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101,987 | 0f6f102c23945fcef8bc5cb298309bc226e2b20a | Michael Dunn killed Jordan Davis. That's not in dispute, but according to attorneys' opening statements Thursday in Dunn's murder trial, almost everything else is. Assistant State Attorney John Guy, speaking for the prosecution, painted a picture of four innocent teens who stopped at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station for gum and cigarettes amid a day of "mall hopping and girl shopping" over Thanksgiving break in 2012. Dunn asked the teens to turn down their music, and Jordan disrespected him, saying "F*** that n****r" -- nothing more -- and for that, Dunn opened fire, hitting Jordan three times. It was a markedly different account from that of defense attorney Cory Strolla, who told jurors that the music was so loud, it was rattling the windows of the teens' SUV, and when Dunn politely asked one of them to turn it down, Jordan uttered the three-word explicit phrase, demanded his pal turn the music back up and began jawing with Dunn. Jordan then produced a weapon -- either a gun or a lead pipe, Strolla alleged -- and told Dunn, "I'm going to f***ing kill you," the attorney said. He added, "You're dead, bitch. This is going down now," the attorney alleged. While Guy said Jordan and Dunn "exchanged f-bombs back and forth," Strolla said his client never uttered a curse word. And while Guy cited witnesses who said an incensed Dunn began shooting after telling Jordan, "You're not going to talk to me like that," Strolla insisted that Jordan was getting out of the car, armed, with the intention of hurting or killing Dunn. "The first person to get upset, and the only person to curse was Jordan Davis," Strolla said, adding that one of the teens with Jordan, Leland Brunson, initially told police Jordan was getting out of the car when the shots rang out. Four days later, Strolla said, the teens claimed driver Tommie Stornes had the child locks activated, preventing Jordan from getting out. "You know why he didn't duck? He was getting out of the car with a weapon," Strolla said. The shooting . Dunn initially fired three times into Jordan's door, which Guy said was closed, a bullet landing in each of Jordan's legs while a third bullet traveled through his liver, lungs and aorta. A "terrified" Stornes backed up, "but the defendant didn't stop. He kept focus and aimed at the car," firing four more times, Guy said. Dunn then opened the door of his Volkswagen, swung his legs out of the car and fired three more times, the prosecutor said. One bullet went through the back window of Stornes' Dodge Durango and landed in the visor just above his head, Guy said. Police reports have indicated that the teens were unarmed, and a police interrogator told Dunn the day after the November 2012 shooting that the teens didn't have a chance to ditch any weapon because they never left the gas station parking lot. Dunn repeatedly said he feared for his life and saw either a shotgun barrel or a stick in the teens' SUV before he began shooting. When police searched the car, Guy said, they found a basketball, basketball shoes, some clothing, a camera tripod and cups on the floor but "no weapons." This promises to be a bone of contention in the case, as Strolla told jurors that not only did the teens leave the gas station parking lot, they stopped in an adjacent lot about 100 yards away before returning and asking someone to call 911. They had "ample time to get rid of a firearm or pipe," Strolla said. Also, Strolla said, the witnesses cannot account for two of the teens' whereabouts immediately after the shooting, and two witnesses initially told police the teens appeared to be "stashing" something. No weapon was found because the police did not secure the parking lot to conduct a proper search, Strolla said, and it was days before authorities looked in the nearby bushes and Dumpsters. Though it doesn't appear to be a factor in the case, Jordan did have a knife in his pocket. Guy classified it as a "pocket knife," a description with which Strolla took issue, saying it was a tactical knife with a 4-inch blade. "It's not a Swiss Army knife with a toothpick and scissors," he said. The aftermath . What happened immediately after the shooting is also arguable, to hear the attorneys tell it. Dunn and his girlfriend, Rhonda Rouer, drove 40 miles south to St. Augustine, where they had reservations at a bed and breakfast. Once there, Guy said, Dunn ordered pizza, "took his little dog for a walk," ordered a movie and "poured a big, tall drink -- rum and Coke." "They had cell phones, but they didn't call 911. He didn't drive to a police substation," Guy said. "That defendant put his head on his hotel pillow and went to sleep." In the morning, Rouer saw a news report about a shooting at a Jacksonville gas station, in which a 17-year-old had been killed, and rather than call police, the couple packed their bags and drove 130 miles home to Satellite Beach, where Dunn was finally apprehended. Dunn "was waiting till we get around people we know" to call authorities, and he wanted to ensure "our dog and everybody were where they needed to be. I did not want to bring a s**tstorm down on them in Jacksonville," he told interrogators the day after the shooting. Strolla added that it wasn't Dunn who ordered pizza, but Rouer, who was nervous meeting Dunn's family for the first time that day. She hadn't eaten much at Dunn's son's wedding and ordered the pizza because she was hungry, Strolla said. "She's the one who watched the movie to put herself to sleep," the defense attorney said. Rouer is also to blame for the couple traveling home the next morning, he said. She was "petrified" and "didn't know the law of self-defense" and begged Dunn to take her back to Satellite Beach, Strolla said. He said, she said . Witness credibility promises to be an issue as well, as the driver of teens' car, Stornes, was on probation and violating curfew at the time of the shooting. Also, Strolla said, the witness who reported Dunn's license plate to police is in prison and tried to leverage his testimony in Dunn's trial for a lighter sentence. Dunn has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Between iffy witnesses and what Strolla called a shoddy investigation, the evidence will show that Dunn's actions were lawful and justified, the defense attorney said. Had Dunn not been armed, he might have been the victim that evening, Strolla said. "God didn't make all men equal. Colt did. Colt is a firearm," Strolla said. "(Dunn) had every right under the law to not be a victim, to be judged by 12 rather than carried by six." The prosecution unsurprisingly has a different take. Guy said Dunn was simply incensed by the heavy bass coming from a nearby car -- even telling Rouer before she went to buy wine and chips, "I hate this music" -- and he began shooting when a teen defiantly took issue with being told what to do. "Jordan Davis was sitting in his car seat with the door closed with nothing in his hands," Guy told the jury. "Michael David Dunn pointed a semiautomatic pistol at four unarmed kids at a distance much closer than you and I." John Phillips, an attorney for the Davis family, told CNN he expects a quick trial, over before February 14, two days before what would have been Davis' 19th birthday. | Opening statements paint starkly different pictures of what led to Jordan Davis' killing .
Michael Dunn has pleaded not guilty to murder, three counts of attempted murder .
The confrontation started when Dunn asked a group of teens to turn down their music .
Defense insists Davis brandished weapon; police, prosecutors say he wasn't armed . |
97,163 | 090acaf1293f17a334209cbe40b4f6de1fb9a72d | Bath time is a thorny subject in many households but when it is a hedgehog that needs a wash it can be even more difficult. This prickly customer is fast becoming an internet sensation after a video appeared online of him taking a bath. At first the little hedgehog - named Ragweed - does not appear too keen on having a wash but once in the sink he proves amazingly buoyant. Scroll down for video . Hedgehog boat: The little beast floats in the sink water after he curls into a prickly ball . Chillin' out: At first the hedgehog seems relaxed as he is held over the water . So far the adorable video of Ragweed has been watched more than 120,000 times on Youtube. Initially the hedgehog stays fairly calm as he rests in his owner's hands above the sink. But as he starts to be lowered in Ragweed begins to panic and attempts to wriggle free. He only relaxes again when he curls himself into a protective ball. However, once he is placed in the water Ragweed happily floats in the sink and does not appear concerned at being spun around. His owner, who goes by the name Evan . Countryman online, said it was the first time he had managed to get his . pet to float on his back. Prickly customer: However he starts to try and wriggle free as bath time gets closer . Thorny subject: The hedgehog tries to clamber free from the clutches of its owner . Bath time: The spiky pet cannot right himself and is lowered into the water . He wrote: 'We figured that once he curls . into his ball form he usually stays like that until we put him down so . we thought, "Lets submerge him slowly into the sink".' Hedgehogs, particularly the African pygmy variety have been popular pets in the United States for a number of years. In 2008, the craze hit the UK where animals were being sold for up to £190 each. Hedgehog pet guides say the animals should be bathed once every one to two weeks in shallow tepid water. They can swim for short periods of times but wild hedgehogs often drown in garden ponds if they drop in and are unable to climb out. Plain sailing: But when he is in the water, the hedgehog happily floats around the sink . Buoyant: His owner said it was the first time the hedgehog had floated on his back during bath time . | Video of Ragweed taking a bath has been watched more than 120,000 times . |
14,634 | 29841b673bffa7f7cde894c60a0fa66580f4357d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:10 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:49 EST, 3 January 2014 . She has been home-schooled for almost three years - too scared to return to the place that made her life insufferable. So deep were the wounds of her bullying, Renata was became afraid to go out in public, scared of being called 'that girl with the big nose' one more time. 'Im just afraid I'll never have any friends or anyone to be there for me,' she said through tears during an interview with TODAY. But the 15-year-old, who did not share her last name or hometown publicly, took her first steps of confidence in a long time when she set out to get plastic surgery to regain some of her self-esteem. Scroll down for video . Fifteen-year-old Renata wanted to get plastic surgery so she can stop being teased about her nose, saying through tears she was worried she'd never have any friends. Renata, who has been home-schooled for years because of bullies, said she was constantly referred to as 'that girl with the big nose' She then made a decision to change her physical appearance in order to help her emotional state . Renata sent a letter to Dr Thomas Romo at the Little Baby Face Foundation in New York, a non-profit organization that help children with birth defects who can't afford corrective surgery . The teen was convinced that changing her physical appearance would help change her emotional outcome. However there was a problem - Renata's mother could not afford a cosmetic operation. A nose job from a well-regarded surgeon in Manhattan, for example, costs around $7000. But after some research, Renata discovered the Little Baby Face Foundation, a plastic surgery group that treat children with birth defects for free. The leader of the foundation, Dr. Thomas Romo - the director of facial, plastic and reconstructive surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital - said the group received hundreds of letters from children every year requesting surgery after being bullied. Dr Romo defends such practices, comparing the results to the gratefulness of a heart surgery patient that is able to go jogging again. Renata's mother agreed with her daughter's choice of surgery, saying that 'unfortunately people are judged on how they look' Renata was granted the surgery by the Little Baby Face Foundation after Dr Romo determined she had a deviated septum and lopsided face . Renata is prepped for a corrective rhinoplasty procedure and chin implant . 'We can't go after the bully - but we can try and empower the children,' he said. Renata's mother agree, maintaining elective surgery did not mean the bullies had won. 'I dont think it's sending the wrong message - (Renata) still sees what she sees in the mirror and it has an affect on her self esteem and confidence regardless of what anyone says,' the mom said. 'Parents crack children's teeth with braces to make their teeth straighter - they're still the same kid on the inside. 'Unfortunately people are judged on how they look.' Dr Romo agreed to take on Renata's case after meeting with her. He determined she had a deviated septum and a lopsided face and agreed to do the surgery. Dr Romo removed the bandages from Renata's face following her surgery and recovery . Big reveal: Renata sees her new face for the first time after a few weeks of being bandaged up following surgery . What a difference: Renata's appearance is noticeably different following her surgery, in which she had a nose job and a chin implant . Happy: Renata says she is pleased with the result and is now ready to return to school, having spent the past few years being home-schooled . Renata then underwent a rhinoplasty procedure. Dr Romo also put in a cheek implant to balance out her face. The teen said she is happy and thankful for the results. 'I think if (the bullies) see you getting the surgery to fix something that they teased you about it would make them feel bad and maybe it would change their mind about doing it,' she said. Renata will this year start at a new school. The full report will appear on Dateline NBC on Sunday. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Renata, 15, made controversial decision to undergo plastic surgery as an attempt to end years of bullying .
Raising concerns about beauty and giving into attackers .
The procedure was granted by the Little Baby Face Foundation, a New York non-profit that gives free corrective surgeries to children born with physical defects .
Hundreds of children write the foundation each year hoping for surgery . |
42,179 | 770c5fed03cd9d88bc32b2aba40b8a1d162fba58 | Real Madrid have offered Marco Reus a five-year contract worth 7million euros (£5.4m) a year net which they believe he will accept. The 25-year-old has a 25m euros (£19.2m) get-out clause in his contract if he leaves at the end of this season and despite Real’s wealth of attacking talent they are confident that the Dortmund attacker will sign in July. Madrid will lose Sami Khedira on a free transfer at the end of the season so it’s one German international out and one in. Reus will line-up alongside Toni Kroos for his new team but it is difficult to see who Madrid leave out. VIDEO Scroll down for Marco Reus' Top 3 Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund . Real Madrid are prepared to offer Dortmund star a contract worth a mouth-watering £5.4million a year . Real are confident that Reus will accept the offer that is considerably more than his current deal at Dortmund . It is tricky to see where the Germany international will fit in if he chooses to swap the Bundesliga for La Liga . With Kroos partnering Luka Modric in midfield and Cristiano Ronaldo one of four attackers ahead of them, the new man would be left to fight with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Isco and Jese for the remaining three places. If confirmed the signing will only serve to encourage Manchester United in their pursuit of Bale who Madrid supporters have already suggested they would be behind selling for 150m euros (£115m) this summer. Reus will almost double his money by moving to Spain. He was earning closer to 4m euros (£3.8m) net a season at Dortmund. Reus looks as though he will be replacing Germany team-mate Sami Khedira (centre) at the Bernabeu . Madrid fans have said they would back the sale of Gareth Bale to Manchester United for £115m this summer . | La Liga giants look set to confirm the signing of Dortmund's Marco Reus .
Germany international has been offered a deal worth 7million euros a year .
Real Madrid are prepared to improve Reus' current wages by £1.6million . |
201,410 | 90c85238be84af4f479c6db3405e2a5e7dd4824d | A Black Hawk helicopter crash that killed four U.S. servicemen on a British nature reserve occurred after a bird-strike knocked the pilots unconscious. Christopher S Stover, Sean M Ruane, Dale E Mathews and Afton M Ponce all died when a US Air Force helicopter came down in Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk during a training exercise on January 7. An Accident Investigation Board report into the accident today found that a flock of geese, startled by the noise, had struck the helicopter, breaking through its windscreen and colliding with the pilots. Crash: An a report into the Black Hawk found that a flock of geese, startled by the noise, struck the helicopter, breaking through its windscreen and colliding with the pilots . Technician Sgt Dale Mathews (pictured left and right) was named as one of the victims by RAF Lakenheath. He died alongside Captain Christopher S. Stover, Captain Sean M. Ruane and Staff Sergeant Afton M. Ponce . Tragic: Captain Sean Ruane, pictured with his wife Rachel and son Liam. The family is understood to have fallen in love with life in Britain before Mr Ruane's death . The helicopter's stabilisation systems were disabled by the bird strike, leaving the aircraft moving randomly through the air and causing it to crash three seconds later. The crew were serving with 56th Rescue Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing, based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, which carries out search and rescue operations. At the time they were on a training mission to recreate a night-time rescue scenario involving a downed F-16 pilot. As they flew over Cley Marshes the helicopter was engulfed by a flock of geese, which weighed up to 12lbs each, after the birds were 'likely startled by the noise of the approaching helicopters'. Brigadier . General Jon Norman, president of the inquiry’s board, said his . investigation had 'found clear and convincing evidence' that 'multiple . bird strikes caused the mishap'. Nature reserve: The helicopter came down in one of Britain's finest areas for bird watching. Today's report concluded that the aircraft crashed due to a bird strike . Standing guard: British police officers were seen standing by a second helicopter which landed just yards from the downed aircraft, seen in the foreground . Hovering above: A police helicopter was seen surveying the crash scene as military personnel and emergency services combed the area for clues . As well as the tragic loss of life, the crash cost the US government an estimated £23.5 million, the report said. 'At least three geese penetrated the windscreen, rendering the mishap pilot and mishap co-pilot unconscious, and at least one goose struck the mishap aerial gunner in the performance of special mission aviator duties, rendering the mishap aerial gunner unconscious,' it adds. With the pilot and co-pilot unconscious and stabilisation systems disabled, the helicopter’s control stick would have moved randomly, the report adds. The helicopter banked to the left and, unable to lift vertically, hit the ground within seconds. The report states that the crew 'followed the available guidance on bird hazards in the UK' and complied with the UK Military Low Flying Handbook to the 'maximum extent'. First light: Police guard the north Norfolk coast where the U.S. helicopter came down on the marshes in the background, close to the village of Salthouse . Ring of steel: Police shut off an area around the crash zone over fears the public could be injured because of ammunition scattered around the marsh . Picturesque: A view of the salt marshes from the coastal footpath near Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk . Recent bird activity maps had suggested low activity in the area but a storm surge the previous month had forced several flocks of birds to relocate from the nearby Blakeney Nature Reserve. This relocation is likely to have resulted in a larger-than-normal presence of geese. The MoD said it had received 11 complaints about low flying in 2013, none of which were made by people living in the Cley area. These related to the noise created by aircraft and not safety risks. A 'seasonal avoidance' had been in place between April and September each year since 2012 following an application from the wildlife trust but this accident happened outside that period. Specialists: A lorry carrying a digger sweeps along the Norfolk coastline as the armed forces prepared to remove wreckage from the crash zone . Shut off: A cordon was set up around the Norfolk crash site because the helicopter contained live ammunition . Air accident: The armed aircraft, a Pave Hawk from the American airforce base at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, was out on a routine low-level flying exercise (file picture) An MoD spokesman said it had no new comment in light of the report, but previously said: 'We understand that military low flying can be noisy and unpopular but it is an essential part of operational training.' 'The 20th century legacy of military airfields close to this location does make this a particularly busy area for aircraft and the MoD is constantly striving to ensure that such disturbance is kept to an absolute minimum and that the burden of noise pollution is as evenly distributed as possible throughout the UK Low Flying System as a whole.' 'In addition the MoD takes the protection of wildlife and habitats very seriously and liaises constantly with the joint nature conservation committee.' | Flock of geese startled by noise of U.S. air force helicopter struck aircraft .
They broke through windscreen, knocking out both the pilot and co-pilot .
As well as tragic loss of four servicemen, crash cost the U.S. £23.5million .
Accident report said the geese were flying low due to an earlier storm . |
184,357 | 7acbff0160ff3d559c335794dadeb632022ba3fd | British academics have helped develop a robot, which is both a home help and a friend to older people who may be ill, trapped and alone. The Care-O-bot 3 is much more like a utilitarian household appliance than the action figures that featured in the futuristic film iRobot, starring Will Smith. And she - or he - is more likely to offer a Karaoke sing along and make a cup of coffee than go on a murderous rampage - or at least that is the idea. Scroll down for video . A UK team has designed a robot butler called Care-O-Bot 3 (shown). The machine has a flexible arm that can pick up drinks. It also has a tray - which doubles as a face - to rest objects on . The robot is the result of a collaboration between British and European academics under the umbrella of Accompany - Acceptable Robotics Companions for Ageing Years. The hope is that it will help older people to stay in their homes and live an independent life, rather than being moved miles away from friends and family into an expensive care home. The team, which is co-ordinated by Dr Farshid Amirabdollahian of the University of Hertfordshire, have combined a robot 'butler' and software from a range of experts to deliver Care-O-bot 3. Importantly, the machine does far more than fetching and carrying, for it has been programmed to be a friend, providing emotional support to someone living alone. It will suggest activities to motivate people who otherwise might spend their day, parked in a chair in front of a TV, never speaking to anyone - and it will call for help if they are in trouble. The LCD screen offers images of a face that is smiling and happy when a task has been successful and will look downcast or sad when there is a problem, such as the user forgetting to take their medication. It will also provide the social interaction, someone to talk to, that will help people stave off loneliness and depression. The robot is the result of a collaboration between British and European academics under the umbrella of Accompany - Acceptable Robotics Companions for Ageing Years . The arm can be folded behind its back like a butler (left), or extended to pick up objects (right) The machine will suggest activities to motivate people who otherwise might spend their day, parked in a chair in front of a TV - and it can even take out the rubbish . Dr Amirabdollahian, a senior lecturer in Adaptive Systems, led a three year study at the university's robot house, which involved acting out scenarios with human guinea pigs. The robots, which are made by a German company, are already available to buy as household butlers, however he believes they can be adapted to become carers to the elderly and disabled. They have a single arm that can lift and carry items, together with cameras and sensors as well as an LCD screen, which flips over to become a tray. He said: 'It can act as a fetch and carry device and part of an observing system. It will work as part of a smart environment in the home, which includes cameras on the ceiling and sensors. 'These will know when the fridge door is open or the coffee machine is on. There are also motion detectors which will identify where the person is in the house. 'The robot processes this information, so the idea is that it can be directed by the person to perform various tasks, such as fetching a book or reach a high shelf.' The LCD screen is detachable and can be used like a tablet to issue commands. It also allows the used to 'look through the eyes of the robot' via its cameras if it is sent to another room or to answer the door. The research in Hertfordshire has been specifically looking at the interaction between robots and humans and the associated ethical problems. This element has been led by Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Dr Kerstin Dautenhahn. The robots, which are made by a German company, are already available to buy as household butlers, however he believes they can be adapted to become carers to the elderly and disabled . The hope is that it will help older people to stay in their homes and live an independent life, rather than being moved miles away from friends and family into an expensive care home . Dr Amirabdollahian said: 'Our aim is to use the robot to increase independence and quality of life. 'The envisaged relationship between the user and the robot is that of co-learner, whereby the robot and user provide mutual assistance and so that the user is not dominated by technology, but feels empowered by it. 'We have been looking at whether this sort of technology is acceptable and the ethical tensions that exist.' One issue is how much information collected by the robot should be shared with third parties, perhaps other members of the family who want to ensure their loved one is safe. The team has investigated how the robot can interact with people more naturally and overcome a prejudice that machines are cold, emotionless and even sinister. 'We introduced the notion of empathy to remove the coldness. For that, we created a mask which appears on the LCD screen. Sometimes the mask is happy and sometimes it is sad and it will then explain why, for example, because someone has forgotten to take their medication,' he said. He said the team had also introduced an element of social manners and etiquette by, for example, ensuring the robots do not get too close or invade the user's personal space. Using an app, a person can tell the robot what to do. For example, it can open doors for people, or bring them a bottle. The team said machines like this could be in our homes in 10 years . 'We have looked at the mannerisms that can be taught to machines to make the social interaction more acceptable,' he said. The three year research project was funded by a £3.6 million ($5.5 million) grant from the European Commission. The team are now drawing up a new proposal to take the idea from the drawing board to a product that will be made available to care homes and individuals. 'We have shown that the concept works,' Dr Amirabdollahian added. 'We are now writing another proposal to turn this into a product We need to think about whether it first goes into an individual's home or a care home where one robot is looking after a lot of people. 'I would say that within ten years you will have some of these machines in people's homes.' The Care-o- Bot 3 itself can be bought for £180,000 ($275,000), however this figure is expected to come down sharply. Intriguingly, a Care-O-Bot 4 is now being produced which has two arms, a more human shape with a more recognisable head and face. | A UK team has designed a robot butler called Care-O-Bot 3 .
The machine has a flexible arm that can pick up drinks .
It also has a tray - which doubles as a face - to rest objects on .
Using an app, a person can tell the robot what to do .
For example, it can open doors for people, or bring them a bottle .
The machine is available to buy now for £180,000 ($275,000) |
204,648 | 94f412c204c7ed0cd85021d3ba36701c8cc76e59 | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 06:50 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:15 EST, 30 January 2013 . A five-year-boy must wear sunglasses all the time because daylight robs him of his sight. Leo Lake, from Hove, has a rare condition known as Joubert syndrome, which means bright light irritates his eyes so much that he can't see anything at all. His eyes are so sensitive even the reflective glare of the sun off snow can leave him in agony. Leo Lake, pictured with mother Hannah, wears his prescription sunglasses all day as sunlight irritates his eyes . 'Magic glasses': Leo's mother Hannah said: 'Luckily he thinks his shades are cool' With the sunglasses, he can see a metre in front of him, which his mother Hannah says is more than she could have ever hoped for. The 27-year-old said: 'Without his glasses, he can't see in bright lights and sunlight, it's excruciatingly painful for him, he just screams and cries. 'I hope that within his life time the cure will be made available.' Leo was born in South Africa after his grandmother moved there to fulfil her dream of owning a guest house. Ms Lake said: 'When he was five weeks old, I realised that when I spoke to him he would smile but in the wrong direction. 'I took him to the doctors because I knew something was wrong, but they kept telling me he was fine and they couldn't tell whether he could see or not. It was very frustrating. 'Eventually after numerous tests they told me he could be blind and I was just devastated. 'I'd never had any contact with blind people before and I was worried I wouldn't be able to give him the care he needed. 'But at the same time, a part of me still believed he wasn't blind, I was sure he had vision.' Hannah with Leo as a baby: She said she noticed he smiled in the wrong direction from the age of five weeks . Leo, who is registered blind, loves cars, trucks and trains . Hannah moved back to the UK when Leo was 10 months old because she believed he could receive better healthcare. She said: 'When we first moved back Leo seemed a lot happier, I missed the sunshine, but was much better. So we had numerous tests, but nothing was being diagnosed. 'It was at the age of two when he still wasn't walking that I became really concerned.' When Leo was three years old he was finally diagnosed at Moorfields Eye Hospital with Joubert syndrome. The syndrome is a rare genetic condition with which the cerebellum, part of the brain that controls balance and co-ordination, is underdeveloped. Symptoms include poor sight and problems with movement as well as sensitivity to sunlight and bright lights. Currently there is no cure, but Hannah set up her own foundation, VisKid, last year with the hope of raising enough money to one day cure Leo's curse. Leo with a train set: His mother hopes to raise £250,000 to fund research into his rare condition . So far she has managed to raise £1,500, but £250,000 is needed to fund the three-year research into what is a realistic cure. Ms Lake said: 'Leo knows he's different to other children, but he still doesn't fully understand his condition. 'He's very popular with the other kids, they love him, so luckily his glasses haven't caused too much of a stir at school. 'People ask him why he wears sunglasses all the time, I tell him to say they're his magic glasses to help him see. 'Luckily he thinks his shades are cool.' Leo is registered blind and has ataxia and kidney cysts that will eventually lead to kidney failure. Hannah said: 'Apart from not being able to play sports properly because of his balance, Leo's just a typical boy, he loves cars, trucks and trains. 'I wouldn't be surprised if he became a train-spotter.' For more information: www.viskid.com/ . | Leo Lake has Joubert syndrome, which means bright light irritates his eyes, leaving him unable to see .
He has special sunglasses that allow him to see a metre in front of him .
'Luckily he thinks his shades are cool,' says his mother Hannah . |
215,670 | a32873407683c54af2aafb41a4da3b7a4abc36e5 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 19:07 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:08 EST, 24 November 2013 . The Coalition was split yesterday on David Cameron’s plans to limit access to benefits for EU migrants, with a Lib Dem minister saying it could ‘put us on the wrong side’ of Europe. Alistair Carmichael, the Scottish Secretary, said he would ‘need to be persuaded’ on proposals to impose a minimum period before newly-arrived migrants could claim handouts. However, London Mayor Boris Johnson backed the Prime Minister’s calls for restrictions, saying: ‘It is clearly time for the UK to take back more control of the terms under which EU migrants arrive on our streets. Split: Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael, left, says he would 'need to be persuaded' regarding David Cameron's plans to limit access to benefits for EU migrants, while Boris Johnson, right, has backed the plans . 'We need much more flexibility to set conditions for claiming benefits. ‘I am in favour of immigration by talented and hard-working people, but the present system is mad: cracking down on Australians, New Zealanders and high-spending Chinese students and tourists, but completely incapable of dealing with a sizeable influx from within the EU, some of whom show no sign of wanting to work.’ The reluctance to impose restrictions by the Lib Dems comes despite even Labour accepting there should be controls to ensure immigrants do not come here from Eastern Europe purely to live a life on benefits. Proposals: Mr Cameron plans to impose a minimum period before newly-arrived immigrants can claim benefits . Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, yesterday said her party had suggested nine months ago it was in favour of transitionary limits on benefits for Romanians and Bulgarians moving to Britain after border controls are lifted on January 1. The comments will, however, raise eyebrows, because Labour refused to impose similar controls in 2004 when the borders were flung open to migrants from Poland and elsewhere in the EU. Number 10 has acted after two polls revealed deep public unease about immigration. On Friday, a survey for the Mail showed more than four in five people did not want unrestricted access to the UK for Romanians and Bulgarians, and said they were concerned the NHS and schools would be put under too much pressure. And a poll for The Times a day later showed that, by a huge margin, tightening border controls tops the wishlist for renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the EU before a referendum in 2017. The Mail revealed on Saturday that new limits on EU migrants who claim benefits in Britain are to be a key demand in the Government’s attempt to negotiate a looser relationship with Europe. Cabinet sources say that gaining the right to ‘shut the door’ on benefits for newcomers and existing migrants who have not lived here for a minimum period – possibly around six months – would be top of the list. Details are expected to be announced by the Prime Minister soon, perhaps as early as this week. Number 10’s tough stance on migrants comes days after two polls revealed just how worried Britons are about border controls. On Friday, a survey for the Mail showed 82 per cent would say no to free access to the UK for Romanians and Bulgarians. While on Saturday, a survey for The Times showed that despite voters being happy with David Cameron’s stance on immigration controls, a poll of their priorities before he attempts to claw back powers from Brussels put tightening border controls at the top. It led the next two highest-ranked priorities – human rights reform and expanding non-EU trade – by a margin of 30 per cent. One Tory minister said: ‘Everyone knows we’ve got to do something. And something big.’ But yesterday, Mr Carmichael voiced concerns at imposing tougher conditions on EU migrants amid fears about the number of Bulgarians and Romanians expected to come to the UK from January. David Cameron is hopeful for support from a number of other EU countries for curbs on ‘welfare tourism’. As many as 12 countries, including Spain, Germany and Denmark, are understood to have concerns that large numbers of people are arriving only to claim generous benefits. All are demanding powers to limit the benefits that can be claimed – but so far the European Commission has proved unwilling to change. The Commission has previously threatened Britain over plans to limit benefits handouts, claiming that they ‘infringe the human rights’ of EU citizens. One Cabinet minister said: ‘The writing is on the wall for the way the Commission is behaving. Other countries have also had enough.’ The move could trigger a clash with the European Commission, which prevents member states from discriminating between their own citizens and those from other European Union members. The Lib Dem MP told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics that he could ‘see the need for robust transitional arrangements’ but he added: ‘I would need to be persuaded of that, but I am prepared to look at the whole situation in the round. ‘Potentially it might put us on the wrong side of the rest of the European Union. It’s something that we should be discussing with them, certainly.’ But Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove also backed Mr Cameron’s position yesterday. On the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show he said: ‘The Prime Minister … struck exactly the right note on migration, which is to celebrate the achievements of people who come here. ‘But when it comes to new migrants from accession countries in the EU, we need to look properly at the benefits system to make sure people are coming here to work and contribute, not to take advantage of what is rightly a generous welfare system.’ | Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael is unsure about David Cameron's proposals .
But Boris Johnson said 'it's time for the UK to take back more control . |
96,315 | 07e3e90dad6f7eaa01e1437c2ed1741aa3ed6ff3 | According to a recent book, there are 100 things to do in New York City before you die. We've collected 12 of them here. All are located in Manhattan, unless noted. Sing karaoke at Arlene's Grocery . You can't play a guitar like Jimi, you can't sing like Freddie and yet you dream of being a rock star like Bowie. Especially when you've been drinking. Sound familiar? Since 1996, this former bodega has been one of the primo showcases for local bands in NYC, and on Monday and Friday nights, their famous karaoke band gives accountants, baristas and repressed librarians a taste of the limelight. Even if you don't have it in you to take the stage, the drinks are cheap and the people watching ranges from "wow" to "that's hilarious" to "what a train wreck." But no matter the level of talent, the entertainment factor goes to 11. Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton St.; +1 212 358 1633 . Walk the High Line . Considered this generation's Central Park, the 1.45 miles of reclaimed railroad track is testament to community activism and urban beautification efforts. Initially slated for demolition in 1999 until downtowners Joshua David and Robert Hammond started Friends of the High Line, the park now hosts more than 4.4 million visitors annually, which has actually become a problem. The path is only 30 feet wide in some places, causing a pleasant stroll to sometimes feel like waiting in line. So visit early in the morning or late in the evening, and avoid weekends at all cost. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street to West 30th Street; +1 212 500 6035 . Get a ticket at Katz's Delicatessen . Ever wonder what pastrami is, exactly? It's beef brisket cured in brine and covered with a mix of spices that include garlic, paprika and mustard seed. Then it's steamed until the meat begins to break down. The process was a way of preserving meat before the age of refrigeration. Today, there are only three NYC delis to get a traditional pastrami sandwich: Carnegie Deli, 2nd Avenue Deli and Katz's Delicatessen. Each of these granddaddies have their share of history and old-timey charm, but Katz's undoubtedly delivers the best experience. Upon entering, you're given a ticket (which you better not lose!), and then you proceed to the counter to order (your ticket will get marked depending on what you order). If you're a traditionalist, you'll want pastrami on rye with mustard and a cup of matzo ball soup. A mound of pickles is thrown in for free. After taking that last delicious bite, take a stroll around the place to look at all the photos on the wall, and see if you can find the table where that scene from "When Harry Met Sally" was filmed. P.S. It's open late! Katz's Delicatessen, 205 E. Houston St; +1 212 254 2246 . Watch some noir at Film Forum . There are several good independent movie theaters in New York, but the Forum stands alone as cinema's obsessive historian. The atmosphere of the theater itself somehow matches the mood of the carefully curated celluloid that lights up the big screen nightly. International noir from Jean-Luc Godard and classics by Orson Welles are house specialties, but so are little known gems like "Scarecrow" (starring Gene Hackman) and "Public Enemy" (which made Jimmy Cagney a star). So the next time you're wondering what to do on a Friday night, take a chance and catch a movie you've probably never heard of. Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St.; +1 212 727 8110 . Shop at Bergdorf Goodman . At the corner of 58th Street and Fifth Avenue, where a Vanderbilt mansion once stood, is the city's temple to high fashion and conspicuous consumption. Founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf, the department store carries all the usual -- Prada, Chanel -- but it's also known for identifying and selling the best from upstart designers from around the world. Splurge on something, even if it's only a glass of wine in Goodman's Cafe. Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave.; +1 212 753 7300 . Cruise past the Statue of Liberty . All those poor, tired, huddled masses would have headed straight back to the Old Country if they had to endure the lines that typically greet the patriots and tourists looking to visit Liberty Island. The best way to see America's First Lady is to take the Circle Line Sightseeing cruise, which departs from Pier 83, down the Hudson River. It passes this close by Lady Liberty before heading under the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. (There are lots of Circle Line cruise options, so make sure you choose the right one. And a good alternative is a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which gets pretty close to Lady Liberty, runs regularly and is free.) Circle Line Sightseeing, Pier 83, W. 42nd St.; +1 212 563 3200 . Rock out at the Bowery Ballroom . Ever hear of The Go! Team? How about Joan Baez or Soul Asylum? If not, then chances are you're not cool. Don't worry, though! A quick fix is only a gig away at this tiny concert venue where bands from all over the world come to jam. The bar upstairs is a great place to amp up with friends before heading downstairs to get electrified by music not meant to be consumed by mass-market audiences. Obviously you should do some homework and see a band that interests you, but any night rocking out at the Ballroom will be a night to remember. Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St.+1 212 533 2111 . Explore the northwest area of Central Park . Ask any New Yorker for a short list of must-sees in Central Park and they'll likely rattle off destinations like Strawberry Fields and Bethesda Fountain. But ask Central Park's historian, Sara Cedar Millar, for her favorite spot and she'll send you up north to the now defunct bridle paths. The area has a distinct topography (complete with waterfall), making it a favorite among naturalists and joggers alike. Central Park; +1 212 310 6600 . Visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum . Considering the unspeakable depravity that led to the creation of "ground zero," the feeling of reverence, endurance, perseverance and peace that now greets visitors is truly astounding. More than 11 million people have come here from all over the world since it opened in 2011, and in so doing, paid tribute to the indomitable human spirit. The site is solemn, but it's also a place of wonder and learning, with the considerable effort of those who designed and built the memorial evident at every turn. The two massive reflecting pools that cascade water down into the footprints of the two felled towers are equal parts moving and beautiful. Bronze panels surrounding the pools bear the names of everyone who died in the attacks, and are arranged with delicate significance. The museum, located seven stories underground at the base of the original Twin Towers, curates a powerful and extensive exhibit that includes crushed fire trucks, salvaged steel tridents that once held up the towers, photographs and biographies of all those who perished in the attacks, including those of the terrorists, lest the world forgets who was responsible. National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Liberty Street; +1 212, 312 8800 . Listen to live jazz in Greenwich Village . What, you think John Coltrane is really dead? There are three known cures for jazz know-nothings in NYC: Smalls, the Village Vanguard and the Blue Note. The latter two venues have been around for the better part of a century, but all three attract the very best talent and have atmospheres that make for one of those late nights to remember. Go alone or with a pal, and hear firsthand the city's one true soundtrack. Smalls, 183 W. 10th St.; +1 212 252 5091 . Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave.; +1 212 255 4037 . Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.; +1 212 475 8592 . Disappear inside the Met . New York is lousy with esoteric museums -- what, you've never heard of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World on East 84th Street? -- but it's a different story inside the baroque colossus that occupies the east frontage of Central Park between 82nd and 83rd streets. Its famed treasures are too numerous to list here, but with an operating budget of more than $250 million a year, it's the only museum in the world that rivals Paris' Louvre. Properly exploring the museum in one day is impossible, but arrive early and consider opting for the amazingly insightful audio tour. Don't Miss These Treasures: . • The Musicians by Caravaggio . • Autumn Rhythm by Jackson Pollock . • Marble statue of the emperor Caracalla . • The dining room of Kirtlington Park . • The Egyptian room . The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 1000 Fifth Ave.; +1 212 535 7710 . Catch a Yankees game . If you're not from New York -- and even if you are -- there's a good chance you're not a fan of baseball's greatest-ever team. Nevertheless, a trip to Yankee Stadium should come before a trip to Cooperstown [location of the National Baseball Hall of Fame] for any lover of America's national pastime. Regular stadium seating tickets range from $100 all the way up to a ridiculous $200, though the $78 for the bleacher is a good option if you don't mind being cut off in the 5th inning (concession stands everywhere else serve until the 7th inning) and have a tolerance for vulgar chants. Make sure you stay to the end to hear Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," provided the home team wins! Yankee Stadium, 1 E. 161st St., Bronx; +1 718 293 4300 . | Top New York picks for karaoke, pastrami, movie theaters, long walks and more .
You know Central Park, but probably don't know about its overlooked northwest section .
Want live music? Choices are nearly endless .
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is the city's newest big attraction . |
83,731 | ed8340b11ba3331721b5ce11ca4303966fd6bd66 | Channel 4 News chief correspondent Alex Thomson was barred from hosting the Rory Peck awards over fears he had had contact with Ebola patients . A news correspondent was barred from hosting an awards ceremony for aspiring journalists because of organisers' fears over his contact with Ebola patients while reporting in west Africa. Alex Thomson, chief correspondent for Channel 4 News, has recently returned from reporting in Sierra Leone. The reporter was due to host the Rory Peck awards at the BFI in London last night but was dropped from the role. Ebola has killed around 5,000 people so far, with most of the deaths confined to parts of west Africa. Sierra Leone is one of the worst hit areas for the disease. Thomson was due to present the Rory Peck awards alongside Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford. But there were concerns that because the disease has a 21 day incubation period Thomson could put people at risk because he would be shaking hands. He denied claims that he had stepped down from hosting the awards on Wednesday. He wrote on Twitter: 'I did not pull out of presenting the Rory Peck Awards - they dropped me.' The correspondent was instead replaced by colleague Lindsey Hilsum who has also been out in Sierra Leone previously in 2006. The Rory Peck awards were launched to recognise journalists who take risks to report difficult stories from around the world. They were set up in 1995 in memory of Rory Peck, a freelance cameraman who died in Moscow while working. A spokeswoman for the Rory Peck Trust said: 'The Trust is committed to ensuring that it does not reinforce any confusion over how Ebola is spread - we understand the medical issues and at no stage did we think that there was an infection or safety risk in Alex presenting the awards. However, Alex and Channel 4 News are running a no-touch policy which we respect, but which would have made his job as presenter impractical and, possibly, distracting for the audience. So after discussion with Channel 4 News, we thought it would be easier for Lindsey Hilsum to present instead.' Last night's award for news went to 23-year-old Pacome Pabandji for his reports on the conflict in the Central African Republic. And six North Korean cameramen, who chose to remain anonymous and appeared under the name Team Mindeulle, received the award for features for their work exposing life in Korea. They were praised by judges of the awards for 'risking their lives to tell this story.' Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 News, last night tweeted a picture of Thomson and Alex Crawford at the awards. He wrote: 'Alex's @alextomo& @AlexCrawfordSky both Ebola heroes and TV news stars #rorypeckawards' Ben de Pear tweeted this image of Thomson (left) and Sky News reporter Alex Crawford last night . A spokeswoman for the awards said they were 'happy' to see the presenter at the event. Alex Crawford, who was due to be Thomson's co-host has previously spoken out about the dangers of creating panic in reports of Ebola. In a recent interview with the Guardian she said: 'I think the fear in America, Britain and everywere else is out of proportion because they will get cases of Ebola, absolutely. But will it spread like it has done in Liberia? Really unlikely. You need to be alert, but do you think it’s going to take over and kill half of Reading? No.' Mr Thomson has reported from locations across the world, including appearing here in the Middle East . | Alex Thomson, chief correspondent, was due to present Rory Peck awards .
But the Channel 4 News reporter was told he had to step down because he had been reporting in Sierra Leone .
Disease has 21 day incubation period and Thomson returned at weekend .
Thomson was replaced by colleague at the awards ceremony in London .
Rory Peck Trust said they decided to replace him after respecting a 'no touch policy' which would have made presenting the awards difficult . |
172,721 | 6b8726e4948385fc42a46a936482875bea8ba838 | (CNN) -- Premier League big-spenders Manchester City will renew their search for a new world-class striker after ending their interest in Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o will not be playing for Manchester City next season after the English club ended their interest in him. The Cameroon international, who is about to embark on the last year of his contract at the Nou Camp, felt he should receive a significant portion of the £18million ($29m) fee City were willing to pay -- as he would be entitled to leave for nothing next summer. City manager Mark Hughes initially signalled his intention to wait for Eto'o to resolve the wrangle. Yet, as the week has dragged on, the argument has just got more confusing and complicated. Latest transfer rumors and gossip . It was suggested City were ready to offer Eto'o a deadline of this weekend to determine his future. However, in the end, City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak did not even give the 28-year-old that long, with Barcelona officially contacted on Friday with confirmation the deal was off. "Samuel Eto'o is undoubtedly a fine footballer but the circumstances surrounding him were such that the deal could not be completed," City chief executive Garry Cook told the club's official Web site. "We now feel the time is right to pursue other avenues. We have a clear strategic transfer plan, which we continue to follow." England midfielder Gareth Barry and Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz have already joined the club this summer and Argentine forward Carlos Tevez is expected to complete his move from rivals Manchester United in the near future. Chelsea and England captain John Terry and Everton defender Joleon Lescott also remain high on the club's wish-list. Meanwhile, two players leaving the club are midfielder Gelson Fernandes and Brazilian striker Jo. Swiss international Fernandes has completed his move to French side St Etienne, while Jo has returned to Everton on loan for the season. In other transfer news, Sunderland have swooped to sign Manchester United's reserve team striker Fraizer Campbell for £3.5m ($5.67m) on a four-year contract. | Manchester City have ended their interest in signing Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o .
The move fell through because Eto'o wanted to be paid a portion of transfer fee .
City midfielder Gelson Fernandez and Brazilian striker Jo both leave the club . |
89,382 | fdb8247fdf6c88eb08465c306cfaa4bbf283deaa | The devastated family of a 39-year-old woman who assaulted her own children before being shot dead by police has revealed how stress and alcohol may have pushed her to 'breaking point'. Tiffany Terry, 39, was 'wielding three knives' when she was confronted by police outside her home in Omaha, Nebraska, after attacking her nine-year-old son, Connor, and daughter, Bailee Godek, 18. Officers shouted, 'Drop the knife! Drop the knife now!' at least eight times, but Mrs Terry refused to do so, police said. Instead, she apparently threw one of the knives at 23-year-old officer Emilio Luna. Luna and her colleague, Matthew Digilio, 40, then shot the mother-of-two on her lawn six times. Although she was rushed to Nebraska Medical Center, she died two days later, on Thursday. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Tiffany Terry (second right), 39, was 'wielding three knives' when she was confronted by police outside her home in Omaha, Nebraska, after attacking her nine-year-old son, Connor (far left), and daughter, Bailee Godek (far right), 18. Her husband, George (second left), received a panicked call from Connor while at work . Couple: Officers shouted, 'Drop the knife! Drop the knife now!' eight times, but Mrs Terry (pictured with her husband) refused to do so, police said. Instead, she apparently threw one of the knives at officer Emilio Luna . Aunt: Luna and her colleague, Matthew Digilio, 40, then shot the mother-of-two six times. Although she was rushed to hospital she died two days later, on Thursday. Above, Mrs Terry's aunt, Kathy O'Neill said that stress and pain from multiple illnesses - including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis - may have led her niece to 'snap' Now, Mrs Terry's family have revealed that stress and pain from her multiple illnesses - including lupus, which she was diagnosed with in 2013 and rheumatoid arthritis - may have led her to 'snap'. 'She was not a monster. She snapped, and we don't really know why,' Kathy O'Neill, Mrs Terry's aunt, said, adding that her niece had been drinking and using medication, likely to deal with her pain. 'It was Tiffany... but the actions were not the Tiffany that we knew and loved. That's the only explanation we have, is she just got to a breaking point and something snapped,' Mrs O'Neill said. 'I'm numb, and I'm broken hearted. I just feel lost. We never dreamed that it would end up like this.' Happier times: 'She was not a monster. She snapped,' Mrs O'Neill, said, adding that her niece had been drinking and using medication, likely to deal with her pain. Above, Mrs Terry is pictured with her husband and children . Scene: The mother-of-two was shot dead outside her home (above) near 50th and Hickory streets in Omaha . Medical assistant: Mrs Terry (left and right) had been working as a phlebotomist at Octapharma Plasma when she was shot at her home. However, the two illnesses had recently made it difficult for her to work full-time . Mrs Terry had been working as a phlebotomist at Octapharma Plasma when she was shot at her home. However, the two illnesses had recently made it difficult for her to work full-time in the job. Lupus, which typically occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. causes inflammation, while rheumatoid arthritis also inflames joints and surrounding tissues. Mrs Terry was also likely stressed by the upcoming anniversary of the death of her brother, who was killed in a car crash on February 1, 2008, her aunt said, adding: 'She's never really gotten over that.' Police were alerted to Mrs Terry's unusual behavior on Tuesday afternoon after Connor called his father, George Terry, at work. The youngster told him:: 'Something is going on with mommy and... I'm scared.' Officers arrived at the family's home near 50th and Hickory streets shortly before 5pm. Seconds later, Mrs Terry burst from the door screaming expletives and wielding three knives, police said. She was gunned down after she hurled one of the weapons at Luna. Mrs O'Neill said her family is questioning why the officers fired at her, instead of 'try[ing] to subdue her in some other way'. As required by state law, a grand jury will now assess the officers' actions. However, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer told the Omaha World-Herald they were justified based on Mrs Terry's actions. Husband and wife: Mrs Terry (pictured with Mr Terry in a Facebook photo) was also likely stressed by the upcoming anniversary of the death of her brother, who was killed in a car crash in 2008, her aunt said . Grief-stricken: Mrs O'Neill (pictured) said her family is questioning why the officers fired at Mrs Terry, instead of 'try[ing] to subdue her in some other way'. As required by state law, a grand jury will now assess the incident . During the two days that Mrs Terry battled for survival in hospital before eventually succumbing to her injuries, her family saw glimpses of the kind, loving woman they adored, Mrs O'Neill said. 'She kept mouthing things like I love you and I am sorry, and when I walked in yesterday morning it was a totally different Tiffany again,' she told WOWT. In addition to her husband and two children, Mrs Terry is survived by Mr Terry's three grandchildren. A visitation is being held on Monday, while a graveside service will take place on Wednesday. Mrs Terry's family has set up a memorial fund to help pay for funeral expenses and establish a trust for her children. Donations can be made at any Security National Bank. | Tiffany Terry, 39, attacked son, 9, and daughter, 18, at her Nebraska home .
When police arrived at scene, she 'burst from house wielding three knives'
She then 'threw knife at an officer', prompting police to fire at her six times .
Mrs Terry rushed to hospital on Tuesday; died from wounds on Thursday .
Now, mother-of-two's family has said she may have 'snapped' over stress .
She was battling lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and drinking to ease pain .
Grand jury will now assess whether officers were right to fire at Mrs Terry . |
267,883 | e6ed9d3cc502d54d5b3fc7a5d048211c43680c7c | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Health and Human Services' acting secretary has appointed Dr. Richard Besser as the interim director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. William Gimson will return to his position as the CDC's chief operating officer. He replaces William Gimson, who took over as interim CDC director at noon on January 20. Gimson notified CDC employees that HHS acting secretary Charles E. Johnson had announced the appointment. Gimson replaced Dr. Julie Gerberding, who was the head of the CDC from 2002 until two days ago. Gerberding, along with other senior officials, also resigned on January 20, when Barack Obama and his administration took over. Past HHS secretary Michael Leavitt said that the interim directors would take over until the next HHS nominee -- former Sen. Tom Daschle -- is confirmed and makes the permanent appointments. Gimson told employees he's returning to his post as the CDC's chief operating officer. The CDC usually has a physician as its director, which Gimson is not. According to the biography posted on the CDC Web site, Besser's last position at the CDC was as the director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, where he was responsible for public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities. According to CDC sources, Besser was seeing patients when he learned of his new position. In addition to heading the CDC bioterrorism preparedness division, he is a practicing pediatrician. | Dr. Richard Besser has been designated acting director of the CDC .
Besser replaces William Gimson as interim director .
Dr. Julie Gerberding was CDC head from 2002 to end of Bush administration .
HHS-nominee Tom Daschle, upon confirmation, will appoint permanent CDC head . |
168,888 | 667f2a8df0f377d7666e311712110209e940b6f9 | (CNN)The popular image of wrestling may be of WWE superstars pretending to fight each other in luridly-colored spandex but Yogeshwar Dutt's version of the sport has a much more earthy appeal. With a battle-worn face that wears the story a thousand bouts and more, the Indian freestyle wrestler has risen from the mud wrestling pits of rural India to produce moments of unscripted theater on crash mats around the world. Today, Dutt is warming up inside the Chaudhary Devi Lal Stadium complex tumbling across a padded floor in preparation for some training bouts overseen by his coach. The vast gymnasium in the town of Sonipat, a few miles north of New Delhi has become a center of excellence for Indian wrestling in recent times with the 32-year-old becoming one of the country's most celebrated mat men. It might be easy to attribute his success -- Dutt is a double Commonwealth Games champion and an Olympic bronze medalist -- to his impressive, muscle-bound physique, but wrestling isn't just about throwing your weight around, he argues. It's also requires brain power. "Wrestling is very different compared to other sports. It requires equal use of power as well as equal use of mind," Dutt told CNN's Human to Hero series. "It is usually said that wrestlers do not have a sharp mind, but the wrestler (has to) use their brain really well ... you have to take a decision to attack or defend within a second." The indoor facility he trains in is a world away from the traditional open-air mud wrestling pit -- called Akhada -- in his home village of Bhainswal Kalan. Dutt took up the sport when he was eight years old, learning an ancient form of wrestling called Pehlwani in the mud before switching to mats during his teenage years. During his time in the sport Dutt says wrestling's popularity in India has surged. "I have seen the difference of day and night. When I was small there was a mud pit wrestling area in my village and not a mat," he says. "There was no infrastructure and facilities when we used to wrestle, but today many have turned professional and now everyone wants to be an Olympic or World champion," he added. "The most important thing is wrestling was the game of the village and now it has reached the city. And now the people in the city like to play and see wrestling." The sport's growing profile has been aided by Dutt's success and that of his contemporary Sushil Kumar, a former world champion and Olympic silver medalist. "I've known Sushil from the days I started going to the Akhada and we used to meet each other in national matches," he said. "We have been friends for the past 18 years. We have changed the mind set on wrestling in India with our friendship -- that is a really big thing." While Kumar has enjoyed the more successful career to date, Dutt may now be entering a golden period. Last year was particularly fruitful as Dutt clinched a second Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Scotland in August before making history at the Asian Games the following month. When Dutt beat Tajikistan's Zalimkhan Yusupov in the final of the 65 kg freestyle final in South Korea he ended an Indian wrestling drought, winning the country's first gold medal at the Games in 28 years. It was an emotional moment for Dutt who dedicated the win to his father who died shortly before the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar. "It was my father's dream that I wrestle for the country and make the name of the country proud," Dutt said. Dutt's recent good run might have come earlier had he not been plagued by injuries. His cauliflower ears are testament to a life spent grappling with opponents -- head, neck and back injuries have all sidelined him for extended periods. But it was injuries to his knees that have threatened to permanently derail his career. Tears to both the anterior and medial cruciate ligament of his right knee following the 2008 Beijing Olympics required two operations and 10 months out of the sport. Dutt completed a triumphant return to action in 2010 winning the Commonwealth Games title and won a bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London before another knee injury saw him sit out 2013. "There was lot of pressure on me that I have to win a medal in 2012 because you have a dream and if a man comes so close to his dream and then (fails) it is very painful. I go with a mind set that I have to win and if you win only then will the name of the country be known." Achieving a podium at the Olympics -- India won just six medals in 2012 -- has earned Dutt a degree of personal fame in his homeland along with some other perks. In 2012, his local government in Haryana awarded him cash and land following his Olympic success and the following year he was recognized on a national level when he was the recipient of a Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award. His sights are now firmly set on preparing for one final push for Olympic gold in Rio next year. "Now that I have won gold at the Asian Games, I will try to win gold at the Olympics and dedicate it to my father," he said. | Yogeshwar Dutt is an Indian wrestler who won bronze at the 2012 Olympics .
The 32-year-old has also won two Commonwealth Games gold medals .
Dutt began wrestling in traditional mud pits when he was eight .
Graduated to mats in his teens; His success has helped raise profile of wrestling in India . |
82,571 | ea1e2848e65f1e9378bb4d9345e39d457c197413 | (Sunset) -- The old warehouses of Portland's Pearl District are home to increasingly cool cultural diversions. Spend a weekend browsing the neighborhood's art galleries, snack on a pumpkin-pie cupcake and enjoy dinner and a show. The Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. Take it home . If prices in the Pearl's posh galleries put a damper on your holiday gift giving, head to the Pacific Northwest College of Art for its annual student-art sale. Future famous artists sell surprisingly sophisticated gifts reflecting their fields of study: one-of-a-kind monotypes and screen-printed cards, jewelry with semiprecious stones, gorgeous oil paintings and thought-provoking metal sculptures. Catch a show . The once-vacant, castlelike Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. For people-watching, sip wine in the loft overlooking the lobby, then settle in for Portland Center Stage's one-man play "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe." Sunset.com: Life in the Pearl . One-stop gallery hop . Who cares if it's raining when you have the DeSoto Building/Museum of Contemporary Craft -- four fine art galleries and an innovative museum under one roof? Hit the museum's Holiday Shoppe (December 3-January 4) for funky felt rings and handcrafted ornaments. Great Pearl eats . Wild rice-smoked duck breast is steps from the Gerding Theater at Ten 01. Or try Isabel; we like the brown rice and tofu bowl with peanut sauce. Then there's 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics. Sunset.com: Green in Portland . A twist on pumpkin pie . Warm up for T-Day with a luscious pumpkin pie cupcake filled with pumpkin cream at Cupcake Jones, a grab-and-go bakery. (Then place your order for Thanksgiving dessert.) WANT MORE ENTERTAINMENT? (Portland's got it) For budding theater buffs . Kids will eat up the juicy Oregon Children's Theatre production of Roald Dahl's classic "James and the Giant Peach," while you'll get a kick out of the high-flying special effects and dry humor. For small-stage premieres . See classics and local playwrights' works on one of Artists Repertory Theatre's two intimate stages. Get some comic relief during the hectic holidays with Marc Acito and C.S. Witcomb's "Holidazed," a humorous look at modern families coping with old-fashioned Christmas traditions. For indie-film fans . The Northwest Film Center presents themed series, retrospectives and annual film festivals. The Portland International Film Festival, held in February, features nearly 100 films from more than 30 countries. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2004-2008 Sunset magazine. All rights reserved. | Check out Pacific Northwest College of Art's annual student art sale .
Settle in to watch a play at the renovated Gerding Theater at the Armory .
Stop for dinner at 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics . |
99,286 | 0be0db9bd4da36957f16a7027da1f02328b93413 | Earth could be hit by a series of damaging solar flares after the largest sunspot to be seen on the star for 24 years aligns with our planet. The sunspot, previously known as Active Region 12192, began facing Earth in October but did not produce any coronal mass ejection (CMEs). CMEs are the most energetic events in our solar system, involving huge bubbles of plasma and magnetic fields being spewed from the sun's surface into space. Scroll down for video . The sunspot, previously known as Active Region 12192, began facing Earth in October but didn't produce any coronal mass ejection (CMEs). After disappearing for two weeks, it is once again facing our planet . The region, renamed Active Region 12192, has now rotated around to face Earth again, and is likely to create CMEs, Nasa scientist Holly Gilbert told Space.com during a video interview. 'This time around, it's more likely to have some coronal mass ejections associated with it, even though the solar flares might be smaller,' she said. 'We have a good idea, based on the structure of that magnetic field and the sunspot, that it's very possible that it will create some mid-level flares.' Magnetic fields in sunspots can store vast amounts of energy, but looping magnetic field lines can get tangled up and snap, releasing their energy as explosions called flares. Earth could be about to be hit by a series of damaging solar flares as a huge sunspots aligns with the planet . A view of the visible sun showing the largest sunspot of solar cycle 24, AR12192, as seen on October 22 . According to Dr Gilbert, the sunspot is still large enough for 10 Earths to fit inside it, and is believed to be the 33rd largest of 32,908 active regions recorded since 1874. The Jupiter-sized sunspot produced six eruptions in October and early November, before disappearing for two weeks. Solar flares can damage satellites and have an enormous financial cost. Astronauts are not in immediate danger because of the relatively low orbit of this manned mission. They do have to be concerned about cumulative exposure during space walks. The charged particles can also threaten airlines by disturbing the Earth’s magnetic field. Very large flares can even create currents within electricity grids and knock out energy supplies. A positive aspect, from an aesthetic point of view, is that the auroras are enhanced. Geomagnetic storms are more disruptive now than in the past because of our greater dependence on technical systems that can be affected by electric currents. Earlier this year, Ashley Dale, who is a member of an international task force, dubbed Solarmax, warned that solar 'super-storms' pose a 'catastrophic' and 'long-lasting' threat to life on Earth. A solar superstorm occurs when a CME of sufficient magnitude tears into the Earth's surrounding magnetic field and rips it apart. Such an event could induce huge surges of electrical currents in the ground and in overhead transmission lines, causing widespread power outages and severely damaging critical electrical components. Mr Dale, carrying out doctoral research in aerospace engineering at Bristol University, said it is only a 'matter of time' before an exceptionally violent solar storm is propelled towards Earth. He says such a storm would wreak havoc with communication systems and power supplies, crippling vital services such as transport, sanitation and medicine. Without power, people would struggle to fuel their cars at petrol stations, get money from cash dispensers or pay online,' he said. 'Water and sewage systems would be affected too, meaning that health epidemics in urbanised areas would quickly take a grip, with diseases we thought we had left behind centuries ago soon returning.' The huge sunspot produced six eruptions in October and early November, before disappearing for two weeks . The largest ever solar super-storm on record occurred in 1859 and is known as the Carrington Event, named after the English astronomer Richard Carrington who spotted the preceding solar flare. This massive CME released about 1022 kJ of energy - the equivalent to 10 billion Hiroshima bombs exploding at the same time - and hurled around a trillion kilos of charged particles towards the Earth at speeds of up to 3000 km/s. However, its impact on the human population was relatively benign as our electronic infrastructure at the time amounted to no more than about 124,000 miles (200,000 km) of telegraph lines. Mr Dale says these types of events are not just a threat, but inevitable. Nasa scientists have predicted that the Earth is in the path of a Carrington-level event every 150 years on average. This means that we are currently five years overdue - and that the likelihood of one occurring in the next decade is as high as 12 per cent. Sunspot AR12192 is 14 times larger than Earth and almost as big as Jupiter. The Met Office told MailOnline it might be the largest sunspot in 25 years. It is so big that it can be seen in images of the sun from Earth's surface (shown in this image from pilot Brian Whittaker) | Sunspot, known as Active Region 12192, began facing Earth in October .
It disappeared for two weeks but is now facing Earth again, claims Nasa .
The region is the largest sunspot to be seen on the sun in 24 years .
This time it's more likely to produce a series of coronal mass ejections .
These are created when bubbles of plasma spew out from sun's surface .
CMEs are capable of knocking out power grids and disrupting satellites . |
158,659 | 591cd3b84a8c7bca3a15828ffb8c54129a4cc233 | It has been long assumed that sharks are one of the more primitive forms of fish. But new analysis of a 415 million-year-old fossilised fish has shed doubt on the idea that sharks are the primitive forerunners of modern jawed vertebrates. Modern-day sharks have internal skeletons made of cartilage, and don't have any bony armour on the outside of their faces, unlike other fish living today. A fossilised 415 million-year-old fish called Janusiscus (shown above) provides critical evidence for a well-developed external skeleton (shown in blue) in the shared ancestor of bony fishes and cartilaginous fishes such as sharks. This means that sharks are not as primitive as assumed, experts say . Now researchers from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London have suggested that modern sharks shed their bony skeletons early in their evolutionary history. When examining the fossil, they found it suggested that the last common ancestor of all jawed vertebrates, was not very shark-like. They used X-rays and CT scans to look inside the skull and found that the structure surrounding the brain was reminiscent of cartilaginous fish (chondrichthyans) such as sharks and rays. The fish fossil’s ‘two faces’ led to it being named Janusiscus after the double-faced Roman god Janus. Modern-day sharks have internal skeletons made of cartilage, but don't have any bony armour on the outside of their faces, like other living fish. A blue shark accommpanied by a pilot fish is pictured . The team of researchers from the University of Oxford used x-ray micro CT scanning to build up a 3D image of the fossil enabling them to 'see' inside the skull and brain case. By comparing the fossil to others from both bony and cartilaginous fish such as sharks, the team saw that it had features from both branches of evolution and additional features which are seen in much more primitive fish. The dual-sided nature of the specimen led them to rename it Janusiscus, after the two-faced Roman god Janus. Although it's rare to find a surviving brain case from this period, Dr Brazeau says the fossil isn’t a 'missing link' in our understanding of vertebrate evolution. ‘It's misleading to think of evolution as a ladder which we reconstruct with “missing links”’ he said. ‘It's more accurate to think of it as a family tree, and research into evolution is like solving a puzzle. Each new piece you find throws the surrounding pieces into context and helps you to understand them better.’ Because of its external features, experts had wrongly thought it belonged to the bony fish family, osteichthyans, a group which includes familiar fish such as cod and tuna as well as all land-dwelling creatures with backbones. Dr Matt Friedman of Oxford University’s Department of Earth Sciences said: ‘This 415 million year-old fossil gives us an intriguing glimpse of the ‘Age of Fishes’, when modern groups of vertebrates were really beginning to take off in an evolutionary sense. ‘It tells us that the ancestral jawed vertebrate probably doesn’t fit into our existing categories.’ The scans revealed Janusiscus lacks a division across the bottom of its brain case, which places it an early stage of evolution - but it also has a bony external skull. It shares features with two distinct evolutionary branches of early fish: those with skeletons of cartilage, like sharks, and the bony fish that went on to become land vertebrates and, ultimately, humans. Chondrichthyans, such as sharks, have often been viewed as primitive, and treated as proxies for what the ‘ancestral’ jawed vertebrate would have looked like, largely due to their lack of bony skeleton, according to the study, published in Nature. Dr Friedman explained: ‘This mix of features, some reminiscent of bony fishes and others cartilaginous fishes, suggests that humans may have just as many features that you might call “primitive” as sharks. ‘Losing your bony skeleton sounds like a pretty extreme adaptation but with remarkable discoveries from China, Janusiscus strongly suggests that that the ancient ancestors of modern sharks and their kin started out just as ‘bony’ as our own ancestors.’ The fossil was previously thought to belong to the bony fish, osteichthyans, a group which includes familiar fish such as cod and tuna (illustrated witha stock image) as well as all land-dwelling creatures with backbones, but is now known to be an ancestor of the sharks too . The fossil was found in Siberia in 1972 and is currently held in the Institute of Geology at the Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia. Dr Martin Brazeau from Imperial’s Department of Life Sciences spotted its potential in providing new insights into the period of evolution. He said: ‘I knew straight away that this was a fossil that merited further investigation. ‘Although Janusiscus does have a bony skull - which led to it being first classified as a bony fish - it lacked many other features you’d expect in that group. ‘It also lacked a feature seen in both early bony fishes and sharks, which is a division across the brain case. This clearly places it at an early stage of evolution, before the two branches split. ‘It shows that fish from this time, which are ancestors of both sharks and bony fish, had bones too, and sharks must have lost them at a later point. ‘Janusiscus has helped us to look at sharks differently and will ensure they are no longer dismissed as being “frozen” at a primitive stage of evolution.’ | Researchers from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London have are-examined a 415 million-year-old fossilised fish found in the 1970s .
It was previously thought to be a bony fish, but is now known to be an ancestor of such fish and also sharks .
The ancestral jawed vertebrate doesn't fit into any existing categories .
Discovery shows sharks lost their bony armour early in their evolution .
And they are not as primitive and alike their ancestors as once thought . |
100,943 | 0e0fcc3743a2354624fc8e01e4cd600b14d83772 | By . Jaya Narain . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 8 September 2011 . Shafilea Ahmed dreamed of being a lawyer . The parents of suspected honour killing victim Shafilea Ahmed have been charged with their daughter’s murder – eight years after she disappeared. Shafilea, 17, went missing from her home in September 2003 after complaining that her parents were trying to force her into an arranged marriage. A massive hunt was launched for the bright A-level student who had dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Her decomposed body was found in February 2004, hidden near a river in the Lake District. A coroner ruled that the Muslim teenager had been the victim of a ‘vile murder’. Iftikhar Ahmed, 51, a taxi driver, and his wife Farzana, 48, were initially arrested on suspicion of kidnapping their daughter in December 2003. They were questioned by police but were released in June 2004 without charge when the Crown Prosecution Service ruled there was insufficient evidence against them. The couple were re-arrested on suspicion . of murder in September last year but have always denied any involvement . in their daughter’s disappearance or death. But today, almost exactly eight years after Shafilea went missing, . they were charged with her murder. They appeared at Halton Magistrates’ Court in Runcorn, Cheshire, for a six-minute hearing, during which they . spoke through an interpreter to confirm their names, ages and address. The . teenager's father, Iftikhar, 51, and mother Farzana, 48, have been . charged with murder and appeared at Halton Magistrates' Court, in . Runcorn, earlier today . Farzana and Iftikar Ahmed arriving at the inquest into the death of their daughter . Standing in the dock flanked by two . security guards, Mrs Ahmed wore a traditional grey Asian shawl and . fought back tears. Bearded Mr Ahmed, in an open-necked white shirt and . light grey trousers, remained expressionless, his hands clasped. The . murder charge was put to them but no plea was entered. The charges are believed to have come after fresh evidence was handed to police by Shafilea’s sister, Alisha, who was two years younger. She was arrested by police for allegedly masterminding an armed robbery at the family home. Alisha, who is in the witness protection programme, admitted the charges and is awaiting sentence. The 22-year-old is believed to have made new claims about her parents’ involvement in Shafilea’s death. Shafilea, from Warrington, Cheshire, went missing after complaining she was being forced into an arranged marriage. Police investigating her disappearance discovered she had travelled to Pakistan for what she thought was a family holiday. But once there she was allegedly told an arranged marriage had been organised for her. The A-level pupil drank bleach in an apparent suicide attempt while in Pakistan and returned to the UK to continue studying. The 17-year-old's decomposed remains were discovered on the banks of the River Kent in Sedgwick near Kendal, Cumbria in February 2004 . Weeks later she disappeared. She was reported missing by a teacher. After . her body was found on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria, an . inquest ruled she had been murdered and a pathologist stated she was . likely to have been smothered or strangled. The coroner said at the time: ‘Shafilea was the victim of a very vile murder and there’s no evidence before the court as to who did it. There are things people know that have not been told to this court. Shafilea Ahmed, 17, vanished from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, in September 2003 . ‘Her ambition was to live her own life in her own way: to study, to follow a career in the law and to do what she wanted to do. These are just basic fundamental rights and they were denied to her.’ Her father has always denied he tried to force Shafilea into an arranged marriage, claiming she accidentally drank bleach during a power cut after mistakenly thinking it was fruit juice. Mr Ahmed said he had not reported her missing because police had not taken him seriously when she had run away before. In February 2003, Shafilea sought help from youth advisory service Connexions, saying she was ‘running away because she was in fear of being married’. Several songs written by Shafilea in the run-up to her death were later discovered, one saying: ‘I feel trapped.’ Another stated: ‘All they think about is honour, I was like a normal teenage kid, didn’t ask too much, I just wanted to fit in, but my culture was different. 'Now I’m sitting here playing happy families, still crying tears.’ Her parents were remanded in custody. The case was adjourned for a bail hearing at Manchester Crown Court tomorrow, where they will appear via video link. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Shafilea Ahmed was doing her A-levels and wanted to be a lawyer .
Her parents were remanded in custody . |
154,218 | 534f14477b28ae765fc9e2cc732346101ea5ba81 | A four-year-old girl has died following an E. coli infection and her five-year-old friend has suffered kidney failure after they shared a turkey sandwich. Serena Faith Profitt passed away in Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon on Monday and doctors have since confirmed that she tested positive for E. coli. Brad Sutton, who remains hospitalized at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, suffered kidney failure, which is also associated with E. coli, Q13Fox reported. Their devastated families said they believe they fell ill after sharing a turkey sandwich at Roadhouse 18 Bar and Grill in Otis - because it was the only thing the children ate and no one else tasted it. Tragedy: Serena Faith Profitt, four, passed away on Monday after becoming infected with E. coli last week . Battle: Brad Sutton also became infected after they shared a sandwich and remains in hospital, right . The restaurant's owner told KGW that county health inspectors are investigating the restaurant. Oregon Public Health Division are also investigating the cause. The children shared the snack at the start of Labor Day weekend and two days later, both started complaining of abdominal pains and fevers, The Oregonian reported. They then started passing bloody diarrhea. On Wednesday, Serena's parents took her to the ER, but doctors found nothing alarming so sent her home and told her parents to keep her hydrated - but she got worse. On Saturday, her parents took her to hospital and physicians sent her to Doernbecher Children's Hospital, where she was immediately put on dialysis. Scene: The children had shared a turkey sandwich at the Roadhouse 18 Bar and Grill in Otis, Oregon on Labor Day weekend and both fell ill two days later. Authorities are now investigating the restaurant . Questions: Brad's mother Elizabeth, pictured with him in hospital, believes the food was to blame . Just as she showed signs of improving, she suffered a stroke on Sunday, her uncle told The Oregonian. An MRI scan revealed she had suffered brain damage. 'It attacked her nervous system,' the uncle, Travis Hargitt, said. 'Then it moved to her brain.' Doctors declared her brain dead on Monday morning, and she passed away at 9pm. Serena's parents also lost their first child at birth. They have one other child, a two-year-old daughter. Their relatives, who described Serena as a book lover and a great singer, have set up a GoFundMe page to help them pay the hospital bills. Loved: Four-year-old Serena was remembered as a smart, joyful little girl who loved books and singing . 'She's the most vibrant young girl ever; she’s just sweet, loving and so amazing, so smart, just a heart that is of gold,' her aunt, Aleahsa Hargitt, told KPTV. Brad Sutton is stable but doctors have said there is a risk of a stroke or seizures. Now the families are hoping to find what inflicted such terror on their children's bodies. 'I know in my heart it's what they ate because everyone else is just fine,' Brad's mother Elizabeth Sutton told The Oregonian. E. coli normally lives in the intestines of healthy people and animals and most varieties are harmless or cause brief diarrhea. But a few particularly nasty strains, including E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, according to the Mayo Clinic. Foods at high risk of carrying E. coli include under-cooked meat - especially beef - spinach, lettuce, sprouts, raw milk and unpasteurized cider. It can also be passed on contact and some major cases have occurred among children who visited petting zoos. In other incidents, it has been passed in rural waters tainted by human or animal feces. If the water has no disinfecting system and children swim in it, they can become infected. A few days after exposure to the bacteria, the patient may suffer from diarrhea - which is sometimes bloody - abdominal cramping and vomiting. Healthy adults usually recover within a week after being infected by E. coli O157:H7, but children and older adults can develop a kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. There is no treatment to cure the symptoms and doctors mostly recommend rest and for the patient to fight against dehydration and fatigue. A serious E. coli infection that leads to hospitalization may require IV fluids, blood transfusions and dialysis. Complications from E. coli O157:H7 have killed 20 people in Oregon - where Serena passed away - since 1992, The Oregonian reported. The last child killed by the strain was in 2010. | Serena Faith Profitt died in hospital in Portland, Oregon on Monday and tests found she tested positive for E. coli .
She had started showing symptoms for the illness two days after sharing a turkey sandwich with her friend, Brad Sutton, at a roadside restaurant .
Authorities are investigating whether the sandwich was carrying the bacteria .
Five-year-old Brad is undergoing treatment in Tacoma, Washington . |
195,366 | 88e508c4b5ea1aef41a907de2dd6d2ba510fe669 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:28 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:14 EST, 15 March 2013 . Playing and splashing about, these polar bears took to their new home like, well, polar bears to water. Entertaining themselves at Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark, this pair have been spotted diving through the pool and enjoying breakfast in their swish new pad. Ivan, an eight-year-old male and Noel, a . 10-year-old female, have shown off their fun side since the move, according to senior adviser Frank Rønsholt, who took the pictures. Scroll down for video . Noel, a 10-year-old female polar bear at Copenhagen Zoo waves from within her new enclosure . The new enclosure, nicknamed the Arctic Circle, means visitors can see the magnificent creatures up close from the glass tunnel under the bears' pool . Noel and Ivan, two polar bears at Copenhagen Zoo, love exploring their new enclosure which gives them more room for playtime . He said: 'Playing like this is not something that . they ever seemed to do in their old enclosure, so you can clearly see . that the polar bears are enjoying their new habitat. 'The new enclosure for these bears is 6 metres deep, and we are able to see them from only 17 centimetres away. 'It's great because they can now see us as closely as we can see them, and they seem to absolutely love it.' Polar bears are often regarded as marine mammals, spending most of their time at sea, so it's no surprise that Ivan and Noel were keen to get in the water. With male polar bears growing as long as 10ft and females reaching between six to eight feet long, they need lots of room when it comes to play time. Ivan, an eight-year-old male, will share the enclosure with Noel and North Atlantic birds and seals . Photographer Frank Rønsholt said the larger enclosure had brought out Ivan, pictured, and Noel's playful sides . There are only 17 centimetres between the bears and visitors, thanks to the design of the Arctic Circle at Copenhagen Zoo . The bears live in the new enclosure, named the Arctic Circle, along with North Atlantic birds and seals. Visitors will be able to see the bears up close from a glass tunnel under the pool. At 3,200sqm, the Arctic Circle is not only far bigger than the existing enclosure, but will be able to satisfy the bears' urges to dig and seek food on land and in the water. No wonder these polar bears were thrilled to check out their new surroundings. Mr Rønsholt said: 'The bears were playing around with ease, it was almost like watching ballet. 'It was very impressive to see them act so calm.' Breakfast time: Ivan enjoys a fish . Polar bears are happy underwater - and Ivan and Noel were keen to splash about as they settled in to a new home . | Ivan, eight, and Noel, 10, live at Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark .
Their new enclosure has brought out their playful sides, says photographer . |
210,125 | 9c1dc58eca53fadf8d791e84c2acc0862566c91c | It looks more like a scene from Mad Max than a religious celebration, but revellers in the Greek town of Galaxidi marked the beginning of Lent yesterday with an almighty - and extremely messy - flour fight. Hundreds of party-goers lined the old harbour of the pretty resort clutching bags of flour and colourful powder for Clean Monday, which is a national holiday in Greece. The celebrations mark the end of carnival season in the country and the beginning of Lent which ends on Easter Sunday. In scenes reminiscent of post-apocalyptic film Mad Max, revellers in the Greek town of Galaxidi marked the beginning of lent yesterday with an almighty - and extremely messy - flour fight . A colourful party-goer takes a break from the Clean Monday celebrations in Galixidi in Southern Greece yesterday . This reveller fashioned a redimentary helmet out of an old bird cage, although it doesn't appear to have protected him from the flour . Hundreds of party-goers lined the old harbour of the pretty resort clutching bags of flour and colourful powder for Clean Monday . Clean Monday, also know as Pure Monday or Ash Monday, is a national holiday throughout Greece . Also known as 'Pure Monday', the day is derived from passages in the Old Testament and is intended as a time to renounce sinful attitudes and behaviour. Clean Monday celebrations are popular all over Greece, although the flour flight is unique to Galaxidi and is thought to have been influenced by similar celebrations in Sicily during the 19th century. More traditional, and less messy, celebrations involve flying kites, eating fish and other fasting food, including a special type of bread - 'lagana' - which is baked especially on the day to make the occasion. The celebrations mark the end of carnival season in the country and the beginning of Lent which ends on Easter Sunday . The day is derived from passages in the Old Testament and is traditionally intended as a time to renounce sinful attitudes and behaviour . ...although these revellers looked more intent on having a good time than renouncing their sins . Clean Monday celebrations are popular all over Greece, although the flour flight is unique to Galaxidi and is thought to have been influenced by similar celebrations in Sicily during the 19th century . A reveller clutches a bag of flour as he prepares to empty it out over fellow party-goers in the Greek town, which is three hours from Athens . It is also customary to confess your sins and give your house a thorough clean. Consuming meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Orthodox Christians throughout Lent, although from the look of these images, abstention was the last thing on these revellers minds. More traditional, and less messy, celebrations involve flying kites, eating fish and other fasting food, including a special type of bread - 'lagana' - which is baked especially on the day to make the occasion . It is customary on Clean Monday to confess your sins and give your house a thorough clean . Consuming meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Orthodox Christians throughout Lent, although from the look of these images, abstention was the last thing on these revellers minds . | Clean Monday - also known as Pure Monday - marks the beginning of Lent and is a national holiday in Greece .
Unique celebrations in Galaxidi in Southern Greece involve an enormous - and extremely messy - flour fight .
Hundreds of party-goers lined the old harbour of the pretty resort clutching bags of flour and colourful powder .
Flour flight is Galaxidi is thought to have been influenced by similar celebrations in Sicily during the 19th century . |
26,964 | 4c847a2cb83fcdd5f5118c30f8923f07c7b3dd2c | Cases of lung cancer in Beijing have doubled in the past decade with Chinese officials blaming the rise on smoking. However the number of smokers in Beijing has fallen in recent years while air pollution soared by 30 per cent in the first few months of 2013, raising fears that the increase could be due to the smog. Wang Huiyao, who heads the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalisation think tank, said: 'How shocking! This number doesn’t even include the floating population. Rates of lung cancer have doubled in Beijing in the last decade, and while officials blame smoking, many fear that the city's smog is to blame . 'We must keep our environment from getting worse–no matter what. In the past 10 years, the number of smokers and smoking areas have decreased; why have lung cancer rates increased so much?' Users of Chinese social networking site Weibo agreed. One user, Jingyan_melody commented: 'The spike in lung cancer is clearly due to environmental pollution, yet they blame it on smoking. 'The number of people who smoke has decreased, especially while in public.' The figures from the official Xinhua news . agency showed the number of lung cancer patients per 100,000 people . went from 39.56 in 2002 to 63.09 by 2011. The news comes a week after an . eight-year-old girl was diagnosed with lung cancer which doctors blamed . on the country's dire air quality. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 200,000 people died last year as a result of cancer caused by bad air, and that around half of cases were in China or East Asia. Pollution in the developing nation has become so bad thanks to China having the world's largest manufacturing sector coupled with the world's largest population. Around 100million people in China are employed in factories of some kind, more than 10 times the number in the US, and China accounts for roughly 20 per cent of the world's industrial output. China's huge industrial sector, which employs around 100million people, has gone unregulated for years as the country drives for growth meaning the air has become polluted . Decades of industrial growth have been fuelled by weak government regulation which has allowed factories to be built quickly, cheaply, and with little concern for the environmental impact. As a result smog levels in Beijing are now so bad that experts have warned of a national security threat because CCTV cameras are unable to see through the haze. Measures are being being passed to tackle the problem as new government officials fear a backlash from the wealthy middle-class, but past laws have simply been ignored as the country pursues growth at all costs. China's population now stands at 1.4billion, up from just 563million in the mid-1950s, and accounts for roughly one in five people on the planet. That surge has meant huge demand for concrete, glass and steel to build new cities with. These very heavy industries are among the most polluting. China's population boom, rising from 563million in 1950s to 1.4billion this year, means the country is the world's largest consumer of coal which fuels its power stations . China is also the world's biggest consumer of coal, and around half of all coal used next year is expected to be burned in the country either in power stations or by people heating their homes. The government said pollution levels would be cut by slowing the growth of coal consumption so that its share of China's energy sources fell to 65 percent by 2017. Last month, choking smog forced Chinese authorities to shut down one of the country's largest cities. The dense pollution in Harbin - a city of more than 10 million people – meant that visibility was reduced to less than 10 metres. The smog forced schools to suspend classes, caused snarling traffic and closed the airport, in what was the country's first major air pollution crisis of the winter. The cold weather typically brings the worst air pollution to northern China because of a combination of weather conditions and an increase in the burning of coal for homes and municipal heating systems. While smoking in China is still a huge problem, with 320million people thought to be addicted, it has actually declined in recent years while air pollution has soared . China is also the world's largest consumer of cigarettes, with an estimated 320million people lighting up every year, more than than the entire population of the United States, and accounting for one in four of the world's smokers. A million people are thought to die every year from tobacco-related illnesses in China, with most of them being from lung infections including tuberculosis and lung cancer. However, in the last 14 years smoking in China has actually fallen from 63 per cent in 1996, to 54 per cent in 2010. The vast majority of those are elderly men, with just 2 per cent of Chinese women being addicted. In Beijing, which has some of the worst air quality in the country, just 15 per cent of people smoke. | Lung cancer rates in China's capital have doubled in a decade .
Officials blame smoking, saying air pollution is only a factor .
While 320million Chinese smoke, the rate has fallen steadily since 1996 .
Meanwhile air pollution has soared 30 per cent in 2013 alone .
Last week an eight-year-old girl was diagnosed with lung cancer which doctors blamed on poor air quality . |
82,814 | ead19faf4ea6f4d25742525fbb3cfe1efe936230 | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 11:41 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:52 EST, 2 November 2012 . He's more accustomed to a chauffeur-driven limo, but yesterday Prince Charles tried a Harley Davidson for size. He was meeting bikers from the Royal British Legion Riders Club at St James’s Palace as part of London Poppy Day. Next time, perhaps, he should come along in his leathers and boots rather than his suit and brogues. Scroll down for video . Try this on for size: The Prince of Wales hops on the impressive bike during his meeting to promote London Poppy Day . During the meeting, a biker sent a message to Prince Charles - via a very rude badge on his jacket that he hoped he'd notice. The unknown man, from the Royal British Legion Riders Branch, was dressed in a leather waistcoat covered in badges, and had the not-so-subtle message sewn onto the back of it. It is not known if the Prince noticed it, but it read: 'F*** off I don't like you'. The Prince of Wales shook hands with the bikers as he was meeting Poppy Appeal volunteers and celebrity supporters. Subtle: . The man had the message - highlighted above with expletive obscured by . MailOnline - sewn into the back of his waistcoat and it appeared Prince . Charles didn't notice . Charles greeted those working to raise . money on board the London Poppy Day red bus at Clarence House as part . of the campaign to raise £1million in a single day from donations . across the capital. TV . presenter and Poppy Day ambassador Ben Shephard said Charles spent some . time joking and laughing when he boarded the Routemaster. 'We thought we could try and drive off with him on the bus and launch a ransom to raise more money,' Mr Shephard said. 'But he thought we wouldn’t get very far.' Charles also joked about having a sing-along on the bus and riding a Harley Davidson. On board: Charles joked about having a sing-along on the bus and looked at home on a Harley Davidson . The Prince then met volunteers inside . Clarence House’s Poppy Day counting room, where the money raised is . rapidly counted in machines. Hundreds . of volunteers have the important job of tallying the funds at five . counting stations across London including, for the first time, the one . at Clarence House. Richard . Atkinson, a banker and volunteer counter at Clarence House, said Charles . wanted to know how the money counting machines worked. All aboard: Prince Charles poses for a picture on red London bus taken over by the Royal British Legion for the campaign . 'He was very intrigued and tried to understand the logistics of how this final part of the process works,' Mr Atkinson said. 'He was also very interested to know what we all did as day jobs as well.' This year the volunteers, representing . the Army, Navy, RAF and a host of companies, aim to raise £1 million in . a single day across the capital, more than twice what was raised on . London Poppy Day 2011. The countdown to £1 million will take place in Covent Garden where an electronic totaliser will update the amount raised. During . the Poppy Appeal, the Royal British Legion is aiming to raise £42 . million - £2 million more than last year’s record £40 million - to carry . out vital work, including providing immediate support and life-long . care to armed forces families in need. Other Poppy Day events began today at . Covent Garden piazza with the arrival of the London Poppy Day . Routemaster, which will tour the capital throughout the day. Fundraising efforts of 2,000 volunteers, who will collect money at Tube and railway stations, will be spurred on by numerous military bands playing at locations across the capital. The Military Wives Choir will lend their support to the day, performing on the steps of St Paul’s and in Covent Garden. A team of Royal Marines will abseil down Broadgate Tower. | The Prince of Wales hopped on the motorcycle and shook hands with bikers as he met Poppy Appeal volunteers and celebrity supporters . |
203,147 | 93000237fb41e37a03eb94db9c09c640ba1a3a9b | By . Lizzie Edmonds . A father is attempting to swim 2,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in under two months. Ben Hooper, 35, will set off from Dakar in Senegal on 1 November 2015 - and hopes to reach Natal, northern Brazil by New Years Eve. The father-of-one will swim freestyle for 12 hours a day in two six-hour blocks before sleeping aboard a boat overnight. Scroll down for video . Ben Hooper, pictured in training earlier in the year, is to embark on a 2,000-mile swim across the Atlantic Ocean. His journey will be streamed online - so viewers can keep up with every minute . The father-of-one will set off from Dakar, Senegal on November 1 - and hopes to reach Natal, northern Brazil by New Year's Eve. He will swim for 12 hours a day in two, six hour blocks . Mr Hooper, who may burn up to 12,000 calories per day, will be swimming in temperatures of around 20- 30 degrees battling currents of 1- 7 knots. The father, who gave up his full-time study of psychology to take up the challenge, will wear a special suit to protect him from the harsh Equatorial sun as well as any creatures he may encounter - potentially including jelly fish and even sharks. The father of Georgia, five, told MailOnline today he was pushed into taking up the epic challenge following a difficult year in 2013. Mr Hooper said: 'The swim is an idea I have been sitting on for a long time. 'I have long been fascinated with the ocean and its wildlife and have always been sporty and fit and thought "now is the time". The route Mr Hooper will take - hopefully crossing over 2,000 miles in around two months . 'I was feeling really uninspired last year and was finding it difficult to do anything. I needed a change and to do something different - so I thought "why not now." 'I left my job and started assembling my team around me. I have always been fit and done a few triathlons and other events - but obviously a challenge of this scale needs professional assistance. 'Training has been really tough - but it's my full-time job. 'I hope to be back on dry land by New Year's Eve - I will be helped along by the sea and should be going at around 4.5 knots.' Mr Hooper, who lives with his daughter and partner Kate Lewington, 39, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, has been training for over a year - starting with daily swims of about 4-7miles for five-months. At the start of this year, he moved out in to open water - training in the Mediterranean Ocean and aiming to cover 2.8million meters of swimming, about 115,000 lengths of a 25m pool, by November. The father says what makes his trip different is the fact the entire adventure will be streamed online - thanks to new technology by SmackDab. This means viewers will be able to watch every second of his trip will be shown on the trip's official Facebook page. Mr Hooper training in open water at the end of 2013. It is thought he will consume about 12,000 calories per day while on his epic adventure . The swimmer, pictured in open water training at the end of 2013, will take rest breaks aboard a support boat - which will accompany him on the trip . Earlier in the year, Mr Hooper also announced he would be working with Ridgeline Entertainment - who have created a number of action documentaries such as Discovery Channel's The Deadliest Catch. The company will be filming throughout the trip to create a documentary of the adventure which will then be shown on television. According to his website, Mr Hooper will be the first man in history to have swum an ocean in full. It adds he will be the first man to explicitly and transparently detail his swim - swimming the exact mileage of the intended crossing. However, others claim they were in fact the first - including American Jennifer Figge who was hailed as the first woman to complete the challenge in 2009. However, most now regard her expedition as a failed attempt. Mr Hooper ahead of a practice swim. The swimmer's journey will be made into a documentary on completion . Benoît Lecomte also received wide credit for being the first man to swim across the Atlantic Ocean without a kick board in 1998. The 3,716-mile journey took 73 days - and he was accompanied by a 40ft sailboat complete with electromagnetic field to ward off shark attacks. Mr Hooper said today: 'I don't want to take anything away from others who say they're swum the Atlantic. But what makes my trip different is that it is transparent. 'Thanks to amazing technology, people will be able to watch every minute of my trip online.' He will be raising money for three charities: SOS Children, which provides orphans and vulnerable children with a stable and positive family life, Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Cheltenham, and Addaction - a leading drug and alcohol charity. To find out more or donate, click here. | Ben Hooper, 35, to embark on 2,000-mile swim across the Atlantic Ocean .
Will set off from Dakar, Senegal, on November 1 2015, hopefully arriving in Natal, Brazil, about two months later .
Thought he will burn up to 12,000 calories per day in epic two-month swim .
Every minute of journey will be streamed on his official Facebook page .
Will be turned in to a documentary by producers of The Deadliest Catch . |
146,018 | 48ce519110a16b5bf281d32b5e71590d87cf1aaf | By . Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia . and Australian Associated Press . Disturbing similarities are being drawn between Breaking Bad and one of Australia's states as Victoria battles an ice epidemic. Victorian parliamentary drug committee member David Southwick says the show could become a reality, reported the ABC. This comes after recent studies show deaths from methamphetamines have more than doubled within five years as Victorian drug users increasingly turn to ice. Scroll down for video . US television series Breaking Bad, which features ice manufacturer Walter White (pictured), is coming to life in Victoria . Deaths from methamphetamines have more than doubled within five years in Victoria . Mr Southwick says Breaking Bad, which featured science teacher Walter White who produces and sells methamphetamine to fund his cancer treatment, is 'coming to life'. 'Breaking Bad, that is being held up as sensationalised is effectively playing out on our streets,' he said. Victoria recorded 166 deaths where methamphetamines were a factor last year, up from 66 in 2009. A report from A Current Affair on Wednesday showed how a young mum who had just been tested positive to methamphetamine. She stood with her child at her hip after being caught driving a car under the influence whilst on a busy Victorian road. But police say the 32-year-old's case isn't one that's isolated as she is among many ice-using drivers being busted every day in Victoria. A parliamentary inquiry also found related ambulance call-outs, and emergency department presentations, surged alongside the rising popularity of ice. 'The purity of crystal methamphetamine has also increased over the past two years, which exaggerates the drug's harmful effect,' Simon Ramsay, chair of the Law Reform, Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee, said on Wednesday. 'It's a drug that takes no prisoners in terms of its addictiveness.' The committee's report says just two per cent of the Victorians use methamphetamines and, among this group, men aged 20 to 29 were most likely to be using ice. Overdose, suicide and fatal road crashes were the most common causes of death for ice users. The ice problem was not confined to metropolitan areas, with rural towns also showing big increases in related harms. Glamorisation in the media was also a factor, Mr Southwick said, pointing to ice's role in Breaking Bad. 'It has been built up by television shows like Breaking Bad, and there is almost a hero-type mentality around it,' Mr Southwick said. 'We need to send a very clear message out to the community that this drug is a dirty drug, and it is being marketed quite the opposite even by its name.' The Victorian government is considering the report's 54 recommendations, which include mirroring a successful New Zealand initiative to set up a premier-led ministerial council on ice. Premier Denis Napthine announced $4.5 million funding to roll out roadside drug testing capability to all highway patrol cars in Victoria, and $1.6 million to train up 11 additional drug sniffer dogs. The inquiry described the synthetic substances the most potent of the amphetamine class of drugs which consequently has a stronger effect on the central nervous system. 'It is generally stronger, more addictive and has more harmful side effects than the powder form of the drug known as 'speed',' the report said. | A Victorian drug committee member David Southwick says the show is 'coming to life'
Breaking Bad features science teacher Walter White who manufactures methamphetamine and builds a drug empire .
A recent study found a dramatic increase of ambulance call outs for ice related incidents in both regional Victoria and Melbourne .
Deaths from methamphetamines have more than doubled within five years in Victoria . |
98,596 | 0af6f737929c066ee1493d15204d33db1ab5b40d | Top members of computer hacking groups Anonymous and LulzSec have been arrested across two continents after their leader - one of the world's most wanted computer vandals - turned them in. In a startling show of betrayal towards his fellow hackers, 28-year-old Hector Xavier Monsegur led authorities to the five people who have now been charged in court papers in New York. Dad-of-two Monsegur, who has pleaded guilty to a dozen hacking-related charges, is portrayed in court papers as the ringleader of LulzSec, and an 'influential member' of Anonymous. Ever since his arrest last June, he has reportedly been working with authorities to bring down the groups' top hackers. Betrayal: The leader of hacking group LulzSec has been identified as Hector Xavier Monsegur. Since his arrest last June, he has reportedly been working with the FBI to identify other members . The suspects reportedly include four LulzSec members - two men from Great Britain and two from Ireland - and one member of Anonymous - an American named Jeremy Hammond from . Chicago. Three were arrested and two were charged with conspiracy, Fox News reported. Hammond was arrested and appeared before a federal judge in Chicago before he was transferred to New York. 'This is devastating to the organization,' an FBI official told the channel. 'We’re chopping off the head of LulzSec.' The hackers have claimed to be responsible for a number of attacks on large companies, law enforcement and government agencies, including the CIA, FBI and Sony. They are believed to have caused billions of dollars in damages to corporations, banks and agencies. Members attained notoriety last May by attacking the PBS website and posting a story claiming rapper Tupac Shakur was alive and living in New Zealand. Caught: The information he provided reportedly led to charges for five top members across two continents. Four worked for LulzSec and one for Anonymous, whose supporters wear Guy Fawkes masks, as pictured . The group was allegedly led by Monsegur, who works under the alias of Sabu. The unemployed father of two was living in New York's Lower East Side when he was seized by authorities. They found his address after logging into a chatroom without masking his IP - the address which shows a user's whereabouts. Authorities launched surveillance and watched him for weeks - but were forced to move when a rival hacker revealed Monsegur's identity online. Anonymous is the umbrella term used to represent an internet subculture – a collection of online individuals, or 'hacktivists', who share common ideas of anti-censorship and freedom of speech on the internet. They have carried out cyber attacks on Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Amazon, and have threatened to take down Facebook and Twitter servers. Although it is not formerly . affiliated with it, the group has connections with the lesser-known . hacking group LulzSec. LulzSec, short for Lulz Security, is an offshoot of Anonymous and some members have been parts of both collectives . LulzSec is an elite . computer hacker group that has claimed responsibility for several . high-profile, debilitating cyber attacks. Their big hits include the compromising of user account data from Sony Pictures and taking the CIA website offline. They also attacked Fox.com, leaking . the names of more than 7,000 X Factor contestants, and the PBS Newshour . website, where they posted a story claiming that slain killer Tupac was . still living and in New Zealand. The group aims to cause mayhem as well as manipulate flaws in security and passwords systems. Fearing he would destroy his hard drives - and thus evidence needed to prove his guilt - they arrested him in June last year. He pleaded guilty to 12 counts of hacking charges on August 15. His records were unsealed today, charging him with conspiracy to engage in computer hacking, among other charges. The court papers describe him as an . 'influential member of three hacking organizations — Anonymous, Internet . Feds and Lulz Security — that were responsible for multiple cyber . attacks on the computer systems of various businesses and governments in . the United States and throughout the world'. They claim he acted as a 'rooter', a computer hacker who identified vulnerabilities in computer systems. As part of Anonymous, court . papers claim he took part cyber attacks from December 2010 until last . June, including attacks on Visa, MasterCard and PayPaul, and further . attacks on government computers in Tunisia, Algeria, Yemeni and . Zimbabwe. As part of Internet Feds, he is alleged to have participated in attacks against businesses including HBGary Inc., a private security firm and Fox Broadcasting Co. And he is accused of forming LulzSec last May with other hackers, who then attacked Sony, PBS and the United States Senate, among others. Monsegur was free on $50,000 bail. Also charged in court papers with . conspiracy to commit computer hacking were Ryan Ackroyd and Jake Davis . from Great Britain, and Darren Martyn and Donncha O’Cearrbhail of . Ireland. Two of the men, who are all suspected . members of LulzSec, were arrested on Tuesday, while Davis and Martyn . have already been arrested. Fox claims Monsegur has been feeding authorities information about LulzSec ever since his arrest, bringing them down from the . inside. Questions: Jerermy Hammond from Chicgo, Illinois (left in 2009) and Donncha O’Cearrbhail of Ireland (right) Charges: Sources named Jake Davis (left), from the United Kingdom, as one of the hackers facing charges. English teenager Ryan Cleary, (right) already faces hacking charges, allegedly as part of LulzSec . Yet he has continued to be a public face . for the movement, tweeting to his followers on Monday: 'The federal . government is run by a bunch of f****** cowards. Don't give in to these . people. Fight back. Stay strong.' In August, 2011, it came to light . that Anonymous had hacked into 70 law enforcement websites, mostly local . sheriffs’ websites in Missouri. The hacks had occurred four weeks . before the discovered. Using information passed on by Monsegur, the FBI . was able to work with the server company to mitigate the damage, Fox . claims. The FBI then alerted 300 government, . financial and corporate entities around the world to potential . vulnerabilities in their computer systems. Stories . have also emerged about Sabu's far-reaching power. When the CIA found . itself under siege from LulzSec hackers, Sabu, working for the . government, told them to stop, and they did. 'He's a rockstar,' a New York-based . hacker told Fox. 'All the girls, you buy them a drink, but all they want . to talk about is Sabu, Sabu, Sabu.' Barrett Brown, a former journalist . who became closely associated with Anonymous, said Sabu's betrayal would . have a serious effect on the group. Mass damage: The hacking group Anonymous, whose logo is pictured, is . believed to have caused billions of dollars in damages to corporations, . banks and government agencies . 'He was an admired Anon,' he told AP. 'He's been a leader. People came to him with information. God knows what else he told them.' The arrested member of Anonymous, Jeremy Hammond from Chicago, was arrested on charges of hacking and device access fraud. He reportedly caused the hacking of Stratfor Security Intelligence, which led to the leak of 200GB worth of emails then published on Wikileaks. Fox sources said Hammond will be charged in a separate indictment, and they described him as a member of Anonymous. Some of the alleged associates of the group are already facing charges elsewhere. In July, reputed LulzSec spokesman, . 18-year-old Jake Davis, was arrested in Scotland. Sources named him as . one of those facing charges in New York. Another English teenager Ryan Cleary, was arrested by British law enforcement in June and charged with being linked to the group. | Leader of computer hacking group LulzSec identified as unemployed dad-of-two Hector Xavier Monsegur .
Secretly arrested last June and pleaded guilty to hacking charges in August .
Has reportedly been working with FBI to bring down top hackers ever since .
Court papers released Tuesday portray him as ringleader of hacking groups .
Five members from UK, Ireland and US face charges . |
100,639 | 0da822c18709c82753ccf4255d897c9e50b76939 | By . Emily Crane . and Aap . The son of Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart called his youngest sister an 'oxygen thief', a Sydney court has heard in the latest battle over control of the family's $5billion trust. John Hancock made the comments about Ginia Rinehart, who has sided with her mother against her siblings, the NSW Supreme Court heard on Tuesday. Gina has has been embroiled in an ongoing feud with three of her four children, John, Bianca and Hope, over the family fortune left by her father, mining magnate Lang Hancock. Scroll down for video . Bianca Rinehart, the eldest daughter of Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart, appeared at Sydney's Supreme Court on Tuesday to argue why she should be allowed to take control of a $5 billion family trust . Appearing as the first witness in the case, lodged three years ago, Bianca Rinehart defended her brother's comments, despite having told her mother in 2004 she was 'deeply concerned about (his) reckless bite the hand that feeds you approach'. Bianca, who had temporarily fallen out with Mr Hancock, told the court: '(It's) not a personal attack.' She added that her brother's drinking and gambling problems had been 'damaging in the past'. 'He doesn't want to see the family business left in the hands of someone ... he feels isn't up to the job,' she said. The contempt Mr Hancock had for Ginia . was born of worry about who would be 'assuming real and great . responsibility of taking over the family company', according to Bianca. She and Mr Hancock have since reconciled, with Mr Hancock backing her bid to take charge of the family's $5 billion trust. The youngest Rinehart, Ginia (left), has sided with her mother, Gina (right), against her siblings and the NSW Supreme Court heard on Tuesday that John Hancock had expressed contempt toward her . The . court heard their mother Gina reportedly sent Olympic swimmer Grant . Hackett an email encouraging him to convince Bianca to withdraw her bid . to control the trust rather 'than be found a liar in the witness box', . the Sydney Morning Herald reported. He later forwarded the email to his friend Bianca. The youngest Rinehart, Ginia, was not the only one who angered her older brother. Bianca, . Ms Rinehart's eldest daughter, also said her younger sister Hope Welker 'was . pretty much at her wit's end' and felt 'kicked in the stomach' after . the way she was treated by Mr Hancock. John Hancock called his youngest sister, Ginia, an 'oxygen thief'. Bianca Rinehart told the court this contempt was born out of worry over who would assume 'real and great responsibility' for the family company . The court heard their mother Gina reportedly sent Olympic swimmer Grant Hackett an email encouraging him to convince Bianca to withdraw her bid to control the trust rather 'than be found a liar in the witness box' Mr Hancock and Bianca allege their mother Gina acted 'deceitfully' and with 'gross dishonesty' in her dealings with the trust, set up in 1988 by her father, Lang Hancock, with her children as the beneficiaries . Bianca told the court that Hope had emailed her brother in February 2013 saying: 'All . I feel is pain and anxiety. You are kicking me in the stomach.' Ms . Welker has withdrawn from the protracted legal debate for control of . the family trust, distressed at the way it was proceeding, and dealing . with her own divorce. Mr Hancock and Bianca allege their . mother acted 'deceitfully' and with 'gross dishonesty' in her dealings . with the trust, set up in 1988 by her father, Lang Hancock, with her . children as the beneficiaries. So . far, every proposal for a replacement trustee - including Bianca, Mr . Hancock and independent trustees - has been knocked out of contention . during lengthy court proceedings. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Gina Rinehart's son John Hancock took aim at his youngest sister, Ginia, NSW Supreme Court heard on Tuesday .
Ginia has taken her mother's side in the latest court proceedings as her siblings try and take charge of family's $5 billion trust .
Contempt Mr Hancock felt for Ginia was born out of worry over who would assume 'real and great responsibility' over company, court heard .
Eldest sibling, Bianca Rinehart, faced court in a bid to take charge of the family's billion dollar trust . |
176,082 | 6ff59b00a26b014a40b7ee5891e2b3a1889389ee | (CNN) -- If you have to ask, you're probably not on the list. U.S. President Barack Obama hosted his French counterpart, Francois Hollande, at a state dinner Tuesday night -- the first of his second term. The event is a highly coveted social soiree. The presidents were joined by Michelle Obama and the crème de la crème of Washington and Hollywood. The invite list is culled from recommendations from the President and first lady, top government officials, the Pentagon, members of Congress, the Supreme Court and the State Department. Movie stars and community and business leaders are also often asked to attend. Among this year's invited guests were: J.J. Abrams, Bradley Cooper, Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and Secretary of State John Kerry. Much like an awards show, guests streamed past a sea of cameras. Some stopped and talked to reporters. The first lady wore a billowing black and blue dress designed by Carolina Herrera, and greeted Hollande along with her husband on the steps outside. When the three came down a staircase inside, she walked behind the two men, because Hollande went to the dinner stag. The main event was to be held in a tent on the South Lawn of the White House. Attendees were expected to dine on four courses of American-grown haute cuisine: osetra caviar and quail eggs, a winter salad "served in a wonderful glass bowl to make it look like a terrarium," Colorado-raised beef and a chocolate dessert sourced from Obama's native Hawaii. Before the dinner, the White House released the names and vintages of the wines poured at each course -- a change from the last few state dinners, which listed only "American" bottles lest the price shock taxpayers. Reds from California and Washington State and a sparking wine from Virginia were the selections. None retail for more than $50 a bottle. It all sounds very fancy -- and it is -- but state dinners aren't just about pomp and pageantry, according to the White House. Real work gets done. "Behind the festive exterior of the social scene, the important business of government goes on -- information is gathered -- opinions exchanged -- powerful connections made and appearances upheld. For these reasons White House invitations are the most important and the most sought after in the nation's social whirl," the White House website says. Obama and Hollande are in the midst of a diplomatic bromance as they face international challenges that include the Syrian civil war, Iran's nuclear ambitions and economic malaise in Europe. A socialist elected in 2012, Hollande arrived alone for the dinner after revelations in France of an affair with an actress and the subsequent end of his longtime relationship with Valerie Trierweiler, who was considered the equivalent of the French first lady even though the two weren't married. It's not the first time a French president has come to Washington alone. Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, attended a formal dinner at the White House shortly after announcing his split from his previous wife. CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report. | The first lady wears a black and blue dress by Carolina Herrera .
The French President arrives at the dinner, as expected, alone .
The dinner marks the first state dinner of Obama's second term . |
193,348 | 864d79bf90280ba04b9d72c59e96899b35bee801 | New York (CNN) -- A heat wave continued to blanket the U.S. Northeast with scorching temperatures on the first day of summer, as residents across the region sought to keep cool amid national heat advisories. Severe heat and humidity stretched from Vermont to North Carolina on Thursday with temperatures reaching the mid- to upper 90s, the National Weather Service said. The Northeast will begin cooling slightly Friday, the service said, but the heat is expected to continue with forecasts in the low 90s and high 80s across the mid-Atlantic states. Cool down with summer treats . Cities across the Northeast designated cooling centers, turned on outdoor sprinklers and splash stations and issued advisories in an effort to help keep residents safe, emergency management officials in several cities said. "[More than 400] cooling centers will continue to remain open Friday," said New York Emergency management spokeswoman Judith Kane. The city advised residents to turn on their air conditioners or to go to air-conditioned locations such as museums, malls and movie theaters to stay out of the sun. In Boston, 15 indoor public pools, outdoor wading pools and splash stations were available, said John Guilfoil, spokesman for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, in addition to air-conditioned community centers. "We actually weren't going to come out, because it was so hot today, but they turned on the sprinklers and we're going to have some fun," first-grade teacher James Bernardini said in Manhattan's Central Park. More than 700 sprinklers were available in parks across New York City, said Parks Department spokeswoman Vickie Karp. "It's 90 degrees outside. Imagine how it is in a classroom without a fan, without an AC," Bernardini said. According to the National Weather Service, Baltimore and Washington reached high temperatures of 98 degrees on Thursday. Farther north, Boston, New York and Philadelphia reached, respectively, 95, 93 and 97 degrees, the service said. The service advises residents to drink plenty of water, to stay out of the sun, to take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments and to check on relatives and neighbors during the heat wave. Young children and the elderly are especially at risk for heat-related injuries, the service said. Last year, it reported 206 heat-related deaths. In the past decade, heat has been the second-leading cause for weather-related fatalities, the service said. Residents are advised to call 311 or to go to their city's website online to find cooling centers and to get further information on how to keep cool as the heat continues. | Severe heat and humidity stretches from Vermont to North Carolina .
Cities designate cooling centers and turned on sprinklers in parks to offer residents relief .
Baltimore and D.C. clock in at 98 degrees; Northeast will cool off slightly Friday . |
61,046 | ad662c4fb51a594994a77fe17528c2fa6756d1d1 | Every bride wants to look perfect on their wedding day and it seems Angelina Jolie is no exception. But will she really go as far as to have surgery to remove bulging veins in her arms? That's the claim made by U.S. magazine National Enquirer who report that the actress 'wants to look as beautiful as possible when she walks down the aisle this summer' to tie the knot with long-term partner Brad Pitt. Angelina is regularly voted one of the most beautiful women in the world but an 'insider' told the magazine the Oscar-winner 'has always had a complex about how her veins jut out'. Bridal perfection: A U.S. tabloid states Angelina Jolie wants to be rid of the jutting veins in her arms ahead of her wedding to Brad Pitt . They said: 'She never had an incentive to do anything about it until now. She's . chosen a sleeveless gown for her wedding day, and the last thing she . wants is to be looking like a freak in the photographs.' It's is unlikely there will be much chance of that when the 38 year old marries Brad, 50, with whom she has six children. But the magazine claim she's so keen to 'tidy up' her appearance for the big day she will consider surgery. The other option would be for the slim star to gain weight so the protruding veins were less obvious but the source said 'that’s not an option to her.' According to an 'insider' the actress, pictured here with Brad Pitt and their son Maddox, has always had a 'complex' about her veiny arms and the wedding has finally given her an incentive to do something about it . 'If she took the time to bulk up, everything in her life – including the toll all the weight loss has taken on her body – would fall into place. But Angie's just too busy to eat. She’s also convinced that she needs to stay super-skinny to maintain her sex appeal. That leaves her no option but surgery to tidy up those veins,' they said. Endovenous laser treatment is frequently used to reduce the appearance of unsightly varicose veins. A catheter is inserted into the troublesome vein and a laser is passed through that which then delivers short bursts of energy that heat up the vein and seal it closed. Blood no longer pumps through it and so it disappears. What complex? Sceptics point out that If Angelina is so paranoid about her arms, why does she often wear sleeveless gowns on the red carpet? Spire Healthcare offer the treatment in the UK on varicose veins in the leg for a 'guide price' of £1,765. They state the loss of the treated vein is not damaging because 'after treatment the blood in the faulty veins will be diverted to other normal veins in order to make its way back to the heart.' Keith Rose a venous specialist at cosmetics surgery provider MYA.co.uk and Courthouse Clinics told MailOnline: 'Endovenous Laser Therapy is an established minimally invasive technique for the treatment of varicose veins in the lower limbs. 'Long term studies have shown that the results are as good as, or better than open surgery and the technique is recommended by NICE as the first choice for varicose veins in the leg. 'EVLA for veins in the arm is a novel use for this technology and there are very few clinicians offering this procedure in the UK.' Numerous celebrity websites have been quick to dismiss the report that Angelina would consider such treatment on her arms. Gossipcop.com points out that the National Enquirer 'regularly publishes and spreads outrageous and false stories about Jolie's health' and it's 'ridiculous' to believe the actress has a complex about her arms when she 'frequently makes major public appearances in arm-baring outfits'. Meanwhile celebdirtylaundry.com states that while Angelina has a track record of having surgery for medical reasons after she had a mastectomy last year to prevent breast cancer, they believe she wouldn't have cosmetic surgery because it's 'fraught with risks, and I doubt she's willing to take them'. Endovenous laser treatment involves having a catheter inserted into your vein and using an ultrasound scan to guide it into the correct position. A tiny laser is passed through the catheter and positioned at the top of your varicose vein.The laser delivers short bursts of energy that heat up the vein and seal it closed. The laser is slowly pulled along the vein using the ultrasound scan to guide it and allowing the entire length of the vein to be closed.Endovenous laser treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic. After the procedure you may feel some tightness in your legs and the affected areas may be bruised and painful. Nerve injury is also possible, but it's usually only temporary. Information according to www.nhs.uk . | U.S. tabloid says actress has 'complex' about protruding veins .
State she is considering surgery to remove them before summer wedding .
Treatment involves laser zapping vein to seal it .
Alternative is for Angelina to gain weight but that's 'not an option' |
152,103 | 50914d0b6ea5f3c3bc42c6128fa303a19890cf32 | (CNN) -- Whether they're blasting over the tracks in Germany or Japan, trains offer travelers a chance to sit back and relax as they ride through some of the world's most incredible scenery. But often the stations the trains depart from are an attraction in their own right, counting among the world's most beautiful pieces of architecture. Hamburg-based architectural data company, Emporis just released a list of 11 of the world's most spectacular train stations. "Increasing numbers of cities are adorning themselves with eye-catching station buildings that, with their unconventional roof structures, bright colors and extravagant shapes, become unique architectural landmarks of those cities," the report says. The 11 stations include the artistic Hundertwasser Bahnhof in Germany, decorated in the style of artist Friedensreich; futuristic Gare de Liege-Guillemins in Belgium, with its "gigantic arched roof that spans the entire length of the station"; and the soon-to-be-completed World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York "that will set new standards in station architecture." The report adds that historical stations are now being eyed for elaborate and unusual renovations. Love traveling by train? Share your favorite photos . King's Cross in London and Gare de Strasbourg in France, for instance, are among stations that are now part modern art and part historical landmarks. Meanwhile, architectural masterpieces like Grand Central Terminal in New York and Chhaatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai are equally as impressive today as they were when opening in 1913 and 1888, respectively. Check out the above gallery for Emporis' full list of spectacular train stations. | Architectural data company Emporis has compiled a list of 11 stunning train stations .
Grand Central Terminus in New York receives over 21.6 million tourists each year .
Chhaatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . |
44,324 | 7cfd324a1a8aeded607ccf504ff27a2c00294dfc | Jose Mourinho thinks it is unfair to single out David Luiz after the former Chelsea defender made a number of mistakes during Brazil's humiliating 7-1 defeat by Germany. In the absence of suspended captain Thiago Silva, Brazil's back four was ripped apart by Germany in the World Cup semi-final in Belo Horizonte. And Luiz, who started alongside Dante in the centre of defence and skippered his side, endured a torrid evening as Joachim Low's side tore through the hosts at will. Scroll down for videos... Heartbreak: David Luiz has been singled out for criticism after Brazil's World Cup defeat by Germany . Trailing: The PSG defender watches former Chelsea team-mate Andre Schurrle score for Germany . Mourinho is Yahoo's Global Football Ambassador . But Mourinho, speaking in his capacity as Yahoo’s Global Football Ambassador, thinks the whole Brazil team are to blame, not just Luiz. The Chelsea manager said: 'I don't think it's fair to separate a player from the team, because the team was really bad. 'David made mistakes? Yes he did. But, Dante made mistake, Marcelo made mistakes, Fernandinho made mistakes. The team as a team made mistakes. So I don't think it’s fair. 'I think everyone in my situation, everyone that is a player, everyone that is a coach, everyone that is not involved in the World Cup, but could be in that position.' Luiz was sold to Paris Saint-Germain for £50million this summer, but he was part of the most devastating defeat in Brazil's World Cup history in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. VIDEO Disbelief in Belo Horizonte after devastating Germany win . Tearful: Luiz is consoled by suspended captain Thiago Silva after the final whistle . Price: Luiz will play alongside Thiago Silva next season after signing for PSG in a £50m deal . Mourinho said: 'I think all of us are feeling really sorry for them. Because it is a historic moment. 'A moment that we will remember forever the same way that we all know that once many, many, many years ago, once Brazil lost a World Cup final against Uruguay in America and the same way my son, who is 14 years old, knows that. 'In 50 years’ time our kids will know that Brazil lost at home against Germany, one to seven. 'From my point of view, from the professional point of view, it's heartbreaking and I'm really sorry for them.' ‘Jose Mourinho is an exclusive analyst for Yahoo’s worldwide football coverage, www.yahoo.co.uk/worldcup is the only place to read all his expert opinions during the FIFA World Cup 2014.’ | Luiz made numerous errors during Brazil's 7-1 thrashing .
But Mourinho thinks Luiz was not the only man at fault for Brazil .
'Marcelo made mistakes, Dante made mistakes', said Mourinho .
He also said that Brazil were 'really bad'
Luiz was sold by Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain for £50million last month . |
10,383 | 1d8bc084e34d2f35349c773bfcde3422e25361a4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:56 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:01 EST, 10 January 2014 . A . student suing police officers after she fell out of a moving patrol . car while handcuffed - shattering her jaw - said she tumbled out of the vehicle to avoid being sexually assaulted. Kim . Nguyen, 28, filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department last September . after she fell from the car following a public intoxication arrest on on March 17, 2013. In a new filmed deposition, seen by KCal9, she said that she was handcuffed in the back of a squad car when one of the officers sat beside her and began sexually assaulting her. Scroll down for videos . Lawsuit: Kim Nguyen, 28, claims she fell from a police car - smashing her jaw - after an officer started sexually assaulting her. She had been arrested for public intoxication before the March 2013 incident . 'He was grabbing my left inner thigh . and trying, I'm assuming, to open my legs,' she said with her face down. 'Touching my chest and pulling my ear to me to face towards him.' She added that when she was arrested . outside a Koreatown restaurant as she waited for a taxi, she was the . only one taken away in the patrol car and her male friends were left . behind. Nguyen, a . business student at Loyola Marymount University, said the officer’s . negligence caused her to tumble out of the vehicle, her attorney Arnoldo . Cassillas told KCal9. A . video of the incident does not show the moment she fell from the car, . but does reveal her lying in the road apparently wearing no dress from . the waist down. Injured: Surveillance footage caught Nguyen on the road after she fell from the moving patrol car . Hurt: Her bloody face can be seen in the footage. She required three jaw surgeries after the incident . Speaking out: She has claimed that she fell to escape a sexual assault by one of the officers . The surveillance footage also shows her face bruised and bloodied. In an incident report, paramedics reported that police said Nguyen fell as they accelerated after an intersection stop. According to a paramedic report, the . police officers said they were traveling at 10mph when she fell . on to the road. However, the surveillance appears to capture the car . traveling at a faster speed. Nguyen said that she shattered her jaw and had brain bleeding. She had three surgeries on her jaw and lost several teeth. Injuries: Nguyen stayed in hospital for 2 weeks as she underwent multiple surgeries for her broken jaw . Lawsuit: The student is now suing two of the officers who picked her up for being publicly intoxicated . The lawsuit sues the two officers involved in her arrest and the city of Los Angeles for unspecified damages over negligence. The LA Times named the officers involved as David Shin, a three-year veteran of the force, and Jin Oh, who has been a cop . since 2008. Police patrol cars are fitted with special locks that prevent prisoners from falling or jumping out during transit. The LAPD said they would not comment on pending litigation. See below for video . | Kim Nguyen, 28, filed a civil lawsuit for unspecified damages following the incident in Los Angeles on March 17 last year .
Nguyen, who had been arrested for public intoxication, was captured on surveillance video lying in the road with a bloody face .
She needed three surgeries on her jaw and suffered bleeding on the brain .
In a deposition, she said that she was being sexually assaulted by a police officer who was putting his hand between her legs . |
72,796 | ce6a86a51690ae25d39c6a86c132cf61f6cf3c53 | By . Victoria Woollaston and Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 04:32 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 5 September 2013 . A mysterious device that some believe could be a new Nexus handset, has been spotted in a promotional video for Google's new KitKat Android 4.4 operating system. In the video, a Google employee can be seen snapping the proceedings using a phone with a Google Nexus and LG logo on it, which suggests the two companies might be collaborating on a new handset. The video has since been taken down from YouTube, arguably adding weight to rumours that the internet giant accidentally leaked pictures of its own top-secret device. Scroll down for video . In the video, a Google employee (pictured front left) can be seen snapping the launch party using a phone with a Google Nexus and LG logo on it, which suggests the two companies might be collaborating on a new handset . The video, which was saved by Verge, focuses on the celebration to announce Google's new Android operating system, which follows other sweet-themed software names including such as Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Android Jelly Bean. Google teamed up with Nestle for the launch, which saw the KitKat homepage redesigned as a parody of Google software releases, and plenty of chocolate being eaten at Google's Mountain View office. The release will also be marked with a competition to win prizes including 1,000 Google Nexus 7 tablets . through more than 50 million specially-branded KitKat bars sold in Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco. The employee in the video taking photos of the huge Android 'bug droid' composed of giant KitKats is holding a device that features a horizontal logo, similar to that seen on the new Nexus 7 tablet. However, it also features a large camera lens and matte finish, which has not been seen on any similar Google devices in the wild. Google teamed up with Nestle for the launch, which saw the KitKat homepage redesigned as a parody of Google software releases, and plenty of chocolate being eaten at Google's Mountain View office (pictured) Launched in July, the Nexus 7 tablet is built by Asus and has a seven-inch, 1980x1200 display - the world's highest resolution screen . Launched in July, the Nexus 7 tablet is built by Asus and has a seven-inch, 1980x1200 display - the world's highest resolution screen - that offers almost double the pixels per inch than the iPad mini despite being around £100 cheaper than Apple's £269 tablet. It also has a 5MP rear-facing camera for the first time, and a faster 1.5Ghz processor compared to the first-generation Nexus 7 device and is the first gadget to be shipped on an updated version of Google's Jelly Bean operating system, Android 4.3 available in three models. In a blog post on Google+, Sundar Pichai, the firm's SVP of Android and Chrome announced there have been more than one billion activations of Android-based devices worldwide - which includes tablets and smartphones. He also said new Android devices will be launched in Berlin. Sony yesterday revealed its next-generation waterproof smartphone called Xperia Z1. The high-end handset has a 20.7 megapixel camera and a G Lens designed to take clear and colour-rich photographs, and its new Social live feature lets users stream videos being recorded on the phone straight to Facebook, in real-time. | Google released a video showing the unveiling of its Android KitKat statue .
Employee spotted taking a picture of launch on what could be new device .
The mystery smartphone sports a Nexus and LG logo, leading many to speculate the two companies might have collaborated on a new device . |
265,010 | e34093672b6ccf2cbe19a981e7db33e279a14f40 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 05:39 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:31 EST, 8 October 2013 . When Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell spotted five German planes flying over the French coastline in he must have feared the worst. But the brave RAF pilot gave chase and opened fire on the enemy Focke-Wulf aircraft as they desperately tried to flee in 1944. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the 34-year-old managed to shoot down one of the planes and probably a second one. War hero: Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell (centre) who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of his bravery in 1944 . Decorated pilot: Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell who was commended for his actions over Cherbourg, France, in 1944 . Wing Commander Elwell only abandoned his onslaught over the Cherbourg peninsula in northern France when his Mosquito ran out of ammunition. He had been sent to investigate flares and flak in a routine operation when he spotted the enemy planes. In recognition of his valour, the skilled aviator was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. A local newspaper report in the . Swindon Advertiser at the time of the incident noted Wing Commander . Elwell’s bravery under the headline ‘Fought Five Planes - Highworth . Pilot Gets One’. The report . said: 'Investigating flares and heavy flak east of the Cherbourg . Peninsula, a 34-year-old Mosquito pilot, Squadron Leader P B Elwell, . Highworth, noticed five FW-190s climbing steeply. 'He raced in and fought the planes until his ammunition was exhausted. He destroyed one FW for certain, and probably another, before returning home safely.' Although he survived the war, Wing Commander Elwell tragically died aged 52 when he crashed his de Havilland Dragon Rapide at Entebbe Airport in Uganda in October 1962. He suffered a heart attack as he came in to land. Now, more than 40 years later, his son John Elwell, 64, has taken the difficult decision to sell his father's medals at auction to support his own son. Honours: Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell's medals are pictured. They include the the Distinguished Flying Cross (bottom left), the 39-45 Star (bottom, centre), Atlantic Star (bottom, third from right) and the 39-45 medal (bottom, far right) Media praise: A report from the Swindon Advertiser in which 34-year-old Squadron Leader Elwell is praised for his heroics over France in 1944 . The money will be used to buy land in Australia. The set, which also included the . 39-45 War medal, 39-45 Star, Atlantic Star and Africa Star, sold for . £6,566 at auction to a private British collector. The . sale also included a medallion awarded by the Belgian government, . epaulettes and cloth wings, flight logs, newspaper cuttings and a . personal diary. Following the war Wing Commander Elwell continued flying and in 1960 was made an MBE for helping evacuate European refugees from the Belgian Congo during the country’s revolution. Philip Allwood, from auctioneers Moore Allen and Innocent in Cirenester, Glos, said: 'Wing Commander Elwell served throughout the Second World War with distinction. 'After the war he carried on being very couragous, airlifting people out of the Congo. 'Sadly he died shortly after at the controls of a plane. 'Auctions like these just go to highlight the incredible stories of bravery and valour that would otherwise remain unknown.' Born in 1910 in Highworth near Swindon, Wg Cdr Elwell began flying in 1932 following an apprenticeship as an engineer at the Great Western Railway Works. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1939, continuing to fly fighter planes until the end of the war 1945. After the war he continued to fly for commercial carriers in Africa. Between 1955 and 1960 Wg Cdr Elwell worked in Kenya where he was the second mayor of Eldoret, a town in the west of the country. He then moved to Uganda where, while working for Caspair Air Charters, he trained the first ever African pilot. War effort: Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell was flying a Royal Air Force De Havilland Mosquito like this one in 1944 when he spotted five German Focke-Wulf planes and gave chase . Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell was at the controls of a de Hallivand Mosquito when he bravely chased five German bombers over France in 1944. The plane - dubbed The Wooden Wonder because it was made almost entirely from wood - was one of the fastest aircraft in the world when it was first manufactured in 1941. It was used to intercept Luftwaffe planes launching night raids on Britain. They were also used to drop 4,000lb bombs on Germany which the Nazis were unable to prevent because of the speed of the planes. In total, 7,781 of the planes were manufactured. They were also used by the Australian, US and Canadian Air Forces. The Mosquito could fly at over 400mph. | The Wing Commander Paul Bingham Elwell shot down one or maybe two of the planes over France in 1944 .
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery .
Tragically the RAF pilot died after suffering a heart attack while flying in 1962 .
His son has sold his medals at auction for nearly £6,000 .
The money will be used by John Elwell to support his own son in Australia . |
142,650 | 447d0758ab735e19891dc86008e8c85f7954c5c8 | (CNN) -- Four years after "The Decision," LeBron James appears headed toward another one. The burning question: Where will the NBA superstar land next? The Miami Heat star and four-time league MVP has decided to exercise his contract's early termination option, meaning he'll be a free agent July 1, a source close to him told CNN's Rachel Nichols on Tuesday. What's the big deal about a basketball player possibly changing teams? James is a rarity, an athlete so dominating that his personality transcends the sport. He's earned first-name recognition, like Cher or Barack. James' move would set up the 29-year-old star for a possible departure from Miami, where he has played the last four seasons, reaching four league finals and winning two championships. He famously left his first team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, via free agency in 2010, teaming up with Heat star Dwyane Wade and fellow free agent Chris Bosh in Miami. James made that much-anticipated announcement in an ESPN special called "The Decision." The world of social media buzzed Tuesday with speculation about where he might end up, the excitement fueled by the recent decision of James' buddy, Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, to also try free agency. What if those stars ended up together? As †. | NBA superstar LeBron James to become free agent, source says .
He led Miami Heat to 4 NBA finals, 2 titles .
Social media buzzing with speculation about where he might go .
Teams that might sign him: Cleveland Cavaliers, L.A. Lakers, Houston Rockets . |
213,343 | a0473a57fb85ec1226494d473de364489d8a352d | Wallabies star Kurtley Beale was asked to change his shirt during a flight by a female staff member, before an argument led to him being dropped for the side's match against Argentina. The request came from head coach Ewen McKenzie through business manager Di Patston, who also asked the same of rookie second-rower Sam Carter during the team's flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paolo on Sunday, according toFairfax Media. However, what is believed to have sparked the verbal altercation just 15 hours after the side's 28-10 loss to the Springboks, was when Beale is said to have made a sarcastic comment as he returned to his seat. It was reported that Patston questioned the remark, according to witnesses on the plane, which caused the argument as McKenzie and other club members tried to intervene. Scroll down for video . Wallabies star Kurtley Beale was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with a female staff member during a flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paolo on Saturday . McKenzie has confirmed that Beale has been left out of the 23-man squad but says the decision was made as a game strategy, for 'team balance' - rather than as disciplinary action after the controversy. Patston returned to Australia on Tuesday of her own accord, from Buenos Aires, two days later. McKenzie missed training on Tuesday afternoon to escort her to the airport but on Wednesday said Beale remained available for selection for Saturday's Rugby Championship clash with the Pumas in Mendoza. Beale's 47-Test career has been dogged by a succession of off-field problems and last year the 25-year-old was forced to undergo counselling and rehabilitation for his struggles with alcohol. McKenzie, though, said the troubled playmaker shouldn't be hung out to dry. 'Obviously we're aware of the history but you deal with every incident as it comes along,' he said. 'And you've got to determine the facts and until we determine that fully, I'm not going to make any more judgment on it.' An ARU spokesperson said they expected the investigation to be completed by the end of next week. It came the day after the Wallabies's 28-10 loss to the Springboks in Cape Town . The Australian Rugby Union's integrity unit investigating an alleged incident . 'The investigation will ensure all parties have an opportunity to present all relevant facts, before any assessment of the alleged incident can be reached,' they said. McKenzie declined to comment on the severity of the allegation or any possible sanctioning, but it's understood the altercation was only verbal. 'We've referred it to the experts,' McKenzie said. 'I mean, obviously there's protocols and things in place.' McKenzie refused to divulge whether alcohol was involved, but the Wallabies have a protocol of no drinking on flights and are only allowed to indulge on the night after a Test match. 'Matters of integrity, you've actually got to protect the people involved until there is some sort of decision,' McKenzie said. Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie (right) on Wednesday said Beale (left) remained available for selection for Saturday's Rugby Championship clash . Last year the 25-year-old was forced to undergo counselling and rehabilitation for his struggles with alcohol . McKenzie admitted he was aware of the incident soon after it happened, but other dramas - including the delayed arrival of the 42-strong touring party's luggage - had slowed the investigation process. The coach missed Wallabies training in Buenos Aires on Tuesday - their only session so far this week - while dealing with the incident in which he claimed 'there were a number of people involved'. McKenzie conceded the incident was a major distraction ahead of their final Rugby Championship match. 'These things are time-consuming, so I don't pretend that I enjoy the distraction of it,' he said. 'But matters of welfare are critical. Matters of behaviour are critical, too, to team culture. 'So I'm not going to sit here and leave things undone or not attended, so obviously the ARU will take the lead on it but I'll follow it through and make sure things get sorted.' | Wallabies star Kurtley Beale left out of side for clash with Argentina .
Ewen McKenzie confirms Beale won't play but says it is just GAME strategy .
Beale was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with a female management staff member named as Di Patston .
Patston asked him to change his shirt which caused the argument .
Incident occurred on a flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paolo . |
128,943 | 329e6d4771daf5024247fdc610dc7854de9f8e02 | By . Matt Lawton . Follow @@Matt_Lawton_DM . A ‘lack of trust’ in his relationship with Chris Froome has been cited as the reason why Sir Bradley Wiggins will not be on the start line in Yorkshire for this year’s Tour de France. While Team Sky insisted on Friday that a final decision on team selection would not be made until the end of this month, Wiggins broke ranks to say he was ‘gutted’ not to be riding. He will not be alone, with British cycling now faced with losing its biggest star for the three days the Tour will be here in the UK next month. Losing its biggest star when he happens to be in top form, having recently won the Tour of California. ‘If Brad doesn’t ride it will be a disaster for the sport in this country,’ said one senior figure in cycling. ‘Here was a chance to showcase the sport here in England with the last two winners of the Tour, who are both British. But because they don’t get on, the one who’s most popular with the fans is not going to be there. It’s embarrassing.’ Absent: Sir Bradley Wiggins said he is gutted not to be racing in the 2014 Tour de France . The situation points to a complete failure by Sky’s management to resolve a problem that has existed between the two riders since the 2012 Tour. Sir Dave Brailsford has proved himself a master administrator for more than a decade. But Wiggins pointed out that he and Froome have been kept apart all year — not racing or training together — and that he has therefore been denied any opportunity to prove he is prepared to play support rider to last year’s Tour winner. In an interview with the BBC on Friday, Wiggins said: ‘The team is focused around Chris Froome. I am gutted. I feel I am in the form I was two years ago. Now if I want to go to the Tour again, the reality is that I might have to go elsewhere. I also understand that cycling is a team sport and it is all about Team Sky winning and Chris is defending champion. ‘For the dynamic of the team, Chris has a say and we haven’t raced together all year. When you’re in the heat of the moment, you need guys you can trust and who have been there for you. Tensions can rise between two riders.’ Tension: Chris Froome (left) and Wiggins fell out during the 2012 Tour de France . Ambition: Wiggins hopes to race in the Tour de France again, and wants to return to the track for Rio 2016 . It would be wrong to portray Wiggins too much as the victim here because there has been a degree of stubbornness on both sides in resolving the situation. This despite claims by both riders that they had cleared the air during a training camp towards the end of last year. Sources close to the pair say the atmosphere is ‘dreadful’ when they are together, with Froome sometimes ‘intimidated’ by a colleague of Wiggins’s stature. But the key problem for Froome, says the source — after their very public spats in the wake of the 2012 Tour — is ‘a lack of trust’ within what is a team sport. With his contract expiring this year, Wiggins said he is considering his future at Team Sky having ‘spoken to a few people’ linked to rival teams. ‘Having missed the Tour again this year, I wouldn’t like to leave it there,’ said Wiggins, who also has his sights on a return to the track for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. ‘I’d love to go back at some point so there is the chance that I would go back to the Tour next year.’ Pedal power: Wiggins won the Tour of California earlier this year and is in the form of his life . While Wiggins is bitterly disappointed, this will not necessarily play well for Froome, either. As he explained in a recent interview with this newspaper, he has a say as to which nine riders make up the team and it is clear he has had a major influence here. In a separate interview with the French sports daily L’Equipe, Wiggins said: ‘After Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of California, I felt good physically, I was ready to go. But these last few weeks, it has become more and more clear that I will not be at the Tour.’ Wiggins said he last spoke with Team Sky principal Brailsford earlier this week — who suggested that he concentrate on preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer. Home soil: The 2014 Tour de France will kick off in Yorkshire on 5 July . ‘It’s disappointing because it could have been my last Tour de France,’ said Wiggins. ‘I’ve had my doubts since April. I hoped my performances would get me a place. But then, after California, I knew that they were all off on an altitude camp, but I wasn’t involved, nor was I involved in the Tour reconnaissance rides. ‘The plan since the world championships last year was that, in an ideal world, Chris and I would ride together in the Tour and that everything would go well. I understood the role I would play, that Chris would be the leader and I was 100 per cent behind that. I wanted to play that support role. Then Shane Sutton (British Cycling’s technical director) told the press that I would have to fight very hard to win my place, that it was now Chris’s team and that Chris clearly had a say in selection.’ Wiggins also said he had spoken to the Orica-GreenEdge team about joining them next season. | Wiggins reveals he will not race in the 2014 Tour de France .
2012 champion wants to compete in race again and may leave Team Sky .
Wiggins aiming for return to track in time for Rio 2016 Olympics .
Tour de France 2014 begins in Yorkshire on 5 July . |
40,719 | 72e0a3cba7d6296fba566b2551f7e53a04b94560 | Six seniors at a Long Island high school are under investigation and facing disciplinary action after posting a photo of them wearing t-shirts saying 'RAPE?'. The students from Commack High School posed for the image next to the athletics track yesterday after their annual class picture and uploaded it to Twitter. It was then spotted by angry students online who then started to share the photo on social media. First image: The students from Commack High School posed for the image next to the athletics track after their annual class picture. It was then posted on Twitter and spotted by fellow students . The first image shows five of the students in a line, with the word written in gold letters, followed by a question mark. In the second image, the question mark is replaced with a period while another student joins the pose. He is seen lying on the floor with his hands tied together and tape covering his mouth. Student Danielle DiFrancisco told ABC News: 'When they showed me the picture, I thought 'this is ridiculous, I go to this school, and I've been here for three years. These kids are older than me - have some respect!'' says , 'It doesn't just affect them, it affects the whole school, too.' Senior Ali Salam knows the students who posted the picture. He told the station: 'They were actually doing it off a book called The Fault in Our Stars - on the cover it says "OK" with a question mark, and then "OK" underneath it with a period. Controversial: In the second image, the question mark is replaced with a period and another student is also seen lying on the ground with his hands and mouth tied up . 'And that's what they're using to defend themselves, but it's still pretty wrong.' In a statement, school administrators said the students 'showed an inexcusable lack of judgment,' and have now launched a 'comprehensive investigation to determine the full scope of this matter and whether or not this was an isolated incident.' They added: 'We deeply regret the turmoil caused by the actions of these students and know that it does not reflect the values of the rest of Commack High School or the Commack community.' The students in the photo were reportedly in school on Friday. The group's photos come in the wake of high-profile high school rape cases that have involved the use of Twitter. During the Steubenville Rape Case in 2012, the victim's attackers posted the images on social media. Then, star football players Trent Mays, 16, and Ma’lik Richmond, 17, were found guilty of raping a drunk 16-year-old girl in a night of back to back house parties in August last year as a result. Investigation: Administrators at Commack High School in Long Island (pictrued) are considering disciplinary action against the students - who reportedly attended school on Friday . | Six students from Commack High School are under investigation .
Posted imaged with gold letters on the black t-shirts on social media .
First photo showed them with the word followed by a question mark .
Second image shows person looking like they are tied up on the floor .
School district said they 'deeply regretted' the 'turmoil' incident caused . |
197,081 | 8b14df25232831d4584c8cb67a769244c851d72c | Pieces of art by one of Britain's most notorious criminals are set to be sold for thousands at auction tomorrow. Charles Bronson cemented his reputation as 'the most violent prisoner in Britain' thanks to a long rap sheet of brutal attacks on prison officers and fellow inmates. But despite his fearsome reputation, the 61-year-old fitness fanatic, currently serving a life sentence at HM Full Sutton, Yorkshire also has an artistic side - producing large quantities of paintings, drawings and poetry. Drawings and paintings (left and right) created by Charles Bronson, one of Britain's most notorious criminals, are set to be sold for thousands at auction tomorrow . The 61-year-old fitness fanatic (pictured), currently serving a life sentence at HM Full Sutton, has an artistic side producing large quantities of paintings, drawings and poetry . And even his name reflects his passion for the arts. Born Michael Peterson, in August 2014 Bronson changed his name via deed poll to Charles Salvador - a tribute to his favourite artist, the late surrealist painter Salvador Dali. Now a selection of 200 of the prisoner's artworks are set to go under the hammer at JP Humbert Auctioneers in Towcester, Northamptonshire. The collection, offered up by Mr Salvador's family, is believed to be the first ever single-artist sale of Bronson's works. A selection of 200 of the prisoner's artworks are set to go under the hammer at JP Humbert Auctioneers in Towcester, Northamptonshire . One of the many paintings by Charles Bronson is pictured. They are set to go under the hammer tomorrow is pictured . Other items for sale include paintings, personal effects, clothing, signed books, a hand-made Christmas present (pictured) and even part of his shaved beard . Clothes worn by Charles Bronson will also go under the hammer in a sale expected to raise thousands of pounds . Charles Bronson cemented his reputation as 'the most violent prisoner in Britain' thanks to a long rap sheet of brutal attacks on prison officers and fellow lags . The lots will include the final ever piece of artwork painted under the name Charles Bronson and the first two pictures drawn under the artist's new name Charles Salvador. Other items for sale include paintings, personal effects, clothing, signed books, a hand-made Christmas present and even part of his shaved beard. Mr Salvador now says he has put his violent past behind him and is looking for a peaceful life creating his artworks. He said: 'I have given this a lot of thought and I really have little choice but to kill Bronson off once and for all. I have become a hostage of my own notoriety - Bronson is burying any chance of me ever being freed.' The lots will include the final ever piece of artwork painted under the name Charles Bronson and the first two pictures drawn under the artist's new name Charles Salvador . Due to the controversial nature of the material, the auction is operating on a 'no estimate, no reserve' basis, but previous paintings by the artist have fetched more than £1,000 . The collection, offered up by Mr Salvador's family, is believed to be the first ever single-artist sale of Bronson's works . Mr Salvador now says he has put his violent past behind him and is looking for a peaceful life creating his artworks . A proportion of money raised from the sale is going to The Brain Tumour Charity and Keech Cottage Hospice at Luton . Due to the controversial nature of the material, the auction is operating on a 'no estimate, no reserve' basis, but previous paintings by the artist have fetched more than £1,000. Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert said: 'From an individual who has clearly spent most of his adult life in prison and who, by any stretch of the imagination, has lived a very 'alternative' life, come pencil and crayon studies that show an intelligent albeit troubled and frustrated mind working together with a capable and detailed hand, combining to depict works of clear artistic merit. 'What is clear from the many stories that these items tell - is that even though so many years have been served behind bars, the indomitable human condition still fights through with a clear sense of humour that prison walls cannot quell.' The sale takes place at J P Humbert Auctioneers Ltd of Towcester from 5pm Thursday October 9, with a proportion of money raised going to The Brain Tumour Charity and Keech Cottage Hospice at Luton. | Pieces of art by Charles Bronson are set to go under the hammer tomorrow .
The 61-year-old changed his name to Charles Salvador in August as tribute to surrealist painter Salvador Dali .
Selection of 200 of the prisoner's works to sold for thousands at auction .
Other items for sale include clothing, personal effects and part of shaved beard . |
162,978 | 5ebf3fb202b347eea0527fdf23ade9c616f7b6f0 | (CNN) -- The spotlight will soon shine on three granddaughters of South African and global icon Nelson Mandela, as the women become focal points of a new reality TV show. The program possibly will air in the United States starting in January, said David Manaway, who is married to one of Mandela's granddaughters involved in the production. It hasn't been announced on what channel it will appear, with Manaway saying only "negotiations" are ongoing. The show came about after Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway -- 34 and the oldest granddaughter being featured -- managed to arrange a meeting with Dr. Robert Rey, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who is the subject on an E! reality show, when he came to South Africa. Dlamini-Manaway, her sister and a cousin met Rey's executive producer, Rick Leed, according to information provided Thursday by Cutting Edge Communications, which is working with two South Africa-based production companies on the program. Leed also is known for feature films including "Where the Heart Is" and "Company Man." The sisters and cousin -- all granddaughters of Mandela and all raised in Boston -- set up Leed with two South African companies, New Vision Pictures and Out of Africa Entertainment. They discussed crafting a reality show following the trio's personal and professional lives. "The pieces of the puzzle just fitted, the decision was fast, one Skype call and the rest, as they say, is history," said Leed. Dlamini-Manaway, described as the "mother figure," is the child of Mandela's daughter, Zenani, who was born to Mandela's second wife, Winnie. Dlamini-Manaway is married to David Manaway, an American businessman she met while studying psychology at Clark Atlanta University, and has a 10-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. Her third child is due in January. Her 32-year-old sister Swati Dlamini is a single mother with a 3-year-old daughter. She works in the communications field, as well as in setting up a charitable foundation focused on housing, education and health, according to show producers. The youngest granddaughter to be showcased on the show is Dorothy Adjoa Amuah, 27, whose grandmother was the South African leader's first wife, Evelyn. She has a law degree and recently earned her master's in business administration -- specializing in luxury management -- from a school in Monaco, according to show producers. Described as sociable and fun, she lives with her brother and dog, Pan. The description of the show describes all three women as "refreshingly authentic" and "positive role models to women all over the world." The Mandela family supports "the right for their children to choose their own destiny and their own path," the Cutting Edge release said. CNN's Nadia Bilchik contributed to this report. | Two sisters and a cousin, ages 27 to 34, will be showcased on the program .
One of their husbands says it will air on an unspecified U.S. channel in January .
It came after a meeting involving the women and reality TV star Dr. Robert Rey . |
17,407 | 31433840bb967dfc22ef93b74fc8122b51871478 | A number of militants have been killed in Islamic State's very first battle with U.S. ground troops after the extremists attempted to overrun an Iraqi military base. The militants attacked Ein al-Asad military base on Sunday where more than 100 U.S. military support troops are based. Despite launching the surprise attack just after midnight, ISIS's offensive was swiftly repelled when U.S. troops and F18 jets joined in the skirmish in support of the Iraqi Army. Scroll down video . A US Navy Seal team secures the airfield at Ein al-Asad base during a visit by former president George W Bush . US military experts arrived at Ein al-Asad airbase (pictured) last month to help train and support Iraqi forces . Facing both Iraqi and US troops supported by F18 jets, an unknown number of ISIS attackers were killed during the two hour firefight before being forced to retreat. Ein al-Asad came under repeated attack by ISIS troops in October, however, now bolstered by the U.S. assistance, it poses a much more formidable target. Sheikh Mahmud Nimrawi, a tribal leader in the region, said 'US forces intervened because ISIS started to come near the base, which they are stationed in, so (it was) out of self-defense,' Shafaq News reported. He added: 'We have made progress in (the) al-Dolab area, in which ISIS has withdrawn from.' During the Iraq War, it was the largest airbase located within Iraq's Anbar province. Although it scaled down in size following the conclusion of the war, it remains in use by the Iraq Army and is located deep within the remote areas on the front line against ISIS. Meanwhile, Kurdish forces have launched an operation to retake the town of Sinjar in northwest Iraq after coalition planes pounded Islamic State positions overnight, Kurdish officials said. The peshmerga fighters made gains against ISIS throughout the day, the officials said, driving the militants out of at least eight sub-districts in the Zumar area, east of Sinjar. Ein al-Asad military airbase is located north-west of Baghdad (illustrated) and is a strategically important site for the Iraqi Army . ISIS militants (pictured) failed to overrun the large military base in western Iraq after US troops stationed at the base assisted the Iraqi Army to repel the extremists' attack . If the peshmerga succeeded in recapturing the town, it would open up a corridor to Sinjar mountain, where hundreds of minority Yazidis have been besieged by ISIS militants since August. It would also be a symbolic victory for the Kurds, whose reputation as fearsome warriors was bruised after Islamic State overpowered the peshmerga in Sinjar and killed or captured hundreds of Yazidis. 'At 8.00 this morning the ground offensive began to liberate Sinjar town,' said one official in the Kurdish region's Security Council, adding that coalition planes had bombed the area for several hours beforehand. 'There's evidence that a lot of ISIS fighters abandoned their weapons and fled the area.' Several other Kurdish security officials gave similar accounts. U.S. President Barack Obama cited the duty to prevent an impending massacre of Yazidis by Islamic State militants as one of the main reasons for authorising the first air strikes in Iraq this summer. The US has bombed areas in Sinjar ahead of a Kurdish peshmerga attempt to liberate the city. If recaptured, it would open up a corridor to Sinjar mountain (pictured), where hundreds of Yazidis remain besieged . President Barack Obama said one of the main reasons for authorising air strikes was to prevent an impending massacre of the ethnic minority Yazidis (pictured) | Islamic State militants attempted to overrun Ein al-Asad base on Sunday .
US support troops and advisers killed an unknown number of the militants .
The troops were supported during the battle by F18 fighter jets .
ISIS forced to retreat after suffering casualties during two hour firefight . |
148,933 | 4c934cd1ec8ccbffac461e120c84c28934f458c6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:24 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:25 EST, 8 December 2013 . Bush meat from 40 wild animals including porcupines, gazelles and bats was confiscated in a police raid on a food shop in Paris. The 200lb haul from the Central African Republic, which also included caterpillars, was described as unfit for human consumption. The owner of the unnamed exotic food shop, where five porcupines, 15 gazelles and 20 bats were found in three freezers, is to be questioned on suspicion of selling banned meat. Porcupines were among the haul of animals seized from the unknown exotic food shop in Paris . Mark Powell, of the UK management body of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, said 'Without knowing the specific species concerned of porcupine, gazelle or . bat it is difficult to say whether or not they would be granted an . import licence. ‘But it is highly possible that they would be from . animals on the endangered species list, therefore it would be illegal to . import or sell them.’ It is not known if food authorities would allow the meat to be sold if it was brought through official channels. A source close to the inquiry told Le Parisien: ‘This meat came with absolutely no hygiene guarantees, and is thus unfit for consumption.’ The incident adds to controversy over animal rights in France, where exotic animals are legally used in fine dining. Hundreds of chickens, geese and ducks were recently discovered at an illegal abattoir in Paris (file photo) The raid comes days after 200 animals were rescued from an illegal underground abattoir outside Paris that was ‘covered in blood, from floor to ceiling’. Ducks, geese and chicken were left without food or water and ‘piled on top of one another,’ Christophe Marie from the Brigitte Bardot Foundation told TF1. The animals were to be sold to Chinese restaurants. In France, a maximum three-year jail term can be given for possessing illegal animals and the owner can be fined twice the value of the meat. Endangered species were the subject – along with climate change – of trade talks in Paris last Friday, when more than 500 African and French business leaders met. | As much as 200lbs of animal meat was seized from exotic foods shop .
Haul is thought to have come from the Central African Republic .
Shop owner is to be questioned on suspicion of selling banned meat . |
196,293 | 8a096cd337690da881805e0c58d2169874043bca | (CNN) -- Do not try this on your next vacation. Egyptian authorities cracked down on climbing the Pyramids at Giza in the 1980s, but that didn't stop adventurer Vitaliy Raskalov and his friends from dodging local guards this year to take a few very hard-to-get shots from atop the Great Pyramid. The Russian photographer said his motivation was simple: "We saw the old photographs of the Pyramids and decided to climb on it." He also said he wasn't aware of the risk and illegality, but reports that Raskalov's previous daredevil activities (skywalking on the Russky Island Bridge) landed him in custody suggest otherwise. But there's no denying that the photos from his latest illicit romp are spectacular. Is the photo better than the vacation? CNN's Steve Tuemmler contributed to this report. | A Russian photographer scaled Egypt's Great Pyramid on a recent visit .
Climbing the Pyramids has been forbidden for decades .
The resulting photos provide a rarely seen perspective . |
10,524 | 1dea7f9cb67f721c495e5356abc842a19af554a3 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 11:24 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:02 EST, 15 November 2013 . A man brutally murdered a 90-year-old and ate his heart and tongue, blaming voices in his head, French officials said today. The homeless 26-year-old broke into his elderly victim’s home in Nouilhan, southern France, bashed the man’s head open with an iron rod before ripping out the body parts he consumed. The man ate the tongue and heart before burning the body and then setting fire to the 90-year-old’s house. Cannibalism: In a horrific Hannibal Lecter killing, the 26-year-old ripped out the tongue and heart of a 90-year-old man and ate the body parts . The flames alerted the victim's son, who lives nearby, who discovered his father’s body, investigators said. The event on Thursday night has shocked the little hamlet, which is home to some 200 people. Before committing the gruesome murder, the man also attacked another villager, hitting him against a tractor . Police finally managed to arrest the man, from the nearby village of Tarbes in the Haute-Pyrenees department, some three hours into his rampage. Police finally managed to arrest the man, from the nearby village of Tarbes in the Haute-Pyrenees department, some three hours into his rampage . It has chilling similarities with the case of Ronald Poppo, the 66-year-old Florida man who had his face chewed off by bath salt-cannibal Rudy Eugene. Rough-sleeper Poppo was attacked by Eugene, who ate 75 per cent of Poppo's face off leaving him blind and severely scarred. Eugene, who also tore Poppo's clothes of and beat him, was shot by police during the incident last year. | Homeless 26-year-old murdered elderly man in southern France .
Batched open 90-year-old's head with an iron rod and ripped out his tongue .
He ate the tongue and the man's heart before setting the body on fire . |
145,293 | 47e7233c077d8d8048acbc37bb754c0a30650d2a | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 21 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:29 EST, 21 June 2013 . With heavyweight designer and respected film . director already on his CV, Tom Ford is one of fashion's most accomplished names. Now he has added photographer to his list of talents, having shot all the images for his newest fashion campaign himself. The dapper 51-year-old called on a few of his model friends, Gemma Aicha Refoufi, Herieth Paul, Soo Joo and Zuzanna Bijoch, who pose against a white background in his bold 'Ka-pow' print gowns. Ka-pow! Tom Ford appears to have taken a style lead from Andy Warhol for his latest campaign . In typical style, the images are rather risque: in some shots the models conceal their modesty with just their hands. In others, they wear bright eye make-up which has been matched to their eye-catching dresses. In the menswear ads for Ford's . brand-new ready-to-wear and eyewear collections, models Conrad Bromfield, Juan . Betancourt, and Oli Tyler join forces to showcase the designer's . classic tailoring which makes the most of more muted colours. Racy: The campaign features models Soo Joo and Zuzanna Bijoch as well as exclusives with Gem and Herieth Paul . Who are you calling Four Eyes? Ford's eyewear is hugely popular, and this new collection looks set to be no different. All images in the new autumn/winter ads were shot by the designer himself . Ford described the set of images, which were shot in London, as 'cross cultural multi ethnic'. The photographs make the most of . Ford's autumn/winter 2013 collection, which won high praise from the . style set when it hit the catwalk last February. Styleite's Hilary George-Parkin wrote: 'Ford’s . work is never quite designed with a wallflower in mind, of course, but . this collection in particular harkened back to some of his most decadent . work for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent — and then upped the ante (and . the saturation) by a few notches.' In the nude: The models pose in a racy set of campaign images, covering their modesty with their hands . Bold and beautiful: Calling on a few of his fashionable female friends, models Gemma Aicha Refoufi and Herieth Paul pose alongside Soo Joo and Zuzanna Bijoch against a white background . In the making: The new images will break on the Tom Ford website in August . ELLE’s Rebecca Lowthorpe was equally impressed. ‘The overall effect was of a decadence . that could only possibly be enjoyed by the world’s most wealthy,' she wrote. 'They will surely love his monochrome . section of patchworked furs and leathers with long swishing fringes, or . the "sportswear"– loosely termed – that included multi-bright floral . beaded "hoodies". Here come the boys: As for the men's campaign for Ford's brand-new ready-to-wear and eyewear collections, Conrad Bromfield, Juan Betancourt, and Oli Tyler join forces . Suave: The male models showcase the designer's classic tailoring in muted colors . Ford, who gained international fame thanks to his work for Gucci in the Nineties, previously chose controversial industry legend Terry . Richardson to shoot his campaigns. This latest campaign is less provocative than seasons past, representing a new direction for the label. The pop-art inspired ads will hit magazines in August. | Superstar designer shot all the images himself .
The campaign features models-of-the-moment Gemma Aicha Refoufi, Soo Joo and Zuzanna Bijoch . |
3,395 | 09d2a6543e8a586c2d5dcae49ac585712a0f529c | (CNN) -- If you've read Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" trilogy, then the odds are ever in your favor when it comes to cocktail party conversations about Katniss, the Mockingjay and the Quarter Quell. If you haven't, then that was all gibberish ... but it doesn't have to be. As "Catching Fire," the second movie in the series, comes to theaters November 22 we've got all the information you need to dazzle friends with your talk of Effie Trinket and Caesar Flickerman in our "HG 101" -- as well as some insider facts about the movie that'll make even the most hardcore fans feel a little more informed before heading into the arena. Happy "Hunger Games"! The games . HG 101: Every year in post-apocalyptic Panem, two tributes, aka children, from each district are selected in a public reaping to compete in the win-or-die Hunger Games. But every 25 years, there's a Quarter Quell, where a dark twist makes the games even more treacherous. As punishment to heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) -- who not only outwitted the Hunger Games, but also ensured her partner Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) survived too (unprecedented!) -- the Quarter Quell finds them back in the arena, competing against other past winners. As if that weren't enough, there's also a love triangle, family drama, a score to settle, several districts to save and an uprising that can't be quieted. With evil monkeys and even more evil victors from previous games to battle, it's a lot for one movie to tackle, but the tributes in "Catching Fire" are more fully-formed characters, and they help set the story apart and keep the conflict interesting. Expert tip: These games are getting darker and sexier. Yes, the very premise of kids fighting to the death for the public's amusement ensures that there's a dark thread throughout the entire story, but the look and feel of "Fire" is darker as well, with new director Francis Lawrence amping up the action and suspense. And while costume designer Trish Summerville didn't allow tributes to be nearly nude as in the books, she did pull some form-fitting designer duds for them to wear. The fandom is growing up, and the movies are following suit. The big question: With several big names joining the cast, are there any new standouts? Sam Claflin shines as cocky tribute Finnick Odair, and Jenna Malone makes an equally splashy (and equally clothing-free) entrance as Johanna, who's good with an axe, but takes a bit to warm up to. Both have great moments with Katniss. 'Hunger Games' theme park? We have some ideas . The love triangle . HG 101: So there's this girl Katniss and she's a total badass, and she's basically best buds with the male version of her, Gale (Liam Hemsworth), but she gets sent off to the Hunger Games with Peeta, saves his life a million times and now all the viewers want them to be an item. So they sort of are. Besides fighting for basic survival, the Quarter Quell gives them more time together to explore their relationship, for real and for the cameras. The love triangle is what grounds the entire series in reality, and it ain't over until it's over, so don't expect anything to be decided halfway through the series' four-movie run. Expert take: Peeta might not be such a bad option for Katniss after all! Fans of the books were outraged that -- spoiler alert! -- Katniss ended up with Peeta after so clearly having a stronger connection with Gale. Peeta always seemed like too much of a damsel in distress for our Katniss, but in "Catching Fire," Peeta is stronger and more independent -- and he can swim, so thankfully you won't have to see a near-drowning when they enter the water-filled arena. We wish he'd get a skill a little more exciting than painting his body with mud to be camouflaged, but we'll take any improvement on the character we can get. The big question: What about Gale? While Gale is once again on the sidelines for most of the movie, he does have a particularly haunting scene in "Catching Fire" that stays somewhat true to the book. The big difference? This time the changes leave the door open for Gale to really make his presence (and his intentions with Katniss) known in the two-part "Mockingjay" final installments. They've got Hemsworth -- they're going to use him! A brief history of young adult literature . The Capitol . HG 101: While the tributes from the districts must compete to take their next breath, residents of the Capitol are the 1%. Their excess knows no bounds, but they're still human. While they felt like caricatures in the first movie, "Catching Fire" reveals some chinks in the otherwise bedazzled armor, all thanks to Katniss and her act of rebellion that's now sparked a revolution. Expert tip: Yes, Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) is still the most stylish tribute sympathizer, but Effie Trinket is more lovable than ever. In "The Hunger Games," Effie (Elizabeth Banks) epitomized everything the Capitol stood for: fashion, material things, excess and an obliviousness to the real issues in the districts around them. But as the stakes of the games are raised, so are Effie's concerns, and seeing cracks in her very colorful façade helps make her more than a one-note character. We saw glimpses of her conscience in the books but, onscreen, Banks takes her from unemotional escort to compassionate cog in the wheel. The big question: Who's the new big bad? After the execution of "Hunger Games" gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), who ignored orders and let both Katniss and Peeta win, Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) steps in -- and he's not going to make the same weak mistakes as his predecessor. With direct orders from President Snow (Donald Sutherland) to make sure Katniss doesn't survive the 75th Games, he becomes the scariest new villain in the Capitol and the biggest potential threat. The role feels tailor-made for Hoffman. With the Panem rebellion in full swing, and Katniss as their poster child, there's more to prove in this 75th Hunger Games than ever before. Alliances will be tested and monkey mutts and Jabberjays will terrorize the returning victors, all while the clock is ticking to save their families, their districts and themselves. Jennifer Lawrence was Josh Hutcherson's first . | "Catching Fire" finds heroine Katniss back in the Hunger Games arena .
The movie further explores the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale .
The film is darker and sexier than the first . |
94,004 | 04daac57bf757892bf57486d952548488bedaecd | Scuffle: Solomon Yemane-Berhane, 21, got into an approximately three minute scuffle when two convenience store owners catch him trying to steal beer from their store . An Oregon man left a convenience store with less than he walked in with when the store owners caught him trying to steal two beers and wrestled with him for nearly four minutes until he fled the store in nothing but his boxers and sneakers, authorities say. Twenty-one year old Solomon Yemane-Berhane was arrested last Sunday and charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, third-degree robbery, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree theft, and fourth-degree assault, according to The Oregonian. A more than four minute surveillance video captured the scene Nov. 9 at a Best Mart in Beaverton beginning when one of the store's owners raced to the front door to block Yemane-Berhane from leaving with the stolen beers. The owner manages to keep Yemane-Berhane away from the door long enough for her husband arrive. The three then wrestle around the store for about three minutes knocking down displays and tossing candy and other items onto the floor. Two other store-goers were inside at the time, but out of the camera's view during the scuffle. Yemane-Berhane manages to slip out of the owner's hands, only after being wrestled out of his jacket, t-shirt, and shorts. He flees the store in his boxers with the owners not far behind. After a short lull in the video, suveillance footage catches Yemane-Berhane returning to the store and snatching his jacket and shirt off the floor before leaving again. When police tried to stop Yemane-Berhane after he fled the store, Yemane-Berhane reportedly flipped the officers off and ran, according to The Oregonian. Yemane-Berhane was indicted Friday on the slew of charges. Scroll down for video . Video: A more than four-minute video shows the scuffle, beginning when Yemane-Berhane tried to escape the store with two stolen beers . Counter: The male owner holds Yemane-Berhane down on the counter as his wife holds his leg . Floor: The three end up on the floor, with Yemane-Berhane contorting his body in an effort to slip out of the grips of the store owners . Free: Yemane-Berhane manages to escape the store owner's grips and flees the store in next to nothing . Returns: After a lull in the video, Yemane-Berhane is seen returning a final time to snatch his top off the floor, only to flee again . | Solomon Yemane-Berhane, 21, got into an approximately three minute scuffle when two convenience store owners catch him trying to steal beer from their store .
The owners wrestle with him until he flees the store without his sweatshirt, t-shirt, or bottoms .
When police tried to stop him, Yemane-Berhane flipped them off and ran away . |
244,252 | c81d23df1638bcd45b794a79954d89d4c7949023 | Kano, Nigeria (CNN)Boko Haram militants have killed scores in a series of raids on dozens of villages in northeast Nigeria's Adamawa state, continuing its violent campaign of terror in the African nation, a lawmaker said. For two weeks, Boko Haram gunmen have sacked dozens of villages in Michika district, close to the border with Cameroon, slaughtering male residents and abducting others, said Adamu Kamale, a lawmaker representing Michika district in the Adamawa state House of Assembly. "They move house to house, killing people -- including the old, abducting women, and children and burning homes," Kamale said Tuesday. He said villages are littered with bodies, and there is no one to bury them because residents have fled -- thousands of them, heading off into the mountains or across the border into Cameroon -- to escape the onslaught. "They slaughter people like animals," he said. "Now, 70% of the people in the district have been dislodged from the homes. Some of them have run into the mountains, while others have crossed into Cameroon or fled to Yola," the capital of Adamawa state, Kamale said. The villagers' ordeal is horrific but, sadly, nothing new for Boko Haram. The terrorist group, its name translating as "Western education is sin," has been a force in Nigeria for years. It tries to use religion to justify its actions, which are aimed at imposing its strict version of of Sharia law in Nigeria, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south. Boko Haram has intensified its attacks in recent years, standing defiant against the Nigerian military. And it hasn't gone after only government troops or officials, with civilians often becoming victims. The group has been tied to a spate of assassinations, market bombings, attacks on churches and unaffiliated mosques and raids of villages, including those earlier this month in Michika district. Mass kidnappings have also been part of its playbook, most notoriously the taking of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok last April. Boys and young men have been abducted as well, including 40 between the ages of 10 and 23 reportedly taken captive on New Year's Eve in Borno state, and 97 others kidnapped in and around the village of Doron Baga in August. And whether or not they were former captives, Boko Haram may be boasting about its use of child soldiers in its fight. An organization calling itself Boko Haram's official mouthpiece this week even promoted an alleged military training camp for children on its Twitter feed, posting images of children in formation holding AK-47 weapons. While CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the photos, intelligence sources said the images appear to be real and are consistent with the Islamist extremist group's strategy of forcibly recruiting and training children. And the U.S. State Department lent credibility to the report by tweeting a photo of the young, heavily armed children along with these words: "Amid its massacres of innocents, Boko Haram running training camps for child soldiers." The release of these photos and the new Twitter account appear to coincide with an ever-more sophisticated media strategy on the part of Boko Haram. The change in tactics appears to emulate ISIS, even down to the use of Islamic chants, or nasheeds. Last week, a video was posted on the same account purporting to be an interview with Boko Haram's spokesman. Both the interviewer and the subject were masked and the production values were far more sophisticated than anything the terror group has published before. Boko Haram's campaign has left thousands of Nigerians in danger -- in some cases with the central government and others seemingly unable to help. The latest bloodshed began in Michika township, which Boko Haram took over in September and declared to be part of its caliphate. The insurgents then moved into villages including Murva, Bororo, Ghumci, Garta-Kasa, Kamale, Boka, Futu and Kwabaride. Humanitarian workers have been unable to reach residents who fled into the mountains, said Mohammed Kanar, head of the National Emergency Management Agency for northeast Nigeria. "We are aware there are people trapped in the mountains but they are inaccessible. The security situation is a challenge in reaching them and offering them humanitarian assistance," Kanar said. Kamale said the military has not responded to complaints that he and other community leaders lodged, calling for its intervention. "Sometimes we alert the military when they are advancing on villages before they attack, but no action is taken to stop them," he said. "These insurgents have been killing with impunity. When they attack a village, they will sleep there for the night after the slaughter and move on the next morning," the lawmaker said. There has been no reaction from the military to Kamale's specific allegation. Amnesty International on Wednesday leveled a similar accusation, saying it had evidence that the Nigerian military was warned repeatedly about impending Boko Haram attacks on civilians late last year on Bogo and Monguno. "These attacks are an urgent wake-up call for the Nigerian leadership, the African Union and the international community," said Amnesty's Netsanet Belay. "It is essential to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians in northeast Nigeria from Boko Haram's continued onslaught." The Nigerian Defense Ministry responded by calling the allegation "misleading," saying that Amnesty's use of "these unfortunate activities of terrorists to find fault with the counterterrorism operations, as usual, is inaccurate and unfair." The Defense Ministry said its forces have enhanced their intelligence abilities, troop deployment and coordination, and logistics capabilities. "In actual fact, the protection of civilian populations is the essence of the entire counterterrorism operation," the ministry said. "... Indeed, the troops were prepared and duly engaged the terrorists in all the instances referred to by Amnesty International." Journalist Aminu Abubakar reported from Nigeria, and CNN's Greg Botelho wrote this report from Atlanta. CNN's Nana Karikari-apau contributed to this report. | Tweet linked to Boko Haram promotes a training camp for would-be child soldiers .
Amnesty accuses Nigeria's military of ignoring warning; Nigeria disputes allegation .
Lawmaker: Bodies litter villages in northeast Nigeria, thousands more flee . |
183,602 | 79d2d6b3a39020dbc6ea614fa295ab1f604d0f02 | A Pennsylvania judge is expected to rule Tuesday whether or not to uphold a new state law requiring every voter to present a photo ID at the polls. Supporters argue that the law signed in March by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett will prevent voter fraud and is upheld by the constitution. But opponents counter that the new law will disenfranchise voters, and any implementation should be postponed until after the November 6 presidential election. The state Supreme Court has given Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson, Jr., until Tuesday -- five weeks before the election -- to decide on the matter. Here's a overview of what's at stake: . What exactly is the lower court judge ruling on? Judge Simpson is not ruling on whether the law is constitutional -- that's up to the state supreme court. He has been tasked by the state's high court to determine whether people across the state have equal access to photo IDs in time for the November 6 election. If he finds that they do not, the court is obligated to enter a preliminary injunction -- in other words, temporarily halt the law -- until after the upcoming presidential election to prevent voter disenfranchisement. Whatever he decides, it's highly likely that the other side will once again appeal his ruling. So, if the law is upheld, what will change for Pennsylvania's voters in November? Prior to this law, first-time voters in Pennsylvania were allowed to present documents such as bank statements and utility bills in lieu of photo identification. If the law is upheld, all voters will have to present a valid photo ID -- one that is sanctioned by the state -- before they cast their ballots. One thing that won't change: Pennsylvania voters must be registered by October 9 to cast a ballot in the November 6 general election. What kind of IDs are allowed under the law? And just how hard is it to get one? Under the law, voters need to present one of the following at their precinct: . * A Pennsylvania driver's license . * A state ID issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) * A U.S. passport . * An active duty or retired U.S. military ID . * A military dependent's ID . * A state employee ID issued by the federal, state, county or municipal government . * A school ID issued by an accredited Pennsylvania university, college, seminary, community college or two-year college to students, faculty, employees and alumni. * An ID issued by a Pennsylvania care facility . To get a photo ID, residents must have a valid Social Security card; an official birth certificate or U.S. citizenship documents; and two proofs of residency, such as a utility bill or tax records. (The state has more details for residents on its website). Is this just partisan politics at play? Pennsylvania is a likely swing state in the upcoming presidential elections, and that means any attempt to change the voting mechanisms this close to the election is bound to trigger accusations of partisan politics. Gov. Corbett said the law "sets a simple and clear standard to protect the integrity of our elections." While the law protects only against voter impersonation -- and lawyers on both sides admit there are no known cases of in-person fraud -- it still has a broader impact, according to conservative columnist John Fund. "If someone walks in and votes in the name of the dead person (and) they don't have to show ID, how likely is that dead person to complain? We'll never know. And unless they confess, the crime is perfect," Fund said. But critics say it's just an attempt by Republicans -- who overwhelmingly support the measure -- to gain an upper hand in a close election. "Given that the vast majority of people who are impacted by this law are poor, are uneducated, or of color, or live in cities, i.e. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, (and) are likely to vote Democratic, this law could have an impact on the presidential election," said Vic Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. That position was bolstered when the state's House GOP leader Mike Turzai told a group of fellow Republicans in June that the measure would "allow Governor Romney to win the State of Pennsylvania." Turzai's office has since said the legislator was commenting on the issue of voter fraud. Why is this issue still being debated so close to the presidential election? The issue actually started eight months before the elections when Corbett signed the law in March. After that, civil rights organizations and attorneys filed a lawsuit in May to overturn the law. That eventually made its way to the state Supreme Court which sent the dispute back down to Simpson in Commonwealth Court, who upheld the law in August. Sisters navigate new voter ID law . Last month, the state Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of Simpson's decision, then sent the case back to Simpson for additional review, with a court-imposed deadline of October 2 for a final ruling. | A Pennsylvania judge has until Tuesday to rule on state's voter ID law .
The judge will determine whether or not the law disenfranchises voters .
The law requires all voters to bring state-issued photo ID to the polls each time they vote .
Supporters say the law prevents fraud; detractors say the law disenfranchises voters . |
251,134 | d1045af74a26248f13de9db3adc21d25eb0b053a | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 5:07 PM on 28th November 2011 . Steve Jobs used three sentences to console a man who lost his girlfriend to cancer - and in doing so he revealed a poetic thought on existence. ‘Your (sic) most welcome, James,’ he wrote in an email to another native of Cupertino, California. ‘I'm sorry about your girlfriend. Life is fragile.’ The late Apple CEO was responded to a grateful fan's email in April 2010 thanking him for supporting an organ donation programme. Email insight: Steve Jobs, who underwent a liver transplant in 2009, died last month aged 56 after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer . ‘James’, the man who emailed Mr Jobs, lost his 24-year-old girlfriend in April 2008 to melanoma skin cancer that spread to her liver. He wanted to thank Mr Jobs for supporting organ donation at Lucile Packard's Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, California. ‘My girlfriend and I are from Cupertino, since childhood, and it's really nice to see the hometown hero take time out to do this,’ he wrote. The email was revealed by Business Insider and has been revisited by CNN technology writer Mark Milian’s new book on Mr Jobs’s email inbox. Backing: The fan wanted to thank Mr Jobs for supporting organ donation at Lucile Packard's Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, California . Private man: Mr Jobs, pictured with his wife Laurene Powell, rarely revealed his philosophical views in public . ‘Letters to Steve: Inside the E-mail Inbox of Apple's Steve Jobs’ also looks at other emails to give readers an insight into his thoughts on life. 'Your most welcome, James. I'm sorry about your girlfriend. Life is fragile' Steve Jobs . An ex-colleague of Mr Jobs at his 1980s firm NeXT Computer spoke about an email response when he told Mr Jobs his cancer surgery had been successful. ‘Messages from him were generally laconic,’ Bob Longo told the Pittsburgh Business Times. ‘This one had 20 exclamation points.’ Mr Jobs rarely revealed his philosophical views but is remembered for a Stanford University speech in 2005, reported CNN. Messages revealed: Some of Mr Jobs's emails are revealed in Mark Milian’s book 'Letters to Steve: Inside the E-mail Inbox of Apple's Steve Jobs' ‘Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose,’ he said at the time. 'Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose' Steve Jobs . ‘No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share.’ Ten years prior to that Mr Jobs told the Computerworld Honors Program he only worried about leaving behind his friends, children and work. ‘We're all going to be dead soon,’ he said. ‘You never know when you're going to go, but you are going to go pretty soon.’ Mr Jobs, who underwent a liver transplant in 2009, died last month aged 56 after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer. | Jobs was thanked by fan for supporting organ donation .
Fan's girlfriend had died from skin cancer in April 2008 .
Jobs's reply one of many emails revealed in new book . |
21,168 | 3c0a9207a1693ee474200e677045fdce30416cae | (CNN) -- Bubbly water and politics haven't mixed well for Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson. After recovering from a kerfuffle over a Super Bowl ad she appears in, she suffered a painful blow over it Thursday. Her starring role in the campaign for a machine that puts the fizz into water and soft drinks cost her her starring role as the public face of the charity Oxfam. Although she officially resigned, the poverty-fighting organization says her representation of the company that makes the machines is a conflict of interests. Oxfam and human rights activists accuse Israeli company SodaStream of manufacturing its product in Jewish settlements in the impoverished Palestinian territories. They view this as an exploitation of Palestinians and their resources. "Oxfam believes that businesses, such as SodaStream, that operate in settlements further the ongoing poverty and denial of rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support," the poverty fighters said in a prepared statement. "Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law." On its website, the company says it manufactures on the West Bank, as well as in Israel, Germany, Sweden, the United States, Australia, South Africa and China. Calls to SodaStream's headquarters were not answered Thursday. It touts its products as ecologically friendly, as they help consumers avoid buying plastic soda bottles. Johansson has been nominated for at least three Golden Globes and currently stars as the voice of a computer app in the popular feature film "Her," according to her IMDb profile. She also has Jewish roots. For eight years, Johansson publicly advanced Oxfam's work for survivors of calamities from Sri Lanka to the Philippines. Oxfam thanked her for her service. The previous snag Johansson hit with the ad came from television network Fox, but was quickly fixed. Fox, which will broadcast the Super Bowl on Sunday, nixed Johansson's ad, which was slotted to run during the sporting mega-event. In it, Johansson dissed competitors Coke and Pepsi, which left Fox feeling uncomfortable. SodaStream made sure the mention quickly hit the cutting room floor for the Super Bowl version, but it has retained the jab in its online version of the ad. CNN's Aaron Smith contributed to this report. | Johansson stars in an ad for soda machine maker SodaStream .
Oxfam accuses SodaStream of manufacturing in Jewish settlements on the West Bank .
The company says it manufactures on the West Bank .
Johansson's Super Bowl ad for SodaStream hit a previous snag with Fox network . |
179,934 | 74f916a2e1520ed58fd80d5af369905ba684b6fb | It may look more like a high tech water pistol or something out of a sci-fi film than the latest weapon in the fight against crime. But an innovative new tagging system using a gun and DNA pellets could make it easier for police to mark the cards of even the most volatile criminal. Unlike a taser or gun that fires real bullets, the weapon won't hurt a suspect or render them incapacitated so that officers can pounce. Scroll down for video . Latest gadget: UK-based company Selectamark has unveiled a new weapon in the fight against crime - a gun that fires DNA pellets to mark suspects for identification at a later date during volatile police situations . Instead, it will enable police to stay . at a safe distance during trouble and identify criminals and arrest . criminals days or even weeks after an incident. The High Velocity DNA Tagging System, designed for use by police forces and the military by Kent-based firm Selectamark, fires small soft green pellets containing the transparent material at a target from as far away as 40 metres. Each pellet, which weighs less than a gram and is effectively like a paintball, contains a unique DNA code which could remain on the target for weeks. Andrew Knights from Selectamark said: 'On contact with the target the uniquely-coded SelectaDNA solution leaves a synthetic DNA trace mark that will enable the relevant authorities to confirm or eliminate that person from their involvement in a particular situation and could ultimately lead to arrest and prosecution.' The material is small enough to penetrate through clothing and mark a suspect's skin as well as their clothing, the firm said. The gun comes in both pistol and shotgun form, with the power to fire 20 shots in one session. Tagging: The gun fires small green pellets, like paintballs, which don't hurt suspects but leave a unique DNA trace which can last weeks . It will prove useful for officers when policing riots or when facing crowd control problems, say the brains behind the futuristic invention. It could also be used when an officer is giving chase to an offender and is unable to keep up. The DNA tag can be identified later on using a UV light and is designed to ensure that officers are arresting the right person. The company unveiled the new product in Nevada, in the U.S last week, and said the response had been incredible. 'It's been 12 months in development, even though it only launched a few days ago, there has been a huge amount of interest,' said Jason Brown of Selectamark. 'We are in talks with several UK police forces, and other around the world. 'this is one of many tools in the police arsenal for a riot situation, and we believe its a deterrent, because it's orange, people would know they can be tagged and would disperse.' The gun also has a laser sight, and video and audio recording capabilities to collect evidence. 'Each officer has a batch of DNA signed out to them, and when combined with the video and audio we think this provides a substantial amount of evidence.' The firm has even trained a sniffer to recognise the material, allowing police to detain crowds and easily find those who have been tagged. The gun is an extension of an existing property marking system offered by the company which is used by businesses and homeowners across the world. Last year, police in Nelson, Lancashire, saw a 100 per cent reduction in burglary when they offered SelectDNA marking to 600 local residents. It was also revealed earlier this month that fast food giant McDonald's teamed up with the firm to install a spray in more than 700 stores which covers thieves in DNA linking them to a specific crime for several months. The chain took the drastic action following a spate of robberies in its Australian outlets over Christmas and New Year. Volatile: The gun could help police to track suspects involved in riots such as those which hit London in 2011 (pictured) Individual signature: Each round of pellets contains a unique strand of DNA . Selectamark says that its products, including the new gun, uniquely mark valuable products in the home or criminals themselves with a synthetic DNA. Each round of pellets in the High Velocity DNA Tagging system features a unique DNA code, meaning that an individual criminal who is shot by one of the pellets, can be traced back to the scene using a specific forensic signature. Following an incident, details of codes are recorded on a police and insurance approved database so that when DNA is found on a suspect it can be matched against an incident. The company say that the DNA in the pellets is completely synthetic so the number of unique codes is infinite. The system cannot be hacked as prior knowledge of special 'key codes' is needed to identify the DNA strands. This means that the type of code read by police cannot be copied or made up by third parties. The pellet does not hurt criminals nor is it toxic and the DNA contains a UV tracer so that the mark left on a suspect can be found if they stand under a special lamp. | British firm behind the gun in talks with several UK police forces .
DNA pellets can tag clothes and penetrate through to skin - staying there for weeks .
Allows police can tag troublemakers during riots .
Officers can then use the trace to place suspects at the scene of a crime using UV readers or sniffer dogs to find those tagged . |
162,548 | 5e29e567410678750d89f76b52d97a5a55674495 | Gareth Southgate has given a clear indication that Harry Kane’s scintillating form will be rewarded with a senior call up for England’s internationals in March. The Tottenham striker has enjoyed an outstanding season, scoring 20 goals, securing a new five-and-a-half-year contract and the final gloss would be for Roy Hodgson to name him in his party for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and the friendly against Italy next month. Southgate, England’s Under-21 head coach, will have no qualms if Hodgson does take Kane from his group rather than leave Kane to be selected for the Under-21s key friendlies against the Czech Republic and Germany. Harry Kane has been tipped prosper for England at both levels this year by Gareth Southgate . The Under 21 coach says that Kane could still join up with his side in the summer . Kane has been an integral part of the Under-21 team in the last 12 months and is expected to be a key figure at the forthcoming European Championships and Southgate believes it is possible for him to go up to the seniors before dropping back down in June. ‘There is no reason he wouldn’t come with us in the summer,’ said Southgate. ‘It is easy for him to do both. He falls into that category that he has been with us right the way through. I think he would want to come and be on that stage really. ‘It is still a terrific stage when you look at some of the players in the last couple of tournaments; all of the Spanish group, including Thiago Alcantara and Isco. Marco Veratti (Italy), some of the French boys at the Under-20 World Cup, (Paul) Pogba. ‘Clearly someone like Harry, going as well as he is, might get the nod (in March). That’s Roy’s call. It depends how others are doing and if he is still delivering when we get nearer that time, which is still a few weeks. ‘But it has been brilliant how he has kept his form for quite a sustained period so let’s hope he can continue that. He’s in a great place at the moment, as is Danny Ings. Danny is going to improve and improve. He has the right mentality and is at a club where the ethic is good, to work and learn.’ Kane has been in sparkling form for Tottenham this season and has scored 20 goals in all competitions . Roy Hodgson has admitted he is impressed by Kane's form and is considering calling the striker up . Kane won his first Under-21 cap when Hodgson took temporary charge for the friendly against Scotland in August 2013 and has gone on to make nine more appearances, scoring eight times. But this season he has looked a different player and Southgate puts that down to his club manager’s influence. ‘I know the way Mauricio Pochettino works and I am sure the sessions they are doing on and off the training ground will have helped that,’ said Southgate. ‘We saw with Mauricio last year at Southampton he is not afraid to give people a chance if they are doing well. He has given Harry an opportunity and he is keeping some outstanding players out of the team.’ Kane strokes home a penalty against West Brom in a Premier League clash on Saturday . | Harry Kane has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season .
Tottenham striker has been touted for an England call up .
Gareth Southgate admits he could fire on both levels . |
173,479 | 6c8021e65be2a2d1b3639530271aa12ced47a124 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 12:04 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:41 EST, 29 July 2013 . Images of a giagantic five star floating hotel that will cost around £130 million to build and is designed to provide luxurious accommodation and panoramic sea views in Gibraltar, have been unveiled. The 142 metre super yacht will be permanently moored in Gibraltar's Ocean Village Marina, located off the southern tip of Spain, and is expected to open at the end of this year. The oceanic behemoth boasts 189 rooms, banqueting suites, bars, restaurants, casino, a spa and gym, cocktail lounge, pool, sundeck and even a ballroom. This is the gigantic five star floating hotel that will cost around £130 million to build and is designed to provide luxurious accommodation and panoramic sea views in Gibraltar . The 142 metre super yacht will be permanently moored in Gibraltar's Ocean Village Marina, located off the southern tip of Spain and is expected to open at the end of this year . It will be one of the most luxurious places to stay in the Mediterranean, as suggested by these concept images. The floating hotel is seven storeys tall and has 15,500 metres squares of floor space and will dwarf less super yachts in the marina. Befitting a five star hotel, the 167 guest rooms, four executive rooms and 18 suites are expected to cost between £200 and £2,000 a night. All of them feature wall-to-wall and floor to ceiling panoramic windows and 90 per cent of the rooms have an outdoor area. The oceanic behemoth boasts 189 rooms, banqueting suites, bars, restaurants, casino, a spa and gym, cocktail lounge, pool, sundeck and even a ballroom (pictured) and will be one of the most luxurious places to stay in the Mediterranean . Gibraltar's Sunborn Yacht Hotel came about as the company realised there was demand for a new luxurious hotel but no room to build one on the exclusive British territory. A sundeck connected to a suite is pictured . Gibraltar's Sunborn Yacht Hotel came about as the company realised there was demand for a new luxurious hotel but no room to build one on the exclusive peninsular. The floating hotel is designed to be permanently moored in Gibraltar and will be attached by six strong hydraulic arms, each weighing eight tonnes. Guests will enter the exclusive hotel . through an enclosed glass bridge and Sunborn Gibraltar CEO, Brian Stevendale said that unlike . cruise ships, guests will feel as if they are staying on dry land. The floating hotel is seven storeys tall and has 15,500 metres squares of floor space and will dwarf less super yachts in the marina . The floating hotel (pictured) is designed to be permanently moored in Gibraltar, attached by six strong hydraulic arms, each weighing eight tonnes . He told CNN: 'It's intriguing that something so large . can literally just be plugged in to a port.' The concept of a hotel on water was in answer to there being little space on the British territory of Gibraltar, which measures under seven square kilometres. Monaco and Singapore have similarly thriving economies and a glamorous allure for holiday makers but accommodation and space is limited. Befitting a five star hotel, the 167 guest rooms, four executive rooms and 18 suites are expected to cost between £200 and £2,000 a night . All the rooms feature wall-to-wall and floor to ceiling panoramic windows and 90 per cent of the rooms have an outdoor area . Mr Stevendale said: 'In Gibraltar there's a huge demand for hotels, but how do you do it in such a small jurisdiction?' 'Unlike traditional building -- which . involves trucks, cranes and a huge amount of disruption -- we have a . ready built product that can be delivered to these prime areas.' Further hotels could follow in or places where a land-based development is impractical because a site is environmentally sensitive, has heritage status, or because there is simply no more room to build new hotels. Despite its over-the-top interior (a dining room is pictured), the company behind the super yacht claims it is eco-friendly compared to building a new hotel on land . The ship is being constructed in Malaysia complete with internal fittings (a restaurant is pictured) and has an engine to take it to its final location at Gibraltar . Despite its over-the-top interior, the company behind the super yacht claims it is eco-friendly compared to building a new hotel on land. The ship is being constructed in Malaysia and has an engine to take it to its final location at Gibraltar, but because it has the ability to travel, Sunborn said similar yachts could be used at temporary events such as the Olympics or World Cup. There are plans for similar hotels in London and Barcelona as well as tentative plans for others in North America, South East Asia, the Middle East and Russia. The Gibraltar vessel is the second floating hotel by the company, which opened the 'Sunborn Princess' at Naantali Spa Resort in Finland in 2002. | Gibraltar's Sunborn Yacht Hotel came about as the company realised there .
was demand for a new luxurious hotel but no room to build one on the .
exclusive peninsular .
142 metre super yacht will be .
permanently moored in Gibraltar's Ocean Village Marina .
The floating hotel is expected to open at the end of this year and is seven storeys tall, has 15,500 metres squared of floor space and will dwarf less super .
yachts in the marina .
Befitting a five star hotel, the 167 .
guest rooms, four executive rooms and 18 suites are expected to cost .
between £200 and £2,000 a night . |
71,523 | cabd53ad5e83a40c1cb4f3c4bec007f977b5347e | Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes the 'winning spirit is coming' for the Blues squad following Tuesday's 6-0 win over Maribor. Jose Mourinho's side ran riot at Stamford Bridge against the Slovenian champions as Drogba scored his first goal for the club since returning to west London in the summer from the penalty spot. The frontman believes the current Chelsea squad is packed with quality and told ITV after the victory: 'The winning spirit is coming. The desire to score goals together as a team is good. Didier Drogba claims the 'winning spirit is coming' and believes the current Chelsea squad is full of quality . 'We have a lot more quality than in previous Chelsea teams I played with. The team is younger but there is still room for improvement.' Drogba - who doubled Chelsea's lead after requesting usual penalty taker Eden Hazard step aside - was desperate to get off the mark. 'I have to be honest I wanted to score. I asked (Hazard) and he said yes. 'This is the spirit we have in this team. We share goals and they help with my confidence,' laughed the 36-year-old. Didier Drogba scored his first goal for Chelsea since his return to Stamford Bridge from the penalty spot . While Chelsea boss manager Mourinho wasn't initially impressed with Hazard's decision to accept Drogba's request, the Portuguese admitted it was good to see the striker complete 75 minutes after coming on for the injured Loic Remy. With Diego Costa and Remy expected to miss Sunday's trip to Manchester United, Mourinho may have to turn to Drogba. Asked if he expected to play at Old Trafford, Drogba replied: 'I don't know, the manager will decide. I'm available for the team as always. Loic Remy's injury could pose a serious problem for Chelsea, who travel to Manchester United next Sunday . | Didier Drogba believes the current Chelsea team is one of the best he has been a part of at Stamford Bridge .
Blues striker scored first goal since returning to west London in 6-0 victory over Maribor .
Frontman could face Manchester United with both Diego Costa and Loic Remy expected to miss out through injury . |
120,820 | 282c6989a1bb7889aa8e5245a30070b45c311fd2 | The Imperial Tobacco factory in Nottingham is to close, meaning the loss of more than 500 jobs and the end of the Britain's tobacco industry. Imperial's production plant and distribution centre, which dates back 137 years and produces tobacco for brands including Golden Virginia and Lambert & Butler, will shut with the loss of 540 jobs, it was announced yesterday. The cost-cutting decision - Imperial will move its production to other European factories - means the end of one of the last bastions of British manufacturing. To close: Imperial Tobacco is shutting its Nottingham plant with the loss of 540 jobs, the company announced . Imperial blamed 'tough economic conditions' for its decision to cut the Nottingham factory, pictured in 1939 . Cigarette production was a stalwart for cities across Britain, providing jobs for generation after generation, from its earliest introduction to the UK in the late 16th century. But for the last four decades, it has been an industry in decline. Smoking peaked in the UK in 1974, and as smokers either cut down or gave up, with many switching to smoke-free e-cigarettes, manufacturers in Britain have steadily reduced their workforces. Now only Japan Tobacco International (JTI)'s Gallaher cigarette plant in Lisnafallan, Northern Ireland, remains. Imperial chief executive Alison Cooper said the Nottingham closures were part of a money-saving drive to save £300million a year from September 2018. She said: 'The prospect of job losses is always . regrettable and we will be doing all we can to support employees and . ensure that they are treated in a fair and responsible manner.' Imperial, which also makes Gauloises and Davidoff cigarettes, said cigarette production in . Europe was declining due to ‘tough economic conditions’, as well as . increased regulation, higher taxes and smuggling. Falling sales: Sales of cigarettes in the UK have plummeted by 42 per cent since 2000 (file picture) Tougher advertising regulations have made conditions harder for tobacco firms - this advert is from the 1930s . The company also announced the closure of sites in France including a factory in Nantes and a research and development facility in Bergerac, taking the total job losses to 900. The Nottingham and French plants will . close over the next two years, and production will be relocated to . factories in Germany and Poland, with distribution being outsourced. France's cigarette market has suffered . along with the rest of Europe, with sales almost half what they were in . 2000. Cigarette sales in Britain have gone down by 42 per cent in the . same period. In the 1930s and 1940s, cigarette girls were a common sight in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cinemas in Europe and the US. The girl made her living by catching a man's eye and selling him not only cigarettes but also matches, lighters, and novelty items. What she wore influenced how often she was called over, so cigarette girls tended to wear revealing or alluring clothes, such as a bodice, short tutu-style skirt, and high heels. Cigarette girls still work in some nightclubs and restaurants, but their heyday has now passed. Imperial, the world's fourth-largest international tobacco company by market share, aims to launch two electronic cigarettes this year. They are safer than traditional cigarettes but also face the prospect of additional government regulation. The company, which has 46 manufacturing sites and 35,000 staff in 160 countries, closed a cigar factory in Bristol in 2010. The . GMB union, which represents tobacco workers in Nottingham, said the . announcement was a devastating blow to the workforce and the city’s . economy. Union official . Chris Needham said: ‘GMB will oppose this closure as we believe the . work of producing 17billion cigarettes in Nottingham each year is being . migrated east to the Polish factory as a cynical ploy to increase . profits and for no other reason. ‘This . company made no less than £3.18billion profits last year and to make . even more money it is simply walking away from Nottingham. This is not . acceptable.’ Smoking is the biggest single cause of illness and premature death in the UK, and causes the death of 100,000 people in Britain every single year. First introduced to Britain in 1586 by colonists from Virginia in the US, tobacco was initially criticised by King James I who, in his 1602 pamphlet A Counterblaste To Tobacco, claimed that smoking was a sin. But despite his best attempts, the popularity of tobacco spread, and its alleged health-giving powers meant it was sold not only at taverns but at chemists, too. It rose in fashion during the 17th and 18th centuries, and duty on tobacco rose accordingly as the Government came to value tobacco excise as a valuable source of income. Big employer: The Wills cigarette firm in Bristol began in 1786 and employed thousands of men and women . With the tobacco being imported from overseas, major ports such as London, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow became centres of the cigarette manufacturing industry. In Bristol, Wills & Co - founded in 1786 - was one of the biggest tobacco firms, and one of the first to make cigarettes. As the firm grew, so did the number of people it employed, and the company pioneered worker benefits such as health care, paid holidays and canteens. Liverpool had the Ogden Tobacco Company, while in Glasgow two 'tobacco lairds', William Glassford and William Cunninghame, made a fortune importing tobacco from the colonies. Imperial's history in Nottingham dates back to 1877, when John Player bought a small tobacco manufacturing business in Broad Marsh. It has been at its current site in the city since 1972. Women, such as these at an Imperial Tobacco factory in the 1930s, were often hired by tobacco firms . In 1876 Benson & Hedges received its first royal warrant from Edward, Prince of Wales, and by the 1880s, tobacco manufacturers in London alone were estimated to make up a quarter of all the manufacturers in Britain. In 1902 British American Tobacco (BAT) was formed as a joint venture between Britain's Imperial Tobacco Company and the American Tobacco Company. But ten years later, the first connection was made between smoking and lung cancer by a Doctor I Adler. It didn't stop cigarettes being included in soldiers' ration packs during the First World War, though, while manufacturer Philip Morris started targeting women with their cigarette advertising in 1925. Cigarette adverts: British-made Player's used a cherubic toddler before health warnings became mandatory . By the 1950s, medical studies found a definite link between smoking and lung cancer, and by 1971 all packets of cigarettes sold in the UK had to carry health warnings. The first National No Smoking Day was organised in 1989, and in July 2007 a ban on smoking in pubs, bars, restaurants and all enclosed workplace came into force. Cigarette sales, which peaked in Britain in 1974, fell from 94.4billion in the UK in 1991 to 55.5billion in 2001 and 42billion in 2011 thanks to increased awareness of associated health risks, as well at tighter advertising regulations and higher tax. Initially included in cigarette packs to stiffen the packaging, cigarette cards soon became desirable in their own right as people sought to collect full sets. While early versions simply bore the cigarette manufacturer's logo or name, they were soon released in thematic sets, with, for example, famous footballers or battleships drawn on them. This set of cigarette cards depicting Kings and Queens of England was produced by Carreras in 1935 . In Britain, the Bristol-based Wills firm introduced cigarette cards first, in 1887, followed by John Player & Sons in 1893 and Liverpool's Ogden a couple of years after that. Cards typically came in sets of 25 or 50, and complete sets would sell for large sums at specialist auctions, with collectors paying up to £11,000 for a single, rare card. | Imperial Tobacco is to close its plant at Nottingham in cost-cutting drive .
Decision will mean loss of 540 jobs and end of Britain's tobacco industry .
Imperial blames 'tough economic conditions' as well as higher taxes .
The firm will also close factory and research centre in Nantes and Bergerac .
Cigarette sales in Britain are down by 42 per cent in the last 14 years .
Similar problem in France, where sales have nearly halved since 2000 .
Tobacco industry was once a manufacturing stalwart in cities across UK . |
106,629 | 158abce52417ed18fd25c83d810e28d1c84aee9c | CNN -- From organic toothpaste to "clean" petrol, it seems as though all the products in our lives are busily championing their eco-friendly credential. Nevermind the white wash, how do you deal with greenwash? But who holds these companies to account and how can you separate the facts about a product or company from marketing fiction? Scot Case from environmental marketing firm TerraChoice has come up with what he calls the "Six Sins of Greenwashing" that he claims many companies are guilty of when making their environmental claims. Now is you chance to gain some clarity in the sea of green marketing and find out how to tell the eco-sinners from the eco-winners. Email Scot your questions and he will reply here on Eco Solutions on Monday, October 27. | Email your questions on ethical shopping and green products to Scot Case .
Case is an expert on ethical marketing and exposing company "greenwashing"
Read the 'Ask the expert' Q&A on carbon trading . |
278,970 | f56d60736dbfd013c2a50761a525dfce5b609072 | A pensioner on social security who accidentally sent her rent check addressed to her landlord to Comcast found the company had cashed it when she asked for it back. Francis Wilson from Albuquerque, New Mexico unwittingly put her $235 rent check for her landlord in an envelope along with her $20 Comcast subscription payment and accidentally sent it off to the company. But when she realised her mistake and asked for it back, the Comcast admitted that they had already cashed the check and said they would only pay it back by putting credit on her account. Francis Wilson, 79, who discovered that she accidentally sent her $235 rent check addressed to her landlord to Comcast and the company then cashed it when she asked for it back . The 79-year-old, who needed the cash back to pay her landlord, begged Comcast to give her the money back but each time they refused her the refund. She told KRQR-TV: 'At first I couldn't think in my mind, where did I send the check? I just couldn't imagine that it was Comcast. 'They didn't even call me and tell me I had made the mistake. Who gave them the authority to cash the check?' It was only when Mrs Wilson called the local media to tell them of her story that Comcast relented and evetually gave her the money. As well as reimbursing the money, they also gave her $235 in cash and kept the $235 credit on her Comcast account. After asking Comcast to reimburse the check the cashed, pictured, the company refused and saying they could only credit her account . A spokeswoman from the firm explained that the check had been cashed as they use an automated payments system and nobody had personally handled the payment. She also added that as soon as the mistake was brought to their attention they quickly apologised and offered to pay her back. But Mrs Wilson added: 'It took a long time for this, it wasn't overnight.' Last week, Comcast also came under fire after it emerged an Illinois woman was sent a bill from the company addressed to 'Super Bi***' Mary Bauer said she had been battling with the company since last April, calling 'hundreds of times' as she tried to get them to restore the Hallmark Channel to her line-up. It was only when Mrs Wilson called the local media that Comcast relented and agreed to pay her the money back . Meanwhile another couple were sent a bill addressed to 'A**hole Brown' after they tried to cancel their subscription. Lisa and Ricardo Brown from Spokane Washington said they wanted to cancel the cable on their Comcast account - which cost them $60 - after suffering financial difficulties. But Mrs Brown said the customer service representative transferred her to a retention specialist who attempted to persuade her to keep the cable and sign a new two-year contract. When the couple received their next bill, Mr Brown's name had been changed from Ricardo Brown to 'A**hole Brown.' In both cases Comcast were forced to apologise and said an internal investigation was underway. | Francis Wilson, 79, wrote out $235 rent check addressed to her landlord .
But she accidentally put it in an envelope with her Comcast payment .
She sent the envelope to Comcast but called them as soon as she realised .
Found check was cashed by Comcast even though it was not for them .
Company refused to pay her back and would only credit Comcast account .
After involving local media the company then relented and reimbursed her .
To apologise they also gave her $235 in cash and kept the $235 credit on her account . |
152,610 | 51324d4ffe943e4da707c97ca5e693f5a0b2b6f9 | By . Jessica Jerreat . A California teenager was forced to crash into a car on the freeway so she could escape from an Army veteran accused of holding her hostage after she tried to help him. Daniela Alvarez was allegedly approached by Kenneth Middlebrook in the drive of her San Jose home on Sunday, and asked if she could drive him home. But the 23-year-old, who served in Iraq, is accused of suddenly snapping and threatening to choke the teenager, before forcing her to drive. Scroll down for video . Ordeal: Daniela Alvarez, 19, was kidnapped by an army veteran she had offered to help . Daniela said she was terrified for her life and was forced to crash the car into another vehicle on a freeway so she could try to get help. Arrested: Kenneth Middlebrook is facing two kidnapping charges . The 19-year-old said Middlebrook had seemed normal when he stopped her outside his home, and asked for help because he was stranded. She told CBS she believed his story and agreed to get in his car because he seemed so normal but, after arriving at a house that Middlebrook claimed belonged to his father, he suddenly snapped. 'When he came out of the house he was very agitated. Very upset,' Sergeant Saul Jaeger told KTVU. 'it was at this point that she felt like she was not free to leave.' Daniela described how he grabbed hold of her and tried to choke her, before demanding that she get in the trunk of the vehicle. The brave teenager refused and tried to calm Middlebrook, offering to continue driving as she tried to think of way to escape. Her mother, Nellie Figueroa, said: 'He wanted to get her in the trunk but she refused ... and thanks to God she's alive.' Terrified: Daniela says Middlebrook suddenly snapped and tried to choke her . When the pair reached a freeway, Daniela smashed into another car before braking hard and running out of the car. Trauma: Army veteran Middlebrook is said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder . 'I remember screaming to this guy, "Help me, help me, help me, this guy is trying to kill me",' she said. Middlebrook fled from the scene, as the unidentified motorist who stopped to help, comforted Daniela and called police. The army veteran went on to kidnap a 61-year-old woman. who was forced from her home and made to drive around San Francisco for several hours before she managed to escape. 'She was afraid for her life,' Sergeant Jaeger said, adding that the woman, who has not been identified, managed to drive off and escape after Middlebrook got out of the car and ordered her to wait. The police have said there is a possibility of other victims who may not have come forward yet. Middlebrook was arrested on Monday and charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of robbery and one count of battery. His father, Jeffrey Middlebrook, said he had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder since serving in Iraq in the Army. He had been having problems since returning from Iraq, where he was haunted after having to pull the decapitated bodies of three friends from a burning vehicle. 'I don't want anyone to think there is any justification for what he allegedly did,' Mr Middlebrook told the San Jose Mercury News. 'But the other side of the story. My son went to war. He left a good, happy, loving kid and he came back a devastated human being.' Since leaving the army in 2012, Middlebrook had been involved in minor criminal behavior, but each time he was released, his father said. Neither woman was physically hurt during their terrifying ordeals, but Daniela says she has been left traumatized by the events. | Daniela Alvarez feared for her life after 'normal-looking 23-year-old suddenly snapped'
Alvarez, 19, managed to flee after causing an accident on the freeway .
Kenneth Middlebrook is accused of then taking 61-year-old woman hostage .
Veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder is facing two kidnap charges . |
21,580 | 3d4c687a67ef8d06f1b4e882afeb84ea41e8c599 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:07 EST, 16 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:22 EST, 16 January 2013 . A homeless suspect charged with killing a stranger by pushing him into the path of a New York City subway train told investigators his victim 'rolled like a bowling ball' after he landed on the tracks, according to court papers released Tuesday. In written and videotaped statements, Naeem Davis admitted watching as Ki-Suck Han tried in vain to climb off the tracks before the train hit him, the document prepared by prosecutors says. Davis, 30, described Han as a drunken instigator of the deadly altercation on a subway platform near Times Square. Scroll down for video . In the dock: Homeless suspect Naeem Davis, pictured at an earlier court hearing, is accused of killing a father by pushing him into the path of a New York subway train . Victim: Davis admitted watching as Ki-Suck Han (pictured) tried in vain to climb off the tracks . But he also wrote that he was to blame and 'shouldn't have let this happen,' the document says. The papers were made public on Tuesday . as Davis pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges at a . Manhattan courthouse. He's been held without bail since his arrest last . month. Davis 'had not been bothering anybody' when Han 'went after him,' defense attorney Stephen Porkart told . reporters outside court. 'If there was a push, it occurred out of . frustration, he added. Grieving: Han's wife (above) has said she had argued with her husband and that he had been drinking on the morning of December 3 . Controversial: Tuesday's New York Post cover . Han's wife has said she had argued . with her husband and that he had been drinking on the morning of December 3. At about 12.30pm, Han encountered Davis, who later told police he . was on a paid errand to buy merchandise for street vendors. Davis claimed that after the men . accidentally bumped into each other while entering the station, the . 58-year-old Han began yelling, 'I'll kill you!' He also said Han was . staggering and slurring his words. 'I don't know you, you don't know me!' Davis said he responded before trying to walk away. After Han followed Davis down the . platform and tried to grab him, Davis admitted pushing him away. The two men were seen arguing before the victim (left) was 'pushed' to his death . The 'pushing suspect' (right) was described as 'emotionally disturbed' Fatal fall: Police inside 49th Street station, where Mr Han died . He . described Han falling 'head first onto the tracks and rolling like a . bowling ball,' the document says. At least a minute passed before the train hit the victim. Then Davis said he 'freaked' and made his escape. Davis claimed he didn't intend to kill Han and was only defending himself, the document adds. The defendant told investigators that . he came to the United States from Sierra Leone in 1989, and that he once . attended college in Pennsylvania. | Homeless Naeem Davis made claims to investigators, say court papers .
Davis 'admits watching as Ki-Suck Han tried in vain to climb off tracks'
He claims Han was drunken instigator of altercation that led to his death .
Papers revealed as Davis pleads not guilty to murder and manslaughter . |
194,743 | 881593b79490c2be2d46b7b62937386ccee89909 | New York (CNN) -- Police have identified the eighth and final victim of a gas explosion in New York's East Harlem last week. Mayumi Nakamura, 34, lived in apartment No. 4 at 1646 Park Ave., according to police, the northernmost of the two buildings leveled by explosion and fire March 12. Her body was recovered from the rubble Thursday night, police said, but identification took longer because her family had to travel from Japan to confirm her identity. The other seven victims have been identified as Carmen Tanco, 67; Alexis "Jordy" Salas, 22; Griselde Camacho, 44; Rosaura Hernandez, 21; Andreas Panagopoulos, 43; George Ameado, 44; and Rosaura Barrios, 44. Julie Bolcer, spokeswoman for the city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said the victims died of smoke inhalation or physical trauma. Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed in state Supreme Court in the name of Michelle Nelson, 46, who said she was injured in the blast. The complaint alleges that electric provider Con Edison was aware of potentially unsafe conditions of gas mains on the property and neglected to act. "This is the first of what will be many more," attorney Michael Lamonsoff said. "You have Con Ed on notice for years that their gas lines are extremely old ... especially in this area." The lawsuit also names Kaoru Murmatsu, owner and superintendent of the building. "We're working with the City, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross to assist the affected families with their expenses in the wake of the tragedy. We will review the filing at an appropriate time," said Bob McGee, a spokesman for Con Edison. Eric Weiss, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over pipeline accidents, said the agency plans to release an investigative update Tuesday. Firefighters discover church's Bible in the ashes of Harlem explosion . New York explosion exposes nation's aging and dangerous gas mains . CNN's Julia Lull & Ray Sanchez contributed to this report. | Mayumi Nakamura was pulled from the rubble Thursday night .
Officials say victims died of smoke inhalation or physical trauma .
Woman injured in explosion sues building owner, electric provider Con Edison .
"We will review the filing at an appropriate time," utility says . |
31,184 | 58a718cfe54bc65b01ec8a56eac4bf2869417ecd | Manila to Tacloban, the Philippines (CNN) -- The weather forecasters had warned that Hagupit was one of the most unpredictable storms in memory. Three of the world's leading weather agencies came up with three different paths for the storm as it slowly, but relentlessly, bore down on the Philippines packing winds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph). For me, that unpredictability turned traveling from Manila to Tacloban from a routine 90-minute flight into a 31-hour slog. I needed to be there to cover the typhoon's impact on a town traumatized by the impact of Super Typhoon Haiyan last year. It looked pretty simple at the beginning. Jump on the Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong, head straight for domestic departures, where I would then board a flight to Tacloban -- a flight of little more than an hour. Except it wasn't. TYPHOON TRACKER: Follow Hagupit . Planes... 10:30 a.m. came and went with no sign of a boarding call. I began to meet other journalists waiting for the same flight who were equally at a loss as to what was happening. We were eventually approached by a Philippines Airlines manager, apologizing profusely. "Technical difficulties" had apparently grounded the aircraft but we were assured there would be another flight at 1.30 p.m. All other flights to different parts of the Philippines were on schedule, so we were confident about this next take-off time. But as the time approached, no boarding call came. A brief announcement informed us the flight was canceled because of continuing "technical difficulties." And so it went. Another airlines staff member presented us with new boarding passes for a 3.45 p.m. flight. Fifteen minutes before departure we were sitting patiently on the airport bus waiting to be taken out to the apron and it looked as if we would finally be on our way. But the bus didn't move. We sat for 30 minutes until another announcement of another delay. We trudged back to the boarding gate, very frustrated. Other routes were being discussed but all ferries had been canceled and the direct flight still looked the best bet. More than an hour later we learned that all flights were canceled because of the weather conditions in Tacloban. We appeared to be stuck where the story wasn't. Blades... And so to Plan B. A hasty conference call with the Hong Kong news desk and a new plan: Charter a light aircraft. Initial indications were good. A private operator thought they could get a few of us into Tacloban at first light Saturday. The final decision on weather conditions would be made at 4 a.m. At the appointed time the news came through: Conditions were too dangerous to risk it. Another call to Hong Kong and we decided that it could be possible to fly to Cebu and take the short hop to Tacloban by helicopter. I boarded my flight at 11 a.m. and was on the island inside the hour to be met by the helicopter crew. I knew I was in good hands when I met my pilot, retired military man Col. Andy Largo. His flying career included flying four former Philippine presidents around the country, as well as the late Pope John Paul II. He had already flown two sorties that morning to Tacloban but my anxieties grew as he described the flights. He was forced to touch down early on both journeys because of the conditions -- and they were growing worse by the hour. The biggest worry, he said, were strong wings that could literally break the rotor blades. If we encountered excessive winds he would reduce the flying speed and edge ahead, waiting for a break in the weather. I was his only passenger but he took along an engineer to help "just in case." I buckled into the front seat next to Col. Largo and off we went into a murky cloud-filled sky. It was surprisingly smooth. We flew at between 1,000 and 2,000 feet over a white-capped sea, towards increasingly thick clouds. Our pilot seemed unworried until we got to the tip of Leyte Island and the town of Beybey, which lies at the foot of a range of mountains separating us from Tacloban. One look at the cloud ahead and he tapped me on the arm and indicated the flight had come to an end. We put down on a playing field and I jumped out. And automobiles.. I was soon surrounded by a group of locals, who managed to rustle up a van. Ten minutes later we on the road driving along a virtually deserted road in heavy rain, towards the mountains and Tacloban. It took two hours to make the 100 kilometer (62 mile) journey. At 4 p.m., 31 hours after touching down in Manila, I finally arrived at my destination. | CNN's Andrew Stevens was trying to get to Tacloban ahead of Typhoon Hagupit .
After multiple flight cancellations, he chartered a helicopter then rustled up a van from locals .
Trip normally takes 90 minutes with a direct flight from Manila .
Tacloban suffered the brunt of Super Typhoon Haiyan 13 months ago . |
62,237 | b0d4054de1aeecb668a467238dac04f8e62f3117 | (CNN) -- It was only after I joined CNN on May 8, 1990, that I got to know Ted Turner and learn TV news and life lessons from him. In recent weeks and months, I've been thinking of those lessons as I worked on our new CNN one-hour documentary: "Ted Turner: The Maverick Man." Here -- in no particular order -- are five things I learned from the CNN founder: . 1. The news comes first. He would always remind all of us at CNN that we work for a "news" organization and when there's breaking news, that takes priority. Nowadays, that sounds so obvious, especially to all of us at CNN -- the world's news leader when it comes to breaking news. But when he created the first 24/7 television news network on June 1, 1980, that concept was not so obvious. 2. If you have a dream, pursue it. When he created CNN, a lot of folks thought he was crazy. The three broadcast networks already had a daily 30-minute newscast. But Ted believed people in the United States -- and indeed around the world -- wanted a lot more. He took what money he had and rolled the dice. He was, of course, right. There are now hundreds of local, national and international 24/7 cable news channels in dozens of languages around the world. In short, Ted did for television news what Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did for computers and the Internet. 3. Even after terrible life setbacks, you can recover and even thrive. Ted had a very unhappy childhood. His parents sent him away to boarding school when he was only 4. His father berated him for not getting into Harvard and stopped paying his tuition at Brown because he didn't like Ted's major. Later, his father committed suicide. Still in his early 20s, Ted went on to take a local advertising business and create a worldwide media empire. At his peak, Ted was worth more than $10 billion. Years later, Ted lost his media empire, and the love of his life, Jane Fonda. Even at his lowest point, he was able to turn things around and create a new business venture -- becoming a bison rancher and opening a chain of restaurants, which keeps him thriving and relevant today. 4. A smart person has a lot of interests. Ted loves more than just the news. He loves entertainment -- he created TNT, TBS, Turner Classic Movies, The Cartoon Network -- and sports. At one point, when he owned the Atlanta Braves, he took them from last place to a World Series win. He also has a passion for protecting the environment and eliminating nuclear weapons. And he puts his money where his mouth is. He made a $1 billion pledge to the United Nations. 5. Don't be afraid to admit you've made mistakes. Anyone who speaks with Ted will hear him acknowledge his many mistakes over the years -- from not being an attentive father to failing to understand what the Time Warner/AOL merger would mean for his involvement with his beloved CNN. He has no role in CNN today. The great thing about Ted is that he knows where he erred and is willing to learn and improve. By sharing the good and bad of his life, he hopes others will learn as well. | Ted Turner turns 75 years old this month .
He founded CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network, in 1980 .
In 1990, Turner hired Wolf Blitzer, host of CNN's "The Situation Room"
Blitzer reflects on what he learned from his former boss . |
206,763 | 97b607d6b5d5d6783bae717dacdb86aec1d376d3 | Planning a last minute festive flight home this Christmas to see the family? You may want to avoid Luton or Stansted airports. According to new figures, passengers flying from London are most likely to suffer fight delays than anywhere else in the UK on the run up to Christmas. Travel website flightcompensation.com has revealed a list of the worst offending airports for tardiness based on flight data from December 2013, with Luton and Stansted facing the most disruption a year ago. A website has compiled a list of the worst UK airports for delays based on data from December 2013 . Luton came out top as the worst airport for delays over 15 minutes, followed by Stansted and Gatwick . Luton Airport was named the worst airport for Christmas flight delays with the majority (56.61 per cent) of all flights that month being delayed by 15 minutes or more. Not faring much better, Stansted came a close second with 54.9 per cent, followed by Gatwick with 54.27 per cent and Heathrow came at ninth with 31.84 per cent. Manchester (42.28 per cent), Southampton (39.29 per cent) and Bournemouth (38.64 per cent) were also included in the top ten along with private airfield Northolt (50 per cent), Prestwick (35.44 per cent) and Nottingham East Midlands (31.84 per cent). A plane takes off at Luton airport where, in December last year, 56.61 per cent of flights took off late . However, Northolt's place on the list is misleading as it had only two flights during all of December 2013, and one of the two was delayed. Prestwick had 73 delayed flights over 15 minutes and Nottingham East Midlands had 306. Flightcompensation.com has also revealed the the best airports to travel from if you don't want to be late. Southend, Cambridge, City of Derry and Isles of Scilly were the best airports for on-time departures. No flights from any of those four airports took off with delays longer than 15 minutes during December. An aerial view of Luton airport which came out top of the worst airports for delays longer than 15 minutes . Note: Percentage of departures delayed by 15 mins or more in December 2013 . The study also showed which airports had the largest number of delays over three hours long in December - the point at which flights are potentially eligible for flight delay compensation according to EU rules. Glasgow came out worst (1.33 per cent) and London Gatwick was second with 1.32 per cent of flights delayed over three hours. Gatwick also won the 'wooden spoon' award for longest delay: 25 hours and nine minutes on a British Airways flight to Larnaca, Cyprus. London Heathrow was third with 198 delays (1.02 per cent). Flight delay legal expert Kevin Clarke said: 'Christmas delays of three hours or more are particularly stressful because they often mean that passengers are missing out on precious time with their loved ones. 'Many of the passengers involved in the study don't realise that they could be entitled to compensation for delays. 'We sometimes hear that airlines have told them that they are not owed any money, despite having their festive plans disrupted or even ruined. 'But as we find time and time again passengers are not excluded from compensation just because airlines tell them that they are.' | Luton comes out worst, followed by Stansted then Gatwick for delays .
Southend, Cambridge and City of Derry recorded no delays of more than 15 minutes in December 2013 .
Glasgow airport won prize for most delays over three hours last Christmas . |
38,163 | 6becd1695589c9149c89603f8dd54f67f50505aa | The hype over tennis's "next big thing" Nick Kyrgios exploded in Australia on Wednesday as news of the teenager's stunning upset of 14-times grand slam champion Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon broke. Once a global superpower in the sport, Australia has waited in vain for a new men's talent to take the mantle from an ageing Lleyton Hewitt and 19-year-old Kyrgios's stylish advance to the Wimbledon quarters propelled a tidal wave of accolades from former players, Hollywood celebrities and politicians. 'Extraordinary performance @NickKyrgios. Australia couldn't be prouder of you - what a win & what an amazing attitude!' Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott tweeted. Aussie rules: Kyrgios looks in disbelief as he celebrates his shock win over Nadal . Stunned: The world No 1 was overwhelmed by the power and finesse of his teenage opponent . 'Aussie Aussie Aussie @NickKyrgios. Such composure and class! But hard off to @RafaelNadal ... one of the greatest of all time!' Australian actor Hugh Jackman also posted on Twitter. A lead story on all of the major news networks and websites, Kyrgios's hopes of "keeping it real" may be undermined by the constant comparisons to other barnstorming teenagers of yesteryear. Where American great John McEnroe saw in Kyrgios a 17-year-old Boris Becker on the rise, Australian doubles great Todd Woodbridge gleaned a young Pete Sampras. Australia's 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash likened Kyrgios to another big-server with Greek heritage in Mark Philippoussis, the twice grand slam finalist. The outrageous between-the-legs winner that Kyrgios finessed from the baseline to leave Nadal flat-footed was seized upon as proof the 144th-ranked Kyrgios had the confidence and the game to mix it with the world's greats. Proud: Australian A-list actor Hugh Jackman tweeted his delight at Kyrgios' win . By Royal appointment: Jackman watched the match from the Royal Box at Wimbledon . National hero: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was also quick to congratulate Kyrgios . 'The "tweener" perfectly summed up Kyrgios's approach at Wimbledon - fearless, fun and a finesse-to-firepower ratio to match it with the world's elite,' News Ltd media enthused. Amid the feverish hype, Kyrgios's vanquished opponent struck a rare note of caution. 'For me it's very easy to say he can be top 10. I think he can do. It's not an issue that I think he can not do it,' said Nadal. 'But when we see a young player that arrives to the tour and plays a great match or plays a great tournament, people say he will be the next big star. 'Some things are right - sometimes arrive, sometimes not. So it depends how the things improve over the next couple of months, years, for him. So if he is able to keep improving, he will be. If not, will be more difficult.' Australia has previously been tantalised by the exploits of a rangy, local teenager who stormed into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. In with a shout: Kyrgios is through to the quarter-finals at SW19 . Bernard Tomic's exhilarating run to the last eight in 2011 as a care-free 18-year-old was seen as the springboard to a top-10 ranking and grand slam success. Now 21, Tomic, who was dumped from the second round by Czech Tomas Berdych, is ranked 86th in the world and has not since advanced beyond the fourth round at the majors. Compared to Kyrgios, now glowing in the light as the "golden boy" from Canberra, Tomic's brand has been tainted by a string of controversies. He was kicked out of the Davis Cup team for attitude problems and stuck by his hot-headed father-coach John Tomic, who was convicted by a Spanish court of assaulting his son's former hitting partner last year. False dawn: Bernard Tomic (above) has not been able to kick on since breaking through in 2011 . 'The last couple of years have been tough for Aussie tennis fans as we've watched Bernard Tomic occasionally show his talent, but mostly abuse it, mock it, waste it,' wrote one News Ltd critic prior to Kyrgios's Nadal clash. 'Yet still we've cheered for him, hoping against hope that it's surely just a matter of time until his infantile mind catches up with his oversized body. 'Hasn't happened yet and maybe it never will. Either way, it now scarcely matters because Nick Kyrgios is No 1 in our hearts. 'This likeable young Canberran has a lovely vibe about him. He's aggressive but controlled, a killer on the court and a puppy dog off it.' | Australian Nick Kyrgios beat Rafael Nadal in four sets .
Kyrgios through to quarter-final at Wimbledon .
Hugh Jackman and Australian PM Tony Abbott tweet their congratulations . |
190,926 | 833ecf3c8e03eed7f6fd2106ff444947aca6f7ee | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:22 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:28 EST, 25 February 2014 . Streets with rude-sounding names like Crotch Crescent, Turkey Cock Lane, Bell End and The Knob could turn out to be a haven for property hunters looking to snap up a bargain, as many will not want to live on a suggestive-sounding street. The study for website NeedaProperty.com looked for evidence of what impact living in a street with a cheeky name could have on the value of your home. Properties on streets with innuendo-laden names were found to be around one fifth or £84,000 cheaper on average than other homes situated nearby. A semi-detached house in Slag Lane, Lowton, Lancashire goes for a song at £112,620 - 26 per cent cheaper than nearby roads . Minge Lane in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, was found to have the most embarrassment value . Researchers asked 2,000 people to vote for the street name that they would be most embarrassed to have as their address from a long list and the top 15 were used for the study. Minge Lane in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, was found to have the most embarrassment value, picking up almost one third (31 per cent) of the vote. Slag Lane in Lowton, Lancashire, followed closely behind, being selected by just over one quarter (26 per cent) of people. But two-fifths (40 per cent) of all those surveyed said that a street name which some people might find embarrassing would not put them off living there themselves. Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, Blake Harrison and James Buckley, stars of The Inbetweeners, find Cock-A-Dobby in Sandhurst . Properties on streets with innuendo-laden names were found to be around one fifth or £84,000 cheaper on average than other homes situated nearby . Residents of Fanny Hands Lane in Ludford, Lincolnshire - another of the streets that made the list - said they were not oblivious of its amusing name but did not think it made the houses any cheaper. Retired Annie Gray, 60, who moved to Ludford from Croydon, south London, 12 years ago, said the road name was one of the reasons she and her husband decided to buy their bungalow. 'It was one of the factors because it’s so unusual and always get a giggle,' she said. 'If you’re ever ordering anything and tell people your address, as soon as you say ‘Fanny’, they know exactly where you mean.' She continued: 'I would think it’s actually the other way round in terms of house prices. 'Magna Mile is just a main road, it’s not a village, and if you think about it logically where would you prefer to live - on a little side street like this one or a main road with busy traffic? 'It certainly didn’t seem to make a difference when we were looking to buy here.' Streets with rude-sounding names like Fanny Hands Lane, Crotch Crescent, Turkey Cock Lane, Bell End and The Knob could turn out to be a haven for property hunters looking to snap up a bargain, research suggests . The road name has attracted media attention in the past, Mrs Gray said, and the metal sign had been pilfered on a couple of occasions. The lane acquired its name after Frances Hands, the niece of a local farmer, lived on the street, Mrs Gray said. Janette Hill, 72, who also lives in the street, said she had been told the lane had been named after a woman called Fanny used to sit at the top of the road knitting. Ms Hill moved from the south of the country to the Ludford road in 2007 and said the cheapness of the property attracted her and her partner, but added it did not seem any less expensive than others in the area. Asked if she was bothered by the potentially embarrassing street name, she said: 'We just didn’t take any notice. 'You get people stopping at the top and taking pictures of the road sign but it doesn’t bother me.' NeedaProperty.com commissioned a statistician to compare property prices in the 15 rude-sounding streets with homes situated on all other streets within a one quarter of a mile radius, using Land Registry sales figures. Property prices on 11 out of the 15 streets were found to be 'significantly cheaper' than local values typically. Across all the streets looked at, those with rude-sounding names were 22 per cent or £84,000 less expensive on average. Scott Green, CEO of NeedaProperty.com, said: 'It seems there are bargains to be had for those who don’t mind a bit of innuendo.' Here are the top 10 streets in order . of those which people voted as having the most embarrassing names, with . the percentage of people who voted each name as embarrassing followed by . the price of a property on the street and an example of the price of a . similar property nearby: . 1. Minge Lane, Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, 31%, Detached house - £253,389, Detached house in Longfield - £325,000 . 2. Slag Lane, Lowton, Lancashire, 26%, Semi-detached house - £112,620, Semi-detached house in Fieldfare Close - £141,297 . 3. Fanny Hands Lane, Ludford, Lincolnshire, 24.9%, Detached house, £157,200, Detached house in Magna Mile, £236,987 . 4. Bell End, Rowley Regis, West Midlands, 22.5%, Semi-detached house, £126,409, Semi-detached house in Uplands Avenue, £187,027 . 5. Crotch Crescent, Marston, Oxfordshire, 19.6%, Terraced house, £238,250, Terraced house in Ouseley Close, £280,500 . 6. The Knob, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire, 17%, Semi-detached house, £245,000, Semi-detached house in Glebe Rise, £249,000 . 7. Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway, Essex, 10.8%, Terraced house, £177,527, Terraced house in London Road, £166,840 . 8. Cockshoot Close, Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, 10.1%, Semi-detached house, £286,536, Semi-detached house in Longore, £304,794 . 9. Cumming Street, Islington, London, 8.9%, Flat, £292,768, Flat in Britannia Street, £358,419 . 10. Cock A-Dobby, Sandhurst, Berkshire, 6.5%, Detached house, £456,481, Detached house in Longdown Road, £615,000. | Properties on streets with innuendo-laden names were found to be around one fifth or £84,000 cheaper on average than other homes situated nearby .
Minge Lane in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, was found to have the most embarrassment value .
Forty per cent said that a street name which some people might find embarrassing would not put them off living there themselves .
Rude-sounding name streets on average 22 per cent cheaper . |
224,887 | af34b3dba904d4fda63ac833b3071546926e3690 | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 08:58 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:23 EST, 20 March 2013 . Rail bosses are spending £9,000 on robotic falcons in a bid to stop pigeons from defouling their newly-refurbished train station. Network Rail are hoping the plastic peregrines will scare off pigeons and seagulls at Edinburgh's Waverley Station which has just had a new roof installed which has more than 24,000 panes of glass as part of an ongoing refurbishment. They are programmed to rotate their heads, flap their wings and unleash four different calls to strike fear into their prey. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . A wing and a prayer: Rail bosses hope the falcons will deter pigeons from taking roost in their newly-refurbished train station . Plastic predators: The robots are programmed to rotate their heads, flap their wings and unleash four different calls to strike fear into their prey . Fear: Peregrine falcons live off prey birds such as seagulls and pigeons . John Donald of Robop, the East Lothian company which produces the birds, said: 'Most raptors hunt down small animals like voles, but peregrines live off other birds, so pigeons and seagulls are terrified of them. 'A falcon kills by descending on the target bird at great speed. This is called a stoop. During a stoop the falcon achieves a speed in excess on 100 miles per hour. 'Attacks occur with such speed and surprise that birds go on full alert as soon as a peregrine is spotted. 'Many species, such as gulls have a specific alarm call to alert their fellows who will tend to flock together and fly off. 'Robop has been designed to look, move and sound like a real peregrine falcon in order to cause the same reaction as the real bird. Our objective is to firstly cause a panic reaction so that the pest birds will fly away. 'We also want to convey to birds that a peregrine falcon has taken up residence in their territory, so there is no point in returning.' On patrol: The robotic peregrines will take residence at Edinburgh's Waverley station . Robop have installed their hand-built birds all over the world, including the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, an airport in Amsterdam and a salt mine in the US. They were brought in to help protect the giant new roof at Edinburgh's Waverley station installed by contractor Balfour Beatty. But John says the peregrines' presence may have a permanent effect on the pigeon population. He said: 'They have been there for 150 years so it may not happen overnight but if the pigeons and seagulls believe a pair of peregrines have moved in on their territory it could force them out.' A Network Rail spokesman said: 'We are advised that falcons are the most likely birds to deter pigeons and we will be interested to see how effective they are. 'There are a number of reasons why we try to deter pigeons, health and safety reasons primarily. If we didn't act to keep numbers in check, the station environment would quickly become very unpleasant and could lead to slips and falls. 'We already have replica, non moving, deterrent birds in various locations around the station as well as netting and surfaces that deter pigeons from landing and prevent access to known roosting spots. 'We also have a device in the travel hall that emits a noise at a high frequency known to deter pigeons from lingering.' | Plastic peregrines rotate heads, flap wings and emit screeching noises .
Aim is to scare away pigeons and seagulls at Edinburgh's Waverley Station .
Rail spokesman: 'We will be interested to see how effective they are' |
124,230 | 2c9881b677a21a7ec4de6233d126d48f2ac44c29 | (CNN Student News) -- October 21, 2011 . Media Literacy Question of the Day . Why do you think that journalists often use multiple sources when reporting on a major news story? Can you think of scenarios in which a journalist would publish a story based on a single source? Explain. * . * . Know Your News -- The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. Click here for a PDF version of this Newsquiz. 1. Whose national memorial was dedicated on the National Mall on October 16? * . * . 2. What nation agreed to exchange 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for one of its captured soldiers? * . * . 3. This week is designated for raising safety awareness among teens engaging in what activity? * . * . 4. In what U.S. city was a Republican presidential debate held on October 18? * . * . 5. Engineers have discovered that the tower that houses Big Ben is leaning. What kind of object is Big Ben? * . * . 6. Who became the first U.S. Cabinet-level official to visit Libya since the fall of former leader Moammar Gadhafi? * . * . 7. In what country did protesters hold a two-day strike against recent austerity measures? * . * . 8. On Thursday, California held a preparedness drill for what kind of natural disaster? * . * . 9. What U.S. government agency agreed to a deal with most American wireless companies that would warn consumers about some cell phone fees? * . * . 10. On what continent will you find the capital cities of Kampala and Kinshasa? * . * . | Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .
Write your answers in the space provided .
Today's Newsquiz includes the Media Literacy Question of the Day . |
47,440 | 85c0815a9f1ef1de4e5bfa31ded44ea971df494c | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 06:42 EST, 5 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:41 EST, 5 November 2013 . A teenage gang of two girls and three boys have been accused of raping and beating a 16-year-old girl so badly she broke bones in her face and bled from her ear. The victim was allegedly set upon when she visited a friend's house in Hollywood on Friday night. Police claim she was raped by one of the accused, 19-year-old Jayvon Woolfork, while she was held down by Lanel Singleton, 18, and three minors - a 17-year-old male, 15-year-old female and a 14-year-old girl. Accused: Jayvon Woolfork (left), 19, allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl while she was held down by 18-year-old Lanel Singleton (right) and three minors aged 17, 15 and 14 at a house in Hollywood . The victim claimed she was kicked, thrown down stairs and had her face smashed on concrete, breaking bones near both her eyes. Hollywood Police told NBC 6 they were able to identify all five of the teenagers allegedly involved because one of the accused took video of the fight and sexual assault on their cell phone. Woolfork and Singleton were jailed without bond when they appeared in court yesterday, dressed in jailhouse scrubs with their wrists handcuffed behind their backs, for the first hearing in their case. According to the Sun Sentinel, Broward County Judge John Hurley said: 'This 16-year-old woman, both of her eyes were closed from being beaten, she had blood coming from one of her ears. 'The court is concerned for the safety of this 16-year-old alleged victim.' Charged: Woolfork and Singleton (right) were jailed without bond when they appeared before Judge John Hurley (left) for the first hearing in their case . All the teenagers have been charged with . sexual assault and kidnapping and the three minors may be tried as . adults, the court heard. The girl was listening to music and watching TV at her friend's house in McKinley Street, Hollywood, when she was approached by the group who demanded she have sex with Woolfork or be beaten, according to the arrest reports. When she refused, she was beaten and dragged to a bedroom, where all of the accused removed her clothes and held her down while Woolfork raped her, the report said. The 14-year-old defendant's father told NBC 6 that his daughter admitted to beating up the teenager, but said she claimed she was acting in self-defence while protecting one of the co-accused. Scene: The house in Hollywood where the alleged attack took place on Friday night . He said he believed the alleged rape must have happened after the fight and said his daughter told him she was not involved in the sexual assault because she had left the house after the initial attack. He said of his daughter: 'She handled it the wrong way. 'If you're to get in the middle of it, defend your friend any way that you can. But don't beat someone to the point where they wind up in the hospital.' He added: 'There was no sexual assault. There was no kidnapping. There was no such thing as the charges that are now pending against her.' | Teen 'was set upon by group while watching TV at a friend's house'
'Raped by Jayvon Woolfork, 19, while four others pinned her down'
'Victim was thrown down stairs and smashed against the concrete'
Five teenagers aged 14 to 19 are charged with rape and kidnapping . |
14,841 | 2a1d2eac16ed6354487e8f069673fbf66cc7352c | David Luiz splits opinion among many in football and it appears Roy Hodgson isn't his biggest fan too following reports in France. The Brazil international became the most expensive defender in history this summer following his £50million switch to French giants Paris Saint-Germain from Chelsea. The 27-year-old signed a five-year deal at the Parc des Princes and according to French publication L'Equipe the England boss questioned PSG's decision to sign the centre-back. England boss Roy Hodgson has questioned PSG's £50million signing of David Luiz, according to reports . Luiz (left) became the most expensive defender in history following his summer switch from Chelsea . Hodgson's alleged comments come in a meeting including PSG boss Laurent Blanc this summer . In a meeting with PSG president and owner Nasser Al Khelaifi, along with manager Laurent Blanc during the summer, Hodgson is reported to have been quizzical over the transfer. ‘But how could your club take David Luiz? He makes at least one error in concentration a game! £50m is crazy,’ the 67-year-old is quoted as saying. Luiz endured a torrid end to his World Cup with the host nation Brazil at this summer's showpiece - captaining his country as they suffered an embarrassing 7-0 defeat in the semi-finals to eventual winners Germany. Luiz was roundly criticised for his display as Brazil were thumped 7-0 by Germany in the World Cup semis . The former Chelsea defender's display in that match saw him earn a lot of criticism which was further compounded by the five-time tournament winners 3-0 capitulation against Holland in the third-place play-off encounter. Since moving to the French capital though, Luiz has enjoyed a relatively smooth start with his new club keeping four clean sheets in the seven games he has featured in all competitions. 27-year-old (centre) has kept four clean sheets in his seven PSG starts so far . | Roy Hodgson has questioned PSG's signing of David Luiz, according to reports in France .
Luiz joined in a £50million move from Chelsea this summer .
French paper L'Equipe says that Hodgson described the transfer as 'crazy' to PSG boss Laurent Blanc and president and owner Nasser Al Khelaifi . |
217,160 | a52945d3e06c6c7c0ed8d514b875fab34ccae36c | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 10:11 EST, 7 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:59 EST, 7 January 2014 . An Austrian woman is facing a firing squad in Indonesia after being found with 6.6lbs of crystal meth in her suitcase. Blonde dancer and charity worker Susanne Mayr claims she was conned by a talent scout who promised her fame, but instead planted the drugs in the lining of her suitcase. The baby-faced 29-year-old was on an all-expenses paid performance trip to South Africa when her 'manager' sent her to Indonesia for work. Facing death: Austrian Susanne Mayr may be sentenced to death after she was caught with 3kg (6.6lbs) of crystal meth in her suitcase in Indonesia . Ms Mayr claims she was given a new suitcase by the talent scout and that she had no idea the crystal meth was inside the lining of the bag. Speaking at the family home in Baden, in Lower Austria, her mother Ingeborg said: ‘She had connections with various people in Africa because she worked at supporting a school project down there and money she earned from her dancing used to be sent there. 'She had even visited the region, and had always dreamed of being able to get work down there so was really happy when she was spotted by the talent scout on YouTube who contacted her over the Internet and offered her a job. ‘She performed under the name Young Bebe and had quite a following, and in November she set off for her new life. 'When she was in South Africa she performed a few times but then her manager told her that he had some work for her Indonesia but that she would have to get nicer luggage and he took it to a shop where they purchased a new suitcase.' Conned? The 29-year-old performer claims she was tricked by a talent scout who gave her the suitcase with a fake lining where the drugs were hidden . Family woes: Her mother Ingeborg in Baden, Lower Austria, has spoken to Susanne who fears she may be shot . Harsh awakening: The 29-year-old was on an all-expenses paid performance trip to South Africa when her 'manager' sent her to Indonesia for work . Ingeborg adds: ‘But it was part of a con and the case actually had a fake lining with the drugs hidden inside. She called me from jail to tell me about what had happened, she told me: "Mummy, you've got to help me. They're going to shoot me".' Austrian officials have confirmed they are paying the estimated $50,000 in legal fees to try and argue the young woman's case. Drug smuggling is regarded as a serious offence in Indonedia and with over 3kg (6.6lbs) of crystal meth in the case, it is enough to earn Ms Mayr the death penalty if she is convicted. She has reportedly cooperated with officials, but should she be convicted, it is likely that the volume of drugs will weigh heavily in favour of a death sentence. Customs officials in the country believe the case may be connected to a second drug smuggler, a German man, who was also caught a few days later in November at Jakarta's international airport where he had flew into from Senegal. The German, 49, was caught carrying 4.15 kilograms of the same crystal methamphetamine drug. ‘The methamphetamines were hidden in the lining of his luggage. They have a street value of 475,104 dollars,’ said airport customers chief Okto Irianto. | Austrian performer Susanne Mayr is facing death sentence in Indonesia .
The 29-year-old was caught smuggling 6.6lbs of crystal meth .
She claims she was given the suitcase by her 'manager' in South Africa . |
177,384 | 71a0c5623f01f8cc471cf609f25e7719b332ba6a | By . Lizzie Parry . PUBLISHED: . 03:42 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:52 EST, 25 October 2013 . Tragic: Susan Wood died after plunging 80 feet from the top floor of Primark in Liverpool city centre . The woman who died after falling from a third-floor balcony inside a Primark store has been named by police as Susan Wood. The 57-year-old from Kirkby, Merseyside, was found at the bottom of escalators on the ground floor of the clothes shop in Church Street, Liverpool, yesterday evening. Moments earlier, Mrs Wood had been seen on a balcony next to the escalators on the third floor, police said. An off-duty doctor, who was shopping at the time, treated her before paramedics arrived. Mrs . Wood was taken to the Royal University Liverpool Hospital in a critical . condition but was pronounced dead a short time later. Merseyside . Police is conducting an investigation into the circumstances . surrounding Mrs Wood's death but the coroner has been told there are no . suspicious circumstances, the force said. Detectives have been speaking to witnesses and CCTV has been examined. Artist . Brian Gibson, from Everton, was just getting off the escalator in the . men’s department in the basement level when he heard the impact. Investigation: Police outside the Liverpool Primark store, where Susan Wood died after falling three floors . Grim discovery: Mrs Wood's body was discovered at the bottom of the escalator on the ground floor. Moments earlier shoppers said she was spotted on the third floor . 'Unexplained': Merseyside Police have ruled out any foul play in the incident . 'At first I thought it was a dummy that had fallen but then I realised that someone had fallen from one of the floors above. 'The impact was incredible. The poor lad on the escalator behind me was shaking. 'People were crying and then they evacuated everyone and the police cordoned off the area.' Another witness said: 'It was horrific, staff were crying and there was a call-out for any medics in the shop to come and help out.' A North West Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed that paramedics had taken the woman to the Royal Liverpool hospital. She said: 'The woman suffered a traumatic cardiac arrest at the scene and was treated by paramedics. She was taken to hospital in a critically ill condition.' Around three hours later police confirmed the woman had died in hospital. The incident is the second major fall at the city's store. In 2008 Evie Parry, three, survived after slipping through a gap close to the third-floor escalator. She suffered multiple injuries including a broken leg and arm. First aid: Shoppers and staff rushed to help the woman. An off-duty doctor gave first aid until paramedics arrived . Evacuated: Police officers closed the store and staff were sent home. In 2008, Evie Parry, right, survived after slipping and falling from the third floor of the same branch . The police spokesman said: 'Officers were called to the Primark store in Church Street at 6pm by paramedics. 'The woman was found at the bottom of escalators on the ground floor. She had been seen moments before by a balcony next to the escalators on the third floor. 'A male doctor who was in the area at the time treated the woman at the scene before paramedics arrived. 'She was taken in a critical condition to hospital where she was sadly pronounced dead a short time later. 'A post-mortem will be carried out in due course to establish a cause of death. 'Detectives are speaking to witnesses and viewing CCTV to establish the full circumstances of the incident.' A Primark spokesman said staff were 'extremely saddened' by the incident but he said he was unable to comment further. Liverpool City Council said they were waiting for the results of the police investigation before taking a decision on whether to investigate safety at the store. | Police named the woman as Susan Wood, 57, from Kirkby, Merseyside .
She was found at bottom of escalators on the ground floor of the store .
Moments earlier she had been seen on a balcony on the third floor .
Off-duty doctor gave woman first aid until paramedics arrived .
She was pronounced dead at the Royal Liverpool Hospital . |
148,926 | 4c90d28c03f79ace5e7ee8cc604f0f0faab72851 | By . James Tozer . PUBLISHED: . 11:46 EST, 19 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:14 EST, 22 March 2013 . A schoolgirl hanged herself after her father insisted she let him check her mobile phone for abusive messages, an inquest heard yesterday. David Stringer said he found his daughter Jade, 14, hanged when he went to look in on her about half an hour after she began ‘sulking’ in her bedroom. He cut her down and she was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but died six days later. Tragic: Jade Stringer, 14, of Bury, Greater Manchester, was unhappy at being told to hand over the phone . The inquest heard that Jade’s parents, who are separated, had been worried she was receiving abusive text messages from a boy she had accused of hitting her. Jade’s mother, Natalie Ingoe, 32, told the hearing that her daughter, who had done well at school, started wearing make-up and wanting to go out at night around the age of 12 or 13. ‘I suppose the normal teenage things,’ she added. But in March 2011, Mr Stringer, 32, and Mrs Ingoe discovered that she was sleeping with a boyfriend and spoke to his parents to make sure they were never left unsupervised. Then in November of that year Jade took an overdose and had to be kept in hospital overnight. ‘There was no indication why she did it – I thought at the time it was boys,’ said Mrs Ingoe. The inquest in Rochdale was told that Jade and her mother used to share a mobile phone, and at Christmas that year she had allowed Mrs Ingoe to look at her text messages. ‘Some of them were from boys saying that she was going with lads,’ she said. ‘She just said it was lads making it up.’ Mrs Ingoe said friends of her daughter later told her ‘there were pictures going around of Jade’. ‘There had been a couple of incidents, and Jade had been at a party and had slept with someone and it had caused trouble with her boyfriend at the time,’ she added. In attendance: Jade’s father David Stringer (left), 32, and mother Natalie Ingoe (right), 32, were at the inquest . But she said that when she and Mr Stringer talked to her about it, she ‘didn’t think there was anything wrong with it’. Jade ran away from the home she shared with her father in Bury, Greater Manchester, on a couple of occasions but seemed more ‘settled’ in 2012, her mother added. However, last summer she accused a boy of assaulting her, and her mobile phone was seized by police in an attempt to stop him contacting her. Mr Stringer said that when it was returned last June, he and Jade’s mother told her that ‘she could have her phone back on the condition that we could check it to see that the lad hadn’t sent her any abusive messages’. He added: ‘I asked her for the charger but she was in a sulk and said she didn’t want me to switch it on. ‘It was a stand-off and she was sulking in her bedroom. I left her to cool off and later went upstairs to see if she was still sulking, and that’s when I found her.’ Education: The teenager, who lived with her father at the time of her death, excelled as a Haslingden High School (pictured) pupil, performing as a cheerleader and as speaker for the school book club . Jade died at Manchester Children’s Hospital on June 16 with her family by her side. Mr Stringer told the inquest that until then he had regarded his daughter as ‘behaving like a normal teenager’. Recording a verdict of death by misadventure, assistant deputy coroner Lisa Hashmi said there had been no major cause for concern before the ‘disagreement’ over the mobile phone. She said she could not be sure that Jade’s actions weren’t ‘simply another cry for help or call for attention’, and concluded: ‘I cannot be satisfied that she intended to take her own life.’ | Jade Stringer, of Bury, was unhappy at being told to hand over the phone .
It was despite fears schoolgirl might get abusive text messages from a boy .
Father later offered to give her the phone if he could check her messages .
She refused to hand over charger and was found hanged 30 minutes later .
For confidential .
support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local .
Samaritans branch or click here for details . |
133,773 | 38fa78436c6140fc452e1e4886978db3cb88c15f | (CNN) -- Chicago's remarkable architecture is far from the only thing that earns the city rave reviews. The Windy City is also home to the world's top museum, according to TripAdvisor users. Glowing reviews over a recent 12-month period have earned the Art Institute of Chicago the top ranking in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice awards for museums. The institute's vast collection of impressionist, post-impressionist and American paintings has evidently made a lasting impression on museum-goers. The pointillist masterpiece "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat and Grant Wood's "American Gothic," featuring a long-faced Midwestern couple, are among the most recognizable works in the museum's collection. The global museum list, released Tuesday, ranks 25 of the world's best museums based on an algorithm that factors in the quality and quantity of reviews over a year-long period. The results are sometimes surprising. The Louvre, the world's most visited museum, comes in at No. 19 on the global list, behind lesser-known museums such as Stockholm's Vasa Museum (No. 13) and the Instituto Ricardo Brennand in Recife, Brazil (No. 17). "The list features some iconic spots such as the Met in New York City (No. 7), in addition to some museums that may not be household names," said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Julie Cassetina. In addition to the worldwide list, TripAdvisor also compiled dedicated lists for the United States, Asia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, South America and the South Pacific. Click through the gallery above to see the world's top museums. Related: World's most visited museums . Now is a good time to visit a U.S. museum. On September 27, Smithsonian magazine is hosting a museum day with participating institutions across the United States. Free admission, a Smithsonian Institution mainstay, will be extended to include participating museums. Register for tickets online. | TripAdvisor users rank world's top museums .
The Art Institute of Chicago ranks above the Louvre .
Museums in Mexico and Russia round out the top three spots on the global list . |
43,679 | 7b328b4764c74ee598abd823d2bf95a6f26ad063 | A deep-sea treasure hunter who vanished during a court fight over his $50 million haul of gold bars and coins eluded capture by hiding in a two-room hotel suite under a fake name, paying for everything in cash and keeping a low-profile, authorities said Thursday. When Tommy Thompson and his longtime companion did leave the Florida hotel room, usually alone and her more than him, they would use a combination of buses, taxis and walking around to shake anyone who might be tailing them. 'That's all part of the whole tradecraft — trying to fly under the radar of law enforcement,' said Barry Golden of the U.S. Marshals Service in Miami. Scroll down for video . Arrests: Fugitive Tommy Thompson, left, and his long-time companion Alison Antekeier, right, were taken into custody in Florida on Tuesday, two years after he failed to attend a court hearing . Caught: In this November 1989 file photo, Tommy Thompson holds a $50 pioneer gold piece retrieved from the wreck of the gold ship Central America. Thompson, wanted for more than 2 years was arrested in Florida . Thompson, 62, was wanted after he failed to appear in an Ohio courtroom in 2012 in a lawsuit about the gold he brought up in 1988 from a 19th-century shipwreck. Two investors who had funded Thompson's dream to find the shipwreck sued, as did some of his crew members, who said they also had been cheated out of their share. Found: Gold bars and coins from the S.S. Central America were discovered by Thompson. He reportedly recovered three tons of coins and bars from the wreck . Thompson and his companion, Alison Anteiker, were arrested Tuesday in West Boca Raton and Thompson on Thursday appeared in federal court for a preliminary hearing. They are being held without bond — she on a civil contempt charge, he on a criminal contempt charge. He hasn't been charged with a crime over his handling of proceeds from the gold. For more than two years, U.S. marshals in Ohio and Florida worked to track down Thompson. They did meticulous research, splashed his face on electronic billboards and ran down hundreds of tips from the public. They believed Thompson was highly intelligent and had been planning to disappear for some time. On Sept. 12, 2008, he was arrested at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station, carrying nine identification cards — eight of which police said were fake, according to an incident report. He was charged with possession of drugs without a prescription with the intent to sell, holding a fake ID, false personation and resisting an officer without violence. Court records show prosecutors later dropped all the counts, but it's not immediately clear why. After his disappearance four years later, authorities found more evidence at a Vero Beach mansion he rented between 2006 and 2012, paying the monthly $3,000 rent with cash and putting the utilities in the landlord's name. Among the clues: A book called 'How to Live Your Life Invisible' describing how to get by on a cash-only basis; bank wraps for $10,000; metal pipes that authorities believed were used to store money underground; and 12 active cellphones, each used for specific attorneys or family members. Search: Billboards displayed wanted posters for the fugitives before they were found on Tuesday. Thompson had been on the lam for two years, accused of cheating investors out of their share of $50 million in gold bars . 'Thompson was smart — perhaps one of the smartest fugitives ever sought by the U.S. Marshals, along with almost limitless resources and approximately a 10-year head start,' U.S. Marshal Michael Tobin said in a statement. But there was a trail. Based on an unspecified lead developed by Ohio agents in December, Florida authorities started focusing on Anteiker. On Tuesday, agents spotted Anteiker after fanning out over an area of Palm Beach County, Golden said. They tailed her for the next seven hours, watching her use buses and taxis to get to various destinations, an obvious attempt to lose anyone, Golden said. Eventually, Anteiker unknowingly led agents to a Hilton Hotel in suburban Boca Raton area surrounded by golf courses, country clubs and gated communities. Authorities believe Thompson and Anteiker were living there for up to two years. The room was under one of three fake names being used by Anteiker. Based on statements from hotel staff, they believe Anteiker left the hotel room much more often than Thompson. Wrecked: The U.S. Mail ship S.S. Central America sank after sailing into a hurricane in September 1857. 425 people were killed and thousands of pounds of gold sank with it to the bottom of the ocean . Much of the haul Thompson discovered was sold to a gold marketing group in 2000 for about $50 million. The 161 investors who paid Thompson $12.7 million to find the ship said they never saw returns from the sale. During the brief court hearing Thursday, a shackled and bearded Thompson suggested a willingness to fight extradition to Ohio, where he grew up and was based before he moved to Florida in the mid-2000s. Thompson told U.S. Magistrate Dave Lee Brannon he has 'been very ill for a number of years' with a type of encephalitis, an overactive immune system and allergies that would be exacerbated if he is taken north. His friends have previously told The Associated Press that he contracted some type of autoimmune disease from a mosquito in South America and that warm, humid climates help his condition. Thompson said he had not yet hired an attorney. He was ordered back into custody, and another hearing was set for Wednesday. In 1988, Thompson made history when he found the S.S. Central America, known as the Ship of Gold, which sank in a hurricane about 200 miles off the South Carolina coast in September 1857. Four hundred and twenty-five people drowned and thousands of pounds of California gold were lost, contributing to an economic panic. Ted Thomas, a cousin who attended the court hearing, said Thompson was driven to the treasure hunt by his love of science and technology and unattainable feats, but that it ultimately ruined his life. 'If he had to do it all over again, he wouldn't do it,' Thomas said. 'You don't throw away your life for something that's yellow and weighs a lot.' | Tommy Thompson hired scientists and engineers to dive for gold in sunken historic ship .
He garnered millions in investments and loot then disappeared .
In 1988, the marine engineer recovered three tons of gold bars and coins from the wreckage of the S.S. Central America, which sank in 1857 .
Thompson and his girlfriend Alison Antekeier were arrested on Tuesday in a Boca Raton hotel room where they had lived for two years .
Investors never saw returns from the sale of the treasure and sued . |
61,870 | afc01eafc2d5eecc4f6bef021d213d3923e7f228 | (CNN) -- Rafael Nadal stepped up his bid for a fifth French Open crown with a straight sets win over former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in Paris on Saturday. Second seed Nadal was made to fight hard against a determined Hewitt, but wrapped up a 6-3 6-4 6-3 victory in two hours 28 minutes on the Philippe Chatrier court at Roland Garros. Nadal was often extended in cold and windy conditions but said he is running into his best form for the second week of the grand slam. "I am playing better now and today was a good test against Lleyton and to win against him in three sets is very good news," he said in a courtside interview. Hewitt made an immediate break of service against Nadal, but the Spaniard immediately retrieved it and a further break saw him take the opener. It was Hewitt's turn to hit back after the early loss of his service in the second but once again it was Nadal who pulled clear to take a two sets lead. The third set again followed the same pattern, with Hewitt having to hit back after an early loss of service before slipping to defeat on the third match point. Nadal will now play young Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who beats Croat veteran Ivan Lubicic 7-6 6-2 6-4, in the fourth round. Earlier, sixth seed Andy Roddick made a third round exit to Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili to continue his dismal run at Roland Garros. The big-serving American has never got beyond the last 16 in the clay court grand slam and was roundly beaten 6-4 6-2 6-2 by world number 114 Gabashvili. "I've fought through a couple of matches that were a bit dicey but today I got outplayed from the first ball," Roddick told AFP. "He played good tennis. Credit to him. He got the best of me and he was getting the best of me on 70 percent of the points." Gabashvili will now play Austrian Juergen Melzer, who shocked ninth seed David Ferrer, easing to a 6-4 6-0 7-6 win over the Spaniard, who had been favored to challenge in Paris. But 22nd seed Melzer was always on top and wrapped up victory in the third set tiebreak which he claimed seven points to one. Third seed Novak Djokovic booked his place in the second week with a relatively comfortable 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2 win over Victor Hanescu, the 31st seed from Romania. The Serbian has a last 16 clash with American Robby Ginepri, who shocked Spanish 16th seed and 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-5 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-4. Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, the 11th seed, will face French eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round after wrapping up a 2-6 7-6 6-2 6-3 win over Serbia's Viktor Troicki in a match held over from Friday. | Rafael Nadal eases into last 16 of French Open with straight sets win over Lleyton Hewitt .
Third seed Novak Djokovic also through after win over Victor Hanescu .
Andy Roddick and David Ferrer make third round exits in Paris . |
134,681 | 3a2cbd90c4ccb5df4ef689bea61136506ff75f34 | By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 18:45 EST, 29 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:07 EST, 29 November 2012 . Disgraced International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a New York hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her, it was revealed on Thursday . Nafissatou Diallo has pursued her lawsuit against the once-powerful French politician, claiming he committed a 'violent and sadistic attack,' despite prosecutors dropping sexual assault charges against him. With the settlement, Strauss-Kahn, 63, no doubt hopes to put behind him the scandal that cost him his job, his political career, his reputation and his marriage. Battered: Dominique Strauss-Kahn lost his political career and his job as the head of the IMF over allegations he tried to rape a hotel maid . The 63-year-old, who was once widely predicted to be the next president of France, admits he had sex with the housekeeper at New York's Sofitel Hotel in May 2011 - but maintains it was consensual. Details of the settlement, including any money paid to Miss Diallo, were not available. Accuser: Nafissatou Diallo maintained her claims the she was the victim of a 'violent, sadistic attack,' despite criminal charges being dropped . Sources told the New York Times that the deal hadn't been formally signed yet, though both side agreed to the terms. Bronx Supreme Court Judge Douglas McKeon facilitated the agreement. Lawyers for both Strauss-Kahn and Miss Diallo are scheduled to appear in court next week. Prosecutors in Manhattan dismissed sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn three months after he was arrested. Legal observers widely believe the District Attorney believed that Miss Diallo's claims lost credibility when a past criminal record in her native Guinea became public. It was also revealed that she allegedly lied on a document requesting asylum in the U.S. Strauss-Kahn . counter-sued Miss Diallo, claiming that her allegations were false an . that she had permanently damaged his public image. The . dramatic arrest of Strauss-Kahn, who was handcuffed and hauled off a . plane at JFK International Airport on his way back to France, led to a . flood of other accusers stepping forward. Journalist . Tristane Banon alleged that father of four daughters sexually assaulted . her during a 2002 interview. French authorities found Banon's . accusations credible, but dismissed the case because the statue of . limitations had expired. In . August, a separate case against Strauss-Kahn centered on allegations of . rape in a Washington, D.C., hotel was dropped after prosecutors said . the accuser, an escort, changed her account to say no rape was involved . in the encounter that occurred when Strauss-Kahn still headed the IMF. | Terms of any deal between disgraced IMF chief and housekeeper Nafissatou Diallo have no been disclosed .
May 2011 sex assault scandal cost Strauss-Kahn his job, his political career and his marriage . |
105,171 | 13a6e317ea71628b7bb108a6f9703146d940c4d3 | England will seek to generate try-scoring potency against the All Blacks on Saturday by unleashing another scratch combination out wide — Jonny May and Semesa Rokoduguni. Gloucester wing May will return to the starting XV despite appearing to fall from favour on the summer tour of New Zealand and being unable to score in seven Test appearances to date. His recall on the left flank comes as Marland Yarde of Harlequins continues to recover from a minor injury which prevented him from training last week. Stuart Lancaster, England’s head coach, has had to deal with a series of injuries in the build-up to the QBE series at Twickenham, with the loss of Wasps lock Joe Launchbury being the latest grim development. Semesa Rokoduguni and Jonny May are expected to start on the wings against New Zealand . Stuart Lancaster chose to omit Chris Ashton from his side in order to give Rokoduguni a chance to impress . But he and his assistants chose to omit Chris Ashton from the national squad and in his absence, Rokoduguni will start on the right as the in-form winger in the Aviva Premiership this season. When the line-up is officially confirmed on Thursday the Fijian-born flier will be at No 14 to continue his astonishing career progression. The 27-year-old joined Bath only two years ago and is still a serving soldier in the British Army having seen action in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province as a tank driver with the famous ‘Desert Rats’ armoured brigade. Rokoduguni will become the first serving soldier to win an international cap for England since Tim Rodber 15 years ago. His Test debut will complete an epic journey from his Fijian village, Naselai, where he couldn’t break into the rugby team because his uncle was a better winger. Having already lost Manu Tuilagi to a recurring groin injury, the coaches were forced to rule Northampton centre Luther Burrell out of the autumn opener against the world champions because of a hand problem. It will mean that England do not have established try-scoring clout behind the scrum. Among the backs who will start against New Zealand, scrum-half Danny Care has the highest tally, with seven. Mike Brown has touched down five times, Owen Farrell twice and centres Kyle Eastmond and Brad Barritt once. In contrast, the All Blacks come to Twickenham armed with the most predatory finisher in the world. Julian Savea has 29 tries from 30 Test appearances. Ashton had a decent record of 19 tries in 39 matches, but he has fallen out of favour due to perceived flaws in his game. Explaining the thinking in terms of wing selection, Lancaster said: ‘A lot of the players now — a Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson or Jonny May — are comfortable on either wing. The decision will be based on who we think are the best guys to deliver that balance in the back line — the ability to punch and get through the line, have the physicality and also have the back-field and defensive understanding that we’ll need.' The England team warm up during a training session at Pennyhill ahead of their match against New Zealand . Saracens star Owen Farrell practices his kicking during an England training session on Monday . Referring to dealing with New Zealand’s kicking game, he added: ‘That reading of body language is key. That’s one thing Jonny and Jack did well in the Six Nations, particularly against Ireland — Jonny Sexton has a very accurate and intelligent kicking game. It’s about being up in the line and also reading the body language to have the back-field covered.’ After having to contend with a stream of bad news relating to players’ fitness, Lancaster had some brighter bulletins to savour on Monday. His leading available props, Joe Marler and David Wilson, were able to return to full training and Billy Vunipola has recovered from concussion sufficiently to reclaim his starting place at No 8. Farrell appeared to be labouring on his most recent appearance for Saracens, after a month out with a quad injury, but Lancaster said: ‘There’s no residue of injury whatsoever. In terms of the way he’s making his decisions and leading the group, he’s exactly where he left off with us in the second Test (in June).’ Eastmond was another who was struggling last week, as he recovered from a rib injury. But he has been backed to line up at inside centre and make light of his first-half horror in Hamilton during England’s last Test, five months ago. ‘Kyle has come back to Bath, he’s been defensively excellent, a great attacking threat and he looks confident,’ said Lancaster. England’s front-five options have been slashed by early- season injuries but Lancaster has no qualms about promoting Dave Attwood to partner Courtney Lawes in the second row in place of Launchbury. ‘They are quite similar players,’ he said. ‘Dave is probably a stronger right-hand lock. He is a very good scrummaging second row. ‘He has changed his game this season — he’s lost a bit of weight and played exceptionally well for Bath. It was Dave’s decision. He felt he could maintain his power but become more mobile around the field. But he’s still a big fella and he will bring a physicality to our game because of his power.’ | Gloucester wing Jonny May will return to the starting XV .
Semesa Rokoduguni is expected to start on the right against the All Blacks .
Rokoduguni will become the first serving soldier to win an international cap for England since Tim Rodber 15 years ago . |
161,625 | 5cf8a8ee313613528f9f1b52a82a119968cdd770 | The UK Government remains tight-lipped over the naming of Jihadi John (pictured, who was revealed today as Mohammed Emwazi, 26, from west London . Questions were being asked today about why it was left to the U.S. Government to reveal the identity of Jihadi John instead of British authorities. The UK Government remains tight-lipped over the naming of the terror suspect who was revealed today as 26-year-old Mohammed Emwazi, from Queen's Park in west London. Emwazi, who studied computer programming at the University of Westminster before travelling to the Middle East three years ago, was confirmed as the prominent ISIS figure by two U.S. Government sources. However, while Whitehall sources confirmed Emwazi had been known to security services for several weeks, the Home Office would not release any confirmation of his identity. Government sources said his name had not been made public because the priority was to try and locate him. The Home Office said it was 'unable to comment' when contacted by MailOnline today, while Metropolitan Police has yet to respond to requests for comment. Downing Street also refused to comment on Emwazi, including claims that he had contacts with MI5. A Number 10 spokesman said: 'Our long-standing position on Jihadi John's identity is that we are neither confirming nor denying. 'There is an ongoing police investigation, we are not going to give a running commentary on that.' Pressed on the claims Emwazi had contact with MI5, the spokesman said: 'You are asking me to speculate about speculation. 'What's right is we let the police and security services do their work in an ongoing investigation to bring these murderers to justice.' Police could be seen attending Emwazi's home in Queen's Park earlier today, but no officers spoke to the media. Despite official sources failing to confirm his identity, it is understood Paul Henning - the brother of British aid worker Alan who was beheaded by Jihadi John - was aware of the ISIS militant's identity. It is also believed that he was made aware by Government officials that the name would released to the public today. Jihadi John's identity was first published by the Washington Post, who reported that friends and family of Emwazi had confirmed he was the ISIS frontman. The revelation was swiftly picked up by the British media, but despite being broadcast around the world, British authorities continue to remain tight-lipped. Scroll down for video . The UK Government remains tight-lipped over the naming of Jihadi John, who was revealed today to be 26-year-old Mohammed Emwazi, from Queen's Park in west London. Police attended his home today (pictured) Raffaello Pantucci, a senior research fellow at defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said it was no surprise that Jihadi John's outing was revealed by America. He said: 'It will elevate him, and even add to the mythology around him in some minds. 'He has been on the radar for a long time now, and we finally know who he is. 'There is a reason the British security services would not have wanted his name to be made public, because they will have been watching his associates covertly as part of their intelligence gathering. 'The FBI said last year they knew who Jihadi John was, but my understanding is he had actually been narrowed down to one of three people, and the British and Americans were not sure which. 'That is an example of the different attitude when it comes to revealing information.' Jihadi John has featured in the execution videos of British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Japanese reporter Kenji Goto and Syrian soldiers. Both UK and U.S authorities have maintained that they have been running a joint investigation to unmask the ISIS militant. However, while the British Government has largely remained tight-lipped about the probe, U.S. officials have been more vocal. The U.S. Senate has also previously offered a £6million reward to anyone providing information that could lead to the capture of Jihadi John. Last September, U.S. sources revealed that American spy planes had flown above Britain to monitor telephone and computer signals in a bid to track down the British terrorist and those communicating with him. The aircraft, manned by British pilots and carrying FBI agents, were equipped with advanced technology to detect heat coming off a keyboard when a button was pressed. At the time, the U.S. claimed that Jihadi John was from a suburb within 10 miles of south London, but Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said that UK officials were only 'getting warm' as to confirming his identity. However, in the same month - perhaps reinstating the fact it was a joint investigation between the two countries - it emerged that family members of Jihadi John had been interviewed by both Met officers and an FBI agent. | British authorities remain tight-lipped about identity of Jihadi John .
Prominent ISIS figure named today as Mohammed Emwazi from London .
The 26-year-old studied computer programming before travelling to Syria .
Confirmed by U.S. Government sources but UK officials wouldn't confirm . |
120,025 | 271fd566794ff38059d3b85e46116d6afa861b76 | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Gul Bibi and her three children fled the Taliban's bloody interpretation of Islamic law in Pakistan's Swat Valley, hoping one day to return. A pro-Taliban delegation attends a meeting with government officials in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday. But now that the Pakistani government has recognized Taliban rule in the region in exchange for a temporary cease-fire, she said those hopes have been dashed. She warned that the government's deal with the Taliban will have worldwide implications. "The whole point is, if it's not contained to Swat, it's going to spill all over in Pakistan and the West also doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation," Bibi said. "Probably your next 9/11 is going to be from Swat." Watch Gul Bibi talk about Taliban threat » . The chief minister of North West Frontier Province announced on Monday that the Pakistani government will recognize the Taliban's interpretation of strict Islamic law, or sharia. The Taliban's interpretation of sharia has included banning girls from school, forcing women inside and outlawing forms of entertainment. This form of Islamic law is already in effect in parts of North West Frontier Province where the Taliban have control -- including Swat, which is located about 100 miles northwest of Islamabad. Provincial minister Amir Haider Hoti said the people of the region want sharia which fills the "vacuum" left by a lack of access to Pakistan's judicial system. He said he hoped it would bring peace to the region, where Pakistani forces have battled militants aligned with the Taliban. It is difficult to gauge the concerns of residents in Swat, because the government does not allow journalists into the area due to the ongoing military operation. Also, residents risk their lives if they openly criticize Taliban rule. Bibi -- who used a false name to protect her identity -- told CNN that people in Swat do not support the Taliban's version of Islamic law. A strict Muslim herself, Bibi said she observes the teachings of the Quran, and the Taliban's interpretation of sharia has nothing to do with the Muslim religion. "They are killing people, they are beheading people, there is no accounting for what they are doing," Bibi said. Their oppression is also focused on women. The Taliban have destroyed dozens of girls' schools in the region. Bibi is living in a house in Islamabad with other women who have fled Taliban rule in Swat. "For God's sake, in the West you must realize this: no education for women," she said. "You are going to destroy an entire generation." She dismissed the government's peace deal as a concession to the Taliban. But she remains hopeful that she can return to the picturesque Swat Valley with her three children. "I want peace more than anyone else," Bibi said. "It's my home, it's where I want my children to go back to, it's where I want to live. "I love Swat. It's because of my love and my passion for Swat that I am speaking." | "Probably your next 9/11 is going to be from Swat," says woman who fled the town .
Pakistani government agreed Monday to let Taliban rule the area .
"They are killing people, they are beheading people" the woman says .
She says Taliban's anti-women moves will "destroy an entire generation" |
163,319 | 5f2ec852612f8254fd18c55a37894748297047bd | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 14:57 EST, 27 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:14 EST, 27 October 2012 . When the New Victoria first opened its doors to the public in the heart of Bradford in 1930, the magnificent Art Deco building was one of the largest cinemas in the country, with an auditorium that could seat 3,000 people. Featuring a grand ballroom, restaurant and tea room - all in the same lavish style - the landmark building went on to become the thriving hub of entertainment in the industrial city in Yorkshire, screening films from the Golden Age of Hollywood and going on to host The Beatles and The Rolling Stones during the 1960s. More than 80 years on, pictures from inside the now derelict Bradford Odeon - whose owner has offered to sell it to Bradford City Council for just £1 - reveal waterlogged carpets in the deserted lobby that was once thronged with people, and damp creeping across the walls of the formerly sumptuous auditorium. Faded glory: The Bradford Odeon closed its doors for the last time in 2000. The owners of the landmark building have offered to sell it to the council for the nominal fee of £1 . Deserted: Where once the auditorium inside the building would have housed hundreds of people, today it is dilapidated and deserted . A source of huge civic pride in Bradford, the 1930s edifice boasted an imposing exterior and lavishly fitted interior that would have been far removed from the usual surroundings of many of its patrons. In September 1950 the building was renamed The Gaumont and began hosting concerts and stage shows, welcoming famous names from Billy Haley and The Comets to The Beatles during the 1960s. While the lofty auditorium and plush lobby drew crowds of film fans and music lovers for a large chunk of the 20th Century, the historic picture house eventually lost its battle with multiplexes luring the city's young people with the offer of a greater choice of film titles on an array of vast screens. The venue, by then known as the Bradford Odeon, finally closed its doors to the public in 2000, much to the regret of the local community who over the years had taken the Art Deco building to their hearts. The cinema has now been deserted for more than a decade, and these photographs, posted on Flickr, reveal the faded glory of the building that was for many years at the heart of Bradford's social scene. Opulent: The lavish auditorium inside the building in 1938, when it would have screen future classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood . Run down: In its heyday the auditorium in the Bradford cinema could seat more than 3,000 people . Neglect: The waterlogged carpet in the deserted lobby, which once would have been thronged with people . The Bradford Odeon is owned by the Homes and Community Agency (HCA), . which has offered to sell the landmark building to the local authority . for the sum of £1. The HCA made its offer after plans to . demolish the Art Deco venue to make way for offices and apartments were . scrapped because developers had failed to comply with the terms of its . agreement. The agreement was terminated and . discussions are now underway between Bradford City Council and the HCA . over the future of the Bradford Odeon. 'We recently made an offer to the . council to purchase the site for the nominal value of £1,' Naz Parker of . the HCA told BBC News Online. 'Following the transfer of the . building, we would support the council to secure a commercially viable . outcome for the site that meets their objectives and those of the people . of Bradford,' he added. Derelict: Built in 1930, the then New Victoria went on to be renamed The Gaumont in 1950, before becoming the Bradford Odeon in 1969 . Neglect: Damp is visible on the walls in a crumbling auditorium inside the derelict building on Prince's Way in Bradford . Historic: The admission prices are still visible on a sign at the old cinema, even though it closed its doors to the public back in 2000 . Much-loved: Movie posters still adorn the walls above some seats inside the abandoned building, which the Bradford community is eager to see restored to its former glory . Out of use: A projector at the derelict picture house, where once the people of Bradford flocked to see films from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930s and '40s . Eerie: The bingo hall inside the landmark building closed in 1997 . 'Luxury': Rows of empty seats inside the Bradford Odeon, which has been offered for sale to Bradford City Council for the sum of £1 . Campaign: The Bradford Odeon Rescue Group want to preserve the future of the landmark building . Past life: During the 1960s the Bradford venue - then known as The Gaumont - played host to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones . | When the Bradford Odeon opened as the New Victoria in Bradford in 1930, the stunning Art Deco building was one of the largest cinemas in the country .
Featuring a grand ballroom, lavish restaurant and an auditorium that could seat more than 3,000, the landmark venue quickly became the thriving heart of entertainment in the industrial city .
Today, the owner of the now derelict building has offered to sell it to Bradford City Council for the nominal fee of £1 .
Pictures from inside the once sumptuous picture house reveal waterlogged carpets, peeling walls and crumbling ceilings . |
143,813 | 45faad8d9132e863029dc9f6973beff1a5949e86 | By . Paul Bentley . PUBLISHED: . 11:25 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:21 EST, 28 March 2013 . They are the last voices most of us want to hear when we pick up the phone. Jessica Robbins, however, would disagree. For the 84-year-old has credited a cold caller with saving her life. Mrs Robbins happened to be the first person Simon Shepherd contacted on only his second day in a job selling solar panels over the phone. Lucky: Cold-caller Simon Shepherd saved a pensioner's life after realising she was having a stroke while they were talking on the telephone earlier this month . When he realised that the pensioner . was finding it difficult to breathe he ended the conversation, having . failed to make a sale. But he was so concerned about her . condition that he dialled the number again, asked for her address and . then called for an ambulance. Paramedics found Mrs Robbins slumped . on the floor and paralysed after suffering a stroke in the living room . of her home in Walsall, West Midlands. The great-grandmother, who is now home . from hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, reckons Mr . Shepherd saved her life. Home: Paramedics rushed to Jessica Robbins' house in Walsall, pictured, after Mr Shepherd called 999 . Random: If Mr Shepherd had not decided to tackle his call list from the bottom rather than the top, Mrs Robbins might not be alive today . The telesales worker, 25, said: ‘I didn’t make a sale but I’m so glad I could help her. ‘I felt uneasy after ending the call so we decided to call her back and I’m glad we did. ‘Cold callers get a hard time from people, but if I hadn’t called she’d probably have died.’ Mr Shepherd visited Mrs Robbins last week to meet her in person and deliver a bouquet of flowers. He added: ‘She’s made a good recovery. She’s had a number of mild heart attacks in the past but is still . doing well. She’s a tough old bird.’ The 84-year-old was phoned on March . 12 by Mr Shepherd. By chance he had decided to start at the bottom of the long list of home owners in front of him instead of at the top as usual. Halfway through his solar panels pitch, however, he realised the pensioner was breathing heavily, so he ended the phone call. Employer: Mr Shepherd was in only his second day of working as a salesman for a solar panels company . He spoke to a supervisor before calling Mrs Robbins back. She answered and gave Mr Shepherd her address so he could ring 999. When paramedics arrived minutes later, they were let in by neighbours and discovered her collapsed in the living room. Mrs Robbins, a retired dance teacher . who has three children, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren, . said: ‘I am very grateful to the young man. ‘I’ve got the feeling back and I’ve . got the young lad to thank for that. He was very good with me on the . phone. He went above and beyond for me. ‘I don’t usually listen to telesales but I’m glad I answered the phone to Simon. ‘Salesmen sometimes get a bad name, . but in this case he saved my life.’ Mr Shepherd works for Zenith . Renewable Energy Ltd. His boss, Craig Siviter, said: ‘For some reason . Simon started from the bottom of the list instead of the top. ‘It was his first call of the day, on . only his second day of the job, [and] he spoke to me as he believed the . lady was unwell. I told him to call back and then we called for an . ambulance. ‘We get people slamming down the phone . on us, all sorts, but it was pleasing on this occasion that we could . step in and help the lady. FACIAL weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped? ARM weakness: Can the person raise both arms? SPEECH problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? TIME to call 999. If a person fails any one of these tests, get help immediately by dialling 999. A speedy response can help reduce the damage to a person’s brain and improve their chances of a full recovery. A delay in getting help can result in death or long-term disabilities. Source: The Stroke Association . | Simon Shepherd, 25, phoned Jessica Robbins to sell her solar panels .
Worried by 84-year-old's ragged breathing and distressed noises .
Called ambulance to pensioner's home in Walsall which saved her life . |
91,090 | 01277fe83641e9040e078ecf2a3c482151bc1f9e | (CNN) -- A new standard may about to be set for the most boring in-flight movie ever -- and it doesn't even star Keanu Reeves. Passengers flying British Airways will soon be able to zone out to a film that shows every inch of a slow-speed train journey to the Norwegian capital. The airline says the film, "The Seven Hour Train Journey to Oslo," will appeal to people who enjoy "wallpaper" viewing experiences like the barely moving maps that chart flight progress. The airline will start screening the feature in July alongside its usual schedule of classics, blockbusters and those lame romantic comedies that shouldn't make passengers bawl their eyes out, but inevitably do. The film features no commentary to liven up the proceedings, but highlights are said to include going into tunnels and some children waving from a station. (CNN cannot independently confirm this, it doesn't have a spare seven hours to kill.) 'Hypnotic and calming' Though undeniably tedious, the train ride film could prove an unexpected hit -- as it did when it first screened to more than one million viewers on Norway's NRK state television. So-called "slow TV" has attracted a cult audience in Scandinavia, with other classics including a burning fireplace and a game of chess. It goes without saying: winter nights are long in Norway, but so is intercontinental air travel. "There's definitely a hypnotic, calming and entertaining quality to 'Slow TV' that is perfect for in-flight entertainment," says Richard D'Cruze, who oversees onboard movie programming for BA. The airline says that if the trial proves successful it could follow up with more slow films featuring knitting and bird feeding. Keanu Reeves should pick up his knitting needles and get dialing his agent right now. What's the most boring in-flight film you've seen? Tell us below . | British Airways to screen "The Seven Hour Train Journey to Oslo" as part of in-flight entertainment .
Airline says film has a "calming, relaxing" quality that will appeal to some passengers .
If successful, BA plans to follow up with films about feeding birds and knitting . |
20,303 | 3999bed6ca13d29d64c12e9b6bbd221f7494aefc | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:32 EST, 28 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:18 EST, 28 April 2013 . Charged: PR guru Max Clifford faces 11 counts of sex abuse . Police are investigating a television comedy legend about historic sex abuse allegations, it was revealed today. Officers working on the Jimmy Savile scandal have opened a file on the household name who is in his seventies. The unnamed star denies the claims, but he could be questioned under caution before a decision is made whether to formally arrest him. He has been under investigation for several months. In a separate development, a woman has alleged on Twitter that she is the victim of a celebrity assault. The investigation is the latest shock to hit the entertainment world and comes as PR veteran Max Clifford was charged with 11 counts of indecent assault against teenage girls. Since Operation Yewtree was launched in the wake of the scandal involving shamed DJ Savile, 12 men has been formally arrested over historic sex abuse allegations dating back to the 1960s. They include entertainer Rolf Harris, pop star Gary Glitter, DJ Dave Lee Travis and comedians Freddie Starr and Jim Davidson. All deny the allegations. Arrested : Entertainer Rolf Harris and comic Freddie Starr were held by officers from Operation Yewtree . Over the past weeks, calls from . alleged victims have flooded into police naming more celebrities. They . believe they will be taken seriously following coverage in the media. Questioned: Comic Jim Davidson . A . source told the Sunday Mirror, who claim to know the identity of the unnamed celebrity: 'The comic being investigated is another . on an increasing list of those who will have to answer allegations of . abuse. 'But if it wasn't . for the press publicising these arrests it's doubtful whether the . alleged victims would have come forward. They simply did not think . anybody would listen.' Speaking outside his Surrey mansion yesterday, Mr Clifford told how he felt sorry for the celebrities who were caught up in the Savile investigation. He said: 'I just feel sorry for Freddie [Starr]and David Lee Travis and Jim Davidson and people I have known for many, many years because I know they are not that type either. 'I wish they [the police] would concentrate on the kind of Jimmy Savile types and those around Savile and the like.' He described the allegations against him as 'nonsense' and said he was '100 per cent confident' he would clear his name in court. Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree has so far cost £1.8 million with 69 officers investigating various cases. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | File opened on ageing household name who denies the claims .
Woman alleges on Twitter that she is victim of celebrity assault . |
163,822 | 5fdcc7a06a2760b85f4b9f29f9348259fa9c12f3 | (CNN) -- It seemed a promising development, a team of investigators tearing up a basement in hopes of answering a three-decade-old question: What happened to Etan Patz? It was a tantalizing lead offering hope that investigators would solve the mystery -- at last -- of what happened to the 6-year-old boy who disappeared on his way to the school bus stop 33 years ago. There have been a series of such leads over the years in the case, which changed the nation's attitudes toward children's safety and helped launch the missing children's movement. First there was the drifter living in a drainage tunnel with pictures of boys who looked eerily similar to Etan. A rash of false leads that took investigators as far afield as Israel chasing look-alikes. Then, most recently, a cadaver dog picking up the scent of human remains in a basement near Etan's home. Each time, the result has been the same: sometimes a few answers, often more questions, and rarely anything resembling the full truth for Etan's parents, Stan and Julie Patz. The family has endured years of crank calls and far-fetched theories on the home telephone number they never changed in hope Etan might some day try to call. "They exacted the biggest emotional cost, riding Stan and Julie on a steep vertical incline up the tracks, to plunge straight back down to hell every time," journalist Lisa Cohen writes in her definitive account of the case, "After Etan: The Missing Child Case That Held America Captive." Such dramatic ups and downs have long been part-and-parcel of the investigation into Etan's disappearance. In the days and weeks after he went missing in May, 1979, police, the family and neighborhood volunteers worked tirelessly tracking down leads, according to Cohen. In the two weeks following Etan's disappearance, police put in more than 4,000 hours on the case, interviewing some 500 people, Cohen writes in her book. Police cruisers swarmed the neighborhood as volunteers plastered the area with 10,000 posters, according to Cohen's account. Then came the first letdown. The police officers who'd camped in the Patz home, answering phones and dispatching detectives to follow up on possible leads, packed up and left, the emergency phase of the response over. In their place, they left a legal pad next to the phone and instructions to log each call. What had been a stream of calls slowed to a trickle, but kept coming, with their stories of boys matching Etan's description seen in places near and far. None panned out. Three years later, in 1982, the roller-coaster would start its climb again with reports that a man, Juan Antonio Ramos, had swiped a boy's book bag and tried to lure him and another boy into the drainage tunnel where he was living. Police found photos of young boys among the man's possessions, and took them to Etan's parents to see if their son was one of them. "Almost three years into their ordeal, the half-formed scab covering their private life and private pain was being picked off yet again to ooze fresh blood," Cohen wrote in her book. "They greeted the news with the now familiar mix of trepidation tinged with the faint hope, one that could never be discounted, that new exposure could yield new information." The case didn't pan out, at least initially, and Ramos vanished. Interest moved on to other reports, Cohen wrote in her book: A photo in Israel, another in Massachusetts. A cab driver who said he picked up the boy the morning of his disappearance. Like the other leads, nothing came of them. In 1988, the cycle began turning again. Investigators turned their attention back to Ramos after locating him in a Pennsylvania prison -- where he was serving time on a molestation conviction. They brought Ramos back to New York for questioning, and got a bombshell, Cohen writes. Ramos acknowledged picking up a boy he believed was Etan and bringing him back to his apartment for sex, according to Cohen. But he said the boy declined his advances, so he took him to the subway and waved goodbye. Three years later, in 1991, after helping secure another conviction against Ramos, federal authorities visited the Patz family again. They were there to deliver the news the family had long dreaded -- that investigators believed their son was dead and they believed Ramos was responsible, Cohen writes. "The words were not earth-shattering; they weren't saying anything that twelve years into the case both parents didn't already know," Cohen writes in her book. "But now for the first time law enforcement was sitting across the table, telling them that the weight of evidence supported their worst fears." At the same time, the federal authorities said they'd come to the end of their journey, saying only New York state prosecutors could take the case to court. They never have. There have been more milestones since that day in 1991. In the summer of 2000, New York investigators examined evidence from the basement of the apartment building where Ramos once lived. In 2001, Stan Patz had his son declared legally dead, and in 2004, a judge found Ramos liable for Etan's death in a wrongful death civil lawsuit. But none of those milestones brought them closer to what the family has long said it wants, barring the return of their son: a criminal conviction. In 2010, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance reopened the investigation after his election, something he had promised to do during his campaign. The promise that authorities were closer to mounting a criminal case seemed alluringly close last week, when investigators flooded the neighborhood and began dismantling the basement where handyman Othniel Miller once had a workshop. Etan knew the man and had sometimes helped him with odd jobs before he disappeared, Cohen said in a Monday interview on CNN. Authorities had looked at the basement workshop years ago, but never tore up the place as they were doing last week, she noted. Investigators recently renewed their interest in Miller, 75, in part after interviewing him about his connection to the basement. During the interview, a source said he blurted out, "What if the body was moved?" About a month ago, a cadaver dog picked up the scent of human remains. Then investigators began to tear down drywall and cut through concrete in search of clues. "It was a huge number of resources being thrown into this case," forensic scientist Lawrence Kobilinsky said Monday in an appearance on CNN. "It shows you that this case is still alive in the minds, (of) not only the public, but certainly, of law enforcement." Mike Huff, a retired police detective and cold-case investigator in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who now heads the International Association of Cold Case Investigators, said as he watched coverage of the case, the kinds of details that were emerging led him to believe investigators were confident they had finally come up with a solid line on hard physical evidence in the case. The big news came over the weekend, when it leaked out that investigators had recovered a chunk of concrete that appeared to be stained with blood. "I thought, 'Man, this is going to be a slam dunk, they already know the answer to this story,'" Huff said. Then, suddenly, once again, nothing. The blood wasn't blood, it turned out. No human remains had been found. Etan's family learned Sunday the search had come up empty. It's not clear where the investigation goes from here. Through his attorney and daughter, Miller has denied any role in Etan's disappearance. Cases as old as this one can be tough to crack, Huff said. "The longer it gets away, the more you really have to have hopes and prayers for technology to come into it," he said. While investigators didn't get the answers they wanted -- again -- Huff says there's still some good to take out of the effort. "It's a success that 33 years later, somebody is still looking at it," he said. | The 33-year-old Etan Patz case continues to stymie investigators .
Investigators recently concluded their search of a basement near where the boy disappeared .
Like other leads, it has failed to definitively reveal what happened to Etan Patz .
A cold-case investigator says it's a success that the case is still getting attention and resources . |
272,780 | ed494ead00b9d6347f2e5b08179d4e8c8b8589fc | By . Emma Glanfield . Prince Harry could celebrate his forthcoming 30th birthday with a ‘St Moritz-themed’ extravaganza at Kensington Palace, it has been revealed. The prince, who turns 30 on September 15, is set to shun London’s nightclubs in favour of a private party with friends and family at the royal palace. It is thought the royal will enjoy an intimate dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and 30 friends before celebrating with a lavish after-party. Prince Harry, who turns 30 on September 15, is set to shun London's nightclubs in favour of a private party with friends and family at Kensington Palace . One source said an empty drawing room, which used to house art classes, would be the central hub of the ‘chic’ party. The room is set to be decked out with white leather sofas, drapes and décor in the style of St Moritz – the Swiss ski resort popular with the rich and famous. According to The Sun, the source said the event reflected Prince Harry's newfound maturity. ‘At the moment the old drawing school is empty. Easels are resting in the corners. But it will get a stylish makeover. This is an important birthday for Harry and he's not going to fall out of a club late at night. He's keen to show that he has come of age,’ the source told the newspaper. Prince William and Kate have reportedly taken over planning of the big birthday from Cressida Bonas, the former girlfriend of Prince Harry following their split in April. As well as the private party, the prince is also set to receive £10million of his mother Diana's inheritance on his birthday. It is thought the prince will enjoy an intimate dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and 30 friends before celebrating with a St Moritz-themed after-party at Kensington Palace, west London (above) The prince is reportedly keen on the party taking a St Moritz theme, with white leather sofas, drapes and décor in the style of the Swiss ski resort (above) which is popular with the rich and famous . The milestone means he will take control of half of a trust fund believed to be worth more than £20million. He faces a £4million deduction due to inheritance tax, but experts say he could slash the bill if he gives some of the money to charity. Princess Diana bequeathed the trust to the prince and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, who were 12 and 15 respectively at the time of her death in 1997. Diana left a net estate of £12,966,022- after inheritance tax of £8,502,330 was deducted - but it is widely believed that with shrewd investment the fund has almost doubled. Her estate comprised stocks and shares, jewellery, cash from her £17million divorce settlement, dresses and other personal belongings at her Kensington Palace apartment. Diana stipulated that it would be held in trust to be shared equally between her two sons. In her original will, drawn up in 1993, the princess had stipulated that both princes would be entitled to their entire share of the capital on reaching 25. Polo time: Taking to the field today in Wiltshire, the royal captain joined his fellow Army veterans for a clash with the Royal Navy team - leading them to victory to take the Hackett Randle Cup at Tidworth Polo Club . It is a tense contest that lures in thousands of spectators every year - with more than 7,000 attending today . But details of the will were changed by a variation order granted by the High Court on Dec 19 1997 - three months after her premature death in a Paris car crash. A spokesman for Kensington Palace declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline today. Meanwhile, although he may be deep in party plans for his fast-approaching 30th birthday, Prince Harry always has time for a spot of polo. Taking to the field today in Wiltshire, the royal captain joined his fellow Army veterans for a clash with the Royal Navy team - leading them to victory. Guests were treated to smoked salmon canapes and champagne as Harry and his teammates battled it out . It is a tense contest that lures in thousands of spectators every year. Today, more than 7,000 turned out for the match. Guests were treated to smoked salmon canapes and champagne as Harry and his teammates battled it out for the revered Hackett Rundle Cup. Tidworth Polo Cup, which has hosted the event for decades, was formerly the home of military polo. | Prince Harry is set to celebrate his 30th birthday on September 15 with party .
Royal is said to be hosting a 'St Moritz-themed' party at Kensington Palace .
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are reportedly organising private event . |
277,448 | f3737c016ce070a0abbae6b8d90c2331e4f20669 | By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 1 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:41 EST, 1 September 2012 . Grave charges: Danny Coston, 36, is accused of gunning down 17-year-old Jessica Evans and killing her 22-year-old boyfriend last weekend . An Illinois man has been arrested and charged with murdering a young couple whose bodies were found days apart after the two went missing last weekend, according to police. Jessica Evans, 17, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler, disappeared while on a camping and fishing trip near the Little Wabash River. On Monday afternoon, police found Evans dead in the bed of her boyfriend’s pickup truck, setting off a manhunt for Wheeler, who became a person of interest in the investigation. According to White County Sheriff Doug Maier, officials had a break in the investigation on Friday after coming across evidence of a second vehicle at the scene of the couple’s disappearance, according to the station KFVS. Pieces of a wrecked car were linked to 36-year-old Danny Coston, of Carmi, who confessed to killing the couple when questioned by police. Early Saturday morning, Maier has confirmed that the 22-year-old’s remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County based on information provided by the suspect. Coston has been preliminarily charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Tragedy: Evans, left, was found shot in the head three times in Wheeler's, right, pickup truck after the couple went missing while on a camping and fishing trip . Sheriff Maier called the crime a ‘random type situation’ that turned into a horrible event. Coston was apparently an acquaintance of Wheeler's father, but did not know the 22-year-old man or his girlfriend. ‘We hope this brings some closure to the families of Jessica and Jacob,’ said Sheriff Maier. ‘Our thoughts are with them.’ Wheeler and Evans, a popular senior at Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School, were reported missing Sunday after the 17-year-old girl failed to show up for work at 5am, according to the Evansville Courier & Press. Body found: Wheeler's remains were discovered early Saturday morning in a wooded area north of Interstate 64 . Sheriff Maier told The Southern that the couple had been ‘dating only a short time, just a matter of a few months.’ Wheeler, a U.S. Army veteran who had served in Iraq, was married but amicably separated from his wife, according to police. Norris City-Omaha-Enfield School Superintendent Cliff Karnes has described Evans as a ‘good kid’ who loved art. The 17-year-old was discovered with three gunshot wounds to the head in Wheeler’s truck on Monday. The vehicle had rolled down an embankment and over a large tree before coming to rest in a heavily wooded area. No weapon was found in the pickup or nearby, and the keys were missing. Link: Police said Coston knew Wheeler's father, but not the Iraq War veteran himself (pictured) or his girlfriend . The sheriff’s department and other law enforcement agencies launched a search by foot, all-terrain vehicles, horseback and air in an attempt to find Wheeler, but it was not until Coston’s arrest that his body was finally recovered north of Interstate 64. Authorities said they believe they know the motive behind the killings, but would not release the details just yet. Coston is being held on $3million in the White County Jail. Formal charges will be filed against him after the Labor Day weekend. | Danny Coston, 36, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder .
Jessica Evans, 17, was found shot in the head three times in her boyfriend, Jacob Wheeler's, pickup truck .
Wheeler, 22, was a person of interest in Evans' death until Coston confessed to the killings .
Wheeler's body was found in wooded area after Coston's confession .
Couple started dating just a couple of months before their deaths . |
108,870 | 185c5fd47731936f1b31d1857d1321d10d90555c | By . Lucy Osborne . PUBLISHED: . 18:45 EST, 25 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:37 EST, 26 February 2013 . Robert Louis Stevenson may well have paced up and down the garden, pondering the next twist to one of his adventure novels. And, nearly a century later, stars of the 1960s such as Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Sellers enjoyed summer parties on the same lawn. But the next chapter in the history of this London garden and the attached Grade II-listed cottage is rather less illustrious. Debbie Dove says she has been harassed by neighbours over her plans to build an underground spa at her Hampstead home, pictured, which used to belong to Robert Louis Stevenson . The current owner wants to dig it up and build a basement health spa for the use of her teenage daughters. It’s not a popular step with her neighbours in upmarket Hampstead. Multi-millionaire Debbie Dove, who reportedly has an £80million property portfolio, has submitted plans for a leisure complex with a swimming pool, waterfall feature, spa, gym and bar. This will require digging more than six metres under the garden of Treasure Island author Stevenson’s former home – where 50 years ago some of the biggest names in British film gathered for parties. Neighbours say the proposal is not in keeping with the area but twice-divorced Miss Dove, 52, who has another property backing on to the cottage, claims they have been harassing her and she is now considering legal action. ‘I have been texted and emailed constantly,’ she said. ‘They have said that, for my own benefit, it would be better to drop my planning application. ‘We are literally going to have to go for harassment soon. All the neighbours in the nearby area have rallied against me.’ The three-bedroomed Netley Cottage, built in 1779, is close to the Hampstead Garden Suburb, known as Billionaires’ Row, and is a popular area with rich and famous. Neighbours are opposing the development at the Hampstead cottage, which has its own terrace and lawn, because they say it is not in keeping with the area . Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson once owned the Hampstead cottage . Coldplay singer Chris Martin and his wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as actress Kate Hudson and comedian Michael McIntyre all reportedly live nearby. After putting the property on the market in 2010, Miss Dove decided to keep it so 14-year-old twin daughters, Viviana and Isabella can live there when they are older. If the proposals win Camden Council’s approval, the underground spa would be covered by a turfed roof, which architects say will be in keeping with the rest of the large property. Miss Dove separated from second husband, divorce lawyer Raymond ‘Jaws’ Tooth in 2008. His clients include Sadie Frost and Patti Boyd. In the early Nineties, Miss Dove married first husband, Italian aristocrat Giovanni Fiorentino, father of her twins. The marriage lasted 11 years. Miss Dove, a former local estate agent, said: ‘I wouldn’t dream of doing anything that would visually change the building inside or out. I doubt if I would be allowed to anyway. This development is totally hidden. It is under the lawn.’ Judd Architecture, the company that has drawn up the plans submitted to Camden planning officials, said: ‘The proposal… will have no impact at all on the listed building and minimal impact on the appearance of the garden.’ | Debbie Dove is at loggerheads with her neighbours over the plans .
She wants to build an underground spa under the famous garden .
But locals say the development is not in keeping with the local area .
Dove, who owns millions of pounds of property, says she is being harassed . |
158,804 | 595487e6ea5c2d544e5f0c00fd6d26be38a06dea | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A federal court has ordered a Kuwait-based contractor to pay nearly $5 million in damages to the family of a U.S. military officer killed in Iraq -- a rare court decision holding a contracting company accountable for its actions in the war. Lt. Col. Dominic Baragona was the highest-ranking soldier to die in Iraq when he was killed May 19, 2003. Army Lt. Col. Dominic "Rocky" Baragona was just an hour away from a U.S. base in Kuwait -- ultimately headed home to the United States -- when a tractor-trailer operated by Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company slammed into his Humvee on May 19, 2003, killing him instantly. Baragona, a West Point graduate, was 42 years old and the highest-ranking soldier to have died in the war at the time. His family filed a wrongful death suit against KGL. Earlier this month, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia sided with the family, holding the Kuwait company negligent in Baragona's death for failing to provide safe passage on the three-lane road where the accident occurred. A key issue in the judge's decision was whether a U.S. court had jurisdiction over a foreign contractor and whether there was a legal basis to find it negligent. Ultimately, Judge William Duffey found that there was. "The court enters judgment in the amount of $4,907,048 to be paid by KGL in a single lump payment," the judge wrote in his 12-page decision issued on November 5. Baragona's father, Dominic Baragona, a former U.S. Marine, told CNN he is embarrassed his family was forced into a lawsuit to learn details surrounding his son's death. He also said the court decision is bittersweet: No amount of money will ever bring his son back, but it feels good that a court of law sided with his family. Watch family describe Rocky's hugs, his Mustang and his character » . "You feel good for the Rock," he said of his boy. "We're going to make KGL sweat it a little bit. I mean they're going to remember Rocky's name." Baragona's sister, Pam, added, "Even in his death, he's still handing out more messages -- very quietly, in Rocky's way." CNN sought comment from KGL for this story, but got no response. The law firm Crowell & Moring, which has represented KGL in the past, declined comment. KGL has received millions of dollars in U.S.-government contracts. On its Web site, the company says it "performs multiple operations such as providing of vehicles and equipments to customers," including the U.S. Army and coalition forces. It also boasts of having more than $1 billion in market capitalization. CNN legal analyst Jeffery Toobin said the court decision theoretically "does open the door to more lawsuits" against contractors, but that the Baragona family is a long way from ever seeing the money. "It is always very hard to collect judgments against foreign companies and, when you overlay the chaos of Iraq, it makes it extremely difficult -- if not impossible," Toobin said. The court decision comes at a time when Congress has been closely scrutinizing contractors and seeking ways to hold the companies accountable for their actions in war zones. The Baragonas say their suit was never about money. They would like to see changes made in the contracting business, most importantly to have third-party investigations carried out when something goes wrong and to keep everyone abreast during that reporting process. "[Rocky] was about improving and changing systems so that we had a better Army. And that's what he believed in and that's what he dedicated his life to. If in his death, he adds more on to that -- that's what I'm fighting for," said Pam Baragona. If the family ever gets paid, they say they want to set up a foundation to honor their son and brother to help pay for college educations of deserving students. "Rock's the little guy. We have to vindicate for him. We have to take care of the little guy," his sister said. "Creating a legacy for him is a huge responsibility." Born on Flag Day on June 14, 1960, Rocky Baragona dedicated his life to the military, entering West Point after high school and graduating among the top of his class in 1982. His motto was: "More than expected." He was one of seven children, five boys and two girls. One brother, Christopher, died of leukemia just before he would have turned 9. The family says it was a young, energetic and super smart Rocky who "held our family together through that dark time." "Rocky was my heart," his mother, Vilma, said. So sharp was Rocky that he attended a computer camp in the mid-1970s and then taught a computer class in high school for two years because nobody else at school knew much about computers, his mom said. Rocky loved the military. He also loved gadgets, the Cleveland Indians, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns. His father, Dominic, said he spoke with his son just two hours before he was killed in Iraq. As the commander of the 19th Maintenance Battalion based out of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, his son was helping his soldiers get out of Iraq en route to Camp Victory in Kuwait. Once at the Kuwait base, they were scheduled to head home to Fort Sill. "I remember asking him: 'Well, Rock, is there anything I have to worry about?' " the father said. "He said, 'The only thing you have to worry about, Dad, is something stupid happening.' " According to the lawsuit, Baragona was traveling south through Iraq as part of a three-vehicle convoy when the crash happened. The suit claims the KGL tractor-trailer struck a pile of dried concrete that had spilled on the road, jack-knifing the big rig and then slamming into Baragona's Humvee. The soldier driving Baragona's vehicle survived the accident. The Baragona family never expected more than four years later to be talking to a reporter about their son over the Thanksgiving holiday, a court decision and the grief they've endured -- grief over losing a young child to leukemia and then a grown son three decades later to an accident in war. "It just never goes away," his mother said of her pain. The father says he and Rocky loved to talk politics. Rocky would always take the opposite position just to rile up his old man. "I didn't win too many arguments off him because he was so damn sharp," he said. "To me, he was the guy I couldn't wait to talk to." The dad then paused and said, "What a great relationship." E-mail to a friend . | Federal court orders Kuwaiti contractor to pay $5 million to soldier's family .
Lt. Col. Dominic "Rocky" Baragona died in Iraq accident on May 19, 2003 .
Dad: "They're going to remember Rocky's name"
Ruling comes at a time when Congress is weighing contractor accountability . |
45,444 | 8011e88fbdc4db831aa0fffc7a737d8b22562ff9 | By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 15 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:29 EST, 15 October 2012 . A 28-year-old man was accidentally shot in the face by his brother, who was slaughtering a pig for a family celebration. Koua Vang, suffered life-threatening injuries and is now in critical condition at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento hospital in California, police revealed. The shooting happened at 6.25am on Saturday at Mr Vang's home in a rural part of Elk Grove. Family drama: Koua Vang suffered life-threatening injuries and is now in intensive care at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento hospital . Mr Vang's 31-year-old older brother was trying to shoot two pigs for eating later in the day, according to the Sacramento Bee. A circle of family members, including Mr Vang, gathered around the two bound pigs while his brother took the shot. The brother killed one pig, but when he shot the second pig, the animal lurched, hitting the .22-calibre rifle and causing the gun to discharge a second time. Mr Vang was struck in the face at close range, police revealed, and put on life support at the hospital. Trying to shoot quick-witted pigs often seems to end in disaster. Dangerous situation: As the family gathered to watch, the pig lurched and jogged the rifle, discharging it (file picture) Ghastly accident: Mr Vang, 28, was shot by his 31-year-old brother with a .22 calibre rifle, pictured . In April, a man from Florida accidentally shot his girlfriend in both legs, thinking she was a wild boar. Steven Egan, 52, was hog hunting Saturday night with girlfriend Lisa Simmons when he left her behind at camp to pursue an animal. Mr Egan said he then heard a noise in the woods and shot at it, thinking it was the hog. But instead he sent a .30 caliber rifle shot through both of Simmons' upper legs. She had to be airlifted to a local hospital for surgery. | The 31-year-old was trying to kill two pigs for dinner .
One hog lurched and discharged the rifle, which hit Koua Vang, 28 . |
181,715 | 77451674e608bbfbcebdf6b437b0a74ce8e766c2 | Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- The nearly 100 children living at an orphanage in Carrefour, Haiti, are hungry and thirsty, and desperately waiting for aid, a member of the orphan's foundation told CNN on Saturday. All of the buildings of the Good Shepherd Orphanage, about eight miles from the capital of Port-au-Prince, were "damaged beyond repair," including the dormitories, said David Zimmer, treasurer for the Good Shepherd Orphanage and Schools Foundation. Zimmer spoke to CNN from Hebron, Kentucky, but said he has been in communication with the head of the orphanage, Pastor Ernst Cassy, who has worked in Carrefour for 40 years. He has also received messages via e-mail from staff in Carrefour, Zimmer said. The news he and his wife have received is heart-wrenching: The roads are impassable, Cassy has run out of food and the well they used to collect drinking water was damaged in Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude quake. Get the latest developments in Haiti . About 40,000 homeless people have sought refuge in the streets. The electricity is out and so is the gas that powered the generators. On the night of the quake, moans and screams pierced the dark. "If they don't get food and water there will be unrest like you can't believe," Zimmer said. The Good Shepherd Orphanage is just one of several crippled recently. Reports of pancaked orphanages stretch from Port-au-Prince to the southern coastal town of Jacmel. Are you in Haiti and safe? Share your photos . In the capital on Friday, chaos broke out at the Maison De Lumiere Orphanage after severe shortages of food, water and medicine sparked an outcry, said Mike Maiolo, senior pastor of the volunteers' home church in Mission Viejo, California. The building sustained heavy damage but no one was killed, he said. Many children who had parents on Tuesday morning, were orphans by that night. A doctor told CNN's Elizabeth Cohen on Friday that the number of orphans had tripled after the quake. Zimmer said he plans to fly into Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. View or add to CNN's database of missing persons in Haiti . CNN's Khadijah Rentas and Stan Wilson contributed to this report . | Some 100 children at orphanage in Carrefour awaiting aid .
Orphans have no food, water well damaged .
Other orphanages crippled .
Many children who had parents are now orphans . |
251,686 | d1c4d57161ac44391a75d34aeb66288931157b64 | By . Australian Associated Press . and Candace Sutton . and Leesa Smith . The International AIDS Conference in Melbourne will open with an on-stage tribute to the MH17 victims as thousands are expected to sign a condolence book at the event on Sunday. 'We are all devastated - it is a moment of deep sadness for the world,' International AIDS Society president Françoise Barre-Sinoussi said when asked to describe the mood among conference leaders In Melbourne on Saturday. 'The extent of our loss is hard to comprehend and express,' she said. 'Our colleagues were travelling because of their dedication to bringing an end to AIDS.' Scroll down for video . International AIDS Society president Françoise Barre-Sinoussi said there 'might be a few more' than the six confirmed delegates who were passengers on the plane but not the previously reported 100 . International AIDS Society president-elect Chris Beyrer of the US addresses the media on the six fallen delegates travelling to the AIDS Conference 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre . Meanwhile, unofficial reports that up to 100 delegates headed for an international AIDS conference in Melbourne were aboard downed flight MH17 are incorrect - with six confirmed at this stage. Ms Barre-Sinoussi said there 'might be a few more' than the six confirmed delegates who were passengers on the plane, but discounted the larger figure circulating in the international press. Speaking outside the event at the Melbourne Convention Centre on Saturday, Barre-Sinoussi said she and conference organisers had made checks with Dutch, Australian and Malaysian officials to confirm the numbers of victims who had been en route to the conference. 'The numbers that we have confirmed through our contact with authorities in Australia, in Malaysia, and the Dutch authority as well, is six people,' she said. A special tribute will be held when the five-day conference gets underway in Melbourne on Sunday . Professor Barre-Sinoussi said it was 'a moment of deep sadness for the world' when the MH17 was shot down in Ukraine . The International AIDS Society (IAS) released the names of six delegates confirmed to have been aboard the Malaysian Airways flight on Saturday. The six people, and their HIV-related organisations, as confirmed by the IAS are: . Meanwhile, distraught Ukrainian Australians held a candlelit vigil in the centre of Melbourne to mourn the victims of MH 17 and to denounce Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Holding blue and yellow Ukranian flags and Australian flags aloft and wearing Ukrainian national dress, around one hundred people held candles and sang as Father Andriy Mykytyuk of Melbourne's Ukrainian Catholic Church led them in a prayer for the souls of the air crash victims. Women held banners saying 'Terrorussia', 'Ukrainians mourn the loss of lives Flight MH17' and 'Russia: was Ukrainian blood not enough?' Flowers lined a temporary shrine erected for the victims, and 28 Australian flags were lodged in the grass of City Square. Some held candles while others had banners saying 'Terrorussia', 'Ukrainians mourn the loss of lives Flight MH17' and 'Russia: was Ukrainian blood not enough?' A little boy places a teddy bear at a vigil held by Melbourne's Ukrainian community to remember the people killed in the MH17 flight . About 100 people held candles and sang as Father Andriy Mykytyuk of Melbourne's Ukrainian Catholic Church led them in a prayer for the souls of the air crash victims . Melbourne sisters Olga Hawryszko, Katrina Romanyk, Anna Robertson and Luba Slobodiuk denounced Vladimir Putin as 'having blood on his hands'. The sisters described their horror on learning of the tragedy on Ukrainian soil, and their anger when Mr Putin had blamed Ukraine for the missile strike. 'It was absolutely shattering,' Ms Romanyk said. 'Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, but the truth is now coming out about Putin and how Russia has funded, backed, armed and encouraged the people responsible fo this. 'He has nowhere to hide any more,' she said. 'He is worse than Hitler or Stalin.' Ukrainian sisters Olga Hawryszko, Katrina Romanyk, Anna Robertson and Luba Slovodiuk denounced Vladimir Putin as 'having blood on his hands' Stefan Romaniw, chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations said the international community 'will sooner or later force Mr Putin into a situation where he will have to adhere to international law' Liana Skipetsky of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria told the assembled crowd her community extended 'our heartfelt and deepest condolences to all the communities of the nationalities who were present on that fateful flight' Stefan Romaniw, chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, told the crowd the the Ukrainian Australian community, which comprises around 40, 000 people 'mourns the unnecessary death through the crime and the murder of 298 victims'. 'The international community will sooner or later force Mr Putin into a situation where he will have to adhere to international law,' Mr Romaniw said. 'Who would have thought that 28 Australians would perish and die unnecessarily on Ukrainian land,' she said. 'Enough is enough. ' Mr Romaniw said Putin was not welcome in Australia at the G20 conference later in the year. 'We do not want to see him here,' he said. 'The world took its eyes off Ukraine and it has taken this terrible disaster to make people sit up and realise, ' Ms Skipetsky said . Flowers lined a temporary shrine erected for the victims and 28 Australian flags were lodged in the grass of City Square . Liana Skipetsky of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria told the assembled crowd her community extended 'our heartfelt and deepest condolences to all the communities of the nationalities who were present on that fateful flight'. 'Ukrainians have watched in terror and in horror the events which have happened in Ukraine ,' she said. 'The uprising against Russia in Ukraine began last November, and then the president was ousted and Russia invaded Crimea. 'But the world took its eyes off Ukraine and it has taken this terrible disaster to make people sit up and realise, ' she said. | Melbourne AIDS Conference to hold an on-stage tribute to MH17 victims .
Thousands expected to sign condolence book on Sunday .
Six delegates, not the previously reported 100, have been confirmed as aboard flight MH17 en route to an international AIDS conference .
International AIDS Society president Françoise Barre-Sinoussi said there 'might be a few more' than the six confirmed delegates .
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Australians held a candlelit vigil in Melbourne to mourn MH17 victims and to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin . |
232,886 | b9838bddaba157c0413493aa26f91d17f7bf92ad | By . Rachel Quigley . Last updated at 11:02 AM on 4th July 2011 . The woman who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape allegedly grew angry when he refused to pay her for sex, it emerged today. The hotel maid, who has now been accused of working as a prostitute, allegedly performed a sex act on him in his room at the Sofitel in Manhattan. She originally told police she did not know who the former IMF chief and that he raped her in his suite. Celebration: Strauss Kahn and his wife Anne Sinclair leave his Tribeca apartment after the former IMF chief was freed from his strict bail conditions . But the case against the millionaire has fallen apart after it emerged the woman had told prosecutors a series of lies. Sources now claim she was aware of his VIP status and became angry when he refused to pay her for her sexual services. A source close to the defence investigation told the New York Post: 'She figured he's a rich dude, and she would get paid. She was told by the crew she ran with that this was a gold mine.' The maid, a West African native, told police that on May 14, while she was cleaning Strauss Kahn's suite, he forced her to perform oral sex on him and violently groped her breasts and vagina, leaving her bruised. But the source told the Post that the 32-year-old maid regularly got paid for sex at the hotel and she performed oral sex on the Frenchman in exchange for money. But when they were finished and the woman demanded money from him, Strauss Kahn refused to pay. 'There was an expectation of money after the fact, but he was dismissive,' the source said. 'He turned his back on her and got dressed. Questions: The maid, who is believed to be a prostitute, cannot be identified for legal reasons . 'She remained in the room with him while he got dressed for at least nine minutes.' The humiliating exchange sparked the maid's anger, prosecutors suspect. Though she told police after she reported the alleged attack that she did not know who Strauss Kahn was - who at the time was being touted as the next President of France - she was reportedly on the phone the following day with a jailed drug dealer talking about a potential windfall if she pursued charges. A letter from prosecutors also revealed that she lied about what actually happened on the day. It said: 'In the weeks following the incident charged in the indictment, the complainant told detectives and assistant district attorneys on numerous occasions that, after being sexually assaulted . . . she fled to an area of the main hallway of the hotel's 28th floor and waited there until she observed the defendant . . . entering an elevator.' She said she then alerted her supervisor and waited for him. The maid later told this version of . events to the police and to a grand jury but then finally admitted that . she cleaned a nearby room and Dominique Strauss Kahn's room before she . reported the incident to her supervisor. Scene: The Sofitel in Manhattan where the alleged attack took place. The maid has admitted she lied to police and a grand jury . The DA's case has fallen into turmoil, and Strauss-Kahn was freed of his strict bail conditions. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. said prosecutors will keep investigating 'until we have . uncovered all relevant facts.' He said: 'Sometimes the road to get . to the truth has twists and turns in it, which are not always apparent . at the outset. What is important is not a win or a loss, but rather to . ensure the criminal justice system balances the rights of all those who . come before it.' Speculation is mounting that Strauss-Kahn may run for the French presidency in next year’s elections, but commentators have suggested that the case against him may still cause him damage. Michael Powell, columnist for the New York Times, said: ‘When the debate is between those who accuse you of rape and those who defend you as a mere disgusting cad, your image problems have not emerged from critical care.’ A poll last night revealed that the French people were split over whether Strauss-Kahn should run for the presidency. Some 49 per cent of those surveyed said they would like him to come back to French politics ‘one day’ while 45 per cent said no. Meanwhile Michele Sebban, one of Strauss-Kahn’s close allies, claimed yesterday that the court case was a ‘political assassination’. United: Strauss-Kahn and his wife Anne Sinclair arrive for a hearing at New York State Supreme Court on Friday . It was also revealed that while the maid . was being put up in a Brooklyn hotel by prosecutors, she continued to . work as a prostitute. According to the Post, a number of paying male visitors arrived at the maid's hotel in the weeks after Strauss Kahn's arrest. The source said: 'While she was under our supervision, there were multiple "dates" and encounters at the hotel on the DA's dime. That's a great deal for her. She doesn't have to cover her expenses.' The woman has a regular fleet of gentlemen callers who range from wealthy clients she met at the Sofitel to counterfeit-merchandise hawkers and livery-cab drivers, said sources close to the defence investigation. Some of her clients also gave her pricey jewellery, the source said. The woman is still being housed by the DA's Office but it is unclear if it is the same location or how much money has been spent to house her, the source said. Also, the DA suspects that the $100,000 she deposited into her accounts over the last few years included proceeds from sex-for-money exploits, said another prosecution source. | Source: Maid knew who the former IMF chief was .
Grew angry after DSK refused to pay her for sex act .
She was allegedly working as a prostitute from a hotel paid for by tax payer's money after the 'attack' |
239,996 | c2b25c6dc0854412b1285077c7e12ded77a6fb6b | A pregnant woman was left with these life-changing injuries after a close friend's dog mauled her face until it was 'hanging off'. Laura Holmes, 21, said she feared she and her unborn baby would die when the American Akita dog attacked her as she sat sending a text message. The animal leapt up and tore at her face, ripping chunks of flesh from her mouth and cheeks, leaving her needing 60 stitches. Friends then tried to drag the pet off her and only succeeded when they repeatedly kicked the dangerous dog, which was later destroyed. The dog's owner has become the first in Britain to be prosecuted under tough new laws after failing to control the seven stone Akita. Scroll down for video . Recovery: Laura Holmes has had significant re-constructive surgery but admits she can't look in the mirror - but happily her son Nathanial is happy and healthy despite his early delivery . Before: Miss Holmes, left before the attack, says she is lucky to be alive after the attack while she was pregnant, right . Miss Holmes, from Nottingham, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre, where surgeons battled to save her face and her baby. Laura had to give birth to baby Nathaniel - now 15 weeks old - by C-section because doctors felt she may not be able to withstand the pain of a natural birth due to her injuries. In a landmark prosecution, the dog's owner, Tracie Taylor, received a 16-week jail sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to pay Laura just £1000 in compensation. Under new laws changed on May 13 - just a day before Laura was left with life-changing injuries - owners can be taken to court if the animal is dangerous and out of control. The dog, Koda, was destroyed shortly after the attack when Taylor, also from Nottingham, surrendered it to police and she has also been banned from owning any animals in the future. 'I thought I was going to die - I was so afraid for my life and my unborn baby's life,' the victim said. 'The doctors told me my injuries were so bad I am lucky to be alive. 'My face was hanging off and I've been left with really awful scarring. I'm too upset to even look in the mirror now. Dangerous: This is Koda, the American Akita who attacked Laura Holmes. It was destroyed shortly after the attack and it emerged it had already bitten someone else four years earlier . In the dock: In a landmark prosecution, the dog's owner, Tracie Taylor, received a 16-week jail sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to pay Laura, right during her recovery, £1,000 in compensation . Painful: Miss Holmes also has the scars from the attack all over her body, including her arms . 'I've never been so scared. I was sitting in my friend's house sending a text - she'd had the dog for about seven years and I'd never even seen it growl before. Irresponsible dog owners who allow their dog to attack people or assistance dogs will face tougher prison sentences from today. Changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act will also mean dog owners can now face prosecution if their dog attacks a person in their home or on any private property, except if they attack a trespasser. The maximum sentences for allowing a dog to attack someone have also been substantially increased. The maximum prison sentences in England and Wales are now: . Up to 14 years, from two years, for a fatal dog attack. Up to five years, from two years, for injury. Up to three years if an assistance dog is attacked. 'I looked up from my phone and then I saw this dog launching itself at me - and before I knew it I was in the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life. 'My first thought was for my baby - I was terrified the attack would mean I would lose him. I was trying to scream and tear the dog off my face but he wouldn't let go. 'My friends were screaming and trying to grab the dog, but when it let go of my face it grabbed my leg - it was chasing me through the house. 'I would never normally hurt a dog but I had to start booting it to get it off me. 'I ran to the bathroom and stood over the sink. When I looked down I saw my own flesh had fallen into the sink.' The dog had already bitten someone else four years earlier, but due to the law at the time no prosecution had been brought. Laura added: 'This never should have happened to me because it bit someone before but nothing was done about it. he dog chased me through two rooms - it wouldn't stop. 'There was no barking or growling - it just went for my face and that was that. 'My hair was soaked in blood so they cut it all off and I wasn't allowed to wash my face after the first surgery which took six and a half hours.' Laura was operated on at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, and is due to have further facial surgery in December and is still struggling to eat and drink after the assault. Nottingham Magistrates Court heard yesterday that it was the second time that the dog had attacked someone. Innocent: Heavily pregnant Laura Holmes was sending a text when Koda suddenly leapt up and tore at her face . David Miles, prosecuting, said: 'Laura went upstairs and saw the dog looking out of the window. 'She sat on the bed and looked at her phone and with no warning the dog bit her face. 'She tried to get off the bed and the dog then bit her on the right arm and as she turned away from the animal it bit her on the left leg. 'Laura ran from the room to the bathroom but the dog managed to get hold of her left arm this time and started to pull. 'She managed to get in the bathroom and when she looked down she saw her own flesh in the sink. 'The defendant's daughter took down the mirror so she could not look at what had happened.' Taylor represented herself in court and said: 'I can't sleep at night and have considered ending it all. 'I am leaving Nottingham because it is not fair that the family have to see me all the time after what happened.' Magistrate Geoff Jordan said: 'We accept no amount of money could compensate the victim. 'It is not the court's view that this is how much the injury is worth and if we could award more we would.' Dogs' legislation officer PC Steve Feary said: 'I believe this is the first conviction of its kind for Nottinghamshire and one of the first for the country. 'But no one wins here. Laura was badly injured that evening and she will carry the physical scars with her for the rest of her life, not to mention the psychological effects she continues to battle - and all this while trying to raise a new baby. 'I hope this serves as reminder that being a pet owner, and particularly a dog owner, brings with it accountability. 'If someone dies as a result of your dog attacking them you could face up to 14 years' imprisonment. If they are injured it's up to five years.' | Laura Holmes, 21, feared she and her unborn baby would die in May attack .
The mauling led to doctors deciding to deliver son Nathanial, now 15 weeks .
Young mother was sending a text when Koda the Akita savaged her face .
Miss Holmes said: 'My face was hanging off and I've been left with really awful scarring. I'm too upset to even look in the mirror now'
Owner Tracie Taylor first to be convicted using new dangerous dogs laws .
Laura still having reconstructive surgery with a new operation next month .
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW . |
169,853 | 67d35f38a616cf40d168cb0a619327c891b5d553 | By . Ashley Collman . A father in North Carolina locked himself in his car on a sweltering day to raise awareness of a tragic summer trend that kills dozens of children each year. Terry Bartley of Greensboro, North Carolina filmed himself sweating and struggling to breathe in his car on a 90-degree day to find out what it's like to be a child forgotten in the back seat. Mr Bartley posted the video on June 20, just two days after 22-month-old Cooper Harris died after his dad left him in a parked SUV for nine hours. Scroll down for video . Torture: Greensboro , North Carolina father Terry Bartley filmed himself suffering in a parked car on a hot day to raise awareness of the dozens of U.S. children who die each year forgotten in the back seat . Harris has since been charged with murder and child cruelty. He has plead not guilty, claiming he left Cooper in the car accidentally. 'I'm sitting in the car with the windows rolled up because I want to know hot it feels to be left in the car and sitting in the back seat, strapped into the car seat,' Mr Bartley says in the video, as sweat streams down his face. 'As you can see, I'm sweating like I can barely breathe out here and my system is stronger than these little kids.' Too young: Mr Bartley posted the video just two days after the death of 22-month-old Cooper Harris, who was left in the back of his father Justin Ross Harris' SUV for nine hours on a 90-degree day . Charged: Justin Ross Harris has since been charged with murder and child cruelty. He has plead not guilty, saying he accidentally left Cooper in the car. Pictured in court on July 3 . Mr Bartley says he would never leave his children in the car, even if the engine was running with the air conditioning on. 'They would get out of the car and come with me or I ain't gonna stop at all. This is wrong,' he says. So far this year, 17 children have died of heatstroke after being left in a car, according to San Francisco State University's Department of Earth & Climate Studies. On average, about 38 children are killed each year in these circumstances. | Terry Bartley recorded the video so see what it's like to be a child forgotten in the back seat of a hot car .
He posted the video to YouTube just two days after the death of toddler Cooper Harris who was 'forgotten' in his dad's SUV for nine hours .
Cooper's father Justin Ross Harris has since been charged with murder and child cruelty .
Harris has plead not guilty, saying he left his son in the car accidentally . |
111,420 | 1bab1466cff10cb62eadab638b32273d1606d530 | (CNN) -- "Be as paranoid as possible!" The screed from our homeowner association manager arrived in our mailbox printed inside a cheery holiday border. The message continued: "Our neighborhood is as safe as we make it. Make no mistake about it, you must be on your guard! Report suspicious behavior or individuals that do not belong in our community." The call to arms echoed the strident sentiment of neighbors left nervous by the robbery of our home the day before. While we slept unaware at the back of an upscale gated community in Windermere, Florida, intruders came through the front door, took our big-screen TV, laptops and all of the presents from under the Christmas tree. No matter that we hadn't activated our security system and most likely forgot to lock the door. Hysterical efforts to fortify the perimeter were in full swing. An 8-foot iron fence was installed to seal the breach in the back wall used to circumvent the electronic entrance gate. An evening patrol was hired to circle in our eight-block subdivision. The developer sent apologetic champagne, and the homeowners association sent repeated encouragements to "keep an eye out for anything unusual!" Heavily marketed as havens of prestige and a sure footing on the social ladder, gated communities in Florida also create an insidious fortress mentality. Inside the enclaves that boast exclusivity and safety as their primary features, security means not just freedom from crime, but also protection from annoyances such as solicitors and strangers of any kind. You know, individuals that do not belong in our community. In other words, minorities and other less desirable social classes. This is the paradox of Florida's famed gated lifestyle, into which Trayvon Martin walked, was shot and tragically died. And within such communities, a neighborhood watch member such as George Zimmerman can get carried away. While we don't know what exactly happened in the encounter between Zimmerman and Martin, questions about racial profiling, vigilantism and police prejudice were slow in coming partly because of Florida's penchant for enclave living. The forting-up phenomenon that began in the 1960s shows no sign of slowing, ranking Florida as second only to California in the number of walls, street patterns and barricades that separate people from each other. Even though these features do not necessarily deliver on the promise of lower crime rate or more stable home value, they remain highly desirable. Their popularity complicates the debate over whether Martin or Zimmerman deserves the benefit of the doubt. "For residents who aren't expecting people to be passing through, to be in their space, attitudes can be taken to the extreme," Eliza Harris, Orlando's representative at the Congress for the New Urbanism, told me. Fenced in against their own insecurity, residents living within the perimeter revere active vigilance. Those who want to play border patrol and muscle outsiders around can easily do so unchecked. "When you discourage drive-through traffic and pedestrians, it becomes abnormal to see someone walking. And now you've created a situation where two people alone are hazardous to each other because there's no one else around, no cars driving by, no eyes on the street, " Harris added. Today's cameras, fences, walls and gates do little to create an atmosphere of openness, which is an essential element in a diverse society. When segregation of our living spaces becomes the wallpaper we no longer see, communities become brittle, unable to prevent and shut down the most dangerous behavior. Our children deserve to grow up in a culture of responsibility that doesn't stop at the neighborhood gates. As the design of our communities becomes more divided, the "as paranoid as possible" citizens living in fear of those lurking outside of their walls too often overlook the more distressing attitudes within. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bonita Burton. | Bonita Burton: Gated communities in Florida create an insidious fortress mentality .
Burton: Residents living within the perimeter of such places revere active vigilance .
She says a neighborhood watch member like George Zimmerman can get carried away .
Burton: To have a diverse society, we need less segregation of living spaces . |
20,972 | 3b882e56e4eb8e62bb52e504c69928b33dbf3e93 | By . Simon Tomlinson . Like his father and grandfather before him, Kim Jong-Un rules North Korea with such terrifying control that most of his subjects know very little about the world outside of their impoverished nation. But thanks to the digital revolution, his totalitarian regime is now finding it increasingly difficult to hide the temptations of a better life from his brutalised people. Nor can he prevent the world from seeing the stark realities inside the world's most secretive state where people have reportedly been executed simply for watching films and owning a Bible. The erosion of Kim's iron rule at the hands of technological change has now been explored in fascinating detail in a new documentary which has gained access to astonishingly brave undercover film-makers and defectors. Behind the iron curtain: A documentary revealing the brutal realities of life in North Korea features this footage of homeless boy Min, who was abandoned by his mother because she found it too difficult to look after him . Risking his life: The film features secret footage from Japanese journalist Jiro Ishimaru (pictured), who has spent 15 years training undercover cameramen to expose the truth in the secretive regime . Channel 4's Dispatches programme, which airs on Thursday, films with Jiro Ishimaru, a fearless Japanese journalist who spent 15 years training undercover cameramen in North Korea at great risk to their lives. It follows his latest trip to the border with China, where he secretly meets one of his agents whose latest undercover footage that reveals the realities of life for its suffering people. In an indication of the shameful imbalance in the distribution of wealth, homeless children are seen starving in the streets, while the elite in the capital Pyongyang drive the latest Mercedes. Recent reports reveal more than a quarter . of North Korean children under five are stunted by extreme . malnutrition, while rural poverty remains endemic. According to the Independent, one eight-year-old boy called Min is filmed looking unsteady on his feet from hunger as he explains that his mother found it too hard to look after him so 'she told me I have to go.' 'So I left and now I live outside,' he adds. Courageous: Former political prisoner Mr Chung escaped to South Korea and now smuggles radios, USB sticks and DVDs of soap operas and action films in the hope North Koreans will 'start wanting to live differently' Life in his hands: Undercover footage of Mr Chung smuggling DVDs at night on the North Korean border where guards have a shoot-to-kill policy . Learning about the West: Mr Chung says that his biggest hit so far has been the Bond movie Skyfall (above) The documentary also follows Mr Chung, a former inmate of a political prison camp who escaped to the west and now smuggles USB sticks and DVDs of South Korean soap operas and . entertainment shows into the North. He poses as a mushroom farmer to get them across the border, where guards operate a shoot-to-kill policy. Mr Chung says that his biggest hit so far has been the Bond movie Skyfall. He said: 'The more people are exposed . to such media the more likely they are to become disillusioned with the . regime and start wanting to live differently.' One of those was 22-year-old Changyang who realised after defecting that she had been 'fooled' by the regime. Fled: Defector Chanyang, 22, tells how she had been 'fooled' by the North Korean regime . Getting the message across: Open Radio for North Korea broadcasts to the state from Seoul . The charade played out by North Korea is laid bare when one secret film-maker asks to buy goods in Pyongyang's No 1 Department Store only to be told that he can't. 'They're just for show, to impress the foreigners,' says a staff member. Another clip shows an ox and cart walking past a sign saying 'courage towards the future. Let's move forward!' The propaganda is remorseless in north Korea. Many . people wear a red badge with a picture of either a grinning ‘Great . Leader’ – Kim Il-sung who founded the personality cult around which this . repressed nation revolves – or his simpering son Kim Jong-il, the ‘Dear . Leader’ who died in 2011. Every household must also display their images. Propaganda: An ox and cart walks past a sign saying 'courage towards the future. Let's move forward!' Totalitarian: Every North Korean household must display pictures of Kim Jong Un and Kim Il Sung on their walls . And crucially, there are also signs of open dissent. A woman caught running an illegal bus service refuses to bribe a soldier and instead openly screams abuse and chases him off. And there are even mutterings of discontent and disrespect from a mid-ranking official commandeered to build a special railway to the supreme leader's birthplace. 'How much does he know about the military? He shouldn't be there... he's hopeless!' he says. Dictator: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un meets military officers in charge of psychological warfare against South Korea as he praises them for safeguarding the socialist system, according to a state newspaper . Is control loosening? North Koreans are forced to adhere to the Juche ideology - a doctrine which mixes Marxism with the worship of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung and his descendents . The documentary will air days after a . South Korean newspaper alleged that several large-scale public . executions of around 80 people had taken place in North Korea earlier . this month. In one, woman and children were herded into a sports stadium and forced to watch people being shot dead by machine gun fire. Why . the executions took place is difficult to ascertain, but the paper . speculates that they may have been carried out to quell unrest and stop . capitalist ideology from growing as they took place in areas of recent . economic growth. Some of the . deaths may also have been a punishment for the perceived crimes of . watching South Korean movies, distributing pornography, using . prostitutes and possessing Bibles. North Korea: Life Inside the Secret State will be broadcast on Channel 4 on November 14 at 11.05pm. | Documentary reveals undercover footage of stark realities in pariah state .
Homeless boy, 8, tells how his mother found it too hard to look after him .
Escaped former political prisoner now sends popular culture into country .
He smuggles in DVDs and USB sticks while posing as a mushroom farmer .
Hopes they will 'get disillusioned with regime .
and want to live differently'
Cracks start to emerge as official is filmed calling Kim Jong-Un 'hopeless' |
15,288 | 2b79a78b0dabfefd890d1ef3f06fbc789dad98e8 | Thousands of British troops may have withdrawn from Afghanistan after the 13-year conflict came to an end last October. But demand for traditional English food has remained sky-high and one entrepreneur has capitalised on this by opening British-style chippy Mr Cod in war-torn Kabul. The fish and chips shop, which is the first of its kind in the country, is the brainchild of Afghan-Canadian entrepreneur Bashir Halimi. He said bringing a British flavour to the country battered by more than a decade of conflict would 'serve a new taste, the taste of the UK, to the Afghan public'. British-style chippy Mr Cod has opened in Afghanistan's war-torn capital Kabul, pictured an Afghan man serving food at the restaurant . The fish and chips shop, which is the first of its kind in the country, is the brainchild and investment of Afghan-Canadian entrepreneur Bashir Halimi (not pictured) 'Fish, and chips, are both common in Afghanistan, but I wanted to serve them in a better quality, to international standards,' said the 29-year-old, who opened the business a week ago. The food is served wrapped in paper and a large picture of a fish adorns the wall along with an aquarium which boasts colourful live fish. A wide-screen television shows Afghan music videos and blue and white balloons hang from the ceiling. In one corner is a small play section for children. 'Customers seem to be happy so far. The number of the guests has increased since we opened,' said Mr Halimi, who studied business in Vancouver. The British-style food is served wrapped in paper, pictured two customers eating at a wooden table . The restaurant is priced to attract middle-class Afghans with the average medium meal costing 240 Afghanis (£2.73) The restaurant is priced to attract middle-class Afghans with the average medium meal costing 240 Afghanis (£2.73). It is currently attracting around 250 customers per day, mostly local young people and families. 'I am not expecting profit for now. My rent is 6,000 dollars per month and I also have 22 employees to pay.' 'Once people knew about it, I will earn by increasing the number of the customers not raising prices,' Mr Halimi told dalje.com. He has invested $400,000 (£259,000) in the restaurant and is hoping to open up other outlets. Diner Abdul Qader, 53, said: 'I will come here at least twice a week with my family and friends. "The food here is tasty and they have a good service.' Foreign-style restaurants have boomed in the capital since the ousting of the Taliban in the 2001 US-led invasion, despite repeated attacks on establishments frequented by expats. Mr Chippy is currently attracting around 250 customers per day, mostly local young people and families . | British-style chippy Mr Cod opened in Afghanistan's war-torn capital Kabul .
The traditional fish and chips shop is the first of its kind in the country .
It is the brainchild of Afghan-Canadian entrepreneur Bashir Halimi .
The restaurant is currently attracting around 250 customers per day . |
72,854 | ce99fcd6e7a90b2338fc94a8ef9013fbf15f2422 | A Houston-area man, originally from Jordan, has been charged in the 2012 shooting death of an Iranian student and women's rights activist. Spokesman Jeff McShan says a grand jury in Houston indicted 56-year-old Ali Irsan on Thursday in the January 2012, killing of 30-year-old Gelareh Bagherzadeh. Bagherzadeh was shot to death as she talked with her boyfriend on her cellphone. Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, of Conroe, is charged with felony murder in the shooting death of Bagherzadeh. Irsan, 56, was arrested Thursday morning and is being held without bond . Charged: Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, 56, is in federal custody, though it's not clear on what charges . Murdered: A 56-year-old Texas man has been indicted in the mysterious shooting death of Gelareh Bagherzadeh, an outspoken Iranian activist who was killed two years ago outside her parents' affluent Houston townhouse . Federal agents in body armor descended upon several locations in Montgomery County on Thursday, and three people were taken into custody . According to the U.S. Attorney¿s Office, FBI agents and authorities with the Social Security ¿ Office of Inspector General were assisted by local law enforcement officers in the raids . Her body was discovered slumped behind the wheel of her car after crashing into the upscale Houston townhome complex where she lived with her parents. Bagherzadeh was a molecular genetic technology student at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She was also an outspoken Iranian activist. Friends have said she told them . she was once arrested for not wearing the correct dress, and had been . strictly disciplined for dating a man who was considered inappropriate. She told them she was so sick of Islam that she converted to Christianity and was baptized at Second Baptist Church. Shot to death: Gelareh Bagherzadeh was shot to death outside her Galleria area town home on January 15, 2012. Her car was found at the back of a town home complex . Sealed off: Crime scene tape marks a rural Montgomery County property where Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan, 56, was arrested in a raid by FBI agents on Thursday . The U.S. Attorneys Office says three people are in custody on federal fraud charges. One of those arrested sat smiling in the rear of a police car. The police presence was significant as heavily armed officers -- some in paramilitary gear -- searched at least four properties around Montgomery County . In . the wake of Iran's 2009 presidential elections, widely regarded as . fraudulent, Bagherzadeh joined dozens of Houston Iranians in protest, . even appearing on TV. In January 2012 she was driving from the Beavers' home in Spring when she was shot while turning into her parents' town home . She was chatting on the phone with a friend who told police he heard her scream before her car crashed into a garage. Police say the assailant fired several times at close range through the glass of her passenger window. The . mystery deepened 11 months later, in November 2012, when the twin . brother of Bagherzadeh's boyfriend was found dead from multiple gunshot . wounds inside his apartment. Life lost: The reward for information leading to her arrest was up to $200,000, the highest amount in Crime Stoppers history. Bagherzadeh was murdered on January 15th 2012 . Cracking down: USAO spokesperson tells us they were conducting a lawful action related to an ongoing federal fraud investigation . Records also show Irsan shot and killed a man in 1999 but it was declared self defense by a Harris County grand jury . At . the time, deputies would not confirm at the time whether there was a . connection between the killings of Bagherzadeh and 28-year-old Coty . Beavers. Record show Beavers and Nesreen Ali Irsan applied for a marriage license in 2011. Online jail records do not list an attorney for Irsan, of Conroe. A grand jury indicted Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan two weeks ago. Investigators spent hours raiding several of Irsan's rural homes and properties yesterday, where they arrested him and two others. 'I'm sure her family wanted to find the person,' said Fatan Kasbidi, one of Bagherzadeh's friends. 'I want to find peace.' Gelareh Bagherzadeh: Friends have said she told them she was once arrested for not wearing the correct dress, and had been strictly disciplined for dating a man who was considered inappropriate . The U.S. Attorneys Office says three people are in custody on federal fraud charges. One of those arrested sat smiling in the rear of a police car. The . police presence was significant as heavily armed officers - some in . paramilitary gear - searched at least four properties around Montgomery . County. Irsan, who's from Jordan, is charged now with her murder. Detectives . are not saying yet what links him to the killing or identifying the . other two who are in custody on the federal fraud charges. Bagherzadeh's . death shocked Houston's close-knit Iranian community and fueled . widespread speculation about whether foreign governments were to blame . or if it was an honor killing. The . molecular genetics student had moved from Tehran just four years . earlier and spoken out publicly against the Iranian government. Christian converts like her are often executed in Iran. Crime scene tape marks a rural Montgomery County property where Irsan was arrested in a raid by FBI agents on Thursday. | A grand jury indicted Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan in the 30-year-old's murder .
Bagherzadeh's death shocked Houston's close-knit Iranian community .
It fueled widespread speculation about whether foreign governments were to blame or if it was an honor killing .
The molecular genetics student had spoken out publicly against the Iranian government and converted to Christianity .
The bizarre case captured national attention and carried the highest Crime Stoppers reward in history - $200,000 . |
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