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137,823 | 3e3c4dea316a810500746da45940a2530521b6ed | By . Nick Mcdermott . It should help end the debate around the office kettle. Although Britain drinks 165 million cups of tea a year, there is little agreement on how it should be served. In a bid to settle the centuries old argument, scientists have now got together to formulate a step-by-step guide for the perfect cup of tea. A nice cup of Rosy Lee: Scientists at University College London have managed to work out how to make the perfect cup of tea. Cup type, water temperature and timing are all crucial . And whether you prefer to brew your English Breakfast in a mug or teapot, there is one area in which the experts unanimously agreed - for the best results steer clear of disposable cups. Speaking on the chemistry of tea, Professor Andrea Sella from University College London said the perfect cuppa is about ‘patience, love and care’. But he said the smooth surface of a china cup or mug made not only keeps the natural tannins in the tea from sticking to the side, but the sounds, such as the teaspoon clinking against its hard surface were ‘comforting’. ‘You want a smooth, impervious surface, you don’t want cup to bind the tannins. And also from a psychological aspect, it provides a lovely association of things like drinking tea with your grandmother which foam cups do not.’ Using freshly drawn water in the kettle ensures the tea can express its full flavour, as repeated boiling reduces the oxygen content and makes the water harder, giving the brew a chalky film. Simon Hill, tea buyer from Taylors of . Harrogate said: ‘Always use freshly drawn water, as the longer it boils, . the less oxygen it has and the less flavour the leaves impart. A delicious infusion requires brewing the tea for between three and five minutes. This helps to optimise the balance of flavour and the strength of the drink . And as for temperature, let the kettle come to the boil and click off. Then give it a few seconds before pouring.’ Controversially, although harder water – common in the south and east of the country - results in a residue forming on the tea’s surface, for many connoisseurs it produces a better cup. ‘Although it doesn’t look nice, you may get a bit more flavour and body from the minerals reacting with the tea,’ said Mr Hill. Temperature also plays a crucial role, with the experts advising drinkers wait a few seconds before pouring the almost boiling water on the tea. For more delicate teas, such as green and white, waiting for the kettle to cool to 80c is essential to ensure the leaves are not damaged. Steer clear of plastic, disposable mugs and use a porcelain cup . Only use freshly drawn water for the kettle . Once water is boiled, wait five second before pouring into cup or warmed teapot . Brewing time between three to five minutes for optimum balance of flavour and strength . Add five per cent of semi-skimmed milk to the cup before adding tea . Wait for six minutes for the temperature to drop to 60C before drinking . ‘When the water is even 10c hotter, it doubles the rate of chemical reactions. In coffee for example, water at 100c can cause a bitter taste. With black tea, the temperature is less of an issue, but in green teas, it can damage the flavour,’ Professor Sella. It was the British that started first started drinking milk with their tea, and have never lost the habit. Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival (must keep), Mr Hill said: ‘When tea was first imported to the UK in the 18th Century lots of people couldn’t afford the fine bone china services. The cups available couldn’t withstand the heat of the boiling water and would shatter, so milk was added first. It also helped to get rid of the bitter taste of some of the cheaper teas.’ Although brewing time in a mug is slightly reduced compared to a pot, scientists suggested three minutes allows the flavour to best develop. The experts recommend around five per cent of milk in the cup – and adding it first if pouring from a teapot – which helps bind with the harsh tannins and make it a smoother, more enjoyable drink. ‘The proteins in the milk clump together with the tannins, making a black tea much more easy to drink. But adding milk to hot water causes it too ‘cook’ slightly, so the ideal would be to pour the tea into your milk and then enjoy,’ said Professor Sella. ‘The ritual of tea making is also important. Making it in teapot and pouring it in porcelain cups invariably tastes better, even though from a chemical point of view it should be the same however you serve it.’ Finally, the secret is patience. Drinking your tea too hot just causes the mouth to burn. A wait of six minutes allows the brew to cool down to 60C, the perfect temperature for sipping. | Britain drinks 165 million cups of the beverage a year, but there is little agreement on exactly how a proper cuppa should be made .
Scientists say that the cup, freshness and temperature of the water as well as the precise moment the milk is added are all crucial to tea's chemistry . |
185,763 | 7c9bd9a7daf3c601278c99b79295ca95bdea8aed | By . Emily Payne . PUBLISHED: . 07:18 EST, 22 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:20 EST, 22 February 2013 . The number of Britons with flu has almost doubled in just two weeks, experts have warned. So far this winter flu levels have fluctuated but remained relatively low across the UK. But new figures show that the number of people seeing their GP with symptoms has risen sharply. An increasing number of people are seeing their GPs with flu-like symptoms . For the week ending February 3, the rate was just under 13 per 100,000,. But during the week ending February 17, this had risen to just over 22 per 100,000. In the latest week there were 55 people admitted to intensive care with . confirmed flu, up from 34 the week before when there were also two . deaths from the disease. A total of 517 admissions have been reported across the UK since the beginning of the season along with 57 deaths. The increase seen in England has not been mirrored in Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland, the figures from the Health Protection Agency showed. The flu virus: It's important to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough to avoid spreading germs . Calls to NHS Direct about flu symptoms remained stable at 1.2 per cent of all calls. A spokesman for the HPA said: 'Flu continues to circulates in the UK. It is vital that those who are most ‘at risk’ from flu make sure they receive their vaccination as this is the most effective way of preventing them from becoming ill with the virus. 'These ‘at risk’ groups include people with weakened immune systems, those with underlying conditions such as liver, lung or renal diseases, heart problems or diabetes, as well as the over 65s and pregnant women.' The HPA also expressed the importance of helping to prevent the spread of flu by covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, disposing of the tissue promptly and washing your hands as soon as possible. Across Europe, particularly in Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden and Belgium, there is substantial flu activity, but the season appears to have peaked in some countries. | More than 500 hospital admissions across the UK since the beginning of the season .
The over 65s, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women are most vulnerable . |
84,257 | eefa0651aecbc09304f6bc8dbf4b5a60e2840db5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:20 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:10 EST, 23 December 2012 . President Obama's press secretary called for a cessation to the violence in Kenya as the commander-in-chief vacations in Honolulu, Hawaii, with his family . President Barack Obama is condemning violence in Kenya that left at least 39 people dead in renewed fighting between farming and herding communities that have a history of violent animosity. The White House says in a statement that Obama urges the Kenyan government and police, along with leaders from the Orma and Pokomo communities, to end a deadly cycle of conflict. 'The United States condemns in the strongest terms the renewed violence in Kenya’s Tana River region, which left over 39 dead and dozens injured on Friday, including many women and children,' White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reportedly said in a statement. 'With historic elections approaching in March, peace and stability are essential to Kenya's continued progress,' Carney said. 'The United States urges the people of Kenya to assert their rights through peaceful means, as provided for in Kenya’s constitution, so that all Kenyans may realize a secure, democratic, and prosperous future.' At least 39 people were killed when farmers raided a village of herders in southeastern Kenya early Friday in renewed fighting between two communities with a history of violent animosity, a police official said. Thirteen children, six women, 11 men and nine attackers were killed said police official Anthony Kamitu. Forty-five houses were set on fire during the attack, Kenya Red Cross spokeswoman Nelly Muluka said. President Obama arrives with first lady Michelle Obama, top, and daughters Malia, top left, and Sasha, bottom right, at Honolulu Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, for the start of their holiday vacation . Deadly attack: Villagers view the bodies of suspected attackers from the Pokomo tribe following tribal clashes in Kipao village in the Tana River Delta region of southeastern Kenya . Kamitu, who is leading police operations to prevent attacks in the region, said that the Pokomo tribe of farmers raided a village of the semi-nomadic Orma herding community at dawn in the Tana River Delta. He said the raiders were armed with spears and AK-47 rifles. At least 110 people were killed in clashes between the Pokomo and Orma in August and September. The tit-for-tat cycle of killings may be related to a redrawing of political boundaries and next year's general elections, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Kenya, Aeneas C. Chuma, said late August. However, on the surface the violence seems driven by competition for water, pasture and other resources, he said. Dhadho Godana, a member of parliament from the region and Defense Minister Yusuf Hajji have been accusing each other of involvement in the fighting. The two have testified before a commission of inquiry led by a High Court judge investigating the clashes . Political tensions and tribal animosities have increased due to competition among potential candidates in the March election. Death toll: At least 39 people including men, women, children, and attackers, were killed in Friday's raid in Kenya . Treating the wounded: An injured woman is treated at the district hospital in Malindi Friday, following the tribal clashes in Kipao village . Violence after Kenya's last general election, in late 2007, killed more than 1,000 people. Officials are working to avoid a repeat during March's presidential election, but episodes of violence around the country are raising fears that pockets of the country will see violence during the voting period. The Tana River area is about 430 miles (690 kilometers) from the capital, Nairobi. The utilization of the Tana River water has been at the middle of a conflict pitting the Pokomo against the Orma, according to research by the Institute of Security Studies in 2004, following clashes in the Tana River area in 2000 to 2002. The Pokomo claim the land along the river and the Orma claim the waters of the river, said the research by Taya Weiss, titled "Guns in the Borderlands Reducing the Demand for Small Arms." At least 108 people died in the 2000-2002 clashes, according to the parliamentary record. The longstanding conflict between the two tribes had previously resulted in relatively low casualties but the increased availability of guns has caused the casualties to escalate and more property to be destroyed, said the report. Restoring order: A villager armed with a spear walks past Kenyan police sent to keep order following tribal clashes in Kipao village . It said a catalyst to the conflict was the collapse of three irrigation schemes at Bura, Hola, and Tana Delta, which influenced residents' lifestyles in terms of employment and sources of income. 'The collapse of these schemes forced the nomadic pastoralists to move during the wet season, while the farmers remained along the river. During the dry season the pastoralists move back to the river in search of water and pasture,' it said. The Tana River area has the characteristics of any other conflict-prone area in Kenya: underdevelopment, poor infrastructure, poor communication and social amenities, and social marginalization, according to the report. 'Communities are arming themselves because of the need to defend against perceived attacks,' said the report. 'They feel that the government security machinery has not been able to effectively respond to violence. Isolation has led to increased demand for guns.' The First Family is welcomed by unidentified local officials as they arrive on Air Force One in Honolulu, Hawaii . | At least 39 people left dead by Friday raids likely motivated by lack of water .
At least 110 people were earlier killed in clashes between the Pokomo and Orma tribes .
Tribal animosities spill over amidst competition among potential candidates .
Violence after Kenya's last general election, in late 2007, killed more than 1,000 people . |
201,534 | 90f1f83279351cde5a7d943f3cd4ff1e9e39a39b | By . Ian Drury for the Daily Mail . Only 140 new Army reservists have been recruited this year – despite the Ministry of Defence spending millions on an advertising campaign designed to persuade thousands to sign up. The poor figures dramatically underline the crisis Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is facing to push through the Coalition’s controversial cost-cutting reforms. Under the Armed Forces shake-up, ministers are cutting the strength of the regular Army by 20,000, while doubling the Territorial Army – now called the Army Reserve – to 30,000 by 2020. Scroll down for video . Military chiefs spent at least £2 million on a television advertising campaign to try to persuade thousands to sign up as part-time soldiers, but only 140 new Army reservists have been recruited this year . But the latest MoD statistics reveal that the number of trained reservists rose in the first six months of the year from 19,150 to 19,290 – an increase of just 140, or 23 a month. At this rate, it would take 39 years to meet the 30,000 target. Military chiefs had spent at least £2 million on a television advertising campaign to try to persuade thousands to sign up as part-time soldiers – working out at a cost of around £15,000 for each of the 140 new recruits. The figures emerged ahead of the Nato summit in Wales this week where Western military allies will discuss the threats posed by Russian aggression in Ukraine and jihadist fighters in the Middle East. The Coalition has faced warnings that sacking full-time troops before having enough reserves in place is hampering Britain’s ability to respond militarily to situations. The Territorial Army (here pictured at a presentation ceremony at Prince Charles' private Scottish home, Birkhall) are now called the Army Reserve under the Armed Forces shake-up . Tory MP John Baron, a former Army officer who has led criticism of the reforms, said: ‘We live in an increasingly uncertain world. We see more money being spent on armed forces by countries who are not necessarily friendly to the West. ‘This should be a wake-up call to the West that we need to spend more money on our forces. With the military, Britain has not cut just to the bone, but into the bone.’ Mr Baron pointed out that reservists cost more to train and deploy than regular soldiers – undermining the potential savings expected by the MoD. He warned that if top brass failed to recruit enough troops the shortfall could jeopardise Britain’s security. In June, ministers announced 1,060 troops were being made redundant – the last of four rounds of job cuts that has left the regular Army at its weakest since before the Napoleonic wars more than 200 years ago. The National Audit Office also criticised the MoD over proposals to slash the regular army and warned recruitment of part-time soldiers appeared to be five years behind schedule. And a report from senior officers this summer said the plans had made an ‘extremely poor start’. An MoD spokesman said: ‘The reserves are being rebuilt and we are investing £1.8billion in better training and equipment. ‘We are one year into a five-year plan and the number of people joining the Army Reserve over the last 12 months is increasing.’ | Only 140 new Army reservists have been recruited this year .
This is despite the MoD spending millions on an advertising campaign .
Works out at a cost of around £15,000 for each of the 140 recruits .
Under the Armed Forces shake-up, ministers are cutting the strength of the regular Army by 20,000 while doubling the Army Reserve to 30,000 by 2020 . |
243,420 | c70cefa722a8e30435cde7237a19c96770a1d80f | If you thought Tesla's cars were the most innovative electric vehicles around, think again. Aircraft maker Airbus Group NV is learning from carmakers as it works on developing a small plane powered by hybrid electric engines that could represent its first move into the market for regional jets. The development of a regional plane, seating between 70 and 90 people, that can take off and land using electric power could take between 15 and 20 years, Airbus Group Chief Technology Officer Jean Botti told reporters in Munich. The E-Fan prototype electric aircraft, a 31.2-foot (9.5 metres) wingspan plane that Airbus is touting as the precursor to hybrid passenger aircraft, makes a demonstration flight above Merignac airport, France . Airbus, which with Boeing dominates the market for passenger jets, presently makes planes that seat more than 150 people. They are already working on an all-electric two-seater plane called the E-Fan, powered by two electric motors with a combined output of 60 kilowatts, hoping this technology will serve as a step to bringing electric motors on to larger aircraft. The E-Fan uses a pair of motors with ducted fans powered by a battery. It has a wingspan of 31.2 feet (9.5 metres) and weighs 1,212 pounds (550 kilograms) It can fly for about half an hour at 110 miles (177 kilometres) per hour. One . of the main landing gear wheels has a small electric motor that can . propel the airplane up to 35 miles (55 km) per hour to maximise flight . time. The two-seater, which Airbus says is suited for short missions such as pilot training and aerobatics, can run on its lithium-ion polymer batteries for half an hour, with the aim to get it up to an hour. The batteries are tricky, though, Botti says: 'They're causing us a lot of headaches.' Botti, who was part of a team developing battery-powered cars at General Motors Co more than 20 years ago, said Airbus was looking at electric cars in order to learn from them. But he declined to comment on how much the group was investing in hybrid and electric technologies. A pilot sits inside the EADS model of the E-Fan 2.0 prototype electric aircraft during a presentation at the Merignac airport. The E-Fan is a technology demonstrator of a fully electrically-powered, all-composite aircraft . Thumbs up: French Economy and Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg (right) and test pilot Didier Esteyne (left)show their pride after a demonstration flight of E-Fan . The two-seater E-Fan will be built at Bordeaux in southwest France and production could start at the end of 2017. Botti said he would like to see a prototype for a regional jet in 2030. The 31.2-foot (9.5 metres) wingspan E-Fan prototype electric aircraft made a demonstration flight above Merignac airport, southwestern France, on April 25, 2014. The plane results from an association between Aero Composite Saintonge (ACS) industry and European multinational aerospace and defence giant Airbus Group. | Airbus has unveiled their all-electric E-Fan 2.0 protoype electric aircraft .
The aircraft's duct fans are powered by an electric motor and battery .
It can fly for about half an hour and reach speeds of 110 mph .
The tech could serve as a step to putting electric motors on larger planes .
Airbus is planning to fly regional planes with hybrid engines by 2030 . |
115,083 | 208618ad1c094901dc3292eca29241b27b271c1f | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 2 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:11 EST, 3 September 2012 . President Barack Obama has insisted he wasn't offended by Clint Eastwood's Republican National Convention jibe in which the movie star interrogated an empty chair that he said represented the nation's leader. 'One thing about being president or running for president - if you're easily offended, you should probably choose another profession,' Obama told USA Today. The legendary Hollywood actor stole the show at the RNC and sparked an internet craze now known as 'Eastwooding' after he had a heated, and hilarious, discussion with an invisible Obama, grilling a chair about the President's legacy. Scroll down for video . Still a fan: President Barack Obama, pictured in Colorado today, insists he wasn't offended by Clint Eastwood's Republican National Convention jibe in which the movie star interrogated an empty chair that he said represented . Obama, who was campaigning in Bolder, Colarado, today, went on to call Eastwood 'a great actor, and an even better director' in the interview. 'I think the last few movies that he's made have been terrific,' he added. He also praised Mitt Romney's business career, describing his Republican rival as 'incredibly successful' as well as 'disciplined and hard-working'. However, Mr Obama had harsher words for his GOP rival's healthcare plans, saying they could be summarised as 'Romney doesn't care'. The President said: 'You know, he calls it Obamacare. I like the name. I do care. 'I don't know exactly what the other side is proposing - I guess you could call it "Romney doesn't care". But this law is here to stay.' In a fierce defence of his controversial reforms, Mr Obama said: 'Governor Romney promised that on his first day in office he's gonna sit right down, grab a pen and repeal Obamacare. 'What that means is that right away he'd kick 7 million young people off their parents' plan. He'd take hope away from tens of millions of American with pre-exiting conditions by repealing reform.' Prime-time jibe: Clint Eastwood, pictured during his speech on Thursday, stole the show at the RNC and sparked an internet craze now known as 'Eastwooding' after his heated discussion with an invisible Obama . Obama's . response to Clint Eastwood's speech was the most . re-tweeted tweet of the Republican convention, a Twitter spokesman told TPM. It . was the President's second most re-tweeted tweet of all time, after his . note a few months ago showing his support for gay marriage. As . of today, more than 51,000 people had re-tweeted the picture of the . back of Obama's head in the grandiose leather chair embossed with his title, with a . message saying 'This seat's taken.' While the President was expressing . his approval of Eastwood's performance, other leading Democrats were far . less complimentary towards last week's GOP convention. Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles who is chair of the . Democrats' convention, said the Republican plan for office 'looks like . the platform of 1812'. In an appearance on Fox News, he added that 'Reagan would be turning in his grave' over the GOP's current agenda. Campaign aide Stephanie Cutter went even further, suggesting that the convention shows Republicans 'think lying is a virtue'. Most re-tweeted: Obama's response to Clint Eastwood's speech, which featured this photo, was the most re-tweeted tweet of the Republican convention . Rahm Emanuel, the President's combative former chief of staff, was also . on the attack, saying that Mr Romney's speech had 'nothing memorable' about it. But other Obama allies were forced to be more defensive, with Maryland . governor Martin O'Malley admitting that Americans were not 'better off . today than they were four years ago' in an interview on CBS's Face the . Nation. And Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, resorted to arguing . that Mr Obama would win the support of 'the international community' in . his re-election attempt. These remarks all came as . hundreds of protesters marched on 'Wall Street South' in Charlotte, . North Carolina, and the town ramped up security ahead of the Democratic . National Convention. About 600 marchers carried signs and banners, including one accusing Obama of murdering children with drones, yesterday afternoon but the lively demonstration was a fraction of the size organisers had hoped. Placards: Demonstrators walk during the 'Wall Street South' protest . Rally: Hundreds of protesters marched through Charlotte's central business district today ahead of the Democratic National Convention . The march's general purpose was to decry corporate greed, but it drew people demonstrating for a variety of causes. Meanwhile, hundreds of law enforcement officers from . across the country descended on the Charlotte Police Training . Academy, getting ready for the convention, which officially starts on Tuesday. Charlotte-Mecklenburg . police haven't said exactly how many officers are being brought in for . the event, but they said they are ready for any challenge that may present itself. 'We . have (officers) in all areas and all facets of the venues, the traffic . assignments, the different visits, the routes people can expect to see . different colored patches and uniforms from all over the place,' Maj. Jeff Estes told NY 1. There will be countless security . hotspots in Charlotte during the convention but the most secretive is a . 17,000-square-foot office building near the airport, where more than 50 . agencies will house their representatives, according to Officer.com. The building, filled with tables, chairs and big-screen TVs, is called the Multi-Agency Communication Center and is the guts of the U.S. government, the website claims. It will house staff from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Secret Service from today. Angry: About 600 marchers carried signs and banners, banged drums and chanted on a sunny afternoon as part of the March on Wall Street South . Costumes: A demonstrator wears a pig snout occupying Marshall Park in advance of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina . The protest on the streets of Charlotte was planned as the week's biggest demonstration but the turn out was poor compared to the thousands organisers had touted. At . one point, about two-dozen of the protesters attempted to be disruptive . by sitting down and locking arms in front of the headquarters for Bank . of America. They had the phone numbers of lawyers written on their arms. But police officers standing nearby took no action. The group sat for about 10 minutes before getting up and moving on. At least 100 officers in plain uniforms walked along with the parade, carrying gas masks, wooden batons and plastic hand ties. A police helicopter hovered so low that people on the ground could feel the wind off its rotors. Organizers have pledged that the march will be peaceful. Beefing up security: Police officers from all around the country are being brought in to Charlotte ahead of the Democrat Convention . Security: Hundreds of extra police officers have descended on the North Carolina town . Aided by the pleasant weather, the . protesters showed more spirit than their rain-soaked counterparts at . last week's Republican National Convention in Tampa. There, effects of . Hurricane Isaac's outer bands thinned the ranks of protesters. The Charlotte demonstrators had . anti-war signs as well as those promoting unionized labor and the plight . of undocumented immigrants. One . read: 'Bankrupting America' with a font and logo that mimicked Bank of . America. Another said: 'OBAMA MURDERS CHILDREN WITH DRONES.' Participants ranged from young girls in cheerleading outfits and parents pushing strollers to Occupy Wall Street demonstrators in black shirts and red bandannas. Campaigning: US President Barack Obama was speaking at a campaign event in Colorado today . Supporters: Fans of Obama came out to show their support in Boulder . The route of the march was also taking . demonstrators by a major office hub for Wells Fargo. The banks are two . of the nation's largest financial institutions and beneficiaries of . massive taxpayer-backed loans during the 2008 bailout of the financial . sector. Both banks have also been criticized for roles in the home . foreclosure crisis. Before the march, the demonstrators gathered at a park on the outskirts of Charlotte's Uptown business district. Speakers addressed the crowd from a stage in front of a banner that read 'PEOPLE POWER NOW.' Official convention events begin on Tuesday, but thousands of delegates, officials, protesters and journalists began gathering over the weekend. | President tells crowd he's not 'easily offended' and enjoys star's movies .
Praised Mitt Romney's 'incredibly successful' business career .
But decried rival's health plans as meaning 'Romney doesn't care' |
64,894 | b844b63b20993e017d070c6e4f1bb4f67d35f19c | Atlanta (CNN) -- The Cherokee Nation had difficulty electing its principal chief, so much so that members called in the Carter Center to observe the most recent vote and judge whether it was free and fair. We normally observe elections only in politically troubled countries abroad but believe that the contentiousness and fundamental voting rights issues at stake -- and not just for the Cherokees -- justified this exceptional mission. Simmering beneath the election process all along has been the crucial issue of voting rights for the former slaves known in the tribe as Freedmen, who are Cherokee citizens of African origin and who have had to fight in the courts to be able to vote. Cherokees, formerly of Georgia and now mostly in Oklahoma, number about 300,000, 56,000 of whom are registered voters. About 15,200 turned out for an election in June. After four attempts to certify the winner in the contest between incumbent Principal Chief Chad Smith and challenger Bill John Baker, the Cherokee Supreme Court set a rerun vote vote for September 24, which the Carter Center observed. In March 2007, a referendum — in which only 8,700 ballots were cast -- denied tribal citizenship to anyone who did not have at least one ancestor on the 1867 U.S. government's Dawes List of ethnic Cherokees. Most of the disenfranchised were the nearly 3,000 Cherokee Freedmen. U.S. authorities had deemed their ancestors not ethnic Cherokees but among the 5,000 survivors of the 17,000 expelled from Georgia and sent on the "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma. Dawes had listed them separately as full members of the Cherokee nation. The Freedmen defied the exclusion, claimed their full rights and voted in June. But in August, before the rerun, the Cherokee Supreme Court issued a second ruling, affirming that the March referendum was constitutional. Smith had championed the 2007 referendum and, not surprisingly, praised the affirmation of Supreme Court, whose members he had appointed. Because of that, many believed the court ruling was rooted more in political opportunism -- to assure more votes for Smith over Baker -- than legal principles. The Freedmen fought back. Their legal counsel appealed to Washington District Judge Henry Kennedy to stay the Cherokee Supreme Court ruling September 20, and this, along with a decision by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to freeze $31 million in much-needed housing funds, succeeded in restoring the Freedmen's voting rights in the September 24 runoff. When the Cherokee Nation appealed to The Carter Center to observe this election, we saw a likelihood of another very close election between two increasingly bitter factions competing for control of a Cherokee administration with rapidly growing assets: up 243% since 2002, mostly because of casino gambling. Last year, the administration had revenues of about $420 million. But what made this election far more significant than a contest for political power and wealth was the voting rights of the Freedmen. Democracy's defining principle is inherent equality. The terrible history of forced oppression and forced relocation has produced a deeply flawed Cherokee democracy, one further threatened by the attempt to restrict citizenship to ethnic Cherokees, a flagrant affront to the principle of inherent equality. We observed the voting September 24 and the additional five days allowed at the election commission's headquarters in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, with the final voting October 8. The elections commission declared Bill John Baker the winner in an election The Carter Center deemed to be transparent and an accurate reflection of the will of the Cherokee people, including the Freedmen. The Cherokee election is significant because the vote was credible, and more important, for the rejection of ethnic nationalism as a route to democratic development. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Stremlau. | John Stremlau: Cherokee Nation called in Carter Center to observe its election for chief .
Adding to power struggle was the right of Freedmen (black Cherokees) to vote, he says .
Freedmen, Cherokee members of African origin, fought and finally won right to vote .
Stremlau: Restricting voting rights to ethnic Cherokees is an affront to democracy . |
239,836 | c27cd9d60a1601e8c0a84bf03a010e8060508644 | A 19-year-old college student suspected of murdering his parents and attempting to shoot dead two of his younger siblings had planned the attack over a 'long period of time', prosecutors said Monday. Ashton Sachs appeared in court for the first time to face charges of murder after his parents Andra, 54, and Bradford Sachs, 57, were found shot in their sleep at their 3.5million home in San Juan Capistrano, California. Prosecutors allege that Sachs set out to kill everyone inside the 9,000-square-foot mansion, down to his 8-year-old adopted little brother. Killer son: Ashton Sachs was arrested last week on suspicion of shooting his parents Bradford and Andra Sachs in their sleep on February 9 . Charges: Sachs could face the death penalty if convicted of murdering his parents (Bradford on the left, Andra on the right). He is also facing charges for the attempted murder of his siblings . Someone had a key: There was no sign of forced entry at the family's $3.5million home in San Juan Capistrano the night of the attack . Sachs is also facing two counts of attempted murder for shooting at his younger brother and sister, paralyzing the boy and missing the 17-year-old girl. Sachs has another teenage sister who was also uninjured in the attack. 'This was not something that happened at the spur of the moment or in the heat of passion,' prosecutor Ebrahim Baytieh said. 'This is a horrendous crime involving an adult man who decided to murder and kill the people who loved him the most, and the people who were supporting him,' Baytieh added. At the time of the murders, Sachs had moved out of the family home to Seattle, Washington where he was attending school. Tension? Sachs had moved out of the family home and had been living in Seattle attending college. Pictured above on his Facebook profile . Sachs drove the 1,200 miles from his home in Seattle to Southern California and snuck into the family home sometime after midnight on February 9. He first shot dead his parents while their were sleeping in their bed with a firearm he purchased himself. From there, Sachs targeted his younger siblings. He shot and hit his 8-year-old brother and missed hitting his 17-year-old sister before fleeing the property and taking a flight back to Seattle. Baytieh wouldn't elaborate on a motive for the crime, but did say money wasn't a factor - though his parents were quite wealthy. The couple (both pictured on the right) separated in 1999, but continued living and running several businesses together . 'I don’t have any indication whatsoever that his parents were anything other than supporting parents who cared about their children, all of their children — who supported their children, all of their children,' Baytieh said. Sachs wasn't arrested until March 6, since neither of his siblings could identify the shooter. Authorities first investigated whether one of the Sachs' many business connections was responsible, since they found several people who 'did not like' the couple. The investigation narrowed in on Ashton Sachs when he filed for guardianship of his younger siblings along with older brother Myles, who was away at school during the attack. New parents: A few weeks after their parents' murders, Ashton filed for guardianship of his three younger siblings along with older brother Myles, who was away at school at the time of the shootings. The brothers are pictured together in Ashton's Facebook profile picture on the left, while Myles is pictured by himself on the right . In court on Monday, the judge delayed Sachs' arraignment until April 4. Until then, he will be held without bond at the Central Men's Jail in Orange County. If convicted, Sachs could face the death penalty. The Sachs divorced nearly 15 years ago, but continued to live and raise their five children together, despite a separation marked with restraining orders and hostility. Following their divorce, which had been characterized by Andra Sachs as a 'financial decision,' according to a friend, the couple adopted a boy and girl from Russia. Neighbors were shocked by the brutal killings of the seemingly pleasant couple, but their business associates and customers described the Sachs as difficult to work with. Legal proceedings and several complaints had allegedly been made about the couple, who ran businesses under several names. In 2011, Ms Sachs appeared on a list of California's top tax evaders, allegedly owing $1.15million to the state. The following year, her name had been removed from the list, and she told Patch at the time: 'The amount due is highly in dispute and contested.' Consumer watchdog website Ripoff Report contained several allegations against the couple over disputed rental agreements and claims that they took advantage of Ms Sachs's dying mother. In a post from July last year, an alleged former tenant claimed they were still waiting for the couple to pay a court order of $8,000 over a deposit dispute. | Ashton Sachs, 19, was arrested last week on suspicion of murdering parents Bradford and Andra Sachs in the early hours of February 9 .
Sachs made his first court appearance Monday and is facing charges of murder and attempted murder since he shot at two of his younger siblings .
His eight-year-old adopted brother was paralyzed by a gunshot wound .
Prosecutors wouldn't elaborate on the motive of the attack, but said it 'wasn't carried out in the heat of passion'
Sachs allegedly drove the 1,200 miles from his home in Seattle, Washington to sneak into his family home and shoot his parents .
If convicted, Sachs could face the death penalty . |
116,055 | 21cb2b063ff075f0ecc66d501c63ce5555d74c6e | They chomped, they chowed, they chewed. Wings disappeared and, in two competitors' cases, reappeared, but it was 5-foot-7, 125-pound mother-of-four pulled off 'the greatest performance in Wing Bowl history,' Molly Schuyler devoured 363 chicken wings in 30 minutes at a competitive eating contest in Philadelphia. Ms. Schuyler flew past the previous long-standing record of 337 wings as she finished the last round of the 22nd annual WIP 94 Sportsradio Wing Bowl. Scroll down for video... Ms Schuyler captured a $22,000 payday by devouring 363 chicken wings in 30 minutes at a competitive eating contest called Wing Bowl 22 in Philadelphia last Friday . Winging it: The mother of four from Bellevue, Nebraska cleaned up at the WIP's Wing Bowl 22 . She's no chicken: Molly Schuyler, who stands 5'7" tall and weighs just 125 pounds, ate 363 chicken wings to take the crown - and set a new Wing Bowl record . At 8 a.m. the 120-pound woman virtually swallowed the wings for her breakfast as second-place finisher Patrick Bertoletti from Chicago could only chomp home in second place with a total of 356 wing. Ms. Schuyler, whose performance host Angelo Cataldi dubbed 'the greatest ever', won $22,000. Asked by Mr Cataldi what she would do with the money, Schuyler said, 'I have car payments and kids, so it's all good.' 'Who eats 363 chicken wings in 30 minutes?' Mr Cataldi asked, still mystified by the performance. Victory! Molly Schuyler is the champion chicken eater! Not bad for a morning's work: Molly Schuyler is handed the winning check for $22,000 before heading to Iowa for her next eating competition . Ms. Schuyler breezed to the first-round lead, eating 186 wings in 14 minutes as the top 10 advanced. One of those eliminated in the first round was Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, who managed only 65 wings. The second round lasted 14 minutes, and the final round was a two-minute sprint to the finish. 'To tell you the truth, I didn’t even think I was going to win this, I was looking and hoping to finish in the top three,' said Ms. Schuyler to CBS 3. 'We come from Omaha and we don't really have the kind of wings you guys have out here,' she said smiling. 'I had to 'wing' it.' The eating and all the surrounding shenanigans took place in front of a sold out crowd. This weekend she if off to Des Moines, Iowa Friday afternoon to compete in the IHOP Pancake Bowl on Saturday, and then attempt to defend her title later Saturday afternoon at the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. Where did it all go? Molly has a petite frame. At 5ft 7in and 125 pounds, her eating abilities are truly incredible . Make mine a large! Molly's been competitive eating for less than a year and says she eats to support her 4 kids . 'I think I could eat some more,'kid Ms. Schuyler, the Wing Bowl 22 crown skewed on her head. 'This was freaking crazy. I kept eating and I kept saying I didn’t want to know how many wings I ate until the end. I just wanted to focus on what I was doing. But I don’t think I want to eat another chicken wing for a while. Hopefully I’ll be back next year.' Each year, Wing Bowl brings out some of the region’s best competitive eaters, who themselves have to prove their worth to qualify for the event by performing a miraculous feat of eating. To qualify for the Wing Bowl, Schuyler ate nine pounds of cottage cheese in 114 seconds. She also holds a world record for eating a 72-ounce steak in less than three minutes. The previous record of 337 was established in 2012 by one of the world's best-known competitive eaters Takeru Kobayashi. The only other woman to ever win the contest was Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, who won Wing Bowl 12 with 167 wings in 2004. Wing Bowl creator Al Morganti had predicted Ms Schuyler odds-on favorite for the event at 2-1. Asked whether she would return next year to defend her championship, presumably still feeling rather full, Ms. Schuyler said, 'maybe!' Large appetite: Previously, Molly Schuyler wolfed down a 72oz steak in 2 minutes 44 . seconds, earning her a place in the world record books - and a spot of . indigestion, no doubt . Room for more: Despite the colossal size of her dish, Mrs Schuyler's appetite continues to roll, and she is seen reaching for handfuls of fries . Non stop: Earlier this year, Mrs Schuyler smashed another record by . demolishing a 12-pound sandwich, one pound of French fries and a large . soda as part of the Mad Greek Deli Challenge in Portland . Talking about her speed-eating abilities, she added: ‘It's an unexplained phenomenon. ‘I was just born that way. I started doing this about a year ago, and I guess it's like a stupid human trick.' Her husband, Sean, also says she is 'amazing when it comes to eating.' In 2013 Mrs Schuyler competed in more than 20 different food eating contests across the country. Slender: Mrs Schuyler's slim physique, and the fact that she has birthed four kids, may come as a surprise to those who've watched her eat . New-found skill: Mrs Schuyler, a full-time server, only started eating competitively last August . Victories included eating 9lbs of fried mushrooms in 8 minutes and eight beef patties in 1 minute and 46 seconds. She also beat ‘Man vs Food’s Adam Richman at Jethro's BBQ Diner challenge in Iowa by polishing off a 5lb meat sandwich made of pork, chicken, bacon, brisket and deep fried cheese in less than eight minutes. All Pro Eating, the world's only independent competitive eating organization, lists her as the world's number one female. | Molly Schuyler, 34, of Nebraska, tackled pile of wings at a competitive eating competitions in Philadelphia .
Smashed the previous record of 337 set in 2012 .
'I started doing this about a year ago, and I guess it's like a stupid human trick,' Mrs Schuyler said of her speed-eating abilities . |
147,379 | 4a8c02c0b7db022630c1154e6bcb120648c4f35d | (CNN) -- With a father who is a toppled Communist leader and a mother accused of murder, the son, Bo Guagua, is now under scrutiny over reports of a lavish student lifestyle that have raised questions about where China's top cadres find their money. Photographs of him bare-chested with his arms around female students at an Oxford college party and urinating against a college fence have gone down badly in China, where his father, Bo Xilai, has been accused of corruption and stripped of his political post. Bo Xilai reacted furiously to questions about his 24-year-old son's lifestyle last month. "A few people have been pouring filth on Chongqing and me and my family," Bo said at the time. "They even say that my son studies abroad and drives a red Ferrari. Sheer rubbish! I feel really furious. Sheer rubbish!" Despite the denials, rumors over his son's allegedly flamboyant college lifestyle have added to the woes of the former Chongqing kingpin who promoted a revival of 'red culture' and pushed efforts to bring back Maoist slogans. While Bo family friends have defended Guagua's college record and behavior, one family associate told CNN there was little sympathy in China for what many regard as the typically spoilt offspring of the Communist Party elite. "He (Bo Guagua) had tried to explain himself, saying the pictures showed him attending school parties which encouraged students to socialize and let their hair down," the source said. "One picture showed him with an unbuttoned shirt and his arms around foreign students. He said it was quite normal there, but no one in China would buy that. Here 90% of people do not get the cultural differences." The source added that the images had not played well in China, where Guagua's antics have been grist for the country's gossip-hungry microblogs. "Many Chinese admire and support Bo Xilai, but few like Bo Guagua," the source said. What does Bo scandal mean for China? A fellow student at the Harvard Kennedy School -- where the cost for the average international student the school puts at $71,000 a year -- told CNN that Bo skirted attendance requirements at the college, making his first appearance at one seminar class on its final day when he was scheduled to make a presentation. "Let me tell you how we've been going about this all year," the seminar's instructor said to Bo, explaining the class's protocols since he had not attended previous classes, the student recounted. "He more than anyone else that I know really pushed it to the boundaries," the student said. "Not attending seminars, not getting any feedback." The student described Bo's presentation as "slapdash and put together at the last moment." The seminar's instructor declined to comment, citing student privacy policies. Bo was one of 21 students awarded a research grant from the school's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation for the current academic year. A school spokesman declined to say how many students competed for the grant which is awarded on "the quality of the proposal, the research focus, and travel requirements." Harvard Kennedy School spokesman Doug Gavel said he could not comment on specific students, citing privacy concerns. The family friend told CNN that reports about Bo's lackluster university record and rich-kid lifestyle were "one-sided and a bit unfair". "He may have committed indiscretions in public, but he is not the spoiled brat who thinks of nothing but a good time," the source said. "Let's remember that he had done some fund-raising for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. The same year, he promoted the Beijing Olympics in his school." Pei: The paranoid style in Chinese politics . The family friend said Bo Guagua had been a smart and thoughtful child. "He learned calligraphy at a very young age and was a good writer in Chinese and English," the source said. "He published his writings in a paperback in 2005 when he was still in his late teens." The family friend told CNN that far from receiving miserable grades, Bo Guagua's performance at Oxford had been creditable, receiving a 2:1 grade. "It's probably equivalent to an A minus which by Oxford standards is pretty good; and to the think he was handicapped by the problems of adjusting to a very different place and culture. He was in his early teens when he moved overseas to study," the source said. While there has been speculation that Bo Guagua may seek asylum in the U.S. in the light of his parents' problems, the US agency that oversees asylum requests, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, "can neither confirm nor deny that someone has filed a request," according to spokesman Chris Bentley. "As far as we know, there's nothing to those reports; he remains at school at Harvard," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, told a press conference in Washington last week. Bo Guagua did not respond to emailed requests for comment. | Bo Xilai's son Bo Guagua in the spotlight over lavish student lifestyle .
Questions have been raised over where China's top cadres find their money .
Bo Xilai once championed revival of 'red culture' and pushed efforts to bring back Maoist slogans .
Sources say images of Bo Guagua partying have not played well in China . |
135,175 | 3adaa9dee926cf6a54bf0ef63e803b67246065e9 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 03:38 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:40 EST, 10 October 2012 . A convicted conman tried to hire hitmen to kill and decapitate the judge and young female prosecutor who put him in jail for 15 years, a court has heard. Joseph Romano, 49, offered the killers a bonus if they kept the heads in formaldehyde - a toxic chemical used to preserve dead bodies - as souvenirs, a judge was told. Romano allegedly told an informant that he wanted to torture Judge Joseph Bianco and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Gatz before they were killed. Romano wanted Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Gatz, left, and Judge Bianco, right, tortured and killed after he was put in jail for 15 years . The informant reported the threat to the FBI, the authorities said yesterday. FBI special agent Reynaldo Tariche said in court papers: 'Romano requested that the heads of both the judge and the [prosecutor] be preserved in formaldehyde as souvenirs.' 'Romano was willing to pay extra . for the "souvenirs" if [the undercover] was willing to store them until . Romano’s release from prison.' Romano appeared emotionless at a brief court appearance in Central Islip, New York, yesterday. The FBI also arrested Dejvid . Mirkovic, a business associate of Romano, and charged him with acting as . the intermediary between two undercover FBI agents posing as hitmen, . according to court papers. Romano had pleaded guilty in 2010 to wire and bank fraud in connection with a 'boiler room scheme' in which victims were offered collectible coins at vastly inflated prices. There were more than 1,500 victims — most of them elderly investors who lost their life savings, it was reported in the New York Daily News. In total they were fleeced out of more than $40million. Authorities said Romano made about $4million. Romano, 49, had pleaded guilty in 2010 to wire and bank fraud in connection with a 'boiler room scheme' in which victims were offered collectible coins at vastly inflated prices . Last month, the judge signed a $7million forfeiture order against him, of which he still owes the government more than $5million. Romano was sentenced to less than the 20 years maximum behind bars that he faced for wire and mail fraud. Since his conviction he was plotting for revenge against the government. Romano sought the help of the informant in finding a contract killer. The undercover agents met with him at the Nassau County jail where he was locked up during recent restitution hearings. He represented himself at the hearings. Romano proposed the undercovers assault another associate of his for $3,000 as a test, which, if successfully carried out, would lead to another 'big job, some serious work,' according to the complaint. Romano was involved in a financial dispute with the man he wanted attacked. The meeting was recorded with secret audio and video devices worn by the agent. Undercover agents told Mirkovic that the associate had been assaulted and showed him a staged photo of the attack. After hearing the news he allegedly offered them the $40,000 contract on Bianco and Gatz. The agents were paid $12,000 as a down payment toward the . double hit and the balance was supposed to be paid after the judge and . prosecutor were killed. Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said, as reported in the New York Daily News: 'Romano thought he was buying revenge. 'Instead, he bought the full force of the law along with a possible life sentence.' | Joseph Romano offered killers bonus if they kept heads in formaldehyde as souvenirs .
Two undercover FBI agents posed as hitmen and were paid $12,000 as down payment toward double hit . |
26,446 | 4b1d055dc0c0a7246cef6bd35ff0476e4eb79e7f | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 11:18 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:18 EST, 18 October 2013 . Cheat: Samantha Myatt has been banned from going out on weekends after defrauding the taxpayer of £16,000 in benefits . A benefits cheat has been banned from going out at the weekends in a bid to stop her going abroad after she spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money on foreign holidays. Samantha Myatt claimed to be an unemployed single mother in order to claim a total of £16,000 in fraudulent benefits, which she spent on travelling to Spain at least twice a year. But in fact the 39-year-old was working as a kitchen assistant and living with her partner, who received a pension from his former employer. She has now been handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to cheating the taxpayer. Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Myatt was caught out after investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions received a tip-off. Jacky Bramley, prosecuting, told the court Myatt first started claiming benefits in 2004, when she said she was a single non-working parent looking after her disabled child. In October 2005, her partner Neil Britton moved in with her in Wednesfield, West Midlands - but failed to declare that he had a company pension. Two months later, Myatt found work as a kitchen assistant and a second part-time job at Gala Bingo. Ms Bramley said Myatt had deposited large sums of money into Mr Britton's account, including £3,000 in August 2010 and £68,000 in December 2010. Mahmood Hussain, defending, told the court Myatt had got into debt and was aware of the seriousness of what she had done. Myatt pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances and three of falsely making a statement to obtain payment or benefit. Sentenced: Myatt was given a suspended prison sentence at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court, pictured . She was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay costs of £2,265. Judge Graham Wilkinson also imposed a curfew on Myatt stopping her going out on Friday or Saturday night for six months in case she tries to go on holiday. 'You have lied and lied again all the way through this investigation,' he said. 'You were spending your ill-gotten gains on life's luxuries.' | Samantha Myatt, 39, claimed to be an unemployed single mother .
But in fact she had two jobs and lived with her partner in the West Midlands .
Judge bans her from leaving the house on Friday and Saturday nights so she cannot go on foreign holidays . |
148,931 | 4c928bb889cdced5aefb4c98f41cc5fd38d2ff78 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 06:27 EST, 22 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 22 August 2012 . They didn't need to be asked twice. Firefighters in eastern China jumped at the chance when they were asked to put 300 mini-skirted girls from a hostess bar through their paces. The waitresses arrived at the fire station in Wenling, Zhejiang province, wearing stiletto heels and plenty of make-up. Training: Firefighters in eastern China jumped at the chance when they were asked to put 300 mini-skirted girls from a hostess bar through their paces . Dressing up: The waitresses arrived at the fire station in Wenling, Zhejiang province, wearing stiletto heels and plenty of make-up . They were there for a fire safety course and were soon being instructed in how to properly use a fire extinguisher. All . the girls - with their off-the-shoulder tops and stiletto heels - are . assistants at a local KTV bar, a cross between a karaoke bar and a . hostess club. A fire . service spokesman said: 'It is a public building and the staff have to . go through fire safety courses to get a public entertainment licence.' But he played down any suggestion that the firemen in any way enjoyed their day's work. He . said: 'The girls were wearing mini-skirts and high heels because that's . what they wear at work. It was all the same to our men.' What gentlemen: They were there for a fire safety course and were soon being instructed in how to properly use a fire extinguisher . Drill: The hostesses take part in a mock fire alarm, covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs so they do not inhale smoke . Pay attention: The women listen intently as the intricate details of fire safety are spelled out to them . | Hostesses arrive at fire station in Wenling, Zhejiang province, wearing stiletto heels and plenty of make-up for a day of safety training . |
252,668 | d2ff933481e6e96aaf5084d4b95169283f5d8ac0 | (CNN) -- "Obama did worse." "Christie's toast." Those are the two main things media commentators, from the right and the left, said about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie this week. Together, they expose the carelessness of the way we talk and think about the people who aspire to the presidency. Start from this point: Many on Christie's staff are implicated in an abuse of power that inflicted harm upon tens of thousands of people. Perhaps the governor didn't know that his staffers had gleefully ordered a traffic disruption on the George Washington Bridge last year. There is no evidence that he did know. On the other hand, these were the people the governor had chosen. This was the culture of the office he led. Opinion: A Chris Christie prosecution would be political dynamite . The phrase "the buck stops here" -- used by the governor at his news conference last week -- doesn't just mean the boss makes the final decision. It means the boss accepts blame for things that go wrong, just as he gains credit from things that go right. It means that "I didn't know" is not an acceptable excuse. But now proceed to this point: Almost everybody who seeks the presidency has demons to slay on his or her way to the office. The long road to the highest office in the land is a contest not only against political rivals but against the flaws of a candidate's own character and temperament. We all have such flaws. In would-be presidents, they tend to be outsized and to carry outsized importance. What we are looking for in a president is not a person without such flaws but a person who has struggled with them and overcome them. When a politician gets into trouble, as Christie has done, pundits suddenly decide that it's their job to mimic crisis managers. They offer advice on what the politician should say, what gestures he should offer, so as to escape blame and deflect criticism. Opinion: Christie's bogus 'stages of grief' But what matters after an episode like the bridge story is not the show of contrition but the real lessons learned. Trouble now can even be a politician's friend, if it jolts him off a path leading to worse trouble later. What Christie faces in the bridge uproar is not a communications challenge but a personal growth challenge. Can this combative politician recruit and run a team that understands better what is acceptable in political combat -- and what is not? At his news conference after the damning bridge e-mails came to light, Christie repeatedly denounced the abuse of conduct as contrary to his personal standards. Can he enforce higher standards in the future? Christie has a style and sensibility that has brought him far as a politician. He's just received a sharp warning that this style and sensibility will take him no further. Conflict is intrinsic to politics -- but conflict governed by rules, written and unwritten. Opinion: Christie's choice -- Be seen as a crook or schnook? Christie's team broke the rules to score revenge against a political opponent. Would a Christie White House govern the country in the same score-settling way? Even people inclined to support Christie are now wondering. His future will depend on convincing people that he's learned his lesson and changed his ways, and the best way to convince people that you have learned a lesson is actually to learn that lesson and actually to change your ways. At the end of his own career, Richard Nixon delivered an eloquent self-assessment of his own failure as president: "Always remember others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself." Unlike Nixon, Christie can benefit from that wisdom at the beginning of a presidential career rather than at its tragic end. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum: Chris Christie's team broke rules to gain revenge against opponent .
He says question for governor is whether he can learn from this episode .
Running for president is a test of character, Frum says; can Christie overcome his flaws?
Frum: Ex-President Nixon realized too late that hating his opponents was his undoing . |
172,456 | 6b2fe9b1f98f284c94000e65c84b4e7d2484921d | By . Sophie Jane Evans . The Royal Navy has revealed its latest 3D radar system which can track missiles - before knocking them out of the sky. The cutting-edge system, called 'Artisan', was tested by some 180 sailors on board HMS Iron Duke off the coast of Portland today. It tracked a sea-skimming target, before launching a Seawolf missile - which crashed into the object seconds later. Scroll down for video . Trial: The Royal Navy tested its 'Artisan' system on board HMS Iron Duke off the coast of Portland today. It tracked a target, before launching a Seawolf missle (above) - which crashed into the object seconds later . The dramatic moment, caught on camera by crew members, was the first time the system had been used to track a moving target ahead of a missile launch. And it has been deemed a success - with experts saying the 'Artisan' system could be used by the Navy in the future to counter any threats in the skies. 'I’m pleased the team performed well . and we achieved the firing quickly and efficiently,' said . Lieutenant Commander Chris L’Amie, who directed the firing from the frigate’s operations . room. 'It really boosted . confidence in the new radar ahead of Iron Duke’s deployment.' New technology: The dramatic moment, caught on camera by crew members, was the first time the system had been used to track a moving target ahead of a missile launch. Above, a sailor uses the 3D radar system . Frigate: And it has been deemed a success - with experts saying the 'Artisan' system could be used by the Navy in the future to counter any threats in the skies. Above, HMS Iron Duke, where the tests were carried out . Today, sailors used the system to track the target, which was being dragged along the surface of the sea by a long tow wire attached to an aircraft. They then passed the data to the Seawolf missile to follow and shoot - before successfully blasting the object out of the sky with a direct hit, according to a Royal Navy statement. The trial, which took place as the frigate made its way back to its home base in Portsmouth, followed eight weeks of tough training in Plymouth. 'We had just finished . eight hard weeks of training where we’d used Seawolf in simulation mode . to defend ourselves against hostile aircraft and missiles,' said . Lt Cmdr L’Amie. Blasting off: Sailors launch Seowolf missiles off the deck of HMS Iron Duke using Artisan - or 997 - software . “To cap off the training with . a live shoot was hugely satisfying.' Iron Duke is the first ship in Britain's fleet to have Artisan - also known as 997 in the Navy - and has been testing the system around the UK since completing a refit last year. The revamp also saw her receive the latest version of Seawolf – a missile which has protected Navy frigates from air attack for more than 30 years. Lieutenant Commander Jim Hyde, whose Short . Range Air Defence (SHORAD) team is responsible for both Artisan and the . upgraded Seawolf, was also on board Iron Duke for the successful shoot. 'Following . a challenging trials and development programme, today was significant . as it was the first time we have conducted a live firing with 997,' he . said. 'It was rewarding . to see both the new radar and the upgraded weapon system operate . together perfectly, successfully demonstrating end-to-end combat system . performance, and validating a lot of hard work done by agencies across . MOD and in industry.' At work: The system can track 800 targets simultaneously - and can even register objects 125 miles away . Artisan is being fitted to the Navy’s Type 23 frigates, as well as its two new aircraft carriers and assault ships Ocean and Albion. It could also be the principal air radar of the Type 26 combat ships, successor to the 23s, which enter service next decade. Astonishingly, the system can track up to 800 targets simultaneously - and can even register objects 125 miles (200 kilometres) away. | New system, called 'Artisan', tested by sailors off coast of Portland today .
It tracked sea-skimming target, before passing data to a Seawolf missile .
Missile was then launched into the air and blasted the object out of sky .
First time system had been used to track target ahead of missile launch .
It can track 800 objects simultaneously - even if they are 125 miles away .
It has been deemed a success - and could be used by Navy in the future . |
263,385 | e1254ef508d6f4a49d068af46ae72ad5717596ac | LONDON, England (CNN) -- A new space race is officially under way, and this one should have the sci-fi geeks salivating. Lift to space: This is a NASA interpretation of what a space elevator may look like. The project is a "space elevator," and some experts now believe that the concept is well within the bounds of possibility -- maybe even within our lifetimes. A conference discussing developments in space elevator concepts is being held in Japan in November, and hundreds of engineers and scientists from Asia, Europe and the Americas are working to design the only lift that will take you directly to the one hundred-thousandth floor. Despite these developments, you could be excused for thinking it all sounds a little far-fetched. Indeed, if successfully built, the space elevator would be an unprecedented feat of human engineering. A cable anchored to the Earth's surface, reaching tens of thousands of kilometers into space, balanced with a counterweight attached at the other end is the basic design for the elevator. It is thought that inertia -- the physics theory stating that matter retains its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force -- will cause the cable to stay stretched taut, allowing the elevator to sit in geostationary orbit. The cable would extend into the sky, eventually reaching a satellite docking station orbiting in space. Engineers hope the elevator will transport people and objects into space, and there have even been suggestions that it could be used to dispose of nuclear waste. Another proposed idea is to use the elevator to place solar panels in space to provide power for homes on Earth. If it sounds like the stuff of fiction, maybe that's because it once was. In 1979, Arthur C. Clarke's novel "The Fountains of Paradise" brought the idea of a space elevator to a mass audience. Charles Sheffield's "The Web Between the Worlds" also featured the building of a space elevator. But, jump out of the storybooks and fast-forward nearly three decades, and Japanese scientists at the Japan Space Elevator Association are working seriously on the space-elevator project. Association spokesman Akira Tsuchida said his organization was working with U.S.-based Spaceward Foundation and a European organization based in Luxembourg to develop an elevator design. The Liftport Group in the U.S. is also working on developing a design, and in total it's believed that more than 300 scientists and engineers are engaged in such work around the globe. NASA is holding a $4 million Space Elevator Challenge to encourage designs for a successful space elevator. Tsuchida said the technology driving the race to build the first space elevator is the quickly developing material carbon nanotube. It is lightweight and has a tensile strength 180 times stronger than that of a steel cable. Currently, it is the only material with the potential to be strong enough to use to manufacture elevator cable, according to Tsuchida. "At present we have a tether which is made of carbon nanotube, and has one-third or one-quarter of the strength required to make a space elevator. We expect that we will have strong enough cable in the 2020s or 2030s," Tsuchida said. He said the most likely method of powering the elevator would be through the carbon nanotube cable. So, what are the major logistical issues keeping the space elevator from being anything more than a dream at present? Massachusetts Institute of Technology aeronautics and astronautics Professor Jeff Hoffman said that designing the carbon nanotube appeared to be the biggest obstacle. "We are now on the verge of having material that has the strength to span the 30,000 km ... but we don't have the ability to make long cable out of the carbon nanotubes at the moment." he said. "Although I'm confident that within a reasonable amount of time we will be able to do this." Tsuchida said that one of the biggest challenges will be acquiring funding to move the projects forward. At present, there is no financial backing for the space elevator project, and all of the Japanese group's 100-plus members maintain other jobs to earn a living. "Because we don't have a material which has enough strength to construct space elevator yet, it is difficult to change people's mind so they believe that it can be real," he said. Hoffman feels that international dialogue needs to be encouaraged on the issue. He said a number of legal considerations also would have to be taken into account. "This is not something one nation or one company can do. There needs to be a worldwide approach," he said. Other difficulties for space-elevator projects include how to build the base for the elevator, how to design it and where to set up the operation. Tsuchida said some possible locations for an elevator include the South China Sea, western Australia and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. He said all of those locations usually avoided typhoons, which could pose a threat to the safety of an elevator. "As the base of space elevator will be located on geosynchronous orbit, [the] space elevator ground station should be located near the equator," he said. Although the Japanese association has set a time frame of the 2030s to get a space elevator under construction -- and developments are moving quickly -- Hoffman acknowledges that it could be a little further away than that. "I don't know if it's going to be in our lifetime or if it's 100 or 200 years away, but it's near enough that we can contemplate how it will work." Building a space elevator is a matter of when, not if, said Hoffman, who believes that it will herald a major new period in human history. "It will be revolutionary for human technology, and not just for space travel. That's why so many people are pursuing it," he said. "This is what it will take to turn humans into a space-bearing species." | Japan group has more than 100 engineers trying to design a space elevator .
Carbon nanotube would be used as a wire to lift the elevator into space .
Western Australia and the Galapagos Islands are potential locations for base station .
Group sets the 2030s as a target to begin construction, although it could be later . |
94,781 | 05cb2d407d09129e1c8327b1780543d5ac7d1ea9 | Each year, tourists brave the harsh winds and freezing temperatures to witness the Northern Lights in all their glory. But for those who aren’t quite as adventurous, Google now lets so-called armchair explorers ‘visit’ the Aurora Borealis from their living room. The images were taken in the north of Finland and show lights created by oxygen molecules colliding approximately 60 miles (96km) above Earth. The images of the Northern Lights were taken in the north of Finland, and now, for the first time, Google is letting armchair explorers discover the area and see the light show from their living room. Aurora is caused when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the Earth’s atmosphere. These geomagnetic storms occur when a solar wind or cloud of magnetic field hits the Earth’s magnetic field . Selecting an image reveals a panorama of the location, photos of which were taken on top of a frozen lake, and users can take in the view or click the screen to move through the snow. There are two types of Aurora - Aurora Borealis, which means ‘dawn of the north’, and Aurora Australis’, known as ‘dawn of the south.’ There are two types of Aurora - Aurora Borealis, which means ‘dawn of the north’, and Aurora Australis, ‘dawn of the south.’ They . are caused when electrically charged particles from the sun enter . the Earth’s atmosphere. These so-called geomagnetic storms occur when a . solar wind or cloud of magnetic field hits the Earth’s magnetic field. Usually . the charged particles from the sun are deflected by the Earth’s . magnetic field, but some do manage to enter the atmosphere and collide . with gas particles. These collisions emit light. Auroral . displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the . most common. They are caused when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the Earth’s atmosphere. These so-called geomagnetic storms occur when a solar wind or cloud of magnetic field hits the Earth’s magnetic field. Usually the charged particles from the sun are deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field, but some do manage to enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles. These collisions emit light. As a result, Aurora is most common around the magnetic poles and is most often seen in areas with little light pollution, such as Finland where the Street View images were taken, and Iceland. Over the course of January and February last year, this geomagnetic storm and shock wave from a solar wind was so strong and significant, it travelled further south over the UK and could be seen in areas with little cloud cover. Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, blue, and violet have also been reported. The common, greenish-yellow colour is caused by colliding oxygen molecules approximately 60 miles (96km) above Earth. Rare, red auroras are produced by oxygen molecules situated much higher up, at around 200 miles (321km). Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora. Laurian Clemence, from Google told MailOnline: ‘The Northern Lights is one of nature's most beautiful and mystical phenomena, only seen by very few in their lifetime. Selecting an image (right) reveals a panorama of the location, photos of which were taken on top of a frozen lake in Finland (shown on map bottom left). Users can either take in the view or click the screen (top left) to move through the snow . Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green (pictured on Google Street View) and pink are the most common. The common, greenish-yellow colour is caused by colliding oxygen molecules approximately 60 miles (96km) above Earth. Rare, red auroras are produced by oxygen molecules situated much higher up, at around 200 miles (321km). Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora . 'Now anyone has a chance to "travel" to this spectacular scene from their own homes, using Street View to explore.’ The images of the Northern Lights are the latest locations to be added to Google's Street View. Previous collections include the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the historic centre of Prague. These collections can be viewed on Google's Street View map by clicking the relevant red dot on the map. Aurora is most common around the magnetic poles and is most often seen in areas with little light pollution, such as Finland where the Street View images were taken, and Iceland. Photographer Stefan Brenner captured these amazing images of the light show while visiting the Jokulsarlon glacial lake at the edge of Vatnajokull National Park in Iceland . The images of the Northern Lights are the latest locations to be added to Google's Street View. Previous collections include the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the historic centre of Prague. These collections can be viewed on Google's Street View map by clicking the relevant red dot (pictured) | Images of the Northern Lights were taken in Finland and added to Google's mapping service for the first time .
Armchair explorers can virtually visit the snow-covered region and stand beneath the impressive light show .
Aurora is caused when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the Earth’s atmosphere .
These geomagnetic storms occur when a solar wind or cloud of magnetic field hits the Earth’s magnetic field . |
95,560 | 06d113a6b9c1331e78bc349192f4c738e35b8dd4 | The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’ George Osborne has ruled out any traditional pre-election giveaways in this week’s Autumn Statement. The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’. ‘What you’re going to see is me avoiding the mistakes of Labour chancellors before elections with unfunded giveaways that lead to economic problems after the election,’ he said. A report out today warns that the Government will have to borrow £9billion more than expected this year as tax receipts disappoint. This means the Chancellor will not be able to deliver the budget surplus he has promised until 2019-20 – a year late. And it casts doubt on his plans for £7billion of tax cuts for the middle classes after the election. ‘The improvement in the public finances is in danger of not just stalling but going into reverse,’ says Marin Beck in the report for the Ernst & Young Item Club. ‘With the fiscal cupboard bare, the Chancellor will have little room for manoeuvre.’ Mr Osborne can expect a boost from the Office for Budget Responsibility this week with an upward revision of economic growth forecasts. But the Item Club warns ‘that’s where the good news is likely to end’ as subdued wage growth and the big increase in the tax free allowance to £10,500 hits tax receipts. Borrowing hit a record high of £153billion in 2009-10 as the last Labour government lost control of the public finances in the Great Recession. The deficit fell to £97.5billion last year but progress has stalled and the Government borrowed £64.1billion in the first seven months of this fiscal year. That is £3.7billion more than in the equivalent period of 2013-14. The increase in borrowing means the Chancellor will struggle to meet his target of cutting the deficit by another £11billion this year – with the Item Club expecting it to come in at £95.5billion. ‘With just five months to go it appears virtually impossible for the Government to achieve the OBR’s current forecast for borrowing in 2014-15,’ Mr Beck said. Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories’ failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer £116.5billion since 2010. Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories’ failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer £116.5billion since 2010 . The price tag – equivalent to almost £4,000 for every taxpayer – is based on new research from the House of Commons Library being published by Labour. Depressed pay combined with soaring housing costs and the failure to tackle the causes of increased welfare bills, means tax receipts have fallen short by £66 billion, national insurance contributions are £25.5billion lower than expected and spending on social security is £25billion higher than planned. ‘For all the Government’s boasts about a belated economic recovery, there are millions of families still caught in the most prolonged cost-of-living crisis for a century. For them this is a joyless and payless recovery,’ Mr Miliband will say. But Mr Osborne told the BBC: ‘We’ve created more jobs in this country under this government than the rest of Europe put together. ‘We’ve had the fastest fall in unemployment in this country’s history. So those are real outcomes for real people. ‘We shouldn’t face this false choice of either bankrupting the country or having decent public services.’ | Chancellor says Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’
Government warned they will have to borrow £9billion more than expected .
Ed Miliband claims Tories’ have failed to tackle 'cost-of-living crisis' |
248,014 | cced8a5b717ca31e8b83a319dcf9fa942c477a4f | By . Mark Prigg and Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 09:34 EST, 24 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 24 May 2013 . It takes the definition of a tablet to its extreme - and definitely isn't something you'd want to use on the daily commute. The HP Rove is a 20inch gadget with a 10-finger touchscreen and weighs almost a stone, tipping the scales at 12.27lbs. Classed as a tabletop PC, the HP Rove runs the Windows 8 operating system and has a spring-loaded hinge on the back that can turn the handheld tablet into a monitor. Scroll down for video . Hewlett Packard has unveiled its Envy Rove 20. Its is a 20inch tabletop PC with a 10-finger touchscreen. The giant gadget weighs almost a stone - 12.27lbs - and can double up as a PC monitor, second TV screen as well as a digital game board and piano . HP community member GizmoGladstone has posted photos of himself using the 20in HP Envy Rove 20 gadget on the HP Next Bench site. This image shows him reading the news on the giant tablet, in portrait mode. The gadget is similar to Panasonic's 20inch device unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year. Both are designed so a full magazine spread can be read easily when held in landscape . The Rove can also be attached to a keyboard and mouse. HP has followed in the footsteps of Sony . and Panasonic by entering the the tabletop PC market with the launch of . its HP Envy Rove 20. Hewlett Packard has also said the giant gadget can also be used as a digital game board when laid flat, or used as a piano because it comes with Electronic Art's Monopoly and Fingertapps apps pre-installed. The HP Rove is powered by an Intel Core i3M Haswell CPU and HP claims the device can hold 4 hours of . battery life. It comes with 1TB of . internal storage as well as an 8GB solid-state drive. And will also launch with Beats Audio built in. When its not being used as a tablet, it can be used as a wireless monitor due to its support for Wi-Di - Intel's Wireless Display. The HP Envy Rove 20 can be laid flat and used as digital game board. HP fan GizmoGladstone is shown playing a pinball app in this image. The tablet will also be shipped with board game Monopoly and music app Fingertapps pre-installed when the device goes on sale in July . Hewlett Packard's Envy Rove 20 tablet comes with a spring-loaded stand that can be activated at the press of a button. It helps the device switch from a tablet to a PC monitor. The Rove was unveiled at the same time as two HP Pavilion all-in-one PCs, which will be available from June in 20inch and 23inch models . HP has also unveiled two new Pavilion TouchSmart all-in-one devices. Both have touchscreens and buyers can choose between a 20inch model or a 23inch one. The Pavilion 23 TouchSmart will go on sale from 5 June and will cost be available on June 5 starting at £496. The Pavilion 20 TouchSmart will cost cost £410 when its released on 26 June. The announcement comes after Sony announced its Vaio Tap 20 last December. Panasonic then unveiled its 20inch model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. CPU: Intel Core i3M . Operating system: Windows 8 . Weight: 12.27lbs (5.567 kg) Display: 20inch (50.8 cm), HD3, diagonal IPS HD+ touch display (1600x900) Audio: Beats Audio with dual speakers + subwoofer . Storage: 9.5 mm Mobile 1TB SSHD with 8 GB 4 Cache . Optional external DVDRW5 . Camera: HP TrueVision HD Webcam6 (720p) Graphics & memory: Intel® HD 4400 graphics, up to 16 GB DDR3 . Ports: SD card slot . 10/100 LAN enabled by USB dongle . Up to 802.11ac 2x2 with Bluetooth 4.0 . Intel Wi-Di7 . Wireless keyboard/mouse with Windows 8 hotkeys . Battery: 6-cell 62Whr . Other features: . 10-point multitouch screen . Gyroscope . Magnetometer . Manual Rotation button . Ambient light sensor . HP USB Boost . Charge devices even in sleep mode. HP ProtectSmart . HP Connected Photo8 and HP Connected Music9 . HP Apps Store . Panasonic claimed its 20inch tablet can display an entire magazine spread, and believes it could also be a hit with photography fans. 'Employing . Panasonic’s cutting-edge digital technology, the new tablet is designed . to create new value for users with a more realistic and intuitive . operating environment than paper or a display,' the firm said. Panasonic North America CEO Joe Taylor (L) hands off Panasonic's new 20 inch tablet to host Lisa Ling at the CES show in Las Vegas . 'This tablet embodies the characteristics of printed media that existing personal or tablet computers cannot provide, such as texture rich rendering, natural hand-writing and a light weight and thinness for easy mobility. However, while Apple and others concentrate of 7inch tablets such as the iPad mini, Panasonic hopes its screen will appeal to photography fans. The 20-inch LCD panel delivers '4k' resolution (3840 x 2560, 9.83 million pixels), more than twice the horizontal and vertical resolutions of Full HD (1920 x 1080) and has a density of 230 pixels per inch. Panasonic CEO North America, Joe Taylor, holds the 20-inch 4K tablet . It can display an A3-size . paper in almost full size, making it ideal to show content such as . newspapers and magazines, as well as pictures with the same aspect . ratio, according to Panasonic. Weighing 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) and 10.8 mm (0.4 inch) thick, the tablet is easy to carry. 'These unique characteristics will open up new ways for tablets to be used,' the firm said. The giant tablet is set to go on sale later this year, although no prices have yet been set . | The 20inch 10-finger gadget is a Windows 8 tablet that can also be used as an all-in-one PC .
The Envy Rove tabletop PC will be available from July and is expected to cost around £660 .
Announcement comes after Sony and Panasonic unveil similar 20inch designs . |
154,825 | 54133049f4a3ed2994a5de66be87ccf0f835ebff | Arsenal's German stars have had a summer to remember after lifting the World Cup in Brazil - but now Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker are back in North London and ready for the Premier League. The trio played a pivotal role in Germany winning their fourth World Cup in July but they are now concentrating on further success for Arsenal, who lifted the Community Shield on Sunday. They posted a photo on Instagram in their Arsenal training kits, accompanied with the caption: 'We are back! #afc #london #arsenal #merte #poldi #ozil.' They're back! German World Cup-winning trio (left to right) Lukas Podolski, Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil posted a photo on Instagram in their Arsenal training kit, revealing they are ready for the new season . Shut your eyes: Arsenal celebrate lifting the Community Shield after beating Manchester City 3-0 at Wembley . Joy: Arsenal centre back Per Mertesacker grasps the World Cup after winning the trophy in Brazil . Hands in the air: Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski holds the World Cup aloft after German joy in Brazil . VIDEO German trio to miss start of season - Wenger . Flick: Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil was also a key figure for Germany during their World Cup campaign . Theo Walcott also tweeted his delight at his team-mates' return. He posted a picture with the caption: 'Happy to have our #WorldCupWinners back at the training ground!' Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday thanks to goals from Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud. And their players are confident they can kick on from last season's FA Cup triumph and claim further trophies this season. The Gunners host Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in Premier League opener on Saturday. Skipping in: Goalkeeper Willy Caballero could do nothing as Santi Cazorla put Arsenal ahead against City . Eyes on the prize: Welshman Aaron Ramsey smashed in the second goal at Wembley just before half-time . | Ozil, Mertesacker and Podolski won the World Cup in Brazil with Germany .
They are now back at Arsenal and ready for the new Premier League season .
The trio posted a photo on Instagram in their Arsenal training kits .
They accompanied the picture with the caption: 'We are back!'
Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday . |
206,881 | 97e0bbb6afa27ad68b3f60c40d23719b866fb6f1 | By . Jonny Singer . His dazzling skills once lit up world football, and former Argentina player and manager Diego Maradona showed he hasn't lost his silky touches. Maradona, 53, was invited to the stage by French Guiness World Record freestyler Wassim Benslimane, before being asked to join the juggler in some kick-ups. Dressed in a grey suit, and in shoes not ideally suited to football, Maradona, considered by some to be the greatest player of all time, showed glimpses of his incredible talent. Skills: Maradona showed he still has some of the ability that made him one of the world's greats . Tricks and flicks: The former Argentina star pulled off some nice touches at the freestyle event . In control: the 53-year-old still has an excellent first touch, but was eventually outshone by his partner . At one point he juggled the ball against the floor using the soles of his feet, as well as demonstrating a first touch that would be the envy of many current professionals. Benslimane, however, stole the show, swinging the ball around his neck before doing kick-ups lying down and then tricking his partner into trying to trip him. Maradona, who spent two years in charge of Argentina before an unsuccesful 2010 World Cup, won the tournament as a player in 1986, when he also scored his infamous 'hand of god' goal against England. Prime: Leading Argentina to the 1986 World Cup made Maradona a legend of the game . Hand of God: Maradona gained infamy for his punched goal past Peter Shilton . | Former Argentina star joins free-style juggler Wassim Benslimane on stage .
53-year-old Maradona demonstrated some nice touches before being outdone by the professional freestyler . |
162,706 | 5e5bde413a032af89c9177a83755b3260d230155 | By . Louise Boyle . A self-described 'horny' widow was arrested on Friday after she placed a fake 911 call then propositioned the responding officer for sex. Maria Montanez-Colon, 58, allegedly aggressively fondled the officer and told him: 'I haven't been penetrated in years.' Mrs Montanez-Colon, who claimed that her late husband was an NYPD officer, said she called police to her Florida home after a family row over a Corvette which belonged to her late husband. Scroll down for video . Maria Montanez-Colon, 58, (pictured left) was arrested after aggressively propositioning police officer Justin Davoult (right) at her Florida home . According to a police report from The Smoking Gun, Punta Gorda Police Department officer Justin Davoult was told by the inebriated 58-year-old: 'You are so sexy.' In the report Davoult, 31, stated: 'I asked her what I could help her with and she stated: ''You can f*** me.''' Officer Davoult said the woman tried to rub his chest and grab his arm. After the police officer left the home, the woman dialed 911 again and said that the officer had 'p***** her off'. Officer Davoult responded once again to the home with a police lieutenant as back-up. According to the report, Montanez-Colon told the officers that Davoult 'had been a perfect gentleman but when I asked him to f*** me, he turned me down so that made me angry'. When the officers asked the woman if she understood that she had misused the emergency call system, she answered: 'I do, but how else am I going to get you to f*** me?' The 58-year-old was arrested for misuse of 911 and booked into the Charlotte County Jail where she remains. The 58-year-old has been booked into the Charlotte County Jail (pictured) after being arrested for misuse of 911 . | Maria Montanez-Colon, 58, allegedly aggressively fondled the officer at her Florida home .
The 58-year-old was arrested for misuse of 911 and booked into the Charlotte County Jail . |
255,925 | d73f05133018ea92cc2f0133fb891c64643c9314 | American traveler Stacey Addison says she was detained for months in East Timor because she unwittingly shared a taxi with a stranger carrying methamphetamine. Now she's out of jail -- and a guest of a former East Timor leader. Addison, 41, of Oregon, was released from an East Timor prison Thursday, nearly four months after her initial arrest in the small Southeast Asian nation in a drug case in which she says she's innocent. Addison appeared before reporters Thursday at the home of former East Timorese President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta, who says he'll host her temporarily at his home. Details on the reasons and conditions for her release, or when she would be able to leave the country, weren't available. She couldn't leave immediately Thursday, because her passport -- seized during the investigation -- had not been returned. The U.S. State Department welcomed the decision, according to department spokesperson Jen Psaki, but confirmed that Addison remains in Timor-Leste where the government still retains her passport. Both she and Ramos-Horta said they would not discuss details of the case. Addison was asked what she would do when she is able to obtain a passport. Her answer: "Go home." "I don't think my mom would ever forgive me if I didn't come home immediately and stay for a while," she said. Addison's arrest in September was an unexpected bump in what had been a multi-year trip around the world. She said she had been traveling solo since January 2013, having quit her job as a veterinarian to explore the globe. On September 5, she was sharing a cab from near the Indonesian border to the East Timor capital of Dili. On the way, a fellow passenger asked to stop to pick up a package at a DHL office, her mother, Bernadette Kero of Oregon, has told CNN. After the man picked up the package, police surrounded the car and arrested the occupants, according to Kero. The package was found to contain methamphetamine, Addison has said. She initially was held for four nights, and a judge released her -- but prevented her from leaving the country while the case was still being investigated -- after the man testified that he didn't know her, Kero said. In late October, during a court appearance where she thought she'd retrieve her passport, a judge ordered her arrest again and sent her to Gleno prison outside Dili. Paul Remedios, a lawyer representing Addison, said at the time that the court detained her again because there was a warrant for her arrest, and that the reason for the warrant was unclear. Addison said Thursday that she had petitioned for her release earlier this month, but didn't expect to be released on Thursday. "I had kind of thought it wouldn't happen because it's Christmas -- that everything would be closed," she said. "I knew there was a petition pending, but it had been three weeks and I had heard nothing." Kero told CNN last month that the case was a "nightmare." On Thursday, she said her daughter's release was "the best Christmas present I could imagine." "The past four months have been an extremely stressful time for all of us," Kero wrote in an email Thursday. "Of course we are now hoping that her passport will be returned and she will be able to return home to Oregon very soon. "Her lawyer will work on getting her passport released. I just want to be able to see her and give her a big hug." | Stacey Addison was detained by police in September during a taxi journey .
She says another passenger in the cab picked up a package containing drugs .
Addison was on a nearly two-year trip around the world .
She is awaiting return of her passport so she can go back to the United States . |
216,625 | a473f523f4f2f9bdf3965d6396517748b9e5d6eb | The Southwest heat wave made June the hottest month on record for Las Vegas, Death Valley, and Needles, California, the National Weather Service said Monday, which added that the high temperatures are not over yet. Forecasters extended the excessive heat warning in place for much of California, Nevada, and parts of Arizona through 11 p.m. on Independence Day, warning of "dangerously hot temperatures." Monday saw new record temperatures across the region. Death Valley hit 127 degrees, breaking the old record for the day by two degrees, said Chris Stachelski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. Barstow, California, set a new daily record of 114, as did Bishop, California, where it reached 109. The hottest temperatures Monday were near Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County, Stachelski said. Moapa, Nevada, just northeast of Vegas, reached a high of 120. Five people were treated for heat-related illnesses over the weekend at Lake Mead, just east of Las Vegas, said Christie Vanover, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service. A man was found dead after falling down a ridge at the park, she said, after a visitor reported seeing him wandering in the desert. It's unclear whether the heat played a role in his death. Finding ways to cool off . The heat is causing a surge in business at Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe, Arizona, which saw big crowds over the weekend, said Greg Fresquez at the park's marketing office. Together with the Independence Day holiday in the middle of the week, the heat is expected to bring in even more visitors in the coming days, he said. Tony Orlowski, manager at Randy's Restaurant and Ice Cream in Scottsdale, Arizona, said customers all express the same complaint when they come in the door: "It's hot out there." "We tell them, 'It's cool in here. Come in and cool off,'" he said. Orlowski normally recommends a milkshake, a banana split or a couple of scoops of ice cream to take some of the sting out of the summer sun. Before they head out into the furnace, he advises, "Don't catch a chill." It's not going away . Civic and emergency officials throughout the Southwest say if there was ever a time to worry, this would be it. The reason isn't just the oppressive heat that is plaguing the region: It's the fact it is expected to hang around, and possibly even get worse, over the next few days. "A very strong ridge of high pressure is centered over much of the western U.S.," CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said. "That high pressure causes sinking air, which becomes compressed and warms up and also dries out. This particular high pressure system remains stuck in the West, which has allowed the heat to build last week and through the weekend." Making emergencies worse . More than 100 firefighters were called to a large fire Monday at a commercial building in Sun Valley, north of Los Angeles -- a blaze made worse by the heat, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. He told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS that with a high of 95 in Sun Valley, "One of the problems we have is not only the heat from the fire, but also the ambient temperature." The high temperatures northwest of Phoenix are complicating efforts to fight the 8,400-acre Yarnell Hill wildfire. That's where 19 members of an elite firefighting squad died Sunday when a wind shift and other factors caused the fire to become erratic, said Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman. Historically hot . The heat wave comes just a couple weeks before the 100th anniversary of what the National Weather Service calls the "highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth" -- 134 degrees on July 10, 1913, in Death Valley's Greenland Ranch. The valley is consistently deemed the hottest location in the world because of its depth and shape. It has one of the world's lowest elevations and also serves as one of the driest locations in North America. Its 11,000-foot surrounding mountain range traps and radiates heat down into it. Heat hurts your insides too . Some advice . "The No. 1 thing is to absolutely know your limitations and to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water," Chris Stachelski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, advised those trying to cope with the high temperatures. He recommended limiting time outdoors. For those who have to do any strenuous activity outside, he advises doing it in the early morning, evening or simply putting it off until the end of the week when the temperatures are lower. Heat stroke symptoms include hallucinations, chills, confusion and dizziness, along with slurred speech. To protect against heat stress, the CDC advises spending time in air-conditioned places, staying informed of heat warnings and drinking lots of fluids. Don't forget the pets . The same advice goes for dogs, who can quickly develop heat stroke. "Most of the time people didn't realize, it certainly was not intentional, and they bring them in very quickly when they realize that there is a problem," Brandi Garcia, a critical care specialist at Emergency Animal Clinic in Gilbert, Arizona, told CNN affiliate KNXV. Just like with their human friends, dogs do best with plenty of water and limited exposure to the high temperatures. Also, asphalt can burn your pet's paws. | June is the hottest month on record for Las Vegas and Death Valley .
Five people are treated for heat-related illnesses at Lake Mead .
High temperatures are making things worse for firefighters .
Excessive heat warnings will last through Independence Day in some areas . |
55,545 | 9d76c7d759afa1d26a442306bd71d581e1ae31bb | Johnny Kormondy was put to death Thursday after a meal of fried alligator tail, fried okra, fried shrimp, fried eggs, hash browns, vanilla ice cream and cream soda . Florida has executed the convicted ringleader of a 1993 home-invasion robbery that ended with the murder of a Pensacola banker and the rape of his wife. Johnny Shane Kormondy was pronounced dead at 8.16pm Thursday at Florida State Prison, shortly after the lethal injection was administered. Kormondy's last meal consisted of fried alligator tail, fried okra, fried shrimp, fried eggs, hash browns, vanilla ice cream and cream soda. His final words were, 'I pray to Jesus Christ, son of God, I'm coming home.' The execution was delayed by two hours by a late appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court that was eventually denied. The 42-year-old Kormondy and two associates were convicted of forcing their way into the Pensacola home of Gary and Cecilia McAdams in 1993. Gary was fatally shot, and Cecilia raped repeatedly. Kormondy and two other men killed McAdams with a gunshot to the back of his head during the home-invasion robbery and raped McAdams' wife, Cecilia McAdams, repeatedly. It happened after the couple returned home from their high school reunion. Kormondy's accomplices received life prison terms and Kormondy, who was identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to death. The killer wanted his sentence reduced to life in prison because that is what his co-defendants received. Defense lawyers said Kormondy has been denied due process because the Florida Board of Executive Clemency has not taken up a death sentence case in more than 30 years. Horrific: Kormandy was the ringleader of a 1993 home invasion in Pensacola in which banker Gary McAdams was ambushed and shot dead while his wife Cecilia was raped repeatedly . Kormondy was initially convicted in 1994 but the Florida Supreme Court questioned whether the sentencing phase of his trial was fair. Cecilia McAdams sat for a WEARTV interview on Wednesday and said, in part: . 'I was told by a friend of mine that this might not be something I want to witness, just don't know if you understand what you're going to see. 'And I said, nothing can be worse than the sight of my husband lying dead on our kitchen floor.' Mrs. McAdams watched Kormondy die and said afterward, 'My family and I have waited 21 long years for this day to happen...He needed to die.' She has spoken openly about the rape and her husband's death and has done extensive work on behalf of other victims. Kormondy is the 21st inmate executed under Gov. Rick Scott. The same number of prisoners was put to death under former Gov. Jeb Bush. The death penalty was reinstated in Florida in 1979. Cecilia McAdams said following Kormondy's execution: 'My family and I have waited 21 long years for this day to happen...He needed to die' McAdams sat for an interview on Wednesday, in which she said she was warned that watching someone die would be unpleasant, regardless of what he'd done, to which she replied, 'Nothing can be worse than the sight of my husband lying dead on our kitchen floor' | Johnny Kormondy and two associates forced their way into the Pensacola home of Gary McAdams, who was shot dead with a shotgun .
McAdams' wife Cecilia was raped repeatedly during the home invasion. On Thursday, over 20 years later, she watched Kormondy die .
Cecilia McAdams was at the Starke, Florida execution, where she said 'My family and I have waited 21 long years for this day to happen' |
116,025 | 21c134e1d07662f45435d36e67944378f9f84864 | (Gannett) -- With more than a million units sold in its first month, there's no question Apple's much-hyped iPad is here to stay. But is this 9.7-inch touch-screen tablet as ideal for playing games as it is for reading electronic books, surfing the web, watching video or typing out homework? Absolutely. Spend just five minutes with your fingers on a high-definition iPad game and you'll know why it's a winner. And hey, a 12-hour battery for gamers on the go doesn't hurt either. Keep in mind the iPad will also work with most of the games already available for theiPhone and iPod Touch. Whether you already own an iPad or plan on buying one, the following are four examples of extraordinarygame applications available for purchase at the App Store (itunes.com). Note: Most iPad games are not rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), but please see our recommended age for each title below. Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front HD (Gameloft; $7.99; for teens; 2.5 stars out of 4) The celebrated World War II action series has made its iPad debut, allowing you to battle against computer-controlled enemies in the solo story mode or online with up to five friends on a handful of multiplayer maps. Use your fingers to move your squad throughout the war-torn environments (including hot spots in North Africa, Normandy, Italy, Germany and the Pacific), pick the best places to duck for cover and use a number of weapons, including sniper rifles, machine guns, bazookas and flame throwers. You can also hop into a vehicle, such as a tank or jeep, to press your way across enemy lines. Scrabble ($9.99; Electronic Arts; for everyone; 3 stars out of 4) This high-tech twist on the classic crossword board game can be played in one of four ways: against the game's artificial intelligence; versus a friend beside you in a Pass n' Play mode; over Wi-Fi (including social networking support, such as Facebook integration); or in a new Party Play mode, in which up to four players can manage their tiles on an iPhone or iPod Touch and then wirelessly play their words on the nearby iPad game board. The goal of Scrabble, of course, is to collect as many points as possible by spelling out words from letter tiles in your hand, each of which is worth a certain number of points. The player with the highest number of points at the end of the game wins. The only downside? The relatively steep cost of $10 for the app. Pinball HD (GameProm; $2.99; for everyone; 3 stars out of 4) One of the most popular apps on the iPad is a nod to the ol' silver ball. "Pinball HD," as you'd expect, is a high-definition collection of pinball games for the iPad. The game ships with three tables to play on -- "Wild West," "The Deep" and "Jungle Style" -- and each one boasts great-looking graphics, including support for anaglyph 3-D glasses (not included). See the entire table in the landscape mode (holding the iPad horizontally) or by toggling between a close-up "flying table" view and full table view when the iPad is held vertically (slide both your thumbs up or down the screen to toggle the camera view). With its ball physics, built-in help and a local and global high-score board, "Pinball HD" is a great pick for players of all ages. Angry Birds HD (Chillingo; $4.99; for everyone; 3.5 stars out of 4) One of the most popular iPhone games is now available in high-definition for the iPad, and with a few extra feathery features, too. In case you haven't played the original, a group of scheming green pigs have stolen eggs from a bird's nest -- and now the winged warriors are calling for revenge. This physics-based puzzle game has you flinging birds out of a giant slingshot from the left side of the screen to the right, and you must aim just so, with the ideal amount of force, to destroy all the pigs within the allotted number of turns per level. Each of the five bird types have their own unique skills that can also be used to topple the pigs' elaborate houses, leaving the swine exposed for a final blow. | The iPad's 12-hour battery for gamers on the go makes the device perfect for games .
iPads will work with most of the games already available for the iPhone/iPod Touch .
"Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front HD," "Scrabble" and "Angry Birds HD" are all great buys . |
9,655 | 1b562b33fde07580922bc60a513a593c0efa5423 | (CNN) -- Two soldiers from Fort Bragg were arrested this week and face murder charges in the death of a North Carolina teenager, authorities said. The soldiers, identified as Christopher Roger Blackett, 20, and Sebastian Gamez, 20, are accused of killing 17-year-old Vincent Edwin Carlisle Jr, said Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins. Carlisle's body was found Thursday afternoon in the woods in the county, Rollins said. The men also face charges of disposing of a corpse. Carlisle, a high school senior, had been missing for four days, CNN affiliate WRAL reported. The teen had just started a new high school and was excited about school, Melanie Stewart, his principal, told the affiliate. "It's important to me that people know that Vincent Carlisle was a very intelligent young man, and he had dreams, and he had plans," Stewart said. CNN's Samuel Gardner III contributed to this report. | The teen's body is found in the woods Thursday afternoon .
Along with the murder charges, the men face charges of disposing of a corpse .
"Vincent Carlisle was a very intelligent young man, and he had dreams," principal says . |
13,620 | 2699bf8ea231e2ae9166ccc15b97bcd6560ae6ab | With the news that "Fahrenheit 451" author Ray Bradbury passed away Tuesday night at age 91, celebrity admiration has been rolling in on Twitter all day. Not surprisingly, the Twitterverse is alive with those admiring him and his work -- particularly his sci-fi brilliance and commitment to reading. Check out a round-up of Tweets below: . "RIP Ray Bradbury You made Mars, time travel & Illustrated Men more real than reality for a 14 year old me. #RIPRay" --Rainn Wilson . "Ray Bradbury Dead At 91 http://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjeffers ... I am setting fire to all the books in my office in his honor." --Morgan Spurlock . "Indeed a legend. Rest in peace Ray Bradbury." --Duran Duran . "Pour out some dandelion wine for Ray Bradbury. Goodbye, Mr. Bradbury. See you in October Country." --Patton Oswalt . "'Libraries raised me. ... I couldn't go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.' Ray Bradbury" --Nina Garcia . "RIP Ray Bradbury, native of Waukegan, Illinois. His brilliant Sci-Fi especially Fahrenheit 451 is mandatory reading." --Tom Morello . "The GREAT Ray Bradbury has left the planet. When I was younger I read no one else. Was lucky enough to shake his hand. R is for RIP." --Jonathan Ross . "I'm going to introduce my son to the public library today in honor of Ray Bradbury. #RIP" --Alyssa Milano . "RIP Ray Bradbury :( you've touched many lives with your work, and even a few more recently you might not have expected! Sleep well dude!" --Dead Mau5 . "RIP Ray Bradbury. See you in the future..." --Brad Bird . ""Don't talk about it... write." Ray Bradbury." --Cameron Crowe . "Yesterday I recorded " the man who forgot Ray Bradbury". Rest in peace, Ray. We won't ever forget." --Neil Gaiman . See the full story at EW.com. | Celebrity admiration for Ray Bradbury has been rolling in on Twitter all day .
"Indeed a legend. Rest in peace Ray Bradbury." --Duran Duran .
"RIP Ray Bradbury. See you in the future..." --Brad Bird . |
177,362 | 71984bf549142f800fbae9547aba796776d20b12 | (CNN) -- The Chinese icebreaker that sent out a helicopter on Thursday to airlift dozens of passengers from a ship stuck in the Antarctic ice is now beset by ice and unable to move, according to Australian Maritime Safety Agency (AMSA). The captain of the Xue Long told AMSA that his ship is safe, has plenty of food and supplies and will not need assistance at this time. The Australian icebreaker, the Aurora Australis, which is carrying the rescued passengers, was placed on standby in case the Xue Long needs help. But the captains of both the Xue Long and the Russian-flagged MV Akadmik Shokalskiy agreed they no longer need the Aurora Australis. They said they will be able to provide mutual support to each other. AMSA released the Aurora Australis from search and rescue and the vessel now continues to make its passage with the freed passengers to the Casey base to complete a resupply. The Chinese ship plans to try to get out of the thick ice early Saturday at a point when tidal conditions are most favorable, according to AMSA. The Chinese vessel's struggle comes the day after its helicopter ferried all 52 passengers from an ice-locked Akadmik Shokalskiy to the Aurora Australis. The Akademik Shokalskiy had been trapped in unusually deep ice since Christmas Eve with scientists, journalists, tourists and crew members on board. The rescued passengers, most of them Australians, will still have a lengthy wait before they return home. Officials say they estimate the Aurora Australis will get the group back to the Australian mainland by mid-January. The 22 Russian crew members remain on the Akademik Shokalskiy, waiting for the ice to shift and allow the ship to break free. | NEW: Xue Long icebreaker is beset by ice and can't move .
Chinese ship's helicopter helped rescue 52 passengers Thursday .
Xue Long's captain says no assistance is needed and vessel will try to break free .
Australian icebreaker carrying the rescued people chugs toward base . |
26,918 | 4c63003b2bd78e892bca0d03d26e37a021ed4745 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 20:11 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:11 EST, 4 December 2013 . Lord Judge: The Lord Chief Justice said issues such as prisoners' voting rights were a matter for Parliament alone and not the ECHR in Strasbourg . The former head of Britain’s judiciary last night demanded sweeping reforms to the Human Rights Act to make it clear our courts do not have to follow European rulings. Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice until September, said issues such as prisoners’ voting rights were a matter for Parliament alone and not for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. He warned that a dangerous ‘democratic deficit’ was emerging, adding: ‘My personal belief is that sovereignty on these issues should not be exported.’ Lord Judge accused the ECHR of seeking to expand its role into a US-style ‘Supreme Court of Europe’ and said: ‘In my view, the Strasbourg court is not superior to our Supreme Court.’ Last night, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling – who would like to scrap Labour’s Human Rights Act but cannot while in Coalition with the Lib Dems – welcomed the judge’s speech. It came just days after another senior judge, Lord Justice Laws, called on British courts to stop deferring to Strasbourg on every issue and develop their own rulings. Ministers are still deciding what to do to comply with a European court decision on prisoner votes originally made in 2005. Strasbourg said the UK’s blanket ban was contrary to prisoners’ human rights, but the Commons has voted in favour of continuing to deny all prisoners the vote. Speaking at University College London, Lord Judge said: ‘You can argue for and against prisoner voting rights. You can argue for and against the whole-life tariff. Reasonable people will take different views. ‘My personal belief is that sovereignty on these issues should not be exported, and we should be wary of the danger of even an indirect importation of the slightest obligation on Parliament to comply with the orders and directions of any court, let alone a foreign court. ‘Ultimately this is a political, not a judicial, question.’ The former Lord Chief Justice said Britain’s unwritten constitution included the core principle that Parliament is sovereign over the Supreme court. But recent judgments made it unclear whether it was the same case for Strasbourg. Justice secretary: Chris Grayling said the ECHR¿s role in the UK needs to be ¿curtailed¿ and the Human Rights Act replaced . ‘My profound concern about the long-term impact of these issues on our constitutional affairs is the democratic deficit,’ he said. ‘Are we – are they – prepared to contemplate the gradual emergence of a court with the equivalent jurisdiction throughout Europe of that enjoyed by the Supreme Court in the USA? Thomas Jefferson would have strongly advised us against it.’ Lord Judge concluded changes should be made to the 1998 Human Rights Act to make it clear that Britain’s Supreme Court is ‘at the very least, a court of equal standing with the Strasbourg court’. Mr Grayling said the ECHR’s role in the UK needs to be ‘curtailed’ and the Human Rights Act replaced. | Lord Judge said issues like prisoner's voting was for Parliament alone .
He warned of a dangerous 'democratic deficit'
Accused ECHR of trying to become a US-style 'Supreme Court of Europe' |
246,737 | cb52752d8bd90816bbb73132f60f9d61819584bd | (Cover Media) -- Nick Cannon is proud of his wife Mariah Carey's "trooper" mentality in the face of her injury. Carey dislocated her shoulder on Sunday while shooting her latest music promo for her single "#Beautiful" in New York City. Immediately after the accident, she visited New York's Hospital for Special Surgery on the Upper East Side to have her shoulder reset. Cannon was with the mother of his two children when she sustained the trauma, and he is shocked by how strong Carey was through all the pain. "She's such a trooper," Nick told the "Today" show Tuesday. "I was going to rush to the hospital with her, [but she said,] 'You get back in there and finish that video!' Then, after they put [her] shoulder back in place, bandaged her all up, she came back to the video early in the morning and finished out everything." Apparently when Carey went down she donned full diva attire. "She was in this nice, beautiful gown, heels on and everything, and was kind of on this platform and reached and slipped and fell on her whole side," he said. Cannon added that his wife's injuries were a little more dramatic than initially reported, as the songstress' bones were also damaged. "It was pretty serious," he said. "Not only did she dislocate her shoulder, she actually cracked a rib and ... she chipped her shoulder bone." Despite her injury, it's rumored that Carey will still perform in upcoming shows. She is set to sing at a free concert on Central Park's Great Lawn July 13, an event in association with Major League Baseball to benefit the Hurricane Sandy Relief. The singer is currently promoting her album "The Art of Letting Go," which is scheduled for release this year. See the original story at Covermg.com. | Nick Cannon said Mariah Carey's injuries on the set of a music video were pretty serious .
Carey dislocated her shoulder, cracked a rib and chipped her shoulder bone .
However, after receiving treatment she was back on set the next morning .
Cannon: Mariah's "such a trooper" |
208,830 | 9a6afb317f4afb1fbf1a0a5cbc834a389c99b597 | We've all been there. The ball takes a bobble when you're six yards out, and you fire it high over the bar. You swing too early and the sweet strike you've pictured in your head is but a distant memory. Fortunately, it happens to professional footballers too... even the very best. Step forward Adam Szalai, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and - twice - Junior Malanda. Sportsmail counts down the top 10 Bundesliga misses of 2014... 10) Johannes Geis - Mainz . 'High, wide and not very handsome,' as the commentator described it. Admittedly, this isn't your typical miss from close range. Attempting to whip a free-kick in from the left wing, Johannes Geis' cross ends up in Row Z of the Mainz crowd. As he steps up to the ball, his left foot lifts up the turf and the final ball looks more like a rugby conversion than a football free-kick. A chunk of turf is ripped out by Johannes Geis' remarkable free-kick for Mainz, which balloons over the bar . 9) Adam Szalai - Hoffenheim . Partly a terrible miss, partly a cracking save. As if facing Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich wasn't hard enough, Adam Szalai will be kicking himself that he didn't make the most of this gilt-edged opportunity. Dead centre, in the 16-yard-box, the ball fell to the Hubgarian striker, who chested the ball down ready to fire it home. Unfortunately for him - and his team, who went on to lose 4-0 - the ball had little power, and Manuel Neuer was able to poke it away from danger. Adam Szalai of Hoffenheim (centre) has the whole goal to aim for but finds the foot of Manuel Neuer . 8) Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Schalke . 'The Hunter' as he has been affectionately named, has scored 66 goals in 112 appearances for Schalke. 38 in 69 for the Netherlands, too. But when the ball fell to the 31-year-old in the centre of the goal, he was simply not able to stick it in the back of the net. Proof, it seems, that it happens to the best of us. Thankfully for Huntelaar, Schalke went on to beat Hertha Berlin 2-0. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (third left) has a simple finish into the bottom corner but puts the ball wide of the mark . Huntelaar has been nicknamed 'The Hunter' due to his impressive scoring record, but he missed this chance . 7) Christian Gentner - Stuttgart . Stuttgart's stalwart Christian Gentnder had a moment to forget at Werder Bremen this year. His team lost 2-0, so it's firmly a case of what might have been had he headed home from close range. Somehow, he gets it all wrong and heads the ball directly into the ground, before it bounces up over the bar. An empty goal, and what should have been an easy finish... Stuttgart's Christian Gentner should have cushioned his header into the net, but he puts it high and wide . 6) Raffael - Borussia Monchengladbach . From a contender for goal of the season, to a contender for miss of the season in a split-second. What starts as a wonderful team move finishes with a disappointing miss. To be fair to Raffael, there's a brilliant piece of defending on the line to save a certain goal. But it's a strike that would have been his side win, with the scores at 1-1 with less than two minutes remaining. Raffael didn't show the touch of a Brazilian when he shot at the defender on the line . 5) Sebastian Freis - Freiburg . It's a striker's dream. Right place, right time. A shot is spilled by the opposition goalkeeper and you're there to mop up and collect the praise. But for Freiburg's Sebastian Freis, he had a moment to forget when the ball fell to his feet in a match against Stuttgart this year. He shot, but the ball flew high and wide of a target that was gaping in front of him. To rub salt in the wounds, his team went on to lose 4-1. Not their day. Sebastian Freis was gifted with a chance when the keeper spilled it, but he put the ball wide . 4) Roel Brouwers - Borussia Monchengladbach . He did everything but the finish. Roel Brouwers is the second Borussia Monchengladbach player in this countdown, after his terrible miss against Bayer Leverkusen. The corner flew in from the right, and Brouwers got lucky with a touch off the defender. He is left with just the keeper to beat, but puts the ball over the bar. Roel Brouwers got lucky when the ball fell to him from a corner, but he puts it well over the bar . 3) Junior Malanda - Wolfsburg . Wolfsburg's Junior Malanda is in at three... and it's not his only appearance on this countdown. A fantastic ball is whipped in from the right, but the Belgian defensive midfielder gets himself in a tangle and can not put the ball in the back of the net. Junior Malanda's first entry sees him get in a tangle while playing for Wolfsburg . 2) Junior Malanda - Wolfsburg . The phrase, 'It was harder to miss' has never been more true. Junior Malanda, take a bow. Less than a yard out, his initial shot lands at his feet for him to poke home. But alas, he somehow - inexplicably - puts the ball wide. In a quite remarkable miss, Malanda puts the ball wide from very, very close range . 1) Philipp Hofmann - KC Kaiserslautern . There aren't sufficient words to describe this miss. Simple doesn't do it justice. Easy isn't strong enough. This is, quite simply, atrocious. Philipp Hofmann of Kaiserslautern certainly won't be living this down for a good few years to come. In at number one, Kaiserslautern's Philipp Hofmann manages to put the ball over the bar from a yard out . | Adam Szalai's miss against Bayern Munich makes the list .
Johannes Geis appears with an exceptional miss from a free-kick .
Junior Malanda is on the countdown not once, but twice .
Sportsmail counts down the top 10 misses in the Bundesliga in 2014 . |
200,190 | 8f2abdcf078d039176a9e40c95800a4de5693459 | Fresh from leading his Chelsea team to a win against Derby County, John Terry celebrated making the Capital One Cup semi-final by taking his family to Winter Wonderland. The Chelsea defender took to Instagram to show off a selfie with him and his family a day after Jose Mourinho's men won 3-1 over Championship outfit Derby. 'Great day at Winter Wonderland today with the family. Daddy can you come on the Waltzer. Mummy will #screamifyouwannagofaster' wrote Terry with the snap. The Chelsea defender took to Instagram to show off a selfie with him and his family a day after their 3-1 win . Derby are hunting for promotion to the Barclays Premier League and were given a taste of what they could face next year if they're successful in doing so. Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle were the scorers for Mourinho, while Craig Bryson managed a consolation for the home side. Terry will face Liverpool next after the draw was made, with Tottenham against Sheffield United. John Terry celebrated making the Capital One Cup semi-final by taking his family to Winter Wonderland . Terry will face Liverpool next after the semi-final draw was made, with Tottenham against Sheffield United . | Chelsea beat Derby County 3-1 on Tuesday night in the Capital One Cup .
John Terry celebrated with visit to Winter Wonderland the day after .
Chelsea have been drawn against Liverpool in the semi-final . |
167,619 | 64c45922320a932e144443ba74ad2a5587f201b3 | (CNN) -- A Russian bookmaking company is offering to pay 100,000 euros for Paul, the prognosticating octopus who correctly predicted Spain's win in the World Cup. "100,000 euros (about $129,800) was our starting price," Oleg Zhuravsky, co-owner of Liga Stavok -- "Bet League" in Russian -- told CNN. He said the offer could be increased if need be -- "We are bookmakers, after all." Paul currently lives at the Sea Life Center in Oberhausen, Germany. Zhuravsky said a representative of the center's public relations firm has told him the offer has been received and "they are studying it." However, the firm, Dederichs Reinecke and Parner, said it declined the Russian offer and that Paul will not be sold to anyone. "Seriously speaking, we want the octopus for a number of purposes," Zhuravsky said. "First, to see whether he can indeed effectively forecast the results of the football games. Secondly, Paul could become a good mascot, a good symbol for my bookmaking companies. And thirdly, he has an international fame like perhaps no other animal across the world does these days, and I'd love to be able to move him to Russia. "Both kids and adults, I'm sure, would love to see him here," he said. "We are even prepared to put him in the Moscow City Aquarium if that were the condition." He said Paul would be given "the best food" and officials would let him forecast the results of the Russian domestic football tournament, "which, I think, is a more difficult task than predicting the World Cup," he said. "This would also boost the profile of the Moscow Aquarium." "They said they'll respond to our offer this week," said Zhuravsky, who is also president of the Russian Association of Bookmakers. "They didn't tell us that they're not selling the octopus." Last week, the Madrid, Spain, aquarium said it was making the "necessary arrangements" for Paul's transfer to Spain but had offered to beat any offer already on the table. Paul not only predicted Spain's win over the Netherlands in the final but also the team's semifinal success against Germany. Prior to that, the cephalopod correctly predicted all five of Germany's earlier results, and picked Germany to beat Uruguay in the third-place playoff, ending the tournament with a remarkable eight-for-eight record. For each prediction, two mussel-filled acrylic boxes labeled with a team's flag were lowered into Paul's tank. Whichever box he chose conveyed the winning team. Sea Life staff have announced Paul is retiring from the predictions game, but previously said they were considering a "host of offers from around the globe." Public relations guru Max Clifford told CNN that Paul could become the world's first multimillionaire octopus if his handlers choose to cash in on his global fame. CNN's Maxim Tkachenko and Lianne Turner contributed to this report. | Company says 100,000 euros is its starting price .
The co-owner says the bid has been received and is being studied .
The firm representing the Sea Life Center in Germany says offer was declined .
Paul correctly predicted Spain's win in the World Cup . |
144,616 | 47032ecb734f8ab68feb1f47b58235b1a43d756b | By . Wills Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:52 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 31 October 2013 . An 80-year-old dementia patient who fell over in a hospital ward was left alone on a trolley, covered in horrific bruises. Agnes Stephens was getting ready to be discharged from Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland when her daughter noticed a lump on her head and bruising all over her legs. Carrie, 45, said it looked like her mother had been in a 'car crash' while nurses claimed she had 'wriggled off' a bed pan when she was left unattended. Disgusted: Carrie Stephens, 45 (far left) noticed the bruises on her mother Agnes' head while she was preparing to be discharged from Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert, Scotland . The 80-year-old was originally taken to the hospital as a precaution after she had fallen off her bed at a care home. But when Carrie arrived, she saw a lump on her mother's head and bruises down her left leg. She also discovered Agnes had fallen off a commode the day before when she read through the medical notes. Carrie said: 'My mum looked like she had been in a car crash. I was absolutely disgusted and really upset. I was frightened that her hip had been broken . 'She fell on a step in her bedroom and as a precaution she was taken to hospital to have an X-ray on her hip. Injuries: Her daughter, Carrie, found her with lumps on her head and bruises over the rest of her body as she was preparing to be discharged . Family: Carrie Stephens said her 80-year-old mother was left 'very confused' by the terrible incident . 'She was about to be discharged but needed the toilet and a nurse went to get a bedpan. 'I was basically asked to leave the cubicle. The next thing I saw was my mum being walked to the bathroom held up by two nurses. I found that quite odd because my mum wasn’t to be walking. 'When I went back into the cubicle I saw the mess of her. The nurses told me they had put her on the bedpan and left her unattended. They said she must have wriggled off. I was furious.' Carrie said her mother was left 'very confused' after the fall and should never have been left alone. She was also stunned to read medical notes the next day which stated that Agnes fallen off a commode. Suffering: Along with the injuries to her legs and head, Agnes' mental condition also deteriorated as a result . Carrie added: 'I was appalled at what I read. It’s all blatant lies to cover up their negligence. 'There was no medical accident report written up and the nurses had changed their story. 'There is CCTV in the department and that will show that no commode was brought into the cubicle. I could see the cubicle from where I was. 'The nurses were made aware that my mum had dementia when she was admitted but it wasn’t taken on board. 'When she was brought in she knew where she was and what day it was but after the fall she had no idea what town she was in. 'There have been so many mistakes made and I really don’t want this to happen to anyone else’s mum or dad. 'We’ve yet to receive an apology.' A spokesman for NHS Forth Valley said: 'We are extremely sorry this patient experienced a fall while she was in hospital and appreciate this must have been very distressing. 'An internal investigation is underway to look at the circumstances surrounding this accident and, in the meantime, we have offered to meet with the family so we can formally apologise.' A spokeswoman for Alzheimer Scotland added: 'Up to a quarter of patients in an average acute hospital will have some form of dementia. 'They are all entitled to care and support that recognises their needs as people with dementia, delivered by staff who understand the effects and impact of the illness, within a system that is safe, dignified, rights-based and person-centred.' Apology: A spokesman for the Forth Valley Royal Hospital (pictured) said they were 'extremely sorry' and are now carrying out a full investigation into what happened . | Agnes Stephens was at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland .
The elderly patient was left unattended on a bed pan and fell off .
She suffered a lump on her head and bruises all the way down her leg .
Her daughter Carrie, 45, said it looked like she had been in a car crash . |
28,143 | 4fc94f98949353d764e3153c99076c5ef7af8f61 | PUBLISHED: . 07:58 EST, 4 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 5 December 2012 . The private lives of a council leader and his wife found shot dead outside their home in an apparent murder suicide will be investigated in the hunt for a motive, police said. Norfolk Police believe North Norfolk District Council leader Keith Johnson, 58, killed his wife Andrea, 44, with a shotgun before taking his own life. They are investigating possible motives, including aspects of both of their personal lives after it emerged that some people say they saw Mr Johnson looking depressed the day before the shootings. Some neighbours suggested that the couple were in a 'very open relationship' but their family said that this was not the case and they loved one another. Police are looking into the private lives of Keith and Andrea Johnson to see if they can discover a motive into what drove him to kill her and then himself . The family of Mrs Johnson, formerly Chadwick, issued a statement saying: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter Andrea, she was a wonderful daughter, aunt and sister. 'She was so bubbly and full of life, she adored her family and has been tragically taken from us. She will be very sorely missed.' It is understood Mr Johnson’s family will not be issuing any tribute. Prominent: Conservative Councillor Mr Johnson was a member of North Norfolk District Council for Cromer ward and former mayor . The force this morning published the results of a post-mortem examination showing that both died of gunshot wounds. The couple were found dead outside their bungalow in Norfolk at 2.50pm on Sunday. Police were called to the property in Compit Hills, Roughton, near Cromer, after reports of gunshots. A police spokesman said: 'Local neighbourhood officers and police community support officers also remain at the scene and will be working with the major investigations team over the coming days to support and reassure their families and the wider community affected by these tragic events.' Neighbours and colleagues of Mr Johnson have spoken of their shock and disbelief. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Guy said it appeared as though Mr Johnson had used one of four shotguns owned and registered to his wife in the attack. The couple did not have children but Mr Johnson had a family from a previous marriage. They had been together for 18 years and married in 2004. Mr Johnson was also a former Cromer mayor, a long-serving member of both the district and town council and a football referee. He was elected as council leader earlier this year and had helped organise the town’s Christmas market, launched at the weekend as part of a series of festive events. He was seen attending civic events on Friday. Mrs Johnson worked in customer services at Homebase in the town. The Johnsons married in 2004 but had been together for 18 years. Both had been married previously and Mr Johnson had three grown-up sons and grandchildren. One friend, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It was common knowledge that they had quite an open relationship.’ The couple were found dead outside their bungalow in Norfolk on Sunday afternoon . Another said: ‘A lot of people raised . their eyebrows when Keith became the leader of the council. They were . famous drinkers. She would quite regularly get so drunk that she would . fall into people – and more.’ Mrs Johnson’s grieving parents . dismissed the rumours as ‘complete rubbish’. Her father, John Chadwick, . said: ‘There was nothing wrong with their relationship. This was a . lovers’ tiff that has gone wrong.’ Close neighbour Hilda Reardon, 72, . said she thought Mr and Mrs Johnson had gone on a celebration cruise . this year after she beat cancer. She said: 'Andrea was very ill until . fairly recently, I think she was suffering with cancer, she was . practically housebound for almost two years and people didn't think she . would pull through. Her parents would often visit in that time - she was . incredibly poorly. 'Keith was always very supportive of her, you could see how desperate he was for her to get better. 'In the last year or so, her health took a turn for the better and they both went on a cruise to celebrate. 'They seemed very happy and very much . in love, I never heard them argue. Whatever has happened is truly . tragic. I am completely shocked.' Neighbours also reported unusually . erratic behaviour from Cllr Johnson during his regular Saturday morning . paper round. The former mayor was seen making deliveries in shorts . despite sub-zero temperatures. A forensics officer at Compit Hills, pictured, where the bodies were discovered after a shot was heard . Jean Cheesman, 72, who lived in the house behind the couple, said Mr Johnson had been a 'little out of sorts.' She said: 'He delivered my paper most . days and we would always have a little bit of chit-chat on the doorstep, . pulling each other's legs. 'On Saturday he turned up on my door . with the newspaper and he was wearing shorts and I said to him, "it's . too cold for shorts this time of year, we don't want you to get poorly". 'I thought it was a little out of . character given the temperature outside, and I wondered if he was a . little out of sorts. He said another woman had said the same thing, . smiled and went about his business. 'The next thing I knew, the helicopter was landing behind my house and police were everywhere - it's terrible.' Cromer deputy mayor David Pritchard . said: 'My wife and I were deeply shocked and upset to hear of the deaths . of Andrea and Keith Johnson. 'Keith and Andrea were a lovely couple and I was not aware that they were having any problems. Quiet estate: A tent was set up in a neighbouring back garden after officers were called to the scene at around 3pm yesterday . 'I know that Keith was a beater for pheasant shoots and I know from conversation that they kept a shotgun in their house. 'She did not have children of her own, but she doted on his grandchildren.' The couple were said to enjoy a lively lifestyle despite Mrs Johnson's reported illness. Neighbours said the 'prominent and . much-loved' pillars of the community could often be heard enjoying hot . tub parties with friends in their garden. They regularly holidayed with friends and are understood to have visited the Canary Islands earlier this year. The area around the couple's £230,000 . bungalow remained cordoned off by police last night, with Norfolk police . conducting forensic searches to establish the sequence of events. A tent protecting evidence was seen in the couple's front garden, yards from a second tent in a neighbour's garden. Mrs Johnson’s Porsche Boxster was parked on the couple’s front lawn, with Mr Johnson’s Mercedes E220 on the driveway. Mr Johnson, elected council leader . earlier this year, had opened a Waitrose supermarket in North Walsham on . Friday and oversaw the launch of Cromer's Christmas market at the . weekend. VIDEO: Police surround the scene of suspected murder-suicide... | Keith Johnson, 58, and wife Andrea, 44, found dead by police in Norfolk .
Officers are not looking for any suspects in relation to the incident .
Mrs Johnson's family issued a statement saying they were 'devastated'
It is believed Mr Johnson's family will not be issuing a statement at this time .
Former mayor Mr Johnson had this weekend opened the Christmas market .
Neighbours said they saw Mr Johnson on Saturday looking 'depressed' |
35,982 | 662252a49381f4027f79dc9ef15f4f000b7b8c77 | Jailed: Dana Amin, 33, from Mitcham, South London, has been jailed for his part in the 'honour killing' of Banaz Mahmod in 2006 . A cousin of an honour killing victim who helped dispose of her body has said he is proud of his actions. Banaz Mahmod, 20, was strangled to death with a shoelace by her father and uncle in her south London home, seven years ago. Her cousin Dana Amin, now 29, helped put the . young woman's body in a suitcase and transported it to the Midlands before burying it in a make-shift grave in a . Birmingham back-garden. As he was sentenced to eight years in prison, Amin told Southwark Crown Court he did not regret his actions. Iraq-born Banaz was murdered by members of her family because she walked out of an arranged marriage and fell in love with another man. Her father, Mahmod Mahmod, and uncle, . Ari Mahmod, were jailed for life in 2007, after being found guilty of what has become Britain’s most notorious honour . killing. On the eve of Banaz's death, Amin, a father-of-one, joined two other cousins, Mohammed Ali, and Omar Hussain, who were jailed in 2010 after being extradited from Iraq, at the former's Brixton home to discuss plans to kill her. Although none were convicted of Banaz's murder, the cousins later travelled to Birmingham in Amin’s black Lexus to help their uncles get rid of the 20-year-old's body. Banaz’s case highlighted the occurrence of honour killings in Britain, after her body was discovered in the Brimingham garden, three months after her disappearance. The young woman's nightmare began three years earlier, when she . agreed to an arranged-marriage to a Kurdish man, then . aged 28, who she later told police was ‘very strict'. She had met her . husband-to-be only three times before her wedding day and, according to . Banaz, her husband regularly . physically and sexually abused her. ‘When . he raped me it was like I was his shoe that he could wear whenever he . wanted to,’ she explained to police. ‘I didn't know if this was normal in my . culture, or here. I was 17.’ Murdered: Banaz was strangled to death with a shoe lace in her home in South London by her father and her uncle before three cousins were called in to help dispose of her body . Murder: The body of Banaz Mahmod was found inside this suitcase, three months after she has been buried in a Birmingham garden by three of her own cousins . The terrified young woman left her husband after two-and-a-half years, a decision that angered her family, who had arrived in Britain when Banaz was 12. After returning to her family home, she met and fell in love with Rahmat Sulemani, a family friend. Rahmat . would later give evidence at the trial, revealing that he and Banaz had . been threatened with death if they carried on seeing each other. The . mobile phone footage he took of Banaz when she was lying covered in . blood in a hospital bed, in an apparent earlier attempt to murder her, . was shown at the 2007 trial. The . lovers pretended they had parted after the shocking incident, but they . continued to meet in secret. They were spotted together in Brixton on . January 21 and the Mahmods were informed. Rahmat was kidnapped by four men who threatened to kill him. In fear of her life: Banaz Mahmod is seen telling officers that she believes her family intend to murder her during a police interview. She was killed in January 2006 . Harrowing: Banaz visited police five times asking for help, but nothing was done in time . When he phoned Banaz to warn her, she went to the police and said she would co-operate in bringing charges against her family and other members of the community. The . policewoman who saw Banaz tried to persuade her to go into a hostel or . safe house but she is thought to have seen her home as safe because . her mother was there. She returned to the family home and was murdered just days later. Despite denying any involvement in the plot, Amin was convicted by a jury yesterday following a week-long trial. Judge Martin Beddoe slammed the ‘perverted code’ followed by the killers which dictates a woman cannot do as she chooses. He told Amin: ‘I am quite satisfied that you knew well before she was murdered what was going to happen to your cousin.' Killers: Banaz's father Mahmod Mahmod, right, and her uncle Ari Mahmod, left, were jailed for life in 2007 . Jailed: Mahmod Mahmod was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his daughter . Judge . Beddoe added: 'Her . death had been planned for about a month or so before it actually took . place. There had even been an attempt on her life already. ‘I . am sure you were aware of all these matters and you knew not only of . what had gone on but what was intended to happen. I fear for any female . child you may father. ‘When I think of that girl in that suitcase in that hole . in the ground, I find it really hard to consider your family situation. ‘It is a reflection that you are again thinking of yourself and demonstrating a complete lack of remorse.’ Amin, . of Mitcham, south London, denied doing acts tending and intending to . pervert the course of public justice and preventing the lawful and . decent burial of a corpse. He . is about to become a father for the second time, and the court was told . he plans on joining his wife and sons in Iraq after he has served his . time. | Banaz Mahmod, 20, was murdered by her father and two others in 2006 .
She was killed after ending an arranged marriage and finding love again .
Her cousin Dana Amin, 29, helped the murderers get rid of her body .
Banaz's body was found in a suitcase, buried in a Birmingham garden . |
107,611 | 16c115ba95f7b71292bf5c00a1d425a8586c551c | By . Emma Glanfield . Janet Tyler, pictured with son Joseph when he was a few months old, claims football star Sol Campbell hasn't seen their son for six and a half years . An ex-girlfriend of former England football star Sol Campbell claims he shows ‘prejudice’ every day because he won’t see their nine-year-old son. Janet Tyler said she feels sorry for the former Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur football star because he’s missing out on spending time with young Joseph and urged him to ‘ring or visit’ their son. Mr Campbell caused controversy with the revelation he believed he was overlooked for the England captaincy because of racial prejudice within the FA. Now Ms Tyler has reacted to his comments by making comparisons to the former player's relationship with his estranged son. ‘I feel sorry for him, that’s my biggest emotion. I feel sorry for him that he denies himself the unconditional love that he could have,’ she told BBC Radio 5 Live. However, the footballer, who said in interviews about his new book that it might take him 10 or 20 years to see his son because there’s a lot of ‘anguish and anger’, hit back at the claims. The 39-year-old said: ‘There are two sides to every story. It’s a private thing.’ Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he said he had only written one line about his son in his biography because it was a ‘private matter’. He said: ‘It has gone beyond the book now. It is quite disappointing because in the book it only says a few things and this is putting too much on something and giving air-time to someone who is nothing really. ‘It is up to her if she wants to put something on the radio and ring them up and talk to them over the phone.’ Ms Tyler had told BBC Radio Five Live that her son felt ‘the odd one out’ compared to Mr Campbell's other two children. She said: ‘I can’t believe he doesn’t think about Joseph. The fact he has two other children now, surely that taps into him or his feelings . ‘He talks about racial discrimination and I think he practices prejudice every single day because he’s decided which two children are worthy of his love and time and he has another child which isn’t and that to me is the worst kind of prejudice. Footballer Sol Campbell, 39, said in interviews about his new book that he might not see son Joseph for 10 or 20 years because there was a lot of 'anger and anguish' ‘His children’s charity that he does – it’s commendable, fantastic – but it’s hard for Joseph. ‘You’ve got a little boy at home who you don’t bother with and how does he feel when he sees you’re taking strangers somewhere and you’re going on about great you are doing it but yet your own flesh and blood doesn’t have any of those opportunities.’ Ms Tyler also said the football ace hasn’t seen Joseph, who was born in 2004 - two years after the pair met in a restaurant – for six and a half years. She said: ‘He lives 25 miles away from you. He doesn’t live on the other side of the world. You can come and see him, you can ring him up, you can send him a Christmas card. ‘Life is short, time is precious. You will never get these years back. The longer you leave it the harder it’ll be to have a relationship. Janet Tyler, pictured with Joseph when he was a baby, said she wants Sol Campbell to be in their son's life. She said: 'Children need their fathers in their life. He needs him now. If he spent time with Joseph he'd be so proud' ‘Children need their fathers in their life. He needs him now. ‘I want him to see Joseph. I want him to be proud. If he spent time with Joseph he’d be so proud.’ Earlier this month, it emerged Mr Campbell had written in his new authorised biography that he would’ve been England captain if he was white. In the book, which is due to be released later this month, he said: ‘I believe if I was white I would’ve been England captain for more than 10 years. It’s as simple as that. ‘I think the FA wished I was white. I had the credibility, performance-wise, to be captain. I was consistently in the heart of the defence and I was club captain early on in my career. I don’t think it will change because they don’t want it to.’ | Janet Tyler claims former England footballer hasn't seen son for six years .
She said Joseph, nine, was 'upset' and urged Campbell to 'see or ring him'
Former Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur ace said it was 'a private matter' |
249,294 | ce99e08e2345db5634668442feb411d34467785d | Kot Chutta, Pakistan (CNN) -- From behind the steel bars of his jail cell, Muhammad Ismail described with uncanny ease how he shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. "The first shot hit the side of her body," Ismail said. "I left her there and went next door and killed my wife's mother and sister. I made sure they were all dead. Then I locked the door and left the house." Without any apparent regret, Ismail said he would do it again. "I am proud of what I did. That's why I turned myself over to the police." Ismail's confession to the triple-murder that took place last February in a village in central Pakistan is a rare and chilling first-hand account of a so-called "honor" killing -- the murder of women who are usually accused of dishonoring their families by being unfaithful or disobedient. British court convicts parents of murder in "honor" killing . Ismail accused his wife of eight months of repeatedly flirting with other men and spending long hours away from home. "My wife never made me happy," said the 20-year-old who played drums in a traditional Pakistani wedding band before his arrest. "She was like a prostitute. She never took care of me." The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 943 women were "killed in the name of honor" in Pakistan last year, an increase of more than 100 from 2010. Rights groups blame the increase in "honor" murders partly on what they call an ineffective justice system in Pakistan that too often allows killers to go unpunished. Despite his videotaped confession to CNN and an earlier confession to police, prosecutors say Ismail can soon be a free man if his victims' family agrees to accept compensation for the killings. Receiving blood money is an option for victims in many conservative Muslim societies under the Islamic principal that mercy is more noble than revenge. But women's rights activists complain that in patriarchal societies like Pakistan, "honor" killers regularly bully and threaten the female victim's family into accepting blood money. "When it comes to the crime we have a natural reaction of shock and horror, but when we see the justice system not work, our heart breaks," said legal advisor and rights activist Bushra Syed. According to human rights lawyer Zia Ahmed Awan, victims' families in Pakistan are also at a disadvantage because "honor" killings often take place in male-dominated communities where women are often viewed as property with few rights to defend themselves and little access to legal aid. "In parts of the country there is hardly any legal help for women," Awan said. "This crime is growing because the courts and laws are not responding to the cries for help." Awan said police, lawmakers and judges in these communities are too often either corrupt or lack the proper resources and power to investigate and prosecute crimes. Instead they regularly defer to a traditional system of justice where powerful tribal leaders and male heads of families rule on disputes, he said. In 1999 Awan set up Pakistan's first hotline for female victims of abuse and families who lost loved ones to "honor" murders. He called it the Madadgar Help Center. Today Awan has help centers in four cities, providing thousands of victims and families shelter, legal advice, and medical care, often free of charge. Mother suspected in UK "honor" murder' implicates husband in teen's killing . Hamida Bibi called Awan's help center in Karachi after her newlywed daughter's husband allegedly killed her for having an affair. "Somebody told us to come here because they could help us," Bibi said. "They said they would listen." Awan said the fight against "murders for honor" is slowly paying off; that police are making more arrests, the courts are prosecuting more cases, and the media is paying attention. But rights groups agree the steady increase in such deaths and the possibility that confessed killers like Muhammad Ismail are often set free are stark signs that the fight is far from over. | Muhammad Ismail tells CNN how he killed his wife, her mother and her sister .
He said: "My wife never made me happy. She was like a prostitute"
In "honor" murders, women are usually accused of being unfaithful or disobedient .
Human Rights group reported 943 women killed in the name of honor in 2011 . |
253,821 | d487a7e2fccfba2aecc31d2ef8fcf41fc746e00a | When it was launched, it seemed little more than a pipe dream. Billionaire inventor Elon Musk unveiled a futuristic plan for a new type of transport that would shoot capsules of passengers along a tube at around the speed of sound. Elon Musk, one of the brains behind the online payment system PayPal, and SpaceX claims his solar-powered 'Hyperloop' could herald a revolution in travel. The Hyperloop Transportation Technologies design for Elon Musk's Hyperloop. It hopes to produce a technical feasibility study finished in mid-2015. The team believes the system could link the majority of America's major cities together. Scroll down for video . Inside the tubes, hyperloop pods are mounted on thin skis . made out of inconel,an alloy already used by Musk's SpaceX firm that can . withstand high pressure and heat. Air is pumped into the skis via small holes to make an . air cushion, and each pod has air inlets at the front. An electric turbo compressor compresses air from the nose . and routes it to the skis and to the cabin. Magnets on the skis, plus an electromagnetic pulse give . the pod its initial thrust; reboosting motors along the route would keep the . pod moving at just below the speed of sound so the system does not produce . sonic booms. Musk believes it would take just 30 minutes to travel the 381 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco – half the time it takes in a plane – and likened the passenger experience to Disneyland's rocket ride Space Mountain. Now, the plans are beginning to take shape. A new firm, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, is developing plans to makes the tubes a reality - and it has recruited experts from around the world. The crowdsourced firm has around 100 engineers on the projects, and nearly all of them have day jobs at companies like Boeing, NASA, Yahoo!, Airbus, SpaceX, and Salesforce. Dirk Ahlborn, the CEO of the new company, says it seemed the perfect way to develop the plans, with a site called JumpStartFund that aimed to crowdsource ideas. He got in touch with SpaceX, Musk's firm, and the work began. The team includes about 25 UCLA graduate architecture students at a facility in Playa Vista, although most members work remotely. Ahlborn hopes to have a technical feasibility study finished in mid-2015, according to Wired. So far, the team has made progress in three main areas: the capsules, the stations, and the route. 'They look at this like a blank sheet of paper on which they can realize their fantasies,' UCLA professor Craig Hodgetts said. Musk's idea is based on the pneumatic tubes that fire capsules of paperwork between floors in offices. In this case, the capsules would carry people – even cars – in low-pressure tubes to minimise turbulence and maximise speed. Musk believes it would take just 30 minutes to travel the 381 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco – half the time it takes in a plane – and likened the passenger experience to Disneyland's rocket ride Space Mountain. On top of pylons is a hovering capsule inside a low-pressurized tube, which can reach speeds of up to 760 mph. 'The only resistance would be the air in front of the capsule, which we moved to the back by using a compressor,' Hyperloop CEO Dirk Ahlborn said. At its launch, Musk described the Hyperloop design as looking like a shotgun, with the tubes running side-by-side for most of the journey, then closing at either end to form a loop. Trains of capsules would shoot through the almost air-free tube at up to 760mph, . accelerated by magnets which would also keep each pod on a steady course. Each capsule would float on a cushion of air it creates as it speeds along – similar to an air hockey table. So far, the team has made progress in three main areas: the capsules, the stations, and the route. The proposed route of the firstHyperloop follows Interstate 5, which runs through the agriculture-richCentral Valley in California. It would take seven to ten years to build. Capsules carrying six to eight people would depart every 30 seconds, with tickets costing around £13 each way. In his proposal released . online, Musk wrote: 'Short of figuring out real teleportation, which . would of course be awesome (someone please do this), the only option for . super-fast travel is to build a tube over or under the ground that . contains a special environment.' The proposed route of the first . Hyperloop follows Interstate 5, which runs through the agriculture-rich . Central Valley in California. It would take seven to ten years to build. Musk put the price tag at around . £4billion but pointed out that that is around one-tenth of the projected . cost of a high-speed rail system that California has been planning to . build. The 100 person team is spread around the world . The tyeam has even built models in their bid to find out if Hyperloop could actually work . However, transport experts received . the proposal with scepticism, citing barriers, such as the threat of . earthquakes in the region. Musk has said he is too focused on other . projects, for example his rocket building company SpaceX, to consider . building the Hyperloop, and instead is publishing a design that anyone . can use or modify. Musk said he started thinking about the idea when plans for a 130mph (210km/h) high-speed train connection between LA and San Francisco were revealed, but now he has detailed his own version on Tesla's site. 'Flight' of the future: The hyperloop will travel the distance between Los Angeles and San Francisco in only 30 minutes . Smooth ride: 'It would have less lateral acceleration which is what tends to make people feel motion sick than a subway ride, as the pod banks against the tube like an airplane,' creator Elon Musk said . 'I originally started thinking about [Hyperloop] when I read about California's high-speed rail project which was somewhat disappointing,' he told a Google Hangout with Richard Branson last week. 'It's actually worse than taking the plane. I get a little sad when things are not getting better in the future. 'Another example would be like the Concorde being retired and the fact there is no supersonic passenger transport. I think that is sad. You want the future to be better than the past, or at least I do.' The entrepreneur made his fortune with the internet payment system PayPal before switching his skills into developing the new Falcon rocket system for Nasa and the Tesla electric car. Mr Musk claims Hyperloop would be a practical solution for city pairs separated by 1,000 miles (1,600km) or less. Beyond this distance, it would be better to take a plane, he explained. Unique: Travellers would enter aluminium pods which are mounted above the ground on columns 50 to 100 yards apart . Modern: This image shows how people would travel in the pods . But for the shorter distance, his new concept would beat the plane, he argues, because it would not waste time ascending and descending. 'You want a transport system that is roughly twice as fast as the next best alternative, that costs less, that is safer, that is not subject to weather and is more convenient,' Mr Musk said. 'If there were such a thing, I think most people would take it. In fact, it would increase the travel between the city pairs because of the increased convenience.' Experts say Musk's track record could help the plan become a reality. 'Hyperloop is quite an old science fiction idea but Elon Musk is the sort of man who could make it work,' said physicist Martin Archer from Imperial College London. Space-like: This conceptual design of the machine shows that it will have a futuristic look . Built to last: The inventor boasted that the tracks would be immune to weather and earthquakes, though it is not immediately clear how so . Creature comforts: The legroom is said to give would-be passengers a disruption-free ride . 'He's the guy who made electric cars go fast with Tesla, which many people didn't think would be possible; and he's the head of SpaceX which is the only commercial rocket builder that has managed to hook up with the International Space Station.' Musk says he will leave it to others to build the system initially. 'I have to focus on core Tesla business and SpaceX business, and that's more than enough,' he told investors of Tesla, his electric car firm. 'If nothing happens for a few years, with that I mean maybe it could make sense to make the halfway path with Tesla involvement,' Musk said. 'Hyperloop consists of a low pressure tube with capsules that are transported at both low and high speeds throughout the length of the tube,' Musk said in an exhaustive paper detailing the system posted online. 'The capsules are supported on a cushion of air.' Each of the capsules is pressurized, . and Musk says they have an emergency braking system as well as a reserve . air supply in the event of an emergency. Appealing to environmentalists: This graph shows the energy cost per passenger on different modes of transportation for the specific San Francisco-Los Angeles journey . There and back: The 'loop' portion highlights the fact that there would only be two stops . He admits the scheme came from a disdain for current systems. 'When the California 'high speed' rail was approved, I was quite disappointed, as I know many others were too. 'How . could it be that the home of Silicon Valley and JPL – doing incredible . things like indexing all the world's knowledge and putting rovers on . Mars – would build a bullet train that is both one of the most expensive . per mile and one of the slowest in the world?' Musk claims the scheme can power itself through solar energy. 'By placing solar panels on top of the tube, the Hyperloop can generate far in excess of the energy needed to operate. 'This . takes into account storing enough energy in battery packs to operate at . night and for periods of extended cloudy weather', he claims. | Musk is working with UCLA researchers to develop system .
Over 100 engineers have created crowdsourced firm to work on idea .
Hoped the system could be rolled out in cities around the world . |
57,257 | a23ce5cf3685bc03cf88f3a23287c0133de51265 | Nikea Short was in her car at a set of traffic lights when she glanced at her rear view mirror and saw a truck speeding towards her. She screamed at the top of her lungs and started thinking about her family and friends, certain that she was about to die. 'I thought "This is it, my time's up",' Ms Short told Daily Mail Australia. 'It hit me at 80km per hour, full force, whilst I was stationary, and it was a domino effect - I then hit four other cars.' Nikea Short was in her car and stopped at a set of traffic lights when a truck smashed into her vehicle . The 27-year-old fashion blogger says she is lucky to have walked away from the crash but suffers chronic pain . Ms Short, a fashion blogger who lives in Melbourne, stayed conscious after the crash even though she smashed her head multiple times on the seat and steering wheel. 'I thought the car was on fire from all the fumes,' she said. 'I panicked and I tried to push open my door and I managed to stumble out. 'I was in a great deal of shock so I was hurting a lot hurt - my spine, my tailbone and especially my head and my neck - but at the time I just thought I've got to get out.' Ms Short stumbled out and was helped by a witness who held her up until an ambulance arrived. Since the accident in September 2013, the 27-year-old's life has completely changed. Ms Short's spine was damaged, but the most debilitating condition the crash gave her was the chronic pain that she now struggles to cope with every day. She lives with her partner Edward (left) who helps her do everyday tasks like wash her hair . 'I was very lucky to walk away,' she said. 'I know how lucky I am and I'm not in a wheelchair, but I have an invisible illness which is so hard to deal with. 'The pain is 24/7, it doesn't stop and it affects everything I do. 'It's so hard for people to understand what chronic pain is, that it's possible for your nervous system to take over your brain pretty much.' Ms Short can't move her neck at all and she can't lift her arms above her head. 'l look normal but I can't move,' she said. 'I can't wash my hair on my own, I can't brush my hair, I can't drive my car. Ms Short can't move her neck at all and she can't lift her arms above her head . She is trying to raise money via Go Fund Me for her living expenses and so that she can start working towards her goal of owning her own fashion label . 'I can't go for long walks, I can't run, I can't bend over properly, I struggle to do up my shoelaces - so many little things. 'It's pretty much like it's just taken away my entire independence and my life.' Ms Short was working for a fashion label and on track to achieve her dream of becoming a fashion designer, but had to quit her job after the accident. Now she is trying to raise money via Go Fund Me for her living expenses and so that she can start working towards her fashion career goals at some point in the future. '[My insurance payments] just cover my rent so it's got to the point where I'm actually going into so much debt because I can't afford to live,' she said. On February 16 the truck driver who crashed into her car will appear in Sunshine Magistrates' Court, charged with the offence of 'driving in a manner dangerous to the public' On February 16 the truck driver who crashed into her car will appear in Sunshine Magistrates' Court, charged with the offence of 'driving in a manner dangerous to the public'. At the end of February Ms Short will go to hospital where she will spend a month undergoing chronic pain management therapy. 'With that I hope that I may slowly be able to sit for a bit longer so I can draw, or sit at the computer for longer or blog more,' she said. 'I was working for my dreams, I've always wanted to be a fashion designer, I had studied really hard and I was quite fit and was really enjoying life. 'To go from having everything I had sort of hoped for to absolutely nothing it really hit home that life is too short, you have to really take each day as it comes, and try not to think too far ahead or dwell on the past.' Now she is trying to raise money via Go Fund Me for her living expenses and so that she can start working towards her fashion career goals at some point in the future. | Nikea Short, a fashion blogger from Melbourne, was in her car and stopped at a set of traffic lights when a truck smashed into the rear of her vehicle .
Remarkably, the 27-year-old walked away from the accident .
But now she lives with chronic pain and she has injured her spine badly .
Ms Short is trying to raise money to realise her dream of being a designer . |
249,845 | cf5d0d1148da9692b41b5b6a6918ecde395514d0 | Tesco faced fresh embarrassment last night after it emerged its cold pork sausages were contaminated with chicken and turkey and its venison burgers contained lamb. The beleaguered supermarket giant admitted its DNA testing had found undeclared meat in five products on its shelves. The discovery comes just days after it emerged that Tesco had inflated its profit by at least £250million – amid claims it did so to cover up a slump in profits. A batch of Butcher’s Choice pork sausages, made by Tulip, contained up to five per cent undeclared turkey and chicken and ‘Kids Billy Bear’ turkey slices were found to contain traces of chicken . Yesterday, Tesco admitted it had discovered between five and 30 per cent lamb in its venison burgers. Britain’s biggest retailer said it believed this was down to human error and that staff at supplier Two Sisters may have picked up the wrong meat. The supermarkets ‘Kids Billy Bear’ turkey and pork sausage slices, made by Feldhues, were also found to contain traces of chicken of between one and five per cent, The Grocer reported. Feldhues said it understood the chicken contamination came from its turkey supplier. Tesco said it believed the meat contamination was down to human error and that staff at supplier may have picked up the wrong meat . Meanwhile, a batch of Butcher’s Choice beef, pork and onion and turkey sausages, made by Tulip, contained between one and five per cent undeclared turkey and chicken. This was understood to have been caused by the cross-contamination of machinery by factories which made several different meat products on-site. Tesco said it was too late to withdraw the products from the shelves by the time the discovery had been made because the rest of the batch had been sold – and presumably eaten. The results were among 450 tests carried out on random meat products over the last quarter. Tesco became the first retailer to introduce DNA testing on its meat after being embroiled in the horsemeat scandal in 2013. During the row, it emerged Tesco’s ‘minced beef’ in its frozen bolognese was up to 100 per cent horsemeat. The value range ready-meal was made by Comigel, a French firm, was also linked to contaminated products at Findus and Aldi. Tim Smith, Tesco’s group quality director, said: ‘The presence of chicken, turkey and sheep DNA in these five products does not render them unfit for human consumption or otherwise unsafe and does not represent a risk to public health. Tesco admitted it had discovered between five and 30 per cent lamb in its venison burgers . ‘We have insisted that our suppliers put in place improved process controls to prevent these problems reoccurring, and have made clear any future incidents of this type will have consequences.’ The supermarket has tested more than 6,000 products since the horsemeat scandal, which it publishes online on a quarterly basis. Its DNA testing has only flagged up one previous breach, when it found its Simply Roast meatloaf, supplied by UK firm Eurostock, contained five per cent horsemeat. Ben Reynolds, from campaigning food and farming alliance Sustain, said: ‘The news of contamination in Tesco’s sausages, burgers, and meat slices clearly shows that lessons have not been learned from the horsemeat scandal. ‘It shows that recent recommendations from government are not having the required impact - we are still seeing animal carcasses mixed up and, yet again, the public are in the dark about what meat they’re eating. ‘If consumers want to be sure that the meat they are buying is responsibly produced and accurately labelled, they should buy it from suppliers they know they can trust, looking out for certification labels which guarantee meat is produced to the highest standards, such as organic and RSPCA certified meat. ‘ . Yesterday, Two Sisters said they were ‘extremely concerned to be informed by our customer of an instance of lamb traces in a pack of venison burgers’, which were processed at their site in Cornwall in May. A spokesman said: ‘We have concluded that this incident is a case of human error that may have occurred at any point in the supply chain and not a deliberate or malicious act. ‘However, this is still wholly unacceptable and we have since enhanced a number of our working practices and controls to reassure our customers and their consumers that our processes are as thorough and robust as they can be.’ Tulip told The Grocer it was ‘very disappointed’ to have fallen below its own high-quality standards in relation to the Butcher’s Choice sausages, but was confident ‘the issues identified have been fully addressed’. And Feldhues insisted it only processed turkey and pork but ‘had identified a supplier of turkey as the source of the small proportion of chicken meat’. Yesterday, it emerged that Tesco finance director Laurie McIlwee will still receive his £1m payoff despite an accounting scandal that has engulfed the grocer this week. While McIlwee has not been accused of any wrong doing, but the timing of the award will embarrass under-pressure chairman Sir Richard Broadbent. The firm announced in April that McIlwee was to be replaced but it said he would be available to help with the ‘transition’ to a new finance director over the following six months. However it has since emerged that McIlwee was told by former chief executive Philip Clarke not to come into the office since April and Tesco has been in the unusual position of having no finance director in the interim. It is thought that it was during this period that the accounting mistake occurred. New finance director Alan Stewart was drafted in three months earlier than planned from Marks & Spencer this week. Last night a Tesco spokeswoman said: ‘Investigations into each incident have concluded that production line error was responsible and we have worked with suppliers to ensure their controls are effective and our stringent standards are met every time.’ | Tesco admitted its DNA testing had found undeclared meat in five products .
Up to 30 per cent lamb was discovered in venison burgers sold to customers .
And cold pork sausages were found to be contaminated with chicken .
Britain’s biggest retailer said it believed this was down to human error .
This comes days after it emerged Tesco had inflated its profit by £250million . |
280,112 | f6e4baa9c7f875d886c710b0d911afb6574343f3 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 6 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:50 EST, 6 February 2014 . An Indonesian woman whose body is covered by hundreds of tumours has been forced to flee her village after her family disowned her. Sarotin, 46, from East Jakarta, is believed to be suffering from neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition which causes uncontrollable growths along the nerves. The mother of four who only uses one name has suffered from the condition for three years. An Indonesian woman whose body is covered by hundreds of tumours has been forced to flee her village leaving her children behind after her family disowned her . Sarotin, 46, from East Jakarta, is believed to be suffering from neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition which causes uncontrollable growths along the nerves . Half her face has been obscured by a tumour as well as hundreds of smaller ones covering her entire body. Widowed Sarotin, says she could not afford medical treatment in her home village in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Neurofibromatosis is the name for a number of genetic conditions that cause swellings or lumps. Half her face has been obscured by a tumour as well as hundreds of smaller ones covering her entire body . Sarotin visits a shop near her home in East Jakarta, Indonesia . Widowed Sarotin, says she could not afford medical treatment in her home village in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia . Despite their alarming appearance, the growths and swellings - called neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells - are not cancerous or contagious . Although . many people who have the condition inherit it from one of their . parents, up to 50 per cent develop it randomly from a gene mutation . before they are born. Despite . their alarming appearance, the growths and swellings - called . neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells - are not cancerous or . contagious. Last month an Indonesian man whose body is covered by hundreds of tumours made a final plea for help as the rare condition robs him of his sight. Slamet, from East Java, is reported to have developed the condition after he had a tumour removed from his waist in 1991. Slamet's kind-hearted neighbours in Nguntoronadi, Magetan, East Java, have started a Facebook group to try and raise enough money to fund the removal of the tumours. In November a photo of Vinicio Riva, who also has neurofibromatosis, spread across the world when he was warmly embraced by Pope Francis at one of the pontiff's weekly audiences in St Peter's Square. In November a photo of Vinicio Riva, who also . has neurofibromatosis, spread across the world when he was warmly . embraced by Pope Francis at one of the pontiff's weekly audiences in St . Peter's Square. Both pictured . Neurofibromatosis has long been associated with the 'Elephant Man,' the name given to Joseph Carey Merrick, who was severely disfigured. But evidence now suggests he was suffering from another rare syndrome . Slamet is . believed to be suffering from a condition called neurofibromatosis – the . name for a number of genetic conditions that cause swellings or lumps. Although many people who have the condition inherit it from one of . their parents, up to 50 per cent develop it randomly from a . gene mutation before they are born. There . are two types of neurofibromatosis and this man is suffering from type . one, Dr Anand Saggar, a London-based genetics expert, told MailOnline. Despite their alarming appearance, the growths and swellings - called neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells - are not cancerous or contagious. The . condition has long been associated with the ‘Elephant Man,’ the name . given to Joseph Carey Merrick, who was severely disfigured. However, . in 1986, a new theory emerged that Mr Merrick may actually have had . Proteus syndrome, a condition which involves symptoms . such as abnormal growth of the bones, skin and head. The . confusion was again compounded in 2001 when it was proposed that he had . suffered from a combination of neurofibromatosis type one (NF1) and . Proteus syndrome. However, DNA tests on his hair and bones have proven inconclusive. Other symptoms of neurofibromatosis type one include flat, light brown spots on the skin. These . harmless marks, also called cafe au lait spots, are common in many . people. People who have more than six spots that are bigger than half a . centimetre wide should get investigated for NF1. NF1 . is a condition someone is born with, although some symptoms develop . gradually over many years. The severity of the condition can vary . considerably from person to person. People . with NH1 are more likely to suffer from learning difficulties and . behavioural problems, a type of cancer known as malignant peripheral . nerve sheath tumours, which affect around 10 per cent of people with NF1 . over their lifetime, vision problems, high blood pressure and a curved . spine. | Sarotin, 46, from East Jakarta, suffers from neurofibromatosis .
It is a genetic condition which causes uncontrollable growths along nerves .
The mother of four has suffered from the condition for three years . |
21,379 | 3cb3acea564d0b30640a0a0b6d902ad060d85931 | An animal-loving grandmother died from a rare infection after she was licked on the hand by her pet dog. Sheena Kavanagh, 53, went into septic shock when her dog's saliva entered her bloodstream through a small cut and was rushed to Stafford Hospital. It is believed an affectionate lick from either of her Yorkshire Terriers or her Jack Russell proved fatal because her spleen – the organ which prevents bacterial infection – was removed in 1988, an inquest heard. Sheena Kavanagh, 53, pictured with one of her horses, went into septic shock after being licked by her dog . She became ill in April after finishing work at a care home where she was a chef. The mother-of-two was rushed to hospital where medics suspected she had bacterial meningitis but the results were not clear. She was prescribed antibiotics but her condition deteriorated and she died at about 9.30pm the following night after her organs shut down. The inquest at Cannock Coroner’s Court heard that death was so unexpected doctors were unable to pinpoint what had caused it at first. Due to its rarity, clinicians are now considering publishing a report on the case. Ms Kavanagh from Hilderstone, . Staffordshire, was unaware she was at risk from capnocytophaga . canimorsus – an organism present in dog saliva - after her spleen was . removed. The organism Capnocytophaga Canimorsus is typically found in the saliva of cats and dogs. It has the low ability to cause disease in healthy individuals but has been known to cause severe illness in people with pre-existing conditions. Its transmission can occur through bites, licks or even close proximity to animals. Symptoms usually appear within one to eight days of exposure, but mostly on the second day, and can range from flu-like symptoms to fulminent septicemia. Infection can usually be treated effectively with antibiotics and is recommended for a minimum of three weeks. The faster the infection is diagnosed the better the chance of survival, but death is rare. The operation was carried out she was assaulted by her then partner in 1988, although at the time she told doctors she had sustained the injuries in a car crash. She escaped the relationship three years later, and her former partner died in 2001. Her daughter Melissa Bromfield, 27, told the hearing her mother had been prescribed penicillin as is standard practice after a splenectomy until five years ago to reduce the risk of contracting the illness. She added that her mother, who also has a son, James, 23, had been taking the antibiotic twice a day right up until her death. Pathologist Dr Hiam Ali told the inquest, held yesterday, that the bacteria which proved fatal was discovered in a blood sample taken shortly after Ms Kavanagh arrival at hospital. Dr Ali said: ‘She had antibiotics [in hospital] which worked on the bacteria but unfortunately the damage was already done. ‘Her blood was full of bacteria and organisms. ‘Capnocytophaga canimorsus, an organism present in dog saliva, normally doesn't cause damage. ‘But in people without a spleen it can cause death due to septic shock. But it is extremely rare.’ Dr Ali added that a 'very small' cut had been found on her hand. She was rushed to Stafford Hospital but died the next night after her organs began shutting down . He added that he would have expected that the penicillin she regularly took would have protected her from the bacteria entering her bloodstream and was unsure why it had not. South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh recorded a narrative verdict that Ms Kavanagh died from 'splenectomy and dog saliva in bloodstream'. Speaking after the hearing, her daughter said: ‘It was a shock as she had been around dogs all her life. ‘She had two Yorkshire terriers, a long haired Jack Russell and six horses, she loved all animals. ‘She was brilliant, a devoted nan and my best friend rather than my mum. I saw her almost every day. ‘She loved her job and everyone misses her dearly. ‘There is a massive part of our family missing.’ | Sheena Kavanagh, 53, went into septic shock after saliva got in bloodstream .
She had her spleen - organ which prevents infection - removed in 1988 .
Rushed to Stafford Hospital but died the next night after organs shut down .
Sample revealed bacteria found typically in dog saliva was in bloodstream .
Ms Kavanagh had been taking penicillin but was unaware she was at risk . |
127,126 | 305599f3a1aacd95b9c8226ec85ff377cdb2c8ed | (CNN) -- Israel was founded on democratic principles with the Jewish state's declaration of independence in 1948 including a commitment to the "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex." It has remained a continuous democracy ever since. The 120-seat Knesset is the Israeli seat of government. The seat of Israeli government is the Knesset, the country's national parliament, located in Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital. The Knesset's 120 lawmakers are elected by universal suffrage with all Israeli citizens over the age of 18 entitled to vote. Knesset seats are divided according to each party's proportion of the overall vote. But parties must poll at least two percent nationally to gain a seat. Participation in elections, including among Arab Israelis who constitute around 20 percent of the population, has traditionally been high at around 80 percent turnout, according to Israeli government figures. Israel currently has around 5.3 million eligible voters. Israel usually holds national elections every four years. But this year's poll on February 10 was called early -- less than three years since the last vote -- by Israeli President Shimon Peres following the resignation of prime minister Ehud Olmert amid allegations of corruption and his Kadima Party successor Tzipi Livni's failure to form a coalition. Olmert has continued to serve as caretaker prime minister in the interim. Coalitions of two or more parties are common in Israel; in fact no party has ever won enough votes to form a government by itself. Those remaining outside the ruling coalition make up the opposition. Thirty-four parties will participate in the 2009 elections, including major parties such as Kadima, Likud and Labor and also three Arab parties. The task of forming and leading a government is charged by Israel's president to the Knesset member and party leader considered to have the best chance of forming a viable coalition. The prime minister-designate then has 28 days, extendable by 14 days, to build a coalition commanding the support of at least 61 Knesset members. Officials results are due to be published on February 18 with the new Knesset convening on March 2. | Israel goes to the polls in national elections on February 10 .
34 parties bidding for 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament .
Turnout among Israel's 5.3 million eligible voters expected to be high .
Election follows collapse of Kadima-led coalition, resignation of ex-PM Ehud Olmert . |
73,725 | d10fbcdff077726c7bf958f19c6772928e73ddb1 | By . Eddie Wrenn . PUBLISHED: . 10:53 EST, 11 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:55 EST, 12 October 2012 . Prepare for a new addition to the English language, with 'Hinglish' on the rise. The hybrid child of Hindi and English, the language is now becoming India's most important language - to the extent that British diplomats posted to the country have now been told they will need to learn the language. Hinglish is not so much its own language, but the free mixing of Hindi and English words and sentence structures - even within a single sentence. While this mixing has occurred since colonial times, it is now maturing and spreading across the country - meaning a diplomat without some understanding of the Hindi words can be left out of the loop in conversations or miss nuances which could affect relationships and business deals. English tourists teach young monks how to speak English inPhuktal Monastery: The use of English has given rise to 'Hinglish' For 200 years, English has always been a 'language of choice' for businesses, private schools and the upper classes . Meanwhile words have always moved freely between the two languages - words we used every day in English-speaking countries such as shampoo and pyjamas have their origins in India. A Hindi speaker writing in English on a black board (stock image) But with many Indian TV channels and movies now freely mixing the two languages, the impact is now spreading into other areas of life. It is also spreading across the country - with cheaper televisions and access to the internet spreading across rural areas spreading the influence further than the cities. The Telegraph, which first reported the shift in diplomatic policy, reported how Bollywood films regularly use English. Meanwhile advertisements on television will mix the two languages, such as a recent shampoo advertisement which had the slogan: 'Come on girls, waqt hai shine karne ka!' - or 'it's time to . shine'. Whereas diplomats needed previously to be simply fluent in English, it is now not seen as sufficient - particularly for business matters. A British high commission . spokesman told The Telegraph: 'The Foreign . Office is placing increasing importance on the ability to transact . business in foreign languages. 'English news channels often have a portion where people choose to . express themselves in Hindi because it captures what they're trying to . say better than the English equivalent, so it's increasingly important . for British diplomats to be able to appreciate the nuances.' | Diplomats told they must must learn Hinglish before starting their post .
Without understanding, diplomats may be left out of the look on business deals and relationships .
We do it too - words like 'shampoo' and 'pyjamas' originally began as Indian words . |
10,294 | 1d3a0e7b5e9ff4686ed54a53c38b32de41cf1828 | Eli -- a sweet, active, blonde-haired preschooler -- had gone to sleep feeling fine, perhaps dreaming of playing with his sisters or having a fun day at school. He didn't make it through the night. While the young boy died sometime between the night of Wednesday, September 24, and the following morning, it wasn't until Friday night that authorities figured out why: enterovirus D68, a particularly pernicious strain of an otherwise common virus that has been particularly widespread this year. While it's been detected in at least four people who died, Eli's case is the first in which authorities have definitively cited enterovirus D68 as the cause of death. Jeff Plunkett, the health officer in Eli's hometown of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, explained Saturday that, while the boy was born premature, "he had no other existing condition" and his parents no reason to believe he was direly ill before the virus took his life. Eli was 4. "He was asymptomatic and fine, and the next morning he had passed," Plunkett told reporters. "So the onset was very rapid, very sudden. And that's clearly the big difference (between enterovirus D68 and other enterovirus strains)." Authorities are testing one other child who attended preschool at Eli's school, Yardville Elementary, albeit in a different class, for enterovirus D68. That boy has been treated at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and is now recovering at home, according to Plunkett. There are no other suspected cases in the town of 90,000 residents. Nor is there any sign of pervasive sickness at Yardville Elementary or other town schools, with attendance levels around normal. This speaks to the deadliness, the randomness and, in a sense, the pervasiveness of enterovirus D68. Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede pointed out that his parents "nor anyone will ever be able to determine where Eli may have contracted this virus." "The virus is out in the community, there is nothing we can do about that," the health officer said. "The way to prevent it is from your own personal hygiene and be vigilant with your own children and yourself." Officials did not disclose Eli's last name during a Saturday press briefing. More enterovirus cases are likely . Just last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or state public health laboratories had confirmed 277 cases of enterovirus D68. That figure has skyrocketed in recent days, to 538 confirmed cases in 43 states and the District of Columbia as of Friday. And there's no reason to think it won't get even worse. As the CDC points out, "Enteroviruses commonly circulate in summer and fall. We're currently in middle of the enterovirus season." Not including Eli's cases, tests showed enterovirus D68 in four people who had died. The CDC, though, reported then that "the role that EV-D68 infection played in these deaths is unclear at this time." Mercer County's medical examiner, Dr. Raafat Ahmad, was unequivocal about it's part in Eli's death. "The child had some brain swelling, it had some lymph node swelling," Plunkett said. "But Ahmad attributed that to the virus as the cause of death." Enterovirus is very common, with the CDC estimating 10 million to 15 million infections each year in the United States. But it has about 100 strains, with D68 among the most dangerous. Authorities say this strain has sent more children than usual to the hospital with severe respiratory illnesses. It seems to be most affecting children with a history of asthma or breathing problems. Enterovirus may also be linked to a small number of cases of a mysterious neurologic illness in Colorado, Boston and Michigan. Doctors in Colorado spotted it first -- a group of 10 children hospitalized with limb weakness, cranial nerve dysfunction and abnormalities in their spinal gray matter . Staff at Boston Children's Hospital have since identified four patients with the same symptoms. And a child in Washtenaw County, Michigan, has also developed partial paralysis in the lower limbs after being hospitalized with the virus, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. As Plunkett, the Hamilton Township health officer, explained: "The D68 strain is a very virulent strain of entire that would attack young children, preschoolers, toddlers who have for the most part compromised immune systems. It has a certain target in our population." Hygiene education, cleaning ramped up in schools . It's not clear, though, whether Eli should have been any more susceptible than anyone else, beyond his age. That and the suddenness of his death makes it especially difficult to fathom or fully understand. People in Hamilton Township, at least, are doing something about it. While officials say they're being careful not to overly alarm students, they are stressing things like hand washing, sneezing into your sleeves, staying home if you're sick and the like to students, teachers and parents to try to prevent the spread of enterovirus D68 and other viruses. Superintendent Jim Parla also said "we have ramped up cleaning in all of our schools," devoting extra staff and hours to "do cleaning that goes above and beyond what we normally do." Then there's the matter of taking care of Eli's family, namely his parents -- both educators -- and two young sisters. Yardville Elementary Principal Elena Manning said that blue-and-yellow bows, her school's colors, are being put up around the community in Eli's honor. The late boy's preschool teacher and an assistant bought a girlish bedroom set and rug to decorate his sisters' room at home. And the school will soon have a "Proud of Me" wall to display students' work, because Eli would regularly "ask Daddy if Daddy was proud of him," according to Manning. Eli's parents are working with school officials on other things. But their focus now is more on grieving, taking care of their daughters and sending a message to the community. According to Principal Manning, "They are most concerned about giving thanks, which is incredible." | Official: A preschooler went to bed "asymptomatic," was dead the next morning .
A medical examiner now says the boy died suddenly from enterovirus D68 .
There's no way of telling how the boy contracted the virus, official says .
CDC confirms 538 people in 43 states have respiratory illnesses caused by enterovirus D68 . |
128,178 | 31a93c8e07dc43041d83d463c84ac84f4eb9ff23 | Student volunteers carried out a quick cleanup of Keene State College campus after classmates set fires in the streets and overturned at least one car during a riot at a pumpkin carving festival. At least one car was flipped over by crowds of people, and the photos showed streets littered with beer cans, but students said there were enough volunteers to finish cleaning in under a half hour. 'We all recognize that we made a mistake and we're going to better next year,' said Mallory Pierce, Keene State sophomore and student body vice president. 'We're not going to let this happen again.' Cleanup: Student groups and athletic teams called for volunteers, who showed up to offer help in a campus-wide cleaning after riots marred Keene Pumpkin Fest . Groups flooded the streets coming from parties being held along with the Keene Pumpkin Festival, an event where attendees try to carve and light a record-number of pumpkins each year. Keene police reports state that one group made threats to assault an elderly man and said an attendee overheard others talking about killing police. At least 30 were reportedly injured during the riots, with 20 needing to be transported to the hospital, according to Keene Fire Chief Mark Howard who spoke with New England Cable News. News cameras and attendees on social media caught rioters flipping a car, tearing street signs from the ground and setting fires in the streets. At least 49 people were arrested over the weekend, though not all were related to the out-of-control partying. Most of those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct or alcohol-related offences. College President Anne Huot released a statement saying that the school would look at social media and photos of the riots to identify any students involved. Hauling: Student volunteers were able to finish the majority of their cleaning operations in under a half hour on Sunday . Trashed: Keene State students volunteered to clean up the massive amounts of garbage and destruction left behind by rioters . Mob: Groups of partiers overturned a car and reportedly jumped from roofs during wild rioting coinciding with Keene's Pumpkin Festival . Bloodied: Several students, including this unnamed boy, had been injured by beer bottles thrown at one party off campus . Wild: Huge crowds including Keene State College students and visitors to an annual pumpkin festival in New Hampshire became unruly Saturday, leading to injuries and arrests . Injuries: The Southwestern New Hampshire Fire Mutual Aid organization said on Twitter that several people were injured from thrown bottles at a party involving hundreds of people . Geared up: Police arrived on scene in riot gear, using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse rioters in the streets, leading to at least 49 people being arrested . 'The most serious offenders will face interim suspension, followed by conduct action up to, and including, expulsion,' the statement read. Huot also said in recent years some have encouraged visitors to come to the pumpkin festival as 'a destination for destructive and raucous behavior.' Keene State student Ellery Murray told The Boston Globe she was at a party that had drawn a large crowd when people started throwing things. Situation: New Hampshire Gov Maggie Hassan said state and local safety officials worked to defuse what she called 'the situation' Fall fun: The pumpkin festival happens every year, with revelers coming to try and set the record for most pumpkins carved in a single location . Festival: The pumpkins go on display for visitors and Keene State President Anne Huot has said that the festival has lately attracted people looking to engage in 'destructive and raucous behavior' 'People were just throwing everything they could find — rocks, skateboards, buckets, pumpkins,' she said. 'People just got too drunk.' 'It got way out of hand. Everyone I talked to said, "I feel unsafe, I'm going home." They didn't want to be part of the riot, and they couldn't do anything to solve it,' said Pierce. 'I honestly did not feel safe.' Brian Mazzola told the Associated Press that many in his building had not gone outside Saturday night after hearing about the escalating mayhem. He claimed some of the violence resulted from police breaking up house parties earlier in the night, leaving 'a mob of drunk kids on the street,' though he felt the later response was justified. 'It was kind of scary,' he said. 'We could hear the helicopters circling around telling people to go inside.' With media coverage of protests over the shooting death of Michael Brown often focusing on looting, people took to Twitter to critique how the media depicted well-off college students rioting. Users also jumped on the #pumpkinfest and #pumpkinspiceriots hashtags to poke fun at the rioters. 'How you get arrested in head to toe LL Bean though?!' tweeted Charles Wade. 'I heard the chili used in the pepper spray isn't even organic or fair-trade,' another user krsna joked. | Student volunteers showed up Sunday morning to pick up after classmates .
Groups of attendees at an annual pumpkin festival turned violent Saturday, leading to injuries and arrests, bringing police in riot gear .
Keene State President Anne Huot said the school is looking to identify students involved and said serious offenders may face expulsion .
Administrators said that those involved included students and out-of-towners gathering at off-campus locations around the city .
At least 30 were injured, with 20 requiring hospitalization .
#pumpkinfest tweets mocked student rioting at a pumpkin festival . |
157,936 | 582fae88f8060da11a2bc36d5bc4231061d0bdb0 | TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- The Arab world is among the worldwide audience that has been closely watching as events in Iran have unfolded over the past week. Protesters fight running battles with motorcycle-mounted militia members Saturday in Tehran. "In all honesty, I am amazed by these Iranians," Egyptian human rights activist and blogger Walid Abbas posted on his Twitter page. "I have no green t-shirt" Abbas tweeted Saturday. He was referring to the color worn by many supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi, whose supposed failure to win last week's election sparked the wave of unrest that has gripped the nation. Watching the events unfolding in Iran on Twitter, Youtube and other social networks, the Egyptian activist said he is learning from the Iranian activists. He said he does not support Moussavi because he is part of the Mullah system. "We are not with Moussavi," Abbas tweeted, "We are with the Iranian people and their demands." Taghlob Salah, a 24-year-old Iraqi student at Baghdad Law College, told CNN that the Iranian youths who make up most of the protesters can be inspiring to Iraqis, despite cultural differences. See images of the clashes Saturday » . "Despite the difference that we have with Iran and the fact that many Iraqis don't trust their Persian neighbor, we are still Muslims and at the end of the day that matters a lot," he said. "We will look at this phase in Iranian history and learn, for sure and I can say that we will learn from them, 100 percent." Iraq and Iran are culturally linked because their populations are predominantly Shiite Muslims, as opposed to Sunni Muslims who make up the majority of most Arab countries. Salah credited the Internet for giving everyone involved a chance to have their voices heard. "There are so many Iraqi groups all over Facebook," he said. "The world is evolving; we are developing our approach to our surroundings." Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, expressed dismay over the continued protests. He called on Moussavi to be "responsible enough to protect his people and avoid bloodshed, instability and confrontation in his country that may rupture the Iranian internal unity spreading chaos throughout the region." Atwan said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made it clear in his speech during Friday prayers that his patience had run out and he praised the supreme leader for having displayed "leniency" in his dealings with the protesters, but predicted that that leniency would not continue. iReport.com: Share images from Iran . Abd Rahman Rashed, editor of the Saudi-owned, London-based Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, expressed a different point of view. In an editorial published Saturday, Rashed directed comments to Arab supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose landslide victory in last week's election is being challenged by Moussavi and his supporters. "No matter what happens, Iran did technically change and will shift its course in a great way," Rashed wrote. "It is over," he said. "Iran the one system, the street and the agenda is over." They may not understand Farsi or why some Iranians voted for Moussavi, Mehdi Karrubi or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but Arabs can surely relate to the passionate shouts of "God is Great!" And "Down with the dictator" in defiance of Iran's theocracy. Relations between Iran and Arab states have always been tense: through its proxies, Iran sometimes accuses some of the leading Arab states, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, of being subject to the whims of Western imperialism and of failing to confront America and its ally, Israel, in the region. Rashed credited Iranians for speaking with courage against their government's funding of controversial organizations like Hezbollah, Hamas and anti-government groups in Yemen and elsewhere. He said Iranians voted against the current system because they don't want the government to dedicate the country's budget to ally itself to such organizations instead of focusing on the average citizen. Some Arab states look to Iran as a regional superpower that can support them financially, militarily and politically in their confrontation with the international community. Those states include Syria and Sudan, which support organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah -- deemed terrorist organizations by the United States -- that are used as a proxy to challenge America and Israel in the region. Some Arab states have long warned that Shiite Iran wants to spread its power across the Sunni-dominated Arab world, causing more mistrust and friction between the Persian nation and the Arab world. Recently, Egypt and Morocco accused Iran of attempting to spread the Shiite faith among its Sunni population and creating Shiite converts and activists in their communities and in the rest of the Arab world -- a charge that Iran has denied. | Arab world has closely watched as events in Iran have unfolded over past week .
Relations between Iran and Arab states have always been tense .
Egypt, Morocco accuse Iran of trying to spread Shiite faith among its Sunni population .
Some Arab states look to Iran as a regional superpower that can support them . |
119,298 | 26185411eb486c4df9c74e1137198be130cf3062 | The next mayor of New York City will be chosen at the polls today and it is Bill de Blasio's race to lose as the Democratic candidate is beating his Republican rival by more than 40 points in the latest polls. Even though experts predict that turnout will not be particularly high, de Blasio's lead is so great that there is little to stop him from becoming Michael Bloomberg's successor. De Blasio got another boost of moral support from his daughter Chiara who surprised him Tuesday morning by flying to New York from her college in California in order to go to the polls with him. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Surprise! Bill de Blasio got an election day present with his daughter Chiara making a surprise visit from her college in California to spend the day with her father and vote in his favor . Leading the way: Democratic candidate- and likely Mayor-elect- Bill de Blasio follows his daughter Chiara, wife Chirlane McCray and their son Dante out of their house in Park Slope as they head to the polls . New look: Ditching her trademark flower headband, Chiara opted for a more tribal print and a Bindi today . A Marist poll released on Monday had de Blasio leading Joe Lhota 65 per cent to 24 per cent among likely voters. ‘There's only one poll that counts and it's the one that closes at 9pm,’ Lhota said at a Monday campaign appearance. The campaign has been as much about the policies of Bloomberg, who leaves office at the end of the year after three terms, as the candidates' vision for the future. De Blasio frequently talks about the ‘two New Yorks’ - one rich, one poor - and how the city has left less fortunate New Yorkers behind as the contrast between the have's and have-not's has grown increasingly stark. De Blasio, who as the city's elected public advocate acts as an official watchdog, has positioned himself as a clean break with the Bloomberg years, promoting a sweeping liberal agenda that includes a tax increase on the wealthy to pay for universal pre-kindergarten and improved police-community relations. He has especially criticized the controversial police tactic of stop-and-frisk, which critics say unfairly targets poor blacks and Latinos. Who are you voting for? The proud father peers over at his daughter as she casts her vote . something to look forward to: The candidate's son Dante, 15, is too young to vote but accompanied his father and the rest of his family to their polling station in Park Slope . Bloomberg has called the approach . central to the city's anti-crime fight, while de Blasio has blasted it . as destructive to police and community relations. Those . campaign tactics, and a pledge to reach out to New Yorkers who feel . left behind by what they believed were Bloomberg's Manhattan-centric . policies, have been rewarded in the polls. Lhota, who has struggled to shake de Blasio's formidable lead, has launched an assault of negative ads. But that strategy has mostly backfired with an increasing number of voters saying they have a negative view of the Republican, Marist has found. Though registered Democrats outnumber their Republican counterparts 6 to 1 across the city, the last Democrat to become mayor was David Dinkins in 1989. Last looks: Republican candidate Joe Lhota reviewed election documents with his wife in a Brooklyn station . Hoping for a comeback: Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (left) campaigned with Joe Lhota (right) on the final day before the polls opened, as Lhota used to work for Giuliani . However, the GOP victories were tied to some extraordinary events that scrambled the political landscape. Mayor . Rudy Giuliani defeated Dinkins in 1993 amid fears about the city's . soaring crime rates, and Bloomberg won in 2001 largely thanks to his . fortune and the fallout from the September 11 attacks. Opponents have been counting down the days until Bloomberg's third term comes to a close, but for many months of the ensuing campaign, De Blasio did not seem like his likely successor. He was a distant fourth for much of the summer in the crowded Democratic primary, only to surge past former front-runners including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner, and is now on the verge of ending an improbable Republican winning streak in the mayor's office. Bowing out: Mayor Michael Bloomberg served for an unprecedented three terms after extending term limits . | Democrat Bill de Blasio was leading in the last poll taken on Monday .
Election comes as Mayor Michael Bloomberg finishes his third term .
Even though New York City is overwhelmingly filled with Democratic voters, the last time there was one in the Mayor's mansion was in 1989 . |
255,485 | d6b1f031e39a40dee00f1ddd5441093a550a67d5 | Tremors have reportedly hit a Florida city at least three times. Coral Gables residents have told local media they've felt the shaking inside their homes. Authorities so far have yet to figure out what's behind the tremors. Scroll down for video . Residents: Matt Meehan, left, and Boo Zamek, right, have both said they've felt shaking inside their Coral Gables homes . Matt Meehan, who lives in the city, told CBS Miami - which first reported on the shaking - 'These windows started ratting like this. And I'm looking around, and I have a little cat [that] went running in the other direction.' 'My first thought was earthquake,' he told the television station. Another resident, Boo Zamek, told the CBS affiliate it was a 'very low, um, very subtle vibration' and called it 'strange, curious.' A spokeswoman for the Coral Gables police department, Kelly Denham, told Daily Mail Online that police received two reports in the past four weeks regarding the 'loud explosion-type noises,' as well as a third report shortly before 11am Tuesday. Officers have checked out the sounds each time, Denham said, but they have so far been unable to locate their source. 'We have no idea what those noises are,' Denham said. What's going on? Authorities so far have yet to figure out what's behind the tremors . Incidents: The tremors reportedly took place in this stretch of Coral Gables, Florida . A spokesman for the US Geological Survey said the agency had no recent earthquakes reported in Florida. Meanwhile, Bill Orlove, a representative for Florida Power & Light (FPL), told Daily Mail Online 'I can tell you that our electrical equipment was working properly in the Coral Gables neighborhood during the time when customers were experiencing loud noises. We have no reports of outages and no equipment issues during that time.' CBS Miami pointed out that a sonic boom reportedly took place Saturday - and reported that the times for the boom and the Coral Gables tremors failed to match. In that case, the American Meterological Society (AMS) said more than 230 reports came in of a fireball. Many of the reports came from central and northern Florida. Earlier this month, tremors and noises were also reported in St. Johns County, according to First Coast News. A St. Johns County Sheriff's Office (SJCSO) spokesman spoke to the television station at the time, and attributed the noises to being sonic booms from military flight training. | Tremors have hit Coral Gables, Florida, at least three times .
Residents have told local media they've felt the shaking inside their homes .
Authorities so far have yet to figure out what's behind the tremors . |
47,788 | 86da815279db288fc709c8c50ae21fc82b059d23 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:14 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:15 EST, 26 December 2013 . When it comes to Chandler Parsons new haircut, the inspiration wasn't a model in a magazine, a celebrity or a fellow sports star. The 25-year-old Houston Rockets forward looked to his new friend, Patrick Hobbs-DeClaire. After the Dallas game on Monday, he took out some clippers and shaved his head. Patrick is a 10-year-old boy going through treatments for terminal cancer. 'New Friends': Houston Rockets player Chandler Parsons met Patrick Hobbs-DeClaire (left) during a recent hospital visit and then returned to see him again. The two are seen here with Patrick's twin brother, Trent . Off with your hair: Inspired by Patricks determination and fight in light of his battle with terminal cancer, Parsons decided to shave his head so the two would look similiar . The reveal: Parsons didn't tell Patrick he was going to shave his head, but told him to watch the game on ESPN on Christmas night . After meeting during a hospital visit last week, Parsons said he was inspired by Patrick's fight and determination, and returned for more visits. 'He is an unbelievable kid and the stuff he is going through really makes you realize how fortunate you are,' Parsons said. Patrick is fighting Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that attacks the autonomic nervous system. 'His dad was telling me how he isn’t even scared of death,' Parsons said. 'He is more worried about not looking like his twin brother anymore, so me being his favorite player, I decided to shave my head to look more like him and hopefully give him some support and encouragement from me. The 25-year-old put this photo on Twitter after the big chop. He said that, upon meeting Patrick, he was suffering back pain and a hangnail and that the magnitude of the 10-year-old's disease put life into perspective for him . 'I was going through back spasms and had a hangnail on my toe and I went to see this 10-year-old fighting for his life so it really puts things in perspective.' Parsons - who, as of 2012, earns $850,000 a year - said he didn’t tell the young boy he was shaving his head, but let his family know to watch the Rockets play the Spurs on Christmas night. 'It will be a nice Christmas surprise for him,' Parsons said. 'He has a lot of support out there, from me and from the Rockets.' Houston won the Christmas Night game against San Antonio 111-98. Parsons has recently started dating Texan glamor model Robyn Crowley. Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons (right) shoots against San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013, in San Antonio . | Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons met Patrick Hobbs-DeClaire during a hospital visit last week, returning again to see him .
The 10-year-old is suffering Stage 4 cancer .
Suffering back pain and a hangnail, Parsons said the magnitude of Patrick's condition put his own life in perspective .
Parsons then shaved his head to look like his new friend .
He didn't tell Patrick what was happening, just to watch the live game of the Rockets verse San Antonio Spurs on Christmas night . |
88,747 | fbe1e705d14275818c43a6e12e376d81ee3e0ab4 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 13:03 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:26 EST, 16 December 2013 . Discovery: Detectives searching for absconded paedophile Robert Edward Hind have found what they believe to be his remains in a river . Detectives searching for a missing paedophile who vanished after he was recalled to prison have found what they believe to be his remains. Police had been hunting sex attacker . Robert Hind since last Wednesday when he was ordered back to prison . after breaching the terms of his licence. However, today officers searching for the 46-year-old recovered suspected human remains in the area of the river Colne in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. An underwater search team, dog teams and specialised search officers are currently investigating the scene. Another 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and was being questioned by police. Superintendent Scott Wood said: 'The remains recovered from the river and its banks will now be forensically examined and enquiries are currently ongoing to identify them. 'Neighbourhood Policing Teams are conducting high visibility patrols in each of these areas responding to any concerns locally. 'I am continuing to appeal for anyone with information in relation to this enquiry to come forward as a matter of urgency.' Hind used to live in the picturesque town of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire., before he was jailed in 2011 for abusing a teenage boy. After he was jailed, neighbours said the front of his former home was daubed with the word 'paedo'. Search: Police have released CCTV of Robert Hind, right, who was seen with another man at Hudderfield bus station last Wednesday . Dangerous: Hind, left, was described by police as a dangerous and prolific sex offender who police believed posed a serious risk to children . Hind was jailed for three years in September 2011 after he admitted engaging in sexual activity with a teenage boy, who . cannot be named for legal reasons. Bradford . Crown Court heard that Hind, who had been jailed twice before for . indecently assaulting boys, committed the offences at the home of . another child abuser - who was sentenced to six years in prison in 2010. Hind was charged after the other abuser, who was locked up for his part in the boy’s ordeal, made a statement to the police. Investigation: Police are continuing to appeal for information in relation to Hind's disappearance . He was initially jailed indefinitely for public protection but in October 2011 this was changed to a three year sentence. Police earlier released CCTV images of the last confirmed sighting of 46-year-old Hind, also known as Dack, at Huddersfield bus station, when he was seen with another man at around 9.20am last Wednesday. The man seen with Hind was described as white, around 5ft 5ins tall wearing black trainers, jeans, a black jacket with a white hooded jumber underneath and was carrying a blue rucksack. He was also wearing a cream coloured beanie style hat. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Police have been searching for Robert Hind since last Wednesday .
Hind, known as Dack, was recalled to prison for breaching terms of licence .
Remains discovered in river Colne, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire .
Specialist teams including police divers investigating the scene .
Officers have arrested man, 46, on suspicion of murdering Hind .
CCTV of his last sighting at bus station released by officers . |
175,246 | 6ecfef5efef7dd6a1d5076d600414be2100ec6a7 | (CNN) -- The online whistle-blower site WikiLeaks began publishing more than 250,000 diplomatic cables from U.S. embassies around the world Sunday, spawning sharp condemnation from the White House and congressional leaders. WikiLeaks, which said its servers were under electronic attacks Sunday afternoon, said the documents represent the largest-ever disclosure of confidential information and give the world "an unprecedented insight into the U.S. government's foreign activities." "The cables show the U.S. spying on its allies and the U.N.; turning a blind eye to corruption and human rights abuse in 'client states'; backroom deals with supposedly neutral countries; and lobbying for U.S. corporations," the site's editor-in-chief and spokesman, Julian Assange, said in a statement released Sunday evening. "This document release reveals the contradictions between the U.S.'s public persona and what it says behind closed doors -- and shows that if citizens in a democracy want their governments to reflect their wishes, they should ask to see what's going on behind the scenes." But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs condemned the release, warning that publishing the documents would jeopardize "our diplomats, intelligence professionals and people around the world who come to the United States for assistance in promoting democracy and open government." "By releasing stolen and classified documents, WikiLeaks has put at risk not only the cause of human rights but also the lives and work of these individuals," Gibbs said. "We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reached out to leaders of eight countries over the weekend about the leaks, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Sunday. Those countries included Germany, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates, Crowley said. The New York Times and four European newspapers that had received the documents in advance began publishing excerpts earlier Sunday. Many of them detail conversations on sensitive issues between American officials and leaders in the Middle East, Afghanistan and elsewhere. The major topics in the documents include: . -- Pressure from U.S. allies in the Middle East for decisive action to neutralize Iran's nuclear program. According to one cable, King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifah of Bahrain told Gen. David Petraeus, then the top U.S. commander in the region, that the United States must curb Iran's nuclear program by whatever means necessary. "The danger of letting it go on is greater than the danger of stopping it," the king is quoted as saying. Similarly, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia implored Washington to "cut off the head of the snake" while there was still time, according to a cable cited by the British newspaper The Guardian. -- Conversations between Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Petraeus about military action against al Qaeda militants in Yemen. A cable about their January meeting reports Saleh as saying: "We'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours." At that point, according to a cable sent by the then-U.S. ambassador in Yemen, the deputy prime minister joked "that he had just 'lied' by telling Parliament" that Yemeni forces had carried out the strikes. -- Washington's efforts to have highly enriched uranium removed from a Pakistani research reactor. In a cable sent in May 2009, the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad said Pakistan was refusing to schedule a visit by American technical experts. The ambassador said that a Pakistani official had told her: "If the local media got word of the fuel removal, 'they certainly would portray it as the United States taking Pakistan's nuclear weapons.' " -- Negotiations with governments over the transfer of prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. According to The New York Times, "Slovenia was told to take a prisoner if it wanted to meet with President (Barack) Obama, while the island nation of Kiribati was offered incentives worth millions of dollars to take in a group of detainees." -- Concern that the Chinese government was involved in global computer hacking. One cable cited by The New York Times said a Chinese contact had told the U.S. Embassy in Beijing that the Politburo had directed "the intrusion into Google's computer system" earlier this year. WikiLeaks said the full set included 251,288 cables sent by American diplomats between the end of 1966 and February 2010. Of those, 8,017 originated from the office of the secretary of state, and more than 15,600 are classified as secret, it said in a statement announcing the release. WikiLeaks said the documents will be released in stages "over the next few months" to allow readers to digest them. "The subject matter of these cables is of such importance, and the geographical spread so broad, that to do otherwise would not do this material justice," it said. "We owe it to the people who entrusted us with the documents to ensure that there is time for them to be written about, commented on and discussed widely in public, something that is impossible if hundreds of thousands of documents are released at once." Sen. John Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the disclosure "reckless." "This is not an academic exercise about freedom of information and it is not akin to the release of the Pentagon Papers, which involved an analysis aimed at saving American lives and exposing government deception," Kerry, D-Massachusetts, said in a written statement. "Instead, these sensitive cables contain candid assessments and analysis of ongoing matters and they should remain confidential to protect the ability of the government to conduct lawful business with the private candor that's vital to effective diplomacy," the statement said. The documents posted include often-unfavorable commentaries on a variety of international leaders, as well as coverage of almost every major issue of recent years. The United States had warned Assangethat publishing the papers would be illegal and could endanger peoples' lives. Rep. Peter King, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, on Sunday called on the Obama administration to prosecute Assange. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, King said WikiLeakshas provided "material support to terrorist organizations" by releasing the documents. "There should be no misconception that Mr. Assange passively operates a forum for others to exploit their misappropriation of classified information," King wrote. "He actively encourages and solicits the leaking of national defense information. He pursues a malicious agenda, for which he remains totally immune to the consequences of his actions." The site said it was already under fire Sunday afternoon. In a statement posted on Twitter, WikiLeakssaid it was experiencing a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack. That's an effort to make a website unavailable to users, normally by flooding it with requests for data. But WikiLeaks posted information on the new documents Sunday afternoon on a site with a different web address. The cables being detailed Sunday follow two similar releases by WikiLeaks earlier this year. In July, the site released more than 70,000 U.S. military reports from the war in Afghanistan, and nearly 400,000 more reports about operations in Iraq in October. The site indicated last week that a new batch was coming, telling followers on Twitter that the new release would be seven times the size of the Iraq documents. "Intense pressure over it for months," the group stated. "Keep us strong." In addition to the Times, four European newspapers -- Britain's The Guardian, Le Monde in France, Der Spiegel in Germany and El Pais in Spain -- had prior access to WikiLeaks documents. CNN has not had advance access to the documents because it declined to sign a confidentiality agreement with the site. Retired Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the former U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said the documents reveal sensitive U.S. government positions and put diplomats at risk "for their candidness and their reporting." "I think it's important for WikiLeaks and its ilk to recognize the damage that they're doing by releasing this information and be held responsible for the damage that occurs from releasing this information," said Kimmitt, who served in the State Department and as the U.S. military spokesman in Iraq during the Bush administration. But Scott Shane, one of the authors of the Times report, said the disclosures are most notable for their "behind-the-scenes stories -- how we speak to other countries and how they speak to us." Shane told CNN the newspaper does not believe its reporting will result in drastic consequences, and that the Times redacted some names and information in the cables after discussions with State Department. "Our judgment was that while there certainly would be repercussions, there would be strained relations perhaps with certain countries or certain leaders, we did not think that there would be lives at stake," he said. "We did not think that there would be important intelligence operations that would be compromised by the material we're actually publishes. The U.S. State Department's legal adviser, Harold Hongju Koh, said Saturday that his agency had had spoken with representatives from the Times, the Guardian and Der Spiegel about 250,000 documents that WikiLeaks had provided to them. Kohdescribed the distribution as the "illegal dissemination of classified documents." CNN's Tim Lister, Elise Labott, Jill Dougherty and Tom Cohen contributed to this report. | WikiLeaks begins an "unprecedented" release of U.S. cables .
Documents detail U.S. "backroom deals" and spying, WikiLeaks says .
Congressional leaders join White House condemnation of WikiLeaks .
WikiLeaks says it is under cyberattack, but documents are already distributed . |
212,332 | 9ef422a6badaeba83eb266af500830733a39b893 | (CNN) -- Three people died Tuesday in an explosion in the Turkish capital Ankara, in what may have been a terror attack, Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin told CNN sister network CNN Turk. "There was a powerful explosion in a car that was parked," the minister said, citing preliminary information. "The possibility that it was a terrorist attack is high." He said it was also possible that a gas explosion had caused the blast, "though that is a weak possibility." The explosion shook a crowded street in the center of Ankara, damaging vehicles and buildings on Kumrular Street near the Kizilay metro station, the official Anatolia news agency reported. An eyewitness described the scene as "terrible" and "very chaotic." "Cars were exploding. Pieces were spreading around. We were terrified," the unnamed witness told CNN Turk. Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said earlier there were no deaths, but 15 people were wounded, Anatolia reported. Ankara governor Alaaddin Yuksel said officials, including police and a prosecutor, were investigating the cause of the blast. He said many cars were parked on the street with garbage bags under them at the time of the explosion. Five people are in surgery, he added. An emergency services doctor at Numune Hospital in Ankara said 10 injured people were brought to the hospital. One was in intensive care, one was in the burn unit and the other eight have light injuries, said the doctor. None of the injuries are life-threatening, said the doctor, who did not give a name. Doctors in state hospitals are not allowed to speak to the media. The explosion took place in front of the Cankaya municipal building, local official Bulent Tanik said on Turkish television. He cited eyewitnesses as saying a burning gas tank had been thrown out a window onto the street. Police have sealed off the street, Anatolia reported. --CNN's Yesim Comert and Talia Kayali contributed to this report. | NEW: A car explodes in central Ankara, the interior minister says .
NEW: The possibility that it was a terror attack is high, he says .
Wounded people are taken to nearby hospitals . |
34,729 | 62b1886f3a91ef6c82f4084fa2fcb40fad8b2b73 | Tragic: Ned Vizzini, 32, committed suicide in New York on Thursday . An author who shot to fame after the publication of his book about his experiences with depression as a teenager has died after committing suicide. Ned Vizzini, 32, was found dead in New York on Thursday after more than a decade of acclaim as a young adult author, according to the Los Angeles Times. One of Vizzini's books, 'It's Kind of a Funny Story', was turned into a 2010 movie starring Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts. That memoir won the Young Adult book . award by the American Library Association in 2007 and detailed his . depression, suicidal thoughts and ensuing trip to a psychiatric . hospital. When the book was . published seven years ago, he gave an interview to The New York Times . wherein he answered questions from parents whose children were also . struggling with depression and he admitted that while he definitely felt . much better it was a life-long struggle. 'The . first and most important step I took happened a week after I left the . psych hospital, when I realized, while looking over my receipts of all . things, that suicide was not an option,' he said in the 2006 interview. Memoir: The book, and ensuing film starring Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts, 'It's Kind Of A Funny Story' was based on Vizzini's trip to a psychiatric ward as a teenager following suicidal thoughts . Depression: In interviews, Vizzini (seen here with his wife Sabra Embury) talked about how while he did still battle mental demons, his trip to the psych ward convinced him that suicide was not the answer . 'I had wasted so much time thinking about it and mulling over its intricacies and artistic seductiveness; starting right then and there I crossed it out as an option. From then on it was a hard road — even though I didn't want to kill myself, I didn't really want to live either and I withdrew into oversleeping and under-eating.' The success of It's Kind Of A Funny Story, which was his third book, helped springboard his writing career and he went on to collaborate on television shows like MTV's Teen Wolf, ABC's The Last Resort. He was working with J.J. Abrams and Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron at the time of his suicide yesterday. 'We are incredibly saddened at the loss . of our dear friend and colleague Ned Vizzini. On behalf of everyone in . the Believe family, we offer our deepest condolences and heartfelt best . wishes to his friends and family, especially his wife and son, at this . most challenging of times,' Mr Cuaron said in a statement in conjunction . with Bad Robot productions. Left behind: Vizzini and his family (pictured) lived in LA but he was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York . Sad: Vizzini is seen here posing for photos with his two year old son . He was married to fellow writer Sabra Embury and the couple has a two year old son . 'He was also incredibly kind and he adored his family and friends,' his publisher Alessandra Balzer said in a statement. 'At his signings, countless kids would approach him to say that he changed their lives — he gave them hope.' For confidential support call the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255. In the U.K. you can call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org . | Ned Vizzini died after committing suicide in New York on Thursday .
One of his best known works was the memoir 'It's Kind Of A Funny Story' which detailed his teenage trip to a psychiatric ward after suicidal thoughts .
Previously said that the psychiatric stay convinced him that suicide was not the answer .
Leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old son . |
263,678 | e181ab2ed3c4648a3e25b852602c5b9dbe000065 | Walking dogs in public or driving them around in cars is set to be banned in Iran. Now dog owners fear their pets will be 'arrested' if they are caught in public and they could also face a fine. It is the latest attempted crackdown on dogs in the country, where the animals are viewed as unclean. Dog-owners such as Shohreh (pictured) fear losing their beloved pets in the latest clampdown . In 2011, authorities threatened to criminalise dog ownership and said the growing popularity of keeping the pets 'poses a cultural problem, blind imitation of the vulgar Western culture'. Deputy police chief Ahmad Reza Radan told the Fars news agency that they 'will confront those who walk . their dogs in the streets. Cars carrying dogs will also be impounded.' However the Iranian Society for the . Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has questioned whether this is illegal . and said that now law forbids dog ownership, according to AFP. It said dozens of dogs had been 'arrested' and were taken to 'undisclosed locations'. According to animal supporters, this crackdown is more series than previous attempts. Payam . Mohebi, a pet hospital chief from Tehran, was quoted as saying: 'Owners . are being told that their dogs will be killed, and no paper (confirming . the confiscation) is given to them.' Dog will have to be walked at night or exercised in garden by their owners (pictured Iranian Golnaz) Dog owners are now walking their pets at night to avoid detection. In June 2010 Grand Ayatollah Naser . Makarem Shirzi warned that dog ownership would lead to family . corruption and damage societal values. 'Many people in the West love their dogs more than their wives and children,' he said. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance then banned all media from publishing adverts about pets, according to AFP. Despite the threats, sales of dogs are still booming. Pet shop owners and vets said sales of dogs have risen sharply in recent years. Dogs will be confined to houses even more under the clampdown. Pictured engineer Azar and her dog Pony . Pet foods and grooming kits are available at most supermarkets and dog training schools and 'dog hotels' have even sprung up in the country. They are not allowed to keep dogs inside the shop and say they only bring them into public when a deal has been made. Dogs are considered 'unclean' but guard dogs are common and tolerated, although they are not usually allowed into homes. Specially trained dogs, such as those that detect drugs, or sheepdogs are also allowed. It has become increasingly fashionable in well-to-do Tehran neighbourhoods to keep dogs – especially expensive pedigrees – as status symbols. Customers are opting for 'tiny' dogs such as Chihuahuas that make less noise and are easier to hide during walks or car trips. | Dog walking in public and driving them in cars set to be prohibited in Iran .
Also banned in 2011 as Iranians with dogs were 'blindly imitating the West'
In Iran, dogs are considered unclean and only working dogs are tolerated . |
276,410 | f220899245e36819a3c3ae8c5f22b4aaea9306d4 | By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 07:38 EST, 7 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:40 EST, 7 May 2012 . 'Asteroid defence' has always focused . on huge weaponry such as nuclear warheads or lasers - but Strathclyde . researchers believe throwing a handful of rocks could do the trick . instead. Two engineers at the University of . Strathclyde think that instead of the huge, cumbersome laser weapons . proposed by earlier projects, a 'swarm' of tiny spacecraft weighing . 1,000lbs would deflect it. Speaking at a conference in Atlanta . Georgia, Alison Gibbings and Massimiliano Vasile, the two engineers . propose a 'swarm' of solar-powered pebbles could deflect an asteroid by . 22,000 miles - enough to miss Earth entirely. Two engineers at the University of Strathclyde think that instead of the huge, cumbersome laser weapons proposed by earlier projects, a 'swarm' of tiny spacecraft weighing 1,000lbs would deflect it . Meteor crater in Arizona: The swarm would be launched into orbit in a single rocket, New Scientist reports - then would form into a 'swarm' that would attack a 250m space rock head on . Dr Massimiliano Vasile, of Strathclyde¿s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is leading the research . The swarm would be launched into orbit in a single rocket, New Scientist reports - then would form into a 'swarm' that would attack a 250m space rock head on. Until now, research into an 'asteroid shield' for our planet has focused on huge satellites carrying equally vast weapons. But . Strathclyde researchers think that smaller 'fighter' satellites could . work together to destroy a huge asteroid. Dr Massimiliano Vasile, of . Strathclyde’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is . also researching another approach, where the small satellites would be . armed with lasers, rather than using impact to deflect the asteroid. Instead of knocking it off course, small laser satellites would 'chew away' at an approaching space rock. He said: ‘The approach we are . developing would involve sending small satellites, capable of flying in . formation with the asteroid and firing their lasers at the asteroid at . close range. ‘The use . of high power lasers in space for civil and commercial applications is . in its infancy and one of the main challenges is to have high power, . high efficiency and high beam quality all at the same time. ‘The . additional problem with asteroid deflection is that when the laser . begins to break down the surface of the object, the plume of gas and . debris impinges the spacecraft and contaminates the laser. 'However, . our laboratory tests have proven that the level of contamination is . less than expected and the laser could continue to function for longer . than anticipated.’ A swarm of relatively small satellites . flying in formation and cooperatively firing solar-powered lasers onto . an asteroid would overcome the difficulties associated with . current methods that are focused on large unwieldy spacecraft. Ever watchful: The CSS's Schmidt Telescope scans the skies for dangerous space rocks . Sky's the limit: The Schmidt Telescope is located on Mt. Bigelow in the Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona . Just . over 100 years ago a 2000-kilometer area of vegetation was destroyed . when an object believed to be 30-50 metres in diameter exploded in the . skies above Tunguska, Siberia. Dr Vasile said: ‘The Tunguska class of events are expected to occur within a period of a few centuries. 'Smaller . asteroids collide with Earth more frequently and generally burn in the . atmosphere although some of them reach the ground or explode at low . altitude potentially causing damage to buildings and people. ‘We . could reduce the threat posed by the potential collision with small to . medium size objects using a flotilla of small agile spacecraft each . equipped with a highly efficient laser which is much more feasible than a . single large spacecraft carrying a multi mega watt. 'Our . system is scalable, a larger asteroid would require adding one or more . spacecraft to the flotilla, and intrinsically redundant - if one . spacecraft fails the others can continue.’ Dr Vasile is now investigating the use of the same concept to remove space debris. The number of objects in orbit classified as debris is ever-increasing and with no widely accepted solution for their removal. Researchers . at the University of Strathclyde believe the space-borne lasers could . be used to lower the original orbit of the space debris and reduce the . congestion. Dr Vasile . said: ‘The amount of debris in orbit is such that we might experience a . so called Kessler syndrome – this is when the density becomes so high . that collisions between objects could cause an exponentially increasing . cascade of other collisions. ‘While . there is significant monitoring in place to keep track of these . objects, there is no specific system in place to remove them and our . research could be a possible solution.‘A . major advantage of using our technique is that the laser does not have . to be fired from the ground. Obviously there are severe restrictions . with that process as it has to travel through the atmosphere, has a . constrained range of action and can hit the debris only for short arcs.’ | 'Squadron' of 'pebble' sized asteroids would deflect asteroid .
Would need to be launched 8 years in advance .
Could deflect asteroid 22,000 miles - and make it MISS Earth .
Previous research focused on large craft with equally large lasers . |
15,781 | 2ccf18fd9e888190fb87752603ceb3972c85050b | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 08:50 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:29 EST, 14 November 2013 . She appeared in some of the Victorian period's most famous paintings and married one of Britain's greatest artists before dying of a laudanum overdose at the age of 32. Now the fascinating life of Lizzie Siddal, dubbed the Pre-Raphaelite supermodel, is to be brought to the stage for the first time. The play, named Lizzie Siddal, tells the story of the flame-haired beauty from the day she was plucked from the obscurity of a Victorian bonnet shop to her tragic death. Muse: The most famous painting to feature Siddal is John Everett Millais 1862 masterpiece, Ophelia . Starring role: Emma West plays Lizzie Siddal while Tom Bateman portrays her artist husband Rossetti . Premiering at the Arcola Theatre on the 20th November, the play stars Emma West as the tragic model and Tom Bateman, currently appearing on Sky Atlantic's The Tunnel, as her husband Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Rossetti was one of the most famous of the Pre-Raphaelites and is cited as an inspiration for William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones among others. Among his works are The Roman Widow and Beata Beatrix, both of which starred Siddal, and Lady Lillith which depicts another of his harem of flame-haired muses and lovers, Fanny Cornforth. But it was Siddal who would prove his greatest love and the painter was left heartbroken by her death in 1862. 'The more you read about her the more fascinating she becomes,' playwright Jeremy Green revealed in an interview with the BBC. Portrait of a supermodel: An 1854 self portrait (left) and Rossetti's 1860 work Regina Cordium (right) 'Here's a woman who, with no advantages, became famous as a model; but that wasn't sufficient, she wanted to produce art and, falling in love, she wanted to be fulfilled in her love - and in pursuit of both she met tragic consequences. 'It's a play about love and death and immortality.' Siddal's career began when she was spotted working in a London milliners shop by early Pre-Raphaelite artist, Walter Deverell. Through Deverell, Siddal, described as 'a most beautiful creature with an air between dignity and sweetness' by her future brother-in-law William Michael Rossetti, met the remaining Pre-Raphaelite artists, including Rossetti himself. Of all the paintings inspired by Siddal though, the most famous is Sir John Everett-Millais' 1852 work Ophelia, which shows the model as Shakespeare's doomed Danish princess floating in a river before her death from drowning. To produce the painting, Siddal was required to lie in an icy-cold bath for hours on end, a requirement that led to a bout of pneumonia. Beauty: Siddal portrayed in Rossetti's 1863 Beata Beatrix (left) and in a rare period photograph (right) Resemblance: Emma West plays Siddal in the new play and experienced being submerged in a bath . 'I had the experience of lying in the bath,' West told the BBC. 'The longest I did was five or six hours,. 'That's a helpful thing to have done, despite the fact that my fingers were prune-like. The crew were scooping cold water out and pouring in hot water so I was fine.' She adds: 'It's tempting to think, "How cruel of Millais", but actually there was nothing to stop Lizzie saying, 'It's getting a bit cold now'. But she didn't. She chose to try and be the perfect model for him.' Although Ophelia is the most famous of the paintings featuring Siddal, by 1851, she was also sitting for Rossetti, whose paintings of her are thought to number in the thousands, and who continued to paint her even after her death. Siddal never entirely recovered from the ill-health caused by sitting for Ophelia, and despite years spent recuperating in Nice, remained frail. Later, she succumbed to depression, caused in part, by Rossetti's numerous affairs, and also developed an addiction to laudanum. When, in 1861, she suffered a stillbirth, the end was in sight. On the 11th February 1862, Rossetti came home to find her dying in her bed. Siddal, the first supermodel, had taken an overdose of the drug, although whether it was deliberate or not remains a mystery. She was just 32 years old. Lizzie Siddal, starring Emma West and Tom Bateman, premieres on 20th November at London's Arcola Theatre . | Siddal posed for scores of artworks and died in 1862 aged just 32 .
Most famous appearance is in John Everett Millais' Ophelia .
New play focuses on life and relationship with her artist husband .
Gabriel Dante Rossetti is one of the UK's greatest painters and poets . |
144,495 | 46df079ce15165aeed7ca48d2fa363c4a50f530c | Adult entertainment website PornHub announced it is starting a music label, called Pornhub Records. The announcement was made in a Billboard interview on Wednesday with Pornhub record executives Matt Blake and Corey Price. 'We've always seen a strong music presence from the beginning of Pornhub,' Blake told the website. 'Artists upload their own stuff, like uncensored tracks and R-rated versions of songs,' the head of PR and marketing continued. 'Some people come in and upload exclusive videos, so it creates a buzz for them.' New venture: Adult entertainment company Pornhub announced it is starting a music label, called PornHub Records . Pornhub Records also has a newly-revealed song contest, which it says will give artists 'Minimum 5,000 views guaranteed' - but a record deal is not guaranteed as part of the grand prize, Billboard reported. 'We'll help produce the official music video and feature it on Pornhub TV,' Pornhub promises online. 'A&R is a work in progress,' Blake told Billboard. 'Right now it's all about forming relationships and understanding how this all works. We're focused on distributing through the platform and digital sales.' Artists Coolio, Xiu Xiu and FaltyDL already have videos with the new music company, the website reported. Price revealed to Billboard 'We're looking for acts that aren't necessarily porn-focused.' 'We're an ad-based network looking for content that appeals to our demographic,' the vice president continued. 'Mature lyrics for an adult audience; no boy bands or teen-pop, for instance.' Price also said that 'Producers, music technicians, everyone in the business you could imagine' contacted the record label. 'There's erotic folk, rap, country - everybody has come to us.' Price revealed to MailOnline that adult film stars have even expressed interest in music careers. 'We’ve been approached by all sorts of people – from adult stars, to mainstream celebs, to music producers, sound engineers etc. It’s been a work-in-progress so far, so we’re pretty happy with where we’ve come getting everything off the ground. As far as signing, we’re definitely considering some of the folks who’ve approached us, especially if they’re talented, but this label and the song contest are for the people first. 'Our whole mission is to put the word out and catch the attention of fledgling musicians or enthusiasts that are looking for a platform for their art. It’s the fans and viewers that have helped us grow into what we are, and so this is mainly a way for us to give back to the community; to give people a voice.' Asked if the record label will release new music soundtracks, as opposed to '70-style funk soundtracks stereotypically associated with adult films, Price said 'while 70s funk soundtracks may have been the rage 40+ years ago, I don’t think it’s necessarily the case now. But hey, that’s what this contest and this label is all about – hopefully we’ll get our hands on some amazing material to put out.' Already signed: Artists Coolio, Xiu Xiu and FaltyDL already have videos with the new music company . | Adult entertainment website Pornhub announced it is starting a music label, called Pornhub Records .
The label is also offering a newly-revealed song contest, which it says will give artists 'Minimum 5,000 views guaranteed' online .
A record deal is not guaranteed as part of the grand prize, however .
Artists Coolio, Xiu Xiu and FaltyDL already have music videos with the new company . |
93,551 | 044ee4f412a9764464601966bb00651e68c96932 | A man banned from the gym over fears for his health has had half his brain disabled by surgeons to end years of debilitating seizures. Fitness fanatic Lewis Unwin suffered countless fits and constant shaking as a teenager, having been diagnosed with a rare brain condition. The 21-year-old had been banned from going to the gym, over fears he would suffer epileptic seizures. But today, his dream of becoming a personal trainer has been reignited after he opted for life-changing surgery to disconnect half his brain. Lewis Unwin, 21, from Hornchuch in Essex was diagnosed with Rasmussen syndrome in 2011 after suffering a seizure on holiday in Minorca in August 2007 . Determined to pursue his dream of becoming a personal trainer, Mr Unwin opted to have a hemispherectomy operation where surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London disconnected half of his brain, disabling the nerve cells which had been malfunctioning causing him to suffer seizures almost 24 hours a day . He said: 'The seizures are still going on in the right-side of my brain - it's just the signals have been cut off from being passed to my left side. 'I used to shake and suffered fits all the time. 'The pain was excruciating - it felt like my bones were breaking every time I had one. 'It was a tough decision to have the operation but I just knew I needed to get my life back. 'It was the only step forward I could take.' Mr Unwin first noticed something was wrong after suffering a seizure during a family holiday to Minorca in August 2007. His condition deteriorated and left him suffering epileptic seizures almost 24 hours a day. In 2011, after rounds of tests, doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital diagnosed Mr Unwin with Rasmussen's syndrome. Mr Unwin, said: 'It was a tough decision to have the operation but I just knew I needed to get my life back' Today the 21-year-old is working as a gym instructor having been allowed back to train. He had been banned from exercising in the gym over fears for his health and safety were he to suffer a fit . Rasmussen syndrome is a rare condition that is usually diagnosed in three to 11-year-olds. It is not known what causes it, but nerve cells in regions of the brain malfunction to cause epileptic seizures . The rare brain condition is usually seen in three to 11-year-olds, causing frequent epileptic seizures. The cause of the condition is unknown, but pioneering surgery called a 'hemispherectomy' - which involved disconnecting and disabling one side of the brain - has allowed Mr Unwin to regain control of his life. He was left completely paralysed following the eight-hour operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on August 25, 2011. Rasmussen syndrome is a very rare form of brain malfunction, which can happen at any time during childhood. It most commonly affects children aged three to 11, but can be seen in younger children, teenagers and adults. It is not known what causes the condition, but brain cells in one hemisphere of the brain become very inflamed and swollen. There is no evidence of viral infection causing the inflammation in most cases, although research has found very rarely a virus is detected. It is thought a virus may trigger an antibody response by the brain, which in turn causes the inflammation and malfunction of the brain. The nerve cells malfunction, causing seizures. They can occur frequently, often many times a day. In some cases the seizures can become continuous. A child can develop a weakness of one side of the body as a result of the seizures. And in some cases a sufferer can develop learning or behaviour problems as the condition worsens. Patients can be treated using epilepsy drugs and medicines to suppress or alter the immune system can also be used. For some, where the disorder is confiend to specific parts of the brain, doctors can remove or disconnect the affect regions of the brain. Source: Epilepsy Action . But the football-mad West Ham fan stunned doctors by learning to walk within two weeks of the op, kicking a football after just four weeks. He added: 'It's always been my dream to be a personal trainer. 'I used to have to take drugs every day and my condition meant I wasn't allowed into the gym because of fears over health and safety. 'It's great to be able to get back into the gym. I've had to learn to adapt and have retrained my body. 'I've had to teach myself to walk and talk again but I've had amazing support from everybody which has really helped.' Mr Unwinlives at his family home in Hornchurch, Essex, with his parents Gary Unwin, and full-time mother Kay Unwin, both 47, and his younger sister Holly, 15. His parents had been warned he may never speak again ahead of the pioneering operation - but were relieved when he woke up from surgery singing the Alicia Keys hit Empire State of Mind (New York). Father Gary, a black cab driver, said: 'We were really worried ahead of the operation. 'We had been told he might not be able to talk or that his memory could be affected. 'All of a sudden I heard him singing that New York by Alicia Keys as he woke up. 'It was a huge relief for us to know he was okay.' The 21-year-old has now started work as a gym instructor at Central Park Leisure Centre in Harold Hill. He said: 'When I first came back to the gym I was very intimidated. 'You worry that people are looking at you because of your disability and the fact I still wear a brace on my leg. 'I still have problems with weakness on my left side but I've learnt to adapt. 'I will not let my disability hold me back and I want to teach people that message. 'I'm really excited about using my experiences to help inspire other people with disabilities to get fit and healthy.' | Lewis Unwin first suffered a seizure while on holiday in August 2007 .
Doctors diagnosed him with the brain condition Rasmussen syndrome .
It is usually seen in two to 14-year-olds and causes frequent epileptic fits .
21-year-old opted to have surgery to disconnect affected part of his brain .
Surgeons disabled the region where nerve cells were malfunctioning .
He is now pursuing his dream to become a personal trainer after a gym ban .
Mr Unwin had been banned over fears for his safety if he suffered a fit .
His parents were warned op could leave him unable to speak .
But he woke singing Alicia Keys hit Empire State of Mind (New York) |
155,508 | 54feb88e722b1e6155efeeb7deaac1c511a89165 | (CNN) -- Real Madrid took a giant stride towards the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Auxerre for their second straight win in the tough Group G on Tuesday night. A late goal from substitute Angel di Maria sealed the points for Jose Mourinho's men who beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 in the Bernabeu in their group opener. The visitors had dominated the game and created a series of chances, but looked set for another goalless draw until di Maria struck with nine minutes left. The Argentine winger controlled a right-wing cross on his chest before volleying home. Auxerre had offered precious little in attack but moments before Real defender Pepe's header struck his own post and bounced clear. The win leaves them with six points from two games, two clear of AC Milan, who drew 1-1 with Ajax in the other match played Tuesday in a group of three teams with illustrious records in the competition. Former Ajax striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic dealt his old side a blow with Milan's equalizer -- his third in the tournament having scored twice in the opening 2-0 win over Auxerre. The Swede combined with Clarence Seedorf to pull them level in the 37th minute. Ajax had gone ahead in the 23rd minute, with Uruguay international Luis Suarez playing a vital part as he foxed Alessandro Nesta before sending a low cross for Moroccan international Mounir El Hamdaoui to score past past Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. In Group H, Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk are forging clear after two straight wins apiece. Arsenal scored a thrilling 3-1 victory at 10-man Partizan Belgrade, while Ukrainian side Shakhtar were equally convincing 3-0 winners against Braga. Arsene Wenger's Arsenal were coming off a shock 3-2 defeat to West Brom in the English Premier League on Saturday but survived some scares for a comfortable win. Man of the match Jack Wilshere brilliantly set up Andrey Arshavin to give them a 15th minute but Partizan draw level against the run of play through Brazil-born striker Cleo from the spot. Partizan Marko Jovanovic lost early in the second-half as he conceded a penalty but Arshavin saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic before striker Marouane Chamakh put them ahead again on 71 minutes. Sebastien Squillaci nodded home substitute Samir Nasri's corner to make it 3-1 in the 82nd minute before the underfire Lukasz Fabianski dived to his right to save Cleo's late penalty for Partizan. Shakhtar's Brazilian stars Douglas Costa and Luiz Adriano were key to their win as Braga, thrashed 6-0 at Arsenal in the first match, lost heavily on their home ground. Costa set up his teammate and compatriot for the first two goals and added the third from the spot in the last minute when converted after Paulo Cesar had fouled Willian in the area. | Real Madrid beat Auxerre 1-0 for second successive win in Group G .
Angel di Maria scores a late winner for Jose Mourinho's team in France .
Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabs equalizer for AC Milan against Ajax .
Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk maintain perfect records in Group H . |
47,235 | 851db99409d806cf900c154ec820956e5b9a3089 | Whistleblowing NYPD officer Frank Serpico, who exposed extensive police corruption among his peers, has spoken about the February 1971 day in which he suffered a gunshot wound to the face - and how his fellow officers failed to help him. In an essay for POLITICO Magazine, Serpico describes how he and two Narcotics officers were investigating an alleged drug dealer in Brooklyn - before he goes into what he sees as the continued need for the police to be externally reviewed and held responsible for their actions. On the day of the shooting, Serpico says his body became stuck when the man they were investigating tried to shut a front door. Dangerous: Frank Serpico, seen in this December 2011 file photo, says two officers failed to offer aid when he was facing off with an alleged drug dealer in 1971 . Hollywood adaptation: Serpico's life story was later turned into the 1973 movie 'Serpico,' starring Al Pacino. A still from the film is seen here . 'I couldn’t move, but I aimed my snub-nose Smith & Wesson revolver at the perp [...] From behind me no help came,' he writes. 'At that moment my anger got the better of me. I made the almost fatal mistake of taking my eye off the perp and screaming to the officer on my left: "What the hell you waiting for? Give me a hand!" I turned back to face a gun blast in my face. I had cocked my weapon and fired back at him almost in the same instant, probably as reflex action, striking him.' He later says that 'when I opened my eyes I saw an old Hispanic man looking down at me like Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan. My "backup" was nowhere in sight. They hadn’t even called for assistance—I never heard the famed "Code 1013," meaning "Officer Down." They didn’t call an ambulance either, I later learned; the old man did. One patrol car responded to investigate, and realizing I was a narcotics officer rushed me to a nearby hospital [...].' Serpico writes that 'The next time I saw my "back-up" officers was when one of them came to the hospital to bring me my watch. I said, “What the h*** am I going to do with a watch? What I needed was a back-up. Where were you?” He said, “F*** you," and left. Both my "back-ups" were later awarded medals for saving my life.' Poor treatment: Serpico, seen next to an image of Al Pacino playing the NYPD cop, says people continue to send him hate mail . Serpico says in the essay penned for POLITICO Magazine 'Even now, I do not know for certain why I was left trapped in that door by my fellow police officers. But the Narcotics division was rotten to the core, with many guys taking money from the very drug dealers they were supposed to bust. I had refused to take bribes and had testified against my fellow officers.' He continues 'Police make up a peculiar subculture in society. More often than not they have their own moral code of behavior, an "us against them" attitude, enforced by a Blue Wall of Silence. It’s their version of the Mafia’s omerta. Speak out, and you’re no longer "one of us." You’re one of "them."' Serpico claims to 'still get hate mail from active and retired police officers' in the years following his testimony before the Knapp Comission on police corruption. His life story was later made into a movie, called 'Serpico,' with Al Pacino playing him. Serpico writes that 'an even more serious problem — police violence — has probably grown worse, and it’s out of control for the same reason that graft once was: a lack of accountability.' Corruption: Serpico says of his time with the NYPD that 'the Narcotics division was rotten to the core, with many guys taking money from the very drug dealers they were supposed to bust' The former NYPD cop says 'Today the combination of an excess of deadly force and near-total lack of accountability is more dangerous than ever: Most cops today can pull out their weapons and fire without fear that anything will happen to them, even if they shoot someone wrongfully. All a police officer has to say is that he believes his life was in danger, and he’s typically absolved. What do you think that does to their psychology as they patrol the streets—this sense of invulnerability? The famous old saying still applies: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.' He also dismisses the idea that police officers should use certain types of equipment while on the job. 'The automatic weapons and bulletproof vest may protect the officer, but they also insulate him from the very society he’s sworn to protect,' he asserts. 'All that firepower and armor puts an even greater wall between the police and society, and solidifies that "us-versus-them" feeling.' Serpico says in the years following his testimony before the Knapp Commission 'politicians who wanted to make a difference didn't' - and uses President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg as examples. 'As for Barack Obama and his attorney general, Eric Holder, they’re giving speeches now, after Ferguson,' he writes. 'But it’s 20 years too late.' At the end of his essay for POLITICO Magazine, Serpico offers a six-point solution, which he says includes police using better methods to find new police officers, offering 'examples-based training and simulations,' making sure cops understand their communities and are active in them, holding police accountable when they do something illegal, rewarding and recognizing honest police officers, and also making sure police are monitored externally. | Former NYPD officer Frank Serpico has spoken about the February 1971 day in which he suffered a gunshot wound to the face .
In an essay, Serpico says he was investigating an alleged drug dealer when his body became stuck in a door .
He asked for two fellow officers to help him, but says they failed to do so .
He also says they did not call for assistance nor for an ambulance .
Serpico had testified before the Knapp Comission on police corruption and says he receives hate mail to this day . |
129,239 | 33069e262d1d39e054cd175bb08fabd4f5836df2 | (CNN) -- The 2020 European Championships will be staged in cities across the continent, rather than just in one host nation, UEFA's executive committee decided on Thursday. Dubbing the tournament "A Euro for Europe", European football's governing body has ensured the competition will firmly break with tradition as it celebrates what will be its sixtieth year. Since their inception in 1960, the European Championships have been regularly staged by just one country -- with three tournaments having been co-hosted (2000, 2008 and 2012). "Let me say that it is a decision only about 2020," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino told his organization's website. "2020 is the 60th anniversary of the European Football Championship." "It is premature to go into more details. What is clear is that it will not be in one or two countries, but in several cities in Europe. How many cities is still to be decided." In June, UEFA president Michel Platini was quoted as saying the tournament could be staged in 12-13 cities. On Thursday, Infantino added that the bidding process for host cities will start early next year and is expected to take around 12 months, with a decision expected in 2014. All but one of UEFA's 53 member nations supported the idea, with Turkey -- which had initially bid to host the 2020 finals alongside Azerbaijan and Georgia -- the lone dissenting voice. The Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales have already expressed interest in staging matches, with the latter FA stating that it "fully supports UEFA's decision and continues to explore avenues by which to bring the UEFA tournament to Wales" on its website. The UEFA general secretary also explained that there was a strong possibility that not all the host countries would qualify for the tournament, saying this was something that would be "thought about and looked at". The idea of spreading the tournament across the continent was first mooted after this year's European Championships by Platini, who suggested it as a way of avoiding high costs at a time of financial uncertainty in many countries. Fiscal concerns became of greater importance after UEFA chose to expand the tournament from 16 to 24 teams, the number that France will host when the country stages the next finals in 2016. "Obviously the fact that the (championships) will feature 24 teams instead of 16 puts an additional burden on countries to host such an event," said Infantino. "It becomes much more difficult for many countries -- the requirements are becoming bigger and bigger. "An opportunity like this, to give many cities and many countries the possibility to host even just one part of a EURO, is certainly an excellent thing, especially in times when you have an economic situation where you cannot expect countries to invest in facilities in the way that such an event requires. "Certainly one of the purposes of this decision is to help countries, who are perhaps not sure today whether they should build a national stadium -- giving them the impetus to build such a stadium. "Instead of having a party in one country, we will have a party all over Europe in the summer of 2020." Reigning champions Spain will have the chance to defend their title at the 2016 European Championships, when France will stage the finals for the third time -- using 10 host cities in the process. | 2020 European Championships to be played across continent .
The move is designed to be a one-off event to coincide with tournament's 60th anniversary .
UEFA stresses that financial strains for a single host nation underpin the decision .
Cities will start bidding in 2013, with a decision expected in 2014 . |
36,821 | 685e31a6af85ee2e6292da60fdf1120a8d2581d5 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Paramedics were called to Lindsay Lohan's Los Angeles hotel room when she did not wake up from a nap Friday morning, but the actress "is fine," her publicist said. Lohan joked about the incident in a Twitter posting early Saturday: . "Note to self.. After working 85 hours in 4 days, and being up all night shooting, be very aware that you might pass out from exhaustion & 7 paramedics MIGHT show up @ your door.... Hopefully theyre cute. Otherwise it would be a real let down." Lohan, 25, was simply sleeping after working "a grueling schedule the past few days," publicist Steve Honig said. She is in the middle of filming the Lifetime movie "Liz & Dick" in which she portrays legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor. LiLo's maybe co-star, porn actor James Deen . "She was on set last night at 7 p.m. and worked through the night until 8 a.m. this morning," Honig said. "She took a nap before shooting her final scene. Producers were concerned when she did not come out of her room and called paramedics as a precaution." Paramedics determined Lohan "is fine, but did suffer some exhaustion and dehydration." Contrary to some media reports, she was not taken to a hospital, he said. "She is resting now and is hoping to be back on set later this afternoon," he said. The scare came a week after Lohan was involved in a car crash that sent her to a hospital emergency room. Lohan has spent several stints in substance abuse rehab, jail and home confinement in the past five years. Her professional life has gotten back on track in recent months and her supervised probation, stemming from two drunken driving convictions, has been lifted. Lohan's lengthy legal history . CNN's Jack Hannah and Carolyn Sung contributed to this report. | NEW: Lohan jokes about the incident on Twitter .
Lohan was napping after "a grueling schedule the past few days," her publicist says .
"Liz & Dick" producers call 911 when she didn't return to the set .
She "is fine, but did suffer some exhaustion and dehydration," publicist says . |
141,213 | 429a604d3fa20d4bf25d922c6806ed9b27ef5eb0 | (CNN) -- Forget about football. We're ready for the Super Bowl commercials. One in particular has already piqued our interest. It stars three of our favorite '90s guys: Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and John Stamos. Yes, that's right. The Super Bowl on February 2 will feature a mini-"Full House" reunion. The three actors, who starred on the popular ABC sitcom from 1987 to 1995, will appear in an ad spot for Dannon Oikos yogurt. A teaser for the commercial has already been released and hints the ad will poke fun at the three men still living together after all these years. On the series, Saget played a single dad of three girls who relied on his friends and housemates, played by Coulier ("Uncle Joey") and Stamos ("Uncle Jesse") to help him out with parenting. In a behind-the-scenes video, Stamos (who's already a spokesman for the Dannon brand) says he thinks the ad won't leave "Full House" fans disappointed. "I'm very grateful to my two brothers for doing this commercial with us for Dannon," Stamos says, "and I think it's going to be really funny. People are going to be very surprised." | Three stars from "Full House" are going to appear in a Super Bowl commercial .
John Stamos, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier have filmed a Dannon Oikos ad spot .
The teaser for the ad jokes that the three are still living together after all these years . |
263,539 | e1562b5276076ee2acd4b36854795afd70450252 | Authorities have recovered $10 million worth of art — including paintings by Chagall and Diego Rivera — that were stolen in one of Los Angeles' largest art heists. The FBI and Los Angeles recovered nine pieces of art at a West LA hotel in October, and a man was arrested, the Los Angeles Times reported. The works, including Chagall's 'Les Paysans' and Diego Rivera's 'Mexican Peasant,' were among a dozen swiped from the Encino home of a wealthy real estate investor on the morning of Aug. 24, 2008, by a crook or crooks who entered through the unlocked kitchen door, police said. Recovered art: Federal agents and police in Los Angeles have recovered nine paintings worth millions of dollars that were stolen from the home of an elderly couple six years ago, including works by Marc Chagall and Diego Rivera . Found: The paintings were recovered in an FBI sting operation in which a suspect identified as Paul Espinoza, 45, was arrested as he tried to sell the stolen artwork to undercover agents . The elderly residents were in their bedrooms and heard nothing, police said. The case grew cold until this September, when Detective Donald Hrycyk of the LAPD's art theft detail received a tip that a man in Europe known as 'Darko' was seeking buyers for the stolen art, the Times said. Darko 'indicated that he was merely a middleman for an unknown person in possession of the art in California,' Hrycyk wrote in a search warrant. During the ensuing undercover operation, Raul Espinoza, 45, was contacted at the hotel, where he tried to sell the estimated $10 million worth of paintings for $700,000 cash, prosecutors contend. Three stolen paintings remain missing. Espinoza pleaded not guilty in October to receiving stolen property and remains jailed on $5 million bail. Messages seeking comment were left for his public defender, Aparna Voleti, on Wednesday. The Times said Hrycyk sought permission this month to search Espinoza's cellphone for possible photos or communications that could reveal the identities of the thieves involved in the original burglary. Not over: The FBI investigation of the art theft is continuing and additional suspects are being sought. Authorities are also are looking for three additional paintings stolen from the couple's home in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles in August 2008 in a daylight art heist that ranks among the biggest in the city's history . | The paintings were recovered in an FBI sting operation in which a suspect identified as Paul Espinoza, 45, was arrested as he tried to sell the works to undercover FBI agents .
The stolen paintings included works by Hans Hofmann, Chaim Soutine, Arshile Gorky, Emil Nolde, Lyonel Feininger and Kess van Dongen .
The artwork, including pieces by Marc Chagall and Diego Rivera, is worth millions and was taken while the couple was at home .
Both art experts and authorities described the art theft as one of the largest in Los Angeles history . |
206,267 | 97054bb523572fcc2e8a7bd1b3181c4ba48ba2a2 | Wizard news, Harry Potter fans: JK Rowling has written a new spin-off story for Halloween. The fans’ website Pottermore hinted it would focus on Harry’s arch-enemy Dolores Umbridge, played by Imelda Staunton in the series’ film adaptations. The 1,500-word story is due to be posted online next Friday – October 31. Scroll down for video . JK Rowling will release a 1,500 word short story on Halloween about Harry Potter's arch-enemy Dolores Umbridge . A spokesman for the author later confirmed it would be ‘filled with many new details’, as well as Miss Rowling’s ‘revealing first-person thoughts and reflections’ of Professor Umbridge, first introduced to readers in her fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The news comes after Miss Rowling, 49, published a tale on Pottermore earlier this year featuring a grown-up Harry watching a Quidditch match. Short stories are not the only Potter-related pet projects that Miss Rowling has been working on, however. It emerged this month that the wealthy author has submitted plans to build a cottage similar to Hogwarts caretaker Hagrid’s hut at her estate in Perthshire. Earlier this year the author revealed she would be writing the screenplays for 'at least' a trilogy of Harry Potter spin-off films. The writer has not ruled out ever writing another Harry Potter book but revealed she had no plans to do so in the near future. The fictional wizard was portrayed in a film franchise by Daniel Radcliffe (pictured) The short story is expected to offer more detail into the character of Dolores Umbridge (centre) played by Imelda Staunton . Based on her 2011 book Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, the films are thought to be planned for release in 2016, 2018 and 2020. But while fans speculate about the release of another Harry Potter novel, a statement on the writer's website revealed no such plans were in the works. ‘I have always refused to say "never" to this question, because I think it would be foolish to rule out something I might want to do in a few years’ time. 'However, I have no immediate plans to write another Harry Potter novel, and I do think that I have rounded off Harry’s story in the seven published books.’ | Author will upload short story to Harry Potter website on October 31 .
Will focus on the wizard's arch-enemy Dolores Umbridge in fifth book .
Earlier this year a story was published describing Harry as an adult .
Writer has ruled out releasing another Harry Potter novel in near future . |
57,693 | a381511905f64bf160aac322d3cca6807d83f526 | Sheffield United captain Michael Doyle accepts his side must lift their game to an even higher level if they are to pull off another upset in their two-legged Capital One Cup semi-final against Tottenham. But the Irish midfielder insists if the tie is still alive after Wednesday night's first leg at White Hart Lane, Nigel Clough's cup specialists will have "a brilliant chance" in the return leg at Bramall Lane. Clough's Sky Bet League One side have beaten West Ham and Southampton to reach the last four and if that was not enough to serve Tottenham with a big enough warning, the Blades' exploits in the FA Cup these past two seasons add extra credence to their latest challenge. Club-captain Michael Doyle accepts his side will have to be at their very best to beat Tottenham Hotsput . "There's a lot to play for and I'm sure Tottenham will be fired up," Doyle said. "They'll look at our previous results and performances in other cup games and I'm sure they'll take note of that. "They won't underestimate us, especially as we've come so far and they'll be looking to finish it in the first leg, so we've got to be on our guard. "I just hope we can keep the tie alive. If we can, coming back to Bramall Lane will give us a brilliant chance." Nigel Clough, manager of Sheffield United, has already beaten Premier League outfit twice in the competition . Doyle led the Blades out at Wembley in last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Hull - Aston Villa and Fulham were beaten along the way - while this year West Ham and Southampton, in the Capital One Cup, and QPR, in the FA Cup, have all been despatched. When asked to account for the Blades' imperious cup form, Doyle added: "I haven't got a clue to be honest with you, but since the Aston Villa game we've embraced everything about the cups and these ties. "We've gone out with no fear in them and produced some of our best performances in a long time. "The cup games have left people scratching their heads and asking why we can't replicate that form in the league. Players celebrate after Doyle scores the winning penalty in a penalty shoot out against West Ham United . "In the league games we probably have the ball as much but we sit back and counter-attack in the cup games a bit more, whereas teams probably do that to us in the league. "It's quite difficult to play against if you do it right. We've found it difficult to play against at times, but we do it quite well ourselves, which we've shown against the Premier League teams. "We're at the serious end of the cup now and probably nobody else will give us a chance, but our fans have seen the performances we've put in and they'll be expecting us to go down there and have a go." Centre-half Chris Basham could go straight back into the starting line-up following his three-game ban, but midfielder James Wallace and Ben Davies (foot) are not expected to be involved and Ryan Flynn remains doubtful after missing Saturday's defeat at MK Dons due to an Achilles problem. Ryan Flynn (right) is a doubt for the game having missed Saturday's defeat by MK Dons . | Club captain wants to bring the tie back to Bramall Lane very much alive .
Sheffield United beat West Ham and Southampton earlier in the tournament .
Michael Doyle tasted defeat in semi-final against Hull last season .
Ryan Flynn, Ben Davies and James Wallace could miss the game . |
131,449 | 35f8376d821d4d97acbafb741005326be6440e6a | A small rural primary school has organised a sleepover to London – so the children get a chance to see people who are not white. Payhembury Primary in Devon was criticised by Ofsted for being insufficiently ‘multicultural’. So the 68-pupil Church of England school is asking parents to pay for their children to make a two-day trip to a school with a wide mix of ethnic backgrounds. Idyllic: Payembury Primary School in Devon . The visit – described by one parent as patronising and bizarre – has been sold to parents as a way of boosting Payhembury’s Ofsted grade from good to the top rating of outstanding. The school they are visiting, Smallberry Green in Isleworth, West London – where three-quarters of the 410 pupils are from ethnic minorities – achieved the same good Ofsted rating. Explaining the motivation for the trip, Payhembury headteacher Penny Hammett told parents in a letter: ‘The purpose of this trip is to build up a relationship with a school in a very different community to ours. 'This will enable our children to gain a better understanding of multicultural Britain, which was identified in our last Ofsted as being an area for development. ‘Through our topics, visitors and discussions we have been developing multicultural awareness in both Britain and throughout the world, but this visit will help us to experience in real life a school where there is a wide mix of children with different ethnic backgrounds and almost 50 per cent of the children do not have English as their first language.’ The letter also explains that four teachers will accompany the children on the two-day trip, which will involve pupils sleeping in the Isleworth school and using its catering facilities, for an estimated cost of £35. While in London, the Devon children will engage in outdoor activities and record a CD. Pupils from the school have written to their new pen-pals in London, some of whom will take part in a return visit to the school, near Honiton. Mrs Hammett’s letter invites parents to a meeting to discuss the trip. But yesterday one mother said: ‘I’m astounded by this idea. Just because the children go to a small school in the country does not mean they aren’t aware of people with different coloured skin to them. 'It’s very patronising – and for the school they are visiting too.' Contrast: Students will visit Smallberry Green school in Isleworth, West London . ‘We are being asked to shell out £35 to try and boost their next Ofsted inspection. I think it’s a very cynical approach.’ However, another parent supported the initiative, saying: ‘I think it’s a nice idea. ‘We don’t live in an ethnically diverse area, so it’s good for the kids to meet children from other kinds of background.’ In Isleworth, student Usna Hakimi, 19, who was picking up her two sisters up from Smallberry Green, said: ‘They’ve just told me about the sleepover and they’re quite excited to meet other children from a different part of England. It’s good for them to learn about other cultures.’ Smallberry Green head Caroline Hodges said the trip was organised with Payhembury because it places emphasis on outdoor learning. ‘The children will not be doing any cultural activities when they are here,’ she said. The Rev Cate Edmonds, chairman of the governors at Payhembury, said: ‘We are fairly mono-cultural as an area in Devon and we don’t want children growing up thinking the whole world is full of trees and cows. This gives them an experience of urban living.’ Mrs Hammett said the trip, in which 29 pupils are taking part, was about providing an enriching experience for the children at both schools. ‘Devon is very quaint but our children don’t get to see the big wide world,’ she said. At Ofsted’s last visit in 2010, inspectors praised Payhembury as a ‘happy place’ but pointed out all the pupils were of ‘white British heritage’. Their report recommended ‘improving links with communities in contrasting parts of the UK and abroad’. Last night Ofsted said at that time inspectors were required to report on the contribution made by the school to community cohesion, a requirement removed in 2011. | Payhembury Primary in Devon was criticised for not being multicultural .
So visit planned to a school in London where most pupils are from minorities .
Smallberry Green primary in Isleworth, West London, will host 29 pupils .
Parents have called the £35 trip 'patronising' - though others welcome it . |
62,042 | b048bd362ebe23d017d4fa2d1c0a5dba7cd082c1 | By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 10 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:44 EST, 11 April 2013 . Costa Cruises has accepted a one million-euro ($1.31million) fine to settle potential criminal charges for the sinking of the Costa Concordia last year. The firm had been under investigation as the employer of the crew of the Concordia when it hit a rock off Tuscany in January last year, killing 32 people. The prosecution is satisfied with the ruling by the preliminary court judge, Valeria Montesarchio, and will not appeal, prosecution sources said, adding that the fine was close to the maximum allowed by law. Costa Cruises will pay a one million euro fine to settle potential criminal charges over the sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012 in which 32 lives were lost . The settlement means Costa will not face a criminal trial and ends its potential liability with the state of Italy, but not private lawsuits brought by passengers or crew, the prosecution sources said. 'This is a balanced decision,' Costa Cruises lawyer Marco De Luca said after the ruling. 'It is the most reasonable solution.' The company spokesman confirmed De Luca's comments, originally made to Italian media, and said the company had no further statement. A criminal trial is expected to proceed for the individuals targeted by prosecutors. Costa Cruises, who owns the Costa Concordia, will escape criminal liability after a one million euro settlement was made . Captain Francesco Schettino remains accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship, which was carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew, and could face up to 20 years in jail. Schettino steered the ship close to shore in a manoeuvre known as a 'salute', striking a rock that tore a gash in its hull. The 950ft long Concordia came to rest on its side, half submerged, where it now rests awaiting salvage. Five other members of the crew including Schetttino's first officer, and three members of a crisis unit set up by Costa to handle the accident, also face indictment and trial. Costa Cruises will, as previously announced, seek damages for the loss of the vessel as a civil party in the criminal case when it begins, De Luca said. | Prosecution sources said one million euros was close to maximum fine in law .
Costa Cruises still faces lawsuits brought Costa Concordia passengers .
Captain Francesco Schettino accused of manslaughter over ship's sinking . |
189,533 | 816ef5202c46ac3276d3dda8a41f782221596507 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . The dust coughed up by stars during their death throes has always been a mystery to scientists. But trying to analyse the behaviour of this interstellar material involves going into deep space - and up until now that has hindered efforts to understand it. Now researchers at Nasa have found a way around this problem by designing a machine that can create interstellar dust from scratch here on Earth. A close up image of interstellar dust created by the Cosmic machine. This grain is approximately 1.5 micrometers in diameter. For comparison, a bacteria cell is around 5 micrometers . The device, dubbed Cosmic, could help astronomers better understand the types of grains that form around stars. Dust grains that form around dying stars and are thrown out into the cosmos can lead to the formation of planets. ‘The harsh conditions of space are extremely difficult to reproduce in the laboratory, and have long hindered efforts to interpret and analyse observations from space,’ said project leader Farid Salama. ‘Using the Cosmic simulator we can now discover clues to questions about the composition and the evolution of the universe.’ Dust grains that form around dying stars and are thrown out into the cosmos can lead to the formation of planets and are a key component of the universe's evolution . The team started with small . hydrocarbon molecules that they expanded in the cold jet spray in Cosmic . and exposed to high energy in an electric discharge. Nasa . then detected and characterised the large molecules that are formed in . the gas phase from these precursor molecules with highly sensitive . detectors. Cosmic then collected the individual solid grains formed from these complex molecules and imaged them with a microscope. In the past, the inability to simulate space conditions in the gaseous state prevented scientists from identifying unknown matter. The Cosmic Simulation Chamber (Cosmic) could change this by recreating the extreme conditions that reign in space where interstellar molecules and ions float in a vacuum. The densities found in space are billionths of Earth's atmosphere and average temperatures can be less than -167ºC (-270ºF) ‘We now can for the first time truly recreate and visualise in the laboratory the formation of carbon grains in the envelope of stars and learn about the formation, structure and size distribution of stellar dust grains,’ said Cesar Contreras of the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute. ‘This type of new research truly pushes the frontiers of science toward new horizons.’ The device, dubbed Cosmic, could help astronomers better understand the types of grains that form around stars and uncover secrets how Earth-like planets form . The team started with small hydrocarbon molecules that they expanded in the cold jet spray in Cosmic and exposed to high energy in an electric discharge. Nasa detected and characterised the large molecules that are formed in the gas phase from these precursor molecules with highly sensitive detectors. Cosmic then collected the individual solid grains formed from these complex molecules and imaged them with a microscope. ‘During Cosmic experiments, we are able to form and detect nanoparticles on the order of 10 nm size, grains ranging from 100-500 nanometers and aggregates of grains up to 1.5 micrometres in diameter, about a tenth the width of a human hair,,’ said Ella Sciamma-O'Brien, of the BAER Institute and a research fellow at Nasa. These results have important implications and ramifications not only for interstellar astrophysics, but also for planetary science. For example, they can provide new clues on the type of grains present in the dust around stars. That in turn, will help us understand the formation of planets, including Earth-like planets. | Grains around dying stars are a key component of universe's evolution .
Cosmic simulator in California was able to create particles of this interstellar dust at 1.5 micrometres - a tenth of the width of a human hair .
Scientists hope it will help them understand how Earth-like planets form . |
282,349 | f9aeaec18e469a52b233e3e6ededec5314173dbb | (CNN) -- Britain's Prince Charles left Afghanistan on Thursday after a previously unannounced two-day visit there, a spokesman said. The heir to the British throne spent a night at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand province, before traveling to Lashkar Gah, the capital of the province. He also visited Kabul, the spokesman said. Prince Charles met Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, as well as Afghan senior government ministers and tribal and religious leaders to gain their perspective about reintroducing stability to the country, the spokesman said. President Hamid Karzai was on an overseas trip, so the prince was not able to see him, the spokesman said, although he said the two spoke on the phone before Prince Charles traveled there. No further details were immediately available. Prince Charles' younger son, Prince Harry, 25, served on the front line in Afghanistan and saw combat. He is training to become a pilot with the Army Air Corps. -- CNN's Sarah Sultoon contributed to this report. | Heir to British throne spends night at military camp in Afghanistan .
Prince Charles met U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Afghan officials .
Prince also visited Kabul, but did not meet President Karzai . |
286,058 | fea835686561862b3c632802c93da5358f0048cb | By . Tom Kelly . PUBLISHED: . 07:29 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:01 EST, 8 March 2013 . Sold stories: Former Surrey PC Alan Tierney admitted two counts of misconduct in public office . A policeman and a prison officer yesterday pleaded guilty to selling stories about a celebrity and a high-profile inmate to The Sun. Former Surrey PC Alan Tierney admitted two counts of misconduct in public office after telling the paper about the arrest of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood for beating up his girlfriend, and that of former England captain John Terry’s mother for shoplifting. Prison officer Richard Trunkfield, 31, of Moulton, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to the same offence for selling information to journalists about a prisoner. A second ex-policeman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office. Another public official, who again cannot be named, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office during the hearings at the Old Bailey. Tierney and Trunkfield were arrested as part of Operation Elveden, which was set up to investigate allegations of newspapers paying police officers and public officials for information. Tierney, 40, of Hayling Island, Hampshire, sold the newspaper details about Sue Terry and Sue Poole, the mother and mother-in-law of Premier League star Terry, being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Surrey in 2009. The women both accepted cautions over the incident. Alan Tierney also sold information about the arrest of John Terry's mother and mother-in-law . He also sold details about the arrest of guitarist Wood, 65, on suspicion of assaulting his Russian lover Ekaterina Ivanova during a drunken brawl. Wood also accepted a caution. Tierney, who was paid £1,750 by the newspaper, will be sentenced later this month. Mr Justice Fulford warned him that ‘all options remain open’. Court: Rebekah Brooks arrives yesterday arriving in at the Old Bailey yesterday in relation to a separate case . Trunkfield, a former prison operational support officer at HMP Woodhill, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, admitted leaking information about a prisoner to The Sun in 2009. He was paid £3,350 for the revelations, the court heard. Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, 44, also appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday in relation to a separate case. The matter was adjourned until next month. Past News of the World editor and government spin doctor Andy Coulson appeared in the dock as well, in connection with an alleged conspiracy to bribe public officials for information. The 45-year-old is accused with former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman of requesting and authorising payments to public officials in exchange for information. The information referred to is believed to include a royal phone directory known as the ‘Green Book’. The pair face two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office – one from between August 31, 2002 and January 31, 2003, and the other dating from between January 31 and June 3, 2005. Their case was adjourned until next month. In a separate hearing, Sun chief reporter John Kay, 69, from north-west London, entered a not guilty plea to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. Ex-Surrey police officer Alan Tierney admitted leaking a story that Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, left, allegedly assaulted his then girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova, right, in December 2009 . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Alan Tierney sold information about arrest of John Terry's mother Sue .
Tierney also sold information about arrest of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood .
Prison officer Richard Trunkfield admitted leaking high profile inmate details .
Tierney and Trunkfield were arrested under Operation Elveden . |
111,459 | 1bb7ddab23115d7f3730baf15db4456599eada14 | By . Belinda Robinson . Caught: Victoria Earle, from South Shields, South Tyneside has received a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court despite stealing over £30,000 from vulnerable customers . A banker who stole more than £30,000 from sick and elderly customers has walked free after a judge decided her dishonesty was a ‘cry for help’. Victoria Earle targeted the accounts of four vulnerable customers at her branch of the Lloyds TSB bank. Three of the personal banker’s victims had Alzheimer’s disease and one was blind and deaf. One of the customers was nearly 70 and the rest were in their 80s. But the court heard she was getting over the loss of a grandparent and was finding her work stressful. The judge, Mr Recorder Edward Bindloss, said a suspended jail sentence and the loss of her good name was adequate punishment. Newcastle Crown Court heard the 40-year-old mother of two, who had worked at the bank for more than 20 years, would make withdrawals from the accounts using her ID card and process the transaction as if the customer was actually there at the bank in South Shields. She would then simply pocket the cash. Earle was caught after one of the customers noticed a withdrawal she could not remember making and a data trawl at the bank revealed what had been going on. Prosecutor Mark Guiliani said: ‘The bank checked CCTV and when the transactions were being made the customer was not there.’Earle confessed to detectives what she had done and admitted she had targeted those who were forgetful and who were unlikely to realise that they were being duped. Mr Guiliani said: ‘She targeted vulnerable and elderly victims and exploited her position to draw money from their accounts. Lloyds TSB: The court heard the mum-of-two had worked at this Lloyds bank in South Shields for over 20 years and would make withrawals from the accounts using her ID card and process the transaction as if the customer was actually there . ‘She calls it a failure in the system she was exploiting. The actual situation is she was exploiting her position as an employee and breaching the bank’s trust in her. It was not a weakness in the system.’ Earle, from South Shields, South Tyneside, admitted six charges of fraud over two years between 2011 and 2013. Judge Bindloss told her: ‘I am satisfied you targeted those customers because of their vulnerability, knowing the money taken would not be noticed by them.’ But he said he took into account the fact Earle was suffering from depression after the loss of a grandparent, pressure at work starting to mount, communication problems with her husband and financial worries. He added: ‘Notwithstanding the targeting, there was here, in some bizarre way, a cry for help.’ The judge suspended Earle’s12-month jail term for 12 months, with supervision, and said the loss of the ‘high achiever’s’ good name would be a significant punishment. He added: ‘You knew the day would come when you would be caught.’ Depression: A judge said her dishonesty was a 'cry for help' as she was suffering from depression after the loss of a grandparent and stress at work . Brian Hegarty, defending, said Earle . struggled when she was promoted to personal banker, which required her . to be a ‘pushy sales person’ with targets to meet. Mr Hegarty said that his client has signed a declaration which will allow the £31,997 she stole to be taken out of her pension and paid back to the bank. Lloyds TSB has already reimbursed the customers. Under the 2006 Fraud Act, the maximum sentence for cases of fraud heard at a crown court is ten years in jail. Fraudsters who target vulnerable victims such as the elderly will face tougher penalties in future under sentencing guidelines unveiled last week. | Victoria Earle worked at the Lloyds TSB bank .
in South Tyneside for over 20 years .
She admitted six charges of fraud between 2011 and 2013 .
She would make withrawals from the accounts using her .
ID card .
The bank worker would then process the transaction as if the customer was actually .
there .
However, she was caught when one of the .
customers noticed a withdrawal she could not remember making . |
147,279 | 4a6facc6acd0ea6f7baa6e12fb9c80628246f8ad | PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:10 EST, 1 August 2013 . There's not much that TV stylist Gok Wan doesn't know about dressing curves and now the fashion designer has unveiled his latest collection of controlwear for plus-size fashion brand Simply Be. His hit 'Banger Booster' bra - famous for creating eye-popping cleavage for bigger breasts - is back in new colour ways for the new season, and with it come a bevvy of other curve-controlling pieces designed to smooth lumps and bumps for women battling with any bulges. The hardworking eparates include a Body Shaper, Balconette Bra, Waist Slip . and High Waist Brief, Sassy Slip, Pull Me In Pants, . Divine Outline, Clicker Knicker and Curve Controller and have been created in a fashionable houndstooth print. Gok Wan has designed another shapewear range for plus-size clothing brand Simply Be . The autumn/winter 2013 range comes in cup sizes B-G and back sizes 32-46 as well as dress size 12-32 . Gok said: 'I've designed this collection to . accentuate the best parts of any girl's body and keep her legs, tum, . boobs and bum looking their best. 'It's all about getting it on and feeling sexy in seconds. All my . favourites are in this collection, from the Slicker Knicker to the . Sassy Slip - if you've got it, I say definitely flaunt it girls.' And the fashionista - who shot to . fame as presenter and stylist of TV style show How To Look Good Naked - . doesn't just have his eye on your underwear drawer, his latest supermarket fashion collection hits Sainsbury's stores next week. The TV stylist has incorporated a houndstooth pattern in black and white as well as purple . The fashionista says that his new collection is all about putting it on and feeling instantly sexy . | Range comes in dress sizes 12-32, cup sizes A-G and back size 32-46 .
His Banger Booster bra is becoming a cult product for plus-size fashion fans .
TV presenter says he wants women to feel sexy in seconds .
The Gok Wan collection for Simply Be is available now in dress sizes 12-32, cup sizes A-G and back size 32-46. |
130,535 | 34d050dc8c91d407344df7ce7eb274cb1f04bf13 | (CNN) -- Brazil has confirmed 557 deaths caused by H1N1 flu, the highest total in the world, the nation's Health Ministry says. A vaccine against H1N1 is being tested but is not expected to be available until at least mid-October. The United States has counted 522 fatalities through Thursday, and nearly 1,800 people had died worldwide through August 13, U.S. and global health officials said. In terms of mortality rate, which considers flu deaths in terms of a nation's population, Brazil ranks seventh, and the United States is 13th, the Brazilian Ministry of Health said in a news release Wednesday. Argentina, which has reported 386 deaths attributed to H1N1 as of August 13, ranks first per capita, the Brazilian health officials said, and Mexico, where the flu outbreak was discovered in April, ranks 14th per capita. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and the United States have the most total cases globally, according to the World Health Organization. The Brazilian Ministry of Health said there have been 6,100 cases of flu in the nation, with 5,206 cases (85.3 percent) confirmed as H1N1, also known as swine flu. The state of Sao Paulo had 223 deaths through Wednesday, the largest number in the country. In addition, 480 pregnant women have been confirmed with H1N1, of whom 58 died. Swine flu has been shown to hit young people and pregnant women particularly hard. Many schools in Sao Paulo have delayed the start of the second semester for a couple of weeks, and students will have to attend classes on weekends to catch up. Schools also have suspended extracurricular activities such as soccer, volleyball and chess to try to curtail spread of the disease. Flu traditionally has its peak during the winter months, and South America, where it is winter, has had a large number of cases recently. The World Health Organization said this week that the United States and other heavily populated Northern Hemisphere countries need to brace for a second wave of H1N1 as their winter approaches. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other U.S. health agencies have been preparing and said this week that up to half of the nation's population may contract the disease and 90,000 could die from it. Seasonal flu typically kills about 64,000 Americans each year. A vaccine against H1N1 is being tested but is not expected to be available until at least mid-October and will probably require two shots at least one week apart, health officials have said. Since it typically takes a couple of weeks for a person's immunity to build up after the vaccine, most Americans would not be protected until sometime in November. The World Health Organization in June declared a Level 6 worldwide pandemic, the organization's highest classification. | Nearly 1,800 people died worldwide of H1N1 through August 13 .
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and U.S. have most total cases globally .
U.S. health officials said that up to 90,000 could die from new strain .
Seasonal flu typically kills about 64,000 Americans each year . |
125,794 | 2e9c616aab6fe5d51fcbe8f13f048d1697c038c4 | A 44-year-old teacher had sexual relationships with multiple underage students, took them to nude beaches and sex clubs and demanded they have sex with others girls, prosecutors have said. Sean Shaynak, a divorced dad-of-one who taught math and physics at Brooklyn Technical High School - one of New York City's most selective public schools - was indicted on 36 new counts involving six students on Tuesday. It came after he was charged in August with using Snapchat to send a picture of his genitals to another 16-year-old student at the school, which is attended by Mayor Bill de Blasio's son Dante. During the investigation into that claim, authorities searched his home, computers and phones and allegedly unearthed thousands of inappropriate text messages, photographs and videos. 'Sick': Sean Shaynak, 44, allegedly had sex with multiple students at the school where he taught, sent them explicit messages and took them to nude beaches and sex clubs. He has pleaded not guilty . They allegedly learned that he had had relations with six students, who ranged in age from 13 to 19, between 2011 and 2014, NBC New York reported. 'The defendant, clearly from his actions, looked to groom these students,' assistant district attorney Joseph Mancino said in Brooklyn Supreme Court, the New York Daily News reported. He took one 15-year-old girl to a nude beach in New Jersey without her parents' permission and he also took her to his home, where he plied her with alcohol until she passed out, Mancino said. Shaynak also asked the girl to take part in lesbian sex with another student, prosecutors claim. During a relationship with another girl, he allegedly watched her have sex with other people at a sex club. He also had sex with another girl but she put up resistance when the sex went too far - but he forced himself on her anyway, prosecutors said, the Daily News reported. Exclusive: He taught for five years at Brooklyn Technical High School, where Bill de Blasio's son attends school. Shaynak allegedly had relationships with girls ranging in age from 13 to 19, between 2011 and 2014 . Shaynak also allegedly sent photos of his genitals to four students, including two minors, and gave the teenagers alcohol and cigarettes. He also gave the girls top grades even though they did no work, the prosecutor said. On Tuesday, Shaynak's lawyer Kimberly Summers pleaded not guilty on his behalf. His bail was set at $1 million. He pleaded not guilty last month to charges including dissemination of indecent material to a minor and harassment. He was arrested on Tuesday morning on these latest claims. Brooklyn Tech, where Shaynak worked for five years, is based in Fort Greene and is one of the city's most selective public schools. Dante de Blasio attends the school, but students said he was not taught by Shaynak. Shaynak has a nine-year-old daughter. He and his wife are divorced and she lives upstate. | Sean Shaynak was indicted on 36 counts involving six girls on Tuesday .
It comes after he was arrested in August for sending a picture of his genitals to a teen - and subsequent searches allegedly revealed other relationships .
Shaynak 'took girls to sex clubs, plied them with alcohol, sent them explicit messages, had sex with them and watched them have sex with others'
The divorced dad-of-one has said he is not guilty of the charges .
He taught math and physics at Brooklyn Technical High School - one of the city's most selective schools and attended by Bill de Blasio's son . |
23,323 | 423f20d12fba667e316c5d14f736daed952d92ba | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:11 EST, 8 March 2013 . Many people who are reluctant to head to the gym joke they are allergic to exercise, but for one mother this is actually true. Kasia Beaver, 33, can't work up a sweat as an increased heart rate could spark a potentially fatal reaction. The mother-of-four is just one of a handful of people in the UK who suffer from the condition, known as Exercise-Induced Angioedema (EIA). Kasia Beaver's face swells during an allergy attack, which is usually brought on by exercise . Running for a bus or chasing after her kids after she's eaten certain foods causes her face to swell and could kill her if she went into anaphylactic shock. Mrs Beaver, from Redditch, Worcestershire, said: 'When I get an attack, my eyes swell up and start to itch. Within five minutes, they're completely closed. It's terrifying, especially if I'm alone with the children. 'I was ice skating with my husband when I had a really bad attack. I had to use an epiPen to bring the swelling down. 'People don't believe me when I tell them I'm allergic to exercise. They think it's just an excuse to be lazy. But the truth is, I used to go the gym all the time. I was really sporty. I was a size ten.' Kasia suffered her first attack when she was in her early 20s before she fell pregnant with her first child, Jay, now 12. At first, she assumed it was an allergic to reaction to some eye shadow she'd bought off the market. Mrs Beaver used to be a size 10 (pictured aged 19, left) before her condition made it impossible to exercise . Mrs Beaver can finally enjoy walking to her local park with her children without the fear of an attack, after being put on a new medication . Mrs Beaver, who is also mother to Grace, eight, Madison, seven and three-year-old Millie, immediately stopped using the make-up but it took another three days for the swelling to go down. She said: 'One day I went to the gym with my mum. I just did a normal work-out then my eyes started feeling tight. 'Mum said they looked funny. She was really worried so she took me to A&E. They put a cold compress on my eyes and prescribed me antihistamines. 'It helped but it kept happening. I'd planned to walk everywhere to help lose my baby weight but I'd walk a few hundred yards and swell up. 'It took me years to realise that exercise was the trigger.' Doctors had also been baffled by Kasia's strange allergic reactions and tried her on a range of antishistamines. But over the year her reactions became more severe. Kasia: 'I was on the bus with my children when it suddenly swerved. The driver slammed on his brakes and the buggy tipped up. 'My eyes instantly swelled up. I had all four children with me and I didn't know what to do. The girls were crying. I couldn't see and Jay had to take us to my sister's house. 'Every time my heart rate goes up I have an attack. My sex life was null and void.' Mrs Beaver can't risk going on the cross-trainer as raising her heart rate can trigger a dangerous reaction . When an eye specialist couldn't find anything wrong with her eyes, she was a referred to a dermatologist but he also drew a blank. Mrs Beaver and her husband Mark, 35, a civil engineer, then travelled to Norwich to see an expert. She was finally diagnosed with Exercise-Induced Angioedema (EIA), which can be brought on by exercising after eating certain foods, as well as an underactive thyroid that is linked to the condition. Kasia with her husband Mark and four children. She has joined a slimming group to try and lose extra weight through her diet . She said: 'It was a relief in a way because I could put a name to it. I wasn't going mad. I'd been tested for all sorts over the years. I thought it could be hay fever, a blocked tear duct or sweat gland. 'He gave me different medications. He told me because the condition is so rare it was exploratory. None of them worked though.' Finally, thanks to a new type of antihistamine Mrs Beaver can walk to the park for the first time in ten years without having an attack. She said: 'I still can't exercise though and that does get me down. I joined a slimming group because I want to lose weight but it can only do so much. 'They think it's food related but they don't know what food it is. They've tested me for all sorts. If I knew what food it was I would stop eating it. 'I've been prescribed an epiPen in case an attack turns into an anaphylactic shock but luckily it hasn't yet. I know the signs now and stop what I'm doing because I can't risk it.' Maureen Jenkins, from Allergy UK said: 'Some people can suffer allergic symptoms such as urticaria (raised weals), rhinitis (blocked and runny nose), wheezing or gastric symptoms when they exercise. 'When it only occurs sometimes on exercise, it may be linked to eating a certain food beforehand, even though the food can be safely eaten when not followed by exercise. 'Fortunately, this is not common, but it is important to have this condition diagnosed as the reaction can cause anaphylaxis.' For more information about Allergy UK visit www.allergyuk.org or call our national helpline on 01322 619898 . | Kasia Beaver, 33, suffered her first allergy attacks in her early 20s .
Doctors were baffled about the cause, but an expert finally realised they were triggered by a raised heart rate .
When Mrs Beaver exercises her face swells up and she is in danger of going into anaphylactic shock. A new anti-histamine has eased her symptoms . |
88,063 | f9edbe0e30a59f46131321b8586f738d378e502c | Steven Gerrard says talking about Wayne Rooney's achievements with Manchester United ‘kills him’ but feels the striker fully deserves any records he earns with his country. The Manchester United captain has enjoyed a trophy-laden career winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford. Now the captain of his country, Rooney is expected to earn his 100th cap on Friday when England face Slovenia in a friendly at Wembley and is also currently fourth on the list of England leading scorers with 43 goals, just six behind Sir Bobby Charlton. Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney react after their World Cup campaign comes to an end against Costa Rica . Wayne Rooney takes aim during England's 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier victory over Estonia in Tallinn in October . Rooney gets a shot away against Crystal Palace (left) while Gerrard shoots against Chelsea in November . Rooney (left) and Gerrard have soldiered together during many campaigns for England . Rooney has won five Premier League titles and one Champions League trophy during his time at Old Trafford . And with Rooney closing in on Charlton’s record, Gerrard says the Manchester United star fully deserves to go down in history for his country. ‘I think it would be fully deserved for a player of his calibre and for what he’s done for Manchester United even though it kills me saying it,’ Gerrard told ITV Sport. ‘He’s taken that onto the international stage and he’s been consistent with goals and performances. ‘In years to come anyone who is looking back at records and looks at goals and caps, Wayne Rooney’s name will come up and I think he deserves both accolades.’ Rooney celebrates after scoring against Uruguay in Sao Paulo during the World Cup in Brazil . | England captain Wayne Rooney is expected to earn his 100th cap on Saturday when his team face Slovenia in a friendly at Wembley .
Rooney is currently fourth on the list of England leading scorers with 43 goals, just six behind Sir Bobby Charlton .
Manchester United forward Rooney has won five Premier League titles and one Champions League trophy during his time at Old Trafford . |
263,258 | e0fbc58297a0014440136dbb7f8e9ab55b0625fe | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 07:12 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 12 December 2012 . Dr Ashley Sibery walks free from court . A doctor who watched his wife collapse after injecting her with heroin so she could 'experience what the drug was like' has been handed a community sentence. GP Ashley Sibery, 39, was convicted in September 2012 of giving his partner Sital the class A narcotic at their home in Edinburgh in April. He watched her lose consciousness and struggle for breath moments after she took the deadly powder. The terrifying incident took place after she confronted him about his secret drug habit. After tucking their three-year-old son into bed, the medic and father admitted to Sital that he had been using the lethal narcotic for two months. She told him that if he didn't quit his addiction, she would end their marriage. But despite the ultimatum, Sibery managed to persuade Sital into taking what was supposed to be his final fix. The court heard how Sibery wanted his partner to experience the feeling that he got when he consumed the brown powder. However, Sital collapsed and started having difficulties breathing. The shocked paramedics who attended their home in the Scottish capital recognised the former accident and emergency medic and managed to save her life. Sibery was then arrested and confessed his involvement in the potentially lethal incident to Lothian and Borders Police detectives. Yesterday, Sheriff Elizabeth Jarvie QC decided not to send Sibery to prison after hearing how he had successfully completed treatment for his addiction. Instead, the GP was ordered to perform 300 hours community service and placed on supervision by the authorities for two years after an Edinburgh Sheriff Court hearing on Tuesday. Edinburgh Sheriff's Court heard how the doctor's wife threatened to end the marriage when she discovered Sibery's habit . Sheriff Jarvie also heard that his wife and his colleagues were sticking by Sibery, who is currently suspended from practising medicine by the General Medical Council. Sheriff Jarvie added: 'I am persuaded that in these particular circumstances, the imposition of a non-custodial sentence is correct and in the public interest. 'I will impose a community payback order on you which will last for two years. You will also be placed on supervision and you will perform 300 hours community service. 'I hope that this sentence will allow you to utilise your talents within the community.' Sibery pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct before Sheriff Elizabeth Jarvie QC in a hearing earlier this year. The court heard that prior to the incident, Sibery worked in the city as a general practitioner. He qualified as a medic in 2002 and had once worked in Accident and Emergency medicine. Ms Rollo told Sheriff Jarvie that the pair had an argument about how Sibery had been behaving in the months leading up to April. Mrs Sibery was concerned about how her partner had been acting. The court heard that during an emotional exchange he confessed that he been spending £55 a day on his heroin habit for the last two months. 'I hope this sentence will allow you to utilise your talents within the community' Sheriff Jarvie . Procurator fiscal Karon Rollo said: 'He had admitted to her that he had spent the last two months injecting heroin into himself. 'She issued him with an ultimatum. She told him he had to stop taking the drugs or their marriage would be over. 'Bizarrely, he asked her if she wanted to try some. He told her that he had a small quantity of heroin remaining in the house and that he would give her it. 'He wanted her to experience the drug, to see what it was like. The heroin was then prepared and it was injected into her.' An ambulance was called when Sital collapsed and started having breathing difficulties. Ms Rollo then told the court that police arrested Sibery and interviewed him at a police station in the Scottish capital. The doctor confessed to them that he had given his wife heroin and that he had an addiction problem. Ms Rollo added: 'The accused indicated that he had a heroin habit. He confessed to them that he had given his wife heroin. 'He told them that he wanted to relax her and deal with stress. He told the officers how she slipped into unconsciousness.' The court also heard that Sibery - who was on bail for the offence - was now in the care of a consultant psychiatrist who was helping him to tackle his problems. The court also heard that he and his wife were still together. Colleagues also provided the court with written statements about the good work that Mr Sibery has carried out as a doctor. On Tuesday, defence solicitor Duncan Batchelor told the court that his client had recently completed a drug treatment programme. Mr Batchelor revealed that Mr Sibery had recently been tested for drugs and the results showed that he hadn't taken any. The court also heard that Mr Sibery had also started to help other addicts who were trying to tackle their problems. After reading a report about Sibery's character, Sheriff Jarvie decided not to impose a custodial sentence on the doctor. But she ordered Sibery to appear back in court on November 12 2013 in order for another sheriff to monitor his progress. She added: 'You will reappear in this court next year.' | GP, who spent £55 a day on his habit, wanted his wife to 'experience' how the drug felt .
Ashley Sibery's wife threatened to divorce him when she discovered his drug habit .
Was given 300 hours community service for charge of 'reckless and culpable conduct'
Sibery's wife standing by him . |
158,570 | 58fd4870aa6f72106bc80ad05a6f5b0d98958bed | Dallas (CNN)Oklahoma's first scheduled execution since last April's controversial botched lethal injection is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court to decide. Charles Frederick Warner, who was convicted in 2003 for the first-degree rape and murder of his then-girlfriend's 11-month-old daughter in summer 1997, is scheduled to be executed Thursday at 6 p.m. CT at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, about 130 miles east of Oklahoma City. Botched execution haunts inmate as death nears . Warner's attorney, Dale Baich, filed a motion with the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday asking for a stay of execution, and is also asking the court to review Oklahoma's lethal injection policies in general, after a federal appeals court rejected his appeal Monday. "Oklahoma's current execution protocol creates a substantial risk of severe pain, needless suffering and a lingering death," Baich told CNN. Jerry Massie, public information officer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, said Warner is scheduled to be executed using a three-drug combination of midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride. Ohio changing execution drugs . Midazolam, a benzodiazepine that is still not FDA approved, is supposed to render the prisoner unconscious. Vecuronium bromide is a paralytic, which is meant to paralyze all muscle movement and stop respiration. Potassium chloride's role is to activate nerves and induce cardiac arrest. Baich said the existing Supreme Court protocol and precedent under review, 2008's Baze V. Rees case, is no longer relevant or used in any jurisdiction because different types of drugs are now used. He argued that the changes that have been made over the years are significant and "create a significant risk of harm." "Of particular concern is the use of midazolam, which has been involved in several extremely problematic executions, including the gruesome and horrific execution of Clayton Lockett in Oklahoma and the two-hour prolonged death of Joseph Wood in Arizona in July 2014," Baich said. "In Baze v. Rees, the court acknowledged that administering a paralytic and potassium chloride to someone who is not deeply unconscious would inflict an unconstitutional degree of pain and suffering. Midazolam is not capable of producing a deep, unconscious state." Massie said the Oklahoma Department of Corrections will have "no further comments" until it sees what the Supreme Court decides. Jennifer Moreno, a staff attorney with the Berkeley Law Death Penalty Clinic, said the big issue in front of the Supreme Court is whether midazolam can reliably produce the level of unconsciousness needed to complete an execution. "It's uncontested that administering those two drugs [vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride] to somebody who is conscious would cause unnecessary pain and suffering," Moreno said. "The real issue is that because there are issues about midazolam's ability to induce the necessary level of unconsciousness, and Oklahoma intends to paralyze the prisoner, that we'll never know if he regained consciousness and experienced the effects of the second and third drugs. In all three executions where medazline has been used without a paralytic, we have seen problems that raised questions about the appropriateness of the drug. Paralyzing them doesn't make the problem go away, it just hides them from us." Warner was originally scheduled for execution on the same night as Lockett, April 29, 2014, but the execution was called off after the state took 43 minutes to execute Lockett, a controversial event that was witnessed by media and state officials. Witnesses said Lockett was convulsing and writhing on the gurney, as well as struggling to speak, before officials blocked their view. The execution was halted, but Lockett eventually died. A team of medical examiners ruled that Lockett died from the state's lethal injection. The report, which was released in September by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, called the manner of death a "judicially ordered execution." Lockett's execution was the first time Oklahoma had used midazolam as the first element in its three-drug cocktail, the same three-drug combination that is scheduled to be used in Warner's execution. Midazolam is generally used for children "before medical procedures or before anesthesia for surgery to cause drowsiness, relieve anxiety and prevent any memory of the event," the U.S. National Library of Medicine said. "It works by slowing activity in the brain to allow relaxation and sleep." Stay motions have also been filed with the U.S. Supreme Court for three other Oklahoma death row prisoners scheduled to be executed soon: Richard Glossip, scheduled to be put to death on January 29; John Marion Grant, scheduled to be executed on February 19; and Benjamin R. Cole, scheduled to be put to death on March 5. Chemical mix and human error lead to controversial executions . CNN's Steve Almasy contributed to this report. | Charles Frederick Warner is to be executed Thursday; he raped and murdered an 11-month-old .
His lawyer says "protocol creates a substantial risk of severe pain, needless suffering and a lingering death" |
53,910 | 98d7626cf330bec02ec1c6e1fd5a724a6b519409 | (CNN) -- It is always risky to make predictions about the Supreme Court's decisions based on what is or is not said by lawyers and justices at oral argument. It is also almost impossible to resist the temptation to hunt through the transcripts for clues and tea leaves. On Wednesday, the justices heard arguments in a case called Town of Greece v. Galloway, which involves a challenge to a small New York town's practice of opening its board meetings with short prayers, delivered by volunteers. A lower federal court ruled last year that the town of Greece's prayers -- but not necessarily all legislative prayers -- violate the First Amendment's rule against "establishments" of religion. Arguing for those challenging the prayer was one of the most respected legal scholars in America, Douglas Laycock. As his argument time was running down, Justice Elena Kagan -- one of the two justices nominated by President Obama -- shared an interesting and revealing observation. She emphasized how important it is to "maintain a multireligious society in a peaceful and harmonious way" and then added, "every time the court gets involved in things like this, it seems to make the problem worse rather than better." A clue? Perhaps. The Supreme Court's decisions and doctrines about church-state relations, religious liberty, and the role of faith in public life are regularly criticized as unpredictable and unprincipled. Why, for example, is a large Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol acceptable while a display in a Kentucky courthouse that includes a framed copy of the Ten Commandments is not? Why did the justices permit a Rhode Island city's Christmas display, which included a creche, but disapprove Pittsburgh's, which did also. To many observers, the court's rulings seem to have done more to cause discord and dissonance than -- borrowing Kagan's words -- peace and harmony and, at Wednesday's session, many of the justices appeared to share her concern. Over and again, they pressed the attorneys to identify clear lines and straightforward rules that courts, legislators and citizens might use to separate permissible religious solemnizations from unconstitutional religious establishments. It would be clear and straightforward, of course, to say the Constitution bans all officially sponsored prayers at government meetings and functions. However, to say this would also conflict glaringly with American history and traditions, going back to the founding. In fact, one of the first things the first Congress did when it assembled in 1789 was to select chaplains for the House and the Senate. This is why, 30 years ago, in the case of Marsh v. Chambers, the court held that legislative prayers offered by a paid chaplain did not violate the First Amendment and it is probably also why none of the justices indicated that he or she is inclined, at this late date, to change course so dramatically. Nor did a majority of the justices seem inclined to treat volunteer-led prayers at town board meetings like potentially coercive invocations at public school graduations and football games. One suggestion to the justices was that legislative prayers be "nonsectarian" and avoid religious issues and theological claims on which there is significant disagreement. Several of the justices appeared to agree that this would be a sensible policy. At the same time, most were leery of making this good practice a constitutional requirement, of forcing trial court judges into the tricky and delicate business of parsing and perusing prayers, or of policing a line between allowable prayers that invoke "almighty God" and over-the-line ones that address "Jesus Christ." Our country is, as Kagan noted, a "multireligious society" and so it is both unsurprising and unavoidable that Americans sometimes disagree about the role and place of religious faith in our public life. It is just as much a fact about our country that, from the very beginning, we have tried to respect religious faith and protect religious liberty, in private and in public. Our tradition and practice has not been to regard public acknowledgments of religion and public requests for divine guidance as inconsistent with our founders' wise decision to distinguish between, or "separate," church and state. A decision by the court to uphold the town board's prayers in Greece will probably not clear up all the questions about or patch up all the holes in the court's First Amendment case law. However, such a decision, one that relies on precedent and avoids any dramatic changes in direction, will avoid making things worse. And, as Kagan reminded us, that is no small thing. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Richard Garnett. | Supreme Court hears case challenging prayer at town board meeting .
Richard Garnett says court will likely be reluctant to uphold a ban on such prayers .
Garnett: Constitution prohibits establishment of religion, but public prayers have long history .
Garnett: U.S. has long tried to protect both religious faith and religious liberty . |
42,162 | 7700f0d4b9232920d5601335d3ab9f6b27a5b5e1 | (CNN) -- A grand jury has indicted polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs on a second sexual assault charge in connection with a probe of his Texas compound, prosecutors said Wednesday. The charge against Warren Jeffs stems from a probe into his sect's Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas. The Schleicher County, Texas, grand jury charged Jeffs, who already could be sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of a different charge in Utah, with a first-degree felony count of aggravated sexual assault. The indictment is Jeffs' second in Schleicher County. In July, he was charged with sexually assaulting a child under 17. Grand jurors have also indicted three more members of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, prosecutors said Wednesday. One member faces a count of conducting the unlawful marriage of a minor, another faces three counts of bigamy and a third faces three counts of bigamy and one count of tampering with evidence. The Texas charges stem from a state and federal investigation into the sect's Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado, about 190 miles northwest of San Antonio. In April, child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the compound, citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse. After a court battle, the Texas Supreme Court ordered the children returned in June, saying the state had no right to remove them and there was no evidence to show the children faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch. To date, 12 people associated with the compound have been indicted as part of the investigation, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. Jeffs, 52, is the leader and "prophet" of the estimated 10,000-member FLDS, an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church. The FLDS openly practices polygamy at the YFZ Ranch, as well as in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line -- Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. In Utah, Jeffs was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old. He is awaiting trial in Arizona, where he faces similar charges. He faces a sentence of up to life in prison for the Utah conviction, and he also could face another life term if convicted of the Texas charges. His attorney in Arizona, Michael Piccarreta, has questioned the motives of Texas authorities, telling CNN in a July interview that the state's investigation into Jeffs and his followers is an effort "to cover themselves up on the botched attack on the ranch in Texas." | Warren Jeffs indicted on second Texas sexual assault charge in four months .
Grand jury also indicts three other members of polygamous sect .
Charges stem from probe of sect's ranch outside Eldorado, Texas .
Jeffs convicted in Utah of accomplice to rape for role in member's marriage to teen . |
87,424 | f8051e66448fbf30479d9775dff06bf177f8b319 | By . Belinda Robinson . A dad-of-six says he was 48 hours away from death after medics repeatedly mistook his life-threatening bowel condition for stomach ache. Stuart Pashley, 47, from Clay Cross in Derbyshire was sent away with painkillers twice by doctors when he complained of chronic abdominal pain. He also claims that he was told by one GP not to go to hospital because 'sickness bugs can close hospital wards and kill people'. Family man: Stuart Pashley is pictured with his wife Lisa and his two-year-old son William enjoying each day after he nearly died because his bowel burst and doctors mistook his symptoms for a stomach bug . But six days after his symptoms started, a third doctor sent him to hospital where he was diagnosed with a life-threatening bowel condition and had surgery to remove part of his colon. He also had to have a colostomy bag fitted. Mr Pashley said: 'I was in a coma for two days to recover from the operation. 'But when I came round the consultant surgeon told me that if I hadn't come in it would have been less than 48 hours and I would be dead. 'It didn't really sink in until later when I thought I have a wife and young children and that could have all been gone.' The doting father has six children, William, two, Amber, six, Eboni, nine, Laura, 22, Zoey, 24, and Vikki, 26. Treatment: Six days after his symptoms started, a third doctor sent him to hospital where he was diagnosed with a life-threatening bowel condition and had surgery to remove part of his colon . Coma: The 47-year-old, from Clay Cross, Derbyshire was put into a medically induced coma for two days to recover after surgery . He was diagnosed with suffering from severe diverticulitis, which causes pockets to form in the colon that collect waste and can eventually burst. He added: 'I knew from the moment the pain started it was more than a stomach ache. 'Since the operation I have been on forums and I have seen people say the pain is worse than childbirth. I was bent over, crying with the pain.' Mr Pashley initially phoned the NHS 111 helpline on March 7, after waking with abdominal pain, sickness and diarrhoea. He was told to keep up with fluids and take painkillers by the adviser and see a doctor if he was still in pain the following Monday. Three days later, and still in pain, he was visited by a doctor from Clay Cross Medical Centre who echoed the words of the 111 adviser and warned him 'not to go to hospital as sickness bugs can close wards and kill people'. The next day, Mr Pashley awoke with severe pains in his abdomen and his wife Lisa, 33, who works in local government, called for an ambulance. Mr Pashley said: 'My wife rang 999 and was told by the operator, because my condition was not life threatening, an ambulance could not be sent and if we wanted to go to A&E we would have to make our own way there.' Moments later, his wife phoned the non-emergency line 111 and was told an ambulance would be sent out. Advice: Mr Pashley launched a complaint against Clay Cross Medical Centre and says he has received a letter of apology, but wants to urge people to trust their instincts when it comes to their health . The paramedic rang Mr Pashley's GP and said that he would need stronger painkillers, so he booked in for another appointment the following day. When he arrived the next afternoon, he was 'doubled over with abdominal pain' but was still told to avoid A&E and was given high-strength painkiller, Tramadol. Later that afternoon - and now in the 'worst pain' he had ever experienced - another doctor visited his home and, at last, decided to call for an ambulance. He said: 'The next day I had a laparotomy and Hartmann's procedure for severe diverticulitis. 'I was told by the consultant surgeon that if I hadn't been admitted I would have been dead within 48 hours.' Following the intense surgery to remove part of his colon, Mr Pashley was put into a medically induced coma for two days to recover. He has launched a complaint against Clay Cross Medical Centre and says he has received a letter of apology, but wants to urge people to trust their instincts when it comes to their health. He said: 'Listen to your GP, do what they say. But you know your own body so if you think you need it, get another opinion.' A spokesperson for NHS England, said: 'We take extremely seriously incidents where patients suffer distress or harm whilst in the receipt of NHS care. 'We will be asking the practice to provide us with a copy of their formal response to the patient and, if appropriate, any performance concerns will be addressed.' | Stuart Pashley, 47, was sent away with painkillers twice by doctors .
The father-of-six headed to the hospital with an excruciating stomach ache .
His GP told him not to go to hospital as 'sickness bugs close hospital wards'
Six days after the stomach ache another doctor diagnosed bowel cancer .
He was told he was 48 hours away from death if he had not been admitted . |
57,678 | a377571fa0d3905f18fa677c53ed05c5ff092b27 | By . Ryan Gorman . and Associated Press Reporter . The U.S. men’s soccer team regained its swagger against Ghana just in time to face a Portugal team limping into Sunday’s match with stars missing from injury or suspension. Portugal’s two best defenders, a striker and their starting goalkeeper will not play. Another defender will be a game time decision and best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to play despite reportedly suffering a career-threatening knee injury. The U.S. side has lost striker Jozy Altidore to injury and team captain Clint Dempsey has a broken nose but will play. Both teams are licking their wounds after only one match, but the Portuguese are a lot more vulnerable. Man down: Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has ice put on his left knee after a Wednesday training session . The U.S. lost its best player: Striker Jozy Altidore (at right) screams while grabbing his left leg as Ghana's John Boye jogs past - Altidore is not expected to recover until after the World Cup . Broken nose: Clint Dempsey of the U.S. lies on the pitch injured after being kicked in the face by Boye (not pictured) during their 2014 World Cup Group G soccer match earlier this week . Reports out of Brazil earlier this week painted a dire picture for Portugal as it was revealed a team doctor told Ronaldo to pull out of the World Cup over fears a knee injury he has been suffering from for months could ruin the rest of his career. The Ballon d’or winner as world player of the year has been battling tendinitis in his left knee and thigh injuries, and doctors have warned continuing to sprint up and down the pitch could result in him tearing the patellar tendon, according to a Spanish newspaper. Ronaldo was then seen limping away from a practice field Thursday while icing his ailing knee, but several teammates have since insisted that he is fit and ready to go. ‘Cristiano is 100 percent fit to play,’ backup Portugal goalkeeper Beto said Friday. ‘Every match, if he starts to play, it is because he is fit to play.’ Midfielder Raul Meireles said he expects Ronaldo by his side when the whistle blows. ‘Cristiano played the last game,’ Meireles said during a Saturday news conference. ‘He trains every day with all of us. Cristiano is fit to play, that's all I can say.’ Injured: Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao, pictured playing against Germany, will miss Sunday's game . Out: Portugal forward Hugo Almeida (R) will also miss Sunday's match after suffering an injury versus Germany . Huge loss: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will not play, Beto will take his place . The U.S. is taking no chances and expects Ronaldo to be at full strength. ‘We have to be ready for him,’ United States defender Fabian Johnson said. ‘If he's going to play or not, we have to be ready for him.’ Other starting players out with injuries include defender Fabio Coentrao, forward Hugo Almeida and goalkeeper Rui Patricio. ‘At the moment, we have four players who . will not be playing [on Sunday],’ Portugal manager Paulo Bento said, according to ESPN. ‘Secondly there is a possibility of having another absence, and I'm . talking about Bruno [Alves] who will not train today. We will only . decide today if he will play.’ Defender Pepe, widely considered the team’s best, is missing the game due to suspension. He was sent off with a red card during the match against Germany. Another defender, Bruno Alves, is working his way back from a serious thigh injury, it is not known if he will be in the starting 11. Escaping the ‘group of death’ the U.S. was slotted looks much more likely despite the Americans’ best striker, Altidore, possibly being out for the duration of the tournament with a strained right hamstring. On the fence: Defender Bruno Alves, of Portugal, may or may not play, according to the team's manager . Banned: Portugal's defender Pepe gestures during a training session at the team's base camp in Campinas, he will miss the match versus the U.S. after being sent off with a red card against Germany . In the middle of a rainforest: The US Men's National Team stretches Saturday prior to training at Arena Amazonia . Looking for more of this: John Brooks (center bottom face down) of USA is celebrated by his teammates after scoring the winning goal during the FIFA World Cup 2014 group G preliminary round match between Ghana - keeping the ball away from Ronaldo could lead to more celebrations for the U.S. like this one . Another challenge facing both teams is the game’s venue – a city in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. Manaus is considered one of the hottest cities in the world, but Arena del Amazonia is expected to be inundated with torrential rains for the majority of the match. Portugal is desperate for a win – losing to the U.S. would eliminate the team from advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament – but faces a tough challenge with many players out and their biggest star limping to the finish. A win means the U.S. would advance to the knockout stage for second World Cup in a row, something it has never done. The U.S. beat Portugal during the 2002 World Cup and hopes to repeat the feat Sunday, but it will need to improve upon its ghastly passing during the match against Ghana. The . ‘That was a problem against Ghana, but I think it was the first game so you’re going to be a little bit nervous,’ midfielder Jermaine Jones said. ‘We have a win, so we can go win the next game with more trust in ourselves… take the ball and try to hold the ball better.’ Star midfielder Michael Bradley, perhaps the best player on the team with Altidore out, agreed, but also said the best teams win games in different ways. Keeping the ball away from Ronaldo is the only way the U.S. can hope to win this match and make it to the next round. | Portugal has four starters out of the match including their best defender and star goalkeeper .
U.S. striker Jozy Altidore is also out of the match .
Cristiano Ronaldo is injured but expected to play . |
126,422 | 2f642749592b36e3be4a4169a44e4de397bf90d2 | By . Matthew Blake . When Li Jiewen lost both his legs to polio as a child, he vowed to fulfill his dream of becoming a farmer nevertheless . . . and he hasn't put a foot wrong since. The 46-year-old is now famous across China for his industrious approach to farming and overcoming what for most would be an incapacitating handicap. Rather than give in to his disability, he built a host of contraptions that help him perform the tasks he must in order to keep his farm running. Industrious: Passers by may see Li Jiewen paddling out to plant rice in waterlogged paddy fields on a truck tyre he converted into a raft . Mobile: He drives a three-wheeler moped with modified controls as he delivers his rice to local stores . Passers by may see him paddling out to plant rice in waterlogged paddy fields on a truck tyre he converted into a raft. He milks cows by pushing himself along on a skateboard to reach their udders and sweeps floors with a cut-down broomstick. From a poor family, and being disabled, he was unable to be educated beyond the age of 11. But Li worked hard floating around paddy fields on his tyre, saved his money, and eventually opened a general store in the village where he lives. And when his story was told on Chinese TV recently, he became a celebrity. Disadvantaged from birth: From a poor family, and being disabled, he was unable to be educated beyond the age of 11 . Success story: But Li worked hard floating around paddy . fields on his tyre, saved his money, and eventually opened a general . store in the village where he lives . Determination: His uncomplaining attitude coupled with his determination to live as normal a life as possible has endeared him to the hearts of people in a land where the divide between haves and have-nots grows greater by the day . His relentlessly positive attitude coupled with his determination to live as normal a life as possible has endeared him to the hearts of people in a land where the divide between haves and have-nots grows greater by the day. He married twenty years ago and his two daughters help out in the family store. Around his village he is a friendly face that everyone recognises because he always wants to help out others, and asks nothing for himself. He said: 'You can sit and moan that you have nothing, and how bad your lot in life is, or you can get on with it and carve out a life for yourself. 'I chose the latter. 'Life is about choices. I made mine, and I have no regrets.' | Li Jiewen lost both his legs to polio as a child but refused to give in .
He uses a tyre to float about paddy fields, a skateboard to milk cows .
Being disabled and poor, he was unable to be educated beyond the age of 11 .
He worked hard on farm until he had enough money to open his own shop .
Now he is a celebrity in China after TV station made a show about him .
He says: 'You can sit and moan that you have nothing, or just get on with it' |
233,072 | b9bca4303f418a9118f2fcd9fba975f43001798a | A Brazilian woman has miraculously survived after being stabbed through the forehead with a huge kitchen knife by her ex-boyfriend. Police officers found 22-year-old Alcileide Rodrigues dos Santos with the knife still embedded several inches into her skull as she sat on a bench in San Pedro Town, Sao Paolo state. Despite the shocking nature of her injuries, Miss Santos remained perfectly lucid throughout the ordeal and was able to explain to investigators exactly what happened, and even name her 19-year-old former boyfriend Roberto Martins dos Anjos as the alleged culprit. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT . Horrific: Police officers found 22-year-old Alcileide Rodrigues dos Santos with the knife still embedded several inches into her skull as she sat on a bench in San Pedro Town, Sao Paolo state . Ms Santos said she was attacked by her former boyfriend at about 5pm on Tuesday, but did not reveal the nature of their argument, nor did she explain why it escalated so dramatically. After being stabbed, the 22-year-old sought refuge on a nearby bench, where passing police officers noticed her covered in blood, with the large, white-handled knife still sticking out of her right eyebrow. Officers took her in their car for emergency first aid treatment at the nearby PM Central Police Station, before she was transferred by ambulance to the Hospital Estadual Mário Covas. Unbelievably, despite the knife entering several inches into Ms Santos' skull, it is not thought to have hit her brain, meaning the injuries - dramatic as they appeared - were purely superficial. Attacked: Despite the shocking nature of her injuries, Miss Santos remained perfectly lucid throughout the ordeal and was able to explain to investigators exactly what happened . Treatment: Officers took Alcileide Rodrigues dos Santos for emergency first aid at the nearby PM Central Police Station, before she was transferred by ambulance to the Hospital Estadual Mário Covas (pictured). Now that Ms Santos is expected to make a full recovery, local police are turning their attention to investigating the case. Prime suspect Mr Anjos is said to still be at large and, although the case was first registered by local officers in the municipality of São Bernardo do Campo, the task of tracking him down has now been passed over to Sao Paolo state's military police force. Domestic violence is considered a growing problem in Brazil, with one woman assaulted every 15 seconds and one killed every two hours, according to statistics released last year. Brazil has the seventh highest rate of violence against women in the world and within the past three decades, at least 92,000 women have been killed inside their homes. | Alcileide Rodrigues dos Santos was found with large knife embedded in head .
Police officers spotted her sitting on a bench in San Pedro Town, Sao Paolo state .
Despite shocking injuries, Miss Santos remained perfectly lucid throughout .
She was even able to name 19-year-old ex-boyfriend as the alleged culprit . |
261,073 | de212921b3865bb0f37968a38ada56e56003ed32 | New York (CNN) -- An organ played "New York, New York" as pallbearers -- from the New York City Police Department -- carried the simple wooden casket with a Star of David through hundreds of admirers, friends, family members and dignitaries, and out of the Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan on Monday to lay to rest the city's brash and outspoken three-term former mayor, Ed Koch, who died of congestive heart failure on Friday. He was 88. "I come today with the love and condolences of 8.4 million New Yorkers who really are grieving with you at this moment," said current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as he delivered one of several eulogies for Koch beginning around 11 a.m. "Although Ed -- on the other hand -- has got to be loving all this attention," Bloomberg joked. "No mayor, I think, has ever embodied the spirit of New York City like he did. And I don't think anyone ever will. Tough and loud, brash and irreverent, full of humor and chutzpah -- he was our city's quintessential mayor," Bloomberg said. "He knew from the beginning that the key to success lay in throwing political caution to the wind. "And it's easy to forget just how badly our city needed that kind of leadership -- because the New York that Ed inherited is almost unimaginable today: graffiti-filled subways, miles of abandoned buildings, filthy streets that were unsafe to walk in daylight, much less at night, a municipal government that was broke and had stopped functioning. ... Then came Koch," Bloomberg said. "It is fair to say that the city we know today would not exist without him. Everything that David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani and I accomplished has been built on the foundation that Ed laid." Noting that Koch was to be buried at Trinity Cemetery in Upper Manhattan, Bloomberg added, "Just think about it: a Polish Jew in an Episcopal graveyard in a largely Dominican neighborhood. What could be more New York -- or even more Ed Koch?" Former President Bill Clinton, who cut short a trip to Japan to attend, addressed the mourning crowd next. Holding a handful of letters of advice and opinion Koch had sent him when he was president, Clinton said no one had a better feel for "the impact of what government did on the real lives of people" than Koch. The former president described how Koch advocated for tougher gun laws and said he would be proud of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for his recent effort to toughen New York state gun laws. In his lifetime, Koch was known to look to his constituency and ask "How am I doing?" On Monday, Clinton seemed to turn the question back on him, "Ed, we are all doing fine but we miss you and we miss you so much because we all know we are doing a lot better because you lived and served." Koch's relatives spoke of him as a family man who always wanted to know what was going on in their lives. A grandnephew, Noah Thaler, recounted a time Koch bragged to Clinton about the young man's accomplishments. Diane Coffey, Koch's longtime chief of staff, said the key to Koch's gift for leadership was "an ability to meet people on their own terms without ever diluting his own distinctive personality." Also at the services Monday were New York's U.S. senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; former mayors David Dinkins and Rudolph Giuliani; Gov. Cuomo; former governor Mario Cuomo; and other current and former city, state, federal and international government officials, including the Israeli consul general, Ido Aharoni. "By the force of his own personality he led New Yorkers to believe that our best days weren't behind us, and he succeeded," Schumer told CNN. Gillibrand described Koch as a great reformer and a friend from whom she'd ask advice on everything from Middle East policy to where to get the best Chinese food. "He was mayor of this city during a time of crisis and he really brought the city together," she said. "I think Ed Koch was himself. And too often nowadays people worry about how they look or what their image is or are they doing it right," said Christine Quinn, speaker of the New York City Council and rumored potential Democratic candidate for mayor in the city's 2013 election. "Every time I asked him for advice," she said, he told her "to do what I thought was right, to have fun and if people didn't like it just 'bleep' 'em. And not a lot of elected officials live by those codes today. And if you do the right thing and you have some fun, you're doing the best you could possibly do. And that's a good thing." An honor guard representing the city's police, fire, parks, sanitation and correction departments and the sheriff's office stood by the casket for the ceremony. The service was officiated by David Posner, the synagogue's senior rabbi. A private shiva will be held Tuesday at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the city's mayor, on Tuesday, according to the ceremony program, and the family is requesting that contributions be made to the LaGuardia Community College Foundation. Koch was a U.S. congressman from 1968 until he ran for New York City mayor in 1977. He served three terms as the city's 105th mayor, from January 1, 1978, to December 31, 1989. Tweeters loved Koch's 'New York-iness' CNN's Dana Ford and Steve Almasy contributed to this report. | Koch "embodied the spirit of New York City," Mayor Bloomberg says .
Clinton to Koch: "We are doing a lot better because you lived and served"
Senators and governors also were among those honoring Koch .
Koch died of congestive heart failure last week; he was 88 . |
66,645 | bd048204b6ed761bf356a1db0ef3782f494f64cb | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 07:24 EST, 12 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:26 EST, 12 January 2013 . A tourist in South America couldn't believe his eyes after stumbling across a flower resembling a monkey. Brian Shandra, 34, was travelling in Ecuador where he visited Ecuagenera - a farm which specialises in orchids. As he wandered around he was stunned to come across the 'dracula simia', a flower found in the cloud forests of Peru and Ecuador. Spotted: The 'monkey orchid' Mr Shandra found, left, is usually found in the cloud forests of Peru and Ecuador in South America and bears an uncanny resemblance to a monkey . Brian, a research chemist from Boston, USA, described it as a perfect example of a 'simian pareidolia' where the face of a primate is seen in an entirely unrelated object. He said: 'We were all shocked when all of a sudden we were confronted by all these little monkey faces staring back at us. Doppleganger:The 'Monkey Orchid' is so-called for its resemblance to apes such as the golden monkey (file picture) 'The weird thing was that each one was a little bit different and almost seemed to have their own personalities. 'There was a happy one, a sad one, one with a little nose, big lips - a whole family. It was a little freaky.' The dracula simia, known as 'the monkey orchid' is usually found in cloud forests more than 2,000metres above eye-level in Peru and Ecuador. 'Dracula' literally means 'little dragon' in reference to the two long spurs which protrude from the petals like fangs. 'Simia' refers to the plants monkey-like appearance. The orchid was only named in 1978 by the botanist Luer, but is in a family containing over 120 species mostly found in Ecuador. Up . in the cloud mountains the Monkey Orchid can flower at any time - it is . not season specific. It's scent resembles that of a ripe orange. | Brian Shandra, 34, spotted the orchid on holiday in Ecuador .
'Dracula simia' usually found in forests above 2,000 metres . |
172,598 | 6b5e2835a89d6f6dd324c81fa888beafb62cc4f8 | Atletico Madrid have signed Antoine Griezmann in a £24million move from Real Sociedad. The 23-year-old French World Cup star finalised his move to the Spanish champions on Tuesday after completing a medical and agreeing terms on a six-year deal. The Spanish champions announced on their official website and Griezmann will now link up with Atletico on their pre season tour in South America. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Antoine Griezmann take epic selfie being unveiled at Atletico . The way forward: Atletico Madrid unveil new signing Antoine Griezmann on their website . In demand: Atletico Madrid have won the race for Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann . Deal: The La Liga champions have paid a fee close to Griezmann's £24million buy-out clause . Wanted man: Griezmann (right) has been linked with a move to Tottenham and Chelsea as well as Atletico . Atletico director of football Jose Luis Perez Caminero said: 'Antoine was a priority for us and fortunately we have signed him. 'He is one of the most important players in our league and he showed that at Real Sociedad. 'His arrival is great news for our club.' And Atletico boss Diego Simeone is excited at the prospect of the Frenchman joining the club. 'He’s a brilliant player,' said Simeone, speaking to reporters on Atletico's US pre season tour. 'He is very quick and can give us a lot of options in attack.' Tottenham and Chelsea had been linked with the Frenchman, who starred for his nation during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but the La Liga champions have won the race for his signature. And the Sociedad later issued a statement thanking the pacey wideman for his contribution during his nine years in San Sebastian. 'Real Sociedad would like to thank Antoine Griezmann for the professionalism and dedication shown during his years at the club, while wishing you the best for your personal and professional future.' Griezmann has been capped nine times for Les Bleus and has netted on three occasions. The winger will link up with Arda Turan and fellow new signing Mario Manduzkic in an impressive front three as Atleti look to defend their La Liga title from big-spending Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. Pedigree: Griezmann shields the ball from Mats Hummels during France's match with Germany . Young talent: Griezmann was one of France's standout players during their World Cup campaign . Gone: Real Sociedad have already lost goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to Barcelona for £10m this summer . | Griezmann look moves to Atletico after completing a medical on Monday .
Atletico have paid close to the £24million buy-out clause in his contract .
Spurs and Chelsea had been linked with a move for Real Sociedad winger .
Griezmann has nine caps for France and has netted on three occasions .
The 23-year-old had scored an impressive 52 goals in 201 Sociedad games . |
138,097 | 3e9c8f1a4e992d0a1ed8a9165fb55aa5dbb0146d | By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 17:39 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:51 EST, 1 October 2013 . Marriage is ‘the most important man-made institution’ and it is right to recognise it with a new tax break, Iain Duncan Smith said yesterday. The Work and Pensions Secretary, the Cabinet’s leading proponent of a transferable tax allowance to reduce the tax bills of stay-at-home and part-time spouses, said the move would help return ‘fairness to hard-pressed families’. A poll yesterday showed overwhelming support for the Government’s plans to introduce a £1,000 allowance from April 2015, which are being fiercely opposed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. A YouGov poll for the Sun found that 62 per cent of people back the idea, with just 20 per cent against. ‘The greatest thing we can do to help stabilise families and support commitment and nature is to back the most important man-made institution of marriage through a transferable tax allowance,’ Mr Duncan Smith said. Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith says marriage must be respected and supported . ‘This is a brilliant move and gives fairness to hardworking families.’ David Cameron, who first promised to introduce a tax break for married couples when he ran for the Conservative leadership in 2005, is expected to use his speech to the conference today to reaffirm his belief that it is right for the state to recognise the institution once more. The Government will allow one member of a married couple who earns under the £10,000 income tax threshold to transfer £1,000 of their allowance to their spouse, reducing their tax bill by up to £200 a year, as long as they are one of the 24 million basic rate taxpayers. Around 3.4 million couples are expected to benefit. Mr Duncan Smith said: '¿Marriage is a great institution. Marriage helps to build commitment and society and should have recognition in the tax system' The Prime Minister suggested yesterday that a majority Conservative government would seek to go further, and extend the measure to more couples if it wins power in 2015. ‘It is not an expensive move. It is very much a first step,’ he said. ‘Marriage is a great institution. Marriage helps to build commitment and society and should have recognition in the tax system. ‘This policy isn’t about the money but about the message that people who make a lasting commitment should be recognised in some way.’ Labour MPs stepped up their attack on the proposal yesterday. Ilford MP Mike Gapes said: ‘It will take the country back to the 1950s rather than dealing with the world as it is today. 'They are basically telling children that some families are less deserving and some kinds of families are better to grow up in than others.’ Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader, said the tax break was ‘stigmatising and moralising’, and shadow Treasury minister Rachel Reeves called it a ‘policy about division’. Ministers argue couples were actively penalised under Labour’s tax and benefits system, while two-earner couples are entitled to taxpayer-subsidised childcare. The Government plans to introduce a new childcare tax break in 2015. In his speech to the conference, Mr Duncan Smith also hailed the Government’s plan to force benefits claimants to spend 35 hours a week doing community work or in a job centre will end the ‘something for nothing culture’. Under the Work Programme, private sector organisations and charities have been tasked with helping the unemployed find a job. And last week, Chancellor George Osborne announced the Help to Work scheme, which will force the long-term unemployed to do community volunteering from next year if they want to claim their benefits. Those who break the rules of the Help to Work scheme, for example by failing to turn up for duty without a good reason, could lose their benefit for four weeks. A second offence would see them lose it for three months. Mr Duncan Smith told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One that Britain could learn from Germany when it came to profiling unemployed people and finding out who needed the most help to get back in to work. He said the measures being announced were part of the attempts to give people a sense of a daily job. | A tax allowance to reduce bills of stay-at-home spouses is 'fair', says IDS .
Majority of people back the proposal, according to poll .
Around 3.4 million couples expected to reap rewards . |
73,838 | d15fcd91ad9197e759726ba34b9ac6c4895916fb | By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:48 EST, 16 October 2013 . A Frenchman who lived in a Paris apartment which was the size of a toilet for 15 years, is suing his former landlord for €25,000, it has been revealed. The 50-year-old tenant, known only as Dominique, will appear in court on Tuesday to pursue the owner of his former flat for rent reimbursements and damages after he discovered the property was let to him illegally. Under French law, an apartment must have at least 9 square metres of living space to be put up for rent. Illegal: Under French law, a property must have at least nine square metres of liveable space but Dominique's flat had just 1.56 metres of habitable room (stock picture) But Dominique's flat on the 11th floor of a block in the French capital had just 1.56 square metres of liveable room. By the end of his tenancy in Janary this year he was paying €330 a month in rent, which works out as €211 per month per liveable square metre. The only furniture or appliances Dominique could fit into the hovel was a mattress, sink and humble hob for cooking. Speaking to French publication 20 Minutes, Dominique's lawyer Aurelie Geoffroy confirmed the legal action would be going ahead. Mr Geoffroy said: 'The money entails rent repayment from the last five years, as well as moral harm suffered by my client. The tenant’s case was championed by French housing charity the Fondation Abbé Pierre. They are campaigning to highlight the number of tiny apartments being illegally let to desperate tenants in Paris. In demand: Living space is so sought after in Paris, above, that tiny rooms are being let illegally for huge rent . Samuel Mouchard from the charity, said: 'When I first saw the apartment, I asked myself "how is this possible" 'Until then the smallest flat I’d ever seen was three square metres, but Dominique broke that sad record' Speaking after the initial discovery of Dominique's situation in January, Mouchard said: 'Some landlords are unscrupulous. The law is there but it needs to be enforced. 'Tenants need to know that it’s forbidden. If they have doubts they can go to their local Town Hall where measures can be taken to protect them or to rehouse them.' | Flat was too small to be let under French housing law .
Tenant Dominique had only 1.56 square metres of living space .
He's suing landlord for damages and rent repayments . |
13,492 | 264c9a9e101bc65e8fb5e1b76e51e5653d6e1d15 | Hunt workers have been caught on video allegedly feeding foxes offal and eggs in a bid to boost the population. Members of the North Cotswold Hunt in Gloucestershire were allegedly filmed dumping dozens of dead chickens, eggs and rats into a rural valley in a bid to 'fatten up' animals before hunting. After feeding the animals over several weeks, the men allegedly coaxed them out from setts and released the hounds on them. Scroll down for video . A video filmed over a number of weeks in an artificial fox earth purports to show the animals being fed eggs and offal by huntsmen in an alleged breach of the Hunting Act 2004 . A view of one of the setts which campaigners say was blocked with dirt when hunters drew the foxes out . The footage was taken by animal campaigners who have accused the hunt of going against 'their own guidelines' by allegedly encouraging the fox population with a view to kill the animals. Filmed over a number of weeks, the video shows the animals thriving on a high protein diet before being drawn out and prevented from returning, activists claim. Hounds are then released, with the foxes allegedly unable to hide in badger setts which campaigners say have been blocked. Under the Hunting Act 2004 it is not illegal to encourage hounds to hunt foxes, however driving foxes to a hunt area with intent to pursue them is a breach of the law. 'Somebody would be doing this purely to encourage foxes to breed, to stay here so that they can obviously be in the vicinity of when the hunt choose to hunt,' a spokesman for Hunt Saboteurs Association in North Gloucestershire said. Various vehicles were followed from the site in Gloucestershire to the hunt's kennels upon review of the film . A pile of dead animals and eggs was filmed at the site where foxes were thriving on the high-protein diet . A variety of people, allegedly members of the North Cotswold Hunt, visited the site over a number of weeks . 'If they have a food source they don’t need to travel and they don’t need to go anywhere else. It’s certainly immoral. It would go against their own guidelines. 'The hunt can be seen feeding foxes near an artificial earth in order to maintain a steady supply of foxes in a particular location. 'This location is a popular meet of theirs and the footage shows them actively hunting their hounds in that precise spot. 'Members of the hunt can also be seen blocking up a disused badger sett that is used by foxes in order to stop the fox being able to seek refuse when being chased by hounds. 'A fox can then clearly be seen running past the blocked sett closely pursued by hounds who are being encouraged to chase it by hunt supporters. 'Some of these acts, such as encouraging hounds to chase the fox, are illegal in their own right. 'Others, such as the feeding of foxes, while not illegal in themselves show an intent by the hunt to encourage foxes to an area where they like to hunt. 'Presumably this can only be because they wish to hunt these foxes in direct contravention of the Hunting Act.' 'The hunt denies taking part in any illegal activity, dismissing critics' claims as 'confused and vexatious'. The hunt is accused of breaching the Hunting Act 2004, but denies all allegations saying no members have ever acted outside of the law . People at the site were seen filling up setts in an alleged bid to prevent the foxes from hiding once the hounds were released . The foxes began to thrive on the high-protein diet at the fox earth in Gloucestershire over the weeks of filming . At the end of the video, the hounds are released and begin hunting the foxes. North Cotswold Hunt deny partaking in any illegal activity . 'The North Cotswold have been hunting within the law since the Hunting Act came into force in 2005 and no one connected to the hunt has ever been charged with, let alone convicted of, a Hunting Act offence. 'The hunt denies all the allegations made by animal rights activists, which are confused and vexatious.' Evidence of hunts feeding foxes and creating artificial earths first emerged around 15 years ago when anti-hunt campaigners found men from the Beaufort Hunt feeding fox cubs near their Badminton Estate base in south Gloucestershire. The evidence helped to undermine the case that fox hunting was needed as pest control. | Vehicles traced back to hunt's kennels visited the site in Gloucestershire .
Men dropped off dead chickens and eggs to feed thriving fox population .
Footage showed animals being coaxed out of setts before hounds released .
North Cotswold Hunt denies acting in contradiction of Hunting Act 2004 .
It is illegal to drive foxes to a hunting area with the intent to pursue them .
Hunters accused of keeping them in area by providing them with food . |
38,088 | 6bbd4c9ece8206dd0c64dbc59c604b9d293eeed2 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 07:43 EST, 26 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:14 EST, 27 July 2012 . When he was just 19 years old, doctors told Martin Jones he would never see his 30th birthday. The 32-stone teenager - who regularly downed over 20 pints of bitter in the pub over an evening - had just broken a pair of weighing scales. Doctors told him he would be eligible for gastric band surgery and a tummy tuck on the NHS, but the Stoke-On-Trent biscuit factory worker, now 22, determined to lose the weight without anyone's help, and declined the offer. Half the man I was: Martin Jones, who shed 16 stone, poses with the 24 pints of bitter he used to drink every night . He spent the next three years working industriously to shed the weight, immediately cutting out takeaways and alcohol from his diet, then taking up weight training. But rather than miss out when his friends went to the pub, the previously morbidly obese teenager decided to swap the 24 pints of bitter he used to drink each night with just one solitary glass of orange squash. Mr Jones said: 'I used to go out drinking with my mates every weekend - the most I . ever drank was 24 pints in one night, but I’d come close to that every . time I went out. 'And after a big night out, I’d always have a kebab before I went home, and never thought anything of it. I work in a biscuit factory, moving around custard creams on the forklift trucks, so temptation was constantly in front of me. 'I . have no idea how much I actually weighed in at - the scales I had at . home went up to 32 stone, but when I stood on them, they just read "error".' Now you see me, now you don't: Martin Jones aged 19 before losing the weight, left, and now, aged 22 and 16 stone lighter, right . Martin managed to lose 16 stone - over half his body weight - all on his own. But he is now devastated because the NHS is allegedly refusing to pay for the removal of the layers of unsightly excess skin that the lost weight has left behind on his body. Martin said: 'I was really upset when I found out the NHS would . have paid for me to have gastric surgery, but because I’ve done that on . my own, they now won’t help me. 'I've looked into funding the operation privately, but it’s more than £10,000 - which is way more than I can afford. 'I thought once I lost weight my confidence would improve - but it's had the opposite effect.' A spokesman for NHS North Staffordshire said: 'We can not comment on individual cases because of patient confidentiality. 'However, . we can say that NHS North Staffordshire does not routinely fund . abdominoplasty surgery. Where requests are received, the PCT will . consider these on an exceptional basis.' There's room in here for two! Super-dieter Martin Jones with a pair of trousers belonging to his former, larger self . Whose round is it? Martin Jones pictured with the 24 pints he used to drink every night before changing his beverage of choice to orange squash . | Martin Jones, 22, from Stoke-On-Trent, weighed 32 stone when he was 19 .
NHS offered gastric band surgery but he wanted to lose the weight himself .
Now medics refusing to fund removal of his excess skin . |
21,772 | 3de1371a1eb997373b47cd4cd46dc7100ecfb301 | Iranian cooking can be seen as a metaphor for the country itself: It's tart, sweet, fragrant and vastly complex. It's one of the world's oldest, yet largely obscure, culinary landscapes, with roots dating back to the Persian Empire. In homes in Tehran, pots bubble for hours to braise tough cuts of meat in khoreshes, or stews, with all manner of local fruits like pomegranates and dried apricots and nuts like pistachios and walnuts. In the bazaars, there's hot and fresh sangak, a staple oblong flatbread, and trays of sweet pastries perfumed with rose and orange blossom water. Any visitor would be remiss to not try the chelo (chelow) kabab, as it's king here; juicy skewers of meat and minced meat are served on heaping plates of rice steamed with saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, and grilled tomatoes. Here's a recipe to get started with even if Iran isn't on your travel itinerary. Skewered Ground Lamb Kabab (Kabab-e kubideh) (Serves 6) Reprinted with permission by Mage Publishers from "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" by Najmieh Batmanglij. For the kabab: . 2 pounds twice-ground lamb shoulder or beef (85%) 2 teaspoons sea salt . 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper . ¼ teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon rose water, or ¼ teaspoon turmeric . 2 tablespoons sumac powder . ½ teaspoon baking soda . 2 medium yellow onions, finely grated . 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated . Zest of 1 lime . For basting: . ½ cup salted butter or olive oil . 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice . For cooking and garnish: . 14 flat 3/4-inch skewers . 1 package (12 ounces) lavash bread . ½ cup sumac powder . 2 limes, cut in half, and Persian basil . 1. To make the meat paste, in a warm, wide skillet, combine all the kabab ingredients. Knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. Cover the paste and let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. 2. Start charcoal at least 30 minutes before you want to cook, and let it burn until the coals are glowing evenly. For this kabab, you want the coals to be as high as possible, close to the meat and at their hottest. Do not spread the charcoal thin. If you are using an indoor grill, make sure it is preheated and very hot. 3. Using damp hands (keep a bowl of water next to you), divide the meat paste into equal lumps about the size of small oranges. Shape each into a 5-inch-long sausage and mold it firmly around a flat, sword-like skewer. Pinch the two ends to firmly attach meat to skewer. Arrange on a baking sheet, separated from each other. Cover and keep in a cool place. 4. For the baste, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the lime juice. Keep warm. Spread lavash bread on a serving platter. 5. Arrange the skewers on the fire 3 inches above the coals (bricks on either side make good platforms; keep in mind that the ground meat should not touch the grill). After a few seconds, turn the meat gently to help it attach to the skewers and to prevent it from falling off (these first few seconds are important for cooking skewered ground kabab). 6. Grill the meat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning frequently. Baste just before removing from the fire. Avoid overcooking. The meat should be seared on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. 7. Place all the kabab skewers on the lavash bread platter. Keep on skewers until ready to serve and cover with lavash bread to keep warm. Loosen the meat from each skewer and slide the meat off using a piece of bread. Sprinkle with sumac and lime juice to taste. Serve with fresh basil and yogurt and cucumber dip. Nush-e Jan! For a ground chicken variation: In a food processor, place 2 pounds chicken thighs, 1 small onion (peeled and chopped), 3 cloves garlic (peeled), zest of 2 limes, 2 teaspoons fine-grind sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon rose water, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pulse for a few minutes until you have a thick paste. Do not over mix. Transfer to a glass container. Cover and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Continue with step 2. | Chelo kabab is considered the national dish of Iran .
Saffron, the world's most expensive spice, is prevalent in Iranian cooking .
The culinary traditions of Iran date back centuries to the Persian empire . |
95,164 | 06482248e3d104880923eca3f11c666a0b921159 | By . Richard Shears . Last updated at 12:52 AM on 27th October 2011 . Alfredo Sanchez has been found living in Sydney after reportedly faking his own death to receive £1.25m in life insurance . A man said to have faked his own death in Britain for a £1.25million life insurance payout has been found living in Australia. Alfredo Sanchez was tracked down to Sydney after months of speculation that he was somewhere in the country with his four children. Sanchez, 47, whose fingerprints were found on his own death certificate, had been surviving on takeaway chicken and chips under the alias of Hugo Sanchez. His 44-year-old wife Sophie is serving . a two-year jail term in Britain for her role in the fraud for which her . husband is wanted. Police in Australia were last night reported to be liaising with their British counterparts. When challenged about the alleged . fraud, Sanchez said he was aware of reports in the UK claiming that he . and his wife had defrauded an insurance company, but he issued a denial. ‘I know, I know (about the article),’ he said, adding ‘not true’. He insisted his wife was not serving a jail . sentence but was in England ‘visiting family’ and would be back in . Australia next year. ‘Sophie is not in jail, she is with family, that’s all,’ he declared. Discovered: Alfredo Sanchez, who has also been calling himself Hugo, was found living in Sydney, Australia . Ecuador-born Sanchez shrugged when . asked how he could have the same surname as the wanted man, look the . same, share the same date of birth and have a wife with the same name, . yet deny he was the fugitive. ‘Excuse me, I am innocent until proven guilty,’ he said. ‘I have not done anything. If they want me, they can come and get me.’ Sanchez and his wife, who had been . living in Farnham, Surrey, had run into debt and he allegedly persuaded . his wife to tell his employers at HMV that he had died while abroad. Jailed: Sophie Sanchez is currently serving two years for her role in fraud. She was caught after flying home for her sister's wedding last year . She told the authorities that he had been cremated. The couple are thought to have moved . to Australia with their children soon after receiving a life insurance . lump sum payout in 2005. But when someone continued to use the ‘dead . man’s’ HMV staff discount card, authorities became suspicious. Evidence built up against Sanchez in the UK when detectives found his fingerprints on his death certificate. Mrs Sanchez was arrested in September last year when she flew to the UK from Australia for her sister’s wedding. She told police that her husband was indeed alive. Prosecutors said the fraud was ‘not very professional’ but had been ‘planned and carried out over a period of time’. A court heard that Mrs Sanchez was . ‘genuinely very remorseful’ for what had happened and that she had not . tried to sidestep responsibility for her actions which had been . motivated by the amount of debt her husband had accrued. Mrs Sanchez admitted six offences of fraud but denied seven others which will lie on file. Until several weeks ago her husband . owned a tattoo parlour in Sydney, but he had to shut for good after the . business was firebombed for a second time. | Alfredo Sanchez, 47, found living under alias of Hugo .
Persuaded wife to tell bosses he'd died while abroad .
Detectives found his fingerprints on death certificate .
Wife Sophie jailed for 'her part in fraud'
Couple had lived in Farnham, Surrey . |
218,837 | a743be9a604bfb742baf54da627dfa7f9d10e2d7 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:48 EST, 8 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 22 July 2013 . A four-year-old boy who died after being deprived of food and locked in a homemade prison was abused for putting his shoes on the wrong feet, his stepfather told a court today. Daniel Pelka, of Coventry, West Midlands, died of a suspected head injury in March 2012 after being beaten and forced to sleep on a stained mattress in an act of 'incomprehensible cruelty'. Magdalena Luczak, 27, and her partner Mariusz Krezolek, 34, who are being tried at Birmingham Crown Court, both admit child cruelty but deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. On trial: Magdalena Luczak, 27, and her partner Mariusz Krezolek (both left), 34, of Coventry, West Midlands, are being tried at Birmingham Crown Court following the death of Daniel Pelka (right) in March 2012 . Today Daniel's stepfather gave evidence for the first time in the trial, saying how his partner would often shout at Daniel just for putting his clothes on inside out or his shoes on the wrong feet. He also claimed Luczak had an alcohol problem and often smoked marijuana, which led to her losing her tempter. Speaking through a Polish interpreter he said: ‘She shouted and sometimes would shake him. For example, when Daniel put his clothes on he would put them on inside out and confused his shoes. ‘Sometimes she wouldn't say anything and put them on for him herself - sometimes there was some shoving or shouting.’ Krezolek said of Daniel: ‘You know, normally like every child, he was a cheeky boy - but he was completely normal.’ He then spoke of how little Daniel, - who spoke no English and only a few words of Polish - preferred to play on his own when they would go to the park. He added: ‘Daniel usually would stay on the side, he enjoyed playing on his own. He didn't contact other kids, he didn't talk to them. ‘Often, in the park a child approached him and showed willingness to play with him, but Daniel showed no such interest.’ Hearing: Mariusz Krezolek (centre) gives evidence at Birmingham Crown Court today through a Polish interpreter (far left). Magdelena Luczak, 27 is also drawn (bottom right) Defence barrister Nigel Lambert QC went on to question Krezolek about his relationship with Daniel's mother. Krezolek told the court Luczak was a 'wonderful woman' at first. He said: ‘We started to see each other on a daily basis. It was very good, every day I came back from work, home to her, and on New Year's Day she told me she was pregnant.’ 'She (Magdalena Luczak) shouted and sometimes would shake him. For example, when Daniel put his clothes on he would put them on inside out and confused his shoes' Mariusz Krezolek . However within a few months he found out his new partner had been lying about the pregnancy to trick him to move in, jurors were told. He added: ‘Most of the time she was a wonderful woman but sometimes out of the blue she would explode and cause arguments. ‘At the very beginning it started with the computer, I couldn't stay in touch - or maybe she didn't wish I did - with a female friend in Poland. ‘She would not wish me to speak to anyone, then the phone number erasing started. ‘I used to have many number of friends in . the UK and after three months they'd gone. Later she admitted she . deleted them when I was asleep so I wouldn't get a temptation to call . anyone. Daniel Pelka's teachers said the schoolboy looked emaciated in the weeks leading up to his death . ‘There was a sick jealousy that came - it is hard to explain.’ The jury also heard how the couple regularly argued. He claimed Luczak would 'smash computers' and that 'four or five' computers were broken in total. 'Most of the time she was a wonderful woman but sometimes out of the blue she would explode and cause arguments' Mariusz Krezolek . He also claimed how the couple were forced to move from a property after her cannabis habit became more frequent and she made friends with a neighbour, who was also a drug dealer. Luczak called police on numerous occasions claiming she had been assaulted by her partner, which he denied. The court heard how Krezolek left Poland in 2005 to come to the UK and was employed at a bricklayer and plasterer within three days. After arriving, he met a woman whom he married, although later found out she was having an affair. He said: ‘I focused on work, I took an extra job and this is how I pushed her into another man's arms. I came back earlier one day from work and I saw them together in bed.’ The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Daniel Pelka of Coventry died of suspected head injury in March 2012 .
Magdalena Luczak, 27, and partner Mariusz Krezolek, 34, are on trial .
Luczak would 'shout at Daniel for putting his clothes on inside out'
She 'had alcohol problem and often smoked marijuana', Krezolek says . |
217,500 | a5958b38c3453edf312e12d2b5de84fb2658428a | An enraged mob of anti-American protesters shouting 'Yankee, go home!' and 'Damn America' were caught on video roughing up three unarmed US Navy sailors Wednesday in Istanbul. The tense confrontation took place near where the sailors' warship, the USS Ross, was docked on an inlet of the Bosphorus Strait in the Black Sea. A dozen or more members of the nationalist group Youth Association of Turkey (TGB) hurled insults at the American servicemen, calling them killers and saying they should get out of Turkey. Scroll down for video . Under attack: Three unarmed US Navy sailors were attacked by a group of anti-American protesters in Istanbul Wednesday . Violent protest: Youth Association of Turkey (TGB) members shouted at the American servicemen, calling them killers and said they should get out of Turkey. At one point, the verbal abuse turned physical . Rage: One of the activists hurled a rock at a bespectacled sailor carrying a backpack . The protesters, who at one point unfurled a TGB banner emblazoned with Turkish founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's image, threw red paint at the sailors, pelted them with rocks, shoved them around and briefly succeeded in putting white sacks over their heads. AFP reported that the use of white bags was a reference to an incident from 2003 when US forces in northern Iraq arrested a group of Turkish soldiers, placed hoods over their heads and detained them for three days. The incident stirred strong nationalist sentiment in Turkey and was dramatized in the 2006 Turkish blockbuster Valley of the Wolves: Iraq. 'Soldiers from the occupying country think they can walk around freely in Eminonu,' association spokesman Melik Dibek said, referring to the neighborhood where the incident occurred. 'It's obvious why they've anchored here —because of their ambitions in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. American imperialism is the reason why the Middle East has turned into a chamber of fire.' Capt. Greg Hicks, a spokesman for the US European Command, said the Navy men, who were in plainclothes, were not hurt and were safely back aboard the guide-missile destroyer docked nearby, but that shore leave for its sailors was canceled for the remainder of the day. The US Embassy in Ankara condemned the attack on Twitter and said it had no doubt that most Turks would reject such an action. 'The video showing an assault on three visiting American sailors is appalling,' the multi-part statement read. 'While we respect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression, we condemn today’s attack in Istanbul, and have no doubt the vast majority of Turks would join us in rejecting an action that so disrespects Turkey’s reputation for hospitality.' TGB members accused the sailors of being agents of American imperialism and meddling in regional affairs . A video of the tense confrontation was recorded by the protesters and shared online . Hooded: The nationalists briefly succeeded in putting white sacks over their heads . Payback: The use of white bags was a reference to an incident from 2003 when US forces in northern Iraq arrested a group of Turkish soldiers and placed hoods over their heads . Dogan news agency said Turkish police have detained 12 people, including one woman, in connection with the incident . The US Navy also addressed the incident in a statement posted online Wednesday saying that US Embassy staff are investigating the attack on the sailors. 'We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Turkey for many years,' read the statement from US 6th Fleet. 'As NATO allies, we share common interests, and this incident will not diminish that strong relationship. 'Turkish ports have long been very popular destinations for U.S. Navy ships, and our Sailors have enjoyed the warm hospitality that has traditionally been extended.' Anti-American sentiment in Turkey is not widespread, but some Turks accuse the United States of meddling in regional affairs. Escaped unharmed: US Navy officials said the three sailors were not hurt in the scuffle . US Navy and US Embassy staff in Turkey have condemned the violent attack on American sailors . In hot pursuit: The angry mob chased the outnumbered sailors down the street, shouting 'Yankee, go home!' In Washington, Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, called the attack 'ugly and disturbing.' He said the attackers, whom he called street thugs, 'bring great discredit upon the Turks and the Turkish reputation for hospitality.' He said the assault 'appears to be a one-off incident' and that he doesn't believe it will disrupt US-Turkish relations. The Navy said it would continue to coordinate with Turkish authorities to review security procedures for future ship visits. Shore leave: The sailors were from the USS Ross, which was docked on an inlet of the Bosphorus Strait in the Black Sea . Dogan news agency said Turkish police have detained 12 people, including one woman, in connection with the incident. One sailor, a bespectacled young man in a brown jacket,tried to ignore the protesters to no avail. Another worked unsuccessfully to push off the protesters. When the sailors couldn't get away, they began to walk and then run away down a sidewalk. A video of the incident shot by the association and posted online showed the protesters chasing them down the street, shouting 'Yankee, go home!' Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Istanbul November 21 for talks with Turkish leaders. | More than a dozen nationalists threw red paint and rocks at three sailors from USS Ross, called them killers and put sacks on their heads .
Incident took place in Eminonu section of Istanbul Wednesday .
USS Ross was docked on an inlet of the Bosphorus Strait in the Black Sea .
The sailors were forced the flee on foot from the angry mob chasing after them .
US Navy and US Embassy in Ankara have condemned the attack . |
273,675 | ee8166a7ccca5eb8d7ee949ca97e7396c5a8d60a | On a road jammed with traffic in Kabul is a hospital behind very high walls. There's a security checkpoint at the gate and once inside, the guards search all belongings -- checking every bag, opening every zipper and looking through the lens of our TV camera to make sure it's not a bomb. Inside the compound are single storey buildings clad in white paint. Cement pathways connect the low-rise structures that pave their way through a mini oasis. Trees and garden beds surround the complex. Brightly colored flowers sprout from the earth -- a stark contrast from the dry, dusty, arid landscape outside these four high walls. Vines grow up a patio awning where patients sit taking respite -- recovering from their injuries, all sustained through war. This is the Emergency Hospital -- an Italian-run facility funded by private donors. It treats only victims of the war in Afghanistan -- civilians and the Taliban alike. The hospital had its busiest month in August 2012 with casualties reaching the highest levels since this war began almost 12 years ago. Read more: NATO releases details of brazen attack on base . Recovering in one of the wards is 17-year-old Naweed Tanha. He was badly injured on September 8 when a teenage suicide bomber blew himself up outside ISAF Headquarters in Kabul. It was the 55th suicide bombing in Afghanistan this year. "We were all selling bracelets in that place," explains Naweed, quietly sitting on a bench outside, happy to get out of the crammed hospital ward. His right hand is thickly bandaged after the explosion tore a chunk off his palm. His legs and back were also badly injured after being flung ten meters by the force of the blast. "I was with my friends -- we're all poor, innocent people. I was a few meters away getting some water from the nearby water hand pump and as I was returning the bang happened," Naweed says. "By the time I opened my eyes I saw myself injured and saw bodies of my other friends laying on the ground. I started crying and running towards them when police stopped me. They put me in a car and brought me here to the hospital. " Four were killed in the blast, including 14-year-old Khorshid Hawa and her 10-year-old sister Parwana. "I am so upset for losing my friends," says Naweed, his eyes dark, his pupils bloodshot from crying. But he has no more tears to shed -- just hurt and anger oozes from his body. "What kind of people would do this? Why are they continuing to do this? It is ruining our country and our future." Most of the kids were members of Skateistan -- a charity that teaches street kids how to skateboard while providing them with an education. They'd sell their wares in the morning, hustling bracelets, chewing gum and water to foreigners entering the heavily fortified ISAF compound. They'd then go off to school in the afternoon in an attempt to break this cycle of poverty. Read more: Karzai's choice for Afghan intelligence chief suspected of torture, trafficking . James Herzog, an American music teacher at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, used to hang out with Khorshid and her gang of skateboarding friends on the weekend. "She was strong and witty and full of edgy comebacks," he says with a sad smile on his face. "She could stand up to any of the other street kid bullies and was always protecting the younger girls on the street. I loved spending my weekend afternoons with her and despite seeing her position in this life, I always left feeling extremely positive about this world." James lived just around the corner from the blast -- he arrived on the scene shortly after witnessing the carnage. The bodies of his young friends had been taken away but pools of blood covered the footpath next to one of Khorshid's chalk drawings on the pavement. "She never ever asked me for money and rarely tried to sell me any trinkets. She usually wanted to practice English, and I often quizzed her little sister with multiplication questions. I loved the moments when I could convince Khorshid to sing a folk song for me as an unofficial audition for the music school. At the end of every 'hang,' we would share an apple or Pepsi while she would draw little designs on the street or walls." Paying tribute to his young Afghani friend, Herzog says she's left a huge imprint on his life. "Khorshid was one of those kids who sent life lessons back to the rest of the world through the foreigners who were lucky enough to know her. Her setting may have been a dusty street corner with occasional packs of aggressive dogs, nervous foreign soldiers, unforgiving barbed wire and concrete walls, but her beauty and positivity transcended all of it." Back at the hospital, 15-year-old Mohammad Ilyas sits in a wheel chair -- both of legs are bandaged up. His mother has tied a piece of brightly colored material around his wrist as a good luck charm. "We were close to the blast. I was very close to it -- almost two meters away. I didn't see the suicide bomber myself, but other people were saying that he was around 13 years old and he had a school bag too. After the explosion took place, I thought somebody had shot me in the leg but after I opened my eyes and saw my friends on the ground, I realized that it was an explosion. "I saw their bodies. I saw the body flesh of the suicide bomber, which was spread every where -- only his legs were left lying on the ground." Mohammad is about to undergo surgery on his legs. Doctors are telling him that he may never get full movement back, but the news doesn't seem to register. "I am very upset about losing my friends. I only remember them and I only think about them -- I don't care about my wounds." "I was going to school for half a day and was spending half a day with them everyday. Whoever carried out the attack was a stupid person. They killed five of my friends who were the future of Afghanistan." Skateboard school ramps up Afghan dreams . | Four children were killed in a teen suicide bombing on September 8 .
They included Khorshid Hawa, 14 and her sister Parwana who was just ten .
Naweed Tanha, 17, tells of the moment the bomber attacked .
Most of the children were members of Skateistan, a charity for street kids . |
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