a pattern.' The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which works to combat anti-Semitism in Britain, has circulated footage of the incident, and has called on those offended by it to formally complain to the BBC. Director of communications, Jonathan Sacerdoti, told MailOnline Willcox's Twitter apology was 'not really good enough'. 'It's an admission he has done something wrong, but it's incumbent on the BBC to make an on-air apology and to investigate his behaviour.' Many viewers also used the social network to express their anger and concerns over Willcox's rally coverage, including historian and BBC presenter Simon Schama . There have also been calls for the reporter to resign. Twitter user I Support Israel said: 'Retweet if you believe @BBCTimWillcox should be fired for making this anti-Semitic suggestion'. The comment was re-tweeted 41 times, while others expressed their views on the controversy, adding the hashtag #WillcoxMustGo. An online petition was also set up, demanding that Willcox 'personally apologise', and calling for 're-assurance that this constant anti-Semitic behaviour from the BBC will come to an end'. The petition authors said: 'It was the wrong time and place to ask such a disgraceful question. The unity march was a time for France and the rest of the world to come together and unite against the rising threat of terrorism and anti-Semitism, as well as an opportunity to mourn and remember those killed in the horrific attacks. Willcox was in Paris to cover yesterday's rally, held in memory of the 17 victims of last week's terror attacks, including four Jewish people in a siege at a Kosher supermarket . 'Nevertheless, Mr Willcox showed no sensitivity and asked a tasteless question on live TV which has outraged those who have seen the clip, as well as leaving the interviewee speechless and defenceless.' It is not the first time Willcox has been accused of anti-Semitism. In November during a review of the following day's newspapers on the BBC News channel, Willcox, who was anchoring the discussion, faced criticism after discussion of a story about Labour leader Ed Miliband reportedly losing Jewish support. The BBC said Willcox (pictured) had no intention of causing offence, and had been discussing a wide range of issues with the rally participants . A guest on the programme, political observer Jo Phillips, had referred to a 'Jewish lobby', which had abandoned support for Labour over his condemnation of Israeli attacks on Gaza. There was anger that Willcox had not pulled up the guest on her comments, and had added: 'A lot of these prominent Jewish faces will be very much against the mansion tax'. The BBC defended the comments, and said: 'It was clear that he was not suggesting that Jewish people in particular are against the mansion tax.' Mr Sacerdoti said his organisation and 33 individuals had complained to the BBC about the November broadcast. 'The BBC said there was no anti-Semitism in what he said, but according to the MacPherson definition, if a minority group feels it is anti-Semitic, it should be considered as such,' he said. 'It's obviously offending people.' He added: 'And now he's done it again in an extreme example when people are mourning the deaths of four Jews, among the other victims, and his reaction is to say this to a Jewish woman who is saying it's like the 1930s. 'To somehow bring in mitigating circumstances, is terrible. 'The EUMC's [European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, now the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights] working definition of anti-Semitism includes collective blaming of Jews for the actions of Israel.' Alex Benjamin, Executive Director of Brussels-based group European Friends of Israel, told MailOnline he would 'echo the calls for Willcox to resign'. 'I was not the only one who was utterly disgusted at the deeply patronising, offensive and frankly partisan way he hassled this woman - a woman who as a Parisian Jew is genuinely concerned for her well-being – seeking to justify the abhorrent murders of four jews in Paris with the Israel Palestinian conflict,' he said. 'It was tactless, arrogant and he should at resign.' A BBC spokesman said: 'Tim Willcox has apologised for what he accepts was a poorly phrased question during an in-depth live interview with two friends, one Jewish and of Israeli birth, the other of Algerian Muslim heritage, where they discussed a wide range of issues affecting both the Muslim and Jewish communities in France. He had no intention of causing offence.' | Tim Willcox was covering yesterday's Paris rally for the BBC News channel .
He spoke to participants during a live broadcast from the streets of Paris .
One woman he spoke to expressed fears Jews were being persecuted .
She told him 'the situation is going back to the days of the 1930s'
Willcox replied: 'Many critics though of Israel's policy would suggest that the Palestinians suffer hugely at Jewish hands as well'
Comments sparked anger and calls for him to resign .
Willcox has apologised for offence caused by 'poorly phrased question' |
161,250 | 5c754fdae387f5931d15f965c616321009ce3a38 | Editor's note: Actor Rainn Wilson plays paper salesman Dwight Schrute in the television comedy "The Office." Rainn Wilson says fellow members of his Baha'i faith are being persecuted in Iran. (CNN) -- Why is Rainn Wilson, "Dwight" on "The Office," writing a news commentary for CNN? Good question. It's a bit strange for me, to say the least; a comic character actor best known for playing weirdos with bad haircuts getting all serious to talk about the persecution of the fellow members of his religious faith. Dear readers of CNN, I assure you that what I'm writing about is no joking matter or some hoax perpetrated by a paper-sellin', bear-fearin', Battlestar-Galactica obsessed beet farmer. I am a member of the Baha'i faith. What is that, you ask? Well, long story short, it's an independent world religion that began in the mid-1800s in Iran. Baha'is believe that there is only one God and therefore only one religion. All of the world's divine teachers (Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Moses, Abraham, Krishna, etc.) bring essentially the same message -- one of unity, love and knowledge of God or the divine. This constantly updated faith of God, Baha'is believe, has been refreshed for this day and age by our founder, Baha'u'llah. There. Nutshell version. Now, as I mentioned, this all happened in Iran, and needless to say the Muslim authorities did not like the Baha'is very much, accusing them of heresy and apostasy. Tens of thousands were killed in the early years of the faith, and the persecutions have continued off and on for the past 150 years. Why write about all this now? Well, I'm glad you asked. You see there's a 'trial' going on very soon for seven Baha'i national leaders in Iran. They've been accused of all manner of things including being "spies for Israel," "insulting religious sanctities" and "propaganda against the Islamic Republic." They've been held for a year in Evin Prison in Tehran without any access to their lawyer (the Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi) and with zero evidence of any of these charges. When a similar thing happened in 1980, the national leadership of the Iranian Baha'i community disappeared. And this was repeated again in 1981. In fact, since 1979, more than 200 Baha'is have been killed, holy places and cemeteries desecrated, homes burned, civil rights taken away and secret lists compiled of Baha'is (and even Muslims who associate with them) by government agencies. It's bad right now for all the peace-loving Baha'is in Iran who want only to practice their religion and follow their beliefs. It's especially bad for these seven. Here's a link to their bios. They're teachers, and engineers, and optometrists and social workers just like us. This thought has become kind of a cliché', but we take our rights for granted here in America. Imagine if a group of people were rounded up and imprisoned and then disappeared not for anything they'd done, but because they wanted to worship differently than the majority. There is a resolution on the situation of the Baha'is in Iran being sent to Congress. Please ask your representatives to support it. And ask them to speak out about this terrible situation. Thanks for reading. Now back to bears, paper and beets! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rainn Wilson. | Rainn Wilson: I'm a member of the Baha'i faith, founded in the 1800s in Iran .
He says the faith has been persecuted on and off for 150 years .
Seven Baha'i leaders are going on trial in Iran on a variety of charges, he says .
Wilson: Ask your congressman to support a resolution on the Baha'is . |
134,797 | 3a5c0287631a2c4f8d004dca15e9def1037ba4bb | By . Snejana Farberov . Two elderly sisters went on a road trip through Eastern Oregon last week, but after getting stuck in a snowdrift and walking for 12 hours for help, only one of the women made it back alive. Stella Adamson, 72, and her sister Sue Blake, 83, both of Vancouver, Washington, were riding in their silver Toyota when they got stranded May 13 on a scenic forest road about 8 miles west of the North Fork Campground in northeast Grant County, Sheriff Glenn Palmer said in a statement. Speaking to the station KPTV, Sue Blake recalled that she and her younger sister tried to dig out their car with every available tool, from their bare hands to plastic cups and even car mats, but the SUV would not budge. Scroll down for video . Final adventure: Sue Blake, 80 (left), survived getting stranded in an Oregon snowdrift and hiking for 12 hours for help, but her 72-year-old sister, Stella Adamson (right), did not make it back alive . Trapped: The sisters' silver Toyota SUV got stuck in the snow on a scenic forest road about 8 miles west of the North Fork Campground in northeast Grant County, Oregon . The women spent the night in the car bundled up in all the clothes they had on hand, then set out at 6am May 14 and walked to the campground for 12 hours. All the women had with them was a plastic water bottle filled with snow to keep them hydrated and a box of Wheat Thins crackers. Adamson fashioned a cane out of a stick she had found to help her walk. Mrs Blake recalled that her sister was in good spirits, and the two even joked how they were two old ladies on a hike. To protect themselves from the sun, the women cut up Blake's T-shirt, soaked the strips of fabric in water and tied them around their heads to stay cool. Picturesque: Blake and Adamson, both avid travelers, were heading to the Painted Hills in Wheeler County . As they slowly made their way to the North Fork Campground, the siblings discussed plans for future trips together. Blake also confided in Adamson that she felt guilty for getting them stranded because she was the one driving, but Adamson pointed out that it was she who decided to take the scenic route through a forest. Upon reaching their destination 12 hours later, they found Robert Nelson and his wife camping. Nelson, of Cove, is a member of the Union County sheriff's search and rescue unit. The couple fed and sheltered the exhausted women, turning the table in their camper into a bed. Nelson said he would try to help them retrieve their car the next day. About 10pm that night, Stella Adamson complained of chest pains, Palmer said. Tragic: Adamson was said to be in good spirits throughout the arduous 8-mile hike to a campground, but soon after she complained of chest pains and died on her way to the hospital . Unable to get a cell phone signal, or contact emergency services with a hand-held radio, Nelson drove the ailing woman to a Baker City hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She would have turned 73 Friday. Nelson later helped Sue Blake retrieve her silver Toyota, the sheriff said. Mrs Blake said that even though her and Adamson's East Oregon adventure ended in tragedy, she was grateful that the two of them had a chance to bond one final time. KPTV - FOX 12 . | Stella Adamson died on her way to Oregon hospital after complaining of chest pain; she would have turned 73 Friday .
Adamson's sister, Sue Blake, 80, survived the eight-mile, 12-hour hike in the heat .
Women only had a water bottle filled with snow and a box of crackers to sustain them as they walked to get help . |
201,514 | 90eb06254942e931d2609874488bc281c800b852 | By . Steph Cockroft . Allison Baden-Clay was murdered by her husband Gerard at their home in Brisbane, Australia . The great-grandson of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the world-wide Scout Movement, was yesterday sentenced to life in jail for murdering his former beauty queen wife. Gerard Baden-Clay, 43, killed his wife Allison at their home in Brisbane, Australia, during an argument before dumping her body beside a river several miles away. Mrs Baden-Clay’s family, who were seated in the crowded public gallery, cheered when the jury said they found her husband guilty at the end of the high-profile six-week trial. He will serve 15 years in jail before he is eligible for parole. The court had heard that Baden-Clay had multiple pressures weighing down on him on the night his wife disappeared in April 2012, among them the fact that he was having an affair and his Brisbane real estate business was in debt. Crown Prosecutor Todd Fuller, QC, told the court that Baden-Clay had ‘efficiently and effectively’ killed his wife, probably by smothering her, as she fought for her life at their home. During the struggle, he said Mrs Baden-Clay scratched her husband’s face as she tried to fight him off. ‘They are fingernail marks, they are on his face, they occurred after his children went to sleep and before his children got up,’ said the prosecutor. ‘There was a struggle between the two of them and she left her mark upon him. Gerard Baden-Clay, pictured here giggling on camera and saying 'everything is going to be all right', has been jailed for life with a non-parole period of 15 years . ‘They are damning and link to the act of violence without any doubt.’ After . killing his wife, the court heard, Baden-Clay dragged her body across . the back patio, where leaves unique to the property became entangled in . her hair and clothing. He . then drove with the body to a bridge nearly eight miles away away and . dragged his wife down an embankment where he left her. It was 11 days . before her body was found. In an exclusive interview set to air on 60 Minutes in Australia this Sunday night, . Gerard Baden-Clay's mistress Toni McHugh tells of his promise to marry . him . The preview of the full interview also includes a testimony from a witness who did not appear before the court claims Gerard called her looking for someone to kill his wife . During . the trial it was heard that Baden-Clay had had a long-running affair as . well as trysts with other women throughout his 14-year marriage. He . told his current lover, Toni McHugh, in an email that he loved her . unconditionally and would be out of his marriage by the start of July . 2012. In . his defence, Baden-Clay insisted he did not kill his wife and said the . scratch marks on his face were not from his wife’s fingernails but were . the result of cutting himself while shaving. Parents of Alison Baden-Clay, Geoff and Priscilla Dickie (centre) and her close friend Kerry Anne Walker leave the court following the verdict - all wearing yellow in tribute to Allison's favourite colour . Allison's mother said her family had been sentenced to a lifetime of grief . Supporters of Allison placed yellow balloons outside the Brisbane Supreme Court. Yellow was her favourite colour . A . profile about Mr Baden-Clay on a Brisbane real estate web page had . stated before it was removed: . ‘His personal philosophies of ethical . excellence and team loyalty, derived from his lineage as the . great-grandson of international Scouts founder Englishman Baden Powell, . have clearly found their perfect landing spot in the field of real . estate.’ Ms McHugh has given an interview which will screen on 60 minutes on Sunday night detailing her affair with Baden-Clay. Yellow for Allison: Inside the courtroom Gerard Baden-Clay wore a yellow tie . A spokeswoman for the family said the family were relieved but said of the result: 'This is not a win' Gerard Baden-Clay's mother Elaine, pictured outside court with his father Nigel, wept as she left court after the guilty verdict was announced . Allison's body was found dumped near a creek in Brisbane's west on April 30, 2012 . 'I believed I was in a loving, caring relationship that did have a future,' she told reported Tara Brown. 'He had told me that he would marry me one day.' Ms McHugh said she loved the convicted murderer 'very much' and wanted to be Mrs Baden-Clay. 'I don't like to use that word "unconditional" anymore but I did love him unconditionally. 'And I was very forgiving, too forgiving.' Justice John Byrne said Baden-Clay took his wife's body and dumped it at a nearby creek, and then put in place, and persisted in, a deception plan . Justice John Byrne said Baden-Clay had shamelessly pretended to search for his wife, and had used a razor blade to disguise what were really the marks of Allison's finger nails on his face . Allison's parents read out emotional impact statements in court, reflecting on the difficult road ahead for their three granddaughters . Allison's close friend Kerry Anne Walker said the priority now was Allison's three daughters . The three-and-a-half year affair between Baden-Clay and Ms McHugh commenced in August 2008. During . the trial, the court heard evidence that Gerard Baden-Clay attended . corporate functions and night time events connected with his real estate . business in the company of mistress Toni McHugh rather than his wife . Allison. Ms McHugh also reveals the 'dark side of Baden-Clay' who . is described as a man who 'lost all concept of right and wrong', and . when pressed she admits she believes Baden-Clay did kill his wife. The . 60 Minutes piece will also include testimony from a witness the jury . never heard from, who claimed Baden-Clay called her and asked 'I'm . looking for someone to kill my wife.' Allison's supporters spoke outside court of their relief, but said the day was not a win and that their primary concern was for the welfare of the three Baden-Clay children . We finally have justice for Allison. The evidence presented at this trial has proven that Gerard Baden-Clay is responsible for the murder of his wife Allison. It has been a long wait over the last two years. And this result today marks the beginning of our long journey towards healing and finally allowing us to mourn and grieve this beautiful woman. Today is not a win for our family, for it will not bring our beautiful Allison back. However it is the closure in another chapter of our journey for this family. We have lost Allison and nothing that has happened here today will bring her back. We as a family will grieve her tragic death forever. Her memory is tarnished by the fact that she was taken from us in such horrific circumstances. We would like to sincerely thank the Queensland Police Service and the officers involved in the investigation, the SES volunteers who searched night and day in all weather, the scientific experts and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions who have all worked tirelessly to ensure that we have justice for Allison. We would also like to thank them for their compassion and support over what has been the darkest of days. We have appreciated your efforts to protect the privacy of Allison's daughters. Our primary concern has always been and remains the physical and emotional wellbeing of Allison's three beautiful girls. We will help them to rebuild their lives and ask for your support, co-operation and privacy in order to do this. We have a long way to go to ensure that they will cope with a future without their mother. Allison was a kind-hearted, generous woman, a loving wife and devoted mother whose legacy will continue if we all remember that life is precious, and to take the time to be kind, smile at those who pass you by and live for today. We, her family and friends, didn't get a chance to say goodbye but Allison will always remain forever in our hearts. Thankyou. Baden-Clay wept as Allison's mother read her impact statement . Allison's father Geoffrey told the court he was 'devastated by the murder' of his 'precious, gifted and talented daughter' Allison's sister, Vanessa Fowler, says she feels 'cheated' that she never got to say goodbye on her terms . 'I find it hard to believe she is gone': Allison's brother Ashley says his life has changed forever because of 'one man's selfish actions' | Gerard Baden-Clay, 43, murdered wife at their home in Brisbane, Australia .
He is believed to have smothered Allison before dumping her body by a river .
After six week trial, Baden-Clay sentenced to 15 years in jail before parole .
During trial, it emerged that Baden-Clay had long-running affair . |
170,397 | 6890c51832a5afb7a3c462d0e72327ddfb8213af | (CNN) -- Two hostages were injured at a bank in Lima, Peru, before a police sniper killed a man who held 33 people there for seven hours, state media reported. Moments before shooting the hostage-taker Friday night, police SWAT teams helped four bank employees escape through a window, Interior Minister Miguel Hidalgo told the government's Andina news agency. "This opening allowed us to get in position, use authorized weapons and end this drama," he said. The man threatened staff and clients at the downtown bank with a gun and an explosive strapped to his chest, the news agency reported. He demanded 2 million soles ($714,000) and a helicopter as a condition for their release. At least two hostages were wounded in the standoff, Hidalgo said -- one with a gunshot wound and another who was injured after being hit in the head with a revolver. Hidalgo praised the rescue operation, saying the gunman had been "uncompromising" and left police no choice but to shoot him. A bomb squad entered the bank after hostages had been evacuated to detonate the explosive the gunman had used to threatened the hostages, Andina reported. The bank is located in Gamarra, Lima's textile and garment district, a poor part of the city with a high crime rate. Journalist Naomi Mapstone contributed to this report. | Police say the gunman demanded money and threatened hostages .
Four hostages are rescued through a window before police enter the bank .
Peru's interior minister praises the operation .
The bank is located in Lima's textile and garment district . |
208,733 | 9a47d6d9294e21889c77a0c69067fbcce72a7635 | Amir Khan has solved his US visa problems and is flying to take his seat at ringside for Floyd Mayweather’s Saturday re-match with Marcos Maidana. Britain’s two-time world champion will land in Las Vegas just in time to hurry to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where he expects Mayweather to successfully parry Maidana’s macho-man charge once again. Khan was turned back at Manchester airport on Thursday as he tried to check in for a Virgin Atlantic fight, probably because he was mistakenly flagged up on a watch-list. VIDEO Scroll down to watch ...And this is how Amir Khan keeps fighting fit (archive) Amir Khan will be all smiles after securing his visa to travel to the US to watch the big fight on Saturday . Amir Khan expressed his disappointment on Twitter after his visa for the US was rejected . Khan's tweet in which he said that David Cameron might be helping him fast-track his visa . Floyd Mayweather Jr and Marcos Maidana pose for photos during their press call at the MGM Grand Hotel . It appeared his Moslem name and frequent trips to Pakistan had confused American immigration officials who initially approved his working visa application. Lawyers in London and Los Angeles hurriedly secured clearance for his visit. Khan appearance here will enable him to continue pressing Mayweather to make good on his promise that they will meet in the ring before Mr Money retires at the end of next year. One powerful plank in that argument is that he has defeated Maidana. Floyd Mayweather Jr and Marcos Maidana will go head-to-head in their welterweight fight on Saturday night . Floyd Mayweather Jnr (pictured) will take on Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas on Saturday . Although Maidana dragged Mayweather into a brawl in May, Khan says: ‘I expect Floyd to make the necessary adjustments this time and leave Maidana chasing shadows.’ Khan will fly on to San Francisco on Monday to begin training for a fight on December 6, probably in America. One possible opponent is former champion Josesito Lopez who had a good win in Vegas on Thursday night. Khan will again be working with his US trainer Virgil Hunter, who says: ‘A Khan-Mayweather fight can still happen and I still believe Amir’s speed will trouble Floyd more than anything he has faced in his recent. Had Khan not been cleared to travel he would have been left to watch Mayweather-Maidana – along with most British fight fans – on BoxNation’s exclusive late night transmission . Floyd Mayweather v Marcos Maidana will be televised live on BoxNation on Saturday night. | Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana fight in Vegas on Saturday .
It had looked increasingly likely Amir Khan would miss the fight after being refused entry to the US after having visa problems .
Khan took to Twitter to express his disappointment at the visa dramas .
Khan turned to Prime Minister David Cameron in an attempt to fast track his visa application .
However it appears the problems Khan encountered were merely a case of mistaken identify from American immigration control .
Lawyers in London and Los Angeles hurriedly secured clearance for his visit . |
81,320 | e66541a6767981ad4466631094fb8ea5e1e2bf02 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:52 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:01 EST, 29 July 2013 . Boris Johnson's plans for an island airport on the Thames might sound ambitious, but these drawings prove the idea has been at least 80 years in the making. Vintage architects' designs unearthed today show how floating hubs like 'Boris Island', with at least four runways, were already being planned in the 1930s. The Mayor of London has been demanding the grand idea of an island airport made out of landfill with superfast links to London. Brave New York world: This 1931 design for the centre of the Big Apple shows how airport docks should be built for the metropolis . Eye opening: The wonderfully named Charles Clever argued for an airport to be built on London's roofs while in Detroit they argued it should be in top of a City Hall . But it appears pre-Second World War architects had ideas even more dazzling and ahead of their time, which included placing an airport on top of city centre buildings in London. Designers in New York also argued for a huge transport terminal in water, with an airstrip on top and a shipping port below. In Detroit planners suggested a an airport was built in the sky above their City Hall. This month the Mr Johnson underlined his commitment to a futuristic estuary airport, either on the edge of the Thames or right in its heart. Revolutionary: This spinning airport conceived by a French designer was planned so it could sit on the top of any major city, this plan said . Very similar: This one from New York even looks like current plans for an estuary airport in London, while North Beach Airport off Long Island would have had four runways too . His first choice is Sir Norman Foster’s plan for an airport on Kent's Isle of Grain. Mr Johnson says it would be able to support more than 375,000 new jobs by 2050 and add £742billion to the value of goods and services produced in the UK. Planes would fly in over the sea into the four-runway 'Foster Island', which would be capable of handling up to 180million passengers and include an international railway station, which would include a service to Waterloo in 26 minutes. The Boris Island plan, designed by Global firm Gensler, would be artificially created from landfill in the heart of the estuary, and would be two miles north of the Isle of Sheppey. Ferries would link the site to Kent and Essex while a railway bridge could connect it to the mainland. Vision: Foster Island (pictured) on the Isle of Grain has today been backed by the Mayor of London above his own Boris Island plan because of its proximity to London . New favourite idea: Boris has backed the four-runway 'Foster Island' (pictured) in the Thames Estuary airport, which would be capable of handling up to 180million passengers a year on the Isle of Grain in Kent . Elaborate plan: The Isle of Grain's proposed international railway station, which would include a service to Waterloo in 26 minutes . The final 'compromise' idea is an enlarged Stansted, as the Mayor is desperate to stop a third runway at Heathrow. He is so bent on preventing it, that he'd like to buy the west London site for £15billion to create a new borough for 250,000 residents. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'The UK needs to take a bolder approach than ever before to respond to our shortage of world-class hub airport capacity. And a four runway hub airport in either the outer or inner estuary or at Stansted is both credible and deliverable. It is necessary to ensure that London and the UK can continue to compete at the highest level in the world.' | Designs from 80 years ago reveal ideas for revolutionary airports .
One for London was proposed built on top of housing .
In New York architects discussed a hub - half airport - half sea port . |
210,457 | 9c9173c904564bd1b301e2900928fda789224f0f | By . Bianca London . It all started with the side boob - the subtle glimpse of bare breast revealed either by design or by accident - which quickly escalated into the extreme cleavage trend led by Miranda Kerr and Kim Kardashian. But next season's cleavage style is much, much more daring, if Berlin Fashion Week is anything to go by. The audience at the Kauffeld und Jahn couture show were given quite the eyeful as models took to the catwalk wearing delicate bridal gowns with their full frontal breasts shining through. Classy? Model Micaela Schaefer gives the audience an eyeful as she presents a creation at the Kauffeld und Jahn Couture show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, Germany . Dare to bare: The models strutted the catwalk in the couture gowns - but left little to the imagination . Designers Niklas Kauffeld and Matthias Jahn presented their risque offering at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, Germany. The presentations of the autumn/winter 2014/15 collections take place from 14 to 17 January 2014 and will see the likes of Lena Hoscheck, SoPopular, Filippa K and LaLa Berlin showcase their seasonal offerings. Cameras at the ready! Micaela closes the risque show on the first day of Berlin Fashion Week . Brains behind the brand: Designers Niklas Kauffeld (L) and Matthias Jahn pose with model Micaela Schaefer after their show (spot the heels!) Slightly better: Although this model didn't bare her breasts, her hem line was decidedly short . Bang! A model poses, replica gun in hand, for photographers during the Sky-High Underwear show over the pond in Japan . Masked: Models sported Venetian masks made from scraps of paper and even bright red blooms . | Kauffeld und Jahn couture show at Berlin Fashion Week .
Runs from January 14-17 . |
106,215 | 1500a6574a3a49ad6e98ce9be69778bb202aab71 | A mother-of-three battling breast cancer got the surprise of her life on Friday night as she was honored mid-concert by country music star Garth Brooks. Teresa Shaw, 49, was among thousands of concert-goers at the Target Center in Minneapolis when her DIY sign reading 'Chemo this morning. Garth tonight. Enjoy the dance' got noticed by Brooks. The 52-year-old singer-songwriter who lost his mother and sister to cancer, walked over to Shaw and gave her a warm hug before exclaiming: 'You have all my strength, you have everybody's strength in here, and you go kick cancer's ass!' Scroll down for video . Caught on camera: A mother-of-three battling breast cancer got the surprise of her life on Friday night as she was honored mid-concert by country music star Garth Brooks . Close encounter: The 52-year-old singer-songwriter who lost his mother and sister to cancer, walked over to Shaw and gave her a warm hug . Empowering: Brooks told Shaw: 'You have all my strength, you have everybody's strength in here, and you go kick cancer's ass!' Lasting memory: He also handed her his guitar as a keepsake and kissed her on the forehead . He also handed her his guitar as a keepsake and kissed her on the forehead. Video footage of the close encounter captured by members of the audience shows Shaw tearing up on the big screen and smiling from ear to ear. She told KARE News that now, if she ever has a bad day, she can look at Brooks' guitar for some much-needed 'inspiration.' 'This is so cool. I will cherish it forever. [It] is a boost I really needed,' she added. Overwhelmed: Shaw - pictured here with her 19-year-old daughter Elizabeth - says if she ever has a bad day she can look at Brooks' guitar for some much-needed 'inspiration' Shaw was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in June after a self-exam prompted a doctor's visit. They discovered a tumor more than two inches wide, which apparently did not show up on a mammogram. Shaw underwent her 13th round of chemotherapy treatment last week before traveling from her home in Iowa with her 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, for Brooks' comeback concert. She said when the performer started singing her favorite song, The Dance, she asked an usher if she could get closer to the front. Comeback: Brooks returned this year with a new album after putting his career on hold for more than a decade to concentrate on family . She was shocked to suddenly find herself standing front row with her music idol giving her a personal serenade. Brooks returned this year with a new album after putting his career on hold for more than a decade to concentrate on family. He will remain in Minneapolis on the third-leg of his U.S. tour until November 15. He will then move to North Carolina, Missouri and Arizona before finishing up in his home state Oklahoma in January. | Teresa Shaw, 49, was among thousands of concert-goers at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Friday night .
Her DIY sign reading 'Chemo this morning. Garth tonight. Enjoy the dance' got noticed by Brooks .
He walked over, gave her a kiss and handed over his guitar as a keepsake . |
227,303 | b25301fb7c2559bf9d568365c91c89be69530960 | Tokyo (CNN) -- In Japan, a country where structure, conformity and security are bedrocks, it is often hard for individuals to break free and follow a more idealized path. It is especially difficult when that path turns out to be somewhat ... eccentric. So we salute Hideaki Kobayashi, who took the courageous step a few years ago of dressing up -- like a 15-year-old schoolgirl. Complete with ponytail, knee-high socks, penny loafers and a cute red kerchief, his outfit is the epitome of Japanese girls' school uniforms. His thinning white hair and beard, which frame his round, middle-aged man's face, however, add something a little different to the look. By and large, he's found that his unusual appearance, which he says makes him "feel comfortable," is accepted on Tokyo's streets. Now a patent-holding computer engineer, an accomplished photographer and presumptive music producer, Kobyashi's life hasn't always been this way. "When I was in university I majored in mathematics and I was very introverted," he tells me as people crowd round to take photos -- he poses for up to 100 a day. "I never talked to people. I feel much more myself wearing this. "Japan(ese) society is all about conforming to the other people. (Japanese people) feel suffocated conforming to society." For such a conservative country, the capital does have pockets of individuality, especially around the Harajuku area, where tourists often gather to snap pictures of some of the city's more out-there residents. Cosplay is a big thing in Japan, and many enthusiasts gather in the neighborhood's Yoyogi Park to show off their ensembles. But even here, the 51-year-old stands out. Certainly Kobayashi's style is unique, and draws a lot of attention, even in Harajuku. He tells me that it took him two hours to walk from Shibuya's famous crosswalk to the neighborhood, usually a 15-minute stroll, because of all the people stopping to take photos with him. "Comfortable, relaxed and happy" Lola Fantappie, a tourist from California, encountered Kobayashi in the Akihabara district, the beating heart of Japan's otaku (geek) culture and no stranger to societal outliers. She says that she was struck by his contentedness. "He just seemed so comfortable, relaxed, and happy... I don't know, embracing life. I think it's great." And his unique take on life -- and dress code -- has garnered some unlikely admirers. Waseda Juku, a private tutorial center in Tokyo, might be a far cry from the Japanese public school system, which still largely operates by the old maxim, "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down," but still, to draft in an elderly cross-dresser as a motivational speaker is a huge step for a Japanese educational institution. The school's staff learned of Kobayashi's many talents, and Alexander Blackhall, an administrator at the school, said they were drawn to the "rich character behind the facade" as well as the potential this brave man had to teach their charges something about being themselves. "(He) just sends such a positive message," Blackhall says. "It's really useful to young people, particularly here in Japan -- this voyage of self discovery." Kobayashi calls it the key to a rich and happy life. "If there¹s something you want to do, do that," he says. 'Be yourself' Historically, cross-dressing has played an important part in Japanese culture. Onnagata -- male kabuki performers who played the female role -- were, and remain, a staple of the art. A more modern flip-side to this can be found in the Takarazuka revue, an all-female troupe which acts out campy musicals using an all-female cast in the town of Takarazuka in Osaka prefecture, as well a satellite theater in Tokyo. Variety shows on TV here also mine a rich seam of cross-dressing, and it's common in anime (Japanese cartoons) as well as manga (comic books). But while men dressing as women is accepted in Japanese pop culture, Kobayashi says that real life reactions can be different -- he says sometimes people shout insults on the street, and notes that he's been stopped by the police as many as ten times. Despite the negative attention and discrimination, he thinks it's worth it. It's still outweighed by the positivity of the throngs of people eagerly posing with him as he skips from Shibuya to Harajuku, and by the kids he's able to reach with his message of tolerance, and how liberating being a non-conformist can be. He says his story proves you don¹t have to be conventional to be accepted. "That¹s my message," he says. "Be yourself." CNN's Euan McKirdy contributed to this report . | Japanese society is generally quite traditional and conservative .
Following an alternative lifestyle can be difficult, but Hideaki Kobayashi took the plunge a few years ago .
Dressed as a uniform-clad schoolgirl, he gets a lot of attention, both positive and negative .
He's been held up as an example of being true to yourself . |
286,627 | ff6069f2565af7942affa864ac69aafd8da9dc79 | (CNN) -- Chilean officials declared a "catastrophe" in eight municipalities Wednesday after heavy snow blanketed communities and blocked roads in what the nation's interior minister called a "white earthquake." "It has snowed more than ever," Curacautin Mayor Jorge Saquel told CNN Chile Tuesday. "This is an anomaly. ... This worries us because the meteorologists assure us that new snowstorms are coming." In the city of Lonquimay, officials said snow had piled more than 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) high. Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter on Wednesday called the situation a "white earthquake" and asked the country's military and public works officials to help citizens in some of the hardest-hit areas in the country's central Araucania region. "This storm is strong and it is likely that in the coming days we could suffer from more bad weather fronts, more heavy snowfall, that make the situation even worse," Hinzpeter said. "But of course when this occurs, our government will always be on the side of those who are suffering, using all the tools provided by our legal system." Authorities said they were sending trucks filled with food to the region, along with military helicopters to reach people in remote areas. More than 6,500 people remained isolated Wednesday in Lonquimay, a town with many living in outlying, rural areas, CNN Chile affiliate Universidad Autonoma Television reported. Earlier this week, local officials said federal assistance had not arrived quickly enough. "The settlers and people of Lonquimay are buried undered the snow. There are areas with more than 2.3 meters of snow and we have gone many days without being able to communicate with many of them," Lonquimay Mayor Guillermo Vasquez said in a statement Monday. "The emergency director promised us two bulldozers to clear the roads. We have people who are isolated. ... Touching the snow, it is like glass," Saquel told CNN Chile. "The machines and food should have arrived as soon as possible." | NEW: Officials in one city say more than 2.3 meters of snow have fallen .
CNN Chile affiliate: More than 6,500 are isolated in one town .
"It has snowed more than ever," Curacautin Mayor Jorge Saquel says .
The interior minister calls the snowstorm a "white earthquake" |
165,607 | 622f186ba2193e3bb114a6ad00392e6f94146267 | Forty-five years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a ban on interracial marriage, the rate of marriage across racial and ethnic lines in the United States is on the rise, according to a new study released Thursday. And while such "intermarriages" continue to grow, so too does public acceptance of such unions, according to the study by the Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends project. The study has left social media sites abuzz with discussion. "Why do people give inter-racial dating so much lip service?" wrote Tosin Lajuwomi on Twitter. "You like who you like - black, white, blue, orange." Others were more reserved about what the report reflects. "I look forward to the day when stories about "inter-racial" marriages are no longer newsworthy," wrote James Burns on the micro-blogging site. "We have far to go." About 15% of new marriages in the United States in 2010 were between spouses of different races or ethnicities, more than doubling the 1980 level of 6.7%, according to the study. Looking at all married couples in 2010, regardless of when they married, so-called "intermarriages" reached an all-time high of 8.4% in 2010, compared to 3.2% in 1980, the study said. The study analyzed the demographic and characteristics of newlyweds who differ in race or ethnicity and compared them to couples of the same race or ethnicity. It defines newly weds as couples who married in the year prior to the survey date. Among all newlyweds in 2010, 9% of whites married outside of their race or ethnicity, along with 17% of African-Americans, 26% of Hispanics and 28% of Asians -- a term that includes native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Gender patterns in intermarriages vary widely, the study found. About 24% of African-American males married outside their race in 2010, compared to 9% of African-American females. However, the reverse is true for Asians, where about 36% of females married outside their race compared to 17% of male newlyweds. And intermarriages for white and Hispanic people do not vary by gender, researchers found. Intermarriages also vary by region. In Western states, about one in five people, or 22%, married someone of a different race or ethnicity between 2008 and 2010. That drops to 14% in the South, 13% in the Northeast and 11% in the Midwest. Interracial dating services have also cropped up online, offering those looking for love an opportunity to find their preferred matches. A white man identified as Christopher on the website "Interracial Dating Central," said that he saw who would turn out to be his future wife online. "Be bold, ladies," said Cassandra, an African-American woman and Christopher's wife, according to the website. "Have patience, and then have nerve when that patience pays off!" Because whites are by far the nation's largest racial group, marriage between whites and minorities were the most common type of intermarriage, even though the intermarriage rate for whites is relatively low compared to other races or ethnicities, the study said. The state where most intermarriages took place was Hawaii, where more than four in 10 newlyweds (42.4%) were intermarried. The next highest percentages were in Oklahoma, Nevada and New Mexico, with 26.3%, 25.6% and 25.4%, respectively. Comparing those who "married out" to those who "married in," researchers found the median combined earnings of both groups were similar. In one in five marriages of each group, both spouses were college graduates. In both groups, people tended to marry someone of a similar age, with a two- to three-year age gap between husband and wife. Additionally, equal numbers were marrying for the first time. However, there were some differences. White/Asian newlywed couples had significantly higher median combined annual earnings, at $70,592, than any other pairing. And "when it comes to educational characteristics, more than half of white newlyweds who marry Asians have a college degree, compared with roughly a third of white newlyweds who married whites," the study said. Hispanic or African-Americans who married whites tended to have higher educational attainment compared to marriages within their own race or ethnic group. Couples formed between an Asian man and a white wife topped the median combined earnings list for the period studied, between 2008 and 2010, with about $71,800, the study said. "During this person, white male newlyweds who married Asian, Hispanic or black spouses had higher combined earnings than did white male newlyweds who married a white spouse." Several studies using government data have found overall divorce rates are higher for couples who "married out," the Pew Center said, "but here, too, the patterns vary by the racial and gender characteristics of the couples. Meanwhile, about 43% of Americans said they believe more intermarriages is a change for the better within society, while only about one in 10 said it was a change for the worse, the Pew Center said. "Being a minority, younger, more educated, liberal and living in the Eastern or Western states are all traits associated with those who think more positively about intermarriage," according to the study. More than one-third of adults surveyed said an immediate family member or close relatives is married to someone of a different race, the study said. And nearly two-thirds, or 63%, said they would have no problem with a family member marrying someone outside their own racial or ethnic group. In a 1986 survey, nearly three in 10 Americans said intermarriage was not acceptable for anyone, and 37% said it might be acceptable for others, but not for themselves. Only one-third of the public said it was acceptable for everyone in the 1986 poll. The study is primarily based on the Pew Center's analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Service in 2008-2010 and on three nationwide telephone surveys, the study said. | Inter-ethnic or interracial marriages reaches an all time high in 2010 .
Hawaii is the state where the most "intermarriages" take place, study finds .
Two-thirds of Americans say they have no issue with intermarriage . |
213,038 | 9fe1b7fd9d1bf66ac554aa09fe58e8558f075e57 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Dogs bred for the fighting pit have only one thing in their future: death. Fighting dogs may die in the ring or at the hands of their owners. If they are confiscated in a bust, they are almost always euthanized, experts say. Of the 1.4 million dogs euthanized at shelters last year, roughly half were pit bull types, Merritt Clifton says. Thursday is the deadline for owners to retrieve any of the 50 remaining pit bulls seized in April from the Virginia property of suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who is accused of using them in vicious dogfights. A federal judge is expected to issue a court order to euthanize the animals. Officials and animal rights advocates agree that the dogs must lose this last battle for their lives because of their brutal training and risks to people and other animals. "They're just not in any situation where they can be adopted," said Dr. Lauren Adams, a veterinarian with Emory Animal Hospital in Decatur, Georgia. "They can snap at any point." Of the 1.4 million dogs euthanized at shelters last year, roughly half were pit bull types, according to the latest data from Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People. The pit bull is not a breed but a type that includes American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes, according to the Pit Bull Rescue Central Web site. Clifton and other experts estimate anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of pit bulls euthanized at shelters were fighting dogs. "Those dogs have been bred for aggression. You can breed for certain physical traits, but you can also breed for behavioral characteristics," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States. Dogs that lose the fights often are abandoned at shelters, but not all of them make it that far. Owners sometimes kill the dogs that don't win. Court documents from the Vick case say "the losing dog was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method." Learn about the dark world of dogfighting » . If the dogs do make it to shelters, they are usually euthanized quickly. Keeping them alive puts a burden on shelters, which can be held legally responsible if anything goes wrong, and puts the other animals at risk. Watch why some say euthanasia is the only option for fighting dogs -- viewer discretion advised » . "It's very difficult to deprogram that behavior once it is instilled," Pacelle said. "Even if you can do it to some degree, all it takes is one lapse in the animal's behaviors to kill another animal or exhibit some other type of aggression." Additionally, shelters face the threat of theft. In the United States, there are an estimated 40,000 people who are considered professional dogfighters and another 100,000 amateur "streetfighters," according to John Goodwin, an expert on animal fighting with HSUS. Those involved compete for prizes as high as $100,000, and confiscated pit bulls are extremely valuable. Inside the overpopulated shelters, where it's survival of the most adoptable, shelters focus their limited resources on the dogs that stand a better chance of finding a home. The stigma associated with pit bull types has victimized the "good" pit bulls, Pacelle said. In some shelters, as many as 60 percent of dogs are pit bull mixes. More than 90 percent of pit bulls in shelters -- fighters or not -- end up euthanized, said Clifton, who has been researching animal shelters for more than three decades. In the early 1900s, pit bulls were characterized as "nanny dogs" because they were used by families to baby-sit their children. "By the end of the century, they were these horrible, aggressive, fighting dog machines, and that's very unfortunate," said Ed Boks, general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services in California. The secondary fighting market has contributed to over breeding of pit bulls, Clifton said. The market creates a place where people can sell dogs as disposable commodities -- like pigs or chickens -- at much lower prices than would be invested in a pet, he said. These disposable dogs are designed to fight until they can fight no more. "It was back in the '70s, '80s and '90s when people discovered just how loving these animals are -- so loving that they would fight to the death to please their owners," Boks said. Considering the risk the fighting dogs pose to shelters, potential owners and other animals, "they just don't have a chance," Clifton said. "You can compare it to what happens with exotic cats and people who keep tigers in their backyard. It's not the tiger's fault, but you are still on the menu. They are victims, but you do have to treat them as animals that belong in maximum security." E-mail to a friend . | Dogs that survive the fighting pit are almost always euthanized .
50 remaining pit bulls seized from Michael Vick's property could be euthanized .
Roughly half of all dogs euthanized at shelters are pit bulls or pit bull mixes .
Pit bulls can be good pets if bought as puppies and raised properly . |
660 | 01ebb1bcd5f11a6c36046ff82c954f96fc5e104c | Next is hiring thousands of cheap Eastern European workers to staff its warehouse, it has been claimed (file picture) A major British retailer is hiring thousands of cheap Eastern European workers to staff its warehouse in an area where more than 200,000 are on the dole, it has been claimed. A former member of staff at Next has revealed how 'busloads' of Polish workers started arriving at the company's warehouse in South Elmsall in West Yorkshire earlier this month. It comes as it was revealed more than 218,000 are out of work in the Humber and Yorkshire area with unemployment higher than average. An agency based in Warsaw has claimed Next, run by Conservative peer Lord Wolfson, has already taken on 7,000 staff from Poland. Former worker Paul Crowcroft, 63, a retired cleaner, is reported as saying: 'They would suddenly turn up in busloads, seven coaches at a time. 'They were bringing them in every day by minibus from places like Wakefield and Doncaster. They were happy on the money because they got so little working back home in Poland. 'They were on the minimum wage.' The Eastern European work force was reported to be arriving to fill 'minimum wage' jobs weeks before the posts were advertised in the UK. Next has said it is currently using about 250 Polish staff but that it takes on about 500 a year and that it advertises in Poland first because it is more time consuming to take on workers from abroad. It advertised the jobs in Britain on November 19 and says 100 jobs are still up for grabs at South Elmsall. A spokesman told Mailonline today: 'We simply can't recruit enough people locally.' Polish jobs agency Flamejobs was said to be fielding a hundred calls a day looking for employment at Next. The firm's operations director Arseniusz Wolinski told the Mirror that 350 people were going to work at Next but that it had already sent 7,000. Polish workers started arriving at the company's warehouse in South Elmsall in West Yorkshire earlier this month, it has been claimed. The plant is pictured from above . He said wages on offer were up to four times the amount Polish workers would earn for the same role in their homeland. Buses started arriving at the warehouse earlier this month with Flame arranging trips from Warsaw at £100 a head, the Mirror reports. Its workers are offered places to stay for a weekly rent of up to £65 a week, the newspaper says. It comes just weeks after it was revealed that food manufacturer Greencore Group was reportedly looking to recruit staff from Hungary for a new £35 million factory due to open in Northampton - as few people living in the area have applied for jobs. A Next spokesman today told Mailonline that it needed to boost its recruitment on a temporary basis twice a year - for the Christmas period and for late spring sales. An agency based in Warsaw has claimed Next, run by Conservative peer Lord Wolfson (pictured), has already taken on 7,000 staff from Poland . He said: 'The local area cannot support that level of demand for these short spikes.' He added that Polish and British workers get paid the same, which was minimum wage and which is topped up with a bonus scheme and that recruitment started earlier in Poland as the process for hiring foreign workers took longer. When asked what measures were taken to secure British workers, he said all available jobs were posted on the firm's own website. 'The bottom line is there are still 100 jobs available which have to be filled. 'Next does recruit from Poland and has for years - it cannot fill its vacancies otherwise,' the spokesman said. He added that Flamejobs' estimation of 7,000 staff having been sent over may well have been over the period of a number of years. Nobody was available for comment when Mailonline contacted Flamejobs this morning. David Cameron has signalled he is ready to lead Britain out of the European Union if other EU states set their faces against tough new proposals to cut immigration. In a much-anticipated speech setting out plans to bar EU migrants from claiming welfare for the first four years after arriving in the UK and deport those who do not find jobs within six months, Mr Cameron warned that he will 'rule nothing out' if other European states turn a deaf ear to British concerns. The Prime Minister insisted that he still hopes to be able to recommend an In vote in the referendum on EU membership he has promised for 2017, and said he was 'confident' of success in the renegotiation of the terms of that membership he plans if Conservatives win next year's general election. David Cameron (pictured) has signalled he is ready to lead Britain out of the European Union if other EU states set their faces against tough new proposals to cut immigration . But he left no doubt that he has not ruled out recommending British exit if other EU nations refuse to compromise on the principle of free movement and accept reforms that he said were 'radical' but 'reasonable and fair'. Welfare changes to cut migration from within the EU 'significantly' will be an 'absolute requirement' in the renegotiation, he said. Under his plans, EU jobseekers without an offer of employment will not be allowed to claim the new Universal Credit when they arrive in the UK and will be required to leave if they do not find work within six months. Migrants will be able to claim tax credits and child benefit and to apply for social housing only after four years in the country, and will receive no child benefit or child tax credit for offspring living abroad . 'If you elect me as Prime Minister in May, I will negotiate to reform the European Union, and Britain's relationship with it,' said Mr Cameron. 'This issue of free movement will be a key part of that negotiation. 'If I succeed, I will, as I have said, campaign to keep this country in a reformed EU. 'If our concerns fall on deaf ears and we cannot put our relationship with the EU on a better footing, then of course I rule nothing out. 'But I am confident that, with goodwill and understanding, we can and will succeed.' David Cameron took a swipe at the Ukip, under Nigel Farage (pictured) warning voters to 'distrust those who sell the snake oil of simple solutions' Speaking in Staffordshire a day after official statistics showed net migration rising to 260,000 over the past year - 16,000 higher than when the coalition Government came to office - Mr Cameron conceded that his policies had 'not been enough' to meet the Conservative target of cutting overall numbers to the tens of thousands by 2015. But he insisted that his reforms had made 'a real difference', cutting numbers of migrants from outside the EU by as much as 50,000. He promised to 'go further' if he wins next year's election, by revoking the licences of colleges whose students overstay visas, extending 'deport first, appeal later' rules and requiring landlords to check tenants' immigration status. 'The ambition remains the right one. But it's clear: it's going to take more time, more work and more difficult long-term decisions to get there,' said Mr Cameron. In a clear swipe at the UK Independence Party, which has built support by highlighting public concerns over immigration, the Prime Minister warned voters to 'distrust those who sell the snake oil of simple solutions'. Denouncing as 'appalling' any suggestion of repatriating legal migrants, Mr Cameron said Britain was great 'because of immigration, not in spite of it', and insisted he was proud of the UK's openness to incomers and its creation of 'a successful multi-racial democracy'. The isolationism of those who want to 'pull up the drawbridge' and shut off immigration altogether is 'actually deeply unpatriotic', he said. 'For the sake of British jobs, British livelihoods and British opportunities we must fight this dangerous and misguided view that our nation can withdraw from the world and somehow all will be well,' said Mr Cameron. But he also warned against the 'dangerous' idea that immigration is not a problem and that it is racist to voice anxiety about it. 'We should be clear,' said the Prime Minister. 'It is not wrong to express concern about the scale of people coming into the country. 'People have understandably become frustrated. It boils down to one word: control. People want Government to have control over the numbers of people coming here and the circumstances in which they come, both from around the world and from within the European Union. 'They want control over who has the right to receive benefits and what is expected of them in return. They want to know that foreign criminals can be excluded - or if already here, removed. And they want us to manage carefully the pressures on our schools, our hospitals and our housing. 'If we are to maintain this successful open meritocratic democracy we treasure, we have to maintain faith in Government's ability to control the rate at which people come to this country. 'And yet in recent years, it has become clear that successive governments have lacked control. 'People want grip. I get that. And I completely agree.' Mr Cameron's speech in the JCB factory in Rocester was briefly interrupted by an alarm bell, which he joked must have been triggered by a direct link to the European Commission in Brussels. Read more . | 'Busloads' of Polish workers arrive at Next's warehouse in West Yorkshire .
Unemployment higher than average in Humber and Yorkshire with 218,000 out of work .
Reports that Polish agency has sent 7,000 people to work at Next already .
Operations director at Polish firm said he received 100 calls a day asking about Next jobs .
Next says it currently uses about 250 Polish workers and hires up to 500 a year .
Spokesman claims the firm 'simply cannot recruit enough people locally' |
237,458 | bf52a4792627b65994990708c063b3b8ae74f129 | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists the club will decide on how best to help Mesut Ozil recover from a knee injury. The German Football Federation announced on Wednesday the midfielder was set to be out for '10 to 12 weeks' as scans revealed a 'partial rupture of the outer band of the left knee joint'. Arsenal, however, later released their own statement insisting no time frame had yet been set for the recovery of their record signing. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Mesut Ozil take part in Arsenal tyre challenge . Mesut Ozil will be missing for the remainder of 2014 after the German FA confirmed he had a knee injury . Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists the club will follow their own recommendations on how best to help Ozil . This is not the first time that the former Real Madrid midfielder has suffered from knee problems . October 18: Hull (h); . October 22: Anderlecht (a); . October 25: Sunderland (a); . November 1: Burnley (h); . November 4: Anderlecht (h); . November 9: Swansea (a); . November 22: Manchester United (h); . November 26: Borussia Dortmund (h); . November 29: West Brom (a); . December 3: Southampton (h); . December 6: Stoke (a); . December 9: Galatasaray (a); . December 13: Newcastle (h); . December 21: Liverpool (a); . December 26: QPR (h); . December 28: West Ham (a) A story on the club's official website on Thursday suggested, 'Wenger knows he will be without the 25-year-old for at least two months'. Whatever the time frame, Wenger accepts he will have to be patient with Ozil's return to full match fitness, which may not be until 2015. 'When he arrived with the German national team, they didn't think it was a lot at the start,' the Gunners boss told Arsenal's website. 'He was supposed to practice on Wednesday but, in the end, he said that wasn't possible for him. 'Then he had a scan and it was bad news. 'We have our own specialist giving us his opinion after reading the scan and examining Mesut. We will follow our own recommendations.' Arsenal's injury problems continued when central defender Laurent Koscielny was released from international duty with France. Koscielny has a minor achilles problem and the decision is precautionary, with the Gunners confident he will be fit for the Premier League clash at home to Hull a week on Saturday. Les Bleus play Portugal on Saturday and Armenia next Tuesday in friendlies building up to their hosting of Euro 2016. Arsenal, surprisingly, actually have a better win ratio when the German star is not playing for them . The World Cup winner initially travelled to meet up with the national side but was then sent home . VIDEO Ozil out for up to 12 weeks with knee injury . Arsenal, however, have been able to report some positive news, with Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry back in full training following knee injuries, while midfielders Aaron Ramsey (hamstring) and Mikel Arteta (calf) are also continuing their rehabilitation on schedule. Wenger added: 'Theo is not too far away now. Serge has been out for a long, long time and Theo has also been out for nine months, so it's good to see them back. They've worked very hard and they're very dedicated. They are back in the group on a daily basis and that's very good news. 'For Ramsey it's day 13 today and I think it will be day 21 before he is back into training. Arteta may be back with the group late next week.' Defender Mathieu Debuchy and striker Olivier Giroud, however, remain long-term absentees. | Mesut Ozil out for 10-12 weeks with a knee injury .
Arsenal will not be sending Ozil to an outside specialist .
Arsene Wenger said the club would follow their own recommendations .
Laurent Koscielny is the latest Gunner to pick up an injury .
Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Debuchy also out . |
160,605 | 5ba1e9258ab4c871f49df3b424260f261613643b | By . Gerri Peev . Damage to the British economy from trade sanctions against Russia would be a 'price worth paying', William Hague said yesterday. Travel bans and asset freezes against Moscow's 'bullying' behaviour towards Ukraine were planned, the Foreign Secretary said. America has admitted that the sanctions will have more impact on the EU than on the US – Europe buys much of its gas from Russia – and many fear London, where Russian oligarchs have invested billions, will suffer. Foreign Secretary William Hague has said travel bans and asset freezes against Moscow's 'bullying' behaviour towards Ukraine were planned . Mr Hague said that despite this 'more far-reaching measures' were being prepared that would have a fundamental impact. He told Sky's Murnaghan programme: 'It would be a price worth paying if this situation continues to deteriorate... history teaches us that we have to stand up to such bullying behaviour from one state on to another.' Any fresh sanctions made against Russia will be targeted to hurt those closest to Vladimir Putin and to have a significant impact on the Russian economy. Those expected to be penalised include the companies controlled by the Russian President's inner circle and the Russian defence industry. David Cameron has suggested that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich could be hit by sanctions because of his association with Mr Putin. President Barack Obama said that Mr Putin (pictured) would be deterred from further aggressive acts in Ukraine if he saw the world was unified in punishing Moscow . Alex Salmond says he admires Vladimir Putin – despite the Russian President’s crackdown on Ukrainian sovereignty. Scotland’s First Minister said Mr Putin had restored a ‘substantial part of Russian pride’. His remarks to a magazine were made on March 14, just two weeks before Russian soldiers annexed Crimea. Praising ‘certain aspects’ of Mr Putin, Mr Salmond added: ‘You can see why he carries support in Russia.’ Patricia Ferguson, Scottish Labour’s external affairs spokesman, said the comments were ‘insensitive and ill-judged’. Last night neither Downing Street nor the Foreign Office would be drawn on who could be on the latest sanctions list, ahead of talks today. In Washington, Republicans have called for the West to send 'shockwaves' by hitting Gazprom and Russian banks with sanctions. Financial markets have plummeted by more than a fifth in Russia since the start of the year, with the value of the rouble at an all-time low. President Barack Obama said that Mr Putin would be deterred from further aggressive acts in Ukraine if he saw the world was unified in punishing Moscow. He accused Mr Putin of failing to lift a finger to persuade pro-Russian militants to comply with the Geneva deal intended to defuse the situation. One of a team of European monitors seized by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine was freed last night. The man – believed to be Swedish – was released on medical grounds. He was one of eight monitors detained in Sloviansk on Friday accused of being Nato spies. Three bloodied and blindfolded Ukrainian men accused by separatists of being spies were allowed to be filmed. They were caught while on a mission to detain a Russian suspected of killing a Ukrainian MP. Pro-Russian armed groups seized the main TV and radio station in Donetsk yesterday. | Foreign Secretary says damage to UK economy is worth it .
America admits sanctions have more impact on EU than on US .
Many fear London, where Russian oligarchs invest billions, will suffer . |
774 | 023d900e7ec5f82ab85139be235185117c8f560f | (CNN) -- Cyndi Lauper had a hit in the 1980s called "Money Changes Everything." She has a point. It may or may not buy happiness, but money -- especially truckloads of it -- does change things, including endowing the holder of the checkbook with power. Now, take a teenager and give him that power. What happens? Justin Bieber, Lindsay Lohan and the other teen stars that have crashed to earth in a shower of tabloid sparks, may only be doing what a great many teenagers would be doing -- if they could. There are teenagers like Justin Bieber on every block. But imagine the kid who cuts your lawn suddenly having a net worth of about $130 million. The same teen brain that convinces its host that he won't get caught if he throws a party at the house while mom and dad are away now knows it owns the house -- and it's a mansion, with Lamborghinis outside loaned gratis by a friendly dealer. Woohoo! It's long been said that by age 5 or 6, a child's brain is 95% of its adult size. But neuroscientists, enlightened by MRI technology, are discovering it is still changing -- creating connections, adding and shedding cells. That process is particularly active in the prefrontal cortex -- the part that makes judgments like drag racing through residential neighborhoods. Dr. Jay Giedd at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, led studies that found the teen brain development was a process of adding and pruning. Significantly, he said, brain cells at that age are influenced by what the teen does. If he plays sports, the brain cells will make connections that help with that. If he sits on the couch and plays video games, then the cells will be hardwired for those activities. The only real moderating influence -- as it is for any teenager -- is the parents. But instilling discipline and values can be a daunting exercise when the child is the breadwinner. It can be difficult to tell your child they can't have the car tonight -- when he's the one who paid for it. Some parents -- like the Lohans -- are simply not up to the job. Others -- like the parents of Britney Spears or Amanda Bynes -- may have had their job complicated by what appear to be mental problems. Unfortunately, today, those problems are there for all to see. Every failure of a troubled celebrity teen spreads like digital wildfire. Still, for every Justin Bieber, there is a Ron Howard, Natalie Portman or Jodie Foster -- child stars who navigated the rocky shoals of teen years into successful adulthood. Actor Rance Howard, in an interview, said he raised well-adjusted child star sons, Clint and Academy-award winning Ron, by removing their money from the family's life. "We chose not to live on what the boys could afford," he said, "but what I could afford." Let's hope Justin will find his way. But romping in a mountain of money like most kids play in a pile of leaves, and surrounded by an entourage of dependent cheerleaders, won't make it easy. As the developing cells of his teenage brain react to the world around him -- money does change everything. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peggy Drexler. | Peggy Drexler: There are teenagers like Justin Bieber on every block .
Drexler: A young person who has so much money -- and power -- can do crazy things .
She says parents can instill values, but it's hard when a kid is the breadwinner .
Drexler: Still, there are teen stars who grow up fine even if they have a lot of money . |
283,818 | fbb587ed2df02aa71945fb14be697fc37273b864 | Fire officials said Darryl Ferguson (pictured during previous arrest), 55, confessed to causing a blaze at an Islamic institute in Houston . A homeless man has been arrested and charged with arson for a fire that destroyed a building at an Islamic institute in Houston, fire officials said on Monday. The blaze early on Friday at the Quba Islamic Institute destroyed one of three buildings there, but no one was injured. Fire officials said Darryl Ferguson, 55, confessed to causing the blaze – but he claimed it was an accident as he was led away by officials, according to a Houston news website. Ferguson had been staying in the area and was considered a suspect by investigators. They were looking for him on Monday when he apparently approached them on his bicycle. Ruben Hernandez, from the Houston Fire Department’s arson squad, told Chron.com: ‘We asked if he wanted to talk to us in our office. Mr Ferguson made an admission.’ Ferguson has been linked to a number of crimes in the past, including credit card abuse, trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, prostitution and assault. Authorities said that someone used an accelerant in the 5am Friday blaze, according to one of the imam's sons, 25-year-old Ahsan Zahid. Mr Zahid said that an investigator told him that the incident was a suspected arson, and that the fire was not an accident. On Friday, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) said in a release it was investigating and could not yet name the cause of the fire. Earlier Twitter users had directed their fury at a Texas man who allegedly said on social media that the center should burn down. According to The Daily Kos Herron wrote on social media ‘let it burn… block the fire hydrant’. The Daily Kos reported that Herron is a Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Department (CBVFD) volunteer. Scroll down for video . Charged: Mr Ferguson is pictured here being led away by officials investigating the blaze in Houston . The fire, which completely destroyed the contents of a storage shed, is thought to have been arson. Pictured is Ahsan Zahid, an assistant imam at the center, at the scene of the devastation . Aftermath: The fire completely destroyed the contents of a storage shed at the Quba Islamic Institute . Texas has the US's eighth-largest population of Muslims, according to the Texas State Historical Association . A LinkedIn profile lists a man of the same name as working for the fire department and Herron's own Facebook profile features him in front of a fire truck dressed in overalls. However, CBVFD said in a statement sent to Daily Mail Online early Monday that Herron is not affiliated with the organization whatsoever. The statement said 'There have been recent post on social media from someone stating they are a member of our Fire Department and have posted hate messages against the Islamic Community. 'Please know that this person, Dustin Herron, is not a member of the Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Dept; nor has he ever been a member of our fire department. 'We are in the process of trying to track down Mr. Herron regarding the comments he made. We have also notified the Galveston County Sheriff Dept. regarding Mr Herron falsely stating he is a fire fighter within our organization. Online activity: Dustin Herron, pictured, allegedly wrote online 'Let it burn...block the fire hydrant' regarding the Quba Islamic Institute fire . Uproar: Herron allegedly posted this message on social media. Daily Mail Online could not independently confirm the authenticity of the post . 'We have received many e-mails regarding his recent social media post and comments. 'Please know that our Volunteer's give 100% effort 100% of the time.' One tweet against Herron asked him 'why the hate? Serve and protect? Or just hate?' Another said 'you are an embarrassment to all public safety officials and volunteers, what you posted about the Islamic center is shameful!' Both Herron and a spokesman for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) did not immediately return requests for comment early Monday from Daily Mail Online. The FBI said Saturday that they are monitoring the situation and could take a more active role in the investigation, according to Reuters. The Council on American Islamic Relations's Texas office has called for possible hate crime motivations to be looked at in the investigation. Federal agencies are expected to become more involved if that is the case. No injuries were reported in the fire, which largely took place in a storage building and is thought to have caused $100,000 in damage. The contents of the building, which housed the institute's computers, lights and equipment for a renovation, were completely destroyed. Authorities said the blaze started at 5am and caused an expected $100,000 worth of damage before firefighters were able to put it out, according to one of the imam's sons, 25-year-old Ahsan Zahid . The Houston Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire, though they reportedly told Mr Zahid that it did not start by accident . The center has a place to pray, holds community events, offers Arabic classes and also runs a Sunday School. The Quba Islamic Institute is asking for donations through their website qubahouston.org, and Zahid told Daily Mail Online that they had raised $2,500 as of Saturday afternoon. The institute said a man had driven past the institute and mockingly yelled 'Allah' on Thursday. A man with a covered face was chased away from the building earlier in the week. The Muslim center had been scheduled to host a talk by a former Guantanamo Bay guard who converted to Islam after the experience, Terry Holdbrooks, on Friday night. Zahid said that the event took place despite the fire and that 'all programs, activities, and prayers have, and will continue as scheduled'. The Islamic Institute used its Facebook page to reach out for donations and ask for tolerance in the wake of the fire, but their posts soon saw an influx of anti-Muslim commenters . Two suspicious incidents happened in the week leading up to the fire, including a man with a covered face who had to be chased away from the building . The center's Facebook account responded to abuse on Facebook by thanking offensive users for their perspective . The institute's Facebook page has also come under attack from posters who have insulted Islam repeatedly on posts where the center is explaining what happened in the fire. The institute has defended itself against the Islamophobic posts by thanking the users for their perspective and urging tolerance. The possible hate crime follows on the death of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that federal investigators are looking into for motives of religious hatred. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were buried Thursday. Texas has the US's eighth-largest population of Muslims, according to the Texas State Historical Association . The annual Texas Muslim Capitol Day in Austin was targeted by anti-Islam protesters last month, the Los Angeles Times reported. In 2011 the Houston Fire Department said that someone had deliberately set fire to a mosque on the other side of the city. The Quba Islamic Institute is a gathering place for prayer and community events, but also holds Arabic and Sunday School classes . | Fire destroyed a building at the Quba Islamic Institute in Houston on Friday .
Blaze caused $100k worth of damage before it was put out by firefighters .
Drifter Darryl Ferguson, 55, told investigators that he started the fire .
He apparently told investigators that he started the blaze 'by accident'
Ferguson has been arrested and charged with arson over the incident .
It follows stream of online anti-Muslim abuse posted in the wake of the fire . |
57,226 | a2284d93a664a2ecd2ec8d8b9f5ceb49c62dfa3f | It's been a whirlwind year for White Dee who shot to stardom after sharing her financial woes on the Channel 4 documentary series Benefits Street. And following a string of celebrity appearances and television interviews, it seems the 42-year-old is sharing the good fortune afforded to her sudden celebrity. Dee, whose real name is Deidre Kelly, was seen splurging on some last-minute Christmas gifts in her native Birmingham today. Scroll down for video . White Dee was spotted doing some last minute shopping in Birmingham where she picked up a Christmas tree, WiiFit and some shoes from designer Jimmy Choo . The mother-of-two was laden down with items as she shopped in a comfortable, festive outfit in Birmingham . Laden down with expensive goods such as a WiiFit, the mother-of-two sported a Santa hat for the occasion and was seen chatting with local shopkeepers. It comes after the star accused producers of the controversial Channel 4 documentary series of lying to participants before it was aired. Describing the situation as 'a catch-22', Dee told her local newspaper, the Birmingham Mail: 'I am still adamant I can never forgive the makers of Benefits Street, but it is a Catch 22 situation. 'If it wasn't for that I would not be able to do so many things for my kids.' Dee was the standout star of the controversial programme which many described as 'poverty porn' when it was first shown earlier this year. The Benefits Street star was seen chatting with local festive shopkeepers as she browsed decorations . Dee (real name Deidre Kelly) said she could never forgive Channel 4 producers for 'lying' to the participants of Benefits Street . The mother-of-two said she was glad the series provided her with opportunities for financial freedom . Among critics of of the show were participants themselves, who claimed Channel 4 producers told them they would be taking part in a programme about community spirit. Following her appearance on the documentary series, White Dee was invited to host club nights and parties across the UK and in Magaluf. She was then invited to take part in Celebrity Big Brother, before signing up to be one of the judges on a new talent-scouting programme yet to be broadcast. Speaking of her change in lifestyle, Dee, who previously claimed handouts for depression, said: ' It's my job now and I am determined to make sure my children get a better start in life but I find it weird watching myself on television.' Dee is also to be made the star of a documentary based solely on her and her transformation from a benefits claimant to financial freedom. What a difference a year makes: White Dee pictured ahead of the launch of the Channel 4 programme . | White Dee was seen buying last minute Christmas gifts in Birmingham .
The 42-year-old was laden down with bags and gadgets as she shopped .
Mother-of-two was the standout star of Benefits Street on Channel 4 .
Dee stopped claiming state handouts after shooting to stardom this year . |
182,491 | 7850e82978f601fa2ad23bd3a694c1947077d0b5 | He is famous the world over for aping humans with his unusual habit of walking upright. And Ambam has shown that he is still enjoying a good walk about as pictures emerged of him standing tall at Port Lympne wild animal park near Hythe, Kent. The gorilla, which turned 24 earlier this year, became an online sensation when he was filmed walking like a human. Scroll down for video . Still standing: Ambam has shown that he still enjoys a good walk about as pictures emerged of him strolling around upright at Port Lympne wild animal park near Hythe, Kent . Western lowland gorilla normally get around on all fours, but Ambam has perfected balancing on his two hind legs. Footage of his upright walking has been viewed by millions on the internet since 2011. His habit of walking like a human is also exhibited by his sister Tamba and her two-year-old son Kabale, a park spokesman said. Weighing 220kg, Ambam is Port Lympne's biggest gorilla. The lifespan for a western lowland can stretch from 30 to 50 years. He was born at the park's sister site, Howletts, in 1990. On all fours: Ambam, who lives at Port Lympne wild animal park near Hythe, Kent, shows how western lowland gorillas normally get around . He was hand-raised for a few months when he was a year old after falling ill, meaning he had to be taken away from his mother Shumba. The precise number of western lowland gorillas is unclear because they inhabit some of the most dense and remote rainforests in Africa. But wildlife experts say that due to poaching and disease, as well as Ebola-induced mortality, their numbers have declined by more than 60 per cent over the past 20 to 25 years. | Footage of Ambam aping humans with his upright walking seen by millions .
The western lowlands gorilla reached his 24th birthday earlier this year .
220kg gorilla is kept at Port Lympne wild animal park near Hythe in Kent . |
228,284 | b397e66e82a4f51cb99ae8a7c6d965ecec8aa431 | By . Mia De Graaf . This is the horrific state of a family home left gutted by flames after an e-cigarette exploded while it was charging, killing the neighbour's cat. Victoria Newton, 34, and her three children are 'lucky to be alive' according to fire crews but have now been left homeless. It is the latest in a series of incidents across the country caused by the devices, sparking calls for . tighter safety measures on the new trend. Devastated: Victoria Newton and her children (left-right) Dylan Thomas-James, Millie Anne James, and Lauren James, have been left homeless after an e-cigarette exploded in their house, engulfing it in flames . Gutted: The entire house in Leigh, Greater Manchester, has been destroyed, leaving the family homeless . Ms Newton was at home with her four-year-old son Dylan and her two daughters Millie-Anne, nine, and Lauren, 13, when they heard a bang and the house in Leigh, Greater Manchester, became engulfed in flames. She said: 'It was a nightmare. My daughter Lauren had some friends round and one of her mates had plugged in her e-cigarette and they'd gone out playing. 'About 15 minutes later, I was doing housework and I heard this crackling noise coming from Lauren's bedroom. 'I didn't know what it was and when I reached the landing I just remember this huge bang and I was thrown to the floor by the force of it. 'It had been left on the floor and the explosion sent it flying across the room and it ended up under Lauren's bed. Horror: Just a few of their possessions escaped the blaze, which fire fighters said the family was lucky to survive . Escape: Ms Newton grabbed Dylan, four, as she fled the house after hearing an enormous bang upstairs . Ashen: Even the floorboards have given way after flames crashed through the windows and ceilings . 'I was crawling around and when I looked I couldn't believe my eyes. There was smoke everywhere and the room was on fire. 'The force of the blast had blown out all the bedroom windows and blown the door off the hinges. 'I couldn't breathe and my instinct was just to grab Dylan and get out.' Ms Newton says her two daughters were in the front garden playing when she ran outside covered in soot carrying her four-year-old son. Her neighbours' cat Tinker, who was in the house at the time, sadly died in the blaze. Ms Newton said: 'My first thought was to make sure my kids were safe. Lucky: The devastated family described the incident as a nightmare, the children couldn't stop screaming . Battered: The house looks almost unrecognisable after the device shot out of its plug and exploded . 'My son was screaming and when my girls saw us run outside they heard me shouting 'fire' and they burst into tears too. 'I thought the cat was in the house so I left Dylan outside and I ran back in but I couldn't see or breathe because there was so much smoke. 'It's awful that Tinker died but I'm grateful it wasn't my kids. It could have been so much worse.' Ms Newton added: 'Lauren's bedroom was covered in flames and she's lost everything and the smoke spread to the rest of the house. Devastated: Nathan Huyton, 10, and his sister Ebony, six, are mourning the death of Tinker (pictured) after a fire started by an e-cigarette which exploded in their neighbours house while it was charging . 'Everything is covered in black soot . and the roof is destroyed too. We can't even enter our house because . it's not safe so we don't have any of our belongings. 'I'm staying with my partner and Dylan and the girls are staying with their dad, otherwise we'd be homeless.' She hopes the ordeal will act as a warning to others. Tinker's devastated owner Sean Huyton, 42, said: 'We’re all heartbroken. 'The kids are absolutely devastated. Ebony, our daughter, cried herself to sleep on Saturday night. 'Tinker was just a really good cat, really friendly. Everybody on the street loved him and bought him toys. The majority of explosions and fatalities caused by e-cigarettes is down to people using the wrong chargers, fire crews warn. Though they have a USB connection, they need to be charged using specific e-cig chargers, not be plugged into laptops or iPad chargers, which cause them to overheat. Many people also over-tighten the screwed connection, which damages the battery cells, creating heat. And while mobile phones can be left charging for an extensive period of time, the batteries in e-cigarettes do not have in-built protection to prevent overheating. Therefore, if left too long, the lithium-ion battery will combust and explode. 'We buried the cat yesterday in the front garden. Our other cat Sparkle spent four hours sitting on top of the grave.' Blasting the new tobacco-free trend, Mr Huyton urged for companies to do more to prevent fatalities. He said: 'These e-cigarettes come from all over the world. 'You never really know if they’re safe. Something needs to be done about it.' E-cigarettes are used by more than two million Britons – three times the number in 2012. Last year, Evelyn Raywood, 68, died as a result of a blaze apparently started by the battery of her device. It is the only fatality linked to e-cigarettes, but there have been a number of close calls. Last month a hotel barmaid was engulfed in flame when one exploded as it was being charged with an iPhone charger. A pensioner was also badly burned when her e-cigarette ignited her oxygen supply. And in Leicester, a woman’s car was set on fire when her e-cigarette exploded as it was being charged in the vehicle’s auxiliary socket. Loyal: The Huyton family paid tribute to their moggie and called for tighter safety regulations on e-cigarettes . David Acton, chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, added: 'The family had a lucky escape with discovering the fire when they did, although their house is damaged and they have lost their pet. 'Please can we remind people to take extra care when it comes to electrical items, not leaving them plugged in too long and making sure wires, plugs and chargers are in good working order.' The use of e-cigarettes is also the source of controversy. Last week, the British Medical Association . called for e-cigarettes to be banned in public places and claimed they . are just as dangerous as smoking. | Victoria Newton and children aged 4-13 heard loud bang upstairs .
E-cigarette had been charging in bedroom, shot out, set house alight .
House in Leigh, Greater Manchester, destroyed, family now homeless .
Neighbour's cat, a 7-year-old ginger moggie called Tinker, died in blaze .
Latest in a series of fatalities across UK, calls for tighter safety regulations . |
257,027 | d8add474d35280625ca994e727b294a773b16249 | Everton manager Roberto Martinez is seeking a January reunion with Scotland's Euro 2016 hero Shaun Maloney. Martinez travelled to Glasgow to see Maloney score an outstanding winning goal against the Republic of Ireland during the international break and is keen to bring the 31-year-old midfielder to Goodison before his contract runs out in the summer. Maloney was signed by Martinez at Wigan in 2011 from Celtic and helped the club win the FA Cup last year. Shaun Maloney (pictured celebrating scoring for Wigan on Saturday) is the subject of interest from Everton . Roberto Martinez was Maloney's manager while the pair were at Wigan Athletic in the Premier League . Martinez travelled to Glasgow to see Maloney score an outstanding winning goal against the Republic of Ireland . With Wigan aware that Maloney is unlikely to sell a new deal, they will have to sell him in January or face losing him for nothing at the end of the season. He would be expected to fetch around £500,000. Although Martinez's relationship Maloney would make Everton firm favourites to seal a deal, the player would be likely to attract several offers from home and abroad if Wigan agreed to let him go in January. MLS Club Chicago Fire have reportedly shown an interest while other Premier League clubs are monitoring the situation. Maloney bent a wonderful free-kick beyond the Middlesbrough wall at the DW Stadium at the weekend . Wigan's new boss Malky Mackay would be reluctant to lose Maloney so soon into his tenure at the DW Stadium but would hope to re-invest any transfer fee in new players. The club have endured a torrid week off the field following the controversial appointment of Mackay while he is still under an FA investigation for exchanging allegedly racist and sexist texts. Owner Dave Whelan could also face charges after giving an interview in which he he reportedly made remarks that were offensive to the Jewish and Chinese communities. | Shaun Maloney has been linked with a move to Chicago Fire .
But Roberto Martinez is keen on taking the Wigan man to Everton .
Martinez travelled to Glasgow to see Maloney score against Ireland . |
126,838 | 2ff7153c87abdd8399bd67f9a122a415a0dca661 | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . Lightning strikes knocked out power to hundreds of homes as a powerful storm swept across Berkshire and Oxfordshire on Friday night. Some 400 homes in Reading and 144 in Oxford lost power after the lightning hit overhead cables, said Scottish and Southern Energy. Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was called to about 50 storm-related incidents as several buildings were set on fire by the lightning. Some 400 homes in Reading and 144 in Oxford lost power after lightning hit overhead cables during a storm which moved across the South on Friday. Pictured: Lightning strikes in Basingstoke, Hampshire . Crews dealt with two roof fires in Wokingham while a property in Reading was also hit. Firefighters had to rescue a number of drivers who broke down in floods caused by the torrential rain. Train services in the area were severely disrupted as signalling equipment was damaged in the severe weather. Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was called to about 50 storm-related incidents as several buildings were set on fire by the lightning. Pictured: Lightning strikes building in Basingstoke, Hampshire . | Some 400 homes in Reading and 144 in Oxford lost power during storm .
Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service called to 50 storm-related incidents .
Several buildings set on fire by lightning which also hit overhead cables . |
27,815 | 4ed71c2179ceea8b21fd4c4cf86d15efa2935cff | By . James Tozer . Last updated at 11:09 AM on 8th December 2011 . Unlawfully killed: A coroner has returned a verdict over the death of vulnerable pensioner David Askew following years of torment by yobs . A vulnerable man of 64 who collapsed and died after three decades of harassment by yobs was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled yesterday. David Askew, who had learning difficulties, had a fatal heart attack after confronting some of the local youths who had subjected him to years of mockery and vandalism. No one has ever been prosecuted over his death, but yesterday coroner John Pollard said he had no doubt Mr Askew had been unlawfully killed. He said the case showed how 'feral youths can bring misery to a decent and vulnerable family'. Mr Pollard also criticised 'staggering inertia and complacency' at the local council. Mr Askew had been bullied by three generations of youths on an estate in the Hattersley area of Greater Manchester. He was pestered for money and cigarettes and on one occasion the yobs kicked in the family's front door. Mocked as Dopey Dave, he had eggs and stones thrown at him when he went out. Windows of the family home were smashed. During one two-month period he went to the offices of Tameside Council every day to complain while his mother called police 88 times. Confrontation: Mr Askew argues with a thug outside his home. He was subjected to years of bullying by local youths who mocked him, threw eggs and bricks, and smashed his windows . The inquest heard the council's . neighbourhood manager Mark Tunstall, who was in charge of community . safety, was 'out of his depth' and never visited the family, even though . his office was just 400 yards away. Neighbourhood police visited . regularly, the inquest heard, but senior officers felt Mr Askew was . 'part of the problem' for giving the youths cigarettes in the hope they . would leave. Convicted: Kial Cottingham, 18, was sent to a young offenders institution for his role in the harassment . Mr Askew died in March last year after confronting youths . outside the house over an overturned wheelie bin and over tampering with . his mother Rose's mobility scooter . In September last year Kial . Cottingham, 19, who lived just doors away, pleaded guilty to harassing . Mr Askew and was locked up for 16 months. Prosecutors said there was no . evidence to charge him with manslaughter. He apologised to the family . when he gave evidence to the inquest. At Trafford Coroners Court yesterday Mr Pollard recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. He cited the evidence of a pathologist . who told the inquest that while it could not be scientifically proven . that the stress of harassment on the night Mr Askew died led directly to . his death, the circumstances of the case 'strongly suggest' it had. After the hearing David's mother Rose, now 90, said: 'I am still angry about what happened but there is no use hating people.' Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan . of Greater Manchester Police said: 'We have learned our lessons and . made significant improvements to the way we deal with these crimes.' David's mother, now aged 90, said that she is still angry about the attack, but added that the family have now been made to feel very welcome in the community . Earlier this year an Independent . Police Complaints Commission report highlighted 'systemic failures' by . the force to link the calls made by the family and treat the abuse as a . hate crime. It also found CCTV cameras installed to catch the culprits . were next-to-useless because the picture quality was too poor to . recognise their faces. Tameside Council admitted that 'all agencies' needed to work more closely to ensure that the vulnerable were better protected. | Also criticised 'staggering inertia and complacency' at local council .
Returns unlawful killing verdict over David Askew's death . |
177,764 | 7221db40c58fb08d61b58c0ed9430686db11b477 | Charged: Jamshid Muhtorov from Uzbekista that the United States and the United Nations helped relocate to Colorado now faces a terrorism charge . An immigrant from Uzbekistan that was helped to relocate to Colorado by the United States and the United Nations is now facing a terrorism charge. Jamshid Muhtorov, fled his country at night disguised as a woman ion 2007, and settled with his family in . Aurora, a Denver suburb. The 35-year-old had opposed Uzbekistan's dictator following a 2005 massacre, endured severe beatings during a brutal detention, and saw his sister arrested on a false murder charge. But he's now accused of providing material support and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic Jihad Union. The violent group opposes the Uzbek government and has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Authorities arrested Muhtorov in Chicago on January 21, the Denver Post reported. Charges: Muhtorov is accused of providing material support to the Islamic Jihad Union. The violent group opposes the Uzbek government and has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department (file photo) Questions: According to police records, this is the home of Jamshid Muhtorov - he and his family resettled in Aurora, a Denver suburb, and obtained a job as a truck driver . Federal authorities say the Islamic Jihad Union has claimed responsibility for attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan, including a March 2008 suicide attack on a U.S. base. The group is also blamed for carrying out simultaneous suicide bombings of the U.S. and Israeli embassies and a prosecutor's office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 'It is a crime, and has been a crime for many years, to provide material support for a designated terrorist organization, the IJU,' said Dean Boyd, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington. 'Our job is to enforce the law.' The 35-year-old had opposed Uzbekistan's dictator following a 2005 massacre, endured a serve beatings during a brutal detention, and saw his sister arrested on a false murder charge . Muhtorov and his family resettled in Aurora, a Denver suburb, and obtained a job as a truck driver. Muhtorov's . colleagues at the UZ Auto Trans company, where he hauled cars for . dealers to destinations across the country, knew that he opposed the . Uzbek regime. 'I knew . him as a good guy. Praying. He never talked bad about the U.S. Maybe he . was angry with the regime back in Uzbekistan,' said Ishmael Abdubafour, a . former truck driver with the company. 'He . had the long beard and stuff, but that doesn't mean anything. We see a . lot of people who have the beard. He was very gentle.' In Uzbekistan, Muhtorov worked within the confines of dictator Islam Karimov's system for the Ezgulik Human Rights Society . The FBI said Muhtorov communicated with a contact with the IJU by email using code words, asking to be invited to the 'wedding.' He also told the contact that he was 'ready for any task, even with the risk of dying,' the FBI said. Authorities said there was no evidence that Muhtorov planned any attacks within the U.S. Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan to the north, has become even more crucial to the U.S. war effort now that supply routes in Pakistan are closed. American officials had described Muhtorov as a human rights worker whose activism began while he was trying to make a living in his home city, Jizzak. He ran up against corrupt officials expecting payments, which is common in Uzbekistan, and spoke out. The U.S. tracked his case and a 2005 Department of State 'country report' on Uzbekistan said Muhtorov's sister, Dildora Muhtarova, was arrested on a murder charge and detained. Such tactics, the report said, were aimed at intimidating activists to prevent them from exposing corruption. Muhtorov worked within the confines of dictator Islam Karimov's system for the Ezgulik Human Rights Society, one of two registered groups that were allowed, according to a 2006 U.S. Embassy cable that surfaced through WikiLeaks. After becoming director of Ezguli, Muhtorov eventually joined the Free Peasants Party, which favored regime change and worked closely with Human Rights Watch, but in January 2006, he was detained with another activist. Uzbek authorities beat him and released him only after he wrote statements promising not to write internet articles or to oppose the government, according to Human Rights Watch reports. 'His nose was broken. He was covered in blood. And the assailants told him, 'This is your last warning.' ... He was scared to go back to his family home, so he went to Tashkent (the capital),' said Hugh Williamson, director of Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia division. 'But then he came back again a few days later and was beaten up again. This time, he lost consciousness.' State records show that as many as 157 . Uzbeks have been resettled in Colorado since 2005, and federal officials . said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees assisted in Muhtorov's . resettlement. | He fled his country dressed as a woman in 2007 .
Accused of providing support to Islamic Jihad Union .
Lived with family in Denver working as a truck driver . |
22,276 | 3f45cd6d8270adc5fb4ee8d48ab289fb20f40e3f | Kevin Pietersen's allegations of bullying within the England team have been dismissed by the former chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board. The batsman's autobiography went on general sale on Thursday and makes a series of claims against a number of figures within the England set-up, with former head coach Andy Flower and wicketkeeper Matt Prior the two most heavily criticised. But David Collier, who until the summer held the top job at the ECB, told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme that it would not have been possible for England to enjoy so much success over the last decade had Pietersen's claims had any substance to them. Kevin Pietersen has spent the week self-promoting his controversial new book, KP: The Autobiography . Pietersen celebrates a double century during an Ashes Test against Australia in December 2010 . Pietersen has voiced his claims on a 'bullying culture' he believes has long undermined the dressing room . 'No accusation of bullying was ever made to me,' he said. 'In any professional sport certain managers and leaders do have intensity from time to time. People that we respect as some of the greatest football managers have been known to be fairly robust in dressing rooms. Andy (Flower) is an intensely passionate man, he has the most superb integrity. 'There is no way we could have had the success over his long and successful period if there hadn't been huge respect within that dressing room. 'In any professional sport players will get frustrated with each other - that's a fact of life. I didn't see that as in any way affecting the team atmosphere. 'That team were very, very close as a team and one of the frustrations at the moment for some of the senior players is they have created so much for English cricket over the past decade that they want that to be remembered. One of the reasons why is that they were all perfectionists, and if you want perfection you have to be hard on yourself.' Pietersen (left) enjoyed happy times with the England team, but says there was bullying behind the scenes . One victim of Pietersen's main literary attacks is on England's former head coach Andy Flower (left) Pietersen, whose England career was effectively ended by the ECB in February after a disastrous Ashes tour, was particularly disdainful towards Flower in his book, claiming he allowed the 'bullying' culture to grow and describing him as 'Contagiously sour. Infectiously dour' and a 'mood hoover'. England captain Alastair Cook said on Saturday that Pietersen's allegations had 'tarnished' a period for English cricket which had been largely successful. Collier also said allegations made in the summer of 2012 that three England players were linked to the 'KP Genius' Twitter account which lampooned Pietersen - and clearly caused him a great deal of upset - had been 'fully investigated' at the time. Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan have all denied any involvement in the parody account, which had been run by an acquaintance of Broad's, Richard Bailey, until its closure. Former ECB chief executive David Collier claims Pietersen's accusations of bullying are unfounded . The South-African born batsman has had many highs and many lows during a headline-making career . | Kevin Pietersen released his new book, KP: The Autobiography, last week .
Former England batsman claims 'bullying' was rife in England camp .
Pietersen was particularly critical in his book of Andy Flower and Matt Prior .
Ex-ECB chief executive David Collier dismisses Pietersen's claims .
He says there was 'no accusation of bullying ever made to me' |
276,750 | f28a70f851283e297925d4acf5ef748293e21ccf | The son of a man killed in the 7/7 London bombings has sued his mother after she spent his entire £50,000 compensation. Adam Gray was just 11 when his father Richard died in the suicide bomb attack near Aldgate station on July 7, 2005. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority gave his mother, Louise, £250,000, Adam £50,000, and £100,000 to his sister, who did not wish to be identified. Scroll down for video . Adam Gray, pictured, sued his mother, Louise, after she spent all of his 7/7 compensation payout . When Mr Gray reached 18 he was given the money, but asked his mother to look after it for him until he was older. However, less than two years later she admitted she has spent every penny. She allegedly squandered it on shopping sprees, luxury clothes, top restaurants and redecorating her home and garden in Ipswich. When his mother failed to repay the money, Mr Gray, 20, took her to court – and a judge at Northampton County Court has now awarded him £43,750. Mrs Gray is appealing the ruling. ‘I feel sick it had to happen,’ said Mr Gray. ‘Not only have I lost my beloved dad in the most tragic circumstances but I’ve lost my mother too. Finding out my dad had died was unimaginable. In that moment my life changed for ever. Louise Gray, pictured right, met the Queen at a St Paul's Cathedral memorial service for victims and survivors of the London terrorist attacks . The scene as emergency services attend Aldgate tube station in east London on July 7, 2005 . ‘My mum lost her husband, which will have a big effect on somebody, but she is a grown woman who took money her son entrusted her with.’ His father, a 41-year-old tax expert, was one of seven passengers murdered on a Circle Line train by Bradford-born bomber Shehzad Tanweer. The 7/7 suicide attacks on packed Tube trains and a bus killed 52 people and injured 700 more – the UK’s worst ever terrorist attack. Richard Gray, 41, died in the London terrorist bombing at Aldgate station in 2005 . Mrs Gray later met the Queen at a St Paul’s Cathedral memorial service for victims and survivors. Mr Gray blames the large compensation payout on changing his mother’s personality. She quit her job as a carer and went on spending sprees that included five new cars, seven chihuahuas and a hot tub. ‘After my father died she became a lavish spender,’ he told the People. ‘Most people would be excited by a life-changing amount of money – I was scared of it. When she agreed to look after it, I thought it was in safe hands.’ It was only when he asked for some money to fund a move to London for an apprenticeship that Mrs Gray confessed she had spent it. ‘Naturally, I trusted her because she was my mother. Trying to understand how my mother could do it with such ease is difficult. And to think she spent it on materialist rubbish is very hurtful.’ Mrs Gray said she begged her son to forgive her. She said: ‘It’s true that I spent his money. I didn’t spend it on all the fancy things – that came before, when I had the compensation for my partner. ‘It’s all a mess. I’ve said sorry to my son over and over again but he won’t listen to me. He’s still my son so I want to talk to him and explain. ‘The judge says I have to pay it all back straight away but I can’t, so that’s why I’m appealing.’ | Adam Gray was 11 when father Richard died in London bombings in 2005 .
He was given £50,000 compensation and mother Louise handed £250,000 .
On turning 18 he asked his mother to look after the cash until he was older .
But two years later she admitted she had spent every penny of the cash .
Mr Gray took her to court and she has been ordered to pay back £43,750 .
Richard Gray was one of seven passengers murdered on Circle Line by Shehzad Tanweer . |
226,413 | b12a4c2ae25a3456cff994901fde3f480d677cc4 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 00:22 EST, 29 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 29 September 2013 . Five young friends were killed early on Saturday morning after their car careened off a road in Burbank, California and burst into flames with the passengers trapped and injured inside. Those killed were last night identified by tributes at the scene and online. They were named - but not officially confirmed - as Sameer Nevarez, Sugey Cuevas, Stephen Stoll, Malak Hariri and Sebastian Forero, they were all 22 or younger. The car's sole survivor was said to be Savannah Underwood, 18, who was found by police about 50 yards away from the charred Nissan sedan when they arrived shortly after 4 a.m. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Malak Hariri is one of the victims believed to have been killed in the horrific accident in Burbank, California . Fatalities: Stephen Stoll (left) and Sebastian Forero (right) were both killed in the shocking accident . Ms Underwood suffered a broken leg and was being treated for non-life threatening injuries at the Los Angeles County Medical Center, according to Sergeant Darin Ryburn, who added the girl’s father was at her bedside. The five young adults all appear to have been friends since attending Burbank High School and graduated within the past few years. Tributes poured in from the school community and devastated family and friends of those who died. ‘Heaven gained 5 angels today and . they gave us clear skies and a beautiful day. Rest in paradise. You will . never be forgotten,’ wrote Jamie Hizzle. A relative of Malak Hariri simply wrote: 'No words'. 'She's a very smart girl, very good girl, very respectful girl. She never had problems at home with us," said Suhilah Hariri, another relative told Fox News. Scorched: The Nissan sedan burst into flames after the car careened off the road . Also killed: Sugey Cuevas was trapped inside and killed when the vehicle burst into flames . Too soon: Malak Hariri died just years after graduating high school . Officials said they were still looking into the cause of the accident but feared speed could have been a factor. The curving stretch of roadway has a posted 45 mph speed limit, but vehicles often fly off the freeway at speeds closer to 70 mph, and accidents have happened in the area in the past, according to authorities. The accident took place around 4am but by the time the emergency services reached the vehicle it was too late. Fire Battalion Chief Ron Barone told Fox: 'There was absolutely no possibility of any rescue whatsoever'. Lone survivor: Savannah Underwood, 18, somehow survived the accident after being ejected from the car . | All five young adults appear to have been friends since high school and all graduated within the past few years .
Savannah Underwood, 18, is the lone survivor, suffered only a broken leg .
The cause of the accident is still being investigate . |
66,293 | bc137f6460a49efae683f212d6b980e8187c2aa9 | X Factor back on top in ratings war after Saturday's live show beats Strictly Come Dancing . By . Emily Sheridan . Last updated at 3:02 PM on 7th November 2011 . It was a big shock in The X Factor with show favourites The Risk and Johnny Robinson being voted off in a double elimination. Flamboyant Robinson was voted off after going head-to-head in a sing-off with fellow Over-25s act Kitty Brucknell. And surprisingly, Brighton wildboy Frankie Cocozza managed to stay another week, despite his panned performance on Saturday night. Farewell: Johnny Robinson puts on a brave face with his former mentor Louis Walsh . Game over: Charlie Healy and Derry Mensah of The Risk leave the X Factor studios for the final time . His mentor Louis was forced to choose between Robinson and Brucknell, admitting he thought the blonde singer was more likely to get a recording act. After it was announced that Robinson was going home, both Walsh and Gary Barlow shed a tear for the popular finalist. Choosing between his acts, Walsh said: 'They've . been incredible to work with. They were both incredible in the sing-off. I have to pick the person who I think in the real world who would get a . recording act and the act I'm gonna have to send home is Johnny.' Decision time: Johnny Robinson was voted off after a sing-off with Kitty Brucknell . Shock factor: The Risk (L-R) Charlie Healy, Andrew Merry, Ashford Campbell and Derry Mensah were the first to leave . Joining Robinson on stage, who appeared to accept his fate with good humour, Walsh added: 'This guy is a brilliant singer, he's a great character, he's gonna have a great career. I hate to see him go home.' Robinson said: 'I wanna thank everyone who have got behind me. All the judges, everyone out there in the UK who accepted me for just being me.' Unemployed Robinson, 45, sang The Righteous Brothers' Unchained Melody, while Brucknell, 26, sang Kelly Clarkson's Beautiful Disaster. Our acts have gone: Both mentors Louis Walsh and Tulisa Contostavlos were visibly upset . Farewell: Brucknell embraces Robinson after finding out he's going home . After the sing-off Tulisa said: 'I . get along with both of you really well. I've got to go with the act that . I look forward to watching perform each week so the act I'm sending . home this week is Johnny.' Kelly lamented: 'The act that I'm looking to that is gonna provide us with something more in the competition is Johnny.' Although . Rowland's decision cemented Robinson's departure, Barlow added: 'Johnny . is one of the nicest people in this competition.' Tough decision: Kelly Rowland chose Johnny, but Gary Barlow got emotional when he praised the singer's lovely character . While the pair fought for survival in a sing-off, boy band The Risk were eliminated straightaway after receiving lowest vote. The Risk's exit came as a shock as only a week ago they were second favourite to win the show by the bookies. But perhaps their recent change of line-up after Ashford Campbell, 16, replaced Ashley Baptiste may have affected their chances. Singing for survival: Brucknell sang Kelly . Clarkson's Beautiful Disaster while Robinson belted out The Righteous . Brothers' Unchained Melody . Group hug: Tulisa commiserates with The Risk after they hear they are heading home . Marcus Collins: 9/4 . Janet Devlin: 3/1 . Craig Colton: 7/2 . Misha B: 9/2 . Little Mix: 7/1 . Kitty Brucknell: 40/1 . Frankie Cocozza: 50/1 . (Ladbrokes) When . asked how they felt by Dermot O'Leary, The Risk singer Derry Mensah . said: 'I dunno what is it. I'm just happy we're here together.' Charlie . Healy added: 'We're The Risk, we're just gonna carry on,' while . bandmate Andrew Merry said: 'It's been a honour to sing with these . guys.' Tulisa's girl band . Little Mix were the first to find out they were through until next week, . followed by the new bookies favourite Marcus Collins. Despite landing in the bottom two last week, Manchester singer Misha B was thrilled to find out she was safe for another week. There was shock when Cocozza got through, with the singer evidently surprised he had managed to survive another week after his performance of The Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling the previous night. Surviving another week: Frankie Cocozza - the bookies' favourite to leave the show this weekend - amazingly stayed . Meanwhile, . X Factor alumni JLS and Florence And The Machines performed their . latest singles Take A Chance and No Light, No Light. The results show comes after X Factor managed to beat Strictly Come Dancing in the ratings war on Saturday night. A peak of 11million tuned in to watch the Club Classics-themed week on X Factor, compared to 10.5million with Strictly on BBC. And then there was one: Tulisa's sole remaining act Little Mix were first to find out they were through to next week . Monochrome: Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Contostavlos both opted for white dresses . | X Factor back on top in ratings war after Saturday's live show beats Strictly Come Dancing . |
78,896 | df9acd5a2ce58a096ffd101c09cceb36e93ca69c | Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after firearms and other weapons were found 'hidden' in a car. One man from West Yorkshire and six from the West Midlands are being questioned on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism following a series of arrests this week, police said today. News of the arrests comes a day after six people, including a white Muslim convert, were detained over an alleged plan to carry out a major terrorist attack, possibly during the Olympics. Police insist the 13 arrests in the last two days do not involve threats to the Games, set to begin in three weeks, and that there is nothing to suggest that two sets of arrests are linked to each other. But the counter-terror sweeps - and a false alarm yesterday that involved a bus filled with passengers - have raised anxiety in the run-up to the games. Arrested: British Muslim convert Richard Dart spent two years working for the Met Police. He was one of six people detained by police across London yesterday . Held: Three men have been charged with terrorism offences after a police operation in which firearms were found in a car stopped by police on the M1 . A West Midlands police spokesman said that officers found material including firearms following a routine stop on the M1 in South Yorkshire last weekend. He said: 'The arrests followed a routine stop of a vehicle by police between J33 and 34 on the southbound side of the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire on Saturday. The car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance. 'Firearms, offensive weapons and other material were later found hidden inside, prompting police to take action to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and others suspected of being involved. There were two firearms recovered. They are not automatic. They were not loaded and there was also a small amount of ammunition.' Police said three men aged 23, 26 and 27 from Sparkhill, Birmingham, were arrested on Tuesday morning. Three more suspects, a 22-year-old from Alum Rock, Birmingham, a 24-year-old from the Moseley area of the city, and a 22-year-old from Smethwick, West Midlands, were arrested on Wednesday evening. A 43-year old man from Kirklees, West Yorkshire, was detained yesterday in Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury. Detective Chief Superintendent Kenny Bell, head of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, said: 'As soon as the items were discovered in the impounded vehicle, our priority was to protect the public by pursuing and arresting those we believed to be involved.' Police said the contents of the car were undergoing forensic analysis and the suspects' homes had been searched. Detectives have been given extra time to question the three men arrested on Tuesday, after the initial 48-hour detention period ran out. They now have until next Tuesday morning to charge or release the men, or apply for a further warrant. All seven men are being held in the West Midlands. Terror raid: A home raided by Metropolitan Police officers in Stratford, east London, one mile from the Olympic Park just three weeks before the Games . Search: A police forensics officer works inside the premises looking for clues . The arrests come a day after a white Muslim convert who once worked as a BBC security guard was among six people arrested over an alleged plan to cause an atrocity in the UK. Also . among those detained was a former police community support officer, who . was arrested at a home just half a mile from the Olympic Stadium. In April last year Richard Dart, using the . name Salahuddin Al Britani, appeared in an internet video uploaded by a . Muslim group vowing to disrupt the wedding of Prince William and . Kate Middleton. Elswhere, Jahangir Alom, 26, who spent two years working for the Metropolitan Police, was also detained. The former police . community support officer, dubbed 'Blunkett Bobbies' because they were . introduced when David Blunkett was Home Secretary, and his two younger . brothers were arrested at 4am at their family . home half a mile from the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. The remaining two were a woman aged 30 and man of 21, who were . arrested at separate homes in West London yesterday, on suspicion of . being part of the terrorist plot. Last night, the suspects' alleged . targets were unclear, as was how it is alleged they planned to strike. But security sources described the arrests 'as very significant' and . counter-terrorism chiefs are convinced they have thwarted a major . attack. A policeman searches the garden of the East Stratford house while others stand guard at the front of the property . A neighbour caught the moment anti-terror police raided the house near the Olympic park . Officers can be seen in SAS-style outfits during the raid which happened at 4am . Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman Steve Field today insisted there was no sense of alarm at the spate of arrests so close to the start of the Summer Games. He said: 'We have been looking at the issue of security at the Olympics for some time and we have robust plans in place.' Yesterday's developments followed . months of surveillance and a recent, worrying increase in intelligence . 'chatter', prompting fears of an attack to coincide with the Olympics . and Paralympics. It is not thought that the suspects . were intending to target Games' venues or spectators. But detectives . fear Islamic radicals will try to maximise publicity with an attack – . anywhere in Britain – during the next two months. Jahangir Alom and his brothers Moybur . Alom, 18, and Alomgir Alom, 24, were arrested at the semi-detached . council home they share with their mother in Abbey Road, Stratford, East . London. One of the men was Tasered as dozens . of armed officers threw 'flash bang' grenades and stormed into their . family home. Neighbours screamed as police dressed in black . paramilitary-style clothing smashed down doors and smoke poured from the . windows. One said: 'I asked one police officer what was going on and he said it was an Olympic exercise.' All three brothers are British nationals from a large Bangladeshi family and attended the local Rokerby High School. Their father, Sheikh Alkas Ali, a chef, is understood to have returned to Bangladesh, where he and his wife were both born. The arrested men's brother-in-law . Salim Ahmed said they had once been acquaintances of radical preacher . Anjem Choudary. Jahangir also appeared in a Channel 4 documentary, My . Brother The Islamist, in which he drove several men to a meeting at a . mosque in Leeds. Jahangir spent two years working as a . Metropolitan Police community support officer in East London, before . leaving the force in May 2009. Smashed: A broken door which is thought to have been battered down by police as they arrested three people in Stratford . The scene in Abbey Road, Stratford, East London, just half a mile from the Olympic site . In a nine-minute interview posted on . YouTube, Jahangir – using the name Abu Khalid – said he once harboured . ambitions to become a chief inspector but later quit the police. His arrest was part of a London-wide . terrorist operation that saw Dart detained in the street and a man and . woman held at their home in Ealing, West London. Dart is a Muslim convert who . criticised Britain on TV while claiming benefits to live rent-free. He . also appeared in the documentary My Brother The Islamist, alongside . Jahangir Alom. A total of eight homes across London were being searched last night as officers looked for evidence of a plot. Scotland Yard said five men and one . woman were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or . instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000. 'Public . safety remains our overriding concern. Today's operation in London is . not linked to the Olympic and Paralympic games,' a spokesman added. The suspects can be detained for 14 days before officers must charge or release them. Britain's terror level is currently ranked as substantial - the third highest point on a five-point scale - and means an attack is a strong possibility. A spokeswoman for the Muslim Council of Britain said: 'Wanton acts of destruction have no place in Islam - terrorism has no faith.' Terror alert: Two police officers on duty outside the property in Stratford . Terror threat: During the Games the Olympic Park will be protected by the biggest peacetime security operation ever seen in Britain. The arrests were not linked to the games . Threat: Staff prepare for the Games at the Olympic Park as three terror suspects were arrested just a mile away . VIDEO: Caught on camera. Moment police raided house near Olympic Park yesterday . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | One man from West Yorkshire and six from West Midlands are detained .
Arrests followed 'routine stop' of a vehicle on M1 last Saturday .
Car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance .
'Firearms, offensive weapons and other material' found hidden inside .
News of arrests comes day after six people, including white Muslim convert, were detained over alleged plan to carry out a major terrorist attack . |
81,361 | e680a953cafd55f07fb2b71b46df2b9fa27c3fb0 | First year nursing students at Flinders University in Adelaide are outraged after being forced to resit a compulsory subject that's been described as a scam. The three week introductory course, Nursing Profession and Independent Learning or NURS1001, requires nursing students to score 100 per cent in all 25 quizzes in order to pass. Questions include the cost of printing at the university's library and the title of a student council magazine. Samantha Rose Jones, 20, questioned the relevance of such trivial questions in a recent post online and it seems as though she doesn't stand alone. First year nursing students at Flinders University in Adelaide are outraged after being forced to resit a compulsory subject that's been described as a scam . 'I feel let down and disappointed by Flinders Univesity,' she told MailOnline. Ms Jones, who's originally from NSW and achieved top of the state in the Higher School Certificate human services - assistant in nursing exam in 2012, described the unrealistic standards of the topic as 'a form of academic bullying'. 'I don't understand why the nursing students from our uni have a compulsory topic like this when students doing other degrees don't have to do it,' she said. Samantha Rose Jones, 20, questioned the relevance of such trivial questions in a recent post online and it seems as though she doesn't stand alone . 'To me it sounds like a great way to make easy money. It seems like a scam and a way of exploiting students.' Ms Jones was one of the students who failed the topic which commenced in March. 'I didn't get 100 per cent in the passport quiz. I got 97.22 per cent,' she said. 'I didn't know exactly where to get help. I emailed my tutor for help with answering these questions since I had almost used up my 5 attempts. Her vague response of "perhaps you are ticking too many boxes?" didn't help me, so I failed the questions about where to get help after trying to get help.' Ms Jones said students who fail NURS1001 are offered a supplementary quiz, which contains questions from all of the quizzes. 'In failing that, students are required to enroll in winter school at a cost of $750 for domestic students and $2800 for internationals,' she said. After Ms Jones disputed the fairness of her grading for nearly two months, her course co-ordinator Jan Thompson finally agreed to regrade her with a pass. But others haven't been so lucky. Ms Jones said many of her classmates who failed the topic are being forced to enroll in winter school to resit the topic. She's further angered at the fact that Ms Thompson advised her that she will not be making changes to the topic, despite numerous complaints from students who have since sent emails to the Dean of Nursing to fight their grade. The three week introductory course, Nursing Profession and Independent Learning or NURS1001, requires nursing students to score 100 per cent in all 25 quizzes in order to pass . Quiz questions include the cost of printing at the university's library and the title of a student council magazine . Students who fail must resit the topic for an extra $750 at winter school in order to move onto their next semester of studies . However another first year nursing student, who anonymously contacted MailOnline, believes the whole ordeal has been 'blown out of proportion'. 'I don't agree with the cost of the topic but it was designed to make it very easy to pass for everyone,' the student said. 'I really don't think it's much of an issue and it really isn't that hard to answer the questions correctly.' The student also said the introductory topic also helped newcomers like himself the opportunity create new friendships. Although Ms Jones agreed that some parts of NURS1001 was vital for her learning - including lab safety and mathematics - she argued that learning about learning about commas and full stops was 'total rubbish'. MailOnline has contacted Flinders University several times for a comment. But another first year nursing student, who anonymously contacted MailOnline, believes the whole ordeal has been 'blown out of proportion' | First year nursing students at Flinders University, Adelaide must attend a three week introductory topic NURS1001 .
Introduction to the Nursing Profession and Independent Learning requires students to score 100 per cent in all 25 quizzes in order to pass .
Students who fail must resit the topic for an extra $750 at winter school in order to move onto their next semester of studies . |
140,811 | 4213d5c56294a7727f2014862ec321c0f81c40f0 | (CNN)The man who stars as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma" seems as divinely appointed to the role as the leader he portrays was to the civil rights movement. David Oyelowo said it was seven years ago when he read the script for the film about the marches in the Alabama city and the fight to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He so felt God telling him the role of King was meant for him that he wrote the date down to remember it. But it was a long road for the British actor who was faced with everything from being little known beyond small parts in films like "The Last King of Scotland" to those connected to the film having a different vision for who should star. Yet Oyelowo never lost faith. He told CNN that he took the challenge of playing one of history's giants very seriously. "Doubt ... never really beset me," he said. "What did hit me were moments of feeling the weight ... and the responsibility to get it right." How do you pronounce 'Oyelowo'? Brad Pitt offers a singalong guide . The film focuses on three months in Selma, Alabama, in 1965 when nonviolent protesters held civil rights marches including "Bloody Sunday," when law enforcement clashed with demonstrators using billy clubs and tear gas on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge. Some lost their lives in the midst of the tension over the protests and Oyelowo said that in studying King he learned a great deal about how conflicted the leader felt during that time. "The thing that really struck me was the weight and the guilt he felt about the people who were killed," the actor said. Time magazine has called "Selma" "the film of the year" and noted that "This solid, expertly managed drama, with its stark images of good men standing up to entrenched government evil, has earned critical hosannahs and could be the breakout favorite among year-end contenders for the Academy Award." Oyelowo's performance has been hailed for embracing both King the legend and the man. "Oyelowo is superb in the central role of King, capturing his famous cadences without ever descending into mimicry," Christopher Orr wriote for The Atlantic. "This is a life-sized portrait of a larger-than-life figure, and never more so than in the scenes between King and his wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo), their marriage strained not only by the ever-present threat of violence but also by his own serial infidelities, which the movie handles with tact but does not shy away from." The star is not the only one who sees a greater hand in the project. Oprah Winfrey served as one of the producers on the film and has a small role. She told Variety she believes it's not accidental that the film, which will open nationwide on January 9, is being released at a time when the nation is once again focused on race in the wake of the controversial deaths of black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City. "Divine timing is what it is," said Winfrey, who also co-starred with Oyelowo in "Lee Daniels' The Butler" and has become his mentor. Oscar buzz is ever present for the movie in every category from best picture to best director for Ava DuVernay, who could become the first African-American woman nominated in the category. In addition to Winfrey, Brad Pitt also played a producing role, and the film festival circuit seems to have fallen in love with the movie. Filming, which happened in Alabama and Atlanta, was intense, Oyelowo said, especially filming King's speech at the state capital in Montgomery. (The speeches in the film are approximations, because the King family reportedly blocked using the actual speeches.) Oyelowo said he had an eerie feeling in the days leading up to it. "I felt this bizarre feeling of death around me," he said. "He had consistently been told not to make that speech as there was a real fear of possible assassination. At the end of the day I felt almost surprised that I would be alive. I know that sounds strange, but I feel like I had so deeply entrenched myself that I could feel some of the fears he must have felt." Oyelowo prepped meticulously for the role: shaving his hairline back, gaining weight, losing his British accent, reading and studying film of King. He's humble about a possible best actor Oscar nod (he's already been nominated for several other awards, including a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award), but said he is beyond satisfied with his performance. "I know I gave it everything I possibly could," he said. "I am my own worst critic and the point beyond which I am happy to leave it alone is knowing there wasn't one single thing I could do differently." | The British actor is winning raves for his performance .
He has a spiritual connection to the role .
Oprah Winfrey calls the project "divine timing" |
141,393 | 42d49eb3d6599541611928d705b76ba7db096c9f | (CNN) -- There had been no confirmed deaths in the United States related to swine flu as of Tuesday afternoon. But another virus had killed thousands of people since January and is expected to keep killing hundreds of people every week for the rest of the year. People are nervous about swine flu, but the regular flu kills 36,000 people a year in the United States. That one? The regular flu. An outbreak of swine flu that is suspected in more than 150 deaths in Mexico and has sickened dozens of people in the United States and elsewhere has grabbed the attention of a nervous public and of medical officials worried the strain will continue to mutate and spread. Experts are nervous that, as a new strain, the swine flu will be harder to stop because there aren't any vaccines to fight it. But even if there are swine-flu deaths outside Mexico -- and medical experts say there very well may be -- the virus would have a long way to go to match the roughly 36,000 deaths that seasonal influenza causes in the United States each year. "That happens on an annual basis," Dr. Brian Currie said Tuesday. Currie is vice president and medical director at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. Since January, more than 13,000 people have died of complications from seasonal flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly report on the causes of death in the nation. No fewer than 800 flu-related deaths were reported in any week between January 1 and April 18, the most recent week for which figures were available. The report looks at deaths in the 122 largest cities in the United States. Worldwide, the annual death toll from the flu is estimated to be between 250,000 and 500,000. About 9 out of 10 of those deaths are among people older than 65, Currie said. Most times, they already have health problems that the flu makes worse, he said. "Regular influenza can be taxing," he said. "It causes their underlying disease to decompensate and then they don't have the reserves to get through it. "While it may not be the direct cause listed on the death certificate, it certainly contributed." One of the reasons medical experts are nervous about the swine flu outbreak is that many of the people who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy. The strains found in the United States have so far been weaker. But even the regular flu is sometimes fatal for younger victims. "It's not unheard of. It happens, either directly from influenza or they get a bacterial superinfection" like staph, said Currie. While researchers haven't developed a vaccine to fight the new swine flu, it can be treated with antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, the same drugs used on the regular flu. Many times, seasonal flu itself is tough to prevent because it has mutated to a form different than it was when the vaccine was made. Seeking to put the swine flu outbreak in perspective Tuesday, Los Angeles County public health officer Dr. Jonathan Fielding echoed other public officials calling it "cause for concern, but not for alarm." "Given the size of L.A. County, given the traffic between here and Mexico, it would be very surprising if we didn't have any cases," Fielding said. He said the county, where the CDC had confirmed 10 cases of swine flu by Tuesday, sees more than 1,000 flu-related deaths every year. "So it would also not be surprising if there were deaths with swine flu -- even if it had the pattern of seasonal flu," he said. "Thus far, the pattern we see in the United States is very similar to that of seasonal flu -- relatively mild to moderate cases." CNN's Samira Simone and KC Wildmoon contributed to this report. | Swine flu getting focus, but so far it's not deadly in United States .
Since January, more than 13,000 have died of complications from seasonal flu .
Worldwide annual death from the flu estimated between 250,000 and 500,000 .
About 9 out of 10 flu deaths are among people older than 65 . |
26,168 | 4a2b67cea7fdd69b1c3d9d77d57e1550bddcaeca | Frances Moore was 18 when she was hired to help out for the holidays at an Alabama jewelry store in 1939 and she's still there today. The 93-year-old Birmingham woman is celebrating 75 years as an employee of the family-owned Bromberg & Co. She's the longest-tenured employee at one of the nation's oldest family-owned retailers. Moore, then a teenager, was hired to polish silver on Nov. 21, 1939, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president and before the United States entered World War II. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Frances Moore, 93, is pictured putting a tag on a necklace at Bromberg & Co. jewelry in Mountain Brook, Alabama . She made $8 a week initially, but she was happy since the trolley ride to work only cost only 7 cents. She soon transferred to gift wrap. By around 1970, Moore was managing the company's multimillion-dollar jewelry inventory. 'I didn't think I'd live 75 years let alone work for somebody 75 years,' Moore said in an interview Monday as she put tags on rings and bracelets for sale. Moore said her parents taught her to work hard and Bromberg's is a good employer, so she never left. She retired from full-time work a few years ago but still comes in to sort and tag jewelry. She's also done some other jobs for the company through the years, including refinishing silver and arranging flowers. Frances Moore, 93, sorts bags of necklaces at Bromberg & Co. jewelry in Mountain Brook . 'Anything I wanted to do in the store I started going it,' she said. 'I'd go move from one department to the other because I just like going around in the store and looking at the pretty things.' Bromberg said Moore is still a valued employee who contributes to the bottom line. The company honored her with a breakfast on Friday, the anniversary of her hiring. Moore, who has outlived two husbands and has no children, still lives at home but says church friends help her clean and cook. Friends or relatives typically drive her to work at the Bromberg's store in Mountain Brook. Moore said she plans to keep working as long as the can. 'Last year I thought I was going to have to give up because of the fact I broke my hip several years ago, had knee surgery and all those things,' she said. 'But I snapped back every time.' | Frances Moorehas outlived two husbands and has no children .
She started working at the Alabama jewelry store in 1939 when she was 18 . |
130,581 | 34df65658ccfd42abbdffca89b67dbd21373705c | (CNN) -- Events continue to unfold at a rapid pace in Ferguson, Missouri. The city has been in turmoil since August 9, when white city police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager. Protesters and law enforcement officers have clashed in the streets for several nights. Here are the latest developments for Wednesday: . Officer Wilson's backers confronted . Two supporters of Darren Wilson took to the streets of Ferguson on Wednesday evening, saying they wanted to express their views just like those calling for Wilson's arrest. They quickly had company, as dozens of Brown family backers quickly converged on them -- some of them angrily confronting them. The commotion ended quickly, however, when police came and took the two Wilson backers away. Soon thereafter, strong thunderstorms rolled through the area and put a damper on the protests. Officer suspended after threatening protester . A police officer was "relieved of duty and suspended indefinitely" Wednesday after pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at a "peaceful" protester in Ferguson, St. Louis County police said. Video showed the officer using vulgarity to threaten a protester, as the pointed his rifle at the protester. The officer -- from nearby St. Ann, one of many communities who have contributed officers to the force charged with keeping the peace in Ferguson -- was soon thereafter led away by a St. Louis County police sergeant. Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who is heading security in Ferguson, said he was "disturbed" by the video, adding that the officer's actions "disrespect" those officers who have shown restraint over the past two weeks. Attorney General Holder visits Ferguson . The nation's top federal law enforcement official, Eric Holder, paid a visit Wednesday to Ferguson -- talking with community leaders, students, and the parents of Michael Brown. The U.S. Justice Department, which Holder heads, is conducting a civil rights investigation into Brown's shooting. Dozens of FBI agents have interviewed witnesses. Authorities would have to prove some element of "racial hostility" to convict Wilson on a civil rights charge, CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin notes. Holder met with and complimented Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and also addressed students at a local community college. Holder he talked about his own experiences as a black man dealing with racial profiling as he told those in the crowd, "I understand that mistrust" of police. Prosecutor: Grand jury won't be done for months . St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch told CNN affiliate KMOV that his office would begin presenting its case on this matter to a grand jury on Wednesday. But the end is still far off: McCulloch estimated his office won't be done presenting evidence until mid-October. Many Brown family supporters have asked that McCulloch be taken off the case, with St. Louis Alderman Antonio French saying that his "relationship with the African-American community has not been good for a long time." Yet McCulloch has shown no sign of leaving his post. Gov. Jay Nixon could decide to appoint a special prosecutor in his place, but he hasn't given any indication he'll do so. In fact, McCulloch went on the offensive after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon tried to deflect calls for the prosecutor's ouster by saying it was up to the prosecutor to recuse himself. PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENTS: . Violence but no looting, no tear gas . As midnight approached late Tuesday, it looked like protesters and police had managed to pull off a night of peace, but officers donned riot gear and formed a line in front of local businesses, commanding a crowd in a parking lot to clear out. A bottle flew at the officers, setting off a powder keg of tensions, with police sprinting after and arresting people and more bottles flying at them -- some plastic, some glass. Highway patrol Capt. Ron Johnson told journalists that "criminals" had also thrown urine on police. Riot police presence ballooned, dogs and pepper spray came out briefly, and officers arrested 47 people. Two guns were confiscated from a car. But gone were the tear gas, rubber bullets, and Molotov cocktails that had marred protests overnight Monday. Michael Brown's family: . Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, told NBC's "Today" show that the only way to end the unrest is "justice" -- which her family and their supporters have repeatedly tied to the arrest of the police officer who killed Brown. "Justice will bring peace, I believe," McSpadden said. The family's attorney, Benjamin Crump, also announced that Brown's funeral will be held Monday. The police officer: . Darren Wilson, 28, who has six years on the force with no disciplinary issues on his record, is on paid administrative leave. If he returns to duty, he would have to undergo two psychological evaluations, authorities said. Wilson has garnered more and more public support in recent days. That includes a rally held for him in St. Louis and a fundraising effort that had raised more than $36,000 from nearly 1,000 people as of Tuesday. School closures: . The situation remains so unstable that the Ferguson-Florissant School District said it is canceling classes for the rest of the week. Two nearby districts -- Jennings and Riverview Gardens -- opted to remain closed again Tuesday as well, according to CNN affiliate KMOV. In light of the closure, the Ferguson-Florissant School District is offering food assistance -- in the form of sack lunches -- to children and teenagers at five elementary schools between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Complete coverage of Ferguson shooting and protests . Magazine: The Aftermath in Ferguson . Read more about the flash point in the Heartland at CNN.com/US . | NEW: A police officer is suspended for pointing an assault rifle at a protester .
NEW: Attorney General Holder meets with residents, Brown's parents .
NEW: Prosecutor: Grand jury likely won't get entire case until October .
NEW: Backers of police officer who shot Michael Brown are confronted . |
68,001 | c0f042a0ed07d64370061e5a38e29a19274255dc | West Ham are showing an interest in Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez. The 27-year-old had been lined up as a short-term option to replace Alex Song, who was expected to line up for Cameroon at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. But Song's shock decision to retire from international football could have a bearing on West Ham's decision process. West Ham however, will face competition from AC Milan, who are also exploring the option of taking Suarez on loan. Mario Suarez, in action for Atletico Madrid, is being pursued by West Ham and Italian giants AC Milan . Atletico Madrid midfielder Suarez was being considered as a short-term option to replace Alex Song . Manager Sam Allardyce meanwhile, will take a £7million offer for Winston Reid in this window should clubs come forward. Allardyce has admitted that Reid has 'no future' at West Ham and expects the defender to leave when his contract ends in the summer. Reid has refused to sign a new deal with the east London club and it now appears his five-year stay will come to an end on June 30 when his contract expires. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are monitoring the situation. | Suarez, 27, wanted as short-term option to replace Cameroon's Alex Song .
But Song's shock decision to retire from international football could have impact on whether West Ham continue to explore move .
Italian giants AC Milan are also interested in signing midfielder Suarez . |
4,421 | 0cc0269fcf9c5b6cc84f1df7146908ce4ba5773c | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 21:13 EST, 21 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:06 EST, 22 February 2013 . Little more than ten years ago, they were barely known and barely used. The only people who really knew of their existence were military experts who used them for secretive surveillance missions. But following a decade of conflict fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, drones have become an essential and controversial tool for the U.S. military. Operators - who you imagine are rather fond of computer games - sit in offices in New York and Nevada and direct the unmanned, missile-carrying planes to their next targets. Secretive: Military drones have massively increased in popularity over the past decade. But there are now very real fears that they could be used by government's domestically. This is a German Mikrokopter . Controversial: President Obama signed a new law last year which opens up the possibility of police forces in the U.S. using drones. This image shows just how small some of them could be . As well as being used for spying, they are increasingly used to kill. And with an alarming accuracy. But with their popularity booming under the liberal-leaning President Obama, there are now very real concerns about their use on a more domestic level. In February last year, Obama signed a law directing America's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow drones to fly in American airspace by September 2015. As reported by National Geographic, they could be used for patrolling borders for illegal immigrants, hunting for criminals and even maintaining crops. A number of police forces in the U.S. have already shown an interest in using drones, with some likely to carry face-recognition software. Lethal: Drones have been used heavily by President Obama in Afghanistan to spy on targets and kill enemy fighters. This is an MQ-9 Reaper, armed with laser guided missiles . Future: A whole new fleet of drones, such as this one pictured, are currently being designed by aviation companies as well as government and university researchers . This has already caused a storm of opposition from across the political spectrum over the effecton personal privacy. And if they become a regular fixture in the U.S, then it seems increasingly likely it is a matter of time before they are introduced into the skies of the UK. In the past decade drones have become a must-have weapon for the most advanced militaries in the world. Back in 2002, when America and the western world was looking down a barrel of conflict in some of the most dangerous and inhospitable locations on Earth, just 200 military drones were in use by the U.S. military. But, with the U.S. and UK fighting mobile enemies in a variety of locations, drones increased dramatically. The U.S. military has now deployed more than 11,000. And it is not just the U.S which is using them. More than 50 countries have drones, including China, Iran and Israel. Concerns: A number of police forces across the U.S. have already taken a keen interest in drones. This Seattle police officer shows off a drone recently, before the city's mayor banned their use by officers . Way forward: This Dragonflyer X6 helicopter was another drone owned by Seattle police before privacy concerns prevented them from being used . As well as saving money, they also save lives. Instead of sending pilots into war zones, military commanders can instead send an unmanned drone which is controlled thousands of miles away from danger. This has led some defence experts to suggest that within a generation they could replace most manned military aircraft. Talking point: Many of the images of drones used in this piece were first published in the March issue of National Geographic magazine, pictured . But it is now looking increasingly likely that drones will be deployed more domestically. A whole new fleet of drones are currently being designed by aviation companies as well as government and university researchers. And, perhaps frighteningly, some are just the size of a hummingbird. Following the law signed by Obama, it emerged recently that American authorities are increasing the number of licenses for surveillance drones. The FAA announced earlier this month that it had issued 1,428 permits to domestic drone operators since 2007, which is far more than were previously known. The permits have been issued to police, universities, transport departments and at least seven federal agencies for devices from unarmed Predators drones to model airplanes. The FAA estimates that as many as 10,000 drones could take to the skies by 2020. But this has sparked opposition in the U.S from across the political spectrum with many concerned about the effects of drones on personal privacy and government intrusion. Lawmakers in 15 states are already looking at plans to restrict drone use in their airspace amid concerns over spying. Earlier this month the mayor of Seattle even ordered the city's police to abandon its plan to use drones after protests from residents and privacy campaigners. | Unmanned drones have become President Obama's weapon of choice in war .
But fears are growing over their use on a domestic level .
Police forces in U.S already keen to deploy drones to catch criminals .
Campaigners across political spectrum left worried about personal privacy .
Images published in this article were first published in the March edition of National Geographic magazine . |
251,438 | d174be2b49543dea07da59bb719c415a1c6c9f80 | (CNN) -- Russia's policies on foreign adoptions made headlines when the government announced it would no longer allow Americans to adopt Russian children. But hidden away in Russian orphanages are thousands of children with disabilities who aren't orphans, whose harmful treatment has long been hidden from public view -- even from most Russians. When I visited a Russian orphanage last year as part of a human rights investigation, a volunteer led me to a crib where a boy under 3 feet tall, wearing a diaper, smiled at us. "This is Roman," she said. "He's 18 years old. He has Down syndrome." Roman reached for me to pick him up and I felt his protruding ribs. I could hardly believe he was 18. Yet the birthdates labeling the cribs of other equally frail and undersized children revealed that most were also teenagers with conditions including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and blindness. In fact, well over 165,000 children live in Russia's state orphanages for children with disabilities, comprising nearly 50% of the country's orphanage population. A 2012 report by an international children's advocacy organization noted that of 10 countries surveyed, Russia had the highest rate of children living in institutional care. The vast majority of children with disabilities living in Russian state orphanages have living parents, but many children are there after doctors gave parents dire assessments of their child's prospects for development. State orphanages are typically geographically isolated, and children living there are often cut off from their families and communities and from the variety of experiences available to other children, such as attending school. It is also often difficult for anyone not living or formally employed in these institutions to visit -- even children's parents. I spoke with parents of institutionalized children with disabilities who told me that staff discouraged them from regularly visiting their children or taking children home for weekend visits, on the basis that too much attention would "spoil" children and make it difficult for them to readjust to institutional routines. I visited 10 orphanages across Russia, gaining access to those few institutions where staff were willing to let me in. I spoke with children and activists who are fighting to protect their rights, and I learned that life in institutions, and the neglect, isolation and even violence it can entail, are what rob children of potential. In most orphanages I visited, staff relegated children they deemed to be "too disabled to learn," to separate wards where they lay in cribs with little attention except to change their diapers or adjust their feeding tubes. Members of staff used rags to tie many children's heads, limbs and torsos to their cribs or other furniture, or sedated children to prevent them from trying to leave their rooms or from knocking their heads against crib railings. Orphanage staff told me many children forgot how to walk after months of being tied up or confined. It is tempting to attribute these children's conditions to lack of material resources, yet that was not the issue. I saw playrooms with new dolls, books and games arranged out of children's reach. I saw wheelchairs stacked in hallways, while children who could have been on the playground lay in their cribs. One activist told me that the majority of children with disabilities in Russian orphanages receive little or no education. Due to such a lack of attention, education, health care and adequate nutrition, children's disabilities grow more pronounced, or children develop new impairments. Psychologists and other child development specialists agree that life in institutions contributes to physical underdevelopment, stunted intellectual development, and difficulties forming stable relationships. Violence that children may experience in institutions can lead to severe developmental delays, additional disabilities, and irreversible psychological harm. The reality is that the sooner children are moved out of orphanages and into families, the better their chances of making up for lost time. I met many Russian children with disabilities whose birth, foster, or adoptive parents raised them to be active, happy children, despite the gloomy predictions of doctors and adoption officials. School-age children who could neither walk nor talk learned to do so after loving parents adopted them or took them home and marshaled resources for them to study and receive health care. Russia's international human rights obligations include ensuring that children are not separated from their parents against their will, and protecting children from all forms of violence and neglect. The government has taken steps in this direction, including a strategy outlining plans to reduce the use of institutional care and curb child abandonment during 2012-2017. But this and other federal policies lack clear plans for implementation. As I undertook my research, I met social workers, psychologists and disability rights experts who tell parents of newborns with disabilities about positive examples of families who have raised children with disabilities. I visited organizations that provide these families with services such as parents' support groups. And I met activists who shepherd prospective Russian foster and adoptive parents through bureaucratic red tape so they can take children home. So many of the children I saw would be better served if the government focused on maintaining a network of support services to keep children with their families and in their communities, rather than rely on what is currently an abusive orphanage system. There is a network of caring people already. What it needs is government support and the will to make this happen. | Andrea Mazzarino: Many nonorphan kids with disabilities in Russian orphanages .
State orphanages are typically geographically isolated, she says .
Lack of attention, adequate nutrition make disabilities grow more pronounced, she says . |
56,901 | a12ff185e3495623dd881dab2ca4843d53846217 | From Shakepeare's terrifying crones to the Hansel and Gretel sorceress with a taste for cannibalism, witches have long exercised a malevolent hold on the popular imagination. Now the witch is the subject of a new exhibition at the British Museum which runs until January and charts the journey of the wicked enchantress from the medieval era to the beginning of the 20th century. Featuring works by Durer, Delacroix and Rossetti among others, it delves into the near universal terror of witches - and the equally dreadful consequences for the women caught up. Scroll down for video . Iconic: This engraving of the Three Weird Sisters is one of the most famous witch images ever made . But early witches weren't the horrid hags of the Middle Ages. Many, among them Lilith, thought to be the first wife of Adam and his equal, sorceress Circe and Hercules' unfaithful wife Medea, were as beautiful as they were powerful. The theme of the witch as a powerful woman resurfaced again in the Middle Ages, when witches, although no longer lovely to look at, were presented as having the ability to control the weather or strike down grown men and infants alike. Pagan associations with classical gods and goddesses, in particular Diana the Huntress, compounded the malevolent reputation of the witch as Christian priests railed against what they saw as an abomination and a heresy. But although most witches were women, men and children were also accused of witchcraft during the medieval period as people, seeing catastrophes such as the Black Death and internecine warfare unfold around them, blamed sorcery for their ills. Terrifying: Works by Hans Baldung Grien (left) and Albrecht Durer (right) entrenched the idea of evil witches . Unsurprisingly, this led to persecution, mostly of women, with attempts to eradicate witchcraft gathering speed as the 14th century began. By 1563, it had been made a capital offence in Britain as well as in much of Western Europe; a law that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 200,000 women between 1484 and 1750. But the terror induced by the thought of witchcraft wasn't entirely the fault of imagination alone - as the new exhibition makes plain, the flowering of the arts went hand in hand with an uptick in witchcraft cases. Leading the charge were the print-makers, whose cheap and cheerful pamphlets, books and engravings meant that terrifying images of evil hags spread among all sections of the population. From 1500 onwards, pamphlets outlining the supposed malign powers of the witch became commonplace, while cheap copies of the notorious Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of the Witches) were available to all. Witch trials, as a result, became increasingly common during the 16th and 17th centuries, in particular during periods of civil unrest. Frightening: Veneziano's The Witches’ Rout (The Carcass) is typical of the terrifying witches of the 15th century . Terror: Witches were often depicted riding supernatural creatures as seen here in Jan de Bisschop's work . Much of the art that fuelled them, however, was striking. Among them were single-sheet prints made by the Renaissance print-makers Albrecht Dürer and Hans Baldung Grien - both of which rapidly became popular with collectors. One that did particularly well was Grien's The Witches' Sabbath, a colour woodcut print from 1510 that depicts four nude female figures sitting on the ground with a cauldron. The cauldron is emitting big plumes of smoke and traces of a potion with frogs round the figures, the ground is littered with bones, pitchforks and to the right of the image a cat is sitting with its back turned. In the night sky, another two witches, one barely visible, the other riding a goat and carrying a pitchfork with another cauldron and animal bones. The figure of a witch riding backwards on a goat in Baldung’s work is said to have been inspired by Dürer’s engraving of the very same name. Made circa 1500, A Witch Riding Backwards on a Goat is an allegory for how witchcraft was thought to reverse the natural order of things, so the hair of the witch streams out in one direction, while the goat and the trail of drapery go the other way. Change: Works such as the Siren Vase showed witches as beauties - a stance embraced by the Victorians . Finely wrought: However horrid their subject matter, works by Luis Paret y Alcazar and Goya remain lovely . But not every witch was depicted as a horrid hag. Witches were also shown as bewitching seductresses intent on ensnaring their male victims, a type loved by Giovanni Battisa Castiglione, an artist famous for his etchings of Circe. By contrast, Francisco de Goya turned the subject of witches into an art form all of its own and took the grotesque to new heights courtesy of his penchant for compositions that showed women conducting hideous activities on animals and children. During the eighteenth century, Henry Fuseli’s Weird Sisters from Macbeth influenced generations of theatre-goers, and illustrations of Goethe’s Faust were popularised by Eugène Delacroix. By the end of the 19th century, hideous old hags with distended breasts and snakes for hair were mostly replaced by sexualised and mysteriously exotic sirens, most famously in Dante Gabriel Rossetti's depictions of Lilith. This new approach to witches was mirrored in the treatment of suspected witches in the real world too, with witch trials and burnings finally consigned to history as the 20th century dawned. | Witches & Wicked Bodies includes works by Durer, Goya and Delacroix .
Charts the history of witchcraft and persecution of witches in Britain .
More than 200,000 women hanged for witchcraft between 1484 and 1750 .
Witches & Wicked Bodies runs until the 11th January at the British Museum . |
177,184 | 715fa2a104d4392d169481bdc10ae7ecc6303ca6 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:18 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:19 EST, 10 January 2013 . The grandfather who helped his wife and five grandchildren escape . a Tasmanian bushfire by leading them to safety under a jetty returned . to his house to find it completely destroyed, he revealed today. Tim Holmes, 62, built his home himself but was helpless to save it as 'tornadoes of fire' swept through his village of Dunalley. As they became surrounded by flames, his only option was to shepherd his family into the sea, where they sought refuge for nearly three hours before fleeing in a dinghy. Hero: Grandfather Tim Holmes led his wife and grandchildren into the sea as a last resort as he watched the fires destroy the house he had built himself . They were later reunited with the children's mother, who feared they had all perished after hearing they had become trapped in the water. Mr Holmes said: 'It’s all gone, every . last item, but it’s a great sense of relief to think that we lost not . one hair on a child’s head. 'All . the things that we've lost, yeah, there's some precious memories there. But they can be replaced, material things. 'But my . wife and children, not so easily replaced. Yeah, I just feel blessed . that my family's all together.' Speaking after their emotional reunion, the children's mother, Bonnie Walker, said she 'prayed like I . never prayed before' that her family would survive. She had left her children - Charlotte, two, Esther, four, Caleb, six, Liam, nine, and . Matilda, 11 - in the care of her parents on Monday as she had to attend a funeral. My little miracle: Bonnie Walker hugs youngest daughter, Charlotte, two, as she tells of her relief and joy that her family had survived the Tasmanian wildfires by taking refuge in the sea . My prayers were answered: Mrs Walker feared her family had all been killed after hearing they had been cut off by the fires that ripped through the town of Dunalley . Brave: Mrs Walker's children tell how the fire came at them in all directions leaving them trapped in the sea . Together again: Friends and loved ones embrace after the family's miraculous escape from the wildfires . But it was only after leaving the area she realised the marauding wildfires had swept into the village. Mrs Walker drove to the service in the capital Hobart as fire . ravaged the land either side of her and just made it through before the . flames crossed the road and cut her off from her family. Meanwhile, her husband, David, was hiking along Tasmania's southern coastline unaware of the unfolding drama. She told Australia's ABC network: 'We just waited by the phone and received . a message at 3.30pm to say that mum and dad had evacuated, that they . were surrounded by fire, and could we pray. 'So I braced myself to lose my children and my parents.' Mr Holmes told how he and his wife Tammy led their five . grandchildren into the sea as their only hope as he watched the house he had built himself go up in flames. Clinging on for dear life: Grandmother Tammy Holmes (second left) takes refuge under a jetty with her five grandchildren (l-r) two-year-old Charlotte, four-year-old Esther, nine-year-old Liam, eleven-year-old Matilda and six-year-old Caleb Walker. Mr Holmes took the picture as he feared their mother might not see them again . Escaping the flames: The family's pet dog Polly also sought safety on the jetty as the family huddled together in the water . Divine intervention: A building burns near the jetty. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in their town of Dunalley as the country was hit with record temperatures . Even there, their . terror was not over as flames licked the wooden jetty they clung to and . they struggled to breathe in the smoke-filled air. With . the oxygen supply quickly running out in the polluted air, Mr Holmes 'rallied against all the odds' to retrieve . the dinghy from the foreshore. The ordeal was photographed by 62-year-old Mr Holmes, who . moved to Australia from Wales, as he feared his daughter my never see her children alive again. The iconic image of them huddling under the jetty has now been seen around the world. Mr Holmes said: 'We saw tornadoes of . fire just coming across towards us and the next thing we knew everything . was on fire, everywhere, all around us. 'By that time I had sent Tammy with the children to go down to the jetty because there was no escape, we couldn't get off.' Bracing themselves: The children prepare to enter the water to take refuge under the jetty as the wildfire rips through their grandparents' home . After . two and half hours in the water, he found a dinghy and ferried the . family to safety. ‘We had water up to our chins and could barely . breathe, it was so toxic,’ he said. Mr Holmes told how he sent his . wife, their grandchildren and pet dog Polly to the nearby sea jetty when . he saw smoke from the looming wildfire rise from a nearby ridge. Despite the arrival of three fire trucks, the 62-year-old realised he could not defend the home he had built himself. 'I looked at the firefighters and said, "I have to go to Tammy and the kids",' he told the West Australian. 'For . the next two-and-a-half hours, we huddled under the jetty as the fire . intensified and produced a plume of smoke, ash and debris that left us . with very little oxygen. 'There . were times when we had to move out deeper because it was too hot and . there were times when the jetty itself caught fire. I was able to scoop . some water onto the jetty and put it out.' Thanked God: The children's mother, Bonnie Walker, was unaware of the impending danger when she drove off to attend a funeral and feared her family had been killed when she heard of the devastation . They eventually made their way to safety as the fire burnt itself out. The family credits God with their survival from the fire went on to destroy more than 100 homes in the village. Mrs Walker said: 'I spent a lot of time with good friends and prayed like I've never prayed before and I think those prayers have been answered.' Meanwhile, it emerged today that raging bushfires in south-east Australia are heading towards an army range littered with unexploded bombs. The . blaze at Dean's Gap, in New South Wales, is just a kilometre away from . an area that the military used as a bombing range until the 1970s. Firefighters . are confident that they can stop the fires, which are the result of . soaring temperatures and protracted spells of intensely hot temperatures . that have been felt in all corners of the country. Fires continue to cause concern in western, central and southern areas, and Tasmania has been hit particularly hard. A large blaze is still burning out of control by the Tasman peninsula, near areas already hit by major blazes over the weekend. More than 20,000 hectares of land and 120 homes have been destroyed, but no deaths have been reported. VIDEO: Family tells of their incredible escape from wildfire . | Tim Holmes, 62, says he is relieved 'we lost not .
one hair on a child’s head'
Led family into sea as they became surrounded by blaze in Tasmanian village .
Mr Holmes said: 'We saw tornadoes of fire just coming towards us'
He took photo of them under jetty fearing mother might not see them again . |
278,973 | f56d7b1076ecb90950698bced52ce5deb006c11b | Moscow (CNN) -- Russia said Wednesday that it blamed "unfriendly" actions by Britain for a recent diplomatic spat that led both nations to expel each others' diplomats. "The British side has recently took an unfriendly step, groundlessly declaring persona non grata a diplomat at the Russian Embassy in London. We were compelled to take a similar step in response," a statement on the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "It is regretful that the actions of the British side were undertaken at a moment when our relations with Britain have just started to improve. The initiators of this incident bear full responsibility for its consequences." The statement comes after the United Kingdom expelled a Russian diplomat on suspicion of spying, and Russia kicked out a British embassy staffer in Moscow in retaliation. Britain asked the Russian to leave on December 10 "in response to clear evidence of activities by the Russian intelligence services against U.K. interests," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Tuesday. Russia told the British diplomat to leave Moscow on December 16, Hague said. Hague said there was not "any basis" for the expulsion. CNN's Maxim Tkachenko contributed to this report. | London expels a Russian diplomat on suspicion of spying .
Russia expels a British embassy staffer in response .
London says the Russian embassy staffer was working "against UK interests" |
19,319 | 36b265a6c7a4123eeb2a1e3f2b4a8493a20393b4 | (CNN) -- Organizers of the music festival in rural Illinois where Tila Tequila was attacked last weekend said they warned the reality TV star that it was dangerous for her to take the stage. The former Playboy model and singer "seemed to mock and further antagonize the crowd" by exposing her breasts, the organizers said in a statement Wednesday. Tequila was cut and bruised when the "Gathering of the Juggalos" audience pelted her with rocks and bottles, eventually chasing her from the stage. She has vowed to force the festival into bankruptcy with a lawsuit. The annual event attracts mostly young fans of the hip-hop group Insane Clown Posse. Tequila, who was performing rap songs from her upcoming album, was eventually chased from the festival grounds by the fans, who refer to themselves as juggalos and juggalettes. Cuts on her face required stitches. And her body is covered with bruises, Tequila said. A written statement from organizers and Insane Clown Posse called the violence "extremely unfortunate," but it said "Juggalo Gathering, LLC and Insane Clown Posse are not responsible." "Ms. Tequila was made aware, in advance, of her unpopularity with many Juggalos at the Gathering, but she insisted on performing," the statement said. She was paid in advance and told she could keep the money if she decided not to perform and that "she could leave the stage the minute that she felt uncomfortable," organizers said. Tequila did say in an interview Monday that she was told just before the show that there could be violence and that she did not have to take the stage. Video obtained by CNN showed Tequila standing her ground on stage for several minutes, continuing to perform her songs while several bodyguards tried to protect her. "I'm not going anywhere," she shouted back. The organizers said Tequila should have realized when "the crowd began to boo heavily and throw garbage" that "she was not welcome." "Her injuries were only sustained because of her refusal to leave the stage," they said. The assault subsided briefly when comedian Tom Green, who had performed earlier, diverted the crowd's attention with a dance. After Green left the stage, a large rock soared from the crowd, striking Tequila's face. Blood streamed down her cheek. "After several minutes, she even removed her top, exposing herself, which seemed to mock and further antagonize the crowd," the organizers said. "Finally, Gathering security pulled her off of the stage." Tequila, in a message posted on her Twitter account Wednesday, defended taking off her top: "If your face was drippin in blood, and your shirt was smeared in human feces and piss, umm im pretty sure you would take ur dam top off too!" Among her Twitter messages was this dig at the juggalos: "The only dumb thing I admit to doing, was actually showing the Juggalos LOVE. Which they know nothing about." Green described a mob of hundreds chasing Tequila from the stage and surrounding a trailer where she sought refuge. They rocked the trailer and smashed its windows, he said. Tequila eventually escaped, but only after windows in her sports utility vehicle were smashed, according to the Hardin County Sheriff Tom Seiner. Seiner said he has an open investigation. It would be "very hard" to identify the attackers, the sheriff said. The incident involving Tequila was not the only violence at the festival early Saturday. Seiner said a 49-year-old Georgia man was arrested as a suspect in the stabbing of another man in the abdomen just hours earlier. | Tequila's breasts antagonized juggalos, organizers say .
Insane Clown Posse: She could've kept her money without taking the stage .
Tequila suffered cuts and bruises during the show .
She has threatened to sue "Gathering of the Juggalos" organizers . |
165,328 | 61c8d5ad90b463b4fc36226959dae59186f0019a | Frank Lampard has revealed he could line up against his former Chelsea team-mates when Manchester City host the Blues later this month. Lampard was released by Chelsea after 13 trophy-laden years at Stamford Bridge last summer. He joined Major League Soccer’s latest team New York City only to seal a short-term deal with Premier League champions Man City. On the ball: Frank Lampard has joined Manchester City on a short-term deal after leaving Chelsea last summer . Once a blue: Lampard, who played over 600 gamess for Chelsea, could face his former team later this month . There had been some suggestion Lampard, who played 648 times for Chelsea, would dodge facing his former colleagues when they travel to Manchester on September 21. But the 36-year-old, who announced his retirement from international football last month, insists he will make himself available for selection for Manuel Pellegrini. ‘The way I feel about Chelsea fans, it wouldn’t be a problem to play in front of them again,’ said Lampard. Eyes on the prize: Lampard celebrates Chelsea's Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich in 2012 . ‘I haven’t broached it with the manager yet but I am sure we will speak about it. I don’t think it would be right for me to declare now that I didn’t want to play because what happens if City get two or three injuries in midfield?’ Speaking to The Sun, Lampard added: ‘Am I going to allow them to play a kid there when they are paying my wages? On a professional note, I have to get my head round that one. ‘As a Chelsea player I would never have acted like that and I don’t want to start now. Whatever I do, it will be with completely the right intentions on all fronts.’ | Lampard was released by Chelsea last summer after 13 trophy-laden years .
He joined New York City before sealing a loan deal to the Etihad Stadium .
The former England international could face his former club later this month . |
142,929 | 44d94afcffb940e3690ef9388e07aede06319f26 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:17 EST, 22 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:02 EST, 22 March 2013 . The Syrian president Bashar Assad has vowed to 'cleanse' the country of Muslim extremists whom he blames for a suicide blast that killed dozens of people, including a top Sunni preacher who was a staunch supporter of his regime. Today British scientists working for MI6 were . testing soil smuggled out of Syria following reports the Assad regime . used nerve gas in an attack on rebel soldiers. A team at Porton Down, the Ministry of Defence's chemical research centre in Wiltshire is testing the soil for traces of the nerve agent Sarin, the Daily Telegraph reported. Threat: Syrian president Bashar Assad, pictured here greeting people in Damascus on Wednesday, has pledged to 'cleanse' the country of Muslim extremists following a suicide attack on a mosque . Rebels claim forces loyal to . President Bashar Assad used the gas during an attack near Aleppo on . Tuesday. The US and the UN have announced they are also investigating the claims. If Syria is found to have used . chemical weapons it will increase the pressure on the UN to approve . military intervention in the country. In a warning to rebels battling . to topple his regime, the Syrian leader pledged that his troops will . 'wipe out' and clean the country of the 'forces of darkness'. Casualty: A Syrian man is covered in dust as he walks outside a damaged building following an attack by Syrian forces in which chemical weapons were allegedly used . A man allegedly injured by chemical weapons smiles during a visit by officials from the rebel-backed new Syrian administration at a hospital . in Aleppo . Aftermath: Syrian citizens search for dead bodies in the rubble of damaged buildings that were attacked by airstrikes, at al-Zarazir neighborhood, in Aleppo . Assad's statement came as the Syrian . Health Ministry raised the death toll from the Thursday night bombing in . Damascus to 49, after seven of the wounded died overnight in hospital. In the attack, a suicide bomber blew . himself up inside a mosque in the heart of the Syrian capital, killing . Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti as he was giving a sermon. The . blast also wounded 84 people. Killed: Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old Sunni cleric and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad was killed in a suicide bombing in the Eman Mosque in Damascus . It was one of the most stunning . assassinations of the two-year civil war and marked a new low in the . conflict: while suicide bombings blamed on Islamic extremists fighting . with the rebels have become common, the latest attack was the first time . a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a mosque. The grandson . of the 84-year-old al-Buti was among those killed in the attack. In . the statement carried by Syria's state SUNA news agency, Assad said . al-Buti represented true Islam in facing 'the forces of darkness and . extremist' ideology. 'Your . blood and your grandson's, as well as that of all the nation's martyrs . will not go in vain because we will continue to follow your thinking to . wipe out their darkness and clear our country of them," said Assad. Syria's . crisis started in March 2011 as peaceful protests against Assad's . authoritarian rule. The revolt turned into a civil war as some . opposition supporters took up arms the fight a harsh government . crackdown on dissent. The U.N. says more than 70,000 people have been killed since. It was not immediately clear when al-Buti's funeral would take place. The government declared Saturday as a . day of mourning and state-run Syrian TV halted its regular programs on . Friday to air readings from the Muslim holy book, the Quran, as well as . speeches of the late cleric. Al-Buti was the most senior religious figure to be killed in Syria's civil war and his slaying was a major blow to Assad. The preacher had been a vocal . supporter of the regime since the early days of Assad's father and . predecessor, the late President Hafez Assad, providing a Sunni cover and . legitimacy to their rule. Sunnis are the majority sect in Syria while . Assad is from the minority Alawite sect - an offshoot of Shiite Islam. The inside of the Eman Mosque after a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan and least 13 other people, according to Syrian state TV . Medics tend to a wounded patient following an explosion in the al-Mazraa neighbourhood in Damascus . In a speech earlier this month, al-Buti had said it was "a religious duty to protect the values, the land and the nation" of Syria. 'There is no difference between the army and the rest of the nation,' he said at the time - a clear endorsement of Assad's forces in their effort to crush the rebels. The mosque bombing was also among the most serious security breaches in Damascus. In July, an attack that targeted a high-level government crisis meeting killed four top regime officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister. Last month, a car bomb that struck in the same area, which houses the headquarters of Syria's ruling Baath party, killed at least 53 people and wounded more than 200. | Scientists at Porton Down are testing the soil for traces of Sarin gas .
Rebels claim state forces used it during an attack near Aleppo .
Suicide bomb attack on Damascus mosque killed a pro-Assad preacher . |
127,921 | 315c361ef95d8cbf1ca36d7804eeea8ac9c4e15e | Flop striker cost Sunderland £3.2million last January . 29-year-old played just eight games for Black Cats . Scocco failed to score for Sunderland and re-joins Newell's Old Boys . Newell's Old Boys have confirmed the signing of Sunderland striker Ignacio Scocco. The 29-year-old, known as 'Nacho', arrived on Wearside in January as Poyet invested £3.2million in his services in the search for goals to keep the Black Cats in the Barclays Premier League. Ultimately, it was a gamble which did not pay off as Scocco made only eight appearances and failed to find the back of the net. Flop: Ignacio Scocco has left Sunderland to join former club Newell's Old Boys . Former club Newell's Old Boys have been on his trail for several weeks and on Wednesday night got their man, with a tweet welcoming the Argentinian back to a club he has had two previous spells at. A tweet from the Argentinian club read: 'First of all, a fan of Newell's...welcome @nachoscocco32!' | Flop striker cost Sunderland £3.2million last January .
29-year-old played just eight games for Black Cats .
Scocco failed to score for Sunderland and re-joins Newell's Old Boys . |
144,104 | 4654903f2aa93bdf550f85aeeb3c72a054d2aa30 | By . Chris Greenwood . PUBLISHED: . 18:59 EST, 10 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:14 EST, 10 February 2013 . Among stations criticised was Birmingham-based Peace TV - co-owned by Dr Zakir Naik (pictured) Hardline Islamic extremists are using fringe British TV channels to call for terrorism, murder and the torture of homosexuals. A series of little-known channels have been severely criticised for allowing ‘inflammatory’ material to be broadcast. Among the cases is an Islamic scholar who told viewers that it is their ‘duty’ to ‘kill those who insult Prophet Mohammed’. In another a woman presenter said homosexuals should be beaten and tortured for the ‘evil, shameful act.’ Ofcom, the communications watchdog, found the stations broke the broadcasting code by allowing the extreme opinions to be aired unchallenged. But the breaches highlighted fears that extreme Muslim speakers, previously confined to mosques, could reach larger audiences. The rulings came despite a 2010 report warning extremist material was being broadcast on channels aimed at Muslim communities. It found the Islam Channel, Britain’s largest Islamic broadcaster, had continued to ignore rules about impartiality and allowed controversial viewpoints to be aired. Tala Rajab, who wrote the report for Quilliam, an anti-extremist think-tank, told the Sunday Telegraph the ‘shocking’ incidents raised serious questions over broadcast regulation. He said: ‘If this had happened in a mosque the police would be right in pursuing a criminal investigation. ‘But because they are being broadcast on television channels for some reason there seems to be little appetite for looking into these extreme messages. ‘If these kind of comments were made against black people, for example, you can imagine a channel being shut down overnight, particularly if they had incited violence against a minority.’ Among the shows criticised was one broadcast by Birmingham-based Peace TV, co-owned by Dr Zakir Naik, who was banned from entering Britain in 2010 for the ‘public good’. It broadcast the phrase: ‘One group of scholars, they say that if a Muslim, if he becomes a non-Muslim he should be put to death.’ Dr Naik, who is based in Mumbai, put a sermon online in 2006 which said ‘every Muslim should be a terrorist.’ Another broadcast by Noor TV was criticised by Ofcom for ‘serious breaches’, and highlighted how inflammatory talk can incite violence. The show said: ‘There is absolutely no doubt about it that the punishment for the person who shows disrespect for the Prophet is death. No one disagrees about this.’ Ofcom found the stations broke the broadcasting code by allowing the extreme opinions to be aired unchallenged . Last December Radio Asian Fever, in Leeds, was fined £4,000 for breaching broadcasting rules in programmes involving a presenter called ‘Sister Ruby Ramadan’. She told listeners homosexuals should be beaten and tortured, adding: ‘Torture them; punish them; beat them and give them mental torture.’ Takbeer TV, based in Nottingham, has been found in breach of the code twice in 18 months for programmes which denigrated a minority Muslim sect. Ofcom said the minority group were labelled a ‘disease’ and ‘monstrous’ intentions and it will now consider an ‘appropriate’ punishment. The channels have small audiences compared with the mainstream and are aimed at Muslim communities, with some content broadcast in Urdu and other languages. In some cases the channels also breached a rule that they must keep recordings of all output, raising the possibility other inflammatory material was broadcast undetected. An Ofcom spokesman said: ‘The majority of Islamic channels comply with our rules. However, where we identify issues through our monitoring or complaints we investigate fully and take firm enforcement action.’ | Ofcom found stations broke broadcasting code by allowing extreme opinions to be aired unchallenged .
Among the shows criticised was Peace TV, co-owned by Dr Zakir Naik .
Dr Naik was banned from entering Britain in 2010 for the ‘public good’ |
178,195 | 72b0af3790b543a4083e26bdf6372694063b9f7d | (CNN) -- Gov. Chris Christie granted interviews to all five major news networks Wednesday morning, reveling in the thumping Republican governors gave Democrats on Election Night. As chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Christie helped raise $106 million over the past year and made public appearances with candidates in 26 states, on top of fundraisers and other RGA events in 10 others. Republicans picked up four Democratic-held governorships and held on to key competitive states. "I love that map this morning," the New Jersey Republican said on Fox News, with a slightly raspy voice. "It looks absolutely fabulous." 4 things Christie said the morning after the midterms . For Christie, the night represented a high point after months of controversy surrounding his office's involvement with the Bridgegate scandal and budget woes in New Jersey. The victories gave him fresh momentum and leadership bona fides as he prepares for a potential presidential run. lt also capped off a year of political growth and learning how to be a "team player," said GOP strategist Ford O'Connell. "Part of the midterms was about widening his political appeal -- it was about collecting chits from donors and activists," he continued. "But it was also about demonstrating to fellow Republicans that you can play nice with others in your own party." Get ready: 2016 starts now . Post-midterms, Christie was strategic in trying to keep the candidates in the spotlight Wednesday morning, saying on NBC that "the candidates deserve the credit -- it's always about the candidates." But Phil Cox, the executive director of the RGA, was less bashful, telling reporters on a conference call that Christie "deserves an immense amount of credit for the leadership he provided." Cox also argued that the expanded red map puts the GOP in a strong position for 2016, with Republicans still at the helm in presidential battleground states like Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. And Cox predicted "a number of Republican governors" will likely run for president. For his part, Christie tried to appear no more closer to making his own 2016 decision. Pressed by CNN's Chris Cuomo on "New Day" to elaborate on the public pressure he's facing to run, Christie didn't budge, saying only they he'll make his decision "based on my own time table and not on anybody else's." GOP governors win blue states . Asked how he can say no to 2016 after having a successful year, Christie replied: "I don't know that you'd say 'no'. But I haven't said 'yes.'" "That's a big difference," he added. On ABC's "Good Morning America," Christie said the past year of traveling gave him and his family a better feel for what a national campaign would be like. But Christie said it's not fair yet to say he's closer to a 2016 run. "It's fair to say that what I'm looking for is a nap," he said. Christie also used the morning shows to defend his tough-guy personality, a trait that was on full display last week when he blew up at a heckler who interrupted him at a Superstorm Sandy event, commanding the man to "sit down and shut up." Democrats--and some Republicans--pounced on the episode to further paint Christie as a bully. But the second-term governor said Wednesday he has no regrets and brushed off criticism that he needs to tame his temperament. "Why would anybody think that what I did last night wasn't controlled, first off? Why would they think that I didn't do exactly what I wanted to do?" he said on CNN. As he has several time this year, he hit back against those who say his style won't play beyond his home state of New Jersey. "I'm going to be myself. If I decide to run for something and that's not good enough, then that's not good enough," he said. I'm not going to change who I am--not for anybody." | Under Chris Christie's leadership, the GOP gubernatorial campaign arm won key races .
The success comes as Christie prepares for a potential presidential run .
His work as chairman helped him lay a solid foundation for a national campaign of his own .
He talked about Election Night in five interviews Wednesday morning . |
122,363 | 2a2942480bbe2080e0b6ec0d0f0c5ae9f2f75e4f | (CNN) -- For many girls in Afghanistan, the simple act of walking to school can be a life-threatening journey. "You close the door behind you, and you enter a war zone," said Nushin Arbabzadah, an American-based author and scholar who was raised in Afghanistan. There were at least 185 documented attacks on schools and hospitals in Afghanistan last year, according to the United Nations, and the majority of those attacks were attributed to armed groups opposed to educating females. But "the walk from home to school is -- and has always been -- the most dangerous part," Arbabzadah said. "You are told to stay covered, keep your head down and walk quickly ... and stare at your toes." The life of a schoolgirl in Afghanistan is a far cry from reading, writing and arithmetic. Some girls have been maimed by acid attacks. Others have had their drinking water poisoned or been targeted by bombers who think females should be forbidden from school -- as they were during the Taliban's rule. "It is unfathomable that anyone would want to hurt them. But that is the reality," said Beth Murphy, a documentary filmmaker who recently traveled to Afghanistan to work on a feature film about girls' education. Amid the violence, however, there is promise: In a country where just 6% of women 25 and older have received any formal education, millions of girls are at long last enrolling in school. Ten years ago, fewer than a million Afghan children attended school, according to UNICEF. Today, more than 8.2 million children are going to schools like the one founded by Razia Jan, one of the Top 10 Heroes of 2012. Jan and her team at the Zabuli Education Center are providing a free education to about 350 girls in rural Afghanistan. "Most of the (local) men and women are illiterate," Jan said. "Most of our students are the first generation of girls to get educated." Who should be CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote . The obstacles facing Afghan girls are both "Herculean and heartbreaking," Murphy said. While she was filming at one school, there was an attack at another school nearby that killed 100 children. That very same day, Murphy watched as young students embraced their opportunities to learn. "To see these girls walking to school, delighted to be learning and spending time together in the classroom, writing their own names for the first time, reading their first words -- I felt hope for the future," Murphy said. "Not in a naive way but with the realization that if it's working here, it can work other places, too." Although the violence against Afghan schoolgirls has dominated news headlines recently, reports from humanitarian groups like UNICEF, Oxfam and Save the Children say that a great deal of progress has been made. "The overall education of girls in Afghanistan is a great success story," said Christine Roehrs, spokeswoman for Save the Children in Afghanistan. "Basically, you didn't have girls educated in 2001. And now we have 3 million girls in school." Roehrs says there's still much work to be done, however, because there are approximately 4 million children in Afghanistan -- most of them girls -- who are not enrolled in school. One major area of focus is the number of female teachers. "In Afghan culture, parents don't consider it appropriate for girls to be educated by a man," Roehrs said. "There is a high dropout rate of young girls after the early grades because there are not enough female teachers. So the secret of getting and keeping girls in school is to get more female teachers." Only 31% of all teachers in Afghanistan are female, Roehrs said, and a disproportionate amount of those women are in urban areas. The lack of infrastructure in rural areas also makes it even more difficult for girls to get an education there. "There are 400 rural districts. In 200 of them, there are no female teachers or girls' schools," Roehrs said. "When I am talking to parents, they are favorable to girls' education. But the schools and teachers need to be close and safe." To improve those rural numbers, Save the Children has implemented high school training programs so girls can become teachers right after graduation. Another obstacle to girls' education is early marriage. The legal age for marriage is 16 in Afghanistan, but there have been many reports about girls being forced to marry well before that. Murphy and her production crew met a 12-year-old student named Khudija whose marriage had been arranged by her brother, the oldest man in her family. "The way kids in America might trade baseball cards on the playground, these boys traded their sisters: 'My sister will marry you; your sister will marry me,' " Murphy said. "Now it is Khudija's fiance and her fiance's father who dictate her life. "Among the first decrees: No more school." Knowing this is often the case, Jan goes to the homes of some of her young students and asks for permission to delay marriage. In some cases, she's had success. In others, she has seen students forced to withdraw from school. "My heart breaks for them," Jan said. "Hopefully, things will change. Many fathers and grandfathers are proud to see their girls learning, so there are positive signs." Still, across an already greatly divided country, old gender biases are hard to undo. "You can have these huge kinds of variations and attitudes about education within the same family," Arbabzadah said. "I met a young female math teacher whose own family was split greatly on the topics of education. She told me her own cousin was very proud that he never sent his daughters to school. He thought it was the worst thing you could do." In some cases, physical and emotional abuse keep girls out of the classroom. Many young women are accustomed to being hit and working as virtual slaves at home. Jan recalls asking a young student a question and seeing the child put her hand in front of her face, afraid she would be struck. "She and her sister had burn marks and scars on their bodies," said Jan, who stepped in to provide clothes and food for the children and threaten the girl's aunt with arrest. According to the U.N., violence against women has been persistent in Afghanistan due to women's low status and the country's long exposure to hostilities and conflict. Gender discrimination can also be traced to a combination of factors, including poverty, local tradition and the effects of war. But female students still have high aspirations. In a recent Oxfam survey (PDF), more than 70% of the girls interviewed said they want to continue their education. "Once they enter the classroom, they are so involved being a student and trying to learn as much as they can," Jan said. "They want to learn. They want to get educated." Advocates like Jan and Save the Children agree that if true change is to come in Afghanistan, it's crucial to educate this next generation. Afghanistan has one the highest proportions of school-age children in the world: About one-fifth Afghans are between the ages of 7 and 12. Roehrs said that 57% of all Afghans are children. "They form the future Afghanistan that some in the international community are afraid of and others might want to ignore," she said. "But it is paramount to look at these children and get the best education for them. "These children are the Afghanistan we are looking at in 10 or 15 years." | Millions of Afghan girls are now getting the education that their mothers couldn't .
But as a result, the girls and their schools are often targets for violent attacks .
Girls' education is also hamstrung by arranged marriages at an early age .
Top 10 CNN Hero Razia Jan founded a school that teaches Afghan girls for free . |
212,963 | 9fc872894e67de149d1f8bb250d3b1825a7ddf91 | Arjen Robben would already be playing in the Premier League if Brendan Rodgers had his way, according to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher. The Bayern Munich winger has been linked with a summer switch to Manchester United following his impressive performances for Holland at the World Cup. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Robben say it was a clear penalty against Mexico . Head tio head: Jamie Carragher challenges Arjen Robben during Champions League semi-final . Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who will take charge at Old Trafford following the tournament in Brazil, has put 30-year-old Robben on his list of transfer targets. But Sportsmail columnist Carragher has revealed how the Reds targetted Robben a year ago. He said: 'Brendan Rodgers tried to sign him for Liverpool before the 2013 Champions League final. Star man: Holland winger Arjen Robben has impressed at the World Cup . 'He wasn't a regular for Bayern then but he scored the winner at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund and has since gone from strength to strength. 'Liverpool have not had a world class wide man since John Barnes.' Dynamic duo: Holland coach Louis van Gaal wants Arjen Robben with him at Manchester United . The Red Devils missed out on Robben in 2004 as the club didn't meet PSV's evaluation of the player. Sir Alex Ferguson offered the Dutch side £5m for the winger but the club rejected United's approach and then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho swooped in with a £12m bid to take him to Stamford Bridge. Robben moved to Real Madrid in 2007 and two years later he signed for Bayern Munich. VIDEO 'Honest' Arjen has clear conscience . | Arjen Robben has scored three goals for Holland so far this World Cup .
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers targetted Bayern Munich winger .
Holland star has been linked with a summer switch to Manchester United .
Carragher says Reds have not had world-class winger since John Barnes . |
13,696 | 26cceefe41e1d203b0314175a40f5242c206f795 | Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The man believed to be the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees and contractors last year appears in a newly released video, claiming to have tricked Jordanian intelligence officers as a double agent. The 43-minute video, posted on various Islamic radical Web sites Saturday, shows Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, whom a former U.S. intelligence official identified as the suicide bomber. Family members have said that the man in the video, who uses the alias Abu Dajana Al-Khorasani, is al-Balawi. A much shorter version of the video was posted online in January. The December 30 bombing at a U.S. base in Khost, in southeastern Afghanistan, killed seven CIA operatives and a Jordanian army captain. The video posted Saturday is dated "Safar 1431" on the lunar calendar, which includes any day between January 16, 2010 and February 13, 2010. In the video, al-Balawi says killing the CIA team wasn't part of the initial plan. "We planned for something but got a bigger gift -- a gift from God -- who brought us ... a valuable prey: Americans, and from the CIA." The video opens with a montage of images -- including clips of torture and meetings of world leaders, such as former President George W. Bush with Jordan's King Abdullah and President Obama. A narrator criticizes the "infidel West," and talks of crimes against Muslims. Al-Balawi then appears on the video, vowing to bring down the CIA and saying how he deceived Jordanian officials into believing he worked for them. "Look, this is for you," he says to the camera, while sitting in a vehicle. "It's not a watch. It's a detonator to kill as many as I can, God willing." Later in the video, al-Balawi gives an interview to As-Sahab Media, the production wing of al Qaeda. He says he had tried to join "jihad" in Iraq after the start of the U.S.-led war there. He began to write on online forums about jihad, he tells an unidentified interviewer in a room. He says he found his opportunity to join the militant mission after being recruited by Jordanian officials as a spy in Afghanistan. Al-Balawi was recruited by Jordanian authorities as a counterterrorism intelligence source, a Jordanian official told CNN last month. "Actually, Jordanian intelligence -- may God send consecutive curses on it -- is the one who gave me a large amount of money, it is the one who paid for my ticket, and it is the one who helped me to forge some documents I needed to get a Pakistani visa," the man in the video says. Jordanian and U.S. intelligence agencies apparently believed al-Balawi had been rehabilitated from his extremist views and were using him to hunt Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2 figure, a former U.S. intelligence official said. Al-Balawi claims in the video that the Jordanian authorities paid him and that the money went to support the Mujahedeen. "So this is a new era for the Mujahedeen, God willing, in which the Mujahedeen will use intelligence-based tactics and methods which rival or even exceed those of the security apparatuses of the strongest of states, like Jordan and America, with the permission of Allah, Lord of the worlds," he says. Al-Balawi said he initially targeted a Jordanian official, referred to as Sharif Ali bin Zaid. The narrator said that Zaid, an army captain, was killed in the attack. "So it wasn't planned this way," al-Balawi said. "The target was Abu Zaid, but the stupidity of Jordanian intelligence and the stupidity of American intelligence is what has turned it into a valuable prey. It's a blessing from Allah." The man explained why he was choosing a suicide mission, or "martyrdom," for his attack on the U.S. base in Khost. "You can only get a maximum number of kills for a minimum number of martyrs and losses in the ranks of the Mujahedeen with a martyrdom operation," he said. | Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi has been ID'd as bomber who killed 7 CIA agents .
Newly released video shows al-Balawi describing what led to suicide attack .
He says CIA team was not original target, but "a gift from God," who sent "valuable prey"
Al-Balawi says in video he fooled Jordanian officials into thinking he worked for them . |
250,555 | d042406645d92e4548549fbb070126218ea40ced | Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sentenced to serve three months in jail and fined $2,500 Wednesday in connection with a domestic violence incident, according to court officials and CNN affiliate reports. Mayweather pleaded guilty to a charge of battery and two counts of harassment, prosecutors said. He was arrested in September 2010, police said, after he punched the mother of his children at his home, according to CNN affiliate KVVU. According to an arrest report, Mayweather threatened Josie Harris, saying, "I'm going to kill you and the man you are messing around with," the station said. Mayweather was sentenced to six months in jail on the misdemeanor charges, but 90 days will be suspended if he serves 90 days, said Mary Ann Price, spokeswoman for Clark County, Nevada, courts. He also must perform 100 hours of community service and attend long-term domestic violence counseling, she said. He must report to jail January 6, Price said. Mayweather's publicists declined comment on the matter. Felony charges of coercion, robbery and grand larceny were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, CNN affiliate KNSV reported. | Official: Mayweather pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and harassment .
Police say he punched the mother of his children at his home, KVVU says .
He must report to jail January 6, a court spokeswoman says . |
134,986 | 3a9de96f4ef3520c3e83407b6861d1b63092bb6e | Atlanta (CNN) -- The former stepson of singer Usher Raymond has died after more than two weeks in the hospital following a boating accident on a Georgia lake, sources close to the family said Saturday. Kile Glover, 11, was riding with a 15-year-old girl on an inner tube that was being pulled by a pontoon boat in Lake Lanier July 6 when a personal watercraft crashed into the children, according to an accident report from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Kile suffered a serious head injury and was flown by helicopter to Children's Healthcare at Egleston in Atlanta. Prayers for Usher's stepson . He died of heart failure Saturday, the sources said, disputing other reports that the child was taken off life support. Jeffrey Hubbard, a 38-year-old Atlanta man, was driving the personal watercraft, the investigation report said. Investigators concluded that alcohol was not involved in the incident. CNN Atlanta affiliate WSB, citing the DNR, reported that Hubbard and the children were part of the same group on a lake outing. The boy's mother, Tameka Raymond, was married to Usher for two years. They have two children together, ages 3 and 4. They divorced in 2009. Kile's father is Ryan Glover, the president of Bounce TV, a fledgling television network targeting African-American audiences. He is also a former executive with Turner Broadcasting, the parent company of CNN. Tameka Raymond on life after Usher . CNN's Darrell Calhoun contributed to this report. | Kile Glover, 11, died of heart failure, sources close to the family say .
He was on an inner tube that was struck by a personal watercraft on July 6 .
He had been receiving treatment for a serious head injury . |
149,611 | 4d71ed058f64e47a11590a1aab8f3a03933e6a57 | The bone-crunching, bloody world of rugby might seem an unusual place to find a shining example of ‘new man’. But according to England star Ben Foden, his years on the pitch have given him the confidence to be hands-on with raising his children – especially when it comes to changing nappies. Now he is fronting a campaign urging parents to take advantage of a new law that lets them share time off work after having a child. Scroll down for video . Family man: Ben Foden on the pitch with his wife Una and their daughter Aoife last year. Now he is fronting a campaign urging parents to take advantage of a new law that lets them share their parental leave . Something which should be no problem for the £200,000-a-year Northampton Saints player and his pop star wife Una, whose girl band The Saturdays are said to be worth more than £2.5million. The Government drive sees the fullback call on other fathers to take more time off to ensure their wives’ earning potential isn’t hit by having a child. A law allowing parents to split time off after having a baby comes into force on April 5. It will mean that after an initial fortnight, they will be able to share the allowance of 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay. At the moment, men can take only two weeks off. Ben and Una - pictured when she was pregnant with Aoife in 2011 - are currently expecting their second child, they have one two year old daughter Aoife already . Foden, 29, and his 33-year-old wife have a two-year-old daughter, Aoife, and are expecting a son next month. The player expects some mocking for his role in the Government drive but believes rugby’s rough and tumble world has made him a better father. He said: ‘There will be some changing room banter. It’s part and parcel of being a rugby player. ‘But to be honest, this campaign is making me look a lot cooler than some other stuff. There are six or seven young dads in the team and we take it seriously. Being rugby players we are used to sweat, spit, blood and rolling around in the mud, so no one has a problem about getting their hands dirty changing nappies. ‘I do everything, all the nappy changing and feeding. I was there for Aoife’s first words and her first steps.’ Foden said the ‘new man’ approach is becoming increasingly common, even in the traditionally macho world of rugby. He added: ‘In this day and age, women can just as easily be the main breadwinner as men. Why should they have to give up their careers when they have children?’ Foden is already in a situation where his wife earns more than he does. Ben has been a hands on dad with his daughter Aoife and is encouraging other men to follow his example . Ben is a rugby player for the Northampton Saints and says he wishes he could spend more time with Aoife . The five members of The Saturdays have had 13 top ten singles and were reported in 2012 to be collectively worth £2.6million. Exact figures for her earnings and wealth are not known but her schedule will vary on whether she is recording and touring with The Saturdays or working on a separate project or campaign. Besides the £200,000 a year that Foden is thought to earn from his club, for which he will train for five to six hours a day, he was reported in 2013 to earn £15,000 for each Six Nations match with England. Nick Clegg will this week encourage fathers to take advantage of the option to split leave. But a survey of 2,000 men and women by employment website Glassdoor found three-quarters of men opposed the change, fearing loss of status and earning power. | Northampton Saints player Ben, 29, says males need to be 'new men'
Encouraging men to be hands-on and help support their wives' careers .
New law on April 5 will allow parents to split parental leave . |
81,040 | e5ab63e41d42389b91b1b7e014b2367e9af16aa9 | By . Ap Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:35 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:12 EST, 18 December 2013 . New York financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, which lost two-thirds of its employees in the September 11 attacks, revealed a $135 million settlement with American Airlines and insurance carriers on Tuesday to a judge who said it will end the final airplane-focused case resulting from claims of wrongful death and personal injuries. The original lawsuit, filed in 2004, was seeking $1 billion in damages. Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 employees when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into its top-floor offices in the World Trade Center's North Tower and claimed the airline had been negligent in allowing the terrorists to board the plane. This weeks agreement averts a trial scheduled for next month, which means there will be no airing of such questions as how terrorists got through security before hijacking planes on September 11, the best way to stop terrorists, whether there was any real wrongdoing and negligence and how best to preserve liberties amid such threats, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said. 'All this will remain a mystery,' he said. Howard Lutnick - the head of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald who lost 658 employees, including in his brother, in the 9/11 attacks - visits the North Pool of the Memorial during the 10th anniversary of September 11 in 2011. Cantor Fitzgerald this week settled a damages lawsuit with American Airlines for $135 million . Calling the settlement a significant conclusion after 12 years of litigation that resulted in scores of settlements and no trial involving airlines, the judge said: 'Hopefully what was achieved was a measure of justice, a measure of reparation and closure.' 'But the lives that were lost were irreparable, and being irreparable, there now are no words to describe that loss,' he added. The deal was announced by Cantor Fitzgerald attorney John Stoviak, who said money from various insurers is in escrow and ready to be paid out pending formal approval by the court at or after a January 13 hearing. Afterward, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard W. Lutnick said in a statement that the case for insurance companies 'was just another case, just another settlement, but not for us'. Lutnick, whose brother Gary Lutnick was killed in the attacks, added: 'We could never, and will never, consider it ordinary. For us, there is no way to describe this compromise with inapt words like ordinary, fair or reasonable. All we can say is that the legal formality of this matter is over.' American Airlines Flight 11 was a passenger flight that was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists. It was the first plane flown into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011, crashing into the Northern Tower, which held the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald . The north tower of the World Trade Center burns after s hijacked airplane hit it September 11, 2001 in New York City. Inside the building were the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald, who have sued American Airlines for damages over the attacks . Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of 1,000 people in its New York workforce when the 101st through 105th floors of its One World Trade Center headquarters were destroyed when a hijacked airplane struck the tower. - Left Boston's Logan Airport at 7.59am . - Destination was Los Angeles . - On board were a crew of 11 and 76 passengers . - Five terrorists hijacked the plane once it was in the air . - The hijackers flew the plane into the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8.46am . Howard Lutnick wasn't in the office at the time. Anthoula Katsimatides, who lost her brother John Katsimatides, a bonds broker, said she was 'disheartened' to hear the case had been settled instead of going to trial. 'It would have been nice to hold people accountable over issues including security,' she said. But she wasn't upset with Cantor Fitzgerald. 'I'm so confident that they are always thinking about the best interests of their September 11 families ... there must have been a reason why they settled,' she said. Of this being the last airplane-focused case and therefore ending the chance to bring these issues up in open court, she said she was disappointed, but 'I guess we just have to live with it'. A spokesman for American Airlines, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and is part of American Airlines Group Inc., said in a statement the airline had 'vigorously defended itself in litigation brought against it by property owners and their insurers who allege that American should have done what the government could not do: prevent the terrorist attacks'. After American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center (right) another hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 175, prepares to slam into the south tower . The spokesman, Sean Collins, also noted that 'the courageous crew members and passengers on Flight 77 and Flight 11 were all victims of the terrorist attacks'. The judge praised lawyers on both sides, saying he once thought a deal was impossible. He noted that some litigation from September 11, 2001, remains, including claims involving the trade center, developer Larry Silverstein, first responders and others. Cantor Fitzgerald, meanwhile, has risen dramatically from a low of about 150 employees in the months after the attacks. It now has 3,200 employees in New York and about 8,000 worldwide, including the employees of a spinoff, BGC Partners. In total, almost 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks, including the 227 civilians and 19 hijackers aboard the four planes. | The brokerage firm sued American Airlines, whose Flight 11 plowed into its offices during the terrorist attacks .
The firm was seeking $1 billion in damages .
On Tuesday it was announced they had settled with the airline for $135 million . |
155,758 | 555331ea0dd104655ef690b81f485cf9dde356a8 | PUBLISHED: . 18:01 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:30 EST, 11 March 2014 . A sailor whose attempt to sail around the world single-handedly ended with him being airlifted by the Chilean navy has thanked his rescue crews in a typically British fashion - by saying sorry. Andrew Halcrow, from Shetland, called himself a 'stupid yachtsman' and apologised for causing 'grief and work for those on shore' after he was left stranded on the 31ft Elsi Arrub to the West of Cape Horn at the weekend and had to be pulled to safety. He said: 'The Chilean hospitality has been wonderful and I have been . treated more like an honoured guest rather than a stupid yachtsman who . has caused a lot of grief and work for those onshore.' A sailor whose attempt to sail around the world single-handedly ended with him being rescued by the Chilean navy has thanked his rescue crews in a typically British fashion - by saying sorry . Andrew Halcrow, from Shetland, called himself a 'stupid yachtsman' and apologised for causing 'grief and work for those on shore' after he was left stranded on the 31ft Elsi Arrub to the West of Cape Horn at the weekend and had to be airlifted to safety . The voyage was the 54-year-old's latest attempt to sail around the world. He had to be rescued in 2006 off Australia when he was hit by a crippling stomach bug while on a similar trip . The voyage was the 54-year-old's latest attempt to sail around the world. He had to be rescued in 2006 off Australia when he was hit by a crippling stomach bug while on a similar trip. In a blog post on his website he has thanked his rescuers and told of his incredible ordeal, explaining he had specially-rigged the sailing vessel to have a strong mast. Mr Halcrow, who is recovering in Punta Arenas, said: 'Part of me can still hardly believe what has happened. 'If there was one thing I was sure of before leaving it was that the mast was really well rigged and would stand up to some severe weather. 'I had huge confidence in it and it was one of the things I never worried about because it had so many bits of wire holding it up.' Mr Halcrow, who is recovering in Punta Arenas, said: 'Part of me can still hardly believe what has happened' The masts of the ship broke after fearsome storms with six-metre waves hit over the weekend . He said the ship had been battered by fearsome storms with six-metre waves over the weekend: 'We had been hit twelve hours before, on the Friday night, by a massive wave, which threw us over. 'The worst one yet. It's possible the shock load from that maybe weakened the mast as well. 'It was so brutal that at first I was sure a ship had rammed into us. If you had been in a car you would have thought a truck had slammed into you.' He described the moment he saw the damage to the ship after he emerged from below decks: 'I turned and looked forward. 'And there was no mast, well there was but what was left of it was lying in a mangled heap over the port bow. I could not believe it; I simply could not believe it. 'The mast was so strongly rigged I thought it would stand up to nearly anything.' Mr Halcrow (centre) arrives to Punta Arenas, Chile, after being rescued by members of the Chilean Navy. In a blog post after his rescue, he said: 'The Chilean navy team that came out in the helicopter were excellent and did a very professional job' He then battled to remove the damaged rigging from the ship as the storm still raged. As the radio antenna had been destroyed he had to call for help on a satellite phone, after phoning his family in Britain. He said: 'In time I spoke to Comandante Montez in Punta Arenas and he was my link with the Chilean side of the operation. We arranged a contact schedule. 'It was decided a helicopter would come out the following day to try and take me off. 'And that's what they did. The next day the wind was down to about 20 -25 kts and the sea was a lot easier. 'The helicopter came over us at around 1000 and dropped a man onto the deck. 'The Chilean navy team that came out in the helicopter were excellent and did a very professional job. 'It all went without any problems and in no time at all I was being pulled up into the air, into the chopper and we were on our way to dry land.' He added he was hoping the Elsi Arrub could be saved but noted the strong winds off the coast may make this impossible. | Andrew Halcrow admitted .
to feeling 'stupid' after becoming stranded .
Stuck on Elsi Arrub to West of Cape Horn and had to be airlifted to safety .
Said he was 'stupid yachtsman' and had caused 'grief for those onshore' |
72,234 | ccc1673b95946144ef9768755a778d48fc4852aa | By . Sally Lee . A pub fight on State of Origin night led to an 18-year-old man being gunned down on a western Sydney street, police allege. Matthew James Perry, 21, is accused of fatally shooting Jed Coates in the neck on Wednesday night after they'd both spent the evening watching NSW wrap up the Origin series with separate groups of friends at the Colyton Hotel. Less than an hour after the full time siren, Coates was dead. Neighbours living in Nevada Avenue, Colyton, reported hearing an argument in the street not long before police and paramedics arrived about 11pm. They tried to revive the young man, who reportedly worked as a carpenter. Scroll down for video . Jed Coates, 18, was shot dead outside a Sydney pub on Wednesday night after watching State of Origin . Jed Coates as been remembered by his twin brother as a 'king', while friends paid tribute on Facebook: 'You were a good kid, you didn't deserve this' Police arrested Perry, a panel beater, at his home on the same street just after 3am. He was charged with murder and refused bail at Mount Druitt Local Court on Thursday morning. Court documents say Mr Coates encountered Perry, who went to the same high school as him, at the Colyton Hotel while drinking and watching the Origin match with a mate. They were kicked out of the pub after allegedly getting into a fight with Perry and his friends. When Perry took a taxi home shortly afterwards, Mr Coates and his friend were waiting for him at the end of his street with Mr Coates allegedly armed with a shovel. Jed Coates, 18, was shot in the street after confronting his alleged attacker with a shovel, following on from an altercation the pair had at the pub . According to the documents, Mr Coates yelled 'shoot me, shoot me', before Perry shot him with a rifle just below the right side of his neck. He then ran away after failing to find the cartridge in the dark. Homicide detectives lined Nevada Avenue with police tape and conducted an extensive search of one of its houses and a car parked outside. Mr Coates' best mate Dean White watched on with another friend on Thursday morning, the pair holding back tears as they hugged each other. Mr White said he'd decided to give the pub a miss and watch the game at home. He learned about what happened through phone calls from other friends. 'I didn't think it was real until we saw the news this morning,' he told AAP. State of Origin Blues fans celebrated their win over Queensland at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday night . Mr Coates' family were informed of his death overnight. The 18-year-old's twin brother, Sam, paid tribute to his sibling online. 'Rip Jed my brother my twin your a king in my eyes love you bro.' Friends of the young man are posting messages on Facebook. 'Rest in peace. You we a good kid. Didn't deserve this,' read one. Perry will appear at Penrith Local Court in August. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Jed Coates, 18, was fatally shot in his upper chest before 11pm on Wednesday night .
A 21-year-old was involved in a pub fight with the teenager who was shot dead in western Sydney .
He was arrested at a house near the pub at 3am on Thursday and will face court today . |
166,126 | 62ccf40e54ea2910823182856f6867f824ec5805 | When the first episode of Match of the Day was screened 50 years ago this month there were more than twice as many people inside Anfield watching Liverpool play Arsenal than there were watching on TV later. John Motson, the veteran broadcaster who would go on to become such an integral part of a programme that remains a Saturday night comfort blanket for millions of football fans, was among that select audience of just 20,000 people who tuned in to see a highlights package of Liverpool’s 3-2 win. The programme back in August 1964 was low-tech, without fanfare, only available on BBC2 to viewers in and around London, and barely made it to a second season. And, just as today, it was TV rights and money that was almost its undoing. Wrapped up: John Motson, the veteran broadcaster, believes Match of the Day still plays an integral role . Many clubs, fearing this new programme would drastically reduce gates, were involved in a two-month stand-off with the BBC at the end of the 1964-65 season as they demanded more cash from the corporation. And they got their way as the Beeb caved in, agreeing to double the clubs’ collective fee to — wait for it — the princely sum of £25,000. Given that any club, from Manchester United to Bradford Park Avenue, could have appeared on Match of the Day, the new money worked out, on average, at £271.74 per club per in 1965-66. Last season, Manchester City alone raked in £72million in TV money while this coming season, 2014-15, the BBC are paying £59.9m to show highlights of the Premier League alone. Sky and BT Sport are paying £3bn for top-flight rights over three years. Times may have changed where money in football is concerned, but the enduring charm and relevance of Match of the Day hasn’t, certainly not in the opinion of two of its doyens, Motson and Barry Davies. ‘A lot of people have grown up with it,’ says Motson, 69. ‘It’s traditional, it’s safe, and it’s predictable in the sense you know what you’re going to get. That’s why you turn it on. Black and white: Liverpool vs Arsenal in 1964 was featured on the first ever Match of the Day broadcast . ‘At the end of the week Match of the Day presented a comprehensive, detailed round-up of exactly what had gone on. People felt when they turned it off and went to bed at 11.30pm they had caught up with all the football news. ‘I do still think that’s the case, you only have to look at the audience figures. It gets between four and five million and I can think of a lot of programmes on a lot of channels which would love those numbers.’ Davies, who worked on the programme from 1969-2004, said: ‘It wasn’t available to the whole country when it started and many people thought it would never catch on. The powers-that-be were certain that it would, and after England won the World Cup in 1966, it really took off.’ After two years on BBC2, MOTD made the leap to BBC1, following the heroics of Alf Ramsey’s England team, even though league champions Liverpool and FA Cup holders Everton were among a minority of clubs still unhappy with it. ‘The viewers’ sense was they were watching the best football in the world, and England were the best having won the World Cup,’ says Davies. ‘Pubs would empty just before 10pm on Saturday so people could get home to watch it. It sounds extraordinary now, but it was true. I was in awe of it as a programme.’ Capture the moment: Match of the Day still attracts viewing figures between four and five million . Motson’s big breakthrough came when Hereford upset Newcastle United in the third round of the 1972 FA Cup and the match was promoted to top of the running order. ‘It was originally called Match of the Day because they were only allowed to show one game,’ he says. ‘Ken Wolstenholme presented the first show from the pitch at Anfield, there was no studio. When I started there were only four cameras; two up on the main gantry, one lower down and, if they were lucky, maybe one behind one of the goal. ‘In my first decade, with Barry Davies doing the other game, the BBC only had one machine to replay action and that was used on the Saturday afternoon racing. So when a goal was scored in one of our games, Barry or I had to retrace it as best we could as the players ran back to the centre circle. ‘I would just hope I’d got the passing movement right. Then they put the pictures in later in the evening. Now, when a goal is scored, I get about five replays, probably two more than I need.’ Davies joined the BBC from ITV in the summer of 1969, a few months before his 32nd birthday, to commentate primarily on north-west matches. He would become part of a line of treasured household names associated with the show, from Wolstenholme and David Coleman in the early years, to Jimmy Hill, Motson, Des Lynam and Gary Lineker. Pundits: Match of the Day's Alan Shearer, Mark Lawrenson, Gary Lineker and recently retired Alan Hansen . Davies’s first assignment was supposed to be covering Leeds against Tottenham on August 9, 1969. But over breakfast he was told Coleman had laryngitis and would miss his own match, Crystal Palace against Manchester United, for which Davies was now expected to stand in. He dashed to London. ‘My preparation was virtually nil,’ he says. He commentated on a 2-2 draw and then hurried to the BBC’s Lime Grove studios where he helped Frank Bough to present that night’s MOTD, as two Palace players, Roger Hynd and Gerry Queen, were studio guests. The 1969-70 experiment of regional second matches did not work. The second match wasn’t always good quality; resources were thinner than now, cameras less common. By 1970-71, more resources were pushed into a two-match show each week, expanding over time to be highlights of multiple games. ‘The biggest change in football in 50 years is, I’d say, that it’s no longer the game of the man in the street,’ says Davies. ‘The general public had a rapport with the players they no longer have. When I started, players didn’t turn up in swish coaches or even swisher cars. You had a chance to establish relationships, as did the supporters.’ Davies’s mellifluous, measured tones can still be found on archive footage accompanying classic clips, such as one from December 1974 when title rivals Manchester City and Derby met at Maine Road. Former City hero Franny Lee scored the winner for Dave Mackay’s Derby, who would go on to win the title. Davies’s prescient commentary summed up the importance. Old school: Jimmy Hill presents the BBC football show in 1981, before the likes of Hansen . ‘Interesting,’ he said as Lee unleashed his shot. ‘Very interesting,’ he added as it screamed into the top corner. ‘Oh, look at his face, just look at his face,’ he added, telling viewers all they needed to know about the potential consequences. Every viewer will have their own favourite MOTD moments. Many will recall Alan Hansen, for example, in August 1995, telling viewers after a 3-1 win by Aston Villa over Manchester United: ‘You can’t win anything with kids.’ United went on to win the Double that season. Motson, veteran of some 2,000 games, reprises his argument that the show should not alter too much to keep pace despite being up against an ever-increasing amount of live football on rival channels. ‘It would be inadvisable to suddenly think: “We’ve got to change everything and everybody”. They’ve made one or two moves with pundits but by and large I think the tradition and the historic significance of Match of the Day is its strength.’ | The programme back in August 1964 was low-tech, without fanfare, and only available on BBC2 to viewers in and around London .
The show barely made a second season as clubs feared it would drastically reduce gates and ticket revenue .
John Motson believes Match of the Day is still an important medium for football news, with viewing figures between four and five million .
Motson says the show should not alter too much because of ever-increasing amounts of live football on rival channels . |
12,510 | 2377c3d3369b8d8fe4e4d0bb80fb1fa18bfd33c1 | A student has been counselled after she was caught performing sex act on camera in a university library. Picture posed by model . A University of Newcastle student has been caught broadcasting live sex shows from a campus library. The university said she had been 'counselled' after officials were informed she was broadcasting the solo sex performances from the Auchmuty campus library, on the New South Wales coast north of Sydney. Her sex shows were screened on a pay per view website and promoted via social media, the Newcastle Herald reported. A University of Newcastle spokeswoman said the institution was 'very disappointed' when the student was found to be 'using internet facilities inappropriately on campus'. 'We have a code of conduct that clearly outlines the sorts of behaviours the university expects from its community on campus,' she said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia. 'The matter has now been investigated and the student has been counselled. 'An important part of our duty of care is to protect our students' privacy and it would be inappropriate for the university to provide specific details in relation to the incident.' The section of the library where she performed sex acts on camera has since been steam cleaned. The University of Newcastle has the third highest number of students registered to 'sugar daddy' matchmaking site Seeking Arrangement in Australia. The University of Newcastle, on the coast north of Sydney, said the library has been steam cleaned . The Newcastle University Students’ Association president Clare Swan said the incident highlighted the fact that students need more financial support. ‘Newcastle has a high enrolment of students from low socio-economic background – it’s 26 per cent,’ Ms Swan said. ‘The question shouldn’t be any sort of judgement or about the morals involved. ‘Our primary concern should be the health and safety of the student.’ | Female student counselled after she was caught doing live sex shows .
She used campus internet to broadcast live from a university library .
University of Newcastle said the room has been steam cleaned .
Newcastle University Students’ Association president Clare Swan said the incident highlighted the fact students needed more financial support . |
85,354 | f216acb1825029331f269af9d437d75204c664c4 | A man infected with a Sars-like illness has become the first person in Britain to die from the virus. The 39-year-old, who died in the intensive care unit at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, caught the illness from his father, who had become infected while travelling in Pakistan and the Middle East. So far there have only been four confirmed cases of the illness in Britain and 12 anywhere in the world, with six deaths. Scroll down for video . Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) The illness, known as novel . coronavirus, causes a cough, breathing difficulties and fever which can . lead to pneumonia and kidney failure. It is from the same virus family as Sars, which claimed 900 lives worldwide in 2002 and 2003. But scientists say novel coronavirus is nowhere near as dangerous as it has difficulty spreading between humans. The man who died on Sunday was suffering from a long-term condition which made him more susceptible. His father is still being treated at a hospital in Manchester. And another member of the same family who also caught the virus is being treated at the hospital in Birmingham. Separately, a 49-year-old man infected in Qatar in September is also in hospital. Scientists think the illness may be spread via bat droppings or through water droplets from coughs and sneezes. Three people have died in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan. A hospital statement released today said: 'The patient was already an outpatient at . Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), undergoing treatment for a long-term, complex unrelated health . condition. 'The patient was immuno-compromised and is believed to have . contracted the virus from a relative who is being treated for the . condition in a Manchester hospital. 'QEHB is working closely with the Health Protection Agency which is . currently following up other household members and contacts of this . case. Professor John Watson, head of the . respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: ‘This case is a family . member who was in close personal contact with the earlier case and who . may have been at greater risk of acquiring an infection because of their . underlying health condition. 'To date, evidence of person-to-person transmission has been limited. Although this case provides strong evidence for person to person . transmission, the risk of infection in most circumstances is still . considered to be very low.' Infected patients have presented with serious respiratory illness with fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. The lining of the lung, or epithelium, represents an important first barrier against respiratory viruses . A statement issued this afternoon by . the HPA said the man who died and another of the UK cases had no recent . history of foreign travel, suggesting that transmission had occurred in . Britain. A HPA spokesman said: 'One person has . sadly died. This patient had an underlying condition that may have made . them more susceptible to respiratory infections. 'The first patient in this cluster, who had recent travel history to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, is still receiving treatment. 'The third case, who had a mild illness, has recovered.' Today, experts suggested the virus could potentially be treated by targeting the immune system. The coronavirus (NCov) belongs to the same family as the coronavirus SARS, which surfaced in China more than a decade ago and infected 8,000 people worldwide, killing around one in 10 of them. It's thought the virus can penetrate the lining of the passageways in the lung and evade the immune system as easily as a cold virus can. The research also reveals that the virus is susceptible to treatment with interferons, components of the immune system that have been used successfully to treat other viral diseases, opening a possible mode of treatment in the event of a large-scale outbreak. Now scientists at the Institute of Immunobiology at Kantonal Hospital in Switzerland, have tested how well the virus could infect . and multiply in the entryways to the human lung using cultured cells manipulated to mimic the airway lining. The lining of the lung, or epithelium, represents an important first barrier against respiratory viruses. But, said co-author Dr Volker Thiel, this part of the body does not put up a big fight against NCoV. He and his colleagues found that human airway epithelial cells are highly susceptible to NCoV infection and that the virus is able to multiply at a faster initial rate than the SARS virus. He said: 'Surprisingly, this coronavirus grows very efficiently on human epithelial cells.' The researchers asked themselves whether boosting this weak immune response might diminish the virus' ability to infect airway epithelial cells. They found that pre-treating the cells with proteins that are released in response to infection, significantly reduced the number of infected cells. But he added:'We don't know whether the cases we observe are the tip of the iceberg, or whether many more people are infected without showing severe symptoms.' The findings were published in the online journal mBio. | The patient, who was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, died on Sunday .
Was a relative of patient being treated in Manchester after bringing back coronavirus from Middle East .
Hospital says patient was already receiving treatment for long-term, complex health condition . |
47,609 | 864ccc6d42ec5686a29425c3a3d3c0a5c814c4c2 | By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Robots with an ability to see through walls akin to ‘X-ray vision’ have been developed by researchers. By transmitting a Wi-Fi signal between them, two robots were able to see what was beyond walls by measuring the change in the signal’s intensity. The technique could be used to find people trapped in buildings or monitor elderly people at home. Scroll down for video . Researchers at University of California create robots with 'X-ray vision' (illustration shown). The two robots detect changes in signal strength to see through walls . The system was developed by scientists at the University of California led by Dr Yasamin Mostofi. Two robots on wheels were designed, one that emits a wireless transmission while the other that detects it. - Search and rescue, and surveillance. - Occupancy detection in a home. - Classification of what an object is made of behind a wall. - Archaeological digs without needing to dig underground. - Real world robotic networks to perform tasks such as object mapping for humans. - Detecting home intruders before they enter your house. When the robots passed around a square concrete structure, out of sight of one another, they were able to work out what was inside - and could even identify a human. This was done by measuring the drop in signal strength as the transmission passed through the walls and other objects. By measuring this drop the robots could create a visual map of what they thought they were seeing in about 100 seconds. And the researchers say the results were satisfyingly accurate, with errors of no more than two inches (5cm). One robot transmits a Wi-Fi signal and the other receives it. Doing this the robots can work out what objects are between them. Here the left figure shows the area of interest that is completely unknown, while on the right is shown the map the robots made using the technique compared to the actual map . The technique can even be used to discern different types of objects beyond walls including multiple objects (shown), or also to find people beyond walls. This could be used to find people in collapsed buildings or spot intruders before they enter your home . ‘Our approach enables seeing a completely-unknown area (with details) through thick walls by using only Wi-Fi signals,’ the team writes on their website. ‘This technology can be implemented on any Wi-Fi-enabled gadget. ‘We have furthermore shown how to use this in a robotic setting to give see-through vision to robots.’ While some modern unmanned robots use laser scanners to see what is in front of them, they are unable to see through objects or walls in the vicinity. The researchers say that their new technique could be a revolution in robotic movements and enable a host of new capabilities for unmanned robots. They envisage that the technology could have a host of uses, including search and rescue operations after an earthquake. They could also examine archaeological sites without needing to dig. | Researchers at University of California create robots with 'X-ray vision'
The two robots detect changes in signal strength to see through walls .
One robot transmits a Wi-Fi signal and the other receives it .
Doing this the robots can work out what objects are between them .
In a test the robots map the shape of a structure and deduce what's inside .
Potential uses include finding people in collapsed buildings after earthquakes . |
264,585 | e2b4dd90bcc447454bf01cf5a26355fe1fa97515 | By . Louise Boyle . A truck driver has been hailed a hero after he saved a one-year-old girl he found crawling along a highway. Bryant Collins was traveling along Highway 72 in Carlton, Georgia on Friday when he spotted the baby girl and pulled over. He took care of her in his truck until police arrived. The baby had crawled 300 yards from home . through the woods, fallen down a 15ft embankment and was dangerously close to the highway when Mr . Collins pulled over in his truck at 10am. Scroll down for video . Bryant Collins rescued a 15-month-old girl after he found her crawling along the edge of a highway in Carlton, Georgia on Friday morning . Mr Collins walks along the section of highway where he spotted the child after she tumbled down a 15ft embankment . Mr Collins told 11Alive: 'The baby started crying. so I turned my phone on and let her listen to some gospel music and . she calmed right down.' The baby suffered insect bites and minor scratches. Good Samaritan Mr Collins not so long ago turned his own life around after spending ten years in jail for cocaine production. He was released five years ago, no longer takes drugs and has a job as an auto-repairman. Mr Collins told KTVI: 'It made me feel good that I could be in society and do good, just as well as you can do bad, you can do good, you know.' The girl's father, 37-year-old Timothy . Pickens, has been charged with child cruelty, reckless conduct and . obstruction, according to authorities. Madison County sheriff's officials said . the girl's father approached while deputies were investigating and was . arrested after a scuffle. Mr Collins waited with the baby girl at his truck until the authorities arrived. He then stayed for another two hours to make sure she was okay . The girl's mother told authorities she . and her husband left the house and their other children, ages 13, nine and five, were supposed to be watching the baby. The Department of Family and Children Services was brought in but decided to release the child to the mother's care so that she could be taken for medical treatment. Authorities said charges . also could be filed against the girl's mother. It's unclear if Pickens has an . attorney, and a number listed for him is out of service. MailOnline was awaiting a comment from the Madison County Sheriff's Office. The girl's father, 37-year-old Timothy Pickens, has been charged with child cruelty, reckless conduct and obstruction, according to authorities . | Bryant Collins was traveling along Highway 72 in Carlton, Georgia on Friday when he spotted the baby girl and pulled over .
The girl's father, 37-year-old Timothy .
Pickens, has been charged with child cruelty, reckless conduct and .
obstruction, according to authorities . |
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