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173,011 | 6be783382821e84985cfc1da064a7ce363dbeac0 | By . Ruth Styles for MailOnline . Most children have birthday wishlists as long as their arms but all Alejandrina Najera, from Texas, wanted for her 10th birthday was a single card from her parents. But after Alejandrina's request went viral, the little girl, who suffers from an incurable brain disease, has been inundated with cards and presents from all over the world. Alejandrina, who is known to her family as Ali, was born with neuroaxonal dystrophy, a rare condition that affects the nervous system. Scroll down for video . Terminally ill: Alejandrina Najera, nine, has a brain disease that will kill her before she reaches adulthood . Princess: The little girl asked for a card from her parents for her birthday but has since received 850 . In spite of the illness, she led a normal life until the age of eight when doctors revealed that she had neuronal brain with iron accumulation - a terminal, degenerative brain disease. The impact on the little girl was devastating and within a year, she had lost the ability to walk unaided and had begun to show symptoms for autism and anxiety, and suffered muscle spasms. With Alejandrina's 10th birthday less than two weeks away on the 9th September, her mother Tianna Morgan, 29, asked her daughter how she would like to spend it and was asked for a single card. But after Alejandrina's request went viral, she and her family, including brothers Austin, 15, David, six, and Michael, two, and sister Haley, 12, have been deluged with cards and gifts from well-wishers. 'Ali has been so excited to receive the mail, she has a smile on her face every time she sees cards have arrived and she claps for joy,' revealed Ms Morgan. 'As we open and read the cards she keeps a smile on her face.' Alejandrina's request for cards went viral after her story was added to the Letters Project website - an online community of families whose children are struggling with terminal illness and disabilities. The website, which was set up by Samantha Busch, allows well-wishers to send letters directly to families' homes in a bid to cheer them up. So far, Ali has been sent 850 letters and packages from all over the world including Canada, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, France, Australia, Ireland, and Sweden as well as the US. But despite being inundated with boxes of toys, sweets, colouring books, crayons, stickers, bracelets and handmade items, the cards remain Alejandrina's favourite item. Speechless: Mother Tianna says she has been left speechless by the love shown to her little girl by strangers . Close family: Alejandrina with her mother, step-father and siblings outside her home in Texas . 'Ali doesn't love the gifts anymore than she loves the cards,' said Ms Morgan. 'Every single card is very special to her. 'I know after her birthday and all the cards have been read once, Ali will continue to get the cards out just to read them again and again.' Although Alejandrina was diganosed with the condition last October, she remains unaware that the disease has proved fatal for all known sufferers so far. 'We do not know Ali's life expectancy,' says Ms Morgan. 'The disease is so rare and there is no timeline on the progression of it and even if a timeline was known her neurologist told us she has a mutation of the gene never seen before.' Since her diagnosis, Alejandrina has been on sedatives prescribed to ease the symptoms which have left her unable to play with friends or even dress herself. Dream: Alejandrina's parents took her to Disneyworld to meet her favourite princesses, including Snow White . Wonderful: Alejandrina and her family pose for a picture with Tinkerbell during their visit to Disneyworld . Happy: Before developing the disease, Alejandrina was able to walk unaided and live a normal life . Despite her deteriorating condition, Ms Morgan, who set up Princess Ali's Journey with NBIA, a Facebook page on which she posts updates about her daughter's progress, says she copes well with her illness. 'It is very hard to know when Ali is in pain or needing something due to her trouble expressing herself,' she explains. 'It is hard watching your child go through so much and being in pain and knowing there is nothing you can do about it. 'She does not have a full understanding of everything going on because the disease affects her comprehension. 'When we discuss the disease around Ali, she tells us she does not have a disease, because if she had a disease she would be sick - it's heart breaking.' The family have also set up a fundraising page on GoFundMe to help pay for wheelchair friendly modifications to their house and have raised more than £3,000 towards their £30,000 target so far. Apart from her single request for cards, Ms Morgan says that her sick daughter doesn't ask for anything other than good health. 'For my husband and I the cards have meant so much,' added Ms Morgan. 'They are truly an inspiration and blessing. 'The love being shown to our little girl is amazing and leaves us speechless.' For details on how to send a letter, visit her Facebook page, Princess Ali's Journey with NBIA . Video courtesy of Princess Ali's Journey with NBIA . | Alejandrina Najera, nine, from Texas suffers from incurable brain disease .
The condition is expected to kill Alejandrina before she reaches adulthood .
Asked her parents for a card for her 10th birthday but request went viral .
Has so far received 850 cards ahead of her big day on the 9th September .
Mother says the love being shown to her daughter has left her 'speechless'
Family are trying to raise £30,000 to make their home wheelchair friendly . |
228,106 | b35dc8342a12e12ec187a23b937bf9de0a0d21a4 | CLICK HERE for all the goals, stats and heat maps in Sportsmail's Match Zone . Lethal, Brendan Rodgers called him. It’s been 153 days since Liverpool’s manager last described one of his players in such ruthless, glowing terms but 11 minutes of Daniel Sturridge brought the phrase back into his vocabulary. It was a fitting description. Introduced as a 68th minute substitute, Sturridge made his first sight of goal since last summer count, beautifully cushioning a ball from Philippe Coutinho with his left foot before flashing a drive with his right past Adrian, the West Ham United goalkeeper. This was the norm last year, when Liverpool were pummelling teams in pursuit of the title, but the current season had lacked a cutting edge until now. This is the kind of contest Rodgers has seen his side labour in but the introduction of leading man secured an impressive 2-0 win. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail's Big Match Stats: Liverpool 2-0 West Ham . Daniel Sturridge unleashes a shot on his return from injury at Anfield for Liverpool as they beat West Ham . Sturridge scores Liverpool's second goal against West Ham to make it 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining at Anfield . The ball goes into the back of the net as Sturridge marks his return from injury with a goal for Liverpool . Sturridge's shot beats West Ham goalkeeper Adrian at the near post to make it 2-0 and seal the Premier League win . Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 at Anfield on Sturridge's return from injury in the Premier League clash . Sturridge celebrates scoring after making his return from injury and turns to his trademark dance celebration (right) in front of fans . Liverpool: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Markovic (Sturridge 68), Henderson, Lucas, Moreno, Lallana, Coutinho (Ibe 81), Sterling . Subs not used: Johnson, Lambert, Allen, Borini, Ward . Booked: Sterling . Goals: Sterling 51, Sturridge 80 . Manager: Brendan Rodgers . West Ham: Adrian, O'Brien, Collins (Demel 74), Reid, Cresswell, Song, Amalfitano (Noble 55), Downing, Nolan, Carroll (Cole 63), Valencia . Subs not used: Jarvis, Jaaskelainen, Poyet, Oxford . Booked: Carroll . Goals: NONE . Manager: Sam Allardyce . Att: 44,718 . Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands) How the Premier League table looks . How Sturridge scored on his return from injury. CLICK HERE for more like this . Liverpool have often flattered to deceive since Sturridge last appeared on August 31, a combination of thigh and calf problems ruining the campaigns of player and team, but if this cameo against West Ham is to be a guide, the season might yet end with a bang. ‘It was nice for him because he has been out such a long time,’ said Rodgers, who had Raheem Sterling open the scoring. ‘It is just about managing game time now, but when he gets into that area of the pitch, he is lethal. It helped us get the rewards for an outstanding performance.’ Rodgers enthusiasm was understandable. With six draws in their last eight matches at Anfield, no Steven Gerrard — rested, according to Rodgers, as a precaution due to a tight hamstring — and the lingering effects of their efforts against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup, this game had the recipe for trouble. West Ham were aggressive from the start. Alex Song was a persistent source of irritation to Liverpool’s technical players, while Andy Carroll seemed intent on bustling Rodgers’ defenders out of their comfort zone. This was Carroll’s first return to Anfield since Rodgers swiftly called time on his Liverpool career in 2012 and he seemed wound up by the occasion. His pre-match remarks — accusing Rodgers of ‘lying’ to him — lacked class and the same could be said of his performance. Raheem Sterling gave Liverpool the lead in the 51st minute to put the Reds 1-0 up at Anfield against West Ham . Sterling scores the opening goal for Liverpool at Anfield after 51 minutes against West Ham . Sterling runs away in celebration after putting Liverpool 1-0 up at Anfield against West Ham in the Premier League match . Sterling celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against West Ham after going in 0-0 at half-time . Sterling slides on his knees to celebrate after scoring the opening goal at Anfield . Sterling celebrates with Liverpool fans as the Reds went 1-0 up against West Ham in the second half . Sterling is piled on by his team-mates as Adam Lallana celebrates after going 1-0 up . He was fortunate to get away with clattering Emre Can with his forearm after four minutes but was eventually booked for a stupid tackle on the same player. Carroll injured himself in that moment and was promptly substituted. ‘When we had to deal with that pressure, we did,’ said Rodgers. ‘Physicality is a big part of Andy’s game but we were. Mamadou Sakho was outstanding. The team stood up to that very well.’ By the time Carroll hobbled off, Liverpool had taken the lead but the first goal should have come much earlier. Only referee Andre Marriner will know why he never gave a penalty after Joey O’Brien wrestled Sterling to the ground in first half injury time. If that was baffling, so too was Lazar Markovic’s miss as play continued; picking up the loose ball, the Serbian dragged his shot wide from eight yards. Rodgers’ exasperated reaction spoke volumes. Not that it mattered. Within minutes of the restart, Alberto Moreno scampered down the left and fizzed in a cross that found the twinkling feet of Philippe Coutinho. He picked out Sterling with instinctive pass and the England forward drilled his shot beyond Adrian. Rodgers repeatedly punched the air with glee. There is no margin for error in their pursuit of a top four place and breaking West Ham’s resistance was vital. Taking the lead gave Rodgers the perfect platform to reintroduce Sturridge to a raucous reception. It got even louder when he provided the moment many had hoped for. The outstanding Coutinho set him away and he confidently manoeuvring himself into position before sweeping the ball past Adrian. Sturridge wheeled away, did that dance and Anfield came to life. ‘I’m excited about the whole collective,’ Rodgers said. Should he keep his lethal weapon fit for the final four months, reaching the Champions League might not to be beyond the realms of fantasy after all. Sturridge photographed on the sidelines warming up during Liverpool's Premier League match at Anfield . Sturridge came on in the 68th minute as he replaced Lazar Markovic at Anfield against West Ham . Steven Gerrard (far right) reacts during the match as Liverpool miss a chance against West Ham . Such was the relief around the stadium, every Liverpool player swarmed over to celebrate with Sterling, while Rodgers repeatedly punched the air with glee. There is no margin for error in their pursuit of a top four place and breaking West Ham’s resistance was vital. Taking the lead gave Rodgers the perfect platform then to reintroduce Sturridge and, predictably, the acclaim he received when making his grand entrance on 68 minutes was suitably loud; 11 minutes later it had got even louder. He had already had one sight of goal before the outstanding Coutinho set him away and he was not in any mood to blow his moment, confidently manoeuvring himself into a position before drilling his shot beyond Adrian. Much more of this and Liverpool reaching the Champions League might not to be beyond the realms of fantasy. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce (centre) gives instructions to his players as Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers (left) makes notes . Andy Carroll rises highest to meet a header towards goal during the Premier League match at Anfield against his former club . Carroll was frustrated against his former club as the West Ham striker failed to score before being substituted . | Daniel Sturridge returned from his injury and he started on the substitutes' bench for Liverpool .
Raheem Sterling scored the opening goal after half-time in the 51st minute to put Liverpool 1-0 up .
Sturridge replaced Lazar Markovic after 68 minutes and scored shortly after to make it 2-0 . |
165,348 | 61d0ff43ffc2fb3728429b3c11fd6061df1492be | London (CNN) -- Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip was released from a hospital in Scotland on Monday after being treated for a bladder infection. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland on Wednesday. The 91-year-old, who first suffered the problem in June, fell ill again as he was staying at the royal residence in Balmoral, Scotland, where the queen traditionally spends part of the summer. UK's Prince William helps save girl from drowning . Buckingham Palace said Wednesday he had been taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure and was likely to be kept in for several days. It is the third time Philip has been hospitalized in the past eight months. Before the bladder infection, which he initially contracted during events marking the queen's diamond jubilee, he spent four nights in a hospital over the Christmas holiday last year for treatment of a blocked coronary artery. However, he appeared in good health last week as he fulfilled several engagements on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. Philip's next scheduled public appearance is alongside the queen as she opens the London 2012 Paralympic Games on August 29. He appeared by her side at the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games at the end of July and accompanied her on a visit to the Olympic Park as the events got under way. It has been a particularly busy year for the queen and Duke of Edinburgh because of the many events held to celebrate her diamond jubilee. Addressing Parliament in March, the queen paid tribute to her husband as "a constant strength and guide" throughout her long reign. The longest-serving consort in British history, Philip married then-Princess Elizabeth in November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. Born the prince of Greece and Denmark on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921, Philip left Greece with his family when he was 18 months old after King Constantine was forced to abdicate the throne following a revolution. The family moved to Paris and then to England in 1928. Philip also went to school in Germany. Philip renounced his Greek title when he became a naturalized British subject in 1947. CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster contributed to this report. | Prince Philip spent five nights in a hospital with a bladder infection .
The 91-year-old has been hospitalized three times in the past eight months .
Queen Elizabeth II's husband is the longest-serving royal consort . |
251,070 | d0ef635d0ea7a2f5ced19f89714371aded703171 | Four U.S. states and the federal government have padded Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber's wallet to the tune of $5.9 million since 2000, including millions connected to his work on the Affordable Care Act. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist has been pilloried for collecting $392,600 from the Obama administration's Health and Human Services Department while the law was being written, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Gruber's consulting contracts give states and the feds access to a proprietary formula that can determine how changes in a health care system's structure will affect costs. The 'Gruber Microsimulation Model' is what he sold to the White House. It helped Obama's team anticipate what the influential Congressional Budget Office (CBO) would say about various features of the final plan – and whether their costs would officially be considered 'taxes.' Scroll down for video . THE LATEST VIDEO: Jonathan Gruber told a Virginia healthcare research company in 2012 that he helped Massachusetts 'rip off' the feds for $400 million per year by shifting Medicare funds to cover the uninsured – and 'Romneycare' was born . Better days: In May 2009 Gruber was testifying before congressional panels as a respected economist with the magic touch and the ear of every Democrat in Washington . Gruber found himself in hot water this week when an old video surfaced in which he explains how the Obama administration wriggled out of legislative trouble by hiding 'Cadillac taxes' on expensive medical insurance policies – by shifting the costs to insurers and trusting them to pass the financial burden on to their customers. 'The stupidity of the American voter' let him get away with it, he said in one videotaped speech at the University of Pennsylvania. Gruber explained that the Obamacare law 'was written in a tortured way to make sure the CBO did not score the [individual insurance] mandate as taxes.' 'If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies.' The Washingon Post reported Friday that the National Institutes of Health put about $2.05 million in Gruber's pocket since 2008 for consulting work related to Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. The Justice Department has added $1.7 million more – mostly for 'expert witness' testimony – since 2000. And the State Department paid Gruber $103,500 in 2008 and 2009 for what the government vaguely calls legal services, according to an analysis by The Daily Caller. ILL HEALTH: The Obamacare law is wildly unpopular, according to an average of public polls, and the Gruber controversy will give Republicans new momentum to argue for its repeal . Of the eight U.S. states that have contracted with Gruber to get access to his computer model – Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin – four of them have published contracts worth about $400,000 each. If the other four followed suit, that would amount to another $1.6 million. Some of those fees were shared with other researchers who co-authored his reports. All eight used his services to help estimate insurance marketplace costs related to their state-based Obamacare programs. Gruber also worked extensively on the so-called 'Romneycare' law, a Massachusetts health insurance plan that formed the intellectual and philosophical underpinnings of Obamacare, and reportedly won a consulting contract with the state of California. The Vermont model he built along with Harvard School of Public Health economist William Hsiao is an attempt to construct a 'single-payer' insurance system that puts government in charge of health care costs for everyone in the state. The sixth in a long line of embarrassing videos emerged Friday, showing the two academics testifying before lawmakers there. One legislator quoted a newspaper op-ed warning that 'any Hsiao-Gruber-type health care mega-system will inevitably lead to coercive mandates, ballooning costs, increasing taxes, bureaucratic outrages, shabby facilities, disgruntled providers, long waiting lines, lower-quality care, special-interest nest-feathering, and destructive wage and price controls.' In the video, brought to light by Watchdog.org, Gruber is seen responding: 'Was this written by my adolescent children by any chance?' The room erupted in laughter, but the comment had actually come from the pen of two-term Vermont state senator John McClaughry, by then serving as vice president of the conservative Ethan Allen Institute. A St. Louis, Missouri blogger unearthed records on Friday showing that Gruber met with President Obama at the White House on July 20, 2009. That backed up a PBS Frontline interview he gave in 2012, in which he positioned himslelf as a major player in the Obamacare law's evolution. He saw Obama, he said, in 'summer 2009.' 'The big issue there is that he really wants to make sure I’m moving forward on cost control. I think that at this point he sort of knew we had a good plan on coverage, but he was worried on cost control.' 'So we had a meeting in the Oval Office with several experts, including myself,' Gruber continued, 'on what can we do to get credible savings on cost control that the Congressional Budget Office would recognize and score as savings in this law.' | MIT economist got $392,600 from the Dept of Health and Human Services for his Obamacare consulting .
National Institutes of Health paid him $2 million for Medicare consulting .
Justice Department has added $1.7 million for expert witness testimony .
Four US states combined to pay him another $1.6 million for advice about health care laws, and contracts for four more states were unavailable .
If those states followed suit, Gruber's haul would exceed $7.5 million .
Gruber has become a thorn in Democrats' sides since videos emerged of him candidly discussing how the Obama White House misled Americans to pass the Obamacare law . |
104,559 | 12ea6706560f5a8a4c9542298e9b3949442e9c70 | Augusta, Georgia (CNN) -- Golfers worldwide generally know Augusta, Georgia, for one thing: the Masters, and the Augusta National course on which the fabled tournament is played each April. The course is arguably the most famous in the world -- and certainly the most exclusive. There are no public tours. It's heavily walled off from public view. In fact, you could drive past the course without knowing it. Only the main gate has a small sign that simply reads "Augusta National Golf Club: Members Only" (the last two words in large, bold print). Widely considered the toughest ticket in sports, this year's Masters tournament -- and the practice rounds -- are sold out. And the lucky souls who are able to get their hands on a Masters badge are often willing to shell out thousands of dollars for the privilege. So, what's the average golf lover to do? There's little chance of getting into this year's event (unless you're willing to pay a premium). But golf or history lovers can still make a pilgrimage to Augusta -- about a two-hour drive east of Atlanta -- to check out all the other things the city has to offer and be as close as possible to one of the greatest golf tournaments, and courses, in the world. Here are the highlights: . Fine art . Augusta is the second-largest city in Georgia, so it shouldn't come as a shock that they have an impressive art museum. The Morris Museum of Art offers a rare and large (5,000 pieces) collection of work from pre-Civil War itinerant portraitists, Southern impressionists and the works of current and self-taught artists, all of whom depict the American South. It is the first, though not the only, major museum in the country to devote its collection to Southern regional art. One example is Lamar Dodd's "From This Earth," a modern painting of slaves working in cotton fields. The ground is tinged with red as skeletal figures hunch over their work, a strong wind blowing their white, drapelike clothes. Like many of the museum's pieces, it strikes a chord. The museum also hosts special exhibits and events. During the Masters, golf fans can view the "Fore! Images of Golf in Art" exhibition, on display until April 15. The show includes a LeRoy Neiman portrait of four-time Masters champ Tiger Woods and even a painting of Bill Murray's character from "Caddyshack." Famous Augustans . James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," was raised in Augusta. Today you can visit the former radio station where, as a little boy, Brown delighted crowds with his dance moves. Take a photo of his statue in downtown Augusta near James Brown Boulevard or catch a concert at the James Brown Arena (formerly the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center and renamed in 2006 to honor Brown). And be sure to see one of the most comprehensive James Brown exhibits in the world at the Augusta Museum of History. It features the icon's outfits, family photographs, gold and platinum records, and tributes to his music, including an emotionally moving video of the Godfather performing "It's a Man's World" in Italy with opera star Luciano Pavarotti not long before their deaths. President Woodrow Wilson also called Augusta home. He moved to the town as a little boy when his father became the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, across the street from the family's house. As an adult, Wilson returned to his boyhood home to reminisce about his fondly remembered childhood. Today the home has been meticulously restored to how it looked when the 28th president of the United States etched his name in the window pane (which you can still see). Tours of the home (now a National Historic Landmark that has been designated an official "Save America's Treasures" site) are offered Tuesday through Saturday. Other famous people who hail from Augusta include actress Thelma "Butterfly" McQueen, who played Prissy in "Gone With the Wind," actor Laurence Fishburne, soprano Jessye Norman and Frank Yerby, the famous poet and author. Golf . Even though you can't tee off on the Augusta National, Augusta has nearly a dozen public courses within 10 minutes of downtown -- some with ties to golf legends. For example, Forest Hills Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course where the likes of Bobby Jones and Phil Mickelson competed (not against each other, of course) in tournaments. You can book tee times online. The city is also home to the Augusta State University golf teams -- last year the men's team successfully defended their 2010 NCAA Division I National Title. The Riverwalk . Augusta lies along the Savannah River, which separates Georgia from South Carolina, and the city has made it a priority to highlight that asset. Their Riverwalk, which began construction in 1986 to help revitalize the downtown area, is now an impressive stretch of red-brick walkways ideal for strolling, jogging or attending one of the many events hosted at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater. It's flanked by hundreds of trees and landscaped with flowers that set off the blue waters of the river. History . Beyond the James Brown display, there are two golf-themed exhibits at the Augusta Museum of History. One of them has an official Masters' green jacket on display, given to the museum's director by Augusta National. There's no word on who wore it; all that's known is it's a 39 long. Other exhibits e include the evolution of golf equipment, the biographies of golf greats who changed the sport, and the courses that made Augusta a golf destination. The rest of the museum is worth a look, too. Dining . Augusta, like many Southern cities, has plenty of food options. The oldest restaurant in town is Luigi's, an authentic Italian joint great for a family outing. Golf fans will appreciate their collection of Master's badges. Interested in gourmet tacos? Get 'em at Rooster's Beak. And you'll want to splurge on Frog Hollow, the new gastropub in town that serves up some seriously good eats. With its farm-to-table feel, you can expect to find fresh and inventive food. Who knows -- you may even see a pro golfer sitting at a table somewhere in town. Just don't expect to see the Augusta National Golf Course without a badge. If your appetite for the famous course has merely been whetted, try scoring practice round or daily tickets for next year to see the exclusive club firsthand. Apply for a chance at access starting May 1. Once inside you can enjoy $1.50 pimento cheese sandwiches and $2 beers. Seriously. | Augusta National Golf Course is off limits without membership or a pricey badge .
But the city that hosts the Masters has more to offer than golf .
The Morris Museum of Art houses an impressive collection of regional art .
Or visit monuments to late Augusta residents James Brown and Woodrow Wilson . |
201,244 | 908d66fc73a7cdbe61202b2ff061871ac5ad0a9a | Real Madrid star Gareth Bale put his foot in it on Friday as he accidentally ran over a woman's foot as he made his way out of the club's training ground among a crowd of his supporters. The Welshman has taken time to sign autographs and pose for photos with large numbers of fans while leaving the Valdebebas training base this week. However, the crowds proved a step too far for Bale this time around as he looked to navigate his Audi car out of the training ground, only to clip the foot of a female supporter in the process. Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is snapped outside Real Madrid's training ground as he makes his way home . Spanish TV cameras and other people come to the attention of the lady after the incident . The former Tottenham winger has already had a spot of bother with Madrid fans this season, as two young lads kicked out at his car after he drove home without stopping to acknowledge them. Luckily there was no immediate damage to the woman, who told Spanish TV cameras after the incident that despite feeling a little bit of pain, she had forgiven the 25-year-old for his part in the collision. Elsewhere, on the field Bale and his team-mates face a trip to Villarreal on Saturday as they look to close the four-point gap Seville have established early on in La Liga so far this season. Like our MailOnline Sport Facebook page. The Real Madrid winger is snapped outside Madrid's training ground with a large crowd of fans . The women shows off the foot which was ran over by Bale's Audi car . | Gareth Bale stuck his foot in it after the incident with the woman outside Real Madrid's training ground .
The 25-year-old was trying to navigate his Audi car amongst a large crowd of fans only to accidentally run over a woman's foot .
Thankfully she suffered no serious injury from the incident . |
62,769 | b24c0ca37aa64ec16e9f2fb94756c47ad5ffd8ca | By . Mark Duell . The authorities have spent the past month reminding people to stay away from the coastline as Britain is battered by huge waves. But these two uniformed detectives were left completely soaked yesterday after stopping to take a photograph of the 30ft waves battering Chesil Cove in Portland, Dorset. The male and female officers were taken by surprise by the strength of the storm and were engulfed by one large wave just as they took their pictures. Taking a shot: The police officers had stopped to take photographs at Chesil Cove in Portland, Dorset . Running away: The detectives were completely soaked after strong waves slammed into Chesil Cove in Dorset . Sheer force: The waves hit Chesil Cove with such force that the officers could not been seen for a moment . The pair, along with other bystanders, turned and ran away from the sea to avoid a further soaking. But . the two officers were going against their own force's advice on storm . watching. Last month Dorset Police warned members of the public not to . go to the coast to witness the storms. In . a statement they had stated: ‘At this time of adverse weather and . severe flooding Dorset Police and partners issue the following strong . advice: . ‘Coastal areas are very dangerous at present - do not visit for sightseeing or to observe the waves.’ Advice: The force has been warning people to 'stay away' from seafronts because of dangerous large waves . Response: A Dorset Police spokesman said the officers had been 'engaged in a routine patrol in Portland' A Dorset Police spokesman said today: 'The officers were engaged in a routine patrol in Portland and parked at a vantage point that had been used by the emergency services throughout the day. 'The . clip shows that even areas considered to be safe during extreme weather . conditions can be adversely affected by the elements. 'Our . message to the public has not changed and we would urge people to take . particular care in coastal or flooded areas and not to place themselves . in danger.' The Environment Agency had also been using the vantage point earlier in the day, police said. February 4: A father and child scaled a rock plinth as huge waves crashed around them in Portland, Dorset . February 3: A man dressed in a suit risks his life by standing on the edge of a sea pool in Bude, Cornwall . January 2: A man and two children are drenched with water while watching waves at Mullion Cove, Cornwall . | Officers had been on routine patrol and parked at vantage point in Dorset .
They were soaked after huge wave crashed into Chesil Cove in Portland .
Police had been asking people to stay away from dangerous seafronts . |
169,856 | 67d438b34661d939c45ef20736351b64de688b7e | New Delhi, India (CNN) -- It has been dubbed India's version of the Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar." And just like the movie, the indigenous group fighting to save its sacred homeland has won a major fight. A plan by British mining giant Vedanta Resources to dig in the mineral-rich eastern state of Orissa has stalled. Environment authorities on Tuesday rejected proposals to mine the mountain, saying any such activity in that area would jeopardize livelihoods of tribes. "If mining is permitted on this site, it will not only be illegal, but it will also destroy one of the most sacred sites of the Kondh Primitive Tribal Groups," the Ministry of Environment and Forests said. The multi-billion project has come under scrutiny as advocacy groups, such as Survival International and Amnesty International, likened the Dongria Kondh tribe to the Na'vi from James Cameron's film. "This is the real Avatar," reads one of Survival International's campaign posters. For years, the 8,000-person indigenous community has been fighting to defend the Niyamgiri Hills, which it considers sacred. The Niyamgiri Hills contain some 72 million tons of bauxite, which Vedanta was planning to extract for its aluminum refinery located nearby. Several calls to Vedanta were not returned. Earlier this month the company announced that it had invested in Indian oil-gas company Cairn Energy in a deal worth $9.6 billion. The ongoing dispute between the Dongria Kondh tribe and Vedanta Resources highlights a broader standoff between industry and local residents. Earlier this month, the government put a "stop work" order on another major venture in Orissa -- a $12-billion steel plant proposed by South Korea's POSCO. Analysts say these recent moves could signify a change in the Indian government's approach toward the broader issue of tribal rights versus development. | Indian authorities reject company's proposal to mine in eastern state of Orissa .
The site is viewed as sacred by the Dongria Kondh tribe .
Vedanta Resources wanted to mine bauxite there . |
171,741 | 6a475c004251d8103fa04fd06880226162b98b9c | An incredible country estate with a 38-bedroom main house, its own loch, a golf course and 19 other homes has been put on the market for £6million. The Dall Estate, in the Scottish Highlands, was earmarked to become the world's most expensive private members club, with annual fees of £2million, and was dubbed the 'Monaco of The Glen'. But planning permission was rejected and the owner, Malcolm James, decided to continue to use it as a family home. Scroll down for video . Inside one of the grand rooms: The opulently decorated interior was earmarked to be the stage of the world's most expensive member's club - preemptively dubbed 'Monaco of the Glen' He has now put the mammoth estate on the market for 'in excess of £6 million', the same as several three-bedroom flats in Mayfair and significantly less that a £6.6million one-bedroom flat in Kightsbridge which went on sale last month. The Dall Estate is bigger than many villages - and comes with Dall House, its own loch, an assault course, an old golf course, a boat shed, a boat house, dormitories and 19 additional homes. There are labs, a hydro power station and even an indoor sports centre with its own five-a-side football pitch on the estate - which dates back to 1346 and is located on the south shore of Loch Rannoch in Highland Perthshire. The sprawling property is dominated by the 38-bedroom main home and whoever takes over the estate gets riparian rights on the loch. The owner is Malcolm James, a secretive Cornishman who made his millions in property speculation. He bought the property for around £1.3million in 2002. View of the castle: The main building has 38 rooms and is currently occupied by its enigmatic multi-millionaire owner Malcolm James . Views of the loch: The site offers stunning views of Loch Rannoch, pictured above, in Highland Perthshire . Mr James bought the estate in 2003. It had previously been Rannoch School, whose former pupils include the current Earl of Cardigan. The Dall Estate, now on the market for £6million, was previously Rannoch School - until the institution closed in 2002. The school was founded in 1959 and was immediately welcomed as the perfect private school environment for a robust regime of outdoor pursuits. Pupils flocked to the remote surroundings with its beautiful lochside setting. But by 1999, many parents were questioning the value of a boarding school education and the only private schools that were flourishing were those that could guarantee top grades and a ready supply of day pupils. Rannoch performed averagely in exams and was seen as too remote by most parents. From a high of around 300 pupils, by 2001 the school roll had declined to just 140. But the private school, opened in 1959, was forced to close in 2002 due to falling numbers and insurmountable debts. The businessman had hoped to turn Dall Estate into a playground for billionaires and, in 2009, unveiled ambitious plans for the ultimate private members club. He wanted to charge people £2million per year to be a member, leading to the proposed site being dubbed the 'Monaco of the Glen'. The entrepreneur boasted about how Tiger Woods wouldn't be able to afford to be a member, but he would be allowed to use the golf course 'as a guest'. But there were a number of protests and Perth and Kinross Council voted against the plans. Mr James uses the main mansion as his private home but has now instructed Asset Properties to sell the entire estate for more than £6million. Kyle Cockburn, boss of Asset Properties, today described it as 'a really special place with fantastic history'. He said: 'A clan seat estate is a very rare thing and I hope someone spots its potential as a corporate retreat or a hotel. 'Now the referendum has been decided it is time to find it a new owner. We have interest from all over the world and finding a buyer is very much what I aim to do. 'It is likely to attract wealthy hoteliers from China but it would also be an ideal billionaire's retreat. The estate has so much. It practically has the services you would find in a small town. 'There is the old golf course, curling rink, chapel, sports centre, hydro station and even a small library.' The estate lies on the edge of the ancient Black Wood of Rannoch, which is one of the largest remnants of ice age forests in Scotland. View across the estate: It has been described as larger than many villages yet is on the market for just £6million . Outbuilding: Dall Estate had previously been Rannoch School, whose former pupils include the current Earl of Cardigan . It is set in grounds of approximately 90 acres, which contain many mature specimens of trees, including giant American Red Woods, and abundant wildlife. The house was commissioned by Clan Chief George Duncan Robertson and built by the renowned architect Thomas Mackenzie, who was responsible for Aldourie Castle (1853), famous for being where the Loch Ness Monster was first seen. Dall House was the only home he designed and built himself from scratch in the Scots Baronial style, known for its 16th Century features, including turrets. The house, which is B-Listed, retains many original Victorian features including the magnificently wood panelled hallways, staircases and reception rooms. Massive: It is set in grounds of approximately 90 acres, which contain many mature specimens of trees, including giant American Red Woods, and abundant wildlife . The house was commissioned by Clan Chief George Duncan Robertson and built by the renowned architect Thomas Mackenzie, who was responsible for Aldourie Castle (1853), famous for its location being that of the first sighting of the famous Loch Ness Monster . | Dall Estate in the Scottish Highlands was once earmarked to become a £2million a year private member's club .
Secretive owner, Malcolm James, boasted how Tiger Woods wouldn't be able to afford it but could use the golf course .
But after planning permission was rejected - the English multi-millionaire has been desperate to sell up .
Estate is bigger than many villages but costs less than one-bedroom flat in Knightsbridge (on sale for £6.6million) |
2,543 | 0767258fdd09dd589a8b59dedc17e713642fdcd5 | A female pastor arrested during a peaceful protest in Ferguson last night has told of her shock as she was 'grabbed' and dragged along the ground so roughly that it tore off her vest marking her out as clergy. Speaking to MailOnline just hours after her release Pastor Rebecca Ragland recalled her ordeal and voiced her belief that anyone of conscience should stand with the protesters. She said: 'I was completely stunned. All I can tell you is what my body experienced. My mind at that point was just in shock. 'I was grabbed so hard that I fell to the ground. Then I was just being yanked and it was pretty rough. I'm hurting today.' Pastor Ragland's arrest marked the first police action to be taken against protesters following Governor Nixon's declaration of a state of emergency. Moment of arrest: This is the moment Reverend Rebecca Ragland was arrested by police. She told MailOnline it was after she was grabbed and dragged along the ground . Concerned: Reverend Ragland said she was demonstrating in Ferguson because she believed people of color are not fairly treated and that it was her duty as a Christian to stand with them . Vest: How Reverend Ragland was dressed for the demonstration. She went towards the front, she said, to de-escalate the situation but was arrested . The minister for Ferguson's Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion was one five protesters arrested for blocking a street outside the police headquarters. The handful of protesters were faced down by a line of officers in full riot gear as impatience grows in the city waiting for a Grand Jury decision on whether to indict Darren Wilson for shooting unarmed teenager Michael Brown, 18. According to Reverend Ragland the group - only numbering around 15 - blocking the road were dispersing when the St Louis County officers moved in. She said, 'I think everybody was completely shocked. We were dispersing at that point. Then they came down so I turned around and I thought, 'Well I'm a de-escalator so I need to stay at the front.' Rev Ragland is one of many local clergy who have taken to the streets in an attempt to defuse the volatile relationship between protesters and police that saw the Missouri town erupt in violence following the shooting on August 9. She was wearing a bright orange vest with the word 'Clergy' clearly printed across her back. Today she believes that far from protecting her this made her a target for officers keen to make a point ahead of the violence anticipated when the Grand Jury makes its announcement. Last night's arrest has been read as a clear message that law enforcement will come down hard on any and all protesters. She explained, 'I think it's noteworthy that they picked three people from the line. One was behind me wearing an Anonymous mask. One was at the very end and he was wearing an anonymous mask. And me.' Dragged from the front of the protest, the forty-six year old mother of two was cuffed and put in a police van along with the other arrestees. She said, 'As soon as they cuffed me they took me right back to the paddy wagon. Two men were holding my arms. They put me in a van. At this point the arresting officer spoke to me.' Rev Ragland would not recount the detail of that brief exchange other than to say that the officer 'expressed how he felt.' She does not, she said, want to 'vilify the police.' She and the other protesters were driven to a converted garage behind the police station where they were patted down and basic information taken. They were then put back in the van and transported to Clayton's Buzz Westfall Justice Center. At no point did anybody read her her rights. Once there, she recalled, 'You go from nylon handcuffs to metal cuffs when you're brought in. 'They take you inside another garage and you stand against a wall. You see a nurse then after that they take all of your possessions that are valuable or loose - jewelry and all that mess, shoe laces. Tensions: Michael Brown (left) was shot dead in August by officer Darren Wilson (right) in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking massive protests over the death. A grand jury is deciding whether to indict him . Divide: Although most demonstrations have been pro-Michael Brown some, such as this woman's protest, have been in support of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot Brown to death . Flashpoint: Ferguson is expecting more demonstrations when the grand jury ends it deliberations . Tensions: Demonstrations are already taking place in Ferguson, Missouri, with calls for Darren Wilson to be indicted by the grand jury, which meets again on Friday, over the killing of Michael Brown . 'At that point you're processed in terms of initial intake. Then you go through a numbered door and when you get to the other side it's like what I would call the bus station. It's where you do your time if you're taken in on a misdemeanor or whatever.' The pastor was fingerprinted - a process that she admitted left her feeling 'uneasy' - and has been charged with 'refusal to disperse and failure to move vehicle which is obstructing flow of traffic'. She was lucky, she said. She was released at 3am barely four hours after the arrest that so stunned her. It is not the first time that Rev Ragland has had dealings with police in Ferguson. On October 13 she was detained for nine hours before being released without charge. That encounter came during a highly controversial period during which Ferguson police adopted the 'five second rule' meaning that any protester who stopped walking for more than that time could be arrested. The practice was deemed illegal by a federal judge and County Chief of Police, John Belmar, stripped Ferguson police of their authority over protests. Yet despite her experiences Rev Ragland was anxious not to attribute blame. She said, 'The clergy want to be compassionate voices to soothe people who are so broken and hurt and to be a voice for the kind of justice that's actually going to move the polarities to a point where they can heal instead of this place where we're just shouting and hurting.' She intends to go back out along protesters following the Grand Jury's announcement because, she said, 'My role is to advocate for justice and to advocate for peace and for change in a system that has for too long needed to change. 'There is plenty of evidence to suggest that people of color are treated in a discriminatory fashion by our justice system. 'I think that that is sufficient reason for those of us of conscience to stand with the protesters. It's what Jesus would do.' Residents of Ferguson, Missouri, prepared Wednesday for a grand jury report expected soon on the fatal August shooting of an unarmed black teen by a white policeman, an event that laid bare long-simmering racial tensions in the St. Louis suburb. The shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests. Many businesses have boarded up their windows as they expect another wave of demonstrations to follow the grand jury's decision, particularly if officer Darren Wilson is not charged. More than two-thirds of the residents of Ferguson are black, but its mayor, police chief and most of its police department are white. Black residents say their conflicts with the police long predate Brown's shooting. A protester in a Guy Fawkes mask stands with his hands in the air in front of police outside the Ferguson Police Department Wednesday . People await the grand jury verdict over the police slaying of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri . In a sign of tensions ahead of the grand jury report, a few dozen protesters gathered outside the city police station late on Wednesday in sub-freezing temperatures faced by officers in riot gear. Some protesters chanted 'Indict that cop.' Police arrested about six people when protesters tried to block the street after ignoring orders to keep it clear. The arrests were the first of protesters in about a week. On Tuesday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon named a panel of 16 commissioners to develop solutions to the deep-seated socioeconomic disparities in and around Ferguson. Despite the tensions, some in Ferguson have tried to carry on life as usual. A crew of city workers spent Wednesday morning putting up Christmas decorations on the street that is home to the Ferguson Police Department. Activists say that will be the first place demonstrators assemble after the grand jury report. Officials have said the grand jury is expected to make its decision by the end of the month. Show of force: Police in riot gear try to break up protesters marching in the streets . The Ferguson-Florissant School District told parents on Wednesday that schools may close early or not open at all on the day the grand jury's decision comes, with the decision based on when officials learn the report is coming. Country singer Hunter Hayes, citing the state of emergency declared by the governor, canceled a concert scheduled for Thursday night at an arena on the campus of St. Louis University. Nixon has defended his decision to declare the state of emergency ahead of the grand jury's decision, a move some called heavy-handed, particularly given that protests in recent days had been peaceful. The state of emergency allows the National Guard to deploy to the St. Louis area. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay asked for 400 National Guard troops to be deployed to his city, to work in alternating 12-hour shifts at 45 locations around the city. There are conflicting accounts of what preceded the Aug. 9 shooting of Brown, with some witnesses contending he had raised his hands in surrender and others describing a struggle between the teen and Wilson. Source: Reuters . | Reverend Rebecca Ragland tells MailOnline she was dragged along ground so roughly her vest, marked clergy, was ripped off .
Her arrest is one of the first since declaration of state of emergency in the St Louis suburb .
Protests last night are expected to be followed by much larger demonstrations when grand jury reaches decision .
Could come as early as tomorrow and National Guard and other law enforcement bodies are on standby . |
259,780 | dc56f5260536e60b8c92d0b2f0505515913bc9c1 | By . Damien Gayle . A man tried to hang himself from the fence which runs along the border between Mexico and the U.S. The U.S. Border Patrol said one of its agents spotted the man carrying a rope as he scrambled from the Mexican side of the fence into Calexico, California. As the agent approached, the man wrapped the rope around his next before dropping over the U.S. side of the fence and hanging himself. The Mexico-U.S. border at Calexico, California, where the Mexican citizen was trying to cross illegally . The unnamed man had been trying to cross the border fence at Calexico, California, when he was spotted . The Border Patrol said in a news release that the agent grabbed the man by his legs and lifted him to try to stop the rope from choking him to death. Another agent arrived to help and the rope eventually unravelled from the spot it was secured to, allowing them to lower him to the ground. He was not breathing, but one of the agents was able to revive him and they monitored him until an ambulance arrived to take him to the Calexico Regional Medical Centre. The incident happened at about 7pm on Sunday evening. The man's name has not been released, but the border patrol did say he was a 27-year-old Mexican citizen. | Mexican national spotted trying to cross the fence at Calexico, CA .
As he saw the guard approach, he wrapped a rope round his neck .
He then dropped to the U.S. side of the fence, hanging himself .
Border agents were able to rescue him and he is now recovering . |
248,812 | cdf74f75e8d5e9f7f84bb57783ea1974a4449673 | After the wettest winter on record, it might seem hard to believe. But many of us have been living through a drought for the last fortnight, weather experts revealed last night. Meteorologists in southern England recorded a 16-day stretch without a drop of rain, officially long enough to be classed as a drought. Much of the country has seen an unseasonably warm and dry March. Temperatures have soared to 20C (68F) on two consecutive weekends and there have been unbroken blue skies for most areas. Sunshine: It comes as much of Britain has experienced an unseasonably warm and dry March. Above, Tallulah Gibbard, three, runs among daffodils in Penwith, Cornwall . Playful: Meteorologists in southern England recorded a 16-day stretch without a drop of rain. Above, Sequoia Gibbard, 20 months, is pictured playing in the sun-lit field . The weather saw families streaming on . to beaches while others got out their barbecues. Plant centres said . their sales had ‘gone bananas’, as homeowners took advantage of the . weather to tidy up their bedraggled and windblown gardens. But that warm spell ended on Thursday night with downpours, and today and tomorrow will be much colder and more unsettled. Dr . Roger Brugge, meteorologist at the University of Reading, said a . drought is defined as 15 consecutive days with less than 0.2mm of rain. The . university’s weather systems recorded no rainfall at all for 16 days – . which the Met Office confirmed was representative of the wider picture . across South and South East England. Dr Brugge said it had been the longest spell without rain in March for seven years. Having fun: The weather saw families streaming on to beaches, while others brought out barbecues. But it eventually gave way to cold and rainy conditions on Thursday . ‘These . dry conditions have prevailed across a large part of England during the . past fortnight, due to the persistence of an area of high pressure . which has also made March much warmer than average so far,’ he said. ‘But . overnight on Thursday 3.5mm (0.14inches) of rain fell in Reading, and . more rainfall appears to be likely to fall, albeit mostly small amounts, . on and off at times on most days during the remainder of March. ‘So . far, 2014 has gone from one extreme to another, from the wettest winter . on record to a meteorological drought, although those who are still . drying out their front rooms could be forgiven for not noticing.’ Although . the 16-day dry period constitutes a meteorological drought, the . Environment Agency has not declared an official drought. To declare a drought, the Agency considers river flows, water supply and reservoir levels. Because . Britian has had such heavy rainfall this winter, groundwater levels are . very high and there are unlikely to be problems with water shortages . this year. Prediction: Saturday will be grey and gloomy. There will be a brief respite from the bad weather on Sunday and Monday, with showers still affecting parts of the country, before the 'unsettled conditions' begin . Warning: Despite the recent sunny conditions, a Met Office forecaster said most people will experience rain over the next seven days . This . weekend will be cooler than recent weekends, with the mercury unlikely . to rise above 12C (54F) and wintry showers forecast over high ground in . the North. Temperatures will even dip to a frosty -2C (28F) tomorrow . night. But forecasters . are hoping for a return to the better weather by next weekend. The dry . and warm weather of the last fortnight has seen gardeners rushing to . beautify their borders. Garden centres are rushing to stock up after . showing caution early in spring, with some missing out on early sales . after running out of plants. Chichester-based . grower Blue Ribbon Plants has already sold out of its annual stock of . 300,000 primroses after a huge influx in demand.Walter . Back, who owns the company, said he had to throw away thousands of . unsold plants this time last year, because the country was still . snowbound. Retailers . are predicting a boom in vegetable planting this year, after increasing . food prices and tight family budgets have seen an increasing number of . vegetable plots and allotments. Garden . centres say demand is greatest for traditional heritage varieties of . fruit and veg, which many supermarkets have ditched in favour of . imports. | Meteorologists in southern England recorded 16-day stretch without rain as parts of country basked in sunshine .
Temperatures soared to 20C (68F) on two consecutive weekends - with unbroken blue skies for most areas .
This weekend will be cooler, with the mercury unlikely to rise above 12C (54F) and wintry showers forecast . |
211,280 | 9d9c202882d1bc0f605a88c310d2571540f2f013 | Fitness guru Kayla Itsines is famous for sharing photos of her clients amazing before-and-after body transformations with her million-plus Instagram followers. But the 23-year-old personal trainer from Adelaide, who has become an internet sensation thanks to her bikini body guide, has now showed how she helped a young woman who suffered from anorexia get fit and healthy. On Saturday Kayla shared the before and after selfie photos of Mikhaela Antoon, 17, from Sydney, showing her journey back to health after suffering from the eating disorder for four years. Scroll down for video . Recovery: Mikhaela Antoon fought her way back from anorexia with Kayla Itsines' health and fitness regime . Super fit: Kayla inspires women to achieve good health by posting shots of her and her client's transformations . In the after shot, despite still looking slim, Mikhaela can be seen looking happy, fit, toned and healthy as she shows off her right bicep in a classic fitness pose. The pose is typical of the pictures Kayla shares to her followers of herself after a work out. Mikhaela’s stomach also looks incredibly toned in the after picture - a stark contrast to the before photo, which shows the young woman on the beach looking dangerously thin. Kayla commented on her client’s 'amazing result' and shared the email Mikhaela had written to her: . 'I can't thank you enough Kayla,' the email read. ‘I have struggled with anorexia for four years now. ‘With the help of both your guides, I have finally found my place between a healthy mind set and healthy lifestyle. Idol: Mikhaela's picture (left) is typical of something Kayla (right) would share of herself after a workout, showing that she has found a healthy mentor in the Instagram star . Progress: With what looks like a school picture of herself in the corner, Mikhaela showed off a healthier figure . ‘I thank you for being such a positive role model and for your dedication to your work. ‘Every day I wake up feeling stronger and healthier all thanks to YOU!"’ Following the encouraging email Kayla reiterated her health and fitness message saying: ‘It doesn't matter what shape or size you are. 'EVERYONE achieves the same results, HEALTHY, lean, toned, strong and confident. ‘These things are all achieved, and are results of, hard work and dedication!’ More than 29,000 followers liked the post and many commented with supportive comments. One said: ‘Yes! Such a transformation,’ while another wrote: ‘So inspiring.’ Glowing: Mikhaela has said she has finally found my place between a healthy mind set and healthy lifestyle . Definition: Three weeks ago the Sydneysider shared this pic of herself working out, captioned: 'Back to the grind.' Since becoming healthier, Mikhaela appears to be in a happy frame of mind and her Instagram account is littered with pictures of her not only working out, but also enjoying delicious meals. She also regularly shares pictures of inspiring sayings which include: 'Your health is your greatest wealth' and 'Feeling strong is the best feeling.' But perhaps most tellingly, just over a year ago she uploaded a post which read: 'Dear Past, thank you for all the lessons. Dear Future I am ready.' Fitness star: The 23-year-old trainer regularly shares selfies of herself looking enviably toned and trim . Strength: Photos and videos show the brunette's strength and her love of working out with weights . Kayla certainly seems to have mastered the equation needed to achieve a healthy physique, coupled with a high level of fitness and strength without bulk. The successful business woman now has a staggering 1,190, 484 Instagram followers at last count, which included Victoria’s Secret angel Candice Swanepoel. On her website she explains how she began personal training in 2008 and quickly realised that she wanted to start helping women achieve a bikini body in the most 'efficient and effective way possible’. She adds: ‘My clients saw amazing results in 12 weeks or sometimes even sooner, and began to tell their friends and spread an amazing positive message.’ Earlier this month Kayla, who regularly shares pictures and videos of herself working out, spoke to Femail about her popular workout and meal plan. Her rules include always eating breakfast, 'even if you don’t necessarily feel like it. Having a good serve of protein, carbs and fats in the morning is the best way for you to start the day. You will have lots more energy to keep you going until lunch time.' Abs-olutely fabulous: She says anyone can obtain these results and be lean, toned and healthy . She also recommended to eat three main meals and two small snacks a day. Kayla’s bikini body workout consists of targeted circuits which aim to work on specific ‘problem’ areas of the body while also burning calories. Her diet plan aims to give you plenty of energy for her intense workouts, while reducing fat and calories to help you slim down. | The 17-year-old young woman suffered with anorexia for four years .
She thanks Kayla, 23, for helping her find a place between 'a healthy mindset and healthy lifestyle'
Kayla, from Adelaide, has over one million Instagram followers including Victoria’s Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel . |
83,824 | edc0174a02e7007fb946a67151af7481189d016a | LONDON, England (CNN) -- As many of the world's industries struggle in the face of global economic hardship, the inaugural Abu Dhabi Yacht Show went ahead earlier this month. On show: The recent Abu Dhabi Yacht Show attracted some of the world's biggest super-yachts. Showcasing some of the top super-yachts in existence, the show symbolizes a luxury industry which is still thriving in the area. At the show, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, said the United Arab Emirates is becoming one of the world's greatest super-yacht hubs. "This show demonstrates Abu Dhabi's commitment to be recognized as a global super-yacht player at the same level as leading centers in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean," he said. Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority chairman, Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, hailed the event as proof that the region was still growing and performing well economically. "It is a clear indication of continuing international confidence in this emirate's robust and resilient economy." Evidence of positive developments in the region's luxury yacht industry is written all over the emirate. In addition to the yachting infrastructure already complete in Abu Dhabi, a marina is planned on Saadiyat Island, in the historic marine district of Al Bateen. Another marina is planned on Yas Island, where there will be a dedicated mega-yacht marina. In total, 16 new marinas are planned in Abu Dhabi in the next decade. The inaugural Abu Dhabi show also attracted 20 of the world's top super-yachts with a combined value of more than $500 million. Most of the globe's top brokers were also in attendance. Senior yacht broker at Burgess Yachts, Rupert Nelson, told CNN that Abu Dhabi is committing to the industry -- a move which should help the emirate stay one step ahead of other destinations. "Across the globe this year there has been a huge slow down, but in the Gulf they don't seem to be too worried about it." Burgess Yachts recently sold a Dubai-built super-yacht called Al Hanem for just under $20 million, he added. Although the industry faces a number of challenges in the Gulf region, Nelson said the growth of marinas, yacht-builders, brokers and other related business should help to create jobs. "The size of boats there is growing, the number of yachts there is growing ... and it seems they want to continue," he told CNN. The question on many lips is whether this growing industry could help the United Arab Emirates, and the wider Gulf region, survive the worst of the wider economic downturn. Probably not, is the answer from regional business experts. But it may ease some of the pain . Middle East business expert and author of "Dubai & Co: Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States," Aamir A. Rehman, told CNN there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism in the Gulf luxury sector. Earlier this year Rolls Royce reported Abu Dhabi and Dubai had become the biggest and second-biggest markets for their cars after a 48 percent jump in sales during 2008 compared with 2007. Rehman said Rolls Royce's results of were promising for the wider luxury industry -- and could also indicate potential growth for the super-yacht industry. "Transportation and the entire infrastructure around transport are important to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). There's significant investment being made in transportation, suggesting potential for growth in related industries." However, despite the high-profile nature of the luxury yacht industry, Rehman feels there are still limitations. "The Gulf is a relatively small market overall and the number of high-end buyers, while substantial, may be limited compared to regions with larger population bases." Liz Martins, head of Middle East and North Africa in the Country Risk department at Business Monitor International, told CNN the current economic climate would have a lasting impact on the luxury sector. "I think it's an area where people will cut back. There's still a lot of wealth out there but some of these people have lost a lot of money." Martins said the boom period of the last decade had reached unsustainable levels of growth and, although the Gulf region doesn't have a "saving culture" she predicted some changes. "We're not forecasting recession for many Gulf states ... but the last few years have been debt-fueled boom and I just don't see things getting back to what they have been." Subscribe to SuperYachtWorld . COPYRIGHT © 2009 IPC MEDIA LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED . | The inaugural Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was held this month .
Super-yachts are growing in popularity in the Gulf region .
Abu Dhabi wants to become world's top super yacht destination .
Experts say it is unlikely luxury yacht industry will have big impact on the economy . |
4,607 | 0d4140b9aea7062ca7c59138f6293089688fef8b | By . Stuart Roberts . PUBLISHED: . 11:21 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:35 EST, 7 November 2013 . A British farmer has cultivated a 'tree of fire' that has yielded over 1,000 of the world's hottest chillies. Joy Michaud, 55, has a glut of the . Dorset Naga chillies on her hands and just one of the pungent red fruits is thought to contain more heat than eight vindaloo curries. They measure an eye-watering 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale, compared to a mere 30,000 in the average red chilli. Chilli out: Joy Michaud with a bowl of the Dorset Nagas. The chilli is grown from the Naga Morich, native to north-east India but given a British twist by Mrs Michaud on her farm in Sea Spring Seeds, Dorset . The Naga, originally native to north-east India rather than south-west England, usually has 800,000 Scoville units - the scale used to measure chilli heat. But their heat has been turned up this year thanks to the red hot summer. Mrs Michaud has now submitted an application to Guinness World Records. She started growing the chillies in 2005 and sells the wickedly fiery treats at the local farmer's market - eight for three pounds to the bravest customers. While handling the dangerous fruit the farmer two pairs of latex gloves and a plastic mackintosh to protect her skin from the heat. She also advises that people wear goggles or glasses while preparing the chilli and to tie long hair back. Just a small taste can cause burning eyes, a streaming nose, and uncontrollable hiccups. Warning signs: The chillis come with there own caution, warning customers . of their ferocity while (right) Mrs Michaud smiles next to this years' bumper haul . Hope there are no holes in those gloves: Super hot chillis like Dorset Naga contains capsaicin which, although sweat-inducingly hot, actually relaxes blood vessels and can reduce blood pressure . Safety first: Farmers are forced to wear two layers of latex gloves while picking the fruit. Of course, a metal bowl is probably safer . Joy, 55, who originally hails from America, said: "It really is astonishing to think about how much heat is on this plant. 'It is holding more heat than any other I can think of. The most chillies we have ever had on a plant is about 700. 'I believe this plant has over 1,000 chillies on it so extra care will need to be taken when we pick all the fruit from it. Small beginnings: The innocent looking seedling (right) will go on to produce chillis 120 times hotter than a jalepeno while Mrs Michaud (left) smiles next to one of the fully grown plants . 'Not only that, but they are much hotter this year than ever before with an average reading of 1.2 million on the Scoville Heat Scale. 'This could be because of the warm summer as the hotter the weather, the hotter the chilli. 'The Dorset Naga chillies are so full of chemicals they can be quite dangerous, if their skin is intact they are ok, but if not, precautions must be taken. 'When I am picking or preparing them I wear two layers of latex gloves and I change them every 15 minutes as the chemicals will seep through and inflame the skin. 'I have applied to the Guinness World Records and am waiting to hear back from them.' The Scoville scale is named after its creator Wilbur Scoville. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test. The higher the number, the more potent the chill:- . Spice up your life: Chilli peppers come in all shapes, sizes and hotness. 855,000–1,463,700: Dorset Naga, Infinity Chilli, Bhut Jolokia chili pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper, Bedfordshire Super Naga, 7-Pot Chili . 350,000–580,000: Red Savina habanero . 100,000–350,000: Habanero chili, Scotch bonnet pepper, Datil pepper, Rocoto, Piri Piri Ndungu, Madame Jeanette, Peruvian White Habanero, Jamaican hot pepper, . 50,000–100,000: Byadgi chilli, Bird's eye chili, Malagueta pepper, Chiltepin pepper, Piri piri, Pequin pepper, Siling Labuyo . 30,000–50,000: Guntur chilli, Cayenne pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper, Cumari pepper . 10,000–23,000: Serrano pepper, Aleppo pepper . 3,500–8,000: Espelette pepper, Jalapeño pepper, Chipotle, Guajillo pepper, New Mexican peppers, Hungarian wax pepper, Tabasco sauce . 1,000–2,500: Anaheim pepper, Poblano pepper, Rocotillo pepper, Peppadew, Sriracha sauce, Gochujang . 100–900: Pimento, Peperoncini, Banana pepper, Cubanelle . | Super hot chillies are 120 times spicier than a jalapeno .
Farmer started growing the chillies in 2005 .
Scorching summer leads to this years' huge harvest .
The potent Dorset Naga pepper is being sent to Guinness Book of Records .
Each one measures 1.2 million on the Scoville scale .
Growers forced to wear goggles and gloves just to handle the spicy fruit . |
268,630 | e7f572fe1ca907e0f8a4daca1f869071a8490435 | (CNN) -- Over the weekend the United States launched drone strikes in two different locations in Yemen, killing at least 15 militants as well as three civilians. At the same time, Yemeni ground forces began what have been termed "unprecedented" operations against al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen, which may also involve additional U.S. drone strikes, although that isn't clear right now. The U.S. drone campaign in Yemen is very much President Obama's war. Unlike in Pakistan, where President George W. Bush significantly ramped up the CIA drone campaign while he was in office, there was only one drone strike in Yemen during Bush's two terms in office. During Obama's administration, there have been 92 drone attacks, as well as a further 15 U.S. strikes using other forms of weaponry such as cruise missiles, according to a count by the New America Foundation. Indeed, Obama vastly accelerated the drone campaign in Yemen in 2011 and 2012, just as CIA drone strikes in Pakistan began to slow. Forty-seven strikes took place in Yemen in 2012, marking the first time the number of drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan reached comparable levels. One reason for this acceleration in drone strikes in Yemen may have been Obama's authorization in April 2012 of the "signature" strikes that had been approved the previous year for use in Pakistan's tribal regions. Such strikes do not target known militants but rather people who are displaying the behaviors of suspected militants. Such signature strikes were reportedly governed by stricter rules in Yemen than in Pakistan, though, and were given a different name: TADS, or Terrorist Attack Disruption Strikes. As of Monday, U.S. drone and air strikes have killed an estimated 753 to 965 people in Yemen, of whom the large majority were militants, but at least 81 were civilians, according to the New America Foundation study. All but six of the many hundreds of victims of the strikes were killed under the Obama administration. The drone program in Yemen began in earnest after a series of attempted terrorist attacks against the United States were traced back to al Qaeda's Yemen-based affiliate, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. AQAP claimed responsibility for the would-be "underwear bomb" attack on a Detroit-bound flight by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on Christmas Day 2009. Fortunately for the people on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253 that day, Abdulmutallab's bomb was a dud, and he succeeded only in burning himself rather than destroying a commercial airliner. Had his bomb exploded as intended, it would have been the most devastating terrorist attack on the United States since 9/11. Less than a year later, AQAP mailed two packages with bombs cleverly disguised inside HP LaserJet printer cartridges from a FedEx office and UPS facility in Yemen to the street addresses of two synagogues in Chicago. The toner in the printer cartridges had been replaced by the high explosive PETN. The bombs were almost impossible to detect as the explosives were odorless and the circuitry for the detonator looked like ordinary wiring. Both devices were discovered on October 29, 2010, before they could detonate, one in Dubai and the other at a British airport. They were discovered because of very specific information about the tracking numbers of both packages that was provided by the Saudis, who had managed to plant a spy in the ranks of AQAP. The bomb-maker believed responsible for these cleverly designed bombs is Ibrahim al-Asiri. According to a senior U.S. official, al-Asiri is proving hard to find, as he avoids any form of electronic communication and communicates only by courier. Another senior U.S. official says al-Asiri has been experimenting with bombs that can be implanted in suicide bombers using surgical techniques. Al-Asiri is the most important target in Yemen for U.S. intelligence, although senior American officials say he has also trained others in al Qaeda in advanced bomb-making, so his techniques may survive should he be killed in a drone strike. During the Obama administration, U.S. drones have killed 35 key al Qaeda militants in Yemen, including the Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who directed AQAP's operations against the United Sates before he was killed in 2011 drone strike. Unlike in Pakistan, where political leaders have condemned the strikes, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi said during an interview with The Washington Post in 2012 that he personally signs off on all U.S. drone strikes in Yemen and that they hit their targets accurately, asserting, "The drone technologically is more advanced than the human brain." Yet some of the popular resentment toward the U.S. drone campaign that has long festered in Pakistan is beginning to emerge in Yemen. On April 23, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee held the first public hearing dedicated to the legal issues surrounding the U.S. drone campaign. One of the six who testified was Farea al-Muslimi, a young Yemeni activist who spent his high school years in the United States. Al-Muslimi told the committee that a drone strike had targeted his village of Wessab just six days earlier. "What radicals had previously failed to achieve in my village," al-Muslimi told the senators, "one drone strike accomplished in an instant: There is now an intense anger and growing hatred of America." | Suspected U.S. drone strikes hit two different locations in Yemen .
Peter Bergen says strikes are part of an aggressive war by U.S. against militants .
Estimates are that up to 950 people have been killed, including more than 80 civilians .
Bergen: War is focusing on bomb-maker believed to have designed devices aimed at U.S. |
50,638 | 8f445012794f2b7b71f21500886277f22090cf14 | Bob Suter, one of the heroes of the USA's 'Miracle on Ice' hockey team . Bob Suter, one of the heroes of the USA's 'Miracle on Ice' hockey team that won gold in the 1980 Winter Olympics, has died of a massive heart attack aged 57. The feisty defenseman, who played a key part in Herb Brooks' famous side, was at the ice rink he owned in Middleton, Wisconsin, when he collapsed on Tuesday. Suter suffered a broken ankle two months before the games at Lake Placid, New York, but recovered in time to take part in all seven matches at the tournament. Suter will go down in history as a member of the team that defied all the odds to beat strong favorites the Soviet Union - before going on to win gold. His son Ryan, himself an NHL standout, said in a statement: 'The sudden loss of my father has been difficult for myself and our family — my dad was my hero and he taught me about life, hockey and what was truly important — family. 'He will be missed greatly and his legacy and spirit will be with us every day. He lived with the motto, "It’s all about the kids," and forever he will be remembered by this. 'My family and I also want to say thank you for the tremendous outpouring of support we have received from the hockey community around the world. It means a lot to us to know how much he was loved and will be missed.' Gary Suter, 50, a former NHL All-Star who played in two Olympics of his own, once described his older brother's playing style as 'abrasive', the New York Daily News reports. He said: 'He always had people chasing him around the ice. He was the sort of guy you hated playing against and loved having him your team.' Scroll down for video . Suter is the first player from the fabled U.S. Olympic ice hockey team to pass away - with coach Herb Brooks dying in a car accident 11 years ago. After a brief career in minor-league hockey, Bob Suter opened a sporting goods store and the rink, Capitol Ice Arena, spending years working as a youth coach. Members of the 1980 gold medal-winning US Olympic hockey team at a roller disco in New York. (L-R) Mark Wells, Mark Pavelich, Steve Christoff, Bob Suter, Herb Brooks, Rob McClanahan & William 'Buzz' Schneider . Bob Suter, pictured here at an exhibition match in 1995, was 'the sort of guy you hated playing against and loved having in your team', his brother Gary, a former NHL All-Star said . Mark Johnson, the gifted center and top scorer on the 1980 team, was not only Suter's teammate, but also his close friend. The 'Miracle on Ice' is the name given to a men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York. The United States national team, made up of amateur and collegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union, which had won the gold medal in six of the seven previous Olympic games. After trailing for much of the match, they scored with ten minutes left to go 4-3 ahead and then held on to seal the historic win in a nail-biting finish. Team USA went on to win the gold medal after winning their last match over Finland. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden in its final game. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the 'Miracle on Ice' the Top Sports Moment of the 20th Century. As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation chose the 'Miracle on Ice' as the century's number-one international ice hockey story. He said: 'He had a huge impact on hockey everywhere.' USA Hockey issued a statement in the wake of Suter's death on Tuesday, calling it a 'tough day for our sport.' 'Bob Suter will always be remembered for his role as a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Team that captivated our country and whose impact is impossible to measure. 'His legacy, however, is far beyond that as he dedicated his life to advancing hockey and helping young people achieve their dreams. 'Bob's positive impact on our sport will be felt for generations to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Suter family at this difficult time.' Minnesota Wild, who Suter's son, plays for, said he was 'a great hockey ambassador, he was a terrific person off the ice who will be greatly missed.' Bob Suter's funeral will be held at Alliant Energy Center on Saturday at 11am and it is believed that fellow 'Miracle on Ice teammate, Mark Johnson, will read a eulogy. The whole of the Wild team will fly out to the funeral, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Ryan Suter (pictured in blue), Bob Suter's son, released an emotional statement, calling his father a 'hero' | The 'Miracle on Ice' was the name given to the US victory over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York .
After winning match as underdogs, side went on to win gold medal .
Match is considered one of the greatest moments in US sporting history .
Suter is the first member of the fabled team to pass away .
Son Ryan, who plays for the Minnesota wild, pays tribute to 'hero' father .
USA Hockey - 'Suter will always be remembered' on 'tough day for sport' |
93,160 | 03d68b31db4ccb4d274414dba201638515c105de | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:08 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:49 EST, 29 November 2013 . The tracking device on a stolen laptop has helped catch two men suspected of the murder of a Michigan medical student. Police had few clues to work on when Paul DeWolf was found dead in his university fraternity house in July, killed by a single bullet wound. But on October 3 a MacBook stolen from Mr DeWolf's neighbor was switched on in Detroit, leading police to the possible killers. Scroll Down for Video . Victim: Paul DeWolf was found dead in his bedroom in a fraternity house in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 24 . The unidentified man, who is not a suspect in the case, had bought the laptop off Craigslist, and he was able to provide details of the seller to police, according to the Detroit Free Press. Shaquille Jones, 21, and Joei Jordan, 20, . have been charged with the murder of Mr DeWolf, who had been living in . an Ann Arbor fraternity house set up to make life easier for students on . the grueling medical program. July 24 Medical student Paul DeWolf is found shot dead in his university apartment. Neighbors report a break in around the same time. July 25 Police say one of the suspect's, Jones, sold the stolen laptop to a third man for $200 . October 3 Apple receive alert from Find My Mac app that stolen device has been turned on. November 7 Police announce three arrests in the murder investigation. Police Detective Katie Nucci told a hearing earlier this month how the Find My Mac tracking device on the laptop helped find the suspects. The computer had been stolen from the living room of a neighboring property around the same time that police believe Mr DeWolf was killed, according to Detective Nucci's testimony. A roommate of the laptop owner was home alone at the time and recalled hearing someone downstairs but thought it was a fellow student. As well as the laptop, a wallet and purse was taken. When the laptop was turned on on October 3, Apple received an alert and contacted the police. The Find My Mac program allows laptop owners to track, lock and even send messages to the screens of their computers. The computer was traced to an address in Detroit, where its surprised new owner found himself being questioned. Trace: A tracking app on a stolen laptop, similar to the one pictured, helped police trace the suspected killers . 'I knew it was something more than a stolen laptop since Ann Arbor police came all the way here,' he told Detroit Free Press. The 30-year-old said he wasn't worried when he was being questioned because he knew he hadn't done anything wrong. Police discovered that the man who sold the laptop on Craigslist had bought it from Jordan for $200 on July 25 - the day after Mr DeWolf was murdered. A check of phone records found Jordan's cell phone had used a tower near the home where the laptop was stolen from. Jordan and Jones, who sometimes lived together, have been arraigned on murder and home invasion charges. They are being held without bond. Police have declined to discuss what role the laptop played in their investigation or how a third unidentified man is linked to the murder. Arrested: Shaquille Jones, left, and Joei Jordan, right, face charges in the murder of Paul DeWolf . The arrests come as the first break in the case in months after Mr DeWolf was discovered dead from a gunshot wound in his own bedroom on July 24. His room was neat and tidy and no valuables had been removed when his body was found at around 11pm. Following . the murder investigation, the University of Michigan increased campus . patrols and warned students that a killer may be on the loose. Joshua DeWolf said his brother had been excited about beginning a military career after graduation in May 2014. 'His life came to an end in his prime,' he told Ann Arbor News. Mr DeWolf . was an enlisted second lieutenant in the United States Air Force and was . studying at university to complete his surgical training. He was in his fourth year of studying and graduated from Grand Valley State University in Allendale three years before. Crime scene: Police tape is put around the student home of Paul DeWolf after his body was discovered on July 24 . Another of his close friends, Jason Halterman said that Mr DeWolf had an infectious love of life. 'He loved everyone regardless,' Mr Halterman told ABC News. 'He taught me to be a better, more caring person and I love him for it.' Mr DeWolf was a frequent poster to Facebook about his passion for scuba diving and running marathons. He was the captain of the cross country team at Schoolcraft High School and graduated as class valedictorian in 2006. He . took his bachelors degree in bio-medical sciences from Grand Valley . State University in 2010 and then joined the Air Force - where he was in . the top 10 per cent certified in officer training. He belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon at Grand Valley State University and Phi Rho Sigma Fraternity at the University of Michigan. Dedicated: Paul DeWolf was a top student who enjoyed running marathons . The student was a brilliant piano and French horn player, a certified scuba . diver, traveled the world on several mission trips, and had competed in . marathons. He was a devout Christian. A statement from the university said that Mr DeWolf was the 'epitome of everything great in the field of medicine.' 'We extend our deepest condolences to Paul's family, friends and colleagues,' UM president Coleman added to the statement. 'He . was working and training among a close, nurturing community of healers . and I know they will help each other through this difficult time. They . will need the support of the broader campus community in the weeks and . months ahead, and we will provide it.' | Find My Mac service helped police track down men accused of shooting Paul DeWolf .
University of Michigan student was found dead from a single gunshot wound in July .
Computer believed to have been stolen from neighbor's home around the time DeWolf was killed, police say .
Shaquille Jones and Joei Jordan face murder and home invasion charges . |
194,734 | 8813f0b06000809a1bf125479ebfacfe24ed50a9 | Footage has emerged of a brutal Japanese mother kicking her daughter in the head in order to stop the child throwing a tantrum. Shot at Tokyo's busy Shibuya train station, the short clip shows the unidentified woman trying to hurry her sobbing daughter along. But when the girl refuses to co-operate, the mother rounds on her, delivering a swift kick to the side of her head which leaves the girl sprawled on the floor. According to comments posted alongside the video online, the man who took the footage shouted that he had filmed the incident and was reporting the woman to the police. The video, taken on March 1, was first posted on Reddit on Wednesday with users saying the mother's actions are 'child abuse'. Scroll down for video . A video has emerged showing a Japanese mother kicking her daughter in the head. The footage starts with the sobbing girl trailing behind her mother, who tries to hurry her up . When the child apparently refuses to obey her, the mother turns round before aiming a kick at her head . The little girl tries to duck under the savage blow, but is unable to escape and is stuck in the side of the face . As the girl is sent sprawling on the floor, the man taking the footage shouts that he has filmed the incident and will be reporting it to the police . After hearing the man shout the mother looks up, picks up her daughter, and quickly walks away . | Video filmed in Tokyo train station shows mother kicking daughter in head .
Woman apparently delivered savage blow to stop child having a tantrum .
Man filming incident shouted to mother that he was calling the police . |
206,843 | 97d4f62d57ee64b3f810360ad95474810c96fdfe | West Ham striker Andy Carroll announced fiance Billi Mucklow's pregnancy on Twitter on Christmas Day. Carroll tweeted using baby and bottle emoticons, and attached an Instagram photo of the pair as Mucklow wore a jumper that read: 'Making my little pudding.' The former TOWIE star then uploaded her own photo on Boxing Day, writing: 'Me, AC and Bump.' Andy Carroll posted this with fiance Billi Mucklow and 'my little pudding' with baby emoticons attached . West Ham striker Carroll and fiance Mucklow the former TOWIE star's pregnancy . Mucklow uploaded this snap on Boxing Day of her and Carroll and the 'Bump' It was after the England international gave his fiance her very own secret beauty salon as a Christmas present, which see apparently had no idea was in her new home. Mucklow took to Instagram to show off the parlour called 'Billutifuls', and wrote: 'Biggest shock of my life. Secret key, lead to a secret room to my new house! 'My very own salon called "Billutifuls". I love you so much @andytcarroll I'm one lucky girl #mirrormirroronthewall.' With a snap of the pair sat on their pink sofa, she added: 'Our first Christmas in our new home.' It is the latest hair-raising experience for Mucklow, after Carroll showed off his flowing locks by striking a pose with his fiance underneath the pair's mirrored ceiling. The 25-year-old centre forward captioned that snap: 'Good morning from our new home!! #crazyhair #dirtymirror.' West Ham striker Carroll and fiance Mucklow pose in their new home on Christmas day . Former TOWIE star Mucklow took to Instagram to show off the secret parlour called 'Billutifuls' West Ham striker Carroll poses for a 'crazy hair' picture with fiance Mucklow in their new home . Carroll got his fiance a rather unique gift for Christmas ahead of West Ham's visit to Chelsea on Friday . | West Ham striker Andy Carroll tweeted using baby and bottle emoticons .
Carroll attached a photo of the pair with fiance Billi Mucklow wearing a jumper that read: 'Making my little pudding'
It came after Carroll surprised his fiance with a secret beauty salon . |
248,080 | cd051fe0c48b6ade78ba4e4d51a1a8f0beaa5696 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 19:28 EST, 27 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:08 EST, 28 December 2013 . Phil Robertson will return to A&E reality show Duck Dynasty in 2014 following his brief suspension for infammatory comments about homosexuality in GQ. 'After discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family,' the network said in a statement. Robertson was put on indefinite hiatus less than two weeks ago by A&E in response to the uproar following the interview. Reinstated: Phil Robertson won't miss a day of filming after his brief hiatus was reversed by A&E . The removal of the 67-year-old patriarch from the show was lauded by gay rights organizations, but fans of the show denounced it as a violation of Robertson's right to free speech. Conservative supporters include Sarah Palin, who wrote in a Facebook post: 'Free speech is an endangered species. Those intolerants’ hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us.' A&E initially took action after Robertson's comments caused uproar, saying his views were 'disappointing' and that A&E has always been 'strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.' Now, the network says the family has made it clear that they are sorry if they caused any offense with the patriarch's remarks. 'While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the “coarse language” he used and the mis-interpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would “never incite or encourage hate.” We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold,' reads the statement. United: The Robertson family made it clear they did not want to continue filming Duck Dynasty without patriarch Phil . The homophobic comments from the born-again Christian included such insights as, ' 'It seems like, to me, a vagina - as a man - would be more desirable than a man’s anus. 'That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.' He also grouped homosexuals in with terrorists, saying, 'We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love 'em, give 'em the good news about Jesus - whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later, you see what I’m saying?' GLAAD hit back soon after the interview was released online, calling him a ‘stain’ on the network A&E which airs the show. GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz told E! News: 'Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe. 'He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans - and Americans - who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Disgusted: Reverent Jesse Jackson said Robertson's comments make him worse than the bus driver who infamously sent Rosa Parks to the back of the bus . 'Phil's decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.' In addition to his anti-gay rhetoric, the duck hunter also made dubious remarks regarding Louisiana before the Civil Rights Movement. 'I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I'm with the blacks, because we're white trash. We're going across the field,' said Robertson. 'They're singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, 'I tell you what: These doggone white people'—not a word!... Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.' For many, including Reverend Jesse Jackson, who compared Robertson to the driver who sent Rosa Parks to the back of the bus the attempts at damage control by A$E were insufficient. 'These statements uttered by Robertson are more offensive than the bus driver in Montgomery, Alabama, more than 59 years ago,’ Jackson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. ‘At least the bus driver, who ordered Rosa Parks to surrender her seat to a white person, was following state law. 'Robertson’s statements were uttered freely and openly without cover of the law, within a context of what he seemed to believe was “white privilege.”’ In his statement, the 72-year-old civil rights leader demanded to meet within 72 hours with A&E executives and Cracker Barrel’s CEO to discuss the future of Duck Dynasty memorabilia, which rakes in millions of dollars for the network and its star family. Jackson also urged the network to uphold Robertson’s indefinite suspension from the popular program. Stardom: Two of the unlikely reality TV stars of Duck Dynasty, brothers Silas 'Uncle Si' Robertson (left) and Phil Robertson . Robertson's many fans and supporters countered with an online petition, called I Stand with Phil, demanding A&E reinstate Robertson to the show. 'Mr. Robertson’s comments in GQ Magazine are simply reflective of a Biblical view of sexuality, marriage, and family – a view that has stood the test of time for thousands of years and continues to be held by the majority of Americans and today’s world as a whole,' reads the petition, launched by a conservative Christian organization. In addition to the petition, conservative Christians rallied behind Robertson by flooding the A&E New York offices with thousands of rubber duckies as part of the Mail The Duck campaign to reinstate the reality star to his show. Another show of support came in the form of a planned mass eat-in at chicken restaurant Chick-Fil-A. CEO of the fast food restaurant Dan Cathy faced his own scandal after making anti-gay comments. According to Fox News, supporters are planning a 'Chick-Phil-A' day, in which they don camouflage gear and gorge on poultry. The odd show of support is planned for January 21, according to a Facebook page dedicated to the event. Robertson supporters are encouraged to wear 'Duck Commander or camouflage gear' to their local Chick-Fil-A restaurant to 'stand for free speech' and 'sit for good food.' Fast food and freedom: The Facebook page for a planned 'Chick-Phil-A Day' in support of Phil Robertson . It so far has more than 25,000 'likes' and many have expressed their desire to go. 'IM [sic] with Phil. He is right in what he said and how he believes. I will be eating ckicken [sic] to show support for free speech,' wrote one. Another questioned the sudden fervency of the Christian right's support of free speech. 'How many of you "free speech advocates" stood up for the Dixie Chicks . when people wanted to kick them off the radio for using their "free . speech"?' It's unclear what effect the mass consumption of fried chicken was intended to have on Robertson's suspension.The controversy did no damage to the Robertson coffers, either. Sales for the Duck Dynasty Christmas album soared during the holiday season.According to Nielsen, Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas sold 132,000 during the week of December 22, nearly twice the amount of discs sold since its first week on the shelves in October.Sales were high enough to claim the number four spot on the Billboard album charts.The definite end of the Duck Commander's 'indefinite' hiatus has been greeted without surprise by media pundits.Founder of Business Insider Henry Blodget tweeted, 'That Phil Robertson "suspension" was the most brilliant marketing stunt ever. Two weeks ago, I had never even heard of Duck Dynasty!'Funny or Die host Billy Eichner tweeted, 'Very excited A&E is resuming Duck Dynasty with Phil Robertson. We need more ignorant homophobic racists who probably hate women on the air.'The reality show - which follows the Robertson clan running their duck-calling business in the swampland of West Monroe, Louisiana - has been a runaway success for A&E, with a Christmas special recently pulling in 9 million viewers.The millionaire self-described hillbilly's suspension made no impact on the upcoming season of the show and he has missed no filming time. | A&E has announced Phil Robertson will return to Duck Dynasty .
Robertson was briefly suspended after making homophobic comments in GQ magazine .
The network says it does not endorse Robertson's views .
Fans and Christian conservatives came out in force to support Robertson after the suspension .
Detractors say A&E's initial response was not sufficient .
He hasn't missed a single day of filming . |
212,081 | 9ea5482b395e0dd6ed02479228389edec64982fc | (CNN) -- With a few quick strokes of a pen this week, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed into law a widely debated measure that aims to end hundreds of years of racial disparity. Whether the Racial Equality Law will succeed in a nation where about the half the population consists of people of color, but most of the political and economic power resides in white hands, will not be known for years. Some observers say the law will just make matters worse because the inequalities in the nation of more than 201 million people are economic and social, not racial. "It makes Brazil do what Brazil has never done, which is racialize the debate," said Paulo Sotero, director of the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Institute for Scholars. "The way to face it is not to define who is this or who is that, but to create opportunities." About 54 percent of Brazilians are white, 39 percent are mixed race and 6 percent are black, according to the CIA World Factbook. But those distinctions are lost on most Brazilians, Sotero and others say. "I have black ancestors, indigenous ancestors, Portuguese ancestors, and I personally don't give a damn," Sotero said. That's not to say that huge inequalities don't exist. The country's Gross Domestic Product -- the value of goods and services it produces -- was $2 trillion in 2009, the 10th largest in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. But per capita income for the same year was estimated at $10,200, the 105th highest in the world. Simply stated, most of the wealth being produced is not finding its way down to most Brazilians. It's people of color who bear the brunt of that inequality. Brazilians of African descent earn 58 cents for every $1 a white Brazilian makes, according to the government's National Household Survey. This in a country where one of every four Brazilians lives below the poverty level. "The poor generally have darker skin," Sotero said. But that's not because blacks are considered inherently inferior, but because they haven't had the opportunities, analysts say. "The country really favors a meritocracy," said Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, a liberal Washington think tank. "If you had the talent and you had the education, you could succeed," Birns said. "It just so happened that most of the time the whites had the education." Peter Hakim, president emeritus of the Inter-American Dialogue policy institute, notes that "if people move up the social ladder, they're not viewed by a racial prism." Much discrimination has been based on economic class, not race. "It's a class and social issue that sometimes expresses itself as racial," Sotero said. "I'm not saying there is no racism. Yes, there is," he said. "But in Brazil there is no racial hatred." Birns recalls that rich people would place ads in newspapers years ago seeking husbands for their daughters. The ads would note that "race need not matter," he said. "The rich weren't particularly scornful of the blacks," Birns said. "They simply were scornful of those who were poor." Still, though, people of color have faced barriers -- physical and otherwise. "Not long ago," Hakim said, "black people were required to use the service entrance to buildings. Now, that's not so." The Brazilian Senate approved the Racial Equality Statute in June and Lula signed it Tuesday. Senators removed provisions for racial quotas in universities and businesses, but the law offers tax incentives for enterprises that undertake racial inclusion, the Globo newspaper reported Wednesday. The law also defines what constitutes racial discrimination and inequality and says that anyone who considers himself or herself a black or mulatto is covered. In addition, the law stipulates that African and Brazilian black history be taught in all elementary and middle schools. Brazil will hold elections for a new president in October and some observers see adoption of the racial equality law as one of the last pieces of unfinished business before Lula leaves office. "The law is one of a number of things that Lula has done to face up to various Brazilian dilemmas," Birns said. "He has placed issues on the agenda that previously had difficulty being there." Enactment of the measure shows how far the country has come, Hakim said. "Until 10 or 12 years ago," he said, "Brazil was very sensitive about race. Now Brazil has begun to feel a little more relaxed about the whole thing." And the law is significant, Hakim said, because Brazil now is "willing to admit racial discrimination." Observers emphasize it would be a mistake to compare the racial situation in Brazil with the United States. For starters, the definition of who is black is significantly different. "In the United States, a person who has one drop of black blood is considered black," Sotero said, pointing out that President Barack Obama is labeled as black although his mother was white. "In Brazil, it's just the opposite," he said. "A person who has one drop of white blood is considered not black." Brazil's initial pool of African natives also was much larger than in the United States. About 900,000 slaves survived the trip from Africa to the United States, Sotero said, while 3.7 million slaves made it to Brazil. The sheer weight of that many slaves made them a larger part of Brazilian society, he said. Slavery became illegal in the United States in 1865 when Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, while Brazil outlawed slavery in 1888. Sotero sees a major difference in the aftermath in the two countries, though, because much of the racism in the United States was codified into laws that were not overturned until the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 100 years after the end of the Civil War. "There were no JIm Crow laws in Brazil, officially," Sotero said. "There was prejudice, but it was not categorized in law." Says Hakim, "Brazil has a longer history of the two races living side by side." Compared with the United States, he said, "the difference between blacks and whites in Brazil was never that dramatic." As a result, he said, there's a big difference in how African descendants see themselves in each country. "Blacks in the United States recognize themselves mostly as being black first," he said. "In Brazil, they see themselves as being black and Brazilian. "In the United States, race tends to be all-determining. It's not the same in Brazil. There's lots of discrimination, but not this all-too-determining factor." But Brazil's new law could increase racial tensions, Sotero said, because people could start thinking more in those terms. "It's a very controversial measure because it mandates that people identify themselves as black or white," he said. "Most Brazilians would have difficulties to put themselves in a category." Or the law could turn out to be meaningless. "One of the things that could happen with it is nothing," he said. "There are many laws in Brazil that are not fully implemented because there are no resources." Regardless, Hakim said, passage of the law carries weight. "Laws always have two sides," he said. "There's the symbolic side. Progress is always slower." Sotero agrees. "Now we have to implement the law and see what happens." | Brazil's problems are social and economic, not racial, some analysts say .
Many Brazilians don't think in racial terms, the analysts say .
Nearly half of all Brazilians are people of color .
The income gap between whites and people of African descent is nearly 2 to 1 . |
83,044 | eb763dd1e47c616611b5afb44c9bb7943d09e028 | Thirty-five years after the U.S. Olympic hockey team's stunning gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, the once-fuzzy-faced heroes are being feted for their signature accomplishment. Every surviving member of the hockey team reunited for a 'Relive the Miracle' reunion on Saturday in preparation for a celebratory night tonight at Herb Brooks Arena, the hockey rink on Main Street they made famous with one of the most memorable upsets in sports history. Missing is Brooks, the Hall of Fame coach who was killed in a car accident in 2003, and rugged defenseman Bob Suter, who died at age 57 in September. Years later: Mike Eruzione of the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team speaks during a news conference on Saturday in Lake Placid, N.Y. 35 years after the team's stunning gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics . Miracle team: The underdog American team upset the Soviet Union and Finland to win the gold medal in 1980 . Sunday marks the 35th anniversary of when the U.S. took the lead on Friday, Febraury 22, 1980, against the powerful Soviet Union team on Mike Eruzione's goal midway through the third period. Eruzione, who works in alumni relations at Boston University, says the goal and the team's improbable gold medal have changed his life. He says he deals 'with it so often it's hard to believe it's been 35 years' because every week he's doing something or going somewhere that's associated with 1980. The Americans finished the 4-3 upset to the sound of broadcaster Al Michaels' call of, 'Do you believe in miracles?' Two days later, the U.S. beat Finland for the gold. Lake Placid News reports that 15 of the 19 surviving members of the 1980 U.S. hockey team who will be at tonight's program gave a brief press conference this afternoon in the Lake Placid Conference Center. The team paid tribute to Bob Suter, the first member of that team to pass away. Suter, a Wisconsin defenseman, died of a heart attack at age 57 in September, reports NBC. Remembering: Jerseys of Mike Eruzione, Neal Broten, Mark Johnson and Dave Silk, members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team, hang in a locker room at Herb Brooks Arena on Saturday . In celebration: Every surviving member of the hockey team is back for a reunion on Saturday at Herb Brooks Arena, the hockey rink on Main Street they made famous with one of the most memorable wins . 'He did a lot for hockey,' Eruzione said today. 'We all realize at some point we’re going to move on. But nobody thought Bobby, at 57, would not be with us,' he added. Eruzione then asked the people in the room if any were visiting Lake Placid for the first time since 1980. When no one said a word that's when Eruzione stepped back in. 'Ask the bartenders,' he said causing the room to fill with laughter. 'We are the most immature people that you will ever, ever meet,' Eruzione said . Win over Finland: The Americans finished the 4-3 upset to the sound of broadcaster Al Michaels' call of, 'Do you believe in miracles?' and two days later, the U.S. beat Finland for the gold (pictured) Miracle: Mark Wells of the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team speaks during a news conference on Saturday in celebration of his team's miraculous win . Mike Eruzione, center, with other team members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team, speaks during a news conference on Saturday . 'You think we’re grown men? Not happening,' he added. 'Can you imagine that atmosphere in the locker room when we were playing?,' the jokes? Several of the players visited the locker room on Saturday morning but many of them couldn't remember where they sat 35 years ago. The locker room shown in the 2004 film 'Miracle,' with coach Herb Brooks‘ famous speech was much bigger and nicer in comparison to the small locker room. The players were asked what they were thinking before Brooks gave that speech, as they waited to crush the Soviets in an amazing game. 'It definitely wasn’t let’s go out and try not to embarrass ourselves,' said Eruzione. Celebration: Mike Eruzione of the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team cracks jokes at a press conference in Lake Placid today in celebration of the win 35 years ago . Eruzione scored the winning point in the third period, after Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak was infamously pulled by coach Viktor Tikhonov. 'The real story shouldn’t be Tretiak,' Eruzione said. 'The real story is why they scored three goals and not six or seven,' he continued. Before the press conference even began on Saturday, team members gathered on a stage at what would normally be center ice at Herb Brooks Arena where an event will also take place tonight. The arena is formally the Olympic Fieldhouse where the 1980 Olympic games were played. 'We continue to be amazed that it has carried on and lived on in a lot of respects,' forward Dave Christian said. 'It gave people a sense of feeling good. When you think about it, you can’t help but smile.' Eruzione also piped up again talking about how the event warmed the hearts of the nation. 'When the Patriots won the Super Bowl, people in New England are happy,' Eruzione said. 'People in Seattle are not. People in California couldn’t care less. When it’s Olympic Games, it’s a nation.' Player Neal Broten, who scored 923 NHL points, the most among Miracle players, recalled the pre-Olympic game against the Soviets in Madison Square Garden in which the U.S. lost 10-3. 'We were setting them up,'Broten said. 'If you go on a scale from one to 10, we were two and they were 10,' he said while comparing the two teams. Mike Ramsey, a 19-year-old defenseman on the Miracle on Ice team, recalled soviet player Slava Fetisov discussing the Miracle on Ice when they were teammates on the Detroit Red Wings. 'You were on drugs,' Ramsey said Fetisov joked. The press conference ended with the players sharing their favorite quotations from their coach Herb Brooks. Festivities this evening which begin at 7:30 will include audio, video and still pictures, as well as a discussion of the game with the players. Suter's jersey also will be raised to the rafters as a tribute. NBC also plans to anchor its 'Hockey Day in America' coverage from Lake Placid on Sunday and feature the team. Several team members also are hosting a five-day fantasy camp beginning March 29 that so far has attracted more than 50 participants. | Thirty-five years after the U.S. Olympic hockey team's stunning gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympic the teammates are being honored .
Every surviving member of the hockey team reunited for a 'Relive the Miracle' reunion .
Missing is Brooks, the Hall of Fame coach who was killed in a car accident in 2003, and defenseman Bob Suter, who died at age 57 in September .
Sunday marks the 35th anniversary of when the U.S. took the lead on Friday, Febraury 22, 1980, against the powerful Soviet Union team . |
38,377 | 6c80c466ceecb5e62e278e4b3714bbb02450e1e2 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 05:11 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:02 EST, 18 September 2012 . Jailed: Burglar Paramkesh Ballgobin switched on a PlayStation and played a football game for four hours after he fell into a youth centre through a ceiling . Most crooks would immediately begin looking for a way to escape if they found themselves trapped in a building they were trying to burgle. But Paramkesh Ballgobin was in no hurry to leave after he fell 12ft through a ceiling into a youth training centre - he switched on a PlayStation and played a football game for four hours. CCTV footage shows how the jobless criminal took time to pace about the centre and even removed some of his clothes before he lay back to relax in front of the games console. Ballgobin became trapped after he fell through a suspended ceiling at the Road 2 Success training centre in Sutton, South London, at 2.30am on September 6. The 20-year-old serial shoplifter, who has an Asbo banning him from Sutton town centre, made himself a cup of tea and tried to get the television to work. But he became angry when he couldn't operate the remote control and so carried on playing football game FIFA on the PlayStation instead. At one point, CCTV cameras caught him ripping a poster off the wall which said: 'Some people are gay, get over it'. It was only at about 6.30am - some four hours after he fell - that Ballgobin realised he would need to concentrate on getting out before youth workers arrived. He eventually found a ladder in the centre - formerly called Sutton and District Training Centre - and clambered back out of the hole he had fallen through. Ballgobin was arrested six days later after youth workers and police recognised him. He was jailed for a month at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court last Thursday after he pleaded guilty to burglary. Scroll down to watch the CCTV . Taking his time: Ballgobin holds a PlayStation controller with both hands as he plays the FIFA football game . Relaxing: With his mind focused on the game rather than trying to escape, Ballgobin leans back in his chair . Ballgobin had been trying to get into the youth centre, which helps youngsters with literacy and in finding jobs, through the roof. But he tumbled on to a table below after misplacing his footing on the suspended ceiling. A tutor at the centre, Aaron McCormack, said the burglar's fall had caused damage costing about £2,000 to repair. Mr McCormack added: 'He’s so lucky. He could have killed himself. 'When we looked through the CCTV we saw him trying to get the TV to work. I think he was getting the hump because the TV remote wasn’t working. On camera: Ballgobin was caught on CCTV after falling 12ft into the youth centre through a suspended ceiling . Contempt: Ballgobin screws up a poster after it ripping it from a wall. It read: 'Some people are gay, get over it' Comfortable: The burglar takes off some of his clothes as he makes himself at home in the centre . 'He finds himself a KFC cup to supply his drinks all morning and then he just gets a chair out and then sits and plays the Playstation playing FIFA. 'It wouldn’t be such an issue if he’d just come in and played Playstation - we work hard in these training rooms.' BIZARRE CCTV! Burglar fell through roof of centre and then played FIFA for FOUR HOURS . Ballgobin was jailed for three weeks on August 8 this year by Croydon magistrates for breaching his Asbo. The court heard at the time that he had been given the Asbo on June 14 after repeatedly being caught shoplifting in the area and harassing shoppers. Exit: At 6.30am, four hours after his fall, the burglar fetches a ladder and plans his escape from the centre . Drop-in centre: The burglar's fall caused damage to the training venue costing about £2,000 to repair . | Paramkesh Ballgobin made himself at home after plunging 12ft into the training centre in Sutton, South London .
Cameras caught him making a cup of tea and even taking some of his clothes off .
Serial shoplifter, 20, had an Asbo banning him from the town centre . |
284,973 | fd455c3458f64cc1afa78345f2af23c8bd0185ca | An unusual planet, six times the size of earth, that is located 40 light-years outside our solar system, has been found to have a 'water-rich' atmosphere that has a strange 'plasma form' of water, scientists have said. Japanese astronomers examined the atmosphere of the alien planet using specialist cameras with a blue filter to observe planetary transits of super-Earth Gliese 1214 b. The research team said that while its atmosphere is water-rich, the planet is not habitable like our Earth, as it has atmospheric temperatures that reach 280 degrees Celsius. An unusual planet, six times the six of earth, that is located just 40 light-years outside our solar system, has been found to have a 'water-rich' atmosphere that has a 'plasma form' of water, astronomers have said. Here is an artist's rendition of a transit of GJ 1214 b in blue light. The blue sphere represents the host star GJ 1214 and the black ball in front of it is GJ 1214 b . While the planet's atmosphere contains water, it is still dramatically different to the Earth's . The scientists from the National Astronomical Observatory in Japan had set out to determine whether the planet has an atmosphere of water or hydrogen and used Subaru Telescope's two optical cameras with a blue transmission filter to study the scattering of light from the planet. They then combined their findings with previous observations in other colours to conclude the atmosphere contains 'significant' amounts of water. Principle investigator Norio Narita, told Space.com: 'As the temperature and pressure are so . high, water is not in a usual form (vapor, liquid, or solid), but in an . ionic or plasma form at the bottom the atmosphere - namely the interior - . of Gliese 1214 b.' The alien planet, which is located some 40 light-years away from our solar system in the constellation Ophiuchus, orbits a cooler star than our sun. Artist's rendition of the relationship between the composition of the atmosphere and transmitted colours of light of an alien planet. Top: If the sky has a clear, upward-extended, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere, Rayleigh scattering disperses a large portion of the blue light from the atmosphere of the host while it scatters less of the red light. As a result, a transit in blue light becomes deeper than the one in red light. Middle: If the sky has a less extended water-rich atmosphere, the effect of the Rayleigh scattering is much weaker than in a hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. Bottom: If the sky has extensive clouds, most of the light cannot be transmitted through the atmosphere . But it is around 70 times closer than the Earth to its sun and makes its journey around the low-mass star once every 38 hours. As is is so close, temperatures on the huge planet can reach a staggering 280°C or 540° Farenheit, but it is the planet's density that is surprising. While Gliese 1214 b is six times as large as earth, it is less than three times in width to be as big as a planet in between the size of Earth and Neptune. Dr Narita said: 'At high pressure and high temperature, the behaviour of water is quite different from that on the Earth.' While astronomers believe water is an essential ingredient for Earth-like life on a planet, and Gliese 1214 b has plenty of water, Dr Narita does not not think it is habitable because of its close orbit. 'Although water . vapour can exist in the atmosphere, liquid water - namely oceans - would . not exist on the surface of this planet. So unfortunately, we . do not think this planet would be habitable.' As the planet does not have a solid surface, it is difficult to estimate the height of the atmosphere, but the scientists think it could be around 30km - around three times deeper than our Earth's. They also believe plasma water could be hidden inside the planet but are unsure if they will ever be able to find the high pressure ices inside the super-Earth that they suspect are there. The unusual planet was originally discovered as part of the MEarth Project, which tracks over 2,000 low-mass stars. | Japanese astronomers examined the atmosphere of the alien planet using specialist cameras with a blue filter .
Super-Earth Gliese 1214 b is located just 40 light-years outside our solar system and while it has water, it is thought to be uninhabitable .
Scientists from the National Astronomical Observatory in Japan said the planet is around 70 times closer than the Earth to its sun . |
115,309 | 20ce2ffa8b4f42b809d1bca3dc9be97d0bc5d7f9 | (CNN) -- The last prime minister to serve under ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was referred to trial on corruption charges by an investigative judge, officials said. The charges against Ahmed Shafik, the runner-up in Egypt's presidential election, arise from allegations made against him while he served as the nation's civil aviation minister under Mubarak. "He faces charges of profiteering and facilitating illegal acquisition of state funds," Adel Saeed, spokesman for the general prosecutor's office, said Sunday. Shafik was one of ten former civil aviation ministry officials referred to trial, Saeed said. Egyptian prosecutors have already ordered the arrest and extradition of Shafik in a separate corruption case involving the alleged illegal sale of real estate to Mubarak's sons. Shafik narrowly lost a June presidential runoff to Mohamed Morsy in what was Egypt's first election since Mubarak was ousted from office during a popular uprising in 2011. He left Egypt for the United Arab Emirates shortly after the vote, though his attorney told CNN at the time that Shafik was not fleeing the country but leaving out of concern for security. But Shafik on Sunday appeared to counter that claim. "I traveled after the election in anticipation of unexpected persecution and that was proven to be true and a deliberate attack," he wrote in a post on Twitter. He accused his detractors of using the judiciary as part of a "character assassination" and vowed to stand up to what he described as a manipulation of the law. Shafik garnered international attention in the waning days of Mubarak's rule. Read more: Ahmed Shafik: Egypt's 'counter-revolutionary candidate' As Egyptians rose up in January 2011, Mubarak shuffled his government ministers in attempt to hold on to power and promoted Shafik from civil aviation minister to prime minister. Mubarak was toppled less than two weeks later, but Shafik remained in power for a few weeks longer, saying he and his government would report to the military council that took control of the country after Mubarak resigned. Shafik himself resigned on March 3, 2011, after a brief effort to keep Mubarak and his allies from being prosecuted following their ouster. Shafik has been the target of particular anger from the Muslim Brotherhood, the country's venerable Islamic opposition movement that backed Morsy. Ahead of the presidential election, the Muslim Brotherhood called for a mass protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of the Egyptian revolution, against the candidacies of Shafik and Omar Suleiman, Mubarak's long-time head of intelligence. Both were disqualified from running, but Shafik successfully appealed against the ruling. Suleiman died in July. | An investigative judge has referred Ahmed Shafik to trial on charges of corruption .
He narrowly lost to Mohammed Morsy in the presidential election .
Shafik is also charged in a separate corruption case over real estate dealings . |
118,726 | 254c2c25bd222133a808961dcd1d5411c4ca1f66 | After eight years running a bar, Laura Maggi suddenly found men beating a path to her door. Not for the quality of her coffee and aperitifs, but because she had started appearing for work in highly revealing outfits. Hundreds of male customers flocked there day and night, leaving their cars double parked in the surrounding streets. Congestion became such a problem that the lady mayor announced she was considering an emergency bylaw to limit traffic in the area. Causing controversy: Laura Maggi, 34, who runs a bar called Le Cafe, has dominated newspapers and TV chat shows, after pictures of her dressed in barely anything appeared on the internet . Pulling more than a pint: The women folk of Bagnolo Mella, . near Brescia, which is where Manchester City ace Mario Balotelli is . from, are up in arms and said that they had banned their partners from going to Le Cafe . Main attraction: On the walls of Le Cafe there are pictures of Laura, dressed in a bikini on holiday - while in other snaps she is wrapped in an American Stars and Stripes flag. Yet more pictures of her, semi-naked, have been turned into a calendar . You're not going anywhere: Bagnolo's mayor Cristina Almici has also banned her husband from going to Laura's bar and said: 'We have received several complaints from women in the town about the bar' Now women in the small northern Italian town of Bagnolo Mella have declared Le Cafe out of bounds to their menfolk – and 34-year-old Miss Maggi has become a national celebrity. Yesterday she was a guest on the Italian equivalent of This Morning and said: ‘I don’t see what the problem is – it’s just a bit of harmless fun. ‘If the guys come here what can I do? 'I know I have upset the women but that’s not my problem. 'It’s not my fault if guys want to come and have a drink in my bar.’ She added that some customers were travelling up to 70 miles just to have a coffee in her bar. On the walls of Le Cafe are pictures of Miss Maggi in a bikini on holiday. She has 5,000 new friends on Facebook while a local poll found that 46 per cent of respondents said partners of her male customers should be ‘asking themselves why their partners prefer Laura to them’. Several wives from the town have been on TV to complain. One said: ‘It is outrageous and should not be allowed. ‘This town is quiet and respectable. Now we are known across the whole country because of the little amount of clothing this barmaid is wearing to serve drinks. ‘The women in town are not very happy and we have complained to the council.’ Enjoyment: 'I don't see what the problem is - it's . just a bit of harmless fun. I like to dress in an attractive way and I . like to have fun,' Laura said on an Italian TV show . Selling point: 'If the guys come here, what can I do? I know I have upset the women but that's not my problem,' said the bar owner . Bagnolo’s mayor Cristina Almici said: ‘We have received several complaints from women about the bar and we are looking at what we can do with regard to public order. ‘There has been a huge influx of traffic into the town since the news of Laura started to spread and this has led to incidents of bad parking and some minor acts of vandalism. ‘We can’t stop people from going to her bar and I know it is very popular with men in the town – personally I don’t see any problem with how she looks or dresses. 'If anything, it’s the men who go there who have a problem.’ She added, however: ‘My husband is certainly not allowed to go there.’ Crowd pleaser: 'People have been turning up from 70 miles away just to have a drink here,' says the proud bar lady . No blame: 'It's not my fault if guys want to come and have a drink in my bar,' says the owner . Quiet town of Bagnolo Mella: An online poll in the local Brescia newspaper asked readers what their opinion was and the majority, 46%, said that women should be 'asking themselves why their partners prefer Laura to them' | Bagnolo's mayor has banned her husband from going to the bar .
'I have upset the women but that's not my problem,' says Laura Maggi .
Attracted so many customers that the mayor is now considering an emergency bylaw to cope with the huge amount of traffic . |
217,879 | a61601cc922b3ca9f5c72eb4fdd516bf992a2c9a | By . Tom Kelly . and Nick Fagge . Free: Shajul Islam, who was accused of kidnapping a British journalist in Syria, leaving Belmarsh prison last night. All charges were dropped today . An NHS doctor accused of kidnapping two journalists in Syria is expected to return to practising medicine in Britain after the case against him collapsed yesterday. Shajul Islam was alleged to have been a ‘key figure’ in the militant group that abducted British photographer John Cantlie and his Dutch colleague Jeroen Oerlemans. The pair were held at gunpoint, shackled and blindfolded, and told to prepare to ‘meet their maker’ after straying into a terror camp while covering the civil war in Syria last year. Islam and his alleged accomplice, fellow British resident Jubayer Chowdhury, walked free after prosecutors said the victims were unable to give evidence. The doctor’s brother, Najul Islam, who was accused of helping to bankroll the operation and supplying equipment, was also formally cleared. Islam, 27, from Stratford in East London, was given an interim suspension by the General Medical Council after being charged last year. But the suspension could be dropped after his acquittal and his friends say that if it is, they expect him to return to medicine as soon as possible. Islam had always denied involvement in the kidnapping and said he travelled to Syria on a humanitarian mission soon after completing his training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. Prosecutors had claimed at a previous hearing that he joined a camp of jihadists, including 15 British nationals, and became a ‘key figure’ because, as a doctor, he was ‘much respected’. The journalists were taken hostage in July last year because the jihadists believed they were spies when they entered the camp to try to interview rebel fighters, the earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told. Allegation: John Cantlie, a British photojournalist, who was held captive by Islamic extremists in Syria for nine days before the Free Syrian Army stormed the camp and freed him and Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans . Mr Cantlie and Mr Oerlemans feared . they would be executed and tried to escape, but were shot at and . injured, the hearing was told. They were released after nine days when the Free Syria Army stormed the camp near the border with Turkey. Denial: Henry Blaxland QC said Mr Islam played no part in any acts of terrorism or false imprisonment . Islam was arrested at Heathrow last October after he arrived on a flight from Egypt with his wife and one-year-old daughter. He and Chowdhury, 25, had both denied unlawful imprisonment under terror laws. Islam’s brother Najul, 32, had denied engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. The . three men had been expected to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court in . Surrey yesterday, but at the start of the hearing, prosecutor Mark . Dennis QC said: ‘The two victims in the case are the two prosecution . witnesses on which the case rested wholly on their evidence. ‘The prosecution are unable to call either victim for the purposes of the trial listed.’ Mr . Dennis added: ‘We notified the defence on Friday evening that the . prosecution will be offering no evidence when the case was listed.’ He then told the court: ‘I formally offer no evidence.’ He gave no reasons why the victims were unable to give evidence. Judge Nicholas Price QC said: ‘I understand, and I formally record verdicts of not guilty for each of the three defendants.’ Henry . Blaxland QC, for Islam, told the court his client ‘played no part in . any kidnappings and is relieved that this case has come to an end and he . has been cleared’. Last week MI5 head Andrew Parker told a parliamentary committee the threat of ‘terror tourism’ to Syria was growing. He . warned: ‘We’ve seen low hundreds of people from this country go to . Syria for periods and come back – some large numbers are still there – . and get involved in fighting. It is a very important strand of the . threat we face.’ | Shajul Islam was due to stand trial alongside co-accused Jubair Chowdhury and his brother Najul Islam at Kingston Crown Court but walked free today .
The trio were accused of kidnapping and assisting the kidnap of two photojournalists John Cantlie and Dutchman Jeroen Oerlemans .
CPS dropped case as it emerged the alleged victims could not give evidence . |
102,252 | 0fc563f4a4050f1837a115d8ec1e36608b6df8de | 'Curmudgeonly': The host o Radio 4’s Today programme revealed his daughter had nominated him for the challenge - but has dismissed it as a 'stunt' It has been embraced by pop stars and politicians and raised millions for charity. But BBC presenter John Humphrys has criticised the Ice Bucket Challenge as a ‘stunt’, saying we should give because we want to help good causes, not because of fads. The host of Radio 4’s Today programme revealed his daughter had nominated him for the challenge – in which people donate money after filming themselves being doused in ice water, before nominating someone else. Famous participants include former US president George Bush, pop star Justin Bieber, David Beckham and Hollywood star Tom Cruise, raising more than £60million for US motor neurone charity the ALS Association, and more than £3million for Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK. But Mr Humphrys, 71, said: ‘It’s certainly been hugely successful at raising awareness of the hideous motor neurone disease and it’s undoubtedly raised a lot of money. ‘But as someone who set up his own modest charity a few years ago, I have mixed feelings about persuading people to support a charity with stunts. ‘Is it too sanctimonious to say that charity should be about giving because it’s a worthwhile cause that we really want to help?’ Writing in Waitrose Weekend magazine, he added: ‘Still, it’s preferable to all those appeals from people who ask for your help for something they’re madly keen to do anyway. ‘We’ve all had the letters: “I plan to raise loads of money for my local cats’ home by cycling around Cuba. Please help!” ‘I’m always tempted to reply: “If you really want to help your local cats’ home, why not stay home and give them all the money it will cost to send you on a lovely holiday?” Mr Humphrys – who has a son and daughter with his first wife Edna and a 13-year-old son with BBC presenter Valerie Sanderson – set up the Kitchen Table Charities Trust in 2005. Its purpose is to raise money for other small charities that do not have their own fundraising arms, and it is opposed to ‘charity as big business’. Mr Humphrys admitted his views might seem a little ‘curmudgeonly’, but he said he was dismayed when his editor on Today recently joked that he would be expected to complete the Ice Bucket Challenge on air. Describing his immediate reaction, he said: ‘Unwelcome and, given a moment’s thought, unlikely – but just about plausible. I should be so plucky: Kylie Minogue completes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge alongside her designer friend Stefano Gabbana . ‘It wouldn’t be the first time we’d done something daft on Today and, given the relentless tide of dire news over the summer, maybe the audience needed a bit of a break. ‘But not this! Not on Today! Surely my editor was winding me up. He was. Crisis and potential presenter rebellion averted.’ He added: ‘The problem is, charity has become big business and fundraising is all about clever marketing. Pity they can’t let the cause speak for itself.’ | Host of Radio 4's Today show revealed his daughter had nominated him .
Participants include former US president George Bush and Tom Cruise .
Said he had 'mixed feelings' about charities using 'stunts' to get donations .
Admitted that his views may come across as a little ‘curmudgeonly’ |
125,723 | 2e85ed0bca2f8d74dcf423f2da53c97da48f61f9 | Whitney Port and Julien Macdonald will not be returning for cycle 9 . Elle said she is 'very excited' about working with fellow Australian Dannii . Dannii already has successful fashion line Project D . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:53 EST, 20 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:59 EST, 20 December 2012 . After a huge slump in ratings, Simon Cowell was desperate to re-sign Dannii Minogue as an X Factor judge. But the Australian beauty has snubbed her former fling and signed up to join the judging panel on fashion show Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model instead. The star is no stranger to being in the judges seat and already runs her own successful fashion line Project D, so is sure to fit right in alongside Elle MacPherson and actor Tyson Beckford on the panel. Signed up: Dannii Minogue has signed as a judge on Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model alongside Elle Macpherson . The 41-year-old has reportedly signed a six-figure deal with Sky Living, which is sure to leave Simon Cowell seething. Dannii, who will begin work in February, said: 'I am brushing up on my model moves and with my highest platform heels on, I am excited to come face to face with (well maybe look up to) the glamazons of BINTM 2013. 'Next Top Model has always been a part of my essential TV viewing and I am so excited to be back in the UK for Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model’s ninth series.' she told The Mirror. 'Mentoring and judging has been a major part of my life since 2007. It will be great to strut some fashion and modeling experience with the girls. Not happy: Simon Cowell isn't likely to be happy that Dannii snubbed his offer to judge X Factor . 'I remember Elle’s first magazine cover in Australia and I have been a fan of hers since then. 'I am looking forward to joining Elle, Tyson and the contestants to find the next biggest star. 'It’s an exciting time to be part of the Sky Living team. Bring on 2013.” Elle Macpherson said: 'I am so pleased to once again be Executive Producing and hosting Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model, which has become a jewel in Sky Living’s summer schedule. Fashion label: Dannii is well versed in fashion and her line Project D is loved by the Middleton sisters . 'I am really enthusiastic about working with Dannii. I have watched her blossom into a powerhouse in fashion and television and believe she will bring a fresh energy to the show – plus she’s gorgeous.' Julien Macdonald and Whitney Port will not return for the ninth cycle of Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model with the controversial Macdonald reportedly wanting to focus on his fashion label. Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model will begin on Sky Living in the Summer 2013. | Whitney Port and Julien Macdonald will not be returning for cycle 9 .
Elle said she is 'very excited' about working with fellow Australian Dannii .
Dannii already has successful fashion line Project D . |
147,785 | 4b1a9d2e9ba7fa2f16a225ebc8e7a1a408f734be | In a quiet corner of north west London, Dereck Chisora is finalising his preparations for his heavyweight rematch with Tyson Fury. Chisora spends 45 minutes training in front of the watching media, looking considerably slimmer than the man who lost to Fury three years ago. In the background, the dulcet tones of the Bee Gees provide a rather sharp contrast to a man intent on causing destruction. VIDEO Scroll down for Dereck Chisora: I've been working on how to fight like Ali . Dereck Chisora was pictured shooting last week in Scotland where he had a training camp near Ben Nevis . Chisora has a rematch with Tyson Fury on Saturday and wants revenge after being beaten three years ago . Chisora is now focusing his sights only on beating Fury in their rematch on Saturday . Chisora takes part in an open work out ahead of his fight with Fury . Chisora is desperate to get revenge on Fury after his defeat in 2011 . Chisora is a man who divides opinion. One on hand, he gave Vitali Klitschko a torrid time over 12 rounds in February in 2012. But an hour later he was involved in a disgraceful brawl with David Haye at the post-fight press conference. Fury may be ordered to shave off his beard ahead of the fight on Saturday night . Fury is looking for a repeat of his win over Chisora in 2011 when the two meet again on Saturday . Since losing to Haye five months later, however, and after a heart-to-heart with his mum, Chisora overhauled his training regime and put together a run of five consecutive victories. He has been preparing to take on Fury at a training camp near Ben Nevis in Scotland, where he was pictured going shooting last week. Chisora appeared in good spirits, and seemed relaxed at one of Scotland's most picturesque surroundings. Chisora (left) poses alongside Fury (right) and promoter Frank Warren (centre) But here, three days out from the fight, he is in one of his surly moods. 'I'm in a better place than the first fight,' he said. 'I'm more mature and more experienced. I'm a dad now and there's nothing better in the world than being a dad. 'I've been working on being more mobile and I want to get the fight rolling. 'The way I've got this fight planned out, by round seven he'll be 5ft 5in. Fury (right) throws a punch in the ring in the match where he beat Chisora (left) three years ago . 'I'm in my prime; heavyweights peak in their 30s and that's what's happening to me now. 'It's going to be a great fight.' Thankfully for Dereck Chisora, words are not all he has. Chisora vs Fury is live on Box Nation on Saturday . | Dereck Chisora wants revenge after defeat to Tyson Fury three years ago .
He said he is more experienced and matured ahead of the bout .
He has been at a training camp near Ben Nevis preparing for the encounter . |
115,597 | 212c710a166c6527dce08ada7ac84e2dd408b24c | Omagh, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- A Catholic police officer was killed in a blast on Saturday in Northern Ireland, said police and politicians at the scene. Police said an explosive device detonated under a car in the Highfield Close area of Omagh, Northern Ireland, in the afternoon. The victim -- Ronan Kerr -- was 25 years old and had recently joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland. "Tonight, tragedy has returned to Omagh," PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott told reporters. "I have no words to describe the awfulness of this afternoon, and my abhorrence and anger at this wasted life. And I know that anger and abhorrence is shared by all decent people in Northern Ireland and across Ireland and across the world." Thirteen years ago, a bombing in Omagh killed 29 people and wounded more than 300. "This heinous crime will not succeed in its evil intent of destroying the peaceful and democratic future to which the people of Northern Ireland are so clearly committed," said Irish President Mary McAleese. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time." The head of the Catholic church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, similarly condemned the killing. "The deliberate taking of innocent human life is always wrong," he said. "I implore the perpetrators of this shameful killing to realise the futility of their actions, and to call off this senseless campaign." Northern Ireland was the scene of frequent violence between pro-Irish and pro-British forces over a period of three decades. About 3,000 people were killed before a power-sharing deal known as the Good Friday Agreement was reached in 1998. Some dissident groups remain active. | The Irish president and the head of the Catholic church in Ireland offer their condolences .
The incident occurred in Omagh, site of a deadly bombing in 1998 .
The victim was a Catholic police officer .
The officer recently joined the Northern Ireland police service . |
136,805 | 3cfa9e1b8a827b47af1ce343920297812bf3bb3a | The Fukushima site, the scene of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, has become a tourist attraction. Local government tour guides are now escorting buses of people through the area, explaining what has become of the disaster zone. Back in 2011, three of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant's six reactors blew up following a tsunami, releasing radioactive gases that meant the whole area had to be evacuated. Fukushima Prefecture has been abandoned since the nuclear blow-up back in 2011 . Locals hope opening the area up as a tourist attraction can stimulate a mass rebuild . However, with contamination levels said to be 'low', people are being permitted on whistle-stop tours to view the desolate and abandoned place. Although there were no fatalities from radiation exposure, 300,000 residents were moved from a 20-mile radius of the nuclear plant. In total there were nearly 16,000 deaths reported from the natural disaster and subsequent devastation. Three of the six reactors blew up when a tsunami measuring 9 on the Richter scale hit the region. Clean-up expected to take decades, and cost more than £18 billion. An investigation panel deduced the disaster had major elements of being 'man-made,' and there was a ''culture of complacency about nuclear safety and poor crisis management.' When asked what people say when they see the area for the first time, tour organiser Yusuke Kato told CNN: 'At first, they say unbelievable.' With soil and water contaminated, nobody can live there yet, and it is unknown when the clean-up mission will be completed. Former residents like Kenichi Bamba are optimistic that Fukushima Prefecture can be rebuilt, but the pain of what happened is still raw. 'Actually I've come here several times but still… I cannot say anything. Just sad. Just sad.' The nuclear plant is still being taken apart, and it is estimated it will take decades to make the area safe, as well as cost billions of pounds. Surveys show only a fifth of former residents want to return to living in the area. However, tour guides hope by educating tourists and sharing their experiences of what Fukushima once was, people can be inspired and help rebuild the prefecture. Kato added: 'We want to encourage local people for the revitilisation of Fukushima.' Contamination levels are low, which means people can, for a limited time, view the destruction site . A tsunami led to a terrible chain of events that still sees Fukushima uninhabitable to this day . The plant has six reactors, three of which were offline when disaster struck on March 11, 2011. A magnitude-9.0 earthquake triggered a huge tsunami which swept into the plant and knocked out its backup power and cooling systems, leading to meltdowns at the three active reactors. Decommissioning and dismantling all six reactors is a delicate, time-consuming process that includes removing the melted fuel from a highly radioactive environment, as well as all the extra fuel rods, which sit in cooling pools at the top of the reactor buildings. Workers, who wear protective suits when dismantling the plant, must determine the exact condition of the melted fuel debris and develop remote-controlled and radiation-resistant robotics to deal with it. The process is expected to take at least 40 years. | Fukushima Prefecture decimated by nuclear disaster back in 2011 .
Government tour guides now educate tourists about the disaster .
Locals hope one day the prefecture can be inhabitable and rebuilt . |
172,622 | 6b64534a9f8e7b925d2619a96eb2da910b2f3ce9 | Worst fears confirmed: Arthur Neal Jr, 86, who was last seen alive at his home in Detroit December 20, has been found stabbed to death . An 86-year-old Detroit man who went missing in December after winning $20,000 in the lottery has been found stabbed to death. The body of Arthur Neal Jr., who was reported missing December 28, was discovered Sunday afternoon inside a vacant house in the 15800 block of Mansfield Street, about three miles from his home. Police say Neal was found in the basement of the residence, and his body was covered. An autopsy determined the octogenarian died from multiple stab wounds, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said. Family members told local media that Neal won $20,000 in the lottery December 19, and it is believed that he vanished the next day. A missing persons reported was filed a week later. Police have not been able to confirm the lottery win, said Detroit Police spokeswoman Nicole Kirkwood. Neal's death is now being investigated as a homicide. 'He's 86 years old. He can't hurt anybody. Why would they do anything like this? I don't understand,' Neal's granddaughter Christina Hall told the station WXYZ. Hall has made an appeal to the public asking for anyone with information on her grandfather's killer to come forward. Neal was last seen alive at his home on Trinity Street in Detroit December 20. His other granddaughter Lawanda Marshall said a few days after his disappearance they had become concerned after he failed to show up for Christmas, as he would not have missed Christmas with his family. Scroll down for video . Grisly find: Neal has been found with multiple stab wounds in the basement of this vacant house in the 15800 block of Mansfield Street . According to his relatives, Neal had recently won $20,000 in a lottery game, but had no plans to leave town. There is no word at this time if Neal had cashed his prize before his killing. Marshall said that the information about his lottery win was widely publicized and his family think this could be the reason he has vanished into thin air. Marshall said: 'It bothers me greatly because I don't think that's the type of information that should have seeped out – if that was the case – especially that neighborhood in which he was staying and reside.' Neal's family said they went to his house to check on him and found his home in disarray and a door left ajar, which raised their suspicions further. Marshall described her grandfather to Mlive.com as a physically and mentally strong man who still did masonry work despite his advance age and was 'joyful.' | Arthur Neal Jr, 86, was found stabbed multiple times in vacant home in Detroit Sunday .
He was last seen alive at his home on Trinity Street December 20 .
It is believed he won $20,000 in the lottery a day before his disappearance . |
159,195 | 59c632ad334524db3be6d31c589bb5f3f83d0f8f | A 15-year-old froze to death just yards from his home after police failed to conduct a thorough search following reports of screams at 2am, an inquest heard. Leon Cudworth was discovered in an alley in Oldham, Manchester at 7.30am on February 15 after braving temperatures of three degrees celcius wearing nothing but a flimsy jacket, T-shirt, jeans and shoes following a night out drinking with friends. His cause of death was ruled as hypothermia and acute alcohol intoxication by Home Office pathologist Dr Philip Lumb. Neighbours had awoke at 2am to hear a boy crying and shouting 'Dad, Dad' and called police. But responding officers admitted they did not examine the area fully telling the inquest that in hindsight 'we should have done more.' Leon Cudworth (pictured) was found dead on February 15, just yards from his home, after he is believed to have succumbed to hypothermia following a night out with pals . The tragedy occurred on Valentines Day this year after the popular schoolboy went for a night out at Aspins and Danielles bars in the Lees area. The teenager spoke with his father Michael at around 11.30pm telling him he was in a wine bar and would be home around midnight. But one of his neighbours on Ripponden Road, Oldham awoke in the early hours of February 15 and heard noises coming from the back of her house which overlooks an unlit alleyway. Tracy Royal said that she had heard a number of bangs adding: 'It was like a punching bang and I woke up. It was quite loud. I heard a young boy and he was shouting 'dad dad.' 'At first I thought it was someone who had been locked out, left their keys and been locked out and trying to get in. I did get up and look through the blinds and I could still hear the shouting, he was crying and sounded tired. 'I got up again to have a look at about 2.40am and looked out the window again but I didn't see anything. I thought he had got in the house. I felt awful because I could have phoned the police.' But another neighbour Sarah Collins was so concerned she phoned the police after believing she could hear a female screaming. Floral tributes were left at the scene where Leon was found on February this year after telling his dad he was at a wine bar and "wouldn't be long" after speaking with him on the phone . She told the inquest: 'I heard a screaming or shouting noise. I sleep with my bedroom window open so it was quite clear. Originally I thought it was some animals like foxes screeching. 'It carried on and carried on it sounded like a person. Screaming and screeching but also like mumbling noises, it sounded like a couple of people. 'That continued for quite a while and it was about 2am. I got up out of bed went downstairs and made a drink. I got back in bed after about 10 minutes and I could still hear it. 'At that point I phoned the police. I was concerned that somebody was being attacked - the volume and intensity of the noise and the length of time it was going on. The location where the schoolboy was found on the morning of February 15 this year, just yards from his home in Oldham, and a signed Manchester City football club shirt left at the scene . 'It's not unusual to hear noises but unusual to hear noises of that nature. 'It was pretty consistent at that time. I had looked out at the window but couldn't see anything.' She said she stayed up and watched the police arrive around five to 10 minutes later. She added: 'I think there were two I think one was in the car. One got out with the torch and I think one was in the car. He didn't really go far. 'He stayed quite close to the car. I know that he only looked at the land directly behind.' The patrolmen left a few minutes later. The hearing heard PC Steven Norris, who searched the area in the hours before Leon was found dead, had got out of the patrol car but had no working torch while his colleague PC Andrew Peters, who did have a torch, had only looked in one direction and had wandered into a field. 'With hindsight we should have extended the search,' said PC Norris. 'We should have done more. What we did at the time, I thought it was sufficient.' Ripponden Road, in Oldham, where neighbours reported hearing a young lad calling out 'dad dad' while another had initially assumed that the shouting and screeching noises had been animal . PC Peters added: 'When I think back on my actions I believe that I should have checked to the right as well. At one point I heard a noise it sounded like a female, very briefly, but it was quite a distance away. If I believed the noise was coming from anywhere nearby I would have investigated.' Leon's father told the hearing he had made contact with his son who said that 'he wouldn't be long.' He then went to bed and although he was a 'light sleeper' woke up the following morning at at 9am realised that Leon wasn't in his bed and tried calling him on his phone. He said: 'I spoke to a couple of his friends who he was with the night before to see if he was there, both were surprised that he wasn't home.' He told the inquest that he was to see a police cordon close to his home and received a text message from a friend saying that police had found a body. He added: 'I said Leon hadn't come home. I just needed to know - my mind was all over the place. I went back up and spoke to the police.' Floral tributes were left at the scene where Leon was found after it is feared he succumbed to hypothermia . The hearing at Heywood Coroner's Court, was told Leon was the youngest of four children and that he had grown up to be 'lively and fun' and a popular sportsman, playing both football and rugby and riding BMX bokes. Tests showed he suffered from hypothermia and would have been more than twice the legal limit for driving. Toxicology tests revealed Leon's blood alcohol level was 173 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit for driving is 80mg. Home Office pathologist Dr Lumb said it was very difficult to determine when Leon had died. He added: 'One of the main risk factors in this case is alcohol it can cause significant risk of hypothermia developing, judgement could be poor, may not realise that getting cold. 'Alcohol concentration was high it may have affected judgement hypothermia can develop relatively quickly. The cold can kill within minutes hypothermia causes confusion as well.' The inquest continues. | Leon Cudworth was found by a passer-by yards from his Manchester home .
His cause of death was ruled as hypothermia and acute alcohol intoxication .
Neighbours called police after hearing a boy shouting 'Dad, Dad'
But officers failed to find Leon, admitting 'we should have done more'
Temperatures dropped to just three degrees celcius overnight .
The 15 year-old was declared dead by paramedics before 8am next morning . |
22,170 | 3eeb962682c36957a4a4a93ca1d76987863ad5bf | (CNN) -- The president of Guinea-Bissau was assassinated Monday morning, a day after an explosion killed the head of the West African country's military, the prime minister said. Circumstances of Joao Bernardo Vieira's death are unclear. It was not immediately clear how President Joao Bernardo Vieira, 69, died. Prime Minister Carlos Gomes confirmed the death to CNN. Early Monday, gunfire and rocket explosions that lasted for about an hour were heard near the presidential palace in the capital, Bissau, according to local media. Looting was later reported at the presidential palace. Army spokesman Zamora Induta said an aide to the president was killed during the gunfire. He added that the gunmen remained at-large and that a 10-member-commission will manage the army until a new chief of staff is named. The army, he said, will remain neutral. Gen. Tagme Na Waie, chief of Guinea-Bissau's military, was killed in a bomb explosion in his office Sunday, according to local news reports. Five other high-ranking military officials were wounded, two of them critically. After the attack, all local radio stations were ordered to immediately suspend their programs. The United Nations said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay over the killings. "The secretary-general strongly condemns these violent acts, which have occurred soon after successful legislative elections which paved the way for enhanced U.N. support to the country's peace-building efforts," the statement said. "The secretary-general calls urgently for calm and restraint, and urges the national authorities of Guinea-Bissau to fully investigate these assassinations and bring to justice those responsible for them." The British government issued a statement advising against "all but essential travel" to the country. Na Waie's predecessor also was assassinated. Soldiers shot and killed Gen. Verissimo Correia Seabra in October 2004. Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, has a history of military coups. Monday's development is the latest violence over four months as the army and Guinea-Bissau's president have clashed. See location map of Guinea-Bissau » . The tiny west African country, located between Guinea and Senegal, has a population of 1.5 million and is considered one of the five poorest countries in the world, according to the CIA Factbook. The country has been in a near-constant state of political upheaval since independence from Portugal in 1974. In 1980, Vieira became president after a military coup. He was accused of purging political rivals and suppressing dissent, but several coup attempts throughout the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994, the country held its first free elections, and Vieira was elected president. He held the post for five years, until a military mutiny ousted him, and the country plunged into civil war. Successor Kumba Yala took office in 2000. He also was unseated in a military coup after three years. Yala's ouster paved the way for Vieira to run for office again. In 2005, he was re-elected president, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. CNN's Umaro Djau contributed to this report. | NEW: U.N. appeals for calm and restraint after assassination of president .
Not immediately clear how President Joao Bernardo Vieira died .
Death comes day after head of military killed .
West African country in a near-constant state of political upheaval since 1974 . |
187,352 | 7ea6583363abdf7acccca38b062b100b47a223cb | (CNN) -- Sarah Murnaghan fully understands all she's been through: her lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis that led to her deteriorating lungs, the campaign her parents waged that temporarily changed national policy surrounding organ transplants, and the fact that she came so close to death in the days leading up to her two double lung transplants. "She said, 'Mommy, I knew I was dying,' " Janet Murnaghan recalls. "That was like a very crushing moment for me. And she said 'I just didn't want to tell you I was dying because I didn't want to upset you.' " Her parents say that was the toughest part. "She asked, 'If I go to sleep, will I wake up the next morning?' " remembers her father, Fran Murnaghan. Today, spirits are vastly different than they were two months ago, when Sarah -- who's had cystic fibrosis since birth -- was in dire shape after being on the waiting list for pediatric lungs for 18 months. Her first transplant was a failure. After keeping Sarah alive for days by circulating her blood outside of her body to keep oxygen flowing, she received a second transplant. Aside from a brief scare with pneumonia, this one was a success. Now Sarah and her family are preparing to head home for the first time in half a year. "I'm very excited," Sarah says, with a low, raspy voice, because of the tracheostomy tube that remains in her throat. "I would like to play with my brothers and sister." She also has plans to go horseback riding and try her hand on a soccer team. All things, the family now believes, she's very likely to accomplish. Speaking exclusively to CNN for the first time since the surgery, Janet and Fran Murnaghan say 11-year-old Sarah could be discharged from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as early as Tuesday. "We haven't been a family in a while," Janet says. "It's ... hard to be a family when half the family lives at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) and half lives at home." Sarah's parents say her lung biopsies show 0% rejection of her new lungs, and on Saturday she was officially taken off her oxygen machine. However, she still needs mechanical assistance — and will for some time -- until her diaphragm regains its strength. "The lungs are doing great," Fran says, adding that at this stage it's all about rehabilitation of Sarah's muscles. "What's really exciting is that we know we are on the road to recovery now." Because she was in a medically induced coma and essentially paralyzed for more than three weeks, Sarah's body needs to relearn many things, including how to walk. Her physical therapy sessions can last for three hours each day and include weightlifting and cardio components. Though the process of recovery will be a long one — Janet estimates nine months to a year — Sarah is up for the challenge. Asked if she considers herself a tough girl, Sarah says, "Yes, very." "Because every time I faced things that I thought were going to be hard, then I've done them." Janet says when things get difficult, she and Fran do their best not to let their emotions show, especially around Sarah. But they admit it's happened. "She'll say, 'Mom what's wrong?' I said, 'It's just hard Sarah. You worked so hard today, and you're obviously so exhausted. I wish life were easier for you.' And she said to me, 'But it's not easy, and that's OK.' " Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Sarah's story . And that's been Sarah's mantra: "I'm not going for easy, I'm just going for possible... And what's in front of me right now is possible." Janet and Fran are quick to call Sarah a fighter, even though anyone who meets her knows it from the start, and these days they have more confidence than they've had in months that they'll be able to see their daughter live out a life that's closer to normal. "I fully plan to watch her graduate from college and watch her get married someday and do whatever it is she wants to do," Janet says. "I just don't think they're going to be as easy for her to obtain those things as somebody else, but I think she is going to have them." It isn't lost on anyone in the Murnaghan family that their daughter may not be here today if it weren't for the fierce public battle the two parents waged that started with Facebook and quickly spread to the national media. Janet and Fran's fight has temporarily changed national policy, making children younger than 12 eligible for priority on adult lung transplant lists. "This is an issue that will always matter to me," Janet says, adding that she'll keep fighting because the country needs "a better plan" for distributing organs. For now, though, their focus remains on helping Sarah get her strength back. "I think you'll see Sarah a year from now as a kid going into sixth grade, walking confidently back into school like every other sixth grader," Janet says. "(It's) not going to happen tomorrow, but it will happen." "She's going to get what she wants, and we're going to get what we want, which is just a regular kid." If you'd like to help the Murnaghan family, they've set up a donation page at www.gofundme.com/3c4dh0 to assist in their medical expenses. | Sarah's cystic fibrosis made family think she wouldn't live past 10 .
Groundbreaking lung transplant lets her see 11th birthday, look to years ahead .
Her parents say they'll keep up the fight to include children on adult transplant lists . |
174,897 | 6e5d6e8034862c6398c081d715661e85d8925e48 | By . Ian Laybourn, Press Association . Hull KR have announced that Chris Chester is now their head coach on a permanent basis after almost two months in temporary charge. The 35-year-old former Rovers player and assistant coach became caretaker boss following the departure of Australian Craig Sandercock on July 3 and has now signed a three-year contract. Hull KR won just two of their six matches under the temporary guidance of Chester but that included the scalp of leaders St Helens and in their last match they held reigning champions Wigan to a draw to keep alive their Super League play-off hopes. Done deal: Hull KR have announced that Chris Chester is now their head coach on a permanent basis . Hull KR chief executive Mike Smith said: 'It's always been the plan to bring somebody through the ranks to one day take over as head coach and Chris has started very well in the role. 'He is somebody who understands the club and the squad of players he will be working with, but more importantly he is a young British coach who is ready for this position and responsibility. 'He's learnt his trade and he's very well respected within the game. The board had no hesitation in backing him with a three-year deal and I'm sure the fans will now join us in giving him their full support for the rest of this season and beyond.' Chester, who is nine months older than the youngest Super League coach, Wakefield's James Webster, joined Hull KR's backroom staff in 2008 after retiring as a player, working as assistant to both Sandercock and his predecessor Justin Morgan. 'I'm absolutely delighted,' Chester said. 'It's a dream come true for me and I'm going to do my utmost to get this side back to where it belongs. 'It's a great honour and privilege to be the head coach of Hull Kingston Rovers and I want to put on record my thanks to the directors who have been fantastic with me over the past six weeks. 'It's been a testing period with some ups and downs but I've really enjoyed the opportunity. I've not been afraid to make the big decisions, I've been honest with the players and they've been honest with me in return, so hopefully that will continue. 'The squad is coming together for next season - we've signed some exciting outside backs and we've hopefully got some more signings to be announced - but we're still very much focused on our goals this year. 'There's six points up for grabs and we've got to make sure we finish the season strongly and as high up that ladder as we possibly can. 'Moving forwards, I think we're better than just fighting for that eighth spot. We've struggled consistency wise this season and that's something that as coaches and players we have to address.' Chester's first match in his confirmed role will be Friday's derby against Hull FC, one of his former clubs, at the KC Stadium. | The 35-year-old became caretaker boss in July .
Chris Chester had originally taken over from Craig Sandercock last month .
Hull KR retain hope they can make the play-offs this season . |
215,428 | a2db972c0d1833bf36499f473125ec3643095598 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:20 EST, 30 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:45 EST, 30 May 2012 . Committed to the cause: A Tibetan mother has died after setting herself on fire in protest over China's occupation of the country in the same spot in Barma where two people self-immolated last month (above) A Tibetan mother has died after setting fire to herself outside a monastery in the latest protest against China's occupation of the country. Rechok, a nomad in her 30s who has three children, died outside the Jonang Dzamthang monastery in Barma Township this afternoon. Her body is currently in the monastery and Tibetans have been gathering for her cremation, which is expected to be held this evening. Rechok spent the last few days in the mountains tending to the family’s animals before travelling into the town ready to give her life. She has two daughters aged nine and 15, and a 17-year-old son. There have now been four self-immolations in Barma in 2012 and Rechok is one of more than 30 Tibetans who have engulfed themselves in flames over the last year. In January, state security forces shot dead a young man who had been trying to prevent a friend being arrested for posting leaflets in the town claiming that self-immolations will continue until Tibet is free. Reports say the death may have been the catalyst for the fatal protests in Barma. Symbolic: The two men set fire to themselves on Sunday outside the Jokhang Temple (pictured) in Lhasa, one of Tibet's holiest buildings . Stephanie Brigden, director of . campaign group Free Tibet, said: 'Barma Township is like many other . places in Tibet - people from all walks of life are rejecting Chinese . rule and going to extraordinary lengths to make their calls for freedom . heard. 'Tibetan calls for freedom continue to spread. The international community must break their silence on Tibet.' Rechok's . death comes three days after one man was killed and another badly . injured when they set themselves alight outside a temple in the Tibetan . capital Lhasa on Sunday. It was the first time the tiny country's tightly guarded capital had been targeted. Vigorous campaign: There have been at least 34 self-immolations in the last year to highlight China's restrictions on Buddhism and to call for the return from exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama (pictured) Chinese authorities identified the dead . man as 19-year-old Tobgye Tseten and the other man as Dargye, while . American sources claim the two men were both waiters at a nearby . restaurant. There have been at least 34 such protests since March of last year to draw attention to China's restrictions on Buddhism and to call for the return from exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Most have taken place in heavily Tibetan areas of China, but only one had occurred in Tibet itself and none in the capital. Protests have become rare in remote Tibet and Lhasa in particular because of tight police security that has blanketed the area since anti-government riots erupted in Lhasa in 2008. Radio Free Asia reported on Monday that Lhasa was under heavy police and paramilitary guard following the immolations and that the situation was very tense. China's official news agency Xinhua blamed the protests on separatists and said the incidents were handled quickly and order restored. Two months ago, a Tibetan protester set himself on fire in India during a demo against a visit by the Chinese president. Jamphel Yeshi sustained burns to 98 per cent of his body when he sprinted for 50m outside the Indian Parliament building engulfed in flames. He later died. A Tibetan man self-immolates at a protest in India in March . China says Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries until Chinese troops invaded in the 1950s. Beijing blames the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, for fanning anti-government sentiment and routinely purges monasteries and nunneries, where support for the Dalai Lama and Tibetan independence runs high. Angry and desperate Tibetans have taken to self-immolation in protest, as many as 34 since last March. Last November a 35-year-old nun was captured in a horrifying video after setting herself alight on a Chinese street. And in March a Tibetan man self-immolated in New Delhi, India, to protest a visit by the Chinese president. The centuries-long tradition has become a type of radical political protest and more than 500 have been reported in Western media since the 1960s. But debate rages over the controversial method of protest. Some Buddhists say suicide is violence, and therefore unacceptable, while others see self-sacrifice for a greater cause as legitimate. | Woman died outside a monastery in Barma Township .
More than 30 Tibetans have self-immolated in last year . |
16,253 | 2e196cc829e71298e967fbadb659933708a3179a | By . Riath Al-Samarrai for MailOnline . Follow @@riathalsam . CLICK HERE for all facts, stats and graphics from the the Liberty Stadium . At the end of a week in which Garry Monk questioned Roy Hodgson’s continued absence from the Liberty Stadium, two Englishmen gave Swansea City their third win in three and another proved his sublime traits don’t always come saddled with the ridiculous. For this was not just about West Brom’s numerous mistakes and three well-taken goals from Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge, the first of which came inside two minutes and the second was quite brilliant. This was also about Jonjo Shelvey, so dynamic in his bursts from deep positions, but all too often a victim of his seemingly insatiable desire to over-complicate things.Last weekend, against Burnley, he followed a 50-yard pass with a simpler one straight into touch. Here, he got the balance right. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Jack to a King: Official trailer for Swansea City film is released . In the lead: Nathan Dyer scores for Swansea after just two minutes at the Liberty Stadium by going around West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster early on Saturday . Celebration: Dyer runs away looking pleased with himself after rounding the floored goalkeeper and opening the scoring for the home side in Wales . Hugs: Dyer scored twice for Swansea in the Premier League clash with West Brom and was pivotal to the Welsh outfit claiming the three points . Relieved: Swansea's win was never in doubt and they were en route for the three points from the second minute thanks to Dyer's composed finish . Glad: A well-played Jonjo Shelvey shares a joke with goalscorer Dyer in the opening exchanges of the Premier League clash with West Brom on Saturday afternoon . NATHAN DYER TOOK JUST TWO MINUTES TO GIVE SWANSEA THE LEAD. CLICK HERE TO VISIT SPORTSMAIL'S BRILLIANT MATCH ZONE . How it happened: Dyer's second-minute goal was well worked as Swansea edged their way forward as Sportsmail's brilliant match zone depicts. Click here for more . Swansea (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6, Rangel 6, Amat 6, Williams 6, Taylor 5.5, Ki 6.5, Shelvey 7.5 (Carroll 84), Dyer 8, Sigurdsson 6.5, Routledge 7.5 (Montero 66), Bony 5.5 (Gomis 76) Subs (not used): Tiendalli, Tremmel, Richards, Fernandez . Manager: Garry Monk 7 . Booked: Ki (73) Goals: Dyer (2 & 71), Routledge (24) West Brom (4-2-3-1): Foster 5.5, Wisdom 5.5, Dawson 6.5, Olsson 5, Davidson 6 (Gamboa 72), Dorrans 5.5 (Sessegnon 46), Gardner 6, Mulumbu 6, Brunt 5 (Morrison 72), Berahino 6, Ideye 5.5 . Subs (not used): Baird, Yacob, Myhill, McAuley . Manager: Alan Irvine 5 . Booked: Dorrans (27), Gardner (62) Referee: Paul Tierney 5.5 . MOM: Nathan Dyer . Att: 20,318 . Brilliant, composed and faultless – on his game he is an attacking force that deserves higher consideration. If that caveat leaves too much room for doubt, Hodgson could at least justify the mileage by watching the two English wingers who tore West Brom apart. Leon Britton, the best of the lot, is injured for the next three weeks. A modicum of perspective ought to be given to how poor West Brom played. Winless in three with two draws, this was often poor, occasionally inept. For each goal, they could have done so much better. The first can be chalked to bad luck, such was the calamity of timing that led Jonas Olsson to slip at precisely the wrong moment. Wilfried Bony and Dyer had exchanged passes before the latter played in Gylfi Sigurdsson, who backheeled the ball ahead of Dyer. Olsson had a decent headstart and was shepherding the ball towards Ben Foster but then he slipped. Dyer went through, rounded Foster and scored his second goal in successive Premier League games. Dyer is one of the players Monk is known to think should have drawn attention from England’s manager. As is Routledge. His goal 22 minutes later owed more to technical brilliance than good fortune, but once more West Brom did little to help themselves. They were placed under far too much pressure by a careless pass from Chris Brunt, who was stationed in his own area and rolled the ball straight to Sigurdsson. Sigurdsson’s cross was met by Craig Dawson but his weak header went straight to Routledge on the edge of the area. The ball bounced high but the execution of Routledge’s half volley was perfect, the goal stunning. Enough mistakes? Evidently not. Bang: Wayne Routledge unleashes a vicious shot that finds its way towards the top-right corner of the goal and cements Swansea City's lead over West Brom . Incredible: Routledge's 24th-minute goal sailed past West Brom goalkeeper Foster and doubled the home side's advantage on Saturday afternoon . Unbelievable: Routledge turns in celebration alongside Wilfried Bony after scoring his brilliant half-volleyed strike to give Swansea a 2-0 lead . Congrats: Bony approaches Routledge after the 29-year-old scored a goal to remember against West Brom at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon . WAYNE ROUTLEDGE DOUBLED SWANSEA'S LEAD WITH AN INCREDIBLE STRIKE. CLICK HERE FOR SPORTSMAIL'S BRILLIANT MATCH ZONE . How it happened: Routledge's strike was full of technique and gave Swansea a 2-0 lead after just 24 minutes against a poor West Brom outfit . MINS KM MILES . Swansea total 107.8 67.0 . Gylfi Sigurdsson 90 11.9 7.4 . Sung-Yueng Ki 90 11.6 7.2 . Angel Rangel 90 10.7 6.6 . West Brom total 106.2 66.0 . Craig Gardner 90 10.8 6.7 . Youssuf Mulumbu 90 10.8 6.7 . Saido Berahino 90 10.4 6.5 . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League . Olsson headed against his own crossbar after 31 minutes and it was a further nine before they had a meaningful chance, Saido Berahino shotting straight at Lukasz Fabianski. Even without the problems of a weak defence, the touches were sloppy, the attacks predictable. Had Routledge’s next half volley, arguably an even better strike than the first, gone into the top corner after 43 minutes, it would have been game over. He looked annoyed to have missed but he need not have been. West Brom had nothing to offer. When Berahino shot in the 69th minute, it went out for a throw-in. By then West Brom were lucky to have avoided a penalty when Andre Wisdom handled a shot from Bony on the line. It was only a temporary escape. With 19 minutes still to play, Dyer put the boot in. Angel Rangel found Sigurdsson and he created his third of the afternoon with a perfect pass for Dyer. The winger went through, no marker close enough, and slid a low shot past Foster. The M4 is a long road and Swansea sits near the end of it. It’s surely worth a trip for Hodgson at some point. Excellent: Shelvey deserves higher consideration when playing in an attacking role as he did against West Brom, but will England manager Roy Hodgson take note? Fiery: West Brom's Craig Gardner and Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson square up during the intense clash between the two Premier League sides . Strike: Dyer bags his brace against West Brom in the home tie with a shot in the 71st minute to make it 3-0 to Swansea . Two: Dyer reminds the crowd how many he's scored during the well-earned victory for Swansea on Saturday as they emerge with three important points . | Two goals from Nathan Dyer in the second and 71st minute earn Swansea emphatic win over West Bromwich Albion .
Incredible strike from Wayne Routledge doubled Swansea's advantage at Liberty Stadium as home side win 3-0 .
Two Englishmen help Garry Monk win third match after Premier League victories over Burnley and Manchester United .
Excellent Jonjo Shelvey performance reiterates Monk's calls for England manager Roy Hodgson to notice Swans stars . |
4,654 | 0d5dd1ffd19659fd884496ce8567ab1a184030bd | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 07:27 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 18 October 2012 . A billionaire Arab prince has been charged with being drunk on an aircraft after being thrown off a passenger jet by police officers armed with 50,000 volt Taser guns. Bahraini national Mubarak Hamad, 29, will appear before magistrates in London later this month in connection with the incident at Heathrow airport in July. Hamad - believed to be a close relative of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa - lives in Eaton Square, Belgravia, one of central London’s most sought after addresses. Allegations: . Mubarak Hamad had boarded a Boeing at Heathrow Airport (file . picture) on Sunday July 22 when he allegedly began shouting and . complaining about the poor service . Past and present residents include . Charles Saatchi and his wife Nigella Lawson, James Bond actors Sean . Connery and Roger Moore plus former Chelsea football manager Jose . Mourinho. Family: Hamad is believed to be a close relative of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (pictured) He had . boarded a Boeing 777 on the morning of Sunday July 22 when it is alleged . that he began shouting and complaining about the poor service on the . BA125 flight to Doha in Qatar, via Bahrain. It . is also alleged that members of the crew were forced to call the police . who arrived with stun guns after he stormed the flight deck and refused . to go back to his seat. Wealthy Hamad was then dragged off . the plane and taken to a police station near the airport where his DNA, . mugshot and fingerprints were taken. He . was bailed, but was told he was being formally charged when he answered . his bail yesterday. He is due to appear in court later this month. A . Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: 'Mubarak Hamad, 29, of Belgravia, was . charged on October 17th with being drunk on an aircraft and has been . bailed to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.' Human . rights campaigners have in the past criticised King Hamad whose regime . has been accused of violently repressing pro-democracy activists. Mubarak Hamad - believed to be a close relative . of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa - lives in Eaton Square, . Belgravia, (general view pictured) one of central London’s most sought after addresses . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Bahraini national Mubarak Hamad, 29, will appear before magistrates in London later this month .
He had .
boarded a Boeing 777 when it is alleged .
that he began shouting and complaining about the poor service on the .
BA125 flight .
Hamad lives in Eaton Square, .
Belgravia, one of central London’s most sought after addresses . |
79,324 | e0e2a8efda4ab61461b6e34f95ca6f086c4d6b3b | (CNN) -- On December 15, CNN joins forces with YouTube to host a global debate on the environmental challenges facing our planet. The one-hour debate, hosted by CNN's Becky Anderson, will air live on CNN.com and YouTube from Copenhagen, Denmark where world leaders are meeting to form a global treaty on climate change. You can also watch the debate on CNN International from December 16. Have your say at COP15 -- Join the CNN/YouTube debate . The debate comes just days before the end of the United Nations summit on climate change where negotiators have been hard at work on a draft treaty to set limits on carbon emissions and to secure funding to help poor nations to cope with the challenges of a warming world. It follows a special week of "Going Green" coverage on CNN to highlight the impact of climate change around the world. | CNN and YouTube host a one-hour debate on December 15 about climate change challenge .
Debate will air live on CNN.com, and later on CNN International .
Comes just days before the end of the UN summit on climate change in Copenhagen .
World leaders are seeking a global agreement to reduce carbon emissions . |
250,331 | cff9b06901565f555c7d4e9fd547202c844e2bdb | By . Adam Shergold . Follow @@adamjshergold . She's best known for solving complex mathematical problems on Channel Four's cult show Countdown. And now Rachel Riley has turned her brilliant mind to figuring out something we all want to know - who will win this summer's World Cup. The Manchester United fanatic and Oxford graduate has been poring over all the data from World Cups down the years to try and pinpoint the patterns that will tell us which team will lift the famous trophy in the Maracana on July 13. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Behind the scenes with Rachel Riley on World Cup shoot . World Cup tips: Countdown presenter Rachel Riley has crunched the data ahead of the big kick-off in Brazil and tipped Chile as the winner . Heading for glory? Chile are the fancied team after Rachel's calculations, which took into account dozens of different factors . And, in an outcome that may raise a few eyebrows, all the statistics point to outsiders Chile. Commissioned by bookmaker Ladbrokes, Rachel took into account a diverse range of factors including goal average, goal scorers, win rates, climate and geography in a mathematical formula to try and find a winner. She found that since the Mexico World Cup in 1986, performances in the qualifying competition have had a significant influence on the outcome of the tournament. The key is not to peak too soon and to do just enough to qualify with a win rate of between 50 and 66 per cent. Close control: Rachel shows off her ball skills but, despite the top, doesn't believe England will advance too far in the competition . It all adds up: A combination of Chile's win ratio, qualifying campaign and FIFA ranking suggests they will be dark horses in the finals . This is bad news for the likes of Germany and Holland, who raced through their qualifying groups and won 90 per cent of their games, and also Belgium (80 per cent) and defending champions Spain (75). Chile's qualifying win rate of 56 per cent is just about perfect. The second biggest influence according to Rachel are the goal scoring averages. The previous seven world champions only averaged 2.1 goals per game through the qualifying rounds. Unfortunately, this rules out England, who averaged over 3 goals a game in their 10 qualifying matches. Relying on one star player is not the key to success either. Top scorers in previous World Cup winning teams scored an average of 4.85 goals during qualification. Place your bets: Rachel recommends you put your money on outsiders Chile to lift the trophy in the Maracana on July 13 . Show your working: Rachel looked in detail at every tournament since 1986 in order to draw her conclusions . This time round, Luis Suarez scored 11 and Lionel Messi 10, knocking both Uruguay and Argentina out of the equation, but their South American neighbours Chile had Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas on five goals each. The fact no nation from outside Europe and South American has ever won the World Cup rules out a swath of teams. And no team with odds of 100-1 has ever prevailed either. No European team has ever won on South American soil, removing France, Portugal and Italy from the mix, leaving Brazil, Colombia and Chile. The next factor was that no pre-tournament favourites have lived up to their billing since 1986 and so Brazil - priced at 3-1 - aren't going to do it. It now boils down to omens and human reasoning - Colombia have the easier group but are without star man Radamel Falcao. Big fan: Rachel received a signed Manchester United shirt from Ryan Giggs to mark her 1,000th appearance on Countdown . Glamorous: Rachel competing in BBC show Strictly Come Dancing last year . Chile have the stronger squad and won 2-0 at Wembley against England back in November - 66 per cent of teams to do so at the new Wembley have been World Cup finalists. Explaining her decision, Rachel said: 'Having crunched all the numbers and stats my maths suggests Chile are a good bet to upset the odds at 40/1. 'They might be amongst the outsiders, but the statistics and form imply they will be this year’s dark horses. They’ve got a decent team, and although it’s a tough group, they tick all the boxes and I’m convinced Chile can go all the way. 'Everyone thinks the winner will come from one of the top 10 teams, but the key stats on qualifying performance, goals scored, goalscorers, host nation and current outright odds suggest the likes of pre-tournament favourites Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany, Italy and France will be going home empty handed. 'As for England, I’ll be cheering on Roy’s Boys, but I’m not sure it’s going to be their year.' | Countdown presenter crunched all the facts and figures from every tournament since Mexico 1986 .
Riley concludes that the facts and omens point to dark horses Chile .
Brazil won't be able to handle pre-tournament favourites tag .
Argentina and Uruguay may have peaked too soon, European sides have history against them . |
150,176 | 4e2ad13ae117d50b2eb637788fc8e52f0d28a9b3 | With its dainty wooden ticket booths, tiled walls and rickety old trains, Budapest's M1 line must be among the world's most beautiful undergrounds. But that doesn't make it one of the friendliest. We have committed the cardinal subway sin: not 'validating' our tickets (by inserting them into a stamping machine on the platform). The punishment? An 8,000 Forints (£20) fine. Budapest can only get better. Thankfully it does. A Danube delight: Budapest sits prettily on the banks of western Europe's longest river . The Hungarian capital - which divides into the hilly Buda on the Danube's western bank and the flatter, more commercial Pest on the eastern bank - has plenty of architectural splendours and cultural treasures, plus indulgent food and a lively nightlife. The city's cheap prices - around £2 for a pint - attract stag do parties, but fortunately the local bars don't seem to specifically target these groups. We decide to see the main sights by bike and join a cycling tour run by Budapest Bike Breeze called Wheels And Meals. Moments after meeting - and with barely a glance each way - our energetic guide, Adam, leads us full pelt into Budapest's busiest square - Erzsebet Ter. We race around central Pest, stopping every five minutes for Adam to divulge titbits. For example, the Opera House is reminiscent of the Vienna State Opera (though smaller, so as not to outshine the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and the magnificent Neo-Gothic Parliament was inspired by Westminster. Now confident whizzing two-wheeled through the city, we speed along the riverfront. Scenes of Hungarian life: Local men focus on the serious pursuit of chess (and try desperately not to drop any pieces) at Budapest's Szechenyi Baths (left); St Stephen's Basilica, on the Pest side of the river (right) The sun is glistening on the Danube, cruise boats are pootling past... when I suddenly fly off my bike and crash to the ground. My boyfriend had somehow managed to wedge his handlebars under mine, thus careering me into the kerb. More embarrassed than injured, we cross the river to the medieval town of Buda, a Unesco World heritage site. Behind the fairytale-like Matthias Church - used as a cattle shed by the invading Turks - is Fisherman's Bastion, whose turrets provide the best views of Pest (and one of the settings for Lord Of The Rings). After a big bowl of goulash soup at the charmingly low-key Drum Cafe, we are back in our saddles. The final hours of our tour take in the wide boulevards of Varosliget district, Heroes' Square and the bizarre Vajdahunyad castle - with its mix of Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic and Romanesque styles. A scene from a different era: The city's famous Hotel Astoria Cafe looks like a refugee from another century . Afterwards, we collapse into leather armchairs for coffee and cakes at the city's legendary Gerbeaud Cukraszda café. Hungarians have a reputation for being stand-offish, but with a little persistence, seemingly frosty locals quickly warm up and keenly offer recommendations about their city. Understandably, however, they don't readily discuss life under communist rule. And you will need plenty of energy to tackle the House Of Terror - a museum which commemorates victims of that communist dictatorship, and those of the preceding Nazi years. With all of the explanatory text on the walls in Hungarian, an English audio guide is crucial. Twenty-five minutes' drive away lies another reminder of Hungary's soviet history: Memento Park, the unusual home for a collection of redundant communist statues, which were torn down after the regime collapsed in 1989. Looking from the past to the future: The historic Buda district of the city gazes across at more modern Pest . Here, avoid a guide and do your own background reading instead. The only guide on offer was softly spoken with a thick Hungarian accent and had an infuriating habit of talking as she walked away from the group towards the next statue. Combined with the noisy gravel crunching under 20 tourists' feet and endless overhead planes, the tour was virtually inaudible. More subtle reminders of the nation's difficult history are the abandoned Stock Exchange and National Ballet buildings, plus other crumbling structures now reincarnated as sprawling bars known as 'ruin pubs'. At the end of a frantic weekend, we forgo these watering holes, instead treating ourselves to a soak in the 21 different pools at the Szechenyi Turkish baths. Bliss. easyJet (www.easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick to Budapest from £52 return. For information about cycling tours, visit www.budapestbikebreeze.com. | Budapest has an image as a stag destination, but has a lot more to offer .
It is is city of two halves - the Danube dividing the Buda and Pest districts .
Visitors can find historic public baths and echoes of the Communist era . |
161,296 | 5c83b436fc61a33601918e0f0f2f8ace7ebe708c | (CNN) -- Gabrielle Giffords submitted her resignation as a U.S. representative from Arizona before Congress on Wednesday, and an initial reaction might be a sense of despair about her decision to step aside. Many have imposed a narrative of national recovery on Giffords' ability to run for her office again and take her oath in a clear strong voice. But in this case, it would be a mistake to confuse holding public office with redemption. A congressional seat is not supposed to be a plot point for Hollywood endings, and by passing up the chance to run again, Giffords has demonstrated a respect for the principles of representative democracy. The authors of the Constitution intended Congress to be a rotating body, free from the cults of personality and lifetime sinecures that characterized European governance. Although it is human nature to see a kind of triumph in being able to come back to one's job after an injury, Giffords understands that the office belonged not to her but to southern Arizona. She made the decision after a year of rehabilitation, and she deserved that time to make a hard call with the best evidence. Her choice this week recalls an old observation of Harry Truman, who said he always tried to remember that the crowds cheering and the bands playing "Hail to the Chief" were not for him personally. They were for the office of the presidency. The office of Congress may also be too small for Giffords. This is a body that commands the respect of 8% of the electorate: a record low. And despite the illusion of glamour that surrounds it, the actual work can be physically taxing and spiritually dreary. Traveling back and forth from Washington each week, visiting the House floor multiple times a day for procedural votes, sweet-talking big donors, finding positions that will please the district without making you feel like a sellout -- all of these can take their toll. After her bruising re-election fight of 2010 -- one of the nastiest races in recent local memory, with an eerie pallor of violence hanging over it -- Giffords herself doubted whether she wanted the job much longer. She now has a golden opportunity to start a "Gabrielle Giffords Institute" for the study of gun violence or mental health care reform or solar energy or whatever public policy issue she wants to emphasize. Her moral authority and influence may be better used outside the halls of Congress, where she would have been inevitably fettered by the daily grind of politics and partisanship. In her video announcement, she said: "I will return, and we will work together for Arizona and this great country." And we should take her at her word, even if that doesn't mean a return to elective office. To be sure, this is not the future anyone would have wanted. There is enormous cruelty in her injury -- the robbery of her ability to speak -- which was one of her truly exceptional qualities. I remember thinking near the end of her first campaign for Congress, in 2006, that the only thing that could deny her a victory over her maladroit opponent would be some kind of epic goof made during a campaign rally or a debate -- a vague exclamation taken out of context or a damaging statement made in passion. But such a possibility was remote. "Gabrielle doesn't really make mistakes," I told a friend. She possessed a preternaturally strong sense of control over her words. This was also true in private conversation. Giffords had that quality, cherished among leaders, to gauge the emotional temperature of the person she was with and adjust her own bearing accordingly. There were many times in our friendship when she managed to say the unexpectedly perfect thing in the moment: a key piece of advice, a joke, an anecdote that had precise relevance. There is a picture of her that is difficult for me to view. It is the last photograph of her taken before the 16 seconds of gunfire that would change everything. She is standing in front of the Safeway on January 8, 2011, looking intently at a middle-aged woman named Doris Tucker, who had been next in line to speak with her . In back of her is the plate-glass front of the grocery store on which the smeary reflections of a few people are visible. Out of this crowd a gunman was about to emerge. But what dominates the frame is Giffords' expression, one of wordless concentration and interest in what Tucker was saying. It was a look that I knew well. The loss of her ability to find the words in conversation easily is an awful blow. But the Giffords I know won't surrender the primary motivating force in her life, which is the urge to make a difference in the public sphere and to use her talents to make life better for those around her. That was what motivated her first run for Congress five years ago. She is leaving national elective office in the same way she came in: with class and dignity. It would be a mistake to think of this as a defeat because it is not the neat Hollywood ending we had hoped for. This is not Hollywood. And this is not an ending. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter. Join the conversation on Facebook. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tom Zoellner. | Tom Zoellner: We have put a narrative of national recovery on Giffords' ability to run again .
By stepping down, Giffords shows a respect for principles of democracy, he says .
Her moral authority and influence may be better used outside Congress, Zoellner says .
Zoellner: Her driving motivation is to make a positive difference in public life, and she will . |
22,136 | 3ed08103f24b901c20433a6f1f9b26781ce044aa | New York (CNN) -- State police in Florida planned Monday to further investigate a single-vehicle crash involving pro golfer Tiger Woods, they said. That followed a police announcement Sunday that Woods had canceled a third interview with investigators. Woods suffered minor injuries in the accident, which occurred early Friday in his luxury neighborhood near Orlando. In a statement issued Sunday afternoon on his Web site, Woods offered no details of his wreck, except to say he had cuts and bruises and was "pretty sore." "This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me," he said. "I'm human, and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again." CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin spoke about why Tiger Woods might be delaying talking to police. CNN: Why do you think Tiger Woods has canceled three interviews with police? Jeffrey Toobin: Tiger Woods is under no legal obligation to speak with police. The Fifth Amendment gives everyone an absolute right to refuse to talk to them. He may be counting on the fact that if no new news emerges, everybody will move on. CNN: Can the police do anything about it if Woods continues to refuse to talk to them? Toobin: The police don't have a lot of options. If someone doesn't want to talk to you, you as a police officer can't do anything about it. In theory, they could get a search warrant, but you need probable cause that a crime took place, and at this point, I don't see anything that would justify it. CNN: The Florida Highway Patrol says the delay is surprising because the accident is so minor. What does Tiger Woods gain by not talking to them? Toobin: Woods may not talk to them because there is possibly something unpleasant and embarrassing that he doesn't want to share with them, and he has that right. Based on what is publicly known, Woods has a public relations problem much more than a legal problem. He's arguably the most famous athlete in the world, and his team's overall strategy is a gamble that his general statement of responsibility won't be overtaken by events or other disclosures. CNN: Tiger Woods said today that he won't be attending his golf tournament in California this week because of injuries sustained in the car crash, and has cancelled his scheduled press conference as host of the event. Does this fit in with the strategy you think his team has adopted? Toobin: I think the decision not to attend the tournament shows how serious this event is, in Tiger's life as well as his work. Again, this is more a personal and business problem than a legal problem, but he needs to figure out a way to show the public what happened, or explain why he won't be talking about what happened. Obviously he doesn't have that answer yet. CNN: A story in last week's National Enquirer alleged that Woods has been seeing a New York night club hostess. The woman has denied any affair with Woods to The Associated Press. She's also apparently retained attorney Gloria Allred. Why do you think she's retained an attorney? Toobin: The woman may go public to repeat ... what she's said to the AP and publicly deny the affair, or perhaps to say that she was libeled by the Enquirer. Gloria Allred's clients tend not to disappear from the news media. | Tiger Woods is under no legal obligation to speak with police, CNN senior legal analyst says .
Police could get a search warrant, he says, but he doesn't see anything that would justify it .
Toobin says Woods may not be talking because doing so may cause him embarrassment .
Night club hostess who has hired attorney may publicly deny affair or allege libel, he says . |
254,850 | d5df760fd5e63b10fd1399ecf0d054b98686c708 | Alexis Sanchez's goal was not enough as Chile succumbed to a 2-1 defeat by Uruguay in Santiago on Tuesday night. Uruguay, without Barcelona man Luis Suarez because of injury, were behind after 28 minutes when the Arsenal man's header from eight yards found its mark. Sanchez, who had already forced Fernando Muslera into two saves early on, rose highest to meet Fabian Orellana's cross to head home. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Chile 1-2 Uruguay highlights . Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez celebrates his headed goal after 28 minutes in Santiago . The goal was Sanchez's eighth in six games for club and country as he rose to meet Fabian Orellana's cross . Uruguay's Diego Rolan celebrates the equaliser in front of the home fans in Santiago . VIDEO Chile 1-2 Uruguay highlights . It was Sanchez's eighth goal in six games for club and country. Suarez was available to feature for Uruguay but national coach Oscar Tabarez chose instead to send him back to Spain. The 27-year-old's nine-match ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup will prevent him from playing in next summer's Copa America and Tabarez wants his side to practise playing without their talisman. Rolan Diego, named as Suarez's replacement, equalised for Uruguay on the stroke of half-time at a packed Stadio Monumental from Carlos Andres Sanchez's clever set-piece. And Uruguay got their winner 10 minutes from time, with Alvaro Gonzalez tucking the ball under Claudio Bravo after a mix-up in the Chile defence. Alvaro Gonzalez of Uruguay celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the winner 10 minutes from time . Uruguay and PSG striker Edinson Cavani attempts an overhead kick at the Stadio Monumental . Mauricio Pinilla (left) of Chile competes with Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera . | Arsenal man Alexis Sanchez scored a fine header for Chile .
It was the forward's eighth goal in six games for club and country .
Luis Suarez was available for Uruguay but was sent back to Spain .
Rolan Diego, named as Suarez's replacement, equalised for Uruguay .
Uruguay got their winner 10 minutes from time through Alvaro Gonzalez . |
106,838 | 15d2515cc208e914eb3e50a320d713d2067d2235 | (EW.com) -- It's season 17 and I for one am still feeling aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive! Sort of. That's a lot of i's. The Dancing With the Stars cast won't be announced 'til Wednesday morning on Good Morning America (look for the complete list on EW.com's Inside TV), but of course the rumors are spinning faster than Val Chmerkovkiy's sparkly bolero in a shirtless Argentine tango. ABC will not confirm any casting rumors, but as usual, TMZ has been busy reporting on them anyway. So who's supposedly on board? Valerie Harper would probably be the biggest story, as the star of Rhoda and The Mary Tyler Moore Show had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in January. Doctors say she may be nearing remission, but the idea of "dancing for your life" would be a huge deal. I'd trust DWTS to make her journey a celebration of life rather than a looming cloud of doom — but when contestants regularly drop out due to injury and suffer near-breakdowns due to emotional exhaustion, you have to wonder... is this wise? I'd personally be most excited to see former Saved by the Bell stars Leah Remini (The King of Queens) and Elizabeth Berkley reunite on network TV. I've already started searching for evidence of dramatic struggles between Stacey Carosi and Jessie Spano, but you'd be surprised how little footage there is on YouTube of the Malibu Sands summer. (No, you wouldn't.) Remini recently broke away from the Church of Scientology and should be eager to latch what will become a lifelong devotion to the Festivus of Fringe — which lasts 24-7 and is year-round if you really want to commit and have the right mentality about it. I've started coming up with a collection of Showgirls moves Elizabeth Berkley should do on Dancing With the Stars... and I'm wondering if that famous shot of her licking the stripper pole would work best for the rumba or the marathon mambo. It's going really well so far. Also rumored for season 17: Glee's Amber Riley, NFL star Keyshawn Johnson, Christina Millian, Snooki, mother to us all, and a "yogurt spokesperson" — I'm hoping John Stamos but maybe DWTS super fan (and former Jennifer Grey supporter) Jamie Lee Curtis a.k.a. Enthusiastic Activia Lady (EAL) is more likely? Again, NONE of this is official. But what do you think, so far? I honestly never put much stock in DWTS casting because surprise dance ability and the camaraderie established a few weeks down the line are what will ultimately keep people tuning in. Still, this cast is pretty great, right? Remini vs. Berkley for the win? See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Several names have surfaced as possible new "DWTS" contestants .
Two big names are Valerie Harper and Leah Remini .
Also rumored are a "Glee" star and a "Jersey Shore" star . |
120,098 | 2738bc77cfd2b05e658ac48e44ea8a8b2bff35ad | (CNN) -- Police in Switzerland arrested Guatemala's former national police chief over allegations he was involved in extrajudicial killings while in office, the judicial authority in Geneva said. Erwin Sperisen, 42, who was detained Friday afternoon, holds dual Swiss and Guatemalan nationality and lives in Geneva, the judicial authority said in a statement. "Details provided by the Guatemalan authorities at the end of 2011 and recent developments in the case raise important suspicions about the suspect's involvement in various extrajudicial executions committed while he was director of Guatemala's national police from July 2004 to March 2007," it said. Claims against Sperisen had also been filed by various associations in 2007 and 2008, it said. A coalition of non-governmental organizations has been working on the case against Sperisen, said Trial, a Swiss non-governmental organization that aims to combat impunity. An international arrest warrant was issued by Guatemala for Sperisen in 2010, Trial said in a statement. Trial and rights group Amnesty International had since urged the Swiss authorities to act, it said. Sperisen cannot be extradited to Guatemala because he holds Swiss nationality, the judicial authority said. Trial said the coalition of NGOs involved "welcomes the steps taken by the Swiss prosecuting authorities." The arrest "represents a major advance in the case" and demonstrates "the credibility of the charges" brought against Sperisen, it said. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report. | Erwin Sperisen was head of Guatemala's national police from 2004 to 2007 .
He is accused of involvement in extrajudicial killings, the Swiss judicial authority says .
Sperisen is also wanted by Guatemala, an anti-impunity NGO says .
He holds dual Swiss-Guatemalan nationality so cannot be extradited . |
19,505 | 37544a7920c0d5ff9041466427f6076bd21282e8 | (CNN) -- From style icons like Tom Ford to glamorous locations like China, last year Art of Life brought you the best of good living. Monita Rajpal at the Great Wall of China for Art of Life . This month we look back on some of our favorite moments from the past 12 months. Tom Ford exclusive . No one sums up Art of Life's aspirational brief better than fashion guru Tom Ford. Join Monita Rajpal as she gains exclusive access to the man who brought glamour back into fashion with his reign at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. We revisit the launch of Tom Ford's own brand and gain exclusive insight into his feelings about leaving Gucci and his own personal strategy for the future. We catch up with him at his Mayfair home and visit some of his own favorite London haunts. Watch: Monita Rajpal with Tom Ford » . The empress of Chinese contemporary art: Pearl Lam . Outlandish and outspoken Pearl Lam is the doyenne of China's contemporary art scene. Part party-girl, part intellectual aesthete, Pearl introduces us to some of the hottest names in Chinese contemporary art. We meet two ground-breaking members of the Chinese literati - Shao Fan and Zhang Huan - who are drawing on Chinese tradition and history to explore a rapidly changing modern culture. We find out why Chinese Art is experiencing such a boom in the West and how the western perception of Chinese Art differs from the Chinese view. Watch: Pearl Lam on Chinese contemporary art » . Luxury Investing . Horse Racing has long been known as the 'sport of kings' but it is no longer just for the super rich. The smart moneyed classes are now forming syndicates in a bid to win prize money and secure breeding fees. CNN's European Political Editor and racing enthusiast, Robin Oakley, uncovers the world of horse syndicates. Whether old-school classics or flashy sports models are your thing, cars are always a popular investment. Justin Armsden gets behind the wheel of the highly sought after new Rolls Royce Drophead Coupé. Watch: Justin Armsden drive the Rolls Royce Drophead Coupé » E-mail to a friend . | This month we look back on some of our favourite moments from the last 12 months .
Designer Tom Ford shows Monita Rajpal around his London home .
Empress of China's creative scene, Pearl Lam, on the contemporary art explosion .
Robin Oakley uncovers the world of horse racing syndicates . |
210,835 | 9d141148d5e39d54b5aa3fbc11fedacbc04072ac | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 17:58 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:14 EST, 18 October 2013 . Britain should be ashamed of the way it treats grandparents, Jeremy Hunt will say today. The Health Secretary will warn a million elderly are left forgotten and isolated because friends and relatives fail to visit them. Citing the example of Asian nations, he will say families should take more responsibility for grandparents and not leave caring to the state. Mr Hunt, who has a Chinese wife, will say he is struck by the reverence and respect for the elderly in the Far East. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) will warn today that a million elderly are left forgotten and isolated because friends and relatives fail to visit them. (Woman, right, posed by model) ‘In those countries, when living alone is no longer possible, residential care is a last rather than a first option,’ he will say in a hard-hitting speech. ‘And the social contract is stronger because, as children see how their own grandparents are looked after, they develop higher expectations of how they too will be treated when they get old. ‘If we are to tackle the challenge of an ageing society, we must learn from this. ‘It will only start with changes in the way we personally treat our own parents and grandparents. Each and every lonely person has someone who could visit them and offer companionship. A forgotten million who live among us – ignored to our national shame.’ Mr Hunt will make clear that some families have no option but to put older relatives in residential or nursing care and should not be ‘condemned for taking that difficult decision’. Mr Hunt will give his speech at the National Children and Adults Services conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, saying ‘entering old age should not involve waving goodbye to one’s dignity’. He will add: ‘According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, there are 800,000 people in England who are chronically lonely. Mr Hunt will make clear that some families have no option but to put older relatives in residential or nursing care and should not be 'condemned for taking that difficult decision'. Posed by models . ‘Some five million people say television is their main form of company – that’s 10 per cent of the population. ‘We know there is a broader problem of loneliness that in our busy lives we have utterly failed to confront as a society.’ The Health Secretary will also hit out at cases of abuse in care homes and pledge to beef up inspection of both public and private sector homes. ‘112,000 cases of alleged abuse were referred by English councils in 2012/13, the majority involving over-65s,’ he will say. ‘Something is badly wrong in a society where potentially one thousand such instances are happening every single week. ‘Which is why I am delighted that this year, for the first time, we have appointed a chief inspector of social care, Andrea Sutcliffe. Like all our new chief inspectors, she will act as a champion of the people who use the services – the nation’s whistleblower-in-chief.’ At the same conference, health minister Norman Lamb yesterday announced plans for tougher inspection checks to clamp down on rushed 15-minute care visits, which risk stripping people of their dignity. He said that, from April, the Care Quality Commission watchdog is likely to be tasked with looking at whether home care visits are long enough to respond to people’s needs. And inspectors will also consider looking at how working conditions might be impacting on care. ‘The current approach to home care is not fair on those who need support, it’s not fair on care workers and it is stripping away the human element,’ he said. ‘Fifteen minutes is not enough time to help people who are older or who have a disability to do everyday things like wash, dress and get out of bed. Some do not even get the chance to have a conversation with their home care worker, who may be the only person they see that day. Andrea Sutcliffe, the new chief inspector of social care, will act as a champion of the people who use the service . ‘These tougher checks would ask specific questions about the amount of time allocated for visits and whether staff are suitably supported to do this. 'This is particularly important because these are services delivered in private, behind closed doors. I want to build a fairer society, and that means providing better care in care homes, and in people’s own homes.’ Last night, Caroline Abrahams, a director of the charity Age UK, called for a ‘seismic shift’ in attitudes toward older people and ageing. She added: ‘As we get older, we are more likely to suffer illness and disability which can prevent us from getting out and about, and people’s social networks often shrink due to life-changing events such as retirement and bereavement which can increase the risk of becoming lonely. 'At Age UK we are extremely concerned that cuts to local authority budgets are exacerbating the problem of loneliness because they are causing the closure of many support services for older people, like lunch clubs, which can be a lifeline for those on their own. ‘These cuts are also pushing to breaking point many families who are trying to care for their older relatives in the absence of adequate support. 'Caring is often a 24/7 role that can have a huge physical and emotional impact on the carer.’ Inspiration: Jeremy Hunt with his wife Lucia Guo . The wife who taught Jeremy Hunt China's way of caring for the old . Jeremy Hunt became interested in the Asian way of caring for the elderly after marrying a Chinese woman. The Health Secretary met Lucia Guo five years ago at a conference in London where she was working as a recruiter for Chinese students. Her parents often travel to Britain and he is learning their language, Mandarin. ‘It’s quite halting, but my parents-in-law don’t speak English and so I get a chance to practise with them,’ he said last summer. Three in ten Chinese families have grandparents living in the same household and Confucius, who taught about the importance of the family and the need to respect your elders, is still a big influence in the country. In traditional society, it is considered shameful for children to refuse to look after their parents. The vast majority of elderly people would live with one of their children, with very few living alone. Old people’s homes were once virtually unknown. Confucian beliefs encourage the younger generation to respect their elders for their wisdom, and most important decisions are traditionally made by consulting them. There is less of a culture of youth in China, with younger people expected to defer to older people, let them speak first, sit down after them and not contradict them. However, in recent years, things have been changing in some of the growing cities – with fewer believing they have to look after their elders. As the middle class expands, many of them find they have little time to care for their parents. A poll has found that around a quarter of Chinese senior citizens now live alone – something that would once have been unforgivable. Mr Hunt, 46, who is the Charterhouse-educated son of an admiral, spent much of his twenties in Japan and may have learned about their reverence for the elderly during his time there. Described as ‘ferociously bright’, his wife comes from the city of Xi’an in north-east China, near the site of the famous Terracotta Army. The couple divide their time between London and his constituency of South West Surrey. They have two children: John, three, and Anna, one. | Jeremy Hunt will today warn a million .
elderly are left forgotten because friends and relatives .
fail to visit them .
Citing example of Asian nations, he .
will say families should take more responsibility for grandparents and .
not leave caring to the state . |
189,745 | 81b6ae02793654821dd6fe5c0585f7abd1aa7c59 | Bradley Arthur, 24, was last seen at a house party in Grays, Essex, at around 4am and has not answered his mobile phone since . A major police hunt has been launched to find a missing father who disappeared in the early hours of New Year's Day after a party. Bradley Arthur, 24, was last seen at a house party in Grays, Essex, at around 4am and has not answered his mobile phone since. His frantic family and friends have launched a campaign appealing for the maintenance engineer to come home to his one-year-old son Archie. Police are growing increasingly concerned for the young father as he was only wearing a blazer and jeans when he was last seen - and since then night-time temperatures have dropped below zero. The search has widened to water-filled quarries, nature reserves and beaches and police have called in a helicopter to help. People have been urged to check their gardens and sheds in case he is lying somewhere injured. Mitchell Arthur tweeted a picture of Bradley's son Archie with the message: 'If anyone knows anything at all about Brads whereabout please let someone know, for this little boys sake.' Ryan Corrigan tweeted: 'If one good thing is to happen to me this year, please get brad home safe back to my best mate, his brother.' According to his Twitter profile, Bradley's son Archie was born on 19th October last year. On Christmas Day, he tweeted: 'Happy Xmas Archie, love you.' He later added: 'I can't wait till my little boy is old enough to have a toy garage. His (sic) not gonna get a look in on it.' Mr Arthur is described as white, around 6ft tall and very thin with mousey brown hair and stubble. When he was last seen he was wearing dark blue jeans, a white shirt and a grey blazer. His frantic family and friends have launched a campaign appealing for the maintenance engineer to come home to his one-year-old son Archie (right) Inspector Alan Blakesley said: 'It is now more than 48 hours since anyone has heard from Bradley and the longer time passes without any contact the more concerned we are for his wellbeing.' 'We have received several calls from people who believe they may have seen Bradley since he left the party and these are being investigated but we do not have any confirmed sightings and calls to his mobile phone remain unanswered. 'Specially trained police officers have been carrying out searches of open ground and along the beach in Grays and will be concentrating their efforts today on the nature reserve off of Hogg Lane. This includes potentially dangerous terrain and we would ask members of the public to leave the searches of these areas to our officers. 'It is quite possible that Bradley might be lying somewhere injured and unable to move and we would ask people in Grays to help us by checking their gardens, sheds, and outbuildings for any sign of Bradley. 'We would also ask them to check alleyways near their homes and to ask friends and families that live in Grays to do the same. If they find anything of significance they should contact Grays Police Station on 101.' Police are growing increasingly concerned for the young father as he was only wearing a blazer and jeans when he was last seen - and since then night-time temperatures have dropped below zero . The search has widened to water-filled quarries, nature reserves and beaches and people were urged to check their gardens and sheds in case he is lying somewhere injured . | Bradley Arthur, 24, was last seen at a house party early on New Year's Day .
He has not answered his mobile since and there have been no sightings .
Family started campaign for him to come home to one-year-old son Archie .
Police launched a major hunt and called in a helicopter to help search .
Father is white, 6ft tall and very thin with mousey brown hair and stubble . |
201,911 | 91655e1ed31c46523b6560490f4751cbd380bb71 | Six people are either dead or missing following Typhoon Phanfone, which whipped up 112 mile-per hour winds and dumped several inches of rain when it came ashore in Tokyo, Japan early Monday morning. A U.S. airman stationed on Okinawa is one of the confirmed dead, after being swept out to sea Sunday afternoon while taking pictures of the large waves on the north side of the island. Three other American servicemen were swept away with him. One survived, while two others are still missing. Their names are being withheld for 24 hours, while the military contacts their families. A 21-year-old surfer is one of the others missing in the Pacific, off the coast of southwest Tokyo, while rescuers are searching the scene of two landslides in Yokohama for two people that went missing there. Overall, about 23 people were injured across the nation, public broadcaster NHK announced. Scroll down for video . Massive: High waves batter a breakwater at a port at Kihou town on Monday as Typhoon Phanfone came ashore in near Tokyo, Japan . The eye of the storm: One American airman stationed on Okinawa has drowned due to the typhoon, and two other U.S. servicemen are missing. Around 23 people were injured in the typhoon across Japan . The powerful typhoon came ashore in Tokyo around 11am on Monday, and moved northeast before eventually blowing out to sea over the Pacific. About 1.7million people were advised to take refuge in the storm, with 50,000 ordered to evacuate in the central Japanese prefecture of Shizuoka where landslides and floods were most at risk. Another 5,000 were evacuated in Aichi, where a local river threatened to burst its banks. An estimated 9,000 homes in seven prefectures lost power in the typhoon. The strong winds and heavy rainfall caused travel chaos across the nation as an estimated 600 flights were grounded and dozens of bullet train services cancelled. These disturbances caused an even more hectic rush hour, as hundreds of thousands of workers battled the downpour to make it to their offices in Tokyo this morning. Rush hour from hell: The storm caused the cancellation of dozens of bullet train services, making the commute into Tokyo this morning even more congested. Above, passengers at Shinkansen bullet train station wait for service to be restarted . Cancelled: An estimated 600 flights were also grounded in the Monday morning storm. Above, an electronic board shows flights canceled at Haneda Airport in Tokyo . Drip, drop: Japan Railways employments check out a water leak at Tokyo Station on Monday . Waiting it out: Passengers wait for the resumption of bullet train service at Tokyo Station on Monday morning. Toyota was one of the auto companies that halted work at its factories this morning, which were battered in the typhoon . No keeping dry: A businessman struggles with his umbrella broken in the wind against heavy rain in Tokyo, Japan . But some had the day off, thanks to the damage the typhoon caused big businesses like the auto industry. Toyota Motors suspended work at 12 of its factories in Aichi, central Japan, on Monday after the typhoon battered its buildings. 'But we plan to resume operation at around 4pm as there was no damage to the facilities,' a company spokeswoman said. The typhoon also led Japanese officials to suspend the search for about 12 hikers still missing on Mount Ontake, which suddenly erupted on September 27. Dangerous games: A surfer rides a wave as Typhoon Phanfone passes the area, at a beach in Tsu, Mie prefecture on Monday. A 21-year-old student who was surfing in southwestern Tokyo is still missing today . No day off: A cleaning worker is on duty during heavy rain in Tokyo, Japan on Monday. More than two million people were advised to evacuate their homes with the Japan Meteorological Agency warning of mudslides, heavy rains, swollen rivers and strong winds in wide areas of the country . The search through the ash has already led to the discovery of 51 bodies, making it the most deadly eruption on Japan in 90 years. 'We want to resume operations as soon as possible when weather permits,' said an official of the crisis management office of Nagano. Officials were also monitoring the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which went into meltdown following the 2011 tsunami. Tokyo Electric Power Co officials said they were halting ground and sea operations in preparation for the weather. 'We are also patrolling and checking where water may flow in,' a company spokesman said. One of the most dramatic scenes happened in Chiba, and city east of Tokyo, where 15 66-foot poles holding up netting at a golf range, collapsed and landed on local houses. Pedestrians struggle to cross a street in Miyazaki, southern Japan, in heavy rain and strong winds caused by the powerful typhoon Phanfone on Sunday . Path: The Weather Channel says the strongest winds on Sunday evening are being felt in the southern Japan region, after the island of Kikaijima reported a peak gust of 94.4 mph . | Four U.S. Air Force members were washed away by high waves Sunday .
One of the airmen was found dead, two are still missing and one survived .
The powerful typhoon Phanfone came ashore in Tokyo, Japan around 11am Monday and headed northeast before blowing back out over the Pacific .
Strong winds and heavy rains led to the cancellation of an estimated 600 flights and dozens of bullet train services . |
132,168 | 36edd2f1e0e510586ff795f88dae532baf084a8d | (CNN) -- To Portia de Rossi, Ellen DeGeneres is more than a spouse. She's also the woman who stood by the actress when de Rossi truly came out as a gay woman to the public. De Rossi, now 40, recalled the moment on "Inside the Actor's Studio" Thursday, as she sat among her "Arrested Development" co-stars. The program's host, James Lipton, had been asking de Rossi about her name change -- she took DeGeneres' last name in 2010 -- and the couple's 2008 marriage. As de Rossi explained, it actually wasn't that long before she tied the knot with DeGeneres in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles that she was totally transparent about her sexuality. Photos: Gay celebs and marriage . "When I really, truly came out was at the Golden Globes, when 'Arrested Development' was nominated," said de Rossi, who started seeing DeGeneres around the end of 2004. "Ellen and I had been together for a month, and I was very, very nervous going to that because I knew that I was going to meet up with her after the show and that there was press," de Rossi continued. "That was the first time that we actually stepped out together as a couple, but for me, it was the first time that I'd stepped out as a gay woman, really." As for de Rossi's wife, DeGeneres had confirmed she was gay almost a decade before. The comedian and TV personality, now 55, memorably came out on the cover of Time in 1997. | Portia de Rossi truly came out during her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres .
The actress said as much to James Lipton on "Inside the Actor's Studio"
DeGeneres and de Rossi went on to marry in 2008 .
In 2010, de Rossi took DeGeneres' last name . |
91,003 | 0109b7ea93bb3abc67903839c1792cd56f0a105f | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:16 EST, 11 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:06 EST, 11 August 2012 . Two British officers killed by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan were named last night by the Ministry of Defence. Lieutenant Andrew Chesterman, 26, of the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, was fatally wounded in Helmand province on Thursday. A day later, Lance Corporal Matthew David Smith, 36, of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was also fatally wounded in the same Nad-e Ali district. Tributes: Lieutenant Andrew Chesterman, 26, left, and Lance Corporal Matthew David Smith, 36, were killed by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan . Lt Chesterman, originally from Guildford, Surrey, was commanding a vehicle patrol when the lead vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. He was shot as he tried to help. He leaves behind his father Paul and sisters Anna and Olivia. Last night his father said: ‘We have lost a fine young man. It was readily apparent that Andrew gave himself fully and wholeheartedly to his career.’ L/Cpl Smith, from Aldershot, was shot while trying to build a checkpoint. The father-of-four was described as a devoted family man who talked endlessly about his fiancee Laura, his children Lainie, Ella, Tilli and Jai, and his parents Kenneth and Caroline. Last night Caroline led the tributes to her son. She said: ‘He was a loving father who will be dearly missed. Our Hero, R.I.P.’ The deaths bring the total number of members of UK forces to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001 to 424. Relaying news of the fatal attacks, Task Force Helmand spokesman Major . Ian Lawrence said of the first death: 'It is with great sadness I must . inform you that a soldier from 3rd Battalion The Rifles has died as a . result of injuries sustained whilst on patrol in the Nad-e Ali district . of Helmand Province. 'The thoughts and prayers of all in the Task Force are with his family and friends at this tragic time.' He . said of the second death: 'It is my sad duty to inform you that a . soldier from 30 Armoured Engineer Squadron, 26 Engineer Regiment, has . been killed as a result of injuries sustained by enemy action whilst on . duty in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province. 'The death of this brave Engineer will be . felt deeply by his family, friends and all those who served alongside . him. We extend our deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers to them at . this difficult time.' Earlier, the International Security . Assistance Force (Isaf) said three US soldiers were killed in an . incident in south-west Afghanistan by 'an individual wearing Afghan . uniform'. The deaths bring the number of British service personnel killed during the campaign to 424. | Lieutenant Andrew Chesterman, 26, of the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, was fatally wounded in Helmand .
Lance Corporal Matthew David Smith, 36, of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was fatally wounded in the same Nad-e Ali district . |
191,193 | 83962694cae2ea33a10fbe1962d2638d22fc6b2e | Lego is coming under fire from traditionalists with accusations its sets are reducing the scope for imagination and play. Bloggers and parents have become increasingly alarmed that its kits, whether it is Star Wars or Minecraft, involve building a specific model, using specialist pieces according to strict instructions. They worry it takes away the pleasure and ambition involved in a child just sitting with a box of bricks and creating something from their own imagination. Parents and bloggers complain that new Lego is not as good for children as the old fashioned plastic blocks . The debate has been triggered by British blogger, Chris Swan, who complained: ‘The problem is sets that only make one thing like a dragon or something licensed from a movie.’ The IT expert who was previously in the Royal Navy said: ‘I must have got my first Lego when I was about three or four. It was pretty basic stuff – mostly 4×2 blocks and a handful of 2×2 blocks. ‘I remember building a house out of it, and being shown by my mum to overlap the bricks to make a strong wall rather than building straight towers that would easily fall.’ He added: ‘Lego for me was always about creativity, remaking and improving on existing designs. Those things don’t happen with sets that are designed to build a model of a single thing. ‘But that’s not the only problem – Lego taught me the art of creative destruction – the need to break something in order to make something better. ‘Single outcome sets encourage preservation rather than destruction, and sadly that makes them less useful, less educational and in my opinion less fun.’ His comments coincide with the launch of The Brick 2014 show for Lego enthusiasts, which opens today in London. It appears his fears have some powerful advocates. The Nobel Prize-winning chemist Sir Harry Kroto argues that British-designed Meccano, which involves putting nuts and bolts together, is of greater educational value because it mimics real-life engineering. Blogger Chris Swan complained that the branded Lego gave children fewer options than ordinary blocks . He says: ‘There is no comparison. Children should start with Lego, which is basically a toy, and its basic units are bricks. We do not build cars and other machines out of bricks.’ The issue was highlighted by the BBC, where contributors to a Facebook discussion disagreed over the impact of the changes made by Lego in recent years. Graeme Gofton suggested it was evidence of dumbing down. He complained: ‘Even Lego now cannot let you think, you must build what they say. ‘In my day I had a bucket full and built my own x wing, shuttle, castle or anything I wanted. ‘Now you build what’s on the box and don’t you dare think for yourself and get creative you might grow up to be a thinker.’ Sarah Smith countered: ‘My son loves to follow the instructions, great for spatial learning. Once he’s played with it enough he dismantles and creates his own stuff.’ Lego spokesman Roar Rude Trangbaek denied the sets are less creative. He said: ‘Children still get bricks and they can combine them. The bricks will probably end up in big boxes in homes and that acts like a pool of creativity.’ A Lego spokesman denied the claims suggesting the branded boxes inevitably get combined with other Lego . The brick count on the larger sets has risen in recent years. Top of Bricklink’s list is the model of the Taj Mahal, released in 2008, with 5,922 parts. This took over from a limited-edition Star Wars/M&Ms mosaic, sold in 2005, which had 5,462. The Star Wars Millennium Falcon of 2007 required the assembly of 5,174 pieces. Modern themed Lego sets linked to big budget films can be very expensive. For example, the LEGO Super Heroes Batcave comes in at £111.19, while the Lord of the Rings set called ‘The Battle of Helm’s Deep’ is £174.99. Its Star Wars sets remain hugely popular with a version of the Millennium Falcon costing £95. It is still possible to buy a box of bricks to allow youngsters to build their own toys and games. A 650 piece ‘Basic Bricks Deluxe’ box comes in at £20.99. | Parents are worried that Lego with instructions ruins a child's creativity .
Branded kits such as Star Wars or Minecraft also have specialist pieces .
Lego fans claim that children should be allowed to use their imagination .
One advocate claims branded Lego is less educational and less fun . |
199,562 | 8e5522cfe2b3316b5056e80db20f1ef6b8711ddb | Their furry coats and cute name make it tempting to reach out a hand and give them a pet, but the puss caterpillar is no pussycat. Scientists in Florida are warning anyone who sees a puss caterpillar to look but under no circumstances to touch. Beneath the fluffy exterior of the plump, fuzzy little creatures are venomous bristles that cause excruciating pain if touched. No pussycat: The puss caterpillar is completely covered in greyish-brown fur that conceals poisonous spines . Prevalent: The fluffy bugs are in abundance in Florida right now and live in elm, sycamore and oak trees . The cute bugs are the most poisonous in Florida, and the toxin in their spines cause worse pain than stings from wasps, jellyfish and scorpians. They're particularly prevalent at certain times of the year - and one of those times is now. Typically, the caterpillar can be seen in early autumn and spring. They live in elms, oaks and sycamore trees and are apt to fall out of trees. At its largest, the puss caterpillar grows to one inch long and eventually matures into the harmless feathered southern flannel moth. If touched, its poisonous bristles break off into the skin causing intense pain and sometimes fever, vomiting and a drop in blood pressure. Adult: The poisonous youngster matures into the harmless - but still fluffy - feathered southern flannel moth . Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, the director of the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami told the Sun Sentinel that he has seen patients pass out from the pain. 'We don't see any deaths from it, but it is very painful, judging by the number of people that just are out-of-control hysterical when they call,' he said. The Poison Center in Tampa recommends placing Scotch tape over the affected area and pulling it off repeatedly to remove the stinging spines from the skin. Next, apply an ice-pack and then follow a paste of baking soda and water. In rare cases, patients may need to see a doctor, particularly if they have a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy. | Puss caterpillars are prevalent this time of year in Florida .
They're furry and cute - but cause excruciating pain if touched .
They are the most poisonous caterpillar in Florida and have toxic bristles under their fur that break off into the skin when touched .
Scientists are warning Floridians to look but don't touch the creatures and to be careful outside as they are apt to fall from trees . |
69,189 | c4330d688a14f38eef537d45ecf9204b09a202a4 | Washington (CNN) -- The Supreme Court agreed Monday to confront another high-profile challenge to affirmative action in college admissions. The justices will decide the constitutionality of a voter referendum in Michigan banning race- and sex-based discrimination or preferential treatment in public university admission decisions. The high court is currently deciding a separate challenge to admissions policies at the University of Texas, which did not involve a voter referendum. A federal appeals court last year concluded the affirmative action ban, which Michigan voters passed in a 2006 referendum, violated the U.S. Constitution's equal protection laws. Appeals court strikes down Michigan's affirmative action ban . It was the latest step in a legal and political battle over whether the state's colleges can use race and gender as a factor in choosing which students to admit. The ban's opponents say classroom diversity remains a necessary government role. "We think this is a tremendous victory for the tens and hundreds of thousands of students who fought for affirmative action for decades," said Michigan attorney George Washington when the 6th Circuit ruling came out in November. He represents the By Any Means Necessary coalition that sued to overturn the ban. "This is a tremendous day for black and Latino students in the entire country," Washington added. The office of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette will defend the ban when oral arguments are held in the fall. The ban "embodies the fundamental premise of what America is all about: equal opportunity under the law," Schuette said. "Entrance to our great universities must be based upon merit." The law was passed seven years ago with support of 58% of voters. It was added to the state's constitution, and bars publicly funded colleges from granting "preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin." Opinion: Keep affirmative action but reform it . That prompted a series of lawsuits and appeals from various groups. Michigan voters approved the ban after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that while Michigan universities could use race as a factor in choosing which students to admit, they could not make race the determining factor in deciding whether applicants are accepted . The referendum effort was led by Jennifer Gratz, who was at the center of the high court case. As a white student, she was put on the waiting list for undergraduate admission to the state's largest university. She eventually attended another school, and became the lead plaintiff in a subsequent discrimination lawsuit. After the Supreme Court's 2003 decision, she began a public campaign to end racial preferences in admissions. The Michigan ban also prohibits the state from considering race and gender in public hiring and public contracting decisions. But the current high court case deals only with the college admissions portion. Efforts over decades to create a diverse classroom have been controversial. The Brown v. Board of Education high court ruling in 1954 ended segregation of public schools, but sparked nationwide protests and disobedience by states who initially refused to integrate. In the 1978 Bakke case, the Supreme Court ruled universities have a compelling state interest in promoting diversity, and that allows for the use of affirmative action. That issue involved a discrimination claim by a white man denied admission to law school. Opinion: Chief justice out to end affirmative action . The Supreme Court is now considering whether the University of Texas' admissions practices aimed at creating campus diversity violate the rights of some white applicants. Arguments were held in October and a written ruling is pending. The high court under Chief Justice John Roberts has made the issue a key part of its docket in recent years, and it could serve as a major legacy of the current conservative majority. The justices in 2007 struck down public school choice plans in Seattle and Louisville, concluding race could not be a factor in the assignment of children to schools. Those school districts had sought to use raced-based criteria to achieve diversity. The issue in recent years is whether and when affirmative action programs -- while constitutionally permissible now -- would eventually have to be phased out as the goal of obtaining diversity is met. Now-retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- who wrote the key ruling a decade ago in the initial Michigan cases -- said, "The court expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today." The justices are now being asked once again to decide whether Michigan's current policy meets that legal and social test. The case is Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary (12-682). Opinion: Taking affirmative action personally . | Michigan bans race- and sex-based discrimination in university admissions .
A federal appeals court last year concluded the 2006 ban violates the U.S. Constitution .
Attorney: "This is a tremendous day for black and Latino students in the entire country"
State: The ban embodies the fundamental premise of what America is all about . |
40,899 | 7351aa680fd4e8dccc8e478241e9155fd1b9fbef | By . Daily Mail Reporter . They sell cookies, work for pledges and attend summer camp, but unlike other troops, these Girl Scouts meet behind a razor wire fence. Two days a month, Girl Scouts are shuttled to a women's correctional facility to spend time with their mothers who have been locked up. But unlike a normal visit where minimal touching is allowed, girls can cuddle and play with their moms for several hours after they're screened at the prison gates. The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars began in 1992 as a way to strengthen the bond between girls aged five to 17 and their incarcerated mothers, and break the cycle of crime. Now the program operates in several women's facilities across America, and while specific statistics have not been developed to gauge its success, Scout leaders say it's given hope to many imprisoned women. 'It gives daughters a chance to know . their moms,' Ava-Lisa Macon, a volunteer Scout leader from . Catonsville, said. 'I see the difference it makes.' Scroll down for video . Girl Scouts Beyond Bars: Inmates and their daughters meet in the gym for a troop meeting at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup, Maryland . Bonding: Officials say the program has helped women inmates work on their relationships with the children they've left behind, including mother Monnek Hall (left) and her 13-year-old daughter Ayona Hall . The program began as a partnership between the National Institute of Justice and Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. On February 1, Capital Gazette joined the scout troop's meeting at Maryland Correctional Institute for Women, where it has run for 22 years, documenting the incredible bond between mother and daughter. Two troops comprising 19 offenders’ daughters were shuttled to the Jessup facility to bond with their . mothers. Girls as young as seven walk ed through a metal . detector and were patted down before being escorted through the electric fence to a gymnasium. Moms - some in gray moms wore gray sweat suits, others in casual clothes - formed a friendship circle, eagerly awaiting the moment their daughters would run into their arms. The reunions were incredibly emotional for mother and child. Scout's honor: Ayona Hall, age 13 (from left), her mother Monnek Hall, Alexis Jones, age 15 and her mother Shalonne Jones take part in the Friendship Circle at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup, Maryland . For 13-year-old Ayona Hall, the simple things like sharing a manicure or spending a day at the movies is what she finds the hardest about her mom being in the slammer. 'I miss special time, like having a girl’s day out,' Ayona said. Her mom, 32-year-old mom Monnek . Hall, has been incarcerated since 2008 for assault. She has enrolled in Goucher College courses at the prison to earn a bachelor’s degree in sociology to become a social worker. 'I try to be as real with my daughters as I can because I want for them to learn from this as well,' Hall, who could be released in 2024, told Capital Gazette,. 'I still try to lead by example. I want them to know that everybody makes mistakes. It’s what you do after that.' To participate, mothers must display exemplary behavior and miss out if they've acted out. Building trust: An inmate is blind folded by volunteer troop leader Ava-Lisa Macon (right) for a responsibility exercise trust obstacle course at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women . Rehabilitation: Women stand in the Friendship Circle and give the Girl Scout Salute and Pledge at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup, Maryland . Girl . Scouts of Central Maryland spokeswoman Danita Terry said the meetings are the only times some of . the offenders see their daughters. In a survey last March, 67 percent . said it was the only time they had with their children. Although the program is well-regarded, Capital Gazette reported funding has dried up. The Department of Justice has ceased funding and the Girl Scouts covers the $50,000 annual cost through donations and grants. Seattle's Troop 8100: Little girls are screened before they meet their moms at Washington Corrections Center for Women . Emotional reunion: Although most inmates get to speak with their children on the phone about twice a week, they see them less frequently . Margaret Chippendale, . acting warden, said she’d like to begin a dads and daughters troop, but the money isn’t available. Chippendale said she . approached Boy Scouts of America about a mothers and sons troop about 10 years ago, but . the group wasn’t interested because of limited resources. Chippendale wants more people to see the program in action to understand its impact. She recalled a pregnant inmate who delivered her baby shortly after . incarceration. Thanks to Girl Scouts, the woman was able to build a relationship with her daughter, and when the girl was old enough, she participated in the troops’ annual . sleepover. 'It was the first time she had spent the night with her daughter - at nine,' Chippendale said. 'Can you imagine?' Girl Scouts: The young girls participate in all the regular scout traditions, but in an unorthodox setting . | The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program is a scout troop for girls whose moms are in jail .
It began in 1992 as a partnership between the National Institute of Justice and Girl Scouts of Central Maryland and runs in several facilities across America .
It aims to strengthen the bond between girls aged five to 17, and their incarcerated mothers .
They generally meet twice at a month at the correctional facility, and girl troops can meet outside the prison .
Girls participate in normal scout activities and must say pledge after being screened at prison entrance .
In America, 1.7 million children - half of them under 10 - have a parent in prison . |
39,262 | 6eee090c6b7880c7876465cf9e20b8da1dc8e7a4 | (CNN) -- The poet Sylvia Plath, who made a name for herself through prose and poetry that conveyed a sense of depression and suicidal tendencies, famously died by asphyxiating herself in an oven in 1963. There is evidence that depression runs in families, but both genetics and environment influence the condition. The recent reported suicide of her son, marine biologist Nicholas Hughes, brings to light a known psychiatric phenomenon: the heredity of suicidal behavior. A first-degree relative -- a parent, sibling or child -- of a person who has committed suicide is four to six times more likely to attempt or complete a suicide, said Dr. David Brent, psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Studies on twins have shown that suicidal behavior is between 30 and 50 percent due to heritable factors, he said. Suicide victims' biological relatives who were adopted away also show an increased risk of suicide, he said. The rate of suicide in America is 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people, according to the latest information from the National Institute of Mental Health. That means, although the likelihood of suicidal behavior increases in families, a completed suicide is still a rare event, Brent said. "Genetics is not destiny," he said. "The odds are still very much against you having this happening to another relative." Family history of suicide and family history of mental disorder are two risk factors that the National Institute of Mental Health lists. More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have depression or another mental disorder, or a substance abuse disorder in combination with another mental problem, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Learn about the link between depression and creativity . Research shows that depression runs in families. A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows biological markers for the inherited condition. The researchers found, in a sample of 131 people, that the biological offspring of depressed people had structural differences in their brain. Some of these people had been followed for more than 25 years. Learn more about mood disorders » . People at high risk of developing depression had a 28 percent thinning of the right cortex, the brain's outermost surface, the study found. Those with an extra thinning abnormality in the left cortex were most likely to develop depression or anxiety. The data set shows that this brain surface thinning was present before these people developed mental problems, and was found in both children and grandchildren of depressed people, said Dr. Bradley Peterson, psychiatrist at Columbia University Medical Center and co-author of the study. The new study may point toward more individualized medicine -- one day people may be screened for these brain abnormalities that indicate high depression risk, and receive treatment based on that, he said. Researchers believe the cortical thinning causes depression by interfering with the processing of emotional stimuli, he said. A person with these brain abnormalities may benefit from therapy targeted at responding to social stimuli more appropriately, he said. With both depression and suicide, research suggests that causal factors are a combination of genetics and environment, Peterson said. The best way to prevent suicide is to treat the underlying psychiatric disorder, Brent said. Besides Hughes and Plath, famous examples of two or more close relatives committing suicide include Ernest Hemingway's family -- Hemingway's father, brother, sister and granddaughter, in addition to the famous novelist himself, killed themselves. The poet John Berryman jumped off a Minneapolis bridge in 1972; his father had committed suicide when the poet was a child. More recently, the playwright Spalding Gray apparently killed himself in 2004; his mother had taken her own life many years earlier. Do relatives of people who killed themselves imitate suicide? This is possible, but hard to prove or disprove, Brent said. In fact, there is more evidence of copycat suicides among people who did not know the victim well, but merely learned about him or her through the news. If you've actually lost a relative to suicide and go through the bereavement process, you may be more likely to understand the aftermath of suicide, Brent said. Suicide "can also represent the learned or transmitted way of coping with unbearable stress," Peterson said. What exactly gets transmitted in families with suicide? One theory is that it's a difficulty in emotional regulation. "Not necessarily depression per se, but it's the ability to restrain yourself from acting on suicidal thoughts," Brent said. The American Association of Suicidology is one place for online information if you or someone you know is contemplating suicide. For immediate assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). | First-degree relatives are 4 to 6 times more likely to attempt or complete a suicide .
Still, says expert, "genetics is not destiny"
Influential factors are a combination of genetics and environment .
Ernest Hemingway committed suicide, and so did several of his relatives . |
219,693 | a86443e1684abfbae3d1cd59420c275d0ba8864e | A rigorous green certification system is recognizing the next phase of eco design, which its founders describe as "the world's greenest buildings." Founded by Jason F. McLennan in 2006 through the Cascadia Green Building Council, the Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a green ratings system for design and construction that judges a building based on its actual performance, not just its projected performance at the design stage. To date, it has recognized six buildings for their green credentials. Only three have been successful in meeting all its stringent requirements and consequently fully certified as "living." "These are the world's greenest buildings," says McLennan. "It is a huge leap forward from conventional green construction. These buildings will never get an energy or water bill again." Projects must be in operation for a minimum of 12 months before they become eligible to participate in the challenge and they can only achieve "living" status after fulfilling requirements in the categories of site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty. "It takes about 14-16 months to go through the certification process and we are a rigorous process so there are not that many buildings fully certified," says McLennan. Read more: The greenest buildings of 2011 . He adds: "The ones that are (certified) are game changers because they become more than a building. They create a whole community of changed people around them." The International Living Future Institute, a non-profit that was created to take over running the LBC since its inception, hopes its guidelines will change current green construction philosophy and become as powerful as eco-building ratings system Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED as it is better known. But unlike LBC, LEED does not certify new buildings based on measurements of their actual performance. McLennan says: "You'd be surprised no green standards actually go and check if the project is fulfilling what they had planned to do. We knew in reality buildings typically don't perform the way they are intended so we wanted to rectify this and base our challenge on reality." The LBC was created to encourage the creation of living buildings, sites and communities globally as well as educate people about the importance of going green. The non-profit has been working closely with projects and regulatory bodies to aid experimental green design construction. Read more: Solar-powered 'supertrees' breathe life into Singapore's urban oasis . It has already been recognized as a credible contender in green building standards by winning global design competition The Buckminster Fuller Challenge earlier this month. In the official statement, the jurors said the "Living Building Challenge successfully shows how humans and their built environment can be harmoniously, benignly integrated within ecosystems. "Above all, its rigorous standards and daringly innovative, revolutionary approach to building are already having a considerable impact on the thinking of designers and architects around the world, influencing all levels of design and technological approaches, radically pushing forward the field." Read more: 'Vertical farm' blossoms at meatpacking plant . McLennan seems somewhat surprised by the rapid recognition and success the LBC has had internationally. He says: "Without any international marketing budget, we've launched something bigger than ourselves. We have become a meme in a way -- an idea that develops its own legs and begins to travel." Initially starting with projects in the United States and Canada, the green performance-based ratings system now has registered projects in Australia, France, Lebanon, Mexico, and New Zealand, amongst others, and interest from like-minded groups in Colombia, Ireland and Romania. "We hope to be training certifiers in those countries," says McLennan. "In Australia, we have three projects that are underway. We are in discussions with many leading thinkers about ideas working to create the Australian institute. "They would be the governing body for the Living Building project tied into a global network of ambassadors, collaboratives and institutes around the world for the transformation of society ... It's about changing the world and building a network of people." | The Living Building Challenge is a performance-based green ratings system .
The International Living Future Institute also aims to educate people on sustainability .
Organizers hope to change people's attitudes to the environment . |
36,254 | 66d56a025b3966a59deda8d0995eb1d2d113d8fd | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 11:26 EST, 27 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:47 EST, 28 February 2013 . Italian President Giorgio Napolitano cancelled a dinner with Germany's opposition leader today after he claimed the country elected a bunch of 'clowns'. Peer Steinbrueck, a Social Democrat who will take on Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany's next national election in September, was referring to Italian former premier Silvio Berlusconi and comic-turned-politician Beppe Grillo. Steinbrueck has a reputation for gaffes and his remark created the first diplomatic incident of his accident-prone campaign. Cancelled: President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy (left) was due to meet German chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck (right) before it was called off . Steinbrueck said yesterday he was 'appalled that two clowns have won' Italy's election. The vote was actually inconclusive with no party garnering a majority in parliament, although Grillo's anti-establishment party surged dramatically. Napolitano, an 87-year-old former communist with no natural affinity for Berlusconi or Grillo, now faces the difficult task of trying to appoint a coalition government. Italian media said he had expressed concern about 'populism' after the election result in a private meeting during his visit to Germany, but these comments could not be confirmed. As head of state, he may have felt duty-bound to defend the dignity of Italy's political institutions. The German candidate's spokesman said Napolitano cancelled 'because of Steinbrueck's remarks on Tuesday' and added that the SPD politician 'understood Napolitano's domestic political reasons for cancelling'. Napolitano's spokesman was unavailable for comment. Napolitano and Steinbrueck had been scheduled to meet over dinner at a Berlin hotel. Napolitano, who visited Munich on Tuesday and Wednesday, was due to meet Merkel in the German capital on Thursday. A clown? Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi casts his vote in a polling station on February 24 . The leader of the 'Five Stars Movement', Italian comedian Beppe Grillo, was described as one of the 'clowns' Steinbrueck made it absolutely clear in his comments to an SPD rally in Potsdam he was referring to Grillo and Berlusconi, calling the latter 'clearly a clown with a testosterone boost'. 'My impression is that two populists won,' he said. Berlusconi, a scandal-ridden billionaire media mogul, is very unpopular in Germany and slated often in the media. But Steinbrueck did himself no favours with his frank talk. German politicians are expected to strike a serious tone and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of European partners. On Twitter, some commentators dismissed the acerbic Steinbrueck as the 'real clown'. 'Steinbrueck behaves like a bull in a china shop,' said Michael Meister, deputy leader of Merkel's conservatives in the Bundestag (lower house of parliament). Election rivals: Peer Steinbrueck and Chancellor Angela Merkel will go to the polls later this year . He accused Steinbrueck of damaging Germany's reputation abroad with such comments. Some SPD politicians also criticised Steinbrueck for his utterance. Italy's elections, which threaten to tip the euro zone back into crisis, showed a big swell in support for Grillo's 5-Star Movement and a surprisingly strong result for Berlusconi. He had been expected to lose heavily to the centre left, which won the lower house but not the Senate. Both Grillo and Berlusconi campaigned against the austerity measures implemented by technocrat Prime Minister Mario Monti at the urging of Germany's conservative chancellor Merkel. Grillo, in his popular blog, laid into Merkel for imposing German-style fiscal austerity on Italy. Berlusconi has made more personal attacks on Merkel, whom he blames for his fall from power in 2011 because of her hesitancy on bailouts. Berlusconi, who has been sentenced for tax fraud and is on trial accused of having sex with an under-aged prostitute, is reported to have made rude remarks about Merkel's appearance in a phone call wiretapped by investigators, though he denies this. Merkel is more diplomatic than the acerbic Steinbrueck, a former German finance minister whose campaign for the election in September has got off to a poor start. Merkel's parliamentary allies and even cabinet ministers had voiced concern about the possibility of a Berlusconi comeback before Sunday and Monday's elections but the chancellor kept any reservations to herself. Steinbrueck made waves with undiplomatic statements when he served as finance minister under Merkel between 2005 and 2009, for example referring to the Swiss as Indians running scared from the cavalry during a crackdown he led on tax havens. | Italian President Giorgio Napolitano cancels dinner with Peer Steinbrueck .
The opposition candidate for chancellor has a reputation for gaffes .
He was referring to Silvio Berlusconi and former comic Beppe Grillo .
It follows their good showing in Italy's election that was inconclusive . |
201,606 | 91071cfe9c3c7a8e3a7a89c1a2e494ee9dda4c5c | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:28 EST, 2 April 2013 . Pope Francis has made an emotional pilgrimage into the ancient necropolis beneath the Vatican to visit the tomb of St Peter. The 76-year-old is the first pontiff to tour the site, where pagans and early Christians were buried, since extensive archaeological excavations in 1965. The 45-minute 'visit of devotion to the tomb of St Peter' was private, the Vatican said, but it later released photographs and a video showing Francis walking through the streets of the city of the dead. The basilica was built over the location where early Christians would gather in secret, at a time of persecution in ancient Rome, to pray at an unmarked tomb believed to be that of Peter, the apostle Jesus chose to lead his church. Going underground: Pope Francis in the necropolis beneath the Vatican where he visited the tomb of St Peter . Prayer: The Pope kneels before an altar in the main basilica after he concluded his visit to the necropolis . The Vatican first said Francis would pray at Peter's tomb, but later said he prayed instead in the basilica. The new pope 'paused in silent prayer, in profound and emotional meditation' in the Clementine Chapel in the vast basilica that is 'the closest place (in the basilica) to the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles,' it said. During a tour of the necropolis conducted by its director and an Italian cardinal, the pope 'climbed up a bit, got closer to the place where the tomb of St. Peter lies, exactly under the central altar and the dome of the basilica,' the Vatican said. Francis walked down the entire main street of the ancient city of the dead, the statement said. The streets of the necropolis are similar to those of ancient Rome, only they are flanked by tombs instead of shops and apartments. The Vatican said Francis walked to the necropolis entrance from the hotel on the Vatican grounds where he lives, took the tour and later - after paying homage at the tombs of several popes in another underground level known as the grottoes, including Pius XII, Paul VI and John Paul I - strolled back to his residence. The underground excursion was a sharp . departure from how popes in past years often spent the day after Easter, . known in Italy as 'little Easter.' Those pontiffs would head to Castel . Gandolfo, the Vatican palace in the Alban Hills, a short drive from . Rome. But that oasis of . sprawling gardens and strolling paths in the quaint hill town is . occupied by the predecessor of Francis, Benedict XVI, who spent the last . hours of his papacy there before becoming the first pope in 600 years . to retire. Benedict is staying in Castel Gandolfo until a monastery at . the Vatican in Rome can be readied for him. Unusual: The site was excavated in 1965 but no Pope since then has visited the tombs. The Vatican said that the pilgrimage was private and 'a visit of devotion' City of the dead: The necropolis resembles ancient Rome but instead of shops and houses, the streets are lined by tombs . Many Italians spend 'little Easter' by having a picnic lunch in the countryside or in city parks, and Francis told Romans and tourists who gathered in St. Peter's Square at noon Monday to see him to 'have a good lunch.' Francis said he was praying that Easter would inspire the faithful so that 'hatred gives way to love, lies to truth,' and that it would especially comfort those in 'most need of trust and hope.' He spoke to them from the studio window of the apartment in the Apostolic Palace overlooking the square. Benedict and popes before him lived there, but so far Francis, who stresses simplicity, has declined to move into the quarters. Instead, he has continued to stay at the Vatican hotel, where, as Buenos Aires archbishop, he stayed with fellow cardinals to elect Benedict's successor. They chose him, Jorge Bergoglio, the first pontiff from South America. St Peter's mission was to continue to preach the message of Jesus and reach more souls. Francis, as a Jesuit, is steeped in the evangelising mission of the church, and the necropolis tour brings him back to the origins of the church in its simplest years as a community of Christians professing their faith in defiance of the crackdown by Roman emperors. Peter himself was among the Christian martyrs during Nero's reign. He is believed to have been crucified, head down, on the Vatican hill. Easter blessing: Francis addresses the crowds in St Peter's Square on Sunday. He is spending the week in Rome . Popular: The new pontiff has drawn huge crowds every time he has appeared in public since taking up the post last month . Constantine, the first Christian emperor, had an early basilica built on the slopes of the Vatican Hill, burying the pagan and Christian cemetery - necropolis means `city of the dead' - that surrounded Peter's burial site. The current basilica, named after St. Peter, was constructed over the earlier basilica that was deemed unsafe and demolished in the late 15th century. The Baroque master architect Bernini designed the bronze canopy over the central altar over the spot of Peter's burial site. The current basilica was planned as an awe-inspiring monument that would project the image of a powerful church. Under popes of the last century, extensive excavations were carried out of the sprawling necropolis. In 1965, archaeologists said they had found the bones of Peter in an area near an ancient Greek inscription saying 'Peter is here.' Part of a nearby necropolis came to light in 2003 during construction of a parking lot. A few years ago, the Vatican unveiled the largest and most luxurious of the pagan tombs under St Peter's Basilica - that of a family of former slaves. Guided tours of the necropolis, upon appointment, have been one of the most sought-after attractions for tourists to the Vatican. | First pontiff to visit the necropolis since excavations in 1965 .
Francis walked down the main street which is flanked by tombs .
Visited the tomb before praying in the main basilica of St Peter's .
Spent Easter Monday in Rome rather than at Castel Gandolfo . |
21,085 | 3bd36c84e11f0d2f32daba9cdc754c71e176d439 | A jobless single mother who flaunted her notoriety as a serial shoplifter with the boast, ‘At least I’m famous’, has finally been locked up. Jade Underwood was banned from 80 stores and had her photograph displayed on police posters after stealing relentlessly and terrorising her community. Just two weeks after being made the subject of a Crasbo – a criminal anti-social behaviour order – the 23-year-old returned to her old habits. 'At least I am famous': Single mother Jade Underwood appeared to enjoy the comparison made between her and character Vicky Pollard, right, who was played by Matt Lucas in the comedy Little Britain . Magistrates were told that she was caught stealing £110 of perfume from Debenhams in Stockport. She also stole food and DVDs from another shop and ignored a community punishment order by failing to turn up for an appointment. Underwood, who has been likened to Vicky Pollard, the foul-mouthed, tracksuit- bottomed character in Little Britain, has now been jailed for ten weeks for five offences of theft. At Stockport magistrates court she was also barred from a further 120 shops across the town centre. Yesterday one shopkeeper said they were relieved Underwood had finally been sent to prison. ‘That woman has been nothing but a menace,’ the shopowner said. ‘Prison’s probably too good for the likes of her, but at least it will keep her from us – for now.’ Neighbours said the 5ft tall mother of three treated shoplifting as a vocation, bragging about her daily sprees. Shame: Bright yellow posters showing Jade's face were posted all around the area encouraging locals to report her if she flouted her CRASBO . One Boots store, in Edgeley, Stockport, had been targeted so many times that staff even stopped putting make-up on display. She also verbally abused parents taking their children to and from a local primary school and tormented neighbours in the tower block she lived in before being evicted for playing loud music until 5am. In May, after a catalogue of complaints about Underwood, police obtained the Crasbo, which differs from an Asbo in that it is imposed after a criminal conviction. In court she was described as a ‘prolific shoplifter’ who ‘on numerous occasions used language and behaviour that has caused considerable alarm, harassment and distress to shop staff’. Shameless: Mother-of-three Jade 'treated shoplifting like a job', would openly tell neighbours she was off to steal and refused to work because she was better off on benefits . The Crasbo barred Underwood from the main shopping street in Edgeley, a primary school and supermarkets. Posters bearing her grim-faced photo were put up to encourage residents to report her if she flouted the bans. But Underwood was undeterred and instead toasted her Crasbo on Facebook, posting a series of misspelt, crude messages from her new flat in Withington, Manchester. One said: ‘Heyy yah dont bring me down, let meh tell u f***ing hell least am famouse sad stupid t**ts !! Yah all whata leve meh da f*** alone coz m8 u whata start playing games like dat ..!’ Despite the threat of prison, the posters made Jade feel like a celebrity and she was caught shoplifting again just two weeks later in Debenhams . Former neighbour John Duggan, 55, said: ‘This woman has absolutely no shame whatsoever. She would openly say to me, “I’m going shoplifting today.” ‘She was not ashamed about telling me. ‘A leopard can never change their spots. She will never stop what she is doing. ‘She used to wear tracksuits and looked just like Vicky Pollard from the TV show. She’s a little terror.’ Yesterday Pc Jon Daniels, of Greater Manchester Police, said: ‘When she stole something, she would sometimes become abusive and shout in the middle of the store. ‘The jail sentence shows if you breach your order, what can happen.’ He added: ‘Shoplifting has a massive knock-on effect for stores and can really add up. ‘Shops can lose thousands in a month and can close down through stock loss.’ CJ's in Stockport was just one of the original 80 shops which Jade was banned from as a result of her persistent shoplifting . | Jade Underwood, 23, abused neighbours, shop staff and mothers taking children to school .
Bragged online about being 'famous' after being slapped with a 'super ABSO' for her appalling behaviour .
Jailed for 10 weeks for five offences after appearing at Stockport Magistrates . |
113,437 | 1e6809222e0ee55b1d8f614881012449e92eea58 | An ex-principal and former Australian of the Year finalist who fraudulently claimed millions of taxpayers' dollars for a top Indigenous school will not spend anymore time behind bars. In an 11th-hour plea last Monday, Jean Illingworth admitted defrauding the state and Commonwealth by inflating student numbers to get $3.4 million in extra funding for Djarragun College, near Cairns, between 2010 and 2011. On Friday, the 67-year-old appeared in the Cairns District Court where she was sentenced to three years' jail on one charge of obtaining property by deception, and two and half years' on one charge of fraud. Jean Illingworth, a former Queensland principal, has been released from serving any more time in jail for defrauding millions . However, Judge Terry Martin ordered she only serve 351 days in prison for both charges - the exact number of days she has already served in pre-sentence custody. "I accept you're fundamentally a decent person," Judge Martin said, adding that he acknowledged she had dedicated most of her life to helping indigenous and disadvantaged children. He described her convictions as a major stain on an enviable career but added that she had abandoned honesty and integrity and "committed blatant fraud". Judge Martin acknowledged her motivation was the improvement of the school and the benefit of the students rather than personal gain. Supporters of the disgraced teacher, 66, are standing by her and have already helped raise $31,829 towards her legal fees for the trial. She will face one charge each of fraud and obtaining financial advantage by deception. Her backers have so far donated 40 per cent of the target amount reportedly needed to defend her against the fraud claims. The fundraising website 'Defend Jean' claims: 'Jean Illingworth worked tirelessly at Djarragun College for ten years, turning a small dysfunctional school into a flagship example of successful indigenous education.' Supporters of the disgraced teacher, 66, are standing by her and have already helped raise $31,829 towards her legal fees for the trial. It claims: 'The very least Jean deserves is a fair trial. The legal costs involved in achieving this are almost prohibitive.' Ms Illingworth, once described by Noel Pearson as a true social entrepreneur, wept throughout her sentencing. Prosecutor Michael Cowan said Illingworth claimed funding for hundreds of students who weren't eligible because they hadn't attended school for a minimum period. He read a number of emails to the court that he said proved she knew what she had done. Mr Cowan said Illingworth had cost taxpayers millions that would never be recovered while receiving a $283,000 salary until at least July this year. The school: She was the former principal of Djarragun College, a top indigenous education centre, near Cairns . Role model: Ms Illingworth was named Queensland's Senior Australian of the Year in 2009 . Her barrister, Ken Fleming, argued his client shouldn't spend anymore time behind bars, pointing to Illingworth's impressive work history in which she'd spent most of her life working with remote, indigenous and disadvantaged children in Australia and Africa. Illingworth, who worked at the college for about a decade, was named the Queensland Senior Australian of the Year in 2009 for her work in transforming the once dysfunctional college into a much admired model of success. Mr Fleming said Illingworth worked 15 hours a day to turn the school - her grand passion - into a place where some of the country's most disadvantaged children were given hope of a brighter future. He also outlined the extraordinary challenges the school and its students faced, including foetal alcohol syndrome, truancy problems and a lack of parental support. "The school has been an enormous success and principally because of the untiring work of Ms Illingworth," he said. Djarragun College is a private school that has two campuses - north and south of Cairns - and caters mainly to indigenous students from Cape York and the Torres Strait. Ms Illingworth's lawyers still have the option to apply for a judge-only trial or request jurors be polled to see if they are biased due to publicity surrounding the case. The 66-year-old has been in custody in a Townsville women's prison for almost a year. She was released on bail after being charged early last year but was then taken into custody in July after allegedly contacting witnesses in the trial. A separate trial relating to these alleged offences - she has been charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice - may take place in November. | Jean Illingworth defrauded millions of dollars in funding from Federal government for Djarragun College near Cairns .
Illingworth has been released from jail immediately and will not have to pay back any of the taxpayers money .
Paid an almost $300,000 salary until this year despite being sacked in 2011 .
Supporters have raised over $30,000 to defend her .
Was named the Queensland Senior Australian of the Year in 2009 . |
49,906 | 8d22e1567471dbca065dae351d715c1a93b6df09 | By . Mark Duell . and Will Stewart . and Harriet Hernando For Mailonline . A zoo held a hilarious competition to decide whether its male raccoon or his female companion was best at washing clothes – and the fairer sex won. The animals are famous for cleaning their food but the aim was to go one step further. A video of the stunt at Krasnoyarsk Zoo in Russia shows that ‘washing is definitely woman’s work’, reported The Siberian Times. Scroll down for video . Compared: Artem (right), the male raccoon, 'was full of determination to complete the task' and Masha (left) 'tried to get him out of the wash bowl by constantly biting his ears' Gnawed at the buttons: Artem patiently ignored the harassment, trying to keep his place at the washing tub . Washing: A triumphant Masha was left to continue on her own. She added water, sand and pebbles to help the cleaning process . ‘Artem, the male raccoon, was full of determination to complete the task, but in the end was disqualified for eating the buttons of the clothes. ‘Masha somehow knew this was women’s work and tried to get him out of the wash bowl by constantly biting his ears.’ Artem patiently ignored the harassment, trying to keep his place at the washing tub. Eventually he was forced to take a rag out of the bowl but then upset the judges by gnawing at the buttons. He was returned to his cage in disgrace, said reports of the bizarre contest to mark Raccoon Day on August 9. Racoons Masha and Artem 'wash' clothes at a zoo in Russia . Russian zoo: The animals are famous for cleaning their food but the aim was to go one step further . This left a triumphant Masha to continue on her own. She added water, sand and pebbles to help the cleaning process. Keeper . Ekaterina Mikhailiva explained: ‘Raccoons in their natural environment . rinse in water everything that comes into their paws. ‘In . the zoo they wash in the bowl even cottage cheese and buckwheat. So we . decided to hold a little competition between our raccoons Masha and . Artem.’ | Krasnoyarsk Zoo in Russia showed 'washing is definitely woman's work'
Artem, the male raccoon, 'was full of determination to complete the task'
But 'in the end he was disqualified for eating the buttons of the clothes'
Masha 'tried to get him out of wash bowl by constantly biting his ears' |
100,707 | 0dc0b04589ec22eb95ecd03558c571386a238f18 | A group of England football supporters have been injured in an alleged attack ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Kiev. Some 30 hooded Ukrainians armed with knives are said to have set upon the fans in a coffee shop last night in a busy area in the centre of the city. Three England fans were taken to hospital following the fracas, one with a stab wound, one with a head injury, and a third with severe bruising, according to local reports. And as the sun rose on the Ukrainian capital this morning, fresh bloodstains still covered the pavement where the fight broke out. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch aftermath of the violent attack in Kiev . Stretchered off: One of the injured England fans is taken to hospital on a stretcher. He was among three three Brits taken to hospital, one with a stab wound, one with a head injury, and a third with severe bruising . Attacked: Amateur footage posted on the internet appears to show one of the men lying in the road as passers by try to help him . Attacked: It is understood two of the victims have since been released from hospital while another remains under observation . No arrests: Following the attack, witnesses said the masked men fled into the night. Nobody has been arrested . It is understood all three of the victims have since been released from hospital and are awaiting flights home. Amateur footage posted on the internet . appears to show one of the men lying in the road as passers by try to . help him. 'Most visits are trouble free. But foreign nationals have been the victims of violent crime in Kiev and other major cities. In some cases attacks have been racially motivated. 'Travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities should take extra care. 'Be alert to the possibility of street crime and petty theft. Foreigners may appear to be lucrative targets. Where possible, avoid walking alone late at night in dark or poorly lit streets. 'Keep valuables and cash safe and out of sight, especially in crowded areas, tourist spots, and public transport, where pickpockets and bag snatchers operate.' Ambulances arrived moments later to take the injured men to . hospital.Following the attack, witnesses said the masked men fled into the night. Nobody has been arrested. 'Three British citizens ... were taken to hospital with wounds to the head and hands,' police said in a statement. 'After getting medical treatment they were taken back to their accommodation.' A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of incidents in Kiev involving British nationals. We are providing consular assistance.' The exact circumstances of the fracas . remained unclear today but police said it broke out after a handful of around 40 England fans and 20 . Ukrainians grew violent as they traded insults. Ukrainian football has long been blighted by violent hooliganism fuelled by fierce inter-club rivalries. Last year's Euro 2012, hosted jointly . by Poland and Ukraine, passed largely without any major incidences of . hooliganism amid fears neo-Nazis may hijack the tournament to unleash . violence on foreign fans. Clean up: And as the sun rose on the Ukrainian capital this morning, fresh bloodstains still covered the pavement where the fight broke out . Clean up: Local officials begin the task of clearing up the blood which is splattered across the street in Kiev . Hooligans: Ukrainian football has long been blighted by violent hooliganism fuelled by fierce inter-club rivalries and football gangs heavily infiltrated by neo-Nazi supporters . Just . before the tournament began, however, about 50 hooligans punched and . kicked foreign football fans speaking English and Russian as they drank . in a pub in the central Polish city of Lodz. The . fighting broke out after Dutch players complained they were subjected . to monkey chants while training in another Polish city, where the . England team is based. England top Group H with 15 points, ahead of Montenegro on goal difference. Ukraine sit third with 14 points. | Three England fans taken to hospital, one of whom had been stabbed .
One suffered a head injury while other had severe bruising, say reports .
Hooded attackers, armed with knives, fled scene and no arrests yet made . |
78,248 | ddd3dc93764d0954df0f9b06848c775bbebc4d8e | Tottenham will stay an extra 24 hours in Italy following tomorrow's Europa League clash against Fiorentina to help prepare for Sunday's Capital One Cup final. Spurs face Fiorentina in Florence on Thursday night, just three days before the Wembley clash against Chelsea. And to ensure the players are fresh going into Sunday's clash, Mauricio Pochettino's side will stay in Florence an extra night, flying back on Friday night. Mauricio Pochettino, instructing Harry Kane, is keeping his players in Italy an extra day to prepare for Sunday . 'This is a very busy period and very difficult for the recovery of the players. For that we decided to stay here after the game in Florence and train here on Friday,' said Pochettino. 'It’s very important to sleep well after the game, to eat well, to recover, because Sunday is another final and we need to provide the players with all the best things to arrive fresh on Sunday. 'I have clear idea for Thursday. Always for us the most important game is Thursday and we need to be focused on the Fiorentina game not on the Capital One Cup.' Tottenham drew the first-leg against Fiorentina 1-1 at White Hart Lane last week and have since drawn 2-2 with West Ham during a packed fixture schedule for Pochettino's side. Roberto Soldado fired in Tottenham's opener in the first-leg against Fiorentina with this volley . Fiorentina, currently fifth in Serie A will provide a stern test for Spurs and Pochettino is well aware of the challenge ahead in Florence: . 'Now the way football is, on TV, it didn’t surprise me the way they played. We watched a lot of their games and it didn’t surprise me. We know they have very good players and play in a very attractive way. Nothing special,' said the Spurs boss. 'I told you before the first game in London about Montella, is a coach who seems a little bit Spanish. Playing with a lot of Spanish players and the way they play is very similar to us because always try to play on the grass and always thinking on the opponent goal. We have a similar style, similar philosophy.' Soldado wheels away in celebration having fired Spurs into an early lead at White Hart lane last week . Kane, scoring in Tottenham's 5-3 win over Chelsea on January 1, will hope to defeat the Blues on Sunday . It’s been a damaging fortnight for football with several race and violence related incidents hitting the headlines but the Spurs manager is adamant the Tottenham fans will conduct themselves in the appropriate manner in Italy: . ‘Our fans are very respectful. In the few games we’ve played before in the Europa League in Greece, Turkey, Serbia, the behaviour of our fans was great fantastic no problem,’ added the Argentinian. ‘Maybe because I think it’s better to be careful but our supporters always in the past in the last three games behaviour was fantastic. We need to be respectful and have the same behaviour.’ | Mauricio Pochettino's side face Fiorentina in the Europa League last 32 .
Tottenham play the last 32 second-leg in Florence with the tie level at 1-1 .
Spurs face Chelsea in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley on Sunday . |
143,966 | 462ba8d04623174abbaa90af5afce0f8eee780a3 | By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 11:57 EST, 14 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 14 July 2012 . A jealous husband who shot his wife five times with an illegal firearm after learning of her secret affair with a younger man was today jailed for 12 years. David Leeman, 60, shot Jennie, 44, with a semi-automatic pistol at close range in a barn on the farm they once shared in rural Devon. Their marriage was already on the rocks when Mrs Leeman, who had two sons and two daughters with the defendant during a 20-year relationship, started seeing another man, Norman Laramy, 40. Guilty: David Leeman, left, has been jailed for shooting his wife Jennie with a a semi-automatic pistol . Leeman discovered the couple’s affair six days before he killed Mrs Leeman, Exeter Crown Court heard. He said he heard voices in his head in the moments leading up to the death. Leeman admitted manslaughter on the grounds of a 'loss of control' because he was taking anti-depressants at the time, which he said had an impact on his thought process. Senior medical professionals were divided on whether the dosage Leeman was taking was sufficient to cause his behaviour on the day he shot his wife. It took the jury nine and a half hours to acquit the property developer, of Higher Cowley Farm, Parracombe, near Barnstaple, north Devon, of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Crime scene: The incident happened at the couple's home - Higher Cowley Farm in Parracombe, in Devon . Passing sentence, Mr Justice Butterfield said he was 'wholly unimpressed' with the evidence that Leeman had been affected by the prescription medication he was taking at the time. 'You have been convicted of the manslaughter of your wife and you have pleaded guilty to the possession of a prohibited weapon, a semi-automatic pistol,' the judge said. 'There is no evidence that you were violent towards your wife until the day you killed her and indeed no evidence that you threatened her with violence. 'You were convicted of manslaughter and you had in fact pleaded guilty to that offence once it was added to the indictment. 'You killed your wife without any justification. Your conviction for manslaughter is on the basis that when you killed your wife you had lost your self-control. 'This was a terrible tragedy. It is a tragedy for Jennie Leeman, whose life you took, and for her family. 'A precious life has been needlessly lost and the sentence I am about to impose is in no sense a value of that life. 'Her life was precious and you have taken it from her. Sad: The court hear the couple's marriage was already on the rocks when Mrs Leeman, started seeing another man, Norman Laramy, 40. Pictured the front gate to the family home. 'But my sentence is also informed from my view of the evidence placed before the jury and my assessment of what happened that terrible day. 'It is clear that in the days before the killing you learned that your wife was going to leave you and make a new life with Mr Laramy. 'You loved her and accepted the situation as best you could. It is evidently clear that you became concerned about Mr Laramy upon hearing of the rumours and what your son had told you. 'You became obsessed with the view that Mr Laramy was a paedophile and that your young daughter was going to live with your wife. 'It was false in the extreme but I am satisfied it was a view you genuinely held.' The judge said Leeman had not lost his self-control when he took the handgun from its hiding place, cleaned it, loaded it and placed it in his pocket to meet his wife on the day he killed her. 'In my view you had probably intended to threaten your wife,' he said. 'You were not out of control when you recovered the gun, you were not out of control when you cleaned it and you were not out of control when you put it in your pocket. Happier time: Pictured Mrs Leeman. The judge said it was clear that in the days before the killing Mr Leeman learned that his wife was going to leave him and make a new life with Mr Laramy . 'You took out the loaded gun and pointed it at her. You were not, in my judgment, out of control even though you were in a highly charged emotional state. 'But she laughed at you and you did lose control and pumped five bullets into her at point blank range.' The judge said that had Leeman been convicted of murder the starting point would have been 30 years in prison. 'In my judgment the degree of provocation was low and your wife presented no threat to you,' he said. 'You acted out of anger and frustration rather than fear. It is clear that your intention when you discharged that weapon was to kill your wife. 'I take into account your conduct immediately after you killed your wife, your lack of previous convictions for violence and your remorse, although how much of that is self-pity is difficult to assess.' Leeman showed no emotion as he was told he would serve a 12-year sentence for manslaughter to run concurrent with a five-year term for possessing the gun. The judge explained that the 296 days Leeman had already served in custody would be taken into account and he would spend half the sentence in prison before being released on licence. In mitigation, Martin Meeke QC told the judge of Leeman’s genuine remorse. 'We cannot add to the facts of the case but we would like to emphasise the defendant’s evidence, the intention to commit suicide and, of course, his comments made to the police, which were of loving his wife, wanting to die and wanting to be with her,' he said. 'We say it was immediate and genuine remorse.' The trial heard that Mrs Leeman and Mr Laramy started their affair in June last year, having known each other for three years. The following month, Mr Laramy, a builder, moved into a converted barn at the Leemans’ farm and continued seeing Mrs Leeman. When the defendant found out about his wife’s affair, she left their home and moved in with Mr Laramy. Six days later, she was dead. The jury of seven men and five women were told that Mrs Leeman was killed at around 5.30pm on September 18, all five of the shots being fired from close range, with the last two at a distance of less than 1in (2.5cm). Jurors were told Mrs Leeman had gone to the farm, accompanied by Mr Laramy and two of his children, to return her young daughter to her father.Leeman asked his wife to accompany him to his office for a two-minute chat and they were then seen walking towards a barn. Mr Laramy then heard raised voices, Mrs Leeman screaming and then gunshots, the court was told. Tragic: The trial heard that Mrs Leeman and Mr Laramy started their affair in June last year, having known each other for three years . Geoffrey Mercer QC, prosecuting, said: 'She went with him into the barn and in fact to her death, unaware he had a loaded gun with him. 'Mr Laramy heard arguing and screaming, then a gunshot and then further gunshots.' The court heard that Mr Laramy told his two sons to run to a neighbouring house to raise the alarm and he then ran to the barn. As he did so, the defendant came out of the barn with the gun in his hand. The jury heard that Leeman pointed the gun at Mr Laramy and said: 'It should have been you first.' The court was told that Leeman wanted to speak to his wife because of unfounded rumours that Mr Laramy was a paedophile. When Leeman was arrested, he told police: 'I did it. She would just not listen. 'I shot the woman I loved because she didn’t do what I wanted.' He also told the court he said the Lord’s Prayer over his wife’s limp body, before trying to kill himself, though the weapon had no further ammunition. Members of Mrs Leeman’s family were not in court to see her husband jailed although they attended the trial. Yesterday, a spokesman for her family said: 'No-one has the right to take another person’s life. 'We, Jennie’s family, feel disappointed and that justice has not been done for such a terrible thing that David Leeman has done to our wonderful daughter, sister and friend to so many people.' | Couple had been married for 20 years and had two children .
Court heard relationship had been 'on the rock's' when Mrs Leeman began affair with another man .
Mr Leeman discovered affair six days before killing his wife .
Husband found guilty of manslaughter, but acquitted of murder . |
40,061 | 7108388ab82572b18f2d26d173b1d44e008beac7 | Sarah Palin, the anti-word-mincing human megaphone who was once a vice presidential candidate and the GOP's best hope for a new female vanguard, said Wednesday that she doesn't 'give a flying flip' if a woman wins the White House. The change of heart comes as Democrat Hillary Clinton is poised to break a glass ceiling and become America's first 'Madame President' after serving as first lady, a U.S. senator, secretary of state and the GOP's favorite punching bag. 'I don't give a flying flip about what gender the person will be,' Palin told Norville, who asked her if electing a female president was important. 'I want the absolute best because America deserves the best, in terms of leadership, getting this country on the right track.' Sarah Palin said she doesn't 'give a flying flip' if a woman becomes president but admits it would be nice. SEEMS SO LONG AGO: Palin was Sen. John McCain's vice presidential running mate in 2008 and lost to President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden . 'But yeah, it would be nice,' she finally admitted, 'and it will be nice to see women jump into the ring.' The interview aired the same day the Pew Research Center published a survey of more than 1.800 American adults, asking questions about the leadership roles of women in modern society. Pew found that 73 per cent of them expect to see a female president in their lifetimes – but only 38 per cent say they hope it happens. Another 57 per cent say it doesn't matter to them either way. There's also a strong split on the issue along party lines. 'Democratic women in particular are strong proponents of female political leaders,' Pew reported. 'In most cases, they are more likely than both Democratic men and Republican women to say that female political leaders do a better job [than] men.' 'Among Democratic women, fully 69 per cent say they hope the U.S. will elect a female president in their lifetime,' the survey's writers said. 'This compares with 46 per cent of Democratic men, 20 per cent of Republican women and 16 per cent of Republican men.' But for many Republicans, Pew adds, 'this view may be more about the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency than about a major milestone for women.' HEIRESS-APPARENT: Most political wags think the Democratic presidential nomination is Hillary Clinton's to claim . FLAME-OUT: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann made a splash in the 2012 Republican presidential field but went nowhere after her chronic, debilitating migraines became the stuff of front pages . NO APOLOGIES: Comedienne Roseann Barr ran for president in 2012 on the Green Party ticket but came up short, taking second place in convention delegates . Palin was more enthusiastic a month ago about seeing Y-chromosomes frozen out of America's ultimate political prize in 2016. 'I would love to see a woman on both sides of the aisle shooting for that top spot,' she told Extra TV in early December – when asked specifically about Clinton’s likely candidacy. She has also trotted out her 'flying flip' euphemism before. In November 2013 at the height of the Obamacare website crisis, she told Newsmax TV that the project's online woes were the least of her concerns. 'I don't give a flying flip about a malfunctioning website,' Palin snarked. 'A broken website is the least of our worries. The greater worry is what Obamacare is all about.' The U.S. has a storied history of women running for president and vice president, although most Americans' knowledge of the history doesn't stretch back further than the modern era. In addition to Palin's VP run in 2008 as Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain's running mate, Democrat Geraldine Ferraro took an equally futile shot at the VP race in 1984 with Walter Mondale in the top slot. 1984: George Orwell's favorite year brought us Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro, who lost as Walter Mondale's vice presidential running mate . TRAILBLAZERS: In 1872 Victoria Woodhull (left) ran for president under the Equal Rights Party banner; the legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass was her vice presidential running mate . In 2012 two women ran for president – Minnesota's then-congresswoman Michele Bachmann and famed TV loudmouth comic Roseann Barr, who came in second among delegates for the Green Party nomination. That prize went to another woman, physician Jill Stein. Overall more than 80 women have been candidates for the U.S. presidency, and another 60 have sought the second-banana job. The first came in 1872 when Victoria Woodhull ran for president under the Equal Rights Party banner. The legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass was her running mate. The two failed to win electoral votes from any states, but they laid important groundwork both for women and for African-Americans – Douglass was an escaped black slave before winning fame as an orator, social reformer and statesman. Ferraro and Palin, though, share the distinction of becoming their parties' official nominees for the vice presidency, a feat no other woman has matched. And no female has led the Democrats or the Republicans into a presidential election at the top of the ticket. | Palin appeared Wednesday night on Inside Edition with host Deborah Norville .
Her remarks were a not-so-veiled slap at likely Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton .
Meanwhile a new Pew survey shows deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on whether to send a 'Madame President' to the White House .
GOP voters may have been answering the question with Clinton in mind, skewing the numbers .
73 per cent of American adults expect to see a female president in their lifetimes, while only 38 per cent say they hope it happens .
Another 57 per cent say it doesn't matter to them either way . |
226,294 | b10730561bfc8bcb237037f390f5bd4cbd14872a | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:13 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:21 EST, 15 January 2013 . MIssing: Tom Armstrong has disappeared after travelling to Thailand to take a diving course on the island of Koh Tao . A mother has fought back tears as she made a plea for her son to get in touch after he failed to return home from Thailand after a trip to the country over Christmas. Tom Armstrong, 22, vanished after taking a dive master course on the island of Koh Tao. He was due to return home over the festive period, but his mother, Helen Armstrong-Bland, said he had postponed his flight to January 8 after 'running into trouble' in the Thai capital Bangkok. However, Mr Armstrong, who lived with his mother . and two younger siblings in Kelsale, near Ipswich, Suffolk, did not get on the plane. Mrs Armstrong-Bland said: 'He was due to come home before Christmas but for whatever reason didn't arrive. 'That sent alarm bells ringing, but we received an email from him saying he had run into some kind of trouble in Bangkok. 'We thought it may have taken some time to get back to the island and that's why he hadn't been in contact.' Mr Armstrong has not been heard from since and Suffolk Police have launched an appeal urging anyone who knows where he is to contact them. The Ipswich-based art and design teacher added: 'We spoke to somebody at the dive centre to see if he had returned there okay and they informed us by e-mail that he had booked a new flight to return on January 9. Worried: Mr Armstrong's mother, Helen Armstrong-Bland, said she received an email from him saying he had 'run into some kind of trouble' in Bangkok (above) 'But we did not receive details of this so we waited to hear details from him when he landed back in the UK. 'We waited for the last train from London but he didn't arrive. That's when we spoke to the police.' Mrs Armstrong-Bland said their close-knit family was very worried and they were preparing to fly out to the Far East in a bid to track down Tom. 'We all really miss him and love him and want him to come home,' said the mother-of-four, fighting back tears. Mystery: Mr Armstrong vanished after he went on a challenging dive master course on the island of Koh Tao (above) She said Mr Armstrong has a younger sister, younger brother, and an older brother who lives in Japan. Police said they were growing very concerned for him. They said he had been in regular contact with his family through e-mail and Facebook until suddenly disappearing. Mr Armstrong is 6ft 2in, of medium build with fair, slightly wavy medium length hair, and sometimes has a short beard, which is more red than fair in colour. | Tom Armstrong vanished after taking diving course on island of Koh Tao .
Mother said he sent her email saying he had 'run into trouble' in Bangkok .
He postponed Christmas flight to January 8, but did not get on the plane . |
244,610 | c8920bc43e18e5fd2a14e369d6311385b5ee6116 | Labour MP Simon Danczuk says he was warned against naming Leon Brittan at the home affairs select committee . Senior politicians warned a Labour MP against challenging former Tory Home Secretary Leon Brittan about a dossier detailing allegations of child sex abuse. Simon Danczuk claims he came under ‘pressure’ from several people, including a current Conservative minister, not to name Lord Brittan in front of a Commons committee. Amazingly, Mr Danczuk was even warned he could be responsible for Lord Brittan’s death if he was subjected to the stress of becoming embroiled in a public row. Mr Danczuk who has carried out his own investigation into child abuse by the former Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith, said there was a culture of 'move along, nothing to see here'. At an appearance in front of the home affairs select committee last week, Mr Danczuk revealed that Lord Brittan had been sent a dossier of allegations about paedophiles between 1983 and 1985 by Geoffrey Dickens MP. The Labour MP said he believed politics was the 'last refuge of child sex abuse deniers' and repeated his call for a Hillsborough-style inquiry into historical paedophile allegations. Lord Brittan said in a statement later that he was handed a ‘substantial bundle of papers’ by Mr Dickens in November 1983 and passed them to his officials for further investigation. But Mr Danczuk claims he was warned off putting Lord Brittan’s name into the public domain in connection with the files said to contain details of a vile paedophile network in Westminster. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said he was approached by a current government minister and urged not to name Lord Brittan. ‘As I was I was making my way from the House of Commons on Monday night after a late vote a Tory minister stepped out of the shadows to confront me. ‘I'd never spoken to him before in my life but he blocked my way and ushered me to one side. ‘He warned me to think very carefully about what I was going to say the next day before the Home Affairs Select Committee when I'd be answering questions on child abuse.’ Mr Danczuk did not name the Tory minister, but said he was told: 'I hear you're about to challenge Lord Brittan about what he knew about child sex abuse.’ He was told it would not be a ‘wise move’ to name Lord Brittan, adding: ‘It was all put to bed a long time ago.' Mr Danczuk added: ‘We looked at each other in silence for a second. I knew straight away he wasn't telling me this out of concern for the man's welfare. There was no compassion in his voice.’ The Rochdale MP believes similar conversations were being held across Westminster, as allegations swirled over the handling of child abuse claims in Parliament and Whitehall. He claimed members of the home affairs committee were ‘paid similar visits... phone calls had been made’. Lord Brittan said in a statement later that he was handed a ‘substantial bundle of papers’ by Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens in November 1983 and passed them to his officials for further investigation . MPs who had previously indicated they would ask him who he thought knew about the VIP child abuse ring at the notorious Elm Guest House in southwest London were ‘suddenly silent’, Mr Danczuk added. To his surprise, when he confirmed that he had been put under pressure ‘to keep quiet about suspected child abusers’ no further questions were asked. He said the MPs did not need to ask here the pressure was coming from ‘because they all knew’. He also claimed police officers feared political interference. 'Among the higher echelons of party politics, where the real power resides, my impression is that there is little appetite to confront the abusers in their midst,' Mr Danczuk said. 'Quite the opposite. The mood is defensive, the approach is dominated by silence. 'Move along, nothing to see here,' or 'what's the point in raking all that up old boy?' is the attitude I have seen time after time.' He said he was visited by police officers 'to discuss an investigation into a current parliamentarian accused of horrific child abuse'. He said the police asked him: 'Did I think it was likely that their inquiries would be met by political interference.' He went on: 'I looked at them in utter disbelief. How can the police put a Cabinet Minister behind bars for lying about speeding points but be worried they couldn't properly investigate someone for child abuse? 'The incident spoke volumes about the mindset that pervades politics. This kind of obstructive, 'Look the other way, sweep it under the carpet' thinking threatens to drag politics to new depths of public hate.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Simon Danczuk claims a Tory minister urged him not to name Brittan .
He told home affairs committee ex-Home Secretary had questions to answer .
Says he was warned he could be responsible for Lord Brittan’s death .
Lord Brittan insists he passed on dossier of abuse claims to officials . |
164,357 | 6086431a6ee398891ed02b6831e6a7f491144231 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:32 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 12 September 2013 . A scandal-hit NHS trust where up to 16 babies died because of poor care has apologised after it emerged management sent an 'insulting' email about an inquest into a child's death. Liza and Simon Brady lost their son, Alex Davey-Brady, in September 2008 asphyxiated at birth amid claims that midwives at Furness General Hospital delayed his delivery . The couple secured the release of a dossier of emails referring to the couple and the inquest into Alex's death. Tragedy: Liza and Simon Brady lost their son, Alex Davey-Brady, in September 2008 amid claims that midwives at Furness General Hospital delayed his delivery . Controversial: The hospital has apologised to the family of baby Alex, after an internal email brought the 'bad news' of his inquest . It suggests that staff at the Barrow in Furness hospital 'briefed' witnesses ahead of inquests and were concerned about bad publicity. In one memo dating back to June 18 2009, Ranu Rowan, head of legal services, said: 'I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I have this morning received a letter from the coroner informing me that the Davey-Brady inquest has been listed on July 2. 'This means we now have four inquests in Barrow next month which have a potential for adverse publicity (and I have a further 10 witnesses to brief in addition to the 10 I already had).' The email was sent to disgraced former chief executive Tony Halsall, medical director Peter Dyer and chief of nursing Jackie Holt. Mrs Brady said: 'Why do they need to be the 'bearer of bad news'? 'The way they write things it's like you are a number rather than an actual person or a family. 'They say 'the bearer of bad news', but to me the inquest is an opportunity to learn. 'I always knew they were very closed - but to have it in black and white is a different feeling. 'It has left my angry and asking how can we take confidence that things are being put right.' Inquiry: A probe has been launched after as many as 16 babies died in a decade within the trust running Furness General Hospital in Cumbria . The trust has a history of staff abusing grieving parents. Last year it emerged staff at the trust had made a number of cruel jibes about James Titcombe, whose son Joshua died. The trust later apologised for any distress caused by the remarks. Mr Titcombe was also subject to cruel emails on a previous occasions from midwives he had reported to the Nirsing and Midwifery Council. In a statement John Cowdall, chairman of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'The email released to Mrs Brady under the Data Protection Act was sent in 2009 from the head of legal services to the former chief executive, medical director and director of nursing to make them aware of an upcoming inquest. 'The member of staff was highlighting the number of upcoming inquests in a short period of time, and the potential impact these could have on public and staff confidence in the trust. Prabas Misra, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the hospital, wrote a damning letter to bosses after Alex's death alleging midwives appeared to be rejecting doctors' advice. Mr Cowdall added: 'We take each inquest very seriously and are truly sorry that the email has subsequently upset Mrs Brady and her family. 'When it was sent in 2009, the email was meant as an internal communication to ensure that senior board members were aware of the situation and the possible effect on staff and public confidence. We do not believe it was meant to belittle the importance of the inquest.' | Liza and Simon Brady lost their son, Alex Davey-Brady, in September 2008 .
Secured private documents linked to their son's death at Cumbrian hospital .
Boss wrote of 'bad news' inquests and 'potential adverse publicity'
Documents say staff at Barrow in Furness hospital 'briefed' before hearing .
Management apologise today for any 'upset' inflicted on couple . |
118,434 | 24e9e4de41305a3ac3d734cdc5c777b1f0f5b5d7 | A mysterious ocean 'blob' has been recorded by a deep-sea remote-controlled underwater camera. The creature looks like nothing seen before, with speculators suggesting it is everything from a jellyfish to the remains of a whale placenta. While, at a quick glance, the description of a jellyfish makes sense, the creature has organs and appendages never spotted on a jellyfish before. Meanwhile it could be a whale placenta, but if that is the case then the hexagonal shapes on the skin are a mystery. Identified: The mysterious creature has been revealed to be a deep sea jellyfish . Objects within: The creature is a rarely studied jelly fish known as Deepstaria Enigmatica . Unusual: The hexagonal markings on the creature implied the creature was not a jellyfish . Solved: The blob is a Deepstaria Enigmatica - a jelly fish which grows to approximately 60cm in width . If it is a jellyfish, it might be a Stygiomedusa Gigantea. This type of jellyfish - which can grow up to six metres in length - has only been spotted 114 times in 110 years, so details on it are scant. But again, the appendages get in the way. Another suggestion is Deepstaria Enigmatica, another rarely-studied jellyfish, which like most of its kind is colourless. However it has reported to have a brown stomach, with one description saying the passages to the stomach are 'somewhat irregular-edged, forming a reticulate network'. This might explain the hexagonal markings on the top of the creature - but again, what are the organs doing there? Those markings lead one commentator on the website Snopes - which tries to debunk or confirm rumours - to suggest this is simply nothing more than a fishing net. But again, the appendages get in the way. Another mystery - a man-made one, this time - is exactly where this video was filmed. It was added to YouTube on April 27 this year, and appears to have been filmed two days earlier, but the poster did not leave any other details about the sighting. Bizarre: The creature had many bizarre appendages which have now been explained as testicles . Wrong: YouTube commentators suggested it may be a whale placenta . Other strange organs kept viewers scratching their heads but the mystery has now been solved . | YouTube video leaves commentators baffled .
Creature could be a jellyfish - but it appears to have organs .
It could be a discarded whale placenta - but it has strange markings .
It could be a fishing net - but it seems to move under its own control . |
138,315 | 3ee1db7257e11f08c0562eb40305c207c6405274 | A Florida man who traveled to Iraq to fight ISIS with a battalion of fellow Westerners last year has been injured in the town of Sinjar. Matthew Kawolski was fighting alongside the Chappies--a unit of Westerners within the Syria-based People's Protection Units (YPG)--when he was apparently wounded in combat. Kawolski, who is among a slew of foreigners fighting ISIS in the region, is now recovering from his injuries, according to a February 9 post on a Facebook page for the foreign fighters group the Lions of Rojava. Injured in Iraq: Matthew Kawolski was fighting alongside the Chappies--a unit of Westerners within the Syria-based People's Protection Units (YPG), when he was apparently hurt in combat . Recovering: Kawolski, who is among a slew of foreigners fighting ISIS in the region, is now recovering from his injuries, according to a February 9 post on a Facebook page for the foreign fighters group the Lions of Rojava . 'His brothers are standing by him during his recovery and he will be returning to the city upon his recovery,' reads a Facebook page for the group Lions of Rojava . 'His brothers are standing by him during his recovery and he will be returning to the city upon his recovery,' reads the post. The post does not indicate the nature or extent of Kawolski's injuries. It does, however, reveal a good deed the Florida man did upon his return to Sinjar. 'He purchased and delivered a soccer ball to the Yezidi children in the UN refugee camp to display his care and concern for them. His service has been selfless and brave. Stay Chappy my friend,' reads the post. Pictured alongside Kowalski on the Lions of Rojava page is another American, one who made headlines when he left his country to serve in the fight against ISIS. Jordan Matson, a 28-year-old food packaging worker from Sturtevant, Wisconsin, is a former U.S. Army soldier who never served overseas. Wisconsin former soldier for the US Army Jordan Matson is another American serving in the fight against ISIS . International brigades: Jordan Matson, 28, right, a former U.S. Army soldier from Sturtevant, Wisconsin, takes a break with other fighters from the main Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units, or YPG, in Sinjar, Iraq . But he has been fighting with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) since last September. After starting his adventure in Syria, the committed Christian is now in Iraq, where he fights against the jihadis of Islamic State wearing a tactical vest scribbled with the words 'Christ is Lord'. 'I'm not going back until the fight is finished and ISIS is crippled,' Mr Matson told the Associated Press. 'I decided that if my government wasn't going to do anything to help this country, especially Kurdish people who stood by us for 10 years and helped us out while we were in this country, then I was going to do something.' Mr Matson and dozens of other Westerners now fight with the Kurds, spurred on by Kurdish social media campaigners and a sense of duty many feel after Iraq, the target of a decade-long U.S.-led military campaign, collapsed under an Islamic State group offensive within days last summer. And while U.S. and its coalition allies bomb the extremists from the air, Kurds say they hope more Westerners will join them on the ground to fight. They call themselves the Lions Of Rojava and boast: 'It is better to live one day as a Lion than a thousand days as a sheep.' They are the foreign fighters who have travelled to Syria not for jihad, but to join the Kurds who are defending their communities against the advance of ISIS. Just as hundreds of young Europeans have gone to fight for the radical Islamists of Islamic State, so increasing numbers are now travelling to fight for their avowed enemies, the Kurds. Jordan Matson, a former US soldier now with the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG), operates The Lions Of Rojava Facebook page openly calling for volunteers to travel to join the fight. Just as many of the Islamic State's foreign volunteers have been drawn from the ranks of Sunni Muslim youth worldwide, many of the initial YPG volunteers have come from the Kurdish diaspora. In August a hairdresser from south London was reported to be the first Briton to travel to fight alongside Kurdish forces. Ethnic Kurd Mama Kurda from Croydon, 26, travelled to Iraq to join the Kurdish peshmerga as they desperately tried to halt Islamic State's lightning advance. Among the many Western fighters joining the Lions of Rojava in their campaign to defeat ISIS are Jamie Read from north Lanarkshire, Scotland (left) and James Hughes (right) from Reading in Berkshire . But since then many others have been inspired to take up arms against Islamic State, including fellow British soldier duo James Hughes, a 26-year-old from Malvern, Worcestershire and Jamie Read, 24, from Carlisle. Last month it was reported that a currently serving British marine had been questioned by police who suspected he was travelling to fight with Kurdish militias during his leave. The 22-year-old Royal Marine Commando was quizzed after he prepared to fly from California on a one-way ticket to Turkey. He was suspected of being in contact with Kurdish militant groups. Two women, Canadian Jew Gill Rosenberg, 31, and Danish Kurd Joanna Palani, 20, have also reportedly travelled to fight with the Kurds, inspired perhaps by the images of female fighters on the front line against Islamic State terrorists. Fighters march under the black banner of Islamic State, which is locked in battle with the YPG . It is perhaps the only place in the world where women are fighting on the front line of armed conflict. There are also claims that a number of European biker gangs have travelled to Syria and are helping to assist the resistance. Leaders of the Cologne-based Median Empire Motorcycle Club, which has strong Kurdish links, have posted images of their German riders posing in the city - some of them carrying weapons. The news came just days after three members of a notorious motorcycle gang from the Netherlands were told they had not committed any crime by travelling to Kobani to join the fight against ISIS. | Matthew Kawolski was serving with the group of foreigners Lions of Rojava in the city of Sinjar near the border with Syrian Kurdistan .
Kawolski is among a slew of Americans and other Westerners who've joined with the Kurds to fight the advance of ISIS .
Kawolski, who was part of a unit called the Chappies within the Syria-based People's Protection Units (YPG), is now recovering from his injuries . |
160,599 | 5b9fd11fe701ec1028baf502e5f814d610cf687a | (CNN) -- Not many people get a personal invitation to visit North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un. Kenji Fujimoto was the personal sushi chef of Kim's father, the late Kim Jong Il, before fleeing to his native Japan in 2001, fearing his life was in danger. More than a decade later, he returned to North Korea and described a warm reunion with the young Kim. "I jumped up to hug him, shouting 'Comrade General' and instantly burst into tears ... He hugged me back, the first hug in 11 years. I said, 'Fujimoto the betrayer is back now,' and I apologized for all I did and all I disclosed about him. He said, 'OK, don't worry anymore.'" Fujimoto has written a number of books about the Kim family since he left North Korea. The former chef says he often played with the young Kim before he escaped. During his recent two-week visit, he says Kim thanked him for playing with him and talked about their going horse-riding, jet-skiing; playing tennis, basketball; and rollerblading together. Fujimoto said of the young leader, "I was surprised how gentle a person he is." It is not clear why the younger Kim decided to invite Fujimoto back to North Korea, but it is clear that Fujimoto is unwilling to say anything negative about him or the country. Speaking of Pyongyang, he said, "I went window shopping from the third day. There are plenty of goods in shops. That's already a big difference. There was nothing there 10 years ago ... I guess it changed drastically since the Kim Jong Un era started." More: North Korea rebuffs aid from South . Pyongyang has improved over the past decade, but it is a city for the elite and chosen. In the countryside that few visitors are allowed to see, the situation is very different. Aid groups say food is scarce and malnutrition high. It may not surprise many that Fujimoto, with his glowing praise, sounds at times like a spokesman for the regime. His wife and children are still living in Pyongyang. Fujimoto claims they want to stay, but there is no way to know for sure. Spending every day with his family, he then stayed the night in a room in the Secretary's department, claiming he needed to for safety, as there are many who do not forgive him, as he says Kim has done. Fujimoto also met Kim's wife whom the world did not even know about a couple of weeks ago. Of Ri Sol-ju he said, "She is just so charming. I cannot describe her voice, it's so soft... She said to me, 'Welcome to the republic. Our comrade the Supreme Commander missed you the most. He was always talking about you. Thank you for coming.' Kim organized a party in Fujimoto's honor, according to the chef. He says they talked about old times and did not mention the current situation of North Korea at all. He does admit forgetting how the party ended after he had a few drinks. "When I regained consciousness, I was on a bed. I asked if I did anything disrespectful. No one said I did, so I felt relieved." Fujimoto says Kim gave him a free pass to visit North Korea whenever he wanted, an invitation few have. The benefit of the visit for Kim's international reputation is not lost on Fujimoto. "I said clearly that if I go back to Japan safely, the reputation of Supreme Commander 'Comrade General' would soar enormously," he said. Fujimoto is now willing to tell all who will listen about the virtues of the young North Korean leader. More on North Korea: Typhoon tourism . | Fujimoto has written a number of books about the Kim family since leaving N. Korea .
During visit, Fujimoto meets Kim Jong Un and his wife .
Fujimoto says Kim gave him a free pass to visit N. Korea whenever he wants . |
278,652 | f4f8c006e851759b34d82ecee4709a9d05fffbb0 | EXCLUSIVE . By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 17:08 EST, 11 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:30 EST, 12 August 2013 . Meetings: The summits have often been with politicians representing Prince Charles's pet issues, such as rural affairs, climate change and town planning . The full extent of Prince Charles’s influence over public life emerged last night. Since the election he has held 36 private meetings with Cabinet ministers – one a month. The summits have often been with politicians representing his pet issues, such as rural affairs, climate change, health and town planning. But critics accused him of an ‘incontinence of lobbying’. Including junior ministers, Charles has enjoyed a total of 53 private audiences since May 2010. He has met David Cameron seven times and Labour leader Ed Miliband three times. But he has only met Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, once. Last night a Clarence House spokesman insisted the Prince of Wales ‘has a right’ to ‘communicate privately’ with the government. Ministers have long complained about being bombarded with so-called ‘black-spider’ handwritten memos from Charles, in which he has expounded his view on a variety of issues. In 2005, a memo was disclosed at an employment tribunal in which Charles blamed the education system for making people ‘think they can all be pop stars’. The Prince is known for his strident views on a range of public policy areas. He has spoken out on green issues and rural affairs, and is vocal in his support for alternative medicines such as homeopathy. He also speaks out on town planning – he has sponsored a new model development in Poundbury, Dorset – and against modern architecture. In line with his interest in green issues, he has met ministers from the Department for Energy and Climate Change seven times, including secretaries of state Chris Huhne and Ed Davey. He met junior minister Greg Barker no . fewer than four times. Ministers from the Department for Environment, . Food and Rural Affairs have been called in five times. Discussions: Charles has met David Cameron (left) seven times and recently spoke to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (right) about the regulation of herbal medicines . Talks: Charles has met almost all the Cabinet, including Foreign Secretary William Hague (left) twice and Home Secretary Theresa May (right) once . On health, Charles recently met Jeremy Hunt to discuss the regulation of herbal medicines and funding for alternative medicines. He has also met four ministers from the Department for Communities and Local Government, which has responsibility for town planning and architecture. While he has met almost all the Cabinet, he has shown much less of an interest in those heading up other important departments. He has met Home Secretary Theresa May and Chancellor George Osborne just once each, and has never met a justice minister. Details of the full extent of his meetings comes after controversy over the High Court’s continuing refusal to allow the publication of letters that he has written to a range of government departments. Dialogue: Charles met with former defence secretary Liam Fox (left) once and former environment secretary Caroline Spelman (right) twice . Last night Labour MP Paul Flynn said: ‘It is not the Prince of Wales’s duty to have private meetings with ministers and be involved in the political decisions of this country. The main qualification of the job of head of state – which he will eventually be – is to be above the maelstrom of politics. 'The main qualification of the job of head of state - which he will eventually be - is to be above the maelstrom of politics' Paul Flynn, Labour MP . ‘This is an incontinence of lobbying from Prince Charles. There is a move towards transparency in lobbying in general, but this should include royal lobbying from one of the most powerful and influential men in the country. ‘Imagine what will happen when he is monarch. If there is a bill he disagrees with, will he lobby against it? If he carries on like this when he is king, it will provoke a constitutional crisis.’ Mr Flynn called for minutes of the meetings to be publicly available. ‘There is absolutely no reason for all this secrecy,’ he said. Financial matters: Charles has met both Chancellor George Osborne (left) and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander (right) just once . Summits: He has met Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith (left) once in 2011, and Education Secretary Michael Gove (right) twice, in 2010 and last October . The issue of Charles’s opinions is becoming more and more relevant because he has recently started to take on more official duties from his 87-year-old mother. He will, for example, take the place of the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka in November. 'The Prince of Wales has a right, indeed it is his duty, to communicate privately with the government on any matter he chooses' Clarence House spokesman . It is understood the majority of the meetings were requested by the Prince rather than the ministers concerned. Minutes are not publicly available, with both sides refusing to disclose what is discussed. The bare facts of the meetings are published on the Court Circular. A spokesman for Clarence House said: ‘Official meetings, sometimes instigated by ministers, are important to the Prince in his role as heir to the throne and ministers from successive governments have found that he brings important insights, perspectives and knowledge built over 40 years of experience in a range of areas aimed at transforming lives and building sustainable communities.’ She added: ‘The Prince of Wales has a right, indeed it is his duty, to communicate privately with the government on any matter he chooses, to bring his unique perspective and reflect the many issues people raise with him personally on his extensive engagements around the country.’ | Summits often with politicians representing his pet issues, such as rural affairs and climate change .
Including junior ministers, Prince Charles has enjoyed a total of 53 private audiences since May 2010 .
He has met David Cameron seven times, Labour leader Ed Miliband three times and Nick Clegg once .
Clarence House insists Prince of Wales 'has a right' to 'communicate privately' with the Government . |
137,393 | 3db1d7d616272c2af4a963620929e86b74cd75e4 | A Dutch mother has defied safety warnings and travelled to Syria in disguise to rescue her daughter from the Islamic State. Wearing a burka, the woman from Maastricht - named only as Monique - crossed from Turkey into the Syrian city of Raqqa to save her daughter Aicha, 19. Aicha had appealed to her mother for help last month after converting to Islam and marrying Omar Yilmaz, a notorious Dutch jihadi. A Dutch mother named only as Monique has defied safety warnings and travelled to Syria in disguise to rescue her daughter from the Islamic State . The teenager married the former soldier, after seeing him interviewed on television, the Telegraph reports. Monique was told by Dutch police that the rescue mission would be too dangerous and that she could be prosecuted for the 'provision of assistance to jihadists'. But she defied their warnings and arranged on Facebook to meet her daughter. The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper reports that she told family and friends: 'Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. This is what I think is right.' 'She wanted to go home, but could not leave Raqqa without help,' she added. Wearing a burka, the woman from Maastricht crossed from Turkey into the Syrian city of Raqqa to save her daughter Aicha, 19. She had appealed to her mother for help after converting to Islam and marrying a jihadi . Monique was told by Dutch police that the rescue mission would be too dangerous and that she could be prosecuted for the 'provision of assistance to jihadists' (file picture) After the daring rescue mission, mother and daughter then fled Syria and crossed back to Turkey, where Aicha was arrested for not having a passport. Ministry officials are now in the process of bringing the pair to the Netherlands. Françoise Landerloo, the family's lawyer told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper: 'It is quite remarkable that the mother managed to find and get her daughter.' | Woman from Maastricht crossed from Turkey into Syrian city of Raqqa .
'Monique' defied warnings and travelled in disguise to rescue daughter .
She begged mother for help after converting to Islam and marrying jihadi . |
121,210 | 28b5e3067c28390b3d601a93f9bdbc4217758053 | Arming Syria's rebels will put guns in the hands of extremists who 'eat the organs' of their enemies, Vladimir Putin warned David Cameron last night. The Prime Minister hoped to get Mr Putin to soften his stance against Western intervention. But in an extraordinary joint press conference in Downing Street, the Russian president accused the Prime Minister and Barack Obama of trying to arm terrorists. And in a blood-curdling reference to video footage of a rebel fighter apparently eating the liver of a dead Syrian soldier, he even suggested the Prime Minister was siding with cannibals. Scroll down for video . Warning: Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (right) leads Russia's President Vladimir Putin into 10 Downing Street . Mr Cameron was holding talks with Putin on Syria's civil war, a meeting which could set the tone for the G8 summit, with the West at odds with Moscow over how to handle the conflict . Reacting to comments from Mr Cameron . that those arming the Damascus regime had the 'blood of the children of . Syria' on their hands, a furious Mr Putin said: 'The blood is on the . hands of both parties. 'There is always a question as to who is to blame. One should hardly back those who kill enemies and eat their organs. 'It is hardly in relation to the . humanitarian and cultural values Europe has been professing for . centuries.' Mr Putin dismissed calls from Mr Cameron and the West to . stop arming the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad, saying Russia was . supplying 'the legitimate government of Syria in full compliance with . the norms of international law'. The two leaders did manage to find . common ground, paying tribute to the heroism of the British crews of the . wartime Arctic Convoys – as the Russian president awarded them with a . special gallantry medal. But a senior Russian source said the . talks had gone badly. 'We have lots of very serious disagreements on . Syria,' they said – adding that America's announcement last week that it . would now arm Syria's rebels had made it much harder to reach a deal. The excruciating press conference came . as the policy of arming the rebels came under fire from Boris Johnson, . Nick Clegg, MPs and military figures. Differences: Mr Cameron acknowledged there were 'big differences' between Britain and Russia on who was to blame for the conflict but insisted they could be overcome . Larry, the Prime Minister's cat walks past the red carpet shortly before President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister David Cameron meet at 10 Downing Street . Inspecting the scene: The Prime Minister's cat before President Vladimir Putin and David Cameron arrived . In a partial echo of Mr Putin, the . London mayor warned that any weapons sent to the country's opposition . could end up in the hands of 'Al Qaeda-affiliated thugs'. He added: 'This is not the moment to . send more arms. We can't use Syria as an arena for geopolitical . point-scoring or muscle-flexing, and we won't get a ceasefire by . pressing weapons into the hands of maniacs.' Mr Cameron has been told by . Conservative whips that, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats likely to . join as many as two-thirds of Tory MPs in opposing arming the Syrian . opposition, a Commons vote would almost certainly be lost. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg has . insisted the idea of a unilateral British intervention is 'fanciful' and . Tory MP Julian Lewis said arming the Syrian rebels would be 'suicidal' for Britain. At war: Syrian army troops patrol a ravaged street in Qusayr in Syria's central Homs province . Putin defended supplying arms to President Bashar Assad's government . Half of the ministers in the Cabinet . are also against ratcheting up Britain's involvement, while the top . brass have expressed grave concern at the prospect of fresh demands on . the Armed Forces at a time of a funding squeeze. General Lord Dannatt, the former head . of the Army, said ministers must not forget the lessons of Iraq and . Afghanistan when the UK became bogged down in bloody conflicts. He warned: 'If we have learned . anything from the last few years it is that we don't get involved in . another intervention without having a very clear idea of what we're . going to do, who we're going to help, what the plan is and what the exit . strategy is. Surely we've not forgotten the lessons of Iraq and . Afghanistan so quickly.' 'The blood is on the hands of both parties.There is always a question as to who is to blame for that.' Vladimir Putin . There were signs yesterday that Mr . Cameron is backing away from the prospect of directly arming the . rebels. The Prime Minister suggested the 'greatest assistance' the UK . can give is in technical support and training. With the issue set to dominate the G8 . summit opening today in Northern Ireland, he signalled that the prospect . of him pushing for the UK to arm rebels is receding now that the US has . suggested it will step in. He went on: 'I think where we can actually . give the greatest assistance to the official proper Syrian opposition, . is advice, is training and is technicalsupport. That is where we can . play the greatest role.' However, Mr Cameron made an . impassioned case for the West coming to Syria's aid. 'President Assad is . now guilty of the most appalling crimes against his people – 90,000 . dead and some of them through the use of appalling chemical weapons,' the said. 'What we all want is an international . peace conference and an international agreement for a transitional . government in Syria, that the Syrian people can have confidence in, and . then elections and a new Syrian government. That's what everybody wants. 'The disagreement is obviously how we get there.' Sources insisted Mr Cameron still has . hopes of hammering out a framework for a peace deal in the coming days, . and co-operate with Russia to ease Syria's dire humanitarian situation. | Vladimir Putin's comments follow tense talks in Downing Street .
He strongly defended Moscow supplying arms to the Assad regime .
Putin also stressed he wanted diplomatic solution to the crisis . |
211,100 | 9d62152ec221535fa308920d68534bce0d30653a | A man accused of making child pornography with a boy he and his Australian partner purchased in Russia for a reported $8000 was sentenced Friday in U.S. federal court in Indiana.According to investigators, dual Australian-American citizen Mark J Newton, 42, and his partner Peter Truong, 36, used a falsified birth certificate listing Newton as the child's biological father to adopt the boy and take him to their home in Cairns in Queensland, Australia. Newton was sentenced to 40 years in an Indiana court, where the videos were found downloaded on a home computer after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges involving possessing child pornography and sexual exploitation of a minor. False: Peter Truong (left) and Mark Newton (right) told people the boy they brought home from Russia was Newton's biological son born via surrogate and used falsified papers to adopt the child . The judge overseeing the case said she accepted the plea agreement only because the videos were too horrific to show a jury. Australia's ABC News reports that the boy, now eight, had been living with the men in Cairns for several years when in 2011 New Zealand authorities discovered evidence on a New Zealand man's computer that the boy had been used in child pornography.Australian police raided the couple's house in 2011, just after the men and the boy had left for the United States. Police discovered a 'mountain of material' and seized computers, electronic equipment and documents that uncovered high-definition video and images of child exploitation. During the hearing, prosecutors said the charges stemmed from abuse that occurred when the boy was four to six years old. But prosecutors said they discovered video this week showing Newton using the boy for a sex act when he was less than two years old. Investigators also allege the man and his partner took the boy to foreign countries where they allowed other men to abuse him, often recording the acts. The videos were uploaded to an international syndicate known as the Boy Lovers Network.The Boy Lovers Network is known to police as a forum for men who describe sexual abuse of boys between the ages of two and 10 as a form of consensual love between man and boy. Pedophile ring: Newton was arrested in California after images of the boy were found on computers and traced to him and Truong . According to 7:30, Boylover.net had 70,000 members worldwide before it was the subject of a series of global raids that resulted in the arrests of 670 men around the world.'These men submitted this young child to some of the most heinous acts of exploitation that this office has ever seen,' Indiana U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett said in a statement late Friday, following the hearing.Newton and Truong had been living with the boy in California when they were arrested in 2012. Prosecutors said the boy had been rescued and was being cared for in California.U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker said the man sentenced Friday deserved a harsher punishment, but she didn't want to subject jurors to such disturbing evidence.'This is not a case that lends itself to easy understanding,' Barker said during the hearing.In a quaking voice, the shackled Newton stood before Barker and apologized, saying 'being a father was an honor and a privilege that amounted to the best six years of my life.''I'm deeply sorry,' he added. 'And I regret any harm I caused to my son or anyone else.''Words don't help,' Barker responded. 'What can be said? What can be done to erase some of the horror of this?'The judge noted that Newton and Truong went to great lengths to 'acquire' an infant from a mother in Russia and brainwashed him into thinking the abuse he endured was normal. Family home: This is the house where Newton and Truong lived with the boy they paid $8000 for when they returned to Australia . Horrified: Judge Sarah Evans Barker didn't want to put the trial by a jury because she felt the evidence was too heinous for people to witness . Federal prosecutor Steve DeBrota said the crimes occurred in Australia, the U.S., France and Germany. U.S. authorities also found videos involving two more boys at Truong and Newton's Cairns home.DeBrota said evidence showed at least eight men had sexually abused the boy, including one in Illinois and one in Florida, though other details weren't released.Newton was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution to the boy.Monica Foster, chief public defender for the Southern Indiana U.S. District, declined comment following the hearing. The document also said the men used falsified documents to bring the boy to the U.S. and to legalize the adoption in Los Angeles.Pornographic recordings of the abuse were found on computers in San Francisco; Arlington, Virginia; and Anderson, Indiana, according to investigators. U.S. postal inspectors worked with federal prosecutors to trace the pornography to its source. Truong is awaiting his sentence, while two other American men have also been charged.Queensland police officer Jon Rouse, who investigates online child exploitation as part of Taskforce Argos, says authorities in Australia won't rest until all the men involved in the network have been caught. 'With this network, rest assured that we will pursue them to the ends of the Earth to make sure each and every one of them faces justice for what their role has been in crimes against this child,' he told 7.30. 'The purchase of the child for the explicit and sole purpose of exploiting him across a network of men is incredibly depraved and a very sad tale for that little boy.' Truong and Newton evaded detection for six years, appearing for all intents and purposes as doting parents of a little boy, until the chance discovery in New Zealand exposed their true motivations. President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that sharply limits the adoption of Russian children by people from countries that allow same-sex marriage. The new law prohibits adoption by same-sex foreign couples whose homeland recognizes their union as marriage, as well as by single people or unmarried couples from those countries. A Kremlin statement said the measure is intended to guarantee children a 'harmonious' upbringing and protect them from 'complexes, emotional suffering and stress.' The bill signed Wednesday is the latest move by Russia to buck the Western trend toward greater acceptance of homosexuality. On Sunday, Putin approved a ban on giving children any information about gays. The adoption bill further shrinks the possibilities for 600,000 Russian children without parental custody. Last year, Russia banned all adoptions by Americans. | Mark J Newton was given 40 years for child pornography and sexual exploitation of a minor .
Newton and his partner bought a baby boy for $8000 in Russia in 2005 .
Evidence shows sexual abuse occurred before the child was two years old .
The men were arrested in California in 2012 .
Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed laws limiting the adoption of Russian children by foreign gay couples . |
280,559 | f7746567d093f345958d2c9cc7c4f22edd976254 | Formula One drivers are to be barred from changing helmet designs during the course of a season in a ruling aimed at helping fans identify their heroes and also pleasing traditionalists. It will be less well received by those drivers who like to change the look of their lids with some frequency. The decision was taken by the governing FIA's Formula One Commission, which met on Tuesday, one of those present confirmed to Reuters. It has yet to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council. Jenson Button is another driver whose been known to change his designs throughout the F1 season . Lewis Hamilton will be affected by Formula One's made the decision to ban helmet design changes . 'The FIA is keen to have stability so people can identify who is in the car,' said the source. 'The new phenomenon of drivers changing helmet every few races isn't helping.' The news received a mixed response on social media, with sportscar racer and former F1 driver Alexander Wurz one of those critical of the decision. Australian Mark Webber, who left Formula One at the end of 2013 and now races for Porsche in sportscars, suggested there were 'bigger issues than this' for the sport to address. Others pointed out that one-off helmets, such as the special design worn by Jenson Button in 2011 and auctioned off to raise funds for victims of a Japanese earthquake and tsunami, would not be allowed. Nor would tribute helmets, such as the James Hunt one worn by Kimi Raikkonen in 2013. According to the autosport.com website, four times world champion Sebastian Vettel has used some 60 different designs since his debut in 2007 -- although he said recently he was likely to stick with one now he was at Ferrari. Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber dismissed the new plans and pointed out that there are 'bigger issues' Tribute helmets like this one worn by Kimi Raikkonen are no longer allowed during the course of the season . Sebastian Vettel will be recognised by his helmet with the new ban coming into place by Formula One . The frequent changes have rankled with more traditionally-minded fans, who yearn for the days when drivers were easily recognisable by helmet colours and when cars also had much bigger numbers on their sides. Britain's two times champion Graham Hill famously raced with the colours of the London Rowing Club, dark blue with white tabs, in the 1960s and 70s with son and 1996 champion Damon following the tradition. The most distinctive helmet of all belonged to the late Brazilian triple world champion Ayrton Senna, who was always associated with his country's yellow and green colours. Ayrton Senna wore his Brazilian colours of green and yellow throughout his extraordinary F1 career . | Formula One Commission's decision to ban helmet design changes has not been well received by members of the motor racing world .
It is thought the ban is so fans will be able to identify their heroes .
Former F1 drivers Mark Webber and Alexander Wurz condemned the ban .
Click here for all the latest Formula One news . |
32,049 | 5b3b96e2d5f8d97ad4abf1c8cb0d76e75aca6d08 | When a pole dancing society opened at a university, dozens of women signed up to get fit. But the club has now been disbanded after Swansea University’s students’ union objected because of the pastime’s links to the sex industry. In a statement, it said: ‘Activities such as pole fitness contributes to an atmosphere where women are viewed as sexual objects and where violence against them is acceptable. ‘Evidence shows that young women aged 16 to 24 are the group who experience the most domestic and sexual violence. The Swansea Student Pole Fitness Society was initially allowed to become an official society of the union, but the decision was later revoked . 'This is the age of a large group of . our female students. This activity is inextricably linked to the . multi-million-pound sex industry and upholds and bolsters sexist . attitudes and behaviours.’ The Pole Fitness Society was due to hold twice-weekly sessions before the union intervened. Club . president Beth Morris said: ‘Lap dancing occurs in gentlemen’s clubs. Pole fitness is strictly for fitness. Since the classes are purely for . fitness, there is therefore no link between it and the sex industry.’ Heidi Muir, its treasurer, added: ‘There are union societies that encourage binge drinking and have done naked calendars. ‘But a fitness class which encourages a healthy lifestyle, body confidence and self-esteem doesn’t fit into these policies.’ | Keep-fit classes were a big hit with the women at Swansea University .
Students' Union chiefs said pole dancing 'inextricably linked to sex industry'
Society president said it was 'highly offensive' to suggest class was sexual . |
92,780 | 03582b3cd02c0ac1600ed1a5ce21d7100af3c69a | (CNN) -- The family of a 2-year-old boy who was mauled to death after falling into an exhibit of African painted dogs has reached a settlement in a lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Zoo. "Details of the settlement will remain confidential," attorneys for the boy's parents said in a joint statement released Monday with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Maddox Derkosh slipped over a railing, bounced into a safety net, bounced again, and tumbled into the exhibit in November 2012. "The Derkosh family and the Zoo request that the privacy of all parties involved be respected," the statement said. At the time, zoo officials said there was little anyone could do after the boy fell. "There were 11 dogs in the exhibit," zoo President Barbara Baker, a veterinarian, said after the tragic death. Although there were zoo employees within feet of the exhibit, and others rushed to the scene, it was too late -- it was clear the child was dead, Baker said. "There was no reason to send our staff into harm's way," she said. The medical examiner found that the little boy did not die from the fall, Baker said. Railings throughout the zoo are designed to make it difficult to place children on them, Baker said. They're at a 45-degree angle so that if a child is placed on one and falls, he or she would hopefully fall backward, away from the animal enclosure, she said. Pittsburgh police said the child was with his 34-year-old mother when he fell from the top of a platform railing and "was immediately attacked by eleven dogs inside the pen." Zoo spokeswoman Tracy Gray said they had no comment beyond the brief joint statement. The parents' attorney, Robert Mongeluzzi, also declined further comment. CNN's Josh Levs contributed to this report. | Parents of 2-year-old boy reach settlement with Pittsburgh Zoo after child's death .
Boy was mauled to death by wild African dogs after falling into exhibit at zoo in 2012 .
Details of settlement are confidential, according to joint statement . |
251,811 | d1eb89cf9c8d04b0c4d87e0022f42e0f7ea2f199 | Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell has hit back after he was caught on CCTV in a bitter altercation with a member of the public. CCTV footage shows the former press secretary to Tony Blair push away a man who abused him in a back street in Hampstead, north London. Mr Campbell has now denied claims he punched and spat at the man, who called him: 'The biggest piece of s*** I’ve ever seen in this street.' Scroll down for video . Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell has denied hitting and spitting at a man during an altercation in a north London street, which was captured on CCTV. The footage shows Mr Campbell (right of picture) enter the street after he had been jogging and a man (left of picture) walking towards him . The man appears to say something to the controversial political figure and later revealed he told Mr Campbell he was 'the biggest piece of s*** I’ve ever seen in this street' The footage came to light after the man, who has not been named, went to former Labour MP George Galloway to tell him about the run-in with Mr Campbell. The 61-year-old father-of-three involved later told local paper Ham & High that Mr Campbell 'struck out' and 'hit me on my shoulder' after he made the remark. He added: 'I turned to confront him and said "That is assault, you should be in prison". 'At which point spitting ensued and then I aimed a blow with my foot that did not connect. Nothing that I did was illegal and he had no right to punch me.' Mr Campbell, 57, has completely denied spitting at the man, but says 'minimal' contact was made to stop the man coming any closer. The CCTV appears to show Mr Campbell push the man away from him before they go out of shot as the argument continues. The man involved then comes back into shot and appears to shout something down the street before walking off. Mr Campbell has been a senior figure in Labour for many years and is currently advising Ed Miliband . Mr Campbell says he put out an arm to keep the man away from him as they came together in the road . Mr Campbell wrote on his website today: ‘I was walking down Perrin’s Lane last Monday after a run in Hampstead when a man walking towards me began shouting in abusive and aggressive terms as he approached. 'As I passed him I did not look at him, did not respond to his insults and put my arm out to his shoulder to stop him coming any closer. If there was any contact at all it was minimal. 'I walked on a few steps, thought he was doing the same but he turned back, followed me, continued to abuse me and when I turned around he came towards me and aimed a kick at me which came into brief contact with my leg. 'He then moved back but he came forward again and spat at me, most of the spit landing on my shirt, some on my face. I then turned and walked away. 'He continued to shout abuse as he walked in the other direction. I am confident that any full CCTV coverage of the incident would show all this to be the case.' The man then turns and an argument appears to ensue as he follows Mr Campbell down the road . Moments later, after Mr Campbell says he was kicked and spat at, the man re-appears and walks off . Mr Campbell says the response to the incident was stirred up by former Labour MP George Galloway, who tweeted this message after the man spoke to him . Mr Campbell added: 'The claim he subsequently made to George Galloway and to which Galloway drew attention on social media – suggesting that I punched and spat at him – is totally untrue, indeed close to being the opposite of the truth. 'The fact that he went to Galloway rather than the police, does not wish to be identified, and wishes to have his claims made anonymously through Galloway’s office, speaks volumes. 'I have kept the shirt unwashed should this go any further, though given the police have better things to do with their time, I have no interest in pressing charges.' He has called on Camden council to release any CCTV which may show the whole incident. Mr Campbell, who lives near where the incident happened, gained a reputation for having a hot temper while working with the Labour government. His management style is said to be the inspiration for Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed fictional spin doctor in The Thick Of It TV series and the film In The Loop. | Former party press secretary abused by man in London street last week .
Man tells local paper 'spitting ensued' in the row and he was 'punched'
Mr Campbell accepts he made 'minimal' contact with the man .
But the Labour adviser insists he was spat at and kicked in the incident .
CCTV shows the first exchanges in the row, before the men go out of shot .
Mr Campbell calls for any other footage of whole incident to be released . |
9,573 | 1b1ccd0d0632c30b0465b8bc959fd0fb9c11bb32 | By . Richard Marsden . PUBLISHED: . 00:01 EST, 4 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 4 February 2014 . Mujeeb ur Rehman Bhutto has admitted being the 'boss' of a high-profile kidnapping gang . A Ukip campaigner who helped to boost the party’s multi-cultural credentials has been revealed as the former leader of a Pakistani kidnapping gang. Mujeeb ur Rehman Bhutto, the party’s Commonwealth spokesman, organised a visit to a mosque for Ukip leader Nigel Farage and helped canvass in a key by-election in which the party came close to gaining its first MP. But – in the latest embarrassment for the party – the 35-year-old has admitted being the ‘boss’ of a high-profile gang which struck in Karachi in 2004, in a kidnapping that netted him a £56,000 ransom payment. Bhutto admitted charges in a British court the following year and received a seven-year jail sentence. Last night, Ukip tried to distance itself from Bhutto, saying he resigned from the party after being confronted about his criminal history. Bhutto’s past – revealed on BBC Newsnight – comes just a month after David Silvester, a Ukip councillor in Oxfordshire, provoked ridicule by claiming that this winter’s floods were God’s revenge for the new law allowing gay marriage. And last summer MEP Godfrey Bloom, who represents Yorkshire and The Humber, caused outrage when he said Britain should not be sending overseas aid to ‘bongo bongo land’. Bhutto, from Leeds, told Newsnight he had admitted charges against him rather than risk being sent back to Pakistan and hanged. He said: ‘The evidence which was brought against me was from Pakistan. The allegation was simply because of political rivalry.’ He said he planned to appeal against his conviction for conspiracy to blackmail. He . claimed the case against him in Pakistan had been thrown out by the . country’s Supreme Court. But senior Pakistani police sources told the . BBC that Bhutto is still wanted. Scroll down for video . Bhutto previously campaigned with Ukip leader Nigel Farage - including organising a visit to a mosque . Embarrassment: Last month Ukip councillor David Silvester (right) claimed floods were God’s revenge for gay marriage. Last year Godfrey Bloom (left) said the UK should stop sending aid to 'bongo bongo land' He . regularly appeared as Ukip’s Commonwealth spokesman – including on the . BBC – and as a party representative in local and national media. He . organised a trip to a Leeds mosque for Mr Farage and canvassed with . candidate Jane Collins during the 2012 Rotherham by-election, in which . Ukip came second. His . apparent respectability as a politician was a far cry from the moment in . June 2004 when a gang led by Bhutto kidnapped Ahmed Naeem, the son of a . wealthy businessman, at gunpoint from a car in Karachi. Five . days later Bhutto flew to England. Police said at one point as he . negotiated a ransom he threatened to cut the victim’s head off and post . it to his father, Mohammed. Police . in Karachi assisted the victim’s family, and the ransom was delivered . to a car park at Manchester’s Arndale shopping centre. Ahmed Naeem was then released by the gang in Pakistan, but Bhutto was arrested by Greater Manchester Police. The £56,000 ransom was found hidden at his house in Leeds, and he was forced to repay it. A Ukip spokesman has said Bhutto joined the party less than a year ago from the Conservative Party but has now resigned his membership. Bhutto canvassed with candidate Jane Collins (right) during the 2012 Rotherham by-election, in which Ukip came second . He was sentenced under the name Majeebur Bhutto. Sentencing, Judge Martin Steiger told him: ‘You came to the UK to avoid the risk of detection in Pakistan, where kidnapping is a capital offence.' ‘Mr Bhutto joined Ukip from the . Conservative Party less than a year ago. When we recently became aware . of possible issues relating to his past and raised the matter with him . he resigned his membership' - Ukip spokesman . In a regional Ukip newsletter from May 2013, Bhutto stated that he had been a member of the party since 2011. He wrote: ‘Our policy in Ukip is not to attack foreign nations, but to work with like-minded parties and support them so there is no export of terrorism to our shores.’ Bhutto appeared as Ukip’s Commonwealth Spokesman during an appearance on BBC debating show The Big Questions in March 2013. A Ukip spokesman said: ‘Mr Bhutto joined Ukip from the Conservative Party less than a year ago. When we recently became aware of possible issues relating to his past and raised the matter with him he resigned his membership. We understand he has since been invited to rejoin the Conservatives and may indeed have done so.’ | Mujeeb ur Rehman Bhutto has admitted being 'boss' of kidnapping gang .
35-year-old admitted charges in a UK court under a different name in 2005 .
Now Ukip try to distance themselves from Bhutto, saying he has resigned . |
14,525 | 29339f8aa4aedfebcb5dab87c5cbcdf845241fca | Martin Indyk, seen in his appointment as the special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian relations on July 29, 2013, announced his resignation Friday amid the failure of negotiations between the groups . The U.S. diplomat placed in charge of forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is resigning after nearly a year of unsuccessful efforts, the Obama administration said Friday. U.S. special Mideast envoy Martin Indyk is resigning after being appointed to the post last July by Secretary of State John Kerry when he announced the resumption of peace talks between the two groups. The goal of the talks was to reach a settlement within nine months. However, negotiations failed before the target date, amid a low point in relations between Israelis and Palestinians. Kerry said in a statement that Indyk, a former . U.S. ambassador to Israel, would return to his position as vice . president and director of foreign policy at The Brookings Institution . think-tank in Washington but would continue to serve as special adviser . on Mideast peace issues. 'Ambassador Indyk has invested decades of his extraordinary career to . the mission of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting . peace' Kerry said, reaffirming the commitment of the U.S. in resuming the peace talks. With the peace process in hiatus, it is unclear whether Indyk will be replaced. His deputy, Frank Lowenstein, will assume the envoy position on an interim basis, the officials said. Indyk's resignation marks the second time the Obama administration has lost a Mideast peace envoy following a failed bid to bring the parties together. Former Sen. George Mitchell stepped down from the post in May 2011 after two years of frustrating efforts to get negotiations going. The latest effort collapsed in March, when Israel and the Palestinians each backed out of pledges they had made when the peace talks resumed. Each side blamed the other for the breakdown. Indyk (pictured left), talking with Secretary of State John Kerry (pictured right.) Kerry appointed Indyk to the position of special Mideast envoy in July 2013 . 'The United States remains committed not just to the cause of peace, but to resuming the process when the parties find a path back to serious negotiations,' Kerry (pictured left) said in a statement Friday . The Palestinians accused Israel of reneging on a promise of releasing prisoners and continuing to construct Jewish settlements on disputed territory, while the Israelis accused the Palestinians of seeking greater recognition with the United Nations. The Palestinians then formed a unity government backed by the militant Hamas movement, which Israel refuses to deal with. Indyk, 62, had taken a leave of absence from his job as vice president and foreign policy director of Brookings when he was appointed envoy on July 29, 2013. At the time, he thanked President Barack Obama and Kerry for 'entrusting me with the mission of helping you take this breakthrough and turn it into a full-fledged Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.' Israeli security forces detaining Palestinian men during a July 22 operation. The peace talks stalled between the two sides in March 2014, when both sides reneged on previous promises . 'It is a daunting and humbling challenge, but one that I cannot desist from,' Indyk said then. Prior to joining Brookings, Indyk had served as former President Bill Clinton's ambassador to Israel and was a key part of the 2000 Camp David peace talks. Prior to this, he had experience working with Near East and South Asian affairs. | Martin Indyk, who was appointed as special Mideast envoy in July 2013, announced his resignation Friday .
Indyk was appointed by Secretary of State John Kerry to help Israel and Palestine reach a resolution of their conflict within nine months .
Talks fell apart in March 2014, when both sides backed out of pledges made .
Indyk is the second Mideast peace envoy to quit during the Obama Administration . |
134,852 | 3a6fe1e1f49a07df2043faaf8cd8b610496a10bd | A seven-year-old girl has today thanked thousands of strangers who have raised more than £176,000 to fund vital treatment that could save her life. Brave little Frankie-Rose Lea smiles as she holds up a sign, thanking all those who have been touched by her story. Her parents Michelle and Sam Lea told MailOnline on Friday they were prepared to make their family homeless in their quest to save their daughter. They put the family home in Erith, Kent, up for sale, desperate to raise £160,000 to fund proton beam therapy in the U.S. But within hours donations began to flood their online fund. Overwhelmed, they set up a second fundraising page, and by this morning more than £176,000 had been raised. Frankie-Rose Lea, seven, has today thanked thousands of strangers who have donated more than £176,000 to help fund potentially life-saving cancer treatment after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour in August . Mrs Lea, 36, told MailOnline, she 'never expected that to happen in a million years'. ‘What a wonderful world we live in when strangers are prepared to dig into their own pockets to help a family they don’t know,' she said. 'Especially coming up to Christmas.' And Frankie-Rose, added: ‘Thank you everyone. I am feeling really happy now.' The seven-year-old's tumour has tripled in size and spread to her spine since she started chemotherapy in August. Applying for the treatment, sought by the family of Ashya King, on the NHS will take up to eight weeks - time Frankie-Rose does not have. But it emerged on Friday night that her latest MRI scan showed the seven-year-old needs surgery to relieve a build-up on her brain early this week, meaning she can no longer fly. Refusing to give up hope, Mr and Mrs Lea said they will drive Frankie-Rose to Germany or Switzerland, to receive the treatment. Her mother added: 'We are overwhelmed, humbled and extremely grateful. Thank you to you all. ‘Not just the people who donated but also the people who also took their time to send us messages of support. ‘I could only read two at a time without crying but I intend to read every one. ‘I wish I could thank you all personally.’ But their joy is bittersweet because an MRI scan on Friday night after the appeal was launched revealed a fresh build up of fluid on Frankie-Rose’s brain and the couple were told she is now too sick to fly to America. Her father spent the weekend visiting clinics in Europe to gather information about taking her for treatment. Mrs Lea said: ' He has gone from one clinic to the next gathering as much information as he can for us to present to the doctors this week. Our hope is to find a clinic we can drive too. 'I won't know any more until he gets back today.' Michelle and Sam Lea, pictured with their sons Alfie, right and Freddie, left, had vowed to make their family homeless in a bid to raise £160,000 to fund life-saving cancer treatment for their daughter Frankie-Rose, centre, after experts said the treatment offered Frankie-Rose the best chance of survival . But the couple no longer have to sell their their terraced home in Erith, Kent, left, after strangers helped raise £176,000. They had put the house on the market desperate to sell it within the week, to fund treatment in the U.S. for Frankie-Rose, right . Mr and Mrs Lea had planned to cancel their August wedding, after Frankie-Rose, was diagnosed the same month. But the seven-year-old told her parents she was desperate to be a bridesmaid . Before Frankie-Rose can travel the youngster will undergo brain surgery this week at Kings College Hospital in London. Until then medics are unsure if she has suffered another bleed. Mrs Lea said: ‘ We won’t know more until they go inside and find out what has happened but until then we have been told not to make plans to fly. Proton beam therapy is an advanced form of radiotherapy that targets tumours with great precision. The radiation that uses beams of protons - small parts of an atom - rather than high energy X-rays, used in conventional radiotherapy. Unlike an X-ray, the proton stops after striking the target rather than continuing to travel through the body. It enables therapists to direct the beam at a tumour more precisely. The beam can be more finely controlled, in both its width and its depth, so higher doses of radiation can be more safely delivered to tumours, with less risk to healthy tissues. The treatment has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of many different tumours, including those found in the head and neck, eye, central nervous system, lung, prostate and gastrointestinal tract. The precision of the pencil beam scanning makes it especially beneficial in treating tumours adjacent to critical and sensitive organs, such as the eye, brain and spinal cord. Source: Mayo Clinic . ‘To know we can now fund the treatment without losing our home has taken one worry off our shoulders and means we can focus now on saving Frankie-Rose. ‘I can’t explain how emotional I feel as a result of the donations. 'It’s restored my faith in everything so on the one hand I feel like it’s the happiest time of my life, but at the same time the very worst. ‘We feel so happy and buoyed by the love and support but on the other hand so sad and worried at the same time. 'I never thought it would be possible to experience the best and worst moments of your life at the same time.’ Though their house is currently still on the market, Mrs Lea said they will no longer be selling it in the near future. She said: ‘ I just haven’t had time to take it off the market because this has all happened so fast. ‘But safe to say we won’t be homeless anytime soon now. I still can’t believe it.’ Mrs Lea also issued her thanks to friends and family who have supported the family tirelessly since Frankie-Rose was diagnosed in August this year. She said planned fundraising events would still go ahead. ‘There are still lots of unknowns in terms of the total cost of treatment and after care for Frankie so we will keep the fund open,' she said. Doctors have told the family Frankie-Rose may not live until Christmas. To apply for proton beam therapy on the NHS takes around eight weeks - time the youngster doesn't have . Doctors misdiagnosed Frankie'Rose's brain tumour as growing pains five times before her parents were told she was battling cancer . 'If we can get Frankie into a clinic in Europe it might be that we can now relocate the whole family so we don’t have to leave our other two children behind. We want to be together at a time like this.’ Plans are underway to put the funds into a trust managed by directors. Mrs Lea said she would also like to be able to help make the treatment more easily available for other children. She said: ‘We are the lucky ones to have had such great help and support but there will be other families out there desperate to fund this treatment too and we feel strongly that it should be available in the UK. ‘The medical care Frankie-Rose has received in hospital has been incredible. The doctors ands nurses who have taken care of her up until now are amazing. ‘But we are not a third world country so why is this treatment only available in Europe or America? 'This is Great Britain, surely UK patients should have access to the best treatments too ? ‘We know this won’t change in time to help us but ultimately we hope we can help make a difference for other families who shouldn’t be worrying how to fund treatment at an already terrifying time.’ | Frankie-Rose Lea was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour in August .
Chemotherapy failed to work, her cancer tripled in size and spread to spine .
Doctors told her parents Michelle and Sam proton beam therapy was the best hope for their seven-year-old daughter .
They put their Erith home up for sale to try and raise £140,000 to pay for it .
Since Friday strangers have donated a staggering £176,000 to help Frankie .
The family will no longer have to sell their house and can afford treatment .
But on Friday an MRI scan revealed Frankie needs surgery this week and is too poorly to fly to an American clinic for treatment .
Her parents are organising for her to be seen at a clinic in Germany or Switzerland so they can drive Frankie to see experts .
Frankie said: 'Thank you everyone. I am feeling really happy now'
Her mother added: 'We are overwhelmed, humbled and extremely grateful' |
236,302 | bddb7bd2695aa61c99912335f6da59777d361054 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- In an expanding investigation into teacher misconduct, Los Angeles school officials are going back 40 years in their internal review of teacher discipline cases in an effort to determine whether any of the instructors should also be referred for possible license revocation, a school spokesman said Friday. Los Angeles School Superintendent John Deasy has asked the principals at more than 1,000 schools to search the files of the past 40 years for "any cases of possible employee misconduct," spokesman Tom Waldman told CNN. The 40-year period is a significant expansion from the past four years of misconduct cases that the system has already reviewed. So far, Los Angeles school officials have referred the discipline cases of 604 teachers from the past four years to state authorities who have powers to revoke a teacher's credentials, officials said. Of those 604 cases in which teachers were fired or facing discipline, 60 teachers were accused of sexual misconduct with pupils on or off campus or with minors who weren't students, school officials said. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing will investigate 366 of the 604 teacher cases to determine if licenses should be revoked, which is a six-month process, spokeswoman Anne Padilla said. Most of the cases focused on allegations of teacher misconduct that involved student safety. Padilla said Friday that 122 of the 604 cases were referred back to the school district for further information because the state agency didn't have the authority to investigate. She also told CNN that 103 of the 604 cases were duplicates and were already being investigated by the agency's committee on credentials. "For the vast majority, no final action has been taken. They are still in process," Padilla said about the 103 cases. The referral of the cases to state licensing investigators comes as the nation's second largest school system deals with a crisis of teacher misconduct. The district has been reeling from a scandal at Miramonte Elementary School, where two teachers have been charged with lewd acts on pupils, including one teacher accused of putting children in adult-like bondage situations and placing semen-filled spoons at their mouths. The state license of that teacher, Mark Berndt -- who has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of lewd acts on pupils -- has been suspended as the state agency monitors his criminal case, and a license revocation occurs upon a conviction, Padilla said. If an appeal to a conviction is made, the suspension of teaching credentials continues, Padilla said. This week, the California Senate approved a bill that would empower school boards to fire teachers for misconduct and expedite the firing process of instructors accused of offenses involving sex, violence or drugs, said Democratic state Sen. Alex Padilla, who authored the legislation. The bill now goes to the State Assembly for a vote. "Because a school board is ultimately responsible for ensuring a safe learning environment, the school board should be empowered to dismiss employees they determine to be a serious threat to the health and safety of students," Sen. Padilla said in a statement. The lurid allegations at Miramonte prompted the Los Angeles system to do an internal review of its handling of past teacher misconduct cases, and the district determined that 604 cases needed to be referred to state licensing authorities for review, though "a substantial number" of other misconduct cases had already been reported to the state, school officials said. One parent, Alvaro Salgero, told CNN that he was concerned about child abuse in the school system. "It tended to be a safe place, but from what I hear, it seems that's not happening in some places," Salgero said. "There isn't sufficient security for children. "We're able to realize that there wasn't much of an investigation with teachers and they didn't investigate them before giving them a job, and those who suffer are the children, the pupils," Salgero said. The 604 cases include teachers who were disciplined or were about to face discipline since July 2008, according to Ira Berman, Los Angeles Unified School District director of employee relations, and Vivian Ekchian, the district's chief human resources officer. The cases also include teachers who were fired by the school board or who left the district after termination proceedings were initiated or while an allegation of misconduct was pending, Berman and Ekchian said. The system doesn't know whether any of the teachers who were fired or who left the district are still in the classroom in other school districts. The 604 figure also includes teachers who were suspended for 11 days or more for a variety of reasons not involving sexual misconduct with students, the two officials said. "The safety of our students is our No. 1 priority," Ekchian said in explaining why the system referred the 604 cases to the state. The system's internal investigation arose after parental outrage after charges were filed against former Miramonte teacher Berndt, who resigned from the system last year but was not referred to the state for possible license revocation, district spokesman Waldman said. Berndt, 61, pleaded not guilty in February to allegations he bound young students, then photographed them with semen-filled spoons held at their mouths and three-inch cockroaches crawling across their faces, among other graphic depictions. "We had not informed Sacramento to revoke Mr. Berndt's credentials," Waldman said. Berndt is being held on $23 million bond and faces 23 counts of lewd acts on a child. The 23 victims were between 7 and 10 years old, and all but two of them were girls, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. Authorities have said they have discovered roughly 600 images allegedly taken by Berndt in his classroom. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Deasy has said Berndt was removed from his teaching job in January 2011 after school officials learned of the police investigation. A teacher for 30 years, Berndt initially challenged the school district's decision to dismiss him. But he eventually dropped his appeal and resigned last spring. His arrest in January led to broader fallout over the adequacy of safeguards for the school's students and the prospect of more victims. Days after Berndt was taken into custody, another Miramonte Elementary teacher -- Martin Springer, 49 -- was arrested and charged with three felony counts of lewd acts with a girl younger than 14. He has pleaded not guilty. The LAUSD board subsequently shut Miramonte for two days, during which the board reconstituted the entire staff in the 1,400-student school. Miramonte is in unincorporated Los Angeles County within the Florence-Firestone area, about six miles south of downtown Los Angeles. | Los Angeles school officials are now going back 40 years in their review of past teacher misconduct .
They have just reviewed the past four years of teacher discipline cases .
L.A. school officials referred 604 teacher cases to state authorities in charge of license revocation .
California Senate passes a bill that makes firing teachers for misconduct easier . |
167,314 | 6464463041a368f23faa9d033f422e5267c8b4d4 | Denver (CNN) -- For 106 years, cowboys and cattlemen have been coming from around the West to Denver for the annual National Western Stock Show. It's part state fair, part rodeo and all American. At night there is professional rodeo, but during the day hundreds of ranchers of all ages bring their best cows and bulls for judging. On the line is a blue ribbon and bragging rights. The sprawling backstage area in the bowels of the building echoes with the din of commercial-strength blow dryers as cow after cow is shuttled though the makeshift bovine beauty parlor before being led into the ring. Upstairs the cowboys and cowgirls mosey around vendors hawking boots, buckles and hats. They mingle with the fleece-clad Denverites and chat amongst themselves about grain prices, drought and yes, Tim Tebow and the Broncos. The show kicked off last weekend and runs through January 22. Soon enough these cattle herders will be back on their ranches as winter bears down on the West. But for now it's warm and dry at the stock show, where cows and cowboys alike are the stars of the show. | The National Western Stock Show has taken place in Denver for over a century .
It's part state fair, part rodeo .
There are beauty contests for livestock, even chickens and roosters . |
7,616 | 159711055ece9842887e823f15f0a7ac9d5dc02c | By . James Rush . Rory McIlroy has announced he will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil when golf makes its return to the Games for the first time since 1904. The 25-year-old, who would be eligible to play for either Great Britain or Ireland, had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people. But he has now said he has made his decision ahead of this week's Irish Open at Fota Island. Rory McIlroy (pictured on Sunday) has announced he will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil . 'I’ve been thinking about it a lot,' he told a pre-tournament press conference. 'I don’t know whether it’s been because the World Cup has been in Brazil and I’ve been thinking a couple of years down the line. 'Thinking about all the times that I played as an amateur for Ireland and as a boy and everything, I think for me it’s the right decision to play for Ireland in 2016.' The Northern Irish golfer is Catholic by birth, but is not believed to be particularly religious, and comes from the predominantly Protestant Holywood area of Belfast. He has previously spoken of being in an 'extremely sensitive and difficult position' over the decision, releasing an open letter on his Twitter account in September 2012 in response to quotes attributed to him which said he felt 'more British than Irish'. Asked if he had been 'torn' on the issue, the former world number one said today: 'More worried about what other people would think, rather than me. But you’ve got to do what’s right for yourself and what you feel most comfortable with, and ultimately that was the decision that I made. McIlroy (pictured last month), who would be eligible to play for either Great Britain or Ireland, had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people . 'I was always very proud to put on the . Irish uniform and play as an amateur and as a boy, and I would be very . proud to do it again. 'Just . because now that I’m playing golf for money and I’m a professional, I’m . supposed to have this choice or this decision to make, where if you . look at the rugby players, you look at cricketers or hockey players, . they view Ireland as one, the same as we do in golf. 'I don’t think there’s any point to change that or go against that just because it’s a different event or it’s the Olympics. 'I’ve had a lot of time on my own the last few weeks and just been thinking about it a lot. It’s something that’s been quite important to me and something that I needed to make some sort of decision or some sort of stand on it. Changes: McIroy's decision to represent Ireland comes just weeks after he announced he had broken off his engagement to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, 23 (right) 'Just weighing up everything, and thinking back about the times that I played for Ireland and won the European Team championship with Ireland, won a lot of great amateur titles representing Ireland, I just thought why change that? Basically it’s just a continuation of what I’ve always done.' McIroy's decision to represent Ireland comes just weeks after he announced he had broken off his engagement to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, 23, saying he had realised he was not prepared for 'all that marriage entails'. The couple, who were together for three years, had been due to marry in November and had sent out their wedding invitiations the weekend before McIroy ended their relationship. 'The problem is mine,' he said. 'The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realise that I wasn't ready. 'I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we've had. Everyone has been through break-ups and it's obviously very, very difficult.' | Rory McIlroy had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people .
But he said he has now made his decision ahead of this week's Irish Open .
Golf will makes its return to the Games in 2016 for the first time since 1904 .
Northern Irish golfer is Catholic by birth, but grew up in Protestant area .
Decision comes weeks after he ended relationship with Caroline Wozniacki . |
103,706 | 11c8c86f5de9383ca33769c98c564d30bc866b41 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 17:41 EST, 19 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:41 EST, 19 October 2013 . A heroic truck driver saved a drunk driver from certain death early Friday morning after pulling him from under the burning wreckage of his SUV on the side of the Long Island Expressway before finishing his delivery shift. Alex Mitchell, 37, of Ozone Park, NY, pulled his gasoline tanker to the side of the busy 10 lane highway after seeing a crashed SUV catch fire just after 2am. A quick search led to him finding the driver, who he pulled to safety. Drunk driver John Boisseau, 37, of Sound Beach, was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries before being released later in the day to be charged with driving while intoxicated. He's a hero!: Alex Mitchell saved the life of drunk driver John Boisseau when he pulled him out from under the burning wreckage of his crashed SUV . Seeing the dire situation, Mr Mitchell knew he had to act – he immediately pulled to the side of the road and began his own search and rescue operation while emergency responders and police sped to the scene. ‘I was like, 'Is anybody there? Can anybody hear me?' he recalled to Newsday. ‘I didn’t see anyone back there so I ran around the other side because my view was being blocked by a tree,’ Mr Mitchell recalled to CBS New York. ‘Next thing, I went around and noticed he was basically lying under the vehicle with flames going and everything,’ he continued. Scorched: Mr Boisseau's SUV was completely engulfed in flames just seconds after he was pulled away . Engulfed in flames: This cloud of smoke still poured from the SUV even after firefighters began extinguishing the flames . The brave samaritan pulled the boozed-up Mr Boisseau out from under the burning 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe just before the flames would have gotten to him, according to CBS New York. Emergency crews soon arrived on the scene to extinguish the charred Chevy – just after two tires exploded from the flames, Mr Mitchell told Newsday . Mr Boisseau lost control of his vehicle in Brentwood (about 40 miles east of Manhattan), veered of the major east-west artery and struck a tree at about 2am, officials said. The collision ejected him from the SUV, but the mackered motorist somehow ended up beneath the smoldering vehicle, according to officials. Alcohol was involved: Mr Boisseau was charged with drunk driving after being released from a local hospital . Fully engulfed with flames and with a giant cloud of smoke towering over the highway, the crash scene was easily spotted by Mr Mitchell – who dialled 911 with one hand as he rescued the trapped man with the other, according to Newsday. Mr Boisseau’s injuries were non-life-threatening, police said. Mr Mitchell’s family couldn’t have been prouder. ‘My son's a hero!’ His proud mother boasted to Newsday. Soon after speaking with police and reporters, Mr Mitchell jumped in his truck to finish his shift - 12 hours later. 'Business as usual,' the heroic man told the New York Daily News. 'I still had another 12 hours.' | Alex Mitchell was in the middle of his Friday morning delivery shift when he saw the crash along the side of the Long Island Expressway .
He pulled his gasoline tanker to the side of the highway and pulled John Boisseau from the scorched wreckage, saving his life .
Mr Mitchell then hopped in his truck and finished his delivery runs, ending at 3pm . |
172,865 | 6bb9c2364e2e3cece7c91c6faee3208e3a173ee5 | A teenager who took police on a 70-mile chase in a stolen van the wrong way on a motorway has been jailed. Ryan Nee, 19, stole a white Transit from Billericay, Essex, before heading north on the southbound side of the M11. Ryan Nee admitted burglary, theft of a vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without a valid driving licence at a previous hearing and was sentenced to 15 months in prison . Police were scattered to try to stop the unemployed teen but he led them on a 70-mile chase all the way to Cambridge. A police helicopter flew overhead in the early morning chase on May 21 before he was stopped at Godmanchester, Cambs. Basildon Crown Court heard how the escapade only came to an end when Nee hit a stinger, smashed into a lorry and flipped the van. An ambulance was called to the scene but amazingly both drivers escaped serious injury with the teen suffering just “superficial wounds”. When asked why he was caught wearing gloves and a motorbike helmet Nee told police is was “because he was cold”. One policeman described the chase as the worst case of dangerous driving he had seen in his 26-year career. Nee, of Harold Hill, Essex, admitted burglary, theft of a vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without a valid driving licence at a previous hearing. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison when he appeared via videolink at Basildon Crown Court on Monday. Recorder Elroy Claxton, sentencing, said: “Nee, you must appreciate this was a most dangerous piece of driving. “Driving on a motorway at night on the wrong side of the carriageway means you were a danger to other road users and a danger to yourself. “This dangerous driving lasted a significant amount of time and went on for 70 miles. “Your driving must have been frightening to other road users and there was a real danger of death to either yourself or other people.” Ryan Nee stole the transit from this road in Billericay, Essex before taking it on a joyride . Nee claimed to have been the lookout for a burglary at the property in Billericay and claimed he had not gone inside. Mike Warren, mitigating, said his client was “clearly not an experienced criminal” and had only taken part to pay off a £300 drug debt for cannabis. As well as his prison sentence Nee was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge. The route that Nee took, leading police on a 70-mile chase from Essex to Cambridgeshire . | Ryan Nee, 19, of Harold Hill, Essex, stole the van in Billericay .
He was finally caught at Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire .
He admitted burglary, vehicle theft, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and without a valid licence .
He was sentenced to 15 months in prison .
Lawyer said Nee had only taken part to pay off a £300 cannabis debt . |
31,524 | 59a6e9dde582f3d45329cb775ef96668d72a2b95 | Mexico City (CNN) -- Mexican federal police in Ciudad Juarez tortured five people to force confessions that they killed an officer and participated in a car bomb attack, the nation's human rights commission alleged. "According to information and testimonies received, they were interrogated and tortured with the goal that they admitted guilt in the commission of homicide and that they were members of a gang," Mexico's National Human Rights Commission said in a statement Sunday. The commission's statement described the situation as an "abuse of power" in the violence-plagued border city. The five people, arrested in August 2010, should receive reparations from police for human rights violations that require physical and psychological treatment, the commission said. Mexican government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Ciudad Juarez, which shares a border with El Paso, Texas, has been a hotspot in Mexico's drug war as rival cartels battle over turf. CNN's Rene Hernandez and Rey Rodriguez contributed to this report. | Five people "were interrogated and tortured" to force confessions, officials say .
Mexico's National Human Rights Commission says the victims should receive reparations .
Mexican government officials have not commented on the case . |
187,510 | 7ed39ff294fe7f79acb49a533ea76c4c7af31437 | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 21:16 EST, 3 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:08 EST, 4 July 2013 . The real Slim Shady has been located - at her sister's wedding in California. Rivaling America's favorite bridesmaid, Kristen Wig, maid of honor Jennifer Gabrielli bust out a seriously impressive rap after her sister, Nicole's, nuptials on Saturday to the tune of Eminem's 'Without Me.' The spectacular speech begins as any other, with Jennifer explaining to the crowd how she fits in to the bridal party. But then the Eminem beat drops, she dons a black hoodie over her pretty blue bridesmaid dress, and she's off. Scroll down for video . Toast: Jennifer Gabrielli, pictured, had her sister's wedding guests in stitches . Jokes: Jennifer jokes in the rap about how she and her big sister used to chill in their pajamas until Blake kept hanging around . 'Two lovers in love walk down the aisle, down the aisle, down the aisle,' she begins, before introducing the couple: 'Guess who's here to get wed, Nicole and Blake, so clap your hands.' As she launches into the chorus, the wedding guests, gathered at the La Costa Resort, go wild. 'This looks like it's meant to be so everybody just toast with me raise your glasses if you're thirsty because tonight we're here to par-party,' she raps. Amazing: The spectacular speech begins as any other, with Jennifer Gabrielli, pictured, explaining to the crowd how she fits in to the bridal party . Hoodie: When the Eminem beat drops, she dons a black hoodie over her pretty blue bridesmaid dress . Rap: 'Two lovers in love walk down the aisle, down the aisle, down the aisle,' she begins, before introducing the couple: 'Guess who's here to get wed, Nicole and Blake, so clap your hands' Jennifer jokes in the rap about how . she and her big sister used to chill in their pajamas until Blake kept . hanging around. She also jokes about how the couple didn't want her as . their third roomie. But she gave the groom her seal of approval. 'Blake, . he don't wanna get his but kicked. Toilet seat down and he does the . dishes,' she sang, before rapping a few verses about the couple's future . life together. Laughing: The bride and groom couldn't help but chuckle during the rap toast . Eminem: The impressive rap came after her sister, Nicole's, nuptials on Saturday and went to the tune of Eminem's 'Without Me' Mom: The girls' mom, Barb, pictured, is clearly enjoying the rendition . 'Guaranteed you'll grow that family tree, pretty cute babies we can all agree. You know Nicole wants 30 or more, too much to pay for so Blake said four. 'Just give me some neices and nephews, so Barb (the girls' mom) doesn't fall to pieces.' The crowd are clearly blown away by the epic maid of honor speech, and even Jennifer, not-so-humbly, praises the effort. 'And while I'm not the first to congratulate ya, I have the best toast since God the Father. I want you both to know I love ya and without warning I'll pop on over.' Babies: 'Guaranteed you'll grow that family tree, pretty cute babies we can all agree. You know Nicole wants 30 or more, too much to pay for so Blake said four,' she rapped . Raise your glass: The newlyweds and their guests raised their glasses as requested by the rapper . Hugs: The bride and groom embraced Jennifer after the speech . | Maid of honor Jennifer Gabrielli bust .
out a seriously impressive rap after her sister's wedding on .
Saturday to the tune of Eminem's 'Without Me'
She dons a black hoodie over her pretty blue bridesmaid dress and makes the wedding guests at the La Costa Resort in California go wild in the tape . |
286,297 | fef8fe326c7178c3fdc791910ef015b9aec74387 | Crook: Jonathan Hicks, 48, stole almost £28,000 while his 71-year-old father, Leonard, was recovering from having his leg amputated . An elderly man who spent six months in hospital after having his leg amputated was discharged to find his son had spent 50 years' worth of his life savings. Jonathan Hicks, 48, from Newquay, Cornwall, stole almost £28,000 while his Swansea-based 71-year-old father, Leonard, was recovering from losing his leg. He spent the cash on shopping sprees and a holiday to Egypt, only stopping when the cash ran out - leaving the elder Mr Hicks overdrawn for the first time in his life. A court heard the pensioner almost had a heart attack when he discovered his savings had been plundered. Hicks, who was first arrested in December 2013 but initially tried to escape justice by fleeing to Cyprus, was jailed for two years and eight months after admitting theft. It took him just six months to blow the nest egg his father had saved up over more than 50 years - taking out the cash in 177 secret withdrawals. Prosecutor Frank Phillips told the court that Mr Hicks's right leg was amputated in January 2013 and the pensioner was kept in hospital until July due to complications. His son secretly moved into his home in Swansea, South Wales, while he was in hospital, the court heard. 'The pensioner mentioned his bank card PIN number while he was quite agitated during a visit by his son,' Mr Phillips was quoted as telling the court by Wales News Service. 'Hicks then began siphoning off the cash, having located his father's bank card. 'He told his brothers he had withdrawn around £27,000 and said that the social services would take the money and sell his house to pay for care home costs.' After Mr Hicks' release from hospital, his other son Michael took him in a wheelchair to a local branch of Lloyds TSB - where he found he was £300 in the red. Mr Phillips said: 'When he was told that he was overdrawn his son Michael described him as being in a hell of a state. 'He was so upset his son thought that he was going to have a heart attack.' Police were called in to find the younger Hicks had moved back to Newquay, Cornwall. Swansea Crown Court heard he initially tried to blame his brothers and a sister for stealing the cash. But police discovered cash was spent on a holiday to Egypt - with £1,000 changed up for spending money along with car expenses. Hicks was arrested in December 2013. He was released on police bail and fled abroad to Cyprus, but was arrested again when he returned to Britain for the funeral of his step-son. Camel: Police discovered cash was spent on a holiday to Egypt - with £1,000 changed up for spending money . Andrew Evans, defending, said Hicks would 'turn back the clock' if he could. 'The defendant acknowledges that his actions between January and July 2013 were deplorable to say the least,' Mr Evans told the court. 'This was a significant gross breach of trust against a person who, he has to concede, was particularly vulnerable at the time.' Judge Keith Thomas heard Hicks had a history of dishonesty including a conviction in 2007 for money laundering and attempting to obtain money by deception. Sending Hicks to prison, the judge said: 'You plundered your father's bank account at the time when he was extremely vulnerable. 'He was in need of care rather than the dishonest actions that you indulged in.' | Pensioner almost had a heart attack when he found himself £300 in debt .
Jonathan Hicks used the cash for spending sprees and a holiday to Egypt .
Fled to Cyprus while on bail but was seized after coming back for a funeral . |
135,397 | 3b27be36fe2769d3b0d4365fead0a96ac4d81722 | Children who look unhappy in childhood school photographs are five times more likely to get divorced than those who smile most, a scientist claims. People who stayed married in later life tended to smile more widely and warmly in their school photographs, while future divorcées were more likely to smile weakly, if at all in their photos. A U.S. psychologist came up with his conclusions when exploring whether school photos reveal who individuals are in a moment in time, or if they can predict their future. It's all in the smile, according to one psychologist: People who stayed married in later life . tended to smile more widely and warmly in their school photographs, . while future divorcées were more likely to smile weakly, if at all in . their photos . Matthew Hertenstein, an associate . professor of psychology at DePauw University, Indiana, measured . individuals’ emotional displays based on photographs in hundreds of . school yearbooks to see if he could predict who would get divorced. In an article for The Wall Street Journal, he said he found that people who smiled least genuinely were five times more likely to get divorced at some point in their lives than those with happy photographs. To work out who was smiling strongly, he looked at whether the individual in the photo contracted the muscle that pulls up the lip corners as well as the orbicularis oculi, which is the muscle that makes someone’s eyes ‘smile’ too. Professor Hertenstein said that future divorcées tended not to smile, or if they did, did not contract their orbicularis oculi - indicating a smile that was not genuine. Together with his team, the psychologist, who is the author of a new book called THE TELL: THE LITTLE CLUES THAT REVEAL BIG TRUTHS ABOUT WHO WE ARE, examined the childhood and adolescent yearbook photos of people over the age of 55 in a small town in mid-west U.S. As part of their research in 2009, which . was published the journal Motivation and Emotion, they also looked at . photographs of participants at birthdays and graduations and concluded . that the photos predicted divorce as accurately as the yearbook photos . did. Matthew Hertenstein, an associate professor of psychology at DePauw University, Indiana, measured individuals' emotional displays based on photographs in hundreds of school yearbooks to see if he could predict who would get divorced . According to a study by psychologists LeeAnne Harker and Dacher Keltner in 2001, college yearbook photographs can also predict whether someone will enjoy a life with less sadness, anxiety and despair 30 years after the graduate. The study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found more stoic looking classmates were less well socially connected and had less fulfilling lives than their more smiley classmates. However, Professor Hertenstein concedes that smiling in photos cannot cause happy outcomes and is not the only valid predictor of them. He writes: ‘Your smile, or lack thereof, is not the great determinant of your destiny. Individual cases will certainly vary.’ The psychologists looked at photographs of participants at birthdays and graduations and concluded that the photos predicted divorce (illustrated) as accurately as the yearbook photos did . | A U.S. psychologist said children who look unhappy in school photos are five times more likely to get divorced than those who smiled .
Researchers at DePauw University, Indiana, measured individuals’ emotional displays based on photographs in hundreds of school yearbooks .
They also examined photographs of participants at birthdays to conclude the photos predicted divorce as accurately as the yearbook photos did . |
183,703 | 79f30201710b7327f65901fe8e85b41b23a6c5dd | A disgruntled man wielding a knife broke into a Kansas television station Wednesday morning and stabbed two sales employees - and it was all caught on camera. WIBW-TV in Topeka reported the man eventually was tackled and held down by several employees until police arrived. While restrained, the man was heard yelling: ‘I’m going to f***ing kill you all,’ and bit at least one worker. Scroll down for video . Tools of the trade: He used a lamp in the entryway to break the glass doors . Break-in: A disgruntled man broke into a Topeka news station Wednesday morning and stabbed two of its employees . Teamwork: Station employees managed to hold Miles down until police arrived at the scene . The suspect, who police identified as Ray Miles, and two people who were stabbed were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. None of their injuries were considered serious. The station reported that the melee started after the man spoke to news director Jon Janes on a lobby phone, saying the Department of Veterans Affairs was mishandling his case. When Mr Janes explained that the man needed to discuss the issue with the VA, the man stormed out of the building. However, he returned about 10 minutes later and threw a lamp through the glass front doors, shattering them. The suspect was later identified as homeless man Ray Miles . Security footage from the news station shows Miles opening the door through the broken glass then walking into the building. Mr Janes told the receptionist to tell other employees to leave the front office area. The station said some employees left as the man ran through the halls. Some employees managed to tackle Miles, and that’s when he allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed sales manager Roger Brokke and sales associate Greg Palmer. Both were knifed in the leg, and Miles bit Mr Brokke on the ear as well. After the receptionist had alerted the staff of the intruder, Master Control Operator Joe Garrett called 911 and witnessed the takedown via security camera. Mr Janes said this was not his first contact with Miles. He also spoke to the man on March 22, when Miles came to the station to see about having a story done on how he felt the VA was mistreating him. Stabbed: Miles allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed sales manager Roger Brokke, left, and sales associate Greg Palmer, right - both in the leg. Miles then bit Brokke on the ear . Assistance: Police took Miles and the two sales associates to the hospital following the attack . Mr Janes also sent him away then. Both Mr Brokke and Mr Palmer are currently being treated for minor injuries; the former must also get a tetanus shot. Jim Gleisberg, a public affairs officer for the VA, said he couldn't comment on the attacks, citing patient privacy laws. Topeka police Capt Brian Desch said in a news release that the 48-year-old homeless man was booked into jail on suspicion of six counts, including aggravated battery and burglary. According to WIBW, he will be booked and charged as soon as he is released from the hospital. Breaking news: WIBW-TV is located in the Kansas capital of Topeka . Watch surveillance video here: . | Man later identified as Ray Miles broke into Kansas news station .
Miles was tackled by WIBW-TV employees, but allegedly pulled out knife and stabbed two employees in the leg .
Reportedly yelled 'I'll f***ing kill you all' and allegedly bit one employee on the ear .
Was upset Department of Veteran's Affairs was 'mishandling his case' |
197,009 | 8afd3d9153f38b9cc517331cef97664435cd5f7d | A thug has admitted knocking a 16-year-old girl unconscious in an unprovoked street attack that left her with broken teeth and a split lip. A court heard Michael Ayoade, 34, who smacked petite teenager Tasneem Kabir around the head as she was walking to college in east London, told police: 'She started it'. He was arrested thanks to an anonymous tip-off after police released CCTV footage of the shocking attack, which showed Ayoade casually jogging away while Miss Kabir lay unconscious on the ground. Scroll down for video . Shock attack: CCTV footage shows Ayoade approaching his victim from behind (left) and hitting her around the head (right) as she walked alone to college in east London . Ayoade told police he had felt 'intimidated' by his 16-year-old victim, Thames Magistrates' Court heard . Ayoade later told police that the . petite 16-year-old 'didn't have a friendly face', that he was . 'intimidated by her' and that she 'made me feel like a pauper with her . facial gestures'. He said he couldn’t cope with 'taking an insult from a little person like that'. Powerfully . built Ayoade, who has a distinctive scar on his cheek, pleaded guilty . to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Thames Magistrates' Court . today following the daylight attack in Plaistow, which left the teenager . with three broken teeth, a split lip, and bruises and grazes on her . face. Thug: Ayoade lashed out at Tasneem Kabir in broad daylight as she walked alone in east London . Ayoade's ferocious punch knocked Miss Kabir out cold . After falling to the ground, Miss Kabir was left with three broken teeth, a bleeding lip, and cuts and bruises on her face . The sudden blow left the teenager - who fell face first onto the concrete - unconscious . The CCTV footage showed Ayoade casually jogging away while Miss Kabir lay unconscious on the ground . Miss Kabir . had left home with her brother shortly after 12.30pm on November 13, but . realised she had forgotten her phone and went back to retrieve it as . her brother walked on.Prosecutor . Bandana Batra told Thames Magistrates Court: 'She remembers seeing the . defendant looking at her from the other side of the road as she went . back. 'As she came out he . was inside the gates to her street and she says he approached her and . was within 30cm of her face. She found this strange but she carried on . walking. 'Miss Kabir was . then walking along High Road, Plaistow and all she remembers next was . waking up in the ambulance,' the lawyer said. Ayoade had followed the teenager, launching his surprise attack as she passed the Black Lion pub. Ms . Batra said: 'He started jogging up behind Miss Kabir and he struck her . her on the side of the head causing her to lose consciousness and that’s . why she doesn’t remember what happened.' The girl hit the ground face first following the blow from Ayoade.Ms . Batra said: 'It was an unprovoked attack on in a lone female. She is . pretty petite in size - you can see the size of Mr Ayoade.' When police were searching for her then mystery attacker, Miss Kabir had said: 'I hope he does get caught so he doesn’t do it again to another person. I hope I am his last victim.' Unprovoked: Ayoade set upon Miss Kabir as she walked to college alone in Plaistow, east London . Police received an anonymous phone call informing them of Ayoade's address. Officers discovered cannabis at his home in Plaistow and he pleaded guilty to possession of a class C drug on November 21. Ms Batra said: 'He said he admitted to doing it, it was a misunderstanding on his part. He had had too much to drink and smoke that day.' 'He said he was going about his business and was intimidated by her look, she looked like she wanted a fight. She looked about 19 or 20. He did not approve of the way she looked so he went back and punched her....He said "Nah, that hurt, I can’t go further in my day taking an insult from a little person like that".' 'He thought to himself “No, no I am not taking this”,' the lawyer said. 'He never spoke to her, just punched her.' Marianna Christou, defending, said that Ayoade had come to the UK from Nigeria when he was just three years old, and had to fend from himself from young age. He was said to have no contact with his family. Ms Christou said: 'He has drunk since he was 16 and smokes up to 10 joints a day which in my submission is excessive and perhaps this causes some degree of paranoia and low self esteem.' Ayoade was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Inner London Crown Court on a date to be fixed. VIDEO: CCTV footage of the unprovoked attack in Plaistow, east London . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Michael Ayoade, 34, ran up behind Tasneem Kabir as she walked to college and smacked her around the head .
Ayoade jogged away as the 16-year-old lay unconscious on the ground in Plaistow, East London .
When arrested Ayoade told police he was intimidated by the petite teen and that 'she started it', Thames Magistrates' Court was told . |
27,662 | 4e693a9317924d4517bc6e3fe8801b2ac11420f1 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- A group of Heath Ledger fans have taken their reverence for the late "The Dark Knight" star to a whole new level. Heath Ledger fans launched a petition calling for studios to remove the Joker from future Batman movies. Followers of the actor, who electrified audiences with his chilling reinvention of the Joker in the second Batman blockbuster, are calling for the character to be retired from the movies permanently. Ledger supporters at new Web site, The Ultimate Joker, launched a petition last week calling for studios to remove the Joker from any future Batman movies. The petition currently has 2,431 supporters. "We think Heath deserves this honor," the site's team leader, Fer Barbella, told CNN from Buenos Aires, Argentina. "He is the ultimate Joker. "We are Batman fans from the comics and from the movies," he said, "After we saw 'The Dark Knight,' we thought this Joker was really the best. It deserves to be withdrawn from any Batman sequels. "When Michael Jordan retired, they withdrew the number 23 jersey as an honor. It's the same thing with Heath." Barbella said he thinks any new performance just won't be able to top Ledger's. "He upgraded the character in a thrilling way," he said. "Although a lot of actors would love the chance to play the Joker, as Batman fans and now Heath Ledger fans, we think no one could ever perform it as well as he did." The Web site is the brainchild of Barbella, 34; Nico Pimentel, 33; and Natalia Rodoni, 33, all advertising creatives in Buenos Aires. The trio say that if they collect enough names, they may go to the studio to present their petition. "As soon as we start seeing that we have more than 50,000 names on our Web site, perhaps we will go to the Warner Brothers gate and do a bit of activism," Pimentel said. The huge buzz around Ledger's performance as the Joker last year stemmed from his update of the iconic character played by camp comedian Cesar Romero and as a hateful clown by Jack Nicholson. Ledger's Joker was a very different proposition from those that had come before: In a ripped, stained suit, with clown makeup smeared across a scarred, twisted mouth, his Joker was a nihilistic, sociopathic prankster. "Why so serious?" he sneered in a performance that received rave reviews from critics globally. Do you agree that Heath Ledger's Joker should be the last one ever? The actor was found dead after overdosing on prescription drugs at his apartment in New York on January 22, 2008, shortly after concluding work on "The Dark Knight." Ledger has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the Joker, having been awarded a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor. Barbella says that the Web site and petition are their award: "The Academy gives an Oscar," he said. "This is a new award from the people. A user-generated award." | Heath Ledger fans are calling for The Joker to be removed from future Batman films .
They launched a petition at new Web site, The Ultimate Joker, last week .
Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" received rave reviews .
Ledger who died in 2008 has been nominated for an Oscar for the role . |
30,771 | 577af9a0e8b00c1c3b3e3a9a5c0c6ec115d701da | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:20 EST, 4 December 2013 . For years Samantha Fitzgerald would try her best to dodge the camera at family occasions like Christmas and birthdays because of her weight. The sales assistant, 28, from South Wales always felt like the odd one out growing up. She says her four younger female siblings, Lindy, 26, Claire, 24, Morgan, 23, and Alice, 15, were all 'skinny minnies'. Approaching the peak of her weight, Sam with her sisters (from left to right) Lindy, Morgan, Claire and Alice . Sam Fitzgerald was sick of being the 'fat ugly one': (left to right) Morgan, Lindy, Sam, Alice and Claire . At her biggest, Samantha, who is only 5ft tall, weighed 15st 1lb. Wearing a dress size 20, she felt insecure next to her younger, slimmer sisters, whose sizes range from a diminutive size six to a 12 - 14, and she loathed being photographed next to them. Today, Samantha, one of six siblings in total, says she finally feels like 'one of the pack' after shedding six stone in just 12 months. Incredibly, she now weighs just 9 stone and is a slinky size 8. 'I feel amazing,' says Samantha. 'I no longer feel like the fat, ugly one. It was hard being the big one, strangers wouldn't believe we were related. Samantha pictured with her slim younger sister Alice . 'Although I love my sisters dearly, I used to feel left out at times. Whereas they used to have the usual sister squabbles over clothes, I couldn't borrow theirs as I was too big to fit into them. I used to feel envious and wonder why I had to be the fat one. It didn't seem fair.' Samantha first noticed she was different from her sisters when she was eight years old. 'I seemed to put weight on more easily and had a bigger appetite. Whereas my sisters were quite sensible with their food, I got into bad eating habits,' she says. 'It's started by going to the shops and buying a chocolate bar after dinner and then I'd scoff bags of crisps too. 'My mum was concerned and tried to put me on a diet but it didn't work. I would carry on buying junk food and would guzzle cans of full fat Coke too. Soon, my mum realised she wasn't getting anywhere with the diet and gave up in the end. Naturally, Samantha hoped it was just puppy fat but when her weight spiralled out of control in her teens she knew that wasn't the case. 'I was just getting bigger and bigger,' she says. 'Before I knew it I was a size 14 and weighed around 10 stone. Bearing in mind I am only 5ft, the extra weight looked ridiculous on me. 'I used to blame my slow metabolism and kid myself that I was bigger boned than my sisters, but that's clearly not the case as we're the same size now. But for a long time I used that as an excuse.' The fact her sisters' dress sizes ranged from a size six to a UK average 12-14 didn't help her self-esteem. 'They used to get excited about fashion. They would prance around the house in short skirt and crop tops. All the boys fancied them in school and they were pretty and popular. 'Sometimes people wouldn't even believe we were sisters. It was really hurtful and I would get really upset over it. It's not nice to feel like the fat, unattractive one when all your sisters are gorgeous and turn heads wherever they go,' she says. Despite their physical differences, Samantha says she's really close to all of her sisters and they would defend her if anyone said anything nasty about her size. 'One time I was walking along when some guys drove by and shouted "fat b****" out of the window. I burst into tears on the spot but my sisters were quick to shout back,' she says. 'They may be skinny little things but they're feisty madams when provoked. That night, I cried my eyes out. I hated the way people thought they could be cruel to me just because I was a bigger girl.' After school, Sam went on to study health, social care and secretarial skills at college. Her weight continued to spiral and Sam went up to 12 stone and was a dress size 16. Sam weighing 15 stone before (left) and at just nine stone after the weight loss (right) 'To be honest, I didn't try dieting. I just continued to eat the same junk food on top of my three meals a day.' And the pounds continued to pile on as Samantha became increasingly unhappy. 'When I started working at 18 I would be really tired when I got home and too lazy to make something for dinner. Because I had money I'd buy a greasy Chinese takeaway and eat it in front of the telly. 'That's Okay now and again as a treat, but I was doing it three times a week and seldom did any exercise.' Samantha continued to put on weight and by 26, she had ballooned to a size 20 and weighed 15.1 stone. 'It was horrible,' she says. 'I felt so uncomfortable and disgusted with myself for letting my weight get so out of control. On nights out I never felt attractive or sexy next to my sisters. They used to get attention left, right and centre and I had to pretend to be happy being the fat, bubbly one. 'It hurt when strangers wouldn't believe we were related. They'd act really shocked and say we didn't look anything alike. I knew what they meant by that, my sisters were hot and I was the fat, ugly one. 'It was a vicious circle, when I felt sad I'd eat more to feel better. Food was definitely a comfort for me.' Sam with her sister Claire (left) and relaxing on a day out (right) before weight loss . In June 2012, Samantha realised she had to do something drastic about her weight when she went to the doctors to get her blood pressure checked - but the Velcro belt didn't fit around her arm. 'I was horrified and wanted the world to swallow me up. That night, I went home and cried. I knew I had to change my life-style, it was now or never,' she says. Shortly after, she joined Slimming World. They devised a healthy eating plan for Samantha, swapping unhealthy meals and replacing them with pasta, jacket potatoes, fruit and veg. 'Finally I'd found a diet that worked for me,' she says. 'I could eat these carbs unlimited and was allowed 15 sins a day. After one week I lost over three pounds and the weight just continued to drop off. Instead of a sugary cereal for breakfast, I'd have porridge with a banana or a low-fat yogurt. 'I ditched fizzy drinks and guzzled litres of water instead. On top of this, I started to walk more.' Within just six months Samantha had lost four stone and was a dress size 12. Around this time, she met her fiancé, Sean Donnelly, 24, who works in construction, over the internet. 'Having a love interest in my life spurred me on even more so to lose the extra weight. Five months after meeting Sean, I shed another two stone - taking me to a tiny size eight.' Earlier this month, Sam won Slimmer of the month and Woman of the Year at Slimming World. 'I couldn't feel better,' she says. 'I finally feel one of the girls and when I go out with my sisters they're proud of me and show me off. 'Nowadays, strangers don't blink an eyelid when we say we're related. I'm no longer the fat, bubbly one - I'm also sexy and pretty like the rest of them. 'I can finally borrow their clothes and talk about fashion with them. I don't feel like the odd one out anymore.' Her sisters are incredibly proud. 'Sam's done so well, I'm so proud of her. It used to make me so mad angry when people called her fat and other nasty names,' says sister Morgan, 23. 'Even when she was minding her own business walking to walk people would shout horrible things about her weight. But she always held her head high and kept going. She's inspired me to lose weight, too.' 'I watched her lose weight bit by bit and she's literally transformed in front of my eyes. It's shed half her weight and it's changed her life,' says Lindy, 26. 'She's a lot happier now and much more confident. I've never seen her so determined to do something in her life, but she worked really hard to lose the weight and it's really paid off. I'm so proud of her, she's an inspiration to everyone.' | Samantha Fitzgerald, 28, from South Wales was the 'fat sister' growing up .
By 26 she had ballooned to a size 20 and weighed 15.1 stone .
In June 2012 she was horrified when blood pressure belt didn't fit at GPs .
Joined Slimming World who devised a healthy eating plan .
Slimmed to size 12 in 6 months and met fiancé Sean Donnelly, 24, online . |
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