Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
223,257 | ad057282e91e4adf49f39c2e7bf7894d8b84e526 | The first lady of France, Valerie Trierweiler, has been hospitalized since Friday following allegations that President Francois Hollande has been having an affair with a French actress, a top member of Trierweiler's staff said. Patrice Biancone, head of Trierweiler's Elysee office, told CNN, "She needed rest. We are hoping that she will leave the hospital at the beginning of this week." He said that the first lady entered a hospital after allegations surfaced in the French tabloid Closer linking Hollande romantically to actress Julie Gayet. "We all know why she went in after the story came out," said Biancone, clearly making the link between the revelations of the magazine and Trierweiler's hospitalization. Trierweiler and Hollande are not married but live together, and she makes official state appearances. They met when she was a reporter for Paris Match magazine, a publication she still works for. Hollande, 59, left his longtime common-law wife, Segolene Royal -- the mother of his four children -- for Trierweiler, 48, before the 2012 presidential election. Closer reported Hollande had been slipping out of the back door of the Elysee Palace and hopping on a motor scooter driven by a bodyguard to Gayet's apartment. The magazine also reported the bodyguard brought croissants to the apartment one morning. Hollande has not denied the affair but has threatened legal action. Le Parisien first reported Trierweiler has been hospitalized since Thursday. The paper said the full story will appear in Monday's edition. | Magazine said Hollande was having affair with actress Julie Gayet .
Hollande's romantic partner, Valerie Trierweiler, hospitalized .
French president has threatened legal action against magazine . |
161,806 | 5d39aef0e2472c6b7a4c74d35d5de94ae90ef762 | Thousands of Britons were among those caught up in travel chaos today as Air France cancelled half of its flights because of strike action. Pilots working for the troubled airline were taking action against its plan to pour more money into its low-cost subsidiary Transavia. The strike, which is expected to cost around £15m a day, saw lengthy queues building up at major airports as thousands were stranded. The strike, which is expected to cost around £15m a day, saw large queues building up at major airports as thousands were stranded . ‘It’s an absolutely chaotic situation – I’m desperate to get to Nice from Paris but nothing seems to be moving,’ said businessman David Newman, who is originally from Birmingham. ‘Lots of services have been cancelled completely, but information is very hard to come by. It’s a ridiculous situation. ‘Air travel in France is always being hit by strikes – the country needs to sort this matter out.’ Britons are the biggest visitor group in the world to Paris, while thousands of others use France as a hub to get to other parts of the world. Air France sent 65,000 text messages to passengers warning them about cancellations and delays, but thousands just turned up anyway. A company spokesman urged those ‘who have booked a flight between September 15 and 22 to delay their trip, change their ticket free of charge or claim a refund.’ Dozens of British passengers were stuck at Marseille-Marignane airport in the south of France on Monday . An Air France spokesman warned those who have a flight booked with the airline for the next week to 'delay their trip, change their ticket free of charge or claim a refund’ Jean-Philippe Beauchene, another stranded passenger, said: ‘What are we meant to do, just sit at home when we’re meant to be somewhere else?’ ‘At least while you’re at the airport you have a slim chance of travelling. Just giving up is not an option for most people.’ SNPL, the main pilots’ union at Air France, warned that up to 80 per cent of flights could be cancelled as the strike continues into this week. Air France employees fear that the development of their low-cost operator, Transavia, will lead to jobs being outsourced to other companies, and permanent jobs being reduced to part-time contracts. Jean-Louis Barber, the head of the SNPL union, told France’s AFP news agency: ‘This is about a point of principle. We’re not even talking about a rise in wages. Mr Barber added: ‘If the strike continues beyond September 15, the flight schedule will be modified as a result. The knock-on effects will be communicated to passengers the day before they are due to leave.’ In response to the strike, British company EasyJet on Saturday laid on 1,000 extra seats on flights from Paris to Toulouse and Nice. | A strike by Air France pilots left thousands of Brits stranded at airports .
Airline sent 65,000 text messages to passengers warning them about delays .
Everyone booked on a flight this week should delay trip, warns company . |
118,075 | 24792a2a841d92fad9eb229fe4ed2a6482628a3e | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 07:43 EST, 27 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:00 EST, 27 November 2012 . Charged: Dorice 'Dee Dee' Moore is accused of befriending and then murdering lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare . A woman accused of befriending a $30million lottery winner, swindling him of his cash and killing him began her trial for murder today. Dorice 'Dee Dee' Moore, 40, allegedly became close to Florida lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare by claiming she was writing a book about him. His body was found under a concrete slab behind a home detectives say was owned by Moore's ex-boyfriend in Hillsborough County. He had been shot twice. Moore is accused of killing Shakespeare, of Polk County, in April 2009. He won a $30million lottery jackpot in 2006. Hillsborough Sheriff David Gee alleges she tried to dodge suspicion by using Shakespeare's phone to send family members text messages saying he was OK and also writing letters pretending to be him, according to 10 News. Moore denies the murder and says she took over Shakespeare's assets, about $3.5million and a mansion, authorities say, so he could get away from people pestering him for money. 'The money was like a curse to him. And . now it's become a curse to me,' Moore told reporters in 2010. 'God knows . I would never take another human being's life.' But investigators claim Moore turned to a man called Greg Smith to cover up the crime. Charged: Moore pictured after her arrest in 2010 (left) and her alleged victim, Abraham Shakespeare, a 43-year-old truck driver (right) He was already signed up as a sheriff's informant and was working with detectives to get close to her and gather information. Sheriff Gee allege Moore trusted Greg . Smith so much that she asked him for help to find a prisoner willing to . take the blame for killing Shakespeare in exchange for $50,000. The trial is expected to last two weeks. A pool of 100 prospective jurors was screened yesterday. 10 . News reported that more than half raised their hand when asked if they . were familiar with the case and will now each have to be quizzed on the . extent of their knowledge of the case. Mr. Shakespeare collected his massive lottery check with his family by his side in 2006 . Ms Moore used these leggy photos of herself on social media websites . After his win Shakespeare, a 43-year-old truck driver, won a court challenge from a fellow trucker who accused him of snatching the winning ticket out of his wallet while the two were delivering meat to Miami restaurants. Shakespeare's family reported him missing in November 2009, telling the Polk County sheriff's office they hadn't seen him since April. Speaking at the time, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said when their investigation began they had hoped to find Shakespeare alive. When the body was found, his brother Robert Brown was quoted by 10 News as saying: 'I'm missing my little brother, what ain't gonna be back no more. 'Dead and gone, and everything. He ain't coming back.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Dorice 'Dee Dee' Moore charged with the murder of Abraham Shakespeare .
The lottery winner's body was found under a slab of concrete in 2009 .
Detectives obtained CCTV of her buying plastic sheeting and duct tape .
Site of burial was owned by Moore's ex-boyfriend, detectives say . |
148,366 | 4bd81e6a327709e11bb8209d5fdb39fb3958ea3a | By . Tim Shipman and Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 19:09 EST, 1 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:59 EST, 2 March 2013 . Facing criticism: UKIP leader Nigel Farage has been accused of costing the party its first Westminster seat by not standing in the Eastleigh by-election himself after candidate Diane James came second . Nigel Farage was forced to face down claims yesterday that his refusal to run in the Eastleigh by-election cost his party its first Westminster seat. UKIP candidate Diane James stormed from behind on a wave of protest votes to take second place in the poll. She won 27.8 per cent of the vote to finish just 1,771 votes behind Liberal Democrat victor Mike Thornton. But her leader, who said his party was on the verge of causing a ‘national political earthquake’, faced the charge that his decision not to run had killed any chance of UKIP winning the seat. Mr Farage said the result, UKIP’s . best in a Westminster election, was a ‘very significant step forward’ and boasted that they had hoovered up votes from all three main parties. He claimed that UKIP had persuaded voters disillusioned by mainstream . politics to go out to vote for the first time in ‘20 or 30 years’. Mr . Farage, by far the best-known figure in UKIP, had been expected to . stand, not least because he was the party’s first-ever candidate in the . 1994 Eastleigh by-election. And . while in 2010 UKIP received just three per cent of the national vote, . Mr Farage picked up 17.4 per cent when he stood against Speaker John . Bercow in Buckingham. And recent polls put UKIP 1 per cent ahead of the . Lib Dems nationally, at 9 per cent. Asked . whether he had ‘bottled it’ yesterday, Mr Farage said: ‘I have been . accused of many, many sins and most of them are true but I could never . be accused of bottling anything in my life. I wouldn’t have done any . better than Diane did.’ 'We are not a one man band': UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he wouldn't have done any better than candidate Diane James . Scraped through: Mike Thornton, pictured with his wife Peta Thornton at the Eastleigh by-election count, won his seat by just 1,771 votes . Mr . Farage maintained that if he had been the candidate it would have . reinforced criticism that Ukip is a ‘one-man band’. ‘We are not a . one-man band, I intend to lead this party into the European elections in . June next year, when we will take the tremor we have created in . Eastleigh and turn it into a national political earthquake,’ he said. ‘Had . I stood and I had got more votes and be going to the House of Commons, I . would not have been able to lead the party as a candidate in the . European elections next year. I believe its in those elections we will . come first and cause a real earthquake in British politics.’ UKIP’s success opens the possibility that the party could cost the Tories dozens of seats at the next general election. Gloomy faces: David Cameron admitted the defeat of Tory candidate Maria Hutchings, pictured at an event during the campaign, was 'disappointing' Dog's dinner: The Tories had named Eastleigh as one of its top 40 target seats for a majority in 2015, but the campaign was overwhelmed by a surging UKIP . Mr Farage said the Tories should lay the blame for their defeat firmly at the door of David Cameron, and added that it was “unlikely” that UKIP would consider a pact with them as long as he remains their leader. ‘The Conservatives failed here because traditional Tory voters look at Cameron and they ask themselves, “Is he a Conservative?” and they conclude, “No, he’s not”,’ he said. ‘He’s talking about gay marriage, wind turbines, unlimited immigration from India. He wants Turkey to join the European Union. The Conservatives’ problems are not because of UKIP, it’s because of their leader.’ UKIP leader Nigel Farage and Eastleigh candidate Diane James celebrates the party's second place finish in the by-election . All smiles: UKIP leader Nigel Farage emerged as one of the big winners of the night, claiming the result had 'stunned the establishment' | UKIP candidate Diane James came second with 27.8% of the vote .
She was just 1,771 votes behind Liberal Democrat victor Mike Thornton .
Nigel Farage accused of killing UKIP's chances of winning the seat by not standing himself . |
126,182 | 2f17146977e7771d8be1e0bb827a11b1b588e7d3 | All of the crew aboard the world's largest purpose built livestock carrier, that caught ablaze, have been accounted for according to the ship's owner. Firefighters battling the blaze on Wellard's Ocean Drover, at Fremantle Port, are struggling to contain the fire. Eight trucks rushed to the scene after the blaze erupted just before 8am. The ship's company have confirmed the fire started in the accommodation area and all crew have been evacuated from the vessel. The Ocean Drover livestock carrier ship (pictured) on fire in Fremantle Port, Western Australia. No livestock were on-board although several people have been taken to Fremantle Hospital . All of the crew aboard the world's largest purpose built livestock carrier, that caught ablaze, have been accounted for according to the ship's owner . A man watches smoke billow over Fremantle Harbour as emergency personnel attempt to extinguish a blaze that broke out on board livestock ship Ocean Drover just before 8am . A St Johns Ambulance spokesman said one man in his 40s was rushed to Fremantle hospital suffering burns and smoke inhalation while several crews members were treated by paramedics. Six others are still being assessed by paramedics at the scene and two of them will be taken to Fremantle hospital. They said the unfolding emergency is being treated as a major incident. 'We're sending our emergency management team down to help cope with the casualties there,' he said. 'It's kind of chaotic.' The ship's company, Wellards, have confirmed the fire started in the accommodation area and all crew have been evacuated from the vessel . Crowds watch the action unfold as smoke billow over Fremantle Harbour as emergency personnel attempt to extinguish the blaze that broke out on board the livestock ship, Ocean Drover . A Tug boats in Fremantle Harbour unleash a stream of water on livestock ship Ocean Drover as firefighters prepare to extinguish a fire that broke out onboard . A department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said it was unclear whether additional fire trucks would be needed. 'It's a bit hard to tell at this stage,' she told AAP. 'No livestock are on board.' The nine-deck vessel is capable of transporting 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle and has a crew of 45 people. Residents living northeast of the harbour are asked to remain indoors due to fumes in the air. One man in his 40s was rushed to Fremantle hospital suffering burns and smoke inhalation while several crews members and passengers were treated by paramedics . A smoky haze : the Ocean Drover (pictured) cause ablaze Thursday morning. A man in his 40s was taken to Fremantle hospital with burns and smoke inhalation . Emergency personnel watch on as firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire that broke out on board livestock ship Ocean Drover . The nine-deck vessel Ocean Drover (pictured) is capable of transporting 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle and has a crew of 45 people but no livestock was on board . | All crew accounted for aboard Ocean Drover which caught ablaze .
Firefighters continue to battle the fire which is believed to have started in the accommodation area .
Man in his 40s rushed to Fremantle hospital with burns and suffering smoke inhalation .
The unfolding emergency is being treated as a major incident .
No livestock are onboard . |
254,801 | d5d26ec17c9be525bb17e6b5c7d818d8804b23a9 | Brendan Rodgers has recalled every one of the seven players he 'rested' at the Bernabeu for the clash against Chelsea. Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Glen Johnson and Jordan Henderson, who were on the bench for the 1-0 defeat by Real Madrid, and Dejan Lovren who was left out completely, came back for Saturday's lunchtime kick-off. Rodgers always had one eye on the clash against Chelsea as Liverpool look to kick-start their season and get back into the top four. Steven Gerrard (right), Philippe Coutinho (left), Mario Balotelli (second left) and Jordan Henderson are back in . Gerrard (left), Glen Johnson (centre) and Henderson on the bench at the Bernabeu . Liverpool XI vs Real Madrid: Mignolet, Moreno, Toure, Skrtel, Manquillo, Can, Lucas, Lallana, Allen, Markovic, Borini . Liverpool XI vs Chelsea: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli . *Players in bold played both matches . The Liverpool manager said of his choices for Madrid: 'I put out the best team to get a result. I thought the players were magnificent. I know there has been criticism but it does the players a disservice.' Rodgers was criticised for leaving out the seven players in the Bernabeu but Sportsmail's Jamie Carragher offered him support in his column. Carragher wrote: 'Brendan Rodgers felt the Chelsea game would be the biggest of Liverpool’s week.' 'Rodgers has received some scathing criticism for making seven changes but I am not going to join the chorus of disapproval. Some of his decisions I didn’t agree with, others I could completely understand.' The selection meant there was no room in the starting XI for Kolo Toure despite his superb showing against Real. Whether Rodgers' changes in midweek were justified will be clearer at 2.30pm on Saturday. Liverpool players (from left) Coutinho, Gerrard, Balotelli, Henderson and Johnson before the Real match . | Brendan Rodgers brings back seven players for Liverpool vs Chelsea .
Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren and Glen Johnson back in after being rested at Real Madrid . |
213,096 | 9ff6bb721f96856fdd66ba21a8bd454c0918e01a | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 09:27 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:02 EST, 17 July 2013 . A toddler has died after falling four storeys from a block of flats when she climbed out through a window. Muna Mohamed, who was just 18 months old and had just learned to walk, is believed to have fallen from the kitchen of her home after climbing onto a breakfast bar. Neighbours today described the moment the young girl fell to her death from her window. Neighbours described hearing the Muna's mother Layla scream before she ran down the stairs to find her daughter where she had landed on the gravel. Tragedy: The little girl, named by neighbours as 18-month-old Muna, fell to her death from an open window at her family's fourth floor flat in Bristol . Paramedics . fought to save Muna outside the council-owned block in Windmill Hill, . where she lived with her mother, her father Abdirasaq, and her . five-year-old brother Mohamed, but she later died at Bristol Children's . Hospital. Her parents, who are Muslim, are believed to . have been up before sunrise to eat breakfast before observing the . Ramadan fast when the tragedy unfolded early on Monday morning. The family's neighbour Abdul Elmi, . 39, said Muna, who was just learning to walk, had climbed onto a . chair then on to the table before falling out the window. Mr . Elmi, who lives on the sixth floor and was friendly with the family, . who hail from the same part of North Somalia, said: 'They were a nice . family and from the same tribe as us - called Issaq. 'My wife goes to speak to the mum of the family a lot. 'The little girl was a cute little girl and a pudgy little thing who was always by her mother's side. 'My wife heard they were sleeping and . the little girl, she always stays with her mum, but this time she is . starting to learn how to move around and she climbed up a little chair . and table by the window and fell out. 'They are Muslims it is Ramadan. I . don't know what they were doing some people get up and have breakfast . and then go back to bed, but some people don't. It is very sad. 'I'm very frightened for my family now - that could have been one of my daughters,' Mr Elmi said. Sorrow: Flowers and cuddly toys were tied to the railings outside the flats in Windmill Hill in the wake of the child's tragic death . Shock: It is thought the little girl's family were up early on Monday to eat breakfast before sunrise ahead of observing the Ramadan fast . His wife Ayan, 29, said she often visited Muna's mother with her daughters, aged nine, five and four, and three-year-old son. She said: 'When we looked out the window and saw there was a lot going on I had no idea that it was my friend's little girl. 'I went down to knock on the door and there were a lot of police around. 'Muna was a beautiful little girl - very lovely. 'She would always sit next to her mum - she was very content. We are sad about what happened.' Another neighbour, Paul Sheppard, 40, said: 'It’s so sad - a big shock. Everyone in the flats is cut up about it. She was a lovely little girl. 'On Monday morning I heard her mum scream, then she ran out to get downstairs as fast as she could. The police were round here straight away.' Shock: Horrified neighbours living in the building told of their fears for their own children . Sarah O’Driscoll, 28, who lives on the floor below with her seven-year-old son Mitchell, said: 'It’s really scary. 'Having kids, it makes you realise living in flats like this you need to watch them all the time. 'I mean it has been so hot that everyone has had there windows open, you just would never think that kind of thing would happen. 'My son’s seven now, and even though he’s a bit older it still scares and panics me when I can’t see him. 'On the morning it happened I could see the police and paramedics outside but I didn’t know what was going on at first. It’s so tragic. 'I put a teddy out at the tributes because we are all one community here. We are all the same block so it just makes you think. It has been so quiet here since. I think everyone is in shock. 'A member of the family told my sister that the parents, obviously, are in shock. He said the parents took it really bad. It is just so sad.' In mourning: Paramedics fought to save the toddler but she later died at Bristol Children's Hospital . An Eeyore teddy was tied to the railings near where Muna fell, as well as a rabbit teddy with the words 'bless you my little one' scrawled on the label. Another card taped to flowers said: 'To a little angel who was taken young and suddenly, may you rest in peace.' Another said: 'My heart goes out to the family on the tragic loss of their little girl. RIP little angel.' A South Western Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed they were called at 6.54am to reports that a young girl had fallen from a balcony. She was conscious and breathing at one point but had suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital. Avon and Somerset police spokesman Wayne Baker said the girl died later in the day and because investigations found no suspicious circumstances, the case has been referred to the Avon Coroner. The coroner’s office confirmed that a file on the death had been referred to them, but said that an inquest had not yet been opened. | Girl, 18 months, died after falling from open window of fourth floor flat .
Neighbours described hearing screams of 'lovely' toddler's mother .
Little girl named as Muna, who lived in Bristol flats with parents and brother . |
84,887 | f0cd43a073816f36f6b91a4ab27c69706846808c | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 04:01 EST, 4 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 4 July 2013 . They are typically found floating in the ocean's depths - so just how did this octopus end up 978m above sea level at the peak of England's tallest mountain? A team of litter pickers carrying out a clean-up on Scafell Pike were left baffled when they came across the body of a dead octopus nestled on the rocks close to the mountain's summit. Mystery surrounds the manner in which the dead sea creature came to land on the lofty perch in the Lake District - with some suggesting the cephalopod was dropped by a bird after being scooped up from the Irish Sea. Mystery: The dead octopus was discovered by a team of litter pickers carrying out a clean-up near the summit of Scafell Pike - England's highest mountain . It would have taken a powerful bird to haul the octopus - which measured around 10 inches from the top of its head to the tip of its tentacles - so high in the air. The Cumbria beauty spot is home to nesting Osprey, and sea eagles have recently begun to colonise the area thanks to a breeding programme in Scotland. But Dave Ascough, who discovered the dead creature, suspects its presence on top of the mountain may have been the result of a prank. Bizarre: Could a bird have dropped the dead sea creature at the summit of the Scafell Pike in the Lake District? 'It appeared quite fresh, but I suppose it could have been someone's idea of a joke,' he said. 'If not that, it raises the question of why the bird would carry it all the way up the top of the mountain and then lose it and not eat it. 'But I am not an ornithologist, so it remains a mystery,' he said. Mr Ascough, from Stockport, was taking a party of volunteers up Scafell Pike to clear away litter left by other visitors when he stumbled across the bizarre find. The trained mountain leader, who said swathes of litter is left behind on the mountain by tourists and climbers taking part in the popular Three Peaks Challenge, said his team brought ten black bags of rubbish down with them off Scafell Pike that day - including the octopus. 'It is easily the most unusual thing we have found on Scafell Pike - we were quite surprised when we came across it,' he said. 'We were just at the summit cairn where it was quite windy and misty and I saw something on a rock which I thought was a child's toy - a teddy bear or a glove puppet. But on going over to it I realised it was a dead octopus. 'Last year on Ben Nevis I did find a . whole trout in a carrier bag near the summit cairn. So my first . reaction when I saw the octopus was that someone carried it up as some . kind of as a prank. 'Then . I gave it some thought and realised it was possible that a bird had . somehow dropped it, though it would have to have been a big bird.' The . octopus was put into a black sack and disposed of with the rest of the . rubbish, by being dumped in a skip at the foot of the mountain. Theories: An octopus in its usual habitat - swimming through the ocean . | Dead sea creature found by litter pickers near summit of Lake District peak .
Initially thought the octopus was a child's glove puppet .
May have been scooped from the Irish Sea by a bird and dropped . |
139,219 | 40052822384dd44ba4c36fb2a7fc2b46d66974a9 | A car thief was caught red-handed after being knocked unconscious when his stolen motor hit another car and nearly flattened a group of pedestrians before skidding to a halt on a zebra crossing. Locals in the the city of Kaliningrad in western Russia's Kaliningrad region scattered in terror as the stolen two-door red Pontiac ploughed into the other car and hurtled towards them on the city's Sovetsky street as they walked to work in the morning. Driver Dmitri Bobrovski, 37, who captured the scene on his in-car video camera said: 'I was waiting for the lights to change when this car came out of nowhere and all hell broke loose.' Scroll down for video . Terror on the road: A car thief was caught red-handed after being knocked unconscious when his stolen motor hit another car and nearly flattened a group of pedestrians in Russia . Run: Locals in the the city of Kaliningrad in western Russia's Kaliningrad region scattered in terror as the stolen two-door red Pontiac ploughed into the other car and hurtled towards them . One bystander said: 'It's a miracle no one was hurt, let alone killed' He added: 'People literally leapt to get out of the way. 'It's a miracle no one was hurt, let alone killed.' Lucky shop assistant Renata Zaytseva, 54, said: 'It all happened so fast, one minute I was waiting to cross the road, the next I was being knocked out of the way as people tried to escape the car. 'It was really terrifying. 'When the car came to a stop we just stared at it in shock. 'Luckily the man in the other car was OK but the man in the red car wasn't moving and we thought he might be dead.' The driver, identified as Spiridon Aksakov, 23, was taken to hospital for a check up and then charged with theft . A police spokesman said: 'We suddenly realised that the car he was driving matched the description of one that had been reported stolen just 30 minutes earlier' When police and ambulance crews arrived they revived the man who was suffering from mild concussion. A police spokesman said: 'We suddenly realised that the car he was driving matched the description of one that had been reported stolen just 30 minutes earlier. 'We don't like it when anyone is involved in an accident, but this time it worked in our favour.' The driver, identified as Spiridon Aksakov, 23, was taken to hospital for a check up and then charged with theft. He now faces two years in jail. | The car thief, 23, was out of control following earlier collision .
The stolen Pontiac then ploughed into pedestrians at side of the road .
Driver, who was treated for concussion, now faces two years in jail . |
179,189 | 73ffc25860eb236a34bfe1bc55ad3ddee1ccb03e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:01 EST, 17 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:32 EST, 18 January 2014 . Poisoned by carbon monoxide: Jeffrey Williams, 11, was found dead in room 225 of the Best Western Hotel because of a faulty pool water heater in June . The North Carolina mother who nearly died from a carbon monoxide leak in a hotel that claimed the life of her 11-year-old son spoke about the incident on ABC's 20/20 this week for the first time since the June 2013 tragedy. Jeffrey Lee Williams and his mother, 49-year-old Jeannie Williams were discovered unresponsive inside Room 225 of the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone at around 12.30pm on June 8. The woman pulled through and later woke up at Watauga Medical Center, only to learn that her young son has died from carbon monoxide poisoning. What the mother and son, in town to pick up Jeffrey's sister from a science camp, did not know when checking into the second-floor hotel room is that only two months earlier, an elderly couple had died there after being overcome by carbon monoxide gas seeping from a faulty pipe. Last week, Damon Mallatere, the president of the company that owns the Boone inn, was indicted by a grand jury on three counts of involuntary manslaughter and assault inflicting seriously bodily injury in connection to the deaths of Jeffrey Williams, Daryl Dean Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Mae Jenkins, 72. In an exclusive interview with ABC's 20/20 airing tonight at 10pm, the boy's grieving mother said her last memory of her son is Jeffrey sitting on the edge of the bed and playing a game on his iPad. The following day, the family were supposed to pick up Mrs Williams' 17-year-old daughter from camp, but at night the woman felt nauseated and rushed to the bathroom. Scroll down to video . Final moments: Mrs Williams the said her last memory of her son is of Jeffrey sitting on the edge of the bed and playing a game on his iPad . Three people died last year from carbon monoxide poisoning after staying in room 225 at the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone, North Carolina . ‘I knew where I was,’ Williams recalled. ‘I was on the floor, but my phone was plugged in by the bed. I knew I needed to get help... I remember [being] on the floor reaching and trying to get to the door to open the door, and I couldn't. I couldn't get it. And then that's the last thing I remember.’ The next morning, Williams' teenage daughter became concerned when her mother and brother had failed to turn up at the appointed time and called the hotel to inquire after them. A Best Western clerk went up to Room 225, where he discovered Jeffrey dead and his mother lying unconscious on the floor in the bathroom. ‘The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital room,’ Williams said. ‘I couldn't talk.’ Desperate to find out what happened to her son, Mrs Williams wrote a note to her husband, who then delivered the devastating news. 'That's when he told me that Jeffrey was with Jesus,' she said. Unbeknownst to Jeannie Williams and . her son, they were lodged in the same room where Washington couple Daryl and Shirley Mae . Jenkins were discovered dead from carbon monoxide poisoning on April 16. On a 911 tape, a concerned hotel clerk could be heard telling the dispatcher in June that the same thing happened just weeks earlier. Damon Mallatere's company owns the ill-fated Boone motel, which is part of an international franchise, where police say a faulty swimming pool heater allowed . carbon monoxide to seep into the motel room through a corroded pipe. Cursed room: Daryl and Shirley Mae Jenkins, and Jeanine and Jeffrey Williams were lodged in Room 225 (not pictured) of the Boone hotel about seven weeks apart . Equipment failure: Police said a faulty swimming pool heater allowed carbon monoxide to seep into the motel room through a corroded pipe propped up with a VHS tape . Mallatere’s attorney told the Charlotte Observer . last week that he was 'extremely disappointed' that charges have been . pressed against him instead of the gas company that converted the heater . from propane to natural gas. In . an interview with ABC, Mallatere said that he made the decision to . re-open Room 225 six weeks after the Jenkins couple's deaths because officials indicated to him that they had passed away from natural . causes. Dr. Brent Hall, Watauga County medical examiner, had a report on his desk . that explained the reasons for the Jenkins' deaths, however their . toxicology reports did not make it to Boone police until after Jeffrey . Williams died two months later. 'I don't know why they didn't expedite . them, but the thinking at the time was that it was not carbon monoxide,' said Chief Police Officer Dana Crawford. When Jeffrey and his mother checked into the hotel, they did not know about the previous victims - nor did the police. Toxicology tests have confirmed that the deaths of Daryl Dean Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Mae Jenkins, 72, were both due to carbon monoxide poisoning . Deja vu: On a 911 tape from June 8, a concerned hotel clerk could be heard telling the dispatcher that other guests had died in the room just weeks earlier . Dr Hall suddenly resigned in November but he has not answered questions about when he received the results. 'I can’t speculate as to why we . didn’t get them,' Police Chief Dana Crawford said, according to WSOC. Ms. Crawford said those documents could have saved the boy's life. 'I would like to think we would have . been able to conclude and find the source of that carbon monoxide, and . with that information, been able to rectify that whole situation before . this happened,' Ms Crawford said if her department knew . there was a carbon monoxide death in the room, they would have worked . with fire officials to find the leak. She said it took investigators just hours to trace it back to a pool water heater after Williams’ death. But just days after the elderly couple's death - and weeks before Jeanine and Jeffrey Williams checked into the hotel - there was another alarming incident suggesting that something was amiss. Serene Solinski hosted a birthday party at the hotel for her 13-year-old daughter and her friends. The guests were lodged in Room 325, located directly above the accommodations where Mr and Mrs Jenkins had died three days prior. In the course of the party, Solinksi recalled to ABC that most of the children became violently ill and were 'falling off like flies.' The troubled mother alerted the front desk and was assured that the general manager will be notified of the situation. Damon Mallatere was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday and faces three counts of involuntary manslaughter after three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a North Carolina hotel he owned . Mallatere has denied being told about Solinski's fraught stay by his staff. He also has told ABC that he did not know at the time that the hotel pool heater's exhaust pipe was severely damaged. ‘We never would've re-opened that room if we had any thoughts whatsoever that there was something wrong or that that would hurt somebody,’ Mallatare said. According to ABC, photos of the conduit show that it was riddled with holes and propped up with a VHS tape and an ice bucket. Mallatare pleaded not guilty and was released on $40,000 bond. He is expected to be arraigned February 17. Jeanine Williams believes that her son could have been saved had the hotel bothered to install carbon monoxide detectors. The family are planning to start a foundation encouraging hotels to install the life-saving devices and pushing for state laws that would make the detectors mandatory. Mrs Williams also hopes that in sharing her tragic story, she would raise awareness of the silent, odorless and colorless killer that has robbed her of her son. ‘One thing I'll never have… I won't have the mother and the groom dance,’ Williams said. ‘But I just take it one step at a time, and I just know I'll see him and I'll dance with him in heaven one day.’ | Jeffrey Lee Williams, 11, died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the North Carolina motel last June .
Jeanine Williams, 49, survived after being found unconscious in bathroom of Room 225 .
Two months earlier, Daryl and Shirley Mae Jenkins died in the same room at the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone, North Carolina .
Hotel owner Damon Mallatere was indicted by a grand jury and faces three counts of involuntary manslaughter .
Mallatere said he reopened the room after being told by authorities that the Jenkins couple had died from natural causes .
Police say medical examiner failed to notify them in time that the cause of death in the Jenkins case was carbon monoxide .
Odorless, colorless and lethal gas came from a faulty exhaust pipe in the pool heater that was propped up with a VHS tape and ice bucket . |
214,613 | a1e38cd3a59cba7edb09b72caafc93a3c419468a | A vast new hostel for cross-Channel migrants hoping to sneak into Britain is to be opened in Calais as temperatures are expected to plummet. The 'cold weather emergency centre' in a 40,000sq ft warehouse fitted with beds and hot showers will be opened when temperatures fall below -5 centigrade. It will be able to house 1,500 of the estimated 2,000 refugees currently living rough in the northern French port. Scroll down for video . A vast new hostel for cross-Channel migrants hoping to sneak into Britain is to be opened in Calais; the hostel will be opened as a 'cold weather emergency centre' and will feature beds and showers . Migrants line up for food in the northern French port; the centre will be able to house 1,500 of the estimated 2,000 refugees currently living rough in the northern French port . The centre will become the first large-scale shelter for Calais migrants since the controversial Sangatte Red Cross hostel was bulldozed in 2002. That centre was used as a stepping stone to Britain by an estimated 18,000 refugees during its six years of operation. Calais prefect Denis Robin said the centre, two miles from the town's ferry port, would be available for use within the 'coming days'. He said: 'The cold weather plan will provide shelter for all those people left outside when temperatures fall. 'We need a space that can house around 1,500 people, that they can reach on foot, but one that is not in the town centre, because encouraging migrants to remain in the town centre is a sensitive issue in Calais.' A separate day centre offering hot food and showers to only the most vulnerable women, children and elderly migrants will also be opened. The British government has argued that providing beds and showers for migrants will only encourage more to come to Calais hoping to stow away aboard lorries and ferries to Dover. The centre will become the first large-scale shelter for Calais migrants since the Sangatte Red Cross hostel was bulldozed in 2002; it was used as a stepping stone to Britain by an estimated 18,000 refugees . The British government has argued that providing beds and showers for migrants will only encourage more to come to Calais hoping to stow away aboard lorries and ferries to Dover . But Mr Robin insisted the shelters were 'humanitarian gestures', adding: 'Neither of these centres are in any way new Sangatte-type hostels in Calais.' Tensions have been mounting in the town in recent months as hundreds more refugees fleeing war zones in the Middle East and poverty in Africa flood across Europe. Mass brawls between rival gangs left more than 70 people injured during July and August. In October, Home Secretary Theresa May promised to give France £12million to tighten security in Calais after 250 illegal immigrants stormed the ferry terminal hoping to make it across the Channel. The UK also offered Calais an 11-mile long high security fence used at a NATO summit in Wales to keep the migrants out of the terminal. Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart recently blamed the UK's 'generous' state benefits for their influx of refugees. She said: 'Calais is a hostage to the British. The migrants come here to get to Britain. 'The situation here is barely manageable. The UK border should be moved from Calais to the English side of the Channel because we're not here to do their jobs.' | The hotel is 40,000sq ft and will feature beds and hot showers .
And comes as a day centre offering hot food and showers is to open .
The hostels are being compared to the Sangatte Red Cross hostel . |
131,683 | 363fc88275f1716320f0f917b31d150cb4d73354 | By . Tara Brady . Hundreds of sheep have been released around Carson City in Nevada to eat vegetation in a bid to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires this summer. The sheep have become a familiar sight in the capital since 2006 - two years after the Waterfall Fire spread across land around Carson City destroying 17 homes and damaging 14 others. The 2004 fire also damaged or destroyed three commercial buildings, 51 vehicles and 32 out buildings. Sheep are unloaded from a truck in west Carson City, Nevada, to eat vegetation in a bid to prevent wildfires . It is believed it cost around $8million to get the blaze under control and $10 million in personal-property damage. About 750 sheep will graze along the city's urban interface from south Carson City north to Western Nevada College. The Carson City Fire Department hauls water for the four-legged firefighters. City officials say the arrangement benefits the animals and residents alike. About 750 sheep will graze along the city's urban interface from south Carson City north to Western . Nevada College . Sheep gather near Rhodes Street in Carson City to help with preventing wildfires in Nevada . Destruction: Flames bear down on homes in the Timberline area of north Carson City, Nevada in July 2004 . The sheep get to eat and they reduce the abundance of invasive weeds that dry out in the summer and provide more fuel for fires. Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi told the Nevada Appeal: 'It's one of the greenest tools.' Speaking about the blaze of 2004 he said: 'I was the acting chief. It was devastating. It was devastating to our community; it was devastating to our employees.' A couple of herders, a Great Pyrenees guard dog and three or four border collies will accompany about 750 sheep, plus lambs. | The sheep have become a familiar sight in the capital since 2006 .
In 2004 wildfires spread across land around Carson City .
About 750 sheep will graze along the city's urban interface .
City officials say the arrangement benefits the animals and residents alike . |
182,215 | 77f1e26d60390fc27e88224f71c908f32f98e80d | Prototype: Scientists have developed a 'smart bra' which can measure the wearer¿s mood to help prevent over-eating and potentially aid weight loss . They are already used to lift, boost and enhance – but it seems bras could soon be doing something else for women’s figures. Scientists have developed a ‘smart bra’ which can measure the wearer’s mood to help prevent over-eating and potentially aid weight loss. Not only does the bra warn the wearer when she might be prone to reaching for food, but it gives her tips to help resist the impulse. MC Schraefel, a professor in computer science and human performance design from the University of Southampton, has helped to design the bra which is fitted with sensors which monitor heart and skin activity. The data from the prototype device is . analysed by a smartphone app which can highlight when ‘emotional eating’ is most likely to occur and offer advice to the wearer. The app then provides suggestions, such as carrying out calming breathing exercises, to reduce the user’s stress levels. Professor Schraefel said: ‘Emotional states, habitual practices, like snacking in front of the TV or grabbing a cookie when stressed, often go undetected by us – that’s the nature of habits – but they have real effects on our wellbeing. ‘Our work in this project, while early, shows that there is potential to design interactive technologies to work with us, to help us develop both awareness of our state, and offer options we’ve decided we’d rather take, to build new practices and support our wellbeing.’ The bra is a result of a study called Food And Mood: Just-in-Time Support For Emotional Eating, written by researchers from the University of Southampton, Microsoft Research and the University of Rochester in New York, United States. The study set out to develop an intervention which is triggered before someone reaches for food as a means of emotional support. It suggested the smart bra and matching apps as possible solutions. Data: The data from the prototype device is analysed by a smartphone app which can highlight when 'emotional eating' is most likely to occur and offer advice to the wearer . | Bra was developed by scientists at the University of Southampton .
Garment has sensors which measures the wearer's mood .
Underwear warns wearer when she might be prone to reaching for food . |
192,604 | 8551d723d6225760fd6786ea74406168517606bd | Marouane Fellaini grabbed Belgium’s equaliser off the bench as the World Cup dark horses turned around a half-time deficit to secure a 2-1 win in their Group H opener against Algeria. And Chelsea’s Eden Hazard was the key man in the build-up to Dries Mertens’ winner as the Red Devils took all three points – so how did Belgium’s eight Premier League stars (and Algeria’s Nabil Bentaleb) get on? VIDEO Team Profile: Belgium . Hair raising! Manchester United misfit Marouane Fellaini celebrates scoring the equaliser for Belgium . Red Devil: Marouane Fellaini recovered from a difficult domestic season to score at the World Cup . Roar! Marouane Fellaini celebrates after bringing Belgium back into the game with his second half goal . Thibaut Courtois . Could . do nothing to stop Sofiane Feghouli’s penalty but was otherwise mostly . untested as Belgium spent most of the game in Algeria’s half. Will count . himself as unlucky not to have kept a clean sheet with barely a save to . make. Vincent Kompany . Typically . commanding performance from Belgium’s best defender as he barely put a . foot wrong and dominated aerially. Looks set for a good World Cup to cap . a fantastic season with Manchester City. Jan Vertonghen . His . dreadful challenge gave away penalty in the game’s decisive moment and . it was a silly challenge to make – grabbing at Feghouli after being . caught ball watching in the box. His terrible free-kick towards the end . of the first half flew into the top tier made it a bad day at both ends . for the versatile Tottenham defender. Match winner: Dries Mertens (L) gave Belgium a wining start after scoring a late winer . Provider: Eden Hazrd had a relatively quiet game but did set up the wining goal for Dries Mertens . Not Spur! Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen was responsible for giving away a first-half penalty . On the spot: Jan Vertonghen brings down Algeria's Sofiane Feghouli to concede a penalty . Head over heels: Many people's dark horses for the World Cup got off to a terrible start in Group H . Referee! Jan Veryonghen appeals the penalty decision as he is given a caution by Marco Rodriguez . First blood: Sofiane Feghouli wheels away after giving Algeria the lead against Belgium . Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois can only watch on after failing to prevent Algeria from scoring the penalty . Moussa Dembele . Subbed . off in the second half after struggling to make an impact in midfield. Fellaini came on in his place and changed the game which could put . Dembele’s place in the side in jeopardy. Nacer Chadli . Should . have squared a good chance mid-way through the first half but instead . to choose shoot and in doing so probably wasted Belgium’s best chance. The fact that Marc Wilmots identified him as the first player to pull . off as the Red Devils searched for an equaliser spoke volumes for the . Tottenham midfielder’s performance. Eden Hazard . Looked . a little moody out on the wing early on and struggled to match his . mid-season Chelsea form. Showed a couple of brief sparks of creativity . and skill on the left hand side but the Algerians seemed ready for him . until he brilliantly surged through the middle before squaring to Dries . Mertens to finish emphatically for the winner. Flying the flag: Belgium started with EIGHT Premier League based players in their opening World Cup game . Leading light? Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard struggled to replicate his club form for his country . Early shower: Chelsea's wantaway striker Romelu Lukkau toiled alone upfront before being substituted . Injury concern? Romelu Lukaku shakes hands with manager Marc Wilmots after being substituted . Team leader: Manchester City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany debates the penalty with the referee . Tottenham midfielder Moussa Dembele battles with the ball with Algeria's Carl Medjani . Fleet footed: Eden Hazard escapes Carl Medjani as he tries to bring Belgium level in the second half . Romelu Lukaku . Looked . well out of sorts leading the line and failed to even register a single . shot on goal. The towering centre forward tends to cause a nuisance for . defences whether he scores in a game or not but he went missing for . Belgium and was replaced by inexperienced 19-year-old striker Divock . Origi before the hour mark. Marouane Fellaini . Brought . on as a second half substitute as Wilmots looked to turn the game . around by adding some height in the penalty area. And despite having a . difficult season with Manchester United, the bushy-haired midfielder . showed that form is temporary with a header that flew in off the . underside of the bar to draw Belgium level. It was his first goal in 10 . months and he generally looked a handful in midfield. And.. Nabil Bentaleb . Algeria's only Premier League based player aimed . an elbow at club team-mate Dembele in the first half and was perhaps . lucky not to see red. Otherwise was neat and tidy in midfield, as he . often is for Tottenham, but struggled to make a big impact in the game . against Belgium’s strong midfielders. White Hart Pain: Tottenham forward Nacer Chadli was one of nine Premier League players to appear . One and only: Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb was the only Premier League player starting for Algeria . Caution! Nabil Bentaleb is shown a yellow card for an over enthusiastic tackle . | Belgium beat Algeria 2-1 in their opening World Cup game .
Belgium had eight Premier League based players appearing for them .
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen conceded an early penalty .
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini came on to score the equaliser .
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard set up the winner for Dries Mertens .
Nabil Bentaleb was the only Algeria player from the Premier League . |
174,638 | 6e07c93005047bd3aafa8f843051c98e51567643 | By . David Kent . Portugal may be relying on how he takes to the world stage in Brazil but it seems Cristiano Ronaldo can take it all in his stride - even when it involves being chased by women. The 29-year-old looked relaxed training with his national team-mates before a female pitch invader decided to take matters into her own hands if she was to meet her hero. Bodyguards had to escort the excited fan, wearing a Portugal shirt with Ronaldo on the back, off the training pitch. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Female pitch invader stopped short of reaching hero Ronaldo . Joker: Cristiano Ronaldo jokes around in training with Portugal ahead of the World Cup opener . Watch the master: The Real Madrid forward's team-mates look on as Ronaldo controls the ball . Packaged up: Ronaldo leaves training with ice on his left knee in Brazil on Thursday . It didn't stop Ronaldo from clowning around, though, as the prolific goalscorer looked in good spirits ahead of the World Cup opener against Brazil and Croatia on Thursday night. Portugal's first game is on Monday, and they couldn't have asked for a tougher draw. Ronaldo and his team-mates will face Germany in their opening match, as they bid to survive Group G alongside USA and Ghana. Gotcha: The female Portugal fan is caught by a steward while trying to meet Ronaldo during a training session in Brazil . The guard took it in good spirits as he escorted the bare-footed trespasser off the training pitch in Campinas, Brazil . Back-up: The Portugal fan is taken away by a group of stewards after trying - and failing - to meet her idol Ronaldo . | Cristiano Ronaldo looks relaxed in training with his Portugal team-mates .
Female pitch invader runs on to the pitch desperate to meet Ronaldo, only to be stopped by stewards and escorted away .
Portugal's World Cup gets underway against Germany on Monday . |
204,499 | 94bf68d83c443b7e25f6ad1087f8fc052d3ed203 | (CNN) -- North Korea is holding an American man who it claims arrived in the country this month to seek asylum, the nation's state news agency reported Friday. KCNA identified the man as Miller Matthew Todd, who it says was taken into custody on April 10. The man, according to KCNA, entered the country on a tourist visa. He tore his tourist visa and shouted that "he would seek asylum" and "came to the DPRK (North Korea) after choosing it as a shelter," KCNA said. The report came on the day that U.S. President Barack Obama visited South Korea -- a trip that North Korea's foreign ministry condemned as being "aimed to escalate confrontation and bring dark clouds of a nuclear arms race." The United States is aware of the report and has been in touch with Sweden -- which represents American interests in North Korea -- about it, State Department press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday. Psaki said the United States has "no greater priority" than the welfare and safety of Americans, but had no further information to release about the situation. Photos: Americans detained abroad . CNN's Shirley Henry contributed to this report. | North Korea says American man wanted asylum .
Report comes as President Barack Obama visits South Korea .
U.S. State Department says it is aware of North Korean report . |
242,593 | c602fb568068b7e8ee45f18cb89a786dcdf47195 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 23:48 EST, 26 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:55 EST, 27 November 2012 . A mother-of-three who suffers from an incredibly rare medical condition has compared herself to comic-book hero the Incredible Hulk after her muscles swelled five stone when it recently flared up. Helen Stephens, 50, who suffers from one-in-a-million Stiff-Person Syndrome, knows that her ailment - which strikes in minutes - could prove deadly. The grandmother from Wednesbury, West Midlands, suffered a major attack earlier this month and saw her weight shoot up a staggering five stone and neck swell by four inches. In pain: Helen Stephens suffers from incredibly rare Stiff-Person Syndrome . She said: 'When I have a bad attack I swell up like the Hulk. 'I look enormous and I even call myself the Hulk, Arnie (Arnold Schwarzenegger) or Rambo. I’m like a bodybuilder.' A seizure could leave her body frozen and permanently swollen if she is not treated in time. She was diagnosed with the syndrome after she began suffering spasms and walking problems after a car accident 14 years ago. Doctors were initially mystified and she was even branded a hypochondriac as she searched for the answer to her ailments. The syndrome was finally diagnosed in 2004 by the neurology team at Birmingham’s City Hospital. She was put on diazepam to control the stiffness, pain and swelling. But then came the hammer blow - it was terminal. More than a decade on, the condition - which tears her muscles and sets them solid in response to triggers like noise and distress - has taken a terrible toll on Helen’s body. She said: 'My muscles tear at the same time and they increase in mass meaning my weight balloons. 'If I don’t get an injection of diazepam quickly enough my whole body stiffens, leaving me unable to have any treatment because a needle will just snap. 'The symptoms in each person suffering from the condition can differ.' Rare: The condition causes the mother-of-three's body to swell up and she can become 'frozen' if not treated quickly . Stiff-Person Syndrome afflicts twice as many women as men and is often misdiagnosed as a range of conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Recalling her battle for a diagnosis, Helen, a former social worker, said: 'I had never heard of this thing. 'But at last I had an answer about what I was suffering from. They believed I had something wrong with me. 'They told me it came in three stages and I was currently in the initial one. But it was terminal. It was devastating.' Over the years, Helen found herself becoming reliant on a wheelchair and the spasms and stiffness began to worsen. She said: 'I had always been a size eight but this has left me at a size 16.' 'I can’t eat properly and am on soft foods. It’s completely ruined my life. 'My body is covered in scar tissues from where the muscles have been torn. I am in constant pain and I have to rely on carers and family to help me. 'I want people out there to know this condition exists because I am constantly met with problems when I am admitted to hospital suffering from an attack. 'Medical staff don’t know what to do because it’s so rare.' Although she carries around a letter alerting medical professionals of her condition and instructing them how to treat her, Helen says that this was ignored by staff at City Hospital, Winson Green when she had her latest attack. Life-changing: Helen, pictured as a child, left, was a petite size eight, right, before she was diagnosed with the condition following a car accident . 'I gave the letter to staff but I was left on a bed for two hours without any treatment,' she said. 'I could have died. My condition means I can die if I don’t have medication injected into me within minutes. 'My throat shuts down and my rib cage contracts, along with my heart, making it difficult to breathe and for blood to be pumped around my body. 'I explained this numerous times but I was left on a bed screaming in agony as everything in my body was ripping apart. 'They needed to get a canula into me so medication could be given on a regular basis to calm my symptoms. 'This had to be done before my muscles hardened and they only had a matter of minutes to do this. 'But it wasn’t until a complaint was made that something was done.' Helen said two carers complained to the patient liaison service, which contacted her former neurologist. Swollen: Helen has said that the condition leaves her looking like the Incredible hulk, pictured, when she suffers an attack . She said: 'He called the A&E department and told them exactly what should be done. But I was as stiff as a rock by the time they put a line inside me. 'I was in unbearable pain and it was by far the worst seizure I have had. I’ve decided to speak out because I have had enough of medical staff not knowing about my condition. 'I cannot complain about the neurology team that has treated me over the years. 'They have been nothing short of brilliant. I was diagnosed by the City Hospital team and the doctors have saved my life on more than one occasion. 'But I cannot understand why the staff in the emergency department do not take notice of what I am saying. I want to raise awareness of this condition so people know about it.' A Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospital Trust spokeswoman said: 'The Trust is grateful to Ms Stephens for alerting us to her concerns about her care in the Accident and Emergency Unit. 'We are sorry she is not happy with the care she received. 'We understand she will be providing us with details as part of a formal complaint and, until we have completed the subsequent investigation, we are unable to comment further.' | Helen Stephens, 50, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, was diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome after a car accident .
The condition saw her swell five stone and four inches around her neck earlier this month .
She says that staff at City Hospital, Winson Green, left her untreated for two hours even though the condition requires instant care . |
113,794 | 1ed1484730972f48d140340458e1ae34eba2f543 | (CNN) -- A Florida death-row inmate convicted of abducting and murdering 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in 2005 has died, prison officials said Wednesday. John Couey had been sentenced to death for killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Florida in 2005. John Evander Couey, 51, died at 11:15 a.m. ET of natural causes, a Florida Department of Corrections spokeswoman told CNN. He had been taken to a Jacksonville, Florida, hospital from Florida State Prison in Starke, Florida. Because of privacy laws, no further information could be released by the Department of Corrections. A source close to the case told CNN that Couey's death was not unexpected and he had been ill for some time. "I never dreamed it would happen like this," Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, told CNN. He said he never thought he would live long enough to see Couey put to death because of the lengthy appeals process. He said he was sad when he heard the news of Couey's death. "To me, death is sad," he said. "But her death, Jessie's death, has been redeemed ... I'm relieved. I'm glad it's over with." Couey was sentenced to die in August 2007 for abducting and raping Lunsford, then killing her by burying her alive. The girl was snatched from her bed in her family's Homosassa, Florida, home the evening of February 23, 2005, by Couey, a registered sex offender. Her body was found three weeks later, buried at the home of Couey's half-sister, who lived within sight of the Lunsford home. The girl's body was wrapped in plastic garbage bags, and her hands were bound with speaker wire. She was clutching a stuffed dolphin -- a toy won for her at a state fair by her father, and which Couey allowed her to bring with her when she was abducted. "I am not shedding any tears," the girl's grandmother, Ruth Lunsford, said on Wednesday. "I don't feel sorry for him. I think God said, 'John Couey, it's time to go.' " "I don't feel sorry for him that he had to suffer," she said. "He didn't have any mercy on my granddaughter when he murdered her. I'm glad we didn't have to wait years and years for his appeals and execution, and the taxpayers no longer have to pay for him. I'm glad that God took a hand in it." Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy, who led the investigation into the girl's death, told reporters he wished Couey could have faced the death sentence handed down by the jury. "I know he didn't suffer the way Jessie did when he killed her," Dawsy said. "I'm sorry I won't get to look him in the eyes as he died, but I'm relieved to know he'll never hurt another child again." Authorities believe Lunsford was kept for several days before she was killed. Her blood was found on a mattress in the home where Couey was living, her fingerprints also were discovered at the location. During the search for the girl, as authorities and hundreds of volunteers combed Citrus County, north of Tampa, police twice visited that home. "Couey's timeline after he kidnapped Jessica Lunsford leaves open the possibility that she was alive, and in the house, at the time of the first and possibly the second interview," according to a prosecution memo in the case. In sentencing Couey, Judge Ric Howard noted Couey became fearful of police dogs being used in the area in the search for the girl. He told Lunsford he was planning to take her home, but did not want her to be seen, and so persuaded her to get into a trash bag. He then knotted another trash bag over her head, placed her in a hole and shoveled dirt on top of her. Jurors convicted Couey of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery on a child under 12 in March 2007. Howard, at Couey's sentencing, brought many in the courtroom to tears as he discussed how the girl died slowly as her oxygen ran out. A medical examiner testified she could have been alive as much as five minutes, or even longer, before she lost consciousness, Howard said. "He caused a slow, suffering, conscious death," Howard said of Couey. "Her only source of comfort during this horrific experience was her purple dolphin." Another horrific detail the judge noted: The girl was able to poke several fingers through the innermost trash bag covering her before she died. The judge also noted that Couey made "crude, vulgar and repulsive" comments to police after his arrest regarding his sexual assault of the girl, and the judge quoted Couey as saying the media was blowing the case out of proportion -- "This kind of thing happens every day." Lunsford's slaying sparked national outrage and led to stricter Florida laws regarding registration and supervision of released sexual predators, following a push led largely by her father, Mark Lunsford. Although Lunsford's death was one of several that contributed to the passage of a federal child-protection law dealing with sex offender registration and other matters related to child sex offenses, Mark Lunsford said at the time of Couey's sentencing the law does not go far enough. On Wednesday, Mark Lunsford told CNN he is a Christian and he believes he will see his daughter again. In a jailhouse phone call before his sentencing, Couey told a woman described as his aunt he expected the death penalty. "I kick myself in the butt a hundred times a day," he said. "Stupidity ... Just trying to figure out, I'm just asking myself, 'Why was you so stupid?' " "Well, none of us are perfect," the woman said, "and the drugs didn't help any." "No, that was a big problem," Couey said. "Drugs, alcohol." Speaking after Couey's sentencing, Mark Lunsford referenced Couey's earlier comments in which he said that when he got to heaven, he would apologize to his victim. "I have bad news," Mark Lunsford said. "I don't think you're going to make it there." He called on Couey to drop his appeals. "You want to do something for her, give your life for the one you took." CNN's Rich Phillips and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | Officials: Couey, convicted of murdering Jessica Lunsford, died of natural causes .
Couey was sentenced to die for the 2005 murder of Lunsford, 9 .
Authorities: Couey abducted girl, raped her, then buried her alive .
Victim's grandmother: "I'm glad we didn't have to wait years" for execution . |
139,272 | 40133d1feef1be25d4b911dca8bc2969be6725a4 | Author Cheryl Strayed's best-selling travel memoir about her cathartic, 1,100-mile walk along the Pacific Crest Trail has become a literary phenomenon - but little did she imagine that the journey would bring her in touch with a sister she had never known. In 1995, when she was 26 and a first-time hiker, Strayed spent three months on the arduous trail as she sought a way to come to terms with her mother's sudden death from cancer, her own battle with drugs and a painful divorce. The experience gave Strayed the material to write the 2012 memoir Wild: A Journey From Lost to Found. The book became a New York Times bestseller and number one choice of the lucrative Oprah Winfrey Book Club. Family: Cheryl with her husband Brian, daughter Bobbi and son Carver. The author is building a relationship with her half-sister . Strayed, now a 44-year-old married mother-of-two in Portland, Oregon, has become a sounding board for many readers who have faced painful challenges in their own lives. She receives hundreds of emails from those who have found solace in her words - but, the writer told NPR, one message leapt out from all the others. One correspondent gave Strayed the startling news that she believed they had the same father. Coincidence: The author was emailed by her half-sister after she picked up her book in the library by chance and realized they had the same father . The woman was in fact the author's half-sister and had only discovered the fact by chance. She had been browsing the travel section at her local library when the cover of Wild - with its hiking boot on the cover - had drawn her to pick it up and check it out. Later, just pages into the memoir at home, she realized her connection with the author. She recognized that Strayed was her half-sibling purely from the description of their father. Strayed told NPR that in the past she had tried to track her sister down by searching on her name a few times online. The author was aware that her half-sister knew her first name and that their father had another family with older children before she was born. Neither Strayed nor her half-sister have relationships with their father. Strayed told NPR that their bonding . experience has been an interesting journey for both women but that they . have yet to meet or speak on the phone. The best-selling author told NPR: 'I think that the trick to . writing a memoir and the trick to writing fiction is always to have this . consciousness of what it really means to be human, and what the human . experience is. 'And the human experience is full of serendipity and . surprise and situations taking a turn that you didn't expect.' The long walk home: Cheryl Strayed (pictured aged 26, left) embarked on a 1,100 mile trek along the Pacific Crest Trail after she lost her mother (right), battled drug problems and got divorced . Strayed's literary gold came when she found a way to deal with devastating situations in her own life. In 1995, she embarked on the thousand-mile trek from the Mojave Desert in Nevada, through California and Oregon to Washington State, a feat that would have cowed even the most experienced hiker. Her decision to carry out the dangerous trek followed several painful years. Strayed had lost her mother to cancer at the age of 22. Her marriage crumbled as she dissolved in grief and dabbled in drugs. For weeks on end, she walked the trail in the same clothes, leaving herself bloodied, bruised and hungry but completed the journey with a new found sense of self. Wild is expected to be turned into a movie after actress Reese Witherspoon bought the film rights to star as Strayed, while author Nick Hornby is adapting it for the big screen. Literary success: The author on a book tour after her memoir Wild hit the New York Times best-sellers list and was chosen for the influential Oprah Winfrey book club . | Cheryl Strayed trekked 1,100-miles along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995 when she was 26 following her mother's death and her marriage break-up .
Her book about the experience Wild became a best-seller and is set to be adapted into a movie . |
218,402 | a6be025ed44c79e5a75a946a74a77b0878ef3296 | George Washington believed honesty was the most enviable quality in a human being, but the residents of the city that bears his name clearly don't agree. People in Washington D.C. are by far the most dishonest in America, according to a new study, while their cousins in Hawaii and Alabama are basically saints. Beverage company Honest Tea went to every U.S. state earlier this month and set up 61 unmanned kiosks offering tea for $1. Tea drinkers were instructed to place their buck in a box nearby. Mapping the nation's honesty: People in Washington D.C. are by far the most dishonest in America, while their cousins in Hawaii and Alabama are basically saints . But only eight in 10 beverage guzzlers in the nation's capital paid for their tea, while the other 20 per cent of people skipped out on the minimal amount. Washington's wise words: 'I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man' The other states where you should hold on to your purse were West Virginia where only 85 per cent of participants paid for their tea, followed by Texas and Kentucky at 87 per cent. In comparison, everyone in Hawaii and Alabama paid up without exception. Indiana and Maine followed closely behind, with some 99 per cent proving to be honest, according to the company's fifth annual test. This year, however, was the first year every state has been represented. Unlike the city that shares its name, Washington state seemed to honor it's Founding Father's sentiment, scoring 96 per cent — considerably higher than the national average of 92 per cent. 'Even though my bicycle was stolen the same day as our DC experiment, it's reassuring to know that 92 per cent of Americans will do the right thing even when it seems no one is watching,' Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman said. New York ranked in the middle of the pack at 91 per cent, which was better than people expected. California tied with New Jersey, with a score of 96 per cent. The results also determined which sex . was more honest than the other and women slightly edged out men with a . score of 95 per cent compared to 91 per cent. Most honest: People in Hawaii, pictured, and Alabama were the most honest of all Americans according to the informal tea test . Unlike last year where redheads were most honest, in 2013 blondes were the most likely to pay, scoring 95 per cent, followed by brunettes, at 93 per cent and then redheads at 92 per cent. People with short hair were 91 per cent honest, vs. people with medium and long hair who were 93 per cent and 94 per cent honest, respectively. People in groups tended to be more honest than people on their own, perhaps because they were bullied by their friends. | In an informal test, 61 unmanned kiosks were set up across the U.S., with at least one in every state, offering tea for $1, with a dropbox nearby .
Only eight in 10 people in D.C. paid for their tea while people in Hawaii and Alabama paid without exception .
The results also determined that women were slightly more honest than men with 95 per cent of ladies paying compared to 91 per cent of men .
People in groups tended to be more honest than people on their own . |
6,848 | 137006346d309c8b7d74e3877865bc6a2f95ba42 | A pensioner was bludgeoned to death with a slow cooker after a heated argument about presidential politics with her friend, a court has heard. On Thursday a suburban Detroit judge ordered that Tewana Sullivan be tried for first-degree murder following the death of Cheryl Livy, 66, at her home in a Livonia senior housing complex in October. Police Officer Michael Lewallen says when called to the apartment he found Sullivan, 50, sobbing near her mortally injured friend and saying she was 'sorry' she 'did it', and blood all over the walls. Sobbing: Attorney John McWilliams comforts defendant Tewana Sullivan, who has been charged with first degree murder following the death of Cheryl Livy. A court heard how the pair had been arguing about politics . Sullivan broke down in court as the judge hear how Livy had died because of injuries to her head, face and mid back, caused by a 'blunt instrument'. The Detroit News also reported that Livy also suffered injuries on the back of hands, which appeared to have been caused as she tried to protect herself. The cord of the slow cooker was wrapped around the victim's next when police arrived. Defense lawyer John McWilliams said the women were arguing over 'presidential politics' and 'whatever the controversy is between Democrats and Republicans.' Accused: Sullivan, right, reacts while looking at photographs in the aftermath of the incident with her attorney, John McWilliams (left). She stands accused of bludgeoning her friend to death with a slow cooker . He did not reveal which woman took which side. Livy was 'barely breathing' when she was discovered, the court heard, but died two days later in hospital from her injuries. When police arrested Sullivan she appeared disorientated and 'under the influence', they testified, with blood on her hands and clothing nearby. She was initially charged with assault with intent to murder, but following Livy's death the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder which carries a mandatory penalty of life without parole. Sullivan is currently being held in the Wayne County Jail and will next appear in court on February 12. | Detroit woman Tewana Sullivan is accused of murdering Cheryl Livy, 66 .
Court heard the pair were arguing about politics before the fatal incident .
Arguing about 'the controversy between Democrats and Republicans.'
Cord of a slow cooker was discovered wrapped around the victim's neck .
Livy died two days after the attack in hospital from her injuries . |
281,771 | f902a3b8072458bc61052933ee77fd9c2b73d991 | By . Mary Gold . PUBLISHED: . 19:45 EST, 17 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 17 February 2014 . Sally sually avoided the scales, and was appalled to discover her weight had shot up to more than 11st . Sally Edwards was in for a shock when the nurse at her asthma clinic asked her to step on to the scales. 'My . doctor had retired and I changed to a new surgery where they had an . asthma clinic,' says Sally, 45, a hairdresser from Aldington in Kent. 'They . saw on my notes that I suffered from asthma, but this was the first . time anyone in the medical profession had weighed me.' 'She took a sharp breath and made a face, so I knew it wasn't good news,' says Sally. Like . many women, she usually avoided the scales, and was appalled to . discover her weight had shot up to more than 11st. At only 5ft 2in tall . this made her officially obese. 'The problem was that I didn't feel . fat because the weight had crept on so gradually during and after my . pregnancies,' says Sally. 'Then when the children left things on their . plates, I'd pick at the leftovers.' Sally was also struggling . increasingly to manage her asthma, making simple tasks such as walking . up the stairs and looking after her children, Maizie, now 12, and . Merrin, nine, more difficult. The asthma clinic nurse advised her to . lose weight and said it would reduce her asthma symptoms. It was a real . wake-up call, says Sally. 'I knew that I had to do something about it . or my asthma would just get worse because I would become more immobile . and reluctant to exercise.' There is a clear link between obesity and . asthma attacks, as Deborah Waddell, clinical lead nurse at the charity . Asthma UK, explains: 'Obese people find their asthma much harder to . control.' It seems they don't respond as well to treatment as people . who are a healthy weight. Indeed, a recent study by Royal Brompton . Hospital in London, involving more than 600 patients at severe asthma . clinics across the UK, found that patients with a BMI of more than 30 . were more likely to need the steroid prednisolone - used to reduce . inflammation in the airways - and to resort to their inhalers more . often. But as Dr Andrew Menzies-Gow, a consultant in respiratory . medicine at Royal Brompton, says: 'Unfortunately, one of the . side-effects of prednisolone is increased appetite and weight gain, so . patients are more inclined to find activity difficult. 'It's a vicious circle, but if an asthma sufferer can break that cycle and lose weight, the benefits will be obvious.' Sally's . asthma started when she was 19, triggered by a severe bout of flu. Upper respiratory infections are often caused by cold and flu viruses . and are a common trigger of asthma. Sally lost a stone-and-a-half and it made a huge difference, bringing the asthma under control . 'I had the flu jab when I was 19, but I was one of the unlucky people who contracted the flu badly,' she says. Her . asthma started to affect her daily life. 'Getting up the stairs was . very scary because the wheezing was so loud. And it stayed at the same . level in my 30s and into my 40s. I couldn't run after the children at . the park.' Since being diagnosed with asthma, Sally has used a brown . preventer inhaler each morning to build up a constant level of . protection and a stronger, fast-acting Ventolin version when symptoms . worsen. This would tend to happen in winter, and also if she was . stressed or had been in contact with pet hair, particularly rabbits. As . well as losing weight, Sally embarked on an exercise regimen - which . can be a brave step for an asthma sufferer, as many worry that increased . activity will spark an attack. The amount spent on treating and caring for people with asthma each year . But, in fact, exercise is good for . asthmatics because it improves their lung capacity. Done carefully, it . shouldn't be risky. And, for Sally, the regimen has been a life-changer. After seeking advice from the Asthma UK website, she took up jogging. As . well as running four miles three times a week, she started going to a . weekly spinning class, while cycling short distances instead of using . the car soon became part of her routine. 'I lost a stone-and-a-half in eight months and it made a huge difference,' says Sally. 'It . really brought the asthma under control and made the attacks less . frequent and less severe - I have just one a month instead of three a . week.' She can now also run up the stairs. 'When I was 11st, my . body was struggling to cope with the weight, especially climbing . stairs, but the fitter you are, the stronger your lungs become.'Sally's experience is backed up by Asthma UK. 'If . you can exercise, this will expand the airways, and improve your lung . function,' says Deborah Waddell. 'Following a low-fat, low-sugar diet . and getting rid of weight, especially around the middle, will make a big . difference. It's all about changing your behaviour and lifestyle.' Andrew . Menzies-Gow suggests that people with asthma should look closely at . their whole lifestyle, stop smoking, avoid pets which aggravate the . condition, and take up exercise gradually, especially walking, swimming . and cycling. When it comes to exercise, he recommends taking a . friend with you when you first start, stopping your work-out to rest if . wheezing starts and choosing gentle, age-appropriate exercises to begin. 'Weight loss and exercise are not a magic bullet for asthma, but they can help enormously,' adds Dr Menzies-Gow. As for Sally Edwards, she's delighted that her asthma is now under control. But that day at the asthma clinic is so vivid and humiliating that she still steers clear of the scales.'I still don't weigh myself very often, but now I have a pair of size 12 jeans and I try them on once a week. 'I know that if they don't fit then I have to try just that bit harder to keep the weight off,' she says. For more information on how to exercise with asthma, go to asthma.org.uk and rbht.nhs.uk . | Asthma clinic nurse advised Sally Edwards, 45, from Kent, to lose weight . |
67,137 | be7486acb7a2047af6d672e065af66751db5c8cd | Whether I’m glammed up for a night out or sitting at home on the sofa, I wouldn’t dream of going without lipstick. The reason? My natural lip colour is very pale and without a touch of lippy I look positively cadaverous. For this reason I have worn lipstick or gloss every day since I was 13. This vanity costs me a small fortune — almost £50 — as I get through two or three products every month. I’m always on the lookout for the holy grail of lipsticks, one which goes on and jolly well stays put. So, when I heard about the new Rouge Edition Velvet by Bourjois and the company’s claim that it lasts for a full day without smudging off, I could hardly contain myself. Can this be true? The boffins at Bourjois may have tested it scientifically, but I decided to put it, and five competitors, to a rather more practical test. Each lipstick was subjected to the rigours of me eating a sandwich, drinking a glass of wine and . . . kissing my husband. Here’s how they fared. Scroll down for video . The smooch test: Alice (wearing Rouge Edition Velvet in Frambourjois by Bourjois) with her husband Justin . STICKING AROUND . Rouge Edition Velvet in Frambourjois by Bourjois, £8.99 boots.com . APPLICATION: This reminds me a little of a felt tip pen. You need a steady hand, but the result is smooth and even. It has a matte finish though the texture leaves my lips feeling a bit dry. The colour is a vivid pink — much brighter than I would normally use — but I rather like it, especially now that I have a bit of a tan. THE TEST: I made some sandwiches with sliced white bread to show up any lipstick that comes off — not hugely classy perhaps, but effective. As I bite into a smoked salmon triangle, a half-moon shaped stain instantly appears. I lick my lips. Whoops, there’s another bit of lipstick gone. But when I look in the mirror, my lips are as bright pink as when I started. Feeling rather perky, I take a sip of prosecco, which leaves a glowing crescent on the glass. Next, I haul Mr Smellie out of his study for a (reasonably) passionate kiss. You’d think he would be thrilled at a bit of affection from his wife, but he seems more concerned with returning to his computer. Afterwards my lips are still bright pink, which is impressive, but so are my husband’s. He rubs at his mouth in disgust with the back of his hand. VERDICT: A great deal has come off, yet my lips still look great. The colour certainly holds. Mr Smellie may just have to get used to it. SCORE: 7/10 . Lipstick left behind: The Bourjois lipstick leaves it's mark on Justin, but overall Alice is impressed . NO STAYING POWER . George Matte Lipstick in Luscious at Asda, £4 . APPLICATION: This is a pleasant, glossy light pink and feels expensive and moisturising as I carefully draw it around my lips. The result is a demure rose colour. I look as though I am going to a summer garden party. THE TEST: There is a pretty pink rim on the bread after my first bite of sandwich, and as I sip from my glass a bright mark instantly appears on the side of the glass. I suppose if I were actually at a summer garden party at least I wouldn’t lose my drink. A smooch with Mr Smellie leaves me looking like a clown. I gather, from his under-the-breath mutterings, that he is less than impressed with this one which comes off as easily as it went on. VERDICT: A lovely lipstick, but there’s little left on my mouth and too much all around it. SCORE: 4/10 . SMOOCH-PROOF . Ruby Woo by Mac, £15.50, debenhams.com . APPLICATION: Debenhams tell me their best-selling lipstick this year is Mac’s Ruby Woo — almost 4,000 units have flown off the shelves after Vogue declared that it is: ‘extra matt, red, lasts all night long’. It feels very dry on my mouth but the final effect is an even and bright red. THE TEST: When I take a bite of my sandwich there is barely a mark left on the white bread. I have to peer at the edges in bright daylight to see even a smidgen of smudge. It’s the same with my wine glass — a mere whisper of pigment is left behind. After a quick smooch with my husband (if I’m honest, they’re getting less enthusiastic) there is barely a hint of red on him and my lips still look fantastic. VERDICT: There’s a little staining around my mouth, but my lips remain bright red. Impressive. SCORE: 8/10 . Sandwich a la Lipstick: Alice (wearing Lip Lacquer in Dangerous Lips by Gosh) makes a mark on her lunch . VAMPING IT UP . Lip Lacquer in Dangerous Lips by Gosh, £3.99, superdrug.com . APPLICATION: This is a magnificent and intensely coloured lip gloss with a rich and creamy texture. The bottle is squat and looks as though it contains nail varnish rather than lip gloss. The short sponge applicator makes it easy to apply and the gloss smells delicious. A deep colour and gorgeous, glamorous high-shine finish. THE TEST: I’m afraid this makes a bit of a mess. There is a semi-circle of scarlet on the sandwich and you could pick out my glass from across a room, such is the brilliance of the hue after just one sip. They both look as though I might be bleeding. My husband appears to have been in a fight, rather than a loving embrace with his wife. And I resemble a vampire who’s just feasted on a victim. VERDICT: It looks great at the start, but it comes off super quickly — and the result ain’t pretty. SCORE: 2/10 . Red or white? Though Alice likes the Gosh lipstick's colour, it comes off 'super quickly', and it ain't pretty . PERSISTENT POUT . Semi-permanent Lipstain Pen by Stargazer in No6, £4, stargazer-products.com . APPLICATION: This looks like a neon marker. I feel as though I am drawing on my mouth rather than applying lipstick. Once on, I look a bit muttony — this colour is too bright for anyone over 25. THE TEST: They claim this lasts 24 hours, and indeed it is quite extraordinary. No marks are left on the bread, glass or husband. When I pick the children up from school (looking as though I’m off clubbing, such is the glow-in-the-dark quality of my lips) I also test it on them. They loathe lipstickey kisses, but this doesn’t leave a trace on them either. Even when I vigourously rub my mouth with the back of my hand, there’s just a light orange stain. It takes five minutes’ elbow grease and three make-up removal wipes to get it off. VERDICT: Impressive and certainly does what it says on the tin. In fact, it lasts longer than 24 hours. I draw some on my hand on friday night and it’s still there on Sunday morning, in spite of my having, obviously, washed a few times in the interim. SCORE: 9/10 . MAKE YOUR MARK . Rouge Prodige True-hold Colour and Shine Lipstick in Mystic Plum by Clarins, £19, John Lewis . APPLICATION: It smoothes on evenly and the lipstick’s thick, creamy texture gives my mouth a misleadingly youthful plumpness. I look elegant and sophisticated. This is by far my favourite colour. THE TEST: As I bite into my sandwich, I can feel the lipstick coming off on the bread, as though I am using it to blot my mouth and a light plum shadow is left behind. It’s the same on the glass — there is a faint imprint of my lips. I’m afraid that some also came off onto my husband. He wandered off to walk the dog with a purple smudge on his left cheek. VERDICT: There is little lipstick left but my lips feel wonderfully moisturised and I don’t mind reapplying in the least. SCORE: 6/10 . | Bourjois claims their new Rouge Edition Velvet lasts all day .
Lipstick-addict Alice puts it and five competitors through their paces .
Each lippie undergoes three tests: biting a sandwich, drinking from a wine glass and the all-important kiss . |
207,877 | 9921f5cfe6dc6e80819133ce31a74359e0348896 | Lionel Messi has committed his future to Barcelona, ending rumours of a move to Paris Saint Germain or Chelsea. According to the front page of Mundo Deportivo in Spain, the Argentinian superstar has confirmed he will stay at the Nou Camp for the foreseeable future. There had been rumours circulating of a potential move away from Barca, with Chelsea and PSG said to be preparing bids, but Mundo Deportivo claim, 'Leo Messi has a total commitment to the club.' Lionel Messi has pledged his future to Barcelona, ending speculation of a move to Chelsea or PSG . They continue by stating that Nassir Al-Khelaifi, president of PSG, was keen on the forward, while Chelsea had also readied themselves for a high bid. The Blues are said to have consulted not only with their midfielder Cesc Fabregas, but also his partner Daniella Semaan, about the likelihood of Messi jumping ship and moving to London. The front page of Marca leads with a story on Sergio Ramos, with the headline, 'Nobody can stop him'. They claim the Real Madrid defender will push to start at the Mestalla on Sunday, when Madrid face Valencia in La Liga. The other Spanish papers focus on Sergio Ramos' return from injury, and Carlo Ancelotti's hopes for 2015 . 'His recovery work over Christmas has paid off,' they continue. In Italy, much of the focus is on Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski's imminent loan move to Inter Milan. The German touched down in Italy on Friday, with La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that he had stated he was, 'Happy to be here.' He may also play against Juventus on Tuesday - a tough first game of his spell in northern Italy. AS in Spain lead with a story on Carlo Ancelotti. The Real Madrid boss says 'there are no limits in 2015', as Los Blancos try to emulate the success of last season. In Italy, all of the papers led on the arrival of Lukas Podolski, who joins Inter Milan on loan from Arsenal . | Lionel Messi has pledged his future to current club Barcelona .
There were reports that Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain were interested .
Sergio Ramos may be fit to play against Valencia for Real Madrid .
Carlo Ancelotti says there are no limits to what his side can do in 2015 .
Lukas Podolski has touched down in Milan for his loan spell at Inter . |
58,782 | a6c0a687dbf4d37d6af6d24a60883cd53e296c64 | By . Vanessa Allen . PUBLISHED: . 15:47 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:54 EST, 1 August 2013 . Care: Andrew Marr required full-time care in the months after his stroke. His wife of 26 years said he was reduced to a 'half-paralysed invalid' When broadcaster Andrew Marr suffered a massive stroke which left him a ‘half-paralysed invalid’, his life changed overnight. Yesterday his wife revealed for the first time the huge impact his sudden illness had on her - and made a heartfelt plea for greater support for Britain’s carers. Jackie Ashley, 58, gave up work for six months to become a full-time carer for her husband while he recovered from the stroke which almost killed him. She told how ‘exhausting, monotonous and frustrating’ she found aspects of caring for him during his recuperation, but said it had also given her a better perspective on life. The mother-of-three said: ‘I am no Florence Nightingale and there’s no damn halo visible when I look in the mirror: this is just what any decent relative would do for someone who is physically disabled. ‘One stroke victim wrote to tell me he thought that carers for stroke sufferers all experience some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. ‘I wouldn’t go that far, but it can be tough, and carers everywhere need support and breaks.’ Mr Marr, 53, suffered a serious stroke in January this year which damaged his left arm and leg, leaving him needing intensive physiotherapy. Doctors warned his wife he might not survive the bleeding in his brain and that if he lived he could be left unable to move, see, speak or hear. Following months of rehabilitation, he is now preparing to return to broadcasting full-time next month. While his voice and memory are intact, he said his walking was still ‘a bit wobbly’. Miss Ashley, his wife of 26 years, has also returned to her work as a columnist for the Guardian newspaper, and described the dramatic impact the stroke had on the couple’s lives. he said: ‘He went from being a super-energetic, fit, over-worker to a half-paralysed invalid. ‘His life had totally changed, but of course, as many kind friends have pointed out, mine had too... I had never been a full-time carer. ‘It is, above all, exhausting. It can also be extremely monotonous and frustrating for both the patient and the carer.’ Miss Ashley praised ‘brilliant support’ given to her husband from doctors, nurses and physiotherapists during his time in hospital. Challenging: Jackie Ashley said her life changed after her husband's stroke, and the support they were given in hospital stopped once they returned home . But she said the level of support for stroke victims dropped dramatically once they left hospital, despite an ongoing need for occupational and physiotherapy. She called for greater flexibility from employers to cope with the growing need for workers to take time off to care for elderly parents and other relatives. Around six million people, or one in eight adults in Britain are carers, according to Carers UK. Half of those juggle care commitments with work, but the demands of caring mean that one in five eventually have to give up working, according to the charity. By 2037, it estimates that the number of carers in Britain will increase to nine million. Miss Ashley, the daughter of Labour peer Lord Ashley of Stoke, the first deaf MP, said many people became carers ‘out of the blue’ after an illness or accident left a relative needing help. She said: ‘The world of work is not set up to deal with this. Too many older women lose their jobs after a few months off to care for an elderly parent, or other relative. Return: Andrew Marr is due to resume full-time broadcasting in September . ‘Just as we now accept that women need to take some time out for childcare, surely we should be able to re-arrange the world of work so that “carer’s leave” becomes a normal part of all our lives, men included.’ Carers UK chief executive Heléna Herklots (corr) said a recent study had found the cost to the economy of carers who were forced to give up work was around £1.3billion per year. One in seven employees currently juggles full-time work with a care commitment, she said. She added: ‘As the population ages more and more of us will become carers. This is one of society’s biggest challenges. ‘If people are forced to give up work there’s a loss to the economy because they may need benefits and support, and they won’t be paying taxes. ‘If employers can support people to carry on working then they are not losing valuable employees, and they don’t have to recruit to replace them.’ Mr Marr has spoken movingly of the support he has received from his wife and their children Harry, 23, Isabel, 21, and 18-year-old Emily, saying: ‘Jackie saved my life. Without her, I wouldn’t be here... I was saved by my family.’ He also said he was happier since the stroke, as it had given him a better perspective on his previously ‘brittle, narrow, overstressed life’. Miss Ashley said it had also changed her attitudes, saying: ‘I have become aware of just how fragile life is. ‘We walk in the sunlight, ignoring the shadows. In the blink of an eye lives can be changed utterly... There is nothing like a near-death experience to put life’s little annoyances into perspective and to learn to live each day for the day.’ | Jackie Ashley, 58, stopped working for six months to care for her husband .
Called for greater supports for carers who have an 'exhausting' and 'frustrating' task .
Andrew Marr suffered from stroke which could have left him paralysed .
He is due to return to broadcasting full-time in September . |
280,083 | f6d9ab29325e6440f7e00c45e6c3de729d3937d5 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 23 December 2013 . It would have been regarded as a lucky escape for any able-bodied person. But one quadriplegic man has remarkably lived to tell the tale after getting trapped in his car on a snow-covered mountainside - then crawling for four hours through freezing conditions to safety. Wheelchair rugby player Matt Gypin, 32, had driven his jeep into Colorado's mountains to take a picture for a calendar he gives his mother each Christmas when he became stranded in a snow drift. 'Didn't think I was going to make it': Quadraplegic Matt Gypin re-enacts how he used his wheelchair as a walker to help him crawl to safety after getting trapped in his car on a snowy mountainside in Colorado . Stranded: Rescuers work to free Mr Gypin's Jeep which became stuck in a snow drift, forcing him to spend the night in the car while wearing only a beanie hat and sweatshirt to keep him warm . With the sun setting, no mobile phone signal and with only a beanie hat and sweatshirt for warmth, he had no option but to hunker down for the night in his car. The next morning, having failed to dig his vehicle out of the snow, he realised he had no option but to try to make it to the nearby Sylvan Lake State Park. Mr Gypin was left partially paralysed after breaking his neck when he fell from a third-floor balcony during a friend's graduation party ten years ago. But he still has some feeling in some of his limbs. Against the odds: Mr Gypin was left partially paralysed in all four limbs after breaking his neck when he fell from a third-floor balcony during a friend's graduation party ten years ago . Civilization, at last: Eventually, four hours later, Mr Gypin arrived at the park, where he had to throw a brick through the window of this building to get to a phone to dial 911 . Using his manual wheelchair as a walker, he painstakingly edged his way down the road. 'It wasn't easy,' he told Daily Camera. 'There were times that I didn't think I was going to make it. I was exhausted. 'I would go 10 or 20 paces, rest, go another 10 or 20 paces. I was kicking and pushing with my left foot. It was very slow going.' Eventually, four hours later he arrived at the park, where he had to throw a brick through the window of a building to get to a phone to dial 911. Mr Gypin, who plays wheelchair rugby for the Denver Harlequins, says he will let people know where he is if he ever ventures of the beaten track again. | Matt Gypin, 32, became trapped in a snow drift after driving into mountains .
With no mobile signal and sun setting, he hunkered down in Jeep overnight .
Had no option but to set out on foot after failing to dig his car out of snow .
Painstakingly made his way to nearby park using his wheelchair as walker .
Retains limited use in some of his limbs after breaking neck in balcony fall .
'There were times that I didn't think I was going to make it. I was exhausted' |
205,723 | 965482b5ba857085419072216cef238645a7043f | That foods can soothe, reduce anxiety and boost your mood is well known to anyone who has kept a vise grip on a pint of Chunky Monkey at midnight or dived into the deep end of a party pack of chips at the end of a day gone awry. In a perverse way, ice cream and chips do represent a fast-track to happiness. A load of simple carbohydrates provides an instant lift because carbohydrates trigger the rapid release of serotonin, the mood-elevating "happy hormone." When the brain produces serotonin, we experience a calming effect. But the problem with a simple carb overload is that it sets off a physiological chain reaction that wreaks havoc on the body. It also taxes the adrenals, suppresses the immune system for hours after intake and generally leaves a person feeling sluggish and off-kilter. And then there's the sugar crash. Caffeine is no panacea either. "People who are working a lot and not getting enough sleep often reach for that extra cup of coffee because they think it's going to help them. But in reality the caffeine makes things much worse," says Marjorie Nolan, a registered dietitian. "When you're anxious and stressed out, your body is already stimulated. Add caffeine, which is a stimulant, on top of that, and you're setting yourself up to crash and burn a few hours later. Plus, you're dehydrating yourself, which makes you feel even more fatigued and stressed. You also end up depleting valuable hormones in the long run." Manuel Villacorta, a Bay Area-based registered dietitian and specialist in sports nutrition, says, "We used to have to run for our lives, literally, but we're not doing that anymore. Now most of us are sitting for our lives and livelihoods. People think all that sugar they eat is going to their cells -- and some of it does. But the extra sugar floating around is going straight to the fat cells. It usually builds up in your waistline. And that's how stress is related to gaining weight." What's more, says Villacorta, another side effect of stress eating is that your brain becomes conditioned to want the cookies, bagels, chips and doughnuts. "Over time, your brain creates these reward pathways. And come 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., you're craving those doughnuts. And that's when you become vulnerable, because once those reward pathways have been created, willpower alone is not going to work so well for you anymore." I imagine my biggest vice, an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, happily rolling down its very own reward pathway in my brain. So what do you do then? "You need to create a new pathway, a new happy memory," Villacorta says. "I tell my clients that when afternoon comes and you have those cravings, maybe what you need to do is get up and take a two-minute walk. Or take 10 deep breaths, which will also help lower cortisol levels. Maybe you really are hungry, in which case you need to eat something both satisfying and nutritious. You have to find other ways of channeling the energy and coping." Robin Kanarek, interim dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, speaks to the psychology of stress eating: "Food is more than nutrition. It can have nutritional value, but it also has cultural and social value. Sometimes our beliefs about food may be influencing behavior as much as the nutrition." She cites one study in which students were sent either a doughnut or banana, both with an equal of number of calories and sugar grams. The students who were given a doughnut reported feeling worse about themselves and their body image after they ate it. In a second study, subjects were provided with the same milkshake, except one group was told it was high in calories, while the other was told it was low. The people who thought they had a high-calorie shake were much more likely to indulge in Ring Dings (frosted cream-filled devil's food cakes) afterward. "The thinking was, 'I've already messed up so I might as well keep eating.' " Kanarek recommends having healthy snacks handy. "Most people have a lull around 3 p.m. If you're stressed out and all you can find is junk food from the vending machine down the hall, you may start this cycle that can lead to even more stress," she says. "Having some fruits and vegetables readily available lets you indulge in something sweet that tastes good and has nutritional value, without the snowball effect." According to Villacorta, when it comes to eating to reduce stress, your general goal is twofold: boost the happy hormones (serotonin and dopamine) and reduce the stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline), which take a toll on the body over time. Nolan and Villacorta, both national representatives for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offer nutrition-based recommendations for combating stress, including: . Indulging in complex carbs. All carbs prompt the brain to produce more serotonin. The trick is to stick to more complex carbohydrates because they digest more slowly and keep blood sugar levels stable. Nolan suggests a bowl of oatmeal, whole grain, high-fiber breads and pastas, beans and lentils, which are packed with B vitamins to help keep up energy levels. Villacorta also recommends quinoa, sweet potatoes and fruit. Crunching some veggies. According to Nolan, crunchy raw veggies such as baby carrots, celery and radishes are great stress reducers because the act of crunching releases tension in the jaw without adding many calories. Eating the right kind of fat. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids -- walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, pine nuts, wild tuna and salmon -- help control unhealthy surges in stress hormones. They are also protective against mood disorders such as depression and are important for brain function. "If you are able to think clearly, you will be better equipped to deal with stress," Nolan says. Increasing your C. Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, do double duty because they can reduce stress hormone levels even as they boost the immune system, which is often compromised when we are under a lot of stress. Drinking tea. Studies show that theanine, an amino acid found primarily in green tea, can have a calming (but not drowsy) effect while helping to lower elevated blood pressure. Ultimately, the big picture that emerges is much less about short-term solutions and more about creating a diet filled with less processed, more wholesome foods that can provide greater health, well-being and energy -- foods that can also help shore up the immune system by counteracting the pervasive stress in most of our lives. "You have people consuming these 'light,' 40- to 60-calorie snacks, with lots of additives and very little nutrition," Nolan says. "With the sight and smell of food, and the chewing, our digestive enzymes are released. But lo and behold, 20 minutes later, there is no actual 'food' to be had. Our body isn't digesting anything remotely nutritious and thus isn't satiated. That can trigger a low-grade stress hormonal response, and when it's happening over and over again, it's really taking a toll on our bodies." (If you're having trouble figuring out how to make better choices as you're wandering the supermarket aisles, check out Fooducate and ShopWell -- two smartphone apps and also websites that offer suggestions for healthier food alternatives.) "Eat the right combinations of real food at the right time," Villacorta recommends. "Your body will be less taxed, and it will also be better able to handle stress." | Experts: Stick to more complex carbohydrates because they digest more slowly .
Crunchy raw veggies like baby carrots, celery and radishes reduce stress, dietitians say .
Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids help control surges in stress hormones, they say . |
178,602 | 73378e9bb7068acbd18d66282e9f24ca4b4146cb | (CNN) -- Passengers on the US Airways flight that crash-landed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon praised the actions and courage of the pilot, a safety consultant with 40 years of experience in the aviation industry. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, a former Air Force fighter pilot, has been with US Airways since 1980. Sources tell CNN that Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was piloting US Airways flight 1549 from New York's LaGuardia airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, when at least one of the plane's engines failed. Passenger Jeff Kolodjay offered "kudos" to Sullenberger for a landing that minimized damage to the aircraft and its 155 passengers and crew. "All of a sudden the captain came on and he told us to brace ourselves and probably brace ourselves pretty hard. But he did an amazing job -- kudos to him on that landing," said Kolodjay, who was sitting in seat 22A. Sullenberger's wife told CNN that she was stunned to hear the news from her husband after it was all over. "I hadn't been watching the news. I've heard Sully say to people, 'It's rare for an airline pilot to have an incident in their career,' " said Lori Sullenberger of Danville, California. "When he called me he said, 'There's been an accident.' At first I thought it was something minor, but then he told me the circumstances and my body started shaking and I rushed to get our daughters out of school." US Airways said all 155 passengers and crew are alive and safely off the plane. The crash-landing has also earned the former fighter pilot and private safety consultant accolades from state and government officials. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg commended the pilot for not leaving the plane without checking to make sure every passenger had been evacuated. "It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river and then making sure that everybody got out," Bloomberg said at a press conference Thursday. "I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice after everybody else was off and tried to verify that there was nobody else on board -- and assures us there was not." Sullenberger apparently was forced to make an emergency landing after geese were sucked into one or both of the jet's engines. An eyewitness working on the west side of Manhattan said the belly of the plane touched the water first. An official who heard tape recordings of the radio traffic from Flight 1549 reported the pilot was extraordinarily calm during the event. "There was no panic, no hysterics," the official said. "It was professional, it was calm, it was methodical. It was everything you hoped it could be." The pilot and air traffic controller discussed options, including landing at Teterboro airport in New Jersey, the official said. Then there was a "period of time where there was no communications back, and I'm assuming he was concentrating on more important things." Sullenberger's background in aviation appeared to have prepared him for such a situation. He has been a pilot with US Airways since 1980, following seven years in the U.S. Air Force. His resume -- posted on the Web site for his safety consulting firm, Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. -- lists piloting procedures, technical safety strategies, emergency management and operations improvement, as areas of industry expertise. He served as an instructor and Air Line Pilots Association safety chairman, accident investigator and national technical committee member, according to a biography on the site. He participated in several USAF and National Transportation Safety Board accident investigations, and worked with NASA scientists on a paper on error and aviation, his site says. For the passengers on flight 1549, Sullenberger's skill and expertise were apparent. iReport.com: Did you see the crash-landing? Send images . "I've flown in a lot of planes and that was a phenomenal landing," said passenger Fred Berretta said. Berretta was sitting in seat 16A right over one of the engines when it failed and the pilot turned the plane to align it with the Hudson River. He described silence in the plane as the passengers waited to hear from the crew. A few moments later, the direction to brace for landing came. "It was an amazing piece of airmanship," said Peter Goelz, a former NTSB managing director. | NEW: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger has been a pilot with US Airways since 1980 .
NEW: Former Air Force fighter pilot has worked with NASA as safety consultant NYC mayor says pilot checked plane twice for passengers before leaving "I've flown in a lot of planes and that was a phenomenal landing," passenger said . |
203,673 | 93ac323cc991720d0aa585b972d8a5e5d5ee5a6d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . If several Western media outlets are to be believed, there's a new trend in China where teens have started to take heads of cabbage on walks on leashes to combat loneliness and depression. 'I have more interest for my cabbage than I do my parents. I feel it understands me,' the Huffington Post quoted a Chinese teen as saying in an article published earlier this month. 'I feel I can transfer my negative thoughts about myself to the cabbage, go for a walk with it and come home feeling better about myself,' the website quotes another Chinese teen as saying. 'Trend': Western news outlets like the Huffington Post erroneously reported a 'trend' involving Chinese teens walking cabbage to cope with loneliness . 'Art': The 'cabbage patch kids,' as they've been called, actually are participating in a piece of 'performance art' by a Chinese 'artist' The only problem, however, is that it isn't true - not all of it, anyway. Indeed, Chinese teens have been spotted walking around the streets of Beijing lugging heads of cabbage behind them on leashes. But it isn't new, it isn't a 'trend,' and it has nothing to do with combating loneliness. Rather, it's part of a performance art piece by Chinese artist Han Bing that was unveiled at the Beijing music festival - and Bing has been walking produce on leashes for more than a decade. The Wall Street Journal tracked down Bing after the 'trend' story about the 'cabbage patch kids' walking salads around Beijing was so badly bungled by Western news outlets. Bing explains he has been working with produce, as well as other inanimate objects, since 2000. Performance: The latest installment of the 'performance art' was unveiled at the Midi Music Festival in Beijing . 'Originally, I intended for walking the cabbage to have no meaning,' Bing said. 'I was . only trying to encourage freedom, and to get people to question their . daily activities. There’s a knot in everyone’s head, and I want to untie . that knot. A lot of people come up to me asking what I’m trying to . accomplish, but when I’m walking my cabbage, I don’t want to talk. Just . doing what I’m doing is enough.' Bing has created an entire photo series called 'Walking the Cabbage' that includes photos of him and his cabbages all over the world. The website culturetrip.com describes Bing's project as such: 'From Ginza to Times Square, from Tiananmen to Champs-Elysées, Han Bing and his cabbage have traveled the world.' Bing: 'Artist' Han Bing has been walking produce and other inanimate objects around the world since 2000 . Upon discovering that cabbage walking was neither new, nor a 'trend,' the Huffington Post ran a correction to its original story written by blogger Hilary Hanson. 'It’s unclear whether the teens really saw some therapeutic benefit to the cabbage walking, or they were just messing with reporters,' the correction states. | Western media outlets reported that Beijing's 'cabbage patch kids' were part of a new trend .
The Huffington Post reported that Chinese teens were walking heads of cabbage on a leash to combat loneliness .
In reality, though, it was part of a 'performance art' piece by Chinese 'artist' Han Bing, and is not the widespread 'trend' news outlets reported it to be .
Bing has been walking produce on a leash since 2000 . |
46,336 | 8292841747e8cdf7ede1b203a60fdb996e2f403c | (CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is expected to begin radiation treatment Sunday in Cuba, where he underwent cancer surgery late last month. Chavez flew to Havana late Saturday night. His treatment is expected to last about a month, he said in a message on state media before departing. In February, Cuban doctors removed a tumor, which Chavez said was smaller than another tumor removed in June. "I've decided, based on the recommendations of my medical and political teams, to begin ... radiation therapy as a complement to the surgery I had four weeks ago," the president said during comments broadcast by the Venezuelan state-run news channel VTV. Chavez has not specified the type of cancer he is battling, and the government has released few specifics, fueling widespread speculation about his health and political future. The 57-year-old outspoken, flamboyant socialist leader has led Venezuela since 1999 and has pledged to run for re-election in October. His trip comes at the same time Pope Benedict is scheduled to visit the Caribbean island. The pope, who is on a six-day tour of Mexico and Cuba, is expected to visit Santiago de Cuba and Havana next week. CNN's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report. | Chavez has not specified the type of cancer he is battling .
The charismatic and controversial leader is up for re-election in October . |
107,701 | 16d90c4c0ca3a89d10ed140ccc5dfa2e8bdd6648 | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 07:12 EST, 8 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:18 EST, 8 June 2012 . As DIY disasters go, this one is pretty hard to beat. A hapless Chinese homeowner was left wishing he'd called in the professionals after his entire house collapsed around him during an ill-advised attempt to demolish it himself. The 44-year-old man, named only as Yiburaymu, was planning to use his life savings to build anew home on the plot in Liangtai village near Bole, in western China. Spot of bother? Chinese home owner Yiburaymu became trapped under the debris of his house following a an ill-advised attempt to demolish it himself . Tight squeeze: Yiburaymu was planning to use his life savings to build a new home on the plot in Liangtai village near Bole, in western China . Yiburaymu was left trapped under a mountain of rubble when the house suddenly collapsed due to . the heavy cement ceiling and fragile walls. He was left buried . underneath a mountain of rubble, with only his head and one hand outside. Firefighters arrived to find that he was stuck by six . falling cement ceiling plates. After the called-in crane lifted out the plates, . Yiburaymu was dug out from the debris, and was taken to hospital in an . ambulance. Luckily he was only found to have a ruptured tendon on . the left foot, and is not in danger. Rescue: Emergency workers hoist concrete slabs as they race to free . the 44-year-old Yiburaymu . Hang-on: Yiburaymu clings to a rope attached to part of his house as he tries to stop himself slipping down into the rubble . Freed: Yiburaymu is carried away on a stretcher after finally being rescued from the remains of his home. Luckily his only injury was a ruptured tendon in his left foot . | Yiburaymu, 44, left trapped under a mountain of rubble after building collapsed due to .
the heavy cement ceiling and fragile walls . |
89,512 | fe304dbed2ca13b4141188adfd4eff7ee76e369f | (CNN) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's administration on Friday issued notices to unions, warning them of possible layoffs in early April if the budget impasse continues. The measure "may be able to be rescinded and layoffs avoided" if 14 Senate Democrats return to the state Capitol, the Republican's office said in a press release. "Without Senate action within 15 days, individual employees may begin to receive potential termination notifications," said spokesman Cullen Werwie. Walker has warned that the state might have to lay off 1,500 state workers if the Democrats don't return to meet a quorum to vote on Walker's so-called budget repair bill. The initiative would restrict the collective bargaining rights of many public employees, as well as require state workers -- with the exception of police and firefighters -- to cover more of their retirement plans and health care premiums. Republicans need a single Democrat to cross party lines and rejoin the 33-member legislature to meet the quorum of 20 lawmakers required in a vote on state fiscal matters. Only 17 lawmakers are required for most other issues. Letters to 13 public union heads, sent Friday by State Employment Relations Director Gregory Gracz and released by Walker's office, state that "agencies must take action to decrease their expenditures to make up for the savings lost due to" the delay in the vote on the governor's bill. While stating the cuts would not take effect before April 4, the letters don't specify exactly how many unionized employees could lose their jobs. Walker's office explained that individual employees had to be given a two-week notice before any "permanent" layoffs. Meanwhile, the state Senate has approved a resolution that would hold absentee Democratic lawmakers "in contempt of the Senate." The measure allows state law enforcement to detain the Democrats and bring them back to Wisconsin, according to Andrew Welhouse, a spokesman for Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. But whether the contempt measure is constitutional remains unclear. The state constitution prohibits the arrest of lawmakers while the legislature is in session, except for "treason, felony and breach of the peace." Whether Wisconsin law enforcement would be permitted jurisdiction in Illinois to detain the missing lawmakers is also unclear. Democrat State Sen. Jon Erpenbach said Friday that the move threatened to derail any productive discussions between fellow Democrats and Republicans, including representatives from the governor's office. "We were pretty close to an agreement" but "then the Senate puts out arrest warrants," he said, blaming Senate Republican leadership for impeding negotiations. The stalemate has appeared increasingly contentious in recent days as Senate lawmakers adopted a resolution Wednesday that would fine absentee lawmakers $100 every day they remain missing. A similar resolution passed a day later in Indiana, where House Republicans have imposed a $250-a-day fine against the AWOL Democrats who -- like their Wisconsin counterparts -- fled to Illinois in protest of a labor bill. Walker's budget-repair bill has drawn fierce and spirited opposition from unions, Democrats and others, hundreds of whom have demonstrated inside and outside the state Capitol in recent weeks in Madison. Some of them even slept inside of the building, prompting an order Thursday from Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge John Albert that barred demonstrators from staying in the state Capitol after business hours. On Friday night, the state's Department of Administration noted on its website that the Capitol closed at 6 p.m., with Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs speaking to five people who left shortly thereafter. Some 4,653 people visited the building on Friday -- about four times more than the previous day. One person was arrested for trying to bypass weapons screening despite repeated warnings, according to the state agency. The Capitol will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with more large crowds expected. A Wisconsin Democrat was tackled by Capitol police Thursday night as he tried to walk through a door in the state legislature, which has been closed to the public. Nick Milroy, an assembly member, admitted Friday that he was "aggressive in attempting to re-enter the Capitol, and law enforcement was aggressive in trying to keep me out." "This armed-palace environment created by Gov. Walker has everyone feeling very tense, and emotions are running high," Milroy said of the incident, captured on camera by Milwaukee-based WISN-TV. Police closed the facility after crowds demonstrated in and around the building, contributing to $6.5 million in damage and other costs since mid-February, according to Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch. Milroy "was attempting to gain access without showing his ID," said Huebsch. He "was using his own political agenda to get himself arrested and make a point." The state is confronted with a looming $137 million shortfall at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. The state faces a $3.6 billion budget gap by 2013. CNN's David Mattingly, Eric Fiegel and Katherine Wojtecki contributed to this report. | NEW: The state Capitol was empty shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, a state agency says .
Gov. Scott Walker's office sends letters to 13 union heads warning of possible layoffs .
The letters say job cuts could be avoided if Democratic legislators return .
A judge has ruled demonstrators can no longer sleep inside the Capitol building . |
98,876 | 0b5782d577e89981a6ff48d9c150813ac041a382 | Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama announced on Thursday -- St. Patrick's Day -- that he will stop in Ireland in May as a side trip from his state visit to the United Kingdom, and that he hopes to visit the birthplace there of his great-great-great-great-great grandfather. He made the announcement as he met with the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in the Oval Office. The birthplace is in Moneygall, he said, adding that he also plans to visit "famous sites" in the country. Obama -- clad in a light green tie and sporting shamrocks emerging from his suit pocket -- stressed the "incredible bond" between the two countries. Beyond the customary comments on his guest's leadership, the president thanked Ireland for its assistance with the U.S. effort in Afghanistan and on issues such as food security, and hailed progress and stability in Northern Ireland. For his part, Kenny, who wore an even greener tie, said his country will be honored to host Obama in May, and he is even looking forward to a possible round of golf with the president. Obama said he heard the prime minister's game was pretty good so he may need to practice a bit before hitting the links with Kenny. After the Oval Office meeting, Kenny, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were scheduled to attend a St. Patrick's Day lunch at the Capitol featuring roast angus beef with wild onion chanterelle compote, followed by an evening reception in the East Room of the White House. Kenny began the day with a trip to Biden's residence at the Naval Observatory for a breakfast with guests that included U.S. senators, Supreme Court justices, and Cabinet secretaries. Kenny, who was elected to his post earlier this year, is facing problems at home with high unemployment and a tough economic environment in the wake of the country's near miss with bankruptcy last year. This is his first visit to Washington as prime minister and his first meeting with Obama. | Obama meets with Irish Prime Minister Kenny in the Oval Office .
The president says he will visit Ireland in May .
An evening reception for the prime minister is scheduled in the White House . |
154,080 | 5327e8d324911c074cb1ea10823fd072a27db85a | Moscow (CNN) -- An Estonian security officer detained by Russia last week has been charged with espionage and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, one of his lawyers said Thursday. Security officer Eston Kohver is currently in a detention center in Moscow, lawyer Mark Feygin told CNN over the phone. Estonia summoned Russia's ambassador on Friday to demand an explanation regarding what it described as the abduction of a security official near the countries' joint border. Russian officials say the Estonian was detained in Russia's northwest Pskov region, where they allege he was carrying out an undercover operation, according to a report from state-run news agency Itar-Tass. The Estonian officer "had a Taurus handgun, an amount of €5,000 in cash, equipment for covert audio recording, and materials indicative of an intelligence mission," Itar-Tass reported, citing Russia's security service, the FSB. The dueling claims follow mounting tensions between the two nations. Only last week, U.S. President Barack Obama visited Estonia, where he promised that fellow NATO members would protect the Baltic nation against Russian aggression. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said Wednesday that Estonia considered Kohver's detention to be illegal and demanded his immediate return home. He said two lawyers, one of them Feygin, had been appointed to represent Kohver in what he called an "extremely complicated situation." On Thursday, UK Minister for Europe David Lidington raised "strong concern about the illegal and unacceptable abduction of an Estonian Security Service officer from Estonian territory by Russian Security Services" in a meeting with the Russian ambassador to London, the UK Foreign Office said. He called for Kohver's immediate release. CNN's Alla Eshchenko reported from Moscow and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter and Joseph Netto also contributed. | Lawyer for detained Estonian security officer Eston Kohver says he's charged with spying .
If convicted in a Russian court, he could face up to 20 years in prison, lawyer says .
Estonia says the officer was abducted while on Estonian soil .
Russia says it detained the security official in its northwest Pskov region . |
213,013 | 9fda6f8123e32da1f21aaaf5272e4b4d7b584ae9 | By . Matt Barlow . Follow @@Matt_Barlow_DM . England are building a ‘World Cup hub’ designed to digest data from all 64 games in Brazil and turn it into ammunition for Roy Hodgson and his team. In what is shaping up to be a tournament with a heavy sports science influence, the Football Association will use an operational nerve centre at St George’s Park, the national football centre, to blend traditional scouting methods with the modern desire for video analysis. England’s scouting team in Brazil will include Mike Rigg, the FA’s head of talent identification, Dan Ashworth, the FA’s director of elite development, Gareth Southgate, England’s Under-21 manager and scout John Marshall. Say cheese: England players pose in their suits for their World Cup team photo before flying out to Miami . They will study England’s potential opponents and compile match reports in the normal manner, noting popular set-piece routines and the strengths and weaknesses of players, before liaising with those at St George’s Park. The FA’s senior football analyst Steve O’Brien and his assistant Mike Baker will control the ‘World Cup hub’, where they will watch all 64 games played in Brazil and compile the facts and statistics. They will study each game in the company of different football specialists and scouts employed by the FA and the coaches who are based at St George’s Park. This information will then be packaged and sent to Hodgson’s backroom team in Rio de Janeiro and used to enhance England’s tactics and strategy in Brazil. There is friction developing inside football between the traditionalists, who value the eye and instinct of those steeped in football, and the technophiles who are embracing the masses of data and evidence now available. This is the FA’s bid to carefully combine the two but it is fair to say no England football team will have embarked on a World Cup adventure armed with quite so much sports science expertise. Hodgson, a traditionalist who is fairly open-minded about the advance of scientific data, will be able to use it to monitor the reaction of his players to the heat - they use heart-rate monitors and GPS tracking technology in training - and tactically within games if he wants. All aboard: The England squad have flown to Miami to continue their World Cup preparations . Even after the tournament, the information gathered at the hub will be used to consider successful trends and strategies in international football, in the same way as a technical report. Much of this comes into the realm of Dave Reddin, formerly Sir Clive Woodward’s right-hand man in England rugby union and consultant to the BOA, who is the FA’s new head of performance services and will be in Brazil. Reddin’s brief, according to the FA upon his appointment, was to ‘create new tournament strategies aimed at increasing success’. Ashworth has described his role in the operation as ‘pivotal’. Woodward applauded the idea to employ Reddin when it was confirmed last year and said: ‘Dave is right up to date with everything going on in sport.’ There are two video analysis experts . among the support staff for the World Cup: Andy Scoulding from Liverpool . and Laurence Stewart from Hull City. Coach Gary Neville often spends . the first half of England games in the stands studying the video . technology and reporting back to Hodgson at half-time. England's itinerary for this summer's World Cup in Brazil . The Barclays Premier League stopped clubs installing TV monitors and laptops in the dug-outs, mainly to avoid pressure on officials after slow-motion replays and different camera angles highlifht poor decisions. But mobile phone technology is advancing at such a rate that video experts in the stands can quickly and easily send replay clips and statistical information to those sitting on the touchline. The trick is to identify the information which is both useful and easily digested. England also have Liverpool’s sports scientist Barry Drust in Brazil and Arsenal’s nutritionist James Collins, who will have an important role because of the high temperatures. Collins will be expected to keep the players’ bodies well hydrated and balanced with different minerals and electrolytes using energy bars, supplements, recovery drinks and post-match food. | England are building a 'World Cup hub' designed to digest data from every World Cup match to aid Roy Hodgson's side .
The FA will blend traditional scouting methods with video analysis .
England scouting team will include Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate . |
80,245 | e36e4a153536c64e0d02e587cca634d7bc0e3ca7 | (CNN) -- Australia captain Ricky Ponting insists it is "absolutely possible" that his side can regain the Ashes by thrashing England 5-0. Ponting's side surrendered the famous urn to their bitter rivals last year when England won the Test series 2-1 on home soil. But the last time England travelled to Australia as holders, in 2006, they were beaten in all five Test matches. And Ponting, 35, now believes his new-look side -- who have won eight of their last ten Test matches -- are capable of a repeat performance when the series gets underway in November. Asked if Australia could whitewash England Ponting told reporters: "It's absolutely possible. There's no reason why not. We've learnt from a lot of the mistakes that we've made. "There's no doubt we made some mistakes in the last Ashes series in England that cost us the series. But we know now that we're a more experienced and probably a better team now than we were then." Many of Australia's so-called 'golden generation' have retired in recent years including leg spin bowler Shane Warne, seam bowler Glenn McGrath and batsmen Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, leaving Ponting to mould a younger side. They have been in good form of late but were recently held to a 1-1 Test series draw by Pakistan when the two sides met in England. Yet England are already 2-0 up in their own four Test series with Pakistan, with two games played. When the teams last met England won a seesaw series 2-1, thanks to a dramatic victory at the Oval in the final Test when Jonathan Trott scored a century on his debut. And Trott suggested Ponting may have put unnecessary pressure on his team by talking up their chances of a resounding victory. Speaking ahead of the third Test with Pakistan, he told reporters: "I don't know Ponting that well -- I don't know his character or what he would be meaning saying stuff like that. "But if I were to say something like that I'd find it put pressure on me and the team more than if we just go about our business like I know we will." | Australia captain Ricky Ponting says his side can beat England 5-0 in the Ashes .
England are the current holders of the famous urn after a 2-1 series win in 2009 .
England batsman Jonathan Trott says Ponting's comments may put Australia under pressure .
Ashes series starts in Australia on November 25 . |
199,606 | 8e64015ba488aab7fa0550fcfd50ccbd8e6f241c | We're all familiar with the phrase "waste not, want not," but how well are we applying these words today? For many of us, we buy more than we need, we spend more than we earn, we eat more than our fill. The consequence of excessive living and waste affect not only us, but also our global neighbors and future generations. Over the past two decades, food waste and obesity have nearly doubled at equal rates. The surface area of the average dinner plate expanded by 36 percent between 1960 and 2007. Parallel to increased portion sizes, between 1987 and 2010, the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes almost tripled to 20.9 million. While we are responsible for our own choices, the results we are experiencing aren't merely a matter of choice. We are not genetically programmed to turn down excess calories when they are in front of us. Studies have shown that if our plate contains more food than our body physically needs, we will eat it without conscious consideration. A recent study shows 50 percent of all food produced on the planet goes in the trash. Even more disturbing, 90 percent of water consumed in the United States is for animal and crop-related farm uses. That means food waste accounts for more than a quarter of our total water consumption. In short, water that is needed for farmland and animals becomes a wasted resource when uneaten food gets thrown away. A study conducted last year analyzed the climate change and economic impact of food waste in the U.S. to calculate greenhouse gas emissions due to thrown out food. The results were appalling. It found that food waste in the U.S. exceeds 55 million tonnes per year, which produces life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of at least 133 million metric tonnes and costs $198 billion. But this isn't just an American stereotype played out. In Toronto, Canada more than 17.5 million kilograms of food is thrown out every month and in Britain, the government's Waste & Resources Action Programme estimates that $17.5 billion worth of food is wasted every year. The way our food production system is structured, supplying demand, not need, has an exponential significance on obesity and food waste at all stages - supply, distribution, preparation and consumption. The cost of oil, fuel, energy and harvesting labor that goes into producing food all gets wasted when food from large portions goes uneaten and tossed. Though this may feel like a catch 22, the good news is it is 100 percent preventable. A representative of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents food manufactueres such as Kraft, Hershey and Coca-Cola said it best, "there is no bigger opportunity for our industry to simultaneously address hunger and our environmental footprint than by reducing the amount of food sent to landfills by diverting food to food banks and food waste to beneficial alternatives like compost." Opportunities pop up everyday that provide the chance to be responsible consumers. From going "halfsies" with your portions to starting up your own personal compost -- the action needed to spur behavior change and reverse our global food waste epidemic is less challenging than you might think. Our personal decisions matter. The earth cannot continue to withstand our excesses and neither can our waistlines. Practicing the "waste not" wisdom consistently over time will have a profound generational and global impact. | Over the past two decades, food waste and obesity have nearly doubled at equal rates .
The average dinner plate size expanded by 36 percent between 1960 and 2007 .
In Canada more than 17.5 million kilograms of food is thrown out every month .
50 percent of all food produced on the planet goes in the trash . |
101,419 | 0eb96e2c9001ae3766617540dceafc6579c159c2 | To the schoolboy stamp collector who plucked it from a pile of family papers more than a century ago, it was simply a new addition to his collection. But now a 1-cent postage stamp is set to become the most expensive in the world. The unremarkable-looking 1856 British Guiana 1-cent Magenta is set to sell for an amazing £12million at auction. In this undated photo provided by Sotheby's Auction House, the one-cent 1856 British Guiana stamp is shown. Already having set three price records for the sale of a single stamp, the stamp is poised to set a fourth when it is offered at auction by Sotheby's in June . It is described by experts as the Mona Lisa of the stamp world and hasn’t been displayed publicly since 1986. Measuring 1inch by 1 and 1/4 inches, it bears the image of a ship with the former colony’s motto, ‘We give and expect in return’ in Latin. The image is in black on magenta paper. It first belonged to a Scottish boy, Vernon Vaughan, who spotted it at the age of 12 in 1873 when he was living with his parents in the former colony, now known as Guyana. He sold it on for a few shillings to fellow Scot, Neil R McKinnon, to buy more stamps. Each time it changed hands, the stamp increased in value. Stamp collecting has long been a pastime of many British children, as well as children and adults across the world. Even John Lennon of the Beatles had a stamp collection as a schoolboy (pictured) By 1980, it had reached a then record . price of £402,000 – equivalent to about £1.5million today – when John E . Du Pont bought it. However, Du Pont, heir to the eponymous chemical company fortune, died in prison in 2010 after he was convicted of fatally shooting a 1984 Olympic champion wrestler 13 years earlier. The stamp is now being sold by his estate, which will designate part of the proceeds to the Eurasian Pacific Wildlife Conservation Foundation that du Pont championed during his lifetime. The stamp is being sold at Sotheby’s in New York on June 14, where it will easily fetch a world record price if it sells within its estimate. Allen Kane, director of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, said: ‘You’re probably not going to find anything rarer than this. It’s a stamp the world of collectors has been dying to see for a long time.’ David Beech, a curator of stamps at the British Library before he retired last year, said it was like buying the Mona Lisa. David Redden, director of special projects and worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s books department, said it was ‘the superstar of the stamp world’. He added: ‘I have been with Sotheby’s all my working life, but before I knew about the world’s greatest art, I knew about the British Guiana. ‘As a schoolboy stamp collector, it was a magical object.’ The stamp will go on display in London before its sale. The current world auction best for a single stamp is £1.41million in 1996 – equivalent to £2.24million today – for the Swedish Treskilling Yellow. When the Treskilling Yellow was sold, it was most expensive item in the world by weight. | First belonged to a Scottish boy, Vernon Vaughan, who spotted it in 1873 .
Each time the now-expensive stamp changed hands, it increased in value .
It is being sold by the estate of John E .
Du Pon, who died in prison in 2010 . |
167,123 | 6423e26325a4083fa01cf7a6bf703b23be146744 | By . Mike Jaccarino . PUBLISHED: . 01:49 EST, 31 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:54 EST, 31 December 2012 . A second firefighter was laid to rest in Upstate New York on Monday, exactly one week after he and a close colleague were shot to death by a crazed gunman in a horrific Christmas Eve shooting. Tomasz Kaczowka, 19, who worked as a 911 dispatcher and volunteer firefighter, was remembered during a solemn ceremony at St Stanislau Church in Rochester. Among the mourners was Kimberly Chiapperini, whose husband Michael was killed alongside Kaczowka in the horrific ambush. In mourning: Kimberly Ciapperini and Nicolas Ciapperini attend the funeral of slain firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka at St Stanislaus Church in Rochester, New York . Heartbroken: Kimberly Ciapperini, center, the widow of firefighter Michael Ciapperini, fights back tears as her husband is laid to rest . A brave face: Kimberly Chiapperini watches as her husband's casket is wheeled into his funeral service in West Webster, New York on Sunday . During better days: Police Lt Mike Chiapperini, pictured during a press briefing in April 2011, was killed in the Christmas Eve shooting . Kimberly Chiapperini watches as her husband's casket is wheeled out of his funeral service in West Webster on Sunday while holding the couple's daughter . Kaczowka had been a firefighter for less than a year, and was remembered as a courageous and vibrant young man. On Sunday, an estimated 4,000 fire fighters, police officers, emergency medical providers, family, friends and West Webster townspeople attended the funeral of Michael Chiapperini in West Webster, near Lake Ontario. Chiapperini, 43, who served the town as both a long-time member of its volunteer fire department as well as a police lieutenant, was killed in the early morning of Christmas Eve by William Spengler, a 62-year-old ex-con who set his own home ablaze and then opened fire once emergency personnel arrived to extinguish the flames. Consoled: Kimberly Ciapperini and Nicolas Ciapperini are tended to by a priest . Members of the West Webster fire department ride with the casket of slain firefighter Michael Chiapperini on a fire truck before his funeral service . A poignant goodbye: Pallbearers hold Chiapperini's casket as it departs his funeral . West Webster fire fighters load the casket of their slain colleague, Michael Chiapperini, onto a fire truck following his funeral service in West Webster . West Webster fire fighters wheel the Michael Chiapperini casket into Webster Schroeder High School's auditorium for their fallen colleague's funeral service . Fellow West Webster police comfort Sgt. Dennis Kohlmeier at Michael Chiapperini's funeral service on Sunday . 'We mourn. We hurt. We cry. But we do not break,' Dane Erich reportedly said during the funeral service Sunday at Webster Schroeder High School that preceded his brother-in-law's burial at West Webster Cemetery. 'Mindless evil is not going to triumph over good.' According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the mournful day began with a formation of uniformed fire personnel standing silently and shoulder-to-shoulder outside Webster Schroeder Hhigh School as West Webster Fire Truck 122 arrived, draped in the tell-tale purple and black bunting of a fallen fire fighter. Chiapperini's coffined remains waited inside the truck. Then - and as some of their number gingerly lowered the coffin on to a bier and subsequently carried into the school - the assembly snapped a crisp, military-like saulte. Map locating Webster, N.Y., where four firefighters were shot (two fatally) while responding to a fire on Christmas Eve . The formation then broke ranks, and reportedly proceeded single-file into the school's auditorum, many holding hats over their hearts, and passed where the coffin had been placed, inside. The Democrat and Chronicle reported only family and West Webster fire and police department personnel remained in the auditorium for the succeeding service, while the rest watched a broadcast of it in the cafeteria and gymnasium. 'As we honor our fallen brothers, we stand together in the blue line' 'As we honor our fallen brothers, we stand together in the blue line,' Monroe County Sheriff Commander Dave Phelps appropriately said. The proceedings came with a memorable - and sadly poignant - anecdote from Kimberly Chiapperini, who regaled mourners with a story rooted in the events of two weeks ago. It was then - The Democrat and Chronicle writes - that she found a YouTube video of a firefighter’s funeral. A touching tribute: Slain firefighter Michael Chiapperini's son, Nicolas, carries his father's helmet out of his funeral in . Michael Chiapperini reportedly told her that if he happened to die in the line of duty, not to have the bagpipers play 'Amazing Grace,' as was done in the YouTube video, at his own funeral because it was too cliche. The police lieutenant's words brought chuckles to both him and Kimberly at the time, but were rendered prescient in retrospect by Spengler's unspeakable misdeeds. Nevertheless, Kimberly Chiapperini told the funeral director on Sunday to ensure the bagpipers played the hymn her husband had pointedly repudiated. 'Mike will be laughing,' she reportedly said. And so, - as family and mourners gathered at Chiapperini's graveside, the sound of bagpipes playing 'Amazing Grace' wafted over Ridge Road, while down the street a hand-painted sign appropriately ead, 'WWFD God Bless, We ♥ You.' | Michael Chiapperini's widow, Kimberly, tells throng of mourners: 'Even though I’m surrounded by wonderful people, it’s incredibly lonely. My heart is broken'
Chiapperini served West Webster, New York as a volunteer fire fighter and police lieutenant .
The father was killed by a 62-year-old ex-con who set .
his own home ablaze in order to lure emergency personnel into his assault rifle's line of fire .
Funeral of second fire fighter also killed in maniacal attack to be held Monday . |
283,494 | fb37c4ba7a343ff5d5bd19ee3bd929006b7bffc8 | The companies that make 3-D printers want a spot in your home. They're just not sure exactly why you need one of their futuristic devices yet. The 3-D printing industry is taking aim at entry-level customers with cheaper, easier-to-use hardware and online marketplaces filled with predesigned files. At the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the 3-D printing section was larger and busier than in previous years and had an increased focus on consumer-friendly products. The technology is trying hard to become mainstream, but first it needs to figure out what average people will really want to create. What is a 3-D printer for? Entry-level 3-D printers are popular with makers and crafters, people who want to get their hands dirty and create prototypes, figurines and small toys. People are constantly experimenting with the devices, trying out unconventional uses like printing guns, fashion accessories and fine art. These hobbyists are a fairly minor market when compared to the lofty aspirations of the consumer 3-D printing industry, which imagines a 3-D printer in every home, like paper printers were before people realized printing on paper was passé. "There's no killer app yet," said Trevor Townsend, co-owner of Matterform, a 3-D scanner company. The people selling printers, files and scanners aren't discouraged by the lack of an obvious use case. They seem confident that it will come in the next few years as more people get their hands on the devices and start experimenting, and as the technology becomes more advanced and takes on a wider range of materials. Plastic is the most commonly used material, but it is just the beginning. 3DSystems demonstrated its ChefJet 3-D food printer at CES, which creates complex shapes out of edible materials such as sugar and chocolate and will cost less than $5,000. The company also is working on a product that prints ceramics. The CeraJet concept device would take pottery to another level with complex designs that can be glazed and fired. Even at this early stage, the demand for 3-D printers is rising. Shipments of 3-D printers will grow 75% in 2014, according to market research firm Gartner. It expects the consumer 3-D printing market to hit $133 million this year, which is still far less than the $536 million companies will spend on the product. New crop of consumer products . At CES, the printer companies were focusing on a more immediate problem: 3-D printing is too complicated for the average person. Designing a model and creating a workable file takes skill, and the machines themselves can require technical know-how and adjustments like leveling to get a decent final product. The newest hardware is trying to make 3-D printing simple. MakerBot announced a new one-button 3-D printer called the MakerBot Mini. Files can be sent directly to the compact printer from a mobile phone or tablet over WiFi. One push of a button and the Mini will start creating the object in PLA plastic. A big barrier to mass adoption of 3-D printers is price, and hardware costs are falling every year. When it comes out in May, the Mini will cost $1,375. That is around $1,500 less than the company's flagship product, the MakerBot Replicator. There are a number of less expensive 3-D printer options already on the market, some as cheap as $200. To make 3-D printing completely hassle free, there are companies that handle the actual dirty work of printing. Services like Sculpteo create small batches of 3-D printed objects and let the designer control the process online. UPS and Staples are testing in-store 3-D printer services. A number of companies are trying to make the design process easier, too; 3-D scanners can take precise photographs of existing objects from every angle to create a printable 3-D file. Matterform showed off its consumer-friendly 3-D scanner at CES. The $579 scanner looks like a portable record player and can scan objects up to 9.8-inches tall. MakerBot also recently released an entry level scanner called the MakerBot Digitizer. Another twist on scanning comes from 3DSystems, which demonstrated a 3-D photo booth. The 3DMe booth scans a person's face and then prints it on an existing figurine body such as a "Star Trek" crew member. MakerBot is betting that many people will pay to use existing 3-D files instead of having to create their own. The company announced its new MakerBot Digital Store at CES, a sort of iTunes for 3-D content. Prices start at 99 cents, and the first designs are focused on kids and families. There are cars, characters, animals and other cute 3-D models, all original content created by MakerBot. The future might break the law . The MakerBot Digital Store doesn't carry replicas of existing products or commercial characters. That's because without licensing deals, it could step into the murky world of 3-D intellectual property law. While it's still a couple years off, the threat of litigation will become a major issue in 3-D printing down the line. One of the more practical future uses for a 3-D printer includes replacing broken parts, say a cracked plastic base to an Oster blender. The part costs a few dollars online, but in the future it could be easier, faster and cheaper to simply print out a replacement at home. But unless you buy the file from Oster, are you stealing it? If companies decide to crack down on user-created files, 3-D objects could be pirated like movies and music. Whatever the legal, technical and practical challenges, 3-D printing has its eyes on the future. It's still a long way from being an in-home "Star Trek" style replicator, but the industry is confident it will have enough uses to warrant a spot in your home office or kitchen. | 3-D printers are aiming at consumers with cheaper, easier-to-use devices .
A number of 3-D printing companies introduced personal printer tech at CES .
The devices are mostly used by hobbyists, but a mainstream use could be around the corner . |
274,377 | ef5fa487c461bb8e6ac9d04e9593811be924a5f4 | By . Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 08:03 EST, 30 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:08 EST, 30 April 2012 . Accused: Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, seen voting in the first round of the 2012 French presidential elections, told magistrates swinging parties were about having free and consensual sex . Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has claimed it is 'normal' for him to have sex with six different women at orgies. The 63-year-old economist, accused of knowingly using vice girls in an alleged prostitution ring, also told magistrates his young conquests were not call girls and that he often had sex with women in their 20s. The man once tipped as the next French president, gave the extraordinary explanation to magistrates probing claims he used £800-a-night prostitutes at swingers' parties. He has been charged with conspiring with pimps and of knowing fraudulently obtained money was being paid to the vice girls by the racket based in Lille, northern France. In a hearing from March, the transcript of which has only been published today, a magistrate asks Mr Strauss-Khan: 'Bearing in mind the high number of girls, their age and their behaviour, do you maintain you did not know they were prostitutes?' 'I counted that there were six girls in total,' Mr Strauss-Khan replied. 'That does not seem to me to be a considerable number.' The magistrate went on: 'Do think that if they had not been paid, they would not have agreed to have sex with you on so many occasions, considering the age difference between you?' Mr Strauss-Kahn answered: 'Numerous young women with whom I've had sexual exchanges - no, that's the wrong word - sexual relations, had the same age difference.' The world's former top banker went on to explain: 'Swinging parties are about having free and consensual sex. Think what you like about it on a moral level, but no one was being paid.' The 62-year-old has openly confessed to attending swingers parties in France and Belgium, but said he never knew the girls were prostitutes because 'they were all naked at the time'. His lawyer, Henri Leclerc, said: 'At these parties, people were not dressed, and I defy you to tell the difference between a naked prostitute and any other naked woman.' But Mr Strauss-Kahn's claims come after five French and Belgian vice girls told police they were paid to have sex with the former bank chief. One girl told detectives she attended 11 orgies with him over six years and added in her statement: 'I got the feeling he liked rough sex.' Coming out of the woodwork: Five French and Belgian vice girls have told police they were paid to have sex with the former bank chief, seen here with his wife Anne Sinclair during a bail hearing in New York last year . Scandal: Last year Mr Strauss-Khan was charged with raping a maid at the Sofitel Hotel in New York. The charges were later dropped . Another prostitute named Marion, 30, also told investigators it was 'rare to find men who showed as little respect for girls' as Mr Strauss-Khan. She added: 'It was just pure sexual consumption, and these sessions often became bestial and violent.' Mr Strauss-Kahn has been embroiled in a catalogue of sex scandals since he was accused of raping a hotel chambermaid in an upmarket New York hotel in May last year. After being held in New York's notorious Ryker's Island prison, criminal charges were dropped and he returned to France only to face similar accusations of sexually abusing a young French writer. When those allegations were also dropped, he was then confronted with more claims he used prostitutes supplied by the Lille vice network. Police also uncovered texts sent . between Mr Strauss-Kahn and men accused of hiring prostitutes for him, . in which the economist referred to girls as 'equipment' and 'bits of . stuff' as he arranged sex sessions around the world. His lawyer Richard Malka has described him as a 'simple swinger' who committed nothing more than a 'crime of lust'. Mr . Malka said he and his client would now do everything in their power to . have the charges brought by two judges in Lille dismissed. He . said: 'It is quite implausible and contrary to common sense to use . terms like "organised gang" and "vice network" to describe a simple . swinging activity. 'Mr Strauss-Kahn is finding himself, in large part because of his fame, thrown to the wolves. And what a strange coincidence that all this should happen a month from a major national election.' Coincidence? Mr Strauss-Khan's lawyer Richard Malka, said it was a 'strange coincidence' that his client should be going through the case a month from a major national election now between Nicolas Sarkozy (pictured) and François Hollande . Mr Strauss-Kahn had been widely tipped to stand as the socialist candidate in this month's presidential election, with polls showing he would easily have beaten right-wing rival Nicolas Sarkozy. This week he accused Britain's Guardian newspaper of fabricating an 'interview' in which he is quoted as saying Sarkozy conspired to wreck his bid for the presidency. While a furious Sarkozy threatened to sue, Mr Strauss-Kahn said the interview was simply a 'montage' of old quotes. Mr Strauss-Kahn is now formally under 'judicial control' on £85,000 bail until judges decide whether to send him to stand trial, which means he cannot leave France and has to report to police regularly. | Strauss-Khan charged with conspiring with pimps and knowing fraudulently obtained money used to pay vice girls .
Claims he did not know women were vice girls 'because they were naked all the time'
Five French and Belgian vice girls tell police DSK did pay them for sex .
One said he 'liked it rough', another said 'sessions often became bestial and violent'
But lawyer says DSK is 'simple swinger' who committed nothing more than 'crime of lust' |
269,746 | e95f82ab9f938dfbed414ec9f6263b287ec1793f | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 16:17 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:43 EST, 16 November 2013 . Macy's is moving rocker Joan Jett off the South Dakota tourism float in its Thanksgiving Day parade after ranchers complained about having a vegetarian and animal rights advocate representing their state. Orlando Veras, Macy's parade spokesman, said today that Jett and her band, the Blackhearts, will be moved to another float. Veras said that the annual parade in New York City is about entertainment, not advocacy, and that Macy's was making the change 'to prevent any further distraction from our entertainment mission.' Joan Jett (seen in Baltimore in April) will no longer be park of the Macy's tourism float in their Thanksgiving Parade in South Dakota . 'The Parade has never taken on, promoted or otherwise engaged in social commentary, political debate, or other forms of advocacy, no matter how worthy,' Veras said in a statement. 'Macy's intention is only to provide a range of entertaining elements and performers free of endorsements or agendas.' A new performer for the South Dakota float will be announced later, Veras said. Some South Dakota farmers and ranchers voiced concern about the choice to put Jett on the float because she is a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which promotes a vegetarian diet and criticizes livestock production practices. South Dakota Cattlemen's Association President Cory Eich, who farms and ranches near Canova in eastern South Dakota, said earlier this week that he thinks it was a mistake to select Jett because her stands don't mesh with a state where the cattle industry makes up a huge part of the economy. Dan Mathews, PETA's senior vice president, said Friday to Associated Press that he's happy with the publicity generated by the controversy. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (seen in New York) wants to keep its entertainment value and not be distracted by other issues . 'Thanks to South Dakota's reactionary ranchers, people across the country have learned why Joan Jett supports PETA,' Mathews said. 'The meat trade can't stand any scrutiny of its cruelty,' he said. South Dakota Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen has said that many people mistakenly assumed state officials selected Jett to appear on the float. None of the artists the state proposed were available or willing to appear in the parade, so Macy's selected Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, he said. Kristen Foster, a spokeswoman for Jett said earlier this week that Jett has played in South Dakota countless times and is a fan of the state. Jett just accepted a gracious offer to appear on South Dakota's float, Foster said. The state pays $175,000 to support the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and have a float in the event, and $5,000 of that goes to pay expenses for the artist on the float, officials have said. The South Dakota float, which has appeared each year since 2010, features Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, the Black Hills and more. Don McLean, the singer of American Pie, appeared on the float last year. Previous years' entries featured Neil Diamond and Mannheim Steamroller. More than 3 million people are expected to watch the parade on the streets of New York, with more than 50 million watching the event on television nationwide. | Ranchers had complained about having a vegetarian and animal rights advocate representing their state .
Jett and her band will be moved to another float .
Macy's wants to 'prevent any further distraction from our entertainment mission', they said . |
71,770 | cb6a1550adea23cbe94c417f3a9f622c28c8d7bc | By . Daniel Bates . PUBLISHED: . 10:40 EST, 25 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:54 EST, 25 February 2013 . The children who survived the Newtown massacre were so traumatized they thought a ‘wild animal’ had torn through their school and killed their classmates. As they emerged from the blood-spattered building, a boy of seven asked a volunteer firefighter if the carnage had been caused by some a beast of some kind, according to a report. When she replied yes - to shield him from the full horror - the children began a chilling whisper amongst themselves which went: ‘A wild animal, a wild animal, a wild animal.’ Reunited: A woman carries a boy from Sandy Hook Elementary out of the firehouse staging area for families following the shooting. Some of the children that survived believed a 'wild animal' had caused the carnage at their school . Trauma: A police officer leads two women and a child from Sandy Hook Elementary, shortly after Adam Lanza opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children . The disclosure shows how the dozens of children who were inside the building tried to make sense of what was going on in a way they understood. They had been told to close their eyes as they were led out of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, after the rampage on December 14 last year. Had they not done so they would have seen the bodies of 20 of their classmates and six of their teachers, plus that of gunman Adam Lanza, 20. According to an article in the New Yorker magazine, Shannon Hicks, a reporter and photographer with local paper the Newtown Bee and a volunteer firefighter, spoke to one seven-year-old shortly afterwards. She was on her way to the firehouse, which is 350 yards from the school and where the survivors were taken, when the boy asked her a question. Disbelief: First-grader Henry Terifay and his sister, fourth-grader Kelly Terifay, wait outside Sandy Hook Elementary School after the massacre . Horror: Parents pick-up their children outside Sandy Hook Elementary School after the shootings in December . The New Yorker article reads: ‘He asked her if there had been a wild animal in the building. ‘Yes honey’, she said. As the boy’s class continued to the firehouse she heard the children whispering to each other down the line 'a wild animal, a wild animal, a wild animal.’ The article also reveals that police initially thought that there could be up to 60 victims and tells of the moment that parents realized their children were among the victims. Mums and dads had been asked to come to the firehouse but as the number of children left to be claimed got fewer and fewer it felt like the ‘room was filling up with some kind of gas’, said John Voket, another reporter with the Newtown Bee. When one mother realized that her child would not be coming back, a rabbi who was in the firehouse stood by her asking her to breathe. He said: ‘My focus was cardiac arrest. I didn’t want the physiological reaction to kill her.’ Terror: A child reacts to police and fireman staged nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School in December . The pupils of Sandy Hook Elementary have not gone back to their classrooms since the tragedy and are being educated at the Chalk Hill Middle School in Monroe which was reopened to accommodate them. The fate of Sandy Hook itself is still being decided by a council board in Newtown which could choose to demolish it. At two hearings earlier this year the majority of residents said it should be razed to the ground with one parent saying: ‘That ground is sacred now.’ Shock: A father is reunited with his daughter . | Seven-year-old survivor of Sandy Hook shootings asked volunteer firefighter if the brutal scenes had been caused by a beast of some kind .
When the adult replied 'yes', the whisper of 'a wild animal, a wild animal' passed down the line of children . |
150,956 | 4f2cb08e7e6a9d22af90e2c19f7ba338491194bd | San Francisco (CNN) -- If the exhibition on the waters of San Francisco Bay Monday is anything to go by, the 34th America's Cup to be held on these waters in 2013 is going to be fast, exciting, and potentially dangerous. Racing their two futuristic and expensive multi-hull catamarans on a very windy San Francisco Bay, Oracle Racing managed to end-over-end capsize one of the two stealthy-looking, hard-sail equipped racers. Oracle Racing says one crewman suffered minor rib injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Oracle Racing, practicing publicly for the first time on their home waters with their new AC45 class boats, seemed to take it all in stride. "The boats are spectacular, hard to sail. They're gonna test the best sailors in the world," said Russell Coutts, the four-time America's Cup winner and helmsman of the boat that capsized. "Luckily I had the crash helmet on." Oracle Racing, begun and backed by software billionaire Larry Ellison, is hoping to attract more widespread interest in the sport of sailing in the United States. Oracle Racing has praised the natural amphitheater provided by San Francisco Bay in the hopes that it will allow many more people to witness the capabilities and technology of these boats and their crews. Monday certainly seemed to prove that true. The catamarans will continue their trials in San Francisco Bay through June, and eventually the 45-foot yachts will yield to the AC72 class boats, which will be the actual yachts sailed in the 34th America's Cup. | Oracle says one crewman suffered minor injuries .
Coutts: These boats "test the best sailors in the world"
Oracle is trying to attract more interest in sailing in the United States . |
32,238 | 5bb7dac08d82486aab400641bd71ff4e2e6c24b2 | Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal's unsettled German striker Lukas Podolski is not a player he is willing to sell. Wenger claims Podolski is an important part of his squad although he has yet to start a game in the Barclays Premier League this season. Inter Milan are thought to be interested in making a move when the transfer market opens in January but a three-match ban for Olivier Giroud, sent off against QPR, will not help. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Lukas Podolski has performed well in the Champions League this season, but hasn't started in the league yet . Arsene Wenger (right), pictured during the QPR match, says Podolski is an important part of his squad . 'I don't give importance to rumours. There was a rumour in France a few days ago that I offered €62million to Paris for Edinson Cavani. Every day it's a different rumour. It's better you don't give importance to that. 'At a big club you have some players who don't play who are not happy. When players are happy when they don't play you have a problem. He will play. Tomas Rosicky was outstanding (against QPR) and he didn't play for a long time. He came prepared. Our job always to be ready when you play.' Asked why Podolski did not come on against QPR and was seen standing by the tunnel looking glum, Wenger replied: 'He knows when we have to defend a result it was not his turn to come on. We needed to defend.' Podolski (centre) scores his first of two goals against Galatasaray in the Champions League on December 9th . Podolski did not feature for Arsenal against QPR, despite being named as a substitute . | Lukas Podolski was an unused substitute for Arsenal's win over QPR .
Wenger claims Podolski is an important part of his Arsenal squad .
The German forward is yet to start a Premier League game this season .
Wenger says Podolski understood the reason he didn't come on, on Friday . |
6,663 | 12e81cb674c46bc366d3c7d3373cd029a36f2a66 | Las Vegas (CNN) -- Some people think wearable gadgets look cool. Perhaps they rock their Google Glass while out at happy hour, or flash the latest crowd-funded smart watch at the office. While the devices are undoubtedly conversation starters, and the look may be coveted in some circles, for the most part wearable technology has a fashion problem. At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, wearable devices are everywhere, and some are finally trying to break out of the gadget world and into the fashion world. Wearables is a broad and fast-growing category that, as the name implies, includes any small piece of technology that can be worn. Research firm ABI estimates the wearables market will hit $6 billion by 2018. Here at CES there are "smart" glasses, watches, bracelets, brooches, visors, necklaces and even bras. Straps secure small sensors against arms, chest, head or legs. There are even wearables for dogs, cats and children. The tasks wearables accomplish are as varied as the body parts they adorn. The technology inside these devices is moving ahead while the design side stagnates. Sensors are getting smaller, cheaper and more advanced. It's possible that the technology will become so advanced that trackers could bypass the design problem altogether by shrinking down electronic elements enough that they can be invisibly embedded in regular clothing, hats, shoes and belts. But not every company sees that on the horizon. "We don't think the trackers we see today are going to go away in favor of a sensor-laden shirt or bra," said Woody Scal, the chief revenue officer at fitness tracker company Fitbit. Fitness trackers embrace the fun . The most popular wearables are fitness trackers, which use sensors to detect movement, heart rate, body temperature, breathing, sleep patterns, location and speed. In the fitness area at CES, low-profile and colorful bracelets inspired by the Nike FuelBand and Fitbit Flex and Force are the most common. There are the Garmin Vivofit and Jaybird Reign trackers, and the LG Lifeband Touch and Razer Nabu, which add in notifications from smartphones. The new Sony Core, a small stick that will fit in wrist-wear like the Sony SmartBand, acts as a fitness tracker but also branches out into life logging. It will be able to track mundane daily activities, weather, what movies you watch and what music you listen to, and notable events. It can also receive notifications from a paired smartphone, will likely cost around $135, and pops in and out of various brightly colored wrist bands. The traditional wearable look is passable for fitness gear, which is expected to be bold and sporty. Unfortunately the esthetic doesn't always translate into everyday wear. Most adults have moved beyond rocking brightly colored plastic baubles. They want sleekly designed accessories and brand names. Early stabs at jewelry . Some companies have smartly started to outsource the design process to people who know about fashion. Intel announced that it was teaming up with hipster design label Opening Ceremony on a bracelet that will be sold at Barneys, though specific design and pricing details are still unknown. Chip-maker CSR worked with jeweler Cellini to create a surprisingly nice Bluetooth pendant that has a single, customizable light for receiving notifications. On the odd side, the necklace can also be programmed to release perfume throughout the day. Fitbit announced it was dabbling in jewelry and partnering with Tory Burch on a Fitbit necklace and a bracelet. The products are still in the design stage, but drawings show decent gold jewelry that would look good even if it didn't contain a tracker. Not every company is getting outside help. Ezio makes gaudy $129 necklaces that pair with a smartphone and have stones that light up when someone calls or texts. "The whole idea here is that people -- not everyone, but lots of people, we believe -- want their fitness trackers to be even more fashionable," said Fitbit's Scal. "In the male-focused technology industry, we didn't think people were paying enough attention to women, to be honest." Everyone's making a smart watch . Appealing to women is an issue with one of the most hyped wearable categories: smart watches. Gadgets calling themselves smart watches range from regular watch faces with light-up notifications to full featured Android phones worn on the wrist. The most appealing are designed to look like everyday analog watches, while others look like touch screens with a strap tossed on. When well done, a watch with a face big enough to accommodate smart features can pass as a nice men's accessory, but the majority are still far too bulky and awkward for women. The focus on the watch form factor has been oddly intense, with rumors of an Apple smart watch swirling for the past year and major companies like Samsung pushing out glitchy, undercooked technology like the Galaxy Gear. At CES, Intel, Qualcomm and indie darling Pebble all announced new smart watches, and there was a dedicated area for the wrist wear. The Burg ($149 to $399) takes a SIM card and can make calls. The $130 Cogito Pop looks like a classic watch but adds notifications from a paired smartphone. Qualcomm's $349 Toq is similar to the Pebble but with a full color screen and fewer apps. The new Pebble Steel is a proper stainless steel smart watch for $250. The most egregiously oversized smart watch on the CES floor is the Neptune Pine, a 2.4-inch touchscreen rectangle running Android Jelly Bean that will cost between $335 and $395 when released in March. Technically, it has all the features of a fully functioning Android phone, but the cramped screen means it works better as a secondary screen for viewing notifications, paired with a regular Android smartphone stashed in your bag or large pocket. One of the more clever smart watches at CES is the Filip, a simple and sturdy phone and location tracker for kids five to 11 years old. Parents can program in five phone numbers and the child can make and receive calls from those contacts, and receive but not send texts. An accompanying iOS or Android app can be used to pinpoint the kid's location on a map. The $199 device will be sold through AT&T stores and service will cost just $10 a month without a contract. On your face but out of the way . For the most part, wearables offer a limited selection of the features already available on smartphones. The idea is to save people from the distracting task of pulling out a phone, looking at it, tapping on it and returning it safely to a pocket. At the Cogito booth, Andres Muguira said a smart watch would help wearers filter incoming notifications so they would "get to spend more time with loved ones." That's the idea behind wearable glasses, either the most or least distracting wearable depending on your point of view. There were a number of Google Glass-like products at CES. GlassUp shows e-mails, texts, tweets and other messages on a display directly in front of the eye. The GlassUp design currently resembles safety glasses, but a mockup of the final version could almost pass for a regular pair of black thick-framed specs. Epson's Moverio BT-100 glasses look like the disposable sunglasses you get after a trip to the eye doctor. The industrial Vuzix glasses don't even attempt to pass as normal glasses, looking more like a futuristic monocle, but that could change if the company decides to make a commercial product. The best outcome for smart glasses, and all other wearable tech, is blending in by looking like products people already want to wear. They could follow Google's lead. The company was reportedly talking to hip glasses company Warby Parker about possible design partnerships for future versions of Google Glass. | Smart watches, fitness trackers and jewelry that flashes notifications are plentiful at CES .
The fast-growing wearables market is just starting to focus on more fashionable designs .
Some companies are teaming up with fashion designers like Tory Burch . |
43,770 | 7b7a1767e3ba6f6dda5f314942511cafccf7bde1 | By . Joshua Gardner . A brave 9-year-old Florida boy who was bitten by a shark and nearly drowned Friday is already saying he plans to surf again. And soon. The North Palm Beach third grader received 80 stitches but planes to get right back in the water as soon as they com out in a week. 'He’s doing great. He loves the water,' said his dad David Cozzan. 'He’s a kid. They recover fast.' Horrifying: 9-year-old Florida boy Sebastian Cozzan was nearly dragged away to his death by a shark on Friday after being in the ocean for just moments . Brave: Cozzan would require 80 stitches, but you'd never know it to hear him descibe the encounter . Sebastian's brush with death happened after a day out kayaking with his mom and brother. He begged for just two minutes of surfing time before they headed home. His mom agreed, but soon regretted it. 'The shark came up, bit me, then it started to drown me,' a calm and totally collected Sebastian told WPBF. Instead of letting himself be done in by the beast, Sebastian fought back. 'It didn't really hurt too much': Cozzan has been on crutches since the incident on Friday but he's eager to get back into the water . Healing nicely: Cozzan's wounds are healing nicely and he's prepared to surf again as soon as the stitches come out in a week . 'I just kicked the shark inside the mouth and he just got hurt I think,' Sebastian said. The shark thankfully took the hint and swam away. David Cozzan was impressed with his son's bravery, not least of all because he himself has been the victim of a shark attack. 'The bite wasn’t close to the extent of the bite my son received. I did not require any stitches,' said his proud dad. | Florida third grader Sebastian Cozzan was in the water for only moments when a shark bit his foot .
He's on crutches and home from school after the Friday incident but plans to get right back in the water when the stitches come out . |
276,763 | f28f3c38c500a14250ecd99a998165c2c9776a03 | (CNN) -- Every post you "like." Every friend you add or fan page you join. Every place you check in, and every Web page you recommend. To you, those are ways to enjoy, expand and improve your experience on Facebook. To Facebook, they're the building blocks of a multibillion-dollar company. In business, there's a well-worn line that could apply to the social-networking behemoth: If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer. You're the product. In this case, you're a product worth, to Facebook, an average $4.84 a year. As Facebook hits Wall Street this week with a public stock offering that could value the company at more than $100 billion, investors appear dazzled by the company's uncanny ability to put the right advertisements in front of its roughly 900 million users. "The unique thing about these guys is the accuracy with which they can help advertisers and marketers understand who they're getting," said Arvind Bhatia, an analyst with Sterne Agee Financial Services. "On Facebook, your information is authentic; they are able to basically make the ads, and your experience, more relevant. I think that is unique. It's unprecedented and the reach is unparalleled." In documents filed in relation to its stock offering, Facebook says that about 85% of its revenue comes from advertising. The other 15% comes from payments made within apps that run on the site (a head-turning 12% is from a single source -- Zynga, makers of social games such as "FarmVille.") As Bhatia suggests, Facebook's unprecedented advertising advantage is built upon the service it provides. As users interact with the site, they gradually build a fuller and fuller picture of themselves. That, in turn, lets Facebook sell advertisers on its ability to put their product in front of the people most likely to be interested. CNNMoney: You're only worth $1.21 (per quarter) to Facebook . How targeted ads work . For example, say a woman who has listed her hometown as New Orleans changes her relationship status from "single" to "engaged." Facebook suddenly has a hot prospect to offer up to a bridal retailer or caterer in the Big Easy. To dig deeper, if she lists her MBA from Loyola and has "liked" pages for, say, Saks Fifth Avenue and Mercedes Benz, you get a fuller picture of how much she might be willing to spend. "With a reported 901 million members, Facebook is a great test bed for understanding consumers and their purchasing interests," said Jan Rezab, CEO of Socialbakers, a social-media analytics firm. "Before Facebook, marketers relied on online surveys or focus groups to determine customer interest. Now, they can reach the customer directly on their Facebook page." Facebook doesn't publicly give away the details of how its system works. But as it has begun wooing potential investors, the company has been more willing to talk about its advertising approach. Dan Rose, Facebook vice president of partnerships and platform marketing, discussed the appeal of its social ads at an event recently in Austin, Texas. According to research from Pew, the average Facebook user has 229 friends. When that user likes a product or company's ad, it serves as an endorsement to those friends from someone they know and, presumably, trust. "When I raise my hand and say, I like Einstein (Bros.) bagels, and then one of my friends sees that ad, they're going to see my name in that ad," Rose said. Through Facebook's partnership with the media-research firm Nielsen, "We found that when my friend's name is in an ad, I'm over 60% more likely to remember the ad, and I'm over four times more likely to purchase the product," he said. "This is word of mouth. This is word of mouth at scale. This is what, as marketers, we've always been trying to bottle up and find a way to take advantage of. And the social Web is finally allowing us to do that." In his 2010 book, "The Facebook Effect," David Kirkpatrick recounts chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg's arrival in 2008, when she sharpened the company's focus on what would become the current advertising model. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, remained focused on growing the site and improving user experience -- a focus he reportedly maintains to this day. Kirkpatrick writes of the level of detail a Facebook ad can reach: . "Anybody can pick through endless combinations on Facebook's self-service ad page," he wrote, referring to the tool advertisers use to target their ads. "You can show your ad only to married women aged 35 and up who live in northern Ohio. Or display an ad only to employees of one company in a certain city on a certain day. (Employers aiming to cherry-pick people from a competitor do this all the time). "Customers for Facebook's more expensive engagement ads can select from even more detailed choices -- women who are parents, talk about diapers, listen to Coldplay and live in cities, for example." In its Wall Street filing, Facebook listed its Average Revenue Per User at $1.21 per quarter, or $4.84 a year. That's less than rivals like Google and Yahoo and miniscule compared to companies with more traditional business models, like wireless providers and cable companies. But, as Rose says, it's all about scale for a company that will likely reach 1 billion user accounts by the end of the year. Are you living without Facebook? User data and privacy . Not that the model hasn't made some folks antsy. Time and again, tweaks to Facebook's privacy settings have prompted user backlash, occasionally to the point that the site has reversed or modified those changes. According to a recent Associated Press/CNBC poll, three out of five users say they have little or no faith that the company will protect their personal information. Half of those who use the site daily say they wouldn't make a purchase through it and 57% of all users claimed they never click on ads or other sponsored content. On a page about its advertising approach, Facebook makes it clear that it never sells user data, saying that "if you don't feel like you're in control of who sees what you share, you probably won't use Facebook as much, and you'll share less with your friends." Facebook officials also emphasize that while advertisers can market to specific users, they don't receive the data that was used to make the selection and never know the actual names of the people they've reached. Facebook's policy is to not actually look at user data except to check whether someone is violating the site's terms of service. Doubling down on user satisfaction is the most important thing Facebook can do, Bhatia said, even if it occasionally means passing up chances to max out the amount it could earn on the data users provide. "For them, the user experience does come first and I think that's the right strategy for the long term," he said. "Along the way, putting the user experience first makes a lot of longer-term business sense." As an analyst, Bhatia is bullish on Facebook, leading the pack with an early "buy" rating at the beginning of this month. With Facebook reportedly looking at expanding into China and at monetizing its mobile app (an untapped resource even though the majority of time on the site is now spent on mobile devices) he expects its data-driven model to keep making money well into the future. "Facebook is going to become just like search, [which] disrupted online advertising," he said. "What Google did eight years ago -- that is what Facebook is doing now. The reach is unparalleled and they're just scratching the surface." | Facebook's multibillion-dollar business model relies on user data .
Experts say the social network's targeted advertising can be uniquely precise .
If you have a Facebook account, the company values you at $4.84 a year .
Facebook has to balance targeting ads, user experience, privacy concerns . |
15,139 | 2b043d0d6bcdb3ae0f479ea608941d3e7ab5778b | (CNN) -- A European satellite that ran out of fuel will start falling in the next few days, and fragments of the disintegrating 2,000-pound spacecraft are expected to strike the Earth's surface. Nobody knows where or when the fragments will hit, but the European Space Agency has said the parts are likely to fall into the ocean or unpopulated areas. Potential spots will be narrowed down closer to re-entry, ESA said on its website. Re-entry probably will occur Sunday or Monday, Rune Floberghagen, mission manager for the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Explorer, better known as GOCE, told the New York Times. GOCE was launched in 2009 to map variations in the Earth's gravity in 3D, provide ocean circulation patterns and make other measurements. ESA's website said the satellite "became the first seismometer in orbit" in March 2011 when it detected sound waves from the earthquake that struck Japan. GOCE was expected to fall much earlier but fuel consumption was less than expected. In August, the satellite's altitude was lowered to about 139 miles, lowest of any research satellites, to improve the accuracy of the information being gathered, ESA's website said. GOCE ran out of fuel October 21. On November 4, ESA's website said the satellite was orbiting the Earth at 119 miles and the rate of descent would increase significantly in coming days. | Nobody knows where or when fragments will strike Earth .
Pieces most likely to hit oceans and unpopulated areas .
European Space Agency launched satellite in 2009 . |
10,866 | 1ee5f54c28dcabbebebca2d9dadd5d53dde016e1 | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 06:42 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:35 EST, 17 December 2012 . A jilted boyfriend who stabbed his ex-girlfriend in the neck with a screwdriver outside her daughter's primary school has been jailed for nine years. Crazed George Simpson, 58, ambushed Carol Bailey, 50, before wrestling her to the ground and attacking her with the tool. During the frenzied attack, which left the mother-of-six just minutes from death, he stabbed her nine times in the neck and screamed 'I'm going to kill you, b***h.' Crazed attack: George Simpson, pictured left, stabbed Carol Bailey, right, in the neck with a screwdriver . Witnesses saw Simpson pacing up and down a road in Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, just minutes before he struck at 11am on May 21 this year. When police arrived they found Simpson weeping over her unconscious body and he admitted to officers what he had done. Simpson was jailed for nine years after he admitted attempted murder at Stafford Crown Court on Friday. Scene of the attack: Simpson stabbed his former partner close to her daughter's primary school in Stoke-on-Trent . Jailing Simpson, Judge Simon Tonking told him: 'You accept that you intended to kill Carol Bailey, and you very nearly succeeded. 'When she got to hospital, the cardiac surgeon said she was dying, and close to death. She was only saved by his prompt action and that of others. 'They carried out immediate open heart surgery to repair the damage that you had done. 'As a result of that attack she has suffered lasting effects. She has scarring, and suffers from nightmares.' The court heard Simpson charged at Miss Bailey and wrestled her to the ground in the middle of the street before stabbing her outside the gates of Abbey Hulton Primary School. She was rushed to hospital where she underwent emergency open-heart surgery for a damaged pulmonary artery. Her condition was so bad that members of her family were banned from seeing her for 24 hours as medics said the slightest infection could kill her. David Bennett, prosecuting, said: 'She was walking home on her own when she noticed the defendant. 'He raced towards her and wrestled her to the ground. He said, "I'm going to kill you, you b***h".' Jailed: George Simpson, 58, was found guilty at Stafford Crown Court . The court heard Simpson, of Bentilee, . Staffordshire, had lived with Miss Bailey for 18 months but she had . ended the relationship after he punched and kicked her in January 2011. But he refused to accept the relationship was over and continued to bombard her with jealous emails and text messages before the savage attack. He also wrongly accused her of cheating him out of thousands of pounds for work he claimed he had carried out at her home. Patrick Thompson, defending, said: 'He had only one caution against his name, and before this relationship he was of good character. 'Because of the stress he was experiencing, he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time. 'That is no defence, but that is something the court can properly take into account.' After the case, Detective Inspector Steve Maxfield, of Staffordshire Police, said: 'This was a premeditated attempt by Simpson to seriously injure his former partner due to ongoing difficulties in their relationship. 'Simpson was intent on harming his victim and used force as he inflicted several puncture wounds.' | George Simpson, 58, threatened to kill Carol Bailey outside primary school .
Was found crying over her body as he admitted to police what he had done . |
90,039 | ffb039c7500ed439c159e20cad03dfa4c487da17 | Washington (CNN) -- The acting inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security is investigating the Secret Service prostitution scandal in Colombia, in addition to four congressional committees as well as internal reviews by the agency, the military and the White House. The top legislators on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said Tuesday they sent a letter to Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan asking for information on the incident last month in Cartagena, Colombia, that has resulted in nine agents resigning or in the process of being forced out. Three other Secret Service agents were cleared of serious misconduct, and the military is investigating the alleged involvement of 12 service members. On Monday, the Homeland Security official announced his separate investigation of the incident, which embarrassed the government and raised questions of a possible security breach before President Barack Obama arrived for the Summit of the Americas. The "field work is beginning immediately," acting Inspector General Charles Edwards said in a statement. Meanwhile, Sullivan faced a pair of deadlines Tuesday to answer dozens of questions about the issue. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, R-New York, submitted 50 questions to Sullivan, while House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and Rep. Elijah Cummings, the panel's ranking Democrat, have 10 questions they wanted answered, including a precise time line of exactly what happened in Cartagena. "The incident in Cartagena is troubling because Secret Service agents and officers made a range of bad decisions," said a letter from Issa, R-California, and Cummings of Maryland. The pair also sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta requesting details of the military investigation by May 8. In their correspondence to Panetta, Issa and Cummings said security personnel showed an "alarming lack" of "character" and "judgment." The Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about the controversy at a hearing last week. On Tuesday, Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and ranking Republican Sen. Susan Collins said they sent Sullivan a letter Monday that also sought answers about what happened. "We wish to determine whether those events were indicative of a pattern of behavior by agents or officers of the Secret Service, and need to be addressed systemically, or if they instead constituted an isolated incident warranting action only with respect to the individuals involved," said the letter from Lieberman and Collins. The U.S. Southern Command expects to finish questioning the 12 military personnel implicated in possible wrongdoing this week before forwarding its findings to military lawyers for review, and then to Gen. Douglas Fraser, commanding general of the U.S. Southern Command, a Defense Department official said Monday. Last week, the Secret Service distributed new rules for its agents on assignment intended to prevent a repeat of such alleged misconduct, according to two government sources familiar with the resulting investigation. Called Enhanced Standards of Conduct, the new guidelines given to all Secret Service personnel make clear that standards of behavior required in the United States apply on missions abroad, the sources said. Effective immediately, the new standards require detailed briefings before each trip that will include safety precautions and any necessary designations of establishments and areas that are "off limits" for Secret Service personnel, the sources said. Also in the new standards, foreigners are banned from Secret Service hotel rooms at all times, except for hotel staff and host nation law enforcement and government officials on official business, according to the officials, and all Secret Service personnel are prohibited from going to a "nonreputable establishment." The new standards specify that U.S. laws apply to Secret Service personnel when traveling, rendering invalid the excuse that specific activity is legal in the foreign country, the officials said. In addition, the new guidelines allow moderate alcohol consumption when off duty, but prohibit alcohol consumption within 10 hours of reporting for duty or at any time when at the hotel where the protected official is staying, the officials explained. An additional supervisor from the Office of Professional Responsibility will now accompany the "jump teams" that bring vehicles for motorcades and other transportation, the officials said. Agents involved in the Colombia incident were part of such a jump team. Allegations of further transgressions by agents have emerged after the initial reports of heavy drinking and consorting with prostitutes last month before Obama arrived in Cartagena. Recent claims include an account from El Salvador described by CNN affiliate Seatte TV station KIRO as very similar to the Colombia scandal, involving members of the Secret Service and other government agencies. However, Panetta said last week that his department is not investigating any of its troops over the reported incident in El Salvador, while State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said embassy staff in El Salvador were being questioned about the allegations . The Drug Enforcement Administration also is prepared to look into, "in an appropriate manner and immediately," allegations that it deems "credible" regarding its agents in El Salvador, agency spokesman Rusty Payne said. But he added that, while the DEA had seen news reports, "we are unaware of any allegations of misconduct." CNN's Ed Payne, Ted Barrett, John King and Dana Bash contributed to this report. | The Homeland Security acting inspector general announces an investigation .
The Secret Service and U.S. military are already conducting their own reviews .
Twenty-four people are linked to the scandal: 12 from the Secret Service and 12 from the military .
The incident happened before a presidential trip to the Summit of the Americas in Colombia . |
38,330 | 6c6000c2c074cc33773a11a8b6c3f47184ddfb3a | Ahead of the fourth round of the FA Cup, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads and betting odds. Here is all the information you need for Liverpool's clash with Bolton. Liverpool vs Bolton (Anfield) Team news . Liverpool . Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard could be rested for the FA Cup fourth round visit of Bolton on Saturday. Brendan Rodgers (left) is set to rest captain Steven Gerrard (right) from the FA Cup clash with Bolton . Kick-off: Saturday 5:30 pm . Odds (subject to change) Liverpool: 1/3 . Draw: 4/1 . Bolton: 9/1 . Referee: Kevin Friend . Managers: Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool), Neil Lennon (Bolton) With a must-win Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Chelsea on Tuesday the 34-year-old, who missed last weekend's win at Aston Villa with a tight hamstring, is likely to drop to the bench. Manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed 17-year-old midfielder Jordan Rossiter will be involved in some capacity, while defender Glen Johnson, midfielder Joe Allen and striker Mario Balotelli all returned to training this week. Provisional squad: Mignolet, Can, Lovren, Sakho, Manquillo, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling, Ward, Skrtel, Enrique, Rossiter, Gerrard, Williams, Markovic, Lambert, Borini, Ojo. Italy international Mario Balotelli returned to training for Liverpool in the week after injury . | Liverpool take on Bolton as they bid to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup .
Brendan Rodgers could rest Steven Gerrard for Tuesday's Chelsea game .
Striker Mario Balotelli returned to training for Liverpool in the week .
Click here for Liverpool transfer news . |
193,461 | 86761077aedbbb7a04ed446d653688d0bc41be01 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) of the FIA, motor sport's governing body, has fined McLaren -- the team at the center of the "spygate" scandal -- $100m and stripped it of its constructors' championship points for the season. And McLaren faces further penalties when the WMSC reconvenes in December 2007. McLaren must submit a full technical report on its 2008 car. If the WMSC considers that its design was influenced by confidential Ferrari data, then sanctions may be imposed on the team for the 2008 season. McLaren team chief Ron Dennis arrives for the hearing in Paris. In an official press statement, the FIA stated: "The WMSC has stripped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes of all constructor points in the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship and the team can score no points for the remainder of the season. "Furthermore, the team will pay a fine equal to $100m, less the FOM [Formula One Management] income lost as a result of the points deduction. "However, due to the exceptional circumstances in which the FIA gave the team's drivers an immunity in return for providing evidence, there is no penalty in regard to drivers' points." Should McLaren's drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, win in any of the remaining races of the 2007 season no representatives of McLaren will be allowed on the podium. The WMSC is expected to announce the reasons for its decisions on September 14. In July the WMSC ruled that McLaren was in breach of Article 151c of the FIA International Sporting Code but recommended that no punitive measures were taken until a hearing of the FIA's International Court of Appeal on September 13. However, in the light of new evidence -- the source and nature of which remain undisclosed -- the WMSC is to reconvene in place of the Court of Appeal hearing. The murky story began in June of this year, when Ferrari sacked its performance director Nigel Stepney and initiated court proceedings against him in Modena, Italy. It then emerged that a 780-page document containing confidential technical data about Ferrari's F1 car had been found in the possession of McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan. Coughlan's wife, Trudy Coughlan, had taken the document for duplication at a copy shop near McLaren's Woking headquarters. An employee of the copy shop, suspicious that confidential data was being copied, blew the whistle to Ferrari. Ferrari suspected the source of the leak was Nigel Stepney, a friend and former colleague of Coughlan's (the pair had worked together at Lotus in the late 1980s). Stepney had been the team's chief mechanic, but in February took his new role as the team's performance director -- which did not require him to attend grands prix -- when he expressed his disquiet at the Ferrari's reorganization following the departure of technical director Ross Brawn. Ferrari filed a formal complaint against Stepney in Modena, Italy where the district attorney initiated a criminal investigation. Ferrari issued the following press statement: . "Ferrari announces it has recently presented a case against Nigel Stepney and an engineer from the Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team with the Modena Tribunal, concerning the theft of technical information. Furthermore, legal action has been instigated in England and a search warrant has been issued concerning the engineer. This produced a positive outcome." McLaren promptly dismissed Mike Coughlan, its chief designer. It then emerged that Coughlan and Stepney had met with Honda F1 boss, Nick Fry, in June this year to discuss employment possibilities. However Honda were cleared of any wrongdoing by the FIA who were satisfied that no confidential material had been offered to or received by Honda. Coughlan and his wife appeared in the High Court in London for a preliminary hearing on July 10. Ferrari dropped the case in consideration of the Coughlan's full disclosure and promise of future cooperation. The furore seemed to cool down after the WMSC's verdict. Ferrari remained unhappy that McLaren had emerged from the scandal without penalty but the WMSC did not have sufficient evidence to enforce such a penalty. But now the FIA is in possession of new evidence. Rumors have centered on emails between McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa and reigning world champion Fernando Alonso. On August 31 Max Mosley the FIA president wrote letters to all three McLaren drivers -- de la Rosa, Alonso and Lewis Hamilton -- in which he stated: "The FIA has subsequently been made aware of an allegation that one or more McLaren drivers may be in possession, or that such drivers have recently been in possession, of written evidence relevant to this investigation." The letter continued: "I can confirm, given the importance of this issue, that any information you may make available in response to this letter will not result in any proceedings against you under the International Sporting Code or the Formula One regulations. However, in the event that it later comes to light that you have withheld any potentially relevant information, serious consequences could follow." Five days later the WMSC announced it was to reconvene "following the emergence of new evidence", in place of the Court of Appeal hearing. Other rumors had emerged regarding a mysterious white powder said to have been found on the fuel caps of the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in practice leading up to the Monaco Grand Prix. Stepney has denied involvement in these sabotage claims or in the espionage case in general. Further drama overshadowed Alonso and Hamilton's one-two on the podium at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Modena's public prosecutor, Giuseppe Tibis, issued a legal notice -- known as an 'avviso di garanzia' -- that six McLaren employees were under criminal investigation . The six included McLaren supremo Ron Dennis, managing directors Martin Whitmarsh and Jonathan Neale, technical director Jonathan Neale and designer Rob Taylor as well as Mike Coughlan. This outcome has put a dark shadow McLaren's return to winning ways. The team, dominant in the late 1990s, had struggled with reliability for some years. But the team is not taking the decision lying down. Martin Whitmarsh, COO of the McLaren Group said: "We believe we have got the grounds for an appeal, but of course we are going to wait for the findings of the FIA." E-mail to a friend . | McLaren fined $100m and docked of all world championship points for 2007 .
McLaren ordered to submit details of its 2008 car to the FIA for scrutiny .
McLaren to launch appeal, subject to content of FIA statement .
McLaren drivers allowed to keep their championship points . |
10,355 | 1d6a9ecfcf5668fc7bb6641decfe6409b7282ecd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:41 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:27 EST, 21 March 2013 . The most popular snack eaten by MPs in the House of Commons is the Jaffa Cake. MPs and staff have spent £12,991 out of their own pockets on the chocolate and orange treats in the past five years at outlets and shops in the House. The total spend on 56 types of biscuits over the same period came to £112,698. Sweet choice: The Jaffa Cake is the most popular biscuit eaten by MPs in the House of Commons . However, the House of Commons said it could not produce figures to show how much is spent on biscuits handed out for free to staff and MPs during meetings. McVitie's, which produces more than 1.1billion Jaffa Cakes a year at its factory in Stockport, won a VAT tribunal in 1991 for the treats to be listed as cakes rather than biscuits so VAT is not paid on them. 1. Jaffa Cakes - £12,991 . 2. Crawford's Mini Packs (bourbon creams, digestives, custard creams, rich shorties, ginger nuts, fruit shortcake) - £16,829 . 3. Paterson's Biscuits (individual snack packs of golden crunch, choc-chip cookie, fruit, shortcake, Viennese fingers) - £12,907 . 4. Oreo biscuits (six in packet) - £6,714 . 5. Biscuit Luxury Selection (chocolate, shortbread, cherry petticoat tails, choc chip, butterscotch, crofters crumbles) - £6,304 . 6. Cranberry white chocolate cookie - £5,674 . 7. Biscuit Continental Selection (12 Varieties, seven coated with plain, . milk or white chocolate - including dipped lady fingers, Viennese butter . fingers, mini waffle style) - £4,538 . 8. Paterson's Biscuit Box (golden crunch, choc chip cookie, fruit, shortcake, Viennese fingers, double choc cookie) - £4,414 . 9. Oat fruit cookies - £4,312 . 10. Toffee chocolate pecan cookie - £4,167 . VAT is payable on chocolate-covered biscuits, which are classed as luxuries, but not on chocolate-covered cakes which are deemed a 'staple food'. A key fact at the tribunal was that Jaffa Cakes go hard when stale, whereas biscuits go soggy. Despite the request specifying 'expenditure on biscuits', House of Commons chiefs decided to include Jaffa Cakes in the list. Food and drink in the House of Commons is bought at a subsidised price. In second place on the list are Crawford's Mini Packs, which include bourbon creams, custard creams, digestives, shortbread, ginger nuts and fruit shortcake. House of Commons workers spent a total of £16,829 on the Crawford's mini-packs, but because they contain six different biscuits a favourite one could not be established - making Jaffa Cakes the most popular. A spokesman for the House of Commons said that biscuits doled out free to MPs and staff during meetings were part of the 'general refreshments costs' which it said 'could not be broken down'. He said: 'The House of Commons procures biscuits for two purposes. 'Firstly biscuits are purchased for resale within catering and retail outlets in the House. 'Secondly they can be purchased as part of a refreshments budget for meetings. 'In respect of biscuits purchased for meetings the information you require is not held by the House of Commons. 'Any expenditure for this purpose would be incorporated into general refreshments costs which cannot be broken down.' Members of the House of Commons love spending their cash on packets of Jaffa Cakes when they duck out to grab a snack . | The total spend on 56 types of biscuits over same period came to £112,698 .
Crawford's Mini-Packs, which contain six different varieties, came second .
House of Commons could not give a figure for biscuits handed out for free . |
26,443 | 4b178c5a39df11bdc540cfafd17f304b76905263 | A woman whose father raped her because he 'couldn't afford a prostitute' has finally spoken out about her ordeal to encourage other victims to prosecute their abusers. Sylvia Prescott, from Sunderland, was tormented by her parent Oliver Garside while she was a teenager but kept the abuse secret for nearly 30 years. The 47-year-old couldn't bring herself to go to the police while her grandmother was still alive for fear that the details of the case would upset her. Brave: Sylvia Prescott has spoken out about her ordeal at the hands of her father in the hope it will give other victims the courage to prosecute their abusers . But when she died in 2012, Sylvia knew it was time to stand up to her bullying father, 68. He was jailed for eight years in May last year and Sylvia feels like a weight has been lifted. Now married with three sons aged 30, 29 and 25, she wishes she had gone to the police sooner. She hopes her story will help other women to find the strength to prosecute their abusers, even if they are family members. Sylvia said: 'I was terrified that I wouldn't be believed. The abuse happened such a long time ago and it took all the strength I had to go to the police, but in the end I'm so glad I did. 'The prosecution were able to build a strong case against my dad and he pleaded guilty to the abuse meaning I didn't have to go through the trauma of a trial. Decades of misery: Sylvia Prescott was raped by her father Oliver Garside, right, while she was a teenager but kept the abuse secret for nearly 30 years. He has now been jailed . 'It was during the sentencing that the judge said my dad's excuse for the abuse was that he couldn't afford a prostitute. I was sicked. 'What kind of defence was that? However, I finally feel free to live my life without him hovering over me and I should have done it sooner. 'I am so thankful for the support of my children and my husband, I don't know where I would be without them.' Sylvia's nightmare began with non-sexual violence. Garside would drag the teenager around the house by her hair, demanding she clean floors and do dishes. She said: 'I was afraid of my father. He and my mum split when I was one and I lived with my grandmother until I was 11, then all of a sudden he wanted me to come and live with him. 'The first time he abused me I knew I had to go along with it, but I never imagined how much worse it would get.' Sylvia's husband Paul, 52, had no idea about the abuse and didn't find out until Sylvia decided to go to the police. She said: 'I didn't want anyone to know, it ate me up and I was very very depressed, I even tried to kill myself, I had to have my stomach pumped because I took an overdose two years ago. 'Everything was getting too much but I didn't feel comfortable telling anyone while my gran was still alive, it would have killed her to know what went on.' Moving on: The 47-year-old feels like a weight has been lifted now her father has been brought to justice . Sylvia kept her ordeal to herself for almost three decades, but her father was convicted of the historic abuse after pleading guilty to two charges of rape and one of indecent assault last year. At Newcastle Crown Court the judge told him: 'You told the author of the pre-sentence report you would rather have paid a prostitute but you did not have the money to do so. Your behaviour has cast a shadow over her life to date. 'Even today she has to live with what happened so long ago.' Sylvia said: 'I'm so relieved that he's in jail now and I can breathe again.' | Sylvia Prescott, of Sunderland, was tormented by her father Oliver Garside .
When she was a teen, he would drag her around the house by her hair .
Abuse then became sexual .
She was too afraid to tell anyone what was happening .
Didn't have courage to reveal her ordeal until decades later .
Father has now been jailed for the abuse .
His defence in court was he raped her as he 'couldn't afford a prostitute'
Sylvia, now a married mother-of-three, wishes she had spoken out earlier . |
224,618 | aed16870b321c295a6dc32aa964a6aa7522c330c | An Ohio high school pupil, expelled and jailed for a fortnight for having a penknife in his car, now fears that his dream of serving in the US army could be wrecked. Jordan Wiser’s nightmare began on December 12 last year when his car was searched by staff at Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus in Jefferson, Ohio — about 60 miles northeast of Cleveland – following a message that he posted to his YouTube account. “The principal said he had reason to believe I had weapons in my vehicle and needed to search it,’ Wiser said. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Jordan Wiser was expelled from school and spent almost a fortnight in jail because his headmaster found a knife in his paramedic uniform . ‘He made me empty out all my pockets and the vice principal grabbed me and patted me down very forcibly, he told the Huffington Post. ‘It was somewhat awkward. Then they took my car keys. I told them what was in my car and said, “Don’t be alarmed”.’ The school claims that the online message gave it ‘probable cause’ to search Wiser and his car, something that Wiser disputes. Jordan Wiser is trending more than Ukraine and the missing plane . He told FoxNews.com: ‘I declined to allow them to search myself or my car and that I wanted to talk to my lawyer or my father. They told me it wasn’t an option.’ The school found the penknife, a stun gun and two Airsoft guns. Airsoft is similar to paintball. The stun gun was for self-defence, Wiser said, adding that the penknife was part of his EMT kit. ‘My stun gun was locked in the glove box,’ Wiser told the Huffington Post, ‘and the knife was in my EMT medical vest. 'I bought it at K-Mart and have it as part of my first responder kit for cutting seat belts. Jordan Wiser has dedicated his life to public service since he was 14. After he serves in the American army he wants to become either a policeman or fireman . ‘There are kids at my school all the time who get caught with knives and are suspended. ‘My school is very rural, and people carry knives. ‘I can accept the fact that there was a lapse in judgment, and I can accept a punishment, but I have already been expelled from both the tech school and my home school.’ The teachers called the police and Wiser was charged with illegally taking the knife onto school grounds. Staff told FoxNews.com that possession of the knife broke the school’s zero tolerance policy for bringing weapons on campus. They also insisted Wiser consented to the search. Servant of the people: Jordan Wiser, 18, from Ohio, wants to serve his country but fears that his career plans may be wrecked because he carried a four-inch penknife onto school premises . Selfie: Jordan Wiser was a pupil at A-Tech until the headmaster and deputy headmaster found a penknife in his car boot . Superintendent Jerome Brockway said: “We indicate that we have the right to search, and he was aware of the policy.’ The right is enshrined in the school handbook, added Supt Brockway. The decision to charge Wiser was made entirely by the police and the public prosecutors, he said. Wiser who is a trainee paramedic and after service in the army wants to be either a policeman or fireman will learn his fate when he has a court hearing on April 1. I dedicated my life to public service, and now a four-inch penknife could ruin everything . He has already been expelled from the Army’s Future Soldier Training System programme. If his plan to enlist in the army in August is not achieved, he has said that he is considering suing. ‘If I am convicted of a felony, I’m never going to be a policeman. I’m never going to be a fireman. I’m never going to be in the military,’ he said. ‘I won’t even be able to be a janitor. I’m 18 years old, and this is going to ruin my entire life. ‘Never in my life did I think this would happen,’ Wiser said. ‘I dedicated my life to public service, and now a four-inch penknife could ruin everything.’ | Jordan Wiser, 18, from Ohio, wants to join the US army and then become a policeman or fireman .
A posting to his YouTube site led school to search his car .
Headmaster found penknife, stun gun and paintballing gun .
Knife was in his paramedic kit in the boot of Wiser's car .
Court hearing to decide his future career is on April Fool's Day . |
14,138 | 281fa4642617109abc98a51e27922666f200a86f | Stacking supermarket shelves is better than dreaming of stardom via TV’s The X Factor, Iain Duncan Smith insists today as he mounts an extraordinary attack on critics of a flagship work experience scheme for benefit claimants. The Work and Pensions Secretary reveals that thousands of youngsters on the dole have already secured jobs after taking part in a Government programme which offers two-month placements with leading employers — with more than half coming off benefits. Human rights lawyers representing an unemployed graduate who objected to stacking shelves in budget store Poundland have led critics to liken the scheme to ‘slave labour’. Fantasy world: Iain Duncan Smith rallies against the belief that being a celebrity or appearing on the X Factor is the only route worth pursuing in life. Pictures are Little Mix - the winners of the talent show last year . Success: The Work and Pensions Secretary reveals that thousands of youngsters on the dole have already secured jobs after taking part in a Government programme . Mr Duncan Smith argues that some of the country’s most successful businessmen — including former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy — started their careers on the shop floor. Work, he says, can give people languishing on welfare handouts a sense of purpose and open up opportunities. Mr Duncan Smith argues that an obsession with celebrity risks breaking the link between ‘success and hard work’ — as well as indirectly fuelling mass immigration. ‘It is because of such attitudes that we have seen British businesses bringing in large numbers of foreign nationals to do jobs for which they cannot find people at home,’ he says. According to the latest figures, . 34,200 benefit claimants so far have taken work placements under the . Government-led programme. Firms taking part include Tesco, Boots and . Holland & Barrett. Initial . analysis of 1,300 cases shows that after 13 weeks, only 49 per cent . remained on welfare handouts. Some stop claiming, but thousands are . getting jobs. However, . Labour frontbencher John Woodcock is expected to warn today that while . the scheme appears ‘shambolic’, his party must acknowledge its own . failure on welfare reform and back the ‘something for something’ principle. ‘We must not be . diverted by the inadequacies of one particular scheme into stepping back . from the principle of increasing obligations placed on benefit . claimants as we increase support available to them,’ he is expected to . say. by IAIN DUNCAN SMITH, Work and Pensions Secretary . Over the past few days, the battle lines have been clearly drawn on the issue of youth unemployment. In one corner, we find those prepared to do everything they can to give a chance to young people who are looking for a job and help them gain experience of the workplace. In the other, armed with an unjustified sense of superiority and sporting an intellectual sneer, we find a commentating elite which seems determined to belittle and downgrade any opportunity for young people that doesn’t fit their pre-conceived notion of a ‘worthwhile job’. Talent show Britain: Iain Duncan Smith writes the country is in 'danger of creating a society with a twisted culture that thinks being a celebrity or appearing on The X Factor is the only route worth pursuing in life' Let me start by saying that I am enormously proud of our Work Experience scheme, as well as of the companies who have chosen to take part. Under the scheme, young people on benefits are offered placements of up to two months with a variety of employers to give them an opportunity to get an experience of work. Firms who have signed up include Boots, McDonald’s, Argos, Tesco and Primark. In return for working 30 hours a week, the unemployed continue to receive their normal Jobseeker’s Allowance as well as expenses. The thinking behind the initiative is the recognition that when considering whether to take a young person on, employers will highly value any relevant work experience. It is up to young people to decide, voluntarily, whether they wish to take part in the scheme, and they can pull out of their placement during the first week without sanction. Criticism: Tesco have faced an angry backlash for signing up to the Government scheme - and employing people on benefits for an initial period without pay . This is why the scheme has been so successful. The fact is that 13 weeks after starting their placements, around 50 per cent of those taking part have either taken up permanent posts or have stopped claiming benefits. Take, for example, 20-year-old Samantha Davies, from Neath, South Wales, who took a Work Experience placement at a local nursery. She impressed them so much that she was offered a job, and now she has signed off Jobseeker’s Allowance. Or Chris Burke, from Lewisham, South-East London, who got a job as an administrative apprentice at a local college. What’s more, the scheme is so popular among young people that it is oversubscribed. As a result, we are expanding it later this year through the new Youth Contract to guarantee a place for every unemployed young person who wants one. Given this, you may be surprised to hear some of the criticism that has been directed at the scheme in recent days, including the claim that young people are being forced into ‘21st-century slavery’, or that we are engaging in so-called ‘workfare’. Let me be quite clear: this Government does not have a workfare programme. Workfare is an American term used to describe employment programmes which force all jobseekers to work at a certain point of their welfare claim — a practice which we do not consider to be effective. Here, in Britain, it is true that we have a programme which can require claimants to undertake a short period of compulsory work if we do not believe they are engaging properly in the pursuit of employment. But the programme is carefully targeted and — importantly — it is entirely separate from the voluntary Work Experience scheme which I described above. The fact is that the Government’s opponents — who constitute a group of modern-day Luddites — are throwing around these misleading terms in a deliberately malicious and provocative fashion, and will stop at nothing in their attempts to mislead the public on this issue. What is utterly unacceptable is that many of Britain’s largest and most prestigious employers have found themselves caught up in the middle of this undignified row. The firms who have offered work experience to young people on this scheme have been absolutely brilliant and, most importantly, they are making a difference in terms of helping the young unemployed get into work. Shop floor: Sir Terry Leahy, the former Tesco chief-executive, started out by stacking shelves in 1974 . For example, out of around 1,400 individuals who have taken part in the Work Experience placement at Tesco, more than 300 have been taken on in permanent roles with the supermarket. Most admirably, these firms are offering opportunities and helping the economic prospects of our younger generation. I hope more companies will see the benefits and choose to take part by investing in our young people in the future. However, to help these youngsters, we also have to expose the lies of those who have launched unedifying attacks on our programme. Sadly, so much of this criticism, I fear, is intellectual snobbery. The implicit message behind these ill-considered attacks is that jobs in retail, such as those with supermarkets or on the High Street, are not real jobs that worthwhile people do. How insulting and demeaning of the many thousands of people who already work in such jobs up and down the country! I doubt I’m the only person who thinks supermarket shelf-stackers add more value to our society than many of those ‘job snobs’ who are busy pontificating about the Government’s employment policies. They should learn to value work and not sneer at it. Furthermore, those critics waging war against work experience also forget that some of this country’s most successful businessmen and women started their careers on the shop floor. Lest we forget, Tesco’s former chief executive officer Sir Terry Leahy started life scrubbing floors at a Tesco store in his school holidays. As well as betraying their ignorance and snobbery, our opponents have pathetically opted to use human rights laws, making claims about people being subjected by force to ‘slave labour’. These, though, have no basis in reality, since our work programme is purely voluntary. It’s time to put an end to this damaging nonsense. The hard truth is that finding the right job for someone is not easy. There isn’t always one simple route. Meanwhile, we are caught in a battle between those who think young people should work only if they are able to secure their dream job, and those like myself who passionately believe that work in all shapes and forms can be valuable, for it gives people a sense of purpose and opens up further opportunities. Anyone who is gulled by those who believe in the first path is in danger of creating a society with a twisted culture that thinks being a celebrity or appearing on The X Factor is the only route worth pursuing in life. The belief that you can just sit at home or wait to become a TV star and that work simply lands in your lap, in turn, feeds the pernicious idea that success is not related to effort and work. In light of such attitudes from so many indigenous Britons, it’s small wonder that businesses have hired so many foreign nationals in the past decade or so. The fact is that they can’t find the employees of quality that they need from the available British workforce. Now is the time to provide opportunities for young people, to help get them back and competing in the workplace, and to give them real opportunities for the future. Work experience is part of the fight-back of welfare reform — based on the principle of enlightenment, not entitlement. | Mr Duncan-Smith claims thousands have come off the dole and got jobs after taking up two-month placements with employers .
1,400 people have done Tesco work placements; 300 of them have got a job . |
225,118 | af84240f8a84a43f283081aedb74489bdcefb108 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . This is the second time that Joe Longthorne, pictured, has battled against cancer . Singer and impressionist Joe Longthorne yesterday revealed he is battling throat cancer. The 58-year old, who beat leukaemia in 2006, will have surgery in the next few days and vowed: ‘I’ve been here before, so here we go, round two coming up.’ Longthorne’s battle against illness began in 1989 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma. It developed into leukaemia but he won his fight against the disease after he had a bone marrow transplant in 2006. But this year he found a lump in his throat and surgeons will operate after the weekend. Longthorne, who was awarded an MBE for services to charity in 2012, vowed to carry on his UK tour while he could and said his Catholic faith would help him beat the illness again. In a statement the Blackpool-based star said: 'I was completely and utterly shocked at being given the news about having to have treatment for throat cancer. However, I am 100 per cent positive. 'I've been here before, so here we go, round two coming up. You have two choices on being given news like this, you can stay down or get up and fight. 'I've always chosen to fight and fight on I will. I've beaten it before and will do so again. 'There are always people much worse of than yourself so it's important to keep focused at this time. 'I have the most wonderful family one could ever have, some very dear friends and the best fans anyone could ever wish for. I have had their love and total support all through my life and they have and always will be there for me.' He said: 'I would like to say to my fans at this time to think of my charities and give their support if they can. 'After receiving the MBE in 2012 I have given much more time and attention to helping others and I would like to ask my fans to do this too and they will be helping me on the way. We are like one big family these days as I like it. 'Obviously with being a vocalist I am taking each day one day at a time and will remain positive and resolute about the outcome, I am a Catholic and have my faith and deep belief in Jesus Christ, he has seen me through before and he will be there for me this time.' Joe Longthorne, pictured at the height of his fame, said that his Catholic faith will help him defeat cancer for a second time . | Joe Longthorne faces immanent surgery after discovering a lump in his throat .
The entertainer said he won't let cancer stop his latest tour .
Longthorne said his Catholic faith will help him beat cancer a second time . |
135,845 | 3bbd04255215d03a0ac0b3bd605eaa0160b76129 | (CNN) -- The mayor of Venezuela's capital on Tuesday was completing his fifth day of a hunger strike in protest of what he called harassment and interference from President Hugo Chavez. Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma, shown in February, alleges many of his duties have been illegally usurped. Antonio Ledezma, mayor of Caracas, has been carrying out his protest inside the offices of the Organization of American States, where his demand was for the inter-American body to investigate allegations of illegal power-grabbing moves by the federal government. The secretary general of the OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza, responded to the mayor in a phone conversation Tuesday, Ledezma adviser Milos Alcalay said in a news conference. Insulza agreed to meet with a group of mayors and governors of Venezuela who have made similar allegations against the Chavez government, Alcalay said. "Respectfully, but categorically, [Ledezma] described a series of instances ... of increasing harassment in a systematic manner by the central power against the metropolitan mayor," Alcalay said. Politically, Caracas is split into five districts, each with its own mayor, and the city also has a metropolitan mayor who coordinates and oversees police, health and education. Chief among Ledezma's complaints was the creation in April of a "head of government" who, appointed by Chavez, took over many of the metropolitan mayor's duties in addition to offices and budget. As a result, Ledezma said his office does not have enough money left to pay all of his staff. Several workers from the mayor's office joined him in the hunger strike, according to the mayor's Web site. The president's supporters argue that the constitution gives the federal government the responsibility of administrating the capital. But in televised remarks last week, Ledezma held a copy of a law that dictates the duties that his office is supposed to hold. "This law has been violated over and over again by the current government," Ledezma said. Ledezma is not the only opposition politician who has complained of being strong-armed by Chavez. Manuel Rosales, a former governor and presidential challenger to Chavez, fled the country in April after Chavez accused him of corruption. Rosales denied the charges. Earlier this year, former Venezuelan Defense Minister Raul Baduel, a Chavez ally-turned-critic, was arrested twice on charges that he stole $14 million from the armed forces. Baduel has denied the allegation and called the charges politically motivated. | Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma alleges his power was illegally diminished .
Venezuela's president created a post that took many of Ledezma's duties .
Ledezma goes on hunger strike, asks Organization of American States for probe .
Adviser: OAS secretary-general to meet with Ledezma, other unhappy mayors . |
279,237 | f5c53aa31103e37270d4b716e592081bdf7c0401 | The French Riviera getaway formerly owned by iconic diva extraordinaire Edith Piaf has been put on the market for £4.5million. The four-bedroom getaway in Grasse on the Côte d'Azur, south-eastern France, boasts a two-bedroom guardian's cottage, two reception rooms, a games room and a library. Piaf bought the property in the 1950s, after the heartbreaking death of the love of her life, married boxer Marcel Cerdan, in 1949, and she lived there until she died from liver cancer in 1963, aged 47. Riviera getaway: The former home of singing icon Edith Piaf has been put on the market for £4.5million . Spacious: The four-bedroom getaway in Grasse on the Côte d'Azur boasts a two-bedroom guardian's cottage and two reception rooms . No regrets: Piaf bought the property in the 1950s and she lived there until she died from liver cancer in 1963, aged just 47 . A spokesperson for Vladi Private Islands who are listing the sale said: 'This is a beautiful stone bastide located in a peaceful setting on the top of a hill yet within easy reach of the villages, towns and beaches of the. 'The property has an interesting history and used to be the home of the famous French singer Edith Piaf. 'Set in extensive grounds with one acre of level lawn in front of the house, the property has three reception rooms and four bedrooms. 'In addition, there are three separate guest suites plus a two bedroom guardian's cottage. In the grounds are a swimming pool and pool house, as well as tennis and boules courts. There is adjoining land of two-and-a-half acres with a building permit available by separate negotiation.' Piaf is widely regarded as a French national treasure and won international acclaim for her haunting songs, such as La Vie en Rose, Non Je Ne . Regrette Rien (No Regrets) and La Foule. Private space: Piaf retreated to the property in the years after the death of the love of her life, Marcel Cerdan, who died in a plane crash on his way to see her in 1949 . Old school style: There are three separate guest suites in addition to the three reception rooms and four bedrooms . Modern life: The kitchen has a modern touch, with an island worktop and bar stools for socialising and eating . Space to play: In the grounds are a swimming pool and pool house, as well as tennis and boules courts . | Home on the Côte d'Azurm, owned by Edith Piaf, on the market for £4.5million .
The four-bedroom mansion is where Piaf died form liver cancer in 1963, aged 47 .
Mansion boasts a guardian's cottage, two reception rooms, a games room and a library . |
283,965 | fbe498e2eb605344f9d7b16510aec9bd1dc84004 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Billionaire oil tycoon William 'Bill' Koch has revealed he splashed out about $5 million on rare French wines which turned out to be fake. Many of the counterfeits were produced by convicted fraudster Rudy Kurniawan who re-marked bottles of cheap wine with photocopied labels of top vintages. 'I just had to have them,' Koch, 74, told ABC News' 20/20 program. 'Then I’d open it up and . drink it and it was dish water or moose piss.' Ripped off: Billionaire William Koch, 74, has admitted he spent $5 million on counterfeit wines . Koch, an avid wine collector, admitted he bought about 500 bottles at up to $100,000 each, thinking they were from the finest French chateaus. Although he said there would be little sympathy for a wealthy person who'd been conned, Koch choked up while describing the debasement of 'the art, craftsmanship' of fine wines being faked. Koch, who lives in a waterfront mansion in Florida, is estimated to worth $4 billion from oil and other investments. 'I cannot stand to be cheated,' Koch told 20/20. 'I want someone to know they sell me a fake, . man, I’m coming after them no matter how much it costs.' Koch, whose twin brother is billionaire David Koch, has spent millions on lawyers and private detectives to expose the fakes. Koch’s team worked with the FBI, and he agreed to testify against Kurniawan at his criminal fraud trial. Convicted: Rudy Kurniawan (pictured) conned savvy, competitive rare-wine collectors, with the biggest hoax in history taking place right under their noses . Fake labels: When the FBI arrested Mr Kurniawan, his Californian home contained explicit evidence of the scam, including thousands of photocopied wine labels and used corks . Fraud: Investigators found detailed instructions for fabricating labels as well as sealing wax and rubber stamps with vintages at Rudy Kurniawan's California home . Rudy Kurniawan took the wine world by storm by claiming he had access to wines many thought had long since disappeared. Many experts gave his vintages glowing reviews. But the Indonesian-born conman slipped up when he tried to sell fakes purportedly from France’s Domaine Ponsot at a New York auction. When the FBI raided Kurniawan’s California home in March 2012, they discovered he created his fine vintages in his kitchen, attaching photocopied labels from top producers to bottles of cheap Napa Valley wines. Kurniawan’s lawyer, Jerome Mooney, said his client is sorry for what he did but that the harm to wealthy collectors such as Koch was minor. 'Nobody was hurt by this, absolutely nobody was hurt by this,' Mooney told 20/20. 'It not that it’s less of a crime but that it’s less of an impact.' Kurniawan was convicted in December and will be sentenced on July 17. | William 'Bill' Koch, 74, was cheated out of $5m on rare vintages .
Many of them were supplied by Rudy Kurniawan who was convicted in December .
Koch worked with the FBI to expose the fakes, saying 'I cannot stand to be cheated'
He is estimated to be worth $4bn from oil and other investments . |
202,330 | 91f1ca94ab90131ad4b9fb774d62905bbf370433 | By . Associated Press . UPDATED: . 17:13 EST, 11 October 2012 . A mother who glued her two-year-old's hands . to a wall wept in court today as she was forced to look at pictures of the little girl's badly beaten body. Jocelyn, two, was hit and kicked so brutally that she suffered significant . brain trauma. Elizabeth Escalona was being cross-examined by the prosecution at her sentencing in Dallas, Texas. The mother-of-five told prosecutors that she did not torture her daughter but admitted abusing her. The prosecution responded by forcing Escalona to look at a graphic photo of the little girl's bruised genitals, which was not visible to the court. Scroll down for video . Unfit: Elizabeth Escalona wept as she was grilled by the prosecution in a Dallas courtroom today over the brutal treatment of her daughters . Tortured: Jocelyn, two, fell into a coma after being allegedly beaten and having her hands glued to a wall by her mother . Escalona broke down as she was ordered to count the bruises. More photos of the little girl's bruised back and buttocks were then shown to the court, according to tweets from court by Dallas Crime. When asked why she glued the toddler's hands to the wall, the mother said she 'didn't know why'. She said she didn't remember how long she left the child standing there. Escalona sat under a screen in the courtroom which at points the prosecution posted the words 'liar' and 'monster'. The 23-year-old faces . life in prison after pleading guilty in July to felony injury to a child. Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year sentence. When asked by the prosecution what the consequences of her actions should be, Escalona said 'she should be put away...but also given a second chance because she is not a monster'. Escalona testified that she often . doesn't tell the truth and that she lied to doctors and other experts . assigned to her case. She admitted to drinking and taking drugs while out on bond after her arrest. However she resisted a prosecutor's repeated . efforts to label her a liar. I'm not a liar,' Escalona said. 'I have a hard time trusting people.' The 23-year-old former gang member also admitted in court today that she had smoked marijuana twice a day in the weeks leading up to the alleged attack on Jocelyn. She also said at one point, she was spending $600 a month on the drug. 'Liar': Escalona, 23, sat under a screen where lawyers projected the words 'liar' and 'monster' A day earlier, Escalona pleaded for leniency, saying she would never forgive herself what she did to her daughter. Escalona . allegedly kicked her daughter, Jocelyn Cedillo, in the stomach, beat . her with a milk jug, then stuck her hands to an apartment wall using . Super Glue. Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attacked Jocelyn because of potty training problems. Jocelyn suffered bleeding in her brain, a fractured rib, multiple bruises and bite marks and was in a coma for several days. Some skin had been torn off her hands, where doctors also found glue residue and white paint chips from the apartment wall, witnesses testified. Prosecutors have portrayed Escalona as . an unfit mother with a history of violence. They have played recordings . in which a teenage Escalona threatened to kill her own mother. They said . she was a former gang member who started smoking marijuana at age 11. Escalona's five children - including one born since her arrest - are in the care of her mother, Ofelia Escalona. Horror: A photo of Jocelyn's little hand prints where they were glued to the wall at her Dallas home was shown to the court . Attacker: On the day of the attack Escalona, pictured left in her mug shot, changed her Facebook profile photo to one of her and Jocelyn (right) and wrote: 'Why does God put obstacles in my life?' Escalona previously told a judge: 'I will never forgive myself for what I did to my own daughter. I want everybody to know I'm not a monster. I love my kids.' A counselor earlier claimed that the woman loves her children. Melanie Davis testified on Wednesday in the case of Escalona. Davis said she has been counseling the mother since June and believes that she loves all of her children. She . said that Escalona is determined to find a job and eventually get her . children, who are living with their grandmother, back to her own home. The . testimony came as Escalona's sister also pleaded with the judge to be . lenient in his sentencing, even though she acknowledged her own outrage . following the grisly attack. Margaret Escalona said she wanted to beat up her sister after the attack, and described seeing Jocelyn . struggling for her life. But she says her sister 'needs help' rather than a lengthy sentence. It also follows testimony on Monday . from Escalona's mother who said her daughter was 'not a monster' and . that she deserves probation, insisting her daughter could be 'fixed'. Facing life: Elizabeth Escalona, 23, is due to be sentenced for brutally beating her two-year-old daughter and gluing her hands to the wall at her home in Dallas, Texas . Sentence: Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year jail sentence against the mother of five from Dallas . On Monday, a doctor, Dr . Amy Barton, also revealed the extent of the horrifying injuries to the young girl, who has since recovered. The girl was rushed to hospital after . Escalona called her mother and said there was something wrong with her . daughter. When the child's grandmother got to the house, the girl was . unresponsive. Dr . Barton showed photos of the beaten . child in court showing her bruises, cuts and bite . marks all over her body shortly after she was brought to Children’s . Medical Center in Dallas. Some of her hair had been pulled out and there was glue in her eyelashes and on her hands. Glue and . paint were stuck to her palms, with skin torn away in places, the police report noted. The toddler was in a coma for two days after the September 7, 2011, incident. Police . records show the toddler's siblings told investigators their mother . repeatedly kicked the girl in the stomach, hit her with a milk jug and then beat her with a shoe and belt. Escalona then dragged her daughter by her feet before gluing her hands to the wall until they bled. Dr . Barton, a child abuse pediatrician who worked at the hospital at . the time, cried when she testified about the injuries, according to the Dallas Morning News. 'The entire picture was very shocking,' she said. 'I see a lot of children and this was one of the most shocking things that I've seen.' The section of the wall the toddler's hands were glued to was cut out and presented to the court. Shock: On Monday, a doctor showed photos of the beaten child in . which she had bruises, cuts and bite marks all over her body shortly . after she was brought to Children's Medical Center in Dallas, pictured . Escalona, who stayed silent in court, previously said of the case: 'I have no comment, and only God can judge me. That’s all I gotta say.' Police said that numerous people had seen the suspect inflict pain on her daughter in the past. On . the day of the attack Escalona changed her Facebook profile photo to . one of her and Jocelyn and wrote: 'Why does God put obstacles in my . life?' The girl has recovered from her injuries. She and her siblings were taken into state custody after their mother’s arrest and now live with their grandmother. Watch the video . Toddler Critically Hurt, Mom Arrested: MyFoxDFW.com . | Elizabeth Escalona, 23, beat her daughter, dragged her across the floor and glued her hands to the wall until they bled .
Mother of five Escalona told court she has 'a hard time trusting people'
Former gang member facing up to 45 years in jail . |
284,391 | fc74fb572e5f7e17e3689323c94865c1e9fc0e7b | Robert Dole knew his share of Washington fights -- as the Republican vice presidential and presidential nominee and as both Senate majority and minority leader. But as he celebrates his 90th birthday on Monday, he told CNN he believes the tone in Washington is much more bitter -- and that is not helping the country. "There were a lot of differences in the days I was in the Senate," he told CNN in a rare interview. "But in every case we were able to work the out the differences." Dole served in the Senate alongside several Democratic leaders who were known for their strong wills: Robert Byrd, George Mitchell and Tom Daschle. "We disagreed, but we respected each other," he said. "We never had an unkind word about each other." Now as Dole looks at today's Congress he thinks the two parties are not doing enough to try to find a middle ground -- and that includes relying too much on the filibuster in the Senate. "It is very frustrating. Sometimes it is just justified, don't misunderstand me. But most of the time you ought to be able to work out a compromise that is going to be voted on," Dole told CNN. "Compromise has become a bad word, and I always thought in almost every case there is room for compromise." Senate leaders should change how they use the filibuster, he said. "There are things that should be stopped, but at least there ought to be a vote," he said. "It can't continue, this constant holding up bills." As for what else is causing some of the rancor today, he told CNN "the biggest problem today is the lack of trust." Asked who is to blame for that, he put responsibility on both parties -- "Sometimes it is the Rs (Republicans). Sometimes it is the Ds (Democrats)." Just last week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, threatened a historic change regarding the rules of how presidential nominations are considered -- eliminate the ability to filibuster them if Republicans didn't allow votes on several of the president's picks. If those changes would have gone into effect, the atmosphere in Washington would have deteriorated even more. But even the threat of the rules change created a war of words between Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. This week the Senate is expected to consider a bipartisan compromise to help cap student loan rates -- a politically popular idea. But senators were able to reach agreement only after weeks of partisan haggling, several failed attempts and the intervention of President Barack Obama. Dole also sees major problems in how far his party has shifted to the right, saying a moderate from a conservative state will face problems because of "some who don't believe they are Republican enough." He repeated a statement he originally made in May in a television interview as a sign of how rigid the party has become, saying, "that is why I said that Ronald Reagan I doubt could be nominated today. And I was a conservative and supported Reagan." Dole, who was the GOP's 1996 presidential nominee, losing to incumbent Bill Clinton, urged his party to do a better job of trying to be more inclusive. In 2012: Dole, Baker for embracing bipartisan politics . "I believe we ought to be reaching out to the Hispanic community, the black community and of course the middle- and upper-class community across the board, and we haven't done that," he said, pointing to the last election as evidence. After having served eight years in the House of Representatives, he began his first term in the Senate in 1969 and served there until 1996, when he resigned to concentrate on his run for the presidency after capturing the Republican nomination. He was Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976 when Ford lost to Jimmy Carter. Since his time in Congress the Kansan native, the longest-serving Republican leader in the Senate, has seen a dramatic change in those serving and their goals. "A lot of the younger members -- they are very smart. They are very capable. They have their own ideas -- start a filibuster, rather than compromise." He cited how food stamps was added to the farm bill in the past as key to attracting support for the measure in both parties. The House earlier this month passed a scaled-down farm bill without food stamps after a version including them was defeated because it could not attract a large enough coalition. Dole, who is disabled from a World War II injury, also was disappointed last December after some of some of his own personal lobbying failed. The Senate blocked ratification of a United Nations treaty to promote the rights of disabled people. Dole, in a wheelchair, came to the Senate floor in a last ditch effort to help the treaty gain support. As for his successes, he cited the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act as one of the bills he was most proud of because of its lasting impact and one that had bipartisan support. He was also a major fundraiser in helping get the World War II Memorial built on the National Mall. Dole, who is special counsel in the Washington law firm of Alston & Bird's legislative and public policy group, spends his time with his wife, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, in Washington but is mostly out of public view. He is a co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center and works to support a political institute named in in his honor at the University of Kansas. Dole has suffered from several illnesses in recent years, and spent 11 months at Walter Reed Army Hospital in 2010 after a bout with pneumonia. President George W. Bush appointed Dole in 2007 to a panel investigating conditions at the hospital. "I never really thought I wanted to spend that much time there," he joked at a 2011 appearance honoring the 50th anniversary of his being first elected to Congress. Asked about the milestone of his 90th birthday, Dole said "It's going to be a special day. I don't know how many people reach 90," adding "I am kind of excited about it." Many friends and old staff members will gather Tuesday for a party celebrating his special day. | Dole says that in his time, lawmakers were able to work out their differences .
1996 GOP presidential candidate says neither party is looking for middle ground now .
Dole blames Republicans and Democrats equally for a lack of trust .
Old friends and staff members will gather Tuesday for a birthday celebration . |
218,161 | a66e2c66baeed87007ca10f7b51cb15ef0a8d000 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 14:08 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 22 January 2014 . A new record-breaking atomic clock is so precise it neither loses nor gains a second in five billion years - longer than the age of the Earth. The 'strontium lattice clock' is 50% more accurate than the previous record holder, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) quantum logic clock. It is also incredibly stable, in that each tick matches the duration of every other. The watch of the future? US scientists say the 'strontium lattice clock' is 50% more accurate than the previous record holder, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) quantum logic clock. Atomic clocks operate by means of atoms oscillating between two energy levels. In the strontium lattice clock, a few thousand atoms of strontium are held in a column of laser optical traps. Scientists detect the clock's 'ticks' - 430 trillion of them a second - by bathing the atoms in very stable red laser light. The precise frequency of the laser trigger prompts the switch between energy levels. The clock, described in the journal Nature, was developed in the US at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA), by a team from NIST and the University of Colorado. Group leader Dr Jun Ye said: 'We already have plans to push the performance even more. 'So in this sense, even this new Nature paper represents only a 'mid-term' report. 'You can expect more new breakthroughs in our clocks in the next five to 10 years.' In terms of stability, the new clock equals the performance of NIST's world-leading ytterbium atomic clock. Atomic clocks operate by means of atoms oscillating between two energy levels. In the strontium lattice clock, a few thousand atoms of strontium are held in a column of laser optical traps. Scientists detect the clock's 'ticks' - 430 trillion of them a second - by bathing the atoms in very stable red laser light. The precise frequency of the laser trigger prompts the switch between energy levels. The new clock could lead to far more accurate timekeeping devices for everyone . | Strontium lattice clock is 50% more accurate than previous record holder .
Doesn't lose or gains a second in five billion years - longer than the age of the Earth . |
189,679 | 81a259c1067bc2d03a0157bf084c915e3a5d6520 | Michael Kearns died after he was pinned down by bouncers outside Sailors nightclub in Newquay, Cornwall . A nightclub reveller died after four bouncers sat on him like a 'chair' for ten minutes until he stopped breathing, a court has heard. Michael Kearns, 48, cried out for help and told the security staff he couldn't breathe as they held him face down on the pavement, prosecutors say. But his pleas were allegedly ignored by doormen Lewis Bowns, 26, Richard Favetta, 30, Ian Harold, 45, and Graham Lutey, 34, who now stand accused of unlawfully killing Mr Kearns. Truro Court Court heard the four men ejected Mr Kearns from Sailors nightclub in Newquay, Cornwall, on April 27 last year after he hit another man with stool. Simon Laws, QC, prosecuting, told jurors: 'What he did was wrong and it was part of their job to deal with him. 'He struggled against them but it was a pretty one-sided contest. There were at times four of them against the one of him and at other times there were three of them against the one of him.' Mr Laws said Mr Kearns was forced to the floor on his back then turned over so he was face down on the ground. The jury, who saw CCTV footage of the incident, heard that Lutey, who was the senior doorman, was involved in restraining the lower part of Mr Kearns while Bowns dealt with his arms and head. Favetta is alleged to have helped hold Mr Kearns down during the incident. Mr Laws said Harold then 'took control of Mr Kearns's torso', kneeling on him and then sitting on him as a person would sit on a chair. Mr Laws said: 'He was calling out that he could not breathe and saying that the doormen were choking him. Bouncers Lewis Bowns (pictured, above left), Richard Favetta (above, right), Ian Harold (below, left) and Graham Lutey (below, right) all deny manslaughter . 'They took no notice, they continued to use force on him without any regard to how he was faring. In truth, he was dying.' Mr Laws said this continued for approximately 10 minutes until a witness said Mr Kearns was not breathing and they got off him - but by then it was too late. The four doormen later told police Mr Kearns was being aggressive and that officers had taken a long time to arrive. Bowns, Favetta and Harold, all of Newquay, and Lutey, of Summercourt, Cornwall, all deny manslaughter. The trial continues. Sailors nightclub in Newquay, where Mr Kearns died. The trial at Truro Crown Court continues . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Reveller ejected from nightclub in Newquay, Cornwall in April last year .
Bouncers pinned him down on pavement and waited until police arrived .
Micheal Kearns died during 10-minute wait after saying he couldn't breathe .
Four bouncers involved in incident now deny Mr Kearns's manslaughter . |
81,095 | e5d51be3a494939f69aa45944bedacec62782ebb | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 02:15 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:41 EST, 8 May 2013 . Detectives investigating sexual abuse at one of Britain's top music schools have today said more than 30 women have come forward since a former pupil killed herself after suffering years of abuse. A major investigation was launched in February following the conviction . of ex-choirmaster at Chetham's School of Music, Michael Brewer, who indecently assaulted former pupil Frances . Andrade. Ms Andrade, who was 48, took a fatal overdose during his trial, and officers say since then other women have been 'spurred . on' by her bravery and contacted the police. Greater Manchester Police has also revealed . they 'are currently investigating a pool of about 10 offenders', some of whom . are former teachers. Inspired: The death of brave Frances Andrade (left), who was abused by Michael Brewer (right), has 'spurred on' others to report allegations of abuse . Detectives believe they are making 'good progress' on their major probe into abuse at the school . Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels, from GMP's Protective Services Division, said: 'This is a significant inquiry in terms of potential number of offenders and number of victims. 'We are supporting each and every person who has come forward and made a complaint to us as best we can and I must credit them all for having the courage to face demons that have been haunting them for many, many years. 'This has been a high-profile investigation from the off and due to the complexities and sensitivities involved cannot and will not be rushed. 'I want to reassure the public that I am absolutely committed to getting justice for these women, many of whom have been spurred on by the bravery shown by Frances Andrade in the case against former teacher Michael Brewer. 'I also want to reassure everybody, that where we have identified immediate safeguarding concerns the appropriate steps have been taken in partnership with other organisations. 'Chetham's and other establishments have provided, and continue to provide help and support at what is clearly a very difficult time for their respective staff and pupils. 'It goes without saying that if anyone has been a victim of any offence or has any information that can assist this investigation I would urge them to get in touch.' Probe: More than 30 former female pupils of Chetham's School of Music (pictured) have reported abuse to police . Nearly all of the abuse is alleged to have taken place at Chetham’s - however it is believed some took place when complainants were pupils at the Royal Northern College of Music, also in Manchester. The allegations came to light after the trial of former Chetham’s choirmaster Michael Brewer, convicted earlier this year of indecent assault in the 1970s and 1980s. A second music teacher, Wen Zhou Li, a 57-year-old violin tutor from Cheshire who has worked at both Chetham’s and the RNCM, has also been arrested on suspicion of rape before being released on bail. No charges have been brought and Mr Li strenuously denies the allegations. Paul Lewis, an acclaimed pianist who studied at Chetham’s in the 1980s, claimed ‘every pupil’ knew of the abuse. Malcolm Layfield, who was head of strings at the Royal Northern College of Music, was accused by Frances Andrade of preying on students. He said he had resigned from the Manchester-based college as his position was ‘untenable’. Married Mr Layfield, 61, taught at Chetham’s alongside Brewer. He has admitted sexual relationships with at least six pupils, some of whom were just 16. It was stated all the girls were over the age of consent and the ‘liaisons’ were ‘consensual’. More than 1,000 former Chetham’s pupils and professional musicians signed a petition calling for an independent inquiry into sexual abuse at the school and other private music conservatoires. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Frances Andrade took overdose during trial of abuser Michael Brewer .
He worked at Chetham's School of Music and was jailed in February .
Police say women have been 'spurred .
on' by her bravery to confront abuse .
Detectives are 'investigating about 10 offenders' - some are former teachers . |
63,250 | b3a7fdca12f61754150ddc916bdf2c1cf2ebee7e | South Africa is reluctant to step in as a last-minute host for next year's Africa Cup of Nations after it emerged that Morocco wants to postpone or move the tournament because of fears over the spread of the Ebola epidemic. The South African sport ministry is also wary of the Ebola virus and cited unplanned staging costs as a reason for not wanting to host the tournament, which is scheduled to start on January 17. 'There are just too many factors to consider for South Africa,' the country's department of sport and recreation said in a statement on Friday. South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup but is reluctant to step in as hosts for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations . The Moroccan Football Federation wrote to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to outline its concern that hundreds of thousands of fans travelling into the country from Ebola-affected areas could exacerbate the spread of the disease, which has killed more than 4,000 people across west Africa. Although Morocco has not officially refused to host the finals, the country's authorities have made the case to CAF that the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone warrants either postponing the tournament or moving it to another country. It is unlikely that any of those three countries will qualify for the tournament. In response to Morocco's concerns, CAF have reportedly approached seven nations including Ghana and South Africa about hosting the tournament, which is scheduled to start on January 17. The Africa Cup of Nations is under threat due to host nation Morocco's fears about the Ebola virus . The South African sports ministry stressed it had not yet been officially asked by the South African Football Association to consider hosting the tournament, but it moved quickly to rule itself out of the running. A statement said the cost of an unplanned hosting in just three months was its 'major concern,' but Ebola was a factor. 'The tournament ... may also pose a challenge on how we can grapple with the Ebola challenge engulfing the continent at the moment.' The South African sport ministry is wary of the Ebola outbreak and the cost of hosting the competition . SAFA President Danny Jordaan added: 'We must all take care of this pandemic and put strict measures in place.' Sudan is another of the nations being touted as a possible replacement and a decision will be made when CAF's executive committee meets on November 2. The alternative option to finding a replacement host is postponing the competition, but that would cause havoc with the football calendar, which is jam-packed as it is. Ghana (wearing red), in action last week against Guinea, have also been approached to host the tournament . Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien denied rumours this week that he had contracted the Ebola virus . In the event of CAF forcing Morocco to host the event and the country refusing, the governing body could ban the North Africans from the organisation's competitions. Mohamed Ouzzine, Morocco's sports minister, insisted the country's concerns were entirely sensible given the threat posed by the Ebola virus, and he stressed that his country was simply following the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO). 'Our concern is the health of Africa, and based on WHO reports and guidelines, we have to listen,' Ouzzine was quoted as saying in The Times. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is testing Cheick Tiote for Ebola after he played in Africa this week . 'Zero safety does not exist, but one has to take the necessary precautions so that the coming tournament will be a football feast, bringing together our African brothers. But given the current Ebola situation, we don't think such a feast can take place as expected. 'We are talking about the Africa Cup of Nations where we are expecting between 200,000 and 400,000, even one million, spectators to converge in Morocco. I don't think there is any state or any country that has the necessary capabilities to monitor, check and control the current Ebola situation when faced with these numbers. This is our real problem. We don't have a problem with visiting teams, we have a problem with visitors.' Precautions are also being taken in England, with Newcastle manager Alan Pardew confirming that that they have become the first Premier League club to screen African players returning from international duty for the virus. Papiss Cisse (R) is another player returning from Africa who will be monitored by Newcastle's medical staff . Pardew, when asked about Papiss Cisse, the Senegal striker, and Cheik Tiote, the Ivory Coast midfielder - who have played in Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively this week, as well as their own countries - stated that the Magpies would be 'naive not to have concerns' about the virus and advised other teams to take similar measures. 'We have a strategy for when they return and making sure they and their families are taken care of,' he said. 'They're essential to us and our doctor has looked into the problems that might arise and also protection for them, and making sure we do our very best to help them. It's something to be concerned about and we have to be on our guard.' Sunday Mba scored the only goal in Nigeria's 1-0 victory against Burkina Faso in the 2013 final . VIDEO David Beckham supports fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone . | Moroccan FA concerned that hundreds of thousands of fans travelling into the country could lead to spread of Ebola virus .
Seven nations have been approached as an alternative host .
South Africa is one of them but is reluctant to step in .
Decision to be made on November 2 by Confederation of African Football .
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has tested his African players returning from international duty for Ebola . |
1,250 | 03862b6b92aa2c5b63156ca1caf9095c26c6f55d | (CNN) -- A Siberian Tiger mauled a man Monday morning after he and a friend scaled the fence of the Calgary Zoo and pressed up against the tiger cage, zoo officials said. Two-year-old Vitali is normally one of the more laid back tigers, zoo officials said Monday. "The information we have is that while his injuries appear not to be life-threatening. They are, however, quite serious," Graham Netwon, the zoo's director and chief financial officer, said at a news conference Monday. Officials said two men scaled the zoo's 8-foot perimeter fence, which also is covered in barbed wire, about 1 a.m. Monday morning. The two 27-year-old men, who were not identified, then headed toward the tiger cage, where they scaled a safety fence meant to keep the public away. The two men never entered the cage, but stood in between the safety fence and another fence meant to "keep the tigers in" when they startled a 2-year-old Siberan tiger named Vitali. Watch Vitali inside the zoo enclosure » . Vitali "has a fairly significant armament at his disposal: very sharp claws," said Dr. Sandie Black, the zoo's head veterinarian. Once the tiger was startled, he probably clawed one of the men, officials said. "My guess would be that the gentleman was hooked by a claw and the arm dragged in and then continued to be attacked from that point," Black said during the news conference. The second man then struggled to help his friend escape the tiger's grasp, officials said. The tiger was likely trying to protect itself, officials added. "He's perfectly fine. A tiger is a carnivore, so they're going to behave naturally, and that's his natural reaction," zoo curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said. "Vitali has certainly done nothing wrong here. It's his natural behavior," Sinclair-Smith said. Vitali will remain in the exhibit. The tiger had not previously attacked any people, Black said. "In the normal course of a day, Vitali is one our most laid-back cats, I would say," Black added. Calgary Police Department Acting Staff Sgt. Rick Halford said authorities were investigating the case and will decide whether to pursue charges against either man. Zoo officials and police said they had no idea what the motive was for breaking into the zoo, or nearing the tiger cage. "There's no indication that the two offenders were involved in anything other than just being silly, I suppose," Halford said. | Men scaled perimeter fence, safety fence in front of tiger cage, officials said .
Man suffers serious injuries, but not life threatening, after attack .
Officials believe man was hooked by tiger's claw after pressing up against cage .
Curator: "Vitali has certainly done nothing wrong here. It's his natural behavior" |
139,991 | 41009a9585537a1186dc7b8456e200c76266130b | Cedric Bartee was critically wounded after being shot by Sergeant Robert McCarthy on Monday night . A Florida sheriff has asked state police to open a criminal investigation after a 28-year-old unarmed black man in a stolen car was shot and critically wounded early on Monday by a white officer. Witnesses report that the man, who has been named as Cedric Bartee, had his hands up when he was shot. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings called for calm and said he was determined to be as transparent as possible in light of amid racially charged protests nationwide about police violence. 'I ask everyone to not rush to judgment and allow the . investigation to be completed,' he said at a news conference in Orlando. Demings, who himself is African American and was surrounded . by six religious leaders from the black community, said . investigators have found some eyewitness accounts that conflict . with that of the officer involved. Witnesses at the apartment complex said that the men had . their hands up when the deputy opened fire, according to local . media reports. Cities across the United States have seen major protests in . recent days after grand juries declined to indict anyone in the . deaths of two unarmed black men Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of white police . officers in New York and Ferguson, Missouri. After locating a stolen car at an apartment complex just . after midnight on Monday, Sergeant Robert McCarthy fired three . shots, one of which hit Cedric Bartee. Demings said Bartee failed to comply with McCarthy's . commands and 'made extensive furtive movements,' making the . deputy fear for his safety. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings has called for calm after a 28-year-old unarmed black man in a stolen car was shot and critically wounded early on Monday by a white officer . Bartee underwent surgery and was in stable but critical . condition late in the afternoon, the sheriff said. A second man . in the car was arrested unhurt. The shooting also comes only a few days after a 32-year-old . Latino man was shot and killed in a car by an Orlando detective . investigating a burglary. Police said the detective opened fire . after he saw Alejandro Noel Cordero had a gun. On Monday Demings said he was trying to be transparent in . holding the press conference 'because of the backdrop of . everything happening in the country at this time.' He added: 'It's concerning to me' how the public might . react. Bartee had a history of arrests on at least 45 charges since . 1999, according to a list provided by the sheriff, but the . deputy was not aware of his background at the time of the . shooting, Demings said. McCarthy has been reassigned to administrative duties for at . least a week, and the shooting is being investigated by the . Florida Department of Law Enforcement as part of a standard . procedure. The FDLE is also investigating Cordero's shooting. Black and white religious and community leaders from Orange County, Florida, spoke at Monday's press conference to appeal for calm . After locating a stolen car at an apartment complex justafter midnight on Monday, Sergeant Robert McCarthy fired threeshots, one of which hit Cedric Bartee . | Cedric Bartee was critically wounded after being shot by Sergeant Robert McCarthy on Monday night .
Witnesses report that Bartee - who was in a stolen car - had his hands up .
The local sheriff called for calm at a press conference and asked people 'not to rush to judgement'
Incident occurred amid racially charged protests nationwide about police violence and the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner . |
275,576 | f1055f425b43416a617cffbc8d2fccc7ac5452ff | To say Diego Maradona’s presence will loom large as Argentina try to win the World Cup for the first time since 1986 does not go far enough. His face will be in the Maracana dressing room before kick-off and on the pitch too. So fond is Ezequiel Lavezzi of Maradona, and body art for that matter, he has a tattoo of the national icon heading a ball inked on to his hip. It is a startling tribute to a player Lavezzi has himself been compared with. Lionel Messi does not hold the patent on such matters. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Ezequiel Lavezzi slap Argentina staff member on the team bus . All smiles: Ezequiel Lavezzi (centre) laughing in training ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday . Clearly Messi is the one doing his utmost to retell the narrative from Mexico 86, when a modest group was propelled to glory thanks to a diminutive virtuoso of huge talent. But were the Barcelona star to have another match of minimal impact, as against Holland in the semi-final, then others will need to step up to beat Germany. Lavezzi could be that man. He is another stocky forward of skill and speed, and earned that Maradona comparison by becoming a hero at Napoli. Those fans adored him as one third of a triumvirate with Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik as Napoli challenged for Serie A and won Coppa Italia. There is a rock ’n’ roll edge to his personality that echoes Maradona, demonstrated by several tattoos, including an evil clown on his shoulder and a handcuffed pocket-watch on his back, alongside portraits of Jesus and the Virgin Mary (his Christian name means ‘God strengthens’). Hero: Diego Maradona lifts the World Cup in 1986 after being the star of the tournament . Passion: Lavezzi celebrates with team-mates after Argentina beat Belgium . After a Champions League game against Manchester City in 2011, Lavezzi was seen with Sergio Aguero opening a bottle of beer with his teeth and he once said: ‘If I have a chance to party then I will, no problem.’ Rather than Maradona, Lavezzi would reference a likeness to Carlos Tevez, sharing a dogged personality fused with nimbleness, vision and bursts of pace. Those are the attributes Lavezzi has brought to this World Cup with his influence growing as the tournament has progressed. Coming on as a late substitute against Iran he passed to Messi then darted into the area, creating just enough uncertainty for Messi to curl in a superb winner. Injuries to Angel Di Maria and Aguero have promoted Lavezzi to starting roles and against Holland he was one of the better players, bustling into space and linking play, albeit unable to conjure a moment of magic. Devoted: Lavezzi has a tattoo of his hero Maradona on the side of his body . Stars: Both Messi (foreground) and Lavezzi (background) have been nominated for the Golden Ball award . At 29, he has reached the pinnacle of his career, winning two Ligue 1 titles after moving to Paris St-Germain for €30million. He holds his own in a team including Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And yet at 17 he gave up the game, frustrated in the lower levels of Argentina, and spent 18 months out as an apprentice electrician. Estudiantes offered him a way back then, and Chelsea are reported to be interested now — little wonder after he has twice pulled them apart in the Champions League. In 2012 he scored a brace in Naples and this year once in Paris. He has suffered heartache away from football too. In February he celebrated a goal by pointing to the skies days after his uncle Jorge, his first coach, had been shot dead in Rosario. Humour remains though, and he was caught on camera squirting water over Argentina manager Alejandro Sabella during the World Cup group stage clash with Nigeria. Others managers might have hooked him on the spot, but Sabella is more relaxed, which is useful when there is a World Cup to be won and Lavezzi could provide the spark to seal it. | Lavezzi has the chance to evoke memories of Maradona in 1986 .
The PSG man has a tattoo of the Argentina legend .
Injuries to Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero promoted Lavezzi to a starting role against Holland .
Lavezzi is another stocky forward like Maradona of skill and speed . |
81,106 | e5dbd34d777f038b15873a23080617a143522d76 | RICHLAND HILLS, Texas (CNN) -- The machines are buzzing as dozens of workers package freshly made surgical masks. More than 1 million will be made in one day inside Prestige Ameritech's manufacturing facility near Fort Worth, Texas. Prestige Ameritech in Texas will be making surgical masks around the clock because of the swine flu outbreak. The swine flu outbreak has made this small company a big deal. "Everyone knows who we are now," said Mike Bowen, executive vice president of the surgical mask manufacturer. "It's actually been pretty crazy." Prestige Ameritech is ramping up production. For the first time in the company's history, it will be manufacturing masks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bowen also is looking to hire up to 20 workers to handle the workload. Ever since Bowen and his business partner, Dan Reese, showed up to work Monday morning, the phones haven't stopped ringing. With the World Health Organization and national governments confirming cases of swine flu in at least 11 countries, orders for masks are coming in from around the world. "We're still trying to get a handle on everything," Bowen said. Prestige Ameritech is the only surgical mask manufacturing company in the United States. Most surgical masks are made in Mexico and China. The company, with a workforce of 80 people, makes masks for major distributors, like 3M, who sell the masks to hospitals and doctors across the country. Health care suppliers say if the swine flu outbreak becomes a pandemic, it could severely strain hospitals' efforts to get necessary equipment like masks, gloves and antibiotics. "What this situation should teach us is that we need to take a critical look at where we source pandemic supplies and in what quantities," said Mike Alkire, president of Purchasing Partners for Premier Inc., a North Carolina-based healthcare improvement alliance with a division that negotiates supply contracts for its more than 2,100 member hospitals. "We feel that they are in good shape overall, provided the disease doesn't overwhelm our current resources or spread to a large number of additional communities," Alkire said. With Prestige Ameritech operating at capacity, Bowen worries that a pandemic would create a surgical mask shortage in the United States. The first cases of swine flu in humans were detected in Mexico, where health officials suspect the virus in more than 150 deaths. Scenes of Mexican citizens walking city streets with masks are playing out daily. The Mexican government has handed out masks to the public. Bowen says the United States is not equipped to handle that kind of demand. Learn about swine flu and how to treat it » . "Surgical masks are used in hospitals. They're not used in the general public," Bowen said. "So when the general public starts wanting face masks, the supply gets short really quickly." He added: "If there's a pandemic, America won't be able to supply its own needs, because we're pretty much it." Bowen said that if the situation gets worse worldwide, countries like China and Mexico would keep surgical masks for their own citizens. He said he wants to make sure the surgical masks are going to health care professionals and not brokers looking to take financial advantage of this health scare. The shortage of American surgical-mask manufacturers is a critical weakness in the country's ability to battle a pandemic outbreak, he said. "Hopefully, this isn't the big one," Bowen said. "What we're hoping is that this is just a wake-up call." | "Everyone knows who we are now," company's executive vice president says .
Texas manufacturer will produce masks 24 hours a day because of swine flu .
Company executive worries pandemic would create U.S. surgical mask shortage .
"If there's a pandemic, America won't be able to supply its own needs," he says . |
261,629 | ded5b061e29f14a982e1f8dfdf6746166b7bffc4 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eric Holder was sworn in Tuesday as U.S. attorney general, becoming the first African-American to lead the Department of Justice on a permanent basis. Vice President Joe Biden swears in Eric Holder, left, as attorney general Tuesday at the Justice Department. Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office after reading the Justice Department's mission statement. "There's no mention of politics in that statement. There's no mention of ideology," Biden said. "And that's as it should be." Loud cheers and long applause followed Holder's taking of the oath. Watch Holder take the oath » . "Nowhere but in this great country could a person like me or the president hope to achieve the positions we are now so fortunate to hold," Holder said. By a 75-21 vote, the U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed President Obama's nomination of Holder. Holder, 58, is a former federal prosecutor and served as deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration. He was briefly acting attorney general in early 2001. Holder takes over a Justice Department battered by a series of controversies during the Bush administration, from questions about how it laid legal groundwork for harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists to the firings of top federal prosecutors in several cities. "There's a big job to do, and it's going to be Mr. Holder's duty to turn this department around and restore its credibility," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California. During confirmation hearings, Republicans questioned his role in former President Bill Clinton's widely criticized last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich and questioned whether he would be independent of the White House. Holder had a testy exchange with the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, Arlen Specter, who questioned Holder's "fitness" for the office. Holder shot back that Specter was "getting close to the line in questioning my integrity," and Specter ultimately supported the nomination. But Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, cited the pardons and what he called Holder's insufficient support for gun rights in opposing the nomination. "Mr. Holder is supportive of old ideas for gun control that have never made people safer at the expense of taking away their rights," Bunning said. All 21 of the "no" votes were Republicans, but more than a dozen GOP senators joined Democrats in confirming Holder. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Missouri, said Holder convinced him he would be "looking forward to keeping the nation safe." Bond, the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, raised concerns that the administration would seek to prosecute U.S. officials involved in using what the Bush administration called "alternative" interrogation techniques, measures that critics said involved the torture of prisoners in U.S. custody. Holder unambiguously called the use of waterboarding against suspected terrorists a form of torture that violated the Geneva Conventions, but he has said that prosecuting intelligence officials who followed Justice Department guidance would be "difficult." Bond said that while Holder's answer focused on U.S. officials who were following the administration's legal advice, "I told him, and I believe he understood, that trying to prosecute these lawyers or political leaders would generate a political firestorm." | Eric Holder sworn in during Justice Department ceremony .
Holder is first African-American confirmed to the post .
Senate confirmed his appointment Monday on 75-21 vote .
He is a former federal prosecutor, deputy attorney general . |
113,424 | 1e65dcf178925d59da856d7e4195d2944da723b6 | If the dark mornings and chilly autumnal evenings have seen your usual gym regime lapse, then Marks & Spencer could have the answer to all your prayers. The . high-street Mecca has unveiled the latest batch from its famous Drop a Dress Size Collection and is marketing the selection of figure-skimming designs as 'a stylish . way to look slimmer in seconds.' Each . dress in the range is constructed with a seamed Secret Support lining, . which works like a corset to help shape your figure, define your waist and create a . smooth silhouette, the store says. Slimmer in seconds: M&S have unveiled a new range of Drop A Dress Size frocks, which claim to use shapewear technology to make you look a size slimmer . It's the same technology as the . famous M&S firm control shapewear – the inner slip is darted at the . waist to cinch and shape while smoothing out lumps and bumps. Available in sizes 8-22, the £59 designs aim to be simple day-to-eveningwear that M&S claims give the illusion of a slimmer shape 'in seconds'. Of course, M&S isn't the only brand making the most of new bodyshaping technology. Countless retailers and clothing stores have jumped on the instant-slim bandwagon. Body Frock also design dresses engineered to enhance a women's finest features. Figure-hugging: Available in sizes 8-22, the designs are aimed to be simple day-to-eveningwear . Figure-hugging: Kimberley Walsh and Kym Lomax are big fans of Body Frocks, which are designed to enhance women's shape . Holly Willoughby, Kym Lomax and Kimberley Walsh have all benefited from the control lining in the dresses - the secret to the dresses' success - which the brand says fits 'slim and taut like a corset', making the garment instantly slimming and smoothing. Mooi is another contender in the market. In April this year, they unveiled the S dress (the letter stands for . 'shape'), claiming the garment, made from machine-washable, crease-resistant material, would help its . wearer drop a dress size. Slimming: According to the brand, the Body Frock dresses, which start at £155, should fit slim and taut like a corset . Slimming style: Gok Wan has also created a range of slimming dresses, on sale for £35 at TU for Sainsbury's . Each . of the £360 garments is made with 28 per cent elastane, which, Mooi say, creates a . slimming effect that makes the wearer appear an entire size smaller. Gok Wan, renowned for making women feel great about themselves and their bodies, was one of the first to harness slimming technology for the High Street for his collection for Tu at Sainsbury. Inspired by Roland Mouret, whose fitted dresses hid inner corsets, he brought the technology to the masses with a range of colourful wrap dresses that would pull in tummies, smooth down lumps and VPLs and shape up bottoms and waists. His latest collection features two £35 styles, both with tummy support slip which claim to 'pull you in and smooth any bumps.' Body sculpt: Asda also have a range of body sculpt dresses, which come in more classic colours (L) £16 and the £25 animal print (R) | M&S claims dress works like a corset to shape your figure and define waist .
Body Frock also have similar range loved by Kimberley Walsh . |
184,038 | 7a61bab2903858a5572a327e9d27ff35c7b7ed38 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 03:56 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:04 EST, 30 October 2013 . An aristocrat is facing a battle with the National Trust and furious locals over plans to build a cable car at one of the most beautiful spots in the south west of England. The Marquess of Bath, who is said to have acquired as many as 75 ‘wifelets’ to share the romantic side of his eccentric life, wants to install a cable car to encourage tourists to visit picturesque Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The 81-year-old owns the southern portion of the gorge but the north belongs to the National Trust, which fiercely opposes the plans, claiming the £10m scheme will 'destroy' the three-mile-long site. His plan has been hatched in response to a huge decline in visitor numbers to the site over the past four decades. Epic: Cheddar Gorge in Somerset is ranked among Britain's most beautiful scenery. A company owned by the Marquess of Bath wants to build a cable car at the site, which would look similar to this mock-up above . The plans: The 600m cable car would run from either point A or point B through a small section of the . three-mile long Cheddar Gorge to the Top Station. Longleat also hopes to build a viewing . platform and sky bridge at the top . The conservation body's views are echoed by locals, who feel the gorge, which also boasts ancient caves, would be made more vulgar if the cable car was built. Helen Bonser-Wilton, Assistant Director of Operations at the National Trust, said: 'The National Trust is objecting to the proposal by Longleat Estates to build a cable car in Cheddar Gorge. 'We are working with CPRE and other organisations to drive business in the Gorge without destroying the very asset that people come to see. It is far better to retain the uniqueness of the place. 'We welcome and support the initiative to take a fresh look at how Cheddar Gorge can regain its reputation as a one of the UK top visitor attractions, and would like to play a full and active part in exploring this further.' The Trust has already denied permission . for the car to run over its portion of the gorge but has no authority . over the Lord Bath owns. However, it is set to lobby local planning authorities over the proposals. Wonder of the world: The National Trust fiercely opposes the plans, claiming the £10m plans will 'destroy' the three mile long beauty spot . Sketch: An artist impression of the how the top station of the cable car in the Cheddar Gorge may look . Hugh Cornwell, director of Cheddar Gorge . and Caves for Lord Bath, said the estate needs paying tourists as it is . not funded by grants - like the National Trust - and tourist numbers . have dwindled from 400,000 a year in the 1970s and 80s to just 150,000. 'Visually the cable car is a downside although the visual signature is quite small,' Mr Cornwell said. He added that the extra income from the cable car will benefit the area as the money can be ploughed into conservation, wildlife protection and maintenance. However, he admitted some of the income would be profit for the Marquess, who in 2011 had an estimated wealth of £157million. He continued: 'Longleat Estate share the view that Cheddar Gorge is the finest limestone Gorge in Britain, that it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its rare calcareous grasslands, that it is a Special Area of Conservation for bats, amongst other endangered fauna, and with six caves that are Scheduled Ancient Monuments it is definitely a prehistoric site of national importance. The 81-year-old marquess of Bath, pictured with long-term mistress Trudi Juggernauth-Sharma, owns the southern portion of the gorge. His representative says the extra revenue will help towards upkeep . Local economy: The representative for Lord Bath, pictured at the reopening of Longleat Safari Park after the foot-and-mouth crisis in 2001, said tourism is vital to the area . 'However looking after Cheddar Gorge, and cherishing its values, costs money. The Government, at a time of national austerity, has more immediate calls on Tax Payer funding to provide education, health care and decent pensions for British people, rather than spending money on re-establishing rare grasslands and protecting karst limestone cliffs from erosion. So we have to look to ourselves to earn the money. 'Many local people, directly or indirectly, rely on tourism for their income – just as Longleat Estate does. They also know that Longleat Estate has a long history of re-investing in both tourism facilities, the Museum, the buses, car parking, etc, and in conservation - having spent £2 million in recent years on conserving the 450ft high cliffs. 'Improving the Cheddar Gorge tourism product, for the needs and expectations of the 21 Century visitor, as a means to protect the natural beauty and wildlife of Cheddar Gorge for future generations to enjoy, is what we have been doing and what we want to continue to do.' Mr Cornwell is planning to make a formal planning application next spring and hopes for it to be operational in spring 2016. Longleat Enterprises suggests the Cheddar Gorge cable car would be similar to that used for the last 30 years at the Heights of Abraham, in Matlock, Derbyshire, pictured above . | Marquess of Bath wants to attract more visitors to Cheddar Gorge .
But the conservation body says the proposal will blight its beauty .
Tourism chief defends cable car, saying the revenue will benefit the area . |
188,549 | 802f86f77ba05a0bb53f53f23701ba62a887704d | A teacher who has a passion for fetish clothes and likes to wear Nazi-themed bondage outfits has changed her name to include all 26 letters of the alphabet. The 36-year-old, who lives in the Colombian capital Bogota, has a habit of regularly changing her name and prior to the latest change was known as Ladyzunga Cyborg. She admitted that officials had often raised eyebrows at her unusual names, but that her latest name change to become Abcdefg Hijklmn Opqrst Uvwxyz had involved her biggest battle yet. Ms Uvwxyz also enjoys wearing bondage outfits and has a passion for fetish clothes (pictured) The 36-year-old was formerly known as Ladyzunga Cyborg and changes her name regularly . Ms Uvwxyz's Colombian ID card reveals her official name is now all the letters of the alphabet broken down into four separate words . She said that she had been fighting red tape for two years in order to finally get approval to now call herself Abcdefg Hijklmn Opqrst Uvwxyz. The teacher, who is also a fashion designer, has a passion for fetish clothes and bondage events and said she always feels the need to constantly 'redefine' herself and felt that it was now appropriate to have a name that was hard to say. She said: 'I've changed my name so people wouldn't know it's me. 'But it's not because I was disturbed by it but because I wanted to always bring an element of surprise.' Ms Uvwxyz, who teaches art and photography at three universities as well as designing fashion on the side, regularly changes her name depending on her mood. Daniel Molano, from the Colombian National Registry, said: 'If a civil notary had refused to modify her name in the civil registry, he would have broken his work obligations. 'Basically no matter how unusual, this is something that should always be allowed.' Ms Uvwxyz teaches art and photography at three universities and also works as a fashion designer . | The teacher recently changed her name to Abcdefg Hijklmn Opqrst Uvwxyz .
She often changes names and was previously known as Ladyzunga Cyborg .
Ms Uvwxyz also has passion for fetish clothes and Nazi bondage uniforms .
She said she felt a need to 'redefine herself' and bring 'element of surprise'
Ms Uvwxyz teaches art and photography at three different universities . |
6,091 | 11455a154d7c325252d6bae065fee2cd189442a0 | By . Claire Ellicott . PUBLISHED: . 18:17 EST, 27 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:04 EST, 28 October 2013 . Expectant mother Zara Phillips has admitted she has been bored since giving up horse-riding – so she has turned to baking instead. The Queen’s granddaughter, who is due to give birth in the new year, was reluctant to abandon riding when she first announced that she was having a baby. But now that she has stopped, the professional three-day eventer revealed that she is finding the lack of activity difficult and has turned to the kitchen to fill her time. Baby on board: Zara Phillips, pictured at the Brightling International Horse Trials in July, was reluctant to abandon riding when she first announced her pregnancy, but has turned to baking instead . The 32-year-old said: ‘I have been a bit bored. I’m used to being on the go and active the whole time, and now it’s quite different. So, yes, I’m baking. I love cooking and will definitely cook for the baby.’ And her new culinary interest has been welcomed by her rugby player husband Mike Tindall. He said: ‘She’s a very good cook and cooks me everything. I cook too, but I’m the pudding guy – sticky toffee puddings, chocolate fondants and brownies. ‘I’m very good at following a recipe whereas Zara’s good at putting her own twist on things.’ Surprise: Zara Phillips and husband Mike Tindall do not want to know the sex of their baby. The couple attended the christening of Prince George of Cambridge last week . Miss Phillips, who won silver at the London Olympics as part of the British three-day eventing team, said she has stopped riding not because she had been criticised for it but because it had become too difficult in the fifth month of her pregnancy. She said: ‘It’s so uncomfortable. So now I’m just on the ground yelling at everyone.’ But she added that she will back on her horse as soon as possible after the birth. And her 35-year-old husband revealed the couple don’t want to know the sex of their baby. Mr Tindall said: ‘We want it to be a surprise. I’m really looking forward to it, but I’m not sure how I’ve prepared. We’ve been pretty relaxed. ‘We’ve not sorted a nursery yet. We have ordered some stuff, but we haven’t gone further than that. ‘I think we’re both quite well-balanced as a couple, so hopefully he or she will pick up on that. I’m a big kid, so I naturally fit right in.’ Winner: Miss Phillips, right, who won silver at the London Olympics as part of the British three-day eventing team, said she has stopped riding because it had become too difficult in her pregnancy . | Expectant mother Zara Phillips is due to give birth in the new year .
Zara was reluctant to abandon riding when she first announced baby news .
Three-day eventer revealed she is finding lack of activity difficult .
Husband Mike Tindall reveals 32-year-old is a 'very good cook'
Couple have decided not to find out the sex of their first child . |
68,494 | c232bb1bb1e7a415c5c61c3305a8f0bb2804a380 | (CNN) -- Salwa Salah was 16 years old when she was arrested by Israeli forces and jailed for seven months. Israeli court minutes said Salwa Salah, 16, had been involved in "planning military operations." To this day she says she does not know her crime and is struggling to get her life back on track. She was released shortly before her final school exams but was unable to catch up and now has to re-sit before she can go to university. Salah was held under administrative detention - detention without charge or trial. It is legal under international law which permits its use only in exceptional cases to protect the security of a state. But human rights groups say Israel abuses this right. A report released Wednesday by human rights groups B'Tselem and HaMoked has called on Israel to release the detainees or charge them. They say there are currently 335 Palestinians being held under administrative detention, three of them women, one a minor. When asked about Salah's case, Israeli prosecutors gave CNN the court minutes which read, "It has been shown that the prisoner was involved in planning military operations very close to the time that she was detained." Watch more about the story » . Salah insists she is a schoolgirl and not a terrorist but no further information was given to her lawyer. Much of the evidence in these cases remains secret. Sahar Francis, a lawyer from Ademeer human rights association said: "It is submitted to the military judge and me as a lawyer. I don't have access to this file so actually I can't defend my clients properly since I don't know what the exact suspicion against my client is." Talking to CNN about her incarceration, Salah said the prison conditions were fit only for animals and she found her time inside psychologically hard. "The prisoner does not know if he or she is going to be released or not," she said. "So sitting in a prison confused and weary asking 'am I going to be released?' You are distorted by this one question." Israel says administrative detention is a valuable pre-emptive tool in its ongoing war on terrorism and often evidence cannot be made public. Lt. Col Maurice Hirsch, Israeli prosecutor, said: "Most of the evidence is not shown to the detainee but rather is kept a secret in order to protect the lives of the people that provide the information and the technological means by which the information is acquired." The al-Hidmi family has found itself on the wrong side of administrative detention for many years. One son Islam, 20, was held for twenty one months without charge or trial. Two months ago there was an emotional homecoming for Islam, his mother had not seen him since his arrest. Two weeks ago, Islam was arrested again, again without charge. Islam's brother, Wa'ad is also in prison. Held since April 2008 from the age of 16, his administrative detention has been renewed six times. His father Arafat al-Hidmi tells CNN, "They arrested him and said this is an administrative detention meaning his file is secret and no-one can look at it except the Israelis." His mother, Fawzia al-Hidmi says of her 18 year old son, "I want my son here so he can do his exams and I can be proud like everyone else who celebrated their children's graduation." Both sons had previously been charged with throwing stones at Israeli troops and affiliation with Islamic Jihad. "The default should always be towards trial and punishment," said Mark Ellis of the International Bar Association. "These types of administrative detention can never be a substitute for punishment and trials. Based on the numbers of individuals detained, the Israeli military appears to be using it as the default and that is what makes it in my opinion illegal under international standards." | B'Tselem, HaMoked call on Israel to release the detainees or charge them .
Rights groups say 335 Palestinians being held under administrative detention .
Detention without charge or trial legal only in cases of national security .
Israel says this is a valuable pre-emptive tool in its ongoing war on terrorism . |
266,883 | e5abd02bf8aba7205a836ec1aa81b89284296c16 | The family of a teenager who went missing from her home four days ago have made an emotional appeal for her to get in touch with them. Alice Gross, 14, was last seen by her mother at 1pm on Thursday when she left her home in Hanwell, Ealing, west London. Alice, a pupil at Brentside High School, told her mother, Rosalind Hodgkiss, she would be home by 6pm but has not been seen since. Missing: Alice Gross, 14, was last seen leaving home in Hanwell near Ealing, west London, at 1pm on Thursday . Police and her family are increasingly concerned for the teenager as she has a health condition that needs treatment. Ms Hodgkiss said: 'What I would want to say is whatever she feels, or might have happened, we are not angry with her. We love her, we desperately miss her, we want to support her whatever is going on in her thoughts. 'We don't want to speculate about what might have caused her to go, if that indeed is what has happened. We want her to know how much we love her and miss her. 'There is a huge hole in everybody's life and we can't believe that she is not here.' Alice is white, 5ft 2in and slim, with shoulder-length, light brown hair. Appeal: Her family have issued an emotional appeal saying 'we want her to know how much we miss her' Police are concerned for her whereabouts as she has a health condition. They are searching nearby parks . She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and blue denim Vans shoes. She may have had tartan-framed spectacles with her. Sergeant Chris Naughton, from the Metropolitan Police, said officers had spoken with her friends, carried out house-to-house inquiries and searched parks and open spaces in their efforts to trace her. He said: 'There is always a chance that she could have other friends that we don't know about and that is where parts of our lines of inquiry are going. 'Alice is a 14-year-old girl and like any teenager she goes online, and could have met people online. Searching: They fear she may have met people online or could be with friends she met on a songwriting course . 'Alice was up in Camden in mid-August doing a song-writing course at the Roundhouse and she may well have met some new friends up there that we don't know about, and that may be something we need to explore as a line of inquiry.' He added: 'She has not been missing before and that is always concerning for both the family and ourselves investigating the disappearance. 'It is important that Alice does come home so we can treat a health condition that she has.' | Alice Gross, 14, was last seen on Thursday at 1pm when she left her home .
She said she would be home in Ealing, London, by 6pm but never arrived .
Her mother said: 'We want her to know how much we love and miss her'
Police have issued appeal for white, 5ft 2in girl with shoulder-length hair . |
133,981 | 3938a49c66ccb00a29e87f69adcb38bd6f5a9810 | Computer hackers could have the ability to take down the entire U.S. electrical grid within the next two years, the head of the National Security Agency has warned. General Keith Alexander expects the 'hacktivist' group Anonymous to be able to bring about a limited national power outage through a cyber attack. He has relayed his concerns over the growing threat during a White House meeting last week, reports the Wall Street Journal. Warning: General Keith Alexander expects the 'hacktivist' group Anonymous to be able to bring about a limited national power outage through a cyber attack . Although he has made no public statement regarding Anonymous in particular, cyber attacks represent an increasing security risk for the U.S. government. General Alexander has previously warned of the ongoing determination of hacker groups to expose institutional corruption, and now believes Anonymous is moving in a more disruptive direction. James Lewis, a cyber security specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who is currently researching the group, told the Journal: 'It's a real threat. You want to occupy Wall Street? How about turn Wall Street off? Even for a day.' Anonymous has never indicated a widespread power outage as a goal, and a post on a blog linked to the organisation claims the U.S. government is trying to discredit them. It reads: 'Anonymous attracted the attention of the National Security Agency. 'In private meetings at the White House, NSA director General Keith Alexander warned that in a year or two the group could attack the energy grid and shut off power for millions. 'Ridiculous! Why should Anonymous shut off power grid? Makes no sense! They just want to make you feel afraid.' Threat: The U.S. government now believes Anonymous is moving in a more disruptive direction . But last week Anonymous announced Operation Global Blackout, a plan to shut down the Internet on March 31. Security experts, however, rate the group's chances of taking the web offline as minimal. Anonymous' ability to take down the power grid is also thought to be slim. Grid officials say they regularly face cyber attacks on their systems, and invest a lot of time making sure they are as secure as possible. White House spokesman Caitlin Hayden said the government 'has made cybersecurity a top priority, and we are working tirelessly to protect ourselves from the threats we face, whether they come from other nations, cyber criminals, or from stateless activist hacker groups'. Earlier this month, Anonymous claimed responsibility for an attack on the CIA’s website that disabled it for nine hours. The group targeted the personal details of more than 46,000 people in attacks on government websites including cia.gov. Anonymous hackers also intercepted a highly-sensitive telephone conversation between Scotland Yard officers and the FBI and posted it online. As well as targeting the CIA, the hackers broke into several Alabama law-enforcement websites, stealing criminal records, addresses and social security numbers to raise awareness of ‘racist legislation’ affecting illegal immigrants. The group warned it would destroy the data, saying: ‘Because of the possible cost of lives and money to regular citizens, we are deleting this data and are seeking to make it known you not only have shown zero regard for immigrants, but for the very citizens that live in the great state of Alabama.’ Hackers claiming to be affiliated with Anonymous have launched a spate of attacks on law enforcement websites in recent weeks, hitting such cities as Salt Lake City, Boston, Syracuse, N.Y. and Greece. The collective of activists, pranksters and hackers have also targeted financial institutions such as Visa and MasterCard, as well as the Church of Scientology. | U.S. government believes Anonymous is moving in a more disruptive direction . |
162,041 | 5d8446bb53166782ee316bb7335a21d876cdf10e | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:00 EST, 4 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:53 EST, 4 January 2013 . David Cameron today rejected the idea of Britain becoming a second class member of the European Union, insisting he would not give up his place at the Brussels ‘table’. The Prime Minister gave his biggest hint yet that he will use his imminent speech on Europe to rebuff calls from many in the Tory party for a radical change in the UK’s membership of the EU. It comes as Virgin boss Sir Richard . Branson warned an exit from the EU 'would be very bad for British . business and the economy as a whole' and risked putting up 'the barriers . of isolation and protectionism'. David Cameron, who is due to give a major speech setting out his Europe policy this month, vowed not to give up Britain's place in setting EU rules . Mr Cameron explicitly rejected the idea of replicating the status of countries like Norway and Switzerland which have refused to join the EU, but are forced to sign up to many of its rules in order to access the single market. But he pledged voters would get a 'real choice' on Britain's relationship with the EU, including attempting to claw back powers. However, UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said the British people could not believe what Mr Cameron says. Mr Farage said: 'He sits there and thinks his great extended tease about this forthcoming Europe speech is entertaining, it is not. [No matter what he says now, after so many broken promises, so many "cast-iron guarantees", can anybody honestly believe that he will be telling the truth this time? The simple fact is that he wants us to stay in the European Union no matter how it is configured.' An influential group of European federalists, who want to see Brussels given even greater powers, is suggesting the UK be relegated to ‘associate member’ status. The move would see Britain remain part of the single market but freed from much of the social legislation and bureaucracy associated with full EU membership. Under the plan the UK's 73 MEPs in the European Parliament would be scrapped, along with its commissioner and power to veto new rules. Instead Britain would remain attached to the EU’s single market, but not have influence on how the European bloc develops. The idea has been hailed as ‘great news’ but senior Euroceptic Tory MPs, who have urged Mr Cameron to set out a radical new European policy in his long-awaited speech this month. But critics warn it would see London ‘ruled by fax’ from Brussels. UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said the British people could not believe what Mr Cameron says . Mr Cameron today again rejected the idea of leaving the EU altogether. ‘I think we are better in. You have to think of our national interest. Britain is a trading nation, we are one of the world's great trading nations, one of the world's great manufacturers, on our doorstep is this enormous single market, the biggest market in the world. ‘It matters to us not just that our goods and services have access to these markets,' he told BBC Radio 5Live. ‘We want to be round the table writing the rules of that market, which is why I don't think it’s right to aim for a status like Norway or Switzerland where basically you have to obey all the rules of the single market but you don't get to say what they are.’ Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson warned Britain had to play an active role in Europe or become 'an island completely adrift in 20 years' The idea of 'associate membership' is . being pushed by the Union of European Federalists which views Britain as . a ‘continual impediment’ to the dream of creating a united federal . Europe. Lib Dem MEP Andrew Duff, who heads the Union of European Federalists, said the proposal would create a new category of EU membership to stop Britain leaving altogether. ‘If . David Cameron proposes a catalogue of opt-outs, derogations, red lines . and rebates for Britain to pick and choose, then he will strengthen the . argument for the creation of a formal association for the UK,’ he said.. ‘The priority on the Continent . is to create a federal system which works and Britain is seen at . present as a continual impediment. ‘The federal movement in the spring is to draft a new treaty that will, I have no doubt, include associate membership.’ The Union of European Federalists is expected to set out the plan in a draft EU treaty in the spring. Last . week Jacques Delors, the former European Commission president, . suggested Britain could leave the EU but remain as a ‘partner’. 'If . the British do not follow the tendency towards more integration in the . European Union, we can anyway stay friends, but in another way,’ he . said. However, business leaders have warned against leaving the EU. Writing on his blog, Virgin Group boss Sir Richard Branson said: 'An exit would be very bad for British business and the economy as a whole. 'The UK has always been a successful trading nation and has built relationships around the world to help its companies prosper. However, today global business relies on large trading agreements created by regions and not by countries. 'The EU is the UK's biggest trading partner. The UK must not become a peripheral country on the edge of Europe. This will be damaging to long-term prospects of British business and also in the country's ability to attract new international companies to set up and employ people in the country.' Without taking a postieve, constructive approach 'Britain could be an island completely adrift in 20 years,' he warned. | Prime Minister rejects idea of of becoming an 'associate member' of the EU .
Long-awaited speech on new relationship with Brussels due this month .
Sir Richard Branson warns EU exit would leave Britain 'an island completely adrift in 20 years' |
262,882 | e07fe6ba5c0f7e943ebeb118be6217d330435662 | Monaco still want Arsene Wenger to return to the club, despite the Frenchman only signing a new contract with Arsenal in May . Theo Walcott is set to make his comeback after nine months out with a serious knee injury on Friday. The Arsenal forward is due to play for the Under 21's against Blackburn having not played since suffering a knee ligament injury against Tottenham in January. Walcott returned to full training on Monday and Friday's clash at Meadow Park is the next major step in his return to full fitness. Theo Walcott came through a full training session on Monday and is set to play for the U21 side on Friday . Walcott, taunting Tottenham fans as he is stretchered off with a knee injury, hasn't played since January . The England midfielder tries to get the better of Per Mertesacker in training as he prepares to return to action . The England star is unlikely to feature in the Gunners' Premier League clash against Hull on Saturday, however. He could make the bench next Wednesday for the away Champions League tie against Anderlecht. Walcott’s imminent return will be a relief for Wenger as his injury list continues to grow. Arsenal have recently lost Aaron Ramsey to a hamstring injury and record signing Mesut Ozil to a knee injury, which could keep him out of action until the New Year. Meanwhile striker Olivier Giroud is still out of action since breaking his foot against Everton In August. Arsenal boss Wenger has praised the attitude of Walcott having battled back from a serious knee injury . Mesut Ozil heard a crack in his left knee during the first half at Chelsea, and could be out until the New Year . Wenger is also facing a defensive crisis ahead of Hull’s visit on Saturday as centre-back Laurent Koscielny is out for three weeks with an achilles injury, Mathieu Debuchy remains on the sidelines with an ankle complaint and Calum Chambers is suspended. The Arsenal manager insists it is just a coincidence: ‘You cannot say our injuries are preparation mistakes. The big injuries we have are really accidental. ‘Scientifically we are quite good. We have been hit hard after seven games. I would never have thought we would have had so many bad injuries. ‘I am not a great believer in coincidences but this time it really is coincidence.’ Giroud (right) suffered a broken foot against Everton and is also expected to be out until early next year . | England forward will play against Blackburn U-21's having not played since suffering a knee ligament injury against Tottenham in January .
Walcott sprinted and took shots during Monday's training session .
Hull clash on Saturday is too soon but could play in Anderlecht next week .
Mesut Ozil is expected to be out until early next year with a knee problem .
Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny remain sidelined . |
153,673 | 5295ecc369adb54f7409ac487925793dbf8c4b17 | (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died following a bout with cancer, Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, said Monday. She was 86. At a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday night, the Illinois senator said "she has gone home and she died peacefully in her sleep with my sister at her side." "I'm not going to talk about it long because it's hard to talk about," he added. Obama remembered her as "one of those quiet heroes we have across America, who aren't famous ... but each and every day they work hard. They look after their families. They look after their children and their grandchildren." In a statement released Monday afternoon, Obama and his sister said that Dunham was "the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility." Watch CNN contributors discuss Obama's grandmother » . "She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure." Obama and Soetoro-Ng asked that donations be made for the search for a cure for cancer in lieu of flowers. A small private ceremony will be held "at a later date." Dunham passed away peacefully at her home shortly before midnight Sunday night (5 a.m. ET), campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told CNN. She said Obama learned of her death around 8 a.m. Obama's republican rival, Sen. John McCain, issued a statement Monday afternoon: . "We offer our deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives." The Democratic presidential candidate left the campaign trail on October 23 and flew to Honolulu, Hawaii, to spend the day with Dunham, whose health deteriorated after she suffered a broken hip. His wife, Michelle Obama, filled in for him at events in Columbus and Akron, Ohio, on October 24. Obama said in an interview taped for that day's "Good Morning America" that Dunham had been "inundated" with flowers and messages from strangers who read about her in Obama's 1995 book, "Dreams From My Father." "Maybe she is getting a sense of long-deserved recognition toward the end of her life," he said. Watch Obama tell supporters that his grandmother was "one of those quiet heroes" » . The candidate resumed his campaign on October 25. Obama has spoken often about his grandmother -- who helped raise him -- as an integral figure in his youth and how she struggled against the glass ceiling in her career. He and his family traveled to Hawaii in August to visit her. "She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life," he said in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. "She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well." CNN political producer Ed Hornick contributed to this report. | Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, passes away Monday in Hawaii .
NEW: Obama tells a crowd in North Carolina: "She has gone home"
McCain says his "thoughts and prayers go out" to Obama, family .
Obama left the campaign trail for two days in late October to visit her . |
234,756 | bbeb7bcf880a921986d2f0e825271c4211423fba | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 04:12 EST, 17 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:07 EST, 17 July 2012 . They say pets often resemble their owners, but for one woman, this was a sad reality. Lucy Insley, who weighed a whopping 23 stone saw a photo of her and her podgy pet Gracie and realised they looked identical. It spurred her into action and she put both her and Gracie on a strict diet. Whopping weight loss: Lucy Insley dropped a staggering eight dress sizes . In just over a year, she has lost almost 12 stone and Gracie is nearly 4lbs lighter. Lucy, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, said: 'I didn’t realise just how big I had got until I saw the picture of me and my pug, Gracie. 'I was absolutely mortified by it. At that point I knew I had to do something about the pounds I’d piled on. 'It’s been hard but now I look and feel great. People stare at me for a different reason.' Lucy Insley, 35, started piling on the . pounds as a teenager and by the time she hit 30 she struggled to squeeze . into her size 32 jeans. In March last year, lacking in confidence and energy, Lucy decided to join the Cambridge Weight Plan. The registered nurse bulged to a size 32 after gorging on takeaway meals and donor kebabs and admits her biggest weakness was chocolate cake. Podgy pals: Lucy decided to lose weight after seeing a photo of her and her dog Gracie and being shocked by their similarity . She said: 'I would eat at least one whole cake, all to myself, a week and I used to deep-fry all my meals, I absolutely loved chips and had them with everything. I cringe when I think back to what I used to eat. 'I used to see my mum on a weekly basis and even she would notice each visit how much weight I’d gain within a few days. I was eating the wrong foods, in the wrong portion sizes and at the wrong times, whilst doing absolutely no exercise.' Different person: Lucy now feels confident to buy clothes that she wants . Unhealthy eating habits coupled with a lack of exercise resulted in Lucy suffering from crippling back pain. Her health problems encouraged her to ditch the fatty food and embark on a grueling exercise regime. Lucy still allows herself the occasional treat and said: 'I still love pizza and sometimes I treat myself to a slice but I’ve learned not to over-indulge and can now stop myself from eating the whole pizza, just having the one small piece. If I have something naughty I’ll make sure I burn it off at the gym too.' Although pugs are designed to be chunky, Gracie needed to lose a bit of weight too. Before, Gracie and Lucy struggled to walk short distances and even used to drive 400 yards down the road to the shop to stock up on sugary snacks. Lucy is now a slender size 14, after quitting sweets and chocolate, and both she and Gracie are reaping the benefits of their weight loss, taking long walks and getting plenty of exercise. Lucy is also enjoying refreshing her wardrobe, having dropped eight dress sizes, and said: 'I love being able to pop into high street shops like River Island and buy clothes I’d never have even dreamed of wearing.' She used to hide behind jet black clothing and her long, dark hair, but now Lucy has the confidence to go for a short, bleach blonde style and wears bright, colourful dresses and heels. Despite this she clings onto her old clothes and said: 'I’ve kept the top and jeans that I was wearing in the picture with Gracie to remind me how far I’ve come. I never want to put the weight back on and seeing them hang like tents in my wardrobe makes me determined to stay slim.' Lucy said: 'I definitely feel much sexier now. I sometimes now go out on dates, but working at the care home and going to the gym doesn’t leave me with much time to meet men!' The picture of Lucy and Gracie was taken at a work party and uploaded to a photo album on the work computers that all staff could access and colleagues have noticed a massive difference in Lucy’s confidence since losing the weight. She said: 'People at work call me Tigger from Winnie the Pooh because I’m always happy and bouncing around with bundles of energy, whereas before I used to mope around like Eeyore!' Lucy only has a stone and a half to lose before achieving her target weight of ten stone. She said: 'Gracie is my inspiration, my one and all. I love her to bits and she has been my star supporter and I’m proud of her too!' | Lucy Insley weighed a whopping 23 stone and struggled to fit into size 32 jeans .
She dropped eight dress sizes and is now a slender size 14 . |
93,333 | 040e297cf6df528defdddee17cdf84b88365eede | Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- At least 13 people were killed and 20 wounded when lightning struck a makeshift mosque in a remote village in northeast Bangladesh on Friday, police said. The lightning strike occurred as people gathered for a special evening prayer known as taraweeh that is conducted during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "Multiple lightning strikes occurred during a storm when nearly 35 people gathered at a house in the village of Saraswati where they turned a tin roof shed into a makeshift mosque for the month of Ramadan as a regular mosque was far away," Dharmapasha police chief Bayes Alam told CNN. The village Saraswati is some 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital of Dhaka. Heavy rains in recent weeks have swollen the Saraswati River, making access to the village difficult. "As boats were the only mode of transport to go out of the village, it took several hours to take the critically wounded people to the hospital," said Akm Mezanul Haque, the officer-in-charge of the Modhyanagar police station, who joined the rescue operation. Of the 13 killed by the lightning strike, Mohammad Shahabuddin, the imam, and two others died at the mosque, Alam said. Ten others were declared dead at a Dharmapasha area hospital, he said. Area residents and police took the wounded, many in critical condition, to the area hospital. | A lightning strike occurred as people gathered for evening prayers, police said .
Lightning struck a tin roof shed that was doubling as a mosque, police said .
The strike occurred in Saraswati, some 200 kilometers from the capital of Dhaka. |
57,711 | a38fc1a0c1e1c6dbf1d0201b338cf60737849018 | Atlanta (CNN) -- One of the countries hard hit by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not able to cope, a health worker said, calling on the international community to step up support. Anja Wolz, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, spoke to CNN on Tuesday from an Ebola facility in Kailahun, Sierra Leone. "I think that the government and the ministry of health here in Sierra Leone is not able to deal with this outbreak. We need much more help from international organizations -- as WHO, as CDC, as other organizations -- to come to support the government," Wolz said. "Still we have unsafe burials; people who are doing the burial without disinfection of the body; still we have patients who are hiding themselves; still we have patients or contacts of patients who are running away because they are afraid." Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are at the center of an Ebola outbreak that has already killed more than 800 people. The global concern over the spread of the virus has reached Saudi Arabia, where a man is in critical condition after recently returning from Sierra Leone. The 40-year-old man has symptoms of a viral hemorrhagic fever, the Saudi Health Ministry said Tuesday. The source of his infection is unknown, but Ebola cannot be ruled out, the ministry said. "This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history," Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement. "It will take many months, and it won't be easy, but Ebola can be stopped," he said. "We know what needs to be done." The virus has already been confirmed outside of the three main countries. A Nigerian doctor has been diagnosed with Ebola nearly three weeks after a Liberian-American man with Ebola died after traveling to Lagos, Nigerian officials said Monday. Nigerian Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu told reporters that the infected physician had been treating Patrick Sawyer, a top government official in the Liberian Ministry of Finance who died of Ebola in a Nigerian hospital July 20. Eight other people are being quarantined and three are awaiting Ebola test results, the health minister said. Read more about Patrick Sawyer's death . Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reports an outbreak of the virus in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria is believed to have infected 1,603 people and killed more than 887 this year, as of Friday. The United States is planning to send 50 health experts to West Africa to help contain the outbreak, which President Barack Obama addressed in remarks Tuesday, saying the citizens of the affected countries are in Americans' thoughts and prayers. Frieden said the 50 experts from the CDC will work to combat the outbreak and help implement stronger systems to fight the disease. The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever, which affects multiple organ systems in the body and is often accompanied by bleeding. Early symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat. They later progress to vomiting, diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver function -- and sometimes internal and external bleeding. An Ebola patient had not been treated within U.S. borders until last week, but the CDC has spearheaded efforts to prepare for the deadly virus. 5 reasons not to panic about Ebola in the U.S. It helped create an isolation unit at Emory University Hospital, which is being used to treat American doctor Kent Brantly, who contracted Ebola in Liberia and was evacuated to the facility in Atlanta over the weekend. A second American patient, Nancy Writebol, arrived from Liberia on Tuesday. She will undergo treatment at the same unit. Emory is one of four U.S. institutions capable of providing such treatment. But in the nations hardest-hit and not as prepared, the reality is grim. Even in the best-case scenario, it could take three to six months to stem the epidemic in West Africa, Frieden said. Ebola spreads through contact with organs and bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, urine and other secretions of infected people. It has no cure. The most common treatment requires supporting organ functions and maintaining bodily fluids such as blood and water long enough for the body to fight off the infection. Ebola also claimed the life of a medical director at a hospital in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. Dr. Patrick Nshamdze tested positive Tuesday after being sick for two weeks. He died Saturday. In Sierra Leone, where government officials have asked citizens to stay away from work, the military has deployed at least 750 medical officials to 13 locations, military spokesman Col. Michael Samura said. Health officials are screening incoming and outgoing passengers at the country's main international airport with a device that takes people's temperature from their eyes at a distance. People showing signs of fever are quarantined and their blood is tested. On Tuesday, Liberia responded to British Airways' decision to suspend service to Monrovia because of the outbreak. "The government of Liberia regrets that British Airways has suspended flights to and from Liberia until the end of August. However, we fully understand that international airlines must keep the safety of customers and crew as their highest priority," it said. "We will continue to work around the clock with our international partners to ensure all our key international ports of entry are secure from any transfer of Ebola, both incoming or outgoing." What is the risk of catching Ebola on a plane? Experts: U.S. health care system well-prepared for Ebola . Ebola's frontline: Battling fear and deadly virus . CNN's David McKenzie contributed to this report from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Journalist Heather Murdock reported from Nigeria. CNN's Fred Pleitgen, Faith Karimi, Nana Karikari-apau and Christabelle Fombu also contributed to this report. | Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are at the center of an Ebola outbreak .
A man hospitalized in Saudi Arabia has symptoms of a viral hemorrhagic fever .
A Nigerian doctor was diagnosed with Ebola after treating a Ebola patient there .
That diagnosis comes three weeks after a Liberian-American man died from virus . |
44,937 | 7ea308355408f6d8cb459739401701e0957921bd | (CNN) -- Actress Lena Dunham canceled several appearances to promote her new book after a self-described "rage spiral" over allegations that she molested her sister as a child. The allegations stem from passages in Dunham's collection of personal essays, "Not That Kind of Girl," in which she describes sexually experimenting with her younger sister as a child. In one essay, she describes bribing her sister with three pieces of candy to kiss her on the lips for five seconds. She also describes probing her 1-year-old sister's vagina when she was 7 out of curiosity over how it compared to hers. "One day, as I sat in our driveway in Long island playing blocks and buckets, my curiosity got the better of me. Grace was sitting up, babbling and smiling, and I leaned down between her legs and carefully spread open her vagina," she writes in the book. Kevin D. Williamson -- known for taking hard-right positions that stir controversy -- seized upon the passages in a column for conservative publication National Review. Specifically, he accused Dunham's parents of enabling "disturbing behavior that would be considered child abuse in many jurisdictions ... sexual abuse, specifically, of her younger sister, Grace, the sort of thing that gets children taken away from nonmillionaire families without Andover pedigrees and Manhattanite social connections." Truth Revolt's Ben Shapiro picked up the torch, calling the book passage "disturbing." Dunham, creator and star of the popular HBO show "Girls," said she was "dismayed" over the interpretation of events described in her book. In a statement to Time magazine, she said she does not condone "any kind of abuse under any circumstances." "Childhood sexual abuse is a life-shattering event for so many, and I have been vocal about the rights of survivors. If the situations described in my book have been painful or triggering for people to read, I am sorry, as that was never my intention." Referring to her sister, she said, "anything I have written about her has been published with her approval." Over the weekend, Dunham fired back on Twitter, where she has 1.8 million followers, calling the allegations "upsetting and disgusting." Usually, "this is stuff I can ignore," she said, "... but don't demean sufferers, don't twist my words, back the f**k up bros." Dunham then apologized on Twitter for canceling book tour appearances scheduled for this week in Berlin and Antwerp, Belgium. It was not clear Monday whether the cancellations were related to the recent allegations. Messages sent to Random House, Dunham's publisher, and her publicist were not immediately returned. Truth Revolt claims it received a "cease and desist" letter threatening legal action if the publication did not remove an article it published last week about Dunham. Dunham's sister, Grace Dunham, did not respond to requests for comment. Amid growing controversy Monday, however, she tweeted, "2day, like every other day, is a good day to think about how we police the sexualities of young women, queer, and trans people." . | NEW: Lena Dunham apologizes, says she is "dismayed" by reaction to book .
Dunham describes looking at sister's vagina in her new memoir, "Not That Kind of Girl"
National Review correspondent characterizes the behavior as "sexual abuse" |
155,809 | 5567c12d9437da2d52620bc22053ca161b3458a0 | By . Emily Crane . Two men have been dramatically arrested after a policeman who was on his way to work recognised them as possible suspects in a spate of armed robberies nearly 50km away. The senior constable, who was on his way to Macquarie Fields, called for backup after spotting the men in a white car about 2.15pm on Saturday in Penrith, west of Sydney. He followed the men until several police responded and the vehicle was pulled over near the corner of the Northern Road and Maxwell Street. A man suspected of a number of armed robberies last week was handcuffed as police searched his vehicle at Penrith in western Sydney on Saturday . The car was pulled over after a senior constable recognised the suspected armed robbers while he was on his way to work at 3pm on Saturday . The men, aged 34 and 39, were wanted over numerous armed robberies in the Campbelltown area last Thursday. The incidents involved an aggravated armed robbery with a screwdriver at a post office on Saywell Road, Macquarie Fields; a robbery involving a firearm at a bottleshop on Lindesay Street, Campbelltown; an armed robbery with a firearm at a truck stop on Campbelltown Road, Glenfield; and a break and enter at a shopping centre in Minto. They were charged with armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery with an offensive weapon, reckless wounding and break and enter with intent to steal . The men were arrested at the scene and taken to Penrith Police Station . They have been charged with armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery with an offensive weapon, reckless wounding and break and enter with intent to steal. The men were arrested at the scene and taken to Penrith Police Station. They were refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday. The men were refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Senior constable called Penrith Police after recognising two alleged armed robbery suspects in western Sydney .
The men were pulled over at the corner of Northern Road and Maxwell Street, Penrith, at 3pm on Saturday .
They were wanted over a number of armed robberies in the Cambelltown area last Thursday .
The men were refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday . |
277,843 | f3efc1984033853a77e15de76e3c7ba8430382c9 | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 19:43 EST, 12 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:28 EST, 13 November 2013 . The report by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, above, was commissioned by the government in a bid to ward off fears of an A&E crisis . A huge shake-up of health care provision was heralded last night by the NHS’s top doctor. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh announced plans for a ‘two-tier’ casualty service with ‘super A&Es’ dealing with life-threatening conditions. But fears are growing that his reforms will only lead to confusion among patients, who will not know which hospital to attend. The three key planks of his reforms will set up distinction between super A&Es and standard A&Es, ask GPs to provide more same-day appointments as well as opening surgeries in the evenings and at weekends and bolster the 111 helpline with more doctors, nurses and pharmacists answering the phone. Sir Bruce’s vision is set out in a report, published today, on how to improve A&E and other ‘urgent care’ such as GP services. The Government asked him last winter to draw it up. In the biggest shake-up in A&E departments for 40 years, up to half of the 140 units in England will be transformed into ‘major emergency centres’. They will provide specialised care for the victims of strokes, heart attacks, suspected brain haemorrhages and other life-threatening conditions. The rest will stay as standard casualty units mainly treating the elderly, broken bones, drunks and less critical patients. But Roger Goss, co-director of Patient Concern, said: ‘This will just confuse patients even more. Patients don’t know whether they are suffering from a heart attack or a bout of indigestion. ‘A healthcare professional should be telling them, but if they can’t get an appointment with their GP how will they know? The reason there is huge demand in A&E is that GPs have been allowed to operate a nine-to-five service. ‘It strikes me that this report is all about how to provide care at the lowest possible costs rather than being about what’s best for patients.’ Health secretary Jeremy Hunt, above, said he would not shy away from making 'difficult decisions' where the NHS is concerned . And the College of Emergency Medicine, which represents casualty doctors, said that critically-ill patients would have to travel further to super A&Es, potentially delaying their treatment. The shake-up – overseen by Sir Bruce, the NHS’s medical director – has been announced at a time of growing problems for A&E units, which are grappling with soaring numbers of patients and shortages of senior doctors. Within the next three to five years, they will be designated as either ‘emergency centres’ – meaning that essentially they will stay the same – or ‘major emergency centres’, which will deal with the most seriously ill patients. Sir Bruce, who said ‘doing nothing was not an option’, estimates that there will be between 40 and 70 super A&Es. They are most likely to be in hospitals which already have specialised stroke and heart attack centres with top doctors on hand. The report prompted speculation that dozens of the lower-tier A&E units will be downgraded. But Sir Bruce insisted this would not be the case, although patients suffering from life-threatening conditions would be transferred to super A&Es. He added that at this stage there were no plans to close A&E units. ‘A&E is creaking at the seams,’ said Sir Bruce. ‘It’s not broken but it is struggling. ‘In many senses, our A&Es have become victims of their own success because they function as a safety net for people who are worried, frightened, anxious or in pain and therefore have problems that concern them. When A&Es become very busy it means other parts of the system are creaking as well, they are under stress. ‘It’s against that background that there’s a feeling this winter will be difficult.’ Sir Bruce hopes that GPs, paramedics and NHS 111 staff will ensure patients are sent to the most appropriate A&E unit. He also wants to reduce the numbers of patients turning up in casualty by making it easier for them to get a GP appointment and making surgeries stay open during the evening and at weekends. Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham, above, said the report does not address the impending crisis . It is not yet clear how he will encourage GPs to work out-of-hours without changing their contracts. The Government is currently holding talks with senior family doctors over changes to their contract, which could see them having to take back responsibility for patients during the evening and at weekends. Sir Bruce also plans to beef-up the NHS 111 helpline and recruit more doctors, nurses and pharmacists to offer expert advice to patients rather than untrained call centre staff. When the helpline started operating in the spring there were concerns it led to more patients turning up in A&E because they were given the wrong advice by staff or gave up in frustration. At present, most patients phoning the number speak to a call-centre worker with limited experience and training who reads through a script. NHS officials want to improve the helpline drastically so that when patients ring it they are given medical guidance that is good enough to mean they do not have to go to hospital. In his report, Sir Bruce says he wants NHS 111 to be ‘the smart call to make’. He also wants to give paramedics more training so they are capable of diagnosing patients on the scene and taking them to a specialist stroke or heart attack centre or just treating them at home. Other plans would see GPs being allowed to admit frail elderly patients straight to care homes rather than sending them to A&E. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Commons yesterday that the Government would not shy away from making ‘difficult decisions’. He said: ‘We all know that the NHS needs to change to meet the needs of an ageing population. The reforms will set up distinction between super A&Es, Sir Bruce Keogh said . ‘We know that change will not happen overnight and we’ll work with NHS England [which runs the health service] to ensure the NHS offers world-class standards of patient care.’ Labour health spokesman Andy Burnham said the plans did not address the impending crisis facing many A&E units, which have too few doctors to deal with soaring numbers of patients. ‘Ministers said this report would have lessons for the immediate winter as well as the longer term,’ he said. ‘But they are failing to act and their response remains, “Crisis, what crisis?”. They are forcing A&Es to go into winter with too few nurses, doctors and beds.’ | Two-tier system will define 'super A&Es' and 'standard A&Es'
GPs are told to provide more same-day appointments for patients .
NHS 111 helpline will have more doctors, nurses and pharmacists . |
24,854 | 466c83e0fd25bf36af78fc23befe88befdfc26b8 | The mother of a young girl who was attacked by a neighbour’s dog has criticised police for refusing to get involved - because it happened on private land. Amaia Hawker, four, needed 16 stitches on her face after suffering deep cuts just centimetres from her eye when she was savaged by a Leonberger dog which belonged to the next-door neighbour of a family friend. Amaia's mother Laura, 33, said she was distraught that police can't take action as the incident happened on private land. Injuries: Amaia Hawker, aged four, pictured after she was bitten on the face by a Leonberger dog . 'Distraught': Mother Laura Hawker, 33, says she is distraught that police can't prosecute the dog's owner as the attack happened on private property . Under the current law, the owner cannot be prosecuted because the attack in Redfield, Bristol, was not in a public place. But this is due to change to include incidents on private property in just a matter of weeks. The attack took place last week when Ms Hawker, who works as a carer, was visiting a friend and the neighbour was invited into the garden where Amaia was playing. Although the dog is not a dangerous breed, it lashed out and attacked the little girl. Amaia needed eight stitches on her lip, five stitches under her eye and three more on the side of her cheek . Ms . Hawker, who was in the kitchen of the property at the time, said: 'The . dog came into the garden through the back entrance with the owner. 'It walked past my daughter and just bit her in the face. The owner dragged it away. I picked her up and she was screaming. 'I grabbed a tea towel to stop the blood. I was just shouting for help.' Owner Ian Parsons said: 'I had the dog right next to me. The child just barged past the dog and poked it in the eyes and it defended itself. 'It is not a dangerous dog. It may growl sometimes but has never attacked anyone and is friendly.' Paramedics arrived at the house to treat the girl before taking her to hospital for eight stitches on her lip, five stitches under her eye and three more on the side of her cheek. The police were also called but Ms Hawker said she was distraught to find out they may not be able to prosecute over the attack. Under current law a dog owner can only be prosecuted if their dog is 'dangerously out of control' in a public place . New laws due to come into force before the summer will extend the rules to include private property. In this case, if the criminal investigation is dropped the family may be able to take up a civil case against the dog’s owner. Avon and Somerset Police said: 'We are carrying out an investigation. We have had no previous incidents reported to us involving this dog.' Law: Amaia's family could take up a civil case if the criminal investigation is dropped . 'Self defence': Ian Parsons, owner of the Leonberger dog (stock image pictured), said it is not a dangerous animal and was only defending itself when poked in the eyes by the child . | Amaia Hawker was at a family friend's house when she was attacked by a neighbour's Leonberger dog .
She needed eight stitches on her lip, five stitches under her eye and three more on the side of her cheek .
Police can't prosecute the owner as the attack was not in a public place .
The law is due to change soon to include incidents on private properties .
Amaia's mother Laura, 33, says she is 'distraught' no action can be taken . |
127,673 | 310883e86424a50c90d4400da6ccbe4fc2efa979 | Four years after Jerry Ford's presidency ended in the ashes of his Watergate pardon of Richard Nixon, he vaulted back onto center stage at his party's 1980 national convention. It started as a buzz on the floor of the Joe Louis Arena on Detroit's newly renovated riverfront -- talk of a Republican "dream ticket" to take on President Jimmy Carter. The intriguing scenario would pair GOP primary victor Ronald Reagan and for what would have been the first time in history, a former president as his running mate. It became a roar when Ford granted an interview to CBS' Walter Cronkite to acknowledge that discussions were taking place. "This was supposed to be a very ho-hum convention," recalled Bernard Shaw, who co-anchored CNN's inaugural convention coverage just six weeks after the launch of the 24-hour news network, working "up in the rafters with a couple of pieces of plywood over chairs for myself and Daniel Schorr." But it turned into "a very brokered affair," Shaw said, "with Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford flirting with the idea of a shared presidency." Biden to be in Tampa during Republican National Convention . The actual discussions involved close aides to the two men, including former Ford administration officials who a close Ford friend believes were trying to advance their own agendas. "If I remember correctly, Jerry Ford came up to me earlier that day and told me that he was into these discussions, but he didn't think they were going anywhere," Peter Secchia, Michigan's GOP national committeeman at the convention, said in a recent telephone interview. All the media attention that day was focused on the role Ford might play in a Reagan White House, with major responsibilities over foreign policy and fiscal issues, and the possibility of top Cabinet positions for such Ford administration luminaries as Henry Kissinger and Alan Greenspan. Secchia, a business owner in his district befriended by Ford during his early years in Congress, never actually worked for Ford but later served as U.S. ambassador to Italy, appointed by the man Reagan chose for vice president that very night -- George H.W. Bush. Reagan makes surprise, post-midnight announcement . Bush's selection was hastily arranged after the talks with Ford broke down. The pick was announced by Reagan in a surprise post-midnight appearance at the convention hall a night earlier than scheduled with Bush watching on TV from his room across the street at the Hotel Pontchartrain. By all accounts, it happened in a matter of minutes after Bush agreed during a short phone call to disavow his pro-choice posture on abortion and his condemnation of what he had branded "voodoo economics." Reagan told the convention that Bush had endorsed his GOP platform planks calling for a constitutional ban against abortion and advancing the principles of "supply-side economics" that still guide the party today. Poll: Ahead of GOP convention, presidential race in dead heat . Secchia never bought into the idea of a Reagan-Ford ticket for a simple reason overlooked by most observers at the time -- both men then lived in California "and one of them would have had to move." The Constitution bars each state's representatives to the Electoral College electors from voting for a ballot in which both candidates are from their state. In other words, a Reagan-Ford ticket would have forced California's electors to vote Democratic, whatever the popular vote. He did not believe either man would have been willing to change his primary residence, as Ford's onetime chief of staff Dick Cheney did when he moved back to Wyoming from Texas to become George W. Bush's running mate 20 years later and perhaps the most influential vice president in modern history. Shaw, now retired, has covered 14 political conventions dating to 1968 when Republicans nominated Richard Nixon in Miami Beach at what Shaw called the first convention "perfectly scripted for TV." He also was in Chicago for that year's Democratic Convention, disrupted by anti-Vietnam war street protests, a vicious police response and a party division over the war that was a big factor in Hubert Humphrey's November defeat by Nixon. Today's conventions tend to be even more scripted than Nixon's GOP gathering in 1968, but Shaw says "occasionally the curtains part and you get a chance to see the real rawness of politics and the fight for power." In convention speeches, history is made . He said journalists should avoid any preconceived attitude that conventions are non-events. "A reporter who goes to a convention with the notion that these are meaningless -- the days of smoke-filled rooms are over -- is the reporter who is ill-equipped for the job," Shaw said. Drama at both conventions in 1980 . In 1980, there were two good examples of that -- and I had the privilege of covering both the Republicans in Detroit and the once-again divided Democrats at New York's Madison Square Garden, the first of seven political conventions I've worked at as a newsman. For the Democrats, it was the year that Ted Kennedy refused to give up after losing to a sitting president in his party's primaries and pursuing a challenge of delegate rules until just before a scheduled floor vote for the nomination. In a stirring concession speech, he gave a passing tip of the hat to Jimmy Carter -- "I congratulate President Carter on his victory here" -- and then brought the delegates to their feet when he bowed out of the race by saying: "For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream will never die." Ann Romney expected to kick off GOP convention . Then, after Carter's acceptance speech, the moment we had all been waiting for -- the traditional embrace of the nominee and challenger, a moment that never came. Kennedy climbed back up the podium, and with the crowd cheering his every movement, twirled around the stage shaking hands with party dignitaries, their spouses, the first lady and finally the president -- an awkward looking gesture that was over in the blink of an eye. "This is a schizophrenic convention," Dan Schorr told CNN's audience. "They nominated Mr. Carter and they gave their love to Mr. Kennedy. They have given their votes to one and their hearts to another." The senator then quickly exited, only to return for another quick handshake and pat on the shoulder for the president at a moment the two men had the stage mostly to themselves. "There's no embrace," Schorr said. "No holding of hands, no V for victory," Shaw added. In November, the Reagan-Bush ticket won in an electoral landslide. Carter was handicapped by his divided party, high inflation and rising interest rates, and a hostage crisis in Iran that dragged on until the moment Reagan was sworn in as his successor. Agencies warn of possible anarchist activity at conventions . Bush presents Quayle in dramatic fashion . After eight years in office, Bush became the party's presidential nominee and presented his running mate to GOP delegates in New Orleans in dramatic fashion, arriving near the convention site on a riverboat that also was transporting a clueless traveling press. "We didn't know who it was going to be," recalled George Weeks, who covered that convention as a columnist for the Detroit News after serving as chief of staff for William G. Milliken, Michigan's Republican governor in 1980. There were several big name possibilities, including Rep. Jack Kemp, father of "supply side" economics and mentor for Mitt Romney's running mate, Paul Ryan. Sen. Robert Dole of Kansas, a future presidential nominee, and his wife, Elizabeth, transportation secretary for much of Reagan's presidency were other names mentioned. Way down on the list -- a name I had first noticed in a New York Times "veepstakes" story that morning or the day before -- was a little known senator from Indiana, Dan Quayle, a baby-faced baby boomer who, at 41, was even younger than Ryan. His selection on Day 2 of the convention may even have been a surprise to him. He got the word from Bush only a short time before the announcement, and hurried over to the riverfront for a rally with Bush and their cheering supporters. "It's not a lark, it's Quayle," local TV reporter Gary Tuchman, now a CNN correspondent, told viewers of WPEC in West Palm Beach, Florida, announcing the news in a live shot just "100 feet from where Quayle was standing." "It was still the pre-Twitter days, and the viewers were learning it from me," he says now with a laugh. Politics, parties keep some away from conventions . A less-than-stellar debut for a rising star . The Bush-Quayle ticket triumphed in November over another former Massachusetts governor, Michael Dukakis, and Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, who had been chosen at their party's convention in Atlanta now remembered mostly for the nearly disastrous debut performance of a rising Democratic star, 41-year-old Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton. Clinton, who already had a reputation as a spellbinding orator, was picked to place Dukakis' name in nomination a night after a rousing Jesse Jackson address party officials feared would steal the thunder from Dukakis, the political embodiment of laid back. But Clinton went on so long -- more than 33 minutes, nearly twice his allotted time -- the clearly annoyed delegates were squirming in their seats, some even booing. As the young governor uttered the words, "In closing ...," the hall erupted in boisterous cheers. Just four years later, it was Clinton who was getting nominated, and later elected, depriving the senior Bush of a second term. This year he will return to his 1988 role, delivering the nominating speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, for Barack Obama's bid for re-election. "This party loves Bill Clinton," said Mark Brewer, state Democratic chairman in Michigan for the past 17 years who will attend this year's convention as a "super-delegate." After all these years, still "The Comeback Kid." Memorable convention moments . (Editors Note: Paul Varian has covered presidential politics off and on since the 1972 elections, including seven national party conventions over a 20-year period for United Press International and CNN.) | 1980 conventions were dramatic occasions for both Democrats and Republicans .
1980 RNC was supposed to be "ho-hum" but turned into a "very brokered affair"
1980 DNC was "schizophrenic" -- Democrats nominated Carter and gave their love to Kennedy .
1988 RNC drama came when little-known Sen. Dan Quayle was announced as Bush's running mate . |
31,519 | 59a3a531a5ab4990a67c27020da1798f586bc8e2 | The formation that Louis van Gaal started with against Swansea — three central defenders and two wing backs — is a hard enough system for seasoned professionals to get right, let alone a group of youngsters, including a few making their debuts at Old Trafford. I’ve always felt it demands too much of the wing backs, who have to cover so much ground. If their positioning is not spot on, then the central defenders have to react and cover the danger, but this can result in your team shape being dragged from side to side. And that’s exactly what happened to United on Saturday. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Louis van Gaal: Our confidence will be smashed . Shock? Ki (left) celebrates as Swansea go 1-0 up against Manchester United at Old Trafford . Mishaps: The build-up to Swansea's opener highlighted how United were dragged from side to side . There were 29 passes in the Swansea move for the first goal, but it should have been stopped sooner. Ashley Young, playing as a wing back, dropped to full back, which meant he was marking Nathan Dyer (1). Tyler Blackett should have moved across to act as the full back, leaving Young to deal with Swansea right back Angel Rangel. Instead, Darren Fletcher and Ander Herrera were forced to press Rangel (2). Blackett got too tight to Gylfi Sigurdsson but Chris Smalling and Phil Jones needed to move across to cover. They didn’t and they left Swansea acres of room to run into (3). Jubilation: Swansea players celebrate going ahead in the second-half in front of their travelling fans . Down: How United conceded their first goal against Swansea on Saturday at Old Trafford . By the time the ball reached Sigurdsson, the United midfield, who should have been protecting the defence, were nowhere to be seen. With the defenders also out of position, Ki Sung-yueng was left free to fire home from the edge of the area. Three points: Gylfi Sigurdsson wheels away in celebration after scoring the match-winner . Out of position: Manchester United were all over the place for Swansea's second goal on Saturday . Give Van Gaal credit: he saw there were problems and changed to four at the back at half-time. But they were still all over the place for the second goal. Blackett was naive in the extreme to give the ball away with his team-mates out of position. Montero sprang down the left and Smalling went to cover, with Jones moving inside. The United pair should be adept at switching positions but they made a mess of it. Smalling did not do enough to stop the cross (1) while Jones over-covered and got too close to him (2). He should be worrying about what’s coming into the box. When the cross beat Young at the back post (3), and was passed to Sigurdsson, he was free to score with Jones out of position. | Louis van Gaal started with three centre backs and two wing backs .
The system is hard for seasoned professionals, let alone youngsters .
United lost their opening Premier League game 2-1 against Swansea . |
270,746 | eaad049d78067995212b1e7421d27b9413350164 | As ISIS continues its campaign in both Syria and Iraq, a group called Samaritan's Purse is hoping shoeboxes filled with gifts might give comfort to refugees of the crisis. On a sunny but windy day on the tarmac of Baltimore-Washington International Airport, volunteers from the group loaded pallets filled with some 60,000 boxes of gifts onto a 747-jet. Those boxes contain everything from hand-written notes of well-wishes to furry toy ponies. They'll end up in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq where they will be distributed to children living in refugee camps in both Iraq and Syria as part of "Operation Christmas Child." Children from the U.S., U.K. and Canada filled the boxes. Though exact numbers are hard to come by, the United Nations estimates there are over a million refugees displaced in Syria and Iraq. President and CEO of Samaritan's Purse Franklin Graham says it's important to try and help these refugees who have almost no hope otherwise. "Most of them are children," Graham said. "About 70% of Syrian refugees are children. And they've fled with just the clothes on their back, they have nothing." And it's not just Iraq and Syria where Samaritan's Purse has focused their attention. Kids in more than 150 countries have received over a hundred million boxes since 1993. Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization headed up by the son of one of the most famous Christian evangelists in the country, Billy Graham. Sometimes these packages can have more than just short-term effects. Franklin Graham told the story of then seven-year-old Tyler Wolfe who in the year 2000 sent a Christmas shoebox gift to a child named Joana Marchan in the Philippines. With the power of the internet and a few long plane rides over a decade later, the two eventually connected in-person and married in October. | Volunteers helped load 60,000 boxes of gifts to bring to refugees worldwide .
Those include those displaced by the ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria .
Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization headed up by the son of Billy Graham . |
188,158 | 7fa8d75f34fefe180eb6015fdad2bd523d3d6902 | Roy Hodgson was offered the option to recall Chelsea captain . England boss declined chance for Terry's international return . Three Lions lost World Cup 2014 opener to Italy, 2-1 . By . Martin Samuel . On the journey home, as he reflected on what had proved to be Italy’s winning goal, one wonders whether Roy Hodgson recalled a conversation he had with Football Association chairman Greg Dyke in the build-up to this World Cup. As reports of John Terry’s exceptional form for Chelsea grew more consistent and insistent, Dyke approached his manager and gave him an option. If he wanted to attempt to persuade Terry (right) out of international retirement, the chairman said, he would make it happen. It was a well-intentioned gesture. VIDEO Scroll down to watch John Terry already in training ahead of pre-season . Fine form: Former England captain John Terry was magnificent for Chelsea last season . Dyke would have known the controversial nature of such a call and the criticism of his organisation that would undoubtedly follow — but he did not want Hodgson’s chances of success weakened, by what remains a collision between Terry and the governing body. Hodgson declined the offer. Whether he thought Terry’s baggage would be more trouble than it was worth, or simply felt a sense of loyalty to Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, the central defenders who had got him to Brazil, we may never know — but the invitation went no further than that discussion. If, however, Hodgson believed Terry’s inclusion carried an imbalance of risk-reward, he was mistaken. Heads, you lose: Gary Cahill lost his man in Mario Balotelli, who scored Italy's winner in Manaus . Pain game: Cahill and England goalkeeper Joe Hart are floored after Balotelli wheels away to celebrate his winner . Terry remains the finest organiser of a defence in the English game. There is no guarantee that England would have held out in Manaus had he been in the team — but they did against Italy the last time, and there would be greater confidence about the reckoning with Uruguay and Luis Suarez in Sao Paulo if Terry were playing. Still, we lie on the bed we have made now. Refusal: England boss Roy Hodgson turned down the chance to recall John Terry for the World Cup in Brazil . | Roy Hodgson was offered the option to recall Chelsea captain .
England boss declined chance for Terry's international return .
Three Lions lost World Cup 2014 opener to Italy, 2-1 . |
43,901 | 7bd88419c7986eb5d24d2b9b812b2aae336f277b | (CNN) -- On Saturday, the "let's make ourselves feel better" club will convene in Geneva to try to figure out what to do about Syria. The motives of those gathering in Geneva at the invitation of U.N. Special Envoy Kofi Annan -- the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (United States, France, China, Britain and Russia), plus Turkey and a number of Arab league members including Iraq and Qatar -- are well-intentioned. Their concern over the continued killing, more than 12,000 dead with thousands more wounded and imprisoned, is understandable. But sadly, the results of the Geneva meeting, even with some added wind at its back (the Turks are madder than ever at Syria for downing a Turkish reconnaissance plane earlier this week), are not likely to produce much new. The purpose of the meeting is to gain agreement on a new Annan plan for a national unity government and a political transition to stop the conflict. But this is unlikely to work any more effectively than Annan's earlier six point cease-fire approach. Chances are the conflict in Syria is going to get worse before it gets worse. The core problem is that the options on Syria are all bad, and nobody wants to assume responsibility for a conflict that pits a regime that still has tremendous firepower against an opposition that is growing stronger but still isn't in a position to bring that regime down. There has been too much blood for diplomatic compromise, and military solutions are risky and too uncertain. The other challenge is that the international community is fundamentally divided. Instead of a coalition of the willing and the determined, the group that will gather Saturday resembles a group of the unwilling, the uncooperative and the disabled. Their motives and agendas diverge even while on the surface they all know that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must go and that the current situation could harm all their interests. Still, the risks of changing the status quo through using force against the regime is still greater than maintaining it. At the meeting, all will express that concern and try to come up with new ways to support and organize the Syrian opposition and pressure the regime. There may even be a notional agreement on the new Annan plan. But here's what the three main players -- the United States, Russia and Turkey -- are really thinking. United States: The United States is appalled by the violence and would like to do more. But President Obama is really much more focused on domestic issues; he knows there is no will or stomach for new foreign commitments or for risky military adventures in the wake of Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States fears an open-ended military commitment and won't act alone. Nor does it want to see an outcome that leaves elements of the old regime in place. At the same time it has been wary of half-measures: safe zones and arming the Syrian opposition. Washington is too conflicted to lead. The Russians: The fact is Russia's Vladimir Putin knows al-Assad is done, but he isn't going to let the Americans dictate the outcome as they did in Libya. The Russians have seen all their clients -- Saddam Hussein, Moammar Gadhafi and now al-Assad under pressure -- one way or another removed by the Americans. As a great power, Russia is determined to preserve its influence in Syria; it sells arms and uses the Syrian port of Tartus as a key naval facility (Russia's only base outside the former Soviet Union). Putin also doesn't want to see a Saudi-backed Sunni regime in Damascus. He resents the Saudis for supporting Muslims in Chechnya and in the North Caucasus. So he'll push for a solution that preserves some of the old regime and the Alawi minority, and of course a major Russian role in the outcome Russia is too suspicious to help broker. Turkey: The Turks are angry and embarrassed at the Syrian downing of one of their planes, which made them look weak. But if Ankara really wanted to play a leadership role, it could have used this incident as an excuse to push for military action. There's no real stomach among the Turkish public for a war with Syria, however. Turkey also is worried about Syrian support for the Kurdish PKK and its own Alevis minority. The fact is unless the refugee flows from Syria to Turkey get a whole lot worse or the killing reaches new levels, Turkey will be very careful about taking too high a profile on Syria. The Turks are too tentative to lead. And so it goes. The contact group in Geneva may show new resolve, issue tough statements and make contingency plans. It could even endorse Annan's plan for a national unity government. But even if some new measure is announced, the meeting will be marked far more by what's not said than by what is. The Syrian situation is a tragedy, but it's a tragedy nobody is yet prepared to take responsibility for. The costs of bringing down the Assads would be considerable, but the price of rebuilding the new Syria will be greater. The Geneva group should start planning. Sooner or later the al-Assad regime will break. And when it does, the international community must be willing to step in with thousands of peacekeepers on the ground and billions in cash to reconstruct and keep the country running. If it doesn't, an even greater Syrian tragedy will begin to unfold with a heightened level of violence, sectarian killing and perhaps even the fragmentation of the country. The international community may be too divided to bring down the Assads, but it must gear itself up to be united to avert an even greater catastrophe when they fall. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Aaron David Miller. | Aaron Miller: World leaders will meet in Geneva to discuss what to do about Syria conflict .
He says plan is to agree on plan for unity government, ending violence. Expect little else .
He says involved powers want al-Assad out, but have different, often conflicting agendas .
Miller: Al-Assad will inevitably go, powers must prepare to step in with costly help . |
54,597 | 9aa6fd9c969aea71b0dfeebf90c337eda82f8fe5 | Americans love beef; we eat nearly 63 pounds per person each year. Although that's a lot, the amount is down from our 1976 high of 89 pounds. When buying beef, we tend to stick to what we know, which may be why almost 60 percent of our beef dollars go for ground beef. Even as an experienced chef, I often brought home familiar cuts. But researching my book, "Field Guide to Meat," led me to expand my repertoire to tasty, if less familiar, cuts like hanger steak and tri-tip. Soon you can do the same, knowing which cuts to choose for maximum flavor and nutrition. A 3½-ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein and is an excellent source of iron, zinc, and phosphorus. Beef Background . Humans began domesticating cattle, Bos taurus, about 8,500 years ago. Columbus first brought cattle to the New World, and by 1690, descendants of Columbus' cattle ranging in Mexico were driven north and became known as Texas Longhorns. Others arrived later with the colonists. America's top five cattle breeds are Angus from Scotland, Hereford from England, Limousin from France, Simmenthal from Switzerland, and Charolais from France. More than 90 percent of the beef we buy originates in America, while most of the rest is Canadian bred. The beef we eat comes mostly from 18- to 24-month-old steers, averaging about 1,000 pounds, and yielding about 450 pounds of meat. Each is divided for wholesale into eight primals (major portions): the chuck (shoulder and upper ribs), the rib, the loin, the sirloin (hip), the round (upper leg), the brisket (breast), the plate (belly), and the small flank. Organs like liver and kidneys are called variety meats. When evaluating your choices at the grocery store, here are a few key terms and facts to know: . • Grain-finished: Nearly 75 percent of U.S. beef comes from cattle fattened on grain (usually corn) for three to six months in feedlots. Since corn is not a natural part of a cow's diet, cattle fed on it may experience stress and other ailments, so they are routinely treated with antibiotics. They also receive growth hormones to increase their size (and value, as beef is sold by weight). Until recently, inexpensive corn has helped keep down the price of beef. • Grass-finished: Grass- or pasture-finished beef comes from cattle that forage on grasses and legumes. Their meat is lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories than grain-finished. (Because it is quite lean, cook rare to medium-rare for juiciness.) Grass-fed beef has a distinct flavor, often described as bold, complex, and gamy. Many people believe that grass-fed cattle are a more sustainable choice. However, raising grass-fed cattle is time-consuming and requires large open spaces, variables that raise its price. Most is imported from Canada, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Brazil. • Aging: Dry-aging is the traditional process preferred by many steak lovers. The concentrated, intense flavor of dry-aged beef develops as it hangs in special temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms from 10 days to six weeks. The longer the aging, the better the flavor and tenderness, but also the more the shrinkage as water evaporates and a dark crust develops, which must be cut away. About 90 percent of American beef is sold as large vacuum-packed cuts. During the average seven-day period the beef spends "in the bag," it ages in a process called "wet-aging." • Processing and packaging: Until the 1960s butcher shops bought beef as half- or quarter-carcasses. Packers then began selling vacuum-packed beef, the same large cuts sold at warehouse club stores. Retailers refrigerated the boxes until needed, then opened the package and cut the meat into portions for sale. Next came case-ready meat, which precluded the need for skilled butchers on-site in markets. Leak-proof and easily stackable, case-ready packages are produced in USDA-inspected plants and have a longer shelf life. Packages covered with a sealed layer of clear plastic are modified-atmosphere packages, which have a gas-filled space inside to help preserve freshness and color. Nutrition . • Fat content: The USDA defines "lean beef" as having less than 10 grams (g) of total fat, 4.5g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3½-ounce serving (100g) of cooked beef. Half of the fat is saturated and half is heart-healthy monounsaturated. There are 29 naturally lean cuts of beef, including many familiar to Cooking Light readers, such as tenderloin, flank steak, and sirloin, as well as five lesser-known cuts. Others, such as ribeye or chuck roast, naturally contain more fat, although it is similarly divided between saturated and monounsaturated. Because lean beef contains less fat, it's best cooked to medium-rare (145°F) or medium (160°F) to optimize tenderness. If using fattier cuts, slice away the outer rim of fat and cut or pull out any pockets of fat before cooking. For larger cuts, allow the fat to baste the meat while cooking, then trim away before eating, or skim it from the surface of braised dishes or stews. • Other nutrients: A 3½-ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein -- more than half of the 50g recommended daily in a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. All beef is an excellent source of iron, zinc, and phosphorus. In general, the redder the meat, the more iron it contains (beef liver has the most). Beef also contains thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin and is a rich source of B12, found naturally only in animal foods. CookingLight.com: Fat and Ground Beef . At the Market . • Inspection and grading: USDA inspectors examine all live animals and beef shipped out of state, which encompasses most of today's supermarket beef. Grading is voluntary and done by the same inspectors. The more marbling -- the small white flecks of fat within the muscles -- the higher the grade. Three grades of beef are sold to consumers. Only three percent is highly marbled Prime, sought after by top steak houses and butcher shops. About 57 percent is moderately marbled Choice, the most common supermarket grade. The remaining 40 percent is lean Select. • Private labels: Supermarket chains and large food distributors also have developed private brands with their own specifications. The first such program began in 1978 with Certified Angus Beef, which must come from Angus cattle. Niman Ranch Natural Beef and Certified Hereford Beef are two others. • Natural and Organic: Beef labeled "natural" must not contain any artificial ingredients and cannot be more than minimally processed, such as ground beef. "Organic" beef must come from cattle raised and certified according to the USDA's National Organic Program. Organic cattle must be fed 100-percent organically and without antibiotics or hormones. Both natural and organic beef can be either grass- or grain-finished. Ways to Save . • Buy lean cuts. Often, leaner cuts are cheaper than fatty ones. And when the fat cooks away, lean cuts provide more meat for your dollar. • Buy in bulk. Large or family-sized packages cost less per pound than smaller packages. Divide into portions, and freeze the surplus. • Be your own butcher. Beef that has been presliced into steaks or made into patties costs more than less processed meat. Buy bigger cuts, and do some of the preparation work yourself. CookingLight.com: Beef on a Budget . • But don't go overboard. Advice to buy a side or quarter of beef may seem sensible, but you'll likely have more meat than you can store. Such a purchase may yield what one buyer describes as "cheap steak and expensive hamburger." For more tips on making healthy taste great, try Cooking Light - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2009 Cooking Light magazine. All rights reserved. | Humans began domesticating cattle, Bos taurus, about 8,500 years ago .
Americans today consume nearly 63 pounds of beef per person each year .
Most of us tend to stick with beef cuts we know . |
84,429 | ef857d332dfa1c146b6a82e42250958684ac6af8 | (CNN) -- California voters have just rejected Proposition 19, the ballot initiative that would have legalized marijuana under state law. Where did Prop 19 go wrong? Prop 19 failed in part because many proponents emphasized the wrong arguments for legalization. Many advocates promised major benefits to California's budget because of reduced expenditure on marijuana prohibition and increased revenue from marijuana taxation. Other supporters claimed that Mexican drug violence would fall substantially. Both claims were overblown. The budgetary benefits, while not insignificant, would have been small compared with California's fiscal mess. Mexican drug violence is mainly associated with the cocaine and methamphetamine trades, as well as from marijuana traffic to other states. Many voters sensed that Prop 19 supporters were overreaching, and this made them suspicious of all the arguments in its favor. Common sense should have recognized that since marijuana was close to legal already, Prop 19 would not have had dramatic effects. Prop 19 failed also because it overreached. One feature attempted to protect the "rights" of employees who get fired or disciplined for using marijuana, including a provision that employers could only discipline marijuana use that "actually impairs job performance." That is a much higher bar than required by current policy. This provision allowed Prop 19 opponents to claim that workplaces would become infested with impaired pot users. That assertion is not well-founded, but that is not the point. Prop 19 did not need to address employee marijuana-testing in the first place. A more effective position for Prop 19 supporters would have been that employee marijuana-testing should be unencumbered by state or federal law. That would allow employers to protect themselves and their employees against perceived risks from marijuana, thereby promoting support for legalization. A final problem with Prop 19 is that it would only have legalized marijuana under state law, since federal law also bans marijuana. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, moreover, announced just weeks before Tuesday's election that the administration would enforce the federal law fully even if Prop 19 passed. This legal limbo would have kept the marijuana market underground, limiting tax revenue and continuing the ills of black market. This ambiguity also dimmed support by making state-level legalization feel like an empty gesture. So what is the path to legalizing marijuana in the United States? First and foremost, advocates must emphasize that in a free society, the burden of proof should be on prohibitionists to justify the interference with liberty that results from outlawing marijuana, a burden the prohibitionists have never met. Any calm assessment of marijuana versus alcohol, for example, shows that alcohol is the substance with the greater potential for harm. Ancillary benefits of legalization are naturally important: by eliminating the black market, legalization promises reduced crime and corruption, fewer infringements on civil liberties, better quality control for marijuana users, along with budgetary benefits. But these considerations are unlikely to convince the majority until more people agree that government should not interfere in the private decision to consume marijuana. Marijuana advocates should also focus on federal law, in addition to or even instead of state law. Legalization proponents have long despaired of affecting change at the federal level and assumed that state-by-state change would someday bring down federal prohibition. That position is understandable, and it has achieved some success, such as the decriminalization of medicalization of marijuana in many states. Yet it's hard to see the federal apparatus yielding ground without direct elimination of its authorization; the stakes for those who hold this power are too high. Legalizers can also argue compellingly that no reasonable interpretation of the Constitution justifies federal imposition of a marijuana ban. A final key to legalizing marijuana is to get conservatives, not just liberals, more involved. A number of well-known conservatives have advocated legalization, such as Milton Friedman, George Schultz, and William Buckley, but the general perception is that legalizers are "stoners, " acting mainly out of self-interest. Yet legalization can appeal to conservatives, especially if the arguments emphasize freedom, personal responsibility, and the Constitution, along with up-front clarity about the goal: legal production and use of marijuana for adults, whatever their motivations. Past liberal efforts, such as medical marijuana, invite charges of hypocrisy and weaken support. Marijuana can and should be legal, Prop 19's failure notwithstanding. But the strategy for achieving that end must change. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey A. Miron. | Jeffrey A. Miron: Prop 19 advocates didn't present right reasons for making pot legal .
Voters were wary of claims of dramatic positive change if it were legalized, he says .
Miron advises advocates to argue pot prohibition interferes with individual liberty .
Another key to legalizing marijuana is to get conservatives involved, he writes . |
255,660 | d6e73aa8e06ca52cfcaaf8b3f667eabad98fa20a | By . Brian Marjoribanks . Usain Bolt has set his sights on winning Commonwealth Games gold at Hampden- after joking that his only complaint about Glasgow 2014 is that the Scots keep trying to get him drunk! The Jamaican superstar came under fire this week after he was quoted in a national newspaper saying the Games were ‘a bit s***’ and that the London Olympics in 2012 ‘were better’. However, after anchoring his country’s 4x100m team to first place in their heat last night amid raucous backing from the Hampden crowd, the 27-year-old global megastar went on a major charm offensive. I can hear you, Glasgow: Usain Bolt got a great reception at Hampden Park despite bad press this week . Appreciated: Bolt was the star turn at Hampden and he thanked the crowd for his reception . Describing Glasgow and its athletics crowds as ‘brilliant’, Bolt insisted he wouldn’t be leaving Scotland without the Commonwealth Games gold medal he needs to complete his collection. And, asked what he had made of Scottish culture so far, he insisted with a grin that locals had been constantly trying to ply him with alcohol. ‘For me, it’s different,’ he said. ‘Most people – even the caretakers – have been trying to give me beer or wine. But it’s been fun and I’ve had some good laughs. ‘It’s been wonderful here. It felt like I was competing at the London Olympics all over again. I really appreciated it. I love competing in front of a crowd like that – for me it’s just brilliant. Loving life in Glasgow: The Olympic champion gets a feel for the Hampden Park track on Friday night . Friday night lights: Bolt eased through the Hampden heats and will now see what Saturday brings . ‘I always go to every country I visit with an open mind and to see what they represent and what they are all about. I go to enjoy it and to see the country. I came to Scotland with an open mind and it’s been fun. The people have been wonderful to me. It’s been just great. ‘But I need a gold. That’s very important for me.’ Bolt admitted Glasgow’s weather has been colder than he would have preferred. But he insisted that he never once considered pulling out of the Commonwealth Games in the wake of this week’s controversy. Instead, he sought to put further distance between himself and the reported comments that caused such a stir ahead of his keenly-awaited appearance at the national stadium last night. ‘No, I never thought of leaving because it was a lie,’ said Bolt. ‘And I was never worried (about a bad reception from the Hampden crowd). I know my true people would know I would never say anything like that. All alone out in front: Bolt saw off a late surge from Nigeria's Mark Jelks to claim top spot in the heat . ‘She (the journalist) asked me how I was and I said I hadn’t done very much, that I had just been in my room. She asked if it had been fun and I said: “I guess, but I haven’t really been out.” ‘But she interpreted that as me saying it was ‘a bit s***’ or whatever. ‘I can’t believe she actually said that. First of all I would never use that word if I was going to say that. The people here have been so good to me so I would never say something like that. ‘It was rough because everyone wanted to say something to me but I did not want to say anything because last time I had a simple conversation it turned out worse for me. I decided I would wait till I had a chance to speak. 'Now listen carefully...': Bolt gives an interview to BBC Sport after finishing the job for Jamaica in the heats . ‘But it’s been great here, everything has been good so far. It’s just the weather, it’s really cold. ‘For me I love competing in team events as well as individual events and I’m just happy to be a part of this team and to be part of these Commonwealth Games. It’s great to be part of a team, feel the vibe, enjoy and have a laugh and be as one representing your country. ‘I’m very happy for my team-mates. We did very well tonight.’ Showman: Bolt poses for the television cameras after he crossed the line first - business as usual! | Jamaica's 4x100m team breezed through their heat at Hampden Park .
Now Bolt and the boys run in the final at 9:15pm on Saturday night .
Bolt is on a charm offensive after claims he said Games were 'a bit s***'
He says the Glasgow crowd was brilliant but locals try to ply him with booze .
Jamaican anchor says 2014 is just like London 2012 .
But his main focus now is on gold ahead of the 4x100m final . |
271,447 | eb983e933992022d9da3a3c36e7dbe5164436a0f | By . Ian Parkes, Press Association . Fernando Alonso would appear to have confirmed his intent to remain at Ferrari, despite McLaren's interest in luring him back to Woking. With Honda powering McLaren again from next season as the Japanese manufacturing giant returns to Formula One after a seven-year absence, they had hoped to attract a stellar name. It is understood Alonso and Sebastian Vettel are at the top of Honda's wanted list, but the former is contracted through to the end of 2016, with the latter's current deal with Red Bull expiring after 2015. Return? Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso appears to have ruled out being reunited with McLaren next season . History: Alonso (left) raced for McLaren in 2007 but left the team because he was not given No 1 status due to Lewis Hamilton impressing . McLaren Group chairman and CEO Ron Dennis indicated last week he is a man who respects contracts, and therefore would bide his time to land either Alonso or Vettel, or both. For his part, Alonso, who drove for McLaren in 2007 before becoming embroiled in an ignominious bust-up that hastened his exit after one year, seems eager to help Ferrari back to winning ways first before moving on. 'From summer last year there has been a lot of talk,' said Alonso, speaking to Sky Sports. 'But from my mouth came nothing about any interest to leave Ferrari, or saying I would join another team. Interest: McLaren want to sign a big name before season and have also looked at Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel . Wanted: Alonso has been driving in a Ferrari which has not been competitive for several seasons in a row now . 'There has been a lot of speculation, which is not disturbing, but... it's half disturbing because it creates a little bit of tension and stress. 'But also you feel happy and proud the best teams have an interest in you, and they say that in public. 'But it's not my intention at the moment to move. As I've said, I want to win for Ferrari here and finish the job we started some years ago. 'We will see what the future holds.' Happy: Alonso has insisted it is not his 'intention at the moment to move', seemingly committing to Ferrari . | Spaniard Fernando Alonso appears to commit his immediate future to Ferrari .
McLaren are interested in bringing Alonso back to the Woking-based team .
McLaren wanted to attract either Alonso or Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel .
But Alonso is 'happy' at Ferrari and does not intend to move at the moment . |
151,404 | 4fbd329651087a535246442c9930e44b44b3b0ae | (CNN) -- The Honduran government has declared a state of emergency after an increase in dengue cases. There are 13,828 cases in the Central American nation, according to data released by emergency officials on Tuesday. And so far this year, 16 people have died from the illness, the government said. Health Minister Salvador Pineda said more than 1,800 of the cases were serious, according to a government statement. Preventing and fighting dengue will cost the country more than $4.2 million, he said. Tuesday's state of emergency declaration is scheduled to last until the end of the year. Dengue fever is passed from person to person by mosquitoes. Unlike malaria, there are no drugs to prevent it. It also is difficult to treat and thus far, attempts to develop a vaccine have been unsuccessful. Currently, the World Health Organization estimates that there are between 50 million and 100 million infections each year. But a recent study led by researchers at the University of Oxford in England estimates the number is far higher, with about 390 million dengue infections around the world each year. Dengue is most common in Asia and India, but more cases have been popping up in the Caribbean and Latin America in recent years. In mild cases, dengue fever causes a high fever, rash and joint and muscle pain. In extreme cases, it can cause death. According to the World Health Organization, about 12,000 people die of dengue fever each year. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet, Jennifer Bixler, Ana Melgar, Karen Smith and Kevin Wang contributed to this report. | Honduras says dengue cases are on the rise .
The government declares a state of emergency .
So far 16 people have died of dengue there this year . |
257,089 | d8c0325ebafa32c1f7fdb351ae3b851bab475301 | High street retailers were today braced for their most frantic day in the run-up to Christmas as shoppers make a last dash for gifts - with this lunchtime said to be the busiest hour. Visa Europe expected some £1.3billion to be spent using its cards today, making it the busiest day on the UK high street in the run-up to Christmas. Some £916,667 was predicted to be spent every minute, or £15,278 every second, on Visa cards, according to the company. The peak time was in the lunch hour break from 1pm to 2pm. Meanwhile, it has been forecast that Boxing Day sales at some retailers including Next and Currys PC World will start on Christmas Eve. Scroll down for video . Getting ready: Shoppers buy last-minute Christmas presents at the Bullring Shopping Centre in Birmingham . Last-minute gifts: Christmas shoppers out in force in the centre of a drizzly Newcastle-upon-Tyne today . Wish list: Some £916,667 will be spent every minute, or £15,278 every second, on Visa cards, the firm predicts . Plenty of presents: Shoppers hit Oxford Street for last-minute presents before Christmas Day . Packed: Christmas shoppers on Oxford Street today. Visa Europe expects some £1.3billion to be spent using its cards today . Bosses at the Manchester Arndale shopping centre said they expected about 220,000 visitors today on the back of a similar number coming through its doors yesterday, and customers were spending more money this Christmas. Centre director David Allinson said: ‘The feedback we are getting from the retailers is that people are spending more this Christmas. The average transaction value is up. ‘Technology is always a key seller with the Playstation 4 one of the best sellers, and jewellery has again sold strongly. Now the winter weather is a bit cooler we have seen a big increase in people buying coats and capes. ‘On a lighter note the success of the Frozen film has been unbelievable with more than 5,000 Elsa and Anna dolls sold at the Disney Store.’ He continued: ‘Today is extremely busy. Yesterday we had 220,000 people visit us and we are expecting at least the same today if not better. It has been a busy week. We had 400,000 people come through this weekend. ‘Today is the day we see lots of men with anguished faces, with some taking advantage of our gift-wrapping service in which we ask for donations to our chosen charities. ‘In general terms the numbers overall have been comparable to last year. We had a very successful December last year as over five and a half million came through the doors and we are hitting those numbers again.’ Happy experience for some: Shoppers hit Oxford Street for last-minute presents before Christmas Day . Steven Madeley, director of the St David's shopping centre in Cardiff, said an estimated 200,000 people had passed through the doors today, looking for a last minute bargain. 'After a record-breaking week, we had another very busy day at St David's and lots of shoppers taking advantage of early retailer sales to snap up a bargain,' he said. 'Local schools have also finished for Christmas and we saw lots of families at St David's today.' The New West End Company, which represents shops in London's Oxford, Bond and Regent Streets said it had been a bumper Christmas for the area's retailers. 'In the five day countdown to Christmas we projected £300 million would go through the tills across the West End, and with just one day to go we're hearing confidence from retailers that we're going to exceed this mark,' a spokesman said. 'The West End welcome for shoppers has never been better,with great promotions on offer, and our welcome ambassadors were on hand during the "golden hour" rush today to help shoppers make their last minute shopping dash go without a hitch.' The new retail ombudsman, who takes up his role on January 2, urged shoppers to be ‘savvy’ to avoid issues such as faulty goods, unwanted presents and delivery issues. A man pushes a trolley past a sale sign (left) on Oxford Street, while another stands on the same road (right) Half price: A man runs past a sale sign on Oxford Street in central London. Many shops in the area are having pre-Christmas sales this year . The ombudsman, consumer barrister Dean Dunham, said: ‘Before you complete your purchase ask the retailer what their returns policy is with Christmas presents, always ask for a gift receipt and if you are ordering online ask the retailer to confirm in writing when the goods will arrive.’ Kevin Jenkins, managing director at Visa Europe, said: ‘Black Friday kick-started Christmas on the high street and online this year but the busiest bricks and mortar day will likely remain in its traditional slot close to Christmas. ‘Retailers’ multi-channel approach should cause a surge in footfall from click-and-collect sales too, with the opportunity for further shopping in-store when consumers arrive.' He added: 'We're seeing huge numbers of purchases on the high street as people make their last minute dash for gifts, key grocery items and other supplies with Christmas Day approaching,' he said. 'Today we are processing the highest volume of transactions per second we've ever seen on Visa debit and credit cards in the UK, peaking at around 1.30pm, and we fully expect to hit our prediction of £1.3 billion spent on the day.' ‘We are likely to see £1.3billion spent in total today. Lunch hour should prove the most popular time for a shopping trip, either for last-minute gifts or final ingredients for Christmas dinner.’ Some 34million transactions are expected to take place which is 7 per cent higher than in 2013, while spending is predicted to rise 6 per cent. Superdrug buying director Simon Comins said: ‘It’s an old cliche that still rings true, many men are utterly disorganised when it comes to gift buying. We see more men in our stores in the run up to Christmas than any other time of the year. ‘What we like to call “last minute men” often leave their shopping to the very last minute. On Christmas Eve alone we expect to sell 200,000 bottles of perfume and fragrance gifts.’ This weekend saw over 800,000 people visit Westfield centres in London and shopping hours have been extended until midnight tonight to allow more last-minute shoppers the chance to purchase presents. Retail analysts Springboard say today should be the busiest shopping day of the year, but they expect an overall drop in footfall year-on-year on Christmas Eve. Spending: Two women walk along Oxford Street in central London with their pre-Christmas purchases . Meanwhile, experts have forecast traditional Boxing Day sales could become extinct after a rise in pre-Christmas discounts, with Next and Currys PC World sales expected to start on Christmas Eve. Three-quarters of the top 100 high street shops have already started their sales in a bid to attract customers, with discounts averaging 45 per cent, PricewaterhouseCoopers said. Marks & Spencer is already offering 30 per cent off knitwear, 20 per cent off bags and 20 per cent off hats, scarves and gloves, while Debenhams is offering up to half price off everything from boots and coats to dinnerware and watches. John Lewis, Ted Baker and Next appeared to be some of the few stores holding their nerve until after Christmas. The rise in online shopping also means that many people spend their Christmas money and gift vouchers on December 25 itself, using their phones and computer tablets to do so. Amazon is expecting Christmas Day to be its busiest day ever for sales of digital books, music, television, films and video games – and said its Boxing Day sales will start at 4pm on December 25. More than 1,600 offers will be available, with an average of 35 per cent off current Amazon UK prices. Offers will include £37 off a £170 Sony smart-watch and £15 off a £40 Philips blender. Meanwhile, Mark Kelly, marketing manager at online retailer Appliances Direct, said: ‘TVs are a popular Boxing Day buy due to the strong deals available. ‘We also think health and fitness products such as juicers, fitness bands, smart weighing scales and food dehydrators will fly of the shelves ahead of people kick-starting their New Year diets.’ | Visa Europe predicted that £1.3billion would be spent using its cards today .
£916,667 to be spent every minute, or £15,278 a second, on Visa cards .
Peak time was in the lunch hour break from 1pm to 2pm, it predicts .
Retail ombudsman urged shoppers to be 'savvy' to avoid faulty goods .
34million transactions expected to take place - 7% higher than in 2013 .
Boxing Day sales at Next & Currys PC World expected to start tomorrow . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.